SportsSpeak73: The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier)
6) M...: "The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier) 6) Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings are a team that would easily have found themselves on the c..."
My thoughts on the current world of sports from football to basketball and everything in between.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
SportsSpeak73: The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier) 6) M...
!st of all, I'd like to take a moment to say goodbye to one of the best safeties to ever grace the gridiron. RIP Jack Tatum.
The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier)
6) Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings are a team that would easily have found themselves on the cream of crop list if not for two pressing issue. The first issue is that the Vikings don’t know who their Quarterback will be when week 1 arrives. It is widely assumed that Brett Favre will return for another turn under center but if his ankle does not cooperate, the Vikes could find themselves catching balls from unimpressive alternatives Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels. While the receiving corps made drastic strides last season, I doubt their improvement would continue with either of those options in the pocket. The second issue the Vikings must overcome is the fumbling epidemic Adrian Peterson appears to have developed. Strictly on running ability, Peterson is an elite back (18 TDs) with great speed, acceleration, elusiveness, and power. However, his habit of putting the ball on the ground is cause for concern. Generally speaking, teams who win the turnover battle win the game and if Peterson has six turnovers again, then that doesn’t bode well for the Vikings chances.
Defensively, the Vikings are stacked! Their front four includes two elite run stuffers in DTs Pat & Kevin Williams, an outstanding edge rusher in DE Jared Allen, and serviceable threat Ray Edwards at the other end spot. The Linebacker corps welcomes back MLB E.J. Henderson who, when healthy, has proven to be a steady contributor. Outside Backer Chad Greenway should continue to develop into a very well rounded and complete OLB. In the secondary, the Vikings employ diminutive yet dynamic Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin at Cornerback and talented young Tyrell Johnson at Strong Safety. The Vikings are talented without question, and even with the aforementioned issues they are a likely playoff team. Still, for them to reach their ultimate goal of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, they’ll need for both Favre to return and Peterson to be more secure with the ball.
7) Cincinnati Bengals- The Bengals have always been a talented team who never seemed to put it together, until last season. Coach Marvin Lewis drew from the knowledge he used as the coordinator to the record setting 2000 Ravens defense and molded the Bengals defense into a top 10 unit that held opponents to 18.3 ppg and totaled 25 takeaways. Responsible for roughly half of those takeaways were Cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph. Both CBs picked off 6 passes last season and Joseph returned one of those for a TD. Defensive End Antwan Odom managed to lead the team in sacks with 8 despite only playing 6 games due to injury. His return this season should be a welcome one!
Another welcome addition in Cincy this year will be none other than Terrell Owens. Personally I’m not particularly high on the 37 year old receiver but he does provide an upgrade over most other targets available to QB Carson Palmer. Assuming Owens and fellow Wide Receiver Chad Ochocino can co-exist, the Bengals should improve on their mediocre passing numbers from last season. Running Back Cedric Benson appeared to have found the stride that made him a top 5 NFL Draft Pick and used it to amass over 1,000 yards and 6 TDs. With an upgraded passing attack, those numbers should only improve as teams will not be able to put eight men in the box in an effort to stop the run. With a more potent offense, look for the Bengals to challenge the Ravens for NFC North supremacy.
8) New England Patriots- It seems as if this decade has belonged to the Patriots, and while they may no longer be considered a dynasty, they are far from washed up. The Pats still possess one of the best QBs in the league and a well respected coach in Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick respectively. Brady answered any questions about his injured knee last season by posting 28 TDs and a passer rating of 96.2 for his second best statistical season to date. Brady chain moving WR Wes Welker to injury late in the season and its unknown whether or not Welker will be ready for week 1 competition. Brady is not devoid of weapons however as he still has the talented Randy Moss to throw deep balls to. Unfortunately for Brady, the Patriots did not upgrade their mediocre running game this offseason which means that the Pats success will be completely up to him.
Defensively, the Patriots are a question mark. They traded away All-Pro DE Richard Seymour early last year for draft picks, yet drafted only 4 defensive players in this year’s draft, none of which are expected to match Seymour’s productivity. With Seymour’s departure, the only holdover from the Pats dynasty days is NT Vince Wilfork. Wilfork remains one of the better NTs in the NFL and after receiving a new contract this off-season, has no reason to play any less than exceptional football. Jerrod Mayo is the unquestioned leader of the Linebacker corps which isn’t a very good group unfortunately. Mayo is a stud no doubt, but while he racked up 103 tackles last year, he also missed 4 games. Other than Mayo, no one in the LB corps strikes fear in the heart of opposing offenses which is a far cry from the days when McGinest, Bruschi, and Vrabel patrolled the hash marks in Foxboro.
9) Pittsburgh Steelers- The Steelers are a quality team who may not finish the season with a quality record. The team will be without franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger for at least the first 4 games of the season and during that span they’ll face three quality teams (Falcons, Titans, Ravens), leading to the very real possibility that they’ll start the season 1-3. Without Roethlisberger, the Steelers will rely on statue like QB Byron Leftwich to hold the fort. While Leftwich is a more than serviceable option, the problem arises when you couple his immobility with the Steelers porous O-Line. Another problem for the Steelers is the WR position. While Mike Wallace had an exceptional rookie season, he is now being asked to replace Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes which is a tall order. However, he will have a steady and efficient mentor in Hines Ward.
In spite of all the questions the Steelers face on the offensive side of the ball, they rank this high because of their defense. Last year’s was not quite up to coordinator Dick LeBeau’s standards, but that can be at least partially attributed to injuries. All-Pro Troy Polamalu was sorely missed, as the Steel Curtain struggled mightily in his absence. Polamalu is a ball hawking safety who allows LeBeau to be more aggressive in his schemes. Without him, the Steelers were forced to be more conservative which doesn’t suit their style of play. Also, look for OLB James Harrison to return to the form that made him the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. With Polamalu back on the field, Harrison will likely be freed up to be more of a blitz artist.
10) San Diego Chargers- While I expect the Chargers to collect another AFC West division title, their Super Bowl aspirations this season could very well go unfulfilled. On paper, the Chargers appear to be as talented as ever. However, that paper lists Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeil on the Chargers’ roster and it appears there is a very real possibility one, if not both, of these players will hold out. Jackson’s absence would be significantly more poisonous to the Chargers hopes of a Super Bowl appearance because he is their No. 1 receiver and a very effective one at that. Jackson caught roughly 32% of QB Phillip Rivers’ TD passes last season (9 of 28) and though All-Pro TE Antonio Gates constantly abuses defenses, Rivers will need more than one steady target to get the Chargers to greatness. As for Rivers, the holdout with the most pressing importance to him is likely the situation with McNeil. McNeil has been protecting Rivers’ blindside for Rivers’ entire career as a starter. McNeil is a two time Pro Bowler who is widely considered one of the elite Tackles in the game. If he holds out for the first 10 games of the season, Rivers may be in for a beating. Assuming, McNeil returns earlier, expect Rivers to remain the brash, trash talking assassin who backs up his words with his arm. Over the past two years, Rivers has a higher average passer rating than any other QB including P. Manning & Brees (his exclusion from the 2008 Pro Bowl was CRIMINAL). With a new power back (rookie Ryan Matthews) and an elusive specialty back (Darren Sproles), the Chargers should run the ball more this season than years past.
The Chargers defense is also a point of uncertainty. There is potential there to be sure, but the question is whether that potential will develop into talent. The departure of Antonio Cromartie means Antoine Cason will likely replace him as a starting CB. Cason is a big corner (6’0”) with decent ball skills that should be able to hold his own against most WRs. Opposite of Cason is veteran Quentin Jammer. Over the course of his 8 year career, Jammer has averaged 2 INTs and 12 deflections a year. He also prides himself on being an excellent corner in terms of run support. Speaking of run support, the Chargers are looking to improve on their numbers from 2009 when they ranked 20th in the league allowing 117 ypg on the ground. Expect rookie DT Cam Thomas to push for the starting NT job as Ogemdi Nwagbuo was largely ineffective last season. The Chargers are a team with one elite player and a multitude of players ranging from decent to good but they don’t have many great ones. They can sorely afford to have two great ones watching from home so A.J. Smith, get it together and get Jackson and McNeil on the field.
