College Football 2017 Preview

It's my favorite time of year again. For most sports fans, we get excited about the college football season, the NFL season or the European football season (soccer). I love all three versions of football, and while I've had a little bit of angst towards the NFL the last couple of years, it still deserves my attention.

College football used to be the one I got excited for. Back in the early years of the 21st century, I could tell you a lot about everyone, and which players were going to take it to the next level. Then, soccer. And my love affair for college football concluded. I struggled to name even the Colorado Buffaloes QB. I had no idea what the BCS formula entailed. I couldn't tell you who led the nation in rushing. What was the spread offense? Now, for the first time in a while, I'm genuinely excited about the game. I still believe there is only one favorite as far as who's going to win the college football playoff. But the talent. There is a stockpile of athletic talent in college football, and it would bring me joy to tell you all about it.

Nate's 9: Top Teams

#9. Penn State. It's pretty personal for me, but I love the fact that the Nittany Lions are being mentioned on the national stage again. Back in 2011, I thought the entire program was going to be destroyed, and maybe rightfully so. It wasn't fair, but neither was the lack of support that the former players received from the University. And now, just six years later, they have some of the most exciting talent in football. Trace McSorley, Miles Sanders and Saquon Barkley might comprise of the best backfield in college football (yes, it's true!), and the Offensive line will give them time to make plays. The defense and a trip to Columbus might be all that separates the Lions from competing for a place in the playoffs.

#8. Georgia. I usually don't like picking kids to win championships, but the last 2 recruiting classes may dictate that it happens soon. Georgia is loaded with talent. For whatever reason, they can never put it all together. This could be the year, as the only tricky games I see are a trip to Notre Dame in September, and traveling to Auburn at the end of the season. They could always lose to Florida or Georgia Tech, but I think these players should be able to beat them this year. Nick Chubb is still great, Sony Michel will be great, and D'Andre Swift should be better than both of them.

#7. Florida State. I would have them higher, but there's this thing called a game against Alabama the first week of the season. And then also that other thing, oh right, a trip to Clemson. Granted, Clemson is breaking in a new QB this season, and their offense might not be clicking, but they are still the defending national champions. Back to FSU. Huge fan of the backfield, love the WR's. Offense line is young and inexperienced. That's a problem, when your first game is the Crimson Tide defensive line. Their secondary might be the best in the country, and that will be their fighting chance for making the playoffs after last season's "letdown". If Derwin James and Josh Sweat stay healthy though, no opponent will have an easy time with these Seminoles.

#6. Washington. USC and Alabama are higher than the Huskies on my list. Those two teams held the Huskies to 13 and 7 points, respectively. Otherwise it reads like half a basketball game. 48, 59, 41, 35, 44, 70 (against Oregon), 41, 31, 66, 44, 45, and 41. They can and will score. They don't see USC this fall. So let's see what Alabama can do for an encore.

#5. Auburn. I actually really like this team. I haven't seen any publications pick them this high, and that's because they run through quite the gauntlet of a schedule (at Clemson, at LSU, at Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama). Here's why I think it doesn't entirely matter. They return 17 starters including 9 on an already effective defense, and their offense has been improved by the transfer of Jarrett Stidham. For those of you that don't remember, Stidham ran the Baylor spread for a season, one of the most impressive seasons I can remember. He should bring everything together for Auburn, because he can run and sling, and just appears like a natural born leader. It will help to have Kamryn Pettway, considered one of the best backs in the country. It comes down to all the difficult games.

#4. Ohio St. I had never seen Urban Meyer humiliated the way they were in the playoff last year. That won't happen again, and I really don't want to play the Buckeyes this season. JT Barrett is back for one more, and if he gets back to his old form, they will be tough to beat. Mike Weber will remind people of the on-field Maurice Clarett. It's their defense that will decide a national championship. The front 7 is probably the nation's best, and he recruited heavily in the only part of defense that they lacked in and brought in an amazing haul. Jeffrey Okudah (CB) looks like an NFL Player, Shaun Wade could be just as good, and Kendall Sheffield transferred from Alabama, and could start immediately. Yikes.

#3. Oklahoma State. This is probably the trickiest pick for me. Everything sets up beautifully for a run. The schedule isn't too difficult, and the toughest games are at home (Baylor, Oklahoma). They have one of the best QB's in the country (Mason Rudolph). They have the best tandem of WR's in the country (James Washington, Marcell Ateman). Their offensive line is loaded with seniors. If the offense can't move the ball, they have one of the best punters in the country to help out the unproven D (Zach Sinor). If they do everything I expect of them, they could and should be in the final four.

#2. USC. Sam Darnold. Could be one of the great quarterbacks of this generation. This is a team that only returns 10 starters outside of Darnold, and I still have them ranked this high (as do many other football shows and publications). It rests on Sam's arm, and the fact that the schedule lets them avoid Washington and get Stanford and UCLA at home. Every game is a test though. I think he passes all but one.

#1. Alabama. A lot of things conspired to make this happen. They dominated 2016, except for one final drive in the championship game. They did it with a true freshman at quarterback, that really wasn't that much of a threat through the air. And Saban didn't really believe that team was going to challenge for a title. He hasn't said a word about that this season. Which leads me to believe this: they will steamroll through the competition (I really want to see what happens in that first game against FSU though), and lock in another national championship.

9 Offensive Players to Watch

Mike Gesicki - Penn State. Blocking beast for Barkley, came on as a receiver late as well.

Calvin Ridley - Alabama. Should be first WR off the board next year, another Amari Cooper.

James Washington - Okla St. Should be the second WR off the board. Big deep threat.

