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Last Word On Sports

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Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Day: October 2, 2015

Treble Radio: Merseyside Derby and Arsenal vs Manchester United

Posted on by Eric Walcott
This week on Treble Radio: Spurs demolished City 4-1 last weekend. Are City showing their true colors or is this just a slip? What’s the reason for their struggles? Is it a lack of spine, or did missing  Vincent Kompany and Joe Hart just hurt too much? Also, what is this Spurs team, and where do they fit in the Premier League? Should their expectations be higher, and is it complacent of them to be okay with 5th every year?
We talk Chelsea, looking at Kurt Zouma vs. John Terry and why Jose Mourinho keeps leaving his captain out. Is it wise? Is Zouma ready to be an everyday CB in the Premier League?
We cover all the news of the week, and then look forward to a great weekend.
 To cap off the show, Treble Radio previews the Merseyside Derby and Arsenal vs Manchester United. Can Liverpool’s defense contain Romelu Lukaku? How does Brendan Rodgers fit Daniel Sturridge and Christian Benteke into the same lineup? How will Arsenal rebound from a midweeek Champions League disaster, and will Martial continue his torrid start? Find out what Laura, Eric, and Arslan think on this week’s Treble Radio.

 

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Laura was trained from birth to be a Nebraska Cornhusker Football fan. Unlike most Huskers, her dad played soccer and introduced her to that sport as well, which understandably stole her heart. Laura’s love for the Spice Girls and Harry Potter carried her love for soccer across the Atlantic to a team not unlike her Huskers, Manchester United. They were once great and believe they can be again, but it hasn’t really happened yet. Laura is also a fan of the MLS team Sporting Kansas City.

Eric Walcott is a Legislative Assistant in the Michigan House of Representatives by day, and a soccer fan 24/7. He’s played soccer his whole life and now covers MLS, Portland Timbers, and Arsenal for LWOS. Eric helped start the supporters group Sons of Ransom for NPSL club Lansing United because there’s nothing quite like standing in the crowd and supporting your local team every weekend. 4th place might not be a trophy, but THE FA CUP SURELY IS!

Treble Radio host, Arslan Siddiqui, is a Canadian who does not speak many languages, but he has definitely specialized in the language of the beautiful game. When his grasp of the language isn’t strong enough, he (tries) to substitute it with comedy. He is a Liverpool fan who started the ‘Anfield Alive’ column on Last Word On Sports, where he provides commentary and opinion on everything Liverpool and Premier League related. A university student and a young adult, he promises to provide entertainment and (a little bit of) knowledge!

Bundesliga This Week: Xhaka, Wolfsburg and Lewandowski vs Aubameyang

Posted on by Elliot Owens

Bundesliga This Week

The Bundesliga this week has many crucial fixtures on match day 8 including the battle of the giants between first-placed Bayern and second-placed Dortmund, a vital Baden-Wurttemburg derby and Stuttgart face a third consecutive relegation six-pointer against Hoffenheim.

Xhaka pivotal to Gladbach’s revival

Gladbach failed to win any of their first five games and boss Lucien Favre paid the price. Since then interim manager Andre Schubert has won two out of two and has seen his side score seven times – this in stark comparison to the two scored in five games under Favre. Midfielder Granit Xhaka has been amongst the action and a main influence behind the recent turn of form for the Foals. The Swiss who signed for Gladbach in 2012 from Basel made his bow as team captain at home against Augsburg and then again away at Stuttgart, where he has managed to score a goal in each game- a decision which has paid dividends for Schubert. The 23-year-old will be very grateful for the return of reliable Patrick Herrman from injury to help bolster the revival. Gladbach face Wolfsburg at Borussia Park on Saturday looking to make it three straight wins for Schubert’s side. A timely fixture as Wolfsburg could be distracted by the emissions scandal that has cropped up in the news this week.

Wolfsburg could falter after VW emission scandal

It’s a rather concerning time at the helm of Wolfsburg in the midst of the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Worringly for Wolfsburg, Volkswagen solely own the club and reports in the news this week has stated that the Wolves could be subject to huge cuts in budget as VW prepare to be sued for nearly £12 billion by the US after the revelations emerged that the company found a way around testing emissions on their cars. Not only is it a concern for Wolfsburg, but also it could potentially affect the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga as the German manufacturing giants sponsor half of the teams in the top two tiers.. The Lower Saxony side travel west to face an improving Gladbach and on the back of this major possible demise with the VW scandal, it will be a game Dieter Hecking would rather not face. This aside, the Wolves have more than enough talent at their disposal with the summer additions of Julian Draxler, Dante and Max Kruse, the latter being a former Foals player. It is worth mentioning that after an impressive second place finish last season, many-tipped Wolfsburg to have a genuine chance of challenging Bayern for the title. However, the Wolves have failed to win away from the Volkswagen Arena so far this season, so they sit in 4th, nine points behind the champions Bayern.

Battle of the hitmen: Lewandowski vs Aubameyang

Both Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have smashed records in the Bundesliga for Bayern and Dortmund respectively and now the top two come face to face at the Allianz Arena on Sunday in what could be a title-decider. Gabonese international Aubameyang has scored seven goals, in the opening seven games making him the first player in the Bundesliga to achieve this. The 26-year-old has netted 14 times this season already, including nine in the league. While Lewandowski, who moved from Dortmund in 2014, became the first player to come on as a substitute and score five goals in one game at home to Wolfsburg last week completing this feat in a record time of nine minutes. In addition to his unbelievable finishing, the Pole has added a further two goals last time out at Mainz to record his 100th Bundesliga goal and his tenth this season. Both prolific strikers have stolen many headlines this season already and look set to continue their fine individual form. Dortmund, under new management and philosophy of Thomas Tuchel started the season in flying fashion winning 11 games in a row in all competitions before drawing to Hoffenheim eight days ago and since then Dortmund haven’t been so rampant, with two draws in league and Europa League to leave Tuchel’s men four points behind the Bavarian Bayern. If Bayern make it eight straight wins, they could be well on their way to winning their unprecedented fourth consecutive Bundesliga Championship.

We Know Enough; Week 5 College Football Preview

Posted on by Tony Siracusa, CFB Managing Editor

We know enough….to know what we don’t know…but want to know. After a week where so many of the top teams in the country played out-of-conference patsies, it’s time to get down to real business with some big games this week. It’s time to find out what we want to know about some of these teams as the season is already one-third of the way through. It’s time to step up or step off for some teams so that we can know more after Saturday. Let’s put on our thinking caps:

Week 5 College Football Preview

West Virginia @ Oklahoma; Sat 12noon EDT Fox Sports 1: No one talked about West Virginia winning the Big XII when the season started and they are still on the outside looking in. But the Mountaineers have a defense that has given up only 23 points in three games this season. To be fair, WVU has played a soft early schedule so we still need to know if this defense is for real. Oklahoma is going to get us answers, because quarterback Baker Mayfield has thrown ten touchdown passes in three games, bringing back the more wide open offense that head coach Bob Stoops has always wanted. The Mountaineers may still be suffering whiplash from watching Sooners running back Samaje Perine run for 331 yards and four touchdowns in his debut last season against WVA.

