tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60358400296901207432024-02-05T19:15:32.285-08:00Cleavie WonderCleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.comBlogger1006125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-90588069480863248212013-10-16T12:27:00.000-07:002013-10-16T12:27:05.648-07:00The New Blog HomeCheck me out at <a href="http://www.cleaviewonder.com/">www.cleaviewonder.com</a>. Same old Cleavie, just a new updated location for the self proclaimed expert on all things sports related.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-4928060518672584452013-10-14T11:15:00.000-07:002013-10-14T11:15:19.112-07:00Weekend ObservationsI don't know how your fantasy football weekend went, but mine was a complete and total disaster. In my trash talking league I only had one player (Peyton Manning) score in double digits and three players (CJ Spiller, Jordan Cameron, New Orleans defense) put up a 6 spot which makes me look more like a devil worshiper than a football expert. In my hurt your feelings league things have gone from bad to worse. Eddie Lacy, Wes Welker, and The Breesy were no match for RGIII, DeSean Jackson, and Vernon Davis. At 1-5 it may be time to pull the plug on this experiment. In my ego stroking work league I started Torrey Smith instead of Vincent Jackson. That was a 27 point swing and I lost by .8 points. The three teams that were 1-4 in this league all won their match ups. Go figure. There was plenty of fantasy frustration, but at least the Seahawks won. Here are some observations over the weekend.<br />
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Oregon won their football game. As a 3rd generation UW alum loyal to the program that's all my conscience will allow me to say on this topic. If I wasn't so loyal I'd tell you Oregon's dominant 3 touchdown victory at Husky Stadium was a masterful performance, Marcus Mariotta should win the Heisman, and Oregon should win the national championship. Excuse me while I vomit.<br />
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THE DENVER BRONCOS ARE NOT ALL THAT! The biggest point spread favorites in the history of the NFL struggled against a winless team that loses by an average of 22 points a game. a 35-19 victory is not impressive when you're playing the Jacksonville Jaguars. Peyton Manning embarrassed himself, let down his fantasy owners, and cost Vegas millions of dollars. Shame on him.<br />
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The Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers pitching staffs deserve better. Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw gave up 2 runs in two games yet trail the St. Louis Cardinals 0-2 Anibal Sanchez, Max Scherzer, and the Tigers bullpen gave up 1 run over 16 innings, but leave Boston with the series tied 1-1. You don't have to be a mathematician to realize the results should be different.<br />
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Arrowhead Stadium is the loudest Stadium in the NFL. The Kansas City chiefs crowd reached 137.5 decibels on Sunday breaking the previous record of 136.6 set by the Seahawks fans a few weeks ago. Congrats to them, but I still think Century Link Field is a tougher place to play.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-48804778318783818322013-10-11T06:07:00.000-07:002013-10-11T06:07:35.825-07:00SeahawkCentric: Seahawks Over TitansWhen the Seahawks schedule came out I was looking forward to the homecoming of Jake Locker. Locker was a big part of resurrecting the Huskies football program by unselfishly turning down $50,000,000 to return for his senior year. Now I'm thankful he doesn't have to be on the field when the Tennessee Titans come to Century Link Field on Sunday. It's not a good time to be a Seahawks opponent.<br />
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The Hawks suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday and are eager to get back on the winning track. There's nothing worse than an angry, motivated Seahawks team looking to put on a dominant performance in front of the 12th man and the millions of doubters who recently jumped off the Seahawks bandwagon. Locker is a legend in the 206 and doesn't deserve what the Seahawks would have done to him. It's better he stays on the sidelines as an innocent bystander.<br />
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For the record I'm still drinking the Pete Carroll Cool-Aid. I didn't see anything last Sunday that would suggest the Seahawks won't win the Super Bowl this year. Certainly they could be better converting on 3rd down and eliminating big plays, but the formula for success remains the same. Let Russell Wilson do his thing, play solid defense, and allow Marshawn "Beastmode" Lynch to run over opposing teams like a Caterpillar bulldozer. Pretty simple right?<br />
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The Tennessee Titans are no match for the Seattle Seahawks. Everyone knows this. There is no chance the Titans will win the game on Sunday. If the Hawks don't win by 15 or more points I'll shave off all my hair and throw my pinky ring in the lake. A reckless statement perhaps, but I'll take my chances. I'll chime in on Monday with all the juicy details of the Seahawks slaughter. Until then let's all keep a SeahawkCentric state of mind shall we?Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-74428507158648629442013-10-10T08:19:00.000-07:002013-10-10T08:19:35.855-07:00Is The UK Ready For The NFL?Commissioner Roger Goodell has announced the NFL plans to play 3 games in London next year. Goodell claims the NFL is growing in popularity overseas and the demand has reached a fever pitch. The commissioner has even insinuated a future franchise in the UK is not out of the question. Is NFL expansion on another continent a good idea?<br />
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Absolutely not. Until Los Angeles gets a franchise (the 2nd largest market in the United States) how can you justify putting a team in London, England? It doesn't make a lot of sense to bypass a city that already has a built in fanbase for the sake of trying to expand your product to other markets. The NFL does just fine here in America without Europe's support.<br />
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In addition the travel time would be unfair to teams on the West Coast. How can you expect Seattle, San Diego, or San Francisco to fly 5,000 miles to a place with a 6 hour time difference? It's cool for a team to go over there every once in a while, but scheduling games at Wembley stadium on a consistent basis seems a little far fetched to me. They can't play teams along the Eastern seaboard every game.<br />
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Football is not Futbol and the UK is not ready to embrace the NFL wholeheartedly. They won't support an NFL franchise the same way they support Manchester United, Chelsea, or Tottenham. I understand the NFL's desire to generate new revenue streams and capitalize on idol curiosity, but that doesn't mean putting teams at a disadvantage for the sake of a few more dollars (especially when your product generates 9 billion already). I say if it ain't broke don't fix it. Your thoughts? Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-52500427465625834772013-10-09T08:15:00.000-07:002013-10-09T08:15:06.358-07:00Why Josh Freeman Won't Succeed In MinnesotaAfter the Tampa Bay Buccaneers released Josh Freeman his career was at a crossroads. It was uncertain whether or not he would get a second chance to redeem himself and prove all the doubters wrong. In little or no time the Minnesota Vikings came calling. Their not sold on the prospect of Christian Ponder or Matt Cassel leading their team to the playoffs and view Freeman as a viable option going forward. Can Josh Freeman lead Minnesota to the promised land?<br />
