I was just watching Game 3 of the Thunder vs. Lakers series in the NBA Playoffs and I thought I would share it with you all.  Kobe Bryant got the ball and made a terrible pass to Pau Gasol, the camera then zooms in on Gasol as he looks at Kobe in exasperation.  Next, the camera switches to a close up shot of Kobe Bryant, who was gracious enough to provide us with this extra piece of entertainment.  Check it out.

Obviously the madden curse didn’t affect this guy yet. He hit’s a few deep, he has a pretty swing, and he hits one out. This guy is a pure athlete with freakish ability, strength, jumping, and pure dominance at the wide receiver position… This leads me to believe he could be a professional in anything he chooses.

Aussie 26 year old, Rhein Gibson hit an absurd 18 under par which is 12 birdies 2 eagles and the rest pars. Without ONE single bogey… He played a round of as close to a perfect round of golf can be played, with not one single critical mistake leading to a bogey.

Meanwhile, I commend his two partners for shooting a 69 and a 74… two excellent rounds in themselves that I can only dream of in hitting my golf career currently. I honestly didn’t even know 18 under par was even a possibility.

I do not know the difficulty of the course, or how many times he played it in his life. But this is something the pro’s cant even do..  Tiger’s lowest round of golf ever was a 61.. and he was considered the best player on the planet for a long time.

Congrats to Rhein Gibson for the Bleeping Champion award for his round of 55!

Via Reddit

Try to imagine yourself back in your fourth grade classroom.

Remember the kid who had to answer every question?  He probably sat in the back of the class, away from the teacher’s direct line of vision.  He would wave his hand feverishly, practically leaping out of his seat.  His eager face would turn red in an all out effort to hold back from shouting, “Oooh, oooh! Pick me! Pick me!”

The teacher surveys the class, trying her best to ignore the kid who is about to explode.  Half of the kids in the class are avoiding eye contact in hopes that the teacher won’t call on them.  The rest of the kids are either not paying attention, picking their noses or a combination of the two.  The teacher grows impatient and begs the class, “Anybody?  Does anybody besides Jack want to give an answer?”

Sound familiar?

The popular HBO series Hard Knocks and the 32 NFL teams find themselves in a somewhat comparable scenario.  The show documents a specific team’s training camp and was first introduced in 2001 when the Baltimore Ravens decided to star in the series after winning the Super Bowl the year before.  Hard Knocks went on a four-year hiatus from 2003-‘06 before picking back up again in ’07 with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The show gained an enormous amount of popularity during the summer of 2010 when the flamboyant Rex Ryan and his New York Jets took center stage.  Because of the lockout last summer, Hard Knocks is planning on making its much-anticipated return later this summer.  But before the hit series can make its comeback, HBO and NFL Films must first overcome one massive roadblock:

Finding a team to star in the show.

It’s already almost June and HBO still hasn’t come to an agreement with a team.  The show is scheduled to begin in early August so time is of the essence.  In 2010, the Jets had agreed to be on Hard Knocks by the end of March so it’s safe to say that the program is running a little behind schedule.

But even as it seems like time is running out, Hard Knocks has been notorious for putting things together quickly.  For example, on August 24^th, 2010, Nick Mangold signed a new contract that morning and it appeared on the show later that night.

A few teams stood out at the outset of the offseason as perfect candidates for the spot:  the Denver Broncos for signing coveted free agent Peyton Manning), Indianapolis Colts (for drafting Andrew Luck first overall), New York Jets (for trading for Tim Tebow in addition to Rex Ryan’s entertaining antics), Washington Redskins (for drafting Robert Griffin III second overall), and New Orleans Saints (for all of the turmoil they’ve generated so far this offseason).

There were brief rumors that Hard Knocks was going to do a sequel with the Jets – which wouldn’t be unheard of since the Cowboys did it in ’02 as well as ’08 – followed by rumors that they were going to document the rising stars in Atlanta with the Falcons this August.  Both of those rumors have since been squashed.  In addition to the Jets and Falcons, the 49ers, Texans and Redskins have also turned down the opportunity to star in the popular offseason documentary.

It’s hard to imagine why any team would want to host the show.  With cameras and microphones at every turn recording every action and sound, all privacy is lost.  Even though most training camps are held at facilities open to the public, there is a tremendous difference between a couple thousand fans peering through binoculars at the team’s practice and millions of viewers tuned into a private conversation in a team meeting room or coach’s office.  Some coaches, like Washington’s Mike Shanahan and Houston’s Gary Kubiak, have been very clear on their aversion to the unnecessary attention.

