May 10, 2012
10:29 am
by: Ian McAlpine

Junior Seau: One Fan’s Perspective

 

The summer of 1989 was a pivotal summer in my life. My parents and I uprooted ourselves from Orange County and moved to San Diego (Fallbrook specifically). I think a lot of times kids freak out when their family moves to another city, but I wasn’t really worried. Orange County was fine, but San Diego seemed better (and it was). It had a cool vibe as well as a personality. It didn’t hurt that the area we were moving to was much more interesting than where we were coming from.

I was entering my teens and as so many boys at that age, I was developing an affinity for sports. Living in Orange County, I didn’t really identify with a particular team (with the exception of my beloved Lakers… Showtime baby!). We landed in San Diego and I quickly got acclimated with the hometown teams (Padres and Chargers). The Padres were not very good at the time (nothing new there), but they did have identity because they had Tony Gwynn. The Chargers? Well, they flat out stunk AND had no identity…. That’s not true. They had Jim McMahon! Who was not only terrible and at the end of his career, but he was also hated by pretty much everybody on the team. He lasted all of one year with the Chargers. I really wanted to like the Chargers. I had never identified with a football team and now felt like the right time. Regardless of how bad they were, I was all in… My faith was about to be rewarded.

1990 was a big year for the Chargers. Bobby Beathard took over as GM after a very successful stint with the Washington Redskins where he won two Super Bowl championships. Beathard’s résumé alone, gave Charger fans hope. During his first draft as the Chargers GM, Beathard changed the course of the city of San Diego by selecting Tiaina Baul “Junior” Seau, Jr. from the University of Southern California as the fifth pick in the first round.

Junior Seau was born and raised in San Diego. It was one thing to draft an inside linebacker that was an absolute BEAST on the college level. It was something else do draft a hometown stud. Myself and the city of San Diego were pretty pumped up. Not only did we have a legitimate GM, but now we had a legitimate star that oh by the way, happen to be from San Diego… Things were looking up for the Chargers.

Watching Junior Seau play linebacker was like watching controlled/violent chaos. As a fan, I instantly fell in love with him. Junior was easily the craziest man on the field each and every Sunday (and that is saying a lot). His outstanding play was enough to pump you up, but it was his enthusiasm that made you an instant fan. The best possible compliment I can give Junior is that he played the way the fans felt. By that I mean, fans are MUCH more passionate about the game then the players. Lest we forget, “fan” is short for “fanatic”. We obsess about ridiculous details and flip out (both good and bad) about the fortunes (good and bad) of our respective teams. Junior played each down as if it were his last. He celebrated every hit/tackle/sack as if his life depended on it. My thoughts after seeing Junior play for the first time as a Charger were this: “Yes! Exactly! Finally a player that gets it!”. Every big play was followed by an over exaggerated pump of the fist (“The Bolt”) that would send Charger fans into a tizzy. I didn’t think it was possible for a player to be even MORE pumped up than the fans themselves, but there he was… Junior Seau.

It’s funny, my favorite memory of Junior Seau isn’t some big hit or sack… It was the 1994 AFC Championship game. Chargers vs. Steelers. There is a minute to go in the game and the Chargers hold a 17-13 lead. It is fourth down and the Steelers are on the Chargers 3 yard line. This play would decide who would be moving on to the Super Bowl. Neil O’Donnell drops back and throws a dump off pass that is broken up than none other than… Dennis Gibson? He was a role player on a pretty good defense that year, but it was the playmaker Seau and his child-like celebrating that sticks out in my mind. Nobody and I mean NOBODY was happier then Seau following that play. He was taking his hometown Chargers to the Super Bowl. A dream come true to be sure. Once again, Seau was the embodiment of how the fans felt. Unbridled/unabashed joy…

… We’re not going to talk about the 1994 Super Bowl.

When Junior Seau left town to play with the Dolphins and subsequently the much hated Pats, it was… Weird. Side note: Junior left the Chargers the same year I left for Los Angeles. On one hand he was still the embodiment of San Diego (he was cool, laid back, wore shorts and sandals no matter what the weather was, he surfed and lived life with plenty of passion and a lot of “OOMPH”), but now he was kind of the enemy. Full disclosure: As a fan, I now feel bad about my feelings towards Junior when he was with the Pats when they were on the verge of having the perfect season. I couldn’t bear to see the Pats pull of the accomplishment no matter WHO was on their team. I was openly rooting against Junior and the Pats. I felt like he had sold his soul for a ring and I was not OK with that. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have embraced what he was trying to accomplish. After everything he had given the league, the man definitely deserved a ring… No matter who he was playing for (it still kind of hurts to write that).

May 2nd, 2012. My truck had died on the way to work. I had the tow truck guy take my truck back home as I was convinced I knew what the problem was and would fix it myself. After having my truck dropped off at my house, I hoofed it over to the nearest Pep Boys (2.5 miles away, but who’s counting) to pick up the necessary part to fix my truck. With purchase in hand, I started the trek back to The Hacienda… Then my phone started blowing up. Friends started flooding me with text messages that all said the same thing: “Junior Seau is dead.”

“… No fucking way.” Those were the first words to leave my mouth. My inner monologue become flooded with the following: “How? Why? WHAT?!” Nobody had any details at that point. I fumbled with my phone as I tried to find any kind of info. Then, a terrible thought crept into my mind “Please don’t let it be suicide… I’d rather somebody killed him than it be suicide. Please don’t let it be suicide.” A terrible thought to be sure. To hope that he was somehow killed by somebody as opposed to taking his own life.

It wasn’t long before it was confirmed as a suicide. The tears started streaming down my face as I walked… I just couldn’t believe it… I couldn’t wrap my mind around it… Why? Of ALL people, why would JUNIOR SEAU commit SUICIDE?! I mean, he never QUIT at ANYTHING! He he never quit in any of his endeavours off the field and sure as hell never quit on the field. A crushing blow… To lose somebody you thought was invincible is one thing. To find out that it went down the way it did… No.

It didn’t take long for rumors and speculation to start flying. Was it due to concussions? Was it a cry for help when he drove his car off a cliff a couple of years ago? Who knows… I just didn’t care at that point. It was all bullshit at the specific moment in time. Junior Seau was gone and I was angry and I knew sadness was right around the corner.

The week since his death has put forth the gamut of emotions. I’ve been angry, sad, remorseful, reflective and thankful. Who knows why he did it? When it’s all said and done, we don’t really know anything about any professional athlete or celebrity. We just know what they put forth for public consumption. That’s not to say Junior wasn’t whom he appeared to be, it just means we don’t know his whole story… We may never know.

I’m not here to speculate. I’ll leave that up to the mainstream talking heads. I’m here to give insight into a personal experience. I never met Junior, but I felt like I knew him. I felt like we took a journey together. Junior not only embodied San Diego, he embodied some of the most formative years of my life and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Fa’afetai Junior.

Posted in Editorials, General, NFL Tagged , , , , , ,

April 25, 2012
5:14 pm
by: Ian McAlpine

Making The Case For RG3

 

The NFL Draft begins tonight at 5:00 pm PDT. It has been a foregone conclusion for some time that the top two picks would both be quarterbacks. Not only would those picks both be quarterbacks, but they would be the two men that finished first and second in the Heisman Trophy race. As we all know, Robert Griffin III (RG3) from Baylor edged out Andrew Luck of Stanford to win the Heisman. Funny thing is, it is Andrew Luck that will be selected first in the draft by the Indianapolis Colts with RG3 being selected second by the Washington Redskins. You know what it is even funnier than that? I believe the Colts are wrong.

The common consensus among NFL “experts” is that you can’t go wrong with either one of these prospects. They are both smart, tough and great at what they do. On top of all of that, both guys appear to be high character guys (don’t buy all that bullshit that came out last week about RG3 being “selfish”… some agent is trying to do a smear job in order to make his client look better). Experts have given a slight edge to Luck because he spent three years in a pro style offense. The best analogy I’ve heard is that they are both going to be Med School students, it’s just that Luck already has a year of Med School under his belt. So if both prospects are a “lock” with Luck edging RG3, why am I making the push for the latter? I’m pushing for RG3 because he leads Luck in one category that will not show up on any stat sheet.

