Out with the old and in with the new
Well as we enter 2017 , there are stories yet to be written and there are also stories yet to be finished. Nowhere is this now more relevant than within the NFL as stories continue to unfold , head coaches’ firings and all of the failed expectations of the teams who failed to make the postseason. Granted , we are now four days away from the beginning of the playoffs and the wildcard round of the postseason will begin. The top-two seeds within each conference will have a bye and will not enter the fray until the divisional round. A great deal is expected of the New England Patriots (14-2) as the number one seed within the AFC and they are closely followed by the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders respectively. Within the NFC , the Dallas Cowboys have proven themselves to be the best team within the conference , but the most dangerous team could very well be the Green Bay Packers , who have rolled off five consecutive victories to end their regular season schedule behind the arm of their Pro Bowl quarterback Aaron Rodgers .
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From my own perspective , I feel the Green Bay Packers could very well be the most dangerous team in the NFC this postseason, clearly endangering the ambitions of the Dallas Cowboys. For the Cowboys , their season has been one , where expectations were exceeded as they excelled behind the arm of their rookie quarterback Dak Prescott Now given the fact both Tony Romo and Mark Sanchez saw some playing time during the team’s final regular season game , it will be interesting to see if Dak Prescott will be given his first postseason start, when the Cowboys open up their postseason schedule in the divisional round.
Elsewhere within the NFL , it wasn’t really a great surprise to see coaching firings which actually took place. Rex Ryan rightfully , was shown the door at the Buffalo Bills , while Mike McCoy was jettisoned by the San Diego Chargers , Gus Bradley was let go by the Jacksonville Jaguars , Jeff Fisher was simply shoved out the door by the Los Angeles Louis Rams . Last , but not least was the non-too surprising move to fire both Chip Kelly of the San Francisco 49ers who was also followed by the team’s general manager Trent Baalke . It now begs the question , with their being calls for the York family to relinquish control of the Forty Niners and sell the franchise to someone who actually cares about the game , will the team CEO Jed York actually come to the decision to make this all a reality ? Forget about the idiocy and so-called distractions off the field concerning quarterback Colin Kaepernick , as the real issues for the Forty Niners came from the very fact they were very non-competitive on the field of play. Ending the season with a record of 2-14 with only the Cleveland Browns (1-15) with a worst record in the entire league. I am still at a loss as to why there were idiot fans around the NFL who were of the belief Chip Kelly was actually a great coach . He was an abysmal failure with the Philadelphia Eagles , where his teams played no defense and this trait was brought to San Francisco where again , his teams were an abysmal failure. Two years with the San Francisco 49ers and the franchise remains in complete disarray, while the York family as the owners continue to preside over this monumental mess of their own making.
The wildcard round of the NFL postseason provides the fans with some intriguing match-ups featuring the Oakland Raiders (12-4) taking on the Houston Texans (9-7) at Reliant Stadium in Houston , Texas on Saturday, 7th January. The second game of the day will feature Seattle Seahawks playing host to the Detroit Lions . Sunday’s contests will offer the fans the chance to see the Miami Dolphins match wits with the Pittsburgh Steelers , while the Green Bay Packers will entertain the New York Giants at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. If all four games are as entertaining as the wildcard games of last season, then fans will definitely be in for a real treat.
Far be it for me to suggest this College Football playoff format is the best thing which could be offered to the fans , but the final games leading up to the championship game taking place on the 9th January have proven to be an immense disappointment. Alabama steamrolled their way past Washington on New Year’s Even in what was meant to be the first of two thrilling semi-finals games played . The second of the two contests proved to be even less compelling as Clemson embarrassed an Ohio State team which was clearly outmatched and didn’t come to play . The national champion hip game will feature the top-two ranked teams in the nation as Alabama chases it fourth national title in the last eight years when they face off against the Clemson Tigers , led by their quarterback DeShaun Watson . I firmly believe if Watson has good showing in this game , even if Clemson falls , he will certainly be one of the top-two quarterbacks taken in the upcoming NFL Draft (2017) . Many analysts around the NFL may well feel Lamar Jackson leads the field alongside Jake Browning , but I do feel Watson has proven himself against a higher caliber and quality of opponent. Should Clemson upset the apple-cart and get the better of Alabama , which is not without merit , then DeShaun Watson can name his own price a s possibly the top pick in the NFL Draft.
The public have not been made aware as to the reason why Lane Kiffin was summarily dismissed as the lead assistant on the coaching staff of Nick Saban’s team at Alabama , but it does add a great deal of intrigue and speculation as to what might be the reasons why Kiffin was fired so close to the national championship game. Saban has yet to issue a public statement on the matter and Kiffin has remained tight-lipped as to the reasons why , but clearly something is amiss and likely to cause a distraction should the whole story become known to the public. Lane Kiffin has supposedly accepted a head coaching position with Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and was said to be assembling his staff for the new position instead of his role, as the offensive coordinator for the team . I find the whole episode somewhat asinine given the explanations now being given by the respective parties involved. It should be noted several years ago , Nick Saban in a deceitful act, lied to the members of the press in Miami , leaving the Miami Dolphins high and dry to accept his current position with Alabama. How soon the idiots seem to forget !!! Kiffin may well have reinvented himself , but as a pet project for Nick Saban , you just knew at some point the bow would break on this particular vessel . The jury is still out on another of Saban’s reclamation projects , former USC (Trojans) head coach Steve Sarkissian , whose sobriety and imbecilic behavior while at the school, became something of a national spectacle and a complete embarrassment for the program.
No bells and whistles as of yet, but something will be coming down the pike within the NBA , because all eyes are watching for the first head coaching casualty of the season. The Brooklyn Nets (8-25) , currently have the worst record in the league , though the likes of the Dallas Mavericks , Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns are by no means teams which should be admired for their poor play at this point of the season.
It is becoming abundantly clear the NBA really does have an image problem concerning its brand , even though many of the league’s leading stars are among the most admired and recognized athletes on the planet. While LeBron James continues to be the leading face of the league, having assumed the mantle of his idol Michael Jordan , a player who James’ game in many ways is modeled on . It remains to be seen if can garner the same sort of success achieved by his idol . The four-time League MVP and three-time time Finals MVP does want to emulate the achievements of Jordan in just about every way imaginable. His thirteen year career will be part of his legacy , as will any further accomplishments, as he seeks to win more championships on top the Cleveland Cavaliers being the reigning NBA champions . The first professional team title within the state of his in the last twenty-five years or more .
The Cleveland Cavaliers essentially have the Eastern Conference to themselves and have yet to be challenged by any team they have faced within the conference. In their last game the Cavaliers got by the New Orleans Pelicans , winning the contest by an eight-point margin 90-82 . The team’s last defeat came by way of a loss to the Detroit Pistons on the 26th December in a road game at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit , Michigan. LeBron James might be lucky enough this time around. to be surrounded by a better cast of teammates than the championship winning team of last season . If there is to be a serious challenge to the Cleveland Cavaliers this season within the Eastern Conference, then it could very well come from either the Boston Celtics or the Toronto Raptors based on the current conference standings . Both of these teams have been highly competitive within the conference this season and clearly have to be seen as legitimate contenders. Brad Stevens and his Celtics’ team will be in action against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night in a home game at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston , Massachusetts , while the Raptors will face a tough battle on the road , when they tip-off against the San Antonio Spurs (27-7) .
They are still a young team at their core , but the Indiana Pacers are a franchise looking to recall their heyday when Reggie Miller led the franchise to their infamous battles with the New York Knicks during the regular and postseason . Larry Bird remains a pivotal element within the organization . Head coach Nate McMillan and the coaching staff know if the team is to be remotely competitive , then they will have to raise the level of their play over the course of the season. Whether or not the Pacers can seek the consistency sought will also be dependent upon the type of leadership seen from the team’s best player Paul George . He has hit his mark , while providing them with the assurance needed and the very fact the Pacers are not one of the highest paid teams in the NBA should point to the financial acumen also seen from the franchise.
Paul George and the Indiana Pacers will be on the court for their next game when they are due to face the Detroit Pistons in a road game on Tuesday night.
This season’s League MVP race could be one of the toughest to decide in recent history . Steph Curry , the reigning two-time League MVP will be looking to make it a third consecutive win of the award , as he and the Golden State Warriors currently possess the best record in the league. There are many who feel the votes will be split , merely , because of the fact he has now been joined by Kevin Durant as a teammate on the Warriors’ roster . While this is valid , I do believe if the voters can see beyond that issue , then there is no reason why the player cannot win the award for a third consecutive season ! Granted , there are many other candidates to be considered , among them , LeBron James , Houston Rockets’ guard James Harden , Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and perhaps the most electrifying player in the league at present , Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder . The point guard has been lighting up the scoreboard throughout much of the season , while leading the Thunder in many of the offensive categories which matter the most .
Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder will be on the court to face the Charlotte Hornets on the 4th January at the Spectrum Arena in Charlotte , North Carolina . This should prove to be a very competitive contest between the two opposing conference teams .
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Picture gallery and by clicking on an image you can view that frame along with the accompanying narrative.
With the NFL postseason now about to get into full swing , which teams do you feel are capable of rising to the occasion ? Also , of the two teams now left to decide who will become this year’s NCAA FBS champion , will Alabama claim another title in a lopsided victory or will Clemson pull of a surprise by derailing the Crimson Tide’s ambitions ? Finally , from your own observations of the NBA at this point of the season, do you believe the fans are getting their money’s worth from the teams and players ?
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Tophatal ………..
