Tragedy Strikes

Inexplicable Terror

It's Friday, December 14th, and there are just eleven days until Christmas. It is the cusp of last minute shopping after another long work week, with parents ready to buy presents for their children and loved ones. Not for 26 people in Newtown, Connecticut; for reasons that can never be understood, and horrifyingly difficult to prevent. Obama addressed the incident and said "They had their entire lives ahead of them. Birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own."

The parents of the twenty children will never get to experience the growth of their children, and will be faced with unavoidable reminders every day. They will never be able to hug, feed, express their love, or teach their children again. 

The lives of the children at Sandy Hook Elementary have been stripped of any innocence possible. Counseling and perpetual fear will consume their adolescence, while normal kids will be playing sports, going to movies, and chasing their dreams. 

Frustration with society, empathy for those affected, and disdain for those who don't recognize this tragedy and feel compelled to alter their approach to life, are a few of the emotions that I experience when thinking of this unconscionable event. Yet my feelings are trivial in comparison and will never equate to a fraction of the emotions experienced by the parents, children, and friends of those surrounding this event. 

How do we move on from such a horrific event? How do we react? Where do we start? How do we even contemplate the continuance of "life as usual" succeeding this occurrence? 

The quandaries that have been forced to the surface as a result of this tragedy are representative of what America needs to focus on and collectively fix. How did some people reach the tipping point where it became reasonable to take the lives of others? Why don't we, as human beings, really appreciate the relationships we have and become negligent when we can see that our friends need help? Brady Quinn stated after Chiefs player Jovan Belcher killed his wife and himself that, 

"We live in a society of social networks, with Twitter pages and Facebook, and that’s fine, but we have contact with our work associates, our family, our friends, and it seems like half the time we are more preoccupied with our phone and other things going on instead of the actual relationships that we have right in front of us. Hopefully, people can learn from this and try to actually help if someone is battling something deeper on the inside than what they are revealing on a day-to-day basis.”

He's absolutely right. And he also mentioned that when we ask somebody how they are doing, do we really mean it? In our digital and technological age, we have lost the value of interpersonal communication. Before classes and during lunch breaks, or even in the company of friends, preoccupation with social networks and digital communication take precedent. No wonder there are so many emerging mental health problems, and it is becoming more and more difficult to find love. Why don't educational institutions place an emphasis on mental health and the ability to nurture those in need? What good is intellect without emotion and a support group? 

As I grieve for the people affected and mourn the losses of the teachers and children who were senselessly murdered, I also will be evaluating how I approach my relationships, and those I see on a daily basis. As a society, we need to appreciate the significance of each human life around us, and take notice of those in need of nurture. While nothing can resurrect or reverse the catastrophe that took place yesterday, steps can be taken to minimize the risk in future events being enacted. And it starts with interpersonal communication and taking the time to genuinely appreciate what each person contributes to our life. 

My thoughts and prayers are with the children, families, friends, and the deceased. My heart weeps for those lost and I wish for consequential and significant change, at the unfortunate expense of this tragedy. 

Packers Mid Season Review and Second Half Preview

It's about to be week 11 in the NFL, which means the Packers have seven games remaining on their schedule, with five of them within the NFC North.

Bulaga might be the most missed. 

Just coming off of the bye week, the main concern is the health of the team. Desmond Bishop, DJ Smith, Nick Perry, and most recently, starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga are all on IR and will not play again this season. Charles Woodson, Greg Jennings, Cedric Benson, and Clay Matthews all are still at least two weeks away from returning.
Yikes.... doesn't that sound promising?
It depends how you look at it really. The bright side is that Aaron Rodgers is still playing, and the Packers are currently 6-3 and one game behind the Bears for first place in the division with the head to head tiebreaker.
If the replacement players continue their stellar pace, and can provide depth and reliability down the stretch, Green Bay has the potential for their second championship in 3 years.
If the injuries continue to pile up, an early playoff exit looks as if it is more and more likely.

5 Reasons to be pessimistic. 

1. Woodson, Matthews, and Bishop have all been the main leaders on defense, and Matthews has had hamstring issues throughout his short career. An aging Woodson and unreliable Matthews in terms of health can't be overlooked.

2. Green Bay is returning from their bye with two away games against talented teams in Detroit and the New York Giants. Both have been struggling and will be desperately seeking wins.

3. The Packers started the season allowing a lot of sacks (remember those 8 they gave up in Seattle?), and with one of their top lineman in Bulaga being on the sidelines, protection of the MVP is in doubt.

4. There are currently four rookies (Worthy, Daniels, Heyward, Mcmillian) who are getting extensive playing time right now. While they are deserving of it, it remains to be seen whether they can handle the pressure of a potential road playoff game.

5. No running game. There seemed to have been a breakthrough against Arizona, but it doesn't look like Alex Green or James Starks are going to be effective to finish the season.

5 Reasons to be optimistic.

1. The team's health is improving, along with their depth. With how effective James Jones and Randall Cobb have been this year, it's hard to imagine how much more Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson adding much to the offense, but last time I checked they are both still decent receivers.

