I can't recall a time when, on the same night, two of the biggest stars in one city are put out of commission for a lengthy period of time. That was exactly what happened last night as news broke that Derrick Rose was going to have surgery on his torn right meniscus, and Patrick Kane got checked into the boards, resulting in an upper body injury (likely his shoulder) which will keep him out 6-10 weeks. Now, I'm not going to say that each team will definitely still win their respective titles after these injuries. You could argue that neither would with these players. I'm just here to say that there is hope that these teams can put themselves in a position to make a run at the Larry O'Brien Trophy and Stanley Cup.
Chicago Bulls
Playoffs
One thing the Bulls have going for them is that they are virtually a lock to make the playoffs. Yes, they haven't mathematically clinched anything yet, but they are 11 1/2 games ahead of the eighth place Brooklyn Nets as of this writing, with 25 games left to play for the Bulls and 28 left to play for the Nets. If Chicago were to lose every other game down the stretch and go 12-13, the Nets would have to finish 25-3 in their final 28 games just to tie the Bulls. No chance. As long as the Bulls can make it into the playoffs, they at least have a puncher's chance. The only two teams that would worry me without Rose in Chicago's lineup are the same two that would still worry me with Rose in the lineup (Cleveland and Washington). I still think the Bulls match up well against most of the teams in the Eastern Conference, and would need Memphis or Houston to come out of the West if they were to win the title.
How Good Has Rose Been?
If the back of his jersey didn't say Rose, his injury wouldn't even be a top story because he really hasn't been a very good player this year. Excluding last year when Rose only played 10 games, Rose has posted his lowest shooting percentage of his career, his lowest assists per game of his career, his lowest steals per game of his career, and the second lowest points per game total of his career behind his rookie season. Among his fellow peers this season, Rose ranks tied for 25th in assists per game behind the likes of Elfrid Payton and somehow Blake Griffin, is 5th among point guards for most turnovers per game this season, and is 22nd among point guards in shooting percentage. The advanced metrics are even worse.
ESPN has a stat called Real Plus/Minus (RPM) which is the "Player's estimated on court impact on team performance, measured in net point differential per 100 offensive and defensive possessions. RPM takes into account teammates, opponents, and additional factors." Rose currently ranks 165th among all players with a -0.13 RPM, which means he is actually negatively impacting team play. Fellow Bulls Taj Gibson, Joakim Noah, Mike Dunleavy, Jimmy Butler, Pau Gasol, and Nikola Mirotic all had positive values. Losing Rose's scoring certainly won't make the Bulls better, but losing everything else just might.
Replacement
Unfortunately for the Bulls, the trade deadline for the NBA has passed. There is, however, one name that should be seriously considered by the Bulls as a low risk, medium reward player. Nate Robinson. Robinson played a key part for the 2012-13 Bulls, and should have no problem adjusting back to Chicago. He's not going to light up the stat sheet, but he brings a lot of energy to the floor and will at least attack the basket, despite his short height. The Bulls also have a decent point guard in-house in Aaron Brooks. Brooks is fifth on the team in points per game, despite being eighth on the team in minutes per game. Again, he is no Russell Westbrook, but a rotation of Brooks, Robinson, and maybe Kirk Hinrich every once in a while should at least be able to make up for some of the offense that Rose leaves behind.
Nail In The Coffin?
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me as many times as Derrick Rose has, shame on everyone. I get that it is hard to let go of a MVP winning, 26 year old, hometown guy, but eventually you have to cut ties with all these injuries. Sometimes, as hard as it is and as much as the fan base loves a player, it is best for the organization to let them go and look towards the future at the position. Imagine if the Colts hadn't let Peyton Manning go. Yes, they might have gotten a couple more good years out of him, but they also wouldn't have Andrew Luck. If Rose really is doomed to a career of injuries, it is best for the organization to start building for the future as soon as possible. Perhaps this surgery will be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
Chicago Blackhawks
Playoffs
Unlike the Bulls, the Hawks' playoff hopes are a bit more precarious. They are only eight points ahead of the Minnesota Wild for the second Wild Card spot in the playoffs. The Wild have been on an absolute tear since acquiring goalie Devan Dubnyk from Arizona. Dubnyk is 13-3-1 since joining the Wild and have them playing better than a Wild Card team. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, have been slumping as of late, going 5-2-3 in their last 10 games, including a 6-2 thumping at home against Boston on Hockey Day in America. Also, unlike the Bulls, it will not be easy to even get out of their own conference. Nashville is the best team in the NHL right now, Jonathan Quick has found his groove for the Kings, Eddie Lack has killed it for the Vancouver Canucks, the Wild are arguably the hottest team in the NHL right now, and the Blues are talented enough to beat anybody. A daunting task to say the least.
