Sunday NBA picks

New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks
Winner=Knicks
Why=I've said this before national stage plus Knicks=win. Miami will have there hands full in the first round.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers
Winner=Lakers
Why= The Lakers will return strong after being wallopped by the Spurs in San Antonio Friday night. Even though the Thunder have a chance to get the season sweep of the Lakers today, look for the Lakers to avoid this misfortune going into the playoffs.

Toronto Raptors at Detriot Pistons
Winner=Pistons
Why=Both teams have been playing terribly of late and in a battle of who has the most young talent, look for the Pistons to come out on top against a shorthanded Toronto ball club.

Houston Rockets at Miami Heat
Winner=Rockets
Why=The Heat are resting their players going into the playoffs and the Rockets need to win out to ensure their spot in the playoffs, Houston badly needs this game.

Sacramento Kings at Charlotte Bobcats
Winner=Kings
Why=Michael Jordan has done a terrible job in the decision making regarding the Bobcats, I can't pick them to beat a WNBA team at this point.

Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves
Winner=Timberwolves
Why= Both teams have been playing horrid, with the Warriors losing 9 consecutive ballgames and the Timberwolves snapping an 11 game losing streak with a win over the lowly Detroit Pistons Thursday night.  Look for the Timberwolves to win consecutive games in April for the first time in three years against an injury riddled Golden State squad.

Cleveland Cavaliers at San Antonio Spurs
Winner=Cavs
Why=The Spurs will be resting their players tonight, and even though their roster is deep enough to win while resting their stars, look for a scrappy Cavalier team headed by Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving to sneak out of San Antonio with a win.

Orlando Magic at Denver Nuggets
Winner=Nuggets
Why=Denver just ensured themselves a Western conference playoff spot in last nights win.  No Dwight Howard=Magic loss

New Orleans Hornets at Los Angeles Clippers
Winner=Clippers
Why=The Hornets are a surprisingly scrappy team bu tin the wake of Chris Paul playing against his former team and the Clippers trying to move up their playoff position expect for them to dominate in this game.

NFL Draft Player Watch: Dontari Poe

Profille

Height: 6'4

Weight: 346lbs 

40 time:  4.98s

Last Season Production: Poe started all 12 games on the defensive line this season, and has made 30 starts for the Tigers during his three-year career. He tallied 33 tackles, including 18 solo stops, and was third on the team in TFL with eight for minus 26 yards in 2011. Poe also posted a sack, three pass breakups, five quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. He matched his career high in tackles with eight against Marshall. At the post-season banquet, he was named an MVP as well as the Defensive Player of the Year. Poe was named to the All-C-USA second team by the league coaches.

Poe jumped on the scene with his impressive combine time of 4.98, at 346 lbs that is remarkable. At the combine he showed fluid hips and a great burst, while being able to show off his natural power.  His combine alone has allowed him to sneak into the 1st round conversation and I believe this kid has all the traits to be a superstar and force in a 3-4 scheme as a nose tackle in this league.  With his speed don't be surprised to see him play a little bit of 4-3 1 technique defensive tackle but right now I believe his best fit is at nose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmrTyakPvLo

Game Film 2011 vs Arkansas State 

NBA Sunday Picks

Miami Heat at New York Knicks
Winner=Knicks
Why=National stage, playoff atmosphere, Carmelo is playing like the Carmelo of old and his comfort level is on supreme.  The Knicks have been playing great basketball of late and a potential first round matchup with the Heat will have this game turnt up, look for the Knicks to show you why they will knock off the Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers
Winner=Lakers
Why=Lakers always play well in their Sunday's best uniforms and despite the absence of Kobe Bryant look for Andrew Bynum to have a dominating impact on what could be another potential NBA first round matchup.  This is a statement game so look for intensity to be high from both teams; the Lakers supporting cast must bring their A game.

