Who Can Beat New England?

     If the Summer of Deflategate was what prompted Tom Brady to be playing at GOAT-status this year, then Robert Kraft should duel with the commissioner every damn summer. Brady has been unstoppable: just look at the numbers. Through 6 games, he's thrown for 2,054 yards, completed 68.9% of his passes, has a 16:1 touchdown to interception rating, and has an average QBR of 113.2 - his highest since the undefeated 2007 season. Brady has controlled the game, setting the pace of every offensive drive, being wickedly (to use a Boston colloquialism) accurate, and, most importantly, knowing his limits as they relate to arm strength and never attempting to do more than he can, which is still a hell of a lot, especially at his age.
     This Patriots team, on paper, is honestly nowhere near as good as many of the Patriots teams of yore, especially last years. Bradley Fletcher is starting at cornerback. If you recognize more than half of the starting defensive line, you're lying. And the offensive line, already shaky and honestly over performing, is one injury away from blowing up. While these units don't seem entirely scary, the way they are performing as a whole is one of the best examples I've seen of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. The Patriots are cruising right now, dismissing their opponents with a simple Gronk spike. Can they continue it? Unlikely. But looking at their schedule, who can beat them?
     The Patriots have to face each of their divisional foes once more, with the exception of the Dolphins, whom they have to face twice. Can any of these teams beat the Pats? The Jets provided New England with their first real challenge, keeping it close past halftime, which no other team has been able to do. The second game, in Week 16, will depend on what they're playing for. If the Jets are fighting for a playoff spot, their urgency could propel them to a win, but Belichek has never been known to give anyone a game, whatever the circumstances. Even if the Patriots have nothing to play for, they won't give in. It should be a close game, barring any serious injuries on either side, but that should be the closest challenge the Patriots will face from in their division. The Bills can always surprise, but I don't think they'll bring anything the Patriots can't handle. The Dolphins have improved since their coaching change, but they've faced two mediocre teams. The defense has seemed out of sync at times, and you can bet Brady and Co. will take full advantage.
     In the NFC East, the Patriots still have to face the Redskins, Eagles, and Giants, all of which are wildly inconsistent. They shouldn't have any problem with the 'Skins or Eagles, but if the Giants can continue with their midseason momentum, and considering the Patriots' vulnerability as it comes to the Giants, they could pose a challenge. Considering the Giants' recent habit of giving away games in the fourth quarter, and the Patriots' ability to absolutely own any fourth quarter and come back from any deficit, I think that the Giants, while a threat, won't be too much of a problem
     In the AFC, the Patriots have the privilege of playing the AFC South this year. Left on the docket are the Texans and the Titans, neither of whom should pose a problem under any circumstance.
     The only other team on the remaining schedule is the Broncos. One may think this would be the Patriots' biggest threat, and it might be. The Broncos are also 6-0, and their defense has been the best in football. Peyton Manning, on the other hand, has been atrocious. The wins disguise it, but he has played with the extremely unconvincingly. Considering that Brady has won the last three Brady-Manning duels, and Manning's ineptitude of 2015, I don't think that this game will be particularly close.
     There's definitely an argument to be made that the Patriots will have an off week, and that the level of success that they're enjoying is extremely hard to sustain. Most of the undefeated teams will lose at some point just because of the improbability of going 16-0. If this were to happen to the Patriots, it would likely be to the Jets, Giants, or Broncos, as I've mentioned. But this unlikely bunch is showing no signs of slowing, and though this team is nowhere as good-looking on paper as the 2007 Patriots, the 2011 Patriots, or even the 2014 Patriots, this patchy defense and gritty while still aerial offense might just find itself undefeated, or close to it, at the end of the season.
   

Facing 3rd and Long: What to Expect From the 0-2 Teams

After two weeks, 9 NFL teams stand at 0-2. Six are from the NFC, 3 are from the AFC, 4 were playoff teams in 2014, and all are facing the daunting reality that another loss in Week 3 could spell serious trouble. What do these teams' defeated records indicate? You're about to find out.

Teams That Should Get Back On Track
Teams: Indianapolis, Seattle

Some of these teams' losses are easier to explain than others. If you're a Seattle fan, I wouldn't be too worried, at least as far as playoff implications go. Without Kam Chancellor, who didn't play either game due to a contract holdout, the fearsome Seattle defense looked a little lost without its leader. Facing the Rams, the defense couldn't hold when it needed to, and, a little more understandably, had the same problem when facing Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. While the St. Louis loss was definitely suspect, the Green Bay loss was totally understandable, as these are fairly evenly matched teams when Chancellor is on the field. The absence of Chancellor, for me, was definitely Seattle's main culprit. With the proper personnel back on the field, the Seahawks should get back on track and make the playoffs once again, although the early-season struggles might be an indication that another Super Bowl may be less likely than 2013 or 2014's teams.
Fans should panic if: Seattle loses to Chicago next week

