NFL OTAs

Courtesy of Inner-City Newspaper

The NFL OTAs are underway, and many players are dazzling in the early stages of camp. Here I will examine some the biggest stories going on at the moment.

New York Giants: The biggest story out of Giants camp is the absence of their two top wide receivers: Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. Both are not present due to contract issues. Nicks is entering the last year of his deal and wants an extension. Cruz made very little money over the last 2 years due to being undrafted, and he has not signed the $2.879 million one-year tender. The Giants are in a bad spot because it is unclear when both contracts will be resolved, and they need the two guys at camp. Eli Manning is currently developing chemistry with receivers like Ramses Barden and Rueben Randle. Luckily the new acquisition of Louis Murphy might pay off because he has looked good in camp, but the team still wants its stars there. Apparently the Giants have offered Cruz about 8 million a year, but he wants around 10-11 mil. This might not be a huge issue because it is only OTA's, but this is an issue that must be resolved by training camp.

Washington Redskins: Last year the Redskins took the lead by storm, and no one impressed than 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin III. However, he suffered a gruesome knee injury in the playoffs against Seattle, and he had reconstructive surgery on it. This is a very significant injury for someone to suffer in his first year, and there was much concern about how he would look moving forward. So far, so good. He looks almost 100 percent healthy, and show very little indication that the knee is bothering him. He is not completely healed, but he is on pace to start week 1. The question moving forward is whether or not we see a difference in RG3's game. He likes to make big plays outside of the pocket, which leads to more opportunities to get hurt. It is up to Griffin to be more careful, but Coach Mike Shanahan needs to create schemes to protect him too. Another reason for optimism in Washington is the return of linebacker Brian Orakpo. He suffered a season ending pectoral tear in week 2 last year, but he looks like he will be fine this year. He has been running at full speed, and shows no signs of any setback. The defense took big strides last year despite a bad start without him. The defense should only improve this year.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers have one of the most potent passing offenses in the league, and much of this is due to QB Aaron Rodgers. Two of his best receivers from last year, however, are gone. Greg Jennings signed with Minnesota, and Donald Driver retired. This means the top 3 receiver for the team will be Greg Jones, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb. Jennings and Driver were not superstars anymore, but the receiver core was a unit that needed to improve. Jermichael Finley has looked like a very effective tight end, and I would expect that position to be more of a factor this year. Unfortunately they lost Tom Crabtree to the Buccaneers. Due to having a lackluster defense as well, this is becoming an average team with a superstar quarterback. One wonders how long Aaron Rodgers will put up with it. It is only a matter of time before he turns into Jay Cutler. Another noteworthy point about this team is their second round selection of Alabama RB Eddie Lacy. There are injury and conditioning concerns about him, but his upside is tremendous. If he lives up to his potential, he can add power and quickness to a position that has been nonexistent for the Packers.

San Francisco 49ers: Clearly the biggest story surrounding the defending NFC champs is the potentially season ending injury of WR Michael Crabtree. He tore his achilles, and this comes after his breakout 2012 season. The running game has been the core of the offense, but first year starting QB Colin Kaepernick took to Crabtree as his safety valve. Crabtree is not the fastest receiver in the league, but his superior hands and route running makes him a deadly possession guy. A move which already seemed pretty good just became far more important; acquiring WR Anquan Boldin from the champion Ravens for a 6th round pick. He has emerged as the new #1, which bodes well for the team. Boldin is no longer the deep threat he was years ago in Arizona, but he can still use his size to make great short yardage plays. He can basically fill the same role as Crabtree. Second year man A.J. Jenkins will need to step up, and former super bowl hero Mario Manningham was effective until a season ending injury. Fortunately Kaepernick is developing his chemistry with TE Vernon Davis, a former who was phased out due to the QB switch from Alex Smith. The team still has weapons, but it is up to Coach Jim Harbaugh to adjust his scheme. He has shown an ability to do so. The Smith brothers (Justin and Aldon) need to be the force that carries the defense. Aldon greatly benefits from Justin sucking up double teams, but Justin is old and finally suffered a significant injury last year. The defensive line might look a little thin this year, although they did try to resolve this in the draft.

