Georgia Bulldogs: 2013's USC

Last year’s Southern California Trojans turned out to be one of the biggest busts in college football history after failing to back up their preseason number one ranking. The Trojans ended 2012 with a loss to Georgia Tech in the unimpressive Hyundai Sun Bowl to cap off a 7-6 season.

Posterboy quarterback Matt Barkley had been the face of the Trojans and was an early Heisman frontrunner, as well as potential number one pick in a relatively weak draft class. Barkley and USC could do know wrong, that is until they met state rival Stanford in Palo Alto which would be there first loss of the season after a 2-0 start.

In the next months, USC would fall apart, dropping five more decisions along with Barkley’s once sky high draft stock as he fell to the fourth round where he was picked by the miserable Philadelphia Eagles.

Almost a year since USC fell off the radar, it seems like history is about to repeat itself with another top five nationally ranked team, the Georgia Bulldogs.

Georgia began its season on Saturday where the Tajh Boyd-led #5 Clemson Tigers outlasted the Bulldogs in a 38-35 showdown on ABC’s Saturday Night Game of the Week. One game and one loss into the their season, the Bulldogs do not have an easy road ahead of them. Next week, Georgia gets the wonderful opportunity to face off against fellow SEC power #6 South Carolina and their merciless, hard-hitting Heisman candidate, Jadeveon Clowney.

Following their meeting with the other USC, Georgia has an early bye to likely revive their skill position players’ health from Clowney’s hits before they have North Texas at home, which should end with a win. After the Mean Green (Can’t type that with a straight face), the Bulldogs are slated to take on the #12 LSU Tigers. Luckily for the Bulldogs, this game will also be played at home and not in possibly college football’s worst atmosphere, Death Valley.

It is possible that by Week 5, Georgia can be either 2-2 or 1-3 with another six conference games left on their schedule and no bye. In the SEC, it is as hard to make it to the conference championship with more than two losses as it is to win eight straight games in any college conference. The only ranked opponent after LSU will be another prominent SEC program in the #10 Florida Gators.

After a preseason of hype as the next best team in the SEC behind mighty Alabama, Georgia is facing the risk of a futile season much like the Trojans last year. To add to the idea of déjà vu, Georgia has a highly touted quarterback and Heisman favorite in senior Aaron Murray just like USC with Barkley.

Like Barkley, Murray bypassed entering the NFL Draft for another season in college. Murray also lived up to Barkley’s hype when he was named as this preseason’s All-SEC quarterback, instead of two time defending national champion AJ McCarron and troubled reigning Heisman winner Johnny Manziel.

Whether it was out of greed or pure determination, Murray returned for his final year in Athens wanting things he did not already have, a national championship, an SEC crown, and a Heisman. If Murray follows in Barkley’s footsteps and flops as a senior he could see his draft stock also drop along with his credibility in football.

Just like their quarterback, the Bulldogs are at the brink of criticism. By putting together one of the better schedules in the nation including a tough stretch early on, Georgia looked to gain respect as a national power.

However, the only way to gain that respect would be to win those important games, otherwise, the Bulldogs will be the laughingstock of college football just like USC was a year ago. Only, Georgia would have tried being someone they aren’t which is the ultimate offense in my book.

2013 College Football Preview: #3 Oregon Ducks

Even without offensive mastermind coach Chip Kelly, Oregon has a return to the National Championship Game in sights. In the first season of the post-Kelly era, the Oregon Ducks find themselves ranked as the #3 team in the nation, only behind Ohio State and Alabama.

Before the now Mark Helfrich-led Ducks can play for the first title in program history, they will have to go through fellow Pac-12 power Stanford, who is ranked just behind Oregon at #4. The Cardinal handed Oregon their lone loss of the season last year, a 17-14 overtime thriller on November 24.

Oregon gets a rematch with the Cardinal in a possible showdown for the Pac-12 crown on November 7 this season, one of the three times the Ducks will face a ranked opponent. The other two top 25 teams on Oregon’s schedule also reside in the Pac-12, #25 UCLA on October 26 and #21 Oregon State to end the season in the annual Civil War rivalry game.

With a weak out of conference schedule, the Ducks will have to make their presence known in a big way by administering beatings on the lesser teams.

That should not be hard with Oregon’s surging offense that finished with the second most points per game in the country.

Despite losing lead rusher Kenion Barner who ran for 1,767 yards and 21 touchdowns, the Ducks are still returning nine starters on offense. One of those nine is the team’s second leading rusher from last season, sophomore quarterback Marcus Mariota.

As a freshman, Mariota proved to be one of the nation’s top dual threat quarterbacks by throwing for 32 touchdowns on over 2,600 yards as well as rushing for 752 yards and five touchdowns.

A sophomore slump is not likely for Mariota. The native Hawaiian will be armed with four of his top five receivers from last season: Josh Huff, De’Anthony Thomas, Colt Lyerla, and Keanon Lowe. In his junior campaign, Huff led the team in yards with 493 and touchdowns with seven touchdowns, while Thomas finished right behind him with five touchdowns and 445 receiving yards.

With most of the pieces from last year’s fourth ranked offense returning for another year in Eugene, the defense shows some experience as well but not nearly as much talent. The 2013 Oregon defense returns seven starters, however they will be without three All-Conference defenders: linebackers Kiko Alonso and Michael Clay and defensive end Dion Jordan.

Seniors Taylor Hart, Wade Keliikipi, and Boseko Lokombo will lead the Ducks primary in 2013 as the only returning starters after combining for an unimpressive twelve sacks and about nine tackles per game.

While Oregon has some questions up front, their secondary will be the defense’s biggest strength. In last year’s Fiesta Bowl winning season, the injury plagued Oregon defensive backs managed to lead the nation in interceptions with 24, and 2013 brings the majority of that same core group of players as well as hopefully more health.

The starting Oregon secondary this year will be made up of all upperclassmen, with senior safeties Brian Jackson and Avery Patterson and junior cornerbacks Terrance Mitchell and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. Ekpre-Olomu will be the highlight of Oregon’s defense after posting three interceptions and a shade under five tackles per game en route to an All-American selection.

