Countdown to Kickoff

The countdown has begun. We are now under two weeks away from the start of College Football season. Generally most of the big name power conference schools start the season with weaker mid major opponents for an easy win. That remains the same this season with only a handful of top schools facing actual competition. There are only five big games I’m truly interested by in week one, with minor intrigue in the return of Jim Harbaugh to his Alma Mater as well.

#5) Ohio State v. Virginia Tech:

Reigning National Champion Ohio State opens up their title defense against the only team that beat them last season. Virginia Tech got extremely lucky last year and have found some luck again as four Buckeyes, including defensive captain Joey Bosa,  have been suspended for the game. Be that as it may, Ohio State is still heavily favored and I expect Cardale Jones and Zeke Elliott to run all over the Hokies.

#4) Louisville at Auburn:

Both teams lost big time playmakers during the offseason in Davonte Parker and Sammie Coates, respectively. Auburn is also handing the reins to a new quarterback following the graduation of last years starter Nick Marshall. Still, they are heavy favorites to represent the SEC West after returning nearly all of their starting defense. The addition of new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp makes this young Tigers defense very formidable.

#3) Wisconsin v. Alabama:

The marquee matchup of the opening weekend pits two perennial powerhouses against each other on the national stage from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Both teams suffered major losses in the offseason as their two top players were first round draft picks. Wisconsin loses All American running back Melvin Gordon, who had one of the most prolific seasons I’ve ever witnessed, as he rushed for over 2500 yards a season ago. However, it’s the loss of Amari Cooper for Alabama that is the biggest loss from the offseason. Cooper has been far and away the most dynamic, explosive receiver in college sports in recent memory. His size, speed and God given talent coupled with extreme hard work and dedication have made him the most promising talent since Randy Moss. He managed to carry his team to the playoffs with a below average supporting cast and a very poor quarterback. This season, both teams look to find a new workhorse, and this clash of titans will be one of the grittiest  hard nose played games this year.

#2) Arizona State v Texas A&M:

Despite losing some key contributors from last seasons surprising top 10 team, ASU brings back tons of experience that has me thinking last season was no fluke. Texas A&M on the other hand is a very young team, especially on the offensive line. If the Devils can consistently pressure the young Aggies quarterback, it will be a long day for A&M fans.

#1) Texas at Notre Dame:

Notre Dame returns most of its defense including projected first rounders Sheldon Day and Jaylon Smith. On offense they lost their starting quarterback, Everett Golson, who transferred to Florida State. But using the next man up mentality, they slide in his replacement Malik Zaire with great confidence. They also have preseason award watch lister’s Will Fuller and Tarean Folston at wide receiver and running back, respectively. Running behind the projected #1 offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley, this could be a huge season for the preseason 11th ranked Fighting Irish.

In his first season as Texas coach, Charlie Strong failed to meet lofty expectations as they finished the season with a 6-7 record. They also lost All American defensive tackle Malcolm Brown to the New England Patriots. With a pair of struggling quarterbacks and one of college football’s worst offenses last season, I anticipate Notre Dame winning handily.

Fear the Ravens... nevermore!

All we have been hearing since Baltimore squeaked it's way into the playoffs with a ugly win against a terrible Cleveland Browns team was how they posed the biggest threat for the Patriots in the AFC. They have a strong front 4 who consistently puts pressure in the backfield, they have a super bowl winning quarterback, they know how to beat the Patriots in the postseason, blah blah blah.

All these analysts are calling for the demise of the winningest quarterback in postseason history because of a 1-2 record against a team since 2009. Ray Lewis is not walking through that door. Ed Reed will not be patrolling the secondary in his hall of fame chess match with Tom Brady. Yes they still have Terrell Suggs who will make it his mission to make Brady miserable but there is also something that we have that all these media outlets continue to ignore.

