As it stands right now, Cowboys corner Mike Jenkins will likely be either the third or fourth cornerback on the depth chart. The team signed Brandon Carr to a deal paying him over $10 million a year and they just drafted LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. They also have Orlando Scandrick, who typically plays in the nickel.
As a former Pro Bowl corner and 1st round pick, it would be hard for Jenkins to swallow being the fourth corner on a team. Last year, the Cowboys took a lot of flack with much of the team's failures being placed on the secondary. The Cowboys responded by releasing Terrence Newman, signing Brandon Carr, and drafting Morris Claiborne. All of a sudden, they have a decent secondary. Unfortunately, someone may still have to go. That would probably be Jenkins.
He comes at a relative bargain, making just over $1 million this season. So it wouldn't be out of the question to keep him. Especially, with some of the production he posted in the past. The question is more whether he wants to stay.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Billionaire Abramovich's Investment in Chelsea
After winning the Premier League, the debate about Chelsea still rolls on. Was billionaire Roman Abramovich's huge investment in Chelsea worth it? Didier Drogba's penalty kick to win the Premier League for Chelsea represents a dramatic turnaround for a club that was sinking in growing losses of revenue.
His money wasn't just for show though. He was able to bring on top players like goalkeeper Petr Cech, strikers Didier Drogba, and Fernando Torres to help transform the spiraling club. In the end, it led to an astonishing win for Chelsea. The profit may only start rolling in for Abramovich years down the road due to the club's recent economic woes and his big investment, so the debate will likely roll on. Chelsea's success can't hurt though.
Future Looks Good for the Nationals
The Washington Nationals have a lot going for them these days. They're a young ball club with a ton of talent grown through their farm system. Having the first overall pick two years in a row helped secure two franchise players in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper.
This year they should be in contention for the NL East title and some experts even project them to go deep into the playoffs. Keep in mind, this is with their All-Star 3B Ryan Zimmerman having an average year, hitting .248, and losing their top two catchers by the middle of May.
Two or three years down the road, it won't be difficult to see this team competing for titles. After years of mediocrity, the talent has finally come together.
This year they should be in contention for the NL East title and some experts even project them to go deep into the playoffs. Keep in mind, this is with their All-Star 3B Ryan Zimmerman having an average year, hitting .248, and losing their top two catchers by the middle of May.
Two or three years down the road, it won't be difficult to see this team competing for titles. After years of mediocrity, the talent has finally come together.
Kellen Winslow Traded to the Seahawks
In a move that apparently Kellen Winslow was expecting, he was traded from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for an undisclosed 2013 draft pick. In response, free agent tight end Dallas Clark was signed by the Bucs to a one-year deal.
He was one of the more underrated tight ends last year. Nobody talked about him, yet he caught 75 passes for 763 yards and 2 touchdowns. He's a tight end who can stretch the field and be a great complement to the quarterback. In addition to John Carlson, the Seahawks now have two talented tight ends. With the quarterback position uncertain, whoever starts will have two big weapons in the middle now.
Pending the outcome of what the draft pick was, this could turn out to be a steal for the Seahawks.
He was one of the more underrated tight ends last year. Nobody talked about him, yet he caught 75 passes for 763 yards and 2 touchdowns. He's a tight end who can stretch the field and be a great complement to the quarterback. In addition to John Carlson, the Seahawks now have two talented tight ends. With the quarterback position uncertain, whoever starts will have two big weapons in the middle now.
Pending the outcome of what the draft pick was, this could turn out to be a steal for the Seahawks.
Nadal Takes Italian Open Title
Rafael Nadal won his record 6th Italian Open title defeating Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-3 for the win. He showed us that he's still the master on clay. Nadal couldn't have played this tournament any better. He didn't drop a set and looked to be in total control.
More importantly he gave himself some good momentum for the French Open. Even if his opponents take a set off him, his ability is just too much in a best-of-five set match. Unless he implodes, it's hard to see Djokovic or Federer taking the French Open from him.
More importantly he gave himself some good momentum for the French Open. Even if his opponents take a set off him, his ability is just too much in a best-of-five set match. Unless he implodes, it's hard to see Djokovic or Federer taking the French Open from him.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Should Wes Welker get a new contract
It's hard to replace 122 receptions, but Wes Welker is in a unique situation. He just signed the designated franchise tag for $9.5 million. That should suffice for one season. But the problem is question is the long-term. He wants a new contract, but the Patriots seem to be shying away.