Toronto Raptors at Atlanta Hawks
Winner=Hawks
Why= I can never go with the Raptors and Atlanta has won four of its last five ballgames

Boston Celtics at Charlotte Bobcats
Winner=Celtics
Why=The Bobcats are atrocious and the laughingstock of the NBA, theirs a few college teams I think could possibly give them a run for their money.

Houston Rockets at Denver Nuggets
Winner=Nuggets
Why=This is a fight for the 7th and 8th seed in the Western Conference playoff race. The Nuggets have won five straight at home and need a win now because their schedule closing out the rest of the regular season is only going to get tougher.

Chicago Bulls at Detroit Pistons
Winner=Bulls
Why= Detroit is young team that's learning how to string together quality wins.  The Bulls are without question the best team in the NBA, they bring it every night and will continue to do the same tonight.

Portland Trailblazers at Sacramento Kings
Winner=Kings
Why=Lamarcus Aldridge is out for the rest of the season with a hip injury, Demarcus Cousins will dominate their bigs in another great performance from him.

Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Hornets
Winner=Grizzlies
Why= The Grizzlies are finally healthy and are learning to play together with a revamped roster that recently added volume scorer Gilbert Arenas and do everything Power Forward Zach Randolph, who is coming back from an early season injury.  This team will be dangerous come playoff time, expect them to rollover the Hornets

Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers
Winner=Cavs
Why=Dwight Howard is out for the rest of the regular season and the Orlando Magic as a franchise is a mess, look for the Cavs to sneak another quality win against a top NBA opponent.

The Impact of the NFL Draft

As we're getting closer to the day in which many young man's lives will be changed, I want to briefly explain the magnitude of the moment. From April 26-28 many athletes lives will be turned upside down, these days mark the opening and closing of the NFL Draft.  Millions of kids all over the world dream of one day having their name called by an NFL team to experience the gift of playing the beloved game of football at its highest level.  Each year only 254 names are selected to represent their school in the NFL. The pain, passion, love and heart that goes into this are more than most people can fathom.  Athletes day to day grind for the game they love, sacrificing socially, mentally and monetarily to achieve a dream that could forever change the lives of not only themselves, but their families and those around them.  The love of the game of football is a common love that many people around the world share, but only so many people get the gift of being able to enjoy it at its fullest extent.  The game of football is a release from the daily struggles of lives and the draft only signifies a payment for all the sacrifice put in to achieve this goal.  A message to all athletes cherish the gift of being able to walk on that field and express yourself through you're true love and don't ever believe any goal is impossible.

Easter NBA predictions

Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks
winner=Knicks
Why=New York has been playing well of late due to the firing of Head Coach Mike D'Antoni and even though today will be the return of Derrick Rose I feel like the Knicks  has something to prove on the national stage, which always seems to bring the best out of the World's Largest media markets team.

Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics
Winner=76ers
Why=Philadelphia started the year off hot and their recent sloppy basketball has put them in jeopardy of making the playoffs.  Look for them to step it up tonight and realize the magnitude of these last few games leading into the post-season

Cleveland Cavilers at New Jersey Nets
Winner=Nets
Why=New Jersey has won 5 of its last 8 games and are playing their best basketball of the season leaving us to wonder, where would the Nets be if Brook Lopez was healthy all season? I take the Nets continuing to play good basketball and coming out with a W at home.

Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs
Winner=Spurs
Why=The Spurs are arguably the best team in the NBA, and between them and the Chicago Bulls they are one of the two deepest teams in the NBA. Look for the Spurs to make their 11 game winning streak 12 at home tonight

Toronto Raptors at Oklahoma City Thunder
Winner=Thunder
Why=The Thunder are on a 3 game losing streak after a few weeks of playing their best basketball of the season.  Look for them to break this streak and head into the playoffs on fire.

Houston Rockets at Sacramento Kings
Winner=Rockets
Why=The Rockets have their eyes on the post-season and have played well of late winning 6 of their last 9 including impressive wins over NBA title contenders: Chicago Bulls and LA Lakers.  The Kings have been struggling and the dysfunction throughout the team will be at its peak tonight.

