LeBron: Worlds #1

Ever since entering the NBA in 2003 LeBron James has been at the forefront of conversation when it comes to being the best. During his high school career at Saint Vincent Saint Mary's everyone who watched him play knew he'd be something special, but no one knew he'd be this special. Over time he has gotten bigger, faster, and stronger, which has made him arguably the best player in the world. Some might argue that Thunder All Star Kevin Durant might be the best, but if you watch both of them play there is a clear difference in who is the best. Sure Durant can score at will and make the difficult shots, but LeBron can do it all, and so much better. For someone who is 6'8" and weighs 265 pounds- some have him at 280, which would be even more incredible, but for someone of that size and to have the leaping ability and speed James has, the things he does are out of this world. His ability to get a rebound at the free throw line and sprint down the floor to the other basket and score in a matter of 3-4 seconds is something to rarely see with someone that big. He doesn't have Magic Johnson vision but his knows where his teammates are and how to get them the ball. When driving to the basket he is nearly unstoppable; he can the contact and still get off a shot, if he misses he has the strength to get the rebound and get off another shot. I haven't even mentioned his defense. A 4-time All Defensive First Team, no one really appreciates how great his defense is. When was the last time you saw someone play both ends of the floor like LeBron James? He gets it done on both ends, with great ease. He can guard position 1-5, and shut them down. Michael Jordan was never asked to guard all positions, Kobe Bryant is never asked to do it, and neither is Kevin Durant. LeBron does it, and does it well. In the 2011 Playoffs against the Bulls, LeBron guarded and locked down guard Derek Rose. In the conferecne semi finals this season against the Celtics he guarded Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo, in the same game. His ability to track down the ball in transition and make a play on it, whether it's blocking it or altering the shot, is above everyone else's. He hasn't made all the clutch shots, but did Michael Jordan? did Kobe Bryant? Those guys didn't make every single shot they took and believe it or not, they had bad games too. Just entering the prime of his career at age 27, LeBron has a long way to go in his already amazing career. He is two games away from winning his first championship, which he would be younger than Jordan when he won his first title, and look how he turned out. His focus level is at an all time high and that could spell trouble for the NBA. You have to wait til his career is over to rank him, but for now, you can start placing him in the "All Time" rankings.

The Penn State Way

Growing up in State College can teach you many things. Growing up in the shadows of Penn State can you teach many things. Being a Penn State fan can teach you many things, but what exactly are those things? I've lived in State College my whole life and have grown up bleeding blue and white. My family is Penn State through and through and to me that has been the best part of my life, being a Penn State fan. My family has taught me to treat people the way you want to be treated, to respect people and they'll respect you. Every parent will tell their kids that, but in State College, it means so much more. It's not a very big community, kind of secluded from everything else. There has always been one thing that you'll learn whether you've lived here, or  attending school here, it's to do things the Penn State way. What is the Penn State way? It's doing things with pride, making a difference in the community, and making everything count. None of that would be possible without the vision of one man, Joe Paterno. His dad wanted him to be a lawyer, but he wanted to be a coach. His dad asked him if he could make a difference by being a coach, Paterno answered that question with 60 plus years of difference making. He took Beaver Stadium from a 46,000 seat stadium, to a 110,000 seat cathedral for college football. Yeah he cared about what happened on the field, but he cared a hundred times more what you did OFF the field. What you did in the community, what you did in the classroom, what you did for your school, your family, and your team. Penn State has always had some of the highest graduation rates among its athletes, and that's in part to Joe Paterno's commitment to excellence. He never wanted the stadium named after him, instead he wanted the library in his name. On fall Saturday's the Penn State family gathers in the house that Joe built to show their Penn State pride, and that's never more evident when "We Are....Penn State" is echoed throughout the 110,000 seat stadium. What does "We Are" mean? It means we are one; one family, one community, one school. This community was shocked in November when the Jerry Sandusky story broke, we were shocked that something like this could happen in such a place, a place like State College, where nothing wrong had ever happened. We had to rally around our school and show everyone that we were still Penn State and the actions of one man wouldn't bring us down. We had to rally around our coach when everyone else was bringing him down, breaking his image which he held up high where it should be. Nothing people say can take away from what Joe Paterno has done for Penn State, State College, college football, and everyone involved in this community. The work he did, the amount of time and energy spent making Penn State a successful place, changing the lives of thousands, will never be matched. The Penn State way will never fall, it will be stronger than ever now, and we will carry on Joe Paterno's idea of making a difference. All of this is possible because We Are....Penn State.

