A Tough Year for Me in College Sports

When this past September rolled around, sports were looking pretty good for me. The Red Sox were in first, the Patriots started strong, the Bruins were looking to start a good year, and the Celtics were a likeable team in my mind. Most sports fans would say that I was very lucky, and I was and am luck professional sports wise. Unlike some people, I also have a true passion for college sports. I am not someone who roots for the best teams, I have been born and raised as a fan of certain colleges. All three of them were looking to have incredible seasons this year, and I was excited.

I am a huge Marquette basketball fan, I mean HUGE! I am counting down the minutes right now until the showdown against Butler at home tonight. One might ask how a ninth grade boy in Massachusetts became a Marquette fan. It is a quite simple answer, Marquette is my dad's Alma Mater. Marquette's only division 1 sport that I follow is basketball, making it even more special. Last year Marquette finished in the Elite Eight, and had a load of returners coming back for their senior years. In the late spring of 2013 , Marquette’s debatably best player Vander Blue declared for the 2013 NBA Draft instead of staying for senior year. If he had gotten drafted and started a solid NBA career, I would be happy for him. Instead, he went undrafted and is struggling to find a place in the NBA. This just makes it hard to take in, knowing that he could’ve improved a lot this year at Marquette.

Marquette was still projected to be a top 15 team in the country though. Davante Gardner, Chris Otule, and Jamil Wilson were all coming back for senior year, as well their best recruiting class in years. They had a solid 3-1 start to the year, losing to Ohio State. Then they started to fumble, and ended up around 8-4, not bad, but low for their standards. I thought they would be able to rebound from a slow start and play well in conference play, but just about the opposite has happened. Marquette is now 12-10, and for 11 straight games have won then lost, then won, and then lost a game. It is quite frustrating. After making the NCAA tournament every year under Buzz Williams, this year they will most likely come up short. Instead of, as expected, one of Buzz William’s best years, it has turned into by far the worst so far. It is hard for me to take in, as I thought it was Marquettes year, but as it turns out, it is just about the opposite. The only way I possibly see Marquette making the NCAA tournament is by winning the Big East tournament, but that would quite hard if they play like they are playing now.

Not only am I a college basketball fan, but I am a college football fan. Since Marquette doesn’t have a football team, I am a Notre Dame Football fan. My grandfather, uncle, and dad’s cousin all went there, and influenced him to be a ND football fan. He influenced me, and I became more of a die hard fan than him. This year, ND was expected to make a run at the BCS bowl and finish off the unfinished business from last year. Instead, they had a mediocre season. I understand that Everett Golson was suspended for the season, but I still believe they could have done much better. They finished unranked and in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. When expected to be a top team in the country, this season would be considered a sucky one. They finished with a 9-4 record, not bad, but to Notre Dames standard, not good. I understand they are supposed to have a great team next year, but who knows, with my recent luck, they could have a mediocre season again.

My third favorite college sport is hockey. Obviously Notre Dame has a hockey team, and are good, but I was raised as a BU fan. I have had many aunts, uncles, and cousins go to BU, and an uncle of mine used to work there. Not only that, but my cousins cousin is a freshman on the team this year. Jack Parker retired, and they have a young team, so I didn’t expect much. I thought they would be just below .500 with high hopes for next year. I still have high hopes for next year, but the team has been terrible this year. They are way below .500, and at the bottom of Hockey East. I am not too upset about this though, as I didn’t have very high expectations for BU this year anyway.

I know there are much worse teams out there, and much sadder fans, but it still has been a down year in college sports for me. Marquette and Notre Dame have been fast growing programs, both looking to bring back glory days. This year seemed like it was finally the year for both of them, but as it turns out, it was the exact opposite. Marquette might not make the NCAA tournament, and Notre Dame looked like they did five years ago. The positive I can take out of this is that all three teams have upsides, all young and well coached teams. I can’t wait until next year, when hopefully at least one of them will break out.

Brady vs Manning 14.0

       In a few hours, for the fourteenth time two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history will meet under the lights at Gillette Stadium. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are legends, and two of the greatest rivals in the history of the game. Tonight, the two will be battling in their normal fashion. At the beginning of the year, the Patriots had a great defense but young and struggling offense. As the year has progressed and the defense has become plagued with injuries, Brady's offense is finally starting to look like a Brady offense. Neither of the teams have very strong defenses, so this is an almost guaranteed shootout. Expect both quarterback to put up big numbers.
   
