Come on buddy, you can do it. Just a few more steps. The road is long, we know, but you've partied too hard to stop now. Left foot, right foot. Keep on shuffling. We believe.
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Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Stumbling, drunk man is perfectly camouflaged in Bourbon Street
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Steve Bernier injures himself on missed hit
Bernier didn't connect with the thing he meant to.
The New Jersey Devils veteran was injured on Wednesday in Detroit when he missed a hit and collided with the glass instead. The intended victim was Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith, who saw Bernier coming and managed to dodge him at the last second.
Bernier was not so lucky.
He laid on the ice for a few minutes before getting helped to his feet by a couple of teammates. The game ended shortly afterwards, so there wasn't an immediate update on his condition. One can only hope it isn't anything too serious, because nothing about the play looked good.
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Watch Eric Bledsoe's spinning, no-look assist
Usually leaving your feet results in bad things, not this time for Eric Bledsoe.
When Eric Bledsoe jumped, it looked like he was in trouble. Nothing a spinning no-look pass can't solve.
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Watch Tim Duncan's ridiculous tip-in to send Spurs vs. Thunder to OT
This is your daily, weekly, monthly and yearly reminder that Tim Duncan is a robot sent back in time from the future to teach us about basketball fundamentals. Also love, but mostly basketball fundamentals.
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Mississippi State in trouble vs. Georgia Tech, very lucky this wasn't a fumble
Well, sure, it was a fumble. But it wasn't a "fumble" fumble.
Via ESPN
That play was ruled not a fumble by Mississippi State. Officials said after the play that forward progress had already ended the play before the ball came out of Josh Robinson's hands.
While replays showed that the whistle didn't blow until after the ball had already been recovered, the whistle isn't the only thing that matters. The play's dead when the officials decide it's dead; the whistle just signals to players that it has become so.
And, yeah, if you've seen Robinson run before, then you know the play's almost never actually dead. So that fumble probably could've counted.
MSU would be in huge trouble if the fumble -- which was very close to counting! -- had counted. The Jackets led, 14-0, at the time and would've had a short field. As it was, MSU drove down the field and put a field goal on the board.
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Watch Patrick Maroon miss an empty net
Hand-eye coordination is important.
Anaheim Ducks forward Patrick Maroon is mostly known for his fists, shoulders and elbows, which he throws around hockey rinks frequently.
He's not known for his hands, which explains why this happened when he shot at a wide open net on Wednesday.
Whoops. That was on his forehand, too, so there's really no excuse for missing that shot.
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Tuukka Rask stones Morgan Rielly off bad rebound
Rebound control is important, kids!
Rebound control is a fundamental skill in goaltending. Without getting good at it, you're bound to leave your net wide open when you make saves from time to time.
And that's not good. Unless you're Tuukka Rask. In that case, you'll be fine.
Tuukka Rask can just kick aside any shot straight to an opposing player because he's a superhuman goalie. Everyone else?
Practice that rebound control, kids.
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2014 Fiesta Bowl results: Boise State crashes yet another party
The Broncos knock off yet another power-conference opponent. Visit Arizona site AZ Desert Swarm and Boise State site One Bronco Nation Under God.
After years of being a BCS bowl, the VIZIO Fiesta Bowl has become one of the new hosts for the College Football Playoff. While it won't host a national semifinal this year, it does end up being the major bowl that hosts an at-large team against one of the nation's best "Group of Five" mid-major teams, from the AAC, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West and Sun Belt. This year, that team is Boise State.
Nestled in the Arizona desert, the Fiesta Bowl tends to be one of the more entertaining bowl games each season. Here is everything you need to know to prepare for this year's game:
Date and time, ET: Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014, 4 p.m. ET
TV channel: ESPN
Location: Glendale, Ariz.
Stadium: University of Phoenix Stadium, 63,400
Last year's score: UCF 52, Baylor 42
Last year's attendance: 65,172
Last year's TV rating: 6.6
Last year's payout for each school: $12 million
Team with the most all-time appearances: Arizona State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State; 6
Team with the most all-time wins: Penn State; 6-0
Arizona (10-3, 7-2 Pac-12)
Arizona held the most impressive win of the Pac-12 season, a 31-24 defeat of Oregon at Autzen Stadium in October, until the rematch. The Pac-12 South champions had their doors blown off, 51-13, by the Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship game, but are still in line for a nice bowl game. The Wildcats also boast wins over ranked opponents Utah and archrival Arizona State.