One and Done

For years now the one and done rule off college basketball has been put on the back burner but it's time to really look at it and determine the right way of handling it. Up until recently high school basketball players could jump from high school to the NBA; such players as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwight Howard all came straight from high school into the league. Those type of players don't need the college basketball experience because they are NBA ready and can come in and compete with other big time players. In college football you cannot go from high school to the pros, for obvious reasons (kids would die), you have to be three years removed from graduating high school. Many think, including myself, that the "one and done" rule needs to be changed. High school basketball players should have the option of skipping college and entering the NBA Draft. The athlete should be able to enter their name in the draft, attend a pre draft camp and be evaluated by NBA coaches and scouts to determine where in the draft they stand. After being evaluated they will have a deadline to declare whether or not they will remain in the draft or attend college, if they attend college they will remain in college for at least 2 full years. The one and done rule does allow schools to get that prized recruit, but only for a season if they choose. Although you might have a top player for a reason, maybe two, it potentially takes away from having a really good player for 3-4 years. There have been many players recently who, if the rule was changed, could have gone straight to the NBA. Bulls guard Derek Rose and Thunder forward Kevin Durant could have made the leap from high school to pro if the rules prohibited them. Instead, they went to college for a season then went to the NBA;  in the long run it doesn't mean much but for schools trying to build their programs up, wasting a scholarship on one and done players means losing out on potential 3-4 year players who can help build a program for those years. In the latest NBA mock drafts, 5 of the top 10 players are freshman, lead by National Player of the Year and Kentucky center Anthony Davis. Davis is a player who could have gone straight from high school. A year in college is not going to do these players any good by playing against other plays who are a lot less talented (see Kentucky's season and Davis's stats), they might as well play pick up games at their local rec center. And while their skills might not translate immediately, it's a better learning experience by playing against the top players in the world who they can learn from. The rule might not be changed in the near future, but it is something to look at for the future which would help the NCAA, the players, and the NBA.

