College Football Playoff : Predictions

   
   At 4:00 PM tomorrow, the second College Football Playoff will kick off with #1 Clemson taking on #4 Oklahoma in the Capital One Orange Bowl. After that game, #2 Alabama will square off against #3 Michigan State at 8:00 PM in the Goodyear Cotton bowl, which will wrap up the semifinal games. Many predictions have been made, and countless hours of film have been overanalyzed to find every nook and cranny in each team. These predictions I'm about to give you will not come from hours of research, but hours of watching the game as a true fan and observer.

Orange Bowl: Clemson 28, Oklahoma 21
Many people believe that Oklahoma will ride Baker Mayfield right to Glendale to win the title, but I don't think that's the case. Clemson reached the number one slot by being a balanced team. Their offense is ranked 11th in the nation, and their defense 7th. Dabo Sweeney has this team winning games on both sides of the ball, as seen in their most impressive wins against Notre Dame and North Carolina. In the game against Notre Dame, the Tigers kept an explosive and playmaking Quarterback in Deshone Kizer in check; one of the reasons they won that game. Granted that game was Kizers 3rd career start, but still, Clemson played them well. The Sooners of Oklahoma have rode to the playoffs on the back of Baker Mayfield, and have not counted on their defense like Clemson has. Clemson is the more balanced team, and with an offense led by the playmaking Deshaun Watson, they will outperform Oklahoma on both sides of the ball.

Cotton Bowl: Michigan State 14, Alabama 10
Alabama is the favorite to win this game, giving Michigan State 9.5 points in the spread. People see Derrick Henry and the Alabama offense as unstoppable; an immovable object. Isn't that what people saw in Ohio State? Michigan State has a defense that wants opponents to run the ball because the Spartan secondary is weak. Alabama is a team that loves to run the ball, and never truly threatens teams with their aerial attack. This Alabama offense mirrors the Ohio State offense, and the Spartans should love this matchup. The game will get even closer when Connor Cook goes under center and tries to pick apart the Tide on Defense. Alabama boasts the second best defense in the nation, and the best defense in the nation, and is almost impossible to beat without big plays. Sparty will need some big play moments from Cook in order to win, which is entirely possible in this game. I see Michigan State taking the cake in this semifinal game.

So for now, I predict Clemson and Michigan State to meet in the College Football National Championship. Once the games are over, I'll be back with my predictions to that game, once the semifinal games have been decided.

Fantasy Football: Edelman Replacements

If you're like me and had Julian Edelman on your fantasy team, you were probably kicking and screaming when he hurt is foot. Edelman will be back, just not in time for your fantasy championship run. So, you will need some fill ins. Edelman has had a career year, and chances are no one will find someone with equal numbers on the waiver wire. But for the time being, here are three players I think will be appropriate substitutes that you can most likely find in you leagues waiver wire.



1. Keshawn Martin - Patriots: You may be reading this thinking it contradicts everything any fantasy football analyst have told you thus far. However, now that Edelman is gone, teams will be keying on Gronk and Amendola as Brady's top targets. That leaves Keshawn Martin, who has recently returned from a hamstring injury, at TB's fingertips. I advise adding Martin if you are looking for that chance to boost your playoff position. Martin has a big upside being one of Brady's top targets, but it is a risk that may or may not pay off.

2. Nate Washington - Texans: In the past few weeks I've grown very fond of Nate Washington. With teams paying more attention to DeAndre Hopkins, Washington has been given some quality targets. He's averaged 9 targets in his last 3 games, and his value is continuing to trend upwards. Snag him before it's too late!

3. Lance Moore- Lions: Talk about a roll of the dice. Moore is not a high volume offensive producer, and the only way he can really help is if he scores. However, in an ESPN PPR league, he has had point totals of 11, 11, 21, and 17 in his last four games. This struggling Lions offense is looking for any help it can get. In a deep Flex PPR league, Moore could up your chances of making the playoffs.

My Take on Michigan vs Michigan State

4th and 2 from the Michigan State 47 yard line. 10 seconds left, and Michigan is punting. But, the snap is fumbled by the punter, Michigan State recovers, and returns the ball for a TD to win the game. Behind the ending to the Iron Bowl in 2013, this was the craziest ending to a football game I have seen.
But, this could have been completely avoided, unlike the FG returned 110 yards for a Touchdown.