Detroit Pistons at Miami Heat
Winner=Heat
Why=Anything can happen on any given day in the NBA, just not today look for the Heat to not only win but win big.

Tyrann the Real Heisman

The Heisman trophy is annually awarded to the best player on the best team in College Football.  In 2011 the Louisiana State Tigers have been the best team in college football going 12-0 in the toughest conference in America the Southeastern Conference also known as the SEC.  With all this being said, there is no secret to who the best player on their extremely talented roster is.  Affectionately known in college football circles as the Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu is clearly the most dominant game-changing player in all of college football.  If you need an example of why I believe this, my reference only needs to go back two days, when he clearly changed the complexity of the Lsu-Arkansas game with an electrifying 92 yard punt return for a score.  He followed the game-changing score by forcing two fumbles and taking over the game while playing out of position at free safety.  With starting Free Safety Eric Reid injured Tyrann was asked to convert from his position at Cornerback to Free Safety on one weeks notice, if that's not versatility than I don't know what is, and the fact that he can take over a game from Cornerback, Free Saftey or Nickelback adds to what he means to the No. 1 ranked team in the country. As Jay-Z said, "men lie, women lie, numbers don't", and Tyrann's numbers speak for themselves as a Cornerback Tyrann leads a top 5  Lsu defense in tackles with 67, is tied for second on the team in interceptions with 2, leads the team in fumbles forced with 6, has 3 touchdowns, leads the team in fumble recoveries with 4, and is tied for second on the team in pass breakups and pass deflections with 7 and 9 respectively.  I just want to ask one question what Cornerback have you ever heard of with statistics like this? I'll wait.... Teams have to gameplan around this man and for a true sophomore at 5'9 175lbs their is no question he leads the nation in Heart.  His intensity on every snap of the game spreads like a disease and has propelled the Tigers defense and swagger.  Despite his 1 game suspension for the use of synthetic marijuana, I still believe he is the undoubted true winner of this award, there is no man in college football that has meant more to his team than the Honey Badger and Lsu's record and national championship possibilities prove that.  Charles Woodson is the only primary defensive player to win the Heisman in 1997 and Tyrann Mathieu has every right to be the second in 2011.

Summary Notes:  Lsu vs. Tennesse earlier this year he was asked to shadow their best receiver future First Round Draft Pick Da'Rick Rodgers to 3 catches for 63 yards. Complete football player end of story

Arkansas Defensive Gameplan vs Lsu Analysis

Watching the Arkansas-Lsu game today, I had to ask myself one question was Arkansas even prepared for this game? When I see Jordan Jefferson throw for over 200 yards I question a teams secondary.  I apologize if you think I'm hating on Jordan Jefferson, but for a kid who came in to college promising four Heisman trophies I view him individually as a failure.  Is he a winner? No question, his record speaks for itself and he's won some very important games but as nothing more than as a game manager.  The way I see it, even though Arkansas has a very subpar secondary they could have neutralized him very easily.   Lsu's strength offensively is no secret their clearly a powerful running team who can either beat you with scat backs such as Alfred Blue and Michael Ford or with the power running game with Spencer Ware and the mammoth Lex Hilliard.  So, how I make them ineffective and force Jordan Jefferson to beat me is simple, load up the box and disguise coverage's!! I want Jordan Jefferson to have to beat me with his arm, today I saw a lot of soft man to man coverage's that made it easy for him to make simple reads and rather elementary throws. As a Defensive coordinator my game plan is to disguise coverage's force him to think, he's not one of those quarterbacks who mentally comes in prepared every week and can dissect a defense, that's not his M.O. and even though he has a very capable receiving core I'm not worried about them beating me.  As we saw Arkansas has a pretty skilled front four so I'm going to allow my d-line to match-up against their o-line and allow my linebackers to focus on stopping the run, the only thing I want them to do is in passing situations show him different looks make him read the defense.  Arkansas didn't do that today so in turn they allowed too many 3rd down conversions and got dominated 41-17.