Oklahoma City Dominant in Christmas Day Matchup Against Orlando Magic

            Coming off of his second straight scoring title, Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder hosted Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic on Christmas Day. Dwight Howard won the tip over Serge Ibaka and Jameer Nelson found Ryan Anderson for the first bucket of the game. The Thunder went down the court on their first possession and Kevin Durant made fader despite tight defense from Hedo Turkoglu. The Magic started the game with an 18-11 run thanks to six points from Anderson. Russel Westbrook was a good orchestrator on offense for Oklahoma City, varying the pace of their offense, and involving his teammates after being criticized last season in the postseason for taking too many shots. Orlando came out shooting strong, starting the game 8-9, but then went cold for most of the rest of the game. In that stretch, the Thunder were too passive on offense against the older and much slower Magic. Oklahoma City is a young, fast team with Westbrook, Durant, James Harden, Eric Maynor, and Daequan Cook. The Magic have guys like Howard, Turkoglu, and Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who are not known for running the floor. As the game progressed, OKC became much better at pushing the floor on fast breaks and taking advantage of easy points. Many of Orlando's offensive possessions were led by Hedo Turkoglu, which seemed like a misuse of two players on the Magic. Turkoglu is a thirty-two-year-old small forward whose ideal role is being a spot-up shooter. Orlando has a quality point guard in Jameer Nelson, who has seven years of experience running the Magic's offense as a pass-first player. Oklahoma City showed great ball movement, keeping the Magic on their heels, and finding great looks for different players. The biggest play of the first quarter was when Howard was stripped by Harden, the Thunder went on a four-man fast break, and Harden found Nazr Mohammed for the bucket.

Courtesy of http://www.buffingtonmedia.com/tag/kevin-durant

            It was prommising for Oklahoma City at the end of the first quarter and start of the second, when the Thunder were able to play well with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on the bench. OKC's bench played very well against the Magic, led by Harden, who might have the coolest facial hair in the league and enough to make up for the lack of hair on Durant, Westbrook, Cook, and Maynor. Harden finished the game with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Oklahoma City won the battle of the boards early and extended its lead with back-to-back three-pointers from Eric Maynor and Daequan Cook. For the Magic, Ryan Anderson and Jameer Nelson were the only players with good shooting nights. Anderson led Orlando with 25 points on 9-17 shooting (6-12 on his three-point attempts). Orlando's shooting woes were the worst for Howard and Jason Richardson, who were a combined 5-22 for 13 points. Big Baby struggled in the first half on both ends of the floor, with three personal fouls and hitting only a third of his shots. Durant hit a three to make the score 44-29 in favor of OKC as the arena erupted as the home team started to pull away. Kevin Durant had a mismatch all night against the Magic, being defended by the much slower Turkoglu for most of the game. Durant could drive to the basket at will and Orlando would have to make the choice between surrendering a basket or fouling him. Westbrook found Harden for an alley-oop at the end of the second quarter to give the Thunder a 55-41 lead going into halftime.

Courtesy of http://www.barbershopblog.com/tag/james-harden/

            Westbrook started off the third quarter with a turn-around fading jump shot, drew a foul, and made the free throw for an old-fashioned three-point play. Durant then had his own three point play after dribbling past Hedo Turkoglu and being fouled by Howard. Jameer Nelson was a good motor for Orlando and kept them from getting blown out by the Thunder. Nelson dropped 18 points on a night where the Magic were uncharacteristically bad from behind the arc. Serge Ibaka, who led the NBA in blocked shots last season, was a strong defensive presence throughout the game for Oklahoma City with six rebounds and two blocks, one of which drew fans to their feet after he had a monster rejection against Nelson on a lay-up attempt. Thabo Sefolosha, a future Hedo Turkoglu, his both of his spot up threes and had eight points in the game. While Dwight Howard had an off night shooting the ball, he made his presence known through his rebounds, finishing with fifteen.

Courtesy of http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/18/report-warriors-offered-monta-ellis-for-dwight-howard/

            At the start of the fourth quarter, OKC was winning 81-63 and Harden was even more impressive as the game progressed. He drained shots from all over the court and was a pesky defender. I'll make the prediction that unless Harden makes his way into the Thunder's starting lineup, he will win 6th Man of the Year. It is Oklahoma City's Western Conference to lose and Harden has developed into a player who could start and average eighteen to twenty points per game for any team in the NBA. I was very impressed by the Thunder's team chemistry. All of their players were unselfish with the ball and the sky is the limit with as much youth and energy Oklahoma City has on their team. Daequan Cook made a jumper from behind the arc to give OKC its biggest lead of the game, 85-63. The Magic continued to shoot poorly from the field and they lacked an identity with Howard on the bench. Orlando made the game closer at the end but still lost 97-89. Oklahoma City was very impressive in their first game of the season and deserve to be the favorite in the Western Conference. Kevin Durant finished with 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Westbrook, who was on the All-NBA 2nd Team last season, scored 14 points along with 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Play of the Year in the Final Days of 2011

            Before last Saturday, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jerome Simpson was infamously best known for police catching him receiving a two pound shipment of marijuana at his home, in addition to finding drug paraphernalia and another stash of marijuana inside. Simpson managed to avoid suspension and arrest, soon making the national spotlight for a much more comical reason. Against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12, at the end of a play, Browns linebacker Scott Fujita bumped into Simpson and Simpson jumped up in the air and fell on his back. The referees saw the Bengals wide receiver go flying down to the ground out of the corner of their eyes and threw a penalty flag without realizing what had actually happened.

Courtesy of http://blacksportsonline.com/home/2011/11/bengals-wr-jerome-simpson-with-greatest-flop-of-all-time-video/

            This weekend, Jerome Simpson managed to one-up all of his on and off the field antics with front flip over an Arizona Cardinals defender into the endzone, landing on both feet. The Bengals were on the Cardinals twenty yard line when Simpson ran across the field on a crossing route, Andy Dalton hit the wide-open receiver, and Simpson flipped over linebacker Daryl Washington, and almost stuck the landing perfectly.

Courtesy of http://losthatsportsblog.com/tag/jerome-simpson-td-flip/

Christmas Day NFL Sunday Night Football Preview

            After suffering their first loss of the season last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Green Bay Packers face the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. Chicago announced this week that backup quarterback Josh McCown will start for the first time this season. For the Packers, tonight's game is about how the defending Super Bowl Champions will respond after losing their first game in their last twenty. They have secured the number one seed in the playoffs in the NFC, which means that the next two weeks are opportunities for the Packers to fine-tune their offense for when it really matters--the post-season. For the Chicago Bears, they are trying to stop their four-game losing streak with a win against their division rivals. In their first matchup of the season, the Bears played the Packers close, losing 27-17. The second time around, however, the game will be much different. The Bears will be without three of their biggest offensive weapons--quarterback Jay Cutler and running backs Matt Forte and Marion Barber. Instead, Chicago will have to rely on McCown and third-year running back Kahlil Bell. Bell has had limited snaps inthe NFL, with only 79 carries for 382 yards rushing.

Courtesy of http://www.yoursportsfan.com/index.php/sports/nfl

            Being a Chicago Bears fan, I wish I could sugar-coat this game and talk about how great the Bears defense is but it's impossible. I can't talk about the Bears losing by less than two touchdowns with a good conscience. Aaron Rodgers is a contender for MVP with 4,360 passing yards, 40 touchdowns to only 6 interceptions, and he's ocmpleted nearly 70% of his passes. The state of Wisconsin has forgotten about Brett Favre. There's a new sheriff in town and his name is Aaron Rodgers. The Packers are loaded with offensive weapons. Being a pass-first offense, Green Bay doesn't need much of a rushing attack but between James Starks, Ryan Grant, and Rodgers, they can count on 100 yards per game. While the Packers do not have a player with over 1,000 receiving yards, they do have seven with over 200 yards this season. It's hard for a defense to to pick out one wide receiver or tight end and say "We're going to shut him down," because any player that is an eligible receiver can beat any defense in the league.


