Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Exciting News! Site 99 launch
I'm excited to announce that I am expanding the website a bit. Site 99 will be where my editorials and opinions will be placed. These articles will typically be shorter than game recaps and previews but I wanted to separate opinions from facts. I want it to have a bit of a Page 2 feel so things that are more fun and not completely sports will find their way there. I hope everyone gets a chance to check out Site 99 and I will have something up shortly.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Mannion's Career Day Propels Beavers By Bruins 27-20
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| Storm Woods had a big day against UCLA totaling 96 yards and a score. (AP Photo/ Mark J. Terill) |
A lot of the focus was on the talented freshman Brett Hundley and what he has done with the Bruin offense and they were the favorites coming into this game. Too bad no one told Oregon State. The Beavers forced a 3 and out on their first defensive possession and started to march the ball down the field with Sean Mannion spreading the ball around to different receivers all over the field. The drive would eventually stall out and OSU was forced to settle for a field goal giving them the early lead.
The teams would trade punts until in the second quarter UCLA started to find their rhythm, getting the ball deep into the red zone, but like their counterparts, the Bruins would stall out inside the 10 yard line and kick a field goal to tie the game at 3. The Beavers though would waste no time in responding as Sean Mannion found Brandin Cooks breaking free and streaking toward the end zone for a 75 yard touch down play. The Beav's weren't done their either. After getting the ball back on a Bruin punt Mannion would go over the top and find Markus Wheaton in the end zone for another 42 yard scoring toss to put the Beavers up 17-3 in the second quarter.
Just before the end of the half, Brett Hundley found Shaquille Evans up the sideline for a 65 yard gain and touchdown to bring the Bruins back within a score at 17-10. The Bruins hoped that would give them a little momentum going into the second stanza. After forcing an Oregon State punt it looked like they were poised to get themselves back into the driver seat but the Beaver defense wasn't having any of that. The teams would trade defensive stands going back and forth and UCLA looked poised to take advantage, intercepting Sean Mannion in Beaver territory but were once again turned away by the stingy OSU defense.
The Beavers would then go on a long drive, covering 88 yards and nearly 5 minutes on the clock. Once again it was a healthy serving of Sean Mannion passing the ball but the drive was capped by running back Storm Woods breaking across the goal line from two yards out to give the Beavers a 24-10 lead.
The Bruins though, would not go away. They responded with a 7 play 75 yard drive of their own, capped by a Brett Hundley 1 yard touch down rush. Once OSU got the ball back though they would respond with another field goal to stretch the lead back to 10 which proved to be insurmountable. UCLA would make a short field goal to render the final score but it was largely just a window dressing.
Head Coach Mike Riley was proud of his teams resiliance stating "It was a great job by our team; I just loved it," Riley said. "That was a really good group of offensive players and a good offensive scheme and I thought we just kept playing. When something bad happened, nobody blinked and somebody else made a play." Oregon State will stay on the road, having to travel to Arizona to face the Wildcats who were pasted 49-0 by the Ducks while UCLA gets to rebound against Colorado who is coming off a big come from behind win against Washington State.
Ducks Defense Dominates, Shut Out Wildcats 49-0
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| Ifo Ekpre-Olomu intercepts Matt Scott's pass and takes it the distance. (Brian Davies/The Register Guard) |
In the first half, Oregon had trouble getting things going, starting out handing the ball back to Arizona deep in their own territory, first on downs then again on a Marcus Mariota fumble. After turning it over on downs, the Wildcats went to work, driving the ball down inside the Oregon 5 before a muffed field goal thwarted Arizona's first offensive possession. Oregon though, would turn the ball back over as Marcus Mariota put the ball on the turf on a third down scramble. The Oregon D would stand tall though intercepting Matt Scott and getting the Ducks the ball back at the 12 yard line.
It was the start of a recurring theme for a defense that would not bend or break recording Oregon's first shut out against the Wildcats since 1964. "It’s almost like, you studied really hard for the exam, and you can’t wait for the professor to put it on your desk.” Head Coach Chip Kelly stated when asked if he expected a shut out from the defense. The defense would continue to stymie Arizona giving nothing on 6 trips into the red zone that included two turnovers on downs, two interceptions and a blocked field goal.
On offense, the Ducks were held without a 100 yard rusher as Kenjon Barner tallied the highest rush total with 86 yards, De'Anthony Thomas added 48 more. The real story in the backfield though was TE Colt Lyerla. Lyerla recorded 63 yards and a scoring touch down in which he dragged quarter back Bryan Bennett into the end zone with him. It was a wrinkle that hasn't to this point been seen in the play book and something that would be difficult to prepare for. Lyerla rarely went down on first contact and found a way to keep plays alive with his physical style once he gets the ball.
Again, the score was merely 13-0 at the half and it seemed that Arizona's 3-3-5 alignment was giving Oregon problems. The teams would trade punts in the second half until De'Anthony Thomas got his hands on a punt return, bringing it back 38 yards to put the Ducks in business in Wildcat territory. Three plays later, Lyerla was dragging his quarter back across the goal line and a quick throw out to kicker Rob Beard on the 2 point conversion put the Ducks up 21-0.
After an Arizona punt Mariota would throw an interception which Arizona took into the red zone, only to have Scott intercepted again by Kiko Alonso. This time, Oregon would make them pay when Mariota connected with Bralon Addison over the middle for 55 yards and a score.
On their next drive Matt Scott dropped back to pass and Sophomore Ifo Ekpre-Olomu jumped the route and found himself in the end zone 54 yards later. Ekpre-Olomu stole the show breaking up 3 passes, intercepting 2 and taking one to the house. "It's my first year starting, so I was ready for them to throw my way every time. I just wanted to show them what I could do." Ekpre-Olomu said post game.
'Zona showed signs of life again getting the ball deep into Oregon territory only to have Ka'Deem Carey stuffed on a 4th and 1 play from the Oregon 14. The Ducks took the ball right back up the field and it was Bryan Bennett taking it in from 8 yards out. On the very next play from scrimmage, Troy Hill stepped in front of back up QB B.J. Denker's pass and took it to the house to put the game on ice. All that was left from that point was for the clock to run down and grant the Oregon defense a hard earned shut out.
