Fourth & Forever: My 4-0 Fantasy Football Team

 Fourth & Forever: My 4-0 Fantasy Team



Toilet Bowl Trophy
Picture courtesy of WCFFL

For the 2013 NFL season, I have two fantasy teams. But today, I'm only going to talk about one. My Yahoo Wrecking Crew Fantasy Football league. The other one is hosted by ESPN, and it is a waste of time. Its free and not as competitive as my Yahoo league. Therefore I won't discuss it. The Wrecking Crew league is so amazing; not only is it competitive, but it is amongst friends. It does involve playing for money, however the most exciting thing for me are the trophies. There are three divisions with four teams each and each division winner receives a small, almost Heisman like stance trophy with their team name and division name. There is also a loser trophy, awarded to the team with the worst record. Their prize...a toilet bowl seat with wise cracks written on it from other teams. Who says grown man can't have fun? Then theirs, "Alyssa," the name of the big trophy. A football shaped, silver color trophy, attached to a wooden base, with the current champions name on the name plate. We chose, "Alyssa," in regards to Alyssa Milano. She's hot and her name fits well with the trophy. "Alyssa," is coming home with me this year.


My 2012 division trophy
picture courtesy of Johnny J.



My teams name is called," Black Sunday." No specific meaning behind the name, it just sounds intimidating. After four weeks, I am proud to say that I am in first place in the whole league and I'm undefeated. I'm not going to talk about the draft much, because its not current, but I will say I followed most general managers tactics. I drafted what was given to me. I didn't overthink it, I didn't panic, but I would say I came out with one of the deepest teams in the league. MOVING ON... I came to the draft with intentions on making picks people didn't see coming. I'm A Packers fan, and I drafted a Chicago Bears player in the second round! That player is running back Matt Forte, who is has not disappointed thus far. He has rewarded me with three touchdowns in four games. I root for him in hopes of the Bears losing. Yea a Packers fan rooting for my second round pick. I came to the draft thinking...I was going to draft with my mind and not my heart. As much as I wanted to draft Aaron Rodgers or Jordy Nelson, I knew the quarterback and receiver position was too deep to draft them early. I actually had a chance to pick A Rod, with the 10th pick, but chose LeSean McCoy instead. Four weeks later, he is leading the league in rushing yards.

After I went 3-0. I wanted to do a New York Yankee trade, and so I did. Before I discuss who I traded for and what I gave up for them, I contemplated if I wanted to go through with it. I hadn't lost a game, I had just blown somebody out by 60 points. I didn't need to make a trade, but like every GM brainstorming in the front office, I wanted to create a team that is guaranteed to go far. So I wanted to get a great player, who was struggling, in hopes that they will return to a top tier producer. That way it wouldn't cost me a lot in return. I' m not talking about quarterback Philip Rivers, but running back C.J. Spiller. He was picked in the first round, but hadn't been performing like a GM expects from a first rounder. The person who had him was 1-2 and I know they were looking for a big trade. And so I gave them one. I traded the Seattle defense and running back Le'Veon Bell, in return for C.J. Spiller. Yea I know Seattle has the best defense in the league, and I know Bell just scored two touchdowns, but I'm looking at the bigger picture...the playoff run. Defenses are expendable, because any defense can get you descent points weekly depending on match-ups. I picked up the Tennessee Titans defense, who had five sacks, five tackles for a loss, two picks, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown against the New York Jets. They got me more points then the Seahawks would have last week. Bell is coming off a serious injury, I'm not sure if he will be the answer for the 0-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. It's a gamble I hope will pay off.

