Red Sox Who Could Crack Baseball America’s Top 100 in 2019

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When Baseball America released its top 100 list on Monday, the Red Sox only had two farmhands make the list. In recent years, the farm system has produced more than just two players on the list, and usually several much higher on the list. Jason Groome was the highest ranked Red Sox prospect at number 83. This was the lowest a Red Sox top prospect has shown up on this list since Dernell Stenson in 2001. This isn’t to say all hope is lost down on the farm. The other day I wrote about the two players who made the list, and the Red Sox have plenty of other intriguing names for the future. They may not be Yoan Moncada or Michael Kopech, but they have a few guys who could threaten to crack the top 100 list in 2019.

The Most Likely

Bryan Mata

Mata is an 18 year old who was signed out of Venezuela in 2016. He is very refined for such a young kid, being rated as having the best control in the Red Sox farm system by Baseball America. Oftentimes control is something that gets better with age, so for someone so young to be graded so highly is rare.

Mata is more than just a control pitcher, throwing in the low to mid-90’s as a teenager. One would assume he will add some velocity as he reaches his 20’s and fills out more. Currently he is very skinny and will need to bulk up to withstand a full season, but there is plenty of time to do that. Once he does fill out more it would not be surprising to see him sit in the mid-90’s with his fastball. Mata also throws a curveball and a changeup. These offerings show potential but both have some work to do. He more than held his own last year at Greenville, a level not usually reached by someone his age. At just 18, Mata is far advanced for his age and could make the top 100 next year with continued improvement.

Tanner Houck

Houck was the Red Sox 1st round pick this past season, so it would be nice to see a strong year from him to elevate him into Baseball America’s top 100. Coming out of Missouri, Houck has a great pitcher’s frame, standing at 6’5″ 220. His fastball velocity has a wide range, but can reach as high as 98 MPH. The pitch has good sink to it and no doubt can play at the Major League level. How far he gets will rely on his secondary pitches and his refinement. He has the body to be a workhorse, but if he fizzles out as a starter he has the stuff to be a late innings reliever.

Houck has the best slider in the Red Sox system according to Baseball America; a third pitch will be key in his development. Throwing from a 3/4 arm slot, Houck reminds me some of Justin Masterson. Masterson was a high pick by the Red Sox who had a heavy sink on his pitches and a good slider. It was up in the air whether he would be a starter or a reliever in the majors; he ultimately did some of both. Masterson never really developed another reliable pitch to maintain his successes, so hopefully Houck can add a reliable third pitch.

Right-handed pitcher Tanner Houck pitches against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Taylor Stadium (Tim Nwachukwu)

Josh Ockimey

Ockimey is a big first baseman with excellent raw power. Ockimey can put on displays of power in batting practice, but the home runs haven’t come in abundance yet in games. Often, that comes later with development. A lot of guys hit for more power once they reach the majors than they ever did in the minors. Take a look at Aaron Judge, who never hit more than 20 home runs in any season despite having a huge projection of power. At present, it’s more important that Ockimey keeps his batting eye and shows the ability to hit well enough to keep advancing.

Ockimey hit 18 home runs two years ago, but after a fast start his bat went ice cold and he finished the season with a .226 batting average. Despite such a low average, he got on base at a very respectable .364 clip thanks to his 88 walks. This is what I believe can help him become a regular at the big league level if he shows he can hit enough. With power and a great batting eye he could be a valuable player even if he batted .240. Last season he was able to bat .274 with a .385 on base percentage between two levels. Starting in AA Portland this year, if Ockimey can keep his average and walks in line with that he could crack the top 100 next season. There is still a wide range of possible scenarios for him, but he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

Photo credit: Kelly O’Connor

If Things Fall Right

Mike Shawaryn

Shawaryn was a potential first round pick after his sophomore season at Maryland. That season he went 13-2 with a 1.71 ERA. After battling some injuries his junior season, Shawaryn fell to the 5th round. He had still performed well though, posting a 3.18 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. Shawaryn has continued to produce in the Minor Leagues, posting an ERA below 4.00 at all three levels. Last year was his first full season and he struck out 169 batters over 135 innings between two levels. If he can show similar results this year he should have a chance to make the list in 2019.

Bobby Dalbec

Dalbec took a step back this year after looking like one of the Red Sox top hitting prospects the year before. Dalbec both pitched and hit well in college, and could always give pitching a shot if hitting fails him. Before that though, he will see if he can rebound. Dalbec has big power, so if he can hit the ball more consistently he could develop into a Major Leaguer down the road. He batted .386 with 7 home runs in Lowell two years ago after being drafted in the 4th round. Last year he fell off to .246, although he did post a .345 on base percentage.

Right now, there is too much swing and miss to his game, if he can cut back on the strike outs his power might be able to play up more. If that happens, maybe Dalbec has a Michael Chavis type breakout this season. If that happened, along with his strong arm from third base Dalbec would certainly join the top 100 next year. The range of outcomes on him is large.