Related articles : https://tophatal.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/lets-take-a-walk-on-the-wild-side/
https://tophatal.wordpress.com/2016/12/13/heark-the-herald-angels-sing/
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NBA League MVP Award Winners and NBA Rookie of The Year
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Bill Belichick should not be choosing to make Chip Kelly another one of his reclamation projects as now being reported be it before Kelly landed in San Francisco or after his dismissal . It’s bad enough to he (Belichick) allowed Josh McDaniels back into the fold , after McDaniels showed himself to be a complete clown and a deceitful son of a bit#h , while he was the head coach of the Denver Broncos .
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So among the announcements were recently made within the NFL are the nominated candidates for the 2017 enshrinement into Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton , Ohio. To join that illustrious body is the recognition any NFL professional needs to vindicate their excellence shown on the field . Among the leading candidates are LaDanian Tomlinson among the greatest running backs of the last fifteen years in NFL history. Joining him also are Pro Bowl defensive linemen John Lynch of the championship winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers , Kurt Warner , member of the “Greatest Show on Turf ” , the St Louis Rams and Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins , whose career sacks’ total is a franchise record for the Dolphins . Also under consideration are several other candidates thought to on the cusp , but it remains to be seen if they will get the nod from the writers who adjudicate this process.
Many believe LaDanian Tomlinson is a sure fire candidate given his career achievements as a player. Kurt Warner also , may well get the nod alongside Tomlinson , but the benchmark could prove to be a major setback for the other erstwhile nominated candidates.
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Tuesday night’s results within the NBA . The divisional and conference standings have not been drastically altered over the last ten days .
Wednesday’s games will have seven contests on the night’s schedule. At the moment the Chicago Bulls have a fourteen-point lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers , heading into the fourth quarter. This is a game pivotal to both teams within the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The lead would narrow , but it would be enough for the Bulls to preserve and end up with a victory to defeat the Cavaliers 106-94 .
For Dwyane Wade of the Chicago Bulls , it would provide him with a chance to renew an old acquaintance with former teammates , LeBron James and James Jones , who were with Wade on two Miami Heat winning championship winning teams , it was something of a sweet form of revenge. The home defeat for the Cavaliers was only the third loss suffered at the Quicken Loans Arena this season and the team’s eighth defeat overall.
NBA news
NBA results 4th January and schedule 5th January
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So should we expect the unexpected in the wildcard round of the NFL postseason ? The two most intriguing games from my own perspective, features the Miami Dolphins (10-6) facing the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5) , with Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looking to improve on his postseason record with the franchise . It remains to be seen if Ryan Tannehill will return to the Dolphins’ starting lineup in replacement of his understudy , Matt Moore who has led the team with a great deal of poise during this season.
The other contest of note will be the game between the New York Giants (11-5) and the Green Bay Packers (10-6) , which features two of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks , Aaron Rodgers of the Packers and Eli Manning of the Giants. I do believe this game will certainly be predicated on the pass , but also which of the two teams will have the better defense when it’s all said and done,
NFL news
NFL schedule and team injuries
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An injury to their quarterback ruined the season for the Tennessee Titans and essentially for Marcus Mariota , as he looked to increase his stature in the league. For the coaching staff of the Titans , this was a setback they neither needed or wanted. For the front office and owner , once again , they will have to assess what’s wrong within the organization from a staff standpoint as it relates to the players , performances and I also believe with the coaching acumen seen with head coach Mike Mularkey . It was left to veteran quarterback Matt Cassell who started in the Tennessee Titans’ final game of the regular season when they took on the Houston Texans , eventual winners of the AFC South by a very slim margin within the division.
Amy Adams-Strunk , owner of the Tennessee Titans and daughter of the franchise’s founder , Charles ‘Bud’ Adams.
There has been considerable fallout at the end of the regular season with the Tennessee Titans deciding to get rid two coaching assistants from the staff , a decision most likely made by Mike Mularkey in conjunction with the GM Jon Robinson . Since the death of the franchise’s owner , Charles ‘Bud’ Adams , the controlling interest does remain within the family , but is now shared by several members . led by Amy Adams-Strunk , daughter of the late patriarch. With a reputed value of $2 billion the Titans are at mid-table among the NFL’s thirty teams in terms of the franchise’s worth. Tennessee is a profitable franchise with a very good attendance level for their home and away games , but there has been very little postseason success for the team in either of its guises throughout its history .
From left to right , Jon Robinson , draft pick , Jack Conklin and Mike Mularkey.
It will be very interesting to see the decisions likely to be made during the off-season as GM Jon Robinson seeks to bolster the roster based on the apparent needs of the Tennessee Titans.
Tennessee Titans news
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Now all of a sudden Todd Bowles having escaped the perils of being fired , made a major shakeup of his coaching staff dismissing several of his assistants , while Chan Gailey made the decision to retire. From my own perspective New York Jets’ front office executives gave their head coach (Bowles) an ultimatum which he could not refuse ! It was either make the shakeup or be dismissed himself. During the course of the season the Jets were simply a complete disaster, as the team lacked focus . direction , leadership or real coaching acumen being shown by the head coach and his coaching staff. GM Mike Maccagnan clearly had the backing of owner Woody Johnson and pressed Todd Bowles into making the decisions seen. Now what the fans will be looking for, is whether or not the front office is actually bold enough along with Todd Bowles to completely revamp the playing roster from top to bottom ? It was abundantly clear far too many of the players on this team were overpaid and not earning their way in terms of productivity .
New York Jets’ GM Mike Macaggnan (left) and head coach Todd Bowles (right).
This season the AFC South was very competitive , but it was clear the New York Jets were no match for many of their opponents. Jets’ players , specifically their quarterbacks were not up to the task and their performances clearly played a part in the team’s demise this season.
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It’s funny how the media tend to over exaggerate a story or seek to create one . when there is absolutely nothing there. In today’s edition of USA Today within their sports' section covering the NBA , the paper’s big story is that of the Houston Rockets’ (27-9) guard James Harden and their claims the player is having a historic season. Last I looked the Rockets , though having a good record , they were not the best team in the league , nor have they been over their last ten games. Harden remains a a very good player and I dare say, he is playing at an elite level as a guard.
Courtesy of USA Today Sports
In recent seasons the Houston Rockets have seen their fair share playoff disappointments . Two NBA titles with Hall of Fame players Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon leading the way has cemented the franchise’s legacy . Many believe this Houston Rockets team is capable of derailing the hopes of their Western Conference rivals the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs , considered the two best teams in the conference . If the Rockets are to have any chance this season then consistency will have to be the key to their winning . In their next game Houston Rockets’ head coach Mike D’Antoni will be prepare his team to face the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-15) on Thursday evening , 5th January , 2017
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Houston Rockets news
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This was said to be one of his best seasons in recent years , as Matt Ryan once again led the Atlanta Falcons back to the NFL postseason for the first time four years, with their last appearance coming in 2012 when they made it to NFC championship game , where they fell to the San Francisco 49ers .
Matt Ryan remains an enigma in the NFL , talented and a very good player during the regular season , but as a quarterback, he fails to show the leadership abilities needed or thought of as a Superbowl caliber winning quarterback. The Atlanta Falcons’ front office continues to show a great deal of faith in the player and team owner , Arthur Blank more so than some may well believe that he should. Ryan is paid a king’s ransom and his contract continues to reflects this, as he is one of the highest paid players in the league, by way of his position , the cap and overall in base salary. .
Arthur Blank hasn’t shown this type of commitment to a Falcons’ player since Michael Vick was a member of the franchise . As we all know , the veteran quarterback’s career with the Falcons would come to an abrupt end , after his indictment on illegal gambling across state lines , dog-fighting and lying to federal law enforcement officers. The fact which has often been overlooked by Michael Vick's supporters , many of them , predominantly African-Americans ; was the fact , Vick also repeatedly lied to to the Falcons’ owners about his involvement in the dog-fighting ring and gambling activities . Amazing , how these things can be overlooked and then race is thrown in by Michael Vick’s supporters s to his being victimized , hounded by the press and the Justice System. It simply proved one more fact , ignorance is bliss , especially when there isn’t a great deal of intelligence being shown .
As Matt Ryan and his Atlanta Falcons’ teammates prepare for their entrance in the divisional round of the postseason , it will be interesting to see the mindset likely to be brought to the contest by Ryan when he meets his prospective opponent.
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Atlanta Falcons news
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College Basketball is still flowing , along with games from last night now a matter of record , there will be upcoming games scheduled for Friday , , Saturday and Sunday . There seems to be no stopping the nation’s top-ranked team the Villanova (Wildcats) as they remain unbeaten. .
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College Basketball is still flowing , along with games from last night now a matter of record , there will be upcoming games scheduled for Friday , , Saturday and Sunday . There seems to be no stopping the nation’s top-ranked team the Villanova (Wildcats) even having suffered a recent loss , falling at the hands of Butler (Bulldogs).
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College Basketball is still flowing , along with games from last night now a matter of record , there will be upcoming games scheduled for Friday , Saturday and Sunday . There seems to be no stopping the nation’s top-ranked team the Villanova (Wildcats) even having suffered a recent loss , falling at the hands of Butler (Bulldogs).
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No time to lose in the NBA as the teams are now riding on the crest of a wave in some cases. Biggest winner on the night (Thursday) were the Houston Rockets over the Oklahoma City Thunder , with Houston defeating the Thunder , 118-116. The highly anticipated match-up between James Harden of the Rockets and Russell Westbrook of the Thunder, met expectations and a great deal more , with both guards being the leading scorers for their respective teams in this contest.
James Harden of the Rockets and his former teammate Russell Westbrook .
