So I had a plan to write about a bunch of issues with the NCAA and how they handle amateur status, but then my high school had an active shooter on campus, and that kinda trumps... basically everything. Not all the facts are known yet, but I will relay a very awesome story that has come to light in this dark time, and it is yet another reason why I think sports matters to the intrinsic fabric of our lives.
Oak Harbor, scheduled to play Marysville Pilchuck this Friday night, conceded the game to MP even though it had major playoff seeding implications for both times, effectively giving MP homefield advantage for the playoffs. This simple gesture was very kind, but it didn't end there. Oak Harbor then showed up at the vigil for MP tonight. It was such a huge gesture that I really feel goes beyond sports and can help heal the town - even a little bit - and Lord knows that Marysville can use as much of that as possible.
Here are my NFL picks for this week. Home team in bold.
Denver(-9) over San Diego - yay!
Detroit(-3.5) over Atlanta - and that's not a typo, a game in London is a home game for nobody.
Kansas City(-7) over St. Louis
Tennessee(+3) over Houston
Minnesota(+2.5) over Tampa Bay
Seattle(-5) over Carolina
Baltimore(-2.5) over Cincinatti
Miami(-6) at Jacksonville
Chicago(+5.5) over New England
Buffalo(+3) over NY Jets
Arizona(-2) over Philadelphia
Oakland(+6.5) over Cleveland
Indianapolis(-3.5) over Pittsburgh
Green Bay (+2) over New Orleans
Dallas(-10) over Washington
Last Week: 4-11 - oof.
Overall: 46-54-4
Friday, October 24, 2014
Friday, October 17, 2014
The Percy Harvin Era
I was going to do something in depth on the lack of oversight in sports on the actions of their players, but then I heard this.
What?!?!?
Seriously, what?
I'm absolutely shocked by this move. Not as much as the Trent Richardson deal last year, but still shocked. And Seattle didn't fleece the Jets like the Browns did to Indy either, which also makes it a head scratcher. I've looked through the list of 2015 free agents to see if there is someone that Seattle could target for next year that they're looking at, and I don't see anyone that their current teams would let walk - unless Denver is unable to hold onto both Wes Welker and Demarius Thomas. Dez Bryant in Dallas and Randall Cobb are also going to be FA's, but I don't see them leaving their teams.
I'm trying really hard to understand this move. John Schneider hasn't steered me wrong yet, I mean, a Super Bowl win in year 3 of your complete retool of a team is probably the best turn around in league history, maybe in sports (Note to self - look up the turn around time in Boston for Theo Epstein).
But I look at what Harvin has done in his time in Seattle.
2013 - 1 catch, 17 yards, 0 TD's
2014 - 5 catchs, 122 yards, 0 TD's, and 11 carries for 92 yards and 1 TD.
Obviously, his best game his entire time in Seattle was in the Super Bowl, where he had 1 catch for 5 yards, 2 carries for 45 yards, and 1 kick return for 87 yards and a very memorable - and back breaking - touchdown.
These numbers do not excite me.
In fact, they're terrible. Absolutely abysmal. Getting a mid round pick for those stats is... Fantastic!
Seriously!
This guy is hype! He has done next to NOTHING in a Seahawk uniform, but everyone wants him because of the potential he has. His proven ability to change games - in Minnesota anyways - blinds people to what his apparent ability has been this last year and a half. It could be a system thing, but I know personally I cringe whenever he's hit, because I keep thinking the next hit will get him hurt. Maybe that risk wasn't worth it. I have no idea.
I'm still very confused by this deal, and the more I look into it, I wonder why the Jets made this trade. Not Seattle, but the Jets. I mean, I don't think it's going to impact Seattle's offense, because lets face it, he wasn't a part of the offense here. Part me of is worried this will be an Adam Jones-esque trade, where he plays for a VERY long time at a very high level in his new home, but the more I look into his career numbers and injury history, I doubt that very much. I guess I'm mostly shocked that they traded him after playing in only 8 games (counting the post season) and not trying to get him to work.
Makes me think there is something else going on behind the scenes. He was very vocal about his displeasure in Minnesota, but I haven't heard as much as a peep out of him in Seattle, so I dunno. I guess it remains to be seen.
