Kyle's View

NBA free agency has begun…….

Kyle — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:27:13 +0000

As of 12:01 est last night, The frenzy that is NBA free agency began. Although it has been quiet as most expected, the first bigger name free agent has got his deal done, Rudy Gay agreed to stay with the Grizzlies in Memphis, with a 5 year/81 million dollar deal. I was surprised not only to see Rudy Gay was the first to get a deal done but staying with Memphis. He seemed to be one of the more likely to move players. This off season could be the biggest talking period and most if not all players just stay with their previous teams. Although next week will bring some revelations as soon as Lebron gets his deal done.

The Future of Michael VIck

Kyle — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:18:34 +0000

Michael Vick’s future in the NFL seems to be very hazy at the moment. The Eagles hold a lot of the cards in what the future may hold for Vick. If they decide they want to part ways with Donovan Mcnabb or Kevin Kolb they could decide they want to keep Vick as a back up to either guy. The other side of the equation is they could decide to move Vick. If they do decide to move Vick there are a couple teams that seem to make the most sense for Vick. The Carolina Panthers seem like the best option at the moment. The biggest reason is this is the team Vick said he would like to play for in a recent interview. Carolina will keep him on the east coast and close to home. The Panthers also features some pieces on offense that make this option very attractive. The ability to hand off to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart would put Vick in a situation where he would not need to shoulder the load on offense. Another weapon that works in Vicks favor is the big play ability of Steve Smith. Smith has the ability to take a 5-yard hitch and turn it into a big play that can result in a touchdown. Fantasy owners would like this option also because the lack of production from Smith seems to result from the lack of play from Jake Delhomme. The quarterback situation in Carolina is in question as well. They have Matt Moore penciled in to start the season but as a career back up and not a huge star coming out of Oregon State, many people look at Carolinas quarterback situation as a question mark.

Another option for Vick seems to be the St Louis Rams. Having the ability to turn and hand off to Steven Jackson provides the same ability to not need to shoulder the load with the Rams. Vick will provide a little more balance and will force defenses to be more balanced. The effect Vick could have for Steven Jackson could help him stay healthy not forcing Steven Jackson to do it all on offense. St Louis also features a shaky quarterback situation at best. The Rams feature Marc Bulger coming off a couple injury riddled seasons and poor play while he was on the field. The backup for Bulger is Keith Null who started his first game this past season. The Rams could go Sam Bradford with the number one pick in the draft and throw a wrench in to things. However if they go defensive tackle and select either Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy then Vick could be very much in play.

However news has started to swirl that the Eagles would part with Donovan McNabb for a pick of top 42 picks in the NFL draft. This could put a halt to a deal involving Vick. If the Eagles would part with McNabb, Kevin Kolb would become the starter with a dose of Vick in the wildcat formation. The future of the Eagles quarterback situation is still to be seen.

NFL overtime rule change

Kyle — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:19:50 +0000

Since 1994 the team that has won the coin toss in overtime, has won the game 60% of the time. This result lead to a 28-4 vote that passed a proposal on Tuesday that will change the way the overtime works in NFL playoffs. In the new terms, the team who wins the coin toss can win the game by scoring a touchdown. However if they only manage to score a field goal, then the opposing team, will opportunity to score. If they get a touchdown then the game is over. If they are only able to score a game tying field goal, then the game will continue in a second over time. It will be a traditional sudden death rules. This is a permanent change that will be applied. This rule change will add excitement and intrigue to overtime. Of the many games I’ve seen the old overtime rules have allowed a team to be super cautious. They pressure to score a td was never there. With the new rule the pressure to put the ball in the end zone will be higher and provide more entertaining finishes to games. No longer will a riveting game end with an anti-climatic overtime. The potential convoluted endings make this rule confusing at first but will keep fans entertained throughout the playoffs. The majority of the owners and the competition committee felt the change was necessary and would improve games for the future. The rule that is being called the “Brett Favre Rule” because of the way the Vikings vs. Saints playoff game ended, lends a little comic value in the fact that Minnesota Vikings were a team that voted against the rule. The only flaw I see in the rule is the fact that it doesn’t take effect till the playoffs. The rules should be consistent and be in effect throughout the season. The biggest reason for the rule to not be in effect for the regular season is the resistance from the NFL Players Association. They feel that the rule in the regular season would keep the players on the field longer and give more opportunity for injury. When the regular season ends team are separated by a game or two and if the rule was in effect during the regular season this could mean the difference between making the playoffs or not, as well as whether a team is at home vs. on the road for the playoffs.

