Super Bowl XLIX

The day has finally come. Starting with thirty-two contenders, the NFL has gotten all the way down to the two best teams; The Patriots (A) and The Seahawks (N). Both finished the regular season with 12-4 records and claimed the #1 seeds in their respective conferences. Now after two weeks of anticipation, the big day is finally here.

 How The Patriots Can Win:

          The Seahawks have one of the most formidable defenses the league has ever seen, so New England is bound to have some drives that are short-lived throughout the game. This means that if The Patriots are to win, it will come in large part through the defense. Green Bay came as close as anyone to snapping Seattle’s home winning streak and they did it through defense. The controlled the middle of the field throughout and played the read-option well which kept in between the hashes and neutralized his ability to run. The Packers only got in the end zone once but still came close to victory because they forced turnovers and controlled field position. 

          New England has a strong linebacker core that will need to play well for a chance to win. The Seahawks run from inside out starting with Marshawn Lynch between the tackles which opens up the read option and jet sweep opportunities. If the linebackers can contain beast mode, this will force Seattle to throw the ball where the Patriots elite secondary will come in. The secondary features Darelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Patrick Chung, and Devin McCourty. On the offensive side of theball, the Patriots need to counter Marshawn Lynch with their arsenal running backs. Mixing between the run and pass will keep the strong Seattle defense on their toes. They have run plenty of trick plays this postseason and look for this game to be no different. Rob Gronkowski will be a huge X-factor in this game. he caught only two passes in the last super bowl appearance but his time around he should plenty of targets and possibly some big plays. If New England can control the clock and close out the fourth quarter like they have all season, look for Brady to raise his fourth Lombardi trophy.


How the Seahawks Can Win: 

             Russel Wilson has led his potent offense back to another Super Bowl. Through the leagues top rush attack as well as a strong and efficient passing game. Wilson and company look poised for another ring. If Wilson can play like he did last year, there is no doubt that Seattle will repeat. Wilson played turnover free last year in the Meadowlands, however in the NFC Championship he threw four interceptions. It would be ideal that Marshawn Lynch sets the tone with 10 early carries and 100 yards for the game. This will draw in the Patriots linebackers which will open up the play action game that Wilson executes so well. Because the defense is so talented, two or three strong drives resulting points could be enough so it is key for Russel Wilson to manage the game and the clock like he has done throughout his career.
          If the offense can set the tone, the defense can do what they have done all year; shut teams down. The legion of boom held everyone who came over the middle in last years Super Bowl in check so look for them to blanket Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola. The key match up as stated above is Gronkowski. Once he touches the ball, he can easilly tack on 10 yards so they will have to make sure he never is in the open field. Lastly, the flat is where Tom Brady has been known to do damage with his speed backs and slot receivers. If the linebackers cheat up and take away the flat this will cause Brady to look for other targets and that is where mistakes a can happen. Beating Bellicheck is no easy task but eith a deep roster like Seattles, it can easilly be done when executed properly.

                          

The Sherry Sports X-Factor Award: Brandon LaFell, Patriots WR

There is no doubt that there will be a few schemes set up to stop Gronk and the run defense will definitely be there, so look for LaFell to win some man-to-man battles on the outside. LaFell was used for screens and quick passes this year, but he is a deep threat that Seattle will have to pay attention. If LaFell can get loose in the secondary the Seahwks will have to realign their whole defense to adjust.

Predictions:

James: 24-20 Seahawks- Back-and-forth defensive battle in the first half, but Seattle takes control in the second half. Brady scores late to make it close but his comeback is stopped short and Seattle repeats.

Julius: 20-17 Seahawks- A defensive minded game, Seattle's zone read and a few big run plays by Russel Wilson will prove the difference in a classic.

Premier League Week 23 Preview

No better way to get prepared for the Superbowl than some soccer! That's right, we've still got a full slate of games in the Premier League this weekend, which are highlighted by a battle between first and second place; Chelsea and Manchester City, respectively. Here's some info about all of the games we will see.

Newcastle United @ Hull City: Sat, Jan 31, 7:45am -NBCSN
This game is a good opportunity for Newcastle to redeem themselves and return to the top half of the table. They lost their last two games to Chelsea (1st place) and Southampton (3rd place) and are in 11th place. This will be John Carver's first game as manager of the team, as he was recently signed to replace Alan Pardew, who left the team to manage Crystal Palace a few weeks ago. Hull City lost their last two games also, but sit in 17th place right now and Newcastle have not been very consistent this season, so Hull may see this as an opportunity to start turning their season around.
Prediction: Newcastle wins 1-0

Everton @ Crystal Palace: Sat, Jan 31, 10:00am 
If, before the season, you were to say these two teams would be tied in the standings at this point in the season, people would think you're crazy. But you never know in the Premier League, and that's where they sit right now, tied for 12th place (Everton leads on goal differential). Everton have been especially disappointing this season, typically in the top 7 or 8 teams in previous seasons. The injury to Tim Howard hasn't helped them either, of course. As for Crystal Palace, they have performed exceptionally well since Alan Pardew became manager. They beat Southampton last weekend in the FA Cup and won their last two games prior to that.
Prediction: 3-3 Draw

West Ham United @ Liverpool: Sat, Jan 31, 10:00am
A battle between 7th and 8th place, this is sure to be a good game. Liverpool are looking to show they are still the team that just missed winning the title last season. West Ham are having a great season but have been dropping in the standings slightly. This game could help them gain an edge over their closest neighbors in the standings, Liverpool.
Prediction: West Ham wins 4-2

Leicester City @ Manchester United: Sat, Jan 31, 10:00am - NBCSN
Anybody who saw the first game this season between these two teams definitely hasn't forgotten that thriller which Leicester won 5-3. Manchester United were embarrassed in that game, much like they were on Friday in the FA Cup against Cambridge United, drawing 0-0 in a game they should have easily won, especially with players like Van Persie and Falcao on the field. Man United need to redeem themselves in this game or they will be laughed at by everyone again. After the 5-3 Leicester win I mentioned before, Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli tweeted "Man utd ... LOL", which accumulated 213,000 retweets.
Prediction: Man United wins 3-2