While Welker was an integral part of their offense, they've got many weapons who could replace his production. For starters, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are two of the best tight ends in the NFL. They present mismatch problems every week for opposing teams. Between Brandon Lloyd, Deion Branch, and Jabar Gaffney, the receptions can be spread around plenty. Anyway, Tom Brady has thrived before without having a bonafide wide receiver.
The problem is that Wes Welker is 31. He's not worth shelling out top 5 receiver money to because he's more a product of the system. This guy isn't Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, or Larry Fitzgerald. He's a smaller slot receiver who specializes at working the middle. The Patriots have tight ends who can do that already.
I would give Welker an extension, but if he's asking for big money, I don't believe the Patriots will offer. They would still be in a good position even if he left.
Skip Bayless is Pure Entertainment
ESPN has found the winning formula for their show First Take by pitting Stephen A. Smith against Skip Bayless. I couldn't believe what I was hearing when Bayless was trying to convince the First Take panel why Drew Brees may not deserve to be the highest paid QB. He mentioned the Rams loss and 49ers playoff loss (in which Brees put up 32 points). ESPN's Cris Carter shot him down with what everyone was thinking, "And how many games did he win?"
But even more entertaining is when Bayless starts to talk about Tebow. Bayless never has an answer to why Tebow completed 46% of his passes last season. He claims it was John Fox's fault because he was "holding Tebow back." Well no matter the system a QB has to accurately throw the ball.
Either way, Bayless is probably garnering ESPN some heavy ratings.
David Wright Is On Fire
Hitting .411 in the middle of May. That's amazing. It's easy to understand why he was mad when Mets manager Terry Collins pulled him out of a game recently. His OBP is .513. He's more likely to get on base than record an out. He'll eventually come back to Earth and hit in the .300's, but props to Wright for the hot start. Maybe he can lift the Mets to the playoffs for the first time in a while.
Pacers or Heat?
If the Heat lose this series, it'll be monumental. The whole idea of the "Dream Team" will cease to exist. I like the Pacers in this series. Frankly, it's easy to see why the Heat aren't dominating.
They have absolutely no inside game. Roy Hibbert and David West are dominating the post. For all the stars the Heat have, they may have one of the worst, if not the worst group of big men in the league. Combine that with the fact that they're shooting 5 of 42 from 3-point range, and you can see why Indiana is leading 2-1.
I think the loss of Bosh was devastating. Lebron James has to function as the post player, as well as the mid-range shooter without him. The real travesty is Shane Battier and Mike Miller. These guys are playing terribly. If you can't win on the inside you have to win on jump shots and right now the jump shots aren't falling for either of them.
They have absolutely no inside game. Roy Hibbert and David West are dominating the post. For all the stars the Heat have, they may have one of the worst, if not the worst group of big men in the league. Combine that with the fact that they're shooting 5 of 42 from 3-point range, and you can see why Indiana is leading 2-1.
I think the loss of Bosh was devastating. Lebron James has to function as the post player, as well as the mid-range shooter without him. The real travesty is Shane Battier and Mike Miller. These guys are playing terribly. If you can't win on the inside you have to win on jump shots and right now the jump shots aren't falling for either of them.
Jets QB Situation
Mark Sanchez has got to be scared. If he plays poorly in the first few games, he could get pulled and eventually replaced by Tim Tebow. It seems like the Jets are prepared for Tebow to lead them eventually. If there's any coach who likes Tim Tebow's style of play, it's Rex Ryan. He likes utilizing the run game and if your QB can do it, then a whole other dimension is added.
The Jets drafted Georgia Tech WR Stephen Hill. Ring any bells?? Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas, former Georgia Tech WR. Thomas is a slower version of Hill.
Here's what I think is going to happen. Within the first 8 games, Sanchez will be replaced by Tebow. So Tebow will finish out the season and a decision will be made. The Jets will either stick with Tebow as their full time QB if he plays well or shows good potential, or they'll draft another viable. Either way, I don't see Sanchez there beyond this season. Even though he got the extension, the Jets really just threw it at him to make the critics quiet down for bit.
The Jets drafted Georgia Tech WR Stephen Hill. Ring any bells?? Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas, former Georgia Tech WR. Thomas is a slower version of Hill.