Pac-12 Coach of the Year Rich Rodriguez prides himself on having an explosive offense and this year’s Wildcats did not disappoint. Tailback Nick Wilson was fifth in the conference with 1,289 yards, while adding 15 touchdowns. Quarterback Anu Solomon had an impressive 27:7 TD:INT ratio and racked up 3,458 yards through the air. Sophomore linebacker Scooby Wright led the charge for the 2014 Desert Swarm defense, totaling 153 tackles, 14 sacks, 28 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles en route to the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Last bowl game: 2013 AdvoCare V100 Bowl vs. Boston College, 42-19 win
All-time bowl record: 9-9-1
Head coach's bowl record: Rich Rodriguez, 4-4
Boise State Broncos (11-2, 7-1 MWC)
Boise State wasn’t quite able to match their previous heroics as a mid-major darling this season, but they still proved themselves to be the best of the Group of 5 schools in another double-digit win campaign. The Broncos lost to Ole Miss and Air Force, with wins over Colorado State, Louisiana Lafayette, BYU, Utah State and a Mountain West title to their name.
The Broncos are led by power running back Jay Ajayi, who has run for 25 touchdowns this season. Quarterback Grant Hedrick has had a fine season, helped by shifty target Shane Williams-Rhodes and an inconsistent defense that has big potential.
Last bowl game: 2013 Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl vs. Oregon State, 38-23 loss
All-time bowl record: 9-5
Head coach's bowl record: Bryan Harsin, 0-0
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Rich Rodriguez's struggle is real in the Fiesta Bowl
Rich Rod is either very upset Arizona can't seem to crack Boise State and pull ahead in the Fiesta Bowl, or this is the most immaculate Brad Pitt impersonation from the end of Se7en we've seen in 2014.
It's okay, guy, 2015 is around the corner.
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United States vs. Canada 2015 final score: Max Domi leads Canadians to victory
Canada continued its New Year's Eve dominance over the United States.
In the end, the highly-anticipated showdown between two of the highest touted prospects in years came down to their supporting cast.
Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid took a back seat as Canada rode off with a 5-3 win over the United States in the hottest preliminary matchup of the World Junior Championships. Max Domi led the way for Canada with two goals, and Sam Reinhart pitched in with a three-point effort of his own.
Domi was named the Player of the Game for Canada, while goalie Thatcher Demko received the honors for the United States. Demko stopped 38 of 43 shots in the loss.
The game was expected to be a showdown between Eichel and McDavid, two players expected to battle for the first overall selection in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Both were largely held off the scoreboard, though Eichel did manage an assist on a second period goal.
After a scoreless first, Canada took over possession of the game. Canada jumped out to a 2-1 lead after Domi and Josh Morrissey overcame an American goal by Anthony DeAngelo.
Canada extended their lead in the third with a controversial goal. A McDavid pass went in off of Curtis Lazar as he crashed the net, and the puck went off his body and into the net. After a lengthy review, the call stood.
The United States tried to mount a comeback with two late goals by Dylan Larkin, but the Canadians scored two more empty-netters to seal the win.
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The best photos from practice day at the 2015 Winter Classic
New Years Eve is practice day at the Winter Classic. The Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks took to the ice at Nationals Park to get a feel for their surroundings one day before the big game. Here are the best images from the day.
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Ken Griffey Jr. is now a photographer notable for being 'Trey's father'
Trey Griffey is a wide receiver for the Arizona Wildcats. He also has a father you might have heard of:
Spotted on the #VIZIOFiestaBowl sideline: Noted amateur photographer Ken Griffey, Jr. #BackThePac http://ift.tt/1y8ilye
— Pac-12 Networks (@Pac12Networks) December 31, 2014
You're still the Swingman in our hearts, Junior. Even if you're more of the Shutterman now.
Retirement has not been kind to Ken Griffey Jr. http://ift.tt/1y8ilOu
— Dr. Suck It (@OrangePuck) December 31, 2014
Hey, let's leave his conditioning out of this, Dr. Suck It! Ex-athletes have a right to understand that Ding-Dongs are delicious.
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4 injured after high wind destroys booths at Rose Bowl fanfest
It was a frightening scene in Pasadena on Wednesday.
The Rose Bowl will host the College Football Playoff game between Oregon and Florida State, but a fanfest on the stadium grounds was hit by some unexpected and devastating winds on Wednesday.
According to ABC 7, the Pasadena Fire Department treated four people for injuries after wind struck the fanfest, as seen in the video above. Tents and booths were upended, destroyed and swept away and the wind even managed to pick up a bouncy house.