Alabama @ Georgia; Sat 3:30pm EDT CBS: What we know here is that Alabama is probably going to spend the next seven weeks playing for a bowl game that has nothing to do with the playoffs if they lose this game. Coach Nick Saban has been sniping at offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin on the sidelines and the offense lacks a rhythm with two quarterbacks. Bama has been living off its defense, which is giving up only 56 yards rushing per game. Enter the Georgia Bulldogs and one of the best running backs in the nation, Nick Chubb. He is just one big performance away from tying Herschel Walker’s school record of 13 consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Bulldogs quarterback Greyson Lambert is also completing 76 percent of his passes, and Bama has been getting burned by the passing game. While Georgia seems to be in control of the SEC East, they need to prove they belong in the big picture. If the Bulldogs lose, we know it won’t take long for the Twitter world to explode all over coach Mark Richt and his perceived inability to win clutch games. The last time Bama started 0-2 in conference, Gene Stallings was the head coach.

Baylor @ Texas Tech; Sat 3:30pm EDT ABC/ESPN 2: Finally get to see Baylor play a real game. Week five of the season and this is the first Power Five conference team the Bears have faced. Baylor can put up video game numbers against Rice, SMU and Lamar, but it’s time to play for real and we know with the non-conference schedule as it is, they are going to have to get people’s attention in the Big XII games to have a shot at the playoffs. Baylor quarterback Seth Russell is averaging five touchdown passes per game, but the defense is giving up 23 points a game to subpar competition. Enter the high flying Texas Tech offense, which is one miracle play by TCU away from being undefeated. Last year Texas Tech had a tough loss to Oklahoma and lost five of its last six. We want to know if Texas Tech is a legitimate contender in the Big XII or the annual flash-in-the-early-season pan. We want to know if quarterback Patrick Mahomes is as gritty as he looked playing with an injured hip last week. We want to know if Baylor is up to the task of being a top ten team.

Ole Miss @ Florida; Sat 7pm EDT ESPN: We know Jim McElwain has decided Will Grier is his quarterback for the season now after the Tennessee win. We know Grier has decent passing numbers but also owns four turnovers in four games. We know that Florida plays three top 10 teams in the next four weeks, so that by the end of October we will also know what the immediate future of Gators football looks like. As for Ole Miss, this season is a reclamation project for quarterback Chad Kelly. The nephew of NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly has gone from getting thrown off the team at Clemson in 2013, to being arrested for a bar fight in Buffalo in 2014 to finding his place in Oxford where he leads the SEC with more than 1,200 yards passing. He has shown the skills Ole Miss was lacking at the position last year. With Auburn in the tank and Alabama on its heels, the SEC West is there for the taking but we know it’s going to mean Kelly has to come up big Saturday for the Rebels to stay in the hunt.

Arizona State @ UCLA; Sat 7:30pm EDT, Fox: We know the Bruins are getting a lot of national love after a blowout win over previously over-ranked Arizona last week. What we don’t have an answer to is the weekly question of which Josh Rosen UCLA will get at quarterback. The one who pilloried the Virginia and Arizona defenses, or the one who struggled against UNLV and BYU? One thing we have learned is that UCLA’s offensive line has been dominant in opening holes for the running game and giving Rosen protection. The rest is up to him to learn. We also now know that when some picked ASU to win the Pac 12 South, they were horribly wrong. We know the fans have also given up as displayed by the half empty student section at halftime of the blowout loss to Southern Cal last week. We know that ASU is wearing new “Desert Hammer” uniforms Saturday. What we will learn is if the hammer turns out to be like the rubbery cartoon one Wiley Coyote had in the desert.

Mississippi State @ Texas A&M; Sat 7:30pm EDT SEC Network: We knew that new Aggies defensive coordinator John Chavis would be a difference maker and we were right. Texas A&M is second in the country with 17 sacks. We know this week that the defense will get its biggest test of the season going up against Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott who has completed 75% of his passes the last two games and has not thrown an interception all season. Ironically, it was Chavis’ old team, LSU, that was the one team that put pressure on Prescott this season and held him to negative yards rushing. We don’t know, but we will guess, that Chavis has watched a lot of tape of that game from three weeks ago.

Notre Dame @ Clemson; Sat 8pm EDT ABC: Here is what we know. With the ACC being what it is and Notre Dame not having a conference title game, this could well be a playoff elimination game for the loser. We know that Clemson is 5-2 since 2009 when playing a top ten team and being lower ranked. We know Notre Dame has been battered by injuries but still playing excellent football. We know the game will be played in terribly wet weather. We know the game is so popular that Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney says he couldn’t get Jesus a ticket to the game if he wanted one. We can only assume Jesus wouldn’t need Dabo’s connections if he really wanted to see it.

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Sucka Radio w/ Julianna Pena

Posted on by Jeremy Brand, Site Manager

Last Word on Sports is always looking for new and innovative ways to bring the best in sports to our readers. Today we are pleased to announce the latest edition to their stable of quality MMA podcasts.  Today we bring fans Sucka Radio, hosted by Jeremy Brand.  MMA Sucka features the best in MMA guests, interviews and analysis inside the UFC, Bellator, K-1, WSOF, Invicta and more.

Sucka Radio returns with a fantastic episode this week.

We are really diggin’ these wham, bam, thank you ma’am kind of episodes and this one is no different.

Kicking things off is a quick little edition of ‘Sometimes These Things Happen in MMA.’

The guest this week is none other than TUF 18 champion and UFC Women’s Bantamweight contender Julianna Pena. She stops by to discuss her UFC 192 outing against Jessica Eye, what a victory would mean to her, things that surprised her most about Houston, awkward fan moments and much more.

As always you can you can listen to Sucka Radio on Stitcher HERE, iTunes HERE, TuneIn HERE, on MMASucka.com HERE and LastwordonSports.com.

Make sure you stop by our sponsors’ sites at ProAmBelts.com, FloatHouse.ca and BCKimonos.ca.

Sucka Radio w/ Julianna Pena

We at LWOS would like to thank Jeremy and the boys at Sucka radio for sharing the show with our listeners.  Check back next week when there will be a brand new episode, featuring an interview with the stars, movers, and shakers of MMA.  Be sure to check out our other MMA Podcasts Hammer Radio, and the Parting Shot as well. 

 

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FAIRFAX, VA – APRIL 04:  Juliana Pena celebrates after defeating Milana Dudieva in their women’s bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at the Patriot Center on April 4, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Ohio State-Indiana: A Contrast in Football Fortunes

Posted on by John Bava

October is here and that means autumn has definitively arrived.

For college football fans, perhaps it’s not the temperature dropping or the leaves losing their greenish hue that allows this truism to set in. It’s the fact that conference play involving their favorite team is on the verge of heating up.

That’s certainly the case this Saturday as Ohio State travels to Bloomington to face Indiana in both teams’ Big Ten opener. The Buckeyes had an up-and-down non-conference slate but remain undefeated and have, for the most part, maintained their top-ranked status in the eyes of most observers. The Hoosiers themselves are also undefeated, a feat they haven’t achieved after four games since 1990.

The last time these two programs played each other when both had yet to lose a game was way back on October 3rd, 1942. The Buckeyes would win that day 32-21 en route to their first-ever national title under the iconic Paul Brown. Is it some kind of freaky coincidence that Saturday’s contest occurs on the exact same date 73 years later, especially considering OSU just won their eighth title under another soon-to-be legendary coach in Urban Meyer?

