College Basketball Season Outlook 2015-2016

With the college basketball season starting in just a few short weeks, the USA Today Coaches Poll recently released the top 25 best teams in the preseason. There is no surprise that Kentucky is again number 1 in the top 25 poll after another strong recruiting class . New recruits include New Jersey 5 star recruit in point guard Isaiah Briscoe, from Roselle Catholic Highschool. Other recruits include 4 star recruit, Skal Labissiere, Isaac Humphries, Charles Matthews, Mychal Mulder, and Jamal Murray. Key departures include: Karl Anthony Towns, Marcus Lee, Tyler Ulis, Willy Cauley-Stein, and Devin Booker. All were selected in the 1st round of the 2015 NBA draft. Kentucky now looks to remain number 1, even though key losses plague the chemistry. Key players are needed in order to fulfill the expectations after Kentucky's perfect season fell apart last season in the NCAA tournament.
     Perhaps the biggest surprise in the poll is North Carolina Tar Heels coming in at number 2. With the return of Marcus Paige and Kennedy Meeks, along with one of the best recruiting classes in several years, the Tar Heels are poised to finish in the top 10 in the country going into the NCAA tournament. However, with an ongoing investigation over NCAA violations, the season could be destroyed depending on when the NCAA hands down the penalties.
     Maryland University is also a surprise in the poll. Coming in at number 3 in the top 10, the Terraphins are a team to watch in the upcoming season. Melo Trimble, who averaged 16.3 PPG and 3.1 assists per game, and the addition of Rasheed Sulaimon, former Duke shooting guard who was ineligible last season, could easily have one of the most underrated back courts in college basketball. Maryland is also big down low. Damonte Dodd, Diamond Stone and Michael Cicovsky are also a force down low. All 3 are taller than 6'11.
     Duke looks to go on a title defense run this season without Jahlil Okafor. However, the veteran presence in Miles Plumlee and the new young talent coming up are looking to replace Okafor's production. The Duke play style will most likely change because of the lack of size in the post area. Coach K will most likely roll with a 4 guard offense to start off the season, until a proven center emerges to make the offense more conventional.
     Kansas University ranks number 5. After a disappointing season just a year ago, Kansas looks to re emerge as a top program in the AP top 25 poll after another strong recruiting class. The addition of 6'9 5 star recruit Chieck Diallo will help fill the void left by the departure of Cliff Alexander. The agile forward will provide valuable minutes off the bench for the Jay Hawks this season as he looks to learn from Perry Ellis and Jamari Traylor. When he gets the opportunity, Diallo could help the Jay Hawks in the later stretch of the season.
        Other notable teams in the Top 25 that could make a run this season: Villanova- Nova currently ranks number 9 in the preseason rankings. The addition of 5 star recruit Jalen Brunson and the return of Ryan Archidiacono, makes the back court tough to deal with. The defense will most likely improve as the season continues and the chemistry improves. The loss of talented small forward Darren Hilliard could hold the team back this season. The vital hole at small forward and a lack of height could lead to tough games against ranked opponents throughout the height. LSU- LSU currently ranks number 19 in the top 25 preseason rankings. The addition of Ben Simmonds (Projected to be number 1 overall pick in 2016 NBA Draft) and 5 star recruit Antonio Blakeney, will propel LSU into many tough debates this season. The team itself lacks experience, but once the chemistry between Blakeney and Simmonds heats up, the outlook on this team will heat up as well. Another contributor in the offense needs to emerge as well.
     Teams on the bubble that will have good seasons: Cincinnati- After nearly beating Kentucky last season, Cincinnati continues to improve. Farad Cobb and Octavius Ellis will most likely carry the team once again. Although, Cincy right now is unproven, key conference wins could make them a contender leading up to March Madness. Davidson-Davidson is on the outside looking in right now before the season. With 5 players on the roster 6-10 and larger, Davidson could easily be one of the best defensive teams in the country, especially on the defensive and offensive glass. Finding a leader and a high quality scorer is pivotal to Davidson's success this season.
 

March Madness Projections

As the season starts to wind down in February, and the NCAA tourney begins to heat up, there are many story lines being brought into play. The Kentucky Wildcats are looking to enter the tournament undefeated, which would be the best feat for a college basketball team in over several decades. The contributed success could be given to the stacked lineup, which has an NCAA leading 9 upcoming NBA players. The system implemented for the Kentucky program insures equal playing time as well as a strong balance on the defensive and offensive sides of the game.

Virginia is currently 2nd in the nation behind the top defense in the NCAA. All year long, they been near the top of the AP top 25 rankings after starting the season 19-0, a late January loss to the Duke Blue Devils dropped them two spots to number 4. Virginia is one of the hottest teams in the country right now, and they look to continue their hot streak into the NCAA tourney.

