The Thanksgiving Screwjob: Houston Texans Style

Hello, friends, family, colleagues. I'd just like to say a few words before diving in to the juicy stuff. My name is Steven. Born in Houston, Texas, 16 years ago today actually.

I am Texas loud and Texas proud. Although I've moved from Texas when I was 9, I still bleed Battle Red, Liberty White, and Deep Steel Blue! Along the way of reading from me, you will see me complain, try and make jokes that aren't funny, and many opinions you might disagree with. Regardless, my promise is to at least give you some form of writing that you can enjoy, or die trying! Now, I've said enough about me, let start digging into the topic at hand.

 

The Thanksgiving Screwjob



Sounds scary, eh?

It was one Thanksgiving ago in which the most controversial play in Texans history took place. Anyone who says it is not, go back through each of the Texans 12 seasons, and tell me what is.

It was the latter of the 3rd quarter, and the Detroit Lions were on top 24-14, and just like that, a miracle begins! Matt Schaub give a zone run to the right side to Justin Forsett, and takes it 81 yards to the house! TOUCHDOWN HOUSTON TEXANS! This run still stands as the Texans longest offensive scoring play in their history.

But wait! Forsett is clearly down. His knee and entire forearm right on the turf. All scoring plays are reviewed, so it should be 2&3 at the 26 yard line with the clock running inside of 6 minutes. But wait! There's a red piece of laundry on the Detroit sideline, which now negates the review. WAY TO GO JIM SCHWARTZ!

In overtime, the Texans prevailed 34-31 in their inaugural Thanksgiving Day game.

Who really knows what happens if not for Forsett. Kinda crazy to think about. Can the Texans score? Do the Lions pull the upset on the then 9-1 Texans?

To this day, I still get grief from Lions fans on this game (I do live in Michigan). But until the Lions and Texans meet again in 2016 in Reliant Stadium, they have to hate me for the same reason every day. But I have the Pack beating Detroit today, so hopefully they move on from me, and start crying to the kid in my school who likes Green Bay...

My Texans play Sunday against the (gulp) New England Patriots, so I will soon return to report on that.

For now, so long. Happy Birthday to me. Happy Thanksgiving to you.

What Is Going On In Gainesville?

         Recently, the Florida Gators football team has absolutely come crumbling down. After a solid 4-1 start, the team has lost 6 straight to LSU, Missouri, Georgia, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, and Georgia Southern. Yes, I said Georgia Southern. The Gators struggles are a combination of injuries, bad coaching, and an ultimate lack of talent and depth. The Gators will miss a bowl game for the first time since 1990. Florida’s final game in this awful season is against Florida State, the Gators long time rival, and current number 2 in the nation. The game will likely be over before half.


The Gators have been absolutely decimated by injuries at key spots. Starting QB Jeff Driskel, and his backup Tyler Murphy are both injured. Driskel went down during the Tennessee game back in September, and Murphy has missed the last two games. That has left the starting job to freshman Skylar Mornhinweg. The Gators are down leading rusher Matt Jones to a torn meniscus. Leading receiver Andre Dubose has missed all season. Offensive linemen D.J. Humphries and Tyler Moore are out. On defense, the Gators best player Dominique Easley, has not played since early October due to a torn ACL. Michael Taylor and Alex Anzalone both went down last week vs. Georgia Southern.  In the secondary, Marcus Roberson has missed time and Nick Washington has not played since game number 3. A total of 21 scholarship players have missed games due to injury, including 12 starters total. It doesn’t matter what school you are, having as many injuries as Florida has had are tough to overcome.

Florida’s coaching staff has been mediocre this season. The offensive coordinator, Brent Pease, has struggled with the play calling. Someone on the offensive line always seems to miss an assignment, blowing up the play. Defensively, the Gators have been inconsistent, committing stupid penalties, and allowing big plays. Even in the beginning of the season, before the Gator players began dropping like flies, Florida struggled mightily on offense at Miami, with 5 turnovers. Many Gators fans want to see head coach Will Muschamp out as head coach. They are frustrated with all of the injuries and awful play, and are not used to seeing the Gators miss bowls and lose six in a row.