Trade Deadline Hasn't Passed
One thing the Hawks have in their favor is, if they so choose, they can trade for a talented winger to help make sure the Hawks make the postseason. Antoine Vermette (not a winger, but can contribute offensively), Jiri Tlusty, and Joffrey Lupul are just a few names that have been rumored to be on the block as the March 2nd trade deadline approaches. The fact that Kane might return during or after the first round of the playoffs, makes this a tough situation for the Blackhawks. Do you roll the dice and hope that the current lineup can play well enough to get into the playoffs in time for Kane's return, or do you trade away assets for a player who may, but may not, help you make the postseason because you feel the current roster cannot? Even though the Blackhawks called back up the talented prospect Teuvo Teravainen (2 goals, 2 assists, -1 rating in 15 games with the Hawks this year), I still think they need to make some kind of move, if only to add depth.
Patrick Sharp
The 2014-15 season has been quite a struggle for Sharp. He only has 10 goals this season, a -13 rating, his lowest average time on the ice since 2007, and has even found himself demoted all the way down to the fourth line. The strange part is, nothing really changed around him from his 78 point campaign last year apart from him being one year older. He still sees power play time and I would expect him to be a mainstay on the second line now that Kane is injured. I have to believe that at some point he will get out of his slump and start producing like he did last year. If so, a trade at the deadline probably won't be necessary as the offense will start to look more like the one last year who finished second in the league in goals per game (3.18), instead of this year's version who is currently ranked tenth (2.82).
Matty O
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Monday, February 2, 2015
Matty O's Super Bowl 49 Review
Who Needs Balance?
Popular belief heading into any game against this Seattle defense is that you needed to be balanced and establish a run game in order to beat the Seahawks. The Chiefs and Cowboys did it during the regular season and were successful. It seemed as though the Pats were trying to follow that same blueprint at the start of the game. Then, in a brilliant coaching decision brought on in part by the score, the Pats just spread out Seattle and chose to count on their pass catchers to create separation against man to man coverage. Julian Edelman was all over the place and Shane Vereen was practically uncoverable, particularly when the Pats needed a simple four or five yard gain. They directly challenged the Legion of Boom, and the Legion let down their team.
Tom Brady's Legacy
Whether you love him or hate him, I think that we have to consider Brady the best of all time after last night's performance. It wasn't just that the Pats got the win, it was the fact that Brady went 37/50 for 328 yards and four TDs against one of the best defenses of all time. He is now the only quarterback to have played in six Super Bowls, and is tied with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most Super Bowl wins by a quarterback (4). He has survived in the league for 15 years and has played at an extremely high level since becoming the starter in place of Drew Bledsoe. He has had all this success while playing with marginal talent.
Randy Moss and Rob Gronkowski are the only two offensive weapons that I would consider to be elite players that Tom Brady has played with. He only got to play with Moss for two years, as 2008 was the year Brady got injured in the season opener and missed the whole year. He has only gotten to play with Gronk for four and a half years as last year was when Gronk's knee got destroyed. Even with a revolving door of skill players, Brady's numbers and wins stay constant. There's something to say for that kind of consistency.
Julian Edelman Concussion
With the NFL cracking down on concussions and dangerous hits, I felt like this was a completely blown situation and was missed in the coverage of this game. It happened in the fourth quarter as Brady stepped up in the pocket and delivered an absolute bullet to Edelman. He caught it, took a monster hit from Kam Chancellor, tried to maintain his balance, then ran for a few extra yards before going down (the spot of the ball was eventually moved back to where he originally got hit). Here's the video of the play in case you forgot about it.
