After The Whistle...

Let The Games Begin!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 03:45:00 +0000

Louisville, Indiana, Kansas, and Gonzaga are the four #1 seeds heading into this year's NCAA Tournament.

Ladies and Gentlemen...the 2013 NCAA Tournament field is set! We are about to witness some amazing basketball being played in the next couple of weeks. Experts are expecting this year's tournament to be one of the best ones ever. Those are some big words considering the great tournaments of the past. Those expectations have come from what has been a wildly up and down season for college hoops. So many of the top teams lost on a regular basis in addition to the competition in the mid-major leagues showing considerable improvement. The cliche saying that "anyone could be beat" has never held more truth than this season. That is why experts expect this tournament to be great because of the overall parity of college hoops. Are you ready? I am! Let The Games Begin!!!

In case you missed it...here are a few key points from Sunday's tournament selection

The four #1 seeds for the tournament are: Louisville, Indiana, Kansas, and Gonzaga
The MidWest region is assumed to be the toughest region with the presence of Louisville, Duke, and Michigan State. The West region is considered the weakest.
Unlike last year in which Kentucky was the overwhelming favorite to win it all, there are no clear cut favorites in the field. Anyone could win. Seriously. However, many analysts (including myself) are picking Indiana and Louisville to win it all.
First Round play starts tomorrow evening. Here is the schedule for the "First Four...

#16 Liberty vs. #16 North Carolina A&T....Tuesday @ 6:40 PM Eastern
#11 Middle Tennessee State vs. #11 St. Mary's....Tuesday @ 9:15 PM Eastern
#16 James Madison vs. #16 Long Island-Brooklyn....Wednesday @ 6:40 PM Eastern
#13 Boise State vs. #13 La Salle....Wednesday @ 9:15 PM Eastern

May The Odds Be In Your Favor..

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:12:00 +0000

LaMont "MoMo" Jones is one of the top 3 scorers in the nation for the Iona Gaels. He's led his team to the NCAA Tournament after beating Manhattan for the MAAC Conference Championship.

Today is the day that teams have been looking forward to ever since the first practice began. A die hard sports fan will call this a national holiday. "Selection Sunday" is the day in which the top 68 teams in the country are selected to compete for the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. A lot of criteria goes into the selection process. Here is how teams get in the tournament.

1. Schedule, Schedule, Schedule!!!

Have you ever heard the cliche saying, "To be the best...you have to beat the best"? Well that saying couldn't be more true in relation to selection for the tournament. It is IMPERATIVE that a team puts together a tough schedule for the season. That is one thing that the selection committee looks at when considering what teams deserve to go dancing. They want to know that you challenged yourself by going out and playing the toughest teams possible. It doesn't matter if you win or lose (although winning would greatly help your resume!). They just want to see that you went and scheduled good opponents. You will NOT get respect for having a great record but having one just by destroying cream puffs (More on this later!) Strength of schedule is important.

2. Conference Affiliation

There are six major conferences in the nation. They are: The ACC, The Big 12, The Big East, The Big 10, The Pac 12, and The SEC. These conferences all contain some of the top teams in college basketball. With this comes the opportunity for teams within those conferences to play against said top teams and improve their resumes. This is where the majority of tournament teams come from. Well what about if your team isn't in any of those leagues? Read #3

3. Win Your Conference Tourney!

Following the "Power 6" conferences are the mid-majors and several smaller conferences. A lot of these conferences hold solid basketball teams as well. [Think about Gonzaga, Butler, VCU, and St. Louis.] Remember when I was talking about having a creampuff filled schedule? Well you can still make the tournament with one under this condition: Win the conference tournament! If you win the conference tournament, you automatically earn a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. It's assumed that if you win the conference tournament then that means your team is the best in the conference, right? Wrong! Any team could get hot and win their conference. Prime example---> Liberty. The Liberty Flames were on the wrong end of the conference standings entering the Big South Conference. They got hot at the right time and went on to win the conference tournament and earn that automatic bid.