Defense will be one of Oregon’s few weaknesses this season, but it will be passable with their experience and dynamic offense. The Ducks do not have too much help on the way for the near future either. The only ESPN Top 300 defensive recruit heading to Oregon this season is the 19^th rated defensive end, Torrodney Prevot.

On offense, Oregon will have four top 300 recruits. Oregon stayed local for their top two their recruits, #6 running back Thomas Tyner and #9 guard Evan Voeller, being from the Beaver State. The other top 300 recruits on offense are #42 wide receiver Tyree Robinson and #15 guard Cameron Hunt.

Before Tyner can replace De’Anthony Thomas as the premier Ducks running back and Prevot adds a fresh presence to the pass rush, the 2013 Oregon Ducks have a few more things on their agenda. Heading into the season, Oregon is listed just a tick ahead of Stanford as the favorites in a quest to take the Pac-12 championship, finish undefeated, and perhaps become the first non-SEC team win the BCS Championship Game since USC in 2004.

Oregon’s quest begins this Saturday at Autzen Stadium, as they host Nicholls State.

2013 College Football Preview: #4 Stanford Cardinal

With one of the toughest schedules in the nation and slated to play five ranked teams, #4 Stanford is going into the 2013 season with hopes to prove themselves in the Pac-12 and on the national stage without Andrew Luck.

The season starts off slow for the Cardinal where they do not face a ranked opponent until late October when they meet #21 UCLA. Playing the rival Bruins will be the first stop of a difficult road ahead for Stanford, that includes five top 25 teams and five conference teams in six weeks.

The biggest test for Stanford will come when they host #3 Oregon on November 7 in a potentially decisive matchup of the Pac-12 crown. In addition to Oregon and UCLA, the boys from Palo Alto will also cross paths with USC, Oregon State, California, and Notre Dame.

Succeeding in the last half of their schedule will be crucial to the Cardinal’s hopes of finishing the season where they started: in the top 5.  For the Stanford defense, the last six games will be the ultimate opportunity to solidify themselves among the nation’s best.

Stanford has potential to meet those expectations on defense, returning eight players from last year’s 12-1 team. Last season, Stanford held opponents to an eleventh best 17 points per game.

The biggest returns for Stanford on defense will be four seniors in linebackers Shayne Skov and Trent Murphy, lineman Ben Gardner, and senior defensive back Ed Reynolds A product of Guadalajara, Mexico, Skov was a tackling machine in his junior season, averaging more than six per game. Skov’s fellow linebacker, Murphy, as well as Gardner excelled in the pass rush during their junior campaigns by combining to provide 17.5 sacks. Reynolds anchored the secondary with six interceptions and three defensive touchdowns.

The only notable defensive recruit for Stanford will be the sixteenth best safety in the Class of 2013, Brandon Simmons out of Arlington’s Timberview High School.

While the defense is preparing for another strong season after holding opponents to fourteen points or less seven times last year, the offense remains a bit uncertain.

Though they are returning seven starters, Stanford’s playmakers remains undecided with subtractions accounting for almost 75% of last season’s offensive yardage, according to RuleOfTree.com. Stanford’s biggest loss will be running back Stepfan Taylor who ran for thirteen touchdowns and 1,530 yards as a senior.

The only returning starter at a skill position for the Cardinal will be junior quarterback Kevin Hogan. As a sophomore, Hogan started five games, sharing playing time with Josh Nunes. Now with Nunes gone, Hogan is the likely starter after throwing nine touchdowns and 1,096 yards in his contained season. Hogan’s only legitimate threat to will be freshman Keller Chryst, who ESPN lists as this year’s recruiting class’s best pocket passing quarterback, but that is unlikely.

On offense, the biggest strength for the Cardinal will be their offensive line. The Cardinal line is made up of four returning upperclassmen.

Though they lack big name recruits or an early Heisman favorite, the Stanford Cardinal will manage to win this season. Stanford’s strengths come at the most vital positions: defense, offensive line, and quarterback, which will serve any team well when competing in a conference with four other top 25 teams.

The 2013 season gets underway for the Cardinal on Saturday versus San Jose State in a likely bloodbath, or rather a Cardinal red bloodbath.

First is the Worst, Second is the Best: 2013 Preview of the Ohio State Buckeyes

All three major polls rank the Alabama Crimson Tide as college football’s best team in the nation. The coaches, Associated Press, and USA Today also agree unanimously on another thing: THE Ohio State University being right behind them.

In Urban Meyer’s second season at the helm of the Buckeyes, and in his first with bowl eligibility, is he the one man who can take down the devil himself, Nick Saban?

Meyer was robbed of a chance to dethrone Saban last year, after his team completed an undefeated season but had to serve a bowl ban due to multiple scandals surrounding the Buckeyes. This past offseason has also seen more drama surrounding OSU off of the field, including the school imposed three game suspension of star running back Carlos Hyde.

This past week, the team also suspended Hyde’s projected fill-in, Rod Smith, and junior cornerback Bradley Roby from the season opener versus Buffalo.

Despite the allegations surrounding Ohio State, they still remain the favorites in the Big 10, as well as for the National Championship Game. Even without impact and role players, the Buckeyes’ schedule should not pose a problem to their quest to finish 12-0 again.

Ohio State may have one of the easiest schedules in the Top 25, with only three ranked opponents, #23 Wisconsin, #22 Northwestern, and #17 Michigan. The biggest test of the season for the Buckeyes will come in Ann Arbor for the annual meeting with Michigan to end the regular season.

Other than the three clashes with ranked opponents, the only other significant matchups the Buckeyes will have this season will be against Penn State and Iowa State at home.

Regardless of the strength of their schedule, Ohio State will still have one of the most dynamic quarterbacks since Robert Griffin III’s Baylor years, Braxton Miller.

In his sophomore season, Miller finished fifth in the Heisman voting after topping Hyde’s rushing production by running and passing for 28 total touchdowns and over 3,000 offensive yards.

An early Heisman candidate, Miller will be armed with most of his weapons from last season with eight other returning starters on offense. Miller will have his two favorite targets from last season, Philly Brown and Devin Smith, who both put together 600+ yard seasons. Other than sophomore right tackle Taylor Decker, Miller will have the same veteran protection, which is vital to a mobile quarterback.

