Downward Spiral for the NFL?

What has happened to America's most favorite past time? Professional football has turn almost 100% American; people are more concerned about their fantasy teams then their long loved hometown team. The NFL has become less and less popular with the casual and younger fans. There are a few reasons for the NFl loosing it's luster i believe. Roger Goodell turning literally into the "No Fun League." Also the lack of rivalries has turned a 16 game season into just a string of games. And Finally Fantasy Football has made fans become less like fans and more like brokers.
Roger Goodell is the 2nd worst commissioner in all of professional sports, but he is not far from MLB's Bud Selig. Since he became the comish, he has tried to enforce in will on the NFL. Fining players for the smallest of infractions, taking celebrations out of the game, and being very inconsistent on rulings and fines. Roger Goodell in his short time as comish as succeeded in being the most unpopular comish in sports, while also making his league less attractive to casual viewers.
The lack of rivalries has been a concern for the NFL for years now, but it is only amplified the big rivalry games of college football, the NBA, MLB, and even college basketball. The lack of rivalries is somewhat puzzling to me. Could it be the constant turnover of players and coaches in the NFL? The League trys to portray the Manning vs Brady Games as a rivalry, but they don't play every year. They try to bring back the Broncos vs Raiders old bloody games, but booth teams are sub par at best. The Dolphins vs Jets is more of a rivalry between the fans then it is the teams. Rivalries make meaningless games mean everything. They bring out the casual fan, and the non football fan to all sit down on a Sunday or Monday and watch the "Big Game." I really don't understand why the NFL doesn't have any rivalries, but if they want to push further into the future and continue to grow exponentially, they will definitely need rivalries.
Last and most important has to be Fantasy Football. Fantasy sports is the worst thing to happen to professional sports in the history of America. Fantasy Football does bring non fans of football and turn them into football stat connoisseurs. Fantasy sports turns fans who have rooted and loved their teams for their entire lives against their childhood teams in love for money. Imagine if the women you loved only loved you for money. Imagine if your best friend was only there because he could make a quick buck off of you. What if you girl friend was rooting against you as you played the team you hated the most, just because she could earn a more dollars. Fantasy sports is down right despicable. but hey its America, we're all entitled to make money however need be. I'm not saying. I'm Just saying.

Crazier Things have Happened. (In Miami)

Allow me to begin this blog with these words. I'm only wishing/thinking out loud. O.K. so here it goes. Both are free agents next year. Oden an unrestricted as Portland has already announced that they will not pick up his player option. And Yao is a restricted free agent. Let's take a look at good places for these two big man to land next summer, if they even change teams.


Greg Oden: Called the biggest bust in NBA history, injuries have slowed down this soft spoken giant. Was looked at as the next coming of Bill Russell in the way he controlled the paint defensively in high school and in college. His career numbers are 12pts per and 9 rbs per. Not bad at all. The only problem is that those came in 13 games in 3 years. Look for teams like L.A., Miami, Dallas, Charlotte, Chicago, and maybe even Oklahoma to bid for his services.
Yao Ming: He is somewhat of a difficult read. Has had up and downs with the Rockets. Been to All-Star games, competed in playoffs (somewhat), and actually the best center in the L since Shaq was Shaq. the problem with him is also injuries. the past couple of years have been littered with nick knack foot injuries that do not go away for an older big man. Most likely will remain with the Rockets, but also will get interest from LA (every great big man plays for LA at one point), Oklahoma, Spurs, or Miami?
Now my question is what if the wizard does it again this up coming summer? What if the human mind controller pulls two 7 foot tall centers out of his Armani suit? Pat Riley has done crazier things before. First, the price must be right. For Oden? a 1-2year minimum contract. Where better can he develop with out the spot light on his heavy shoulders/knees? Yao would take some wheeling and dealing. FYI no one in the NBA is better at making trades happen then Riley. Jamaal Magloire, Juwan Howard, Joel Anthony, and maybe even Carlos Arroyo might have to be moved to create space for the two giants.

Next step. The Heat are a run up and down the floor team and these two will only slow them down. True. Very true. Kinda sorta. When the Heat run, they score. Wade and James score in the open court and very rarely bring it back out. In case they happen to bring it back out, With Yao trailing, that 17ft jumper is his for the taking as KG does so well on the secondary offense.
I know there's so much to work out and almost two conflicting styles of play. But game 7 of the eastern conference finals or NBA finals, don't count on the fast break getting you jewelery. Rebounding and defense. Two things these guys can do with one leg, each. Crazier things have happened, in Miami. I'm not saying. I'm just saying.

Death, Taxes, & Dolphins Being Mediocre.

