NFC South Preview

We began in the NFC East, now Ben Greer will take us down south,

The NFC South is a division consisting of recent scandal, young quarterbacks with much to prove, one who is more than proven, and teams that all have a reasonable chance at making the playoffs. It will not be an easy road for any one team or any one player, but it is time to take a look at who you can expect to step up and who will fold when opportunity hits.

Let us begin with what their is to prove. However, in this division I fear the term players is too broad of a term, as almost all of the attention in this division flies right to the most important position in the game, quarterback. Let us start with the two quarterbacks that have shown they can be successful as individuals, but have yet to show that they can lead their teams to victory. There two men are Cam Newton and Josh Freeman. It is quite easy to pair these two together as they are separated by one inch in height, five pounds, and one year of age. I recommend not picking a scuffle with either as they are both quite the physical specimen. To say these two guys have not had any success is a stretch of the truth because they have both been fairly successful individuals in their first few years. However, until they lead a team to victory, they will not truly be “successful” quarterbacks. Now for a quarterback a little more proven in Matt Ryan. The former Boston College standout has found his own, earning his first playoff victory last year. However, he still has yet to make a substantial playoff run. For this, he still has not truly proven himself. The last quarterback, Drew Brees, is fully proven and is in no need of description. However, what has to be proven on the Saints is not one individual player but more the defense in general. It was the defense that let them down last year, and they must have a bounce back year if they want to have success.

The coach with the most to prove in the upcoming year has to fall not too from the player, this being Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith. Smith has been quite the successful coach in his five years as Falcons’ head man, with a 56 and 24. However, in a league where success is based off of championships and nothing less, Smith’s inability to win more than one playoff game is what puts him as the coach with the most to prove. When you consistently have teams that have been able to maintain a championship caliber quality of play in the regular season, Smith’s incapability to win the Super Bowl or even get there makes him the coach with the most to prove.

My breakout performance this year has to come from none other than the Tampa Bay Bucs secondary. For a team that improved greatly under new head coach Greg Schiano last year, they still lack offensive fire power. However, their secondary will surely have a fantastic season. Although they may have lost veteran star Ronde Barber, they signed arguably the best defensive back in the game in Darrelle Revis. Even though he is coming off a season ending injury, Revis should be back to his old self. The second standout is strong safety Mark Barron in his second season out of Alabama. He did not tap his full potential last year, but it could be a big year for the highly talented safety. Put next to him veteran free safety Dashon Goldson, and you have one special secondary. The one question mark will be at the other cornerback spots as they consist of fairly inexperienced Leonard Johnson, rookie Jonathan Banks, and Danny Gorrer. Even the inexperienced defensive backs have loads of potential, and this secondary will surely be the bright spot on the Bucs and the most standout performances in the NFC South.

My biggest letdown has to come from the opposite side of the ball, on the same squad. Josh Freeman is going to have the biggest let down of the NFC North. The former Kansas State Wildcat is in his 5th year in the NFL with the Bucs, but he has yet to have a real standout year. This year I fear is only going to be a step backwards. However, this cannot fully fall on Freeman’s shoulders. He simply does not have an explosive offense surrounding him. The receiving core lacks much of anything as the only semi-real threats are Vincent Jackson and Kevin Ogletree. They do not have a close to significant tight-end and although running back Doug Martin showed last year he can do incredible things at times, this will not be enough in Freeman. Let us not forget the Bucs picked quarterback Mike Glennon in the third round of the draft; this has to make you wonder, do the Bucs believe in Freeman themselves?