And there you have it folks! The three keys to making it to the conference tournament! Join me later on tonight for the official Selection Show on CBS at 6 PM.

Here We Go!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:34:00 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen: we have our participants for Super Bowl XLVII! The San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens will square off in New Orleans to determine the league champion. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:30pm and the 49ers are installed as 4 1/2 point favorites. Good luck to both teams!! I'm picking the Ravens. More info on this to come soon....

Ray Lewis of the AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens

Colin Kaepernick of the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers

Post-Conference Championship Game thoughts..

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:19:00 +0000

Well ladies and gentlemen...it looks like I was wrong in my prediction for the Falcons to win the game. I failed to get the preview up for the Ravens-Patriots game up in my time, but I did pick the Baltimore Ravens to win the game. Overall, both games were great! I enjoyed them both. I look forward to researching statistics and coming up with a fantastic preview for the Super Bowl match-up between the 49ers and the Ravens. I should have it ready by the Friday afternoon before Super Bowl Sunday.

Georgia Southern v. The Citadel: January 19, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 04:48:00 +0000

Pre-game at Hanner Fieldhouse

Good evening everyone!! I'm just returning from watching my school (Georgia Southern) take on The Citadel in a basketball match earlier this evening. My Eagles came into this game after two straight wins against Davidson College and College of Charleston. The Citadel had only won THREE GAMES all season and was winless in the Southern Conference. Naturally, one would think that this would be fairly easy going for the Eagles in the finale of a three game home stand. Right? WRONG! I felt as if we played down to the competition and never got going. The Bulldogs employed a 2-3 zone defense that completely frustrated Georgia Southern and forced them to take outside shots. Give The Citadel credit! Freshman Matt Van Scyoc lead the Bulldogs with 21 points, and boy was he hot. He was out there looking like Larry Bird against us. We were lead in scoring tonight by C.J. Reed (13 points) and Eric Ferguson (10 points, 8 rebounds). I felt as if this one of those games in which we lost to a team that we were clearly better than tonight. I believe that we will learn from this loss and build on it by having a strong rest of the season. Go Eagles!!

NFC Championship Game preview

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:18:00 +0000

Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons looks for a receiver during a game this season.

Frank Gore of the San Francisco 49ers runs for a first down in a game earlier this season.

Sunday afternoon we will see the Atlanta Falcons taking on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. The winner of this game will advance to face the winner of the New England/Baltimore game in the Super Bowl.

ATLANTA
The Falcons enter the NFC Championship game on the skin of their teeth following a 30-28 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round. Atlanta blew a 20 point lead in the fourth quarter and needed a clutch final drive from Matt Ryan and a field goal from Matt Bryant to pull out the victory. Something should be said for the mental toughness that Atlanta showed on that drive. Most people (myself included) expected the Falcons to give up and do something crazy that would virtually ensure a Seattle victory. It would have been a fitting new edition to the Falcons recent string of playoff disappointments. For all of the great things that Matt Ryan has done for the Falcons since being drafted 3rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, Sunday was his first playoff victory. Maybe this is a sign of things to come for an Atlanta team (and city) that is desperate for a championship. San Francisco is favored to win this game, but I think Atlanta will be sharper as a result of their game against Seattle and will manage to pull out the victory.
Atlanta is led on offense by fifth year quarterback Matt Ryan. Ryan has thrown for 4,719 yards and 32 touchdowns this season. He has three valuable targets in wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White along with future Hall of Famer in tight Tony Gonzalez. Jones hauled in 79 receptions for 1,198 yards and 10 touchdowns. His receiving mate, Roddy White, hauled in 92 receptions for 1,351 yards and 7 touchdowns. Tony Gonzalez is his favorite target. The veteran tight end has 93 receptions for 930 yards and 8 touchdowns. Running back Michael Turner gives the Falcons vaunted air attack some balance. He leads the team with 222 carries for 800 yards and 10 touchdowns. Atlanta ranks 23rd against the pass and 21st against the run. Cornerback Asante Samuel is the heart and soul of the Falcons defense as he leads the team with 36 tackles and 5 interceptions.

