NFL News: The Awfully Disappointing NFC South

Image Credit: MaddenEliteEvolution.com

By: Kai Jones

If you’re reading this article, I’m sure you’re smelling something: that smell…is the NFC South. If you have been following the NFC South you know that the Panthers are in first place…with a 3-4-1 record. This conference has always been inconsistent since the realignment in 2002; no team has repeated as division champs since the division was formed. While no team has been able to repeat as champs, this division has normally been pretty solid against the rest of the league, as 7 of the 12 years a team from the division has been in the NFC Championship game. Coming into this season some highly esteemed football people had the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. So what is wrong with these teams?

First off, let’s start with the defending champs and 1^st place team. The Carolina Panthers opened up the season against the Buccaneers and looked strong, even without their starting QB Cam Newton. They even played an impressive game against the Detroit Lions the next week. Then came the nosedive, since their win against the Lions, the Panthers have gone 1-4-1 (you know it’s bad when you can’t even outright win). The offense has been about on pace with their pace from last season, but what has taken a step back is their defense. The defense last year was 2^nd in the league, but this year they are only 21^st. The defense is missing Quinton Mikell, Michael Mitchell, and Captain Munnerlyn; all left in free agency. The secondary was looked at last year as the Achilles’ heel of the defense and with the lost of 3 starters they got even worse, not to mention that star defensive end Greg Hardy is inactive due to his ongoing domestic violence case. While the Panthers have been bad, their biggest threat has been just as bad.

The New Orleans Saints were thought to be a much-improved team coming into this year. The Saints brought in high-profile safety Jarius Byrd and timeworn legendary cornerback Champ Bailey. While these additions seemed great, the Saints still lost multiple players including: Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Jabari Greer, Darren Sproles, and Lance Moore among other important players from last year’s playoff team. So maybe inevitably they have struggled, especially their defense. The team looked better in the last game the played, routing the Packers 44-23, so maybe they’re on the upswing.

The team on the lowest downturn in the division is the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons sit 3^rd in the division, so why are they on the worst downturn? Considering they were just in the NFC Championship game two seasons ago, their downturn is much worse than the Buccaneers who have not been good since 2010. The Falcons are on a 5 game losing streak, and have not won since the bludgeoning of the Buccaneers. The Falcons seem to lack depth, outside of the wide receiver position, and Matt Ryan has no time to get the receivers the ball behind his porous offensive line. Without the offense playing well, this defense cannot be masked. The defense hasn’t played terribly, but with a bad offense as well, the team is not going to win very many football games.

Speaking of not winning very many football games, let’s discuss the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers since their 2010 10-win-season, have won just 16 games since. There aren’t many bright spots on this team, despite Herm Edwards picking them to go to the Super Bowl; this team has just been bad. The defense many thought would be great, has been the worst in the league. The offense has been as bad as many thought it would be, as it ranks 28^th in the league. The solution? Keep rebuilding. The Buccaneers have been rebuilding since they fired the prominent head coach, Jon Gruden. Although, their biggest problem has been firing two coaches since Gruden. In the NFL, it’s hard to rebuild and change coaches simultaneously, so hopefully the Buccaneers will keep Lovie Smith and let him rebuild their once winning culture.

The NFC South has been very bad these first 8 weeks, but hopefully one or two of the teams can get it together and make this proud division formidable before the postseason begins. While in 2010 the 7-9 Seahawks defeated the defending Champion New Orleans Saints in the playoffs, no one wants to see a below .500 team in the playoffs. The Panthers and Saints face offon Thursday Night Football tonight, so maybe we can gauge how the division will look going forward.

New York Knicks Tip Off at Madison Square Garden with Nas & Swizz Beats

by: Dana P. (E.I.C.)

Knicks season ticket holders were in for a special treat this past Sunday at The Mecca. Hip hop legends Swizz Beats & Nas took the court, following the Knicks Scrimmage Tip Off game at Madison Square Garden, and we were there front and center for this historic event! Yes, I said historic for a "scrimmage" game. Did I mention Justin Beiber was sitting court side, FRONT row?! Indeed he was there, along with Taylor Swift. 