Week 7 picks, home team in bold
New England(-9.5) over NY Jets - oops
Atlanta(+6) over Baltimore
Tennessee(+5.5) over Washington
Seattle(-7) over St. Louis - though Seattle has played bad in St. Louis the past couple years
Cleveland(-5.5) over Jacksonville
Indianapolis(-3) over Cincinatti
Minnesota(+5.5) over Buffalo
Chicago(-3) over Miami
Detroit(-2) over New Orleans
Carolina(+6.5) over Green Bay
San Diego(-4) over Kansas City
Arizona(-3.5) over Oakland
NY Giants(+6.5) over Dallas
Denver(-7) over San Francisco
Houston(+3) over Pittsburgh
Last Week: 7-7-1
Overall: 42-43-4
What?!?!?
Seriously, what?
I'm absolutely shocked by this move. Not as much as the Trent Richardson deal last year, but still shocked. And Seattle didn't fleece the Jets like the Browns did to Indy either, which also makes it a head scratcher. I've looked through the list of 2015 free agents to see if there is someone that Seattle could target for next year that they're looking at, and I don't see anyone that their current teams would let walk - unless Denver is unable to hold onto both Wes Welker and Demarius Thomas. Dez Bryant in Dallas and Randall Cobb are also going to be FA's, but I don't see them leaving their teams.
I'm trying really hard to understand this move. John Schneider hasn't steered me wrong yet, I mean, a Super Bowl win in year 3 of your complete retool of a team is probably the best turn around in league history, maybe in sports (Note to self - look up the turn around time in Boston for Theo Epstein).
But I look at what Harvin has done in his time in Seattle.
2013 - 1 catch, 17 yards, 0 TD's
2014 - 5 catchs, 122 yards, 0 TD's, and 11 carries for 92 yards and 1 TD.
Obviously, his best game his entire time in Seattle was in the Super Bowl, where he had 1 catch for 5 yards, 2 carries for 45 yards, and 1 kick return for 87 yards and a very memorable - and back breaking - touchdown.
These numbers do not excite me.
In fact, they're terrible. Absolutely abysmal. Getting a mid round pick for those stats is... Fantastic!
Seriously!
This guy is hype! He has done next to NOTHING in a Seahawk uniform, but everyone wants him because of the potential he has. His proven ability to change games - in Minnesota anyways - blinds people to what his apparent ability has been this last year and a half. It could be a system thing, but I know personally I cringe whenever he's hit, because I keep thinking the next hit will get him hurt. Maybe that risk wasn't worth it. I have no idea.
I'm still very confused by this deal, and the more I look into it, I wonder why the Jets made this trade. Not Seattle, but the Jets. I mean, I don't think it's going to impact Seattle's offense, because lets face it, he wasn't a part of the offense here. Part me of is worried this will be an Adam Jones-esque trade, where he plays for a VERY long time at a very high level in his new home, but the more I look into his career numbers and injury history, I doubt that very much. I guess I'm mostly shocked that they traded him after playing in only 8 games (counting the post season) and not trying to get him to work.
Makes me think there is something else going on behind the scenes. He was very vocal about his displeasure in Minnesota, but I haven't heard as much as a peep out of him in Seattle, so I dunno. I guess it remains to be seen.
Week 7 picks, home team in bold
New England(-9.5) over NY Jets - oops
Atlanta(+6) over Baltimore
Tennessee(+5.5) over Washington
Seattle(-7) over St. Louis - though Seattle has played bad in St. Louis the past couple years
Cleveland(-5.5) over Jacksonville
Indianapolis(-3) over Cincinatti
Minnesota(+5.5) over Buffalo
Chicago(-3) over Miami
Detroit(-2) over New Orleans
Carolina(+6.5) over Green Bay
San Diego(-4) over Kansas City
Arizona(-3.5) over Oakland
NY Giants(+6.5) over Dallas
Denver(-7) over San Francisco
Houston(+3) over Pittsburgh
Last Week: 7-7-1
Overall: 42-43-4
Friday, October 10, 2014
Quick week 6
Getting ready to head out for the weekend, so no time for a proper post. Quick run down of what I've seen in the league, then my picks.