Next week in conference play, Oregon goes north to play Washington State in Seattle. The Cougars are coming off a heart wrenching loss against the Colorado Buffaloes and will be looking for redemption against Oregon. Arizona in turn will head home to face newly ranked and undefeated #18 Oregon State as they look to pick up the pieces from being ranked only a week ago.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
#22 Arizona Wilcats At #3 Oregon Ducks Preview
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| Oregon hopes to run against the Arizona defense again this year (Chris Pietsch/Register Guard) |
The conference season has arrived and it's time to find out if the confidence gained and respect earned from the preseason merit any weight. It's the first season for Arizona under their new head coach Rich Rodriguez and the early returns are positive thus far. The Arizona Wildcats come into the not so friendly confines of Autzen boasting a 3-0 record. The 'Cats went down to the wire with Toledo to open the season winning in overtime before they laid the wood to Oklahoma State and then South Carolina State. To this point in the season Arizona has not had to play on the road. There are very few places in the country that are a tougher place to have a first road game than Autzen Stadium.
Arizona has been an offensive juggernaut so far scoring over 46 points per game and feature a top 10 passing offense even without last season's leading receiver Juron Criner. Criner's absence is something that Duck fans will welcome as he has torched the Oregon secondary for the last three seasons. Instead, Austin Hill and Dan Buckner have been shouldering the load out wide for the 'Cats. Matt Scott has come in for his first full season as starter and has adapted to coach Rich Rod's scheme well throwing so far for 995 yards on the season and will certainly give Oregon's young secondary a challenge. Not only has Matt Scott proved himself to be a problem for defenses through the air, Scott is the second leading rusher for the Wildcats trailing only Ka'Deem Carey. Carey has gone well over 100 yards in two of three preseason games. Carey was shut down early against SCSU and still got to 71 yards and a score. His best game to this point came against Oklahoma State in which he tallied 3 scores on the ground and another through the air tallying 154 total yards from scrimmage.
The Ducks defense is going to face their first real test with Arizona and they're going to have to do it without All American John Boyett who was shut down for the season with knee surgery. They do however still have one of the better line backer tandem's in the conference in Michael Clay and Kiko Alonso. They are going to have to stay disciplined and follow their assignments to perform well against the dynamic Arizona offense. Oregon needs to find a way to make Matt Scott one dimensional. If they can do that, they may be able to stifle the 'Cats.
The Ducks are entering a new regime themselves as they are lost two of their more prolific stars in the Chip Kelly era from last season. LaMichael James and Darron Thomas have moved on from the university and in their places are Senior Kenjon Barner and Freshman Marcus Mariota respectively. Barner does have experience against the Wildcats. While Barner only accounted 78 yards from scrimmage he was responsible for three touchdowns, two on the ground and one through the air and could be the balance that Freshman Mariota needs against the unorthodox defense that Arizona runs. In addition to new head coach Rich Rodriguez, the Wildcats' defense is headed up by new defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel. Casteel worked with Rodriguez at West Virginia. They work in a hybrid offense which features 3 down linemen, 3 line backers and 5 defensive backs. It's not something the Ducks have faced yet this season and it will be interesting to see how the freshman signal caller responds. The defense has yielded 4 interceptions already and boasts a disruptive sophomore tandem in the secondary Johnathan McKnight and Jared Tevis who have accounted for all four of those picks. Oregon is going to have to cut down on silly penalties and turnovers as they are tied with WSU for the most penalized team in the conference. They need to stay out of 2nd/3rd and longs to keep the talented young secondary of Arizona from making a major impact on the game. The X-Factor to this game as well as the rest of the season is Oregon's dynamic Sophomore De'Anthony Thomas. Thomas has been a touch down machine and it will be interesting to see if he can torment conference opponents once again this season.
This game is a major crossroads for both teams and will go a long ways in deciding the shape of the conference for the rest of the season. As mentioned Arizona is playing their first road game and Oregon has yet to be tested on the road so it's good that they get a solid conference opponent at home before they go to Seattle next week to face off with Washington State.
Oregon Wins If Arizona Wins If
Able to run the ball Make Mariota Make Mistakes
Minimize Turnovers Execute Spread offense
Make Matt Scott one dimensional Create Turnovers
Saturday, September 15, 2012
#4 Ducks Overpower Tennessee Tech 63-14
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| Marcus Mariota heads for daylight against the Golden Eagles (Statesman Journal) |
While Thomas was wowing the fans with his electric playing style, quarter back Marcus Mariota was "quietly" throwing for 309 yards and 4 touch downs while completing 75% of his passes. Also coming on in relief of Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas was freshman Byron Marshall who had his first career 100 yard rushing day. The Oregon defense also stifled the Golden Eagles allowing only one third down conversion, harassing quarter back Tre Lamb and forced two turnovers en route to a decisive 63-14 win for the Ducks.
Tennessee Tech started the game with the ball and found themselves in trouble going 3 and out but recovered the ball when Oregon touched the punt and did not cover it giving the Golden Eagles new life. They capitalized quickly as Tre Lamb would find Da'Rick Rogers down the sideline to put the Eagles up 7-0 early in the first quarter.
That scoring drive was answered by the typical barrage of Oregon offense scoring the next 49 consecutive points before Tech's Darian Stone connected with Doug Page for the only other score the Eagles would have. Coach Kelly turned the keys to the offense to back up Bryan Bennett in the second half who after settling into the offense would lead the Ducks to several scoring drives in the second half. Fans have voiced concern over Oregon's lack of explosiveness in the second half and despite the caliber of the opponent, their worries should be allayed by the second and third stringer's efficiency in finding the end zone.
This game provided plenty of learning opportunities for the coaching staff as they iron out the wrinkles for the conference season. The Ducks showed room for growth when it comes to both turnovers and penalties. Oregon gave the ball over to Tech 3 times, both quarter backs throwing a pick and fumbling the ball away once. They also committed 12 penalties for 105 yards, many of which kept opposing drives alive. Oregon is going to have to clean up the mistakes when Arizona comes to town next week. The Wildcats have been a bit of a surprise in the non conference season, knocking off Oklahoma State and come in to Autzen with an undefeated record.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
#4 Oregon Jumps Out Early, Hold Off Fresno 42-25
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| Kenjon Barner runs to daylight against Fresno State |
Fresno was able to claw their way back into the game due to Oregon's sloppy play with the ball fumbling the ball three times. Fresno turned those three turnovers into 13 points which turned a typically raucous crowd into a nervous bunch. After a solid debut, quarter back Marcus Mariota showed growing pains which is to be expected from a first year quarter back but he is going to need to show more if Oregon is going to do big things this season. A good running game helps any quarter back and Kenjon Barner's 201 yards on the ground could be the type of safety net the Freshman needs.
