A Special Day: #1,000

By Josh Kramer

Let’s get this party started with a little video tribute..

Before we get into the sappy and reflective stuff again, what would a post be without a little sports chatter?

Sports Theories:

Baseball:

-Baseball shot itself in the foot back in 1973 when the American League added the DH.

-The art of bunting has gone in the toilet (watch the Reds if you want confirmation).

-The MLB should nix interleague play, divisions, and the playoffs, just having a World Series between the teams with the best record in the AL and NL.

-Hitting a 100 mph (especially when you aren’t sure it is coming) fastball is the hardest thing to do in sports.

-Due to playing on the wrong coast, Jered Weaver never receives the media attention he so rightfully deserves.

-If I had the opportunity to be a professional athlete for a day, I would choose to be Derek Jeter.

Good, Bad, and Sad

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Eric LeGrand (center) realized his dream yesterday. Despite his paralysis, Eric LeGrand is now a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

By Josh Kramer

Sports can invoke every type of emotion imaginable.  In terms of the NFL yesterday, it invoked some good, some bad, and some sad.

The Good:

LeGrand signing is grand

Remember who Eric LeGrand is?  Here is a quick refresher.  LeGrand is a former defensive tackle from Rutgers University who was severely injured in a game against Army on October 16, 2010 that left him paralyzed.  LeGrand was always a class act.  Sometimes the worst things happen to the best people.  Though only 21-years-old, LeGrand took the paralysis as a challenge, not as the end of the world.  LeGrand never let the severe injuries get in the way of his dreams.  It is very fitting that on the date 5/2, LeGrand, who sported the number 52 at Rutgers, realized his dream.   Most college football players across the country can only imagine playing in the NFL.  Very few get the opportunity.  Yesterday, former Rutgers coach and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano helped LeGrand reach his dream.  LeGrand is now a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Will the curse apply to Megatron?

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Calvin Johnson (pictured above) was unstoppable last season. Will the Madden Curse slow down the guy people refer to as Megatron?

By Josh Kramer

Things are good for Calvin Johnson these days.  He just had a career year in which he took NFL secondaries by storm reeling in 96 catches and 16 touchdowns.  The guy was simply phenomenal in every sense of the word.  He lived up to his well-known nickname “Megatron.”  In addition, the Detroit Lions made the playoffs for the first time since 1999.  Lastly, CJ just signed a robust contract for eight years and 132 million.  Things just got even better yesterday.

Calvin “Megatron” Johnson will appear on the cover of “Madden NFL 2013.”  A highly regarded honor for NFL players these days.

Nothing is ever as good as it seems though.  Don’t tell me that you are not aware of the widely known Madden curse.

The first edition of Madden NFL (the video game) was released in 1988.  Ever since, the game that bears the name of one of the NFL’s all-time great coaches has become a phenomenon.  Starting in 1999, players began appearing on the cover.  Here is a history of the cover boys.

NFL Divisional Playoffs

Photo courtesy of bensalloutblitz.blogspot.com. If San Francisco wants any chance against Drew Brees and the potent New Orleans offensive attack, NaVorro Bowman (pictured above) will have to bring his "A" game on Saturday.

By Josh Kramer

We have gone from 32 to 12 to 8.  By the end of this weekend, we will be at 4. Wild-Card weekend lived up to its name.  It was a weekend of “Wild Cards.”  Namely, Mr. Tim Tebow.  Enough time has been spent discussing Tebow as of late though.  How about the phenomenal play of Eli Manning and Drew Brees?  Perhaps Eli actually is an “elite” quarterback as he stated this summer?  A win at Lambeau on Sunday could do a lot to ensure that the Eli-haters stay at a minimum.  This is really the stage when the “Men” are separated from the “Boys.”  The Super Bowl is just around the corner, and not looking ahead is simply impossible.  Let’s focus on the present though.

Divisional Weekend:

New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers

The Word:  This is your classic “Offense” versus “Defense” matchup. If Vic Fangio (49ers D-Coordinator) can develop a scheme to slow down Drew Brees and the amazing Saints offense, he will be known as “Lord” Fangio by the entire country.

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.

Food for Thought 9-27-2011

Photo courtesy of LakersTopbuzz.com. Derek Fisher (pictured above) is the President of the NBA Players Association. If there is any hope of an NBA season in 2011/2012, we better start seeing more of him along with other NBA player representatives and fast.

By Josh Kramer

We just witnessed the best NFL weekend of the year by far.  College Football was also very exciting.  And we are hitting the end of September, which means the end of the MLB regular season.  There is so much going on and so much to talk about.  Here are the main items that have caught my attention.

Is no news good news?

I have always been a firm believer in the expression, “No news is good news.”  Generally, when one stays out of the news, one is staying out of trouble.  People thirst to read and hear about controversy.  Bad news is what normally engulfs the news in our society.

Well today is the 89th day of the NBA lockout.  And I must say that the second professional sports lockout of the year has been far more quiet than the first.  As you are all more than aware, the NFL experienced the longest lockout in the history of the League, spanning over 136 days.  And for nearly all 136 of the days, there was immense coverage by all of the sporting networks.  That has been far from the case regarding the NBA lockout.  Mainly we have just been hearing about players looking to lock down lavish contracts overseas.  Has all hope been lost on the 2011/2012 NBA season?

NFL Week 1 Predictions

Photo courtesy of sports.popcrunch.com. The Colts enter Sunday without Peyton Manning (pictured above) under center for the first time since December 21, 1997.

By Josh Kramer

The NFL is back in full force.  After watching the Packers/Saints shootout last night, I know everyone is excited for the first NFL Sunday of this very anxiously awaited season.  Despite the longest lockout in the history of the League, the NFL’s popularity appears to be at an all-time high.

Last season, I had a pick’em challenge with one of my good buddies CV3.  This year, we have added two new players to the 2nd annual “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.

American golf in the woods?

Photo courtesy of currentlyhot.com.

By Josh Kramer

Tiger Woods has been in the “woods” for nearly three years now.  The once most iconic figure in all of sports (yes a golfer) has hit rock bottom.  Today, arguably the greatest golfer of all time finished off the 2nd round at a +10 clip and missed the cut at the PGA Championship.

Tiger Woods is now 35 and does not look to be close to regaining his old form.  Could the days of the dominant Tiger we once knew be over?

We all are more than aware that American tennis has struggled for a good five plus years now following the retirements of Sampras and Agassi.  Well now, the other lifelong sport, which is typically dominated by American players, is not looking so great.

Americans are in the midst of their longest drought at the majors (6 without a title).  Luckily for golf, there are four Americans ranked in the world top ten at the moment.  In addition, Tiger could play the worst round in the history of golf, and he would still get more attention than the leader on that particular day.  Tiger is as close as any athlete has ever come to being bigger than the game itself  (Brett Favre and LeBron James should take notes).  In tennis, there is just one American cracking the top ten.

The top of the leaderboard is littered with American hopefuls.  Eight of the top ten at the end of Round 2 are Americans.

Will an American come out victorious come Sunday?  Or has American golf gone into the “woods” with Tiger Woods?

Stay tuned for the next edition of TheSportsKraze.