Monday Morning Sports Headlines: Michigan's Revival

It may just be a matter of coincidence that I watched the ESPN 30 for 30 series on Netflix, and stumbled upon the "Fab Five" documentary, or it could be destiny.

Twenty years have passed since Michigan last reached the Final Four, and they have finally made their return after embarrassing the talented Florida Gators. Nik Stauskas showed up big as a freshman, and Trey Burke reiterated why he is an NBA point guard. Michigan continues to display why they deserved better than a four seed (if anyone actually cares about seed).

I think those warmup shirts were appropriate for Trey Burke.

Yes it's more of a shocker that Wichita is in the Final Four, but I think this Michigan team has stolen the weekend. Their incomprehensible comeback against Kansas followed by an overtime win were the talk of anybody's Friday night. They also had the toughest road to the Final Four, playing a five, one, and three seed to get there.

While the days of Glenn Robinson, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, and Chris Webber are in the rear view, it only seems fitting that Robinson's son and this current generation of Michigan players has held the rest of the nation captive. This team has shown the rest of the nation that a team can overcome sanctions and return to national prominence. Even though the sanctions are comparatively light to those that have been placed on other major programs, the reputation of the program and history were compromised. This is also coming in a power conference, where Michigan has to compete with Michigan State for in-state players, and Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Indiana for players in the Midwest.

I realize I may be dramatizing their "return", but really what I am trying to stress is that programs that have had a historically bad reputation or little success should look at Michigan as a symbol of "hope". In an era where the rich get even richer in college athletics, a Michigan and a VCU are prime examples of how good coaching and development can establish a program.

So, from a B1G perspective, be patient - Minnesota, Northwestern, Iowa, and especially Penn State. Your time in the cellar may not last forever, and there is always potential to break the spell of perennial mediocrity. Just look at Michigan and Indiana.

Programming Note* - I will be doing a section every Monday on whatever I deem the biggest sports story of the past week. Carry on :)

The Power of Questions

What is the importance of relationships in life? In what ways do they add or subtract value? What are the things that define who we are and where we are going?

I am at a point where I have came to question everything around me. Evaluating my surroundings and the "progress", or journey that my life has become. The daily routines of class, work, exercise, eating, and sleeping seem to have no intangible purpose. At least, it is difficult to always see how the immediate benefits can translate into bigger things. What are humans meant to learn about and how are they meant to live life?

Rather than trying to answer these questions, I find myself asking more questions, and feeling enlightened, yet overwhelmed with possibilities. I come to the question of, what do I want to create, in conjunction with the beliefs of the rest of the world? Do we know what we commit to when we go through our day, and how our daily activities are going to impact the rest of our lives?

Globalization seems to be a popular notion today, albeit relatively new. But are we at a point where our countries, states, and communities are connected and sophisticated enough to be interested in forming a global community? After all, how much do we even interact with our neighbors? Something that I am and would believe many are guilty of is devaluing even small interactions with others. We close ourselves off to the people who are even the most accessible. How often do we have meaningful conversations with people we are passing by at work, class, or an extracurricular activity, and why do people value time itself rather than how time is used? Would it be better to perceive time as possibility rather than money or self advancement?

I know that many of us are well intentioned with the things we do and that there is value in structure and organization, but the question I am asking is - What type of structure are we creating, and what do we want to create?

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Spring is within smelling distance (for non-Midwesterners), summer break is soon to follow, and just about every sport season is at the peak of optimism. NFL free agency has Viking fans dreaming of September, and Packer fans cursing out Ted Thompson. NBA playoff races are heating up, (see what I did there?) opening day for baseball fans is less than a week away, and hockey... well I'm not going to pretend to care about hockey.

Oh... and MARCH MADNESS.

Seriously, for sport fans, can you think of a better time of year? Fans are brimming with optimism about the potential for their college basketball team, tournament bracket, their NFL free agent additions, and the sights and sounds of a baseball game under the lights.

Play on, playas.

With the first and most exciting weekend of the NCAA tournament coming to an end today, and everyones' brackets being busted thanks to La Salle, FGCU, and Wichita State, we can all forget the money wasted and start rooting for the underdogs. I would love to know how many Wikipedia page views has Florida Gulf Coast University gained since beating Georgetown. I can't say I haven't considered transferring there.