But what about Jack, the kid in the classroom dying for his chance to shine?  There’s always a Jack.  Surely, someone must want to do it.

That team would be the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Repeatedly, they’ve made their interest in starring in the show very public.  The Jaguars have been mentioned as an interested candidate most recently in an article from the Florida Times-Union.  And by process of elimination, Hard Knocks may be forced to go with them, subjecting many fans to what appears to be a “riveting” summer in northeast Florida.

Coming off a 5-11 campaign in 2011 in which they fired head coach Jack Del Rio and finished the season under interim head coach Mel Tucker, the Jaguars are poised to be one of the NFL’s worst teams in 2012.  The Jags brought in ex-Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey to be the head coach to help rectify young quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who struggled through his rookie season last year.  As a head coach for two years in Buffalo (’04 &’05), Mularkey compiled a win-loss record of 14-18.  It will be interesting to see if he fares any better with a floundering team under new ownership.

Jacksonville’s saving grace may be their first round draft pick WR Justin Blackmon along with veteran RB Maurice Jones-Drew.  Blackmon was the top receiving prospect of the 2012 draft class coming out of Oklahoma State and Jones-Drew has proven to be a perrenial contender for the leagues’ rushing title.  Both could potentially provide enough entertainment to sustain the series.

However, without a star quarterback or an entertaining head coach, it’s really hard to imagine Hard Knocks striking gold in Jacksonville.  This is a team that has difficulty selling out its stadium let alone entertaining a nationwide television audience.  But, if it ends up being HBO’s only option, they’ll go for it and try to make the best of it.

Every year, I make my way through the long lists of high school football players looking for one thing in particular, the next Michael Vick. Over the years that has lead me to find my new favorite payers at the QB position such as Tyrod Taylor, B.J. Daniels, and Braxton Miller. Admittedly, I did not have to look far for Taylor or Miller because they were the #1 rated dual-threat QB’s in their respective year. This year however, I had to go a little lower on the list to find who I think very well could be the next Mike Vick. I would like to introduce you to a young man named  J.T, Barrett. Barrett is the Qb for Rider high school in Wichita Texas, and stands at 6’2 210lbs and looks similar to the Eagles star. In his Junior season, Barrett threw 1,604 yds and 14tds but most impressively, ran for 1,515 and 9 tds. Barrett’s runs with quick, fluid strides, and can make strong cuts laterally. He’s fast and agile, and he makes great cutbacks across the field. The thing I found most impressive about Barrett is when asked which QB he looks up to the most, Barrett responded saying, “Peyton Manning just by the way he works on the field. He takes care of business, then he goes home. That’s the way it should be. I like how he can dissect the defense. He doesn’t really beat you with long throws. He breaks down defenses with his reads. He knows what the defense is about to do even before the defense does. That’s from watching film and being a student of the game.” The maturity displayed in his answer shows that Barrett is a student of the game who is willing to work hard to succeed. Barrett enters his senior season in September looking to improve on his numbers both through the air and on the ground, and BI has him tagged as a future star to keep an eye on.

Today’s Bleeping Champion is the South Atlantic League (baseball), they will be hosting their Home Run Derby on the USS Yorktown next month. The derby will feature 10 hitters, 5 from each division with 10 outs of homerun derby, while kayakers and jet ski’s sit in the charleston harbor retrieving balls. The coast guard is taking upon the responsibility to determine and report the longest home runs by radio.

Let’s commend the coast guard, and the USS Yorktown for allowing such an event to occur on the air craft as well as the South Atlantic League to find a way to gain some media coverage and marketing exposure… Great move. I love the idea! Now lets just hope you guys can hit a few bombs into the water.

It’s always great to see a sport or team take a creative approach to sporting events. Take a look at a few of these other strange/rare sporting event locations.

Michigan State vs UNC – USS Carl Vinson - Obama was in attendance.

Boise State Football – take a look at all of these crazy fields.

Wrigley Field Football game – Northwestern vs Illinois

Whoever did the measurements for this field truly needs to go back to high school math class.

Tennis match on a helipad – Agassi vs Federer on top of a hotel in dubai.