Image Credit: Kate Arian

We have OFFICIALLY tipped off the 2015 season, so you might wanna check out this COURT SIDE FOOTAGE we got of The Knicks Dancers, the scrimmage, and performances by Nas & Swizz Beats! 

After A Huge Comeback, The Kansas City Royals Shut Out The Giants To Force Game 7 of the World Series

Image Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

by: Dana Pellotta (E.I.C.)

It was a packed house full of energy, and the Kansas City Royals BATS full of POWER, in Kansas City last night. The game started with the Royals proving they refuse to lost this series! 

It took only til the second inning wear starting pitcher Peavy, was taken out of the game. Lincecum came to the rescue, and that still didn't stop those bats! 

The game ended in a 10-0 shut out, with the Royals tieing the series 3-3. 

Image Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Game 7 starts in just about an hour. Who are you predicting will win the World Series tonight?

2014-2015 NBA Preview, LeBron, Championship, Lakers, and more

by Regis Welch @regisjwelch

Down The Line Sports

Image Credit: NBA.com

Well the NBA season returns this week, and I must say that I am extremely excited. I’m excited because this has been an extremely long offseason that has only had a few storylines that have been covered for far too long by the media. C’mon you know what I’m talking about.

* Where’s LeBron going? 

* Can D. Rose come back healthy?

* Is Phil Jackson going to return as the head coach of the Knicks? 

* Are the 6ers going to win five games in the 14-15 season? 

For the most part we already knew how those questions were going to pan out. Am I surprised that LeBron went back to Cleveland? Not really. He has a much better chance to win an NBA title and he can bring glory to his home city. Cleveland has not celebrated a championship since 1964. Jim Brown led the then Cleveland Browns to the NFL Championship.     

Let’s examine the teams:

Cleveland Cavaliers

As previously mentioned, LeBron James did return home. He is team up with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. I believe Love is the best big man in the NBA because he can rebound and he can score from anywhere on the court. However, Chris Bosh was also a deadly big man as well who took a minor role to play alongside LeBron. I don’t see Love putting up the same numbers that he did when in Minnesota just because he doesn’t have to. I can hope that he is still effective on both sides of the court.  Kyrie Irving is arguably the best point guard in the league. He can score and stretch the court.  The Cavs also have a great bench who is made up of good scorers.

However, on the bad side the Cavs do a have a rookie coach, David Blatt. He is a respected coach. Blatt comes with a great resume. He’s a four time Israeli League Coach of the Year, six time Israeli Cup Champion, Italian Cup Champion, and Euroleague Champion. It will be interesting to see him bring an international flair to the NBA and see how he reacts to the nuances a new league.

Miami Heat

For all of the friendly folks who pretended to be Miami Heat fans, please know that your presence will not be missed. It was just a few years ago where the Heat were in this same position. The leader of the team was Dwayne Wade and he had a mediocre supporting cast. Now players who actually have talent will surround Wade. Chris Bosh can be a beast within the paint again. He does not have to be on the perimeter to stretch the defense. I believe that Luol Deng is one of the most disrespected players in the league. He can score, play defense on log major minutes. 

The million-dollar question with this team is their health. Wade must play in at least 70 games. If Danny Granger can return healthy they may have a chance at a playoff spot.

With all that being said the next time that the Miami Heat win a championship will be when LeBron James has a full head hair. It’s not gonna be anytime soon.

Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose appears to be back and playing like Derrick Rose. He’s making cuts and driving hard to the basket. My only concern about this team is the health of the former league MVP. Rose has had an ACL tear in the past and a torn meniscus.  To play this sport you must have a good foundation and hopefully he has that.

The Bulls brought in a Pau Gasol during the free agency period. It will be hard for teams to matchup on the Bulls double-headed monster in the post. Gasol will play side by side with Joakim Noah. Noah carried the Bulls all of last season in the absence of Rose. 

Chicago reminds me most of San Antonio. Meaning that this group of people plays great together.  If and only if Rose is healthy will this team win the NBA title.

