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.

Super Bowl XLVI Preview

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Tom Brady (pictured above) was not a happy man four years ago as he exited the field following a loss in Super Bowl XLII. Do not expect the same outcome on Sunday.

By Josh Kramer

Coughlin vs. Belichick.  Manning (Eli) vs. Brady.  New York vs. Boston.  It does not get any better than the scenario that has been set up for Super Bowl XLVI.  There are millions of storylines floating around about America’s most anticipated sporting event of the year.  And 99.9% of the storylines will be moot come Sunday at 6:29PM, when the ball is kicked off in the “House that Peyton Built (Lucas Oil Stadium).”  Four years ago to the day, these two teams representing two of the biggest sports markets in the world met in Glendale, Arizona for rights to the Lombardi Trophy.  If Sunday’s rematch can be half as good as what America was able to witness four years ago, the game will be a memorable one.

For nearly two weeks, we have been well aware of the matchup on Sunday for football’s biggest prize.  And for two weeks, this game has been dissected and analyzed until I feel like there is nothing more to discuss.  It gets to the point every year where it is time to just play the game.  When the analysis and incite loses its luster.  I feel like we have hit that point.  Just like any big sporting event, this game will likely come down to one or two key plays.  Four years ago, “The Catch” was the play that in essence ended Brady, Moss, and New England’s remarkable attempt at football immortality.  Who will make the play this year that changes history?

Super Early College Football Top Five

Photo courtesy of Louisianasportstalk.com. Les Miles (pictured above) did not prepare his team the way he should have for the National Championship Game. Expect his LSU Tigers to walk away with the National Championship in January of 2013.

By Josh Kramer

The late-great basketball coach Skip Prosser once told me, “If you can’t be on time, be early.”  Well in this case, I am going to be super early.  The big game, which unfortunately did not end up being ”big” by any means, concluded the College Football season on Monday night.  And despite a very disappointing finish to what had been a magical season in Baton Rouge, good things are ahead for the Tigers.  Who really cares if the season just ended, Spring Ball is right around the corner as die-hard fans across the country pray their team will be “the” team in 2012 and early 2013.  Here is an early look ahead.

Top Five:

1.  LSU Tigers:  Do not let Monday’s game take away from what this team accomplished this past season.  Eight wins against ranked foes.  Five of those on the road.  Plus this team returns the majority of it’s vaunted defense, including the Honey Badger and Eric Reid.  In addition, find me a better stable of running backs.   LSU was the nation’s best team in 2011.  They just didn’t finish the job.  Also, next year, their schedule is much more favorable.  The Tide have to come to Baton Rouge and the non-conference slate is not exactly mind-boggling (N. Texas, Idaho, Washington, Towson).

Weekly Nickel 1-9-2012

Photo courtesy of sportsblame.com. Tim Tebow (pictured above) has once again taken over the sporting world. Nobody understands it, but the whole "Tebow Phenomenon" is quite entertaining.

By Josh Kramer

“Tebow Time” is back and bigger than ever.  The Twitter world and ESPN will be a Tebow fest for the next week as Tebow preps for Round 2 with Brady and the Patriots.  Sports are a funny thing.  But I have never been as perplexed as I am by the whole “Tebow Phenomenon.”  The whole thing seems ludicrous and almost fake, but it is real.  Though the sporting world will center its attention on Tim Tebow and the Broncos this week, there are plenty of other things going on.  Here are the events to keep an eye on.

National Championship Game Preview

Photo courtesy of al.com. No player has been more exciting this season than LSU's Tyrann Mathieu (pictured above). Will he lead his team to a National Championship on Monday night?

By Josh Kramer

Welcome to the thunder dome.  All eyes will be on the mythical “Superdome” come Monday night as the National (SEC) Championship game transpires.  SEC West rumble.  Old coach versus new coach.  Honey Badger versus Richardson.  “Game of the Century Part Deux.”  Grab your popcorn, because this game is poised to be far better than any movie.

The majority of the country tuned in to the “Game of the Century Part 1” back on November 5th.  And unfortunately, many were disappointed by Round 1 of the heavily hyped game (I was not).  Well have no fear, the points will be here on Monday night.  With a month to prepare, despite phenomenal defenses, the O’s will at least put up one touchdown apiece (no touchdowns on November 5th).