Indianapolis seemed to be all in for a Super Bowl run, adding skilled veterans Frank Gore and Andre Johnson in the offseason, but the formerly dynamic offense has seemed lifeless and mistake-prone instead of the well-oiled machine we've become accustomed to seeing from an Andrew Luck offense. However, Indy opened last year 0-2 as well and still made the AFC Championship game, so this isn't entirely unprecedented. The main problems for Indy, in their games against the Bills and Jets, have been a historically weak offensive line and an injured secondary. The offensive line has been horrible, but Luck is used to this - he's taken the most hits of all quarterbacks every year of his career. There are a few elements at play that made the offensive line woes particularly glaring the past two games. The first is that the Colts have played two teams with very intelligent defensive-minded coaches, Rex Ryan and Todd Bowles, who are both big believers in the blitz. Facing constant blitzing, combined with good secondaries, particularly for New York, it was extremely difficult for Luck to find anything to work with, hence the turnovers. However, Luck is proven in dealing with shaky offensive line play, and likely the last two games were just him getting back into the football grind behind his makeshift offensive line, which is what happened last year. As for the secondary, Vontae Davis will soon return from injury, which should give Indy a boost. Also, Indy always has one of the easiest schedules, and hasn't gotten a chance to play any of their weaker division mates yet. Expect a bounce back.
Fans should panic if: the Colts lose to one of their division rivals

Teams Could Bounce Back, But Being 0-2 Is Definitely A Cause for Concern
Teams: Baltimore, Philadelphia

Baltimore is always relevant in the AFC playoff conversation (5 berths in 6 years under Coach Harbaugh), but the 0-2 start is a little discouraging. The defense, which has come to define Ravens teams in years past, gave up 37 points to the Raiders. Yes, you read that correctly. Obviously some of that has to do with losing team leader Terrell Suggs for the year, but until the D can figure out how to function without Suggs, they will struggle. On the offensive side of the ball, Joe Flacco and Co. have been fine, but it's tough when your only receiving option is Steve Smith, who's 36. Things should get better when Breshad Perriman finally makes his debut, but this could be a tough year for the Purple and Black. They'll probably still find a way to make the playoffs, but I think that that's the ceiling for this year's team.

After a whirlwind offseason, the Eagles have come out of the gate extremely disappointingly. Sam Bradford has looked asleep in the pocket, DeMarco Murray is barely getting any touches and finding it difficult to get into space behind a shoddy Eagles O-Line, the defense has bended and then broken, and if they don't fix their problems soon, Chip Kelly could be in for a long season. As Robert Mays put it, "The decision to run $22 million guaranteed of running backs behind $1.1 million of guards seems to be backfiring." The cornerbacks are playing worse than if there was no corner at all. This team has enough talent to correct itself, but also enough highly-paid egos and sketchy cornerbacks, guards, and quarterbacks to turn this season into a train wreck.
Fans should panic if: The Eagles lose to the Jets AND the Redskins, or get blown out by either team

This Team Should Rebound from 0-2, But Not Enough
Teams: Houston, Detroit
Houston almost made the playoffs this year on the power of JJ Watt alone, but the quarterback situation will certainly hinder them. Houston has played Kansas City and Carolina this year, both respectable teams, so the losses aren't too much cause for concern. However, neither Brian Hoyer nor Ryan Mallett can get this team to be better than last year's, which still didn't make the playoffs, especially without the services of Arian Foster. Until Foster comes back, this team will definitely struggle, and while it's possible, I don't think the postseason is within Houston's reach this year.

Detroit seems to be mediocre one year and playoff-bound the next even with the same personnel from year to year, so it's no surprise that after a good year, the Lions already seem to having a down one. The Lions' secondary has always been shaky, and without a fearsome defensive line, the cornerbacks and safeties are being exposed like never before. The Lions will always be interesting with Calvin Johnson in the mix, and rookie RB Ameer Abdullah looks promising, but I don't think a playoff run is in store for the Boys in Honolulu Blue in 2015.

0-2 Is An Indication of the Year to Come
Teams: Chicago, New York Giants

Chicago is perhaps the most likely of the 9 teams to start 0-2. The offensive line is suspect, as per usual, Jay Cutler sucks, as per usual, and the defense has too many holes, as per usual. Now with Cutler out and Jimmy Clausen in, plus Alshon Jeffrey's injury, there's no one to distract defenses from  Chicago's last hope, Matt Forte. This looks like a lost year for the Bears.

In both of their games this year, the Giants have gone up in flames when it mattered most: at the end of the fourth quarter. The Giants can hang with nearly any team, but they don't have the run game to take control early, or the defense to shut teams down in the fourth quarter. This is a very easy team to expose, and while it would be insane to say that they will lose every close game they play in, I think that is what will happen in the majority of their close games. Another losing season is in store for these guys.


0-2 Is The New Normal
Teams: New Orleans
The arm of Drew Brees has been able to mask the fact that, for the past 1-3 years, the Saints have not been a good team. Without Brees, who will be out for a while with a shoulder injury, there's nothing to stop the Saints from exposing their mediocrity. This is already a lost year.