The 2010-2011 NFL Runner-Ups (Second Tier)
6) Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings are a team that would easily have found themselves on the cream of crop list if not for two pressing issue. The first issue is that the Vikings don’t know who their Quarterback will be when week 1 arrives. It is widely assumed that Brett Favre will return for another turn under center but if his ankle does not cooperate, the Vikes could find themselves catching balls from unimpressive alternatives Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels. While the receiving corps made drastic strides last season, I doubt their improvement would continue with either of those options in the pocket. The second issue the Vikings must overcome is the fumbling epidemic Adrian Peterson appears to have developed. Strictly on running ability, Peterson is an elite back (18 TDs) with great speed, acceleration, elusiveness, and power. However, his habit of putting the ball on the ground is cause for concern. Generally speaking, teams who win the turnover battle win the game and if Peterson has six turnovers again, then that doesn’t bode well for the Vikings chances.
Defensively, the Vikings are stacked! Their front four includes two elite run stuffers in DTs Pat & Kevin Williams, an outstanding edge rusher in DE Jared Allen, and serviceable threat Ray Edwards at the other end spot. The Linebacker corps welcomes back MLB E.J. Henderson who, when healthy, has proven to be a steady contributor. Outside Backer Chad Greenway should continue to develop into a very well rounded and complete OLB. In the secondary, the Vikings employ diminutive yet dynamic Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin at Cornerback and talented young Tyrell Johnson at Strong Safety. The Vikings are talented without question, and even with the aforementioned issues they are a likely playoff team. Still, for them to reach their ultimate goal of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, they’ll need for both Favre to return and Peterson to be more secure with the ball.
7) Cincinnati Bengals- The Bengals have always been a talented team who never seemed to put it together, until last season. Coach Marvin Lewis drew from the knowledge he used as the coordinator to the record setting 2000 Ravens defense and molded the Bengals defense into a top 10 unit that held opponents to 18.3 ppg and totaled 25 takeaways. Responsible for roughly half of those takeaways were Cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph. Both CBs picked off 6 passes last season and Joseph returned one of those for a TD. Defensive End Antwan Odom managed to lead the team in sacks with 8 despite only playing 6 games due to injury. His return this season should be a welcome one!
Another welcome addition in Cincy this year will be none other than Terrell Owens. Personally I’m not particularly high on the 37 year old receiver but he does provide an upgrade over most other targets available to QB Carson Palmer. Assuming Owens and fellow Wide Receiver Chad Ochocino can co-exist, the Bengals should improve on their mediocre passing numbers from last season. Running Back Cedric Benson appeared to have found the stride that made him a top 5 NFL Draft Pick and used it to amass over 1,000 yards and 6 TDs. With an upgraded passing attack, those numbers should only improve as teams will not be able to put eight men in the box in an effort to stop the run. With a more potent offense, look for the Bengals to challenge the Ravens for NFC North supremacy.
8) New England Patriots- It seems as if this decade has belonged to the Patriots, and while they may no longer be considered a dynasty, they are far from washed up. The Pats still possess one of the best QBs in the league and a well respected coach in Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick respectively. Brady answered any questions about his injured knee last season by posting 28 TDs and a passer rating of 96.2 for his second best statistical season to date. Brady chain moving WR Wes Welker to injury late in the season and its unknown whether or not Welker will be ready for week 1 competition. Brady is not devoid of weapons however as he still has the talented Randy Moss to throw deep balls to. Unfortunately for Brady, the Patriots did not upgrade their mediocre running game this offseason which means that the Pats success will be completely up to him.
Defensively, the Patriots are a question mark. They traded away All-Pro DE Richard Seymour early last year for draft picks, yet drafted only 4 defensive players in this year’s draft, none of which are expected to match Seymour’s productivity. With Seymour’s departure, the only holdover from the Pats dynasty days is NT Vince Wilfork. Wilfork remains one of the better NTs in the NFL and after receiving a new contract this off-season, has no reason to play any less than exceptional football. Jerrod Mayo is the unquestioned leader of the Linebacker corps which isn’t a very good group unfortunately. Mayo is a stud no doubt, but while he racked up 103 tackles last year, he also missed 4 games. Other than Mayo, no one in the LB corps strikes fear in the heart of opposing offenses which is a far cry from the days when McGinest, Bruschi, and Vrabel patrolled the hash marks in Foxboro.
9) Pittsburgh Steelers- The Steelers are a quality team who may not finish the season with a quality record. The team will be without franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger for at least the first 4 games of the season and during that span they’ll face three quality teams (Falcons, Titans, Ravens), leading to the very real possibility that they’ll start the season 1-3. Without Roethlisberger, the Steelers will rely on statue like QB Byron Leftwich to hold the fort. While Leftwich is a more than serviceable option, the problem arises when you couple his immobility with the Steelers porous O-Line. Another problem for the Steelers is the WR position. While Mike Wallace had an exceptional rookie season, he is now being asked to replace Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes which is a tall order. However, he will have a steady and efficient mentor in Hines Ward.
In spite of all the questions the Steelers face on the offensive side of the ball, they rank this high because of their defense. Last year’s was not quite up to coordinator Dick LeBeau’s standards, but that can be at least partially attributed to injuries. All-Pro Troy Polamalu was sorely missed, as the Steel Curtain struggled mightily in his absence. Polamalu is a ball hawking safety who allows LeBeau to be more aggressive in his schemes. Without him, the Steelers were forced to be more conservative which doesn’t suit their style of play. Also, look for OLB James Harrison to return to the form that made him the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. With Polamalu back on the field, Harrison will likely be freed up to be more of a blitz artist.
10) San Diego Chargers- While I expect the Chargers to collect another AFC West division title, their Super Bowl aspirations this season could very well go unfulfilled. On paper, the Chargers appear to be as talented as ever. However, that paper lists Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeil on the Chargers’ roster and it appears there is a very real possibility one, if not both, of these players will hold out. Jackson’s absence would be significantly more poisonous to the Chargers hopes of a Super Bowl appearance because he is their No. 1 receiver and a very effective one at that. Jackson caught roughly 32% of QB Phillip Rivers’ TD passes last season (9 of 28) and though All-Pro TE Antonio Gates constantly abuses defenses, Rivers will need more than one steady target to get the Chargers to greatness. As for Rivers, the holdout with the most pressing importance to him is likely the situation with McNeil. McNeil has been protecting Rivers’ blindside for Rivers’ entire career as a starter. McNeil is a two time Pro Bowler who is widely considered one of the elite Tackles in the game. If he holds out for the first 10 games of the season, Rivers may be in for a beating. Assuming, McNeil returns earlier, expect Rivers to remain the brash, trash talking assassin who backs up his words with his arm. Over the past two years, Rivers has a higher average passer rating than any other QB including P. Manning & Brees (his exclusion from the 2008 Pro Bowl was CRIMINAL). With a new power back (rookie Ryan Matthews) and an elusive specialty back (Darren Sproles), the Chargers should run the ball more this season than years past.
The Chargers defense is also a point of uncertainty. There is potential there to be sure, but the question is whether that potential will develop into talent. The departure of Antonio Cromartie means Antoine Cason will likely replace him as a starting CB. Cason is a big corner (6’0”) with decent ball skills that should be able to hold his own against most WRs. Opposite of Cason is veteran Quentin Jammer. Over the course of his 8 year career, Jammer has averaged 2 INTs and 12 deflections a year. He also prides himself on being an excellent corner in terms of run support. Speaking of run support, the Chargers are looking to improve on their numbers from 2009 when they ranked 20th in the league allowing 117 ypg on the ground. Expect rookie DT Cam Thomas to push for the starting NT job as Ogemdi Nwagbuo was largely ineffective last season. The Chargers are a team with one elite player and a multitude of players ranging from decent to good but they don’t have many great ones. They can sorely afford to have two great ones watching from home so A.J. Smith, get it together and get Jackson and McNeil on the field.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
SportsSpeak73: NFL Preview 1-5
SportsSpeak73: NFL Preview 1-5: "Well ladies and gentlemen, there are officially 49 days remaining before the start of the NFL Regular Season. With the first NFL training c..."