       Another reason this game is so meaningful is because of the wide receivers. Wes Welker is returning to Gillette Stadium for the first time since the Broncos signed him this off-season. It will be interesting to see how he is received by the fans. He will be going up against his replacement Danny Amendola. Both of these receivers will be looking to show the other up in the clash of two elite teams. This is going to be one of the best games of the year, don't miss out.

College Basketball Preview

NCAA Trophy

The start of the college basketball season is here, and there are a number of very talented teams. This season may possess the most talent of any college basketball season in a long time. Between a top recruiting class and talented returning players, the season is expected to be a great one. Here are my thoughts on the the road to March Madness.

1. Kentucky

Julius Randle Laughing with Marcus Lee

Kentucky is stacked this year. Last year, Kentucky had many talented recruits, but because of injuries, they did not even make the NCAA tournament. Nerlens Noel left to the NBA, but most of their talented class returned, as well as a new, talented 2013 recruiting class, led by Julius Randle. Randle, above, was the number three overall recruits and has high expectations. The team is young, as nine of their sixteen players are Freshmen, but Randle will have help. He is one of their five five star recruits. They bring in point guard Andrew Harrison, shooting guard Aaron Harrison, small forward James Young, Randle is the power forward, and Dakari Johnson is center. Kentucky also signed four star recruit Marcus Lee and two more three star recruits. This is an unbelievable recruiting class, and should score a lot of points throughout the year. The combination of the new freshman and returning sophomores should be just about unstoppable.

2. Kansas

Andrew Wiggins

If someone were to ask about Kansas, naming their Canadian freshman Andrew Wiggins would be a good enough explanation. He is just that good, and he is drawing comparisons to Lebron James when he was coming out of high school. NBA teams are already planning on trying to get a lottery pick just for Wiggins and a few of his fellow freshman recruits. Wiggins is a 6’8 200 pound small forward, as well as amazing talent. His combination of size, strength, and talent will make him a superstar one day. Even though Wiggins is amazing, he will have some help. Five star recruits Joel Embiid and Wayne Selden will help, as well as sophomore Perry Ellis and Senior Tarik Black. They should stay in the top five all year, the only way they fall is if a few of their top players get injured or Wiggins and Selden struggle under pressure.

3. Michigan State

Gary Harris

Unlike most of the other top teams in the country, the Michigan State Spartans will not be relying on a new freshman to be their go to player. Instead, they will be relying on sophomore Gary Harris, who has already proven himself on the big stage. Of the top teams, Michigan State is probably the most proven of them all. They can use their experience over schools like Duke, Kentucky, and Kansas to beat them in late game situations. In this moment, until Wiggins, Parker, and Randle really prove themselves, I would want Gary Harris shooting the ball. Gary Harris will also have many guys to work with. As shown in their first game, Michigan State had five other players scoring in double digits. This showed that they could score with more than a few players. Denzel Valentine is a sophomore guard, Branden Dawson is a junior small forward, Keith Appling is a senior guard, Travis Trice is a junior guard, and Adreian Payne is their senior center. All of them should contribute next to Gary Harris, and all of them have played on the big stage before, so I expect them to go to the national championship against either Kentucky or Kansas.

4. Duke

Sport Illustrated cover of Jabari Parker

Andrew Wiggins is Canadian, so Jabari Parker is considered the best American basketball recruit. Parker is a top player, and is also going to be a star one day. Parker is just about as good as Wiggins, making this recruiting class so good. The amazing thing about Jabari is that he is Mormon, and was considering BYU. This would have been a huge thing for their program, but Parker chose Duke in the end. This made an already top twenty team into a top five team. Parker is real good, and can lead duke deep into the NCAA tournament. Rodney Hood is also a very talented sophomore forward who will be another big part in Duke’s season. Junior guard Quinn Cook, sophomore guard Rasheed Sulaimon, and senior guard Tyler Thornton will contribute to Dukes scoring as well. They will need to score a lot if they want to keep up with the other top schools.