9 Burning Questions for all Fantasy Football Players

1.   Who should be the #1 overall pick in the draft?

            Last year, LeSean McCoy was a fairly consensus choice as the #1 overall pick. Picking McCoy wasn’t a bust, but his season was definitely not worthy of the top choice. That’s part of the reason that this year, I’m advocating for a safer bet: Eddie Lacy or Jamaal Charles. Consistency has been the name of the game for Eddie Lacy in his two NFL seasons. He has finished as the #6 back in both years, and he averaged 14.4 points per game last season. There’s a lot of concerns about the five backs that finished ahead of him last year, ranging from suspensions to age to injuries to team changes, that Lacy is the best bet to post the same stellar numbers that he did last year. The option, I believe, is Jamaal Charles. Charles finished as the #7 back last year despite battling injuries, and he was the #1 back in 2013. He’s still under 30, and he’s a true workhorse, meaning he’s definitely worth consideration for the number one overall pick.

2.   What’s the deal with Adrian Peterson?

Last year was entirely unprecedented for Adrian Peterson, but for all the wrong reasons. After playing Week 1, “All Day” was on the Commissioner’s List for the entire rest of the season, due to charges of child abuse, meaning he didn’t see the field at all from Weeks 2-17. Having been removed from the Commissioner’s List, and hopefully with all of negative drama of last year behind him, AP is a good bet for a major rebound. Peterson has all the signs of a running back ready to slow down: he’s 30, he’s seen enormous workloads throughout his entire career, and with workload=adjusted numbers, he’s played 29.1 more games than he has in reality, due to excessive amounts of carries. However, Peterson has proven throughout his career that he shouldn’t be weighted by the normal standards of running backs; this is a guy that came back from a torn ACL to rush for the second-most yards in NFL history. Also, having basically taken a season off, Peterson is fresh, and hungry to prove himself again. I’d definitely take him with a top-5 pick.

3.   Is Rob Gronkowski worth a first-round pick?

This really depends on your stance on running backs. If you don’t feel the need to take a running back in the first round, than the Gronk is absolutely worth a late first round pick. Last year, there were three tight ends in the “first tier” of tight ends: Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, and Julius Thomas. With both Graham and Thomas relocating to teams where their ceilings are limited, Graham to a run-first team in Seattle and Thomas to a team with poor quarterback play in Jacksonville, Gronkowski is truly in a tier all by himself. Drafting Gronk practically guarantees that you will win every tight end matchup, and with Gronk posting wide receiver-type numbers, it’s like drafting the #1 receiver, but having that receiver truly be in a class of his own at the position.  I would say that he’s worth it if you’re willing to make a running back sacrifice.

4.   Who is the top wide receiver?

I would be inclined to say Antonio Brown, of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brown finished last year as the #1 receiver by 22 points, a very sizable gap. Brown is extremely athletic, hard working, and runs routes better than anyone in the league with his precise cutting ability. With the Steelers defense looking fairly weak, Pittsburgh might wind up in some shootouts, and will have to rely on the offense a lot, which is music to the ears of any Brown owner. With Martavis Bryant starting to attract attention on the other side of the field, Brown might see less double-teams, another plus. Some might say that Dez Bryant should be the #1 receiver, but having scored 16 touchdowns last year, he’s definitely due for a regression. Combined with the fact that the only people distracting defenders from Dez are Cole Beasley and Terrance Williams, neither of whom are very intimidating, I would rank Brown ahead of Bryant as my #1 receiver.

5.   Which committee backfield should I stay away from?

I would avoid the Patriots running backs more than any other backfield in the league. First of all, the backs competing for chances to play in New England are LeGarette Blount, James White, Tarvaris Cadet, Brandon Bolden and Jonas Gray. For starters, none of those names are known as good running backs: half of them aren’t even known. Blount will likely emerge as the starting running back, but he has been wildly inconsistent and injury-prone in the past, and he also has a one-game suspension to start the season. Bill Belichek is also notorious for shuffling running backs around throughout the season, sometimes even in the context of one game. This is extremely frustrating for both the Patriots opponents and fantasy owners. Remember Jonas Gray? He was a waiver darling after rushing for 201 yards and four scores in Week 11 against the Colts, amounting to 44.1 fantasy points. After showing up late to practice that week, Gray was in Belichek’s doghouse for the rest of the season, barely playing. This could happen to any Pats RB at any time during the season, which is why I would stay away from this unpredictable and unreliable running corps.

6.   Which 2014 star will see the most regression?

Julius Thomas is about to experience the painful decline that I like to call Eric Decker Syndrome. Last year, Eric Decker left the Broncos for the Jets, meaning he traded Peyton Manning’s Hall of Fame arm for Geno Smith’s for the shaky, interception-prone, weak, and decidedly not Hall of Fame arm. Decker may have seen a bigger paycheck, but his stats plummeted; he finished as the #9 receiver in 2013, and the #28 receiver in 2014. Thomas is leaving Manning and the Broncos for what may be an even worse quarterback than Smith: Blake Bortles. Combine that harrowing thought with the following statistic. In his two years as Manning’s #1 tight end, Thomas has averaged 12 touchdowns, but only 638.5 receiving yards. Counting only receiving yards, Thomas would be at the same level as Jared Cook of the Rams, who was the #15 tight end last year. Thomas’ touchdown levels probably won’t go down to 3, which is the number of TDs Cook caught, but his change of team will probably mean he scores somewhere between 5-8 touchdowns. If he scores 7 touchdowns, and puts up approximately 600 yards, the tight end he would be most analogous to would be…..Larry Donnell, the Giants tight end and the #12 tight end overall. Thomas could surprise us, but expect him to be a low-grade starting TE. He’s still a TE1, but don’t draft him as a top-five tight end, or you will be thoroughly disappointed with the value you get.