Looking ahead, Florida is most likely going to be blown out by Florida State. They are down to second and even third string guys at every position. They still are the University of Florida, and were just 1 Notre Dame loss away from the BCS National Championship last season. Whether Will Muschamp or some other guy is head coach, the Gators will be a threat in the SEC once again next season.

Image Link:
fansided.com

NBA Thoughts- Did The Buss Break Down? Has The Rose Finally Withered?

   Alrighty, folks, the day you've all been waiting for is finally here. The Will Fyfe Show has finally made its first endeavor into the world of sports commentary. You may not know it, but you've always been subconsciously waiting for me. Let's not dilly-dally any longer, time to get your Sweet 16 popcorn boxes ready Indiana fans. Take a seat and be partially amazed.

 

  

   As I am a complete rookie to this, I don't yet have any established practices yet. I would eventually love to have my own weekly or monthly segments, but you've got to start somewhere. Baby steps, people.

 

 I'd like to think my reach is very wide, but that's just me. You can expect everything under the sports sun to be examined and strongly scrutinized, including the show, the NHL, the greatest show on earth: Kentucky Basketball, and the NFL. But no soccer, soccer is what's wrong with the world. No one wants to hear Formula 1 insight, so I'll save that for myself. It's the offseason anyway, but Jerez is only about 2 months away... So let's begin with an NBA themed soliloquy for my first foray into journalism. More specifically Kobe Bean Bryant and D-Rose.

 

 

   Since it's the freshest, we'll start with Mr. Mamba. The Lakers recently inked the Bean to a 2 year, 48.5 million extension. Now from the outside, this may seem crazy. As a non-Kobe fan, I think it's crazy. I can't say what's more astonishing, the years or the money. 2 years for a player who confirmed that he is still 'weeks' away from playing. Although he isn't in as serious question as D-Rose was, Kobe still could not be as effective as he may seem in practice. He may never be the same Mamba, which scares many people. This move in actuality is a stark stand for the Lakers. As many super moves in the Kobe era have been orchestrated and theorized, none have paid off to the liking of Laker-Nation. 2 titles since Shaq and Kobe has been somehow disappointing, and no amount of dysfunctional superstars-via-trade could produce. This move shows to potential 2014 free agents, and the fruit is ripe, that they want to win. With under 3 million tied up for next year, besides Kobe, the Lakers have cap space to give like Oprah and cook books.

 

 

 

 The list of suitors is endless, and should be saved for another day, but this is the first serious move in years by the Lakers. No more Steve Nash or Metta World Peace, finally making way for super stars who want to be there. Kobe is the variable, but the Lakers interest is there. Rant over, round two. 

   If increasing crime rates, 104 years of hopelessness, or high winds aren't enough to destroy the city of Chicago, the right knee of Derrick Rose has just plunged the dagger into the heart.

 

 

   After only 11 games, DRose has injured his previously uninjured right knee, tearing his meniscus and requiring season ending surgery. Since coming back, Rose has been contributing a pedestrian 15.9 PPG. While many players would be happy with the scoring, this isn't what is expected from the 2011 MVP. This all begs the obvious questions. What happens to Rose now? Where do the Bulls go from here? 

 

 

   The simple answer is I don't know. The classic story with knee injuries is something we all know too well and the precedent has been set. The player may return, but will be rusty, a little scared, and in Rose' case, the explosiveness and speed is gone. With basketball being a sport that kills a players knees, this could be the end for Rose. The question that needs to be addressed more than any right now is what does management do? This will be less than 50 games in 3 years for Rose, and the once franchise point guard is found as useless. Chicago without Rose in my mind is no longer a Finals contender. And, also, it comes to my mind that maybe the Bulls need to consider a tank-job of a lifetime.  There's just too much that Rose does that can't be replaced, and Chicago has a massive decision to make. This will be a story we will hear again for sure. 

 

   Thank you to anyone and everyone who decided to take time out of your day to read my first and hopeless attempt at journalism. I assure you all, they're not all this bad and they will improve.

