AND THEN, THERE WERE TWO..........

The Heisman trophy winner has come down to Notre Dame's Manti Te'o and front-runner Johnny "Football" Manziel. Te'o and Manziel are two of the five finalist with invites to New York City. Kansas State Quarterback Colin Klein has one final opportunity to convince Heisman voters why he was the undisputed front-runner for half the season. Klein's Wildcats are set to face the #18 Texas Longhorns Saturday night in Manhattan Kansas. The rise of Te'o and Johnny "Football" has virtually made it impossible for Colin Klein, Braxton Miller, and USC's Marqise Lee to garner many votes. The rise of Johnny"Football" occurred when his Texas A&M team went into Tuscaloosa Alabama and gave former #1 Alabama their first lost of the season. The Aggies dominated the Crimson Tide in the first quarter of the game by jumping out to a 20-0 lead. Alabama made a second half comeback that would ultimately end with a goal-line stand by the Aggies. Manziel finished the game with 253 passing yards with two touchdowns and 92 rush yards. The season stats for Johnny Manziel are very Heisman worthy. He passed for 3,419 yards with 24 touchdowns and 8 interceptions to go along with 1,181 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. Manziel proved his freshman year was worthy of recognition at the highest level. Manti Te'o is known around the country as the heart and soul of the Notre Dame defense. Manti has been the anchor of a defense that's top five in the nation. Te'o has six games where he recorded double-digit solo and assisted tackles. He is also second in the nation with seven interceptions. Without Te'o and the Notre Dame defense carrying the way, the Irish would not be awaiting the winner of Alabama/Georgia to face in the BCS National Championship. Te'o has shown excellent leadership skills while playing through many adverse situations. He lost his girlfriend and grandmother within the span of a week, and played through it all because of his loyalty to the team. I believe Manti Te'o has become the sentimental pick to win the Heisman because of his football skills and the hardships he endured throughout the season. Both Te'o and Manziel are trying to accomplish a feat that's rarely achieved. Defensive players rarely win the Heisman trophy while a freshmen has never won. Charles Woodson was the last defensive player to win it.(1997) If I had a vote, it would go to the freshman Johnny "Football" Manziel. I have never seen a freshman perform at the level he has throughout an twelve to thirteen game season.

  

WILL THE LOST OF GRONK, KILL THE PATRIOTS???????

On Sunday, the New England Patriots lost "all world tight end" Rob Gronkowski to a broken forearm. According to medical reports, Gronkowski will miss the next four to six weeks. The pundits  have labeled the injury as bad karma coming back to bite the Patriots. People felt this way due to the Patriots running up the score on the Indianapolis Colts. In my opinion, the Patriots played football the way it was supposed to be played. The NFL is a man's league, where men play. If people want to complain about teams being aggressive, I believe they should go watch p-wee football where there are mercy rules in place. Gronkowski was hurt during the Patriots final point of the game making the score 59-24. These circumstances have added fuel to the fire that Gronkowski should not have been in the game during a blowout. I have to say "I agree with all the pundits that Gronkowski being in the game, was foolish on the Patriots part." Rob Gronkowski has become the number one tight end in the NFL by putting up staggering numbers at his position. Before Sunday's injury Gronkowski's stat line read like this; 53 receptions, 748 yards, 10 touchdowns. Gronkowski was also vital to the Patriots running game and pass blocking. The lost of Gronkowski is big, due to the multiple threats he posed for opposing defenses. I believe it's time for the other tight ends to take the "next man up" approach. Visante Shiancoe and Daniel Fells will have to pick up the slack for Gronkowski's absence. The return of Aaron Hernandez will also keep the offense running smoothly. The next four games will be a great litmus test for the Patriots as they move forward. In the next three weeks, they will face the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough Mass. These two teams are considered to be the Superbowl favorites in their respective conferences. If the Patriots can hold serve at home against one of these teams, it could solidify their position as a Superbowl favorite going into the playoffs. New England has a multitude of weapons at their disposal. I believe they will be fine without Gronkowski for the rest of the regular season. The key to the team's success will be the defense. The defense has been the team's Achilles heel for the last five years. The Patriots have lost two Superbowls in the last five years because of it. Fortunately, the defense has been much improve throughout the season. The Patriots defense leads the NFL with 20+ take-aways. Forcing turnovers have allowed the defense to make critical game saving plays over the last four games. The Patriots will continue to challenge for a Superbowl title as long as Quarterback Tom Brady is healthy and upright.

      

THE RISE OF "JOHNNY FOOTBALL" !!!!!!!!

