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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Year: 2012

The Cy Young Candidates

Posted on by Mark Modeski

It’s that time of the year when the season is closing out, the dominant players in the league have emerged and everyone is making their predictions as to who will be bringing home the hardware. One aspect of the game that has been interesting to watch this year is the pitching race for the Cy Young Award. In the offseason there was so much discussion surrounding big pitchers like Yu Darvish and Cliff Lee signing big contracts (neither of which are on this list), that we all wanted to see who would produce and who would fall short. With only a few months left in the regular season it is now becoming clear who those players are, but here are my predictions as they stand:

The Amercian League:

Jered Weaver: Weaver was an early season favourite by many analysts. He has consistently put up fantastic numbers, and this season has been nothing short of brilliant for him. Sporting a 16-3 record, complemented by 2.74 ERA he has been solid in most outings he has this season. He has commanding victories in most appearances for the Angels this season. While he has stumbled a little bit as of late, suffering back-t0-back losses against Seattle and Tampa Bay, he bounced back with a dominant against Boston. As it stands right now my money is on Weaver for the AL Cy Young.

David Price:  Another favourite by many, I think Price has a strong shot at bringing home the AL Cy Young. If the Cy Young were handed down today, Price might just get the nod. He has pitched a 16-4 record with a brilliant 2.28 ERA and 167 strike-outs. The few losses suffered by Price have been by a single run, and what’s more, he hasn’t had a game with an ERA over 3.00 all season. He has been a key component in Tampa Bay’s success this year.

Fernando Rodney: Despite being a clear underdog pick, I think the Tampa Bay reliever has a chance at getting a lot of votes in the Cy Young race this year. Rodney has been a solid piece in the Tampa Bay success puzzle this year. Averaging few walks, and an ERA of 0.77, Fernando could surprise a lot of people come the end of the season.

National League:

R.A. Dickey: Dickey is probably the favourite in the NL this year to bring home the Cy Young, especially if he can continue to perform as he has. Dickey has been a bright spot for the otherwise terrible Mets, pitching 16-4 with a 2.76 ERA and a blazing 183 strike-outs. He has been an iron man behind the plate, and I am sure will be high up on the voting list this year.

Johnny Cueto: With only a few years experience, Cueto has started to develop into one of the league’s most promising young pitchers. Cueto currently has a 16-6 record with a 2.47 ERA, but what makes him most impressive is his ability to get players out. Not so much a power pitcher as one who knows how to place the ball, Cueto uses his tool box to close out games by any means necessary – and so far this formula has been fairly effective.

Gio Gonzalez: Another one of baseball’s emerging young stars, Gonzalez is starting to find his groove and has looked very impressive in the 2012 season. 16-7 and with a 3.28 ERA, Gonzalez also has a very impressive innings pitched : strike out ratio of 1.05. He also has been clutch in all games – which of course is key to the success for any pitcher.

 

These are just my early late-season predictions, and a lot could change between now and the end of the season. We’ve often seen pitchers implode in the last few months, and diamonds emerge from the rough. The last couple of months are going to give us a close race to the Cy Young finish line – but, at least it will make for some good watching!

… and that is the last word.

Follow me on Twitter – @LastWordMark

 

Sifting Through the Important Stories From the Weekend in the Premier League

Posted on by Mitchell Tierney

Manchester United may have only played two Premier League matches this season, but it can be argued that history is not on their side. This was ensured when they dropped their opening week fixture 1-0 to Everton. Some would say it is only the first week and that United have plenty of time to recover, which is true, yet Premier League history tends to disagree. Only two sides have ever won the Premier League title after losing their opening fixture. Unsurprisingly it was United who had twice lost their opening Premier League match before recovering to win the championship. That said, both of those victories came in the first four years of the Premier League’s existence, 1992-1993 when United fell 2-1 to Sheffield United and 1995-96 when United suffered an opening loss to Aston Villa.

But discounting United for the sole fact that history is against them would be foolish, as the Red Devils may be the most jaw-dropping club in the history of club football. If one is going to ask questions about United’s title hopes it must have more concrete reasoning. Luckily for all those (especially the blue sector of the city) who are looking to ask those questions, plenty of reasoning has presented itself.

This weekend United had an excellent opportunity to avenge their opening week loss against a Fulham side who are good, but far from great, and answer to those who believed they were in peril. While on paper they did just that, winning 3-2, it was by no means a convincing result. From Damian Duff’s opener onward United were dealt plenty of doubt as Fulham continued to press even after falling behind 3-1. If not for David De Gea who was solid despite a dismal blunder on the second Fulham goal, United would almost certainly have dropped points at home.

To make matters worse for United injuries are already starting to play a huge role in their season. When viewing a football match few would expect to see a moment so grotesque that it would be more akin to UFC or Ice Hockey, yet in the Fulham match a horrible gash on the leg of Wayne Rooney proved to be just that. Rooney, who had not started the game (which in itself hasn’t gone unnoticed by critics), will most likely miss at least the next four weeks. Luckily for United their next two matches are against Southhampton and Wigan, two squads who will most likely be in the relegation battle at the end of the season, so they should have a short recovery period. But they will miss him for their upcoming Champions League matches and late September fixtures against Liverpool and Tottenham. Oh yeah, United are also missing Rio Ferdinand, Paul Jones, Chris Smalling and Darren Fletcher.

All of these injuries have made United fairly vulnerable at the back and it could be a theme that resounds during this Premier League season.  In our season preview, we noted the vulnerability of the United defenders, and the first two weeks have done nothing to discourage our warning.

The acquisition of Robin van Persie has become so much more important now that Rooney is injured and plenty of pressure will be put on last year’s Premier League Golden Boot recipient. Yet van Persie has had plenty of his own injury issues in the past and if he were to go down at this point in the season a United title would become incredibly unlikely.  Yes, I’m getting ahead of myself, but sometimes thinking of the “what-ifs” is valid. Further, a loss to both Tottenham and Liverpool before the end of September and United have almost drowned themselves before the season has even really begun.

Hey, at least there’s one good thing that comes out of this for United: Rooney won’t be taking their penalties. Ouch!

City look like champions

They say that the best teams in sports can get results when they are undeserving of them (cough MANUNITED, cough). That fact is true for Manchester City who were very lucky to pouch a draw at Anfield against a Liverpool side who were better on the day. This came after City’s week one fixture, which may have been the most exciting of the entire weekend. After leading early through Carlos Tevez they trailed 2-1 to a scrappy Southhampton side until late when they regained the lead and reminding supporters of the manner in which they had won the title last year. They had a similar experience this weekend as it was Tevez who scored his second of the season late in the second half to grab City points that they certainly didn’t deserve. While neither result from City this campaign has been particularly impressive, the desire and ability to come from behind is inspirational. Like I said, good teams pull rabbits out of their hats just when you least exptect it – their cross-town rivals have been doing it forever.  It may turn out to be the catalyst for back-to-back championships.

El Nino is all right

Going into the 2012-2013 Premier League season it appeared that the main problem for Chelsea was going to be at the top of bottom of their lineup. With Didier Drogba’s departure still fresh in the memories of supporters it became quickly evident that Chelsea didn’t have a player like Drogba to step in and score the goals the club requires. Fernando Torres had been a prolific goalscorer in the Premier League in the past, but with only seven Premier League goals in fourty-seven Premier League matches over two campaigns it seemed that the one they call “El Nino” had lost his scoring touch. But Torres has looked every bit as dangerous as he was in his Liverpool days to start the season. All it took was a missed offside tap-in to bring out a striker who had seemingly become vintage. His next match against Newcastle United, Torres would be the hero drawing a penalty (suspect, at best) slotted home by Eden Hazard and then adding a brilliant strike of his own to win the match 2-0 for the Blues. As Torres continues to gain confidence he will only become more dangerous for other Premier League sides.

