Category Archives: Football

TDS 2013 NFL Mock Draft

Posted: April 25th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Football, NCAA | Tags: , , , , , ,
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Every year the number of NFL mock drafts on the Internet seems to grow. It’s an inexact science, with so much uncertainty and suspense attached that it almost seems silly attempting to accurately predict how it will all unfold.

But that hardly seems like a reason not to give it a try. TDS sports reporter Andrew John recently tried to make sense of it all, predicting how the first round will look prior to trades being announced. In addition, he’s offered other possible scenarios to reduce the chaos and sort out which players each team could and should be targeting.

Comments below are welcome, particularly if the early part of the first round turns out much different than predicted.

Enjoy the draft.

1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — ERIC FISHER, OT, 6’7 306, CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Despite the lack of a consensus No. 1 player in this year’s draft, Fisher appears to be the favorite in the Kansas City war room. The Chiefs desperately need help shoring up the offensive line to keep newly acquired quarterback Alex Smith upright, and Fisher is the best pass-blocker in the class.

Other options: OT Luke Joeckel out of Texas A&M is another option, though he doesn’t fit quite as well as Fisher.

2. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — LUKE JOECKEL, OT, 6’6 306, TEXAS A&M
Joeckel is good value here, where he’d strengthen an offensive line that has had difficulty staying healthy. If he doesn’t go No. 1, Joeckel won’t slide much.

Other options: The Jaguars really need a pass-rusher to help a unit that struggles to find opposing quarterbacks a year ago. Dion Jordan out of Oregon and Ezekiel Ansah from Brigham Young could be possibilities here.

3. OAKLAND RAIDERS — Sharrif Floyd, DT, 6’3 297, FLORIDA
There’s been much debate about where the unpredictable Raiders will go with this pick but they badly need a player who can disrupt plays in the backfield and stuff the run, and Floyd fits the bill. He conveniently fits in Oakland’s 3-technique system as well. A potential trade spot for a team looking to move up.

Other options: Dee Milner makes too much sense to actually be the pick here. His coverage skills would certainly help improve a weak secondary that struggled mightily against the pass a year ago.

4. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — LANE JOHNSON, OT, 6’6 303, OKLAHOMA
The last of the elite tackles available, Johnson would help fill major need in Philadelphia. With as much offensive firepower as the Eagles have, they can’t afford to have the line falter for a second consecutive year.

Other options: DT Star Lotulelei perfectly fits Philadelphia’s 3-4 hybrid scheme. But the Eagles took a defensive lineman (Fletcher Cox) in the first round last year, and doing so again seems a bit redundant.

5. DETROIT LIONS — DEE MILLNER, CB, 6’0 201, ALABAMA
Cornerback has been an obvious need in Detroit for some time and Millner is fortunately still available under this scenario. He has the speed and cover skills to complement this superb defensive front the Lions have assembled.

Other options: Offensive tackle is the greater need with the retirement of longtime starter Jeff Backus. A pass-rusher such as Ansah could help make Detroit’s D-line even more volatile.

6. CLEVELAND BROWNS — DION JORDAN, OLB, 6’6 248, OREGON
The Browns could go any number of directions with this pick, including trading out altogether. Getting to the quarterback was a problem that plagued Cleveland all last season, and Jordan immediately helps solve that problem. Would the front office really draft quarterback Geno Smith only a year after taking Brandon Weeden in the first round?

Other options: Ansah is another pass-rusher that should get serious consideration here. TE Tyler Eifert out of Notre Dame is also rumored to be a serious candidate.

7. ARIZONA CARDINALS — JONATHAN COOPER, G, 6’2 311, NORTH CAROLINA
The Cardinals weren’t able to upgrade the O-line as much as they would have liked in free agency, and Cooper is talented enough to warrant serious consideration here. In need of a powerful run blocker, Cooper fills a need and has the talent to be a fixture on the line for years to come.

Other options: Lotulelei would be a great value here, though he doesn’t fill a need as much as, say, Cooper or Warmack.

8. BUFFALO BILLS — CHANCE WARMACK, G, 6’2 317, ALABAMA
The Bills need help rushing the passer and protecting their own, so it’s likely they go with a guy who can help on the line as opposed to quarterback Ryan Nassib who would be reunited with his college head coach (Doug Marrone) and offensive coordinator (Nathaniel Hackett).

Other options: Marrone, a former offensive linemen himself, understands the value of a solid line of protection, though it’s hard to not buy into him potentially taking Nassib and trying to rekindle the success his offense had at Syracuse.

9. NEW YORK JETS — EZEKIEL ANSAH, DE, 6’5 271, BRIGHAM YOUNG
After trading Darrelle Revis to Tampa earlier this week, the Jets are likely hoping Millner falls in their lap here. With him off the board, Ansah makes a lot of sense here. He has the raw skills and high energy to create pressure coming off the edge and he’s just too good to be passed over at this point.

Other options: Several way the Jets could go here. Floyd makes sense if he slides, as does pass-rusher Barkevious Mingo out of LSU. If they decide to trade Mark Sanchez, as rumored, a quarterback could be in play as well.