Imagine how horrible the month of March would be without the magic that is the NCAA tournament. Mixtures of snow, sleet, and rain cover the soggy brown grass coupled with mid terms would have students on suicide watch. Luckily this year we all have the new JT album to boost our spirits. But other years, I can't imagine how people would survive without March Madness.

I know I mentioned how there is baseball to look forward to, and NFL free agency, and the NBA to watch, but the point is that March Madness is what makes all the other things so exciting. The effect the tournament has when supplemented by all the other sporting events is what makes this time of year so sacred. Let me paint this picture for you, without the tournament, there is a 75% chance that the top sports story would be that Brett Favre was spotted mowing his lawn with a football in his lap, inferring that he is considering a(nother) comeback. Gag me..

So here's to you March Madness, your existence amplifies the excitement for every other pro sport period, and you are about the only thing that the NCAA has done right.

Mazel Tov!

Packers Offseason Priorities

So it's finally that time of year when we start missing football deeply. March Madness hasn't quite started yet and neither have the NBA playoffs. Opening day for baseball is dimly visible after all of the painful amount of papers and tests we will be presented with conveniently around spring break. But, now that the NFL combine has finished, and we all are eagerly anticipating where the Manti Te'o media frenzy will land come April, we can start looking at mock drafts and Ted Thompson can start writing his Christmas wish list.

Seriously, the NFL draft is Ted Thompson's form of Christmas. A vast majority of the Green Bay starters are found through the draft. If we were to look at the expected starters for next season, not including upcoming free agency or the draft, and assuming Jennings, Finley and Woodson are gone, it would look like this:

The longest tenured Packer. Who could have expected what
he is now, compared to back in 2005, when he was first introduced.

Offense
QB: Rodgers (05' draft)
RB: Harris (12' Undrafted FA)
FB: Kuhn (FA from Pitt)
WR1: Nelson (08' draft)
WR2: Cobb (11' draft)
TE: DJ Williams (11' draft)
LT: Newhouse (10' draft)
LG: Lang (09' draft)
C: Dietrich-Smith (Undrafted FA)
RG: Sitton (09' draft)
RT: Bulaga (10' draft)

Defense
ILB: Hawk (06' draft)
ILB: Bishop (07' draft)
OLB: Matthews (09' draft)
OLB: Perry (12' draft)
NT: Raji (09' draft)
DE: Pickett (Free Agency)
DE: Neal (10' draft)
CB: Williams (Undrafted FA)
CB: Shields/Hayward/House (Undrafted FA/12' draft/11' draft)
S: Burnett (10' draft)
S:Mcmillian/Jennings (12' draft/Undrafted FA)

I'll do the math for you, that makes two of the twenty two projected* starters next year that have not started their careers with the Packers. I don't know if I can state enough how impressive that is, and for Rodgers to be the oldest of all those starters and not even be 30, is astonishing.

Now, that being said, I think we can all expect where Ted Thompson will be boosting our roster, but what kind of players will we need to be able to compete for a Super Bowl in New York next year?

Playmaking RB:

Ok, so there's no clear cut first round pick in this year's draft, but who cares? How often do we see skill position players succeed after being drafted in later rounds? If Eddie Lacey isn't available at the 26th pick overall, look out for Andre Ellington out of Clemson, a fast player who can break tackles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRoDGYi201Q

Safety:

I could write a book on how much I miss Nick Collins (sweet glory this was). Ever since he went down with a career ending neck injury, there hasn't been that safety net at the safety position that would save touchdowns and force big turnovers. This year has been cited by many scouts as a good year for the safety position in the draft, so hopefully TT can get a 2-4th round steal.

Center:

While Evan Dietrich Smith showed improvement last year, the Packers could really benefit from a dominant center in the first or second round of the draft. Perhaps even Travis Frederick of the Wisconsin Badgers. Imagining a right side of the line with a first or second round center, and two Pro Bowlers in Sitton and Bulaga makes me all giddy inside.

