Chris Johnson is the best running back in football...

...and its not even close.

Fact of the matter is, most folks would call this post blasphemy (waiting for Kenny to strike me down with a bolt of lightning) and in part it might be. However, this post might be more to strike a comparison to another highly fabled player in our generation and to determine a fatal flaw in the crowned king of tailbacks in the NFL. Let me make this argument in 2 points.

#1. Chris Johnson is the next coming of Barry Sanders Marcus Allen, and he's everything that Reggie Bush was supposed to be in this league.

#2. Adrian Peterson could quite possibly cost the Minnesota Vikings a Super Bowl in the same way that Earnest Byner (remember him?) cost the Cleveland Browns a Super Bowl.

See, fear comes in many forms, for some fear is being overwhelmed physically and not being able to do anything about it. See one Gay, William last month. However, there's a totally different fear which in my opinion is worse, and that's a fear of being embarrassed and made to look silly. See, what happened to William Gay was bad because he got trucked on national television, however I will say that it was a valiant effort, although the ending was quite gruesome. He tried to make the play and it didn't work out, we've all been there. No shame in that...ok, not TOO MUCH shame in that.

But, from what I'm seeing from Chris Johnson this year reminds me of what Barry Sanders used to do to folks in the open field, that is...make them look really foolish and make folks want to retire immediately. Its bad enough that's he's the fastest person in the NFL (sorry, but Devin Hester's 100 speed on Madden needs to be transferred to #28 of the Titans.) but he's got THE NERVE to be able to cut on a dime and juke and hop step with the best of them? WTF! Plus, he's doing something that Purple Jesus is struggling mightily with right now.

He holds onto the football.

I think Adrian proved to us all that he could be a workhorse and plow his way to a remarkable season, however, for the long term everyone realizes that Brett Favre is the best thing that could've happen to "All Day". Less workload, more opportunities to be truly explosive. Chris Johnson this season has had NO help at all. With the resurgence of the ever mercurial Vince Young, you could argue that Johnson has made VY10 better, not the other way around with the QB/RB relationship.

So lets compare Chris Johnson's season thru 11 games compared to Adrian Peterson's season thru 11 games. I mean, AP had Gus Frerotte and Tavaris Jackson at his disposal so I'd say the sides were equal.

2008 Adrian Peterson (thru 11 games) - 4.8 yards/carry, 242 rushes/1180 rush yards/8 rush TDs, 16 recs/95 rec. yards, 5 fumbles/3 lost

2009 Chris Johnson (thru 11 games) - 6.4 yards/carry, 217 rushes/1396 rush yards/9 rush TDs, 33 recs/294 rec. yards/1 rec TD, 1 fumble/1 lost

Chris Johnson is on pace to run for 2,030 yards this season, which would would rank 4th all-time, behind Eric Dickerson (2,105), Jamal Lewis (2,066), and Barry Sanders (2,053). Plus, he's on pace for 2,457 yards from scrimmage (rushing & receiving) which would put him #1 all-time for a single season. Currently, Marshall Faulk ranks 1st with 2,429 yards from scrimmage in 1999. I need you to re-read those last two sentences and begin to realize the magnitude of the performance we're seeing from #28.

Put it another way, if you could re-draft your fantasy team and you owned the #1 pick, who would you select?

(Insert Your Team Name Here) will take Chris Johnson, Runningback, from the Tennessee Titans.

HAS ED GONE CRAZY? WHO IS THE BEST RUNNINGBACK IN THE NFL? PETERSON? JOHNSON? IS ANYONE ELSE IN THE RUNNING? MJD? LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

ETSF Thanksgiving List

Ever since the first post on ETSF, the idea for this website was clear: to speak about sports, lifestyle, culture, and everything that comprises the games we love, and do it in a unique and original way. From the first post on February 21, 2008, and since, we feel like we’ve never strayed away from the purpose of the site. We catch hell from time-to-time for not providing content that some readers would feel would be more beneficial for the site, and that’s all good. The simple response for that is there’s ESPN for stats, ESPN Insider and SI’s Truth and Rumors if you’re looking for breaking news, and other blogs if you’re looking for gossip. That’s not what we do here, and we’ll never do it. We’ve found our voice, and we have our own way of enhancing and furthering it, so there are some things we’ll never do, simply because we don’t have to, nor do we want to. Cool? Cool.

With that being said, we’ve been given the pleasure of being exposed to many people who share a passion of sports as well. Their voices have become a daily fixture in our sports-experience, and we’re more than thankful of the relationships we’ve built with these folks over time. In honor of the holiday season, ETSF will show love to some of the blogs that serve as a healthy dose of food for our sports jones.

The NFL Chick and The Pigskinlovinglady

I’ve talked in the past about the pedestal that women who love football are placed on by us at ETSF. In all seriousness, a woman who knows the game is one of the greatest sights our eyes have ever seen, and these two certainly put it down. The NFL Chick is a die-hard Ravens fan, while Pigskinlovinglady is a die-hard Buffalo Bills fan (bless her heart…LOL). They even joined forces over the off-season to create Gridiron Gals, a site that gives a voice to the female football fan, which has grown all season long. Hell, The NFL Chick even helped convince me to join Twitter, so that deserves a shout-out in itself.


The House That Glanville Built
The Reverend Paul Revere runs this site, and I’ll say this right now: I don’t think I’ve ever met a fan who is as loyal and as critical to his teams as this man right here. When I need my fix of anything Philly-related in the sports scene, this is where I go. Like I said, he supports all things Philly, but he does it in an intelligent, original, hilarious, and profanity-littered way. It’s certainly possible for me, a Dallas Cowboys fan, to be cool with him, a die-hard Eagles fan.



Imsohideous
Phillip Barnett, a feature contributor for Talk Hoops, is one of the few Lakers fans I can sit down and have a conversation with and not tell him to go kill himself. In his own words,

“Yes, I am a Lakers fan, but no, I’m not THAT Lakers fan. Yes, I’m a USC fan, but I’m not THAT USC fan.”

Simply put, he’s a real sports fan. He’s loyal to his teams and personnel, but also acknowledges the greatness of other teams and personnel without straying away. We’ve had classic debates for well over a year, and will continue to do so.

Hip to the Game, I.AM.KING.PHIL, and The Stankoniforous Files
Antone has been at it for quite some time, and is always down to give us a guest post, another voice to break a debate, or contributing his insight in his own unique way. I gotta say “PRAISE GOD” for Phil starting a blog. He’s a die-hard Bengals fan (no seriously, he was screaming “Who Dey,” before the Bengals Renaissance this season), so it’s nice to see him bringing his perspective to the table. Stank-0 has been at it for a while as well, and is a regular commenter on the website. We’ve had many a battle over time, especially when it comes to all things NFL and NBA.



ETSF would also like to thank all the other folks who stop by, chime in, curse us out, and anything else that has contributed to the movement of ETSF. We’re truly humbled and thankful that we’ve been able to do this as long as we have, and we’ll do nothing but continue to bring it the best way we know how.

Be easy.

-K. Masenda
http://www.edthesportsfan.com/

Today's Obituaries - R.I.P. To DJ Mbenga

Didier Ilunga-Mbenga, commonly referred to as DJ Mbenga, 28, passed away on November 24th, 2009 after being in critical condition from an array of facial injuries. He was born in Kinshasa, Zaire on December 30th, 1980. DJ is a Belgian professional basketball player who's currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. He also plays for the Belgium national basketball team. DJ Mbenga is commonly seen as the last guy on the Lakers bench and generally gets some minutes in garbage time or when they need someone to foul, real real hard.

Last week, Mbenga underwent severe facial trauma as the repetitive posterization that has occurred to him over the course of his career has taken its toll on the young center.


