Manning vs Brady….Again

There are a few things in life you know for certain thats you’re born, you’ll die…..and Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning will both face off in the playoffs and some point.

Sunday at Sports Authority Field in Mile High will be the 17th meeting between the sure fire Hall of Famers.  When you think of some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game these two names are at or near the top of the list with the greats like Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Jon Elway just to name a few.  They have enjoyed stellar careers and this game will no doubt be another exciting matchup.

Currently Tom Brady owns an 11-5 record against Manning since Brady came into the league back in 2001.  Brady owns four championships to Manning’s one.  Both of them own a 2-2 record against each other in the playoffs with Manning winning their last meeting back in 2014 in Denver 26-16.

Breakdown of the matchup and who has the edge:

Wide Reievers/Tight Ends

On the New England side of the ball you have the big 6ft 6in Rob Gronkowski who has been a favoured target of Brady since Gronk entered the league back in 2010.  He enjoyed a solid year registering 72 receptions for 1,176 yards and 11 touchdowns leading the Patriots in all three categories.  Behind Gronk is Julian Edelman who registered seven touchdowns this season, Danny Amendola crossed the goal line three times this season and James White hit pay dirt four times this year.

On the Denver Bronocos side of the ball Manning has two of the best receivers in the game in Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas.  Thomas enjoyed another solid year leading the Broncos receiving crops with 105 receptions, 1,304 yards and six touchdowns.  Sanders was no slouch either as he racked up over 1,100 yards  for the second time in his career he also reached pay dirt six times.

Were going to have to give the edge to the Broncos here as they have two 1,000+ yard receivers on the team and give Manning more true options to throw to.

Running Backs

Both teams don’t have a standout running back, but what they do have is the ability to mi and match with different types whether it be a straight bruiser or a change-of-pace running back.  The New England Patriots split their carries between LaGerrette Blount, Dion Lewis, and Brandon Bolden and they combined for 1,144 yards and 8 touchdowns.  The Denver Broncos on the other hand have two running backs who can hurt you if they are on their game in Ronnie Hillman and Cj Anderson.  Anderson struggled at the beginning of the season, but stepped it up when it mattered most and as Anderson was struggling Hillman took over.  Between the two of them they racked up close to 1,600 yards and they also took the ball to the house 12 times.  We have to give the edge here to the Broncos as they use their two headed monster a little bit more than the New England Patriots, but with Manning at the helm you have no idea what will happen.

Defence

On the defensive side of the ball both are solid defences, but the Broncos were the best defensive team in the NFL during the regular season only allowing 283 yards per game and they led the league in sacks with 53 so if I was Tom Brady he better watch out because they’ll be coming for him.  The Broncos defence returned 5 touchdowns to the house with four interceptions and one fumble.  The Patriots were a top 10 defence this season, but the Broncos had the third best run stopping defence, the best defence in the air, and they were the best defence against receivers.  The edge goes to the Broncos on this one too.

Coach

This one is an easy one for us as Bill Belicheck is well….Bill Belichek there isn’t any coach that is better at doing their job then he is right now and he always seems to get the best out of his players when it’s all on the line.  He could go out there with a bunch of third stringers and still make the playoffs and compete to win a Super Bowl.  He will go down as a Hall of Fame coach there is no doubt about that, but can he cement his status as one of the greatest with another Super Bowl win, but he has to get through Denver before he has a shot at that.

We’re going out on a limb to say the Broncos will end up taking this one at home in front of a raucous crowd in Denver.  This once again should be another highlight that we can add to the Peyton vs Brady Reel.

Drouin and Lightning situation gets uglier

There have been many a hold outs before in the NHL like Pavel Bure, Eric Lindros, Paul Coffey, and Alexei Yashin.  This Jonathan Drouin and Tampa Bay Lightning situation is getting uglier and uglier by the day.

Lets recap this situation a little bit for you back on January 3rd, 2016 Drouin’s agent the infamous Alen Walsh issued a statement regarding Drouin requesting a trade back in November.  The Lightning have supposedly been trying to find a trading partner so that this situation gets resolved.  The Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues and Montreal Canadiens are teams supposedly kicking tires.  Today the Tampa Bay Lightning released a statement saying they had suspended Drouin indefinitely without pay after he did not report to the Syracuse Crunch game last night against the Toronto Marlies.  Walsh issued another statement saying Drouin would never play for the Lightning organization in any capacity

Allan Walsh statement on Jonathan Drouin pic.twitter.com/mBA4txQIJN

— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) January 21, 2016

The Lightning are already dealing with another huge issue and that’s the impending free agency of star captain Steven Stamkos.  Everyone is trying to figure out if Stamkos will resign with the Lightning or move on to greener pastures and thats already become a distraction to the Lightning this season.  With the All-star game not too far and trade deadline quickly approaching it would be in everyone’s interest to try and solve this as quickly as possible so there are no more distractions around the Lightning.

