2014 Top 5 Movie Preview

1. Sin City 2 A Dame To Kill For
     When "Sin City" first came out, it totally blew my mind!  The cinematography was outstanding, mixing black and white with just enough distinct colors, and how they blended the stories together was just so astonishing to me, it made me want to be a writer/storyteller.  Frank Miller's Sin City Graphic novel series definitely raises the bar, and Robert Rodriguez did a great job bring it to life.  The actors were cast so perfectly for each story, and most of them are returning, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba, and Jaime King.  Joining them are Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eva Green, and Ray Liotta just to name a few.  I read a few of the Sin City books, and "A Dame to Kill For" was my 2nd favorite, behind "The Hard Goodbye", which was told in the first movie.  "Sin City" may be one of the most underrated films in history, and hopefully the new one can get the credit and recognition that the first one didn't.  Well, only if it's as or almost as good! Oh yea, and it does have my #1 Hollywood crush in it, Eva Green!

2. X-Men: Days of Future Past
     Bryan Singer, the director of the first 2 "X-Men" returns, and combines the original cast, the cast of "The Last Stand", and the cast of "First Class" into a whirlwind time travel, where Old Professor X (Patrick Stewart) sends Wolverine, Hugh Jackman, to the past to help young Professor X, (James McAvoy) prevent a war between humans and mutants.  This looks good, and all the actors have played their roles, respectively, in the other X-Men movies such as Halle Berry, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, Sir Ian McKellan.  So this to me looks to be the most exciting movie of the summer.

3. Dumb and Dumber To
      With Anchorman 2 coming out to mixed reviews, a lot of people are going to be skeptical about the long awaited "Dumb and Dumber" sequel.  I will say that great comedies do take time to really be appreciated.  How many times have we seen them, and each time you almost discover something new.  That being said, it will take some time to let it sink in, but the excitement starts with Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, and the Farrelly Brothers returning.  We can only hope that it will be funny, and leave your expectations at that.  Don't expect it to be as funny as the first, because that's just not fair for this movie, and other comedy sequels.  I say just see the movie looking for laughs, and don't try to compare it to the original at all.  You'll probably be disappointed.




4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
     Before they can gear up and make another "Avengers" movie, they have to continue to build foundations for each character, and here we get to see Captain America in a modern day adventure.  And we get to see more of the beautiful Scarlett Johansson, so that helps a lot.  Here we get to see an old fashioned hero adapt, and the story of the Winter Soldier is a classic that has one hell of a twist.



5. A Million Ways to Die in the West
     Seth MacFarlane wrote and directed what seems to be a comedy, about a sheep farmer in the Wild West, who loses his girlfriend in a gun duel, and looks for the courage to win her back with the help of another gunslinger's wife, Charlize Theron.  It's Seth MacFarlane, so expect a lot of laughs to go along with some dark and twisted storyline.  It's another film from MacFarlane, and I did like "Ted", and MacFarlane has become a better story teller throughout his time with "Family Guy", and here he brings along most of his staff from the show.

Other Movies to Look Forward to:
The Amazing Spiderman 2

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Guardians Of The Galaxy

Exodus

Transformers 4

22 Jump Street

Robocop

Special: Top 10 Actors Who Could Be Batman

     Well it looks like that Zach Snyder, the Director of "Man Of Steel", and the upcoming "Batman/Superman" movie is going to stick with Ben Affleck to be the Dark Knight, and has sparked so much controversy in doing so.  Affleck did turn down the role, twice, but Snyder kept pushing, and Affleck finally caved to the director's request.  I don't really like the decision, but I also didn't like the choice of Heath Ledger playing the Joker, and that turned out pretty well, (except for Ledger losing his life, R.I.P).  So we are just going to have to hope that Ben can do a good job, and not destroy Zach Snyder's career.  One thing we must first understand, is that these new movies are going to be totally different from Christopher Nolan's, and Christian Bale's "The Dark Knight" series.  It's a whole other universe, it won't continue where they left off, or relate to those stories at all.  Christian Bale said he would play Batman again only if Nolan was doing it, and Nolan has no desire to make more Batman movies.  That being said, I personally don't like the Affleck decision, and I composed a list of actors who I think would play a great Bruce Wayne/Batman.  Let's check it out shall we....

10. Bradley Cooper


9. Ryan Gosling


8. Clive Owen


7. Wes Bentley


6. Zachary Quinto

5. Andrew Lincoln


4. Karl Urban


3. Sam Worthington


2. Michael Fassbender


1. Jon Hamm

If Shua won the Mega Millions.......

     I had the opportunity to take an extensively long nap, and in my dream, I had the winning ticket to the Mega Millions $500 million jackpot!  Congratulations Shua!  What are you going to do with all that money?!  This is my plan;