I'm not too sure if the NFL is conspiring against the Seahawks, but two of those Percy Harvin touchdowns that were called back were not penalties. While a penalty occurs on nearly every play in the NFL (seriously, watch left tackles. They always jump early) the ones they called either didn't happen or weren't penalties. Combine that with the leaked memo of the league not scheduling Seattle at home in primetime because the games are blow outs - yet thursday night football is a "good" thing - makes me think that the league may be doing this intentionally. I'd say this is me questioning the integrity of the league, but I think this last month plus has shown that the league has no integrity, so I'm not too sure what I can question about them.
Dallas doesn't suck. They are defying every tenet of Jason Garret's coaching philosophy and thriving because of it. If DeMarco Murray can get his fumbling problem under control and they make him the workhorse the entire year, this team is dangerous. Until Tony Romo inevitably Romos all over the place.
I still don't think New England is good, but I have nothing to base it on anymore. I have no idea what is going on in the AFC, it seems like anyone can beat anyone. Except Jacksonville and Oakland. They can't beat anyone.
The picks. Home teams in bold.
Indy(-2.5) over Houston - yay!
Tennessee(-5) over Jacksonville
Tampa Bay(+3) over Baltimore
Denver(-9.5) over NY Jets
Detroit(+2) over Minnesota
New England(-3) over Buffalo
Carolina(+6.5) over Cincinnati
Cleveland(-1) over Pittsburgh
Green Bay(-3) over Miami
San Diego(-7.5) over Oakland
Atlanta(-3) over Chicago
Dallas(+8) over Seattle
Washington(even) over Arizona
NY Giants(+2.5) over Philadelphia
St. Louis(+3) over San Francisco
Last Week 9-5-1
Overall 36-37-3
I'm not too sure if the NFL is conspiring against the Seahawks, but two of those Percy Harvin touchdowns that were called back were not penalties. While a penalty occurs on nearly every play in the NFL (seriously, watch left tackles. They always jump early) the ones they called either didn't happen or weren't penalties. Combine that with the leaked memo of the league not scheduling Seattle at home in primetime because the games are blow outs - yet thursday night football is a "good" thing - makes me think that the league may be doing this intentionally. I'd say this is me questioning the integrity of the league, but I think this last month plus has shown that the league has no integrity, so I'm not too sure what I can question about them.
Dallas doesn't suck. They are defying every tenet of Jason Garret's coaching philosophy and thriving because of it. If DeMarco Murray can get his fumbling problem under control and they make him the workhorse the entire year, this team is dangerous. Until Tony Romo inevitably Romos all over the place.
I still don't think New England is good, but I have nothing to base it on anymore. I have no idea what is going on in the AFC, it seems like anyone can beat anyone. Except Jacksonville and Oakland. They can't beat anyone.
The picks. Home teams in bold.
Indy(-2.5) over Houston - yay!
Tennessee(-5) over Jacksonville
Tampa Bay(+3) over Baltimore
Denver(-9.5) over NY Jets
Detroit(+2) over Minnesota
New England(-3) over Buffalo
Carolina(+6.5) over Cincinnati
Cleveland(-1) over Pittsburgh
Green Bay(-3) over Miami
San Diego(-7.5) over Oakland
Atlanta(-3) over Chicago
Dallas(+8) over Seattle
Washington(even) over Arizona
NY Giants(+2.5) over Philadelphia
St. Louis(+3) over San Francisco
Last Week 9-5-1
Overall 36-37-3
Friday, October 3, 2014
Heads up! Plus week 5 picks
This past weekend, the University of Michigan came under scrutiny for allowing Shane Morris to continue to play after "exhibiting concussion like symptoms." Coach Brady Hoke has been weathering fans calling for him to lose his job all week because of this... and because Michigan is very, very, bad.
And that's the problem here. If Morris stayed in and led Michigan to a victory, we would still be hearing about this, but, frankly, no one would care. That's the problem with sports. Whenever a league, team or coach preaches player safety as their highest priority, I laugh. Winning is the highest priority. If player safety happens to allow for winning, then they will follow that protocol.
Look at what has happened to Robert Griffin in his career in the NFL. He was thrust onto the field in his rookie year clearly not 100%, but he presented the Washington football team with their best chance to win. He's still beat up in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, and his knee explodes in a loss to Seattle. Nobody was decrying the injury during the game, but once Washington lost, it became a massive story in sports - why did he(the coach) keep Griffin in, why did he allow him to keep playing, why did he risk further injury to his superstar quarterback?