Courtesy of http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/bryan_armen_graham/01/09/packers.eagles.grades/index.html

            The Bears will be lucky to rush for more than 100 yards and throw for more than 150. They're relying on third-string players at quarterback and running back. While Green Bay's defense is second to last in passing yards allowed per game, they played against the likes of Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Jay Cutler, Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers, Matthew Stafford, and Eli Manning, to name a few opposing quarterbacks. They have not been playing against Josh McCowns all season, but rather elite quarterbacks in half of their games. McCown has not started since 2007 and will struggle tonight. Green Bay is excellent at stopping the run, so Kahlil Bell will likely have a rough first start. Chicago's defense have better luck in stopping Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense than most of Green Bay's opponents this season, but the Bears have no way of scoring. The combination of the game being at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers coming off of their first loss of the season, and the Bears having arguably the worst offense in the league playing tonight, I predict the Packers win 31-10.

Indianapolis Colts May Have Won Their Way out of Andrew Luck

            Just seven days ago, the Indianapolis Colts were 0-13 and many believed Indy was on its way to a 0-16 record. The Colts would then get the number one overall pick, draft Andrew Luck, let Luck learn from Peyton Manning, and then dominate the AFC South for the next ten to fifteen years with another great franchise quarterback. However, Indianapolis managed to pull themselves together with a 27-13 win against the Tennessee Titans thanks to a huge rushing performance by Donald Brown. Then they had to turn around and face the division-leading Houston Texans on a short week. No one expected the Colts to win against one of the top defenses and rushing attacks in the league. With late game heroics from Dan Orlovsky and Reggie Wayne, the Colts pulled off the upset in the final minute to win consecutive games for the first time all season. While the Colts organization and all of Indy's fans must be thrilled that they finished the season strong, the team may have played its way out of Andrew Luck.

Courtesy of http://everyjoe.com/sports/andrew-luck-is-stupid/

             The Indianapolis Colts never would have expected that they would have to "compete" for the number one pick. The Colts are 2-13 with the Minnesota Vikings and St. Louis Rams also having two wins on the season. It is very unlikely that the Vikings would draft Andrew Luck since they selected quarterback Christian Ponder with their first round pick last year and he has had a lot of experience from this season. Plus, Minnesota has two winnable games left--at the Washington Redskins and at home against the Chicago Bears. The Rams, on the other hand, could really use Andrew Luck. Sam Bradford is struggling in his second year in the NFL, completing just over 50% of his passes, barely broke the 2,000 yard mark this season, has had twice as many turnovers as touchdown passes, and is too prone to injury. The Rams have also tested A.J. Feely and Kellen Clemens at quarterback but neither one is a long-term solution to their quarterback problems. St. Louis plays the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49'ers, both playoff-bound teams, in their final two games, which are almost guaranteed losses. If the Rams finish the year 2-14 then they have a shot at drafting Luck. The Indianapolis Colts have one game left in Jacksonville against the Jaguars, which will decide the future of Andrew Luck as well as the AFC South and NFC West for the next fifteen years. The only way the Colts can guarantee the #1 overall pick is to lose on New Year's Day. If I were Jim Caldwell, I would tell the defensive coordinator to draw up new schemes that the Colts players have no experience with and try them against the Jags. Then, "accidentally" punt the ball on third down because you "thought" it was fourth down. Maybe they should play very conservative and run on 3rd & 11 to not run the risk of throwing an interception. Whatever the in-game solution is, Indy needs to lose on purpose but disguise it very well so that there is not serious backlash. The best case scenario for the Colts is for Jacksonville to come out strong so that Indianapolis could not win the game even if they tried their hardest. But then, why should the Jaguars try at all? They know if the Colts lose, then they have to face Andrew Luck twice a year until the mid-2020's and I doubt they want that. I'm not sure who would want to watch Indianapolis play at Jacksonville in the first place, but I would strongly recommend against watching them in Week 17, because it will be a game with both teams trying their hardest to lose.
            The Indianapolis Colts need Andrew Luck. Peyton Manning is 35 and his best years are behind him. The owner of the Colts, Jim Irsay, said that Manning would play next season if he's healthy, but what if he's not. Or even if he is, there is no guarantee that he will throw for 4,000+ yards and 30+ touchdowns. The Colts have a solid receiving core, their backfield is above average, and they drafted offensive linemen with their first two picks in last year's draft. Now all Indy needs is a quarterback to lead them back to the Super Bowl. Andrew Luck has gone to Peyton Manning's football camps and they have had interactions in the past, so it would be ideal for Manning to teach Luck the in's and out's of the NFL so that Andrew Luck is the next Peyton Manning. The Indianapolis Colts are in a very rare situation where they can have two All-Pro, franchise quarterbacks and draft the second when the first's career is winding down. They need Andrew Luck, which means they need to lose at all costs against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even if the St. Louis Rams and the Minnesota Vikings finish 2-14, the Colts have a statistically easier schedule, so they will have the advantage and get the number one draft pick.

Did Matt Barkley Make the Right Decision?

            To answer the question, we will never know if he would be better off declaring for the 2012 NFL draft and getting selected in the top ten picks as opposed to staying at the University of Southern California for his senior season. However, he can make his choice to stay in school the right one by completing the "serious unfinished business" that he mentioned in his press conference. He's lived in California his entire life and knows the wealth of talent that the Trojans will have next season, so he has no reason to declare for the pros unless he is desperate for a few million dollars in the next six months.  Barkley would be the second best quarterback prospect in the upcoming NFL draft behind Stanford's Andrew Luck. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper predicted Barkley getting selected in the eighth overall pick, where the USC quarterback would be guaranteed millions of dollars. Barring a potential injury next season, Matt Barkley should be the number one quarterback in the draft and a probably top five pick.

Courtesy of http://dcprosportsreport.com/2011/12/20/all-i-want-for-christmas-in-dc-sports-is/matt-barkley-p2/

             Right now, Barkley has his sights set on the Heisman trophy and a national championship in the first few weeks of 2013. And frankly, there's no reason why he accomplish both of those goals. It is way too early to speculate about who will win the Heisman trophy next season since players still have time to declare for the 2012 NFL draft and those that stay in college have an entire off-season to improve, but it is fun nonetheless.  Barkley is probably the current front-runner for the Heisman after his junior season with over 3,500 yards, 39 touchdowns, and only 7 interceptions. Other candidates include Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball (if he were to forgo the 2012 NFL draft), LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein, and South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore. In terms of winning the BCS National Championship, the Trojans' two-year ban from bowl games is lifted after this season and USC is currently ranked 9th in the USA Today poll, with the possibility of finishing even higher after multiple of the top eight teams are guaranteed to lose again this season. USC is bringing back lots of talent next year and reloading with the 18th best recruiting class according to ESPN and four of the ESPN Top 150 recruits. The Trojans' losses on offense include starting left tackle Matt Kalil (declared for the NFL draft) and senior backup running back Marc Tyler. The rest of the key players around Barkley are returning and looking to make the leap to the top of the polls.
            The biggest concern with Matt Barkley returning to the University of Southern California is the potential for injury. For Barkley's sake, I hope he talked to St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford before he made his decision to stay at USC. In his sophomore season at Oklahoma in 2008, Bradford won the Heisman and lost in the championship game to Tim Tebow's Florida Gators. Despite his potential to be a top five draft pick and the best quarterback prospect in the draft, he chose to forgo the 2009 NFL draft. In his junior season, Bradford injured his shoulder in the first game of the season, was forced to sit out for three weeks, before he re-injured his shoulder, which ended his season. He was selected number one overall in 2010 but the college season that he returned for was nothing like he dreamed it would be and he has faced shoulder injuries in the NFL after his two injuries in college.
            No one can know what is best for Matt Barkely and we will most likely never find out which choice would have been better for him. Years from now, when we look back on this day, if he stays healthy, wins the Heisman and the BCS National Championship at USC next season then he made the "right choice." But if he has a Bradford-like season and suffers a season-ending injury, then he made the "wrong decision." The chances are in his favor that he will still be a top draft pick in next year's NFL draft and will make millions of dollars from his contract, so I cannot blame him for taking advantage of his senior season with a star-studded Trojans team.