SAN FRANCISCO
One year removed from a heartbreaking loss in the 2012 NFC Championship Game, the San Francisco 49ers are back in the same game with the hopes of leaving with a different result. The 49ers enter this game following a 45-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round. Colin Kaepernick, the new Niners qb, put on an absolute show in this game. As a result of his performance and the overall strength of the defense, San Francisco is favored to win. They are led on offense by the young Kaepernick and a veteran running back in Frank Gore. Kaepernick replaced long time starter Alex Smith towards the end of the season and led San Francisco by throwing for 1,814 yards and 10 touchdowns. Frank Gore aka "Old Reliable" has continued to be the model of consistency for his squad. This season he rushed for 1,214 yards and 8 touchdowns. Michael Crabtree is the outside threat and a top target for Kaepernick. Crabtree is FINALLY displaying the skills that made him a top-10 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. This season, Crabtree hauled in 85 receptions for 1,105 yards and 9 touchdowns. The 49er defense is as stout as usual. It is ranked 4th in both passing and rushing defense with star linebacker Patrick Willis leading the way with 120 tackles, 2 picks, and 2 forced fumbles.

WHO WINS?
All of the experts are picking San Francisco to win this game. Personally, I think that Atlanta will shock the world and win this game. I'll take Matt Ryan at home any day of the week. Give me Atlanta 30-23

My Thoughts on Lance Armstrong..

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:58:00 +0000

Lance Armstrong leads the pack en route to capturing his seventh Tour De France title a few years ago. How the mighty have fallen...

I watched the Lance Armstrong interview with Oprah last night on ESPN. Let me disqualify myself first by admitting that I never followed Lance Armstrong and the whole doping situation. I just remember picking up the newspaper every July to find out that he had won another Tour De France title. One victory in itself was awesome, but the fact that he had won seven in a row was mind blowing. I was a bit disappointed to find out that he had indeed involved in doping after he had been vehemently denying for years that he hadn't done so. He had went so far as to destroy the lives of people that were telling the truth about him. For that act, Armstrong will receive zero respect from me. I do wish him well in his future endeavors though and I think that he deserves whatever is coming in his direction. Many sports experts say good riddance!

What do YOU think about Lance Armstrong today?

My Thoughts on Manti Te'o

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 02:57:00 +0000

Manti Te'o looks to make a play for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during a game this season

By now, we have all heard about the Manti Te'o story in the news. It is the biggest story on the planet right now. I'm not here to go into detail about it. I just have a couple of opinions and questions that I need to vent. At the moment, I believe Manti was truly duped in this hoax. All-time gullible. I'm rooting for the guy. I would hate for this hoax to ruin what has otherwise been a remarkable college career for Te'o. I'm sure that more details will emerge in the days to come in this bizarre case. I'm only wondering two things.

1) If someone is the "love of your life" then how can you go for so long without ever seeing this person? How do you not contact her in person or on Skype? How can someone love another one so much that he never holds or kisses her?

2) If someone is the "love of your life" then how is it that you fail to visit her when she's been in a a serious accident or when she is diagnosed with leukemia? How do you miss the funeral for this so-called the love of your life?

I'm rooting for Manti Te'o in this whole episode. I want the guy to succeed because he's had a great college career and appears to be as genuine as it gets.

Do YOU believe Manti Te'o?

Better Lucky Than Good?

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 01:08:00 +0000

Falcons QB Matt Ryan exchanges words with Seahawks rookie QB Russell Wilson following Atlanta's 30-28 victory over Seattle.

We had heard it all. "The Atlanta Falcons are 0-3 in the playoffs during the Matt Ryan era". "The Falcons are like LeBron before he won his first ring." The insults were endless. During the fourth quarter of today's game, those words began to rear their ugly head in the minds of every collective Falcons' fan. To add insult to injury, Atlanta had led Seattle 20-0 for the majority of the game and eventually blew it in the final minute of the game. I don't want to even imagine the major embarrassment that would have happened had Matt Ryan not been clutch in that final drive that led to the game-winning field goal. The Falcons did manage to pull out that win in the end and congratulations to them. Their fans definitely deserve it! They will host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship for the right to advance to the Super Bowl.