Just in 2009, DJ was been caught in the crossfire by two rookies in the NBA. Sources say during an exhibition against the Los Angeles Clippers, one of the crowned members of the Light-Skinned Coalition pantheon, Mr. Blake Griffin, delivered what's called the "Drop-Step Tornado" on Mbenga. No one really knew what it was at the time, but the embarrassment and sheer unadulterated power exhibited from Griffin made Mbenga's case all the more concerning.


Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse as what some fans could only describe as "Mighty Mouse YUUUUUUUUUUULE'n on Goliath" in Denver. Nuggets' rookie PG Ty Lawson decided that he'd like to climb that tall tree, and delivered what's known in Chapel Hill as the "Tar Heel Call Ya Mama Throwdown" upon Mr. Mbenga. Its believed that DJ's wife was in the stands and quickly departed the building much in the same capacity that Miguel Cotto's wife left the building as their husbands received unwarranted punishment and abuse.

Both rookies have been detained and been asked to seek counseling from the Harold Miner School of "Not Disrespecting 9-year Veterans When You Are A Rookie" program. Although the bastardization by the rookies on Mbenga has forced his career to be "put down" he has a previous history with post-posterization depression. Please review a previous study on the affects that one Vince Carter and one Rudy Gay had on Mbenga in previous years.

There has also been a foundation setup by Dikembe Mutombo for the prevention of posterization of African big men. Please send all donations there. Thanks.

IS DJ MBENGA THE NEW SHAWN BRADLEY OF OUR GENERATION? IS THERE ANY DUNKS I MISSED? IF I DON'T GET A CHANCE TO TELL YOU TOMORROW, LET ME BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO SAY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! BE SAFE!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

Behind Every Star, There's A Sidekick...

For every championship-contending team, you have a superstar. In addition to that, you have a terrific sidekick; a Robin to your Batman, a Mike Lowry to your Marcus Burnett, you get the drift. This year has seen the usual suspects do their thing. The Lakers are smashing teams at will, Phoenix is winning, and Denver is doing great as well. It’s also no secret all three of those teams have their number one player, and a terrific number two. Right now, we’re gonna look at some of the obvious number twos, as well as a player who can be the difference between their team being decent, and possibly making some noise as the season moves forward.

Josh Smith – Atlanta Hawks

Hopefully, we can all agree that Joe Johnson is the number one player on the Atlanta Hawks. Cool? Cool. With that being said, Josh Smith has the ability to make this team go from simply making the playoffs to making the Eastern Conference Finals. He’s an underrated defender, good rebounder, and we all know he has the ability to make a game-changing play. It may be swatting a shot into the stands, or catching oops from Mike Bibby. He has that rare ability to change the momentum of a game, and in a game that’s ALL ABOUT MOMENTUM, Josh Smith gets it done. Atlanta is first in the East right now, and they can keep the party going, as long as he continues to do his thing.

Amare Stoudemire – Phoenix Suns

Much to the chagrin of Ed, who loves Amare Stoudemire, he is the second-best player on Phoenix, but when your best player is a two-time MVP, it’s not a bad position to be in. As a matter of fact, it’s a damn good one. I’ve come to accept the fact that he’ll never average ten boards a game, but he definitely makes his mark. We all know he’ll dunk on anything that moves, but he’s also an excellent mid-range shooter, and an adequate defender around the basket. I still think a healthy Grant Hill is the key for this team, but Grant Hill, by no means, is the second-best player on the Phoenix Suns. That honor goes to Amare. If he continues to play well, it won’t be a shock to see Phoenix back in the playoffs this year.

Pau Gasol – Los Angeles Lakers

Pau Gasol is to the Lakers what KG is to Boston; with him, they are many people’s favorite to repeat as NBA champions. Without him, they are still good, but they’re not winning the Western Conference title, let alone an NBA title. Gasol is the perfect fit for this team, and since he’s got to LA, anyone with a set of eyes can see this. He’s tailor-made for the triangle-on-steroids offense the Lakers run, he has damn near every post move in the book, he doesn’t take bad shots, he’s an excellent rebounder, and an underrated post defender. Let Ed tell it, Pau Gasol is the MVP of the Lakers, and that post will come sooner than you think (I’m calling you out, Ed). If he’s not the best second-best player in basketball, he’s in the top-three, easily.

Wild Card: Greg Oden – Portland Trailblazers

That’s right; none other than the Number One pick in the 2007 Draft, that Greg Oden. Before you send hate mail to the site, hear me out. There’s one thing I’m certain of, and it’s that the Trailblazers will not experience post-season success, if their second-best player is LaMarcus *bleeping* Aldridge. No disrespect to him, but he doesn’t do one thing, in my opinion, that has a game-changing impact, but Greg Oden does. When he keeps his butt out of foul trouble, he shows the ability to be a terrific rebounder, and a force around the basket, whether it’s blocking shots, or altering twice as many. I’m calling this one a wild-card, because he isn’t Portland’s second-best player, but he has all the ability to be an effective sidekick for Brandon Roy. It looks like he’s 100%, and if that remains the same, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

WHO ARE SOME OTHER TERRIFIC SIDEKICKS? UP-AND-COMERS? LET US KNOW!

Be easy.

-K. Masenda
http://www.edthesportsfan.com/

Mediocre Football At Its Finest

Goodness gracious, have you ever seen a more putrid slate of football as you witnessed this past weekend? I was so bored watching the Dallas vs. Washington game that I almost passed out. Abominable coaching decisions, player miscues, bad refereeing, even the crowds stunk on Sunday. (Did you guys see the stands in Oakland? They looked like they had MAYBE 30,000 in attendance for that game.) I'm going to leave the college kids alone this Monday because they don't get paid (as much) as our professional footballers do on Sunday so they can begin their Thanksgiving break early. Lets point out the madness.

Dallas 7, Washington 6 - Both teams probably wanted to blow their collective brains out after this game, if from just watching it one the sidelines. The funny thing is I thought WASHINGTON actually played pretty well yet they squandered countless opportunities (including two Suisham field goals) to put the Cowboys away. Tony Romo hurt his back while making a tackle (QBs shouldn't be tackling, bad sign #1) and his performance took a hit in the process. Errant passes (Romo), dropped balls (Roy E. Williams), and missed tackles (entire Cowboys secondary) made this very unappealing to watch. The simple fact that Dallas actually WON the game made it even worse, because they had no business winning that game.

Oakland 20, Cincinnati 17 - Ah, the spirit of the city of Cincinnati has been set ablaze by the dumpsterfire that took place in Oakland yesterday afternoon. You had the 2nd best team in the AFC taking on the 2-7 Raiders, and true to Bengal form they found a way to lose the game. Carson Palmer's 2 rushing TD's don't offset the fact that the Bengals were unable to make enough plays in the air to beat up on the Raiders (credit to Dame on calling out Palmer). Plus, they wasted a phenomenal effort from their rookie tailback Bernard Scott. Which leads me to this...if you have Bernard Scott going off, a nice change-of-pace back in Brian Leonard, then the newly signed Larry Johnson as the #3 back...why is JEREMI JOHNSON GETTING CARRIES WITHIN THE REDZONE? One fumble later, the Raiders go and score. Let me say this, it is a truly remarkable and sad thing to watch the sheer improvement of the Raiders offense with BRUCE GRADKOWSKI in at QB. The same Bruce Gradkowski that was benched for the Tampa Bay Bucs last season. Let's be clear, Bruce is not a great QB, not good, barely mediocre. However, compared to Jamarcus Russell (who after seeing him on the sidelines, you can't convince me that he wasn't listening to a personalized GUCCI MANE/JEEZY/OJ DA JUICEMAN mix on his crystallized iPod) Gradkowski looked like a franchise QB...which is what Russell was supposed to be. Gradkowski led the Raiders back to 17 all with a phenomenal throw to Louis Murphy for a TD, and all signs pointed to OT. Unfortunately, former hero turned goat Andre Caldwell couldn't hang on to the ball, and fumbled at the 17 as the Raiders recovered. One Polish toe later, the Raiders walk away with a 20-17 victory.

