Monday Spread Option 05-05-14

1. The NBA playoff first round was arguably the best first round of all-time. We saw five series got to game sevens, a handful of overtimes and an unexpected amount of four point plays. Which series was the best in your eyes and why? 

Spencer- 
No series was better than the Oklahoma City, Memphis series...nothing. The number of times I caught my self saying "What just happened?" throughout those seven games was crazy. Russell Westbrook was slamming crazy dunks, there was that Durant four point play. Tony Allen was locking KD down, while Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph did work in the paint. It was just a fight! Add in the fact that there were four overtime games, I mean it just doesn't get any better than that. It's going to be tough for the second round to live up to these first round games but I'm excited for it.

Ty- 
A week ago I would have agreed with Spencer about the Thunder and Grizzlies but the last 2 games ended in blowouts so idk If I can pick it. I think I would go with the Portland v. Houston series. All the games were close. It had 3 overtimes and it although it ended in 6 it came down to the last shot of the series to end it. Although the Rockets got down 3-1 you could have argued that they could have easily been in the up 3-1 because of how close the games were and how each game turned on maybe one or two bounces to decide it.

2. Now as the NBA teams are set for round two who wins each series to advance to the conference championship round and in how many games? 

Ty-
The second round match ups should hopefully live up to the first round of games as well. In the west I have the Thunder over the Clippers in 7 games. These teams love to play a very fast pace so they end up playing very similar styles. The difference is that I think that the Thunder can play better defense for longer stretches of time. Blake Griffin usually struggles against the Thunder and they wont have the size advantage they had against the Warriors. In the Spurs v. Trailblazers matchup I have the Spurs in 7 as well. I'm only saying seven games because Portland is very resilient. I do think that they can score on the Spurs at any point but The Spurs are capable of playing defense and I don't trust the Blazers D at all. I will say if the Blazers get hot or play better D than they can win in 6. In the east the Pacers v. Wizards match-up is interesting because the Pacers were the better team for most of the year but imploded. The Wizards are close to contenders now that they got Nene back. I have the Wizards winning in 6. Finally I have the Miami Heat beating the Nets in 7. This is because the Heat have Dwayne Wade for now and that makes the difference. Now if Wade gets hurt, which is still a good chance. Then all bets are off because I do feel like this Miami team is not as good as they were last year.

Spencer- 
The match-ups for this round should be insane if we're basing it off of the first round and how the teams stack up. I think there are two that on paper have game seven potential and that's the Thunder and the Clippers and the Pacers and the Wizards. Thunder, Clippers, I just get the sense is going to be a battle. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan down low will give Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins some trouble down low, I don't know if it will be as much as Marc Gasol and Zach Randoph did, but it will still be impactful. Then you got the match up of Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook too. In the end it will go seven and the Thunder win. For the Pacers, Wizards series I just can't trust the Pacers enough yet to believe they are back to their dominant form and the Wizards are a force to be reckoned with. If Roy Hibbert continues to put up 0's it could be the end in this round, but going small has worked for them in big moments so we'll see what strategy they go with. In the end I think the Pacers hang on in seven again. I may regret that, but I just have the feeling when the Pacers are in survival mode they get it done. The other two series (Heat vs. Nets and Spurs vs. Blazers) are tougher for me to pick. On one hand you got Brooklyn who swept the Heat in the regular season, but on the other you got a rested Miami team who we all know coasted in the regular season. Then you have the veteran's in the Spurs against the young up and coming Trailblazers. Miami should win their series but not as easy as round one, this time it will take six games. As for San Antonio and Portland, I just don't see the disciplined and experienced Spurs team letting Damian Lillard go off like he did against the Rockets. Spurs in five.