I've also been doing my homework on the waiver wire. Picking up no name players who I think might make an impact in certain games. I look at their opponents weekly and I survey players; deciding on I believe fits in the lineup for the upcoming game or games. I picked up wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins, before the season started. He has been in and out of my lineups, although I had him in my lineup last week, when he blew up for 127 receiving yards and a touchdown, against the Atlanta Flacons. I figured with receiver Danny Amendola and tight end Ron Grownkowski out, he was going to have a big game in a primetime match-up. I seen him in a pre-season game and he just stood out. I knew he was someone I should grab. I also had pick up Le'Veon Bell, after someone dropped him. He was supposed to be out like six weeks with an injury, but came back sooner. Instead of giving him a chance I used him in the Spiller trade.  Since I traded away the Seattle defense, and then dropped the Titans defense, I needed to pick up a sleeper defense for this week. So I picked up the Cleveland Browns defense. They play the Buffalo Bills tonight, and I'm hoping they can duplicate the stellar defense they showed last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. Surrendering only six points at the, "Dawg Pound." The Browns defense is descent and ferocious. In four games they have 14 sacks, 19 tackles for a loss and have only given up 70 points. The Bills have a banged up backfield, so I'm betting on a good day at the pound. 

 

"Alyssa"
picture courtesy of the current champion and
co-founder of Pathologicalhate.clogspot.com
Felipe Melecio

 

These are the main reasons why I'm undefeated in the Wrecking Crew Fantasy Football League. It comes down to good drafting, and taking what the draft was giving me. Thinking with my mind and not my heart. Believing the person I drafted, was going to have a good year. Regardless if I liked the team or not; I'm too busy thinking about making my pockets fatter; and of course...Alyssa. Even though its too early to say if my trade was a success or not, but I felt like I could get rid of the Seahawks defense and get the same points from sleepers on the wire. By adding C.J. Spiller, I now have a four-headed running attack. LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte, DeMarco Murray. With two running back slots and two flex slots, say hello to my four-headed horseman. The waiver wire is my friend in need. I look at throwaways and sleepers and invite them for workouts. If everything checks out ok, the contract is signed and a number is given. Welcome to the future of WCFFL...Black Sunday.

Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?

  Are the 49ers Super Bowl Contenders?

Good news! The 49ers beat the St. Louis Rams yesterday 35-11. The bad news is the 49ers looked great against a weak team, but can't produce the same outcome against playoff teams. In a weak primetime game aired on the NFL Network, the 49ers dominated the line of scrimmage. Making life miserable for Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and running back Daryl Richardson. Bradford threw 41 times and only connected on 19 of them. He was sacked five times and just seamed uncomfortable in the pocket. Richardson rushed 12 times and only racked up 16 yards. This is the 49ers defense that we all seam to recognize. To bad it came against one of the most disappointing teams in the league. Seriously its the Jacksonville Jaguars and then its the Rams. After the 49ers didn't score a single point in the first quarter, they quickly found their toughness in the way they're accustomed to. Shoving the ball down the opponents throat, with Greg Romans pistol power running calls. The only problem is the 49ers could find themselves 1-3 after four games. Losing to the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts, the 49ers were 50 yards away from losing a shootout game in week one against the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, a shootout! That's not the 49ers way of winning games, its through tough defense and power running. At least it use to be.

The 49ers are a running team. If that quickly changes to a passing team, the game could be headed for a rough outcome. The 49ers ran the ball 42 times and threw only 23 times against the Rams. That's because they won the line of scrimmage battle. They looked good against the Rams, but then again the Rams defense are giving up 30.2 points in four games, which is ranked 28th in the league. The defense is horrible, giving up 175 yards to DeMarco Murray, the week before. I wasn't mad because Murray is on my fantasy team, but Murray ran for a lot of yards against them the year before. My point is the Rams defense sucks! A week later, Frank Gore ran for 153 yards on 20 carries. That's a whopping 7.7 yards a carry. That is dominating the line of scrimmage, followed up with play-action. In the two losses, the 49ers were dominated. They only ran the ball 23 times against the Colts and 20 times against the Seahawks. 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback, who has the ability to throw the ball in the pocket, but he is more effective when he is on the move. When defenses shutdown the run, his best ability is taken away from him and he is now one-dimensional. The 49ers have to be successful running the ball for him to be his best.