Cam Akers - Florida St. Don't want to jinx it, but last RB I was this excited about was AP.

Derrius Grice - LSU. I was upset when Fournette kept getting hurt, and then this guy.

Jarrett Stidham - Auburn. Auburn v Alabama could be game of year. A winner.

Josh Allen - Wyoming. If you enjoyed Ben Roethlisberger's career, here comes another.

Lamar Jackson - Louisville. If you enjoyed Michael Vick's career, here comes another.

Sam Darnold - USC. And if you enjoyed Tom Brady's career, we might have another.

9 Defensive Players to Watch

Quin Blanding - Virginia. I've been a fan since watching high school highlights. Finally, a new Ed Reed.

Tavarus McFadden - FSU. Haven't seen a pair of DB's like these since Joe Haden and Janoris Jenkins.

Derwin James - FSU. Could be better than both of those guys I mentioned above.

Shaquille Quarterman - Miami. The next stud linebacker coming through at the U.

Malik Jefferson - Texas. Gets to chase Darnold, Mayfield, Rudolph among others. Could sack them all.

Jack Cichy - Wisconsin. Leader of a very good team. If he thrives, they could end regular season undefeated.

Steven Richardson - Minnesota. Gophers have a solid defense, he is the cog that makes it go.

Sam Hubbard - Ohio St. Best defensive end, on one of the best lines I've ever seen.

Nick Bosa - Ohio St. Last year's #1 recruit, should be just as good as big brother down the road.

9 Best Stories

Can Wisconsin go undefeated in what might be the best chance in school history?

Who wins the Clemson starting QB job?

Of the 4 stud true freshmen RB's, which one stands out most? (Akers, Swift, Stephen Carr, Najee Harris)

Lamar Jackson without all the talent to help him. If he succeeds, how high does the draft stock go?

All eyes on Baylor University, how does Matt Rhule do in his first season as head coach?

Does Kyle Allen keep the Houston University QB train rolling after his transfer?

Is Quinton Flowers the best player nobody has heard of?

Does a 2 loss team in the SEC deserve to be considered for a playoff space?

Which mediocre team pulls a Colorado (Division title game appearance) this year? My guess is Pitt wins Coastal.

Enjoy the season, everyone!

Burning NFL Questions for 2017

This is a big year of change for me. I am questioning whether or not I'm going to continue to play fantasy football this season. I used to love it, and would have 4-5 teams per season. I could count on making the playoffs in 50% of my leagues, and if I didn't play for free it's because I was making money. But it took the excitement out of football for me. Instead of enjoying the games,the analysis, the chess matches, I became anxious over points and would always check my computer or phone for scores, even while I was at football games. It's not a foregone conclusion, but I wouldn't mind a year away from the anxiety. Just to enjoy football again.

With that said, I've been wondering about some things. Let's get to work.

#9. Can anybody beat New England?
My early guess would be no. I haven't looked at each team thoroughly, but right now the Super bowl champions made the right off-season moves to continue the dominance that they've been accustomed to achieving. Stephon Gilmore may have been the best CB available in the open market. Dwayne Allen should step right in for Martellus Bennett. Rex Burkhead is underrated and perfect for this offense. Kony Ealy is one of my favorite pass rushers in the league. And we haven't even mentioned Brandin Cooks yet. The schedule is the trickiest part of their expectation of back-to-back, but when has it ever stopped them before?

#8. Was Lawrence Timmons the missing piece for the Miami Dolphins?
In a way, I think he was. While the only way the Dolphins get past both the Patriots and the wild card round of the playoffs depends on the dominance (or lack there of) from Ryan Tannehill, the defense was missing that quality veteran leadership that Ndamukong Suh couldn't provide. Enter Timmons. They can now attack offenses, and should relieve some of the pressure that the front 4 had to win every game. This team really should be back in the playoffs at the end of the season.

#7. Do the Atlanta Falcons have the weapons to bounce back and repeat out of the NFC?
This is interesting. The only player that they lost of any significance is G Chris Chester who helped pave the way for Tevin Coleman and Devonte Freeman to make big plays, but Andre Roberts and Brian Hill were added to make the offense even more dynamic. There are so many weapons for Matt Ryan to use and I think that Taylor Gabriel and Austin Hooper are just going to get even better. I know that repeating is hard to do, especially with hard charging rivals within the division, but I think a healthy Falcons team could certainly do it.

#6. Dak Prescott for an encore?
I imagine not, but crazier things have happened. They were primed for a run that could have concluded in a Super Bowl appearance (I won't be so bold to say they would've beaten New England), but he still had one of the best rookie seasons by a quarterback that I've ever seen. But how many times have we seen it before? Robert Griffin. Michael Vick (sort of). Andy Dalton. Mark Sanchez. With the exception of Mike Vick, all these quarterbacks made the NFL playoffs in their rookie season, and in the case of RG3, it was definitely his best season. It's very hard to do a Ben Roethlisberger or a Dan Marino, especially this day and age. The schedule gets harder no matter what, because you see no less than 4 1st placed teams. Defensive coordinators love a year's worth of film on you (Colin Kaepernick). So which category do I think Dak falls into? I love his awareness of the game, and he can already make some throws that Griffin could never do, and Vick had a hard time doing. He has the back shoulder throw, which I think is the toughest to establish in the repertoire of NFL passes. He has the first or second best offensive line in football (Raiders might have it, I think.) He has Zeke, who pretty much requires 8 defenders in the box, or at least a spy at all times. Dez can't be any worse than last year for him (He really relied on Jason Witten and Cole Beasley, more than he did on Dez). I think we get another 3,000 yards and possibly 25 TD passes, but I think they will be lucky to win 10 games this year. But it won't be his fault.