There is something very interesting happening with the Milwaukee Bucks (18-16) this season , as head coach Jason Kidd and his coaching staff has the team playing with a great deal of resolve and resilience. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the best player on the team all season long . Milwaukee has an uncut diamond in the rough and it will be interesting to see if the player becomes a real leader, with his teammates following his lead. This much is certain, Antetokounmpo’s game-winning shot against the New York Knicks (16-19) in the waning moments of the contest made believers out of us all, as to the capabilities of the player. The Knicks were left shell-shocked and dumbfounded , simply just an indicator that their coaching staff led by Jeff Hornacek still has a very long way to go in spite of their record .
Giannis Antetkopounmpko of the Milwaukee Bucks
With only two players on the roster averaging twenty points or more per game , it is hard to envisage how anyone believes the New York Knicks can be competitive enough to hold down a playoff berth within Eastern Conference much less be seen a credible challenger within their division this season . The Knicks’ next featured game will be a return engagement against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on the 6th January.
Carmelo Anthony (7) and Kristaps Porzingis (6) are the only two players on the New York Knicks’ roster averaging more than 20 points per game.
If the New York Knicks are able to win more than forty-five games this season , then they might find themselves on the cusp of making the NBA Playoffs for the year. It has been a considerable amount of time since the Knicks made a deep postseason run in the playoffs and it will be interesting to see whether or not this team is capable of making such a thing a reality this season.
The Knicks’ last playoff appearance came during the 2012-13 NBA Playoffs where they would fall to the Indiana Pacers in the conference semi-finals .
NBA news
NBA results 5th January
Milwaukee Bucks news
New York Knicks
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It will be an intriguing night in the NBA with several games on tap for the fans to view. Joel Embiid continues to lead the rookies and seems to be a consensus favorite to win the NBA Rookie of The Year Award , being the only player in the league averaging more than fifteen points a game From my own perspective this current crop of freshman players might be among the poorest in the NBA over the last eight seasons . During the 2008-09 season the Boston Celtics (62-20) would end up with the third- best record in the league , while going on to make NBA Playoffs , while the Los Angeles Lakers would triumph over an undersized and over-achieving Orlando Magic team .
The Rookie of the Year for the 2008 season would be the Chicago Bulls’ point guard Derrick Rose who would become the youngest recipient of the award over the past twenty years .
For Joel Embiid playing on such a bad team , the Philadelphia 76ers may well have its merits , but it is becoming plain to see over the past three seasons , this has been a franchise which has continuously failed to be forward-looking. The Sixers’ billionaire owner , Joshua Harris seems to be more concerned in acquiring non-core assets rather than concentrating on the growth and development of not only the team , but also the franchise through their NBDL affiliate the Delaware 87ers roster . With both Bryan Colangelo as well as his father Jerry Colangelo , being brought in to head the Basketball Operations of the Philadelphia 7ers , many are holding out hope , there can be an immediate transition with far-reaching changes , that will be of benefit to the organization and team at large.
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So the Baylor Bears now have the longest unbeaten run of any team in D1 Men’s Basketball with a streak of fourteen consecutive victories to start their season , Baylor alongside Villanova Wildcats (14-1) are the only teams with at least fourteen wins during this season. At the top of the national rankings sit the Wildcats of Villanova in spite of their recent loss to Butler .
This Baylor coaching staff led by Scott Drew are on a roll and not likely to relent to a defeat anytime soon . Their next game will take place against Oklahoma State (Cowboys) on the 7th January , where there will be more than one hundred games scheduled to be played on the day. Villanova will be seeking to bounce back from their loss when they face Marquette on Saturday evening .
NCAA Men’s Basketball
Men’s Basketball results 6th January and schedule 7th January
NCAA Men’s Basketball statistics
NCAA Men’s Basketball(D1) standings and NCAA Men’s Basketball rankings
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Of the four games being played in the wildcard round of the NFL postseason the match-up between the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants might well be the most fascinating and intriguing of them all.
Opposing quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers of the Packers and Eli Manning have each made their mark in the postseason for their respective teams . Each will be looking to add to their respective legacies and most certainly , Rodgers and Manning will be likely entrants into the Hall of Fame , in Canton, Ohio. Regular and postseason contests between these two teams have always been fascinating and thrilling. The last postseason meeting between the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants took place on January 15th , 2012 , which ended in a loss for the Packers 38-10 in a game played at Lambeau Field in Green Bay , Wisconsin.
It has to be now or never for Matt Stafford of the Detroit Lions , as the quarterback seems to make his own legacy with the franchise. Stafford and his teammates will face the Seattle Seahawks in a game which is expected to be wildly competitive on both sides of the ball. For Russell Wilson of the Seahawks the postseason seems to be the stage where the player just elevates his game to the next level . Seattle will likely be favored in this game as they are the hosts for the contest being played at Century Link Field in Seattle , Washington.
NFL news
NFL week eighteen schedule and injuries
team transactions (January ) and 2015 transactions
2015 NFL postseason results
NFL team stats postseason 2015 and player stats postseason 2015
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Last night in the NBA there were several games of great interest to the fans . There was a great game between Western Conference rivals the Memphis Grizzlies and the Golden State Warriors . This was the sixth loss suffered by the Warriors this season but not their most lopsided defeat of the year. Of the teams to have defeated the Golden State Warriors few have been able to keep them under 100 points in their respective victories. Memphis was unable to do this , but their nine-point 128-119 road victory was perhaps their best performance by the Grizzlies this season.
In their next game the Memphis Grizzlies are due to face the Utah Jazz , while the Golden State Warriors will seek to rebound from their loss by taking on the Sacramento Kings on the road.
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So much for the Oakland Raiders’ first appearance back in the NFL postseason in well over a decade. In the space of sixty-minutes of play they simply proved that their presence on this stage was all an aberration . This team failed to deliver, as they were simply blown out of the water by the Houston Texans , who made their way to the divisional round of the postseason. For all of the praise heaped upon Jack Del Rio and his coaching staff , a great deal of the blame for today’s defeat should also be placed squarely upon their shoulders as well as that of the team’s . At no point during this game, did Oakland seem as they had come to play or were actually prepared to play . Derek Carr of the Raiders proved to be a deer caught in headlights with an inept performance, as were his teammates.
Bill O’Brien and the Houston Texans’ coaching staff can be pleased with their preparation and that of the team’s performance in derailing the Oakland Raiders’ postseason ambitions, which came crashing down with a thud .
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NFL results wildcard round
Houston Texans news
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Home teams rock ! Well that’s how it proved to be in Saturday’s scheduled games in the wildcard round of the NFL postseason . The Houston Texans played spoiler and took the Oakland Raiders behind the outhouse for a good beating . In the second game of the evening , which was something of a non-starter , the Seattle Seahawks wasted no time dealing out their form of a beat-down, in completely dominating (26-6) a woefully inept Detroit Lions’ team . Matt Stafford came , he saw and definitely did not conquer as he and his Lions’ teammates are firmly part of NFL history in one of the most postseason displays by Detroit in the franchise’s history.
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They say when you’re in a rut you can either choose to dig yourself out or continue to dig deeper. Looking at the season the Miami Heat (11-27) are now having , I think they’re actually digging deeper rather than digging themselves out of the rut . The frustration has begun to get to head coach Erik Spoelstra , his coaching staff , the players as well as the front office led by Pat Riley . Miami’s roster has performed abysmally this season and it is noticeable in several of their most recent games . In the Heat’s Friday night blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers , the team’s performance was inept , but there were also claims made by Erik Spoelstra , the ejection of Miami’s point guard Goran Dragic was biased on the part of the officials and completely unjustified.
Goran Dragic has been by far the Heat’s most consistent and productive player over the course of this season. If the Miami Heat are to have any chance of turning this season around and actually making the NBA Playoffs , then the level of their play will have to be raised to counter their shortfalls.
Next up for the Miami Heat will be a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday afternoon at the Staples Center , in Los Angeles , California.
Miami Heat news
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The early afternoon game in the NFL this Sunday pairs the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the Miami Dolphins at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. So far the Dolphins have waved the white flag of surrender and they’re playing like the bit#hes we knew them to be . I don’t know what the hell either Don Shula or Jimmy Johnson might well have been thinking when they made the comments this was a game Miami was capable of winning . Johnson and Shula must have been either drinking the Kool Aid or sipping on some of the infamous tap water the city of Flint Michigan is now known for.
Tophatal ……………. 2017/01/08 4:01 pm
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Well the New York Giants bite the dust in a truly memorable performance of epic proportion in terms of its utter mediocrity . The Green Bay Packers laid out their own variation on a can of whup @ss by taking the Giants behind the woodshed and laying it out with thickness . Dare I say , were you into sadomasochism and bondage , you would be asking where the whipped creams and strawberries would be at ?
The New York Giants losing to the Green Bay Packers by a twenty-five point margin 38-13 was one of the franchise’s worst performances in their postseason history . Both on defense and offense the Giants were abysmal in terms of execution and Eli Manning is no longer the quarterback many people believe him to be . He was never a leader to begin with and it has repeatedly showed since the team’s last triumph in the Superbowl .
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The NBA trade deadline is February 23rd and though the trade of thirty-five year old Kyle Korver from the Atlanta Hawks to the Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t cause a major ripple it does set up some intriguing issues down the line as several teams with playoff aspirations will be seeking help for their respective causes in the lead-up to the NBA Playoffs .
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The NBA trade deadline is February 23rd and though the trade of thirty-five year old Kyle Korver from the Atlanta Hawks to the Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t cause a major ripple it does set up some intriguing issues down the line as several teams with playoff aspirations will be seeking help for their respective causes in the lead-up to the NBA Playoffs . .