5. Marquette

Davante Gardner

 
Davante Gardner for a fact is one of the most underrated college basketball players, and Marquette is one of the most underrated basketball teams this year. Losing Vander Blue definitely dropped them in the preseason polls, but they have a number of players who by the end of the year could fill his go to role. The top four teams in the nation are pretty obvious, but many teams qualify for number five. Louisville, Michigan, and Arizona are all up there. In my opinion though, Marquette will finish fifth in the nation. They have a soft schedule, so they will win many games, but have a few challenging games here and there including Wisconsin and Ohio State. They don’t have the biggest forwards, but have some of the fiercest and toughest forwards in the league. Gardener is a senior, so he is not talked about like some freshman, but sure can produce like them. He rebounds, plays good defense, can drive to the basket, and has a soft touch on his shot. He is a versatile weapon. Along with senior center Chris Otule, senior forward Jamil Wilson, and sophomore forward Steve Taylor Jr, Marquette could be a matchup problem down low. Todd Mayo and Derrick Wilson have to step up until Marquette’s best recruiting class under Buzz Williams develops into their potential. If one of their freshman turn into a star, or Todd Mayo makes a big jump, then this could be a special year for Marquette.

Remembering the View of Paul Pogba's Goal

     I don't know many people actually saw this goal, or how may remember it. This video was taken by a fan at a Juventus game on August 31, 2013, the beginning of the soccer season. Paul Pogba, a 20 year old midfielder for Juventus and France, receives the ball far outside the box. Pogba takes a big shot, and the ball curves back down, hitting the bottom of the bar, going bar down. This goal is the definition of a snipe, and the angle the fan took was fantastic. It doesn't get much better than this.

World Series Preview

   
   

     Tonight the start of the 2013 World Series begins at Fenway Park at 8 pm. Both teams are very talented, and the Cardinal are looking for revenge on the Red Sox from 2004, as the Red Sox strive for their third title in ten years. It is set to be a fantastic and exciting World Series, and I look forward to watching it. Here are the five x-factors in the series.

Allen Craig Hitting

Allen Craig

     Allen Craig was a big part in the Cardinals season, until injuring his foot six weeks ago on September fourth. Craig comes back from his injury and will be the Designated Hitter in games one and two at Fenway Park. Craig is looking to bring his bat into the Cardinals lineup. He hit .315 this season with 13 home runs and 97 RBI's. If Allen can put up numbers like this in the playoffs, then St. Louis should have an easier time scoring runs. The Cardinals need Craig to return strong, if his foot affects his production, then he is no use to the them and will lower their production on offense. St. Louis fans are hoping Craig can return healthy to give them a nice boost on offense.

Uehara celebrating

Koji Uehara

     It would be a smart idea for dictionary companies to add Uehara's name under the definition of lights out, because that is what he has been. With the exception of the one walk off homerun in Tampa Bay, Uehara has been unstoppable. It is an accomplishment to make contact against Uehara. Koji has 13 strike outs and an ERA of 1.00 in his nine innings this postseason. After watching Uehara's splitter, you will understand why he has such good stats. All Uehara has to do is keep up his unstoppable pitching, and he will give the Red Sox a good chance at winning the World Series.

Beltran hitting vs the Pittburg Pirates

    Carlos Beltran


     Carlos Beltran is considered one of the Cardinals best hitters. Now, at 36 years old, he is a veteran playing in his first World Series. Beltran is going to have to keep cool and play well, and not let his emotions overtake him. I highly doubt they will, even though he hasn't played in a World Series, he has been around long enough where I think he won't be overwhelmed. Beltran will have to put good numbers up on the big stage, or the Cardinals will not win.

Xander Bogaerts fielding a ball at shortstop

 
Xander Bogaerts


   Not many people outside of Boston know about Bogaerts, and that is because he is a rookie. Bogaerts, at age 21, is looking to get playing time against the Cardinals in the World Series. Bogaerts has gotten some playing time behind Drew and Middlebrooks this season. Drew is a veteran, and will probably not be taken out, but Middlebrooks is very inconsistent and young as well. Bogaerts will get some playing time at third base, and will have to make his name known on the big stage. It would be a great sign for the Red Sox if Bogaerts can perform under so much pressure, as he is there young prospect with the most potential. IF Xander can perform, then he will help the Red Sox a lot in scoring much needed runs against another strong pitching staff.

The Green Monster at Fenway Park

The Green Monster


     As shown in the last series against the Tigers, the Green Monster can play a big part in games at Fenway Park. The Tiger had a lot of trouble figuring out how to field balls off of the Green Monster, and the Red Sox took advantage of that with extra bases. The Cardinals haven't seen the Green Monster at all this year, and have rarely seen it in previous years. They will have to learn the specifics of the Green Monster to limit the Red Sox extra bases. It is a three man job. The center fielder directs the the left fielder and is backup, and the shortstop is an outlet. It is important to do this the right way, or the ball could take a bounce to an open spot, letting runners to advance extra bases. If the Cardinals do not figure out the Green Monster, than it could be a long series for them. Obviously the main battle will be between all of the stars, but these are five things that could give one team or another a nice advantage. Look for these x factors while watching the games, they could easily affect the outcome of the series.