Secondly, the 49ers need to be able to bring their high-powered defense every game. Against the Rams they shutdown everything the offense was bringing. They took out the run game and then took out Bradford's favorite targets on the field. Throwing for only 202 yards on 41 attempts. In the lost against the Colts, the 49ers gave up 184 yard on the ground. That was unheard of at Candlestick Park. With the Colts winning the yards being produced on the ground. The 49ers are throwing more than running, which is not found in their game plans. Kaepernick isn't Joe Montana or Steve Young. So winning with his arm isn't going to always work. He is a quarterback who has the frame of a receiver and the legs of a kick returner. The read-option and pistol formation are used to complement his qualities. To keep defenses guessing is what he does best. That's what separated him from former 49er quarterback Alex Smith. Smith is one-dimensional; a passer who looks to throw 10 yards in play-action and was very successful in taking care of the ball, simply because he never threw down-field. Kaepernick has the ability to do that, but he should be looking to run first.

The reason we haven't seen Kaepernick at his best is because of the play-calling. I rarely seen the read-option being used in the 49ers games this year. Coach Jim Harbaugh is concerned of getting his quarterback hurt. He should be, especially after Packers Clay Matthews tried to take his head off out of bounce in the first week. Playing Kaepernick as a pocket quarterback is hurting the team. Taking away a mans best asset leaves him with nothing. I say, let him play his style that we are used to seeing. Having defenses look confused and lost. Teach the quarterback to get down and slide if in trouble. Not to take hits like RG3, and not to throw hits like Jay Cutler. Its a long season and most teams go as the quarterback goes...unless you're the Minnesota Vikings. If the 49ers are not going to use him for what he can do, then what's the point of having him on the team. They might as well have kept Alex Smith, if they're scared of using a mobile quarterbacks skills. The 49ers do have injuries on the offensive side, but the injuries are in the passing game. Its irrelevant to what the team needs to do. Meaning Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham are expendable. They have a veteran receiver in Anquan Boldin and a talented tight-end in Vernon Davis. They can coach-up others to catch the ball and to run routes. Big names are overrated. But they are a team who runs the ball, they don't need their best receivers to be affective. Like Sandra Bullock said in the movie The Blind Side, "Run the damn ball."

When they look bad against playoff teams, the Super Bowl looks further away in the distance. The 49ers need to change that. They need to run the ball to be effective and they need to bring that tough defense every game and they have to do it against good teams. They will have plenty of chances to redeem themselves. With matchups against the Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. They have to establish the line of scrimmage early, because once they fall behind, they seem to get out of that running funk. Once that happen, its a whole different game plan, because the opposing team has them in unfamiliar territory. I don't see the 49ers making a repeat trip to the Super Bowl, I 'm not even sure they will make the playoffs, but I do know if they don't get back to their X and O's, its going to be a long season. Running the ball, while serving up the read-option and playing hard nose defense is 49ers football 101.

Fourth & Forever: The Patriots are in Big Trouble

     Fourth & Forever: The patriots are in Big Trouble

The Patriots have started the 2013 season going 2-0. It sounds like a usual Patriots team. Always having one of the best records in the NFL, earning a bye week in the playoffs. I'll tell you why this won't happen this year. We all know what quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick can do. Brady is one of the best quarterbacks in the game. A great pocket-passer, who has great range and accuracy on his passes. Belichick is considered one of the best coaches in history. He is all business on and off the field. Always trying to find ways to make the team better, even if that means bringing out the camera and filming other teams practices. Together Brady and Belichick are a winning offensive duo. This season is starting out good, but in the end it will be a tough pill to swallow. After watching the first two games, I see that the Patriots are not the Super Bowl contenders they always seemed to be.

In the first two games, Brady has threw the ball 91 times and has only connected on 48 passes. That's 52 percent, which sounds like the low tier quarterbacks range . Brady is never found in that tier. At this rate Brady is going to be on pace to break Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford's record of last years 727 passing attempts. By the way the Lions finished 4-12 last season. Brady is 36 years old. He is going to need to save his arm for the prolonged season, in hopes of going to the playoffs and making a long run. Brady is missing all of his weapons from last season. Former receiver Wes Welker, decided to leave the Patriots in the off-season to join the high-flying Broncos team. Ron Gronkowsi had surgery on his fore-arm four times, less than a year. He then had back surgery in the off-season, although signs point to him coming back as early as week three. The other tight-end Aaron Hernandez is in jail, facing murder chargers. So right now, Brady has a hand full of low cards to play.