Sunday’s games offered up the fans something to possibly feel excited about. For the Miami Heat this might not have been such a great thing as they were on the road for their last two games. Consecutive losses to both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers has placed the Heat in a dire situation. Defending NBA champions the Cleveland Cavaliers are not quite putting up the gaudy numbers seen last season , but it is clear they remain the team to beat within the Easter Conference. The Cleveland Cavaliers got by the Phoenix Suns in a road game , winning the contest 120-116 .
There were other contests of note , with the Philadelphia 76ers getting by the Brooklyn Nets in a game between two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference as well as the league overall . Some fans are overly impressed by meaningless imagery and what they believe to be impressive plays.
At present with the rookies currently in the NBA have yet to scratch the surface of having a real game. I have to admit I am not overly impressed by this current crop of players. It should tell you something when only one rookie is averaging more than fifteen points a game this season and it is none other than Joel Embiid , who is playing for one of the worst teams in the in the NBA over the past three seasons . It should tell you something, when the Sixers are barely competitive within this league and their level of play is so damn mediocre . Embiid is a likely front-runner for this season’s NBA Rookie of The Year Award .
Next up on the Philadelphia 76ers’ schedule will be a game against conference rivals the New York Knicks on Wednesday 11th January .
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NBA news
NBA results 8th January
NBA player stats and rookie stats
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Tophatal …………
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So now all of a sudden we have New York Giants’ fans mocking Matt Moore and the Miami Dolphins after their 30-12 defeat suffered at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers ? The Dolphins’ eighteen point loss many well have been bad , but it was not the worst margin in terms of a victory to be witnessed. Slow your roll Giants’ fans , because it’s not as if Eli Manning’s performance or that of his teammates were any better, as they got shellacked 38-13 by the Green Bay Packers . Three of the four wildcard playoffs games were complete blowouts and a real embarrassment for the losing teams . You simply have to wonder if many of these fans have the ability to be subjective let alone objective and show some impartiality when it comes to providing in-depth analysis.
It never ceases to amaze how obnoxious fans are within the Big Apple are or should one point that two of the three alleged New York teams are actually located in New Jersey ? The New York Giants had their asses handed to them on a silver platter along with the heads of Eli Manning and Mr Dropsy (aka) , Odell Beckham Jr . Mr Flash in the Pan (aka Dropsy) couldn’t hold unto passes from his quarterback as both he , Manning and the rest of the team left Lambeau Field in complete embarrassment . Ben McAdoo was not to blame for this loss nor should the coaching staff be held accountable. They were not the ones on the field , as the responsibility lays with the team and the lack of leadership shown. The New York Giants were completely outplayed by their conference rivals, with Aaron Rodgers having a another great postseason game for the Packers.
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NFL news
NFL results wildcard weekend and the divisional round schedule
NFL player stats
NFL teams stats
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Tophatal ………..
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So here we are and as the NBA approaches the mid-point of the season before the NBA mid-season showcase of the All Star Game , teams are seeking to position themselves for the beginning of second-half of the regular season schedule. It goes without saying , with no coaching casualties to date , there is growing speculation at least one head will be on the chopping block. As to who that might be is open to a great deal of debate and speculation at this moment in time. A number of minor trades have taken place , among them the Atlanta Hawks sending veteran player Kyle Korver to the defending champions the Cleveland Cavaliers . GM David Griffin clearly believes time is off the essence as the team does need to bolster the roster while adding some additional productivity to the lineup . Having the four-time League MVP , LeBron James as part of the Cavaliers’ roster does appear to make the franchise’s defense of their title appear a great deal easier on paper .
LeBron James for his part , seeks to carry on from where he left off from last season . James is striving to emulate his boyhood idol Michael Jordan with whom comparisons are now being made . Jordan’s accomplishments and resume’ speaks for itself and it is clear if LeBron James does seek to surpass his accomplishments then now will be the time for him to do so. James is already a thirteen-year veteran of the league, having burst unto the scene as the number one overall pick in the now famous 2003 NBA Draft .
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be on the court , Tuesday night when they are due to face the Utah Jazz on the road .
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So it all now comes down to this as Clemson takes on Alabama in a rematch of last season’s National Championship Game when the defending champions , Alabama eased their way to a win over their opponent. A lot of fans are hoping that this time around it will be Clemson upsetting the apple-cart and derailing the hopes of Alabama.
Congratulations on Clemson pulling off a fantastic victory defeating Alabama 35-31 to win their very first title since 1981 . Clemson quarterback DeShaun Watson has certainly cemented his legacy with an outstanding game against Alabama.
NCAA Football
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Monday’s games in the NBA and the statistics on hand . Still playing marginal basketball with a great deal of repetitiveness in their play are the New York Knicks (17-22) . Any thoughts of their making the grade and earning a NBA Playoff berth would be open to a great deal of conjecture and speculation at this point of the season. Over their last ten games the Knicks have been playing at below par .
The last victory for the New York Knicks came when the team faced the Milwaukee Bucks on the road in a game played on 6th January , 2017 . Head coach Jeff Hornacek and his coaching staff will prepare the team for their next contest when they face the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania on the 11th January. The two most consistent players on the New York Knicks’ roster have been Carmelo Anthony , Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose . If the team is to really fare better against their opponents , then clearly they will have to raise the level of their game up and down the roster .
As their record would suggest the New York Knicks are nothing more than a mid-table team in the NBA . From a defensive standpoint the Knicks continue to have their struggles on both ends of the floor . Triangle Offense or not this Knicks’ team is not good enough to take on the best that the West has to offer
NBA news
NBA results 9th January and games scheduled for 10th
New York Knicks news
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Tophatal ………..
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The weekend ahead will add some real intrigue into the mix as the top two seeds from within each conference will finally enter the fray of the NFL postseason . Both the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs are the entrants from the AFC , while the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons will be representatives from the NFC. This will be where the dreams and hopes of the quartet of teams will really come into play.
The New England Patriots will play host to the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough , Massachusetts on Saturday evening , 14th January , while the Atlanta Falcons will have the Seattle Seahawks as their guests in the second of the two scheduled games of the day. On Sunday , 15th, the Kansas City Chiefs in a packed Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City Missouri , will look to prolong their postseason foray by seeking to derail the Pittsburgh Steelers , with the final of the quartet of games providing the fans with the chance to see the Dallas Cowboys playing host to the Green Bay Packers at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It will be interesting to see if Dak Prescott , the Cowboys’ young rookie quarterback will be given the chance to make his first NFL appearance or will the coaching staff essentially headed by de-facto GM Jerry Jones call upon the team’s veteran quarterback Tony Romo ? One would hope common sense will prevail and Prescott is given the chance to show what he can do after what can only be best described as a fantastic season for the Cowboys’ rookie sensation.
For Tom Brady of the New England Patriots , let’s just say at this point of his career , this will be simply about the player further rewriting the record books in terms of his own postseason history, adding to his already formidable accolades. Brady’s record against the Texans during the regular season is an impressive one , though he has faced the current AFC South division title holder only once during the postseason. Hopefully, we will get to see how good Houston’s defense is meant to be .
NFL news
NFL wildcard round schedule
NFL team injuries
NFL transactions
This month in NFL history.
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Tophatal ………
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The type of losses are the ones which tends to define a team and how good we believe them to be ! At this stage of the NBA season several of the defeats are becoming somewhat disturbing with their regularity and routine . Reigning NBA champions the Cleveland Cavaliers suffered their third loss in their last twelves games played, falling to the Utah Jazz in a road game played on Tuesday night . Hero of the night for the Jazz was Gordon Hayward , his team’s leading scorer on the night with twenty-eight points . Hayward continues to lead Utah with a great deal of deftness , showing the type of leadership qualities not seen since Karl Malone and John Stockton were members of the franchise .
Jazz guard and presumptive All Star Gordon Hayward.
Gordon Hayward and his teammates will be back on the court when the Utah Jazz take on the Detroit Pistons in facing another Eastern Conference foe . Meanwhile , as the Cleveland Cavaliers regroup , head coach Tyronn Lue and his coaching staff will prepare the team to face the Portland Trailblazers in game two of their regular season series .
Tophatal …………… 01/11/2017 04:03 am
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There’s no dispelling the woes of the Miami Heat as this a really bad team heading nowhere . Not even a double-double from the their best player Hassan Whiteside can now stop the bleeding . Though it only turned out to be a twelve-point loss in this game between the Golden State Warriors and Miami , it was a contest of missed opportunities and errors by the visiting team as they suffered a loss to a Western Conference opponent. The Heat were never in with a chance of winning the contest , no matter how much they tried to get the upper hand over the Warriors.
There isn’t a great deal of depth to this Miami Heat team and much of that responsibility falls on the shoulders of the front office led by Pat Riley . His refusal to up the ante and place a solid enough roster around LeBron James in 2014 led to the player’s departure and ever since, the franchise’s problems have been well-chronicled as their descent into mediocrity gains more speed . Given their present predicament it is hard to envisage the Miami Heat actually gaining a NBA playoff berth given their play within the Eastern Conference .
There appear to be rumors of discontent and dissatisfaction with how the season is now turning out for the Miami Heat. It would appear that Pat Riley might well be contemplating a trade of the most valuable asset on the roster and the possible departure of Hassan Whiteside or Goran Dragic , two players on the team who are among the highest paid players for the Heat. A trade of for either of the duo or both would give Miami considerable leverage for next season when there are likely to be several marquee free agents on the market. The NBA salary cap is likely to increase by several million dollars for next season , adding to the benefit for all of the league’s thirty teams.
Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside of the Miami Heat.
NBA news
NBA schedule 11th January
Miami Heat news
NBA standings division
and by conference
This month in NBA history
Tophatal …………….