Re-watch the play. You can do so here. The snap was fumbled, but the way the punter handled it was a mistake. In that case, instead of trying to fix the broken play, Blake O'Neil should have fell on the ball. If that happened, it would have been a turnover, and Michigan State ball on the 40 Yard line with :08 to go. There would have been time for one more play, since neither team had a time out remaining.

Alternatively, Michigan could have gone for it on 4th down, thinking that even if they didn't get it, Michigan State wouldn't have had the opportunity to run the ball back, and the field position would be miserable with no time outs remaining. If I was Jim Harbaugh, that would have been my plan of attack. But I'm not Jim Harbaugh. Jim Harbaugh is Jim Harbaugh, and he made a bad mistake giving the Spartans a glimmer of hope to win the game by punting.

Think back to December 19th, 2010, when the New York Giants punted the ball to DeSean Jackson of the Eagles with :14 seconds left. Instead of kicking the ball away, or going for it, they gave the Eagles a glimmer of hope by punting. Punting in a late game situation is a terrible idea. That gives the opposing team an opportunity to capitalize on an awful coaching decision. The Michigan Wolverines could easily be undefeated right now, and ranked in the Top 10. But, they punted, and took the risk. And the risk didn't pay off.

Patriots Proving a Point

   Tom Brady is now the only NFL Starting Quarterback without an Interception. Granted, he has played one less game than most other QB's, but the way the Patriots have steamrolled over every opposition in their path is symbolic. This New England Patriot team is proving a point, which is spearheaded by Brady. They have a grudge, and they are playing with an us against the world mentality. Take the Jaguars game for example. That was just a sample of how capable this team is to dominate and to assert their dominance over any team, regardless of ability.
   I urge you all to watch out for this Patriots team. In the coming weeks, there will be plenty of games where the New England Patriots will continue to show how dominate they are, and they will assert themselves. The Indianapolis Colts are the next target, and if Andrew Luck is absent, the Colts offense will yet again be vulnerable. With a weaker defense than before, Brady will be able to handle the Luck-less Colts, and move on to the Jets, the first true test of the season.
   Tom Brady has a chip on his shoulder. Him and Belichick have something to prove to this league. The dynamic duo wants to eliminate their Deflategate allegations by showing everyone that they truly are the best at what they do.

Down Goes Romo : What's in store for the NFC East?

    The Cowboys 2-0 start most certainly came at a price. Dallas lost their dynamic passing duo of Tony Romo to Dez Bryant, arguably one of the most prolific duos in the game today. Behind Big Ben-Antonio, and Manning-OBJ, it doesn't get better than them. Until now. With both Dez and Romo out until at least late November, the Cowboys must prepare for an offense spearheaded by Brandon Weeden.

    What does this mean for the Cowboys? For the most part, the remainder of the schedule has teams like the Panthers, Saints, Falcons, and Buccaneers, which should be manageable without the duo. However, skating past the Patriots, Dolphins, Giants, Eagles, and Seahawks will be a tall task. By the time Romo is expected back in Week 12, I expect the Cowboys to be 6-5. With Weeden running the show, there's no chance they can win the shootout battle against the pats. On top of that, the Cowboys BARELY escaped alive during the first round with the Giants and Eagles, and that was with both of them, and one of them respectively. The Seahawks should beat the cowboys even when they're at full strength, and the Dolphins game should be close. Otherwise, consider those low interest out of conference games, wins.

   As for the rest of the NFC, this is prime time for the Giants to bounce back after their heartbreak filled 0-2 start. While the Cowboys are in Weeden mode, the Giants face two stand-out defenses, the Patriots and the Bills. Of course, because they are the Giants, you can't call all of those games wins. Let's say their only loses come to the Pats, Bills, and maybe the Eagles. That puts them at 6-4, so long as there are no "Giant" heartbreaks. The key to the Giants bouncing back is the resiliency of their defense. If, for the next two months, New York bears down, and grinds games out, their offense should have plenty of fire power to withstand the coming weeks.