On defense, the Buckeyes lack the thorough experience of the offense with only four returning starters. Linebacker Ryan Shazier will be the only returning starter up front as he looks to build off his sophomore season where he averaged over nine tackles per game and lead the OSU pass rush.

Behind Shazier will be the Buckeye defense’s biggest strength, the secondary, with three returning starters, C.J. Barnett, Christian Bryant, and Roby, when he returns. In addition to these three who combined for over sixteen tackles per game last season, the Buckeyes will also be adding three of top ten cornerbacks in this year’s recruiting class, Eli Apple, Gareon Conley, and Cam Burrows as well as a top five safety, Vonn Bell.

Apple, Conley, Burrows, and Bell are part of one of the nation’s best recruiting classes, which includes seventeen commits from ESPN’s Top 300 List. Other notable freshmen include linebacker Trey Johnson, wide receiver Jalin Marshall, and running back/wide receiver Dontre Wilson who may see some action with the absences of Hyde and Smith.

Built for the future with a stellar recruiting class, the Buckeyes are still strong in the present, with a prominent and experienced offense and a promising defense. Considering both Ohio State and #1 Alabama’s talent, both have relatively easy schedules and there should not be a problem with either team finishing undefeated or leaving their current ranking, setting up for the BCS Title Game of the century, two iconic coaches and two storied programs in one decisive game.  

Duke: The Restructured ACC’s Early Favorites

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The ACC has always been home to premier basketball with established teams like Duke, North Carolina, Maryland, and Miami, but now with the legacy growing, Duke is still on top. Not even the arrivals of Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Notre Dame to the ACC could stop Mike Krzyzewski’s squad from returning to the top of college basketball, as they are listed as number one in the preseason ACC power rankings.

Since the Big East has deteriorated almost overnight, the ACC is arguably the toughest conference in the country, but nonetheless Duke remains the early favorites.

Part of the reason for Duke’s early edge on their conference mates is the enrollment of standout yet underrated freshman Jabari Parker. A product of Simeon Career Academy, the home of Derrick Rose, Parker is ESPN’s second ranked recruit and small forward for 2013 behind hyped Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins.

At 6’9’’, Parker still has exceptional athleticism to complement his size advantage over other small forwards. In addition to his physical outlook, Parker already has one of college basketball’s highest basketball IQs which will develop even more after playing in Durham for Coach K. To get an idea of how good Parker is, he was the only freshman to ever play varsity at Simeon, Rose included.

Krzyzewski will also surround Parker with the nation’s seventh best recruiting class, which includes two other ESPN top 100 recruits, shooting guard Matt Jones and small forward Semi Ojeleye from Kansas’s Ottawa High School. Out of Desoto High School in Texas, Jones, a McDonald’s All-American is listed as 2013’s sixth best shooting guard. Ojeleye is ranked as the tenth best small forward.

With additions, come subtractions.

The biggest losses for Duke this season will be the graduation of their two leading scorers from last season, Mason Plumlee and Seth Curry. Plumlee, Duke’s most efficient shooter, and Curry, the younger brother of Warriors point guard Steph Curry, combined to score over 44% of the Blue Devils’ points last season.

Despite losing the biggest components to their Elite 8 appearance, Duke will be returning key players from last season who should have matured to the level of full time Blue Devil caliber players like upperclassmen guards Quinn Cook and Tyler Thornton and sophomores Amile Jefferson and Rasheed Sulaimon.

Cook led the team in steals with 51 while averaging almost twelve points per game. Jefferson and Thornton both averaged around four points per game and will look to become regulars in Krzyzewski’s lineup this season. After a breakout freshman season where he saw action in all 36 games and averaged over twelve points, Sulaimon will become a dual threat with Parker in Duke’s offense this season.

Another addition for Duke will be the activation of guard Rodney Hood. Hood was ineligible from playing last season after transferring from Mississippi State. While in high school, Hood was named the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year, twice.

Beyond the returning players from Duke’s Elite 8 loss to Louisville, the highlight of the Blue Devils this season will be the freshman, Parker. Due to Krzyzewski’s balanced and distributed philosophy, Parker will not have the college stats Andrew Wiggins will accumulate at Lawrence almost as a one man team. However on the court, Parker’s athleticism and raw instincts will be hard to ignore.

Heading into the season, Duke is not armed with too many players proven at the collegiate level as superstars. Duke does however have players with potential playing for one of the greatest coaches of all time in any sport. Just like the New England Patriots can never be counted out for the NFL Playoffs with Bill Belichick coaching, no matter how slim the odds are, Duke can never be doubted for March with Krzyzewski on the sidelines.

Cincinnati Bengals: The Future Has Come

Though Thursday night’s 34-10 demolition of the Atlanta Falcons was a preseason game loosely coached for evaluating players in bulk, the Cincinnati Bengals showed that the future may have already come for this young team.

The once elite AFC North is now a diminishing division. Despite the acquisition of coveted defensive end Elvis Dumervil, the Baltimore Ravens has lost eight starters from their Super Bowl winning team, including defensive and emotional leaders Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have began slowly losing key players while proving inconsistent and struggling to stay out of trouble off the field. In Cleveland, the Browns will be undergoing yet another “rebuilding” year.

Right now, the AFC North is at its most vulnerable state with the usual threats in Baltimore and Pittsburgh fading.

In his third NFL season, Andy Dalton will be looking to lead the Bengals to their fourth straight playoff berth, and potentially their first first-round bye since the 1988 AFC Champion season. As a second round draft pick in the recent era of big time first round quarterbacks, Dalton has quietly become one of football’s next great quarterbacks.

After his standout rookie season, Dalton avoided a sophomore slump last year by bettering all of his stats, except for interceptions, rushing yards, and fumbles. This season, Dalton will have already played two full campaigns and will be looking to takeover a questionable division as a dominant quarterback.

Dalton will once again be armed with fellow 2011 Draft Class member, A.J. Green. Since they debuted together, Green and Dalton have been evolving into one of the league’s best quarterback/ receiver tandems. In their rookie season, Green and Dalton set records for completions and passing yards between a rookie quarterback and wide receiver.

Like Dalton, Green is returning from a second season where he was able to improve most of his stat categories. Green enters 2013 with already two 1,000 yards receiving season and eighteen career touchdowns.

The Bengal offense will not be one dimensional and just Green.

