We as a site have been slipping a little bit, and with all this wonderful news and on-goings in the world of sports, we should probably have a little more information and opinion out there. Mainly my fault; I just missed the Christmas of football, and outside of the playoffs and super bowl, the most looked-forward to aspect of the NFL as a whole. It's also the biggest game of the season for my favorite football (soccer) club, Manchester United. I have tried to take on soccer as a part time blog, at least until we get a little consistency from that field. So the question begs, which sport do I cover in this edition of the "We're Coming" blog? I suppose I could hit up a little bit of both, but I feel like there isn't much crossover viewership from our fan base so far. I think I gotta do the game, cause the draft already happened. A few quips though about what I thought...
NFL Draft - Indianapolis and Washington both made the smartest decisions of the draft. I don't believe that the #1 and #2 player will be the best players when it's over, if you look at draft history they never are. Only chance from this generation is if Sam Bradford finally pulls it all together along with Ndamoukong Suh. Maybe Michael Vick and Leonard Davis in 2001, but even between those two were just 7 pro bowls appearances. LaDainian Tomlinson had that all by himself. Yet, they would've been complete idiots if they didn't think that this was the year that it was going to happen. Still long-term I believe it will be Luck and Kalil. Kirkpatrick will also be a pro-bowler for years to come. Unless Cincinnati screws him up... Poor Justin Blackmon. I love his game, I absolutely do, but he has no chance as long as Blaine Gabbert is his QB. Not sure what the people in Jacksonville were thinking, but my amateur scouting eyes could tell that Gabbert's game would not translate at all into the pros. Especially in the Jaguars offense. The guy was under center made 8 times at Missouri... Arizona did a nice job grabbing Michael Floyd. All of his problems are going to go away being around Larry Fitzgerald and his professional attitude. There will be no more drinking for Mr. Floyd... Finally, congrats to the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens for drafting the best pair of teammates that I have ever seen in college football. They were the reason that Marcell Dareus went #3 last year. Their names are Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw. Both should start right away, both should contribute right away, and both should be teammates again someday. Unless they finally do away with the Probowl.
Manchester United v Manchester City - I honestly can't remember an English soccer match bigger than this. For Manchester United, a win means their 20th league championship in the club's history. It's a chance to knock down the noisy neighbors. A chance to prove that it takes years to build a organizational machine. And one of Sir Alex's most shining moments. For Manchester City, a win means a likely 1st title since 1968. The opportunity to build open a premiership title and become the next dominant team in the English Premier league. The prospect of signing top players. A chance to shut United fans up. Summed up, this match is huge. I think it will be an enlightening moment for the next few years of English football. For all the problems that Mancini (brought on by himself) has had to endure throughout the season, if he can win the title all will be forgotten. On top of that, he can probably keep his position for another couple of seasons, because they don't fire you weeks after you bring home the Premiership trophy (Ancelotti).
I think that it will come down to midfield play. Both sides have had consistency from their front men, and they can pretty much count on their keepers to do their job. United's defense was shaky against Everton, but they had nothing to lose. 7th or 8th notwithstanding. City has it all to lose. They've never been here before. But if the likes of Barry, Ya Ya, and Silva can keep the ball and put the pressure on United's nondescript midfield, they have a chance to win. Looking at how Alex selected though, I think this will be very difficult to achieve and he's going to force Mancini to bring on some extra attackers. This game is going to be fantastic, and to those that get to watch it, do enjoy!
From my own perspective, GGMU!!! And it appears that I said screw it, and decided to cover both anyway.
Sports
Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Mike Holmgren's Cleveland Browns
There were always 3 things that I was pretty confident in while following the NFL. 1. The Oakland Raiders weren't going to make the playoffs. 2. The Detroit Lions weren't going to make the playoffs. 3. The Cleveland Browns weren't going to make the playoffs. For most of the last ten years, this was a pretty sure bet. Detroit finally got in this century last season, Oakland hasn't sniffed a game since the Tampa Bay super bowl loss and Cleveland... well...
Mike Holmgren was hired to be President of the Cleveland Browns in December of 2009. He was given full authority to hire whom he wanted for all football related positions and it was expected that within 2-3 years that this team would be competing for AFC North Championships. He won a title in Green Bay, got Seattle to a Super Bowl, and the thinking was it was just a matter of time before Cleveland was doing the same thing.