Streetball between Cincinnati and Arkansas Pine-Bluff

            When I watched the University of Cincinnati's home basketball game at Fifth Third Arena last night against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, I thought I accidentally bought a ticket to the And1 tour. You know, the streetball series with AO on the receiving end of half-court alley-oops and The Professor breaking defenders' ankles. And we cannot forget the commentator who walks around the court with a microphone screaming "E mono, E mono, OH BABY!"  In no aspect of the match-up did it resemble typical college basketball.
            The Bearcats won 101-53 in a game in which they had doubled the visiting team's score ever since the opening minutes of the second half. UC managed to finish with a three-point percentage on the heels of the team's free throw percentage. The Bearcats were 15-28 from behind the arc and 18-29 from the charity stripe. If I were Mick Cronin, I would have told my players to step back and shoot jump shots for all of their free throws. They hit almost as many contested three-pointers as they did uncontested free throws, so why not? The typical possession was Arkansas Pine-Bluff dribbling down the court, struggling for forty minutes against Cincinnati's full-court press, a guard would fire a pass to a teammates that would fly out of bounds or they would throw up a bad shot, which would be rebounded by UC. In fact, Arkansas Pine-Bluff might as well have been playing Hot Potatoe, because they had 29 turnovers in the game. UC would then hustle down the court and the Bearcats would start playing H-O-R-S-E from behind the arc. Cincinnati could score at will. Junior guard Cashmere Wright had 17 points within the first twelve minutes and could have made a push for 45+ if he played the entire game. Multiple Bearcats were in double digits in scoring with Ja'Quan Parker going for 17, Sean "Tu Holloway wouldn't start for us" Kilpatrick dropping 12, Dion Dixon scoring 16, and Jeremiah Davis contributing 13 off the bench. The game was enough of a blowout in the first half that UC completed an alley-oop in the final minutes of the half. To make the game more like streetball, the officials stopped calling the majority of the fouls. Basic infractions such as traveling and moving screens were ignored.
            It will be very intriguing to watch Cincinnati play after Yancy Gates and Cheikh Mbodj, the team's centers, return from suspension. For the first time in almost thirty-five years, UC scored over one-hundred points in consecutive games. They have developed a new offense that gives their guards more freedom than ever before. They play a full-court defense the entire game, run the floor, and shoot lights-out from anywhere within twenty-two feet of the basket. Although Cincinnati has won three straight blowouts since the Crosstown Shootout brawl, they have yet to face real competition to see if their run-and-gun style offense is effective. When I first saw Yancy Gates play in high school at Withrow, I could tell he is not a big man that runs the court and hustled the entire time he is in the game. He tends to stand around and jog, as opposed to going all out. His play style will clash with UC's current approach. Does Cincinnati still need Yancy as much as they thought? Or, will they have to re-create their offensive scheme to suit a center that can't run the floor or defend in a full-court press?

NFL Power Rankings Entering Week 16

            There are only two weeks left in the regular season of the NFL and it's crunch time for teams trying to make the playoffs. Here are my power rankings going into Week 16:

1. Green Bay Packers--Their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs will only make them better. Aaron Rodgers is the best player in the league and will lead the Packers to the Super Bowl for the second year in a row.
2. New England Patriots--The Pats have won six straight and ended Tim Tebow's stretch of miracle fourth quarter comebacks by an impressive margin. Bill Belichick is one of the smartest head coaches in the NFL and Tom Brady is a natural winner.
3. New Orleans Saints--Drew Brees is on pace to break the single-season passing record and the Saints are an offensive juggernaut. They have the ability to outscore their opponents to make it to the NFC Championship.
4. San Francisco 49'ers--Jim Harbaugh has completely transformed the 49'ers into one of the elite teams in the NFL and is deserving of Coach of the Year. The 49'ers made their case for a top spot in the power rankings by dominating the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football.
5. Baltimore Ravens--The Ravens have two favorable match-ups to close out the regular season against the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals and will finish the season at 12-4 at the top of the AFC North.
6. Atlanta Falcons--Atlanta has a powerful offense with Matt Ryan and Michael Turner as well as an above-average defense. They are a close second in the NFC South behind the Saints.
7. Dallas Cowboys--Tony Romo has gone under the radar for most of the season and he has lots of offensive weapons around him between DeMarco Murray, Jason Witten, and Dez Bryant. 
8. Detroit Lions--The Lions were the hottest team at the start of the season, cooled down, and are starting to pick it back up again. Calvin Johnson is by far the best wide receiver in the league and is a favorite target for Matthew Stafford.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers--If it weren't for Ben Roethlisberger's injured ankle, they would be ranked higher, but their performance against the 49'ers was embarrassing and they are not the same team they were earlier in the season.
10. Houston Texans--The Texans have arguably the best defense in the NFL, but losing Matt Schaub for the season has hurt their playoff hopes. Between Arian Foster and Ben Tate, Houston has one of the best rushing attacks in the league.
11. Denver Broncos--The Tim Tebow experiment is working well so far, despite a bad loss to the Patriots last week, and the Broncos are in position for Tebow to work his magic in the playoffs.
12. New York Jets--Rex Ryan has been quieter than in years past and the Jets are down from previous years, but the have a chance to be a wild card team in the playoffs and Mark Sanchez is very good in the playoffs for a young QB. 
13. New York Giants--Eli Manning is making up for the Peyton Manning-less NFL by stepping up his game this season. The Ahmad Bradshaw-Brandon Jacobs split backfield seems to be working on offense.
14. Cincinnati Bengals--Andy Dalton is a front-runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year and A.J. Green has made a name for himself as well. If the Bengals win out, they could be the second wild card team in the AFC, and the AFC North would be sending three teams to the playoffs.
15. Seattle Seahawks--Tavaris Jackson has done surprisingly well with his new team and Marshawn Lynch is a potential Pro Bowler.
16. Arizona Cardinals--Also in the NFC West, the Cardinals are fighting for a playoff berth. Their second half of the season has helped their case.
17. Philadelphia Eagles--Getting Michael Vick back on the field will help Philly try to salvage their season, but it is too late for the "Dream Team."
18. Tennessee Titans--Injuries to Matt Hasselbeck and Chris Johnson have hurt Tennessee this season. They have played poorly despite their weak division.
19. San Diego Chargers--It is finally December and the Chargers are still in the close race commonly known as the AFC West. Philip Rivers and Ryan Matthews can still lead their team to the playoffs if they win out and Denver loses at least one game.  
20. Chicago Bears--The Bears would be a dangerous team in the playoffs if Jay Cutler and Matt Forte were healthy, but Caleb Hanie and Josh McCown will not get it done for Chicago. Their defense and special teams are their only hope left this season.
21. Oakland Raiders--The Raiders have choked down the stretch but their offense has improved with the addition of Carson Palmer and the dual-running back system is working in Oakland.
22. Carolina Panthers--Cam Newton has put up impressive numbers as a rookie and is one of the few encouraging parts of the Panthers organization.
23. Washington Redskins--The Redskins have beaten up on the Giants twice this season and have played good teams, such as the Patriots and Cowboys, very close.
24. Miami Dolphins--Miami has turned its season around after starting 0-6.
25. Buffalo Bills--Despite starting the season 4-1, the Bills have played like the team everyone expected and are at the bottom of the AFC East.
26. Kansas City Chiefs--Their biggest wins came against San Diego, Chicago, and most importantly, Green Bay.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers--They started the season strong with wins against Atlanta and New Orleans, but have fallen off with eight straight losses. 
28. Cleveland Browns--It is hard to do well with potentially three divisional opponents who will make the playoffs.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars--The Jaguars are showing why they deserve to re-locate to Los Angeles after having a miserable season. Blaine Gabbert has struggled in his rookie year.
30. St. Louis Rams--The Rams knocked off the Saints earlier in the season, but losing Sam Bradford has hurt them.
31. Minnesota Vikings--Even though Donovan McNabb retired early in the season, the Vikings were able to give rookie Christian Ponder lots of game experience. Similarly to the Browns, Minnesota's division was very good this year between Green Bay, Chicago, and Detroit.
32. Indianapolis Colts--There is not much to say other than that they don't have Peyton Manning and they almost went 0-16.