   My sleeper team is the Redskins. To put it plainly, the Eagles don't have the offensive leadership or defensive depth to grind these games out. I don't see them winning any of their next two games, and an 0-4 start keeps them out of any playoff push in the competitive NFC East. Back to the Skins. The game against the Rams showed fans two things. 1) They aren't afraid to run the ball, and they will do it effectively. The emergence of Matt Jones, who has a unique combination of speed and size, paired with ole reliable Alfred Morris provides the best two headed monster in the league. 2) Kirk Cousins is semi-legit. An 85.3 completion percentage, paired with 203 yards and one TD against what was supposed to be the leagues best defense was superb. Granted, it might be a fluke, but I don't think so.

   The NFC East race will tighten up even more when the Boys are back in Town. For now, count on the Washington Redskins and New York Giants duke it out for the top spot in the division.

Pats > Steelers

    Fresh off his DeflateGate ruling, Tom Brady was back in action, in a game no one expected him to play in. If the suspension had been upheld for a second time by the courts, many people charted the Pats down for a loss. Many people predicted a Patriots loss regardless, but thanks to a 20-25, 288 yard and 4 TD game from Tom Brady, they pulled through.

   The star of the show, besides Brady, was Rob Gronkowski. In many fantasy leagues, Gronk piled up over 30 points, thanks to 5 catches for 94 yards and two TD's. The steelers did not have an answer for Gronk, especially during his second TD pass, when he was left completely uncovered by the steelers defense.

This was a great way to open up the season for the New England Patriots. In an "us against the world" kind of season, the Patriots needed a game that would set the tone, and beat the most electrifying offense in the league. Although Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown did have good games respectively, the Patriots defense did do a great job keeping the production contained. With Tom Brady not suspended, the likelihood of the 1-3 start most people projected is way out of the picture, and this team makes a good case for them repeating as Super Bowl Champs.

Geno Punch A Blessing

    Two days ago, Geno Smith was punched in the locker room by (now former) backup linebacker I.K Inemkpali. The dispute was over a $600 plane ticket the linebacker bought Geno Smith, and was never paid back. While many Jets fans are depressed and sad that their team has suffered yet another embarrassing QB problem, I think they should be happy that Geno is out as the starter, for at least 10 weeks.

    Think about it this way. Geno is a turnover machine. In his two years in the league, he has never had a positive TD-INT ratio. While he keeps his fumble numbers relatively low, never has he thrown over 13 TD's, and his QBR has never broken 50.0. Especially with an improved receiving corp, the Jets need a QB this year that will keep their underrated defense off the field.

    Ryan Fitzpatrick is that QB, for now. While Fitz gets his starts, the Jets need to develop their fourth round pick Bryce Petty, who was outstanding at Baylor. Fitzpatrick will be working with the Jets new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who was head coach at Buffalo while Fitzpatrick played there. Obviously, right off the bat there will be some chemistry between the two. I expect Fitzpatrick to be a serviceable replacement, and he was so many weapons on his side of the ball to work with. Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, Jeremy Kerley, Jace Amaro, and Stevan Ridley headline this offensive unit, along with Chris Ivory, Bilall Powell, and a strong offensive line. Fitz should do a fine job as the replacement.

   However, if things go south on Fitzpatrick, Bryce Petty must step in. In the two years he started at Baylor, Petty threw for 8,055 yards, 61 TD's, and 10 INT's. He also scored twenty times on the ground. If he can develop, and become a true NFL QB, Petty would have immediate impact the second he walks on the field if and when Fitzpatrick messes up.

 
   What's in store for Geno Smith? Who knows. If Petty proves to be the future of the Jets, they should trade Smith to a team desperate for a qualified quarterback. Like Cleveland or St. Louis. Bottom line is, this is most likely the end of Geno in Green.

Stellar Severino

At 21 years and 166 days old, the Yankees #1 prospect Luis Severino made his MLB debut, making him the youngest pitcher in the MLB so far this year. Severino made his debut against the Red Sox, and even though he was awarded the loss, it was a step in the right direction for an unstable Yankees rotation.

In the five innings Severino pitched, he allowed two runs (one earned), two hits, and struck out seven. For the past two weeks, his minor league stats of 7-0 with a 1.91 ERA have been thrown around, and many wondered if his stats would transfer over from the minor leagues, to the big stage.

With his start yesterday, Luis Severino confirmed his stuff can indeed transfer. In his arsenal, Severino has a cut fastball, as well as a four seamer, both which clock in in the mid 90's. He throws two sliders, one which has a bigger break than the other, and a change up hitting 90 MPH.

