Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose hasn't played since the first game of the Eastern Conference playoffs last year due to a torn ACL on his left knee. The team has done fine without Rose this season but if they want to go far into the postseason they will need their star point guard back. However, in order to get to the finals, they will need a lot more than Derrick Rose.
Rose, meanwhile, has said he doesn't mind missing the entire season to rehab the ACL injury. He told USA Today Sports on Monday that he is still far away from coming back and won't return until he is "110 percent" (whatever that means). On Wednesday he said that though he would like to come back, he's fine with missing the entire season.
If you like the Bulls, it's sad to hear that Rose doesn't seem to be in any rush to get back on the court. Not that your team is going to the Finals with him but it would be nice to see something exciting to watch in Chicago besides fine defensive play. If you are Derrick Rose, you need to make sure that your knee is going to get healed up. Despite the fact that Adrian Peterson seemed to heal faster from the same injury, you still need to go at your own pace and make sure you are not putting your career at jeopardy. Plus you're not going to Finals anytime soon. (got the theme down yet?)
So will Derrick Rose make it back on the court this season? "Outlook not so good" said the 8-Ball.
P.S. That's the same response I give when asked if I'm going to watch a Warriors game.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Wrestling Gone from the Olympics (as Well as It's Spirit)
Oh no. What will John Cena do now?
The Olympics have lost some of their integrity today by taking one of it's most historic sports out of the lineup. Wrestling has been dropped from the Summer Olympic's list of 25 core sports by the IOC. Starting with the 2020 Olympic games, it will have compete for inclusion with 7 other sports. Wrestling has been around since the modern Olympic games started in 1896 and even dates back to the original games in ancient Greece.
It's truly a sad day for anyone that believes in the spirit of the Olympics. One of the bedrocks for the games has been dropped in favor of the modern pentathlon, taekwondo, and field hockey (those are Olympic sports?). Looking at other sports that are in instead of wrestling like BMX racing is a testament on how tradition means nothing to the IOC.
It's just another example of how commercialism has affected a supposed "amateur" competition. I understand that even something as revered as the Olympics needs to make money in order to survive but have we truly lost touch with the spirit of the games so much so that we are dropping original events? How lost we are.
The Olympics have lost some of their integrity today by taking one of it's most historic sports out of the lineup. Wrestling has been dropped from the Summer Olympic's list of 25 core sports by the IOC. Starting with the 2020 Olympic games, it will have compete for inclusion with 7 other sports. Wrestling has been around since the modern Olympic games started in 1896 and even dates back to the original games in ancient Greece.
It's truly a sad day for anyone that believes in the spirit of the Olympics. One of the bedrocks for the games has been dropped in favor of the modern pentathlon, taekwondo, and field hockey (those are Olympic sports?). Looking at other sports that are in instead of wrestling like BMX racing is a testament on how tradition means nothing to the IOC.
It's just another example of how commercialism has affected a supposed "amateur" competition. I understand that even something as revered as the Olympics needs to make money in order to survive but have we truly lost touch with the spirit of the games so much so that we are dropping original events? How lost we are.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Vick to Stay with Eagles Under a One-year Deal
A new coach doesn't mean new quarterback in Philly.
Michael Vick had signed a 6 year $100 million contract back in 2011. Things just went downhill from there on out for him and the Eagles. They failed to make the playoffs two years in a row and fell under .500 in 2012 going 4-12. Andy Reid got axed and outsiders assumed that Vick would be next on the chopping block. However, new Eagles coach Chip Kelly and the team seem to think that keeping him would be the best option. They then restructured Vick's contract to be a simple 1 year deal worth as much as $10 million to which Vick agreed to. For now, it's Michael Vick at the head of Kelly's experimental offense.
