2013 January – The Cover 4

Colin Kaepernick is a Game Changer

January 31, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

History will tell you that a new-age “running quarterback” can’t carry a team to the Super Bowl. Experts and critics will tell you that the read-option offense is a college gimmick that won’t work in the NFL where the athletes are better and defenses are more sophisticated.

Don’t tell Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers that.

The second-year quarterback has defied all odds and silenced every critic during the Niners’ march to the Super Bowl. After taking over for Alex Smith earlier in the season after Smith sustained a concussion against the Rams, Kaepernick took advantage of the opportunity and earned the starting nod over Smith even when the former No. 1 overall pick was cleared to play. Smith is not a Pro Bowl caliber player by any stretch of the imagination, but for a second-year quarterback to replace a healthy established starter who was playing well is a gamble.

Jim Harbaugh knew what he was doing. He drafted Kaepernick in the second round after a stellar career at the University of Nevada where Kaepernick ran Chris Ault’s pistol offense to perfection. Anyone who followed WAC football knew Kaepernick had potential. He had a good arm, great speed, great character and hid the ball as well as any quarterback in the nation on play-action read options.

Kaepernick is the first of the new breed of quarterbacks to truly shine. Michael Vick, Cam Newton and even Tim Tebow have all shown flashes of potential. Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III led their teams to the playoffs as rookies and got more national attention throughout the season. None of them have done what Kaepernick has. Yes, the Niners’ defense is one of the best in the league. Don’t let that fool you; this team would not be in the Super Bowl if it wasn’t for Kaepernick. He does more than simply manage the game: he dictates and controls it.

Harbaugh is not afraid to give Kaepernick the keys to the car. There is nothing Kaepernick can’t do. He’s accurate, he can throw the deep ball, he can throw in traffic and when all else fails he can break the pressure and scramble outside the pocket to extend the play. Most importantly, he is smart and makes great decisions almost every play. The read-option is not easy, especially with the speed of the game in the NFL. One bad decision could get you or your running back knocked out. Instead, Kaepernick keeps defenses guessing, while he and Frank Gore run for big gain after big gain.

The Niners’ offense has been set up to give defenses fits. The Ravens love to rush the passer off the edge with the likes of Terrell Suggs and Paul Kruger. In the Super Bowl, the Ravens will have to find a way put pressure on Kaepernick while keeping contain on the outside. If the Ravens decide to stack the box and go to single coverage, the Niners have the weapons to make any defense pay with Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Randy Moss and Michael Crabtree. If they choose to drop more men in coverage, the Niners can let Kaepernick, Gore and LaMichael James loose through their potent running attack. Pick your poison, Ravens.

None of this would be possible if Alex Smith was under center. Yes, Kaepernick still has his flaws and is not great at taking snaps from under center, which was a significant red flag when he came out of college. However, the risk for the Niners is worth the reward. He brings such a different dynamic to their offense that there is no question he is the best choice. The Niners were a good team with Smith, they are great with Kaepernick. At the time it looked like a risk; no one is questioning Harbaugh now.

If Kaepernick and the Niners win, the impact for quarterbacks like him is huge. I guarantee it, win or lose, you will see more teams go to the read-option as their primary offense. If they win, more teams will be willing to take risks on dual-threat quarterbacks because there will be a proven recipe for success. Winning championships is paramount in any sport. Teams aren’t going to use a system that has no hope of leading to a championship.

Many of the aforementioned quarterbacks are better athletes than Kaepernick, have better arms and more impressive college credentials. None of them are the complete package like he is. He gives coaches and general managers a new mold of quarterback to look at. He is a system quarterback and that system with him running it has proven to be incredibly successful at the highest level. To win the Super Bowl against the legendary Ravens defense would be a statement for Kaepernick, Harbaugh, the Niners and the new breed of quarterbacks everywhere looking for their shot in the NFL. Victory over a defense of that stature would change the game.

Kaepernick has overcome every obstacle in his path so far. If he comes through on the game’s biggest stage, he will have gone from the backup to a legend in a matter of months. As Kaepernick’s history tells us, he thrives as the underdog and loves to prove his critics wrong. It would be unwise to bet against him this Sunday in the biggest game of his career.

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Filed Under: Football Tagged With: 47, 49ers, changer, colin kaepernick, cover 4, david oleson, Game, Nevada, NFC, nfl, Quarterback, San Francisco, super bowl, the cover 4, Touchdown, unr

The Sad State of Los Angeles

January 28, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

The arrival of 2013 was supposed to bring a new dawn for Los Angeles. There were expectations for Los Angeles in all four of the major sports. The Lakers are a perennial powerhouse, the Clippers aren’t fully “believable” yet, the Dodgers and Angels have risen to the top of the baseball world in both payroll and potential, the Kings were last year’s Stanley Cup champions,and there is major talk of an NFL team moving to the City of Angels. However, one could argue that 2013 has not been kind to Los Angeles so far, despite apparent success, and that there is potential for disaster for the entire year as a whole.
To begin with, let’s talk about what everyone in the WORLD is talking about, the Los Angeles Lakers. A team that regularly plays well into the playoffs retooled this year, adding one of the best passing guards in the history of the game (Steve Nash) and the game’s most dominant center (Dwight Howard) since that Shaq character. This roster shift happened for two reasons. First, the Lakers needed more of a veteran presence while simultaneously getting younger; this way the franchise could ride out the amazing Kobe Bryant era while building around a new powerful piece in Howard. Also, Kobe and company needed to desperately make moves to not get left behind by the fast-paced and star-studded Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder. Kevin Durant and LeBron James are now the stars of the National Basketball Association,and have pushed the Lakers to the brink of irrelevance. The Lakers needed to do something to keep up and adding Howard and Nash without losing major pieces seemed like the steal of the offseason. Who wouldn’t want to parlay a disinterested Andrew Bynum and Ramon Sessions into the premiere big man in the game and the most efficient passer around?
Still, there is trouble in Lakerland. Fast point guards continue to cause problems for a team that now has the top-ranked defender in the league in Howard. Nash simply cannot keep up and the other point guards struggle offensively, creating an uneven balance of skill-set. Kobe is having one of his best shooting seasons ever, leading the league in shooting at the “young” age of 34, but when he is double and even triple-teamed, no one is there to pick up the offensive slack. Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks, two beyond-the-arc assassins, seem to have been assassinated. When Laker Nation is most excited about the play of Earl Clark, a throw-in in the Howard trade, the problems have effectively put the second-winningest franchise at rock bottom, and the unthinkable possibility of the Lakers missing out on the post-season with this team has become a borderline foreseeable reality.
Fortunately for Los Angeles sports fans, the Clippers are still in town, and the play of Chris Paul has the Clippers leading the NBA in wins. And the scariest part of the Clippers is their depth. When Chris Paul was down with an injury, both Eric Bledsoe and Jamal Crawford “put the team on their backs” Greg Jennings-style and the team didn’t miss a beat. Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan have developed into consistent scoring threats while Lob City’s plethora of shooters in Matt Barnes, Willie Green and Caron Butler makes them a threat to score from beyond the arc on any possession.
Even with their success, they are not viewed nationally (or even locally) as a legitimate title contender. They are still “the Clippers”, an underachieving group of misfits who will never amount to anything in the post-season. In the world of basketball, despite the success of the Clippers so far this season, no one sees an NBA championship coming to Los Angeles.
Where the championship is to be found appears to be in America’s pastime, with the Dodgers and the Angels. Heading into spring training, there is widespread optimism in Los Angeles for both money-blowing squads based on their free agent acquisitions, and there is even talk about a World Series solely in LA, between the two monetary powerhouses. The Dodgers have added all-star caliber firepower in Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Zack Greinke and Ryu Hyun-jin since the management changed to the Magic Johnson consortium. Likewise, the Angels have landed that Albert Pujols guy, CJ Wilson, and now Josh Hamilton, this year’s prize free agent. So why is everything not beautiful and sunny in downtown Los Angeles?
Compatibility. Comfort. The ability to mesh with new teammates. And the pressure of performing in a major market. Look at the slump Pujols had to start the 2012 campaign. That slump, combined with the unpredictable start by the rest of the team, was enough to keep the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim out of the playoffs. They still finished with an 89 win-season, which was good for only THIRD place in a suddenly talent-filled American League West. And for the Dodgers, they now face the same problem. With unlimited money comes unlimited possibilities,and unlimited potential for disaster. For the Dodgers and the Angels for that matter, any result short of the World Series (maybe the league championship series) will be looked upon as a travesty. Los Angeles is a city that expects to bring a championship home every year and if the Dodgers and/or Angels don’t make that vision a reality THIS season, 2013 will have been a failure as a season. A fast start is mandatory and a strong finish is equally necessary.
Interestingly enough, the lone success story of 2012 for the city of Los Angeles was the Kings, a bunch of scrappy fighters that no one could have predicted would rise up to become Stanley Cup champions. After serving as on-the-road warriors throughout the NHL playoffs, the 8th seeded LA Kings brought home the trophy, much to the delight of the city craving a championship. There, finally, was something to smile about last year. But then came the NHL lockout, because the NHL had to be just like the NBA and the NFL and shorten the season only to find that the sides would reconcile their differences after ruining the off-season. And now, with a 48 game schedule, the Kings have a small window to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. The Kings rode a roller coaster of momentum into the postseason and in turn stunned the world with their postseason run. Now with the off-season being spent on figuring out a new player’s association instead of practicing power plays and defense, the playing field has been leveled, as all NHL teams are not fully prepared for this season. For the Kings, a slow start could also mean missing the playoffs, adding to the demise of the city’s sports fans.
Now there will be people who would disagree, and be blindly optimistic about the state of Los Angeles sports. But the sports fans of today are fans of instant gratification. The Lakers haven’t won a title since (gulp) 2009-2010. The Dodgers haven’t won a title since 1988. The Clippers have never won a title. The Angels haven’t won a title since 2002. And the Kings just won the title, raising expectations for a franchise that is undergoing the same trauma as all of the other teams that have experienced the lockout. As a Los Angeles sports fan, I hope to every God that I am wrong with my gut feeling. But as a writer and an objective observer, I can’t help but notice that it is a sad state for the Los Angeles sports teams. Hopefully Magic Johnson can work his namesake in all four of the major sports.

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Filed Under: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey Tagged With: angeles, angels, Baseball, Basketball, clippers, dodgers, football, hockey, Kings, Lakers, los, Los Angeles, sports, the cover 4, titles

Your Quarterback is Which Actor?

January 25, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Your Quarterback is Which Actor?

There are always comparisons between quarterbacks, ranging from Andrew Luck to Peyton Manning or RG3 to Cam Newton. It is quite popular to compare an incumbent to their contemporaries to paint a picture to the public for the future.