Here's what I think is going to happen. Within the first 8 games, Sanchez will be replaced by Tebow. So Tebow will finish out the season and a decision will be made. The Jets will either stick with Tebow as their full time QB if he plays well or shows good potential, or they'll draft another viable. Either way, I don't see Sanchez there beyond this season. Even though he got the extension, the Jets really just threw it at him to make the critics quiet down for bit.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
2012 Men's French Open Predictions
Winner: Rafael Nadal
I'm predicting Rafael Nadal to win the French Open. He may have dropped to world #3, but he will always be on top at Roland Garros. Maybe the best clay court player ever, he has only lost once since 2005 at the French Open. Simply cannot go against Nadal here.
Federer to me poses more of a challenge than Djokovic because he's on a role right now and looking more like his old self. After winning in Madrid, he's sure to have a lot of confidence. Yet, no matter how good Federer is, he hasn't been able to crack Nadal at the French Open and I think that trend will continue.
Sleeper: Tomas Berdych
Another outside possibility is Tomas Berdych. He's been playing very well recently and has that big-hitting game to take down Nadal, similar to Robin Soderling in 2009. The chances of this happening are very slim.
Early Exit Prediction: Andy Murray
Let's face the facts. Andy Murray has not played well at all recently. He lost in the quarterfinals in Monte Carlo to Tomas Berdych and in the quarterfinals in Barcelona to Milos Raonic. Now he's lost in the 3rd round of the Italian Open to Richard Gasquet. These are all formidable opponents, but for the world #4 he must beat these guys. Both Raonic and Gasquet aren't even in the top 20. I could see an early round exit for Murray.
Surprise Player who could go deep: Juan Martin del Potro
He has the game to do it. He reached the semifinals in 2009 at the French Open and won the 2009 US Open. The question is whether he can sustain it for best out of five sets. It wouldn't surprise me if he beat a top 5 player to go to the semis or maybe even the finals.
I'm predicting Rafael Nadal to win the French Open. He may have dropped to world #3, but he will always be on top at Roland Garros. Maybe the best clay court player ever, he has only lost once since 2005 at the French Open. Simply cannot go against Nadal here.
Federer to me poses more of a challenge than Djokovic because he's on a role right now and looking more like his old self. After winning in Madrid, he's sure to have a lot of confidence. Yet, no matter how good Federer is, he hasn't been able to crack Nadal at the French Open and I think that trend will continue.
Sleeper: Tomas Berdych
Another outside possibility is Tomas Berdych. He's been playing very well recently and has that big-hitting game to take down Nadal, similar to Robin Soderling in 2009. The chances of this happening are very slim.
Early Exit Prediction: Andy Murray
Let's face the facts. Andy Murray has not played well at all recently. He lost in the quarterfinals in Monte Carlo to Tomas Berdych and in the quarterfinals in Barcelona to Milos Raonic. Now he's lost in the 3rd round of the Italian Open to Richard Gasquet. These are all formidable opponents, but for the world #4 he must beat these guys. Both Raonic and Gasquet aren't even in the top 20. I could see an early round exit for Murray.
Surprise Player who could go deep: Juan Martin del Potro
He has the game to do it. He reached the semifinals in 2009 at the French Open and won the 2009 US Open. The question is whether he can sustain it for best out of five sets. It wouldn't surprise me if he beat a top 5 player to go to the semis or maybe even the finals.
LeSean McCoy Makes Eagles Viable
While the Eagles had a disappointing season last year finishing 8-8, LeSean McCoy was fantastic. Extending him for 5 years $45 million was absolutely worth it. He provided another dynamic for Michael Vick and the Eagles' offense. Finishing 4th in the league with 1,309 yards and tops in the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns, McCoy was the best player on offense hands down. More importantly, he has produced and will continue to do so in the future.
He is a great runner, as well as a great pass catcher. He had 48 receptions for 315 yards last season, which for a running back is terrific. He only turned over the ball once last year with one fumble lost. The guy is a stud running back. He's one of the top-five backs in the league and shows no signs of slowing down. At 23 years old, this was a deal the Eagles had to get done.
If Michael Vick has another average season, the Eagles are going to have to heavily rely on McCoy again. In an age of depreciating running back value, the Eagles have to be commended for making the right decision here.
He is a great runner, as well as a great pass catcher. He had 48 receptions for 315 yards last season, which for a running back is terrific. He only turned over the ball once last year with one fumble lost. The guy is a stud running back. He's one of the top-five backs in the league and shows no signs of slowing down. At 23 years old, this was a deal the Eagles had to get done.
