Nate vs Aiden

Nate vs Aiden

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

10:52 PM

This kid is awesome, but he is definitely the most challenging of the three. One of the things that bothers me the most is how he always compares his relationships with his parents to the relationships that his brothers have with Sara and me. For example, "You cuddle with Lucas for 10 minutes, but you only cuddled with me for 3 minutes." And what he doesn't realize is I just kicked the ball with him outside for an hour, while Lucas played with his friends. And he doesn't even like cuddling!!! It baffles me. Well, actually it doesn’t. He wants to be first at everything. He loves competition, it's what drives him. So I know damn well when I am putting Lucas to bed at night, and Logan for that matter, Aiden is counting the seconds that I am in there.

I love his drive though. My first real memory of it was when he was about 5 years old, and not even in kindergarten yet. He was playing on his 2nd soccer team (the first season wasn't great, there was a time when he wasn't really that good!) and he was really starting to enjoy it. But not the way a normal 5 year old would enjoy sports at that age. He wanted to know who played the best, then 2nd, then 3rd, etc. He wanted me to rate each kid on his team. Dad knew what his motivation was, so I always ranked him 4th (he was 3rd). My other favorite thing about his determination is going on amusement rides. He treats them as a source of accomplishment instead of enjoying them for what they are. He told me that the Power Tower should go higher. He thinks that the Wild Thing should go faster. He says that the Steel Venom isn't long enough. Everything can and should be better, but honestly I wouldn't have it any other way.

I wish he could have a best friend. He so badly wants to have a ride or die, but going to 3 different elementary schools in 4 years, and then losing his final 3 months this year to distance learning has been really hard on him. It breaks my heart. Logan doesn't really need a best friend right now, or maybe ever, because he gets along so well with everyone. Lucas has a best friend (he's probably had 3-4), but Lucas falls hard for his friends, and gives them everything. Aiden is a lot more standoff-ish, but rightfully so. I would love to see him find someone that he can confidently confide in, and really develop his friendship traits.

Aiden's greatest asset is his independence. There are times when I feel like he is an adult already. I think he prefers the company of grownups; he likes playing board games with us and he really wishes he could watch PG-13 films. (Outside of Marvel, we really don't let them). He already talks about going to Europe to further his sporting education. He is dead serious about it too. No sad feelings about being separated from his parents. I feel like this could go one or two ways for him and I. Sometimes I think that he thinks that his dad isn't relatable to him, and that's why he tries to tear down other relationships that I have within the family. I really relate to him, but he also has a drive that I never had when I was a kid. I always felt like when I was a kid that I was scared to be the best kid on the team for fear of letting down my friends and teammates. Aiden always wants to be the best kid on the team because if he isn't, then he feels like he is letting down his friends and teammates. It's quite a cool mindset, and I can't wait to see how he continues to develop in the future.

Sports are Back!

Nate's Nine

Thursday, April 30, 2020

1:44 PM

Well the NBA decided their season today (Hopefully). It's going to be interesting; 22 teams are invited to play in an 8 game regular season and then the seeding will be determined after the results of those match-ups. I believe that we will have to put an asterisk next to this season's 'champion' but I am excited to watch some meaningful sports these next few weeks. Discussions need to be had, and we as a nation need some time for healing and JUSTICE, but just a deflection of our thoughts and passions is something I think we can all get behind. 

Let's have a little fun. Top 9 teams with a chance to win these… 'NBA Finals'?

Honorable Mention: New York Knicks. If the Knicks can go 8-0, then beat either the Nets or Magic twice, they can make the playoffs! Then all they have to do is beat the Bucks in the best of something series, and then quite possibly the Raptors or Celtics. Easy, peasy.

Honorable Mention: Dallas Mavericks. If Luka Doncic is raring up to go, and physically ready for it, he could carry them far in this super short, playoff based season. It's a big ask, but a hot month can change a player's life. I wouldn't put it past Luka.

#9 - Boston Celtics. This sets up perfectly for a team like this. Tons of talent, weren't quite meshing on the level of the Toronto Raptors or the Milwaukee Bucks. I had forgotten that they were almost playing .700 level basketball, so they know how to win games. If conferences are kept the same, they should be able to win any first round matchup easily. It's when they meet the Raptors or the Bucks that things might get tricky.

#8 - Miami Heat. I wavered on this one. I really like a Nets team that has Kyrie and KD on the floor. I mean, I really like that team. But since we don't know, here's the Heat. They're 27-5 at home this season, although their away record is trash. But if they can win the home court games, it will get interesting. This is a really underrated, deep roster. And at its forefront, Jimmy Butler. You all know how I feel about him, but he is an all-star. If playoffs are best of 3 or 5 instead of 7, give the Heat a chance.

#7 - Houston Rockets. I don't know why they were struggling so much during the regular season. They should be able to take over games. For as good as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are, James Harden and Russell Westbrook should be right behind. Yet, this team was 40-24 at the time of Pandemic. Something wasn't right. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt, and saying that they're closer to winning this 'title', than some more socially infused teams.

#6 - Oklahoma City. Speaking of socially infused. Chris Paul did not want to go here. And now here they are with the same record as the Rockets. It's actually a really talented roster. More importanly, they won some really tough games. This team is battle tested and with Steven Adams and Dennis Schroder offering some strong minutes, they could upset the status quo and go on a nice run.

#5 - Denver Nuggets. At one point in the season, they were really flying. This might be my favorite roster in the NBA. Nothing to speak of when it comes to egos. Energetic, committed bench. Nice blend of leadership and youth. My only concern is whether my favorite non-Timberwolf Jamal Murray can take that next step at the point guard position and get past those great defending PG's from those Los Angeles squads. Can't forget that Nikola Jokic is super nice.

#4 - Toronto Raptors. Repeat champions? Probably not, but this team is firing on all cylinders and I think they're the best coached team in the league. Everyone executes everything that's asked of them, as a fan of just good, smart basketball, they show you how far that style can take you. They can run with the Bucks. They can grind with the Sixers. They can push against the Lakers, and if I'm not mistaken, gave LA an ugly loss this year. Reason they're 4th? The top 3 have some serious firepower.

#3 - Milwaukee Bucks. Best record in the league. Almost unguardable at times. So why 3 you ask? That collapse against the Raptors really bugged me last year. Up 2-0 and then to drop the series is a sign that a team isn't ready. They remind me of the early 1990's Utah Jazz. Talented roster, can win a lot of regular season games, but when it's time to get dirty, they keep washing their hands. #COVID Hand washing won't win you titles though. Huge fan of Giannis, but I can't quite keep the faith with this squad yet.

#2 - Los Angeles Lakers. I feel like its their tournament to lose. LeBron is healthy. Brow is healthy. Their supporting class is clicking and this squad just has great chemistry. KCP, Rajon Rondo, Markieff Morris, Kyle Kuzma, this reminds me of the championship teams of the last decade. It's got star power, plus the guys willing to do the hard things. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they ended up champions. I just think there is a nemesis in their way.

#1 - Los Angeles Clippers. This crappy franchise. I can't remember any time in my life that I thought the Clippers would be NBA champions. For years, they were one of the worst franchises in sports. Even when it seemed like it was going to get better, something would set this franchise back. The Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin group should've done better. And now we're here. There's no denying they don't have the depth of the Raptors or Lakers. They don't have the Freak. Their record hasn't been very good up until this point. I'm making my basis on 3 things. 1. Doc Rivers. One off the all-time best. 2. Paul George. Is there a hungrier player in the league? 3. Kawhi. Why would you bet against him? He laughed at all of us last year.

Kobe

Kobe

Sunday, January 26, 2020

4:57 PM

Every story needs a villain.