NFL Draft Review

The 2012 Draft has come and gone with some obvious picks and some surprise picks. Before we look ahead to rookie camps and training camps, let's look at some of the picks round by round by that made sense and those that made you scratch your head.
1st Round:
Best Pick- Arizona picks Notre Dame WR, Michael Floyd 13th overall. This is a steal in the first round for the Cardinals, Floyd is a big body who has good speed and will go up and fight for the ball. Playing with Larry Fitzgerald will only make him better and those two will be a nightmare for opposing corners. The Cardinals need to have a quarterback first.
Worst Pick- Kansas City picks Memphis DT, Dontari Poe 11th overall. I get the fact that Poe had great numbers at the combine for someone his size, but that doesn't mean you're going to produce at the next level. Poe played in Conference USA and had only 1 sack this past season. I'm not saying he's going to be a bust but his film does not show how dominant he should be. At 6'4" 345lbs Poe has a chance to be long time pro if he can produce.
2nd Round:
Best Pick- San Francisco picks Oregon RB, LaMichael James 61st overall. This is a sleeper pick in a way, James had a very productive career while at Oregon including being a Heisman finalist. He has great speed and quickness and once he gets in the open space, not too many people can catch him. Frank Gore has been injured and you don't know how long he can remain an every down back so having a back up like James will be very beneficial. He can also be key on special teams.
Worst Pick- St. Louis picks North Alabama CB, Janoris Jenkins 39th overall. This is more of a questionable pick rather than a bad pick. This could go two ways, either Jenkins gets his act together and plays like the top 15 pick he could have been, or he brings all the baggage he had in college and you never hear his name. Jenkins got kicked off the Florida squad but still had an impact on the field. Keep an eye on this one.
3rd Round:
Best Picks- This round had two picks that were very good. First, the Houston Texans pick Ohio State WR, DeVier Posey 68th overall. Posey had one of those careers that might have gone unnoticed to some people. He has great hands, good size, and good speed. He can play the slot along side Andre Johnson. Second, the Pittsburgh Steelers pick Miami OLB, Sean Spence 86th overall. Spence is one of those players who's numbers at the combine don't show how good he really is. He is quick and is strong. He had an up and down career while at Miami. Playing behind James Harrison will be very good for Spence who is only 5'11" and Harrison has shown that you don't have to be the biggest guy to be the best.
Worst Pick- Philadelphia Eagles pick Arizona QB, Nick Foles 88th overall. This is not a bad pick because Foles is a bad player, it's a bad pick because the Eagles need to address other things before a quarterback. They need to address their offensive line so they can protect their starting quarterback Michael Vick, who could be one hit away from being on the shelf.
4th Round:
Best Pick- Miami picks Miami RB, Lamar Miller 97th overall. Miller is in my mind one of the steals of the draft. Miller has great speed and good size for a running back. At 5'11" and 212lbs and running a 4.40, Miller can make an immediate impact for the Dolphins. He is very good in open space and can break tackles, he does have some fumbling issues but if he takes care of that he has the chance to be a top back.
Worst Pick- Houston picks Nebraska DL, Jared Crick 126th overall. Crick was considered a top 10 pick before he got hurt early in the season. It's a concerning pick because we aren't sure how healthy Crick is going to be coming into rookie camp. He has the potential to be dominate like he was in college, but it's a waiting game now.
5th Round:
Best Pick- Washington picks Iowa OG, Adam Gettis 141st overall. Gettis might not start right away but he has the chance to make the team in camps and be a back up. He has good size and strength for a guard. Having started for 3 years in a run first, zone blocking team at Iowa, Gettis could come in and make a name for himself and surprise people.
Worst Pick- Denver picks Tennessee DE, Malik Jackson 137th overall. Jackson started off at USC then transferred to Tennessee and got more playing time. He did produce but he is the type of the player who should produce more for how good he can be. Can you get the productivity from him where he can constant threat to free up Von Miller? Or will he take plays off? Another waiting game player
6th Round:
Best Pick- Kansas City picks Texas A&M RB, Cyrus Gray 182nd overall. This is a team player. Who also is very fast, which people tend to look past. Very compact with a big upper body. The Chiefs do have two backs already but Gray can come in and compete while giving a leadership type role, always motivating his teammates is a great attribute he has.
Worst Pick- Cincinnati picks Ohio State RB, Dan "Boom" Herron 191st overall. Not necessarily a bad pick, but another one of those players who comes in from college with baggage. Suspended for the first 5 games of his senior season while at Ohio State, Herron does display good attributes. He is a strong kid who has decent speed, finds the hole very well. If he's put his college days behind him, can be a solid back.
7th Round:
Best Pick- San Diego picks Michigan State RB, Edwin Baker 250th overall. Baker had a very solid career while in East Lansing, a small back in size but is strong for being 5'8" 204 and is deceivingly fast. The Chargers do have Ryan Matthews, but he has not been the back they were hoping he was going to be. Baker might not come in and start but he has the chance to compete. San Diego was pretty successful with Darren Sproles who was only 5'6".
Worst Pick- Indianapolis picks Northern Illinois QB, Chandler Harnish 253rd overall. They took a quarterback with the first pick, and they take one with the last. Both the Colts and the Redskins took two quarterbacks, which might not have been needed. If you're the Colts, you helped Andrew Luck a little bit on offense, but you need to help him more on defense so he doesn't have to be on the field all the time. A little questionable, but then again, I'm not an expert so what do I know.

There was also my most disappointing player. Arizona State LB Vontaze Burfict. Projected a first round pick coming into this past season, but he has a lot of baggage and takes a lot of plays off. He has all the talent which could have made him a top 10 pick. Burfict didn't crack the 5.00 at the combine, he signed by the Bengals as an undrafted free agent. Lets hope Marvin Lewis can make him realize he should have been a first round pick.

Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis- QB, Andrew Luck, Stanford
2. Washington- QB, Robert Griffin III, Baylor
3. Minnesota- WR, Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
4. Cleveland- RB, Trent Richardson, Alabama
5. Tampa Bay- CB, Morris Claiborne, LSU
6. St. Louis- OT, Matt Kalil, USC
7. Jacksonville- DE, Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
8. Miami- QB, Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
9. Carolina- ILB, Luke Kuechly, Boston College
10. Buffalo- CB, Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
11. Kansas City- OT, Riley Reiff, Iowa
12. Seattle- WR, Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
13. Arizona- DE, Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State
14. Dallas- CB, Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
15. Philadelphia- OLB, Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
16. New York Jets- DE, Quinton Coples, North Carolina
17. Cincinnati- DT, Dontari Poe, Memphis
18. San Diego- DT, Michael Brokers, LSU
19. Chicago- OG, David DeCastro, Stanford
20. Tennessee- OT, Cordy Glenn, Georgia
21. Cincinnati- DE, Whitney Mercilus, Illinois
22. Cleveland- DE, Chandler Jones, Syracuse
23. Detroit- OT, Jonathan Martin, Stanford
24. Pittsburgh- DT, Devon Still, Penn State
25. Denver- ILB, Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
26. Houston- OLB, Shea McClellin, Boise State
27. New England- RB, Lamar Miller, Miami
28. Green Bay- DE, Nick Perry, USC
29. Baltimore- RB, Doug Martin, Boise State
30. San Francisco- TE, Coby Fleener, Stanford
31. New England- S, Harrison Smith, Notre Dame
32. New York Giants- QB, Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State