Norwich robbed of win against QPR

Both Norwich City and Queen’s Park Rangers were looking to rebound from horrible opening week losses when they met each other in week two, and to some extent both clubs did just that. Canadian international Simeon Jackson, left out of the lineup for the opener, scored the opening goal for the Canaries after excellent movement through the midfield. The goal was expertly crafted by Robert Snodgrass who was class for Norwich on the day. However, the main talking point in the match came on the equalizer. The ball was played through to Djibril Cisse who fell down in the box after some light contact with a Norwich defender. Even in real time from the television angle it was easy to spot that there was little force behind the challenge and that Cisse had taken a clear flop, but the referee thought otherwise giving QPR the penalty. Cisse would fail to finish on the penalty but Bobby Zamora was the first to the free ball and leveled the score. If the form of both of these clubs continues there is a chance one or both of them could be in the Championship next season.

Swansea and Everton off to a brilliant start

It may only be two weeks into the Premier League season but both Everton and Swansea have to be proud that they currently sit number two and three in the standings behind Chelsea, who have played three matches. Neither team is expected to contend for a Premier League title, yet both have impressed. Swansea began their season with a demolition of a fairly talented Queen’s Park Rangers side. Brilliant counter-attacking football was the name of the game as Swansea played through-ball after through-ball to Michu and Nathan Dyer who each had a brace as Swansea went on to win 5-0. Swansea would follow their opening match in style beating West Ham 3-0. Michu would take the lead in Premier League scoring when he added his third of the season and appears to be one of the best Premier League summer transfers thus far.

Everton kicked off their Premier League season in an even more impressive fashion against Manchester United. Not only did Everton beat United but they outplayed them as well. Marouane Fellaini has proven to be deadly in the air as he scored the only goal in a 1-0 Everton victory before adding another almost identical goal against Aston Villa. Besides Fellaini, South African International Steven Pienaar has to be given plenty of credit for his quality in the midfield.The fact that Everton are usually poor to start the season seems to be forgotten by the current roster as they dominated an Aston Villa side this weekend who will have plenty to answer for after their performance. While it is early in the season Everton and Swansea both have plenty to be proud of and have put themselves in excellent positions work with going forward.

 

There you have it, lads, a quick look into the Premier League weekend.  I’ll see you bright and early next Monday morning as we recap the week’s most important stories.  Follow me on Twitter – @LastWordMitch

Boom or Bust NBA – Dallas Mavericks

Posted on by Jordan Leung

Welcome to the first article in the 30-part series, “Boom or Bust“, where I evaluate every prospect in the NBA. The word “prospect” is only loosely defined, but for the purpose of my evaluation, I will include most players under 25, and players with considerable potential who are currently in the NBA. I’m sure once you see who I’ve chosen to review it will make sense.  For a full explanation of the goals and methodology of this column, please click here to read the introduction.

Dallas Mavericks

2011-2012 Record – 36-30

It’s hard to believe that only one year ago the Mavericks were the champions of the NBA. With most of their championship nucleus gone, the Mavericks have a solid mix of youth, talent, and experience, but can they survive in the Wild, Wild West with heavyweights Thunder, Spurs, and a completely reloaded Laker team.

 

Rodrigue Beaubois
Age – 24, Previous season stats –  8.9 PPG, 2.9 APG, 42.2 FG%

Rodrigue BeauboisFrenchman Beaubois was once the darling of the Dallas Mavericks. In the fiasco leading up to ‘the Decision,’ I distinctly remember a few Mavs fans that were not willing to take LeBron James if it meant giving up Rodrigue Beaubois.

And what a difference a year makes. Beaubois started 26 of 28 games in the beginning of Mavs’ championship season, but an injury landed him on the sideline. He never found a place on the eventual championship guard rotation. And as weird as this may sound, maybe if Beaubois stayed healthy, chemistry issues could have cost the Mavs a championship. This applies to Caron Butler as well.

Rodrigue, or ‘Roddy Buckets’ to Mavs fans, has shown that he can be an effective scorer. He can create his own shot, has good range, can score off the dribble, and has a good touch around the rim. He is an unconventional point guard, but the Mavericks should feel comfortable with the ball in his hands as an additional option on offense. A good mold for him to work towards is a more athletic and explosive Jason Terry. This is his contract year, and he needs to improve his efficiency, as well as show that he can stay healthy for a whole season if he wants to have a decent chance in this league.

Even though Kidd and Terry are gone, the Mavericks have strengthened their backcourt, and Beaubois will be competing for major minutes with Darren Collison, OJ Mayo, as well as other guards such as Vince Carter, Delonte West and Dahntay Jones. Roddy might have an advantage as an incumbent guard, but not having played basketball in so long, it will be hard to see how much playing time he will be seeing.

  • Prospect Score – 6/10

Speaking of Rodrigue Beaubois, have you EVER seen an interview with as much sexual tension as this one?

 

Darren Collison
Age – 25, Previous season stats – 10.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.8 APG, 44.0 FG%

Darren CollisonDarren had an incredible rookie season with the Hornets, and averaged 18.8 points and 9.1 assists a game in the ones he started. Recognizing the conflict in having two playmaking point guards, the Hornets dealt Collison to the Pacers, where he had a chance to run a team that featured Danny Granger and a still developing Roy Hibbert. Collison has not been able to match his production as a starter for the Hornets. Last season, he had an unimpressive finish to the regular season, and failed to make any noise in the playoffs, with the Pacers opting to play George Hill at the point down the stretch.

Collison is a very solid NBA point guard with no glaring deficiencies, and should benefit from being in a new scenario in Dallas. Although some of the key players on the Mavericks are no longer in the best shape of their basketball lives, many of these guys were once great scorers, and still show strong offensive instinct. As a point guard, there is no better situation than running a team where your teammates know how to put the ball in the basket.

  • Prospect Score – 7/10

 

Yi Jianlian
Age – 24, Previous Season Stats – 2.6 PPG, 1.6 RPG

Yi JianlianAs a Chinese person that enjoys rooting for other Asian players, I am sad to say that Yi does not seem to have a real place in the NBA. It took me by surprise that he’s already been on four teams in five seasons.

In the Olympics and other international basketball competitions, Yi plays like a more defensive-minded Dirk, but he is really nothing in the NBA. His game consists of draining long twos off pick-and-pop plays, and occasionally catching other 7 footers off guard and getting to the basket. He does not bring many intangibles to the table. He is above average on the defensive end, but nothing to be worried about.

He’s no stiff of a 7 footer – he has a soft touch on his jumpshot and is more skilled than most big men at putting the ball in the basket, but his game just does not translate that well to the NBA. He’s a career 40.4% shooter from the field, which is not terrible for a jumpshooter, but he is capable of a lot more if he can adapt his game better.

My suggestions? Extend that range out to the three point line. With Yi’s relatively slow release, his long twos are not only easy to close out on, but are also less effective in terms of spacing the floor.