Seeing how unimpressive Nick Foles was combined with a lack of quarterback talent in the draft and free agency, it was probably best for the Eagles to keep Michael Vick for the time being. You never know how a new coach could affect a veteran quarterback's play (i.e. Jim Harbaugh and Alex Smith). At the very least you need someone competent at quarterback for this season while you keep your options open (i.e. Jim Harbaugh and Alex Smith).
As for Vick, it was probably best he stay as well. The Eagles seem to have a lot of talent just mixed in with the wrong mindset(s) and wrong schemes. That could change under a new coach like Kelly. Also, it's not like there are a bunch of other playoff worthy teams that Vick could start for right now. Not the Jets. Besides, I said "playoff worthy teams."
Michael Vick had signed a 6 year $100 million contract back in 2011. Things just went downhill from there on out for him and the Eagles. They failed to make the playoffs two years in a row and fell under .500 in 2012 going 4-12. Andy Reid got axed and outsiders assumed that Vick would be next on the chopping block. However, new Eagles coach Chip Kelly and the team seem to think that keeping him would be the best option. They then restructured Vick's contract to be a simple 1 year deal worth as much as $10 million to which Vick agreed to. For now, it's Michael Vick at the head of Kelly's experimental offense.
Seeing how unimpressive Nick Foles was combined with a lack of quarterback talent in the draft and free agency, it was probably best for the Eagles to keep Michael Vick for the time being. You never know how a new coach could affect a veteran quarterback's play (i.e. Jim Harbaugh and Alex Smith). At the very least you need someone competent at quarterback for this season while you keep your options open (i.e. Jim Harbaugh and Alex Smith).
As for Vick, it was probably best he stay as well. The Eagles seem to have a lot of talent just mixed in with the wrong mindset(s) and wrong schemes. That could change under a new coach like Kelly. Also, it's not like there are a bunch of other playoff worthy teams that Vick could start for right now. Not the Jets. Besides, I said "playoff worthy teams."
Thursday, February 7, 2013
A Contract Fit for King Felix
One of the biggest names in pitching is staying in the pacific northwest.
Felix Hernandez has agreed to a 7 year $175 million contract from the Seattle Mariners. He still had a couple of years left on his current deal but obviously keeping King Felix for the long term was in the best interests of the team. This is the biggest contract that any pitcher has ever gotten in history with the next highest at $161 million for CC Sabathia to the Yankees. Hernandez will make an annual average of $25 million a year and the new contract is set to begin this season.
I must applaud the move by the Mariners as to take measures in keeping one of the game best pitchers. It seems any team nowadays needs great pitching for the playoffs. The overall issue, however, is still offense for the team. Now getting Kendrys Morales from the Angels certainly helps and they also have a low risk contract with Jason Bay but it's likely going to take a bit longer to get that lineup in order and a playoff team assembled.
Felix Hernandez has agreed to a 7 year $175 million contract from the Seattle Mariners. He still had a couple of years left on his current deal but obviously keeping King Felix for the long term was in the best interests of the team. This is the biggest contract that any pitcher has ever gotten in history with the next highest at $161 million for CC Sabathia to the Yankees. Hernandez will make an annual average of $25 million a year and the new contract is set to begin this season.
I must applaud the move by the Mariners as to take measures in keeping one of the game best pitchers. It seems any team nowadays needs great pitching for the playoffs. The overall issue, however, is still offense for the team. Now getting Kendrys Morales from the Angels certainly helps and they also have a low risk contract with Jason Bay but it's likely going to take a bit longer to get that lineup in order and a playoff team assembled.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Why 2013 Will Also be a Lost Cause for the 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a great team that just fell short by a few yards of achieving their goal of winning a Super Bowl. As good as they were in 2012, they will not even get back to the Super Bowl in 2013. Here's why:
1. No losing team in the big game has gotten back to the Super Bowl since the Buffalo Bills of the early 1990's (last appearance 1994). Forget the fact that the Pats are the last Super Bowl winners to return the next season. History is not on San Francisco's side.
