One of my facebook buddies posted " I wish Lebron would just come out and say he's going to play for The Browns. That was funny. However as my July 8th night progressed to about 8:20 CST things weren't so funny. Lebron announced his decision to leave Cleveland for the beaches of Miami. In doing so he sets the the third piece of a NBA dynasty in place as Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade both agreed earlier in the week to play for the Heat as well.
Looking back on my earlier post I figured this sort of scenario would play out, but I didn't think James would be willing to leave Cleveland. But after his announcement the owner of the CAVS has come out of the closet for being a complete asshole now its not so hard to believe. Where was this guy all year? If I knew the best player that we will ever have or see in a CAVS uniform may be leaving after the season he certainly should of tried more things to make himself visible and have a bigger impact on the outcome.But at the same time at least he is not holding his tongue and to be honest the things he said about Lebron giving up in the playoffs is true I was saying the same thing around the office the day after each loss in the series against the Celtics it seemed as if Lebron hadn't cared enough. THATS SAD. What's even sadder is that he did it to get an out to Miami, and the saddest of all.....the Heat will not win a championship right away. Unlike the Celtics who built their alive and well dynasty with experienced pieces and young up and comers in the background, the Heat have a big three but nothing to fill in the gaps...one injury away from being a 2nd round playoff team....a few veterans short of being a finals team...and a whole team of Lakers away from a championship....The Lakers are reloading quietly to make a run at a fourth straight NBA finals appearance..something Michael nor Magic ever accomplished...point being the real KING of the NBA has for some time and will remain to be Kobe Bryant...he along with his teammates have run the competition out of town..the free agent bonanza that has consumed the average basketball fans attention over the last month because of the self proclamied KINGS decision has taken eyes off the obvious. The Eastern Conference is now stacked....The Eastern teams will be battling it out while the Champs will walk through the West and be ready for any survivor of the battle of the East....and I hope with everything I have in me that the NBA finally gets their KOBE vs Lebron matchup....it would be very fitting if Kobe and the boys beat up on the NEW HEAT...and I hope they bring Shaq back to the HEat with em. Had LEbron gone to the Bulls he would have a chance with the Heat he will be waiting for more help to get his crown. For now it still sets in the West.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
My transformers
My take on what transformers shoulda been
TF OUTLINE
The origins……The Fallen betrayed the other 12 primes in a grand battle with his first minion Megatron whom the Fallen created to be the General over the Decepticon Army. While the Primes were dedicated to serving and worshipping the cube, and taught from the knowledge of the cube to respect all forms of life the Fallen wanted the cube for his own purposes of ruling the galaxy leading to the beginning of the war. The Primes on the verge of defeat used the cube to give birth to the Auto bot race and that of Optimus Prime to stand for peace and justice on Cybertron. The Primes had taken all their knowledge and a piece of each of the original 12’s spark and placed it in a gold shielded capsule called matrix of leadership, and sacrificed themselves to hide the cube on planet earth far out of the reach of The Fallen. Without the cube the Fallen couldn’t fully recover from the battle with the Primes and entered a state of stasis and leaving the rule of the Decepticons to his first disciple Megatron. During the 1000 th year of the war the Autobot Nation had dwindled down to the last survivors which made up Optimus Primes army. Megatron sent out hundreds of scouting drones throughout the galaxy with no results unitl finally his number 2 in command and lead communications expert Soundwave discovered technology on a unknown planet millions of galaxies away from Cybertron called earth. Without notifying the rest of his horde Megatron set out to capture the cube and destroy anything in his path. Starscream the leading soldier in the decepticon army being determined to one day rule cybertron, disabled Megatron atmospheric defenses and communication unknowingly to Megatron causing him to crash into the Northern hemisphere of the Earth and been buried under millions of years of ice undectatable to the rest of the decepticons. Soundwave and Starscream now rule the decepticons in two separate factions with Starscream having control of the army and Soundwave leading in Communication, transport and leading the search for Megatron and the All-Spark. Soundwave has been relentlessly searching all the planets in the galaxy for Megastron for hundreds of years, while deploying a team of decepticons to earth to search , no traces of MEgatron have been found to date, but the Decepticons have been secretly developing the planet earth and the technology here to one day take over this planet as their new home and use the natural resources as a replacement of energy for the All-Spark. Earth’s temperature slowing increasing over the years have melted away at the icy tomb where Megatron rests and Soundwave has finally located Megatron and has sent word back to Starscream of the discovery. Soundwave now has deployed a battalion of his decepticon spies to retrieve Megatron and determine the location of the All-Spark.
The Auto bots using their own spy intercepted the transmissions from Soundwave have arrived on earth to stop Soundwave from freeing Megatron and recover the cube to rebuild the Auotbot nation and over take the control of the decepticons on Cybertron.
