2015-16 NBA predictions

Eastern Conference

1. Cleveland

2. Atlanta

3. Washington

4. Chicago

5. Miami

6. New York

7. Boston

8. Toronto

The East is wide open for the last four playoff seeds.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Charlotte, Milwaukee, Detroit, Indiana or Orlando qualifies for the tournament.  That said, I am going with the eight teams above.

1^st round winners: Cleveland, Atlanta, New York, Miami

Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Miami

Western Conference

1. Golden State

2. OKC

3. San Antonio

4. Clippers

5. Memphis

6. Houston

7. Dallas

8. New Orleans

The West seems more top heavy than even throughout.  I believe Utah and Phoenix will be in the mix for the eight seed.  Also, Portland will be fun to watch, and Sacramento will win some games based on their talent.  However, the Kings will be a debacle chemistry wise with Rondo, Cousins and Karl.  That’s a trio that won’t finish the season intact.  Minnesota might surprise some folks too.

1^st round winners: Golden State, OKC, San Antonio, Memphis

(Blow up the Clippers!  The Grizz will take them out in the first round.  Doc Rivers might get fired.  I love Doc, but I seriously believe they will implode in the playoffs even with Paul Pierce).

Western Conference Finals: Golden State over San Antonio

NBA Finals: Cleveland over Golden State – I went rematch with a different outcome.

MVP: Steph Curry (repeat)

DPOY: Anthony Davis

6^th man: If Noah continues to come in off the bench for the Bulls, the award will be his.  I suspect he will start most games so I’m going with his college teammate Corey Brewer.  Also, Derrick Williams will have a shot for this as he’s instant energy off the bench for the Knicks. 

Rookie of the year: Kristaps Porzingis (Y’all heard it here first.  He’s more ready than people realize).  That is a heart pick though.  Most likely, it will be Karl Anthony Towns.

Coach of the year: Billy Donovan – OKC is back in a major way!

Most Improved: Derrick Williams – NYK all day!!

Dolphins rise to meet Campbell's challenge

In the first few weeks following Joe Philbin's ouster as Dolphins head coach and Dan Campbell's ascension to the role, it is crystal clear that Stephen Ross and Dolphins brass made the correct decision in firing Philbin.  In fact, they should have done it sooner.

Campbell's complete opposite approach (from Philbin) is flat out working.  Granted, Coach Campbell's two wins have been against AFC South doormats (Titans and Texans), but the Miami Dolphins are obviously playing better in all three phases no matter the competition.  That competition will be much improved this Thursday as the Fish travel to Foxborough to face the vaunted Pats.

I'm currently reading Carly Fiorina's 2006 memoir Tough Choices.  In chapter 16, she delves into leadership during times of change:

As is true whenever a new leader issues a challenge, a critical mass of the old-timers must rise to that challenge.  If this fails to happen, the new leader is simply ignored.

Fiorina goes onto expound on those two sentences, but there's a ton of meat on the bone in just the two sentences alone.  In relation to the Dolphins, Coach Campbell, a new leader, has certainly challenged their mindset and toughness and completely revamped their practice habits.  Campbell has shed complacency and protecting players egos in favor of ultra-competitive practices that lay bare any deficiencies.  He has issued challenges from the very first moment of his promotion to head coach.  The "old-timers" in this instance are the players.  They have risen to the challenges and embraced Campbell's hard-nosed approach.  If the players were ignoring Campbell or tuning out his message, the Dolphins would not have beaten the bark off the Titans and Texans in consecutive weeks.

Fiorina believes that a choice must be made to either follow or not follow a new leader/change agent who has issued challenges.  The Miami Dolphins look like a completely different team under Campbell.  From the quarterback play of Ryan Tannehill to the powerful running of Lamar Miller to the improved run defense, Campbell has unearthed the the very best from his players; they have accepted his challenges.  Check out this link to see how well the Dolphins performed today versus the hapless Texans. 

History Repeats Itself

UPDATE 01/17/2016:

When I originally typed out this blog post back in September, I knew Peyton Manning's season was trending down a path very similar to Dan Marino's 1999 (final) season in the NFL.  However, I had no idea that the respective seasons would be almost identical.

Dan Marino 1999 regular season:
11 games played, 55.3% completions, 2,448 yards, 12 TD, 17 Int, 67.4 rating, 5-6 team record with Marino as starting QB.