Ok, so many of you may be wondering what this all matters. He's just a kid right? He's the 14th yankee to make his MLB debut. Is he going to disappear?

Oh no he's not.

Severino is here to stay, and the Yankee organization has been very open with their intentions. Many teams contacted the Yankees front office as the trade deadline approaches, requesting trades for Severino. If the Yankees did not believe that this kid had a future in the organization, he would not have been on the mound in the Bronx yesterday. With Pineda on the DL, that opens up a temporary spot for Severino. For the time being, expect Severino to be in the rotation until Pineda returns from his injury. Personally, I believe that Sabathia should be sent to the bullpen as a long reliever, so that Severino has a secured spot in the rotation. His youth and strong arm could be extremely valuable for this Yankees rotation. Granted, Severino only went five innings in his debut, but it was his first time on the big stage. Larry Rothschild needs to develop him quickly so he can manage a game and go 6-7 innings a game. If that happens, his production could limit the bullpen use, and keep them at the top of their game, when needed.

Bottom line is that Severino is here to stay. Who knows. Maybe the Yankees will shut down Pineda until the playoffs due to injury. Whatever the case, expect Luis Severino to make a major impact on a shotty Yankees rotation.

First Annual Fantasy Football Rankings - QB

    As the Fantasy Football season rapidly approaches, dedicated team owners frantically shuffle through pages and pages of rankings, attempting to find the perfect draft pick. Usually, I am in the category of the shufflers, until this year, where I finally took the time to analyze the field of position players, and create my own rankings. My hope is that this series of articles showcasing what one dedicated Fantasy Football participant for the last five years thinks about the players this year.

1. Andrew Luck- Colts
Entering his fourth year in the league, Andrew Luck has made nothing but improvements. Twice he has surpassed the 4,000 yard mark, and just this past year, Luck hit the 40 TD milestone for the first time in his career. His completion percentage has increased from 54.1% to 61.7%, therefore improving his QBR. Last year Luck did all that with an average group of Wide Receivers. Even though the Colts lost Reggie Wayne, they did add Andre Johnson. T.Y Hilton will surely have his best year so far barring injury, and Donte Moncrief should continue to improve after an impressive rookie year, considering the role he was in. There is nothing I see holding Andrew Luck back from piercing the 5,000 yard mark, and becoming the number one fantasy QB for 2015

2. Aaron Rodgers- Packers
If he isn't number one, then he most certainly is number two. Rodgers' performance speaks for himself. The only reason Rodgers is number two on this list isn't because he should experience any regression so long that he's healthy, but because Luck is about to enter a period where he has the best 4-5 years of his career, therefore bumping Rodgers down in the list. With a core trio of Nelson, Cobb and Adams, Rodgers should have no problems racking in the yards, and finding the end zone. As a close second, Rodgers should no doubt be the second QB off the board at your draft.

3. Russell Wilson- Seahawks
A dual threat quarterback equals a surplus of points. No, Wilson is not the star of a pass heavy offense like Luck is. But after having a career year, with 3,475 yards, 20 TD's, 7 INT's, along with 849 rushing yards paired with six touchdowns, you'd have to imagine he remains constant. His passing stats should only improve with the addition of Jimmy Graham, which, if Pete Carroll chooses to do, could increase Wilson's TD numbers in the Red Zone. Wilson will not have the same year on the ground, mainly because his opponents should implement some sort of QB contain to keep him in the pocket. Regardless, his ability to run makes him a fantastic option in the mid rounds of the draft. Wilson easily surpassed 300 fantasy points last year thanks to his legs and arms, so expect the same this year.

4. Drew Brees- Saints
I know what your thinking. He lost almost all of his weapons. He is 36. He can't even come close to matching his numbers from 2012 and 2013. I know. But he still is Drew Brees. So long as Brees is healthy and starting on the Saints, pencil him in for 4,000 yards at least and 25 TD's. I am that confident in the mans ability. Marques Colston may not be healthy now, but once the season rolls around, he should be Brees' number one target now that Graham is gone. Brandin Cooks will have a great comeback year after his outstanding first half of the year last year. Again, not much to say about Brees, besides the fact that he is Drew Brees.

