BYU Football Preview and Picks

One the eve of the always anticipated college football season, it's time to take a look at the new look, "Go Fast Go Hard," BYU Cougars. There are areas we know we'll see success (like Cody Hoffman and Kyle Van Noy) and there are areas Cougar Nation is concerned about. We'll take a look at those, my game by game predictions, and a brief look at the national scene and who has a legitimate shot at a championship.

The Certainties

So we never know for sure, but these three groups are a pretty safe bet. We know we'll see positive production from them and there should be little to no concern, primarily because each position is led by a potential NFL caliber talent.

Wide Receivers

Cody Hoffman will likely be considered one of the
greatest receivers in BYU history.

Led by Cody Hoffman, this group will be the most productive unit on the team, provided Taysom Hill has enough time to throw to them. Hoffman will very likely end the season as the school's all time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, as well as a shot at the total yards record. Skyler Ridley has turned some heads in both spring and fall camps and found himself listed as a starter heading into this weekend's game at Virginia. Ross Apo, while listed second in the depth charts behind Ridley, seems primed for a breakout year after some injury concerns derailed him a bit his first two seasons. It will also benefit him to have some consistency at the quarterback position. JD Falslev will continue to be an important and reliable option for Hill to turn to coming out of the slot position. He won't demand the defensive attention of Hoffman will be a surehanded target especially crucial on third downs.

Even deeper than these top four, this group will provide plenty of options for Taysom Hill and could wreak havoc on defensive game plans. If Apo or Ridley can have a break out year it will make it that much more difficult for teams to center their defensive game plans around Cody Hoffman.

The Front Seven

Sure the defensive line lost Ziggy Ansah, a top five NFL draft pick, and Romney Fuga, an undrafted free agent currently with the Denver Broncos, but the defensive line will still be a dominant force. Returning to action is Ethan Manumaleuna, which is particularly significant because it was his injury that caused Ziggy to be thrust into the starting role and consequently the NFL. Not a bad guy to have back on the line. After a promising freshman campaign, Bronson Kaufusi will now be a full time starter, and his knack for getting into the backfield and roughing up quarterbacks will potentially demand double teams by season's end. Remington Peck and Marques Johnson should also be solid options to round out a productive defensive line.

Van Noy may just be one of the best players in the country.

Two NFL prospects lead the line backer corps. Kyle Van Noy is one of the best college football players in the country and every offense BYU faces will be sure to know exactly where he is at all times. He has notched at least one statistic in every possible category each of the past two years and he will probably wreak havoc on every team the Cougars face this year, regardless of the final score. Because of Van Noy's dominance, Spencer Hadley's success has been largely unnoticed, but he is also drawing the attention of NFL scouts. While he doesn't find himself in the backfield as often as Van Noy, he just may well lead the team in tackles this year and he will be key in stopping the run this year. I think he's up to the task. While Uani Unga and Alani Fua are less experienced, they are athletic and have good size. It doesn't look like this unit will let up from their dominance last year, even with the losses of Brandon Ogletree and Uona Kaveinga.

Safeties

I really think Daniel Sorensen has NFL potential. He has size and he is faster than most of BYU's corners have been the past few years. We have seen his play making abilities through interceptions, tough tackles, and goal line stands. Perhaps he won't ever take over a game like Van Noy in the Poinsettia Bowl, but he is a solid player, and his running mate Craig Bills is no slacker either. They may not turn in the most dominant performances this year, and Sorensen may never play in the NFL, but they should be a unit that performs well and won't cause any concern for Bronco Mendenhall's defense.

The Question Marks

Running Backs

Let's be clear. I don't think the running backs themselves are question marks. I think the fact that the offensive line is a major concern (see below) makes me question how productive the running backs will be. I hope I'm wrong, and I hope they run roughshod over everybody this year, but I don't know if anyone in this group, talented as they are, can turn in many 100 yard performances if the O-line doesn't open some holes for them. If the offensive line can keep the defense out of the backfield, we could see some great things from the running backs.

Jamaal Williams is fast and never shies away from contact. If over the next three years he stays healthy and averages 69 yards per game he can become the school's all time leading rusher. That may be looking a little far ahead, but it's a credit to his productive freshman season as a 17 year old. He's back, and he's ready to be the guy from the beginning. Michael Alisa should be ready to go after multiple surgeries to fix his broken arm. He won't reclaim his full time starter role from Williams, but his size and power will make him a weapon in BYU's new H-back position. Paul Lasike will be a force on short yardage situations because everybody has a hard time bringing him down. As Bronco has previously pointed out, pads are a luxury to the rugby star, and he punishes anyone who steps in his way. Adam Hine is also poised for a breakout season and could see his playing time increase if he performs well in the early going. The fast paced offense will likely call for each of these guys to see significant playing time, and if the O-line helps them out they could be one of the best backfields in the country. But that's a really big if.