A wind advisory is in effect for the counties surrounding the Rose Bowl until Thursday morning. The game will go on as expected, but there is a possibility the wind could play havoc with the annual New Year's Day Rose Bowl Parade if it picks up again in the morning.
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Frank Lampard to stay at Manchester City through end of season
New York City FC is getting, predictably, shafted by their parent club.
It was so predictable it hurts: New York City FC midfielder Frank Lampard won't be joining the new MLS franchise until the middle of the upcoming season, as Manchester City has extended his loan to keep him with the EPL club through the end of their season.
New York City FC can confirm that Frank Lampard’s stay with Manchester City has been extended up to the end of Manchester City’s season, enabling his continued participation in both domestic and European campaigns.
The Club can also confirm that he will therefore not be joining the New York City FC’s squad for the beginning of the MLS 2015 season. His preparations for the forthcoming MLS campaign will see him contribute to Manchester City FC in all competitions of the ongoing season.
His exact starting date with New York City FC will be confirmed as the EPL and MLS seasons unfold.
-Source: NYCFC.com
This is the outcome that NYCFC fans have feared since Manchester City first took Lampard on loan. Since the EPL giants co-own NYCFC with the New York Yankees, there has long been a feeling that Manchester City would exploit that relationship, fears that were not eased at all when they started making noise months ago about possibly keeping Lampard longer than originally planned. This will, for many, serve as proof that the English side only sees NYCFC as a farm team of sorts, good only for stashing talent in case of need.
Lampard has played in 17 matches for Manchester City across all competitions, mostly serving as a super-sub as he's started just five matches. He's scored six goals despite those limited minutes, though, and has been a big part of City's successes this season. NYCFC fans had hoped that Lampard would be able to join their team for season preparations soon and carry over that fine form, but now they'll have to wait until May at least before he joins up.
Manchester City fans will be happy that a major part of this season's squad will be sticking around. New York City FC fans, however, will be left wondering about the structure and direction of their team, and just how important it will be to those who own it. This can't been seen as a good sign by the MLS club, and what the shape of their future is suddenly in much more doubt than it was before. Let's just hope the relationship proves more productive than the Chivas de Guadalajara/Chivas USA relationship was.
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2015 NFL Draft underclassmen tracker
Will we another record of redshirt sophomores and juniors go pro? It's unlikely, but some of college football's top players are still headed to the pros.
Each of the past two years a record number of underclassmen have entered the NFL draft. In 2013, 73 players went pro. In 2014, the number ballooned to 98.
After 36 didn't get picked in the 2014 NFL Draft, we may not see see another new record for the 2015 NFL Draft. An indicator of that came from Troy Vincent, the NFL's vice president of operations. According to Vincent, the number of underclassmen who have submitted paperwork to the NFL Draft Advisory Committee is down to 147, compared to 214 the previous year.
That comes following a change in how the committee advises players. In the past, a player would receive a grade of first round, second or third round, fourth through seventh round grade. Now players are only told if they’re projected as a first- or second-round pick. Another change is schools are limited to five players submitting paperwork.
Juniors and redshirt sophomores have until Jan. 15 to officially declare for the draft.
Current list of players to go pro: (will be updated)
Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State
Kwon Alexander, LB, LSU
Deion Barnes, DE, Penn State
Alex Carter, CB, Stanford
Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana
Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina
Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane
Lemar Durant, WR, Simon Fraser
Durell Eskridge, S, Syracuse
Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
Dante Fowler, DE/OLB, Florida
Devin Funchess, WR/TE, Michigan
Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
Eli Harold, DE/OLB, Virginia
Gerald Holliman, S, Louisville
Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
Duke Johnson, RB, Miami
Matt Jones, RB, Florida
Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers
Tyler Moore, G, Florida
Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma
Jeremiah Poutasi, OT, Utah
Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi State
Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State
Noah Spence, DE/OLB, Ohio State
Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
Leonard Williams, DT, Southern California
Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
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It's too loud at the Sugar Bowl for this little Ohio State fan
We've all been there, kid.
The inaugural College Football Playoff kicks off Wednesday at the Sugar Bowl when No. 1 Alabama takes on No. 4 Ohio State. Fans have started to gather for ESPN's all-day coverage of the postseason Tuesday, but one small fan wasn't quite as excited as everyone else.
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2014 Peach Bowl results: TCU embarrasses Ole Miss
The Playoff-snubbed Frogs bashed the heck out of one of the SEC's best teams in Atlanta.