Might fate favor the Hoosiers this time on the third of October? After all, when the Hoosiers got off to that 4-0 start back in 1990, it was the Buckeyes who, similar to this year, made their way into southern Indiana. IU would remain undefeated when the clock struck zero in the fourth quarter with the game ending in a 27-27 tie.

Two years earlier, Indiana was also an undefeated 3-0-1 after four games with OSU coming to town. When all was set and done in Memorial Stadium that year, the Hoosiers romped to a 41-7 win, their biggest ever over the Buckeyes and, it turns out, their last victory in the series. That 1988 season was also IU’s last appearance in the final AP poll of the year when they were ranked 20th.

It’s been feast for the Scarlet and Gray and downright famine for the Cream and Crimson on the gridiron in the nearly three decades since. The Buckeyes have made 24 bowl appearances compared to the Hoosiers’ five and have a 23-6 edge in winning seasons. They’ve also won ten shared or outright Big Ten crowns and two national titles in that time.

For IU, those bowl numbers are skewed due to the success the program enjoyed under Bill Mallory in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Since their 1993 appearance in the Independence Bowl, the Hoosiers have had all of one season above .500. That came in 2007 when they finished 7-6 and played in the Insight Bowl.

Clearly, success on the football field has become expected in Columbus while proving elusive in Bloomington. Lending credence to this notion is the fact that since the turn of the century Indiana’s winning percentage is a paltry .328. Of the 64 schools that are currently members of Power Five conferences, only Duke’s .278 mark during that span is worse.

That’s one of many reasons the Hoosiers start to 2015 is such a breath of fresh air and hints at a sense of optimism for the future of the program. IU athletic director Fred Glass has shown a tremendous amount of patience with head coach Kevin Wilson considering his first four seasons in charge have yet to yield a bowl appearance. With non-conference play over and the team still unblemished so far, it appears such level-headedness with respect to the job status of the head coach might be on the cusp of yielding dividends.

Still, Ohio State is no Southern Illinois, whose failed two-point conversion attempt preserved a 48-47 win for IU in the season opener. They’ll also prove a much bigger challenge than Florida International, Western Kentucky and Wake Forest, whom the Hoosiers beat by just an average of eight points. That said, sometimes it’s not the margin of victory that’s important to a team’s confidence. It’s merely the fact you closed each game with a W, especially for a program as success-starved as Indiana’s.

Will the Buckeyes notch another win as they continue to move forward towards defending last year’s College Football Playoff title? Or can Indiana pull off a program-defining upset and get to 5-0 for the first time since 1967, which incidentally was the year they last won the Big Ten title and made their only Rose Bowl appearance?

Here are a few things I’ll be keeping an eye on this weekend.

Three Things to Watch For on Saturday

Can OSU’s vaunted defensive front slow down Jordan Howard?

Kevin Wilson was one of the top offensive coordinators in the country at Oklahoma before he took the Indiana job. It’s no surprise then that he’s been able to turn the IU offense into among the most prolific in the conference. The Hoosiers currently lead the Big Ten in total offense, averaging 522.3 yards per game.

Running back Jordan Howard has been a key cog in this well-oiled machine. He may in fact be the biggest prize amongst the many UAB players forced to transfer after the disbandment of their football program. LSU’s Leonard Fournette (you’ve heard of him, right?) is the only player in FBS averaging more rushing yards per game than Howard right now.

A key to Howard’s success has been the robust run blocking he’s received from his offensive line. That unit, which includes two possible future pros in right guard Dan Feeney and left tackle Jason Spriggs, will face the biggest challenge of the season. That’s what happens when you run into a defensive front that includes Joey Bosa and Adolphus Washington, who themselves could end up playing on Sunday.

The battle in the trenches will play perhaps the most crucial role into whether or not the Hoosiers can keep this one close.

Will the Hoosier secondary avoid getting carved up by Cardale Jones?

Speaking of a particular matchup that could go far in determining whether IU makes a game of it or OSU roles rather convincingly is a shaky secondary’s ability to limit big plays in the passing game. Buckeye signal caller Cardale Jones should be coming into this game brimming with confidence after throwing for a career high 288 yards and two touchdowns last week against Western Michigan.

He might also be salivating at the chance to throw against a Hoosier pass defense that’s second worst in FBS, giving up 360.5 yards per game. You have to bet that given Meyer’s emphasis on Jones improving his deep ball in talking with media this week that he’ll be much improved in that regard.

How will Darius Latham’s suspension affect OSU’s ability to run the ball?

It was announced earlier in the week that Hoosier defensive tackle Darius Latham was suspended indefinitely from the team. This after he had already missed the first game of the year for a violation of team rules.

His absence could have an adverse affect on IU’s ability to neutralize Ohio State’s multifaceted run game. In the three games he was a part of, he registered an average of 1.67 tackles for loss per game, good enough for sixth best in the conference.

Not only can the Buckeyes use Ezekiel Elliott in traditional ground and pound fashion, they can put Braxton Miller in the wildcat while also utilizing jet sweep packages with hybrid backs Jalin Marshall, Dontre Wilson, and now Miller since he’s moved to that position this year.

Marshall himself had a breakout game running those very schemes against IU last year in a game the Hoosiers led in the second half. He’ll look to do the same Saturday after a relatively quiet start to the season so far.

But of particular concern to Indiana with Latham missing will be Elliot’s vision and physicality both outside and between the tackles. The St. Louis native is one game shy of his tenth consecutive game of 100 or more rushing yards dating back to last season. You can rest assured he’ll figure prominently in a game plan that will look to prey upon IU’s perceived weakness down the middle while also utilizing Elliott’s raw speed once he’s in the second level of the field.

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Tailgate Pick ‘Em College Football Week 5 Predictions Including Alabama-Georgia

Posted on by Steen Kirby

Week 5 of the 2015 College Football Season features defining games for at least four of the top 15 teams in the country. Alabama will go “Between The Hedges” against Georgia, and Notre Dame heads down to Clemson for a primetime clash with another top ACC team this season. Additionally, Baylor looks to put up enough points to avoid an upset against Texas Tech, Oklahoma and West Virginia will duel for a breakthrough Big 12 win, and Iowa travels to Wisconsin for a Big 10 rivalry game. Our experts John Bava,  Yesh Ginsburg, Steen Kirby and Mike Loveall are on hand to make their predictions and picks, and before we get to that, here is a look at our standings through week 4.

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#23 West Virginia at #15 Oklahoma (Saturday 10/3/15 12:00 P.M. EST in Norman, OK)
Line: Oklahoma by 7

John:
A battle of prolific passing offenses awaits us in Norman. Both Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and West Virginia’s Skyler Howard are in the top 20 nationally in yards per game through the air. What may help the Mountaineers is their ability to defend the pass themselves. They’re currently 17th in the nation in yards allowed and have forced nine interceptions, tied with three other programs for best in FBS.

Oklahoma is looking to reassert their status as Big 12 heavyweights in 2015 while West Virginia aims to become major players in the conference title race for the first time since joining the league. For the Sooners, a victory would be huge considering they went winless against ranked conference foes in 2014, including two at home. A WVU win would be their first against OU since joining the conference and only their second in the all-time series between the two teams (41-27 win in 1982). I think Mayfield outduels Howard and figures out the Mountaineer defense which to date has been quite stingy.