NFL Preview 1-5
Well ladies and gentlemen, there are officially 49 days remaining before the start of the NFL Regular Season. With the first NFL training camps less than a week away, it seemed appropriate to dedicate this installment of SportsSpeak to a Preseason NFL Power Ranking. Starting with…
The Cream of the Crop:
1) Indianapolis Colts- The Colts make #1 on this list for one simple reason, and that reason can be found calling audibles behind Jeff Saturday on Sundays. In other words, Peyton Manning! Manning has been the premier QB in the league for the better part of a decade now.
Since 2000, Manning has coupled an average of 31 TDs with an average passer rating of 98.57 against 14 INTs making him truly elite. However, the Colts are not without complimentary weapons. The Colts armory also includes talented perennial Pro Bowlers Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne. Clark and Wayne are near, if not the top of the producing players in the NFL at their respective positions. Clark continually haunts the nightmares of Defensive Coordinators because he’s too big to cover with the average and above average Safety, and too quick to be stopped by the average Linebacker. Wayne on the other hand, has effortlessly stepped into the role of No. 1 receiver following the departure of Marvin Harrison. Wayne is a truly elite receiver who can run any route and make any adjustment needed to give his QB the best passing lane to exploit. Defenses have to account for these two and that makes Manning all the more deadly because it opens up holes for receivers Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. Couple that with the fact that steady option Anthony Gonzalez returns from last year’s injury, and the Colts’ offense is more loaded than the 2009 edition.
The Colts defense is nearly as lethal, if not as talented, as their offensive counterparts. Due to either a remarkable scouting evaluation or a simple stroke of luck, the Colts made one of the better draft picks in recent memory by selecting Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea in the sixth round of the 2006 draft. Bethea has emerged into one of the better safeties in the NFL. Also on the defensive side are underrated LB Gary Brackett and whirling dervish Dwight Freeney. Brackett has averaged 112 tackles over the last 5 seasons and is to the defense what Manning is to the offense. While he may not call his own plays like Manning, he does control the huddle and calls audibles when fit. Freeney for lack of a better term is a beast. He frequently annihilates opposing Offensive Tackles and has frequent backfield meetings with opposing Quarterbacks. The Colts drafter arguable the best sack artist in this year’s draft (Jerry Hughes) which should decrease the number of double teams Freeney sees on Sundays. The Colts appear to be as cerebral as ever and have even more weapons than usual, which is bad news for the rest of the league.
2) Baltimore Ravens- For years the Ravens have featured an elite defense teamed with an offense that was adequate at best. Last year however, while the defense was yet again tops in the league, the offense evolved into a dynamic unit which averaged 24 ppg and was ranked 13th best offense in the league. In the upcoming season, the defense should once again be stellar as they return the majority of last years starters along with the draft day additions of outstanding collegiate LB Sergio Kindle and Nose Tackle Terrance “Mt.” Cody. Kindle was widely regarded as a first class talent with better skills than rookie pro bowler Brian Orakpo had coming out of Texas. Placing him in a position to be mentored in the nuances of the game by arguably the best Inside Linebacker ever (Ray Lewis) is as close to a performance enhancement he could get without violating the league’s drug policy. Haloti Ngata is in my opinion the best Nose Tackle in the NFL , however he possess more than enough athleticism to be successful as a defensive end should the Ravens decide to push Cody into the starting Nose Tackle slot. That would give the Ravens two 300+ lbs mountains of flesh to clear the downhill lanes for Lewis and company.
The offense on the other hand should take another step in its evolution as they now have a legitimate No. 1 receiver in Anquan Boldin. While Boldin was overshadowed in Arizona by the apparent dominance of Larry Fitzgerald, he has averaged 7 TDs and 83 receptions at a 12.8 ypc clip over his seven year career. His arrival along with the return of Derrick Mason and Todd Heap means Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron and QB Joe Flacco have plenty toys to play with. While the Ravens will have the ability to seemingly pass at will, Todd Heap is still a very viable option at tight end, their calling card has always been the running game. With an astounding committee of runners including Ray Rice as the primary back, the Ravens should have no problem playing grind it out football when the situation calls for it. With an superb defense, excellent running game, and opportunistic passing…the Ravens have the prototypical formula required for NFL regular season and post season success.
3) New York Jets- For years Jets’ fans have been forced to dwell in NFL purgatory. They have watched their front office make blunder after blunder in the NFL Draft (Kyle Brady as a 9th pick, please) as well as watch their coaches prove inept. However, that all changed with the Jets emergence last season. Rex Ryan, while always an extraordinary coordinator, proved that he is also an extremely talented head coach. From his classic media shenanigans to his defensive gameplans, Ryan has tamed the beast known as the New York media while maintaining his skills as a gridiron tactician. One of the primary tools to his defensive genius is none other than Darrelle Revis. Not since Deion Sanders has there been a corner this skilled at eliminating the oppositions primary receiver. Against Pro Bowl receivers Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (2 games), Steve Smith (Panthers), and Roddy White, Revis only allowed an average 3.6 receptions per game at a 7.2 ypc clip with 1 TD. To put that in perspective, White is the least prolific receiver in that group and his average for the season was 13.6 ypc. That means Revis held the other the other receivers at more than 6.4 yards under their per catch average in addition to limiting their number of catches. Revis’ dominance allows Ryan to think up more exotic blitz packages to confuse and dumbfound opposing Quarterbacks because he doesn’t have to worry about double teaming the other team’s best receiver.
On offense however, the Jets are a little suspect. Running Back Shonn Green does seems poised to impress in his new role as the Jets’ feature back, but the acquisition of eventual hall of famer LaDainian Tomlinson doesn’t make much sense to me. By cutting ties with Thomas Jones and picking up LT, the Jets basically traded an old, albeit effective back for an older back declining in production and with less tread on his tires. On the other hand, LT should be an upgrade in the passing game as he has excellent hands and is perhaps the best pass blocking back in the league. Two things must happen for the Jets to reach their offensive potential this season, first Mark Sanchez must limit his turnovers (20 INTS and 3 lost fumbles last season) and second, Braylon Edwards has to develop more focus (16 drop unofficially in 2009). If that happens, look for the Jets to go at least one game further than they did in 2009 and play for the Championship.
4) Green Bay Packers- For years conventional thought has been that you don’t want to be the guy follows the legend, you want to be the guy who follows the guy who followed the legend. Apparently, Aaron Rodgers didn’t get that memo. Since taking the huddle from Brett Favre in 2008, Rodgers has totaled 58 touchdowns compared to 20 interceptions and has an average passer rating of 98.5. Over that time only Phillip Rivers, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning have a higher average passer rating. Rodgers has become the unquestioned leader of this team leading them to playoff berth last season as the 3rd ranked scoring offense in the NFL. Rodgers targets include steady if not spectacular targets, Wide Receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. Jennings and Driver combined for 138 receptions and 10 of Rodgers 30 TD passes last season. Also among the targets at Rodgers’ disposal is emerging Tight End Jermicheal Finley. Finley impressed last season with 55 catches for 676 yds and 5 TDs, placing him 12th in the league among TE’s in receptions and touchdowns. The primary hindrance to the Packers offense last year was a lack of consistency in their Offensive Line play. Well that’s not entirely accurate, the O-Line play was consistent…it was just consistently bad. The packers have taken steps to rectify this shortcoming however with the addition of three offensive linemen this offseason including blue chip prospect Bryan Bulaga. Bulaga is a massive (6’5” 314 lbs), explosive (27” vertical jump), powerful (26 bench repetitions) tackle who should prove capable of protecting Rodgers’ blindside for years to come.
