Sports is Life

Random Thought I

2006-02-10T14:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes random thoughts just pop into my head and I just need to get them out. Here is the first of what will be many random thoughts.

By the end of his career LeBron James really could be the greatest player in NBA history.

Free Agency: Minnesota Vikings

2006-02-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

With just three moves the Minnesota Vikings can go from a good team with some potential to a great team with a shot at the Super Bowl. Don’t misunderstand me. The Vikings have more than just three holes to fill. However, to make the jump to greatness the Vikings only need three players.

Free Agent #1: Edgerrin James
First and foremost the Minnesota Vikings need a running game. Over the past five years it has become abundantly clear the "running back by committee" does not work with this team. Edge would give them their best running attack that they have ever seen. Minnesota has never had a running back rush for more than 1,550 yards. In James’ second yare at the pro level he ran for just more than 1,700 yards. This move is a must if the Vikings ever want a championship.

Free Agent #2: Julian Peterson
Minnesota did a good job upgrading their linebacking core last season, but they still need a star. Peterson could be that star. Julian Peterson has had some good years, but has never really had his super star season. He has the potential to rack up 100+ tackles and/or 10+ sacks any given season, and there is no reason he cannot do it in Minnesota.

Free Agent #3: Will Witherspoon
Assuming that the Vikings are able to sign Julian Peterson bringing in Witherspoon would complete the teams outside linebackers. Remember that they already have Sam Cowart playing the middle linebacker position. The addition of Witherspoon would complete a spot that has troubled this team for nearly a decade.

The Vikings do not need much help to become a super bowl contender, but they do need to sign James, Peterson and Witherspoon. If they can do that the Lombardi trophy won’t be far away.

Hines Ward

2006-02-07T07:46:00.000-08:00

In Super Bowl XL Hines Ward did what he has been doing his entire career. He stepped up and played on another level when his team needed him to. Ward led the Steelers with five receptions and led both teams with 123 receiving yards. Without Hines Ward the Pittsburgh Steelers would not have won Super Bowl XL.

Ward really only had two big plays, but they both ended in Steelers touchdowns. the best looking play was when Antwaan Randle El came on a reverse, but ended up throwing the ball forty-three yards on a direct strike to Ward. It was the first time a wide receiver had ever thrown a touchdown in the super bowl. More important, however, it was the score that sealed the win for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The second big play was a third and twenty-eight from the Seattle forty yard line. On the previous play Big Ben had been sacked for an eight-yard loss. Pittsburgh needed some momentum. Big Ben lined up in shotgun, but Seattle still got a huge pass rush. The rush forced Ben out of the pocket where he almost crossed the line of scrimmage, but instead of running the ball Ben Roethlisberger found none other than Hines Ward. Ward jumped up and caught the ball over Seattle's Michael Boulware at the three yard line. Three plays later Pittsburgh scored on a controversial play, but the play was a touchdown none-the-less.

Hines Ward is not the best receiver and he never will be, but he did something that Randy Moss and Terrell Owens never did. He won a super bowl and now he gets to spend the day in Disney World.

Celtics @ Timberwolves-Post Trade

2006-01-31T13:49:00.000-08:00

Wolves-110
Boston-85

Recap
Minnesota just outplayed the Boston Celtics. To be more specific the Minnesota bench outplayed the Boston Celtics. Marcus Banks, Rashad McCants, and Mark Blount all came off the bench and scored double digits. As a result the Wovles were able to just roll right over the Celtics.

The player of the Game
Marcus Banks turned it up after almost never being mentioned in the seven-player trade. Although Banks only played twenty-one minuets he led the team in both scoring and assists. I think it is safe to say that Marcus Banks is on the map.

Big Ben's Resume

2006-01-25T17:41:00.000-08:00

2004

Picked #11 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2004 NFL draft.

He went 13-0 in the regular season and posted a 98.1 passer rating.

Entered the playoffs as the number one seed, but lost to the Patriots in the AFC Championship

Ben won the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

2005

He had a record of 9-3 in the regular season, finishing second behind the Cincinnati Bengals

He entered the playoffs for the second straight year.

Under Big Ben the Pittsburgh Steelers is the first sixth seed to defeat the number one, two, and three seeds on the way to the playoffs.

Big Ben is the second youngest Super Bowl starting quarterback.

Ben Roethlisberger is a living legend and will keep getting better. We should all consider ourselves lucky that we get to watch a legend unfold in front of our very eyes.

Best of the Worst

2006-01-24T16:44:00.000-08:00

Thus, far in the National Football league there has been a ton of head coaching changes. As a result I figured it was time to recognize which team has made the fatal error of choosing the worst candidate for head coach.

After much consideration I have decided that the worse hiring is Buffalo’s Dick Jauron. Jauron was previously the interim head coach of the Detroit Lions, where he had very little success. However, Jauron’s last major head coaching job was with the Chicago Bears. He spent five years with the Bears and was coach of the year in 2001 when had a record of 13-3. That sounds good, but 2001 was his only winning records and he followed that with a 4-12 record in 2002. After only 35 wins and 46 losses in five years, the Bears were only too happy to see Jauron leave.

I guess the only thing left to say is good luck Buffalo. You WILL need it.