It pays to be better lucky than good sometimes, right? For the Atlanta Falcons today...the answer is yes.

Bowl Previews: Week 2 (Russell Athletic Bowl)

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:50:00 +0000

Russell Athletic Bowl

Rutgers Scarlet Knights v. Virginia Tech Hokies

Friday December 28, 2012 5:30PM

Orlando, Florida

Logan Thomas, quarterback for the Virginia Tech Hokies, looks for a receiver in a game this season

Jawan Jamison, Rutgers running back, runs for a first down against Temple

The 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl might as well be called the "Disappointment Bowl". Disappointment has been a theme to describe the entirety of the 6-6 Virginia Tech Hokies season as well as the result of the 9-3 Rutgers Scarlet Knights last game. The Hokies have been long been known as a powerhouse in college football in addition to their many appearances in BCS Bowl games.This year was expected to be another great one for Virginia Tech. We all know what happens next. Rutgers had a better overall season than the Hokies this year. Let's just say that this isn't the game that Rutgers wanted to be in. Had Rutgers been victorious in its last outing against Louisville, they would have been in BCS bowl game. They lost and now Louisville is playing in the Sugar Bowl against Florida while Rutgers heads to the Russell Athletic Bowl. The winner of this game will simply be whoever shows up to play seriously.
The Scarlet Knights of Rutgers have a pretty balanced offense. Gary Nova threw for 2,566 yards and 22 touchdowns. Running back Jawan Jamison rushed for 1,054 yards with 4 touchdowns on the ground. Nova's favorite targets are receivers Brandon Coleman and Mark Harrison. Coleman, a junior, has 39 receptions for 663 yards and 10 touchdowns. Harrison, a senior, has 42 receptions for 560 yards and 6 touchdowns. Rutgers defense is pretty solid as it gives up only 14.3 points per game, good for 5th in the nation.
Virginia Tech also has a balanced offense. They are led in passing and rushing by do everything quarterback Logan Thomas. Thomas threw for 2,783 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 528 yards and an additional 9 touchdowns. The Hokies air attack is stronger than their ground game. Two receivers, Marcus Davis and Corey Fuller, put up big numbers for Virginia Tech this season. Davis has 47 receptions for 891 yards and 5 touchdowns while Fuller hauled in 41 receptions for 769 yards and an additional 5 touchdowns. Virginia Tech's defense rank 60th in the nation while allowing 23.9 points

ATW Pick: Virginia Tech 23-16

Bowl Previews: Week 2 (Independence Bowl)

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:00:00 +0000

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl

Ohio Bobcats v. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks

Friday December 28, 2012 2PM

Shreveport, Louisiana

Kolton Browning, QB for the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, looks to make a play in a game this season

Tyler Tettleton, QB for the Ohio Bobcats, looks for a receiver during a game this season

In the 2012 edition of the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl, we have the 8-4 Ohio Bobcats taking on the 8-4 Warhawks of Louisiana-Monroe. This figures to be an intriguing game because both teams enter this match sporting identical records. Louisiana-Monroe is a team out of the Sun Belt conference. The average college football fan wouldn't take a second look at ULM when it comes to sports, but this isn't your average Warhawk squad. Louisiana-Monroe shocked the world when they defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. At the time of this upset, Arkansas was ranked #8 in the country and was a leading contender for the national championship. Arkansas would go on to finish the season 4-8. Since then, Louisiana Monroe had strong showings against Baylor and Auburn. They have everyone's attention nationwide. The Ohio Bobcats also have a marquee victory over Penn State.