Prediction: Oklahoma 38, West Virginia 34

Yesh:
Oklahoma’s defense needs serious work but the offense seems unstoppable. Baker Mayfield has looked incredible so far, except for the first half against Tennessee. West Virginia is untested so far because we’re not really sure how good Maryland is. They have looked really good so far. Let’s see what they can do against Oklahoma.

Prediction: Oklahoma 37, West Virginia 34

Steen:
This feels like a trap game for Oklahoma, a traditional Big 12 power playing at home against relative new kids on the block West Virginia. Dana Holgorsen’s team has thumped both Georgia Southern, a bowl quality team and the best of the Sun Belt, and rival Maryland, and is off to a 3-0 start, as they outscored those two teams by a combined margin of 89-6. The Mountaineers score plenty with their air raid spread, but they also have proven adept at forcing turnovers. QB Skyler Howard is underrated for West Virginia and could out play the Sooners Baker Mayfield.

Oklahoma had a gutsy comeback against Tennessee as Eric Striker on the defensive side, among others, stepped up as a leader for this Sooner team. With that said, OU gave up 38 against Tulsa, and I’m not sure I entirely trust them to keep pace with West Virginia’s scoring offense, thus I’m going with the upset as a pesky and dark horse West Virginia team should win this and enter the national stage.

Prediction: West Virginia 45, Oklahoma 38

Mike:
West Virginia is another team off to a solid start without much fanfare. They’ll get their first real test this week traveling to Norman. The Sooners have quietly returned to national prominence – in the shadow of Baylor and TCU no less – and look to be legitimate contenders in the Big 12 this season. Look for Oklahoma’s defense to slow down the Mountaineers enough to win this game by a comfortable margin.

Prediction: Oklahoma 42, West Virginia 31

Iowa at #19 Wisconsin (Saturday 10/3/15 12:00 P.M. EST in Madison, WI)
Line: Wisconsin by 7

John:
The marquee game in Big Ten play for Week 5 involves two teams looking to position themselves favorably in what looks to be a wide open Big Ten West Division.  Wisconsin seems to have rebounded nicely from their week one defeat at the hands of Alabama. Since then, they’ve outscored the three opponents they’ve faced 114-3. For Iowa, an offense that has struggled putting points on the board in recent years suddenly looks mighty prolific on that side of the football. The Hawkeyes are currently averaging 37.8 points per game which is second in the Big Ten.

Both defenses are allowing less than 300 yards per game and have sacked opposing quarterbacks a combined 25 times. Expect both signal callers to deal with a lot of pressure. Having said that, I give a slight edge to Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard, who’s third in the conference in passing yards. His play will play a significant part in whether or not the Hawkeye program can return to relevance in 2015.

The last time Iowa won in this series back in 2009, they did so on the road. They have the opportunity to do so once again on Saturday. That said, Camp Randall is one of the hardest places to play in the nation, so I still have to give the edge to the Badgers.

Prediction: Wisconsin 23, Iowa 17

Yesh:
Iowa has looked like they could struggle against Iowa State and Pittsburgh. Neither of those teams are world-beaters, but both of those are Power 5 teams. Wisconsin is a step up in competition that Iowa hasn’t seen the likes of yet. The Badgers defense has been stifling against poor competition. Their pass-heavy offense is not normal Wisconsin style, either, and it hasn’t seemed to have done well so far this year.

Prediction: Iowa 14, Wisconsin 13

Steen:
This will be a physical Big 10 game on the defensive side of the ball, but in many ways this battle of rivals will feature a different offensive style than you’d expect from either team. Iowa happens to have a relatively exciting offense with a mobile QB, and Wisconsin has a better passing game than they did before.

The Badgers are missing Cory Clement and instead have Freshman Taiwan Deal and Dare Ogunbowale splitting caries in the backfield. With that said, they have overall seemed to bounce back nicely after a rough opening week outing against a stronger Alabama team, and remain in contention to reach the Big 10 title game.

Iowa also has aspirations to reach that same title game, and a pair of close wins over Pitt, which was missing their star RB, and rival Iowa State have given even the detractors of Kirk Ferentz a bit of hope this season. This one should stay close, but I’m going to bet that Iowa’s 4-0 start is a more of a fluke than anything else, and Wisconsin will end up superior in pretty much every facet of the game.

Wisconsin 24, Iowa 14

Mike:
Iowa is undefeated in the early going, but they haven’t yet played a quality opponent. And there were a lot of questions about the program in the offseason. Wisconsin is coming off an early test against Alabama. In addition to answering numerous questions about both of these programs, this is also a key game in the Big 10 West race. Wisconsin has a lot of questions with a new coach and the loss of their top offensive player. In the end, Wisconsin still has the tools to overpower and outlast Iowa, although it won’t be pretty.

Prediction: Wisconsin 21, Iowa 13

Texas Tech vs. #5 Baylor (Saturday 10/3/15 3:30 P.M. EST in Arlington, TX)
Line: Baylor by 17

John:
There are two things Big 12 football is beginning to become associated with: high-powered spread offenses and what could be termed “optional” defense at times. Texas Tech epitomizes both. Their currently 5th nationally averaging 397.3 passing yards per game while ranking 123rd in total defense (556.3 YPG).

It remains to be seen whether or not Baylor’s defense will shake off such a stereotype. Thought their currently 33rd in the nation in total defense, their strength of schedule ranks 141st in the Sagarin ratings, so the jury’s still out. Saturday’s game against a Red Raider offense that just put up 52 points against fellow Big 12 CFP aspirant TCU will go a long way to determine the Bears’ ability to slow down teams that can sling the ball around.

Much like last week in Lubbock when Texas Tech nearly upended the Horned Frogs, I’m anticipating big numbers through the air. TTU quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Baylor’s Seth Russell have combined for 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions in seven games this year. Expect more of the same in Arlington. Even though I had the Red Raiders pulling off the upset against TCU, I think the close loss sets them up for a hangover this time around.

Prediction: Baylor 59, Texas Tech 45

Yesh:
Texas Tech came oh so close to shocking TCU last week. TCU and Baylor are very similar, with unstoppable offenses and porous defenses. Baylor is better than Texas Tech, but this 17-point spread is way too high. Baylor almost always covers, but that’s a poor bet this game.

Prediction: Baylor 45, Texas Tech 41

Steen:
QB Patrick Mahomes heroic performance while nursing an injury put Texas Tech one play away from shocking a top 5 TCU team at home, but instead the Red Raider fans left deflated in what was one of the games of the year, a 55-52 shootout win for TCU. Now the Red Raiders face an equally explosive and speedy offense in Baylor, and their defense should be in for yet another long Saturday. Led by QB Seth Russell, Baylor has scored more than 50 points against three weak teams and is off to a 3-0 start, though this is their first legitimate opponent this season.

Russell has Shock Linwood and Corey Coleman among his available weapons, while you should watch out for Jakeem Grant and Justin Stockton when TTU has the ball on offense. This is a big test for Baylor, and I don’t see them covering this spread, but with that said I think the Baylor defense will end up coming up with more stops than TTU can manage, and thus that’ll be the game in what should be another thrilling Big 12 shootout.