The injury bug has also bitten the Patriots early on. Talented back-up running back Shane Vereen broke his wrist in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills. He was placed on IR with designation to return. He won't be eligible to return until after the Patriots 10th week-bye. The Pats maybe upset, but I'm pissed off, since I had him on my fantasy team. A waste of a draft pick! Receiver Danny Amendola, was brought in to replace Wes Welker. He is not a good replacement because he is always hurt. In the pre-season he injured his groin and he re-aggravated it in the first game against the Bills. He is now out two to six weeks. So now the Patriots are forced to rely on rookies to pick up the scoring slack. Its not as easy as it sounds, as some of the rookies are raw. Talented, but needs time to develop. Players such as Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson. Although Dobson caught a 39 yard touchdown pass from Brady on Thursday, I wouldn't put him in my starting lineup in my fantasy league, because he wouldn't be consistent. Fifth- year receiver Julian Edelman had a descent game against the Jets, catching 13 passes for 78 yards, but then he lost a fumble. I can just imagine Brady pulling his own hair out.

The Patriots are in un-familiarized territory. The Patriots are use to blowing teams out, instead of squeaking by them. The Pats beat the Bills in week one 23-21, after trailing heading into the fourth quarter. Starting week two off, the Pats beat the Jets 13-10 on Thursday. Brady threw for only 185 yards and one touchdown. I know it was raining, but still its the Jets at home in a primetime game. The great news is the Pats are 2-0. The bad news is the Pats are 2-0 against rookie quarterbacks. This puts a lot of pressure on the defense, especially if the offense isn't going to be taking a few steps back. When the Pats get into the meat of their schedule, throwing for 185 yards is not going to cut it. In week three, the Pats play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons in week four. The Bucs have a good defense and the Falcons have a great offense. I can't imagine seeing Brady winning in a shootout against the Falcons, especially with the pieces he has around him.  This is going to be a long year for the Patriots and at this point, I can see every game coming down to the wire. I don't see any blow-outs in the Pats future this season.

I believe the Buffalo Bills have a chance to win the AFC East. I don't want to bet against Brady, but looking at there schedule against the Falcons, Bengals, Texans and Saints. Its going to be tough. The Bills play some of the same teams, but I think their more well rounded. I like they're  a running team with C.J. Spiller leading the pack, plus they actually have a good quarterback in E.J. Manuel. A rookie quarterback who takes care of the ball. I do believe Belichick will find a way to make the playoffs, but I not so sure on winning the division. However, I can see the Patriots trading a draft pick away to bring talent in. Brady doesn't have years to throw away. They are a team who needs to win now. They need to be a more balanced team. Throwing the ball 91 times in two games, isn't the sign of a balanced team. Its a sign of a team, who needs help moving the ball. The once Super-Bowl winning team, now finds themselves struggling to put points up on the board.

FOURTH & FOREVER: Previewing the NFC South

Johnny J

The NFC South is a fantasy owner's dream. Why? Well it's because that division has a lot of players who put points up almost on a regular basis. I'm talking about players such as Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, and Cam Newton just to name a few. All good quarterbacks and they help other players on teams produce. So with that said, lets take a look on how these teams in the "dirty south" stack up against each got better. Will the addition of Steven Jackson, make the Atlanta Falcons unstoppable? The return of Sean Payton will definitely help after a one-year suspension for giving the okay to hurt opponents for money. I didn't even mention, "Revis Island" Darelle Revis making the trip to Buccaneer nation. Ron Rivera and the Panthers are relying on Cam Newton to help make them a playoff team. Coach Rivera needs you Cam! Think about his family!

Break it down for them Johnny!