Peyton Manning 2015 regular season:
10 games played (9 started), 59.8% completions, 2,249 yards, 9 TD, 17 Int, 67.9 rating, 7-2 team record with Manning as starting QB (8-2 overall record in games played).

In addition to the eerily similar statistics, both legends missed multiple games due to injury and eventually had to fend off younger, upstart QBs to retain their jobs.  Damon Huard was the QB pressing Marino in 1999, and Huard finished with a much better TD to INT ratio (2 to 1).  Additionally, Huard was 4-1 as the starter which obviously bettered Marino's 5-6 mark.

Manning, on the other hand, actually LOST his job for one half of football to strong armed Brock Osweiler who boasted a 5-2 record as the starter.  Osweiler also protected the football much better than Manning by tossing 10 TD to 6 Int.

Last, both Marino and Manning clashed with coaches and front offices.  Marino and Jimmy Johnson shared a strained relationship throughout their partnership, particularly so in 1999.  Likewise, Manning had to deal with an offense that wasn't catered (and still isn't) to his every whim.  He lined up more under center as opposed to shotgun which doesn't suit his strengths.  Finally, as stated previously, a healthy Manning was the backup QB in a game (season finale versus San Diego) for the first time since September 1994, his freshman season at the University of Tennessee.  Coach Kubiak called Manning's number in the second half of the Chargers game and won because of it.  That said, who knows the status of Peyton's relationship with both Kubiak and John Elway?

Fast forward to today, and Manning is starting in the divisional round of the playoffs at home versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in a cold weather affair in Denver.  Manning has never fared well in cold weather.  Also, he's had his fair share of one-and-done moments in the NFL playoffs.

Another obstacle today will be the hobbled yet vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers.  After last week's backyard brawl in Cincy, the Steelers are missing some key cogs.  Also, Big Ben's throwing shoulder is injured.  Nevertheless, there's no one who comes through in big games better than Roethlisberger.  The Pittsburgh Steelers are an organization that has won big games throughout their history, and their signal caller is a savvy veteran that can make chicken salad out of chicken shit when things break down and instincts and pure athleticism take over.  The Steelers are a battle tested, formidable opponent.

I still believe Denver will win the game.  The Broncos boast a stout Wade Phillips led defense that will be dialing it up in front of a rabid home crowd.  Second, Denver can run the ball effectively with Hillman and Anderson which will take some pressure off Manning.  Last, I think Peyton comes through today.  He's had an extra week off to get his arm (and body) ready for competition.  It will be a close game, and Peyton will have to make some throws down the stretch for Denver to win.  Call me a homer, but I predict he gets it done.  I hope I'm right because I'm salivating for a Brady vs. Manning AFC title game.

The whole 2015 Manning saga is somewhat sentimental because I've rooted for Peyton Manning since the fall of 1994 - my sophomore year of high school.  I know many other Tennesseans will be cheering for the VFL a.k.a. "The Sheriff" to get it done today!  Perhaps today's game will serve as the springboard for another Super Bowl run.

Broncos 24
Steelers 21

ORIGINAL POST 09/16/2015:

When scouring annals of history, holy scriptures or sports almanacs, certain truths and patterns become evident.  One of these is the old adage "History repeats itself."  For my two favorite quarterbacks and football players of all-time, I believe we are in the midst of history repeating itself almost identically.

For my money, from a pure execution standpoint, there's nothing in sporting history more awe inspiring than watching Dan Marino sling the pigskin.  His supreme confidence, rocket arm and lightning fast release made Dolphins games during his tenure "must watch TV."  Even so, legends can't play forever.  A 38 year old Dan Marino entered his final NFL campaign in 1999 a shell of himself physically.  Various leg injuries (including an Achilles tear) over the years had taken their toll on the cocksure gunslinger.  Marino was still capable of big games, but his consistent dominance was a thing of the past.  He still had the arm strength, but I remember how painful it was watching him stretch like Mister Fantastic just to put a handoff in running back J.J. Johnson's breadbasket.  Marino's legs were shot.