QPR @ Stoke City: Sat, Jan 31, 10:00am
QPR do not look likely to stay in the Premier League after this season in my opinion. I simply don't think they have what it takes. Stoke, on the other hand, have looked solid and are in 10th place, right in the middle of the table and beat Leicester 1-0 in their most recent Premier League match.
Prediction: Stoke wins 3-0

Burnley @ Sunderland: Sat, Jan 31, 10:00am
These two teams are tied at 20 points and are both looking to widen the gap between themselves and relegation territory. Jozy Altidore has finally been freed from Sunderland's bench and Jermain Defoe has returned to the Premier League, joining Sunderland a couple weeks ago. Both teams lost their last Premier League games. When these teams met earlier this season, the game ended in a 0-0 draw.
Prediction: 1-1 Draw

Tottenham @ West Bromwich Albion: Sat, Jan 31, 10:00am
Tottenham have looked good recently, only losing one of their last eight league games, including a 5-3 win against Chelsea on New Year's Day. However, they lost to Leicester in the FA Cup last weekend. West Bromwich have not lost in their last three league games (2 draws 1 win) so they should be going into this game with some confidence.
Prediction: Tottenham wins 1-0

Manchester City @ Chelsea: Sat, Jan 31, 12:30pm - NBC
This is the main event of the weekend in the Premier League, a huge game between first and second place. Chelsea striker and league-leading scorer Diego Costa is suspended for this match, while Man City striker Sergio Aguero has returned from injury but midfielder Yaya Touré is still at the Africa Cup of Nations with his fellow countryman, new Manchester City signing Wilfried Bony, both representing Ivory Coast. Yaya Touré is an important part of Man City's midfield but they have been able to cope without him, especially with former Chelsea man Frank Lampard playing an offensive role in the midfield. Without Diego Costa, Chelsea will probably have to play young Frenchman Loïc Rémy or Ivorian veteran Didier Drogba at striker. Drogba is a club legend and Rémy had a great season last year on loan with Newcastle. If Man City loses this game, it will be a huge blow to their chances of winning the title.
Prediction: 2-2 Draw

Aston Villa @ Arsenal: Sun, Feb 1, 8:30am - NBCSN 
Arsenal is looking to get past Manchester United and into fourth place, and this game will likely help them with that. Aston Villa has only won 5 games this year and have won zero of their last 7 league games (3 draws 4 losses). Arsenal beat Manchester City 2-0 in their last league game.
Prediction: Arsenal wins 3-1

Swansea @ Southampton: Sun, Feb 1, 11:00am - NBCSN 
If Southampton want to stay in third place, they probably need to win this game against ninth-place Swansea. Swansea have been slowly dropping in the standings for a long time, but I still believe in them. Losing Wilfried Bony has obviously not helped them, but Bafetimbi Gomis is an amazing striker as well. However, with rumors he may be leaving to join West Ham, the Swansea we saw beat Man United in Week 1 may be gone for good.
Prediction: Southampton wins 4-3

NHL All-Star Weekend

Tonight is the NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft, Sundays game will mark the 3rd time the All-Star game will be played under the new format. The new format was adopted in 2011 when the league decided to change the format from a East v. West, to a format where two captain have a draft to decide their teams. The change was meant to boost the All-Star game which had become very boring.  Did it work? The draft does add a new spin to the weekend, but in my opinion has not enhanced the game itself. The long and short of it is that the players are getting paid millions in salary and therefore owners, coaches, and the players themselves don't want to get injured. Due to this the game suffers, it is the same problem the NFL(who copied the NHL's idea for a fantasy draft). For me the main attraction is the skills competition on Saturday. The skills competition offers a chance for these world class athletes to show off some tricks they have probably been working on for years.

This Year's Game

 

 Captains:

 

Nick Foligno:  Foligno is an unknown name for the average hockey fan. He is 27 years old and has split his career with the Senators and his current team the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is having a career year this season pocketing 42 points(18G, 24A) in 44 games. Although he is having a good season he should not have been named captain. He was probably named captain due to the location of the game being in his team's city. I would have liked to see Nash be named captain, since he is the leading scorer and started his career in Columbus.
Assistants: Drew Doughty(Los Angeles), Patrick Kane(Chicago),

Johnathan Toews: Toews is the opposite of Foligno he is one of the most respected palyers in the league on and off the ice. Toews has 42 points(14G, 28A) in 47 games. Johnathan Toews is known for his leadership and I personally think he is a great player to have as a captain for the game. He fits into the likes of the other captain that have been named in previous years(Nicklas Lindstrom, Daniel Alfredsson, and Eric Staal). Toews is a great ambassador for the game and one that can not be thanked enough for his great play in Chicago.
Assistants: Rick Nash(New York Rangers), Ryan Getzlaf(Anaheim)

Coaches:

 

Peter Laviolette(Nashville) - Team Toew: Laviolette has led the suprising Predators to a 30-10-5 record so far this season(2nd in NHL). He is making  huge strides with Nashville in  his first year there.

Darryl Sutter(Los Angeles) - Team Foligno: Sutter on the other hand has been with Los Angeles for a while and is the defending Stanley Cup Champion coach. The Kings are currently 20-15-12, which places them just outside of the current play-off picture.

Draft Predictions:

 

First Pick: Duncan Keith -  With Kane on one team and Toews on the other I think they will be in  a race to get their fellow teammates away from the other.

Last Pick: Zemgus Girgensons - It is obvious the Girgensons is only in the game due to the Fan Vote and therefore is one of the least flashy players in the game.

