Is Cammy Cam Ready?

Much like Tim Tebow was, Newton has been surrounded by questions since the end of his season. Many analysts wondered if Tim Tebow was good enough to be an NFL quarterback. Would he be able to pick up a pro-style offense quickly? Was his release quick enough to become an effective passer at the professional level?

Many of these same types of questions swirled around Cam Newton, until his most recent workout for the media. There wasn't a single person watching his workout that wasn't impressed. Newton's footwork and release in the pocket were much better than most anticipate. He made all but 4 of his throws. Newton's motion is very smooth and his throws are always hard and accurate, a skill that can take a while to teach a young quarterback. Newton could still have a much harder throw if he used his lower body to generate a little more force. I've always been suprised by his ability to throw, especially since his agility and speed are what most fans notice. Not to mention he's 6'5", 250 lbs and able to see right over his line to where he's throwing.

His drop back and movement were also solid. Cam was very mobile in the pocket and was quickly able to assess situations and escape rushers, just like he did at Auburn. And as I mentioned earlier, he looked very comfortable when dropping back. His play-action passes looked smooth. Half the battle of a transitioning quarterback is being able to feel comfortable and confident in your abilities when game time comes around. Cam has all the on-field skills to compete at the NFL level. He has the rare combination of size and agility, an especially infrequent occurrence in quarterbacks.

Now this whole write-up seems like a bunch of hype about how good Cam Newton is, but that's because he was good, and is good. I hope he carries over his agility and ability to scramble onto the next level and doesn't leave it behind because he has to run a different kind of game. That quickness is what gives Michael Vick the edge in games, even when the opposing quarterback could throw him into the next week.

This post is obviously a very quick and brief analysis of Cam Newton. If you would like a better look, I'd definitely find the video of his workout and make your own decisions on Newton. So what draft pick is he looking at? The way I see it, there's no way that Carolina, Buffalo, and Arizona will all pass him up. He will definitely go in the top 5. I'm truthfully expecting him to end up in Buffalo because I don't think Carolina has given up on their hopes for Jimmy Clausen yet. Wherever he ends up, I think he'll quickly be able to compete at the NFL level, and I expect to see him during the next season, whenever that may be.
  

Patriots' O-Line Awarded

So everyone knows that Bill Belichick and Tom Brady won AP's NFL Coach of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, respectively, but what a lot of people haven't noticed yet is that the Patriots' offensive line was given the 2010 Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award.

Without these guys, Tom Brady doesn't win the Offensive Player of the Year, so I'm happy to see them get rewarded. The award is given out annually (only twice so far) to the best offensive line based on a number of statistics. These include sacks allowed, rushing and passing yards, time of possession, offensive line penalties, third down, fourth down, and red zone conversion percentages. Fan voting and John Madden's personal observations also contribute to the selection.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2011/02/04/patriots_awarded_for_their_proficient_line_play/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Football+news

Happy Super Bowl watching.
  

Time For The Pack to Pounce?

Although the Pats couldn't quite pull through this year, the Super Bowl is still on my mind. Before I give my predictions for who's going to win, I'll let you know who I want to win. And why. First and foremost, I want Aaron Rodgers to win. Since the Pro Bowl teams were announced, I could frequently be found walking around my apartment, griping about how Aaron Rodgers wasn't picked. With a 101.2 QB rating, he was nestled in between Phillip Rivers and Michael Vick (both Pro Bowl selections), and I just couldn't understand where Rodgers went wrong. That rating was good enough for #3 in the league, above even Big Ben. That's why I want Aaron Rodgers to win, because he deserves it.

But on the other side of the ball, Big Ben deserves the big game as well. After a four-game suspension and questionable support from fans everywhere, Roethlisberger came through and led his team to the #2 spot in the AFC, giving them a bye before having to rack up wins against the Ravens and Jets. Let's not kid ourselves, the Steelers deserve this game as well.

Here's some keys to the game for both teams. First, Maurkice Pouncey. Strains in any muscle don't heal completely in two weeks. This will play some part in the Steelers game, if Pouncey plays at all. But on the other hand, I'm not completely decided on whether I'd rather have Pouncey limping around the field, getting knocked around by opposing tackles, or Doug Legursky fumbling into safeties left and right. Not to mention that whoever goes, they'll be staring down B.J. Raji all night.