 

For now, so long, as this is William Fyfe, signing off.

 

   

 

   

 

  

A Look Back At Navy's 2012 Military Heritage Nike Uniform

This past Monday, Navy's football team revealed on Twitter the uniforms that they'll be wearing on December 14th when they take on Army - and they look pretty awesome.

Here is the @NavyAthletics unis for Army-Navy next month. @Uniformswag @UniWatch @BleacherReport pic.twitter.com/rr60fitG3m
— Navy Athletics (@NavyAthletics) November 25, 2013

Here is the helmet for the @NavyAthletics @Army_Navy_Game uniform for 12/14! @UniWatch @Uniformswag @BleacherReport pic.twitter.com/vPZd0bS7px
— Navy Athletics (@NavyAthletics) November 25, 2013

Here are the backs of the new uniforms for Army-Navy. #BeatArmy! @CBSSports @Nike pic.twitter.com/h9t8GaJAGf
— Navy Athletics (@NavyAthletics) November 25, 2013

In honor of those awesome looking uniforms I've decided to take a look back at the uniforms Navy wore against Army in last season's Army-Navy game.

As you can see in the photos above, Navy's 2012 uniforms look fairly similar to 2013's. Both look awesome. The one thing that I love about these uniforms is that it's not too flashy, but at the same time not too bland. It's a simple, "Hey, we're Navy. These are our uniforms.". Unlike anything the Oregon Ducks have suited up in, but that's a different story. The number design on Navy's uniforms look very classy as well. They're a perfect mix between flash and class. Same thing with the word "Navy" just below the waistline on the back side of the uniforms - a nice mix between flash and class. These uniforms are the definition of "swagger". Sorry Oregon.

The helmets of the 2012 uniforms fit perfectly with the rest of the nice looking threads. The navy blue/gold stripe going diagonally down the sides of the helmets are what brings these uniforms to life. It's a nice size and the placement on the helmet was spot on - not too big and right below that sick looking logo on the sides of the helmets. Speaking of that logo, it's one of the nicest logos that I've ever seen. I say that because it really lets people know what Navy stands for. It reminds people that the men and women serving in the Navy put their lives on the line day in and day out to protect this great country. The red/white chinstrap also serves as a reminder to what these brave men and women fight for each day. All in all, these uniforms from 2012 look awesome. The same can be said for this year's unis as well. They were both a job well done by Nike.


This was an article featured on Tru School Sports. Check them out!

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Insights: The Chaos Of College Football





As the only thing in the world where the word 'Chaos' is a good thing, College Football did not disappoint yesterday. And so, of course I am obliged to say some things about the nuttiness and near hilarity of it all.

Observation #1: Embarressment Returns To The Baylor Bears

Yesterday, in their astounding 49-17 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Baylor Bears looked quite bad. Actually, here is my collection of descriptions of how bad the Bears looked:

Absolutely Horrendous. Just Atrocious. An Abhorrence. An Embarrassment To Humanity. Cringe Worthy. etc.

Yes, folks, if you haven't noticed already, here is my point. I am MAD at Baylor. If they won this game, they would have been in line to play in the National Championship game, if Alabama loses to Auburn next week. They had played so well all season. It is just baffling that they decided to spontaneously combust yesterday. That was total annihilation.

I suppose you could blame that loss on the lack of star running backs Lache Seastrunk and Glasco Martin. But the defense had everybody, and for the most part, the reason Baylor lost was because their defense was simply atrocious. They let Clint Chelf and Tracy Moore just torch the field, ripping up turf as they ran. Baylor's defense looked uninterested at points, often let the OK-State game plan confuse them, and also couldn't make simple tackles. It was simply a debacle.

Full credit goes to the Cowboys, as the Gambling Gundys finally have their mojo back, as they look for a Fiesta Bowl bid in the near future.

Observation #2: Boston College Has A Solid Heisman Finalist On Their Team

Alright. Has anyone heard of Andre Williams? Well, if you haven't, you'd better rethink calling yourself a college football fan. Williams leads the FBS with not 1500, not 1800, but 2073 rushing yards, only the 16th time in FBS history that an RB has achieved over 2000 yards. And BC still has one more game, in which Williams can solidify himself as maybe even the Heisman favorite, against a terrible Syracuse team.