10. TENNESSEE TITANS — BARKEVIOUS MINGO, OLB, 6’4 241, LSU
Mingo has been called a perfect fit in Tennessee, where his versatility and explosiveness would dramatically upgrade a unit that struggled to make plays in the backfield a year ago.

Other options: Cooper and Warmack are options for a team that is trying to find consistency out of its offensive line. The Jets could also go with the best player available, should someone slide.

11. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS — STAR LOTULELEI, DT, 6’3 311, UTAH
It would be a major coupe is he does, though it’s fairly unlikely. Instead, this could provide an opportunity to trade this pick to someone desperate to move up and take Lotulelei.

Other options: Sheldon Richardson out of Missouri is the type of 3-technique DT that could be an option if Lotulelei is off the board.

12. MIAMI DOLPHINS — D.J. FLUKER, OT, 6’4, 339, ALABAMA
With the loss of OT Jake Long in free agency, a powerful run-blocker such as Fluker would be a nice replacement at this point in the draft. He’s a major reason Eddy Lacy ran all over Notre Dame in the BCS title game.

Other options: Trading up to get one of the elite OTs appears to make the most sense, as does CB Xavier Rhodes out of Florida State, who fills a need in the defensive secondary and is a match in Miami’s press-man cover scheme.

13. NEW YORK JETS — GENO SMITH, QB, 6’3 218, WEST VIRGINIA
Acquired via the Darrelle Revis trade, the Jets have an opportunity to acquire fill a need and grab a value player in Smith, who could be the heir apparent to Mark Sanchez.

Other options: Smith’s former teammate Tavon Austin would give the Jets another playmaker to team with whomever ends up under center in Week 1. They could also grab the best available player, should someone fall.

14. CAROLINA PANTHERS, SHELDON RICHARDSON, DT, 6’3 294, MISSOURI
This pick appears to be the consensus among most draft experts. The Panthers need a 3-technique tackle, and Richardson is talented enough to warrant consideration. He has the explosiveness and quickness to make plays in the backfield.

Other options: Austin would be a nice long-term replacement for aging receiver Steve Smith, should he be available here. Condarrelle Patterson, an athletic receiver out of Tennessee, could also garner consideration.

15. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — JARVIS JONES, OLB, 6’3 245, GEORGIA
Jones may not be the best fit in New Orleans, but he’s a big-time talent and is simply the best player available. The Saints have drafted well in early rounds recently, and prefer value over fit in most cases.

Other options: S Kenny Vaccaro out of Texas fills a need more than Jones does, but he’s not quite as talented or proven. Fluker also fills a need, if he happens to slide.

16. ST. LOUIS RAMS — TAVON AUSTIN, WR, 5’9 174, WEST VIRGNIA
With WR Danny Amendola gone, there isn’t much debate about the Rams taking Austin if he’s available. In this case he is, and his playmaking ability in the return and passing games make him a threat the Rams desperately need.

Other options: Patterson is likely the choice is Austin is already gone, as is Vaccaro and maybe even former Alabama RB Eddy Lacy now that longtime leading rusher Stephen Jackson is gone.

17. PITTSBURGH STEELERS — TYLER EIFERT, TE, 6’6 250, NOTRE DAME
With Heath Miller coming off a knee injury, Eifert provides instant value in an offense that utilizes its tight end as much as anyone. Eifert isn’t just a potential long-term replacement but also an immediate red zone target.

Other options: Jones makes sense in the Steelers’ scheme, should he fall. Patterson is also an option, and don’t be shocked if Lacy lands here, either. Pittsburgh could use help in the running game.

18. DALLAS COWBOYS — KENNY VACCARO, S, 6’0 214, TEXAS
Needing help in the defensive backfield, specifically at safety, the Cowboys would be ecstatic if they could land a local product as talented as Vaccaro. He’s the most polished player at his position and would be a perfect fit in Dallas.

Other options: DT Sylvester Williams out of North Carolina would be a nice fit for a team looking for pass-rushers, as would Richardson, should he fall.

19. NEW YORK GIANTS— JUSTIN PUGH, G, 6’5 307, SYRACUSE
There may be a better value pick available at this point, but upgrading the right side of the offensive line is paramount and Pugh is an underrated talent who can play multiple positions along the line. His versatility and tutelage under Doug Marrone in college could make him a long-term starter.

Other options: CB Desmond Trufant’s 4.38-second 40-yard dash would help upgrade the defensive secondary that allowed a flurry of big plays in the passing game a year ago. Fluker also makes sense is he’s available.

20. CHICAGO BEARS — MANTI TE’O, ILB, 6’1 241, NOTRE DAME
Te’o looked like a miracle worker prior to the BCS title game, and would quickly become a fan favorite in neighboring Chicago. He fills a need, too, replacing the departed Brian Urlacher. No pressure, though.

Other options: Eifert is likely the pick if he’s available. ILB Alec Ogletree makes sense, too, and Trufant would be a fantastic pick for a secondary that faces a trio of talented quarterbacks in the NFC North.