     First of all, I'll go ahead and take the lump sum over the annuity, so after taxes, that would be $270,238,100.00 up front.  Here you go Mom and Dad, here's $70 million to help you retire, disperse throughout the family, and make sure that we will have money for forever!  Then, after my date with Eva Green and Anne Hathaway, it's time to get down to business.  I'm going to go ahead and buy a large portion of the Colorado Rockies and turn them into yearly contenders.
     Over the last 20 years, I have been apart of so much of their history, I was at the first ever home game, I was at the game when they clinched the pennant, I was there for Mike Hampton's 2 home runs, I was even at game 4 in 2007 to watch Boston celebrate on our field.  It is a fact that the Yankees are my favorite team, but there is a special place in my heart for the Rockies.  They're my hometown team, and really the only team that I will ever root for in the National League.  And if the Yankees and Rockies play in the World Series, I'll be pulling for the Rox.
     So, with that aside, I'm taking my $200 million left over, and I am going to turn the Rockies into serious contenders.  With quite a few of the free agents already taken, here's what I would do:
They already signed relief pitcher Boone Logan, that's a good start for the bullpen, and already picked up first basemen Justin Morneau.  These are moves that I would have done, but since the Rox already made them, this will save me some money.
     First, bring back Ubaldo Jimenez.  We should have never traded him away, and he is familiar with Coors field.  We have the money now, so let's give him a 4 year, $40 million dollar contract ($10 mm per yr.).  Then go get Francisco Rodriguez, and put him in a middle relief role, at a 2 years $8 million contract.  This would put Juan Nicasio, or Tyler Chatwood into the bullpen, and give us some good strong depth there.
     Now, let's get some fielding help.  I don't agree with trading Dexter Fowler, but what's done is done.  So let's get the best available outfielder, Shinn Soo Choo.  He's been waiting this long in free agency, so he may take a bit of a smaller contract than what he was first asking for.  At 31, we won't commit too long, but should still be able to get good production out of him, so let's do a 4 year, $55 million deal with him, about $13.5 mm a year.  Now that we have our outfield taken care of, let's plug that hole at 2B, and sign IF Stephan Drew.  With Morneau signing a 3 year deal, we should give him a 4 year, $40 million contract.  Now just sign a couple of key bench players, like catcher Kurt Suzuki, and OF Grady Sizemore to help with veteran presence and leadership.
     Boom!  There we go!  With some of the remaining money, invest in a top quality training staff to keep the players healthy all year long, so that would cost around $3 million dollars.  Total, that's about $160 million dollars to add to Colorado's salary, which is now only at about $85 million.  Then we would have a good mix of free agent acquisitions, and farm talent that should take us to the top of the division.
     Sure, some will argue that paying for top free agents may not be the way to go, but look at the top teams of the past 20 years, the Yankees, the Cardinals, the Phillies, the Red Sox.  If you do want to be successful in Major League Baseball, you will need to spend some money.
Here's the lineup under Shua's management:

Starting Line-up
1. Stephan Drew 2B
2. Shinn Soo Choo LF
3. Carlos Gonzalez CF
4. Troy Tulowitzki SS
5. Michael Cuddayer RF
6. Willian Rosario C
7. Nelson Arenado 3B
8. Justin Morneau 1B
9. Pitcher

Utillity Men
C Kurt Suzuki
OF Chris Dickerson
OF Grady Sizemore
IF/OF Tyler Colvin
IF Jordan Pacheco
IF Jonathon Herrera


Pitching Staff
SP Jorge DeLaRosa
SP Ubaldo Jimenez
SP Jhoulys Chachin
SP Brett Andersen
SP Tyler Chatwood

RP Boone Logan
RP Francisco Rodriguez
RP Juan Nicasio
RP Raphael Betancourt
RP Jeremy Butler

The Good, Bad, and the Ugly: NBA

     Now that the NBA season is almost a 1/3 the way through, here are some of the bigger stories and surprises of the season so far.

The Good
     The Pacers are establishing themselves as the team that can challenge Miami, and they aren't afraid to get into the 2 time champions face, and get aggressive.  Not only that, they also look like a team that has begun to gel together, and are playing comfortable with one another.  If they can stay healthy and somehow get home court in the playoffs over the Heat, they could see themselves in the Finals in June.
     The Trailblazers have jumped out to an early division lead over OKC, and seem to have the youth and energy to carry them to a top seed in the playoffs.  Which is going to be tough in the Western Conference, with so many teams emerging, such as Phoenix, and the Clippers, and the Warriors, and Houston, it will be a rigid run to the playoffs.
     The Nuggets have impressed their fans with their play, and Brian Shaw seems to be getting everyone on the same page.  Plus, strong bench play from Mozgov, and Nate Robinson has certainly helped.

The Bad
     Almost the entire Eastern Conference.  When the division leaders aren't even at .500, you know your in a 2nd rate conference.  The Brooklyn Nets are finding out that money can't buy chemistry on the court, Derek Rose is injured once again, and has serious questions about his playing career, and Boston is rebuilding.  Fan expectations for these teams should be set real low for the next few seasons.

The Ugly
     New York Knicks, it seems that Carmelo Anthony is tired of playing in New York, and with no coach to guide them, the Knicks are looking like they are going to be shooting for a lot of balls in the NBA draft lottery.  So much talent but no leadership on that roster, it's truly disappointing.  Hopefully the Knicks can open up some salary cap space and sign some Free Agents as they look for someone else to be the face of the franchise, because Melo's selfishness is shining bright under all those lights.

MLB Free Agent Tracker

     The baseball winter meetings are underway and the owners and GM's are beginning to shuffle free agents, and negotiating trades.  Some may never get past talks, and others will be approved in hopes of competing for a World Series title.  Let's take a look at some of the moves that have already happened throughout the league.


     The biggest name on the market was Robinson Cano, and with the Yankees not willing to give him more than 7 years, the Mariners stepped up and signed the check to bring the 2nd basemen to Seattle.  The Mariners do have good pitching but no run support and signing Cano should help, but can he win you games with his offense?  The answer is yes, Cano led the Yankees in most batting categories, and was clutch in many games.  But the Yankees didn't want to get stuck in another huge long term contract, a-la A-Rod.  The Mariners have to give those fans a reason to go to the park, and signing Cano will bring 'em.  The Mariners do have a ton of talent coming up in their farm system, and are also looking to trade for Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp.  The Dodgers are listening to trade proposals for Kemp, and it sounds like Kemp could be in a new uniform next season.  If he doesn't go to Seattle, I would not be surprised if Detroit makes an offer.