Defensively, the Packers should prove more than adequate if not impressive. Last year’s unit finished the season ranked 2nd in overall defense and 7th in scoring defense. While the secondary remains long in the tooth (starting Cornerbacks Woodson and Harris are 33 and 35 respectively), they played exceptionally well last season leaving no reason to doubt they will perform less than adequately this season. The only notable departure from the unit is DE/OLB Aaron Kampman. Kampman’s departure shouldn’t hurt the Packers however as he only played 9 games last season and was never really comfortable in a 3-4 alignment. Nick Barnett recovered from a disappointing 2008 campaign by racking up 105 tackles and 4 sacks in 2009 as opposed to 49 tackles and 0 sacks in 2008. Last year’s impressive rookie LB Clay Matthews should be able to improve on his tackle numbers from 2008 (51) while continuing to develop his pass rushing ability (10 sacks in 2008). The Packers appeared poised for a run at the divisional title. With the Lions still rebuilding and Jay Cutler whining more with every interception, the Cheeseheads only competition seems to be the Vikings. With improved O-Line play and Rodgers’ continued development, the Packers may be ready to completely exorcise the memory of old number 4.
5) Dallas Cowboys- The Dallas Cowboys have a realistic shot at accomplishing a feat not yet achieved in the NFL. Hosting, and playing in the same Super Bowl. With a prolific offense and a stingy defense, the Cowboys are one of the truly elite teams in the NFL. Offensively the Cowboys are full of options. They have a three headed monster at Running Back as complete as any in the league, a Pro Bowl Quarterback , an exceptional Tight End, and a breakout Wide Receiver. The Cowboys have, in my opinion, the best running back committee in the NFL. They have a bruiser in Marion Barber, a speedster in Felix Jones, and a do everything in Tashard Choice. While none of these backs reached the prestigious 1,000 yrd mark individually, they totaled over 1.900 yrds and 13 TDs cumulatively. In Choice, they have a back capable of running between the tackles, run outside, block in the passing game, and be effective as a receiver in the passing game. Choice has also shown a penchant for playing big against quality competition. In 2008, he totaled ran for 91 yds on 17 carries for a 5.3 average and a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in a game critical to the Cowboys playoff hopes that year. He has 36 receptions in two seasons at an average of 8.8 ypc. While Choice is what one would consider a jack of all trades, Jones is a master of one, the big play. In his career (20 games thus far), Jones has 8 rushes of 20 yards or more and 5 of 40 yards or more. His explosiveness is not limited to the running game however, as he has 4 kick returns of 40 yards or more in his two seasons. Jones has bulked up a bit this season which should reduce the time he spends on the injured list. As for Barber, this year he should return to his specialized role of closer. No back has proven better at punishing defenders late in games than Barber has when healthy. He is arguably the toughest back in the league, constantly plays hurt, and has a nose for the goal line. In his five year career, Barber has amassed 43 rushing touchdowns and 6 receiving touchdowns for an average of over 9 TDs per year. Also responsible for Barber’s receiving TDs is QB Tony Romo. Romo finished last season 3rd in the league in passing yards, 6th in INTs, and 10th in TDs. His passer rating ranked in the top 10 (97.6) and with Miles Austin expected to continue his development, Romo should have an even better season this year. Austin and TE Jason Witten were Romo’s primary targets last year as No. 2 receiver Roy Williams continued to struggle in Big D. Austin and Witten accounted for 177 receptions and 13 TDs last year. Williams’ status as the No. 2 receiver is in question this season with the arrival of potential draft day steal Dez Bryant. At 6’2” 225 and running a 4.4-4.5 40, Bryant is the prototypical receiver. Rumblings out of Dallas have Bryant impressing daily which means Romo should have yet another quality set of hands to which he can throw to.
While Dallas’ offense should improve from last season’s numbers, the defense should at least be able to maintain last year’s numbers. The Cowboy defense finished the year ranked in the top 10 in total defense while finishing 2nd in scoring defense. The unit amassed 42 sacks to go along with 11 INTs which should only go up with the improved health of stalwart DeMarcus Ware. Ware is considered one of the best OLBs in the league for good reason. Since entering the league, he has averaged nearly 13 sacks per season including 20 in 2008. He’s also proven himself effective in pass coverage with 18 pass deflections in his 5 year career. Rushing the QB alongside Ware will be Pro Bowl Nose Tackle Jay Ratliff. Ratliff is also a five year pro and has amassed 21.5 sacks in his career thus far which is exceptional for a nose tackle. Ratliff’s ability to put pressure on the opposing O-Line should allow LBs Keith Brooking and Bradie James to roam free yet again. The duo totaled 219 tackles last season along with 5 sacks. Behind the front seven however, the Cowboys may be in trouble. They appear set at cornerback with Terrance Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick serving as the starting and nickel corners, but safety is a different tale. Gerald Sensabaugh is a serviceable asset at Strong Safety but the Free Safety position appears to be in flux. Alan Ball is currently the only FS on the roster which begs the question of why Jerry Jones didn’t pursue an upgrade in the form of NY Giants Antrelle Rolle or St. Louis Rams Oshiomogho Atogwe when both players were looking for suitors earlier this offseason. The FS situation aside, the Cowboys are team loaded with talent and potential. However, as an old coach of mine once said, potential is only talent you haven’t done anything with yet. That being the case, I’m sure Cowboys fans are hoping that the team utilizes more talent, than potential.
Tomorrow I will be discussing the Runner Ups and Middle of the Pack Teams, with the Tail Enders and the Bottom of the Barrel coming Thursday.
The Cream of the Crop:
1) Indianapolis Colts- The Colts make #1 on this list for one simple reason, and that reason can be found calling audibles behind Jeff Saturday on Sundays. In other words, Peyton Manning! Manning has been the premier QB in the league for the better part of a decade now.
Since 2000, Manning has coupled an average of 31 TDs with an average passer rating of 98.57 against 14 INTs making him truly elite. However, the Colts are not without complimentary weapons. The Colts armory also includes talented perennial Pro Bowlers Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne. Clark and Wayne are near, if not the top of the producing players in the NFL at their respective positions. Clark continually haunts the nightmares of Defensive Coordinators because he’s too big to cover with the average and above average Safety, and too quick to be stopped by the average Linebacker. Wayne on the other hand, has effortlessly stepped into the role of No. 1 receiver following the departure of Marvin Harrison. Wayne is a truly elite receiver who can run any route and make any adjustment needed to give his QB the best passing lane to exploit. Defenses have to account for these two and that makes Manning all the more deadly because it opens up holes for receivers Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. Couple that with the fact that steady option Anthony Gonzalez returns from last year’s injury, and the Colts’ offense is more loaded than the 2009 edition.
The Colts defense is nearly as lethal, if not as talented, as their offensive counterparts. Due to either a remarkable scouting evaluation or a simple stroke of luck, the Colts made one of the better draft picks in recent memory by selecting Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea in the sixth round of the 2006 draft. Bethea has emerged into one of the better safeties in the NFL. Also on the defensive side are underrated LB Gary Brackett and whirling dervish Dwight Freeney. Brackett has averaged 112 tackles over the last 5 seasons and is to the defense what Manning is to the offense. While he may not call his own plays like Manning, he does control the huddle and calls audibles when fit. Freeney for lack of a better term is a beast. He frequently annihilates opposing Offensive Tackles and has frequent backfield meetings with opposing Quarterbacks. The Colts drafter arguable the best sack artist in this year’s draft (Jerry Hughes) which should decrease the number of double teams Freeney sees on Sundays. The Colts appear to be as cerebral as ever and have even more weapons than usual, which is bad news for the rest of the league.
2) Baltimore Ravens- For years the Ravens have featured an elite defense teamed with an offense that was adequate at best. Last year however, while the defense was yet again tops in the league, the offense evolved into a dynamic unit which averaged 24 ppg and was ranked 13th best offense in the league. In the upcoming season, the defense should once again be stellar as they return the majority of last years starters along with the draft day additions of outstanding collegiate LB Sergio Kindle and Nose Tackle Terrance “Mt.” Cody. Kindle was widely regarded as a first class talent with better skills than rookie pro bowler Brian Orakpo had coming out of Texas. Placing him in a position to be mentored in the nuances of the game by arguably the best Inside Linebacker ever (Ray Lewis) is as close to a performance enhancement he could get without violating the league’s drug policy. Haloti Ngata is in my opinion the best Nose Tackle in the NFL , however he possess more than enough athleticism to be successful as a defensive end should the Ravens decide to push Cody into the starting Nose Tackle slot. That would give the Ravens two 300+ lbs mountains of flesh to clear the downhill lanes for Lewis and company.