#5. Are the 49ers going to win the 2018 NFL Draft sweepstakes, and if so, which QB are they going to select?
Andrew Luck, Jameis Winston and Aaron Rodgers are what I guess you could consider to be my "Big 3". What I mean is, I've been on their sacs since the days they were tossing the ball around in college. I thought Luck was the complete player (Still do, but man, these injuries!), I thought Rodgers could make every throw (yup), and I thought Jameis was unflappable (jury is still out, but I think he jumps this year). Sam Darnold might make it 4. And he might be my favorite yet. I only got to see him once, (sickest Rose Bowl ever,) so this belief may be a little unfounded, but for me, he is everything I want in a quarterback. (YouTube him if you care, this is about the 49ers). So do they take Darnold #1 with Kyle Shanahan calling plays? If this all works itself out, I think we have the new Dan Marino. Problem is, Lamar Jackson, Josh Rosen and Josh Allen might have something to say about it. What I will say is this, in the last 2 seasons, I haven't gotten truly excited about any NFL quarterback prospect (semi-warm on Mitchell Trubisky, but Dave Ragone - yuck!) This coming up draft, I think I like 4, will probably end up liking 3, but could potentially end up liking 6! (Mason Rudolph, Luke Falk). So the 49ers could be potentially scouting 6 guys. Whatever happens, I'm all for it, I think Shanahan is one of the great offensive minds of the last 10 years. I hope it's Darnold.

#4. Why isn't anyone talking about the Seattle Seahawks?
Sure is quiet, isn't it? I've heard plenty about the New England Patriots, the Dallas Cowboys, the Atlanta Falcons, the Homeless Raiders, even the Baltimore Ravens (lots of off-season noise there). But after the Sherman rumors went away, all became quiet on the western front. Strange. They have a pro-bowl quality QB, They have every style of NFL running back you can dream of (but nothing elite, I will concede), Tyler Lockett back, Jimmy Graham looking for one final pay day, a defense that probably has 16 elite games left in them (Looking at you Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, Ahtyba Rubin, KJ Wright, and the Legion of Boom). They have one of the best coaching staffs in football, and an owner that lets the GM do what he does best, without interference. (Watch out for Tedric Thompson) Yet, no one has mentioned the Seattle Seahawks as a super bowl contender this year. Oh right. Blair Walsh.

#3. Does the Cleveland Browns rebuild officially start now?
Part of this is unfair, because since the turn of the century, either the Baltimore Ravens or the Pittsburgh Steelers have been good enough to challenge for the Super Bowl trophy. With that said, I struggle to remember any draft in which the Cleveland Browns didn't have a top 10 pick. Might that recollection end this year? Gregg Williams is the best DC this team has had since they started over again. Myles Garrett looks like he has all the intangibles to be great, although I loved Courtney Brown too, so we'll see. Every free agency pickup served a purpose and they didn't overpay for anyone this time. They still have the man who I believe is the greatest LT in the history of the modern NFL, (passing football), and right there with Jackie Slater and Anthony Munoz in line to be the greatest ever. Joe Thomas just in case you've slept under a tree the last 10 years. The line looks good, the running back situation looks tidy, Kenny Britt is decent, and David Njoku is Kellen Winslow on steroids (I don't mean that, I think?). The draft on paper looks sharp, and the defensive line looks like it can win battles. It will start and end with the back 8, but I think the rebuild is almost over. All the Browns need now is a little something we NFL Fans like to call, a franchise quarterback!

#2. Can any team win the AFC South?
This could be distinguished in two ways. First, are any of them good enough to win it? Second, are things that close, that it could be any of the four? I would say yes to both. What I see are four 9-7 type football teams, but whoever goes that extra mile, keeps their team the healthiest, and maybe goes 5-1, 4-2 in the division, should get the 10 wins required to get a home playoff game. Houston went all in on a franchise type quarterback, but will hopefully get a full 16 games from their two most important players on defense. Indianapolis is hoping for a healthy Andrew Luck and spent boat loads of dollars on defense through free agency and the draft. The Jags turned to Tom Coughlin to help turn this young team into something similar that he had the last time he was in Florida (Leonard Fournette should break some Fred Taylor records if he avoids the injury table). Tennessee went from the NFL's most boring franchise to one of its most exciting in no less than 24 months. All 4 teams have players that can separate them from the pack, but also have glaring weaknesses that could take them out of playoff consideration. Should be the most exciting race to watch this season.

#1. If every NFL team suffered no major injuries, who are my early picks for the Super Bowl next February?
Going through the AFC, I think it's pretty easy. While I do believe that the 3 most complete teams come from the AFC, one stands out far above the rest. New England should realistically be everyone's choice to be heading to Minneapolis. Without injuries means Tom Brady throwing 15 touchdowns to Rob Gronkowski, and a boat load of new talent that will make them extremely difficult to beat. (Gilmore was my favorite off-season acquisition). My pick for the NFC is a little more complicated. I think 3 out of 4 NFC East teams could represent the NFC, all 4 of 4 NFC South teams could do it, 2 out of 4 NFC North teams have a shout and 2 NFC West teams could potentially be flying east. That's 11 of the 16 teams with a credible shot at making the Super Bowl this year (Apologies to the Eagles, Bears, Lions, 49ers and Rams). While I wouldn't say that the Saints, Panthers, Bucs, Vikings, Redskins and Cardinals are anyone's favorite, they all have strengths that could help them win enough games just to get to the post-season. Then anything can happen. Right now, I love the Buccaneers. The offensive depth on this team is ridiculous. Doug Martin, Charles Sims and Jacquizz Rodgers gives them a little bit of everything, although Martin is probably getting his last chance this season. Cameron Brate has surprised everyone, and has extremely soft hands for a TE. The job probably won't be his anyway, because the new Vernon Davis fell to them at #19 in the NFL Draft. O.J. Howard is the real deal, and I think he might be Winston's favorite redzone target. Oh, did I forget to mention Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson? My guy Donovan Smith has done a great job protecting Winston, and should finally get recognized this season for his contributions. I also think Gerald McCoy is the best DT in the game, and will make the guys around him better. Keith Tandy and Chris Conte are maybe the most underrated safety duo in the league. The schedule is tricky, and they could really use a 4-0 start, but if important players stay on the field, this pick could usurp my Carolina Panthers pick back in 2015.