New England Patriots: Losing Wes Welker to Denver is a significant loss, but Danny Amendola has been looking very sharp early on. The Patriots offense is very reliant on the slot, and Amendola has looked very explosive at times in St. Louis. He has 196 catches for 1,726 yards in his four year career, along with seven touchdowns. He has been decimated by injuries the last two seasons, playing only 12 games total. He has impressed coaches and teammates in the receiver drills, but it is far too early to know if his health will hold up. The team drafted WR Josh Boyce in the 4th round, and he might fill the role if needed. The Rob Gronkowski woes continue in New England, as he is scheduled to undergo back surgery mid-June. This has nothing to do with his left forearm, which has previously been injured and operated on. He had backs surgery back in 2009 as well when he played at Arizona. He is still on pace to play week 1, but he is beginning to garner the dreaded injury-prone label. Last year showed that they struggled to find a second tight end when Gronk did not play. Aaron Hernandez is a fantastic player, but he needs help in a two tight end system. New England fans better cross their fingers.

NBA Conference Finals

Courtesy of Inner-City Newspaper

The NBA conference finals are underway, with two trips to the NBA finals at stake. This is my assessment of the two series, based on the information available as of May 21, 2013.

San Antonio vs. Memphis:
It is way too early to say the series is over, but the Spurs looked great in the first two games. They dominated game 1, and they looked fantastic in game 2 outside of the fourth quarter. Although this series could easily be tied 1-1 right now, San Antonio appears to be the more complete team. In game 1, the Spurs did a great job of spreading the scoring around. Tony Parker had 20, Kawhi Leonard had 18, Danny Green had 16, Matt Bonner had 12, and Gary Neal had 11. Memphis had trouble scoring, and Zach Randolph was completely shut down (2 points, 7 rebounds). Their biggest bright spot was Quincy Pondexter, who went 5-9 from 3-point range. Game 2 was much closer, and Memphis had a great 4th quarter that sent the game to overtime. Both teams spread around the scoring, but Parker reminded everyone why he is an elite point guard by dishing out 18 assists. Zach Randolph played better, but he still struggled. He scored 15 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, but he shot 6 for 18. Memphis missed their last 14 shots of the second quarter, which dug the team into a deep hole. Tim Duncan scored 17, and had 6 critical overtime points that led them to the win. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley are the only two Grizzlies who played consistently in the first two games, and everyone else has been spotty. Late in the game, Memphis put Mike Conley, Quincy Pondexter, and Jerryd Bayless on the court at the same time. This lineup played with speed, and coach Lionel Hollins realizes that he needs to take advantage of the youth that his team has. Expect to see this lineup more often moving forward. Memphis clearly has the ability to compete with the Spurs, but San Antonio has a huge edge in experience and coaching. Memphis does have the size advantage, but that is irrelevant if Randolph continues to struggle. I expect to see more of the same in this series. San Antonio in 6.

Miami vs. Indiana:
Both teams looked pretty convincing in their previous series; Miami beat Chicago in five, and Indiana beat New York in six. Both teams will be very confident coming into this series, and it is a very intriguing due to contrasting styles. Indiana is hard-nosed, and Miami is a finesse team. Indiana likes to post up, and Miami's lack of size will work against them in this series. Miami likes to wall off the paint on defense, but the scheme is tough to execute against two post players. Roy Hibbert and David West will be Indiana's focal point offensively, because it is likely that one will be open at any given time. Indiana's size is a great asset offensively, but Miami will find a way to neutralize Indiana's bigs defensively. Chris Bosh is such a catalyst offensively for Miami because of his ability to shoot outside shots. This will cause a Pacer big to go out and guard him, which will open up driving lanes for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. It will be almost impossible for Indiana to guard both the post and perimeter. Indiana matches up well against Miami's stars, but Miami's role players will give them trouble. Either Mario Chalmers, Ray Allen, Norris Cole, or Shane Battier will click on any given night. All of them can hit threes, which will also cause problems. Indiana has skill offensively, but it is unclear who will be there main scorer on a game-by-game basis. One night it could be Paul George, another night it could be Roy Hibbert, another night it could be George Hill. This lack of consistency means that they will have at least a couple games where they struggle to produce offensively. Miami knows what to expect from their big three, and that level of comfort goes a long way. Last year these two teams met in the second round of the playoffs, and Indiana gave Miami all they could handle. Chris Bosh missed the series however, and he is probably the biggest advantage Miami has. When Bosh is hitting his outside shots, it opens up a tremendous amount of floor space. Indiana needs to neutralize him to have a chance, but it is doubtful that will happen. Miami is vastly superior in the talent department, and no one can shut LeBron down. Miami in 6.

MLB early storylines

Courtesy of Inner-City Newspaper

Early on in the 2013 MLB season, there has been a great deal of interesting stories. My biggest surprises are the Yankees, Red Sox, and Indians. My biggest disappointments are the Dodgers, Angels, and Blue Jays. Here are my assessments of all of these teams.