Gradually, Cincy has put together a stellar young squad. At the other wide receiver, the Bengals have Mohamed Sanu in his second season out of Rutgers. In just eight games last year, Sanu had four touchdowns. This will likely be Sanu’s first season as is already projected to be a starter.

At tight end, the Bengals will have depth and size. Cincinnati will have a pair of 250+ pound tight ends, with 6’5” Jermaine Gresham and 6’6” Tyler Eifert.

Eifert was just drafted out of Notre Dame in this year’s draft after a standout season with the BCS runner-ups where he average almost fourteen yards per carry. Gresham is the projected starter after averaging twelve yards per reception last season.

Dalton and Green might not be the only young duo on the Bengals With their size and ability, this tight end duo of Gresham and Eifert can develop into the Patriots of old with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

In the backfield, Dalton will have BenJarvus Green-Ellis in shis econd season with the Bengals. Green-Ellis broke out with the Patriots in 2010 and 2011 where he rushed for 24 touchdowns in two seasons. Last season with the Bengals, Green-Ellis fell off a bit with six touchdowns but still provides a dynamic presence in the backfield.

The defense will be returning most of their top performers from last season including middle linebacker Rey Maualauga. Maualauga will be in his third year as the team’s middle linebacker. Last season, Maualauga recorded a career high in total tackles with 122.

The Bengals will have a very experienced secondary with eleven year veteran Terrence Newman and seven year veterans Leon Hall and Reggie Nelson. Last season, these three combined for seven interceptions while providing a strong veteran’s presence and experience.

Carlos Dunlap will once again be the defense’s lead pass rusher. In his three seasons out of Florida, Dunlap already has 20 sacks, including a 9.5 sack rookie campaign.

For the Bengals, their young offense is catching up to their seasoned defense’s experience and they will be in a position to take the AFC North crown in a weak division.

Unlike the Broncos and Patriots, there is no pressure of running out of time. As a young team, the Bengals will have many more seasons to win. Because the future has come, this year may be one of those seasons.

How Biogenesis Will Affect the Playoff Races

With Monday’s punishments announced for the players involved in Anthony Bosch’s biogenesis clinic, 2013’s playoff races may be slightly altered. Although most of the players connected to biogenesis are less than role players, some teams will be tasked to endure the season’s final two months without impact players and All-Stars who were an integral part of their first half lineups.

Two teams whose quest for October will lack 2013 All-Stars are the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers. The Tigers lost their shortstop, Jhonny Peralta, while Texas will move forward without their main catalyst, right fielder Nelson Cruz.

In the Rangers’ first season without Josh Hamilton and Michael Young, one of their offense’s few reliable assets was Cruz. Understandably, Cruz was having his best statistical season prior to his suspension. Through 108 games, Cruz was on pace for career highs in homeruns and qualifying batting average.

Cruz led the Rangers in homeruns with 27, RBI with 76, and walks with 35. Aging third baseman Adrian Beltre will be the Rangers’ main offensive force for the remainder of the season. Beltre leads every major offensive category that Cruz didn’t.

Two players who the Rangers will need to perform for hopes at keeping up with the surging Athletics are catcher A.J. Pierzynski and second baseman Ian Kinsler. Both players have missed over 20 games already and will need to stay in the lineup and perform like their old selves for Texas to have a chance at getting back to fall baseball.

Unlike the Rangers, Detroit probably will not even feel or notice Peralta’s absence despite his All-Star season with a .305 average. Detroit still has the reigning Triple Crown winner, Miguel Cabrera, along with his counterpart, Prince Fielder.

Thus far in 2013, Cabrera is posting a legitimate bid for a repeat at the Triple Crown with a league leading .359 average and 105 RBI along with a second best 33 homeruns. Fielder has provided an additional 80 RBI and 17 homeruns.

Like Cruz, Peralta was also having one of his best seasons. Peralta’s .305 average was a career high and was on pace for his most homeruns since 2008. Despite this revival to his eleven year career, Peralta is a minor subtraction from an already very deep and experienced lineup loaded with Cabrera and Fielder as well as seasoned veterans Torii Hunter and Victor Martinez.

The Tigers had prepared for Peralta’s suspension when they addressed his potential vacancy at the Trade Deadlne. Detroit acquired Jose Iglesias from the Red Sox in a three team trade with the White Sox that saw the departures of Avisail Garcia and Brayan Villareal.

Iglesias is a defensive minded shortstop, but showed signs of strong offensive production earlier this season.

Even if Peralta’s absence downgraded the offense, the Tigers’ starting rotations is still one of the league’s most talented staffs with the 17-1 Max Scherzer, 10-5 Doug Fister, and perennial Cy Young candidate 12-8 Justin Verlander.

The Tigers have the pitching and enough offense to make the playoffs and hold off the threatening Indians without Peralta. In Arlington, the outcome does look as promising. Texas will fatally miss Cruz’s power in their efforts to stop the Athletics if other players fail to stay productive and on the field.

By suspending the players involved with biogenesis, baseball hoped to retain the integrity of the game and keep an untainted playoff race. These suspensions have altered the playoff race and punished more than just the players, but also their teams. Seeing the way their teams needed them, after failing to make the playoffs, could be the best punishment of all for the players and perhaps an added incentive in the future to stay clean.

McCarron Will Be Looking for Even More Hardware

It seems a team not located in Miami is highly favored to capture a threepeat in 2014 as the preseason coaches poll names the two time defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide the nation’s number one team. Coming off a complete demolition of Notre Dame in this year’s BCS National Championship, Nick Saban’s squad will be back and perhaps better than ever.

Though they have lost nine starters, including first round picks cornerback Dee Milliner and offensive linemen Chance Warmack and D.J. Fluker, Alabama is returning one of college football’s most experienced and decorated players ever, in AJ McCarron. The Heisman-less McCarron has led the Tide to two championships in his two years as a starter for a career record of 24-2.

Like Mario Chalmers of the Miami Heat, McCarron has lived in the shadows of his distinguished and celebrated teammates. McCarron, a quarterback, and Chalmers, a point guard, drive the motor behind their championship winning teams, but find themselves out of the limelight.

