In sports, people are always looking for that feel good story. A team rising up against the odds to overcome some insurmountable obstacle. There seems to be one team almost every year that, from a neutral perspective, you can cheer for. The team this year is the Indianapolis Colts.
Before discussing their off the field story, let's examine their play on the field. I mentioned obstacles before, but that was only brushing the surface of this team. Their 2011-12 campaign saw their franchise quarterback miss the entire season, caused their head coach to get fired, and saw their season reach an 0-13 mark (they finished 2-14). Their defense, while never great, looked horrendous at times even with the likes of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, both four time pro bowlers. Their star wide receiver Reggie Wayne had a down year, leading some to question if his skills had declined as rumors circulated that he might leave the team, especially if Peyton Manning left.
As if turned out, with the Colts holding the number one pick in the draft, Manning decided to leave. Owner Jim Irsay hired a new head coach in Chuck Pagano and a new GM in Ryan Grigson. Wayne, surprisingly decided to stay to help lead in this new era for the Colts. The Colts selected Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who was considered by many to be the most NFL ready of all the quarterbacks in his draft. While he may have had the skills, his players around him were a disaster. Jeff Saturday, Peyton's longtime, Pro Bowl center, left to join Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Outside of Wayne, they did not have a decent or known wide receiver on their roster. Their starting running back was Donald Brown, entering his fourth year in the league but never eclipsing more than 645 yards or 5 touchdowns in one season.
The Disney movie script for this is they went undefeated and Luck threw for a record number of yards. Well, not quite. it certainly did not help to face the Bears in Chicago for Luck's first game, especially seeing how well their defense has played this year. Having said that, even in a 41-21 loss, Luck did not look lost out there. Sure he threw three interceptions, but Tony Romo threw five against this defense. Luck threw for 309 yards, more yards than Romo, Rodgers, or Matthew Stafford threw against the Bears this year. There was a fair amount of pressure on him throughout the game, but he stayed strong in the pocket and made some good, strong throws. So while it might not have been Cam Newton's 422 yard rookie debut, it still showed signs of promise and growth.
The Colts first win came the following week against the Minnesota Vikings. While passing yards might have been his most impressive stat in his debut, his zero turnovers were the most impressive part in the Vikings game. He only threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns, but paced the game and seemed in more control than a rookie should be. In the meantime, he became comfortable with Wayne to the tune of 71 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. He also discovered a formidable number two receiver in Donnie Avery who gained 111 yards on nine catches. The Vikings had actually tied the game with 31 seconds left, setting up Luck's first game winning drive. He was able to get the Colts into field goal range as Adam Vinatieri knocked in a 53 yard field goal for the win.
After a heartbreaking loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars (Jags scored an 80 yard TD pass with 45 seconds left) the team received more bad news. New head coach Chuck Pagano had been diagnosed with promyelocytic leukemia and would be undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. It is a serious condition with a high risk of remission, which could cause treatment to last for years. The players had rallied around Pagano, as he was able to keep the ship afloat even after the loss of Peyton Manning while installing a new coaching scheme. Unlike the Sean Payton situation in New Orleans, the Colts rallied around their situation and gave an emotional effort the likes of which had not been seen in a while.
Their next game after this incident was against the Green Bay Packers. The Pack were 2-2 going into that game, but their record was slightly misleading. They had played arguably the best defense at the time in the 49ers and lost their first game. Then they beat the Bears pretty soundly with the final score being 23-10. They followed that up with a loss in a hostile Seattle environment on Monday Night Football and may or may not have been robbed by the replacement officials. Their game before the Colts saw them fend off a desperate Saints team that seemed to give everything they had. The Saints came up short, however, 28-27.
Enter the Colts. Even though the emotion and desire to win for their coach was there, this seemed like quite the task. The Packers offense had struggled early on, but looked like they hit their stride against the Saints. Some might say that everyone can score on the Saints, but it's not like the Colts defense was doing all that well either. They let the Bears hang 41, the Vikings to post 20, and the lowly Jags to post 22. Now they faced MVP Aaron Rodgers who puts up video game numbers in the passing game. Oh boy.
The game started out like everyone thought. The Packers dominated on both sides of the ball and led 21-3 at half. Then in the third quarter, the Colts had an offensive explosion. Luck threw a TD and ran for one in the quarter as the defense posted a shutout. Add on a field goal and it was a 21-19 game. The Colts managed to actually grab the lead with a fourth quarter field goal, but Rodgers had the response. After a long Alex Green run, Rodgers found James Jones for an eight yard TD, although they missed the two point conversion. It was Packers 27, Colts 22 with 4:30 left to play.
Luck then drove the Colts 80 yards while missing only three out of eleven passes on the drive, ending in a four yard touchdown to Reggie Wayne. The crowd was going crazy, especially after Donald Brown was able to run in the two point conversion. The Colts now led 30-27 with 35 seconds left. Unfortunately, that's about all the time Rodgers needs. He went from his own 20 to the Colts 33 in three plays, not counting the spike to stop the clock. This set up a Mason Crosby 51 yard field goal, a lengthy kick but not unreasonable in the domed stadium of the Colts. Instead Crosby missed it wide right and the Colts won an improbable victory. After the game, they found out that Pagano had been released from the hospital and watched their win from the comfort of his own home. A great ending to a great day.
Fast forward to today. The Colts sit at 5-3 and are the 5th overall seed in the AFC. Bet no one saw that coming. Unfortunately Houston plays in their division so they would likely need to secure a wild card spot to get into the playoffs. Is it possible? Given the recent play of Andrew Luck (passed for a rookie record 433 yards yesterday against the Dolphins) I wouldn't count them out. Their remaining schedule is at Jacksonville, at New England, home against Buffalo, at Detroit, home against Tennessee, then a home and home with Houston with a game at Kansas City sandwiched between. The New England and two Houston games would be the only ones where it might be a stretch to pick them. Still, New England has lost to Arizona this year and the Houston games are at the end of the year. This may result in Houston resting some of their starters if they have the number one seed in the AFC locked up.
Not just that, but Coach Pagano was well enough to be able to give an emotional post game speech to his players in the locker room after their Dolphin victory. Doesn't get much better than that. So if you're not with the Bears, given up on the Cowboys (myself), or a diehard Jaguars fan, consider rooting for these guys. Luck is making people ask "RG-Who?" and their story with their coach is awesome. They might not win the Super Bowl, but they could have more fans than any team in the playoffs.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Pro vs College
I was watching Mike and Mike this morning and they were discussing an interesting notion of the best college team in a sport going up against the worst pro team in a sport. They brought up some great points and reasoning on who might win. The two sports they covered were basketball and football.
This whole discussion stemmed from comments South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier made when he claimed Alabama, the number one team in the country, could beat some NFL teams and claimed Vegas odds makers might favor Alabama by a bit. Hold on there. Vegas odds makers actually did, and after analyzing everything, gave the Jaguars a 24 point spread. That is absolutely ridiculous and whoever made that spread should not be making spreads anymore. The best point Mike and Mike brought up is the fact that the NFL is such a team game. An NFL roster is made up of 53 people. Obviously there are 11 starters on defense, and 11 on offense. The issue is that most of those starters do not play the whole game. If you include special teams, pretty much everyone that suits up for a game, barring injury, will play.
That is one of the main issues. I suppose you could make a case that Alabama's starters could hang for a series or two against the Jags starters, but Alabama's reserves would get destroyed by the Jags reserves. Realize the Jags players get NFL type workouts, professional diets, and do this for a living. As good as this Alabama team is, many of them won't sniff the pros. Starting quarterback AJ McCarron has struggled in the past against elite college defenses such as LSU. Realize that Aaron Rodgers recently struggled against the "bad" Jags defense. McCarron and Rodgers aren't even in the same class yet, to cover a 24 point spread, McCarron will have to lead at least a few drives down the field. Not going to happen.
The last difference with football is the sheer size of players. The NFL and NCAA have a rule in place to keep kids in college for a longer period before they go to the pros. This is smart for safety reasons. There are certainly some big, scary players in college. But the scariest linebacker in college couldn't hold a candle to Ray Lewis or Patrick Willis. These college kids would get crushed. Quarterbacks are usually the ones getting all the publicity about staying in school, but I think they are the ones that are able to come out earlier. They really don't need to bulk up and should stay in school only to either achieve personal goals, earn their degree, or get better mentally. All other positions should stay in school all four years to have extra years with their lifting program and to bulk up before they start seeing the likes of Lewis and Willis running full speed to take their head off.
