Super Bowl 2014!

Nate’s 9: Reasons I’ll enjoy the Super Bowl

                I’m amused that everyone is in an uproar over the comments and actions that Richard Sherman made after the Seahawks in win the NFC Championship game.  For one, he is a very good cornerback if not the best in the league.  It is close to a true statement, if not the full on truth (although dogging Michael Crabtree was inappropriate).  Second, Seattle fans abuse of Navarro Bowman and Wes Welker’s take out play of New England’s Aqib Talib were more concerning to me than a boast from one player to another no matter how brash.  We talk about how clichéd most responses are during interviews after the game, yet we cringe and get mad when we finally get a genuine response from a player.  That being said, this is a Super Bowl that will provide great matchups, and really shows two completely different ways on how to win in today’s NFL.

#9. Bruno Mars halftime show - Well, naturally.  I am obsessed with the music and the man. 

#8. Champ Bailey’s last hurrah – Speaking of great cornerbacks, we are about to see the twilight of one of the greatest cornerbacks this game has ever seen.  For years, defenses would avoid throwing in Bailey’s direction, and even now teams have a hard time completing big gains in his vicinity.  He wasn’t nearly as loud as the Darrelle Revis’s and Richard Sherman’s of the world, but maybe that’s the reason to like him even more.

#7. Marshawn popping the skittles on the biggest stage – It’s funny when we go back to 2007’s NFL draft.  Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch were both taken 5 picks apart, and one could claim that they are the two best backs in the NFL today.  People can’t be mad about this; Buffalo offered Lynch to every single team for a  4^th round pick once they had drafted C.J. Spiller, but I can’t help but think that he could be the main reason if Seattle is to lift the Lombardi trophy in 2 weeks’ time. How many does Buffalo have?

#6. Russell Wilson – He’s just a winner.  I don’t think he does anything particularly well – his arm is okay and he’s decent when on the run, but he is fearless in the back field and has this incredible self-belief not seen in many people across any field.  Jon Gruden knew he was special minutes after meeting him, I am in full agreement.   The Super Bowl will be more entertaining with Wilson being a part of February 2nd's game and I wouldn’t bet against this kid taking the trophy back to the west coast with him.

#5. Pete Carroll vs John Fox – I feel like this is a battle of coaching styles: the motivator vs the preparer.  Pete Carroll will have his players emotionally ready to play in this game, and I don’t think there will be much for jitters or apprehension. They will come out amped and ready to play.  John Fox will have gone over every single play that Seattle has run all season, and Peyton & Co will be prepared mentally for the situation.  I’m excited to see which style takes precedent early and sets the tone for a Super Bowl that I think is very hard to predict, certainly much more than last year’s game.  

#4. What the NFL will do if the game is a blowout – I’m not much for conspiracy theories, but going back to last year’s game, how in the world was the NFL not prepared for the situation of a black out during the season’s biggest game?  For an industry that certainly appears to be the perfectly run engine, it seemed scandalous and at the best unlucky for something like that to happen.  I can’t recall a similar scenario.  I’m curious to know if they have prepared some kind of wind storm or blizzard in case of an early 3 touchdown lead for Denver or Seattle on Super Bowl Sunday.

#3. Richard Sherman vs Demaryius Thomas – Oh yes!  If not Calvin Johnson, I definitely think Thomas is one of the few people in the league that won’t be phased by the skill set of Sherman.  With that being said, Sherman is one of the few corners in the league that has been avoided by quarterbacks entirely during the season.  If this remains the case, Eric Decker and Wes Welker are going to have to step up, but I think a big game from Thomas would almost clinch the championship for the Broncos.

#2. The Commercials – These are always fun, and with the prediction that the cost of 30 seconds will cost 4 million dollars this year (www.businessweek.com/articles) they better be.  Over the past couple of years, people tend to be as excited about these as they are about the game.  Good luck getting a slot, GoDaddy.com!