Indiana Pacers

Paul George broke his leg while playing for team USA during the offseason. He will be out the entire 2014-2015 season. George says that he can possibly be back for the playoffs if needed. This team has no chance of making the playoffs in the easiest conference. The Pacers were disgusting in the postseason last spring. Roy Hibbert, proved his worth as he had games where he did not record a basket or a rebound. A 7’2 you can’t get a rebound. I have a great aunt over 80 who can play better. David West is the only person on this team that I trust. He will play hard, too bad his team won’t.

To read more a whole lot more head over to Down The Line Sports (link at the top of this article) 

Ma$e Celebrates 17 Years Of Classic Album "Harlem World"

Image Credit: stizzlifestyle.tv

By: Kai Jones

October 28th,17 years ago TODAY, Bad Boy Records dropped one of hip hops greatest albums, Harlem World. Harlem World was the debut of Harlem rap legend, Ma$e. This album was looked at as Puff Daddy’s showcase, of his new protégé to replace the legendary Notorious B.I.G. 

Ma$e had “big” shoes to fill, and he filled them masterfully...

While Ma$e was seen as the replacement for B.I.G., he gained national notoriety off of B.I.G.’s posthumous number one hit: “Mo Money, Mo Problems”. Harlem World’s lead single was “Feel So Good," a track produced by Puff Daddy himself; topped out at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song was ranked 67^th on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop. The other 2 singles from that album, “What You Want” and “Lookin’ At Me," both hit Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Harlem World debuted at #1 on Billboard Pop and R&B charts selling over 270,000 copies. While Harlem World was commercially successful, it was also an album of substance; which as bad as that sounds, commercial success doesn’t always mean the music is good.

While Harlem World is 17 years old, I can’t help but listen to this album and still hear his influences upon current artists, such as Kanye West and Pusha T. Puff Daddy’s influence upon the project is clear as it has a lot of themes and concepts that are similar to B.I.G.’s classic debut album Ready To Die. 

Harlem World also seemed to be a showcase for young talented artists. The Lox, DMX, Jay-Z, Lil Kim, Monifah, Black Rob, 112, Billy Lawrence, and Lil’ Cease. It also featured known artists such as Busta Rhymes, 8 Ball and MJG. The production also featured a great panel of producers with Puff Daddy, Stevie J, Jermaine Dupri, and D-Dot just to name a few, and was also the first surface of the legendary production team The Neptunes. All these reasons are why Harlem World has stood the test of time and quickly became a classic hip hop album.

17 years may not seem that long, but consider 17 years ago gas was not even a $1.50. 17 years in mainstream music is a lifetime considering how quick it changes. While I can’t say that this album is a Top 10 candidate in hip-hop, I must say it’s a album that deserves its place in anyone’s hip-hop catalogue.

Edited by: Dana Pellotta (E.I.C.)

WWE: Hell In A Cell & Monday Night Raw Recap

Image Credit: wwe.com

Hell was as hot (more like lukewarm) as expected. Cena is once again the No. 1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. Sister Abigail interrupts Ambrose allowing Rollins to get the win. The Dust Bros. continue to dominate. In less important news, Brie lost and must obey Nikki's every wish as personal assistant. AJ defeated Paige by submission and Rusev won again. Boo. Hiss. 

Regardless of the struggle to get excited watching Cena/Orton face off, both men really gave it their all for a solid match. Cena winning and Ambrose fueding with Bray Wyatt set the stage for Rollins vs Orton. With three new fueds right there, the Raws leading up to Survivor Series will be worth a watch, right?

Not much going on Monday night. Raw was a mediocre opening, lots of filler, with a good close. WWE wasted the perfect opportunity to advance some more story lines. Hogan stopped by to pose in pink. After meeting him this weekend, I've realized that may be the only thing left that he's good at. Ryback returns. Mark Henry looks so sad as a heel. I wanna give him a hug. Three World's Strongest Slams laid out Big Show and started a long awaited turn. 

The RKO Rollins took at the start of the show is what everyone seems to be talking about. Like you didn't see that coming. It's still the Rollins Show and everyone wants a piece of him. Orton is no exception. Ambrose has Bray Wyatt to worry about now. This fued is full of crazy and I'm excited to watch it pan out. Monday's main event was a Cena vs Rollins match that turned into the entire locker room vs Cena and Ziggler. In the end, Cena is the last man standing in the ring.

