Fresh Sports Blog

Lakers fail to impress

2012-10-31T06:26:00.003-05:00

The Los Angeles Lakers followed up a winless preseason with yet another loss today against the Mavericks. Not only were the Dallas Mavericks without their best player in Dirk Nowitzki, they were also missing fellow German Chris Kaman. So the LA roster with a huge size advantage, was not able to do anything against an undersized, re-vamped Mavericks team.

The game was sloppy for the Lakers most of the way through. The offense was slow and dreadful. The Lakers failed to use their talent in any advantageous way. In fact the Mavericks not only outplayed them, but played with more urgency. It seemed like the Lakers almost assumed they were going to win and came out with no effort. This on top of the poor showing the Lakers had in the preseason, who knows how far they will go in the West this year.

New Site

2012-05-09T21:24:00.002-05:00

Check out a new site I am working on, it deals with the greatest football players of all times:

www.kings.freshsportsblog.com

Saints Bounty Program

2012-04-06T16:51:00.003-05:00

So is anyone else wondering if what Greg Williams got caught on video saying, was something that is said in every locker room around the league? I wouldn't be surprised if there were more coaches who said similar, if not worse things than Williams did.

The Saints ex-defensive coordinator was caught on tape saying things like, "go after his head, test his concussion, or go after the hurt acl." These are all violent and vulgar statements. But, the question is, in an already violent game known as the NFL, is this more common than people think? Just because the Saints got caught, they are now the scapegoat. However, I have a strong suspicion that more NFL coaches and players aim to hurt their opponents week in and week out.

Please feel free to discuss and share your opinions on this topic!

Jayhawks one win away

2012-04-01T04:02:00.000-05:00

This post is purely for me to express my joy. I am so happy that Kansas is going back to the national championship game. After last year's great disappointment, this team has fought so hard to make it this far. The games have not been pretty. In fact they have been nerve-wracking as hell. But, here we are, one game away from winning it all.

Hopefully the Jayhawks win. I am going to be cheering my heart out. I have been a die hard Kansas fan for years, since I was little. They are the only team that has delivered my a championship in any sport, professional or college. So this team as a special place in my heart. One that may grow even bigger if they can bring it home once again.

NFL Rule Changes

2012-03-28T14:32:00.003-05:00

A quick update on some new NFL rules. Today the NFL passed a rule that all turnovers will be reviewed. This adds on to last years rule, that all touchdowns are reviewed. I am on the fence with this rule, only because it leaves very little left for the coaches to challenge. Pretty soon the coaches may not even have a challenge, everything might as well be taken over by the booth officials.

Another rule change is that the regular season overtime will now be the same as the playoffs. This means that teams will not be able to lose on a first-possession field goal. I agree with this passing. There is no reason to change the rules once the playoffs start, this way fans, players,and coaches have all year to prepare and get use to the new rule.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk

2012-03-24T20:05:00.000-05:00

Kansas is my pick to win the NCAA tournament. I pick them pretty much every year. I love KU basketball. As a perennial powerhouse they are usually a good team to bet on. Last year I thought they would win it for sure, but they were upset. This year 2 close calls, but they are still in it. Hopefully this is the year.

I have alot of faith in this team, because they know how to win scrappy games. When it gets close, they don't choke. When they need a defensive stop, they get it. When a big play needs to be made someone makes it. This team is battle tested and primed to win the entire thing.

Thomas Robinson is a double double machine. Tyshawn Taylor gives them senior leadership. Elijah Johnson has made critical plays for the Jayhawks. And of course the defense of Jeff Withey who had 10 blocks against NC State alone. With players like these the Jayhawks have the talent and toughness to compete with anyone.

Three more wins and the Jayhawks will be NCAA champions, they have a tough test in North Carolina, and then after that a trip to the final four. Hopefully they make it, only time will tell.

No Fun League Strikes again

2012-03-21T13:01:00.001-05:00

With the news of the NFL's recent rulings on the Saints coaches involved in the bounty system, all I have to say is wow. Sean Payton was suspended for the entire year. Greg Williams is out indefinitely. This is a huge deal because he is now the Rams defensive coordinator and they are now getting punished for something they had no involvement in.