Fast forward to 2:50

WNBA Game at Radio City Music Hall – pretty badass.. except for the word “wnba”.

Last season a man by the name of Cam Newton did something that could change the course of the NFL. Up until this point, the Dual threat QB has always been associated more with high school and college than the NFL. Scouts and analysts always question the accuracy and decision making of most of the elite athletes that enter the draft at the QB position and so as a result you have guys like Brad Smith and Armanti Edwards who change their position and inevitably struggle to find their way in the NFL. Before Newton, only Michael Vick has regularly had success as a dual threat option, but now Cam and Vick have re-opened the door, showing coaches around the league how terrorizing a dual threat guy like that can be. This could not come at a better time because the 2013 draft is not only one of the deepest QB drafts that I have seen in my lifetime, but it is also one of the most athletic. When I look at this draft, I see 4 guys who, if they have a strong senior campaign, could potentially emerge as the “Next Cam Newton,”  so today, I want to break down the top 5 dual threat QB’s of the 2013 draft

1.) E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State, 6’5 245lbs

Manuel has been a highly touted player since his high school days when Rivals had him ranked as the #2 Dual Threat QB behind only Terrelle Pryor, and FSU fans were waiting anxiously for him to take the reigns from Christian Ponder. Last season, Manuel stepped into the starting role and produced when healthy, but did not exactly live up to his hype. Manuel enters the 2012 season healthy, ready to deliver, and will most likely battle Logan Thomas for the #1 spot in the dual threat QB category. Let’s dive right into it and break down our #1 ranked dual threat QB.

Strengths-

• Arm Strength- Manuel possesses elite arm strength and can make any throw you ask of him. I remember a particular game last season against UL Monroe when Manuel dropped back from the right hash and threw a deep out to the left side. Manuel threw it on a rope and did so without having his feet set, now that is arm strength. Manuel can straight up spin it and as a result can fit the ball into tight windows that a weaker armed QB could not
• Pocket Presence- Despite being incredibly Athletic, Manuel is actually a pocket passer. Even at the high school level, it was evident that Manuel would rather pick a defense apart with his arm rather than his legs. Truth be told, Manuel probably belongs in the top 5 Pro-style QB category, but he is so athletic that he is a threat to run on any play. Manuel does not always use his athleticism to run, but he will use it to by time in the pocket, ducking defenders and getting out of the pocket where he can make a throw on the run. However, when possible, Manuel stands tall in the pocket and will deliver a strike even if it means taking a big hit.
• Mechanically sound- Manuel has exceptional mechanics. His footwork in the pocket is good and he usually sets his feet before throwing. Manuel holds the ball high, and does not let his elbow drop on his release which results in high velocity and accurate throws.
• Accuracy- Manuel displays elite accuracy on the short, intermediate, and deep routes. He hits his receivers in stride, and when throwing into coverage, will place the ball where only his guy can get it. Manuel knows when to take some velocity off the ball and displays great touch on over the top throws and goal line fades. He will always have a high completion percentage. Bottom line, the guy is a good passer and can make some throws that most other guys in college football right now will not make

Weaknesses-

2.) Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech, 6’6 254lbs

There may not be a more intriguing prospect in this years draft in the terms of pure ceiling potential and if Thomas makes a few strides in the passing game, not only will he rise to #1 on this list, but he could also become the potential #1 pick of the draft. However, at this current moment, Manuel is ahead of Thomas in terms of who is the better passer, but it may not stay that way for long. Thomas has been shooting up draft boards ever since piecing together a solid campaign in 2011, his first year as a starter and now we’ll take a look at what makes Thomas such an intriguing prospect.

Strengths-

• Measurables- Thomas is an absolute monster in terms of his size-athleticism ratio. I fact, physically, he is practically a clone of the panthers star. Thomas stands at 6’6 and weighs in at roughly 254 lbs.  He can see over all the defenders and will not get many balls batted down. He has monster hands which allow him to maintain a good grip on the ball even under rainy conditions and as a result, ball security is not really a concern. He has been reported as running anywhere from the high 4.5′s to the low 4.6′s in the 40 which when combined with his size is quite impressive. He has a great first step and displays the lateral burst necessary to make a move on defenders in the open field.
• Mechanics- Thomas has a smooth and fluid release. He hold and releases the ball high, and does not have any hitches in his throwing motion. He squares his shoulders very quickly on roll-outs and he can get the ball out of his hands quick.
• Arm Strength- Thomas has a big-time arm. He can throw the ball deep down field, both in the pocket and on the run, and does an exceptional pocket of putting velocity on the ball when rolling against the grain. His throws get on his receivers very quickly, and he has no problem throwing deep outs and other throws outside the numbers.
• Accuracy- Displays great touch on the deep ball and can drop it over defenders into the waiting hands of his receiver. He understands the speed of the game and displays an exceptional ability to throw his receiver open. He puts the ball high and outside on deep outs, and often hits his WR’s in stride.