Dan Marino threw 12 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions during the 1999 campaign, and the Dolphins earned a wildcard playoff berth with a 9-7 record.  In the wildcard game, the Dolphins traveled to Seattle to play the Seahawks in the Kingdome, and that was the scene of Marino's last stand.  I liken it to Davey Crockett defending the Alamo to the bitter end - two legendary figures fighting tooth and nail.  NFL football and the Texas Revolution aren't exactly the same thing, but mentalities of battle-hardened, high achieving, competitive men are alike no matter if the stakes are football glory or Texas independence. 

Marino had a paltry final NFL regular season by his elite standards, but he still had the stones to lead the Dolphins on a fourth quarter touchdown drive comeback in a hostile environment to pull out a 20-17 win.  The game had an eerie feeling of finality, and sure enough, Marino and the Dolphins ran into an absolute buzz saw the following Saturday in Jacksonville.  Marino could only watch his career end helplessly from the bench as the Jaguars channeled their inner Santa Anna (see what I did there?) and bludgeoned the Dolphins by a final tally of 62-7. 

Fast forward to 2015 and a 39 year old Peyton Manning is now 1999 Dan Marino - a beloved icon that is no longer physically up to dominating his sport.  Manning is accustomed to being the most prolific passer in the entire league.  His preparation, mental football acumen, competitive drive and ability to find the end zone have only been rivaled by Tom Brady and a handful of others over the past 15 plus years. 

If you watched the way last season ended for Peyton and the Broncos, the writing was on the wall.  Manning is probably the smartest quarterback to ever line up under center, but after numerous neck surgeries he can no longer throw the football with the type of velocity needed to be an elite passer.  If you can't admit this, you're looking through biased orange tinted (Broncos or Vols) glasses. 

Another problem for Manning is new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison isn't exactly catering his offense to Peyton.  Like Marino under Jimmy Johnson (history repeating itself), there seems to be a bit of angst in Denver.  Peyton is lining up more under center as opposed to shotgun.  It just feels different than the old days in Indy and Denver when Peyton was quarterback and partial offensive coordinator and head coach.  In his prime, Manning ran the show. 

The Broncos won their week 1 game this past weekend over the Ravens, but Manning was 24 of 40 for 175 yards and no touchdown passes.  To put that in perspective, Manning threw SEVEN, yes SEVEN touchdown passes in the 2013 opener. 

I believe that Manning will end the season with statistics markedly better than Marino in 1999.  After all, the league is in love with fantasy football and the interest it brings to the league. Hence, defenses have been handcuffed by rules and regulations.  Passing touchdowns aren't exactly hard to come by.  That notwithstanding, Manning is the best statistical quarterback in NFL history for a reason.  He's Toby Keith-esque, "not as good as he was once was but as good once as he ever was."  He'll have a handful of big games.  The Broncos will probably even make the playoffs similar to the Dolphins in 1999. 

My hope is that Peyton can find that often elusive playoff success and go out like Dan Marino in Seattle or Davey Crockett in San Antonio.  Crockett died at the Alamo, and Marino was humiliated in Jacksonville, but they both had skins on the wall from going out guns blazing.  I have little hope of Denver being good enough to win the AFC.  I don't see how Manning can thrive with regular season mileage and cold weather playoff conditions.  I do believe he'll be a sentimental favorite, and he'll go out the only way he knows how, yelling "Omaha" and throwing the damn pill.

What Eric Knows About New England

One of my favorite books as a youngster was James Howe's What Eric Knew which introduced teen sleuth Sebastian Barth.  I must admit that the title with my first name "Eric" piqued my interest and drew me in like a bug zapper, but the content of the book was the sustaining factor in it becoming one of my favorites.

The book centered around young Sebastian Barth and his group of friends as they embraced adventure all in the name of working to unravel a mystery.  The setting was a quaint New England town in the summertime.  The town was walkable ("free range kids"style) and bike friendly.  It featured a nifty downtown and a community church with an iconic church bell that was the centerpiece of the town and storyline.  For someone who grew up in a very rural setting (me), the idea of living in such a cool town close to my friends in the summertime was enticing.

Fast forward roughly 25 years to 2012, and I found myself living in such a New England town.  I can walk a few hundred feet in one direction and be downtown for pizza, ice cream, craft beer or a hair cut.  A few hundred feet in the other direction, and I find myself traipsing down wooded, secluded walking trails in a nature preserve.  We have a river that runs through our back yard.  If I had more of an arm, I could throw a football from our back deck and hit the community congregational church and its church bell that tolls every hour on the hour.  Essentially, Shay, the boys and I could be Sebastian Barth's neighbor. 