Detroit 38, Cleveland 37 - You know your team is bad when Matthew Stafford and Brady Quinn throw for a combined 9 touchdowns, you obviously aren't that good. Yet, it was by far the most entertaining game of the day. Especially the ending, with a banged up Stafford basically yanking out Daunte Culpepper by himself while his left arm was dangling like linguini, yet pulling off a miraculous TD to former Oklahoma State great Brandon Pettigrew for the winning score. However, lets not forget the dastardly deed committed by Hank Poteat as he committed a pass interference on a hail mary. Yes, a hail mary. I'm pretty sure BOTH coaches got liquored up something nice after the game. Congratulations Detroit, you just lost the #1 pick in the 2010 NFL draft...that honor goes to Cleveland! Woo-hoo!

Jacksonville 18, Buffalo 15 - Some quick love to my favorite team, the Jaguars as they pulled out another atrocious victory over another horrible team in the Bills. Ken called me out about the lack of support from me of my favorite team. Let me tell you something, when you see your stadium covered with an entire level of tarp, that will sadden a person. Plus, I've watched Jacksonville play and I honestly don't think they are as good as their 6-4 record shows. Look who they've beaten: Houston, Tennesee, St. Louis, Kansas City, New York Jets, and Buffalo. Not really the cream of the crop at all. Plus, after a valiant effort against Indy in week one, they got destroyed by Arizona (31-17), lambasted by Seattle (41-0), and waxed by Tennessee (30-13). Moreover, T.O. had a career day against us, dude went off for 9 catches and 197 yards with a TD. That's insulting. If you would've told me we would be 6-4 going into week 12, I would've taken it no doubt, but I'm not going to fool myself into thinking we're great. I'd rather keep a low expectation and be pleasantly surprised like I am now.

WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NFL THIS WEEKEND? IS BIG BEN GOING TO BE OKAY? INDY AND N'AWLINS ARE STILL UNDEFEATED, WILL THEY MAKE IT? LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

My How The Raiders Have Fallen...

**Today's guest post is brought to you by Phillip Barnett (I'm So Hideous) of the Bakersfield Californian. He's a great friend of ours here at ETSF and gets the platform today. Read up and enjoy!**

I woke up early Thursday morning and felt better than I had felt in a long time: no, it wasn’t because I was finally getting my financial aid check (finally) it was because it was the first game since December 23, 2007 where JaMarcus Russell would not be the starting quarterback of the Oakland Raiders – and at that moment on Thursday morning, I could have honestly named only three things that gave me a better feeling than what I had right then and there (I’ll let you use your imagination… or don’t). I was honestly excited about the beginning of the Bruce Gradkowski era…

…Then reality set in. I remember a while ago, my boss (also a Raiders fan, jackpot) told me a story about Marcus Allen (still my favorite football player to this day) being interviewed after his retirement, still bitter as ever about what Al Davis did to him. Allen said something along the lines of “I have a picture of Al Davis in my freezer, and the Raiders will never win a Super Bowl as long as that picture is there.” Considering some think Davis is Hades, it’s an ironic place to put his picture, no?

Thinking about that story, I realized that I really don’t even know who the hell Bruce Gradkowski is and that there is still no hope. I shouldn’t have to look up where my starting quarterback went to college ( Toledo , who knew?) and, at the very least, I should be able to spell his name (I copied and pasted it). Not knowing anything about your starting quarterback is a harsh reality for a football fan – this kind of miseducation means only one thing: you’re rooting for the bottom of the barrel…

…That harsh reality shows how far the Raiders have fallen. It was just in 2002 when the Raiders were an offensive juggernaut leading the league in total yards per game, Rich Gannon, who won the MVP that season, threw for just under 4,700 yards with a 26-10 TD/INT ratio to help lead them to an 11-5 season. Just one year later, the running game couldn’t get going early, and the Raiders started off to a 2-5 start before Rich Gannon got hurt and ruin my football life for seven years running…

…In less than a decade, the Raiders have gone from the top of the AFC to the bottom of the NFL. Raiders fans have had to endure massive amounts of ridicule in recent years, especially living out here in California, where people are rarely true fans of their hometown teams. My best friends are fans of the 49ers, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Eagles. I’m constantly getting text messages on Sundays telling me how awful the Raiders are playing. For a while, my roommate, Dhevin, a die hard 49ers fan, wound text me “incomplete” every time JaMarcus missed on a pass. He later started texting me “incompl” to be more accurate than JaMarcus…

…As if getting it from my friends wasn’t enough, it seems like every week I read something worse about the Raiders. There were JaMarcus comparisons to Ryan Leaf, stories about Hunter Smith having a higher passer rating for passes over 20 yards than JaMarcus (DUDE IS A PUNTER), they put the finishing touches of the worst 100-game stretch in NFL history in a Week 4 loss to the Texans, which made them 25-75 since their loss to Tampa Bay in the 2002 Super Bowl. Even worse, Bleacher Report decided that the Raiders were the second worst run franchise in the NFL. Not only have they been terrible, but because of Al Davis’ unwillingness to let anyone else have any say in how the Raiders are run, they’re going to continue to be terrible until he dies – and I’m not sure if that is even a possibility…

…I wish I could have written this as a one of those patented ETSF fix-a-team segments, but their situation is worse than the Browns – and Ed wanted to get rid of ALMOST EVERYONE! It runs deeper than that. To fix this team, you’d almost have to wish for the end of someone’s life. And as much as I love the Raiders, I just couldn’t do that. I just hope all of my fellow Raiders fans can stick it out as I have. No one stays terrible forever (EVEN THE BENGALS ARE HAVING A GOOD SEASON!). Don’t pray for the death of Davis, lets just hope that Marcus Allen decides to take that picture out of his freezer someday…

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE RAIDERS? ARE THEY THE WORST FRANCHISE IN THE NFL? HOW DO WE "FIX" THEM? LET US KNOW!

-P. Barnett aka "I'm So Hideous"
www.edthesportsfan.com

The Dallas Cowboys are no longer America's team

I never thought the day would come where the words above were uttered by me, but alas, I must say it. See, I’m a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan. I ride for my team all day, every day. I’ll go to games, travel to training camp, talk crazy to the haters, everything. There’s nothing I won’t do for my team. However, the truth must be told, and even when it’s ugly, it’s still truth. When you love something enough, you also have a responsibility to tell it like it t-i-s, tis (shout-out to The Michael Irvin Show on ESPN Radio.) We’re no longer America’s Team and have not been so for years now.

When I updated my status on Facebook yesterday, my fellow Cowboy fans became enraged with me. I was called a traitor, a Benedict Arnold, and a non-believer. One of my fraternity brothers placed me on a 24-hour suspension until I came to my senses. Others say the Cowboys continue to be the talk of the NFL, given the fact there are fans of them everywhere, and the haters will continue to have us on the brain. They said the Cowboys have some of the highest-rated games in NFL history according to Nielsen ratings (Ed works there, so he’ll confirm it; I don’t care personally, but hey). They also talk about how plenty of NFL players who dream of wearing The Star on their helmet, and it’s considered an honor to do so. Well, while that all may be true, excuse me for not giving a damn.