The Chick-fil-A Bowl is now the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl as the College Football Playoff finally arrives.
While the Peach Bowl won't be one of the national semifinal hosts this season, it was assigned to host an at-large team and a Group of Five team, which is one of the best teams from the AAC, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West or Sun Belt. Historically, the Peach Bowl, or whatever it was being called at the time, hosted an ACC and SEC school in Atlanta.
Here is everything you need to know to get ready for this year's Peach Bowl:
Date and time: Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014, 12:30 p.m. ET
TV channel: ESPN
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Stadium: Georgia Dome, 71,200
Last year's score: Texas A&M 52, Duke 48
Last year's attendance: 67,946
Last year's TV rating: 5.3
Last year's payout for each school: $3.975 million
Team with the most all-time appearances: Clemson, 8
Team with the most all-time wins: LSU, 5-1
TCU Horned Frogs (11-1, 8-1 Big 12)
TCU finished off an impressive campaign with a Big 12 championship and their third double-digit victory season in the last five years. The Frogs only lost to Baylor this year, but beat Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas State to rebound from last year’s 4-8 disaster. Gary Patterson’s squad will take it’s high-octane, firework supply-exhausting offense to a bowl for the first time since 2012.
The Frogs were led by quarterback (nee wide receiver) Trevone Boykin threw for over 3,700 yards, rushed for 642 and added 39 total (30 passing, eight rushing, one receiving) touchdowns, to possibly punch his ticket to New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. TCU boasts 10 different receivers that broke triple digits in yards on the season and have a pair of explosive junior running backs just in case the passing attack wasn’t enough to worry you. Junior safety Chris Hackett had six picks to lead the Big 12.
Last bowl game: 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl vs. Michigan State, 17-16 loss
All-time bowl record: 13-15-1
Head coach's bowl record: Gary Patterson, 7-4
Ole Miss Rebels (9-3, 5-3 SEC)
The Ole Miss Rebels started the season with seven consecutive wins, an upset of Alabama and playoff dreams dancing through their heads. And then the SEC West took over. After three consecutive conference losses, culminating in a blowout loss to Arkansas, the Rebels redeemed some of their season with an Egg Bowl win over rival Mississippi State to send them into bowl season on the upswing.
Ole Miss has done it the old fashioned way: With the nation’s best scoring defense. The Rebels have allowed just 13.8 points per game in 2014, with just two opponents reaching 30 points scored. It’s generally been enough for the Rebels offense, led by senior quarterback Bo Wallace. Doctor Bo has racked up 3,085 yards on a career-high 8.6 yards per attempt.
Last bowl game: 2013 Music City Bowl vs. Georgia Tech, 25-17 win
All-time bowl record: 23-12
Head coach's bowl record: Hugh Freeze, 2-0
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'We scored! All right!' Ole Miss fans sarcastically celebrate 42-3 field goal
Via ESPN
This is the very bottom.
But have fun anyway!
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Al Jefferson injury pushes Hornets closer to a lost season
A year that began with high expectations is cratering with the news that Jefferson will miss several weeks due to injury.
This was supposed to be a big season for the newly branded Charlotte Hornets, an opportunity for the franchise to reintroduce itself to the region as a competitive, exciting outfit in the NBA landscape. Instead, the team is likely heading for a wasted season after announcing that star big man Al Jefferson would miss at least four weeks due to a groin injury.
After a rough start to the season under the new Hornets branding, the team had already dug itself a deep hole even in the weak Eastern Conference. This news doesn't totally sink the team's chances of competing for a playoff spot come the spring, but it puts a dent in some already slim odds.
Charlotte is currently 12th in the East with a 10-22 record, four games behind the Miami Heat for the eighth and final postseason spot. The team is indeed as bad as its record indicates -- 25th overall in winning percentage (.313) and overall net rating (minus-5.2) -- and that's before considering the absence of arguably its best player.
In a season full of problems for the Hornets, ranging from a massive decline on defense to the discord with Lance Stephenson, Jefferson was supposed to be the steady rock in the middle. Now that he's expected to miss a sizable chunk of the season, what can Charlotte do from here?
The replacements
While Jefferson is sidelined by the groin strain, fourth-year big man Bismack Biyombo will likely take his place in the starting lineup. Biyombo, 22, was the team's primary starting center back in 2012-13, but has been held back by a raw offensive game and the need to polish his defensive instincts.