Prediction: Baylor 56, Texas Tech 48

Mike:
Baylor’s defense isn’t nearly as good as TCU’s and Texas Tech had the upset in hand last week. Can the Red Raiders get over the emotional let-down of a near miss and go on a true road game and finally get the long awaited break through victory for Coach GQ (Kingsbury)? Baylor can still score with the best of them, but there’s a lot of ambient noise around this team. Texas Tech finally breaks through and Baylor gets stunned at home. I’ll go with the popular upset pick here.

Prediction: Texas Tech 59, Baylor 54

#13 Alabama at #8 Georgia (Saturday 10/3/15 3:30 P.M. EST in Athens, GA)
Line: Georgia by 2.5

John:
Here’s a mind-blowing fact about this game. It marks the first time Vegas has the Crimson Tide as an underdog since the 2009 SEC Championship game. Alabama would go on to beat Florida 32-13 that night en route to the first of three national titles under current head coach Nick Saban.

Georgia appears to have the advantage at virtually all the skill positions on offense. Quarterback Greyson Lambert hasn’t put up huge numbers, but situationally he’s one of the best passers in the nation as indicated by the fact he has the third-best Total QBR in the nation. Alabama’s Jake Coker needs to cut down on the mistakes if the Tide want to have any chance winning between the hedges and salvaging their season. They’ll also need to figure out how to stop Nick Chubb. The Bulldog running back can tie Herschel Walkers school record of 13-straight 100-yard rushing games this weekend. If there’s any unit that can spoil this milestone, it’s the Tide defensive front who are allowing a mere 56.75 yards on the ground, good enough for fourth best in FBS. If I bet college football for real, I’d avoid this game like the plague. What I will say, though, is that Dawg head coach Mark Richt has traditionally struggled in potentially program defining games like these.

Prediction: Alabama 26, Georgia 24

Yesh:
Alabama is an underdog for the first time in over five years. Last time, they won by three scores. The Tide’s defense seems stifling against the poorer offensive teams they’ve faced, but got beaten up by Ole Miss. Georgia doesn’t have the same passing attack that Ole Miss had, but they probably have enough to beat Alabama at home.

Prediction: Georgia 31, Alabama 21

Steen:
Alabama increasingly feels like an overrated team this season. Saban is a legendary coach and they always recruit well, but the QB play, whether it’s by Jake Coker or someone else has been abysmal for the Crimson Tide and their secondary likewise hasn’t seemed that sharp. Additionally, Lane Kiffin, and Saban’s game management was suspect in the close loss against Ole Miss at home.

The Tide can rely on their rushing game with Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake as usual, and their defensive front seven is sharp, but Georgia seems just as talented as this Alabama team, and will have home field advantage at Sanford Stadium, one of the toughest places to play in the SEC.

Look for Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and Keith Marshall to outpace Henry/Drake in the running game, as Chubb makes his push for the Heisman in what could be a defining moment for his season, and though UGA QB Greyson Lambert isn’t a five-tool superstar, he’s efficient enough compared to Coker and is seemingly less likely to make mistakes. The Georgia defense is hard nosed as well and four straight routine wins for The Bulldogs have given them momentum in this one. I don’t really trust Mark Richt and his conservative run first style of play in big games like this, but I trust Lane Kiffin less, and with that in mind I have Georgia winning in what could be a rainy afternoon in Athens.

Prediction: Georgia 27, Alabama 17

Mike:
Last Word writer Mike Grey had a great article about this game being about two programs intersecting on opposite paths. It seems the narrative around Tuscaloosa is about a dynasty in decline and the talk in Athens about things finally coming together. There is no better was to validate this to see it unfold on the field. Georgia’s defense is underrated and their rushing attack might be too much for the Alabama defense over sixty minutes. If Greyson Lambert can make some clutch throws at the right time, this one will be one for the Dawgs.

Prediction: Georgia 24, Alabama 21

#6 Notre Dame at #12 Clemson (Saturday 10/3/15 8:00 P.M. EST in Clemson, SC)
Line: Clemson by 1.5

John:
These two schools have met twice all-time (1977, 1979) and the road team has won both contests. That bodes well for the Irish who travel to what should be a raucous Death Valley under the lights on Saturday night. Notre Dame continues to move forward despite the highly publicized season-ending injuries to plenty of prominent starters. Quarterback DeShone Kizer has filled in admirably for Malik Zaire but will get his biggest test yet in front of a loud and hostile Clemson crowd. His counterpart for the Tigers Deshaun Watson is currently top 20 nationally in both quarterback rating and Total QBR.

This game could come down to who can get the opposing offense off the field more frequently on third down. Both teams are among the best in the nation at opponents’ third down conversion percentage. In fact, Clemson has allowed just nine all season.  I expect this game to live up to its billing as ABC’s featured prime-time showdown, with the Irish squeaking out a narrow win and keeping their CFP hopes alive.

Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Clemson 27

Yesh:
Clemson struggled in their last game against Louisville, but that was a Thursday night on the road. They did well against Appalachian State, a pretty solid mid-major. Notre Dame is another plane of competition, though. I don’t think we’ve seen enough from Clemson to have confidence for them to beat the Irish at this point, even if Deshaun Watson is at his best.

Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Clemson 24

Steen:
The last time Clemson played a home game this big, against Florida State two years ago in primetime, they got run out of their own stadium before the half, and generally speaking Dabo Swinney and the Tigers have a habit of choking big games, especially if they get behind early and lose control of the game. With that in mind, I don’t really trust them against a battle tested Notre Dame team that is tough and has shown tremendous heart, even after being ravaged by injuries and playing a relatively difficult early schedule.

DeShaun Watson and Wayne Gallman, among others, are great for Clemson and they have speed on both sides of the ball but Notre Dame has beaten three power 5 teams already, QB DeShone Kizer continues to grow and mature into his role as starter, and C.J. Prosise has also performed well out of the backfield. That’s not to mention the leadership found with the Fighting Irish linebackers. Clemson is a trendy team that brings spark to their games, but Notre Dame seems like too much for them to chew right now and if they get off to a rough start, the Irish could embarrass them once again at home. Watson’s potentially poor decision making could lead to turnovers as well that would shift momentum.

Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Clemson 21

Mike:
Notre Dame is the surprise of the season, not because of how well they’ve played but because of how well they’ve overcome a multitude of key injuries. The Fighting Irish defense has been impressive, especially in their win against Georgia Tech – which I think will be a predictor for their performance against Clemson. The Tigers have flown relatively under the radar in the early season, and with the ACC race seemingly wide open with Florida State coming back to the pack, this is the first step for Clemson to reach the next level. Unfortunately for Palmetto players, the Notre Dame defense proves too good.

Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Clemson 23

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FANDUEL WEEKLY PICKS (WEEK 4)

Posted on by Russ Prentice

Welcome to another season of Daily Fantasy Football. These articles will focus on games being played at FanDuel. Each week I will highlight some of my preferred plays of the week, plus some deeper “Tournament” plays, who will be decent options to mix in for the larger field tournaments in an effort to differentiate your lineup from the similar higher owned lineup options.