Get to Know the Atlanta Hawks

An Unlikely Juggernaut Outta A-Town

If I asked you at the beginning of the season what teams would be vying for domination of the NBA, you'd probably say teams like the Spurs, Bulls, Cavaliers, and Warriors. And while to an extent you'd be right (the Cavs being a notable disappointment), you'd almost undoubtedly be forgetting one team; the Atlanta Hawks. No one can blame you; very few people seriously called the Atlanta Hawks being this good this year, and to most of the casual NBA audience, the Hawks were irrelevant. 

But on the basketball court, the Atlanta Hawks are playing just as good as the Warriors or Spurs, at an Eastern Conference best 34-8 and second in the entire NBA behind only Golden State. Over the last 30 games, the Hawks have won 27, and are currently on a 13 game winning streak. According to basketball reference, they have the 5th overall offensive rating and 6th overall defensive rating, are holding opponents to an NBA best 96 points per game, and putting up 103 points per game, 6th best in the NBA. How is this Atlanta team so balanced on both sides of the ball? 

Let's start off examining their offensive excellence. The Hawks are ranked 2nd in assists per game, and to watch their ball movement is to see a dazzling display of team basketball. They're Spurs-esque, and this is no coincidence. Mike Budenholzer, head coach of the Atlanta Hawks and shoo in for Coach of the Year, was a long time assistant of Greg Popovich and took many of the same unselfish, team first principals that garner the Spurs so much success. More importantly, his players have bought in, and what you are left with is a well oiled offensive machine. 

The personal helps, too. You need people all over the floor who can shoot and provide spacing, and from their guards (Kyle Korver, who's shooting an insane 53% from 3 point land, along with pieces such as Demarre Carol and Mike Scott) to their bigs (Al Hortford and Millsap) you have people with consistent range. Jeff Teague has proven to be an effective rim attacker, Millsap and Hortford can both get you buckets, and the offense moves in unison. 

Defensively, they are a smart team when it comes to rotations. They make the right rotations, and they're smart. For example, in the Sunday Afternoon game against the Detroit Pistons (which was a fine game), the Hawks limited the effectiveness of Brandon Jennings by continually trapping on the Pick and Roll, which destroyed the mid court offense of the Pistons. And having Al Hortford back makes a world of a difference on pick and roll coverage and protecting the rim. 

This team is for real. They have solid coaching, chemistry, a system that is proven to work, and talent all over the place. The Hawks will likely send at least two players to the All-Star game, Millsap and Teague, but could also justifiably send Hortford and Korver with the way they're playing. When you look at the box scores of a Hawks game, no one jumps off the paper. And that's the point; they all do exactly what is needed of them to win, and no more. Everyone knows their role, and performs it admirably. Sound like a team that just recently won the finals by a record margin? It should. The Hawks bandwagon is off and running, and there's still room. 

A Tale of Two Games

The AFC and NFC Championship games boosted two completely different story lines. The NFC Championship was a game where one team barely held on then with some 4th quarter magic were able to steal the game. While in the AFC Championship you had a team that had complete control over the entire game. Here we have a breakdown of all the action yesterday:

Seattle: Destined to Repeat

If you were to watch the first half of this game you would have never thought Seattle had a chance to win the game. Even after the 3rd quarter they were down 16 - 7.  Seattle had 5 turnovers (4 of which were interceptions by  Russell Wilson). Although the Seahawks got lucky with their onside kick, the play that boggled my mind was the two-point conversion where Wilson just threw the ball up and somehow Luke Wilson caught the pass. Russell Wilson was on the opposite side of the field and somehow Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix did not make a play on the ball that was right in front of him. The fight that Seattle showed being able to mentally stay in the game was amazing and that of a champion. Yet you have to wonder if Rogers was not injured if the Packers would have won, because coming down the stretch there was open field that if he was healthy he could have gained some nice chunks of yardage. Nevertheless, this game will go down as one of the best comebacks in all of NFC Championship game history.

Final Score: Green Bay 22 - Seattle 28

Patriots: Off to Seattle

If you were one of the many people that watched both games this Sunday, this was nothing like the 4th quarter miracle comeback we witnessed in the NFC Championship game.  The AFC Championship was complete domination by the New England Patriots. The game was almost over as soon as it started, the Patriots had a 14 - 0 lead after the first quarter. Even though the Colts were able to get on the board in the 2nd quarter, that was all the scoring they would do. The 3rd quarter came and the Patriots scored 21 point to close out the Colts, then added another 7 in the fourth as a cherry on top. The Patriots held Indianapolis to just one touchdown and shut down Andrew Luck allowing him to only throw for 126 yards. The Patriots offense had the same story as their defense and that is complete domination. They ran the ball with ease and threw the ball at will. Brady and Blount had three touchdowns each, with Tom Brady  throwing for a total 226 yards and 1 interception. In the word of Bill Belichick the Patriots are "Off to Seattle", and as for the Colts they will have to try again next year.

Final Score: Indianapolis 7 - New England 45

Three Stars

First Star

LeGarrette Blount : 30 carries, 148 yards, and 3 TDs

Second Star

Tom Brady: 23/35, 242 pass yards, 3 pass TD,  1 INT

Third Star

Marshawn Lynch : 25 carries, 157 yards, and 1 TD

What's Next?

Super Bowl XLIX will match the number 1 ranked AFC Patriots against the number 1 ranked NFC Seahawks.  This game will have Tom Brady the decades best quarterback against the newcomer to winning Russell Wilson. This game has all the fixings of a classic, we will have to wait and see which team will bring home the Lombardi trophy from Arizona on February 1st.

Stay Tuned for Super Bowl News and Previews.

NHL Big Hits

Some big things have gone down in the NHL, I'm going to break them down for you:

Pekka Rinne Injured

The leader in the Vezina race went down in the third period Tuesday in a game against Vancouver. He is out for 3 -5 weeks with knee sprain.  Nashville is on fire this season and are currently in first place in the Central Division. Carter Hutton will take over while Rinne is out. It is possible that he Predators try to make a trade for a goalie so they can stay in the play-off race. This injury just might have cost Pekka Rinne this years Vezina Trophy.

