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Haunted: Manning’s legacy in limbo after another Super Bowl loss

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This could be the game that hurts Manning's legacy

This could be the game that hurts Manning’s legacy

What defines a legacy? For most athletes it’s the numbers on the back of their player cards that usually justifies their greatness. But for the truly great, the cream of the crop, stats aren’t enough. Peyton Manning is one of those athletes. If you were to judge him on statistics alone, without question he is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. However, after being named the NFL’s most valuable player for the fifth time in his career, Manning would enter Metlife Stadium with the chance for NFL immortality. A few hours later, the almighty quarterback looked like something we haven’t seen in 2013, a mere mortal.

Losing is one thing, but what the Broncos did was an even bigger disgrace, they didn’t show up. Can someone check did they even get off the plane or bus? Despite two weeks to prepare, the Broncos didn’t even put up a fight. Sure, the botched snap resulting in a safety swung momentum early, but despite two early trips to the red zones the Broncos still were only down 8-0. The stage was set for Manning, a chance to come back and prove his greatness to the world. But that didn’t happen. Manning’s turnovers at key moments of the game would finish off the illusion of a comeback as the Broncos were embarrassed by a 43-8 whopping by the Seahawks.

Once again, Manning, the best quarterback in the game fell short. This time he didn’t fall short, he tripped right out of the gate and seemingly damaged his reputation in one game.  It doesn’t matter how many yards, touchdowns, or wins Manning has in his career. The only way to exorcise the critics or questions about his legacy is to hoist another Lombardi trophy. But now at the age of 38, with already declining health, Father Time is catching up to Peyton Manning. If he wants to be considered the greatest quarterback ever the only way to do this is to win another Super Bowl. When you are the best in the sport you are expected to win. Is it fair? Not necessarily but it is expected.

With such a miserable performance on his resume, and millions of NFL fans who are upset about the lack of a game on the field, Manning needs a win so that people forget this. If not, it will be the defining moment in a career of futility and what could have been. He might be a great quarterback, but Manning’s post season demons are keeping him from being one of the greatest players in NFL history.

Time to put up or shut up

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Richard Sherman has written a huge check with a mouth, but can he cash it in on Sunday?

Richard Sherman has written a huge check with a mouth, but can he cash it in on Sunday?

Instigator, playmaker, ball hawk, controversy, and an A$% hole are just a few adjectives that describe Richard Sherman. While he may be one of the most beloved person in Seattle, his comments and antics have made him an NFL villain everywhere else. He’s the arguably the best cornerback in the NFL, and if you disagree he would probably go into a rant about how he is the best in the game. However, unlike most divas who are all flash and no substance, Sherman backs his talk up with even bigger plays. With eight interceptions this season, and countless passes defended, Sherman is the boisterous leader of Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” defense.

However, The Legion will face their toughest opponent yet

Controversy and talent that go hand in hand

Controversy and talent that go hand in hand

in the upcoming Super Bowl against Peyton Manning and his vast arsenal of playmaking receivers. Sure Sherman could take one of those receivers out the game, but with so many options and Sherman only being one man, the Seahawks’ secondary will be put to the ultimate test. Sherman is putting an even bigger target on this group after his controversial post game comments following the NFC Championship game. It also doesn’t help when he calls Michael Crabtree a “sorry receiver”. But in the midst of the his rants and comments could Sherman be actually helping the Seahawks by shining the spotlight on himself?

Whenever someone has mentioned the Seahawks have been mentioned these past two weeks the name that always pops up is Richard Sherman. However, the cornerback may be doing a huge service for his team. Think about it. No one has talked about Russell Wilson’s post season slump

It's time for the Legion's leader to step up

It’s time for the Legion’s leader to step up

or the fact that he’s a second year pro. Instead of the media burning a spotlight on the young quarterback and his flaws, the cameras and media have all been focused on Sherman. If anything, Sherman has been putting all the pressure on himself rather than have his teammates take on the enormous media scrutiny.

With all this talking, it’s time for Sherman to start walking. Should he struggle or give up big plays during the Super Bowl, his reputation will take a major hit. It’s like the Jets a few seasons ago. When Rex Ryan was winning, that bravado and swagger was accepted because they could back it up. But when the losses start to pile up, that swagger and bravado crashed harder than a lead balloon. It’s not about talking in the NFL, it’s about getting the job done. So Richard Sherman, you think you’re the best cornerback in the NFL? It’s time to prove it on the biggest stage in the world, Super Bowl XLVIII.