New York Yankees: My friends who are Yankees fans tell me to never question this team because they always find a way to come through. I made the mistake of subscribing to the notion that the bevy of injuries this team had would derail them. I could not have been more wrong. Mariano Rivera leading the league in saves (16) despite missing all of last season due to injury is unbelievable, but GM Brian Cashman is the MVP of this franchise right now. He was faced with the monumental setback of not having a healthy Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, or Curtis Granderson to start the season. He responded by making moves that were mocked at the time, but are paying dividends now. The Yanks brought in OF Vernon Wells from the Angels, 1B/DH Lyle Overbay, 1B/DH Travis Hafner from Cleveland. All of these guys seemed to be washed up because of subpar play and age, and the great Yankee dynasty appeared to be in trouble. The replacements have been proving me wrong, and Robison Cano has been doing what he does too. They are sixth in home runs with 47, which no one saw coming. While offense is usually a strong suit for New York, I have been pleasantly surprised by the pitching staff as a whole. They are fourth in overall era (3.46), and twelfth in bullpen era (3.33). Sabathia, Kuroda, and Pettitte have all been very sharp this year, and they look like a solid top of a rotation. Phil Hughes has room for improvement but is doing his job nonetheless. Mariano is making a case for the Cy Young at the moment, sporting an astonishing 16-0 save record. He is going out with a bang in his final season and is reminding us that a reliable closer makes such a huge difference in the MLB. The Yanks are getting it done, and the recent return of Curtis Granderson only adds to the optimism. Their division is tough, but manager Joe Girardi certainly seems to have his team prepared.

Boston Red Sox: The last two years in Boston have been very problematic. Terry Francona was unceremoniously ushered out two years ago, and last years' Bobby Valentine experiment was a disaster. There were stories about how the Red Sox had been uninterested and immature, negative traits for a professional sports team. The Red Sox have looked very impressive this year, although they have struggled in May thus far. Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz have looked like their old selves, and new additions Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino have looked very good. Pedroia is hitting .338, Ortiz is batting .329, and Napoli has 33 RBIs. Their starting pitching has been great too. Clay Buchholz is one of the best pitchers in baseball right now (despite spitballing allegations), and Jon Lester is not far behind. Ryan Dempster has been a decent pickup as well. Their bullpen has not looked good, and it is really the only thing that has been holding them back. Another disappointment has been Jackie Bradley Jr., who has cooled off significantly after a red hot start and was sent back down to the minors. Twenty year old shortstop prospect Xander Bogaerts has been looking pretty nice in Double-A Portland, and there is hope that he will be in the majors at some point this season. An interesting stat about Boston is that they are seventh in the league in two strike BA, which means the players have confidence in their ability to get on base. They have responded well to manager John Farrell, and he has restored a sense of normalcy. The AL East is still stacked despite Toronto's ineptitude, and Boston finished in last place last year. A complete turnaround seems unlikely, but this team seems to be on the right path.