After watching that, tell me how that is not an illegal hit by Kam, and how Edelman is not showing clear signs of some kind of concussion. Kam leaves his feet and leads with the crown of his helmet. That is exactly the kind of hit the NFL is trying to eliminate. Then, it seems like Edelman is going to be okay, but starts to get wobbly while running for extra yards. I didn't think he went down because he couldn't get more yards (he had the angle on the outside), but rather because he knew he was in a bit of trouble. It was even more obvious when he tried to get up, and had a hard time doing so. Instead of going off for treatment, Edelman stayed in the game and caught a crucial third down pass for 21 yards. One play later and Brady throws the TD pass to Danny Amendola to cut the Seahawk lead to three. Does the game turn out differently if Edelman comes off? Hard to say. What I do know is that if the NFL is serious about concussions and dangerous play, they need to be willing to crack down on it even in the biggest of games.
Call At The End
Shock and confusion are words that come to mind when the Pats intercepted the ball at the goal line to win the game. The Seahawks needed one yard and had a human bowling ball in the backfield. If Marshawn Lynch gets any kind of forward momentum, he will simply fall into the endzone. When they lined up in shotgun on second down, I thought for sure that the read option was coming. The Pats had done well against Lynch on the option, but Russell Wilson had been able to run free. Instead, it's a pass that is read beautifully by Malcolm Butler and picked off to end the game.
While Pete Carroll is getting much of the blame, I feel like Russell Wilson is being let off a hook that he shouldn't be let off of. The concept of the play wasn't terrible. They had Ricardo Lockette coming right behind Jermaine Kearse. Kearse wasn't even looking for the ball as his only responsibility was to block his man, which he did. Lockette got the separation they were looking for, but Butler was screaming downhill on that slant pattern the entire time. Wilson had to have read that and thrown the ball either behind Lockette a touch, gone to another read, or thrown it away. I know they needed a TD there, but there was still plenty of time left considering they were at the one yard line. Living to fight another day rather than trying to go for broke on that one play would have been the wiser decision. Speaking of Russell Wilson...
Russell Wilson
Much like how I think the hate for Brady has gone too far, I think the praise for Wilson has also gone too far. His numbers look decent from last night (247 yards, 2 TDs, 1 interception), but it took a jump ball to Chris Matthews and a miracle catch by Jermaine Kearse to help his numbers look so good. He threw a pick at the worst possible time to go along with four other interceptions that he has thrown this postseason. Experts continue to push him for MVP year after year, and now that a contract extension seems likely, people believe he should get a mega contract and be paid like one of the best QBs in the league. I would beg to differ.
He is still not a polished quarterback from the pocket. He will still throw baffling interceptions, but luckily has an elite defense to bail him out. He is also blessed with an elite running game to help take some of the pressure off of him. When looking at his individual passing stats, however, those would tell me that he doesn't deserve the big contract he will be seeking. He has never thrown for over 4,000 yards in a season during an era in which elite QBs do that with ease. This season there were 11 quarterbacks who threw for more than 4,000 yards. He threw for a mere 20 passing TDs which was good for 16th in the league behind the likes of Ryan Tannehill and Derek Carr. Wilson's one saving grace is that he doesn't turn the ball over, but that again goes back to his defense. He can afford to be cautious with the football as punting and allowing the defense to take over isn't the worst thing in the world. Teams like Dallas and Green Bay don't have that same luxury. He is only in his third year in the league so there's still time to grow, but I believe that once that defense deteriorates, so will Wilson's stats and wins.
Doug Baldwin
As someone who doesn't like the Seahawks, you would think that my least favorite player on their team would be Richard Sherman. Nope. It's this jabroni known as Doug Baldwin. He continues to talk about how he and the rest of the Seahawk receiving corps get disrespected. He actually had the gall to demand an apology from Hall of Famer Chris Carter when Carter made comments about how weak the Seahawk receivers are. Baldwin kept repeating that people need to look at the facts, but the facts actually work against him.
