2016 NFL Draft: whom shall the Stillers take?

The NFL Draft is tonight. So let's talk about who the Steelers options are and stuff.

What the Steelers need
Secondary help, defensive tackle
The Steelers are a good football team, so their areas of improvement are not extremely wide. However, as we all saw in 2015, the secondary needs a lot of help, and this draft class is a good place to get it. I have been saying for the past year that the Steelers need help in the secondary; I still stand by that sentiment. Yes, the Steelers lost an important part of  their defense this winter when Steve McLendon signed with the New York Jets, leaving the Steel Curtin without a nose tackle. However, with the deep core of talented corners in this draft class, the Steelers can't afford not to draft one of them. The defensive tackle is an important position, but not nearly as important as it was in the days of Mean Joe and the boys. The NFL is all about passing, and corners are more important than ever, and the Steelers have to get with the times. Therefore, in the first round, Kevin Colbert, and Mike Tomlin need to come to an agreement on drafting a cornerback with pick #25.

Now that we know what the Steelers should take, let's look at who the Steelers should take.

What Mel Kiper thinks
Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State

''The secondary is the top priority in this draft if I'm drafting, and the availability of Apple late in Round 1 makes him an easy call. He has length, outstanding athletic ability and a willingness to tackle. He needs to refine his cover skills, but that goes for just about any young cornerback, and Apple has tremendous talent.''
- Mel Kiper as stated in his three-round mock draft article for ESPN.Com http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2016/insider/story/_/id/15189670/mock-draft-2016-nfl-draft
I like Eli Apple. He is what Kiper says he is, and played a massive role in Ohio State's 2014 National Title team. However, as Kiper said, he does need to refine his cover skills, and for that, I think the Steelers should pass on him.
What Chirs Burke (NFL.com) thinks 
Karl Joseph, WVU

This is an interesting idea. Joseph's style of play could be described in 4 words: Balls to the wall. The man is reckless, and will do whatever it takes to make a play. Before missing most of his senior season at WVU due to a knee injury that was not a result of careless play, Joseph turned in a fantastic career in the Blue and Gold, which included starting every game for the Eeers as a Freshman and Sophmore and being an All-Big 12 performer as a Junior. Three things would make me advise the Steelers not to draft Joseph.

The first is his durability. Sure, one should not throw a red flag every time a college kid gets hurt, but the way Joseph plays makes injury seem more likely, and the Steelers can not afford an injury prone career. Second is that the Steelers don't need a safety as much as they need a corner. Will Allen and Mike Mitchell are both veterans and are by no means superstars, but they outperformed whatever Pittsburgh threw on the edges last year, and are not as big of an issue as the corners are. The third is that he went to WVU, which has not worked well for the Steelers in the past (see Amos Zereoue and Ryan Mundy).

What Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) thinks 
Mackensie Alexsander, CB, Clemson

Flash, Brash and hella talented. That's Mackensie Alexander for you. The Clemson corner played a big part in getting the Tigers to the National Title game in 2015. Alexander is a shutdown corner, which is something the Steelers might like to have. Although many college football fans were not fond of Alexander's confidence, being confident is a trait that every athlete needs, and if it needs to get to the point of being arrogont, so be it. Alexsander would be a solid choice at #25. The problem is, I do not expect him to drop that far. I have a gut feeling that Oakland will draft him at #14.

Who I think
William Jackson III, CB, Houston

Jackson is similar to Eli Apple. Both have great upside, but both struggle to play press coverage. However, I'd like the Steelers to draft Jackson over Apple because
1. I like the small school guy
2. Jackson will be better at reading a QB's mind
Jackson is a little small, but he is quick. He struggles with press coverage at times, but that is an area that can get better. A lot of the NFL Draft is all about gut feel, and my gut tells me the Steelers should and will go with Jackson. But you never know.

Thanks for reading, and happy draft day.

2016 NBA Playoffs: First Round Predictions

Hello, all. The NBA playoffs are here. Some matchups are interesting, others not so much. Let's get into what will happen in the first round. 

West 

#1 Warriors over #8 Rockets in 4.

