Manning Sweepstakes

Arguably the biggest free agent in NFL history, the market for Peyton Manning is going to be extensive. As of today twelve teams in the league have expressed interest in acquiring the two time NFL MVP, but only one team will end the offseason happy.

            Although there are twelve teams interested in Peyton, he has already said he would like to stay in the AFC, which narrows down the list of potential suitors.  Of the remain teams I think only four have a reasonable shot at landing Peyton.

            The first team that would make the most sense is the Miami Dolphins.  Peyton has been seen working out in Miami and also owns a house in the area. It has also been reported that Reggie Wayne will most likely follow Peyton and Wayne has reportedly shown interest in the Team. If Peyton were to go to Miami he would have a big, down field receiver in Brandon Marshall and a young and very talented Offensive line to keep the aging quarterback on his feet.  The warm weather would also benefit a quarterback who has played his whole career in the safety of a dome; the less stress put on Peyton the better.

            The second option for Peyton would be the Denver Broncos. Although Denver’s weather doesn’t always benefit quarterbacks, the team has a lot of variables required for a Super Bowl team. The team finished the season ranking in the top ten in Rushing offense, Rushing defense and total defense. With the edition of both Peyton and Wayne, the team would immediately get the passing game they have been missing with Tim Tebow.

            The last two teams I see as bad fits however they are still possibilities. The first is the Kansas City Chiefs. They just franchised start receiver Dwayne Bowe but past that Peyton would lack skill around him. The second team is the New York Jets, as much as it would make the media ecstatic to have both Manning’s in New York I don’t think that Payton has any desire to deal with the scrutiny of the New York media at this point in his career. The team has issues in the locker room and has a slacking offensive line, both things that Manning will want to stay away from at the age of 35.

            With no clear team in the lead for the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, these next few days should become very interesting for the potential teams. I see manning ending up in Miami but it’s the NFL; anything is possible.

-Scott Burgess

Hofstra University '13

Getting Mad In March

The time of the year that all college basketball fans look forward to is finally here, March Madness.

This year’s already exciting season will become even more interesting as the regular season finishes and conference tournaments and then the NCAA tournament begin. There are a few clear favorites in the NCAA tournament already. They include two teams that sit atop the Associated Press rankings, the #1 Kentucky Wildcats and the #2 Syracuse Orange both with only one lose.

But the highly ranked favorites aren’t what make the NCAA tournament exciting, it’s when the underdog teams knock them off. Although the final list of teams making the NCAA Tournament will not be known until “selection Sunday” there are a few teams I predict could play the spoiler role.

            The first two teams I will be keeping an eye on are both out of the ACC. I think that both the Virginia Cavaliers (21-8) and Miami Hurricanes(17-11) have a chance to be bracket busters. Virginia is sitting right outside the top 25 but has played a better season than their record may show. Of the team‘s 8 losses, 6 were by three points or less and five were against teams in the AP Top 25. Although some may say this indicates they cannot win close games, the team has also managed to pull out five narrow victories by 4 points or less. They also beat a powerful Michigan team that is currently ranked #15. Virginia has played a tough ACC conference schedule that is sure to prepare them for the rigors of tournament time
            While picking Virginia is not unrealistic, picking Miami may seem more of a stretch, but here is why I have faith. Miami’s 11 losses this season may not look good on paper, but when you look back and see that all of the losses have come at the hands of top quality opponents your opinion might change. Miami has also shown the ability to beat top ranked teams, including Duke and Florida State. Miami’s record may now look as appealing as other teams on the bubble but when you take into account the previous information and include the difficulty of there out of conference schedule I think that it will be hard to keep them out of the tournament.

            March Madness is my favorite sporting event of the year. Any team can win on any given day and if you slip up a loss means season over! With an NCAA season which has already brought excitement and upsets every week, I can‘t help but be excited for this season‘s NCAA tournament. At this point I’m picking Michigan State as an early favorite to win the tournament.

