Audio: The Bengals Have A Huge Three Weeks in Front of Them and The State of the NBA

 No Andy Dalton for the Bengals for the remainder of the regular season. What does that mean for their season? Playoff hopes? Could Dalton lose his job? Bengals fans asked for McCarron during the offseason, right? Well, here you go... Also, the NBA is pathetic right now. I like some teams but don't see more than four teams able to win the championship. And well, three of the four are from the same conference.

I Want To See Peyton Throw One More Touchdown

      2015 has not been the best year for Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. Actually, it's been the worst statistically. 2,180 yards passing (6.8 avg) nine touchdowns, 17 interceptions and a quarterback rating (QBR) of 67.6. All of that came through just nine games this season. In his last game played this season, against the Kansas City Chiefs, Manning was 5/20 pass completions (25 percent) with no touchdowns and four interceptions - Manning was pulled from the game and was later diagnoses with a torn planter fascia in his left foot - in that game, Manning passed Brett Favre for most all-time passing yards. He [Manning] has been rehabbing and getting treatment on his foot to try and come back from the injury. However, with Brock Osweiler playing so well, it's hard to tell if Manning will see the field again.

The Legacy of Dirk

In the 1998 NBA draft, there was a player from Germany that only a few truly knew about. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks (no.9 overall) and traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Robert Traylor (no.6 overall pick) on the same day. That players name... Dirk Nowitzki
 
 Dirk, now in his 17th season, is trying to get back to the NBA finals and compete with the top tier teams in the Western Conference. It's no secret that he's getting older and he isn't the same player that he was 10 years ago, or even five for that matter. However, Dirk isn't looking as bad as some of the other aging players *cough, cough.. Kobe Bryant* but he's got a little bit of a better team around him, also. If you've watched any NBA game or ESPN or Fox Sports, you know that Kobe Bryant announcing this will be his final season is the talk of the entire league. People are talking about where Kobe ranks on the all-time list, naming off their top five all-time players and some top 10. I seldom wonder where a player like Dirk fits in on this list to the consensus. In his [Dirk's] rookie season, in an interview, Dallas' then point guard Steve Nash said "the sky's the limit for Dirk". He was right. I'm guessing he saw a lot of potential in the young European superstar back then that not a lot of people did at the time.

 "The sky's the limit for Dirk" - Steve Nash 

He [Dirk], for his career is seventh all-time on the scoring list (28,507) and is on pace to pass Shaquille O'Neal (28,596) for the sixth spot, pretty soon, if healthy. He also has a career total of over 10,200 rebounds and better than 3,300 career assists. When averaged out they're not dominating number but if you watched him play throughout his career you know Dirk's impact on the game of basketball. Historically, Dirk hasn't had major injury issues and every season after his rookie season he never averaged less than 17 points per game (this season included, so far).  Seeing Dirk and the Maverick's team  defeat LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2012 was one of the greatest things I've witnessed as a sports fan. I like LeBron and D-Wade, no knock to either player. But seeing a player like Dirk win a title, after accomplishing almost everything in the NBA prior, was truly something that you can be excited for even if you're not a fan of his team. He's won the NBA MVP, he was named to the All-NBA first team (4), All-NBA second team (5), NBA all-star team (13) and he was even a three point contest winner (2006). However, even though he accomplished so much in his career, it just seems like winning the NBA title was needed to add to his, already, mammoth resume.

Dirk is, without doubt, the greatest player in Maverick's history and one of the greatest and most unique scorers that the NBA has ever witnessed - he even has his own patented shot - and has shot a very good percentage throughout his career, averaging just over 47 percent for his career from the field, 38 percent from the three-point line, also averaging an amazing 87 percent from the free throw stripe.

I know when we talk about the greats in NBA history, there are mentions of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, etc. But, I have two question. When can we start talking about Dirk in those same conversations?  Where does the European superstar rank in the history of the NBA?

NFL: Five Players That Need A Fresh Start

  In the NFL a lot of the success and failure can be based around the teams position (winning or losing), the system a player's in, or the teams dedication to a player. In the 2015-16 season we've seen some players that look like they could be considered a "bust" and we've seen some players look as if they've digressed in performance. I made a list of five players that I believe can still be very good or even great players, if they're given a chance on a new team.

1. Colin Kaepernick: Two NFC Championship appearances, a Super Bowl and two Pro Bowl's for this young quarterback didn't just happen by mistake. Kaepernick can still be one of the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the league, in the right system/situation. When he played under Jim Harbaugh we saw him destroy the Green Bay Packers in the 2012 playoffs, one of the strongest performances from any player in playoff history - 263 yards passing, along with 180 yards rushing with a total of four touchdowns on the day - and he's still capable of putting up numbers like that. Let's be honest, the 49ers are having a terrible season and the we all look at the quarterback position first. What's he doing wrong? is he declining in talent/skill? have teams figured him out? these are the first questions typically asked. When new Head Coach Jim Tomsula made the decision to bench Kaepernick, I did believe that it was for his [Kaepernick's] best interest and still do. However, I think that things won't be getting better in San Francisco any time soon and a new team would benefit Kaepernick more than anything, at this point. Possible teams he would be a good fit for: Philadelphia, Houston, St. Louis, Kansas City.

2. Johnny Manziel: Why draft him in the first round if you're not going to play him? Oh, that's right, because you're the Browns. The entire city of Cleveland thought that Manziel was about to begin a new era in the city for their struggling franchise. However, it didn't quit work out that way. Head coach, Mike Pettine has yet to really trust him [Manziel] with this team. And well, he has had a few off-the-field incidents that have helped him land a spot on the bench. In his 12 games played, he has five touchdowns, four interceptions and six fumbles. He was sacked 17 times through those twelve games. I don't know fully what Manziel is capable of doing, neither does the rest of the league. He is in a bad situation in Cleveland and it doesn't look like he'll be getting the chance to show any one for the remainder of the 2015 season, after being named the third quarterback on the depth chart. Possible teams he would be a good fit for: Dallas, Houston, New Orleans (He could learn a lot from Drew Brees).

3. Cordarrelle Patterson: A former first-round draft pick in 2013, Patterson has yet to catch on in the NFL as a starting receiver. Now in his third season, he has had only one one-hundred yard receiving performance (Dec. 12, 2013 vs the Ravens) his rookie season. It's clear that the new favorite target in Minnesota for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is rookie Stefon Diggs. Patterson doesn't even seem to be on the radar for targets, as he has only two receptions on the season, this season. Patterson has been very good on special teams as a kick/punt returner, but I believe he's more than a one-trick pony. I think Patterson deserves to be in an offense that will help him find his place in the NFL and I truly believe he still has the chance to be one of the leagues best. Possible teams he would be a good fit for: New England, New Orleans, Tennessee, Carolina.

4. Tre Mason: As a former Heisman Trophy contender it seemed that Mason would leave from Auburn and enter the NFL to be a premiere running back in the league for years to come. In his rookie season (2014), Mason ended up being the starting running back late in the season, well at least taking majority of the carries. In the 2014 season he had 179 carries for 765 rushing yards with four touchdowns to go along with it. It was sure to be Mason's job going forward. However, after the Rams drafted Todd Gurly out of the University of Georgia with the 11th overall pick, it now seems that Mason will have to wait for an opportunity to get carries. Mason really needs to be in a system that will allow him to show that he should be a starting running back in the league or should at least be getting more carries. Mason has had 10 or more carries one time in 2015, so far. Possible teams he would be a good fit for: Indianapolis, Houston, Oakland, Tennessee, Cleveland.

5. Tavon Austin:  They've clearly been trying in St. Louis to make Austin into a no.1 receiver and it hasn't worked. Well, nothing in their passing game has worked in St.Louis. Austin is a very explosive receiver and can be used in different parts of the offense and special teams. However, he was drafted fairly high (no.8 overall). I get that they're trying to show that they didn't make the wrong draft decision, I honestly get that. But when you try to force something, over and over, that clearly hasn't worked you make yourself and the player look worse, St. Louis. Austin could be one of the best slot receivers in the league, if put in the right system.  I do think he'll improve, regardless if gets moved or not, he won't be a "bust". However, wasting his youngest years in a bad situation isn't good for the five-foot-eight receiver. He  has had one receiving performance of one-hundred yards or better only one time (Nov. 10, 2013 vs Indianapolis - two receptions, 138 yards, two touchdowns) and one of the receptions was his career long of 81 yards. Possible teams he would be a good fit for: New England, Atlanta, New York Giants, Detroit, Indianapolis, Denver.

