Kobe's Empty Season

The Lakers picked up just their second win of the early season tonight, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 114-109. Kobe Bryant scored 28 points to lead Los Angeles, maintaining his league leading average of 27.4 points per game. Bryant has been scoring plenty, but has been taking his fair share of shots. With his field goal percentage sitting at a mere 38.9%, Bryant has not been as efficient as one might hope. Being the only offensive threat has something to do with that, and so does the direction of the franchise.

At this point the Lakers are simply coasting through this season knowing they will not win many games, and Kobe is the only attraction. Bryant will fill seats so that fans can watch one of the greatest players of all-time try to put up 60 every night. However, even as he approaches more records in terms of scoring, and climbing the all-time scoring list, something is missing.

Watching the Lakers perform so terribly night in and night out is leaving myself and many others with a sick feeling. The second best shooting guard of all-time should not be going out like this. A man who has always been so driven and so competitive, should not be finishing his career scoring such meaningless baskets.

Kobe scored 44 points the other night in just three quarters. He took 34 shots. Not one of those shots felt at all significant. Bryant for the first time in his career had a completely empty 40 point game. It left me feeling nothing. As a fan of Kobe, and a fan of great basketball, it is truly a shame to have to watch one of the best player of the past 15 plus years fade away into an eventual retirement.

Who knows? Maybe Julius Randle comes back from injury and becomes the next great power forward in this game, and the Lakers draft the next Magic Johnson this summer. But for now I'm afraid the competitive Kobe Bryant teams are behind us, and these empty seasons are whats left for his final years.

New England Once Again the Class of the NFL

What a difference seven weeks make. Seems like a long time ago that the Patriots were being man handled on Monday Night Football at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. The blowout loss on the road resulted in a week full of doubt provided by the media. Is Belichick done? Is Brady going to be traded? End of an era?A quick answer to all of those questions was and still is: No.

After last nights impressive 42-20 road victory in Indianapolis, the Patriots are sitting atop the AFC. Amazing that after so much scrutiny thrown the teams way, New England has to be considered the favorite. Much like many predicted at the start of the season.

Perhaps the most encouraging part about last nights win was the dominance of the run game. Led by little known running back Jonas Gray (38 carries for 199 yards and 4 touchdowns), the Patriots dominated the game on the ground. This spells great things for the team going forward, and with Denver losing a second game in a row, the Patriots are in the drivers seat looking to wrap up home field advantage.

It won't be easy. Upcoming road games in both Green Bay and San Diego should be tough, but would anyone be surprised if Brady and Belichick came out of this next stretch at either 14-2 or 13-3? I know I wouldn't.

It seems like every year we must all be reminded never to question the "Patriot way". Yet, every season whenever the Patriots face adversity they just prove the doubters wrong. So as we head towards Thanksgiving and the stretch run of the regular season, I advise all members of the media to not question the genius that is Bill Belichick. I know I won't.

Are the Dallas Cowboys For Real?

How could they not be? After a very impressive 30-23 road win in Seattle, the Dallas Cowboys are 5-1 and atop the NFC. This was not a close 30-23 mind you. The 'boys dominated Seattle. In fact if it were not for some terrible turnovers, this game would not have been close. The offense ran the ball efficiently, and Tony Romo made timely plays through the air en route to 250 yards and two touchdowns.
DeMarco Murray went for over 100 yards on the ground for the sixth straight week to start the season, establishing himself as the best back in the league. The defense did its part as well holding Russell Wilson to just 126 yards through the air, and a mere six on the ground. A late interception sealed the deal for Dallas, giving them a near impossible road win in Seattle.
Now this could be a perfect set up for the Cowboys to fail like they so often have during the Tony Romo era, however, the hype for this team is currently justified. A defense that looked so poor on paper before the season started, now looks solid. Romo is making fewer mistakes, while maintaining his elite play. Dez is a freak out wide, causing even the great Richard Sherman to pay his respects after the game. Lastly DeMarco Murray is having a breakout year. Murray has always been great in flashes, but never consistent, largely due to injury. Through six games he's having one of the better seasons ever for a running back. On pace to finish with an astounding 2,093 rushing yards. 12 yards shy of Eric Dickerson's all-time record, and just four short of Adrian Peterson's 2012 season.
I remind you all that it is still October, and the season is still relatively young. A big-time divisional matchup with the Giants this Sunday should give us even more material to write about these Cowboys. Coming off one of the biggest wins in recent memory, Dallas will play host to the ever inconsistent New York Giants. The Giants were smacked right in the face by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Losing 27-0. Sunday afternoon should provide no shortage of drama, as the Cowboys look to build upon this very impressive start to the season.

Patriots Last Place in the AFC East?