The Warriors are a juggernaut. The Rockets are a mess. Daryl Morey might as well start looking for a new job. My only wish is that there will be a camera in  Kevin McHale's house throughout the series. Nobody would blame him if he chuckled a little. The way the Rockets treated McHale is almost as despicable as James Harden's defense, and I will feel no sympothy watching them get waxed by Steph and the boys. 

#2 Spurs over #7 Grizzlies in 5

San Antiono is a far superior team, but I just have a gut feeling that Memphis will sneak in a win during this series. Memphis has a good group of players that will give it their all, but the Spurs are just too good for them to handle.

#3 Thunder over #6 Mavericks in 5

KD and Russell Westbrook will ball out, while Dallas will fall out. Dallas's time has passed, and the Thunder shall handle them with ease 

#4 Clippers over #5 Blazers in 6

This series is actually somewhat compelling, but LAC has more depth than Portland does, and I just don't trust that the Blazers will get much production aside from Daminan Lillard and CJ McCollum. The Clippers are a talented team that can get production from several guys, and they will survive a fairly challenging 6 game series.

The East

#1 Cavs over #8 Pistons in 6

I think this series will go a little farther than people think. Detriot has a tough, well coached team led by Andre Drummond, but they are still an #8, and I don't think they will be much different from most other #8's. I expect them to battle Lebron and company, but the Cavs will be too talented in the end. 

#2 Toronto over #7 Indiana in 6_

Similar story with the #1 vs #8 matchup, the Pacers will not roll over easily. Paul George is one of the best players in the world, and any team that has him on the roster has a chance to do great things, especially if  Indiana can play  defense the way they are capable of. However, Kyle Lowry is equally as good as George. and DeMar Derozan is terriffic as well. The Raptors have a genuine shot to win the East, and the Pacers will not stop them. 

#4 Celtics over #5 Hawks in 7

This is the most intriguing series to watch from either conference. The Celtics have been a surprise team this year, as the tough two-way guard play of Avery Bradley and Isaiah Thomas and the brilliant coaching of Brad Stevens have made them one of the better teams in the East. The Hawks will not be an easy out, as Paul Millsap, Al Hortford and Jeff Teague can take over a game at any time. It will be a hard-fought series that will go down to the wire, but I think the defense and grit of Boston will send them to the quarterfinals. 

#6 Hornets over #3 Heat in 6

Finally, an upset. Kemba Walker is a absolute stud, and I have a feeling that he will completely take over this series. Walker will carry the Hornets to a 6-game victory. I don't really have a deep analysis on why this will occur, just my gut. We'll see how right my skinny gut is.

Penguins-Rangers: 3 keys to victory

It's playoff time, and the Pens are hot. Tonight, the Pittsburgh Penguins will begin what will hopefully be a long journey in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their first hurdle will be the New York Rangers. Here is what Pittsburgh must do to move on to the next round. 

Key #1: Sid must be big time 

It's common knowledge that Sidney Crosby is one of, if not the best hockey player in the world. However, the past few years, he has not been himself in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and that's one of the reasons that the Pens have been bounced by New York in each of the past two seasons. If Crosby can be at his very best, his fellow teamates will feed off of him and Pittsburgh will be a much better team as a result 

Key #2: Depth, Depth and more Depth.

One of the biggest reasons for the Penguins playoff failures over the past few years is that the big guns have had too much pressure on them to perfeom. When your bottom 6 is not producing, the top 6 has more pressure on them, and when the top 6 has more pressure on them, more pressure often less to less production. If players like Connor Sheary, Tom Kuhnhackal and Bryan Rust are able to be key factors, it will make it easier for the likes of Crosby, Kunitz and Kessell to be themselves in the playoffs 

Key #3

Speed must kill

The Penguins biggest strength is unquestionably their speed. The roster is filled with burners who play well into Mike Sullivan's style, and I will argue that the Penguins are the fastest team in the fastest game on ice. If Pittsburgh can use their speed the way they know how, they will make life miserable for the New York Rangers. Carl Hagelin, Connor Sheary and, of course, Sidney Crosby will all need to put on the jets, and I have a good feeling that they will do just that.