TF OUTLINE
The origins……The Fallen betrayed the other 12 primes in a grand battle with his first minion Megatron whom the Fallen created to be the General over the Decepticon Army. While the Primes were dedicated to serving and worshipping the cube, and taught from the knowledge of the cube to respect all forms of life the Fallen wanted the cube for his own purposes of ruling the galaxy leading to the beginning of the war. The Primes on the verge of defeat used the cube to give birth to the Auto bot race and that of Optimus Prime to stand for peace and justice on Cybertron. The Primes had taken all their knowledge and a piece of each of the original 12’s spark and placed it in a gold shielded capsule called matrix of leadership, and sacrificed themselves to hide the cube on planet earth far out of the reach of The Fallen. Without the cube the Fallen couldn’t fully recover from the battle with the Primes and entered a state of stasis and leaving the rule of the Decepticons to his first disciple Megatron. During the 1000 th year of the war the Autobot Nation had dwindled down to the last survivors which made up Optimus Primes army. Megatron sent out hundreds of scouting drones throughout the galaxy with no results unitl finally his number 2 in command and lead communications expert Soundwave discovered technology on a unknown planet millions of galaxies away from Cybertron called earth. Without notifying the rest of his horde Megatron set out to capture the cube and destroy anything in his path. Starscream the leading soldier in the decepticon army being determined to one day rule cybertron, disabled Megatron atmospheric defenses and communication unknowingly to Megatron causing him to crash into the Northern hemisphere of the Earth and been buried under millions of years of ice undectatable to the rest of the decepticons. Soundwave and Starscream now rule the decepticons in two separate factions with Starscream having control of the army and Soundwave leading in Communication, transport and leading the search for Megatron and the All-Spark. Soundwave has been relentlessly searching all the planets in the galaxy for Megastron for hundreds of years, while deploying a team of decepticons to earth to search , no traces of MEgatron have been found to date, but the Decepticons have been secretly developing the planet earth and the technology here to one day take over this planet as their new home and use the natural resources as a replacement of energy for the All-Spark. Earth’s temperature slowing increasing over the years have melted away at the icy tomb where Megatron rests and Soundwave has finally located Megatron and has sent word back to Starscream of the discovery. Soundwave now has deployed a battalion of his decepticon spies to retrieve Megatron and determine the location of the All-Spark.
The Auto bots using their own spy intercepted the transmissions from Soundwave have arrived on earth to stop Soundwave from freeing Megatron and recover the cube to rebuild the Auotbot nation and over take the control of the decepticons on Cybertron.
My Batman 3 story....
I am a strong supporter in the fact that if this is a trilogy then tie all three movies together, and not just based off the main character in this case Batman.
The opening scene: a back story on Ras Al Ghul and The League of Shadows. Ras before finding Wayne had previously attempted a similar recruitment of someone with a very similar upbringing as Bruce Wayne but he failed, and instead of creating a hero he created a cunning, vicious, and untraceable villain………
Batman 3-The Dark Victory
Bruce will struggle hard with the consequences of being Batman and will vow to give up, he must first replace Harvey Dent himself or find someone that can do it and support them both as Wayne and as Batman. Batman has become something of a loner, distancing himself from Gordon and anyone else who might also have their lives torn apart like Dent did. Bruce Wayne’s struggle in TDK was to support Harvey and have him take over as the crime fighter of Gotham so he could let go of Batman, in this movie he will find out how much he and Gotham need Batman. In the beginning, Bruce begins to shift more of his focus on cleaning up Gotham from a humanitarian angle using Wayne Enterprises and his wealth to fight the good fight in the public.(Similar to his father Thomas Wayne) Things take a turn for the worse when Wayne Enterprises is accused of violating labor laws and economic scandal. Bruce will have the fight of his life as he is challenged as both Batman and Bruce Wayne by Roman Sionis. This is the Black Mask an older man , rich, a rogue member of the league of shadows and his False Face Society a ruthless gang of disfigured members who have all been tortured and brainwashed. Black Mask's most important weapons are fear and intimidation. He is known for his brutal and sadistic torture techniques, especially on the face. Black Mask also uses his connections to gather information on his enemies, and then hits them at their weak points, such as family and friends. He was the crime lord of Gotham city for many years as an undercover businessman and was the original target of Ras al Ghul., Following Joker’s lead, the costume villains band together to go to war with the mob, the police and the Batman, trying to stake their claim as Gotham’s new criminal fraternity. Meanwhile, in Gotham City, the final remnants of the Falcone/Maroni crime families huddle together to defend their shrinking empire against the wave of “costumes” that have invaded Gotham’s underworld. The Black Mask uses to his advantage the fact the Batman is now public enemy number one and the suspect of the murders committed in the Dark Knight. Reese, The employee from TDK who found blueprints for Tumbler (BATMOBILE) is found murdered, and Batman is framed, thought to be trying to protect his identity. This leads to an even greater pressure from the city for Gordon to capture Batman.
A new and mysterious female assistant D.A. emerges Talia Head and sparks the interest of Bruce Wayne and the public, she is secretly Talia al Ghul REMEMBER RAS LINE FROM BEGINS WHERE HE SAID THE LEAGUE HAD INFILTRATED EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT IN GOTHAM. She is a complex character, not quite heroine nor villainess but more of an anti-hero. Talia has brought a team of the remaining League of Shadows Warriors to Gotham City to hunt down the Batman and force him to join them or pay for her father’s death.
