Peyton is retired, Osweiler is in Houston, and Tebow is going to play baseball, maybe my son who is due in December can win them a few games. Say hello to your reigning NFL champions, well sorta. They lost a good handful of vital players. Peyton Manning retired, and his backup Brock Osweiler cashed out with the Houston Texans. Pass rushers Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan went to the Jaguars and Bears, respectively. Broncos had to get a veteran presence at the quarterback position, so they added Mark Sanchez to teach the rookie out of Memphis, Paxton Lynch, how to win football games. Now if they actually win football games is another discussion. The one thing they didn't lose was they great coaching staff led by Gary Kubiak. The Broncos found a way to win no matter the opponent and no matter what injuries or adversary they were going through. Credit where credit is due, they won the Super Bowl, no excuses. Now that thats over, we can turn to 2016 and just say these guys are probably going to suck. I mean they won't be terrible simply because their defense is still pretty good, but that won't be enough to get them back to the Super Bowl, or even the playoffs. They still have Von Miller, which was the biggest win of the off-season for them. They still have Demaryius Thomas, who was ballin' with Tebow, so you know he doesn't care who is at quarterback - the dude is going to make plays. But this isn't the same team from last year, and they won't have the leadership from a Peyton Manning type player anymore. I believe in Mark Sanchez' ability to play the quarterback position. He has plenty of weapons at his disposal, and he has a pretty good defense to back him up. But the team will not respond to him the way they did with Peyton Manning, and Paxton Lynch probably isn't ready to lead this team to back-to-back rings. With a Super Bowl hangover on the horizon, I got these guys locked in at a 7-9 record. Unless of course Peyton comes in and gives those guys some of his "Special Stuff" the way MJ did in Space Jam, if you catch my drift. Von Miller aka Giant Glasses Wearer
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I'm not sure how the Chargers convinced the city of San Diego to keep them there, but I guess we gotta talk about them because they're still in the league. Sorry Zack, I'm pretty sure you're not going to like this post. Theres not a lot to look forward to when watching a San Diego Chargers game, but watching Philip Rivers yelling at opponents is amazing. That dude has never backed down from some trash talk from an opponent regardless of the score in the game. That and the bolo tie make him one of the more interesting figures in the league. They do have Santa- I mean Eric Weddle- oh wait never mind, he's gone. Yikes. And Antonio Gates isn't hanging the cleats up yet so thats great. But the Chargers in San Diego again is so blahhhh. With the city fighting for their football team one last time, this season could possibly be their swan song. And hopefully for their loyal fans, hopefully they don't move too far like LA or Las Vegas. But anyways, these guys still gotta go out there and play football and try to win games. They just lost Stevie Johnson for the season which is a tough blow for him and the team. But they did add one of the fastest players in the league in Travis Benjamin, who will make some top plays this upcoming season. Melvin Gordon at running back is still a project in the works, but luckily they have the always dependable Danny Woodhead. King Dunlap is a force on the line, but he can't block five guys at the same time so their offensive line is kinda screwed. Looking to their defense, their one bright spot is the young linebacker Denzel Perryman who could end up being one of the best in the league in years to come. Manti Te'o has actually been a pretty good football player on the field, he's been able to find more sacks than girlfriends. But those guys won't be enough to help them win a lot of games. The Chargers are a consistent team, and the have consistently been a middle of the pack team. I don't see very much changing this season. I got these guys locked in at a boring 8-8 record with some good memories for Gates, Rivers, the city of San Diego. But making playoffs will be tough unless they can sneak into a wild card spot. Stay classy San Diego. Or get hyped up with some Denzel Perryman highlights. The Cardinals are going to be flying high in the desert this season, good thing they have wings. I'm sorry, that was a terrible joke. It wasn't even really a joke at all, it was just bad writing. Smh . . . anyways. Larry Fitzgerald and a 36 year old quarterback with dreams of one more Super Bowl run, sounds all too familiar. Thinking back to that run they had with Kurt Warner seems so long ago, yet Larry is still out here dominating defenses with pure strength, incredible speed, and sheer will. Carson Palmer coming off a season where he was finally healthy, looks to make one more push at a ring before his career is over. The Cardinals did have injuries elsewhere though, watching their star Tyrann Matheiu go down at the end of the regular season. But they're hoping they can all stay healthy and maintain a high level of play in pursuit of their franchises first Super Bowl ring. These guys are deep on the offensive side. Starting with their receiving core which has Larry, followed by Michael Floyd, John and Jaron Brown. At running back they're super deep with David and Chris Johnson, Andre Ellington, and Stepfan Taylor. And blocking for these guys are some beasts, Iupati, AQ Shipley, and Evan Mathis are no joke. Then on the defensive side you've got Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Honey Badger, Calais Campbell, Chandler Jones, Frostee Rucker, DJ Swearinger, Tyvon Branch, I just want to keep name dropping. These guys are stacked, and they have Bruce Arians at head coach with newly added assistant coaches Larry Foote and Levon Kirkland, ok now the name dropping is just