The barren summer stretch without football and basketball is almost over. After watching the Hall of Fame game between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills, NFL fans got a taste of the sport we have been without for more than 6 months. NFL Kick-off is right around the corner and sports fans can’t wait. Meanwhile my fellow basketball fans have a lot longer to wait until the November basketball season begins, but with the FIBA team USA guys gearing up, we'll at least have that until opening day tip-off. But in the NBA and NFL, there are two guys I'm looking forward to seeing more than any other in the fall; Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and Johnny Manziel of the Cleveland Browns. Rose has been gone for the better part of two seasons with back-to-back knee injuries, and Johnny Football is a college legend who I'm hoping once his number is called can create that same box office entertainment in the NFL he showed us all at Texas A&M.
It's Been A Long Wait, Mr. Rose...
With these recent pictures I've seen of D-Rose, I know the man has been in the gym religiously getting himself ready for the toughest challenge of his NBA life, the comeback. After only playing 10 games in the last two NBA seasons, and countless memes/jokes making fun of his absence from the game, he has a point to prove. Before, the Derrick Rose slander seemed like just fun and games (although tacky), now it seems as if there's a sect of people genuinely rooting for him to fail. The only reason for this is so low-life's can say, "see, SEE, I told you Rose couldn't come back and be the old Derrick Rose!!!!" Those people are sick and need to get their heads checked. When healthy, Derrick Rose is must see TV, and his team were always in the mix for the Eastern Conference thrown. Rose even beat out LeBron James for an MVP trophy during the 2001 season. His MVP numbers (25 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds) were great, and he gave opposing point guards nightmares when he went up against them. So hopefully when he comes back, we can see more of the old Rose dunking on opponents, and forget that we saw Rose siiting on the sidelines wearing a suit for two years.
I'm not a Bulls fan but I'm a basketball fan, so a healthy and rampant D-Rose is good for the sport. I'm rooting for you D-Rose, good health and Godspeed.
I have no idea when we'll actually see Johnny Manziel start an NFL game because the Browns incumbent, Brian Hoyer, is the #1, as he should be. Hoyer is more experienced, he knows the playbook, and before he blew out his knee last season he looked like the real deal. But Hoyer will be looking over his shoulder all season long because once he makes a misstep the calls to bring in Johnny Football will be loud and boisterous from the Dog-Pound faithful. Cleveland natives haven't been buying Manziel jerseys in bulk to see Manziel sitting on the bench. Hoyer will have to play well and do it consistently. The NFL game is a different breed of monster from what Manziel is used to. Those Houdini-like escape tactics were great against SEC defenses, but can he replicate them against NFC North defenses is another mater entirely. There are linemen and linebackers in the NFL who are just as fast as Manziel, and they don't like to be embarrassed on national television. And being that Manziel is a rookie, veteran players will try to make an example out him. What Manziel has working in his favor is his pocket awareness and the ability to find daylight when there doesn’t seem to be anywhere when the pocket is collapsing around him. He’s not a big quarterback so it’s possible that his size will help him elude NFL defenders long enough for him to make some Manziel magic happen on the field. So far in his young NFL career, Manziel has been all the talk off the field with Vegas trips and parties (which if he’s allowed to do it shouldn’t be a problem as long as he’s not being a problem) But in order for Manziel to be Johnny Football, he’s going to have to be on the field and Hoyer is going to have to play poorly. But knowing that Manziel is waiting in the wings, Hoyer may play lights out this season which is a good thing for the Browns. Not a bad problem to have if you’re a Browns fan.
I can’t for the fall/winter to get here so two of my favorite sports could finally be in full swing. The FIBA Basketball Championships will give us a glimpse of what we may expect from Derrick Rose, and the NFL pre-season will have Johnny Football on display, even if it is in a back-up role with the reserves. I’m looking forward to watching both of these athletes shine, and I’m guessing the world is too.
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