The Joker (in the eyes of Roman Sionis) was simply a pawn used to move in on the Falconne family, unseen in TDK was The Black Mask meeting secretly with the Joker unknown to Sal Maroni. After the Joker’s capture Black Mask recants on his offer to the Joker and plans his assassination while in Arkham. He sees the Joker’s purpose was served as he drove the Batman from hero to vigilante in the general public (WHO LET THE DOG OFF THE LEASH), and left the structure of the Mob weakened for his take over. The Black Mask is secretly also a wealthy business man and has the pull to push around Bruce Wayne and also fabricate documents and information. His Intel is unparalleled, he nearly completes a hostile takeover of Wayne Enterprises, and he is a master criminal strategist with vast amount of resources. The Black Mask and his gang of disfigured costume freaks infiltrate Wayne Enterprises and in an attempt to take over the building murders Lucious Fox who he sees as the brains of the executive board, framing Batman again in the process. Behind the near hostile takeover of Wayne Enterprises and death of Lucious Fox, Batman goes full fledged vigilante. Still wanted by the police and the mayor Batman takes the fight right at Black Mask using every resource he has left to topple the newly crowned king of the mob.
Gordon discovers he must find a way to get info out of the Joker, while in Arkham he is receiving treatment from a new doctor Dr. Harleen Quinzel who turns out to be an operative of the Black Mask. The Black Mask is determined to kill the Joker to conceal his identity but the operative does a double cross, and frees the Joker. He then kidnaps Commissioner Gordon and taunts him with enlarged photographs of his wounded (family member), in an attempt to prove that any normal man can go insane after having "one really bad day." The Joker ridicules him as an example of "the average man," a naïve weakling doomed to insanity. Again giving an explanation of the scars on his face to Gordon with a knife pressed to the inside of the Commissioner’s mouth "something like that happened to me you know...I'm not quite sure what it was. Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another. If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!" The Joker knowing the true identity of Black Mask and his intent on taking over Wayne Enterprises destroys the Wayne tower to announce to Gotham that he is again free and that terror has returned to Gotham while using his influence over the false face society to take down what’s left of the Falconne/Maroni family and overturn the Gotham Police Department and create “CHAOS” in the streets of Gotham with no rules and no laws.
Batman has to stop the Joker while struggling with the conflict of continuing his life as both Batman and Bruce Wayne or accepting the offer from Talia who is determined to have Bruce lead The League of Shadows. In order to stop the Joker and his gang of freaks he agrees to lead the League of Shadows temporarily. The Black Mask, who escaped Wayne tower before its destruction is now scarred from the explosion with the Mask now seared to his skull. And through the attack on Wayne Enterprises discovered who the Batman is and pieces together his ties to the League of shadows. The battle wipes out most of the League of shadows warriors as well as the false face society and has paid a heavy toll on the city of Gotham.
The climax: Would be Black mask Attempting to assassinate Batman however Talia ends up stepping in front of the bullet as her heart has changed after she has witnessed all the destruction caused by her own fathers hand and that of their followers.
Amidst the Chaos created by the battle between the two factions Joker and Harley Quinn escape with their whereabouts unknown to Batman.
By the end of the movie the citizens of Gotham realize that Batman is the only one who can level the playing field against the powers of the criminally insane and the corrupt powers in Gotham City. Batman realizes in order to finally win the battle for Gotham City he needs more help than that of the Gotham City Police Department and Commissioner Gordon.
The opening scene: a back story on Ras Al Ghul and The League of Shadows. Ras before finding Wayne had previously attempted a similar recruitment of someone with a very similar upbringing as Bruce Wayne but he failed, and instead of creating a hero he created a cunning, vicious, and untraceable villain………
Batman 3-The Dark Victory
Bruce will struggle hard with the consequences of being Batman and will vow to give up, he must first replace Harvey Dent himself or find someone that can do it and support them both as Wayne and as Batman. Batman has become something of a loner, distancing himself from Gordon and anyone else who might also have their lives torn apart like Dent did. Bruce Wayne’s struggle in TDK was to support Harvey and have him take over as the crime fighter of Gotham so he could let go of Batman, in this movie he will find out how much he and Gotham need Batman. In the beginning, Bruce begins to shift more of his focus on cleaning up Gotham from a humanitarian angle using Wayne Enterprises and his wealth to fight the good fight in the public.(Similar to his father Thomas Wayne) Things take a turn for the worse when Wayne Enterprises is accused of violating labor laws and economic scandal. Bruce will have the fight of his life as he is challenged as both Batman and Bruce Wayne by Roman Sionis. This is the Black Mask an older man , rich, a rogue member of the league of shadows and his False Face Society a ruthless gang of disfigured members who have all been tortured and brainwashed. Black Mask's most important weapons are fear and intimidation. He is known for his brutal and sadistic torture techniques, especially on the face. Black Mask also uses his connections to gather information on his enemies, and then hits them at their weak points, such as family and friends. He was the crime lord of Gotham city for many years as an undercover businessman and was the original target of Ras al Ghul., Following Joker’s lead, the costume villains band together to go to war with the mob, the police and the Batman, trying to stake their claim as Gotham’s new criminal fraternity. Meanwhile, in Gotham City, the final remnants of the Falcone/Maroni crime families huddle together to defend their shrinking empire against the wave of “costumes” that have invaded Gotham’s underworld. The Black Mask uses to his advantage the fact the Batman is now public enemy number one and the suspect of the murders committed in the Dark Knight. Reese, The employee from TDK who found blueprints for Tumbler (BATMOBILE) is found murdered, and Batman is framed, thought to be trying to protect his identity. This leads to an even greater pressure from the city for Gordon to capture Batman.