Final Records:

Atlanta Falcons: 11-5

New Orleans Saints: 10-6

Tampa Bay Bucs: 8-8

Carolina Panthers: 7-9

The Atlanta Falcons headed by Matt Ryan are not about to have any sort of let down this year. They are poised to make a serious run once more, and with explosive wideouts Roddy White and Julio Jones, as well as veteran tight-end Tony Gonzalez, their offense is one of the best of the year. With a stout defense, they will win the division, but the Saints will not make it easy for them. With Sean Payton back this year, there will be no distractions to hinder this team. Even though they will not win the division, they should be able to ride star Drew Brees to a Wild Card and a playoff berth. Both the Bucs and Panthers will be in about the same spot as they ended up in last year. Neither team has made enough strides to become a big contender, and even though they have aspects that will enable them to win some games, they do not have enough to contend in this tough division. Even though Cam Newton could have a wonder of a year, the weapons aren’t there; as a result, neither are the Panthers.

-Ben Greer

NFC East Preview

To begin our series of NFL division previews, NFC East correspondent Addison Hunsicker of Sports Talk All Day will lead us off. 

The teams in the NFC East have had an interesting off season thus far, making big headlines at times. Chip Kelly was hired as the new head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles after they fired 14-year head coach Andy Reid, and Kelly was looking to head into training camp and transform this Eagles team through the rebuilding process. These past two weeks have put a halt to that rebuilding process, as wide receiver Jeremy Maclin tore his ACL and Riley Cooper made headlines for using a racial slur at a Kenny Chesney concert.

The Dallas Cowboys signed quarterback Tony Romo to a six-year, 108 million dollar contract extension, with 55 million dollars guaranteed. Along with signing Romo to an extension, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said that head coach Jason Garrett's job is not in jeopardy. These two moves put a lot of unnecessary attention on the Dallas Cowboys, attention that they were looking to avoid heading into the season.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III tore his ACL at the end of a divisional round playoff game last year against the Seattle Seahawks. RGIII will not play in any preseason games in hopes to be ready for the season opener on Monday, September 9th.

The New York football Giants have been the only team in the NFC East that has flied under the radar this off season. They did sign wide receiver Victor Cruz to a five-year, 43 million dollar contract extension, but other than that, we have not heard that much from the Giants.

This division disappointed last year in the minds of many people (unless you are a Redskins fan), but will it disappoint this year? Here is how I think the teams in the NFC East will do during this upcoming NFL Season.

The Washington Redskins:
2012 record: 10-6
2013 predicted record: 9-7
2013 predicted team MVP: Alfred Morris

This division is wide open this year, any team could win it. That is why I am predicting that the Washington Redskins will repeat as NFC East division champions in 2013. When a division is wide open, I always give the edge to the team that won it the previous season. Robert Griffin III, when healthy, is the best quarterback in the division, no question. He is the best play maker in the division, as he can create big plays with his legs, and certainly his arm. RGIII can scramble 10 yards to pick up a first down, and he can step up in the pocket and launch the ball 50 yards down-field to Pierre Garcon. Bottom line is, Robert Griffin III can do it all. The thing about this Redskins team is, they do not have to rely on RGIII to make all the plays, because they have Alfred Morris who can run the rock. This sixth-round pick exploded last year in his rookie season, rushing for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns. These two men combined could be the most dynamic QB/RB duo in the NFL if they stay healthy. The Redskins defense will be the key to this team's success. If they can get key stops and get the football back into the hands of RGIII and Alfred Morris, there is no doubt that this team will win football games. Led by the linebacker core of Ryan Kerrigan, London Fletcher, Perry Riley, and Brian Orakpo, this Redskins defense certainly has the middle of the field on lock-down. The combination of RGIII and Alfred Morris will ultimately be the reason why the Washington Redskins repeat as champions of the NFC East in 2013.