The Texas A&M program has risen in the ranks of  college football. The Aggies are lead by Freshmen Quarterback Johnny Manziel. The team has been floating under the radar in college football. Johnny Manziel has performed spectacular throughout the season, thus earning the nickname "Johnny Football" from the national media. The game against the Arkansas Razorbacks was Manziel's coming out party. He passed for 453 yards and 3 touchdowns to go along with 105 rush yards with 1 touchdown. The Aggies went on to win the game in convincing fashion 58-10. In the game versus #23 Louisiana Tech, Manziel compiled 584 yards of offense rushing and passing to go along with 6 touchdowns. The game that has risen "Johnny Football" through the ranks of the Heisman polls was #1 Alabama. The Freshmen Quarterback put on a show for the ages by leading his team to a 20-0 lead after the first quarter of play. The defending National Champion Crimson Tide are nearly impossible to beat on their home field in Tuscaloosa. Manziel and his no fear approach seemed to trickle down the whole team. After Alabama got over the shock of being thoroughly out-played, they reeled off 14 straight points for a 20-14 halftime deficit. The second half would consist of huge plays being made by both teams. Texas A&M went on to make all the plays needed for the upset. The game ended with a 4th and goal stand made by the Aggies with 1:36 left. Johnny Manziel finished the game, rushing for 92 yards and throwing for 253 with 2 touchdowns. The final score of the monumental upset was 29-24. The performance by Manziel catapulted him into the top 3 of the Heisman race. Both the A&M team and "Johnny Football" have put a serious monkey-wrench in the Heisman and National Championship picture. The lost, dropped Alabama from first to fourth in the BCS rankings and Manziel was not  seriously mentioned as a Heisman candidate until the Alabama win. Everyone expected the Crimson Tide to be in the big game in the end. Thanks to Manziel and his teammates, the public may witness a National Champion that's not a member of the SEC conference.

      

COLLEGE BASKETBALL IS FINALLY HERE !!!!!!!

The college basketball season is finally upon us! Indiana University begins the season as the number one team in the country. The Hoosiers are deep at every position on the court. Pre-season National Player of the Year candidate Cody Zeller anchors the middle of a potent offense capable of producing big numbers. The Hoosiers welcome in a Top 5 recruiting class to add to last year's Sweet 16 squad. Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell highlights the class because of his All-American status. In his first game as a collegiate player, Yogi showed the skills of a great floor leader. He scored 10 points and dished out 7 assist in a display of blazing speed and complete control of the offense. Bryant University did not stand a chance losing 97-54. The Hoosiers played the game in a fashion that screams " We are the number one team in the country!" I would have to agree, after watching the team's offensive and defensive improvements. Indiana has all the ingredients to win a National Championship starting with a good "floor general" and a "solid big man". Yogi Ferrell is proving to be the missing piece that could carry them over the top. The Big Ten has the title of being the toughest conference in America. Five teams are represented in the Top 25 polls lead by Indiana at number 1. Ohio State and Michigan are ranked 4th and 5th respectively, while Michigan State and Wisconsin round out the Top 25 at 14th and 23rd. The college basketball season should give everyone plenty of thrills and major upsets. The Top 25 polls will have a few unexpected teams on the list as the season goes on. The beauty of college basketball is not knowing where that surprise team will come from. I have composed my own top 25 list.

TAY'S CBB TOP 25 LIST:

 

1. Indiana

2. Louisville

3. Michigan

4. Kentucky

5.Ohio State

6. Kansas

7. North Carolina

8. Duke

9. Syracuse

10. North Carolina State

11. Florida

12. Missouri

13. Michigan State

14. Arizona

15. Creighton

16. Memphis

17. Gonzaga

18. Baylor

19.Wisconsin

20.UNLV

21. San Diego State

22. Murray State

23.Cincinnati

24. Florida State

25. VCU   

THE PLEASANT SURPRISE OF THE NFL

The Indianapolis Colts came into the season as everyone's pick to be the worst team in the NFL. Unfortunately, the Colts did not believe it. In the eyes of all professional analyst, the Colts were supposed to be in the rebuilding stage. After a decade at Quarterback, Peyton Manning was released to test the free-agent market. During that time most Colts fans did not agree with this scenario. Colts owner Jim Ursay decided to go in a different direction by drafting Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck to guide the franchise in a new direction. The expectations going into the 2012-2013 season were low by national media and most Colt fans. The entire Colts organization is practically new, starting with the General Manager down to the players. Reggie Wayne, Robert Mathis, and Dwight Freeny are the only All-Pro players left over from the Manning era. These circumstances alone, exemplify the amount of heart and dedication the Colts are exhibiting this season. The spark was lit when first year coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with Leukemia. The next Sunday, the team went out and played a home game against the Green Bay Packers. The game would be a tale of two half's. The first half began with the Packers dominating the Colts in every facet of the game. The Packers jumped out to a 21-3 lead. The Colts came out the locker room a completely different team. The Colts had a performance of the ages, by going on a 27-6 run with Reggie Wayne stretching for the game clenching touchdown. Since their victory over the Packers the Colts have compiled a (3-1) record with three straight wins. The team is now firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot at (5-3). Not exactly where the national media expected them to be. Tomorrow night the Colts travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars who are (1-7) with their lone victory coming against the Colts in week three. If the Colts can win, they will be one step closer to proving all their critics wrong.