Second. I know that most fans are more concerned with the match-up of wide receivers (Driver and Jennings vs. Wallace and Ward), but I'm most concerned about the match-up of the run-games against both teams' front-7. Rashard Mendenhall has been known to leave his game on the bus once in a while, so the Steelers better hope it doesn't happen this Sunday. Although his run-average was one of the lowest among the top 15 running backs this year, he's definitely the better back in this game. On the other hand, James Starks is hot and has a chance to use the spotlight to his advantage and have a breakout game. But will the pressure of a Super Bowl be too much for him?

And The Winner Is ...

USA Today - Auburn quarterback Cam Newton was the runaway winner of the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. Newton beat out other finalists Andrew Luck of Stanford, LaMichael James of Oregon and Kellen Moore to become the 76th winner of college football's top individual honor.

I must say, I'm pretty excited about this. Not because I got the prediction right (because anyone with two eyes that's ever seen a college football game could have predicted this), but because I love the way that Cam Newton plays and I respect him for pulling through this year when his team needed him the most. Now we just have to wait until January for his (perhaps final) college test.
 

Josh's NFL Pro Bowl Predictions

As of yesterday, the NFL released it's list of the Top 10 Pro Bowl "vote-getters," and I have to say, I'm a little bit disappointed. Of course, we all know the Pro Bowl is all about hype, so guys like Peyton Manning can make the Pro Bowl every year simply because of their name. So here's my list of the Top 10 Guys That If They Don't Make The Pro Bowl This Year I Will Be Very Suprised. And here's some sleeper pro bowl picks too.

10. Brandon Lloyd -One of the most underrated wide receivers in the NFL. He's having a tremendous season with Kyle Orton quarterbacking him and I can only wonder how good Lloyd could be if he was catching passes from a guy like Peyton or Tom.
9. Ndamukong Suh -My favorite lineman have always been Mathis and Freeney, perhaps the greatest tag team to ever roam the defensive line. But Suh has stepped up and shown his ability to sack, tackle, and even catch the ball. I think he's one of the best all-around lineman in the NFL which is what makes him one of the most feared and dangerous.
8. Arian Foster -Between this guy and Andre Johnson, Houston has definitely stepped up their game this year. Oh yeah, and he's the only RB averaging over 100 yards per game right now.
7. Reggie Wayne/Wes Welker - These two guys are the two best receivers in the AFC, not just for their stats, but for their ability to find their spot on fantastic football teams and not get pissed off when they're overshadowed.
6. Michael Vick - I personally love this guy as a football player. I wouldn't trust him running a kennel but that's a different story. He's an all-around amazing quarterback with multiple talents.

Why Is This Under Sports News?

The Associated Press - Yum Brands Inc. is targeting Africa and other emerging global markets for expansion for its venerable KFC chain that has become a dominant fast-food player in China but has struggled in the U.S. Louisville-based Yum said Wednesday that it expects to double the number of KFC restaurants in Africa to about 1,200 by 2014. Yum projects that KFC will grow into a nearly $2 billion brand in Africa within four years and will contribute more than $100 million in profit to Yum's international division, which excludes China - which has its own division. 

Why the hell was this in my sports news? What was Google thinking? I guess maybe you could link sports and KFC because when I'm watching sports I often see KFC commercials. Or maybe because I watch sports and I've eaten KFC before. Oh, and why does China get its own division of KFC? Why doesn't America have its own division? For that matter, why isn't there a division in Boston? Anyway, I thought it was interesting that out of all the places KFC could expand itself into, they chose Africa. I still don't get why this came up under Google's sports news.
  

Josh's BCS and Heisman Predictions

So there isn't much written about college football on this blog. And it's virtually impossible to cover the entire BCS thoroughly. So no one tried. But before we start into the bowl games, lets talk a little bit about the Heisman. With past winners like Carson Palmer, Tim Tebow, Matt Leinart, and Sam Bradford, this year's winner could soon be among some of the NFL's premiere young talent. Among the nominees are Stanford QB Andrew Luck, Oregon RB LaMichael James, Boise State QB Kellen Moore, and of course, Auburn standout Cam Newton. So who should come away with the prize this year?

On the Heisman's website, it states that the trophy is given annually to "the most outstanding college football player in the United States. The Heisman is a national symbol of collegiate football experience and competitiveness." With that in mind, Cam Newton definitely caught my eye in his first game of the season. For a man carrying 250 pounds on a 6'6" frame, he's certainly a very mobile quarterback. The way he's carried that Auburn team has really impressed me. Unfortunately, the Heisman stands for more than just stats. It's given to the all-around best player in collegiate football, and that includes the way a player conducts himself and represents his team.

