These four things I know are true…
- Triple H is a complete and total moron.
- Ring of Honor Wrestling is just like World Wrestling Entertainment and TNA Wrestling when it comes to television.
- Realignment and super-conferences will be the death of the student-athlete.
- And, I’m Aaron Goins. All my thoughts on these topics and so much more (including why I firmly believe in measuring twice and cutting once)… in The Highlight Reel!
NEWS and NOTES
**Did you ever think you would see the following image in your lifetime?
Yeah, me neither. Yet, at Night of Champions on September 18th, Mark Henry became the latest “overnight sensation” in World Wrestling Entertainment to rise up the ranks and defeat one of the chosen ones for a world championship when he pinned Randy Orton for the World Heavyweight Championship. Frankly, I should be angry by the notion that Mark Henry, an immobile and worthless lump of garbage inside the ring, is now holding a championship never held by men like Arn Anderson, Roddy Piper, Curt Hennig, or Ted DiBiase. I should be sickened that he will have a longer title reign than more deserving men currently on the roster like CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio, Cody Rhodes, Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett, or Drew McIntyre (to name a few). But, I’m not really upset about it. For one, it got the strap off Randy Orton. More importantly though, it was WWE finally using the logical conclusion to one of the many pushes Mark Henry has received over the years.
Since 2003, Mark Henry has received no less than five major pushes in which Henry was booked as an indestructible monster inside the ring. In every push, I have said that Mark Henry has looked terrific in the spot. Yet, he’s either gotten injured, turned into a jobber for The Undertaker, or turned face and had those pushes prematurely ended. So, it was actually refreshing to see Mark Henry finally get the culmination to a storyline and push that has been dangled in front of him for almost 15 years. Mark Henry’s title reign in 2011 is this era’s version of John Bradshaw Layfield.
John Bradshaw Layfield was primarily a tag wrestler destined to never amount to anything serious as a single’s star when known as Bradshaw from the APA. A haircut, wardrobe change, and monster push later, John Bradshaw Layfield became the most dominant WWE Champion in SmackDown history with a nine month title reign. More importantly, he created a legacy nobody expected yet the majority of fans loved and respected. It all came from finally getting a chance.
Mark Henry is in his final years as an active wrestler. The WWE has pushed him as a monster since April and they finally culminated it with a dominant win, a clean victory, over Randy Orton. It actually makes sense and is a rare case of logical booking instead of the ‘E pulling the rug out from under Henry like in years past when he’s gotten a monster push only to be jobbed out to The Undertaker, John Cena, or Batista. While I have hated him for years, I must say I don’t hate this nearly as much as I thought I would.
Of course, the WWE can not have their world title picture without at least one member of the two-man power trip. The legit main event run of Alberto Del Rio ended 35 days after it began when John Cena defeated Del Ro for the WWE Championship. However, it was not just that Del Rio lost the title that had me calling his run over. It was the way he was buried in the process. Cena stole his car, ruining his trademark introduction in the process, and then forced Del Rio to tap out to the STF. While it may have been a good match, the little things all add up to one prompt burial for another “potential main event talent.”
As for the other major story out of Night of Champions, all that occurred was something I called a month ago: Triple H defeated CM Punk. CM Punk got himself over by playing hard ball to get a contract and delivering a worked shoot that breathed fresh life into a stale program. Then, he got to defeat the Golden Boy in Chicago for the WWE title. Then, Punk got jobbed out to Alberto Del Rio, saddled in a feud with Kevin Nash that, because of Nash’s poor physical health, was turned into a feud with Triple H and Kevin Nash, and ultimately became the same jobber to the main event stars that he was before June 27th, 2011. The only thing I honestly didn’t call in this whole scenario was the timing. I thought Punk had more time. I thought he’d job to Triple H at WrestleMania; not the meaningless Night of Champions event.
Everything else that occurred at Night of Champions… you know, who cares? The championships mean nothing in the WWE and a night about those titles is a night of sheer nonsense much like any other night of WWE programming in this day and age.
**Three weeks into the NFL season and most of my predictions for the NFL season that I firmly believed in are blowing up in my face. Who thought the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions would be among the handful of 3-0 teams? I mean, really? Who thought the Atlanta Falcons or Philadelphia Eagles would be 1-2 while the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers both would be strong 2-1 teams? Through three weeks, the NFL has been tremendously entertaining and, once again, full of surprises.
Thus far, the biggest surprise in the league has been the Ryan Fitzpatrick-led Buffalo Bills. The Bills shocked the New England Patriots with a come-from-behind 34-31 victory this past Sunday to show that they are for real (for the moment anyway). But, the biggest story of the young season has been injuries and their affect on many in the league. Indianapolis (currently 0-3) are missing Peyton Manning as their quarterback is out for the year with a neck injury. Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles is out with a torn ACL and the Chiefs have went from a division win in 2010 to an 0-3 start in 2011. Green Bay (currently 3-0) have lost safety Nick Collins to a potential-career ending neck injury. The New York Giants (currently 2-1) have saw injuries deplete their secondary and receiving corps, most notably losing receiver Domenik Hixon again to a torn ACL. The San Diego Chargers are 2-1 but have lost perennial Pro Bowl kicker Nate Kaeding (torn ACL) for the year while tight end Antonio Gates has been dealing with foot issues. Plus, the Philadelphia Eagles (currently 1-2) have gotten a banged up Michael Vick (concussion and injured hand already) three games into the season with no relief in sight.
For my teams, injuries have hampered both the Dallas Cowboys (2-1) and Carolina Panthers (1-2) as well. Tony Romo is currently playing excellent football after suffering a cracked rib and punctured lung at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers defense during a week two victory while receivers Miles Austin and Dez Bryant have hamstring issues and running back Felix Jones has a shoulder injury. In Carolina, Cam Newton has played great as starting quarterback with record-setting performances in the first two games of the season. However, Carolina’s already-weak defense lost linebackers Thomas Davis and Jon Beason with a torn ACL and ruptured Achilles tendon respectively.
While we are only three weeks into the 2011 NFL season, there are a few safe bets already. The Kansas City Chiefs will not repeat at division champions while the St. Louis Rams will not live up to the hype and win their division. The Miami Dolphins apparently are the new Buffalo Bills (i.e. AFC East bottom dweller). The Indianapolis Colts are nothing without Peyton Manning, the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots are still elite, the New Orleans Saints will easily put up 30 on anyone in the league, and the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys are both still over-hyped media darlings who will struggle to win anything important. Of course, the beauty of the NFL is that these same safe bets today could be blown apart with one bad week. The parity that lives within the National Football League is what makes even the most set-in-stone laws as fragile as Joe Theismann’s leg against a coked-up Lawrence Taylor.
**TNA Wrestling is heading towards their biggest event of the year, October’s Bound For Glory, with a fresh face in the main event picture and the culmination of a year-plus long angle on the horizon.
At No Surrender on September 11th, Kurt Angle retained the TNA World Championship with a win over Sting and Ken Anderson. Meanwhile, Robert Roode of Beer Money won the Bound For Glory Series to become the number one contender for the TNA World title. So, on the biggest stage of the year for TNA Wrestling, Robert Roode will go from one half of the best tag team in the world to a main event spot against one of the greatest to ever lace a pair of boots. While the WWE would never allow a fresh face to main event WrestleMania without a major push first, TNA is allowing Robert Roode to main event Bound For Glory because of the potential that lies inside him. It shows a lot of faith in the future and it’s a move I like.
The other major news to come from No Surrender came in the form of two new champions. Winter defeated Mickie James to win the TNA Knockouts Championship for a second time while Austin Aries defeated Brian Kendrick for the X-Division Championship. Meanwhile, the Impact Wrestling events that followed have laid the final plans for what will hopefully be the finally meeting between Hulk Hogan and Sting inside a ring anywhere.
October 16th will see Bound For Glory emanating from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As mentioned earlier, the main event will see TNA World Champion Kurt Angle defend against Robert Roode. Also, the longest angle in TNA today will come to a head (hopefully) when Hulk Hogan returns to the ring to face Sting with the control of TNA Wrestling on the line. Also, Winter will defend her Knockouts Championship against Mickie James, Velvet Sky, and Madison Rayne in a four-way match while Mexican America defends the Tag Team Championships against Ink, Inc. Plus, Rob Van Dam faces Jerry Lynn in a Full Metal Mayhem match, Ken Anderson faces Bully Ray, and Crimson battles Samoa Joe and Matt Morgan in a three-way match. With weeks to go before Bound For Glory occurs, this already-loaded line-up will only get larger as TNA is sure to deliver an awesome show in Philadelphia. No pointless celebrity cameos and matches; just the professional wrestling that wrestling fans want.
**I feel like I deserve a championship ring. After all, it was the good mojo that I brought to the Greensboro Grasshoppers on May 9th that helped carry them through a miraculous run that ended with the Grasshoppers winning their first South Atlantic League Championship since 1982. The Greensboro Grasshoppers defeated the Savannah Sand Gnats, three games to two, to win the South Atlantic League Championship.
Unlike my Atlanta Braves, who choked a Wild Card lead in the majors at a historic level, the Grasshoppers won 13 of their last 15 to earn a playoff spot. Then, Greensboro defeated Hickory Crawdads in the opening round before beating the Sand Gnats to claim their first title in 29 years. While I may have nothing to do with it, I am choosing to claim that my attendance at one home game in May was the key to the Grasshoppers winning it all. I’m awesome like that.
**Yes, I said my Atlanta Braves. Considering the levels of post-season heartache they have given me over the years, I feel like they belong to me and they are the family members who disappoint me more than anybody else because I know they are so much better than they choose to be. The Atlanta Braves were 8.5 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Wild Card race on September 6th. A mere 22 days later, the Atlanta Braves found themselves on the outside looking in as the St. Louis Cardinals caught and passed the Braves for the Wild Card on the final night of the season when Atlanta “manned down” and completed the choke-job with another loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. In true Atlanta Braves fashion too, this disappointment is being ignored by the sports media because somebody “manned down” even better.