Kobe was mine. This is our story.

Kevin Garnett was starting to become a huge star with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Which I thought was great for 2 reasons. 1. I was a Wolves fan. 2. He went straight to the NBA from high school, during a time when such a thing was criticized. He had a couple of quiet seasons when he first started, but now he was starting to come into his own. So I thought I would get on the hype train of the next big high school star. That player was going to be the shooting guard from Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania, Kobe Bryant. So I started looking for Kobe Bryant highlights on Sports Center and mentions of him in the newspaper (imagine this time before YouTube and other such social media options). He was a great little player, and was being compared to the greatest of all-time, Michael Jordan. Big plans for a big ego…

Then I got upset. He was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, but with his agent, was able to angle a trade from the Hornets and end up as a Los Angeles Laker. High school players aren't supposed to do this! Show me your humble beginnings, and then if things don't work out, maybe request a deal away or leave when the contract is over. That's what Shaq did, and while he got a lot of flack for leaving Orlando, I thought it was the right way to do it. I decided then and there that I was going to hate Kobe after all. Or so I thought.

Airball. Airball. Airball. I thought it was ridiculous that a teenager kept taking shots, even after sending up a bunch of air balls. Even more so, in a playoff game. Against the Utah Jazz in the western conference semi-finals. With teammates like Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, and Jerome Kersey on the floor as well. My first thought was why is this kid killing his team's season? Then I saw him come back for more. I had a sympathetic moment for him then, I really wanted to see him hit a shot. He didn't and they crashed out of the playoffs.

So I liked him again. He wasn't Jordan, but he had a different competitive fire. A lot of players could have ended up broken after a sequence like that. Not Kobe. It changed his life.

Since the Minnesota Timberwolves were always struggling to get out of the gates during this time (something like 5 consecutive seasons of first round playoff exits), I adopted the Portland Trailblazers as my 2nd favorite team. It was a group full of assholes. JR Rider. Brian Grant. Jimmy Jackson. Damon Stoudamire. Rasheed Wallace. Bonzi Wells. But man were they fun to watch. The year prior to their meeting in the western conference finals, the Blazers were probably the best team in the league. But they ran into a wall when they played the Spurs and David Robinson, Tim Duncan and friends, and got swept off the court. The next year, my adopted Blazers were to meet up with the powerful Lakers, who added AC Green, Brian Shaw and Ron Harper. Unfair, and I started to hate this guys again. Especially in the WCF, when the Lakers were down by 15 points in the 4th quarter, and the referees literally blew their whistles enough times to get the Lakers back in the game again, which they won, and proceeded to go on and win the Finals against the Indiana Pacers. My hatred was back in full force. How unfair! How Unjust! And I found a new team to hate!

They won in 2001. They won in 2002. But I held firm. Shaq and Kobe were 2 of my least favorite athletes around. When I first started writing more creativity outside of school, I remember I did a piece on things that I hate/love. One of the statements was: Things that I hate - Kobe Bryant. Things that I love - Kobe Bryant shooting 5 for 27 from the field.

In 2004, the Minnesota Timberwolves finally became something. They had traded for Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell and it really felt like they were going to take that next step and finally take the Wolves to the finals. We met up with the Lakers again but this time with some nicer weapons: Karl Malone and Gary Payton also chasing that elusive ring. I really hated this group of players because I thought Payton was dirty, I thought Karl Malone was a cheap shot artist (still do), Rick Fox flopped, and Derek Fisher was a snake. We suffered a couple of injuries and had no one to shut down the almighty Kobe. The greatest team the Timberwolves ever created, and all for naught. Another layer to my Kobe hatred.

Colorado. And enough about that.

Then it got quiet. Kobe was missing the playoffs, since the Lakers weren't big enough for 2 egos (which is crazy considering who've they had in their history). And if I had to pick a side, I was always going to be a Shaq supporter. So when Shaq got booted, cheering against Kobe and the Lakers became easy.

And then they got Pau Gasol. And that pissed me the hell off even more. I think the trade was for Kwame Brown and some other random. Are you kidding me?! For an all-star and nothing in return!? If this was any other team, the NBA would step in and say how unethical this trade was. (Haha, Chris Paul). And of course Pau and Kobe would end up winning 2 championships, which left Kobe at 5, and Shaq 4.

81. Who else could it be, but Kobe? I remember thinking, why couldn't it be any other player? Allen Iverson. LeBron James. Dwayne Wade. But it had to be Kobe. This became the guy who I would celebrate when his team got knocked out of the playoffs; or didn't make it altogether. This was the turning point though. I took a moment during this time to wonder why Kobe always seemed to be so successful, even when things around him weren't going so well.

The results surprised me. His work ethic was second to none. His passion was unmatched on the court. He had a bulldog mentality. He lived in a different country as a child. I learned a lot from these findings and they told me a lot about myself. I never had this type of passion for anything in my life. I never worked my ass off to the point where I knew I was going to be successful at something whether it be bowling, or writing, or anything else. I remember thinking around the time of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Manchester United, and I thought when and how is United going to find another player that works as hard and shows the same commitment to greatness that Cristiano did on a daily basis. And not long after that Kobe compared Ronaldo to himself. Kobe, who went from 4 airballs as an 18 year old, to a 5 time NBA Champion and an all-time great. I lowered my guard a bit.

During the final years, I found a new appreciation for my greatest sports villain. I never watched more NBA than when I did cheering against the Lakers. I began to realize, that maybe I didn't hate Kobe, but that I respected him so much I just needed some justification for when he actually did fail. But it was the after retirement Kobe that I related to the most. A doting father. Appreciation of the languages and the arts. He is - was (fuck, it's still so unreal) so in tune as to who he was as a person and I thought it was cool that he was able to share the entire depth of himself, whether it be in Sports Illustrated, interviews on Motiversity, Dear Basketball… all of it. Every story needs a villain, but my story somehow found me a hero. He will certainly be missed.

Peace Mamba. 8/24

Arjen Robben

       It's been a long time since I've sat down and pulled up the blogging machine. Many reasons why, but mainly the boys have gotten so busy that there is no more down time. Also, it's known that I love the social media platform, but unlike 2005 when everyone still had a little time to read an article and express some thoughts on it, now we gif and meme and share are favorite moments with an emoji. That said, Arjen Robben is kind of like my blog. A little different, you have to understand him a little bit more, maybe let his playing style simmer and flavor for a bit before you take a nibble, but you remember the first time you sampled it (Celebrity Blog always got 500+ views, sorry I retired that sucker).

       When Robben's name first entered my stratosphere of the soccer kingdom, I thought it was going to be a match made in heaven. He was a Dutch winger - similar to the fashion of Marc Overmars (My 1st favorite player to watch as a fan), he was young and brash and wasn't afraid to take on any defender. Naturally, like Alex Ferguson, I thought his future would lie at Old Trafford and the great United kingdom. And Robben, in Robben fashion, decided that Manchester United wasn't suitable for him. He didn't like our "arrogance". From that day forth, I was going to hate him for the rest of his career. Especially when he picked the Chelsea project. That was going to make it easy for me.

       Except it didn't. Those runs down the left (This is the pre-Bayern days, believe it or not, Robben didn't always live on the right side of the field and cut in on his left) were exquisite and he left some delicious balls for the likes of Eidur Gudjohnsen, and Didier Drogba to finish. He made so many full backs look absolutely silly. He was a headache for Claudio Ranieri and Jose Mourinho to deal with. His flopping made him difficult to deal with for the referees. His injuries were infuriating for the fans. But still, I couldn't get enough. I watched as Chelsea won Premier League titles. I cheered for the Netherlands to go on and win the 2004 Euros (Greece anyone?). I found a new favorite player who wanted to be at Manchester United and who would achieve the same if not more success than all the glory that Robben turned down. Yet, my feelings about Robben wouldn't seem to change.