Are we going to do that here? Nope. In lieu of comparing current NFL quarterbacks to their predecessors, we are going to compare them to actors. Yes, actors.

For a little appetizer, think of Jamarcus Russell like Lindsay Lohan with all the potential and tools, but caught up in out-of-work trouble. Purple Drink!

Here we go:

NFC East

Eli Manning – Joaquin Phoenix

Both are extremely eclectic people that find ways to put on great performances in crucial times. They are recognized as the most important person in their biggest career moments. In Gladiator, Phoenix supported the role of Russell Crowe, much like Manning managed the Giants to their first Super Bowl win. Next, each person rose to the starring role with Manning guiding the Giants over the Patriots for a second time and Phoenix presenting a remarkable performance in Walk the Line.

Tony Romo – Mark Wahlberg

Ever see someone begin from nothing but, when given their first shot, show such immense potential? Much like Romo, Wahlberg began great with the Italian Job, and continued to show prominence in Invincible and Shooter, but follows up with Ted and The Other Guys. It is head scratching as much as Tony Romo, but it is undeniable that both men expose themselves to seriously low moments in their career that make you question them.

Michael Vick & Nick Foles – Jackie Chan & Chris Tucker

We have a flashy stunt man, who really does not know how to hone or master his craft (whether it be either acting or quarterbacking). Their counterpart is serviceable, by carrying the traditional acting techniques, and although either are unproven or average, both Tucker and Foles show flashes of having potential. Ultimately, neither actor nor quarterback is taken seriously in their profession.

Robert Griffin III – Justin Timberlake

Each person was successful in the early phase of their career, and transferred that into the next level of exposure and immediately succeeded. RG3 won the Heisman at Baylor and JT went from the front man of Nsync to a prominent solo music career. At their transition phases, RG3 led his Redskins to the playoffs in his rookie year, and Justin hit the big screen with a splash in The Social Network. Great things are still to come from these two.

NFC North

Aaron Rodgers – Leonardo DiCaprio

Both of these men are at the top of their respective profession right now and are a must see on the big screen or the football field. Rodgers continues to get better and better playing the position at such a consistent high level. Concurrently, Leo manages to remain in elevated form by rolling out Catch Me If You Can, The Departed and Inception just to name a few.

Jay Cutler – Robert Downey Jr.

The overall “I don’t give a $h*!” attitude resemblance between these two is very uncanny. At the same time, when focused and motivated, Downey and Cutler can put together stretches of absolute brilliance that remind you they are formidable in their respective fields.

Christian Ponder – Josh Hartnett

Essentially, both of these men peaked way too early. Ponder was drafted well before he should have ever been considered and Hartnett has been on a steady decline since Black Hawk Down. However, they both have capabilities to present manageable performances with Ponder being efficient and Hartnett with 40 Days and 40 Nights.

Matthew Stafford – Ben Affleck

Affleck and Stafford flourish with talent around them and in the right setting. Stafford has been fortunate to have Calvin Johnson and numerous weapons to generate his massive yardage seasons. As much as Affleck has captured us with Good Will Hunting and The Town, he has released some big flops like Gigli and Daredevil, resembling the disgusting sidearm sling Matthew Stafford continually resorts to.

NFC South

Matt Ryan – Jeremy Renner

Matt Ryan revitalized a struggling franchise with his first NFL pass going for a touchdown and he has not looked back since. The same can be said for Jeremy Renner, who really hit us with The Hurt Locker and continued to get better with The Town. Each of these men is on the rise and aimed for greatness with their professions.

Cam Newton – Gerard Butler

Utterly mind-blowing physical specimens from their initial roles from 300 or Cam’s rookie year, but their dropoff cannot be argued. It seems both get complacent with their initial success, and relies on their physical tools rather than developing their craft.

Drew Brees – Brad Pitt

Brees’ career began very prominent and flashy in San Diego, which is very reminiscent of Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Although, each of them went through a dry spell or injury span, they both developed their potential into either a Super Bowl winner or hits with Benjamin Button and Inglorious Bastards.

Josh Freeman – Chris Hemsworth

The physical traits of both men naturally set them above the rest from the beginning. Additionally, they have displayed moments of brilliance in key moments. Hemsworth separated himself from the bottom feeders of the comic remake world, and lined up multiple runs of Thor. Freeman has shown to be more than clutch in critical moments leading the volatile Bucs to come from behind wins and fourth quarter drives.

NFC West

Alex Smith & Colin Kaepernick – Tobey Maguire & Jesse Eisenberg

Smith came in as a number one overall pick with the expectations to revive a franchise, but failed to do so. The same result can be seen from Tobey Maguire’s attempt at the Spiderman series; an utter disaster. Maguire was capable of carrying a movie throughout with Pleasantville or Seabiscuit, but failed to present anything spectacular. Conversely, Colin Kaepernick has come in a thrived as an absolute star much like Eisenberg in The Social Network. Look for both Kaepernick and Eisenberg to entertain us for the next generation of professionals.

Russell Wilson – Joseph Gordon Levitt

Levitt’s respectable beginning in TV started with 3rd Rock from the Sun and that can be comparable to Wilson’s stint in minor league baseball, but their adaptation to the professional level has better utterly amazing. Whether it be Inception, Looper, or leading a Seahawks franchise to the playoffs with utter poise and composure; both of these future stars will be around for a long time to come.

Sam Bradford – Chris Pine Can

Chris Pine showed he was capable of supporting Denzel Washington in Unstoppable and left the public wanting more for the recreated Star Trek franchise. Similar to Pine, when Bradford gets comfortable and gains weapons around him, the Rams will continue their positive direction to a reputable franchise again.

Kevin Kolb & Crew – Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell

Coach put Uncle Rico in and we saw how that went….

AFC East

Tom Brady – Denzel Washington

Thriving in roles with good looks and masterful performances symbolizes these two dynamic personalities perfectly. Denzel began his career being acclaimed in a supporting role and prospered into a top leading man for an extended duration from Training Day to recently released Flight. Brady stepped in for an injured Drew Bledsoe and never looked back creating a decade of dominance for the New England Patriots.

Ryan Tannehill – Zac Efron

With a limited sample size with one year in college and a rookie NFL year, Ryan Tannehill has shown to have immense potential with absolutely no talent around him. Looking past Efron’s High School Musical days, he has displayed some notable performances with 17 Again and Charlie St. Cloud by showing he can exceed expectations and carry a movie throughout. It is early, but both Tannehill and Efron have shown glimpses of having a reputable future in their industries. Plus have you seen their girl friends or wife? Bonus points!

Ryan Fitzpatrick – Vince Vaughn

Vince Vaughn’s natural sarcastic humor resembles the intelligence of a Harvard graduate like Fitzpatrick. Essentially both are serviceable in their industry with spotty high moments, but won’t produce anything award winning.

Mark Sanchez – Colin Farrell

They try so hard but it does not work. We can equate SWAT to Sanchez’s early years with nice playoffs runs, but it has been a steep decline ever since. Sanchez tried to be an efficient manager but failed. Farrell tried to match Brad Pitt’s Troy with Alexander, but that was a disaster. They will remain in their industries, but will never prevail to anything special.

AFC North

Joe Flacco – Matt Damon

Damon’s character in the Ocean’s Eleven series represents Flacco beyond a reasonable doubt. Damon struggled to be acknowledged as a main contributor, but gradually was given more respect as each movie continued. At the same time, Damon carried an entertaining Bourne series for almost a decade and, although it wasn’t award winning, it was very entertaining. Flacco has shown utter moments of brilliance in big moments, much like Damon in Good Will Hunting and The Departed.

Andy Dalton – John Cho

You may know Cho has Harold from the Harold and Kumar series, but he quietly has strung together a few noteworthy performances with American Beauty and Star Trek. He looks to still be a constant within the revitalized Star Trek series, resembling Dalton’s potential lengthy and serviceable NFL career. It is hard to tell what each person will ultimately become, but each has shown potential that they can be taken seriously looking forward in their future.

Ben Roethlisberger – Christian Bale

Bale and Big Ben can cause some controversy outside the office, but when focused, they compete to be the best in their fields. Bale transformed the Batman series and was outstanding in The Fighter, while Roethlisberger led the Steelers to Super Bowl appearances and a victories after years of Tommy Maddox and Kordell Stewart.

Brandon Weeden – David Caruso

This one may be self explanatory. Both were given a shot at an older age and it may work out for Weeden, but if it does expect nothing more than a Lieutenant Horatio Caine performance in CSI: Miami.

AFC South

Matt Schaub – Alec Baldwin

Neither was intended to take on a leading role at the highest level. Baldwin is perfect at 30 Rock and Schaub was an effective back-up for an injury prone Michael Vick in Atlanta. Schaub has never quite lived up to a franchise starting quarterback, much like Baldwin in the main character role of a major motion picture. Both have had memorable moments from big games to priceless lines in The Departed.

Andrew Luck – Tom Hardy

Luck and Hardy came in with all of the physical and mental tools to be successful from the beginning, and lived up to the hype. Luck led a 2-14 Colts team to the playoffs and Hardy thrived inInception, Warrior and The Dark Knight Rises. Future success exudes from both of these professionals in such a short sample size already.

Blaine Gabbert & Jake Locker – Taylor Lautner & Robert Pattinson

Gabbert & Locker have proved they are products of the combine hype and beneficiaries of tremendous arm strength, as their on-field product has not been worthy of first-round draft picks. Translate the aforementioned sentence to motion pictures, and you have Twilight. The CFL and ABC Family cannot wait for these guys.

AFC West

Peyton Manning – Tom Hanks

Starting as the number one pick in the NFL draft and winning best actor in a children’s movie just conveys the early success of the methodical and surgical (Trent Dilfer talk) careers for Peyton Manning and Tom Hanks. Both men bring extremely dedicated and intellectual approaches to their roles transcending generations that made up for any physical deficiencies.

Phillip Rivers – Sam Worthington

Has anyone hit the big screen faster and harder than Sam Worthington? In the blink of an eye, he starred in Terminator and Avatar, but then dramatically took steps down with Clash of the Titans and Man on a Ledge. This sounds eerily similar to Chargers’ quarterback Phillip Rivers, with his tremendous start under Marty Schottenheimer to his most recent two season decline. Both began to enter the “elite” conversation, but have quickly entered the above average.

Carson Palmer – Nicholas Cage

This is one of my favorites. Cage showed some flashes of brilliance when next to Sean Connery in The Rock similar to Carson Palmer surrounded with weapons in Cincinnati. Both of them believed themselves to be far more talented than what they really are, but show their true worth either in Oakland or anything Nicholas Cage does. Cage is veteran garbage like Palmer.