Much of BYU's success is up to Taysom Hill.

Quarterback

Again, this is in large part because of the offensive line, but I also have my questions about Taysom Hill at this point. We haven't seen a whole lot of him, and what we have seen was mostly positive. Having said that, what we saw from Jake Heaps was mostly positive his freshman year, and we ran him out of town the next season (which I still think we were wrong about, but that's not the point of this article). He will easily be a step up from Riley Nelson because he can throw a spiral and he's not likely to miss a wide open Cody Hoffman behind Notre Dame's defense for a game winning touchdown, but we don't know if he can be consistently accurate. We don't know if he can progress through his reads. We don't know if he can be a pass first, run second QB. When he does run, we don't know if he's as fast as he was before his knee injury. We don't know if he can stay healthy. That's a lot of things we don't know.

We do know that he has the potential to be great. We do know he is an incredible leader, as evidenced by his summer practice sessions with his receivers. We also know he led the only scoring drive against Boise State and almost won that game.

He could be Jake Heaps, he could be Steve Young, or he could be something in between.

Special Teams

I'm not worried about the return game, but I do have my questions about the kicking game. Justin Sorensen, the highly recruited kicker from Bingham High, has failed to live up to expectations in large part due to injury problems. Reports are that he has now fully recovered and is looking good and could be the impact player we all expected him to be, but we just won't know until we see him in action.

At punter, Scott Arellano is looking to replace the second team all-American Riley Stephenson. He was an all-conference punter at Foothill College last season, but that's still a long way to go before all-American. Hopefully he can fill those big shoes and team with Daniel Sorensen to down the ball inside the five on a regular basis.

The Concerns

Offensive Line

If the O-line doesn't hold up, Jamaal Williams may never
reach his full potential.

In my mind there is no greater concern than the offensive line. Sure the kicker may end up being worse or the corners may get torched on a regular basis, but if the O-line can't hold, BYU's solid running backs won't get out of the backfield, and Taysom Hill may never have time to get the ball to Cody Hoffman and company. This offensive line is inexperienced and possibly a little underweight (Michael Yeck is 6'8" and 292 pounds). Hopefully they're more powerful than that weight would indicate, but we'll see the results of that on gameday.

The other thing that concerns me is the plan for a constant rotation amongst the linemen. Ten different guys are traveling with the team to Virginia and the plan is to play them all. Will they all work together cohesively? Will it disrupt any of them from getting into a groove? Again, these things will be answered Saturday.

Corner Backs

Everyone is well aware of the injury and depth concerns at corner. Can they be overcome? Yes. But it's still a little nerve wracking that one of the second string guys started fall camp as a receiver. And both the second string guys are freshman. And neither of the starters have ever started a D-I game. And one has never played a D-I game.

No depth, no experience. The first decent quarterback/receiver combination we see (Texas, week two) just might light us up for 500 yards and 40+ points.

Game Predictions

This list could very well change from week to week based on what we see from BYU and each of their opponents, but here are my predictions for each of the Cougars matchups this year.

Remember this? 2009 was the last time BYU beat Utah.

• @ Virginia - WIN - I don't think it will be pretty as BYU adapts to their new offense and a lot of new personnel, but Virginia is young and inexperienced and won't matchup well against pretty much anyone from BYU, except maybe the corners.
• vs. Texas - LOSS -  I would really love to be proven wrong here, but Texas is one of the few Big 12 teams with a reliable quarterback in David Ash and they could very well pick us apart in the secondary.
• vs. Utah - WIN - Utah is still terrible, and BYU will finally play a decent game against them. Travis Wilson will have a rough time against a really solid Cougar front seven, and defensively they don't have a big presence to disrupt the up tempo rhythm BYU will look to get into.
• vs. Middle Tennessee - WIN - If BYU doesn't win this game it's because everyone forgot about it.
• @ Utah State - WIN - Led by Chuckie Keeton, I'm betting Utah State will turn this game into a shootout. Maybe it's because I can't bring myself to pick a loss here, but I think the Cougars pull it out.
• vs. Georgia Tech - WIN - It's the same bad team that BYU beat up on last year, and I expect more of the same.
• @ Houston - WIN - They no longer have Case Keenum and he is the reason they were a dominant team two years ago. Without him last year they were 5-7 in a bad conference. So while we like to remember Houston as a good team, they really aren't anymore.
• vs. Boise State - LOSS - Here is where things get interesting. Last year Boise State pulled out a 7-6 win against BYU in a defensive players paradise. Had Taysom Hill started that game, or at least come in a quarter sooner, BYU may have pulled it out. Now BYU will be a lot better, and Boise State will be about the same. Also, this year's contest is in Provo. But I still just don't know if BYU can pull it out.
• @ Wisconsin - LOSS - I'm betting this will be BYU's most lopsided loss of the season. Wisconsin's new head coach, Gary Anderson, beat or stayed within three points of BYU each of the last three seasons while at Utah State. Now he'll have significantly more talent around him and I don't think it will be pretty for the Cougars.
• vs. Idaho State - WIN - This game will be a welcome reprieve to the tough teams faced in the weeks leading up to the game. It will be a nice time to regroup before hitting the road again to face dangerous teams, too.
• @ Notre Dame - LOSS - Maybe BYU should have won this game last season, but I don't think they're going to be given the chance again. BYU's defense may keep them close for the first half, but I don't think our offensive line can hold up against what looks to be another tough Irish defense.
• @ Nevada - WIN - Nevada may present a challenge, especially if BYU limps into this game with little to no confidence left. But ultimately the Cougars should be the better team and should pull out the win.

