The Bears have glaring needs at two position groups: linebacker and offensive line. Losing long-time great Brian Urlacher certainly hurts emotionally. Sending Nick Roach away to the Raiders of all teams is simply a punch in the gut. Although DJ Williams and James Anderson are solid signings, neither can be looked upon as much more than a stopgap considering a contract duration of only one year. Chicago MUST address this in the first two days of the draft.
Do not forget about the offensive line, or lack there of. The signing of Jermon Bushrod certainly gives Chicago some flexibility assuming he takes the role of left tackle. Hopefully J'Marcus Webb will thrive at a more 'natural' right tackle position given his physical attributes. Gabe Carimi should be able to establish himself as a decent guard provided he stays healthy. Roberto Garza appears to be the starting center for another year. Will he visit the 'fountain of youth'? A second concern revolves around the second starting guard spot. Will Johnathan Scott move inside to start? As of today it appears recently acquired Matt Slauson will take the job. The Bears desperately need to address the offensive line early in the draft.
The Monsters of the Midway certainly need to add depth at a select few spots. Running back, wide receiver and defensive back are definite possibilities. I foresee a selection of at least one skilled offensive player in 2013. Mark Trestman and his staff will begin to influence certain aspects as a new offensive system is introduced. Depending on various factors, these selections could be impact rookies. The Bears will have the opportunity to select five players barring any draft day trades. Round three and seven are owned by other NFL teams. Here are my projections:
FIRST ROUND
20. OG Chance Warmack (University of Alabama) - Most interior linemen are beginning to slide down draft boards for various reasons. The Bears can't go wrong selecting Cooper here either if he is available, but Dallas clearly has interest in the Tar Heel. Warmack will be an instant start on the offensive line. A prominent player with multiple national championships, Chance certainly has the pedigree that Emery appreciates. He will likely begin as a guard as Garza assists in Warmack's transition into a 10-year starter at center.
SECOND ROUND
50. LB Arthur Brown (Kansas State University) - Brown is rising up draft boards with a strong showing at his pro day. Chicago must clearly fill multiple voids at linebacker, and Arthur can fit into any of them. He is fast enough to be the sideline-to-sideline play maker that the Bears lose in Urlacher. He is strong and big enough to fit in the middle. At times he has difficulty in coverage, but his quickness should make up for that. This pick will change if the Bears select Ogletree in round one. Bears fans are praying the franchise avoids a certain defensive Golden Domer.
FOURTH ROUND
117. DB Brandon McGee (University of Miami) - The Bears are losing some depth in the defensive backfield in the next two seasons. A young corner is an absolute necessity despite the availability of two starting Pro-Bowlers in Tillman and Jennings. McGee won the Captain's Award and Plumer Award for Leadership, Motivation and Spirit in his final year at Miami. Trestman can only hope he has an immediate impact in locker room camaraderie and team chemistry.
FIFTH ROUND
153. OT Reid Fragel (Ohio State University) - Chicago continues to solidify the leaky offensive line with the selection of a very athletic tackle. A converted tight end, Fragel started all 12 games while playing the position for less than a year. He began to show his work ethic by adding more than 20 pounds in a season. Bushrod will likely dominate the left tackle position. The opposite side should be wide open. The Bears will find excellent value in Fragel as a fifth round pick as long as he is available.
SIXTH ROUND
188. WR Ryan Swope (Texas A&M University) - With two big receivers on the outside the bears need a play maker in the slot receiver position. Swope proved last year that he has the capability to become a go-to receiver. He made Manziel look incredible on some plays. He reads blocks well and may have a future as a return man. Hester has shown he simply is not the answer and Bennett tends to play hide-and-seek from week to week. Ideally the Bears address this need with their final pick of the 2013 draft.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
What Does a 4 Team College Football Playoff Really Solve?
A playoff has finally arrived for college football fans everywhere, but what will really change? Does this give Boise state a greater chance to play for a national championship? Doubtful. After all, a selection committee will be involved creating a scenario eerily similar to what we currently have in major college basketball; the dreaded bubble. However, a college football playoff will likely leave out most of the best teams while the current college college basketball bubble boots teams that would be considered barely above average. Do we, as fans, really believe that Boise state would make a national championship playoff if it were in place when the team was rattling off undefeated seasons and shocking some of the best teams we have seen? I do not believe it for one moment.