Social Media: The Gift & The Curse

  We're living in a day and age of social media/networking like we've never seen it. Social media isn't just something that some are doing but majority of society can be found on there in some facet, either personal or work related. Social networking sites aren't only used for "networking" any more. They're entertainment, they're a way to keep up with your friends or favorite athlete or celebrity even... "Trolling" is also an option, but I don't recommend it.

One thing I can honestly say about social media that is a true positive quality is, it has created many jobs at a time when we needed it in America. Also, social media can be used as more of a marketing opportunity, you can use it as a tool to help you gain recognition from certain companies or even showcase your talent(s) if you're an artist. In a time, now, where it's more uncommon not to have a smart phone, computer or tablet, we've completely given in to the technology age. It's either adapt and change with the technology age or get left behind, from a social standpoint. As of January 2014 74 percent of Adults online use social networking/media sites, according to the Pew Research Center - 76 percent of women, 72 percent of men.

We've gone from the days of "Myspace" to  "Twitter" and "Instagram". What does that mean though? Well, "Myspace" was a page that was created by the users to describe themselves and make it fit more to their personality and you could do things like post music, post your photos, of course, and it allowed you write/comment on your friends wall. Yes, a lot of those things we could do on "Myspace" we can do on "Facebook" still. However, Facebook didn't begin as a site that everyone could get on. Myspace started out as a social site for all people; Facebook was started for college kids, mainly, as a form to network and communicate with other college students and young professionals. Now, let's think look into the social media site that changed everything - Twitter! Twitter is just updating your status, constantly. 140 characters is all that you get, per status. Not only can you use words but you can also upload pictures, videos, a "gif" (a moving picture)  and even what is known as a "meme" (a picture with a caption on it, usually humorous). Twitter, now, seems to be the more popular of all social media sites for the teen through young adult age-group - Facebook is still the most used site for people of all ages. But, after Twitter, it seemed society needed more but a social media site that required less but had as big of an impact. And so "Instagram" came about. Instagram is a social media site that you can use to post pictures, including memes, and you can write a caption to describe what you've posted or just comment about how you feel about your post. Also, you can comment on the persons photo.

Social media has been a way for people to meet, friends and lovers. But it also has hurt our ability to communicate in person. I know that I could personally have a conversation with someone via social media but barely speak when we see each other in person. It's just a common thing in society. I see it all the time, daily. 

In a world where an "emoji" is more powerful than words sometimes, it's scary to think about our future.

Since being involved with and observing social media/networking sites, I've noticed a few things that could be hurting society more than helping. Social sites could be creating a larger separation between social classes. Ratios between followers and the amount of people that someone follows is a true identifier of that and a person being "verified" can a show a certain status that person has or their position in society, making them "more important" in social media. Another thing. It shows that content isn't as important as  the person that delivers the content. It's nothing new to society and I don't know if this is something that people didn't already know, it's just in certain instances sad that people don't acknowledge this. We just live in a society that values more what a celebrity says more than a scientist or someone trying to do good for a community or help society (basically a tabloid society). Also, social media has seemed to cause society to overreact. It seems that a lot of people can see something, only via social media, and form their entire opinion of off that and not fully look into it, whether it's a video or see someone tweet something that they might not agree with fully.

Social media has taken sports to a "boom or bust" society. We [society] seem to judge every team/player off of what we see posted on social media, which is typically a small sample size.

In the world of sports and entertainment Twitter seems to keep us updated if we can't watch our favorite show or we can't watch our favorite team play, and that's very beneficial at times. We can still be active in life but keep up with sports. However, we no longer have to actually see anything in full, we can always watch the highlights or see the Twitter updates, right? Thinking of it like that, makes me wonder. Has television been preparing us for the social media age all along? Sports Center on ESPN is a show of mostly highlights and people giving their opinions on television on the day in sports. Fox Sports showing highlights throughout the day does the same thing. Now, everyone can give their feedback and opinions and it can make things a little more interesting and gives society a chance to be more involved.  How can this hurt sports and society both? Well, when people are "trolling" athletes or these public figures, making ignorant comments, the public figure and athlete are expected to take the higher road and criticized or are seen as wrong if they don't. Where I come from people often said "don't dish it out if you can't take it" and I agree, fully.

In the social media age, everything is seen. With the ability to screen shot from our phones, cameras and video recorders on phones, it's tough for anyone to do anything these days without someone seeing it and eventually it will go viral and it will become public. For athletes, celebrities and anyone that is considered a public figure this can help or hurt them.

In a way, people are creating their lives through social media. Anything that you post people will take that as a reflection of the type of person that you are - words, pictures, etc. - and this can either be a good thing or a bad thing. In a sense it can build expectations that you can meet in real  life or you could exceed a persons expectations.

How personal should we be making our social media sites, honestly? companies are now checking social media sites to see the applicants personality or see if they're doing anything publicly that could potentially hurt their company and it helps them decide if you would be a risk if working for their company. 

For me, I know that checking social media has become a natural habit. When I wake up for me, it's more common that I check twitter and Instagram before I turn on the morning news or even brush my teeth, and I doubt I'm the only one. But with social media being as big as it is, what happens if it hits it's plateau in the world? or has it already done that? What will society do if social media didn't work anymore? Would we have to go back to a world of actually communicating in person and meet people the old fashion way?

There are many different social media sites - I just spoke about the most popular ones- and that means many different avenues that we will have to communicate with one another and more sites seem to be created as the years go on. And with every social media site that comes about, the less content/time you're allotted and it seems like the less content/time the more popular the site.

I've once heard that you should use social media as a tool for good if you want to get a decent job and less as a source for entertainment. Social media is either what you make it, or you are what it makes you look like to others.

It's Finally Happening, NBA

  Nearly two decades have passed since we've seen the legendary Michael Jordan on the basketball court. And I'm not talking about the Jordan who played with the Wizards in 2002, let's be honest, that's not what we think of when we think of his greatness. I'm talking about the player and the man who led the Chicago Bulls to six championships in his time with the Bulls from 1985 to 1998, with a retirement in between. The player that revolutionized the NBA and game of basketball as we know it. Since his retirement, maybe a bit before, there seems to be a general consensus that Michael Jeffery Jordan is the greatest NBA player of all time.

It seems like, since Jordan's retirement in 1998, the NBA and society has been looking to crown that next person or "the next Jordan" and it hasn't really caught on, thus far. Not only as far as talent but popularity, more things factor into this than just putting up great stats. Allen Iverson was one of the  first guys that they tried to crown, but he never won a ring and he fell off near the end of his career, "team hopping" didn't really help his cause; Kobe Bryant, maybe comes the closest, but people thought he tried too hard to emulate Jordan, on and off the court; Lebron James is still in talks, maybe if he wins a title in Cleveland it'll help, but going to Miami and winning there with the "big three" hurts his chances of exceeding Jordan in the basketball world. The Jordan comparison conversation is one that's always brought up when people start talking about the next great player or whomever is the best at the time.

Lebron James, in my opinion, is still the best player in the NBA currently. However, there's a player residing in the western conference, current reigning MVP Stephen Curry might be a close second. Curry and the Golden State Warriors are off to 10-0 start and they don't look to be slowing down any time soon. He [Curry] is averaging 33 point (league best), five rebounds, and nearly six assists.

Currently, Curry has 1,243 (43rd all-time) and is on pace to make it into the top 30 by seasons end.

Known for his deadly three-point shooting and ability to shoot off the dribble like no other player, Curry is one of the most adored stars in the league by both the fans and media. After his underdog-like story - coming from a small division I school (Davidson) and some scouts saying that he might be too thin/small for an NBA player - it's almost hard for people to root against him.

Now, let me explain why I believe Curry could be the player to take the "Jordan" crown. All of the players that people wanted to be the next Jordan were all great players, yes. But, they all were missing key things, as I explained earlier. One thing that automatically would give Curry an early lead is his likability - he's a fan favorite, great with the media, and he's got a great off-the-court reputation and in a social media society that helps. Also, what's one thing Jordan did that took him to another level? he made the game exciting for the crowd/fans. Right now, Curry is doing that. It seems like every time he steps on the court there's a highlight about to happen. Think about it. Jordan revolutionized the game with his high-flying abilities, he wasn't the first person to dunk the ball, but it was the fashion in which he did it. He [Jordan] almost gave you the feeling like he was gliding or flying through the air. Stephen Curry does the same thing with his remarkable three-point shooting. Curry makes shooting the three-ball as easy as a lay-up, and does it with conviction. Curry has an assertive demeanor to his game that makes you feel like he's going to make every shot that he puts up.

The Warriors are off to the best start in franchise history and their confidence seems to be at the highest level. The season is still young, but it feels like this Warriors team, led by Curry, could be on the verge of another magical season and if Curry wins another ring in the next two years, especially in the arduous western conference, don't be surprised if the Jordan comparisons heat up around the media and social media atmosphere.