NFC North

Kyle — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:51:45 +0000

The Minnesota Vikings made a splash recently with the signing of Brett Favre. The Vikings have made strides in the past couple season towards being a super bowl contender. Built around a solid defense with the Williams boys up front and Adrian Peterson leading the Vikings offense. The Vikings need to remember this is the way their team was built and to let Favre compliment the run game. This could be a big year for Bernard Berrian to emerge as a big play receiver that will provide excitement for Vikings fans all season. The Vikings go into the season with high expectations and they need to do more than just make the playoffs.

The Green Bay Packers need to make their high-powered offense reflect in the standings. They have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, as well as top talents at running back, Ryan Grant, and wide receiver, Greg Jennings. They made additions to solidify their defense although they have yet to sign their top pick BJ Raji. The Packers need to make noise in a competitive division.

The Chicago Bears made noise in the offseason aquiring a pro bowl caliber quarterback in Jay Cutler. Cutler is coming off an impressive statistical season. The concern Bears fans should have is whether or not Cutler can put up the same kind of numbers in an offense with less than stellar receivers as opposed to the talent he had in Denver. This looks to be the breakout season for Greg Olsen. He is the best pass catcher on the team and a strong season from Olsen will help Matt Forte see more running room and open up the deep passing game to Devin Hester. Their defense should be strong like in past years led by Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher, and Tommie Harris.

Lastly we get to the 0-16 Lions who can win one game and improve over last season. The made steps this offseason to help the future of the franchise. They drafted Matthew Stafford number one overall and drafted a solid pass catching tight end Brandon Pettigrew who has serious upside. Add these guys to Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson who not only have another year under their belt but are emerging as legit offensive studs. The future is surprisingly bright for this team. It wont be this year but in the next two to three years the Lions could be a legitimate force if Stafford progresses and they keep making smart decisions in the draft and within free agency.

Vikings 11-5

Packers 10-6

Bears 7-9

Lions 3-13

Breakout Player

Kevin Smith emerges to become a solid back that consistently is counted on by the lions and consistently around 100 yards and a touchdown.

Rookie to watch

Percy Harvin will make his presence known to the NFL. He can impact the game in so many ways; his play can make a huge impact on his team.

Brandon Pettigrew is a big, pass catching tight end that will be a vital piece to the Lions offense, no matter who’s at quarterback

NFC West

Kyle — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:40:31 +0000

Over the next couple weeks i will be breaking down the NFL as i see it as the season approaches.

The NFC West looks like a division with a lot of question marks. The 49ers need to figure out who their Quarterback will be, can the Seahawks be the team they used to be, what will Steve Spagnuolo bring to the Rams, as well as what version of the Arizona Cardinals will show up.

The quarterback battle in San Francisco seems to be settling it self out. Shaun Hill looks to be the guy with Alex Smith fading into the back up role. Shaun Hill is getting the plays better, making better reads and the receivers seem to react better to him. With the selection of Michael Crabtree and the emergence of Josh Morgan, the 49ers expected with Alex Smiths bigger arm, that he could make strides and open the offense. That didn’t happen, Crabtree is still unsigned, and the offense is going to be a run first, run often team.

The Seattle Seahawks look like they could make a return to perennial playoff team and super bowl contender. The made strides in the offseason to acquire impact players like TJ Houshmandzadeh. They expect Matt Hasselbeck to be back to old form and be able to run the offense. The injury to Walter Jones hurts a offensive line that was already looking very average. They have a interesting defense that can make plays and be aggressive with players like Lofa Tatupu and Marcus Trufant. If they can get any semblance of a running game from Julius Jones and TJ Duckett, the Seahawks could make noise and make a run at Arizona for the division.

The St Louis Rams have all signs pointing to a subpar season and another appearance in the top 5 of the NFL Draft. The Rams are in rebuilding mode, especially with their defense. Injuries to Donnie Avery and Marc Bulger only hurts the ailing franchise. This will be a long season for Rams fans but, they can look forward to a chance at drafting Sam Bradford.