He has never topped 825 yards receiving in a single season. In fact, in 2012 in 14 games played, Baldwin racked up a hilarious 366 yards receiving. What's more hilarious is that Calvin Johnson, one of the truly elite receivers in the game, put up 329 yards in a single game just one year later against the Cowboys. Baldwin has also never topped five receiving TDs in a single season. 45 players caught more than five receiving TDs this year. If you're going to talk that kind of trash, you'd better be able to back it up. Richard Sherman can, while Baldwin just looks like a fool.
Who Is Team Of This Decade?
I know we're only halfway through it, but I feel like no team has really established itself as being the team of the 2010s. The 2000s you had the Pats, the 90s had the Cowboys, the 80s had the Niners, and the 70s had the Steelers. The only two teams that have even played in more than one Super Bowl this decade were the two teams that played last night. In the 2000s, four teams made the Super Bowl at least twice with the Pats making it four times, the Steelers making it twice, the Giants making it twice, and the Rams making it twice. I think the window is still open for both the Seahawks and Pats to declare themselves the team of this decade, but there are a few others that could make a strong push the next few years.
The Packers have already made it to and won the Super Bowl this decade, and I expect them to be back soon. Heck, they were the wackiest finish ever from playing in the Super Bowl this year. The Colts have already made it to the Super Bowl this decade before falling to the Saints, and now they have one of the best QBs in the league in Andrew Luck. They need massive help on their offensive line, but the defense is underrated and Luck is still getting better. The Steelers, the team that lost to the Packers in the Super Bowl this decade, also have a nice situation brewing. They have an explosive offense and young pieces on a defense that improved as the year went on. Look for one of these teams to perhaps make a push, but Seattle and New England have to be the front runners for team of this decade as of right now.
Way Too Early Super Bowl Picks
Just one day after Super Bowl 49, I think it's time to make a way too early, sure to be wrong pick for Super Bowl 50. Obviously a lot can change with free agency and the draft, but I'm going to predict a San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos Super Bowl. Hard to believe given the years that they had, but hear me out. The Niners might be the most talented 8-8 team ever. They have a dynamic QB, weapons on the outside, a great offensive line, and a defense that was still elite as they finished fifth in overall defense despite significant injuries (NaVarro Bowman, Patrick Willis). The Broncos, similar to the Niners, are an extremely individually talented squad who just put up some eggs at the end of the year. They have four of the best defensive players in the league in DeMarcus Ware, Von Miller, Aqib Talib, and TJ Ward, and four of the best offensive players in the league in Demariyus Thomas, Julius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, and Peyton Manning. Gary Kubiak was a great hire and should prevent the kind of offensive mire the Broncos suffered at the end of this season.
Favorite Commercials
I'm going to ignore the touchy feely commercials (Budweiser puppy) and the extremely dark commercials (Nationwide) and focus on the more light hearted ones. My favorites had to be the Fiat commercial, the Doritos plane commercial, and, while not a commercial per se, I'll always get hyped for anything that has to do with Jurassic Park.
Matty O
Popular belief heading into any game against this Seattle defense is that you needed to be balanced and establish a run game in order to beat the Seahawks. The Chiefs and Cowboys did it during the regular season and were successful. It seemed as though the Pats were trying to follow that same blueprint at the start of the game. Then, in a brilliant coaching decision brought on in part by the score, the Pats just spread out Seattle and chose to count on their pass catchers to create separation against man to man coverage. Julian Edelman was all over the place and Shane Vereen was practically uncoverable, particularly when the Pats needed a simple four or five yard gain. They directly challenged the Legion of Boom, and the Legion let down their team.
Tom Brady's Legacy
Whether you love him or hate him, I think that we have to consider Brady the best of all time after last night's performance. It wasn't just that the Pats got the win, it was the fact that Brady went 37/50 for 328 yards and four TDs against one of the best defenses of all time. He is now the only quarterback to have played in six Super Bowls, and is tied with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most Super Bowl wins by a quarterback (4). He has survived in the league for 15 years and has played at an extremely high level since becoming the starter in place of Drew Bledsoe. He has had all this success while playing with marginal talent.