Please Buy Rooney: The Epilogue

13 years ago I wrote a blog asking, no, begging Manchester United to buy Wayne Rooney. And on August 31st without about 15 minutes left in the transfer window, they finally did. It was a road that I had travelled a little longer than most; from the first time Wayne Rooney scored a goal in the EPL, I was hooked.

Our story starts in the fall of 2002 when I was really starting to fall in love with this new sport of soccer. Growing up, I hated it. My friends and I never played it, and my parents certainly wouldn't think to sign me up for it. First, because I didn't care for it, and second, they didn't either. I would play it casually at sports camps that I went to while wasting away the summers, but I never embraced it as my sport, and it was just a way to stay active, while I waited for my more favorable classes like basketball and tennis.

I had told a soccer player from high school, that I thought soccer was "a waste of perfectly good time" when he asked if I was interested in coming out to watch the team play. We were going up against the number one team in the state, and the players were trying to ask other students if they would come out and show support. Eventually he talked me into it, and while it was fun, and we ended up winning the game, it was my last interaction with a soccer match until my exchange program in Germany after high school.

Germany succeeded. I was a soccer fan. Manchester United became my favorite team as I thought it was fair that they won the first European match I had ever watched (5-0 against Newcastle). I'm glad they won, because I can only imagine what life would be like as a Newcastle supporter. I still hadn't found my favorite player, but I knew who my favorite team would be, and I did the best I could to watch as many games as possible. From a distance, I also enjoyed the football of Everton and Galatasaray (Everton because they weren't Liverpool, and Gala because all my Turkish friends in Germany supported them.) Dortmund was also interesting to me; they were my host town and the fans were unlike anything I had ever seen before in my life. They were also heading towards bankruptcy and had a lot of problems that stemmed off the pitch. (This was before Europe embraced the naming rights of stadiums for boat loads of money). 1 team I obsessed over, 3 teams that I liked, but no favorite player. Cue music.

2002:  A 16 year old is coming into a game against Arsenal in which they are tied with about 15 minutes remaining? An Arsenal team that had been unbeaten for months? Is David Moyes smoking some serious drugs? United needs some help at the top of the table, I can't imagine that this kid is going to be able to help. He got a little involved and I remember my early shock was starting to wear off. Well, he isn't bad. And wait, he's got the ball outside the box against Sol Campbell. And takes a shot…

"A Star is Born". So said the cover of FourFourTwo when I went to buy one at the Barnes and Noble the following month. It was a whirlwind of a storm. After his goal to beat Arsenal, end their unbeaten run, and help Manchester United get back in the title race, England had fallen in love with Wayne Rooney. And so had I! I pursued as many Everton games as possible just so I could see him again. That couldn't have been a one-off right? I think he's going to be really good. I bought a Wayne Rooney Everton jersey, which was significant because it was the first non-Manchester United jersey I ever purchased. I started to think about the future from a Manchester United perspective. Dwight Yorke is old. Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham were leaving. Ole Gunnar started to get injured more. There might be a place for Wayne in our lineup. Ruud Van Nistelrooy had arrived the year before, but he needed some support. Sir Alex had started playing a 4-5-1, which I thought unfathomable with all the attacking talent on the roster. Could it happen? Should it?

2004 Euros. I was starting to get frustrated. Louis Saha was now a member of Manchester United, but Wayne Rooney wasn't. There were rumors that Sir Alex was going to buy Alan Smith, but not Rooney who had really become the focal point of the Everton attack, and was appearing for England as well. What isn't he seeing? Here is a kid that can score from 30 yards out, but is willing to defend all the way back at his own team's goal. I remember thinking what 17 year old can track back like that!? Then the rumors started to form. He had a pretty good tournament and talks were that either Chelsea, Newcastle or Manchester United might be interested. I didn't think Chelsea had room for him and I certainly didn't think Newcastle was big enough for his talents. Why wasn't this happening!

The cute little kid with the sign "Please Buy Rooney" took the nation by storm. I remember the pressure of that entire window and even after Manchester United came to Chicago for a friendly against Bayern, that Wayne was still with Everton. Every day was different. He would stay. He would go to Chelsea. He would sign with United. Maybe he would consider Liverpool. I just wanted it done, I needed it done, I've never had this experience in the NFL (my favorite player was Keyshawn Johnson at the time, and prior to that, my favorite player had never been a Green Bay Packer). I sat in my mother's office on the 31st of August and when there was 30 minutes left in the transfer window, I asked her to refresh her browser.

4 strikers! In 1999 when United won Europe, they did it on the backs of Cole, Yorke, Sheringham and Solskjaer. I thought this foursome was better! Ruud, Saha, Alan Smith and now Wayne Rooney! We can play any formation at any time. Need a goal? Sub on Saha to play with Ruud and Wayne. I thought Europe was going to be conquered.