getting ridiculous. I looked at this roster and I just couldn't see a scenario in where these guys aren't successful. They are too deep at every position to fail. Next man up has taken on a whole new meaning for this organization. I got these guys locked in at 12-4 and they are my NFC Champion pick. As long as Chandler Jones stays the hell away from his brothers. Heres five minutes of Larry Fitzgerald because why not. So I was just sitting here reading the new Harry Potter book, and then I thought to myself I can't believe the Seahawks didn't just hand the ball off to Marshawn freaking Lynch. With Brandon Browner back in town, the original Legion of Boom is all together again looking to make another run at the title. While they still don't have a basketball team, and their baseball team continues to be somewhat mediocre, Seattle still has the Seahawks who feed off of that all too crazy 12th Man. Like seriously, they had a scientist design that stadium for optimum sound to create the best home field advantage in football, amazing. These guys know what it takes to win, because they have seen failure. And although they've lost one of the greatest personalities the game has ever seen in Marshawn Lynch, Pete Carroll will not let these guys forget who they are, Champions. Their entire identity as a team is something that has made them so easy to root for since they assembled this team. They go into every game with the mentality that We have a more positive mindset than you and we will find a way to defeat you. Of course they don't win every game, so when they lose the Twitterverse is on their helmets (pun intended). But thats what makes them so unique, they are not afraid to let their personality be felt when they enter the stadium. They want to be the best so they continuously challenge themselves to be better than they were the week before, and they put the target on their back unlike any other team in the league. As long as Pete is at the helm, they will continue to go into every week with that mindset. After losing to the NFC Champion Panthers last year in the second round of the playoffs, they will be back as hungry as ever. And with no Marshawn to hand the ball off too, there shouldn't be anymore play call drama. But if Future shows up to some games, Russel Wilson might be in trouble. I got these guys locked in at an 11-5 record and making a deep run into the playoffs. You don't gotta worry about 2 yards when you're up on a team by 35 points. Los Angeles got the Rams back! Los Angeles got the Rams back! Los Angeles got the Rams back! Todd Gurley might have the best Dab in the NFL after Cam, and I guess he's a pretty good football player too. So in case you didn't know, Los Angeles got the Rams back! It was sad to see St. Louis lose their team that was given to them not too long ago, but their baseball team is pretty good so I'm pretty sure they will get over it. They bring with them a whole hell of a lot of young talent, led by a coach who lost to The Greatest Show on Turf Rams in the Super Bowl with the Tennessee Titans, Jeff Fisher. A culmination of everything they have been building in St. Louis will follow them to Los Angeles where they will try to rebuild a city that once was a premier destination to play and watch football. In my irrelevant mind, they have the best player in the each of the last two drafts in Todd Gurley and Jared Goff. To begin in a new city with a young tandem like that is probably the most ideal situation Jeff Fisher could have created when he decided to come back to the NFL. And then to add the stud wide receiver out of South Carolina, Pharoh Cooper to the mix alongside Kenny Britt and Tavon Austin makes for a team thats going to be very enjoyable even in their growing stages. And then on the defensive side, which may be even more fun to watch than their offense, they have some dudes that you would probably give your lunch money too if they just looked in your direction. Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn in the trenches, with Trumaine Johnson and Akeem Ayers at the next level, opposing offensive lines are going to be in for some very long Sunday afternoons. And their kicker's nickname is "Leg-atron" so theres that. The Rams back in Los Angeles is going to be great for the city and for football. People will love them because they're fun to watch, and people will hate them because they are Hollywood, and thats the beauty of it. I'd love to see these guys make some noise and I believe they have an upset or two in the season, but I don't see playoffs coming this year just simply because of their youth. I got these guys locked in at a record of 6-10 but their better seasons are yet to come. Oh hey, Los Angeles got the Rams back. So I'm going to try to do a preview of team from now until the first day of the season. Every day posting about a different team, about their off season moves, my predictions on their record, and whatever else I feel like needs to be said about these guys. So I'll start in Cali. Before we even get started here, let me just say straight up that I believe the 49ers will probably be the worst team in the NFL this year (Sorry to my Goldman family members). Now that we got that on the table, lets dive into one of the more interesting teams in the league. The management thought that Harbaugh was the problem so they let him go, that didn't work. Then they benched Kaepernick, that didn't work. So now they hired Chip Kelly, a dude who created his own style of play in the college game that was successful 90% of the time but hasn't quite translated to the professional game yet. So you match him up with two completely different style quarterbacks and let the dice roll. Especially for a team who has gone backwards since their Super Bowl appearance, I guess the good thing is that theres nowhere to go now but up. They have some good young players that can use this year as a development stage. Carlos Hyde at running back, Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, Ray-Ray