After two-and-a-half years plus of New England living, we are moving back to our beloved Tennessee at the end of June.  While we are very excited for the opportunity to move back to Middle Tennessee and the greater Nashville area, we are going to miss our little New Hampshire seacoast town tremendously.  We have made tons of memories and dear friends that we will cherish forever. 

I wanted to assemble a list of ten random things that I'll miss about New Hampshire and New England (What Eric Knows About New England - cheesy, I know).  Hence, this blog post and list complete with cool links and such:

1. Ice Cream - Before moving to New Hampshire, I had no idea how seriously New Englanders took their ice cream.  You can drive through almost any New England town and find proper mom and pop ice cream spots.  We can walk from our home to two such locations, one of which makes their ice cream in house.  The other uses product from a New England creamery.  Not only do these local places churn out (see what I did there?) delicious ice cream, their prices are typically lower than the chain ice cream concepts you see throughout the rest of the country.

2. NH coastal living and Portsmouth - New Hampshire boasts a quaint (how many times can I use the word "quaint" in this post?) 18 miles of seacoast which makes it the state with the fewest miles of coastline of states that are coastal.  It's a jewel of an area and one in which we've been thrilled to live.  Portsmouth is easily one of the coolest towns in the nation, at least of the ones I've visited.  If you haven't been, you should check it out.

3. Shoveling snow - Summer and fall are absolutely perfect New England seasons, and late springtime is right up there too.  Conversely, winters are hard, especially for southerners who are not used to the onslaught of snow that falls but doesn't melt for months. We lived through three New England winters, and they got progressively harder and more brutal.  While New England winters are challenging, there is something appealing at a primal level (think Rocky IV training montage) about getting out in the ridiculous elements and shoveling heaps of snow.  There were numerous times that my neighbor and I would be outside for hours cleaning up Mother Nature's wrath.  We've faced winds that would blow the horns off a billy goat and temps so cold that a beer once literally froze in a matter of minutes in my gloved hand.  One of the coolest experiences (literally) was when Shay and I shoveled out of Winter Storm Nemo and flew out the next day to Orlando for vacation. 

4. No sales tax - New Hampshire does not have sales tax.  If you go to a furniture store and see a recliner for $599, you pay $599.  Tennessee is much friendlier in terms of property taxes, but we will have to get used to paying sales tax again.

5. Raw milk - Ok, I know what you're thinking, "Wow!  They moved up to NH and went all granola on us."  In this instance, that is true.  I personally don't drink milk, but we have turned our four-year old into a milk snob.  He wants his milk unpasteurized and from a glass bottle.  We literally have to shake Bartlett Farm's raw milk before serving because it's J-Lo level thick.  Raw milk is illegal for human consumption in Tennessee.

6. Fenway Park - I grew up a huge baseball fan.  My dad was the man for many reasons, but one of those reasons is he made sure we had a massive satellite dish with plenty of TV viewing options.  As a kid, I remember watching the Red Sox on NESN  when they had iconic players like "Oil Can" Boyd, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Ellis Burks, Lee Smith and Mike Greenwell.  I was enamored with Fenway Park on television and intrigued by the local commercials that referenced Boston and far away sounding places like "Pawtucket."  I'm not a Red Sox fan, but I'm certainly a Fenway Park fan.  Going to Fenway Park for the first time is a road to Damascus experience in terms of sheer awesomeness.  In the two full baseball seasons we have lived in New England, the Sox won a World Series, and I attended four games at Fenway.  I even got to watch my beloved Braves play in the city they first called home.  I'll certainly miss being an hour or so away from the most iconic patch of grass in Major League Baseball.

7. Felger & Mazz - While living in New England, my disdain for the Patriots and Celtics has intensified.  For a region of the country that produces such a small number of elite football and basketball players, it's a shame the Good Lord bestowed such winning franchises such as the Pats and Celtics in New England.  Boston radio hosts Mike Felger and Tony Massarotti have made it their mission to get under the skin of die-hard New England sports fans, and it is glorious.  The vitriol Felger and Mazz generate on social media is other worldly.  I know I can listen online, but it's not the same as being here.  I will miss those guys stirring the pot. (Plus, any radio show that uses Pearl Jam's Glorified G as its bump music gets bonus points in my book.)

