The start to last nights draft surely had its fair amount of surprises up and down the first round. Nothing was bigger though then Florida's Senior Quarterback Tim Tebow going 25th overall to the Denver Broncos. The Denver Broncos traded 3 picks to the Baltimore Ravens to draft Tebow.
Many scouts and analysts had Clausen going before Tebow for the mere reason that Clausen played in a NFL style offense at Notre Dame. Many people were mind boggled that Denver passed on Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State for Tebow. Bryant would've obviously made more sense for what Denver needed, but Tebow just brings to much to a team to pass up on him. I still have faith that he CAN make it in the NFL as a QB for the one reason that he shows up and he works harder then anyone else on the field. He will be in the film room into the wee hours of the night studying tape to give him that much greater of an edge of the opponent.
I feel comfortable with Tebow going to Denver, and even though the Denver faithful are irate right now with the front office time will show that Tim Tebow is a class act and a quality guy that knows how to win.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
GM's Time to Shine.
For the first time ever this years NFL draft will go prime time. This Thursday 255 college football player's dreams will come true as they watch their name come off the famous big board. There are only a hand full of players that will actually travel to New York City where the draft will be held to witness all the action. Typically it is only the projected first rounders that make the trip. One big surprise of the draft so far is that Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen will not be attending the draft. According to a ESPN mock draft he is projected to go number 9 overall to the Buffalo Bills. I personally feel that he might be preparing for the best, but expecting the worse. He doesn't want to have what happened to former Notre Dame standout Brady Quinn happen to him.
There aren't too many surprises I feel throughout the first round mock draft. 2010 will be one of the most quarterback oriented drafts we have seen in a long time! This years draft is showcased by Sam Bradford, quarterback from Oklahoma. He is projected as the number one overall pick to go to the Rams. This pick could make or break the Ram's GM career in Saint Louis. In 2009 Bradford led the Sooners to a National Championship game as a sophomore. He was then defeated by fellow draft classmate Tim Tebow of Florida. There was speculation after that game weather he would forgo his Junior and Senior season to enter the draft? He passed up the millions of guarantee money he would of received to come back for his Junior season with goals to win a National Championship. Little did he know that could potentially be labeled the biggest mistake in his short lived career. In the first game on his Junior season against BYU Bradford sprained his throwing shoulder when he was tackled to the turf on a hard, clean hit by BYU linebacker Coleby Clawson in the closing seconds of the first half. That is when the speculation arose saying what was he thinking passing up the draft when he had already won the Heisman, and led his team to the National Championship game as a Sophomore? He ended up playing in just in one full game before re-injuring his right shoulder on October 17, 2009 in the Red River Rivalry against Texas on the second drive of the game.
It is obvious that Bradford has the talent, and potential to be a NFL QB someday but I don't know if he would be the smartest pick for the Rams. It is common knowledge that the Rams need all the help they can get including a franchise quarterback. I just don't know if using your number one pick to get one will pan out in years to come. More times then not it's not the first round quarterbacks that win Superbowl's and live to have prosperous careers in the NFL it is the typically the 4-6 round quarterbacks that do. It is the Cinderella stories of the draft like Tom Brady who was drafted 199 overall. He has since then lead the New England Patriots to a record of 101-27 (.789) in regular-season and playoff games. which is the best record of any NFL quarterback in the Super Bowl Era. He has also won a totally of 3 Super Bowls.
The Rams best bet would be try and trade the number one pick for more picks in the draft, and then draft a quarterback in the later rounds. There will be plenty of quarterbacks to go around with this being labeled one of the deepest quarterback drafts in years.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Philly Freezing Over?
It's looking a little cold for the New Jersey Devils in Philly right now. The Devils are down 2-1 against the upstart Philadelphia Flyers who needed a prayer from the hockey gods to even get into the playoffs. The Devils lost a heart breaker in game 3 at Philly. If the Devils are going to get bye in this series they have to have their superstars step their game up BIG TIME.
In game 3 Philadelphia managed some how to not give up a shot on goal by Ilya Kovalchuk. Ilya Kovalchuk leads the team this playoffs with five points so far and he had 41 goals and 44 assists this season there is no way no how he shouldn't have had one shot on goal in game 3. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette matched Pronger against Kovalchuk. I guess one could say that the 35 year-old veteran Chris Pronger looked like a 27 year-old that Kovalchuk is. One reason why Philly is leading this series I believe is because of the veteran play by the future hall of famer Chirs Pronger. The Devils Forwards can just only hope that the playoffs either take a wear on his old age, or they need to find away to make things happen.