Fresno started the game with the ball and Oregon looked as though they had them hemmed up and the Bulldogs lined up to punt the ball away. As the Ducks ran back into coverage though, Fresno ran the fake and got the first down. Fresno would get into the red zone before Boseko Lokombo broke through and sacked quarter back Derek Carr to force a field goal.
The lead was short lived though as Oregon went right to work. Four rushes and 51 seconds later, De'Anthony Thomas got loose and scored his first touch down of the day from 39 yards out. It was precisely the response Oregon needed and after forcing another 3 and out Oregon struck quickly again with Kenjon Barner busting through the line with a three yard scoring run. After the team traded punts Oregon started to drive again as the first quarter came to an end. It was the longest drive of the day to that point for the Ducks and they capped the drive off with a rumbling touch down by Colt Lyerla who broke through Fresno defenders to the end zone.
Fresno would continue to struggle on offense and turned the ball back to Oregon and De'Anthony Thomas. Thomas had the highlight of the game when he broke free on 4th down and scampered 51 yards, avoiding tacklers and breaking through contact to find his way into the end zone for the second time on the day. It seemed that Oregon had Fresno State's number on offense all through the first half but they showed promise at the end of the 2nd quarter getting down into field goal range and tacking on 3 to make the score 35-6 going into half time.
Despite the control the Ducks seemed to have of the game, it seemed as though they took their foot off the gas. Not only would the Ducks not score in the third quarter but they would surrender 10 points in the quarter. Marcus Mariota would fumble the ball deep in Oregon territory and in only two plays Derek Carr would find Isaiah Burse for an 18 yard strike. The next drive would not be much better as Bralon Addison would fumble again, the Bulldogs recovering the ball inside the 15 yard line. Fresno though would only be able to convert it into 3.
Oregon would get the machine up and running again but their drive was thwarted by yet another fumble as Marcus Mariota was blasted by Phillip Thomas in the back field for the sack fumble. Again though, the Oregon D would tighten the screws in their own territory as Fresno kicked another field goal to bring Fresno within two scores. The next time the Ducks got the ball, the offense slowed down and Fresno got a healthy dose of Kenjon Barner as they controlled the ball for nearly 6 minutes, milking the clock down inside of 4 minutes when Barner scored his third and final touch down of the day. The Bulldogs would respond with another touchdown and failed two point conversion gave the final score of 42-25.
A big concern for Oregon is mounting injuries. Wide receiver Josh Huff went down on a punt return clutching his knee. After the game though Huff stated that he would be back to practice on Monday. It's difficult to know the extent of his or lineman Carson York's injury considering how close to the vest Oregon keeps their injury information. Also not dressed for the game was John Boyett but nothing has been made available on his status either. It's likely that none of those three will be needed against Tennessee Tech next week but after that, the Pac-12 season starts and Oregon needs to be healthy going into the gauntlet that is the Pac-12 schedule.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Mariota Shines as #5 Ducks Rout Red Wolves
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| De'Anthony Thomas runs to daylight against the Red Wolves (Craig Mitchelldyer/Getty Images North America) |
Opening the game with the ball, the Ducks wasted no time getting on the score board relying heavily on the pass. It was an interesting change from a team that has lead the conference in rushing offense the last several years. The drive was capped with Kenjon Barner going over the left side for a 4 yard touch down run. The Ducks then lined up in their 2 point formation, found an advantage to the outside and Punter Jackson Rice hit Defensive End Dion Jordan for the two point conversion. Ark State went three and out and 7 plays and less than 2 minutes later Mariota found De'Anthony Thomas in the end zone for his first collegiate touch down pass.
The swarming Oregon defense forced a fumble on the next drive and before you could look up it was 22-0. Ryan Aplin and the Red Wolves offense had all sorts of fits in the first half against the Oregon starters not penetrating into Oregon territory until their final drive of the quarter. By then Kenjon Barner had his second rushing touchdown of the day and Oregon's lead had swollen to 29-0. The Red Wolves next drive showed promise but stalled out just outside the red zone forcing Ark State to settle for a field goal.
The Red Wolves used the strategy of short high kick offs that neutralized the Oregon special teams duo of Josh Huff and De'Anthony Thomas but the trade off was giving Marcus Mariota and his offense the ball in favorable field position. That was still the case following the field goal and Oregon went pass heavy on the next drive going 67 yards in a minute capped by another Mariota to Thomas connection for 6.
De'Anthony Thomas was all over the field, picking up where he left off it the Rose Bowl, scoring three times, twice through the air and then after Oregon forced an interception Thomas reversed field and sprinted 33 yards into the end zone on a play that would end his workload for the day. Mariota's final drive of the day was mostly hand offs to true Freshman Byron Marshall who capped the drive on 4th down with a gutty run carrying defenders to the goal line for his first touch down as a Duck.
As the reserves started to pour onto the field for the home team, the Red Wolves would turn a missed field goal by Rob Beard into a touch down when reigned Sun Belt offensive player of the year Ryan Aplin found a streaking Julian Jones down the side line for a 72 yard touch down pass. Chaz Scales would intercept Bryan Bennett on the next drive but were unable to convert it to points as the teams went into the half 50-10.
The Oregon reserves were not able to muster much in the second half, scoring only once when Bryan Bennett passed to Rahsaan Vaughn for 7 yards and the score giving Oregon their final tally of 57 points. Meanwhile, Ryan Aplin and the Red Wolves offense moved the ball against the second and third stringers. In the second half Aplin threw for two of his three touchdowns and ran for one more to make the score respectable in a game that wasn't that close. Aplin, the player of the year accounted for the Red Wolves offense "We had an idea about their offense. They execute it so well and they've got speed at every position," Arkansas State Coach Gus Malzahn said. "Obviously, we were expecting to do better than we did defensively in the first half."