Last year's basketball situation, however, provides a different story. That Kentucky team last year was probably the best college basketball team I've ever seen. I understand that, unlike potentially Alabama football this year, they did not go undefeated. They lost in the SEC tournament, which I still can't explain, and in Indiana. The Indiana game I can forgive them for because that was one of the most loud and hostile environments I had ever seen. Indiana also turned out to be a really good squad and gave Kentucky a run for their money in the NCAA tournament before losing in a 102-90 shootout. But look at that score. 100 points! Obviously their defense was shaky that game, but college teams usually only drop triple digits on the Illinois State's of the world. Not a top 20 team. Their starting five was simply scary from a skill standpoint.
Anthony Davis (#1 overall pick), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (#2 overall pick), Terrence Jones (#18 overall pick), Marquis Teague (#29 overall pick, Go Bulls), and Doron Lamb (#42 overall pick). Darius Miller, one of their bench players, was also taken as the number 46 overall pick. Davis was so good that he actually played on the US Olympic team. Even though this was more so the result of injuries to other big men, he still contributed and made a great first impression playing with the big boys. On the flip side of this, you have the Charlotte Bobcats from a year ago.
My goodness what a bad team. The Not Top 10 on Sportscenter just became a Bobcats highlight reel. The best squad they could probably put out there would be DJ Augustin, Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, Bismack Biyombo, and Derrick Brown. To be fair, all these players, except for Brown, were first round draft picks (Brown went in the second round, 40th overall). The problem is they were all selected by the Bobcats. Given Michael Jordan's prowess for drafting busts, it makes the first round thing kind of irrelevant when equating it to actual skill. Mike and Mike were suggesting that unlike football, this matchup would be a playoff like seven game series. I think this actually gives Kentucky a huge advantage.
For those of you that don't watch college basketball, Rupp Arena, where Kentucky plays, is a madhouse. People are gaga for their basketball there and the place is always sold out and rocking no matter who they play. The Bobcats meanwhile, recently offered a deal where fans could purchase this year's season tickets and get next year's for free, just to get more people in the seats. That is an unheard of deal and exemplifies the sorry state the Bobcats are in (personally, if I lived in Charlotte I probably would have gotten in on that deal. A free season of basketball? Insane). I feel that NBA arenas in general are not nearly as raucous or hard to play in as places like Rupp Arena, Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke, or Fogg Allen Fieldhouse at Kansas. I think the Wildcats would actually sweep at home, meaning they would only need to steal one in Charlotte. Although the home court would certainly help, that is not the only thing going for Kentucky.
Unlike football, you don't have to be extremely bulked up to compete at an NBA level. It certainly helps, as Lebron James has shown by becoming more explosive as he gets stronger, but is not a necessity. James did well coming straight out of high school. While this may be an extreme example given James's unique athleticism, the discrepancy is not as great as in football. I think that length is much more important, which Anthony Davis has in spades.
If Kentucky were to win this matchup, I think that is where they do it. Davis inside blocking shots, and using his unique ability to pass and jump shoot, would be the difference. I actually think the Bobcats have favorable matchups with Kemba and Henderson. Both are great slashers and cutters to the basket and can shoot when called upon. Henderson and Kemba are probably the best defensive players on that team as well so they could make it difficult to get the ball to Davis or have Gilchrist put up his jump shot. I still think that Kentucky would be able to exploit their other matchups and give Charlotte a hard time.
The final difference between the basketball debate and the football debate is that apart from the starters in basketball, most other guys don't play. In last year's National Championship game against a very good Kansas Jayhawks team, the Wildcats only played three players from their bench. Darius Miller, who was drafted, played 25 minutes, while Eloy Vargas and Kyle Wiltjer only played three minutes each. So essentially Kentucky played six people the whole game. Three minutes in basketball is not enough to cause a substantial change in my opinion. Yes a team could go on a run, but as a coach you can slow the game down or limit the amount of times the backups touch the ball. Football is not the same.
I've seen times where a backup offensive lineman comes into a game, gets dominated by the defensive lineman, forces a fumble, and causes a turnover. Special teams could probably expose those problems even more because those players usually are the backups on defense and offense. NFL backups can work over college ones, which I guarantee would cause at least one turnover and terrible field position for the college team, in this case Alabama.
Maybe I'm giving too much credit to the Jags and Wildcats and not enough to Alabama and Charlotte. Honestly though, Alabama would get blown off the line if they played the Jags and 24 points might be the spread at halftime. I would crank that up to about 50 if you wanted a fair spread for that game. Kentucky-Charlotte would be a much more interesting proposition but given how poorly the Bobcats played and the way Kentucky dominated the college basketball scene last year, it is certainly plausible the Wildcats could pull it off in a seven game series, and certainly in just one game. While the ratings and publicity for those matchups would be great, for now we'll have to settle for Alabama-LSU, Jacksonville-Detroit, Charlotte-Indiana, and Kentucky-Maryland. Enjoy.
Matty O
This whole discussion stemmed from comments South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier made when he claimed Alabama, the number one team in the country, could beat some NFL teams and claimed Vegas odds makers might favor Alabama by a bit. Hold on there. Vegas odds makers actually did, and after analyzing everything, gave the Jaguars a 24 point spread. That is absolutely ridiculous and whoever made that spread should not be making spreads anymore. The best point Mike and Mike brought up is the fact that the NFL is such a team game. An NFL roster is made up of 53 people. Obviously there are 11 starters on defense, and 11 on offense. The issue is that most of those starters do not play the whole game. If you include special teams, pretty much everyone that suits up for a game, barring injury, will play.
That is one of the main issues. I suppose you could make a case that Alabama's starters could hang for a series or two against the Jags starters, but Alabama's reserves would get destroyed by the Jags reserves. Realize the Jags players get NFL type workouts, professional diets, and do this for a living. As good as this Alabama team is, many of them won't sniff the pros. Starting quarterback AJ McCarron has struggled in the past against elite college defenses such as LSU. Realize that Aaron Rodgers recently struggled against the "bad" Jags defense. McCarron and Rodgers aren't even in the same class yet, to cover a 24 point spread, McCarron will have to lead at least a few drives down the field. Not going to happen.
The last difference with football is the sheer size of players. The NFL and NCAA have a rule in place to keep kids in college for a longer period before they go to the pros. This is smart for safety reasons. There are certainly some big, scary players in college. But the scariest linebacker in college couldn't hold a candle to Ray Lewis or Patrick Willis. These college kids would get crushed. Quarterbacks are usually the ones getting all the publicity about staying in school, but I think they are the ones that are able to come out earlier. They really don't need to bulk up and should stay in school only to either achieve personal goals, earn their degree, or get better mentally. All other positions should stay in school all four years to have extra years with their lifting program and to bulk up before they start seeing the likes of Lewis and Willis running full speed to take their head off.
Last year's basketball situation, however, provides a different story. That Kentucky team last year was probably the best college basketball team I've ever seen. I understand that, unlike potentially Alabama football this year, they did not go undefeated. They lost in the SEC tournament, which I still can't explain, and in Indiana. The Indiana game I can forgive them for because that was one of the most loud and hostile environments I had ever seen. Indiana also turned out to be a really good squad and gave Kentucky a run for their money in the NCAA tournament before losing in a 102-90 shootout. But look at that score. 100 points! Obviously their defense was shaky that game, but college teams usually only drop triple digits on the Illinois State's of the world. Not a top 20 team. Their starting five was simply scary from a skill standpoint.
Anthony Davis (#1 overall pick), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (#2 overall pick), Terrence Jones (#18 overall pick), Marquis Teague (#29 overall pick, Go Bulls), and Doron Lamb (#42 overall pick). Darius Miller, one of their bench players, was also taken as the number 46 overall pick. Davis was so good that he actually played on the US Olympic team. Even though this was more so the result of injuries to other big men, he still contributed and made a great first impression playing with the big boys. On the flip side of this, you have the Charlotte Bobcats from a year ago.