Minnesota Get Their Goalie

On Wednesday the Minnesota Wild took a chance on former first round pick Devan Dubnyk. He was traded from Arizona, and in return the Coyotes received a third round pick in the upcoming draft. His time with the Wild could not have started any better, he finished his first game with a shout-out and a win over Buffalo. I believe if he plays to his abilities he can be the piece that will help the Wild go from a play-off fringe team to a Stanley Cup Contender. As in any sport this might not be the last move, while it would be unlikely for the Wild to get another goalie there are rumors about Ottawa's Craig Anderson being on the trade market. Craig Anderson is a good goalie capable of being a reliable starter in this league.

Marc Staal: Empire State of Mind?

It has come out that the New York Rangers and Pending UFA Marc Staal have agreed to a deal in principle. The supposed deal is 6 years at 5.7 million per year. From Staal's point of view this is a deal that both gets him paid and allows him to stay with the team that drafted him. As for the Rangers they get a solid top 4 defensemen, and  a fan favorite.  Staal will solidify the rangers blue line with the likes of Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh who are both locked up for the long term. Dan Boyle is also locked up for next year giving them at least a solid three going forward. This is a underrated signing considering how well Staal played while the top defensemen were injured. Having so much money tied up in the defense it will be interesting to see how the Rangers structure their forwards for the upcoming season.

All-Star Replacments

With the injuries to Pekka Rinne and Jimmy Howard the NHL needed to choose who would replace them in Columbus for this years NHL All-Star Game.  The choices were the Islanders Jaroslav Halak and the Penguins Marc-Andre Fleury. Halak has had a good season and is one of the reasons the Islander sit atop the Metropolitan Division. Marc-Andre Fleury on the other hand has been on a team that has been marred with injuries and illness, and he is one of the reasons they are still in a play-off position. Both are very deserving goalies.

Four Teams, One Goal

This Sunday, the four remaining teams in the NFL playoffs will square off for the right to play in the Superbowl. In the NFC the 12-4 Seattle Seahawks will host the 12-4 Green Bay Packers. These two teams faced each other in week one and Seattle won handily 36-16. Since then, Aaron Rodgers has put up MVP type numbers and won last weeks game against the Cowboys despite a tear in his calf. Russel Wilson has looked sharp throughout the year and is poised to repeat as Super Bowl champion.

In the AFC The Indianapolis Colts will travel to Foxborough to face the 12-4 New England Patriots. Andrew Luck has led the league in passing yards this year and looks to use his momentum from two playoff wins to beat the favored Patriots. These two teams have met twice recently with New England winning both comfortably due in large part to a run-heavy game plan.

Here are our bold predictions for Sundays match ups:

Top Quarterback Performance:

James- Andrew Luck vs Patriots: (300+ yards 2 touchdowns 2 interceptions) I believe the Colts will fall behind in this game because of New Englands potent offense which will call for Luck to throw the ball to keep it close. Luck has looked good against both Cincinatti and Denvers strong secondaries and seems much more comfortable this year in the postseason. Look for Coby Fleener to have a big day similar to what Owen Daniels did against the Pats and I believe Ty Hilton and Hakeem Nicks once again will have a touchdown each. 

Joe- Russell Wilson vs Packers: (300 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception) Green Bay is good at throwing th ball around. This will force the Seahawks to try and keep up. I think Russell WIlson is up for the task and will make some big throws. Once in the red zone Wilson wil continue to capitalize on his scramble ability to spread the defense out.

Top Rushing Performance:

James- Marshawn Lynch vs Packers: (120 yards, 1 touchdown) Lynch was strong in the week one win vs the Packers. He rushed for 110 and two touchdowns and had plenty of yards after contact as usual. Lynch seems to feed off the home field energy and Sunday should be no different. Green Bay has struggled to defend the run all year and DeMarco Murray was solid last week against them especially outside the tackles. look for Lynch to spring a few big plays to ignite the Seahwaks offense.

Joe- Dan Herron vs Patriots: (100 yards, 1 touchdown) Herron has played well for the Colts since taking control of the backfield.  I think Herron will be able to get some room especially if Luck has success throwing the ball. I also feel that he will do well against the Patriots front seven.

Breakout Performance: 

James- Shane Vereen vs Colts (50 rushing yards, 70 receiving yards two touchdowns) Vereen has always seemed to make huge plays in the clutch to ignite the Patriots. Indianapolis has a very soft run defense which the Patriots have exposed before. With Vereens east-west style of running look for him to go off tackle and get big chunks of yard when Brady & co. go up-tempo. Also, I expect a hug passing play out of Vereen that will swing momentum in the Patriots favor or possibly seal a victory. It is big-play guys like Vereen that help win championships.

Joe- Jerrell Freeman vs Patriots: (5 tackles , 1 sack) Yes, I picked a ILB as my breakout performer, but this is because I believe he is the key to stoping the Patriots. If Freeman can stop the runs up the middle and make the Patriots one dimensional (a lot easier said then done with the Patriots three headed monster in the backfield) then they can slow down the offense and take control of the game.

Game Predictions:

 

NFC- James: Seahawks 26-23
          Joe: Seahawks 24-21
AFC- James: Patriots: 31-24
          Joe: Patriots: 27-17

Premier League Week 22 Preview

We are right in the middle of the January transfer window and we have a full weekend of Premier League action to look forward to. Here are the matches and my predictions for each.

Liverpool @ Aston Villa: Sat, Jan 17- 10:00 am

Aston Villa enter this match coming off a 1-0 loss to last-place Leicester City. They have recently signed 22-year-old Spanish midfielder Charles Gil from Valencia, who is sure to add some creativity to the midfield and has a lot of potential. Liverpool beat Sunderland last weekend 1-0 with a goal from Lazar Marković. Liverpool will hope he can produce again as they are still without injured striker Daniel Sturridge.