A new and mysterious female assistant D.A. emerges Talia Head and sparks the interest of Bruce Wayne and the public, she is secretly Talia al Ghul REMEMBER RAS LINE FROM BEGINS WHERE HE SAID THE LEAGUE HAD INFILTRATED EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT IN GOTHAM. She is a complex character, not quite heroine nor villainess but more of an anti-hero. Talia has brought a team of the remaining League of Shadows Warriors to Gotham City to hunt down the Batman and force him to join them or pay for her father’s death.
The Joker (in the eyes of Roman Sionis) was simply a pawn used to move in on the Falconne family, unseen in TDK was The Black Mask meeting secretly with the Joker unknown to Sal Maroni. After the Joker’s capture Black Mask recants on his offer to the Joker and plans his assassination while in Arkham. He sees the Joker’s purpose was served as he drove the Batman from hero to vigilante in the general public (WHO LET THE DOG OFF THE LEASH), and left the structure of the Mob weakened for his take over. The Black Mask is secretly also a wealthy business man and has the pull to push around Bruce Wayne and also fabricate documents and information. His Intel is unparalleled, he nearly completes a hostile takeover of Wayne Enterprises, and he is a master criminal strategist with vast amount of resources. The Black Mask and his gang of disfigured costume freaks infiltrate Wayne Enterprises and in an attempt to take over the building murders Lucious Fox who he sees as the brains of the executive board, framing Batman again in the process. Behind the near hostile takeover of Wayne Enterprises and death of Lucious Fox, Batman goes full fledged vigilante. Still wanted by the police and the mayor Batman takes the fight right at Black Mask using every resource he has left to topple the newly crowned king of the mob.
Gordon discovers he must find a way to get info out of the Joker, while in Arkham he is receiving treatment from a new doctor Dr. Harleen Quinzel who turns out to be an operative of the Black Mask. The Black Mask is determined to kill the Joker to conceal his identity but the operative does a double cross, and frees the Joker. He then kidnaps Commissioner Gordon and taunts him with enlarged photographs of his wounded (family member), in an attempt to prove that any normal man can go insane after having "one really bad day." The Joker ridicules him as an example of "the average man," a naïve weakling doomed to insanity. Again giving an explanation of the scars on his face to Gordon with a knife pressed to the inside of the Commissioner’s mouth "something like that happened to me you know...I'm not quite sure what it was. Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another. If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!" The Joker knowing the true identity of Black Mask and his intent on taking over Wayne Enterprises destroys the Wayne tower to announce to Gotham that he is again free and that terror has returned to Gotham while using his influence over the false face society to take down what’s left of the Falconne/Maroni family and overturn the Gotham Police Department and create “CHAOS” in the streets of Gotham with no rules and no laws.
Batman has to stop the Joker while struggling with the conflict of continuing his life as both Batman and Bruce Wayne or accepting the offer from Talia who is determined to have Bruce lead The League of Shadows. In order to stop the Joker and his gang of freaks he agrees to lead the League of Shadows temporarily. The Black Mask, who escaped Wayne tower before its destruction is now scarred from the explosion with the Mask now seared to his skull. And through the attack on Wayne Enterprises discovered who the Batman is and pieces together his ties to the League of shadows. The battle wipes out most of the League of shadows warriors as well as the false face society and has paid a heavy toll on the city of Gotham.
The climax: Would be Black mask Attempting to assassinate Batman however Talia ends up stepping in front of the bullet as her heart has changed after she has witnessed all the destruction caused by her own fathers hand and that of their followers.
Amidst the Chaos created by the battle between the two factions Joker and Harley Quinn escape with their whereabouts unknown to Batman.
By the end of the movie the citizens of Gotham realize that Batman is the only one who can level the playing field against the powers of the criminally insane and the corrupt powers in Gotham City. Batman realizes in order to finally win the battle for Gotham City he needs more help than that of the Gotham City Police Department and Commissioner Gordon.
NFL Preview
A look at the AFC before training camp.
AFC North
I start in this division because Im a huge Steeler fan. So that’s where I begin. Realistically the Steelers have good things to look forward to but that’s all overshadowed by Ben’s trouble. First off the Steelers had an usually active off season by signing a number of free agents. What makes it even stranger is that a number of the players have already played with the Steelers. However in this case weird isn’t a bad thing. They welcomed back Larry Foote, due to the age of James Farrior, and the underwhelming play of first round choice Lawrence Timmons, this looks to be a great addition. Foote already knows D-Coordinator Dick Lebeau’s scheme, so he can immediately come in and contribute. Keyarion Fox had a great game against Minnesota last year but this is a big addition, and Foote is welcomed back with open arms. Bryant MCfadden wasn’t a free agent signing, but was basically swapped out for a troubled Santonio Holmes , who was going to request a big contract, this is another victory for the Steelers. McFadden knows the system and can fit in right away, if he is healthy he should start and be better than Willie Gay. Essentially giving the Steelers the same defense it had during the Super Bowl win in 2009. Also they added safety Will Allen to replace back up Tyrone Carter. Carter was not a good player, Allen should be an upgrade here. The drafting of two young outside linebackers provided depth to those positions and an insurance policy should the Steelers not be able to resign Lamarr Woodley, who is a superstar in the making. Expect Woodley and James Harrison to play big this year (really big) I would predict the combo to combine for close to 30+ sacks. Adding Antwan Randle EL takes a little off the sting of losing Holmes. Randle El can play the slot while soon to be sensation Mike Wallace moves into the spot vacated by the departed Holmes. Byron Leftwich will need to play on a high caliber going into the season as the starter, but he does have experience as a starter and played well for the Steelers a couple seasons ago when asked to step in. Pittsburgh will need to have great coaching to make it to the playoffs, and it will not be an easy route however the defense will be the leaders this year again as opposed to the offense which led the team to an early off season last year.