My goodness what a bad team. The Not Top 10 on Sportscenter just became a Bobcats highlight reel. The best squad they could probably put out there would be DJ Augustin, Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, Bismack Biyombo, and Derrick Brown. To be fair, all these players, except for Brown, were first round draft picks (Brown went in the second round, 40th overall). The problem is they were all selected by the Bobcats. Given Michael Jordan's prowess for drafting busts, it makes the first round thing kind of irrelevant when equating it to actual skill. Mike and Mike were suggesting that unlike football, this matchup would be a playoff like seven game series. I think this actually gives Kentucky a huge advantage.
For those of you that don't watch college basketball, Rupp Arena, where Kentucky plays, is a madhouse. People are gaga for their basketball there and the place is always sold out and rocking no matter who they play. The Bobcats meanwhile, recently offered a deal where fans could purchase this year's season tickets and get next year's for free, just to get more people in the seats. That is an unheard of deal and exemplifies the sorry state the Bobcats are in (personally, if I lived in Charlotte I probably would have gotten in on that deal. A free season of basketball? Insane). I feel that NBA arenas in general are not nearly as raucous or hard to play in as places like Rupp Arena, Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke, or Fogg Allen Fieldhouse at Kansas. I think the Wildcats would actually sweep at home, meaning they would only need to steal one in Charlotte. Although the home court would certainly help, that is not the only thing going for Kentucky.
Unlike football, you don't have to be extremely bulked up to compete at an NBA level. It certainly helps, as Lebron James has shown by becoming more explosive as he gets stronger, but is not a necessity. James did well coming straight out of high school. While this may be an extreme example given James's unique athleticism, the discrepancy is not as great as in football. I think that length is much more important, which Anthony Davis has in spades.
If Kentucky were to win this matchup, I think that is where they do it. Davis inside blocking shots, and using his unique ability to pass and jump shoot, would be the difference. I actually think the Bobcats have favorable matchups with Kemba and Henderson. Both are great slashers and cutters to the basket and can shoot when called upon. Henderson and Kemba are probably the best defensive players on that team as well so they could make it difficult to get the ball to Davis or have Gilchrist put up his jump shot. I still think that Kentucky would be able to exploit their other matchups and give Charlotte a hard time.
The final difference between the basketball debate and the football debate is that apart from the starters in basketball, most other guys don't play. In last year's National Championship game against a very good Kansas Jayhawks team, the Wildcats only played three players from their bench. Darius Miller, who was drafted, played 25 minutes, while Eloy Vargas and Kyle Wiltjer only played three minutes each. So essentially Kentucky played six people the whole game. Three minutes in basketball is not enough to cause a substantial change in my opinion. Yes a team could go on a run, but as a coach you can slow the game down or limit the amount of times the backups touch the ball. Football is not the same.
I've seen times where a backup offensive lineman comes into a game, gets dominated by the defensive lineman, forces a fumble, and causes a turnover. Special teams could probably expose those problems even more because those players usually are the backups on defense and offense. NFL backups can work over college ones, which I guarantee would cause at least one turnover and terrible field position for the college team, in this case Alabama.
Maybe I'm giving too much credit to the Jags and Wildcats and not enough to Alabama and Charlotte. Honestly though, Alabama would get blown off the line if they played the Jags and 24 points might be the spread at halftime. I would crank that up to about 50 if you wanted a fair spread for that game. Kentucky-Charlotte would be a much more interesting proposition but given how poorly the Bobcats played and the way Kentucky dominated the college basketball scene last year, it is certainly plausible the Wildcats could pull it off in a seven game series, and certainly in just one game. While the ratings and publicity for those matchups would be great, for now we'll have to settle for Alabama-LSU, Jacksonville-Detroit, Charlotte-Indiana, and Kentucky-Maryland. Enjoy.
Matty O
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
30 For 30 Topic Suggestions
For those that don't know, ESPN 30 for 30 is a series of documentaries that focus on a specific topic in sports, often spilling over into society as a whole. Some of the topics covered, and some of my favorite documentaries include analyzing the Steve Bartman incident and the reaction of the fans, Michigan's Fab Five men's basketball team who revolutionized the game on and off the court, and the rivalry between Auburn and Alabama and the dynamic relationship between the two schools. I highly recommend watching any of the documentaries. This is just a list of some topics I hope they cover and I think would make great and compelling stories for sports and non sports fans alike.
Fantasy Football
Any way you look at it, fantasy football is part of the NFL in today's world. They have fantasy experts, shows, and websites dedicated just to looking at the NFL through a fantasy lens. I love playing fantasy football (even though I'm 1-5) and got hooked easily. The stars of The League, a television show about fantasy football, admitted that they were not sure what it was all about before the show, but became engrossed when they were in a league in real life. This documentary could analyze the decision making and risk management that actually goes into it. It could delve into the social aspect of it and compare real life vs fantasy perceptions when it comes to certain players. Perhaps they could chronicle someone like Matthew Berry, a famous and dedicated fantasy expert, to see what goes into placing certain values with players. It would be something that a lot of people could relate to considering the popularity of the sport, and could serve as one of the more fun and upbeat videos in the 30 for 30 series.
Tim Tebow
This is in no way endorsing Tebowmania. No matter what you think about him, his story would make for one heck of a documentary. He is a caring, openly religious, and passionate person in a sport that glorifies flashiness and flamboyancy. His childhood story alone is compelling as he was born in the Philippines and was home schooled. This created an interesting dynamic in high school because he was allowed to choose where he wanted to play, instead of being confined to a certain district. He won a national title as a freshman, became the first sophomore Heisman Trophy winner, won his second national title as a junior, decided to stay for his senior year, and won the Sugar Bowl in his last game at Florida. Add in his memorable speech after Florida was upset by Ole Miss in 2008 (the year they won the national title) and you have a full script right there. But wait, there's more.
His pro career has been quite the spectacle. There was a constant controversy in Denver over Kyle Orton and him which led to people taking sides with either "believing Tebow can be an NFL quarterback" or "believing Tebow cannot be an NFL quarterback." This dynamic would be interesting to delve into given the pure athleticism and passion Tebow brought along with his unconventional throwing motion and lack of the "ideal" NFL QB style. Even after leading the Broncos to the playoffs in 2011 and beating the Steelers in the opening round, they essentially kicked him out in favor of Peyton Manning coming off of neck surgery. I'm sure the people at ESPN could get how Tebow truly felt when the sweepstakes for Manning was going on, and when he chose Denver. The Jets project is still too early to report on, but what a documentary that would be.
Fan Violence
I only got this idea recently because of all the stories I have read about fan violence this year in the NFL. A Bears fan was stabbed to death in Jacksonville when the Bears played the Jags. Type in "NFL fan fight" on Youtube and a whole host of results come up. I understand being passionate about your team and hot headed when they lose. Trust me. I'm a Cowboys fan and I feel that way every time Romo drops back to pass. But c'mon sports fans. I think this documentary would be helpful as well because people could see these actions and discover how frequent and brutal some of these attacks are. Not only that, but they bring a bad reputation to the team that you are supporting. No team of fan base (well, maybe Philadelphia) wants to be known as brutal, hostile people. You can be hostile with noise and insults, but to assault someone because he or she likes a different team is ridiculous and pathetic. ESPN should get some testimonies from some of the fans involved in these fights, especially the extreme cases. I'm sure it would be quite emotional, but send a strong message to the fans.
September 28, 2011
For those that don't know, this was the most insane day of baseball and perhaps sport that I have ever witnessed. Nothing made sense. Craziness ruled. The Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox completed their historic collapses to miss the playoffs despite having comfortable leads heading into the final month of the season. The Red Sox loss was even more devastating given the scenario. They had the luxury of facing the last place Orioles and were up 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th with two outs. Jonathan Papelbon, a proven closer, gave up the game tying and game winning runs to sink the Sox.
The Tampa Bay Rays, meanwhile, were getting crushed by the Yankees, who had nothing to play for. They were down 7-0 going into the 8th when things got out of control. They rattled off six in that inning and scored the game tying run in the bottom of the 9th. Then, in the 12th inning, the Rays completed their comeback and clinched the final AL wild card just moments after the Red Sox lost.
The Braves gave up a 3-1 lead, allowing the go ahead run in the 9th to lose 4-3. The Cardinals played the lowly Astros and won comfortably, earning them a playoff spot. For those that saw what transpired, they will never forget it. It was unbelievable not just from a baseball perspective, but from an entertainment perspective. This would make for one of the most intense and edge of your seat documentaries in this series. This is one that I think will eventually be made because of the sheer excitement and unpredictability that day displayed.