No matter how many times Chalmers sets up the offense, Dwayne Wade will always get the praise for the made three pointer. Regardless of how well McCarron reads the defense and calls an audible that results in an Trent Richardson touchdown, fans will only recognize Richardson’s skill as a rusher.

Chalmers probably will never have the chance to shine due to the cap-breaking talent on his team, however McCarron might be able to this season.

McCarron’s offenses in his first two seasons as a starter revolved around a primary running back, Trent Richardson in 2011 and Eddie Lacy in 2012. Since McCarron’s sophomore season, Richardson and Lacy had combined to rush for 3001 yards and 38 touchdowns. Both Richardson and Lacy were drafted after their breakout seasons in Tuscaloosa.

This season, Lacy’s former counterpart, sophomore T.J. Yeldon, a 1,000 yard rusher, will likely be McCarron’s primary back. Yeldon is more versatile as a receiver than Lacy, which will give McCarron more opportunities to throw the ball rather than hand it off.

As a senior quarterback with a versatile yet young backfield and experienced receivers, McCarron can finally put emphasis on his passing game. McCarron will be armed with his top two receivers from 2012, Amari Cooper and Kevin Norwood. This dynamic tandem led the national champions in yards, receptions, and touchdowns.

As a freshman, Cooper was the Tide’s lone 1000 yard receiver last season.

Alabama is also adding a highly touted recruiting class of receivers, including the nation’s second ranked tight end, O.J. Howard, as well as wide receiver Ruben Foster who ESPN ranks 25^th overall.

With McCarron’s experience along with his stellar weapons on offense, he can make a strong case for the Heisman Trophy. Despite his storied career and the award’s infamy for being given mainly to quarterbacks, McCarron has never even been nominated for the prestigious award. However, this can be his year.

In an offseason of controversy surrounding the reigning Heisman winner as a freshman, Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M, McCarron may be the early favorite in his senior year. McCarron will face his Manning Quarterback Camp roommate and fellow preseason Heisman candidate in College Station on September 14 in a rematch of Alabama’s only loss of 2012.

Even with two championships, McCarron made the almost unprecedented decision to return to college for his senior year and bypass the NFL Draft. There is something that McCarron want that he does not already have.

A Heisman. A perfect season.

In recent years, the Alabama offense had been dominated by a premier running back. McCarron will have another talented back this season in Yeldon, however considering all of his other assets on offense, it may finally be McCarron’s time to get more publicity than his girlfriend, Katherine Webb.

There is no question that Alabama is the early favorite to finish 2013 where they started, at number one. The Tide will likely win the championship and complete the threepeat before the Heat do, which would make McCarron a Heisman away from matching, if not bettering, Tim Tebow’s illustrious college career. 

A Crucial Time for Cardinals

Just inside the final two months of the season, the St. Louis Cardinals are finding themselves in a position not to familiar to the eleven time champions: doubt.

The division rival and competing Pittsburgh Pirates have hosted the Cardinals for a five game set that may serve as a deciding factor for the NL Central title. Pittsburgh has won the first four games, including a double-header sweep on Tuesday. The Pirates have outscored the Cardinals 22-7 so far this series.

Losing both ends of Tuesday’s double dip was not even the worst part of the day for the Cardinals. In the second game, National League MVP candidate Yadier Molina left in the third inning with a knee injury. Molina’s MRI would later reveal knee inflammation which landed him on the 15 day DL.

Before his injury, Molina had put together arguably the best season of his eleven year career. The National League’s starting catcher for the All-Star Game, Molina was batting .330 with an unusually high 54 RBI.

2.5 games out of first place and without their biggest asset for at least the next two weeks, the aging Cardinals are riding a five game losing streak and are tasked with keeping pace with the much younger and scrappy Pirates.

If Molina can return on time, he should be available for the final game of the Pirates/Cardinals series occurring from August 13-15 in St. Louis. Until their next meeting with the Pirates, the Cardinals will venture through a difficult segment of their schedule without their best player.

After tonight’s concluding game of this rare five game series, the Cardinals will travel to Cincinnati for a three game series with the 60-49 yet third place Reds. While in Cincinnati, the Cardinals pitching staff will be tasked with containing the Reds’ power threats in Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, Shin-Soo Choo, and Brandon Philips who combine for 65 homeruns.

Following the Reds series, the Cardinals will return home to face the National League’s hottest team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though at home, this series will still be a test for the Cardinals as they encounter the explosive Dodger lineup who have the MLB’s best team average in July.

Without Molina, St. Louis can potentially face the impressive tandem of the 10-6 and ERA leading Clayton Kershaw and 8-3 Zach Greinke in the Dodger series and the 10-4 Mike Leake versus the Reds.

After meeting the Dodgers, the Cardinals will have somewhat of an easier matchup as they face off with the longtime foe Chicago Cubs.

Even without their All-Star closer, Jason Grilli, Pittsburgh has a much easier schedule before their next meeting with the Cardinals. The next three series for the Pirates will be against sub-.500 teams. The Pirates are slated to play the miserable last place Marlins in between two sets with the 51-58 Colorado Rockies.

Pittsburgh has it so good these next two weeks that when they play the Marlins, they will not even have to visit the hideous Marlins Park.

When the Pirates arrive in St. Louis for another crucial meeting, the standings could be determined by much more than 2.5 games. Although the Cardinals have the fifth best record in the major leagues, these next two weeks without Yadier Molina could be detrimental to their season.

The Cardinals will still have a strong team without Molina but they will be losing one of the lineup’s main catalysts. There will be added pressure on the aging bodies of Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran for Molina’s leadership and production while more emphasis will be placed on Matt Carpenter for Molina’s reliability.

In recent years, it was the Pirates who fell apart at this time of the year due to injuries and slumping bats, however the tables may turn.

Depending on how this next stretch goes for the Cardinals could help Molina’s campaign for MVP. Unlike the Heisman Award in college football the MLB does not grant the award to the best player, but rather to the player who was the most valuable to his team, thus the name Most Valuable Player. If the Cardinals struggle without their elite backstop, it will prove his worth as the most valuable player on the team.

A Nostalgic Weekend for the Yankees

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This weekend’s story could not get any better for Yankee fans. Serving at least as a temporary distraction, the Bronx Bombers were able to relive their glory years of the late 1990s and early 2000s for a little while.