Bears in Need of Quarterback, Should Have Pursued McNabb

            After the Chicago Bears announced that recently signed quarterback Josh McCown will be starting on Christmas Day against the Green Bay Packers, it is apparent that the Bears desperately need a new quarterback. Jay Cutler had been playing very well for the Bears and Chicago had forgotten about his debatable injury last year in the playoffs. Backup QB Caleb Hanie was horrendous in the four games in which he replaced Cutler, completing less than half of his pass attempts, throwing for 600 yards, only three touchdown passes and nine interceptions (two were returned for touchdowns). The Bears lost by a touchdown or less in three of the four games thanks to their defense, but they lost all four games that Hanie started. McCown has jumped from team to team in his nine seasons in the NFL, with most of his experience coming from his time on the Arizona Cardinals from 2003 to 2005. He has already made Chicago Bears fans nervous in his relief of Caleb Hanie against Seattle, where he threw two passes, one of which was intercepted. With any quarterback currently on their roster, the Bears are unlikely to beat the Packers. The Packers have won nineteen of their last twenty games for a reason--they're the best team in the NFL. McCown has not had significant playing time in years and even when he did he was a mediocre quarterback. The Bears are technically still in the playoff picture even though they would have to win their final games and need the Cowboys, Giants, Lions, Seahawks, and Cardinals to lose their last games. The Bears should have contacted Donovan McNabb the minute they found out that Cutler was done for the year.

Courtesy of http://chicago.sbnation.com/chicago-bears/2011/12/21/2652027/packers-vs-bears-week-16-2011-news-injury-odds-score-update-recap

            Sure, the Minnesota Vikings were not having success with McNabb but he is still capable of playing at a high level in the NFL. He is a tested quarterback with playoff experience and would be mature enough to step into a new situation and lead the Bears to the playoffs as a Wild Card team. If Chicago's playoff chances weren't so slim, I would be tempted to call McNabb's agent, fly him to Chicago for practice, and have him start against the Packers on Sunday.

Courtesy of http://www.topusatrend.com/2011/12/02/vikings-donovan-mcnabb-research-stops-with-waiving-of-experienced-qb/

            The Chicago Bears had won five straight games before Cutler was injured and were one of the hottest teams in the NFL at 7-3. With Cutler for the rest of the season, they would have been a lock for the playoffs. McNabb may not have been able to have a winning record with the Bears, but it would have only taken three or four wins for the Bears to make the playoffs. The Bears were essentially without an offense their past four games since Matt Forte and Cutler are sidelined with injuries. Hopefully Lovie Smith and Chicago's front office has learned from their mistake and finds a solid backup quarterback in the off-season through free agency or the draft.

No NFL Team Will Finish with a "0" in Its Record

            Most football fans had taken Green Bay's 13-0 record and Indianapolis' 0-13 record for granted. Everyone assumed for the first time in NFL history there would be an undefeated team and a team that lost every game. However, the Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts had different intentions on Sunday.
            Entering their game on Sunday, the Packers had impressively won nineteen games in a row. Also, Green Bay is widely considered the current Super Bowl favorite, which begged the question, "When would the Packers lose again?" While the media may deserve part of the blame for shoving microphones in the players' faces and asking them about their chances on an undefeated season, Green Bay got caught looking too far ahead of themselves. They had three winnable regular season games left. One at Kansas City, followed by home games against the division rivals the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. The Chiefs were having a horrendous year, losing five out of six entering the game against Green Bay and their only wins came against the Vikings, Colts, Raiders (Carson Palmer's first game where Oakland's quarterbacks threw six interceptions), Chargers in overtime, and the Bears with their depleted offense. Green Bay would win handily against the Chicago Bears at home with Jay Cutler and Matt Forte out for the season with injuries. The Packers would then go on to beat the imploding Lions to finish the season. Green Bay would be the #1 seed in the NFC and own the luxuries of a first round bye and home field advantage. However, this scenario is overlooking win number fourteen against the Chiefs.
            Arrowhead Stadium has historically been one of the worst stadiums for opposing players, so Sunday would be no walk in the park for the Packers. The Chiefs has nothing to lose. They are last in the AFC West and were three games below .500 before beating Green Bay. Kansas City has played three different quarterbacks and have unsuccessfully been trying to establish an identity this season. They have two standout players in wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and linebacker Derrick Johnson, but the rest of the Chiefs players are by no means stars. While Kansas City may not have an abundance of individual talent, as a whole they showed real character when their season is over but they still compete for four quarters. The Chiefs were playing to prove themselves against the best team in the league, to be the one blemish on Green Bay's probable 19-1 season. That's something Chiefs players can tell their grandchildren someday--that they were the ones who ended Green Bay's 19-game win streak an perfect season bid. After watching game film, football analysts are still trying to figure out how an underdog like Kansas City was able to knock off the unbeaten giant of the NFL. The biggest explanation to take away is time of possession. The Chiefs had the ball for 36 minutes to Green Bay's 24 minutes.  The Chiefs were able to run seventy plays against the Packers and maintained an even distribution between passing and running the ball. While no single Kansas City running back had a great statistical game, the Chiefs were able to pound the ball down the field on the ground for 140 yards and take a lot of time off the clock. In addition to rushing the ball, newly acquired quarterback Kyle Orton was able to spread out the field on offense by finding ten different receivers for three-hundred yards. The key was to run the ball often and keep Aaron Rodgers on the sideline for as long as possible. Other teams will break down the film of this game and develop similar game plans to limit Green Bay's scoring opportunities.
            Similar to Kansas City, the Indianapolis Colts had a pride factor kick in against the Tennessee Titans. It is absolutely embarrassing to step onto the national spotlight every week and come out on the losing side each time. The Colts had a great opportunity to record their first win against the struggling Titans at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Colts defense stepped up to force two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and they knocked Matt Hasselbeck out of the game. On offense, they took the pressure off of Dan Orlovsky by running the ball for the majority of their offensive plays. Running back Donald Brown had a huge game for Indy, rushing for 161 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. It was great to see the Peyton Manning-less Colts come together and win a game. They may have the opportunity to double their win total against the Texans if Houston decides to rest their starters or on the last game of the season against the dismal Jacksonville Jaguars. 
            It would have been quite a season to have a 16-0 team as well as an 0-16 team, but in the big picture these games will have little to no impact on the playoffs or Super Bowl champion. Green Bay will learn from its mistakes against the Chiefs and will face the Bears on Christmas Day with a whole new energy we have yet to see from the Packers. The Colts will most likely lose their last two games, have the number one overall draft pick and select Andrew Luck.

Xavier May Benefit from Suspensions

            The Xavier Musketeers were essentially without an offense this afternoon when they lost 64-42 against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. Starters Tu Holloway, Mark Lyons, and Dez Wells are serving suspensions from their roles in a brawl against the Cincinnati Bearcats two weeks ago. Holloway and Lyons are averaging nearly eighteen points apiece and Wells is scoring almost ten per game. The Muskies had to rely on players who don't often play in the spotlight, such as Andre Walker, Travis Taylor, Brad Redford, and Dee Davis. Taylor and Davis led the team in scoring with 11 and 10, respectively. While no team wants to get destroyed on their home court like Xavier did today, every player, with the exception of Kenny Frease got more minutes than they usually do. Tu Holloway will return next game against Long Beach State and will guide the Musketeers offense and make sure his teammates are involved. Lyons and Wells will serve three more games of suspension before they return. In these few games, Xavier's bench will get more experience than they would normally so that when they are put in the game in important situations later in the season, they will become bigger contributors. Also, Xavier's rank will slip slightly but not greatly. Everyone knows that Xavier is a completely different team without its trio of star players. Take any team in the country, suspend the best three players, and you have a competely different team. Xavier will remain in the top 15 in the country and will be a better team when all of its players return from suspension.