The “It” factor. You either got “It”, or you don’t. RG3 has got “It”, Luck don’t… So, what is “It”? “It” is the ability to not only electrify a stadium, but to galvanize a city. “It” is something that causes people to gravitate towards you for reasons they can’t explain. “It” makes people smile when you step up to the podium even if they don’t root for your team. “It” causes people to identify with you even when they’ve never met you. “It” crosses race and gender lines and makes everybody feel like they are on the same team.

Like I said, you can’t measure “It”. I know RG3 has “It” because… Well… I just know. I’ve seen it, heard it and felt it. A couple of years ago I heard an interview with RG3. At the time he was just a talented quarterback playing for a school that was notoriously bad at football. Halfway through the interview, this thought popped into my head: “This kid might become President of the United States one day.” And you know what, I meant it! He oozes charisma, charm with a nice slice of humble. The other indicator that he had “It” was his Heisman speech and the subsequent interview.

 

Combine these factors with his electrifying play on the field and you indeed have… “It”. Of course there are absolutely ZERO NFL GM’s that grade players by the “It” factor. GM’s are interested in hard statistics, lots of game tape, background checks and plenty of interviews. They are in the business of making something that is an inexact science as exact as possible. Which is a bit ironic. There is no metric that will assure or disillusion a GM to a player’s future in the NFL, so why not play a gut instinct? But that’s just it, PLENTY of GM’s have used their gut instinct when drafting players. By that thought process, is it so bad to draft a QB that has a quality that nobody can put a finger on?

Andrew Luck is the safe pick in every sense of the word. He’s fundamentally sound, clean cut and doesn’t say a damn thing that is worth repeating. Maybe that’s what the city of Indianapolis needs/wants? They certainly got exactly that with Peyton Manning and things seemed to work out for the most part. I just can’t say that I agree with the Colts choice this time around. Both QB’s are going to win plenty of games. They might even win a championship or two. But who will truly be remembered? Who will transcend his accomplishments on the field? Who will be an idol to his adoptive city let alone a nation?

When it comes to choosing a legend, Luck need not apply.

Posted in Editorials, General, NCAA Football, NFL Tagged , , , , , ,

April 17, 2012
2:37 pm
by: Ian McAlpine

Major League Baseball, We Need to Talk…


Major League Baseball, I’m going to cut right to the chase… I’m worried about you. As you know, we’ve drifted away over the years. I used to believe it was my fault. I thought it was something I was doing (or not doing) that was making us drift apart. But, now I see other people drifting away from you as well. Which got me thinking… What’s the common denominator here? Look in the mirror… It’s you Major League Baseball. You’re pushing people away with some of your stodgy old ways and it’s got me worried about you… FOR you.  In a world of instant gratification and even faster communication, you seem to be becoming a relic from the past. A novelty to be admired, but certainly not something that would demand my time. Per chance, why?

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY TWO… 162… No that is not the number of hair follicles left
on Nicholas Cage’s head, that is the number of games each team that’s a part of Major League Baseball (From here on out, I’m going to refer to you as “MLB”… Short and sassy… Do you like it? Maybe the big wigs will make a push for the younger audience with this abbreviation?) will play during the regular season. Wrap your mind around that number for a second. Heck, wrap your mind around that number for 162 seconds. [162 second interlude] That seemed like a long time didn’t it? Well, your regular season is way longer then the time you just took to think about it. Who the hell has the time in their life to dedicate themselves to a 162 game season that begins in mid-April and ends in early September?! I can tell you who DOESN’T have that kind of time… This guy, this guy right here (I’m sorry). It’s not that I can’t appreciate something that takes time, (I love wine… Wine takes a long time to be awesome… Unless you are hard up for cash then you by the cheap stuff and that stuff didn’t take very long to get faux-awesome… The hangover from said cheap wine probably lasts longer then the fermentation process that brought that wine to your lips) because clearly I can. It’s just that when a season takes that long, I lose interest easily and more importantly it seems to me that the length of the season seems to undermine itself. How important can a home stand be in the first 81 games of the season? By the way, of the major sports in North America your regular season has the longest season with the NBA and the NHL tied for second with 82 games in a season. Yep, you can basically cram an entire NBA/NHL season into the FIRST HALF OF THE BASEBALL SEASON. *Sigh* You’re long winded MLB and it’s a problem (for us).

Another reason you don’t demand my time any more is the length of the game itself. Do you know how long the average MLB game lasts? A gazillion hours (I fact checked on Wikipedia)… OK, so maybe the stat in the previous statement is a smidge of an exaggeration. I guess the games just feel that long to me. I know I’m not breaking any new ground on this point, but you really need to speed things up. Pitchers seem to need a whole song and dance routine before each batter and every batter seems to have some form of OCD that forces them to do a million things before they get in the batter’s box, then they have to do a million more things between each pitch. And GOD FORBID if a team has to make a roster change. This alone will cause a 12 hour delay (Yep, Wiki-checked that as well). I know George Carlin waxed brilliant on the leisurely pace of baseball in contrast to football, but I have to believe that baseball could benefit from a 2:00 minute warning… Or a shot clock… Or a public execution of one fan per minute for every game that is longer than 3 hours… Something to move things along because I have things that need to get done… Ugh, now I’m lashing out.

And then there is your irrational fear of instant replay. It’s not to say that you don’t use it, because you do… Sort of. Recently (2008 to be exact… Wiki-check it yourself if you don’t believe me), you decided to start utilizing instant replay in a “limited capacity”. And by “limited capacity” I mean barely at all. If the umpire crew chief finds that a home run or potential home run is in dispute, he can utilize instant replay to make the correct call. That’s great, but that’s also the extent of instant replay in MLB… There is no other use or potential use for this mysterious technology called “instant replay” in MLB. Over the course of the past 25 years, (Not a random number. This is how long the NFL has been using instant replay) countless number of baseball fans have had their hopes crushed as their respective teams lost games on calls that were flat out wrong and could have been easily rectified with the help of instant replay. Now, I’m not saying go hog-wild and review EVERY damn play, but at least utilize it so fans and teams don’t get screwed out of a win or two each season. It just seems ridiculous when everybody can watch a replay from 12 different angles on their HD sets at home and see that a call was blown, but the umpires can’t do a damn thing about it except issue the now standard statement: “We looked at it after the game and we just flat out missed that call”. It’s like MLB is a bunch of angry old white dudes living in Massachusetts in the late 1600’s and instant replay is an attractive young woman that happens to possess a skill that confounds, confuses and frightens them… “Burn her!!!” *Sad face*

I point these things out, because I hope you will change… But I know you will not. Besides, what kind of relationship is it if I ask you to bend to my will? Well, it would be the kind of relationship where you listen to the ever changing fan-base and grow with the times. But I digress…

With all this said MLB, it doesn’t actually mean that I haven’t enjoyed you in the past or won’t enjoy your company sometime in the future (I’m looking forward to taking my son to a game). We’ve had some really fun times! I just have a hard time embracing you in your current state. It feels like you are letting life pass you by without putting up much of a fight. For all of your quirkiness and innocence, there is quite a bit of stodginess and stubbornness that isn’t allowing you to change with the times and allow future generations to embrace you.

So, this is not “goodbye”… I’ll still be around. I’ll still check in on you every day. Heck, I’m even going to write about you from time to time.

It’s probably better if we were… You know… Just friends.

Posted in Editorials, General, MLB Tagged , , , , , ,

March 28, 2012
9:09 am
by: James Schlarmann

The Nightmare Is Over!

