Food for Thought 4-24-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. If I were running the show in Minnesota, I would take Justin Blackmon (pictured above) at number three on Thursday.

By Josh Kramer

Number three is for me.  The NFL Draft is just about here (finally).  After all of the analysis, sports science, and insane amounts of minutia, Thursday night, it all goes down.  253 players will learn much more about their future over the course of the three day extravaganza when their name is called.  We have a semblance of idea how the first fifteen minutes will play out.

“With the first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select… Andrew Luck, quarterback, Stanford Cardinal.”

Followed by a huge smile and a very mild-mannered interview with Andrew Luck.

“With the second pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select…Robert Griffin III, quarterback, Baylor Bears.”

RGIII will be all smiles and of course we will get to see his goofy socks during the interview.

Then what happens?

The ball is in Minnesota’s court.  They have been on the clock for months in essence.  Everyone has known for well over two months now that Luck and Griffin would be the top two picks.  But who will go at number three?  Many have proclaimed Matt Kalil, from USC, as the guy.  Others are saying Morris Claiborne from LSU.  Some are even saying Justin Blackmon, the young clone of TO, out of Oklahoma State.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that Justin Blackmon is the Vikings man.

How I got to know Doc

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. 2008 was not the best of years for Carson Palmer (pictured above) and the Cincinnati Bengals.

By Josh Kramer

Now I want you all to think back to the Bengal days before Big Red and A.J. Green arrived at Paul Brown Stadium and took the city of Cincinnati by storm. A time where flashiness seemed to outweigh heart, and the name on the back of the jersey seemed more important than the name on the front.  It is October 26, 2008.  Ryan Fitzpatrick (alumnus of the same fine academic institution as Jeremy Lin) was filling in for an injured Carson Palmer.  Cincinnati has just lost for the third straight week by 20+ points.  On this particular day, the Who Deys took one on the head at Reliant Stadium to those pesky Houston Texans (sound familiar?).  Cincinnati now finds themselves 0 for 8 on the year and in the midst of another lost season.  People in Cincinnati are already done with NFL football, and their focus has shifted to college football and the upcoming college hoops season.  Any city that is fortunate enough to have a professional football team shouldn’t be finished with America’s most popular sport by the end of October. It just isn’t right.  It is a major problem.

I reached out to Paul a little more than three years ago on a whim in regards to a school project.  My group was tasked with discussing a major problem in Cincinnati.  So naturally, as Cincinnati sports fans, we chose the Bengals as our problem.

NFL Season 2012: Ranking the Remaining Playoff Teams

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Tom Brady (pictued above) has not won a playoff game in four years. Can he regain his postseason swagger against Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos?

By Wesley Kaminsky

The 2012 NFL playoffs are among us, and during Wild-Card Weekend, things started off with a bang. In case you missed it, here’s a quick recap of each game.

Game 1: Houston Texans 31, Cincinnati Bengals 10. If you had told me in the beginning of the season that rookie T.J. Yates would be hosting a playoff game against fellow rookie, Andy Dalton, I would have called you crazy. However, led by their strong defenses, both teams were able to find a way into the playoffs, with the Texans winning their first playoff game in franchise history. Arian Foster led the way for the Texans, rushing for 153 yards on 24 carries.

NFL Wild-Card Weekend

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Much of the talk regarding the Bengals/Texans matchup on Saturday has been centered on the rookie quarterbacks. The return of Andre Johnson (pictured above) may have a heavy impact on the outcome as well.

By Josh Kramer

It is finally the time that we have all been waiting for.  And no I am not referring to “Tebow Time,” though there is a possibility of some “Tebowing.”  America’s most popular sport is now down to the final 12.  By Sunday night, the field will be narrowed down to eight, as teams desperately try to book a trip to Indianapolis for the Super Bowl on February 5th.  What team will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy around 10:30PM on February 5th?

I know you have all been anxiously awaiting the final “TheSportsKraze Pick’em Challenge” results.  The final standings were as follows:

TSK:  172

CV3:  163

CB:  161

DC: 158

(TSK is the champion for a second consecutive year)

Let’s take a deeper look at the upcoming weekend.

Wild-Card Weekend:

Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans

The Word:  A game of firsts.  Houston is in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and Cincinnati has not won a postseason game since January 6th, of 1991.

Weekly Nickel 1-2-2012

Photo courtesy of sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Can Dirk Nowitzki (pictured above) get the Mavericks back on track this week?

By Josh Kramer

Happy New Year to all!  2011 has finally come to a close.  And boy was it a busy year in the wide world of sports.  In the words of the greatest rapper of our generation (Jay-Z), “On to the Next One.”  2012 will for sure be a memorable one with so much going on as we enter the first week.  Plus, the word CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) has officially become a foreign term again in that no major sports agreements are expiring in the near future.  Here are the events to keep an eye on this week.

5.  The Miami Heat finally appear to be the “Unstoppable Force” that many envisioned a year ago.  LeBron, Dwyane, and the “MonStars” are now 5 and 0 and straight cruising (they defeated the Bobcats by 39 yesterday).  It is so nice to have the NBA back.  What would SportsCenter be without a highlight featuring Blake Griffin and the newly formed “Lob City” on a nightly basis?  Though there are many great games this week, my eyes are fixed in on a showdown in San Antonio.

Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs:  Many of you are probably questioning my choice for the “NBA Game of the Week.”  Why would anyone in their right mind choose a game that features teams with a combined record of 4 and 4?  A matchup that pits the teams that occupy the cellar and the first place spot in the Southwest division?  Well its simple frankly.  This is the “Battle of Texas.”  The Mavericks and Spurs have been perennial contenders for some time now and are two teams commonly vying for the Western Conference Championship.

NFL Week 17 Predictions

Photo courtesy of Cincinnati.com. Can rookies Andy Dalton (left) and A.J. Green (right) lead Cincinnati to victory on Sunday which would result in a playoff berth?

By Josh Kramer

This is it folks.  After a very uncertain off-season, the 2011/2012 NFL season has lived up to all of the hype and more. Without question, it has been the “Year of the Quarterback,” defined by guys like Tebow, Rodgers, Brees, Newton, Brady, and more.  As is usually the case, there is still plenty to be determined in Week 17, with three playoff spots still available.  Plus the winner of the second annual “TheSportsKraze Pick’em Challenge” must be determined.   Grab your popcorn, because the season finale will be fun.

As has become the tradition, we are once again having “TheSportsKraze Pick’em Challenge.”

The participants this season are as follows:

TheSportsKraze (TSK) (defending champion)-Josh Kramer-Founder/Editor-In-Chief of “TheSportsKraze” and former ESPN intern.

CV3-Chad Vordenberge-An elite high school wide receiver and a very successful business owner.

CB-Craig Baker-A former collegiate baseball player and current special education teacher.

DC-David Clark-A dedicated sports fan who was coached by TheSportsKraze on his fraternity flag football team.  After playing for TheSportsKraze, he has developed a slow but steady motivation to show his coach who the real pick’em champion is.

After Week 16, here is the scoreboard.

CB-152

TSK-159

CV3-151

DC-148

Week 17 Slate:

Food for Thought 12-27-2011

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Kyle Orton (pictured above) has a chance at redemption on Sunday in Denver. Can he spoil the Broncos playoff chances?

By Josh Kramer

The NBA is back.  We are entering the final week of the NFL regular season.  And we are on the verge of some BCS football.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.  Here are the items that have caught my attention.

Orton’s day in the sun?

-How many of you have ever been fired from a job?  I am assuming the vast majority of you have.  And for those of you who have been let go from your job, how many of you have wanted the opportunity to extract some revenge?  The chance to outdo your former company on a sale.  Or something to that degree?  Well for Kyle Orton, he will get just that chance come next Sunday.  Orton will have the chance to hit his former employer (the Denver Broncos) where it hurts.

Weekly Nickel 12-12-2011

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Will Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino (pictured above) be all smiles next Saturday after Louisville hosts old Conference USA rival Memphis?

By Josh Kramer

Both number one and number two went down in college basketball.  Baylor claimed its first Heisman.  And the NL MVP was apparently taking some sort of illegal performance-enhancing drug (PED).  Last week was absolutely wild, but this week should be fun in its own right. Here are the events to keep an eye on this week.

5.  Bowl season is upon us.  We all were thoroughly impressed by Robert Griffin III on Saturday night in NYC.  The guys is truly a gentlemen and a phenomenal ambassador of the sport.  RGIII truly embodies what it means to be a student athlete.  But there is still more football to be played.  Bowl season gets underway on Saturday with a triple-header of games.  I am not sure any of these lackluster bowls will be of interest to you unless you are dedicated fan of one of the schools.  Here is the rundown though.

NFL Week 13 Predictions

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Ben Roethlisberger (pictured above) has made a career off of winning big games. How will he respond in a huge game at Heinz Field on Sunday against division rival Cincinnati?

By Josh Kramer

We have now reached the final quarter of the NFL season.  And there are a few things we know for sure.  The Colts are absolutely awful.  Green Bay is the team to beat.  And the “North” appears to be the elite division in both the AFC and NFC.  The Harbaughs may be the NFL’s power family now, but there are still many other key players as we enter the home stretch of the regular season.

As has become the tradition, we are once again having “TheSportsKraze Pick’em Challenge.”

The participants this season are as follows:

TheSportsKraze (TSK) (defending champion)-Josh Kramer-Founder/Editor-In-Chief of “TheSportsKraze” and former ESPN intern.

CV3-Chad Vordenberge-An elite high school wide receiver and a very successful business owner.

CB-Craig Baker-A former collegiate baseball player and current special education teacher.

DC-David Clark-A dedicated sports fan who was coached by TheSportsKraze on his fraternity flag football team.  After playing for TheSportsKraze, he has developed a slow but steady motivation to show his coach who the real pick’em champion is.

After Week 12, here is the scoreboard.

CB-111

TSK-118

CV3-109

DC-108

Week 13 Slate:

Food for Thought 11-15-2011

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Matt Leinart (pictured above) will start at quarterback on Sunday for the Houston Texans. Will he be able to demonstrate some of the amazing talent he showed in his college years?

By Josh Kramer

NCAA Basketball is back.  Football is out in full force.  And the MLB off-season activities are moving full force ahead.  There is so much to talk about in the wide world of sports.  Here is what has my attention.

Time Machine

-Where were you on the evening of January 4th, 2006?  If you were most Americans, you were glued to your television set watching one of the greatest National Championship Games of all time featuring two quarterbacks that were poised to become legends.  If you are still clueless to what game I am talking about, I will give you a hint.  The two quarterbacks went by the names of Leinart and Young.