Thanksgiving in the Sports Lounge

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Bowliday’s with a Twist

College Football’s postseason is just like the holiday season, not everyone will be satisfied all the time. This will be the case no matter how the postseason is formatted. The Holidays are about giving not receiving so I will give you the ideal postseason scenario.

Now let’s say we add 6 teams to the current BCS games. Look what we have here, a Sweet 16.  These 16 teams consist of the AP poll’s top 16 and will play in a playoff. The remaining 54 teams will continue playing in the 27 non-BCS bowl games. Each playoff game will have a Bowl sponsor such as the Sugar, Orange and Rose Bowl.

This post season will satisfy almost everyone. Each Bowl game will continue generating the revenue they are pulling in now. Each school that advances in the playoff will accumulate extra revenue. The public will finally get the playoff system they have wanted for many years. This playoff system will also produce the excitement that March Madness does for college basketball. Not to mention this playoff system will also prepare players for the NFL playoffs. It will define character even further for pro scouts.

Now of course there will be teams each year that are left out and do not agree with this postseason. That is inevitable. Are there problems with this system? Yes, but not as many as the current situation and there is more revenue. Wouldn’t you love to see games like LSU vs. OSU, OSU vs. Oregon, Stanford vs. Alabama or Baylor vs. Michigan (RG3 vs. Denard Robinson). All of this is possible with my College Football Postseason Proposal.

Until the next time…

Zeke Out

Tebow Time

The name heard round the world. Tim Tebow. Tebow is the name analysts can’t refrain from.  The name critics despise and fanatics love. He’s polarizing, mystifying, unconventional, faithful, authentic, overhyped, and underappreciated all at once. He is hated and he is loved. He is outspoken about his faith; he says the right thing and gets treated wrongly for it.

For all these reasons he is special. But is there more to his uniqueness? Is God on his side? Truly God sides with those who supprt him. It is well known where Tebow’s allegiances lie.

So if not for his faith in God, where is his success coming from? He can’t throw a mechanically sound ball. It is  true he can run, but not in an elegant manner like Vick or Newton. He is too short and too slow. He is simply not a typical quality NFL quarterback.

Yet somehow he is the starting quarterback for the division leading Denver Broncos and the catalyst of an epic turnaround. Is divine intervention a possibility? That’s for you to decide and we may never know the answer.

Here is what we do know.

His presence and attitude are contagious. He is a complete role model you would want your sister to date. For everything that Tebow can’t do, he does one thing very well, win. Last time I checked winning rules the NFL.

NBA TOPS “Pre-Dec. 9th”

The NBA’s free agency starts on December 9^th and that will shake up the league quite a bit. Trades will also come into play so who knows where the Power will lie. As of right now these 5 teams hang a top the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder comes in at 5. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook look to make more noise in the playoffs this year. Chicago Bulls at the 4^th spot. Derrick Rose will lead the team once again as he emerges as one of the top 3 point guards in the game. The Miami Heat is at 3 and need to find a point guard in free agency. The 2nd spot goes to the Los Angeles Lakers. They will always be in the conversation as long as Kobe Byrant is on the court. The Reigning Champions, Dallas Mavericks earned the number one spot on this list. Dirk Nowitzki. Enough said.

Now remember this is all tentative just like the agreement the NBA currently has. Once December 9^th comes along I guarantee this will change. Tyson Chandler could leave the Mavs, Dwight Howard to the Nets, CP3 to the Knicks and who knows where Caron Butler will end up. There is a 100% chance that I will be back with a new top 5 after free agency.