  • Prospect Score – 2/10

 

Dominique Jones
Age – 23, Previous Season Stats – 2.7 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 39.7 FG%

Dominique JonesPlaying only limited minutes, Dominique shows promise as a distributor, having the second highest assist rating on the Mavs behind Kidd last year. His rebounding is solid for a guard, and although his field goal percentage leaves much to be desired, he really is a natural scorer with a knack of getting into the paint. Sadly, in such a talent-rich league, his ability is not at a point where he is significantly better than any other young shooting guard in the league. Although athletic, he does not have the freak athleticism that many GMs lust over (and consequently give undeserved second, third, fourth, fifth, etc., chances to). Also considering that ‘DoJo’ will have to compete with so many other guards for minutes, he will likely be riding the bench this year, even if a major injury goes down.

The good news is that Dominique is still young. In his stints in the D-League, he dominated. You know which NBA prospect did not dominate the D-League? Hasheem Thabeet.

  • Prospect Score – 4/10

 

O.J. Mayo
Age – 24, Previous Season Stats – 12.6 PPG, 2.6 APG, 36.4 3P%

OJ MayoOrange Juice Mayonnaise. The hype train for OJ Mayo started the moment he left his mother’s womb. Mayo has done surprisingly well for receiving so much hype, but his pro career is not matching the extraordinary amounts of attention he received in high school. He is still a productive NBA player and could start on most NBA teams. At this point of his career, Mayo needs to innovate himself as a player. He has a good jumpshot and should be attempting closer to six or seven 3-pointers each game. OJ had his best seasons as a starter, but gradually became benched in favor of defensive stalwart Tony Allen. Just like with Collison, a change in scenery could be great for OJ’s career.

  • Prospect Score – 6/10

 

Brandan Wright
Age – 24, Previous Season Stats – 6.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG,  61.8 FG%

Brandan WrightEven though PER is not a ‘be all, end all’ statistic for evaluating players, it is still a helpful tool in measuring player… efficiency. One thing I like doing with PER is to look for role players that have high PERs (anything over 20 is solid), and those role players are usually guys who every coach in the league would want on their team.

This year, the name that caught my eye was Brandan Wright. Wright posted a 21.6 PER this year. For reference, Kobe posted a 21.9 this year, and Dirk a 21.7. We can’t take these numbers out of context, but the PER tells us that Brandan Wright is playing some good ball.

When the Warriors drafted Brandan Wright back in 2007, they were looking for some length, rebounding, shot blocking, and interior scoring to bolster their thin frontline. Fast forward to 2012, and the Warriors are still looking for that (although they may have found their answer in Bogut). Wright failed to provide any of that consistently, and often looked lost on the court. His skinny frame prohibited him from being effective, and the nagging injuries did not help. I had as much optimism for Wright as I do for Yi right now – so not a lot. When the Warriors traded Wright away for nothing, no feelings were hurt.

Just by virtue of his impressive physique – 6’10, 7’5 wingspan and good athlete, Wright got another chance. His signing in Dallas went by unnoticed, and now he is one of the more underrated players in the NBA. Brandan runs the floor well, like he always has, tightened up his shot selection, and is now an effective shot blocker and defensive player. One might even compare him to Tyson Chandler. Many teams in the NBA would love to have his skills, whether they were aware of the new and improved Brandan Wright or not.

And the best part about Brandan Wright? The man is only 24 years old, and has a chance to become a serious role player in the NBA. Wright seems to have a Durant/Garnett/Prince type of body – long, skinny, and incapable of adding a lot of mass. As fans and critics of the NBA, we have to let that go. What Wright should focus on is continuing to get stronger, working on becoming a better rebounder, and starting to incorporate his post scoring back into his current game. He might never be a full-time starter, but he could become a highly coveted role player that many contenders would love to have.

  • Prospect Score – 7/10

Feel free to leave your comments below and check back tomorrow for Part 2 of the 30-part series, “Boom or Bust”.

AFC West Preview: New Look Denver Broncos are led by Peyton Manning

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Editor’s Note: This is the final preview for the AFC West.  Click the Team Names to see previous previews for the Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Diego Chargers.  Check back soon for previews of the NFC North.

I have made my thoughts clear on the AFC West this season.  There is no clearly dominant team, but there also isn’t one team that is sure to be pulling up the rear all season.  Also, the fact that each team in the division will play one of the toughest schedules in the league will prevent any team from going on a big win streak and pulling away from their division counterparts.  The Broncos have the toughest of those schedules.  Their schedule is only two games different than the rest of the division, but in such a close race those two games could make all the difference.  I am willing to ignore their tougher schedule and side with the Broncos to win this division because when I look around the AFC West I don’t see another team that can be trusted.  I also think the Broncos have one big edge that no one else in the division can claim to have.

First off though, let’s get the Peyton Manning speculation out of the way.  I don’t know what is going to happen with Peyton Manning this year, but this uncertainty hasn’t swayed me against the Broncos.  Manning is a 36-year old coming off of multiple neck surgeries and is now on a new team with totally new players after missing an entire season of play.  The warning signs are there and it would be understandable if anyone thought the best approach would be to stay away from Manning and his aging body.

I am not as worried because of one thing – Peyton Manning has done everything he can in the NFL.  His personal stats need no explanation. He is a legend in Indianapolis, and has a Super Bowl title to his name, not to mention an MVP award.  He made all of this happen over an unbelievable 13 NFL seasons.  If Manning felt like he was unable to perform up to his own lofty standards then I feel that he would make the decision to walk away – he has already accomplished everything he can in the NFL.  The fact that he is ready to play in Denver, ready to start 16 games for an incredible 14th time in his career ,says to me he is ready.

I don’t think Manning would enjoy playing as an average player.  He wants to win, and he wants to be one of he reasons his team is winning.  If you are betting against Manning this season be careful – actually, take a long look in the mirror and ask yourself if you really want to go ahead with this bet.  Otherwise you could have that sudden terrifying moment of clarity early in week one after Manning is done leading his third consecutive TD drive: “Oh S*#$, I just bet against Peyton Manning.”  Duh.

There is also one very underrated factor that no one seems to be covering.  If Manning is totally healthy now there is a good chance he stays that way.  Manning is a big dude, even when he takes hits most of the time he seems to be dragged to the ground more so than knocked on his ass.  He is also better than any QB in the league at getting rid of the ball quickly and avoiding contact.  This is the main reason that he never missed a game in his career until last season, starting all 16 for 13 consecutive seasons.  Manning is just one of the reasons I like the Broncos this season, but the real reason is the competitive edge they have on the rest of the teams in the division – Head Coach John Fox.

In the nine seasons of his previous head coaching stint with the Carolina Panthers, Fox guided his team to the post-season three times.  He never suffered back-to-back losing seasons, and in fact until the disastrous Jimmy Clausen year in his final season, the Panthers never won fewer than seven games under Fox.  He was also able to take the team to a Super Bowl appearance and near victory in 2003.  He accomplished this in a strange division that always seemed to have a new dominant team stepping up every few years.  You might say to yourself that three division titles in nine years isn’t that impressive, and maybe you are right, but here is the catch – Fox did all this without a great quarterback.

In his tenure in Carolina the best quarterback he ever coached was Jake Delhomme.  Delhomme may have sullied his reputation in his last few seasons but he was not always a terrible quarterback.  At some point he was at least just a poor quarterback, never having been considered in the top half of the league.  His other signal callers?  Let’s start with the immortal Chris Weinke, and add in one season with 36-year old Rodney Peete.  In 2007 he had the services of 44-year old Vinny Testaverde, three more for Matt Moore, and a final four for David Carr.  Oh, and don’t forget the 2010 Jimmy Clausen season that cost Fox his job.  See where I’m going with this?  That is historic ineptitude from a gang of quarterbacks that may never be replicated.