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So here we go for another merry-go-round as another billionaire professional sports’ franchise owner acts like a petulant little child , because a state or municipal agency will not build them a new venue for their shiny archaic bauble. It is taking time but sooner or later the city commissioners/council members for the city of San Diego had better pull their heads out of their proverbial asses and stop cow-towing to the likes of the NFL hierarchy led by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and do what is in the best interests of their residents.
The Spanos family as owners of the San Diego Chargers seem to be intent on blackmailing , if not coercing the city government either to build the franchise a new stadium or pay the millions of dollars needed to refurbish the venue. At no point as Dean Spanos or any other member of the family as a gesture of goodwill offered to even pay in part for any type of renovation. The Chargers are profitable and they are one of the many teams in the NFL worth over $1.5 billion . Yet, somehow the ownership seems to be unwilling to open up their pocket books.
It is at times like this I feel the federal government , specifically the House Oversight Committee as well as the Senate Commerce Committee should seek to repeal the laws which grant the NFL , NCAA , NASCAR , MLB , NBA , NHL and MLS Soccer their antitrust and tax-exempt status, which allows these entities to be run as charitable or social organizations. There is nothing in the way these concerns are which deems them social or charitable concerns . Their combined revenues exceed over $60 billion annually and dare I say , because these are private concerns their books are not opened up for public scrutiny, but yet we have the idiocy of the media , analysts and anal retentive fans who believe , it should be left to the states or municipalities to pay for the venues around the countries to house these sporting concerns, Yet these are the very same @ssholes to gripe on about their taxes being too high . When your fu#king brain is turned to mush , I guess there’s not much else to be expected.
Dean Spanos , owner of the San Diego Chargers .
The San Diego Chargers have been playing in Qualcomm Stadium for over two decades and with Dean Spanos now making the announcement , it his intent to relocate the franchise , it now leaves the city in something of a very precarious situation. They have an archaic venue , which no one seems to be interested in , though it is has been stated San Diego State University might well be willing to use the stadium to stage their football games .
Courtesy of USA Today
This might all sound asinine but if the San Diego Chargers are prepared to move to Inglewood , California to pay in the Stub-Hub Arena which seats roughly 30,000 people then there has to be some cost to the fans in this all. Likely raised admission prices across the board as well prices for seasonal memberships. As to the incentives received and granted by the city of Inglewood, I would like to know if the residents there, will actually know the ultimate cost to them overall ?
Having fired head coach Mike McCoy at the end of the season after a truly disastrous year , the San Diego Chargers will now be looking for a successor to McCoy, whose tenure was abysmal . The Chargers have already started their interview process from among the aspiring list of candidates to have been called in for an interview. GM Tom Telesco will have to choose someone with a proven track record who can deal with a smooth transition , as the Chargers will soon seek to move on from veteran quarterback Philip Rivers . During this off-season the coaching staff alongside their new head coach , will have concentrate on the rebuilding of the existing roster , assess their free agents as well as having to concentrate on the upcoming NFL Draft . The San Diego Chargers’ needs are expansive as the core of the roster is an aging one in comparison to many of the other teams around the NFL
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San Diego Chargers news
Tophatal ………..
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KC-Pittsburgh will be a good one. Dallas Green Bay could upset city special and Seattle- Atlanta. The Falcons are overrated. NE could win it all. Wildcard weekend was blowout city. Tight for a minute or two home teams won. NFL playoffs I will watch it but it is boring… NFL is headed downhill.
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Bobby Gee
The real issue with the NFL at present , has been the hype being given to the players coming out of college , who have failed to meet presumed expectations and nowhere has that been more relevant than with the abysmal careers of Johnny Manziel , Tim Tebow and Robert Griffin III . The one thing they trio have in common , has been the yokel place around their necks having won the Heisman Trophy .
From my own perspective , the award (Heisman Trophy) itself should not be seen as a great precursor to any player being able to have a great deal of success in the league(NFL). They should be judged on what they are able to achieve and whether or not they have been a valuable asset to the team who drafted them or over the longevity of their career.
Tim Tebow of the New York Mets .
Now we have the idiocy of Tim Tebow seeking to have a career in MLB having signed with the New York Mets on a minor league contract. Tebow was not part of the Mets’ non roster invitees for Spring Training , which clearly shows , he is nowhere as athletic as some believe him to be , nor does he possess the skill-set to be even an average player in the Major Leagues. The Mets’ front office led by Sandy Alderson and J P Ricciardi are a bunch of buffoons who clearly just don’t get it .
This weekend with the divisional round of the postseason about to take center-stage , it will be interesting to see what the road teams are able to achieve.
NFL news
NFL divisional round schedule
NFL team injuries
Tophatal ……….
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So here we are at the point in the College Basketball season with the teams playing some great basketball. Villanova has been topped from their number one ranking , having lost to Butler in a recent contest. Baylor (15-1) has now taken over the top spot and deservedly so , with the team playing great basketball throughout much of their season schedule. Baylor’s Johnathan Motley is the best player on the Baylor roster , averaging just over fifteen points per game.
Johnathan Motley (5) of Baylor .
On Tuesday night Baylor suffered their first loss of the season falling at the hands of West Virginia (Mountaineers 14-2) losing the game by the score of 89-68 . It will be interesting to see how Baylor is able to rebound in their next contest , when they face Kansas State on Saturday , 14th January when there are a full slate of games on the schedule. On today’s schedule there are several games which should prove to be very interesting . The UCLA Bruins will be taking on Colorado (Buffaloes) , with the Bruins being the guests of the Buffaloes .
NCAA Men’s Basketball
NCAA Men’s Basketball schedule 12th January
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Over the last fifteen days the NBA has seen its fair share of improbable games and upsets along the way . Still bearing down and seeking to improve on last season’s record-breaking mark for victories in a season are the Golden State Warriors (33-6) . Led by Kevin Durant , Steph Curry , Klay Thompson and Draymond Green , this team has now become a four-man wrecking crew , far more effective than any other team in the league. Over their last ten games the Warriors have been averaging 116.8 points per game .
In their last contest , the Golden State Warriors destroyed the Miami Heat on their way to another lopsided victory over an Easter Conference team . This was an all-round effort by Golden State as head coach Steve Kerr must have been pleased with the performance of his team. Next up for the Golden State Warriors will be a game on 12th January at home against the Detroit Pistons .
Luke Walton is certainly receiving a ” baptism of fire” as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers (15-27) this season. Already struggling within the Pacific Division as well as the Western Conference , on Thursday night they now have to take on the might of the San Antonio Spurs . This contest was never going to be easy for the Lakers from the opening tip-off to the final whistle .
San Antonio’s two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year , Kawhi Leonard has been putting together a season which has slowly pushed him up the ladder and into possible consideration for the League MVP Award . Leonard leads the Spurs in several statistical categories , but it has been his impressive leadership ability , having assumed title , as leader of the team from heir-apparent after the long reign of the now retired Tim Duncan .
Kawhi Leonard scored thirty-one points in the game , leading all scorers in the contest . The victory pushed San Antonio’s record to 31-8 for the second-best mark in the Western Conference and second-best overall in the NBA , behind the league-leading Golden State Warriors’ mark of 34-6 . Meetings between these two conference stalwarts over the last three seasons have proven to be very entertaining. The next meeting between the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors will take place on March 11th , 2017 , with the Spurs hosting the Warriors in San Antonio , Texas at the AT&T Center .
NBA news
NBA results 11th January and schedules for the 12th and 13th January , respectively.
NBA standings division and conference
This month in NBA history
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I don’t know what it is about the NFL franchises in the state of California or the unbelievable stupidity of the fans there , of all three teams within the state, but clearly this all starts with the ownership and has moved its way on down with the fans.
Unbelievably , fans of the Oakland Raiders seem to be happy with their team having bowed out in the wildcard round of the NFL postseason after such a horrid display . Granted , there were several starters missing from the lineup in the loss, but there is a reason to having a depth chart is there not ?
Having made the decision to leave the city of San Diego which has drawn the ire and intense anger of the fans of the San Diego Chargers , we have the team’s owners trying to explain their reasons why the relocation to Los Angeles was needed. To my mind, when you place greed over some type loyalty to the fans who have supported you every step of the way. Then you should not be surprised by anger shown and this should be really a telling sign for Dean Spanos and the rest of his family , as they flee the city with their franchise. As for the NFL hierarchy headed by Roger Goodell , their continued contempt of die hard NFL fans , should just be seen as another sign , as to why this league puts money above all else .
I don’t know what it is the Los Angeles Rams are now trying to prove , but one thing is clear , Stanley Kroenke , the team’s billionaire owner is highly overrated as an owner. Granted , he may well own several other sporting interests , including EPL soccer club Arsenal , but even there , he remains disliked by some of the most loyal supporters of the team itself. Now as if trying to make up for another miserable season by the NFL franchise , the front office headed by Les Snead has chosen to hire former Washington Redskins’ offensive coordinator Sean McVay , as the Rams’ new head coach , making him the youngest NFL head coach in league history. Flashiness and style over substance, cannot make up for the idiocy seen with the Rams this season , the lack of cohesiveness , leadership and competitiveness seen from the team over the course of the entire season .
During the off-season Sean McVay will have hire his own coaching staff , assess the current roster , deal with all of the team’s needs , by way of the NFL Draft , the Rams’ free agents as well as the salary cap ramifications. Not bad for a rookie head coach to deal with , is it ?
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Tophatal …………..