If Michael Vick has another average season, the Eagles are going to have to heavily rely on McCoy again. In an age of depreciating running back value, the Eagles have to be commended for making the right decision here.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Is A-Rod Becoming A Prima Donna
A-Rod's poker playing habits have landed him in hot water. He may face a suspension if found guilty of playing in a high stakes poker game. Some are calling for the suspension to be ten games or more just to send a message to him.
He was reportedly warned by Commissioner Bud Selig not to take part in these poker games, so that could weigh in the MLB's decision on a punishment. But the bigger issue here is with A-Rod himself. He's part of the Yankees long term plans and is basically impossible to trade because of his massive ten-year $275 million contract.
His personal life has been subject of much debate recently. He's had a rotating circle of girlfriends reportedly going through Kate Hudson, Madonna, and more recently Cameron Diaz.
It seems to be affecting his play on the field. He's had his worst power season in recent memory with only 13 homers and 52 RBI's.
The Yankee's have to have a chat with him and tell him to get his priorities straight. He's got to understand that what he does off the field affects the Yankees.
He was reportedly warned by Commissioner Bud Selig not to take part in these poker games, so that could weigh in the MLB's decision on a punishment. But the bigger issue here is with A-Rod himself. He's part of the Yankees long term plans and is basically impossible to trade because of his massive ten-year $275 million contract.
His personal life has been subject of much debate recently. He's had a rotating circle of girlfriends reportedly going through Kate Hudson, Madonna, and more recently Cameron Diaz.
It seems to be affecting his play on the field. He's had his worst power season in recent memory with only 13 homers and 52 RBI's.
The Yankee's have to have a chat with him and tell him to get his priorities straight. He's got to understand that what he does off the field affects the Yankees.
Merril Hoge Bashes Broncos Quarterback Tim Tebow. Ouch!
If you haven't heard it already, ESPN analyst Merril Hoge had some pretty harsh criticism for Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.
Hoge basically said Tebow had little to no chance of succeeding in the NFL as a quarterback. He points out the elongated throwing motion, his overall mechanics, but worst of all his decision making. He says Tebow in order to have a chance of succeeding would have to go through a process similar to what Aaron Rodgers went through when he sat for four years behind Brett Favre.
The film does support Merril Hoge. Tebow has bad mechanics and didn't scan the field as best as you want your quarterback to do so, but let's also point out Tebow only played in four games last year and is a second year quarterback.
I'd still say Tebow has a chance to succeed because he's an extremely hard worker and stops at no cost. He also has that uncanny ability to gain the utmost respect from his teammates because he's a natural leader. But he needs to sit behind Kyle Orton for at least one more full season, preferably two.
Tebow actually took to Twitter to respond to Merril Hoge's comments saying, "Hey Merril…… ‘ppreciate that." Classy response from the always classy Tim Tebow.
Hoge basically said Tebow had little to no chance of succeeding in the NFL as a quarterback. He points out the elongated throwing motion, his overall mechanics, but worst of all his decision making. He says Tebow in order to have a chance of succeeding would have to go through a process similar to what Aaron Rodgers went through when he sat for four years behind Brett Favre.
The film does support Merril Hoge. Tebow has bad mechanics and didn't scan the field as best as you want your quarterback to do so, but let's also point out Tebow only played in four games last year and is a second year quarterback.
I'd still say Tebow has a chance to succeed because he's an extremely hard worker and stops at no cost. He also has that uncanny ability to gain the utmost respect from his teammates because he's a natural leader. But he needs to sit behind Kyle Orton for at least one more full season, preferably two.
Tebow actually took to Twitter to respond to Merril Hoge's comments saying, "Hey Merril…… ‘ppreciate that." Classy response from the always classy Tim Tebow.
Florida State Could Be Bound for the Glory Days
Jimbo Fisher has done it again. The Florida State Seminoles were able to grab the nation's highest ranked quarterback, Jameis Winston, and add him to their Class of 2012 verbal recruits.
Florida State has really done some terrific recruiting the last few years, even snagging a couple of five-star recruits last year. Things really could be changing for the better for Florida State. Towards the end of Bobby Bowden's tenure as Florida State head coach, the program was beginning to fall apart with many players embroiled in off-field controversies.
ESPN even did a segment on academic cheating scandals occurring at Florida State, with past players saying claiming it was true. Florida State is really turning it around though.
I could see Florida State being a national title contender within the next couple years. Even though they play in the ACC and not the powerhouse SEC conference, they still have tremendous players.
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