      Enter Real Madrid. Finally, I thought. The whole era of galacticos bothered me. United was big, but they were never going to bring in the Luis Figo's, Zidane's and Ronaldo's (fat) of the world. And when David Beckham left United for the white of Real Madrid, I finally felt like soccer had its greatest villain. So when Real started to sign the likes of Robben, Wesley Sneijder, and Rafael Van der Vaart, I thought it would kill two birds with one stone. First, I wouldn't like Robben anymore. (Didn't happen). Second, I wouldn't like the Netherlands anymore (It felt like I was cheating, since the rival Germans were the country that introduced me to this great sport). But I still did. When they lost to Arsenal in Champions League with this great group, I was really disappointed. And it bothered me that someone could transcend my feeling for sports. So when he finally left for Bayern, it created feelings in me that I never knew that I had.

      Bayern. The team that I love to hate, often followed by the team that I love to cheer for when they play against: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, and of course Liverpool. When I lived in Germany it was explained to me that Bayern was like the Yankees, but worse. They were like the Yankees, with the aurora of the Los Angeles Lakers with Shaq and Kobe. Hollywoodesque. It also didn't help that my year of exchange was spent right outside of Dortmund; a club that shares a hatred of all things Bayern Munich. Then, halfway through my exchange year, Die Toten Hosen released a song called, "Bayern". It was not meant as a tribute. So when Robben signed for the red and white of my least favorite German team, I thought my affection for him would come to an end. (I bought his Bayern jersey). When he scored the game winning goal of the Champions League Final against said Dortmund, I knew it was going to be time to hate his guts (I still wear the jersey). When he became known as the Dortmund killer, I just let my hatred out an a huff and applauded his goals (cutting in from the right, every time). And when he decided to hang up his boots after his 7th consectutive championship in the Bundesliga, I sat in my bedroom and cried.

      Often I hear talk of players that people can't stand because of the teams that they play for. Steph Curry on the Warriors. Tom Brady on the Patriots. Derek Jeter on the Yankees. I used to be part of that talk too. It's amazing what one athlete can do for you. Bring excitement to the sport that you love. Make you work hard in your backyard to improve your skills so you can emulate them. Get you to fly around the country so you can see them live for the first time. Arjen Robben did none of these things. But he taught me how to love my enemy.

Enjoy retirement.

2018 NFL Predictions

Perhaps its something of an irony. This is probably my least favorite of the 3 Fall seasons; only because the salary cap bothers me so much. Yet, I feel like it's the most exciting to predict (perhaps for the same reason), and it gets more viewership than the soccer and college football articles combined. So thank you for that. This year appears very interesting; usually I think 18-20 teams can challenge for playoff places and 6-12 can believe that "This is our year", but we might have an anomaly. I think 28 of the 32 NFL teams could legit make the playoffs, and in the NFC alone, 9 teams probably believe that they can win the Super Bowl. And that's not including the delusion of the Dallas Cowboys fans.

2 things are changing. In years past, I had created a formula in which I ranked the QB, coaching staff, and defense of said team, and then rated them on a scale of 1-20. While it was pretty effective (I usually guessed 8/12 playoff teams correctly per year), it didn't evaluate RB, WR and OL which in the case of the Kansas City Chiefs last year, made me look pretty bad. Second, I picked every single NFL game to give each team a record, and that was just a long and annoying headache. JJ Watt, Odell Beckham Jr, Aaron Rodgers, Dalvin Cook and all the other knees, collarbones, shoulders and feet made sure that picking week 17 before the start of week 1 doesn't really make any sense. So I will just evaluate what I know, pick my playoff teams, and go from there. I hope you all enjoy the new format. And most importantly, the new NFL season.

NFC East:

If Carson Wentz comes back and continues his progression to doing all the great Aaron Rodgers impressions, than the Philadelphia Eagles will be fine. If they have to depend on Nick Foles for an entire season, play one of the most difficult schedules in football, and take everyone's best shot, it might be a little different. If that happens, I actually like the New York Giants to step into the place of the Eagles. On paper, they had a great draft. They were able to take the best player available in the first 3 rounds, and plug them into a massive hole of need. Nate Solder and Will Hernandez were necessary if they want Eli to ride into the sunset instead of limp. Lorenzo Carter kept up with Roquan Smith on a lot of days at Georgia. If Saquon is as good as advertised, the Giants could be a potential division champion... this season. The Dallas Cowboys are in a strange place. They have the QB, RB and OL that could be the envy of 10+ teams in the league. They have a defense that should be able to keep the team in most games. But the NFL has become a passing league, and the Super Bowl was a great indication of what is required if a team is going to lift the Lombardi trophy. Dallas has Allen Hurns, Terrance Williams and Rico Gathers to threaten on offense, and Byron Jones, Kevon Frazier and Xavier Woods at the defensive end. A super bowl is a big ask of this group. The Washington Redskins are also a wild card in this division. They could potentially finish 1st (I'd put it at about 10%, however), or be dead last and competing for the #1 pick in next year's NFL draft. The Alex Smith signing would've been great if the team was ready to go the distance and were a QB away. Their running game is a big question mark (AP, anyone?) and Jamison Crowder works best from the slot. They gave up a top corner in Kendall Fuller in order to get Smith, and now it's Josh Norman and some guy lining up across from guys catching balls from Wentz and Manning. I just don't think the Redskins have pin pointed the right direction for the next couple of seasons.
1. Philadelphia Eagles *
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. New York Giants
4. Washington Redskins

NFC South:

On draft night, I thought that the Atlanta Falcons were going to be the favorite's in the NFC. Picking Calvin Ridley to line up opposite Julio Jones, while keeping Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman and Austin Hooper on team friendly contracts, made me believe that this team might be ready for the big time again. The only thing that I don't believe this team knows how to do is beat up another team. Their offense is all finesse, and their defense is fast... and stockpiled with loads of finesse. But will they hit anybody? Lots and lots of speed, but what happens when they run into the New Orleans Saints? I think every NFL fan saw it. The moment that the Saints knew they were going to beat the Vikings in Minneapolis, trounce the Eagles in Philadelphia, and go toe-to-toe with Tom Brady for a chance to win the Super Bowl back in Minneapolis. It happened with about 2 minutes to go. They moved the ball so well, and were frustrating Case Keenum and friends on the other side. Then, cue miracle. The Saints are still loaded. Alvin Kamara could be the top back in the league by the end of the year. Marcus Williams actually looks a good player, that just got lost in the biggest of moments. We'll see what kind of character the kid has on October 28th, when he returns to the scene of the crime. The line protects Brees admirably, and he has some weapons to find in Ted Ginn, Michael Thomas and Cameron Meredith. Even their kicking game is on point. An easier path to the Super Bowl would be made again, if they are able to go 3-0 vs the Carolina Panthers again. The Panthers also believe that they are a good football team, and they were, when they weren't going up against the Saints.  They lost 6 games in 2017, 3 were to the gold and black. I think the Panthers like to attack on both sides of the ball, which is great and makes for entertaining football, but when the Saints do the same thing and better... I like the roster, but I feel like every single player on offense sans Greg Olsen still has a little more to offer than what they've shown in years past. Cam Newton has the talent and size to be one of the league's best. McCafferey has all the tools too, but left us a little wanting last season. Devin Funchess looks like Plaxico Burress, but executes like he's on the field for the first time. There is still enough talent, where I don't think they'll finish last, but only because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers keep shooting themselves in the foot. With a bazooka. It all started when they fired Lovie Smith after just 2 seasons, to go in a different direction. In doing so, they pissed off 11 defensive players, and they felt the need to Tweet their frustrations. You can still see the animosity among the players, and it's interesting that Dirk Koetter is still able to coach even though he's been 14-18 over 2 seasons and we haven't seen improvement from Jameis Winston. (My guy, I know) 12 months ago, I thought this would be a playoff team. Now all 3 division rivals have passed them, and the Bucs are the only team in the South that won't be thinking about the Super Bowl. It's a shame, really.
1. New Orleans Saints *
2. Atlanta Falcons *
3. Carolina Panthers
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC North:

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. This division already looked to be the best in football, and home to two teams that both believe they can win the Super Bowl this season. And then, similar to a rabbit out of a hat, Khalil Mack is a Chicago Bears linebacker. It's a little strange, because to me it appears that the Bears think they are close to contending for at the very least a playoff place. Prior to the deal, I thought they were 2-3 years away, especially with Mitchell Trubisky only having 2 seasons under his belt (1 at North Carolina, 1 in the pros). I thought the weapons (Allen Robinson, Trey Burton, Taylor Gabriel) were a bit of a reach, and their offensive line looks to be in disarray. I thought the strongest part of the team was LB, and then boom, the dynamic of the NFL shifted. Mack is the league's best defender, and he will share a field soon with the likes of Leonard Floyd and Roquan Smith. I'm sure he's drooling, as he gets to chase around the likes of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. They too have made some interesting changes this year. Jimmy Graham is in and gives Rodgers his biggest red zone target he's ever had, but his best friend Jordy Nelson is gone. The offense isn't the question mark though, it's the talent on the other side of the ball, and how well they can adjust to the schemes of Mike Pettine. It's an aggressive style, but could be prone to big plays. Which we know the Packers give up a ton of. Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions know a thing or two about big plays. I really like the way their roster is set up, and they could be a surprise team this year. Stafford knows the offense inside and out, and now he has some weapons that will take a little of the pressure off. Kerryon Johnson should've been a 1st round pick the way he ran at Auburn. That pick was an absolute steal. The defense should be solid by all the pickups that Bob Quinn made. The only thing that makes me nervous for them is their beast of a schedule that includes the Minnesota Vikings twice. This might be the most complete team in football, if they are correct about Kirk Cousins. Last season with Case Keenum, there were moments when they were the most dominant team in the league. Then, the Saints came with heavy blitzes on defense and aerial attacks on offense. And Philadelphia took it one step further. A quick fix would be the health and success of Dalvin Cook, if he doesn't lose any of his explosiveness. Minnesota didn't let us see in the pre-season, so it will continue to be a question mark. The bigger fix would be to get back to simplicity on defense. While I understand that Zimmer likes to attack the A gaps, and send Harrison Smith frolicking around the line of scrimmage, I thought they were at their best when every man covered an area, and did it well. With all the talent, why so many tricks?
1. Minnesota Vikings *
2. Green Bay Packers *
3. Detroit Lions
4. Chicago Bears

NFC West:

This division looks to be the easiest to predict, but looks can be deceiving. The Los Angeles Rams are the "most improved" team in the NFL from last season to this season. At least on paper. But if you asked most NFL fans if they wanted Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Sam Shields and Brandin Cooks on their roster, they would answer with a most resounding, YES! And I would agree, it looks pretty. But there are a LOT of personalities on this team, and one of them is head coach Sean McVay. This looks to be a soap opera in waiting, but I can grudgingly admit that the Rams could also win the Super Bowl with relative ease this season too. Thank goodness the San Francisco 49ers reached out to New England last season, and received their savior in QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Without that move, maybe this division is a little lopsided. But the 49ers are my favorite non-talked about team in football. They lost a really underrated player in Jerick McKinnon last week to a knee injury, as I think he was on his way to being a top 10 back. He finds holes well, catches the ball well and protects his quarterback. It'll be interesting to see if Alfred Morris and Matt Breida can make up for it. They drafted Garoppolo's blind side for the future in Mike McGlinchey and that was a huge coup. He can be for Jimmy what Nate Solder was for Tom Brady. Their defense has talent; if they can put it together, a playoff place isn't out of the question. The Seattle Seahawks have plenty of questions. They are host to quite possibly the most dynamic quarterback in the league in Russell Wilson, as he can beat teams with his legs, arm or intellect. He's a hard guy to beat in this league. Beyond that though, and it gets tricky. The personalities are mostly gone, and in their places are a bunch of players looking to take that extra step. Can Shaquill Griffin take Richard Sherman's place? Can Frank Clark match the engine of Michael Bennett's? If they can, Seattle still might have enough left in the tank. On the other hand, there is no denying the talent on the Arizona Cardinals.  They might still be one of the most talented teams in the league... when they are healthy. They managed to go 8-8 without David Johnson last year, and that shows you the type of talent this team has. Sam Bradford is an accurate QB when given time, hopefully he can have his top 5 guys protecting him long enough this season. It'll be fun to guess which player ends up on the IR first. If the IR doesn't attack this team like it seems to do, the Cardinals could be respectable.
1. L.A. Rams *
2. Seattle Seahawks
3. S.F. 49ers
4. Arizona Cardinals

AFC East:

I think we are all just a little bit shocked that the New England Patriots didn't end up last season as the super bowl champions. It was set up for a good run; Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, and Devin McCourty just know what to do in crunch time. Nick Foles, is well, Nick Foles. And it didn't go according to script. What was interesting to me is that it almost felt like the Patriots window was closing shut. Cooks and Danny Amendola were let go, and replaced with Jordan Matthews and Cordarrelle Patterson. Nate Solder took the money and ran. Malcolm Butler pissed off the boss and got the boot (what happened, seriously?) I'm not sure they were replaced adequately, but we know that Bill can pull some magic, and the Patriots will be 13-3 again and planning for another Super Bowl. You know who won't be planning for a Super Bowl? The Miami Dolphins. They might be my pick to end up picking 1st in the 2019 NFL draft. And I love what they did in their draft this season. When we look back down the road, Minkah Fitzpatrick might be to this draft what Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu were to theirs. He fell a lot further than I thought he would, and the Dolphins will be the biggest beneficiary of that. I just really don't like this offense. I've never liked Ryan Tannehill; I think he's a strong arm, and good size, and that's about the gist of it. I don't remember Kenyan Drake running the ball at Alabama, but rumor has it that he did. Nothing else on this team gets me excited, and I'm guessing nothing will until they draft Nick Bosa in about 8 months. The Buffalo Bills will be their biggest challengers. I understand that the NFL salary cap makes it hard to maintain success in this league, but when success is one playoff appearance in the 21st century (8 months ago, no less), it's really hard to keep screwing things up. Yet, they somehow do. I know that Tyrod Taylor wasn't a franchise guy, but he still gave them a chance to win football games. Now a great defense is paired with a rookie QB that only completed 56% of his passes at Wyoming. Josh Allen (his arm) does look the part though, and I think if they remain patient, he will be much better than Tannehill, make of that what you will. I don't believe their offensive weapons scare many defenses, but Shady does keep on trucking. He did hit that magic number (30) though. The defense is great, and made greater by the signing of Star Lotulelei. I think he can light up offensive lines similiar to the way Suh did. Tremaine Edmunds could challenge for defensive ROY and their secondary is one of the league's best. But the schedule is tough (Josh Allen sees Baltimore, Joey Bosa and the Vikings in the first 3 weeks), and if they start 0-3, it might come crumbling down. Now, the New York Jets. I'm not sure any other franchise has gotten the media pub, that this team has seen over the last 7 months. I turn on ESPN, they're talking about the Jets. NFL Network? Sam Darnold. Boomer on CBS Sports... Darnold and the Jets. So let's talk about them. I don't believe that Darnold is Peyton Manning. A lot of comparisons make me think that the talking heads believe it could happen, but he's of a different element. I think he's more like Jim Kelly. Once the thing clicks, and he's surrounded by top talent, then can we see his true talents shine through. But no one is mistaken Isaiah Crowell for Thurman Thomas, Robby Anderson for Andre Reed or Terrelle Pryor for James Lofton. It's going to be a while. He is blessed with quite the defense on the other side, and Leonard Williams could be the best lineman in the league by week 17 (maybe after JJ if he plays). I love the secondary, and I'm mad that the Packers had no shot at Jamal Adams, who might be the best safety of this generation. He's like Earl Thomas and Harry the Hitman rolled into one. Look out!
1. New England Patriots *
2. New York Jets
3. Buffalo Bills
4. Miami Dolphins