The New York Giants:
2012 record: 9-7
2013 record: 8-8
2013 predicted team MVP: Victor Cruz

This Giants team is very intriguing entering the 2013 season, as they failed to make the playoffs last year after winning the Super Bowl in 2011. Eli Manning struggled last season, and I think that struggle will carry into this season. He is and always has been a turnover machine throughout his career (Eli had 15 interceptions and four fumbles last year). The Giants have struggled with the running game, and lost starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw in free agency. With the loss of Bradshaw, the turnover struggle of Eli Manning, and the injuries to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, I do not expect this Giants offense to produce like it has in the past this season. The key for the Giants success, like the Redskins, will be the defense. Last year, defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck completely disappeared, along with the entire Giants defense. Tuck and Pierre-Paul combined for just 10.5 sacks last season, compared to the combined 21.5 sacks the two had in 2011. If this defense can be anything like it was back in 2011, the year the Giants won the Super Bowl, then the Giants should do better than the 8-8 record that I have predicted.

The Philadelphia Eagles:
2012 record: 4-12
2013 predicted record: 7-9
2013 predicted team MVP: DeSean Jackson

There are many words that can be used to describe the Eagles season last year, and none of those words would be positive, unless you like losing. Nothing went right for the Eagles after a 2-0 start to the 2012 season. Both defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, and defensive line coach Jim Washburn were fired during the season, followed by head coach Andy Reid at the season's conclusion. This is the first year in two decades that Andy Reid is not the head coach of the Eagles, as Chip Kelly was hired to succeed him. No one can really predict what this Eagles team is going to be, mainly because no one knows how Chip Kelly's offensive scheme will work in the NFL. The Eagles have All-Pro offensive linemen Jason Peters and Todd Herremans returning from injuries, along with center Jason Kelce. With the third overall pick, the Eagles selected tackle Lane Johnson, so the offensive line should not be a problem this year for the Eagles. Quarterback is a huge question mark about this Eagles team. All four quarterbacks on the roster right now (Michael Vick, Nick Foles, Matt Barkley, and Dennis Dixon) could see playing time throughout the season, and that could be a problem. Jeremy Maclin's injury and the whole Riley Cooper situation will definitely hurt the Eagles offensively, but they still have LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson to carry the load. Defense is still the question with this team, as the defense has been horrible the past two seasons. I don't expect the defense to be any better than it has been, but it should be improved with the Wide-9 scheme no longer in affect. Bottom line for the Eagles this year, limit the turnovers and get key stops, and this could be a miracle first season for Chip Kelly as the head coach. 

The Dallas Cowboys:
2012 record: 8-8
2013 predicted record: 6-10
2013 predicted team MVP: Dez Bryant

The Dallas Cowboys never fail to entertain the NFL world each season, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones loves to put the attention on his team. Attention seems to hurt the Cowboys more than attention likes to help them; and that is what I see happening this year with this football team. Tony Romo will continue to come up short when it matters, which will cause the Cowboys to lose more games like it has in the past. The shining star of this Cowboys team this year will be wide receiver Dez Bryant. This dude is a flat out stud. Anything Tony Romo throws in that man's general direction will be caught, Dez Bryant is that good. If Bryant stays out of trouble off the field, he could outperform Calvin Johnson this year, but I don't expect him to outperform Megatron this year, not because I think he will get into off the field trouble, but because Tony Romo is his quarterback. I do expect the defense to be the side of the ball that holds this team back. DeMarcus Ware is a great pass rusher and Morris Claiborne will have an impact in his second season, but that will not be enough as this Cowboys will struggle to make key stops. I am not saying that the offense will be great either, I just think that the defense will be worse than the offense. In my opinion, if Jerry Jones honestly cared about football, Tony Romo would not have received that contract extension, and Jason Garrett would not be the head coach right now.

I see the Washington Redskins winning the division, repeating as NFC East champions, followed by the New York Giants in second, the Philadelphia Eagles in third, and the Dallas Cowboys in last. The Washington Redskins will be the only team representing the NFC East in the playoffs, as I do not see the remaining teams in the division finishing with good enough records to snag a Wild Card spot.

Division Awards
NFC East MVP: Dez Bryant NFC East Offensive Player of the Year: Alfred Morris
NFC East Defensive Player of the Year: Prince Amukamara
NFC East Rookie of the Year: Zach Ertz

*I think that Alfred Morris will have better stats offensively than Dez Bryant, but I think that Bryant will have more of an impact to his team, making him the Most Valuable Player.