Regardless of who was on the field, the Ducks weren't exactly happy about the 530 yards they yielded on defense. Senior running back Kenjon Barner was quoted after the game, "We gave up a lot of points. Whether it was the starters or not, we have to do better than that." One thing that is for certain is that early returns from Marcus Mariota are positive. A fierce competitor with a high football IQ gave the Autzen faithful a taste of what may be to come from the freshman signal caller. "The game in itself, it was fun. I can't really explain it any more than that." he said.
The Ducks stay home to face Fresno State as they renew what was once a budding rivalry. In recent years it has gone by the wayside. The Bulldogs defeated Weber State going away in their first match up of the season 37-10. The Red Wolves will return home to face the Memphis Tigers who should be a much easier opponent for Ark State.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Lithuania Tests US, Americans Survive 99-94
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| Deron Williams fires a three against Lithuania Christian Peterson/Getty Images |
The Americans were coming off an Olympic record performance, scoring 156 against Olympic neophyte Nigeria but would find a stronger challenge against the Lithuanians. At no point were they out of the game staying within single digits for the vast majority of the game, their largest deficit being 12 points in the third. However, it seemed that whenever the US would make a run, Lithuania would answer right back. As an upset minded crowd chanted "Lietuva" in support of the under dogs, Paulius Jankunas made a driving lay up to take the final lead Lithuania would experience. Chris Paul would respond on the next posession with a three pointer and LeBron James would put the offense on his back in the last few minutes as part of a 17-6 run that provided the separation the US needed to win. There wasn't a feel of a secured victory until the final minute when LeBron made his last basket to provide a 9 point lead. LeBron has been focused on getting team mates involved, being a pass first leader on the team but it was apparent that his scoring ability is unrivaled as he rattled off 9 points in the final 4 minutes to secure the victory for the Americans.
The US was able to get Lithuania into foul trouble through much of the game but were uncharacteristically unable to capitalize from the line. The US shot a paltry 61% from the foul line missing 12 shots that could have put the game on ice. USA also struggled from the three point line. Before Chris Paul connected on his momentum swinging 3, the US was 2 of their previous 18. As Lithuania packed the lane, making penetration difficult, the United States became stagnant in their offense only having 13 assists in the game, far below the 32 per game average they've had through out the tournament.
Carmelo Anthony matched LeBron's 20 with 20 points of his own, continuing to show himself as a force to be reckoned with in the international game. Against Lithuania he was able to work in the post where he has been close to unstoppable and was a formidable scoring option off the bench. Also coming off the bench is Russell Westbrook who provides defensive pressure and is a lightning rod for opposing defenses. Coach K capitalized on his speed and defensive prowess It seems like when the US needs a big shot, it comes to either Anthony or Kevin Durant.
Overall, this game was a good wake up call for the US after lambasting Nigeria by 83. Coach K will no doubt use this game as a learning experience for the team of all stars. On his twitter feed after the game Kevin Love stated that he "Needed a game like that. On to the next one." That next one is against Argentina, which has been a bit of an enigma in this tournament. No doubt though, the third ranked team in the world will give the American's a tough game as both squads prepare for the cross over rounds.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
USA rewrites record books, dominate Nigeria 156-73
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| Anthony puts in 3 of his game high 37 against Nigeria Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images |
The US team had been hindered by slow starts in both of their previous Olympic match ups, and they seemed to be making a concerted effort to not make that three in a row. In both of those games the United States were 0-12 from deep but flipped the script against Nigeria converting on 11 of 14 from behind the three point line in the first quarter alone. Typically in the Olympics so far, coach K has had to resort to his second unit of "shock troops" in Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook to turn up the heat on opposing teams to turn the momentum towards the US team. Things were different against Nigeria as the game was already in hand against Nigeria when they made their way into the game for the first time. The tempo though did not slow down as the US would score 49 points in the first quarter. They would not need to score again in the first half to still maintain a lead against an over matched Nigerian team.
When all was said and down the final score showed the US more than doubling up the Nigerians and seemed to put the rest of the teams competing in pool A on notice. Every member of the US national team scored and Carmelo Anthony lead all scorer with 37 including a staggering 10-12 from deep in only 14 minutes of play. Anthony has been on an absolute tear in international play, showing his mid range game and outside shooting to be a perfect compliment to Durant's outside game and LeBron's ability to get to the hoop. Of the 59 baskets the Americans made, they had 41 assists which is a stellar ratio but is even more staggering when it's looked at as an assist to turn over ration. Only turning the ball over 7 times, it gave the US a ratio of nearly 6:1 which shows how well they take care of the ball while sharing it with one another.
Conversely, the Nigerians turned the ball over 24 times which while the US defense has been a force in this Olympiad, it's just not going to cut it when you're trying to face the team of all stars. Ike Diagu lead the Nigerian team with 27 of his own but only one of his team mates would tally more than 10 points in Chamberlain Oguchi who scored 11 in 20 minutes on the floor. The Nigerian team are making their first appearance in the Olympics as a basketball team and tallied their first win against African champion Tunisia but since have fallen to Lithuania and now the United States. After facing the US, the Nigerians only get a little bit of a reprieve as they must face Argentina next who are ranked #3 in the world. The US must face Lithuania who defeated the same Nigerian team by 19 points.
When asked about what the scoring record meant to the team, veteran Bryant stated "It’s a part of history. We understand that there have been a lot of great teams that have come through here and I think it was just kind of an acknowledgment to each other that it was a job well done in terms of being a part of it."
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Washington State Cougars Way Too Early Preview
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| Fans hope to see Rickey Galvin and the rest of the Cougars in the end zone more this season (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) |
In Wulff's last season as coach, WSU mad another step forward, doubling their win total from the year before. Even still at 4-8, it wasn't enough for Wulff to maintain his job. They started off with a lot of promise winning 3 of their first 4 games and played UCLA close on the road. That loss against UCLA started the downward spiral though for Wazzu as they dropped the next 5 games in a row before surprising Arizona State on a frigid night in Pullman. They would close the season with an overtime loss to conference newcomer Utah and then in state rival Washington. Hope springs eternal though, a new regime and a new season could turn around a program that was once a fixture near the top of the Pac.
