Under the Microscope: QB

With Spring Practice all wrapped up and the basketball news starting to FINALLY slow, I have really started to think about next season and what could be in store.  While it's still too early to really make any predictions, it's not too early to take a closer look at what could be in store at the various position groups.  Over the next few days, we will be walking through some of the key positions for the Hawkeyes and discussing the possibilities heading into next year. 

So let's kick things off with the spot that can really make or break your season (like last year):  the quarterback.  There's no doubt that Ricky Stanzi will be back as the Hawkeye's #1 (kind of like America).  The real questions surround who will be cemented as his back-up and how the Manzi will perform.  Last year, many a game hinged on his first quarter pick-six and his fourth quarter heroics.  I'd be pretty happy going 11-2 again this season, but I don't know if my heart can take the roller coaster ride Slick Rick put me through last year.

Hawks Pregame with a side of Apology

I’d like to begin today with a very sincere apology to a good friend of mine.  While in college I had the opportunity to become acquainted with a Dallas Stars fan.  We would sit back, pound a couple brews, play NHL 2006 on Playstation 2, and talk hockey.  No matter what the topic of conversation was I would always take a minute to point out the fact the Jeremy Roenick was the greatest American born player to ever take the ice.  There was nothing I enjoyed more than watching his cheeks redden with anger as he made his case for Mike Modano.  He was right and I knew it, I just loved seeing the fire in his eyes when I tried to remove Mike Modano from that little pedestal in his heart.  This is my apology Kevin, I hope you are smiling somewhere.  I am truly sorry for ever attempting to put “JR” in the same sentence as Mike Modano.

Why my sudden detachment from Roenick you ask?

I'm in a mood

(Picture courtesy of midwestsportsfans.com)

As the great Matthew Berry says, "I'm in a mood".

After watching yet another White Sox implosion tonight ironically to Berry's favorite team, the Los Angeles Angels, I'm about ready to call this season dead after only 40-games.

But can anyone blame me? The Sox are 7.5 games behind the first place Twins and Tigers already, yet they are playing like they have all the time in the world to catch up. They are letting games slip away faster than the 2007 Boston Celtics. What steams me up the most is the fact that their tanks seem to be on empty with 3/4ths of the season left to play.

I'm about ready to put a fork in this "new look" White Sox team and it's going to happen faster than Hawk Harrelson can say "stretch".

Fear The Flyers

A lot of hockey media has made it a point to say that the Western Conference Finals matchup between the Hawks and Sharks might as well be the Stanley Cup Finals.  Well I’m here today to disagree with that notion.  Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Philadelphia is no joke, and to think that the winner of the West is going to breeze to the cup is a serious lapse in judgment.

I just hope that the Flyers and Hawks win their respective series’ so that I will not have wasted my time writing this article.

The Draft: NBA vs. NHL

(Picture from rushthecourt.com)

I opened up my beloved website this afternoon to see a delightful post by our NHL writer, Paul Czerwein, who wrote about different sports leagues drafts. He argued that the NHL has the best evaluators of young talent, especially in the past 10 years. His list, which included the top three picks of the past decade was intriguing, star studded, and extremely hard to beat. With names like John Taveres, Steven Stamkos, Patrick Kane, Erik Johnson, Sidney Crosby, and Alexander Ovechkin, how could he not argue this point?

Being the NBA fan I am, I started running through the past 10 years of my life and the leagues drafts. Just going by his question, "Is there any other sport where so much star power is consolidated in the top 3 draft picks from the past 10 years?", I realized I had an answer. YES!

The Draft

All the recent talk in the sports world (including here at The Manchise) about John Wall being the upcoming #1 pick in this year’s NBA draft made me do some serious thinking about all of the drafts that I can remember. I have to give the NBA scouts credit because the only #1 pick I can question from my lifetime is Kwame Brown. Baseball is hard to question as well because it takes a considerable amount of time for draft picks to mature into Major League caliber players. But look at the NFL: Tim Couch, David Carr, Alex Smith, and JaMarcus Russell. That’s 5 of the 10 or so drafts I can remember that have resulted in absolute busts.

Then I turn to my so called field of expertise, the NHL.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Anyone that follows Iowa football knows that the biggest weapon standing on the west sidelines in Kinnick Stadium isn't Ricky Stanzi's arm, or the legs of Jewel Hampton.  It's not the hands of Marvin McNutt nor the dreads on the Predator (Adrian Clayborn).  No, the biggest weapon on the Hawkeye sideline is the right leg of punter Ryan Donahue. 

The senior from Evergreen Park, Illinois boomed 61 punts last season for an average of just under 41 yards per attempt.  But the real weapon is not just the distance Donahue puts on the ball, but his ability to pin opponents deep in their own territory with high, hanging punts that stick inside the 20.  Despite the dissapointment of going 3-and-out, the appearance of Donahue on the field brings about cheers of "WMD!" and "Donahue for Heisman!"