Others:

Many think that we need more of a pass rush, which I agree with, but thought that we showed improvement towards the end of last year. On top of that, Desmond Bishop, Nick Perry, and Jerel Worthy were all injured for either the whole year or most of it last season, and they are some of our most explosive pass rushers. If those three can stay healthy along with Clay Matthews, look for a lot more sacks next year, especially with the first to second year improvements that Perry and Worthy should make.

Parting thoughts:

While it is frightening to think of a future without Charles Woodson and Greg Jennings, keep in mind that the positions they play are the deepest positions on our team, and we should be excited about the possibilities of more playing time for Randall Cobb on offense and Hayward and Shields on defense.

Hang in there, only two more months until the draft!

Youth Sports and the Negative Approach Toward Physical Activity

Ladders, Laps, Push-ups... Is anyone able to correlate positive thoughts with their memories of these activities from their days of youth sport?

Me neither.

I cringe anytime I hear about ladders, or having to run miles within a certain time frame.

Physical activity and temporary discomfort from physical exhaustion are not desirable in any circumstance, but now that we are cognizant of the benefits of physical activity in life, it is important that we recognize how we should be using conditioning in youth sports.

Too many times I can remember basketball practices where a teammate (or myself) would use inappropriate language towards another team, or someone would be late, or just poor play, and we would be punished with physical activity. In any sport, it is beneficial to be in good physical condition, but there are many instances where younger athletes' physical condition has a lot to do with negative experiences. Where many youth coaches go wrong is in associating physical activity with punishment, whether they are aware of it or not.

Conditioning should be stressed as a way to compete better in a certain sport, rather than a preventative method towards bad play or behavior. Many children aren't fully able to recognize the lasting benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, and along with that, how quickly the era of organized sports goes by in ones' life. After organized sports, it becomes increasingly difficult to make time for exercise, and if one already has discouraging memories of physical activity, how likely is it that they are going to want to perpetuate a healthy lifestyle?

The physical and psychological benefits of exercise have been well documented to this date, and coaches need to be more cognizant of the approach they are taking towards youth in stressing the necessity of physical activity, especially with the rising childhood obesity rates.

With the privatization of youth sport and in turn, less accessibility for many youth for participation in organized sport, opportunities for educating our youth on the importance of personal health are being minimized, and it needs to be stressed with the coaches that we do have.

Kids in sports really want one thing, to be able to play. So as a form of punishment, it's fairly obvious how to approach such situations. It is much easier to discourage bad behavior through benching a kid than it is to have them run some laps, which is much more temporary.

With athletics budgets being cut in high schools, P.E. classes being dropped in elementary schools, obesity rates rising, and type II diabetes becoming more prevalent, it is starting to become clear that health and wellness are less of a priority than they used to be. Health and wellness need to be a priority again, especially with health care costs rising and life expectancy on the rise.

Youth sports are a good place to start the movement, and it starts with keeping our coaches and parents informed.

Why the MVP Award Shouldn't Be Determined by Sportswriters.

Barry Bonds won it seven times. Peyton Manning won it four times. Lebron already has three, and Kareem did it six times. Handing out MVP awards to these players took a lot of deliberation in some cases, and little to none in others. Yet, the voting systems in the MLB, NBA, and NFL remain majorly flawed, and I blame the media.

When we determine who the MVP is, there are too many questions that seem to be surrounding the discussion. Why can't it just be, who was the best player in the past season? 

In hearing analysts discuss the NFL MVP race this year, the circumstances surrounding Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson's comebacks from their injuries became the topic of conversation. While Manning's story is inspiring, it should not have an impact on his MVP chances. People with a story like his deserve an award that already exists, the comeback player of the year. I hardly recall hearing anything about Peterson's yards after contact, or Aaron Rodgers' TD/INT ratio, or JJ Watt's passes deflected/league leading sack total. 

While it seems like Adrian Peterson is rightfully going to win the award this year, there seems to be too much debate over how much Peyton Manning improved the Denver Broncos. Tim Tebow took Denver just as far as Peyton Manning. Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas are one of the best 1,2 receiver combinations in the league, but they are stuck in the media shadows of Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning, respectively. 