5 Reasons Why the Pats are the Best

So you're sitting in front of your t.v. watching the Pats dominate the Jets in front of the entire Monday Night Football crowd, and you're probably smiling and asking yourself: what makes the Patriots the best team in the league right now? What makes them arguably the best team of the century? I was originally going to make this a 10 part answer, but here's the answer in five.

5. The veterans of this year's team - Branch. Welker. Wilfork. Warren. Wright. Ninkovich. Sanders. Light. Mankins. Koppen.Vollmer. Connolly. Crumpler. Mayo. Banta-Cain. None of these guys are Brett Favre, but they are certainly veterans on this team. While many times its the rookies and younger players in the spotlight, these are the guys that never fail us as fans. And they make their own fair share of huge plays.

Josh the Intern's HockeyEast Weekend Watch

After a quiet weekend in HockeyEast, a bunch of teams look to gain some momentum as we head into the homestretch of October. Sadly, my Huskies are down at the bottom of HockeyEast with two losses, but a couple wins this weekend could put us right back in the hunt! UMass Lowell also has two chances to get out of the same gutter. But anyway..

Game of the Week: BU at Massachusetts (again!)
Coming off a tie last week, both teams are looking to get a big win and get ahead in the standings. BU also has a Saturday game against Providence, and a win on both days could give them a serious boost, emotionally and in the standings. Two wins would also help them up the USCHO poll, perhaps past fellow HockeyEast'er UNH. Meanwhile, Massachusetts could push their way up the standings in preparation for next week's game against Providence.
Players to Watch: David Warsofsky, BU (Jr) and Sahir Gill, BU (Fr)

National Game to Watch: #2 North Dakota at #12 Maine
After a disappointing loss against #20 Michigan State last week, Maine found itself dropping four spots in the USCHO poll. Look for the Black Bears to come out fired up this week and ready to knock off the #2 spot. But North Dakota is chasing Boston College right now and a win could possibly push them ahead. Again, this week's National Game is actually two, as the Spencer Abbott and the Black Bears will take on the Fighting Sioux twice.

Elsewhere in College Hockey
Providence at #8 BU - Providence has another chance to prove itself, but BU is looking to climb the national rankings. Hopefully a win on Friday will carry over to Saturday for the Terriers.
Merrimack at Vermont - Neither team has played a conference game yet and, pending a win by BU or Massachusetts, a win could put them in the top half of the HockeyEast standings.
#7 UNH at #13 Cornell - UNH jumped up two spots last week in the national rankings, and a win this week may propel them up the USCHO poll even further. But Cornell is also looking to climb.

My Final Word

Ok. This will be my final word on the NFL suspension drama. I'll be honest. I'm sick of all the press it's getting. And I'm sick of every football player misinterpreting what the NFL is trying to do here. If you are completely against the fines and suspensions that the NFL has been talking about, I suggest you stop reading.

After watching a short ESPN clip of Mark Schlereth this morning raving about how unfair these new fines have been, I realized that he made a couple good points. Yes. The NFL definitely does "glorify" and profit off of big hits, and I like a big hit as much as the next guy. When I was a kid, I got a DVD for Christmas of big NHL hits (don't make any comments trying to compare the NFL to hockey and soccer, they aren't comparable). He's right about the nature of the game. Americans love the hitting. I agree with that. And a game of two-hand touch would leave the NFL pretty broke. But for a man whose had 29 surgeries, he seems pretty oblivious to what the NFL is doing.

Speaking of Suspensions...

Maybe the higher-ups of the NFL should take some lessons from the NHL, a role model in terms of unbiasedly suspending players and handing out punishment for reckless play.

In suspending Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan three games for a late and blindside hit to the head of Ducks forward Dan Sexton, the NHL declared it is serious about punishing dangerous hits to the head.

Sanctioning Doan, known as rugged but clean, was meant as a warning to fourth-liners and superstars that NHL justice will be blind.

Doan's open-ice, neutral-zone hit after Sexton released a pass during the third period of the Ducks' 3-2 victory Sunday wasn't penalized by the referees, but the NHL can review any play and impose supplementary discipline. Colin Campbell, the NHL's director of hockey operations, said he and fellow executives who monitor every game debated the hit when it was delivered. That Sexton wasn't injured was "fortunate" but beside the point.

Doc Goes To The Doctor

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that he is cancer-free after having a biopsy Sunday morning. His doctor found a spot on his throat three weeks ago and he decided to have it checked.

"They found cancerous lesions," Rivers said after the team conducted an open practice for season ticket holders. "They had to make sure there was nothing there, and there was nothing, so I'm good. I'm going to be around for a while it looks like."