While Atlanta was stinking it up in the National League, the Boston Red Sox and their second highest payroll in all of Major League Baseball collapsed in a historic manner. Leading the American League Wild Card race over the Tampa Bay Rays by nine games on September 3rd, Boston ended the regular season with a 7-20 record in September and another loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay defeated the American League-best New York Yankees (again) to overtake the Red Sox in the Wild Card race. Boston, a club known for historic collapses, now has a collapse greatest than any previous disaster in Red Sox history on their hand as it is the largest collapse in Major League history. While Atlanta’s choke-job was epic and one of many choke-jobs they have done over the last two decades, the Braves are still minor league even at their greatest achievement. The choke-job Boston Red Sox pulled off was historic and the kind of choke-job that makes fans forget two World Championships and call for organizational implosion. If Atlanta only had that kind of panicking and passionate fans, I would not feel so apathetic towards Atlanta’s collapse. Sadly, I don’t think things will change in Atlanta because nobody really cares about what was a collapse almost as historic as Boston’s “man down” effort.
**College athletics is in the midst of a change that will ultimately, in my opinion, kill the idea of student-athletes forever. No, it is not the idea of paying students for their athletic endeavors. It seems as though students will continue breaking their bodies through athletics to earn universities and their coaches millions of dollars while the students can not afford a sandwich from the local Quizno’s. The latest change to college athletics that will ultimately destroy the idea of the student-athlete is the creation of the super-conference.
It was recently announced that the ACC will be adding Pitt and Syracuse from the Big East to the ACC with rumors flourishing that Rutgers, Connecticut, or Notre Dame may also join the conference in the next year or two. Meanwhile, Texas A&M is joining the SEC on the heels of Nebraska leaving the Big 12 to join the Big Ten Conference. TCU (Texas Christian University, mind you) is joining the Big East next season as conference realignment in order to create spectacular conference tournaments and championship games appears to be the biggest goal for administration everywhere within college athletics.
I am not a fan of the realignment and the creation of the super-conferences. I am a fan of tradition and these traditional rivalries within college athletics will die with the realignment of regional rivals into opposing conferences. Also, I am not a fan of these super-conferences because, once again, the rich will get richer while the students will remain poor. Not every student-athlete goes pro and earns millions. Yet, every single one of these student-athletes put their blood, sweat, and tears into their respective sports without making a dime while the coaches and university officials make millions. As if playing a sport while getting an education is hard enough, factor in now the travel of a professional athlete into the mix. Students at TCU in Texas will travel to New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania regularly for games and vice versa. When do these young men and women study? When do they attend class? It is hard enough to believe student-athletes actually study as it is and now we add the travel schedules of professional athletes to their workload. It’s unbelievable. If these student-athletes are going to be treated like professional athletes even more than they already are, it is a complete injustice that they are not paid for their endeavors.
Of course, the more things change the more they will stay the same. Student-athletes will make schools millions, sporting apparel companies billions, and won’t have enough money for a McDouble. But, at least the conference championship games will be amazing. That’s what really matters, right?
**On September 24th, Ring of Honor Wrestling debuted with a new television deal on the Sinclair Broadcast family of networks. After hearing from countless wrestling fans about the greatness of Ring of Honor’s previous show on HDNet, I was very intrigued to see what Ring of Honor would bring to the table for their largest audience to date. What I saw was a mixed bag of results.
In one hour, Ring of Honor offered two matches. The in-ring product was terrific. The matches featured very old-school, athletic-based wrestling matches that fans of wrestling in the 1980s would appreciate seeing today. Plus, the commentary from Kevin Kelly and former ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness was a throwback to the glory days of wrestling commentators like Gordon Solie, Jim Ross (15 years ago), and Bob Caudle. Plus, Ring of Honor abandoned the red border around their ring that made it look like a toy ring in favor of a traditional black ring.
However, Ring of Honor did one thing in their hour that I absolutely loathed. I hated the hypocrisy that came from the mouths of Ring of Honor management and their fans. For months and years, they have bashed World Wrestling Entertainment and TNA Wrestling for talking too much and not wrestling enough. Yet, in one hour, Ring of Honor only offered two matches while spending 30 minutes in pointless interview segments and self-promotion. For a company where wrestling is first, they showed as many ads, pointless talking segments, and time-killing video packages as WWE and TNA. Ring of Honor proved itself to be just like the other companies only without the budget or name-recognition of their counterparts.
I will be tuning into Ring of Honor Wrestling a lot. I appreciated the in-ring product and am enjoying it more than WWE already. I just hope that they lose the “holier than thou” attitude they give off through their die-hard fan base. That can be a major turn-off to a company needing to turn on as many fans as possible.
**On September 12th, ESPN2 unveiled a brand new line-up with the focal point being the always awesome Michelle Beadle and SportsNation (Colin Cowherd is still there but you know who the star is). After watching the new line-up for a couple of weeks, I must say that I like some of the new shows, hate some of the new shows, and find influence in ESPN’s most popular shows all over these shows.
First, the positives. I have to admit that Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable is growing on me. Columnist and radio host Dan Le Batard finally has his own show and it reeks of the same quirkiness that people have seen for years on Le Batard’s guest hosting spots on Pardon the Interruption. His father, 81-year-old Gonzalo, serves as his co-host and adds a charm that is undeniable. Plus, the show has taken the “Five Good Minutes” segment from PTI and perfected it as Le Batard’s interviews are among the best sports TV all day.
The same can not be said for Numbers Never Lie. I liked a lot of this show the first time I saw it, when it was called SportsNation. Clarissa Thompson is a good hostess. She seems to have a nice personality and she’s attractive. But, she doesn’t seem to have an opinion on anything. Co-host Michael Smith runs roughshod on the show while the revolving door of guests honestly bring nothing to the table. The key segments they use, including a word-for-word rip-offs of the SportsNation segment “Don’t Shoot the Messenger,” are just bland and boring. While the format seemed like a sure hit, Numbers Never Lie has been a complete dud.
SportsNation moved to 5PM with the new lineup. While I have heard nothing about ratings, I have noticed that the SportsNation replay that used to air on ESPNNews at 6PM has been replaced by Around the Horn and PTI replays. It seems as though fans are choosing to watch SportsNation in the head-to-head competition so the network is offering a replay of the once-top sports shows from the worldwide leader in sports. Judging from the new lineup, SportsNation must have really done something special. Plush spot, imitation via spin-offs. But, one thing is for certain. There is only one Michelle Beadle (sorry, Clarissa), one Colin Cowherd (thank God), and one SportsNation. Paired with Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable, you have a tremendous duo of sports, entertainment, and excellence.
**On Halloween night, WWE RAW will jump the shark for the 1000th in the last five years alone. But, this time is special. Not only will RAW jump the shark, they will also pull the shark out of the water, stab and shoot the shark, rape the shark, and force the shark to watch Knucklehead on a continuous loop until the shark commits suicide. On Halloween night, The Muppets will guest host RAW.
Yes, those Muppets. Kermit, Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzy Bear. Nothing says the best in professional wrestling quite like the Muppets. What pains me thought about this is that I appear to be in the minority when it comes to expressing outrage at this news. It goes back to the idea of having standards I suppose. If I want to see the Muppets, I’ll watch them on the big screen when the movie opens Thanksgiving weekend. I tune into wrestling for... wrestling. Shocking concept, I know. It boggles the minds in the WWE’s brain trust on a consistent basis. But, apparently a growing amount of wrestling fans are perfectly okay with the Muppets taking away valuable time from a show that lacks wrestling as it is. I just don’t get it.
**About three weeks ago, Triple H conducted an interview with Moviefone.com regarding his latest WWE Studios (sarcasm alert) masterpiece, Inside Out, when he made some controversial statements regarding mixed martial arts. When asked what the WWE needed to do to compete with and become as relevant as UFC and other forms of MMA, the new face of WWE management said that MMA needs to become more like WWE. And, the wrestling world all did their best Booker T impression as they said, “Did he just say that? Tell me he didn’t just say that.”
“I don’t see us needing to evolve to what UFC does because quite frankly sometimes the fights are long and boring, guys lying around and sometimes the fights are fast and over in five seconds. I’ve always thought one of the things about us, if you look at us solely from a sports standpoint, is that we always give you a good show. We’re never going to give you a crap game.” - Triple H
Really? Really?!? So some mixed martial arts fights are merely guys laying around? Well, what do rest-holds look like, Doofus? What is 80% of a Randy Orton match? And, while we’re at it, when have you and the WWE given the fans a good show lately? I’m not talking about a good moment or good match. I’m talking about a good show from top to bottom. For my money, World Wrestling Entertainment has not done that in almost five years. It is definitely NOT an always situation, Hunter.
“I think if anybody needs to evolve, it’s them. Give more of an entertainment standpoint. Give more form; they just have fighters who walk in in T-shirts and shorts and just stand there and then they fight and then they win and then they go ‘thanks, I’d like to thank my sponsors’ and then they leave.” - Triple H
They need to evolve? The UFC and mixed martial arts, the sport that is among the fastest growing sports in the world, need to evolve? With their huge deal with FOX, UFC is now on network TV and will do a whole lot better than the last Saturday Night’s Main Event on NBC did. MMA draws more fans to arenas and more viewers on television and PPV. Big fights fill up bars with people watching and partying every other weekend while WWE pay-per-views are only shown once a year in a majority of these establishments. The reason for all of this is because people got tired of seeing the same people winning everything. World Wrestling Entertainment has been the Triple H, John Cena, Undertaker, Randy Orton show for FAR TOO LONG! Even with injury and retirement taking out some of these tired acts, WWE has not replaced them with anyone long-term. Instead, WWE has built fresh faces to feed to the tired old acts with nothing changing. MMA needs to evolve? The UFC needs to evolve? No, World Wrestling Entertainment needs to evolve and change it’s image before the pathetic company of today becomes a dead company tomorrow.
CHEERS and JEERS
Superstar of the Week: Lady Antebellum
Congrats to Hillary, Charles, and Dave on the success of Own The Night. Their third album was released on September 13th to good reviews from critics and great reviews from fans. Selling over 347,000 copies in a week, Own The Night topped the Billboard Top 200 and the Billboard country charts while also becoming the number one album in Canada too. It was the largest debut for a country artist since Taylor Swift’s Speak Now was released in 2010.
On top of that, Lady Antebellum’s first headlining tour was announced recently with ticket sales occurring all over the country. I have my tickets for the show in Roanoke, Virginia in December. The trio that everyone in Nashville fell in love with in 2008 and the rest of the music world began to love in 2010 is riding high off the success of their third album. Lady Antebellum is not just “owning the night;” they are owning the world.
Jerk of the Week: Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
On September 17th, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. improved his career record to 42-0 with a fourth round knockout over Victor Ortiz. The sad thing is that the record books will forget the heinous and disgusting antics by Mayweather during and after the fight. Not only did Mayweather lose the respect of more boxing fans, he may have also tarnished his name beyond repair.