7.   Who will be the Fantasy Rookie of the Year?

Melvin Gordon, barring injury, is almost a sure bet to take home that accolade. The Chargers jumped up to the 17^th pick to take Gordon, a senior out of Wisconsin. In doing so, a perfect marriage between player and team was created. Gordon definitely seems to be a prototypical workhorse back, and San Diego was in need of just that, having traded away Ryan Matthews and the next best option being career change-of-pace back Danny Woodhead. In San Diego, the opportunities will certainly be there for Gordon, who will likely get 250 touches. San Diego wants to run the ball, Gordon can run the ball well, and his biggest competition for FROY, Todd Gurley, is still recovering from an ACL tear and plays in the toughest division in football. Look for Gordon as a solid RB2 on Draft Day.

8.   Are there any IDPs I should specifically look out for?

While there are always players that are better than others at the IDP positions, there is only one who is really worth a higher pick: J.J. Watt. Last year, Watt scored 5 touchdowns, and in my league, scored 158.15 points! That’s more than Kelvin Benjamin, Frank Gore, or Jimmy Graham! Watt will be a huge asset to whoever drafts him.

9.   Which teams have the easiest fantasy playoff schedule, and which players benefit?

One team with a favorable fantasy playoff outlook is the Saints, who take on Detroit and Jacksonville, neither of whom have a strong pass defense. This is good for owners of Drew Brees and Brandin Cooks. The Vikings get to play two less-than-ideal run defenses when they face the Bears and the Giants, so Adrian Peterson stands to benefit. Lastly, the Panthers play the Giants and the Falcons, both of whom have poor rush defenses and shaky pass defenses, which will be good for Cam Newton and Kelvin Benjamin, and if he’s still upright, Jonathan Stewart.

8 Things I've Learned So Far from the NBA Finals (in honor of #8, the great Matthew Dellavedova himself)

1.     1. If anyone had any doubts about LeBron James being the best basketball player on the planet, his play throughout the past four games have effectively shut those people down. Looking back on some of the all-time greats, I’m hard-pressed to find a player who has had a less-talented supporting cast than James currently is working with, playing without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Jordan always had Pippen, and in some cases, Dennis Rodman or Horace Grant, Kobe had Shaq, Bird had McHale, Abdul-Jabbar and Magic had each other, plus James Worthy, and there are countless other examples. LeBron has who? So far, the second-best guy on the Cavs has been Matthew Dellavedova, and Delly has put in amazing work, but doesn’t even begin to approach the talent levels of those previously mentioned. Essentially on his own, James has surpassed even the highest expectations, setting a record for most points through three Finals games, with 123, surpassing legends such as Rick Barry, Jerry West, and His Airness himself, Jordan. When LeBron knows he has to score, he puts his head down and finds a way into the paint, despite facing triple teams at some points when the defense collapsed on him. His basketball IQ and court awareness have been exhibited expertly, making passes across the court while falling out of bounds, crazy elusive behind-the-back tosses, and creating smart plays in transition. Despite a poor game 4 in which he was affected by a head injury after a run-in with a camera, LeBron still showed the type of toughness and grit coaches dream about. Averaging a ridiculous 45.75 minutes per game, James has cemented his status as an all-time great during these past four games.

2.     2. An MVP is expected to surpass the performance of all of those around him. He should be the most reliable player, and no time more so than the Finals. The Finals should be the place for the MVP to show the whole league exactly why they chose him. Not only has Stephen Curry failed to do this, but also he has even elicited some talk as to whether he deserved the prestigious accolade in the first place. By winning this year’s MVP, Curry is no longer ‘The Next Big Thing’, he should just be ‘The Big Thing’, so the fact that he’s getting outplayed is concerning. Particularly in games 2 and 3, Curry was not present, unable to shake Dellavedova’s defense and disappearing at times, doing a poor job of getting to the hoop, directing the offense, but especially shooting the 3, which has been established as not just his specialty, but his greatest competitive advantage. In game 3, Curry went 1/11 from beyond the arc, and didn’t start hitting the shots he needed to as the leader of the team until the fourth quarter – and even then his effort wasn’t enough to overcome the sizable Cavaliers lead. A much improved performance in Game 4 went a long way in quieting the doubters for now, but as the series comes to end, Curry must establish his dominance if he wants to be considered in the same conversation as James.

3.     3. Before these Finals, Matthew Dellavedova was a relative unknown. Maybe you’d seen him come off the bench while Kyrie was less seriously injured earlier in the playoffs, maybe you’d seen his name come up during broadcasts, or if you’re a really serious hoops junkie, maybe you even remember him from his record-breaking days in a St. Mary’s uniform. Regardless of how cognizant you were of him before these Finals, Delly has made one thing clear; everyone will know his name by the time these Finals are through. His defense on Stephen Curry, an incredibly difficult assignment, has been stifling,, at least in Games 2 and 3. Delly stuck to Curry like glue, making sure to pester and bother him all night, both nights, throwing his shot off and ensuring that he got few good looks. Curry’s got deadly handles, but Delly has rarely been tripped up by them, meaning he has fared better than All-Star Chris Paul, who showed up on memes for days after Curry broke his ankles earlier this season. On offense, Delly has been clutch, hitting insane circus shots and, importantly, diving for loose balls with both frequency and vigor, a sign of true hustle and dedication. I mean, the man works so hard he had to go to the hospital after Game 3! Whatever the outcome of the series, Dellavedova performance will be talked about for years to come.