21. CINCINNATI BEGALS — EDDY LACY, RB, 5’11 231, ALABAMA
Lacy provides an upgrade to the run game and would allow the Bengals to move a step closer to being a playoff contender. Not many other players on the board immediately make such a difference.

Other options: Trufant has been rumored here, but he doesn’t fill a major need. Same with Xavier Rhodes. But both are god value picks.

22. ST. LOUIS RAMS — MATT ELAM, S, 5’10 206, FLORIDA
If the Rams don’t go after a safety with their first pick, they likely will here. Elam can step in and become and immediate starter at a position of need for a team that struggles against the pass.

Other options: Patterson would make sense if they addressed the need at safety with the earlier selection. He’s the type of dangerous playmaker they need.

23. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES — CORDARRELLE PATTERSON, WR, 6’2 216, TENNESSEE
With the departure of Percy Harvin, they need a playmaker that can take the pressure off quarterback Christian Ponder. Enter Patterson.

Other options: Te’o fills a need at middle linebacker. WR Robert Woods out of USC could also garner consideration.

24. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — DESMOND TRUFANT, CB, 6’0 190, WASHINGTON
A number of solid cornerback prospects will be in the mix here, but Trufant may have the edge. He has the ball skills and speed to be an immediate starter.

Other options: CB Xavier Rhodes out of Florida State and D.J. Hayden out of Houston should also get consideration here.

25. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES — ALEC OGLETREE, ILB, 6’2 242, GEORGIA
Ogletree has more of the raw skills and talent to step right in and start, as opposed to Te’o whom Minnesota has targeted. He doesn’t have the leadership or instincts of Te’o but could perhaps end up the better player down the road.

Other options: Woods makes a lot of sense here if the Vikings go with a linebacker with their first selection.

26. GREE BAY PACKERS — MENELIK WATSON, OT, 6’5 310, FLORIDA STATE
The Packers could use an upgrade on the offensive line, and Watson fits their zone-blocking scheme. The could also use an edge rusher.

Other options: Pugh would be a great value pick if still around. Lacy would provide instant support to the run game. I don’t think either will be available.

27. HOUSTON TEXANS — ROBERT WOODS, WR, 6’1 200, USC
Star receiver Andre Johnson is going to slow down eventually and getting a player such as Woods at this point is good value.

Other options: There are other receivers in play here and offensive linemen that would help shore up a weakness that needs to be addressed.

28. DENVER BRONCOS — DATONE JONES, DE, 6’4 284, UCLA
With the loss of Elvis Dumervil, Denver could really use help on the edge. Jones has a unique combination of speed and power and would be a great fit in Broncos’ system.

Other options: S Eric Reid out of LSU would be a great fit, though this may be a bit of a reach.

29. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — XAVIER RHODES, CB, 6’1 210, FLORIDA STATE
Rhodes could be a great value pick here and provide depth at a position of need for a team that needs to improve its pass protection.

Other options: The defensive secondary is in need of upgrades, so really anyone with first-round talent could be in play here.

30. ATLANTA FALCONS — ROBERT ALFORD, CB, 6’0 185, S.E. LOUISIANA
Another team in need of an upgrade at the cornerback position should have not problem finding decent value this late in the round.

Other options: I really like DE Tank Carradine out of Florida State here, simply because he’s a talented, high-energy edge rusher that would be a great addition to a team already a fixture in the playoffs.

31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — TANK CARRADINE, DE, 6’4 276, FLORIDA STATE
To get Carradine to play opposite of DE Aldon Smith would be a major coupe. With Jason Smith aging and the rest of the line fairly unproven, this is a great time to start upgrading.

Other options: TE Zach Ertz out of Stanford could help his former college coach, Jim Harbaugh, form a really dynamic two-TE set. I also like DT John Jenkins from Georgia, filling perhaps the 49ers’ biggest need.

32. BALTIMORE RAVENS — JUSTIN HUNTER, WR, 6’4 196, TENNESSEE
It doesn’t do much good to give quarterback Joe Flacco that big contract without surrounding him with weapons. Hunter is a major talent and could provide the offense with another big-play threat.

Other options: The defense needs help with the departure of future Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Linebacker and safety should be high on the priority list.

andrew.john@thedesertsun.com
Twitter — @ALJnotes

Desert natives wrap up spring football

Posted: April 18th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Football, NCAA, Sports Blog | Tags: , , ,
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With spring football winding down on college campuses around the country, we checked in with several college football writers with knowledge of FBS players from the desert to bring you an update on them heading into the summer. Preseason camps will open in August, with roughly three weeks for teams to sort out their starting lineups heading into the season. We’ll do another update then.

Anthony Neyer, QB, Idaho, Jr. (Xavier Prep)
With Idaho starting quarterback Dominique Blackman being dismissed mid-season last year, new head coach Paul Petrino targeted Neyer as a possible replacement. Neyer, a 6-foot-2 215 pound pocket passer, played two seasons at Pierce College in Los Angeles and redshirted a year after walking on at USC before becoming the first quarterback to sign with Petrino during the winter. He’s expected to competed for the starting job this fall.