The_Two_and_the_Lighthouse_by_vlads

In the interest of full disclosure, the author of this op-ed is a Dodgers fan the likes of which you’ve rarely experienced in your life times, or ever will. He writes all of the following diatribe/journalistic exploration from a place of complete and total bias. There is no shame felt in this bias. Please enjoy.

It’s time to rejoice Dodgers Fans. The nightmare is over! No longer will we suffer an ownership who was more interested in personal net worth than the historical value of our beloved franchise. No more will we be embarrassed about both the personal and professional sins committed by our so-called chief executive. At long last Dodger Fans, Frank and Jamie McCourt are leaving.

Together they forced the proudest professional baseball franchise – the club that broke the color barrier – into bankruptcy. They so raped the coffers of the team’s real and sentimental value, that for the first time in about an eon attendance did not hit record-setting levels. Fans stopped coming because it became both unsafe and unnecessary to experience Dodger baseball in their own home park.

With the financial cloud that’s been hanging over the team for the last two years about to lift, we the downtrodden Dodger loyalists have so many, many reasons to sing in the streets. Not since the O’Malley team sold Mike Piazza, Fred Claire and the rest of us down the river to the Fox Slaughterhouse has the Dodgers owner carried such a positive vibe in the city’s beloved Boys in Blue.

And of course the real fairy tale portion of it is poetically beautiful in a way. The man who brought the Los Angeles Lakers to the days of Show-Time Legend now owns the Dodgers. A man who was part of the 1988 season that saw the Dodgers and Lakers both win championships is now an owner of our team.

Let’s face it, when it comes to the history of the Lakers franchise, there is probably no other man who is so dearly worshiped as Magic Johnson. He is the epitome of the Laker fans’ spirits. He transcended sport and athletics and came to represent the better part of humanity for many.

I can only speak for myself, but I know for me he will always be most cherished Lakers player that I ever followed. He seemed to have God-like skills on the hard wood and yet still somehow never seemed unapproachable. He was a hero to so many kids of my generation.

Then when the bombshell dropped that he had been diagnosed with the HIV virus, which at the time was tantamount to a death sentence, the world around Magic came crumbling down. He took a hit to his reputation, and he was forced out of the game that he had helped rescue and turn into a cultural phenomenon. Our hearts were all broken for him, and for the Lakers.

For a while the smoke was thick, and it was hard to tell just how Magic would come out of all of this. And then, it started to become clear just what the makeup of his character was: he was classy and he was a fighter. Fighting not just the virus that seemed like a ticking time bomb, but also the stigma attached to it, Magic began just living his life, staying healthy, and digging into the business world.

He discovered an entrepreneurial streak and started several new business models, including a signature line of movie houses. You weren’t going to knock Magic Johnson out of the saddle. And as the years went by, he seemed to not only beat back the virus, he climbed back up to the top of the mountain and further into the hearts of L.A. sports fans.

He became a minority partner in the Lakers, and an executive within the management structure of the team. Over time he put himself back in place as the heart and soul of the team’s history. He was the basketball equivalent of Tommy Lasorda.

And now, the dramatic conclusion of our story:

Now for the climax.

Cut to a couple years ago when everything came out about just how batshit crazy Fritz and Jamers McC were in Dodger Town. They ran the place like it was some 1920s cartoon pie factory where it didn’t matter how much of the money they spent on anything because they were spending money like they had all of it, every last drop, on the planet.

Then the divorce. Then the nightmare of finding out just how dumb Bed Selig was for approving the sale of the team financed on Diner’s Club cards and MLB.com gift cards. Then the bankruptcy. Then the savage and vicious  beating of a Giant’s fan in the parking lot, which could have been prevented if stadium security hadn’t been allowed to complete fall into the void of uselessness that it was.

We were done with the crook. We wanted him out on a rail.

When the bankruptcy case was resolved and it became clear that the time was ticking on the McCourt Disaster’s era, we all held our breath, not sure how the outcome would end up playing itself out.  Whoever the team ended up with would be the one to try and right the ship again and it had to be done quickly.

Enter Magic Johnson. Cue choir of angels singing “The Times They Are-a-Changin’” while all nuclear bombs are suddenly and magically turned into vast stores of food where we can feed everyone on Earth forever and ever. And the streets are paved with cheese.

And Magic Johnson saves The Los Angeles Dodgers.

Posted in Editorials, General, MLB Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

March 23, 2012
10:54 am
by: Ian McAlpine

Ultimately, it is fear that will cripple Manning.

If you pay attention to ESPN, you will know that not only has Peyton Manning chosen to sign with the Denver Broncos, he can be penciled in for at least 12 Super Bowl championships with the Broncos. Manning is medically cleared to play and all the “insiders” that have seen him work out over the past couple of months can attest that yes indeed Peyton can throw the rock (whew!). You may find this hard to believe, but I don’t think Peyton will succeed in Denver. Not only do I not think he will fail, I don’t believe he will make it past year two of his five year contract. The reason for my doubt? Fear.

I went a bit crazy every time I heard a report about one of the potential suitors working out Manning. Every report always came back the same: “We like what we saw today. Peyton can make all the throws and has great zip on the ball.” Hey, guess what? I give a DAMN if he can throw the ball! (yes, I know how ridiculous that sentence sounds… bear with me) I want to know if he can take a hit and get back up. Allow me to regress…

Peyton has had a total of four (that we know of) neck surgeries over the past few years. The reason for the neck surgeries and his subsequent departure from the Colts is a result of a hit he took from a Gregg Williams (uh oh) led Redskins defense in 2006. Click on the link to see the hit for yourself.

 

That hit not only caused significant chronic pain for Manning, it also affected a nerve that in turn affected his ability to throw the ball. The final procedure used to “fix” such a condition is called a “cervical fusion”. The following link has a video from ESPN’s “Sports Science” team that does a decent job explaining (they’re real good with flashy graphics and rock type music to explain barbaric type procedures) the process.

 

NOTE: You could also search “cervical neck fusion” on YouTube… Go ahead… See what happens… I almost threw up on my keyboard. I guess that rules out any hope of me becoming a doctor. Bummer.

Now, after watching the hit that caused the issue and seeing the “final” procedure used to “fix” the problem, I ask you this: Would you be all gung-ho about jumping back onto the field of play where 200-300 lb men get paid to lay you out? Would you do it knowing that you have already spent 14 years in a league where you have already re-written most of the record books as well as won a Super Bowl championship?

I am kind of shocked none of the GM’s from the potential suitors had the balls to ask Manning the following question: “That’s great to see you can still throw the ball. Question: Can we see you suit up in full pads and take part in a live scrimmage? You understand right? You are asking us for a potential $100 million dollar contract, so you can understand if we are a bit… Apprehensive.” No GM would ask such a question because of… Fear.

If you have ever watched NFL films or have witnessed one of the “Mic’d Up” segments on NFL.com, you can attest to the violence of professional football. It’s especially prevalent when you watch any segment where they have a quarterback mic’d up. The speed and fury that defensive players bring when trying to eliminate the quarterback from “the equation” is kind of sobering. It makes you wonder why they would choose such a profession. In order to keep your sanity as well as your competitive edge at such a position you either have to have supreme confidence or you need to be nuts (some quarterbacks have a healthy dose of both i.e. Philip Rivers).

Which brings me to my point. I’ve watched a lot of “Mic’d Up” footage of Manning over the years and I can confirm that he is not nuts. However, he does have supreme confidence as he is a master at his position. Very few (none?) quarterbacks in the history of the game can make the pre-snap adjustments that he can. When he steps onto the field, there are no chinks in his armor and he wields the sharpest of swords… Until now.

I don’t care what kind of confidence the doctors have imparted on Manning based on the work they’ve performed over multiple procedures. As stated, Manning is not nuts. Therefore, “it” MUST be in the back of his mind. “It” being fear… “It” being “what if?”… “It” being “worst case scenario”. He is not a young man trying to prove himself. He’s served his time. He’s fought the good fight. These factors contribute to somebody that is 36 years old, married and has children.