The Devils catalyst is Zach Parise. He had a stellar first two games, and he even scored a shorthanded goal in game 2. Game three he was just shut down by Phillys D that looks like it will be a force to wrecken with in the playoffs. I have a feeling that the number 2 seeded Devils are thinking that they have their full with Philly in this series.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3GEC0GvHe4
Every player has a job on the Devils. Every player is a vital link on this team and they all have to remeber that if they want to live to play another series this year.
In game 3 Philadelphia managed some how to not give up a shot on goal by Ilya Kovalchuk. Ilya Kovalchuk leads the team this playoffs with five points so far and he had 41 goals and 44 assists this season there is no way no how he shouldn't have had one shot on goal in game 3. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette matched Pronger against Kovalchuk. I guess one could say that the 35 year-old veteran Chris Pronger looked like a 27 year-old that Kovalchuk is. One reason why Philly is leading this series I believe is because of the veteran play by the future hall of famer Chirs Pronger. The Devils Forwards can just only hope that the playoffs either take a wear on his old age, or they need to find away to make things happen.
The Devils catalyst is Zach Parise. He had a stellar first two games, and he even scored a shorthanded goal in game 2. Game three he was just shut down by Phillys D that looks like it will be a force to wrecken with in the playoffs. I have a feeling that the number 2 seeded Devils are thinking that they have their full with Philly in this series.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3GEC0GvHe4
Every player has a job on the Devils. Every player is a vital link on this team and they all have to remeber that if they want to live to play another series this year.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Cup
Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins
Zach Parise New Jersey Devils
Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals
The NHL playoffs are under way and even though each series is only one game in, there have been many surprising upsets.There was the Flyers barley squeaking into the playoffs needing that one extra game against the New York Rangers to get in, and then beating the number 2 seed New Jersey Devils. Ottawa beating the defending Stanley Cup champions. Number one seed in the west San Jose falling to a upstart Colorado team. Or last but certainly east the favored Washington Capitals losing to the canadians.
Chicago opened their quest of a Stanley cup tonight against the hottest team in the league right now the Detroit Red Wings. I still have Chicago winning that series. I believe that Chicago's forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are going to be just too much for them. If your team is the higher seed in the first round of the playoffs more times then not offense SHOULD be enough to get you to the next round. Defense wins championships though still, but having Toews and Kane wont hurt you either. And that's why I have the Blackhawks winning it all because I feel that they have the best balance of defense and offensive play.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Fair or Foul?
It seemed like a great day for a baseball game in sunny California for Brandon Patch’s parents to go watch their son play the game that he loved. That was until a baseball coming over 90+ mph off the hitter’s composite bat struck 18-year-old pitcher Brandon Patch in the temple killing him instantly.
The choice of materials used to construct baseball bats has evolved over the years, starting with solid wood, then to aluminum and now composite. Major League has stuck with the old fashion wood bats. This where the debate comes into play, fair or foul? Should everyone else have to use wood bats just like the pros? Wood bats seem to be the only answer to help make the game safe again for those that play.
It wasn’t until the early 2000’s that composite bats made the traditional aluminum bats nothing but a distant memory in amateur baseball. Composite bats are constructed with materials such as graphite, which make them run a lot steeper in prices ranging anywhere from 300-400 dollars, versus a wooden bat that can run from a mere 50-150 dollars. In the early 2000’s composite was the best new kept secret for hitters. It is a lot easier to have a .400 batting average with a composite bat, then it is to hit .400 with a wood bat. This led to a cause and effect situation with professional baseball scouts. Composite bats are giving at best mediocre college ball player’s astronomical stats, catches the professional scout’s eyes, then they draft a player whose whole career has only been associated with the use of composite bats. The media and sports writers write about these college superstar athletes saying they are destined to go straight to the big leagues, and how they won’t need any Minor League experience. To the media these days every high school or college player that has a .500 batting average is the second coming of Babe Ruth. More times then not do these cocky athletes get a rude awaking when they go from the luxury of composite bats to wood bats. So these athletes who were projected to spend no time in the Minor League end up only having a career in Minor Leagues, because the adjustment is just that much more difficult.