D.J. Alexander, LB, Oregon State, Jr. (Palm Desert)
The 6-foot-2 228-pounder, who finished last season fifth on the team in tackles, and is again penciled in as a starter this season and is perhaps a preseason All-Pac-12 candidate. The Beavers will wrap up their spring schedule on April 26.

Nu’uvali Fa’apito, LB, Colorado State, So. (La Quinta)
The 6-foot-1 225 pound linebacker, who played in a reserve role as a redshirt freshman a year ago, played with the second team defense behind an experienced group of linebackers throughout the spring. With three of them returning starters from last season, it’s likely Fa’apito will again be on the second unit despite recording five tackles and recovering a pair of fumbles in the second of two spring scrimmages on April 14.

Jordan White, WR, Colorado State, So. (Palm Springs)
After redshirting as a freshman last season, the 6-foot-4 205 pound receiver didn’t play much this spring. He ran with the third and fourth team offenses and didn’t catch a pass in either of the two scrimmages. It’ll be interesting to see where he ends up in preseason camp, depending on his summer workouts.

Dontrell Onuoha, DE, San Diego State, Jr. (La Quinta)
Primarily a backup last season, the 6-foot-2 265 pound pass rusher appears to be in a similar role again this year. The entire starting defensive line returns, and Onuoha played with the second team defense throughout the spring.

Greg Latta, DE, Purdue, Sr. (College of the Desert via Palm Desert)
The 6-foot-6 265 pound defensive end got reps with the first team before a foot injury sidelined him for the remainder of the spring. He’s in a soft walking boot with crutches, but he’s expected to be back to full strength in 4-6 weeks and should be in the mix for a starting position this fall.

Trevor Bateman, DB, Brigham Young, So. (Palm Desert)
The 5-foot-9 180 pound speedster played on the BYU scout team in 2012 after returning from an LDS Church mission to Texas. He had an interception in the spring game and is listed as a third-string cornerback on the post-spring depth chart and is a special teams hopeful.

Erick Jepsen, OG, Southern California, So. (La Quinta)
Jepsen, a 6-foot-2 285 pound center, was not on the two-deep spring depth chart but could play a key role with his versatility with potential injuries along the offensive line this season. He’s likely penciled in as the third-string center heading into the summer.

Tryn Mesarch, DE, Utah State, RFr. (Palm Desert)
The 6-foot-5 256 pound defensive end redshirted as a freshman last season, and is expected to compete for playing time with three key returnees at the end position. Mesarch wasn’t listed on the Aggies’ two-deep spring depth chart and is expected to run primarily with the second and third team when preseason camp begins.

Taylor Pope, WR, Boise State, So. (La Quinta)
Pope didn’t play as a freshman and wasn’t listed on the post-spring depth chart Boise State released leading into the summer. He’s unfortunately fighting for playing time with a number of experienced receivers.

Brandon Vandenburg, TE, Vanderbilt, Jr. (College of the Desert via Xavier Prep)
The 6-foot-6 260 pound tight end leaves for Vanderbilt toward the end May, where he will enroll in two summer semesters and workout in preparation for the upcoming season. He is expected to be penciled in as the starter once preseason camp begins in early August.

Palm Springs linebackers Michael Greer and Rodney Butler will both be entering their freshman seasons this fall and therefore were not officially a part of spring ball where they will play in college. Greer will play at Oregon State and Butler at New Mexico State.

Former 49ers lineman Kwame Harris comes out, but needs to stay out in the public

Posted: March 29th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Football, Sports Blog | Tags: , ,
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I’ve covered sports for 27 years, and when I first started, it was always weird to me that there were no openly gay athletes. Just look at the number of professional football, baseball or basketball players, and no one is gay? I always figured it wouldn’t be long before an active athlete, particularly in one of the major sports, would come out and be open.

Since I first held a job as a sports writer in 1986, attitudes have changed. Some have been out in individual sports, like tennis and recently boxing. Yet through all these years, there are no openly gay and active athlete in the major team sports?

Earlier today, Kwame Harris has come out after playing in the Super Bowl and was outed. I really applaud him for coming out and going public by doing an interview with CNN to talk about it. You hope it will give other athletes the courage to be open.

Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried joined a gay rights sports group Athletes Ally. Faried joined the group in part to honor his two mothers, who married in 2007. I suspect athletes are more like Faried than 49ers and Harris teammate Chris Culliver, who made anti-gay remarks prior to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, I think Culliver’s words have more of an impact than Faried’s actions.

But lets be frank. No athlete has come out while he was an active player in a team sport. This makes it harder for the others who are in the closet. I would suspect that once someone came out, there would be several others who will come out as well. In this community, they need someone to be that leader. I can’t believe no one has stepped forward.

In an ideal world, I would like to see a team pick up Harris so he can come out of retirement and be that leader. He would get a lot of attention and have to deal with a lot of interview requests. He would create a legacy greater than anything he could do on the football field. He could create social change.

Below is the link to the Harris interview. http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/29/former-nfl-player-comes-out/

 

DirecTV could drop NFL Sunday Ticket after 2014

Posted: March 7th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Football, Sports Blog, TV/Media | Tags: , , , , , ,
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Could every game of the NFL season be available to cable TV subscribers in a couple of seasons?