Steven Jackson has arrived in Atlanta after they finally got rid of inconsistent running back Michael Turner. Although he did have a total of 11 touchdowns, he only averaged 3.9 yards a carry last season. So now with the highly anticipated Steven Jackson in the Georgia Dome, the running game will pick up. Jackson averaged a little more with 4.1 ypc and he ran for over 1000 yards last season. This will make quarterback Matt Ryan and the offense more dangerous, with wideouts Julio Jones and Roddy White looking up at 1000 yards receiving. Old man tight end Tony Gonzalez is still trucking along. A definite threat in the red zone. "Matty Ice" just became Matty Icier. The weapons, oh the weapons! On the other side of the ball, They released veteran defensive end John Abraham and replaced him with an end that has a couple of Super Bowl rings. Osi Umenyiora produced 75 sacks and 32 forced fumbles in nine seasons with the NY Giants.  I would say that's a good veteran swap. Although he can't stay healthy. But if he can stay on the field, he will definitely help that line. The secondary  is looking up as they still have cornerback Asante Samuel and they drafted Desmond Trufant out of Washington with the number 22 pick. Yeah, I know it's the Pac-12, but they were second in their conference in pass defense at 188.9 yards allowed.  I'm sure he had something to do with that.

The Panthers are looking to rebound after taking a step back  in quarterback Cam Newton's second year. Last season they scored 22.3 ppg and gave up 22.7. The defense is decent due to a few playmakers, but the offense needs to put points up on the board. They averaged 360.7 yards, but they fumbled the ball a lot. Between Newton and both running backs DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart they fumbled the ball a total of 14 times. They average 1.3 giveaways a game. They need to see a specialist on how to carry the ball and take hits without putting the ball on the ground. I do like tight end Greg Olsen, who had a great year for the Panthers, he had 843 yards receiving. The Panthers have to find good receivers. Steve Smith is old and I can't even remember the number two receiver, which means he is one drop away from being dropped. On defense, they gave up 22.7 points a game. It ranks 19th, so it is decent, but needs improvement. Linebacker John Beason is a tackling machine, at least he was in 2009 and '10. He missed all of 2011 and only played in four games last season due to injuries. If healthy, he can gobble tackles up like Pac-Man. Defensive end Charles Johnson is another one that is worth more than a quarter for a hit. His $72 million dollar contract proves it. The front end of the defense is solid, its just the back-end that is in question. They ranked 26th in INTs.

New Buccaneer Darelle Revis is coming off of a torn ACL injury, but looks to rebuild. "Revis Island," is in Tampa. When healthy, we know what this guy can do besides demand bigger contracts. He covers one whole side of the field by himself, without any safety help. He disrupts great receivers and has built a reputation on it. This was a smart move, as the Bucs ranked dead last in giving up 300 yards in passing, not to mention an average of three touchdowns a game. In other words, the defense sucks. Revis should help, but they need more from the linebackers and defensive line. Can you name one Pro Bowler on their defensive line? Exactly. Now on offense, this is John Freeman's contract year. I'm sorry I meant to say, "this is his last year." My money says he's gone because he is not a quarterback you build a team around. Besides his 10 fumbles last year and 36 total in four years, his QBR was best at 95.9 in 2010. It was 81.6 this past season. His accuracy was just over 50% and he threw 17 INTs. If I had to choose between him and Jay Cutler, I would want to know who the third string quarterback was. They do have a few weapons in wide receiver in Vincent Jackson and running back Doug Martin.  Martin is amazing, running for almost 1500 yards his rookie season. Not bad for a middle round pick-up. Rookie quarterback, Mike Glennon might eventually take over for Freeman. His numbers wont blow you away, but with the right coaching he can be a much more solid quarterback. Teams don't waste high draft picks on back-ups. WAKE-UP CALL!