#1. Cold weather Super Bowl! – It’s about time!  I hope the elements are a factor, only because they reflect the true experiences of most NFL games during the late season and playoffs.  Regardless of the weather conditions for the day, enjoy the game!

Dinner Party

Nate’s 9: People I would invite over for Dinner (Past or Present)

                This became quite the hot topic at work last week when I was considering new blog topics to write in the New Year. The conversation was fun and entertaining; there is clearly no limit to the amount of great historical figures this world has ever seen.  There are also a number of great people living in the present that would be very hard to keep off of any list as well.  I know my list is ever changing, but as of right now, here are the 9 great people that I would love to sit down and have a steak and a beer with.

#9. Warren Buffett – It just shocks me how someone with such a ridiculous amount of money can live so parsimoniously in today’s society.  Warren at last count was still the 3^rd richest man in the world, and was well into the billions of dollars.  Yet, he still lives in his same house in Omaha, Nebraska and also drives himself around which I think is absolutely incredible.  I would like for him to be at dinner so I can praise his commitment to self-discipline and also ask him why he donated $85 billion of his fortune to charities and the like.  Astounding.

#8. George Jung – I am just fascinated by this man’s life.  For those of you that don’t know him, he is the individual that self-proclaimed his contribution of 60% of America’s cocaine use during the 1970’s.  Johnny Depp is cast as George in the movie “Blow”, one of my favorite films of all-time.  I would just like to ask George what living that lifestyle was like, and whether he had any regrets or wishes to do things differently knowing what he knows now.  I’d also like to know what his relationship with Pablo was like and if he ever thought his life was in danger while in his presence.  That Medellin Cartel was something else. 

#7. Princess Diana – Someone who died way too soon, and now knowing what I know, I believe she would have been one of the great figures of the 21^st century. I know that she had her problems with the marriage and the royal family’s ideals on how to raise a family, but she always held her dignity, and for someone that was pushed into the world spotlight so young, she did a great job receiving the sympathy and gaining the support of the masses.  I would love to have her at dinner to get her thoughts on royalty, family and whether or not she would have enjoyed being queen consort when Charles rose to the throne.

#6. Jackie Robinson – For many reasons beyond sports, but for his abilities on the field as well. I think he is probably the most influential American athlete of all-time.  I cannot begin to imagine what his life was like, and even though “42” was an exquisite film, I’m sure there were many realities that Hollywood decided to withhold from the viewing public.  I would like to have Jackie over for dinner to show him how his impact on baseball has changed the entire sporting landscape over the last 75 years, and to ask him his views on what things were like during the turbulent times of the 1940’s and 1950’s.

#5. Joe Paterno – I can’t visualize what Joe Paterno must have gone through during the last couple of months of his life.  For everything that happened at that University, it still bothers me how he was pushed out and ostracized from the program even though he did what was required of a football coach.  I would like to believe that I would’ve done more under those circumstances as I’m sure that we all would, but we’ll never know what he was thinking and whether or not he believed he could’ve done more.  For me though, he still warrants a seat at my party for being one of the greatest coaches of the sport and a great person for the University, a school that he put on the map for top football success.

#4. Vince Lombardi – The greatest coach in all of sports in my humble opinion.  He took a dormant franchise that went 1-10-1 the year before he got there, and proceeded to win 7 games out of 12 in his first season, and then win 5 NFL championships in his next 9 seasons there.  He did it in a town that no one really wants to go to, and without him, the Packers franchise might not be in Green Bay to this day.  I would like to sit him next to Joe Pa, and after all the other guests went home for the evening, we could sit and talk football until the wee hours of the next morning.  Or the one after that.

#3. Nelson Mandela – I think the person that everyone else would want to sit with would be Madiba.  This man for me was one of the last walking hero’s on our planet. He was beyond daily human thought; he changed the way people thought about the natural cultural and social norms of life.  To serve in prison for 27 years… and then to persevere and help take down apartheid and bring human rights to all in South Africa… To become President of a nation that didn’t allow for any minority power before his ascendancy… his seat at this party is well-deserved.