It hasn't worked out that way. The Detroit Lions under Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz finally got into the playoffs for the first time during the 2011 season. They look to be setup to compete for the next couple of seasons. The Oakland Raiders are still the same organization they have been for the last ten years, but with the addition of Carson Palmer, they might be able to overcome their inadequacies and compete in what might be the weakest division in football (Is Peyton really old Peyton?). Cleveland has not even come close since the arrival of Mike Holmgren. Some may even say that they were a better club under Eric Mangini and Romeo Crennel. Romeo did win 10 games in 2007; they just missed the playoffs due to a tiebreaker.
I have gotten in touch with a couple of Cleveland fans to see if they believe that their organization is on the right track since the hiring of Mike Holmgren. Two of the three believe that the upcoming season will be the year that determines Holmgren's fate. The other Browns fan thinks that his organization is cursed, since renaming the team after the old team that is now the current Baltimore Ravens. Very amusing, and perhaps partly true. The first Browns fan that I spoke with thinks that Holmgren has hit on his last two first round picks, and if he can do so again this year, that they might slowly start heading upward. He believes that the team should draft Morris Claiborne; his belief is that the division is heading toward successful passing attacks and its a major priority. Joe Haden is already a star, and potentially having two shut-down cornerbacks would be important. The second believes that they should trade similar to last year, and move down to accumulate more picks. Phil Taylor wasn't a bad selection, but like I told him, they really could have used Julio Jones. Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon are available; it almost makes sense to select one of those players instead. The other Cleveland Browns fan believes they need to trade down and draft quantity over quality. He cited the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers as examples, and over the years those two teams have drafted well when moving down. He thinks that they could bring in 2 first round picks for the #4 spot, plus maybe a 3rd or 4th as well.
My own personal thoughts about the Cleveland Browns are this: they can't miss on the quarterback position. Part of the reason for Mike Holmgren's success was because he had Brett Favre in Green Bay, and Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle. He has yet to have that type of talent in Cleveland. Jake Delhomme was a complete bust of a signing, Seneca Wallace is barely serviceable, and Colt McCoy is just your average NFL starter. He's not horrible, and could be decent with better weapons, but so could half of the league's quarterbacks. There was a rumor that Hasselbeck would be a Browns player if Peyton had gone to Tennessee, but that was finished once Peyton chose Denver. This could've been the year to make a significant move; Mike sat on the 4th and 22nd picks in the first round instead of moving up 2 places to potentially draft Robert Griffin or Andrew Luck. If this team is to begin a trend upward over the next couple of seasons, either this year or next is the time to move. I believe that Colt McCoy is better than every available quarterback baring those top two. They can wait. The talent is still dismal on offense, but I agree that Morris Claiborne might be the right man to draft. His wonderlic score was terrible, but if he can pick-6 a few, it won't matter. Potentially trade the 22nd pick this year, to get some team's first round selection next year. Wait and see. I think that Matt Barkley ranks just under the talents of Andrew Luck and RG3, and could be the next Favre type for Holmgren to work with. They might just be bad enough next season to get him.
The Cleveland Browns certainly have a lot of work to do. They play in a division with two teams that don't lose for very long. They just found out that their state rival drafted a franchise QB and should be competitive for the next 5-6 seasons. Cleveland has had a couple of bright spots (Haden, Adams, J.Thomas). But two defensive backs and an offensive tackle have never been good enough to get to a Super Bowl in the past, and I don't believe things will change anytime soon.
Note: Check out these stats. Any true NFL buff can tell you that Joe Thomas is seriously legit.
Mike Holmgren was hired to be President of the Cleveland Browns in December of 2009. He was given full authority to hire whom he wanted for all football related positions and it was expected that within 2-3 years that this team would be competing for AFC North Championships. He won a title in Green Bay, got Seattle to a Super Bowl, and the thinking was it was just a matter of time before Cleveland was doing the same thing.
It hasn't worked out that way. The Detroit Lions under Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz finally got into the playoffs for the first time during the 2011 season. They look to be setup to compete for the next couple of seasons. The Oakland Raiders are still the same organization they have been for the last ten years, but with the addition of Carson Palmer, they might be able to overcome their inadequacies and compete in what might be the weakest division in football (Is Peyton really old Peyton?). Cleveland has not even come close since the arrival of Mike Holmgren. Some may even say that they were a better club under Eric Mangini and Romeo Crennel. Romeo did win 10 games in 2007; they just missed the playoffs due to a tiebreaker.