Because a coach isn't retained based on the health of their players. They're retained based on wins and losses.
After Griffin's knee surgeries in the offseason, his projected recovery time was conservatively listed as one year. So he instead comes back after eight months, doesn't take a single snap in the preseason, but since he represented Washington's best chance to win, he's handed the ball opening weekend on a "healed" knee and played absolutely terrible. When head coach Mike Shanahan's job was clearly lost, THEN he decided to look out for player health, and that was when he benched Griffin for the remainder of the season for player safety reasons.
So what does it take to get a team to care about player safety? Have a lost season and a lame duck coach. That's the combination needed to get it done.
But wait! Michigan has that! So why the hell did Hoke not pull Morris?
Because Hoke still thinks he has his job.
This massive blunder has had Hoke and the University apologizing all week for the "oversight" and "mishandling" of Morris. I'm really glad smell-o-vision doesn't exist yet, because I can nearly smell the bulls**t in those answers through my television. Michigan plays in the third largest stadium in the world. That is not a typo. Number three in the ENTIRE WORLD. It seats almost 110,000 people, and the entire stadium saw Morris stumble around and look greatly confused after taking that hit. He was wobbling like a frat boy. And yet, somehow, the entire coaching staff of Michigan didn't notice this. Of course they saw him wobbling around. But they didn't think they could win without him. So they kept him in.
With all the new information coming out about concussions, the frequency at which they occur, and more importantly, the permanent damage that they cause, the fact that not a single person has lost their job for this is sickening. As far as I'm concerned, leaving a concussed player on the field in today's game is grounds for being charged with reckless endangerment. But an important thing to remember, is college football often emulates the NFL, and once again, that is where they got this idea from, even in an era of heightened concussion awareness.
In 2011, the Cleveland Browns kept Colt McCoy in the game after he suffered a concussion, and never administered any of the league's concussion protocol on the sideline, even though McCoy lost consciousness on the field, and couldn't remember the play that knocked him out. Even after claiming that they (the Browns) did not know that McCoy was concussed, in his postgame interview they dimmed the lights because they were hurting McCoy's head.
What?!?!?!
It's not like he was suddenly hung over! He had a F**KING CONCUSSION! And still they adamantly claimed they did not know he had suffered a concussion during the game. Medical personnel attended to him on the field, they helped him walk off the field and still claim he was fine. This was at the beginning of the NFL's player safety "crusade" and the Heads Up program. This was allowed to fly under the radar nationally because 1) the NFL was still infallible at this point, and 2) it was the Cleveland Browns.
Brady Hoke does not have either of those things to hide behind, and he will lose his job this year, but unfortunately, it won't be because of his blatant disregard for the safety of his players. And from a college coach no less, he's supposed to help mold these kids into adults, not mentally disabled young men. College coaches go into the homes of their players, and convince their parents that they will be there to look out for the best interest of their kid, and to ensure that they receive everything they need. In sports, this has always been a lie, and at least now, everyone at Michigan knows that Hoke never meant any of that.
Here are the week 5 picks. Home team in bold
Green Bay (-8) over Minnesota
Bears (+2.5) over Carolina
Cleveland (+1) over Tennessee
Philadelphia (-7) over St. Louis
Atlanta (+4) over New York Giants
Tampa Bay (+10) over New Orleans
Houston (+6.5) over Dallas
Detroit (-6.5) over Buffalo
Indianapolis (-3.5) over Baltimore
Pittsburgh (-6) over Jacksonville
Arizona (+7.5) over Denver
Kansas City (+5) over San Francisco
San Diego (-6) over New York Jets
Cincinnati (-1) over New England
Seattle (-7) over Washington
After reading my last week's picks, I'm pretty sure I wrote down the wrong pick in more then one situation (like Carolina over Baltimore), but I'll stick with what I wrote.
Last Week: 6-7
Overall: 27-32-2
And that's the problem here. If Morris stayed in and led Michigan to a victory, we would still be hearing about this, but, frankly, no one would care. That's the problem with sports. Whenever a league, team or coach preaches player safety as their highest priority, I laugh. Winning is the highest priority. If player safety happens to allow for winning, then they will follow that protocol.