#2. John Lennon – My twin. I’ve always felt a connection to John’s work as a musician and as a writer, and I don’t condemn him his political views and activism during Vietnam.  His talents as a musician are well-documented, and I think he is one of the all-time greats.  But it is not for that with which I invite him to my party.  Anyone that has so much belief in peace and love is someone that I can very much believe in.  Just like Lennon said, “All you need is Love”. 

#1. Honest Abe – “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.” Ha, one of my favorite quotes of all-time and that it was spoken by a vampire hunter… just kidding.  I haven’t even seen the film.  But Abraham Lincoln is one of the few people in life whose name just brings up respect and awe.  I find it impressive that such a recluse and introverted individual could leave such a large footprint in the history of this great country.  They say he was awkward at speeches.  He received no support from any of the southern states after his first election into the government office.  He worked his own campaigns and got little support from the Republican Party.  But he dominated.  And I mean dominated.  He introduced two new amendments that changed our country drastically.  He changed the economic system of our country and sent it into the innovative ideals that still hold true today.  He introduced reconciliatory plans to reconstruct the south that did happen albeit after his death.  I don’t think anyone has done so much with so little, and he is the easiest selection of all to invite to my little dinner party.   

Exciting Outlooks of the 2014 NFL Season

Nate’s 9: Things I’m Excited for in 2014 NFL Season

                Even though this season isn’t complete, I’m already giddy in anticipation of what’s to come for 2014.  The main reason why? Because I am taking the passion out of my game.  E.J. Manuel vs Geno Smith you say?  Can’t wait!  The St. Louis Rams and Carolina Panthers duking it out in a defensive battle?  Yes please! Adrian Peterson vs LeSean McCoy… where’s the popcorn?  Here are 9 stories that I think everyone will get excited about when the new season rolls around.

#9. Bill O’Brien as the Houston Texans HC – I actually enjoyed having him as a coach at Penn State.  For all the crap that he had to deal with, upon all the penalties that the University were given (and I’m in partial agreement with that – there should have been penalties, but more against the university and less against the football team) he did a great job recruiting, and Penn State won a lot of games.  He is probably going to be given the greatest gift of any new head coach in the NFL: a talented roster, and the #1 pick in the draft.  Teddy Bridgewater should be joining up with the likes of Andre Johnson, Brian Cushing and JJ Watt.  They could be above .500 in a matter of months.

#8. The quarterback carousel around the league – Now that Jay Cutler is officially off the market, this off-season is about to get very interesting.  It appears that at least seven teams will be making quarterback changes this year, and with an abundance of over-the-hill and too-young-to-start QB’s available.  Teams will have a chance to sign the likes of Michael Vick, Matt Schaub and Jason Campbell or go with the unknown quantities of Johnny Manziel, Derek Carr and Blake Bortles through the draft.  None of these players scream Super Bowl, but neither did Alex Smith or Nick Foles before the season, and now the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs have one less thing to worry about going into the off-season.

#7. Jeff Fisher’s finished product in St. Louis – One must say that he has done a fantastic job putting talent on what was only recently one of the NFL’s least talented franchises.  Now they have top end talent in Tavon Austin, Zac Stacy, Chris Long, Robert Quinn, and Alec Ogletree.  They also inherit the #2 pick in this year’s draft with an eye on DE Jadeveon Clowney or LT Jake Matthews, two guys that will be slotted in as instant starters and upgrades.  It wouldn’t shock me to see the Rams go 10-6 next year with their schedule, or even make Carolina Panthers type improvements.