Now for the Saints, who are looking to make the playoffs after missing it last season for the first time in four years. Sean Payton is now back at the helm for the Saints, who have I believe the best offense in the league. Even without Payton, the offense ranked third in points and first yards per play at 6.2. Anytime you have a great passing quarterback in Drew Brees, your team is definitely a trigger-happy team. The only team who might pass the ball on every first down. Coming off of a 43 touchdown and 19 int season, Brees is looking to continue finding his targets with the help of a sixth overall ranking offensive line. Yes, the Saints were terrible last year, but it was because of the defense. The offense did their job and the line held up, as Brees only got sacked 26 times compared to the Philadelphia Eagles gave up a total of 118 sacks. Tight end Jimmy Graham should be motivated after getting snubbed on the NFL Network's top 100 players of 2012. He only had 982 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. Nothing special. I didn't believe it when Baltimore's Dennis Pitta was on the list. Anyway, Graham will be the top tightend off the board in fantasy football. The Saints still do have a three-headed running game in Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, and Darren Sproles. Remember this is a passing team and they will see their few touches a game. A fantasy football owner's worst nightmare; a pick that doesn't produce. The defense gave up 28 points last season, ranked last in almost every category, points, yards per game and sacks. That should change with Rob Ryan as the new defensive coordinator, who is switching the defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. Expect players to feed off of Ryan's energy and Payton's presence.

The NFC South is a division that will be exciting to keep an eye on.  The Saints, Falcons and even the Panthers will be battling the whole year for the division crown. I don't see the Bucs being a good team this year. I just see those three teams fighting to make the playoffs. The NFC so it won't be an easy road to the playoffs. If you remember my ,"Falcon-Punched," story, it describes how, "Punks jump up to get beat down." Not this year's Falcon team. Oh the weapons, the weapons oh! Cam will do his best to help the Panthers and he can if him and the running backs put duct tape around them and the ball. They will be a good team. The Bucs are in a rebuilding process. They have very few weapons and a bad quarterback and defense. Even Revis is going to be throwing his hands up at times, screaming "new contract please!" The Saints' defense is still going to have to prove a lot. I can't see that defense being solid in their first transition of switching schemes. We know what the offense can do, maybe they'll just try to outscore everyone by putting up 40 point games. I can see that happening.

More NFL content is available here. 

SPORTS FROM THE HIP: A Quick Look at the Sports Week That Was

The following is a collaborative effort as we look back at the week in sports. We only use one sentence or less, or your money back!

Pathological Hate

• Lance Armstrong--The former Tour de France cyclist admitted to doping on the Oprah Winfrey Show: What are your thoughts on Lance Armstrong?

The guy is a fraud. (Felipe M)
Straight Shooter! (Johnny J)
Made cycling sexy, the OWN watchable, and the BBWAA bummed out he didn't play baseball so they could prove a point. (Donny R)
He didn't care what he had to do to reach the top and thoroughly convinced he believes what he did isn't cheating. (Dan P.)
To just call him a cheater would be an insult to the Pete Roses of the world. (C. McLain)
He was still whooping others who admitted doping as well. (Josh C)

•  Manti Te'o--The Linebacker out of Notre Dame is mired in a scandal that dealt with his dead girlfriend...who wound up being not dead... and fake: What are your thoughts on Te'o?

He’s an attention whore. (Felipe M)

False award receiver (Johnny J)
He puts the BS in BCS. (Donny R)
 An idiot and will be a bust in the NFL. (Dan P.)
This story will be footnoted throughout his entire career. (C. McLain)

I still don’t know what to think/feel about this one. (Josh C)

• The Atlanta Falcons ended another post-season in major disappointment: What do the Falcons have to do to get over the hump?

Not a single clue. (Felipe M)

Brand Nubian: "Punks jump up to get beat down," (Johnny J)
If Coca-Cola brought the '96 Olympics to the ATL, they can buy them a better secondary. (Donny R)

Play 60 minutes and, unfortunately, replace Tony Gonzalez. (Dan P.)

Coaching change (C. McLain)

Falcons need to shore up their defense and running games. (Josh C)

• Tom Brady failed to get his team back into the Super Bowl. What do you think of Tom Brady's legacy now?

3-Time, Super Bowl Champ. (Felipe M)

Seventh round wonder! (Johnny J)
He won 3 Rings with a great receiving corps, couldn't wint with Moss, and once again he got some good WRs, but he still couldn't win the big game! (Donny R)
Give credit to the Ravens, but it really doesn’t tarnish Brady’s legacy (Dan P.)
Unchanged. (C. McLain)

Still one of the 3 greatest of all time. (Josh C)

• Former Washington Nationals' OF, Michael Morse, was dealt to the Seattle Mariners: What are your thoughts on Morse?

