Here in New England and all over the country, nobody burst onto the scene quite like New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. A product of the University of Arizona, Gronkowski was selected in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Like most Patriots rookies, Gronk flew under the radar during his college days. [...]
Lance Lynn is off to another hot start this season, but just like last year it wasn’t meant to last. Another correction is coming soon. He just can’t sustain success throwing the fastball 70% of the time. Gio Gonzalez, Clayton Kershaw, and David Price are the only 3 pitchers from 2010-2012 to post gaudy stats [...]
Olumuyiwa Famutimi, also known as “Olu” and “O-Boy”, was born above the border in Toronto, Ontario. After getting noticed for his athletic play, he transferred to Flint Northwestern High School in Flint, Michigan. His legal guardian was also his AAU coach, Chris Grier. The 6-5 SF grabbed a lot of attention and was ranked the [...]
As the Pacers-Knicks series headed back to the Garden for Game 5, there were many doubts about whether New York could even force a Game 6. Indiana had completely dominated both games at home, and the Knicks couldn’t have looked any worse. J.R. Smith had completely fallen off the map, Carmelo couldn’t do it all [...]
Saying that hockey is a physical game is an understatement. Could you imagine if the NBA allowed Zach Randolph and Kendrick Perkins to start throwing punches in the middle of the second quarter? While fighting may be a necessary part of hockey, there is no spot for vicious hits against defenseless players. Over the past [...]
We’ve seen it many times, the old New York-Boston rivalry. Yankees-Red Sox, Jets-Pats, and (just a few weeks ago) Knicks-Celtics. Amazingly, though, the Rangers and Bruins haven’t met in the playoffs since 1973. Sure, each team probably has teams they consider rivals, but make no mistake about it that these teams don’t like each other. [...]
.750, 75 percent, three out of four; any way you look at it my predictions aren’t bad after the first round. If only the Ducks could have pulled through in game seven, or game six for that matter. I still can’t believe how a team with two goalies boasting under 2.40 goals against averages manages [...]
After successfully predicting the winners of the four first-round matchups, I’m looking to continue my streak going forward to who will make the Eastern Conference Finals. Pittsburgh Penguins (1) vs. Ottawa Senators (7) While Pittsburgh struggled a bit with the New York Islanders in the first round, the Senators made quick work of the second-seeded [...]
Justin Upton is good, but not great. Over his career, Upton has been in the top ten of MVP voting once, named to two all-star teams, and won one silver slugger. But for some reason, people talk about him like he’s won five MVPs, has been named an all-star every year, and has won multiple [...]
It’s not everyday a baseball fan gets to play catch with a professional baseball player. Well, one lucky Dodger fan nicknamed “Deuce” who often appears on the Dodgers’ vision boards during games got the chance to play catch with Dodgers’ pitcher Ryu Hyun-Jin. Ryu stood on the field and threw the ball into the left [...]
Heading into the second round of the playoffs, here is an early look at some candidates to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (Most Valuable Player in the Stanley Cup playoffs). Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings: The defending Conn Smythe winner is at it again, single-handedly keeping the Kings alive in the first round of the [...]
For the first time in more than a decade, the Eagles will begin full team offseason training with a coach besides Andy Reid. Reid was fired following a dismal 4-12 season, which included a losing streak that covered three months. With Reid’s departure comes the arrival of Chip Kelly. Kelly became known as an offensive [...]
Clay Buchholz K/9 is definitely going to come back down to earth. His velocity hasn’t changed from last year, his SwStr% is around career norms, and he’s throwing fewer pitches in the zone. However, Jack Moore over at FanGraphs writes: “So what’s new? Via last night’s Blue Jays broadcast, Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said [...]
9. The Band that Wouldn’t Die (October 13, 2009) As one of ESPN’s first aired documentaries in the series, this film showed the quality and potential of these stories told in documentary form. It profiled the history of the marching band associated with the former Baltimore Colts and the present Baltimore Ravens. It told the [...]
“I promise you one thing. A lot of good will come out of this. You will never see any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. You will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the [...]
Yes, the same Los Angeles baseball team that was bought for over $2 billion dollars last year. The same team that traded for Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Josh Beckett, and Carl Crawford, signed Zack Greinke, and already had Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and Clayton Kershaw on its roster, is 13-21. But why? Well, here’s the [...]
I know it is only May. And I know teams have only played about 30 games each. But in my mind, the AL Manager of the Year award has almost already been won. One man has separated himself from the pack that I do not think anyone else will be able to catch him. His [...]
By now all of you reading this know the whole story behind Derrick Rose’s injury. You know about the torn ACL. You know about the long road he endured. And you know about how he has delayed his return to the NBA, but no one really knows why. Some suspect there has been a snag [...]
The Calder Trophy is awarded to the Rookie of the Year in the NHL every year, and this year’s finalists are Brendan Gallagher of the Canadiens, Jonathan Huberdeau of the Panthers, and Brandon Saad of the Blackhawks. Huberdeau is the easy choice for the trophy. He was the highest player of the three drafted, going [...]