I think BYU can win any of these games, but in my mind the best case scenario they go 10-2, worst case 5-7. I think they'll end up on the positive side of things, finishing 8-4 and headed for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

National Title Contenders

Naturally, anyone could end up playing for the BCS National Championship in January. We've seen teams go from being unranked to claiming the title, so we never really know what will happen. That's part of the beauty of college football. But here are the five teams I think have the best chance at taking home the crystal ball this year.

• Alabama - This team is in the middle of one of the most dominating college football dynasties in history. They've been there before so they can handle the pressure of sitting at the top. Frankly, if Alabama doesn't win I'll be shocked.

  

  The title seems to be Alabama's to lose.

• Ohio State - Last year's undefeated campaign was impressive, but they literally had nothing to lose so they could play loose. Can they do it again this year? They have the personnel for it, and they have the coach for it, but going undefeated two years in a row is a really difficult thing to do in college football.
• South Carolina - Jadeveon Clowney could carry this team on his back. I think they'll end up as a one or two loss team, and I don't think they'll make it to the title game, but on the other hand it wouldn't surprise me.
• Oregon - With or without Chip Kelly at the helm, Oregon is still dang good. I'm not going to be surprised at all if Oregon winds up undefeated and Marcus Mariota wins the Heisman. They got a tough draw for their conference schedule, but they have the firepower to get through it.
• Texas A&M - If Johnny Manziel doesn't get suspended and if  the team doesn't get distracted by the drama he brings and if Manziel doesn't suffer a sophomore slump, then this team could be pretty darn good.

My Pick: Alabama. There just isn't a team out there as all around good as the Tide. AJ McCarron isn't flashy, but he's as steady a quarterback as there is in the country. While it will pain me to see them, and the SEC, bring home yet another title, I just don't see it happening any other way.

A Mediocre Mailbag

No, it's not the questions that are mediocre. In fact, you'll soon see these are some of the most well thought out questions in the history of my blog. The mediocrity comes from the answers. You see, I'm not much of an NBA guy. I follow it a little bit, mostly the Jazz and the postseason (not to be confused with the Jazz in the postseason, because that's not a real frequent occurrence), but I just don't feel as adequate to answer these questions as a lot of other people. In fact, these questions are so well thought out that I actually wondered if J Money, the reader who asked the NBA questions in this mailbag, even needs me. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that he doesn't. Just to illustrate, let me show you just how little I care about the NBA. Below is a list of my top five favorite sports to follow, meaning watch, read about, learn about, and keep up to date on. Keep in mind it would be different if it was my overall favorite sports, including sports I like to play, because basketball would certainly top that list.

Have you ever watched the Little League World Series?
It's actually a ton of fun, and the kids are really good.