Do I think that there will be another player better than Michael Jordan? No, he did things for basketball that no player had ever done before him. However, we're moving into a new generation, the social media age and the people that are younger and seeing what Stephen Curry is doing and the fashion that he's doing it have never seen Michael Jordan play. And, let's be honest, the new generation mostly hear stories of Michael Jordan and know that he has a popular sneaker line. I don't know if Curry will surpass Michael Jordan, as far as being named the greatest player through a general consensus, but I do believe that if he continues to play at this level over the next several years he has a really good chance to be right next to him in the conversation.

Saving Kaepernick?

  San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula announced at a press conference earlier this week that he has decided to bench starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The Niners (2-6) are off to their worst start since 2010, the year before former head coach Jim Harbaugh was with the team.

"I met with the quarterbacks on Monday. I've made a decision to go with Blaine Gabbert this week. It was a tough decision," said Tomsula.

Gabbert, a former first-round draft pick, selected No.10 overall in 2011 by the Jacksonville Jaguars was traded to the Niners in 2014. he [Gabbert] has 23 passing touchdowns, 24 touchdowns and 4,395 yards for his career, so far. In his last three games as a starter in Jacksonville (2013), Gabbert had one touchdown, seven interceptions, 481 yards passing while only completing 48 percent of his passes. 

"In no way is 2-6 all on Colin Kaepernick. That's all of us"

Kaepernick, 28, has over 10,000 career passing yards, 56 touchdowns and just 26 interceptions in his four years as the full-time starter. Tomsula said that he wants Kaepernick to be able to just "step back" and look at things through a different lens.

Kapernick has a career record of 27-20 as a starter (regular season).  

Coach Tomsula says that he's seen Gabbert improve in the two years since he's been with the team and he feels that this is the correct decision for the team right now. he[Tomsula] never came out and said if this were a long-term decision. He said that this is the decision, this week, going into Atlanta.

Through the first eight weeks of this season Kaepernick has 1,615 passing yards, six touchdowns, five interceptions while completing 59 percent of his passes. Also, adding a rushing touchdown.

We can't honestly sit here and pretend as if this is a move that's going to hurt Kaepernick. This move hurts the team and Tomsula, essentially. After trading former all-pro Vernon Davis to the Denver Broncos Monday, it seems as if the 49ers are in full rebuild mode. Davis was the last foundation piece to what the Niners had used to build around Kaepernick. Frank Gore had departed over the summer, going to Indianapolis; the once intimidating defense is not the same as it was just two years ago, or one for that matter, with defensive lineman Justin Smith and Aldon Smith no longer on the team, or former team captain and all-pro linebacker Patrick Willis.

The defense is currently ranked 28 out of 32 in yards per game, 23 of 32 in points per game.

Expectations and anticipation are hurting the perception of Kaepernick. After seeing him go to the Super Bowl and two NFC Championship games so early in career, we became use to seeing him win and after losing in the fashion that he and the Niners are it's only normal that we question weather or not he's declining. His recent failures have, in my opinion, have been most in-part due to his lack of talent around him. Sure, Carlos Hyde is going to be a very good running back. However, it's his first year as the starter, he has to learn and grow and also overcome these injury issues that he's dealing with right now.

The Niners are struggling right now on both sides of the ball. Kaepernick takes the blame because he's the quarterback ... They [quarterbacks] take the glory, too ... but in reality the team isn't very good and his talent at the receiver position isn't the same as it was in the 2013 season.

Receivers in 2015: Anquan Boldin (35 years old), Vernon Davis (31), Torrey Smith, Quinton Patton, Bruce Ellington

Receivers in 2013: Michael Crabtree, Anquan Bolin (33 at the time), Vernon Davis (29), Kyle Williams, Quinton Patton.

Also, he had Frank Gore a hall-of-fame running back who took a great deal of pressure off of him and the passing game.

Being "benched" is never a good thing for a players confidence. But Tomsula could be trying to salvage him from the media's perception of his abilities. I don't know if pulling the Gabbert card is the answer this early in the season. Maybe coach Tomsula is seeing something that we aren't from Gabbert? or MAYBE he's seen a breakdown approaching with Kaepernick through frustration?

The benching of Kaepernick is either Tomsula's way of saying that the team needs a fresh start and Kaepernick might not be the answer like they assumed before resigning him to a long-term contract. Or it's his way of saving Kaepernick on a season in which they've clearly struggled in and would like to keep his confidence high, as well as his winning percentage as a starter.

Is 2015 The Year of the Underdog?

2015 has been the year of the Underdog and I explain why. Also, I talk about the Tennessee Titans, where they're headed, and explain why I'm not sold on Stephen Curry as the most exciting player but everyone else is.

NBA Predictions for the 2015-16 Season

I give my top eight picks from both the east and western conference and I also give my top five MVP candidates.

PS: I made this right before the season started; the content is still relevant.

Patience and Persistence

  In a day and age where we crave having information fast and we want to know everything at the moment it happens, social media allowing us to do so, we often forget the importance of patience when it comes to our lives. We, as a society, sometimes forget to enjoy and appreciate the process of progress in life or as some would say the "journey of life".

But, in a time where we have the ability to give and receive information almost every second of the day, is it right to blame any person that tries to rush success or become impatient with their life's progress? Even though you should remember a rushed product might also lead to failure and a lack of patience in life can lead to that same result. This can be applied to any profession and almost any situation.

Oct. 23 the New Orleans Pelicans announced that they had waived guard, Sean Kilpatrick after signing him a little over a month prior to this.

Kilpatrick, 25, was an first-team All-American his senior year at the University of Cincinnati. He was also a Wooden award and Naismith trophy finalist; he [Kilpatrick] is the second leading scorer in team history (2,145 points) behind Oscar Robertson, better known as "The Big O" (2,973).

After not being drafted in 2014, Kilpatrick was picked up by the Philadelphia 76ers to play in with their summer league team - averaging an impressive 11.5 points per game on 44 percent shooting - but his performance didn't appear to strong enough to land him a roster spot for the regular season team. However, he would be able to make his NBA debut in the 2014-15 season after being signed by the Minnesota Timberwolves in March to a 10-day contract. But, after appearing in four games and averaging 5.5 points, the team decided to move forward without giving him a contract extension.

He [Kilpatrick] also made a brief stop in Golden State before being waived by the Warriors soon after being signed early in October of the 2014 season. 

A tenacious Kilpatrick would be picked up again for the 2015 summer league, this time with the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 18.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and shooting 47 percent from the field, averaging 28 minutes per game. However, once again, his performance wouldn't be strong enough to earn him a roster spot.

In September it seemed Kilpatrick had found his spot and would finally get his chance to show the NBA what he's made of. - clearly a great shooter with a lot of potential, especially on offense, to contribute to a team - when it was announced that the New Orleans Pelicans had signed the young guard.  And with Tyreke Evans going down and Jrue Holiday being a liability due to previous injury issues, it was looking promising that Kilpatrick would get ample playing time with the chance to contribute to a young team on the rise. Unfortunately, like the times before, he wouldn't get that opportunity. Kilpatrick would be waived from the team in October for veteran guard Nate Robinson - who wold later be waived by the team as well.

Sean Kilpatrick is on a journey like many other players, currently and previously, breaking into any professional business is hard. Breaking into professional sports is that much more difficult, especially the NBA. In a league in which teams only hold only 14-15 players on a roster and there are hundreds of guys fighting for an opportunity, it's almost impossible. However, Kilpatrick has shown growth in his game and he continues to strive for his goal and getting a guaranteed contract and a roster spot.

I'm confident that with his will and determination, when and if the right opportunity comes, Kilpatrick will be ready to contribute. His story is a common one and we've seen players year after year trying to break through to the next level all the time. Some players fail to make it on an NBA court, some are skilled and fortunate enough to be in the right system and things work out for them, and some players get their opportunity after years in the developmental league (NBA D-League) or overseas and capitalize on that opportunity. 

Like any job/career, timing and your fit to the company/system can make or break your performance... in sports that's especially true... When you wait for the right opportunity and when the feeling and timing is right then you have a better chance of performing at a higher level and your chances to succeed can be greater.

Remember, CONSISTENT hard work pays off, and timing is key.

Texans Releasing Mallett Was Good... For Mallett

  Ryan Mallett was released on Tuesday, October 27, by the Houston Texans for missing the teams flight to Miami on Sunday, a game in which the Texans were embarrassed by the Dolphins 44-26. It was reported that Mallett missed his flight due to oversleeping that morning.