Photo by Peter Aiken

Dark Horse Candidates

Cole Brannen

Brannen was the Red Sox second round draft pick last season out of high school. He would likely need to have a strong showing this season to gain consideration from Baseball America since he is so young and not yet in full season ball. Brannen doesn’t have much power but projects to hit for good averages and is a speedy outfielder.

Alex Scherff

Another draft pick of the Red Sox last season, Scherff was a 5th round pick out of high school. He could have been a higher pick, but fell due to concerns over whether he would sign or go to college. Scherff already throws in the mid-90’s, occasionally reaching the upper 90’s. He will have to dominate low-A hitters this season to have a shot at the Baseball America top 100 next year.

Darwinzon Hernandez

Hernandez’ fastball was rated as the best in the system by Baseball America. Hernandez was 20 years old last season pitching in full season Greenville. He struck out over a batter per inning while showing off good stuff. If he can gain more consistency with his secondary offerings he could make a huge leap this coming season.

Roldani Baldwin

Baldwin is a lesser known Red Sox prospect who comes in all the way down at number 32 on sox prospects. Signed out of the Dominican back in 2014, Baldwin is still only 21 years old. Last season at Greenville he batted .274 with an impressive .489 slugging percentage. He shows good pop, hitting 14 home runs and 35 doubles in 368 at-bats last year. Oh, did I mention he was a catcher? Converted back to the position for last year, Baldwin threw out one-third of potential base stealers while showing the ability to play backstop. He might be a longshot to make the top 100 next year, but he is an intriguing dark horse to watch behind the plate moving forward.

Roldani Baldwin swinging (Bryan Green)

Featured picture from Over the Monster.

Zdeno Chara: Big Man on Ice

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With the sudden news of young superstar Charlie McAvoy recovering from an abnormality in his heart, the Bruins will once again be playing with one man down. The big difference with this year’s Bruins team is how much depth they have on the bench. With the tremendous amount of talent being developed at the NHL and AHL level, Coach Bruce Cassidy has smartly paired up veterans alongside the first year players. One of those veterans is Captain Zdeno Chara.

GUIDING LIGHT

A towering force at 6”9”, Zdeno Chara has secured the admiration of both teammates and the NHL as both an intimidating defenseman and role model. The amount of value and experience he shares with the younger players comes from playing in the NHL for the past two decades. Fellow teammates gain confidence when they have Big Z on their side. They see Chara as both a mentor and “big brother”. Back in April, McAvoy had this to say:

“.. To put a guy with less experience like myself, or a guy like Brandon Carlo, and put him with a guy like that [CHARA], who just has so much experience, has had such a storied career. It’s easy to see why they do that, to help that transition become easier for someone like myself. I’m just very thankful to have the opportunity today to be able to practice with him…He’s just such an amazing player and the leader of this team.”

For Chara, fulfilling that role of mentor is nothing new.  Early on in his career with the B’s, he was paired up with veteran Dennis Seidenberg before playing alongside a nineteen year old fresh-faced Dougie Hamilton. Last season, Chara once again played along side a young rookie: Brandon Carlo. This season, BU alum Charlie McAvoy has been his new student.

2018 SEASON

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

One of the many talking points about this year’s Boston Bruins team is how every single line has been productive. The team’s penalty kill becomes instantly improved when Chara is on the ice. In other words, he’s gotten the Bruins out of a few jams. During a recent game against the Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins saw them selves in a five on three situation. Being responsible for starting every penalty kill, Chara had already been on the ice for almost two minutes when both Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo put in the penalty box. And because of Chara’s toughness and skill the Canadiens never came close to scoring during the two power plays.

GOLDEN YEARS

For any New England fan, NFL QB Tom Brady is one of the greatest athletes of all time. And at forty years old, keeps defying odds and silencing his critics. But for any hockey fan, the Bruins have their own age-defying player. Being the biggest player to ever play in the NHL, forty year old Chara is still clocking an impressive amount of time on ice. He averages over twenty-three minutes each game. No workload is too heavy for the Slovakian native. He’s the guy that just loves to play hockey:

“..I love everything about it. I love the sacrifice. I love the pain that goes with it. Love playing with young guys. Love playing with older guys.”

And for Chara, this means no real timetable as to when he’ll retire from the organization. However one thing’s for sure- he’d like to retire a Bruin.

“I take a lot of pride in my offseason training and being ready for every season…I want to still be very effective, get better, improve, maintain my game, and keep adding to my game..it’s still beautiful to have players staying with one team and retiring with that team.”

Keep playing Big Z. Boston will miss you when you’re gone.

 

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter:  @pastagrl88

Cover photo courtesy of AP Photo/Charles Krupa.

Ten Fun Super Bowl Facts to Get You Fired Up

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When I hosted a sports talk radio program on my college radio station at Buffalo State College, my on air name was “Dr. Super Bowl” due to my intense love of Super Bowl history. For me, this is the most wonderful time of the year. You can have your shopping days until Christmas, I’ll take the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. I have lost many close friends and have driven several family members to tears of boredom dropping mad Super Bowl trivia on their unsuspecting souls. However, you the true sports fan will appreciate these mind-numbing fun facts about the greatest event in the history of the world.