AFC South:

The Houston Texans have a very exciting collection of talent that if they stay on the field, could be challenging for championships in years to come. DeShaun Watson is at the head of all this. I understand that fantasy football heads drool over this guy's numbers, but if you just step back and watch, you are also seeing a guy that just gets it. He extends plays, spreads the ball around, but plays safe enough where you don't see many turnovers. If the injury is past him, he could be up there with Wentz in the next generation. He'll get a big test early though; his first four road games are the Patriots, and every division rival. If they want to contend this year, he probably has to win at least 2. The defense is rock solid, and will be helped by the arrival of Tyrann Mathieu. I have no idea why the Cardinals didn't at least try to bring him back for a similar price; his arrival almost completes the Texans defense. If Aaron Colvin and Kareem Jackson can become the 2nd best CB pair in the division, they have a shot to do some damage come January. The best pair of CB's in the south come from the Jacksonville Jaguars. I think that anyone that watched Florida State a few years ago could tell you that Jalen Ramsey was destined for this type of greatness. What we didn't know was that AJ Bouye would be a top 10 CB as well, and it makes for a nasty challenge for some of the NFL's elite QB's. Yannick Ngakoue and Calais Campbell form one of the NFL's top pass rushes as well, and it's going to be difficult to put up points against this defense. Garoppolo and Roethlisberger were really the only two that moved the ball efficiently against this team last year. For a Super bowl shot, it will likely come down to the arm and decision making of one Blake Bortles. I don't believe in him, but it seems like the Jaguars do. That might be good enough, but with Andrew Luck back to full strength, he might be the 4th best in his division. Andrew Norwell should help. The offensive line could be one of the strengths. The sneakiest team in the NFL just might be the Indianapolis Colts. Luck was an all-pro before all the injury plagued seasons. Rumor is, he's ready to go. If he is, he will be protected by who I think was the most complete player in the 2018 draft, Quentin Nelson. He was almost perfect at Notre Dame, and like a Steve Hutchinson, should be ready to go for the next 10-12 seasons. I also like the hiring of Frank Reich. He did an admirable job in Philadelphia last year, and there are plenty of weapons on this offense to compete for a playoff place. What it probably comes down to is whether or not the young defense can keep up. The secondary is the youngest in the NFL; they will need to step up immediately to give this defense a chance. Jabaal Sheard might just be the most recognizable name on this defense. My point exactly. On the other side of the river, the Tennessee Titans probably boast one of the NFL's best defenses. Their secondary really stands out, and adding Malcolm Butler to the mix could put them on a par with the Jaguars secondary. Kevin Byard is just shy of all-pro, and Adoree Jackson could be getting close to that level by the end of the year. Taylor Lewan might be the best blindside LT in the league, and he might have to do it again for the Titans to challenge. I love the character and personality of QB Marcus Mariota, but for whatever reason, it all hasn't come together. They struggle in the red zone, and field goals won't get them to the playoffs in this division. Firing Mike Mularkey was a strange move though, no matter how good they think Mike Vrabel might be.
1. Houston Texans *
2. Jacksonville Jaguars *
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Tennessee Titans

AFC North:

Could this finally be the year the Cleveland Browns come out of the cellar and actually win a couple of games? They brought in a successful GM in John Dorsey, they also added Paul DePodesta to help out with the analytics of the NFL. Todd Haley is now calling plays for the Browns and he'll have Jarvis Landry and Josh Gordon to design plays for. Tyrod Taylor won more games last season than the Browns have in the last 3. And Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb added with Duke Johnson should give the Browns a new dimension of running that they haven't had for some time. The defense looks solid; while the rest of the league laughed at the Browns for picking Denzel Ward ahead of Bradley Chubb, I feel like they have a shutdown corner on the same level of a Xavier Rhodes or Jalen Ramsey. If Myles Garrett and Emmanuel Ogbah can put a rush together, the end of the barrel bottom should be near. Replacing them? The Cincinnati Bengals. I really want to like this team as I feel they've drafted pretty well recently, and locked up all the players that matter. Geno Atkins, AJ Green and Clint Boling should all retire as Bengals. But they just don't have the guys that want to win in this league so bad that it hurts. I'll start with Vontaze Burfict. He just wants to hit, regardless of the consequences and it puts the Bengals at a disadvantage every time he gets suspended. Andy Dalton doesn't appear to want to raise his level to the group of elite QB's. Once he got his new deal, he's looked average at best. Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard were drafted to be one of the top duo's in the NFL; both of them can be beaten, and now Dennard probably plays best in the nickel. It would be nice to see their character rise to the occasion and get Marvin Lewis a playoff victory, but I just don't see things happening for them once again. The Pittsburgh Steelers are so stubborn it hurts. Le'Veon isn't interested in coming back until he gets a long-term deal; the Steelers have moved onto the next RB. Their window in the NFL might be the smallest in the league though, Ben keeps talking about retirement, and they can't keep striking gold on drafting top notch WR in the league... or can they? James Washington might be the best WR in this draft class when it's all said and done. Antonio Brown and Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster might be the top pair in the league. They still play host to one of the best 3-4 defenses in the league. Stephon Tuitt might be the best 3-4 end in football, and Cameron Heyward is probably top 5. Morgan Burnett was a good signing; he should solidify their holes in the secondary. The Steelers look the part of a Super Bowl team, but knowing how small the window is, can they give their all-pro RB what he wants? Teams that wish they were in the Steelers shoes include the Baltimore Ravens. They probably thought that after Joe Flacco won the Super Bowl in 2012 that his career path would mirror that of Mr. Roethlisberger himself. Not so much, and they spent one of their two 1st round draft choices on QB Lamar Jackson. Which was kind of fun. But strange with some really good running backs and corner backs still on the board for a team that could've used one. I like Alex Collins though, and he could have a breakout campaign. He runs really hard; he's what I thought Darren McFadden was going to become. Terrell Suggs won't go away, and the safety duo is one of the best in the league with Eric Weddle and Tony Jefferson. It's a nice team, but not one that I can see pulling in the Lombardi trophy.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers * (Le'Veon in week 3)
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Cleveland Browns
4. Cincinnati Bengals

AFC West: 