5. Ben Roethlisberger- Steelers
Most likely my biggest surprise in the rankings this year, Big Ben reaches number 5. For the people who are scratching their heads questioning my decision, I have one answer. Why can't he be the number five Quarterback? With elite weapons like Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell on his side, along with Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant, and the always reliable Heath Miller, why can't Roethlisberger be #5? He has all the weapons, and if last year is any indication, he can easily have a repeat year. No other QB in the league has this kind of talent alongside him. The only question with Big Ben is can he stay healthy. If so, he's top 5 no doubt. If not, well, we would just have to see the plummet.

6. Peyton Manning- Broncos
This is probably the only time you will see Peyton Manning outside of the top five in any rankings this year. And here is why. If last year was any indication, his age is starting to get to him. He is brittle, and not as strong as he used to be. His production took a big hit once his thigh injury surfaced back in December of last year, therefore showing he can't play through injury like a younger, stronger player. On top of that, the Broncos have made it very clear they want to increase run production with budding star C.J. Andersen. With a decrease in his passing attempts, as well as decreased production due to age, expect Manning to have a less then stellar year this year.

7. Tony Romo
No running game plus amazing offensive line = Tony Romo and Dez Bryant love season. With the departure of DeMarco Murray, and the addition of Darren McFadden, the Cowboys have no one to run the ball on a consistent level like Murray did. Romo and Bryant had a great season last year, and with such a stellar offensive line that the Cowboys have, Romo will have nothing but time to find the perfect pass to the open receiver.

8. Ryan Tannehill
Despite my allegiance to the Patriots, I am a big fan of Ryan Tannehill. Last season, Tannehill was one of 5 QB's who posted 10 plus fantasy points in 15 of the 16 games they played. In the last three seasons, where Tannehill has not missed one game, his passing yards have improved every single season. His touchdowns have improved every single season. An increase in passing yards and touchdowns means an increase in Fantasy points. Sure, Tannehill doesn't have Wallace or Hartline anymore. But, the addition of Jordan Cameron provides a great middle of the field target, and Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, and Greg Jennings will provide Tannehill plenty of targets to throw to. I expect a monster year from Tannehill. And, if you are stuck with drafting a QB in the mid rounds of the draft, like rounds 6-8, Tannehill will be a great option for your team, which is hopefully stacked with great RB's and WR's

9. Tom Brady
My boy. Yes, he's suspended for the first four games of the season. But, he's still Tom Brady. His ability to make spectacular years with a rag tag wide-out core is impeccable, and his production will be proportional in his 12 game season. He won't hit 4,000 yards this season, but neither will the guys below him on this list. You may argue that guys like Cam Newton can run, but they sacrifice throwing skills for running skills. Brady will have a great year for where he is listed on my rankings.

10. Cam Newton
Hey look! We were just talking about Cam Newton and here he is, rounding out my list at number 10. Personally, I'm a big fan of Newton. He is one of the hardest working QB's in the league, and is arguably one of the most athletic QB's the league has to offer. With Kelvin Benjamin continuing to develop, we could see a huge increase in his passing production. The only reason he's at #10 on my list is because of the regression in run production for Cam. Ever since his 14 rushing touchdowns in 2011, he hasn't hit half of that since. NFL teams around the league have learned how to defend against him, therefore eliminating his running game, making him less of a dual threat as people think he is. For those rankings valuing him as a top seven or top five QB, they are overestimating his value as a runner now that he is starting to take on more of a pocket passer role. I urge you to watch some Panther's games this year. Look at how often he stays in the pocket, compared to 2011. That will prove those rankings wrong

Please stay tuned for more rankings on Running Backs, Wide Outs, and Tight Ends, based on PPR leagues!

Why I Liked The New Home Run Derby Format

     For years, the Home Run Derby has been based on one format.  Each player was given 10 outs per round, and each swing not resulting in a Home Run was an out. While it was still enjoyable to watch, there was no stress of time weighing down on the competitors to finish out their round. This year, each player was granted four minutes to hit as many home runs as possible, and found themselves pitted against another opponent one on one. The result? A dramatic finish that came right down to the wire. In the end, Cincinattti Red's Todd Frazier, the hometown hero, battled his way through the bracket to battle Dodger's rookie Joc Pederson in the final round, where Frazier hit his Derby clinching dinger in the bonus time, which was allotted to him because of his two home runs over 425 feet.