Mayweather dominated the fight. Victor Ortiz was ill-matched for Floyd’s speed and talent. In the fourth round, Ortiz broke the rules with an illegal head butt to Mayweather. As the official turned to the judges to deduct a point from Ortiz, Mayweather delivered two punches to a defenseless Ortiz while the fight was paused. Floyd Mayweather was credited with a fourth round knockout victory. Then, Mayweather added to his professional and classy nature with a post-fight interview for the ages. As 80-year-old boxing analyst Larry Mercer questioned Mayweather’s punches on a defenseless Ortiz, Floyd cried foul on the questions and then repeatedly challenged Mercer to fight him.
I am one of many who want to see Floyd Mayweather, Jr. face Manny Pacquiao inside the ring. But, I hate that getting to see that epic fight would line his pockets with a few more millions because Floyd Mayweather is the kind of thug in sports who deserves to die penniless and alone. Floyd Mayweather is a jerk in every sense of the word. His actions during and after the Mayweather-Ortiz fight epitomize everything wrong with calling him a champion. Floyd Mayweather is a jerk; not a champion.
POWER RANKINGS - Top NFL Teams (through Week 3)
5. Baltimore Ravens
4. Detroit Lions
3. New England Patriots
2. New Orleans Saints
1. Green Bay Packers
BIG A RECOMMENDS…
Bridesmaids - Currently available on DVD
2011 has been another great year filled with critically-acclaimed R-rated comedies in the theaters. Horrible Bosses was absolutely terrific. Bad Teacher and The Hangover: Part II received mixed reviews from critics but rave reviews from cinemagoers everywhere. However, no film from the genre has received as much love as Bridesmaids.
Written by and starring Saturday Night Live’s Kristin Wiig, Bridesmaids is a hilarious film about a group of ladies and the trials and tribulations before a wedding. While the plot sounds like a stereotypical romantic comedy, Bridesmaids is anything but that. From a dress fitting ruined by food poisoning to an ill-fated bachelorette party to Las Vegas, Bridesmaids is loaded with the hi-jinx expected and appreciated in these comedies. Plus, the performance of Melissa McCarthy alone is worth renting this film. Bridesmaids is a tremendous comedy worthy of all the praise it has earned. Check it out if you need a laugh.
WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK…
The thing I have learned the most since the last time I wrote The Highlight Reel is that there is a lot of value in the phrase, “Measure twice and cut once.”
Recently, I returned to college to enter Greensboro College’s PAL Program. This program is an accelerated program that ultimately is supposed to lead me towards teacher licensure in the state of North Carolina. Everything seemed wonderful in the beginning. But, once my first class began, I found out that the brain trust within the program had not measured twice. In fact, they had not measured once. The professor I have for my Pedagogy (learning to teach English) course has not taught a single method regarding how to teach English in a month. The fieldwork component of the course was delayed for weeks. Then, when it began, I found myself being assigned at a school I’ve never seen before (Ragsdale High in Greensboro) and told to do things as part of this fieldwork component that I have not been instructed how to do in the Pedagogy course. It seems as if I was supposed to take forms handed to me, read these forms, and pull professional skills out of my backside without any instruction whatsoever. I don’t understand what happened to a college that just a few years ago was absolutely terrific to me and helped me obtain a degree I was proud to have; a degree that would have assured me a job in the journalism field had our economy not been so terrible.
Sadly, they are not even the worst example of people who should adhere to the rule of measuring twice and cutting once. In early August, I received notice from CenturyLink that I was finally going to be able to upgrade my internet service to DSL internet through them. I was finally going to get away from dial-up and move into the 21st Century. When the end of August rolled around, CenturyLink said there was a slight delay. I would be able to get DSL services on September 22nd. I was shipped my modem and instructed that after 7PM on September 22nd, I would be surfing the web via DSL. Lie. I was told by Customer Service and Technical Support to try again on September 27th. It would be working them for sure. Lie. Try again on September 28th. My work order was scheduled for September 28th and I would have DSL working on that date. LIE! LIE! LIE! The wires necessary for the services to work are old and destroyed by time and Mother Nature. Instead of noticing this problem before telling the customers that the service was going to be available, they simply lied and got out hopes up and accounts started before the service was actually available. Not only did CenturyLink not measure twice before cutting, they cut all of the wood before beginning to build the house. I finally, on September 29th mind you, have gotten to use the internet service CenturyLink sold me. After over a month, myself and the other customers on this road have received what was promised from the bill of goods.
Some people in my life may think that I am a worrier. I stress to much and plan too much. I try to control everything under my thumb with my planning of events to an obsessive level. But, to those who say that is a fault, I must ask this: what is wrong with measuring twice… hell, five or six times… before cutting once? That one cut then is perfect. No problems. No hang-ups. No frustrations, anger, annoyance, bitterness, and outright rage at being lied to.
As a student and a customer, I am expected to complete my assignments and pay my bills on time. If I am late with either, I suffer the consequences. Yet, college professors and a multimillion dollar company can pull plans out of thin air, have them fail at epic levels, and are not supposed to suffer those same consequences that they would have for me if I screwed up on their level. Planning, proper planning, the same skills used by even the most dim of bulbs who still have an ounce of common sense in their tiny brains, would have alleviated the problems that I am currently having to deal with courtesy of both Greensboro College and CenturyLink. Life is filled with double standards and I have come to expect that over the course of my 28 years. But, something so simple as proper planning is not something that should be erased by the notion of a double standard. Everyone should measure twice and cut one in every aspect of their life. It’s just common sense.
- Aaron Goins
The National Football League is the biggest league in all of professional sports. Football is America’s game. If there was any doubt of that before, this summer proved that as people were more interested in the courtroom proceedings that came with the NFL Lockout than a season of very competitive Major League Baseball or one of the more competitive seasons on-track in NASCAR history. Even interest in the NBA Playoffs fueled by the hatred of Lebron James and emergence of the Dallas Mavericks has champions couldn’t compare to the interest that the sporting world had in whether or not we would have the NFL season start on time. Like it or not, the NFL is king in the sporting world and will remain on top of the throne for a long time to come.
I am like millions of sports fans in admitting that I am a “Football first - Everything else second” fan. With that mindset, right now is one of the most exciting times of the year. The anticipation is building and will be at fever pitch on September 8th when the Saints and the Packers take the field for the first regular season game of the 2011 NFL Season. As I have done since the beginning of The Highlight Reel, it is time for my annual preview of the upcoming NFL season. Previewing all 32 teams briefly and making predictions that you can take to the bank (if you want to lose all of your money), this is my preview of the 2011 NFL season.
NEWS and NOTES -- NFL Team Previews
AFC East
Buffalo Bills - The Buffalo Bills are just an ugly, ugly team. While they do have name recognition at a few positions (linebackers Nick Barnett and Shawne Merriman, receivers Steve Johnson and Brad Smith, running backs Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller), less-than-impressive men helm the Bills’ two leadership positions. Head coach Chan Gailey has never impressed me in any job he has had while the quarterback situation of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tyler Thigpen is a QB battle of mediocrity. The Buffalo Bills are going to be in a dogfight for the number one draft pick next season because the 2011 campaign for the Bills is going to be a major disappointment. (Estimated number of wins: 2-4)
Miami Dolphins - The fan base hates the quarterback. The team is full of consistent underachievers. The Miami Dolphins should be seen as one of the biggest disasters in the NFL but they are not. After a long time of observing the area, I understand why Miami is ignored: Miami, Florida as a whole is the worst sports city in America. If the fans in the home city don’t care, why should anyone else? Quarterback Chad Henne has little to no support from the Dolphins’ fans but the front office has faith in him. Also, Henne has Reggie Bush (obtained from New Orleans) to replace running backs Ronnie Brown (to Philadelphia) and Ricky Williams (to Baltimore) while receiver Brandon Marshall and tight end Anthony Fasano will remain key weapons for him. Of course, Miami obtained Matt Moore from Carolina in case Henne faltered again. The Dolphins defense looks to be their strong suit with the addition of veteran linebacker Jason Taylor to a defense already sporting one of the premiere linebackers in the game in Karlos Dansby. The defense will keep Miami from being an embarrassment and they will pick up a few surprising victories. However, they do not have a chance at the playoffs and a .500 record is really a stretch. Mediocrity in Miami will be the headline for the Dolphins season. (Estimated number of wins: 5-7)
New England Patriots - On paper, they should not even play this season because the Patriots have already won the Lombardi Trophy. Tom Brady is coming off an MVP season with 36 touchdowns and four interceptions, Bill Belicheck is still the premiere coach in the game today, and they have added Chad Ochocinco to Brady’s list of weapons while adding Albert Haynesworth and Shaun Ellis to their defensive front. The Patriots are just loaded from top to bottom. But, there is a reason why they play the game. I find myself doubting New England because this is not the only time they have been loaded in recent memory. Yet, they have not won a Super Bowl since 2003. The New England Patriots will be one of the league’s elite once again in 2011. But, I honestly see them going to same route that New England has gone in the playoffs the last seven seasons: high seed, early playoff exit, and ultimately disappointing season. The Patriots dominate the regular season but they have not won a game that really mattered in a long time and that trend continues in 2011. (Estimated number of wins: 13-15)
New York Jets - Two consecutive trips to the AFC Championship Game have the New York Jets looking more primed than ever before for a Super Bowl berth. Coach Rex Ryan’s bravado continues to ruffle the feathers of some and inspire dreams in others. For me, I think the New York Jets have a Super Bowl run in them. I honestly do. Quarterback Mark Sanchez has improved every season and the addition of receiver Plaxico Burress, freshly removed from two years in prison, and re-signing of Santonio Holmes outweigh the loss of receivers Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith. Plus, the Jets’ defense re-signed Antonio Cromartie and still have Darrelle Revis keeping the best secondary duo in the game today intact (Yeah, I said it Philadelphia). I don’t know if running backs Shonn Greene can carry the load or LaDanian Tomlinson can maintain that revitalized level of play he had last season. The Jets are playing a tougher schedule and they may not have the 11-win season of last year. However, I think they still have a legit shot at getting into the playoffs and doing some damage. The Jets have shown the ability to win in the big game environment recently more times than not (right, New England?) and I see them making some waves in the playoffs. All of the bravado may ultimately be false with a Super Bowl not in their future. But, the Jets will go down swinging and take some teams down in the process. (Estimated number of wins: 9-11)