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As much as I'm pulling for Josh I don't think Minnesota is an ideal fit for him. He will certainly benefit from the league's top rusher in Adrian Peterson and Greg Jennings will be happy to have a quarterback with a strong arm, but Freeman has yet to demonstrate he can run an offense with any consistency. Over the years Josh has shown flashes of brilliance which is why the Vikings took a chance on him. They are hoping he is the missing piece like Bret Favre was a few years ago. <br />
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Minnesota will give Josh Freeman every opportunity to succeed which may ultimately be their undoing. Although he has tremendous physical attributes he's always had a knack for throwing a costly interception or making a poor decision at critical times during the game. What Minnesota needs is a game manager type like in the mold of Andy Dalton or Alex Smith. When you have a tremendous running game and a stellar defense to rely on you don't need a quarterback that takes too many chances.<br />
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Of course I could be wrong. Maybe all Josh Freeman needs to become a franchise quarterback again is a change of scenery and a coach that believes in him. By all accounts the environment in Tampa was completely toxic stunting his growth and development. When you don't get along with the head coach and your leadership is undermined at every turn it's difficult to be a productive player. That being said it's the middle of the season and it's hard to re-invent yourself on the fly. There are lots of things that have to fall into place to have a positive impact. I don't see the stars aligning just right for Josh Freeman in Minnesota. Your thoughts?Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-29118121065638106622013-10-08T12:07:00.000-07:002013-10-08T12:07:17.696-07:00David Price Was RightDirk Hayhurst...COULDN'T hack it...Tom Verducci wasn't even a water boy in high school...but yet they can still bash a player. SAVE IT NERDS.<br />
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David Price tweet after losing game 2 of the ALCS<br />
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Following Saturday's loss to the Boston Red Sox David Price fired back at critics in a Twitter rant that raised a few eyebrows. In my opinion the subject matter wasn't that controversial, but the media had a field day with it. They raked Price over the coals for his "insensitive" remarks and portrayed him as the instigator as opposed to the victim of this incident. Was Price wrong for the comments he made?<br />
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Absolutely not. If it wasn't for David Price the Rays wouldn't even be in the playoffs. He pitched in must win/elimination games for over a month culminating with a clutch victory over Cleveland in the Wild Card game. He's physically and emotionally drained and the last thing he needs is some no name nerds knit picking at his performance.<br />
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If it was Dennis Eckersley, Ron Darling, or Pedro Martinez making derogatory comments Price would have taken the criticism differently, but Verducci and Hayhurst? Kick rocks. David Price has accomplished way too much in his career to have to answer to a bunch of scrubs living vicariously through his experiences. Perhaps I've watched a few too many Big Bang Theory episodes or Jesse Eisenberg movies, but this nerd revolution is getting out of hand.<br />
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Emotions run high in the playoffs. Players get testy and overreact to things that typically wouldn't bother them. David Price has since apologized for his outburst saying he feels humbled and ashamed. Personally I think if reporters did a better job of staying in their lane (especially during the postseason) these confrontations would happen less frequently. Your thoughts?Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-37191859172337248122013-10-07T12:53:00.000-07:002013-10-07T12:53:46.353-07:00SeahawkCentric: Colts Over SeahawksI didn't think I would have to address the details of a loss this entire season, but I'm mature enough to handle it. The Seahawks quest for perfection came to a screeching halt Sunday with a loss to the Indianapolis Colts 34-28.<br />
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Instead of bashing the referees for ridiculous calls (safeties, phantom pass interference) or pointing fingers at one particular unit (special teams) I will take the high moral ground and give the Colts credit for a spectacular come from behind victory. Andrew Luck was as good as advertised, T.Y. Hilton played the game of his life, and Adam Vinatieri proved why he's one of the greatest kickers in NFL history. The Colts should be a factor in the AFC playoff race.<br />
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That being said the Seahawks had multiple opportunities to win the game. I like the way Steven Hauschka knocked down 4 out of 5 field goal attempts, but that number of attempts is more indicative of stalled drives than his superior accuracy. Although the Hawks gained more yards on the ground and in the air 3rd down conversions really hurt us. Super Bowl teams don't make excuses though. Time to pick our heads up and regroup.<br />
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We'll see how the team responds to adversity this week. As you might guess I'm expecting an angry bunch that will practice with intensity and a sense of urgency. I'll chime in on Friday with my prediction for the Titans game. Until then let's all keep a SeahawkCentric state of mind shall we?Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-43582413736689952562013-10-07T12:22:00.001-07:002013-10-07T12:22:16.941-07:00Weekend ObservationsIt was a HORRIBLE football weekend in the 206, but at least the fantasy football gods showed me some love. In my trash talking league I'm up by 40 points on the guy that shows me the least amount of respect. Looks like I picked a good week to start David Wilson and Pierre Thomas. Unless Julio Jones goes for 5 touchdowns and 400 yards I'll be in first place by the end of the night.<br />
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In my hurt your feelings league I'm up by 20, but my opponent has Tony Gonzalez and Julio Jones. Once again Julio is the fly in the ointment. If I win this match up it will be a miracle given the fact my team revolted on me. The week I decide to bench T.Y. Hilton and Mike Wallace they have the game of their lives just to spite me. Hopefully the fantasy football gods will make them burn in hell for their insubordination.<br />
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In my ego stroking work league I squeaked out a victory by two points without playing a defense. I forgot to activate Cincinnati after I picked them up off the waiver wire. They scored 29 points That kind of error would have cost me in my other leagues, but not the EWSL. I'm having the trophy engraved with my name on it as we speak. Here are some observations over the weekend.<br />