 

Time for a rebuild

Is it time finally for the Toronto Maple Leafs to do a complete rebuild….Imagine when Brian Burke came in and said “We’re going to rebuild this team from the ground-up,” where would this team be now?  Instead he chose an on-the-fly method that never worked out and…..well here we are.  Toiling at the bottom of the standings looking for a way out, but there isn’t any.  So Nonis is left with the task of stripping the team to the bare bones….and we mean basically naked…minus a few socks, and or underwear, but almost there.

What we would like to know is give us your opinion on what the Leafs should do and why in this poll below.  Vote and comment so we know fans actually have something to say….good or bad.

Stanley Cup winners – The Montreal Canadiens?

NHL—-The Montreal Canadiens are your 2015 Stanley Cup winners!!!

As Leaf fans those are words you never want to hear again.  Thats a saying that makes Leaf fans cringe from head to toe. It’s like actually bashing their heads against a wall kind of deal or playing a game of Russian Roulette.

With the Leafs in a tail spin and the Canadiens a contender for the Stanley Cup this season it makes it even worse for Leaf nation to take. Every Habs fan is chomping at the bit waiting to tear their hockey brethren apart. Enough about the Leafs and their sad state of a team, but lets really get into the Canadiens and their chances this season.

A year after coming two games away from making the finals the Canadiens are once again poised to be there again. This time they want to get to the big dance. Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien have them playing the best hockey in years. They currently sit second in the Eastern conference with a 35-15-3 record for 73 points. Who would of thought one of the leagues smallest teams in the NHL would be aiming to make noise in the playoffs again. Everyone said they’re too light, too short to do anything…..well boy oh boy were they wrong.

Carey Price has become a star right before our eyes. An elite goaltender who one day could go down as one of the best goalies of all-time.  Brodeur, Roy, Hasek, Dryden, Esposito….that kind of goalie…and soon Price may join that category. He’s a 4-time NHL All-star and he won a gold medal at last years Olympics with team Canada. He currently leads the NHL in Goals Against Average at 2.00 and Save Percentage at .933, he’s second in wins with 30 and he’ll surely eclipse his 34 wins from last season.

P.K. Subban once again is proving why the Canadiens have put a lot of faith in him. He’s been a catalyst in the rise of the Canadiens since breaking into the roster. He can score, pass, use his body, and play solid defence. All the characteristics you’d want in a solid number one defensemen. Max Pacioretty the man they call “Patches” has really blossomed into a true power forward and is one of the toughest to handle. He’s on pace for his second straight and third 30-goal season of his career.

They play the system that their coach has put in front of them better than any team out there. They don’t allow you to have much offensively. They cycle the puck down low and keep possession in the offensive zone. They may be small in stature, but they’re huge in the heart department. Poolies will look closely at how they play down the stretch when it comes to playoff pool time.

Going on to predict what the Canadiens will do in the playoffs may be crazy, but we’ll go on record to say the Canadiens make it to the finals this time around.

Brady cements his legacy

Growing up in California Tom Brady idolized Joe Montana and now the San Mateo, California native now has as many Super Bowls, and Super Bowl MVP’s as the Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Brady, continues to cement himself as one of the games greatest quarterbacks. He’s won two NFL MVP awards, and he’s been selected to the Pro Bowl 10 times to go along with the Super Bowl MVP’s and the Super Bowl rings. He currently ranks fifth all-time in passing yardage, ranks fifth in career touchdowns, and he’s tied for third with 35 fourth quarter comebacks and count last nights remarkable comeback among them.

Not only did Brady win another Super Bowl, but he won one without a running game….actually no running game at all.  LeGarrette Blount rushed for 40 yards on 14 carries. That’s a stark contrast compared to the 50 passing attempts from Brady. Not only did Brady beat the Seahawks he beat one of the toughest defences in the league. The Legion of Boom was more completion city. Brady dared Chancellor, Sherman, and Thomas to try and come up or else he’d beat them long.