Matt Cassel – Seann William Scott

Do you remember Steve Stiffler from the American Pie series? He was barely in the first one, but his roles progressively grew in an entertaining fashion. Unfortunately, Seann William Scott cannot be a lead actor. He was amazing in Role Models because he fed off of Paul Rudd. The Chiefs gave Cassel the keys to the car and how did that turn out?

Note from the Chief : I believe this to be one of the coolest and funniest articles I have ever seen. I would appreciate it if you would help us spread the word on this article more-so than others. With the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl upon us, this is a perfect time to bring some excitement to the game. Thank you

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Long Island Sound
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Inside the Circle: David Levi, Personal Assistant of Floyd “Money” Mayweather

January 25, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

The Cover 4 was fortunate to catch up to David Levi, UNLV Graduate and Floyd Mayweathers Personal Assistant. We asked David what it is like to be part of the money team! Check out the article below!

Thanks for reading and thank you to David Levi for the interview

State your position with The Money Team?

I am Floyd’s personal assistant. I also take care of various things needed for The Money Team.

What is your boxing background?

I started boxing back in high school. Every Friday my brother and I invited kids over from school and we all boxed each other in the backyard with 16oz gloves and headgears. A short while later a boxing gym opened up new my house and I started training every day. I had my first amateur fight senior year of high school and won by knockout. The following year I attended UNLV just to fight for the boxing team there. After my freshman year boxing, I stopped fighting all together to work at Mayweather Promotions.

Have you ever stepped in the ring with Floyd? Even just messing around?

That’s a funny question because Floyd always asks me if I want to spar a little bit with him. He always tells me he’ll “take it easy on me”. The guy beats the hell out of world class fighters, so I’m not so keen on getting in the ring with him. Maybe if I started training again I would do it for fun. I would like to someday just to say I did.

How did you join the Money Team?

I interned for Mayweather Promotions on and off for about a year and a half. I then was hired as an office assistant for about six months. One day I was over at Floyd’s house which rarely happened and I approached him when he was alone and asked him to give me a shot and I would do whatever he needed to be done. About a week later he called me and said he was going to “test me out” and it’s been two years since!

What is the typical day in the life of David Levi?

I’m on call 24/7. No day is every the same and that is what I like best about my work. Usually if Floyd is out of town my day consists of running a couple errands for him, paying people, and I usually sit in the sports book and bet for Floyd the rest of the day.

During training my schedule is a little different. The day starts at the boxing gym around 2PM. The whole team encourages Floyd while he trains. I usually have to run out of the gym to the sports book to put bets in while he is training. We usually go to dinner after training and head to the fitness gym around 2AM.

What type of role do you take in fight planning/marketing?

Golden Boy Promotions does basically all the planning and marketing for Floyd’s fights. I use my twitter and instagram as a marketing tool by posting photos of Floyd while training. I occasionally do some interviews about Floyd’s training as well. I also seek out sponsorships and endorsements for various Mayweather Promotions fighters and Floyd.

What is the typical day in the life of Floyd Mayweather?

Floyd usually spends a lot of time with his children while he’s not training for a fight. The afternoons always consist of watching football and basketball. Him and I are usually on and off the phone nonstop because I’m placing bets for him while he watches the games at home or wherever he happens to be at the time. He knows more about football and basketball then anyone I’ve ever met. He’s a tremendous athlete, he often plays basketball late at night at the fitness gym in pick-up games.

What’s your favorite part about being part of The Money Team?

There are definitely various perks in Vegas being part of the team. I’d say my favorite part is being able to see Floyd spar every day during training. Most people only get to see him fight once a year, I get to see if every day while he’s training!

What is the coolest experience you have ever had with Floyd?

I’d say my favorite experience this far was the whole fight weekend for the Mayweather-Cotto fight. The fight was so intense and I am a fan of Miguel Cotto’s as well so I was extremely excited. I’ll never forget being in the back area with Floyd before the weigh in and he was jumping around talking shit out loud as Cotto just glared at him nonstop. Definitely the type of stuff I love being a huge boxing fan.

What was it like being interviewed by ESPN for their article?

Today’s social media has really simplified the ways to get into contact with media outlets. Over the last two years on Twitter I’ve created friendships with various writers for ESPN, Yahoo, FightHype, exc. and I get quoted from comments I make on Twitter. I’d say I enjoyed my interview with Yahoo’s Kevin Iole most.

What happened with the 50 cent split?

I think there was some miscommunication between Floyd and Fifty while Floyd was locked up. One thing was said and another came to fruition which Floyd didn’t agree with. I tend not to talk about it because it’s between the two of them.

What should people know about Floyd?

Floyd is one of the most fun people to hang around. He’s always joking around and talking shit. He has great energy and is tremendous person. He does a ton of charity which most people don’t get to see that side of him.

After Pac just got knocked out, will that fight ever happen?

The fight is basically never going to happen at this point. Pacman was knocked out cold and is going to need a couple fights to get back to where he was. I don’t think he will ever be the same after that knockout. The money that was there for the fight is no longer there because of how Pacquiao lost.

When will Floyd step back into the ring?

Floyd will actually be fighting here in Las Vegas on May 4^th. The opponent is yet to be named, but believe me it’s going to be a great match up! He also is scheduled to fight September 14^th.

After Floyd boxing career is finished, how will he be remembered?

I think after Floyd’s next two or three wins and retires undefeated he will go down as the greatest boxer of all time. At the end of the day when it is all said and done, Floyd has fought dozens of world champions and hall of famers. He makes all of them look like amateurs. There is no fighter ever in the history of the sport that has faced the opposition he has and made it look so easy.

What do you have planned in the future?

I’m really enjoying my time with Floyd and The Money Team currently but of course eventually all things come to an end. I would like to get into promotion or work behind the scenes for television involving boxing and entertainment. I really enjoy the entertainment industry and I plan on staying involved with boxing one way or another.

Thanks for the interview Cover 4!

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James Kaikis
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Filed Under: The Other Sports Tagged With: back, David Levi, ESPN, Every Friday, Floyd Mayweather, football, Kevin Iole, Mayweather Cotto, Mayweather Promotions, Miguel Cotto, Money Team, sport, time, UNLV, year

It’s Hockey Time! Division Previews, Analysis, Awards & More!

January 20, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

How far will the Rangers go this season?

With the lockout now a distant memory, the NHL will resume business as usual today, with the regular season kicking off at 3 p.m. eastern. The lockout has completely changed the dynamic of this season as this will be a 48 game sprint to the playoffs, instead of the typical 82-game marathon.. There will be no adjustment period for any team and any losing streak of substance will be catastrophic. Injuries and goaltending will play the biggest roles in determining who goes to the dance and who is back on the golf course before you can say Ovechkin. Lets take a quick look around the league and make some predictions.

The Divisions

Atlantic Division

Arguably the best division in the game, the Atlantic is LOADED with stars. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Claude Giroux, Brad Richards, Rick Nash, John Tavares and Ilya Kovalchuk highlight the star studded division that is sure to be one of, if not the tightestdivisions in the game this season.

New Jersey Devils – The defending Eastern Conference champions have more to prove entering a season than any defending conference champ in recent memory. They lost their heart and soul in team captain Zach Parise to the Wild via free agency and remaining superstar Ilya Kovalchuk nearly had to be dragged back from the KHL. Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur will return for another year, and the Devils fate is tied directly to his play.

New York Islanders – An intriguing team to watch, the Islanders have been a perennial basement dweller in the Atlantic, however they boast an emerging star in John Tavares, backed up by the likes of Matt Moulson and Michael Grabner. The Islanders are a young team who may benefit from playing every other night and if they develop of winning streak early, they can be a contender for a playoff spot.

New York Rangers – It’s Stanley Cup or bust for the Rangers this season. After having an impressive season last year despite sub-par production from superstar free agent signee Brad Richards, Henrik Lundqvist was lights out and carried them to the Eastern Conference Finals. This season, the Broadway Blueshirts have added yet another star in Rick Nash and feature an impressive young blueline with Michael Del Zotto, Marc Staal and Girardi. Up and down, the Rangers boast the most formidable lineup in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia Flyers – Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the biggest question for the Broadstreet Bullies will be goaltending. The bizarre and recently inconsistent Ilya Bryzgalov holds the Flyers fate in his hands. The Flyers boast one of the deepest rosters in the East with superstar Claude Giroux leading the way and their D corps is solid despite losing Chris Pronger to injury and Matt Carle to free agency.

Pittsburgh Penguins – No doubt that the thought of a healthy and extra-motivated Sidney Crosby playing with defending MVP and scoring champ Evgeni Malkin is going to cause many coaches and players to lose some sleep in the coming weeks. The two-headed monster spearheads a potent offensive lineup with the likes of Kris Letang and James Neal hiding in Crosby and Malkin’s shadows. The big question for the Pens will be on the blueline and in net after that colossal defensive breakdown versus Philadelphia lin last year’s playoffs. Marc-Andre Fleury will need to return to his dominant form from the regular season and put that playoff series behind him.

Division Champion: New York Rangers

Northeast Division

The Northeast Division is perhaps the toughest division in hockey to play as a player. Three original six teams play in Toronto, Montreal and Boston, whose fan bases expect a Stanley Cup caliber team annually. The other two division teams are Ottawa, a Canadian team and Buffalo, a pseudo-Canadian team, who share the same pressure.

Boston Bruins – Despite former MVP and Conn Smythe-winning All Star goalie Tim Thomas sitting the season out due to personal reasons, the Bruins are still sitting pretty in the driver’s seat of the division. Tuukka Rask is a more than capable starting goaltender and there won’t be much of a dropoff for the B’s in the crease. Zdeno Chara captains a roster that will see the return of a healthy Nathan Horton who was dealing with concussion issues season. The big, physical Bruins should be in control of the division from the get-go, especially if their offense starts hot.

Buffalo Sabres – It’s pretty simple for the Sabres, they need Ryan Miller to return to dominant form in net and they need more from young star Tyler Myers and 2011 free agent signees Ville Leino and Christian Ehrhoff. With the addition of the gritty and skilled agitator extraordinaire Steve Ott from Dallas in the offseason, the Sabres added to a need they were desperately lacking. If the underachievers can pick their game up, and Jason Pominville plays like he did last season, the Sabres will be competitive, if not, Lindy Ruff may be looking for a new team to coach next season.

Montreal Canadiens – It was a rough season last year for the Habs, seeing them finish dead last in the Eastern Conference, and third worst in the entire league. There is not too much reason to believe this year will be much better. Young star defenseman and future franchise player P.K. Subban has yet to report to camp as a restricted free agent and the Habs feature an aging lineup of veterans with some young upstart players like Lars Eller and Max Pacioretty. Unless Carey Price can stand on his head nightly and steal more than his fair share of games, the 48 game season will feel like an 82 game season in hockey’s promised land.