Baltimore on paper should be considered a favorite to win the SuperBowl. The have a gifted superstar QB in Flacco and a durable wrecking ball RB in Ray Rice. Add to that A Great o-line flanked by Michael Oher and the addition of physical WR Anquan Boldin and plain and simple the Ravens offense is stacked. The problem is like the Pittsburgh Steelers last year this franchise is known for being led by its stellar defense. Even with the good draft picks of Sergio Kindle and terrence Cody the defense is old. The age may become an issue to watch out for.
The Bengals haven’t made many moves but have solid offensive unit with Cedric Benson playing like an animal. The usual suspects will return to form including Carson palmer, Chad Ochocinco, and additions like Antonio Bryant and Rookie TE Jermaine Grisham. If the Bengals can get last year’s first round pick LT Andre Smith to play up to potential than the Bengals offense can be great. The defense needs a big year from the linebacker duo of Ray Malaluga and Keith Rivers and need Antoine Odom to return from injury at the same level he was before the injury, that’s a tuff task but the Bengals should be able to avoid being dubbed the Bunguls again this year.
The Cleveland Browns fans can slowly start to be optimistic about the direction of the team with Mike Holmgren and Eric Mangini in control. Holmgren has winning history and has begun the process of turning things around. However the process will be a hard one. Don’t expect the Browns to win more than 6-7 games but they have some good RB talent, a franchise Left tackle, and a greatly improved secondaty unit. I don’t think Jake Delhome can offer much at QB that the departed Quinn / Anderson combo couldn’t. But weirder things have happened.
THE AFC EAST
Got to start with the Jets. They have made enough moves to put themselves in discussions as a preseason SB favorite. Experience isn’t on their side so they went out their way to get some on the roster and that should be a big addition think Tomlinson , Holmes and Taylor. They have a ferocious defense with maybe the best defensive player in the league in Darrelle (Pitt Panther ) Revis and a breakout year by Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene could mean sky is the limit for the J.E.T.S.
The New England Patriots have seemed to have hit a wall since the scandal broke over the Tapes. And it’s getting no easier. Yes they have a smart coach but every year it seems like an assistant or exec that was around when they were winning gets plucked away eventually that has to play a factor on things right? New England hasn’t made any splash moves to put themselves in a better position than last year and somehow they have to figure out how to resign Vince Wilfork and Tom Brady. OUCH….karma is a mother isn’t it? And Randy Moss has already gone public and stated money is not something New England is throwing his way. Expect the decline of the Patriots to continue.
And contributing to that decline…aaahhhh no dish is better served cold than revenge. IRONY at its best is the fact that the BIG TUNA is calling shots for the Miami Dolphins. And he’s been masterful in turning this team into what I can call a 2010 Super Bowl sleeper. The offense has been good now for the past few years just not consistent, but with Chad Henne now promoted to full time starter before the season that can change. They still have one of the best backfield duos in the league and arguably one of the best linemen in the league, add to that one of the best wide receivers. The Tuna is doing work. The defense needs some (work) but they added Karlos Dansby and second year corner Vontae Davis is going to be a shut down type of guy. If they can produce a pass rush from somewhere and good d-line play Miami can play with anyone.
The Bills lost Josh Reed and T.O. Marshawn Lynch wants out and the offensive line is …well offensive. They drafted CJ Spiller instead of a tackle which shows me this team is not thinking correctly. No question the Bills finish last in this division and probably last in the entire league. Maybe they can draft a QB in the 2011 draft?
The AFC SOUTH
The Colts are consistent, and they draft well. Hmmm funny how that works. And as long as you have the best Football player on the planet calling snaps …well that always helps more. Again the Colts are a contender and Peyton has a reason to come into this season with a chip on his shoulder after blowing a chance to lead the Colts to another ring. There’s been a lot of talk in the media that Manning isn’t clutch in the playoffs, so this may be time for him to show it.
The Titans have the best running back in the league; they have a QB who played the best college bowl game ever seen and an up and coming receiving corps. Problem is they keep losing good defensive players.(Haynesworth, Bulluck, Vandenbosch) That’s worse when you’re in a division with the Colts, and an up and coming Houston team.
Speaking of Houston …The Texans have a stout young defense with players like Mario Williams and Brian Cushing…yes Mr. Cushing will miss a few games but Houston is on the cusp of being a decent team…the loss of Dunta Robinson will be heavy but if the offense can continue to thrive behind Matt Schaub then that may take the sting out some. The running game on this team needs to improve and the most important thing for this franchises future would be to do the right thing and give Andre Johnson a new contract. This team should be a serious wild-card contender. The key word being should.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have issues and David Gerard is not the answer nor will he be able to figure them out. However Jax is still not a horrible team. They will need to stick to the old school philosophy of playing good defense and running the ball well. They have a talented running back who can provide some of that equation and picked up Aaron Kampmann to go back to his original position where he was once a pro bowler. They are a lot of questions about how this team will look. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say they finish last in the division.
