Food for Thought 11-29-2011

Photo courtesy of nunesmagician.com. In my opinion, Syracuse has no choice but to fire their legendary coach, Jim Boeheim (pictured above).

By Josh Kramer

I love sports just like millions of other people across the globe.  Sports are something that I confide in.  Something that is always there no matter the time of year or the time of day.  There is always some sort of sport going on.  Sports are a universal langauge that everyone has an opinion on.  I have always been a person who believes in the purity of sport.  A person who believed that sports were about competition, sportsmanship, and fair play.  And sure sports do embody these wonderful attributes.  But sadly, especially over the past couple of months, I have realized just how much sports are first and foremost about money, and riddled with scandal.

Now I am not a naive person.  I realize scandal has been going on since the beginning of time and sports have never been above it.  But lately, scandal has smacked the sporting world in the face.  People thought the Tressel bonanza at Ohio State was big news.  But in the grand scheme of things, college kids selling their memorabilia and getting some free tattoos and cash was not a big deal.  Then little Nevin Shapiro shook up the U.  And these horrific acts seemed to be the end of the world.  It wasn’t.  A couple of weeks ago, Happy Valley became an “Unhappy” place.  Jerry Sandusky ruined the name of one of the most prominent figures in sports and brought down a very prestigious academic institution.  Sadly though, the Sandusky case, though horrible, may just be the tip of the iceberg.

Bye Bye Boeheim

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Week 8 NFL Power Rankings

Photo courtesy of somuchsports.com. There are currently three winless teams left in the NFL. Which will come out on top in the "Andrew Luck Sweepstakes?"

By Wesley Kaminsky

Last season, the most prized draft pick heading into the 2011 NFL Draft was Stanford quarterback, Andrew Luck. After an outstanding 2010 season in which he led the Cardinal to an Orange Bowl title, Luck was guaranteed to be the number one pick. The only problem with that though was that he stayed in school, determined to win a National Championship. Now, a season later, things haven’t changed, and Luck is still the hands down number one pick, and a good bet to win the Heisman Trophy. He’s got Stanford ranked #6 in the BCS at 7-0, and wants a shot at the National Championship.

Do you think his focus is on the NFL right now? Luck has already come out and said he doesn’t want to go to a team that’s going to lose on purpose just to get him, and you better believe him when he says that. After all, Luck still has another year of eligibility, and wouldn’t it ruin the dreams of the Dolphins, Colts, or whomever landed the number one pick in the draft if he decided to stay in school?

Out of every week so far this season, Week 7 was the most clear in showing which teams need Luck the most. The Dolphins saw a 15-0 lead disappear with three minutes left, while the Colts got embarrassed 62-7 in New Orleans on Sunday Night Football. Both teams are winless, and both teams are desperate. The only difference with the Colts is that they still have Peyton Manning.  Would the Colts look into trading #18 if they were able to draft Luck? Even Tony Dungy, the Colts former head coach suggested this as a possibility.

2011 NFL Season: Pre-Season NFL Power Rankings

Photo courtesy of nflnewsworld.com.

By Wesley Kaminsky

After a long off-season in which there were questions as to whether or not there would be a season in 2011, the NFL is back, and better than ever. Following the conclusion of the lockout, it was madness in the NFL, with big names such as Chad Ochocinco, Albert Haynesworth, Nnamdi Asomugha, and Donovan McNabb all on new teams. That’s just to name a few.

Heading into the season, teams such as the Patriots and Eagles are in a Super Bowl or bust mentality. These two teams have been the story of the off-season, with the Patriots landing Chad Ochocinco, Shaun Ellis, and Albert Haynesworth, while the Eagles landed Nnamdi Asomugha, and Ronnie Brown, among others.

It seems to me that people are forgetting about the team that won the Super Bowl last season, the Green Bay Packers. They didn’t make noise in free agency, but don’t forget they were without Ryan Grant and Jermichael Finley during their Super Bowl run.

Without further ado, here are my NFL power rankings heading into the 2011 season.

Food for Thought 6-7-2011

Photo courtesy of bleedingeaglegreen.com. Plaxico Burress (pictured above) has been released from prison. How will his comeback end up?

By Josh Kramer

It has been a wild past 48 hours.  So many big time stories going on.  Plaxico, Tressel, French Open finale, playoffs, and more. The following are the main items that have caught my attention.

The second coming of Michael Vick?

If you are not living in a box, you have probably heard something about Plaxico Burress finally being released from prison.  After 21 months, the former Super Bowl champion, and one of the League’s most electric receivers will finally have an opportunity to finish his career off right.  Or it at least appears that way.