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens - The Baltimore Ravens are at a point where it is Super Bowl or bust in my eyes. Entering his fourth NFL season, starting quarterback Joe Flacco is one of the most consistent and proven game managers in the league while running back Ray Rice and wide receivers Anquan Boldin and lee Evans (fresh from Buffalo) are among the best weapons any QB in the league could hope to have. I think that the loss of tight end Todd Heap (to Arizona) will hurt Baltimore’s offense but not enough to have their offense have any excuses when it comes to reaching the next level. Meanwhile, Baltimore’s strength will once again be their hard-hitting, smash-mouth defense. The ageless Ray Lewis is going to be their premiere linebacker for a 16th season. If he can stay healthy, safety Ed Reed will put fear into opposing quarterbacks as they look for targets like the most celebrated secondary performers in the game today. Baltimore has been a playoff teams for the past couple of seasons but have not made the AFC Championship Game in any of those playoff appearances. It is now or never for the Ravens. As much as I like the Ravens and respect their players, especially on defense, I believe 2011 will be another early playoff exit. This squad simply does not have what it takes to reach the next level and join the Patriots, Colts, and rival Steelers as a Super Bowl Champion. (Estimated number of wins: 9-11)
Cincinnati Bengals - It is hard to believe that this is the same team who won the AFC North two seasons ago. It is a miracle to me that head coach Marvin Lewis keeps his job in Cincinnati while more talented and successful coaches are relieved of their duties. The Bengals continually disappoint and that consistent state of disaster finally reached a breaking point for quarterback Carson Palmer. Palmer gave them an ultimatum: trade me or I retire. The Bengals have yet to trade Palmer, he has not shown up, and the Bengals have been left with rookie Andy Dalton at starting QB. While I think Dalton has tremendous upside, he is not ready to be a starter yet in the NFL and will be destroyed in the NFL without the chance to learn and develop. The Bengals also released Terrell Owens and traded receiver Chad Ochocinco to New England in moves that further depleted an already bowling shoe ugly offense. Rookie WR AJ Green and veteran running back Cedric Benson will be bright spots on a team with few reasons to cheer in 2011. The Bengals, no shocker, will be among the worst teams in the NFL. (Estimated number of wins: 2-4)
Cleveland Browns - I think that the Cleveland Browns are going to surprise many people with just how good they are. Entering his second year in the league, quarterback Colt McCoy has a winning pedigree from the University of Texas that has followed him into the NFL. McCoy is going to lead a young offense including wide receiver Joshua Cribbs and running back/beast Peyton Hillis to greater things than his predecessors Derek Anderson, Jake Delhomme, and Brady Quinn. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s no-name Browns defense will begin earning respect and more name recognition through tenacious play and victories in close affairs for new coach Pat Shurmur. I think that the playoffs are still not in the immediate future for Cleveland. However, a .500 is far from an unrealistic dream for the Browns. (Estimated number of wins: 7-9)
Pittsburgh Steelers - One of the flagship organizations in all of football, the Pittsburgh Steelers showed in 2010 that you can never count them out. They overcame injuries, age, and suspensions to make a Super Bowl run that saw them fall just short against the Green Bay Packers. Despite making little to no moves in the free agency bonanza after the Lockout ended, Pittsburgh looks like one of the premiere squads once again in the AFC. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had an uneventful off-season that means he will start the year without a four-game suspension. Leading Pittsburgh’s always consistent offense, Big Ben will have running back Rashard Mendenhall and receivers Hines Wards, Mike Wallace, and Heath Miller as key weapons. But, Pittsburgh’s real strength has been their defense for years. As long as safety Troy Polamalu stays healthy and linebacker James Harrison can keep himself out of trouble with the league for aggressive hits and moronic comments, the anchors of the Steeler defense will lead a group poised to be as dominant as ever. I think the Pittsburgh Steelers have another great season ahead of them. While I believe they are a lock to win the AFC North, I only have them in the fight to win the AFC outright. Still, they will be playing well into January. (Estimated number of wins: 11-13)
AFC South
Houston Texans - If the Houston Texans do not win the AFC South or at least make a playoff appearance this season, I believe everyone should be disposed and management should start from scratch. 2011 should be Houston’s year to finally live up to the potential they have had for five years now. Head coach Gary Kubiak has a team loaded with star talent. Quarterback Matt Schaub has one of the premiere running backs in the league in Arian Foster in the backfield while wide receiver Andre Johnson is among the league’s elite. Houston has no excuse for not putting up points on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, the Texans defense is loaded with young studs poised to dominate. Mario Williams has moved from defensive end to linebacker alongside Brian Cushing in what I think will be a terrific line backing duo. Houston has all of the tools necessary to win the AFC South. But, that has been a statement said regarding the Texans for a number of years and they have failed time and time again. It may bite me again but I believe that the Texans will be a winner in 2011. I just cannot see this team failing to live up to their potential another season. The Texans will finally overtake the Colts (barely) and win the AFC South. (Estimated number of wins: 9-11)
Indianapolis Colts - For the first time in a long time, the Indianapolis Colts head into an NFL season surrounded in controversy. Peyton Manning, one of the upper echelon quarterbacks in the league, is still healing from his second neck surgery in 24 months and does not appear to be ready to return to the lineup. His replacement: recently un-retired Kerry Collins. The arrival of Collins was met with anxiety from fans and anger from players, namely receiver Reggie Wayne. Manning will return and the Colts offense will be on fire once Manning knocks off the rust. With a list of weapons including a healthy Joseph Addai in the backfield, tight end Dallas Clark, and receivers Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzales, Austin Collie, and Pierre Garcon, offense will not hinder Indianapolis once Manning returns. But, I think Peyton Manning’s injury is not the only problem Indy is facing. Their defense has struggled for years. Often-injured Bob Sanders is gone and the secondary has not improved. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis cannot do it all from the defensive line. The Colts are going to contend for the AFC South. However, Houston is a legit contender for the division this year too. A slow start in Indy could provide too much of an obstacle for even Peyton Manning to overcome. (Estimated number of wins: 9-11)
Jacksonville Jaguars - In my opinion, there is nothing good about the Jacksonville Jaguars except for the cheerleaders and running back Maurice Jones-Drew. That is it. The quarterback situation in Jacksonville is rather ugly with veteran David Garrard released mere days before the start of the season in favor of temporary starter Luke McCown as QB of the future / rookie Blaine Gabbert is definitely not ready to start in the NFL. The defense is nonexistent and a difficult schedule will not make things easy for the Jags. Jack Del Rio continues to remain in Jacksonville despite finding himself on the hot seat for the last couple of seasons. I just don’t see how Del Rio can remain the coach in Jacksonville after this season because 2011 is going to be another disappointing campaign for the Jaguars. Jacksonville may be able to avoid the cellar in the AFC South but they will be closer to bottom dwellers than playoff contenders in 2011. (Estimated number of wins: 2-4)
Tennessee Titans - The more things change the more they stay the same. That adage is the best way to sum up the 2011 Tennessee Titans. For the first time since 1994, the Titans are going to be coached by someone other than Jeff Fisher. Mike Munchak has taken over the reigns in Tennessee and has a new starting quarterback as Vince Young was released and Matt Hasselback was brought in from Seattle. However, the biggest star in Tennessee has been their biggest headache as running back Chris Johnson’s contract demands have lead to Johnson missing the abbreviated training camp and preseason because of delusional greed. While one of the best and highest paid backs in the game, Johnson’s desire to be one of the highest paid players has been more of a hindrance than a contribution to the Titans. Tennessee is not loaded with well-known players on both sides of the ball. But, they do have a lot of determined players looking for the victories that have eluded Tennessee for the last couple of seasons. 2011 is going to be a year of rebuilding for the Titans. I don’t think they have major success ahead of them in 2011 but they won’t be as terrible as other teams in the league. (Estimated number of wins: 5-7)
AFC West
Denver Broncos - A new regime has already helped Denver make more headlines in the preseason than Denver made in all of last season as the saga of Tim Tebow has captivated the nation. New head coach John Fox (formerly of Carolina Panther fame) is solidly behind Kyle Orton at quarterback. Tebow, a first-round pick a season ago, has been fighting for the third string role despite playing more competitively in his three starts last season than Orton. John Fox will bring experienced leadership to the Broncos and should help them reestablish themselves as the power running team they have been since the John Elway Era ended. The addition of Willis McGahee from Baltimore to a backfield already including Knowshon Moreno will only make the running game more dangerous while receiver Brandon Lloyd will give the Denver QB (whomever he is) a solid target. The Broncos defense is loaded with heavy hitters and talent including the return of defensive end Elvis Dumervil and addition of first round pick linebacker Von Miller. I won’t say that Denver is going to go from 2-14 to playoff team overnight. But, the Broncos will be considerably better in 2011 as they may flirt with a .500 record. (Estimated number of wins: 6-8)
Kansas City Chiefs - The Kansas City Chiefs surprised the league in 2010 with a division win. However, in the playoffs, a 34-7 loss to Baltimore showed that Kansas City won a weak division and never stood a chance against real competition. I think Kansas City’s division win was a fluke. I just don’t see it being a long-term deal. Head coach Todd Haley is going to have lofty expectation met with soul-crushing reality in 2011 as Matt Cassel’s top target in 2010, Dwayne Bowe, will not have the same spectacular season as in 2010. Running back Thomas Jones will continue to be a solid player. Plus, safety Eric Berry heads a defense that will keep KC in many games. Ultimately, I don’t think the Chiefs’ premiere players will be enough to keep up with a healthy Chargers or rapidly improving Broncos in the AFC West. 2011 will be a tough season for those who bleed red and white for the Chiefs. (Estimated number of wins: 5-7)
Oakland Raiders - After surprising the league with an 8-8 record, owner Al Davis decided to stop the momentum of the Raiders by replacing head coach Tom Cable with Hue Jackson. While I question the coaching change, the Oakland Raiders did not make any drastic changes with their player personnel and that should mean the Raiders would remain a threat in a weak AFC West. For the first time in his career, quarterback Jason Campbell will be helming the same offense for a second straight year. Speedy running backs Darren McFadden and Michael Bush will keep opposing defenses in check while Campbell has a receiving corps including Jacoby Ford and former first rounder Darrius Heyward-Bey trying to prove themselves as choice receivers. Defensive lineman Richard Seymour and linebacker Rolando McClain will lead Oakland’s always-tough defense into battle but I think the loss of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan (to Dallas) will be felt big time. Then, there is the Terrell Pryor factor. After drafting the former Ohio State QB in the supplemental draft, the Raiders have made it clear they see him as a future quarterback. Therefore, if the Raiders have a slow start, the rumblings and Pryor talk could become just the distraction needed to turn Oakland back into the hot dumpster fire Al Davis has kept them in since their Super Bowl run in 2002. I think Oakland is in big trouble. Too many potential distractions will lead to a disappointment in 2011 for Raider Nation. (Estimated number of wins: 4-6)