Matty O.
Fantasy Football
Any way you look at it, fantasy football is part of the NFL in today's world. They have fantasy experts, shows, and websites dedicated just to looking at the NFL through a fantasy lens. I love playing fantasy football (even though I'm 1-5) and got hooked easily. The stars of The League, a television show about fantasy football, admitted that they were not sure what it was all about before the show, but became engrossed when they were in a league in real life. This documentary could analyze the decision making and risk management that actually goes into it. It could delve into the social aspect of it and compare real life vs fantasy perceptions when it comes to certain players. Perhaps they could chronicle someone like Matthew Berry, a famous and dedicated fantasy expert, to see what goes into placing certain values with players. It would be something that a lot of people could relate to considering the popularity of the sport, and could serve as one of the more fun and upbeat videos in the 30 for 30 series.
Tim Tebow
This is in no way endorsing Tebowmania. No matter what you think about him, his story would make for one heck of a documentary. He is a caring, openly religious, and passionate person in a sport that glorifies flashiness and flamboyancy. His childhood story alone is compelling as he was born in the Philippines and was home schooled. This created an interesting dynamic in high school because he was allowed to choose where he wanted to play, instead of being confined to a certain district. He won a national title as a freshman, became the first sophomore Heisman Trophy winner, won his second national title as a junior, decided to stay for his senior year, and won the Sugar Bowl in his last game at Florida. Add in his memorable speech after Florida was upset by Ole Miss in 2008 (the year they won the national title) and you have a full script right there. But wait, there's more.
His pro career has been quite the spectacle. There was a constant controversy in Denver over Kyle Orton and him which led to people taking sides with either "believing Tebow can be an NFL quarterback" or "believing Tebow cannot be an NFL quarterback." This dynamic would be interesting to delve into given the pure athleticism and passion Tebow brought along with his unconventional throwing motion and lack of the "ideal" NFL QB style. Even after leading the Broncos to the playoffs in 2011 and beating the Steelers in the opening round, they essentially kicked him out in favor of Peyton Manning coming off of neck surgery. I'm sure the people at ESPN could get how Tebow truly felt when the sweepstakes for Manning was going on, and when he chose Denver. The Jets project is still too early to report on, but what a documentary that would be.
Fan Violence
I only got this idea recently because of all the stories I have read about fan violence this year in the NFL. A Bears fan was stabbed to death in Jacksonville when the Bears played the Jags. Type in "NFL fan fight" on Youtube and a whole host of results come up. I understand being passionate about your team and hot headed when they lose. Trust me. I'm a Cowboys fan and I feel that way every time Romo drops back to pass. But c'mon sports fans. I think this documentary would be helpful as well because people could see these actions and discover how frequent and brutal some of these attacks are. Not only that, but they bring a bad reputation to the team that you are supporting. No team of fan base (well, maybe Philadelphia) wants to be known as brutal, hostile people. You can be hostile with noise and insults, but to assault someone because he or she likes a different team is ridiculous and pathetic. ESPN should get some testimonies from some of the fans involved in these fights, especially the extreme cases. I'm sure it would be quite emotional, but send a strong message to the fans.
September 28, 2011
For those that don't know, this was the most insane day of baseball and perhaps sport that I have ever witnessed. Nothing made sense. Craziness ruled. The Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox completed their historic collapses to miss the playoffs despite having comfortable leads heading into the final month of the season. The Red Sox loss was even more devastating given the scenario. They had the luxury of facing the last place Orioles and were up 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th with two outs. Jonathan Papelbon, a proven closer, gave up the game tying and game winning runs to sink the Sox.
The Tampa Bay Rays, meanwhile, were getting crushed by the Yankees, who had nothing to play for. They were down 7-0 going into the 8th when things got out of control. They rattled off six in that inning and scored the game tying run in the bottom of the 9th. Then, in the 12th inning, the Rays completed their comeback and clinched the final AL wild card just moments after the Red Sox lost.
The Braves gave up a 3-1 lead, allowing the go ahead run in the 9th to lose 4-3. The Cardinals played the lowly Astros and won comfortably, earning them a playoff spot. For those that saw what transpired, they will never forget it. It was unbelievable not just from a baseball perspective, but from an entertainment perspective. This would make for one of the most intense and edge of your seat documentaries in this series. This is one that I think will eventually be made because of the sheer excitement and unpredictability that day displayed.
Matty O.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
To NFL Fans: You're Hooked
On the heels of that madness in Seattle last night, there are people claiming that this is the start of the downfall of the NFL. People are claiming they will stop watching the games. Really? Have fun Sunday afternoon watching re-runs of some horrible TV show on WGN.
What people don't realize and what the league does is that the NFL has become so powerful and significant in our culture that it would take something revolutionary to bring it down. My Facebook and Twitter were blowing up last night about people saying the NFL is garbage now, but I know come Monday that I'll see plenty of "Bears football, YAY" or "Can't wait for the Bears game 2nite" updates. You'll still watch. Packers fans are pissed, but I'll bet all of them will still watch their game next week. The unfortunate part about this situation is that the fans, even in this age of social media, can do nothing about it. In fact, all this publicity is helping the league. It has become such an issue that even non-sports people are commenting on it, leading to more publicity and exposure for the league, and perhaps even snagging non-viewers that want to see what all this commotion is about.
Without causing too much controversy, this situation reminds me a bit of this upcoming election and the overall political system in the US (if you have strong political views on either candidate, just skip these next two paragraphs). Similar to the NFL, we know the problem; the economy is in the dump, our deficit is increasing, and unemployment rates are still high. Similar to the NFL, the government has become such a behemoth that their power has become too great. In my opinion, similar to the NFL, the two options being presented to us as presidential candidates are unacceptable. Do you expect either one to make our economy flourish and fix our debt? I don't. Why? Because similar to the NFL, the people in power are too untouchable.
Roger Goodell can receive all the hate mail you want to send him, but in the end people will still watch the games on TV and pay their hard earned money to see the game. The NFL and its executives will not see a change in their lifestyles. Lobbyists and politicians in DC have zero motivation to look out for the well being of us (the people) so long as their agendas are met and they get paid. Obama can be the NFL with replacement refs and Romney and be no NFL (or vice versa). Both are options that will not fix the problems we have, but for now, like the NFL, we are forced to settle for one or the other. In politics, it is going to take a drastic deviation from the norm by a politician or someone in power to truly shake up the system to focus on the problem.
In the NFL, it is going to take something drastic by an owner, team, and/or coach to make a significant impact on the league. Even then, it might not be enough. If a coach gets out of line with replacement officials, BAM! they get a fine slapped on them or potentially a suspension (Bill Belichick). Owners will refuse to get caught up in it because their teams are still profitable. "I'm free this weekend. Want to go to the (insert favorite team here) game?" "No, I'm not too fond of the replacement officials and I think the product on the field suffers." That response would never happen. We are essentially lemmings when it comes to the NFL. I'll even admit I suffer from the same thing.
The final call last night was atrocious along with many other penalties (or non penalties) along the way. But I'm still going to watch next week. Had that TD sent the game to overtime, I would have still watched it. There was a point in the middle of the Eagles-Cardinals game this weekend where the refs were taking too long so I changed the channel...to another NFL game. Even after last night, I would still rather watch a Cowboys-Redskins game with replacement refs than an Angels or White Sox game even though both teams are battling for a baseball playoff spot. Viewership will still remain high for the NFL, and the league will still be intact. So what can they do?
Many people might have already turned off their TVs, but after the TD last night, an extra point play still had to be run. There was madness on the field obviously and many of the Packers and Seahawks had already left. Mike McCarthy, head coach of the Packers and the ultimate professional last night, brought his team back out for the play even though they had just been robbed of a win. Along those same lines, could we see an entire team strike? Remember, there needs to be something drastic for the league to change. Perhaps prior to a game or right after an inexplicably bad call, the team just decides they're through. They pack up their stuff and head to the locker room. This would obviously result in a loss for said team, as well as unhappy fans, and fines and/or suspensions handed down from the league office. A unified agreement by two teams in one game would be even better. Something as drastic as that, while not exactly feasible, is an example of something that would need to be done.