If you don't know who Jeff Tuel and Marquess Wilson are, you'd better ask somebody. Jeff Tuel is on the Davey O'Brien watch list to start the season and Marquess Wilson is a deep threat who found the end zone 12 times last season. Last season Tuel was hampered by injuries and could never really follow up his promising Froshman season in which he threw for nearly 2800 yards. With Leach's proclivity to throw the ball and throw it quickly, it should chop down on some of those 48 sacks Tuel took his first season and accent the passing numbers. One of the top priorities for the Wide Receivers will be to replace Jared Karstetter, an anchor out wide who kept defenses honest and off of Marquess Wilson. That one loss in the WR corps could change the outlook of both Wilson and Tuel's season. Accompanying Tuel in the back field is the tandem of Rickey Galvin and Carl Winston, last season the pair combined for over 1000 yards rushing and 9 touch downs on the ground. Their touches also may increase swinging out of the back field and giving Tuel more targets to throw too.
Where Leach may find his largest struggle though is picking up on the defensive side of the ball. Last season, the defense allowed over 400 yards per game and nearly 32 points to go with those yards. That is simply not going to cut it going up against the Pac again this next season. Fortunately for the Cougars, they miss USC and QB Matt Barkley this season and get the Ducks at home, so that may prove advantageous for the defense to step up to a level they haven't for quite some time. That defense though, is not inexperienced. They return 4 of the 5 leading tacklers from a season ago, their sole loss among those being line backer Alex Hoffman-Ellis. Among those returning are Damante Horton and Deone Bucannon who patrolled the defensive back field to the tune of 4 and 3 interceptions respectively. Considering those two were also among the most prolific tacklers on the team, they are a bright spot moving forward on an otherwise dismal defense.
So the question looms, can Mike Leach lead the Cougars to a bowl game? If everything goes according to plan for the Cougars, they could see themselves at a 7-5 record, especially if they catch BYU off guard in the first week of the season. However, if players don't buy in to the system or simply can't put it together then they could find themselves stuck with a 3-9 record and having to deal with another season of waiting. It's not unreasonable for the Cougs to make it to a bowl. Things are going to have to fall in line for them though.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
LeBron Leads Team USA Over Brazil 80-69
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| LeBron James slams home 2 of his 30 points against Brazil Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images |
"[I]f we win the gold medal, it will be because of how well we play defensively. To win this game like that I think is a good learning experience for our group.” Coach Krzyzewski commented after the United States defeated Brazil 80-69. It certainly was a good experience for Team USA. After decimating an over matched Dominican squad the US team played in front of a sold out Verizon Center in the nation's capital and also President Barack Obama. The last time these two clubs locked horns the United States came away with a 2 point win that came down to the wire and early on the Brazilians made it clear that the Americans were going to have to work for their victory.
Behind the sublime play of point guard Marcelo Machado, Brazil took a 27-17 lead at the end of the first quarter and showed that it wasn't going to be an easy walk through exhibition for USA. Brazil boasts 4 NBA players in Leandro Barbosa, Anderson Varejao, Nene and Tiago Splitter and they made their presence felt early on controlling the inside and forcing the United States to shoot primarily from the outside. In the first half the US was a paltry 1-12 from behind the arc. However, when the second half began, Russel Westbrook provided a spark that team USA would ride for the rest of the game, forcing multiple turnovers. Team USA would go into half with a small lead after a 20-5 second quarter. The story of the game was how the United States could turn up the pressure on defense to suffocate and frustrate point guards and down under the basket in the much more physical FIBA game.
LeBron James was a key proponent of the American defense which lead to many fast break buckets as they turned the tide going into the second half. For the game, the United States forced 23 turnovers and turned that into 28 big points. Despite the rebounding discrepancy from Brazil to the US (38-30) the US topped Brazil in second chance points 13-5. In the second half the teams traded blows like a pair of heavyweight contenders matching nearly basket for basket. LeBron James though simply would not let the US drop this one scoring 17 of his game high 30 in the second half. After the half time deficit the closest Brazil would get is 6 points but all hopes of a comeback win were dashed by LeBron James hitting a three pointer, stealing the ball, and hitting another 3 in transition. After a pair of free throws in the final minute the game had it's final tally, 80-69. Brazil battled the entire game and it seemed like at no point were they out of the game. If they continue to play the way they did against the Americans it's possible that the Brazilians could find themselves medalling in the Olympics something that hasn't happened since 1964.
Commenting further about the defense Coach K stated, "I felt our defense won the game. I thought it was outstanding for three quarters, especially since we didn't hit shots and we missed a lot of dunks. I liked the mental toughness of our team. We kept reminding them we're not doing it on offense, don't let it affect defense. I thought it didn't." One thing that plagued team USA for a second game was coming out with a slow start. When they go up against the likes of Argentina and Spain they are going to have to put together a full 40. Their next chance to do that will be in England as they face the British national team on 7/19 their third of five exhibitions before the torch is lit in London.
Washington Huskies Way Too Early Preview
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| Steve Sarkisian looks to lead the Huskies back to another bowl game Stephen Dunn/Getty Images |
The Huskies boast one of the best quarterbacks in the conference in Keith Price. Price is a second year starter and was a great backfield companion to star running back Chris Polk. Price passed for more than 3000 yards and had 33 touch downs to only 11 interceptions. The challenge that comes for Price this next season is he is going to be missing he three best targets from last season. Jermaine Kearse, Devin Aguilar and Chris Polk are now all in the league and he is going to have to start anew with a new receiving corps. However, he does have a pair of talented individuals coming back in tight end Austin Safarian-Jenkins and Kasen Williams, both Sophomores. The departure of Chris Polk will also be a major impact on an offense which had to often outscore it's opponents. Polk was an absolute workhorse for the offense and he doesn't leave a lot of experience behind him. Sophomore Bishop Sankey and Junior Jesse Callier will likely be the ones to try and carry the load for the offense but the two only combined for 447 yards last season. If they can get it going however, it would go a long way in keeping the pressure off Keith Price and the passing game.