Brady now owns the record for most touchdowns in a Super bowl with 11…and guess who he passed? Joe Montana. He dealt with the constant questions of Deflate gate, but he dealt with it like a true professional and then went out there and put on a show. At the end of his illustrious career Tom Brady will likely go down as one of the greatest if not greatest quarterback of all time. He knows how to get results from his teammates in the big games….and he did it once again last night.

All hail Tom Brady.

Toronto FC ready to make the playoffs…..Finally?

It was hailed as “A bloody big deal,” but it turned out to be a “Bloody big massacre.” Toronto FC’s big signing of Jermaine Defoe didn’t work out and coach Ryan Nelsen was relieved of his duties.

Nobody knew where TFC would go after last seasons debacle and by debacle we mean three-ring circus.  They fired Nelsen who became the eighth coach to be fired in the franchises life span….yes that’s correct, they’ve only been around for eight years.  Jermaine Defoe wanted out and everyone knew it….except TFC, but who wouldn’t expect that from them.  Oh and get this they gave away Doneil Henry to Cyprus for nothing and no one even knew about it, I don’t even know if Henry knew about it. Defoe started off strong, but struggled with injuries that never seemed to go away. Defoe is now with Sunderland and all will be forgotten in Toronto.

What TFC supporters didn’t expect was another massive overhaul of International superstars to join the fray. This time they didn’t market it as a “Bloody big deal” just some impactful signings.  American striker Jozy Altidore will be joining the Canadian franchise from Sunderland in the deal that involved Defoe going to Sunderland. Wait….wait….wait….there’s more, TFC would then end up signing Sebastian Giovinco aka formica atomica (atomic ant) from Serie A giants Juventus.  They have also added tough Polish defender Damian Perquis, and French Ligue 1 veteran Benoit Cheyrou to their lineup.

Altidore brings to Toronto size up-front that has been sorely lacking. He may have struggled during his spell with Sunderland in the EPL, but TFC isn’t worried. They’re hoping the 25-year-old native of Livingston, New Jersey will bring with him the Altidore of 2011-2013 where he scored 51 goals in 93 appearances.  He’s got a lot of talent if he can somehow find his form again.  He’s strong and physical, but can be a little “lazy” at times.  Look for Altidore to be the target man up-front for the Reds and help them bring glory to this beautiful championship starved city…..please we beg of you.

Giovinco on the other hand was considered one of the up-and-coming prospects in Italian soccer, but he hasn’t lived up to the billing. He scored 43 goals in 200 games during his nine-year run in Serie A with Juventus, Parma, and Empoli. He’s small standing at 5’5, but he’s quick, agile, and has great dribbling and ball control. Giovinco coming into the fold will likely push Michael Bradley deeper into a holding midfield role. The atomic ant has a knack for passing the ball and has great accuracy on his free-kicks. He is a versatile player who can play many offensive positions including striker, winger or attacking midfielder. At 28-years-old he still has a lot of juice left in the body to be a top player in the MLS.

Adding Giovinco to the mix of midfielders with the likes homegrown Canadian Jonathan Osorio, Daniel Lovitz, and Michael Bradley will only make them a harder team to break down in the middle of the park. Defence was a major issue for the Reds last year, but they’ve tried to adjust that this off-season with the signing of Polish international Damain Perquis and acquiring defender Eriq Zavaleta.

Tim Betzbechenko and his men upstairs have seen the mistakes they made last season, and tried to rectify that as best as possible. Will this work out in the end for TFC….well thats another story on it’s own. Can they finally end their 8-year no playoff drought? only time will tell.

Super Bowl XLIX

“I’m just here so i won’t get fined,” are the lines many people are using now and days to their bosses…..no really I tried that line the other day….Thanks Marshawn Lynch. Joking aside, Lynch has taken over the spotlight of Super Bowl week.

Not only has the spotlight been shone on Lynch, but also the Patriots and…..dun…dun…dun…”Deflate Gate.” There hasn’t been much football talked about in the days leading up to the big game between the Pats and Seahawks. So I think it’s time for us to get into the Football side of things…..not the sideshow.

The Seahawks completed the unthinkable in the NFC Championship game coming back from a huge deficit to beat the Green Bay Packers. If you thought they’d come back from a 19-7 deficit late in the fourth quarter you’re lying to yourself or you’re a mind reader…..but we’ll take the former. The first half was abysmal for Russell Wilson and the Hawks. Wilson threw three INT’s….THREE in the first half. The 12’s and the defence did all they could to keep the Packers from capitalizing on the turnovers.