 

Final Series Prediction: Pens in 6

The Penguins are on fire, and have been for a large majority of Mike Sullivan's reign as head coach. The Rangers have knocked them out of the playoffs the past two seasons, and they are due to be conquered. 

Thanks for reading, and Let's Go Pens!

Spieth's meltdown is a perfect blend of what we love and hate aboutsports

One of my faveroite stories that I've heard about Golf took place before I was born. It was the 1996 Masters (I was born in 1998). Greg Norman, an Australian who was already well known for having the worst of luck in the biggest of tournaments, entered the final day of the Masters with a commanding 6 stroke lead at -13 under par. It looked like the Shark would finally be able to put on the green jacket. Now, here is where my dad's story comes in.

On the final Sunday at Augusta, Norman learned once again that in Golf, ones biggest obstacle is the person who stares back at him in the mirror. Norman blew up, and wound up losing the tournament to Nick Faldo by 5 strokes. My dad has said for years that Norman choked to the point where he ''couldn't stand any longer'' and had to go into another room. I don't know why I've liked this story so much, I've just always have. On Sunday, I learned exactly what my dad meant when he said he couldn't take it anymore.

If there was ever a golfer who was the opposite of Greg Norman, it's Jordan Spieth. Unlike Norman, Spieth is calm, cool and collected when the big moment comes, and all of those things made him the best golfer on the planet in 2015. However, on Sunday afternoon, Spieth practically morphed into Norman. As most sports fans are well aware, the 22-year-old Texan had a 5-stroke lead over halfway through his final round, and then the rains came (aka the 12th hole). On hole #12, Spieth did his best Tin Cup impression, hitting two shots into the water and finishing the hole with a quadrople bogye. Spieth never recovered, finishing at -2 under par and in 3rd place, while at the same time, being forced to put the green jacket on the new winner, Danny Willett, as is tradition for the Masters champion from the year before to do. 

Spieth's meltdown was hard to watch for odvious reasons. It is never fun to watch somebody go from on top of the world to  at the bottom of the world in the span of less than an hour. Spieth seems to be a sharp and well spoken young man, the kind of guy you want to see be the face of the sport. For so long,  it looked like Spieth would further establish himself as the face of the sport. Instead, he wound up on the wrong side of history, and all fans should be sympathetic towards Spieth. 

 

As hard as it was to see Spieth crumble, it was also one of the things that make sports great. Until that 12th hole, the Masters was only moderately exciting. Spieth was running away, and it didin't look like anybody could stop him. It's not much fun when one guy is a man among boys, and that's how it was for the first half of Sunday afternoon. Because of Spieth's choke, The 2016 Masters will always be remembered. Because Spieth lost it, the final hour of the masters was phenomenal television, and phenomenal television is what every sport desires. Because Spieth took his foot off the gas , a relatively unknown golfer became an eternal part of the game's history.

Coming into the Masters, Danny Willett was an afterthought. Not a lot of people believed he could wear that jacket, and they had good reason to be skeptical. Sure, Willett was ranked as one of the better players in the world, but he had never won a torunament on the PGA and was not thought of to be a major threat to the likes of Spieth, Jason Day or Rory Mcilroy. Coming into Sunday, Willett was 3 strokes back of Speith for the lead at even par. But one thing led to another, and Willett became the first British man to win the masters since Sir Nick Faldo did it in 1996, the same year Norman forgot how to play put-put. 

While Willett's win is a great come-from-behind story, I'm not so sure it's good for the sport. In my mind, Golf is lacking a true superstar. Golf needs a person who can dominate the way Tiger Woods did back in the day while at the same time being a likeable person off the course (Woods is not). Jordan Spieth is really close to becoming that type of player, and winning the Masters for the second year in a row would have shot him even further up the ladder. Spieth still has plenty of time to become a transcending superstar that Golf needs, but his Agusta brain cramp stunted his growth. 