Weaknesses-

• Arm Strength- Geno Smith possesses elite arm strength and an arm that sort of confuses you as you watch him throw. He makes it look as if he’s barely putting effort into the throw and yet the balls spins off his hand with great velocity. He shows a quick,wrist snap that enables him to get a lot of zip on the ball. It’s often been compared to a Michael Vick type of release in the way that he flicks his wrist and releases a rocket. Smith can make all the throws, outside the numbers, inside the numbers, posts, corners, you name it and Geno can throw it.
• Anticipation- Smith understands the game from the QB’s prospective and it shows on the field. He can throw the ball before the receiver breaks and hit him in stride. Smith also possess the ability to throw a receiver open and can throw the short/intermediate routes as good as anyone in this draft class. Smith displays good touch over the top, and knows where to place the ball.
• Productivity- Smith already has two years of starting experience under his belt and has been very productive in both. He has completed at least 64% of his passes in both seasons and has thrown 55 TD’s with only 14 Int’s, and a 4:1 TD/INT ratio is quite impressive. Smith is poised and has played well against top competition. He lit up Clemson in the orange bowl and no doubt will look to ride that wave of success into this season.
• Poise- Smith is very poised in the pocket and looks very comfortable stepping up to make throws. He will get into a rhythm in the pocket and becomes near unstoppable. He does not look panicked when going through his progressions and he can stand tall and make a hit. LSU reigned down the fires of hell on him in their 2011 match-up, and even though it was a losing effort, Smith stood strong and kept fighting until the end.

Weaknesses-

• Scheme- Geno’s scheme under new coach Dana Holgorson is not an NFL type scheme. Smith works from a spread, Air-raid style offense that will inflate his passing numbers and consists of a lot of screens and short throws, so NFL scouts may want to test out Geno’s arm strength for themselves to make sure he has what it takes to make the NFL throws. However, it should be noted that Browns first round Draft pick Brandon Weeden also played under Holgorson and his draft stock was not affected
• Stubbornness- Geno Smith does not by any means want to be considered a running QB. He is a pure pocket passer and he has made that known. As a result, I have seen plays where Geno held onto the ball too long or forced throws when he would benefit from just tucking the ball and letting his athleticism take over. What I want to see from Geno is simple; forget about the labels and play to your strengths, the guy was blessed with exceptional athleticism and if he learns to use it, he will become even more dangerous.
• Footwork & Release- These are not major concerns, but they are cause for worry. Smith’s footwork get’s a little sloppy from time to time in his drops and one some plays when he rolls or needs to reset his feet, he had a heard time squaring up. He does not always do a good job of squaring his shoulders when rolling against the grain and that leads to some aired throws. Smith’s release is a double edge sword in the manner that, he holds the ball high and really snaps the ball, putting a lot of velocity on it. As a result, he doesn’t always have the quickest release out there. This is not the biggest concern in the world, but on some throws Smith’s release moves too slow which hurts his accuracy and timing. When rolling out, he will dip his elbow too low which affects his rhythm, accuracy, and velocity

Smtih is a mid-round guy who could propel himself into the early rounds with solid play and workouts. He will provide an NFL team with an experienced QB with loads of talent and leadership ability. I think that Smith can develop into an NFL star at the next level for sure. HE will enter the 2013 draft with 3 years starting experience and so far Geno has improved every season. Look for Geno to make a strong push to improve his draft stock this season, but don’t expect him to overthrow Thomas or Manuel for the #1 dual threat spot.

NFL Comparison: Aaron Brooks

4.) Keith Price, QB, Washington, 6’1 195lbs

Price, Like Thomas, is an underclassmen and may or may not opt to enter the 2013 NFL draft. He was exceptionally productive as a first year starter last season and broke Washington’s single season touchdown record with 33 td’s. Price may benefit from staying in college another year, but if he does opt to enter the draft, and NFL team is going to have to take a look at him. Let’s break down why.