2. Frank Gore will be 30 years old next season. While the team will likely be moving towards an offensive system that will be more beneficial for Colin Kaepernick, they will still be reliant on a running game and their star back isn't getting any younger. More carries might be given to Kendall Hunter and/or LaMichael James which means instability in the backfield.
3. Front line was very fortunate this season. There might've had minor hits and bruises but nothing serious affected the offensive front line which was very fortunate for the 49ers in 2012. Their luck up front, however, might run out next year.
4. Can Colin Kaepernick manage to stay healthy an entire season? He doesn't seem to run it as much as Robert Griffin III or Michael Vick but the verdict so far on running quarterbacks is that they cannot last an entire season without being out for some time. Making sure that Colin is healthy for the 2nd half of the year and possibly the postseason is another reason why a solid running game (reason #2) is important along with trying to create a more friendly quarterback playbook for Colin.
5. A tough NFC West to fight through now. Seattle proved to be a very tough team in 2012, so much so that they were labeled as a Super Bowl contender. Mix this in with the fact that the Rams looked solid with Jeff Fisher as their coach and the Cardinals are looking to reboot somehow with their new coach Bruce Arians makes it no guarantee that the 49ers even make the postseason in 2013.
As pessimistic as I do seem to be about the 49ers chances next season, they can still be considered contenders. The team overall is still solid, they are now strong at the quarterback position, and they have Alex Smith as a marketable commodity.
If there is one thing that San Francisco needs to improve the most during the off season it's their secondary. Pass defense is something that needs attention which seems weird to say considering they were fourth in the league in pass defense. However, their defensive line was a big reason for that coupled with the fact they made team's one dimensional with their run defense. Getting some better (and less homophobic) defensive backs will make that team a true nightmare to move the ball on.
Despite how good the team looks now and the moves they will make during the off season, there is no way I am picking them to win the Super Bowl next year. I don't have a guess for 2013 yet, it's way too soon to do that. But I can say it won't be my beloved 49ers.
1. No losing team in the big game has gotten back to the Super Bowl since the Buffalo Bills of the early 1990's (last appearance 1994). Forget the fact that the Pats are the last Super Bowl winners to return the next season. History is not on San Francisco's side.
2. Frank Gore will be 30 years old next season. While the team will likely be moving towards an offensive system that will be more beneficial for Colin Kaepernick, they will still be reliant on a running game and their star back isn't getting any younger. More carries might be given to Kendall Hunter and/or LaMichael James which means instability in the backfield.
3. Front line was very fortunate this season. There might've had minor hits and bruises but nothing serious affected the offensive front line which was very fortunate for the 49ers in 2012. Their luck up front, however, might run out next year.
4. Can Colin Kaepernick manage to stay healthy an entire season? He doesn't seem to run it as much as Robert Griffin III or Michael Vick but the verdict so far on running quarterbacks is that they cannot last an entire season without being out for some time. Making sure that Colin is healthy for the 2nd half of the year and possibly the postseason is another reason why a solid running game (reason #2) is important along with trying to create a more friendly quarterback playbook for Colin.
5. A tough NFC West to fight through now. Seattle proved to be a very tough team in 2012, so much so that they were labeled as a Super Bowl contender. Mix this in with the fact that the Rams looked solid with Jeff Fisher as their coach and the Cardinals are looking to reboot somehow with their new coach Bruce Arians makes it no guarantee that the 49ers even make the postseason in 2013.
As pessimistic as I do seem to be about the 49ers chances next season, they can still be considered contenders. The team overall is still solid, they are now strong at the quarterback position, and they have Alex Smith as a marketable commodity.
If there is one thing that San Francisco needs to improve the most during the off season it's their secondary. Pass defense is something that needs attention which seems weird to say considering they were fourth in the league in pass defense. However, their defensive line was a big reason for that coupled with the fact they made team's one dimensional with their run defense. Getting some better (and less homophobic) defensive backs will make that team a true nightmare to move the ball on.