3. The Stanley Cup playoffs are well into the second round now, who do you like to advance in each series and why? 

Spencer- 
In the East I think, as I've said in past Monday Spread Options, the Bruins are the best team still in the playoffs, I mean look at how relentless they are! They were down 3-1 to Montreal and went on to score four goals in the third period alone to win 5-3. Unreal. I think they will get back to the conference championship for sure. Between the Rangers and Penguins I think if the Pens play like they did last night in their 3-0 win, they will win the series. Fleury looked like the 09 Fleury in the shutout and not to mention the penalty kill unit killed off six penalties in the game. If they can continue to do that then we'll have a rematch of last years Eastern Conference Championship, Boston and Pittsburgh. On the Western side I think Chicago is just too good for the Wild. They are already up 2-0 in the series and neither game has felt very close by score or in the teams play. I just don't think Minnesota is stopping the defending champs. The Kings and Ducks series could end up being the best series of the four because its two scrappy teams. On one side you got Kopitar leading the league in points for the playoffs and on the other you got Hiller with the best postseason goals against average. You've got two defensive minded teams that can score, so that should make for a solid series. I think in the end the Kings will come out on top though. The Ducks have had some shaky goal tending at times, which is the reason Hiller started playing in the first place. I think LA feels confident with Quick in net and that will give them confidence to go full steam ahead on the offensive end.

Ty- 
I could pretend to know alot about hockey but I do not. From what I do know I got these picks. I doubt you want my analysis but let's see if I get it right. The Rangers have played 5 games in 7 days and at some point has to be exhausted so I'm going Penguins over Rangers. Then I have the Bruins over Montreal. They seem like the better team. In the West I have the the Blackhawks over the Wild just because they have looked great against them and they are up 2-0. Also although my gut tells me the Kings will win, I'm going to take the Ducks just because I just had a flashback to my childhood of me watching the Mighty Ducks cartoon show. So there is obviously an edge there I guess.

4. The wait will finally come to an end this week as the NFL Draft is set to get underway Thursday night. There has obviously been a lot of talk leading up to now about who will get drafted where, give your mock draft for the top five picks and why? 

Ty-
1. Houston:  J. Clowney, DL
The Texans can't pass on this guy. Plus if Teddy Bridgewater is truely slipping out of the first round, they can grab him with the first pick in the second.

2. St. Louis: Greg Robinson, OT
The Rams might move down. I think they should take Watkins to give Bradford an actual #1 reciever. but I think they pink Robinson if they stay here.

3: Jacksonville: S. Watkins, WR
The Jags probably don't need a WR. They could take Bortles here but I think they go with the sure thing.

4: Cleveland: J. Manziel, QB
There has been a lot of hype and for some reason I think the Browns bite on it. I guess if Bortles is here too he can be an option as well.

5: Oakland: K. Mack, ILB
The Raiders would be in the running for Watkins and either of the quarterbacks as well but I think they go defense.

Spencer-
1. Houston: Trade Down 
I don't think Houston wants to justify paying Jadeveon Clowney at the number one overall pick salary and will trade down to get potentially more picks from a team to help improve their depth, which is something they lack greatly. They need a QB obviously and taking one a few picks later if they trade down would make sense. Falcons could be a potential suitor for the first pick and they need to improve their defense immensely and may want Clowney badly enough.

2. St. Louis: Greg Robinson, OT 
This is probably the easiest top five pick to predict. Rams want to put their faith in Sam Bradford and to do that they need to protect him. I expect them to look for other receiving options later in the draft because Bradford doesn't have a ton to throw to right now. That's the next step for the Rams in my mind.

3: Jacksonville: Sammy Watkins, WR
Jaguars have a decision to make. They need a lot but first thing they need is someone to get fans energized around this team. I think they should take Johnny Manziel because he will have the most immediate draw being a thrilling player and former Heisman winner. That being said I think the take Watkins and look for a quarterback later. We'll see what happens.

4: Cleveland: Johnny Manziel, QB

Cleveland once him bad and I think the way things will shake out they will get him. He will be someone who adds immediate excitement and high expectations, or in other words he'll put butts in seats for Cleveland. Not only that but if he becomes a great player like some expect he could help lead a much improved Browns team to the promise land. We'll see if he does, or if he becomes another name on the long list of QB failures in Cleveland.

5: Oakland: Khalil Mack, LB
Oakland needs a lot of help defensively and Mack is expected to be the highest linebacker taken. I think Mack can learn under a guy like Lamarr Woodley who the Raiders signed in the off-season and gain some great experience to become a solid future player for an Oakland franchise looking to be revived.