-Loveblump

World Series Game 5: Cinderella vs Potential Dynasty

Image Credit: MLB.com

By: Kai Jones

The MLB postseason, like other professional sports postseason, are always exciting. Anything can happen: careers can be made and legacies can become stained at any instant. Reggie Jackson batted a humdrum .262, while he does have a membership to the highly acclaimed 500-homerun club, so does Harmon Killebrew (.256 batting average)- don’t know the name? Killebrew and Jackson have similar stats, and similar accolades, but what sets the two apart? The reason you don’t know Killebrew, aside from generation differences, is because Jackson is known as “Mr. October” and has 2 World Series MVPs to validate his name. Killebrew never won a World Series ring. And poor Bill Buckner forever lives in infamy for one moment, despite the fact that he was an above average player. Postseason performance can highly impact the legacy of an athlete.

And Pablo Sandoval of the Giants has caught my eye the most, considering the fact that he leads the NL Champion Giants in batting average. But this comes as no surprise considering the fact that MVP of the 2012 World Series. Sandoval is solidifying himself as a great postseason player after having a bad 2010 playoff run. Hunter Pence is also revitalizing his playoff legacy hitting as he is tied for most RBI’s on the Giants; he had a subpar 2012 postseason. These two plus the pitching of Madison Bumgarner and Yusmeiro Petit have the Giants in the World Series locked in a tight battle with the Cinderella Kansas City Royals. The Royals have been led by their bullpen and the play of Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain. The teams took two similar paths, although of course different.

The Giants haven’t dominated quite like the Royals, but they have played well throughout the playoffs. While the Royals sweated it out in a 12-inning thriller against the Athletics, the Giants jumped on the Pirates in the 4^th inning and coasted to an 8-0 win. The Giants then played a young talented Nationals team in the Division Series; they of course won in 4 games, but all 3 wins came in one run games. The Giants then moved on to face the savvy St. Louis Cardinals; in the 5 games, every game was decided by 3 runs or less. Their resilience has come in handy versus the hot Royals.

The Royals came into the World Series on an 8 game win streak. After the Royals snuck past the Athletics, they faced the extravagant Angels. The Royals showed grit in the first two games, as both went eleven innings. The Royals then handled the Angels, 8-3 in the final game of the sweep. The Royals then had to face the Baltimore Orioles, a group similar to them in roster make up. The Orioles came in off of their sweep of postseason favorites Tigers. While the Royals swept the Orioles, every game was decided by 2 runs or less. While this postseason has been great, it seems like something is missing.

What are missing are the two biggest teams in the Major Leagues: the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. Then if their absence isn’t enough, how about the postseason disappointments of the Tigers, Athletics, Dodgers, and Angels. The Tigers and Athletics were thought to be the AL favorites after acquisitions of David Price and Jon Lester, respectively. The Angels and Dodgers were the big market teams who had big payrolls, and both failed to even make the Championship Series. Going back to legacy, the Dodger’s pitching ace Clayton Kershaw has 11 postseason games under his belt, but only one win and 5.12 ERA in the postseason. Kershaw a 2-time NL CY Young Award Winner, risks being dubbed as a poor postseason player if he cannot turn it around. On the opposite spectrum, Madison Bumgarner of the division rival Giants is cementing himself as a great postseason player.

With the great performance of Bumgarner in Game 5, the Giants go to Kansas City up 3-2. Kansas City has been a place full of ruckus for other teams this post season, as the Royals are 4-1 at home: the only lose coming to the Giants. Although, the Royals are at home, I think the grit and experience of the Giants will lead them to victory in Game 6. But if the Royals pull out Game 6, I don’t see the Giants being able to pull out another tough road win, especially since the Royals will have momentum and confidence. History supports this, as no road team has won a Game 7 since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. Will the Giants cement their dynasty with their 3^rd World Series win in 5 years, or will the Cinderella team get their glass slipper?