Small signs of unity such as perhaps pre-game shirts that have sayings supporting the real NFL refs won't do the trick. Twitter hash tags are useless. Referee memes, while amusing, will only get a slight chuckle from the general public, a hilarious belly laugh from Roger Goodell, and do nothing beyond that. Until a significant portion of fans decide to boycott the games and viewership, there is nothing that can be done. So next Monday night, before the Bears game, you'll receive the weekly question of "Are You Ready For Some Football?" Are you ready for some terrible calls? Are you ready for more replacement officials? Are you ready for your social media feeds to be consumed by this topic? No, but where will you be? That's right, on your couch, your HDTV turned to ESPN to watch the Bears and Cowboys vs the refs. Goodell's got us; hook, line, and sinker. Long live the NFL.
Matty O
What people don't realize and what the league does is that the NFL has become so powerful and significant in our culture that it would take something revolutionary to bring it down. My Facebook and Twitter were blowing up last night about people saying the NFL is garbage now, but I know come Monday that I'll see plenty of "Bears football, YAY" or "Can't wait for the Bears game 2nite" updates. You'll still watch. Packers fans are pissed, but I'll bet all of them will still watch their game next week. The unfortunate part about this situation is that the fans, even in this age of social media, can do nothing about it. In fact, all this publicity is helping the league. It has become such an issue that even non-sports people are commenting on it, leading to more publicity and exposure for the league, and perhaps even snagging non-viewers that want to see what all this commotion is about.
Without causing too much controversy, this situation reminds me a bit of this upcoming election and the overall political system in the US (if you have strong political views on either candidate, just skip these next two paragraphs). Similar to the NFL, we know the problem; the economy is in the dump, our deficit is increasing, and unemployment rates are still high. Similar to the NFL, the government has become such a behemoth that their power has become too great. In my opinion, similar to the NFL, the two options being presented to us as presidential candidates are unacceptable. Do you expect either one to make our economy flourish and fix our debt? I don't. Why? Because similar to the NFL, the people in power are too untouchable.
Roger Goodell can receive all the hate mail you want to send him, but in the end people will still watch the games on TV and pay their hard earned money to see the game. The NFL and its executives will not see a change in their lifestyles. Lobbyists and politicians in DC have zero motivation to look out for the well being of us (the people) so long as their agendas are met and they get paid. Obama can be the NFL with replacement refs and Romney and be no NFL (or vice versa). Both are options that will not fix the problems we have, but for now, like the NFL, we are forced to settle for one or the other. In politics, it is going to take a drastic deviation from the norm by a politician or someone in power to truly shake up the system to focus on the problem.
In the NFL, it is going to take something drastic by an owner, team, and/or coach to make a significant impact on the league. Even then, it might not be enough. If a coach gets out of line with replacement officials, BAM! they get a fine slapped on them or potentially a suspension (Bill Belichick). Owners will refuse to get caught up in it because their teams are still profitable. "I'm free this weekend. Want to go to the (insert favorite team here) game?" "No, I'm not too fond of the replacement officials and I think the product on the field suffers." That response would never happen. We are essentially lemmings when it comes to the NFL. I'll even admit I suffer from the same thing.
The final call last night was atrocious along with many other penalties (or non penalties) along the way. But I'm still going to watch next week. Had that TD sent the game to overtime, I would have still watched it. There was a point in the middle of the Eagles-Cardinals game this weekend where the refs were taking too long so I changed the channel...to another NFL game. Even after last night, I would still rather watch a Cowboys-Redskins game with replacement refs than an Angels or White Sox game even though both teams are battling for a baseball playoff spot. Viewership will still remain high for the NFL, and the league will still be intact. So what can they do?
Many people might have already turned off their TVs, but after the TD last night, an extra point play still had to be run. There was madness on the field obviously and many of the Packers and Seahawks had already left. Mike McCarthy, head coach of the Packers and the ultimate professional last night, brought his team back out for the play even though they had just been robbed of a win. Along those same lines, could we see an entire team strike? Remember, there needs to be something drastic for the league to change. Perhaps prior to a game or right after an inexplicably bad call, the team just decides they're through. They pack up their stuff and head to the locker room. This would obviously result in a loss for said team, as well as unhappy fans, and fines and/or suspensions handed down from the league office. A unified agreement by two teams in one game would be even better. Something as drastic as that, while not exactly feasible, is an example of something that would need to be done.
Small signs of unity such as perhaps pre-game shirts that have sayings supporting the real NFL refs won't do the trick. Twitter hash tags are useless. Referee memes, while amusing, will only get a slight chuckle from the general public, a hilarious belly laugh from Roger Goodell, and do nothing beyond that. Until a significant portion of fans decide to boycott the games and viewership, there is nothing that can be done. So next Monday night, before the Bears game, you'll receive the weekly question of "Are You Ready For Some Football?" Are you ready for some terrible calls? Are you ready for more replacement officials? Are you ready for your social media feeds to be consumed by this topic? No, but where will you be? That's right, on your couch, your HDTV turned to ESPN to watch the Bears and Cowboys vs the refs. Goodell's got us; hook, line, and sinker. Long live the NFL.
Matty O
Friday, September 21, 2012
Lay Off The Refs
"Terrible call!" "These guys are taking forever!" "Hey, isn't that guy a Saints fan?" These are just a few of the things that people are saying about these new replacement refs through the first two weeks of the regular season. Players, coaches, and fans are all yelling at them, criticizing their every call. The commentators joke about them when they are reviewing a play as slow-mo replay shows the refs were wrong. Realize, however, the situation they are being put in.
Labor negotiations with the 'real' refs had been going on all summer, but the dispute with the league was never resolved resulting in the situation the NFL has on its hands. Just like the players, refs need time to prepare and train to acquire the skill to call a fair NFL game. Think of this scenario like the lockout from last year. The players looked rusty the first couple weeks as the lack of a true off-season was pointed to as the reason for injuries and poor play. These refs also have a lack of preparation which may be the source of the complaints. Although I am defending them, I will admit that their calls have been shaky at best. They awarded a fourth timeout, have taken abnormally long discussing penalties, thrown late flags, and made bad calls. But really, did you expect perfection?
Did you expect these new refs, who officiated at other levels or had different jobs entirely, to replace trained NFL level refs without a hiccup? If you did, you severely underestimate the expertise NFL refs have. To be honest, these replacement refs have made good calls. There have been many times that I've been watching a broadcast, they will show the replay, and the commentators will say, "Yea, that is a good call." They still call holding, hands to the face, pass interference, and any other penalty you don't think your team ever commits. The late flags are certainly an issue, as these refs seem more swayed by players' reactions than the locked out refs. But flag or no flag, the public would find something to criticize these refs about.
Here is the main conflict of interest I see. Fans, coaches, and players want the right call. These refs are not as used to the speed of the game in the NFL nor the crew and other refs they are working with (important from a trust, communication, and familiarity standpoint). This causes them to take more time. Fans, coaches, and players also want the calls as fast as possible. Sorry, that's just not going to happen. In my opinion, if the refs get the call right, take all the time you need. While there have been a few instances of lengthy discussions, most of the calls are made within a reasonable time frame. So maybe the discussion goes too fast and the ref calls the penalty on the wrong person or gets the yardage and/or down mixed up. Then the whole stadium is in an uproar about how ludicrous and inept these refs are. These refs must have come from Northwest South Dakota State Tech University (sorry to readers from this made up school) and can't tie their own shoes. People need to accept the situation for what is it and decide if they prefer a faster game with more chance of inaccuracy or a slower game with greater integrity. As it stands now, we can't have both.
Ironically, I think that if or when the regular officials come back, that they will be under the same microscope these refs are. The replacement refs are being scrutinized so harshly because it is a deviation from the norm. When the regular refs come back, their performance from the first week will be judged based on the weeks the replacement refs just officiated. People will want to see is there really a difference? If a regular ref messes up, what will the reaction be? People will probably blame it on rust and be glad to have the officials back, even though that same mistake could be made by a replacement ref and they would be harassed. What if the regular officials have a string of bad incidents early on when they come back to work? That would be embarrassing for the NFL. Even after a silly labor dispute, the real refs still can't get the calls right.