What I find amazing was not that Fox was able to find success with some of these players, but that he was allowed to keep coaching in the first place.  How often do you see a coach preside over a team for nearly a decade without ever having a strong QB leading the team.  It just doesn’t happen. The team falls apart and you lose your job because we all know someone has to be the fall-guy.  Instead Fox was able to field a competitive team for nearly his entire time in Carolina.

Let’s not forget one more name on Fox’s QB list – Tim Tebow.  Last year in Denver, Fox was forced to turn to the divisive signal caller after a 1-4 start found starter Kyle Orton on the bench.  Fox did not force Tebow into his system and watch him fail.  He tailored the offense to Tebow and gave him the best chance to succeed.  At one time Fox guided the Broncos all the way back to an 8-5 record before dropping the final three games of the regular season.  You can call it luck all you want but Fox took what he had and he made it work.  He even knocked off the defending AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the first game of the playoffs.

Now everyday when he walks out to the practice field he sees Peyton Manning under center.  Quite a contrast, no?  How good must Fox be feeling?

Fox was able to turn the defense around last season after they finished 30th in the league prior to his arrival.  The popular opinion seems to be that they will field a dominant defense this season, just like last year.  The big problem with that is that as much as Fox was able to help the defense turnaround last season they simply weren’t dominant.  While they may have strung together several games at mid-season where they held their opponent’s down, that had more to do with the opponents than the Broncos themselves.  In Footballoutsiders.com defensive DVOA rankings, the Broncos only finished 18th overall and a mere 22nd against the pass.  This defense was exposed in the playoffs when the Patriots easily racked up 45 points against them.  They also had similar devastating games during the season against the Packers (49 points), Lions (45), and Bills (40).  Basically any good offense they barely acknowledged their existence.

The news is not all bad, however.  The Indianapolis Colts did not need a dominant defense to win games during the Peyton Manning era.  Instead they focused on one thing above all else – rushing the passer.  Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis were vicious pass rushers who were able to tee-off when their team had the lead.  In Denver the Broncos have two different, but potentially equally effective pass rushers.  Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil are legitimate pass rushing terrors and even through injuries last season they were able to lead Denver to a 41-sack season.  The Denver defense is already built to get after the quarterback and now teamed with Peyton Manning could become even more effective.

Expect Manning to fit right in on offense, too.  The Broncos have a better offensive line than the Colts had in any of his final years in Indy.  They also feature Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Jacob Tamme on offense.  Decker and Tamme are Manning’s type of player and the chemistry should develop with them almost immediately.  The connection might not be as immediate with Thomas, but with his vast talent it would be hard to see him not having a huge impact this season.  Don’t forget that the Broncos have allowed Manning to bring his style of offense to Denver so the adjustment will not be quite as great as some people are making it out to be.

While Fox has a track record of success in the NFL the same can not be said for his divisional counterparts.  Raider lead man Dennis Allen is a first time head coach who coached with the Broncos last season.  Everything said about Allen has been positive, but that is always the way it goes with new coaches.  In Kansas City they have turned to once failed coach Romeo Crennel to lead their franchise.  The choice does not immediately spell doom for the Chiefs, but you can be excused if you are feeling skeptical.  The most well-known coach amongst Fox’s division peers is Norv Turner.  Fox has a career win-loss record of 81-79 to Turner’s record of 107-113.  The difference may seem trivial, until you remember Turner is going on his sixth season with one of the league’s top-5 quarterbacks.  Turner’s teams have become a model of under-performance and he does little to instill confidence in the Chargers fan base.

I just argued for 1,000+ words that the Denver Broncos will win the AFC West without making one obvious connection; the Denver Broncos won the division last season and they did it with Tim Tebow.  Now they have Peyton Manning – all-pro, Superbowl winning, first ballot Hall of Famer, and one of the greatest passers in the history of football.  Maybe that should have been the whole article.  But when that connection is made and you factor in the coaching edge the Broncos appear to have it makes it tough to bet against this team in spite of their brutal schedule.  I expect the offense to come together quickly, in part because of John Fox.  I expect the defense to improve this season, in part because of John Fox.  And in December when the division is close and every game has playoff implications I expect the Broncos to prevail.  In no small part because of John Fox.

Please feel free to leave your comments below and follow me on twitter @LastWordBrown

NCAA Football Preview- SEC

Posted on by Lindsay Higgins

As we move on through the NCAA conference previews, we have made it to the big one; the SEC.    The SEC is home to the last 6 National Champions and it seems that every year the conference produces more NFL talent than anywhere else in the country.  The South takes their games seriously and there are huge tailgates, and huge crowds every Saturday.  Games between high-powered SEC rivals are intense affairs that often come right down to the wire.  They feature big time players and big time stars.  Even coaches like Nick Saban, Les Miles, and Steve Spurrier are household names throughout the country.  This is as close to pro football as it gets without being played on Sunday. There are legitimate National Championship contenders in other conferences, but no conference is as deep in talent as the SEC, as even the 5th, 6th, and 7th best teams are very dangerous opponents.

If you wish to read previous previews on the Big XII, ACC, and Big East, click each of the conference names.

 

Conference Additions: Missouri and Texas A&M from the Big 12

 

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE 

2011-12 Record: 12-1 (7-1 SEC)

Returning Starters: 7 on offense, 4 on defense

Key Loss(es): RB Trent Richardson is the obvious one, but losing S Mark Barron and CB Dre Kirkpatrick  could hurt more with just four starters returning on defense

Player to Watch: QB A.J. McCarron- the Tide may rely more on the passing game with Richardson gone.

Of Note: Four starters return on the offensive line

Can’t-Miss Game: The Iron Bowl, November 24 vs. Auburn

AUBURN TIGERS

2011-12 Record: 8-5 (4-4 SEC)

Returning Starters: 6 on offense, 9 on defense

Key Loss: Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, now the head coach at Arkansas State

Player To Watch: QB Kiehl Frazier, in Scot Loeffler’s new pro-style offense. How quickly can he adapt?

Of Note: Auburn’s had a few good recruiting classes in a row now. By next year they could pose a serious challenge for the SEC West crown, if not for the SEC outright.

Can’t-Miss Game: September 22 vs. LSU

OLE MISS REBELS

2011-12 Record: 2-10 (0-8 SEC)

Returning Starters: 5 on offense, 7 on defense

Key Loss: 4 out of 5 starters on last year’s offensive line

Player To Watch: QB Randall Mackey moves to WR, giving the Rebels some interesting Wildcat-type options on offense

Of Note: The Rebels’ most experienced players this season are the punter and the kicker

Can’t-Miss Game: The Egg Bowl November 24 vs. Mississippi State

MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS

2011-12 Record: 7-6 (2-6 SEC)

Returning Starters: 5 on offense, 7 on defense

Key Losses: QB Chris Relf (graduation); RB Vick Ballard and DT Fletcher Cox (NFL)

Player To Watch: QB Tyler Russell will have an offense tailored to him rather than Relf this year, and three seniors at WR.

Of Note: Schedule is brutal and includes road games in both Tuscaloosa and Baton Rouge.