Think about this: Jameis Winston, of Florida State, is very likely not going to win the Heisman if he is charged in the possible Sexual Assault case, which you can find my thoughts about right here: http://benonallsports.blogspot.com/2013/11/thoughts-jameis-winston-case.html

Marcus Mariota, of Oregon, is still a very impressive quarterback, but with his embarrassing performances against Stanford and Arizona, he is pretty well out of the hunt for Heisman glory.

Johnny Manziel, of Texas A&M, is one of the most electric QBs in football, winning the Heisman last year. But Manziel has one obvious problem. His interception rate has really spiked since last year, and he is getting much more careless with the football. He isn't out of the Heisman race, but his candidacy took a significant step back yesterday against LSU.

Bryce Petty, of Baylor, as we have already discussed, had a horrible day yesterday with his Bears, and is out of the race.

The Heisman Race might very well come down to QB AJ McCarron, of Alabama, RB KaDeem Carey, of Arizona, DT Aaron Donald, of Pittsburgh, and Andre Williams.
Who should win it all? That is for you to decide. It's an open race now, and should be thrilling to watch.

Observation #3: The Magnificence Of Football In The State Of Arizona

In my final point, I think we need to reiterate how amazing Arizona and Arizona State's wins were yesterday.

First of all, the Wildcats. You must remember that Arizona was coming off a loss to Washington State. Yeah, Wazzu has had a nice little season, with a win over USC and a Bowl Berth, but come on. They are not a really, really good team. Oregon is. So Oregon should have won, 50-17 yesterday, right?

Wrong. Arizona decided to have a bipolar attack and won, 42-16. Wait, Oregon only put up 16 points? Yep. You see, Arizona is 7-4 now. 3 of those losses were within 7 points. So, if Arizona had made just a few more big plays in a couple more games, they would be 10-1 right now. Think about that. Arizona has a pretty darn good QB in BJ Denker, but the real star of this team is KaDeem Carey. Carey had an excellent season last year, but has really added some new dimensions to his game this year, and looks like potentially the top RB in the upcoming NFL draft. In the defense, the leaders would have to be linebacker Marquis Flowers and safety Tra'Mayne Bondurant. Flowers can really get to the QB, while Bondurant is near the top in the nation in interceptions. Also there is nose tackle Tevin Hood, who is a critical cog in the vanguard of the defense. So, in other words, there is a good amount of talent on this team. Love him or hate him (which I am not the biggest fan of him, as a West Virginia Mountaineer fan), Rich Rodriguez has done a sensational job with this team, and it looks like a Pac 12 contender for years to come.

And of course, there is that other team in Arizona.....

The Arizona State Sun Devils are going to the Pac 12 Title Game.

Quit your scoffing, it's the truth.

Journeyman Todd Graham has finally found the perfect landing spot, and he has got his team in the upper echelon of their league. For the first time, Arizona State has won the Pac 12 South. And you know, this team is just loaded with stars. An improving QB that has a truck full of potential in Taylor Kelly, and one of the most underrated running backs in the country in Marion Grice would be envied by any FBS and FCS team (Division II and Division III teams as well...). And then this stacked defense. DT Will Sutton and LB Carl Bradford are athletic freaks, and are game changers/NFL draft prospects. Safety Alden Darby and DT Jaxon Hood round out the Core Four.

Next week, Arizona takes on Arizona State for the Territorial Cup, and if ASU wins, they will HOST the Pac 12 Title Game. If Arizona wins, they might be able to end the season in the Top 25. I certainly will be watching these exciting programs.

And that is it for today, folks. Signing off, this was Ben Anderson.