Despite how good the team looks now and the moves they will make during the off season, there is no way I am picking them to win the Super Bowl next year. I don't have a guess for 2013 yet, it's way too soon to do that. But I can say it won't be my beloved 49ers.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Baltimore Holds On for Super Bowl Win 34-31
So close and yet so far.
The Baltimore Ravens managed to hold off the surging San Francisco 49ers by a final of 34-31. Colin Kaepernick lead the 49ers down field for one last shot in the end zone with under two minutes remaining and failed to convert a 4th goal pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the back corner of the end zone.
“I think that last drive when we got the ball and had time to go down and score a touchdown, we thought it was our game,” Kaepernick said afterwards.
The Ravens then killed all but 4 seconds of the clock with the subsequent drive ending in a safety in which punter Sam Koch ran it out of the end zone. The following punt ended with Ted Ginn Jr. getting tackled as time expired leaving the Ravens as the victor.
“Our guys battled back to get back in,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I thought we battled right to the brink of winning.”
Ray Lewis ends his 17 year career with a 2nd Super Bowl ring, other being earned in early 2001. This career ending sendoff came in a season where he had to come back from from a triceps injury sustained in October not making his return until the beginning of the postseason when the Ravens played the visiting Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round.
“It’s no greater way, as a champ, to go out on your last ride with the men that I went out with, with my teammates,” Lewis said. “And you looked around this stadium and Baltimore! Baltimore! We coming home, baby! We did it!”
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh now has a 2-0 coaching record against his younger brother Jim Harbaugh. The first meeting between the two brother occurred on Thanksgiving day 2011.
“How could it be any other way? It’s never pretty. It’s never perfect. But it’s us,” John said afterwards. “It was us today.”
On the flip side, this is San Francisco’s first loss in the Super Bowl making them 5-1 in the big game.
“I really wanted it for us,” 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis said. “I wanted to bring it back to the Bay… We came up short. We were there and we came up short.”
The 49ers were down by as many as 22 points early in the 3rd quarter. Momentum seemed to turn around after a power outage in the 3rd quarter. The outage lasted over a half hour. San Francisco then managed to score 17 consecutive points to finish the quarter.
In part because of the power outage, it was the longest Super Bowl in history timed at 4 hours, 14 minutes.
Baltimore managed to recover a bit in the 4th quarter scoring two field goals by Justin Tucker. Tucker tried a fake field goal run earlier in the game that failed to convert a first down near the 49ers end zone.
Kaepernick scored a 15 yard touchdown run in between those Tucker field goals but a poor pass to Randy Moss failed to convert a two point conversion that would’ve tied the game at 31-31. Kaepernick finished the game with 62 rushing yards. Through the air, Colin went 16/28 for 302 passing yards, a 31 touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree, and an interception thrown to Ed Reed in the 2nd quarter. It was the first interception ever thrown by a San Francisco quarterback in the Super Bowl.
As for Crabtree, he finished the game with 5 catches for 109 receiving and the one touchdown. Vernon Davis finished the game just 5 yards shy of him with 104 receiving yards in 6 catches.
The star of the night was Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco who shined predominantly in the first half of the game. Flacco went 22/33 for 287 passing yards and three touchdown passes, all of which came in the first half. Flacco finishes the postseason with 11 touchdown passes, no interceptions thrown, and as Super Bowl MVP.
“People should shut up about Joe,” said Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin. “I’m so sick of people saying Joe’s not an elite quarterback. For all the critics who say he’s not, ask them how many rings they have.”
Anquan Boldin also had a fine game with 6 catches for 104 yards and one touchdown off a 13 yard pass from Joe Flacco in the first quarter. It was the first score of the game for either team and it came on Baltimore first possession.