Wear the White Jersey

Super Bowl

It is the new rage for the home team to select the white road jersey. AFC teams are designated as the home team for even-numbered Super Bowls such as this fifty-second edition of the big game. The New England Patriots wore their blue jersey for every home game since a 2011 clash with the Dallas Cowboys. Bill Belichick no doubt made that choice because of the old superstition that the Cowboys always lose big games in their blue. Additionally, the Patriots have been the home team in five of their nine Super Bowl appearances. Each time, they wore their home jersey. Each time they were the “road” team, they wore white. Why the change this season?

Teams wearing white have won twelve of the last thirteen Super Bowls. The Green Bay Packers were the lone exception with their 2011 Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the old days, teams did not have a choice. The home team was required to wear the dark jersey. Thus, we were robbed of what would have been a gorgeous match-up in the Orange Bowl for the 1971 Super Bowl between the Cowboys and Baltimore Colts as Dallas was forced to wear the blue instead of their famous “whites”. Dallas was the first home team to wear the white jersey doing it in the epic 1979 Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team that has worn the white is 33-18 all-time.

Minnesota, Here We Come

This season marks the second time the Super Bowl has been played in the land of 10,000 lakes. The 1992 Super Bowl between the Washington Redskins and Buffalo Bills took place in Minnesota’s Metrodome. Like this season, that game featured the top seeds from each conference. Buffalo came in as the defending AFC champion losing the year before to the Giants by a single point. The Redskins were the dominant NFC team that season and crushed their two playoff opponents en route to the Super Bowl. Washington led by journeyman Mark Rypien walloped Buffalo physically and on the scoreboard. Safety Brad Edwards had a monster game that has largely been forgotten. The 37-24 score does not do justice to this one-sided affair.

Gronk’s Super Bowl Story

Like most things pertaining to Gronk, his Super Bowl appearances have been unusual. This will be the fourth time New England has played in the big game since Gronkowski arrived on the scene in 2010. In the 2012 Super Bowl against the New York Giants, he played on a sprained ankle. Therefore, Brady targeted Aaron Hernandez much more in the passing attack. Three seasons later, Gronkowski was virtually unstoppable in the thrilling win over the Seattle Seahawks. He scored a second quarter touchdown when single-covered by a linebacker. On the go-ahead scoring drive, he made two huge receptions. Last season, the Patriots won the Super Bowl without Gronkowski in the lineup. Due to his concussion in the AFC Championship game, his status is still unclear for the Super Bowl.

I Love the 80’s

Super Bowl

The Eagles and Patriots each played in one Super Bowl during the decade of my youth. The irreplaceable Dick Vermeil coached the 1980 Eagles to their first championship in 20 years. They were awesome on defense on diverse on offense as they built their game plan around quarterback Ron Jaworski, talented running back Wilbert Montgomery and the giant wide receiver Harold Carmichael. Unfortunately, they were flat and nervous come Super Bowl Sunday as the Oakland Raiders flattened them 27-10. Jaworski was picked off three times by Rod Martin. His counterpart veteran Jim Plunkett was on his game throwing three touchdown passes and winning the MVP.

The Patriots Super Bowl appearance following the 1985 season was a train wreck of catastrophic proportions. They got absolutely steamrolled by the historic Mike Ditka-coached Chicago Bears. The Patriots can take solace in the fact that they were the first team to make the Super Bowl after winning three road playoff games. Incredibly, in each of those games, they were +4 in turnover differential including their shocking AFC championship conquest in Miami over the Dolphins.

JT is the Man

Timberlake returns for a third time to provide Super Bowl halftime entertainment. His 2001 performance alongside Aerosmith, *NSYNC and Britney Spears was way better than the game itself between the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants. The same cannot be said of his controversial appearance at the 2004 Super Bowl when he assisted Janet Jackson with a wardrobe malfunction. That game between the Patriots and Carolina Panthers was superb. A youthful Tom Brady was heroic in leading his team to a last-second win.

Giants Assistant Bill Belichick

Belichick is the head coach for a Super Bowl for an NFL-record eighth time. However, he also coached in the big game as the defensive coordinator of the Giants in the 1987 and 1991 Super Bowls. His 1986 Giants were a historically-good unit featuring the legendary Lawrence Taylor. They punished John Elway in a 39-20 win in Pasadena. On the other hand, his 1990 team were massive underdogs against the high-powered Bills led by Jim Kelly. The Bills had come off a 51-3 dismantling of the Los Angeles Raiders in the AFC championship game. The Giants squeaked by Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers.

The Niners had a good offense that season while Buffalo was incredible. Belichick devised a scheme where he played just two down linemen daring the Bills to run. When they Bills did run the ball to all-world Thurman Thomas, they gained yards. However, Belichick knew Kelly’s gunslinging mentality would not allow him to hand the ball off all night. New York’s defense did just enough to hold Buffalo to seventeen offensive points and a missed field goal at the buzzer. Belichick’s one other Super Bowl did not go well when Green Bay topped the Patriots in 1997. He served that team as defensive backs coach. Therefore, coach Belichick’s overall Super Bowl record is a respectable 7-3.