Cleveland Indians: Despite the fact that there is still a ton of baseball to be played, this season is starting to feel like a redemption story for Terry Francona. The shunned ex-Red Sox manager has the Cleveland Indians sitting in second place with a 21-16 record. His old team is doing pretty well too, but most would acknowledge that Bobby Valentine far worsened the Boston problem last year. Cleveland had a couple of key acquisitions over the offseason: OF Nick Swisher from the Yankees, OF Michael Bourn from Atlanta, and 1B/DH Mark Reynolds from Baltimore. They have a plus 23 run differential despite being in the middle of the road in pitching. A good portion of this newfound offense can be attributed to Reynolds, who leads the team with 11 homers. He automatically adds pop to a lineup because of his power, but his .291 batting average is far ahead of the .221 he finished with last year. He is on pace to have the best season of his career, which is impressive because he was cast off by Baltimore due to his subpar play last year. I liked the signing of Nick Swisher before the season started because I believed that he was not cut out for the bright lights of New York. He is now in a situation where he can have fun, and there is the added bonus of playing first base. His stats are not awe inspiring (.265, 5 homers,14 RBI), but he is a solid contributor to the lineup. Bourn is always a solid piece for a team to have because of his ability to hit leadoff. Carlos Santana has look amazing thus far (.325 BA, 7 HR, 16 RBI), and Michael Brantley has been very good despite his one homer. Justin Masterson and Zach McAllister have become a very good one-two punch in the starting rotation, although Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir have been disappointments. This team has started to cool off as of late, so I doubt they will be in this position at the end of the year. But Terry Francona showed that he can do it before, so I am intrigued to see how far they go.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Considering that this team has been throwing big money players on top of what was already a good nucleus, it is inexplicable that they have such a bad record. Over the last two years this team added 1B Adrian Gonzalez, OF Carl Crawford, SS Hanley Ramirez, and pitchers Zach Greinke and Josh Beckett. The expectations were raised because ownership showed no limit on the money they were willing to spend. But things have not clicked, and there are a few reasons why. Firstly, starting pitching has been an issue. Clayton Kershaw has looked like a stud as usual (3-2, 1.62 ERA), but injuries to Zack Greinke and Chad Billingsly have decimated the staff. Hyun-Jin Ryu has looked okay, while Beckett has unsurprisingly looked abysmal. There are bright spots in this team's lineup, but the offense has been a point of concern too. Much of this is due to lack of power, which is ironic considering that Mark McGwire is their hitting coach this year. Gonzalez has an impressive .350 batting average, Crawford and A.J. Ellis have looked nice, and both Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier have contributed. But it is a huge problem when the team leader in homeruns has five (Crawford). They are 28th in the league in homers and runs scored. Hanley Ramirez will help the lineup when he returns from injury, but he still will not help them hit for more power. When teams spend a bunch of money on star players, they usually tend to lack depth. They have not been able to replace injured players, and it is showing. The NL West is looking good this year with the Giants, D-backs, and Rockies all having winning records. I do not see an improvement occurring until the pitching picks up, though Zach Greinke did return recently. Billingsly, however, is still on the DL for a while. Ownership might want a refund on the best team money can buy.

Los Angeles Angels: The Dodgers are not the only team in LA who has been underachieving this year. The Angels signed Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, the two biggest prizes of the last two offseasons respectively. They also added P C.J. Wilson and C Chris Ianetta in the last two years. Mark Trumbo has developed into a fine player, and Mike Trout had one of the best rookie seasons in the history of the sport last year. They are a middle of the pack team in almost every offensive category, but their pitching is 28th in ERA. The fact that Wilson leads the team with an ERA of 3.88 tells the whole story. A big problem for this team has been the injury to ace starting pitcher Jered Weaver. He has only started two games this year, thus being a non-factor so far. Trumbo, Trout, and Howie Kendrick have all been successful this year but Pujols and Hamilton have been less than impressive. Pujols has been driving in runs at least, but Hamilton has looked flat out bad. His numbers (.214, 5 HR, 12 RBI) are not ideal for a star player. He claims to have a sinus issue that makes him sensitive to stadium lights, and last year he claimed to have trouble seeing due to excessive caffeine consumption. This is cause for concern, especially considering that Hamilton has a past tarnished by drug abuse. Though his current issues are probably unrelated to his previous addictions, the pressure will continue to mount if the poor play continues. Angel fans can take solace in the fact that Pujols also struggled early last year, so Hamilton can have a similar resurgence. Still, it is getting close to panic time. The Rangers are dominant, and Oakland is solid. Even Seattle is playing acceptable baseball, so the Angels can only hope to compete for a wild card spot. Big money players are not carrying the load, and manager Mike Scioscia must be called into question. His teams have seemed to underachieve ever since his 2002 World Series title. This team needs to figure out a solution before it is too late.

Toronto Blue Jays: A common theme of all of my disappointing teams is spending money too frivolously. The Blue Jays are no different. They made two blockbuster trades over the offseason. On brought them SS Jose Reyes and starters Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle from Miami. The other brought them the 2012 NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey from the Mets. They also signed Melky Cabrera, who was playing elite baseball last season for San Francisco until he was suspended for PED use. Dickey's biting knuckler took the league by storm last year, and the Jays expected much of the same this season. Safe to say things have not gone according to plan. They have the third worse run differential in the league, which is strange considering that they are tied for the second most homers. This means their pitching is absolutely awful. Brandon Morrow leads the team in ERA with 4.69. Dickey got off to a horrendous start this year, currently with a ERA of 4.83 and only three wins. He is starting to look like a competent MLB pitcher again lately, but he was brought in to be the ace. Frankly, the starters have not been doing their jobs. They would be in far more trouble if Casey Janssen was not doing his job at the closer position. Offensively, their power has been the only silver lining. They do not have anyone hitting over .300, so their homers are not driving in as many runs as they should. This should improve when Reyes returns from his ankle injury, but he is not expected to come back until the All-Star break. Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista have carried the power load, hitting 11 and nine respectively. Melky Cabrera is leading the team in BA at .278, but only has one homer. He's probably off the roids. It is way too early to bury any team, but the AL East is too good for Toronto to think they can recover easily from this bad start. The four other teams in the division look so much better right now, so there is doom and gloom in Toronto.