1. Baseball - I mean, I even make it a point to watch as much of the Little League World Series as I can every year. This year hasn't been as kind to me in that regard, but top to bottom I love watching and going to baseball games, no matter the age and skill level.
2. Basketball - There is simply nothing more beautiful than the month of March my wife. But second to my wife is the month of March. I lose focus on everything to watch college basketball. But college is really the only level of basketball I consistently follow. Ever since John Stockton retired and Karl Malone sold out and became a Laker, the NBA just hasn't been the same for me. If it weren't for the NBA though, basketball would hands down be my favorite sport.
3. Football - I really do love football, and I definitely enjoy the NFL more than the NBA when it comes to watching professional sports. I definitely don't consider myself an expert on the NFL, but I enjoy it. Bowl Week is a beautiful thing, and with the BCS era coming to a close, the college game is going to get that much more interesting. A few things still need to change, but we're getting closer to the solution.
4. Tennis - Okay, sure. The scoring system was created by a drunk person. And people think it's boring. But as a tennis player, I just love watching these athletes compete and I appreciate the difficulty of the game. During my playing career (which admittedly was nothing special whatsoever) I followed tennis much more religiously, in fact tennis likely would have topped this list. Since the rapid decline of American tennis I have to admit I've fallen off a bit, but I still love watching the Grand Slams.
5. Soccer - I definitely don't follow Major League Soccer here in America, and barely follow the Premiere League in England, but it's an international classic, and when it comes to international competitions, I really get into it. That's especially true of Euro Cup, World Cup, and the Olympics.

But now to the Mailbag. These questions came from my good friend J Money and Prince Michael, and I appreciate the challenge they presented to me. As you will know by the time you've finished reading this, the NBA and the NFL are areas I'm not quite as knowledgeable in. I also appreciate that it gave me something to do at work. And if my boss is reading this, by work I really mean at home.

I enjoy reading your blog and I was wondering if you could look into something for me good sir. Why are you wearing an O's shirt in one picture and a Rockies shirt in another and then displaying them on your Facebook two inches away from each other? -J Money

Tulo has a great bat and a knack for the spectacular.

Simple, really. I'm a die-hard Rockies fan, and nothing can ever change that. But before the Rockies were born in 1993, the same year my family moved to Colorado, I was an Orioles fan living in Maryland. And so, while I will always cheer for the Rockies, even if they're out of the playoff race and the Orioles are still in it and they're playing against each other, like last weekend for example, I'm upset if the O's were to beat the Rox 2-1 in that series.Which they did.

I've lived a lot of places in my life, and as a result I'm actually a fan of a lot of teams. And while I'm in the mood of making lists, here's the order I place all 30 teams in baseball. The top two are completely locked, as are the bottom two, but from day to day they may be some movement in the middle, but I think it's mostly how I feel.

1. Colorado Rockies - I moved to Colorado the year they were formed, when I was three almost four. Pretty crucial time in your life to pick a team, and we went to quite a few games. Those Blake Street Bombers were fun to watch, especially pre-Humidor.
2. Baltimore Orioles - My first team. Cal Ripken Jr. Plus Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a really cool stadium.

   

   Chris Davis has been remarkable to watch for the O's.

3. Washington Nationals - My family moved back to Maryland and sent me a Nats hat. Plus I thought they were going to be really good so I started cheering for them. Kidding, but Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg are fun to watch.
4. St. Louis Cardinals - I used to play for the Cardinals back in Little League, and I really liked Ozzie Smith. I like to think of him as my uncle. We're both Smiths after all.
5. Seattle Mariners - I lived in Washington back in the days of Ken Griffey Jr. (the first time) and A-Rod (when he was cool) and Randy Johnson (who was really only uncool during his two year stint in pinstripes) and Ichiro (who is somehow still relatively cool in pinstripes). And I'm realizing Junior is the only one of those never to play for the Yankees. What a stud. I also lived there when Junior, Pay-Rod, and The Big Unit all left, Ichiro arrived and suddenly the M's were good and won 116 games.
6. Atlanta Braves - When I was a kid I loved the Braves. Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Greg Maddux... They were loaded.
7. Tampa Bay Rays - Something about the Rays is fun to watch. I read an article on Grantland last year that made me realize those guys are just having a blast. That's how professional athletes should be. I mean, they're getting paid to play the game they love. Have fun!
8. Los Angeles Angels - I'll admit it. They made it this high because of Angels in the Outfield. Plus, the Rally Monkey.
9. Arizona Diamondbacks - When the Diamondbacks debuted I got a hat and cheered for them. I don't know why, but I did.
10. Cincinnati Reds - Okay, Dad. I'll put your team in my top ten. I suppose the Big Red Machine was pretty cool back in the day. I'm sad I missed it.
11. Miami Marlins - Back when they were the Florida Marlins they pulled off a huge upset and beat the Yankees in the 2003 World Series. Consequently, I like them.
12. San Francisco Giants - I had a roommate who was the biggest Giants fan in the world. We were roommates when they won the World Series in 2010 and that was actually pretty fun.
13. Philadelphia Phillies - Likewise I had a good friend on my LDS mission who was a die-hard Phillies fan and I was around him when they won the Series in 2008. So since I like him, I'll sort of like the Phillies.
14. Kansas City Royals - I don't know why, but I've never really liked the Royals. But lately they've been growing on me. Their success this year is kind of inspiring. 
15. Chicago Cubs - I'm almost completely indifferent with the Cubs. I mean, Wrigley Field is cool and all, but I really only put them this high because I feel bad for them. I mean, when else are they going to be ranked in the top half?
16. San Diego Padres - I don't particularly like the Padres. But wasn't Tony Gwynn awesome?
17. New York Mets - They're okay I guess.
18. Los Angeles Dodgers - I don't like the Dodgers. But we had season tickets to their Single A affiliate in Washington. Until that team became the Single A affiliate of the Diamondbacks instead.
19. Oakland A's - Moneyball.
20. Houston Astros - Craig Biggio was one of my favorite players of the 1990s. But the Astros have never done anything worth cheering for. And don't even bother to mention that the Rockies haven't either. The Rockies are awesome.
21. Minnesota Twins - I like Little Big League.
22. Toronto Blue Jays - It just dawned on me yesterday how smart it is to have an indoor stadium in Canada.
23. Detroit Tigers - I've cheered for them on rare occasions, but I try not to make it a habit.
24. Pittsburgh Pirates - Sure it's cool to watch them finally have a good season. But I really don't like the Pirates. Though I have no idea why.
25. Texas Rangers - They turned A-Rod into Pay-Rod.
26. Cleveland Indians - The Rockies should have beat the Indians in the 2007 World Series. But instead the Indians had to blow a 3-0 lead against the Red Sox in the ALCS, causing the red-hot Rox to go cold as ice and get swept in their one and only chance at glory.
27. Milwaukee Brewers - Ryan Braun is really starting to tick me off.
28. Chicago White Sox - I think it stems from the big, ugly, tobacco spitting dude on the White Sox in Angels in the Outfield, but I really don't like the White Sox.
29. Boston Red Sox - I only cheer for the Red Sox 18 times a year. That's how many times they play the Yankees, right?
30. New York Yankees - If we were talking about the historic Yankees with players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle, I would have placed them significantly higher. But we're not. We're talking about the Steinbrenner Yankees. And I hate them with my whole heart.