Thoughts: The Jameis Winston Case

Before we delve into a few thoughts here, I don't exactly want to delve into all the facts in the investigation of Jameis Winston, as most all have heard all the evidence. If you haven't heard the big news today about the Florida State Seminole star, I refer you to this ESPN article: http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10009077/dna-analysis-matches-jameis-winston-accuser

First Reaction:

I hope to goodness that these allegations are false. If they aren't true, and the woman presses charges, she is simply pressing charges just to get publicity. If the allegations are true, and Winston actually did assault the woman, he should be behind bars in the end. Either way, the case would certainly be a long, drawn out, highly publicized mess.

Second Reaction: If the lady involved in the case decides to press charges, Jameis Winston is all but eliminated from the Heisman vote. He absolutely will not get by with the voters with that kind of a cloud hanging over his shoulders. I wouldn't vote for him.

Third Reaction: Winston will be suspended, without a doubt, if the he is charged with the felony. FSU's athletic policy manual states, “In the event the student-athlete is charged with a felony, absent extraordinary circumstances as determined by the administration, he/she will not be permitted to represent FSU Athletics in game competition until such time as the charge is resolved and all court, university and athletics department conditions for reinstatement have been met.”

The only question that arises in my mind is what, "absent extraordinary circumstances as determined by the administration" means, but I don't believe this case will cause the FSU Athletic Department to take the unprecedented step of not suspending him. He will most likely be suspended immediately.

Fourth Reaction: If, as it seems like it will happen, Winston is suspended, will the 'Noles win their last few games? If they do win out, they will almost certainly be National Championship Game bound. But here is the thing. They would be starting their 3rd string quarterback, as their 2nd stringer has a season ending injury. That would cause some ginormous problems throughout all of Tallahassee. I wouldn't be able to see the Seminoles winning the Championship Game at all, let alone beating Duke or Virginia Tech for the ACC Championship.

Fifth And Final Reaction: Yes, it is still extremely early in the investigation. And this final point is only for it the allegations are true. You know, there is one thing that really irks my heart.

I have an odd feeling, that over the past few months, many parents in Northern Florida have heard one of their children say, "I want to be just like Jameis Winston when I grow up! He's so awesome!"

The allegations that have arisen the past week only go to prove one important life lesson.

Be Exceptionally Careful When Picking Your Idols And Heroes.

So many kids loved Aaron Hernandez. Adults and kids alike loved and respected Lance Armstrong. Joe Paterno was greatly endeared by everyone. Now, I am not lumping all of their wrong-doings in the same bucket. All were different. But all of these men were idols.

Ladies and gentlemen, in closure, I urge you all to greatly analyze who your heroes and idols are, and make absolutely certain that you are not giving too much love and support to them, as they could turn out to be frauds in the end.

If you have any disagreements, or comments, tell me right in the comment section right below this post! I'm Ben Anderson, signing off.

Are the Philadelphia Eagles Legit?

After four games, the Philadelphia Eagles were 1-3 and it looked as if this team was not going anywhere. The defense was giving up 25 points or more every game and although the offense proved effective at times, there were still many flaws in the system that Chip Kelly was trying to implement. Then came along the Philadelphia Eagles savior: Nick Foles. Finally an efficient quarterback who can read through his progressions, gets the ball out quickly, and gives his receivers a chance to catch the ball every throw. At first, many questioned whether or not Foles could run Chip Kelly's offense, since he is not known to run. Foles has proved in his starts this season that he can in fact run Kelly's offense, and will even tuck the football and run if he has to. The offense has been efficient, rarely turning the ball over, if they ever do, and the defense is starting to come together, as the Eagles defense has not given up more than 21 points since they faced Denver in week 4. Heading into their bye week at 6-5, a top the NFC East, are the Eagles actually legit, or has this just been a hot stretch that every team goes through?

Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles are legit. Are they good enough to win a Super Bowl? Not this year. But, are they good enough to make the playoffs this year and continue their success in future years? Yes. One of the reasons the Eagles have become legit, and will stay relevant for future years is their starting quarterback that has emerged: Nick Foles. People doubted whether or not Foles would be the future, and he has certainly proved those doubters wrong. He is able to run Chip Kelly's offense, and will have no problem running it for the years to come. Although there are quarterbacks in college such as Teddy Bridgewater, Marcus Mariota, and Johnny Manziel who may end up being better than Foles, the Eagles will not be able to take any of those guys in the draft. Why? If Foles keeps winning, he puts the Eagles further back in the draft order to potentially drafting his replacement. There is nothing to hate about Nick Foles. He wins football games, and takes care of the football, as his only turnover is a fumble; and on that play he was clocked by a Packers defensive lineman who went unblocked.