Everyone will question this but that's what makes it a "mock" draft. You can make changes and get it right so when it comes time for the draft you look smart. I feel pretty confident with the first 2, after that, its anyone's guess.

NFL Draft Preview

Now that we all know the Colts will draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck number one overall, that means Robert Griffin III will go second for those of you who were confused, we can focus on picks 3-254. Right now we'll focus on the top 10. Who will go to Minnesota at number 3? They could go out west and take USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil, or they can snag Oklahoma State All American wide receiver Justin Blackmon. They could even go down south to Baton Rouge and take LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. That pick is way up in the air which makes the draft better, the suspense is always the best part. After Minnesota comes Cleveland, who could take one of the two guys that the Vikings do not take. Or they could take Alabama freak of nature running back Trent Richardson, they do need a running back since Peyton Hillis is now in Kansas City. Next comes Tampa Bay who has been reported to be interested in Richardson, although Legarrette Blount doesn't like that, so they could go in that direction. Maybe they'll take a corner if Claiborne is still on the board. Their first round pick from a couple years ago and starting corner Hakeem Talib hasn't been what Buc's fans have wanted. That brings us to St. Louis, they need to give Sam Bradford some help. If Matt Kalil is still on the board, not likely, but if he is that would be a huge get. If he is gone, they can hope that teams somehow missed Justin Blackmon so they can give Bradford a legit wide receiver. Now on to Jacksonville. They didn't win the Tim Tebow sweepstakes, which isn't surprising because they have quarterback in Blaine Gabbert. A sleeper in the top 10 could be Mississippi State defensive end Feltcher Cox, so look out for the Jags to pick someone unknown. The Miami Dolphins are in an interesting spot; should they draft a quarterback? Should they draft another wide receiver to help their starting QB Matt Moore? Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd would be a great choice if that's the case. If they do decide to go with a quarterback, Texas A&M receiver turned quarterback Ryan Tennehill could be a good pick. He hasn't had a lot of experience in college calling plays, but you go to the NFL to learn and become great. The Carolina Panthers have the 9th pick and might look to boost their defense and take Cox if he is still on the board. A sleeper at this pick could be Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly who was a stud in college while at Boston College and has great size at 6'3" 235. He might not be the "safest" pick, but really no one is safe pick. He will certainly be a player who can contribute. Closing out the top ten are the Buffalo Bills. The Bills got a huge gift over the off season when they signed free agent star Mario Williams. They could draft someone to help him on defense or they can try and help their offense first. If Floyd is on the board, I'd look for them to pick him. If he is gone, they could help that defense by taking Memphis mystery Dontari Poe. He blew away scouts at the combine but his film doesn't match up to what he showed in Indianapolis. He could very well surprise everyone but I wouldn't spend a top ten pick on him. With all that said, here's how I predict the top ten to shape out.
*Note: I am NOT an expert
1.  Indianapolis: QB, Andrew Luck (Stanford)
2. Washington: QB, Robert Griffin III (Baylor)
3. Minnesota: WR, Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State)
4. Cleveland: RB, Trent Richardson (Alabama)
5. Tampa Bay: CB, Morris Claiborne (LSU)
6. St. Louis: OT, Matt Kalil (USC)
7. Jacksonville: DE, Fletcher Cox (Mississippi State)
8. Miami: QB, Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M)
9. Carolina: WR, Michael Floyd (Notre Dame)
10. Buffalo: LB, Luke Kuechly (Boston College)