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Nothing ventured , nothing gained , but teams are still plowing along within the NBA this season . Friday night’s results have been somewhat reflective of the peculiarities of an eighty-two game regular season schedule. A triple-double by Russell Westbrook wasn’t enough from stopping the Oklahoma City Thunder losing to conference opponents the Minnesota Timberwolves by a ten-point margin , 96-86 .
The Miami Heat’s problems continue as their season unravels in spectacular fashion . Playing against the Milwaukee Bucks , Miami had little to offer in terms of competitiveness from their players . The team lacks a competitive drive and it is becoming increasingly clear some changes will have to be made or the front office squanders the season in the hope of obtaining a high draft Lottery Pick in the 2017 NBA Draft . Next up for the impoverished Miami Heat will be a game against the Utah Jazz at the AA Arena in Miami , Florida on the 17th January , which pits the Heat against a Western Conference opponent .
NBA news
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The Atlanta Falcons (11-5-0) appear to be well on their way to making an appearance in the NFC Championship game , as they look to increase their lead over the Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1) in their divisional wildcard round contest being played today at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta ,Georgia , . Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan appears to be having an excellent game , as he leads the team to what will likely be their best postseason success in recent franchise history .
NFL news , team injuries and schedule
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Another playoff game and the New England Patriots continue to roll and roll they did , right over a very feeble and ineffective Houston Texans’ team which was completely outplayed in their divisional game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough , Massachusetts on Saturday evening. Tom Brady rolled up another milestone by pushing his postseason career win mark to 23-9 .
This was an all-round performance from the New England Patriots, with their defense harassing and making life a hell for Texans’ quarterback Brock Osweiler . Osweiler threw two interceptions in the game and his offensive line did little to protect the player. If there is anything the Texans can take away from this game , it is the fact , head coach Bill O’Brien and his coaching staff know there is room for a great deal of improvement on both sides of the ball for his team can be taken seriously as a legitimate contender for the Superbowl .
Houston Texans news
New England Patriots news
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Not enjoying the suspense expected of a thrilling NBA season , then you can always turn your attention to the games being played within the Collegiate Basketball arena . Sunday will provide the fans with a litany of games on the schedule , some of the top programs in the nation will be taking the court. One game features Michigan State as they face off against Ohio State . This will one of the fifteen contests on tap for today.
Still topping the nation’s rankings are Baylor (Bears) whose next game won’t be taking place until the 17th January ,when they face Texas (Longhorns) .
Among the professional ranks of the NBA there will be several games on Sunday’s schedule there will a number of contest likely to interest the public. Top game of the day may well the match-up between the New York Knicks taking on the Toronto Raptors . We’ll also have the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road to face the Dallas Mavericks . The Houston Rockets will be looking to improve on their recent record while taking down the woefully inept Brooklyn Nets .
NCAA Men’s Basketball
NCAA Men’s Basketball schedule and results for 14th January
NCAA Men’s Basketball rankings
NBA news
NBA schedule 15th January and divisional standings
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Tophatal …………..
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So the Dallas Cowboys’ postseason aspirations have come to an abrupt end , after the team was on the wrong side of a home defeat losing to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the NFL postseason . Green Bay advances to the NFC championship game , where they will meet the Atlanta Falcons . The AFC championship game will pit the Pittsburgh Steelers against the New England Patriots .
NFL news
Tophatal ……
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So the NBA season as we know it treats the Martin Luther King traditional holiday weekend as a time , where the teams actually are not just hitting their stride , but also looking to maintain consistency in the lead-up to the All Star Break . On Monday night several teams were in action with perhaps the best game , taking place in Oakland , California , as the Golden State Warriors dominated and destroyed the Cleveland Cavaliers , winning their contest by a thirty-five point margin , defeating the Cavaliers 126-91 , inflicting Cleveland’s worst loss of the season and their worst defeat over the past three seasons.
Over their last ten games Cleveland Cavaliers have posted a rather pedantic record of 6-4 . Next up for the Cavaliers will be a game against the Phoenix Suns at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on the 17th January , 2017. Meanwhile , the Golden State Warriors will seek to carry on their winning streak when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder at home on the 18th January .
NBA news
NBA results 16th January and schedule 17th January
Divisional standings and by conference
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With the Dallas Cowboys having been unceremoniously dumped in the divisional round of the postseason , it will be interesting to see what changes are likely to be made to the roster in light of the Cowboys’ defeat suffered at the hands of the Green Bay Packers. The front office headed by GM & CEO/owner Jerry Jones will have several decisions to make entering the off-season concerning several of the players and their long-term future. Clearly, having drafted Dak Prescott in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft , Dallas’ long-term future for a quarterback , has finally been secured . Granted , the future of their veteran starting quarterback Tony Romo now appears to be in jeopardy and I do believe Jerry Jones is finally opening up to the idea , the franchise would now be better off without Romo , than have him remain and still be tied to his current contract .
The Dallas Cowboys’ organization has yet to make it clear what their intentions might be,but the longer they wait in the lead-up to this year’s NFL Draft , the less likely it is , he will remain with the franchise , where he has made a name for himself.
Courtesy of the Chicago Tribune.
If Tony Romo’s career with the Dallas Cowboys is to end under such circumstances , then many will begin to question the player’s standing among the team’s all-time greats .
NFL news
Dallas Cowboys news
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Tophatal ……
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It might well have been the most surprising result of the night within the NBA , as the Miami Heat pulled off a truly inspiring victory defeating the Houston Rockets , one of the highest scoring teams in the league this season . In dispatching the Rockets with this improbable win , the Heat have started off the second-half of the regular season in great fashion. For the Houston Rockets , the defeat might well be seen as just a minor hiccup along the way. In their next game the Miami Heat are due to face the Dallas Mavericks at home on the 19th January.
While the speculation continues to mount as to whether or not the front office of the Miami Heat will abandon the season , it will be interesting to see what moves are likely to be made by Pat Riley and his staff. Rumors continue to circulate that Riley might well be entertaining offers of a trade which would send Hassan Whiteside elsewhere. Such a move would essentially sink the Heat’s chances of remaining competitive over the remainder of the season.
Mike D’Antoni has never been viewed as a defensive minded head coach over the course of his professional career in the NBA , with the Rockets now seen as one of the least defense-minded teams in the entire NBA . Houston will be looking to rebound from this loss suffered at the hands of the Miami Heat when they take on Milwaukee Bucks at home (Toyota Center) , in Houston , Texas on the 18th January .
NBA news
Tophatal ……………
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I may well be wrong in my assumption, but when a player not named LeBron James , Kevin Durant , Steph Curry or James Harden is setting the NBA world alight and then you have the idiocy of statements coming from fans saying they’re unimpressed by the season that Russell Westbrook is having for the Oklahoma City Thunder (25-18) . The question has to be asked what is it these fans are now actually looking for. The skill-set of the players over the last ten years has risen drastically and there are far more athletic players around the league. Bear in mind also, in certain stances, defenses are now better , than they were even as recently as 2006 .
Furthermore , even with the Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook , having notched ten triple doubles on the season , still this hasn’t stopped the criticism of the player. The point guard has almost single-handed placed his team in a position to be viewed as competitive , while not being provided with much assistance from his teammates . Oklahoma’s front office led by GM Sam Presti has to be ruing the day he allowed both James Harden and then Kevin Durant to leave, while not seeking to up the ante and make a real concerted effort to win an NBA title . If this Billy Donovan coached team is to have any chance of being viewed as a legitimate contender, then their record against conference rivals has to improve, as well as against their Eastern Conference opponents.
In their last game the Oklahoma City Thunder fell to the Los Angeles Clippers , losing the contest 120-98 . On Wednesday night , Russell Westbrook and his teammates will be back on court to face the Golden State Warriors in game that is likely to produce a great deal of offense.
Oklahoma City Thunder news
NBA schedule 18th January
Tophatal ………………….
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As the two players whose task it is , to lead their respective teams into the lions’ den this weekend, when they face their opponents in the championship games , a great is being asked of Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons and Ben Rothlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers . Ryan has to prove to his doubters he is capable of leading the Falcons past a Green Bay Packers’ team bursting at the seams to make a return to the Superbowl where Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a stage where he can make himself completely at home.
Matt Ryan for all of his regular season success in 2016 , has yet to produce a game in the postseason where he has reigned supreme under the greatest of pressures. This Sunday he gets the chance once again to try and prove his doubters wrong. If he is unable to do so, then all of his detractors will once again be railing against the Falcons’ quarterback for his continuing lack of success in the postseason as well as the fact , he’s being paid an extortionate amount , having delivered nothing of value in return to a franchise , long-starved of postseason success.
Ben Roethlisberger in his already astonishing career , has won two Superbowls for the Pittsburgh Steelers , a third appearance and victory in the NFL’s biggest postseason extravaganza would certainly place the quarterback alongside another Steelers’ legend Terry Bradshaw , who is one of only three NFL quarterbacks with four Superbowl victories. Roethlisberger’s task is a tough one , as he will be asked to lead Pittsburgh Steelers in what is likely to be an extremely competitive match-up against the New England Patriots in a game to be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday evening.
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The 2017 nominees for induction into the Hall of Fame have been made public by the BBWWAA and MLB . Joining the prestigious institution will be Jeff Bagwell , Tim Raines and Ivan Pudge Rodriguez to go alongside the Veterans’ Committee inductees of Allan ‘Bud’ Selig and John Schuerholz . What might be less surprising are the players who failed to obtain the required votes needed for induction . Many of the players in question were soiled from the era when steroids were prevalent within the game of baseball , while several of the aspiring candidates , often chose not admit to their association to the ongoing allegations. This really shouldn’t come as a surprise given the lackadaisical manner in how baseball’s hierarchy dealt with the issue during the nineties and into the last decade and a half.