In 2009 when we lost to the Ravens, our most important offensive weapon did not play. He was sidelined after tearing his ACL in the final game of the regular season, which obviously deflated the team as they came out flat and just played ugly. In 2012 when the Ravens came to Foxboro and won the AFC en route to the Super Bowl, we again did not have our #1 guy in Rob Gronkowski, and our top defensive back got hurt 5 minutes into the game. When we beat them in 2011 to go to the Super Bowl, everyone says its because we got lucky that Cundiff missed an easy kick. They ignore the fact that by halftime Gronk had 8 catches for over 80 yards on the vaunted Ravens defense until a cheap shot by Patriot killer Bernard Pollard took out his ankle and found him on the bench the rest of the game, unable to move. This time, Gronk is at full health and performing like the freak that he is, Aqib Talib won't be hobbling on the sidelines after one hit like in 2012 because he has been replaced by the best cornerback in the NFL, Darelle Revis and they are on a mission.

This isn't the same touted defense that consistently led the league over the last decade, most of the big names are gone, and whats left of them are old. They have a top five run defense still, but they are the 23th ranked secondary in the NFL. And what do Bill Belichick and Tom Brady do better then any coach and quarterback duo ever... they exploit your weaknesses. You have a great run defense, they'll counter with an empty backfield and throw all over you to get you tired. Then once you switch to cover the pass thats when they run it down your throat.

Yes the Ravens are a good team, if they weren't they wouldn't be in the position they are right now. But they simply don't have the talent to match this Patriots offense that is entirely healthy and clicking unlike any other offense in the league right now. Not to mention Bill has his best defense since his back to back Super Bowl teams in the early 2000s. The media can continue to jump to the conclusion that what happened in the past means it's bound to happen again, but come 4:30 on Saturday when the teams take the field, all that talk will go out the window and the Patriots will be one step closer to their fourth Super Bowl ring... It's on to Baltimore!

Should He Stay or Should He Go?

Reports have surfaced recently that former Heisman winning quarterback Jameis Winston of Florida State University is contemplating returning to school for another shot at his second Heisman and National Championship; after failing at both at the hands of Oregon Ducks starting quarterback Marcus Mariota. Winston has been projected as one of the top draft picks with potential to be the number one overall pick in this springs NFL Draft. He says he wont let it be known until after Monday nights National Championship game, which means at least a week of waiting to find out his decision.

Why He Should Go:

He has the potential to be a top overall pick which would mean an absurd amount of money to play in the NFL, the dream of every child who comes up playing football. He has the skills size and quickness to make an immediate impact in the NFL as well as leave a lasting imprint on the league. Going to the NFL now eliminates the possibility of returning to school and getting injured or in more trouble then he has already been in. There are at least 11 teams that immediately need help at the quarterback position and would do a lot to make a move to obtain his talents.

Why He Should Stay:

His first year as a starter he led his Seminole squad to countless blowouts en route to a National Championship and a Heisman Trophy. His second year at the helm was wrought with controversy of minor off the field incidents which if nothing else, tainted his reputation as the lovable always smiling goofball with immense talent. Returning to school would give him a second chance to rebuild his name and, with a year of experience under the belt of a lot of key returning players, could make them once again an extremely dangerous offense. Also, the teams that need quarterbacks right now in the NFL are teams that, for the most part would force him into action early with a lack of complementary talent surrounding him. Only time will tell what he decides, but let it be known that clock strikes midnight on January 15th (the deadline to declare)

The Powerful Play of Point Guards

Being a huge Boston Celtics fan I was always quick to jump to the aide of Rajon Rondo whenever anyone spoke bad about his jump shooting or lack of scoring.  Granted I was biased because he was my point guard but still, his numbers were impressive and his style unfathomable, heaving half court bounce passes on a dime, making opponents look foolish with fancy dribbling and behind the back passes. A couple years ago I would have told you that Rajon Rondo, despite only averaging between 11 and 14 points per game, was a top five point guard in the NBA.