     The Yankees are looking to get back on top of the AL East, and after poor offensive production in 2013, they went after catcher Brian McCann, stole CF Jacoby Ellsbury from Boston, and are eagerly awaiting the return of Mark Texeria.  But their bullpen got thin when Joba Chamberlain signed with the Tigers, and the Rockies picked up Boone Logan.  If the Yankees are unable to find another quality starting pitcher, and some bullpen help, they're going to find themselves in a lot of late inning offensive shootouts.

     The Rockies traded CF Dexter Fowler, a young up and coming star in this league, for a minor league outfielder, and a 2nd rate reliever from Houston.  While I was shaking my head in amazement, they went and got 1B Justin Morneau, traded for SP Brett Andersen, and signed Logan from NYY.  The Rockies look to become a significant team once again, after a few years affected by the injury bug.  The Rockies can and will be able to put up 10+ runs a game, but they have not been able to keep leads late with a weak bullpen.  If they are willing to spend the money, they should get a solid SP, and push one of their current starters back for middle relief.  But, that's only if they will be willing to open up the wallet, and from the looks of their recent signings, they just may!

NFL Playoff Prediction

    Now that we have over half of the season in the books, its time for me to do my playoff prediction, and see how accurate I am at this stuff.  I may have missed on a few predictions in my "Mock Draft", but overall I was close choosing the right position and which team, but was off on players.  Now, let's see how I can do picking the outcome for the remainder of the season.

First the season award winners:
MVP- Peyton Manning QB Den

     Peyton is having a record year and should be an easy choice here.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR- Calvin Johnson WR Det.

     Calvin Johnson has lived up to his nickname "Megatron", and put together an epic highlight reel this year.  No other WR has been more dominant, and no other WR has had the impact that 'Tron' has made.  He deserves at least the OPOY award and should only help him move closer to the Hall Of Fame.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR- Richard Sherman CB Sea.

     Richard Sherman has been the outspoken leader of the Seahawks defense to go along with his impressive numbers he's putting up.  Not very many CB's in the league can have the presence both on and off the field, the way that Sherman has. 

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR(OFFENSE) - Eddie Lacey RB G.B.

     He has given another dynamic threat to the Packers offense, and has helped Aaron Rodgers not only with his power running, but his open field skills as well.  With Rodgers out for some time now, he must carry the burden of being the only weapon for the Packers.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR(DEFENSE) - Eric Reid FS 49ers

     Eric Reid is one of those Safeties that comes along once every ten years or so, Ronnie Lott, Steve Atwater, John Lynch, Ed Reed, these are names he may be mentioned with by the time his career is over.  In college at LSU, he made a lot of big plays and was around the ball constantly, and he has transitioned that to the NFL perfectly.  If he can stay healthy, he will be an elite Safety for awhile in the NFL.

AFC
#1 - Kansas City Chiefs
     Andy Reid has this young team running on all cylinders, and if they can win at least 1 of 2 games against the Broncos, they can get the top seed in the AFC.

#2 - New England Patriots
     Tom Brady is winning sloppy, but is still winning.  Getting Rob Gronkowski back should only help, and if they can continue to win close games, and/or blow away their opponents, they will be getting the BYE week.

#3 - Indianapolis Colts
     Andrew Luck is leading the young Colts and with the disappointing season Houston is having, they should be able to take the South division.  They've beaten pretty good teams as well, the 49ers, Broncos, and the Seahawks.

#4 - Cincinnati Bengals
     The AFC North doesn't have the power of the Ravens or the Steelers this year, so the Bengals should be able to win it easily.  Their inconsistency week in and week out will drop them from being a 1 or 2 seed though.

#5 - Denver Broncos
     The Broncos still have to play the Patriots, and the Chiefs twice this year, and with the pass defense struggling, and the head coach out for the rest of the regular season, this is the adversity that great teams overcome.  I would almost prefer they go in as a Wild Card, and build that momentum going into the playoffs.  Remember, it's how you finish, not how you start, and they better still have the bad taste of that game against Baltimore in their mouths.

#6 - New York Jets
     So many people wrote Rex and the Jets off before training camp even started, (it didn't help that ESPN's Not Top Highlight for 30+ weeks was Sanchez running into his linemen from last year) and that only pumped this team up.  They have won close games, and beaten the Patriots and Saints, and in a tough but weak AFC, they could get the last spot in the playoffs.

NFC
#1 - Seattle Seahawks
      Seattle is arguably the best team in the NFL, and they continue to find ways to win games.  The players love playing for Pete Carroll, and they have an easy schedule with the 49ers and Saints the only teams above .500 left to play.

#2 - New Orleans Saints
     What a difference having your Head Coach around makes, and the Saints have played like the team they have looked like in the Drew Brees era.  They do have a tough schedule ahead, but the South is very weak, (once again) and they understand how important home field is, especially in the Super Dome.

#3 - Chicago Bears
     Mark Trestman has had a great rookie season at Head Coach, and with Cutler returning, and Rodgers going out for a few weeks, the Bears should be able to hold onto that division, but the Lions aren't very far behind.

#4 - Dallas Cowboys
     Tony Romo should be able to put up enough points to carry Dallas to the playoffs, and LB Sean Lee is emerging as the leader on their defense that has been abysmal at best.  But they are the most well rounded team in the NFC East, and should get in with a 9-7 record, but hey, if you're in, you're in!

#5 - San Francisco 49ers
     The Niners are still the NFC Champs, and have an easy schedule remaining, but if they can't get home field, it's going to be tough to repeat.  But they do have the tools necessary to do so, and the experience from last year too.

#6 - Detroit Lions
     Reggie Bush has had a huge impact, and the Lions are roaring their way to get back to the postseason.  If they can stay healthy and keep putting up a lot of points on the board, they should be in.  And with the injury to Rodgers, they should have a nice path for themselves.