Jingle Balls: The NBA’s Christmas Jerseys Disaster

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It's beginning to look a lot like a Christmess

It’s beginning to look a lot like a Christmess

Christmas is here! The trees, decorations, and yuletide spirit are everywhere this time of year. On the 25th of December the NBA will be unwrapping some presents that frankly should have a sticker that reads “Do not open ever”! That’s right, the NBA has established a new merry tradition that is the equivalent to the gifting of a holiday fruitcake. Nobody wants it, but we get it anyways. Talk about a mess. The NBA has tried to establish Christmas day as it’s own holiday. What I mean by this is that football has Thanksgiving, so naturally the NBA wanted it’s own holiday in the spotlight, in this case Christmas. Now the NBA has five games for 2013 and like all great Christmases decided it needed its own traditions. However, whoever came up with this idea should receive a mountain of coal for Christmas.

The NBA has made it a tradition to wear new uniforms on Christmas day. Last year I thought the NBA couldn’t do worse than hideous one color uniforms with just outlines of the team’s name. Well one thing I can say about the NBA is that it never ceases to surprise me. When the new uniforms were revealed I laughed thinking oh they must have gotten the pictures mixed up. Those are ten-dollar t-shirts from the gift shop. Boy was I wrong. Ok are you sitting down? Because I am about to go on a rant about these eyesores.

Where to begin? Hmm let me see I know I’ll start of with the sleeves. Why do you need sleeves in the NBA? You play indoors! Why do you guys need freaking sleeves are you really that cold inside an NBA arena? Come on these aren’t NFL linemen who have rolls of arm fat or baseball players trying to avoid the sun. If it was just the sleeves on awesome uniforms I could give these a pass, but it’s more than just the sleeves.

Next it’s the colors. True these colors are not as terrible as last years, but certain team colors don’t make sense. The Lakers, who have a great white home uniform, don’t need a white Christmas jersey. They have purple and gold. Where is it? The Knicks, for the love of god stop wearing all orange. First this isn’t Halloween, and second you look like a bunch of pumpkins. If there was more blue then maybe, but these uniforms are just plain orange. The Knicks chant should be no new york no new york no. The spurs plain grey? or the Rockets all red? Come on guys I bet a five-year old could come up with something better. Sure the colors are bad, but it’s also that these uniforms are just one color. There are no accent or secondary colors to add some details to these uniforms. Even minor accent colors or designs would offset the main colors nicely. However, with just one color except for around the collar and sleeves. Without these other colors these jerseys just look like plain t-shirts from the NBA store that I could easily buy.

The final nail in this uniform coffin has to be the logos. These are the worst logos on a uniform I have ever seen. Sure they are the team’s regular logos, which are great, but for some reason they thought forget the script or original let’s put a giant silver logo on the chest. Come on why silver? Are you just trying to put a bullseye on what makes these jerseys awful. Sure it looks good on the Nets jersey, but who else has silver in their color palette? These look like metallic versions of each logo. It as if they decided let’s put a futuristic logo on the plainest jersey possible. That makes no sense.

In conclusion the only good thing these jerseys have given us is this fantastic commercial (link here). Other than that these uniforms are just an awful representation of the NBA. Come on these look like pajamas. Hey maybe that’s what they were going for the pajama Christmas morning look. If not for the so-called “Christmas morning pajama look” these uniforms are some of the worst to ever be presented on the hardwood. Maybe Santa will make a last-minute stop and give these teams new uniforms, unfortunately I think he’s a little too busy. Dear NBA, please get new Christmas uniforms next year. Heck, do green and red uniforms. Those would be better than these atrocities. Either way let’s hope the NBA delivers on Christmas. Happy Holidays!

Can they be stopped? When will the Heat’s reign end?

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The Big Three now go for the three peat

The Big Three now go for the three peat

The 2013-2014 NBA season has many captivating story lines. Derrick Rose’s injury, Kobe’s bout against father time, and Eastern Conference’s futility. Still, no NBA team is stirring up more controversy and headlines then a certain team from South Beach. The NBA’s evil empire, the Miami Heat.

With the opportunity to three peat as champions and join some of the league’s most storied teams, the heat is on in Miami. The question is can a David step up and topple the mighty Goliath? Can any team upset the Heat and spoil their quest of dominance? The reloaded Nets and the Bulls struggles have many doubting their ability to knock King James of his throne. Can a team from the Wild West such as the Thunder, Clippers, or Spurs be able to shock the Big Three? Without question the Heat are the lightning rod for attention in the NBA.