My take on the Colts: The Indianapolis Colts are developing into a major "feel good story" of the underdogs that shook up the American Football Conference. (AFC) I really don't know how the Colts season will end, but I strongly believe that they have done enough to garner all our respect.

DID OKC MAKE A MISTAKE??

On the eve of the season, a major move was made that could change the landscape of the NBA's Western Conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder traded James Harden to the Houston Rockets after the two factions could not agree to terms on a contract extension. Harden, the (2011-2012 6th Man of the Year) was looking for a max deal. The Thunder offered a 4yr/55 million dollar extension in which Harden turned down. The task of giving Harden a max deal was virtually impossible with the team having two other star players signed to max deals. (Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook) Harden was traded to Houston along with four other players. In return the Thunder received 2012 Lottery pick Jeremy Lamb, three future draft picks and the deals focal point shooting guard Kevin Martin. Harden has paid immediate dividends in his first two games compiling a staggering stat line of 82 points, 14 assist, 13 rebounds, and 4 steals. The lost of Harden has most basketball analysts changing their opinion of the Thunder being the best team in the Western Conference. I strongly believe the Thunder still have enough fire power to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. I get the impression that everyone has dismissed the importance of guard Eric Maynor and his return to the team. Maynor is a key cog of the team who had the misfortune of tearing his anterior cruciate ligament at the beginning of last season. He brings stability to an offense that does not have a true point guard. The Thunder lead the NBA in turnovers last season due to his absence. It has been widely suggested that Thunder coach Scott Brooks would be wise to move Russell Westbrook to his natural two guard spot and let Maynor play the point guard slot. The Thunder will not miss a beat because Kevin Martin is a proven scorer in the NBA. He lead both of his former teams in scoring while he played in Sacramento and Houston. Martin is one of those players who can put up 40 to 50 points on any given night. The one problem with Martin is his lack of defensive awareness. Players like Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and Eric Maynor will make up for Martin's lack of individual defensive skills. The Thunder play great team defense by funneling opposing players into the lane where Serge Ibaka will either block or contest the shot. The Oklahoma City Thunder will be fine. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are the core pieces in place, that will guide the Thunder to their first championship since 1979, back when they were formerly known as "The Seattle Supersonics".

THE REALIZATION OF " WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN"

After watching ESPN's 30 for 30 about the life of Benjamin "Benji" Wilson, I started to think about all the basketball stars who never had a chance to make their mark in the NBA. Benji Wilson was one of the first nationally ranked high school phenoms in the country. After watching the documentary, I could clearly see the skills of a special player. He exhibited all the skills of an NBA calibur player during his Sophmore and Junior years at Simeon Vocational High School in Chicago Illinios. He could play the inside game and step out on the wing and shoot with touch. Wilson was also known as a great defender who thrived in shot blocking. Tragically Benji Wilson was gunned down a block away from Simeon Vocational after an altercation with another young man. During the period of the early 80's Benji Wilson was considered to one of the most popular figures in Chicago, along with Oprah Winfrey, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Michael Jordan, and the first African American Mayor of Chicago, Harold Washington.

Hank Gathers was a college basketball star during the late 80's at Loyola Marymount University in California. Gathers was a "beast" of a player during his time at LMU. He put together his best collegiate season in 1988-89 when he became the second player in NCAA Divison 1 history to lead the nation in scoring and rebounding with averages of (32.7) and (13.7) per contest. During his Senior year he would become a candidate for National Player of the Year honors, ultimately leading to a NBA Lottery pick projection. Unfortunately, Hank died on the basketball court in a game against the University of Portland in the West Coast Conference (WCC) tournament. Hank completed an earth shattering alley-oop dunk and collapsed as he ran down the court. Doctors explained the cause of death as a heart muscle disorder called " hypertrophic cardiomyopathy."

Len Bias was a star player at the University of Maryland during the early 80's. The basketball skills he exibited were a blend of power and finesse. Bias impressed NBA scouts with his leaping ability, ball handling, physical stature, and overall playmaking skills. Len Bias was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 2nd pick in the 1986 NBA draft. NBA executives believed he was the closest thing to come out since Michael Jordan. The Celtics envisioned Len Bias keeping the winning tradition going into the future after Larry Bird retired. The same night Bias was drafted he went home to be with family and friends. Later that night he went back to his dorm room and snorted cocaine with a few friends. The cocaine usage caused cardiac arrhythmia which ultimately cut his life and dreams tradgically short.

All three of these men are examples of "what could have been" They all would have been NBA players with possible All-Pro/Hall of Fame careers. I have seen video of all three men during their playing years. All exhibited skills that made them stand out above the average player. Sadly, the only thing left now is to wonder.

Other players that did not reach their full potential due to death: Reggie Lewis (Boston Celtics), Drazen Petrovic (New Jersey Nets), Bobby Phils (Charlotte Hornets), Malik Sealy (Minnesota Timberwolves)