Prediction: Liverpool win 2-0

Crystal Palace @ Burnley: Sat, Jan 17- 10:00 am

Both teams won 2-1 last weekend, but Burnley lost midweek in their FA Cup Round 3 replay against Tottenham 4-2. Crystal Palace have added young former Arsenal striker Yaya Sonogo. This should help the team as they have not scored many goals this season. Both Burnley and Crystal Palace are only one point out of relegation zone, so a win would be crucial to either side.

Prediction: Crystal Palace win 2-1

Stoke City @ Leicester City: Sat, Jan 17- 10:00 am

Leicester are still in last place but have won their last two games (1-0 vs Newcastle in the FA Cup and 1-0 to Aston Villa in league competition). On the other hand, Stoke lost to Arsenal last weekend 3-0 and are hoping to bounce back and enter the top half of the table. Leicester have added experienced 42-year-old goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and young Croatian striker Andrej Kramaric so far this transfer window. Kramaric will not be with the team for this game as he is in the process of getting his work permit.

Prediction: Draw 1-1

Manchester United @ Queens Park Rangers: Sat, Jan 17- 10:00 am

QPR are the first team Man United beat this season. Back in the days when Swansea was fighting Chelsea for first place and Manchester United beat QPR 4-0 for their first win 4 games into the season. A lot has changed in the standings since then, but don't expect a much different end result this game. Man United, despite no wins in their last three league games, remain in 4th place and QPR are in 19th. QPR's new signing Mauro Zarate says he is fit to play this weekend, but will that be enough for QPR to get any points against this top 4 club?

Prediction: Manchester United win 3-1

Chelsea @ Swansea City: Sat, Jan 17- 10:00 am

The last game between these two was the aforementioned Week 4 matchup when both teams were 3-0-0 and first place was on the line. Chelsea won that game and have still not moved from first place while Swansea has slowly sunken down to 9th place. Although he is currently playing in the Africa Cup of  Nations and would not have played this game anyway, Swansea fans will surely be disappointed to have lost arguably their best player, Wilfried Bony, to Man City. The manager expects Bafetimbi Gomis to step up and fill Bony's role as striker. Gomis plays a similar style as Wilfried Bony and is spectacular at holding up the ball from defenders. They also signed another striker, Nelson Olveira on loan from Benfica as a backup for Gomis. After last weekend, Chelsea are two points ahead of Man City for first place. 

Prediction: Chelsea wins 3-1

Sunderland @ Tottenham: Sat, Jan 17- 10:00 am

Sunderland traded American striker Jozy Altidore to Toronto FC this week in exchange for former Premier League striker Jermain Defoe. This was not a surprise, as Altidore has not played well for Sunderland and said he wanted to leave this transfer window. Jermain Defoe was dissatisfied with Toronto FC despite playing well this season in MLS. And as one American leaves the Premier League, another joins as speedy right back DeAndre Yedlin is now fully situated with Tottenham and should start playing soon, although this game is unlikely. Sunderland are in 16th while Tottenham fell to 6th after losing to Crystal Palace last weekend. However, before that, they beat Chelsea 5-3 on New Year's Day. Sunderland have only won one of their last eleven games.

Prediction: Tottenham wins 4-2

Southampton @ Newcastle United: Sat, Jan 17- 12:30 pm

Southampton are coming off a big win against Manchester United which brought them into 3rd place. Newcastle have climbed up and down the table this year and are currently right in the middle, 10th place. After a 4 game losing streak, Southampton have 4 wins and 1 draw. Newcastle have not shown much to be proud of recently and are without striker Papiss Cisse, so I do not expect a win this weekend.

Prediction: Southampton wins 1-0

Hull City @ West Ham United: Sun, Jan 18- 8:30 am

West Ham played an FA Cup replay on Tuesday, a thrilling win in penalty kicks against Everton. This game went all the way down to the goalies shooting in penalty kicks, so fatigue may be an issue. West Ham are in 7th place and drew Swansea last weekend. Hull City lost to West Brom and are in 17th place, needing at least a point to possibly exit relegation territory. West Ham recently signed 21-year-old Canadian center back Doneil Henry from Apollon Limassol in Cyprus. He previously played for Toronto FC as well. 

Prediction: West Ham wins 2-0

Arsenal @ Manchester City: Sun, Jan 18- 11:00 am

Big match between 2nd and 5th place teams pits a Man City team who may move into first place with a win and Arsenal who can move into the top 4 with a win. The other meeting between these teams this season was a 2-2 draw in Week 4. Last week, Manchester City could only draw Everton, who have been struggling this season. They will be looking for redemption in this game. 

Prediction: Man City wins 3-2 (3rd goal in stoppage time)

West Bromwich Albion @ Everton: Mon, Jan 19- 3:00 pm

These teams are both in the bottom half of the table, Everton in 12th and West Brom in 14th. Everton have had a very rough season so far and to make it worse, their star American goalkeeper Tim Howard is injured. Everton managed to draw Manchester City last weekend but then lost in that previously mentioned FA Cup match vs West Ham on Tuesday. West Brom beat Hull in their last game 1-0.

Prediction: Draw 2-2      

  

Care to Donate, Washington or Chicago? A disheartened Heat Fan Searching for Bigs

Random Thoughts of a Teenage Sports Fan

My name is Julius Ayala. I was recently invited to do this blogging thing with my good friends, and I naturally accepted. If I put in the work for school that I do following sports, or more correctly, if I had half the passion for school as I did sports, I'd be Harvard bound. But alas, I was born like many others, and so here I am, writing a blog instead of doing irrelevant physics homework. I'm not sure how formulaic to be here, or what doctrine to play by, so I'm just going to wing it. These are my random thoughts as a teenage sports fan. Cheers.

It's Striking

Watching the Wizards and Bulls play ball, you're going to see two disciplined, tough, talented teams playing the game of basketball. Rose and Wall are undoubtedly an intriguing match up, though with the play of Rose, not the same draw as in the past. Two of the elite eastern conference teams playing each other in itself likely holds bigger implications towards April. It's pleasant basketball. But what jumps out to me are the Bigs of each team. They're good. Damn good. And they play like bigs. 