The Saints were also fined $500,000 and lost 2 second round draft picks. Their GM Mickey Loomis is suspended the first 8 games without pay. Assistant head coach Joe Vitt is also suspended without pay, but only for the first 6 games. Basically this is probably the toughest punishment any team has faced in years, if not ever.

I can't honestly think of any one incident that tops this. The Saints were absolutely destroyed by this ruling. Instead of being Superbowl Contenders, they are now stuck looking for coaches in the middle of the offseason. Not only is this mind blowing because of the severity of the punishment, but it comes just days after Peyton Manning signed with the Broncos. The NFL sure is the hottest thing in the sports world right now. Roger Goodell has been known to lay down the law and punish people harshly, but to me this one is a bit over the top.

Manning to Denver

2012-03-20T20:42:00.002-05:00

Today Peyton Manning officially signed a contract with the Denver Broncos. With a 5 year, 96 million dollar deal Manning is now the highest paid player in the league. The signing of Manning brings many questions to the Broncos and instantly puts them into championship contention. What will happen to Tim Tebow though? Will Peyton adjust to the Broncos system and play at a high level? And most importantly is Peyton really healthy?

There will be a lot of focus on the Broncos now, especially since Manning is a media darling. What happens to Tebow will also be interesting as he was by far one of the most intriguing players to watch last year. If the Broncos trade him, will he become a starter with his new team? Right now there are a lot of questions to be asked and hopefully as the off-season progresses some of these questions will be answered.

Right now all the focus is going to be on how Manning does in the Broncos offense, he is on the cusp of breaking many NFL records and if he can stay healthy for 3 or 4 years he has a great chance to do so. Only time will tell and we will see what happens in this next chapter of Mannings career.

NBA Trades!

2012-03-09T16:15:00.000-06:00

With the NBA trade deadline in less than a week, it's time to start exploring trade possibilities. The big one of course is where will Dwight Howard go? Will he even be traded? Can the Magic risk not trading him, only to see him walk away this summer? These are all questions that will be answered within the week.

Another thing to look out for: what do the Lakers do? Will they trade Gasol? What about Bynum? Maybe even Kobe? I read about a deal in place for Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola in return for Gasol. This would be a good trade for the Laker's and I think it would really help their team improve because Lowry fills a huge need at point guard. Of course everyone is going to wonder if LA goes out and gets Howard. This is the "blockbuster" fans of the NBA will love to see, or hate to see. Perhaps the most interesting trade would be if they decided to let Kobe go. His contract is a huge chunk of their payroll, and getting rid of that contract would allow them to go out and get some new, younger talent. If the Lakers don't restock soon, they may be left with nothing when Kobe retires.

The Celtics are another interesting team to look at. Will they trade one of the big three? Or is Rondo the one on the chopping block? At this point is seems like Ainge is determined to blow the up the Celtics. Why Rondo is even on the block in the first place is beyond me. And all of this trade talk makes me think Doc Rivers isn't returning either. Garnett is probably near the end of his career, a year or two left, I wouldn't be surprised if the Celtics did let him go.Ray Allen could also e a good trade piece to get some young talent back. I would say hold on to Pierce though, let him retire a Celtics. Hopefully they hold on to Rondo, Pierce, and get a healthy Jeff Green next year.The team would have at least some pieces to work with then.

Steven Nash, may be the most important player on the trade block. If he goes to a contender, he could very easily push them over the edge. Although, Nash does hold true that he loves Phoenix and wants to stay there. Whether they trade him or not remains to be seen.

There could be many stars changing teams this week and who goes where is something that is going to be on my radar this week. I can't wait for the trades to begin!

Colts letting Peyton Go

2012-03-07T12:05:00.000-06:00

The shocking news coming from Indianapolis is still riveting in my mind. Andrew Luck will presumably be the number one overall pick. But, is he going to be Peyton Manning? It’s doubtful. Manning is a one of a kind quarterback, and the Colts are making a huge mistake. However, the Colts mistake is going to be another team’s treasure.

I am truly hoping that Peyton goes to a contender and that he puts them over the edge. I am also hopeful that team is the Chiefs. As a Chiefs fan, and a Manning fan this would be a match made in heaven for me. Not only do the Chiefs have a great young defense, but they have all the playmakers that Manning would need to succeed. Dwayne Bowe, Baldwin, Breaston, matched with the running game of Charles. They could be a truly powerful team.