All in all, I loved the new format. The time constraints made the end of the matchup much more dramatic, because you would have seen one player race to the finish to beat the clock. I also like how each competitor had an opponent to take down, rather than have more home runs than everyone else to win. More drama was added to a previously less dramatic affair, and the result was a breathtaking battle between two young guns. I hope that the MLB continues with this format, because it can potentially bring up ratings even higher, and draw in new fans to the sport, all because of the drama.

Lakers : Just Another Team

       As the third day of NBA Free Agency comes to a close, the Los Angeles Lakers have to face a harsh reality. They can no longer lure free agents in on command. The Lakers have lost the shine and appealing nature of the team and city, and top free agents like Lamarcus Aldridge are getting harder and harder to sign. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Aldridge has stated that he was not impressed by the presentation given by the Lakers, and therefore is ruling them out of his potential teams. Free agents also won't be pouring into LA, so long as Kobe Bryant holds no faith in his team.

       But Kobe has good reason to lose faith in his team. Over the past three years, he has lost future Hall of Fame Coach Phil Jackson, as well as important players like Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, and Dwight Howard, which helped him maintain a winning record. Because of such losses, the Lakers winning percentage has declined since the depart of Jackson and said players, and reached a jaw dropping low of .329, putting them in prime spot for the second overall pick this past draft.

      Since the Lakers can't seem to land any free agents what so ever, it seems their only option is to rely on their young guns to bring them wins. Second overall pick Deangelo Russell will have to step up big time, and be the star studded point guard Kobe has been missing. If Russell and Kobe can work together as a cohesive backcourt, it sets the stage for Julius Randle to shine in the front court, along side Jordan Hill, who is bound for a breakout season. When this roster is examined, with the hope that the Lakers' prospects will shine, it doesn't count them out of any winning season.

    Back to Deangelo Russell for a second. The choice to pick Russell as opposed to Jahil Okafor, who ended up drafted by the 76'ers the next pick, was a great step in the right direction for this franchise. Adding yet another big man would only add to the chaos and confusion of this team, and limit the production of some players who should be instrumental to this teams' success. Russell will serve as a much needed "star" point guard. I use the term "star" because compared to Jeremy Lin, Russell is an all star. His ability to pass the ball anywhere on the court, and well as effectively utilize his dribble drive to drop 15-20 points a game is something the Lakers haven't had since Derek Fisher in his prime. I personally believe that if this organization can correctly and successfully develop Deangelo Russell and Julius Randle, they will have a platform for future Lakers teams to be built on, in the inevitable "Post Kobe" era.

6 Man Rotation = Problems

Currently, the New York Yankees are operating under a six man pitching rotation. The typical rotation for MLB teams is a five man rotation, making the six man rotation a rare occurrence. Immediately, I see one pitcher who clearly should not be included in this rotation, and he is the only pitcher with a losing record in the rotation.
C.C. Sabathia
All of the other pitchers in the lineup are sporting .500 win percentages or higher. C.C on the other hand, has a .375 win percentage, with a record of 3-8. Sabathia also has a 5.59 ERA, the highest in the rotation. Clearly, something has to be done, and there are a few options Brian Cashman, Yankees General Manager, has.

1. Move C.C to the Bullpen
While keeping him around won't do the Yankees any good, moving Sabathia to the bullpen as a set-up man or short inning reliever would stop the bleeding. For the most part, Sabathia is solid in the first three innings of his starts, with an ERA of 4.94. While that isn't the best it could be, it is still significantly better than his ERA after the third inning, which is 6.04. Those numbers suggest that the Yankees "ace" would be much better suited as a reliever who goes all out for two innings, rather than a starter struggling to get past the fifth inning. C.C. to the bullpen could solve a bunch of problems, and therefore eliminating what seems like the "automatic loss" he brings to the mound every time he is out on the mound.

2. Don't Resign Him in 2016
The No-Trade clause embedded in Sabathia's contract obviously makes it impossible for the Yankees to trade him, unless Sabathia waives the protection. In that case, trade his butt out of NY ASAP.
But, for the time being, Sabathia becomes an un-restricted free agent in 2016, but there is an option for 2017. When he becomes the free agent, the Yankees should not resign him, and not let him take the 2017 option. While this route would not solve this years problems, or even next years problems, it could potentially solve the problems the Yankees will face two years down the road.