Maybe the tightest division in football? I don't see a Super Bowl champion among any of the four, but I also don't think any of them will be drafting top 5 next season, barring a disaster of injuries. The Denver Broncos had my favorite signing of the off-season... not Case Keenum, but Marquette King. His boot at these altitudes should make him one of the best punters in football. Short fields for this offense could really make a difference, as the talent is there to do something special. After Adrian Peterson, Royce Freeman was my favorite running back coming out of high school in the YouTube area. He doesn't have the same exhilarating runs that AP has, but he is a tough back to bring down, and usually falls forward. The receivers are solid, and Keenum is a serviceable QB. The secondary might still be one of the league's best even with the loss of Talib, and the drafting of Bradley Chubb excited the fan base. They will have to be at their very best most weeks, because it looks like the Los Angeles Chargers have finally put together a team that can win this division again. It's amazing to think about, but Rivers has only been to the playoffs once in the last eight seasons. Sometimes he has a ton of talent around him, but can't stay upright, and then they bring in good protectors and he turns the ball over a ton. For the first time in awhile, the line looks to be great (Mike Pouncey was huge), and Rivers has some serious weapons in Melvin Gordon, Keenan Allen and Tyrell Williams. The defense is very underrated and could make the same improvements that the Vikings did in 2017. Casey Hayward is one of the best CB's in the league. Derwin James should step in immediately and dominate the same way Weddle did for them in years past. Denzel Perryman, Corey Liuget, and Brandon Mebane make the middle very difficult to run through, and Joey Bosa might be the NFL's best defensive player in 2018. It's setting up nicely, but there are tough games in this division, that will probably keep any team from standing out. Jon Gruden hopes to disagree, and make the Oakland Raiders the hottest team in the league in time for their move to Las Vegas. He put his stamp on the team, when he asked that the team trade Khalil Mack so they could continue evolving toward the type of team that Gruden wants. There's no denying that he is one of the most knowledgeable guys around, but sometimes that doesn't translate to wins. He changed the look of the receiving core completely, and it's hard to say if they got better. Martavis Bryant is suspended once again, and it sounds like the Raiders might cut him just a couple of months after they traded for him. Jordy Nelson hasn't looked the same since his ACL injury, but if he can find some of his explosiveness, he could give Derek Carr a layer of skill that he probably hasn't had in Oakland. Marshawn Lynch came back for another go, and looked great at the end of last season. The offense should be fun to watch, but with the trade of Mack, it might not even matter. The Kansas City Chiefs do have super bowl potential, especially on offense. The attacking talents of Kareem Hunt, Spencer Ware, Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Travis Kelce and Chris Conley is exciting and should provide Pat Mahomes with plenty of options to go for big plays. The Offensive line is one of the best in the league. It's going to be the defense that determines whether or not the Chiefs can go to the super bowl this season. Getting Kendall Fuller in the Alex Smith deal was huge, especially with the loss of Peters. He and Steven Nelson will have to be great against this division of talented WR's. Justin Houston and Dee Ford can be great, but really haven't put all the talent together yet. Reggie Ragland is one of my favorite inside LB's in the league, he should be able to relieve them from any anxiety over losing Derrick Johnson. This team is close, but unless Mahomes makes Jared Goff type progression, they probably still need another year or two.
1. Kansas City Chiefs *
2. L.A. Chargers *
3. Denver Broncos
4. Oakland Raiders

Playoff Picture:

NFC:

3 L.A. Rams vs 6 Atlanta Falcons
Winner: Rams

4 Philadelphia Eagles vs 5 Green Bay Packers
Winner: Packers

1 New Orleans Saints vs 5 Green Bay Packers
Winner: Saints

2 Minnesota Vikings vs 3 L.A. Rams
Winner: Vikings

1 New Orleans Saints vs 2 Minnesota Vikings
Winner: Vikings (All the demons erased with this win)

AFC:

3 K.C. Chiefs vs 6 Jacksonville Jaguars
Winner: Jaguars

4 Houston Texans vs 5 L.A. Chargers
Winner: Chargers

1 New England Patriots vs 6 Jacksonville Jaguars
Winner: Patriots

2 Pittsburgh Steelers vs 5 L.A. Chargers
Winner: Steelers

1 New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Winner: Steelers

Super Bowl:

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Minnesota Vikings
This would be a great matchup if none of the most important pieces are missing from this game. I think Zimmer knows how to beat Pittsburgh, but Ben has been here before. In a case where Kirk Cousins hasn't, I just can't see the Vikings getting past what would be a very innovative game plan (zone blitzes and a ton of different looks). Ben goes out with a bang, and Mike Tomlin gets his name in the greatest coaches book.

Winner: Steelers

2018 NCAA Football Predictions

I think that this is going to be a really good season, but with the same results-ish. I think that 3 of the final four teams are repeats from last year, and the one that I don't believe in might finish outside of the top ten, but still qualify for the college football New Year's Six (Oklahoma). Here are my 9 that I think could compete for the title, plus 9 players to watch out for on both sides of the ball.

#9 - West Virginia. My Big 12 (I still am baffled we have kept the conference names, as there are only 10 teams in the Big 12, 14 teams in the Big Ten, but at least the Pac-12 has their shit together) champion. I've always like Will Grier, and I'm glad he's found success, even if it isn't in the swamp. I still think he will be a great pro quarterback, just because he is so even-keeled on the field. Reminds me a lot of Eli Manning, take what you will with that. David Sills V is still catching passes, and one could say that they have the best receiving quartet in the nation. If they beat Oklahoma in the final week, and only drop 1-2 other games, a top 10 finish would be a good year for them.

#8 - Michigan State. A beautiful non-conference schedule plus Michigan and Ohio State at home look pretty awesome to me. The fact that they are returning 20 of their 24 starters has me really excited, and best case scenario, Michigan State is back in the playoff. But playing away to Penn State the week before hosting Michigan, and the potential of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship is a big ask of a team that still relies on Brian Lewerke at quarterback. He's fine, but it's the rest of the team that makes this thing tick.

#7 - Notre Dame. My reach pick. I think Brian Kelly has the best team he has ever put together at Notre Dame on the field this year. I don't like the fact that they lost 2 all-Americans on the offensive line, but this is a really talented team, they have a super transfer in Alohi Gilman to step right in and lead the defense, and Julian Love is one of my favorite corners in the country. The schedule sets up nice, and if they can win two tough away games (Virginia Tech, Northwestern), the showdown with USC at the end could be for a playoff place.

#6 - Washington. This is a really underrated team in the news circles. CBS Sports rarely mentions them, I haven't even seen them on ESPN for playoff talk, and Twitter pretty much all but ignores them. But, I love this team, and they could challenge the top two. Jake Browning is back for his senior year, and he's been really solid for them over his career. Myles Gaskin is one of the nation's best backs, Marquis Spiker could be the best freshman WR in the nation, and the defense is loaded. Everyone thinks that the Huskies just pile up points, but it's this team's top 10 defense that could give them an undefeated regular season, and a shot at the title.

#5 - Ohio State. Where to begin... I was really excited about this team before their off-season debacle. Now Urban is out for a couple of games (piece of cake, really - Oregon State, Rutgers and TCU) and they are introducing a new quarterback. These things could be issues, and while most of the country thinks they are a top 4 team, I think the intangibles push them outside the elite. I'll probably eat my words though, as JK Dobbins and Mike Weber are the nation's best running duo, and the defense is loaded with 5 star talents, as well as my pick for the #1 spot of the 2019 NFL Draft, Nicky B. The Big Ten is tough this year, but they definitely have the talent to make it look easy. Even with the big target on their backs.

#4 - Georgia. I know that everyone is talking about the Alabama quarterback controversy this fall, but a team a couple hours east of them, could also be traveling in similar waters. Georgia was led to the final last year by freshman Jake Fromm, and it looked to be his position for years to come. And then they bring in the #1 QB recruit in the country Justin Fields. Rumor has it that he played great in the spring game, and getting them both on the field will be interesting. The early schedule should allow for it, and with D'Andre Swift, Terry Godwin, Riley Ridley and Isaac Nauta around the edges, Georgia should be right back in the running to compete for another title.