LSU TIGERS

2011-12 Record: 13-1 (8-0 SEC)

Returning Starters: 6 on offense, 4 on defense

Key Losses: CB/S Morris Claiborne, WR Ruben Randle, DT Michael Brockers (NFL); CB Tyrann Mathieu (suspension/drug rehab)

Key Addition: The Tigers are a bit thin at LB. Don’t be surprised if true freshman Kwon Alexander sees time.

Player To Watch: WR Spencer Ware. With a presumed upgrade at QB, he should see more balls thrown his way.

Of Note: It’s possible Mathieu will be missed more in the return game than in the secondary.

Can’t-Miss Game: November 3 vs. Alabama, at home in the bayou

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

2011-12 Record: 11-2 (6-2 SEC)

Returning Starters: 7 on offense, 6 on defense

Key Loss: WR/return man Joe Adams

Key Addition: RB Knile Davis, who returns from a broken ankle

Of Note: While Arkansas does face LSU and Alabama, both games will be in Fayetteville

Can’t-Miss Game: The Hogs will face an early test against Alabama on September 15

TEXAS A&M AGGIES

2011-12 Record: 7-6 (4-5 Big 12)

Returning Starters: 6 on offense, 4 on defense

Key Loss: QB Ryan Tannehill (NFL)

Key Addition: RB Christine Michael returns from an ACL injury

Players to Watch: Starting QB Johnny Manziel is a redshirt freshman who just recently won the battle to replace Tannehill.

Of Note: The Aggies have road games scheduled against Alabama and Auburn

Can’t-Miss Game: September 8 at Florida. Welcome to the SEC. *gator chomp*

VANDERBILT COMMODORES

2011-12 Record: 6-7 (2-6 SEC)

Returning Starters: 6 on offense, 7 on defense

Key Loss: Longtime LB Chris Marve (graduation), CB Casey Hayward (NFL)

Player To Watch: QB Jordan Rodgers, who replaced Larry Smith midway through last season. His decision-making and accuracy need to continue to improve.

Of Note: QB Rodgers is the younger brother of Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers.

Can’t-Miss Game: September 8 at Northwestern, the battle of the smart kids.

MISSOURI TIGERS

2011-12 Record: 8-5 (4-4 Big 12)

Returning Starters: 5 on offense, 5 on defense

Key Loss: RB Henry Josey suffered a severe knee injury last November and is unlikely to play this season.

Player To Watch: WR Dorial Green-Beckham was one of the top recruits in the country and could make an impact early.

Of Note: While it doesn’t make much sense geographically, Missouri will play in the weaker SEC East.

Can’t-Miss Game: September 22, as the Tigers play their first SEC road game against South Carolina

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

2011-12 Record: 5-7 (1-7 SEC)

Returning Starters: 8 on offense, 9 on defense

Key Loss: Junior WR Da’Rick Rogers, removed from team due to violating the substance abuse policy

Player To Watch: Junior kicker Michael Palardy is just 14 of 21 on field goals in his career.

Of Note: RB Rajion Neal played WR last season

GEORGIA BULLDOGS

2011-12 Record: 10-4 (7-1 SEC)

Returning Starters: 6 on offense, 10 on defense

Key Loss: OT Cordy Glenn (NFL), RB Isaiah Crowell (removed from team due to felony weapons charge)

Player To Watch: RB Ken Malcome becomes the starter with Crowell gone

Of note: K Blair Walsh, P Drew Butler, and return specialist Brandon Boykin are all gone; true freshman will be handling both kicking and punting duties.

Can’t-Miss Game: October 6 at South Carolina; the winner will likely win the SEC East.

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS

2011-12 Record: 11-2 (6-2 SEC)

Returning Starters: 7 on offense, 5 on defense

Key Loss: WR Alshon Jeffrey, CB Stephon Gilmore, DT Melvin Ingram (NFL)

Key Addition: RB Marcus Lattimore returns from the knee injury that derailed his sophomore season

Player To Watch: Sophomore Jadaveon Clowney had eight sacks as a true freshman. He says he now knows the entire defensive playbook.

Of Note: The Gamecocks have a slightly more challenging schedule than Georgia, with Arkansas at home and a road trip to LSU.

Can’t-Miss Game: October 13 at LSU

FLORIDA GATORS

2011-12 Record: 7-6 (3-5 SEC)

Returning Starters: 7 on offense, 10 on defense

Key Loss: LB Ronald Powell tore his ACL in the spring, but could be back on the field sometime in October

Players To Watch: Will Muschamp has yet to choose a starting QB; he says both Jeff Driskell and Jacoby Brissett will play in the season opener.

Of Note: Florida’s conference road games are at Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. You don’t get much softer than that in the SEC. (They do play LSU and South Carolina at home, and the annual neutral-site game against Georgia).

Can’t-Miss Game: The Game That We’re Not Supposed To Call The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, October 29 vs. Georgia in Jacksonville

KENTUCKY WILDCATS

2011-12 Record: 5-7 (2-6 SEC)

Returning Starters: 3 on offense, 5 on defense.

Key Losses: S Winston Guy and LB Danny Trevathan were the top two tacklers in the SEC last season; both are now in the NFL

Key Addition: QB recruit Patrick Towles could see the field at some point

Of Note: The ‘Cats have eight bowl teams on the schedule

Can’t-Miss Game: November 24 at Tennessee

SEC OVERVIEW

SEC Champion: Alabama

Best Bets to Challenge: LSU, Arkansas, South Carolina

Offensive Player Of The Year: RB Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina

Defensive Player Of The Year: DE Barkevious Mingo, LSU

Coach On The Hot Seat: Joker Phillips, Kentucky (11-14, 2 seasons)

Top Shelf Prospects: Toronto Maple Leafs

Posted on by Ben Kerr

Welcome to today’s edition of “Top Shelf Prospects” – a team-by-team look at the top prospects in the NHL. As I continue my alphabetical journey, I bring you a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As always you can find a complete listing of my previous articles here. Since we had an extensive NHL Draft preview, I will not be reviewing the players who were drafted in the 2012 draft, as there have been no games since then, and my reports on them will not have changed. What I will be doing is linking you to those articles, as well as taking a look at prospects that were acquired before this year’s draft; their progress, and their chances of making the 2012-13 roster of the NHL team in question. I will also bring you one sleeper pick – a player who was either drafted in the 4th-round or later, or was an undrafted free agent signing who I pick as my darkhorse to make the NHL. For those wondering, the cut-off for what is or isn’t a prospect is typically about 45-50 NHL games played or being 25 years old. These are not static rules though, as I may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances.

Rulings: Matt Frattin (57 games), James Reimer (71 games), Jake Gardiner (75 games) are all considered graduated.

Nazem Kadri (51 career games), by my typical rule he should be considered “graduated”, however I feel that he is still a prospect as he has not really established himself as a full-time NHLer and those 51 career games have come as a result of a great many cab rides from the Ricoh Coliseum to the ACC, and back.  He is still looking for his place and full time role in the NHL.