I named my car CarGo. Seriously.

That was actually a lot harder than I thought. Ask me tomorrow and numbers 8-27 could all be different. A couple things I know for sure: I love the Rockies, I hate the Yankees, and I think the National League is cooler than the American League.

Well, now that I've spent a ton of time answering the question J Money was apparently "kidding" about, I should probably take a crack at his real questions.

All kidding aside, what are your thoughts on this: The Pistons recently traded for Josh Smith making a crowded frontcourt the most crowded frontcourt of all time with him, Andre Drummond, and Greg Monroe. Spacing is going to be terrible especially since Monroe and Smith are essentially the same player offensively (decent inside-out game [emphasis on decent] and great passers for being big men). For starters what are your thoughts on this little experiment of Joe Dumars? -J Money

If it doesn't work it will doubtless be Monroe that leaves.

If we've learned anything from the Lakers the past couple years it's that big men occasionally have a hard time co-existing. Having said that I think this experiment is fine for a couple of different reasons. First, the Pistons are really, really bad and they need to try something. Second, while Monroe and Smith are similar, Smith can stretch the floor more. He's not a great three point shooter, but he's at least a threat from deep.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out though because the Pistons will be putting a ridiculous amount of size on the floor. Smith will need to focus on his perimeter game because there will simply not be enough room for him to come inside with regularity. As all three of these guys do like to play above the rim they will need some major help from the perimeter. The three point shooters will need to step up for Detroit because if defenses can crowd the paint at all this big man experiment will fail.

Second, let's look at the scenario if it doesn't work. In a recent interview with Grantland, Dumars was excited about Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith coming to town and excited about the development of Drummond but seemed indifferent to Monroe, citing his defensive shortcomings. It can probably be assumed that if this fails then Monroe, who will be a free agent next summer, will be allowed to walk. If this is the case, how do you like him with the Wizards?

Here's why I think it would work:

1. DC for some reason beyond me is not attractive to free agents. They do have a solid core of young guys who have a shot of being as high as the six seed in the East this year (if you don't believe me tell me who is going to be better in the East). They are up and coming and will be solid, barring injuries, for at least the entire time John Wall is there. 
2. Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor are coming off the books next season. That's over 21 million available for next season. A big chunk is going to Wall but there is still some left over for another max, or near max, contract if DC entered a bidding war for Monroe. 
3. Though regarded as a defensive liability, DC I believe was ninth defensively in the league. Not great I know, but my point is he has help. Trevor Booker and Kevin Seraphin are defensively minded backups and working with Nene in the starting lineup will offer some added rim protection. He's no Okafor defensively but is it worth it to sacrifice Okafor's defensive production for Monroe's offensive production?
4. The organization has made it clear that they believe Brad Beal will be a major contributor in the rebuilding process. When his free agency comes up, Nene will be coming off the books so there isn't a worry of him not getting paid because Monroe is there. Also with Monroe, defenses will have to crowd the paint to deal with Monroe, Nene, and the potential of a Wall drive, thus creating tons of space for Beal and Martell Webster to get open looks on the perimeter, or the likes of Otto Porter Jr. for easy mid-range jumpers.