From left to right , Jeff Bagwell , Ivan Rodriguez and Tim Raines.
Courtesy of CBS Sports
One of the more surprising near misses among the players who sought induction were Edgar Martinez perhaps the greatest DH in baseball history . One-time career saves’ leader Trevor Hoffman was the closest of the near misses , needing only five votes to join the Class of 2017. Considered a likely nominee for 2018 , Hoffman is considered a shoo-in for next year alongside some of the returning candidates and prospective first-timers on the ballot.
Elsewhere around Major League Baseball, it was somewhat surprising to see the Toronto Blue Jays resign their slugger and All Star juggernaut Jose Bautista . It was felt the ball-club after another disappointing season, they would have the free agent leave , to pursue his goal of a World Series’ title with another big-league franchise. Bautista could have commanded a five-year , $130 million contract , but instead , the player and his agent Jay Alou , returned to the Blue Jays in anticipation of a solid season in 2017.
Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays.
In getting Jose Bautista to sign a one-year $18.5 million contract was a coup on the part of the Blue Jays’ front office led by GM Ross Atkins . The fact the deal was even agreed to by Bautista’s agent Jay Alou, might be even more astonishing , but as they were no takers on the open market for the veteran slugger , it does seem the best fit was to remain with the ball-club .
It will be interesting to see if this revamped Toronto Blue Jays’ roster can meet the expectations of the managerial staff , front office executives and their fans. Certainly, a great deal is expected of this team when they go into battle against the AL East rivals as well as the rest the competitors within baseball. If the Blue Jays are to viewed as a legitimate contender, then the team has to be firing on all cylinders throughout the season.
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After a set of spectacular results on Wednesday night in the NBA , tonight will feature several more enticing match-ups on the hard-courts around the league.
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19th January
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Blake Griffin has been missing from the Los Angeles Clippers’ lineup for several weeks due to injury . It has led to a number of results not favoring the team’s usually robust form of play . This has led to growing rumors the Clippers’ front office might well pursue the idea of trading the forward in seeking to bolster their chances of making the NBA Playoffs . In what can only be described as a rather inexplicable loss the Los Angeles Clippers fell to conference rivals the Minnesota Timberwolves by the score of 104-101 in a home game played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , California on the 19th January . This was the Clippers’ third loss in their last ten games . Head coach Glen ‘Doc’ Rivers will now have to reassess his lineup , while seeking to address the issues which have led to the recent inconsistencies seen .
Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks is seen here with Blake Griffin (32) of the Los Angeles Clippers .
If these problems are not addressed then it goes without saying , the Los Angeles Clippers would be in need of a major overhaul of the roster if they were to miss the playoffs . Next up for the Clippers will be a game against the Denver Nuggets on the road to be played on the 21st January at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado .
Courtesy of FoxSports
Chris Paul (left) and teammate , Blake Griffin.
Until Monday, when Chris Paul injured his left thumb on the hip of Russell Westbrook. Tuesday, the Clippers announced that Paul tore ligaments in that thumb and will be out until March.
This Clippers season has been snake-bitten, but should nothing else happen between now and March, the Clippers will have roughly a month to ramp up their play for the postseason.
That’s not a lot of time, especially for a team that has shown zero ability to beat the Golden State Warriors, but Paul’s injury shouldn’t mark the figurative end of the Clippers’ season.
But with Griffin and Paul both likely to opt out of their contracts at the end of the year, perhaps Tuesday’s news should bring about the end of the Clippers as we know them.
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Blake Griffin has to prove to the coaching staff as well to the front office he is vital to the Los Angeles Clippers’ long–term plans as well their current aspirations of winning an NBA championship . Griffin is a very explosive player , but there remains signs of a lack in maturity , alongside his being all injury-prone and this has to be a worrying situation for Doc Rivers as the team’s head coach , apart from his responsibilities as Head of Basketball Operations for the franchise . Any type of possible trade may well need to involve a multi-team , multi-player type of deal to facilitate the player’s salary as one the league’s best paid power-forwards .
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Tophatal …………………. 01/20/2017 04:19 am
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Try as I might , I am no longer intrigued or fascinated by the idiocy seen among the sports’ pages or from within the television media concerning the sports’ stories which emanate from the two largest and most talked about cities in the nation. This season within the NFL we have seen the failure of the three teams who lay claim of representing the state of New York , although two of the three franchises are located in the state of New Jersey. The Buffalo Bills had a disastrous season , failing to make the postseason , even worse their record within the AFC East was abysmal, which led to the firing of head coach Rex Ryan . In the case of Todd Bowles and the New York Jets , their season was one of simple mediocrity , lack of leadership among the playing staff and I certainly believe , Todd Bowles and his coaching staff failing to assess the real needs and complete lack of depth on the team’s roster. GM Mike Maccagnan , might well have been on the verge of firing the head coach , but calmer heads prevailed and the front office as well as the coaching staff will now pursue the Jets’ off-season needs by way of the NFL Draft and free agent acquisitions .
For the New York Giants , they now have to look at a team which failed to deliver on all fronts , once they made the postseason . Quarterback , Eli Manning is now living on borrowed time and his exploits in previous postseason appearances alongside the name Manning are the only things stopping any real heightened criticism of the player. On offense , players such as Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr , were shown to be overrated and more of a liability than an asset during this most recent appearance in the postseason. It was an embarrassment to witness Beckham’s actual incompetence , mistimed runs , dropped balls and clearly his ongoing lack of maturity and leadership.
New York Giants’ head coach Ben McAdoo might well have been lucky enough to guided the New York Giants into the postseason among a somewhat weak NFC (conference) , given the quick exit of the top-seeded Dallas Cowboys , but when it is all said and done , there is nothing to suggest the Giants will be in a real position to contend within the NFL , much less for the Superbowl anytime in the near future.
It takes a certain type of team and pedigree to be and remain continually inconsistent . For both the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks this has been a season of utter embarrassment for the teams in question . New York Knicks’ head coach Jeff Hornacek watched as his embattled team simply gave up as they faced the Washington Wizards in a conference game . The Knicks faltered in just about every aspect of this match-up , leaving very little to the imagination, as to lack creativity or even the will to play any form of defense . New York’s front office led by Phil Jackson GM Steve Mills have assembled a roster which is proving to be less than competitive throughout much of this season .
Next up for the New York Knicks will be a home game against the Phoenix Suns at Madison Square Garden on January 21st .
While the New York Knicks labor under their own self-importance , their conference rivals the Brooklyn Nets continue to fall apart at the seams . Head coach Kenny Atkinson has been unable to see anything which would be of real benefit from his players . In their last contest the Brooklyn Nets fell to the Toronto Raptors , losing the game 119-109 . The team’s last victory came on the 26th December when they defeated the Charlotte Hornets . Kenny Atkinson will be looking to have his team prepared for their next game when their opponents will be the New Orleans Pelicans .
Mikhail Prokhorov , the billionaire owner of the Brooklyn Nets is still said to be contemplating the sale of the franchise , seeking to recoup his original investment alongside a sizable profit. The Nets have been hemorrhaging red ink at an alarming rate over the last six years , but somehow the fans appear to be oblivious to this all along with the NBA hierarchy led by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver .
Is there anything else that fans really need to be aware of concerning the disastrous seasons had by both the New York Mets and New York Yankees ? Neither of these two teams were competitive enough to challenge within their respective divisions or within the leagues . Now during the off-season , fans are meant to believe because of their off-season acquisitions both of these teams will be back on track challenge for a Pennant as well a World Series’ title ? Both the Mets and Yankees will have sizable payrolls this upcoming season . However, it will be interesting to see what the respective managers Terry Collins and Joe Girardi will be able to conjure up from their respective teams as the regular season gets underway in the month of April .
From my own perspective , I feel that both the New York Mets and New York Yankees will have good seasons in 2017, but in no way do I see either of these two teams being able to challenge within the NL and AL . These two teams are extremely flawed with their being very little depth the rosters of the Mets and Yankees . Aging rosters and their windows of opportunity likely to be in the rear-view mirrors . this might be the time to start looking elsewhere instead of the continued love-fest for all things New York Mets or New York Yankees.
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The NBA All Star Game is still just over three weeks away (17th February) and perhaps the biggest story emanating from this all, has been the snub given to Russell Westbrook by the fans (main voters) in the balloting for the players nominating for the starting positions , representing the rosters from the East and Western conferences for the league’s big mid-season event. All I can say at this moment in time , the fans are clearly just about voting for their favorites , rather than a player’s body of work through the first-half of the season . As to the coaches and media components who make up for the rest of the balloting , well , let’s just say their stupidity is not actually beyond belief ! Considering the statistics put up by Russell Westbrook at this point of the season and even idiot fans with their absurdity as to whether or not his accomplishments this season , are worthy of being mentioned , it simply speaks volumes as to the continued lack of intelligence of the sports’ fan to be found around the country !!!!
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbook who was snubbed by the voters in being a starter and alternative for the Western Conference All Star roster .
Russell Westbrook has been leading his team to victory under all types of circumstances and when you consider the lack of real depth on the Thunder’s roster , you have to acknowledge the point guard’s accomplishments have been astounding up to this point of the season .
Courtesy of FoxSports
Over their last ten games the Oklahoma City Thunder have performed admirably in comparison to their rivals in the West and within their division . In their last game the Thunder faced conference rivals the Golden State Warriors and they were on the wrong side of a double-digit loss to Golden State , falling , 121-100 . Next up for the team will be a contest against the Utah Jazz on the road , to be played on the 23rd January .