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Maybe I'm getting old, but I think the biggest story to come out of the Stanford/UW game is Bishop Sankey's grandfather getting a chance to watch his grandson play after receiving a cornea transplant. It's either old age or I'm trying to forget how the refs did my Huskies dirty. Can't decide.<br />
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Minnesota Golphers head coach Jerry Kill had his 5th seizure before the Ohio St. game and was unable to join the team. Not trying to sound like an a$$hole, but he probably needs to step down. His health issues should be his primary concern and the uncertainty of his condition will eventually (if not already) hurt Minnesota's recruiting efforts.<br />
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Los Angeles beat Atlanta 13-6. Although this sounds like a football score it was actually a baseball game. Hard to believe the Dodgers are doing all this without Matt Kemp.<br />
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If I was Justin Verlander I'd be cussing out my teammates for their anemic offensive output on Saturday night. If you pitch 7 scoreless innings and strike out 11 you should get the victory in a playoff game. No excuses.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-78627193881398824712013-10-04T12:21:00.001-07:002013-10-04T12:21:58.451-07:00SeahawkCentric: Hawks Over ColtsThe Seahawks face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday and all the talk leading up to the game has been about Andrew Luck. The so called experts have marveled over his underrated scrambling ability, his strong arm, and his pocket presence. According to them Andrew Luck will go down in history as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game and the Hawks will have their hands full at Lucas Oil Stadium. Did I miss something?<br />
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They must have forgotten the "Chosen One" is about to play the Seattle Seahawks. THE MIGHTY SEAHAWKS!!! THE TEAM THAT WILL GO 16-0 THIS SEASON!!! THE TEAM THAT PROVED LAST WEEK AGAINST THE HOUSTON TEXANS THEY WILL FIGHT TO THE END AND DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO WIN!!! On paper it may seem like a difficult game to some, but make no mistake about it the Seahawks will come out victorious.<br />
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The Seahawks have more talent on both sides of the ball. The Colts have no answer for the play making ability of Russell Wilson and no one on the Colts defense can stop Beastmode from doing his thing. Luck, Richardson, and Reggie Wayne won't be able to move the ball against the Hawks defense (especially now that Bruce Irvin is back) and ultimately untimely turnovers will spell disaster for their team. Just like the Texans found out it's only a matter of time before someone steps up to make a big play that changes the complexion of the game. <br />
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For the record I like Andrew Luck. I think he's a good kid with a huge upside. Unfortunately for him he's at the wrong place at the wrong time. The 2013 Seahawks are a team of destiny and won't let the sorry ass Colts stand between them and immortality.<br />
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Indy is nothing more than roadkill on the journey to the Super Bowl. I predict the Hawks will win 27-17 and Andrew Luck will throw at least two picks. That's just the way the Hawks handle business. I'll chime in on Monday after the victory with a recap of the slaughter. Until then let's all keep a SeahawkCentric state of mind shall we? Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-3423876133483681442013-10-03T12:12:00.002-07:002013-10-03T12:12:38.096-07:00World Series ScenariosThe MLB playoffs started this week with a play-in game in Arlington and wild card games in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Although the new format makes for a more exciting and dramatic postseason it won't necessarily create a larger viewing audience. Some potential World Series match ups could have the whole country tuning in while others may struggle to get better ratings than a re-run of Storage Wars. It all depends on which teams hold up their end of the bargain. Here's a list of the best and worst case scenarios for the World Series.<br />
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1. The advertisers worst nightmare: Tampa Bay vs. Pittsburgh. The Tampa Bay Rays have established themselves as a perennial postseason threat while the Pirates are experiencing success we haven't seen since the Barry Bonds era. That doesn't make them entertaining to watch however. Your average fan can't name two players on either squad and could care less about who wins or loses. If these two teams meet up in the World Series baseball will lose millions.<br />
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2. For baseball purists only: Oakland vs. St. Louis. The A's and the Cardinals both have a storied tradition and a combined 20 World Series titles between them. They play fundamentally sound baseball and no one player is bigger than the team. That being said if you don't live in the Bay Area or near the Gateway Arch and your name isn't Peter Gammons or Buster Olney this series would probably bore you to death.<br />
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3. Familiar and competitive: Detroit vs. Atlanta. This potential match up has a little sizzle to it. Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera are former MVP's and the Braves are synonymous with winning. There's enough storylines and intrigue to hold your interest through the final at bat.<br />
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4. The royale with cheese match up: Boston vs. Los Angeles. There's more wanna be pretend Red Sox fans than the population of Canada (literally) and the Dodgers are the New<br />
York Yankees of the west coast. Everybody and their grandma will tune in to watch this slug fest. Sponsors will give MLB a blank check and ask questions later. There's so much love and hate for both of these teams the Nielsen ratings would go through the roof. LA vs. Boston could actually make baseball relevant again.<br />
<br />Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-90617219177670463262013-10-01T12:28:00.000-07:002013-10-01T12:28:32.718-07:00NFL 1st Quarter ObservationsIs it just me or is the 2013 NFL season flying by? Seems like only yesterday I was watching preseason games trying to figure out who the Seahawks will play in the Super Bowl. Now they're 4-0 and undeniably the best team in football. Where has all the time gone? It's too early to say how the season will eventually end up (except for the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl), but we have a pretty good idea the direction certain teams and players are headed. Here is my analysis of the 1st quarter.<br />
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The coroner's list: Oakland, New York, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, and Tampa are officially dead and have no chance of making the playoffs. This was expected from the Raiders and Jaguars, but the Giants and Steelers are surprise 0-4 teams. The Bucs are in complete disarray with no direction, leadership, and no solution for their problems.<br />