For those of you who are not familiar with the format at FanDuel, here is a quick primer:

  • Scoring: Half PPR with 4 point Pass Touchdowns, -1 for Interceptions and -2 for Fumbles Lost.
  • Lineups: 1 Quarterback (QB), 2 Running Backs (RB), 3 Wide Receivers (WR), 1 Tight End (TE), 1 Kicker (K), and 1 Defense (D).
  • Salary Cap: 60,000 with player salaries ranging from 4,000 to approximately 10,000 in any given week.

Different from some of the other sites, there is a smaller range of salaries from the top to bottom players, so rather than a “Stars & Scrubs” approach as many will take on certain sites, on FanDuel you are better off looking for value in the midrange and avoiding the bottom end players unless a clear value play emerges.

Fanduel Weekly Picks (Week 4)

Note: These rankings are only for the full Sunday/Monday FanDuel leagues. The Baltimore Ravens/Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday game and New York Jets/Miami Dolphins game in London are not part of these rankings.

Another note: the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans are on bye this week.

Quarterback Top Plays

  • Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (8300 @ TB) – It is looking like Jonathan Stewart is going to sit out this game, so Cam will be the top quarterback and running back for the Panthers against a soft Tampa Bay defense.
  • Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (7600 v. KC) – Dalton will be widely owned this week, so I would look elsewhere in big entry tournaments, but Kansas City has allowed the most points to quarterbacks and wide receivers, so he makes for a good smaller tournament/cash game choice.
  • Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars (6800 @ IND) – The Colts will score against the Jaguars defense, so Bortles will likely be throwing early and often against a defense that has given up a lot of yards.

Secondary Plays

  • Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (9200 @ SF)
  • Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills (7600 v. NYG)
  • Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders (7000 @ CHI)

Tournament Plays

  • Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (8200 v. DET)
  • Brandon Weeden, Dallas Cowboys (6400 @ NO)
  • Ryan Mallett, Houston Texans (6300 @ ATL)

Running Back Top Plays

  • Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders (7500 @ CHI) – Murray keeps on pumping along and has a strong matchup this week against the Bears who just traded away Jared Allen; people will be high on Carr/Cooper this week, but I think Murray is the best bet for the Raiders.
  • Melvin Gordon, San Diego Chargers (6800 v. CLE) – Gordon has been on the edge of breaking out, and this looks like his best chance to get his first 100 yard day and his first trip to the end zone against the Browns who struggle mightily against the run.
  • Karlos Williams, Buffalo Bills (6300 v. NYG) – Williams will likely be the highest owned player in every FanDuel league this week, but for good reason; if you are going with one bullet, plug Williams in and start working on the rest of your lineup.

Secondary Plays

  • Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints (8100 v. DAL)
  • Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts (7300 v. JAC)
  • Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons (7200 v. HOU)

Tournament Plays

  • Matt Forte, Chicago Bears (8300 v. OAK)
  • Joseph Randle, Dallas Cowboys (7400 @ NO)
  • Matt Jones, Washington Redskins (6300 v. PHI)

Wide Receiver Top Plays

  • Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (9400 v. HOU) – What can you say about Julio so far this season? He is rewriting the record books, and a home dome game against one of the fastest paced teams in the league should provide a good spot for another big performance.
  • Donte Moncrief, Indianapolis Colts (6300 v. JAC) – Moncrief saw his targets and receptions drop last week, but he still found the end zone. This price is still too low for a talented receiver playing the second wide receiver role on an offense that is liable to break out soon.
  • James Jones, Green Bay Packers (6000 @ SF) – One of the best bets to score twice this week with Davante Adams out; Green Bay will likely need to keep the offense rolling with a road game, and San Francisco’s secondary is a mess right now.

Secondary Plays

  • Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers (8200 @ SF)
  • Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders (7200 @ CHI)
  • Percy Harvin, Buffalo Bills (5700 v. NYG – Sammy Watkins is out)

Tournament Plays

  • DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans (7900 @ ATL)
  • Marvin Jones, Cincinnati Bengals (5500 v. KC)
  • Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars (5300 @ IND)

Tight End Top Plays

  • Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (6400 @ CIN) – There is not a lot of value at tight end this week with Gronkowski on bye so do not try to get too cute here. Kelce is a stud and Cincinnati does not cover tight ends well.
  • Charles Clay, Buffalo Bills (5200 v. NYG) – This is the only guy to try to get cute with, Clay has been very solid all season and the Giants are horrendous against the tight end.

Secondary Plays

  • Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (6300 @ TB)
  • Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals (5700 v. KC)

Tournament Plays

  • Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys (6000 @ NO)
  • Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins (5600 v. PHI)

Kicker Top Plays

  • Brandon McManus, Denver Broncos (4900 v. MIN) – This may be a decent week to pay up for a kicker. McManus is a stud at home.
  • Mike Nugent, Cincinnati Bengals (4700 v. KC) – Kansas City is giving up loads of points so far this year, but they have some defensive talent, if they can buckle down in the red zone a few times, there is a big game coming for Nugent.

Secondary Plays

  • Dan Bailey, Dallas Cowboys (5000 @ NO)
  • Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons (4800 v. HOU)

Tournament Plays

  • Dan Carpenter, Buffalo Bills (4700 v. NYG)
  • Josh Lambo, San Diego Chargers (4500 v. CLE)

Defense/Special Teams Top Plays

  • Denver Broncos (4700 v. MIN) – Denver has quietly been putting out one of the best defenses in the NFL, a home date against the hapless pass offense of the Vikings will be a big one.
  • Indianapolis Colts (4400 v. JAC) – I like some of the offensive players on Jacksonville, but game flow will allow for a lot of sack and turnover opportunities for the Colts at a good value.

Secondary Plays

  • Seattle Seahawks (5300 v. DET)
  • San Diego Chargers (4500 v. CLE)

Tournament Plays

  • Buffalo Bills (4800 v. NYG)
  • Philadelphia Eagles (4500 @ WSH)

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Five Reasons Mizzou will Beat South Carolina

Posted on by Brendon Steenbergen

From the outside, it appears that Mizzou’s 2015 campaign is careening toward disaster. Three lackluster wins against lackluster non-conference opponents led to a deflating loss at Kentucky. An utterly deficient offense has flailed in every facet of play, culminating in the surprise suspension of team leader and quarterback, Maty Mauk. On top of all of this, injuries, specifically ankle injuries have already ravaged the team, taking out star linebacker Kentrell Brothers, center Evan Boehm, tailback Russell Hansbrough and tight end Sean Culkin.

Five Reasons Mizzou will Beat South Carolina

Given this cavalcade of woes, Mizzou fans should have little reason to hope for a win against Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina squard, right? Well, maybe not. There are still signs of life in Columbia, Missouri and for those who know where to look, there may even be signs of optimism. Here are five reasons Mizzou will beat South Carolina. Fans can breathe easy and expect a win against the Gamecocks.

1. The world premier of Drew Lock. Fans have been murmuring and calling for more Drew Lock with each passing week that brings more weak passing from Maty Mauk. The question on everyone’s mind was “Would Gary Pinkel ever pull his starting junior quarterback in favor of the golden boy?” Well, Mauk took that tough decision away from his coach with some mysterious no-no that landed him on the bench. Drew Lock will start his first collegiate game on Saturday and the shuffle on offense can only take one direction…up. Look for more downfield passing, look for quicker decisions, and yes look for freshman mistakes. The difference is that freshman mistakes go down much smoother than junior ones you’ve been swallowing for three years.