San Diego Chargers - Last season was a shocker for the Bolts as the San Diego Chargers went 9-7 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005. San Diego has not made many moves to improve their team from one year ago, personnel-wise. The loss of running back Darren Sproles to New Orleans will force the Chargers to rely heavily on second-year back Ryan Mathews and touchdown machine Mike Tolbert to add a ground dimension to Philip Rivers’ high-powered pass-heavy offense. With receivers Vincent Jackson, Patrick Crayton, and tight end Antonio Gates all as targets, Rivers is a lock at another 4,000 yard season. Meanwhile, the Charger defense is quietly among the best in the game and will only get better with the additions of linebacker Takeo Spikes (from San Francisco) and safety Bob Sanders (from Indianapolis) to a secondary already home to Quentin Jammer. I don’t think that San Diego has what it takes to achieve the postseason success that they’ve had the potential for in years past. Nevertheless, the Chargers do have what it takes to return to the playoffs after a one-season hiatus. They win a weak AFC West. (Estimated number of wins: 8-10)
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys - Once again, the Dallas Cowboys are entering the season with a ton of hype as they potentially have one of the best teams in the league. They have many delusional fans and analysts saying this season is where Dallas returns to the Super Bowl. I am not one of those Cowboys fans. I do believe that the Cowboys have gotten better via subtraction over the off-season. For one, Jason Garrett is officially the head coach in Dallas. His willpower and determination showed in the final weeks of last season that he was clearly a better leader than former coach/human jellyfish Wade Phillips. In addition, the releases of receiver Roy Williams and running back Marion Barber ultimately will help the Cowboys as Williams has forever been a bust and Barber was taking valuable reps from now feature backs Tashard Choice and Felix Jones. But, I still don’t think they have the right quarterback for the job in Dallas. Tony Romo is one of the most overrated players in the game. I just do not believe in him as a leader and winner in the NFL. Romo does have plenty of weapons though as Miles Austin and Dez Bryant are stud receivers and Jason Whitten remains one of the league’s top tight ends. But, I don’t believe in Romo. Dallas’ defense is also loaded with beasts including linebackers DeMarcus Ware, Bradie James, Anthony Spencer and CB Terrance Newman. But, for all of the talented players on the Dallas Cowboys roster, I honestly just cannot see Dallas living up to the potential again this season. As a Cowboys fan, I hope I am wrong. But, I fear that Romo and the Cowboys will look great on paper and be mediocre on the field. They may have a shot as a Wild Card berth in the competitive NFC but they will not be a Super Bowl contender. Not even close. (Estimated number of wins: 8-10)
New York Giants - Eli Manning is not a quarterback that I would want if I were looking for a QB to win me games weekly. However, Eli Manning is a solid game manager. Manning can direct the organized chaos on the field better than most. As long as the Giants are not depending on Manning to win a ton of games on his arm, the Giants can be a very successful team in 2011. They have a one-two punch in the backfield that I love in Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. While the NFL may be a passing league, I think the Giants will make their way to victory on the ground. Also, New York looks great on defense. If they can avoid the injury bug, that Giants defense that includes stud players Osi Umenyiora and Marvin Austin on the defensive line and Antrel Rolle and Prince Amukamara in the secondary will be among the most difficult to penetrate in the league. One thing I like about this year’s Giants team is the humiliating way 2010 ended for them. Blowing a massive lead to Philadelphia and missing the playoffs despite a ten-win season will give this team a massive chip on their shoulder going into the upcoming season. Teams who come into the season playing to erase embarrassment achieve great things nine times out of ten and I think the Giants are going to shock a lot of people by busting a lot of heads in 2011. They are my favorite to win the NFC East. (Estimated number of wins: 9-11)
Philadelphia Eagles - The Philadelphia Eagles won the NFL off-season as they made moves and loaded up on free agents like a squirrel loading nuts for winter. Philadelphia added QB Vince Young (from Tennessee), RB Ronnie Brown (from Miami), TE Donald Lee (from Green Bay), DE Jason Babin (from Tennessee), and CB Nnamdi Asomugha (from Oakland) to a team that won the NFC East just a season ago with Comeback Player of the Year Michael Vick (now known as Philadelphia’s $100 million dollar man). Plus, they added CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in a trade that sent QB Kevin Kolb to Arizona and the Eagles still have receiving corps with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Riley Cooper, and Steve Smith (formerly of the Giants). On paper, it looks like head coach Andy Reid may have finally got the squad necessary to earn his first Super Bowl ring. But, those rings are not won on paper. As good as Philadelphia can be, and I believe they will be good, I do not think they are a lock to win the NFC Championship. I don’t think they are a lock to win the NFC East. Michael Vick has never played a full 16-game season and there is nothing stopping him from being injured in 2011 the same as he was in 2010. Philadelphia will be a contender for the NFC East alongside Dallas and New York. But, nothing is a lock for the Eagles. (Estimated number of wins: 8-10)
Washington Redskins - The years Mike Shanahan will ultimately spend in Washington will tarnish any success that he had in Denver in the late 90s. Once again, the Washington Redskins are destined for another year of solid effort and ultimate disappointment in our nation’s capital. The Donovan McNabb Era in Washington ended after one season as McNabb was shipped to Minnesota; leaving the Redskins to depend upon Rex Grossman (and probably John Beck) as the leader of the Redskins offense. Washington has a few nice receivers, especially in Santana Moss and Donté Stallworth, and a great young running back in Tim Hightower. But, that is pretty much it for Washington. I feel so badly for DeAngelo Hall as he is one of the best cornerbacks in the game and he’s trapped in Washington like an innocent man behind bars. The Redskins are indeed a prison-like setting for the careers of many and things will not change in 2011. The Redskins will be a bottom dweller in the NFC in 2011. (Estimated number of wins: 2-4)
NFC North
Chicago Bears - The Chicago Bears were one win away from the Super Bowl last season. While they have made few roster changes, I think that the biggest NFL rule change heading into the 2011 season has affected the Bears more than any other team in the league. Kickoffs were moved from the 30 to the 35-yard line. This means there will be more touchbacks. With more touchbacks, the Bears have will have fewer opportunities for kick returner Devon Hester to make an impact on the game. Chicago’s defense is still their biggest key to success. Brian Urlacher is still an outstanding linebacker while defensive end Julius Peppers appeared last season to have a career resurgence in Chicago. However, fellow linebacker Lance Briggs has requested a trade and appears disgruntled heading into the season. Meanwhile, Chicago does have a good offense on paper. They added former Cowboy running back Marion Barber and receiver Roy Williams through free agency to a squad already boasting RB Matt Forte and receivers Earl Bennett and Devon Hester. But, two moves have me skeptical of the Bears’ offense: they traded tight end Greg Olsen to Carolina and they still have Jay Cutler at quarterback. Jay Cutler showed in the Playoffs that he is not the kind of QB you need if you want to be a winner in the NFL. He has talent but has no heart. While Chicago came close to the Super Bowl last season, I think that the 2011 season will be a cold, hard drop back to reality for the bears as the Packers are healthy, the Lions look like a team on the verge of greatness, and Minnesota is too talented to be a complete bust. The NFC North is loaded with talent and Chicago, to me, appears to be the least talented team in the division. Chicago will finish fourth in a very tough NFC North. (Estimated number of wins: 6-8)
Detroit Lions - If Matthew Stafford can stay healthy for the Detroit Lions, I think we may see something not seen since 2000: a winning season in Detroit. Years of futility in Detroit have allowed the Lions to load up on talent through the NFL Draft. Now, the Lions have one of the most talented young rosters in the entire league. Matthew Stafford has shown flashes of brilliance in his two injury-plagued seasons while Calvin Johnson has emerged as one of the best receivers in the game today. Plus, Detroit’s defensive line is among the league’s best. Consisting of the premiere defense player in the league in DT Ndamukong Suh and veteran DE Kyle Vanden Bosh, the addition of rookie DT Nick Fairley will only make Detroit’s front four that much more fearsome to opposing offensives. The Detroit Lions have so much talent that it is implausible to think they won’t have a winning record at the end of the season. I do not believe Detroit will be a match for their division rival Green Bay Packers. But, as long as they remain healthy, Detroit has too much young talent not to be a playoff contender in 2011. Detroit will remain in the hunt to the final snaps of the 2011 regular season and have Wild Card aspirations that are more realistic than one would have believed just three years ago when this team was 0-16. The Detroit Lions will be good in 2011. (Estimated number of wins: 9-11)
Green Bay Packers - The champs are here! The Green Bay Packers were the last team to get into the NFC Playoffs last season and turned the #6 seed into another Super Bowl Championship for the Packer Nation. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers finally broke free of Brett Favre’s shadow by bringing a title to Title Town while also emerging as one of the league’s elite quarterbacks. The Packers went through the playoffs last season with a team of superstars on IR and all of fully healthy heading into the season opener against New Orleans. Rodgers has an outstand corps of receivers at his disposal including Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson along with tight end Jermichael Finlay. Also, Green Bay’s running game will be at full power with the return of Ryan Grant. Meanwhile, Green Bay’s defense is young, fast, exciting, and dominating led by linebacker Clay Matthews, defensive lineman BJ Raji, and cornerback Charles Woodson. No team has repeated as Super Bowl Champion since the New England Patriots did in 2003-2004. Loaded on both sides of the ball and filled with motivation to repeat, I think the Green Bay Packers are going to be the class of a very competitive NFC North and will be a major contender to win the NFC Championship and defend their Super Bowl crown. Barring any major injuries, Green Bay will be a legit Super Bowl contender in 2011 and will be playing well into January 2012. Personally, they are one of my favorites to win it all. (Estimated number of wins: 11-13)