Gonzaga is currently ranked 3rd in the rankings, and may be considered one of the most surprising teams in the top 5. However, a star studded back court that includes Kevin Pangos have propelled them to a 26-1 start.

Duke is ranked 4th in the country. Many argue that duke should be ranked higher in the standings because of their success this season against top 10 ranked teams this season, but 2 bad losses keep them out of the top 3 spots. The bright spot for the Blue Devils this season have been Jahlil Okafor, who solidified himself as the top scoring big man in the NCAA, and star guards Quinn Cook and Justice Winslow who have combined to score nearly 24 points per game.

Villanova has emerged as the quietest top 5 team in the rankings as the season slowly begins to wind down. They have received the fewest criticism thus far in the season, and their experienced team helped them to a 24-2 start to the season. Up and down the lineup the roster is stellar, which only got better as the season progressed. The play of Pinkston and Ochefu have considered Nova to have the most feared front court in the NCAA.

March Madness Projections
1 seeds Kentucky, Duke, Virginia, Villanova
Each of these teams played well in stronger schedules and conferences, which is why Gonzaga will be seed #2.
2 seeds Gonzaga, Wisconsin, Arizona, Kansas
3 seeds Notre Dame, Louisville, Utah, Wichita State
4 seeds Maryland, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Arkansas
5 seeds Oklahoma, North Carolina, SMU, Ohio State
6 seeds West Virginia, Baylor, VCU, Butler

Who squeaks in?
1 Seton Hall
The upset against Villanova earlier in the season could prove to be enough to get them in the tournament. Expect a 9 seed.
2 Providence
Providence played a tough schedule this year, but through the years, a strong finish to the season has propelled them into the tournament. They are currently outside the bubble looking in at 18-8
3 Temple
They are currently 19-7 but a few key wins can get them back into the tourney. The most notable upset this season: Kansas Jayhawks.

Biggest Snubs: Who is out?
1 Florida
After having a great season last year, and doing well in the tournament last year, the Gators failed to replace Scottie Wilbekin and now see their hopes of getting in go down the tubes. Gators are currently under .500 for the first time in several years
2 UCONN
The reigning National Champs have had a disappointing season following tough losses to unranked teams. Unless the Huskies do well in the conference tournament, they are most likely out of the picture this season.
3 Michigan
Following the departure of player of the year canidate Nik Stauskus last season, the Wolverines struggles against a dominant Big 10 conference. In the NCAA tournament last season, the hot end to the season helped them into the elite 8.

Stuart Scott

This week, we as a nation said goodbye to one of the most influential people of this era due to cancer. Stuart Scott died from cancer at the age of 49 and looking back, his life was filled with inspiration and he taught people to never give up. He fought cancer for over 7 years and when he died, he wanted everyone to know that he didn't lose to cancer, he simply beat it by living his life the way he wanted to live it. Stuart Scott was an analyst for ESPN, but he did more for people than his job required. He would spend his time talking to people, cheer them up, and let them know about his journey and how he managed to cope with cancer.
      As a analyst and reporter on sportscenter, Stuart Scott made many remarkable feats including interviewing the San Antonio Spurs when they won the NBA Finals last season. Of course that is not all of his accomplishments. He has made an impact on the entire community with his motivational speeches and words of encouragement to those in need of support and those struggling with cancer.
This is one quote from one of the many people who shared his love and his moments with him:

"I will miss Stuart Scott. Twenty years ago, Stu helped usher in a new way to talk about our favorite teams and the day's best plays. For much of those twenty years, public service and campaigns have kept me from my family -- but wherever I went, I could flip on the TV and Stu and his colleagues on SportsCenter were there. Over the years, he entertained us, and in the end, he inspired us -- with courage and love. Michelle and I offer our thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and colleagues," President Barack Obama.

He was given the perseverance award at the ESPY's last year, and his speech brought many people to tears. He spread his words of motivation through his ESPY's speech and used Jimmy V's iconic theme of "Don't Give Up and Don't Give Up." Moments of silence was held in many NFL, NBA and college basketball games including his alma mater North Carolina.

NFL Investigating Patriots

Following the 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday evening, the NFL has decided to investigate the Patriots role in the Colts' struggles. The claim that was made was that the Patriots intentionally deflated the footballs to below regulation size. The deflated footballs provide an unfair advantage to the opposing team and directly affects the passing game. It is said that a deflated football is easier to catch and provides a better grip, however, deflated footballs lead to below average throws and lobbed passes. The NFL states in their rulebook that:

"Once the balls have left the locker room, no one, including players, equipment managers, ball boys, and coaches, is allowed to alter the footballs in any way. If any individual alters the footballs, or if a non-approved ball is used in the game, the person responsible and, if appropriate, the head coach or other club personnel will be subject to discipline, including but not limited to, a fine of $25,000."