Ottawa Senators – The Sens present one of the most balanced lineups in the NHL. They’re backstopped by Craig Anderson in net, who is one of the most underrated keepers in the league. In addition, they feature a balanced forward lineup of veterans like Daniel Alfredsson , Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek and Chris Neil that compliment defending Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson’s solid D corps. Injuries have taken a chunk out of the D corps however and those suiting up will have to play to their max ability right from the hop for the Sens to compete for the division.

Toronto Maple Leafs – The hockey-crazed city of Toronto has been desperate for a winner and this year maybe their year. To say Toronto is a longshot to win the Cup may be an understatement, but I for one am a beLEAFer. After a monumental collapse late last season, Toronto may be a team to benefit from a shortened season. Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul had fantastic seasons last year and look to pick up where they left off. The forward unit is bolstered by the addition of James van Riemsdyk who was traded at the draft from the Flyers for Luke Schenn. While Schenn will be a tough loss, the blueline was and is the Leafs deepest spot and JVR is a stud. Of course, we can’t fo get to mention that James Reimer needs to be lights out. If the Leafs get into the postseason, you never know what could happen.

Division Champion: Boston Bruins

Southeast Division

The Southeast is a wide open division featuring the rejuvenated Carolina Hurricanes, perennial powerhouse Washington Capitals, surprising yet steady Florida Panthers, the young and restless Winnipeg Jets and the Stamkos-led former champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

Carolina Hurricanes – It’s going to be a family affair in Carolina for the next decade. The Hurricanes made arguably the second biggest roster move in the league after the Rick Nash to the Rangers trade when they traded for the Penguins’ Jordan Staal, the younger brother of Hurricanes’ captain Eric Staal. Stuck behind Crosby and Malkin in Pittsburgh, Jordan signed a 10-year deal to play alongside with Eric. Tough times have befallen the Canes after their 2006 Stanley Cup Victory and they have dropped to the bottom of the conference. A rejuvenated Canes’ lineup this season will feature the two lone bright spots of the franchise since the Cup year in Eric Staal and goalie Cam Ward. Joining them will be Jordan Staal and free agents signee Alex Semin, the enigmatic, filled to the brim with skill, Russian winger. Young star Jeff Skinner and vet Tuomo Ruutu help bolster a young, HIGHLY dangerous team down in Dixie.

Florida Panthers – After a surprising regular season that saw the Panthers reach the playoffs for the first time in years, their dreams were derailed in double OT of Game 7 against the eventual Conference champion New Jersey Devils. They return nearly an identical roster stocked with former Cup winners Brian Campbell, Tomas Kopecky and Kris Versteeg along with young talented players like Steven Weiss, Tomas Fleischmann and Sean Bergenheim. Jose Theodore must continue his solid play from last season and if he does, the Panthers can expect to return to the postseason again this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning – The Bolts boast the best goal scorer in the game today, bar none, in Steven Stamkos. The kid is a megastar and is only getting better. He ran away with the Rocket Richard last season and has a history of starting fast in a season, a considerable asset in a shortened season. Cup champs Martin St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier back up Stamkos from the offensive standpoint and Victor Hedman is an emerging stud on the blueline. New additions help make the lightning contenders in the form of defenseman Matt Carle, skilled forward Benoit Pouliot and little known goaltender Anders Lindback. Lindback is the big wild card for Tampa as he played in the shadow of all-world goalie Pekka Rinne in Nashville. Now Lindback is the starter and like every other team in the league, the team’s destiny rests on his performance each night.

Washington Capitals – Led by superstar Alex Ovechkin, the Caps look to find their winning ways again. A perennial playoff team and often times a legitimate threat to win it all, the Caps have kept finding ways to blow it. They have yet to put a significant playoff run together and their goaltending can go from perfected to disastrous in a matter of days. Loaded upfront with Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and new addition Mike Ribeiro, the Caps cut dead weight in Alex Semin. Braden Holtby proved last year in the playoffs that he is a franchise-caliber goalie. If Backstrom can shake concussion issues from last year, and defenseman Mike Green and Ovi can find their form from a couple years ago,and solid role players like Brooks Laich can hold the fort in the defensive zone, the Caps can be a truly dominant team.

Winnipeg Jets – Goaltending, goaltending, goaltending. You’re gonna see it for every team, but Winnipeg will be a key example. Ondrej Pavelic will have to hold the fort for the Jets. They are a young, talented team benefitting from years of hockey hell in Atlanta and their draft picks should be coming through sooner rather than later. Rookie of the Year candidate Mark Scheifele joins Evander Kane and Alex Burmistrov as young players looking to solidify themselves as staples on a competitive NHL team. Captain Andrew Ladd and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien have won a cup in Chicago and are just now entering the primes of their career. Experienced forwards like Olli Jokinen and Nik Antropov compliment the young core and provide a valuable presence, both of which have had long, up-and-down careers without winning a cup.

Division Champion: Washington Capitals

Central Division

The only division that can give the Atlantic a run for its money for the most competitive division, the Central is sure to be one of the tightest races in the league. It’s wide open with legitimate Cup contenders Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis leading the way, followed closely by an always dangerous Nashville team and not far behind are the new-look Columbus Blue Jackets.

Chicago Blackhawks – The Hawks are not far removed from a Stanley Cup victory in 2009-10, but their roster is very different today. The Hawks have an abundance of playoff experience on their side with Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook all remaining from the Cup years, but they have been struggling to find an identity in net since the departure of Antti Niemi. Corey Crawford will get the gig and like every other team, if he holds up, they will not only challenge for the division, but will challenge for the Cup as well.

Columbus Blue Jackets – Now that the Rick Nash era and perhaps more specifically, the Rick Nash soap opera, is over, Columbus is on the rebuild. With new team president John Davidson at the helm, the Blue Jackets will arrive on the scene sooner rather than later. Davidson is one of the best hockey minds in the game, just look at where St. Louis (his previous team) was a few years ago (cellar dweller) compared to where they are today (Cup contenders). Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky who came over from the Rangers in the Nash trade, look to play bigger roles in Columbus than they had been playing in the Big Apple. Star defenseman Jack Johnson and James Wisniewski will anchor the point of what should be a fairly formidable power play and Sergei Bobrovsky will give the Jackets an option in goal if Steve Mason can’t find his rookie year form right off the bat.

Detroit Red Wings – The losses of Nicklas Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom will be more heavily felt from a nostalgic standpoint than in the standings. Detroit is notorious for building a competitive NHL squad through its AHL team and that formula has been working for 20 years, seeing the Red Wings make the playoffs EVERY season. Pavel Datsyuk looks to continue his wizardry alongside new captain Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, who I feel is one of the most underrated players in the game. The signing of Swiss League star Damien Brunner may pay huge dividends from the offensive standpoint. Jimmy Howard looks to post another good season in net.

Nashville Predators – The Preds lost a huge asset in defenseman Ryan Suter this offseason to the Wild. They nearly lost captain Shea Weber to the Flyers and were forced to match the monstrous offer sheet the Fly Guys made. That being said, they still will roll out one of the best, if not THE best goalies in the game in Pekka Rinne. Rinne should challenge for the Vezina Trophy and looks to continue his dominant play from last season. I would expect the Preds, in typical Nashville next man up fashion, to replace Suter with either Roman Josi or Kevin Klein, both of whom are solid guys who have come up through the system. Mike Fisher, Martin Erat and the Kostitsyn brothers should provide enough offense for Nashville to be a top contender out west again.

St. Louis Blues – There is a ton of optimism and excitement for St. Louis entering this season and for good reason. The Blues are backstopped by the best goaltending tandem in the league with Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliot. The two combined for 15 shutouts last season. An impressive as the goaltending is, there isn’t much of a drop off when you move outside the crease. When John Davidson took over as team president, he began rebuilding this group and along with GM Doug Armstrong (2011-12 GM of the year) have built a top contender from within, using high draft picks through the Blues “dark years”. Captain David Backes, Patrik Berglund,T.J. Oshie, David Perron, Alex Pietrangelo and Barret Jackman have all been drafted by the Blues. Last season, they made the playoffs last season for the first time in years and bounced the perennial playoff powerhouse Sharks before losing a super close series to the Kings by a razor-thin margin in 7 games. The Blues now know what it takes to get to the playoffs and now know what it takes to win in the playoffs. With a young talented team in a shortened season coming into their own, lookout because they may not stop at the division this year.

Division Champion: St. Louis Blues

Northwest Division

The Northwest has been dominated by the Vancouver Canucks recently, seeing them take the division title the last four seasons. The Minnesota Wild have made themselves instant contenders for the division this season with their offseason moves, but the budding Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche may also have something to say about Vancouver’s dominance. Calgary plays in this division as well, but not nearly as well as the other teams.

Calgary Flames – There is one aspect and one aspect only that holds the Flames fate for this season. Goaltending. They have a star goalie in Miikka Kiprusoff who has played, by far, the most games for his team since the last lockout in 2005 (he leads second place Henrik Lundqvist by more than 40 games played), and despite playing this condensed 48-game schedule, it wouldn’t be a shock to see a healthy Kiprusoff play about 40-45 of those games. If they get tremendous goaltending from him consistently, then they can compete for a playoff spot and if they don’t, you can expect longtime team captain and pending free agent, Jarome Iginla to be moved to a contender, a la Ray Bourque.

Colorado Avalanche – The Avs are another team benefitting from some down years and seeing their draft picks coming to fruition. Despite leading scorer from last year and RFA Ryan O’Reilly not being with the team yet, the Avs still boast an impressive roster. Young stars Matt Duchene, Paul Stastny, and newly appointed captain (youngest in NHL history) Gabriel Landeskog lead the way. They are complemented by a veteran presence of guys like Steve Downie and Milan Hejduk. Another solid goaltending tandem keep them in every game with J.S. Giguere and Semyon Varlamov. If they can get out to a quick start, they have the roster make up to contend the whole season for a playoff spot, although the divisional crown may be a long shot.

Edmonton Oilers – The Oilers are a curious team, because no team has been able to build through the draft like the Oilers since the Blackhawks with Kane and Toews or the Penguins with Crosby and Malkin. The Oilers boast Nail Yakupov, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in their lineup, all 3 of whom were number 1 overall picks. In addition, guys like Magnus Paajarvi , Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle, who were also first-round picks, are in impact roles for the Oilers. Eberle will be the team’s captain one day, sooner rather than later, and is their BEST player. Loaded offensively, they lack on the defensive side of the ice. Ryan Whitney is their only true top pairing defenseman and only time will tell how the highly-touted college free agent signee Justin Schultz will fit in. Devan Dubnyk is unproven between the pipes and needs to learn how to use his enormous 6-foot-5 frame to his advantage. The Oilers could win the division, or they could finish dead last and in the draft lottery again, it all depends on if they can put their best foot forward night in and night out, the biggest test for a young team.

