2011 Year In Review

    Sunday, October 31st. 2010 San Fransisco Giants closer Brian Wilson takes the sign from catcher Buster Posey and delivers a face high fastball to Texas Rangers all star slugger Nelson Cruz with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning of game 5 of the World Series.  Cruz, with a swing and miss, strikes out giving the Giants the World Series title.
    But, let's fast forward to today Sunday, January 31st. 2011. Yes, the time is almost here with two weeks left to go until pitchers and catchers report to spring training and roster invitees packing for Arizona or Florida (respectively) with the hopes of making a big league club.  The time where we start to see the fruits on their off-season labor is almost here, so, the DRAB 4 decided we would share with the world our picks and predictions for the upcoming 2011 baseball season. Included in here are our predictions for MVP, playoff teams, and the most disappointing team of the year. Later on this week we will start releasing our division by division breakdown leading up to spring training.

    As always The DRAB 4 can only exist when we have reader interaction, so feel free to add your picks and predictions for the up coming year and send us your feedback  
    

Will The Lakers three-peat?

Will there ever be another three-peat? Are the Lakers the team to do it? Well, the stage seems set after back-to-back championships and a good first half of the 2010-2011 season. The Los Angeles Lakers have been a potent threat in the NBA for the last decade. There have been 2 three-peats in the history of the Lakers. One in seasons 51-52, 52-53, and 53-54 and another under the current coach of the Lakers, Phil Jackson, in seasons 99-00, 00-01, 01-02. They have been to the playoffs 9 out of 10 seasons in the last decade, reaching the finals 6 times and winning it 4 times. It seems to the eye beholding these stats that a team such as this would be a favorite to win another championship. But my question is-are they a favorite? At the beginning of the season I would listen to analysts speak of the revitalized Miami Heat, the always competitive Boston Celtics, and the Orlando Magic who were on the verge of taking the Eastern Conference championship. I would hear this talk and yet the analysts would say that the Lakers were still better coached, better fundamentally, and more talented up and down the roster than these other teams.  First of all, I think we need to realize that these “analysts” are not much more than a fan with a microphone and a contract. Secondly, I think we need to evaluate the Lakers compared to the other teams as we are halfway through the season. The Lakers are the 3^rd best team in the league with a 33-14 record. The San Antonio Spurs sit atop the NBA with a 39-7 record followed by the Boston Celtics, who carry a 35-11 record. The Lakers are not a “without-a-doubt” championship team in this 2010-2011 season. There are teams that are going to challenge them and give them a fight down the stretch of the season. The Lakers have been beaten in some primetime games this year, which shows me that they are either not prepared like they have been in past years or they think that they can “turn it on” down the stretch, in the 4^th quarter, or when they want to against these teams and they haven’t been able to so. I know the Lakers can win the championship this year-everybody knows they have the talent, coaching, and fan support-but will they execute? Kobe Bryant, the heart and soul of the Lakers, has started every game this season. He has played through injuries and shown mental and physical toughness, but is Kobe by himself enough to win another championship? Pau Gasol is having a magnificent season just like he did last year. He is giving Kobe the help that he needs on the inside, but, as any fan knows, basketball teams are composed of more than 1 or 2 players. Yes, even Kobe has come to this realization over the past few years. He needs more than his own jumpshot and Gasol’s turnaround. He needs his teammates to take control of the game even when he’s not at his best. I don’t see the Lakers winning a championship in the 2010-2011 season riding on Kobe’s shoulders. I know Kobe is still a candidate for MVP, but championship teams are not composed solely of an MVP, but a roster of capable, talented players. Will the Lakers win it again this year and put their mark on NBA history? It seems down the stretch, with their experience and coaching, that they pull it out most of the time. I’m really excited about the second half of the NBA season. Is there a team good enough to challenge the mighty Lakers of Los Angeles? We shall see as the second half of the season is on the horizon.

The DRAB 4 blogger,

Brock Fierge

NBA awards part 1

It’s just past the halfway mark in the NBA basketball season and there have been several surprises already this season. With the season being half over I decided to give my predictions in two different blog posts on who I think is the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Rookie of the Year (ROY), 6^th man of the Year, and the Coach of the Year.