  Mallett, 27, was drafted in the third round in 2011 to the New England Patriots. After backing up Tom Brady for three years, Mallet was traded, in 2014, to the Houston Texans for a conditional 2016 sixth or seventh-round draft pick. He got his first chance to start, week 11 of the 2014 season, against the Cleveland Browns. In that game he passed for 211 yard, two touchdowns while completing 66 percent of his passes to defeat the Cleveland Browns 23-7. The next week he had his season ended early due to an injury against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Entering the 2015-16 season it wasn't clear who head coach Bill O'Brien would name the starter, between Mallet and former and  Cleveland Brown quarterback Brian Hoyer.  When the season opener came around, Hoyer would be named the starter against the Kansas City Chiefs week one. At the end of the game Mallet was put in the game to replace Hoyer but the Texans were still on the losing end, coming up short 27-20. Mallet would also get the opportunity to start in the next four games following week one. In those four games, he [Mallett] passed for 672 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions, with a record of 1-3. In week five vs the Indianapolis Colts, on Thursday Night Football, he was pulled in the second quarter for Hoyer who would out-perform Mallet. After being sidelined they continued to show the frustrated Mallett pacing the sidelines. That would be the last opportunity that Mallet would get as a starter in Houston for coach O'Brien.

It was reported Sunday Morning that Mallett did not travel with the team. It would come out later that he was didn't travel because he said that he overslept, resulting in him missing the flight.

Mallett for most of his career, pro and college, has been put in a bad position to succeed and be the long-term answer for a team.

Coming out of high school, Mallett was a five-star recruit and one of the top prospects in the country and would commit to Michigan. After his freshman season, Mallett would then have to deal with the offense changing over as Lloyd Carr retired and the team would name, now Arizona and former West Virginia head coach, Rich Rodriguez as the new head coach. Rodriguez had a much different offensive system than coach Carr, a system that didn't fit well with Mallett's style of play. After Michigan announced the new coaching regime, Mallett transferred to Arkansas where he would have to sit out his first year. He played the 2009 and 2010 season as the starter for the Arkansas Razorbacks - passing for 7,493 yards, 62 touchdowns and 19 touchdowns - declaring for the NFL after his junior season. He was drafted in the third round to the Patriots organization and he would have the benefit of sitting behind Tom Brady and learn more about the quarterback position at the professional level from one of the greatest to ever play the position.

Being traded to the Texans in 2014 seemed to be the gate opening for Mallett to be a starter. However, over the offseason, when the Texans signed Brian Hoyer the more the doubt grew that Mallet was going to be the leader of this offense. After losing out to Hoyer, it was clear that O'Brien didn't have much faith in Mallet as a starter. This Texans team doesn't seem to have much stability and after getting off to an rough start (2-5) it appears that they aren't even sure if Hoyer is the answer.

Mallett, now a free agent, may benefit the most from this situation the more you look at it.

The Texans look bad, I don't think they'll be able to recover from this poor start, they look to be fighting for the no.1 pick more than a playoff spot at this point. Mallett might not be a starter again this season, but I can think of three teams that could use him on their rosters right now - San Francisco, Dallas, and Cleveland would all be good fits for Mallett and he could be one player being injured away from receiving that phone call. You never know, given the right opportunity, Mallett could one day get his chance to prove he could be a starting quarterback in this league.

NFL: Five Things from Week 6

  I didn't write out a top 10 list this week, sorry guys. However, I decided to leave you guys with a podcast that should hopefully give you more insight to what you should and shouldn't be worried about after a great week 6.

Flashback Friday: Shareef Abdur-Rahim

  Shareef Abdur-Rahim was drafted no.3 overall in the 1996 NBA draft by the Vancouver (now Memphis) Grizzlies. Abdur-Rahim spent his first five years with the Grizzlies before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 2001, which helped land the Grizzlies current NBA all-pro Pau Gasol. In 2000, Abdur-Rahim was on the U.S. Olympic team that took home the Gold medal in Sydney, Australia.

Abdur -Rahim played 12 seasons in the NBA and was named to the NBA all-star team in the 2001-02 season. He also did a little acting through his NBA career, playing a role as himself on the popular sitcom 'The Jamie Foxx Show'. Adbur-Rahim had a very impressive career averaging 18 points per game and 7.5 rebounds; six seasons he averaged over 20 points per game ('98-'02 & '04).

After leaving the Atlanta Hawks in '02, Abdur-Rahim had a small stint with the Portland Trailblazers - '03-'05 - before joining the Sacramento Kings, where he would spend his three final seasons as a player. His career would end after suffering numerous injuries and after the '07-'08 season he would decide to hang up his basketball shoes for good. He didn't have a hall-of-fame career, no, but his style of play during that time was something that teams had trouble guarding and his mid-range shooting ability was one thing that made him such a special big man.

Looking back, I can honestly say that him being drafted no.3 in the 1996 draft speaks volumes for the type of skills that he had and displayed.

Notable players he was drafted ahead of: Ray Allen, Stephon Marbury, Antoine Walker, Kobe Bryant, Peja Stojakavic, Steve Nash, Jermaine O'Neal.

What's Next For The 6-0 Cincinnati Bengals?

I am joined by the one and only Jeremy Rauch of Fox19Now, we talk about the success of the Cincinnati Bengals through the first six weeks of the season. Also, we talk about Andy Dalton possibly being league MVP and why he should be the front-runner right now.

Flashback Friday: Cadillac Williams

  Carnell "Cadillac" Williams was drafted in the 2005 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the no.5 overall pick. Coming out of college, Williams was one half to the dynamic-duo running back committee at Auburn along with no.2 draft pick that year Ronnie Brown. In his rookie campaign, Williams rushed for more than 1,100 yards and six touchdowns. Williams helped carry the Buccaneers to the playoffs and he also won the 2005 Offensive Rookie of the Year award.  Known for his bruising, physical style of play and speed to match, Williams was poised to have a great back in the league. However, after suffering a disastrous  knee injury in 2006-07 season, Williams was never the same again. Williams made a full recovery in 2009 but would return to the same form. In his last two season with the Buccaneers (09-10) Williams rushed for 1,260 yards ( a little over 3 ypc) and a combined 6 rushing touchdowns. It was obvious that Williams was not the franchise back that they had drafted and his better years were behind him. Williams played one last season in the NFL after leaving Tampa Bay, joining the St. Louis Rams in 2011. In his final season he carried the ball 11 times for 87 yards and a touchdown. In his six-year career, Williams rushed for 4, 038 yards, 21 rushing touchdowns, adding 1,002 yards receiving and 4 receiving touchdowns. Cadillac Williams is a great example of how fast a great career can be cut short and or altered by an unexpected injury.



Video courtesy of Alpod on Youtube.

NFL: 10 Things from week 5

  We've made it through five weeks of the NFL season and what a season it's been thus far. We've seen Brady be Brady 2.0; Peyton Manning doesn't seem to be the same throwing more interceptions than touchdowns on the season; Tony Romo is injured, again; The Lions still haven't found a win.

Here are 10 things that I took away from the miraculous fifth week of the NFL:

1. "Who-dey" think is going to beat them Bengals? - The Cincinnati Bengals continue to roll, staying undefeated, as they made a tremendous comeback from a 17 point deficit against the 'legion of boom' and the stout defense of the Seattle Seahawks. The Bengals (5-0) are in the driver seat of the AFC north and could be in talks for Super Bowl contenders.

2. The Patriots came off the bye looking like the Patriots - Tom Brady showed up in Dallas with a winning demeanor. With the Cowboys having Greg Hardy coming off of his four-game suspension, hoping that would a big difference, it didn't seem to make that much of a difference. Hardy got a few hits on Brady and a sack. However, Brady got the win and it did convincingly  routing the 'Boys' 30-6. I always thought there was a "D" in Dallas. I guess not this week.

3. Eli did another "Eli" thing - After giving up the lead, late in the fourth quarter, the Giants found themselves almost giving the game away. On their final drive, Eli and the Giants showed a lot of toughness and determination. Prior to the final drive, Odell Beckham Jr. was injured and it was announced that he was done for the remainder of the game, after injuring himself on a touchdown celebration in the third quarter. On the final drive running back Shane Vereen caught several passes for over 50 yards; Eli Manning's pass (which was terrible) that was thought to be intercepted by Tramaine Brock was ruled an incomplete pass because the ball hit the grown; Odell Beckham Jr. returned and ended up getting a pass interference call in the end zone, setting up the Eli Manning game-winning touchdown pass to Larry Donnell. Eli is still making miracles happen in the Meadow Lands.

4. The Falcons are flying high - After trailing the entire game, the Atlanta Falcons found a way to get the game into overtime. With another great performance by running back Devonta Freeman- 27 carries 153 yards and touchdown with seven catches for 44 yards- it made it easy for the Falcons to tie the game up and take it into overtime. But, in the end, it took the Falcons defense to save the day for the high-powered offense. Cornerback Robert Alford returned an interception for a game-winning touchdown and helped the Falcons fly to 5-0.