Whether its Lebron’s legacy, the team’s health, it’s fans, or just the animosity that no other team seems to get attention in the NBA, the Heat are the logical focal point. It’s understandable why this team is hated so much. The best player in the NBA leaves his hometown team and community to create an all-star team just to win championships. Theres the constant media attention where the top NBA story always involves Miami. It doesn’t matter if Kevin Durant drops 50 points for the Thunder because ESPN  needs to analyze James’ supporting cast for the hundredth time. Miami is despised for having the worst fans in sports, who only either care about the team when they are winning or are so spoiled because they have jumped on the best team bandwagon. Heat fans are always complaining for no good reason! Why? Now idea, they’ve won three championships in a decade so what’s the problem? However, the biggest reason the Heat are hated is because they are the best.

They have Lebron James, and your team doesn’t. Their arrogance and cockiness about being the best team drives NBA fans crazy. This team just thinks it will be a breeze to win another championship. However, I think there is another thing at play here. People still love Michael Jordan. The fact that Lebron is threatening what many claim is the NBA’s greatest legacy strikes a nerve within die-hard NBA fans. Then you hear the criticism and laundry list of reasons why Lebron James will never surpass his Airness. The points, position, competition, the list goes on and on and on. The fact that Lebron threatens one of if not the most beloved player in NBA history, and the way he has achieved his success, just riles up Jordan supporters who will try to find any flaws within James’ game. However, there is no question that right now there is no better player in the NBA.

The question shouldn’t be if Lebron James is the best player in the NBA, he is, but is there a basketball team that is constructed better than the Heat right now? Is there such a team whose sum of parts will equal a greater team then the Heat? Obviously, Lebron skews this equation by being the best player in the game, but is there a roster whose depth and overall talent can expose the Heat’s flaws of being a team built on three players? These are the questions that teams in the NBA must answer. I think there is such a team. With so much talent in the NBA and a few teams with loaded and lethal rosters, it might be when not if the Heat are eliminated from contention this year. Will Lebron hoist his third trophy, or will some other superstar begin their own Hall of Fame legacy? We await with bated breath to find out if the King will get another ring, or if his mighty empire will be failed be a worth adversary.

Boston Strong! How the Red Sox victory goes beyond the trophy

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Boston strong! The Red Sox helped a city overcome horror

Boston strong! The Red Sox helped a city overcome horror

The Boston Red Sox are World Champions! With their third World Series title in a decade the Boston Red Sox have established themselves as the latest dynasty is baseball. Since the exorcism of “The curse of the Bambino” most Red Sox fans would have told you that there 2004 Championship was their greatest triumph. 86 years of heartbreak and frustration were finally over after the Red Sox stunned the Yankees coming back from 3-0 to win the ALCS. Then April 15th, 2013 happened. The Boston Marathon became ground zero in a terrorist attack that would kill three and injured hundreds.  A manhunt, bombing suspects, a city-wide shut down, Boston was crippled. Then there were the Red Sox the heart and soul of Boston. The team that was the city’s emotional outlet. Like their city, the Red Sox knew that there was only one thing to do after getting knocked down, keep fighting. For the 2013 season the Red Sox hung a 617 Boston strong jersey in their dugout for every game to remind them they

The Red Sox reminded themselves that they had something bigger to play for

The Red Sox reminded themselves that they had something bigger to play for

were playing for something much bigger then themselves. They had a calling. The Red Sox welcomed survivors and there families with open arms this entire season. They  handled this emotional situation just proves that they are one of the classier organizations in professional sports. Despite being picked by most experts to finish at the bottom of the AL East, the Red Sox dominated 2013. With there Duck Dynasty beards in tow, the Red Sox would win the East with a 97-65 record. After beating the Rays in the ALDS, it looked like the magic carpet ride was over. The Detroit Tigers, up 1-0 in the series were just six outs away with a 5-1 lead from going back to Detroit with a 2-0 lead. Then, they’re leader David Ortiz blasted a grand slam in the eighth to tie the game and allow the Red Sox to even the series. We all know what happened next. Boston would win the ALCS 4-2. In the World Series, Ortiz was unstoppable. Arguably one of the greatest postseason hitters, and without a doubt one of the greatest Red Sox, Ortiz’s performance would help the Red Sox overcome a controversial game 3 to head back to Boston up 3 games to 2. Behind John Lackey’s stellar performance game 6 belonged to the Red Sox. With a 6-1 victory, the Red Sox were World Champions once again.