The defense gets a new beginning this year bringing in a couple faces not unfamiliar to the Pac-12 in Justin Wilcox and Peter Sirmon. Last season under Nick Holt, the Huskies struggled on defense. They allowed over 450 yards per game and 35 points per game. Something had to change and bringing in Wilcox could be just the man for the job. At Tennessee, Wilcox coached a defense that was ranked top 30 nationally in the highly competitive SEC and before that, coached at Boise State during their championship runs. The Huskies are losing starters from every level of the defense to graduation but probably the player they are going to miss most is Cort Dennison. Dennison lead the team in tackles last season and added an interception. The defense is experienced, though with Desmond Trufant and Sean Parker. The cupboard is far from bare for coach Wilcox. If the defense can retool itself in Wilcox's mold, the Huskies could make a push this next season in the north.
The schedule sets up well for the Huskies with their only speed bump before conference play coming against LSU. Even still before that, they have a game against San Diego State which should give them the opportunity to tune up the offense for the showdown against the Bayou Bengals. They then face Portland State and go up against a Stanford team who will be breaking in a new quarter back and offensive line before they have to go on the road to face the Oregon Ducks. That game is followed up with a faceoff against the familiar USC Trojans. The second half of the season is much more favorable as they face the likes of Oregon State, Colorado and Washington State.
If all goes according to plan, the Huskies could find themselves with a 9-3 record and in contention to go to the conference championship with the Rose Bowl on the line. However, if Price can't find the chemistry he had a year ago on offense and Wilcox doesn't quite get the defense in line, the Huskies could be looking at another 7-5 year and have to wait another season to get back to Pac-12 prominence.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Stanford Cardinal Way Too Early Preview
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| The Cardinal have big shoes to fill, Stepfan Taylor can help with that. Alex Baranda |
Stanford faces probably the highest profile loss in the Pac-12 having to replace the conference's premier quarter back in Andrew Luck. Not only are they going to be losing Luck but they are going to be without the services of Griff Whalen, Chris Owusu, Coby Fleener, David DeCastro, and Johnathan Martin. All of them made the offense a lot of what it was and a lot of youth is going to take their place. Fortunately, the Cardinal recruited well across the line and Brett Nottingham was a highly touted recruit out of high school. This upcoming season they open with the same squads they did a year ago in San Jose State and Duke. That lines up well before they face USC and follow it up with a road test against Washington. Those two games will steer the course for the season early on.
On offense, while many pieces have left, Nottingham, the likely starter will have help from one of the most underrated backs in the Pac-12. Stepfan Taylor is going into his Senior season after he rushed for over 1100 yards last season. He provided the balance in the play action game that kept defenses honest and also flummoxed. It was truly a pick your poison scenario with Luck at QB and Taylor at RB. Losing TE Coby Fleener will hurt also but TE was a position that was already pretty stacked for Stanford. Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo are returning this season and the two of them combined for over 50 receptions and 10 scoring catches. For a first year starting quarterback a solid tight end corps can be a great security blanket and help them grow up in a hurry. Conventional wisdom says to blitz a rookie quarter back for defenses and the conventional counter is dropping it off to the tight end. Stanford has the perfect counter punch to go against the most likely defense against Stanford.
The Cardinal also boast one of the best line backing tandems in the conference in Jarek Lancaster, the teams leading tackler and Shayne Skov. The Cardinal lost Skov early on last season and his absence really caused Lancaster to have to grow up quickly in the 30th ranked scoring defense in the country. The Linebackers are going to have to live up to expectations as 4 of the Cardinal leading tacklers were not only seniors but three of them were defensive backs. Stanford did not have a huge turnover margin as a lot of defenses do, they were only +5 on the season. But what is notable is that in their losses, the Cardinal were -4 in those games. However, in those wins they showed that good defense isn't all about big plays but it's also about playing with discipline and keeping things in front of you. Anchoring the defensive line will be Ben Gardner. Gardner had 10 tackles for a loss last season and proved himself to be trouble against offensive lines.
Forecasting the upcoming year, it's easy to see a 9-3 record, competing for a shot at the Rose Bowl, and a win in the big game against rival California. Their toughest early season test is at home and when they go on the road to face Washington, the game will not be in often raucous Husky Stadium. It's being renevated so the Huskies will be playing in CenturyLink Field, the home of the Seahawks. Although if the offensive line isn't what it has been and Nottingham shows his inexperience, the Cardinal could be looking at a 7-5 season with losses against Notre Dame, USC and Oregon. It's not going to be an easy season but we're going to see if coach David Shaw has an encore to his first season which saw his team in a BCS game.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Oregon State Beavers Way Too Early Preview
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| It was a baptism by fire for the Beavers last year, hopefully the experience will temper the squad for the next season. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren |
Last season was another tough year for the Beavers. They could not have started the season much worse losing in overtime to FCS opponent Sacramento State in over time. They followed that up with three more losses, including a 35-0 shut out at Wisconsin. The Beavers would get their first win of the season against Arizona at home and then beating Washington State in Seattle. Oregon State would not win again until the Huskies came to town to give the Beav's their last win of the year. OSU had one of the most prolific passing attacks in the country, ranking in the top 20 but in a lot of situations the Beavers were trying to throw their way back into the game. Their running attack was anemic and the offensive line wasn't helping matters much. That's where the Beavers must start to rebuild if they are to be competitive this season in the Pac-12.
The Beavers are young, last season they played more froshmen than ever before in program history. They had to face a steep learning curve, going up against the likes of Oregon, Wisconsin and Stanford but overall the trial by fire will serve them well in the future. While the offensive line was the weak link of the team they got some help in the recruiting field, reeling in 7 OL recruits including Isaac Seumalo a 4* recruit from Corvallis.
As was mentioned, the Beavers were a top 20 passing team last season. Markus Wheaton and James Rodgers were the main targets for Quarterback Sean Mannion who threw for over 3300 yards. Wheaton came close to a 1000 yard season and James Rodgers bounced back from an ACL tear to reel in 45 receptions and three touchdowns. Not only has Rodgers graduated, stalwart Joe Halihuni is also graduating. Halihuni was the go to guy when OSU needed a first down to keep the drive alive. The Beavers still have Wheaton as well as Jordan Bishop to carry the load. As far as the running game goes, Sophomore Malcom Agnew will likely tote the rock the most for the Beavers. He lead the team last year in rushing with 423 yards and found the end zone 5 times on the ground. He is going to have to step up his production to take the pressure off of Mannion so the offense can produce.