2. Hansbrough back for real this time. Russell Hansbrough who has been plagued with an ankle injury from his first snap in Week One was announced at the number one spot on the depth chart last week. This proved to be all smoke and mirrors though as the deeply inferior backup Ish Witter took the majority of the snaps and Hansbrough appeared still hobbled. All indications are that the 2014 thousand-yard rusher has turned a corner and could bring to life a running game that has been atrocious.

3. Expect the young receivers to find separation. Kentucky kept Mizzou’s inexperienced receivers fairly quiet last week. Kentucky smothered their routes, Mauk threw wobbly duck throws, and gift drops killed drives. But South Carolina brings a much different defense to Faurot Field. The Gamecocks should provide a break for this young crew and with smooth, well-thrown balls coming their direction, look for a breakout game from the likes of Nate Brown and J’Mon Moore.

4. More Tyler Hunt. The one tiny bright spot that Mizzou fans have seen from the offense has been the gutsy performance from former walk-on running back Tyler Hunt. The scrappy senior has made the most of his limited snaps, and fans have been screaming to see more of him. It seems like the coaching staff has finally gotten the message and the big kid might become the regular short yardage back. Maybe his weaknesses will be more exposed with more regular play, but maybe he’ll keep it up and show his fellow running-backs how to stretch for yards.

5. Improved play at offensive line. One of the most disappointing aspects of the 2015 Tiger offense has been its line play. One of the most experienced groups, the offensive line has failed to create space for the tailbacks and just seems short on personnel. Things might be about to turn a corner, however. This group needed about a month to figure things out last year; and then they made all kinds of space for Marcus Murphy and Russell Hansbrough. There’s reason to believe they can do it again. One reason is that Evan Boehm has been hampered by an ankle sprain and now appears back in top form. Connor McGovern has been a weak spot at left tackle but he’s slowly learning the position. Due to another injury to Nate Crawford, former starter Taylor Chappell has returned to the right tackle position and the line improved with the change. Should this trend continue, we could see signs of life from an otherwise anemic running game.

It’s up to the Tigers to determine whether this is all pie-in-the-sky optimism or cunning foresight; but there are definitely things to look forward to when the ball kicks off Saturday morning in CoMo.

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Rafael Cordeiro: Patron Saint of Brazilian Dominance

Posted on by Riki Chiu

Brazil has long earned its claim as the cradle of mixed martial arts. Generations ago, before the sport was baptized by Americans, there was Vale Tudo (meaning ‘anything goes’) where Luta Livre warriors, sojourning prizefighters and members of the Gracie clan clashed in matches attended by the thousands in Rio de Janeiro.

The modern incarnation of MMA began in the early 90’s, with a gi-clad Royce Gracie flying the family flag on his way to winning three of the first four UFC tournaments. When the Gracie’s cut ties with the promotion, fellow Brazilian Marco Ruas picked up the torch and relayed it to win UFC 7. Over the course of the two decades since those watershed moments, the birthplace of Vale Tudo has spawned many more of the sport’s most iconic fighters and champions…

The Gracie’s, Marco Ruas, Jose “Pelé” Landi, Vitor Belfort, Pedro Rizzo, the Nogueira brothers, Wanderlei Silva, the Rua brothers, Anderson Silva — just to scratch the surface.

So if you ask any MMA aficionado to name the single most influential figure across the history of Brazilian MMA, chances are that you would get the usual suspects.

Purists would undoubtedly cite Royce Gracie as the pioneer who started it all, but a strong case could be made about Wanderlei Silva based on his unprecedented dominance in Pride Fighting Championship. As for anyone who caught on after 2006, a nod to pound-for-pound legend Anderson Silva wouldn’t be surprising.

While each pundit is entitled to his or her opinion, there is at least one other name that deserves to be part of this discussion.

“The Master” Rafael Cordeiro

As a trainer and master tactician, few coaches in the fight game can claim to have single-handedly mentored nearly half of his country’s major MMA champions (e.g. Pride FC and UFC), but that’s exactly the case for Rafael Cordeiro. Simply put, no individual has had a more direct role in upholding his nation’s reputed dominance in the sport than “The Master”.

If the Gracie’s are considered the First Family of Brazilian MMA, then Rafael Cordeiro would be its patron saint.

Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Anderson Silva, along with every alumni from the glory days of the famed Chute Boxe camp, have at one point or another, bowed under the tutelage of the mestre. Now, with the recent championship ascensions of his Kings MMA proteges, Rafael dos Anjos and Fabricio Werdum, Rafael Cordeiro has officially stood at the helm of two Brazilian MMA dynasties spanning multiple eras.

To fully appreciate Master Cordeiro’s place in Brazil’s MMA lore, it is imperative to examine the country’s championship history since the turn of the millenium.

Civil War: Curitiba vs Rio de Janeiro (2000 – 2006)

By the turn of the millenium through to the mid-2000’s, Brazilian fighters ruled a big part of the sport on both sides of the Pacific. In Japan, Antonio “Minautoro” Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua had career-defining title runs under the Pride banner. During that same period in the United States, Vitor Belfort and Murilo Bustamante had each captured UFC gold.

What’s notable about these champions is that they all belonged to either one of two rival camps: Brazilian Top Team (BTT) based in Rio, or Chute Boxe from Curitiba.

BTT’s Jiu-Jitsu-centric style stemmed from the Carlson Gracie lineage of its founders; whereas Chute Boxe has always identified with its aggressive brand of Muay Thai that favors a heavy clinch-game, double-collar tie-ups, knees, stomps and soccer kicks.

At the time, Rafael Cordeiro, a former Brazilian lightweight champion in Muay Thai, directed coaching duties at Chute Boxe and was in charge of one of the most fearsome stables of fighters ever assembled. The most notorious aspect of the camp was the intensity of the sparring sessions.

It was said that, on any given day, all-out wars would break-out inside the gym. This extreme approach, of using iron to sharpen iron, fostered a culture where fighters were conditioned to weather the worst storms and hunt for the kill. Consequently, Chute Boxe fighters were battle-tested and programmed to counter aggression with aggression.

 

The intense rivalry between Chute Boxe and BTT pushed both camps to the brink of savagery. Depending on who you ask, those who followed the feud may have strong feelings about which of the two teams won the actual war. Without question, however, was that out of all the champions that came out of Brazil during that period, Wanderlei Silva was the one who defined the era. During his reign as the Pride FC middleweight champion from 2001 to 2007, the “Axe Murderer” thrived in Japan and was virtually unstoppable when competing under Pride rules.

If Wanderlei was the conquering king of Chute Boxe, then the crowning of “Shogun” Rua at the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix made him his heir apparent.

For Rafael Cordeiro who trained both Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua, and oversaw their development from white-belt through black-belt, their titles were an affirmation of his status as a kingmaker.

In the documentary Generation Evolução (Chute Boxe Evolved), former Chute Boxe member Mauricio “Veio” Amade gives insight on the team’s philosophy, “In Chute Boxe, we have a philosophy where we only spoke to our opponents after the fight.” He adds, “After the fight everyone is professional. But before the fight, things are different.” Amade further elaborates, “We entice our opponents to the point where they wanted to fight us.”