Best Sporting Events

If you ask any sports fan I'm sure they have their top sporting events they'd like to attend before they die. Here are some to think about if you're creating a bucket list (Not in any particular order)
- Summer Olympics. Every four years the best athletes in the world come together in and compete to bring home the gold medal for their country. For 17 days, athletes put everything they have into competition with literally the worlds greatest athletes. A different city every time it is sure to be the trip of a lifetime.
- The World Series. Baseball is America's past time, and what better way to celebrate that with a trip to a world series. It doesn't even have to be your team, although most of us would like to see that, just being around that atmosphere is enough to make you want to be there. You can go for a game 1, or hope for a game 7 and witness a winner take all event you'll remember forever.
- Ohio State/Michigan. It is THE game in the college football season. No two teams hate each other more than Ohio State and Michigan. Watch the game from either The Horseshoe or inside the Big House. Over 100,000 fans decked out in their scarlet and gray or their maze and blue. Records don't matter, although fans on both sides would tell you otherwise sometimes, it is sure to be an amazing old school Big Ten battle.
- North Carolina/Duke. You either wear dark blue or light blue in this game. Much like Ohio State/Michigan, this is the ultimate game in the college basketball season. The teams, separated by 8 miles, play twice a year with the winner usually being the ACC regular season champs. Take a seat inside the Dean Smith Center, or travel down to Durham and witness Cameron Indoor. A National Title is nice, but beating the other shade of blue is that much better.
-The Masters. Simply put, a tradition unlike any other. Played on the beautiful Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Georgia, this 4 day event is the biggest golfing event of the year, it is the Super Bowl of the PGA Tour and sees the top golfers in the world compete for the famous Green Jacket. If you're able to get one of it not the toughest tickets to get in sports, enjoy the drive down Magnolia Lane leading up Augusta National. You won't forget it.
- NCAA Final Four. March Madness, simple at as that. A bracket full of top programs, cinderella teams, and everything in between. Those 64 teams are fighting for a chance to go to the Final Four and cut down the nets for a National Title. Grab a seat and watch the magic of March Madness.
-Stanley Cup Playoffs/Finals. Probably the most action packed event you can attend. Whether its the first round or the finals, there will never be a shortage of big hits and amazing goals. Often referred to as the best athletes on the planet, these superstars go 100 miles an hour every night in hopes of raising Lord Stanley's Cup.
-A night game in College Football. If you love college football, this is a must.There are few things like the atmosphere of a night game between to college football teams. There are certain places where you have to go for this one; Tiger Stadium- home of the LSU Tigers, The Horseshoe- home of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Beaver Stadium- home of the Penn State Nittany Lions, Bryant Denny Stadium- home of the Alabama Crimson Tide, The Swamp- home of the Florida Gators. Just one of those things you have to see to believe.
-Red Sox/Yankees Game. Need I say more?
-Tailgating at any event. This is a must. You can be the average sports fan and show up 20 minutes before the event and just enjoy it for a couple hours. Or you can show up hours before, fire up the grill, grab a beer, and have a good time. You might want to head to a college football game for the best experience. The schools mentioned above are GREAT places to go.

Others to attend: World Cup (every 4 years), Super Bowl; I'd rather stay home and watch the commercials and have a party but that's just me, NBA Finals, Kentucky Derby, NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Home Run Derby, WWE Wrestlemania.