5. What We Learned: 

Spencer: The Kentucky Derby is still one of the nations best sporting events 

This past Saturday marked the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby, the Super Bowl of horse racing. California Chrome ran away with it, pulling ahead by several lengths at the end to win the race. As it is quite commonly known as "the best two minutes in sports" it lived up to the title, not to mention it drew the second largest crowd in the events history as 26,211 people packed into Chruchill Downs. Even more people watched from the comforts of their own home and placed bets on the horses amongst family and friends.

All in all I think the Kentucky Derby is so different but so historic it still works for America! It isn't your usual game of football. It isn't an obscure Olympic sport like trampoline. It's horse racing. A sport with a deep history and a sport that thrives on chance. The trainers train their horses for years to get to this stage. The owners buy the horses with the hope of chasing a triple crown and proving it was a wise investment. And the Jockey's work hard getting to know the horses and working hard to build a winning relationship with it. It is a delicate and unique system unlike anything else in sports.

On top of the romanticism of the sport itself I think it appeals to a wider American audience because of  the gambling aspect of it, because well gambling on sports is basically an American pastime, and because of its viewing accessibility. On a Saturday where there were three NBA playoff game sevens going on as well as the Stanley Cup Playoffs and baseball games, the nation stopped what they were doing to watch this race. It is so simple to just turn it on 10 minutes before, see them break down the horses one at time as they get to the starting gate and get an understanding of the best horses who is expected to win and all that. Then you watch the two minute race and it's over and you can go back to watching what you were before. The quickness of it all benefits the audiences interest and we saw that again this year when Twitter blew up with posts about the race and the winning horse California Chrome.

From what I understand though there is nothing like being there in all-day at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby and taking it all in. I for one hope to get there some day.

Ty- The Draft Still Hasn't Happened Yet?

There has been complaints about the draft being pushed back by many because all the mock drafts have become dry. I hate the length between the season and the draft because it gives to much times to over think on players. Guys that were 1st rounders by scouts at the end of the season has been scrutinized into later rounds.

The only guy who might be immune to this is  Johnny Manziel. But he is said to maybe go early in the 1st but also could drop out of the 1st round. The guy who has fell the most was Teddy Bridgewater although I think it could help the Texans because I still feel like he is a good player.

The draft should have been moved earlier in my opinion and not later although I get they did the move to get more ratings I guess. But it should also be about maximizing the talent on the teams and I think more time actually hurts that because scouts find more reasons to hate players they already didn't like and more reasons to like players that they were already fond of. I do know that scouts know what they are doing but everybody is human and sometimes people are bias.

I honestly just want the draft t be over. I'm not excited for it all now, I'm more tired about hearing about it and mock drafts and people's stock. I just want it to be over with and know who has been drafted to each team.

Monday Spread Option 04-28-14

1. Donald Sterling has single-handedly stolen the sports headlines this weekend with his racial comments that were allegedly recorded during an argument with his girlfriend. Although he has had a racist history and been involved in a number of incidents where he made racial remarks, is this where the NBA should draw the line in the sand? What should the repercussions be on Sterling, and does this whole situation serve as a distraction to the Clippers who are on a playoff run?   

Spencer-
This has to be the NBA's chance to take a stand on this. Obviously given his history it should have happened before but there is no going back now and they either end it now or become open to all kinds of criticism for fans, player, other owners, journalists and so on. In terms of what they should do I don't want Sterling to reap any benefit from this so forcing him to simply sell the team for its $700 Million worth, a franchise he only purchased for $15 Million, doesn't serve justice. Sterling doesn't deserve to make any profit from this situation. I do think the end goal needs to be getting him out of the league but it isn't as easy as making him sell the team. Obviously they can't make him do that, but a suspension and extremely large fine should be a stepping stone for getting him out as well as continued loss of support from his fans and colleagues and sponsorships being dropped. I think all this could be the foundation for getting Sterling to decide on his own to sell the team and get out of the league. Sterling has been a problem long enough and the fact that a guy with the views he expressed in the recording has this much relevance in a world renowned organization is just plain sad. With all the in mind I think it does pose a threat for the Clippers as they go on this playoff run. For one I think as much as it united the players on the team, I think it makes them focus more on getting their resentment toward Sterling across then on the basketball games ahead. I think it was a huge distraction in their game yesterday and it showed as the Warriors really took it to them. Not only that but they are losing sponsors, fans, support and the future of their potential hall of fame coach is questionable. It is negative attention that unfortunately will get associated with the Clippers logo and team and it may cost them a shot at the title.