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Slow your roll list: Chicago, Miami, and New England all have impressive records to start the season, but the 2nd quarter will expose them for the frauds they are. The dolphins have no running game to speak of while the Bears and Patriots have fallen victim to the injury bug. Don't be surprised if these teams end up .500 by midseason.<br />
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Fantasy duds: If you have T.Y Hilton, Mike Wallace, Chris Johnson, CJ Spiller, Matt Schaub, Hakeem Nicks, Eli Manning, RGIII, or Michael Vick on your fantasy team it's time to go in a different direction. They've played enough games for you to realize these players suck a$$. I hate to admit it, but I have several of these players on my squads. I'm trying to adjust my rosters as we speak.<br />
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Pretenders unworthy of the crown: Houston, Atlanta, and San Francisco are not who they claimed to be when the season started. Super Bowl contenders they are not.<br />
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NFL MVP: Drew Brees or Peyton Manning. These guys might throw for 60 touchdowns a piece this year. Can't think of anyone else that belongs in this conversation.<br />
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Potential Super Bowl teams: Seattle, Denver, and New Orleans. The Seahawks are the only team in the NFL with enough balance on both sides of the ball to bring home the Lombardi Trophy.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-9209418511937563662013-09-30T12:39:00.000-07:002013-09-30T12:39:08.175-07:00Coach Sark Is Headed To USCI usually start out Monday with a recap of the weekend, but the events of Sunday morning take precedence today. As you all know USC football coach Lane Kiffin was fired after an embarrassing loss to Arizona St. The move was not unexpected given the team's performance this year and the pressure athletic director Pat Haden was receiving from the alumni. The vacancy has caused mass hysteria and speculation as to who Kiffin's successor will be, but in my mind there's only one logical choice.<br />
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You might hear names like Jack Del Rio, Chris Peterson, or Kevin Sumlin thrown around, but University of Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian is their first choice. USC is not a program that can lay dormant or become irrelevant for long periods of time. They have a fan base that is used to winning and won't tolerate failure (see Lane Kiffin). Their next coach has to be able to make an immediate impact and change the current climate.<br />
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Steve Sarkisian has resurrected the Husky program in a short period of time with limited resources. There have been some bumps in the road along the way, but for the most part coach Sark has done what he said he would do. USC has taken notice and would love for him to reproduce the same results for the Trojans. He said no the first time they asked and I suspect Southern Cal will make a Vito Corleone type proposal this time around. To be honest the USC job provides perks and benefits the University of Washington simply can't offer.<br />
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Hopefully coach Sark has developed a soft spot for the Pacific Northwest and feels a sense of pride for what he's been able to accomplish with the Huskies. Otherwise the allure of coaching one of the top programs in college football will be too much to pass up. If money, power, and prestige are what motivates him he's as good as gone.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-81121168368272088712013-09-30T12:21:00.000-07:002013-09-30T12:21:45.614-07:00SeahawkCentric: A Recap Of The Texans GameIt took a little extra time, but eventually my beloved Seahawks prevailed against the Houston Texans 23-20 in overtime. The more I think about it the outcome couldn't have turned out any better. Instead of beating the Texans like a rented mule the Hawks inflicted a slow, painful, cruel defeat on the city of Houston. <br />
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We let their team build up a false sense of confidence and at the last second (on a field goal no less) shattered their dreams with an improbable come from behind victory. Blow outs are fairly easy to get over, but this kind of loss has a lingering effect. It's safe to say this week's film session will be difficult to watch and might conjure up emotions of despair and self doubt. Let's hope the Texans don't develop an inferiority complex. Then again, let's hope they do. Here's what impressed me about the Hawks win.<br />
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1. The 2nd half shutout. Matt Schaub looked like a Pro Bowler in the first half, but after a few adjustments the league's #1 defense gave up zero points in the 2nd half. As predicted Matt Schaub folded like a bad poker hand when the pressure was on.<br />
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2. Russell Wilson. Russ didn't exactly put on a passing clinic, but he showed true grit scrambling away from defenders and picking up critical 1st downs. Our captain put the team on his back and carried them to the promised land. Without his confidence and never say die attitude the Seahawks could have easily lost the game. <br />
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3. Richard Sherman. If you weren't convinced Richard Sherman is the best cover guy in the game Sunday's performance certainly changed your mind. He's a game changer and someone that will make you pay if you test him over and over again.<br />
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4. Doug Baldwin. I don't know about you guys, but I think Doug Baldwin might be the team's most valuable player to this point. Without his tip toe catches on the sidelines the Seahawks could be 2-2 and tied with the Niners in the NFC West.<br />
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The undefeated season I predicted is still a reality and the next victim on the schedule are the Indianapolis Colts. I'll get back to you on Friday with my take on the game. Until the Let's all keep a SeahawkCentric state of mind shall we? Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-56640023180453187992013-09-27T08:18:00.004-07:002013-09-27T08:18:50.766-07:00SeahawkCentric: Seahawks By 10 Over The TexansIf you pay attention to social media outlets, sports blogs, and informative websites around the country Seattle, WA is the epicenter of the football universe. The Seahawks are gaining more and more respect everyday and Vegas has picked them to win the Super Bowl. This is not surprising given the way Seattle has dismantled their first three opponents by an average of 19.7 points per game. The next victim on the path to the Lombardi Trophy is the Houston Texans.<br />
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When the season started the Texans were a legitimate pick to go to the Super Bowl, but that was ages ago. Now the Texans will be lucky to win their division much less face the Hawks in February. Arian Foster is a shell of his former self and Matt Schaub folds like a bad poker hand when the pressure is on. Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins are a formidable duo at the wide receiver position unless they play a team with 6'3 corners and the best safety in the game roaming around the secondary waiting to light them up. Then they're just average.<br />