NBA Fantasy Draft

There is always debate as to who is the best player in the league, and people always want to debate who they would take first to build their own "dream team". Do you go with a point guard first? Or do you go with a big man in the middle? Maybe a wing player? There are so many players to pick from each position that it's hard to pick a starting five, but if I had to do so, it would look something like this.
-Point Guard (PG): Chris Paul, LA Clippers, Paul is the best PG in the league, hands down. He's averaging 19.6 PPG, 8.5 APG, and 2.3 SPG and is shooting 44% from three. He is the second best passing PG behind Steve Nash but when he is on his game and playing at the all star level we are so used to seeing, there is no one better. He is the reason why the Clippers are in the position they are. He's the reason why Blake Griffin is an all star and the reason why the Clippers could make a run in the playoffs.
-Shooting Guard (SG): Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, this one is a no brainer. Bryant is putting up amazing numbers despite having a new coach, a new system, not the best supporting cast and a nagging wrist injury. He's averaging 28.5 PPG (leads the league), 5.0 APG, and 5.5 RPG. Bryant is a very underrated defender as well, he is a 9-time all defensive first team. He is the second best player in the last 20 years and hits the toughest shots in the NBA. If there is 3 seconds left and I'm down 1, I'm putting the ball in number 24's hands.
-Small Forward (SF): LeBron James, Miami Heat, hands down the best player in the NBA. The numbers speak for themselves; 27.7 PGG, 8.2 RPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.9 STG, and he is shooting an incredible 54% from the field. He is the best at the rim finisher in the and when he gets out in transition either by himself or with Dwayne Wade no one can stop him. LeBron is also great on the defensive end, he is big and very athletic and can guard a quicker point guard. In the 2011 playoff series against Chicago, James would guard Derek Rose who is one of the faster players on the floor. He can also track the ball down in transition and get a play on the ball. Yes there are the people who will say he can't win a title because he can't finish in the fourth quarter but he is on a mission this year to prove everyone wrong and so far he is doing so with the way he is playing.
-Power Forward (PF): Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves, this might come as a surprise to some people, but those are the people who haven't seen Kevin Love play. The kid is going to be a star for years to come. He is a beat on the boards on both ends and can has an inside game and an outside game. He is a tough, big, physical guy at 6'10" 260lbs and has a pretty sweet beard. He's averaging 25.4 PPG (4th in the league), 13.7 RPG (2nd in the league), and is shooting 36% from three which isn't bad for a power forward. Love commands the most double teams in the league, more than Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum. Last season he had 55 straight games with a double-double, which is quite impressive going up against guys who might be a little more athletic than you. All-in-all, Love is only going to get better. Watch out.
-Center (C): Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic, this is another easy choice. Standing 6'11" 265lbs, Dwight Howard creates many problems for opposing centers. One of if not the most athletic centers of all time, his size and strength along with his freakish athletic ability makes him the most dominant center in the NBA. Throwing up 20.7 PPG, 15.0 RPG, and 2.2 BPG, Howard has it all. He doesn't shoot free throws well (48%) most centers don't. How is a force on both ends which makes him by far the most dominant big man, and the only true dominant big man in the NBA. There is no argument for who is the most dominant center, Andrew Bynum is the closest one to the argument but he isn't consistent enough. Howard dominates Bynum in their match ups. Dwight has the potential to be a 20-20 type of guy. At the tender age of 26, Howard hasn't hit his prime which is scary. When he does, look out. We could be looking at the most dominant center of all time.

I know I left a lot of guys out who might deserve to be in the starting five, but this is just my opinion. Compare your five and my five and see how it goes.

NBA Dunk Contest

If the dunk contest is going to be like it was this past weekend, you might as well get rid of it. There were some shining moments, but for the most part I was scratching my head. Jeremy Evans of the Utah Jazz was your winner for those of you who didn't watch. If you didn't know who he was going into it, you weren't the only one. And if you still don't know who he is, once again you aren't the only one. When you dunk two balls at once, the chances of you winning are very good. The dunk contest is at times the highlight of the NBA All Star Weekend, but in recent years that hasn't been the case. Last year was by far the most exciting contest with Blake Griffin's performance since Dwight Howard's "superman" dunk in 2008 simply because Griffin was in it. We all knew he could jump out of the building, and he didn't disappoint anyone (see link above). I'm sure not many people could name the participants other than Griffin, mainly for the fact no "big name" NBA players want to be in it anymore or be in it at ll. Griffin did have some quality dunks though, like jumping over a car. This year you had Minnesota's Derrick Williams jumping over a motorcycle, which was very phasing because if you're going to jump over a motorcycle when someone jumped over a car the year before, the motorcycle better be on fire. Then there was Paul George of the Indiana Pacers, who's dunk you couldn't see all too well because he turned the lights off, then had black lights on, and a glow in the dark jersey. That one was also puzzling to me. People used to get excited for the dunk contest because the dunks were unique and the guys would show off their athletic ability, not their ability to use as many props as they can. I'm not saying what their doing isn't athletic, because I myself along with many Americans couldn't do these things without the help of a trampoline. It just doesn't get me to jump out of my seat like Vince Carter did in 2000 and like Dwight Howard in 2008. If you ask any NBA fan who they would like to see they would choose players like LeBron James, Derek Rose, Blake Griffin, and Dwight Howard; and they would like to see them do it more than once or twice. Hopefully next year the big time players will get involved and show us what a true dunk contest is about. And to the NBA, when the three point contest is more exciting than the dunk contest, you have a problem.