WILD CARD ROUND
AFC
#3 Colts  vs.  #6 Jets
     24                   13

#4 Bengals  vs.  #5 Broncos
       20                      34

NFC
#3 Bears  vs.  #6 Lions
      23                  28

#4 Cowboys  vs.  #5 49ers
        27                       31

DIVISIONAL ROUND
AFC
#1 Chiefs  vs.  #5 Broncos  
       23                     35

#2 Patriots  vs.  #4 Colts
        30                     20

NFC
#1 Seahawks vs. #6 Lions
          24                    14

#2 Saints vs.  #5 49ers
         31               34

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
AFC
#2 Patriots  vs.  #5 Broncos
        33                      38

NFC
#1 Seahawks  vs.  #5 49ers
        23                     17

SUPER BOWL
Seattle Seahawks  vs.  Denver Broncos
           27                             38

NFL: The Good, Bad and the Ugly

    
     In a season full of surprise after surprise, after the mid-way point in the NFL regular season we now have a pretty good understanding of the good, bad and the ugly around the league.  So let's see how which team fits into which category.

The Good
Denver Broncos
     Peyton Manning and he's been better than good.  He has something to prove in his overall legacy.  He wants to be the first QB to win a Super Bowl with 2 different teams, and he wants the single season TD record back. (He had 49 in 2006, Tom Brady threw 50 in'07).  He is on pace to throw 55 TD's and should be the MVP for the 5th time in his career.  Knowshon is perfect for Peyton's offense, blocking, running and catching out of the backfield, he has become one of the top RB's in the league.  The defense has given up 24.8 points per game, because their offense is scoring 42.9 points per game, and score so fast and have a lead that teams have to pass to try and stay close.  Von Miller needs  to step up, he did sit for 6 weeks, but he has to get pressure on the QB and force some turnovers.

Shuan Phillips
     He has been the most underrated Free agent signing of the year, and has filled the void left by Dumervil.  His presence and leadership is what the young D-lineman need, and now he's going back to San Diego where he played and practiced with Phillip Rivers his whole career.  Expect him to get at least 2 sacks this week.

Seattle Seahawks
     Russell Wilson is playing incredibly smart football, and that defense has been so fast and dominate, and the Seahawks have proven to be the dominate team in the NFC West, and are looking to get home field advantage in one the toughest stadiums to play in.

Kansas City Chiefs
     What else do you expect when you draft high over the last 5 years?  Now, the Chiefs have a coach who knows what to do with talent, along with a QB who does just enough to win.  But that defense is the best defense in the league, because they can score.  That's how they beat Buffalo, they got 2 TD's while their offense produced 3 field goals.  In 2 weeks, the real test is going to be the Broncos and their number 1 overall offense.  They have been the biggest surprise team, and at 9-0, are one win away from basically securing a playoff spot.

The Bad
Atlanta Falcons
     They had such high expectations coming into the year, and they have looked bad, incomplete, and inexperienced, even before the injury to Julio Jones.  They let their fans down big time.

Pittsburgh Steelers
     No run game and no protection, and chalk up another bad season for the Steel city. 

Houston Texans
     With so much talent on both sides of the ball, you can see where the lack of leadership at QB can really affect a team.  If they aren't careful, and run Arian Foster too much, he's not going to be healthy enough to continue being the dominant running back he's been.

The Ugly
NY Giants
     Eli is having his worst season of his career, and that defense can't stop anybody!  Could it be time for Tom Coughlin to finally move on?

Tampa Bay
     Win less, and looking like they have no clue what to do on the field.  Lack of discipline all around.

Dolphins O-Linemen
      Wow!  From what we have heard that Richie Incognito has said to his teammate, it sounds like this guy needs some sort of therapy or something.  This goes in the "WTF?" folder along with Riley Cooper's racist concert attending, but this looks to be a far worse situation.  Very weird indeed.

NFL Mid-Term Grades

Arizona Cardinals -  D
     The Cardinals don't have a run game to help out Carson Palmer, but he turns the ball over a lot, and the NFC West is a powerhouse, they may not have what it takes to compete.  At least they haven't shown it at all.

Atlanta Falcons -  F-
     After getting one game away from the Super Bowl last year, and with a lot of veteran free agent signings in the off season, the bar was set so high, and they have fallen flat on their faces.  Even before Julio Jones and Stephan Jackson got inured, the Falcons were outplayed, and they still continue to battle with no firepower.

Baltimore Ravens - C
     A lot of teams get Super Bowl hangovers, and the Ravens lost a ton of leadership.  If they can maintain their mediocre play long enough, they might return to the playoffs.

Buffalo Bills C
     The Bills are young team, and have shown flashes of getting better.  But injuries have hurt them, C.J. Spiller is nowhere near the pre season hype all, all of his Fantasy Football owners have figured out, myself included, and they can't put up enough points to keep leads late in games.  A shift is brewing in the AFC East, with Tom Brady in the twilight of his career in New England, Buffalo could be competing to win that division in the coming years.

Carolina Panthers - C-
     Ron Rivera isn't doing a good job, but he did have to replace John Fox, and those are big shoes to fill.  Cam Newton still lacks the maturity needed to be the franchise QB, and with no run game, and no pass defense, the Panthers will stay at that level that's just above the bottom teams in the league.

Chicago Bears B-
     Mark Trestman is a having a nice debut in Chicago, and jumped out to a strong start, but Cutler getting injured came at a time that the Lions are playing better, and Green Bay still looks to be struggling.  If Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery can get open for McCown, they should be able to stay at the top of the NFC North.

Cincinnati Bengals - B+
     Andy Dalton has been playing really well, and has shown great leadership for such a young QB, and the Bengals have beaten some pretty good teams so far this year.  If they can keep playing at such a great level, they should have the AFC North title in January.