2012 Draft Prospects Profiled: Click the names to see their pre-draft report.
Morgan Rielly, Matt Finn,

 

Top Prospect, Nazem Kadri, Left Wing/Centre
Born Oct 6 1990 — London, ONT
Height 6.00 — Weight 185 — Shoots Left
Selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in round 1 #7 overall at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Nazem Kadri  has played 51 career NHL games and by my typical rule he should be considered “graduated”, however I feel that he is still a prospect as he has not really established himself as a full-time NHLer and those 51 games have come as a result of a great many cab rides from the Ricoh Coliseum to the ACC, and back.  He is still looking for his place and full time role in the NHL. Kadri dominated the OHL in his last season in London, with 93 points in 56 games.  In the AHL he flirts with being a point per game player.  He is however wildly inconsistent.  He can play an individual game, or get on a hot streak where he is absolutely dominant and near unstoppable at the AHL level.  And he can also go through stretches where he struggles and is invisible.

Kadri is a superb skater.  He has great edgework, and great agility which allows him to make quick cuts past defenders.  He has very good top end speed, and excellent acceleration to reach that speed in just 2 or 3 strides.  He could stand to work on his lower body strength and balance as being knocked off the puck can be an issue at times.

Offensively Kadri has an amazing set of moves and some excellent dangles.  He is just sublime with the puck on his stick and has the hands to deke out defenders in a phone booth.   He is absolutely lethal in the shootout.  His stickhandling is so good, that it can sometimes even cause problems, as Kadri needs to learn that he can’t deke out everyone at the NHL level and needs to use his other skills more.  This is something that has gotten better though, and Marlies coach Dallas Eakins should get a lot of credit for that improvement.  Kadri has a very good release on his wrist shot, and that helps him to score goals, however he could improve the velocity.  He is a creative playmaker with excellent vision.  Kadri is also not afraid to go to the dirty areas of the ice to make a play and excels when he works in traffic.  He goes to the front of the net with the puck and works in the corners trying to get possession and make plays.  He does need to get stronger though to win board battles at the NHL level.

Kadri’s defensive game is a big question mark.  As alluded to above he can get himself in trouble when he tries to do everything himself offensively, leading to bad turnovers and the ire of NHL coaches.  In his own end of the ice he still needs a lot of work, losing his coverage too often, and getting caught puck watching and not moving his feet.  There is little doubt that these defensive issues are the major reason Kadri is not yet a full time NHLer.

Kadri will go to the Toronto Maple Leafs camp with an excellent chance to gain a roster spot.   With two full years of pro hockey behind this former 7th overall pick, the time to make an impact at the NHL level is here.  I would bet that Kadri will be a member of the Leafs out of the gate and will push for more prime ice time going forward.   Due to faceoff issues and defensive issues it looks like Kadri’s NHL future may be as a left wing, instead of as a centre.

 

Top Prospect #2, Joe Colborne, Centre
Born Jan 30 1990 — Calgary, ALTA
Height 6.05 — Weight 213 — Shoots Left
Selected by the Boston Bruins in round 1, #16 overall at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft
Traded to the Toronto Maples Leafs in February 2011

It was an up and down season for Colborne this year.  He started off the year very strong for the Marlies and even earned himself a promotion to the Maple Leafs in November where he played nine games.  He would also get a one game call-up in April.  Colborne played very well in his NHL stints scoring a total of 5 points in those 10 games, including his first NHL goal vs Tampa Bay, all in limited ice time.  However the season ended on a down note for Colborne.  He went over two months without a goal down the stretch in the AHL, and picked up just 2 goals and 8 points in 15  AHL playoff games.   Its is unclear though how much we should make of this slump as Colborne was apparently playing with a badly injured wrist that required surgery this summer.

Colborne is a very good skater for a guy his size.  It is rare to find players who are 6’5″ and have the above average top end speed and quick acceleration that Colborne possesses.  He also has good agility for a player his size and is unexpectedly deceptive and elusive in the offensive zone.  He has tremendous strength and is very difficult to knock off the puck.  Add to this a huge wingspan and good soft hands and puck protection and control are the strength of Colborne’s game.  He is also an extremely good playmaker with excellent vision and passing ability.   Colborne scores goals from having quick hands, he can beat goalies in tight and can capitalize on rebounds and tip ins in front of the net.  His great reach is a huge advantage in these areas.  Colborne’s wrist shot has good accuracy and velocity, but he could work on his release.

Colborne’s defensive game is a work in progress.  For a player his size, you’d really like to see him be more aggressive and take the body more.  He doesn’t seem to have a mean streak, and while his size helps him in many ways he doesn’t take full advantage as Colborne just does not play a physical game.  He also needs work on the basic fundamentals of defensive hockey in terms of positioning, staying with his man, and keeping the cycle game to the outside.

Barring a huge training camp and preseason, Colborne will likely start the season with Marlies.  He needs to dominate in the AHL this year and be prepared for any injury callups that may arise.  Time is running short for Colborne as this will be the last season he can be sent to the AHL without first clearing waivers.  Colborne needs to prove that he is ready for an NHL job, and with Tim Connolly and Matt Lombardi entering the final year of their contracts with Toronto, the time is now for him to seize this opportunity.  He either needs to be in Toronto by the end of the year, or performing so well down the stretch in the AHL that the Leafs have no choice but to pencil him into the Leaf lineup for 2013.

 

Top Prospect #3, Tyler Biggs, Right Wing
Born Apr 30 1993 — Cincinnati, OH
Height 6.02 — Weight 200 — Shoots Right
Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 1 #22 overall 2011 NHL Entry Draft

Biggs graduated from the USNTDP after winning two IIHF U18 gold medals with the club.  He was never a big point producer for the club but he played an aggressive physical game.  Biggs played last season with the University of Miami where he scored 9 goals and 17 points in 37 games as a freshman.  However Biggs has since signed an ELC with the Leafs and announced his intention to play this season for the Oshawa Generals in the OHL.

Biggs is seen by many as a power forward in the making.  He has excellent size and plays a robust physical game.  A very good skater, Biggs is often in quickly on the forecheck and throws punishing checks to defenders.  He causes chaos and panic for opposing defencemen. He is also not afraid to get involved in fights or rough stuff after the whistle and it will be interesting to see how that plays out in the OHL,a league with far more rough stuff than the NCAA.  He is certainly not afraid of going to the front of the net or of battling for loose pucks in the corner and with his size is very effective in doing both of those things.

There are questions about Biggs’ ultimate offensive upside.  He has a heavy and powerful wrist shot but he can take too long loading it up and his release needs to improve.  He also could use quicker hands in close in order to score more goals on tip ins and deflections.  His vision is average at best, and he is not a strong playmaker at this point.  Biggs has never been a huge point producer, but he’s also never been given prime ice time and linemates either.  The Leafs are hoping that given a big role in Oshawa Biggs will show some untapped offensive potential.

Biggs is at least a year or two away before being a serious threat to make the Leafs.  As mentioned he will go to Oshawa this year and is likely to be on the America team at the World Junior Championships as well.  Long term, Biggs is very likely to be an NHLer as at worst he should become a crash and bang player who provides energy and physicality to bottom lines.  The Leafs brass have stated that they think he has more offensive upside and can be a top 6 winger, so it will be something to monitor in the OHL.

 

Sleeper Pick, Ben Scrivens, Goalie
Born — Spruce Grove, ALTA
Height 6.02 — Weight 192 — Shoots Left
Signed as an undrafted free agent in April 2010.

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Scrivens has been a dominant goaltender at every level he has played at.  In 2010, after a brilliant 4 year career at Cornell he was the most sought after undrafted free agent goalie coming out of the NCAA.  After signing with the Leafs, Scrivens quickly dominated the ECHL for the Reading Royal, and earned his way up to the Marlies.  With the Marlies Scrivens has proven to be one of the top AHL goalies and was absolutely ridiculous for three rounds in the AHL playoffs leding the Marlies to the Western Conference Championship, before running into the juggernaut that was the Norfolk Admirals in the AHL’s Calder Cup Final.