Manning is in the business of weighing risk vs. reward. Every time he makes a pre-snap read, he is weighing risk vs. reward. “What is the defense giving me?” “What can I take?” “Is it worth it to take a shot down field?” These are thoughts that cascade through his mind before the ball is even snapped. It’s this thought process that will ultimately betray him. “What happens if I take a blindside hit?” “What if something really bad happens?” “What if it affects my life post-football?” “… Why am I doing this?”

Thoughts of self-preservation start to take precedent. When thoughts of self-preservation are paramount in a position where confidence is key, you run into problems. Performance suffers… Injuries happen. It’s kind of like when you are snowboarding and you start thinking about what would happen if you crashed at that very moment in time… That thought is almost always followed by a crash.

When I watched Manning’s introductory press conference from Denver this past week, two things struck me. 1) Manning’s body language does not exude confidence. It exudes doubt. 2) Elway’s body language is exuding more confidence than Manning. People like to keep harping on the fact that Manning chose Denver because he has a kindred spirit in John Elway. Old #7 (or as I like to call him: “The Pride of Granada Hills”) won both of his Super Bowls in his late 30’s. A lot of people feel like he can lead Manning down the same path. However, things were different then. Elway leaned on an outstanding offensive line and a great running game. He also leaned on his supreme confidence. While he did have a bad knee and wasn’t as fast as he once was, there was nothing else that could erode his confidence.

Manning has signed a 5 year contract that could reach $100 million dollars depending on how he performs. It is a promising team, but they are young. Elway, Pat Bowlen, the organization and the city are expecting Manning to CARRY the Broncos to a championship. To shoulder such a burden, there can be no doubt… But there it is… In the back of his mind… Fear.

Fear will affect Manning’s performance. Fear will pervert expectations. Fear might even lead to injury. We will reflect on this chapter of Manning’s career the same way we reflect on the end of Unita’s career or the end of Namath’s career. A final, last and forgettable gasp at the end of a brilliant career.

It’s OK to be afraid. There are always two options. You either embrace that fear and take a subordinate route that ensures safety. Or you embrace that fear and tackle it head-on which inherently carries risk. Manning is hoping for the latter, but it is the former that will ultimately dictate this chapter in his life.

Posted in Editorials, General, NFL Tagged , , , , ,

March 2, 2012
1:28 pm
by: Ian McAlpine

Nice Try Sports Illustrated

 

If you haven’t read the Sports Illustrated “exposé” piece about UCLA’s Men’s Basketball program, you can find it here: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/magazine/02/28/ucla/index.html?sct=cb_bf3_a2

Earlier this week I got a text message from a friend asking me if I had read the Sports Illustrated article about UCLA Basketball. I replied “no” to which he informed me that it was “bad”. Sports Illustrated posted an “expose” piece about the UCLA Men’s Basketball program called “Not the UCLA Way”. My first reaction before even reading the article was: “Holy shit. What happened?! Points shaving?! Performance enhancing drugs?! Cash gifts?! Hookers?! Recruiting violations?!” I could see that the article was four pages long. I knew it would be bad for the Bruins. Investigative sports reporting has become an art thanks to the Internet and a few university sports programs have been upended because of it over the years. I delved into the article expecting the worse… When I was done reading the piece I only had one reaction: “… That’s it?”

The crux of the article is about how head coach Ben Howland has “lost control” of the once proud UCLA Men’s Basketball program. After reading the article, you can certainly make the point that he could/should be fired. But “lost control”? Not so much…

Apparently Ben Howland played favorites with his star player Reeves Nelson while he was still with the team. WHAT?! A coach played favorites with one of his players?! NO WAY!!! C’mon man… If you have EVER played any kind of organized sports you know DAMN WELL coaches play favorites. This isn’t rec-league soccer. Not everybody gets a chance. You know who does get a chance? The best players on the team. You know who gets the most attention? The best players on the team. Shocking, I know… That’s not to say Reeves Nelson wasn’t an asshole that should have been disciplined.

The article paints Reeves Nelson as a bully that would willingly hurt his teammates in practice with Howland looking the other way. That is indeed a problem. When people’s safety is in question (especially when you have the trust of their parents), then we have an issue. Howland could indeed be fired for such conduct… But that’s not what rubbed me the wrong way in this case. The account of Reeves Nelson bullying teammates stemmed from him feeling like he got screwed over or fouled in practice. Scuffles and fights happen in practice ALL THE TIME no matter what the sport. It is the by-product of putting together competitive talented athletes and telling them to compete against each other. What blew me away in this case is that there were no accounts of any players putting a fist in Nelson’s face. If the coach won’t protect you, somebody better do it and it better be you. It wouldn’t be the first or last time a fight broke out in practice. And it wouldn’t be the first time a bully got put in his place. Either way, this issue of Nelson doing what he please and Howland looking the other way is bad, but not THAT bad.

The article goes on to tell a story about how Reeves Nelson also got angry to the point that he piled a teammate’s wardrobe on his bed, then pissed on his clothes. Clearly Nelson is an asshole. CLEARLY somebody (Howland) should have put him in his place. But in the context of this article SI wrote, is that really THAT bad? He’s 19 and a prick. In the pantheon of stupid shit 19 year olds have done, this is actually pretty low on the totem pole.

Another part of the article describes a few of the players being more interested in girls, alcohol and weed than basketball… I’m sorry, did SI just imply that some college males are interested in girls, alcohol and weed? HOLY SHIT!!! This just in!!! Some college kids like to get loaded and party with the opposite sex!!! Assemble the Super Friends IMMEDIATELY! This is a national emergency that must dealt with ASAP! … C’mon SI, you’re better than this. Now you are taking things that are a fact of life and trying to blow them up in effort to make waves. To be fair, SI is trying to contrast such a scene against the backdrop of a program that was built on the sterling reputation of arguably the greatest coach ever, John Wooden. I get that, but I’m willing to bet that the program has seen far worse since Wooden left and before Howland arrived. SI is just looking for more dirt to back up their “exposé” and doing a very poor job about it.

By my unofficial tally, do you know how many NCAA infractions are present in the SI article? Zero. So what the hell SI? A four page “exposé” to tell me Ben Howland is a shitty coach? All I had to do was look at his wining percentage to figure that out. Thanks I guess? Also, Reeves Nelson actually agreed to be interviewed for the SI piece. He acknowledged being a jerk and apologized. God know if he is serious, but how bad can a “scandal” be if one of the main antagonists has no issue being interviewed for the piece?

To me this speaks to a bigger issue in a journalistic sense. The fine folks at Yahoo! Sports have broken some of the biggest sports scandals over the past 5 years. Mainly, the Reggie Bush Heisman scandal and the Nevin Shapiro Miami Hurricanes scandal. Both of these pieces were very well done and took a lot of hard work and a lot of time to bring to light. They also exposed what I would term “real problems” in college athletics. Accepting cash, accepting free houses, prostitutes, bounties to permanently injure other players, etc. etc. The SI article about UCLA seems like a very poor attempt to make waves and keep up with the great work Yahoo! Sports is doing. If SI wants to do some hard-core investigative sports reporting, I have no problem with that. They just need to be able to discern and present their material accordingly. They shouldn’t be trying to create profound controversy where there is none. A four page “exposé” piece about how somebody is a shitty coach need not apply.

Posted in Editorials, General, NCAA Basketball Tagged , , , ,

February 10, 2012
10:19 am
by: James Schlarmann

A Gay Jackie Robinson

Back Camera

The recent Ninth District court ruling, calling California’s Prop 8, which denies homosexuals the rights to marry got me to thinking.

In the history of organized sports, there was no man more important than Jack Roosevelt Robinson. Known to the world as “Jackie,” he was not actually the first African-American person to play professional baseball, but he was certainly the first to play and stick around. In doing so, he is the man credited with breaking baseball’s so-called “color barrier,” ushering in a new era in baseball where people of all colors would be uniform.