Another star for the Ravens was Jacoby Jones who made one of those Flacco touchdown catches on a 56 yard catch in which he fell down and got back up to get into the end zone. Jones out did that, however, on a 108 yard kick off return for a touchdown to start the 2nd half. It was the Ravens only touchdown of the half and it proved to be a difference maker.
The 49ers ground game was fine but it could’ve gone better. Frank Gore ran for 110 yards on 19 carries and a six yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The 49ers, however, may have missed Kendall Hunter in this one. 2nd back and rookie LaMichael James fumbled the ball early in the 2nd quarter which was recovered by Baltimore defensive end Arthur Jones. The subsequent Ravens' drive lead to a one yard touchdown pass to Dennis Pitta to them up by 11.
As for Baltimore’s ground game, they were not efficient against San Francisco’s defense getting only 93 yards on 35 carries. Ray Rice carried the ball 20 times for just 59 yards. Rice, however, had a fumble in the 3rd quarter which resulted in a 34 yard David Akers’ field goal.
Akers would make two other field goals in the first half of play. One in the first quarter from 36 yards out and the other to end the first half from 27 yards out. Akers accounted for all of San Francisco’s 6 first half points while Baltimore was on top by 15.
In overall numbers, San Francisco had 468 total offensive yards while Baltimore had 367. The Ravens had the ball a bit longer controlling it for just over 32 minutes of the game. The 49ers also had six red zone attempts only converting twice for touchdowns.
Inexperience showed for San Francisco against the veteran squad of Baltimore. With the team around them, however, there is always next year.
“We will use this as fuel,” 49ers safety Donte Whitner said. “It’s tough getting shoved off the field, watching the other team celebrate. We’ll be better from this. We’ll be back.”
The Baltimore Ravens managed to hold off the surging San Francisco 49ers by a final of 34-31. Colin Kaepernick lead the 49ers down field for one last shot in the end zone with under two minutes remaining and failed to convert a 4th goal pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the back corner of the end zone.
“I think that last drive when we got the ball and had time to go down and score a touchdown, we thought it was our game,” Kaepernick said afterwards.
The Ravens then killed all but 4 seconds of the clock with the subsequent drive ending in a safety in which punter Sam Koch ran it out of the end zone. The following punt ended with Ted Ginn Jr. getting tackled as time expired leaving the Ravens as the victor.
“Our guys battled back to get back in,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I thought we battled right to the brink of winning.”
Ray Lewis ends his 17 year career with a 2nd Super Bowl ring, other being earned in early 2001. This career ending sendoff came in a season where he had to come back from from a triceps injury sustained in October not making his return until the beginning of the postseason when the Ravens played the visiting Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round.
“It’s no greater way, as a champ, to go out on your last ride with the men that I went out with, with my teammates,” Lewis said. “And you looked around this stadium and Baltimore! Baltimore! We coming home, baby! We did it!”
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh now has a 2-0 coaching record against his younger brother Jim Harbaugh. The first meeting between the two brother occurred on Thanksgiving day 2011.
“How could it be any other way? It’s never pretty. It’s never perfect. But it’s us,” John said afterwards. “It was us today.”
On the flip side, this is San Francisco’s first loss in the Super Bowl making them 5-1 in the big game.
“I really wanted it for us,” 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis said. “I wanted to bring it back to the Bay… We came up short. We were there and we came up short.”
The 49ers were down by as many as 22 points early in the 3rd quarter. Momentum seemed to turn around after a power outage in the 3rd quarter. The outage lasted over a half hour. San Francisco then managed to score 17 consecutive points to finish the quarter.
In part because of the power outage, it was the longest Super Bowl in history timed at 4 hours, 14 minutes.
Baltimore managed to recover a bit in the 4th quarter scoring two field goals by Justin Tucker. Tucker tried a fake field goal run earlier in the game that failed to convert a first down near the 49ers end zone.