Scrivens has great size and plays a compact and efficient butterfly technique.  His legs are extremely quick and he takes away the bottom of the net very well.  His lateral movement and puck tracking ability are also very good, and he is very quick on moving side to side to take away one-timer opportunities.  Scrivens size helps him to cut down angles, but he is also very aggressive playing at the top of his crease to take away even more space from shooters. Like many young goalies, Scrivens could use a bit better rebound control, especially on hard low shots.

At this point it would appear that Scrivens is number 2 on the Leafs depth chart for this upcoming NHL season.  However there is plenty of time before the season starts and their are still rumors swirling that Toronto would like an established number 1 goalie.  If they acquire one he will need to beat out James Reimer for the backup position, and this will be a tough task for Scrivens, but not impossible.

 

 

When Brian Burke took over the Leafs four years ago, the prospect pipeline was bare. He has built an impressive stable of prospects that is extremely deep.   There are a number of talented players who I just don’t have the space to give a full review to.  I’ll give a few quick point form notes though.

Greg McKegg:  A pure sniper, the talented centre played very well after being traded to the London Knights.  Great shot, great release.  Potential top 6 talent.  Unclear at this point if he will be a centre or a winger at the pro level.  Needs to work on his defence in the AHL.

Stuart Percy: Cerebral two way defender.  He has excellent hockey sense and great poise.  Concussion this season slowed his development.  He won’t wow you with any one particular skill but is solid in all aspects.

Korbinian Holzer: Defensive stalwart in the AHL.  Very solid in his own end of the ice and played against other teams top lines for the Western Conference Champion Marlies.  Is very close to cracking an NHL Roster as a defensive dman.

Brad Ross:  The heir to the Darcy Tucker throne in Toronto.  Super pest, super annoying, and brings a little bit of secondary offence as well.  He might be the definition of Truculence.

Jesse Blacker:  A great skating defenceman who is very good at bringing the offence from the back end.  Needs to learn when to pick his spots, when to pinch and when to join the rush without getting caught.  Just finished his first year in the AHL.  He needs more time with the Marlies, but the upside on this defenceman is tremendous.

Add to the players reviewed names like Jerry D’amigo, Mark Owuya, Carter Ashton, Leo Komarov, Nicolas Deschamps, and Jussi Rynnas and we can clearly see that the Leafs system has the kind of deep prospect pool that can rival any other team in the National Hockey League. This was clearly seen in the excellent performance of the Toronto Marlies this season, who were a top AHL club all season long and who went all the way to the Calder Cup Final before losing to Norfolk.  However the team still has some issues.  The pool may be deep, but it lacks elite prospects especially at forward.  The only elite prospect in the system is Morgan Rielly.  There are question marks around top prospects like Kadri and Colborne and it is unclear if any of the Leafs forward prospects will become elite offensive producers.  Four years after he left the team for the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto continues to search for the player who will take the place of Mats Sundin as their main man down the middle.   This is the difference between the absolute top systems in the NHL who feature both elite talent and depth, and the Leafs whose prospect pool will be ranked in the next tier down in my final rankings.

Feel free to leave your comments below and to follow me on Twitter @LastWordBKerr

 

The Raptor Factor – Can Toronto Finally Make A Push For The Playoffs?

Posted on by Kaine Elmy

Editor’s Note: Last Word on Sports is pleased to announce the launch of our new and improved, and greatly expanded upon, NBA coverage.  We have brought on two new and exciting writers in Jordan Leung, and Kaine Elmy.  Jordan’s first piece was launched earlier today.  This is Kaine’s first piece for the site.  A long-time fan of the NBA, Kaine quite literally eats and sleeps basketball, watching the games at odd hours from his home in New Zealand.  We are pleased to announce that Kaine will be a regular columnist bringing you  his insight and analysis into the latest NBA news. In reading his work, we like his fresh perspective on the game and hope you will, too.  We hope that you will make Kaine and Jordan’s columns regular reading material when you look for NBA news, analysis and opinion.  Now, on with the show…

 

It’s no secret that the Toronto Raptors under-performed last season. With twenty-three wins and forty-three losses in a lockout-shortened season, they placed fourth in the Atlantic Division and eleventh in the Eastern Conference. However, Toronto played the hand they were dealt and with a less than impressive roster, coach Dwayne Casey was able to enforce significant improvement within the team, particularly at the defensive end of the court. After a quietly exciting off-season, it finally appears the Raptors are heading in the right direction as an organization, and maybe, just maybe, they can give their fans a reason to stick around.

Last season’s top performers include Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan and Jerryd Bayless, who has since left for Memphis. Andrea Bargnani, the first pick in 2006 draft featuring Brandon Roy, Rajon Rondo and now teammate Kyle Lowry, has been a dominant and successful power-forward/center with Toronto since his rookie season. Having averaged 19.5 points in thirty-one games and snatching an implausible one hundred and seventy-two rebounds, Bargnani provided a promising core with DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan, a thrilling guard, averaged 15.7 points in sixty-three games, however fell into a slump following the injury of Bargnani. DeRozan is effective on the fast-break and can create his own shot opportunities, but needs to keep his field-goal percentage at an acceptable level having dropped significantly each season since his rookie year. However, after providing a core for the Raptors last year, expect Coach Casey’s influence on the pair to improve both players dramatically.

Undeniably the most impressive off-season move on the Raptors part was the signing of one of the top point guards in the Eastern Conference; Kyle Lowry. Lowry is an exceptional upgrade to the lackluster Jose Calderon. As a starter, Lowry averaged 15.9 points, 6.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game with Houston last season despite recovering from injury. A relentless defender, Lowry will replace Calderon in the starting five, which makes one wonder why Toronto is paying him  $1o million to warm the bench. Expect Lowry to become an All Star this season and easily become Toronto’s best player.

Despite his mediocre 2011-2012 season, the four-year, $20 million dollar signing of Landry Fields will lift the Raptors significantly. Drafted by the New York Knicks, Fields had a remarkable rookie year, averaging 9.7 points per game, shooting 39.3% from behind the arc and 49.7% from the field. Fields was named on the 2010 NBA All-Rookie First Team after winning Rookie of the Month in the Eastern Conference in November and December. However, his performance his next season regressed dramatically. His average from behind the arc dropped to 25.6%, his free-throws plunged from 76.9% the season before to 56.2% and his points per game fell to 8.8. However, the lock-out shortened season and the unexpected and rapid preparation for the season would have effected Fields’ preparation greatly, and a full off-season to prepare will benefit the young guard significantly. Expect a comeback season, and Fields to start at small forward in 2012.