Chicago has the best three man big rotation in the NBA in Noah, Gasol, and Gibson. All three are All-Star caliber players, and even with Noah's injuries, are frightening players. Gibson plays with an ungodly amount of energy on both ends of the floor. Noah brings all the intangibles you want from your defensive anchor. Gasol's experiencing a late career renaissance. 

Washington hosts an impressive front court as well. Nene is your above average, damn it please stay healthy big man who rebounds, defends the post and paint, and can dunk the ball and run up and down the floor. Marcin Gortat is of the same ilk of Nene, a better shot blocker and overall better player with a soft touch around the hoop. Say what you will about Humprhies as well; he doesn't get pushed around by people not with the last name Kardashian. 

What makes these bigs even more striking is that my team, the Miami Heat, lack a big of the same talents of any of the names I threw out. Let's address the elephant(or dinosaur, I suppose) in the room, Chris Bosh. I love Bosh. He's more talented, to me, than any of the people I listed, save perhaps Gasol or a healthy Noah. But the benefits Bosh gives a team is just different than what Gortat gives you, which is interior presence and aggressiveness inside. Bosh is an elite pick and roll defender, pick and popper, has 3 point range, has a great first step for a big(that he does not utilize enough), and plays with a system. But Bosh is not going to bang with Zach Randolph, block shots like Dwight, clog the lane like Bogut, or rebound like Deandre Jordan. 

And Bosh doesn't have too. If he could, along with the talents he has, he'd be an every season MVP candidate and living legend. But the Heat need someone who can do that, at least attempt to replicate the stuff Gortat, Nene, and all the bigs I mentioned do. Get us some extra offensive rebounds and possessions, block shots to lead into transition. These bigs are rare in the NBA, and very expensive, regardless of actual skill and prowess. And Washington and the Bulls are stocked at these positions, and look to make deep playoff runs. 

We don't have much of anything to trade right now. Mind throwing us one of your bigs, Wizards or Bulls? I'd be eternally grateful for you, and so would our rebounding numbers. Just think about it. 

Quick Hits

• In regards to the Heat's big man situation, Hasan Whiteside has been a revelation of sorts, and I'm hoping it lasts. Whiteside, 25 years old and a 3 year league vet, played in a total of 19 games before this season, and was largely irrelevant, but if he keeps his play up, you will know his name, He blocks better than anyone on the Heat roster, trys at interior defense, has great energy, and you can't teach 7 feet. 
• I hope the Clippers hold up; I love CP3, Doc, Blake, and I picked them to upset the Spurs in the Western Conference this year. Looking bleak at this point, but, hey, the NBA's crazy. 
• The Trailblazers are still not getting past the 2nd round in the West. I love Dame Lillard, but hopefully he can learn defense. He's Harden level, if not in effort applied, than in defensive fundamentals. 
• Don't sleep on the Grizz. They have the mental and physical fortitude to hang with any team, in any building. They play tough defense, but this is the first season I remember where they ranked in the top 10 in offensive.

NHL All-Star Game

Here is everything you will need to know for the upcoming 2015 NHL All-Star Game. The NHL announced this years all-star roster and released the uniforms earlier in the week. Below is the roster:

Forwards

Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
Zemgus Girgensons, Buffalo Sabres*
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks*
Johnathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks*
Nick Foligno, Columbus Blue Jackets
Ryan Johansen, Columbus Blue Jackets
Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers
Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
Patrik Elias, New Jersey Devils
John Tavares, New York Islanders
Rick Nash, New York Rangers
Bobby Ryan, Ottawa Senators
Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
Jakub Voracek, Philadelphia Flyers
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
Tyler Johnson, Tampa Bay Lightning
Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs
Radim Vrbata, Vancouver Canucks
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Defensemen

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes
Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames
Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes
Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks*
Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks*
Erik Johnson, Colorado Avalanche
Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild
Shea Weber, Nashville Predators
Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis Blues
Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg Jets

   

Goaltenders

Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks*
Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets
Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings**
Roberto Luongo, Florida Panthers
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators

Rookies

Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers
Tanner Pearson, Los Angeles Kings
Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
Mike Hoffman, Ottawa Senators
Jonathan Drouin, Tampa Bay Lightning

 * Fan Vote
 ** Injured

Every All-Star game there are snubs and surprises.  My biggest snub is Nicklas Backstrom (Washington Capitals) he has 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists) in 41 games. There is NO way that a player who is averaging a point a game should be excluded from the All-Star game. On top of all of that he has played a a point per game pace for his whole career and has never made an All-Star game. As for my biggest surprise besides Zemgus Girgensons (who was voted in by fans),  has to go to Patrick Elias, he is a good player, but you have to think that he only got in because they need one player from each team considering he only has 18 points (6 goals, 12 assists) in 34 games. I would have taken Jagr over Elias, Jagr has 25 points (9 goals, 16 assists) in 43 games plus his style would add a fun aspect to the festivities. The NHL also released the uniforms that will be worn during the game. One is white with black and green accents, while the other is black with green and white accents, both include a chrome NHL logo on the front. Personalty I do not like the look, but none the less these are the uniforms they will be wearing in Columbus. Once again the teams will be picked in a fantasy draft style, which is more fun than the traditional East v.s. West or North America v.s. Europe. Look to see if Jimmy Howard will be able to play in the game after suffering a groin injury. If he can not play my favorite to replace him is Henrik Lundqvist who did not start well, but is on fire as of late.

Dates:
Fantasy Draft: January 23 (8pm ET)
Skills Competition: January 24 (7pm ET)
All-Star Game: January 25 (5pm ET)

College Football Championship Recap

Yesterday The Ohio State Buckeyes became the first College Football Playoff Champions. Although Oregon took the lead early and got with in one point of Ohio State in the third quarter they were never able to  take the lead again. Oregon scored right away, but let up two Ohio State touchdowns before the end of the first quarter. The second quarter started  with Ohio State's Cardale Jones rushing for a touchdown and the half ended with Oregon kicking a field goal. Going into the second half the score was 21 - 10 Ohio State, and Oregon knew they had to change things up. Oregon scored a touchdown and a field goal to pull within one point of Ohio State, but that was the last time the Ducks would put any points on the board. Ohio State went on to scored 3 more touchdowns and win the game 42 - 20.