Let’s start with the MVP award. We all know players like Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant are going to be in the race for MVP, but nobody probably would’ve predicted my top two candidates before the season started. The top two players in my opinion are Amare Stoudemire, and Derrick Rose. Amare Stoudemire signed a max deal to go play for the New York Knicks. Critics thought Stoudemire wouldn’t be the same player without Steve Nash, but he’s shown critics that he can play on a big stage without Nash and has brought back excitement to Madison Square Garden. While leading the Knicks to a 24-22 start he is averaging 26.0 points per game (PPG), 9.0 rebounds (RBG), and 2 blocks a game (BPG). The other player in my top two is Derrick Rose. Rose made a bold statement to start the year saying, “Why can’t I be MVP?” With Rose being so young most people thought it’s good he wants to be the best, but didn’t see him as an actual contender for MVP. Now several months into the season sports writers and analysts have Rose as a serious MVP candidate. Rose has led the Chicago Bulls to a 32-14 start and has often been playing with out key players such as Carlos Boozer, and Joakim Noah. Rose has averaged 24.6 PPG, 4.6 RBG, and 8.1 assists per game (APG). Picking between these two players is tough but I’m going to go with Derrick Rose because the Chicago Bulls under his direction have consistently been winning this season. Amare is a great leader, but the Knick go up and down way to much for me to name him my MVP.

            The second award in this blog will be ROY. Two rookies stand out over all others this season. Those rookies are Blake Griffin and John Wall. Blake Griffin was actually drafted in 2009 by the Los Angeles Clippers, but missed his first season due to a knee injury. This year he is healthy and showing the world his skills. The “Blake Show” has gained national spotlight with Griffin making the “Top Ten Plays” on ESPN practically every night. Griffin is averaging 22.6 PPG, and 12.8 RPG. The other rookie is John Wall. After playing one season at Kentucky Wall became the number one overall pick by the Washington Wizards in the 2010 draft. With things getting ugly the last few years with the Gilbert Arenas gun incident the Wizards needed a fresh start. Dealing Arenas to Orlando is exactly what John Wall needed to become the man in Washington. Wall is averaging 15.1 PPG, and 9.3 APG. My ROY prediction is Blake Griffin. With Griffin throwing down monster dunks every night and making national headlines it’s easy to forget Wall is having a great first season. Also, after a slow start for the L.A Clippers Blake Griffin has made them a very competitive team who have beaten several good NBA teams like the L.A Lakers, Miami Heat, and Chicago Bulls. Check out who Drake, Brock and Rob predict to win MVP and ROY.

Drake- MVP- Amare Stoudemire ROY- John Wall

Brock- MVP- Derrick Rose ROY- Blake Griffin

Rob- MVP- Derrick Rose ROY- Blake Griffin

The DRAB 4 blogger,

Alex Grana

Can You Spare A Belt? Move Over Drew Brees!

 Aaron Rodgers shows John Abraham who really has the belt

Thanks to Facebook.com!

                Mike had the tongue, Brett had the phone, Charles has the mouth, but Green Bay also has something to be remembered by. Aaron Rodgers’ “putting on” of the championship belt has become quite a recognized reaction following touchdowns and big plays. Others have tried to steal it (John Abraham, sit down. Get that thumb limbered up so you can flip between the Super Bowl and your TiVo’d Gossip Girl while you’re sitting at home rather than playing), but none can replicate the trademark of a passionate quarterback that is on fire. Aaron Rodgers has proven that he is worthy of birthing such an ostentatious celebration by going 5-0 with 13 total touchdowns since the “we have to win out” predicament presented to him on week 16. Stay tuned to see if Rodgers is brazen enough to pull the “crowning of a champion” (via the belt) in the ACTUAL championship and complete a season never to be forgotten by Packers' fans! The season has been one somewhat similar to the season the Saints had last season. Never stop believing is the common theme! And That's What Makes Sports Great!

The DRAB 4 blogger,

Drake Fierge

PS - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aaron-Rodgers-Championship-Belt-Celebration/112823762082162?v=wall is the Facebook page for Aaron Rodgers’ Championship Belt Celebration! Check it out!

..The Meek Will Inherit..

    The days of having the same 4 teams playing for the mens NCAA National Championship is nearly all dead and gone.  The evolution of athletes is absolutely astonishing, training techniques have never been so advanced, teams have a greater opportunity to be competitive through out the year and the money they make as a result is completely insane.
   
    When you look through the “AP Top 25” of men’s college basketball (NCAA BB) can you honestly say that you wouldn't be surprised with what you see? You can look at ESPN.com for Top 25
   
    Thanks to ESPN we all know the #1 ranked team in the nation is the Ohio State Buckeyes, but can you tell me who the number 4 ranked team in the nation is because I didn't know and I was shocked? It’s the 20-1 San Diego State Aztecs!!  Who also happen to be ranked 95th overall in Points Per Game (PPG), 125th in Rebounds (REB), 102nd in Assists Per Game (APG), but they are 14th overall in Field Goal Percentage (FG%).  The only team to beat the Aztecs this year is the #9 20-1 ranked BYU Cougars, who lost to the 13-6 UCLA Bruins, UCLA lost to Villanova who beat Syracuse when they were ranked #3 in the country but also lost to #8 UCONN and the Providence Friars before and after.  The Providence Friars now have beaten back to back ranked teams and are looking to make a run after losing six straight games. It is clear that team parity is at it’s best.
  