The new playoff system is not truly focused on creating fairness and equality amongst all teams, rather it's focus lies on the big picture. And by big picture, I mean money. Although I never agreed, at least the BCS has a partially mathematical system in place to determine the two best teams at the conclusion of the season. A selection committee allows for far too much bias and human error in the decision making process. Sure, the NCAA basketball selection committee can make a few mistakes when choosing and seeding 68 (and growing) teams. There is zero room for error when selecting teams for such an elite football postseason event. What will happen when 3 of the top 4 teams lie in one conference, say the SEC. The committee will, without a doubt, feel pressure from other power conferences such as the BIG10, BIG12, and PAC12 to exclude one of those three teams.
The tournament is set to begin in 2014 carrying a contract through 2023. I certainly hope that the contract is renegotiated sooner rather than later. The NCAA should take a considerable look at expanding the playoff as soon as possible. Not only will it generate more revenue, but is also instills a much fairer approach. I have never felt particularly compelled to keep non-conference games on the schedule, especially with major conferences seemingly headed to 16 total members in the near future. Here is a simple solution: limit the non-conference schedule to 1 game per team. This would free up a minimum of two weeks at the end of the season to add to a playoff. The tree would easily be expandable to 16 total teams, thus less likely to make "bubble" mistakes. The single out-of-conference game will allow storied programs to continue any rivalries that they see fit. Eliminate bowl games and conference championships altogether. Begin a tiered playoff system (for example, 3 flights of 16 teams each). This set-up allows 48 total teams to participate in a playoff that can conclude in 4 weeks, yet 5 weeks is much more likely considering the necessity of a bye before the championships.
But wait, we forgot about the big picture: profitability. No, this system will not make the most money. No, this does not always mean the most talented team will even make the final game. It does create an atmosphere of equality while satisfying all the requirements of amateur sport. Again I pose the question: What does a 4 team playoff really solve? Who honestly believes that Oklahoma State or Stanford would have had a snowball's chance in hell against Alabama or LSU? Now I completely understand that games are not played on paper, but from a non-delusional point of view the cowboys and cardinal should be happy they played each other. At least a larger pool of teams allows for more parity and, hopefully, more exciting games. Not to mention the incredible amount of exposure that all of the teams involved will receive which certainly assists in leveling the astonishingly uneven recruiting 'playing field'. When it comes to the total number of teams involved in a postseason playoff, why accept less when you can have more?
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
A Farewell to Kerry Wood
After 14 turbulent years playing Major League Baseball,
Kerry Wood’s explosive arm has run out of gas. Cub’s fans may be quick to point out the 14 disabled list
appearances as an obstacle to Wood’s true potential. There is a strong possibility that the flamethrower fell
quite short of his expected career, but I would beg to differ.
Kerry was drafted, in 1995, out of a high school in Irving,
Texas by the Chicago Cubs. The
Cubs decided to grab the phenomenal right-hander, who grew up in a baseball hot
bed, with the fourth overall selection.
Of course, Wood's childhood was during a time when pitcher’s mechanics and arm
health were not nearly as closely monitored. Since the ripe young age of eight the Texan’s arm has been
overworked. Even Kerry’s high
school coach admitted mismanagement of the youngster from a young age. Yet, no one knew any better and Wood
continued to mow hitters down.
Wood spent three years playing minor league baseball for the
Cubs until his 1998 call-up on April 12th. It did not take long for the rookie to earn his nickname
“Kid K”. In just his fifth career
start Kerry Wood struck out his age in batters, 20. The only other pitcher to do so is Bob Feller, 17 years old,
in 1936. Many baseball analysts
consider his performance the most dominant in baseball history. The pitcher
catapulted into the spotlight after allowing only two runners, one hit and one
hit by pitch. Even Bill James scores the outing as the best in the history of
baseball. Despite missing the
final month with elbow issues, Kerry won the National League Rookie of the Year
by a landslide. Few knew that the
youngster’s minor elbow issues would begin a career of debilitating arm
injuries. Jim Riggleman continued
to overwork the spectacular pitching prospect, picking up where his high school
coach left off. He would not be
the final manager to push Wood a bit too hard.
High pitch counts in addition to poor mechanics would lead
to Kerry’s first major injury, a UCL tear in his right elbow. Wood required Tommy John surgery in
1999, which was a relatively unknown procedure. He began his recovery in the 2000 season, never truly
returning to form until late 2001 despite over 400 strikeouts in that two-year
span. After growing weary of
Riggleman’s style, the Cubs hired Dusty Baker to run the team in 2003. Although this becomes Wood’s career
year, the righty endures an incredible amount of work throughout the
season. Kerry struck out 266
batters in a 2003 campaign that included a trip to the all-star game. Along with Mark Prior, “Kid K”
brought the Cubs to within mere innings of a shot at history. The Cubs continued to look to the
future with Wood as their ace.