Minnesota Vikings - I didn’t know that the Minnesota Vikings was the team where quarterbacks went to have their final days of their career but that appears to be the case. With Brett Favre officially retired for god, Minnesota’s new quarterback of the future is Donovan McNabb. Yes, the same Donovan McNabb who spent a decade successfully in Philadelphia before having a train wreck of a season last year in Washington. McNabb is leading the Vikings in 2011 with first round pick Christian Ponder waiting in the wings but I don’t think there will be a lot of cries for Ponder to take the helm from Vikings fans. Donovan is coming into the season looking to prove himself and will not be alone in that regard as last year’s Vikings team was a major disappointment. Adrian Peterson is one of the top running backs in the game and will give McNabb a weapon in the backfield that he has never had in his career. If Percy Harvin can keep his migraines under control, he will have a breakout season as the feature receiver now that Sidney Rice is in Seattle. Minnesota’s defense is still packed with stud players, especially hard hitting defensive end Jared Allen, and new coach Leslie Frazier should bring plenty of fresh ideas to both sides of the ball in his first complete season on the job. Minnesota is not going to be a playoff team in 2011. But, Minnesota will not be as bad as some are saying. They will be a spoiler to other foes’ playoff hopes late in the season and will not be an easy win for the opposition. (Estimated number of wins: 6-8)
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons - Matty Ice is ready for another big year in the NFL as the Atlanta Falcons come off last season’s 13-3 record and early playoff dismissal looking for a more successful postseason. Matt Ryan had plenty of weapons in Atlanta and the rich only got richer as the Falcons added rookie wide receiver Julio Jones and rookie running back Jacquizz Rodgers to a lineup already boasting the league’s leading receiver in 2010 Roddy White and running back Michael Turner. Atlanta’s defense got stronger with the addition of defensive end Ray Edwards (from Minnesota) to a defensive line that includes Jonathan Babineaux and John Abraham. Plus, the emergence in 2010 of Curtis Lofton as one of the top linebackers in the game only adds to the big names and talents on the Falcons defense. I don’t think that Atlanta will repeat as division champions in 2011 but I also don’t think there will be a playoff without the Falcons playing a part. Atlanta is going to be a solid Wild Card and I believe they can go farther this season than last in the postseason. Atlanta is a definite Super Bowl threat in 2011. (Estimated number of wins: 10-12)
Carolina Panthers - It is a new era in Carolina as Ron Rivera has replaced John Fox and the Panthers have their quarterback of the future in #1 overall pick Cam Newton. While the future should be bright, I fear that many Panthers fans may be overly optimistic heading into the 2011 campaign. Carolina re-signed running back DeAngelo Williams to keep the Panthers’ one-two running back punch in tact as Williams and Jonathan Stewart will be relied on heavily as Newton is going to struggle early. Those struggles will not be because of a lack of weapons though as Carolina added tight ends Greg Olsen (from Chicago) and Jeremy Shockey (from New Orleans) and have a healthy and happy Steve Smith looking forward to the season. Carolina’s offense should be better than the abysmal mess it was in 2010. However, Carolina’s once-proud defense looks like an absolute train wreck. For every talented starter (DE Charles Johnson linebackers Thomas Davis and Jon Beason, CB Chris Gamble), Carolina has two glaring weaknesses on that side of the ball. I think that, in the long run, Ron Rivera will be a great coach in Carolina. But, I still am not 100% sold on Cam Newton as the quarterback of the future. Newton is a run first, throw second quarterback and those do not succeed often in the NFL. At least Newton puts Carolina on the national scene again. That is something nice for a team that I feel will be among the worst in the league. (Estimated number of wins: 2-4)
New Orleans Saints - The New Orleans Saints are looking for redemption after last season’s 41-36 loss in the opening round of the playoffs to the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks. With the off-season moves made, I think that New Orleans is easily going to rebound from the premature playoff loss last season as the Saints have the looks of a Super Bowl contender. Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL today and looks to have another huge passing season in him. While the Saints lost backfield weapon Reggie Bush (to Miami), the Saints grabbed two tremendous weapons in running back Darren Sproles from San Diego and rookie running back Mark Ingram to go along with Pierre Thomas. Brees has receivers Marques Colston, Lance Moore, and Robert Meachem as prime targets and the addition of center Olin Kreutz from Chicago will give Brees more time than ever to work with those targets. New Orleans’ defense remains strong as ever with the Saints returning talented starters DE Will Smith, linebacker Jonathan Vilma, and veteran safety Roman Harper. Head coach Sean Payton is one of the best minds in the game and I do not see this season as being the year that the New Orleans Saints return to the struggles of the Ain’ts predecessors. New Orleans will be a contender for the highly competitive NFC South and are a Super Bowl threat in 2011. (Estimated number of wins: 11-13)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Tampa Bay was one of the biggest surprises in all of the NFL in 2010. Josh Freeman emerged as one of the best young quarterbacks in the league and the Buccaneers went 10-6 in an effort that just missed the playoffs. This year, Tampa Bay is not going to surprise anybody in the league. Head coach Raheem Morris is the youngest coach in the league but has the mindset and determination of a sage veteran. His influence shows in Freeman as he leads a talented young offense with explosive weapons in running back LeGarrette Blount, receiver Mike Williams, and tight end Kellen Winslow onto the field. Meanwhile, the Bucs defense is young and strong with an outstanding defensive line anchored by defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and rookie defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers. Also, the Buccaneers secondary features the ageless Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib. Tampa Bay would win most any other division in the league. But, in the very competitive NFC South, Tampa Bay will be a contender that ultimately finishes third behind New Orleans and Atlanta. Still, Tampa Bay will be a Wild Card contender until the very end and may squeak into the playoffs. (Estimated number of wins: 8-10)
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals - The NFC West is hideous so it will not take much to win the division and earn a playoff spot. This is good news for the Arizona Cardinals as they are a mediocre team looking good in a terrible division. Kevin Kolb will finally have a starting job solely his own in Arizona after he was traded from Philadelphia. Kolb will have one of the most coveted weapons in all of the NFL in wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Also, Arizona picked up a great tight end in Todd Heap from Baltimore. But, will those players be enough for Arizona to win? Meanwhile, the Cardinals defense had plenty of talent including arguably the best player to come out of the 2011 NFL Draft in CB Patrick Peterson. If Arizona were in any other division, I wouldn’t get them a chance at a playoff berth. However, being in the NFC West, I believe wholeheartedly that the Cardinals could be a playoff team. They are not a legit contender at winning anything that matters though. (Estimated number of wins: 6-8)
San Francisco 49ers - After years of underachieving under the leadership of Mike Singletary, the 49ers have moved into a new era with former NFL quarterback and Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh taking the reigns of a once-proud organization. The tragedy for Harbaugh is that he has inherited a mess with the quarterback position and things are not going to get better quickly. Alex Smith was re-signed while Colin Kaepernick was drafted as the QB of the future. But, neither man is ready to lead a team now. San Francisco is loaded with weapons that a better QB would take to the playoffs. Running back Frank Gore is one of the best in the game when healthy while tight end Vernon Davis is elite at his position. Plus, the 49ers feature a defense full of talent including one of the best linebackers in the game in Patrick Willis. But, San Francisco has featured more talented teams with more experienced coaching in recent seasons and only has bitter disappointment to show from it. This year, they bring less to the table. Despite being in a weak division, San Francisco is going to be a bottom dweller and a frontrunner only in the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes of 2012. When thinking of their postseason aspirations, all I hear is Jim Mora saying “Playoffs? Playoffs?!?” and it sums up their chances. (Estimated number of wins: 3-5)
Seattle Seahawks - Last year’s division winner, the Seattle Seahawks limped into the playoffs with a 7-9 record and then shut the mouths of naysayers by defeating the then-defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints in the opening round. That was 2010 though. Longtime quarterback Matt Hasselback is now in Tennessee and the Seahawks have their future now relying on the arms of Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst. After making a big off-season acquisition in wide receiver Sidney Rice from Minnesota, the lack of a quality arm to get Rice the ball shows that Seattle’s mismanagement has destined them for a disappointing 2011 campaign. The Seahawks have talent on both sides of the ball. Plus, Pete Carroll does seem to have a knack for coaching up this team. But, they are beneficiaries of being in the dreadful NFC West. In any other division, Seattle would be a bottom dweller. In the West, they will stay in the fight for the division until the final weeks. There will be no fantasy ending though this season for the Seahawks. (Estimated number of wins: 5-7)
St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford showed last season that he is a star quarterback of the future when he led the Rams to a 7-9 season and almost a playoff berth for this once-proud franchise. I like the addition of Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator. McDaniels is a terrific coordinator and will get a lot out of a team with the talented Bradford at QB, elite running back Stephen Jackson, and newly acquired wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker. The Rams defense does live a little to be desired but they have a solid defensive end in Chris Long and terrific young linebacker in James Laurinaitis. I think they can get stronger on defense with more time together as a unit. The Rams also benefit from being in the NFC West. St. Louis is not going to be a legit Super Bowl contender. However, the Rams do have a lot of potential. They can definitely have a winning record and I think they can easily win the division. (Estimated number of wins: 8-10)
Division Predictions (w/ Division Winners and Wild Card Teams in Bold)
AFC East - New England Patriots, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills
AFC North - Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals
AFC South - Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars
AFC West - San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders
NFC East - New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins
NFC North - Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears
NFC South - New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers
NFC West - St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers
POWER RANKINGS - Top 10 MVP Candidates for 2011
10. Michael Vick - Quarterback / Philadelphia Eagles
9. Tony Romo - Quarterback / Dallas Cowboys
8. Matt Schaub - Quarterback / Houston Texans
7. Matthew Stafford - Quarterback / Detroit Lions -or- Ndamukong Suh - Defensive Tackle / Detroit Lions
6. Matt Ryan - Quarterback / Atlanta Falcons
5. Ben Roethlisberger - Quarterback / Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Drew Brees - Quarterback / New Orleans Saints
3. Philip Rivers - Quarterback / San Diego Chargers
2. Aaron Rodgers - Quarterback / Green Bay Packers
1. Tom Brady - Quarterback / New England Patriots
BIG A predicts SUPER BOWL XLVI…
On February 5th, 2012, Indianapolis, Indiana will host Super Bowl XLVI from Lucas Oil Stadium. While the regular season and playoffs are long lasting and often an unpredictable road, that knowledge doesn’t stop us all from making our preseason predictions. Here is my prediction for the big game. It will be the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLVI with the Saints picking up their second Lombardi Trophy in three seasons.