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The Seahawks on the other hand have everything going for them right now. Russell Wilson found his groove again and the running game can't be stopped. J.J. Watt and Brian Cushing will swear you need a special license to operate that bulldozer with the #24 on his back. Beastmode will be in full effect. As for the NFL's #1 defense? Look for them to atone for last week's performance giving up 17 points and 265 yards to Jacksonville. They have to take their frustration out on someone and that someone will be the Houston Texans.<br />
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Long story short, the Seahawks will smash the Texans like a bull in a China shop (I tried to use a metaphor Texans fans would understand). I'll recap the victory on Monday with all the juicy details. Until the next time lets all keep a SeahawkCentric state of mind shall we? Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-57729660396485510442013-09-26T12:09:00.001-07:002013-09-26T12:09:07.517-07:00Spoiler Alert: The St. Louis Rams Beat The 49ersOn the surface this prediction may sound like it comes from a spiteful, vindictive, delusional place, but that's only half true. Certainly everyone knows I have an irrational amount of hateration for the Niners and wish nothing but bad luck and misfortune upon them. That doesn't mean I can't apply some objectivity and logic with regards to my analysis of their team (unless I'm in a SeahawkCentric state of mind then all bets are off). That being said there are valid reasons St. Louis will pull off the upset tonight.<br />
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1. The Aldon Smith factor. The motto NFL teams like to follow when a players sustain injuries or get suspended is next man up. That's easier said than done when the player in question is an All Pro and the heart and soul of your defense. The loss of Aldon Smith has ruined the Niners season and the Rams will take advantage of his absence.<br />
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2. The Tavon Austin factor. I'm not just saying this because I need him to put up big fantasy points for me this week, I'm saying this because the 49ers secondary is suspect. Without a dominant pass rush to rely on expect their corners to get torched.<br />
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3. Colin Kaepernick is overrated. The 800 pound elephant in the Bay Area right now is Colin Kaepernick is not exceptional. The league is all about adjustments and the NFL has figured Colin Kaepernick out. At least he got some cool commercials and a hot girlfriend out of the deal before getting exposed as a pretender.<br />
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4. The Rams are tough at home. Their record may not reflect it, but you need to bring your "A" game to get past the St. Louis Rams. If you're not 100% healthy, clicking on all cylinders, or mentally prepared it's a difficult task to beat St. Louis in the Edward Jones Dome. Your thoughts?Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-72944039918420830782013-09-25T12:14:00.002-07:002013-09-25T12:14:22.576-07:00How Paul George Changed The NBAOrdinarily I wouldn't divert attention away from the pigskin or the curve ball this time of year, but something monumental is taking place in the NBA. <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9718327/paul-george-officially-signs-long-term-extension-indiana-pacers" target="_blank"> The Indiana Pacers and small forward Paul George have agreed to terms on a contract extension worth 80-90 million. </a> On the surface it may seem like a fairly insignificant deal, but the signing gives us insight into the future of the league. Here are 5 things we learned from this deal.<br />
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1. The NBA is no longer about franchise players. The MoHeatos started this trend and the fact Paul George chose to stay in a small market rather than test free agency is evidence the trend will continue. The solo acts are few and far between.<br />
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2. The East is the dominant conference. For the first time in several decades the Eastern conference has more depth than the Western conference. For the next 5 years stars like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, and now Paul George pretty much guarantee the East will produce the NBA champion during that time.<br />
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3. Miami's reign can't last forever. I still think Miami will squeeze out 2 or 3 more championships, but their window of opportunity is closing fast and their margin for error is zero. Untimely injuries or free agent busts (Greg Oden, Michael Beasley) could derail their chance at immortality.<br />
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4. The Lakers model is obsolete. The Los Angeles Lakers can no longer sit around and wait for the biggest free agent on the market. They must try to find a way to sign at least two. The Dwightmare showed us LA can not rely solely on palm trees, Magic Johnson, and Jack Nicholson to attract big names. The Lakers must adapt or become a non factor in the new NBA. <br />
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5. The NBA draft is important again. This statement mostly pertains to the small market teams, but the bigger markets need to take advantage as well. The draft doesn't have a lot of depth so you have to make the selection count. You need to pick Kawhi Leonard or Damian Lillard types instead of Wesley Johnson or Derrick Williams.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-79838465737373821472013-09-24T12:25:00.002-07:002013-09-24T12:25:23.531-07:00Is Arian Foster The Voice Of Reason?"I just feel strong about the injustice that the NCAA has been doing for years. That's why I said what I said. I'm not trying to throw anybody under the bus. I feel like I shouldn't have to run from the NCAA anymore. They're like bullies. I'm not scared of them."<br />
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Houston Texans running back Arian Foster<br />
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On Friday Sports Illustrated posted an excerpt from an upcoming documentary where Arian Foster admits to receiving improper benefits while attending the University of Tennessee. Instead of acting apologetic and remorseful Foster defended his actions and criticized the NCAA for their hypocrisy and exploitation of college athletes. He then went on to say athletes should get paid otherwise the corruption will continue. Does Arian have a legitimate point?<br />
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Yes and no. Without question the universities make obscene amounts of money and their cut is guaranteed. Massive TV contracts are in place, games are sold out years in advance, and alumni members flood the programs with free flowing cash. Players on the other hand get no permissible benefits other than meals and education.<br />
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The problem is you can't pay student athletes based on the income they generate for the schools. Should Johnny Football get the same amount of money as an alternate on the fencing team? Can we really trust accountants not to add an extra zero or two for players that have big games or sell more memorabilia? Would giving athletes cash deter the boosters and agents from engaging in illegal activity?<br />