My final word on this is that people like Donald Sterling bring a world that has taken a lot of positive steps toward racial equality backwards and there is no place for them. I will say though, this is a wake up call for how far the world has to still go to reach racial equality completely, because the fact of the matter is people like this still exist out there, as sad as it is, and they single-handedly hold us back. That is a discussion for another time though.

Ty- 
When I first heard about the comments I wasn't really surprised. This was the guy that has had numerous incidents that were worse than this because it dealt with housing discrimination. He discriminated against black people and hispanic people and was a slum landlord. That is way worse than saying he didn't want his mistress associating with black people. Now what was really bad was when he went on to say how he gives black people food to eat and etc. It honestly just showed what his mindset has always been. In a way i'm glad that this happened. Only now in this new social media age do people seem to care more or have more affect on matters like this. Before things like this would get brushed under the rug like it has been so many times even for Sterling. The NBA owners have to act quickly to fine him and also to make it uncomfortable for him to still be in the league. This is America so we can't force him to sell his team. The only way is to not show the team support.We can show the players on the team support but we can't let Sterling continue to run a lucrative business. The sad part is that the best case scenario is that he sells this team for 500 million or more dollars and is allowed to still own property with the same mindset. It also will show a message that things like this will not be tolerated. It will be tough to get him to sell but if sponsors continue to cut ties with the Clippers and fans don't continue to support the team financially than it can really make a difference. 

What I hope really is happening is that people other than minorities begin to realize that what he said wasn't what made him racist. He could have never said any of those things and continued to own the team and do the discriminatory things that he has done before. I want people to take from this that racism isn't always this blatant and it is very easy for somebody to be in this kind of position of power and have these feelings. Hopefully it shines a light on the racism that obviously still exist because it shouldn't take a illegally leaked voice recording on TMZ to get this kind of response.

2. The NBA playoff first round match-ups are well underway, with some teams just a win away from advancing to round two. Who do you think will take each of the respective series and keep their title hopes alive?  

Ty-This has been probably the best first round of the playoffs in a very long time so this is actually pretty hard to pick except for a few series. 
The East:
First I have the Heat sweeping the Bobcats. The Bobcats starters have played well but the bench just can't keep up with Miami. I have the Wizards beating the Bulls in 6. The Bulls are too resilient to not when at home at all in a playoff series so I think they get this next game but the Wizards are the better team. The Pacers will beat the Hawks in 6 somehow. I have absolutely no confidence in that pick and I shouldn't. I have the Raptors beating the Nets in 7. Not confident in this pick either but the Raptors have showed me that they have the guts to pull it out and they have a better team in my opinion.
The West:
This is harder to pick but I have the Spurs beating the Mavs in 7.....Unless the Mavs win tonight... I know that is a cop out but oh well. I have the Thunder beating the Grizz in 6.Why? I honestly don't know. Kevin Durant and Westbrook can't continue to shoot this bad right? I also got the Blazers beating the Rockets in 7. These two teams are so evenly matched. Either team could have easily been up 3-1 and this series could have easily been tied. I now have the Warriors beating the Clippers in 7. I think that the Donald Sterling thing will honestly effect how they play. Basketball is usually an escape for most of these players and now their team symbolizes something completely different. It's not their fault and they are the better team but they might not be able to shake this out of their minds and also it looked like the Warriors are starting to heat up.