Ever since I can remember the Miami Dolphins start of just about every season with playoff and beyond hopes and aspirations. As mid way of the season comes, those flames begin to simmer down and play off hopes slowly fade away. This year is no different. With the show boating that Steven Ross is, he proclaimed he expects a Super Bowl from this years lackluster team. Talk about pressure. With one game remaining in another lost season the Phins have already benched their starting QB, got him back (all in 1 quarter), watched lineman after lineman get shuffled as injuries showed its ugly head, and bad coaching decision after bad coaching decision.
Yes i know i just said "bad coaching decision after bad coaching decision," but i still do not blame the Head Coach in Tony Sparano. Coaches need to be leaders on men, and from what Ive seen, he is a great leader. The smelly Tuna, Bill Parcells, jumped ship once he saw what his work has turned into. Nothing. His 2 QB's have failed to be anything special, in Henne and P. White. His best free agents have been Dansby (who he over paid for) and Brandon Marshall who is a top tier WR, but in 3 years that's basically it. He embarrassed himself with the way he dealt with the 2 & 3 greatest Dolphins ever in Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor.
They passed up on the best offensive rookie in the draft (Dez Bryant) because...i don't know, something with his mother? They have yet to upgrade a D-line that not getting any younger. With the exception of Cameron Wake, who has been the best pickup this team has had on the D-Line since Adewale Ogunleye. This team needs to be gutted. From top to bottom. The front office, the GM, the head coach (unfortunately), the players, and maybe even the owner. Year after year of disappointments and let downs has let me loose my fan hood for a team i loved growing up. They are losing ground with the most loved team in Miami, with the Evil Trio over there at the Triple A. They need some juice. A spark, a kick in the fucking ass. I hope Bill Cowher can do that for us. I'm not saying. I'm just saying.

The Reason For the Season, I Mean Streak.

Since starting 9-8 the Miami Heat have gone 14-1 in their last 15. Many analyst point to a variety of things: D. Wade getting into rhythm after missing all of the preseason, Chris Bosh getting into his groove, Coach Spo sliming down his roster, and the over stated and over analyzed "Meeting in Dallas." I look to a different source for their success. Udonis Haslem and his injured foot. Udonis minutes have been earned throughout the last 8 years and literally blood sweat and tears with this team.
When he was injury free, he got plenty of minutes. NO questioned asked. The problem with that is that it forced Chris Bosh to play out of position. Chris was forced to play the five and play against bigger opponents. Now with UD out, and Big Z. Damp, and even Joel getting the minutes at center, that allowed Bosh to go up against Josh Smith on the block instead of Horford, Dirk instead of Tyson, Hakim Warrick instead of Lopez, and well i think you get the picture. Over the last 15 games Bosh is averaging 19.3ppg and 9.1 rbs. questions aroused really in the season about his toughness and willingness to bang with the big bodies. This 15 game stretch has proven all the doughters wrong with his physical yet finesse game. Often the Heat have also gone to him in the waning minutes of the fourth quarters when they need a basket. The Christmas Day game vs the big bad Lakers, Bosh was by far the best big on the court from start to finish. With Bosh finding his stride the way he was, the Heat look like that ungaurdable team Jeff Van Guandy was talking about a few months ago. Now a real test is going to be how Coach Spo fits back in UD when the playoffs time come. Who is he going to take minutes away from? Will Bosh go back to the position where he was not successful at? It is definitely going to be an interesting playoffs to say the least. I'm not saying. I'm just saying.

Kanye Monster Video Snippet.

Can't wait for the real video. Shit looks absolutely insane.

Amar'e For MVP. Seriously.

Yes it is only December 6th, and we are not even at the all-star break yet. But Amar'e Stoudemire is having a career year and deserves to be mentioned for the MVP voting. He most likely will get looked over by Durrant, Dirk, Kobe, and players who seem to be more "PG" rated. i can vividly remember in the off season when the Knicks signed him and all the talk was about can he continue to have great numbers without Steve Nash? Well maybe we should have been asking if Steve Nash and the Suns continue their winning ways without Amar'e Stoudemire? Which they clearly have not. Nobody really expected anything from this Knicks team even with this major signing. They had a team with a few nice pieces and one super star who might not be all that great. But after 22 games into the season and the Knicks riding a 5 game winning streak against quality opponents, the Knicks are thinking playoffs. Amar'e has come into this organization and changed everything for them. He has been their leader, a role he never really welcomed in Phoenix. He has brought a winning attitude and a fire to the Knicks they haven not had since Allan Houston was lacing up for them. He reminds he a lot of Kevin Garnett. Not in his game, but how infectious they are with their teams. They change everything. They bring that fire, and passion thats so evident on the court. And they both obviously lift the play of their teammates. With the once woeful Knicks surging to a better then just respectable record and Amar'e averaging 25 pts, 9 bounds, 2.5 assists, and 2 blocks per game, he needs to be the leader so far this season for that Maurice Podoloff Award. Im not saying. Im just saying.

LeBron Homecoming Trailer

The best trailer for a meaningless regular season game I've ever seen. Well maybe not that meaningless.