Don’t be surprised if that’s the case after the 2014 NFL season.

Since 1994, DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket has been the only option to watching every out-of-market NFL regular-season game each Sunday.

DirecTV has paid dearly for the exclusive right to broadcast Sunday Ticket. The most recent agreement, which runs through the 2014 season, costs DirecTV $4 billion.

During an investors conference call Wednesday, DirecTV CFO Pat Doyle said that if the exclusivity price goes too high when the current deal expires, DirecTV might pursue a non-exclusive deal that would allow other companies to also carry Sunday Ticket or even drop the Sunday Ticket package entirely.

So the days when hoisting a satellite dish on the rooftop was the only way to watch every NFL game might come to an end after two more seasons.

So what happens if DirecTV’s exclusivity contract ends? Well, the NFL could offer the Sunday Ticket package to rival Dish Network and cable TV companies, providing millions of television-watching households with access to every NFL game from start to finish.

STARTING POINTS: Greatest receiver debate not really a debate … yet

Posted: January 30th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Football, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , , , ,
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Well, it was Super Bowl Media Day on Tuesday — an event, that used to be useful to the media, but now is just an embarrassing parade of clowns. It came and went with all the uselessness we’ve come to expect.  Without actually listening to any of the reports, I assume someone dressed like Nacho Libre asked Colin Kaepernick to marry him. A not-so-funny media member with a funny hat asked a player to sing a song. One football player interveiwed another football player in a hi-larious twist on the way things are supposed to happen. And the important players and coaches said absolutely nothing of interest.

But one player who isn’t important anymore said something to get his name in the news and it worked perfectly. All anyone was talking about was Randy Moss saying he was the best receiver of all time. Oh my gosh! But what about Jerry Rice! Clamored people. He has more of everything than Moss – yards, TDs, rings, appearances on Dancing With the Stars. Moss said he thinks he’s the greatest receiver because the entire way defense is played was changed because of him. A valid point of sorts.

But Jerry Rice was there to clear the air, with a response that is what the kids these days would call a humble-brag: “I’m very surprised Randy Moss used that in those words that he’s the greatest. You’d never hear me say I’m the greatest football player to ever play the game. I let my body of work speak for itself, and I think I was able to be very productive on the football field.”

Pardon me Jerry, but Randy said he was the greatest “receiver”, you said you were the greatest “player” of all time. You know, right while you were saying I’d never hear you say it. You pretty much said it. Just sayin’.

But anyway, who cares? Both players should think they are the best of all time. Why not?

Anyway, this “debate”, made me think of a perfect parallel that can be drawn to the NBA about who is the gretest all-around player of all time.

Michael Jordan is Jerry Rice – He’s got the rings, the stats, the calm under pressure, the 100-megawatt smile. Jordan is the best basketball player and Rice is the best receiver. It’s not open for debate … yet.

Kobe Bryant is Randy Moss – An individual with unique talent. They had unbelievably prolific careers, but egos that got in the way some times. And when things are going south, they look out for themselves. Randy Moss by not trying, and Kobe by trying to score 80 points per game whether it’s good for the team or not. But when things are going well, they are unstoppable. Among the greatest talents of all time, but both missing that certain something to put them in the Rice/Jordan class.

Then comes the third entry to both debates.

LeBron James is Calvin Johnson — Just like LeBron was labelled, and has proven to be, a combination of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson; Calvin Johnson has been called a combination of Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. A previously unseen combination of speed, size, hands, route-running and football IQ. Of course, just like LeBron, Calvin would have to get some rings and playoff victories and pesky things like that to really enter the conversation. But just like no one, including Jordan, can do all the things that LeBron does to help his team win. There has never been a receiver, including Rice, with the all-around combination of skill that Johnson possesses.

So the REAL debate isn’t is Randy Moss/Kobe Bryant better than Jerry Rice/Michael Jordan? They aren’t. Debate over. But rather can Calvin Johnson/LeBron James put together enough of a career to eclipse Rice/Jordan? The answer to that isn’t so cut and dry.

 

One of those slimy days in sports

Posted: January 29th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Baseball, Football, Sports Blog
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There are times when being part of the sport world is tremendous fun. And there are days when you feel like you need to take a shower to get the slime off.

Today is one of the slimy days. A group of players, mostly in baseball and one in football, have been hit with allegations of using banned substances. If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying seems to be the mantra for the day.

In baseball, plays like Alex Rodriguez (surprise!), Melky Cabrera (surprise!), Gio Gonzales, Nelson Cruz and a few others have been liked to PED use through a clinic (surprise!) in Miami. This is the same clinic and the same, uh, doctor? who were involved with Many Ramirez was banned from the game not once but twice for banned substances.

The idea of people cheating in baseball and using PEDs is so common now that I can’t image anyone is surprised by any story anymore. And I start to wonder if fans even care, even as baseball writers rebuke players like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens for their association with PEDs.