8. Easy drive to NYC - New York City is my favorite place on Earth to visit.  I love the history, food, crowds and melting pot culture.  I also love the New York Knicks with every fiber of my being.  My only wish is they win one (JUST ONE) NBA championship during my lifetime.  Additionally, my maternal grandfather came to this bountiful country via Ellis Island which only strengthens my bond with the world's most iconic city.  The apple didn't fall too far from the tree either.  My four-year old son is enamored with NYC as we've vacationed there twice during our time in New England.  He talks about eventually moving to NYC, and his new room in Tennessee is going to feature a NYC theme.  In NH, we are roughly four-and-a-half hours from the Big Apple via car or an easy train ride.  That won't be the case once we move back to the Volunteer State.

9. The Big Bean - I love breakfast foods, and the Big Bean Café has one of the best breakfasts I've ever smashed.  Their French Toast can be made with a number of homemade breads, and it's the best I've ever tasted.  They serve coffee from a local roaster too!  We can walk there and back from our house which helps burn a few of the calories. 

10. Summertime - Summertime in New England is perfect.  Baseball is in full swing, ice cream is available on every corner, water is close-by (ocean, Lake Winnipesaukee, etc.), and temps are hot but not unbearable hot.  It's a short but perfect season!

**** Honorable mentions: Halloween (huge deal up here) and seafood festivals. Also, I would love to be here during the early Presidential primary season when the nation affixes its eyes upon New Hampshire.  Last but not least, we are going to miss Next Level Church.  They are boldly proclaiming the gospel in New England!

Floyd and Manny

Last night, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao touched gloves and fought 12 rounds in Vegas, a duel dubbed pre-fight as the "fight of the century."  Floyd's elusiveness shined through for the 48th time in 48 professional bouts as he won by unanimous decision.

Everyone who is feigning surprise and bemoaning last night's fight as boring must not have watched Floyd's previous 47 sweet science displays.  Anger at the fight is misplaced.  Such anger is cognitive dissonance/buyer's remorse of falling victim to slick and pervasive promotion and marketing. 

Additionally, there are others who purchased the PPV and now regret padding the pockets of a man (Floyd) with a documented past of domestic violence.  Pacquiao, an outspoken Christian, philanthropist and politician, was cast as the perfect character foil to Mayweather's love of money.  The storylines were rich and dripping with nuance.

It's as if Mayweather's marketing team waved a magic wand that made casual boxing fans forget he fights a fully defensive style before they hit "buy" for $100.  I imagine there are others, rich and famous, who shelled out insane dollars to sit ringside that today are feeling a twinge of regret as well. 

I personally didn't purchase the fight, but I've made plenty of impulse buys over the years.  Yesterday, however, I used Floyd-esque defense to fend off the magnetic pull of ESPN, TMT and Manny (as a Christian warrior) hype.  The marketing major in me really appreciated many elements of the event.  From Manny eating Butterfinger products at the weigh-in to Floyd walking out with the actual. Burger King, Twitter was ablaze and $100 cheaper than actually buying the fight.

Both Mayweather and Pacquiao will one day be enshrined in the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. Mayweather is the best of his generation, revered by hardcore fight fans and dismissed by virtually everyone else.

Never Underestimate the Underdog or the Top Dog

It may sound incredibly cheesy, but as high school athletic coaches have been preaching for years, sports teach life lessons.  After watching two specific and very different sporting events and outcomes Saturday night (03/28), I began to ponder the life lessons that flowed from each.

As someone seven years his elder, I don't personally know Teddy Holder, but we share a number of mutual friends.  We also share a rural West Tennessee hometown of roughly 6,000 residents - Henderson.  When anyone from or associated with Henderson is under the spotlight, you can guarantee I'll be cheering them on.  I feel a connection whether it's Kings of Leon selling out stadiums playing their tunes, Kid President teaching us adults how to act, Freed-Hardeman Lady Lions competing in the NAIA Fab Four, Chris Vernon analyzing the Grizzlies post game on SportsSouth, Jasper Hollis twangin' in the Toyota Star Maker Finals, Justin Woods coaching up his Rossview basketball team in the TSSAA State Tournament, Blue Tears Rockin' With the Radio, Eric Jones serving as the key note speaker at an academic conference or Abbie Bayless singing on X Factor (Whew, what a list, and I even left out quite a few.  Henderson, whether by way of residents or FHU, churns out some talented folks).