5.  Ravens fans, panic - The Baltimore Ravens are having a rough start to their season. Coming into week 5, people felt optimistic still about their season, they were 1-3 and were playing the Divisional rival Cleveland Browns at home. Josh McCown has been one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league since returning from his injury several weeks back. Josh McCown passed for over 450 yards, two touchdowns and even rushing for a touchdown and the Browns squeaked past the Ravens 33-30. Baltimore is now 1-4 and 1-2 in the division. Not all hope is lost... It's just hard to imagine they'll recover from this start.

6. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the best team in Florida - The Buccaneers are coming off of a thrilling game with the state-rival Jacksonville Jaguars, who both entered the contest with a record of 1-3. Theirs a lot of young talent on these Florida teams but none of them can just seem to put it together. The Jaguars are 1-4; The Miami Dolphins are 1-3; and the Buccaneers are now 2-3. I don't know if being the best team in Florida is saying much, but the Buccaneers, by record, hold the trophy through the first five weeks.

7. Magic of Vick in 2015 - The Pittsburgh Steelers went into San Diego needing a win badly to keep them in the race for the AFC north. The Steelers, a week prior, suffered a loss to the hands of the Baltimore Ravens and were criticized heavily for the play calling on a fourth & short situation. Who would've thought the Steelers and their coaching staff would have a chance to redeem themselves a week later... With seven seconds on the clock and the game on the line, the Steelers were on about the one-yard line and this time they give the ball to all-pro running back Le'Veon Bell on a direct snap and plowed through the defense for a touchdown to win the game.

8. The Chiefs need more help than ever and a prayer - The Kansas City Chiefs  suffered a loss in week 5 to the Bears, yes. But, more importantly, they will lose their star running back Jamaal Charles for the remainder of the season, due to an ACL injury that he suffered in the first half of the game. The chiefs were the early favorites to compete with the Denver Broncos for the AFC west. Charles had 71 carries for 364 yards with four touchdowns, adding 21 receptions for 177 yards and one receiving touchdown. The Chiefs (1-4) are currently on a four-game losing streak and it doesn't look to get any easier for them down the road.

9.  The Eagles could be flying... and that could spell trouble for other teams - The Philadelphia Eagles looked very good after a frustrating first quarter of football. Sam Bradford had two red zone interceptions early on and a lot of people started calling for Sanchez in the crowds. However, the Eagles found a nice balance of run-and-pass in the offense and that helped to keep Brees and the Saints offense off the field. Running Back Demarco Murray had his first respectable start for the Eagles, touching the ball over 25 times, accounting for over one-hundred yards total and a touchdown. The Eagles are now closer to the top of their division (AFC east) which has been abysmal and the total opposite of what every one expected it to be coming into the season -- It's truly anyone's division to win.

10. Someone can tell Peyton it's no longer preseason - Peyton Manning is coming off of a un-Peyton like performance. Passing for 266 yards on 22/35 passes (63 percent), Manning had no touchdowns and two interceptions against the Oakland Raiders. Now, I know that the Raiders are getting better. I understand that one-hundred percent. However, Manning has now accounted for more interceptions on the season than touchdowns through five weeks. He hasn't done that since 1998. Luckily for him, he has one of the better defenses in the league and they helped to lead them to victory. Peyton can't continue to play like this through the rest of the season. But, in his defense, the lack of a running game their is making the offense more one-dimensional.

My top five teams in the league right now are: Patriots, Falcons, Packers, Bengals, Panthers.
My top five teams on the rise: Giants, Steelers, Seahawks, Colts, Eagles

Was Joe Philbin Fully To Blame?

I talk about the reasons that I don't fully blame Joe Philbin for the terrible start and why I don't think it was the right thing for him to be fired this early in the season. Also, I talk about the pressures that all professional coaches deal with.

Are The Seahawks Putting Too Much Pressure On Russell Wilson?

  The Seattle Seahawks have gotten off to a slow start in the 2015 season. As of right now, Seattle sits with two losses to just one win going into week 4. In their first two games Seattle was without one of their star safeties, Cam Chancellor, who is maybe the most athletic, hard-hitting defensive backs in the league. Russell Wilson recently received a contract extension that locks him in going into the future for this franchise. But does his contract make them overwork their young quarterback.

Russell Wilson, without doubt, is a great player and has been one of the most cautious quarterbacks in the national football league since being drafted. Wilson, through three games, has 101 passing attempts. What does that mean? Well, Wilson is currently on pace for what would be a career high 539 attempts for the season. His current career high came last season (2014) at 452 pass attempts. In the first game of the season, when the Seahawks traveled to play their division rival St.Louis Rams, Wilson set a new career high in passing attempts in a single game with 41, he was sacked six times and also added eight rushing attempts in that game. Wilson is tied for second in sacks for quarterbacks (Marcus Mariota also has been sacked 12 times), the only player sacked more times is Chiefs' quarterback Alex Smith.

The Seattle Seahawks obviously have had the keys to success over the past several years, appearing in the Super Bowl for the past two years, winning Super Bowl XLVIII, defeating Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. If Seattle wants to get their record back on the winning side, running the ball more and having Wilson pass less would probably be more beneficial. I don't think that him passing more is only hurting their record, but it's getting them away from what has made them successful over the past few years. And let's be honest, after their Super Bowl play on the one-yard line, did anyone think that this team would NOT want to run the ball more.

Coming up this week, the Seahawks look to get their records back even as they host the Detroit Lions (0-3) on Monday Night Football. Kickoff is 8:30 PM ET on ESPN.

Bengals and Bearcats Breakdown with Jeremy Rauch and James Rapien

 I'm joined by the lead sports anchor of Fox 19 in Cincinnati, Jeremy Rauch and James Rapien of ESPN 1530, who is also a writer for GetSportsInfo.com. We talk about what the early success of the Bengals means now and could mean later on in the season. Also, we talk a little University of Cincinnati Bearcats football action and what their season means after a rough start. Are the Bearcats in the American Athletic Conference or can they possibly move into a larger conference even if they have a down season?

We preview the upcoming Bengals/Chiefs game, look ahead on the schedule and much more.

Tom Brady Can't Be Contained

Tom Brady is on a rampage right now and is destroying the competition, I compare him to one hip-hop superstar because of his troubles with the NFL commissioner and the league as a whole.

10 BIG Things From Weeks 3 In The NFL

  I know that I missed week 2, I apologize. But I'm back just in time to shed light on some things that I took away from week 3 of this bizarre NFL season.

1. Aaron Rodgers shouldn't play in home games - In his last five home games, dating back to last season, Aaron Rodgers has 1,505 yards passing, 14 passing touchdowns and no interceptions. What could be more impressive, he hasn't had a loss at Lambeau Field since week 1 of the 2012 season vs the San Francisco 49ers. After watching the Monday Night Football game, where he made a very good Chiefs defense look mediocre, I think it's time to actually give Aaron Rodgers a bigger test. They should only allow him to play away game because he makes these games at Lambeau Field look too easy.  Five passing touchdowns, over 300 yards passing, some crazy passes and a game that wasn't as close as the scoreboard shows.

2. The Bengals are maturing - It almost seems like the Bengals are have grown in front of our very eyes. I know that they've been pretty good over the past few years now and winning is no longer new to the team. But they showed that they can be resilient and play from behind when the clock is running low. After Baltimore to the lead late, I was almost positive it was over. However, the Bengals put the ball in the hands of wide receiver AJ Green as he caught the touchdown pass that gave the Bengals the lead and ended up being the winning touchdown. In the past, especially in away games, if the Ravens would've taken the lead that late in the game, it would've probably been a loss for the Bengals. This Bengals team seems like they're playing together and for one another. Also, having one of the most talented offenses in the league doesn't hurt them either. If the Bengals (3-0) keep this up they'll surely get that playoff win they've been dreaming about.

3.  Philbin has to be on the hot seat - After starting the season 1-2, the Miami Dolphins find themselves at the bottom of  a very tough AFC east division and the fashion in which they've lost the past two games has been almost embarrassing. First, they suffered a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 2. The Dolphins were on the road and Jacksonville is a young, tough team. We looked past that loss. Second, the home opener was spoiled and the Bills did anything they wanted to against this Dolphins team. Miami spent almost more than any other team acquiring players like defensive tackle Ndamukong Sue and tight end Jordan Cameron during the offseason. Joe Philbin has had ample opportunity to get this organization going in the right direction and right now they look as if they're headed down the road of destruction. In the opening game against the Redskins the Dolphins didn't look too impressive and they've looked worse every week, Joe Philbin must get it turned around or there could be a coaching vacancy in Miami.