The debut: And what a debut it was! 3 goals against a formidable opponent in a Champions League match. All of them beauties! I knew it, I just knew it and he transformed the way the team played. While we went 3 seasons without winning a Premier League title, I knew that Sir Alex was building something new from the Roy Keane/David Beckham Manchester United, and it would just be a matter of time before the new team would do special things.

Fucking this and fucking that! Wayne Rooney looked like he was going to cost us a crucial game against Arsenal, and I don't know why he keeps badgering the ref. My Arsenal friends thought he should've been sent off, the TV analysts were saying the same, and I thought for a minute that they were probably right. My favorite player needs to go. He needs to control those emotions, because every game from now on is important. Well, those same emotions turned the game around, and after John O'Shea's greatest goal a 4-2 win was sending us on our way. That passion was vital.

I knew I married a good person when I was allowed to watch the Manchester United-Chelsea match on my honeymoon in Mexico. She didn't put up a stink, and I told her I loved her so much for letting me watch the game that would decide our season (a win would make it interesting, a draw or loss would end it). It was bad. We got absolutely destroyed, the final score was 3-0, and Chelsea's final goal was still one of the best sequences of play that I've ever seen. I felt the bridge between our two clubs was widening, and it was probably going to get worse when Michael Ballack and Andrei Shevchenko came to town. Then, on top of it all, (Carvalho? Terry?) breaks Rooney's foot, and he's likely to miss the 2006 World Cup. And this is the story of how I cried on my Honeymoon.

That goal against Portsmouth is still my favorite Rooney goal. The Newcastle goal was great and he caught it perfectly. The Manchester City goal is insane, it shows the precision of his timing and the power of his shot. The West Ham goal was audacious, and showed that he was more aware than most forwards of his time. But that chip against Pompey holds a lot of meaning for me. At the time, there were rumblings that he was falling off as a striker for United and Tevez and Ronaldo were more important. Those things may have been true, but United still couldn't afford to lose him in my opinion. He can't play with Tevez. That pissed me off the most, because besides Robin Van Persie, I thought that Carlos was his best partner. Federico Macheda might take his spot. That really fired me up. Kid scored a great goal, but he doesn't work nearly as hard as Wayne. Wayne does more than just score goals, get off his back. 5 minutes later, he scores one of the most beautiful chips I'd ever seen.

Rooney wants to leave Manchester United, he can no longer work with Sir Alex Ferguson. These rumors were killing me, because part of me thought that they might be true. Abramovich has oil money, now Manchester City has oil money. A whole group of clubs can now offer Wayne Rooney above market value to take him from our squad. I sweated bullets for a couple of months, and breathed a huge sigh of relief when he finally signed the deal that made him United's most expensive ever player. I thought it was worth every penny.

Most of the time, I'm quite the introvert. When I go to the pub to watch matches, I prefer to watch in peace. But I could hear the rumblings again. Wayne has peaked. He'll never score 30 goals again. Ronaldo has passed him as the best scorer on United (That was probably true). But when Rooney scored his 100th goal for the club, I took off my United top and ran around the pub revealing an undershirt that only said, "100. Shhhhhhhh." And the haters went away again.

Moyes is going to sell Rooney. RVP is here, and he is the #9. Kagawa is the #10, so Rooney will be the 2nd striker or come off the bench. And here they came again. Haters in full force saying that his time with Manchester United was up. This time I didn't say anything. I just watched. Watched as Kagawa got sold back to Borussia Dortmund. Watched as RVP got shipped off to Turkey (I love him and miss him immensely). I watched as Wayne Rooney, my favorite player, was named captain of Manchester United, my favorite club. And he persevered.

Chicago on the Summer Tour. Wayne Rooney is warming up nearby taking long shots on goal. I was about 6 rows away, admiring the power behind them. A kid, probably no older than 17 or 18 is snapping photos of these blasts. And one hits his camera, I shit you not, square on the lens. Surprised the hell out of the kid. I glance over at Wayne, and he's just smirking until the next ball came. I would never say that he knew exactly where to put it and hit that shot on purpose, but I left the moment smiling. And knowing that I liked him even more.

Every year since 2001 I have created a team consisting of my 25 favorite players in the world of football. Starting in 2003, Wayne Rooney made the roster every single season including and up to the year 2017. Of the 15 years that I had him in my "Favorite team", he was in the starting eleven 14 times. Even more rewarding may be the "11 of 15" team that I also had him a part of. I made a formation of my favorite players of all time starting when I first saw a soccer game on the TV (1997-2012). The first name I put into that team was Wayne Rooney, and besides Roy Keane the only two players  I had no doubt about. I imagine when I do the "11 of 30" team in the year 2027, the spot will continue to be his.

I love the trophies that Wayne Rooney won at the great Manchester United.  They used to be the most important thing in my eyes as to what I want the players to achieve at a club. Individual accolades weren't anything, if the team wasn't the best at the end of the year. I've been rather blessed. Since 2005, my two favorite players in my two favorite sports in the entire world, have been paid by my two favorite franchises. (Aaron Rodgers). I told myself that if it was going to happen with Wayne, that I would appreciate every game as if it would be the last, and I feel like I did a great job of doing that. I remember a lot of the goals (Stoke for 250, Burnley at the end, Liverpool for a derby win, are also 3 more of my favorites). But what I've learned in these last 13 years as a fan of Wayne goes way beyond the trophies that he won, the goals that he scored, the players that he led out. I've learned that the same sport that I used to believe was a waste of perfectly good time, has now become the sport that is a time I consider to be perfectly good.