The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks are led by star quarterback Kolton Browning. Browning threw for 2,830 yards and 27 touchdowns with 441 rushing yards and an additional 7 touchdowns on the ground. Browning has help in the running game with the contribution of Jyruss Edwards. Edwards, a junior running back, rushed for 438 yards and 6 touchdowns. Browning's top two receiving targets are Brent Leonard and Je'Ron Hamm. Leonard, a senior, leads the team with 97 receptions for 1042 yards and 10 touchdowns. His junior receiving mate, Hamm, has 58 receptions for 862 yards with 6 touchdowns. Louisiana-Monroe has the 60th best defense in all of college football. They give up 27.8 points per game.
The Ohio Bobcats hail from the Mid-American Conference where they accumulated an 8-4 record. The Bobcats had an amazing start to their season. They beat Penn State en route to opening the season with an 7-0 record. They stumbled down the stretch by going 1-4 in their last few games. Ohio is led on offense by two Oklahoma natives in quarterback Tyler Tettleton and tailback Beau Blankenship. Tettleton threw for 2,513 yards with 16 touchdowns while Blankenship ran for 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tettleton's top receiving target is Donte Foster. Foster, a junior, has 56 receptions for 629 yards and 7 touchdowns. The Bobcats have a slightly better defense than the Warhawks. They only allow 25.7 points per game. For the Warhawks, this game may be somewhat of a virtual home game for them. Shreveport isn't that far from Monroe.

ATW Pick: Louisiana-Monroe wins 31-19

Bowl Previews: Week 2 (Holiday Bowl)

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 01:39:00 +0000

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl

17 UCLA Bruins v. Baylor Bears

Thursday December 27, 2012 9:45PM

San Diego, California

UCLA's Johnathan Franklin runs for yards in a game earlier this season

Terrance Williams of Baylor heads for the endzone in a game against TCU this season

Tonight's game features the #17 UCLA Bruins facing off against the Baylor Bears. This game is a testament to surprisingly strong seasons by both squads. UCLA enters into the Holiday Bowl with a surprising 9-4 record in which they beat several quality opponents soundly. This season marks the first winning season for UCLA in a long time. They've been known as the third best team in California behind perennial powerhouse USC and a newly emerged Stanford. Coach Jim Mora, Jr. definitely has this team headed in the right direction for the future. The Bruins are led on offense by quarterback Brett Hundley and running back Johnathan Franklin. Hundley, a redshirt freshman, threw for 3,411 yards with 26 touchdown passes. Franklin, a senior, rushed for 1,700 yards and 13 touchdowns and is UCLA's all time leading rusher. Shaquelle Evans, a junior receiver, also hauled in 53 receptions for 795 yards and 2 touchdowns to help the Bruin offense. On the defensive side, Junior linebacker Anthony Barr leads the nation with 13 1/2 sacks while sophomore linebacker Eric Kendricks is fifth in the FBS with 137 tackles.

UCLA's opponent will be the 7-5 Bears of Baylor University. Baylor is also a surprise team this season. No one expected much out of the Bears due to the fact that they had to replace the 2011 Heisman Winner in Robert Griffin, III (RGIII). Baylor responded nicely with the play of senior quarterback Nick Florence. Florence led Baylor by throwing for 4,121 yards and 31 touchdowns. Florence is backed up by the running back duo of sophomore Lache Seastrunk and junior Glasco Martin. Seastrunk, an Oregon transfer and Texas native, came on late but still managed to rush for 874 yards and 6 touchdowns. Glasco Martin added an additional 791 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Florence's favorite receiving target is Terrance Williams. The senior leads Baylor's receiving corps with 95 receptions for 1,764 yards and 12 touchdowns. Baylor relies on its offense because its defense ranks at the bottom of college football by giving up an average of 39 points a game.

ATW Pick: UCLA 40-Baylor 31

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 17:00:00 +0000

On behalf of After The Whistle, I would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas!!! Enjoy your time with family and friends along with the multitude of NBA games on television...

Bowl Previews: Week 1 (New Orleans Bowl)

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 15:00:00 +0000

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
East Carolina Pirates v. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
Saturday December 22, 2012 12PM
New Orleans, Louisiana

Running Back Alonzo Harris looks for space in last year's New Orleans Bowl

Quarterback Shane Carden makes a play for East Carolina in a game earlier this season.