Boston Strong

   

     Last night was truly "The Night" in Boston sports. Starting with Tom Brady's last minute drive to beat the Saint's, then the Red Sox comeback, including David Ortiz's grand slam. It was one incredible night. I am a Boston sports fan, and I haven't been this happy regarding sports since the Bruin's came back against Maple Leafs in last years playoffs, overcoming a four to one deficit. Every Red Sox and Patriots fans probably woke up today feeling pretty good. What a way to wake up on Columbus Day.

     It all started late Sunday afternoon, when the Patriots faced off against the Saints. I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the game, and watch it live. The Patriots came out strong, and led by Stevan Ridley, took a 17-7 lead. Ridley had two rushing touchdown in the first half, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 35 yard field goal. At half time fans were confident, the offense was driving, and the defense was shutting Drew Bree's down. We were not expecting the Saints to come out so strong though.

     The Saints were ready right from the second half kickoff. They drove down the field on the Pats Defense, but were held short of the end zone, and Garrett Hartley kicked a 28 yard field goal. The Saint's got the ball back and with 6:19 left in the third quarter, Khiry Robinson bounced to the outside and into the end zone for a three yard touchdown run. We were getting a little nervous in the crowd, as the game was tied and the Saints had momentum.

     The Patriots got the ball back, and drove to around he Saints 35 yard line, before being stopped. The Pats put their trust in Gostowski, who kicked a 54 yard field goal, a personal record. The Pats had taken the lead for the the second time.
     Early in the fourth quarter, Drew Brees overthrew Jimmy Graham, and the ball landed right in Kyle Arrington of the Patriots hands, for a interception. Arrington intercepted this ball on the Saints side of the field, giving Tom Brady good field position. Brady and the offense struggled to get much going though, and just settled for a Gostowski 23 yard field goal with 8:34 left in the game. The Patriots were now up by six, and were looking for the defense to make a stop.

   Kenny Stills catches the ball over Alfonzo Dennard. 

   
    

     Drew Brees and the Saints were eager to take the lead, and started driving down the field, giving the Patriot fans a scare. After a holding penalty, the Saints were backed up. They ended in a third and twenty, looking to get a long first down. Pats fan were hoping for just a field goal attempt, but nobody expected what happened next. A 34 yard touchdown pass was just a bad dream come true. Alfonzo Dennard could not have covered Kenny Stills better, but the ball missed Dennard's hand by about an inch, and Kenny Still made a great catch, showing great confidence for a rookie. Now, with 3:29 left in the game, Tom Brady was looking to come back.

     The first time the Pats got the ball they had three time outs. They only got a few yards though, as the fourth down catch was dropped by Aaron Dobson. The defense came up big again though, holding New Orleans to a 39 yards field goal. The Saints were now up by four, and the Patriots were going to get the ball back, with one timeout and a little over two minutes. For the first play of the drive Brady goes deep, but completely misses Julian Edelman, throwing an interception. The Patriots defense came up big again, as they used the two minute warning and their timeout to give Brady a little over a minute to do his thing.

Kenbrell Thompkins catches game winning pass from Tom Brady with five seconds left.

     New England got the ball on their own 30 to start their drive. On the first play, Brady throws a strike to Edelman across the middle for 23 yards and across midfield. Brady then throws a fifteen yard pass up the middle to newly acquired Austin Collie. Then, attempting to trick the defense, Brady fakes the spike and throws a six yard pass to Aaron Dobson, who intelligently got out of bounds to stop the clock. Tom then threw two pass's deep down the field to Edelman, who dropped both around the one yard line. All of a sudden it is fourth and four, and the fear of the drive ending starts to show. Brady hits Austin Collie again for a nine yard pass though, and all the fans sigh with relief. We all knew that Brady was going to get two shots in the end zone, and we were praying one would be completed. On his first try, with ten seconds left, after Brady had spiked the ball to stop the clock, he gunned a pass over the cornerback into rookie Kenbrell Thompkins hands. This was for the game winning touchdown, and the crowd that was left went wild. It was one of the greatest game I have ever experienced in person, up their with the Bruins sweep of the Penguins last year. I will remember both for a long time. That is not the only thing I will remember the night of October 13th for though.