Not only do composite bats influence ones performance there is also the risk of “bat rolling.” Unlike traditional aluminum bats, composite bats can be enhanced even more by the repeated rolling of the bat between two hard rubber wheels. This causes the fibers to become more flexible, and greatly improving the bat’s trampoline effect and resulting in an increased ball speed and distance (Dangers of Composite.) University of Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin has become and outspoken critic, arguing “composite bats that get “juiced” are dangerous and produce competitive inequities. Just last week Cody Hawn of Tennessee hit a 500ft homerun against us. Coach Corbin noted, we had the number two overall pick in the Major League Draft last year, and I never witnessed him hit a 500ft homerun. Cody Hawn just last year was playing junior college baseball, and now he’s hitting a 500ft homerun against our number two pitcher? It doesn’t make sense to me?”(Bat Rolling.)
Composite bats aren’t the only bats that can be enhanced. Wood bats are capable of being corked. “A corked bat is specially modified baseball bat that has been filled with cork or a similar lighter less dense substance to make the bat lighter without losing much power,”(corked bat.) A lighter bat gives a hitter a quicker swing and may improve the hitters timing. Corked bats still don’t have the danger that surrounds composite bats. When a Major League baseball player gets caught with a enhanced bat they’re only suspended 7-10 games. Corked bats are still conciderd cheating. But, Major League Baseball is nowhere as consirend with corked bats, compared to the steroid epedmeic in baseball just for the mere fact corked bats don’t produce that much more of an advantage.
Baseball has always been labled “America’s past time,” and when the great game of baseball was created they used wood bats. Why mess with a good thing? As much as I hate to admit it the game has went from being strickly a pitching/ defensivly played game to a hitters game. Spectators want to watch the un common fourteen runs scored in a college baseball game. They don’t want to see the 1-0 pitchers duels anymore. Because of this many professional players have resorted to steroids, because they know wood bats cant produce the fireworks like composite bats can. In college baseball composite bats have created a inbalance between defense and offense. In 1970 when college players used aluminum bats the NCAA average batting average was a mere .260, and jumped to a outstanding .320 in the early 2000’s when composite bats first came onto the baseball secene. Runs per game also increased from the aluminum days. In 1970 the average runs scored per game was 4.5, compared to 10 in 2000 when composite bats were introduced, (Changed the Game.) This is compared to a playoff Major League Baseball caliber team that scores a average of 5 runs per game,( MLB average statistics.)
Besides the argument that composite bats make mediocre players look like future superstars, there is the dangers they produce for opposing pitchers and infielders. composite baseball bats have come under scrutiny more then ever lately after tests performed by the NCAA were conducted during the 2009 NCAA Division 1 Baseball Tournamnent showing that the majority of composite bats used during the championship failed the BESR test. The BESR test is a performance criteria for bats to see if they are safe for play. The equation is called “BBS” which stands for batted ball speed, (BESR.) It is a scientific equation that formulates if the pitcher is throwing a certain speed, and if contact is made with the bat how fast will the ball come off the bat. “The equation is . Where vball is the pitched-speed of the ball, vbat is the linear speed of the bat at the location of impact; eA is the collision efficiency, a quantity that depends on the elastic properties of both the bat and ball, as well as on the moment-of-inertia of the bat, and the location of the impact on the bat barrel,” (Explaining BESR.)
University of Massachusetts Lowell Sports Performance Center decided to put the debate to rest of which is really safer so they conducted a study where, six college players took multiple swings in batting practice over the course of five days using randomly selected wood and composite bats. Batters took batting practice thrown by both pitchers, and pitching machines until they could produce 30 line drives. A radar gun measured the speed of the ball as it came off the bat. The average batted ball speed for a wood bat was 88.6 mph versus 99 mph for composite bats, (Composite vs. Wood.) The study Lowell Sports Performance Center conducted should be enough proof why composite bats should be outlawed in amateur sports. The younger and less experienced an athlete is the slower their reaction time is going to be. That’s why there are so many more injuries obtained by pitchers and infielders in Little League Baseball all the way up to college baseball caused by composite bats versus, injuries obtained by Major League pitchers and infielders from the use of wood bats.
Composite bats are not only dangerous for the defensive aspect of the game but, there is also an unfair advantage to the pitchers. I like to think the use of composite bats is just as unfair to a pitcher as say a clean steroid free Major League pitcher facing a hitter that uses performance enhancing drugs to help their game.
To make baseball fair, competitive, and as safe as it was back in the all wooden days I believe that all composite bats, and even aluminum bats should be outlawed for all ages divisions. This will prevent many injuries, deaths, and let a players real talent shine in the game that is known as America’s pastime.