Here is the harsh reality; my team has not won a playoff game since December 28, 1996. I was a freshman in high school. Ladies and gentlemen, I was in the ninth grade, 14 years old, and hadn’t grown facial hair yet. Since then, damn near every other team in the league has AT LEAST won a playoff game. When I mention this to my fellow fans, they would say “yeah, but yadda, yadda, yadda.”

Now I know we want to win, so that’s not an issue. It could simply be a case that “God don’t like ugly,” yet I can’t imagine The Football Gods staying this angry with us, as to not allow us to have even a fraction of post-season success in 13 years. There are only so many times when someone can say “well, we have five rings.” Well, Pittsburgh has six of ‘em, so that argument, in my opinion, doesn’t carry much weight. Sure, people love the Cowboys, but I’ve seen things this season which disgusts me as a Cowboys fan.

Every Sunday, there’s a ritual that was started by Bryant Robertson (a loyal Saints fan), which has us watching games at Buffalo Wild Wings. When I go, there are some Cowboy fans there, but the number of Saints fans is absolutely staggering. On top of that, they truly get into the game, whereas some of us just sit there and cheer half-heartedly. You would think we were in another city, and not in the *bleeping* Metroplex, but see, these are the things some of us are afraid to admit. Not only have we not been worth a damn, playoff-wise, in the past 13 years, we’ve allowed our city to be infiltrated by the enemy.

I won’t even touch on the way we overreact to our team losing (Romo should be traded is a perfect example of Cowboy fan stupidity; I hear this one every Sunday). There’s some validity to the statement that everything is bigger in Texas, especially when it comes to the Cowboys, and the microscope and the lights are even brighter when it comes to what we do, and my response is simply so what? Who cares? Once we get our stuff together, which I’m entirely confident we can do, I’ll go back and acknowledge us as America’s Team. Right now, forget it. Lets win a playoff game first, and then we can start that back up. For now, this Cowboys fan has put the kool-aid down.

-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

If Ed Was The GM Of The Cleveland Browns...

Have you ever seen someone who was so inept that it really wasn't their own fault. Like you know, they were "special" so they couldn't help it. That's how I feel about the Cleveland Browns. They are "special". Only a "special" team could be so eager to hire a coach (Eric Mangini) who was fired by his previous employer (NY Jets) just a short time prior. Only a "special" team could be so insane that they can't figure out their QB situation until literally days before their first game of the season. Only a "special" team could find a way to totally disengage their best player (Joshua Cribbs) and not realize his true value, thus not willing to give him a fair-market value contract. That my friends, is truly "special". We've done this "Fix A Team" feature before, and big shoutout to Scotto as his fandom (big time Browns fan) is on the line with this one.

#1. Cut All Skill Players On Offense - Except Joshua Cribbs...because he clearly is the only player worth a damn on the offensive end of the ball. You know your team is bad when one player is your best QB, RB, WR, KR & PR! That my friends, is a problem. Also, I said this on Twitter yesterday but, Josh Cribbs is the perfect example of why players should hold out. He played his @$$ off on Monday and he almost ended his career doing so. Cribbs held out before the season because he wasn't making any money ($645K/year). He's the best returner in football now that Hester put down the throne, and he should be paid as such. Cleveland said we'll wait till free agency. Cribbs didn't like it, but he took it for what it was. He's your 3rd leading rusher, 4th in receiving, and has 2 TD's in the return game. PAY THE MAN BEFORE HE GOES TO A GREAT TEAM AND YOU GET NOTHING FOR HIM! JEEZ-US!

Ok, I'm back, I blacked out for a moment. Looking at the tailback position, Jamal Lewis will go down as one of the most underrated runningbacks in NFL history, yet his time as being the #1 RB for an offense needs to end immediately. Jerome Harrison, Chris Jennings, and James "Buster" Davis have all flashed some great ability and their time has come to take over the show.

As far as receivers are concerned, they need some playmakers to go alongside Cribbs. You used to have one? Braylon? Braylon Edwards? Yeah, Braylon is a playmaker wideout and I like him. However, when you got stone hands and a real dislike with the city's #1 superstar (LeBron) then you've got to go homie. I do believe they could use a TE as well...wait? What? Kellen? Kellen Winslow? They had Kellen Winslow? WTF...so you are telling me that Cleveland had Kellen and Braylon and they traded them both for Chansi Stuckey, a pack of Kool menthol's, and a lifetime supply of Murray's Hair Pomade? Basically, they don't have anything to show for their trades and you can't replace top talent like that.

Players of emphasis to watch in the 2010 draft: Dez Bryant, CJ Spiller, Julio Jones, Jahvid Best, AJ Green, Mardy Gilyard

#2. Go Hire The Best Coaching Staff Money Can Buy - The cloud hanging over the Browns right now is dark, cloudy, and downright putrid. Players are complaining about practice schedules, the NFLPA is doing investigations on the management, and agents are actively blackballing players from signing with Cleveland. With that being said, the philosophy of who the Browns are must change A-S-A-P and you must go about it one of two ways. You either get a highly respected coach (i.e. Bill Cowher, Marty Schottenheimer, Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren) and let them build their vision in Cleveland, or you're going to have to roll the dice and get an up and coming coordinator who's made of fire and brimstone (i.e. Mike Zimmer, Todd Bowles, Jeff Davidson) and whom you are willing to back 100%. Its clear that Cleveland wasn't willing to back Mangini and Co. 100% after about week 6.

#3. Acquire Not One, But Two Quarterback. Yeah I Said It - Here's the deal, first off you need to rid yourself of every QB on the roster not named Cribbs, Joshua. That means Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Brent Ratliff, and anyone else who thinks they should be taking snaps for the Browns. Get rid of them, like...right now. The Browns have whiffed on franchise-caliber QB's for the last 20 years. See Tim Couch, Charlie Frye, Kelly Holcomb, and Brady Quinn. Not since Bernie Kosar walked through those doors in Cleveland Stadium has there been a confident presence taking snaps for the Browns. This is what you need to do.

Go draft a QB who fits what you want to be in your offense. Go draft a leader. Go draft someone who says "Yes sir", studies his playbook for fun, and truly understands what it is to be a teammate. I swear before Purple Jesus, if I see another team draft a QB solely on his ability to "throw the ball down the field and having a gun" I'm going to take said gun and use it on them. Ok, maybe not but you get my drift. Matt Ryan doesn't have a cannon, neither does Sanchez, or some of the other young QB's who have now ascended the plateau of young talented QB's. Get someone who's right for the team. Then you know what you do after that?

Get another quarterback. Go get you a veteran, someone who can start for you week 1 and lead your team immediately into battle. You need someone who can talk to your rookie QB, show him the ropes and show him how to do it the right way. If Chad Pennington is available next season I'd snatch him up immediately. Billy Volek out of San Diego, go get him right now. Don't set your QB up for immediate failure, and don't set your players up for immediate failure, and don't set your fanbase up for immediate failure. Set a realistic expectation and execute against it. Once your veteran QB's time is done, there's less pressure on your rookie QB and he can thrive hopefully in his role.

Players of emphasis to watch in the 2010 draft: Jake Locker, Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy

#4. Build On A Thriving Defensive Core - Cleveland's defensive unit really isn't that bad, they've got young skilled linebackers, a mountain of a defensive tackle in Shaun Rogers, and decent playmakers in the secondary. What this defense needs is a leader, a field general, someone who's going to get in someone's face on the opponent's team and on their own team. I can't see that coming from anywhere except from the linebacker position or the safety position. If Cleveland went and got Taylor Mays in this draft then that could change the entire picture for the Browns in 2010 and beyond. A Brandon Spikes, Rennie Curran, Eric Norwood, or Rolando McClain at linebacker could take the middle third into the next level. Building on what's already strong makes you excellent, provides depth, and changes games in your favor. Baltimore, New England, New York (Giants), and Minnesota all have shown this to be true.