Max Scherzer delivering a pitch against the Red Sox in his dominate performance.

     The night was almost ruined, as Max Scherzer dominated the Red Sox hitters. He had thirteen strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings pitched. He also had a no hit bid, which was broken up by Shane Victorino in the sixth inning with two outs. Scherzer also only allowed one run in seven innings pitched. There did not seem like much hope for Red Sox, as it was five to nothing after Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila homered in the sixth. The Red Sox managed one run, which gave them some energy, but they were still losing by four.

     Stephen Drew led off in the eight inning, but grounded out against Jose Veras, bringing Will Middlebrooks to the plate. Will doubled to left field, which brought up the top of the order. Drew Smyly relieved Veras hto face Ellsbury in a lefty on lefty match up. Jacoby Ellsbury, the lead off man, came up to the plate with one out in the eighth. He worked the count against Drew Smyly, and earned a walk, bringing up Shane Victorino. Al Albuquerque relieved Drew Smyly, and struck out Victorino, leaving the Red Sox with one more out in the eighth. Dustin Pedroia batted after Victorino, and singled to right, but Middlebrooks was held up at third. This brought up David Ortiz, the most recognized Designated Hitter in the game.

Broadcast view of Big Papi's grand slam.

David Ortiz grand slam different angle.

The Red Sox Catcher in the Bullpen catches the Home Run ball after Torii Hunter misses by inches.

     Alburquerque was relieved by Joaquin Benoit, the Tigers closer. Ortiz jumped on the first pitch, and hit the ball into the bullpen for a game tying grand slam, inches over Torii Hunters glove. It was truly amazing, and the Red Sox players and fans were re-energized, and ready to beat the Tigers.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia is chased by teammates after walk off hit.

     The night was not over though, as the game was only tied. The Red Sox still needed one more run to finish. Mike Napoli struck out to end the eighth, so it came down to the ninth inning. Koji Uehara delivered again with a one, two, three inning, giving the Red Sox a chance to win. Jonny Gomes reached first on an infield single, and reached second on a throwing error by Jose Iglesias, a former player for the Sox. Jarrod Saltalamacchia approached the plate, and the fans were going crazy. The pitcher was Rick Porcello, and he threw a wild pitch, giving Gomes third base, 90 feet away from victory. Salty singled to left, bringing Gomes home for the walk off victory, and turning the night of Sunday October 13th, 2013, into one of the best nights in Boston sports ever. Boston proved that it is Boston Strong.

Early Rookie Standout Tomas Hertl

     Last night 19 year old rookie Tomas Hertl put on a show in San Jose. The new member of the Sharks team showed that he might be the missing piece in the puzzle for them. The Sharks made it to the Western Conference Semi Finals last year, falling to the Kings. They come into this year with most of the same players , and are looking to make a run at for cup. Nobody expected the 6'2" 198 pound Tomas Hertl from the Czech Republic to stand out so early in the year. Hertl scored four goals against the Rangers last night, to add to his total, which is six after last night. He now leads all NHL players in points and goals, including his childhood idol Jaromir Jagr and favorite player Evgeni Malkin. Not only did Hertl score four times last night, but his goals were well earned and come in a variety of different ways.

     The first goal Hertl scored was on a fast break. Andrew Desjardins took the puck down the boards and Hertl broke for the front of the net. Desjardins passed it through Dan Girardi's legs across the middle, right onto Hertl's stickblade. Tomas chipped the puck off the post and into the top shelf. This goal took Henrik Lundqvist out for the rest of the game, and made the score four to nothing. Hertl showed great smarts without the puck here, skating to the front when Desjardins was skating down the boards . it made the goal possible.

     The second goal was a beauty. Hertl received a pass from Joe Thornton, and he was wide open in the middle of the ice. Tomas split the two defenders and walked in on Martin Biron, the backup goalie. Hertl made a nice quick deke, then slid the puck right through the five hole. Hertl looked very poised making this move, as he was calm and fluently performed it.

    The hat trick was completed with a beautiful grinder goal. The Sharks worked the puck around the point, while Hertl battled in front of the net. Tyler Kennedy passes to Jason Demers on the top of the circles, who finds a way to get the puck to Hertl. Ryan Mcdonagh leaves him for Demers, and he is open in front. He just picks up the puck, turns around, and fires it through the five hole. Hertl showed good strength in front of the net, and picked a good spot to shoot the puck, right through Biron's legs. This was a true grinder goal.