Bills Backup Frank Reich

Super Bowl

Anyone who paid attention to the Eagles two playoff games has to applaud the efforts of offensive coordinator Frank Reich. I am not just bragging on him because I watched him play numerous times in Buffalo as a kid. He truly has done an excellent job helping Philadelphia get to the Super Bowl with backup quarterback Nick Foles.

Against the Atlanta Falcons, Reich trusted his running game between the tackles and short passing game. The Eagles did not score a lot, but they possessed the ball the majority of the second half. That ball control led to the narrow victory over the Falcons.  Against the Minnesota Vikings, Reich won the game on third down. All season long, the Vikings had the ability to get teams off the field on third. Thanks to Reich’s tremendous game plan, the Vikings did not come close to resembling the team in the regular season as they could not stop tight end Zach Ertz whatsoever.

Reich was a member of the Bills when they played in four consecutive Super Bowls in the early 1990’s. He got into the game on two occasions. In the 1992 Super Bowl against the Redskins, he came in for some garbage time late in the fourth. Under the current concussion protocol system, he probably would have gotten in sooner because Kelly got his bell rung early and often by Richie Pettibon’s bone-crushing defense. In the 1993 Super Bowl against the Cowboys, Reich relieved Kelly in the second quarter after the Bills starter injured his knee. Reich had engineered two playoff wins that season including the greatest comeback in NFL history in the Wild Card game. On this day, the Cowboys lightning-fast defense proved way too good for Reich and the Bills. He committed an embarrassing five turnovers in the 52-17 loss.

February 4th

February 4th will be the date of the Super Bowl for just the second time. Eleven years ago, the Indianapolis Colts claimed the city’s first and only Super Bowl championship by defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17. The incomparable Devin Hester returned the opening kickoff for a dramatic touchdown for the Bears. In a steady downpour, Manning was not at his best in this game, but he was good enough especially on third down. The Colts transformed a 14-6 deficit into a 22-14 lead.

Late in the third, Chicago kicked a field goal to cut lead to five. Then, Kelvin Hayden made the play of his life. He intercepted Rex Grossman and raced fifty-six yards on the soggy turf for the score and a 29-17 victory. This was not a marvelous Super Bowl by any standards. However, it was a marvelous accomplishment for Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning on February 4th, 2007.

Don’t Lose My Number

If Nick Foles guides the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship, he will join Drew Brees and Jim McMahon as the only quarterbacks to win it wearing the jersey #9. McMahon had an amazing personality and he was a good player and all, but honestly, the Bears could have won that game with Mike Ditka himself at quarterback. On the other hand, Brees was the New Orleans Saints absolute best player when they conquered the Colts in the 2010 Super Bowl.

Tom Brady’s five Super Bowl titles are among 16 championships by quarterbacks wearing the #12 jersey. Terry Bradshaw of the Steelers was 4-0 in the 1970’s. His first two Super Bowls came as a result of their running game and incomparable Steel Curtain defense. However, he won consecutive Super Bowl MVP awards in Super Bowl XIII and Super Bowl XIV. Also, in the 1970’s, Roger Staubach and Bob Griese won two championships wearing #12. Joe Namath, Ken Stabler and Aaron Rodgers captured the other three titles adorning football’s most popular number.

40 is the New 30

Tom Brady will be the sixth person in NFL history to play in a Super Bowl over the age of 40. For that reason alone, I cheer for the guy! He joins two placekickers, two punters and the greatest wide receiver ever created, Jerry Rice. Brady is a unique individual in that he is playing as good now as he did when he was 30. Mark Brunell and Earl Morrall dressed for the Super Bowl at 39 but were well past their prime in their backup role. Carolina’s defense overwhelmed 39-year old Peyton Manning in Super Bowl 50. His best days were behind him. Yet, with Brady, he is not just the oldest player in the NFL, he is the greatest player in the NFL.

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Claude

Claude Julien’s Impact on Boston

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Claude Julien’s Legacy in Boston

Last year Claude Julien’s ten year run as the Bruins’ head coach ended midseason. The team was struggling and looking like they would miss the playoffs for the third straight year. Julien’s tenure in Boston didn’t end well. Since then as the Canadiens’ coach he hasn’t had much success against his former team. This year the Bruins won all three games against their arch rivals and former coach. Even though Julien’s tenure ended unsuccessfully he still had a run of success in Boston that won’t be seen for some time.

Claude

Photo Credit: Kevin Paul Dupont

Claude’s Success

During his ten years in Boston Julien won 419 games while losing only 246. Julien has the most wins as a coach in Bruins history. In ten years his teams made the playoffs seven times. He guided the Bruins to the Stanley Cup twice, winning it all in 2011. Before Julien came to Boston the Bruins were struggling. His hiring saw a new era for the Bruins in which expectations were raised. Before Julien came to Boston the Bruins missed the playoffs for two straight years. Once Julien came aboard the Bruins didn’t miss the playoffs until the 2014 season.