Once in the playoffs, anything can happen. However, I like the consistency of Pittsburgh to win in the clutch more times than not. As much as I believe a fresh face from the AFC will be in the Super Bowl, I just cannot bring myself to choose anyone over the Steelers. New Orleans, on the other hand, has won me over with their revitalized run game as an added element to an already high-powered offense. Green Bay, Atlanta, New York, and New England all have a Super Bowl feel to them too. But, I’d put my money on Pittsburgh vs. New Orleans happening on Super Bowl Sunday with New Orleans winning it all.
WHAT I LEARNED THIS OFFSEASON…
I learned way too much about the business side of football thanks to the NFL Lockout. I also learned just how much I love the NFL. The threat, the mere threat, of taking away the game that millions of Americans (including myself) love has caused this nation to be at a fever pitch as if we haven’t watched a football game for a decade. We lost one game, a preseason game, due to the Lockout. We lost nothing that mattered and gained a rapid-fire version of free agency more entertaining than every before. But, the threat that we could have lost football has caused our nation to appreciate the beautiful game while it is here.
Thanks to injuries and the over-reactionary nature of the powers that be, football rules are changing every year. In cases like the new kickoff rule, these changes are not helping the game one iota. Therefore, we should appreciate the NFL while we have it now. Cherish it while it is here because everything changes. I thought I would always have NASCAR when I was a fan in the late 90s. Now, it is an unwatchable mess. I never thought the NBA would go away again or that golf would become boring again but a Lockout of their own and the loss of Tiger Woods’ personality have damaged both sports.
This Thursday night when the Packers and the Saints take the field, sit back and relax. Enjoy the game of football while it is here. Someday in the future, football will not be as great as it is now and you’ll be yearning for the “good ol’ days” of the NFL while a new sport takes its place as America’s Pastime. Until then, whether it is Faith Hill on NBC, Hank Williams, Jr. on ESPN, the FOX robots, or the cantankerous Andy Rooney of CBS introducing you to the festivities, cheer them during the intro as they welcome you to the upcoming NFL contest. America’s Game is something we all need to cherish while it is with us. The NFL Lockout taught me that.
- Aaron Goins
These four things I know are true…
- Danica Patrick’s move to NASCAR is her final declaration that she’s done trying.
- The more things change the more they stay the same in the WWE.
- Mickie James is one of the greatest to ever lace a pair of boots.
- And, I’m Aaron Goins. All my thoughts on these topics and so much more (including my brief college football preview)… in The Highlight Reel!
NEWS and NOTES
**Since Triple H took over the reins from Vince McMahon on-screen in World Wrestling Entertainment, things have remained the same despite all of the hype from Triple H’s promos of change and the announce teams all losing their mind describing the changes. If anything, the only change that has occurred is that the “status quo” has returned to form. On July 17th, the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event saw CM Punk win the WWE Championship, Christian win the World Heavyweight Championship, and both Alberto Del Rio and Daniel Bryan look like future champs with their respective Money in the Bank Ladder match victories. I watched millions say that this was the first night of a new age and laughed because I knew WWE would return to the same old garbage. It happened in less than a month.
CM Punk’s push has ended and he’s being lined up for job duties to Triple H at Night of Champions and Kevin Nash afterwards when Nash can finally be cleared to work a match. Randy Orton is World Heavyweight Champion again and Christian is on a slow train back to mid-card. Alberto Del Rio is currently the WWE Champion thanks in part to the WWE preparing for a tour of Mexico in October while Daniel Bryan is jobbing to everyone under the sun as the WWE builds Bryan as a legit World Champion contender by having him lose to everyone. I know, it makes no sense to me either.
Recently in this “era of change” in WWE, Triple H announced on RAW that the Superstars from both RAW and SmackDown would begin appearing on RAW as WWE was going to begin presenting RAW Supershows every Monday night. Essentially, this is the end of the brand extension that WWE has been using since 2002. This would be huge news except for one thing: WWE has ignored brand separation and had people appearing willy-nilly on both shows for years. In the last month alone, RAW stars Alberto Del Rio, John Morrison, R-Truth, Beth Phoenix, and Zack Ryder have been all over SmackDown while SmackDown stars Kane, Sin Cara, and Natalya Neidhart have been on RAW. I would have a book written if I documented ever one of these slights in the face of brand extension in the last five years.
This is nothing more than a ratings ploy that WWE is attempting to use in order to keep viewers from watching Monday Night Football, Dancing with the Stars, and everything else that people eagerly watch on Mondays in the Fall. Of course, WWE is going to promote this as a big deal and more “change” under the leadership of Triple H. But, when you’ve watched wrestling as long as I have, you can smell Vince McMahon’s bull coming from a mile away. And yes, I know it’s Vince McMahon’s bull. Triple H has as much power in the WWE as he’s ever had. Granted it is a lot more than he should have, Triple H’s power still is only as much as the slack in Stephanie’s leash and as much as Vince McMahon wants to give up at the moment. Triple H can bring in the Kliq for one last slumber party of dominance but that is it. John Cena and Randy Orton will remain untouched. The Undertaker, when he feels like returning (i.e. at WrestleMania) will remain untouched. The under-utilized and squashed future will remain what they are and the status quo is will remain.
There is an old saying: “The more things change the more they stay the same.” For every bit of change in World Wrestling Entertainment that the blind sycophants are embracing, the more the status quo is remaining in place as there is not a damn thing changing in the WWE.
**The NFL preseason has came to an end (well, technically there is one more game but Raiders vs. Seahawks isn’t that important) and there are many huge storylines coming out the preseason.
For me, my eyes first go to the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers. In Dallas, everybody appears to be healthy and prepared for another season where Dallas will have tons of potential and hype causing many to predict great things even though this squad has been a bitter disappointment for over a decade. Meanwhile, Carolina is starting to see that Cam Newton appears to be closer to what I though (and feared) than what we all hoped for. Newton is a run-first, pass-second quarterback who looks scared to death at times when put against an NFL defense. For every healthy and improved member of the Panthers roster ready to win now, there will be no victories to be found with a scared Cam Newton at QB running like a chicken with his head cut off.
In other stories from the preseason, I have noticed that the injury bug has bit a few teams particularly hard. In Indianapolis, Peyton Manning’s off-season neck surgery appears to have Manning on the verge of missing his first game since 1998 and has Indianapolis looking more beatable than ever with 16-year veteran and recently un-retired Kerry Collins holding down the fort until Manning can return. The New York Giants, who I believe will be a player in 2011, have suffered a lot of losses to their secondary. The New York Jets’ newly acquired weapon for QB Mark Sanchez, Plaxico Burress, has been sidelined with back and hamstring troubles. Also, Houston Texans’ stud running back Arian Foster has suffered a hamstring injury that may keep him off the field for the Texans’ first few games. While every team has a lot of injuries coming out of the preseason, these injuries in particular could play significantly into the early season storylines for their respective teams.
The Tennessee Titans finally got running back Chris Johnson to end his contract holdout as they made him the highest paid running back in the league with a four-year, $53 million dollar extension. Michael Vick signed a six-year, $100 million dollar contract extension in Philadelphia that left many shaking their heads. Plus, the Oakland Raiders made a surprising move by taking former Ohio State quarterback Terrell Pryor with a third round pick in the supplemental draft and announcing that they believe him to be a QB of the future for the silver and black.
Within the next week, the final round of cuts will lead to a ton of free agency signings as each team will make the final moves they believe necessary to turn their team into a Super Bowl contender. Also, within the next week, The Highlight Reel will bring you the only NFL Preview that you will need as I’ll publish the 2011 NFL Preview. It will be awesome.
**The obvious finally became official when Danica Patrick announced that she was leaving the Indy Car Series that made her a household name for the bigger paychecks of NASCAR. Ever since she began entering Nationwide Series events, I knew Danica Patrick would eventually make the jump to NASCAR because of the higher profile and bigger paychecks that she could make. And, it was during this time period where I lost what respect I once had for Patrick.
Once upon a time, Danica Patrick showed that she was a tremendous talent behind the wheel. She led the Indianapolis 500 with ten to go in her first start and remained a legitimate threat at the Brickyard every start she has had since her debut. She won in 2008 at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. But, as she showed her talents on the track, Danica allowed herself to be drawn to the spotlight and endeavors outside of on-track ones. Sports Illustrated swimsuit modeling duties, commercials with GoDaddy, and other money-making endeavors took Patrick away from her work at improving her racing skills. Then, she said the one thing that turned me off of her forever: Danica was more concerned with pushing her brand than working on her driving. Her brand; her words, not mine.
Danica Patrick is now a mere sideshow attraction. So, of course, it is fitting that she would pair herself with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. because he has been nothing but a sideshow attraction since his father passed away. All about making commercials and endorsing products without doing anything successful on the track, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the perfect person for Danica Patrick to learn the NASCAR way from.
Of course, all of that said, Danica Patrick will win in NASCAR. Mike Helton and Brian France will make sure she wins something. They are already booking her first major stock car victory. And yes, I know I said they were booking it. NASCAR is as scripted as professional wrestling, boxing, the NBA, and any other major sport where a lot of money is involved and agendas are to be met. That is why the arrival of Danica Patrick full-time to NASCAR is just another in a long line of nails into the coffin of NASCAR. For every sycophant who still believes NASCAR is great, they need to look no further than the empty seats and plummeting TV ratings in comparison to what the sport had before the Chase for the Ratings (I mean Championship) tarnished the sport in 2004. NASCAR is now professional wrestling on wheels. Mike Helton books the sport in the same vein that Vince McMahon books WWE. It’s pathetic. Instead of having the most talented drivers getting praised and pushed for their talent, Danica will be followed in the same vein of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Also, I suspect that, in the pushing of Kyle Busch as their “bad boy,” Busch will say or do something to Danica that will be viewed as disrespectful to cause an uproar in the audience while Busch and Patrick celebrate with the powers that be after playing their roles to perfection. It’s the new NASCAR: one huge unfunny joke on wheels.
Meanwhile, many will look at Danica’s departure from the Indy Car Series as the deathblow to this series. Indy Car was here before Danica and will remain long after Danica. Considering the way she has performed since beginning her NASCAR money-making scheme, the Indy Car Series has been without Danica Patrick for two years now. Eventually Danica will realize the error of her ways when he thinks back on how she wasted her talent for open-wheel cars like Dario Franchitti, Sam Hornish, Juan Montoya, and Scott Speed have all done recently. But, she’ll have far too much money from the NASCAR sheep to care about selling her soul.
**America is not only excited because of the return of the National Football League. College football has began and, between the NFL and the NCAA action dominating television screens all weekend long in homes, bars, and restaurants across the country, it is safe to say that America’s pastime has returned as it is football season.