I will admit that I was rooting for Spieth to win at the Masters, and I will again be rooting for him at the U.S. Open in June. Hopefully, the 12th hole does not scar him for life and ruin a potentionally historic carrer. I don't think it will. If I had to bet, I'd say that Spieth will win the U.S. and British Open. I hope my prophecy comes true. Jordan Spieth is a good man who would be great choice to be the top guy of the PGA. 

So, Jordan Speith's meltdown on 12 will live on in Golf history forever, for good reasons and for bad. Hopefully, future majors won't need a epic collapse to be historic. 

A Preview Unlike Any Other: Masters Preview 2016

A Preview Unlike Any Other

Masters Preview 2016

By: Jeff Stewart

                        And so another Masters is upon us.  Many questions remain to be answered: Will Jordan continue his reign of dominance in the majors?  Will fan-favorite Rickie Fowler capture his first major?  Will Jason Day continue his hot play? Will Rory complete the last leg of his career grand slam? This tournament should be one of the most exciting Masters in a while.

The Favorites: 
                   These are my top picks for who will come home with the Green Jacket.

Jason Day

         

              One of the favorite pick among many experts is my top pick as well.  Jason has been playing incredible golf since his first major victory at the PGA Championship.  He has won his last 2 tournaments he has played in and is in the best shape of his life.  The record set last year by Jordan Spieth is in my opinion is in risk of being beaten if Jason plays the way he has played recently.  I can already almost see him in that green jacket.

Rickie Fowler

             Even though I have just praised the way Jason has been playing, you can't put Rickie into the shadows.  He has been playing incredible golf of late as well. He has finished in the top-10 in the last 6 of 8 tournaments.  He has not won a major and has come so close, his best finishes were 5th at the Masters, 2nd at the US Open, 2nd at the Open and 3rd at the PGA.  Last year, a week after being voted most-overrated by his fellow PGA tour competitors, won the Players championship. If he plays with that extra-fire we saw at the Players, he could win this thing.

Rory McIlroy

        Rory comes into this year's Masters looking to finish off the career grand-slam he has dreamed of.   The Masters is the one tournament that he can't seem to find a way to win.  You might remember his 2011 final round collapse.  However, recently he can't seem to get started early enough.  Last year Rory played great on Sunday but he dug himself into such a big hole on Thursday and Friday he couldn't find a way out.  He is not playing in the annual par-3 contest and it will be interesting to see if that is a factor but if he plays well Thursday and Friday, you might just be seeing a Northern Irishman putting on the green jacket. 

Henrik Stenson

        To close out my favorite picks to win this year, I have a player who has never won a major. Henrik Stenson has been playing really good golf of late and 2nd place at the Houston Open this past week.  If he plays this good next weekend and we don't see another -20 performance by another 21 year old, he could bring home his first major.  

The Sleepers:

                       Some of my sleepers may not seem like sleepers but considering they have not been consistent winners on the tour and are not some of the top picks, I think they could surprise some folks this week. 

Martin Kaymer

             Martin Kaymer is best known for being a 2-time major winner(2010 PGA and 2014 US Open) however he has not had success here at Augusta.  His best finish was 31st. He has only played 4 PGA Tour events so far and has gotten better each event. If he finds a nice rhythm, he could make some noise.  His cool play under pressure in past majors would definitely help him if it came down to the last stretch.  

Phil Mickelson

                 "Lefty" is a fan favorite and one of mine too. He is one of the current players who has had much success at Augusta. He has won 3 Masters and continues to play well there to this day.  Phil is going to win another major at some point and I strongly feel he could win this year.  He played very well last year and had a top 3 finish.  Look for him to continue that success this year. 

Patrick Reed

                 Patrick Reed is another emerging star on tour. It seems like he is in contention in nearly every tournament. He doesn't come through as often but that will come with age.  Why not get it started in a Major?  He continues to amaze and hang in there with Rory, Jordan and Jason at his side. So, if things work in his favor, he might find a way to pull it out. 

The Surprises:

                  These two predictions might surprise you but they surely won't surprise me.  Now remember I am the man who predicted a Texas- Kentucky NCAA Tournament Championship game, so keep that in mind. 