Minnesota Wild – Forget Rick Nash’s trade from Columbus to the Rangers, the Wild made, without a doubt, the biggest roster moves of any team in the NHL this offseason when they signed all-stars Ryan Suter and Zach Parise to matching 13-year, $98 million contracts. With the inking of these two, it has become Stanley Cup or bust in America’s hockey hotbed. The Wild were in first place in the NHL last season through November until gradually the wheels fell off. Coach Mike Yeo will win coach of the year this season. I saw him first hand as an assistant coach for the Penguins during their evolution. He knows how to get the most out of young players while still commanding the respect of the older players. GM Chuck Fletcher is savvy beyond his years and learned under Pens GM Ray Shero for a few years. Despite the Penguins connection, the Wild have their own identity with Niklas Backstrom flashing dominance at times in net. Other than Suter, the Wild’s D corps is young and inexperienced, but talented. It’s Stanley Cup or bust for the Wild for the foreseeable, but if the lockout damaged any one team’s chances more than another, it’s the Wild. In a compact season, there is no time for their two new star players to adjust to their new surroundings.

Vancouver Canucks – The story for the Canucks never seems to change. They enter every season with two things assured; there will be questions surrounding their goaltending and their top line led by the Sedin twins will put up redonkulous numbers. This year is no different, only this season they have a two-pronged goaltending question. One, will Cory Schneider be able to be consistently good like he showed last season and how long will the Roberto Luongo soap opera continue? He is this year’s version of Rick Nash and the sooner it is settled one way or another, the better off everyone will be. The Canucks are solid in their bottom six forwards and along their blueline, bolstered by the acquisition of the vastly underrated Jason Garrison from Florida, but their second line is dealing with injuries right now. For all the problems the Canucks have, they are minor compared to many other teams of the league, and expect them to be legitimate Cup contenders once again.

Division Champion: Vancouver Canucks

Pacific Division

The Pacific Division features the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, and their Western Conference Final foes the Phoenix Coyotes. In addition to those two, the Sharks are always on the cusp of a championship and Dallas is knocking on the door. Anaheim is slated for another long season.

Anaheim Ducks – It is fitting that the Ducks dropped the Mighty from the front of their team name a few years ago. They did this to separate themselves from the team from Disney’s heroic tale of District 5’s transformation from hopeless Pee -Wee team to international champions and then later, high school scrimmage champions, but the name change has reflected the transformation from Stanley Cup champions in 2006 to cellar dwellers today. They field one of the best lines in all of hockey with Ryan Getzlaf centering former MVP and Richard Trophy winner Corey Perry and young star Bobby Ryan. Teemu Selanne is still a force on the power play but that’s about it. On the backend, Jonas Hiller has shown flashes of brilliance in net but nothing consistent. After a fantastic rookie season, Cam Fowler came back down to earth and only he and Bryan Allen are defensemen worth mentioning.

Dallas Stars – The Stars took a hit when they traded the agitation specialist and blood and guts kind of guy in Steve Ott to Buffalo, however they received Derek Roy back, who will replace Mike Ribeiro (whom they traded to Washington) on their second line. They signed future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr, which will help their power play. Another team led by young stars in Jamie Benn and the unheralded Loui Eriksson, Dallas could contend for the division. Kari Lehtonen had a fantastic season for them in net last year and if that story continues, the Stars could be a sleeper team, especially in a shortened season.

Los Angeles Kings – I think by now that we have established how important goaltending will be for every team and the Kings are no different, despite being the defending Cup champs. Jonathan Quick won the Conn Smythe for playoff MVP and for good reason, had the Kings finished in the top half of the conference last season, Quick would have been MVP of the league. He was dominant from the gates last year, at one time earlier in the year posting THREE shutouts in a row. With the Kings offense lacking the consistency that as a coach you would want to see, whenever they would be slumping, Quick would hold them in each game. Despite having surgery this offseason, Quick still looks to pick up where he left off. If Drew Doughty can continue his Norris-caliber play again and Kopitar, Williams, Richards, Carter and Penner can keep some offensive consistency, the Kings will be right in the mix for Lord Stanley again.

Phoenix Coyotes – The Yotes are the darkhorse of the entire league. Under-appreciated, under-rated, and underestimated year in and year out, they’re the Rodney Dangerfield of the NHL, they get no respect. Despite riding Mike Smith to the conference finals last season, they were seen more of an aberration than a well-built contender. Well, lucky for you, I’m here to lay a little knowledge on you, Phoenix is loaded with talent. The previously mentioned Smith is by far their most important player (goaltending, goaltending, goaltending), but the blueline is anchored (at least for now) by Keith Yandle and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. OEL had a good year last year, but expect him to have his coming out party this season. Captain Shane Doan, the single most underrated player of his era (been there since they were the Jets), leads the way upfront along with a cast of underrated and undervalued forwards like Antoine Vermette, Steve Sullivan and Radim Vrabata. The Coyotes are solid, and come late April/early May, I’ll be right here to say “I told ya so”.

San Jose Sharks – The Sharks are always a contender for the Division and the Conference and I think they will be again this season. The Sharks have a nice mix of veteran leaders like Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dan Boyle who are showing the next generation of Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns and Logan Couture how to be great professionals and contenders year after year. Sadly for Sharks fans, I feel that they are TOO balanced in that they have the young talent to compete, stuck behind the veterans who have never won the Cup and don’t know what it takes to win. If the Sharks fall out of contention, look for one of the veterans to be moved around the deadline to not only open up a space for one of the young players, but to add pieces to support them. I doubt this will happen though, as Antti Niemi is a solid goalie, and a Cup winning goalie at that.W ith a shortened season, the aging veterans have had time to rest, and if they can play to their potential all the way through the condensed schedule, this could be the year of the Shark.

Division Champions: Phoenix Coyotes

Awards Predictions

Hart Trophy (MVP): Steven Stamkos – TB

Art Ross (Points Leader): Sidney Crosby – PIT

Rocket Richard (Goals): Steven Stamkos – TB

Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie): Pekka Rinne – NSH

Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman): Drew Doughty – LA

Calder Trophy (Best Rookie): Alex Galchenyuk – MTL

Lady Byng (Sportsmanship): Pavel Datsyuk – DET

Selke (Best Defensive Forwad): Jordan Staal – CAR

Jack Adams (Best Coach): Mike Yeo – MIN

Bill Masterton (Perseverance): Pierre-Marc Bouchard – MIN

Ted Lindsay (MVP as voted by Players): Claude Giroux – PHI

William Jennings Trophy (Goalie(s) with lowest GAA): Jose Theodore – FLA

GM of the Year: Chuck Fletcher – MIN

Eastern Conference Champions: New York Rangers

Western Conference Champions: St. Louis Blues

Stanley Cup Finals: Rangers over Blues in 7

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Filed Under: Hockey Tagged With: Atlantic Division, Awards Predictions, Blue Jackets, Central Division, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles, Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, New York, Northeast Division, Northwest Division, Phoenix Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals

Thunder Storming

January 19, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Westbrooke & KD are both playing lights out!

Westbrook & KD are both playing lights out!

The Thunder’s season ended last year after game 5 of the NBA Finals. Anyone who watched that series immediately knew two things. First, Lebron James is the most dominant player in the NBA and the current king of basketball and secondly, the Thunder would be right back in the finals for years to come. The tears and frustration that came with losing would fuel the Thunder to continue their growth. Every fan of any team in the Western Conference kissed their dreams of a Finals appearance good-bye (except stubborn Lakers fans with their newly assembled super-team). With Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the Thunder just had too much potential. They had three all-stars under the age of 25, including the best scorer in the league. Then came the Harden trade and everyone who was not a Lakers or Heat fan collectively sighed, as it seemed obvious that one of those two teams would win the 2012 title.

In the age of the super teams, the idea of trading away an all-star seems like it belongs in one of those AT&T commercials involving spastic little kids asking if three is better than two. Three all-stars must be better than two! Who was going to take over for Westbrook when he went through his shooting funk? Who would come off the bench to keep the scoring going? How would the Thunder compete against the super teams of the league? The Thunder have answered all of these questions through their play this year and are looking like one of the most complete teams in the league. If you look at any power rankings on any site, odds are the Thunder are in the top spot and if not, find a new site.

The Thunder are off to a NBA-best 30-8 start while putting up a second-best 105.11 points per game. Most impressive about their team play is that they have a league-leading +9.16 point differential per game. Not only are they beating teams, they’re dominating them. So how is an offense that loses one of its main offensive threats doing this? It involves multiple reasons but it starts with Durant. While Kevin Durant is not leading the league in scoring at the moment with 28.9PPG, his shooting percentages are 52/40/90. A shooter can’t get more offensively efficient than being part of the 50/40/90 club. If Durant can keep this efficiency up, he will join Steve Nash, Larry Bird, Mark Price, Reggie Miller and Dirk Nowitzki in this exclusive fraternity of sharpshooters.

While everyone knows that Durant can score, he’s spent a good deal of time improving other facets of his game this year. Durant is currently averaging career highs in assists (4.2) and blocks (1.7), while grabbing a solid 7.6 rebounds per game. It’s scary to think of the level Durant can reach. In the past year, Durant has played in the finals, improved his game immensely the following season, and even starred in the feature film Thunderstruck! He’s having an MVP campaign and the ceiling seems non-existent. However, Durant is not doing everything by himself. Westbrook is putting up a stellar 2012 campaign as well. Against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, the duo combined for 77 points and Durant introduced Marcin Gortat to Perkins and Mozgov in the ‘Embarrassed/Posterized 7-Footers Club’.

Westbrook is having one of the best seasons of his career and has really stepped up in the absence of Harden. Not only has he stopped going into those funks where everyone yells “Westbrook! What are you doing?!”, but he is averaging career highs in multiple categories. Westbrook is logging career highs in minutes (36.1), 3- point attempts (4.1), 3-point percentage (35.7%), rebounds (5.3), assists (8.4) and steals (2.1). While we all know Westbrook can put up 30-plus points on any given night, with his improved ability to get surrounding teammates, he can contribute immensely even when his shot goes cold. Critics of Westbrook won’t be able to find a problem with his current game, but at least they’ll always have his wardrobe.

The entire Thunder team’s improvement cannot be denied. With the departure of Harden has come the emergence of Serge Ibaka. While Ibaka has long been recognized for his blocked shots, even been referred to as ‘Iblocka’, he has evolved into a top power forward. He’s shooting a career-high 56% from the field along with 79% from the line. Throw this in next to career-high 8.4 rebounds and 14.3 points per game and it’s evident that Air Congo has taken off. What is most impressive is that he’s done all this while being the fourth option behind Durant, Westbrook and Kevin Martin. By improving both defensively and offensively and transitioning into a versatile power forward, the Thunder still have three elite players under 25 despite losing Harden.