Jackie’s accomplishments were not only vital to the survival of the Major Leagues, but more importantly, to the ultimate evolution of society as we know it. In today’s day and age baseball has taken a back seat to football, but in 1947, when Jackie first broke in with the Brooklyn Dodgers, baseball was the national sport.

In many ways, baseball embodied and exemplified what American society was for several decades. When Jackie first laced up his spikes and took the field at Ebbets Field now nearly sixty-five years later, Jim Crow Laws were still in place, and there was a tolerated level of racism in general society that kept black and white people segregated.

When Branch Rickey acting as the General Manager for the Dodgers approached Jackie he made him swear that he could not react in any way to the horrible insults, jeers and downright terrorism that would be shot his way for three full years. Jackie’s agreement to those terms showed that he understood that a temporary sacrifice of his right to reach and defend himself wold lay the groundwork for real, tangible change.

Rickey’s theory held true, and after a short time, Jackie’s own teammates, who that summer had actually put a petition together to keep him out of baseball, took his defense against other fans and teams. The bond was forming, and suddenly on the field, baseball was integrated.

The stories of what he had to endure only further enforce Jackie Robinson’s legend. It’s hard to read the death threats now, to hear the stories of just how vitriolic and hateful the epithets were that were hurled his way. It’s extremely important to understand though, just how much abuse he took for the betterment of society as a whole.

There is no way any historian can deny that the integration of Major League Baseball in 1947 was a big shot in the arm to the Civil Rights movement that eventually gave rise to great black leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. All of that work was helped set in motion by Jackie’s hard work and sacrifice.

Now, sixty-five years later there is a new class of American citizens that has suffered under socially accepted bigotry and ignorance. There’s a group of citizens that is forced to live a life that’s not quite the full American experience. Homosexuals in this country now face a similarly difficult road to true equality.

It’s time then for the Gay Jackie Robinson to emerge. Mathematically, we know that there absolutely have to be homosexual professional athletes in one of the three major sports (NFL, MLB, NBA). However, there has yet to be any openly gay players within the leagues. Yes, players have come out after they leave the game, but there has yet to be an openly gay player in the midst of his career.

Why do we need a Gay Jackie Robinson? For the same reasons we needed a black one. As Americans, sometimes we need to have the wool removed from our eyes in a very fantastic and momentous way. An openly gay mega-star in the field of athletics would show the rest of America what most of us know already. That there are no fundamental differences between homosexuals and heterosexuals, outside of the gender for whom they find attraction to and for.

Jackie Robinson demonstrated to the entire world that black men are equal to any task. He showed conclusively that not only would African-American ballplayers not sully the majesty of the game, but rather enhance it, add to it, improve it forever. There is no small amount of irony in the fact that the man who finally overtook Babe Ruth’s career home run record for the first time was the only remaining active Negro League ball player, and no small amount of poetic justice either.

Professional sports has always been a reflection of the times in which they are played. Society tends to sculpt its distractions in ways that reflect their values. The time has come for the winds of change to blow onto the baseball diamonds, gridirons and hardwood courts of this nation. So who will it be? Who will help to break down one of the last remaining unconscionable barriers in society?

Who will be the Gay Jackie Robinson?

Posted in Editorials, General, MLB Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

February 3, 2012
3:32 pm
by: Ian McAlpine

Super Bowl MADNESS!!!

 

Oh man, this is a bitter-sweet column. On one hand, I’m pumped up about the Super Bowl. On the other hand, I’m sad to see football season coming to an end. Smilie: :-( Enough of the sappiness… On to my breakdown (offense, defense, special teams, coaching) of the big game and who I’m picking to win it all!

Super Bowl XLVI
New York Giants vs. New England Patriots (-2 ½)
Sunday at 3:30 pm PST on NBC

Offense
For the Giants, it is “all systems go” on offense. They have all the pieces and they are all healthy. Eli Manning is playing at a high level right now. All you need to do is go back and watch the NFC Championship game against San Francisco. Eli got HAMMERED by the 49ers defense, but he just would not stop. Not only did he not stop, but he continually made a big play when his offense needed it most. Watching him run away from FIVE 49er defenders to buy just enough time to convert a 3rd down before getting clobbered is what Eli is all about. Of course, it would be a moot point if he didn’t have anybody to throw to. Eli has not one, not two, but THREE great weapons right now. The three headed monster of Cruz, Nicks and Manningham caused just enough problems for the 49er defense to vault the Giants to the Super Bowl. Very few teams have the personnel to stop all three of these guys. You might silence one of them, maybe two of them, but you can’t stop all three. Manning’s TD pass to Manningham in the NFC Championship game was a good illustration of almost defending all of them. The Giants running game is powered by their big bruising back, Brandon Jacobs. He has nice balance, descent speed and likes to wear fools out in the 4th quarter by lowering the boom and running over them. All phases of the Giants offense are blessed to have an outstanding O-Line blocking for them. Chris Snee leads a VERY solid offensive line that carries the proverbial blue collar mentality. They do a great job of both pass and run blocking. There are no weakness on this line and it shows… This is offense is a bad match-up for the Pats defense.

For the Pats, it is NOT “all systems go”. They have some of the pieces and they are contending with one BIG injury (more on that later). Tom Brady had a very uncharacteristically bad game in the AFC Championship. He missed open receivers routinely and didn’t seem to ever get into rhythm. With that said, I expect the complete opposite from him on Sunday. Brady is one of the all time greats and he doesn’t have bad back-to-back performances (just ask Giselle. Hey-OHHHHHHHH!). You know he will be on point and you know he will be looking for blood early and often. This is one of those times you can throw out a player’s most recent performance. Brady has been here too many times and will not succumb to the pressure or be haunted by his poor performance in the AFC Championship game. IF Brady has a bad game, it won’t be of his own accord. The law firm known as Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis leads the Pats running game. While he does not “wow” you with his ability, he is a steady contributor and has NEVER fumbled in his professional career (you know he’s due… right?). The Pats offensive line is quite good, but they are a better pass blocking unit than a run blocking unit. They are very adept at giving Brady the time he needs to operate as well as providing great throwing lanes. And then there are the receivers… There are only 3 receivers on the WHOLE TEAM (that’s a lie, but you know what I’m driving towards). You have the two BIG tight ends (Gronkowski and Hernandez) and the every quick Welker running wild on the underneath routes. Much like the Giant’s receivers, you might be able to stop one or two of these guys, but there is no way you will stop all three… That sentence would hold true if it weren’t for one thing: The High Ankle Sprain (insert music o’ doom here)! In the AFC Championship game Gronkowski suffered a high ankle sprain. He did end up finishing the game, but the injury has thrown a BIG monkey wrench in the plans of the Pats. He has been in a walking boot almost the entire two weeks leading up to the big game. That means… Absolutely jack-shit. You KNOW he will take the needle come Sunday and you KNOW he will play. That is not even up for debate. The question is: How effective will he be? My prediction: Not very effective. As an athlete myself, I’ve had many an ankle sprain (both low and high). A low ankle sprain is something you can ice, tape up and play on. It usually takes about 15 minutes to warm it up, but once you are going your really don’t notice it. High ankle sprains are very much different. (To learn about them, go here: http://www.sportsmd.com/articles/id/40.aspx) They are quite susceptible to further injury if you twist it (good thing that never happens in football… especially at the bottom of a pile). They also take much longer to recover from. I predict that Gronk will be effective for about a quarter and a half. Past that, I see him as a decoy. This means the Giants defense will only need to worry about two weapons as opposed to three and that’s big because the Giants defense is damn good and very capable.