     After Hertl achieved his hat trick, he showed great confidence and pulled off a spectacular move. It is rare to see such an amazing move, especially by a youngster. Hertl drove to the net with confidence and speed, and beat the defender with room to spare. Hertl, a lefty, came in on Biron, and put his stick with the puck between his legs. Not only did he score between the legs, but he lifted the puck top shelf over a sprawling Biron full speed. Hertl proved he had so much skill, as well as confidence, pulling off a move like that. This truly attracted attention around the hockey world, as this is considered one of the best moves hockey players are able to pull off.

     Hertl is still very young, and has a lot of time to develop. His play right now is off the charts for a rookie, and I think he is going to be able to keep it going for a week or two more. Hertl has impressed the hockey world, but has also put a lot of pressure on himself. Hockey fans have high expectations for him now, and if he doesn't perform well, he will face scrutiny. I am a fan of Tomas Hertl, and hope he can develop into the superstar potential he has shown. I think what we are seeing now is a glimpse of the future, but I doubt he can keep up his goal scoring pace this whole year. As he develops, I expect him to become more consistent. Even though he probably won't keep up his superstar pace all year, I think he will be a top contender for the Caulder Memorial Trophy with Nathan MacKinnon, Torey Krug, and Seth Jones.

Tom Brady Streak Ends

     This past weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tom Brady's consecutive games of throwing a touchdown pass ended. The Patriots defense played a hard fought game, and so did the Bengals, keeping the score low. With a young and depleted receiving corp, Brady struggled to generate offense on a muggy Sunday afternoon. They did have some chances though, as they got to one yard line on a down field pass from Brady to Danny Amendola, who dove for the ball. Amendola attempted to roll into the end zone, but was touched by a Bengals defender before the ball crossed the plan. Knowing how close Tom Brady was to keeping this streak alive, it is sort of hard to bear for a Pats fan, especially since he was so close to breaking the record. Drew Brees passed for 54 straight games with a touchdown, beating Johnny Unitas, who held the former record of 47 straight games. Brady had completed 52 straight games with at least one touchdown pass. This record was broken on Sunday at Cincinnati, who ironically, were the team who allowed Brady to start his streak on in 2010. Hopefully this will not affect Brady and the Patriots, who will be playing Drew Brees and the Saints on Sunday. Brady COULD have tied Brees' record if he threw a touchdown this past week, but he does not have that opportunity any more.

Josh Freeman and Matt Flynn Leave Old Teams

     
   


     As the fifth week of the NFL season concluded, two quarterbacks seasons have changed dramatically. One quarterback is Matt Flynn, and the other is Josh Freeman. Freeman was released from the Buccaneers a few days ago, after struggling to lead his Buccaneers to victory. The Minnesota Vikings picked him up, and put him in a very interesting situation. The Vikings have three potential starting quarterbacks, two of which have led their former teams to the playoffs, and Freeman is the one who has not. Matt Cassel, a veteran quarterback, started his career behind Hall of Famer Tom Brady for the Patriots. Following the undefeated 2007 regular season, Brady got hurt on opening day, ending his season, and starting Cassels career. Cassel led the Pats to an 11-5 record, before moving on to the chiefs, where he became a starter. Soon Cassel led a struggling team to the playoffs, only to lose to a powerhouse Ravens team. Cassel became quite injury prone, and the Chiefs gave up on him, leaving him for the Vikings. He is now looking to compete for a starting job. Christian Ponder, the youngest of the three, was expected to start this season, but hurt his ribs. Cassel came in and played great, giving Ponder some competition for when he comes back, which should be this upcoming week. Ponder did not play much his rookie season, but as a second year quarterback turned the struggling franchise into a playoff team. Ponder showed lots of promise last year, so it is his job to lose. Josh Freeman is coming in from the Buccaneers, and is guaranteed not to start in week 6, so he has a chance to learn the offense. It will be a three way battle for the starting job when week 7 comes around. I think that Ponder will start, but if he struggles at all, Freeman or Cassel will come in, depending on who wins the battle for the backup quarterback spot.
 