Jordan Spieth Disappoints

               I said this might surprise you! Yes, do not except another great performance by Jordan this year.  He has not been playing well and he has had issues with his swing.  He says his swing has gotten better after working with his trainer, but you do not often see a player go from poor to major contention in a week and a half.  He may make the cut, but I don't think you'll see a repeat champion this year. 

Bubba Watson Misses Cut

            Bubba- Adam- Bubba- Jordan- Bubba?  This is Bubba's turn to win the Masters.  He has won every other Masters since 2012 and has had success in his off years( Yes, his off year is not winning the Masters. I would take that any day).  Now, Bubba has won 2 tournaments this year and played well in others but he has also played very poorly including a 70th place at Pebble Beach.  He has been so inconsistent in recent years and it seems like every other tournament.  He has also been battling a sickness this past weekend and that may be a factor as well.  Don't except much from Bubba either.


My Predictions:

          I think this will be a very good tournament, just like almost every tournament this year.  Jason Day has played so well recently that his stellar Thursday and Friday will be just enough to defeat Rory Mcilroy and Phil Mickelson.  Rory will play middle of the pack Thursday and start to emerge Friday. He will ultimately make his biggest surge Sunday but fall just short of Jason.  Phil will play solid every day but never shoot as good as Jason or Rory.  Rickie will get top-5 and Stenson top-10. Kaymer and Reed will each finish top-27.  Like I said earlier Bubba will not make the cut and Jordan will struggle early on and and finish top 40.
     
        Thanks for reading and make sure to be tuned in for what should be a fantastic Masters!


Happy Masters week to all!

UNC-Nova: How they matchup/prediction

It's national title time. It's somewhat important. North Carolina is playing Villanova. The object of this post is in the title. Let's get into it

How the two teams match-up 

Front-Court 

Edge: UNC 

If you have watched Villanova play, you'd know that they are a team that is built on guard play and outside shooting. If you have watched North Carolina play, you'd know that they are a team that is built on pounding the ball inside and working some magic in the paint. Based on that, Carolina has he edge in the front-court. Kris Jenkins and Daniel Ochefu are quality big men for Nova, but I'll take UNC's trio of Brice Johnson, Kennedy Meeks and Justin Jackson over just about any in College Basketball. If Nova's shooting betrays them, it could be a long night.

Backcourt 

Edge: Villanova 

I've been hearing all week from a bunch of so-called ''experts'' that Villanova is ''a team without any stars''. I disagree. If Josh Hart is not a star, then what is the meeting of the phrase? Hart can score (15.5) PPG. He can shoot the three ball. He plays lock down defense, and he can shoot the three-ball. Add in the floor vision of Ryan Arcidiacono and the outside shooting of Jalen Brunson, and you've got a strong back-court in Philly. Chapel Hill's back-court isn't too shabby either, as anybody who follows college basketball knows how good Marcus Paige is. However, the depth that Nova has in the back-court slightly edges out what the Tar Heels have.


Bench
Edge: UNC

Just like that, the Tarheels regain the lead. Roy Williams does a lot of things well as a head coach, and one of them is the way he uses his bench. Theo Pinson, Nate Britt, and Isiah Hicks have all played major parts in getting UNC to where they are. Nova has an elegant bench too, as, just like UNC, they have eight players who are averaging over 10 minutes per game. What gives the Tar Heels the edge here in my honest opinion is that I feel that their starting 5 is stronger than Nova's starting 5. While the two teams both have solid bench depth, the strength of UNC's starters makes their bench a little less of a necessity than it could become for Villanova.

Final Prediction

We all know how dominant UNC has been for the last two months. We are all aware of how good Villanova has been since the tournament started. I think most will agree that the talent level of the Tar Heels is superior to that of the Wildcats. However, it would be wrong to take Nova's destruction of Oklahoma in the national semifinal into consideration and not think that this will be a close game. Villanova was getting little respect as a #2 seed coming into this tournament and has been playing with a chip on their shoulder. However, Carolina has been playing that way ever since their brutal home loss to Duke on February 18th. I think that UNC will win this game because it is their time. Something about this season feels like a Tar Heel's destiny, and that destiny will be fulfilled tonight for Roy Williams.