I’m giving the advantage on offense to the Giants. Gronk’s injury is a big factor in my decision as is the lack of prowess by the Pats on defense. Also, I KNOW the Giants defense is not scared of Brady. Speaking of defense…

Defense
I’m not going to hide it… I love the Giants defense. Their front seven are big, fast and get pressure without having to blitz. This allows their secondary to take some chances and play aggressive coverage on the opposing team’s offense. You very rarely see this defense make a mistake. For me it really does begin and end with their defensive line. Tuck and Umenyiora are freaks and don’t seem to be phased by anything an offense throws at them. They are also both NON-STOP. The fact that these guys can get the kind of pressure they can get is HUGE because the ONLY way to derail Brady is to get in his face. Fortunately for the Giants, they are VERY good at that. So much so that I expect them to just enough to upset Brady’s rhythm and timing. And don’t forget, a lot of the guys on the Giants defense were on the team that defeated Brady and his at-the-time undefeated Pats in Super Bowl XLII. This defense is a bad match-up for the Pats offense.

I’m not going to hide it (the sequel)… I think the Pats defense is a sheep in wolf’s clothing. They have been suspect all year. While they ended the season ranked in the top 5 of yards per game allowed, anybody that is anybody can see that their secondary is terrible. To be honest, the Pats defense begins and ends with their nose tackle Vince Wilfork. If he does not get a good push up the middle, the Pats defense will be in danger of being gashed. Past Wilfork, it’s a bunch of no-names. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but these just happen to be no-names with no-talent (more on this later). They are so short on talent on the defensive side of the ball that Julian Edelman has been lining up as a DB (defensive back) for them. In case you don’t know, Edleman plays wide receiver and running back by trade… Unbelievably, it took the Ravens THREE QUARTERS of the AFC Championship game to realize Edelman was playing DB. When they realized this, they started throwing the ball to Boldin and he absolutely killed Edelman every time he touched the ball. I can guarantee you that it won’t take the Giants that long to figure out where Edelman is lining up on the defensive side of the ball. This is a very good match-up for the Giants offense.

I’m giving the advantage on defense to the Giants. They are light years better than the Pats defense. Not only are they better, but they just went through a WAR in the NFC Championship. They are fast, strong, fundamentally sound, not afraid of Brady and are battle tested. This is the defense Belichick wishes he was coaching…

Special Teams
Yeah, I don’t care. I have no good way of measuring special teams. Neither one has a glaring weakness and I can’t bring myself to write about… Special teams. Of course, now that I’ve said that I have no doubt the game will be decided by special teams. HAHA! Dumb…

Coaching
Belichick and Coughlin are total opposites. Belichick loves to gamble and play as aggressive as possible. Coughlin loves to preach fundamentals and will pick and choose his moments to “gamble”. Coughlin is primarily concerned about putting his guys in the best position to succeed. I know Belichick has the advantage in terms of Super Bowl rings (he has three rings to Coughlin’s one), but Belichick’s one Super Bowl loss came at the hands of… Tom Coughlin. Clearly Coughlin will not be intimidated or caught off guard by Belichick’s shenanigans. With that said, it’s not Coughlin that will beat Belichick Sunday… Belichick has already beat himself.

Belichick as a coach can be argued to be a “genius” (some prefer the label of “cheater”). As a personnel man, he is a complete dunce. His Super Bowl winning defenses were built on the combined talent of guys like Bruschi, Harrison and Seymour. Over the years this stellar defensive core has either retired or been traded for draft picks. Belichick has gained total control over personnel decisions thanks to a push-over owner (sorry Mr. Kraft). During the past 4-5 years Belichick has managed to stock his defense with basically NO talent. Granted you can get by with some talent, but that talent must be in KEY positions (see: Harrison, Bruschi and Seymour). Belichick has the mentality that he can scheme and coach-up anybody and find a way to best his opponent. That kind of thought process might allow you to sneak through the playoffs, but it will not yield a positive result when put up against an offense with the acumen and talent that the Giants bring. Coach Belichick’s undoing will be because of “GM” Belichick. It’s not the decisions made this Sunday in the heat of battle, but decisions that have been made in the “war room” over the past 4-5 years that will provide his undoing.

I really see the coaching advantage to be a push. Belichick’s personnel decisions are just that. As far as the two coaches matching wits, it’s an even fight as both are very good at their particular brand of coaching and neither is intimidated by what they see in each other.

My Pick
I think by now you know which way I’m leaning…  The Giants are going to win this Sunday (obviously you should take the points). For the reasons listed above, I see them pulling away in the 4th quarter. The sheer determination of Brady and Belichick will keep it close for the first three quarters. I have NO IDEA why the Pats are favored by Vegas. They back-doored their way into the big game and have key deficiencies that play to the Giants’ strengths… Maybe Vegas knows something I don’t. Maybe Belichick has renegotiated his deal with the devil… Maybe Belichick IS the devil!!! DAMN YOU SIN CITY!!!

Posted in Editorials, General, NFL Tagged , , , , , , ,

January 20, 2012
3:58 pm
by: Ian McAlpine

Conference Championship MADNESS!!!

Well, last week I was 3-1 against the spread and 2-2 with straight up picks… Not bad. Somebody should take me to Vegas. Not necessarily because of my ability to make picks, but because it would be a fun trip… I like to party. Smilie: :-)

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots (-7)
Sunday at 12:00 PST

This analysis/pick is going to sound a lot like what I said about the Pats last week… It begins and ends with the Patriots’ two-headed monster, Gronkowski/Hernandez. These two tight ends are such a nightmare match-up for… Well… Every team in the league. Until a defensive coordinator figures out a way to neutralize these two, you have to figure they are going to get theirs. And just like I said last week, if you do commit resources to try and stop them Welker will gash you underneath and have some ridiculous Y.A.C. (Yards After the Catch) total at the end of the game. As usual, the Ravens are bringing a stout defense to Foxboro this Sunday. Unfortunately, that amazing line-backing corp is not getting any younger and they sure as hell can’t keep up with Gronkowski/Hernandez. So what do you do? Do you bring a DB up and try to cover those two? If so, Welker is once again running wild. Really, Baltimore’s defense will live and die by their pass rush. If they can manage to get a pass rush, then they have a very good chance of neutralizing the Pats offense. Of course the problem here is that a) Brady gets the ball out very quickly and b) the Pats will run a no-huddle offense as much as possible. Especially the latter… The Ravens do not have a lot of young legs on that defense and the Pats will do their best to exploit that. For these two reasons, I foresee the Ravens defense in for a long day (not something I say very often).

On the flip side we have the average-at-best Patriot defense going against the much maligned Joe Flacco. If you haven’t heard, Joe Flacco is having an underwhelming year. Folks in Baltimore have expected him to become “more than a Trent Dilfer”, but he really hasn’t even been able to manage that as of late. There is seemingly ALWAYS a rift between the Baltimore defense and offense. The defense has almost always been outstanding and their attitude towards the offense is usually: “Don’t f**k it up.” And really, when Ray Lewis is the one delivering the message, you best not “f**k it up”. Which is usually how the Ravens offense plays. They never look like they are trying to win the game. They just trying not to “f**k it up”. There’s no killer instinct, there’s no gambling, and there certainly isn’t any creativity. Enter Joe Flacco. The big/strong QB was drafted out of Deleware in 2008 to provide the Ravens with BIG offense. That just hasn’t happened. And as of this year, it seems like he is regressing. So much so that Ravens defensive co-captain and all-world free safety Ed Reed called out his QB after their divisional playoff win over the Texans. In a nutshell, Reed said that Flacco needed to play better and even went as far to say that Flacco looked like he didn’t have a grasp of the offense (you can read all his quotes here: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2012/01/ravens-ed-reed-says-texans-rattled-joe-flacco/1 ). All of this might be true (ok… it IS true) and it’s actually OK for Reed to say these things, but it definitely needs to be addressed behind closed doors. The fact that Reed took it to the press in the middle of the playoffs speaks volumes for the aforementioned rift between the offense and defense. So, no matter how average the Pats defense might be, I just don’t see a distracted and underachieving Flacco getting over on them. Belichick is a master at taking away what you like to do most (in this case, Ray Rice) and I don’t see Flacco picking up the slack based on his recent play and based on the lack of faith his teammates have in him. I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this…

I’m taking the Pats to win straight up and I believe they will cover the spread. Not only do I think they will cover the spread, I don’t think this game will be very close (please don’t hurt me for saying that Mr. Ray Lewis). The Pats offense is going to run the Ravens D into the ground (see: Ravens vs. Chargers 12/18/11) and Belichick will use his average-at-best defense to shut down the less-than-average Baltimore offense. Good luck signing a lucrative contract extension in the off-season Flacco… And shave that damn Fu Manchu! You look like an out of work porn star from the 70’s.