However, there will be many teams that Manning could go too. Arizona would be strong contender. As would the Dolphins. Even the Vikings, or perhaps even the Broncos have been thrown around as options.The Seahawks and Jets are also viable options. I have even been hearing some teams like the Cowboys or Texans being thrown around, I guess anything can happen when a hall of fame quarterback is on the market.

Either way I am really excited to see where Peyton goes and I am really hopeful that he is healthy and can play at the level we all know he can. It will be a sad end to his career if he can’t. So here is to Peyton starting a new chapter in his great career.

King's Staying in Sac-Town

2012-02-27T15:33:00.000-06:00

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Today the Sacramento Kings signed a deal to build a new arena. This is great news for me, being a huge Kings fan myself. Over the past few years, hearing about the chance the Kings could be relocated was kind of awkward for me as a fan. I wasn’t sure if I would still like the team in a different city. Part of what makes me love the Kings so much is the loyalty of the fans. Arco arena use to sell out every game for years. The fans would be the Kings sixth man and helped the Kings have one of the league’s best home records for years, in the early 2000’s. Of course the team was a lot better back then. However, the Kings have young talent right now, and potential to get better within the next few years. I am just thankful that they are staying put.

Now that the Arena deal is in place, the Kings need to work on becoming an elite team again. Their major need is a true point guard. The rookie Isaiah Thomas has been playing extremely well for them, but they are going to have to realize that Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton probably can’t play together. Also is Demarcus Cousins going to be worth all the headaches? The team is young and has talent, but without a true point guard and a good coach to string along the young players, I fear they will be stuck in mediocrity for a few years.

Hopefully the Kings continue to draft well, sign a big free agent, and can once again become a prominent team in the NBA. I have followed the Kings for about 12 years now, through the good years, and through the bad. I like their young team now, but they are still nowhere near the team they were back in the day. Hopefully in time they can become better and eventually contend for a championship, which would be a truly special day for me.

NBA All Star Weekend

2012-02-24T02:43:00.000-06:00

From Dimemag.com

The upcoming NBA All-Star weekend is something that I usually would be looking forward too. Not anymore. Over the years I have always been excited to watch the dunk contest, 3 point contest, and of course the main event – the all star game. There are many other events, but most are just minutely entertaining. However, outside of football (the pro bowl is an absolute joke) the NBA has the worse all-star weekend, at least logistically speaking. The problem with the NBA all star weekend is that we have nothing to look forward to anymore.

This year’s contestants in the dunk contest are all unknowns. Back in the day the biggest stars would compete against each other. I am a huge Lebron fan, but not doing the dunk contest is a huge problem to me. He is the best the league has to offer and he would instantly renew interest in the dying contest. Kobe has done it, Vince Carter did it, Dominique, MJ, and Irving, they are all dunk champions. Most of them are also Hall of Famers. It's almost a rite of passage, or at least it use to be. Why the best players don’t do the contest anymore, is beyond me. Also the format of the contest keeps changing year after year, and it's just becoming boring. The fans voting make it even less entertaining because of bias. For example, how is Nate Robinson the only three time dunk champion there is? I am really hoping this year the young guys spice it up and really bring it, or maybe the NBA should step in and just give us all what we want to see. Lebron, Howard, Durant, Griffin? Sounds amazing to me.

Another problem with the all-star game is the format. I would love to see the NBA adopt and NHL inspired format. Elect two captains and let them pick the squads. It would create much more interesting matchups, and would keep us from seeing the same game we've watched for the past ten years, plus/minus a few new players here and there. On top of it, another solution would be to do what MLB does. Make the winner of the all-star game have home court advantage. It would at least give the game some meaning.

Overall, the weekend is still entertaining, but it is not what it used to be. I can watch ESPN Classic and see old all-star game footage and be completely captivated. I watch the last 10 years or so and I am bored. Something needs to happen; some kind of change needs to spark new interest in the NBA all star weekend.