Last year, the Auburn Tigers shocked the college football world with terrific play under the leadership of Cam Newton and won the National Championship. Auburn started the year ranked #22. Nobody really gave Auburn a serious chance at becoming National Champion. Then, the games were played on the field and Auburn showed themselves time and time again to be the most elite team in the college game in 2010. The story of Auburn is a perfect example of how looking at the pre-season rankings in college football and making predictions can be a very tricky idea.
For five straight years, the SEC has been the premiere conference in college football with the SEC being home to every BCS National Champion since 2006. But, the college football world is wondering if 2011 will see the SEC continue their trend or if another school from another conference will finally step up to the plate and end that SEC dominance. Frankly, I think that this year will be the year the dominance ends and the team to do it will be coming from a conference that is crumbling before our very eyes.
If I had to put money on an early season favorite to win the National Championship Game on January 9th, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana, I believe that the Oklahoma Sooners have what it takes to end the SEC dominance and bring the National Championship to the crumbling Big XII conference. Loaded with a defense full of returning juniors and seniors and led by the arm of junior quarterback Landry Jones, the Sooners looked primed for a huge run in 2011. While their schedule is not easy as games against Florida State and rivalry matches with Texas and Oklahoma State appear daunting, I believe wholeheartedly that Oklahoma has what it takes to win big and often in 2011.
Many love the Alabama Crimson Tide to return to the dominance they showed when winning the national title in 2009 while others believe that either the national title runner-up from one year ago Oregon Ducks or the Stanford Cardinals could come out of the newly-formed Pac-12 Conference and win the national title. The Florida State Seminoles appear to be returning to the form they showed in their glory years under Bobby Bowden while the Boise State Broncos once again hope to play BCS spoiler. The college game is loaded with so many teams and so much potential for anarchy to begin on any given week that, even with the ridiculous BCS Standings and not a playoff determining a National Champion, college football is truly a fascinating sport to follow on a weekly basis.
**On August 25th in Huntsville, Alabama at a TNA Impact Wrestling taping, Mickie James defeated Winter to win the TNA Knockouts Championship for the second time in her TNA career. With the victory, Mickie James became an eight-time Women’s World Champion as Mickie has two Knockout Championships to go along with five Women’s Championships and one Divas Championship from her time in World Wrestling Entertainment. Those eight championships put Mickie at the head of the class when looking as the most decorated and accomplished female wrestlers of all-time alongside the Fabulous Moolah’s eight world title reigns and just ahead of Trish Stratus’ seven world titles.
As a huge fan of Mickie James, I am glad to watch and support as Mickie James continues to shine among the best female competitors in the world today in TNA Wrestling. Personally, Mickie James is one of my favorites, male or female, in the entire history of the business. I’m glad to see that she didn’t let the final years in WWE take any of the competitive fire and determination away from her. A lesser woman would have been turned off the business after the harassment she suffered on and off camera from WWE management but Mickie James has just continued to prove why she is the best in the world as WWE struggles to find another woman with a tenth of the charisma and hundredth of the talent that Mickie brought to the ring. As World Wrestling Entertainment is finding out and wrestling fans have known for years, Mickie James is truly one of a kind.
**On August 23rd, there was an earthquake that shook the world to its very core. Or, it shook the eastern seaboard to its very core. The funny thing though was that I didn’t feel it one bit.
Around 1:50PM on August 23rd, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake occurred with the epicenter located about five miles south of the town of Mineral, Virginia. The quake was felt all over the eastern seaboard with reports of the quake being coming in from as far south as Georgia, far north as Ontario, Canada, and as far west as Indiana. I was awake but might as well have been asleep because I did not feel a thing. Not a tremor or a shake, absolutely nothing. The quake was felt on Paw Paw Road here in Stoneville though as my dad thought the end was coming when the ground shook and the tin roof of a shelter cracked a little. But, both myself and my mom noticed nothing out of the ordinary. In my defense, I believe it is true that only Michelle Beadle herself can rock my world. But, I can’t explain why others (including Michelle Beadle herself) were not lucky enough to experience the great earthquake of 2011. All I know is that we all survived and have the story to tell.
**I have always had a tremendous respect for Tennessee Lady Volunteers’ women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt. Always carrying herself with class and dignity rarely seen at any level of sports, Summitt still has shown a fire and competitive nature matched by few of her peers. Her intense rivalry with Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma has made women’s college basketball a must-see game at times on the same level as their male counterparts. Summitt has proven herself over 36 seasons to be one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game regardless of gender.
On August 23rd, Summitt revealed to the world that she is suffering from early onset dementia. At the age of 59, Summitt’s diagnosis of this incurable disease has shaken the sports world, especially in the state of Tennessee. Pat Summitt has said that she will not relinquish her duties nor allow herself to become an subject of pity and mercy. Summitt is going to coach her girls with the same vigor and ruthless aggression that has led her Lady Vols to eight NCAA Championships and 1,071 total victories over 36 seasons. I hope that she fights this disease with the same vigor that she has fought her competition. I believe she will too.
CHEERS and JEERS
Superstar of the Week: Brad Keselowski
You know, I don’t give NASCAR must love or respect anymore. Frankly, the sport hasn’t deserved it. But, I heard a story come out of the Bristol race weekend this past weekend that impressed me a great deal. Brad Keselowski scored his second win in four weeks and his third victory of the season. What has made these two most recent victories impressive though? Keselowski has scored these victories while competing with a broken ankle.
Keselowski suffered a broken ankle during a testing accident at Road Atlanta in Georgia on August 3rd. Keselowski won at Pocono four days later and then won at Bristol on the 27th. In both cases, Keselowski showed the talent, skills, and determination that have reminded me of the good ol’ days when NASCAR was not the joke it has become. It’s such a shame that Brad is participating at a time when NASCAR is a ridiculous, gimmick-filled joke. While the sport and their governing body currently stink, there is nothing that can be taken away from what Brad Keselowski has recent done on the track. Winning two races at any level in any type of vehicle with a broken ankle is admirable.
Jerk of the Week: Matt Hardy
Instead of Jerk of the Week, I think I should rename the award Joke of the Week because Matt Hardy has been nothing short of an unfunny joke over the last few weeks.
On August 20th, Matt Hardy was fired from TNA Wrestling after being arrested for DWI in the Charlotte area after crashing into a tree. Four days later, Hardy was hospitalized after falling down in his home. All the while, Hardy defended his actions with videos on YouTube that ranged from the sad to the pathetic to the delusional. Finally, on August 30th, the videos went too far with Hardy making a faux suicide note in an attempt to get himself attention from the internet wrestling community. Instead, Hardy had local authorities at his home checking on his well-being.
At one time, Matt Hardy was “everybody’s favorite wrestler.” He was one of the most decorated wrestlers of the last decade. Hardy was a former ECW Champion, a United States Champion, and an eight-time Tag Team Champion among other accolades. Plus, Hardy was featured in many of the most intense feuds of the last decade; feuds with Edge, Kane, Montel Vontavious Porter, the Dudleys, and Edge and Christian. But, the Matt Hardy who was so great has been replaced by a needy, attention whore who has the maturity of a teenager. It’s tragic to see how far Matt Hardy has fallen. Matt Hardy has become a joke; an unfunny joke. That’s a shame considering how legendary Hardy could have been.
POWER RANKINGS - Best Female Wrestlers in the World Today
5. Madison Rayne - TNA Wrestling
4. Angelina Love - TNA Wrestling
3. Mercedes Martinez - Independent Circuit
2. Beth Phoenix - World Wrestling Entertainment
1. Mickie James - TNA Wrestling
BIG A RECOMMENDS…
Churros - Available in stores and restaurants everywhere.
Yeah, churros. They are delicious. What? All of these recommendations can’t be winners.
WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK…
Earlier this year, I wrote about how I care too much. I mentioned how I honestly think that it is an admirable quality to have and how I am dedicated to my friends, family, and favorites in life with the devotion that comes from a truly passionate person. At the time I wrote that, I was dealing with a lot of annoying people and the criticisms they had of various things I enjoy. I came to the conclusion that I would rather be passionate and take up for the people I love and admire than simply show apathy towards the ignorance of haters. Recently, I discovered that not only being passionate for people and ideas is apparently wrong, it is also wrong to have high standards. I discovered that through my love of professional wrestling.
On the August 22nd edition of Monday Night RAW, I officially called the Summer of Punk over at 11:01PM when CM Punk lost his immediate WWE Championship rematch to John Cena in their number one contender’s match after Kevin Nash interfered. I was offended by the fact that the future of the WWE main event scene and the harbinger of change, CM Punk, was reduced to a future jobber to the 52-year-old oft-injured best friend of Triple H. While many showed that same sense of disappointment on the pages where I vented my frustrations, I was told by a few that I should stop watching wrestling because I find nothing enjoyable about it. That is simply not true as I found a lot of things enjoyable about that very same show I vented on. But, I discovered that I am a man who has standards living in a world with an ever-increasing amount of people who happily accept mediocrity. That sickens me.
I hate the status quo. I hate things that are merely average. And, I really hate it when those things that are average and normal business absolutely suck. In the case of World Wrestling Entertainment, I hate that every main event must center around John Cena, Randy Orton, and now Triple H. I have complained for years about WWE having the same seven guys dominate the main event picture. Instead of fresh faces being created when many of these group retired or left the company, they just made the status quo even more narrow-minded and repetitive with emphasis solely on John Cena, Randy Orton, and the random jobber of the moment for them. It is lazy. It is boring. The status quo in the WWE is complete crap and I refuse to eat it and call it ice cream.
I have always had higher standards than most fans when it comes to professional wrestling. As a child, when the masses loved The Bushwhackers, I wanted them dead. I pulled for the Rougeau Brothers in that feud that would never end between those teams. I’ve always wanted the best out of the product and always criticized what I felt was wrong. I’m not one who acts superior and says that people are terrible for liking mediocrity and supporting the status quo. Yet, I’m evidently a terrible human being for having high standards and expecting more. The truth is that I have loved wrestling since I was five years old. I’ve seen more crap than a port-a-john at a three-day music festival. I praise what I like and complain about what I don’t like. If it makes me sound bitter, so be it. But, I think I’d rather be a critic or a *gasp* cynic than sit and mindlessly watch mediocrity and clap like a trained seal when told to cheer for the status quo.
I’ve learned that, not only do I care too much, I also have a problem with having standards. Who knew those were poor qualities to have, right?
- Aaron Goins