Players of emphasis to watch in the 2010 draft: Taylor Mays, Eric Norwood, Rolando McClain, Joe Haden, Jeremy Beal, Sergio Kindle

#5. Play Like You Give A Damn - What I saw Monday night was pitiful, lethargic, and downright disrespectful to the game of football. This is not 100% directed to the players, the coaching, and fanbase were all pathetic. Browns fans were holding up "WHO DEY!" signs! WTF...that'd be like me throwing up the "Hook'em Horns" at an OU game. I think I just threw up in my mouth. Fans, that's just horrible. To the offensive coordinator to the Browns, that was the worst play-calling exhibition I've seen in recent memory. You threw a smoke route (Quick snap, QB throws to the receiver immediately at the line of scrimmage, taking advantage of off man coverage) on 3rd and 8? That's horrible. Brady Quinn, you need to reevaluate life, you couldn't even keep the ball within the field of play when throwing downfield.


Have some damn pride and play like you give a damn. Its just a true reflection that there is zero leadership on that team. That's where I'd begin on fixing this team.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE BROWNS? HOW WOULD YOU FIX THEM? ARE THEY THE MOST PATHETIC TEAM IN FOOTBALL? LET US KNOW!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

They AREN’T Who We Thought They Were - The Cincinnati Bengals

Before the beginning of the NFL season, a large segment of the football population didn’t expect much from the Cincinnati Bengals. They hadn’t made the playoffs since 2005, and really haven’t been worth a damn since. Last season, the wheels completely came off, so expectations were even lower. Granted, that can be attributed to injuries, trouble-makers, rabble-rousers, and the overall morale of the organization being in the dumpster. So when HBO took Hard Knocks down to Cincinnati Bengals training camp, my expectations still weren’t too high. Ed even made a trip down there, and while he enjoyed the practice, he didn’t come back to me reporting a championship-caliber team. He did say they could be good, but that was about it. On top of that, when Chad Ochocinco predicted 12-4, there wasn’t much else to say, except to dismiss it as a shock-value statement. It’s never been a question of talent for the Bengals; it’s just that…well, they’re the Bengals, and they usually suck.

Now I’m not going to sit here and jump on their bandwagon, because (1) I’m a Cowboys fan, and (2) it would be a disservice to the two real Cincinnati Bengals fans I know: Terrence Hall and Philip Colston. I’m not saying there aren’t others, but those two were screaming “Who Dey” when they weren’t worth two cents. What I will say is they deserved to get everyone’s respect well before Sunday’s sweep of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The lack of respect for the Bengals by the general viewing public, as well as talking heads on television, has been on full display all season long. Despite the fact they were 5-2 at their bye week, and did so by beating Green Bay (a winning team), Pittsburgh at home (defending champs, division rival, and winning team), Cleveland (on the road, and a division rival) Baltimore (on the road, division rival, and winning team), and Chicago (never mind; they suck), people still didn’t give them full credit. All that didn’t seem to matter. They would beat who was in front of them, and when someone would ask if the Bengals were for real, the naysayers would say “we’ll see after they play Baltimore again.” They beat Baltimore like a drum, and when people ask if they’re for real (again), folks say “we’ll see after they play the Steelers again.” It’s ridiculous, yet this is what the Bengals have been up against all season. Anyway, they come out of the bye week, and not only beat Baltimore (again), they defied the logic of The Great Terry Bradshaw, who uttered on FOX NFL Sunday before the game:

"There's one thing you can guarantee in life, and that is that Cincinnati will not beat Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh."

Well, Cincy went on to beat Pittsburgh, at Heinz Field, and left Bradshaw, as well as other people, speechless. As Ed said yesterday, this team can make a serious run at the Super Bowl. Carson Palmer is healthy, their running game is very good, their receivers are nice, their defense is playing well, and their special teams is off-the-chain. Outside of Marvin Lewis running like he’s never played a sport in his life (seriously, watch him the next time we runs out to shake the hand of an opposing coach), I love everything about this team. Now I’m not going to crown ‘em; the AFC is too good to truly crown anyone, but I can say, with no doubt in my mind, what I have been saying for weeks now: the Cincinnati Bengals aren’t who we thought they were.

Be easy.

-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

Unsportsmanlike Conduct - Recognizing History

Unsportsmanlike Conduct is an ongoing series in which Ed The Sports Fan brings you the important events, haps, people, and other shenanigans over the past weekend so that you can be thoroughly entertained like when you heard that Katt Williams got arrested for robbery and you weren't even that surprised.

#1. Manny Pacquiao Is The Greatest Boxer of our Generation - Honestly, its not even close. I sat at my buddy Doc's house party this Saturday amped up to watch my favorite fighter Miguel Cotto take his swings against Pac-man. I had talked myself into truly believing that Cotto had a serious shot against Manny. You know, he had more size, fought other speed fighters, done well against lefties, reasonable thoughts that could make me believe what I felt in my heart. My prediction was that my mind says Pacquiao, and my heart says Cotto. I can't go against my heart. Well...that's why your brain is up there, use it. Pacquiao walked through all of Cotto's punches, with ease and made Cotto's face look like ground beef. Pacquiao now has SEVEN titles in SEVEN different weight classes. That my friends, is unprecedented. I had a debate with friends immediately after the fight and I declared that Manny is the greatest fighter of our generation and I would lay $100 with anyone on a bet taking Manny over Floyd. I know a lot of you want to believe that Roy Jones outclasses Manny but honestly its not even a debate.

While Roy Jones was dominant, he wasn't even as dominant as Bernard Hopkins. And yes, Roy Jones did move up in weight to get more titles, he didn't beat the LEGENDS that Pacquiao beat. Pacquiao has now beaten Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. He has one more fight that he must fight, and that is Floyd Mayweather. Who is the only other fighter of the last 25 years that can lay claim to the greatest ever, and I'm telling you now...that might be the greatest fight of our lifetime. What Ali-Frazier was, what Ali-Foreman was, what Leonard-Hearns was, what Joe Louis-Rocky Marciano was...I'm so serious right now. Mark your calendars.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

Who Has More Firepower? Pacquiao vs. Cotto

A fight of epic proportions will occur tomorrow night, count on it.

Do you really need to hear any more than that? You do? Ok I got you.

This is not only going to be the fight of the year, but a chance to really see history in the making with either fighter. Manny Pacquiao is going to attempt to win his 7th world title in 7 weight classes. For a man who started at 106 pounds as a flyweight, has now blossomed into a leapfrogger of weight classes. This fight at welterweight, he will come in at 145 pounds and face a true welterweight in 3-time champion Miguel Cotto, who naturally fights at 147 pounds.

Pacquiao comes in as a 3-to-1 favorite against the Puerto-Rican hero in Cotto, who if you know me as a person or have paid attention to ETSF, you know that Miguel Cotto is my favorite fighter in all of boxing. Yes, I am half Rican, but it has nothing (I'm lying it definitely does) to do with me being a fan of Cotto. Trust me, listen to the media this week, you're going to hear a ton of media hype about Pacquiao, and deservedly so. He is a phenomenal fighter, and I've already said that he's the best fighter of my generation. I know how good Pacman is. However, if you look at the body of work that Pacquiao has in his last 3-4 fights he's toppled a supremely old and outmatched Oscar De La Hoya, a fraud of a fighter (with a hope of a nation in the UK) in Ricky Hatton, and David Diaz...who? Right. Pacquiao's last real fight was against a very game Juan Manuel Marquez for the Super Flyweight title (130 pounds), who took him to the brink and won by a very close split decision back in March of '08.