Oden Injured Again

2012-02-23T17:34:00.001-06:00

From Google Images

Earlier this week, Greg Oden had yet another micro fracture surgery. This surgery has been known to end most careers, Jamal Mashburn, Chris Webber, Alan Houston, Penny Hardaway, and Tracy Mcgrady. Oden now has 3 of them. The only major star to come back from micro fracture is Amar’e Stoudemire. Oden’s knees are just destroyed. He has had surgery after surgery. The jokes about Greg Oden looking 50 don’t seem so funny now. His body is literally failing him like that of an old man. It’s a sad story for the Blazers, who have once again made perhaps one of the most disappointing draft choices ever.

We all know about the Blazers taking Sam Bowie over a guy named Michael Jordan. It didn’t work out too well for them. And now thanks to the same lapse in judgment, Kevin Durant is playing in OKC, and the Blazers are stuck with another huge draft bust.

What makes this even worse for the Blazers is that Brandon Roy had to abruptly retire, and end his promising career, also due to knee problems. The Blazers had a lot of potential, and still do, however, with Oden not playing a game in years, and his return not in the foreseeable future, things look bleak. If Kevin Durant went to the Blazers, who knows what type of team they could be today. Just like if they drafted Michael Jordan back in the day. Maybe the Blazers become one of the league’s most dominant franchises. Instead of the Lakers, Bulls, Spurs, having Dynasties in the last 20 years, maybe Portland sports one of their own.

You can always look back on bad draft choices and regret; after all, hindsight is 20-20. But, to make the same mistake twice, it’s almost unforgiveable. Passing up on Michael Jordan will forever be one of basketballs biggest sins, but to get blessed with another number one overall draft pick, and to blow it yet again on an injury riddled big man, inexcusable. At this point, I am hoping Oden can come back and put together some sort of a career. It’s almost not fair for Blazer fans to have to endure this yet again. Kevin Durant just dropped 51 points and is the two-time defending league scoring champion. Every point he scores is a sad reminder to Blazers fans that they blew it, again.

Braun Update

2012-02-23T16:28:00.001-06:00

Ryan Braun won his appeal today, MLB has not let out any other details as of yet. I will update this even more once they do. I am amazed however, this is the first major drug suspension I can think of that has been appealed. Furthermore I find myself wondering if MLB is doing this to save face. Well it is all speculation for now, but with more details will come more answers. I can't wait to read more about this story!

Superbowl Afterthoughts

2012-02-08T15:20:00.001-06:00

A few thoughts on the Superbowl. The game was close and very intense down to the very last play. I enjoyed seeing Eli lead his team with a fourth quarter comeback. But, there were many key moments that stood out to me.

Mario Manningham made an amazing catch that may very well have kept the Giants hopes alive. The pass was perfect from Manning. Manningham cradled the ball in, got both feet down, and made perhaps the biggest play of the night for the Giants.

Also the sad story of Jake Ballard trying to get back into the game even, though he most likely tore his ACL. NBC showed a clip of Ballard on the sidelines trying to run and get back on the field. Ballard's knee however, couldn't take it and he crumbled to the ground, agonizing in pain. It's sad to see a player get hurt in the last game of the season, especially in the Superbowl. Good thing the Giants pulled off the victory though, I'm sure Ballard feels a lot better about things now that they won.

Another kind of odd story to me, why is Giselle Bundchen is making headlines, trashing the patriots wide receivers for not catching the ball? Sure, Welker should have made the catch, and maybe that would have gave the Patriots the ability to clinch the game. But, there is no way you can put the blame on the receivers alone. Brady had a horrible safety in the first quarter, and threw a nasty interception late in the third quarter. So to put all the blame on the wide receivers is not fair and I'm sure Brady himself knows he should have done better.

A kind of disturbing article I read today, was that the Patriots had some star players caught partying and having fun just hours are the game. I support athletes being able to do what they want in their free time, but when you just lose the Superbowl, don't go out and party like you just won it. This disrespects your teammates. To go out and party just hours after a hard loss makes it seem as if you don't care about the game as much as they do. You would never see Tom Brady do this, he has three Superbowls and knows when it's time to celebrate, losing to the Giants again, does not qualify as one of those moments.