I have gotten in touch with a couple of Cleveland fans to see if they believe that their organization is on the right track since the hiring of Mike Holmgren. Two of the three believe that the upcoming season will be the year that determines Holmgren's fate. The other Browns fan thinks that his organization is cursed, since renaming the team after the old team that is now the current Baltimore Ravens. Very amusing, and perhaps partly true. The first Browns fan that I spoke with thinks that Holmgren has hit on his last two first round picks, and if he can do so again this year, that they might slowly start heading upward. He believes that the team should draft Morris Claiborne; his belief is that the division is heading toward successful passing attacks and its a major priority. Joe Haden is already a star, and potentially having two shut-down cornerbacks would be important. The second believes that they should trade similar to last year, and move down to accumulate more picks. Phil Taylor wasn't a bad selection, but like I told him, they really could have used Julio Jones. Trent Richardson and Justin Blackmon are available; it almost makes sense to select one of those players instead. The other Cleveland Browns fan believes they need to trade down and draft quantity over quality. He cited the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers as examples, and over the years those two teams have drafted well when moving down. He thinks that they could bring in 2 first round picks for the #4 spot, plus maybe a 3rd or 4th as well.
My own personal thoughts about the Cleveland Browns are this: they can't miss on the quarterback position. Part of the reason for Mike Holmgren's success was because he had Brett Favre in Green Bay, and Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle. He has yet to have that type of talent in Cleveland. Jake Delhomme was a complete bust of a signing, Seneca Wallace is barely serviceable, and Colt McCoy is just your average NFL starter. He's not horrible, and could be decent with better weapons, but so could half of the league's quarterbacks. There was a rumor that Hasselbeck would be a Browns player if Peyton had gone to Tennessee, but that was finished once Peyton chose Denver. This could've been the year to make a significant move; Mike sat on the 4th and 22nd picks in the first round instead of moving up 2 places to potentially draft Robert Griffin or Andrew Luck. If this team is to begin a trend upward over the next couple of seasons, either this year or next is the time to move. I believe that Colt McCoy is better than every available quarterback baring those top two. They can wait. The talent is still dismal on offense, but I agree that Morris Claiborne might be the right man to draft. His wonderlic score was terrible, but if he can pick-6 a few, it won't matter. Potentially trade the 22nd pick this year, to get some team's first round selection next year. Wait and see. I think that Matt Barkley ranks just under the talents of Andrew Luck and RG3, and could be the next Favre type for Holmgren to work with. They might just be bad enough next season to get him.
The Cleveland Browns certainly have a lot of work to do. They play in a division with two teams that don't lose for very long. They just found out that their state rival drafted a franchise QB and should be competitive for the next 5-6 seasons. Cleveland has had a couple of bright spots (Haden, Adams, J.Thomas). But two defensive backs and an offensive tackle have never been good enough to get to a Super Bowl in the past, and I don't believe things will change anytime soon.
Note: Check out these stats. Any true NFL buff can tell you that Joe Thomas is seriously legit.
NFL career statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Starts | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penalty | Yards Lost | False Start | Holding | Sack Allowed | Yards Lost | ||||
| 2007 | CLE | 16 | 16 | 7 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 4.25 | 23.25 |
| 2008 | CLE | 16 | 16 | 6 | 35 | 4 | 1 | 4.50 | 22.50 |
| 2009 | CLE | 16 | 16 | 6 | 40 | 4 | 2 | 6.00 | 40.00 |
| 2010 | CLE | 16 | 16 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 4.00 | 19.00 |
| 2011 | CLE | 16 | 16 | 7 | 40 | 6 | 1 | 3.50 | 25.50 |
| Career | 80 | 80 | 28 | 170 | 20 | 6 | 22.25 | 130.25 | |
Sunday, April 8, 2012
No Lob Required
This Blake Griffen dunk over the intimidating defensive force that is Kendrick Perkins got a little too much credit.
Just as Dwight Howard's "Superman" dunk in the Dunk Contest minimal rim contact was achieved. Not to belittle the athletic ability in anyway, but "C'MON MAN"! A dunk is Vince Carter putting his for-arm in the bucket and hanging from his inner elbow.
Blake, you have outdone yourself now
Putting your arch rival's power forward on two posters in one night?
Blake gets tons of hype from the NBA for being a freak.
On the put-back, Pau is in vulnerable soft rebounding position.
The second dunk, Pau took on the bull. He got THE BLAKE!
Even Bynum knew his low post partner was 'posterized'.
Look Right-->
Here she comes...
Hello all,
As ‘AllSportsAlways’ most advocate follower you may already know me but seeing as I am one of few who does often discuss you are likely not familiar. Thanks to all who have been reading, keep reading, and look forward to seeing more of me. This is going to be fun.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Luke Moran, using, but never hiding behind the alias MagicHateBall (MHB). I am an indiscriminately relentless misunderstood ‘Hater’. Do not let any labels fool you, as my passion for sports is second to none. I mean what I say. My circle of love is predictably exclusive. Let me put this into perspective...