On defense, the Beavers are going to to have to rely on defensive back Jordan Poyer who lead the team in pass break ups. While the defense held their own against the pass, they had a tough time defending the rush. They allowed nearly 200 yards a game on the ground and the defensive line is going to have to shore themselves up if they want to stay in games this upcoming season. They are going to have to replace defensive leader Lance Mitchell who intercepted the ball twice and was among team leaders in tackles. Replacing him will be a challenge as his affect was felt far beyond the box score.
With the Beavers going a combined 8-16 the last two seasons, the fans are clamoring for change. Coach Riley and staff are going to have to show improvement this year or the boosters may be calling for a new regime. Looking at the schedule for the next season, they have a similar beginning, Nichols State before Wisconsin comes to town before the conference schedule starts. Optimistically, the Beavers could find their way to a 6-6 record and get themselves back to a bowl game. That may be what they need to keep the current coaching staff intact and show boosters and future recruits that the team is making progress. However, in the worst case scenario they could find themselves in another 3-9 season which could cause a lot more grumbling in Corvallis.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Oregon Ducks Way Too Early Preview
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| The Ducks had plenty to celebrate last season, is a fourth title in the cards for them? Lucy Nicholson/Reuters |
The Ducks are coming off the two greatest seasons in program history. A berth in the national championship followed by a long awaited Rose Bowl victory had Duck fans clamoring for another season with senior quarterback Darron Thomas at the helm and an experienced backfield starring Kenjon Barner and last year's break out star De'Anthony Thomas. However, the draft called and Darron Thomas answered leaving a big question mark at the quarter back position heading into the 2012 season. The Ducks are the 3 time defending conference champions and in the North, the road to Pasadena goes through Eugene.
Last season, the Ducks had national championship aspirations but they were derailed in the first week with a loss against eventual national runner up, LSU. Oregon would bounce back and win their next 9 straight games including a dominant performance on the road against conference rival Stanford. Oregon rose as high as #4 and were back in the national picture when Oregon's furious comeback attempt went wide left against USC, giving the Ducks their only conference loss of the year. They would go on to win the conference and Rose Bowl in an instant classic against Wisconsin 45-38. Coming into the summer, all eyes will be on the quarter back battle between Bryan Bennett and Marcus Mariota. Mariota red shirted last season and Bennett's only meaningful playing time came in the second half against Arizona State and then on the road at Colorado, both wins. Mariota, on the other hand got the fans buzzing at the Spring game where he acounted for 3 scores and outshined Bennett to start the conversation in Eugene.
A lot is riding on Coach Kelly and his ability to plug and play as he did in Darron Thomas' first season at quarter back. This season faces even more uncertainty than the aforementioned year as the Ducks must not only replace a quarter back who only had 3 losses on his ledger in his career but they also must deal with missing the workhorse of the offense, running back LaMichael James. James, forgoing his senior season proved himself to be one of, if not the best runner in school history, leaving as the second highest rusher in the conference. All eyes will be on Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas to shoulder the load out of the back field this season. If they are unable to be a serviceable companion to whomever the quarter back will be, the Ducks may not be a threat to four peat in the Pac-12. The Ducks have question marks all over the offensive side of the ball, not only limited to the backfield. They lose Senior Lavasier Tuinei who had a virtuoso performance in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks have a bevy of talent at the wide receiver position but much of it is untested. Josh Huff is going to have to step up and show himself as the leader of this unit and fulfill the potential he showed as a Froshman. The Ducks are going to be missing a pair of senior offensive linemen but the way the offensive line rotates, the cupboard is far from bare moving forward into the future.
Coming into last season, the Ducks had one of the most exciting players in the conference on the defensive side of the ball in Cliff Harris. When ever Harris was involved in a play it was going to be spectacular. Whether it was spectacularly good or spectacularly bad is another point of conversation. After Harris' run in with the law he was suspended indefinitely and in his final play in a Duck uniform he recorded a safety, breaking up the shutout against Colorado. His absence threw inexperienced but talented corners such as Dior Mathis and Troy Hill into the fray. This would have been Harris' senior season but he is no longer with the team. The Ducks ended up playing a lot of youth and it hurt them early on, especially against LSU. However, the defense started to gel and form one of the better units in the conference. They don't lose a lot from the defensive side of the ball save for Safety Eddie Pleasant and Line Backer Josh Kaddu. While they will be missed, play makers like Terrance Mitchell and Kiko Alonso will have their opportunity to leave their mark.
This year, the Ducks don't face a marquee opponent like LSU to open the season. Their offense will have a couple weeks to warm up before they face their first conference opponent in Arizona. In the best case scenario, the match up at USC will be the game to decide who hosts the conference championship game when the two likely rematch to decide who moves on the BCS, whether in the national game or in the Rose Bowl. The best case scenario for Oregon is they run the table and go undefeated and move on to play in the BCS. That is if the offense can pull it all together and get rolling like they have been in the last few years. If the team is similar to the previous issues, they are going to be tough to deal with. However, if the offense can't put it together, its possible that the Ducks could end up 9-3 while Washington or Stanford go on to the conference championship game.
Friday, July 13, 2012
California Golden Bears Way Too Early Preview
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| Keenan Allen is one of the most dynamic players in the Pac-12. Mark J. Rebilas/US Press Wire |
Last season Cal opened with three straight wins, including a shellacking of Presbyterian in their final warm up game before the conference season. The Bears then lost a close one in Seattle (31-23) against the Huskies before walking into a buzz saw against Oregon (43-15) the next week. Another loss to USC leveled their record at 3-3. Cal would win 3 of the next four, their only loss coming on the road against UCLA (31-14) and played rival Stanford close (31-28) before beating Arizona State in a shootout (47-38.) The Golden Bears were invited to the Holiday Bowl where they couldn't get the offense off the ground against a stifling defensive performance by Texas and fell 21-10.
In Coach Tedford's 11th campaign, he leads this year's edition of the Bears back to newly renovated Memorial Stadium. The schedule is favorable for California as they face their toughest division opponents at home. These match ups against Washington and Oregon will go a long way in deciding the Bears fate and post season outlook. They also face Stanford at home in what is one of the more storied rivalries in the Pac-12. The Bears will only face two out of conference opponents before having to go on the road to face Urban Meyer's Buckeyes in Columbus. The week following that they have to leave the iconic "Horseshoe" and travel back to USC to face the Trojans. It will be a trial by fire to see if Senior QB Zach Maynard has put it all together in what could be a swan song senior season.