Strengths-

• Feet- Price has, in my opinion, the second best feet in this draft behind USC’s Matt Barkley. He displays quick footwork in his drops and steps up in the pocket comfortably. He is nimble on his feet and can elude the rush with easy, re-set his feet, and deliver a good throw.
• Pocket Presence- Price shows great poise in the pocket, especially for such a young player. He stands strong in the pocket and let’s his plays develop. Unlike most young athletic QB’s Price will not automatically duck and take off when he senses pressure coming off the sides. He has a good feel for where his blockers are and will step up into the pocket to buy more time for his receivers to get open.
• Throwing on the Run- If Price decides to enter the draft, he will instantly become the best QB option in terms of throw on the run ability. PRice looks very comfortable when plays break down, he can make defenders miss and always keeps his eyes down field while scrambling, looking for a receiver to get open rather than taking off and running. Price has a variety of release points and delivers accurate throws off his back foot as well as when running to the right and left. He doesn’t need to re-set to make good throws on the run and he does an exceptional job of squaring his shoulders to make a throw when running against the grain
• Short/intermediate Accuracy- Price shows excellent touch and accuracy on the short/intermediate routes. He hit’s his receivers in stride and can drop the ball into small windows. Throws a great fade route and is also the best in the draft in terms of throwing a swing pass or a WR screen. People think that screens and swings are easy throws, but not always true, Price throws the ball ahead of his RB or WR on the swing and screen routes so that they catch the ball on the run rather than when standing still and that can make the difference between an 8 yard gain and a 30 yard gain.

Weaknesses-

•  Arm Strength- Price does not possess an overly “live” arm and struggles to get that “next level” velocity on his throws. He pushes his deep outs and as a result the ball tends to sail on him. He has to really step into his deep throws and as a result it will take him longer to get the ball out of his hands than a guy like Geno Smith who can flick his wrist and get the ball 50 yards down field.
• Release- Price shows a variety of releases and is very inconsistent with his release point. It works to his advantage when on the run, but in terms of making throws in the pocket, Price’s inconsistent release affects his accuracy and velocity. Price has a little bit of a wind up in his delivery and dips the ball before his release. On short throws, Price will release the ball high, but on long throws, where Price needs to get more out of his arm, he tends to dip his elbow even lower. This creates a much longer wind up and results in Price releasing the ball lower which when teamed with his height will drastically increase the chance of having passes batted down at the next level. Overall, there is a lot of wasted motion in his release which hurts his accuracy and velocity
• Recognition- Struggles with recognizing defenses and tends to make-up his mind pre-snap which results in forced throws into coverage and turnovers. He is slow with his progressions and sometimes is only capable of working on one side of the field at a time. Needs to improve his overall knowledge of the game
• Size- Price is going to face a similar struggle as Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson. Price is short, 6’1, and thin, 195lbs. He will struggle to see throwing lanes and is a risk for having passes batted down. Needs to bulk up some to keep himself from getting hurt.

5.) Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan, 6’1 193lbs

Is he an NFL QB, or will he be a WR/Return guy? Let the great debate begin. There were a few other guys I looked at for this spot, I like Colin Cline from K-state as a dual threat guy and I think that Marqueis Gray made some strides last season and may still have his best football ahead of him, but I had to give this spot to Robinson. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has voiced many times that he feels Robinson has no business being an NFL QB, he even said that Robinson’s lack of throwing ability hurt Junior Hemingway’s draft stock, but if I was a Lawyer battling for Robinson’s right as an NFL QB, there is one argument I would have to make, and that is: There is a major precedent that shows that Robinson could not only play QB in the NFL but could shock the world and become the #1 pick in the draft. No one hates to make this comparison more than me, but for Robinson’s sake, it has to be made. In 2001, Michael Vick was drafted #1 overall by the Atlanta Falcons, and although Vick is a much better scrambler than Robinson, Robinson has greater success on scripted runs like a QB power rather than making big runs when the play breaks down, the two do compare favorably. For Starters, Robinson already has far better passing numbers than Vick. If you compare Vick’s College Career numbers with Denards, here is what you get: Vick completed 187 passes on 332 attempts, a completion percentage of 56%, for 3,279 yards with 21 TD’s and 12 INT’s. He also added 1,216 yards rushing on 223 attempts, 5.45 YPC and added another 17TD’s. In Robinson’s last two seasons, he has completed 324 passes on 549 attempts, 59.1% completion percentage, and has amassed 4,743 yards, with 38 TD’s and 26 INT’s. Robinson has also added a staggering 2,882 yds on the ground and an additional 30 TD’s. The number show that Robinson has better passing numbers than Vick and he still has another year to develop. Also, Robinson is expected to time faster than Vick in the 40. Now let’s break down Robinson’s game:

Strengths-

• Athletic Ability- This has to be listed as Robinson’s #1 strength as it is what really makes him a special player, Robinson possesses rare blazing speed and has another gear that most guys can’t reach. His agility on the run is exceptional and he has the wiggle to fit through tight areas and make any player on the field miss. In fact when sports science did a segment on Robinson, they found he can decelerate to a complete stop in 2 tenths of a second. There are not many guys out there who can pull something like that off.
• Throw on the run- Denard can throw on the run exceptionally well. He is a weapon on the roll out and can release the ball off one foot if he has too. He will extend plays with his feet and can make something big happen on any play.
• Arm Strength- Robinson actually has good Arm strength, it is just hurt by his mechanics. When he set’s his feet and really plants that back foot to throw, Robinson can deliver the ball with good velocity. He can also push the ball down field on deeper throws. If you remove the flaws in mechanics and inconsistency and just look at his raw arm strength, Robinson can make all the throws.
• Touch- Robinson does display tough on some of his throws and has shown the ability to drop the ball into his receivers hands. He throws a great jump ball and trusts his receiver to make a play, and he can throw a could fade route and wheel route.

Weaknesses-

• Throwing Motion- Robinson’s throwing motion is very inconsistent, and it shows in a lot of his throws. He tends to let his arm get too wide on some throws which creates a hybrid side-arm style delivery. At his height, Robinson needs to learn to keep the ball high and release it high so he can get the ball over oncoming defenders.
• Footwork- For a guy so athletic, you would think footwork would come naturally, but Robinson struggles with it greatly. We’re not talking footwork on runs, this is solely in the passing game. Robinson looks lost on some of his drop backs and his feet are all over the place. He often does not set before throwing and rarely steps into his throws. He loses a lot of accuracy and even more velocity as a result and it has cost him in the terms of INTs. He throws way to many balls while backpedaling.
• Recognition- Robinson is very raw in terms of recognizing what the defense is doing in the pass game. He doesn’t get through progressions and is a half-the-field type of QB. He usually looks to make one read and if it’s not there, he’ll take off running. When he does try and get through progressions he looks unnatural and panicky.
• Accuracy- Robinson’s accuracy is all over the place. He’s actually been the most frustrating prospect to evaluate thus far and as I said, a lot of it is tied into his footwork and release. Throws outside the numbers tend to sail on Robinson and he’ll miss a couple guys on in routes. He also tends to under-throw deep routes, although some have suggested he does it purposely because he trusts his receivers to make a play.

Overall, Robinson is an extreme wild-card. He will draw the obvious comparison to Vick as I have mentioned, but he needs to show us a little more to be considered a Vick-like prospect. Vick has always had eyes in the back of his head, he spins out of sacks other guys wouldn’t see coming and moves very fluidly. Robinson needs to improve his pocket awareness and show the NFL scouts that if needed, he can stand strong in the pocket and deliver a strike. Last season was a transition year for Robinson as he had to learn a new offense and work from more of a pro-style scheme. With one year under his belt, and a reportedly great spring, Robinson looks to prove his doubters wrong and for him the sky is the limit. I wouldn’t be shocked if he ended up following in the foot-steps of Vick and becoming the #1 pick and yet at the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if he went un-drafted. Only time will tell

NFL Comparison: Michael Vick

There’s an old adage in football that goes something like, “If you have two quarterbacks, you may as well have none.” If the saying holds tangible merit in today’s NFL, perhaps someone should relay the message to the Seattle Seahawks. It’s hard pressed to find a clear-cut, number one guy out of the miscellany of quarterbacks assembled by the Seahawks and their G.M. John Schneider. Prior to the draft, the Seattle Seahawks reeled in free-agent trophy Matt Flynn from Green Bay, where he had spent the previous years backing up perennial Pro-Bowler Aaron Rodgers. Flynn put up impressive stats in spot duty, which yielded a three year, $24 million contract with Seattle. At the time, the ‘Hawks head coach Pete Carroll stated that incumbent starter, Tarvaris Jackson, and Flynn would compete in training camp for the starting job. With Jackson, Flynn, and developmental player Josh Portis (cousin of former NFL runningback Clinton Portis) the position looked to be set with a solid trio of young players each with their own respective qualities that pointed to unique potential upside.