4. Andrew got Luck-y in Tennessee - The Colts seem to be struggling this season, early on. Andrew Luck hasn't looked like himself and the additions of Frank Gore and Andre Johnson don't seem to really make an impact on the offense. Right now, the Colts (1-2) must find a way to get it going on the field. I'll admit they faced some really tough opponents in their first three games. I didn't expect Luck to get a win in the opener, on the road, to a very good Bills team. However, I didn't expect him to play so poorly the following week on Monday Night Football, at home, against the Jets. I did expect him to beat the Titans, he barely pulled it out. Through the first three weeks of action Luck has seven interceptions, leading the NFL. Am I surprised at this number?  No. Andrew Luck has always been a high-risk, high-reward type of player but we're use to seeing the rewards being higher because of his offense. I don't think the Colts are in trouble but I do know they need to figure things out fast because the AFC is looking tougher every week.

5. The Eagles defense has been more impressive than the offense - The Philadelphia had very high expectations this season from almost everyone. Chip Kelly traded his starting running back, Lesean McCoy; didn't re-sign his pro bowl receiver, Jeremy Maclin; signed the 2014 rushing leader, former Dallas Cowboy, Demarco Murray and signed former Chargers running back Ryan Mathews. Needless to say, this team was suppose to put up a lot of points in every game. It started out looking very bad for this defense in the opening half of the season against a high-powered Atlanta offense which is now known as the Julio Jones show; going into halftime the Falcons were leading 20-3, the Eagles couldn't seem to stop what the Falcons. The final score ended up being 26-20 and the Eagles loss the game after Jordan Matthews had the ball pop-up off of his chest and it was intercepted by a Falcons defender. The Dallas game in week 2 was a terrible outing for the offensive unit, Sam Bradford had two interceptions and lost a fumble. The defense actually had them in the game until the very of the game; the Cowboys offense only scored one time on the Eagles defensive unit. A three-interception day was really the highlight of the week 3 win verse the Jets. I know the offense actually looked like an offense and Bradford didn't look too bad; but the fact that the Eagles defense looked more impressive than the Jets' defense was what stuck out to me. The Eagles (1-2) have some ground to make up but it's fairly early in the season still and their division is still up for grabs.

6. Julio Jones is a machine - Julio Jones has been one of the premiere receivers in the league since being drafted and he hasn't seemed to be slowing up yet. Injuries have plagued the superstar receiver and some years he was almost forgot about when mentioning the top receivers in the game when he wasn't on the field. No one ever questioned his talent or his work ethic. He was just always one of those "if he were healthy" cases. Well he's healthy, at least enough to play.Through the first three weeks, Julio Jones leads the league in targets, receptions, receiving yards and is second in receiving touchdowns (tied with four other players). He has eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark in each one of the first three games. The Falcons (3-0) are off to a great start for one reason. Julio Jones.

7.  Pittsburgh is now the Mike Vick Show - During the Steelers/Rams game on Sunday, Steelers quarterback, "Big Ben" Roethlisberger suffered a leg injury and it's reported that he could miss 4-6 weeks before returning to the field. Michael Vick started in five games for the New York Jets in 2014 and in those five games he only saw victory in one, against his new team, the Steelers. In those five games Vick had three passing touchdowns and two interceptions. After the Jets chose not to re-sign Vick for the 2015 season it didn't seem as if the 35-year-old dual-threat quarterback would be on an NFL roster for the 2015 season. In late August, it was reported that the Steelers had signed Michael Vick to a one-year deal and it seemed like a signing that was only for insurance purposes and chances were that Vick wouldn't see the field, but he was a good piece to have for a practice team and his knowledge of the game wouldn't help to have in the locker room. Now, it's looking like Vick will have to dust off his cleats and do his best to keep this high-powered engine that is the Pittsburgh Steelers offense running strong.

8. The Raiders need to show me more - It seems as if an abundance of people are on this Derrick Carr and Raiders train. I don't have any doubts that they are a very talented and young team. I just think that this 2-1 record is a deceitful record. I do believe that they're very much improved and headed in the right direction as an organization. I also believe that they'll lose some close games this year. However, their two wins were against a Browns team that has no idea of who they want to play at quarterback and a Ravens team that is lacking in their secondary. I believe that their next five games should tell more about who they really are. Contender or Pretender? I'll take more pretender ... Let's not forget, they gave up over 300 yards passing to both the Ravens and the Browns and barely beat both teams.

9. There has to be a fountain of youth in Arizona - At first I didn't think anything of it when Carson Palmer came out on fire to begin the season, a 35-year-old quarterback is still pretty good ( i.e. Manning, Brady, etc.). And now Larry Fitzgerald has now had back-to-back 100-yard performances and five touchdowns in his last two games. I can't say I was too surprised by Fitzgerald, he's one of the greatest receivers of my time. But one thing put the icing on the cake for me. Chris Johnson had a 110 yards rushing on 22 carries and two touchdowns against a 49ers defense that did a pretty good job of containing Adrian Peterson in week 1. Where did this come from? He's looking more like CJ2k from Tennessee and less like the guy that we saw in New York with the Jets. If Johnson keeps this up, he could be a great addition and valuable piece to this Cardinals offense.

10. The AFC South is looking like the NFC South from 2014 - Every team in the AFC south is sitting at 1-2 and no team is really playing like they want to win the division. The Colts barely beat the Tennessee Titans; The Texans got their first win against a young and improving Buccaneers team; Jacksonville got routed by a blazing hot Patriots team and allowed half of a century to be put up on the scoreboard. At some point one of these teams has to figure it out, right?

There's still a great amount of football to be played, were only through three weeks of action, but the really good teams are starting to separate themselves from those who aren't as good and as the weeks go one the "fakes" will get exposed, as Drake would say. 

Lindsay McCormick Interview

Lindsay McCormick is more than a sports reporter, she's also a guru at something and I challenge her. To find out, listen here. Also, Lindsay talks with me about the NFL season, who she thinks will win MVP and her Super Bowl predictions; she talks about obstacles that she's faced as a female in the sports industry and the direction of women in sports currently... Also we talk a little about the NBA and much more. 

10 Things That I Took Away From Week One in The NFL

  It's officially in the books, we are through our first week of NFL action and there were a lot of things that you could take away from what we saw in the games played. There were some injuries to key players, some teams looked like they were still in the preseason and other teams looked like they were in mid-season form.

I watched a lot of the games and I was able to take away some things during the games that I saw that really intrigued me. I'll give you 10 of those things.

1. The Rams aren't to be played with - The St. Louis Rams recorded six sacks against the Seattle Seahawks... yes, six... and I really saw Russell Wilson under pressure like I haven't seen since he's been in the NFL. Most of all, I was impressed with the Rams finishing the game in the fourth quarter and overcoming some early, critical mistakes that they made throughout the game. The NFC west is going to be a tough division, the best division, in my opinion.

2. The Bengals' defense looks to be the real deal - I saw Adam "Pacman" Jones do a lot of really good things against the Raiders. Recording 10 tackles and forced fumble. Yeah, I know it was just the Raiders. However, I believe that the Raiders receiving core is actually legit. Amari Cooper is NFL ready and  Michael Crabtree is a very good veteran receiver to have in your organization. The Bengals proved a lot about their defense in week one, getting after the quarterback early and often, attacking the ball and they didn't seem to let up like in past years. Hopefully they'll continue to play that way through the season.

3. The Carolina Panthers might be in trouble - After losing running back DeAngelo Williams to free agency and Cam Newton losing his no.1 receiver, last years first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin, the Carolina offense seemed to be struggling to move the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars. All due respect to the Jaguars, the defense looked very much improved with all of the additions. But they're still the Jaguars. Cam Newton had to do entirely too much by himself and if it goes that way through the remainder of the season, it won't be good for the Panthers. Even though the Panthers won, I still feel this game showed Carolina's biggest weakness. Cam Newton can only take so much punishment before he gets seriously injured. I mean Superman has Krytonite, right? He had 14 carries on the day for 35 yards, that's less than three yards per carry.

4.The Falcons look dangerous, but not where you think - Everyone knows that the Falcons offense can be explosive, especially at home. But, the defense of the Falcons is what really stood out to most people that watched the game against the Eagles. It seems that linebacker Justin Durant, the former Cowboy, made a lot of crucial plays, as well as the Falcons' secondary unit. One thing I did notice is the defense seems to swarm to were the ball is on every play. I guess new head coach Dan Quinn brought the Seahawks' philosophy with him when he came. If Vic Beasly can get a little bit of extra help from the defensive line, we could see Atlanta back in the playoffs.