Look no farther than the connection between Zach Maynard and wide receiver Keenan Allen for the offensive focus on this team. Last season, Maynard fell just short of a 3000 yard season tallying 2990 through the air. While he threw 17 touchdowns he was also intercepted 12 times and sacked 27. The Cal offensive line loses some beef from both sides of the O-line in Mitchell Schwartz and Justin Cheadle. However, the line is not inexperienced and will return three starters from a year ago. Maynard's favorite target, Keenan Allen will look to improve upon his successful second season which saw him go for 98 receptions totalling 1343 yards and 6 scores. Someone will need to step up opposite Allen in the WR department or he may see his production dip a bit. His former mate Marvin Jones kept secondaries honest and provided another vertical threat for Maynard.
While the passing offense gets the attention, what really makes the offense go is running back Isi Sofele. Last season, Sofele went over 1322 yards and tallied 10 touchdowns. In what is the most telling statistic, the Bears were 6-1 in games where Sofele carried the ball 20 times or more. The only game they lost was against Stanford who were the only squad to hold Sofele under 100 yards when he has 20 or more carries. What this shows is that if the offense is successfully and consistently running the ball than the Bears are dangerous. However, once the offense becomes one dimensional, it could spell a long day for the California faithful.
On defense, the Bears are going to miss the service of Pac-12 defensive player of the year Mychael Kendricks. Kendricks was a stalwart as the inside linebacker and really quarterbacked the defense. While he was a fantastic player, it is his leadership ability that will be missed most. Last season, the Bears tallied 12 interceptions but half of those were by seniors. With the influx of young talent for the Bears it will be interesting to see where the game changing plays are going to come from on the defensive side of the ball. One possible solution is Corner back Marc Anthony. Anthony was already establishing himself as a capable cover corner last season and will likely continue to grow and prove himself to be a pest in a league that is predominantly a passing conference.
Overall, the Bears are no team to write off and can give anyone in the conference a game and if they're playing at home they are very tough to beat. The optimistic outlook on the season puts them at 8-4 while a more downtrodden approach would see them conceivably low as 5-7 and missing the post season. That would be a rarity under coach Tedford who has only missed the post season 1 time since 2002 and has made bowl games an expectation. One expectation, realistic or not for the old blues is the Rose Bowl. The Bears have not been since 1959. For them to make it back this year would take a magical run for the senior class. They would need wins against Oregon, Stanford and likely Washington to get to the Championship game to face probable opponent USC out of the south. While it's a long shot, it's not outside the realm of possibility. All three must win division games are at home and one can never tell what can happen on any given Saturday.
USA Leaves No Doubt Against Dominicans 113-59
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| LeBron James looks to get his team mates in the act against Dominican Republic Brian Jones/Las Vegas News Bureau |
The starters, including Kobe Bryant and LeBron James saw limited action in the win as they allowed the reserves carry much of the weight. One reserve they didn't have for the game, was Blake Griffin. Griffin flew back from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and discovered that he has a torn meniscus. Griffin is going to miss the Olympics but plans to be back for the next NBA season. As the starters sat back and watched, Kevin Durant put on a scoring clinic, scoring 21 points in the first half and connected on his first 4 three point shots.In the FIBA game, the 3 point line is closer than in the NBA so to all the NBA players around the world, a 3 point jumper is little more than a mid range jumper. The rest of the national team followed suit as the US went 13 for 33 from down town.
One of those 3 pointers came from an unexpected source. Anthony Davis, rookie center for New Orleans was called up to replace the injured Griffin hit a three pointer near the end of the game, after Davis made the shot and got fouled he got up and taunted Dominican coach and his former coach John Calipari. It was a light hearted exchange that punctuated a dominant performance from the Americans. The US showed how dangerous their whole roster can be as they had 27 assists on 42 baskets and shot a torrid 56% from the field. On the other side of the ball, the defense kept the Dominicans to 31% from the field. Facing the US national team and all of it's NBA superstars will be a challenge for any team but especially so when the finest NBA product on your roster goes 1-12 from the field and only tallies 7 points. That stat line belongs to Al Horford, currently a member of the Atlanta Hawks.
The US is the top ranked team in the world and are set for the Olympics. The next team the face will be Brazil which boasts a little more NBA level talent. Many people are saying that the Brazilians could be a sleeper and make some serious noise this year in pool play, so they aren't a team that USA can just show up and expect to beat. Coach K's style as coach would not indicate that Team USA would take any game for granted but it's definitely too early to start reading press clippings, even after a 54 point rout.
The only particular weakness that the US showed was a slow start in the first quarter. They simply won't be able to do that against teams like Spain and Argentina. If they do, they could find themselves in a fight they don't want to be in. Even though they started slow, USA used their speedy pace of fast break basketball to force opponents into mistakes and eventually pull away, a strategy that could pay them dividends in pool play. Team USA is going to have to wait for a better opponent to show what they are really made of but experience is definitely on their side. The squad boasts 5 returning players from the 2008 Beijing games and 5 more from the World Championship winning team from 2010.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Braves Midseason Position Player Report Cards
Those upstart Nationals in our Nation's capitol are leading the NL East over the 2nd place Braves by 4 games. A lot of baseball is left to be played, and this Braves fan is very curious to see what happens when Nationals "ace"(a 15-7 career record does not constitute ACE in my book) Stephen Strasberg approaches his "inning limit;" the Nationals front office claims that Strasberg will not pitch more than 170 innings this year. That means that if the pennant race is close in the NL East, and Strasberg hits that inning limit (it will happen in early September) then Davey Johnson will bench their #1 starter...I'll believe that when I see it. That being said, here are the mid-season grades for the Atlanta Braves:
STARTING POSITION PLAYERS:
Catcher ~ Brian McCann GRADE: C-
First Base ~ Freddie Freeman GRADE: C+
Second Base ~ Dan Uggla GRADE: D
A) Shortstop ~ Tyler Pastornicky GRADE: C
B) Shortstop ~ Andrelton Simmons GRADE: A
Third Base ~ Chipper Jones GRADE: A+++
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