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I understand what Arian Foster is trying to say. It shouldn't be against the rules for student athletes to benefit from their participation in sports and the money generated should be allocated differently. I don't think the players should be paid directly either. That system would open an even bigger can of worms. Who would oversee such a program and what would stop them from becoming completely corrupt? If you ask me they should continue to provide players with "special" envelopes, but the administrations should pay less attention to those infractions. Your thoughts?Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-31061376412156419232013-09-23T07:15:00.000-07:002013-09-23T07:15:50.055-07:00Weekend ObservationsThe NFL games were so unpredictable this weekend I can't say as I'm surprised by the results of my fantasy football teams. In my hurt your feelings league Coby Fleener, Mike Wallace, T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Bush (yes I started Reggie Bush), and Tavon Austin combined for 11 points. Not even The Breesy and the Bengals defense could help me avoid a loss with that sorry cast of characters. In my trash talking league I'm down by 10, but I've got Peyton Manning starting tomorrow. I'll count that as a win.<br />
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In my ego stroking work league I'm down by 47 points thanks to the Seahawks defense and Antonio Brown's career night. I have Peyton and McFadden going still, but he has Demaryius Thomas and Matt Prater. That loss will make for annoying, irritating water cooler conversation all week. Damn you Vincent Jackson and Brandon Marshall! In a weekend that saw Aaron Rodgers throw more interceptions than touchdowns and Detroit win in Washington for the first time in 74 years I won't beat myself up too much about my mediocre performance. There's always the next opponent. Here are some observations over the weekend.<br />
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Maybe things aren't so bad in Cleveland after all. Brian Hoyer threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns as the Browns beat the Vikings on the road 31-27. It was especially nice because all three touchdowns went to Cameron Jordan. Keep doing what you're doing kid!<br />
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Frisco, we have a problem! The San Francisco 49ers have scored 1 touchdown in their last two games (with Colin Kaepernick averaging 140 yards) and All Pro linebacker Aldon Smith suspended by the team indefinitely. The Niners have no chance to win the NFC West and I don't think they'll make the playoffs.<br />
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Pete Carroll showed his sensitive side resting the starters in the 3rd quarter of a 45-17 blowout over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He must really like the Jags head coach Gus Bradley because I can't see him showing that much compassion for anyone else in the league.<br />
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Ohio St., Miami, Louisville, and Baylor all scored 70 or more points against their opponents over the weekend. Maybe it's time to cut back on the cupcakes or at least schedule teams that can stay within 40 points. What's the point of these kind of blowouts anyway?<br />
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Jon "Bones" Jones had a hell of a time with the Viking looking Alex Gustaffson Saturday, but ultimately retained his light heavyweight title by the slimmest of margins. Now that Jones no longer appears invincible it's time to fight Anderson Silva.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-73416835183104717732013-09-20T09:25:00.001-07:002013-09-20T09:26:24.612-07:00Is Cleveland A Cursed Sports City?"If you called to ask me what's going on with the Browns you might as well save your breath. Don't nobody in Cleveland know what the fu*k is going on. They're lucky I'm not a season ticket holder or I'd be down at the Browns office breaking some sh*t up! How are they gonna trade away our best player after the 2nd game of the season? I can't understand it man."<br />
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Ken Roye: Cleveland native.<br />
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I called my boy in Cleveland hoping to get some clarity and possible insight as to why the Cleveland Browns would trade their franchise player two games into the season, but as I expected he had no answers for me. There is no logical explanation why Trent Richardson was dealt to the Indianapolis Colts 18 games into his career. On the surface it seems like an impulsive move and a desperate attempt to correct the mistakes of the previous regime. Did the organization make the right decision?<br />
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Absolutely not. Trent Richardson was a top 3 pick last year and is considered one of the top young running backs in the NFL. They traded him for a 1st round pick to a team that will most likely make the playoffs. There is no way to justify moving down 20 spots in the draft with no guarantee they will have an opportunity to select a player with greater or equal ability.<br />
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In addition, it sends a horrible message to the fans and the current Cleveland Browns players. You can't trade your team's best player without giving the impression you don't care about the result of the 2013 season. They will be lucky if the fans don't boycott the games and stop supporting the Browns all together. Cleveland fans have suffered countless disappointments in the past and they can only take so much.<br />
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So who's to blame for this difficult situation surrounding the Browns organization? In my opinion you have to point the finger at Mike Holmgren. Although Holmgren had success in San Francisco, Green Bay, and Seattle there is no doubt his time in Cleveland was unproductive. <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9696530/mike-holmgren-questions-cleveland-browns-trent-richardson-deal" target="_blank">Although Holmgren has voiced his displeasure and confusion in the direction Cleveland is headed</a> his personnel moves didn't make the team better and everyone involved is suffering the consequences.<br />
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The Trent Richardson trade is just another example that professional sports is a business first. The Browns didn't even have the courtesy to tell Richardson he was being traded. He had to find out on sports talk radio like everybody else. You would think a franchise player deserved more respect, but at the end of the day he is nothing more than a commodity that can be traded and shipped away at a moments notice. If this doesn't go the way ownership anticipates I'm not sure they will ever be able to regain the trust of Cleveland fans again. The 216 deserves better.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-69186807070879121002013-09-20T08:00:00.004-07:002013-09-20T08:00:54.081-07:00SeahawkCentric: Seahawks Over Jacsonville By 40You remember when you were a kid and right before your parents would give you a colossal ass whipping they would say "This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you?" That's how the Seahawks feel about the ass whipping they're about to put on Jacksonville this Sunday. First year head coach Gus Bradley was an integral part of Seattle's success over the past few seasons and everyone wants to see him do well. Unfortunately the Jacksonville Jaguars are a team in MASSIVE transition. They have little or no talent on either side of the ball and it will take years before the Jags return to respectability.<br />