In today's game, we have yet another match-up of teams with similar records facing off in the 2012 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The Pirates of East Carolina (8-4) face off against the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4). The Ragin' Cajuns return to the Mercedes Benz Superdome following a 32-30 victory over San Diego State in last year's New Orleans Bowl. East Carolina is back in the bowl picture after finishing last season with a 5-7 record. The Ragin Cajuns are led on offense by quarterback Terrence Broadway. Broadway is a sophomore who has thrown for 2,526 yards with 16 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in addition to rushing for 661 yards and another 8 touchdowns. He is joined by running back Alonzo Harris, who is the team's leading rusher with 761 yards and 8 touchdowns. Wide Receiver Harry Peoples also contributes to the Louisiana Lafayette offense with 61 receptions for 774 yards and 5 touchdowns.
East Carolina counters with a balanced attack of their own. They are led by quarterback Shane Carden. Carden has thrown for 2,838 yards with 21 touchdowns and 9 nine interceptions. Vintavious Cooper leads the Pirates in rushing with 1,030 yards and 7 touchdowns. Justin Hardy is the go-to receiver for the Pirates as he leads the team with 83 receptions for 1,046 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Both teams aren't known for their defenses. East Carolina gives up an average of 30.7 points per game, and Louisiana Lafayette allows an average of 27.6 points per game. My guess here would be whichever team has the hotter offense will win. According to ESPN.com, Louisiana Lafayette is the favorite to win.

ATW Pick: East Carolina wins 23-20

Bowl Previews: Week 1 (Beef O'Brady's Bowl)

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Beef O'Brady's Bowl
Ball State Cardinals vs. University of Central Florida Knights
Friday December 21, 2012 7:30 PM
Saint Petersburg, Florida

Blake Bortles drops back in a game for Central Florida this season.

Ball State QB Keith Wenning looks for a receiver in a game this season

The 2012 edition of the Beef O'Brady's Bowl features the Ball State Cardinals from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and the University of Central Florida Knights from Conference USA. The Knights are one of those teams who lost their conference championship game in disappointing fashion and now have to regroup to play. The Cardinals also had a solid season in their conference as well. Both teams sport nearly identical records with UCF going 9-4 this season and Ball State going 9-3.
The Knights are led on offense by quarterback Blake Bortles and running back Latavius Murray. Bortles has thrown for 2,787 yards with 22 touchdowns against 7 interceptions while Murray has rushed for 1,035 yards and 14 touchdowns. Ball State is led by their own QB-RB duo of Keith Wenning and Jahwan Edwards. Wenning threw for 2,878 yards and tossed 22 touchdowns while Edwards rushed for 1,321 yards with 14 touchdowns.
Ball State has three things working against them as they head into the Beef O'Brady's Bowl. 1) The status of QB Wenning is still clouded as he is still recovering an ankle injury suffered nearly a month ago. 2) In a matchup of two high powered offenses, Ball State's defense is extremely suspect. They are ranked near the bottom the FBS as they give up 31.5 points per game. 3) Given that the University of Central Florida is located in Orlando, the Beef O'Brady's Bowl may as well be a virtual home game for the Knights due to their close proximity to Saint Petersburg.

ATW Picks: UCF 36 - Ball State 33

Bowl Previews: Week 1 (Poinsettia Bowl)

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:00:00 +0000

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Brigham Young Cougars v. San Diego State Aztecs
Wednesday December 20, 2012 8PM
San Diego, California

Adam Muema (#4) breaks off a touchdown run for the San Diego State Aztecs this season