Biyombo has seen a more limited role this season, playing just 14 minutes a night, and now gets a chance to show his improvement. The former No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 draft has been as efficient as ever this season, with a career-high 15.5 PER, but he'll be asked to do a lot more with Jefferson no longer in front of him.
Luckily, there's reason to believe Biyombo might be able to make a positive impact. While there are the usual caveats with sample size and quality of competition, the Hornets are outscoring opponents by 5.1 points per 100 possessions with Biyombo on the floor. He's the only player on the team with a positive net rating, and seems to be showing improvement after years of NBA coaching.
That makes this a massive opportunity for Biyombo, who is set for restricted free agency this summer and needs to prove he can be a steady contributor in a bigger role. Given his age and athleticism, someone would surely take a shot on him regardless, but this could be a chance for him to show he's more than a decent defensive-minded reserve.
The other names that are likely to benefit from Jefferson's absence are Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh, the team's past two first-round picks. Zeller has been splitting starting duties with Marvin Williams this season, while Vonleh missed the beginning of the season due to injury and was recently recalled from the D-League. Both guys figure to get bumped up the depth chart with the news.
Like Biyombo, Zeller has had his chances in Charlotte, but this may be his best one yet. If he can prove to be a potent mid-range scorer and rebounder like he was projected out of college, the Hornets may have a tolerable stopgap situation between him and Biyombo, even if replacing Jefferson's double-double production is near impossible.
The outlook
The Hornets were already in a tough position before Jefferson's injury, so it's reasonable to assume a trip to the lottery is in order. That's disappointing for a franchise that thought it was close to taking a major step in the other direction, but it doesn't necessarily sink the team's future.
Jefferson has a player option for next season, and the young frontcourt guys like Biyombo, Zeller, Vonleh and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will presumably play larger roles in the meantime. There's always a chance this allows one or more of those guys to emerge and exceed expectations.
However, this puts the Hornets a step back in their desire to be a competitive team sooner rather than later. Jefferson was a big part of the surprising breakout for Charlotte last season, and it'll be hard for the team to compete at a high level soon without him.
The Hornets thought their rebuilding process was over, with moves like the Stephenson signing designed to put the team over the top. Now that timeline doesn't look so certain, and Charlotte's leadership will have to figure out how to adjust from here.
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DeMarcus Cousins ejected for throwing Marcus Smart to the ground
The Kings' superstar center lost his cool during a lopsided beatdown in Boston.
Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins was ejected in the fourth quarter of the team's game against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday for throwing opposing point guard Marcus Smart to the ground near the basket. Cousins was tagged with his second technical foul of the game on the play, leading to an automatic ejection.
Here's the move that led to a brief reaction between both teams and eventually Cousins' departure:
As Grantland's Zach Lowe points out, this behavior continues an unfortunate trend for Cousins since his return from a viral illness and the recent firing of head coach Michael Malone.
Boogie hasn't been same defensively since coming back from virus. You hope it's just getting his wind, but some of those old habits are back
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) December 31, 2014
Discontent with Malone firing surely at play to some degree, but he's loafing in all the old damaging ways again. Has to stop.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) December 31, 2014
Earlier this season, Cousins appeared to be breaking away from some of his old habits while establishing himself as one of the game's elite players. The 24-year-old was last ejected from a game back in Feb. 2014 after he lashed out at referees during a loss to Houston. With days like Wednesday, one has to hope that Cousins is not falling back into those "damaging ways" as the losses pile up in Sacramento.
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TCU defender orders Ole Miss back to its sideline after latest flattening
Just stay there, Rebels. You don't have to play TCU any more if you just stay there.
That's Davion Pierson directing Jordan Wilkins after a botched fourth-and-goal try by Ole Miss, which ended up losing 19 yards after a pressured Bo Wallace dumped the ball off to Wilkins. It was about the best chance No. 9 Ole Miss had for all of the first three quarters at actually putting any points on the No. 6 Frogs.
TCU's smashing Ole Miss so badly (42-0 so far!), it's running out of taunts. Here's Paul Dawson stealing the Rebels' Landshark hand sign:
Jason Getz, USA Today
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J.J. Watt's case for NFL MVP
If ever there was a year to stop handing out the MVP trophy to the best offensive player and give it to the best player, period, this is the year.
I realize that a couple of weeks back I all but said J.J. Watt should be the league MVP, but I didn't really make a case for it. For some reason people are stuck on the award going to an offensive player -- even though nothing in the rules says such a thing -- that it feels "wrong" for them to vote for a defensive player. I think maybe for the average defensive player you have a point, but when a player has as much of an impact on his team's fortunes as Watt does, those arguments lose all validity.