NBA Second Round

Courtesy of Inner-City Newspaper

The first round of the NBA playoffs were riveting, but now the second round is in full swing. These are my assessments and predictions for the second round, based on where things stand as of May 7, 2013:

Oklahoma City vs Memphis
The Thunder just are not the same team without Russell Westbrook. Obviously. The Grizzlies have looked like the better team in each of the first two games, and the only reason the Thunder won game one was a monster performance in the fourth quarter by Kevin Durant. In game two, Durant also excelled (36 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds). But no one else could help shoulder the scoring load, evident by the fact that their second leading scorer (Serge Ibaka) only had 11 points. Memphis also did what they should have done in game one: control the paint. They outscored OKC in the paint 50-30, and outrebounded them 43-35. OKC led both categories in game one. Memphis is far more physical, and the Thunder's big men cannot match up to Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. I still believe that the Thunder have the advantage because of the offensive firepower that they can potentially show on a given night. Durant understands that his role as a scorer has increased in the absence of Westbrook, but Kevin Martin must be his co-pilot. Martin scored 25 in game one, but only scored six in game 2. Durant is a superstar, but he cannot singlehandedly carry the team. Memphis should be able to win this series, but they still are not a great shooting team. They also took advantage of the fact that OKC turned the ball over 19 times in game two. The biggest surprise of game two was Memphis PG Mike Conley. He had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. This is a fantastic game, but do not expect to see that stat line again. Memphis' lack of outside shooting will make it difficult for them to pull away in games that they clearly seem to be in control of. Kevin Durant is the best player in this series, and he must play like such in order for OKC to win this series. I fully expect him to do so. OKC in 7.

New York vs Indiana
The Knicks struggled mightily in game one, having been completely outplayed by the Pacers in a 102-95 loss. Much of this can be credited to the emotion of closing out the Celtics, but the Knicks looked stagnant nonetheless. In game two, however, they flipped the script and won 105-79 in game two. Indiana played decently, but they went ice cold in the fourth quarter. The Pacers should be able to win the battle down low, but 13 and six points from David West and Roy Hibbert respectively is not going to cut it. They scored 20 and 14 respectively in game one. The Knicks have the advantage in this series because Carmelo Anthony is taking advantage of his matchup offensively with David West. Anthony's shooting percentage is diminished when he settles for jumpshots too often. Indiana head coach Frank Vogel called a questionable timeout with 3:05 left in the third quarter right after a run where Indiana went from being down 13 to being up two. He also took Roy Hibbert out at this point. New York took over after this, and they were dominant in the fourth quarter. Indiana will look better in the future, but the Knicks scoring ability will give them the edge. A cause of concern for Knicks fans, however, is J.R. Smith. He only shot 4-15 in game one, and 3-15 in game two. He has not been effective lately, and he should not be taking so many shots if he is missing. The catalyst for the Knicks has been Iman Shumpert. His lockdown defense and timely scoring have been key. If the Knicks can play decent defense, they will be able to score enough to win. The Knicks are the superior team in the talent department, and that will be what lifts them to the Eastern Conference Finals. Knicks in 6.

Miami vs Chicago
The Bulls shocked the sports world by defeating the defending champion Miami Heat 93-86 in game one. Chicago has been a challenge to Miami all year, and they ended Miami's 27-game winning streak in the regular season. In game one, there were times where Miami became too enamored with isolation basketball. Even though the ball did not move as much as Miami would have liked, there is a good reason. Their shooters struggled, which may be due to the layoff from their previous series. Chris Bosh went 3-10, and both Ray Allen and Shane Battier went 2-7. The Heat like to play up-tempo basketball, but Chicago did not allow the pace to speed up. Nate Robinson played terrifically like he has all playoffs, and he took over this game. He scored 27 points and racked up nine assists. He was the best player on the floor that particular night, and that cannot be the case for Miami. Not to mention the fact that he got 10 stitches in his mouth. LeBron played well, but he needs to play better. Dwyane Wade needs to step up as a legitimate second option, and he can be inconsistent these days. The Bulls were the tougher team in this game, which is not surprising. Miami is still the better team, and they should win this series. They need to shoot better, however. The Bulls, as evident from the Nets' series, like low scoring games. When Miami cannot make shots, this plays right into the Bulls' style. Chicago is fantastic defensively, and they can get enough offense to win those kind of games. Miami averaged 102.9 points per game in the regular season. If they can score close to that now, then they will win this series. There is no chance that Bosh, Allen, Cole, Battier are as cold for the rest of the series as they were in game one. Also, James will guard Robinson more moving forward, which should keep Robinson from running roughshod all over Miami. Every single game of this series will be competitive, but Miami will find their way offensively. Miami in 7.