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College Basketball will have an active schedule this Saturday , 21st January covering all of the conferences at the D1 and D2 Levels . The standings have seen some changes and the rankings are a reflection of this all . Big winners on Friday night were in great form , eking out their victories . At the top of the rankings are the Villanova Wildcats who’ve moved back to the top , having rebounded from their loss to Butler (Bulldogs) with an emphatic victory over Marquette . The Wildcats now have four successive behind them in pushing their record to 17-1 . On Saturday 21st , Villanova will face Providence , in what should prove to be a very interesting game .
Following Villanova in the rankings are Kansas (Jayhawks) , UCLA (Bruins) and Gonzaga (17-0) , with Gonzaga being the only unbeaten team among the top-ten of the national rankings. Gonzaga will be in action for their next game when they are due to face Portland this Saturday . The Kansas Jayhawks and UCLA Bruins will also be on the hard-courts and there will likely be a shakeup in the conference standings after the results .
Mike Krzyzewski the Duke (Blue Devils) are having an indifferent season with their being behavioral issues on and off the court among the players . Ranked and playing well , there is the belief Krzyzewski will have his work cut out for him in getting the team playing consistently and at a very high level if he is to win his fifth national title .
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All three NFL franchises located in the state of Florida in one way or another failed to deliver. The Miami Dolphins having made the postseason simply imploded in the wildcard round , showing how overrated the team just happened to be . Granted they were without several of their starters for the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers they simply imploded under the weight of expectation with a truly poor performance in their 30-12 loss .
Gus Bradley’s firing by the front office of the Jacksonville Jaguars should come as no surprise as the team failed , with their being no signs of consistency , leadership or competitiveness over the course of the season. Team quarterback Jake Bortles is proving to be a player whose signs of growth are slow and indeterminable . Shahid Khan as the owner of the Jaguars has to be frustrated with the lack of improvement from the franchise since he purchased the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012. It has been a forlorn experience for the owner . The Jaguars have yet to name a successor to Gus Bradley , but they are conducting interviews from a potential list of candidates , not all all of whom are known the public.
At one point during the season the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were on a five-game winning streak with only the Dallas Cowboys having a better record during the time frame in question. In the regular season meeting between these two teams which took place during week fifteen of the regular season , the fans would see the Buccaneers simply implode and self-destruct in their loss to the Cowboys. A victory was needed by the team , with a follow-up to garner themselves a postseason berth among the list of NFC candidates. This Dirk Koetter coached team , as usual found a way to disappoint as they often do when faced with real adversity.
Having failed to make the postseason many still believe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are to be considered a team good enough to be a legitimate contender within the NFC. From my own standpoint , I believe the Buccaneers to be a team , a long way off from where they need to be. A lack of consistency from key players on the roster , no vocal leadership from the playing staff , alongside a quarterback , Jameis Winston who has yet to show true potential , will lead the franchise to have real problems in their near and long-term future. With Minnesota Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson likely to have played his last game for the franchise , the veteran has now set his sights on joining a team capable of winning a Superbowl title . Peterson has made it known as a marquee free agent during this off-season , he lists the Tampa Bay Buccaneers among his wish-list of possible candidates to further his career .
Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson.
Courtesy of ESPN
At best Adrian Peterson might have no more than another three to four years of play left to him , in spite of his wish to play even longer. Holding several franchise records with the Vikings the only thing of prominence missing from his resume’ is a Superbowl ring. Adrian Peterson will not be achieving that personal goal with the Tampa Buccaneers , were he to join the franchise. As good as the Buccaneers appear to be , there remain several flaws on the roster which need to be addressed by the front office .
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In what turned out to be an astounding and exhilarating game the Atlanta Falcons led by Matt Ryan posted a historic win over the Green Bay Packers , with the Falcons making their first appearance in the Superbowl since 1998 , as a result of this victory. For Matt Ryan this win means a great deal and lifts a great obstacle from off his shoulders as a player. Finally, the fans of the Falcons can say ” we have arrived ” .
Elsewhere , in the AFC championship game the Pittsburgh Steelers are battling it out with the highly favored New England Patriots . New England took an early lead in the game and will be looking increase and maintain that advantage over their AFC rival.
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So it now comes down to this , for all of the marbles at Superbowl LI , as the New England Patriots will take on the Atlanta Falcons . This will only be the second appearance for the Falcons in the NFL’s biggest showcase event. For Matt Ryan , he has finally lifted the lofty weight from around his neck and vindicated himself. This season was perhaps his best ever in an Atlanta uniform and now places him alongside some of the franchise’s best passers in franchise history. Whether or not Matt Ryan can now lead his team past the New England Patriots remains to be seen , but his previous meetings against the AFC opponents would not lead anyone to believe this will be an easy task .
In scheduled meetings against the New England Patriots , Matt Ryan has posted an 0-2 record with his last meeting against the Patriots ending in a week-four loss 30-23 .
For Tom Brady , this will be his seventh appearance in the Superbowl , with his legacy there being well-chronicled and known. A fifth title for the veteran would simply add to his already astonishing legacy and that of the team’s head coach Bill Belichick and his coaching staff . Tom Brady’s record against the Atlanta Falcons is a favorable one and nothing would now lead me to believe why he cannot improve upon it further. Both of the defenses of the respective teams are very good in certain facets of the game and it will be interesting to see how they stack up against one another during the upcoming Superbowl .
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Things appear to be proceeding nicely within the NBA as the teams move slowly towards the All Star Game , which is just over two weeks away. Sunday night’s games brought about some very interesting results . The Golden State Warriors (38-6) beat down the Orlando Magic (18-28) for their league-league leading thirty-eighth victory of season . At no point during this game were the Magic ever in with a chance of defeating the Warriors and their play was simply reflective of that fact.
At some point , you have to wonder what and how Los Angeles Lakers’ GM Mitch Kupchak came up with the novel idea of assembling the current roster . In what might be the team’s most embarrassing display of the season they managed to give up one hundred and twenty-two points , losing to conference rivals the Dallas Mavericks by a forty-nine point margin , 122-73 . Lakers’ head coach Luke Walton must now be wondering what he might have gotten himself into having the left the Warriors’ coaching staff to coach a bunch of complicated disinterested players who are being paid far more than they are actually worth . If aging veteran Metta World Peace is meant to be the voice of reason and leadership on this roster , then clearly this team won’t be going very far at all. Offense continues to be a problem for the Lakers without having to cite the fact their defense is just plain incompetent and damn well mediocre .
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There has been some shocking news within the world of baseball over the past six weeks with the death of Miami Marlins’ starting pitcher and former NL Rookie of the Year , Jose Fernandez in an alcoholic related boating accident , where the player and two friends were killed off the shores of the South Florida coast and inlet. Now hard on the heels of that accident, comes the report of Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura dying in a traffic accident in the Dominican Republic and a second fatality , in a separate incident with the death of Andy Marte . As MLB (baseball) mourns these tragic losses , one has to put into perspective how short a player’s life can be in such instances. Yet at the end of the day it is how one lives a life which determines how these players are likely to be remembered.
Andy Marte (left) and Yordano Ventura .
Courtesy of New York Times
Yordan Ventura was instrumental in the Kansas City Royals winning the 2015 World Series with the player pitching with a degree of consistency in the series for the team in their victory over the New York Mets . The Royals would go on to win the World Series decisively with a 4-1 series’ victory.
For Andy Marte his all-too brief career in the Majors did not bring about a great deal of success in spite of the promise shown at the Minor League Level . .
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I don’t know what might me more embarrassing at the moment in watching some of the play in the NBA , particularly within the Eastern Conference and the divisions there. Year in and year out , disparities can be seen between the East and West. Granted, while the East currently has the reigning NBA champions to call their own, were it not for the biased officiating from last season’s Finals to go alongside the missed opportunities by the Golden State Warriors , I’d dare say the Warriors would have made a successful defense of the title they won in 2015 . If you really want to judge how poor the Cleveland Cavalier have been playing , then simply look no further than their record over their last ten games. Defending champions they might be , but their play in over the games and stretch in question, indicates they are nothing more than an average team at present.
There is no denying the Eastern Conference remains a very poor bastion of mediocre basketball in comparison to its rival within the West. In their last game played the Cleveland Cavaliers were man-handled by the San Antonio Spurs , as Cleveland suffered their fifth loss in their last ten games. Cleveland will be hoping to rebound from that loss by taking down the New Orleans Pelicans in a road game to be played against an intra-conference opponent.
Looking at the Eastern Conference , in particular within the Atlantic Division the mediocrity of the teams’ play and performances have been diabolical and downright unbearable to watch. The collective records of the New York Knicks (19-26) , Philadelphia 76ers(15-27) and the Brooklyn Nets (9-34) does leave a great deal to be desired from these three teams mentioned .
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As if to emphasize further an earlier comment concerning the recent mediocre play of the Cleveland Cavaliers , you simply have to look no further than last night’s (Monday’s) contest against the New Orleans Pelicans , as they dropped another game , their sixth in their last eleven losing to the Pelicans , 124-122 . Cleveland’s defense has become woefully inept over their last four games to say the very least. What this might say about the team may well have more to do with the lack of real depth to their lineup over the course of this season.
Cavaliers’ head coach Tyronn Lue and the coaching staff will have to address these problems over their next few games in the lead-up to the All Start Game . The next opponent on their schedule will be the Sacramento Kings , who they will face at home in a contest being played at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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Monday night’s results in the NBA and how the teams performed in the games played. The San Antonio Spurs summarily placed another nail in the coffin of the Brooklyn Nets and made sure their season will fizzle out with their continued self-implosion. San Antonio defeated the Nets with consummate ease , on their way to a double-digit victory .
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