   Let’s now look the NCAA’s top 5 scorers.  If you want to compete in men’s college basketball you need a big man down low, however, all of the leading scorers are guards with the height of 6-5 and under. In fact you don’t get to a “real” scoring big man until you get to 6-10 Forward/Center JaJuan Johnson of Purdue who is 15th in scoring with 20.6 ppg.
    Yes, Duke, Texas, Kansas and Kentucky still exist in the tops ranks of college basketball but only once since 2001 has a #1 ranked team won the grand prize of being NCAA tournament champion (2001 Duke Blue Devils).

2001 Champion Duke Blue Devils

   Remember this saying as we arrive towards Tourney season “only the strong survive” but I want to add that the meek will inherit the college basketball Earth.

The DRAB 4’s

Robert Bauske

This Week's "Really? Really?" is

Though the weather outside is freezing in most everywhere in the United States there is one saving grace... and that is that baseball spring training is just over 2 weeks away. The only time of year when every team truly has a chance at baseball immortality (okay let's not get crazy, every team but the Cubs, Royals, Pirates and Nationals), however, there is still the open optimism with fans of the perennial powerhouses like Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Los Angelos Angels, San Fransisco Giants and the New York Yankees.
My Really? Really? today goes to the New York Yankees. A team that spares no expense to get the biggest and best players available so they can attack the playoffs and further build their championship cabinet. Yet, somehow the Yanks have had the reversal of roles, the Phillies acquired top pitching arm Cliff Lee, the Red Sox added two left handed hitting studs in Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez and Bobby Jenks for late inning relief, LA Angels traded for Blue Jays CF Vernon Wells late last week, The Giants were able to re-sign all of their core pieces and with that pitching staff they are deadly to anyone in their way.......But, what about the Bronx Bombers?? Surely the Pinstripes were able to make a splash in the baseball world....right?  I'm here to report that their big off season acquisition was being able to overpay inconsistent or washed up talent like Rafael Soriano, Russel Martin, Andruw Jones, and Bartolo Colon. Enjoy watching CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett fall apart down the stretch and enjoy watching as Captain DJ, A-Roid, and "Hip Hip" Jorge continue to down slide from what once were great careers and The Yankees are aging faster than spoiled milk and I can not wait to watch the Evil Empire come crashing down to their baseball abyss.

Really Yankees? Really?

The DRAB 4's

Robert Bauske

Blake "Wanna Be Named Drake" Griffin

Check out only the sickest dunker in the league right now! http://www.nba.com/video/channels/top_plays/2010/12/28/20101228_griffin_top10.nba/index.html

The DRAB4 blogger,
Drake Fierge

Michael Vick

I was going to have my first blog entry be about Jay Cutler, but I'm so sick of hearing about Jay Cutler. The story was completely overblown which wouldn't  happen if Tom Brady or Peyton Manning left a big game with an injury like the one Cutler had. That being said I decided to go in a different direction. Michael Vick one of the most talked about quarterbacks in the NFL just received his first endorsement deal since the dogfighting scandel that eventually ended with him going to prison. Vick is now a spokesman for Unequal Technologies which made his pads last season. When I saw this it reminded me of what a great comeback Michael Vick has had. The first season for Vick wasn't to glamorous. He had very limited playing time, only attempting thirteen passes all season. With the 2010 season rolling around Vick was involved in an investigation revolving around a shooting that took place at his birthday party. Michael Vick was not involved in the shooting and did not receive any punshiment from the league, but with there being another case that Vick was around it left his imagine in doubt and wondering if the back up quarterback with the Eagles. Being the second string quarterback for the Eagles had people wondering what Vicks role would be with Kevin Kolb as the starting quarterback. In week one Kolb sustained a concussion that knocked him out of the game and set the stage for a career year for Michael Vick. Vick ended the year with 30 total touchdowns (9 rushing) and threw for 3,018 yards. The season included a career high in touchdowns (21) and a career best  passer rating of 100.2. With the season over and Michael Vick a free agent I don't know if I would would want to give Michael Vick a big contract because of the chance of injury. He sustained a rib injury that kept him out for a game and also had several other minor injuries that could've affected his play towards the end of season. Also, he is 30 years old and investing in a 30 year old quarterback who has a good chance to be injured doesn't sound like the smartest idea. I'm not saying that 30 years old is old for a quarterback but the way Michael Vick plays and doesn't avoid big hits it is more likely that his career will end earlier than most quarterbacks. Leave us a comment of your thoughts about Michael Vick by commenting us or emailing us at sports.drab@gmail.com

The DRAB Four
Alex Grana

Welcome

Welcome to the sports blog brought to you by the DRAB four. There will be several topics a week and the blog will be updated every couple of days depending on whats going on in the world of sports. We would love for your feedback and responses on these blogs. So, if you disagree with what we think give us your opinion because we love a good debate.

The DRAB Four