Just to glance at his defensive stats is impressive as hell. The guy notched 20.5 sacks this season to become the only player in NFL history to have two 20-sack seasons to his name. He also had 10 pass break ups, four forced fumbles, one interception that he returned 80 yards for a touchdown, and a fumble that he returned 45 yards for a touchdown. His 78 total tackles rank second on the team, which is patently absurd in this day and age of the NFL being a "passing" league. He basically had a big play in every category you could have one on defense.
Then there are the hidden big plays that Watt forced that ended up being finished off by his teammates. No telling how many of those plays happened over the course the season.
Now lets consider the fact that the man caught three passes on offense also and all three passes were for touchdowns. Are you friggin' kidding me?! A comparable accomplishment would in effect be a running back rushing for more than 1,800 yards on offense then being asked to blitz three times on defense and coming home with a sack all three times. The shit is bananas if you really think about it.
Oh, and did you happen to know that two of those touchdowns were the first scores of those games for the Texans? Yeah, gimmick or not it wasn't like the Texans were only using Watt on offense late in the game when they were already up big. I should also point out that all three touchdowns came in games the Texans went on to win.
To disabuse your mind of Watt's three scores on offense being a gimmick, understand that he had more touchdown catches than Vernon Davis, Larry Fitzgerald and Vincent Jackson. He had just as many touchdown catches as Jared Cook, Doug Baldwin and Charles Clay. Hell, in hindsight maybe the Texans should have used him more on offense.
Its not like the Texans were bad this year. Which is saying something considering the carousel of mediocrity they had at quarterback and the nagging injuries to running back Arian Foster. Now just imagine for a second what that team's season would look like without Watt terrorizing quarterbacks every Sunday. And I do mean every Sunday. There were only four games this season out of 16 where he didn't get at least one sack. Talk about the model of consistency, sheesh!
My last point on this might be my "big joker" because I really don't hear people saying it. The truth is none of the "usual suspect" quarterbacks had all that great of years. Drew Brees threw for the most yardage this season, you voting for him? Aaron Rodgers is a popular pick and the 38 touchdowns against five interceptions is pretty damned impressive. Still, he has thrown for more yardage and more touchdowns twice in each category in his career. Manning has the 39 touchdowns, but also has the 15 interceptions to go with them. Hell, when talking about his career specifically, the 39 touchdowns pale in comparison to the 55 he threw just last season.
Are y'all really that impressed with any of them this year?
I will say that running back DeMarco Murray would be an interesting choice, since he did have a career year and led the league in rushing with more than 1,800 yards. However, I seem to see and hear more people talking about his quarterback, Tony Romo, being deserving of the award than him. Also, once again, lets be honest here. 1,845 yards is good but usually you would have to get a lot closer to 2,000 to blow anybody away.
All I'm saying is none of these guys played lights out this season -- they were just above and beyond everybody else in the league. JJ Watt did. If that doesn't describe the MVP of the league well then what in the hell does?!
That isn't to say that folks who don't vote for Watt for MVP are necessarily wrong, but it does speak to the fact that they should have to at least explain the rationale behind it. Nobody can just hrmph hrmph about it like Watt doesn't have a strong case or him winning would be ridiculous. This just isn't a year where voting for an offensive player for MVP is a no brainer. Period.
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UConn's Amida Brimah flies for a fast break dunk
That guy is 7-feet tall.
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Winter Classic 2015 could be delayed thanks to sun glare
The 2015 Winter Classic in Washington, D.C. could see the same fate as the 2012 Winter Classic in Philadelphia: a two hour delay due to sun glare.
The NHL doesn't want to delay the start of the Winter Classic on New Year's Day, but they might have to do just that. Why, exactly? Not due to warm weather or too much snow, but due to the sun. The bright, vivid Washington, D.C. sun.
This was exactly the case in 2012, when Philadelphia hosted the Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park, and the start of the game was pushed back to 3 p.m. from its original 1 p.m. start time. This time, in 2015, another baseball stadium is facing the exact same issue in DC.
MY EYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RT @MarkLazerus: 1:53 p.m. glare report. http://ift.tt/1EKtkkZ
— Second City Hockey (@2ndCityHockey) December 31, 2014
It's 2:30, do you know where your sun is? http://ift.tt/1EKthpb
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) December 31, 2014
Delaying the game from 1 p.m. to 2:30 or 3 p.m. will likely do the trick, but the NHL doesn't want to do that for lots of reasons. Chief among those reasons this year is the competition elsewhere on the New Years Day sports schedule, which this year includes two College Football Playoff games.