5.Carlos Hyde is a true talent - As I watched the 49ers play the Vikings, I was looking for two things: 1.What would Adrian Peterson look like on the field after being away from football for almost a full season?
2. What will Colin Kaepernick look like in this new offense?
I saw that Kaepernick was reading the defense better, making better decisions in the pocket and has a slightly quicker release; Adrian Peterson should've gotten the ball more, early on in the game, and the offensive line got dominated on most places. But it was the other 28, running back Carlos Hyde, that made the biggest impact of either team. In his debut as one of the main parts of that offense he had 26 carries 168 yards and two touchdowns... I'm sure his fantasy owners were praising him via social media... if Hyde continues to play like he did on Monday night, San Francisco might forget about Frank Gore leaving or even thank him for doing so.

6. Alex Smith might not need receivers to catch a touchdown for another year - The Kansas City Chiefs rolled straight through the Houston Texans and just like all of last season, no wide receiver saw the end zone. Tight end Travis Kelce found the end zone twice on six receptions for 106 yards (his longest play of the day went for 42 yards). It's almost safe to say that the Chiefs have finally found a play maker to complement their all-pro running back Jamaal Charles. I believe Travis Kelce is the real deal and he could evolve into one of the premiere tight ends in the league.

7. The Pressure could be building for Mariota in Tennessee - Marcus Mariota had an incredible debut as the quarterback for the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, when they took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and no.1 overall pick Jameis Winston. It really looked like Mariota was a pro bowl player in his first game. He made all the right throws, he didn't force passes and he even didn't even have to throw that many times... This is where I see a down fall going forward. After completing 13 of 16 passes attempted, throwing 4 touchdowns and almost having a perfect game, you're expected to keep it up or at least close to it. The Titans' next three games are against the Colts (Andrew Luck is currently 6-0 in his career against the Titans), Bills and Dolphins. It won't be an easy road for Mariota and he'll see JJ Watt twice this season, at least. Mariota is an exceptional player and seems to have a great football IQ, I just hope expectations don't get too astronomical in his rookie season.

8. Aaron Rodgers won't miss a beat without Jordy Nelson - Aaron Rodgers went into Soldier Field and took on his division rivals, the Chicago Bears, and walked out with a victory after passing for nearly 200 yards and three touchdowns. I guess it's safe to say that Rodgers is the "real" MVP after that performance without his no.1 wide receiver. But it's great to see that they went out and got a familiar face for packers' fans, signing James Jones to a one-year deal and he poses as a huge red zone target and should be able to help this teams immensely.

9. It looks to be another long year for Browns fans - The Cleveland Browns have an exceptional defense and could have one of the best secondary's in the NFL. The downfall of the team is that they don't have an offense to complement their defensive unit. The teams leading rusher on Sunday was Johnny Manziel and he had 35 yards rushing, he was also the leading passer. With Josh McCown going down with what looks to be a concussion, which could sideline him for at least another week, I think it's time to see what Manziel can do as the starter in week 2. If Manziel looks like he did in the games he played in last season it might just be another long season for the Browns and their fans.

10. The AFC east will be a tough division to win - With the Bills looking like one of the superior teams in the AFC now and the Patriots still looking like the Patriots it'll be exciting to see these two teams going head-to-head in week two, but they weren't the only two teams from the division that impressed in week 1. The Dolphins looked physical, like I haven't seen in a while, when they were playing the Redskins; the Jets defense looked as good as anticipated. With all teams starting the season 1-0, I wonder if this could be one of the closer divisions towards the end of the season.

With week 1 behind us, it's now time to prepare ourselves for what looks to be an amazing week 2. It all starts on Thursday night with the Kansas City Chiefs facing off with the Denver Broncos. Is Peyton on the decline or will he show that he can still play at an elite level? I think playing against the Kansas City defense we'll find the answer. 

One-On-One with Former University of Cincinnati Basketball Player, Jamaal Lucas.

I talk to Jamaal about his experience at the University of Cincinnati, playing for Huggins and he talks about life after University of Cincinnati and working for Michael Jordan. Also, we talk a little NFL.

2015 NFL Season Kickoff Preview

2014 was a great year in football, especially for the New England Patriots. Thursday night, 2014 is out the window as the new season begins. Week 1 in the NFL may be the most exciting week in football because all fans believe that it's their teams year to go to the big game (Super Bowl).

The 2015 NFL season begins with one of the most controversial games, maybe of the season, as Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who are coming off of a Super Bowl victory that had one of the greatest finishes to any Super Bowl, in history. The Patriots had one of the biggest story lines in the NFL during the offseason, after being accused of deflating footballs during the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback Tom Brady, who had originally had a four-game suspension that he would have to serve due to accusations over his involvement in the deflation of their team balls, had recently won in a higher court over the NFL commissioner and is currently not serving a suspension at all. The Steelers have issues of their own. Pro bowl running back Le'Veon Bell won't play week one due to suspension, as well as the speedy, physical receiver Martavis Bryant.

Five Games To Watch For in Week 1

1. Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos: This game has playoffs written all over it, and it's only week 1. This could potentially be Peyton Manning's final season; Ravens' wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. already announced, right before preseason, that 2015-16 would be his final season. I know both players will give it their all this season, in hopes of raising the Super Bowl trophy one more time.

2. New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys: Historically, since Eli Manning has been there,  when the Giants have come off of a bad season and have low expectations on the year, they end up having a very good season and have appeared in the Super Bowl and won twice. After coming up short last season in the Playoffs, how will the Cowboys look in their week 1 debut without the 2014 league-leading rusher Demarco Murray in the backfield? It's a divisional game, so you know there will be a lot of tension in the air during the game. Also, Odell Beckham Jr. will be on the field ready to make something spectacular happen with his hands, maybe a one-handed catch?

3. Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons:  This Eagles offense looks very different from the 2014. With Eagle head coach Chip Kelly the team is 20-12 over the last two season. And after missing the playoffs last season with a record of 10-6, Kelly decided to give the team a slight makeover. During the offseason, the Eagles traded quarterback Nick Foles to the St. Louis Rams for Sam Bradford. If healthy, Bradford could be the perfect person to run this fast-paced offense. However, "if healthy" is the most important part of that. The Falcons haven't been the same since losing to the San Francisco 49ers in 2012 in the NFC Championship game and have failed to make the playoffs since then. Will this be the year Matt Ryan can get that team back on the right track? The biggest thing to watch for in this game of birds, will be the Philadelphia secondary against the Atlanta receivers.  The Eagles spent a lot of money on this new secondary and if they look as atrocious as they did in 2014 it could be a long season for Eagles' fans. 

4. Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills: Colts' quarterback Andrew Luck has a few new weapons on that offense, two future hall-of-famers, wide receiver Andre Johnson and running back Frank Gore. It'll be interesting to see how this offense looks week 1 against a Bills defense that looks like it'll be top 5 in the NFL. Andrew Luck is 1-2 in week 1 for his career and both loses were on the road.  The Bills have new star power in their offense as well. During the offseason, they acquired running back Lesean McCoy from the Philadelphia Eagles for linebacker Kiko Alanso. I'd say that's a fair trade for the Bills. Bills' head coach, Rex Ryan recently announced Tyrod Taylor as the starter for week 1 after having a very impressive preseason.  How will Taylor fair in his regular-season debut as the starter with the Bills?

5. Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Let's be honest, the real battle will be Jameis Winston vs. Marcus Mariota or No.1 pick vs. No.2 pick... It's really up to you. This game will be watched to see who looks better in their debut. When you have two rookie quarterbacks playing it could get messy and it could be an ugly game. However, people are just happy that football is back. Jameis Winston has the weapons around him and Mariota doesn't really have much to work with in that Titans offense, but Mariota is a playmaker with both his arm and legs.

Season Award Predictions 

Rookie of the Year: Tyler Lockett. Wide Receiver. Seattle Seahawks

Breakout Player: DeVante Adams. Wide Receiver. Green Bay Packers

Comeback Player of the Year: Kiko Alanso. Linebacker. Philadelphia Eagles

Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Watt. Defensive end/Tackle. Houston Texans

Offensive Player of the Year: Dez Bryant. Wide Receiver. Dallas Cowboys

Most Valuable Player: Russell Wilson. Quarterback. Seattle Seahawks

Super Bowl Predictions (Early Predictions) 

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Indianapolis Colts

The road to Super Bowl 50 looks to be paved in gold. Just remember, it all starts with week 1. Let's just hope for another great year of football and hope that every team stays healthy. 

NCAAFB: Five Games To Watch Out For in Week 1

  I know it's not the official start of college football. Thursday and Friday we had some good action. However, it's the kickoff weekend still and there are still a lot of great games still to be played and you have to scout some teams for later in the season. The first Saturday of college football is a day like no other for college football fans, the next best thing might be Christmas morning.