A long 2003 season led to some residual wear and tear for
the fire-baller. Wood is unable to
ever really regain confidence as a starter. After multiple designated list stints over a span of three
difficult years, Kerry moved to the bullpen in 2007. He won the closer job in 2008 after suffering a 60-day
disabled list stint in the prior year.
The newly donned closer converted 34 of 39 save opportunities in
addition to achieving career bests with 11.4 K/9 (strikeouts per nine innings
pitched) and 1.09 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched). He also earned his second and final
All-Star game appearance.
Wood's contract expired at the end of the season, but the
Cubs management and Kerry wanted two different things. The pitcher wanted a multiple year deal
while the Cubs only wanted to extend his services for one more season. Wood left Chicago for Cleveland. After playing two years with the
Indians and Yankees, “Kid K” returned to Chicago in 2011. He also knew when to
call it quits. Unable to win the
closer role in his return to Chicago, Wood took the set-up role through the
2012 season. He finished his
career the way it started, with a strikeout. On May 18 against the White Sox, Kerry was called on to
finish the 8th inning.
With two outs, the former rookie of the year made three perfect pitches
to finish the inning. Yet another
incredible feat has Wood sitting second all-time in career K/9 (strikeouts per
nine innings pitched) at 10.3 (Min. 1,200 IP: Randy Johnson (10.6), Kerry Wood
(10.3), Pedro Martinez (10), Nolan Ryan (9.6), Sandy Koufax (9.3). The one time Hall of Fame hopeful
finished his career as one of the most dominant pitchers of all time.
Upon returning to the Windy City the righty continued to
establish himself as an ambassador for the city of Chicago, the Cubs, and Major
League Baseball. Many of Kerry’s
charitable contributions, such as the Wood Family Foundation, have aided to
cement an exceptional image. Loyalty
and class are widely viewed as characteristics of the one time phenom, leading
many fans to classify Wood as a better man than baseball player. And make no mistake, Kerry Wood was an
excellent player. An excellent
player who stepped away from the game at the perfect time with a seemingly
untarnished image. I have no
problem with Wood leaving the game, particularly for his family’s sake. I am sure he just wants to be able to
play catch with his son, Justin, as he grows old. One thing is certain:
Kerry Wood will forever live in the hearts of Cubs’ fans.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Previewing the 2012 Heisman Race
What better way to begin than by discussing the most valuable college football players for the upcoming season? The NCAA has essentially equated the Heisman Trophy to an MVP award in college football. Some years there is a clear-cut winner, while other years there is not. The player will most certainly come from a very competitive, winning team. Prior to breaking out the list, I would like to note a few facts that are imperative when previewing the 2012 Heisman Trophy race:
- No player outside of the power conferences has won the award in the BCS era. In fact, no player in a non-power conference has won the Heisman since 1990 (Ty Detmer - QB, BYU).
- Over the course of the last 14 years only four running backs have won the award. That includes the notorious 2005 winner Reggie Bush, who more recently was stripped of the honor. I tend to argue that the award should have gone to Vince Yong that year anyway. Regardless, the only other finalists in 2005 were Leinart and Young. The way I see it, less than a quarter of the winners in the BCS era have been running backs. The rest are quarterbacks.
- A quarterback has won the award in five of the previous six seasons. Of those winners, four have been able to change the game with their feet as well as their arm. Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton, Tim Tebow, and Troy Smith have all shown their ability to move the football in numerous ways. Three of these players utilize their skills in the NFL and Griffin III is certainly poised to do so in the near future with the Washington Redskins.
- The last time that a defensive player won the award was in 1997. Charles Woodson took the award, but was an impact player in all three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams. As soon as the BCS charmed the NCAA in 1998 the winners have been strictly quarterbacks and running backs. Despite not winning the award, both Tyrann Mathieu and Ndamukong Suh have provided respectable showings as finalists.
Understanding these main points as well as a general history of the sport allow me to come up with a list of players who will certainly make an impact and will, at various points in the season, be considered for the Heisman. Here it is:
Honorable Mention
(15) Keith Price QB, Washington - Price is probably the best player that you have never heard of. With a stature and style oddly reminiscent of Robert Griffin III, this signal caller transitioned the Huskie offense quite impeccably after Jake Locker left for the NFL. He enters his red-shirt junior season coming off a year in which he completed 70% of his passes. Additionally, Price made the 2011 Heisman winner look like a high school quarterback in last years high-scoring Alamo Bowl (Price: 23/37-438yds-4td-0int, Griffin III: 24/33-295yds-1td-0int). I am sure many will know this young man's name by the end of 2012.