An excellent rebounder and a strong defender, rookie Jonas Valanciunas should be the starting center for the Raptors this season. Valanciunas will be mentioned in the ‘Rookie of the Year’ talks and is a big man who will step up when Bargnani cannot; a possible show-down against New Orleans’ Anthony Davis would be spectacular to see. Quincy Acy, second round pick for Toronto, will get minutes this season. Reportedly drafted for his hustle, rebounding and shot blocking, expect him to be a crowd favorite. Terrence Ross on the other hand, drafted at number eight by Toronto, should have a much more influential role this season. Ross is enormously athletic and a brilliant shooter, as well as being a great rebounder for his size. Coach Dwane Casey should attempt to play Ross and DeRozan together at times for ultimate effect. If Casey, who has now had a full season with the Raptors, can continue to motivate his players again this season and enforce a strong defensive performance day in and day out, expect the Raptors to make a push for the top eight and a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

Beat the Proline Odds: NFL Preseason Week 3

Posted on by AaronWrotkowski
Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons

Beat the Odds is back this week with a run-down of this weekend’s football action.  For the purpose of this article I will use the odds appearing on Proline tickets and give you an idea of where I find particularly good value.  Please remember to respect the slogan, “Know your Limit, Play Within It”.  I will also put out some Proline tickets for the NFL/College Weekends in the future. If any of my Beat the Odds picks fall within the 4 or 8, you can play it on Proline.   And if you win, you don’t even have to share with me!

Remember how Proline works for Football… a win means you must win by 4 or more points, a +win means you must win by 8 or more points, and a tie means the game will be within 3 points. I apologize to the non-Canadians who visit our site and don’t have access to Proline betting, but don’t worry, I’ll be back with regular sportsbook picks in a few days. You could also treat these selections as money line picks, or as point spread picks in any game with a spread of 3.5 points or less.

So on with the show, here are some plays I particularly like this weekend from the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons Visitor Win (1.90)

The two things I’ve noticed so far in preseason with these two teams is the Dolphins stink, their O-line can’t block, they have no WR’s, and their 2nd and 3rd-string defenses give up yards. Not such a glowing report.  The Dolphins QB’s have also been average at best. The Falcons however have looked great when their first team offense is on the field and not so great when their other guys are on. This is a “dress rehearsal” game where the Falcons starters should play into the 2nd half and it will give them a big advantage over the Dolphins tonight. The Falcons offense has been working on their new scheme and would like to have things rolling by Week 1.

Vikings Home Win (2.00)

The Vikings have looked very good in the preseason so far and San Diego is not playing Phillip Rivers or Antonio Gates in this game. In my last article I explained about the importance of discovering a coach’s motivation behind game-planning for a preseason game, and this highlights that point well.  It shows San Diego doesn’t really care about winning this game, and we should expect the Vikings to roll.

Patriots Visitor Win (1.50)

The Pats will be playing their starters for quite a bit in this game, as they rested much of their first team on Monday vs the Eagles. This will be the one game that Belichick takes seriously. The Bucs have beaten the aforementioned crappy Dolphins (sorry, but they are !) and got beaten up by the Titans in the preseason – badly.

UnderDog Play – If you are looking for a longshot with good odds, which is how big money can be made, take a shot with the Colts (2.70) vs the Skins. Andrew Luck has been great so far and this matchup with RGIII should bring up some hype. The Colts have a good shot to win this game, and at (2.70), those odds aren’t too bad at all.

So my ticket would be as follows:

1.  Falcons 1.9
2.  Vikings 2.0
3.  Add in a filler of your choice

Good luck!

Legal Stuff:  These picks are for entertainment purposes only.  No picks are guaranteed.  Don’t bet more than you can afford to lose.  Only bet with reputable sports books or on Proline.  We take no responsibility for the success of the picks – it’s gambling after all.

Inside the American League's Wild Card Races

Posted on by Harold Douglas

As August’s end draws near, the battle for the opportunity to play in the playoffs intensifies significantly. In a league with a 162 game schedule, “must win” games can add some much-welcomed drama and desperation – a recipe for excitement. As we approach the end of the season, an increasing number of games meet this definition.

September of 2011 provided baseball fans with one of the most exciting conclusions in the history of the sport and demonstrated just how quickly things can change in the final month of the regular season. With the welcomed addition of two more wild card spots, one can only expect at least a similar level of excitement. Yesterday we looked at the NL, now let’s take a look at the three top contenders from the American League.

American League

1) Tampa Bay Rays

Why they WILL make it:

One word…Pitching! The Rays have one of the lowest earned run averages, lowest opponents’ batting averages and lowest WHIP in the American League. They also hover around the top of the AL in strikeouts, saves and quality starts. The Rays posses the type of starting rotation that gives them an opportunity to win night after night. Add to that a “lights out” bullpen and you’ve got yourself a playoff bound operation.

Why they WON’T make it:

The Rays have struggled with the lumber. Of the fourteen American League teams, they rank 12th in team batting average and 12th in OPS.

X factor(s):

Joe Maddon has proven himself. He is cunning, calm, intelligent, and somehow gets the most out of his teams no matter how small the payroll. He has managed to find ways to score enough runs to win games by taking his athletic lineup and turning ball games into track meets (AL lead in stolen bases) thus getting the most out of the few hits they can scratch together. The returns of Evan Longoria and Luke Scott should provide enough pop to keep them securely in playoff contention.

Maddon and the core of the Rays have been in tight playoff races before. This is not new territory for them. Expect to see them in October.

2) Baltimore Orioles

Why they WILL make it:

The “big fly” and the bullpen. The O’s hit the ball out of the park. Top five in the AL in home runs and also in saves. The home runs get them the lead and the bullpen keeps it. Simple.

Why they WON’T make it:

The O’s starting rotation is not about to shut anyone down. Are they going to continue to out-slug everyone? They might, but it’s tough to do so day in day out. Where are the wins going to come from if the bats go cold?

The Detroit Tigers and Oakland A’s are right on their tail. Detroit has one of the softest September schedules of the contending teams. Two series with the Indians, two with the Twins and a series with the Royals. This schedule gives them a great opportunity to take over Baltimore’s spot. The Tigers have a pitching staff that resembles the Rays. They aren’t anywhere near the top of the AL in home runs but don’t let that fool you. They play in a very pitcher-friendly ball park thus explaining the lack of home runs.  However they are in or near the top five in the AL in team batting average, OPS and RBI’s.

Why won’t the Orioles make the playoffs? Because the Tigers will…Or the White Sox will if the Tigers win their division.

X factor(s):

Consistency.

The O’s got off to a fast start, and most observers did not believe it would last. While they have fallen a couple spots in the AL East standings, they are still firmly entrenched in the wild card race. They held on for five months. They only have to hold on for one more, but the reality is that they are slowly coming back down to earth.

3) Oakland Athletics

Why they WILL make it:

The A’s have been winning with pitching so if they are going to make the playoffs the pitching staff will be what puts them there. They sit second in the American League in team ERA and they are in or around the top five in quality starts, opponents’ batting average, WHIP and saves.

Why they WON’T make it:

The Athletics unfortunately do NOT score runs. They hover around the bottom of the AL in this category with such teams as the Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals. Like the Rays, The A’s steal a lot of bases in an attempt to get the most out of the few hits they manage to put together.

If pitching is what is going to catapult the A’s into the playoffs, that is going to be a problem. Bartolo Colon was recently caught using a banned substance and the likely result is that he will not factor in the A’s playoff run. The A’s would need all of their pitching to get in. Without Colon, the playoffs are a becoming more unlikely.

X factor(s):

In the final month of the season, the A’s play eleven games at home and seventeen games on the road. Like most teams, the Athletics are significantly better at home. They will need all the help they can get to get a wild card spot and this schedule doesn’t help.

My wild card picks:

Tampa Bay and either Detroit or Chicago (whichever of the two does not win the division).

 

There you have it – why some of these AL contenders will make it, and what stumbling blocks they might run into.

Feel free to leave your picks in the “Comment” section below, and don’t forget to check out my NL wild card predictions.