That era of Yankee baseball may have been one of the single greatest dynasties in sports history, along with another great chapter in the team’s legacy, the 1920s and 1930s where the Babe Ruth led Murderer’s Row went to six World Series in twelve years, winning three.

For the first time since the mid 1960s to early 1970s championship drought, the Yankees are facing a true crisis. Teams in the AL East are younger and more talented, as the Yankees are running out of their normal luck in finding high risk/high reward free agents, as well as time with ageless wonders and franchise cornerstones, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera approaching retirement.

While the team is unraveling, the status of the 275 million dollar third baseman, (No, that is not a hyperbole.) Alex Rodriguez, is indefinite. Rodriguez, who admitted his steroid use in 2009, is among the players accused of involvement in Anthony Bosch’s biogenesis clinic, facing a potential suspension or lifetime ban from baseball.

After a week tainted by the Yankee front office taking disassociating themselves from the same player they signed for ten years in 2007 to a new extreme by falsely placing him on the disabled list, Yankee fans had a taste of their rich past to forget about the scandals and decline of their team.

This weekend began with the midseason trade for former Yankee Alfonso Soriano from the Cubs. Soriano was acquired to help spark an outdated, fragile, and sluggish Yankee lineup. Before the trade, Soriano had hit eight homeruns in the month of July, one more than the Yankees, as a team.

While a Yankee, Soriano was part of four World Series teams, including two championships. Before the 2004 season, Soriano had been traded from the Yankees to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez.

Soriano’s best season in the pinstripes, 2002, may have been the best of his fourteen year career. In 2002, Soriano hit 39 homeruns and drove in 104 runs while hitting .300 for the only time in his career. Though he may be well passed 2002, Soriano can still provide the offense with that same explosive production while providing fans with his attendance for a blast from the past.

Less than 48 hours after Soriano’s arrival in the Bronx for the weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays, two other iconic Yankees made their return to The Stadium.

Longtime Yankee captain and shortstop Derek Jeter returned to the Yankees lineup from another stint on the disabled list on the day his former teammate, Hideki Matsui, retired and was honored with his own bobblehead day.

This was Jeter’s second return of the month after reinjuring himself in his first game off the DL on July 11. A perennial and classic Yankee with five rings, Jeter experienced his best seasons during that dynastic era in the Bronx.

In the 1999 World Series winning season, Jeter hit .349 with a 24 homeruns uncharacteristic to a shortstop. Jeter would also excel in 2000 where he was awarded the unprecedented combination of both All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP.

Matsui joined the Yankees in 2003 after an already illustrious career in Japan. A two time All-Star, “Godzilla” was part of one World Series team in 2008 where he batted .615 with three homeruns and eight RBI, earning him Series MVP.

What could be more Hollywood for the class act Jeter to return with Matsui in attendance and being honored?

Homering on the first pitch of his first at bat.

Jeter’s homerun was the first for the Yankees in nine games, making his presence known immediately. After a 2-4 performance by Jeter, Tinseltown would return for this throwback as Soriano slated his fourth hit of the day, a walkoff to give the Yankees a much-needed victory.

Now as the scriptwriters and film crews have left Yankee Stadium, there still are those same issues lurking with the Steinbrenners, Brian Cashman, and Joe Girardi.

The feel good movie is now more of a melodrama.

What will happen with A-Rod? How can we keep up with the Red Sox, Orioles, and Rays? What are we going to do when Mo and Derek leave? Can Soriano meet our expectations and perform like before?

For the Yankees, this weekend full of feel good memories of yesteryear served as a suitable distraction, however moving forward the Pinstripes may never be the same.

All was not well for the Yankees of the early 2000s yesterday, former Yankee star Tino Martinez resigned as Marlins hitting coach after numerous complaints and accusations on his “tough” approach.

Braun and Others Deserve the Baseball Death Penalty

A day after Ryan Braun’s suspension for the remainder of the season was announced, I am still unsatisfied.

In agreement with my longtime hero in sports media, Dick Vitale, the twenty or so players involved with Anthony Bosch’s biogenesis clinic as well as anyone who has ever been selfishly involved with steroids deserve the ultimate punishment in baseball- the death penalty.

The latest chapter in baseball’s ongoing fight against performance enhancing drugs has called for desperate measures from commissioner Bud Selig. Like Pete Rose and the 1919 Chicago Black Sox, these players linked to steroids do not deserve to ever play in the MLB ever again, regardless of how good they are, what they have done, or how much fans love to watch them play.

They are cheaters.

They cheated themselves, the game, their organization, and their fans.

When the 1919 scandal of Chicago White Sox players being bribed to lose the World Series, commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis administered the baseball death penalty to discourage other players from compromising the game’s integrity. Landis, who attended White Sox games regularly, audaciously banned fan favorites as well as future Hall of Famers like Eddie Cicotte and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson from the sport despite their talent.

The ruling did its job. Through the next 70 years, there was really only one other significant known scandal.

Like Jackson, another Cooperstown bound player, career hits leader, Pete Rose, was banned for life from baseball and later ruled ineligible for the Hall of Fame. Rose was accused by then commissioner Bart Giamatti of betting on games and against his team as a manager and a player.

Much like the punishment system used widely throughout history of executing criminals extremely or publically to prevent future offenses, Giamatti and Landis succeeded for the most part in limiting players involved in gambling. Both commissioners demonstrated radical measures to warn or scare other players from rigging games.

Selig, a native of Milwaukee where Braun’s Brewers play, needs to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors and preserve the overall spirit of the game by ending this tainted chapter of baseball lore.

Steroids are much more serious than simply breaking baseball’s good spirit like Rose and the Black Sox did.

The health issues caused by steroids alone should be enough of a punishment to discourage players from cheating. Steroids have been known to cause various cancers as well as cardiovascular and kidney problems.

Unlike the gambling scandals, steroids affect more than just the players and their teams. Steroids can give players a substantial advantage over opponents and may have warped performances and stats at the cost of the opposition. By making users unnaturally bigger and stronger, steroids could also be the culprits behind numerous injuries.

If gambling was enough of an offense to ban some of the best players to ever play baseball for life, steroids almost certainly are too. The suspensions have proved to not be enough. Steroids are a much more serious matter than betting on games ever was or will be.