This is why the real NFL refs have it so good. Leverage, boys and girls, is at an all time high for them. If there is this much media and NFL team shredding of these refs after two weeks, imagine what it will be like come week 5 or 6 or 7. Outspoken and respected (key word) players like Ray Lewis have already spoken out about the refs. When they speak, players, coaches, and fans listen. Unfortunately, I see a breaking point where the replacement refs have a bad week and all hell breaks lose. Players and coaches will go off on the refs and the league for not getting something done. Heck, there might even be calls for replacements for the replacements. The public will join the real referee's fight for a better contract and Roger Goodell could see all areas of the league targeting him for what has happened. Since the officiating is being viewed negatively in the public eye, the NFL might even start losing casual fans. Fans that will watch a game if it is on, but not if it takes four hours or bad calls are being made left and right.
This is a very slippery slope the league is headed down. Are these replacements the best refs we've seen? No. But given the circumstances, they're not doing that bad. But next time you're yelling at the TV screen or updating your Twitter or Facebook with death threats to these officials, you might want to spend that energy attacking the league. Tweeting Roger Goodell will go a longer way than arguing over a call that was just made. It's done, it's a penalty. Now sit back as the ref faces the wrong way, calls a seven yard holding penalty, and calls it on #14 Drew Brees of the Vikings. First downVikings Bears Saints those guys over there.
Matty O
Labor negotiations with the 'real' refs had been going on all summer, but the dispute with the league was never resolved resulting in the situation the NFL has on its hands. Just like the players, refs need time to prepare and train to acquire the skill to call a fair NFL game. Think of this scenario like the lockout from last year. The players looked rusty the first couple weeks as the lack of a true off-season was pointed to as the reason for injuries and poor play. These refs also have a lack of preparation which may be the source of the complaints. Although I am defending them, I will admit that their calls have been shaky at best. They awarded a fourth timeout, have taken abnormally long discussing penalties, thrown late flags, and made bad calls. But really, did you expect perfection?
Did you expect these new refs, who officiated at other levels or had different jobs entirely, to replace trained NFL level refs without a hiccup? If you did, you severely underestimate the expertise NFL refs have. To be honest, these replacement refs have made good calls. There have been many times that I've been watching a broadcast, they will show the replay, and the commentators will say, "Yea, that is a good call." They still call holding, hands to the face, pass interference, and any other penalty you don't think your team ever commits. The late flags are certainly an issue, as these refs seem more swayed by players' reactions than the locked out refs. But flag or no flag, the public would find something to criticize these refs about.
Here is the main conflict of interest I see. Fans, coaches, and players want the right call. These refs are not as used to the speed of the game in the NFL nor the crew and other refs they are working with (important from a trust, communication, and familiarity standpoint). This causes them to take more time. Fans, coaches, and players also want the calls as fast as possible. Sorry, that's just not going to happen. In my opinion, if the refs get the call right, take all the time you need. While there have been a few instances of lengthy discussions, most of the calls are made within a reasonable time frame. So maybe the discussion goes too fast and the ref calls the penalty on the wrong person or gets the yardage and/or down mixed up. Then the whole stadium is in an uproar about how ludicrous and inept these refs are. These refs must have come from Northwest South Dakota State Tech University (sorry to readers from this made up school) and can't tie their own shoes. People need to accept the situation for what is it and decide if they prefer a faster game with more chance of inaccuracy or a slower game with greater integrity. As it stands now, we can't have both.
Ironically, I think that if or when the regular officials come back, that they will be under the same microscope these refs are. The replacement refs are being scrutinized so harshly because it is a deviation from the norm. When the regular refs come back, their performance from the first week will be judged based on the weeks the replacement refs just officiated. People will want to see is there really a difference? If a regular ref messes up, what will the reaction be? People will probably blame it on rust and be glad to have the officials back, even though that same mistake could be made by a replacement ref and they would be harassed. What if the regular officials have a string of bad incidents early on when they come back to work? That would be embarrassing for the NFL. Even after a silly labor dispute, the real refs still can't get the calls right.
This is why the real NFL refs have it so good. Leverage, boys and girls, is at an all time high for them. If there is this much media and NFL team shredding of these refs after two weeks, imagine what it will be like come week 5 or 6 or 7. Outspoken and respected (key word) players like Ray Lewis have already spoken out about the refs. When they speak, players, coaches, and fans listen. Unfortunately, I see a breaking point where the replacement refs have a bad week and all hell breaks lose. Players and coaches will go off on the refs and the league for not getting something done. Heck, there might even be calls for replacements for the replacements. The public will join the real referee's fight for a better contract and Roger Goodell could see all areas of the league targeting him for what has happened. Since the officiating is being viewed negatively in the public eye, the NFL might even start losing casual fans. Fans that will watch a game if it is on, but not if it takes four hours or bad calls are being made left and right.
This is a very slippery slope the league is headed down. Are these replacements the best refs we've seen? No. But given the circumstances, they're not doing that bad. But next time you're yelling at the TV screen or updating your Twitter or Facebook with death threats to these officials, you might want to spend that energy attacking the league. Tweeting Roger Goodell will go a longer way than arguing over a call that was just made. It's done, it's a penalty. Now sit back as the ref faces the wrong way, calls a seven yard holding penalty, and calls it on #14 Drew Brees of the Vikings. First down
Matty O
Monday, September 17, 2012
NFC What?!?! NFC West Making An Early Statement
Alex Smith, Russell Wilson, Sam Bradford, John Skelton, Kevin Kolb. In an era of passing, these are not exactly names that strike fear in the hearts of opponents. Kolb and Skelton have been battling over the starting job for a couple years now, leading to instability and losses in Arizona. Bradford had a fine rookie season, but saw injuries plague him his second year as he led the Rams to only one win and six TDs in 10 starts, leading many to question his rookie year as an aberration. Wilson is an undersized (5'11") rookie from Wisconsin who started the season as the third string quarterback on the Seahawks. Smith is a former number one overall pick, but seen by many as a bust before last year as he came up well short following the likes of Joe Montana, Steve Young, and even Jeff Garcia.
But here they are. A division where the Arizona Cardinals and 49ers are 2-0 (only division in the NFL to have two 2-0 teams), the St. Louis Rams are 1-1 with a tight loss to the Detroit Lions, and the Seattle Seahawks' only loss to division rival Arizona. In the process they have racked up wins against Robert Griffin III, Tom Brady in New England, Aaron Rodgers in Lambeau, Matthew Stafford, and Tony Romo. This is a division that, the past few years, has been the laughing stock of the league. This is a division that sent a team with a losing record to the playoffs (Seahawks at 7-9 in 2010). Well now, this is a division that is making noise and the league should pay attention although it is very easy not to.
Here is Kevin Kolb's stat line from the New England game: 15/27, 140 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs, 20 rushing yards, 1 TD. Meanwhile, star receiver Larry Fitzgerald only had four yards on one catch and no Cardinals runner gained more than 44 yards. That's not how you win in this league. Heck, you can't even play the turnover card as the Cardinals had 2 to New England's one. The key was special teams and a stingy defense. They got up in Brady's face as the offense concentrated on controlling the clock, rather than the total yards. But this was a Patriot team that were Super Bowl runner ups. Despite losing Hernandez, they still had the Gronk, Wes Welker, and Brandon Lloyd. Scary, yet the Cardinals defied the odds and beat the Pats in Foxboro.
Defying the odds is one thing. Defying the media hype is another. Given all the media attention RG3 has gotten, you would think he is the next MVP. Hold your horses. Yes, he exploded against the Saints, but the Saints are now looking like a team that anyone can score on. Then come the lowly Rams. The Rams that people joke about needing Kurt Warner back. The Rams that finished last in the division last year, have an aging running back, an injury prone quarterback, and wide receivers that make you scratch your head and wonder, 'who?' Yet in the face of another great performance by RG3, it was the other former Heisman trophy winner that shined. Bradford threw for 310 yards and 3 TDs, half as many as he threw for all of last year. Danny Amendola, unknown outside of St. Louis and the fantasy football realm, had 160 yards and a TD, leading the Rams to victory. This after the Rams lost a heartbreaker to Detroit the week before and the Redskins were supposed to go to the Super Bowl after lighting up the Saints. Amazing how quickly things change.