Ray Lewis denies he used a banned substance to recovery from a tricep injury (AP photo)

Now comes word that Ray Lewis (remember, we aren’t supposed to talk about the blood and the gun and Atlanta anymore) apparently was using deer antler spray in his recovery from a torn tricep muscle that put him out for the second half of the year. Don’t ask me what is in deer antler spray that is banned by the NFL. But there is something, and gosh, isn’t Tuesday of Super Bowl week the perfect time for Sports Illustrated to break this little story?

Are we at a point in time in sports now when everyone cheats? Where people who don’t cheat are the freaks of the sports? Where the defense of “I never tested positive” has become as believable as “My dog ate my homework”?

Today, because the moon and the stars are in just the right place or because it’s Super Bowl media day or because someone in New York hates Alex Rodriguez, is a day of a lot of negative news in sports. And by the end of the day, feel free to wash up and towel off and start fresh tomorrow in search of better news.

 

STARTING POINTS: Hall of Fame; Lakers’ latest; Musburger’s gaffe

Posted: January 9th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Baseball, Basketball, Football, NCAA, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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Another steroid-free edition of Starting Points where the only performance-enhancing drug is Diet Coke.

FIRST POINT: Getting the Hall call

At 11 a.m. this morning, the Major League muckety-mucks will announce that no one will join the elite brotherhood of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. That’s the feeling heading into today’s announcement. It is unlikely that Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa or Mike Piazza will get the call because for every RBI, strikeout and homer there is a syringe or in Sosa’s case a syringe and a hollowed out bat full of bouncy balls. That leaves Craig Biggio of the Astros and those long-suffering holdouts like Jack Morris as the most likely people to get the call today. But most likely of all is that no one will get the nod. Which brings up a greater question: Is the whole notion of making the Hall of Fame in essence meaningless these days? If the 15 best players of the last 25 years can’t be in the Hall because of PEDs, and players 16-25 aren’t good enough to make the Hall, what’s the point? Anyway on that downer of a note, my column in today’s paper details how I would vote in Barry Bonds despite the fact that he did steroids. But not other guys who did it, because I think you can take each player on a case-by-case basis, and I believe Bonds had the most honorable reason to cheat, if there can be such a thing. I would vote in Bonds, Biggio and Morris if I had a vote today. Here’s a link to my column explaining why I would induct Bonds, but not Clemens, McGwire, Sosa, etc. http://www.mydesert.com/article/20130108/SPORTS12/301080060/I-ll-say-Bonds-belongs-Hall

POINT TWO: Oh those Lakers

I can think of better times for the Lakers’ next two games to be nationally televised contests against the Spurs and Thunder. The reeling and now-shorthanded Lakers lost to Houston on Tuesday to fall to 15-19, and 15-21 certainly feels like three short days away with two road games against two of the league’s best on the immediate horizon. The phrase “This is going to get worse before it gets better” is flashing in neon lights around the Lakers right now.  Interesting side note: This would be hard to look up, but I wonder when was the last time the Lakers were a double-digit underdog (as they are tonight at San Antonio) on the same day the Clippers were a double-digit favorite (as they are tonight at home against Dallas)? My guess would be that it’s never happened in Kobe Bryant’s Lakers’ career. I’ll have to ask my Vegas guy RJ Bell about that.

POINT THREE:  Musburger with a side of overreaction

There was a bit of an uproar after Monday’s BCS championship game after announcer Brent Musburger fawned perhaps too much over Katerine Webb, the girlfriend of Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, who was shown repeatedly in the stands. “You quarterbacks get all the good-looking women,” Musburger said to his booth-mate Kirk Herbstreit, an ex-Ohio State quarterback married to an ex-Ohio State cheerleader. Some thought Musburger went too far when he added that if you’re a young boy in Alabama you should get out in the back yard and start throwing the football around. The whole thing was way overblown. It was a completely innocent, off-the-cuff reaction to the image of Webb on the TV. ESPN went so far as to send out an apology Tuesday, but that was unnecessary. I mean, ESPN has tons to apologize for, but not what Musburger said. Take the level-headed words of Webb herself. “It was kind of nice,” Webb, a former Miss Alabama, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “I didn’t look at it as creepy at all. For a woman to be called beautiful, I don’t see how that’s an issue.” Well said Ms. Webb.

I want to hear from you. Should Bonds be in the Hall? If not him who should? Will the Lakers make the playoffs? Were you offended by Musburger’s remarks? Tell me what you think. Comment on this blog, e-mail me at shad.powers@thedesertsun.com or follow me on twitter at TDSshadpowers. Thanks.

STARTING POINTS: Tying a bow on bowl season

Posted: January 8th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Football, NCAA, Sports Blog
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My inkling that Notre Dame would be up to the task in last night’s game proved to be, shall we say, wrong. I think I confused “up to the task” with “out to the woodshed.”

FIRST POINT: SEC and everybody else

There are two sides to the debate over what the best conference is. There are people who believe it’s the SEC, and people who are wrong. Alabama cruised to the league’s seventh consecutive national title on Monday, and even in what was a down year, showed it’s strength. Just to tie a bow on the bowl season as far as conferences are concerened. Here is a breakdown in order of winning percentage, with each league’s winners and losers:

WAC (2-0): Winners — San Jose State, Utah State

Conference USA (4-1)  Winners — Rice, SMU, Tulsa, UCF. Loser — East Carolina

SEC (6-3) Winners — Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt. Losers — Florida, LSU, Mississippi St.