San Antonio vs Golden State
Game one of this series was an instant classic. San Antonio was down by 16 with four minutes to go in regulation, before they stormed back and won in double overtime. Golden State exhibited their offensive prowess with great performances by Steph Curry (44 points, 11 assists), Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson (19 points each), and Jarrett Jack (15 points). But Manu Ginobili and Danny Green took over for the Spurs late, and they found a way to win. This is extra impressive considering that Tim Duncan left in the fourth quarter due to a stomach virus. Curry played like a man possessed in the third quarter, but he struggled down the stretch. San Antonio put Kawhi Leonard on Curry in the fourth, and he was able to shut him down. I expect Leonard to guard Curry more often in game two. This was an adjustment made by Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich, and great coaches always are able to make adjustments. Tony Parker helped handle the scoring load for the Spurs as well, scoring 28. San Antonio could not hit shots in the first half, shooting only 38 percent. But they showed their experience, and their unwillingness to lose. This is the type of loss that could kill a team's confidence, but Steph Curry does not seem worried. In his postgame interview, he harkened back to the devastating loss his team suffered in game one against Denver, but expressed that they won the series. The Warriors have been underdogs all year, and they are equipped to deal with adversity. With that said, game one was a bad loss for them. They had the opportunity to make a statement, and they failed to do so. Regardless of what Curry says, the Spurs will clearly have momentum moving forward in this series. The Warriors have young legs and uncanny scoring ability, but the Spurs have the experience. If Curry can be held in check, than Golden State has no chance in this series. San Antonio will find a way to do so. San Antonio in 6.

NFL Draft: Local/UConn Spotlight

 Hello internet. I've been away for a few months, though I have been writing for the weekly New Haven publication The Inner-City Newspaper. As usual, sports are always on my mind. My 49ers lost a heart-wrenching Super Bowl game (and Michael Crabtree might miss this entire season), my Knicks finished the regular season strong before being ousted by Indiana in the playoffs, and my Rangers looked pretty bad against the Boston Bruins. Luckily the Atlanta Braves look sharp, mainly because of Justin Upton. Anyway, the NFL draft happened. The teams around the tri-state area made some interesting move, and UConn was well represented. This is my local football spotlight. Enjoy.

New England Patriots:
What is more impressive than the Patriots' draft is the big draft day trade they made. They traded the 29th overall pick to Minnesota for second, third, fourth, and seventh rounders. The Vikings used the pick to draft coveted Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. Although receiver is a huge need for the Pats, this trade allowed them to get depth in a draft where they originally had five picks.

In analyzing the players they drafted, it appears that they focused on need rather than taking the best available player. In the second round, they selected OLB Jamie Collins from Southern Miss and WR Aaron Dobson from Marshall. Collins is extremely quick and athletic (he ran a 4.64 40-yard dash at 250 lbs), and has a skill set that should allow him to get to quarterbacks. The problem is that he is more of a finesse rusher, and he will be bullied by bigger lineman. He will be effective if the Pats' scheme can open up rushing lanes for him. The Pats always can use more help with the pass rush, so Collins is a solid pick. Due to Dobson's size (6'3", 210 lbs), he can potentially be the outside receiver that New England needs. His 4.43 40 time is solid.

In the 3rd and 4th rounds, the Patriots selected CB Logan Ryan and S Duron Harmon from Rutgers, and WR Josh Boyce from TCU. Ryan has nice size for a corner, he is physical, and is smart as well. However, he is not technically sound yet. This is something that can be worked on by the Patriots' vaunted coaching staff. Harmon, on the other hand, is seen as a huge reach. He was projected to go undrafted, and did not participate in the combine. But coach Belichick has been following the Rutgers team closely, so he must know something no one else does. Boyce very well could be a huge steal. He fell to the fourth round due to foot surgery, but he could be a great slot receiver to replace Wes Welker. His hands are not great, but the Patriots' offense will greatly benefit a player like this. All in all, the majority of the players picked are going to require development. A team like New England can afford to draft like this, because Belichick and the organization handle themselves the right way. Despite the fact that these picks might not look great on paper, no one should question the insight of the people making these decisions. Great coaching leads to great surprise players.