#6. The NFL’s realization that there aren’t that many answers in firing a HC – Look at the final 8 teams left standing.  While there is a lot to be said for how long and how successful each coach has been for the teams remaining (Mike McCoy – 1 year, Bill Belicheck 13 seasons), the fact is all 8 of them got there based on one thing.  QUARTERBACK!!  Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson and Drew Brees are still in the playoffs.  Come to think of it, Aaron Rodgers, Nick Foles, Andy Dalton and Alex Smith went home.  It’s not that hard!  You can hire any head coach you want, but in today’s NFL, the easiest path to glory is through the man that holds the ball on every single play.  Clearly, we aren’t talking about the center.  Get one of these guys, and no longer are you the Oakland Raiders.  The Cleveland Browns.  The Dallas Cowboys.  J

#5. The Detroit Lions front 4 – It’s hard to imagine a team this talented going 7-9, with one of the easier schedules in the NFL this season.  But next year, depending on what they do at the other DE spot, they have a chance to have one of the great defensive lines of this generation.  Ziggy Ansah is growing into a sack master at his spot.  Although inconsistent, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley have the promise to be more than dominant on the inside.  And while Willie Young is neither Cliff Avril or Kyle VandenBosch, he is young and adequate and should be able to get 5-10 sacks next season.  There’s no reason the Lions can’t take that next step and become a dominant team in the NFC for the next few seasons.  Well, maybe all the turnovers.  That might stop them.

#4. Sammy Watkins – Oh lordy!  I haven’t been this excited about a rookie since… well… Ad… ri… an… Pet…er…son.  Don’t let that one get out, but I am one of his biggest fans.  With that being said, Sammy Watkins is a ridiculous talent; he can catch, run, return and throw if he needs too, and my only hope is that he goes somewhere that will get the best out of his services unlike that one guy languishing in Jacksonville.  I forget his name already. 

#3. Johnny Manziel – I kind of feel bad for the team that drafts him.  Not because I think he will be a bust (I see him better than Rex Grossman, but not quite the slinger and winner that Brett Favre was), but because the expectations and the hype surrounding him will be so preposterous that he may fail spectacularly and fall into the realm of a Tim Tebow.  Whatever team does this (please don’t Oakland or Cleveland!), just be patient, don’t placed unattainable expectations on him, and just let him do what he does best: sling that f’in football.

#2. Andrew Luck – 3^rd year seasons are usually when the great quarterbacks take it to that next level a ’la Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning.  I think this kid is easily on their level, and may even do something more special that puts him in the MVP talk for next season.  Just watching him come back against the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend made me realize how blessed I am to be a fan of a sport that allows me to see the greatest type of leadership and commitment and faith to a cause in any paid profession, and how these truly great players only come around once or twice in a lifetime.  He may still yet win it this year, but I am already excited to see what he’s going to do for an encore.

#1. My investment in football analysis – I love the passion that people have for sports, and it’s so much fun to just sit down with people and share stories about our teams and experiences and memories and all the other great stuff that comes with being a fan of an NFL franchise or any professional sports franchise.  But like the true greats – the Bill Parcells’, the Bill Walsh’s, the Tom Landry’s and Vince Lombardi’s, I’m excited to see football through a different lens – one that allows us to see the sport in all of its glory and failure.  I want to see every run and throw for as they are, and not be pacing the living room or hiding my head in my crotch while I wait for the outcome of the play.  I want to smile when any team wins the Super Bowl and be able to appreciate the particular journey that it took that team to become the ones at the top of the summit for that season.  I want to know sports at the highest level, and be able to break players/plays/moments/situations down and understand them as the eyes of the Wooden’s, Torre’s, Bryant’s and Bowman’s once did.  I want to experience a Saints-Falcons game at the Superdome or a Patriots-Jets game in Foxboro and get goosebumps when the home team wins in the final seconds. I want to make new friendships in new cities and share experiences with my wife, sons or whoever goes on these trips with me. Most importantly, I am excited to make this change as a human being, and share my new pursuit of sports with my family.