Until the next time…

Zeke out

Bright Future

Fresh out the frying pan into the fire. This years rookie class has come up from the collegiate level and into the lime light with a BANG. Try throwing for over 3,000 yards, or 16 touchdowns. How about rushing for 834 yards or having 4 punts returned for touchdowns? These are just a few of the accomplishments this year's rookie class has made three quarters of the way through the season.  Cam Newton started his first two games of the season with a combined 852 passing yards setting a rookie record. He has silenced all critics who questioned his passing ability. Cam has thrown for 12 tds and rushed for 10. Andy Dalton has also exceeded expectation by leading his team to a 7-4 record while recording 16 td passes. Mark Ingram has kept the Saints grounded when needed. The high flying aerial attack that Drew Brees puts up needs a steady running game and Mark has provided that. Mark has 4 tds on 420 yards. The Redskins have found their future back in Roy Helu. Roy only has 1 td on 356 yards but has shown promise. Demarco Murray headlines the running backs. In the sixth game of the season Demarco was given his chance to shine. Under that lone star, he broke out with 253 yards rushing against the Rams to set a single game rushing record for the Cowboys. Murray currently has 834 rushing yards on the season and will make it over 1,000. AJ Green leads a talented wide receiver bunch with 745 yards on 44 catches and 6 tds. AJ is helping his fellow rookie quarterback turn the Bengals into a playoff contender. Torrey Smith, from the University of Maryland, has given the Ravens a deep threat they desperately needed to stretch the field. He has 31 receptions for 613 yards and 5 tds. One of those tds was a  deep ball caught for the game winning touchdown against the Steelers. Julio Jones rounds out the class with 30 receptions for 498 yards and 2 TDs. The defensive side of the ball might shine the brightest. Von Miller is helping Tebow Time become so magical. Von is an unstoppable force coming off the edge with 10.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles already.  Aldon Smith has jumped into an already formidable defensive and thrived. He has 7.5 sacks on the season. Ryan Kerrigan is all over the field this year for the Redskins. Playing opposite of Brian Orakpo has allowed him 6 sacks and an interception to the house. Last but not least is Patrick Peterson. This kid has electrified the NFL with 4 punt returns for touchdowns. This includes a "walk off" 99 yard touchdown. Not to mention Peterson is covering the opposing teams number one receiver every week and doesn't miss a beat. This is just flat out astonishing. The numbers this rookie class has put up through November is crazy. This is one of the best Rookie classes the NFL has seen in some time. Their true brilliance is yet to be seen. Until the next time.... Zeke out

Boudreau Out, Hunter In

After four years in Washington DC, the clock finally ran out for the capitals coach Bruce Boudreau. A 5-9 tail spin, specifically after a 0-3 road trip, considering the team started the season 7-0, sparked the end of Boudreau’s tenure. I think we all agree the Capitals’ struggles were not all his fault.  Maybe he lost the team after his four year tenure in the nation capital. Perhaps the team tuned him out after three extremely successful regular seasons with nothing to show for it in the playoffs. Regardless management felt that they probably needed to go in another direction. 

Whatever the case might be, the Capitals are indeed headed in a new direction with former player Dale Hunter.  After a successful coaching career in Europe for the past 10 years, the Capitals are hoping he can take the team to the new heights and have playoff success.

My question is what happens if the Capitals continue to struggle? It is clear the burden has shifted to the players and it is now on them to perform.  This team is way too talented to have lapses like this.   Hopefully Hunter can turn things around, but it is ultimately up to the players to be professionals and come to play every day.  All we can do as fans is wait and see.  Go Caps!!

Fight for the Ages

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao has been the discussion of the boxing world for the past few years. This potential bout has divided boxing fans into choosing more than just their favorite boxer. The two fighters appear to be polar opposites. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum in not only boxing style but lifestyle as well. This fight is the classic "GOOD vs. EVIL" or "HERO vs. VILLAIN" matchup that always draws interest.

THE EVIL: The outspoken and often cocky Floyd Mayweather Jr was born into a boxing family and wasted no time in embracing the family profession. Mayweather is a boxing machine almost brainwashed from childhood to become what he is now. He lives a lavish Hollywood “Money” lifestyle. Floyd has adopted the nickname, or alter ego even, of Money Mayweather. These egotistical traits are often associated by many as bad or even evil.

THE GOOD: From poverty stricken in the Philippines to international stardom, Manny Pacquiao has defied the odds. The odds to make it as one of the greatest fighters of the decade and this generation were overwhelmingly stacked against him. The likelihood of remaining humble after winning 6 world titles in 8 weight classes was slim too. Yet Pacquiao continues in good faith with his rags to riches story.

This potential fight would without question become the highest grossing fight of all time. The two best fighters of our generation clashing in an overly anticipated matchup of "good vs. evil". A win for either fighter would be the icing on the cake and easily the most memorable fight of their career. This is surely what all fans want to see. However, this “Fight for the Ages” can easily become the biggest “No Fight of All Time”.

For the record, if the fight does take place as much as I love and respect Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather would win convincingly.