Personally, I don't care what route Cashman takes to get rid of Sabathia, or fix the Sabathia problem. As long as he stops losing games for the Yankees, it's all right with me.

No Kyrie? No Problem

     To all the Warrior fans about to read this article, I'm sorry. I am also sad about this particular topic as well.

     In two games so far in the 2015 NBA Finals, LeBron James has averaged 41.5 points per game. Yes, it is a miniature sample size, but it's dominant, especially without the "big three" fully healthy. When the Cleveland Cavaliers are truly broken down, it is LeBron with a band of role players. For god sakes they won game two with Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov starting. LeBron has always had the ability to completely take over a game, and with no offensive weapons with egos bigger than his, there is no one to stop LeBron from taking complete control of the rest of the series. His triple-double in game two, without Kyrie Irving shows his drive and his determination to win this title. 

    However, Lebron isn't winning this title 100% alone. With Dellavedova finally showing a sign of relevance, and defensive ability to shut down Steph Curry, who in my mind is the biggest offensive weapon in the league. When Dellavedova was on Curry, he managed to score 0 points, as well shooting 0-8 against Dellavedova. Mozgov has also filled in well for the injured Kevin Love, and is a defensive presence in the paint, which helps contest the drives posed by the Golden State Warriors.

   In my personal opinion, I do believe the Cavs will win the series. As of now, there has been no solution to stopping LeBron, and Klay Thompson and Steph Curry are incapable of guarding him to the extent they need. This can become a shoot-out type of series, so long as the Warriors have both the Splash Brothers on point. When only Thompson or Curry is on fire, the Warrriors struggle. A combination of increased defensive effort, the escape of Curry from his slump and a decrease in LeBron's production are the only things that can help the Warriors win. But as I see it now, there's no stopping the freight train that is LeBron from obtaining his third ring

3 Things to look forward to in 2015-2016

    Today marks the 100th day until the 2015-2016 NFL season officially kicks off. With those 100 days winding down, OTA's will begin and commense, training camps will open and close, and fantasy drafts will come and go. As for the regular season, here are the three biggest things I'm looking forward to this come NFL season.



1. Adrian Peterson back on the field
After playing only one game for the Minnesota Vikings before his suspension, Adrian Peterson says he's ready to go, and is back into the swing of things for football. But the success of his season can go either way, which is what I'm looking forward to. AP can either have a successful season, like seasons prior where he rushes for over 1,000 yards; or he could have a failure of a year, leaving Minnesota with the option to trade him after he is suspended and had his first bad year. I personally believe that this season will truly be a successful season for Peterson, given that when he's healthy is a machine. Peterson has never shied away from a challenge, and the 2015-2016 season will be his biggest. The vikings should be able to experience larger success than last season. After going 7-9 with a rookie QB in Bridgewater, no Adrian Peterson, and a sub-par wide recieving corp, they should have a turn around season after adding Mike Wallace to the outside, and gaining AP back. Expect big things from the Vikings, and they should be fun to watch this season.

2. The NFL Debut of Jimmy Garoppolo
Although I personally have my reservations about Tom Brady being suspended, I am very excited, as most NFL fans are, to see what Jimmy Garoppolo is capable of doing on the NFL level. In college, Garoppolo topped 5,000 yards in his senior year, and paired it with 53 TD's, and only nine interceptions. Numbers like those are what are keeping Pats fans afloat in this dark and dismal time. With Brady suspended for at least the first two games, with the possibility of a two game reduction due to appeal, Garoppolo will get two starts at least in the NFL. This un-proven "rookie" has big shoes to fill, and will be pressured to get the defending Super Bowl Champs off on the right foot in their first game against the Steelers, which is expected to be a shootout of a game. Personally, after seeing some of Garoppolo during OTA's so far, I think Patriots fans should not worry, because this man is extremely talented, and one day, could become the face of this franchise.