#3 - Wisconsin. I almost picked them 2nd, that's how much I like them this fall. I think Jonathan Taylor is the best running back in the country, and Alex Hornibrook is a great leader and reminds me of the situation that Ken Dorsey was in with those great Miami teams. He has ample WR's to throw to, and is protected by the nation's best offensive line. All 5 of those guys should be playing on Sundays. The schedule also sets up nicely, but there is a tricky game when they travel to Iowa. They also head to Michigan and Penn State, but get through those 3 games, and the Big Ten title game, and they will certainly be playing meaningful football in January.

#2 - Alabama. Some might say this is a down year for the Tide, as they only return 2 starters on defense, and 7 on offense. What they don't understand is they have 5 star talents at every position, and not just with one guy. Jalen Hurts looks to be the back-up QB and he's played in 2 national championships. Tua was sensational in the title game last year, and looks to have won the job. Handing off to Damien Harris and Najee Harris should help. I'm sure the defense will find new pieces (they always do), and I expect nothing less than another appearance in the championship game during the new year. It's just one team comes back looking a little bit better.

#1 - Clemson. I haven't seen a projected defense this good, since those aforementioned Miami Hurricanes of the early 2000's. They are LOADED. The entire defensive line could make some form of an All-American team. Kendall Joseph might be one of the best LB's in the country. My only question mark for Dabo's 2nd title is the play at QB, and that might not be too much of an issue. Kelly Bryant is fine, and doesn't really lose games the way some quarterbacks do. He isn't DeShaun Watson though, and he has a bunch of talented QB's behind him, including the guy that I think could be the #1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Trevor Lawrence. Just watch his YouTube videos; his throws are off the charts. The only guy that I've seen with his confidence and moxie is Troy Aikman. He looks like a winner. And if he becomes the starting QB this fall... look out.

Clemson vs Georgia - Winner: Clemson

Alabama vs Wisconsin - Winner: Alabama

Clemson vs Alabama - Winner: Clemson

9 Offensive Players to watch for:

Will Grier - QB, West Virginia. They will sling it. Watch the yards pile up.
Jonathan Taylor - RB, Wisconsin. Just like all the other guys. But somehow better.
N'Keal Harry - WR, Arizona State. Should be the 1st WR off the board next year.
Khalil Tate - QB, Arizona. My favorite QB to watch in the country.
D'Andre Swift - RB, Georgia. I like him as much as Todd Gurley. Watch him on the power runs.
Drew Lock - QB, Missouri. Probably the 1st QB off the board next year, just looks the part.
Noah Fant - TE, Iowa. Just seems to always be in the end zone.
Deebo Samuel - WR, South Carolina. For those of you that already miss Dante Pettis.
Juwan Johnson - WR, Penn State. They have low-key been spitting out a ton of good wideouts.

9 Defensive Players to watch for:
Clelin Ferrell - DE, Clemson. The fast one.
Christian Wilkins - DT, Clemson. The strong one.
Dexter Lawrence - DT, Clemson. My favorite one.
Austin Bryant - DE, Clemson. The well-rounded one.
Ed Oliver - DT, Houston. The challenger to Nick Bosa for the opportunity to play for the Dolphins.
Nick Bosa - DE, Ohio State. Probably the player the Dolphins draft if they end up #1.
Devin White - LB, LSU. Oh my! A little bit of Von Miller, and a little bit of Ryan Shazier.
Greedy Williams - CB, LSU. Patrick Peterson part 2.
Julian Love- CB, Notre Dame. If my Packers have to take another DB in 2019, let it be this one.

Enjoy the season, everyone!

European Football 2018

Dear Barclays Premier League,

Start early all you want, the rest of Europe will not care. Change the transfer deadline all you want, the rest of Europe will not care. Force Burnley to play 6 games before the beginning of September, I don't think the European schedule makers will care. And so I don't care either, and I will start my season preview blog now.

England:
Premier League Champions: Manchester City
F.A. Cup Champions: Bournemouth (Not quite Leicester but still)
That Other Cup: Manchester City (Their second 11 is awesome)
Champions League Places: Liverpool (2), Manchester United (3) , Chelsea (4).
Euro League Places: Tottenham (5), Arsenal (6), Everton (7). Bournemouth (Cup Champions)
Relegation: Brighton, Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City

Season Outlook: I know that there hasn't been a repeat champion since 2009, but I think it's pretty safe to say City can do it this year. Their team doesn't have any of the world true elites - like a Cristiano Ronaldo, Leo Messi or a Luis Suarez, but they are about as close to complete as a team can be. Now that it's truly Pep's squad; there are about 5 or 6 different ways that the team can play, and they do all of them very well. I think Liverpool will chase them down, but will end up about 6-8 points adrift by the end of the year. I think the real race lies between the 3rd-6th spots. I'll give the nod to Manchester United and Chelsea to lock up the final Champions League places as I think Paul Pogba and Eden Hazard give the two clubs a little bit more quality on the day than a Dele Alli or a Mesut Ozil, but it could be a really tight race. Tottenham is sneaky, and could very well end up in the race for the title. I think that Everton and Leicester will fight for that last European place, but the quality in Everton's squad is starting to really shine. I think that Wolves could finish top half with all the quality that they brought in, and I think that it's Crystal Palace that might fight to stay alive with the Brighton and Cardiff's of the world. I think that Bournemouth realizes that their team has the talent for a one-off, and really gives it a go in the cup competition. Hopefully they get a few easy draws to help them along the way.

France:
Ligue 1 Champions: PSG
Coupe de France Champions: PSG
Champions League Places: Lyon (2), Monaco (3)
Euro League Places: Marseille (4), Lille (5), Rennes (6)
Relegation: Nantes, Amiens, Caen.

Season Outlook: Probably the league I follow the least out of the big 5, but I know well enough to guess that the PSG all-stars can win a league-cup double with relative ease. Kylian Mbappe is going to be one of the best players in the world soon, and my only regret for him is that he didn't move to Real Madrid to replace Ronaldo, and instead agreed to the PSG long-term plan. There still might be time for him at Madrid, and if paired with Martin Odegaard and Marco Asensio, could dominate the future of European football. So for now, they can dominate the French landscape. They didn't have the off-season like they did in 2017, but were still able to complete the Mbappe signing from Monaco (after the 12 month loan), and even got GK Gianluigi Buffon to sign on a free transfer. I assume that Europe is the main target. Lyon were able to keep their number 10 Nabil Fekir from the clutches of Liverpool; with that, may have the talent to make it to Europe's biggest stage. I also like the direction that AS Monaco continues to tour; sign Europe's youngest and brightest stars and then sell them for a handful of money once they begin to reach their potential. Next up on the list: Youri Tielemans. I think he will be one of the best CM in the world in 2-3 years time. The sweepstakes should begin next summer.

Germany:
Bundesliga Champions: Bayern Munich
DFB Pokal Champions: RB Leipzig
Champions League Places: Borussia Dortmund (2), FC Schalke (3), Bayer Leverkusen (4)
Euro League Places: Borussia Monchengladbach (5), VFB Stuttgart (6), RB Leipzig (Cup winners)
Relegation: Fortuna, Hannover 96

Season Outlook: Looks to be Bayern and then everyone else. This team is getting older, and maybe Niko Kovac puts an emphasis on the European trophy, but I still believe they have enough in their tank (and keeping James was huge), to win another title. It'll be fun to watch when Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry take over for Ribery and Robben, however, those two just have so much guile and determination. They sold Douglas Costa, so it remains to be seen if anyone comes in besides those two. The race for 2nd should be fun. I think that Dortmund has enough depth and should do it if they can find their center forward. Schalke and Leverkusen didn't lose any of their horses sans Leon Goretzka, but for Schalke that could be the difference between finishing 2nd last year and 5th this year. I still think the team has quality. Leipzig has a team that can challenge on 2 fronts, and I think they do enough (maybe avoid Bayern) to lift the cup. I hope we get to see Hamburg in the top flight next year, it sure is going to be strange without them.