Reds Pay a Hefty Price for Right-Hander Latos

            Just four offseasons ago, the Cincinnati Reds acquired a young Dominican pitcher, Edinson Volquez, in a major one-for-one trade with the Texas Rangers. The Reds had to send centerfielder Josh Hamilton, who was finally drug-free and putting up promising numbers at the plate, to Texas. In retrospect, the two teams made a blockbuster trade, with Hamilton going on to be a four-time All-Star and the 2010 A.L. MVP while Volquez was an All-Star in 2008 and has been a key pitcher in Cincinnati's rotation.
            Well it is four years later, with Hamilton and Volquez  going in opposite directions, but once again Edinson Volquez is involved in a trade that has shaken up the baseball world. Yesterday morning the Cincinnati Reds and the San Diego Padres finalized a trade that sent Volquez and first baseman Yonder Alonso, as well as minor league players catcher Yasmani Grandal and pitcher Brad Boxberger. What did the Reds receive in return? One player--24-year-old pitcher Mat Latos.

Latos will be the Reds #2 starter in their rotation.
Courtesy of http://profantasybaseball.com/fantasy_baseball_news.php/?p=366

            Latos, an intimidating presence on the mound at 6'6" and 225 lbs. as well as a fastball that has been clocked at 97 mph, has played in the majors for three seasons. His career numbers are quite impressive and are optimistic for the future, which is why the Reds were willing to give up so much talent to acquire him. He is 27-29 with a 1.15 WHIP, 3.37 ERA, and a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio. His best season came in 2010, when he went 14-10 with a 1.08 WHIP and a miniscule 2.92 ERA. Each of the past two seasons Latos has started 31 games, totalling just under 200 innings pitched for those years. Latos will be expected to fill the #2 spot in the rotation behind Johnny Cueto for the Reds this season.

            San Diego did very well in this trade. Edinson Volquez, a seven year veteran, is 33-29 in his career along with a 1.50 WHIP and 4.65 ERA. Despite his ability to be a dominant pitcher in the MLB, he has had only one good season in his career. In 2008, Volquez went 17-6 with over 200 strikeouts, a 1.33 WHIP and a 3.21 ERA. He has gradually declined every year since, which may explain why the Reds were willing to get rid of him. He has accumulated only 13 wins over the past three seasons and threw almost as many innings in 2008 as he did the past three years. Last season, his ERA was nearly six and surrendered a career-high 19 homeruns. Edinson Volquez's reputation is also tainted by his 50-game suspension in 2010 for his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Volquez was 5-7 for the Reds last season.
Courtesy of http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2010/04/reds-pitcher-edinson-volquez-suspended-for-violating-drug-policy/1

            Yonder Alonso has played for Cincinnati in both of his years playing professional baseball. He had limited playing time in 2010, playing in only 22 games. Last year, Alsonso took the field in nearly fifty games and proved to be a solid utility player. He hit .330 with 5 homeruns and 15 RBI's. Alsonso played predominantly in left field since 2010 N.L. MVP Joey Votto occupies first base, Alsonso's primary position. The Reds also featured him at first base and third base. He only committed one error in his twenty games in the field last season. Even though Yonder Alsonso has only briefly played in the league, he shows a lot of upward potential both at the plate and in the field. 

Yonder Alonso batted .330 for the Reds in 2011.
Courtesy of http://bleacherreport.com/articles/587960-mlb-trade-rumors-power-ranking-all-30-teams-top-prospects-who-may-be-moved

            Yasmani Grandal is a 23-year-old Cuban catcher who stands at 6'2" and 205 lb. Grandal has played for four different teams in his two years in the minor leagues, making it from A+ to AAA in the span of five months last summer. Last season he batter .305 with 14 homeruns and 68 RBI's. Fellow prospect Brad Boxberger is a right-handed pitcher, who has taken the mound both as a starter and in relief in his time in the minors. Boxberger has made it from A+ to AAA in two seasons. He has a career 1.26 WHIP, 2.90 ERA, and averages nearly a dozen strikeouts per game.  

            When analyzing what the Cincinnati Reds sent to the Padres, it looks like a lot. And that's because it is. It's probably even too much. The good part of the deal for the Reds is that they know they acquired an great pitcher who has excelled at the highest level. Volquez's career is on the downisde and may have one or two great, 2008-esque seasons left in him if he's lucky. However, the other three former Reds all have untapped potential. Alsonso played well in Cincinnati last year as a utility player. Grandal and Boxberger have flown through Cincinnati's farm system and all signs point to their success in the future.
            The Cincinnati Reds could not pass up the chance to get an excellent pitcher once they saw the two biggest bats in their division, Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, find new teams. The Reds are going for the World Series this year. With Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce all in their prime, the Reds are trying to piece together a playoff team for the 2012 season.
              The best case scenario for the Reds is that they go to the playoffs the next two or three seasons and make it past the first round, unlike 2010. With a weak division and a good offense, they should be the favorites to come out of the N.L. Central. If Latos can start at least thirty games while he's in Cincinnati and win twelve to fifteen games, Reds fans will have nothing to complain about. Plus, prospects are often hit-or-miss and Grandal and Boxberger may turn out to be busts for San Diego. However, in the long run, this trade may come back to haunt Cincinnati for giving up three of their best young players. Right now I would say the Reds got the short end of the deal, but only time will tell if that is an accurate assumption.

CP3, Welcome to the LAC

            After multiple failed trades and the NBA stepping in to reject a potential trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, star point guard Chris Paul has landed with the Los Angeles Clippers. The New Orleans Hornets, currently under the ownership of David Stern and the league, agreed to send Chris Paul and two future second-round picks to the Clippers in exchange for Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Minnesota's unprotected 2012 first-round pick. The All-Star point guard is in a big market for the first time in his career in L.A. and no longer has to deal with the woes of New Orleans. While the Clippers have a weak bench, they have a very powerful duo with Chris Paul at point and Blake Griffin down low.

Chris Paul averaged 16 points and 10 assists for the Hornets last year.
(Courtesy of http://www.eurweb.com/2011/12/big-move-by-the-lakers-chris-paul-acquired-for-lamar-odom-and-pau-gasol/) 

            In the Pacific Division, the Clippers should be competitive with the Lakers and will finish in the top three teams. After trading Chris Kaman, the Clippers can match up against Gasol and Bynum with DeAndre Jordan and Griffin, but the Clippers big men are much more inexperienced. However, the Lakers already traded 6th Man of the Year, Lamar Odom, to the Dallas Mavericks, and if they continue to trade players, LAC may be the favorite in their division. L.A. made a smart move to get CP3, but they need to develop team chemistry if they want to be a great team. The Miami Heat and Philadelphia Eagles show that signing the best talent available does not translate immediately to wins and championships. LAC also signed Chauncy Billups and DeAndre Jordan this week, putting skilled players along side of Paul. The probable starting lineup of Chris Paul, Chauncy Billups, Caron Butler, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan has a unique combination of young players and veterans. The Clippers will be a relevant team this season, which is great for the NBA and the city of Los Angeles. LAC has been quiet in recent years and Chris Paul should provide the spark to take them to the playoffs. With such an exciting offensive team and two of the league's best players, the Los Angeles Clippers have great chances at making the playoffs next year. The Western Conference has a New Orleans team without Chris Paul and David West, the Denver Nuggets have players stuck under contract in China, and the Lakers are growing older and lost one of their best players, which makes the Clippers a viable team for the six or seven seed in the Western Conference in the playoffs.
            It is great to see Chris Paul finally land somewhere so that we can stop hearing about the failed trade offers, but I have lost faith in David Stern in the league after they rejected the three-way trade between the New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets. After being prompted by NBA owners not involved in the trade, Stern nullified the deal because it didn't make "basketball sense." He thought the Hornets, which are under his control, got the short end of the deal despite the fact that all three general managers were very satisfied with the trade. New Orleans would have come away with three starters--Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, and Kevin Martin-- along with backup point guard Goran Dragic, and future draft picks. Let's see, the Hornets get three starters, improve their bench, and more draft picks to improve their team for the future...all for one starter! How is that a bad trade? The Lakers then showed how strict the NBA was being when they dropped out from the re-submitted trade. L.A. didn't even bother finding out what the league's decision was because they knew it wouldn't be in their favor. In the end, Stern lets CP3 go to the team that the Lakers share their home court and city with, the Los Angeles Clippers. Talk about pouring salt in the wound. David Stern should make his own decisions and not be influenced by owners of NBA teams. This deal complied with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and league rules, yet Stern has the ultimate power to veto. If the Lakers could have pulled off the original three-way trade and then managed to acquire Dwight Howard, there would be yet another Big Three in the NBA--Kobe, CP3, and Howard.
            Instead of another "Dream Team," we have to wake up to the reality that the league comissioner, who never played in the NBA or ran an organization, is making critical decisions about basketball--a sport he does not fully understand. This is the problem with league-owned franchises--they have to face the struggles of being owned by the NBA and the Hornets are suffering the consequences. The New Orleans Hornets need to move to a more basketball-friendly city, find an owner who can run the team properly, or disband. Being owned by the NBA is definitely not in their best interest.