Cotto on the other hand as had to deal with a totally different level of adversity. I was in Las Vegas when Cotto faced off against Antonio Margarito in a title defense of his Welterweight title. I got to meet Cotto at the airport and he was truly a nice and humble guy, and it was an honor to meet him. However, a part of me hurt when I saw him. He'd lost, and he look weathered. The fire in his eye wasn't there. When I learned after the fact that Margarito turned his hands into bricks (Margarito's handwraps were dipped in plaster paris, which hardens when made wet.) and could've killed that man. Cotto has returned valiantly, as he's beaten a great Shane Mosley and a very game Joshua Clottey. This comes natural for Cotto, he wants to fight. When Pacquiao enters the ring, he's going to feel it.

As a true pundit of the pugilist science, I'm torn on who will win this fight. My mind says Pacquiao. He's looked almost unstoppable, and all the matchmakers want Pacman to win so the ultimate fight betweeh Pacquiao and Floyd "Money" Mayweather could be on the line. Who doesn't want to see that? I do, I definitely do.

Just not right this second, my heart says Cotto, and how am I going to go against my heart? This is the greatest opportunity for Cotto will ever have to cement his true legacy. The man doesn't fear blood, I think he thrives on seeing it. He is truly tenacious and has a great ability to adapt his style to different fights.

One body punch from hell could change Cotto's life, and lift him into the stratosphere of truly great champions.


Cotto by unanimous decision over Pacquiao.

ITS THE PHILLIPINES VERSUS PUERTO RICO, YOU KNOW WHO ED GOT (PR STAND UP) WHO YOU GOT? LET US KNOW!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

Dirk Nowitzki is the most underappreciated superstar in the world

That’s right, I said it. In the words of Ed, feel free to send all hate mail directly to ed@edthesportsfan.com, but I honestly believe, given what I have seen from this man over the past several years, that he is not only a superstar, not only a top-ten player, but he is the most underappreciated superstar in the world.

When I bring this up to people who watch basketball, as I do, the criticism is relentless, but please allow me to explain my stance. There is no other player in the NBA, not one, who possesses his skill-set. Dirk knows his strengths, and capitalizes them, and recognizes his weaknesses, and rarely allows them to be a factor. How many other players do we see, who we consider great, do things we know they cannot do? It’s hard to say that about Dirk. That right there lets you know he’s an intelligent basketball player, as well as a great one.

The disrespect isn’t really given by fans of the city of Dallas. There’s a large enough segment that realizes how great and how valuable Dirk is to the Dallas Mavericks, because we see his exploits first-hand. It’s people who are outside of Dallas that have berated this man to the point where I feel compelled to make a defense for him.

We’ve seen him score 29 points in an eight-minute stretch in the fourth quarter of a game this season (it didn’t even lead Sportscenter! Are you kidding me??!?!). We’ve seen him give the Spurs 37 points and 15 rebounds in a series-clinching Game Seven of a playoff series. We witnessed Dirk drop 50 on the Phoenix Suns of that same 2006 Playoffs, and scoring in just about every single way possible. We’ve seen him carry the Mavs year after year after *bleeping* year, and while some of those performances have been legendary, the Mavs have failed to win a championship…which I’ll touch on right now.

People like to bring up that he choked against the Heat, right? Well, I’ll admit; he didn’t play well, but where was the rest of his team to pick up the slack? Who stopped Wade from channeling his inner-Jordan and going on a damn four-game rampage in the 2006 Finals? It’s not like Dirk can guard Wade; they don’t play the same position.

As far as I’m concerned, the Wade performance is one of those legendary performances that we see, maybe, once every ten years. I can honestly say I haven’t seen a stretch like that in an NBA Finals since Jordan, back in the late-90s. As for the Golden State series, it’s not that hard to figure out. Simply put, it was a horrible match-up for the Mavericks, and anyone who saw the two teams play each other in the regular season could have seen that disaster coming. They demolished everyone else, but had all sorts of trouble with Golden State.

They had the perfect recipe to slow down/stop Dirk: uber-athletic wing players, the ability to move well, and keep him from being able to get the ball, and when he did, he was swarmed immediately. No superstar could have dealt with that type of look. You think I’m lying? Look at the 2004 Finals when the Detroit Pistons devised their entire game plan to stop Kobe, and frustrated him to the point of no return. He was useless in that series, except for that buzzer-beater in Game Two. The Spurs did the same to The King in the 2007 Finals as well. Hell, Cleveland didn’t even win a game. If you scheme well to stop a star, the rest of the team will crumble, but this isn’t about them; it’s about Dirk, so my bad for getting off-track. Now what do I think the Mavs should do? It’s simple, yet something that may not happen, until it’s too late: TRADE DIRK.

The Dallas Mavericks basketball team has peaked; they’ve reached their championship potential, and unless they could get The King or Wade to come (which is another argument altogether, because Ed thinks something like that could actually happen), then they will never win an NBA Championship. Ever. The thing is I think Mark Cuban knows that. Deep down inside, I think he knows it won’t happen, but I also know Cuban is a brilliant man, and will try his best to make it happen, and he won’t do anything drastic, unless he absolutely has to. The Dallas Mavericks have been damn good for the past 8-9 years, but they have no NBA title to show for it. Dirk is still a great player, and I am thoroughly convinced that if he is put in a situation, a la KG in Boston, with even one or two other very good players, that will would win a championship, no doubt in my mind, and I’d bet a week’s pay on it, if the day ever comes. Hopefully the day comes, so people will have no choice but to take heed, and finally admit how great he is. It’s sad that it may take a title to do so, but in my opinion, championship or not, Dirk is the most underappreciated superstar in the world. Period.

THOUGHTS ON DIRK? IS KENNY ABSURD OR IS HE SPITTING TRUTH? LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!

-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

ETSF's NFL Mid-Season Awards (Don't Be Mad At Me)

This much is clear when we talk about the 2009 NFL season. There are the "have's" and the "have-not's". The pundits will tell us that there are some truly exceptional teams and there are some really crappy teams. Things have changed so much from what we thought we knew at the beginning of the season, to what we thought at the quarter pole, to what has defined at the end of the first half speaks volumes to the parity in the NFL. With that being said, here the studs who are making some of these teams play phenomenally. Oh, and I definitely expect some of you to disagree. Here we go...

MVP of the 1st Half: Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings

Obviously the easier choices here are Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, as their teams are both 8-0. However, nothing about their offense is any different that its been in prior years. Minnesota on the other hand, had been EXTREMELY handicapped in recent years as they relied on the likes of Brooks Bollinger, Gus Frerotte, and the Tavaris Jackson experience. #4 has made this team a Super Bowl contender and has energized an offense that now all of a sudden has a ton of playmakers, plus the ability to change the world with a single throw. Look at Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian, and Sidney Rice...is there a better trio of WR's in the league right now better than those three? Purple Jesus is still in the backfield, and the fact remains that this offensive line is very solid. The 40-year old graybeard can sit back in his Wranglers' and pick apart defenses like he's shooting cans on a fenceline. Easy pickin'.

Offensive Player of the 1st Half: Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals

Clearly if I went by the pure numbers then you'd again go with Brees or Manning, or even by who's leading the league in rushing I could've selected Chris Johnson of the Titans, however...there's no way in hell you could've told me that in 2009 that CEDRIC BENSON would be 2nd in the NFL in rushing yards and on pace to finish with almost 1700 yards rushing??!? Never, couldn't happen. He wins this by a landslide, its not even close.