Loves:
1. Timberwolves
2. Vikings
3. Twins
4. Fantasy Football
Hates:
1. Philip Rivers
2. Francisco Liriano
3. Everything Wisconsin
4. Kansas City Royals
5. Laura Linny
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Gary Anderson
8. Lebron James
I could keep going, but if you do not comprehend the idea close the tab now. I need to contribute my personal blazing spice regarding activities I deem appropriate to classify as sports, i.e WNBA, PGA, Fencing - not sports. Keep your eyes peeled and your Depends near, content soon may come tagged with a Parental Advisory sticker.
The Path to becoming a Richeous Fan
I had this sitting in MyDocuments from not too long ago. I think only my room-ate has read it. Enjoi!
Fan, derived from the English term Fancy, was used by the British to express ones proffered boxer, according to William Henry Nugent. The Latin word fanaticus meaning ‘insanely but divinely inspired’ developed into fanatic describing ‘excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion’. In England, fans of beloved soccer clubs are known as supporters. Showing loyalty towards a team in America is being a fan. The camaraderie and unity formed by a group of individuals regardless of the term is almost unmatched. Whether parents brought together funding their children’s Little League Baseball squad, a town cheering on their students in the High School State Championship or selling out a stadium beyond capacity to gain an edge in Game Seven of the World Series, fans are brought together to help aid achieving the goal of winning. Fans are what make the sporting world clock turn, how does a person transform into a loyal supporter of a specific franchise or club?
There are multiple influences that determine the destination of a fans support. The birthplace and location of upbringing is the biggest factor in deciding whom a fan will designate their allegiance toward. If a fan is born and raised in Minnesota, the Minnesota Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, and Wild are the most probable to influence the fan. Local media, stretching from the News Papers, Magazines, Radio Broadcasting Stations and Television Networks are obligated to cover and report the happenings of local sports teams to the highest degree of detail and accuracy. Family and instrumental figures including teachers and friends may also affect direction of a fans support. A young couple moves to Phoenix from Detroit and has a child. There is pressure to support the Tigers, Lions, Red Wings and Pistons living in the household. Despite influence at home, the public and the local media all focus on the D-Backs (Diamondbacks), Cardinals, Coyotes and Suns. A fan is born to a couple that did not plan on having the child. Mom lives in Chicago and Dad lives in New York. The fan gains his education while living with Mom in Chicago while spending holidays and summer vacations visiting Dad. The amount of teams and media coverage the fan has exposure too is remarkable. The Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, Whitesox, and Bears are Chicago’s darlings. While in New York, the Knicks, Mets, Yankees, Islanders, Rangers, Giants, Jets, and Bills are the primary focus of American sports media. There is no pure formula to determine how someone becomes a fan of whom. For every fan, there are variables and factors determining the outcome of a supporter’s arrival in the rigorous world of sports.
The long unpredictable route to fanmanship eventually will settle. Every fan knows that the fate of either winning or losing cannot be controlled. Being a fan is riding a roller-coaster that goes up, down, loops around, twists, turns, takes a personal possesion, and occasionally removes dignity. Not all fans chose to endure the stress and emotional toll that comes with the territory. Minnesota has not hoisted a championship banner since the Twins defeated the Atlanta Braves in the 1991 World Series (disregarding the Lynx, 2011 WNBA Champions). Suffering defeats in three NFC Championship games, one NBA Western Conference Finals, six ALDS (American League Divisional Series) early exits and one ALCS (American League Championship Series) defeat. Minnesota teams have only letdown supporters not old enough to remember 1991. The heartbreak of defeat and consecutive undesirable results drain fans emotionally. Heartbroken supporters who have lost faith in clubs ability to achieve the ultimate goal are likely to show less support. Teams betray fans. The Seattle Super Sonics picked up and left Seattle for Oklahoma City. The Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee and became the Titans. The Cleveland Browns became the Baltimore Ravens. The Browns were eventually born again, retaining the name and all previous records and statistics. Consecutive streaks of failure along with a team betraying supporters will decrease loyalty and pride among fans. A Righteous Fan will never stop supporting. It is most important for a Club or Franchise to give back those who exhaust effort, time, conversation, pride, and money to a roller-coaster that is ridden through all the up’s, down’s, twist’s, turn’s and dark tunnels never anticipated.
There will never be a true equation, formula or method to show how support for specific; Clubs, Franchises, Squads, Lineups, Offenses, Defences, Special Teams, Players, Coaches, and Traditions is acquired.
I LOVE SPORTS!
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