What happened to Oregon?

For Oregon it was not just one thing that kept them away from winning their first ever national championship. For one I think their injuries finally caught up to them. They were playing without two receivers and this hurt their high octane offense. Besides injuries there defense could not stop Ohio State. The Ducks caused 4 turnovers, but if they weren't getting turnovers then Ohio State was marching their way across the field and scoring. Cardale Jones had a good performance, but the real problem was trying to stop Ohio States run game. The Ducks allowed 296 rushing yards. All put together the Ducks just could not find a way to beat Ohio State.

What did Ohio State do to Win?

Besides for the four turnovers, Ohio State played a great game. Urban Meyer was on his toes a called a timeout before a trick punt play by Oregon.  Ezekial Elliot broke championship game records in rush attempts, rush yards, and rush touchdowns. Cardale Jones passed for just under 250 yards, threw for a touchdown, and ran one in. The big factor was that even when the offense turned over the ball the defense was able to hold Oregon's offense, only allowing 10 points on those 4 turnovers (sometimes giving Oregon great field position). Altogether, the combination of offense and defense showed why they deserved to be playing in the National Championship Game, even after being questioned if they should even be in the top 4.

Three Stars

 

First Star

Ezekial Elliot : 36 carries, 246 yards, and 4 TDs

Second Star

Cardale Jones: 16/23, 242 pass yards, 38 rush yards, 1 pass TD, 1 rush TD, 1 INT

Third Star

Marcus Mariota: 24/37, 333 pass yards, 39 rush yards, 2 pass TDs, 1 INT

Premeir League Week 21 Sunday Preview

There are two games on tap for Sunday, one between the third and fourth place teams and one between 6th and 11th.

Stoke City @ Arsenal: Sun, Jan 11- 8:30 am
Don't expect this came to be easy for either team. Arsenal won their last game 2-0 vs Hull in the FA Cup. Arsenal are looking to make their way back into the top 5, which can be achieved with a win in this game. Stoke will move past Newcastle into 10th if they can grab a win.
Prediction: 2-2 Draw

Southampton @ Manchester United: Sun, Jan 11th- 11:00
This is sure to be a thriller between third place Man United and fourth place Southampton. Neither of these teams have failed to entertain this season. Manchester United have not preformed as well as they are used to so far this season but have managed to maintain third place. All of their games have been entertaining this year mostly due to the star power on their squad. Southampton striker Sadio Mane is injured, but would have been headed to the Africa Cup of Nations to represent Senegal if not. Expect the an exciting game that could definitely go either way.
Prediction: Manchester United wins 4-3

Divisional Playoff Preview

Today, the divisional round of the NFL playoffs begin and here are some major headlines:

• Can the Ravens continue their playoff dominance over the Pats?
• Can Cam and the Panthers continue their hot streak in a hostile Seattle environment?
• Will Aaron Rodgers overcome his injury and out duel Tony Romo? 
• Which Peyton Manning will show up following a bye week- regular season or playoff?

Here is what we have to say about each one of these pivotal games;

Ravens at Patriots- In recent years, we have seen a Billy Cundiff field goal sail wide to seal the Ravens fate as well as a fantastic performance by the defense to beat a solid Patriots team. Once again, these two teams meet but with very different teams. The Patriots have four running backs that they switch in and out keeping the defense on their toes; Shane Vereen, Lagarette Blount, Jonas Gray and  Stevan Ridley. Tom Brady frequents receivers Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell as well as many other talented players. The Ravens have lost a few components since their last  meeting but have found some great replacements. Justin Forsett has fit in seamlessly into the offense. Steve Smith Sr. and Owen Daniels have been two of Flacco's favorite targets this season. The Ravens have a formidable front seven and hold teams under 100 yard rushing on average. The secondary proved to be solid as well in last weeks game against Pittsburgh where they held Antonio Brown's explosive plays to a minimum and tacked on two interceptions to seal a victory. The Patriots also have a well rounded defense in large part to Darelle Revis locking down receivers on the outside. Look for his play in todays game today be huge.

Key: Tight end play will be huge. Whichever team racks up more receiving yards from their tight ends will have an advantage.

Prediction: Patriots: 27 Ravens: 23 - Low scoring first half, Brady takes lead into fourth and Flacco's comeback falls just short

 Panthers at Seahawks: This game features the defending superbowl champion vs the hottest team in the NFL. The Panthers are riding a five game win streak into this huge game. Cam Newton has been shaky throughout the season and hasn't been explosive as previous years, but has developed into a solid game manager. Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen will have to work against one of the toughest secondaries in the league with Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas. The Seahawks front seven is similar to the Panthers. both have talented linebackers and are stingy against the run. Due to this, look for Jonathan Stewart and Marshawn Lynch to have less carries and look for the quarterbacks to get a few chances to run. Russel Wilson leads all quarterbacks with six rushing touchdowns and Cam Newton is known to make men miss in the open field.

Key: The Panthers need to play virtually perfect football to have a chance to survive this tough game in a hostile environment. This means no turnovers and manage the field position.

Prediction: Seahawks: 28 Panthers: 19 Seahawks score 21 in the second half and hold off Cam Newton and company

Cowboys at Packers: This is the first playoff matchup between these two since the ice bowl. This game pits the Cowboys coming off a huge playoff win last week who are 8-0 on the road vs the Packers who are undefeated at home. The Cowboys are solid on offense with the leagues best o-line and weapons throughout the field. Terrance williams was a huge x-factor last week with two touchdowns in the win against the Lions. Demarco Murray was fairly quiet last week but had a huge game against the Packers last year as well as Dez Bryant who played very well in that game. The Packers defense in the first half will be critical as Aaron Rodgers gets into a rhythm despite being injured. look for Eddie Lacy to get plenty of touches to get the Packers play-action going. There should be opportunities for Cobb and Nelson to get against an average Dallas secondary, but look for a short passing game strategy for Green Bay since Aaron Rodgers will be less mobile because of his calf injury. This game could be a shootout despite the cold weather, so half time adjustments for both defenses will be huge. This game will be exciting until the end and a win for either side will bolster their legitimacy about being amongst the leagues best.

