NFL Teams with Bad Offseasons To Date

Friday the 13th Came Early: Top Teams lose in 1st round of Conference Tournaments

Prior to the beginning of the Conference Tournaments, the presumed #1 seeds for the NCAA Tournament was UNC, UConn, Pitt, and the winner of the Big 12 (Oklahoma or Kansas).  Well on Thursday the 12th, Pitt, Oklahoma, and Kansas all lost in the first round of their tournaments.  UConn lost in 6OTs against Syracuse, with Syracuse almost winning it in regulation with an Eric Devendorf 3-point shot that literally was on his finger tips when the light when off.  Due to the 6 OTs, this game actually finished on Friday the 13.  I watched the last 5 minutes of regulation and all 6 OTs, and felt like I've been watching games all day long.

These upsets possibly opens the door for several other teams to become #1 seeds.  The primary candidates are Louisville, Duke, Memphis, and Michigan State.  I'll review the candidates.

Louisville has a high chance of getting a #1 seed.  They won the Big East regular season title over both UConn and Pitt, however they get downgraded because they only played the top 4 other Big East teams once during the season (UConn, Pitt, Villanova, and Marquette.)  The also lost to Western Kentucky, Minnesota, and UNLV in the non-conference schedule. Their road was made much easier with UConn and Pitt both losing in the conference tournament.

Duke at one point during the season was ranked #1 in the nation, however, they haven't been consistent.  One game they look like no one can stop them, and other games they don't look into to it.  Duke has lost to UNC twice, and finished 3rd in the ACC behind UNC and Wake Forest.  I personally don't think that Duke is EVER as good as they are ranked.  They are a fraud and will be exposed again in the ACC tournament.  The only way they get consideration is if they win the ACC tournament.  Don't count on it!

Memphis has won 58 straight conference games, but unfortunately that conference is Conference USA.  Memphis has no competition playing in that league and many times the games are not competitive, so they don't get opportunities to face adversity.  This will hurt them come seeding time, but most importantly in the NCAA Tournament.

Michigan State won the Big Ten regular season title by 4 games.  They also beat Kansas earlier this season.  However, the biggest negative against Michigan State is their early season lost to UNC by 35 points.  Granted MSU wasn't at full strength during that game (or any of their 5 losses for that matter), but if you're an elite team, you don't lose to another elite team by 35 points.  Never.  Never ever.  Only chance they have is if they also win the Big Ten Tournament title.

That being said, I believe that UNC, Pitt, and UConn are locks to get #1 seeds.  I think the last #1 seed will ultimately go to Louisville.  They should end up winning the conference tournament with both Conn and Pitt out, so you'll have three #1 seeds from the Big East.  I really don't think any conference deserves three #1 seeds, but it's the way this is shaping up.  The only way I don't see this scenario is if Louisville doesn't win the conference tournament, then Memphis would slide unto that final #1 slot over Michigan State and Oklahoma.  Michigan State would probably be better served being a #2 seed in the Midwest versus a #1 seed in the West.  They wouldn't have to leave the Midwest to make it to the Final Four in Detroit. 

DC is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted atdcthesportsguy@gmail.com

Who HATES Eldrick "Tiger" Woods

How can you hate Tiger Woods? I had the unbelievable displeasure of reading an article in Esquire magazine in which a writer named Chris Jones writes about his hate of Tiger Woods. He had the audacity to say he hates what Tiger is doing to the game. I could not believe what he is say about one of the fiercest competitors in sports.

Jones writes: “I hate how he sniffs after he makes a putt. I hate how he calls himself Woody when he talks to himself. (Because really, who gives himself not one but two nicknames? …) I hate his red shirt on Sundays. I hate his caddie, the worst New Zealander in history, and I hate the Nike flunky who trails behind him like a donkey on a rope.
I hate how he could change the world in ways both great and good, and instead he’s settled for being a corporate shill, the smallest of concentric circles. I hate that he snorkels. I hate how golf announcers say things like, ‘Tiger’s on the prowl!’ when he’s fourteen shots back. I hate his fist pumps and howls, and I hate the ‘Get in the hole!’ dunderheads he brings out.
I hate what he’s done to golf, period, which was a sweet and beautiful game before he turned it into NASCAR on grass.”

How can any sports reporter, or fan worth his salt spew these words. Eldrick "Tiger" Woods is what is good about sports. Tiger is a gazilionaire, who still competes like a kid who has a dream of getting his first professional contract. His desire to be the best at every event he enters is uncommon for the athletes of today.

In an era of Andre Smiths’ we have an athlete who takes his craft seriously, and thus trains tirelessly. It is irresponsible of us as sports fans to allow someone to knock Tiger for his passion. So what if he intimidates others to the point that they wilt on a weekly basis with his competitiveness? So what if he wears his signature red shirts on Sundays when he is on the prowl? So what if he can ear more money as a pitch guy than a golfer? All I know is that I want a 152of Tiger Woods on my basketball team, and 52 of him on my football team. People need to realize that we are privileged to watch the most dominate athlete of all time with our own eyes.

If Tiger wants to give himself nick a name or two, who cares. What I care about is that he has turned a great game that few outside of the elite knew about, into a game that everyone watches. Ask the sponsors of tournaments that Tiger had to pull out of last summer how much they hate him. His ability to draw people to a game that previously was considered boring is nothing short of amazing. All I have to say to the haters is watch out for Tiger once he gets healthy. My new nickname for Tiger is the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time).