Bold Prediction: Jason Garrett will be fired before the Dallas Cowboys bye week, which is in week 11. I think Jerry Jones will have no choice but to fire Garrett by that point in the season, but then again, Jerry Jones does not like to admit when he is wrong.

The NFC East will certainly be an interesting division to watch this year, that is a fact. What is not known is how each team will do, and I tried to predict that in this preview. This division is up for grabs, and any team can win it, possibly with an 8-8 record, who knows. All I know is, you can look for the NFC East to be in the headlines throughout the 2013 NFL season.

- Addison Hunsicker

Image Source(sportsquotient.com, yahoo sports, thefootballgirl.com)

Playing Their A's Game

The Oakland Athletics are not your typical sports franchise. Having the fourth lowest payroll in baseball and playing in one of the uglier facilities in baseball, may usually be looked at as hindrances. Not for the A’s. They find a way to win.

Let’s take a few steps back to the wonderful year of 2002. Billy Bean, the A’s GM, took the path never trodden down before. He decided to try and win with a system based strictly on numbers. He looked past anything such as age or past injuries and solely focused on On Base Percentages. It faltered for most of the year, but Billy stuck with it. Next thing you know, the A’s literally can not lose. That magical team broke the record win streak with 20 consecutive wins, only to lose to the Twins in the ALDS. That part is not what is important. There is a common knowledge in the world of sports that if there is a movie made about you, you have to have done something remarkable. The A’s are no exception, as Moneyball is just part one of the remarkable story that is continuing to this very day.

Let us now fast forward back to present day. 11 years after this remarkable season, but yet still no World Series. However, this could in fact be their best year to end the drought. Not one player for the Athletics is going to have statistics that will put you in a state of complete awe. Besides maybe Bartolo Colon with his 14-3 record and 2.54 ERA. I just can not get enough of a 265 pound 40 year old putting up numbers like that. Sure he may be falsely doing so as his name is on the list for the biogenesis scandal, but nonetheless, it still takes an incredible amount of skill to put up numbers like he has. “Cheater” or not, the man can still pitch. As for the rest of the pitching staff, they are on the opposite side of the spectrum, as none of them break 27 years of age. Despite their lack of experience, Dan Straily, AJ Griffin, Tommy Milone, and Jarrod Parker have consistently delivered for this team, and they will have to pick up even more of the load with Bartolo possibly facing suspension. They may be young, but they pitch well beyond their years.

At the plate, their leading hitter is not even breaking .300 (Josh Donaldson, .296) but again it is not the averages that matter, it is getting on base and delivering that hit when you need it most from a different guy every night. They may not have that standout performer, but yet they still rank eighth in the MLB in batting. Whether its veterans like Coco Crisp and Chris Young, or young and budding stars like Donaldson, Cespedes, and Reddick, they deliver when the stage is biggest.

What may be the most satisfactory about the A’s incredible success. The two most talked about the teams in the American League West are by far the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers possess a high quantity of big name guys that have led them to success in the past. In addition, the Angels have spent monumental amounts of money to bring in big names like Pujols, Hamilton, and Wilson. But where has this big spending left them you question? Two of the top eight payrolls in the League must surely be tops in the division right? Think again friends, acquaintances, associates, and Duke fans. The Rangers are a full six games worse than the A’s, and the Angels are, wait for it, a whopping thirteen games back. Do not expect this lead to get substantially smaller either.