Claude

Photo Credit: Kevin Harriman

His Faults

Even though Julien was extremely successful in Boston he had his faults. Young players tended to struggle under him. Julien emphasized defense over offense unlike current Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. Julien preferred the dump and chase method while Cassidy encourages his forwards and defenseman to be aggressive. As the NHL has become faster paced Julien attempted to combine his methods with the new style of play. He was unsuccessful and as a result he faced a lot of criticism from Bruins fans. As Julien and the Bruins struggled it became clear a move needed to be made.

Claude

Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/ Getty Images

Final Thoughts

Julien’s tenure in Boston didn’t end as it started. That does not change the success he had and how he changed the franchise. From 2010-2013 the Bruins were one of the best teams in the NHL. They appeared ready for multiple championship runs under Julien but fell short. That does not change the success Julien had in Boston and how he changed the expectations of the franchise

Hosmer and JD Still Don’t Have Homes

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Three Weeks ‘Til Pitchers and Catchers Report

Put yourselves in the shoes of JD Martinez. You have been presented with an offer by the Red Sox for a whopping five years, $125 million. Not many teams have shown that much interest in JD, but he was given an offer he and Boras shouldn’t refuse.

Now you’re in the mind of Eric Hosmer. You have two seven year deals awaiting you. The Padres offering seven years for $140 million, and Kansas City is matching their offer but for $147 million.

Life is looking pretty good right? The only issue with these offers is that Hosmer and Martinez have yet to sign.

There are three weeks until pitchers and catchers report, and the top two hitters in the free agent market have yet to sign with a club. For JD’s case, this guy should just sign already. His bat speaks for himself. He’s coming off a season compiling an average of .303, mashing 45 homers, tallying 104 RBI’s and a slugging of .690. Needless to say, this guy can rake. Aside from his lower expected fielding percentage throughout his career (.980 lifetime), JD should definitely be able to believe he’s worth the amount he’s asking. JD willing to hold out until Spring Training may end up causing a team to jump out and give him a deal, but teams may want to really consider what he’s worth.

For Hosmer, it’s only a matter of time he finally decides what $140+ million dollar deal he chooses. If he chooses wisely he’ll go back to KC. Coming off a season hitting .318 with twenty-five homers, and 94 RBI’s, Hosmer is deserving to earn a big contract by KC. By simply “one-upping” the Padres deal, Kansas City do not want to lose Hosmer. His positive impact towards the community and his leadership role also seems to make the most sense on why he would return as their franchise guy. They also won a World Series and a few pennants with him.

So please, Eric and JD just sign already. End this horrifically boring offseason and just find a place to play for like the next five or seven years.

9

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XLIII

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The Super Bowl is just 9 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 9 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Tampa hosted Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009. The game pitted the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals against the Pittsburgh Steelers of the American Football Conference. Arizona was brand new to this stage while Pittsburgh was going for an NFL record sixth Super Bowl championship!

Arizona Cardinals 9 Years Ago

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Former Steelers’ assistant Ken Whisenhunt was the head coach of the overachieving Cardinals. They had a solid offense featuring veterans Kurt Warner at quarterback and Edgerrin James at running back. They had two excellent young wide receivers, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

The Cardinals had the worst history of any of the longtime franchises of the NFL. They had not even hosted a playoff game since 1947! The Cards got off to a solid start in ’08, but faltered down the stretch. Fortunately, they played in a weak division. But, nobody could have picked the Cardinals to make the Super Bowl especially after their embarrassing 47-7 loss to the Patriots at the end of the regular season.

Fitz Breaks Out

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In the Wild Card round, Arizona bested Atlanta due to some huge plays by Boldin and Fitzgerald. Warner launched passes to Fitzgerald whether he was covered or not. Fitz responded with perhaps the greatest stretch of games a receiver has ever put together. He was awesome.

The trend continued in the Divisional round as the Cardinals stunned the 12-4 Panthers. Fitzgerald had 8 receptions for 166 yards. The next day, the Eagles upset the Giants which meant the 4th-seeded Cardinals would host the 6th-seeded Eagles.

Arizona exploded in the first half. They led 24-6 at the break as Fitzgerald scored three more touchdowns. However, the game Eagles fought back to take the lead 25-24 in the fourth. Kurt Warner put his team on his back for a thrilling go-head scoring drive. Tim Hightower scored the winning touchdown setting off a crazy celebration in the desert. The unbelievable Kurt Warner was headed back to his third Super Bowl as the Cardinals shocked the football world!

Pittsburgh Steelers 9 Years Ago

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The Steelers were in the mix all season long. Dick LeBeau’s defense finished #1 across the board. The Steelers had two first-team All-Pros in Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. On offense, wide receiver Hines Ward had another excellent season.

Pittsburgh claimed two exciting home victories in the playoffs over the Chargers and Ravens. The AFC championship win over Baltimore was a nail-biter between the two best defenses in football. Harrison, Polamalu, Ed Reed and Ray Lewis in one game is about as good as defensive football gets. Polamalu snatched the game-clinching interception that caused Heinz Field to go ballistic. Mike Tomlin’s Steelers were off to the Super Bowl.