Foles has yet to throw an interception in 162 passes this year,  he is first in the NFL in yards per pass attempt at 9.59 yards, has the highest passer rating in the NFL at 128.0, and is second in the NFL in total QBR at 78.2, right behind Peyton Manning. He also has 16 passing touchdowns and is five touchdowns away without an interception from breaking Peyton Manning's record of most touchdowns without an interception. Foles' 16 passing touchdowns in only five starts are more than Andrew Luck, RGIII, Tom Brady, Joe Flacco, Cam Newton, and Colin Kaepernick have had all season. But, Foles can't run, as the haters would say. He actually has two rushing touchdowns (more than Russell Wilson and RGIII), 123 rushing yards in 30 attempts (4.1 yards per attempt), and has picked up 10 first downs running. Of course, Foles is not a running quarterback, but he can run if he has to. Whether you want to accept it or not, Nick Foles can play.

The Eagles defense has not been given enough credit for the team's turn around. Every week I hear NFL analysts and so called "experts" say that the Eagles defense is atrocious. Do these people check the scores of the games, or do they base all of their opinions off of yards allowed? The Eagles defense has not given up more than 21 points in SEVEN GAMES. Week 4 was the last time a team scored more than 21 points against the Eagles, and that team was the Denver Broncos, who arguably have the best offense in the NFL. Chip Kelly has brought a new philosophy on the offensive side of the ball, and his defensive coordinator, Billy Davis, has brought a new philosophy to the defensive side of the ball. Davis's philosophy of football being "a points game, not a yardage game" struggled at the beginning of the year, but has started working now that the players have had more time in the system. His philosophy is accurate. It does not matter how many yards your opponent gets, as long as they do not score. Let them drive 70 yards down the field and end up with three points. I will take that every day of the week in the NFL.

The Eagles defense is ranked last in the NFL in total yards given up with 4597, 3301 of them being passing yards (ranks last in the NFL as well), and 1296 of them being rushing yards. Those are awful numbers, but the yards are not adding up to points for the Eagles' opponents. Teams are averaging 23.6 points per game against the Eagles, and if you were to only count the past seven games where the Eagles defense has not given up more than 21 points, teams would only be averaging 17.4 points per game, which would be FOURTH in the NFL. Either way, 23.6 points per game or 17.4 points per game, is sufficient when your offense is scoring 25.1 points per game, which the Eagles offense is.

Heading into the bye week, the Philadelphia Eagles should be feeling confident. Nick Foles, as running back LeSean McCoy would put it, is playing with a ton of swagger, and so is the rest of the Eagles team. Riley Cooper is proving all of the haters wrong, while DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy keep doing what they have been doing throughout their entire careers. I see the New York Giants being the Eagles only threat for the NFC East. The Dallas Cowboys will choke, as they always do, making one of the hottest teams in the NFL, the Giants, the Eagles only true threat. I think that if the Eagles play as well as they have been after their bye week, the last game of the regular at Dallas may not mean anything, since the Eagles would already have the division wrapped up.

Do I see the Eagles winning the Super Bowl this year? Of course not, they still have some work to do talent wise. However, I do think that the Eagles have their future quarterback in Nick Foles that can be the centerpiece of the Eagles offense with dangerous weapons named DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy for the remainder of this season, and for years to come. Many people doubted whether or not Chip Kelly's system would work in the NFL and game-by-game, he is proving all of those doubters as the Philadelphia Eagles look like a bigger threat every week.

You can follow me on Twitter @AddHunsicker11 and please check out my website as well! (www.SportsTalkAllDay.com)

Image Source: (http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/002/552/869/hi-res-184416368-quarterback-nick-foles-of-the-philadelphia-eagles-talks_crop_north.jpg?w=340&h=234&q=75)