So it looks like Doc's good to go for a little while at least. He returned to the Celts on Tuesday, but assistant coach Lawrence Frank did most of the yelling. Apparently he's been getting his throat checked regularly after former C's coach Jim O'Brien prompted him to do so. Rivers is expected to coach on Wednesday for the team's preseason finale against the Nets.

NFL Rulemakers Going "Head-To-Head"

This weekend marked perhaps what has been the most dangerous and injury-filled weekend of football so far this season. In a time when people may finally be admitting the danger of what has become a staple of American Sundays, the evidence is becoming overwhelming. This season in particular has resulted in a slew of football injuries, both visible and invisible, some even deadly. I'd like to share with you some examples of why we are in need of some big changes.

Let's first have a look at the NFL this weekend. Philadelphia Eagles standout DeSean Jackson suffered memory loss after a violent head-to-head collision with Falcons corner Dunta Robinson, who also suffered a head injury. He was left with severe concussion and it's highly unlikely he'll be back this coming week. I'd say by the looks of concussed Bruin Marc Savard, Jackson may have a long road of rehabilitation ahead of him. Jackson had scored two touchdowns prior to the hit and remembers all of the game. Head coach Andy Reid said it was "not like amnesia."

"Go Jump Off A Cliff!"

(CNN) -- Former NFL linebacker Junior Seau was being treated at a hospital after he drove his white Cadillac SUV off a cliff Monday and landed on a beach in Carlsbad, California, police said.

Poor guy. That's just one phrase you never expect to see in the news, but yet are pleasantly surprised when you actually hear about it happening. He was the only guy in the car, so I'm not sure what caused this accident. He's in the hospital now, obviously. I'm looking forward to an interesting investigation on this one.


Maybe if he'd been driving his Cadillac in New England instead of San Diego, he wouldn't have drove off a cliff. Check out the raw video below.

Josh the Intern's HockeyEast Wrap-Up

'Twas a quiet weekend in HockeyEast. Three of the five games I was keeping an eye on ended up as one-goal losses or ties. Providence blew its first chance to get its foot inside the USCHO door as they allowed seven goals against Minnesota-Duluth. Despite the setback, the Friars still remain tied for first in the conference after last week's win over Northeastern. Within the national top 20, Michigan State (20) tied with HockeyEast's Maine (8) 4-4 in their first game of the weekend series, but upset Maine 3-2 the next day. Maine's Spencer Abbott added two assists in the first game and both goals in the second to improve to 7 points on the season, topping HockeyEast. Elsewhere, UNH (9) tied Michigan (3), hopefully improving their standing in the USCHO Top 20.

Brandon Spikes: Man, Myth, or Legend?

The New England Patriots haven't always been known as Tom Brady's team. It wasn't always "Brady to Moss for the touchdown." There was a time when, above all, defense was what other teams feared when facing the Pats. Their depth. Their flexibility. Most importantly, their consistency. The Pats defense ran like a car engine, with each part simultaneously doing it's precise job to make sure the entire play ran perfectly. In the recent years, it would seem that the Pats have strayed from that formula, but this year may mark the beginning of a second era.

Although the days of Bruschi and Vrabel are long gone, the Patriots have found new hope in second round pick Brandon Spikes. Like fellow rookie Aaron Hernandez, the middle linebacker caught the Pats attention by breaking a record while playing for the Florida Gators. He has a school career record with six interceptions, four of which were returned for touchdowns. In '07 and '08, Spikes led the Gators in tackles, becoming only the sixth Gator to do so back-to-back.

In his senior season, Spikes was a finalist for the Butkus Award (top linebacker), as well as the Bednarik Award (the nation's top defender). In his entire career, Spikes totaled 178 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks (for -42 yards), and 31.5 stops for losses (totaling 89 yards). He also caused two fumbles and recovered four others. What do you think so far?

Josh the Intern's HockeyEast Weekend Watch

As we head into the weekend, let's take a quick look at HockeyEast. BC leads both the conference and the nation after last weekend's win against Northeastern. Maine, UNH, and BU all made it into the USCHO Div. I poll at #8,#9, and #10, respectively. Maine and Providence also got wins within the conference.