Newly acquired from Green Bay, QB Matt Flynn will work against two others for the starting gig.

After some casual flirting with then-Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill before the draft, many around the league took notice that Seattle had still felt unsatisfied with their depth at the position. The sentiment was confirmed when Seattle then took Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Over the weekend, head coach Pete Carroll hinted at the possibility of a three-way race for the staring job: “Here’s what I’m going to say about it: [Wilson]‘s going to be in the competition,” Carroll said this past Sunday. “He showed us enough. He’s in the competition.” Similar to his glory days at USC, Carroll is the ultimate perpetuator of competition: no starting position should be considered a guarantee. The absence of such, he feels, prevents complacency from setting into the team’s environment. So with Tarvaris Jackson, Matt Flynn, and Russell Wilson, which player will be the most likely to beget enough progress in OTAs and in Training Camp to be the week one starter at Arizona?

Matt Flynn: In the two starts Matt Flynn encountered in the past two seasons (last year vs. New England, the season finale this past season against Detroit), Flynn tossed the pigskin with superb confidence, and displayed impressive accuracy and football acumen. He put up a 9:2 TD:INT ratio with a 9.02 YPA, along with 731 yards and a completion percentage of 67.7% Now, the obvious caveats are that a) Flynn played with Green Bay and their deadly arsenal of offensive weapons and b) he played against two teams notorious for their horrendous secondary play. Will Flynn be able to shake the recent trend of quarterbacks who have parlayed limited starts into big time contracts, only to later flop on their teams? (See: Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley, Rob Johnson, etc.)

Although he had his moments, Jackson (7) displayed a lackluster statistical output last season.

Tarvaris Jackson:  Minnesota, 2006. Head coach Brad Childress convinces the front office that he will be able to take Jackson, a second-rounder out of Alabama State, and mold him into the next Donovan McNabb. His inaccuracy and inability to fully grasp the offense lead to the eventual courtship of Brett Favre, which promptly put Jackson on the bench. Last season, he left for Seattle in free agency to begin anew; a fresh start. He put up pedestrian stats, however, completing roughly 60% of his passes with a 14:13 TD:INT ratio and a YPA of 6.9. Although he was subject to much inconsistency along the offensive line (42 sacks in 2011) Jackson likely proved that, barring injury, he should likely be the backup from this point on.

Russell Wilson: The gritty Big Ten standout led Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl this past season with impressive signal calling. He became the fourth player in Big Ten history to throw for 30+ TDs in a season as he ran Paul Cryst’s pro-style offense to a tee. There are the obvious questions regarding his height. Because of his small stature, most of his successful throws usually come from his ability to get outside the pocket so he may see over his towering offensive lineman. His play is something along the lines of a Jeff Garcia: a player who is subject to lofty throws and a height deficiency. But he supplants his flaws with athleticism, leadership, and an excellent understanding of offensive schematics.

The Seahawks are an interesting team. Cloaked away in the Pacific Northwest, the rest of the NFL remains uniformed about a team fraught with many unheralded yet talented players on defense. The offense, headlined by battering ram RB Marshawn Lynch, has an array of multi-faceted players at the skill positions and the offensive line. All that’s missing from the team is a definite starter at quarterback: a player who will be able to coalesce the Seahawks into a single unit, and go toe-to-toe with the 49ers as they fight to be the NFC West’s top dogs. The problem lies in deciding on whether it’ll be Flynn, Jackson, or Wilson. All three players, as aforementioned, are all big question marks. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and Pete Carroll have approximately until August to make a choice. A choice that could make or break the upcoming 2012 season for the Seattle Seahawks.

If you felt a sudden gust of wind last night around 8:30 p.m., it was probably from Washington Nationals fans releasing the collective breath they had been holding for the past 14 games.