Italy:
Serie A Champions: Juventus
Coppa Italia Champions: Juventus
Champions League Places: Napoli (2), Inter (3)
Euro League Places: Roma (4), Lazio (5), AC Milan (6)
Relegation: Parma, Frosinone, SPAL

Season Outlook: I think that all eyes will be on Juventus, and once the train gets rolling, we are going to see something special. It's a shame that Buffon didn't stick around for it, but the wealth of attacking options - Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala, Juan Cuadrado, Costa, Mario Mandzukic, - is embarrassing to have in a league like this, perhaps only Barcelona and Manchester City aren't envious of all the talent. Napoli will be entertaining, but I think we are getting close to the end of this generation of multiple Champions League appearances. Still a good team. Inter is one of the most improved teams in Europe, and Roma, Lazio and Milan will be good enough to push them until the end. I really like the talent of Torino's roster, and if any club can surprise and break into this pretty sturdy top 6, my guess is that it will be them.

Spain: 
La Liga Champions: Barcelona
Copa Del Rey Champions: Real Madrid
Champions League Places: Atletico (2), Real Madrid (3), Villarreal (4)
Euro League Places: Sevilla (5), Real Sociedad (6), Valencia (7)
Relegation: SD Huesca, SD Eibar, Deportivo Alaves

Season Outlook: Just like Hamburg in the Bundesliga, we are watching a La Liga season without the familiar Deportivo La Coruna for the first time in a generation. This is sadder for me in a way, when I was living over in Germany, it was Deportivo that won the Spanish League, and the team that I thought was most threatening to the power of Manchester United of that time. Crazy how quickly things change in sports. In any case, Barcelona looks too tough for some of the world's best sides, and it might be the last hurrah for the Messi-Suarez combo. If they can figure out which one of the Phillipe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele, Malcom triumvirate can line up next to them, and offer the same services that Neymar did, they could be hauling in 3 trophies these next 12 months. Atletico and Real Madrid didn't go crazy this year, but both added an element that could make things interesting. Thomas Lemar was a fantastic signing for Atletico and gives them a quicker dimension in the attack. Thibaut Courtois cleans up the only weakness that Real Madrid thought they had (I think Keylor Navas has done a fine job over the years), and really solidifies the back line. Marco Asensio should fill in for Cristiano admirably.

Champions League:
Quarterfinalists: Manchester City, Barcelona, Juventus, Atletico, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG.
Final: Juventus vs Barcelona.

Here's to hoping we are finally seeing a Cristiano Ronaldo vs Messi final, albeit in jerseys that we weren't expecting. I think Juventus takes it and concludes their dream season with multiple (3) trophies.

Euro League:
Final: Sevilla vs Chelsea. This would actually be a pretty good final if it can be put together. Sevilla usually thrives in this competition and seems to find an appropriate balance between competing in the Spanish League and the Europa League. Chelsea has a chip on their shoulder it appears, have plenty of depth in midfield and attack for 2 competitions, and I think Kepa moves into the GK position seamlessly. Sevilla takes another trophy though.

World 11:  (3-4-3)
GK - Alisson Becker
CB - Mats Hummels
CB - Giorgio Chiellini
CB - Samuel Umtiti
LM - Eden Hazard
CM - Fernandinho
CM - N'Golo Kante
RM - Koke
CF - Leo Messi
CF - Cristiano Ronaldo
CF - Paulo Dybala

My 11: (4-4-2)
GK - David De Gea
LB - Luke Shaw
CB - Mats Hummels
CB - Dayot Upamecano
RB - Joshua Kimmich
LM - Ryan Sessegnon
CM - Paul Pogba
CM - Youri Tielemans
RM - Ousmane Dembele
ST - Antoine Griezmann
ST - Marcus Rashford

Wouldn't be a blog without the Nate's 9, would it? Let's do top 9 surprises for the 2018-19 European season...

#9 - Wolves and Watford finish top half in England. I like Burnley a little bit more, and I think that Crystal Palace has more talent. But Burnley will be playing on Thursday nights if they can get past Olympiacos (I think they do), and Crystal Palace will attempt some cup runs. I think Wolves will want to finish as high as they can, and continue bringing in top tier talent to the midlands. Ruben Neves will be one of the best and most well-known players by this time next season. Watford lost their best player in Richarlison, but Wil Hughes is massively underrated, and the team context works really well here. 9th and 10th for them.

#8 - Deportivo La Coruna won't come back to La Liga for awhile. They are really bad. Like hardly any talent on the team what so ever. I think it might be a few years before this once proud club makes it back to the highest Spanish League, but maybe with a new investment in the youth, they can have another talented generation come through.

#7 - Ross Barkley will push Cesc Fabregas out of Chelsea. I think Fabregas will be the biggest talent across Europe to move in January. Barkley is a very talented player; I hope Chelsea give him the chance to shine beyond these first round of games. With a hectic schedule coming up (Top 4 aspirations, plus Thursday nights), they will need a deep squad. With Kovacic on and Drinkwater available, I think Fabregas could help a European club (Juventus? PSG?) make a push in next spring's Champions League knockout rounds.

#6 - Celtic and Rangers will meet in Europa League. Wouldn't it be something if both teams catch some form during the fall season and push through their groups into qualification for the knockout rounds? Would be some of the best atmospheres football has ever seen in my opinion. I'll throw this out there, see if cosmic karma will give us this footballing blessing.

#5. Bournemouth win the F.A. Cup. This would be one hell of a surprise. I'm always intrigued that more clubs don't try and do "A Wigan", and give their fans the run of a lifetime. Yeah it sucks that Wigan are playing football in the 2nd tier, and spent some time in the 3rd one since their miracle cup win over Manchester City just a few short years ago, but they have a trophy in their cabinet and a magical season to be remembered. I think Bournemouth would appreciate something like that.

#4. Jose Mourinho will be fired. It just seems like a thing now. He always fails in his 3rd season with a club, and usually with terrible results. Perhaps a Carabao Cup loss in the early rounds? Another row with his captain, Paul Pogba? Driving Anthony Martial to PSG himself? Something is going to happen, and I think Manchester will be done with his antics.

#3. Houssem Aouar and not Christian Pulisic will be the next world star. I'm not sure how Lyon does it. If Fekir would've left, it really wouldn't have mattered so much, because Aouar would have stepped in without an issue. They already have the world's next great holding midfielder in Lucas Tousart. Now they get the next great attacking midfielder in Aouar? Doesn't really seem fair, does it? And when Luka Modric does get tired of the Real Madrid football and expectations, they will have their ready made replacement right here. And Christian will end up at Chelsea instead.

#2. Eden Hazard will end up at Real Madrid. Next season. Chelsea gets another year out of him, and will use Champions League football and a open position on the left side of the field to sign Pulisic instead. Hazard goes on to be one of the great Real Madrid players.

#1. Youri Tielemans will be the next 100 million Euro player when Monaco put him up for sale next July. Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG will be the only clubs in the sweepstakes to sign him, even though Manchester City and Manchester United will want to. My guess is he goes for around 130 million Euros and ends up at Barcelona. They are going to build one final team for Messi to lay claim to the greatest player and winner of all time. Back to back Champions League titles might do it. Tielemans could be the reason why. -- When it's all said and done, Monaco could be holding onto 300 million Euros of talent (Tielemans, Geubbels, Pellegri, Rony Lopes, Mboula, Sylla) right now. The future of football is living with the princes...