Defensive Player of the 1st Half: Darren Sharper, New Orleans Saints

For someone who was released by the Minnesota Vikings, for someone who's been an all-time great in our generation of football, to see that the Saints safety already has 7 interceptions through 8 games and has helped turn a mediocre defensive 11 into an elite 11 is truly astounding. D-Sharp is doing it all, as he has returned three interceptions for touchdowns this year and has assumed a leadership role for his team. My buddy Tyrell, who is an avid Saints fan, would always get nervous when teams would throw deep on the Saints. They were liable to give up a big play nearly every time. Sharper has eliminated that fear, and is leading the Saints to glory in 2009.

Rookie of the 1st Half: Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings

By far the easiest choice I've made in a long time. Easier than choosing Alpha, easier than choosing my prom date back in high school, easier than choosing my favorite ice cream, (butter pecan) Percy Harvin has done EVERYTHING the Vikings have asked him to and excelled. Catching the ball, running the ball, returning the ball...Percy's done it all. He is the essential X-Factor in football, and anytime he gets his hands on the ball he is feared that he'll take it to the house.

Coach of the 1st Half: Josh McDaniels, Denver Broncos

Simply put, I cannot believe what's going on in Denver. There was more turmoil in the Mile High City than could ever be imagined and they hadn't even played a game yet. He traded away their supposed franchise QB, had multiple quarrels with their superstar wide receiver, and made some questionable free agent acquisitions in the off-season. They were picked to be in the CELLAR behind the RAIDERS & CHIEFS! What???? Now they are 6-2 and sitting pretty atop the AFC West where the Chargers were predicted to stand all along. Yes they just hit a 2-game skid, but there's no shame in losing to the Ravens and Steelers. McDaniels is a smart & young coach and he'll figure it out. Denver's making us all look real bad.

Team of the 1st Half: Indianapolis Colts

No Marvin Harrison, no Anthony Gonzalez, no Bob Sanders, and a severely depleted offensive line have all been major speed bumps to the Colts. However, losing the Gandhi of pro football in Tony Dungy might be an even bigger blow to this team. Yet, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Dwight Freeney have manned up and put on a masterful performance through the first 8 games of this season. #18 is simply a maestro on the football field. I don't even think Jim Caldwell is actually coaching anyone out there, he's just a figurehead. #18 does it all. The defense has been high-energy all year and there are a ton of new faces that are continually making plays for this team. Plus, with the AFC as loaded as it is now, their 8-0 record looks all the more elite with every passing week.

THOUGHTS ON THE 1ST HALF AWARDS? WHO WOULD YOU PICK? LET US KNOW YOUR PICKS!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

Ocho Cinco: What Football and Life Have Thrown My Way

I recently decided to read Ocho Cinco: What Football and Life Have Thrown My Way, by Chad Ochocinco. He’s always been one of my favorite players in all of football, and since I love to read, this was a good as time as any to kill two birds with one stone.

The first thing about this book is it’s pretty honest. He goes into detail about his journey through football, as well as the path he took to where he wanted to go. It certainly wasn’t conventional, but it was the way he took, and thanks to some luck, supportive people, and the drive to get to where he wanted to be, he got to the big-time. He’s honest about his issues with the Bengals (past and present), and when it comes to him, he truly wants to win.

The balance that comes from this book is due to having his peers, his coaches, family members, and friends speak for him. He may be talking about his journey to Santa Monica College, and his old position coach would have a section in there where he speaks about him. Another thing I can appreciate about this book is when other people speak about him, they weren’t excusing all of his behavior. You’re able to see they all have their opinions of him, but they all root it in the fact that he’s a good guy. It’s not to say he’s made the right choices. In the book, he talks about his challenges of being a better father to his kids. Even though he didn’t grow up with his, there are no excuses on his part for a lack of a father in his life. He seems to know right from wrong (and honestly, it doesn’t have to be looked at as wrong; maybe just not the best decision), but he usually finds a way to make the best decision, even if the road to get there takes longer than some people would like.


A theme that may be underrated is that people should have fun, and do what they enjoy doing. He’s a football player, but not only that, he loves life, he works hard at his craft, and loves to have fun while doing his job. You’ll see that as a continuous theme in the pages; people should love what they do every day, and have a blast while doing it. Some of the stuff is a little out there (the whole “Planet Chad” thing in the last chapter), but honestly: it aint no different than Wonkaland in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, or whatever that place was at the end of 40-Year-Old Virgin, after Andy marries ‘ol girl. The dude just loves life and lives it to the fullest. The book doesn’t come across as fraud, or self-serving, which is not easy to do when you’re telling your own story. I will say that it’s authentic, in the sense that you feel like you’re having a conversation with him, and it can sometimes jump from topic-to-topic with no warning, but if you don’t let it deter you, then it’s all good. After reading it now, and seeing how his team having such a great season, it looks like this is all coming together, even though it wasn’t as planned, but as it is with the dude, there’s nothing conventional about him, except that he loves to live.

Be easy.

-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com

The Year of the Storied Franchise...

This year has been a great and memorable one for fans for some of the major franchises in sports. The beginning of the year saw the Pittsburgh Steelers win their sixth Super Bowl, the most in NFL history. After that, we saw the University of North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team demolish everyone on their way to another National Championship. Then the Los Angeles Lakers achieved basketball supremacy by winning the NBA Title, and finally the Yankees won the World Series for the 27th time in team history.

When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers, I have nothing but respect for the way they handle their business, as well as their fan base. Truth be told, I’ve never met a fair-weather or a bandwagon-ass Steelers fan before, which I certainly can’t say for the other organizations listed above. Even when the Steelers don’t go all the way, their fans always have their back. They’re waving The Terrible Towel when they’re winning, losing, playing great, playing like crap, overachieving, underachieving; it doesn’t matter. Those fans are the epitome of loyal. As for their team, they have plenty of players that are just plain raw. Ben Roethlisberger has been my dude since day one, Santonio Holmes is on the verge (if not already) of being a top-ten receiver. James Harrison is a monster, their secondary is off-the-chain, and you can’t help but love Mike Tomlin and the job him and his coaches have done with the team.

Tar Heel basketball gets similar respect from me as well. When it comes to college basketball, I see it as a positive when UNC is one of the elite programs in the country. They had the luxury of having a hungry, experienced squad, after they got thrashed by Kansas, in the 2008 Final Four. The core of their team came back with a vengeance, and literally ran through everyone on their way to the National Championship, and even when I wanted Oklahoma to beat them in the Elite Eight, and Michigan State to take it in the Final, I couldn’t be mad when UNC took the cake.

Now if anyone has been on this site enough, they know how ETSF feels about the Los Angeles Lakers, so there’s no need to re-hash that. (Ed's note - Yes there is, they got away with the HEIST OF THE CENTURY by trading KWAME BROWN for Pau Gasol!!! Where is Stephen A.? Oh, I found him...)


The bottom line is the Lakers made their primary goal to win the title, made the most of their opportunities, and in the end, they prevailed. I can respect that portion of it, especially because of what the team has gone through for the past several years. As for their fan base, I still think they have their fair share of bandwagon riders and fair-weathers, which my blogger-in-crime, The NFL Chick, has eloquently defined, but I’ve come to accept the fact that it comes with the territory.

This last brand (because I refuse to call them a team) is the one I struggle with even more than the Lakers. Now the facts are the facts: the New York Yankees won the World Series, which Ed went into detail about in yesterday’s post, and they should be commended. However, I still think The Pete Bell Philosophy (we got the best players money can buy) is the devil. I hate that there is no salary cap in baseball, so they can outspend everyone, and basically buy a championship. I don’t see that as being fair or constituting anything resembling team, even though it’s certainly within the rules. I hate that they’re a collection of the highest-paid players in baseball, like Neon Boudeaux, Butch McRae, and Ricky Roe were in Blue Chips. That’s why I call them a brand, and not a team. Even with that, the fact that they prevailed and won their 27th championship, the most in Major League Baseball history, culminates the fact that this is indeed the year of the storied franchise.