College Football Bowl Picks Week 4

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Can Collin Klein shock the world one more time and lead Kansas State to their 11th victory of the season?

By Josh Kramer

31 bowl games down. Four to go.  There is no denying that this bowl season has been one for the ages.  Once again I will pose what should be a familiar question to all of you who avidly read this blog.  Why is it called “Capital One Bowl Week?” The first bowl game (Gildan New Mexico Bowl) was played on December 17^th and the final hurrah will occur on Monday, January 9^th.  This by no means is a week, but more like a month.  But I digress.  So who else is satisfied with the BCS games thus far?  Two overtime thrillers and a record number of points at the “Grandaddy of Them All?”  I would say the vast majority of the matchups have lived up to all of the hype and more.  Hopefully “The Game of the Century” part deux won’t disappoint.

Kansas State vs Arkansas (AT&T COTTON BOWL)

-Razorbacks by 14

Headline:  Once again the Big 12 demonstrates its lack of defensive firepower, as another SEC team wins a major bowl game.

Food for Thought 12-6-2011

Photo courtesy of eye-on-baseball.blogs.cbssports.com. Jose Reyes (right) will join Hanley Ramirez (left) to round out the Miami Marlins left side of the infield.

By Josh Kramer

I am in a much better mood than I was last week at this time in regards to sports.  No new controversies.  The focus is on actual sports related actions on and off the field.  The way things are supposed to be.  It was a wild weekend though (in a good way).  Here are the items that have caught my attention.

A second “MonStars” in Miami?

Week 14 went out with a bang

Photo courtesy of sportsgooru.com. The video game finally ended for Case Keenum (pictured above) and the Houston Cougars in yesterday's Conference USA Title Game.

By Josh Kramer

The final weekend is also commonly referred to as ”Championship Weekend.”  Predominantly, the slate is full of conference championships and other games with heavy BCS implications.  Sadly, outside of the Big Ten Title Game in Indianapolis, most of the other games failed to live up to the hype. I know one thing for sure.  I am excited for bowl season.

Game over on the video game

-Yesterday’s Conference USA Title Game had much more BCS implications than normal.  With a victory, Houston would all but ensure a spot in a BCS Game.  The Cougars had simply been dominant all season long, heading into yesterday’s showdown with Southern Mississippi at 12 and 0.  On the year, Houston, led by their fearless quarterback had outscored their opponents an astonishing 632 to 251.  That is an average score of 53 to 21.  Granted, they had not played one ranked team all season long.  Well yesterday, Houston played a ranked foe, and their lack of experience showed.

College Football Week 14: This is it

Photo courtesy of thesportsbank.net. The Big Ten Championship Game is arguably the best matchup of the week. Can Russell Wilson (pictured above) help the Badgers exact revenge on a tough Michigan State team?

By Josh Kramer

At last it is time for the “official” final weekend of the College Football regular season.  Though we have learned a ton since the beginning of September, there are still plenty of questions in need of definitive answers.  These are as follows:

-Who will play in the BCS National Championship Game?

-Who will take home the prestigious Heisman Trophy Award?

-Where will all of the bowl bounds team be heading?

-When will the game of musical chairs in the College Football coaching world generate some solutions?

And I could go on and on..

Here are the marquee matchups.

UCLA at Oregon: Ducks by 31 (yes I expect them to beat the 30 point spread)

Weekly Nickel 11-28-2011

Photo courtesy of raleighdurham.about.com. Can North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams (pictured above) rally his team to a huge victory over Kentucky in Lexington Saturday?

By Josh Kramer

What a past week in sports.  Wild NFL action.  Rivalry weekend for College Football.  Big time College Basketball upsets.  A shocking out of thin air NBA Labor agreement.  And a return of the NHL’s biggest star.  It will definitely be tough for this upcoming week to top last week.

Here are the events to keep an eye on.

5.  The Return of the Mack.  Hockey’s biggest star has returned to the ice, and appears ready to pick up right where he left off.  The hockey world got a momentous gift, when Sid “the Kid” Crosby took the ice for the first time in over 11 months.  With Ovechkin’s stardom waning, the NHL has been thirsting a star for the better part of six months.  That void appears to have been filled with the “Return of the Crosby.”  Talk about the strong getting stronger.  Pittsburgh already possessed the best record in hockey.  Now they just added the best player a quarter of the way into the season.