The choice of materials used to construct baseball bats has evolved over the years, starting with solid wood, then to aluminum and now composite. Major League has stuck with the old fashion wood bats. This where the debate comes into play, fair or foul? Should everyone else have to use wood bats just like the pros? Wood bats seem to be the only answer to help make the game safe again for those that play.
It wasn’t until the early 2000’s that composite bats made the traditional aluminum bats nothing but a distant memory in amateur baseball. Composite bats are constructed with materials such as graphite, which make them run a lot steeper in prices ranging anywhere from 300-400 dollars, versus a wooden bat that can run from a mere 50-150 dollars. In the early 2000’s composite was the best new kept secret for hitters. It is a lot easier to have a .400 batting average with a composite bat, then it is to hit .400 with a wood bat. This led to a cause and effect situation with professional baseball scouts. Composite bats are giving at best mediocre college ball player’s astronomical stats, catches the professional scout’s eyes, then they draft a player whose whole career has only been associated with the use of composite bats. The media and sports writers write about these college superstar athletes saying they are destined to go straight to the big leagues, and how they won’t need any Minor League experience. To the media these days every high school or college player that has a .500 batting average is the second coming of Babe Ruth. More times then not do these cocky athletes get a rude awaking when they go from the luxury of composite bats to wood bats. So these athletes who were projected to spend no time in the Minor League end up only having a career in Minor Leagues, because the adjustment is just that much more difficult.
Not only do composite bats influence ones performance there is also the risk of “bat rolling.” Unlike traditional aluminum bats, composite bats can be enhanced even more by the repeated rolling of the bat between two hard rubber wheels. This causes the fibers to become more flexible, and greatly improving the bat’s trampoline effect and resulting in an increased ball speed and distance (Dangers of Composite.) University of Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin has become and outspoken critic, arguing “composite bats that get “juiced” are dangerous and produce competitive inequities. Just last week Cody Hawn of Tennessee hit a 500ft homerun against us. Coach Corbin noted, we had the number two overall pick in the Major League Draft last year, and I never witnessed him hit a 500ft homerun. Cody Hawn just last year was playing junior college baseball, and now he’s hitting a 500ft homerun against our number two pitcher? It doesn’t make sense to me?”(Bat Rolling.)
Composite bats aren’t the only bats that can be enhanced. Wood bats are capable of being corked. “A corked bat is specially modified baseball bat that has been filled with cork or a similar lighter less dense substance to make the bat lighter without losing much power,”(corked bat.) A lighter bat gives a hitter a quicker swing and may improve the hitters timing. Corked bats still don’t have the danger that surrounds composite bats. When a Major League baseball player gets caught with a enhanced bat they’re only suspended 7-10 games. Corked bats are still conciderd cheating. But, Major League Baseball is nowhere as consirend with corked bats, compared to the steroid epedmeic in baseball just for the mere fact corked bats don’t produce that much more of an advantage.
Baseball has always been labled “America’s past time,” and when the great game of baseball was created they used wood bats. Why mess with a good thing? As much as I hate to admit it the game has went from being strickly a pitching/ defensivly played game to a hitters game. Spectators want to watch the un common fourteen runs scored in a college baseball game. They don’t want to see the 1-0 pitchers duels anymore. Because of this many professional players have resorted to steroids, because they know wood bats cant produce the fireworks like composite bats can. In college baseball composite bats have created a inbalance between defense and offense. In 1970 when college players used aluminum bats the NCAA average batting average was a mere .260, and jumped to a outstanding .320 in the early 2000’s when composite bats first came onto the baseball secene. Runs per game also increased from the aluminum days. In 1970 the average runs scored per game was 4.5, compared to 10 in 2000 when composite bats were introduced, (Changed the Game.) This is compared to a playoff Major League Baseball caliber team that scores a average of 5 runs per game,( MLB average statistics.)
Besides the argument that composite bats make mediocre players look like future superstars, there is the dangers they produce for opposing pitchers and infielders. composite baseball bats have come under scrutiny more then ever lately after tests performed by the NCAA were conducted during the 2009 NCAA Division 1 Baseball Tournamnent showing that the majority of composite bats used during the championship failed the BESR test. The BESR test is a performance criteria for bats to see if they are safe for play. The equation is called “BBS” which stands for batted ball speed, (BESR.) It is a scientific equation that formulates if the pitcher is throwing a certain speed, and if contact is made with the bat how fast will the ball come off the bat. “The equation is . Where vball is the pitched-speed of the ball, vbat is the linear speed of the bat at the location of impact; eA is the collision efficiency, a quantity that depends on the elastic properties of both the bat and ball, as well as on the moment-of-inertia of the bat, and the location of the impact on the bat barrel,” (Explaining BESR.)