Thanks 10.

"11 of 15"

GK Peter Schmeichel

LB Roberto Carlos

CB Rio Ferdinand

CB Marcel Desailly

RB Lilian Thuram

LM Ryan Giggs

RM Zidane

CM Roy Keane

CM Patrick Vieira

ST Wayne Rooney

ST Fat Ronaldo

Hottest Celebrities 2017

Finally, the sun is shining, the temperatures are normal again, and the clothes are getting smaller. It must mean that it's time for the annual Hot Celebrities list from yours truly! Some major surprises this year on all sides of the spectrum. When I started this idea, there was no such thing as Snap Chat or Instagram and we were limited to what was posted in magazines or on television. Now, every attractive (or not so attractive) individual has time to filter pictures to put themselves in the best light possible, and share their poses with the world! I have tried to stay consistent over the years (at least beyond the selection - from 20 to 101 back to 20 and now 9 of my favorites and 9 of the consensus favorites), but I think this is going to get more difficult as time goes on. I would also like to share my plans for a "Hot Celebrities Retirement Party" which I am planning on having in 2021, the same year I turn 40. With Aiden turning 11 that year, I believe it is the perfect time to pass the torch, especially considering that he'll have a better idea on what's "hot" than what his old father will. For those that have forgotten, list is determined by beauty, relevance, and age requirements. No 17 year old's, no grandmothers, no 36 Twix bars in one sitting, and must have one accomplishment in the calendar year. Thanks for reading!

Thank you to those that always contribute beautiful men and women to this blog. I'm glad that this topic has evolved where we are all comfortable with my thoughts on the same gender attractiveness as I am for all the beautiful ladies in the world. Ladies, you were a great help. Gentlemen, I can't thank you enough. Every year, I'm introduced to individuals I had no idea about. My thanks is in the inclusion of your offerings. Finally, a shout out to my wonderful wife. While this is light conversation and fun bathroom reading for most of you, my commitment to it is very serious, and I'm glad that I have your unwavering support.

World's Top 9

9. Emma Stone. She has never been one of those beauties for me, but she keeps on gathering interest by churning out massive hits and new looks. La La Land was the biggest sensation of the 2016 year, and it helped that the main characters were very attractive. Locked in Stone for years to come?
   

8. Hailey Baldwin. Maxim's number one. They weren't wrong. Heading toward superstar status.
   

7. Beyoncé Knowles. Used to run rampant in my lists, still getting affection for the public list. Starting to get consideration for what we call "timeless beauty". I imagine we will see her again next year.
   

6. Gigi Hadid. In the world of modeling she is beloved by all. She can pull off all the great looks, but she is also adept at just simple photography as well. Check out her Instagram page, I think her best shots are the non-filtered, simple lighting ones. Also in an arms race for Baldwin for a future #1 spot.
   

5. Deepika Padukone. 12 months ago, I would've asked you to speak English. Now I'm just asking for more.
   

4. Margot Robbie. I would say that she slipped a bit due to irrelevancy, but it doesn’t really matter. Hailey Quinn will be back soon too, so things should be rectified by then.
   

3. Taylor Swift. When the Kardashian's can't keep your name out of their mouth, you must be doing something right. 250 million dollars in net worth, must mean you are doing something right. To have not released an album in almost 3 years, but still crushing the "world of trending" means you will always have a spot for millions of boys and girls everywhere.
   

2. Sommer Ray. Rookie of the Year? (I wasn't on Insta until 2016, so I don't know for sure.) What I do know is 15 million people can't be wrong. Motivating for all of those that want to get back to the gym. Hard work pays off here.
   

1. Hannah Jeter. I had a feeling this day would come. Personally, I think there are more attractive ladies. I think some have had to work harder to get to where she is. But, just like oceans are wet, the sky is blue, and space is vast, the royal crown was just meant to be Hannah's at some point. An SI cover. Derek Jeter at bedtime. Funnier than most comedians. More multi-purpose than the President. A real champion in the flesh.
   

Top 9 Boys

9. Liam Hemsworth. Lot of worthy replacements, but still so relevant, he has to hold on to this place.
   

8. Antonio Brown. While he is my favorite player in a non #12 jersey, I never thought to consider him until he started twerking and Dancing with the Stars.
   

Ryan Gosling. I had about 10 Ryan's when I started this list, but he's definitely the best one of them.

6. Lorenzo Insigne. Usually I don't go for the 5'4" guys, but Lorenzo has some serious skills, plays a ton of FIFA even though he has one of the hotter WAG's around, and he could literally step right into an Armani role when his playing career is over.

5. Chris Hemsworth. As long as he continues in the Thor role, I imagine he'll continue making this list.
   

4. Channing Tatum. His wife out danced his Magic Mike ass, and it just made him look all the more hotter for pulling such a winner.
   

3. Cristiano. First name basis status.
   

2. JT. Initials status.
   

1. Zac Efron. Taking the crown away from the greatest Mickey Mouse club member. I always imagined him here, but it wasn't until the perfectly coifed hair and the red swimsuit that he is able to take his place on the throne.
   

Nate's 9 Favorites

Before we start, I would like to address two situations. The first one is Lada Kravchenko. I stumbled onto her thanks to Playboy's announcement that they would go back to the complete undress magazines of year's past, as opposed to the almost version. Then within a few days, Kravchenko made the SI swimsuit casting calls (a group that I take very seriously, as Sports Illustrated never seems to get it wrong. Ever.) While she didn't make the final cut for the 2017 issue, I believe the future is bright and one of these 9 places should be open next year for this Russian.