ACC (4-2) Winners — Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State, Virginia Tech. Losers —  Duke, N.C. State

Big East (3-2) Winners — Louisville, Syracuse, Cincinnati. Losesrs – Pitt, Rutgers.

Pac-12 (4-4)  Winners — Oregon, Arizona, Arizona State, Stanford. Losers — UCLA, USC, Washington, Oregon State

Sun Belt (2-2) Winners — La.-Monroe, Arkansas State. Losers —  La.-Laf., Western Kentucky

Big 12 (4-5) Winners — Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech.  Losers — TCU, Oklahoma, Kansas State, West Virginia, Iowa State.

Independents (1-2) Winner — BYU. Losers — Notre Dame, Navy

Big Ten (2-5) Winners — Michigan State, Northwestern. Losers — Wisconsin, Michigan, Purdue, Nebraska, Minnesota

MAC (2-5) Winners — Central Michigan, Ohio. Losers — Bowling Green, Ball State, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Toledo

Mountain West (1-4) Winner — Boise State. Losers — Air Force, Fresno State, Nevada, San Diego State

SECOND POINT: Big Ten bashing rebuttal

I’d like to offer the slightest defense to the Big Ten, which had a completely embarrassing regular season, but actually acquitted themselves quite nicely in the bowl season for a change. Uh, Shad, they went 2-5? Yes, that’s true, but they were underdogs in all seven games: Winning two (Northwestern, Michigan State); losing two on last-second plays (Michigan, Minnesota), losing two more on competitive Jan. 1 bowls (Wisconsin, Nebraska) and losing only one game in lopsided Big Ten regular-season fashion (Purdue). And keep in mind this was without the ineligible Ohio State (only unbeaten team in country) and Penn State (another top-half Big Ten team). When the top team is in eligible, as the Pac-12 has learned in the past, it is a double whammy. It’s not just that that team can’t win its bowl game, it pushes every other team into a game one higher than they should be, hence the seven-for-seven underdogs.

THIRD POINT: Closing thoughts on bowl season

So kudos to the Alabama Crimson Tide and Mr. Happy Nick Saban. They are certainly better than the team they played in the BCS title game. Like we said all along, it would have been nice to see them play Oregon in the final instead of Notre Dame, but we only have one more year of the BCS. I haven’t been as a big of a BCS hater as most people, it’s produced a couple great finals which otherwise wouldn’t have happened — USC-Texas; Oregon-Auburn, but this was by far the saddest year for BCS bowls. Five games, five unwatchable messes. The only game that was decided by less than double-digits was that slog of a Rose Bowl between Stanford and Wisconsin. Otherwise you had Florida State 31, Northern Illinois 10; Louisville 33, Florida 23; Oregon 35, Kansas State 17; and last night’s 42-14 train wreck. Oof.

And now we can officially turn our focus, those who already haven’t, to college basketball. Only a few months until selection Sunday. Woo-hoo!

STARTING POINTS: My tune has changed on Alabama-Notre Dame game

Posted: January 7th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Football, NCAA, Sports Blog | Tags: , , , ,
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Well, it’s nice to be back with my daily sports blog after a little holiday hiatus. Remember the idea is to start your work day with some quick thoughts about the hot topics in sports, and to get your opinion, too. So please share your take by commenting on this blog, e-mailing me at shad.powers@thedesertsun.com or by hitting me up on twitter at @tdsshadpowers or our general sports handle @mydesertsports.

POINT ONE: BCS title game finally here

It has not been a very exciting bowl season, I think it’s fair to say. The previous 34 games did not provide much in the way of fantastic finishes, amazing individual performances or buzz-worthy story lines. That can all be erased with a classic tonight, but what are the odds of that? Before the bowl season, I would have answered not very high. I was expecting a non-competitive yet still low-scoring game to be won by Alabama, something like 22-6. My mind has changed, though, and it has everything to do with the sluggish performance of the other top teams in the SEC. LSU and Florida’s face plants, plus a miraculous escape by South Carolina, brings Alabama’s excellence into question for me. Obviously Nick Saban’s history in big games, should not be overlooked, but I now think an upset is possible. If the Irish have used the two months (ridiculous amount of time) since their last game wisely, they may have found a few ways to move the ball against Alabama. So I’ve officially changed my tune, I am calling for a Notre Dame victory tonight. Notre Dame 16, Alabama 9.

POINT TWO: Ice, Ice, baby

The NHL is back. When this news broke Sunday, my first reaction was as a sports editor: “Oh great, how are we going to be able find room for hockey in an already bustling sports section.” But my second reaction was as a fan: “That’s cool. The sports landscape does seem a little off without it.” The funny thing is, at least for me, I think the lockout-shortened season has actually piqued my interest much more than if there had been a normal NHL season. The uniqueness of the situation, much like the NBA season last year, actually creates intrigue that isn’t always there. Games should start soon, and we’ll see if those NHL champion L.A. Kings can defend the Cup.