Bryce Harper hit his first major league home run last night versus the San Diego Padres

That’s right; Washington’s newest superstar Bryce Harper hit his first career big league home run last night against the San Diego Padres.  Harper’s bomb left Nationals Park rocking as nearly 20,000 D.C. faithful caught a glimpse of what the future may hold.

Padres pitcher Tim Stauffer delivered a sinking ball to Harper on a 2-1 count, which the 19-year-old slugger jacked over the centerfield wall 402 feet away.  The solo shot gave the Nationals a 4-1 lead at the bottom of the third inning.  Harper would only go 1-4 on the night, but the Nationals would eventually pull out an 8-5 victory over San Diego.

Harper has found ways to make headlines in previous games without hitting the long ball.  In his first couple starts, he threw two lasers to home from right field; one that the catcher dropped and one that the umpire made a questionable call.  Against the Phillies on May 6^th, Harper stole home after Cole Hamels tried to pick off a runner at first base.  In that same game, Harper was given his “Welcome to the Big Leagues” by Hamels; a move that earned the Philadelphia ace a nearly meaningless 5-game suspension.

And even when Harper isn’t knocking the ball out of the park, his enthusiastically hard base running and relentless pursuit in the outfield make it hard to find a flaw in the youngster’s game.

With Zimmermann and Strasburg leading one of leagues’ best pitching units, the Nats have become legitimate contenders in the National League and possibly even favorites to win their division.  The franchise’s first playoff appearance since their move to the nation’s capital may finally be a realistic endeavor.

So, maybe Washington has a reason to celebrate.  Only three years ago the Nats finished last in the league with an abysmal 59-103 record.  Now they sit atop the NL East with a 22-13 record and one of the games most promising young superstars.

The Nationals may bring a title to D.C. before Griffin III and the Redskins do.

With the Capitals recently knocked out of the NHL playoffs by the New York Rangers in game seven of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Washington fans need something to do this summer other than engage in the yearly, shamelessly optimistic Redskins Super Bowl musings (Sorry, D.C., it may take a few years to see RG3 hoist the Lombardi Trophy).

So why not follow the little run the Nationals seem to be making?

When the Anaheim, Los Angeles, Orange County, Disneyland adjacent – wherever they’re located this season – Angels spent big bucks to get first baseman Albert Pujols last offseason, fans of the halos began to dance in the streets with excitement.  Five months later, the $254 million man is hitting like Pedro Cerrano from Major League, before the team “sacrificed” a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Straight ball I hit very much. Curve ball, bats are afraid.

In 138 plate appearances this season, Pujols is hitting just .196 with one home run and 12 RBIs.  To put it into perspective, Pujols has just one more home run than his Philadelphia Phillies counterpart, first baseman Ryan Howard – though we should mention that Howard has yet to participate in a game in 2012.  Meanwhile, Josh Hamilton, the current front-runner for American League MVP hit triple Pujols’ total in just one game in Baltimore last week.

Pujols has started to look better at the plate, scattering hits here and there, which is much better than he looked a week ago.  It was during that time at which a career Double-A pitcher could lob him a beach ball and Pujols would simply create a breeze felt throughout Los Angeles, no wait Anaheim – oh whatever!

Maybe that’s exactly what the state of California needs.  With the price of gas at nearly $5 a gallon, the state is always looking for new and cheap sources of energy.  The Angels could just put a windmill out in center field at Angels Stadium and harness Pujols’ whiffs for energy.

But he can’t play like this forever – can he?

It’s unlikely, as he has to find his stroke soon.  He is a future Hall of Famer for a reason and for him to play like this for as long as he has is simply an enigma.  There is still a lot of baseball to be played this season but he has nine more seasons in Los Angeles, so if this is a sign of what is to come, he might be run out of town.

Pujols is on pace for a historically bad season for a player of his caliber and although Angels fans are unhappy, let’s not forget about St. Louis, who basically got Lebron James’ed when Pujols decided to take his talents to the left coast.  There is no doubt Cardinals fans are laughing, much like they do when Chicago Cubs fans try to make fun of their beloved birds.  This might just be karma’s way of saying, “I told you so!”

The Angels can’t win if Pujols isn’t producing, no matter how good their starting pitching.  Maybe they can borrow David Beckham from Los Angeles’ Major League Soccer team, the Galaxy.  At almost the exact same salary, Beckham certainly couldn’t do any worse!