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On the flip side the Seahawks are a team that might not lose a game this year. After an impressive win over the San Francisco 49ers the Hawks look virtually unstoppable. The pass rush got a much needed boost with the return of Cliff Avril and Marshawn Lynch returned to Beastmode. Russell hasn't been spectacular in the first two weeks of the season, but all that's about to change when he faces one of the league's worst defenses in the loudest stadium the world has ever seen.<br />
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There's a slight chance the Seahawks are looking ahead to their match up against Houston in two weeks, but I think this team is too disciplined to take anything for granted. Pete Carroll has established a culture where every player understands the importance of performing at a high level against EVERY opponent. This team won't suffer a letdown as many detractors have predicted. In fact don't be surprised if the Seahawks score 50 points. I'll be back on Monday with a recap of the Jacksonville beatdown. Parental discretion is advised as the details may get ugly. Until the next time let's all keep a SeahawkCentric state of mind shall we?Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-29181301979151228082013-09-19T08:28:00.001-07:002013-09-19T08:28:55.267-07:00Does Andy Reid Want Revenge?One of the things I can't stand about sports is when a player or coach tells you a game with unique circumstances is just another game. The Harbaugh's told us the Super Bowl was just another game. They lied. The Manning's told us the Giant and Broncos game last week was just another game. They lied. Today Andy Reid is returning to Philadelphia as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and he's telling everyone it's just another game. He's lying.<br />
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You can't return to a place you spent the last 14 years and honestly say it's just another game. Andy Reid dedicated his life to the Eagles organization leading them to 5 NFC championships and a Super Bowl appearance. He took a chance on Donovan McNabb, resurrected the career of Michael Vick, lived through the Terrell Owens debacle, and put up with the obnoxious Philly fanbase. As a human being with feelings and emotions I find it unrealistic Andy Reid will approach this game as if the Chiefs are playing Tennessee or Cleveland. <br />
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The fact of the matter is Andy Reid wants to win this game in the worst way. He wants to stick it to all the nay sayers and show them he wasn't the problem in Philadelphia. He wants to prove his system and style of coaching is still effective. In short he wants to prove the Eagles made a mistake in letting him go.<br />
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If this were a made for TV movie the Chiefs would beat the Eagles on a last second play and Andy Reid would ride off into the sunset feeling vindicated. Unfortunately this is no fairy tale. The NFL is an unforgiving business that takes no prisoners. The Eagles will walk all over the Chiefs sending Andy Reid back to Kansas City with his tail between his legs. The new and improved Eagles offense is explosive and will be looking to make a point against their former leader. In the end Andy Reid's homecoming will be bittersweet, but it won't be just another game. Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-24014649233238091692013-09-18T12:37:00.002-07:002013-09-18T12:37:33.045-07:00Is Nebraska Football A Victim Of Its Past Success?Bo Pelini and Tommy Frazier both want nothing but the best for Nebraska football. That doesn't mean they have to like each other or share the same vision for the direction of the program. <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9681726/need-tommy-frazier-criticism" target="_blank">After an embarrassing loss to UCLA last weekend Frazier questioned whether or not coach Pelini was making the right decisions with regards to personnel and schemes.</a> Coach Pelini fired back saying the university didn't need Tommy Fraizer or fair weathered fans around the football team. These men are passionate about the teams success, but does Frazier have a right to openly criticize the current regime?<br />
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Yes and no. It's an unwritten rule in college football that if you win a national championship or have an undefeated season (Frazier did both) you can say whatever you want. It's the reward for bringing the university and the alumni exorbitant amounts of money, exposure, and recognition.<br />
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On the other hand superstars and legends of the past (especially quarterbacks) view things strictly from the era they played in. College football has changed dramatically since 1995 and Nebraska is no longer at the top of the food chain. They play in a different conference, lose major recruits to the SEC, and teams run a more complex style of offense and defense. Perhaps Frazier shoul reference a calendar before leveling outdated, boilerplate criticisms.<br />
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There's no doubt a program's past success can put pressure on the coaches and players of the present and it's not uncommon for former greats and coaches to have philosophical differences. Shane Mathews and Urban Meyer had this same problem at Florida. Rich Rodriguez never impressed the alumni at Michigan. Randy Shannon had issues with Michael Irvin and Clinton Portis during his tenure at Miami. <br />
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The fans are ultimately the ones that suffer from these emotional outbursts. The program loses solidarity and becomes split into bickering factions. The only way to solve this situation is to win more games. If Pelini turns this thing around he will silence Frazier and all the other critics. If he continues to lead a mediocre football team he'll be replaced at season's end. The ball is in his court.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-59194819577182993302013-09-17T12:09:00.000-07:002013-09-17T12:09:07.252-07:00The Texas Rangers Will Not Make The PlayoffsFor the last three seasons the Texas Rangers have been a force in the playoffs. With back to back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011 and a near division title in 2012 one could argue the Rangers had supplanted the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers as the team to beat in the American League. 3 weeks ago Texas was on cruise control headed into the postseason with a comfortable lead over Oakland in the AL West. Today they find themselves clinging to the final wildcard spot by a 1/2 game. Will the Rangers pull it together and make it a 4th straight season in the playoffs?<br />
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Unfortunately no. Texas has lost 9 of their last 10 games (including 7 in a row) while Oakland has won 8 out of 10 so the AL West is out of reach. To make matters worse they play 10 of their last 13 games on the road with stops in Tampa, Kansas City, and Anaheim. The other teams in the wildcard chase (Cleveland, New York, and Baltimore) have much easier schedules down the stretch.<br />