Another case of a swing in momentum was the Dallas Cowboys-Seattle Seahawks game. The Cowboys were fresh off an opening night win over the defending champion New York Giants where Tony Romo shined, and the defense that haunted their team all of last year looked much improved. Four days later, the Seahawks made their fans question the decision to start the rookie Wilson as he threw for only 153 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, and lost a fumble in an ugly loss to Arizona. Looking at stats alone, Wilson performed pretty much the same on Sunday as he threw for 151 yards, 1 TD, but 0 turnovers. He was an excellent manager of the game as he missed only five passes. He wasn't trying to be Tony Romo, he was trying to be Russell Wilson which meant controlling the clock and relying on a hard nosed defense. That defense forced two turnovers and special teams blocked a punt, and returned it for a TD. The offense held the ball for nearly 35 minutes, draining the Cowboy's defense and limiting Romo's opportunities. This was not the script that should have been written for this game. That's three impressive victories for the NFC West on one Sunday.
Make that four, although the 49ers are a bit less of a surprise than the other three teams in the division. Still, Aaron Rodgers and the high flying Packers offense in a packed Lambeau Field is no cake walk. But the 49ers defense "held" Rodgers to 303 yards and two TDs and even forced an interception. Smith, meanwhile, only missed six passes as he threw two TDs and committed zero turnovers. They were able to hold the ball for six more minutes than the Packers. Using pace and fundamentals, not flash and flair to win ball games. In came the Lions. Although having a rough first game, Stafford looked to find his groove towards the end of the St. Louis game. He's still a threat to throw for 400 yards any time he steps out there. Instead he threw for 230, only 1 TD, and 1 INT. They flushed him from the pocket constantly and stifled the Lions's persistent attempts to establish the run game as they only ran for 82 yards. This has been their formula ever since John Harbaugh took over and they are reaping the rewards now.
How big can these rewards be? How's undefeated sound. Almost sounds crazy I know, but look at their schedule. The Giants, Saints, and Patriots are the only three teams left on their schedule that made the playoffs last year. The Giants were beat by the Cowboys in week 1 and needed a comeback of epic proportions to beat the Buccaneers this Sunday. The Saints are now 0-2 and look absolutely dreadful on defense. The Patriots are now Hernandez-less and just lost to the Cardinals showing that they are indeed beatable. With the amount of talent and depth they have at defense, an excellent game managing quarterback, and a coach and team that believes, it is not that absurd to envision this team going undefeated, and perhaps all the way this year.
These are not your father's Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks. This is a new style of play in an era that does not call for it. Stingy and stifling defense coupled with disciplined special teams and mistake free offenses. This is their formula. So throw the ball 40 times against them. Put a defense out there that can't stop a nose bleed. Take dumb penalties that cost you the game. Just be ready to see one, two, or even three of these teams from the NFC West in the playoffs.
Matty O.
But here they are. A division where the Arizona Cardinals and 49ers are 2-0 (only division in the NFL to have two 2-0 teams), the St. Louis Rams are 1-1 with a tight loss to the Detroit Lions, and the Seattle Seahawks' only loss to division rival Arizona. In the process they have racked up wins against Robert Griffin III, Tom Brady in New England, Aaron Rodgers in Lambeau, Matthew Stafford, and Tony Romo. This is a division that, the past few years, has been the laughing stock of the league. This is a division that sent a team with a losing record to the playoffs (Seahawks at 7-9 in 2010). Well now, this is a division that is making noise and the league should pay attention although it is very easy not to.
Here is Kevin Kolb's stat line from the New England game: 15/27, 140 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs, 20 rushing yards, 1 TD. Meanwhile, star receiver Larry Fitzgerald only had four yards on one catch and no Cardinals runner gained more than 44 yards. That's not how you win in this league. Heck, you can't even play the turnover card as the Cardinals had 2 to New England's one. The key was special teams and a stingy defense. They got up in Brady's face as the offense concentrated on controlling the clock, rather than the total yards. But this was a Patriot team that were Super Bowl runner ups. Despite losing Hernandez, they still had the Gronk, Wes Welker, and Brandon Lloyd. Scary, yet the Cardinals defied the odds and beat the Pats in Foxboro.
Defying the odds is one thing. Defying the media hype is another. Given all the media attention RG3 has gotten, you would think he is the next MVP. Hold your horses. Yes, he exploded against the Saints, but the Saints are now looking like a team that anyone can score on. Then come the lowly Rams. The Rams that people joke about needing Kurt Warner back. The Rams that finished last in the division last year, have an aging running back, an injury prone quarterback, and wide receivers that make you scratch your head and wonder, 'who?' Yet in the face of another great performance by RG3, it was the other former Heisman trophy winner that shined. Bradford threw for 310 yards and 3 TDs, half as many as he threw for all of last year. Danny Amendola, unknown outside of St. Louis and the fantasy football realm, had 160 yards and a TD, leading the Rams to victory. This after the Rams lost a heartbreaker to Detroit the week before and the Redskins were supposed to go to the Super Bowl after lighting up the Saints. Amazing how quickly things change.
Another case of a swing in momentum was the Dallas Cowboys-Seattle Seahawks game. The Cowboys were fresh off an opening night win over the defending champion New York Giants where Tony Romo shined, and the defense that haunted their team all of last year looked much improved. Four days later, the Seahawks made their fans question the decision to start the rookie Wilson as he threw for only 153 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, and lost a fumble in an ugly loss to Arizona. Looking at stats alone, Wilson performed pretty much the same on Sunday as he threw for 151 yards, 1 TD, but 0 turnovers. He was an excellent manager of the game as he missed only five passes. He wasn't trying to be Tony Romo, he was trying to be Russell Wilson which meant controlling the clock and relying on a hard nosed defense. That defense forced two turnovers and special teams blocked a punt, and returned it for a TD. The offense held the ball for nearly 35 minutes, draining the Cowboy's defense and limiting Romo's opportunities. This was not the script that should have been written for this game. That's three impressive victories for the NFC West on one Sunday.
Make that four, although the 49ers are a bit less of a surprise than the other three teams in the division. Still, Aaron Rodgers and the high flying Packers offense in a packed Lambeau Field is no cake walk. But the 49ers defense "held" Rodgers to 303 yards and two TDs and even forced an interception. Smith, meanwhile, only missed six passes as he threw two TDs and committed zero turnovers. They were able to hold the ball for six more minutes than the Packers. Using pace and fundamentals, not flash and flair to win ball games. In came the Lions. Although having a rough first game, Stafford looked to find his groove towards the end of the St. Louis game. He's still a threat to throw for 400 yards any time he steps out there. Instead he threw for 230, only 1 TD, and 1 INT. They flushed him from the pocket constantly and stifled the Lions's persistent attempts to establish the run game as they only ran for 82 yards. This has been their formula ever since John Harbaugh took over and they are reaping the rewards now.
How big can these rewards be? How's undefeated sound. Almost sounds crazy I know, but look at their schedule. The Giants, Saints, and Patriots are the only three teams left on their schedule that made the playoffs last year. The Giants were beat by the Cowboys in week 1 and needed a comeback of epic proportions to beat the Buccaneers this Sunday. The Saints are now 0-2 and look absolutely dreadful on defense. The Patriots are now Hernandez-less and just lost to the Cardinals showing that they are indeed beatable. With the amount of talent and depth they have at defense, an excellent game managing quarterback, and a coach and team that believes, it is not that absurd to envision this team going undefeated, and perhaps all the way this year.
These are not your father's Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks. This is a new style of play in an era that does not call for it. Stingy and stifling defense coupled with disciplined special teams and mistake free offenses. This is their formula. So throw the ball 40 times against them. Put a defense out there that can't stop a nose bleed. Take dumb penalties that cost you the game. Just be ready to see one, two, or even three of these teams from the NFC West in the playoffs.
Matty O.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Fantasy Observations: Giants - Cowboys
HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!
Had to throw in some love for my team there, but this will focus on what you, as a fantasy football owner, should take away from this past game.
New York Giants
Owners of the Giants passing game (Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, and Hakeem Nicks) need to take a deep breath. Cruz and Manning were one missed pass interference call away from a score and I did not expect Nicks to be as sharp as he will next week after coming off a foot injury. If you owned any of them this week, or more than one of them, you might be in trouble as Eli posted a mere 12.52 pts, Cruz posted 5.8, and Nicks posted 3.8. Not good for a starting quarterback and two WR2, depending on your depth at wide receiver. Even for a WR3 or flex play those aren't good numbers.