(14) Robert Woods WR, USC - The junior receiver caught 111 passes for over 1,200 yards in 2011. With 15 touchdowns as a sophomore he has shown the ability to make red zone plays. The play maker is projected to be one of the top picks in the 2013 NFL draft. Woods will have a very productive year, but likely bested by his own teammate.
(13) Manti Te'o LB, Notre Dame - The 2011 Second team All-American is a durable playmaker who also snubbed the NFL for one more run with his squad. Once a highly touted recruit, Te'o has lived up to the hype of the five star ratings. Having gathered over 300 total tackles and 28.5 career tackles for loss Manti is clearly a decorated Notre Dame linebacker. The senior will have some dominant performances, but his team's limitations will provide him with some difficulty in attempting to become the first defensive player to win the award in 15 years.
(12) De'Anthony Thomas RB, Oregon - Dubbed the "Black Mamba" by Snoop Dogg during his SYFL (Snoop Youth Football League) days, Thomas is definitely turning some heads in Eugene. His size hasn't changed much since his time in the SYFL, but his speed, agility and quickness have definitely improved. As a true freshman in 2011 the five-foot-nine, 160 pound athlete ran for 595 yards and caught another 605 yards. In addition to his 16 offensive touchdowns, De'Anthony added two kickoff return touchdowns. With Kenjon Barner taking over for LaMichael James it is likely that Thomas will be used in the same role as 2011, an all-purpose athlete. The "Black Mamba" will begin to turn heads nationally, but will be slightly overshadowed by the hardier and more seasoned Barner.
(11) Geno Smith QB, West Virginia
- Geno certainly hasn't disappointed fans in Morgantown since taking
over after Jarrett Brown graduated in 2010. With Dana Holgorsen
implementing a new pass-happy offense, Smith's passing numbers
skyrocketed in his junior season. The decorated, former Big East
quarterback has completed over 65% of attempted passes during his
career. Adding over 7,400 career passing yards and a dominant
performance in the 2011 Orange Bowl makes Smith an interesting option
for the award. Although he generated quite the offensive production
last year, the competition was sub par. Beginning play in a much
stronger Big 12 conference will wear on the Mountaineers and eventually
hurt Smith's chances, as a senior, to take home the award in 2012.
Third Team
(10) Aaron Murray QB, Georgia
-After taking a red-shirt during his first year Murray stepped right
into the starting quarterback role in 2010. The Tampa, Florida native
threw for over 3,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as a
starter. His statistics were undoubtedly aided in 2010 by former
All-SEC receiver A.J. Green as the quarterback completed over 60% of his
passes for 24 touchdowns. One reason the red-shirt junior won't quite
contend this year is due, in part, to his inaccuracy in 2011. In only 61 more
attempts Murray threw 6 more interceptions with a declining completion
percentage. If the Bulldogs rely more heavily on the pro-style
quarterback in 2012 it may lead to even more inconsistencies. Tavarres King is the top returning receiving target, catching just 47 passes last year.
(9) Sammy Watkins WR, Clemson - The explosive receiver made plays for the Tigers as soon as he stepped foot on campus. The sophomore caught 82 passes with 12 of them going for touchdowns. He was dynamic in the rushing attack, gaining over 230 yards, and in the return game, adding more than 800 yards. Watkins became just the third true freshman named a First-team All-American (Adrian Peterson and Hershel Walker), but found himself in some legal trouble during the off season. Any type of suspension will hinder the wide receiver's opportunity to make the final cut. Despite his transgressions, Sammy will be the best receiver in college football this season.
(8) Kenjon Barner RB, Oregon - Kenjon has played second fiddle to LaMichael James in each of his first three seasons at Oregon. However, the speedy back has accounted for 1,856 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns in his career. Another stunning statistic is that Barner averages over 6 yards per carry for his career in 304 carries. Last year, Barner rushed for 939 yards on 152 carries as a backup (LaMichael James missed two games in 2011 due to a dislocated elbow). Five career receiving touchdowns and two return touchdowns round out the back's numbers nicely. Barner fits ideally into Chip Kelly's fast paced offense and will likely garner a majority of the carries in 2012. Another important note is that the California native will be motivated after waiting three years to shine as the prime back.