This connection was felt Saturday night as I tuned into NBCSN (broadcasting live from Phoenix, AZ) to watch former Chester County Eagles football stalwart and now MMA fighter Teddy Holder touch gloves and battle as part of the WSOF 19 undercard.  Only a mere hours before the fight card was to begin, one of the co-main event fighters, Matt Hamill, had to withdraw with what was described as a "severe stomach virus."  One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity, and opportunity shined upon Holder.  After accepting the challenge, he was thrust into the co-main event versus former UFC contender Thiago Silva.

The Brazilian Silva would still be in the UFC if not for widely documented legal issues.  His being jettisoned to the World Series of Fighting was not due to any slippage in skills.  Thus, Holder was an instant, heavy underdog who had not fought professionally in a long 19 months.

Sometimes in life, a person may get a job opportunity that is several levels up the corporate ladder, or perhaps a fella lands a date with a lady perceived to be out of his league.  In such instances, it's all about how you react to the situation and capitalize upon it.  That's the life lesson that Holder personified Saturday night.

Our living room was HYPED as first Holder walked out and was followed by Silva.  As the fight began, the fighters looked evenly matched.  Silva moved fluidly, but Holder's power was evident with every heavy-handed punch that he fired at Silva.  A bit into the first round, Silva tagged Holder with a right hand that knocked the Chester County native back a few feet and seemingly had him in trouble.  Unbeknownst to Silva, Holder was not in trouble, but rather, he was in wounded bear mode.  Holder gathered himself and connected with a quick right hook behind the left ear of Silva that crumpled the Brazilian.  He then pounced upon Silva and quickly ended the affair with punches and hammer fists to improve to 9-1 and put himself on the MMA map.

Not only did Holder earn some street cred, he improved his payday by taking the fight with Silva.  Also, the fight was a semifinal of the WSOF's light heavyweight tournament so Holder now finds himself in the final awaiting the winner of the Ronny Markes versus David Branch fight.  Holder stands a very good chance of becoming the WSOF's inaugural 205 pound champion.  Had he not boldly accepted the opportunity to mix it up with Silva on three hours notice, he would not be in this position.  As the Latin proverb says, "Fortune favors the bold."  (Here's a link to a post fight article and interview with Holder.)

After watching the Holder upset, there was no time to decompress as we flipped the TV over to the final 12 minutes of the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Final as the unblemished University of Kentucky Wildcats (37-0 going into the game) were nip and tuck with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.   The Cats have blown many teams out of the water this season, but they have also been in some down-to-the-wire affairs with Ole Miss and at LSU.  With all due respect to those contests, Kentucky found themselves in their tightest spot yet versus the best team they've played all season Saturday night.

The Cats trailed for much of the second half versus Notre Dame.  The pressure was squarely upon Kentucky as they are striving to go 40-0 and ride off into the sunset as possibly the best college basketball team of all-time.

High achievers often face high expectations and pressures.  Maybe it's a high level sales professional who is given a daunting quota based on his or her performance from the previous quarter.  Or perhaps, a kitchen manager at a high volume restaurant is down in staff on a busy Saturday night and has 30 tickets scattered before him.  Another example is a product development or engineering team that is trying to get an innovative product to market and beat out a competitor.  In these examples, can the stakeholders muffle the distractions, self-doubts and team strife that can derail their goals?  Can they dig deep and calmly deliver under pressure?

Coach Cal and the UK players calmly delivered down the stretch Saturday night.  Karl-Anthony Towns scored a career high 25, and 17 of the points came in the second half.  With six ticks remaining on the clock, and the game tied, Kentucky guard Andrew Harrison calmly sank two free throws to ultimately win the game for the Cats.