The offense on the other hand should take another step in its evolution as they now have a legitimate No. 1 receiver in Anquan Boldin. While Boldin was overshadowed in Arizona by the apparent dominance of Larry Fitzgerald, he has averaged 7 TDs and 83 receptions at a 12.8 ypc clip over his seven year career. His arrival along with the return of Derrick Mason and Todd Heap means Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron and QB Joe Flacco have plenty toys to play with. While the Ravens will have the ability to seemingly pass at will, Todd Heap is still a very viable option at tight end, their calling card has always been the running game. With an astounding committee of runners including Ray Rice as the primary back, the Ravens should have no problem playing grind it out football when the situation calls for it. With an superb defense, excellent running game, and opportunistic passing…the Ravens have the prototypical formula required for NFL regular season and post season success.
3) New York Jets- For years Jets’ fans have been forced to dwell in NFL purgatory. They have watched their front office make blunder after blunder in the NFL Draft (Kyle Brady as a 9th pick, please) as well as watch their coaches prove inept. However, that all changed with the Jets emergence last season. Rex Ryan, while always an extraordinary coordinator, proved that he is also an extremely talented head coach. From his classic media shenanigans to his defensive gameplans, Ryan has tamed the beast known as the New York media while maintaining his skills as a gridiron tactician. One of the primary tools to his defensive genius is none other than Darrelle Revis. Not since Deion Sanders has there been a corner this skilled at eliminating the oppositions primary receiver. Against Pro Bowl receivers Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (2 games), Steve Smith (Panthers), and Roddy White, Revis only allowed an average 3.6 receptions per game at a 7.2 ypc clip with 1 TD. To put that in perspective, White is the least prolific receiver in that group and his average for the season was 13.6 ypc. That means Revis held the other the other receivers at more than 6.4 yards under their per catch average in addition to limiting their number of catches. Revis’ dominance allows Ryan to think up more exotic blitz packages to confuse and dumbfound opposing Quarterbacks because he doesn’t have to worry about double teaming the other team’s best receiver.
On offense however, the Jets are a little suspect. Running Back Shonn Green does seems poised to impress in his new role as the Jets’ feature back, but the acquisition of eventual hall of famer LaDainian Tomlinson doesn’t make much sense to me. By cutting ties with Thomas Jones and picking up LT, the Jets basically traded an old, albeit effective back for an older back declining in production and with less tread on his tires. On the other hand, LT should be an upgrade in the passing game as he has excellent hands and is perhaps the best pass blocking back in the league. Two things must happen for the Jets to reach their offensive potential this season, first Mark Sanchez must limit his turnovers (20 INTS and 3 lost fumbles last season) and second, Braylon Edwards has to develop more focus (16 drop unofficially in 2009). If that happens, look for the Jets to go at least one game further than they did in 2009 and play for the Championship.
4) Green Bay Packers- For years conventional thought has been that you don’t want to be the guy follows the legend, you want to be the guy who follows the guy who followed the legend. Apparently, Aaron Rodgers didn’t get that memo. Since taking the huddle from Brett Favre in 2008, Rodgers has totaled 58 touchdowns compared to 20 interceptions and has an average passer rating of 98.5. Over that time only Phillip Rivers, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning have a higher average passer rating. Rodgers has become the unquestioned leader of this team leading them to playoff berth last season as the 3rd ranked scoring offense in the NFL. Rodgers targets include steady if not spectacular targets, Wide Receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. Jennings and Driver combined for 138 receptions and 10 of Rodgers 30 TD passes last season. Also among the targets at Rodgers’ disposal is emerging Tight End Jermicheal Finley. Finley impressed last season with 55 catches for 676 yds and 5 TDs, placing him 12th in the league among TE’s in receptions and touchdowns. The primary hindrance to the Packers offense last year was a lack of consistency in their Offensive Line play. Well that’s not entirely accurate, the O-Line play was consistent…it was just consistently bad. The packers have taken steps to rectify this shortcoming however with the addition of three offensive linemen this offseason including blue chip prospect Bryan Bulaga. Bulaga is a massive (6’5” 314 lbs), explosive (27” vertical jump), powerful (26 bench repetitions) tackle who should prove capable of protecting Rodgers’ blindside for years to come.
Defensively, the Packers should prove more than adequate if not impressive. Last year’s unit finished the season ranked 2nd in overall defense and 7th in scoring defense. While the secondary remains long in the tooth (starting Cornerbacks Woodson and Harris are 33 and 35 respectively), they played exceptionally well last season leaving no reason to doubt they will perform less than adequately this season. The only notable departure from the unit is DE/OLB Aaron Kampman. Kampman’s departure shouldn’t hurt the Packers however as he only played 9 games last season and was never really comfortable in a 3-4 alignment. Nick Barnett recovered from a disappointing 2008 campaign by racking up 105 tackles and 4 sacks in 2009 as opposed to 49 tackles and 0 sacks in 2008. Last year’s impressive rookie LB Clay Matthews should be able to improve on his tackle numbers from 2008 (51) while continuing to develop his pass rushing ability (10 sacks in 2008). The Packers appeared poised for a run at the divisional title. With the Lions still rebuilding and Jay Cutler whining more with every interception, the Cheeseheads only competition seems to be the Vikings. With improved O-Line play and Rodgers’ continued development, the Packers may be ready to completely exorcise the memory of old number 4.
5) Dallas Cowboys- The Dallas Cowboys have a realistic shot at accomplishing a feat not yet achieved in the NFL. Hosting, and playing in the same Super Bowl. With a prolific offense and a stingy defense, the Cowboys are one of the truly elite teams in the NFL. Offensively the Cowboys are full of options. They have a three headed monster at Running Back as complete as any in the league, a Pro Bowl Quarterback , an exceptional Tight End, and a breakout Wide Receiver. The Cowboys have, in my opinion, the best running back committee in the NFL. They have a bruiser in Marion Barber, a speedster in Felix Jones, and a do everything in Tashard Choice. While none of these backs reached the prestigious 1,000 yrd mark individually, they totaled over 1.900 yrds and 13 TDs cumulatively. In Choice, they have a back capable of running between the tackles, run outside, block in the passing game, and be effective as a receiver in the passing game. Choice has also shown a penchant for playing big against quality competition. In 2008, he totaled ran for 91 yds on 17 carries for a 5.3 average and a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in a game critical to the Cowboys playoff hopes that year. He has 36 receptions in two seasons at an average of 8.8 ypc. While Choice is what one would consider a jack of all trades, Jones is a master of one, the big play. In his career (20 games thus far), Jones has 8 rushes of 20 yards or more and 5 of 40 yards or more. His explosiveness is not limited to the running game however, as he has 4 kick returns of 40 yards or more in his two seasons. Jones has bulked up a bit this season which should reduce the time he spends on the injured list. As for Barber, this year he should return to his specialized role of closer. No back has proven better at punishing defenders late in games than Barber has when healthy. He is arguably the toughest back in the league, constantly plays hurt, and has a nose for the goal line. In his five year career, Barber has amassed 43 rushing touchdowns and 6 receiving touchdowns for an average of over 9 TDs per year. Also responsible for Barber’s receiving TDs is QB Tony Romo. Romo finished last season 3rd in the league in passing yards, 6th in INTs, and 10th in TDs. His passer rating ranked in the top 10 (97.6) and with Miles Austin expected to continue his development, Romo should have an even better season this year. Austin and TE Jason Witten were Romo’s primary targets last year as No. 2 receiver Roy Williams continued to struggle in Big D. Austin and Witten accounted for 177 receptions and 13 TDs last year. Williams’ status as the No. 2 receiver is in question this season with the arrival of potential draft day steal Dez Bryant. At 6’2” 225 and running a 4.4-4.5 40, Bryant is the prototypical receiver. Rumblings out of Dallas have Bryant impressing daily which means Romo should have yet another quality set of hands to which he can throw to.