As we begin looking ahead to next season, the Iowa kicking game may just have added another WMD to their arsenal.  The name's Mullings, Jonny Mullings.  He's a 22 year old freshman, and is what some would call an international man of mystery. 

Road Warriors

Big win for the Hawks tonight (tying an NHL record for 7 straight postseason road wins) to take a 2-0 series lead over the San Jose Sharks. Captain Serious added to his Conn Smythe resume while the Leviathan did his business ruling the seas. Antti Niemi also turned in another above average performance stopping 20 of 22 shots.

Red Dead Revolver

Here we are, nearly two months in to the MLB season and just when you thought things were going according to plan, the Cincinatti Reds come to town and kick you square in the McNutts.  I mean, really?  The Reds?  They're terrible, right?

Well, they're in first freakin' place is what they are.  After coasting through the month of April and winning their first five series, my beloved Cardinals have struggled in the month of May, going 7-9.  Amid that slide, the Cincinnati Reds have climbed toward the top of the divisional ranks, and following last weekend's series victory against my Cards, are atop the NL Central.

How does this happen?  The Reds are NOWHERE near as talented as the Cardinals, Cubs, or even the Brewers, who are hanging out in fifth place with a 15-23 record.  What they are doing, however, is matching solid hitting with decent pitching performances - something the Redbirds haven't managed to do.  In the month of May, the Cards have been outscored 63-61.  So, while they have been able to play teams close, they are not matching their best hitting with their best pitching, resulting in the losing record. 

The Wizards: Where John Wall goes to die

Oh Johnnyyyyy! Oh Johnnyyyyyyy, Johnny, Johnny! Are you thinking you should have stayed at Kentucky for a couple more years yet?

If I were you, I would be. In one quick month, you will be leaving one of the best college coaches and programs, to go to one of the worst NBA teams in the leagues history.

I hope you enjoy Washington and all of the "glory" their franchise has in it's past. I hope you enjoy playing for a team whose last relevant year was 2004-2005, when they posted their best record (45-37) in 26 years. Just as a reference, the top six seeded playoff teams in the Eastern Conference had a better record than this, as well as all eight seeded playoff teams in the Western Conference. Pretty exciting team to be drafted too.

Oh and don't forget that this team was dismantled this past year because of a little gun issue. Do you remember hearing about that? Yeah, I thought so.

Hawks Pregame!

Game 2 tonight at the Shark Tank.  Let’s take a look at my keys to another Hawks victory:

1.       The defense must limit San Jose’s scoring chances.  The Hawks cannot rely on Antti Niemi to repeat his Game 1 performance.  I believe he will be good again tonight, but I’d still rather not see him face 45 shots.  The imbalance of power plays played a big role in the shot totals for San Jose, but the Hawks still need to block some shots and tighten up their D.

Slumping like Beckham

(Picture Courtesy of suntimes.com)

If I would have told you during the off season that last years Rookie of the Year, Gordon Beckham, would be sitting in favor of Omar Vizquel's corpse (a corpse with a .143 batting average in 35 at bats), you would have laughed at me. If I would have told you that Beckham would have a .188 batting average for the season, and a .106 batting average in May, I think you would have been stunned. If I would have told you that the 23 year old would only have one home run, six RBI's, and a team high 30-strike outs in 128-at bats, I don't think you would have taken the ROY trophy and beat me over the head with it.

But these facts are a reality for Chicago White Sox fans right now.

The young, high spirited, country boy is now getting his second and third day off of the season to "clear his head" against the Detroit Tigers. You know, games that are extremely important in the White Sox hopes to get to the post season.

Better Late Than Never

You know the old addage, better late than never? Well, that's about all I can say for myself. I've fallen off the face of the earth and have gotten so far behind on my posting that I am now reporting on events that took place weeks ago. But, it's better late than never, right? And with a topic like this, I don't know that it really matter how late - I mean, I will likely have the next 2-4 years to talk about LT's little incident.

Of course, I am refering to the original LT, Lawrence Taylor (aka Shark Lavay). The Hall of Fame linebacker was charged with 3rd degree rape (unlawful sexual conduct with a femal who is under the age of consent - a felony), as well as patronizing a prostitute back on Thursday, May 6th. If Shark is found guilty, he will be facing a maximum of four years in New York state prison (not quite a federal, pound me in the ass prison, but damn close).

Niemi Shines in Hawks Win!

First of all, I would like to apologize to all of our readers for never putting out a Hawks vs. Sharks preview as promised.  I was busy this past week becoming unemployed; also known to some as graduating college.  When I look back, I wish I would have taken a moment to type up that preview because a lot of what I wanted to say would have been apparent in the Hawks big Game 1 victory this afternoon. 

This series is going to be a blast.  40 shots apiece in a regulation game?  You can’t ask for better TV.