NFL Recap

Nate’s 9: Final Thoughts on the NFL’s Regular Season

                It’s been a fantastic season this year, and I think one of the reason’s I enjoyed it so much was because of the unpredictability.  No one in their right mind could’ve said that the Houston Texans would go 2-14 and end up with the #1 draft choice in 2014.  And as much as I like the Arizona Cardinals team, there’s no way I thought they would be within reach of a playoff position playing in the nasty NFC west.  Here are some things that I took away from the 2013 NFL season.  Enjoy the playoffs my friends!

#9. I really like what Rex Ryan was able to do this season.  To go 8-8 with the player he had at quarterback, I think he should garner some talk for NFL coach of the year.  Geno Smith made absolutely no improvements from week 1 to week 17, and I think he should go by way of a Jimmy Clausen or David Carr.  We probably never see him again.  Rex did so well with almost no NFL quality offensive weapons, and they were only a game back of the wild card position. I’m very impressed.

#8. My call for the Dallas Cowboys to trade up with the Saint Louis Rams in 2012 to draft RG3 looks more true than ever right now.   I know that Griffin has his issues, and there are many concerns about him being able to play as a pocket QB, but I still think he has a better shot at Super Bowl success than Tony Romo.  Washington’s offense is mediocre at best, and the line had a rough time protecting Griffin this season and last.  Dallas is in a little better shape, would have offered the talents of Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and Miles Austin to RG3, and I think Jason Garrett would have been better for Mr. Griffin.  All speculation now though!

#7. What are the Miami Dolphins?  At times, they look like a bona fide playoff contender.  They played New England very well this season, beat Atlanta back when the Falcons cared about winning, and also played the Panthers and Saints tough earlier in the year.  Then they lay an absolute egg against the Buffalo Bills in week 16, and follow it up with an even more unimpressive performance against the Jets in the finale.  I think the Bengals should be glad that they don’t have to play Miami in the wild-card round, but who really knows.  They had a such a tough season between locker room issues, and inconsistent quarterback play, but there is enough talent to take over New England’s spot in the AFC east if they can piece it all together.

#6. Jay Cutler cuts a polarizing figure.  My guess is either Bears fans love him or hate him.  There really isn’t any in between.  He has tons of talent, is surrounded by an offense with which he can make an extensive playoff run, but for some reason there still seem to be question marks suggesting that he can’t get the job done.  I know that the Bears just gave him that huge deal, but is Chicago happy to have him back?  Or were they ready to drive him on the next bus out of town?

#5. I like Teddy Bridgewater for the #1 pick in Houston next year.  I don’t think he’s the next Andrew Luck, and I’d be doubtful of him even putting up a Donovan McNabb type career, but this guy isn’t going to be a bust in the slightest.  I’d place him in the Randall Cunningham class of success, and I think he will be a great locker room guy.  If Houston can rebuild their talent base, (and they aren’t that far off), he could be the missing piece that Matt Schaub wasn’t that could give the Texans and the city of Houston their first Super Bowl appearance.

#4. Just as I think Green Bay wanted to avoid San Francisco, I think San Francisco wanted to avoid Green Bay.  The 49ers are probably the best looking team heading into the playoffs.  I think that they believe they can win anywhere, and now that they are in the post-season, they are looking forward to take it that next step further and win a Super Bowl.  The problem with that is they are facing a team in Green Bay that got all of their momentum back with Aaron Rodgers getting healthy, and Randall Cobb coming back from the broken leg could be huge too.  This game could be won by either side, and both teams could go on another Super Bowl run.

#3. I think Cincinnati is licking their chops as they host a playoff game against the vulnerable San Diego Chargers.  The Bengals have taken so many shots this year on defense between losing Geno Atkins, and probably the most underrated CB in football in Leon Hall.  Their offense is starting to click however, and they have to like the fact that they won’t see Denver until the AFC championship game if both teams keep winning. The Bengals have a realistic shot at going to the Super Bowl this year.