Armstrong at linebacker, and Eric Reid at safety. This youth alongside the coaching of Chip Kelly will definitely make the season an interesting one, a successful one is a tough stretch. But I've always been a believer in the skill set of Colin Kaepernick, but not everyone has given him the confidence he has needed to be successful. Of course he has his personality traits that aren't "attractive" to teammates, but a little guidance can go a long way. Maybe if they had a veteran quarterback with years of experience backing him up he'd have a decent shot at turning his career back into the right direction. He is an unbelievable physical specimen that has potential, but if it can be tapped is something unforeseen. Looking at their schedule, they have a very little chance of being a playoff team. Starting with their division which has two potential Super Bowl contenders in the Seahawks and Cardinals, and a team loaded with young talent in the Rams, all led by Super Bowl experienced coaching. If all goes well for the 49ers this year, I lock in their record at 5-11 and if things are worse don't be surprised. Levi's Stadium is crap. So 49ers fans please enjoy one of the greatest individual performances in Candlestick history. Sometimes people just need a sign, that everything is going as planned, and that everything else goes away into the darkness of this shallow place. This group was a sign for me when I thought life was getting tough. These guys were an example of how to simply have fun through all times in life, you could feel it in their music. Thanks to my sister Aleyah for putting me on game. A Day To Remember - Homesick Released February 3, 2009 A Day To Remember (ADTR) used their second album as a stepping stone towards a very successful future. This group from Ocala, Florida, started off in the garage of their lead singer's house, Jeremy McKinnon. Many consider their music to be "Metalcore" because of the occasional hard drum solos and loud noises, or "Pop-punk" because of the smooth guitar riffs and deep lyrics. Jeremy is one of the best lyricists I've ever listened to, going across all genres of music. The album only sold 22,000 units in it's first week, but was certified Gold by the end of the year because of the success of a couple singles. The first song I ever heard from them was "I'm Made of Wax Larry, What are you Made of?" The music video showed the band members and friends playing against kids in kickball, with hot cheerleaders, chokeslams, and crazy head banging. It looked like something out of a Jackass movie. Just a bunch of dudes being themselves and having fun while being able to share some great music. In the song, Jeremy says, "This is me, you can take it or leave. Right or wrong, I will stand on my own two feet." Not sure who he was talking to, but I'm sure he stands by his statement. In a song a little less hard "Have Faith in Me" the video shows a couple going through a rough patch in their relationship, leading to the end of it. He says "I said I'd never let you go and I never did. I said I'd never let you fall, and I always meant it. If you didn't have a chance, then I never did. You'll always find me right there again." The fact that they could bring versatility to a genre that usually seems to only have one sound is what made these guys stand out to me, and what made this album one of my favorites of all time. Theres plenty of songs on this album that I could break down, but I want you guys to take a listen for yourself and create your own perspective on the lyrics and tone of the music. For most of you guys, its not gonna be the kind of music that you're used to listening to, but it wasn't for me either. When my sister showed these guys to me, I was completely shocked and how they were able to keep me engaged throughout an entire album. They really were the band that opened my ears to all different kinds of music, and made me have a more open mind. So maybe this won't be the band that opens your mind up, but when you find the sound that challenges your typical music choice, then I encourage you to never let it go. This song is from their third studio album "What Separates Me From You" but its probably their most important song. As the MLB trade deadline gets closer, teams are scrambling to fill voids in order to make a championship run. The Cubs have already made their move by acquiring the fire-throwing Cuban relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman from the Yankees. The Mets made a move today to get All-Star slugger Jay Bruce from the Reds. The Rangers made multiple moves, landing Johnathan Lucroy and Carlos Beltran. And now the Dodgers made their move by acquiring Josh Reddick and Rich Hill. The Dodgers sit 2 games back in the division behind the Giants, so this move shows that they are not just gunning for a wild card spot, they are looking to be division champions yet again. With injuries to pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Brandon McCarthy, and Bud Norris, and losing Zack Greinke to the Diamondbacks in the offseason, getting a top pitcher heading into the playoffs was a priority. Rich Hill has been red hot all year and the Dodgers are hoping he continues that play. Josh Reddick adds experience to the Dodgers young outfielders. With Trayce Thompson and Joc Pederson trending up in their young careers, Reddick will bring playoff experience and knowledge to the clubhouse. Both of these guys contracts are set to end at the end of next season, so the Dodgers are hoping they can get the most out of them while they still have a championship caliber team. With the Cubs, Nationals, Mets, Dodgers, Giants, and Marlins all pushing for playoff spots in the NL, it will be a hell of a lot of fun to watch these teams battle it out down the stretch. Oakland will miss you Josh Reddick, thank you for all the memories! |
Anthony VallesterosJust a man trying to make the most of his time on this planet. Categories
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