I think it would work, but tell me your thoughts. -J Money

Sounds good to me! See what I mean about well thought out questions?

If Emeka Okafor walks when his contract is up after the 2013-2014 season the Wizards will be in the market for a big man, and Monroe feels like a good fit for all the reasons you outlined. It might be worth it for the Wizards to let Okafor go if they can bring in Monroe, defensive liability or not. Right now there are no legitimate scoring threats in the post and Wall needs someone in the paint to dish to, and a guy like Monroe might be the best player they can attract.

John Wall and the Wizards could really use
a scoring presence in the post.

From Monroe's standpoint it would make sense to go to Washington if for no other reason than he would have more room to operate. Rather than three bigs they would have a true small forward in Otto Porter. The lane won't be as crowded, and if somehow it is you have a legitimate deep threat in Beal to kick the ball to.

Also, I agree with you, the Wizards have a shot at the playoffs if for no other reason than the East is horrendous overall. I mean, the eighth seed had a losing record and the seventh seed barely cleared .500. So the fact that the Wizards have a chance to make the playoffs ought to make Washington a relatively appealing stop for Monroe if this experiment in Detroit fails. If it's a success and the Pistons make the postseason this year, Washington will be harder to sell.

The guard line in Washington, while perhaps not yet elite, is solid. Wall and Beal should make a good combination for years to come and they certainly have the potential to become the amazing backcourt the Wizards are expecting. In order for that to happen though, they need a scoring post presence. Adding a guy like Monroe seems to make a lot of sense from the Washington perspective, and should make sense to Monroe as well.

This wasn't as intelligent an answer as I would have liked, but hopefully it at least sort of answers the questions. I'll study up on the NBA for next time.

Who's going to the Super Bowl this year? People in Denver are going nuts about the Broncos, but they lost Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller is suspended so I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. Still, no one else in the AFC is that good, are they? -Prince Michael

And on go my blue and orange goggles. Be warned, this question is answered with an extreme amount of bias.

I agree with you. With Dumervil gone, Miller out for the first six games, and Champ Bailey getting old Denver isn't going to be unbeatable. Having said that, the rest of the AFC, and the NFL for that matter, doesn't exactly look dangerous. And the offensive side of the ball looks to be pretty good with Peyton Manning now teaming up with Wes Welker.

Manning to Welker. Oh, it's going to be awesome.

Looking at those first six games that Von Miller will be suspended for I think the worst case scenario is that the Broncos make it out 4-2, best case 5-1. Sure the defense will give up some extra yardage and it may cost them, but it's a pretty weak top half of the schedule. The only two games I think Denver may drop, barring any surprise teams, are the first two against the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants. The Giants should be a solid team this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if Denver drops that game. But the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens aren't looking like they'll be as good this year with the loss of Ray Lewis and a few injury concerns. The next four games are against lower tier opponents: Oakland Raider, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

I'm going to bet the Broncos finish around 12-4, give or take one game either direction. They'll win their division and probably meet either New England or Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship. While those are dangerous opponents, I'm going to give the edge to the Broncos.

I think the NFC will come down to Green Bay, Atlanta, and Seattle, and as much as I would love to see the Broncos beat the Packers or Falcons in the Super Bowl again, I think Seattle will be playing Denver on Super Bowl Sunday.

And the Denver Broncos are going to win.

Come on. You had to see that coming.

America's Pastime and the Need for a Hero

Baseball has meant more to this country than any other sport. The game has had its hands in healing and comforting America through a myriad of adversities. It has given hope to countless Americans when they needed it most. In times of war, depression, oppression, and scandal, baseball, either the game itself or a player within the game, has come to the rescue time and again. Over the past century and a half America's Pastime has produced the occasional hero to carry us through the rough times. If history tells us anything it may just be time for another legend to come our way.