Cincinnati Bearcat Suspensions are Not Enough

            After the brawl between the Xavier Musketeers and Cincinnati Bearcats in the Crosstown Shootout yesterday, UC coach Mick Cronin told the media in the post-game news conference that he was going to watch the game film with Cincinnati's Athletic Director and school president to decide the status of the Bearcats involved. Cronin told the media that they would decide if some of the players deserve to remain on the team. He said that he made all of the players take off their jerseys in the locker room, taking some jerseys off by force. It could be implied from his statement that major suspensions were to be handed out and some players may never play another game for UC. However, University of Cincinnati's decisions on the suspensions were way less than what Cronin had promised.
            Four players were suspended--Yancy Gates, Octavius Ellis, and Cheikh Mbodj are suspended for six games, while Ge'Lawn Guyn, one of the fight provokers, received a one-game suspension. Six games! Really? Despite my allegiance to Xavier in this rivalry, from an unbiased point of view, Gates and Mbodj should have left that game in handcuffs for assault charges. Gates sucker-punched Kenny Frease in the face when Frease was trying to separate the two teams. Mbodj then stomped on Frease's head. The NFL and the media made a huge deal about Ndamukong Suh stomping on an opponent's arm, yet Mbodj's stomp almost went completely under the radar. Gates also landed a punch against Xavier player Landen Amos in the skirmish. There are two correct decisions for the University of Cincinnati to make about Gates' actions--either kick him off the team or give him a minimum of a ten to fifteen game suspension.

Courtesy of http://www.thescore.com/buzz/articles/194204-cincinnati-xavier-basketbrawl

            Mick Cronin is the exact opposite of Teddy Roosevelt, he speaks loudly and carries a small stick. What kind of precedent does this set for future Bearcat basketball players, or any player in the Big East (since the conference stood behind the University of Cincinnati and didn't issue any additional suspensions)? A player can punch multiple opponents in the face and miss less than one quarter of the regular season? I don't know why the police didn't get involved, because that wasn't basketball...that was straight up assault. If Gates did that out in public he would be behind bars right now. Let us not forget that Gates was also suspended last year for breaking team rules. The NCAA better step in and issue harsher suspensions since the University of Cincinnati went easy on themselves. Just because UC issued suspensions before the NCAA does shouldn't pardon them from any league-issued punishments. The only suspension that made sense was Ge'Lawn Guyn's one game suspension. He was one of the ones who provoked the brawl but didn't actually fight anyone. The weak suspensions damage the integrity of the University of Cincinnati and Mick Cronin. They talked up the strict punishments to come to look good in the eyes of the media for the post-game interviews but took the easy, and wrong, way out.

Keys to the Bears vs. Broncos Game

            Tim Tebow's impressive 6-1 record this season as a starter will be tested when he faces the Chicago Bears in Denver today. Tebow will have the hardest time scoring today out of any regular season game this season, but the Broncos will have great chances at winning.

Keys to the Game:
Bears: Force turnovers on defense, getting good field position on special teams, have a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter, scoring on defense/special teams
Broncos: Don't turn the ball over, put pressure on Caleb Hanie, keep the game close in the first three quarters
           
            The Bears defense has wreaked havoc this season, intercepting sixteen passes, forcing eleven fumbles, and recovering nine of them. Tebow will have more pressure than ever to play smart. The few times he throws he will have to place the ball in places where only his receivers can catch the ball. When he scrambles, he'll have to hold onto the ball very tightly because Chicago is the best team in the league at stripping the ball. With Chicago's top two offensive players, Matt Forte and Jay Cutler, out with injuries, the Bears will need the defense to give them the best field position possible so that they can settle for field goals if they can't put the ball in the endzone. Caleb Hanie has struggled in the two games that he has played, completing less than half of his passes. His touchdown to interception ratio is 1:3, throwing three picks in both games. As we saw last year in the playoffs, Hanie does have the ability to perform well, we just haven't seen it in 2011. He may need a few games under his belt to get warmed up, but if that is not the case, a defensive touchdown would be critical to the Bears winning the game. If there was ever a game where Chicago needs  Devin Hester to be a big-time playmaker it's today. If he can get to a least the Bears own forty yard line a two or three times on kickoffs, Chicago will have a much shorter field to work with and will take some of the pressure off of Caleb Hanie. The Chicago Bears will need to have at least a two score lead going into the fourth quarter because of Tim Tebow's ability to lead the Broncos to comeback victories.  The longer the Bears hold onto the ball in the fourth quarter and the more they slow the game down, the less time Tebow will have to put together a potential game-winning drive.

Courtesy of http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/6ilGKu3ghRf/Houston+Texans+v+Denver+Broncos/QxLpplhlnIb/Tim+Tebow

            I think that the Chicago Bears will play the Broncos very tough and Tebow will have one of his worst statistical games this season. Chicago's offense is missing too much of its firepower and will struggle offensively. Caleb Hanie will have his best game this season, throwing for 200 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one interception. The Bears will force three turnovers and have one defense or special teams touchdown. However, the Broncos defense will keep the game close in the first three quarters so that Tebow can win the game in the fourth. Denver Broncos win 24-20 over the Chicago Bears in a close game at Denver.

Historic Rivalry Sees the Number One Team Fall: A Breakdown of the Final Two Minutes

            Today was already a big day in college basketball with the #2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes fall to #14 Kansas by a score of 78-67. Later today, number one ranked Kentucky came to Bloomington, Indiana to battle the 8-0 Hoosiers. Indiana and Kentucky are two of the most successful college basketball programs with a combined twenty-two Final Four appearances, a 167-77 NCAA Tournament record, twelve NCAA Championships, and eighty-seven tournament appearances. Indiana forward Cody Zeller has been in the spotlight recently for having an excellent freshman season up to this point, but the Wildcats had no idea what else would be in store for them at Assembly Hall.

Courtesy of http://www.insidethehall.com/

            Coming out of the official television timeout, there was 2:15 left on the clock with Indiana up 6-67. John Calipari was quesntionably sitting Terrence Jones on the bench for the rest of the game. Kentucky guard Darius Miller might have been very lucky with a no-call on a potential charging foul against him as he spun and then dunked to give his team a one-pont lead. Indiana took the ball down the court and point guard Jordan Hulls drew a foul on Miller, but it was only Kentucky's fourth team foul, so they weren't yet in the bonus. Victor Oladipo drove to the basket only to get blocked by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, but he traveled at the end of the playing, turning the ball over to Indiana.  IU coach Tom Crean called a time out and drew up a great play for the Hoosiers. Junior forward Christian Watford received a pass at the elbow, drove to the inside of the lane, made a spin move with his right hand, and laid the ball in acrobatically to put Indiana up by one. On the other end of the court, Marquis Teague blew past Jordan Hulls and made an easy layup to make it 71-70. While there was still forty-five seconds left in the game, it did not look good for Indiana. Kentucky was driving to the basket way too easily and Indiana would have to start fouling soon, putting the Wildcats at the free throw line. Christian Watford missed a jump shot and Anthony Davis rebounded the ball. Davis was heavily pressured and made it across the half court line before he was fouled by Cody Zeller. Luckily for the Hoosiers, Davis is just slightly above a 50% free throw shooter and he missed his one-and-one free throw. Victor Oladipo rebounded the ball, dribbled to the other side of the court, and Crean called a timeout. On the play that Crean drew up, Hulls dribbled to his right, passed it to Zeller on the wing, who handed it off to Oladipo. Oladipo then drove to the basket and made a spin move, but lost control of the ball and Doron Lamb stole the ball. Oladipo had no choice but to foul Lamb and send him to the line to shoot two. Indiana's bench was visibly frustrated and upset because their chance to knock off the number one team in the country seemed to slip through their hands, literally. There were eight seconds left, they were down by one, and Kentucky was shooting two free throws because they were now in the double bonus. Lamb missed his first shot, giving Indiana hope because even if he made the second shot, a three-pointer would win the game. Crean used his final timeout to draw up a play for their final shot. Doron Lamb made his second free throw, giving Kentucky a 72-70 lead. Verdell Jones III received the inbounds pass and dribbled down the court and appeared to drive to the basket, but he picked up his dribble, turned around, and found Christian Watford unguarded beyond the three point arc. Watford shot the ball with two defenders in his face as time expired. The shot was absolutely beautiful as it soared through the air. Swish. Assembly Hall started screaming and all of the Indiana fans threw up their hands. Watford held up his shooting arm as he remained motionless. The IU players celebrated by running to Watford and piling up on the court. ESPN commentator Dan Schulman described Tom Crean's reaction perfectly, "It looks like Tom Crean aged ten years today." Crean was filled with disbelief, joy, and was on the verge of an anxiety attack all at the same time, it appeared. The fans stormed the court and Indiana's players stood up on the scorer's table cheering with the fans.