If the Winter Classic starts at 1 p.m. as scheduled, it'll be over long before the Rose Bowl kicks off at 5 p.m. ET, and thus the NHL will free themselves of any competition elsewhere on the TV dial. But a 3 p.m. start time would push the Winter Classic past 5 p.m., and hockey will definitely lose some eyeballs to football once that happens. A 2:30 p.m. puck drop would cut it really close -- perhaps close enough that the majority of the audience would stick with the end of the hockey game over the beginning of the football game.
The Winter Classic and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are realistically the only appointment viewing that the NHL has when it comes to the national sports conversation in the United States. This outdoor game is a cash cow for the league and it's one of the few times it has the attention of the casual sports fan, so playing it while there's no real competition from other major sporting events is a big deal to the NHL.
On New Years Day it will all come down to cloud cover, which of course can change at any given time. In the event that the glare is on the ice but the surface is playable, players will be allowed to wear sunglasses to help with visibility. But if there's too much glare, the league will have no choice but to push the start time back, be it an hour, 90 minutes, or two hours.
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Johnny Manziel is rooting for TCU in the Peach Bowl
He's got emojis and everything.
Bad Bo. GO FROGZ
— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) December 31, 2014
As if the day couldn't get any worse for poor Ole Miss QB Bo Wallace. Now Johnny Football himself is piling on. :(
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Cardinals vs. Panthers: Odds, spread, Wild Card betting preview and prediction
Carolina favored over Arizona despite finishing regular season with an under .500 record.
The Carolina Panthers are 0-3 SU and ATS over their last three playoff games. The Panthers host the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at Bank of America Stadium in a 4:35 p.m. ET kickoff on Wild Card Weekend.
Carolina is a 5.5-point favorite, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com . While the Panthers are a solid favorite at home, Arizona's defense is good enough to keep the game close as a 5.5-point underdog -- and the computer thinks they can win outright.
OddsShark Computer Prediction : Arizona 18.1, Carolina 17.2
At 7-8-1 SU and 8-8 ATS, the Carolina Panthers don't have the record of a standard playoff team or division winner. But the Panthers have been playing like one of late, winning each of their last four games including two divisional road blowouts in a 41-10 win over New Orleans and a 34-3 win over Atlanta. After struggling on defense through most of the season, the Panthers have allowed only 10.8 points per game over their current 4-0 SU and 2-2 ATS stretch. Carolina is just 1-3 ATS in its last four games at home.
Led by a shutdown defense and the play of Carson Palmer, the Cardinals emerged as one of the NFL's top teams this season with a 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS record through their first 10 games. But injuries to both Palmer and backup Drew Stanton have caused Arizona's offense to stall down the stretch leading to a 2-4 SU and 3-3 ATS finish. With both quarterbacks still out with injuries, Ryan Lindley will be under center again this Saturday. Arizona enters this game with a 2-12 SU and 5-9 ATS record in its last 14 games against NFC South opponents, according to the OddsShark NFL Database .
Saturday's total is set at 38 points at the sportsbooks. The UNDER is 6-2-1 in Arizona's last nine road games and 5-0 in Carolina's last five home games.
All signs point to a low-scoring game in this one. With both defenses playing well and neither offense possessing much explosiveness, points should be hard to come by on Saturday. As a result, the Cardinals getting 5.5 points should possess good value as this game could end up being a close one to the end.
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Bo Wallace throws pick-six to TCU from Ole Miss' end zone
In Dr. Bo's defense, playing offense against TCU is hard as all hell.
The score in the Peach Bowl is 28-0, TCU, in the second quarter after some of the worst BAD BO in history:
That's 248-pound James McFarland bringing in the easiest six he'll ever score.
Guess what, y'all? Ole Miss' Landshark celebration belongs to TCU now.
Via ESPN
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Nets thriving with Deron Williams coming off the bench
It's hard to say how long it'll last, but Deron Williams coming off the bench has been just what Brooklyn needed.
The Brooklyn Nets have taken some drastic measures to right the ship, including the recent benching of Deron Williams. After a 96-82 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday -- the team's fifth victory in six games -- those changes appear to be working.
Williams was supposed to be the Nets' franchise player after signing a five-year maximum contract with the team two years ago, but he's fallen on hard times with a steep decline in his early 30s. No longer the physically dominant point guard that he was during his prime with the Jazz, Williams has tested the patience of the Nets' coaching staff with subpar performances this season.