#2. Kansas City and Indianapolis will be the first round’s most interesting matchup.  The Colts are in the exact same position as they were last year with a 4-5 game against a real upstart AFC team.  Last year, they had to go to Baltimore which was always going to be tough, but played well and increased expectations for this season.  Kansas City owned the first half of the NFL season, but may have shown their true colors during a 3-5 finish including two losses to the AFC favorite Denver Broncos.  They have the most dangerous weapon in the game in Jamaal Charles though, and when their defense is playing well, they can win any game.  I like Andrew Luck to take that next step forward, and offer the NFL a mouth-watering prospect of Luck vs Manning in the AFC divisional round next week.

#1.  The Philadelphia Eagles landed on a gold mine when they decided to go with Nick Foles at quarterback when Mike Vick got hurt.  Foles has been everything they imagined and then five times that.  He has gone from a guy who may be replaced once the season ends to someone that Chip Kelly can’t do without.  He is my favorite kind of quarterback; one that doesn’t care about statistics so he isn’t afraid to make any throw, and he gets better as the game goes on.  He owned the second half in many games this year, and is along with Shady McCoy, the only reasons that the Eagles are going to host a playoff game this year against the Saints.  Foles vs Brees could be a classic.

New Year's Resolutions

Nate’s 9: New Year’s Resolutions

                I don’t think I can actually come up with 9 of them that I could stay true too, but it wouldn’t be a decent blog post without the attempt to do so.  I actually only have 1 or 2 of them that I expect to follow, but wouldn’t it be fun to give all 9 a shot?  Happy New Year to everyone!

#9. Say Hello whenever eye contact is made. I always feel awkward and maybe it’s a part of my social insecurities, but I have a hard time saying hello to total strangers.  You never know when it might make someone’s day though, or lift them through a tough spell, and I think that it’s worth the try.

#8. Drink less pop.  This is going to be a very hard one for me, and probably a resolution that I won’t be able to stick to, but I think I would be a lot healthier and just feel better about myself if I can do so.  I love pop, but I probably don’t need it.

#7. Quality time with my wife.  We all get so caught up lately in social media and the news and the most recent of current events, and I feel like it cuts into people’s family time.  I know I am at fault for many of these things, as I like to peek at Twitter and Facebook during or after dinner.  Media isn’t going anywhere, and I think ten solid minutes with your significant other is a great idea.

#6. Stick to my goal of neutrality in sports.  I love my teams almost as much as anything, but I really, really want to beat this thing.  I enjoy sports of all shapes and sizes, and I want to master the knowledge of what sports really are.  It’s beyond even passion and the experience of the games.  I want to see it in the same way that the all-time greats do.

#5. Keep my body in good health.  I know that people always say that metabolism’s slow down the further into age we go, but I really want to beat the odds and keep a healthy weight into my 40’s. I still do the weights and the summer exercise, but I want to try the healthy eating and change some other dietary habits as well.

#4. Prepare my Career path.  I enjoy what I do and who I work with, but my one regret is not participating in a career of sports as I get into my 30’s.  In high school, I was convinced that I would already be there, and I think it’s time to give it more of an effort.

#3. A Family vacation.  We need it.  So bad.  Just somewhere fun and something all the kids can enjoy for a few days.

#2. Dominate the reading.  I feel like I read enough, but sometimes I don’t enjoy my quality of reading.  Too much Sports Illustrated, and not enough great literature.  I want to read some books this year that change my outlooks on life, and introduce me to some of the greatest works of literature art.

#1.  Build Aiden’s self-confidence up.  This is something that I struggled with mightily in my youth, and sometimes even today.  It seems so easy; just to have complete faith in oneself.  But I know how hard it can be, and I am beginning to see the difficulties that Aiden deals with in social situations.  He’s a shy kid, and I think he wishes he can be outgoing and friendly, and I would like to help him get there.  This is probably my one true resolution, and without a doubt the most difficult.  Accomplishment will be a great reward for my commitment to helping my son learn and grow.