What the Oakland Athletics have done this year is an incredible story. Yet, it should be of no surprise to any of us. They resemble the most satisfying ideal in sports, the underdog story. They have taken the fourth lowest payroll and turned it into a system of using every single cent wisely. They will not take in a player that does not fit into the system. If you are going to play in Oakland, you know what your role is and you execute. The A’s have been able to make the playoffs in the recent past but have not made a substantial run. This could change this year. They have the arms to make a run in the playoffs, and they have the lineup. With a little more experience than last year, they know what it takes. They are a group of winners. They grind out wins in any way they can. It resembles that team right across the Bay that has won two World Series in the past three years. The Giants simply grinded their way to being Champions. Can the A’s do the same? It will be a formidable task,  but this year we could very well be adding another page in the incredible story book that is the Oakland Athletics. -Ben Greer

Cleveland's Basketball Revival

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed center Andrew Bynum to a two year deal worth up to 24 million dollars. With only six million dollars guaranteed, the Cavs have definitely motivated Bynum to get healthyand begin producing on the court once again. If Bynum were to get healthy and be anything like he used to be with the Lakers, this could be huge for the Cavaliers. Kyrie Irving has superstar potential and he may have gotten a possible star center if both are healthy. 

One thing Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert, and general manager, Chris Grant, have done is improved the Cavaliers’ roster. The Cavs shocked the world by drafting UNLV forward Anthony Bennett with the first overall pick. On draft night, many analysts thought the Cavs would take Nerlens Noel, Alex Len, or Ben McLemore with the first overall pick to address their needs, but they did not. Later in the first round at 20^th overall, the Cavs then selected guard Sergey Karasev. Walking away from draft night, Dan Gilbert and Chris Grant had not addressed their need at center. But, with the signing of Andrew Bynum, the Cavs hope that they no longer have a need at center.

Besides draft night and the signing of Andrew Bynum, the Cleveland Cavaliers also brought in some key free agents that will help the club. Guard Jarrett Jack (who had success last year with the Golden State Warriors) and forward Earl Clark (who started the majority of games for the Los Angeles Lakers last season) will certainly contribute off of the bench. By drafting Anthony Bennett along with Sergey Karasev, and signing Jarrett Jack and Earl Clark, this puts a lot of importance on the Andrew Bynum acquisition. 

Andrew Bynum said in his Cavalier introductory press conference that the Cavs would be a playoff team. Quite frankly, he may be right. When looking at this young roster along with the veteran presence of guys like Anderson Varejao, Jarrett Jack, and Andrew Bynum, this Cavs team definitely has a fine future, but could make the playoffs next season. The Cavs have a possible 12-man rotation in line that could do some damage to teams looking to

make a run.

With a projected starting lineup of Kyrie Irving at the point, Dion Waiters at shooting guard, rookie Anthony Bennett at small forward, Anderson Varejao at power forward, and Andrew Bynum at center, along with Jarrett Jack, Earl Clark, Alonzo Gee, CJ Miles, Sergey Karasev, Tristan Thompson, and Tyler Zeller coming off the bench, this Cavaliers roster would be the deepest in the league. One of the keys to winning in the NBA is having a solid bench, and the Cavs will certainly have that come next season. This is where the Bynum signing comes into play. If healthy, the Cavs should definitely contend for a six to eight seed in the Eastern Conference. However, if Bynum’s knees do not come around and he is once again injured for the majority of the season, the Cavs will have a difficult time contending for the playoffs. 

Anderson Varejao would likely start at center if Bynum were not to play, and Tristan Thompson, Earl Clark, or Tyler Zeller would get the start at power forward. If that were the case, it would not harm the Cavs too much, but a Bynum/Varejao combination leading the front court would give the Cavaliers the best chance to win. Even with the current set up that the Cavs have, they still have tough competition to make the playoffs. The first five seeds in the Eastern Conference to me are a lock in Miami, Brooklyn, New York, Indiana, and Chicago. However, seeds six through eight are toss-ups between Atlanta, Toronto, Detroit, Washington, Charlotte, and Cleveland. 