One of the biggest reasons we have not seen a fall off from the loss of Harden has been the smooth transition of Martin into the Thunder offense. It can even be argued that the loss of Harden and introduction of Martin improves the Thunder offense. Martin is averaging 14.9 points per game, but more importantly is the role he plays in the offense. Martin is a catch-and-shoot player, he doesn’t demand the ball like Harden. If Martin doesn’t have the shot, he dishes it back to either Westbrook or Durant. One of the most frustrating moments for Thunder fans is when Durant doesn’t have the ball in his hands when he clearly should. By removing a player with a style of play that demands the ball and introducing one who simply catches and shoots at a consistent rate with solid production, the ball goes to Durant more. And with Durant playing at the efficient level he is, you want the ball in Durant’s hands.

I think we can safely say that every member of the Thunder, from the coach to the players, are doing everything in their power to ensure they’re smiling instead of crying when the confetti falls in the NBA finals this year. They seem to have taken the slogan ‘Thunder Up!’ to heart, as entire team has upped both its production and expectations. The Thunder are young, fast, talented, and hungry and expect nothing less than an NBA championship. Astraphobia is the fear of thunder, and every NBA team should develop it. Only halfway through the season the Thunder look like a championship team, and expect to see them back in the Finals.

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Filed Under: Basketball Tagged With: 2012, Air Congo, back, Durant, Finals, Footers Club, Kevin, Kevin Durant, Lakers, Larry Bird, NBA, Phoenix Suns, Serge Ibaka, Western Conference, year

Finally Some Stability in the Mountain West

January 17, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Sometimes the proverbial greener grass on the other side looks a lot different the closer you get: the grass isn’t greener, it’s just a different grass in a different location. Amidst the chaos of conference realignment and an evolving landscape in college sports, Boise State and San Diego State realized that what looked like a good idea from afar really wasn’t any better than their current situation.

After the restructured Bowl Championship Series format gave schools from the Mountain West and Big East (along with the other non-power conferences) an equal opportunity to qualify for a BCS game, the reasons to stay in the Mountain West far outweighed the reasons to move. The switch no longer made any sense strategically or financially. Boise State withdrew their commitment from the Big East right before the New Year, with San Diego State officially withdrawing and being reinstated to the Mountain West on Wednesday.

The news provides a sigh of relief for the other Mountain West schools, and should provide stability for a conference that has been one of the most active in realignment with several teams coming and going over the past few years. With San Diego State’s reinstatement, the Mountain West will have 12 football members next season, with Hawaii as the lone football-only member, giving them an 11 team league in all other sports.

Don’t be surprised if more moves follow. There have been hints that BYU is looking to re-join a conference in order to have better bowl tie-ins, with their former home the Mountain West being their preferred choice. BYU has been playing their other sports in the West Coast Conference, so it is possible that they may join as a football-only member. At this point, the Mountain West could seek one more member for all sports, which would give them a 14 member football conference and 12 member conference for all other sports. Regardless of any further expansion, one thing is clear for the Mountain West: the teams they have now will be staying for a while, with a new TV deal in the works and a football conference championship game sure to be finalized in the coming months.

Last decade when Boise State, Utah, and TCU stormed the BCS picture taking out highly ranked opponents from power conferences like Oklahoma, Alabama, and Wisconsin, the nation took notice. However, many of the power conference commissioners claimed those schools could certainly compete for one game with the big boys, but not for a full season; they had lots of talent, but were undersized and would wear down against tougher opponents with more depth. When the whirlwind of conference realignment began, many of those same commissioners apparently had a change of heart and decided those “small schools” were good enough to join their league. One of the first schools invited to a power conference was Utah to the now Pac-12. Next was TCU to the Big East, and ultimately the Big 12. Then it was the original Cinderella team Boise State to the Big East, among many others.

What many fans have realized is that those schools were good enough to compete all along; the big schools just didn’t want to share the massive paychecks they were receiving from the BCS. TCU went 7-6 in their first season in the Big 12, but were involved in several close losses, and at times were bigger and faster than some of their conference opponents who had been in the “power conference” for years. How much better will they be after collecting a Big 12 paycheck the next three or four years? Same with Utah and the Pac-12, the more money they earn, the more they can spend on facilities, recruiting budget, and stadium renovations/expansions. An increase in revenue for these schools will only make them more competitive down the line than they already are.

Boise State was in the driver’s seat with these conference negotiations. They knew both conferences needed them badly for name recognition and to give them a premier team to glorify on a national stage. They made the wise choice by staying in the stable conference, with the Big East unsure of its future in any regard as the “Catholic 7” figure out their next move. San Diego State was about to take its top-level basketball program to the Big West, which would have been an awful move for their RPI and strength of schedule. The Mountain West knew this, and never panicked. They let the process play out, waited patiently for things to settle while also setting up contingency plans, and then calmly welcomed both schools back in with open arms, like a father to his prodigal sons.

Fans have a lot to look forward to in the near future with this conference. Next season San Jose State and Utah State, two improving programs (both went 11-2 last season) who are getting more attention of late, will add more depth to an already competitive league. UNLV, the doormat of Mountain West football, is in the process of finalizing a stadium proposal that will be one of the most attractive places to play in the country if everything goes through. New Mexico was atrocious for years but played much better this year under first-year coach Bob Davie and should continue to improve, while Air Force, Fresno State, and Nevada remain steady programs year in and year out.

The Mountain West is already on the map as an elite mid-major basketball conference, with three teams consistently being ranked in the top-25 so far this season. The stability resulting from Boise State and San Diego State’s decisions, coupled with the restructured TV deal, will benefit the conference from top to bottom in recruiting and future planning. The key to any business’ long-term success is stability; the Mountain West finally has that.

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Filed Under: Basketball, Football Tagged With: BCS, Big East, Boise State, Bowl Championship Series, byu, football, mexico, Mountain West, New Year, RPI, San Diego, San Diego State, TCU, TV, year

NHL Fantasy Preview!

January 16, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Where does Malkin sit on the list of top centers for 2013?

With the lockout now over, the NHL is prepping for a marathon sprint of a season. With a 48-game schedule in the works and due to be released in the next day or so, the wheels of hockey are once again churning, and it is almost time to drop the puck. For those of us who play fantasy hockey, if you’re like me, you’ve probably not kept up with any of the players playing overseas, and have not had a chance to make your “big board” for your draft. Since autopick is never an option, here is your crash course for your top picks for your fantasy drafts. Please keep in mind these rankings are for standard scoring leagues.

Claude Giroux

Center

1. Evgeni Malkin – Pittsburgh

*Coming off of an MVP season in the NHL last year, Malkin has continued his dominance overseas in the KHL posting 65 points in 37 games during the lockout. With a healthy Sidney Crosby back in the fold, look out.

2. Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh

*Speak of the devil, Crosby is primed to terrorize the NHL like he did prior to suffering multiple concussions. The best player in the world is back and healthy for the first time in two-and-a-half years, and with the short season, his point production heavily outweighs the risk of injury for your team.

3. Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay

*Stamkos is working his way to the prime of his career, and the goal scoring machine is usually a fast starter during the season, if he’s around when your pick is up, he’s a pretty safe pick.

4. Claude Giroux – Philadelphia

*While Giroux will push Crosby, Malkin and company for the scoring title and MVP, he was injured with another concussion while playing in Germany. He left his team a month or so ago to go seek help from Dr. Ted Carrick, the same doctor who helped return Sidney Crosby for good. While Giroux should be good to go, the injuries are a point of concern.

5. Henrik Sedin – Vancouver*Either Sedin is always a good pick up in fantasy. They always post globs of points and Henrik is terrific at faceoffs, but hits and PIMs are going to be hard to come by.

6. John Tavares – New York (Islanders)

*A budding superstar in the NHL, Tavares is a fantastic all-around talent and plays in every situation. He is the type of player that can keep your team competitive when you’re having the fantasy-dreaded “off week”.

7. Eric Staal – Carolina

*Staal has been around seemingly forever, but at age 28, he is in the prime of his career. Always a top fantasy player, the Hurricanes’ lineup will be bolstered by the addition of Jordan Staal, and that may energize Eric as well.

8. David Backes – St. Louis

*Backes could be a great sleeper pick. Not too many casual hockey fans know about him, but he makes a great addition to any team. While he won’t be pushing 100 points, even in an 82-game season, Backes is consistent point producer and plays with an edge helping out your hits and PIMs.

9. Brad Richards – New York (Rangers)

*Don’t let the addition of Rick Nash to the Rangers fool you, this is still a John Tortorella coached team and defense comes first. Thank being said, Richards is one of the premier passers in the league and is playing with Nash and Marian Gaborik.

10. Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles

*Kopitar burst on to the national scene last season during the Kings’ run to the Stanley Cup. Kopitar though has always been a valuable fantasy player and looks only to continue that trend this season.

Alex Ovechkin

Left Wingers

1. Alex Ovechkin – Washington

*The great 8 will be looking to burst out of the gates the season and one can expect that first year Caps coach Adam Oates will unleash Ovechkin without restriction. Looking to return to form and just oozing with talent and skill. Despite previous down seasons, Ovi is still a good choice as a top pick.

2. Ilya Kovalchuk – New Jersey

*Kovalchuk really came into his own as a Devil last season, and despite losing team captain Zach Parise through free agency, Kovalchuk looks to pick up right where he left off for the Eastern Conference champion Devils.

3. James Neal – Pittsburgh

*After a dreadful late 2010-’11 with the Pens after coming over from Dallas, Neal enjoyed a terrific full season with Pittsburgh last year posting 40 goals and 81 points. Oh yeah, he’ll be working a power play unit with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

4. Daniel Sedin – Vancouver

*See Henrik Sedin, subtract faceoffs

5. Milan Lucic – Boston

*Lucic is coming into the season healthy and that is huge for the style that he plays. Lucic will be a force at even strength and on the power play and will add to your fantasy teams toughness stats such as hits and PIMs

6. Zach Parise – Minnesota

*I wouldn’t expect Parise to come out of the gates hot. He spent his entire career with Jersey and now that he is in his first year with the Wild, you have to account for an adjustment period. With Parise’s talent and work ethic, don’t pencil in TOO much time to adjust, he will be a solid pick for any team sooner rather than later.

7. Taylor Hall – Edmonton

*With the shortened schedule, young guys like Hall and his Oiler teammates could be surprise names at the top of the scoring charts. Hall has improved his play every year since being the first overall pick in 2010. If Hall can stay healthy, he has the potential to be one of your team’s top players.