Note that Cruz still got a ridiculous 11 targets and Nicks got six after missing nearly all of training camp and only playing very little in their last preseason game. Also, and this might be some Cowboys favoritism, they were going up against a darn good secondary. The achilles heel of the Cowboys last year could become a strength as free agent Brandon Carr and rookie Morris Claiborne were excellent in coverage all night against the two receivers. Ahmad Bradshaw, meanwhile, racked up 93 total yards and a score. Although I did not get around to doing an NFC fantasy breakdown before my draft, I would have commented on how I thought Bradshaw was being drafted too low. People were ready to crown David Wilson as the back to get for the Giants and all he did was rush for four yards and lose a fumble. He is still a solid fantasy option.
Finally, their defense...oh boy. Aside from Jason Pierre Paul, who played his butt off, no one else on the Giants D really impressed. Their secondary lost another player, Michael Coe, which leaves them amazingly slim in the secondary. They will have Prince Amukamara back next week, but he is not what I would call an elite cornerback yet, although he was drafted like one. I think people thought 'their great defensive line will get sacks and pressure so a below average secondary is okay.' The Cowboys tore that theory to shreds. I'm not saying you should drop them yet, but don't be afraid to store away an underrated unit off the waiver wire. Speaking of which...
Dallas Cowboys
...how bout that Cowboys defense. The Giants did put up 17 points, although their last TD was a bit of the result of them playing soft coverage, but it is still a score. They were only able to get one turnover, but should have gotten more. Barry Church nearly picked off Eli which would have gone for a TD, Morris Claiborne put his hands on display a few times breaking up the pass, and Brandon Carr should have had an interception on Eli's bomb to Domenik Hixon, but he wildly mistimed the jump. On top of that, the secondary was missing former Pro Bowler Mike Jenkins and disruptive nose tackle Jay Ratliff. Once those two return, with Demarcus Ware's pass rush, and Dez Bryant's potential to break a long punt return and you have a solid case for an elite fantasy defense. They are probably sitting on the waiver wire right now. Hey you, stop reading and pick them up.
One guy who might not be on the waiver wire anymore is Kevin Ogletree. From a fan's perspective, all I can say is thank you as he was an integral part in beating the Giants. He certainly has skills, but as I mentioned before, he was going up against 5th and 6th string cornerbacks for the Giants. He will not get that luxury every week. Witten, Austin, and Bryant all made it through the game without aggravating their lingering off-season injuries, that we know of, which means they all should be at 100% next week. Ogletree, like Cruz, got 11 targets but in the long run he is still 4th behind Witten, Ausitn, and Bryant. This was more a product of bad defense than elite skill, sorry. If you have an open roster spot or Mark Sanchez, then pick this guy up as a wait and see type player, otherwise don't worry about the potential mad scramble to scoop him up.
Demarco Murray was another bright spot for the Cowboys as he racked up 131 rushing yards including a memorable 48 yard scamper where he bounced off players and changed directions, making Giants players miss him left and right. Only bad part was he cut inside when he could have had a TD if he kept on the sidelines. He struggled in the first half as the Cowboys pretty much abandoned the run for a stretch, but eventually wore down the Giants' defense to allow for some decent gains. One thing I liked seeing was he was running through players and not shying away from contact. It got him a few extra yards here and there on some plays and shows he is not concerned about his injury plagued past.
Lastly, the Cowboys passing game looked sharp. Romo put up numbers although I felt he checked down to quickly. Not saying checking down is a bad thing, but with receivers like Austin and Bryant who can make something special happen, I would like to see him key on them longer. For instance, Romo's TD pass to Austin was not the safest of all balls. There were two defenders there, but Austin made an adjustment, caught it at its highest point, then ran in for the score. All three should be in all league's starting lineups with Bryant having more risk, but also more upside given his freakish athleticism.
Matty O
Had to throw in some love for my team there, but this will focus on what you, as a fantasy football owner, should take away from this past game.
New York Giants
Owners of the Giants passing game (Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, and Hakeem Nicks) need to take a deep breath. Cruz and Manning were one missed pass interference call away from a score and I did not expect Nicks to be as sharp as he will next week after coming off a foot injury. If you owned any of them this week, or more than one of them, you might be in trouble as Eli posted a mere 12.52 pts, Cruz posted 5.8, and Nicks posted 3.8. Not good for a starting quarterback and two WR2, depending on your depth at wide receiver. Even for a WR3 or flex play those aren't good numbers.
Note that Cruz still got a ridiculous 11 targets and Nicks got six after missing nearly all of training camp and only playing very little in their last preseason game. Also, and this might be some Cowboys favoritism, they were going up against a darn good secondary. The achilles heel of the Cowboys last year could become a strength as free agent Brandon Carr and rookie Morris Claiborne were excellent in coverage all night against the two receivers. Ahmad Bradshaw, meanwhile, racked up 93 total yards and a score. Although I did not get around to doing an NFC fantasy breakdown before my draft, I would have commented on how I thought Bradshaw was being drafted too low. People were ready to crown David Wilson as the back to get for the Giants and all he did was rush for four yards and lose a fumble. He is still a solid fantasy option.
Finally, their defense...oh boy. Aside from Jason Pierre Paul, who played his butt off, no one else on the Giants D really impressed. Their secondary lost another player, Michael Coe, which leaves them amazingly slim in the secondary. They will have Prince Amukamara back next week, but he is not what I would call an elite cornerback yet, although he was drafted like one. I think people thought 'their great defensive line will get sacks and pressure so a below average secondary is okay.' The Cowboys tore that theory to shreds. I'm not saying you should drop them yet, but don't be afraid to store away an underrated unit off the waiver wire. Speaking of which...
Dallas Cowboys
...how bout that Cowboys defense. The Giants did put up 17 points, although their last TD was a bit of the result of them playing soft coverage, but it is still a score. They were only able to get one turnover, but should have gotten more. Barry Church nearly picked off Eli which would have gone for a TD, Morris Claiborne put his hands on display a few times breaking up the pass, and Brandon Carr should have had an interception on Eli's bomb to Domenik Hixon, but he wildly mistimed the jump. On top of that, the secondary was missing former Pro Bowler Mike Jenkins and disruptive nose tackle Jay Ratliff. Once those two return, with Demarcus Ware's pass rush, and Dez Bryant's potential to break a long punt return and you have a solid case for an elite fantasy defense. They are probably sitting on the waiver wire right now. Hey you, stop reading and pick them up.
One guy who might not be on the waiver wire anymore is Kevin Ogletree. From a fan's perspective, all I can say is thank you as he was an integral part in beating the Giants. He certainly has skills, but as I mentioned before, he was going up against 5th and 6th string cornerbacks for the Giants. He will not get that luxury every week. Witten, Austin, and Bryant all made it through the game without aggravating their lingering off-season injuries, that we know of, which means they all should be at 100% next week. Ogletree, like Cruz, got 11 targets but in the long run he is still 4th behind Witten, Ausitn, and Bryant. This was more a product of bad defense than elite skill, sorry. If you have an open roster spot or Mark Sanchez, then pick this guy up as a wait and see type player, otherwise don't worry about the potential mad scramble to scoop him up.
Demarco Murray was another bright spot for the Cowboys as he racked up 131 rushing yards including a memorable 48 yard scamper where he bounced off players and changed directions, making Giants players miss him left and right. Only bad part was he cut inside when he could have had a TD if he kept on the sidelines. He struggled in the first half as the Cowboys pretty much abandoned the run for a stretch, but eventually wore down the Giants' defense to allow for some decent gains. One thing I liked seeing was he was running through players and not shying away from contact. It got him a few extra yards here and there on some plays and shows he is not concerned about his injury plagued past.
Lastly, the Cowboys passing game looked sharp. Romo put up numbers although I felt he checked down to quickly. Not saying checking down is a bad thing, but with receivers like Austin and Bryant who can make something special happen, I would like to see him key on them longer. For instance, Romo's TD pass to Austin was not the safest of all balls. There were two defenders there, but Austin made an adjustment, caught it at its highest point, then ran in for the score. All three should be in all league's starting lineups with Bryant having more risk, but also more upside given his freakish athleticism.
Matty O
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