4.     4. Andre Iguodala, who by normal standards should be declining by age 31, has been the spark throughout the series for Golden State. Iguodala has been asked to do a lot this year, from coming off the bench (despite always starting in his previous 10 seasons) for the good of the team to having to be a veteran presence to a mostly young Warriors team. Iggy has been good all series, draining corner 3s, creating turnovers, and absolutely demolishing the rim any time he gets to be the one to finish the fast break. However, Iguodala had his best game in Game 4, where he lead the Warriors with 22 points. But Iguodala’s biggest contributions came on the defensive side of the ball. Very few men can say that they went up against LeBron James and had a good time of it, and even fewer can say that they did this in the NBA Finals. Iguodala, however, can say that at least for one night, he went up against King James and won. Iggy’s tight defense kept LeBron honest and contributed to his shooting struggles and frustration as the game went on. Throughout the past four games, it’s become evident that Iguodala is no mere bench player: he’s been the Warriors’ heart.

5.     5. Tristan Thompson has become a classic example in proving that stat sheets don’t tell the whole story. While Thompson has struggled to find the bottom of the net: he only put up 2 points a piece in Games 1 and 2, and his high this series has been 12, his performance on the boards has been classic. Averaging 13.75 boards per game, with many of those coming on offense to create second chance opportunities, Thompson has been crucial to Cavs’ success, and could be seeing some more money in the near future for his efforts.

6.     6. When David Lee was first benched in favor of Draymond Green, despite earning over $15 million a year, the outpouring of jokes and memes was both loud and large. As dismaying as that sounds, it might be better than when all the joking stopped, signifying that Lee was officially an afterthought, both the people, and as it turned out, the Warriors. In the Western Conference Finals, Lee averaged about 4.5 minutes per game, garnering little attention. In the Finals, however, his timely decision-making, which has been questionable in the past, and his veteran presence have lead to both his increased minutes and production. Whether you think he’s a joke or not, Lee has been able to make legitimate contributions to this series.

7.     7. Defense really does win championships. From Delly’s shutdown performances in Games 2 and 3, to Iguodala’s career defensive night against LeBron, the performances on the defensive side of the ball have really made all the difference. My prediction is that whoever is able to keep the most pressure on when the other team has the ball, particularly in the fourth quarter, will end up winning the series.

8.     8. The last thing that I’ve learned from Games 1-4 of this series is that this Cavaliers-Warriors finals could go down as one of the best Finals series of all time. Leaving out Game 4, which seems to be an anomaly as the margin of victory was 13 points higher than the second-largest margin, the games have been incredibly close and evenly matched. All sorts of TV-perfect drama has ensued: a last-minute comeback denied (Game 3), two overtime games, multiple 40-point performances, the emergence of a nobody to stardom, a veteran coming through in a big way, and a King displaying his wrath. If the down-to-the-wire scores and the superb play continue, this series will certainly go down in history books as one of the greatest ever.