Healing a Country Divided

An artist's depiction of baseball in a Civil War camp

The origins of baseball are pretty hazy, but its development is an incredible story. Northeasterners, particularly New Yorkers, became passionate about the game prior to the Civil War. Surprisingly the war caused this new and unknown game to flourish and become a nationwide phenomenon. As morale in the North's camps dwindled, baseball became more and more important. New Yorkers introduced the game to their fellow soldiers and when officers realized it was great for health and morale they wrote to other camps and encouraged baseball to be played by their men. It became such a popular game even the Confederate soldiers who were prisoners in the Union's camps picked it up and played, sometimes among themselves and sometimes against the North. I'll bet those interleague match-ups got pretty interesting.

Following the war the country needed healing in every aspect, and just as it had raised morale during the war, baseball helped to mend a country split in two. The Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional team in 1869 and the game soon became a distinct part of America's identity.

WWI and the Black Sox

The United States had been involved in several wars since the Civil War, perhaps most notably the Spanish-American War, but none of those would compare to World War I. Thankfully that war ended in 1918, four years after it began, and it was nowhere near as tragic as the Civil War had been for the US. That being said, it was still a war and the country still needed to be healed.

But baseball, instead of working to heal America, nearly destroyed its trust in the game just a few decades after it began.

Shoeless Joe Jackson of the 1919 Chicago Black Sox

The 1919 Chicago White Sox were one of the best teams ever to play baseball to that point. They were led by Shoeless Joe Jackson and a long list of other stars with virtually no holes in their lineup. They came into the World Series as the heavy favorites over the Cincinnati Reds, but little did the general public know, first baseman "Chick" Gandil had organized a fix. The Sox lost the Series 5-3, but ended up losing so much more. Eventually eight players from that team were found guilty of fixing the Series by betting against themselves and throwing games. Those eight were banned from the game for life. The scandal earned that team a new nickname, the Black Sox, and the integrity of the game had been greatly compromised for the first time.

But I suppose the legacy the Sox left behind isn't all bad. After all, the hero of that era, and the greatest player ever to lift a bat, actually patterned his swing after Shoeless Joe. (And by the way, I still think Jackson was innocent in terms of the fix, but that's a story for another day).

Just when baseball was losing America's trust, and just when baseball needed a hero, America was introduced to the greatest baseball player of all time: Babe Ruth.

Never before or since has there been a player as dominant as the Great Bambino. He was a good pitcher even before he became a legendary hitter. He set records, left curses, built stadiums, called shots, and almost a hundred years later we still consider him the greatest ball player of all time. Baseball fans of that era had a player they could cheer for, and it helped heal the hurt of war and scandal. Babe Ruth was the perfect cure for baseball and for America.

WWII

You want heroes? How about the 500 big league baseball players who left the game to serve our country in World War II? In the same year that saw the last .400 hitter in Ted Williams and one of the most untouchable baseball records in Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak, we also saw players drafted and voluntarily signing up for service in the military.

And it wasn't just backups or role players, there were superstars of the game who left fame and glory to defend America's freedom. Williams and Joltin' Joe both interrupted their legendary careers, as well as other future Hall of Famers such as Bob Feller, who rushed to enlist as soon as he heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Many were critical that baseball was continuing on during the war. Some believed that these able bodied ball players should be serving their country and that baseball should not continue. However, one soldier, Private Clifford Mansfield, was quoted as saying "Baseball is part of the American way of life. Remove it and you remove something from the lives of American citizens, soldiers, and sailors. For the morale of the soldier and the morale of America itself, 'keep 'em playing'."

Baseball helped keep America's spirits high during the war, and the heroes who served our country with honor returned and gave the country even greater cause to cheer for them.

A Hero for Change

Jackie Robinson stole home in Game 1
of the 1955 World Series

But in the aftermath of World War II there was still a significant problem in baseball: it was still a white man's game. There were no black players to be found in the Major Leagues but rather had to play in the Negro Leagues, which did well in their own right with players such as Satchel Paige, Roy Campanella, Willie Mays, and of course, Jackie Robinson.

The hero the African American community needed arrived on the big league scene in 1947 and took it by storm. In spite of intense persecution and abuse, Robinson became the Rookie of the Year hitting .297 with 12 home runs and a league leading 29 stolen bases. He went on to have a fantastic career with All Star appearances in six of his ten season. He won the MVP award and batting title in 1949.

More importantly he broke the color barrier that would change the game of baseball forever. Major League Baseball was no longer white, it was on its way to being fully integrated and a true representation of the best America had to offer. It was now truly a national pastime, minorities included.

And by the way, if you haven't seen "42," change that. Now.

The Strike

The 1994 and 1995 Major League Baseball seasons were marred by a player's strike that left baseball fans everywhere frustrated and outraged. The 1994 playoffs and World Series were cancelled, the pinnacle of the worst work stoppage in professional sports history.