2. Randall Cobb. I'll leave it at that.

3. Four of the last 7 games are against the Lions and Vikings, who are both starting to show their true form. If the Packers can take advantage of them struggling, four more wins puts them at 10, which is usually the benchmark for a playoff spot.

4. The defense has a pass rush that is making plays, with more to come. Currently, Green by is tied for second in the league in sacks with 28, and Matthews has nine of them after having six in his first two games. There hasn't been a pick six yet this year, but with Dom Capers running things, we can expect a few of those.

5. KUUUUUHHHNN! Has anyone noticed that he hasn't been playing the last couple games? He is one of the most underrated fullbacks in the league and his return is going to boost the running game as well as the passing game. Plus, you know you want to hear his name again... can you say morale booster?

Green Bay has been pretty spoiled the last few years, and this year seems to be a disappointment. The reality is that the Packers should* be 7-2 and tied for first in the division right now, and they are still one of the best teams in the league. They showed they can beat quality competition in Houston and Chicago, and there is still a bitter taste in their mouths from the way they went out last season.

Mid Season Grade: B

Rest of Season Prediction: 5-2

Final Record: 11-5, Wild Card Berth

Is Michael Phelps the Greatest Olympian Ever?

The Olympic games have been in existence dating back to the times of Ancient Greece, and have become an increasingly global event since. The games gained their resurgence in the 1800's in Europe and have since seen the birth of the IOC in 1896, which catapulted the games into what they are today. With such a long history, there is a lot of talk of who the best Olympian of all time is. With such an extensive history surrounding the Olympics, that's a loaded question, but based on the growth of the games, the top athlete has to come from a recent games. Now for those who should warrant consideration:

Michael Phelps: We all know about Michael Phelps. He is far and above the most dominant swimmer we have ever seen and holds the most medals of any Olympian ever with 18 gold and 22 overall. In 2008, he turned in one of the most impressive performances anyone will ever see with a sweep of his events for 8 gold medals, and this year he earned 4 gold and 2 silver. What's most impressive is how dynamic he is. He isn't just specializing in one race in the butterfly, but multiple distances and races. He holds the world record for the 100 and 200 fly, as well as part of the record for the 400 individual medley, the most difficult event in swimming. It's unlikely we will ever see another swimmer as captivating as Michael Phelps.

Carl Lewis: As a track and field competitor, the argument for Carl Lewis is that there is a bigger talent pool than any other sport, because anybody can run and jump. Certain other sports offer more opportunities for people of affluent backgrounds. All other factors aside, Carl Lewis was named "Olympian of the Century" by Sports Illustrated magazine, and "Sportsman of the Century" by the IOC (Courtesy of Wikipedia). He competed in three Olympic games from 1984 to 1996, winning 9 gold medals and 1 silver medal. One could argue he was every bit is as dynamic as Michael Phelps, as he competed in the 100, 200, and Long Jump. For a sport that favors people in their youth, Lewis had an impressive 12 year run, including 65 straight victories in the long jump. In a sport where people are becoming increasingly athletic, his times being able to compare to Olympians of today make him all the more credible.

Muhammad Ali: It would be offensive to all athletes to not include Muhammad Ali in this conversation. I don't need to go over all his accolades for people to realize how polarizing he was. The only knock on Muhammad Ali in relation to the greatest Olympians is that he only competed in one Olympics. But as one of the greatest athletes ever, it's not difficult to forecast that he would have dominated more than one Olympic Games.

Usain Bolt: This is the second Olympic Games for Usain Bolt, and he is challenging Michael Phelps strongly for the biggest story of the 2012 games. Bolt's events are the 100 meter and 200 meter sprints. He currently holds the world record in both events, and has yet to lose a final in the last two Olympics, with the 200 meters still to be determined. What makes Bolt so impressive is that he is competing against the best competition that sprinting has ever seen with a bigger talent pool, and that he seems to do it with ease. Some have called him the greatest sprinter of all time, and it's hard to disagree. If he can win gold in 2016 at age 29, he may just be the greatest Olympian ever.

Nadia Comaneci: Comaneci comes from a long list of Romanian gymnasts. As many gymnasts do, she started early. She is known as the first person in modern Olympics history to have been awarded a perfect ten, in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Oh, she was fourteen at the time. She only competed in two Olympics, but in a sport where there is so little margin for error, her dominance is baffling. She won 3 gold medals in the 76' games and 2 more in Moscow in 80'. She is the youngest gymnast to earn the marks that she did, even though there are now restrictions that prohibit gymnasts under the age of 16 from competing in the Olympics. Considering how largely favored Mckayla Maroney was to win her event in this year's games, only to win the silver medal, Nadia Comaneci deserves massive amounts of credit for her composure and control of gymnastics for two straight Olympics.

To pick one over the other in this case is nearly impossible. Each of these athletes has been monumentally successful in their respective sport, and really it's hard to argue against making a case for any of them. It's likely that 100 years from now many of these athletes will be a distant memory as well, but to me, I'm going to give Michael Phelps the title of the Greatest Olympian of all time, for reasons of quality AND quantity. He dominated so many diverse events for such a long time, and he has the hardware to prove it. What I will state is this, he isn't the greatest by a long shot.