Defence wins championships and the Seahawks are the best defensive team in the NFL. They rival the likes of the 1970 Steel Curtain, ’85 Bears, and the ’71 Vikings. Run stopping has been a problem in the playoffs, but the Hawks ranked third in allowing the least amount of yards per game. Opposing Quarterbacks couldn’t put up great numbers against the Legion of Boom (LOB). On average they allowed just over 200 yards per game through the air which ranked them first in the NFL. Interceptions were down from 28 in 2013 to 13 this year….a true marker of a tough secondary. The defence is relatively unchanged from the 2013 Super Bowl winning squad with a few changes on the defensive line. If you’re a Super Bowl fan and only watch once a year look out for the names of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas III, Kam Chancellor, and Bobby Wagner on the defensive side of the ball.

Offensively the Seahawks love to run the ball through “I’m thankful” Marshawn Lynch. Beastmode is one of the toughest running backs to tackle because of his head on running style. He can break tackles and make defenders miss with his deceptive speed and agility. The Seahawks love to run the ball through the middle of the field with 149 attempts through the middle of the field. So expect Lynch to get a lot of the ball if not Wilson will have dip into his arsenal to help the reining Super Bowl champs win again. Doug Baldwin called out Deion Sanders after they beat the Packers for calling the Seahawks wide receiver corp “aight.” Talk about a slap in the face, but Baldwin, and Kearse are no Calvin Johnson, A.J. Green, or Dez Bryant, and they know that. Jermaine Kearse was the inteded target on all four Russel Wilson INT’s in the NFC Championship game. He did come up huge in overtime catching the eventual game winner from Wilson. If the Patriots stuff the run Wilson will have to look to his recievers to be reliable against two tough cornerbacks in Darelle Revis and former Seahawk Brandon Browner.

Marshawn Lynch, Russel Wilson, the LOB will all play a part in bringing the Super Bowl back to Seattle. Defence wins championships and the Hawks will rely on their tough defence once again to bring home the title…..Wouldn’t it be funny if Lynch wins MVP and has to actually answer questions…..oh the irony.

Anyways the Seahawks walk away with a 24-14 win over Tom Brady and the Patriots.

LOB vs Rodgers and company

Its the matchup many pundits predicted at the beginning of the season.  The Reigning Super Bowl Champions Seattle Seahawks vs Aaron Rodgers and his high octane offence for a spot in the Super Bowl.  Seattle’s Legion of Boom vs Aaron Rodgers will likely be the talking point ahead of Sunday’s pivotal matchup.

CenturyLink Field….ahhh the spoils of playing in front of your home fans.  We all seen how home-field advantage played a huge part in getting the Seahawks into the Super Bowl last year….Well this year it’s the exact same thing.  The 12th man has been pivotal all season long and through one round of the playoffs.  The Seahawks have gone 7-1 this season in front of their home fans and they come in on a roll having won their last seven games.  Russel Wilson has become a star before our eyes.  A multi-talented quarterback who can throw the ball deep as witnessed last Sunday on his 63-yard long-bomb to Jermaine Kerse in the second quarter that got the Hawks rolling.  Wilson can also run the ball as he rushed for more than 800+ yards, while also crossing the goal line six times this season.  When you look at the Hawks all-around they scare teams into submission. Cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell are two of the most imposing backs in the game.  Earl Thomas III at Free Safety, and Kam Chancellor and his freakish ability to jump over the line to block a field goal all put pressure on the Quarterbacks.  Marhshawn Lynch when he isn’t giving “I’m Thankful”, or “Thank you for asking” to reporters is one of the toughest, most physical backs in the NFL.

Now onto the high-octane offense that is the Green Bay Packers.  Even with a semi-healthy Aaron Rodgers the Packers are still a team to be feared on offence.  He may not be able to move around the pocket as much as he has all season. but he’s still got a lethal and accurate arm.  For further proof look at his pinpoint pass to Richard Rodgers in the end-zone against the Cowboys last weekend.  Jordy Nelson, Randal Cobb and Devante Adams will be expected or counted upon to find opening on defence for Rodgers to get the ball to them against the vaunted secondary of the Seahawks.  Eddie Lacy has really come along this season after struggling the first few weeks.  Lacy is a physical running back in the mold of Marshawn Lynch, but he’s quick, and deceptive with his movements between the offensive line.  He can find a hole and break off a huge run rather quickly.  He racked up more then 1,100 yards with 11 TD’s.  So look for the Packers to hand the ball off to Lacy if possible.