Tony Gwynn, Larry Walker, Craig Biggio, and Jeff Bagwell were among the many players who helped heal us in the '90s after we lost a little trust and faith in the game. But in my mind there are two players that really stood above the rest in making the game important to us again, and for two entirely different reasons: Cal Ripken Jr. and Ken Griffey Jr.

Cal Ripken Jr. was known as "Iron Man" for his ability to consistently stay in the lineup. He fought off several injury scares and managed stay in the lineup for 16 consecutive years. Along that road he managed to break one of those unbreakable records: Lou Gehrig's streak of 2,130 consecutive games played.

Ripken rounding the bases after homering in the
fourth inning the day he broke Lou Gehrig's record

Ripken's streak was actually threatened by the strike when owner's were threatening to use replacement players to complete the season. Perhaps recognizing the importance of The Streak to the game of baseball, Orioles owner Peter Angelos made it clear he would rather forfeit the remainder of the season than see Ripken's streak come to an end, and fortunately it never came to that. What made Cal Ripken Jr., and baseball for that matter, special was watching him shatter Lou Gehrig's record. He surpassed the record in 1996, the first complete season after the strike, and finally took himself out of the lineup after 2,632 consecutive games in 1998. Ripken was a Hall of Fame player regardless of The Streak, but this legendary record cemented his legacy and helped ignite baseball passion around the country.

What made Ken Griffey Jr. a hero? Quite simply he was the best baseball player America had seen in a really, really long time. The Kid was the epitome of a five tool ball player. He could throw, field, run, hit, and most of all he could hit with power. He was a 13 time All Star, won a Gold Glove in every year of the 1990s, and earned seven Silver Slugger awards. He is the only three-time winner of the Home Run Derby and hit over 40 home runs on seven different occasions, hitting 56 in 1997 and 1998. Junior finished his career with 630 dingers, good for fourth all time (if you exclude Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez, which I do).

Junior watching one of his many long balls

It amazes me that in spite of all those statistics he only earned one MVP award in his career. Regardless of that he earned enough honors and was so dominant during the '90s he is arguably the greatest player of this generation. With probably the prettiest swing in the history of the game, an incredible amount of talent, and a personality that told us all he was just having fun out there, he was virtually everyone's favorite player of the 1990s. Having a superstar like Griffey made us miss baseball during the player's strike and excited us when it came back. Junior was the kind of hero baseball deserves in every generation.

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And now here we are, hopefully on the tail end of the steroid era. Fans are losing a lot of interest in baseball, particularly the younger generation (more women 50 or older watched last year's World Series than men under 50). Part of the problem may be the slower pace of the game or the feeling we get that baseball is stuck in tradition with an unwillingness to change and progress, which has valid arguments on both sides. But one of the largest reasons is that people have lost faith in the players. Sacred records have been broken by cheaters leaving us confused as to who the true home run kings are. Is Roger Maris the single season home run leader with 61, or are juiced up Sammy Sosa (66), Mark McGwire (70), and Barry Bonds (73) all ahead of him in the record books? Does Hammerin' Hank Aaron own the career mark with 755, or is Bonds the Home Run King with 762?

We could use another baseball legend like the
greatest legend of all time: Babe Ruth

Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Roger Clemens, Jason Giambi, Ryan Braun, Alex Rodriguez... The list goes on and on and on, filled with superstars who violated our trust by using performance enhancing drugs. At first we thought they were legends in the making. Now their names are forever tainted for lying to us and violating the sacredness of baseball. The game has lost a lot of fans, some we have no hope of recovering, but if baseball has any hope of continuing on as the American Pastime we need a Babe Ruth or a Ken Griffey Jr. We need someone to make a run at a sacred and unbreakable record (DiMaggio's hit streak?). We need someone who takes the game by storm. We may even need a whole army of them.

Sure we have Miguel Cabrera, last year's Triple Crown winner, the first since 1967. Sure we have Chris Davis, who hit home runs in the first half of the season at an alarming rate, though he's slowed considerably since the All-Star break. Sure we have Yasiel Puig, who broke onto the big league scene with some major noise back in June.

But none of them are the legend we need. At least not yet.

Maybe he's in the League already, maybe he isn't. But hopefully we find him, or them soon. Who will it be? Cabrera? Davis? Puig? Mike Trout? Bryce Harper? Stephen Strasburg?

We need to step into another golden age of baseball, and we need our heroes to be clean beyond a shadow of a doubt. I don't know what it's going to take, but we need a legendary player, or players, that we can trust. Maybe then our faith in the players and love of the game will be restored.