For baseball to be restored, and for young fans like me, who have grown up only knowing a tainted game, to experience the beauty of clean baseball, Selig needs to leave his mark on the sport as commissioner by eliminating all steroids and all cheaters.

Breaking: Harvey to Start the All-Star Game

Giants and National League manager Bruce Bochy announced earlier today that Matt Harvey would get the start for tomorrow’s All-Star Game. Harvey will be pitching in his home ballpark, Citi Field, along with his teammate, David Wright, at third.

After a half season of great young pitching in the National League, Harvey received the starting nod over fellow National League All-Stars, Clayton Kershaw, Patrick Corbin, Jordan Zimmerman, and Jeff Locke.

The Mets skipped Harvey’s start on Saturday to “limit his innings” but most likely to make him more eligible to pitch in front of his home crowd in the All-Star Game.

Harvey joins Dwight Gooden and Tom Seaver as the only Mets pitchers to ever start the All-Star Game. The 24 year old Harvey is also the first rookie since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 to start the Mid-Summer Classic. The only other rookies to start are Mark Fidyrich in 1976 and Dave Stenhouse in 1962.

Through the first half of the season, Harvey is 7-2 with the third lowest ERA in the majors at 2.35 through 130 innings. Harvey’s .92 WHIP is second only to Clayton Kershaw’s .91.

Dunn Snubbed Once Again

When Robinson Cano announced Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes would be the final member of his American League Homerun Derby, White Sox first baseman Adam Dunn once again missed the cutoff. Through his career, this generation’s version of Dave Kingman has made only two All-Star Game appearances, without a Derby appearance.

Although the Homerun Derby usually requires participants to be All-Stars, Dunn has been a legitimate candidate for it with multiple 40 homerun seasons, including five straight from 2004-2008. The biggest issue with the Homerun Derby is the obligatory All-Star status.

The Homerun Derby is called that for a reason. It is not the all around player derby.

Since he was a rookie in 2001, Dunn has already belted 430 homeruns. Dunn has the 45^th most all-time homeruns and is one of only 50 players to eclipse the magical 400 mark. Heading into the All-Star Break, Dunn is tied with Pedro Alvarez and Raul Ibanez for the fifth most in the majors with 24.

But why is he never celebrated with Cano and Prince Fielder in the Homerun Derby?

Adam Dunn has become one of the premier power hitters in baseball, however due to his one-dimensional play he usually finds himself snubbed from the All-Star week festivities. A career .238 hitter with over 2,000 strikeouts, Dunn is most definitely not Ted Williams. With 115 career errors, Dunn has also yet to perform in the field, while failing to find a permanent position, bouncing between first base, corner outfield positions, and designated hitter.

Like everywhere, politics can exist in the Homerun Derby. The worst part of the Derby is captains can elect to pick their friends to join them to represent their leagues. Only two Derby participants, Carlos Gonzalez with 25 and Chris Davis with a major league high 36, have more homeruns this season than Dunn.

In a perfect world, the Derby participants would be decided by the top four homerun leaders in the National and American Leagues. In that utopia, Dunn would have made the Derby in 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, and 2004.

It is incomprehensible how someone in an all-time class with Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, and Barry Bonds and top ten for the season homerun totals, is not included in the Derby. Just because Dunn has never had a season where he hit above .270 and does not boast Gold Glove caliber defense does not make him unqualified for the Homerun Derby.

In fact, Adam Dunn may be the most qualified for the Derby.

The Homerun Derby is not even a contest even more; it is purely entertainment for both the players and fans. In my opinion, Adam Dunn could put on a show for his peers and fans by cranking 450 foot shots and getting on mesmerizing runs much like Josh Hamilton did in 2008.

How Available is Cliff Lee?

The Phillies may be just 7.5 games behind the first place Atlanta Braves and 5.5 games back from the wild card leading Pirates and Reds, but they are simply too old to contend with these elite young clubs through September. With July 31 approaching, Philadelphia should look to be sellers in this year’s trade deadline and attempt to rebuild quickly much like the Boston Red Sox have done in the past year.

Reuben Amaro Jr. is one of baseball’s best general managers, but once he retires, Amaro will not be remembered for creating some of the best Phillies teams, but as the man who traded Cliff Lee, not once but twice. And did the right thing.

Cliff Lee is by far Philadelphia’s best pitcher. Through July 12, Lee had a team best 10-3 record, 2.86 ERA, 125 strikeouts, and 138.2 innings.

Lee is not only the best Philadelphia pitcher this season, but has also been one of the game’s best pitchers through the past decade. With a career record of 135-81 since his 2001 debut with the Cleveland Indians, it is a surprise Lee has yet to find a consistent home. Despite his success, Lee has played on four teams in five years, including two stints in Philly. Lee has become a usual commodity on the midseason trading block; subsequently he has only played a full season with a single team twice since 2009.

Amaro acquired Lee, the reigning Cy Young Award winner, in 2009 in a blockbuster trade deadline deal with the Indians for a collection of prospects. Lee helped lead the Phillies to a second straight National League title before falling to the Yankees in the World Series. That offseason, Amaro traded Lee for the first time, to the Seattle Mariners.

In Seattle, Lee had an 8-3 record with three straight complete games before being relocated within the division to the Texas Rangers. Once again, Lee helped his team reach the World Series but failed to capture a ring when the Giants captured their first of two World Series in three years.

After the 2010 campaign, Lee returned to the Phillies as a free agent. In the past two and a half seasons, Lee has a 33-21 record and 575 strikeouts.

As an aging team, the Phillies could consider unloading contracts and Lee has to be at the root of that discussion. Almost any team in contention would value Lee’s experience and proven success to help them reach the playoffs.

A likely destination for Lee, if Amaro lets the one of the National League’s best pitchers of the century go again, could be the National League Central. Both the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates could gain an advantage on one another by acquiring yet another stellar arm to fill out their rotation. The Reds might also express interest in Lee to keep up with the almost unfair pitching of Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

Other potential destinations for Lee could be Arizona and Baltimore. Other than Patrick Corbin, the Diamondbacks are struggling with starting pitching and Lee could help protect first place from the Yasiel Puig-led Dodgers. The Orioles also have issues with their starters and Lee would automatically be the young, inexperienced staff’s ace.