These two teams met at the beginning of the season with the Seahawks coming away the victors in a 36-16 romp in front of…..you guessed it….the 12th man.  Marshawn Lynch rushed for over 100 yards, while also scampering across the goaline for two TD’s.  Aaron Rodgers was held to under 200 yards and 1 TD in the game.

They say defence wins championships, none more was the case last year when the Seahawks won the title with stingy defence.  Rodgers and company will be looking to say something about that and take Green Bay into the title game.  One thing we know for sure is that we’re in for a great game.

Can Italy regain the form of 2006?

Italian soccer fans know all about winning the World Cup. They know what it takes to get to the top of the mountain. They know getting back up, though, is one of the hardest things ever.

Italy always come into the tournament underdogs compared to the other contenders. 2006 they had no business winning the tournament, but they did. At the Euro Cup in 2012, Italy weren’t expected to contend, but they did eventually losing in the final 4-0 to Spain.

After missing out on the group stages in 2010, Cesare Prandelli was tasked with changing the outlook of the Italian program, and that he did. His first task was bringing a different style then Italian soccer fans were used too, a more attack-minded Italian team. Prandelli will be hoping that same type of play will do wonders in Brazil helping Italy to yet another World Cup title.

One thing is for sure, Italy have been known for its sound defence. Fabio Cannavaro, Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Gaetano Scirea are some of the names you’ve heard over the years. New names like Ignazio Abate, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, and Giorgio Chiellini will hopefully bring glory to their home country.

The ageless wonder Andrea Pirlo will once again anchor a strong Italian midfield. Even at the age of 35 Pirlo can still be one of the best players on the field and often times is the best player on the pitch. The middle of the park for the Italians is filled with veterans as only one player is under the age of 27 (Marco Veratti, 21). The Italians were dealt a huge blow when 29-year-old Ricardo Montolivo went down with a broken leg. With Pirlo running the show the Italians will look to out possess teams in the middle of the field and break down the defence with their pin-point passes.

Up-front the Italians will be led by the ever hot-headed Mario Balotelli. If the Italians see Balotelli of the Euro 2012 tournament or if they get the enigmatic striker from Manchester City. When Balotelli’s on his game he’s one of the hardest players to contain, but when he’s not then it’s easier for defenders to play against Italy. Ciro Immobile who scored 23 goals in 24 appearances for Torino this season will be another name that will be counted on to do some of the heavy lifting in front of goal.

Can Italy duplicate what it did in 2006? or will the Italy of 2010 show up once again this time around?

Can England conquer the world?

England are known for their soccer crazed fans known only as “the hooligans”, but one thing they haven’t been known for…….is winning. England haven’t won a major title since their World Cup win on home soil in 1966. For a nation that boasts one of the best if not best soccer leagues in the world, thats a little sad.. Nonetheless England are going into tis World Cup with no expectations. If England don’t win the World Cup however, it will once again be seen as a failure by the media and fans alike.

England have finished no higher then sixth and only once have jumped into the top 5 with their fourth place finish in Italy in 1990.

Since the catastrophe that was 2008 when England failed to qualify for the Euro Cup they have been playing better soccer under manager Roy Hodgson. Hodgson has helped England qualify for this World Cup campaign and also helped guide them to a fifth place finish at Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland. Hodgson has instilled a more youthful approach to his 23-man squad that he is taking with him to Brazil.

Gone are the likes of Ashley Cole, Michael Carrick, Jermaine Defoe, and Andy Carrol. In are the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Luke Shaw, Phil Jones, Ross Barkley. England may not be the most experienced side heading into this World Cup, but they do posses speed within their attack. Sturridge formed one of the best attack duos this season with Luis Suarez helping Liverpool finish second in the EPL. He will be hoping to bring that form with him to Brazil and help England surprise may naysayers.

Wayne Rooney who sits fifth in goals scored for England with 38 with look to add to that tally. Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard will be asked to bring veteran leadership to the middle of the park which has been sorely lacking the last few years. Jack Wilshere, Ross Barley, Rahem Sterling, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlin will bring speed and skill to a team that has been boring at recent major tournaments.

England didn’t luck out with their draw this time around as they’ll take on Italy, Uruguay, and Costa Rica. They are going to have to put everything together if they wish to beat out either Italy or Uruguay for one of the spots in the quarter-finals.

What do you think are the chances England make it all the way to the end? What are your predictions for the Three Lions?