Michael Jordan could have won the MVP every year he was in the NBA, and I could argue the same for Lebron. The point is, regression in performance, and other factors that don't directly involve performance are too heavily weighted when these decisions are made. It is the same reason that Pete Rose, the all time hits leader in the MLB, isn't in the hall of fame. Outside factors not directly related to performance are too strongly considered. Furthermore, when we see great players, we become too accustomed and conditioned to their elite level of play. How often do you see a ridiculous dunk by Lebron, and then write it off because it's so common? It seems like MVP awards are now determined by who had the "best story" rather than the best performance. Performance doesn't need to be supplemented by a story. Why can't people just appreciate someone's performance for what it is? 

With all due respect to sportswriters and their knowledge of their respective sports, why don't the players and coaches decide? You know, the ones who are closest to the action. Players can tell you first hand who they had the most difficulties playing against, and who posed the toughest challenges. While players can be biased, aren't sportswriters subconsciously biased towards the teams they cover as well? In this instance, it is near impossible to place oneself behind the "veil of ignorance", but I know that I am less likely to argue with current coaches or players on who deserves the most prestigious individual award a sport can offer, rather than someone like me sitting at my computer. 

Season Review

Kaepernick Disaster

Another Season, another heartbreaking playoff loss for the Packers.

Colin Kaepernick brought back memories of the playoff loss years ago for the Packers when they played Michael Vick at Lambeau in 2003. The Packers' inability to stop Kaepernick made for a long night and humiliating loss. But nonetheless, there are negatives and positives to take away from this game/season.

Positives:

• Better Draft Pick- With Ted Thompson running things, the better draft position, the more likely we find a stud. 
• Young Team - Aaron Rodgers is only 29, which leaves him at least 5 more years of prime football, and the defense will be returning at least three second year starters. Nick Perry can't be overlooked as a difference maker. 
• Improvement - Jennings is likely to be gone, which doesn't necessarily help the Packers, but if Finley comes back, he is only going to be 26 next year, with Cobb still improving as well. Dujan Harris and Don Barclay, EDS, and Marshall Newhouse likely to all improve as young players.
• Adjustments - Colin Kaepernick exposed the Packers longtime weakness, the ability to be a dynamic defense. The Packers' inability to defend the run is well recognized, and Dom Capers and other D coordinators have something to adjust to this offseason. RGIII, Kaepernick, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, and other running quarterbacks won't be as effective as they were this year, and people shouldn't overreact to the sudden perceived philosophical change in the NFL.

Negatives:

• Lack of $$$ - Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, Jermichael Finley, and Greg Jennings all are due a ton of money in Free Agency this year or next. The likelihood of keeping them all is slim to none, and it's difficult to say how Rodgers can perform without Jennings or Finley. 
• Defense - Even though the first six picks in last year's draft were spent on defense, they were still the reason that the Packers lost tonight, and significant improvements need to be made if the Packers are to compete with the 49ers next year. 
• Physicality? - While Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews aren't soft by any means, why isn't the rest of the defense as tough as them? If Woodson is gone next year, the Pack is going to need someone to take over the leadership role and instill some toughness into the defense. The pass defense is impressive with a promising future, but the defense as a whole doesn't seem to have the swagger that Rodgers and Co. have on offense. 
• Offensive Line/Running Game - Dujuan Harris seems to be a good answer to this question, but Rodgers was still sacked the most times in the league this year (51 times). If the Packers don't get an RB and effective offensive lineman in the draft or free agency this year, there should be some concerns. 

Season Conclusion:

• The Packers were able to go 12-6 with the defense not playing to it's potential, and getting robbed of a home playoff game courtesy of the replacement refs. Aaron Rodgers had another MVP caliber season, and improvement on the defense provides Packer fans with some hope for next year. 
• Ending the year in the final eight is encouraging and gives hope for next year, but a lot needs to be fixed on both sides, and McCarthy could also be more fluid with his personnel decisions. Jeremy Ross returning the first punt was clearly a game changing mistake in the first half, and responsibility needs to be assumed for that. 
• With the 26th pick in next year's draft, and a decent amount of cap room, Ted Thompson will be busy this offseason, and it could be make or break for his career and this franchise. Paying players the right amount of money and making the right pick will be determining factors for the future of the Green Bay Packers. 

The Bears Still Suck.