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers (-2 ½)
Sunday at 3:30 PST

This is all you REALLY need to know about this game:

http://www.weather.com/weather/weekend/USCA0987

The field at Candlestick is going to be sloppy as all hell. Both teams are entrenched with GREAT defense and the ability to run the ball down hill and straight down your throat. This has the makings of an old school NFL game. Mud, blood, and defense. Don’t look for any kind of aerial show let alone five wide receiver sets. This is going to be a heavyweight fight and the best game of the day.

These teams are mirror images of each other. Any advantage that one team has seems to have is cancelled out by the strength of the other team. Both defenses are ranked in the top five of the league and both defenses are NASTY. The 49er defense absolutely beat up the Saints last week while the Giants front seven were able to not only contain Aaron Rodgers, but get good pressure on him all night. Both teams excel at stopping the run and play a very physical style of football.  I really can’t give either side the advantage here. They are both playing so well. It’s a wash… (Get it? Cuz it’s gonna rain during the game… Haha… Shut up)

It doesn’t get any easier when you try and find some space between these teams when you look at the offensive side of the ball. Once again, they are both ranked in the top five and they both excel at running the ball. In fact, they prefer to run the ball (that goes against the grain in this day and age, but is appropriate for the weather conditions this weekend). The only place where I can see separation between these teams is at the quarterback position… I know Alex Smith had a great game last week. I watched it with my own two eyes. Actually, I watched in disbelief as he led his team to not one, but TWO late scores. The final one sealed the game for his 49ers no less. A great performance to be sure. With that said, I STILL do not trust Alex Smith! I need to see him repeat that performance in order to believe it. I need to see him do it against a defense that doesn’t resemble Swiss cheese (Sorry Saints… Enjoy your new defensive coordinator Rams fans!). In short, I don’t think he can do it. Even if Alex Smith can find a way, I feel like Eli Manning will be able to best him. Eli has taken plenty of crap over the years for not being an “elite” NFL QB (even though he has a Super Bowl ring against what was an undefeated Pats team). Eli is elite… There’s no doubt about it. He’s almost like a ninja. You don’t realize he is there until the damage is done and he’s out the door. “What happened?! Who did that?! Where did he go?!… ELI!!!” He showed great gumption against the Packers last week. Granted, the Packers defense isn’t that good but Eli is just a straight-up gamer. He seemingly always finds a way to will his team to victory. I believe it’s his experience and intangibles that will be the difference in what should be a close and great game. Which means…

I’m taking the Giants to win in an upset (needless to say, you should take the points). My trust issues with Alex Smith and the fact that Eli is made of Teflon makes me feel like the Giants will win. I firmly believe this game will be decided in the final two minutes. Both coaches are hard nosed and old school. I expect plenty of yelling and no bullsh** strategies from both of them. Special teams could very well be a factor, but with the field conditions projected to be terrible I just can’t see who will have the advantage there either. Of course, ALL OF THIS means…

I’m projecting a rematch of Super Bowl XLII… Maybe I’m not so much projecting this as I am PRAYING for it. The LAST thing I want to see is a Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh Super Bowl. Not because the hype would be nauseating (and it would be), but because I don’t want to see a 6-3 Super Bowl in the age of “video game football”. Super Bowl XLII was a classic and I would love to see a rematch. It would be a great game and both teams would surely combine for more than 9 points… Right? RIGHT?!

Posted in Editorials, General, NFL

January 16, 2012
4:10 pm
by: Ian McAlpine

Jeff Fisher wants REVENGE!

 

Here is a little known FACT: Jeff Fisher accepted the Rams job for one reason only… REVENGE!!!

While the contract details are still being ironed out, it was reported last week that former Titans coach Jeff Fisher has agreed to coach the St. Louis Rams… Did you hear what I just said?! I said former Titans coach is now the Rams coach… Engage Time Machine!

January 30, 2000… Super Bowl XXXIV in the Georgia Dome… Dick Vermeil’s high flying Rams had battled JEFF FISHER’S defensively stout Titans for 4 quarters of great football. The Titans needed a touchdown and an extra point to send the game to OT. They drove the field as time slipped into oblivion. And on the last play of the game…

One of the great Super Bowl moments to be sure… Unless you are a Titans fan… Unless your JEFF FISHER. That moment has been burning up Jeff Fisher for 12 years now. Undoubtedly, Jeff Fisher’s initial thoughts after that stomach punch of a loss were: “Hell of a game. Our team left it all on the field… We’ll get ‘em next year.” Unfortunately for Fisher, next year came and went and there was no rematch let alone Super Bowl glory. Hell, Vermeil retired right after Super Bowl XXXIV. If Fisher wanted a “true” rematch, it was never going to happen. As the years rolled by, player personal started turning over for both teams. Jeff Fisher would be denied what he wanted most… TRUE REVENGE… So, Fisher’s mind started racing. How would he exact his revenge over the St. Louis Rams?! Circumstances and time had denied him. How would he MAKE the Rams feel the pain he felt?! There was only one way… Infiltrate the organization he hated most and bring it down from the inside… Become the coach of the St. Louis Rams.

Easier said than done. Head Coaching jobs are not a plenty and hard to secure if there is an opening. This took some planning… Serious planning. I suspect Fisher set the wheels in motion for this plan years ago. It was easy enough to control his own situation (start making bad defensive calls, bring in questionable talent, let talent leave, etc.), but much more difficult to affect the Rams’ circumstances. He must have gambled on a hunch that things would not work out between the Rams and Steve Spagnuolo. When things started to go south for the Rams, Fisher accelerated his self sabotage with the Titans… It got to a point where Titan’s ownership and Fisher decided that it was a hell of a run, but it had come to an end. Time to step down… Phase One complete.

As Jeff Fisher enjoyed “retirement” he waited for the next domino to fall. He waited and prayed for Steve Spagnuolo to get fired. As the Rams sputtered to a 2-14 season this past year, Fisher’s prayers were answered. Spagnuolo was fired and the coaching search began. It just so happened that the most ELIGIBLE coach on the market was none other than Mr. Jeff Fisher. Phase Two complete. Things were coming up aces… For REVENGE.

There were many suitors for Jeff Fisher’s services. This was almost TOO easy! After years of pain and planning, Jeff Fisher was on the verge of infiltrating the organization he hated most… But he couldn’t’ be THAT obvious. What if people were on to him? What if they were on his trail? He had to play this up… Who else wanted his services? Oh yeah, Miami. Fisher knew the Dolphins had a lot of money and a wonderful locale. Perfect… Play Miami against St. Louis. Freak out the Rams a little bit. Make ‘em sweat, then take the gig. Not only did it work like a charm, but people actually applauded Fisher’s decision. Phase Three complete. Fisher wasn’t going for the glamorous destination… He was going for the RIGHT destination… Destination: REVENGE.

Phase Four is a “GO” as I write this column. Jeff Fisher is already planting the seeds to ruin the Rams organization for years to come. Don’t believe me? Guess who he’s interviewing for the Offensive Coordinator position? That’s right Brian Schottenheimer. The most unimaginative/predictable coordinator in all of football. He has gone a long way to set football back at least 50 years with his style of offense. His style will be detrimental to the Rams growth. He will pound an already aging, but great RB until he can’t run any more (sound familiar LT?) and completely disregard his young up and coming QB. Want further proof of seeds of sabotage? Guess who ol’ Fisher is looking to hire as his Defensive Coordinator? That’s right Gregg Williams of the Saints! Speaking of predictable, Williams likes to blitz… ON EVERY DOWN. He’s also good at ignoring the other team’s best player in crunch time (hello Vernon Davis!). Is that what the young Ram defense needs? A blitz happy coach that will get them torched week in and week out? It is precisely what they DON’T need… But it’s exactly what Fisher needs… For REVENGE.