Harrison’s Miraculous TD

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Al Bello

Arizona’s red-hot offense against Pittsburgh’s rock solid defense was a dream battle. Bruce Arians’ Steelers’ offense got off to the better start, however, as they went up 10-0 on two productive drives. The Cards answered with a huge catch and run by Boldin. One play later, Ben Patrick scored to cut the lead to 10-7. Arizona then got a late 2nd quarter interception to set them up to take the lead late in the half. That is when this game got straight up nuts.

The Cardinals had the ball on the two-yard line with 18 seconds left and no timeouts. Warner took the shotgun snap and fired a pass over the middle. Pittsburgh showed a blitz look, but at the last moment, Harrison dropped into coverage, picked off the pass at the goal-line and began his long trek the other way. Red and white jerseys fell all over the place as Harrison scooted along the near sideline. He just kept going! Finally, he was dragged down from behind by two hustling Cardinals’ wideouts as he hit the pylon. It was ruled a touchdown and remarkably, Pittsburgh took a 17-7 halftime lead. It has to go down as one of the greatest plays in football history.

Santonio for the Win

Arizona bounced back in the second half as Fitzgerald was all over the place. Warner completed passes at will against the highly rated Steelers’ defense. He ended up passing for 377 yards on this night. With just three minutes left, the Cardinals trailed by the score of 20-16. Then, Warner connected with Fitz over the middle on a 2nd and 10 from their own 36 and he was gone. He exploded past Harrison and Polamalu looking up at the big screen as he crossed the goal-line. It was the greatest moment in Cardinals’ history. Unfortunately for Arizona, Big Ben Roethlisberger had one more possession.

Steelers’ receiver Santonio Holmes had the possession of his life. He made 4 receptions for 73 yards, the last of which was a sensational grab in the back corner of the end zone. The throw, the coverage, the catch…it was a magical play.

The Cardinals’ last effort ended in misery. LaMarr Woodley strip-sacked Warner. Pittsburgh had won their sixth World Championship in a Super Bowl for the ages!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Irving, Celtics End Four-Game Skid

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Finally! Although it’s only been one game, the Celtics are back to winning. That heartbreaking one-point loss was the kick they needed to come back to the Staples Center and take care of business. They were able to top the Clippers 113-102, leaving a lot of Celtics fans breathing a bit easier.

Contributions from Everyone

When I say this was a good game for almost everyone on the team, I mean it. But hey, if you don’t believe me just look at the stats:

  • Kyrie Irving- 20 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast
  • Jayson Tatum- 18 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast
  • Aron Baynes- 12 pts, 6-8 FG, 6 reb
  • Marcus Morris- 15 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast
  • Bench- 39 pts,17 reb, 10 ast

Jaylen Brown had a rough shooting night, but he was able to contribute in other ways. It was an important win for the Cs, especially since they were missing Horford and Smart. To be honest, going into this match-up without those two had me worried. But once again this team has proven to be resilient.

How Did the Celtics Win This Game?

Now, if you look at the team stats, it could cause a bit of confusion. The Celtics lost the rebound battle, points in the paint, points off turnovers; just to name a few. But, they made up for it by winning in:

  • 3-PT %: they were 14-40 from behind the arc while the Clippers were 5-21. I swear LA only began hitting them when it didn’t matter anymore.
  • FT %: after only getting ten free throws against the Lakers, they were more aggressive and forced twenty-two attempts against the Clippers. Oh yeah, and they only missed one, while the Clips were 27-39.
  • Steal: ten steals to the Clips’ six. Not a huge difference but it gave the Cs more possessions.
  • Turnovers: I know I already said they lost the battle of points off turnovers. But if you notice, the Cs had thirteen turnovers and only gave up sixteen points off of them. That’s pretty good. But overall the Clippers turned the ball over more, which gave the Cs more possessions.

The Road Ahead

The Celtics have two more games on this road trip before heading home. Next, they head to the Bay to face the Golden State Warriors. This is a top team in the west that they’ve already beaten in Boston, holding them well under 100 points. After, they head to Denver to take on the Nuggets, another team they’ve already beaten at home. The Warriors have the best record in the league, but the way they lost to Houston has everyone shook. The Nuggets are only one game over .500 and are 2-3 in their last five. Can the Cs dig deep enough to take another win from both teams?

Tune in for ABC’s Saturday Primetime to watch the Boston take on Golden State. And don’t forget to watch them play the Nuggets on NBATV on Monday!

Super Bowl LII Preview and Prediction

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Super Bowl LII

After all that developed during the 2017-2018 season, it will conclude with the two top-seeded teams squaring off in U.S. Bank Stadium. Fans and media have huddled around the drama, adversity and success (or lack thereof), of each NFL franchise since August. This year’s playoffs featured twelve teams which all had the potential to have their ticket to the Super Bowl punched. The Bills made their first playoff appearance in decades. Chiefs fans left Arrowhead Stadium disappointed after the Titans pulled off a comeback upset in the Wild Card. The Saints were one play away from advancing to the NFC Championship, until the Minneapolis Miracle happened. The postseason has been filled with surprises and highlights, but in the end, there can only be one victor.