Jet Lagged

           

The New York Jets 2011-2012 season was an unsuccessful year and has left the organization with a lot to think about including re-signing players, free agency and the NFL draft. This seasons 8-8 record is something that head coach Rex Ryan and the rest of the organization see as a “bad” year and for those of you who watched them play this year, you know that there is a lot of room for improvement on both sides of the ball.  Here are the top 3 needs for the Jets in the off-season:

(#90 Mario Williams Sacking Jets QB Mark Sanchez)

#1) Pass Rush:

            The Jets finished last season with 35 sacks, which tied them for 17 in the league. With the type of defense the Jets run, blitz heavy, those numbers should be much higher. Allowing quarterbacks to sit back in the pocket killed the Jets Defense this season. There best Option would be to get Mario Williams in free agency. He is able to play both d-end and outside linebacker, this flexibility will give Ryan and his defense more options when calling plays. Other possibilities include Robert Mathis and former Jet Jon Abraham.

                                                                                       #2) Replace Wayne Hunter:

(Where he should be. On the sideline.)

Right tackle Wayne Hunter was referred to as a revolving door many times this season. Not only did he give up sacks and allow unneeded pressure on Mark Sanchez but the Jets run game was also not the same as it has been in the past two years. In 2009 the Jets were first in rushing offence and fell to just fifth in 2010. However, last season the team finished in 22^nd, which put extra pressure on the teams’ young quarterback. I think the Jets should look to free agency for this position. They don’t need a pro-bowl tackle (although it would be nice). All they need is someone who will at least slow or redirect the rushers pass, unlike Hunter.

#4 Mark Barron Alabama SS

3) Secure the Secondary:          

Its no secret that Jets corner Darrelle Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL right now and his partner in crime, Antonio Cromartie, has done a good job with the added plays he’s asked to defend because teams are afraid to throw on Revis. The big issue has been the play of the safeties. Jim Leonhard has not finish either of the last two season because of injury and has become a hazard on the team. If the team replaces Leonhard, it is a good year to find a safety in the draft. With the 18^th pick in this seasons draft I would take Mark Barron out of Alabama if he were to fall in their lap. Another option would be Antonio Allen, however they could most likely wait until the second round to pick up the Strong Safety out of South Carolina.

-Scott Burgess

 Hofstra University '13

For all Jets news and information go to: http://www.newyorkjets.com/ 

2012 NFL draft information: http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft

New York Teams Keep (Lin)ning

With the dust still settling in New York from Super Bowl XLVI, two other local teams have been making noise in their respective leagues. After Tuesday nights 3-0 win over the Boston Bruins, the New York Rangers have become the clear number one in the Eastern Conference and arguably in the NHL. While the New York Knicks are riding a six game win streak under the wing of new sensation Jeremy Lin. Overall, it’s a great time to be a New York Sports fan.

            The Rangers have finally moved away from the Yankee mentality of over-paying old superstars and have focused on bringing younger players up through their farm league. So far this season four players with major ice time have been called up from their affiliate the Hartford Wale and have brought an energetic spark to the team. Aside from the great effort the team continues to give every night, much of the Rangers success can be attributed to their goaltending. Starting goalie Henrik Lundqvist is leading the league in both goals against average, with 1.81, and shutouts with 7. The team is also anchored by veterans Ryan Callahan and Marian Gaborik who lead the team in points with 48 and 41 respectively. Things are looking good for this young Rangers team who now have a 9-point lead in the Eastern Conference over the second place Boston Bruins. If Lunqvist can continue his level of play you can expect a deep run in the playoffs by the New York Rangers.

            Back over on the hardwood, the New York Knicks were facing implosion just two weeks ago with all-stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire both sitting out due to injury. The team’s 8-15 record didn’t seem like it would be improving anytime soon until Harvard graduate and now NBA superstar Jeremy Lin came onto the scene. Lin is now 6-0 in his first six career starts and has jumpstarted a slumping Knicks team. He has averaged 27 points , 9 assists and 3 rebounds per game in his past five games and had scored more points in his first five career starts then any player in NBA history, and yes I mean more then both Michael Jordan and Lebron James. After hitting a game winning three last night in Toronto and finishing with a team high 27 points and 11 assists Lin continues to prove that he is the real deal and I cant find any reason to disagree.  Some people are beginning to question whether the return of the team’s two biggest players will disrupt the teams newly acquired flow. But Anthony responded with, “I can play with anyone, I always have.” Don’t look now Knicks fans, you finally have something to cheer about.

- Scott Burgess