Nick Gilbert, the son of Cavs’ owner Dan Gilbert, will most likely be right when he predicted that the Cavs would not be back in the draft lottery next season. I see them snagging a playoff position in the six through eight seed spot but losing in the first round of the playoffs. Although they may not contend this year, I see a bright future for the Cleveland Cavaliers with Kyrie Irving as the face of the franchise. – Addison Hunsicker 

Through the good and bad, Phil stays mentally steady

 To go along with his claret jug, Phil Mickelson took one more monkey off of his back and added a fifth major to his already legendary career. He has now won three out of the four major championships, making him only one of twelve men to ever do so. Still, there is one glaring hole. Do I even need to mention it, the U.S. Open. As everyone recalls, Mickelson finished in second place at the U.S. Open for the sixth time last month at Merion; a result that could crush a man with lesser fortitude. Not Phil. Going to bed with the 54 hole lead, it felt like Mickelson's week. It had to be, he was long overdue. But a consistent final round by Justin Rose on the grueling Merion resulted in the Englishmen being crowned U.S. Open champion, a devastating finish for Mickelson. As disappointing as yet another second place was, Phil Mickelson did not quit on the year as he knew there was a lot of golf still to be played, this disappointment only provided motivation.
  Two weeks ago Phil Mickelson flew to Europe knowing that he had not won there in twenty years, he leaves after winning twice in two weeks. To tune up for the Open Championship, Mickelson played the Scottish Open, an event he had lost in a playoff in 2007. This time, he defeated Brandon Grace in a playoff. Though this event does not carry the same pressure or magnitude of a major championship, it taught Mickelson an important lesson, he can win in Europe. This provided confidence (something Mickelson never seems to lack anyway), as well as momentum heading into the first major championship since the devastation at Merion. Heading into the tournament's final day Mickelson was lurking five shots back but was considered out of contention by many. Mickelson himself however, was playing for know less than first place. This morning Lee Westwood was sitting in a similar position to Mickelson at the U.S. Open. Westwood, who hails from Britain, had a 54 hole lead and believed it was time to capture his first major. The major that takes place in his homeland. Mickelson had different plans, coming out and firing a final round 66, tying the round of the week. His failures a month prior did not haunt him at Muirfield, it was a new month, a new day, a new event.
  There are not many players on tour who could have done what Mickelson did today, mentally or physically. Shooting a final round 66 was incredible, but so was the ability to move on from his sixth second place season and focus specifically on the tast at hand. Now, at 43, Phil Mickelson is playing the best golf of his career and has the most confidence he has ever had. This ability and confidence could lead to more tournament wins, and major championships in the near and distant future. And for Phil, hopefully a U.S. Open. - Connor Jones

Undervalued Free Agents

With nearly all of the top free agents now off of the market, teams interested in getting involved in adding some new pieces to their roster rather than spending big money on superstars at this point in the summer cannot expect more than role players or possibly veterans to help bring a team together. Or can they? Here we look at just a couple of the biggest free agent steals of the summer of 2013. While these players won’t make a team instantly a contender, they still can provide important minutes for their teams. These are the teams getting the biggest bang for their buck.

#1- Darren Collison, Los Angeles Clippers

    In signing Darren Collison to a 2 year, $6 million contract not only did the clippers get one of, if not the biggest steals of this year's free agency but they also found an inexpensive replacement for Eric Bledsoe while adding more depth and youth to one of the leagues best benches. With the departures of Caron Butler, Chauncey Billups, Grant Hill, and possibly Lamar Odom, the Clippers went out with the old and in with the new. And younger. Darren Collison, JJ Redick, and Jared dudley are all younger while sporting better averages last season than that of Caron Butler and company. The newly acquired  youth will pay huge dividends come April and beyond for Hollywood’s new best team.