Cleveland Browns - D
      The Trent Richardson trade seemed to be a good move, and they got a 1st round pick in the process, so that's the chance to draft more talent.  Brain Hoyer played well, and just like Cleveland's luck, got injured.  But they have shown spurts of getting better, but Brandon Weeden is too inconsistent.

Dallas Cowboys - C
     The NFC East is really weak this year, and the Cowboys look like the best team in a bad division.  Jason Garrett will be fired, and the search for a new regime will once again take place in Dallas.  They should win the division, but there are too many good teams in the NFC for them to be a real threat.  Tony Romo has been putting his best season of his career together, but the Cowboys just keep losing close games.

Denver Broncos - A-
     Peyton Manning is having an MVP caliber year, and is on pace to smash Tom Brady's single season touchdown record (50).  Knowshon Moreno has stepped up into the starting tole at RB, and looks like the first round draft pick we were all waiting for.  He had a lot of injuries his first few years, and wasn't taking football seriously until he was benched at the beginning of last season, only to be one of the top running backs in the league.  But they have only played 2 legitimate playoff teams, (DAL, IND), lost to one, and barely beat the other.  The defense is missing the pass rush of Von Miller, but as I said when he signed with Denver, Shuan Phillips has filled the void left by Elvis Dumervil, and I think is doing a better job in that DE/LB hybrid role.  The defense gives up a lot of passing yards because the offense gets such big leads and scores so fast, that their opponents have no choice but to constantly pass to try and catch up.  The real test for the Broncos after their bye week, when they face Kansas City, New England, and Kansas City again in the span of 3 weeks.  So they better rest up and get ready for a bumpy ride. 

Detroit Lions - B+
     The addition of Reggie Bush has had a major impact, and the Lions are playing like a team that is hungry for a long overdue division title, and boy does the City of Detroit need any kind of uplift right now.  Ndamekung Suh continues to play dirty, and is a constant distraction with his lack of discipline.  So much so, that NFL officials sat him down, and showed him film of himself playing dirty.  But if he can't stop getting suspended, the Lions may continue to struggle on defense.  If you still don't believe that Calvin Johnson isn't the best WR in the league, just look at his performance against Dallas, 14 reception 329 receiving yards, and a TD, and let that do the talking for ya.  He may not end up with the stats that Jerry Rice put up in his career, but when all is said and done, Calvin Johnson might be the 2nd best WR of all time.

Green Bay Packers - C+
     The Packers WR keep dropping like flies, leaving Aaron Rodgers to find new targets he isn't comfortable with, leaving Jordy Nelson as the primary receiver in that offense, and he is easily the most underrated WR in the league, and is probably one of the best, probably top 10.  Eddie Lacy has given the Pack a rush attack, and that has been able to help the receivers get open down field.  After tough losses to the Bengals and the 49ers, both which were outstanding games, they have kept up with Chicago, and should be able to compete for the division.

Houston Texans - F
     It's gotten pretty bad for Gary Kubiak, and when the fans start cheering when they're starting QB gets hurt, well that's just down right nasty.  If the Texans end up with a high draft pick, they should go get Taj Boyd out of Clemson.  He's big, got a cannon for an arm, and quick enough to run the spread.  Gary Kubiak shouldn't loose his job after this year, and should have another chance to turn things around with a new QB.

Indianapolis Colts - B
     Andrew Luck is having a superb season, and after beating Peyton in his old house, Luck made a statement to his teammates, fans and critics; This is his team now!  The sooner Richardson can catch up on the playbook, the more points they will score.  But with Reggie Wayne doing down for the remainder of the season, T.Y. Hilton, and Colby Fleener are going to have to step up for Luck if they want to win the division.

Jacksonville Jaguars - F
      Just move to L.A. already and turn the stadium into a parking lot.  The high point has been Justin Blackmon, and he is showing other teams his skills, praying for a trade to a decent team.  I bet New England somehow manages to pick him up for NOTHING, the way they did with Randy Moss.  Blackmon can only hope.

Kansas City Chiefs - A+
     From worst to first, Andy Reid has shown us all that he knows what to do with talent.  For years the Chiefs have been drafting high, and now all those young players are shining bright in Reid's system.  Alex Smith is better than people say and think, he doesn't turn the ball over, he's accurate, and is fast enough to run the spread and catch the defense off guard.  No, he won't get you 300 passing yards and 4 TD's a game, but he gets the one stat that matters, Wins.  All Kansas City needed was a decent QB, and now they got one.  The defense is playing at a tremendous level, and the Chiefs have charged to a league best 8-0 record.  Looks like Reid and Smith both just needed a change of scenery, and they are working well together.  If the Broncos aren't careful they could slip to the worst team, well last year's worst team I should say!

Miami Dolphins - C+
     The Dolphins have stumbled after a 3-0 start, and with no leadership on defense, and the lack of a running game, the Dolphins will be lucky to finish the year at 8-8. But Tannehill has played a lot better, but needs more weapons and protection.

Minnesota Vikings - F
     Adrian Peterson ran for over 2,000 yards last year, but with defenses contain him and the Vikings having a merry go around at QB, it feels like all is lost in Minnesota, and the Vikings should look into trading A.P., to a contender before it gets too late in his very injury ladled career, and they won't be able to get value for him.  Plus after his illegitimate child being murdered, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't want get out of there, hell, I wouldn't blame him.

New England Patriots - B
     Tom Brady has no weapons to throw too, no solid run game, a mediocre defense, and he still gets the job done.  He won't have Manning numbers, but he'll have Wins, the only stat that matters.  The Patriots did beat the Saints, like the Broncos, haven't really played too many strong teams.  Brady is just waiting for Gronkowski's return, and the Patriots should not rush him back at all.  If the Patriots continue to win games without him, then they need to save him for the playoffs.  In the meantime, Brady continues to do a good job.