The Red Sox became more then a team, they became a symbol of strength

The Red Sox became more than a team, they became a symbol of strength

This World Series went beyond baseball. For a city that had to endure so much, the Red Sox became more than a baseball team, they became a rallying cry. The symbol of Boston’s unity became a blue shield, with the Red Sox “B” with two words, Boston Strong! The Red Sox were more than just another baseball team, they were a source of hope. Throughout this run they proved that Boston might get knocked down, but they always get up. There is no telling how long it will take for Boston to heal from the wounds of that faithful April day, but baseball has been a start. A team that used to be notorious from taking hope from their fan base gave it back in an immeasurable way this season. Instead of trying to make a city forget what happened, they took it as a rallying cry and reminded a city to not forget and continue to fight forward. This season wasn’t about number 34 or any other player. It was 617. While this World Series will without question solidify the Red Sox as the premier team in baseball for the last decade they’ve given something more precious to Boston then rings or trophies. They brought back hope and joy to a city that needed. In Boston’s darkest hour, the Red Sox were the light that brought a proud city back! Boston Strong 617!

 

Why Nick Saban shouldn’t coach in the NFL again

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Saban has built a dynasty in Alabama, but he shouldn't consider going back to the NFL

Saban has built a dynasty in Alabama, but he shouldn’t consider going back to the NFL

College football has been slammed by a red tidal wave for the past five years. More specifically, the Alabam Crimson Tide. As they continue to be the premier team in college football they owe their dominance to their architect and leader, Nick Saban. All great empire’s have had supreme rulers at the helm. Rome had Caesar, France had Napoleon, and the Yankees had George Steinbrenner. Nick Saban towers over the college football landscape, from his throne in Tuscaloosa. The emperor of college football, with three national championships for Alabama has concurred every mountain and obstacle college football has thrown at him. However, this doesn’t mean that Saban should abandon his kingdom  to stake his claim in the NFL.

Many feel that Saban has accomplished everything that a college coach could dream of. Multiple national championships, championships at different schools, and built a college football super power. Despite his accomplishments, Saban shouldn’t coach in the NFL, unless he is completely committed. He’s been there before, two years with the Dolphins with a sub par 15-17 record that gave him a bad reputation as the so-called “Nicktator” in Miami. NFL teams aren’t also banging down the door for Saban either, and they shouldn’t. He’s already had a chance that ended in mediocrity and scandal when Saban signed with Alabama despite still being under contract with the Dolphins. Now why would a team take a shot on Saban? He’s already proven that if it doesn’t work out, he will look to find the next best opportunity. Plus why should he leave college? He just signed an extension that will pay him over seven million dollars a year. He has a higher salary then mostNFL coaches. If anything, if Saban really wants a so-called challenge it should be at another school. Say he wants to get out of Bear Bryant’s shadow, go do something that

Why go back to mediocrity in the NFL when Saban could be the greatest college coach in history?

Why go back to mediocrity in the NFL when Saban could be the greatest college coach in history?

no coach has ever done, win a national title at three different schools. With only tepid interest from NFL team’s and Saban’s poor handling of both the media and professional athletes, why go be mediocre in the NFL when Saban could become a college legend. Heck he’s already won four and likely on his way to his fifth National Championship. Saban is in striking distance of the coaches record for most national titles, including Alabama’s Bear Bryant’s mark, which is six. If he does go to another school he will have won three National Championships at three different schools and when it’s all said and done Saban has a great opportunity to win the most National titles of any coach in history.

While on paper Saban looks like an NFL ready coach, he is not. He may churn out the top prospects and titles, but it’s not that easy in the NFL. Saban can’t recruit the best players like in college and he has to win over professional athletes. Those tirades may work on college kids, but not on NFL veterans. They know what to do, they don’t need someone screaming in their ear every five seconds. True, Saban is a great defensive mind, but his lack of a creative offense makes him a difficult hire. Don’t forget, Alabama’s talent level is head and shoulders above everybody else in college football, just look at last years championship game. In the NFL, Saban will be on a level playing even or below the playing field depending on what team hires him. He won’t have the most talented team, and most likely have one of the least talented teams if a team were to hire him. Without the talent, Saban faces a difficult challenge just to be competitive. Let’s see if I was Nick Saban do I want the best team in college football or one of the worst teams in the NFL? Look, Saban might want to prove he is an NFL coach and might go that route, but I believe that he’s tried that already and with the lack of success in the pros ultimately means that we won’t see Saban in the NFL again. As long as he is coaching, there will always be rumors of the Nicktator returning to the NFL, but that is highly unlikely. If anything, listen to the college rumors around Saban. I see Saban “Hooking them horns” long before patrolling an NFL sideline. Whether he chooses to continue to build his Alabama empire, or take on a new challenge at Texas, one thing is for certain, Saban will try to be the greatest college coach ever. Sorry NFL, the big fish is going to stay in the small pond. Do you think Saban will return to NFL? Take our poll and comment below!