Cautiously, skeptical on how good he really is. (Felipe M)

Welcome to Triple A son. (Johnny J)
The only thing I know less about Michael Morse is Morse code. (Donny R)
Speechless the Nationals dealt Morse over LaRoche--still in shock. (Dan P.)
What’s the Morse code for Déjà vu? (C. McLain)

Morse can rake. (Josh C)

• Kevin Durant scored 52points in 50 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Your thoughts on KD?

Just call him, Kid Dynamite (KD)! (Felipe M)

Height always beats size! (Johnny J)
Imagine when this kid starts to play angry--scary! (Donny R)
Having one of the all-time best offensive seasons ever, yet he’s not even the best player in the league somehow (Dan P.)
Du·ran·tu·la-- Bite is believed to have deadly venom. (C. McLain)

Shocked that 52 is his career high--…..S….T……U…..D….. (Josh C)

• The Baltimore Ravens will return to the Super Bowl. What are your thoughts on the Ravens' performance this post-season?

Clutch! (Felipe M)

Riding on Ray Lewis' emotions! (Johnny J)
We get it social media, Ray Lewis may have killed a guy, but coverage isn't fair to the rest of the Ravens. (Donny R)
Joe Flacco is playing as well as he's been telling everyone he is (Dan P.)

Who knew that Ray Lewis’ dances were to the Super Bowl gods? (C. McLain)

Kudos to the Ravens this postseason for being able to close out games after limping into the playoffs. (Josh C)

• The SF 49ers return to the Super Bowl. What are your thoughts on the 49ers' performance this post-season?

Amazing teamwork. (Felipe M)

Thanks for shaking those pom-poms, Alex Smith. (Johnny J)
They have a shut down defense, are electric on offense--there's a lot to like on this team (Donny R)
At times they look like one of the best teams ever and other times they look like the Chicago Bears (Dan P.)
“Those who can, do... Those who can’t, teach” - Jim Harbaugh? (C. McLain)

Electric! (Josh C)


Part II is available here. 

Donny Rodriguez is part of the sketch comedy troupe, Wood Sugars and covers the Chicago Bulls for Gapers Block. Follow him on Twitter, here.

Dan Plotsky is one of the most knowledgeable fans out there and previously helped Pathological Hate contribute to The Curious Case of: Tyreke Evans.

Josh C. is a very opinionated sports fan and, currently, a very disgruntled Sacramento Kings' fan. 

FALCON PUNCHED! What is going on in Atlanta?

Johnny J

The Alanta Falcons need to redefine themselves as a team. They have the skilled players and the home-field advantage to help carry them to the Super Bowl, but they lack the passion for the game. They need to get back to their, "Dirty Bird" roots. The main reason you're playing the sport is to have fun. I don't see that when it comes to the Falcons, which is why they are never considered a threat in the post-season. They've been the number 1 seed twice out of the last 3 seasons and were eliminated both times.

Falcons' Nation acts like it's going to be a cake-walk every year when they're the top seed. You would think being the top seed would mean a lot of pro-bowlers too, right? Wrong: they only have three and they're all on offense:

• Quarterback Matt Ryan ( 2 Pro Bowl Appearances)
• Wide Receiver Julio Jones ( 1st Pro Bowl Appearance)
• Tight End Tony Gonzalez ( 13 Pro Bowl Appearances and 3rd with the Falcons)

So I believe Brand Nubian says it best when they say,"Punks jump up to get beat down." That pretty much sums up the Falcons' play in the Georgia Dome in the post-season. 70,000 strong, only to be silenced. Getting out to a 17-0 lead, only to squander it. A chance to put a team away, only to lose the ball--TWICE! A final chance to execute the winning score, only to choke the opportunity away.

The Falcons "jumped" out early, only to get "beat down" in the end.