New Orleans Saints - B+
     What a difference a head coach makes, huh?  Drew Brees and the Saints are back on top of the NFC South, and are looking like they have returned being a major contender in the NFC.  They do have the luxury of playing in the South, but Brees is a good leader, and should be able to take them back to the playoffs.

New York Giants - F
      What is going on Eli?!  Something has to be going on, because Eli hasn't played this bad since his rookie year.  It may be time for Tom Coughlin to move on, but every time we say this, he leads the Giants to a Super Bowl victory over the Patriots.  And at 2-6, they are sinking, but they are not dead in the water, especially in the NFC East where 8-8 could win the division.  But with no running game, and tons of turnovers, that's going to be real tough to overcome. 

New York Jets - C
     After a an upset in New England last week, and so much controversy at QB to start the season, Rex Ryan and the Jets don't look as bad as everyone predicted.  But I still don't believe that they can fight for a playoff spot.

Oakland Raiders - D
     Terrell Pryor has shown flashes, but the Raiders just have so many holes that they need to fill, but they are playing well at home, making "The Black Hole" a place to fear not just in the stands, but on the field as well.  It will come down to how long they wish to stay with Dennis Allen, and with the Raiders' head coach track record, it doesn't look very good for Allen.

Philadelphia Eagles - D
     Chip Kelly is trying to bring his fast paced, high scoring offense from college to the NFL, and that is not working, because A). The Defense has no time to rest B.) Football in real life takes real strategy.  This isn't college where you get to blow out 9 lousy teams, and only have 3 real games.  No, it's professional for a reason Kelly.  I don't see him being the Eagles coach past next year, and if he is, well good for him.

Pittsburgh Steelers - F
     Mike Tomlin is a hell of a coach, but for some reason, he cannot figure out how to turn this team around.  He's not in danger of losing his job, but if you can't run the ball, and have no targets for Rothlisberger, then you will have a tough time putting points on the board.  Which is what is going on in the Steel City this season.

San Diego Chargers - C-
     The Chargers are playing better than I and many others predicted, but with the Chiefs playing well, the AFC West has become one of the toughest divisions in football.  Rivers has no run game, no targets, no integrity, no friends, and you can't have that in your "Star" QB.  McCoy is in his first year, so it may take a season or two for his low scoring system to actually take place.

San Francisco 49ers -  B-
     The reigning NFC Champs have found themselves chasing the Seahawks, and after they were shut down by Seattle, they may not be the best team in the division, or the conference anymore.  But Harbaugh is a great coach, and the Niners still have a dominate defense, but if Kaepernick can't get in a rhythm, they can fall into trouble real fast.

Seattle Seahawks - A-
     The Seahawks are arguably the best team in the NFC, but the whole NFL?!  I don't think so, because they don't have that go to WR, but they are probably the most well rounded team in the NFL.  Pete Carroll has the players focused, and they really like to play for him.  Would they be able to last in a shootout?  We know that they can hold fast offenses, but can they put up points consistently?  The better they play, the more they prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.

St. Louis Rams - C
     Sam Bradford was having a great year until he was injured, and the Rams seemed to have had all the air sucked out of them.  The NFC West is a tough place to play, and with no QB, or run game, they are in for a tough end of the season

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - F
     Tampa Bay has no identity and once again find themselves at the bottom of the league, and will probably be searching for a new coach at the end of the season.  Lack of talent + No leadership= 0-7.


Tennessee Titans - C
     The Titans are looking a lot better and if they can string together a couple more wins, they could fight for a wild card spot.  I don't believe that Jake Locker is the long term answer, and they should make a run at RGIII's backup in Washington, Kirk Cousins.  He's seasoned and learned a pro style offense, as well as the intangibles to lead a team.  But they need a QB who will put the team on his shoulders and carry them to victory.  Chris Johnson is still the fastest RB, but they do overuse him, and don't have any other weapons they can turn too.  Well, nobody has stepped up to do it.

Washington Redskins - D
     Running QB's don't last very long, and with as hard as RGIII played last year, he may have beat up his body too much.  Will he get over that knee injury?  Right now it seems to be hampering him pretty bad, and if Shanahan wants to turn this season around, he's gonna have cut his loses, and let Griffin sit out the rest of the year to try and get him back next year.  Otherwise, that young man may not have a long pro football career.

NFL Week 6 Review: Week 7 Picks

Here are the results for week 5:

BEARS BEAT GIANTS 27-21
Shua's Pick- Bears
The Giants just look so lost, and Eli may have to be benched to wake his ass up.

BENGALS BEAT BILLS 27-24 OT
Shua's Pick- Bengals
The Bills fought, and the Bengals let them hang in the game.  The Bengals have got to close out better if they want to win that division.

PACKERS BEAT RAVENS 19-17
Shua's Pick- Packers
Packers suffered more injury loss, with Randall Cobb getting hurt, but the D prevailed long enough before the Ravens could comeback.

LIONS BEAT BROWNS 33-17
Shua's Pick- Lions
The Lions continued to put up points, and the Browns looked like the Browns again.

PANTHERS BEAT VIKINGS 35-10
Shua's Pick- Vikings
Cam Newton had a great game, and the Vikings were playing in an uncomfortable locker room, with Adrian Peterson's son dying.  This was just a sad week for that team.

CHIEFS BEAT RAIDERS 24-7
Shua's Pick- Chiefs
The Chiefs defense continued their dominance, and now Andy Reid has K.C. tied for first with the Broncos.  If Alex Smith can put up more points, they may just become the 2nd best team in the league.