Jamario Thomas is from Longview, Texas, a city that has produced athletes from David Wesley to Josh Scobee to Chris Davis to Trent Williams. Thomas played high school football at Spring Hill, where he absolutely dominated. His sophomore season Thomas rushed for 1,572 yards and 27 touchdowns. Although he missed two games, he topped the [...]
Matt Kemp automatically became the nicest player in the MLB earlier this week. Following the Dodgers game against the Giants at AT&T Park—a park in which Kemp is absolutely hated by the Giant faithful, he gave baseball fans something to smile about. Joshua Jones, a diehard Dodger fan who is fighting a tough battle with [...]
Ask any fan, in any sport. Come playoff time, the arena, field, stadium, or court are the place to watch the game. The NHL takes the notion to the next level, offering up electric atmospheres, numbing roars, and tons of free overtime hockey. To get free hockey, fans have to pony up at the box [...]
Last offseason the Carolina Panthers stole the best defensive player in the draft with the 9th overall pick. The defensive Rookie of the Year, Luke Kuechly, led the entire league in tackles with 164 and immediately emerged as Carolina’s franchise player on the other side of the ball. Although the 7-9 Panthers and new GM [...]
After exiting in the first round, the Clippers historic season turned into an incredibly disappointing one. While there are many reasons why the Clippers failed to reach the second round (including a power house Memphis team), the blame seems to be falling on their Head Coach Vinny Del Negro. I for one have never been [...]
This has made me sick to my stomach all year long. Knicks fans, which happen to be the worst kind in the NBA, have continually bragged about how great their team is. Some even think they have a chance to take down the Heat, which may be more ridiculous than Carmelo stealing a first place [...]
Three games into their series with Detroit, the Ducks hold a two to one lead. In both wins, goalie Jonas Hiller looked superb. However, in their sole loss, he looked like the shaky playoff goalie he once was. Some doubt coach Boudreau’s decision to stick with Hiller going into game three with rookie Viktor Fasth [...]
I know many of people will be studying for finals this week but take a break from the study grind to see the tops goals of this week, both of these fine shots coming from mid week European games. This first goal is a thing of beauty from David Luiz. Not only does it all [...]
Calvin Cambridge was a 14-year old orphan who became an overnight NBA superstar. It all started when Calvin found a pair of old shoes with the initials “MJ” on them. Somehow these magical shoes gave him the unbelievable power to ball. Cambridge was discovered when he beat Los Angeles Knights’ best player Tracy Reynolds one-on-one [...]
Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs: Spurs in 6 After an exciting up and down series between two of the most exciting and energetic teams in the NBA, the 6-seed Warriors now face the 2-seed Spurs. The Warriors were able to strive in a fast-paced round one against Denver, but now they face perhaps [...]
Last year the Red Sox finished in the basement of their division. Behind the Yankees and the Rays, and yes even the Blue Jays and Orioles. The Orioles flipped the script and came in second, having a winning record and making the playoffs for the first time since 1997. The Rays missed the playoffs by [...]
In honor of the recent 2013 draft, and due to my wild imagination concerning the NFL Bible, I have decided to complete this redraft and provide updated analysis for each pick. Did your team draft well in 2010? Did they hit on their 1st round pick, or did they make a huge mistake? Was their [...]
The following players won a very prestigious honor. They will be named the NBA’s most average players this season. Last year Luke Ridnour, Ronnie Brewer, Matt Barnes, Brandon Bass, and Brendan Haywood were lucky enough to be selected on the All-Average team. This year’s team however is nearly just as average, filled with some of [...]
I’ve spent the last few weeks following the NFL draft, including both of the New York Jets drama and the Geno Smith saga. I have to tell you all it has left me as a Jet fan with a pit in my stomach, however it helped me gain clarity. I came to the realization that [...]
Obviously the Lakers season did not end the way were hoping…not even close. They had to know they were a long shot to make the Finals even with a completely healthy roster, but a first round sweep?? Ouch… Now Dwight Howard becomes a free agent who will, despite a trashpile of a season, earn max [...]
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (8) New York Islanders A complete battle between two Hart Trophy finalists may not be all it is set up to be. The Penguins cruised into the one seed in the Eastern Conference after dominating everyone this season while the Islanders are making a resurgence and are appearing in the playoffs [...]
Jasper Apollonia, John King, and Greg Fenton take a look at the winners and losers of the NFL Draft and talk some playoff basketball. Unfortunately, this will be the last podcast until our trio is back at school in the fall. See you then! Podcast Episode 4
When Branch Rickey took a chance on the athletic Kansas City Monarchs second baseman, Jackie Robinson, the former Brooklyn Dodgers executive was asked why. “[A box score] doesn’t tell how big you are, what church you attend, what color you are, or how your father voted in the last election. It just tells what kind [...]