Assuming Lee is traded, Amaro will make the right move by getting rid of the four-time All-Star, again. All five teams listed above have strong farm systems that can produce prospects valuable to Philadelphia rebuilding. Lee may be the best available pitcher on the market this July, which will help bring minor league talent and future All-Stars to The City of Brotherly Love, as well as a potential World Series in the coming years.

Wrigley is Amazing Just the Way It Is

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I never thought I would quote Bruno Mars in a sports article, but when I heard the upsetting news that the century old Wrigley Field is subject to modernization and a potential retirement, all I could think of was one of Mars’s hit songs, Just the Way You Are. In the song from his 2010 album, Doo Wops and Hooligans, Mars sings about a girl he finds seemingly perfect and does not need to change when he says, “You’re amazing, just the way you are.”

Much like the girl Mars sings about, here in 2013, 99 years after it opened, Wrigley Field is still amazing, just the way it is.

Everything about Wrigley is beautiful. The ivy walls. The hand operated scoreboard. The seats across the street. The iconic red sign outside the stadium reading Wrigley Field/ Home of Chicago Cubs. The classic renditions of Take Me Out to the Ballgame sung every seventh inning stretch.

To think that the Cubs front office is considering redoing the ballpark is absolutely disheartening. I have never been to The Friendly Confines, nor am I Cubs fan, but I am a baseball fan that appreciates the game’s rich history, which Wrigley has been at the heart of since Woodrow Wilson held office.

There is an adage that says, “Do not fix what is not broken,” and Wrigley is far from broken. There is a reason why Wrigley has lasted since 1914.

It is a classic ballpark.

It is not like fans do not go to Wrigley because it is unpleasant. Despite some of the atrocious Cubs teams over the last 99 years, fans always manage to find their way to Wrigley. Had Wrigley been an unlikable stadium, due to the lack of success in Chicago, it would have closed its doors years ago.

Part of the Wrigley experience, which I have yet to be blest with, is the feeling of watching games without the distracting cartoons and world class dining and shopping options just like our baseball ancestors.

Before 1988, Wrigley Field had been the MLB’s lone stadium without lights or night games. Right now, Wrigley is the only regular season stadium in professional baseball lacking a jumbotron, although the Ricketts announced today a plan to add two.

Other than Fenway Park in Boston, Wrigley is our only connection to baseball’s grassroots, giving us a glimpse of the days of the Bambino, Honus, and Cobb.  I am not saying Wrigley Field should not be updated to modern standards or that fans do not deserve to watch a game in convenience and comfort, but there has to be a better way to renovate Wrigley.

One of the new electric scoreboards is supposed to block views of the iconic seats across the street on top of apartment buildings. This already kills one of Wrigley’s best features. By losing these seats, it will only be a matter of time before the ivy is cut down and overpriced dining clubs decorate and dominate the stadium’s interior.

This millennium has already seen the demolitions of Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium and The Old Yankee Stadium, and I do not want to see Wrigley join them on that list.

Mars ends the song by saying there is not a thing he would change about the girl, and likewise there is not a thing I would change about Wrigley. I know eventually we will have to say goodbye to Wrigley, but until then, rather than focus on its defects, we should celebrate its beauty and history, as there will never be anything like it, ever.

Wrigley Field has yet to see the Cubs win a World Series and in a perfect world scripted by Walt Disney, the final season played there would be the year the Curse of the Billy Goat is broken.

Potential Trade: Young for Joba

July 10 marks when NBA teams can officially announce trades and free agent signings; however it is a potential baseball transaction that has caught my attention the most. There have been recent trade rumors circulating that the Philadelphia Phillies are exploring the option of trading versatile veteran infielder Michael Young to the Yankees in return for the erratic Joba Chamberlain.

If this deal can be pulled off before the July 31 deadline, it will only add to various other trading “phlops” in Philadelphia sports history while Brian Cashman would have succeeded yet again in finding production in a thought to be washed up player.

Joba Chamberlain has become one of the generation’s most inconsistent and unreliable pitchers. Chamberlain has struggled staying on the field and at the major league level while battling numerous injuries and mechanics issues.

As a rookie, Joba looked like a potentially great major league pitcher when he went 2-0 with a sub one ERA out of the bullpen. In his 2008 sophomore and first full season, Chamberlain continued his early success by posting a 4-3 record with a 2.60 ERA while averaging more than one strikeout per inning.

Since his first two seasons, Chamberlain has moved between the bullpen, starting rotation, and operating room. Joba has yet to perform for a full season as he has made over 45 appearances out of the bullpen only once, in 2010 where had a 4.40 ERA and allowed almost one hit every inning. Currently, Chamberlain is having his worst season yet, with an ERA over five through 22 appearances.

Michael Young is one of baseball’s most underrated players. Young is a career .301 hitter while being extremely versatile. The seven time All-Star has experience at all four infield positions and has a fielding percentage over .955 at all four spots.

Through the 2013 campaign, Young has played mostly third base, while batting .289 and committing only six errors.

If this trade goes through, the Yankees may pull off one of the biggest steals in baseball history. Young is almost a perfect fit for the Bombers while the Phils could acquire a couple boxes of baseballs for the same value of Joba Chamberlain.

As a veteran with playoff experience, Young also provides great character. As a Ranger, it seemed like every year Young was forced to change positions because of a new addition to the team. The Yankees could use a player like Young who provides a team first attitude to the clubhouse.

Young could also jumpstart a sluggish Yankee lineup with his energizing, reliable, and consistent production, as he not batted under .250 in over ten years. With the future of Alex Rodriguez in the Bronx questionable and a lack of production from the hot corner this season, Young could fill a big vacancy in Joe Girardi’s lineup.

Joba does not however blend with a Phillies organization looking to make one final push for the playoffs before the majority of their roster begins retiring. If the Phillies are looking for one more October, they do not need another lackluster arm in a bullpen with an ERA of 4.61, nor can they afford to lose their second leading and best all around hitter.

The Pinstripes revitalize careers, and despite the almost natural fit between Young and the Yankees, I do not see this trade going through. The Phillies would be out of their mind to let a potential key to the playoffs go in return for a pitcher who may actually make the league’s second worst bullpen even worse.