8. Scott Hartnell – Philadelphia

*The long-maned Hartnell will miss departed future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr from his line, but playing with Claude Giroux still bodes well for Hartnell’s fantasy line. Hartnell also isn’t afraid of a little confrontation and gets significant power play time.

9. Rick Nash – New York (Rangers)

*While the newly acquired Nash could be a force in the stats, his attitude (at times) mixed with coach Tortorella’s attitude (at times) may not be a good mixture and with Torts running an extremely defensive minded team, the fantasy points by Nash may come at a slower clip than expected.

10. Loui Eriksson – Dallas

*Eriksson is bar none the most underrated player in the NHL today. With a ton of size and a great skill set, he will flourish offensively with the additions of Derek Roy and Jaromir Jagr to the Stars and the emergence of Stars’ star Jamie Benn

Patrick Kane

Right Wing

1. Phil Kessel – Toronto

*This may be the year that Toronto finally reaches the postseason,and Phil Kessel will be a big part of that. After finding his scoring stride early last year, he anchored the Leafs top line through a tantalizing three-quarters of a season before the Leafs collapsed and fell out of contention. Look for Kessel and the Leafs to come out of the gates hot again.

2. Patrick Sharp – Chicago

*Sharp has the ability to play any forward position and is a consistent point producer. He will add to your team’s entire offensive stat line and plus-minus as well.

3. Corey Perry – Anaheim

*Entering a contract year, Perry will look to get off to a great start. If you can overcome the plus-minus stat that is sure to be lousy from playing on Anaheim’s lousy team, Perry will be a great draft choice. A 50-goal scorer and former MVP, he should still look every bit of each of those.

4. Tyler Seguin – Boston

*Another budding superstar in the league, the blazing fast Seguin sees time in every situation for the Bruins. Look for him to be a consistent producer of every good stat your fantasy league has to offer.

5. Jarome Iginla – Calgary

*While entering the twilight of his career, Iginla can still play at a high level. He may be a good investment pick seeing as he will still produce with Calgary’s OK team, but should the Flames fall out of contention, Iginla may be moved to a contender.

6. Jordan Eberle – Edmonton

*While he hasn’t put his skills together to the fullest yet and pushed the Ovechkins and Malkins of the league for a scoring title, Eberle has still been a consistent young star with the upstart Oilers. With the likes of Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakapov, and Ryan Whitney playing with Eberle, the point potential is there.

7. Patrick Kane – Chicago

*After an off season, Kane looks back to return to his dynamic form from the Cup winning season. Loaded with talent and playing with Jonathan Toews, Kane is another safe, proven pick for your team.

8. Martin St. Louis – Tampa Bay

*A perennial fantasy stud, St. Louis is getting older, however he still provides valuable production for any fantasy team even in the most competitive of leagues. Playing with Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier won’t hurt either.

9. Jeff Skinner – Carolina

*Skinner is another young emerging star that the NHL boasts, however he has had injury trouble the last couple years. Being a smaller player, he faces that risk, but the additions of Jordan Staal and Alex Semin to the Hurricanes should offer more time and space for Skinner.

10. Joe Pavelski – San Jose

*A type of under-the-radar player, Pavelski has seen better and better seasons each year he has been around. Although he is listed as a winger, he also sees time at center, adding to your squad’s faceoff stats.

Erik Karlsson

Defense

1.Erik Karlsson – Ottawa

*The defending Norris Trophy winner, and deservedly so, Karlsson is primed for another great season. Although Ottawa’s season was somewhat of an overachievement last year, a lot of its success hinges on Karlsson. He will see plenty of ice time and will put up a ton of points.

2. Kris Letang – Pittsburgh

*After an injury-derailing season last year, Letang looks to get back on track as an elite defender in the NHL. Before concussion issues sidelined him last year, Letang was neck-and-neck with Karlsson for the defensive scoring lead and Norris consideration. As far as fantasy goes, Letang may not put up as many points playing on a star-studded Penguins team, but Letang plays with more of an edge than Karlsson, so his PIMs will help, and his +/- will probably be better as well.

3. Dustin Byfuglien – Winnipeg

*All around talent aside, Byfuglien brings versatility to your lineup, as well as Winnipeg’s. In most leagues, he is listed as a defenseman and a winger. Although he will see the occasional forward shift with the Jets, he is a top pairing defenseman. This bodes well for your team if he is on it because you can slot him in a forward position, while he is playing defense, therefore he sees more ice time. His style of play sees him stock up on a ton hits and shots, along with working the point on the power play.

4. Brian Campbell – Florida

*A solid overall pickup every year, expect a pump in Campbell’s numbers coming off of a solid year last season. The Panthers were an underrated squad last year, and took the eventual Eastern Conference champion Devils to double OT of Game 7 in their series. Campbell’s fantasy numbers dropped late last season, so as a veteran, he may benefit from the short season.

5. Zdeno Chara – Boston

*Chara is a fantasy stud year after year and this season should be no different. One of the safest picks on D as his production is consistent and being a behemoth, his durability is of little concern.

6. Shea Weber – Nashville

*While Weber is still the premier total package defenseman in the league today, the loss of Ryan Suter via free agency could hurt Weber’s fantasy numbers. Don’t be surprised if, in typical Predators’ fashion, the next man steps up (Kevin Klein), and Weber and the Preds don’t miss a beat.

7. Alex Pietrangelo – St. Louis

*This will be the year that Pietrangelo solidifies himself as a top-tier defenseman in the NHL. Benefitting from the great coaching of Ken Hitchcock, the Blues rode Hitch all the way to the playoffs last season. In a jam-packed Western Conference and Central Division, the young Blues team is primed to make a run this season, and Pietrangelo will be a catalyst for that. A wildcard in terms of fantasy players, Pietrangelo sees a ton of ice time for the Blues in all situations, but the Blues have been inconsistent in the scoring department winning a lot of goaltending duels.

8. Dan Boyle – San Jose

*Another perennial fantasy producer, Boyle is in good position to put up another good season with the Sharks. Boyle is not an overwhelmingly physical player, but he puts a ton of pucks on net, works the point on the power play and has a great outlet pass that can set some of the younger Sharks’ players up to score off the rush. Expect his plus-minus, assists and power play Points to compete for best in the league, however don’t expect a ton of goals.

9. Ryan Suter – Minnesota

*Suter is finally out from the Shea Weber shadow he played his entire career under and is now the top dog on the Minnesota Wild blueline. While he may not see too much of an increase in time on the power play, expect an increase in shots, goals and assists, now that he won’t have to defer to Weber. The only caveat to his fantasy numbers maybe his plus-minus seeing as the Wild are not nearly as sound defensively or in net as the Predators were with Suter.

10. Drew Doughty – Los Angeles

*Doughty is looking to build off of an impressive run to the Cup with the Kings last season, that saw him provide some splash plays. Doughty’s offensive numbers will be there as he quarterbacks the Kings top power play unit, but defensively he is not on an elite level yet. While still young and learning the position, Doughty’s fantasy value can vary from offensive specialist to all-around stud.

Jonathan Quick

Goalies

1.Henrik Lundqvist – New York (Rangers)

*Coming off an exceptional year that saw him win the Vezina Trophy for best goaltender and garner serious MVP consideration, look for more of the same from King Henrik this season. The Rangers play a stifling defense-first system and sport an impressive core of young defensive talent who gained some valuable experience last year with the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. The addition of Rick Nash will also help Lundqvist as it will be hard for the other team to get quality scoring chances on him while they are playing more defense in their own end.

2. Jonathan Quick – Los Angeles

*Last year’s Conn Smythe winner, Quick was no doubt the single biggest reason that the Kings not only won the Cup, but even made the playoffs. Quick backstopped an abysmal Kings’ offense by posting shutout after shutout last season and keeping every game within reach for the Kings to win. Once the Kings found their scoring touch, well the rest is history. Look for Quick to see less shots per game this season behind a defending champion Kings team that is only getting better.

3. Pekka Rinne – Nashville

*Although the Preds lost a top-pairing defenseman in Ryan Suter, expect this season to be more of the same Nashville Predators perseverance against all odds type of year. Although, aside from Shea Weber, the Predators lack superstar power up front, Rinne is a superstar caliber player, destined to toil in the anonymity of Nashville in the NHL. Rinne will be available in many leagues for a while, while bigger names come off the board. Don’t be afraid to take Rinne over the likes of Ward, Fleury or even Luongo.

4. Mike Smith – Phoenix

*Another leader of a band of misfits, the Phoenix Coyotes will go as far as Mike Smith takes them. From a fantasy perspective, Smith may not post the most shutouts, but his goals against average and save percentage will be tough to match. Smith could even compete for the Vezina this year if Phoenix has another outstanding year.

5. Jaroslav Halak – St. Louis

*Halak is another solid overall choice and shutout machine playing in a defensive system. Halak has proven himself as a big time goalie in Montreal and St. Louis, single-handedly shutting down the likes of Malkin, Ovechkin, and Crosby in playoff series. One problem that presents itself with Halak is the stellar play of his goaltending partner, Brian Elliot. The tandem posted outstanding numbers last year and although Halak’s stellar play earned him the starting gig, Elliot’s play earned him significant playing time, even in a backup role.

6. Cory Schneider – Vancouver

*Schneider is in line for his first season as a starter in the NHL after overtaking the much maligned Roberto Luongo as the starter in Vancouver. Although Luongo’s play has been wildly inconsistent, Schneider’s outstanding play down the stretch last season cemented his role as starter this season and forcing the Canucks hand in probably dealing Luongo. With amazing talent himself while getting the majority of the starts, Schneider will be playing behind one of the best defensive corps in the game, so expect his wins to be near the top of the league along with his goals against average.

7. Ryan Miller – Buffalo

*Buffalo’s only hope at a successful season, Miller is looking to rebound off a sub-par season for himself. Miller is one of the most talented goaltenders in the league and arguably the most valuable to his team. If Miller’s save percentage and goals against numbers are in good standing, so will his, and Buffalo’s wins. You can also expect Miller to face a lot of shots playing behind a less than overwhelming Sabres offense.

8. Carey Price – Montreal

*Price is a phenomenal talent that has people drawing comparisons between him and Patrick Roy. Although he isn’t quite in the same breath as Roy, he is a fantastic goalie on an average team. Price’s shots faced and save percentage look to be quite high, although his wins and goals against average may leave a lot to be desired playing behind the Habs skaters.

9. Tuukka Rask – Boston

*After losing his starting job to the enigmatic Tim Thomas and seeing Thomas post one of the best seasons from a goalie in recent history, Rask has his starting job back with Thomas sitting out the year because he’s a complete weirdo. This, however, doesn’t change the fact that Rask is a terrific goaltender playing on a great team. Rask’s stat line probably won’t feature one mind-blowing stat after another but will see a solid line all the way across. Rask is not an ideal workhorse for a fantasy team but can be a tremendous compliment to your main keeper.