Look at what has happened to Robert Griffin in his career in the NFL. He was thrust onto the field in his rookie year clearly not 100%, but he presented the Washington football team with their best chance to win. He's still beat up in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, and his knee explodes in a loss to Seattle. Nobody was decrying the injury during the game, but once Washington lost, it became a massive story in sports - why did he(the coach) keep Griffin in, why did he allow him to keep playing, why did he risk further injury to his superstar quarterback?
Because a coach isn't retained based on the health of their players. They're retained based on wins and losses.
After Griffin's knee surgeries in the offseason, his projected recovery time was conservatively listed as one year. So he instead comes back after eight months, doesn't take a single snap in the preseason, but since he represented Washington's best chance to win, he's handed the ball opening weekend on a "healed" knee and played absolutely terrible. When head coach Mike Shanahan's job was clearly lost, THEN he decided to look out for player health, and that was when he benched Griffin for the remainder of the season for player safety reasons.
So what does it take to get a team to care about player safety? Have a lost season and a lame duck coach. That's the combination needed to get it done.
But wait! Michigan has that! So why the hell did Hoke not pull Morris?
Because Hoke still thinks he has his job.
This massive blunder has had Hoke and the University apologizing all week for the "oversight" and "mishandling" of Morris. I'm really glad smell-o-vision doesn't exist yet, because I can nearly smell the bulls**t in those answers through my television. Michigan plays in the third largest stadium in the world. That is not a typo. Number three in the ENTIRE WORLD. It seats almost 110,000 people, and the entire stadium saw Morris stumble around and look greatly confused after taking that hit. He was wobbling like a frat boy. And yet, somehow, the entire coaching staff of Michigan didn't notice this. Of course they saw him wobbling around. But they didn't think they could win without him. So they kept him in.
With all the new information coming out about concussions, the frequency at which they occur, and more importantly, the permanent damage that they cause, the fact that not a single person has lost their job for this is sickening. As far as I'm concerned, leaving a concussed player on the field in today's game is grounds for being charged with reckless endangerment. But an important thing to remember, is college football often emulates the NFL, and once again, that is where they got this idea from, even in an era of heightened concussion awareness.
In 2011, the Cleveland Browns kept Colt McCoy in the game after he suffered a concussion, and never administered any of the league's concussion protocol on the sideline, even though McCoy lost consciousness on the field, and couldn't remember the play that knocked him out. Even after claiming that they (the Browns) did not know that McCoy was concussed, in his postgame interview they dimmed the lights because they were hurting McCoy's head.
What?!?!?!
It's not like he was suddenly hung over! He had a F**KING CONCUSSION! And still they adamantly claimed they did not know he had suffered a concussion during the game. Medical personnel attended to him on the field, they helped him walk off the field and still claim he was fine. This was at the beginning of the NFL's player safety "crusade" and the Heads Up program. This was allowed to fly under the radar nationally because 1) the NFL was still infallible at this point, and 2) it was the Cleveland Browns.
Brady Hoke does not have either of those things to hide behind, and he will lose his job this year, but unfortunately, it won't be because of his blatant disregard for the safety of his players. And from a college coach no less, he's supposed to help mold these kids into adults, not mentally disabled young men. College coaches go into the homes of their players, and convince their parents that they will be there to look out for the best interest of their kid, and to ensure that they receive everything they need. In sports, this has always been a lie, and at least now, everyone at Michigan knows that Hoke never meant any of that.
Here are the week 5 picks. Home team in bold
Green Bay (-8) over Minnesota
Bears (+2.5) over Carolina
Cleveland (+1) over Tennessee
Philadelphia (-7) over St. Louis
Atlanta (+4) over New York Giants
Tampa Bay (+10) over New Orleans
Houston (+6.5) over Dallas
Detroit (-6.5) over Buffalo
Indianapolis (-3.5) over Baltimore
Pittsburgh (-6) over Jacksonville
Arizona (+7.5) over Denver
Kansas City (+5) over San Francisco
San Diego (-6) over New York Jets
Cincinnati (-1) over New England
Seattle (-7) over Washington
After reading my last week's picks, I'm pretty sure I wrote down the wrong pick in more then one situation (like Carolina over Baltimore), but I'll stick with what I wrote.
Last Week: 6-7
Overall: 27-32-2
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