Why James Harden Should Be Your 2014-2015 MVP

     It's a familiar sight for any opponent of the Rockets. James Harden, killer of momentum, leads a fast break to halt the opposing team's run and put the game out of reach. James Harden, marksman, dribbles around the top of the key; the opponents know he will pull up and take the three, they defend accordingly, and he still makes it. James Harden, the agitator, drives into the paint and angles himself in such a way that the opposing center picks up his sixth foul, dragging his feet to the bench in frustration. And then he makes both free throws. Just to top it off.
     The NBA MVP race, with no disrespect to Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Chris Paul, or Russell Westbrook, has essentially become a two-man contest. In one corner stands Stephen Curry, the baby-faced assassin who has been the best player on the best team in the best basketball league. With his propensity to knock down shots from any spot on the court, his three-point shooting prowess, and his pesky habit of getting steals, Curry has been an enigma this year. In the friendly market of the Bay Area, the city, and the league, have embraced Curry as a bona fide star this year in his magical campaign of bringing the Dubs to an astounding 67-15 record. Curry is a wizard each time he steps on the court, going for the highlight reel plays and crazy shots that seem to have been blessed with just a little bit of that magic Curry touch,  pumping up the crowd, walking back on defense with some swagger in his step and the knowledge that he'll be #1 on SportsCenter's Top 10 tomorrow.
     In the other corner stands James Harden, the Bearded One, a mean-mugging shooting guard who will take away the ball and your confidence. Playing with a mean streak that's been with him since his days as a Sixth Man in Oklahoma, Harden has an in-your-face attitude, keeping his oft-injured team not just afloat, but thriving. The player formerly known as a fun-to-watch player on offense and a meme in the making on defense has taken his stock to new heights this season. His defense has shored up, his offense has carried the team, and despite the fact that he's usually the only one defenders are concerned about, he still puts up 27 points a game, whether he's heating up on jump shots, laying it up off the dribble drive, earning from the line, or a combination of the three. He's going to score, he's going to win in the process, and he's going to leave everyone else in the dust, if the game goes his way.
     The race this year is closer than it's been in any time in recent memory. Both candidates are incredibly deserving of the prestigious honor, and personally, I wouldn't fault the committee for either choice. However, I think the decision of the winner should be made with particular regard to the word 'valuable', because after all, the award should go to the Most 'Valuable' Player'. The dictionary defines valuable as having qualities of respect, admiration, or esteem. This definition makes the decision exactly 0% clearer. With the dictionary not being helpful in the least, I think I am justified in choosing how I define valuable, in the context of the NBA, and really, sports at large. Value, in basketball, is essentially how imperative a player is to his team's success. I always like to ask myself the question, if I took X player off of their team, what would be the magnitude of the effect. Obviously, the removal of both Curry and Harden would be incredibly detrimental to their teams. However, to me, the absence of Harden would mean more for the Rockets than Curry's for the Warriors. This makes Harden the most valuable player.
     Mark Cuban, famous for controversiality, said, "James Harden, I think, is the MVP. Because that's not a very good team over there." While this was certainly a backhanded compliment, it's a good point. The Warriors are an incredibly deep team. In terms of starters, the combination of Bogut, Iguodala, Green, and Thompson, all healthy for the majority of the season, would be one of the best lineups even without a strong point guard. Plus, Harrison Barnes, David Lee, and Shaun Livingston are all probably above-average backups. Without Curry, the Dubs would still be a quality team: just not an excellent one. Without Harden however, the Rockets this season would have been a mess. Dwight Howard missed 40 games this season, Terrance Jones was in-and-out for most of the season, and Josh Smith and Corey Brewer were not acquired until midseason. At times, Harden single-handedly carried this team to not just victories, but a 2-seed. Without Harden, they might not even be in the playoffs, let alone ranked so highly. Harden's value to the team is immeasurable, but one stat that's helping if WAR, Wins Above Replacement. It's no surprise that the six MVP contenders finished in the top 6. But number one? No other than James Harden, coming in at 20.48. Drop those 20 wins from the Rockets' record, and instead of being up 2-0 against the Mavericks, they're watching the playoffs from their couches.
     Another stat to help prove my point is the fact that when Draymond Green plays without Steph Curry, the Warriors outscore opponents by 7.4 points per one hundred possessions (Grantland). The Rockets have no such player who do that without Harden on the floor.
     One major difference between the two is crunch time. The fourth quarter was often when Harden played his best, keeping his stamina alive to close out games in the clutch. Curry, on the other hand, often never had to play in the 4th quarter because his team was already pummeling the other team. We know that Harden has been a monster at the end of games, but we really don't know about Curry. This is no fault of Curry's, it's just a blank on his resume. For me, that's another Harden advantage.
     Honestly, either player would be deserving of the award. They've both had legendary season that deserve to be celebrated with the highest honor the NBA can bestow on an individual player. Nonetheless, someone has to win. James Harden should be your 2014-2015 MVP.

One Shining Month for Michigan State

Duke. Kentucky. Wisconsin. Michigan State.

            The list reads like a who’s who of future Hall of Fame coaches, a list of the most storied programs for prospective players, a collection of college basketball meccas for diehards and journalists, bloggers and alumni, fans clad in body paint and in band uniforms alike. But this year, that assortment of teams reads more like a which-one-doesn’t-belong question, a group with one glaring aberration.

Kentucky has been this year’s Goliath, an undefeatable band of seven-footers trying to make history. Pegged as the favorites since pre-preseason, the one-and-dones, along with a couple two-and-dones and the occasional three-and-done, haven’t failed the experts yet, not so much making it to the Final Four as waltzing in.

Duke, lead by 1000-win Coach K, has also lived up to the hype, showcasing probable top-5 picks Jahlil Okafor and Justice Winslow. Chosen by most to make it out of the South region, Duke hasn’t disappointed.

Wisconsin was another preseason favorite, after Frank “The Tank” Kaminsky, the AP Player of the Year, chose to forego the draft and return for his senior year with the sole purpose of getting back to the Final Four, the caveat being that this time they planned on winning a championship. The lanky buzzcuts from up north have also kept experts looking smart, losing only two regular season games and tearing up the West region en route to Indianapolis.

With predictable giants occupying 3 spots, the fact that Michigan State, a team normally in the same group as those giants, managed to win the East region, is even more amazing. After getting the star treatment last year as a popular Finals pick (even President Obama jumped on the bandwagon and picked Sparty as his tournament winner), expectations for the team quickly fell after they bowed out in the Elite Eight. The Spartans graduated Adreian Payne and Keith Appling, and star shooting guard Gary Harris defected to take his chances in the draft, where he currently is on the Nuggets. Expectations for the Spartans in 2014-2015 were cooled, to say the least, and journalists and Spartans personnel alike expressed this opinion.

“Everyone knows we didn’t have the kind of team we normally had,” Izzo said after the Louisville game, enjoying the splendor of making his 7^th Final Four. “This team probably had the least chance to get there [the Final Four].”