With averages of 12 points and 5 assists in 81 games as the starting point guard  last season for the Mavericks, you would have most certainly expected Collison to command a contract significantly higher than 3 million per year. Especially when players such as Zaza Pachulia, Pablo Prigioni, and Chris Copeland all received larger contracts. The reason this is such a great  signing for the clippers is not only because of the modest amount of money but rather the role he will play for the Clips. Unlike last season with the Mavericks, not only will Darren not have to start, he will not have to one of the top scoring options like he was for Dallas. While Darren didn’t necessarily struggle as a starter, he will thrive in a setting like Los Angeles where he isn’t being counted on to carry a significant scoring load night in and night out. Rather than being surrounded by the likes of Chris Kaman, Shawn Marion, Oj Mayo, and a  35 year old Dirk Nowitzki who played in just 53 games, Collison is surrounded by Blake Griffin, Jamal Crawford, Deandre Jordan, and sharp shooter JJ Redick. Oh, and did I mention the best floor general and arguably the best point guard in the game, Chris Paul. Having CP3 as a teammate and mentor again will help Darren immensely as it did in his rookie season in New Orleans. In Darren’s rookie season, he took over the starting role in the Big Easy due to a knee injury to CP3. Darren gave the Hornets everything they could have asked for, posting averages of 19 points and 9 assists in 36 starts while having Paul as a teacher from the bench. Not having the added pressure of being a top scoring option but rather contributing energy off the bench as well as having the guidance from Chris paul and Doc Rivers will allow Darren to be a huge, inexpensive asset for the clippers and revive his pass first point guard mentality again with the likes of Blake Griffin, Jamal Crawford, and JJ Redick. While this signing didn’t garner much attention, it will turn out to be one of the biggest steals of the summer come November.

#2- Andrei Kirilenko, Brooklyn Nets

   

    Signing Andrei Kirilenko most certainly hasn’t been the biggest offseason addition for the nets, however, he may still be just as important. Brooklyn recieved Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry from the Celtics in return for Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans, three future first round draft picks, as well as the option to swap picks in 2017. With the acquisition of two future hall of famers, the Nets certainly didn’t get younger or deeper. By trading away the majority of their role players the new look nets now were left with a bench that consisted of Jason Terry and Reggie Evans. However, Brooklyn certainly didn't get the short end of the stick in this deal as they now boasted one the best starting fives in all of basketball. Despite the loaded starting five, a strong bench was crucial for the Nets to contend in the east given the ages of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, both in the twilight of their careers. Money definitely wasn't an issue for Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, making a mockery of the NBA salary cap with a payroll that exceeds $100 million and a luxury tax bill expected to be close to $80 million. It doesn't' stop there, according to general manager Billy King, the Nets aren’t finished spending quite yet. While the Dwight Howard sweepstakes wrapped up and other stars such as Andre Iguodala and Josh Smith found new homes, King  and Prokhorov quietly put together a solid bench consisting of Andray Blatche, Reggie Evans, Jason Terry, Shaun Livingston, Mirza Teletovic, first round draft pick Mason Plumlee and most recently, Andrei Kirilenko. The signing of the man dubbed as AK47 came as quite a surprise to the basketball world while also causing some suspicion amongst other NBA executives. Not surprising that AK47 wanted to play for Brooklyn, a contender in the east with an owner who he has a relationship with from playing for his CSKA Moscow team in Russia.The suspicion has stemmed from how a player who earned $10 million last season, opted out of a guaranteed $10 million next season, demanded a 3 year deal with a minimum of $8 million per year, can sign sign for Brooklyn's 3.1 million mini mid level exception. This is what makes this deal such a steal for the free spending nets and has rival owners in a fit of anger and disbelief. "Let's see if the league has any credibility," one NBA owner said . "It's not about stopping it. It's about punishing them if they're doing it." While the signing is brining suspicion from around the league, nonetheless, AK47's versatitlity will provide important minutes off of the bench for both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Kirilenko averaged 12.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field in 64 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. Adding that type of option gives the Nets more flexibility and a major weapon off the bench. Kirilenko will also provide better defense on the wing compared to a soon to be 36 year old Paul PIerce. It is crucial that first year head coach Jason Kidd monitors the minutes of KG and Pierce during an 82 season as Gregg Popovich does with his aging stars. Having the versatile Russian is a great option for the rookie coach to turn to. - Ranny Kennon

AL Halfway Report

The American League is always perceived as the superior of the two. I, being a National League fellow myself, happen to disagree. However, this year the American League has been full of surprises, spectacular stories, and consistent play from some of the best to play the game.