Kaepernick scored a 15 yard touchdown run in between those Tucker field goals but a poor pass to Randy Moss failed to convert a two point conversion that would’ve tied the game at 31-31. Kaepernick finished the game with 62 rushing yards. Through the air, Colin went 16/28 for 302 passing yards, a 31 touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree, and an interception thrown to Ed Reed in the 2nd quarter. It was the first interception ever thrown by a San Francisco quarterback in the Super Bowl.
As for Crabtree, he finished the game with 5 catches for 109 receiving and the one touchdown. Vernon Davis finished the game just 5 yards shy of him with 104 receiving yards in 6 catches.
The star of the night was Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco who shined predominantly in the first half of the game. Flacco went 22/33 for 287 passing yards and three touchdown passes, all of which came in the first half. Flacco finishes the postseason with 11 touchdown passes, no interceptions thrown, and as Super Bowl MVP.
“People should shut up about Joe,” said Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin. “I’m so sick of people saying Joe’s not an elite quarterback. For all the critics who say he’s not, ask them how many rings they have.”
Anquan Boldin also had a fine game with 6 catches for 104 yards and one touchdown off a 13 yard pass from Joe Flacco in the first quarter. It was the first score of the game for either team and it came on Baltimore first possession.
Another star for the Ravens was Jacoby Jones who made one of those Flacco touchdown catches on a 56 yard catch in which he fell down and got back up to get into the end zone. Jones out did that, however, on a 108 yard kick off return for a touchdown to start the 2nd half. It was the Ravens only touchdown of the half and it proved to be a difference maker.
The 49ers ground game was fine but it could’ve gone better. Frank Gore ran for 110 yards on 19 carries and a six yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The 49ers, however, may have missed Kendall Hunter in this one. 2nd back and rookie LaMichael James fumbled the ball early in the 2nd quarter which was recovered by Baltimore defensive end Arthur Jones. The subsequent Ravens' drive lead to a one yard touchdown pass to Dennis Pitta to them up by 11.
As for Baltimore’s ground game, they were not efficient against San Francisco’s defense getting only 93 yards on 35 carries. Ray Rice carried the ball 20 times for just 59 yards. Rice, however, had a fumble in the 3rd quarter which resulted in a 34 yard David Akers’ field goal.
Akers would make two other field goals in the first half of play. One in the first quarter from 36 yards out and the other to end the first half from 27 yards out. Akers accounted for all of San Francisco’s 6 first half points while Baltimore was on top by 15.
In overall numbers, San Francisco had 468 total offensive yards while Baltimore had 367. The Ravens had the ball a bit longer controlling it for just over 32 minutes of the game. The 49ers also had six red zone attempts only converting twice for touchdowns.
Inexperience showed for San Francisco against the veteran squad of Baltimore. With the team around them, however, there is always next year.
“We will use this as fuel,” 49ers safety Donte Whitner said. “It’s tough getting shoved off the field, watching the other team celebrate. We’ll be better from this. We’ll be back.”
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Adrian Peterson Wins NFL MVP
A year ago, Adrian Peterson sustained an injury that could've been a career changer. This year, he is the MVP winning 30 1/2 and the possible MVP votes with the others going to Peyton Manning. Peterson ran for 2097 yards this last season falling short of breaking Eric Dickerson's record by 9 yards. Peterson was instrumental in getting the Vikings (10-6) into the playoffs. Though they would be eliminated, he still proved to be the league's most valuable player with his rushing performances all season long.
To those who think that quarterbacks are the only ones that win the NFL MVP award anymore, you just got run on AD. Peterson award victory has proven how essential a running game in the NFL still is, even in today's "pass happy" league. Perhaps the running game is going to make a comeback in the NFL with Adrian Peterson leading the charge.
To those who think that quarterbacks are the only ones that win the NFL MVP award anymore, you just got run on AD. Peterson award victory has proven how essential a running game in the NFL still is, even in today's "pass happy" league. Perhaps the running game is going to make a comeback in the NFL with Adrian Peterson leading the charge.
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