AFC WEST
Well……this is the surprise division of the AFC….yes I said it….The Broncos started out 6-0 last season then they fell apart….they turned problems into promise by shipping out Brandon Marshall and taking a great young receiver and a great young leader in his place I give them an A++ for the deal. The problem is they did little to improve on their defense which played well for the first 7 weeks of the season. They don’t yet have a guaranteed solution at QB but they do have choices. Knowshon Moreno may be ready to break out with a big season behind Denvers talented line, if the defense holds up for 16 games then Denver can compete for the division.
The Raiders will surprise people this year and win baby…Gone is the bomb that was Russell and in is Jason Campbell and before you Raiders fans say it yes Grakowski is still there too. The biggest addition will be Rolondo McClain who may turn into one of the best ILB in the league rapidly. So all around the Raiders have improved, don’t be surprised to see them in games all year. A lot will boil down to how well they can run the ball and if they don’t run it well, and things continue along the pattern started this off season then look for The Raiders to dump their running backs and look to the draft to find their man.
The Chargers won the division last year because of a great passing attack led by the emergence of Philp Rivers and Vincent Jackson…well at this time only half of that tandem is happy with the organization. However san Diego still has a stellar offense. First round pick Ryan Matthews will be an upgrade over an older slower LT, and may make an immediate impact on the team. The defense lost Antonio Cromartie and Jammal Williams and that will have some impact. The Chargers will contend for a playoff spot just don’t expect them to run away with the division this year.
The Chiefs landed the best player in this yars draft and Eric Berry will have an immediate impact on this defense. The Chiefs have good leadership and have drafted well and I do believe those pieces will begin to come together this season. This team will need another 2 years or so before we see the potential of the last few drafts come to fruition and they could use a free agent or two on offense (T.O. anyone?) but this team will be competitive and should win more games than they did last season. Eric Berry will win defensive rookie of year award.
AFC North
I start in this division because Im a huge Steeler fan. So that’s where I begin. Realistically the Steelers have good things to look forward to but that’s all overshadowed by Ben’s trouble. First off the Steelers had an usually active off season by signing a number of free agents. What makes it even stranger is that a number of the players have already played with the Steelers. However in this case weird isn’t a bad thing. They welcomed back Larry Foote, due to the age of James Farrior, and the underwhelming play of first round choice Lawrence Timmons, this looks to be a great addition. Foote already knows D-Coordinator Dick Lebeau’s scheme, so he can immediately come in and contribute. Keyarion Fox had a great game against Minnesota last year but this is a big addition, and Foote is welcomed back with open arms. Bryant MCfadden wasn’t a free agent signing, but was basically swapped out for a troubled Santonio Holmes , who was going to request a big contract, this is another victory for the Steelers. McFadden knows the system and can fit in right away, if he is healthy he should start and be better than Willie Gay. Essentially giving the Steelers the same defense it had during the Super Bowl win in 2009. Also they added safety Will Allen to replace back up Tyrone Carter. Carter was not a good player, Allen should be an upgrade here. The drafting of two young outside linebackers provided depth to those positions and an insurance policy should the Steelers not be able to resign Lamarr Woodley, who is a superstar in the making. Expect Woodley and James Harrison to play big this year (really big) I would predict the combo to combine for close to 30+ sacks. Adding Antwan Randle EL takes a little off the sting of losing Holmes. Randle El can play the slot while soon to be sensation Mike Wallace moves into the spot vacated by the departed Holmes. Byron Leftwich will need to play on a high caliber going into the season as the starter, but he does have experience as a starter and played well for the Steelers a couple seasons ago when asked to step in. Pittsburgh will need to have great coaching to make it to the playoffs, and it will not be an easy route however the defense will be the leaders this year again as opposed to the offense which led the team to an early off season last year.
Baltimore on paper should be considered a favorite to win the SuperBowl. The have a gifted superstar QB in Flacco and a durable wrecking ball RB in Ray Rice. Add to that A Great o-line flanked by Michael Oher and the addition of physical WR Anquan Boldin and plain and simple the Ravens offense is stacked. The problem is like the Pittsburgh Steelers last year this franchise is known for being led by its stellar defense. Even with the good draft picks of Sergio Kindle and terrence Cody the defense is old. The age may become an issue to watch out for.
The Bengals haven’t made many moves but have solid offensive unit with Cedric Benson playing like an animal. The usual suspects will return to form including Carson palmer, Chad Ochocinco, and additions like Antonio Bryant and Rookie TE Jermaine Grisham. If the Bengals can get last year’s first round pick LT Andre Smith to play up to potential than the Bengals offense can be great. The defense needs a big year from the linebacker duo of Ray Malaluga and Keith Rivers and need Antoine Odom to return from injury at the same level he was before the injury, that’s a tuff task but the Bengals should be able to avoid being dubbed the Bunguls again this year.
The Cleveland Browns fans can slowly start to be optimistic about the direction of the team with Mike Holmgren and Eric Mangini in control. Holmgren has winning history and has begun the process of turning things around. However the process will be a hard one. Don’t expect the Browns to win more than 6-7 games but they have some good RB talent, a franchise Left tackle, and a greatly improved secondaty unit. I don’t think Jake Delhome can offer much at QB that the departed Quinn / Anderson combo couldn’t. But weirder things have happened.
THE AFC EAST
Got to start with the Jets. They have made enough moves to put themselves in discussions as a preseason SB favorite. Experience isn’t on their side so they went out their way to get some on the roster and that should be a big addition think Tomlinson , Holmes and Taylor. They have a ferocious defense with maybe the best defensive player in the league in Darrelle (Pitt Panther ) Revis and a breakout year by Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene could mean sky is the limit for the J.E.T.S.