Although the AL is full of a lot of fantastic things to watch, we do have to start with what has to be considered a monstrous disappointment thus far. This disappointment is none other than the Los Angeles Angels. More specifically, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton. Pujols is batting 250 with 14 home runs. Numbers that are not terrible, but numbers that the Angels and Albert have to be extremely disappointed with. Even worse, Hamilton is hitting a whopping 227 with 12 home runs. Considering both Hamilton and Pujols have an MVP in the past four years, they have to be considered incredible disappointments. Now the Angels are 10 games back of the A’s, we will get them later, but the only reason for that is Mike Trout. He is having an exceptional season, and if the Angels have any chance, they will have to ride Trout and hope those “superstars” find their old selves. But right now, we can undoubtedly label them as one heck of a disappointment.

Let us transition into a more joyous topic. How about that team that has been surprising us for years. They are such a remarkable story that they even had a movie made about them! The Oakland A’s have yet again proved that “Moneyball” is no fluke. They are leading the AL West over the Rangers and have the second best record in the American League. Sure that alone is great, but let us throw in the fact that they contain the fifth lowest payroll in all of baseball. Sounds a tad familiar does it not? They are let at the plate by one man in particular. Josh Donaldson is not your average household name, but he should become one. He is a monumental all-star snub, with a 316 average, 58 RBI’s, and 15 home runs. Besides Donaldson, no averages jump out at you. You have to look one step further though at where Moneyball makes its money, and that is On Base Percentage. The OBP’s of the A’s are sky high as a result of their patience, discipline, and knowledge of the system they have to play through to have success. Of course, let us not forget about the one and only Bartolo Colon. The 40 year old pitcher has 12 wins and 2.69 ERA in what is quite possibly the greatest season of his elongated career. Not too shabby for the 265 pound 40 year old out of Altamira, Dominican Republic.

Now for the players that have single-handedly made the most significant contributions to their esteemed squads this year. My first guy has to be none other than Chris Davis. The way he has bursted onto the scene this year is something I cannot recall in my lifetime. Not only has the man blasted thirty-five bombs and 88 RBI’s, he is also hitting for a 313 average. He is simply doing it all. His power to all fields is something rarely seen the current era, but it is evident in Chris for sure. My second player is none other than Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera’s fantastic season is of no surprise after his Triple Crown season last year, but he certainly is not slowing down this year. If it was not for Davis’s remarkable year, Miguel would be in line for yet another Triple Crown. However, his numbers still leave me in awe with his 367 batting average, 30 home runs, and perhaps most astonishing, his 95 RBI’s. Miguel looks to be in line for that MVP, and if Chris slows down, dare I even mention the incredible feat of back to back Triple Crowns?

Picking a team to win the American League is a difficult task to say the least. The Red Sox, or rather any AL East team, would be a logical pick because of their multitude of offense, but their lack of consistent pitching greatly concerns me in a playoff series. The teams out West have the same deal I fear. The Athletics have a more solid pitching staff, but an inexperienced pitching staff nonetheless that is untested in high pressure situations. As a result, this leaves for me the Detroit Tigers. They have the highest quality lineup anchored by stars Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder in the middle of the order. Their pitching is also battle tested with arguably the best pitcher in the game in Justin Verlander, and 13-0 Max Scherzer. Followed by quality starters Doug Fister and Anibal Sanchez, the Tigers have all the essentials to do what it takes to make it back to the World Series. But with all the incredible stories in the American League this year, will we get surprised again? - Ben Greer