Today, he'd be lucky to be top 10 and thats only because his recent trade placed him in an ideal situation to mask his short comings. He is a god awful shooter from outside of 10 feet, he gambles too often on defense and finds himself out of position, and he is a liability at the end of games because he can't shoot a free throw to save his life. Yes he is consistently on triple double watch as one of the premier rebounding point guards in the league. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he recently admitted in an interview after his trade to Dallas that, for the last few years he hasn't really played any defense and didnt try to hide it. You have to be dedicated in all facets of the game to be considered a top player at your position.

The NBA is flourishing right now at the point guard position. This position used to be just a run the offense and pass the ball scoring when needed type role which Rondo had mastered. Now it's a core group of athletic freaks who fight tooth and nail every possession on both ends of the ball. Not only are a few of these guys top point guards but they are some of the very best players in the league as a whole, and with that here is my list of the current top 5 point guards in the NBA.

5. Chris Paul:

A few years ago CP3 was a consensus top 5 player and overall number 1 point guard in the league. Yet as they say, age is undefeated. He still puts up fantastic numbers averaging 17 and 9 a game for an underachieving Clippers squad. Personally that is what drops him to #5 for me. He is supposed to be the quarterback and hold everyone accountable yet he can never seem to get his teams over the hump, after a long career of never really winning numbers can only mean so much, especially at the point guard position.

4. Damian Lillard:

Big Game Dame is only in his third season in the NBA and has already made a resounding impact on the league. From winning rookie of the year as an unknown kid from a mid major college to his playoff series winning 3 at the buzzer to eliminate the heavily favorited Houston Rockets in last years playoffs, if there is a big moment Damian will rise to the challenge. Anchoring what is now a household name after years of irrelevance in the Portland Trailblazers, Lillard has put up impressive numbers averaging 22 ppg and 6 assists, although he has been known to on a whim go off for 40.

3. John Wall:

Coming out of college I was never all that high on John Wall. He was a great athlete with ridiculous speed but he had no jumper and was on an awful team so his numbers were always inflated by circumstance. These last two years however have shown me that he has truly taken the step towards greatness and understands what it means to win. His shooting percentage has gone up steadily over the last few seasons to a career high 45% this season while averaging 17 points per game. My intrigue in in his assist numbers. Wall has always been a flashy player who would occasionally try to do to much, however now that he has a full compliment of players surrounding him he is taking less bad shots and making more intelligent passes which has ballooned his assist totals to an average of over 10 a game which ranks him first in the league. He also dominates on the other side of the ball, averaging 2 steals a game, putting him 3rd in the league, on what is now one of the most efficient teams in the Eastern Conference.

2. Russell Westbrook:

Russy is a freak of nature. He can explode from out of nowhere and bring down the house with a rim wrecking dunk, he can also play the inside out game and hit big jump shots in critical situations. His defense is tenacious and at times downright impenetrable. Averages of 27 and 7 from a point guard are unheard of. It was really a toss up between him and the #1 guy for that coveted spot but there is something about Russell I just can't get behind. He shoots the ball too much. When your running mate is the best player in the league and one of the greatest scorers in the history of the game, you shouldn't be averaging more shots per game then him. Westbrook and Durant have the ability to be the greatest duo of all time, and they would be, if Westbrook could learn how to stop shooting them out of games at times. Which brings me to my number 1 point guard...

1. Stephen Curry:

Steph Curry, the Baby Faced Assassin. He's truly the most talented point guard in the league right now. Not only is he my number 1 point guard but I wouldn't hesitate to place him amongst the top 5 overall. The Splash Brothers have turned what was an embarrassment of a franchise into the top team in a loaded Western Conference, including the team record for wins last season. He's second in steals, sixth in scoring, fifth in assists. He is, as Stephen A Smith would say, A Bad Man. Ice water runs through his veins as he drills ridiculous three pointers from anywhere he wants, slicing up defenses with his unmatched ball handling ability, and most importantly he wins, and has fun doing it. There is not a single player I enjoy watching play basketball as much as Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warriors, and thankfully they'll be around for a long time.

Honorable Mention: Tony Parker, Mike Conley