On February 4th, the New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles, will battle to make history. All thirty-two teams in the NFL share a common goal: to win the Super Bowl. Every franchise grinds from August to January to earn a spot in the playoffs. The twenty that fail to make it plan accordingly to ensure that they will be present in January next season. The Super Bowl is the mecca of the football world, where sports and entertainment collide. Numbers, statistics and odds circle around the media in the two week break between the Championship games and the Super Bowl. This guide contains for betting on an array of props in the Super Bowl, ranging from points scored to the color of Gatorade poured on the winning coach.

Super Bowl LII- Patriots vs. Eagles: Three Things to Know

1. Experience is Key

Nick Foles will be making his first Super Bowl appearance, to add to his four postseason starts, in his six year career. Though impressive, it is a ninth of Tom Brady’s thirty-six starts in the playoffs. This will be Brady’s eighth Super Bowl appearance in his career, he has only lost in two of them. Coincidentally, the last time the Eagles appeared in the Super Bowl was in 2004, and they lost to none other than Tom Brady and the Pats. Fast forward fourteen years, both teams are completely different except for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady leading New England.

Brady and Belichick might have the upper edge with Super Bowl experience, but they have not faced the Eagles since 2015. Head coach, Doug Pederson, is a crafty play caller and defensive coordinator. Jim Schwartz coaches a young and hungry defense, that leads the league in defensive scoring. Nick Foles might be rattled in his first few drives in a Super Bowl environment, but the Eagles’ planning prior to kickoff could cause a few surprises.

2. Offensive Maestros

Nick Foles unexpectedly became a starter for the Eagles late into the season, after Carson Wentz suffered an ACL injury. He started out rusty the first few games, but was able to pull out a win in each of his starts, except for one. Foles is a talented veteran, and a scary backup, to have on a team. He picked up right where Wentz left off, with little turbulence.

Carson Wentz might have locked up the first seed in the playoffs for the Eagles, but it’s no fluke that Foles has gotten the team to the Super Bowl. In the NFC Championship, Foles tore apart the Vikings’ stingy defense. He posted 352 passing yards, and three touchdowns, in a blowout victory. The Eagles’ running back trio of Jay Ajayi, LaGarrette Blount, and Corey Clement, are all great weapons for Foles to utilize in the backfield as well. The Eagles’ boast a stacked receiving corp as well. Wrapping up the offense, Lane Johnson and his o-line, are one of the best in the league.

The opposing offense is extremely resilient. The Patriots are missing multiple starters to injury, but still cannot seem to lose. Dion Lewis is having a career year at the team’s primary running back position. Rob Gronkowski, whose availability is up in the air at the moment, can be a spark to the offense on every drive. Both Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola, are posting career numbers in the playoffs. Amendola has been a key receiver in the playoffs, and came in clutch on Sunday against the Jaguars.

However, only one team has Tom Brady. He has mounted a whopping eight postseason comebacks, upon a plethora more in the regular season. He completed an MVP-worthy season, without one of his best receivers, and an occasionally faulty offensive line. Only Brady could make a season like this look like a clinic.

3. Protect the Throne

Coming into this year, almost everyone expected the Patriots to make a deep playoff run. No one held the Eagles to the same standard. The Eagles are hungry for a Super Bowl trophy. Despite losing their starting quarterback, they came out swinging in every playoff match-up. They are not scared of Tom Brady, or the Patriots, but rather they are excited to dethrone them:

The Eagles want nothing more than to have a repeat of the beat-down they gave to the Vikings. Though they are the one seed in the NFC, they were written off in the Divisional Round. The Eagles embraced their underdog role, and played their hearts out throughout the playoffs. Now in the Super Bowl, the odds are against them once again. This time, however, they will battle one of the most methodical teams in the NFL. The Patriots are elite because of the preparation they put into each game. Their game-plan changes depending on what team they face. They have two weeks to study film, and see how the Eagles play. Bill Belichick is amazing at pointing out teams’ weaknesses, so it is safe to say the Patriots will be ready. We’ll all have to see how this match-up fares out on Super Bowl Sunday.

Prediction: 33-24 Patriots

 

Cover image courtesy of PennLive.com.

Hockey East Biggest Games 1/20/18

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Hockey East competition is storming into 2018 and teams are beginning to separate themselves. Northeastern officially claimed first place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Rankings with twenty-three points. Likewise, Boston College, although struggling lately is still right there with twenty-two. The Friars’ recent loss put an end to a golden opportunity to gain ground on Northeastern and Boston College. As a result, Providence has twenty-two points and now stands next to Boston University.

Providence College and UConn

The Friars took an early bus ride down to the XL Center on Thursday night for a home and away series against the Huskies. The Friars were led by “Silky Wilky” Josh Wilkins’s two goals on their way to a 3-1 victory. All three of Providence’s goals came in the first period. Vimal Sukumaran’s goal at the end of the period put the game away. Hayden Hawkey’s twenty-three saves continued his hot streak. Following Thursday’s game the Friars ran their unbeaten streak to seven in a row (6-0-1). Huskie goaltender Tanner Creel got just his 3rd start of the season. Creel, a senior, is filling in for the injured Adam Huska and has proved himself worthy. Creel made twenty-seven saves and did not allow any goals after the first period. UConn’s power play struggles cost them as they dropped their fifth straight.