Just some quick stats to wrap this post up, I read that the Giants are 4-0 in the Superbowl when Bill Belichick is on the sidelines. Interesting stat because he won two as a coordinator with the Giants, under Bill Parcells, and of course lost the two as the head coach of the Patriots. Another point to make is Eli's ability to turn it on in the fourth quarter. He led the Giants back on amazing fourth quarter comebacks in both Superbowls, something he has really grown accustomed too. All in all it was a great Superbowl and I am looking forward to next season. Especially since no lock out is looming.

Sports Goals

2012-02-03T14:15:00.004-06:00

As much of a sports fan that I may be, I do not know very much about several sports. This year I am aiming to change that. I would like to be more well rounded with this blog. With that being said I am going to try to learn more about tennis, golf, volleyball, and more sports in general. Furthermore, I really want to learn more about soccer and hockey. These two sports intrigue me greatly, and I wish to become as knowledge about them as I am with others.

I'll start first with hockey. This is a sport I should be able to get more into easily. NHL highlights are all over ESPN. However, I have never gotten into it. Perhaps it's because games are as nationally televised as other sports. Or maybe because I don't know the rules and understand the game!

Hockey intrigues me for many reasons. For one, it is actually very exciting to watch. When I can find a game on TV and attempt to understand what's going on. In addition, I find playoff hockey to be as intense as any other sports, having kept up with many of the last few Stanley cup finals (I guess it's a start.) But the problem is, if you asked me to name ten hockey players right now, I probably couldn't. To make it even worse, I don't know if I could name every team! So, my goal this year is to not only learn the rules of hockey, but to watch more games, learn more players, and definitely to learn all the teams.

Soccer, on the other hand, is a bit more mystifying. Soccer is more of a world wide sport than I am use to following. In fact it is the world's most popular sport. There are leagues in so many countries, its fascinating; as compared to baseball, football, basketball, or even hockey; which all have the major leagues based in the United States. So for me to follow soccer I am going to have to learn entire new leagues, a bunch of new players, and still the rules of the game. This is going to be a more challenging task. Though, I think a bit of FIFA 2012 and some research here and there, I will be just fine.

So those are two of my major goals for this year. I really want to be more knowledgeable about soccer and hockey. Hopefully enough to the point where I can start blogging about those subjects as well. If anyone has any input on ways to get accustomed to these sports, please feel free to contact me. If anyone has any recommendations on soccer leagues to watch/ ways to watch them please let me know!

NFL MVP: Peyton Manning

2012-02-02T14:51:00.000-06:00

By the Associated Press 2008

Yes, I am one of those crazy people that actually believes Manning should win the MVP award this year. No, not Eli, but Peyton. The term MVP means the most valuable player. How can anyone say that Peyton is not the most valuable player in the NFL? The last time the Colts have won less than 10 games a year – 2001. Manning has played quarterback for the Colts in every season since then. So he is good for at least 10 wins a year. This year Peyton Manning didn't play a single game, the Colts went 2-14.

In comparison, the Patriots lose Tom Brady in 2008; they win 11 games that year. Matt Cassell is an average quarterback at best. This is coming from a Chiefs fan. Aaron Rodgers didn't play this year in week 17. His backup tossed six touchdowns. Drew Brees might be as important to his team as Manning is, but with all the talent surrounding the ball the Saints have, I bet they win more than two games. The Texans lost both starting quarterback Matt Schaub, and backup Matt Leinhart. With a rookie at quarterback, they still made it to their first ever division crown and into the playoffs. Not to mention, Andre Johnson was hurt half of the year, and Mario Williams, their best player, was out for the season. Another team that was massacred with injuries, the Chiefs. They lost their best defensive player, offensive player, and starting quarterback for the year. The Chiefs finished with a 7-9 record. Oh and they fired their head coach half way through the season.

So NFL teams can survive injuries, they can survive having a star player not play. But, when that star player is Peyton Manning, it's an injury that is unsurvivable. The Colts won 10 games last year, and had no other major injuries or departures this year. The only difference: no Peyton Manning. This year not only showed how great Manning truly is (perhaps the greatest ever), but how important he is to the Colts. Or should I say how valuable he is. Peyton Manning is the most valuable player.