Randy Moss and Rob Gronkowski are the only two offensive weapons that I would consider to be elite players that Tom Brady has played with. He only got to play with Moss for two years, as 2008 was the year Brady got injured in the season opener and missed the whole year. He has only gotten to play with Gronk for four and a half years as last year was when Gronk's knee got destroyed. Even with a revolving door of skill players, Brady's numbers and wins stay constant. There's something to say for that kind of consistency.
Julian Edelman Concussion
With the NFL cracking down on concussions and dangerous hits, I felt like this was a completely blown situation and was missed in the coverage of this game. It happened in the fourth quarter as Brady stepped up in the pocket and delivered an absolute bullet to Edelman. He caught it, took a monster hit from Kam Chancellor, tried to maintain his balance, then ran for a few extra yards before going down (the spot of the ball was eventually moved back to where he originally got hit). Here's the video of the play in case you forgot about it.
After watching that, tell me how that is not an illegal hit by Kam, and how Edelman is not showing clear signs of some kind of concussion. Kam leaves his feet and leads with the crown of his helmet. That is exactly the kind of hit the NFL is trying to eliminate. Then, it seems like Edelman is going to be okay, but starts to get wobbly while running for extra yards. I didn't think he went down because he couldn't get more yards (he had the angle on the outside), but rather because he knew he was in a bit of trouble. It was even more obvious when he tried to get up, and had a hard time doing so. Instead of going off for treatment, Edelman stayed in the game and caught a crucial third down pass for 21 yards. One play later and Brady throws the TD pass to Danny Amendola to cut the Seahawk lead to three. Does the game turn out differently if Edelman comes off? Hard to say. What I do know is that if the NFL is serious about concussions and dangerous play, they need to be willing to crack down on it even in the biggest of games.
Call At The End
Shock and confusion are words that come to mind when the Pats intercepted the ball at the goal line to win the game. The Seahawks needed one yard and had a human bowling ball in the backfield. If Marshawn Lynch gets any kind of forward momentum, he will simply fall into the endzone. When they lined up in shotgun on second down, I thought for sure that the read option was coming. The Pats had done well against Lynch on the option, but Russell Wilson had been able to run free. Instead, it's a pass that is read beautifully by Malcolm Butler and picked off to end the game.
While Pete Carroll is getting much of the blame, I feel like Russell Wilson is being let off a hook that he shouldn't be let off of. The concept of the play wasn't terrible. They had Ricardo Lockette coming right behind Jermaine Kearse. Kearse wasn't even looking for the ball as his only responsibility was to block his man, which he did. Lockette got the separation they were looking for, but Butler was screaming downhill on that slant pattern the entire time. Wilson had to have read that and thrown the ball either behind Lockette a touch, gone to another read, or thrown it away. I know they needed a TD there, but there was still plenty of time left considering they were at the one yard line. Living to fight another day rather than trying to go for broke on that one play would have been the wiser decision. Speaking of Russell Wilson...
Russell Wilson
Much like how I think the hate for Brady has gone too far, I think the praise for Wilson has also gone too far. His numbers look decent from last night (247 yards, 2 TDs, 1 interception), but it took a jump ball to Chris Matthews and a miracle catch by Jermaine Kearse to help his numbers look so good. He threw a pick at the worst possible time to go along with four other interceptions that he has thrown this postseason. Experts continue to push him for MVP year after year, and now that a contract extension seems likely, people believe he should get a mega contract and be paid like one of the best QBs in the league. I would beg to differ.