Saturday night the two teams met again as no love was lost in a physical contest. The hits were coming like Pablo Sandoval to a buffet. Several skirmishes broke out and hard checks were occurring up and down the ice. Huskies took advantage of a strong opening period to take the lead 1-0. UConn later extended their lead to 2-0 following a sloppy hit after the whistle penalty from Friar Alternate Captain Vincent Desharnais. The Friars came back strong and Captain Brian Pinho put Providence College on the board. Tanner Creel and the Huskies’ defense stood tall, like a proud oak tree, and added an empty netter to secure the win. Important to realize, this snapped the Friars’ streak of seven straight games without a loss. Watch the highlights here.

UMass Amherst and Northeastern

The stride the Northeastern Huskies are on hit a road block. The number eight ranked Huskies could not put a tally on the board against freshman goalie Matt Murray and the UMass Minutemen. While unranked and in eighth place in the Army ROTC Hockey East Rankings, the Minutemen are securing big wins this season. Coach Greg Carvel credits this win and the win over the Friars as his highlight of the season. This win for the Minutemen was no cakewalk. Northeastern is number eight and in first place in Hockey East for a reason. Northeastern led with shots on goal but the game had no goals until UMass started hitting its groove.

 

 

Additionally, the freshmen got it done for UMass this game. Rookie Mitchell Chaffee put a redirector into the net past Cayden Primeau. Likewise, Chaffee added to his impressive game by sending home a power play goal. Not to mention, another freshman, Mario Ferraro got a drive going that junior, Austin Plevy, put in the bag and took it to check out. UMass outshot the Huskies 32-29.  Northeastern could not get it done on the power play as they squandered their two man advantages. Matt Murray’s fifty-seven saves over the weekend earned him the Pro-Ambitions Rookie of the Week. Watch the highlights here. Northeastern cannot let off the gas again as they go up against the Providence College Friars next weekend.

 

Follow Matt McGurn on Twitter: @MickGurn

Cover photo courtesy of www.insidehockey.com

What Does McAvoy’s SVT Diagnosis Mean to the Bruins?

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Well life has a funny way of putting things into perspective for us sometimes. Imagine being Charlie McAvoy of the Bruins and recently being diagnosed with a heart condition called SVT. McAvoy is young, in great shape, and playing defense for one of the storied franchises in the NHL. Then pow.

In this article, I will tell fans of Bruin Nation what exactly is SVT. Also, I will tell you all about how it is treated and what is the prognosis for McAvoy and his hockey career.

(Via www.thehockeynews.com)

What Exactly is SVT?

The heart condition SVT, or supraventricular tachycardia, is where a person’s normal heart rate is accelerated and maintained at this level. An average person has a resting heart rate of about eighty beats per minute, whereas a person with SVT would have a resting rate of over one hundred. In many cases this is not a condition that can be easily detected. The signs and symptoms for it are pretty average for just not feeling well. Typically, a person suffering from SVT would experience: light-headedness, dizziness, fatigue, and general malaise. I believe in the case of the Bruins’ McAvoy, he was just a really lucky soul to find this when he did.

In more severe cases, it is possible for a person’s heart to stop beating temporarily and cause something called syncope. With the case of syncope a person would basically pass out and when they awake they would be quite disoriented. This would be a little bit like the case of the Stars’ Rich Peverley years ago, which turned out to be a little more serious.

SVT can be caused by a number of issues that are both in and out of the person’s control. Things such as heart disease, thyroid disorders, blood clots, and hardening of the arteries are some of the more serious causes of SVT. There are other causes such as drug abuse, caffeine intake, and smoking that can be controlled by the person.

How is it Detected?

As with most heart conditions, the person is usually given an ECG (electrocardiogram) to detect what the issue may be. In the case of SVT, the heart rate would be generally normal heart rhythm.  For short periods of time during the testing, the person’s heart rate would spike to the SVT level even without any change in activity. The amount of times that the SVT is detected and the severity of the spike can figure in the treatment.

Other methods of detection of SVT can include: an ultrasound, a stress test, and dye tests as well. It just depends on the doctors and there is no test that is superior but the ECG is definitely the most commonly used.

Treatment of SVT

Once the SVT is actually detected in a person like McAvoy, it is key to figure out if there has been damage suffered. Fortunately in the case of the Bruins’ D man, he has many factors working in his favour. McAvoy is young, in great shape, and had no previous history of any heart related issues. All of these things are nothing but bonuses for the young Bruins’ D man and his long-term future.

The main treatment after verifying the diagnosis of SVT is to make sure that the condition does not flare up. As serious as this condition can be in some people, I expect McAvoy to live a long healthy life. Detection in the early stages and not requiring any cardiac operative procedures will mean that McAvoy will be just fine.

The Bruins’ young defenseman will likely just have to take a couple of medications to control this condition. Most patients would take a medication called a beta-blocker to control heart rate and another to manage heart rhythm. All things considered, things will be just fine for the Bruins’ (and possibly the NHL’s) rookie of the year. Let’s bring that Cup home to where it belongs.

 

Cover image courtesy of ESPN.