The New England Patriots have seemed to have hit a wall since the scandal broke over the Tapes. And it’s getting no easier. Yes they have a smart coach but every year it seems like an assistant or exec that was around when they were winning gets plucked away eventually that has to play a factor on things right? New England hasn’t made any splash moves to put themselves in a better position than last year and somehow they have to figure out how to resign Vince Wilfork and Tom Brady. OUCH….karma is a mother isn’t it? And Randy Moss has already gone public and stated money is not something New England is throwing his way. Expect the decline of the Patriots to continue.
And contributing to that decline…aaahhhh no dish is better served cold than revenge. IRONY at its best is the fact that the BIG TUNA is calling shots for the Miami Dolphins. And he’s been masterful in turning this team into what I can call a 2010 Super Bowl sleeper. The offense has been good now for the past few years just not consistent, but with Chad Henne now promoted to full time starter before the season that can change. They still have one of the best backfield duos in the league and arguably one of the best linemen in the league, add to that one of the best wide receivers. The Tuna is doing work. The defense needs some (work) but they added Karlos Dansby and second year corner Vontae Davis is going to be a shut down type of guy. If they can produce a pass rush from somewhere and good d-line play Miami can play with anyone.
The Bills lost Josh Reed and T.O. Marshawn Lynch wants out and the offensive line is …well offensive. They drafted CJ Spiller instead of a tackle which shows me this team is not thinking correctly. No question the Bills finish last in this division and probably last in the entire league. Maybe they can draft a QB in the 2011 draft?
The AFC SOUTH
The Colts are consistent, and they draft well. Hmmm funny how that works. And as long as you have the best Football player on the planet calling snaps …well that always helps more. Again the Colts are a contender and Peyton has a reason to come into this season with a chip on his shoulder after blowing a chance to lead the Colts to another ring. There’s been a lot of talk in the media that Manning isn’t clutch in the playoffs, so this may be time for him to show it.
The Titans have the best running back in the league; they have a QB who played the best college bowl game ever seen and an up and coming receiving corps. Problem is they keep losing good defensive players.(Haynesworth, Bulluck, Vandenbosch) That’s worse when you’re in a division with the Colts, and an up and coming Houston team.
Speaking of Houston …The Texans have a stout young defense with players like Mario Williams and Brian Cushing…yes Mr. Cushing will miss a few games but Houston is on the cusp of being a decent team…the loss of Dunta Robinson will be heavy but if the offense can continue to thrive behind Matt Schaub then that may take the sting out some. The running game on this team needs to improve and the most important thing for this franchises future would be to do the right thing and give Andre Johnson a new contract. This team should be a serious wild-card contender. The key word being should.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have issues and David Gerard is not the answer nor will he be able to figure them out. However Jax is still not a horrible team. They will need to stick to the old school philosophy of playing good defense and running the ball well. They have a talented running back who can provide some of that equation and picked up Aaron Kampmann to go back to his original position where he was once a pro bowler. They are a lot of questions about how this team will look. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say they finish last in the division.
AFC WEST
Well……this is the surprise division of the AFC….yes I said it….The Broncos started out 6-0 last season then they fell apart….they turned problems into promise by shipping out Brandon Marshall and taking a great young receiver and a great young leader in his place I give them an A++ for the deal. The problem is they did little to improve on their defense which played well for the first 7 weeks of the season. They don’t yet have a guaranteed solution at QB but they do have choices. Knowshon Moreno may be ready to break out with a big season behind Denvers talented line, if the defense holds up for 16 games then Denver can compete for the division.
The Raiders will surprise people this year and win baby…Gone is the bomb that was Russell and in is Jason Campbell and before you Raiders fans say it yes Grakowski is still there too. The biggest addition will be Rolondo McClain who may turn into one of the best ILB in the league rapidly. So all around the Raiders have improved, don’t be surprised to see them in games all year. A lot will boil down to how well they can run the ball and if they don’t run it well, and things continue along the pattern started this off season then look for The Raiders to dump their running backs and look to the draft to find their man.
The Chargers won the division last year because of a great passing attack led by the emergence of Philp Rivers and Vincent Jackson…well at this time only half of that tandem is happy with the organization. However san Diego still has a stellar offense. First round pick Ryan Matthews will be an upgrade over an older slower LT, and may make an immediate impact on the team. The defense lost Antonio Cromartie and Jammal Williams and that will have some impact. The Chargers will contend for a playoff spot just don’t expect them to run away with the division this year.
The Chiefs landed the best player in this yars draft and Eric Berry will have an immediate impact on this defense. The Chiefs have good leadership and have drafted well and I do believe those pieces will begin to come together this season. This team will need another 2 years or so before we see the potential of the last few drafts come to fruition and they could use a free agent or two on offense (T.O. anyone?) but this team will be competitive and should win more games than they did last season. Eric Berry will win defensive rookie of year award.
NBA Free Agency summer 2010
The third phase of the Laker Celtics rivalry was renewed over the last 3 years. Kevin Mchale and Danny Ainge former Celtic teammates pulled of an improbable trade of which Kevin Garnett was very deserving.Also Ainge wrangled Ray Allen out of Seattle and formed the first Super team of the new millennium. The Lakers followed that up by pulling one of their own when Jerry West then general manager of the Grizzlies and former Laker great gave Pau Gasol to the LA Lakers. Thus setting the stage for the rivalry reborn.Now 3 years later, 3 finals appearances later by the Lakers 2 rings and a split pair of finals the NBA is on the verge of courting in another super-team to join the Lakers and Celtics or replace one of them.