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Perhaps the Rangers should have kept the troubled Josh Hamilton for added protection in the line up. Perhaps they should have made a trade before the deadline with the knowledge Nelson Cruz was going to miss 50 games for using performance enhancing drugs. Whatever the case may be those decisions will probably cost skipper Ron Washington his job. Expectations are high in Arlington and his relationship with team president Nolan Ryan is tenuous at best. It's not his fault the team is underachieving, but ultimately he will be the fall guy. The Rangers had a good run, but the party's over.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-1117185269776398202013-09-16T11:58:00.001-07:002013-09-16T11:58:54.888-07:00SeahawkCentric: A Recap Of The Niners GameOur beloved Seattle Seahawks beat the snot piss out of the San Francisco 49ers 29-3 last night and I for one am not the least bit surprised. Most of you can probably recite my blog post from Friday verbatim, but for those of you not familiar with my prophetic words lets go over the keys to victory once again.<br />
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1. Colin Kaepernick is overrated. CHECK. 3 picks and 127 yards passing is not impressive.<br />
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2. Anquan Boldin is not Jerry Rice. CHECK. Boldin only caught one pass the entire game. <br />
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3. Marshawn Lynch will be in Beastmode. CHECK. Marshawn scored 3 touchdowns on the night.<br />
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4. The 12th Man. CHECK. The 12th man broke the Guinness book of world records for the loudest outdoor crowd.<br />
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5. Jermaine Kearse has 20/20 vision........ To be continued.<br />
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4 out of 5 isn't bad right? The defense played lights out and they're only going to get better. The return of Cliff Avril was a pleasant surprise that paid dividends with a sack and strip of Colin Kaepernick. As he gets more comfortable in the schemes and back into playing shape I predict we'll see even more big plays. Also, lets not forget Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin are coming back soon as well. The defense has only given up one touchdown this season and their opponents average 5 points a game. I shudder to think what will happen to Jacksonville next week.<br />
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I could go on and on about the Seahawks masterful performance. What can't they do? If everyone stays healthy the Seahawks could potentially end the season 16-0. It's not out of the question after watching the Hawks dismantle the Super Bowl favorites in every facet of the game. If this is the best competition the league has to offer you might as well put in your time off request at work right now and shop Expedia for the lowest prices to New York in February. Until next time let's all keep a SeahawkCentric state of mind shall we?Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6035840029690120743.post-92083291281579991192013-09-16T11:36:00.002-07:002013-09-16T11:36:37.269-07:00Weekend ObservationsI won all of my fantasy football match ups in spectacular and/or dramatic fashion, but enough about me for once. Let's get right into the main topic of the weekend shall we? The defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers came to Seattle last night and got their asses handed to them by the Seattle Seahawks 29-3. Shame on me for thinking this would be a tough game. In reality it was a beatdown of epic proportions. The medical staff had to carry so many Niners off the field they earned a whopping $15,342.16 in overtime pay. The beating was so bad Jim Harbaugh looked like a confused math professor that couldn't figure out how to use the quadratic formula to solve complex equations. <br />
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You know it's bad when none of your Niner friends will answer their phones or respond to you on Facebook or Twitter. Perhaps this is because they have nothing to say or maybe I'm trying to reach them during their therapy sessions. It's still pretty funny I haven't heard a peep from those guys. As I've said many times silence can be deafening. I'm waiting for Kendrick Lamar to use this game as an example of what happens to weak, overrated rappers in one of his devastating verses. Something tells me the power rankings will look a little different on ESPN and NFL.com this week. The debate about who's the best team in football is officially over. Here are some observations over the weekend.<br />
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Jadeveon Clowney is no longer the consensus #1 pick in the 2014 NFL draft. <a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=332570096" target="_blank">That distinction now belongs to Teddy Bridgewater</a>. He might even pick up a Heisman Trophy and a national championship along the way. If he's smart he'll leave school before getting caught with strippers, attending Miami Heat games, or signing his name 5,000 times for free. Those activities can ruin your reputation and jeopardize your draft position. Right?<br />
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=330915034" target="_blank">The Houston Texans have found the heir apparent to Andre Johnson in rookie DeAndre Hopkins.</a> Now quarterback Matt Schaub can survey the ENTIRE field on passing downs as opposed to using his inner GPS to find the location of #80. I should have taken Hopkins in fantasy when I had the chance.<br />
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I'm starting to think referees and judges have their own agenda when it comes to sporting events. The <a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=332570130" target="_blank">refs in the Michigan/Akron game refused to call an obvious pass interference</a> on the last play of the game and C.J. Ross scored the Mayweather/Alvarez contest a draw. Not even Canelo's mom thought he won the fight. Those refs and judges are either corrupt, have gambling debts, or their families have been kidnapped by terrorists. There's no other excuse for those bogus decisions.<br />
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Reggie Bush is starting to remind me of Samuel L. Jackson's character Mr. Glass in the movie Unbreakable. <a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9681230/reggie-bush-detroit-lions-does-not-serious-knee-injury" target="_blank"> For the first 20 minutes of a game Bush looks like a Hall of Fame running back, but it's only a matter of time before he leaves the field with some freak injury</a>. Personally, I blame Kim Kardashian for his health problems. He's never been the same since he got involved with that chick.<br />
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SHANKAPOTIMUS has reared its ugly head once again. <a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=330915027" target="_blank"> Tampa Bay Bucs kicker Ryan Lindell missed a 46 yard field goal with just over a minute to go that would have put his team up by 4</a>. Instead the Bucs gave the ball back to the Breesy and lost the game 16-14. That shank will have a disastrous effect on the Bucs going forward. Read my blog on the Butler Way to hear more on this subject.Cleavie Wonderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05021796529591811988noreply@blogger.com0