As I look at the NFL standings, following the first Sunday of the season, there is something shocking about the AFC East. There are three teams tied for first in the division: the New York Jets (W 19-14 vs OAK), Buffalo Bills (W 23-20 vs CHI) and Miami Dolphins (W 33-20 vs NE). This leaves just one team sitting dead last, and that team, is the New England Patriots.

For the first time since 2003, a Tom Brady-led squad lost in week one of the season. The Patriots, as usual, are Super Bowl contenders this year. So, an opening week loss to an injury-plaugued Miami team comes as a bit of a shock to most fans, including myself. Now don't get me wrong, the Patriots and Dolphins always play great games in Florida, but never have I seen Miami's defense so dominant. After a strong first half from Brady and the offense, Miami ramped up the pressure. The Dolphins were able to get to Brady four times, twice forcing fumbles. Miami defensive end Cameron Wake forced both of the those fumbles, the last of which all but sealed the win.

New England was dominated in the second half of Sunday afternoons game, and were left as a last place team. However, the last two times the Patriots lost their opening week matchup, they went on to win the super bowl. That is not to understate how bad the Patriots looked in the second half, but it is interesting. Going into this year the Pats are once again favorites to compete for the Lombardi trophy. Most view them and the Broncos as a lock for a rematch of last years AFC championship game. One that saw the injury-riddled team come up short at Mile High.

This years team is revamped. Especially on the defensive side. The addition of shutdown corner Darrelle Revis is huge for the Pats, considering they let Aquib Talib go to the Broncos. It also gives gives Belichek one of the best corners in the game. Perhaps the biggest addition of all is simply the return of multiple players from injury. From tight end Rob Gronkowski, to middle linebacker Jerod Mayo, New England had many players finish last year on injured reserve.

So, the return of players like Vince Wilfork and Rob Gronkowski should make for a very successful regular season in Foxboro. Whether or not the offensive line holds up is another question. I'm not too concerned just yet, but if the Patriots have more performances like they did in South Beach, a trip to the AFC championship might not be so easy.

The Future of the Boston Celtics Could Be Bright

Wow, the Boston Celtics are very bad. I mean very bad. As I watch the Celtics play on national TV for the first time in a while (only because of the return of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett), I realize there is no hope for this roster. One of the few bright spots is the return of Rajon Rondo, who does not look comfortable throwing lobs to Vitor Faverani where Garnett used to be. Nor does he feel confident starting a fast break with Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace running the floor. Nothing against either of those two, but they're not quite two future hall of famers. I think there are some strengths in this roster, however, and they're just hard to see on such a terrible team.
First there is the coach, Brad Stevens. Stevens was signed to a six year deal in the offseason, meaning the Celtics are truly investing in this coach for a stretch. Danny Ainge clearly sees something in Stevens, and why not? There is only upside to the 37 year old coach who coached Butler to back-to-back National Championship appearances, losing to two major programs in Duke and UConn. Stevens has done relatively well to this point in the season, but it is evident that there is just not enough talent on this team to win. Hopefully he will get a chance soon in the next couple of seasons.
The coach is not the only solid part of this team, strong young players besides Rondo include Jeff Green, Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger.
Bradley is an elite perimeter defender who has an improved jump shot especially in the corner three spot. Bradley at the very least is a solid guard who can come off the bench, and has shown that he can potentially be a nice complementary starting shooting guard (think Thabo Sefolosha in Oklahoma City). He is a player I think the Celtics should keep around at least for next year.
Jeff Green is a player who seemed to be coming into his own late last season as Rondo went out with an injury. Green had huge games last season including a 43 point performance against LeBron James and the Heat. He has struggled being consistent, however, and in a year that he could step up and become that all-star type of player, he has not. Still leading the team in scoring at 16.2 ppg, Green just does not seem to be a go-to-guy for a franchise, he is made to be the third or forth option on a team.
Jared Sullinger is a strong power forward who has shown signs of being a dominant rebounder this year. Grabbing 15+ rebounds on multiple occasions. He has also displayed a solid jump shot that can extend to behind the three point line once in a while.
Those three guys, along with Rajon Rondo and coach Brad Stevens, are the core that the Celtics should keep around if they look to be successful soon, and in the long-run.
Looking ahead to beyond this season, it starts with the upcoming draft. Many players would fit in nicely here in Boston. Jabari Parker could come to the North East, and become a featured player on the offensive end. Parker has a decent handle as well as the ability to knock down shots from deep, along with the ability to finish above the rim. Speaking of finishing above the rim, Andrew Wiggins may be the very best at that in college. His unquestioned athleticism is why so many rave about him. Wiggins is also, perhaps, the best defender in the nation because of his quick feet, long arms, and jumping ability.
Another possible player is Oklahoma States Marcus Smart; a 6'4" guard with great strength and athleticism. Smart also has more experience than many of these players, as he is currently a Sophomore in college. Smart could work well with Rondo in the backcourt.
My favorite player is Joell Embiid. He is a 7'0" 250 lb center from Cameroon, who has only been playing basketball for two years. His ability to run the floor and finish with both hands makes him a very attractive asset, not to mention his shear size and athleticism. The activity on the defensive end is even more impressive as he controls games at that end.
A center could be perfect for the Celtics to build around, but it is important to just select the best player available. As we saw in last years draft, the Cavaliers selected a solid undersized power forward instead of just going with the best available player, and that resulted in one of the worst number picks of all time to this point.
The point here is that there is a lot to look forward to potentially if you are a Celtics fan like myself. With strong leaders in Stevens and Rondo, and a solid group of role players, Boston could be back in the thick of things by next year, and a championship contender perhaps sooner than one might think.