Lebron James will likely stay in Cleveland, how can he not it's his home, the reason why he hasn't resigned is clear. He is using his position as leverage to get another top tier talent to help him in his hunt to bring a title to Cleveland. This summer he will get the top level player. I believe it will be Chris Bosh who reminds me of Kevin Garnett about 6 years ago. Bosh will not stay in Toronto thats a given, and though some say he wants to go to LA, that seems a little far fetched.With Bosh in Cleveland, Lebron will be able to take on a bigger role as a guard, and with the rise in play of JJ Hickson and Antwan Jamison around for a whole season (of injuries) Cleveland will be greatly improved, and thats scary considering the had best record 2 yrs in a row. The NBA is a league of injustice though. (Lebron's 2 MVP's to Kobe's 1, Kobe's 5 rings to Barkley, Malone, Stockton, Ewing's' 0)I say this because I don't believe Lebron even with just Bosh alone signing can win a title. I think it will take 2 free agents just like it did for Pierce, for Lebron to get there.
Dwayne Wade may want in with Lebron, but he won't leave Miami, instead he will attract a pair of free agent to join him and Michael Beasley on what could become another super-team.In the east Michael Beasley can play the 3 spot. And D-Wade can get Carlos Boozer and Amare Stoudamire both to come to Miami. D-Wade knows the benefits of playing with quality big men. And to have a guy like Amare who can run the floor will bring forth the championship ability in Wade.
The Phoenix suns losing Stoudamire won't hurt when the have a young center in Brook Lopez emerging quickly. And best friends untied will be the theme. Dirk Nowitzki will join former teammate Steve Nash in Phoenix. Thus giving the Suns another chance to get back to the Western Finals. And will be the best team either player has been a part of yet. The Suns with Dirk, Nash, Richardson, Lopez and Grant Hill can contend.
The Chicago Bulls are kind of left as the odd team out in this scenario, but they will land Joe Johnson who gives them the outside threat to complement D.Rose. They will enough cap room to sign 2 more guys as well as they wont be max salary guys. David Lee is another who could join this movement. And then they could also bring back Tyson Chandler and/or Brad Miller to give them another big man.
As for the Lakers and Celtics.....well history has been great for these two teams and the last few years memorable to say the least but the league will go into another phase much like when Jordan started his run. Kobe will fight tooth and nails till the end with Pau by his side and may make one more run to a title.As for the Celtics they will continue to be a playoff team but with the rapid decline of Kevin Garnett so go the chances of Boston winning another championship unless they can reload with a young star Big man.
Lebron James will likely stay in Cleveland, how can he not it's his home, the reason why he hasn't resigned is clear. He is using his position as leverage to get another top tier talent to help him in his hunt to bring a title to Cleveland. This summer he will get the top level player. I believe it will be Chris Bosh who reminds me of Kevin Garnett about 6 years ago. Bosh will not stay in Toronto thats a given, and though some say he wants to go to LA, that seems a little far fetched.With Bosh in Cleveland, Lebron will be able to take on a bigger role as a guard, and with the rise in play of JJ Hickson and Antwan Jamison around for a whole season (of injuries) Cleveland will be greatly improved, and thats scary considering the had best record 2 yrs in a row. The NBA is a league of injustice though. (Lebron's 2 MVP's to Kobe's 1, Kobe's 5 rings to Barkley, Malone, Stockton, Ewing's' 0)I say this because I don't believe Lebron even with just Bosh alone signing can win a title. I think it will take 2 free agents just like it did for Pierce, for Lebron to get there.
Dwayne Wade may want in with Lebron, but he won't leave Miami, instead he will attract a pair of free agent to join him and Michael Beasley on what could become another super-team.In the east Michael Beasley can play the 3 spot. And D-Wade can get Carlos Boozer and Amare Stoudamire both to come to Miami. D-Wade knows the benefits of playing with quality big men. And to have a guy like Amare who can run the floor will bring forth the championship ability in Wade.
The Phoenix suns losing Stoudamire won't hurt when the have a young center in Brook Lopez emerging quickly. And best friends untied will be the theme. Dirk Nowitzki will join former teammate Steve Nash in Phoenix. Thus giving the Suns another chance to get back to the Western Finals. And will be the best team either player has been a part of yet. The Suns with Dirk, Nash, Richardson, Lopez and Grant Hill can contend.
The Chicago Bulls are kind of left as the odd team out in this scenario, but they will land Joe Johnson who gives them the outside threat to complement D.Rose. They will enough cap room to sign 2 more guys as well as they wont be max salary guys. David Lee is another who could join this movement. And then they could also bring back Tyson Chandler and/or Brad Miller to give them another big man.
As for the Lakers and Celtics.....well history has been great for these two teams and the last few years memorable to say the least but the league will go into another phase much like when Jordan started his run. Kobe will fight tooth and nails till the end with Pau by his side and may make one more run to a title.As for the Celtics they will continue to be a playoff team but with the rapid decline of Kevin Garnett so go the chances of Boston winning another championship unless they can reload with a young star Big man.
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