Upcoming Players to Watch

The NFL Combine starts tomorrow and there are the names you know like Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck, Alabama Running Back Trent Richardson, and Baylor Quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. Those are the the first round guys that you know, and then there are the guys who will be in the first round that when their name is called you won't know as much, but they can have the same impact as those names you do know; those are the players to watch. Here are 5 players to keep an eye one during this weeks combine, April's NFL Draft, and the upcoming season:
-Miami Running Back, Lamar Miller: 5'11" 212lbs. Miller had 227 carries for 1,272 yards and 9 touchdowns. He is downhill runner who is patient and waits for the hole to open and then explodes to the next level. He has good vision and will be good back in the NFL. Miller's name could be called mid to late first round somewhere between 18-26.
-Mississippi State Defensive Tackle/Defensive End, Fletcher Cox: 6'4" 300lbs. Cox had a very productive season having 56 total tackles and 14.5 tackles for loss. He can play both the 3 technique and 5 technique, he has the speed to come off the edge but also has the upper body strength to create the push right up the middle. Look for his name to be called in the middle of the first round.
-Clemson Defensive End, Andre Branch: 6'5" 260lbs. Branch had 77 total tackles, including 10.5 sacks for the Tigers. He has natural speed coming off the edge and has great closing speed for someone of his size. He hasn't shown the consistency that you'd like to see from someone with ability. He can break down in space and can stop a smaller, quicker back. He is going to have to put on 10-15 pounds to be an effective NFL pass rusher, if he can do so, you'll be hearing his name a lot on Sunday's.
-Arizona State Linebacker, Vontaze Burfict: 6'3" 252lbs. Burfict is a big kid who has a lot of natural ability. He can stop the run and loves sticking his nose right in the middle of the play. He is also a strong kid who can shed a blocker and get downhill, for someone of his size he has great speed. People know who he is, but people shy away from him because he sometimes takes plays off in a row, doesn't give 100%, and who might have a lot of "baggage" but is a first round talent who has the potential to dominate anyone who he is put up against.
-Nebraska Cornerback, Alfonzo Dennard: 5'10" 203lbs. Dennard is the type of corner that once the wide receiver gets off line he will stick with him. He is very physical and is tough to get off the line against. He has great speed for deep routs and has the ability to come up and stop the run but doesn't always show that ability. He can turn his hips and run with anyone. Often overshadowed by former Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara, he had his chance to shine during the 2011 season. Dennard was First Team All Big Ten having 31 total tackle and 6 pass breakups on the year. If he has a strong combine he could end up going late first round.

Be sure to check out 2012 NFL Combine, February 22-28. Get updates on all players and all drills right here at NFL.com.

The Fab Five: Changes in Basketball

Jimmy King, Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Ray Jackson, and Juwan Howard changed college basketball forever. I recently re-watched ESPN's documentary the "Fab Five" of these five Michigan Wolverine freshman and it made me realize how much these guys changed the game of college basketball and how we look at it today. If you watched college basketball before these guys came along you would have thought that things were never going to change and that the guys would be wearing short shorts for years to come. When the five freshman got to the Ann Arbor campus before the 1992 season, they had the idea of changing things. It started when Detroit native Jalen Rose wanted some longer basketball shorts to wear during practice and games, that started what would be a revolution for the game of basketball. Next to come were the all black Nike shoes, and the high black Nike socks, then the loose jerseys, the attitude they played with, the style they played with. The Fab Five had it all. The first big test they would have would be a match up against Duke, the defending National Champions lead by what Jalen Rose would describe as "the guys teams like Duke wanted to recruit", such as Grant Hill and Christian Laettner. Although they lost to Duke in overtime, the five freshman were able to hang around with the Blue Devils. It was the first time the nation had the chance to see what was happening at Michigan and it caught everyone's eye because no one had seen the swag, style, and attitude these guys played with before. Then on February 9, 1992 against Notre Dame, Michigan started five freshman, those freshman scored all the points for the Wolverines. The team went onto the National Championship game against North Carolina and eventually lost to Dean Smith and the Tar Heels, but the impact of that starting five has been felt since that season. If you look at the game now and the way it's played, and he swagger guys play with, that wouldn't have been possible if those five freshman didn't have that idea of change. That 1992 Michigan Wolverine basketball team was one of the most influential teams in college sports history, they changed college basketball the way the Miami Hurricanes of the 1980's changed college football. The basketball shoes we lace up today, the style we see and play with wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for the Fab Five. As Jalen Rose put it, "I bet you couldn't tell me who was on that North Carolina team that beat us". Change can be good, just ask every basketball player playing today.