He is still not a polished quarterback from the pocket. He will still throw baffling interceptions, but luckily has an elite defense to bail him out. He is also blessed with an elite running game to help take some of the pressure off of him. When looking at his individual passing stats, however, those would tell me that he doesn't deserve the big contract he will be seeking. He has never thrown for over 4,000 yards in a season during an era in which elite QBs do that with ease. This season there were 11 quarterbacks who threw for more than 4,000 yards. He threw for a mere 20 passing TDs which was good for 16th in the league behind the likes of Ryan Tannehill and Derek Carr. Wilson's one saving grace is that he doesn't turn the ball over, but that again goes back to his defense. He can afford to be cautious with the football as punting and allowing the defense to take over isn't the worst thing in the world. Teams like Dallas and Green Bay don't have that same luxury. He is only in his third year in the league so there's still time to grow, but I believe that once that defense deteriorates, so will Wilson's stats and wins.
Doug Baldwin
As someone who doesn't like the Seahawks, you would think that my least favorite player on their team would be Richard Sherman. Nope. It's this jabroni known as Doug Baldwin. He continues to talk about how he and the rest of the Seahawk receiving corps get disrespected. He actually had the gall to demand an apology from Hall of Famer Chris Carter when Carter made comments about how weak the Seahawk receivers are. Baldwin kept repeating that people need to look at the facts, but the facts actually work against him.
He has never topped 825 yards receiving in a single season. In fact, in 2012 in 14 games played, Baldwin racked up a hilarious 366 yards receiving. What's more hilarious is that Calvin Johnson, one of the truly elite receivers in the game, put up 329 yards in a single game just one year later against the Cowboys. Baldwin has also never topped five receiving TDs in a single season. 45 players caught more than five receiving TDs this year. If you're going to talk that kind of trash, you'd better be able to back it up. Richard Sherman can, while Baldwin just looks like a fool.
Who Is Team Of This Decade?
I know we're only halfway through it, but I feel like no team has really established itself as being the team of the 2010s. The 2000s you had the Pats, the 90s had the Cowboys, the 80s had the Niners, and the 70s had the Steelers. The only two teams that have even played in more than one Super Bowl this decade were the two teams that played last night. In the 2000s, four teams made the Super Bowl at least twice with the Pats making it four times, the Steelers making it twice, the Giants making it twice, and the Rams making it twice. I think the window is still open for both the Seahawks and Pats to declare themselves the team of this decade, but there are a few others that could make a strong push the next few years.
The Packers have already made it to and won the Super Bowl this decade, and I expect them to be back soon. Heck, they were the wackiest finish ever from playing in the Super Bowl this year. The Colts have already made it to the Super Bowl this decade before falling to the Saints, and now they have one of the best QBs in the league in Andrew Luck. They need massive help on their offensive line, but the defense is underrated and Luck is still getting better. The Steelers, the team that lost to the Packers in the Super Bowl this decade, also have a nice situation brewing. They have an explosive offense and young pieces on a defense that improved as the year went on. Look for one of these teams to perhaps make a push, but Seattle and New England have to be the front runners for team of this decade as of right now.
Way Too Early Super Bowl Picks
Just one day after Super Bowl 49, I think it's time to make a way too early, sure to be wrong pick for Super Bowl 50. Obviously a lot can change with free agency and the draft, but I'm going to predict a San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos Super Bowl. Hard to believe given the years that they had, but hear me out. The Niners might be the most talented 8-8 team ever. They have a dynamic QB, weapons on the outside, a great offensive line, and a defense that was still elite as they finished fifth in overall defense despite significant injuries (NaVarro Bowman, Patrick Willis). The Broncos, similar to the Niners, are an extremely individually talented squad who just put up some eggs at the end of the year. They have four of the best defensive players in the league in DeMarcus Ware, Von Miller, Aqib Talib, and TJ Ward, and four of the best offensive players in the league in Demariyus Thomas, Julius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, and Peyton Manning. Gary Kubiak was a great hire and should prevent the kind of offensive mire the Broncos suffered at the end of this season.
Favorite Commercials
I'm going to ignore the touchy feely commercials (Budweiser puppy) and the extremely dark commercials (Nationwide) and focus on the more light hearted ones. My favorites had to be the Fiat commercial, the Doritos plane commercial, and, while not a commercial per se, I'll always get hyped for anything that has to do with Jurassic Park.
Matty O
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