Packers Training Camp Position Battles

Packers Top Five Training Camp Position Battles

Yep, it's that time of year. School is less than one month away and we are counting down the days till football season starts. All we have to look forward to in the gap of time is our fantasy football drafts. To pass the time I decided to get an in depth look at the most intriguing roster battles for the Green Bay Packers depth chart. Components that I took into account include position importance, level of competition, and level of interest.

#1: Free Safety

Candidates - MD Jennings, Jeron McMillan 

This is the top position battle of concern for the Packers this year mainly because of the loss of Nick Collins. Going from an all pro to either a rookie or second year player is quite a drop off, and it makes it all the more important for one of them to step up. With the release of Charlie Peprah and no apparent free agent pick-ups on the horizon, Ted Thompson is putting a lot of faith in the development of Jennings and McMillan. I'm guessing the job goes to Jennings because McMillan was seen as somewhat of a project yet, and Jennings impressed enough to be kept on the roster as an undrafted free agent last year. With how bad the pass defense was last year, consistency at the free safety position will be key in 2012. 

#2: Nickel CB (When Woodson isn't Safety)

Candidates - Davon House, Sam Shields, Jarrett Bush, Casey Hayward 

Of all the competitions, this is the most unpredictable. House, Shields and Hayward are all first or second year players, with Bush being a veteran that the team still likes. House has the size advantage at 6 feet 1 inches and is supposedly playing the best so far in training camp. Hayward was a second round pick that Ted Thompson traded up to get in the draft, which is a rare occurrence for those who have followed TT and has not disappointed yet in camp. Shields was the best cornerback last year and came into training camp with the spot presumed to be his, and Jarrett Bush has been steadily improving every year. I see the job going to House, assuming he doesn't get injured and continues to impress the coaching staff, although I wouldn't be shocked to see any of these four winning the job. 

#3: 6th WR
Candidates - Diondre Borel, Tori Gurley

One thing the Packers aren't lacking is depth at the wide receiver position. With Jennings, Nelson, Jones, Driver, and Cobb all but locked in as the top five receivers, there is still a possibility MM keeps six or even seven receivers. Last year, the team kept an unorthodox amount of tight ends when they kept Finley, Williams, Taylor, Crabtree, and Quarless. The same might happen this year with second year players Tori Gurley and Diondre Borel. Both have received a lot of praise in camp this year and the year before, and both were given large bonuses to be kept on the practice squad at the end of last year. Typically, that won't happen unless a team doesn't want those players to go elsewhere. What it will come down to is how they play on special teams. If they can show blocking skills in the return game, the Packers might just keep six receivers going into the season.

#4: Starting RB
Candidates - James Starks, Alex Green, Brandon Saine

Mike McCarthy has three options here, with one being the obvious choice in James Starks since Ryan Grant is gone. But second year players Alex Green and Brandon Saine have shown some flashes that have impressed the coaching staff. Alex Green was starting to come into his own as a rookie last season before he tore his ACL and Brandon Saine showed some consistency in the run game as a midseason addition. The running back position for the Packers isn't exactly necessary when Aaron Rodgers is your QB1, which is why part of it may come down to pass blocking skills, which the team was lackluster with after losing Brandon Jackson last year. Alex Green has drawn comparisons to former Packer Dorsey Levens, who was excellent in pass blocking and the screen game when the team was in their finest stage in the 90's. Mike McCarthy likes to keep his running backs fresh, so in this situation it is likely that all three running backs will split carries. Starks never surpassed thirteen carries in any game last season, and I wouldn't be surprised if that trend repeated this year. In the end it comes down to how Green comes back from his injury and how healthy the other RB's can stay throughout camp and the season.

#5: Backup LT
Candidates - Derek Sherrod, Herb Taylor, Andrew Datko

This is the first time in a while that the whole offensive line has been set before the season starts, with Newhouse, Lang, Saturday, Sitton, and Bulaga all starting (from left to right). After that though, the depth is another story. There are only two linemen that have any game experience in Evan Dietrich-Smith and Herb Taylor. The preferred candidate would be Derek Sherrod as he was the team's first pick last year, but he hasn't fully recovered from a broken leg that he suffered in the Packer's only regular season loss last year against the Chiefs. If he can come back from injury and play on the same level as he was pre-injury, he may even challenge Newhouse for the starting spot. Other options include rookie seventh round pick Andrew Datko, and Mike McCabe. Andrew Datko was viewed as a potential first round prospect coming out of Florida State before he was injured in his senior season. His  6'6 315 pound frame make him an ideal candidate to play the tackle position if he can perform well. So far in camp he isn't making much of an impression, but if he can get back to his Freshmen All-American days at FSU, he may just be a surprise candidate for the backup OT position.

Update: http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-1/Taylor-steps-in-for-Newhouse/be5d3517-5cd9-401f-b01d-e1410182d32f