On a side note, they also traded return specialist Will Demps and a seventh round pick for RB LeGarrette Blount. Blount got phased out in Tampa Bay due to the emergence of Doug Martin. Martin is a superstar, but Blount played very well beforehand. New England will be a good fit for him because they pass most of the time. He will be a great change of pace for the smaller backs New England tends to have. His stats will not shock anyone, but his impact will be huge. The Patriots always seem to do the right thing, and I expect that to continue.

New York Jets:
Many Jets fans are upset after the draft, but there was no way to fix every problem in one fell swoop. In the first round, they selected two defensive players: CB Dee Milliner from Alabama, and DT Sheldon Richardson from Missouri. Although most believe that they should have targeted offensive players, these picks are consistent with a defensive coach like Rex Ryan. Milliner was the best cornerback in the draft. He has size (6'0", 201), speed (4.37 40-yard dash), and the ability to tackle. The fact that he has had five surgeries in college, however, is a gigantic red flag. Richardson is quick and has good instincts, but his strength is an issue. He will be able to gain mass over his career, but I doubt that he'll have a huge impact in his first year.

The most interesting pick of their draft was in the second round, when they selected West Virginia QB Geno Smith. At one point in time Smith was considered a top ten talent, and he looked electrifying at times. However, there are now many questions about his ability to transition into the NFL. He played in a spread offense in college, and hardly took snaps under center. This is different from the west coast style of new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. His footwork needs improvement, as does his ability to read defenses. Smith is a competitor and very well might become the starter, but I doubt that he is ready for the pressure of playing in New York. If not, it is still a good pick because he can serve as an extra source of motivation for Mark Sanchez. Smith will play, but I doubt that he will be effective in year one. With their next three picks, they selected three offensive linemen: Kent State G Brian Winters in round 3, Virginia T Oday Aboushi in round 5, and Michigan G William Campbell in round 6. Winters is athletic, and his wrestling background makes him very effective with his hands. However, wrestling has also led him to rely on brute strength too often, as well as standing up too much. Good coaches will be able to teach him proper technique over time, but nobody knows the the Jets are capable of doing so. His upside makes him a justifiable third round pick.

The Jets definitely set out to fill needs, and they stuck to the plan. The problem is that they only had six picks. They possessed two first round picks, which they could have easily turned in to multiple picks through trade. They added players with great potential, but they still have no depth. Great organizations draft project players, and expect them to develop into playmakers. GM John Idzik started on the right path in his first draft, so he does not deserve any criticism. This team is still a three year rebuilding project, so their next two drafts will be more telling. Unfortunately, a certain quarterback and head coach might be gone by next offseason.

New York Giants:
It is business as usual for Big Blue. They took a lineman in each of the first 3 rounds: Syracuse T Justin Pugh (19th overall), Ohio State DT Johnathan Hankins (49th overall), and Texas A&M DE Damontre Moore (81st overall). Pugh has good technique, experience, and the ability to play any offensive line position. The knock on him is that his arms are too short. This will make it tough for him to play tackle in the NFL, but he can still play guard or center if that's the case. Hankins is a great pick for the Giants, because defensive line is a need. He is not very athletic, thus he will only be able to play defensive tackle as opposed to defensive end. But his strength, tackling ability, and his ability to clog up a hole will make him very effective. Moore was also drafted to help shore up the d-line. He can play either end or outside linebacker, and he is a very effective pass rusher. His 4.95 40 time doesn't exhibit blinding speed, but it is pretty impressive for a 6'4", 250 pound man. The Giants have been great at developing defensive lineman for a while now, and these picks give them the depth they need.

The selection of Syracuse QB Ryan Nassib in the 4th round is an intriguing one, considering that Eli Manning is locked in as the starting quarterback. He was viewed as potentially a second round pick, so getting him in the fourth is a great value. He has the arm for the position, but lacks consistency with his footwork. He has been commended for his work ethic and competitiveness, which means he has the perfect mindset for a backup quarterback. He might never play a game in a Giants uniform, but he could possibly be valuable trade bait in a few years.  New York rounded out the draft by picking a safety, guard, and running back in the last 3 rounds. All in all, the Giants set out to improve up front, and they did so. The new linemen will allow for more players to be rotated, thus meaning Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul will get more breathers. Two areas that I thought they would focus on more are the secondary and linebackers. I can barely name another linebacker on the team other than Chase Blackburn, and the secondary has been pretty banged up for the last 3 years. Clearly they believe the philosophy that having an unstoppable pass rush can make up for holes in other areas.