Game of the Week: BU v. Massachusetts
This week's Game of the Week was easy. There's only one HockeyEast matchup until the schedule picks up next weekend. Neither team has played a conference game yet and each is hoping to pick up a win and even up with BC, Maine, and Providence. Massachusetts didn't win either of their games last weekend and is looking to inch toward .500 this weekend. Meanwhile, a win for BU would make them 3-0 overall and could push them a few spots ahead in USCHO rankings. BU's David Warsofsky is tied (with fellow Terrier Sahir Gill) for the league lead in points with 5.
Players to watch: Sahir Gill, BU (Fr) and Michael Pereira, Mass (Fr)

National Game of the Week - #1 Boston College at #6 Denver
BC is coming off a close win with Northeastern. Look for Denver to come out swinging hopefully to make a push toward the #1 spot in the nation. And what's more, they'll have two chances to do it in back-to-back matchups.

Elsewhere in College Hockey
#3 Michigan at #9 UNH - Like Denver, UNH is looking to jump up in the rankings against a tough Michigan squad, especially with HockeyEast foe BU hot on their heels.
#8 Maine at #20 Michigan State - Mich. State hasn't been tested yet this year, and Maine is looking to hold their spot atop UNH and BU in the USCHO rankings.
Providence at #7 Minnesota-Duluth - After winning last weekend against Northeastern, Providence has been given a big chance to prove themselves as a tough member of HockeyEast.

Jenn Sterger is Dumb

I don't know what else to say at this point. In my opinion, the Brett Favre scandal has been blown way out of proportion. So he sexted some hot cheerleader? So what? Sixteen year-olds all over the country are doing it every day. Give the guy a break, he already sucks this year. Jenn is just looking for fifteen more minutes of fame and then she'll move on. She made it to college, I guess we can give her that. But did she even graduate? Has anyone seen her show on Versus (ESPN's wannabe little sister)? Please comment if you have. In 2009, Jenn had her breast implants removed, stating that they served their purpose and she was tired of being stereotyped. What? Is she serious? Maybe she should go put them back in, because without them, her only purpose in life is to rip off the fame of other people.

Read this:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/39650664/ns/sports-nfl/?ns=sports-nfl

Aaron Hernandez: Man, Myth, or Legend?

Many Pats fans have been pleasantly suprised by the play of fourth round pick Aaron Hernandez in the 2010 season. I know I definitely have. A quick look at the depth chart shows that Hernandez didn't walk into a team in need of receivers either. Between Welker, Tate, Moss, Edelman, Crumpler, Slater, and now Deion Branch, Hernandez didn't exactly walk on. To make matters tougher, fellow rookie Rob Gronkowski was also fighting for a position at tight end.

Hernandez began his career in high school by establishing the national record for yards receiving per game (180.7). He also set multiple Connecticut state records. Hernandez continued his success at Florida, setting the career-record for receptions by a tight end (111), as well as the single game record (9) for a Gator tight end in the 2010 Sugar Bowl vs. Cincinnati. Aaron averaged almost 12.5 yards per catch and posted 12 touchdowns in his college career. Hernandez made 68 of his 111 career catches in his final season and set another record for single-season receptions by a Gator.

So far this season, Hernandez has the second most receptions (18) behind Wes Welker and leads the team in receiving yards with 240. He also has the longest reception of current players with a 46 yard catch. Despite this success, Hernandez still has not caught a touchdown in the NFL.

So what's your take? Man, myth, or legend? Like Devin McCourty, I'm going to call Aaron Hernandez a legend. He's outdone fellow rookie Rob Gronkowski and is a leader by example, even as a rookie. Hernandez could quickly become Brady's #1, pending the play of Deion Branch. But more importantly, Hernandez looks to simply provide Brady with another strong option, another reason why the Patriots (even without Moss) are more and more looking like the Super Bowl contenders we love.

Josh the Intern's Halloween Costume Ideas

Halloween is approaching fast and it's important to get your gear early and make sure you're ready come Halloween weekend. Whether you're 4 or 45, anyone can look like their favorite sports idols! Here's a few suggestions:

1. Barry Bonds - Make sure you're black and slightly overweight to give the impression of muscle. Carry around a bat and a needle. No jersey required, everyone will get it. 

2. Ben Roethlisberger/Kobe Bryant - This one's trickier. First, buy jersey of said player. Since its illegal to actually sexually assault people, just walk around saying "It wasn't me." 

3. Josh Luchs - Easy. Buy a nice suit. Walk around carrying a football and wads of money. Try to hand them out to anyone that looks athletic.

4. Brett Favre - First, buy a Brett Favre jersey, preferably a Jets one if you can find it. Carry around a cell phone all the time and ask random hot girls if they'd like to fornicate with you. Easy, right? 

5. Tiger Woods - This one is better if you have a girlfriend. That way, she can dress up as Elin Nordegren. Wear a polo and a Nike hat and try to fornicate with as many other women as possible, but not your girlfriend.