 
     Another major story regarding quarterbacks is that the raiders dropped quarterback Matt Flynn. Flynn was Aaron Rodgers back up for many years, showing off amazing skills when he occasionally started for Rodgers. Flynn was signed by the Seahawks last year, and lost the job to rookie at the time Russel Wilson. Flynn then signed with the Raiders at the start of this year, only to lose the job again to Terrelle Pryor. Flynn was dropped this past week and is looking for a job, and I think there are three potential homes for him. The first is Jacksonville, no surprise there. They have struggled to find a solid quarterback since David Gerrard, and they might as well give up on Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert has not shown much if any potential at all, and with such a talent loaded draft of quarterbacks coming up, Flynn would be a nice temporary addition to finish the year. Another team would be the Bills, even though they have quarterback E.J. Manuel. Manuel and Kolb are both hurt, and I think Matt Flynn would be a better temporary option than Jeff Toole. Flynn would also be a good backup and mentor when E.J. Manuel returns. The third team Flynn could sign with is the Browns. The Browns have Brian Hoyer, who like Cassel, is a former apprentice of Tom Brady. He put on two tremendous shows before getting hurt in last weeks game, bringing the Browns two and a quarter straight wins, while Brandon Weeden completed the third. Weeden is inexperienced and getting old for a second year quarterback. The better option would be to sign Flynn until Hoyer gets back. Then take one of the many talented quarterbacks in the upcoming draft to battle Hoyer for the starter positon. Flynn will not get a long term deal anywhere, because of his age and the situations around the league. The only potential spot is Jacksonville, but in April a young star is most likely going to play their, and I think they will be favored to start over any veteran quarterback.

NHL Awards Predictions

Hart: The Hart Memorial Trophy recognizes the most valuable player in the league. This year I pick Steven Stamkos to win the Hart Memorial trophy. Stamkos is the go to player on the Tampa Bay Lightning and is a young electrifying forward. I expect him to beat out Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, and Evgeni Malkin for the trophy.

Art Ross: The Art Ross Trophy recognizes the player who scores the most amount of points in the NHL. My pick for the Art Ross Trophy is Patrick Kane. Kane is also a young sniper, but he is on the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, who are one of the best teams in the league. Kane is going to have a lot of opportunities to score, and he will capitalize. I believe Patrick Kane will have the most points, but Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos, and John Tavares will be right behind him.

Vezina: The Vezina Trophy recognizes the best goaltender in the league. Tuuka Rask in my opinion will win the Vezina Trophy this upcoming season. He showed last season that he can lead his very talented Bruins team to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Bruins are one of the top teams in the league, so Tuuka will have many chances to win. He constantly is shutting down his opponents of all skill types. If Tuuka can grow from last year, then Henrik Lundqvist and Jonathan Quick won't have much of a chance.

Norris: The Norris Trophy recognizes the best defense men in the league. I believe that Erik Karlsson is going to win the Norris Trophy in the 2013-2014 season. Karlsson won the trophy two years ago at age 21, and is going for his second at age 23. Karlsson can only get better, and his teammates will help him with that. Ottawa isn't a power house, but they are a middle ranked playoff team. Karlsson should be able to grow and produce in this atmosphere, but if not, Zdeno Chara and Shea Weber could have breakout years.

Calder: The Caulder Memorial Trophy recognizes the best rookie in the NHL. The player I select to win the Calder Memorial Trophy is a surprising one. I think that Torey Krug is going to win the trophy. Krug played in the playoffs last year for the Bruins, but not the regular season. He showed great potential, scoring four goals and getting two assists in that five game playoff series against the Rangers. Krug is probably considered by some as a second year player, but he is an eligible contestant for the Calder Memorial Trophy, as he is considered a rookie this year. If Krug struggles this year, Seth Jones, Nathan MacKinnon, and Ryan Strome will be there to battle it out.

Lady Byng: The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy recognizes the player who shows the most sportsmanship in the league. Martin St. Louis is the most likely recipient this year in my opinion. He is trying to win it for the fourth time in five years, and I don't see why not. He shows great sportsmanship while playing such an aggressive game. Martin St. Louis should win this trophy with no problem.

Selke: The Selke Trophy recognizes the best defensive forward in the league. It is pretty much a two man race between Jonathan Toews and Patrice Bergeron. Last year Toews won the trophy, and in the 2011-2012 season, Bergeron won it. Both are on great teams, looking to go back to the Stanley Cup Finals. It is Bergeron's turn to win the trophy this year, so expect him to lift it proudly.