Spencer-
I'll start with the easiest one, which is the Heat sweeping the Bobcats tonight and advancing. From there I think the Wizards have pretty much locked up their series after downing the Bulls yesterday without Nene mind you, to take a 3-1 lead. I will say I think the Bulls win at home in game five to stay alive but the Wizards win it at home in game six.  The Rockets, Trail Blazers series is probably one of the tightest match-ups in general, so it is hard to go one way or the other cause I could still see Houston come back. Portland has made me a believer though and I don't expect them to let Houston hang around. Blazers in six. Four of the last five series are tied at two a piece so we definitely got some GREAT finishes upcoming. Thunder, Grizzlies have had a handful of the top plays of the playoffs in just four games and Memphis is living up to that fear factor they brought into the playoffs, which made teams afraid to play them. With how incredible this series has been I think it is going seven games with the Thunder pulling it out at home to advance. Next, Clippers, Warriors and like I said in the first question I think the publicity surrounding Donald Sterling may cost the Clippers. The Warriors are hot and blew the Clips out yesterday I see them carrying that momentum over into game five and beyond and winning in six or seven. Brooklyn and Toronto are the third series tied at 2-2 and this one is a toss up for me. Each game it's like the other team takes momentum and control of the series. I'll take Brooklyn though because I want them to advance to give the Heat a tough series in round two. Last 2-2 series is Pacers and Hawks and this may be the kiss of death but I'm taking the Pacers in six. Hoping they finally got their heads on straight with that huge win on Saturday. Then we got one series left between Dallas and San Antonio, Mavs leading 2-1. I'm impressed with the Mavs and they are certainly hanging tough with the Wests top team (record wise) but I think the Spurs are kind of a sleeping giant and once you wake them, they are relentless. Spurs in six.

  

3. Many people thought the St. Louis Blues were the team to win in all in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year, only to drop four straight to Chicago and bow out in the first round. With the Blues gone who of the remaining teams if your favorite to win Lord Stanley's Cup?  

Spencer-

The Bruins are probably the best team in the playoffs this year on either side, and with the Blues gone I think they are an easy favorite to win it all. They put some ghosts to rest by beating Detroit in five, after the Red Wings had great success against them in the regular season. Even with Montreal up next and coming off a dominant four game sweep of Tampa Bay, I think it is Boston's series to lose. If Tuukka Rask continues to be as solid in goal as he was in the first round it only makes their case even better. He makes the big saves and in the postseason that's what you need from a goalie. As a Pens fan that is something I wish Fleury actually had. I will say the defending champs, Chicago, are a scary team thought for the Bruins or anyone. They won four straight against St. Louis and move on to the next round hot as can be with a very, very good roster. Patrick Kane is now awake folks so the Blackhawks are no joke. Still favoring the Bruins but Chicago isn't far behind in my eyes.

Ty-

The Bruins probably should be the favorites because they are the best team in the league. I still don't think they will win though. I know it is crazy but I believe in the Penguins even though they have goalie woes. I'm sure they will get past the Blue Jackets and have a chance to do some things. Also you can't sleep on the way Montreal has been playing. Also the Blackhawks and the Ducks are two very good teams as well. So although the Bruins are the favorite, i'm still going to take the field.


4. There has been a lot of discussion in the MLB about legalizing pine tar use for pitchers, after Michael Pineda's ejection for using it in last weeks Red Sox, Yankees game. Everyone always seems to agree that pitchers are always using in discretely already so where do you stand on making it legal for pitchers use?  

Ty-

This is one of those things in baseball that I hate. What the hell is the point of having unwritten rules that contradict written rules. If people are actually ok with using pine tar because it helps pitchers not hit players than that is fine. Just make it a rule and not something stupid like this. Just allow pine tar so that we don't have to worry about it. I don't even see the reason of having the rule as a sort of figure head to make it look like there is some integrity. Also I don't get how this dude got out of the dugout with this stuff smeared on his neck? Like nobody else, coaches or players, thought to tell him not to do that?

Spencer-

This whole issue is so silly to me. Basically the league has banned all these substances for pitchers to use but they don't "really" enforce it because everyone has hinted at using them secretly at some time, and in addition umpires only point out their use when an opposing manager brings it to their attention. Its basically like driving 58 in a 55 MPH zone. You probably aren't getting stopped for speeding unless you are driving by with a sign that says I'M SPEEDING! That's basically what Pineda did by having pine tar right on his neck for everyone to see, but basically everyone says the same thing that he can do it as long as its not blatant. WHY!? Look I understand why pitchers do it but if it's breaking the rules, why isn't it checked and enforced better? You either ban them completely and actually crack down on it, or change the rule. I don't know which will be better for the league but you make a mockery of the game by letting there be this grey area that says it's okay but just hide it. That's like letting a guy get away with murder because he did it in a discrete way rather than just murdering him in public. He still broke the law man. The best solution in my mind is allowing maybe one substance, perhaps pine tar, for better grip and monitor how much can be used. That presents the problem of overseeing the amount being used though. I'm interested to see if anything comes of this as the season continues or in years to come. 