THOUGHTS? IS THIS WHAT PROFESSIONAL SPORTS SHOULD BE LIKE? WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE? LET US KNOW!

-K. Masenda
http://www.edthesportsfan.com/

The Yankees Tricked And Got It...World Series Champs

First off, I want to officially want to congratulate the 2009 New York Yankees for winning their 27th World Series championship.

This Yankees team has probably the greatest chemistry I've seen since the '04 Red Sox. They actually got some cool players on the squad (Sabathia, Swisher) and loosened up the ever stiff A-Rod. I said this on twitter last night and I'll share it with you all, Alex Rodriguez is the Kobe Bryant of baseball. Absurdly talented, socially awkward, and surrounded by great talent...lucky bastards. The difference between Kobe and A-Rod was that when it counted most. You could easily say that Kobe was an integral part of the Lakers winning their championships, whereas with A-Rod you could easily say that he was the reason they lost when it counted most. Well, not this time, as Mr. Hudson Mr. Rodriguez was crushing the ball, single-handedly putting himself in the class of Bonds/Pujols/Manny where the opposing team will refuse to pitch to the man. (You happy Isiah? LOL)

How did this effect the series? Well, A-Rod wasn't the only one crushing, Chase Utley was doing MAJOR work. The Yankees said eff that, we ain't pitching to him either. So it puts the responsibility on the person hitting behind Rodriguez & Utley. One was Hideki Matsui, the other was Ryan Howard. I think we all realized how that worked out...

So the Yankees now have ring #27. WTF. They got one for each of the fingers and toes, then they've got ring wristbands, headbands, three on a chain, etc. Just ridiculous. Plus, I know that my mailbox has already been hit with folks complaining about the Yankees salary, overall hate for Jeter/A-Rod, and other curse words that I won't share with you all, but the fact of the matter is this...none of this is the Yankees fault. Everyone would love to have their team have an owner like George Steinbrenner.

Think about a couple of quick facts.

- The Yankees spent $201 million dollars in salary for the 2009 season, tops in baseball. The Phillies spent $113 million, 7th in baseball. The Yankees spent $78 million more than the Phillies in salary, that $78 million is more that 15 teams salary, including playoff participants St. Louis Cardinals ($77M), Rockies ($75M), and Twins ($65M).

- The Yankees signed the three top free agents in the '09 class in Sabathia, Teixeria, and Burnett. Their 3 combined salaries equal $423.5 million. There are 16 teams who aren't worth more than $417 million. Here is the full list on Forbes to truly take in the absurdity.

- The Yankees have won 27 of 104 World Series in the modern era (starting in 1903) giving them a 26% win percentage of championship seasons.


And you know what the scary think about all of this is? They're going to have MORE money to spend in this offseason. That means players like Cliff Lee and Matt Holliday could easily be Yankees in 2010.

Again, this is not the Yankees fault. There is no salary cap in baseball at all. Hell, The #2 and #3 teams (Mets & Cubs) both didn't even SNIFF the playoffs so clearly money isn't everything, but MLB realizes something that we the fans probably don't care about. The big market teams have to spend the most money so those regions can keep the game relevant.

Think about it, this year you had two mega-markets (Philadelphia & New York) in the World Series, plus you had both teams from Los Angeles in the LCS. MLB reported that this was one of the highest rated playoff series in baseball history. You think the same ratings would happen if San Diego & Tampa Bay squared off? I don't think so. There will never be a salary cap in baseball, so just get over it. Their owner and general manager put their team in a position to win the World Series and they did it.

I hate the Yankees for two reasons: One, because they have the absurd amount of money to spend on players and my team (Atlanta, who does spend nice money) doesn't even come close. Two, I hate the Yankees because they are the powerhouse of their league, they are extremely polarizing, and they seem to have fans on every inch of this Earth. Its mind-blowing.

I didn't mind when Philly won last year, even though I hate them too (Atlanta's NL East rival) but it wasn't as bad because unless you are from Philly are have a real connection to them, there aren't just tons of Philly fans crawling around everywhere. Yankees fans? You mofo's were climbing out of the cubbyholes left and right (some of you I swear fo' Jesus I never knew were Yankees fans) screaming Yankee pride and singing Jay-Z and Alicia Keys song to the masses. It is maddening.

Truth be told, I need the Yankees to be great. I need them to win 100+ games every year, go out and pick up every great free agent, and secure the love of the media just like they always do. Except, I just want you all to lose in the end, because who wants to see the story of Goliath just crushing David. Goliath is supposed to crush David, that's the expectation. Who wants to see that? That's a story I'll pass on every time.

Congrats to the Damn Yankees, you were the best team this year. You bought chemistry, which is amazing, and I applaud you all because you were truly dominant. A tip of the cap to you lucky bastards.

THOUGHTS ON THE WORLD SERIES? HOW MANY OF YOU ARE TRULY YANKEES FANS? WHO'S READY FOR THE N-B-A!!! LETS US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!

-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com

The ETSF NBA Player of the Decade - Tim Duncan

Ever since the uproar surrounding the ETSF All-Decade Team post we ran in June, I’ve given a sincere amount of thought as to who has been the best player of the decade in basketball. After narrowing the list down to about three players that I could realistically make a case for, the ETSF NBA Player of the decade is none other than The Big Fundamental, Tim Duncan.

Tim Duncan can arguably be called the best power forward that’s ever lived, and when you look at it, it wouldn’t be far-fetched. My favorite power forward of all-time is KG, but there’s no question that when you look at what a power forward is, Tim Duncan’s picture is right there. He has every post move in the book, he’s a great rebounder, great defender, great shooting big man, and has clutch. With the exception of the 2007 championship, he was, without a doubt, the best player on the floor every single time, and to be honest, if he isn’t on the court against Cleveland, Tony Parker isn’t able to terrorize the Cavs backcourt the way he did. Tim Duncan’s production, numbers-wise, has decreased, but it isn’t due to a deterioration of skills; it’s due to the fact that he’s willing to concede the scoring load to TP, as well as Ginobili, Roger Mason, and now, Richard Jefferson.

He seems to be perfectly content letting those cats get their shine on, while he continues to do the dirty work, and keep the Spurs in title contention on a yearly basis. The only other superstar who I’ve seen do it (concede the scoring load willingly, and still be a beast) is Kevin Garnett. No other superstar, at least one that can be considered for an honor of this magnitude, would be able to do such a thing, and if you think I’m lying, take a look at their history, and get back with me.

Even though Duncan’s numbers are in decline, he’s always understood how to play basketball. Sure, he’s gotten older over the decade, but in his prime, he beat people with his mind and fundamentals more than sheer athletic ability anyway. That’s why he can continue to be “the Duncan of old” when the Spurs need him to be. He’ll abuse his opponent on his basketball IQ alone. The only other player who can do that is Kobe, and even he can’t do that as effective as Duncan, because there is not one player, or situation on Earth, that can get in Tim Duncan’s head.

The thing that gets me, more than anything, is how truly underappreciated Tim Duncan is. I’ll admit I took him for granted once, but after watching more basketball over the years, it’s impossible to ignore how great of a basketball player he really is. It’s usual for people to say there will never be another “so-and-so,” but those same people rarely say it about Duncan, but I’ll go on record and say it now: there will never be another Tim Duncan. Never.

Be easy.

-K. Masenda
http://www.edthesportsfan.com/