Broncos Defense Shuts Down Brady, and Patriots Lack of Any Deep Ball Threat

As Peyton Manning took and knee and let the clock run out, the Broncos celebrated a trip to New York, and the Patriots were left to deal with the heartbreak of a second straight AFC Championship loss. For the Broncos this is their first Super Bowl berth since the late 90s when John Elway was riding Terrell Davis to his second straight Super Bowl win. For Peyton he is back. It has been a long road for Manning since throwing game clinching pick six right into the hands of the Saints defense, and leaving South Beach with the bitter taste of another playoff loss. Manning struggled through his last couple years in Indianapolis with neck injuries, and arrived in Denver looking to resurrect his Hall of Fame career. Well, Peyton did just that by leading the Broncos to back to back 13-3 regular seasons, and this year an AFC Championship win.
On the other side Brady suffered a frustrating loss as it was as clear as ever that something was missing from the Patriots. No it was not Aquib Talib's absence in the secondary, or Wilfork on the defensive line, not even the gaping hole in the middle of the field that Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes once filled, it was a player who has not been in New England all year. The Patriots did not have that 6'3"-6'4" strong receiver on the outside. Now I know Gronk is a huge target who was lost to injury this season, but he has been there in recent years. The Patriots fully healthy would be scary with a star receiver on the outside, Randy Moss proved it.
This may sound like a sorry Patriots fan going off and making excuses, because New England has been very successful in recent years, but they haven't been scary like Denver's offense, or New Orleans. I guess what I'm saying is that despite all of this New England still made it to the AFC Championship game, and lost to a team with one of the best offenses of all time, maybe even the best.  If the Patriots want to be back in the Super Bowl next year, they're going to have get a little lucky health wise, and pick up a star receiver. It could be through a trade, free agency, maybe even a rookie through the draft, but it got to come from somewhere.
The reality, however, is that the Broncos and Seahawks still have one game to play, and it should be a great one. I'm leaning towards Seattle as of now just because of the weather, and a stronger built defense, but that could change over the next couple weeks. Come next week I'll know my favorite, and the fact is I don't want Peyton to win, so don't be surprised if I give Seattle the edge.

Super Bowl Sunday

We are just an hour away from the biggest sporting event in North America: Super Bowl 47. Although I am upset that my New England Patriots fell short of making it back to the big game, I can't help but be excited about this matchup. Who could write a better script, a battle between two brothers each coaching in their first ever Super Bowl, both know for their defense. Defense, however, has not been the reason these two teams have made it all the way to New Orleans. It has been the impressive play of two young quarterbacks that has led each to one victory after another on their playoff runs. Joe Flacco has been in the league for only five years, but he has led the Ravens into the playoffs each year. This years playoffs have been different, however, as he has thrown for eight touchdowns compared to zero interceptions. Unlike past seasons, Flacco is protecting the ball a little better and throwing it down field with an increased confidence. 

On the other side we see a man who has only made ten career starts to this point, and in the process has taken the league by storm. Colin Kaepernick took over the 49ers starting job late in the season, and with it changed the way some offensive coordinators may look at their own play books. The pistol offense is now the main formation that San Francisco runs, and it has been surprisingly affective. Kaepernick started off the playoffs by tearing apart the Green Bay Packers defense, then went to Atlanta and led his team to an impressive comeback win on the road. 

Now although the quarterback matchup is an interesting one, the most intriguing part of this years Super Bowl is presence of Ray Lewis. He is, as many know, planning on retiring after the game and if he is to end his career on top it may be one of the more inspiring runs by a single player in recent history. After tearing his tricep many thought that he was out for the season, but he returned for his final home game in the wild card matchup with the Colts, and has since rejuvenated a veteran defense. He leads all players in both tackles and inspirational speeches this postseason, and he hopes to hold that Lombardi trophy when it is all said and done at the end of the night.