Now to what looks to be the class of the NFC, the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals got Kurt Warner Resigned to throw to the three-headed monster in Fitzgerald, Boldin, and Breaston. The running game looks to get better with the addition of Chris “Beanie” Wells. Although being a Ohio State fan and watching Beanie Wells for three years, I think he’s inline to be the next Kijana Carter or Rashaan Salaam. That said I think the offense will be there and as long as the defense follows suite this could another deep playoff run for the Cardinals. Although the schedule is a tough one for the Cardinals having to play the AFC South, one of the best divisions in football.

That said the Seahawks will win 9 games and the division. The additions they made between the draft and free agency will give them the edge and take them to the division crown.

Seattle Seahawks 9-7

Arizona Cardinals 8-8

San Francisco 49ers 7-9

St. Louis Rams 2-14

Breakout Player

John Carlson will emerge as a dominant tight end and will become a target of Matt Hasselbeck in the red zone.

Rookie to watch

Aaron Maybin will emerge to help the Seahawks defense and make serious noise.

RIP to one of my heros growing up

Kyle — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:25:50 +0000

Joe Paterno makes a great suggestion

Kyle — Fri, 01 May 2009 21:42:55 +0000

Joe Pa has been in college football for a long time and has his moments of brilliance. Recently he suggested adding another team to the Big 10 giving them 12 teams. This will do a couple things. It gives the Big 10 a chance to have a conference championship. Having a conference championship will give the Big 10 another game to keep the Big 10 teams playing. This will help teams making a run at the National Championship and bowl games. Too often the Big 10 is done two or three weeks before the nest of the NCAA’s. Then with the layoff till the National Championship of the BCS games, the teams haven’t played for a month or more.

It also opens the idea of adding more competition. Some teams suggested were Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers. Of the three i like Pitt the best. They have been the most consistent and will add strength. However there is one team that could be very interesting. What if Notre Dame joined the Big 10? This would add a big name to the conference and help Notre Dame make big bowl games.

This is a no brainer for the Big 10. They should make a serious run at getting Notre Dame to join the conference. And if i’m Notre Dame im joining the Big 10.

What should the Lions do with their first pick?

Kyle — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:19:54 +0000

Its a tough decision for a team to make when they have the first pick in the NFL draft. The team must decide wether they are as a franchise. Are you one or two players away or is there a need to build around a few key players and add more and more talent. The Lions are in need of quarterback, but the same thing can be said for many positions on a team that goes 0-16. There decision seems to have come down to three players Matthew Stafford, Aaron Curry, and Jason Smith.

Matthew Stafford seems to be the quarterback of choice over USC’s Mark Sanchez. Stafford is the clear choice at quarterback. His big arm stands out as well as his intelligence. He can make the correct reads when the pressure is on. He also played in the SEC which has tons strong defensive teams and presents tough matchups each week.

Jason Smith is the next option for the Lions. He is a guy who the Lions can pencil in for the next 10 years at left tackle and be happy. The Lions can do something similar to what the Dolphins did last year. They can take that offensive lineman, then use a veteran at QB and draft another QB later if your feel Rhett Bohmar or Nate Davis can be the answer. The other solution lies in the other first round pick the Lions have. Offensive tackle is deep this year and the chance to draft a Michael Oher or Eben Britton. The Lions should make this move and draft a tackle with the number 20 pick overall.

This leads to the third option for the Lions which is Aaron Curry. He is outstanding athlete that will make strong center piece for the Lions to build their defense around. He was a stand out at Wake Forrest and will continue his progression as he enters the NFL.

The Lions aren’t going to win the Super Bowl this year. They may look at the Dolphins and say “Why not us?” but the Dolphins had talent and added veteran leadership. Aaron Curry is the pick the Lions should make. They can build a solid defense to go with their offense that is building around some really good pieces in Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson. Daunte Culpepper can hold down the position for the next couple years. He is said to be looking good in mini camp but that could be smoke and mirrors to make teams think they dont want a quarterback.