5.  What we learned:

Spencer: "Draft Day" is a solid depiction of what goes on behind the scenes of building an NFL franchise that we don't always see as fans.

I saw Draft Day over the weekend and I thought, as a football fan/sports enthusiast, it was an awesome showcase of what goes on behind the scenes at the NFL Draft and inside an organization looking to build a franchise with the correct players. I don't want to try to give too much away but just to be safe, I'm putting out a spoiler alert if you choose to continue reading...



Before I went to the movie I had heard mixed reactions because of there being a side story involving the romantic relationship between Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner, but I honestly didn't find that part of the story too distracting from the real purpose of the movie. In fact I thought it really shined light on the discussions and decisions made in an NFL front office on a daily/yearly basis. Basically Costner is the General Manager for the Browns and has the seventh pick of the draft, but makes a deal for the first overall pick looking to potentially go after the top prospect in the country, a Quarterback, and re-energize the franchise. Costner's character basically spends the day of the draft after making this deal trying to figure out if this QB is really in the best interest of the team and if there is anything to not like about him being part of the franchise. He goes through ups and downs figuring it out, dealing with the opinions and criticism from his head coach and fellow front office employees and has to decide if he wants to do what is expect or go with his gut to build for the future of the franchise.



That was the feature of the movie and in my mind captured that idea with the audience. As fans of the game sometimes we get so caught up in drafting a guy, trading for a guy, resigning or releasing a guy, that we lose site of the fact that it isn't about what you or I want, but about doing what is best for the team and building it for the future. That is what these GM's, owners, coaches, recruiters etc. are responsible for and sometimes the players we are dazzled by in college aren't going to be what everyone wants or expects them to be, or have character that isn't a fit for the franchise. We all have to realize how much work these guys put into scouting players, watching their film, finding out about who they are as players and people and know that they see the things we don't. Remember that as the draft approaches. Your team may not always draft the guy you want but know there is a reason for each pick and that its never an exact science and that goes for any sport. Bottom line is sometimes a GM's just gotta go with their gut.

Ty: Scott Brooks Needs to Play Reggie Jackson with Russell Westbrook like he used James Harden.

Both Scott Brooks and Russell Westbrook will probably always get the blame for a Thunder loss. Kevin Durant has played poor the last couple games and that has not helped the Thunder but they have been in each game. If  Durant and Westbrook play better than the Thunder can probably blowout the Grizzlies again. It just isn't that simple. 

Although I saw the Thunder miss a lot of shots that they usually make, the Grizzlies have made it really difficult for them to score at time and have done a great job of controlling the pace. I love Russell Westbrook because he is always in attack mode but sometimes he needs to be more poised but that just isn't Westbrook at times. What Scott Brooks needs to do is play Reggie Jackson just like he played James Harden when he was with the Thunder. 

Remember that when Harden was on the team, he came off of the bench but he played starters minutes. Yes Reggie Jackson needs to play more but he also needs to play the Harden role in the 4th quarter. Jackson is a little better at controlling the pace and is a little bit better at deferring to other players than Westbrook is. It would allow The Thunder to play Westbrook off the ball and allow him to attack in a different way. It also allows chances to get Durant the ball because they can't key on him as much if they have more offense and ball movement on the floor. Yes Reggie is coming off of a career game and likely wont do that again but this is a way to open up the flow of offense. 

The Thunder rely so much on Westbrook and Durant but they have played best when they have everybody involved. Obviously I would prefer is Brooks was still playing Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones because they add offense and they could not be worse than how Fisher and Butler have played. Brooks has always been criticized for not making adjustments but I think this is so obvious so you have to make it happen. 

Best lineup would probably be Jackson, Westbrook, Sefalosha, Durant and Ibaka. Should be enough to spread the Grizzlies out. Durant could probably hang with Gasol or Randolph a little bit but neither of those two can guard Durant or Sefolosha if he can hit 3's