10. Marc-Andre Fleury – Pittsburgh

*Ok, forget about the redonkulous playoff series loss to the Flyers last year. Fleury is a perennial regular season stud. Last season, many of the Penguins players were pushing for Fleury to receive MVP and Vezina consideration. While teammate Evgeni Malkin won the MVP and Fleury wound up with consideration for neither award, he still posted a fantastic regular season. This season, Fleury has the privilege of playing behind the likes of Crosby, Malkin, James Neal and Kris Letang, just to name a few. Fleury may be a fantasy trap though as he will not put up too many shutouts and his save percentage and shots faced will not be overwhelming, however his wins, and goals against average may be too good to pass up.

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Filed Under: Hockey Tagged With: back, Eastern Conference, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan, Left Wingers, MVP, Nash, New York, nhl, Pittsburgh, Ryan, Shea Weber, Sidney Crosby, time, year

You’re Doing It Wrong

January 13, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

The Phoenix Suns top players are nothing to brag about.

In an era when NBA franchises have realized they need at least two or three superstars to compete for championships, the Phoenix Suns, for several reasons, have taken an unconventional approach, and are dearly paying the price.

The Suns sit second-to-last in the Western Conference (only ahead of New Orleans) and hold the fifth-worst record in the entire NBA at 12-25 after losing a close game to the Boston Celtics Wednesday night. Last season the team pushed to make the playoffs in what fans knew would likely (and later proved to be) Steve Nash’s final year with the franchise, but the team came up short. This was the beginning of a string of bad decisions coupled with poor luck. Due to their average record, they did not get a high pick in the lottery and settled for North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall, who proved to be a project and has only seen minutes during garbage time this season. The team then attempted to sign Eric Gordon away from New Orleans over the summer, but the Hornets matched the Suns max contract offer and retained their star.

It was at this point the team decided to dump fan-favorite Steve Nash in a sign-and-trade with the Lakers, and proceed without a superstar for the 2012-2013 season. They claimed Luis Scola after he was amnestied from Houston, and signed Goran Dragic to run the point with the departure of Nash. Although Dragic and Scola have proven themselves to be solid NBA players, they are nowhere close to the level of the Nash-Amare’ Stoudamire tandem the team relied on for much of the 2000s.

Simply put, this is the problem for the Suns: they have several good players that would be valuable second or third options on many teams. However, they lack a proven superstar to turn to late in games that will pull them through in the clutch. Looking at the main players other than Dragic and Scola, an average NBA fan will recognize the names: Sebastian Telfair, Marcin Gortat, Jermaine O’Neal, Jared Dudley, Michael Beasley, Shannon Brown and Markieff Morris.

The franchise tried to sell fans on the concept of balance and teamwork, and they have held to that philosophy with five players averaging in double figure scoring, but none of those five are even averaging 15 points per game. The team has played many close games against top-level opponents, but lacks that killer-instinct player teams like the Heat, Thunder and Clippers possess. The team’s listed attendance on a given night will range around 14,000, but anyone watching the game sees the empty seats. Even people who have already paid for seats don’t want to come watch a team without a face. Ownership went to the extent of a bizarre “have fun at the game or get your money back” promotion to try to get fans to come watch the team. To their credit, they do play hard every night, they rarely get blown out even on the road, and at times play an up-tempo style that is fun to watch, they simply aren’t good enough to win, the only thing that truly matters to fans.

After constructing a championship-level team in the 2004-2005 season that many around the league saw as favorites to win it all before Joe Johnson broke his face against the Mavericks in the Conference Semifinals, Suns management has made awful personnel decisions at every turn. That team’s key pieces were Nash, Stoudemire, Johnson, and Shawn Marion, playing in a Mike D’Antoni system perfectly suited for their talents, locals knew them as “The Run-N-Gun Suns.” Following that season, Johnson was traded after owner Robert Sarver refused to pay him top-level money. Marion was traded a couple years later, and Stoudemire was let go during free agency due to long-term health concerns. The reasons for letting go of Stoudemire were completely valid, but what the team tried to do to replace him was idiotic at best, signing Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress, Hakim Warrick and Channing Frye to long-term big money deals (Frye is the only one still with the team, sitting out this season due to injury). The team has gone from four all-stars to none in a span of eight years. For anyone who thinks the future is promised to successful teams with young talent, think again. Win when you can, the future isn’t guaranteed.

For fans, there isn’t even a player on this team who excites you. New Orleans may be the worst team in the West, but fans there can look at Gordon, Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers and see hope for the future. Markieff Morris is a good option off the bench for the Suns, but not a player who shows any signs of becoming a superstar down the road. One would imagine opponents don’t know how to defend the Suns coming into a game not because they are so stacked it’s scary, but because no one on the roster demands a double-team. An optimist will say, “Anyone could go off on their team and lead if they get hot on a given night.” A realist will say, “No one on that team is good enough to lead them, even if they do get hot.”

Suns fans can look at the team and say at least they are tanking it badly enough to get a good spot in the lottery. Other teams can also look at them as a viable trading partner for solid pieces to add down the stretch of the season without having to make a substantial financial move, with Dragic as the team’s highest-paid player at $7.5 million this season. Few of the Suns players are signed past this year, so there will be flexibility in the off-season as the team tries to rebuild. They also have the benefit of an additional first-round pick acquired from the Lakers in the Nash trade, a pick that would be in the lottery if the season ended today.

For now, there is nothing exciting about the Suns. Parents raising their kids will emphasize the value of teamwork over individual talent, but even the best of parents realize the teams with the best players will win as long as those players can co-exist (take a look at the aforementioned Lakers for an example of talent that can’t co-exist). The Suns players work very well together, they just aren’t very good individuals. Teams need superstars. Superstars put butts in seats, get cities excited and proud to be supporting their home-town team, but most importantly, they win games. When you put multiple superstars together, you win championships. The Suns have no superstars, no chance of winning a championship, and practically no hope.

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Filed Under: Basketball Tagged With: Boston Celtics Wednesday, Eric Gordon, Goran Dragic, Kendall Marshall, Lakers, Luis Scola, Markieff Morris, Nash, NBA, New Orleans, Phoenix Suns, Steve, Steve Nash, Western Conference, year

Bennett Tops Bazz, McLemore as Nation’s Best Freshman

January 11, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Anthony Bennett is a man amongst boys!

Every year college basketball programs try to attract top recruits who can make an immediate impact on the team. Everyone wants the next Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, or Carmelo Anthony to play for their program and carry them into the NCAA tourney. An incoming freshman with exceptional talent can benefit a program immensely, even if it is “one and done.” Just ask John Calipari how useful a freshman can be. He owes much of his success to freshmen like Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and Anthony Davis. Although early, the 2013 freshman class has some studs making their names known and opposing teams praying they’re one and dones.

Forward Anthony Bennett of UNLV is without question the best freshman at this point. The first McDonald’s All-American to join the Runnin’ Rebels in decades has created a new show in a city known for its entertainment. The freshman already has NBA size standing at 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, and his play makes him a consideration as an early lottery pick if he chooses to leave for the NBA after this season. Bennett uses every bit of his size to bully defenders in the paint on his way to 19.9 points per game while shooting 56.1 percent and collecting nine rebounds a game. While Bennett seems capable of getting to the basket at will, his game is far more versatile. His seven-foot wingspan gives him the ability to match-up against any opponent and his 1.5 blocks per game demonstrates his ability to protect the paint. While it would seem his game has to be lacking in some facet, the guy even shoots the three-ball at 38 percent. Bennett’s far more than your typical college player, hell he’s even more than two collegiate players at times (see video below).

Bennett’s 19-plus points per game and 9-plus rebound average have him in the company of Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Michael Beasley, so it’s safe to say he should be on the National Player of the Year watch. With a player of Bennett’s caliber to watch, UNLV fans should pack the Thomas & Mack Center all season long. While currently ranked 24 in the AP and 19 in the USA Today, the return of 2012 Mountain West Newcomer of the Year Mike Moser and the sure development of Bennett will make this team scary in March. Bennett may be the savior of Sin City and the Runnin’ Rebels have the potential to make a deep run in the NCAA tourney.

While Bennett is far above anyone other freshman this year, consideration must be given to guard Ben McLemore. It’s a pretty big deal when a freshman leads No. 6 Kansas in scoring. McLemore is averaging a team-leading 15.8 points per game with 5.5 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists per game. All it takes to recognize his talent is to watch his clutch performance against Iowa State. The freshman put up 33 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the 3-point line. He stepped up big by knocking down the game-tying three with only a second left. Whenever you have a freshman step up in such big moments, it can’t go unnoticed. From highlight plays that show his ability to elevate higher than kids at a Wiz Khalifa concert, to his ability to come up big during big games, McLemore can’t be ignored. If the freshman can successfully carry his team to a top seed in the NCAA tourney and continue at the pace he’s going, he will overtake Bennett for top freshman honors and further improve his draft stock.

Another top freshman guard is Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart. The young point guard averages 14.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. The Cowboys have lost two of their last three games and need to snap out of the funk they’re in. As a major contributor to their offense, Smart’s stats show his importance to the team. The guy fills up a stat sheet like a young Jason Kidd. He’s a top two contributor in assists, points, and rebounds. While certainly a top freshman, I have a hard time comparing him to the level of Bennett and McLemore. With the college basketball only half-way through, anything can change. While I don’t see Smart capable of overcoming Bennett for top freshman honors, he definitely must be considered in the top-3 freshman.

The last freshman consideration is UCLA’s forward Shabazz Muhammad. While Muhammad began with a rocky start due to potential NCAA violations of amateurism, he seems to be trying to live up to the preseason hype. Post #FreeShabazz, is averaging 19.6 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game. With UCLA about to hit the road in the Pac-12, Shabazz better be ready to be heckled by fans for his possible violations and lead UCLA to match the early expectations everyone had for it. If Shabazz can stay on the court and continue to play at the level he’s been at the past couple games, he’ll move up in these rankings (he’s averaged 19.5 points and 8 rebounds over his past two). Shabazz has some big shoes to step into (probably Adidas), and if he fails match the hype, his status as the number one pick may slip. The potential to go either way is there, it will just be up to him to determine which direction he goes in.

Other Considerations:

Jahaii Carson, Arizona State (16.7ppg, 3.1rpg, 5.4apg)

Nerlens Noel, Kentucky (10.3ppg, 9.3rpg, 3.5bpg)

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Tye Masters
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Filed Under: Basketball Tagged With: Anthony Bennett, Anthony Davis, ap, Carmelo Anthony, Durant, Jahaii Carson, Kevin, Kevin Durant, NBA, NCAA, Oklahoma State, runnin rebels, UCLA, UNLV, year

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