Baseball's tainted MVP

2012-02-01T14:08:00.001-06:00

By Reuters/ Jeff Haynes

Baseball has always had a steroid problem. You can name countless players who have been busted. Ramirez, Rodriguez, Ortiz, Clemens, are a few that come to mind. These are great players. Players who have won MVPs, Cy Youngs, and Championships. However, none of them ever won an award and got busted in the same season. In fact, no player has won the MVP award and got busted for steroid use that year. Until now. Ryan Braun's 50 game suspension for a positive test taints this MVP award. The question is, should he be stripped of the award?

I know that so many other players have been busted, and admitted to steroid use. Even so, before steroids weren't illegal. Now players get tested. So to fail a test is even worse than before. Ryan Braun is appealing against the positive test of course, but I doubt he will succeed. He is still set to accept his MVP award, but does he deserve it? Is it fair to other players, namely— Matt Kemp. Kemp finished in second in the MVP race and as far as we know, did so playing the season clean. Is it fair to Kemp that he loses the award because someone else was using performance enhancing drugs?

To me, baseball should take drastic measures and strip Braun of the award. There should be a no acceptance policy when it comes to steroids. It is not fair to the integrity of the game that people are still cheating. Knowingly cheating at that. If baseball allows Braun to keep the award, they are supporting his usage of steroids. Braun should be used as a precedent for all players, if you cheat you will not be rewarded. So hopefully baseball does the right thing, and Braun is not allowed to keep his MVP award.

NBA Season So Far

2012-01-31T18:29:00.000-06:00

By thesportsfanjournal.com

So far, I have really been enjoying the compressed 66 game NBA schedule. Not only do teams play more often, but it seems like there are a few games on everyday, feeding my appetite for basketball nicely. The season also has been intriguing to see how players react from being on such a long lockout. I can say for sure there are still a few players getting back into shape. Slow starts by many teams have happened so far, for example, the champion Dallas Mavericks. However, as the season goes on teams will start to level off.

There have been a number of surprising teams at this point in the season. I wonder if they can keep it up for the rest of the year. Some of these teams include the 76ers, the Magic, The Pacers, The Jazz, and the Nuggets. Yes the Nuggets, who have a superior record than the Knicks, looks like the Carmello trade worked out better than people thought. What's even more amazing about these teams doing so well this early in the year, most of them are young teams. This gives hope that the NBA will be able to get fresh blood into the playoffs in the upcoming years.

Another thing about this season that I particularly like, because there are so many games a week, its making fantasy basketball a lot more entertaining for me this year. I feel like I have players playing so often I must constantly keep up to date with my team. I am currently in second place in my league.

So here's to hoping the rest of the NBA season turns out as delightful as the start of the season has been. I am very interested in seeing how these young teams react to a long grueling season and hoping that many of them make the playoffs and can do some damage. I am tired of seeing the Spurs, Lakers, Mavs, Celtics, every year.

Luck or Griffin III?

2012-01-31T16:35:00.000-06:00

Ezra Shaw/ Ronald Martinez, Getty images

Now that bowl season is over and the NFL draft is just around the corner, the question of who should be the number one overall pick is beginning to swirl around the sports world. Of course, it should be Andrew Luck, and the Colts seemed committed to him. Many experts and media members think that Robert Griffin III might deserve a look at the number one overall spot. Due to recently winning the Heisman trophy and an electrifying bowl win against Washington; his stock is as high as ever. So now people are beginning to think that Griffin, not Luck, will be the best player in the upcoming draft. They like his speed, ability to throw the deep ball, explosive athleticism, and his recent success has put Baylor on the map. So which quarterback will have the better NFL career? Who has more potential? In this post, I will be taking a look at this new revelation that Andrew Luck is no longer the best player in the NFL draft.

This is why I think it's crazy that people suddenly are off the Andrew Luck bandwagon. He has done nothing wrong. His stats are superb. He is 100% healthy. Heck, he only missed four passes in the bowl game against Oklahoma State! However, Luck hasn’t been flashy. He hasn’t blown people away. He never won the Heisman, and he lost his bowl game (due to 2 missed field goals at the end of regulation and overtime). So the once highly touted prospect is no longer the best because of things outside of his control. Stanford has a run heavy offense, that utilized the tight ends in the passing game, not giving Luck many chances for vertical plays down field. His stats were still impeccable regardless. So he may not have won the Heisman, or his bowl game, but nothing has changed he is still the best prospect in the draft.