“What does a Michigan State down year look like?” was the question ESPN posed on October 1^st, in their college basketball team previews. “This might be the season we find out.” ESPN projected them to finish 5^th in the Big Ten a year after winning it. They began the season as they were expected, winning the games they were supposed to win, losing the games they were supposed to lose against their touted opponents of Duke, Kansas, and Notre Dame. Going into Christmas however, riding a win streak against some mediocre competition, the team suffered an embarrassing loss to Texas Southern, the type of team Tom Izzo schedules purely to put a tally in the W column. The unprecedented loss threw the team off to some extent, going up and down as the conference schedule began in two losses to Maryland. Bad losses continued to plague the team, dropping two to the underachieving Nebraska and Illinois.

By this point, Michigan State was at an all-time low. Players were frustrated, Izzo’s changes didn’t seem to be working, and some experts even had them out of the tournament. “This Spartans team is mediocre,” stated ESPN analyst Jeff Goodman. The Spartans managed to string some wins together after that, but then lost to a poor Minnesota team at home. Going into the Big Ten tournament, the Spartans sat at 21-10.

Collectively, Michigan State is a bit of an odd bunch. There’s no player above 6’9’’, certainly no All-Americans or AP Player of the Years like their Final Four counterparts. But there’s something about this band of sort-of-misfits that fits together in a way that’s not so much tangible as it is emotional. There’s the 5’10’’ freshman point guard whose nickname is ‘Tum Tum’. The senior trying to be more than the role player he’s been asked to be the last three years. The big guard/forward with a mean streak. The temperamental forward with a ceiling higher than Karl-Anthony Towns’ vertical reach but a questionable work ethic. It’s a collection of former role players and undersized big men, players who make up what they lack in talent with effort and players who make up what they lack in effort with talent. They’re not the type of people that make up a stereotypical team, no typical Hollywood roles. Kentucky knows who they are: an NBA futures team, a group of guys who consider college as a stop along the way. Duke knows who they are: players in it for the Duke experience, a chance to learn from Coach K and enjoy the ride. Wisconsin knows who they are: standouts on the court and in the classroom, tall white dudes with buzzcuts who are friends on the court and off. But Michigan State? They don’t fit a mold. Nothing defines them: until they choose to define themselves as a group of guys who finally decide that they really, really want to win.

Going into the Big Ten tournament, Michigan State first got a classy W against a decent Ohio State team. Against Maryland, a team that bested them twice in the regular season, the Spartans finally got their long awaited win. At the final in Chicago, going against the undisputed best Big Ten team, Wisconsin, they put up a better fight than any team in the tournament has done so far. Michigan State didn’t just keep pace with the class of the Big Ten, they lead by as much as 11, before a couple critical mistakes down the stretch were their undoing. Losing in overtime, the team received a seven-seed going into the tournament. Izzo could have tried to motivate the team by saying they were disrespected in their seeding, but he knew this wasn’t the case. “We were respected getting into the tournament,” he acknowledged.

As everyone knows, March Madness is a time for leaders to step up and for people to seize moments. To some extent, that guy has been Travis Trice, the senior shooting guard with a soft stroke and high basketball IQ, who’s overcome everything from having to come off the bench earlier this season to having a freaky rare disease last year. Trice has certainly lead the charge this March, with a huge game against #2 Virginia and being named the East Region’s Best Player. However, it’s been more than just Trice that has been the difference. Nearly every player has stepped up. Denzel Valentine has taken a larger leadership role, stepping up to take big shots and just generally being smarter with the basketball. Bryn Forbes has transformed from shooter to absolute sniper, hitting nearly every corner three. Branden Dawson, known for his tendency to disappear during games, has made sure to always stay relevant on at least one side of the floor, amassing huge rebound totals and coming through in the clutch, as he did against Louisville with a game-changing tip. Gavin Schilling, Alvin Ellis, Tum Tum Nairn, Matt Costello: they’ve all upped the intensity tenfold, contributing to Michigan State’s magical March.

Drawing the 7-seed in the East, MSU’s first matchup was against a touch Georgia team that had hung with Kentucky earlier in the season. Despite being down early, the team rallied, and with some crucial halftime adjustments (these ended up becoming a trend throughout the tournament), they took the lead off of some big shots by Trice and the big men, and their knack for creating turnovers and capitalizing on them. Despite allowing Georgia to come back to some extent at the end, (“We keep y’all interested,” joked Izzo) Michigan State advanced to a daunting matchup with #2 seed UVA. Last year, the Spartans had knocked them out in the Sweet Sixteen, but of course as critics had made everyone well aware, this was not last year’s team. As it’s turned out, that’s worked out in their favor.

Before the game, Izzo, known for his riveting and enigmatic personality, gave a much more toned down speech than as is custom, with a simple message. “60 minutes of hard work, 60 years of memories,” he told his team. The mantra worked, as State jumped out to a 15-4 lead, with Trice scoring most of those points, utilizing the fast break and the outlet pass so well that I’m sure Wes Unseld was smiling somewhere. Unfazed by the slow tempo of Virginia’s offense, State refused to allow them to get a good shot selection, forcing UVA to shoot only 29.8% from the floor. When UVA inevitably came back, Travis Trice took over. Whether it was making improbable 3s as time expired, getting to the line or creating 3-point plays through working the line, or expertly using the kick-out off of the dribble drive, he did all virtually flawlessly. Putting the team on his back, MSU closed out in the final minutes to take the victory. This was their first upset, and it would turn out, nowhere near their last.