While Dallas’ offense should improve from last season’s numbers, the defense should at least be able to maintain last year’s numbers. The Cowboy defense finished the year ranked in the top 10 in total defense while finishing 2nd in scoring defense. The unit amassed 42 sacks to go along with 11 INTs which should only go up with the improved health of stalwart DeMarcus Ware. Ware is considered one of the best OLBs in the league for good reason. Since entering the league, he has averaged nearly 13 sacks per season including 20 in 2008. He’s also proven himself effective in pass coverage with 18 pass deflections in his 5 year career. Rushing the QB alongside Ware will be Pro Bowl Nose Tackle Jay Ratliff. Ratliff is also a five year pro and has amassed 21.5 sacks in his career thus far which is exceptional for a nose tackle. Ratliff’s ability to put pressure on the opposing O-Line should allow LBs Keith Brooking and Bradie James to roam free yet again. The duo totaled 219 tackles last season along with 5 sacks. Behind the front seven however, the Cowboys may be in trouble. They appear set at cornerback with Terrance Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick serving as the starting and nickel corners, but safety is a different tale. Gerald Sensabaugh is a serviceable asset at Strong Safety but the Free Safety position appears to be in flux. Alan Ball is currently the only FS on the roster which begs the question of why Jerry Jones didn’t pursue an upgrade in the form of NY Giants Antrelle Rolle or St. Louis Rams Oshiomogho Atogwe when both players were looking for suitors earlier this offseason. The FS situation aside, the Cowboys are team loaded with talent and potential. However, as an old coach of mine once said, potential is only talent you haven’t done anything with yet. That being the case, I’m sure Cowboys fans are hoping that the team utilizes more talent, than potential.
Tomorrow I will be discussing the Runner Ups and Middle of the Pack Teams, with the Tail Enders and the Bottom of the Barrel coming Thursday.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Well, since we last saw each other several things have happened in the world of sports. Spain won its inaugural World Cup (Congratulations), Lebron James officially punk’d out (Sad but true), the National League gave me a flashback of 1996 by winning the MLB All-Star Game (Bout Time), and the NBA Free Agency period continued.
This year’s World Cup, while full of suspenseful comebacks and at time brilliant play, was unforgivably marred by terrible officiating. Time and time again we were forced to watch referees make maddening calls without being held accountable for those calls, or even having to explain them. Every sport has officiating blunders at some juncture, from Ed Hochuli dropping the ball during the Broncos v. Chargers game two years ago, to Jim Joyce robbing A. Galarraga (Detroit Tigers) of a perfect game this season. The difference between these cases and FIFA’s bumbling officials is that the aforementioned refs were explanative if not remorseful for the gaffes they committed while FIFA’s officials have proven indignant, if they comment at all. FIFA has long stood steadfast to their belief that adding goal line technology and instant replay to the game would in some way diminish its grace. While I disagree, I can at least respect their decision. However, I cannot respect their policy of not requiring officials to explain highly controversial calls. Take for example the Tuck Rule call of the 2002 Snow Bowl (Pats Vs. Raiders). Fans were perplexed if not outraged at the call during the game even after it was explained. Could you imagine the outcry that would have erupted had the officials simply ruled the play an incomplete pass (THAT WAS A FUMBLE) and not explained how it was an incomplete pass? I’ve seen the play numerous times and to this day, as previously stated, I believe that was a fumble. However, I can accept it being ruled incomplete because the rule was explained to me. I’m not saying that soccer officials should stop play, pick up a microphone, and explain calling a foul on Maurice Edu while playing Slovenia, but when the game is over they should be required to divulge what the foul was when asked by the media or FIFA themselves. If we don’t hold officials accountable, how long is it before we have another Tim Donaghy?
In 1996, I was 11 years old, “Macarena” was Billboards #1 song, Braveheart won Best Movie, the Cowboys dynasty of the 90’s was culminated, and the National League won the MLB All Star game. Little did we know that 14 years would pass before those without the DH would taste victory again. There have been close calls, from the tie of 2002, to the 1 run loss of 2009 but the NL had failed to win the game until Brian McCann’s bases clearing, 3 RBI double in the seventh inning in Anaheim this year. Graced with dominating pitching performances (Jimenez, Johnson, ect) to diving catches (Ryan Braun), this year’s game was uncharacteristically competitive. Charlie Manuel managed the game as if it were a divisional race between the Phillies and the Braves rather than an exhibition between the leagues. During the game, Jimenez and Johnson showcased the mastery of their respective arms that has analysts in awe of their talents. For Johnson in particular, reaching the All Star game must have been monumental as he is just a season and a half removed from Tommy John surgery. This game was also a bit of a changing of the guards for the MLB. There were fewer of the perennial All-Stars (Kevin Youkalis, Jason Bay, Micheal Young, Johan Santana) and more “Young Guns” (Joey Votto, Troy Tulowitski, Jimenez, Johnson) than in years past proving that the future of the game is indeed in good hands.
Well…it’s now official, Lebron punk’d out! As mentioned in my previous blog (Lebron James, King of the Sidekicks?), while I believe his exodus to Miami will eventually help his title aspirations, it will hurt his legacy to an extent. He’ll still be considered one of the most talented players the league has ever seen, just not one of the greatest. Now that Lebron watch has ended, the free agency period has picked up steam. Aside from the Heat, who also picked up a shooter (Mike Miller), a big man (Zydrunas Ilgauskas), and a glue guy (Udonis Haslem), several other teams in the league have gotten significantly better.
First up, the Chicago Bulls. For years the Bulls have lacked a perimeter player with the requisite size to adequately defend or shoot over opposing shooting guards. With the addition of Kyle Korver, they have solved one of those problems. Korver is one of the league’s most dead eye shooters (career 41% from 3 point range (53% in 2009)) and although he’s not known for possessing defensive prowess, one could certainly do worse. The Bulls also picked up Carlos Boozer during their mini shopping spree. Boozer has a plethora of low post moves and is also an exceptional pick and pop or pick and roll player offensively. His skill set will not only help the Bulls in grind it out half court sets, but will also allow new coach Tom Thibodeau to run pick and rolls/pops at his discretion, making the Bulls infinitely more versatile than they were last season.
Although the Jazz lost two players to the Bulls this offseason, they picked up arguably the most underrated young post player in the NBA, Al Jefferson. Jefferson has been concealed from the average fan due to playing in Boston in the pre-Garnett years, and Minnesota in the post-Garnett years. However, he has unique understanding of what it takes to both score and defend on the block and is an above average rebounder. He also possesses the requisite athleticism to participate in Utah’s beloved pick and roll. They also drafted Gordon Hayward who could fill the shooting void left by Korver.
As for the rest of the league, the Mavericks finally got a center capable of guarding something that moves in Tyson Chandler, the Thunder got a big man full of potential to fill out their roster in Kansas’ Cole Aldrich, the Nuggets got front court scoring help via Al Harrington, & The Suns picked up Grant Hill’s eventual replacement in Josh Childress and a playmaker to help out Steve Nash in Hedo Turkoglu. However, there are players remaining who could fill a need for a team, and I’ll be here to let you know where they end up and if the move is a good fit.
This year’s World Cup, while full of suspenseful comebacks and at time brilliant play, was unforgivably marred by terrible officiating. Time and time again we were forced to watch referees make maddening calls without being held accountable for those calls, or even having to explain them. Every sport has officiating blunders at some juncture, from Ed Hochuli dropping the ball during the Broncos v. Chargers game two years ago, to Jim Joyce robbing A. Galarraga (Detroit Tigers) of a perfect game this season. The difference between these cases and FIFA’s bumbling officials is that the aforementioned refs were explanative if not remorseful for the gaffes they committed while FIFA’s officials have proven indignant, if they comment at all. FIFA has long stood steadfast to their belief that adding goal line technology and instant replay to the game would in some way diminish its grace. While I disagree, I can at least respect their decision. However, I cannot respect their policy of not requiring officials to explain highly controversial calls. Take for example the Tuck Rule call of the 2002 Snow Bowl (Pats Vs. Raiders). Fans were perplexed if not outraged at the call during the game even after it was explained. Could you imagine the outcry that would have erupted had the officials simply ruled the play an incomplete pass (THAT WAS A FUMBLE) and not explained how it was an incomplete pass? I’ve seen the play numerous times and to this day, as previously stated, I believe that was a fumble. However, I can accept it being ruled incomplete because the rule was explained to me. I’m not saying that soccer officials should stop play, pick up a microphone, and explain calling a foul on Maurice Edu while playing Slovenia, but when the game is over they should be required to divulge what the foul was when asked by the media or FIFA themselves. If we don’t hold officials accountable, how long is it before we have another Tim Donaghy?