Courtesy of http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/story/2011-12-10/indiana-kentucky-tom-crean-upset/51786446/1

            Having the top two teams in the nation happened for the second time in the past two years and it will make the rankings very interesting when they are next released. The Syracuse Orange sit at 8-0 at the number three spot and will likely take over the title of the #1 team in the country. However, Ohio State and Kentucky are almost guaranteed to stay within the top ten since the Buckeyes were without their best player Sullinger and lost on the road to an excellent Kansas team. In terms of Kentucky, they lost on a buzzer-beater to a very talented Indiana team who will probably break into the top 25 in the next polls. College basketball fans can't ask for anything more. Great teams have emerged and the top ranked teams have already lost, showing that there is no clear favorite. And the best part? It is only early December, just wait until March and the drama that happens then.

#8 Xavier Dominates Cincinnati During the Game; Cincinnati Wins the Brawl

            Commonly known as the "Crosstown Shootout" in Cincinnati, the annual matchup between the Xavier Musketeers and Cincinnati Bearcats is one of the most anticipated games for both teams because of their huge rivalry. The game was of even more importance because Xavier came into the game as the eighth ranked team in the nation and the Bearcats had nothing to lose. Cincinnati had been ranked earlier in the season before losing to Presbyterian and Marshall. Tu Holloway and the rest of the Musketeers were motivated to have a big win against UC after the comments that Cincinnati guard Sean Kilpatrick made earlier in the week. On a radio interview, Kilpatrick, a largely unknown sophomore guard, said that All-American Tu Holloway wouldn't start at UC because of the talent that the Bearcats have on their roster. He went on to say that he is better than Holloway, despite averaging three fewer points per game, four fewer assists, and two fewer assists, on a worse team I might add. Xavier was at a huge advantage by playing at their home court, the Cintas Center, and having the support of its rowdy student section.
            For the majority of the first half, the game was back and forth, and it seemed to be a toss-up on who would win. With four minutes left in the first half, the score was 25-23 in favor of Xavier. However, poor shooting by the Bearcats and an air-tight Musketeers defense allowed Xavier to close the half on a 9-2 run that put them ahead 34-25 at halftime. Now, a nine point deficit at halftime is nothing in college basketball. At that point, Cincinnati was still in the game; however, that changed quickly. Xavier came out strong in the second half, with their guard trio of Tu Holloway, Mark Lyons, and Dez Wells carrying the way with a combined 27 second half points.
            In the closing seconds of the game, University of Cincinnati guard Dion Dixon air-balled a three point attempt and Tu Holloway and Cincinnati guard Ge'Lawn Guyn exchanged some heated words. Dez Wells ran over in support of Holloway and shoved Guyn to the ground. Unfortunately, the altercation took place right in front of the UC bench and both benches cleared onto the court. Yancy Gates then threw the basketball and Holloway as players started getting into each other's faces. The referees tried to break up the players but there was only so much that a few men can stop much bigger players from fighting. Bearcat center Yancy Gates slugged Xavier center Kenny Frease in the face, leaving Frease to crawl away from the brawl. Ge'Lawn Guyn then tried to attack Xavier guard Brad Redford, but both players were restrained by their coaches.  Gates threw another punch at a Xavier player Landen Amos, while Mark Lyons and Dez Wells were going after a Bearcat player in the corner of the court. Frease walked away from the end of the skirmish with a bruised eye and blood running down his face.

Courtesy of http://search.espn.go.com/uc-xavier-fight/

            Since the Crosstown Shootout turned out to be a 23-point blowout, the main story of the game is the fight. So what are the immediate consequences of the brawl? The NCAA will have to review the film upwards of fifty times to fully understand what happened. There were too many bodies involved and fists flying to comprehend the full picture. It will be very likely that a few players threw punches but there was never a clear camera angle, so they will escape the week without punishment. However, it is guaranteed that players from both teams will be suspended, with the possibility of even harsher punishment from the NCAA or the teams themselves. University of Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin issued strong words in the post-game news conference, claiming that he was going to evaluate the brawl with the school president and decide if players deserve to remain on the team. I assume he is speaking specifically about Yancy Gates, but any of his players could get booted. Yancy Gates may find himself kicked off of the University of Cincinnati basketball team or minimally a ten game suspension. Ge'Lawn Guyn will be out for probably five games. Tu Holloway may get one game for provoking the entire incident, while Mark Lyons and Dez Wells will most likely get a suspension in the neighborhood of three games. And these were just the players that were clearly involved in the altercation. A few other players will probably be punished by the NCAA as well.

Courtesy of http://search.espn.go.com/uc-xavier-fight/

            While the suspensions will seriously impact both teams since key players were involved, it is more important for Xavier to stay away from suspensions longer than two games. Xavier's next game is Sunday, December 18th against Oral Roberts, so the league will have lots of time to make decisions without feeling rushed. They have three non-conference games before starting A-10 play, the last of which being against #22 Gonzaga. At #8 in the nation, with the potential for an even better rank of anyone in front of them loses, it is crucial that they start conference play undefeated and beat a ranked, non-conference opponent in Gonzaga. As we saw today in the Ohio State vs. Kansas game, the loss of one important player can have a huge impact on the result of the game. While Jared Sullinger wasn't suspended, but rather out with back spasms, Ohio State was a completely different team and loss to Kansas by eleven. Holloway, Lyons, and Wells have been carrying Xavier so far this season and losing any combination of those guards against a quality opponent will not bode well for Xavier's record or ranking.

Courtesy of http://www.greenwichtime.com/sports/article/Cincinnati-loses-to-No-8-Xavier-76-53-after-brawl-2394576.php

            It is sad that such a historic, fierce rivalry had to come to blows and it is a disgrace to both schools. Cincinnati's basketball team will likely fall back into having the reputation of being a team full of thugs, which they earned during the Bob Huggins era. I can't imagine what the game would be like if these two teams were to meet in the tournament this season, and next year's Crosstown Shootout will be very tense in the wake of today's brawl.

The Heisman Race

            This year's Heisman Trophy race is one of the most competitive in the history of college football. Even the non-finalist candidates would be strong picks to win the Heisman if they were selected to be in the final group. The five finalists are Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, and Alabama running back Trent Richardson. All of the finalists' teams are in the top 12 teams in college football and they are key players to their teams' successes. Some of the notable players not selected to be finalists are Kellen Moore, Matt Barkley, Case Keenum, and Russel Wilson. It would be near impossible to accurately predict the order that the candidates finish in since there is no player that stands out from the field like current Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton did last year. Here is the breakdown of the finalists:

 Montee Ball

Courtesy of http://bloguin.com/crystalballrun/2011-articles/november/the-doak-walker-award-projecting-the-finalist.html 

Bio

University of Wisconsin

Running Back #28

Junior

5' 11" 210 lbs.