STEELERS BEAT JETS 19-6
Shua's Pick- Steelers
Steelers pumped some life back into their season, but the air is slowly running out on them.

EAGLES BEAT BUCC'S 31-20
Shua's Pick- Eagles

SEAHAWKS BEAT TITANS 20-13
Shua's Pick- Seahawks
The Titans aren't as bad as they have been in recent years, and held their own against a good Seattle team.

49ERS BEAT CARDINALS 32-20
Shua's Pick- 49ers

BRONCOS BEAT JAGUARS 35-19
Shua's Pick- I didn't pick this game because we all knew what was going to happen.  But give Jacksonville some credit, they didn't just lay down as expected.  And when you tell professional athletes that they are a 27 point underdog, that is a slap in the face.  They did intercept a Peyton pass, and returned it for a touchdown.  That should bring Peyton down to earth, and you know that he's more upset about that than the fans.  The key player to the game though, I believe goes to two players; Knowshon Moreno, and WR Justin Blackmon.  Moreno has become the proven starter, and as long as he can stay healthy, his impact will continue on the field.  Whether that's blocking, running the ball, or catching out of the backfield, he is looking like the first round RB that was drafted 5 years ago.  But you do have to give props to Justin Blackmon, he left it all on the field with over 200 yards receiving, but unfortunately, he plays for the Jaguars, and the talent is very thin on that roster.  He did catch more than just passes that day, he caught a lot of attention as well, and with pretty boy Decker's contract up at the end of the season, the Broncos should make a serious move to get that young man.  I'd expect it.

COWBOYS BEAT REDSKINS 31-16
Shua's Pick - Redskins
Cowboys look to be the favorite of that division, and RGIII looks more like RG 1and 1/2 right now.

*RAMS BEAT TEXANS 38-13
Shua's Pick- Rams!
Texans fans did a really low class thing, booing for Matt Schaub, and the Rams just layed it on them with a really young and fast defense.

^PATRIOTS BEAT SAINTS 30-27
Shua's Pick- Saints
The Patriots showed that they are still a team to be reckoned with in the AFC.  The Saints have a week off now and should be able to bounce back from that loss.

Shua's Record- 11-3

Week 7 Preview

Seahawks @ Cardinals
Shua's Pick-  Seahawks













Cowboys @ Eagles
Shua's Pick-  Eagles

     Dallas is banged up, and Nick Foles can run the offense pretty well.

Bengals @ Lions
Shua's Pick-  Lions

     The Lions have looked great and Reggie Bush seems to be fitting that offense well.  If they can get an early lead on Cincinnati, they can pull off a victory.

Rams @ Panthers
Shua's Pick-  Rams

Texans @ Chiefs
Shua's Pick-  Chiefs

     The Texans' players are pretty pissed off about the fans booing Schaub's injury, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't give a 100% to piss the fans off.  NFL players have a camaraderie, a brotherhood so to speak.  They all wish that NOBODY gets hurt at all, and when the fans cheer a man going down, that really insults, and appalls them.  Now, Texans fans, expect a couple of years of trade requests, and bad Free agency years to come, because the players will not want to play for fans who boo injuries.

Falcons @ Buccaneers
Shua's Pick-  Falcons

     The Falcons lost Julio Jones for the year, and all those offseason moves they made are coming back to haunt them.  A team that was supposed to be contending for the Super Bowl at the beginning of the year, is now struggling to get to .500.  You paid Matt Ryan a ton of money, but all those pieces fell apart around him.  In what looks to be Tony Gonzalez's final year, he may not come anywhere near the Super Bowl.  A shame for a class act, and a walk in Hall Of Famer.

Bears @ Redskins
Shua's Pick-  Redskins

     Shanahan knows Cutler well, and will take away the pass game, but will RGIII show up?

Bills @ Dolphins
Shua's Pick-  Dolphins

Chargers @ Jaguars
Shua's Pick-  Jaguars

Patriots @ Jets
Shua's Pick-  Jets
     The Jets are surprisingly at .500 now, and can surprise a Patriots team that just lost Ammendola, but Gronkowski could return.

49ers @ Titans (UPSET SPECIAL)
Shua's Pick-  Titans

     This is my "Upset Special".  The Titans may be in a dogfight for the AFC South division, with the Texans falling hard, and Indy losing on Monday night.  If Fitzpatrick can find a way for Chris Johnson to get some touches, they could hang with the 49ers in a slug fest. If the Titans can get to Kaepernick when he's in the pocket, they can make him nervous, force throws.  The Titans may be the surprise team in the AFC this year.

Ravens @ Steelers
Shua's Pick-  Steelers
     Steelers are desperate, and this game usually comes down to the wire, and I think the Steelers will last longer at home.

 

Browns @ Packers
Shua's Pick-  Packers

     Packers are beat up, and Cleveland has been a surprise team so far.  But if Rodgers wants to keep his team in a playoff hunt, he's gotta lead them to victory this week.  Otherwise a Browns victory here, and the Pack could be looking at an uphill struggle for the rest of the season.

Broncos @ Colts (Game of The Week)
Shua's Pick-  Broncos

     The media is gonna shove this down our throats so I won't, Peyton returns home with just an overall better team, plus a rested Von Miller returns, and he has something to prove here. I feel the Broncos have more at stake than the Colts at this point.  The Chiefs are right on the Broncos' tails, and look to be a legitimate threat in the conference as well as the division. So the Broncos have to keep up the pace they've been playing at.  Plus, the rest of the team has to understand what this game means to Peyton.  He built his legacy there, and was brushed aside for someone younger.  'This one is for Peyton' game can get out of the way with this game, and one more in New England next month.  With Von Miller returning, that should create more pressure and the D should be able to get some turnovers here.  Miller needs to come out on fire!  He's rested, and pumped and angry.  If he isn't foaming at the mouth to get to Andrew Luck, then he still won't have his head on straight, and then the alarm bells should ring. 

