Carrington Suspended

                                       

Oregon's big play receiver Darren Carrington has been suspended for the national championship game after failing a mandatory drug test.  It is indescribable as to why he did not show better judgement with his actions, especially before the biggest game of his life. Though he is young and prone to making foolish mistakes, getting yourself banned from a nationally televised event is something even youth cannot explain away.  Hopefully he has learned a valuable lesson and will show much more prudence the next time he is tempted to do anything that will affect his football future.

Best Candidates for Giants Defensive Coordinator

                              

Perry Fewell is out as the Giants defensive coordinator after 5 seasons that were sub par at best. Now begins the daunting task of finding a suitable replacement whom can not only restructure the Giants broken defense, but also recapture the spirit of a unit that once struck fear into the minds of opposing offenses.  Here are a few candidates I feel are best fit for the job:




Raheem Morris - The former Buccaneers head coach and current defensive back coach for Washington has the tools, leadership, and success for the job.  Under Morris, Tampa Bay had a secondary that was among the best in the league and that would surely benefit the Giants whose defensive backs and safeties have been burned for far too many big plays over the past 5 seasons.



Pepper Johnson - Johnson is a former Giants second round draft pick and played on two Superbowl winning teams (1986, 1990).  With their tendency to have an affinity towards their own, it would make sense for the organization to leave the door open for him.  It also helps that Johnson spent 13 season under Bill Bellichick and the ever consistent New England Patriots, aiding with keeping that team well tuned and in contention each year.  Add that with being a teammate of Hall of Fame linebacker and Giants great Lawrence Taylor, and it should be more than enough to bring him aboard.



Mike Nolan - Nolan was once the Giants defensive coordinator under Dan Reeves from 93-96 and has a long history of coaching defenses.  Though he may not have the pizzazz most fans want, his veteran know how would help him transition smoothly into the role.  The one qualm that many will have with Nolan is that the defenses he coached were not the most successful and that there could be more of the same with the Giants.  However, his voice and leadership would be gladly accepted after years of the old familiar sameness.




Steve Spagnuolo - In my opinion he is the most favored candidate for the position.  In his two seasons as Giants defensive coordinator, Spagnuolo saw great success as the team lead the league in sacks during that span.  He departed the team in 2009 for the head coaching vacancy in St. Louis, where that same aggressive style helped the Rams become a top ranked defense in the NFL.  The Giants have struggled to get to the quarterback in the years since he left and things have only gone further down hill.  A reunion with the coordinator who helped defeat the unbeaten New England Patriots in Superbowl XLII would be a no-brainer.

Knicks deal Shumpert and Smith in 3 Team Deal

  

Monday night, the rebuilding process began as the Knicks shipped guards Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 3 team trade that included the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The team also waived center Samuel Dalembert after being unable to find any trade partners for the veteran big man.  This is surely a salary move in order to free more cap space in preparation for their free agency push this summer. The Knicks did acquire 3 players (Lou Amundson and Alex Kirk from Cleveland, Lance Thomas from OKC) in the deal, but are expected to waive two or all three so that they won't be committed to guaranteed contracts. Phil Jackson's bold move may just be what the doctor ordered as he can now begin the process of reconstructing a roster that never had a chance to truly contend.  We can only hope that this change is the start of a better tomorrow, or New Yorker may give up on this team for the rest of time.

ESPN Anchor Stuart Scott Passes Away

On Sunday morning, the sports world was dealt a tremendous blow as long time ESPN anchor Stuart Scott lost his seven year battle with cancer.  His passing is not only a loss for sports, but a loss for an entire generation.  From his great catchphrases and his unmistakable delivery, Scott left an indelible mark on all who watched and admired him. His speech at the Espy awards which is now etched in history, gave us a glimpse into his tremendous character and resolve even in the face of such daunting odds.   As so many hearts are heavy grief from this tragic loss, let us remember and celebrate the life of a man who will always be "as cool as the other side of the pillow"

Here is a clip of his inspirational speech

The Giants Must Do Better to Get Better

                           

The 2014 New York Giants finished off a year which saw the team miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season and fifth time in the last six. As they goes back to the drawing board, there are sure to be changes to the way they approach 2015.  It's never easy to go over all of the things that went wrong, but when you are in the same boat of disappointment as the Bears, Redskins, and Jets, it can make it all the more humbling. The Giants must find a way to get the team back to respectability and doing so will require them correct mistakes that have lingered too long.

                                          

Injuries - The Giants sent a total of 21 players to injured reserve this season, forcing them to bring in other teams scraps just to fill a roster spot.  While this is a common occurrence in a violent sport such as football, it is alarming to see so many players go down at the same rate as a front line battalion during the Civil War. The Giants need to place greater onus on strength and conditioning if they want to prevent this from ever happening again

                                         
                                                 
The Draft - Each year the Giants, like all other teams look to draft impact players that can both help the team immediately and create a solid foundation for the future.  However, that has not recently been the case as the Giants have tried to draft potential diamonds in the rough instead of picking sure talent (Odell Beckham Jr. being the exception).  This strategy has worked for the team in years past, but has now affected their ability to properly scout and draft the best players available to them.  The diamonds in the earth took billions of years to form, and I'm pretty certain the Giants don't have that kind of time to wait.
                                         
                                         
                         
Coaching - The team announced that head coach Tom Coughlin will be staying for the 2015 season and so will Ben McAdoo and his new offense.  This leaves defensive coordinator Perry Fewell's job in great jeopardy as the Giants were one of the worst defenses in the league.  Despite the vehement defending of Fewell from Coughlin, one has to believe his time has run very, very thin.  The team must find a coordinator that can not only get the most out of the defense, but reinvigorate a system that has parted like the Red Sea against most of the NFL.