Cody Hoffman (#2) attempts to reel in a pass for the BYU Cougars this season

In this game, we have a meeting of two former rivals. Before this season, San Diego State and Brigham Young were members of the Mountain West Conference before BYU left to become an independent. The Aztecs are led by the sophomore duo of QB Adam Dingwell and RB Adam Muema. Dingwell became the starter once senior QB Ryan Katz went down with an injury. Dingwell has since led the Aztecs with 795 yards passing with eight touchdowns against four interceptions. Muema has been the workhorse of the Aztecs as he leads the team with 1,355 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns.
The Cougars are led on offense by QB Riley Nelson and WR Cody Hoffman. The senior quarterback Nelson leads his team through the air with 2,011 yards passing and 13 touchdowns, while the junior receiver Hoffman has been the primary beneficiary with 90 receptions for 1,134 and 11 touchdowns. The X-Factor in this game may be the defense of Brigham Young. The Cougars enter this game sporting the third ranked defense in the country. Everyone knows defense wins games!

ATW Pick: Brigham Young wins in a close game, 23-13

Just Win Baby...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Tim Tebow has been something of an afterthought in The Big Apple

By now, we all know about the Tim Tebow-New York Jets fiasco. To say that this has been a nightmarish season for Tebow would be an enormous understatement. I'm a Tim Tebow fan and I'm DISGUSTED with the way they treated him. Allow me to qualify myself...
I am a hardcore fan of the football team at the University of Alabama. The Crimson Tide plays in the Southeastern Conference, affectionately known as the SEC, which is home to the Florida Gators. Tebow was the star quarterback of those vaunted Florida squads from 2006-2010. I was able to see Tebow continuously win games for his team at a high level. He impressed me with his leadership and his ability to win games. There were questions about his throwing motion and things of that nature. I tried to ignore it because I know that intangibles don't win football games. They are won by heart and skill, which Tebow had both.

Fast Forward to 2011...Tebow was the quarterback for the Denver Brondcos. He overcame constant scrutiny to lead his team to a successful season.

March 2012...Tebow is traded to NY Jets. He barely plays.

My issue is the way Tebow has been treated by the Jets. Why did they even bother going after him if they were hardly going to play him? We are constantly subjected to Rex Ryan's b.s. answers as to why Tebow isn't playing. I get that Tebow isn't as sexy of a prototypical quarterback like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, but that shouldn't matter. The late Al Davis, owner of the Oakland Raiders, had a famous quote in which he proclaimed for his teams to "Just Win Baby!". This is what Tebow does and has done his entire career. I get so sick of experts and their opinions of him when all he has ever done was win football games. I just don't get it. I sincerely hope that he gets released from the Jets and is able to find a better opportunity somewhere else. I hope Tebow is allowed to do what he has consistently done throughout his career...Win games.

Welcome Back Refs! Now What?

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 05:39:00 +0000

Well, the referee lockout has officially been lifted. The NFL Owners and the Referee Union have FINALLY agreed to a deal. To some, this is great news. We've all seen the horrible calls that were made within the past few weeks already! The infamous "Fail Mary" on Monday Night Football is the poster boy incident. My question is "Now What?" We're going to go from booing the replacement refs to booing the REAL refs. Gotta love the NFL and its fans!

Random...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 01:08:00 +0000

One thing that I have come away with from The Olympics is that Sanya Richards-Ross is GORGEOUS!

Olympic Shoutout

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:54:00 +0000

Just wanted to give a shotout to TEAM USA. They are truly representing our country with extreme pride.

Throwback Play of The Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:28:00 +0000

"Little Giants"

Charlie Gantt trots into the endzone for the game winning touchdown against Notre Dame

For today's "Throwback Play of the Day", I have chosen the famed "Little Giants" play from the 2010 Michigan State vs. Notre Dame game. The score was 31-28 in overtime of the game. Michigan State lined up for what appeared to be a field goal attempt to tie the game. It turned out to be a fake attempt, and the back up quarterback threw a strike to a wide open receiver for the game winning touchdown.

Here is the video for you viewing pleasure.

Achievement...

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 04:44:00 +0000

Congrats to Michael Phelps on becoming the most decorated Olympian in history! 19 Medals?! Wow..

Question of the Day?

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Question.
In 2005, a rare event occured in the sports world. For the first time ever, the top overall picks in the NBA and NFL Draft came from the same school. What school was it, and who were the two players?