Key: Whichever team get the run game going first and continue to do so into the second half will have an advantage so they can keep the defense rested on the sidelines while the take time off the clock and manage the game.

Prediction: Packers: 33 Cowboys: 28 A shootout throughout the first three quarters with the Packers D capitalizing on late turnovers to seal a win.

Colts at Broncos: A classic showdown to close out the week between two great quarterbacks. Peyton Manning had another solid year throwing to Demaryious Thomas, Julius Thomas, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders, but the biggest surprise for the Broncos would have to be the emergence of running back CJ Anderson. Anderson rushed for 849 yards as well as eight touchdowns helping the Broncos to 14 wins. Not all those wins were due to the offense, this year the Broncos ranked third in the NFL for total defense. As for the Colts will be relying on the arm of Andrew Luck who has had a better year statistically than Peyton and let the Colts to the league lead in passing yards per game. T.Y. Hilton will need another big game if they want to try and beat the defending AFC Champions. This game has the potential to be a great chapter in the Peyton v.s. Luck saga.

Key: Whoever win the ground game has the best chance to win. Both of these teams can sling it around, that means whichever team can control the ball has the best shot to make it to the AFC championship.

Prediction: Broncos: 28 Colts: 21 No lead will be safe in this game with the way these quarterbacks can throw, but Peyton Manning will come through and win the game.

Premier League Week 21 Preview

This weekend in the Premier League should be quite an interesting one. Chelsea and Manchester City are currently tied for first in the league. There is nothing separating the two sides, as they have the same record (14 wins 2 losses 4 draws) and are tied in Goals For (44) and Goals Against (19). This, of course, causes them to be tied in Goal Differential (25) and Points (46). Another thing to note this weekend is that many teams will be without key players due to their participation in either the Asia Cup or Africa Cup of Nations with their respective national teams. Here is a rundown of all 10 games we will see this weekend. (All times are in ET)

Liverpool @ Sunderland: Sat, Jan 10- 7:45 am
Both these teams are coming off of FA Cup wins against lower-tier sides. Sunderland beat second-tier Leeds United 1-0 on Saturday and Liverpool beat fourth-tier AFC Wimbledon 2-1 on Monday. Liverpool have had a substandard start to the season but have not lost in their last four games and currently sit in 8th place. Sunderland, on the other hand, only have three wins on the season and are currently in 14th place. Liverpool will be without key defender Kolo Touré, who is representing Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of  Nations. The last match between these two sides ended in a 0-0 draw.

Queens Park Rangers @ Burnley: Sat, Jan 10- 10:00 am
This is a battle at the bottom of the table. Burnley are fighting to escape relegation territory while QPR are in 16th and have not shown a lot to be proud of this season. QPR won the last meeting between these two 2-0.

Newcastle @ Chelsea: Sat, Jan 10- 10:00 am
This is a big game between the league leaders (tied with Manchester City) and 10th place Newcastle United. This may look like a mismatch at first glance, but Newcastle is one of only two teams to beat Chelsea this season. However, if they want to achieve this again, they will have to do it without manager Alan Pardew, who recently left the team to manage Crystal Palace, star striker Papiss Cissé, representing Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations, and defensive midfielder Chieck Tioté, representing Ivory Coast. Newcastle is also recovering from a 1-0 FA Cup loss to last-place Leicester City. Chelsea are also 9-0-0 at home this season, so it will be a much tougher battle for Newcastle this time around.

Manchester City @ Everton: Sat, Jan 10- 10:00 am
Everton have looked very poor so far this season. They sit in 13th place and American goaltender Tim Howard is out with an injury. Everton's most recent game was a 1-1 draw against Weat Ham in the FA Cup, while Manchester City scored a stoppage-time winner to defeat second-tier Sheffield Wednesday in its FA Cup match. Manchester City will be playing without midfielder Yaya Touré, who has been crucial to the team, especially recently, with injuries to strikers such as Sergio Aguero. Touré has provided goal support as the team has gone the last eleven games without a loss.

Aston Villa @ Leicester City: Sat, Jan 10- 10:00 am
Leicester are in last place with three wins and Aston Villa are in 12th with 5 wins, which is understandable due to their tough schedule so far. Leicester are coming off an FA Cup win to Newcastle but will lose Jeff Schlupp and Riyad Mahrez to the Africa Cup of Nations and Aston Villa will lose Australian Chris Herd.

West Ham @ Swansea: Sat, Jan 10- 10:00 am
These are two teams who have performed unexpectedly well this season and are both in the top half of the table. Swansea will be without very important players Wilfried Bony and Ki Sung-yueng, playing for Ivory Coast and South Korea, respectively. West Ham will lose Cheikhou Kouyaté to Senegal, and his fellow countryman Diafra Sakho was expected to go alongside him, but is suffering an injury. West Ham are lucky to retain star Cameroonian midfielder Alex Song who will not be playing in the Africa Cup of Nations due to poor relations with the Cameroon manager.

Hull City @ West Bromwich Albion: Sat, Jan 10- 10:00 am
Hull City and West Brom are in 15th and 17th, respectively. Both teams need a result to avoid being sucked into the relegation zone. West Brom's last game was an 7-0 FA Cup win over fifth-tier Gateshead and Hull suffered a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.

Tottenham @ Crystal Palace : Sat, Jan 10- 12:30 pm
This will most likely be the first chance for fans to see up-and-coming American defenseman DeAndre Yedlin play for Tottenham. Tottenham currently sits in fifth place and is favored to win against lowly Crystal Palace, who are in