Oklahoma, their Sweet Sixteen opponent, played in a style that was decidedly not Virginia’s. Fast breaks, creating turnovers, and an up-tempo style of play characterized Lon Krueger’s team, the 3 seed. In the beginning, Oklahoma seemed to have the upper hand, seizing a decisive lead behind the shooting of point guard Buddy Hield and strong post work by forward Tayshuan Thomas. On the other end of the floor, Michigan State seemed unable to make their shots, taking ill-advised threes and not crashing the boards. They made a little run as the half expired to be down by 4 at halftime, a score Izzo clearly thought to be miraculous considering the poor effort his team had displayed. For the second twenty minutes, the Spartans were a different team. Instead of poor shot selection, they passed around to get open looks for Trice and Forbes. Denzel Valentine and Trice particularly excelled, catching fire and harnessing it to the tune of 42 combined points. The game went back and forth, with 5 lead changes, but the Spartans took control at the end, taking care of business on the defensive end by posting up against Tayshaun Thomas, and not allowing Buddy Hield to get open looks. Dawson got some critical rebounds, finishing with 11. When the dust settled. Michigan State had won by four, setting themselves up for an Elite Eight matchup with Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals.

The game started as a back-and-forth effort, with Michigan State hitting shots and Montrezl Harrel just generally being a beast in the frontcourt. Towards the end of the second half though, Louisville began capitalizing on an abundance of Michigan State turnovers, taking an 8-point lead into the half. This boded well for the Cardinals, as they had won 96 in a row when going into halftime with at least a 6-point lead. Keyword: had. Again, the Spartans came out of halftime with newfound energy. The centers, Gavin Schilling and Matt Costello, took on Harrell, running him ragged and tiring him out, and he didn’t score from the floor for 29 straight minutes. Dawson found new life on the offensive end, getting the ball in the paint and posting up with such success that Dwight Howard would be proud. Trice and Valentine hit shots, and Forbes made 4 corner threes. Going into the final stretch, the teams changed leads they were going out of style, trading baskets and misses at nearly identical clips. Gavin Schilling and Matt Costello, the two centers, were being counted on to stay out of foul trouble. Costello fouled out, and then in a nervous moment, Schilling fouled out as well. With the game on the line, unproven role player Marvin Clark Jr. came into the game. Maybe it was fate, or maybe just luck, but with about a minute remaining in regulation, Clark hit a difficult bank shot that will certainly be on highlight reels for months. However, with 22 seconds left and a one-point lead, Clark got to the line and missed both free throws, a trend that has haunted Michigan State throughout this whole season. With 4.7 seconds left, Louisville center Mangok Mathiang was fouled, with a chance for two. In a moment excruciatingly stressful, Mathiang hit the first after a lucky bounce in which the ball went so high it seemed it wasn’t coming down. He missed the second, Trice missed the halfcourt attempt, and the game went to OT. The two teams traded baskets for a minute or two, but the true turning moment was when Brendan Dawson made a flying tip-in, showcasing hyper-athletic ability. MSU won the game by 6.

Of course, making the Final Four is nothing new for Tom Izzo. With the exception of last year’s seniors, every four-year player for Izzo has made one. But this one will “go down as the best one, just because of what we went through this year,” Izzo said in a post-game interview. The scene after the Louisville win was the definition of jubilation. Players hugged and laughed and cried and screamed, thanking God and Izzo and their teammates. This wasn’t just another Final Four for Izzo; that much is clear. “I’d like to tell you I thought five different times this year we were good enough to get to a Final Four, but I’d be lying to you. I can’t even say I did. I just wasn’t sure we had enough size, enough talent in certain areas,” an emotional Izzo stated.

Izzo is certainly Hall of Fame bound, but if anyone had any doubt, this Final Four run had to have quieted it. “There’s not one All-American on that roster … that’s not a knock to the kids, {Izzo’s} doing it without having a team full of All-Americans, he’s getting it done. So the kids are playing great, but that’s definitely got to the best coaching job,” explained former Spartans star Mateen Cleaves. What makes it even more impressive is that Izzo and this group of non-All-Americans were able to make their run in a year in which all-Americans and the one-and-done system seem to have won out, judging by the other teams in the Final Four.

So tonight, when you’re watching the games, appreciate the Spartans. You may be tempted to get caught up in the flashiness of the other teams, the big names and the bigger paychecks they’re certain to get when the draft rolls around. While those players have been impressive, for me, nothing beats the fact that this Michigan State team has made it into the Final weekend. Whatever the result tonight, Michigan State has truly had a run for the ages. They’ve overcome all sorts of odds, completed more upsets than ever thought, taking a bunch of no-name guys and made them superstars, at least for this one glorious month. Isn’t that what March Madness is all about!? Whatever one shining moments occur, Michigan State can go home, whenever that may be, knowing they’ve had one shining month. As Tom Izzo eloquently stated in the locker room before the UVA game, “60 minutes of hard work, and 60 years of memories.” These Spartans, their fans, and college basketball fans everywhere, will certainly have great memories about this team for years to come.