The reason the Magic wont win any playoff series the way they are playing

Kyle — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:45:23 +0000

Dwight Howard is a top five player that has potential to be a top 3 player and is completely underutilized. He continues to put up solid numbers all season long but when its clutch time in a game, either Hedo Turkoglu or Rashard Lewis are jacking up a three pointer or shooting a fade away to try and win a game. Watching the Magic vs Sixers game one tonight, this could not be more apparent. At halftime the game was close and the Magic were blowing opportunity after opportunity to get Howard a shot within two feet of the hoop. The third quarter showed the power of Dwight Howard especially with the weak front line the Sixers have. The had an 18 point lead and by the end of the fourth quarter Andre Igoudala has a chance to hit a shot at the end of the game. Howard should get the ball with the game on the line unless they need a three at the buzzer. Dwight dunked over Theo Ratliff with no issues and can do this against most other NBA front court players. The only reason that seems to be present is the poor free throw percentage. If that’s the case then maybe Orlando should ask the Lakers and Miami for advice. Shaq is a terrible free throw shooter that got the ball in late game situation and no team could stop him. Howard has the same potential to dominate games as Shaq did. The question then becomes wether or not Howard has the killer instinct. If that is the case then the Magic need to make a move to get a end of game scorer that can take over a game.

The decline of the NBA

Kyle — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:45:14 +0000

Maybe its just me, but the NBA doesn’t have the same feeling as it used to. The rivalries have faded and stars are becoming few and far between. It seems like the NBA season has come down to 3 teams and two players. All the sportscasters, writers, and broadcasters talk about a specific niche of NBA. The two main topics are Lakers vs Celtics and Lebron vs Kobe. The Cavs are so overrated i can’t put it into words. Lebron puts up amazing numbers and carries his team on a nightly basis but his supporting cast is the same as last year in which the were swept by the Celtics. They added Mo Williams who is a solid player and plays a important role but is not the sidekick Lebron needs to win the title. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is still decent but hes reaching the end of his career and cant contribute the way he used to. The Cavs also have to rely on Wally Szczerbiak and Daniel Gibson to hit big shots at key moments and i just dont see it.

The Lakers and Celtics rivalry is awesome and can create some new excitement for the NBA, but are we going to have to wait until June every year to watch them play for something meaningful. I feel like there is no reason to watch the 82 game season. Even with this Kobe and Paul Pierce are not young guys who can carry the NBA forever.

Do teams like Utah and Denver matter? Utah has a solid team that has a floor leader in Deron Williams who is vastly underrated. Denver acquired an Chauncey Billups for an past his prime AI which made the Nuggets the second best team in the western conference. But does there play mean anything? Does anyone really care what happens with these teams besides the people in their markets? Maybe being in Sacramento watching the Kings waffle through the season and make moves that make no sense has made me jaded but the NBA just doesn’t have the same allure it used to.

In addition are fans not getting everything they should be getting? Amare’ getting hurt all but eliminated the Suns from contention. Manu’ Ginobili being out for the season made the Spurs an above average team at best. Even if these teams are healthy, can they compete with the Lakers? That said are the Lakers even that good? I think Kobe is an amazing player and has some good peices around him if Andrew Bynum is healthy and Lamar Odom can produce. Maybe the problem is the talent level of the NBA isn’t at the levels of the past. Maybe the late 90′s and early 2000′s spoiled us. I remember growing up with great rivalries with Phoenix and Dallas, as well as Sacramento and the Lakers. The sound bites of Shaq saying Sacramento was a cow town or Mark Cuban running up and down the court in Phoenix after Dirk hits a big shot. The magnitude is the thing that seems to be lost in the new NBA.

The NBA has players to build around with stars like Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard, but the NBA don’t seem to take full advantage of their potential. These guys should be on TV all the time showcasing the future. Maybe the NBA is too watered down. What if the David Stern took two or four teams out of the NBA? This would make all the teams stronger, keep good but not great players in college for longer and make the brand of basketball more exciting to watch. It would be interesting to see how players would get re-dispersed. Maybe worst record gets first pick. Maybe the Kings then pick Danny Granger if Indiana were no longer a team. Would make teams much stronger and get players out of the NBA when they aren’t NBA caliber players.

Maybe i’m out of my mind and the upcoming NBA playoffs will remind me why i loved the NBA but the NBA does need to do something to improve its product or the end could be here sooner that most people think.