3. The revamped Buffalo Bills
This offseason was an omen to the Buffalo Bills, a franchise who was stuck in the rebuilding phase for years. With the addition of players like Percy Harvin, Matt Cassell, and LeSean McCoy, the Bills are hoping to make a splash in the AFC East this season. Granted, Harvin and Cassell may not be as respectively talented as McCoy is, but it's a vast improvement from where they were before. On top of that, new head coach Rex Ryan comes in with a defensive geared mentality, which can work well with the talented defense Buffalo has, led by Mario Williams. This team will surely improve on their 9-7 season last year. The addition of McCoy adds a much needed running weapon into their arsenal, something that was lacking in effectiveness with C.J Spiller in the backfield. Spiller should find his role to be more of a pass-catching back, which is something that fits better with his speed. The dynamic WR duo of Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods will be great weapons for Matt Cassell to target, and these wide-outs should find more success with an experience QB at the helm this year, rather than an untested rookie in E.J. Manuel. I expect the Bills to make a legit case for the AFC wild card spots.

Who is Slade Heathcott?

      Yankee fans now have a new name stuck in their head. Slade Heathcott. Heathcott was the 29th overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft, and after six years of bouncing around the majors, he has tasted the big leagues. In four games this season, Heathcott has batted .417 with a home run and three RBI's. This past memorial day, Slade got his first start, when both Ellsbury and Beltran were out.
     
     So who is Slade Heathcott and what's so special about him? When Slade was a junior in high school, he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, and thus started his alcohol problem. On top of that, Slade was also arrested for pointing a 12 gauge shotgun at his father's head during an argument. He grew up in a tormented house with divorced parents, and his upbringing was not perfect. His alcohol abuse continued until the Yankees learned Slade was blacked out and lost his passport the night before he was to fly to the Dominican Republic. The Yankees introduced him to Sam Marsonek, a former MLB pitcher, who took Heathcott to AA meetings. Heathcott also found a new life through religion, and claims that god saved his life.
   
  This man made it all the way from the bottom, and he has the skills to make it in the MLB. In seven seasons in the minors, Heathcott had a .270 average, which is fairly strong. He doesn't necessarily hit for power, but like Yankee fans saw this past Memorial Day, he can hit the occasional dinger. In the minors he was a great fielder, with an almost perfect fielding percentage in the minors. This kid is an all around strong player, who could play a significant role in the Yankees future. With an up and coming outfield, Heathcott could certainly find a spot somewhere in there. Beltran will be on his way out, and Ellsbury has been injury prone. Once Heathcott proves himself more worthy to be in the outfield than Garrett Jones, who is a 1B as well as RF, he will find himself in the rotation with Chris Young for the outfield spots.

    Personally I have become fond of Heathcott after hearing his story and watching him play. The fact that he turned his life around and now is doing great things, and has a family now is inspiring. His play on the field was fantastic. I truly think that Slade Heathcott belongs in the MLB, and I urge you all to keep an eye out for him.

Tom Brady is Innocent

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE WILL BE HIGHLY OPINIONATED

    Ridiculous. That is the only word I can use to describe the punishments dished out to the New England Patriots because of "Deflate-Gate." The loss of draft picks and $1 million fine is reasonable, because there truly was evidence of cheating. But what is unreasonable is the four game suspension given to Tom Brady. If anyone looked at the specific texts between Patriots employees, it is explicit that those employees were plotting against Tom Brady.
 McNally: "Tom sucks...im going to make that next ball a f---in balloon." (Oct. 17, 2014)
 On several other occasions, there were more texts exchanged between employees discussing ball inflation and deflation
 McNally: "Make sure you blow up the ball to look like a rugby ball so tom can get used to it before Sunday" (Oct. 21, 2014)

McNally: "F--- tom....make sure the pump is attached to the needle.....f---in watermelons coming" (Oct. 23, 2014)

Clearly Tom Brady was not the protagonist in this situation. The evidence is explicit in favor of Tom Brady being innocent. So, if the NFL saw all these texts, why did they suspend Brady for four games? It's absurd! Tom Brady did nothing in this situation, and the four game suspension was way out of line from the NFL. 

What should have happened? If they, being the NFL, were still stupid enough to suspend the greatest QB of all time, it should have been for the pre season games, AT MOST. 

I sincerely hope that the NFL reduces the suspension on Brady during his appeal. It is absolutley absurd that the NFL would have dished out this kind of suspension on an innocent player. Roger Goodell can redeem himself here by reducing the suspension he so unrightfully came up with.