Another life lesson the Cats have taught throughout this season is how ultra-talented performers can thrive together without any appearance of jealously or infighting.  Kentucky boasts a staggering nine McDonald's All-Americans on its 2014-2015 roster, and nobody on the team averages more than 11.0 points per game.  The Kentucky roster is chock full of players who could easily average 20 points per contest on a team in which they were one of a handful or the lone star player.  Instead, these talented players have set aside personal statistical achievements in search of shared, team glory.

Kentucky advanced to the Final Four to lock horns with the well-coached and seasoned Wisconsin Badgers, and Holder (as indicated previously) will be fighting later this year for the WSOF 205 light heavyweight championship.  If they win, life lessons can be gleaned, and if they lose, perhaps they'll show us how to deal with setbacks and move forward accordingly.  There are life lessons to be learned either way.

Baseball Hall of Fame and the Crime Dog

It's Election Eve for the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, an annual event that brings together dissenting baseball fans, old school writers, new age metrics gurus, PED bashers, PED player supporters, Pete Rose bashers and Pete Rose fanboys like a smoldering pot of gumbo.  Unlike gumbo, however, these ingredients rarely compliment one another.  Instead, there is finger pointing, name calling and disagreement - basically all of the things that make sports great in America.

As a Braves fan, last year was a banner year for the HoF, and hopefully the run continues this year with Smoltz getting in as a first ballot guy.  I would also love to see Rock Raines somehow get in.  I have opinions on other guys too, but for this post, I want to focus on the Crime Dog, Fred McGriff.

McGriff has long been overlooked and undervalued in my humble opinion.  I checked Twitter earlier today and saw a tweet from a Tampa writer (see photo at top of post) that got my juices flowing.  Obviously, Mooney may be biased as McGriff is a Tampa, Florida product, but I too would vote for McGriff if I had a ballot.  Of course, his tweet incited multiple people to question Mooney's voting for McGriff over Bagwell.  I am not going to dive into the Crime Dog versus Bags comparison, but I do have something to offer in regards to McGriff as a standalone candidate.  I typed the following words on a Yahoo fantasy baseball message board back on August 8, 2014, and the words still ring true today:

Ok... Ok.... You guys making fun of Fred McGriff's tall, mesh-back cap and the kid throwing the ball in the trash can from center field has forced my hand. Here's the case for Fred McGriff:

Over a stellar 19 year career, the Crime Dog did the following:

• 2,490 hits for Fred. There are currently 18 HoF 1st basemen. 11 of them do not have as many hits as Fred McGriff. Notables include Harmon Killebrew - 2,086 and Willie McCovey - 2,211.
• 493 HR for Fred. I realize that 500 is the "magic number." He's only seven off that number so give me a break. McGriff hit 30 or more bombs in 10 of his 19 seasons and 20 or more in 15 of 19 seasons. He was a true model of consistency.
• 1,550 RBI for Fred. This is more than 10 of the current 18 HoF first basemen. Willie McCovey drove in 1,555 runs in his career, very comparable. Killebrew, a fabled HR hitter, drove in 1,584 for his career, again very comparable to McGriff.
• .284 BA for Fred. Harmon Killebrew hit the magic home run total with 573 dingers, but he hit a paltry .256 for his career. It's like he was an extra good Rob freakin' Deer.
• McGriff won 3 Silver Slugger Awards and was a 5 time All-Star. Had his contemporaries not been on the juice, these numbers would be enhanced.
• Fred McGriff played in 10 playoff series during his vaunted career (3 NLDS, 1 ALCS, 4 NLCS & 2 WS). His playoff totals are as follows: .303 BA, 10 HR, 37 RBI. In the 1995 NLCS, he hit a blistering .438 with 11 total bases in 19 plate appearances. He hit 2 HR in the WS that year as the Braves defeated the Cleveland Indians. He was a clutch performer.
• A 6+ WAR is considered to be a MVP candidate, and 5+ is considered to be a superstar (as rules of thumb). McGriff had two seasons of WAR above 6 and four seasons above 5. The two seasons above 6 are impressive. Anytime you have a 19 year career and are a MVP candidate (stats wise) in multiple seasons, it shows elite level play.

It's a shame that such a stellar player was overshadowed by the muscled up players from his era to a point that he's not even considered for the HoF in a serious manner.

I'm sure tomorrow will come and go without Fred McGriff gaining entry into Cooperstown.  I'll still be beating the McGriff drum just like that day the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium press box caught on fire.