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.