Johnson is editor and contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at johnsonthesportsguy@gmail.com

Sergio Garcia the best golfer in the world

Does anyone actually believe that statement? Probably not but that is what the world rankings could say after this week. If Sergio wins and Tiger Woods finishes worse than twenty seventh Garcia will be the world’s new number one player. Unlike tennis or college basketball where rankings matter because you get seeded that way and it affects the possible outcome, golf rankings allow you enter in some tournaments that you otherwise would not get into but then it has no effect. If not for Tiger’s knee problem we would not even be having this discussion. It shows how great he is that after missing eight months he is still number one even the rankings only count the last two years. My problem is not that someone could pass Woods it is that that someone has never won a major and is generally regarded as a poor putter. Woods being injured kept him from accruing more points while out and it is a cumulative points system so if would makes sense that he would get passed but the system is messed up when the guys winning majors aren’t the ones doing the passing. Paddy Harrington or Phil Mickelson have both won majors in the last few years and have a much stronger case to hold the number one ranking. Sorry Sergio the only title you should hold is the best player not to win a major.

JD is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at jdthesportsguy@gmail.com

Why I Love My DIRECTV: Dwayne Wade for MVP

Yesterday I was at home watching DIRECTV, and for the first time, I changed it to the Sports Mix channel. This channel shows 8 sports channels simultaneously. I initially was watching some of the NCAA conference championship games, but I noticed NBA TV was showing the Chicago Bulls at the Miami Heat and the game was in the 2nd OT. I watched live as Dwayne Wade made this steal and 3-pointer at the buzzer to win the game. (The look on Brad Miller's face at the :19 second mark is priceless!)

There is no question that D-Wade deserves to be mentioned in the league MVP race with Lebron and Kobe. It is definitely a 3-man race.  His stat line is ridiculous, as he showed in this game by scoring 48 points, 6 rebs, 12 asts, 4 stls, and 3 blks.  As of today, he is also leads the league in scoring (29.7 points).  The only issue preventing D-Wade from garnering more attention for MVP consideration is that the Heat are 5th place in the East, whereas, the Cavs and the Lakers are in 1st place in the East and West, respectively.  It will get VERY INTERESTING down the stretch, as he continues to torch the competition.

DC is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted atdcthesportsguy@gmail.com

Johnson's Quick Hits

* Why can’t Marcos Ambrose catch a break, all he did was try to retrieve a tire before it actually got on the race track at the Kobalt Tools 500. Ambrose threw caution to the wind when he saw the tire about to enter the course in which cars are going 200 mph. For his heroic actions he was suspended for the rest of the day, and further penalties could be forthcoming.

* Speaking of getting needing a break, what about Dan Leone? Oh you do not know who Dan Leone is, well let me spare you the need to Google him. Dan Leone was fired from his job for merely posting on his Facebook page "Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver ... Dam Eagles R Retarted!!” I bet you want to know why this is such a big deal. Well the problem is that Dan is a west gate chief for the Eagles.

* How is David Beckham getting out of his contract with the L.A. Galaxy to go play the majority of the time with A.C. Milan? If he were an NBA player, he would be getting killed by the Media; he would be called a spoiled American. This is why soccer is a joke in the U.S.A. The management of the professional soccer teams is so weak in the U.S. , that they let a player under contract dictate terms of his involvement in the league.

* How does Davidson almost make the Final Four last year and this year get bounced in their conference semifinal game? Well at least they can say hello to the N.I.T. or the Not Invited Tournament. Was I wrong about Stephen Curry being a beast? No he can shoot the blood out of the ball!

* Finally someone nationally agrees with me that the Detroit Lions should not take Matt Stafford with the number one overall pick in April’s NFL Draft. This is what Mike Mayock had to say on a Detroit radio station on Monday evening
“2009 will be an average draft class without much star power in the top 10”. Mayock stated that the draft is deep at outside linebacker and tight end but weak at guard and inside linebacker. He later discussed the last 11 underclassmen quarterbacks to be drafted in the first round, only two have been successful - Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rogers. Mayock discussed the failures of quarterbacks like Heath Shuler, Ryan Leaf, and, Alex Smith.
Mayock said the same thing that I have in the past, which is that if the Lions miss on a quarterback with the first pick, "they won't recover for five years.''

Terrell Owens to the Bills

While I have never been a T.O. supporter I think this may be the best fit he could have found. First the good, he is not a criminal as much as the media tries to paint him in that corner and constantly places him along side of criminals. He has never had a brush with the law. He is very productive. Ten or more TDs the last three years. No other wide receiver can say that. Offense is all about putting points on the scoreboard and he does that. He is a winner and wants the ball in big situations. He always blocks down field. Now for the bad. He wants the ball all the time even if other options are better. He wants to win but it has to be because of him. He has to be the star. He drops the ball. As his speed and skills diminish this will become even a bigger problem. He creates a media circus, fair or not fair as some of my colleagues suggest. Now here is why I think this is the best fit for him and a good gamble for the Bills. Buffalo has not scared anyone on offense for years. Now with Lee Evans and T.O. going deep it will be pick your poison. Marshawn Lynch is having some troubles with the law but this will benefit him and give him running room for the first time since he got there. It will also take the media heat off him since T.O. will get almost all the coverage now. Trent Edwards is now on the hot seat. How will he and T.O. coexist and will he stand up to him? I think he will feed him the ball as much as he can because he wants big numbers and so does T.O.. Now for the city of Buffalo. It is a small market and more of a college town than any other place T.O. has been. This should help the team and him. Less media and more of a get behind you attitude from the fans. The team has been on the verge of the playoffs and he could help them get over the hump he will get all the credit and that is really what he wants. It is also only a one year deal so if it doesn’t work out you have not really lost anything. Can’t use popcorn again so get your Buffalo Wings ready.

JD is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at jdthesportsguy@gmail.com