Second Team
(7) A.J. McCarron QB, Alabama - McCarron is a dark horse for the 2012 Heisman due to the style of offense at Alabama and the defensive excellence in the SEC. In 2011, "Raymond Anthony McCarron, Jr." led a run-heavy attack that included NFL bound Trent Richardson. As a red shirt sophomore he posted strong numbers in his first year starting. McCarron completed nearly 67% of his passes for 2,400 yards as well as a touchdown to interception ratio of 16 to 5. While the Tide likely relies on the running attack again in 2012, Saban will allow McCarron more freedom in the offense. With a bigger role in the offense, the quarterback will flourish and be a consideration in the race.
(6) Tyrann Mathieu CB, LSU - The "Honey Badger" is all too familiar with this stage after becoming a finalist for the award in 2011, the first since Ndamukong Suh. After registering 4.5 sacks, two interceptions, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in his freshmen season, Mathieu was named a First-team Freshman All-American. The 2011 Chuck Bednarik Award winner continued success throughout his sophomore year returning two punts for a touchdown along with two timely fumble returns. Be prepared for a larger impact on special teams with Tyrann this coming season. The junior corner will be the most exciting defensive player in 2012, but probably won't see as many favorable bounces.
(5) Marcus Lattimore RB, South Carolina - The former Mr. Football in the state of South Carolina was highly recruited, hailing from the small town of Duncan. Many top football programs took notice and the number one rated running back considered a laundry list of schools. He decided to stay home and enroll at South Carolina, despite joining a Steve Spurrier passing offense. He started his career strong as a true freshman with nearly 1,200 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. Marcus is a big, bruising back who has shown excellent agility for his 232-pound frame. Prior to an injury in 2011, Lattimore ran for 818 yards and 10 touchdowns. The junior running back is expected to be at full strength following a torn knee ligament against Mississippi State last year. However, the Gamecocks are wise to use caution with this superb young back and it is unlikely that he will become one of the few premier finalists.
The Finalists
(4) Collin Klein QB, Kansas State - The hard-nosed, dynamic signal caller for the Wildcats has certainly shown he can will his team to victory. Klein attempted 281 passes and ran the ball 317 times last year, quite an interesting distribution in modern football. It is also important to note that Klein accounted for 40 total touchdowns in 2011 with a whopping 27 of them coming on the ground (tying Ricky Williams for the Big 12 record in a season). In addition, he amassed over 3,000 yards of total offense. Reports out of the spring game are that Klein threw for over 470 yards and Snyder has given him more control of the play selection. KSU's offense also returns many other playmakers in Harper, Hubert, Lockett and Tannahill. The receiver turned quarterback has tremendous durability to go along with outstanding leadership capabilities. With Klein's steady play and a resurgence of "Snyder-ball" it is easy to see how this senior can make it to the final weekend of the award.
(2) Montee Ball RB, Wisconsin - Wisconsin replaces offensive lineman better than any team in the country, which is a big reason for this powerful back's success. Bret Bielema is dedicated to the run, and rightfully so. After receiving mainly spot carries during his freshman year, Ball became a key cog in the Badger running attack in 2010. He upped his rushing touchdown total from 4 to 16 in addition to running for nearly 1,000 yards. Montee hit his stride as the primary running back in 2011 and was rewarded with a trip to New York as a finalist. Ball ran for over 1,900 yards as a junior and racked up 39 total touchdowns, tying Barry Sanders for the most in a single season in FBS history. Producing 33 of those touchdowns on the ground, the Big 10 star also had a career best 6.3 yards per carry. Montee will make the trip again as long as Wisconsin replaces a pair of superior offensive linemen.
(1) Matt Barkley QB, USC - The NFL needs Matt Barkley, but clearly Matt Barkley doesn't need the NFL, yet. Despite the strong possibility of being one of the top five picks in the recent draft, the highly regarded quarterback returns to the Trojans to do something he could not for the previous two seasons: play for a national championship. Due to NCAA violations, USC was on probation for the entire 2010 and 2011 seasons. Some analysts considered the Trojans the best team in college football, but postseason play and polls were off limits. Prior to arriving on campus, the high school quarterback became the first non-senior to win both the Gatorade National Player of the Year and the Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year. Once at USC he found success almost immediately. Although his touchdown to interception ratio is poor in 2009 at 15 to 14, his sophomore and junior seasons alleviate any concerns in that area. The California born gunslinger has thrown for over 9,000 yards and 80 touchdowns in his three-year career. Barkley has come back for his final year determined to bring a trophy to his school. He will bring one trophy to Southern California, but it will include only Barkley's name.
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