Griffin, however, is riding high off of explosive plays, playing a weak Big12 schedule, and winning Baylor's first Heisman trophy ever. The bowl game against Washington was all offense, and Baylor won. All season-long Griffins made big-play after big-play – albeit against lesser defenses and horrible secondaries of the Big12. He made flashy plays with his legs. He made comebacks on national televised games. He made everyone believe that Baylor was a better team than it really was.

All of this exposure now has some experts saying that he will be a better NFL quarterback than Luck. I doubt it. Perhaps, Cam Newton's recent success has people believing that Griffin can do the same. That is not what I have a problem with. I have a problem with people thinking that Griffin will be better than Luck. Andrew Luck has the pedigree of a great, championship quarterback. He will anchor a franchise for years to come. Griffin will have flashes here and there, but he will not be on the same level as Andrew Luck. Hopefully, the Colts make the right decision and choose Luck in the upcoming draft. They won't regret it. Much like they chose Manning over Ryan Leaf back in the 98 draft, they won't regret this choice either.

A good video debating this topic via ESPN:

http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/story/_/id/7419742/robert-griffin-iii-not-andrew-luck-right-pick-indianapolis-colts

Pacman vs. Pretty Boy

2012-01-31T15:19:00.000-06:00

By MrFivesixone

With the recent tweet of Floyd Mayweather Jr. calling out Manny Pacquiao to fight on May 5th, I find myself wondering if this fight will ever really happen? With Mayweather's 87 day jail sentence set to begin on June 1st, this is the deadline we have for this fight to happen. If it doesn’t happen by then, I truly believe it probably never will. There is also no better time for this fight to happen than now.

Mayweather's last fight against up-and-comer Victor Ortiz was controversial and made Mayweather perhaps one of today's most hated athletes. If you haven’t heard what happened then you can check it out here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOU_JwuDUcA . My opinion on the matter is that Mayweather took a cheap shot and showed no class, especially when he was already dominating the fight and would have easily won anyways. We all know that Mayweather is a better fighter than Ortiz; there was no need for a sucker punch. It only fueled his reputation as a bad boy and made the average fan hate him even more. Most people are now hoping to see Pacquiao fight him just to knock him out and give them justice.Even more classless than the sucker punch was Mayweather’s pitiful post-fight interview with legend Larry Merchant (which can be seen in the clip linked above).Although Mayweather isn't exactly a model citizen, he is still one of the best, if not the best, fighter in the world. Mayweather still boasts an impressive 42-0 record and has fought almost every big name out there -- except Manny Pacquiao.

On the other hand, Pacquiao's last fight was equally as controversial. Many are now wondering if he really does stand a chance at being the only fighter to ever beat Mayweather. Pacquiao fought Juan Manuel Marquez for the 3rd time last November. The previous bouts were a draw and a split decision in favor of Pacquiao. This time in the bout between the two rivals Manny walked away with a majority decision win. However, many critics and boxing fans alike are screaming at the judges and their scorecards about this fight. Many believe that Marquez was the rightful winner of the 3rd fight, a fight in which the previously invincible Pacman began to look human again. Did Marquez show Pacquiao's weakness? Or is Pacquiao not the fighter we all thought he was? To make matters even more interesting, Mayweather previously fought Marquez in 2009 and absolutely destroyed him. So Pacquiao needs the Mayweather fight to prove he is the best, just as much as Mayweather needs Pacquiao.

But even if the 2 fighters need each other, will the fight actually happen? Mayweather's contract has a fight scheduled on May 5th and this is the only reason why his jail date was pushed back. Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, is saying that Pacquiao will not fight until late May or early June. We've heard them all before -- excuses as to why the fight cannot happen. For years, people said that Mayweather was ducking Pacquiao. Now Mayweather is finally calling Pacquiao out and setting the date. Maybe it's time to stop saying that Pretty Boy Floyd is the one dodging Pacquiao and for him to step up to the task. Or perhaps Bob Arum is the one to blame for not allowing his fighter to make the May 5th fight. Either way, both fighters need this fight to restore reputations, to prove who is best, and to finally settle the debate once and for all. So hopefully in the next few weeks, boxing fans will get confirmation on the fight we have all been waiting for.