Freestyle Mondays

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:00:00 +0000

My Issue: Superteams

In 2003, the Lakers added Gary Payton and Karl Malone to a team that already featured Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal

The Boston Celtics added Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to a team that featured Paul Pierce in the summer of 2007.

You know what I'm tired of? All of these superstars "teaming up" and playing together. I CAN'T STAND IT! I just think that it kills the spirit of competition. This is a new NBA trend that I wish would go away, and FAST! The art of superstars playing for the same team isn't anything new. In fact, it was all the rage back in the 70's and 80's. The recent trend of it started back up around 2003. This is when the Los Angeles Lakers signed Karl Malone and Gary Payton to a team that already featured Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. This Laker squad made it all the way to the NBA Finals before losing to the Detroit Pistons. It happened again just before the 2007-2008 NBA season. The Boston Celtics acquired veteran All-Stars in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to go along with Celtic great, Paul Pierce. This Celtic squad would go on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals. No one really had a problem with this because Garnett, Pierce, and Allen were all getting up there in age and neither of them had won an NBA title during their career. The 2007-08 Celtics were celebrated. Then came the summer of 2010.

Carmelo Anthony traded to the Knicks

Chris Paul after being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in December 2011.

Who could forget Miami's signing of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade in 2010?

The summer of 2010 brought about one of the most hyped free agent players in league history. Players like LeBron James, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Chris Bosh, Amare' Stoudemire, and Dwyane Wade were all on the market. The best player available was LeBron James. At the time, James was the reigning two time MVP of the league. He announced that he was "taking his talents" to the Miami Heat on July 8, 2010. The Heat had already resigned Dwyane Wade and added Chris Bosh, so James' decision was huge around NBA circles. LeBron stated that his primary reason for joining Miami was to "compete for championships". Following LeBron's move to Miami, Carmelo Anthony began to express a desire to be traded to the New York Knicks, The Knicks had just signed star forward Amare' Stoudemire to a long deal. After months of speculation, Anthony received his wish and was traded to the Knicks. Wait, there's more. New Orleans point guard Chris Paul soon voiced his desire to depart from the struggling Hornets. Rumors pointed him to joining Melo and Amare in New York, but he eventually ended up with the Los Angeles Clippers and rising star, Blake Griffin. Now the game of "superstar musical chairs" has a new participant in Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard. Howard has repeatedly expressed a desire to play for the Brooklyn Nets. Why Brooklyn? They haven't been relevant since the Jason Kidd/Richard Jefferson era. I'll tell you why. Last season, the Nets received star point guard Deron Williams in a trade and recently received Joe Johnson from the Hawks. Coincidence? No way.

I'm just tired of these great players all on one team. I think it definitely waters down the NBA. Soon, we will have at least 8 great teams and 22 mediocre or terrible teams. I just hope the this new trend is short lived, but signs tell me that it won't be. I understand that every athlete wants to have that championship on their resume, but where is the honor in that if your team is full of All-star? What are your thoughts?

Throwback Play of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony L. Brown, II) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Adrian Peterson "The Run" 1999 Division I-AA (FCS) Championship game

Adrian Peterson set plenty of records at Georgia Southern and even has his #3 retired at Paulson Stadium

I came across this spectacular highlight film the other day. The film involves Adrian Peterson, a legendary running back from Georgia Southern University. Peterson is all the rage here at GSU even though he hasn't played here in over a decade. There are #3 jerseys all over the bookstore and one hangs in the Landrum dining hall. Most importantly, Peterson's #3 is retired by the football program and hangs proudly at Paulson Stadium. A three year starter at Georgia Southern, Peterson racked up 9,145 yards rushing on 1,378 carries and scored 111 touchdowns. The following play took place in the '99 Division I-AA (FCS) Championship Game against the Jim Tressel led Youngstown State Pengins. He essenially broke five tackles in what resulted in a 58 yard gain for the Eagles.

Here is the clip for your viewing pleasures.