Psychological warfare, it seemed, was just as integral to the Chute Boxe arsenal as was the Muay Thai clinch. In the same documentary, Wanderlei Silva explains that every black-belt student under Master Cordeiro understands this and readily applies this aspect of the fight game.

Over the years, there have been several well-publicized incidents involving members of Chute Boxe and their rivals. Off the top, one of the most talked-about stories was the time Cristiano Marcelo, Chute Boxe’s Jiu-Jitsu coach, choked-out Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett in a backstage brawl.

Evidently, fearlessness and willingness to defend the team at all cost were part of the Chute Boxe doctrine.

This was evident at Pride 31, when “Ninja” and Wanderlei stormed the ring and caused a melee to save “Shogun”, whose arm was snapped during a break-fall. The situation escalated by a raging Mark Coleman who kept attacking after the referee’s call to stop fighting.

Good or bad, the above incidents, along with many others, lent Chute Boxe its mob-like reputation.

It goes without saying that one of the keys to Chute Boxe’s success was unity. Its members professed unwavering loyalty to each other. Mauricio Amade explains, “It was a family. If you were against one person, you were against all of us.” From an observer’s standpoint, it becomes clear that the Chute Boxe philosophy could be summarized as unity within, animosity without.

The unfortunate consequence of this us against the world philosophy was that Chute Boxe made it impossible for its members to pursue knowledge outside the camp. Meanwhile, fighters in North America began cross-training in multiple gyms to expand their game. This practice was prohibited to Chute Boxe fighters which effectively put a ceiling on their development. As a result, the key ingredient that made Chute Boxe such a dominant powerhouse would also sow the seeds of its eventual decline.

The Great Exodus, the Age of The Spider (2006 – 2013)

In the years surrounding the fall of Pride, the tradition of Brazilian dominance persisted even with the decline of Chute Boxe and BTT. Many members of both camps broke away from their nests to form new alliances.

For Chute Boxe, the exodus started with the unheralded black sheep of the clan, Anderson Silva, who left to join Black House in 2006. By that point, “The Spider” had grown tired of the team’s politics and had also allegedly been involved in altercations with its elder statesmen, Jose “Pele” Landi and Master Cordeiro.

 

Though undeniably talented, nobody foresaw Anderson Silva’s meteoric rise as the sport’s pound-for-pound king. Over the next six years, he would dominate the 185-lb division, first by short-circuiting Rich Franklin’s career via clinch-and-knees (the Curitiba special), then bullying the competition with Matrix-like fluidity and in-cage clowning tactics straight out of Jose “Pele” Landi’s playbook.

You can take Anderson out of Chute Boxe, but you can never take Chute Boxe out of Anderson.

During that period, many new Brazilian champions emerged from the Black House camp, notably Lyoto Machida, Junior dos Santos and Jose Aldo.

Paradoxically, Chute Boxe kept hemorrhaging talent.

After joining the UFC, Wanderlei Silva moved on to Las Vegas to form the Wand Fight Team. By that point, “The Axe Murderer” had reached the twilight of his prime and was no longer the indomitable conqueror that he once was. In 2008, it was Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s turn to depart.  Along with his brother Murilo “Ninja” and teammate Andre “Dida” Amade, the former heir apparent of Chute Boxe left the camp to found Universdade da luta. In 2010, Rua would defeat Lyoto Machida for a brief run as the UFC light heavyweight champion.

With the losses of its black sheep, its king and its prince, worst news was yet to come for Chute Boxe. The coup de grâce came in 2009 when, after more then 20 years at the helm, “The Master” Rafael Cordeiro announced his resignation as the team’s head coach. With the architect’s departure, the Chute Boxe dynasty has officially closed its books.

The New Dynasty: Kings MMA (2014 – present)

After an age of relative abundance for Brazilian fighters, the MMA world bore witness to the technical dismantling of Renan Barao, the brutal banishment of Junior dos Santos, and the demystifying fall of pound-for-pound great Anderson Silva. With these events, Brazilian fight fans were suddenly confronted with an unfamiliar scenario: for the first time in many years, fighters flying the green-and-yellow no longer dominated the sport’s championship ranks.

Midway through 2014, Brazil’s title representation spiraled to its lowest point yet when, suddenly, Jose Aldo found himself as the country’s lone UFC champion.

It was then that the possibility of a Brazilian championship rout first entered the realm of speculation.

As it turned out, any hypothesizing of an American shutout proved to be unwarranted. In 2015, Brazilian reinforcement came via a pair upsets courtesy of Kings MMA: Rafael dos Anjos and Fabricio Werdum respectively derailed and outfought Anthony Pettis and Cain Velasquez to capture the undisputed lightweight and heavyweight UFC Championships, effectively bolstering the number of Brazilian champions to three.

 

Disaster was averted and, just like that, all was well again in the cradle of MMA.

Through Master Cordeiro, Rafael Dos Anjos and Fabricio Werdum share a common bloodline with the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Anderson Silva. However, free of the politics and restrictions that plagued Chute Boxe, Master Cordeiro founded Kings MMA in 2010 with much of the same principles that made its predecessor dominant: team unity and hard work.

The difference between Kings MMA and Chute Boxe is the new camp’s openness to share and learn from external sources. One example of this knowledge-sharing practice is the symbiotic partnership between Kings MMA and Mark Munoz’ Reign Training Center prior to the latter being sold. There is also a working relationship with teams like Wand Fight Team and Black House that sees members cross-train across different locations.

On Jim Genia’s Gross Point Blank podcast, Master Cordeiro reveals that when he established Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, he and Fabricio Werdum sought to learn wrestling together, as students.

Not one to rest on past accomplishments, the mestre‘s undying curiosity and willingness to adapt is humbling, especially for a man of his stature. This thirst for knowledge is what makes Rafael Cordeiro one of the greatest coaches in MMA.

Master Rafael Cordeiro’s track record:

  • Pride Middleweight Championship (Wanderlei Silva, November 3, 2001 to February 24, 2007)
  • Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix (Wanderlei Silva, November 9, 2003)
  • Pride 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix (Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, August 28, 2005)
  • UFC Middleweight Championship (Anderson Silva, October 14, 2006 to July 6, 2013)
  • UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, May 8, 2010 to March 19, 2011)
  • UFC Heavyweight Championship (Fabricio Werdum, [interim] November 15, 2014; [undisputed] June 13, 2015 to present)
  • UFC Lightweight Championship (Rafael dos Anjos, March 13, 2015 to present)

Between 2001 and the present, the only time when none of Master Cordeiro’s current or former students were holding at least one world championship was a 16-month period between July 6, 2013 and November 15, 2014. Otherwise, Rafael Cordeiro has pretty much been the main architect in Brazil’s championship history over the past 15 years.

As it stands, the Kings MMA dynasty has gotten off to a promising start. With a pair of new champions flying its flag, old legends back in the saddle, and promising upstarts among its ranks, Master Cordeiro could very well be masterminding Brazil’s dominance for another 15 years.

So now, let’s try this again.

Question: Who is the most influential figure in the history of Brazilian MMA?

If you didn’t know, now you know.

 

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