            Montee Ball is an absolute powerhouse. Ball rushed for nearly 1,800 yards and 32 touchdowns. Not only is he a strong runner, but he is a dual offensive threat, as a receiver out of the backfield as well. While he only has twenty receptions on the year, six of them were for touchdowns and he accumulated 255 receiving yards. Recently, Ball has been in the national spotlight because he is one touchdown shy of tying Barry Sanders' record of 39 total touchdowns in a single season. Since the Badger running back averages three TD's per game, he should have no problem breaking the record in the Rose Bowl against Oregon. Ball led his Wisconsin Badgers to a Big Ten Championship over Michigan State and the Badgers are tenth in the BCS. Montee Ball's best case for the Heisman is his key contributions to Wisconsin's 11-2 record and his historic offensive season. Even a bad game for Ball should allow him to surpass Sanders on the single-season touchdown record. Ball was a consistent performer all year--rushing for over 100 yards and nearly three total touchdowns each game. Every game was a highlight reel for him, so it is hard to point to one or two games in which he especially excelled, because he excelled in every game.

Robert Griffin III

Courtesy of http://nflmocks.com/2011/11/10/2012-nfl-mock-draft-week-10-robert-griffin-iii-top-five/

Bio

Baylor University

Quarterback #10

Junior

6'2" 220 lbs.

            Robert Griffin III is the leading Heisman candidate according to most college football experts. He led the Bears to a 9-3 record while throwing for just shy of 4,000 yards. RGIII is a very efficient passer, throwing for 36 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions this year. His completion percentage was above 70% in the regular season and had a passer rating of 192.3. While he is a pass-first quarterback, Griffin is able to use his legs when he needs to, rushing for nine touchdowns on the season. His 2011 resumé includes wins against the ranked opponents of TCU, Oklahoma, and Texas. Two out of Baylor's three losses were at the hands of two of the top teams in the country-- Oklahoma State and Kansas State. He definitely passes the "eye test" with his electric play and leading the high-octane Baylor offense in one of the toughest college football confereces. While the SEC is often referred to as the best college football conference, the Big 12 is a close second, with five ranked teams, four of which are in the top fourteen in the BCS. Did I mention he broke the passer efficiancy record this season? Griffin had above a 61% completion percentage in all of his games, his best being a 90.5% effort against Stephen F. Austin. In half of Baylor's games, he had above a 200 quarterback rating.

            One of his best moments this year was in the season opener against TCU, when he drove the length of the field with four minutes left in the fourth quarter. He was featured on throwing, rushing, and even a receiving play on the final drive, which help set up the game-winning field goal. Another defining moment for RGIII was against Oklahoma, then the #5 team in the country, when he threw for nearly 500 yards and four scores in a very competitive game.

              With such a close group of finalists, it is difficult to make anyone the favorite, but Robert Griffin III is most likely the front-runner to win the Heisman.

Andrew Luck

Courtesy of http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-01-06/sports/30018354_1_andrew-luck-wrong-decision-dumb-decision

Bio

Stanford University

Quarterback #12

Senior

6'4" 235 lbs.

            On Saturday, we may find out if Andrew Luck's decision to return to Stanford for another season was the right decision. Winning the Heisman isn't a make or break on if he should have left after last season for the NFL, but he could have no regrets if he wins the most prestigious award in college football. With all of the buzz this week about the Indianapolis Colts potentially drafting Andrew Luck, the casual football fan would have no idea that Luck is even a Heisman finalist. In his final season as a Cardinal, he led Stanford to an 11-1 record. The one loss came to #5 Oregon, which begs the question would Stanford be in the national championship if they had an undefeated season. However, that is an unrelated matter. Luck put up the same kind of numbers that he did in 2010, with 3,170 yards, 35 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Luck is easily the best quarterback prospect in this year's draft class and shows a lot of maturity in the way that he handles himself. Andrew Luck is the biggest reason why Stanford is currently #4 in the BCS. Had he left for the draft last season, Stanford would be lucky to be break the top 20, assuming that they would even be ranked. While Luck doesn't operate with as much flash or ESPN Top Ten-worthy plays as the other finalists do, he is the best overall student-athlete. He has the whole package--a gifted student, a quarterback who lives and breathes the game, and is an overall good person. While the Heisman voters may not be choosing the winner based on a finalist being a "good person," no one could complain if Andrew Luck wins the award.

              He will be remembered for breaking John Elway's touchdown record, putting Stanford's football program on the map, and his overall passing ability. Whether or not Luck wins the Heisman, he is built to have success in the NFL, which he would say is more important than any college award.

Tyrann Mathieu

Courtesy of http://www.thebestdamnpoll.com/Default.aspx?tabid=112&g=posts&m=485283

Bio

Louisiana State University

Cornerback #7

Sophomore

5'9" 175 lbs.

            In recent history, with the Heisman trophy going to the best player on the best, or at least one of the best, team (2010--Cam Newton, 2009--Mark Ingram, 2008--Sam Bradford, 2007--Tim Tebow), Mathieu should feel honored that he is the "representative" from the undefeated #1 team LSU. With a dual-quarterback system at LSU and two running backs that split the carries, no one on LSU's offense was worthy of nomination. Therefore, if someone from LSU was to be a finalist, it had to be a member of the second best defense, in terms of points allowed, in the country. Mathieu being both a sophomore and a defensive player shows how good he is. He has 71 tackles this season, along with 1.5 sacks, two  interceptions, six forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven deflected passes. While a defensive player has won the Heisman, such as Charles Woodson, I can comfortably say the Mathieu won't finish in the top three finalists. He has a knack for getting to the ball and causing mayhem on defense, especially at key times this season for LSU, but defensive players are simply at a disadvantage for winning the Heisman. Also, his small chances of winning may be reduced even more because of his one-game suspension this season. I hope he proves me wrong and is the reason why LSU wins the BCS National Championship, but despite his impressive numbers, he doesn't quite compare to some of the other contenders.

Trent Richardson

Courtesy of http://www.draftinsiders.com/node/1416

Bio

University of Alabama

Running Back #3

Junior

5'11" 224 lbs.

            Trent Richardson has been a huge factor in Alabama's success this season as the #2 team in the country, only behind division rival LSU. This season, he rushed for over 1,500 yards, averaged 6 yards per carry, and scored twenty touchdowns. He was also productive as a receiver with over three hundred yards receiving and three touchdowns. Seeing fellow running back Mark Ingram win the Heisman in 2009 was probably a huge influence on Richardson, seeing what he could become if he worked hard enough. While Richardson doesn't have the offensive numbers that Montee Ball does, Richardson plays in a much tougher conference and will be playing for the national championship in January, unlike Ball. Richardson average roughly 150 all-purpose yards per game and is what makes the Crimson Tide offense go. If Alabama wins the national championship, the win will be attributed to three things: Nick Saban, Alabama's defense, and last but certainly not least, Trent Richardson.

            All five of this year's finalists represent college football very well and any of them, with the exception of Tyrann Mathieu, could realistically win the Heisman. It will be very exciting to watch the awards presentation and see how close the voting was, because I don't think anyone will honestly know the winner until the moment the name is read by the announcer. The beauty of this year's Heisman finalists is that four of the five are underclassmen, so we may mention some of these skilled football players in the same conversation next season. Here is how I see the results turning out:

Robert Griffin III

Trent Richardson

Andrew Luck

Montee Ball

Tyrann Mathieu

            The Baylor Bears will be honored with their first Heisman trophy-winning player in the history of their football program. Andrew Luck will be drafted number one overall in the NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts, mentored by Peyton Manning, start for the Colts full-time in his third season, and be a Pro Bowler by his fourth season. Trent Richardson and Montee Ball will both leave for the draft and be the first two running backs selected. Richardson will find a time where he splits the team's carries with another running back. Ball will be a workhorse and featured back in a high-powered offense. After winning the BCS National Championship and having an excellent game, Tyrann Mathieu will declare for the draft and get selected in the mid-to-late first round.