Second, I would like to show some appreciation and love to Keira Knightley. Since the inaugural list back in 2003, there has always been a spot for my favorite Brit. It was very hard to get rid of her. She made great films (or if not great, I enjoyed the view), she is a big West Ham fan - any supporter of this sport is fine by me, and she could sing in addition to the rest. A match made. Well, due to unforeseen circumstances, namely a husband and child, Keira did not make the 9 this year. If I do decide to carry on and create a Hall of Fame of sorts, well, let me introduce you to the first inductee. Thanks Keira, for being my first, most and longest celebrity crush.

9. Ariana Grande. For a while, I thought she was going to challenge for the most important throne of all. She was generating hit after hit, staying ahead of the trend curve (which isn't easy to do), and giving just enough leg to keep all of us guessing. A little lull in 2016 caused for a dip in status, as well as the introduction of a few names but she's still an all-star. A strong 2017 should have her close to the top again.
   

8. Katherine McNamara. Another stumbling upon. Anna Kendrick used to make this position hers, but the emergence of this red head, knocked out another all-time favorite. I'm not sad about it. While flipping through television shows, I found a program called ShadowHunters and I watched it through to the end. Not because it was captivating per se. (Although it is a pretty good show). McNamara wouldn't let me turn away.
   

7. Ariel Winter. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't be okay. She's like my favorite sister from Modern Family. She's my sons favorite princess on the Disney channel. There isn't supposed to be anything sexy about that. But she is a great Twitter follow. Not ashamed to post any pictures considering her roles on television, and a big supporter of loving yourself no matter what. I hate that public opinion dictates how people should look, and I'm pleased to say that I'm a fan because she doesn’t give a crap.
   

6. Hunter King. Almost got the boot. When I fell "in love" with Summer from the Young and the Restless years ago, I thought that King would have a year or two to shine, then she would disappear from consideration forever. Then she did a little guest modeling on The Price is Right, which gave her another year in this elite group. Now she's moved to comedy on Thursday night television and it's paying off. They brought her on for one reason only, but Life in Pieces is just a little funnier with all the boys lusting after this bombshell.
   

5. Zendaya. My LeBron James. When I first discovered her talents, she was a 17 year old dancer on DWTS. Not cool. But Sports Illustrated was touting LeBron when he was only 17. So I thought to myself, why not wait and see. Patience has paid off here. Zendaya is cute like a fox, but confident like a lady. She isn't able to skip part of the process like her comparison did, but I imagine when Zendaya leaves Disney, she'll elevate herself even higher.
   

4. Scarlett Johansson. Another Hall of Fame inductee. I've had her around since Tokyo (kudos if you know the reference), but she never locked in on the number one spot. It doesn't matter. Her evolution into a Julia Roberts type star hasn't gone unnoticed, and her diversity in work may be her most impressive attribute. She crushes the Black Widow role (and now no one else can play it). She is one of the staple hosts of SNL now in my humble opinion. She can pull off both beautiful and sexy. It's not her fault she fell a few places, but other ladies had better years.
   

3. Selena Gomez. It was always going to be tough to beat her perfect year. Hot album, hot videos trending most of the year, crushed swimsuits. It's amazing to look back and see where she came from. A somewhat awkward wizard on Disney that tried to be sexy but wasn't, and now I'm not sure that from a beauty standpoint that she can be surpassed this year. Plenty of time to get to the top again, and I'd be very surprised if she wasn't there.
   
   
   

2. Kate Upton. I thought she was going back to the #1 spot this year, because she did everything right. Back on top of the Swimsuit world with an SI Cover. Stud fiancée. Good Instagram. Didn't change for the mainstream expectation. Nothing wrong with #2 this year, especially considering my selection for #1.
   

1. Victoria Justice. I really didn't see this coming. I've always been a fan, but not to the point where I would put her in the group of the Upton, Knightley, Johansson triumvirate. She's pretty, but not in the sense of a knockout. More or less extremely elegant. Her ascension to the top begins with her personality. She might be the nicest, most genuine person in Hollywood. I've never really used that as criteria for a list that doesn't require that type of skill to reach the summit. But her persona is so warm, so real, that I can't not enjoy it and evolve in my thought process for picking the best. Victoria is changing the world.
   

Thomas Tuchel vs Hans Watzke

Tuchel vs Watzke

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

12:43 AM

I am little pissed off. Not that Tuchel was my favorite manager of all-time, because he wasn't. I didn't like his tactics, I didn't care for his over use on Gonzalo Castro in the midfield, and I didn't like his lack of conviction in getting victories at home (The unbeaten streak is great, but there are a lot of draws in that run). I just don't like when politics are involved in sport. Chances are if we like everyone that we work with, than something is very wrong. Some of the best people that I've ever worked with are people that I don't really enjoy spending time with, but they certainly get the job done. So then why, when the CEO of Dortmund says that expectations were met with the 3rd place finish, and the title in the German DFB Pokal, not to mention the longest home undefeated streak in club history, does a manager still get let go?

Watzke says it's because he felt that there was a lack of loyalty and trust in the ranks. I ask Watzke then, since when did he feel that way. Was it the bombing of the Dortmund bus? If that's the case, you have to look at that for what it was, and I think the unpredictability of it created a lot of chaos in the club and things may have been said that shouldn't have. Yet concerning the situation… it's tough not to share your true feelings when your life changes in a major way. I don’t have any recollection of a bus carrying athletes being bombed ever in Europe, if not Germany. Marc Bartra didn't know if he was going to survive the attack for the first couple of minutes. There was a lot at stake during that time, and I agree with Tuchel, it would've been a very difficult time to play, 24 hours after the attacks. Then, during the return visit to Monaco, the players were restrained on the bus again before the game began. Their heads clearly weren't in a state where they should have played, and Tuchel said as much. Now he is out of a job.