In 1996, I was 11 years old, “Macarena” was Billboards #1 song, Braveheart won Best Movie, the Cowboys dynasty of the 90’s was culminated, and the National League won the MLB All Star game. Little did we know that 14 years would pass before those without the DH would taste victory again. There have been close calls, from the tie of 2002, to the 1 run loss of 2009 but the NL had failed to win the game until Brian McCann’s bases clearing, 3 RBI double in the seventh inning in Anaheim this year. Graced with dominating pitching performances (Jimenez, Johnson, ect) to diving catches (Ryan Braun), this year’s game was uncharacteristically competitive. Charlie Manuel managed the game as if it were a divisional race between the Phillies and the Braves rather than an exhibition between the leagues. During the game, Jimenez and Johnson showcased the mastery of their respective arms that has analysts in awe of their talents. For Johnson in particular, reaching the All Star game must have been monumental as he is just a season and a half removed from Tommy John surgery. This game was also a bit of a changing of the guards for the MLB. There were fewer of the perennial All-Stars (Kevin Youkalis, Jason Bay, Micheal Young, Johan Santana) and more “Young Guns” (Joey Votto, Troy Tulowitski, Jimenez, Johnson) than in years past proving that the future of the game is indeed in good hands.
Well…it’s now official, Lebron punk’d out! As mentioned in my previous blog (Lebron James, King of the Sidekicks?), while I believe his exodus to Miami will eventually help his title aspirations, it will hurt his legacy to an extent. He’ll still be considered one of the most talented players the league has ever seen, just not one of the greatest. Now that Lebron watch has ended, the free agency period has picked up steam. Aside from the Heat, who also picked up a shooter (Mike Miller), a big man (Zydrunas Ilgauskas), and a glue guy (Udonis Haslem), several other teams in the league have gotten significantly better.
First up, the Chicago Bulls. For years the Bulls have lacked a perimeter player with the requisite size to adequately defend or shoot over opposing shooting guards. With the addition of Kyle Korver, they have solved one of those problems. Korver is one of the league’s most dead eye shooters (career 41% from 3 point range (53% in 2009)) and although he’s not known for possessing defensive prowess, one could certainly do worse. The Bulls also picked up Carlos Boozer during their mini shopping spree. Boozer has a plethora of low post moves and is also an exceptional pick and pop or pick and roll player offensively. His skill set will not only help the Bulls in grind it out half court sets, but will also allow new coach Tom Thibodeau to run pick and rolls/pops at his discretion, making the Bulls infinitely more versatile than they were last season.
Although the Jazz lost two players to the Bulls this offseason, they picked up arguably the most underrated young post player in the NBA, Al Jefferson. Jefferson has been concealed from the average fan due to playing in Boston in the pre-Garnett years, and Minnesota in the post-Garnett years. However, he has unique understanding of what it takes to both score and defend on the block and is an above average rebounder. He also possesses the requisite athleticism to participate in Utah’s beloved pick and roll. They also drafted Gordon Hayward who could fill the shooting void left by Korver.
As for the rest of the league, the Mavericks finally got a center capable of guarding something that moves in Tyson Chandler, the Thunder got a big man full of potential to fill out their roster in Kansas’ Cole Aldrich, the Nuggets got front court scoring help via Al Harrington, & The Suns picked up Grant Hill’s eventual replacement in Josh Childress and a playmaker to help out Steve Nash in Hedo Turkoglu. However, there are players remaining who could fill a need for a team, and I’ll be here to let you know where they end up and if the move is a good fit.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Lebron James, King of the Sidekicks?
If Lebron goes to Miami, can he still be in consideration for the greatest ever, even if he wins 4-6 rings? Jordan built Chicago then got help, Hakeem built Houston then got help, Larry rebuilt Boston, ect., while Lebron would be going to the place Dwayne Wade built (and won a ring). So would he still qualify as a potential G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) if it's arguable whether he's the team's main option or its supplemental one?
Miami has been and, barring unforeseen events, always will be Wade’s town. As he’s fond of proclaiming after game winning shots…American Airlines Arena is his house plain and simple so James would essentially be a guest. The proverbial Pippen to Wade’s Jordan, the McHale to Wade’s Bird, and more recently the Gasol to Wade’s Kobe. Furthermore, while Wade and Lebron as a team with Bosh in the high post will undoubtedly be a formidable trio, Wade and James don’t exactly compliment each other's skill set. Both are slashing scorers who are primary ball handlers and occupy the same space on the court. Boston’s Big Three was/is successful because the players compliment each other. Ray Allen is an off the ball player with a deadly jumper, Pierce is an isolation virtuoso, and Garnett is a high post/low post annihilator at both ends. Neither James nor Wade are particularly good off the ball players and while they will be an ESPN Top 10 staple due to the alley oops that will unquestionably result from their teaming, neither are predominantly known for their shooting ability or post play. Fortunately for the Heat (assuming James goes there), no one in the league has shown themselves competent at stopping either player from getting to the rim, although James has shown a propensity for falling in love with his inconsistent long range jumper. They may consider themselves equals in the context of being teammates, but Wade will always be top dog in South Beach, meaning James will have to settle for no better than second. For a man whose ego (an hour special to declare which team youre playing for…REALLY?) is surpassed perhaps only by his talent, will being the No. 2 to Wade’s No. 1 be an acceptable concession in order to win rings.
When you look at players considered some of the greatest to ever play the game, they were all the focal point of teams they were instrumental in building and then got the requisite additions to get over the hump. Hakeem Olajuwon is adored in Houston, Dr. J has a statue in Philly, Jordan has one in Chicago, Magic is practically worshiped in Los Angeles , and Bill Russell is arguably the greatest winner of all time, and all the these men were without question the primary star on their teams while other players such as Drexler, Moses Malone, Pippen, James Worthy, and Bob Cousy while Hall of Fame players, are seen as the secondary players to the aforementioned players primary.
If James goes to the Heat, I think they will run roughshod over the NBA for several years and be the initiation of the league's next dynasty, but I also think that doing so should remove him from consideration of being the best ever.
Miami has been and, barring unforeseen events, always will be Wade’s town. As he’s fond of proclaiming after game winning shots…American Airlines Arena is his house plain and simple so James would essentially be a guest. The proverbial Pippen to Wade’s Jordan, the McHale to Wade’s Bird, and more recently the Gasol to Wade’s Kobe. Furthermore, while Wade and Lebron as a team with Bosh in the high post will undoubtedly be a formidable trio, Wade and James don’t exactly compliment each other's skill set. Both are slashing scorers who are primary ball handlers and occupy the same space on the court. Boston’s Big Three was/is successful because the players compliment each other. Ray Allen is an off the ball player with a deadly jumper, Pierce is an isolation virtuoso, and Garnett is a high post/low post annihilator at both ends. Neither James nor Wade are particularly good off the ball players and while they will be an ESPN Top 10 staple due to the alley oops that will unquestionably result from their teaming, neither are predominantly known for their shooting ability or post play. Fortunately for the Heat (assuming James goes there), no one in the league has shown themselves competent at stopping either player from getting to the rim, although James has shown a propensity for falling in love with his inconsistent long range jumper. They may consider themselves equals in the context of being teammates, but Wade will always be top dog in South Beach, meaning James will have to settle for no better than second. For a man whose ego (an hour special to declare which team youre playing for…REALLY?) is surpassed perhaps only by his talent, will being the No. 2 to Wade’s No. 1 be an acceptable concession in order to win rings.