University of Massachusetts Lowell Sports Performance Center decided to put the debate to rest of which is really safer so they conducted a study where, six college players took multiple swings in batting practice over the course of five days using randomly selected wood and composite bats. Batters took batting practice thrown by both pitchers, and pitching machines until they could produce 30 line drives. A radar gun measured the speed of the ball as it came off the bat. The average batted ball speed for a wood bat was 88.6 mph versus 99 mph for composite bats, (Composite vs. Wood.) The study Lowell Sports Performance Center conducted should be enough proof why composite bats should be outlawed in amateur sports. The younger and less experienced an athlete is the slower their reaction time is going to be. That’s why there are so many more injuries obtained by pitchers and infielders in Little League Baseball all the way up to college baseball caused by composite bats versus, injuries obtained by Major League pitchers and infielders from the use of wood bats.
Composite bats are not only dangerous for the defensive aspect of the game but, there is also an unfair advantage to the pitchers. I like to think the use of composite bats is just as unfair to a pitcher as say a clean steroid free Major League pitcher facing a hitter that uses performance enhancing drugs to help their game.
To make baseball fair, competitive, and as safe as it was back in the all wooden days I believe that all composite bats, and even aluminum bats should be outlawed for all ages divisions. This will prevent many injuries, deaths, and let a players real talent shine in the game that is known as America’s pastime.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
In Crist We Trust
After two weeks of spring practice new Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly likes what he sees. As a Notre Dame follower that I am I don't know how much I can really buy into his comments about how well the team is looking! This is his first year at a new highly public program, so what else is the poor guy supposed to say?
Notre Dame projected starting QB Dayne Crist is back from knee surgery, and is supposably showing great poise so far taking snaps under center in spring practice. Coach Kelly thinks with the much improved offensive line his young QB will have much great success. Notre Dame has never had problems producing successful college quarterbacks,the real problem arises when the get to the next level.
Yesterday I looked at a mock draft for this year and I fround something kind of ironic. It has Jimmy Clausen going to the Cleveland Browns. The Browns just got rid of a former Notre Dame QB that was a flop in Cleveland! Scouts say that Clausen has a bright future as a NFL QB, but if he goes to a team that needs him to start ASAP I see him having a year just like Mark Shancez if USC had his first year for the Jets. And that is only being asked to throw the ball 13 times a game, and completing 50% of his passes.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Lefty, Tiger, and Green Jackets OH MY
Well Tiger couldn't prove all his critics wrong. He was in the second to last pairing in his first time back in a 144 days but he just couldn't do it. On Sunday he couldn't find his swing. He was leaving way to many putts on the green to have gotten that green jacket and he knows it. In a interview after his round he said he didn't know when he would be back again so for all we know we might not see him for another 144 days.
I was happy to see that Phil won it. Don't get me wrong I was rooting for Tiger, but Phil is a true class act and after everything hes been through with his mom and wife both battling breast Cancer, I was happy to see him win. It was very heart warming when his wife (who hadn't made it to the golf course all week because she was on bed rest,) and all his kids met him on the 18th green to congratulate him on this 3rd green jacket.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tis the Season
A-rod, Yankees Red Sox's drama, steroids, and teams that aren't even in the same league as the Yankees complaining about the Yanks payroll! Yup you guessed it it's baseball season and it's back into full swing! What more could a baseball fan ask for then having the first game of the year be a Yankees Red Sox's match up on a mild spring night in Boston? Now who said that Major League Baseball isn't one for drama? And did we ever get drama in that series.
First game of the series they showed why they're called the Bronx Bombers. Back to back home runs by Jorge and Granderson. Granderson was able to do something many Yankees throughout the years never seemed to be able to do. When you're a high profile player that Granderson and you get traded to the Yankees you have 3 jobs you must do if you would like to stay in NY for awhile.
1.) Start off hot
2.) Be a Beantown killer
3.) produce in October
so far he has polished of 2 of the 3. Welcome to NY Mr. Granderson, welcome to NY.
The Yankees walked away with a 2-1 series lead. I would say that is alot better start to this storied rival then losing the first 8 against Boston last year!
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