Let's assume for one minute that the bombing had nothing to do with Tuchel being let go. So then, what next? Was he released because of the team selection? Well that's not very fair, considering that management sold three of his best players during the off-season including the team captain. It's hard to maintain any continuity, no matter how much money Dortmund gave back to Tuchel to replace those players (although he did bring in 9 new faces). There was never any uprising in the locker room, at least to the point where the players would have gone public with their frustrations. It's a tough roster to rotate with 15-20 players all clamoring for places in the first 11. I thought Tuchel did a good job for the most part, especially considering all the injuries that he had to endure.

I think that it came to a genuine dislike for the coach. The board never liked him, and threw out terms like loyalty, trust, and the Dortmund Way to get the supporters to understand their decision for firing him. He never met with other clubs about potential openings, so I don't understand why loyalty is mentioned. He stood behind his players during the attack on the bus, so I don't understand why trust is mentioned. And the Dortmund Way has too always played an attacking style of football, while maintaining the clubs best interests at heart (no more close shaves with bankruptcy being numero Uno) and I thought Tuchel passed those tests with flying colors. It'll be interesting to see how Favre does things differently, but I have to believe, and I certainly will stand by this opinion, that the Dortmund board made the wrong decision here.

Edit: And now P-E Aubameyang is onto PSG. Going to be an interesting summer for the yellow and black. Big decisions at every corner...

Champions League Predictions

The quarterfinals of Champions League is my favorite event at any time across any sport. It's usually… usually the best 8 soccer teams in Europe if not the entire world, and in a sport with thousands and thousands of professional teams, 8 is a really small number. These matches are usually more exciting than the semi-finals and final, and I think so for 2 reasons. First, they are still relatively fresh in March as players aren't thinking about the end of the season and all the congested fixtures near the end. Second, the atmosphere isn't as nervous as a final or a semi-final, as every kick and tackle can have big implications (Roy Keane's yellow in '99). This year I'm more excited than most seasons, even though the great Manchester United is currently playing in that other European tournament. It has 8 teams that either have 2 things going for them: A great story, or tons of talent. I wanted to share my thoughts and analysis on what I think is going to happen, since I'm not sure of my wi-fi situation starting on Thursday night. 

Leicester City vs Atletico Madrid: This is actually one of the toughest matchups for Leicester, because they are pretty much a mirror image of Atletico, just a crappier version. Both teams play much better on the counter attack than they do when they try to control the game, and they rely on their front man to get them the goals that they need to thrive (Jamie Vardy in the case of Leicester, Antoine Griezmann in the case of Atleti). I think that Simeone is the key to this matchup, as he could lose it for Atletico. Instead of using their superior talent (which they have), I think he should let Leicester try and play, and then break them down in their own half. Atletico is one of the best teams in the world when they run at you, and I think they'll get to do a few of those opportunities in this tie vs Leicester.

Nate's Pick: Atletico

Logan's Pick: Atletico

Lucas's Pick: Atletico

Aiden's Pick: Atletico

Mother's Pick: Leicester City

BVB vs Monaco: I keep wavering on this matchup, because I don't know who is going to be healthy when the games kick off. If Dortmund can get Reus back and in full form, there's no reason to think that he and PE Aubameyang can't get it done against Monaco. I love Kylian Mbappe, and I think that Falcao has returned to the form that he had while he played at Atletico. Tiemoue Bakayoko is becoming one of the brightest talents in Europe. But that cup final against PSG makes me think that Monaco is vulnerable against aggressive pressing teams. Dortmund used to be one of Europe's best at that. As a fan, I hope they can return to that high press, and push through to the semi-finals one more time. I'm betting with my heart.

Nate's Pick: BVB

Logan's Pick: BVB

Lucas's Pick: BVB

Aiden's Pick: BVB

Mother's Pick: BVB

Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich: One of the juiciest QF matchups I've ever seen. Bayern is on top form in the league (minus the hiccup vs Hoffenheim) and outside of the two matches against Atletico, have been humming along. They made Arsenal look like children and for the 3rd consecutive time, beat them in a match 5-1. Real Madrid has led the Spanish League all season long, which at this time is probably the most difficult league to do that in across Europe. Barcelona, Atletico and even Sevilla have played extremely well at times this year, and should push them until the end. (Sevilla beating Madrid was the highlight of my season so far, it was like a bank robbery and clean getaway). I think Zidane will outthink Ancelotti, play his midfield deep to eliminate and decisive Bayern attacks, but this matchup is very close to call.

Nate's Pick: Real Madrid

Logan's Pick: Real Madrid

Lucas's Pick: Bayern Munich

Aiden's Pick: Real Madrid

Mother's Pick: Bayern Munich

Juventus vs Barcelona: Lots of stories here. Gianluigi Buffon is missing one trophy in his outstanding cabinet. Messi's fallen off? (No, but the press love a story, he's just different now). Neymar is now the best player in the world, and this will be his stage (maybe, but I still like 3 better than him). I bet against Barcelona in the last round, and the most famous comeback maybe in the history of Champions League (down 5-3 with less than 10 minutes to go) kept me from getting 7/8 in the first round. Do I have the nerve to pick against them again now? I do not.

Nate's Pick: Barcelona

Logan's Pick: Barcelona

Lucas's Pick: Barcelona

Aiden's Pick: Barcelona

Mother's Pick: Barcelona