When you look at players considered some of the greatest to ever play the game, they were all the focal point of teams they were instrumental in building and then got the requisite additions to get over the hump. Hakeem Olajuwon is adored in Houston, Dr. J has a statue in Philly, Jordan has one in Chicago, Magic is practically worshiped in Los Angeles , and Bill Russell is arguably the greatest winner of all time, and all the these men were without question the primary star on their teams while other players such as Drexler, Moses Malone, Pippen, James Worthy, and Bob Cousy while Hall of Fame players, are seen as the secondary players to the aforementioned players primary.
If James goes to the Heat, I think they will run roughshod over the NBA for several years and be the initiation of the league's next dynasty, but I also think that doing so should remove him from consideration of being the best ever.
Friday, July 02, 2010
NBA Free Agency
Welcome to my inaugural blog post. I am Brandon aka SportsSpeak73 and this is how I view this years NBA Free Agent Market.
While it is inarguable that this years class is the most diverse and talented class in the history of NBA free agency, it is not with out possible pitfalls.
NBA executives, just as executives in every sport, are always chomping at the bit to sign the league's best players and this year is no exception. In my opinion, there are only two players in the class worth the max contract frequently being mentioned during this free agent period, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade. I consider there to be five tool players in basketball just like baseball. I consider those tools to be shooting, defense, creative ability (assists), rebounding, and leadership. James and Wade have shown repeatedly that they possess these abilities and thereby are qualified to receive max contracts should they desire them. On the other hand, there are numerous other players who are being considered for these contracts who in my opinion do not qualify.
Over the course of free agency, there have always been instances where organizations miss out on the proverbial big fish and feel the need to overpay second tier players for no other reasons than desperation and having the money required to do so. In this year's class I foresee Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudamire, and Chris Bosh to be those second tier players who could very well reenact those occurrences.
Joe Johnson is clearly a top level shooter and has proven to be thus throughout his career. However, Johnson does not excel at any of the other "tools" that makes a player truly elite. While being 6' 7" and adequately athletic, Johnson is a below average defender who at times seems to resemble a bullfighter's "OLE" tactics. He is also fairly inadequate in regard to his rebounding, distribution, and leadership. He's virtually disappeared in the Hawks elimination games in recent seasons which is not the behavior one would expect from the highest paid player on any team, therefore I do not consider Johnson a viable option for a max contract.
Stoudemire on the other hand is a bucket filling scorer, who rebounds well, has made an NBA All-Defensive team, and has the intensity necessary to be an adequate leader. However, those facts can be misleading. I happen to think there are only two or three teams Amare could leave for where his level of play will remain unchanged. Those teams are New Orleans, Utah, and wherever Lebron ends up. While Amare is a high quantity scorer, the majority of his points are assisted. He gets the bulk of his points via lobs or inside passes from Steve Nash as opposed to post-ups, or via a face-up isolation. Without a distributor to get him the ball in the manner Nash does currently, Stoudemire's level of production will decrease significantly and Stoudemire is the type of player who will allow his lack of scoring to stifle the level at which he contributes in other areas. In my opinion Stoudamire is the classic "buyer beware" of this class.
Chris Bosh on the other hand is a toss up. He scores well from the high post, he can read double teams and find the open teammate, and he's good for double digit rebounds every night. However, Bosh isn't the defender you'd expect from a athletic 6'10" post player. I like to refer to Bosh as a Kevin Garnett clone offensively which is fine. Unfortunately, he doesn't display Garnett's competence on the defensive end. There's no viable explanation for Bosh's impotence at the defensive end of the floor other than...frankly, he doesn't want to be good at it. Without the Raptors being in the playoffs we can't really judge whether or not he's a competent leader in crunch time so leadership is debatable. Discounting leadership, Bosh has 3 of the 4 remaining tools which is why his status as max contract worthy is somewhat arguable.
There are other players in this class who would be great supplemental pieces to a star player. Rudy Gay (resigned with Grizzlies today), Mike Miller, Carlos Boozer (when healthy), but the best option may be Dirk Nowitski. Dirk is a MVP candidate who can score in a multitude of ways and rebounds adequately. His lack of defensive prowess and playoff shortcomings discredit him from max contract consideration, but a team of Lebron and Dirk or Wade and Dirk would automatically be considered a front runner to reach the NBA finals.
Thank you for visiting my inaugural blog. I hope you found it entertaining as well as informative. I'll try to get at least two of these out a week so stop by for some SportsSpeak.
While it is inarguable that this years class is the most diverse and talented class in the history of NBA free agency, it is not with out possible pitfalls.
NBA executives, just as executives in every sport, are always chomping at the bit to sign the league's best players and this year is no exception. In my opinion, there are only two players in the class worth the max contract frequently being mentioned during this free agent period, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade. I consider there to be five tool players in basketball just like baseball. I consider those tools to be shooting, defense, creative ability (assists), rebounding, and leadership. James and Wade have shown repeatedly that they possess these abilities and thereby are qualified to receive max contracts should they desire them. On the other hand, there are numerous other players who are being considered for these contracts who in my opinion do not qualify.
Over the course of free agency, there have always been instances where organizations miss out on the proverbial big fish and feel the need to overpay second tier players for no other reasons than desperation and having the money required to do so. In this year's class I foresee Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudamire, and Chris Bosh to be those second tier players who could very well reenact those occurrences.
Joe Johnson is clearly a top level shooter and has proven to be thus throughout his career. However, Johnson does not excel at any of the other "tools" that makes a player truly elite. While being 6' 7" and adequately athletic, Johnson is a below average defender who at times seems to resemble a bullfighter's "OLE" tactics. He is also fairly inadequate in regard to his rebounding, distribution, and leadership. He's virtually disappeared in the Hawks elimination games in recent seasons which is not the behavior one would expect from the highest paid player on any team, therefore I do not consider Johnson a viable option for a max contract.
Stoudemire on the other hand is a bucket filling scorer, who rebounds well, has made an NBA All-Defensive team, and has the intensity necessary to be an adequate leader. However, those facts can be misleading. I happen to think there are only two or three teams Amare could leave for where his level of play will remain unchanged. Those teams are New Orleans, Utah, and wherever Lebron ends up. While Amare is a high quantity scorer, the majority of his points are assisted. He gets the bulk of his points via lobs or inside passes from Steve Nash as opposed to post-ups, or via a face-up isolation. Without a distributor to get him the ball in the manner Nash does currently, Stoudemire's level of production will decrease significantly and Stoudemire is the type of player who will allow his lack of scoring to stifle the level at which he contributes in other areas. In my opinion Stoudamire is the classic "buyer beware" of this class.
Chris Bosh on the other hand is a toss up. He scores well from the high post, he can read double teams and find the open teammate, and he's good for double digit rebounds every night. However, Bosh isn't the defender you'd expect from a athletic 6'10" post player. I like to refer to Bosh as a Kevin Garnett clone offensively which is fine. Unfortunately, he doesn't display Garnett's competence on the defensive end. There's no viable explanation for Bosh's impotence at the defensive end of the floor other than...frankly, he doesn't want to be good at it. Without the Raptors being in the playoffs we can't really judge whether or not he's a competent leader in crunch time so leadership is debatable. Discounting leadership, Bosh has 3 of the 4 remaining tools which is why his status as max contract worthy is somewhat arguable.
There are other players in this class who would be great supplemental pieces to a star player. Rudy Gay (resigned with Grizzlies today), Mike Miller, Carlos Boozer (when healthy), but the best option may be Dirk Nowitski. Dirk is a MVP candidate who can score in a multitude of ways and rebounds adequately. His lack of defensive prowess and playoff shortcomings discredit him from max contract consideration, but a team of Lebron and Dirk or Wade and Dirk would automatically be considered a front runner to reach the NBA finals.
Thank you for visiting my inaugural blog. I hope you found it entertaining as well as informative. I'll try to get at least two of these out a week so stop by for some SportsSpeak.
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