POINT THREE: NFL yawners

The one thing you can count in the NFL is the unexpected. You never know what’s going to happen from week to week with all the parity, and the drama almost always goes to the final second … except of course for this past weekend’s playoffs. The favored team one every game with ease, and no game went down to the wire. Also, the action was not crisp. Nobody’s offense played well. One team’s QB literally didn’t show up (Minnesota), other team’s QBs figuratively didn’t show up (All four AFC teams). So we’re left with the eight teams we all expected. The seven division champions and Seattle. The NFC East is left out of the party, forcing ESPN to learn about some of the other divisions. It’s a safe bet that next week’s games will be more interesting, it would almost be impossible for that not to happen. We’ll wait for later in the week for any predictions, though.

POINT FOUR: High School hoops re-entry

The local high school basketball teams are jumping right back into the fray tonight with two classic boys’ matchups to re-open the season. Palm Springs hosts La Quinta, and Palm Desert hosts Cathedral City. It’s a pair of games pitting the presumptive top four teams in the DVL. Can Palm Springs start clicking on all cylinders after sort of a start-and-stop beginning to the season? Will La Quinta show it has closed ground on the big boys? Can Palm Desert’s stingy defense shut down Cathedral City’s super-scorer Christian Wilson? Can the Lions really compete with the upper crust of the league? Both games tip at 6:30 p.m. so head to Palm Springs or Palm Desert and find a seat early. High school hoops is back.

 

STARTING POINTS: A magical victory at Staples … no, seriously

Posted: December 19th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Basketball, Football, Sports Blog | Tags: , , ,
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POINT ONE: Last night’s Lakers game had all the making of a classic. Wild 20-point swings both ways. Coaches wringing their hands as the final seconds wound down. Kobe had the fourth-quarter snarl going. A loud Staples Center crowd was in full throat as the ball hung on the rim that would have given the opponent the victory, only to explode when the clock finally ticked to zero with a pulse-pounding Lakers victory. It had the spirit and drama of some of the best games in Lakers’ lore. It wasn’t a Game 7 against the Celtics in the Finals, though. It was a regular season game against the Charlotte Bobcats, losers of 11 and now 12 in a row. It was a surreal scene. On the one hand, obviously, it’s a position the Lakers never dreamed of being in, desparately trying to get a home victory over one of the worst teams in the league. But at the same time, they did need it. There was an air of desparation. Losing this game would have done possibly irreparable damage to the Lakers’ psyche and certainly their place in teh court of public opinion. So in that sense, it was a huge victory in a real sense, not in a tongue-and-cheek sense. The end result is a three-game winning streak. Gasol played well in his return and Nash may be coming back Saturday. It’s easy to mock this victory, but funny as it may seem, this win may go down as the turning point to the season. A home victory against the woeful Bobcats. Who would have believed it?

POINT TWO: Mark down

It came about ten games too late, but now that the Jets are officially out of the playoffs, Rex Ryan has benched ineffective quarterback Mark Sanchez in favor of third-string QB Greg McElroy. Thirty below average (and that’s being kind) games in a row was finally enough of a sample size to do in the former USC quarterback. The biggest winner in this move? Clearly, is Mark Sanchez. To his credit, he has handled this miss-managed season with professionalism. He is a stand-up guy, just not a very good NFL quarterback. And there’s nothing wrong with that. His demotion will lift an unfairly huge weight off his back and he can exhale and get back to enjoying life. I expect he will wile away the next couple years as a backup quarterback in the league, and quietly and unceremoniously dissolve into the NFL ether. And for Sanchez, I think that might be a welcome offering. He was the quarterback on the Jets teams that made the AFC Championship game in back-to-back years in his first two seasons, and in retrospect that may have been the worst thing for him. It put expectations on him that he didn’t deserve and would never be able to live up to. He hasn’t gotten worse since those first two years. The team certainly has, but he hasn’t. His level has stayed the same. At his best his was an OK NFL QB, at his worst, like Monday, he was one of the worst. The truth is somewhere between horrible and OK, and that’s not good enough to start in this league. I sincerely hope good things happen to Sanchez now, because he didn’t deserve what he was forced to endure this season.

POINT THREE: High school hoops bonanza

If you’re a fan of Desert Valley League basketball and you want to get a gauge for how this year is going to play out, you should find your way to Palm Springs High School today for the first day of teh Palm Springs Winter Classic. It’s a DVL fan’s dream triple-header with perennial powers Palm Desert, La Quinta and Palm Springs playing back-to-back games in the 12-team field. The Aztecs play Peninsula at 5 p.m.; La Quinta plays last-year’s winner Calabasas at 6:30 p.m. and Palm Springs plays San Jacinto at 8 p.m. And if you miss it today, the same thing happens on Day 2 on Thursday with those three DVL powers playing back-to-back starting at 5 p.m. It also offers a great opportunity to scout if you are a coach of fan of Cathedral City, Inio, Coachella Valley or Xavier Prep. Today’s the first day of an amazing 10-days stretch of holiday basketball in the valley, culminating with next week’s massive MaxPreps tournament.