So, I've gone through and picked five games that you should be watching out for in week 1.

1. Louisville at Auburn(6) @ 3:30pm

•     This won't be an easy road for Auburn. Even though it seems as if Auburn is an early favorite for the college football playoffs, don't count the Louisville Cardinals out. This should be a good test for the Tigers.

2.  BYU at Nebraska @ 3:30pm

• BYU is tough beyond measures and Nebraska should be a good test for them. Biggest part of the game is going to be the Nebraska offense against the resilient defense of BYU. 

3. Arizona State(15) at Texas A&M @ 7:00pm

• Was last year a "fluke" for the sun devils or are they really one of the premiere teams in the country? Texas A&M struggled last season, their first season without former Heisman-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel. Can they stop the high-powered offense of Arizona State? 

4. Texas at Notre Dame(11) @ 7:30pm

• Texas hasn't been the same dominant organization the past few years that is once was, will that change in 2015? Today will be the first test. Is this Notre Dame team the real deal? Brian Kelly got Notre Dame to the National Championship a few years ago, can he get them to the college football playoffs? This is one of the biggest games either team will play all season. It's surely the toughest non-conference opponent that Texas will face. It's sure to be a classic in South Bend, Indiana. 

5. Ohio State(1) at Virgina Tech @ 8:00pm - Only game not being played Saturday, 9/5 on the list.

• Monday night should be a blast! It's not NFL Monday Night Football, it's better. College football on a Monday night. Ohio State are the reigning National Champions. Virginia Tech is the only team that defeated them last season. This is like a revenge match for the buckeyes. And for Virginia Tech, this outcome of this game could help write the story for the rest of this season, which could be a special one in Blacksburg, Virginia. 

*Bonus game 
Alabama A&M at Cincinnati @ 7:00pm

• I'm a Bearcat and it's going to be a special season with team back in Nippert Stadium. Gunner Kiel is a special talent and this Saturday, in the home opener, he'll show exactly why.

Can Jim Harbaugh Pick It Back Up Where He Left Off?

  September 3, 2015 is a very special day in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Harbaugh-era begins. Jim Harbaugh made the decision to leave the professional ranks, after having an extremely success stint,  to coach in college, at his Alma Mater, and become the coach at the University of Michigan, it seems like expectations are at an all-time high for the  wolverines.

The last game that Jim Harbaugh coached at the college level was January 3, 2011. In that game he defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 40-12 in the Orange Bowl. And Andrew Luck was the quarterback for Harbaughs' Stanford Cardinal team. In the 2010-11 season Harbaugh led the Cardinal to an impressive record of 12-1.

Let's be honest about this Harbaugh situation. First, I'd like to say this, signing Jim Harbaugh as the head coach was a very good move by the University of Michigan and I believe he can be very successful there and has the potential to get them back to the top of the college football ranks. However, the last time Harbaugh coached in college the Pac-12 was still the Pac-10. Harbaugh had Andrew Luck, a great football talent, as his quarterback for his two most successful years at the Stanford head coach. Also, when Harbaugh has to deal with this new college football playoff system. Only the top four teams in the country make it in. Regardless of what analyst think, the Big Ten consists of more teams than the Ohio State University. With all of this attention that Michigan has received after signing Harbaugh, I believe a lot of teams will be playing with more passion to defeat the wolverines because of the Harbaugh headlines that they've seen all summer.

There are very high expectations for Harbaugh in the Big Ten Conference, which is still a power-five conference, I believe the wolverines may have their hands full in 2015. Can Harbaugh live up to these expectations and get the wolverines competing for a National Championship in the next three-to-five years? First, we'll have to see how he makes it through his first game in the blue & maze. September 3, at 8:30 ET on foxSports1 vs the Utah Utes.

NFL: 15 Players You Shouldn't be Hesitant To Draft On Your Fantasy Team

  Every season, people are more hesitant to draft players based on certain factors such as injuries, drop in production the year before, players getting older, new players on the roster, or simply because they're rookies and nobody knows how well they're going to do.

I have made a list of 15 players that you shouldn't be scared to draft to your fantasy team.

1. Colin Kaepernick

• He is in a new system and even though his production wasn't the best in 2014, I believe this year we'll see Kaepernick play a lot like he did in the 2012 playoffs. 
• He's the leader of this team now. No more Frank Gore, no Jim Harbaugh, it's on him and I believe that he knows that.

2. Victor Cruz

• No, he's not the prize receiver in New York anymore; You can get Cruz in a late round and he'll be a great addition to Beckham, who seems to be Eli Manning's favorite target. 
• He is coming off of a very severe injury but he's been smart about returning. Not playing in the first two preseason games and limited contact are ways to help his recovery for the regular season.   

3. Mike Wallace

• He hasn't had a one-thousand-yard season since 2011. However, he had 10 touchdowns in 2014 on a mediocre Miami offense. 
• He still has big-play capability and a change of scenery could be just what he needed to make a resurgence.   

4. Jeremy Maclin

• No receiver in Kansas City had a receiving touchdown in 2014. Maclin changes that and could see double digit touchdowns.
• Reunited with his former coach, Andy Reid, Maclin should fall right into place with his team. 
• Injuries have plagued him in the past but if he's healthy he's one of the most dangerous receivers in the league. 

5. Nick Foles

• His 2013 campaign (27 touchdowns, 2 interceptions) make it hard for him, honestly. He'll always have his season compared to that season and it's not fair to him. 
• The Rams don't have the biggest or best receivers, but I believe that Foles is the perfect answer to help this offense and playing two seasons in the Chip Kelly offense helped him a lot. 

6. Kendall Wright

• He didn't have the best 2014 campaign, it was his lowest year in receptions (57), and yards since 2012 (715).
• He's been the most consistent player on the Tennessee offense since he's been there. 
• With rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota, look for Wright to be one of the security blankets for the young Heisman-winner. 

7. Darren Sproles

• He's not the first or second running back on the depth chart, no. However, there's actually more opportunity for Sproles with the additions of Demarco Murray and Ryan Mathews in the backfield. I expect you'll see Sproles in the slot position more in 2015 and they'll probably be a lot of dual-back formations. 
• Sproles isn't a big yardage guy anymore, but he's play maker still and a scoring machine. 

8. Brandon Marshall

• Even though he's in an offense that hasn't been the most productive in recent years, look for Marshall to help change the culture with the Jets. 
• Marshall hasn't had under 60 receptions since 2006, his rookie season, and I if healthy, I don't see that changing in 2015. 

9. Lamar Miller

• 2014 wasn't a "fluke" and 2015 will show that. I know that Miller has had his injury issues in the past but when he's been healthy and in the starting line-up he's been very productive. 
• With the defense getting a lot of the attention during the offseason, I expect for this offense to surprise a lot of people. 

10. Antonio Gates

• He's going to miss the first four games but it shouldn't affect him too much. Gates had an great 2014 campaign and we saw flashes of what Gates looked like in his prime. 

11. Michael Floyd

• He didn't have the season that people expected in 2014; he had a very streaky season. 
• John Brown turned out to be the most productive receiver in the offense and the biggest fantasy threat. 

12. Amari Cooper

• He's a rookie, yes. The Raiders are still the Raiders, I know. However, if any coach can turn around a terrible team it's Jack Del Rio. 
• Cooper isn't necessarily by himself. Michael Crabtree brings a lot of veteran wisdom and has a winning history from his days with San Francisco. He'll be a big factor in Cooper's success. 

 13. Melvin Gordon

• He's a rookie but he'll play a big role in this high-powered offense. 
• He will share carries with Braden Oliver and Danny Woodhead but he'll still majority of the carries. 
• Every time Gordon touches the ball he's a big-play threat. I believe by week 4, he'll have adapted to the speed of the game and the rookie jitters will be gone. 

14. Davante Adams

• Rodgers is going to throw and throw often. 
• No Jordy Nelson now, Adams has to step up and I believe he'll be a great complement to Randall Cobb. 
• He had four games in 2014 with at least five receptions. I anticipate a very big leap in his sophomore season, especially with Nelson out for the season. 

15. Doug Martin

• Martin is now two years removed from an ACL injury, last season is now behind him, now his it's time to see what Martin's worth is on the team. 
• Martin is in a position to have a great comeback season or work his way down the depth chart. I believe this is the year Martin proves he can still play at a pro bowl level... He could be a fantasy steal-of-the-year candidate.    

While drafting, take time to evaluate your current team roster and if you're debating taking one of these players but aren't sure because you're worried... STOP thinking so hard and just draft them. All of these 15 players are worth a late-round draft selection on your fantasy teams, if they're healthy, trust me. May this year's draft be your best, good luck!