Things got particularly bad this month, as Williams battled both ineffectiveness and injury. The point guard was averaging 12.2 points on 32 percent shooting until suffering a calf injury before Christmas, then proved unable to reclaim his starting spot from Jarrett Jack upon getting healthy.
It's enough to make you wonder about Williams' future and whether the Nets are better off keeping Jack in the starting lineup going forward. It certainly has worked so far, but will it continue?
What's happened to Deron?
It's been only a couple years since Williams last appeared in an All-Star Game, but few present-day stars have declined as quickly as the Nets point guard. Over the past five years, he's devolved from a legitimate franchise player into a decent role player with poor shooting numbers.
And given the money he's paid by Brooklyn -- roughly $63 million through 2016-17 -- that's going to make it difficult for the Nets to acquire quality alternatives in the meantime. So the Nets and Williams appear stuck with each other for now, and that means figuring out what's gone wrong.
The most obvious aspect of Williams' game to decline is his scoring efficiency. He's shooting just 39 percent overall this season, down from 45 percent last season and a career-high 51 percent in his prime. Once a legitimate weapon around the rim, Williams is now struggling to finish the same plays he once thrived at. Two years ago, the point guard shot 63 percent on attempts inside five feet. Last year, that number dropped to 59 percent, which is still pretty good, but a cut below his best. However, the bottom has fallen out this year, as he's hitting just 48 percent of those shots.
For a player who dominated around the rim for so long, it's startling seeing Williams struggle in that area, particularly because of how it allows defenses to adjust. No longer concerned with the possibility of Williams barreling to the rim to attempt a layup or force a foul, defenders can more aggressively close out on his other shot attempts and take away certain spots on the floor.
There are silver linings that offer optimism, including good three-point shooting numbers and a solid assist-to-turnover ratio, but this isn't the Deron Williams of past seasons.
The Jack upgrade and pounding second units
Some decline from Williams in his early 30s is to be expected, but the Nets' improvement since installing Jack in the starting lineup is surprising. Over the past six games since making the change at point guard, Brooklyn has steadily outplayed its opposition and crept back near .500.
What's particularly interesting is the thriving second unit with Williams leading the way. While Jack and the starters have been productive over the past six games, with the Nets outscoring opponents by 1.2 points per 100 possessions with Jack on the floor, it's actually the second unit powered by Williams that's really crushing opponents.
Over the past four games with Williams coming off the bench, the team is outscoring opponents by 8.5 points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor. As other teams dig into their reserves to toss out journeymen and young players, Lionel Hollins has his former all-star orchestrating the second unit and it's allowed Williams to make an impact even as his shot has been off.
It's only been a few games, but it's possible the Nets try to work with this setup going forward. If Jack can keep the starters competitive for most the game and allow Williams to light it up against reserves, the Nets may have a formula that allows them to make a playoff push in the second half of the season.
But will Williams be happy?
This is one aspect of the situation that won't be simple. Williams is the Nets' highest paid player, a guy who was originally brought in to be the new face of the franchise. Last season was the first time he averaged fewer than 36 minutes per game since 2006.
For someone who was considered a star for years, how long will Williams really be happy playing roughly 20 minutes a night at 30 years old? It's one thing when the team is rolling off wins in late December, but what happens at the first sign of trouble?
Williams has earned a reputation for being tough on coaches in the past -- his rocky relationship with former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan being the most obvious example -- and will have his patience tested coming off the bench for Hollins. Even if the formula ultimately puts Brooklyn in a better position to win, Williams may not be thrilled with his role in the near future.
How that impacts Hollins' decision-making is difficult to predict, but it'll likely be one of the biggest factors in the situation. Williams is too prominent a member of the franchise to be openly dissatisfied with his role, and while there's no reason to believe that's the case yet, many players have bristled at losing significant minutes in the past. Jack should remain the starter for now, but he's on a short leash with the possibly disgruntled star behind him on the depth chart.
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TCU has 28 points. Ole Miss has 13 yards.
This Bowl hasn't been so Peach-y for the Rebels.
Ole Miss also has more penalty yards than total yards in the first half of the Peach Bowl, which isn't so hard to do when you only have 13 yards of offense.
The Rebels' defense is even giving the offense opportunites. They have forced three turnovers in the first half, the most recent of which gave Ole Miss the ball near their own end zone. TCU's defense forced way too much pressure on quarterback Bo Wallace, who threw an interception in his own end zone for another score.
via ESPN
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