I’ve laid it out for you… I’ve even connected the dots… Jeff Fisher is a monster hell bent on REVENGE and he must be stopped. He is blood thirsty and will ruin what is an upstanding and good football franchise. He will leave pain and suffering in his wake. It’s up to all of us to spread the word… This monster must be stopped… Before it’s too late.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you Rams fans…

Posted in Editorials, General, NFL Tagged , , , ,

January 13, 2012
4:10 pm
by: Ian McAlpine

Divisional Playoff MADNESS!

 

Who was 4 for 4 with his picks (straight up) last week? This guy… This guy right here. Now that I’ve gained your confidence, I intend to abuse it with my picks for this week! Last week was a nice weekend of football that was capped off with The Tebow going all Tebow on the Steelers. What does this weekend hold in store? Let’s find out!

New Orleans Saints (-3 ½) at San Francisco 49ers
Saturday at 1:30 PST

The Saints are coming off their record setting performance this past weekend. Their offense set the league record (626 yards) for most yards in a playoff game. As predicted, their defense went blitz crazy and managed to get in the way of the Lions at least twice and that was enough to win. The 49ers and new head coach Jim Harbaugh are riding a year long high as they managed to win their division which secured them a first week bye and home field advantage for Saturday’s game. The 49ers are getting it done with a stout defense and a very good run game (ground and pound… Oh how I loathe it). This is definitely a clash of styles as well as a clash of strengths. You have the high flying Saints with basically no defense running up against the tough-as-nails 49er defense and their bland/boring/methodical offense.

Already pundits are all over the Saints 0-4 playoff record and the fact that they will be playing this game on… GRASS!!! (GASP!) The 0-4 playoff record means jack-shit. How many of these players were on the 1990 team that lost at Chicago? Exactly… None! As for this assumption that the Saints offense will completely forget how to play football and piss themselves all because of REAL GRASS is ludicrous. If the weather was projected to be terrible, then that would be a very real concern (except for the part where they forget how to play football). Unfortunately for the 49ers, it’s suppose to be a chamber of commerce day on Saturday (a high of 66 degrees and sunny). Something else that is not in the Niners favor is that they are a young team that made the playoffs for the first time in a while and they’ve had an extra week to think about it. I guarantee you they thought TOO MUCH about it. I don’t trust young teams coming off a bye week and playing at home in the playoffs. They either analyze their situation too much or start to believe their own hype. Harbaugh is a hell of a coach, but I don’t know that he can prevent his team from laying an egg Saturday…

Oh, did I mention that Alex Smith is still the quarterback of the 49ers? UH OH! Everybody has raved about how he’s “come around this year”… He’s “turned the corner”… He’s finally “coming into his own”… Bullshit. He is in an offense that is VERY GOOD about dominating the line of scrimmage and running the ball down your throat. He is STILL Alex Freaking Smith! The chickens will come home to roost on Saturday and his team will need him to make a play. Unfortunately, he will not be able to deliver… All of this means one thing…

I’m taking the Saints to win straight up and I expect them to cover the spread. The Saints are a well oiled and focused machine. Mere GRASS will not trip them up (haha). Give them an inch and they will take a mile… I fully expect the Niners to provide that inch.

Denver Broncos at New England Patriots (-13 ½)
Saturday at 5:00 pm PST

TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW, TEBOW.

Ok, that game was damn fun last week. The Tebow went all Tebow and even gave us an 80 yard touchdown pass to win it in overtime on the FIRST play of OT. Tebow Madness hit an all time high this past week. “He beat the mighty Steelers!”… “He did it with his arm!”… “He passed for 666 yards!”… What’s that? The last quote was false and ridiculous? Oh… My bad… Hopefully now you can see how ridiculous it is to find patternicity in his stats… *Getting off my soapbox*

The irony is, the Broncos success isn’t tied to The Tebow. It’s tied to their defense which has been pretty darn good this year. Pittsburgh’s offense didn’t have a whole lot of success last week (obviously), but where they did have success was anything that went to their tight end Heath Miller. PROBLEM! New England just happens to have not one but TWO stud tight ends (Gronk and Hernandez). They are BIG (6’6” 265 lbs and 6’1’ 245 lbs respectively), fast and catch anything that comes their way. You take away one and the other will beat you. If you pay too much attention to both of them, then Welker will beat you underneath and run for a zillion yards after the catch. To be honest, the whole game begins and ends with the Patriots tight ends. I don’t see Denver stopping them or Brady and his no-huddle ways. I know how terrible New England’s defense is, but they are a moot point in this game. Contrary to popular belief, Denver is NOT a come from behind team. When they have “come from behind” this year it’s because their defense kept the game close (no more than a TD). If Brady gets his foot in the door, he’s gonna boat race the Broncos. Speaking of Brady, believe me when I tell you that he is PISSED OFF right now. Guys like Brady look for reasons to get overly motivated and you just know that he sees all the attention The Tebow is getting and he’s just dying to make a point… And he will make that point. It’s been a magical year for The Tebow and The Donkeys, but…

… It’s coming to an end this Saturday in spectacular fashion. I’m taking the Pats to win straight up and yes I do believe they will cover the spread. Brady is going to shred the Broncos D and Belichick gets his second crack at Tebow which will make The Tebow a non-factor. Sorry kids!

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens (-9)
Sunday at 10:00 am PST

I have ZERO interest in this game. *yawn*

I’m taking the Ravens to win, but I do not expect them to cover the spread. Flacco is terrible. Houston has a good D. Houston can run the ball. Ray Lewis will rip somebody’s head off. (Where else can you get analysis like this?!)

New York Giants at Green Bay Packers (-7 ½)
Sunday at 1:30 pm PST

No doubt, this is the game I’m most pumped-up for. The Giants embarrassed the Falcons last week. In fact, the Giants defense pitched a shutout against the Falcons. The front seven for the Giants looks outstanding right now. They are big, physical and getting pressure on the QB seemingly whenever they please. The Giants offense is running the ball very effectively and Eli is doing just enough to win. Shades of their 2007 Super Bowl campaign are plainly obvious…

Meanwhile we have the one-loss Packers waiting at home. Aaron Rodgers is surely going to be the league’s MVP. He seemingly makes EVERYTHING looks easy and he might be the best QB ever when it comes to throwing the ball on the run. I feel like that ability to throw on the run and his lightning quick release will be a difference maker. Their running game is nothing spectacular and their defense is not great, but they manage to make big plays when their team needs it most. Unfortunately, the Packers suffered a tragedy this past week as the son of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin tragically lost his life when he drown in an icy Wisconsin river. This tragedy will go one of two ways for the Packers… They will either let it distract them or they will use it to galvanize them. My bet is on the latter. The Packers and their fans are like one big family and good families tend to grow closer in the face of adversity and support each other as they move forward. Regardless of the dark cloud over this game, I believe it will be a great game with the dynamic Packers offense running up against probably the best defense in the playoffs… Who will aqueous?

I’m taking the Packers to win, but I do not expect them to cover the spread. This is going to be a great game and my gut instincts tell me that it will be decided in the final minutes and both teams will leave it all on the field… It has the makings of an instant classic.

Side Note: EVERYBODY is picking the Giants to pull off the upset. That alone scares me away from picking them straight up. When everybody is on the upset band wagon, it rarely works out…

Well, there you have it… My divisional playoff breakdown of awesome! You can see that my straight up picks have NO underdogs winning. My picks against the spread have two underdogs pulling through. I hope you enjoyed my insight/ridiculousness. Here’s hoping for a great weekend of football and I’ll see you next week with my conference championship break down!

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