Vikings @ Giants
Shuas's Pick-  Giants

     Eli has had his worst year quite possibly, and the Vikings aren't very good either.  But it should be a high scoring game.

AVALANCHE ALERT!!

     With Patrick Roy's impact, the Avs have stormed out of the gate reaching 6-0, and gaining 12 points in the process.  The Avs look way more disciplined, and Varlamov looks to have taken an icredible step forward under Roy.  With the youth, you do have to hope that they can maintain this type of momentum, and not burn out after the All-Star break, heading into the playoffs.  Yes, the Avs will make the playoffs, and I guarantee it.  Roy expects no less, and the players are delivering.
     Perhaps the most important part of the Avalanche's success, has to be Varlamov's confidence, and that should be sky high right now.  In 5 starts he's had over 30 saves in each game, and has been in the 3 stars 4 times, posting a 1.20 GAA(Goals Against Average), and a .965% saving percentage.  At only age 25, these are dangerous numbers, and will probably only get better in time.
     Duchene looks to be in great shape, and he showed that on Monday night, scoring 2 goals against the Stars.  One of those was a breakaway goal, and that should have made top plays on Sportscenter.  Welcome home Alex Tanguay, and he's playing probably the smartest hockey of his career with his veteran presence on the team. 
     As long as the Avs can control their overwhelming speed, they will tire down there opponents, the way they did in Boston against the Eastern Conference Champions.  Now looking ahead to Thursday's game against the Red Wings, in what will now be a once, maybe twice a year meeting since Detroit moved to the Eastern Conference, it's going to be quite a show to see, Roy going against his nemesis team.  He has to bring back that rivalry with these players, especially since the Red Wings have walked all over the Avs for the better part of the last decade.  As long as the Avs can continue to get points, and stay in first place, Denver will regain its reputation as a great sports city.  So thanks to Patrick Roy, and Joe Sakic for returning some excitement to the fans, its been to long for such loyal fans to be proud of their team.

Madden Torch?! Pass it on to Gruden!

   
    After 25 years of being the face on the most popular sports franchise video games, the time has come for EA Sports to go in a new direction.  "Madden Football" is so synonymous with the NFL, sure it will be tough to put a new name on the game.  The game is already in the NFL Hall of Fame, won many awards, and has been a big part of many young men's lives, but now it's time to move on and pick a new face! This one!



No. no. no! Not that on, this one!


    Jon Gruden has made a huge presence in the NFL over the last 15 years, from the field to the booth, that it just seems fitting! Even being a Broncos fan, I really enjoy Gruden's commentary on Monday Night Football.  He's clever, he's funny, and he knows the game extremely well. Mike Tirico does a solid job as his play-by-play announcer, but if you were to pair him up with say, Al Michaels, or Gus Johnson("COLD BLOODED"), or Jim Nantz, a Gumbel, hell, even Joe Buck's monotone voice, all of them would work with Gruden.  He's got the resume for it and he is young enough to be around for at least a decade.  Let's compare John Madden, and Jon Gruden;

John Madden                           
Former Raiders Head Coach
Won Super Bowl XI
Numerous TV Ads (Tinactin, ACE, etc.)
MNF Commentator
Crazy Eyebrows
Inivator of the Replay Screen
Catchy Commentary

Jon Gruden
Former Raiders Head Coach
Won Super Bowl XXXVII
MNF Commentator
A Few TV Ads (Hooter's)
"Chucky" Look
Gruden's QB Camp
Catchy Commentary

     It will be hard to replace John Madden, absolutely. And so many fans will be angry at first, but let's look at a few things before you start thinking negative.  The "Madden Curse", where the player on the cover gets injured, and/or has a bad year, could be broken.  Maybe turn it the other way, and the player on the cover of "Gruden Football" has a career year.  Or don't even put a player on the cover, and just have Gruden on the cover for the first few years.  "Madden" the game, has become increasingly difficult over the last 5 years or so, EA Sports could introduce the general play of the game by putting "Gruden's QB Camp" as some sort of tutorial.  Even have some sort of "Chucky Cheat", where your QB or coach is Chucky!  C'mon, that would be hilarious!  Any way that they can do it, they should just do it.  "Madden 25" is a great way to end the franchise, and the timing is perfect.  When John Madden retired from the game a few years ago, he stepped away from the game entirely.  Madden doesn't do interviews, and he isn't seen at very many games.  Also, let's be honest, how many more years does he have left?
     Gruden has the name, has the look, and has no need to go back to coaching.  And man, has he had the offers.  Everything from college to the pros, any team would be willing to have him as their head coach.  But Gruden has no desire to return.  Why should he?  He's got a cushy job at ESPN, and they will pay him enough to make sure he doesn't leave.  Why would he go back to a team that will more than likely need him to turn around their franchise?  That would be way to stressful for a guy who has it made in the sun.  He's got his ring, and he got it by beating the team that he built.  Why would he go back and work for an owner who has too much control of the team? 
     In about a decade, when our kids begin to play video games, they will have no idea who John Madden is, unfortunately, but truthfully. With Gruden, you get the voice of MNF, in the game, plus I would much rather listen to Gruden any day over Cris Collinsworth.  I like Collinsworth, but he doesn't have the charisma, or intelligence that Gruden has. 
     So listen up EA Sports!  This would be a very wise decision, and after 25 years of John Madden as the voice of video game football, he can gracefully bow out, and let Gruden take the spotlight.  Get started soon, "Guden Football '14" is less than 11 months from being released!