Coach Tom Coughlin believes that he can get the most out of the players he has in his locker room. The Nassib pick is really the only one that can be criticized, because they could have used it to get someone who will have a more immediate impact. This organization has won two Super Bowls in the last six years for a reason, but the NFC is becoming a gauntlet now. One cannot say for sure that Big Blue will be back in the playoffs in 2013.

UConn draftees:
Ever since becoming a Division 1-A program back in 2000, UConn has slowly but surely been building a respectable football program. Milestone games include 3 bowl wins and beating Notre Dame. They had signature draft picks like Alfred Fincher and Dan Orlovsky go respectively in the third and fifth rounds in 2005, and in 2009 when Donald Brown became the only first round pick in UConn history. This year saw five UConn players get selected, and four of them came from their vaunted defense. Although UConn football has not come close to reaching elite status, this can be mostly contributed to their overly simplistic offense. Here's some statistical analysis to prove that point: They ranked 4th in the Big East in scoring defense last season (points allowed), and 3rd in total defense (yards allowed). Their total offense however was seventh, and  their scoring offense was dead last at eighth. Their 13.9 points per game were 4.4 less than the next worse team. Absolutely putrid. The defense is what has been the staple of the program, and NFL teams are starting to take notice.

Four players from their defense were drafted: CB Dwayne Gratz (64th to Jacksonville), OLB Sio Moore (66th to Oakland), CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson (70th to Tennessee), and DE Trevardo Williams (124th to Houston). Gratz was a second team All-Big East selection after a season where he tallied 53 tackles, 11 breakups, and three picks last season. Teams liked his physicality, but were worried that this might lead to him getting beat deep. He sometimes goes for the interception to often. But his ability to cover short routes is why he was picked in the third round.

Moore saw his stock raise over time, considering that he was not expected to get picked high initially. He was a tackling machine for the Huskies, racking up 268 tackles and 15.5 sacks in the last three years, and he received first team All-Big East recognition a senior. What sets him apart is the fact that despite his tackling prowess, he also is very effecting covering the slot. With offenses using the slot receivers and tight ends far more often in modern times, coverage linebackers are coveted far more. Though Moore does not possess world class athleticism, he is smart and works hard. Having favorable character goes a long way in the NFL. Oakland is probably hoping he can become a leader on that defense one day. Wreh-Wilson earned a second team All-Big East selection like Gratz, with 46 tackles and one interception. He is 6'1", which is tall for a cornerback. His quick feet and long arms are also assets. The knocks on him are that he is not great tackler, does not have exceptional recovery speed, and that he tends to bite on run fakes. According to NFL Network's Mike Mayock, Wreh-Wilson is a coveted "long corner". Williams' 42 tackles and 11.5 sacks earned him a first-team All-Big East bid last year. Some deem Williams to lack size and athleticism, but he plays with a level of fervor that teams like. His size might not be a problem, because Houston is likely to move him to outside linebacker.

The sole offensive player from UConn to be drafted is TE Ryan Griffin, who was picked by Houston in the 6th round (201 overall). His skills never wowed the scouts, but his size (6'6", 247) makes him valuable in the current NFL. It is hard to project how much he will be used, but he should get some opportunities as a spell for Owen Daniels. This draft is significant because it represents the national attention UConn football is beginning to warrant. Despite the seeming underachievement, the program has come from basically nothing. Regardless of their record, NFL scouts are paying attention to them. That is something to be proud of if you are a UConn fan, or a Connecticut native in general.

Photos from bleacherreport.com
 

Jason Collins

Courtesy of Inner-City Newspaper

On Monday, Jason Collins announced himself as the first gay male, active professional athlete in this week's Sports Illustrated. His statement is a groundbreaking one, since nobody else has done so. He has been widely supported both nationally and in the sports world, but homosexuality is still a hot button issue. I personally support the gay community, but many unfortunately do not. From the sports perspective, the story is complicated by the fact that Collins is a 34-year old free agent who has marginal talent at best. It is unlikely that he would have been signed regardless, and I doubt this will help his cause. His presence could possibly bring a distraction to the locker room, and his talent does not justify such a move. If Collins is not signed and he retires, then the case can be made that John Ameche is just as much of a trailblazer. I hope that one day in the near future enough players come out of the closet so that this is no longer a national news story. Jason Collins is a huge step in the right direction, because his journey opens up conversation between people. As Mike Wallace showed, some people still cannot comprehend the concept of homosexuality. The only way to solve that is by raising awareness and striking up intelligent discourse. The country still has progress to make, but the future definitely seems bright.