The penalty associated with this type of crime could be a loss of draft picks in the upcoming draft, as well as a suspension for anyone involved with deflating the footballs, including head coaches and any other coaches who had any connections to the footballs. The rules also state that the head referee checks each game ball before it enters the field of play, which means if there was any question, the investigation should be focused on the referees for not doing their jobs. The scandal is thought to occur in the 3rd quarter. The real question is, how would they have time to deflate the footballs? If every player, coach and personnel was in the locker room for halftime, how could the footballs be deflated? 

      If the Patriots are found guilty following the investigation, it wouldn't be the first time the Patriots were caught for cheating. Back in 2007, Bill Belichick was accused of taping teams practices and using the footage to create play schemes that would help them beat the opponent. Of course, later that season, the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl. So it raises the question regarding the deflate-gate and how it is connected to the Super Bowl. People immediately connect the 2 scandals together and automatically assume that a team who cheats like the Patriots don't deserve to make the big stage because they want to see a different team in it. In response to the allegation, star quarterback for the Patriots Tom Brady replied with this:

I think I've heard it all at this point ... it's ridiculous. I don't even respond to stuff like this.

The game conditions in Gilette Stadium the whole game was heavy downpours along with over 10mph winds which could have impacted the size of the football.  The New England Patriots will play the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl in 2 weeks, and it will be the Patriots first trip back to the Super Bowl since 2007.

Referee Pete Morelli Had Four Penalties In Key Play

Following the Lions 24-20 loss against the Dallas Cowboys, the whole country turns its eye on the controversial no call following the possible defensive interference. It was originally called on the field as Defensive Interference and was deserving of an automatic first down but the flag was picked up by other members of the referee crew. Many factors played into the ruling but the persuasion by the Cowboys personnel seemed to contribute mightily on the decision. The star wide receiver stormed onto the field and argued the call right before the flag was picked up, but the actions by Dez Bryant was deserving of a misconduct penalty, which would give the Detroit Lions a first down anyway. But instead the jurisdiction was not given and no penalties were enforced, and the Lions had to stay on the field with 4th and 1 and needed to convert in order to keep momentum. An A gap blitz by the middle linebacker was too much for Detroit's O line, and Stafford was sacked and they turned it over on downs.
      In college rules, the play between Pettigrew and Hitchens is considered illegal because face guarding was not allowed, however, in the NFL the concept is completely legal and no penalty could be handed down if it were ever to happen again. In the NFL rule books, it states in terms of positioning to the ball, that contact by a defender who is not playing the ball and such contact restricts the receiver's opportunity to make the catch. In the play, Hitchens did not turn his head completely around when the ball arrive, and he was playing the man and not the ball. He grabbed the bottom of Pettigrew's jersey to catch up after he was beat at the line of scrimmage and prevented him from catching the ball cleanly.
     The views of the referee who made the call blows this story out of proportion because his views distort the actuality of the play itself when it happened live. He stated that the contact was far less than he expected, however, from his vantage point there was a lot of contact against the man that prevented the receiver from making the catch.

"The back judge threw his flag for defensive pass interference," Morelli said in a pool report. "We got other information from another official from a different angle that thought the contact was minimal and didn't warrant pass interference. He thought it was face guarding."

The result of the referee's inadvertent decision cost the Lions the chance to end their postseason slump as they were tied for the longest drought in NFL history. Their last win came in 1992, which is one of the longest stretches ever to not win a postseason game. Dallas will move on to play Green Bay Packers next week, while the Panthers take on the Seahawks.

Villanova Loses First Game of Season

After starting of the season 13-0, which is tied for best career start for the program, Villanova went down with the defeat in over time against Seton Hall. It took more than regulation to defeat Villanova, but Seton Hall was able to win 66-61. Many factors played into this game. One factor that contributed to this game is Villanova played away from home in a jam packed arena in Newark, NJ. Throughout the game, it was visible that the crowd played a role in Seton Hall's success, as this was the first time a Seton Hall game was sold out in over 20 years.
        The biggest worry all day for the Wildcats was covering the Seton Hall Pirates best player Sterling Gibbs. He wrecked the Wildcats defense and scored 20 points on 8-20 shooting. (40%). He also contributed to the offense and dished out 4 assists. He was contained pretty well in the second half, as he was doubled nearly every time he touched the ball.
       For the Wildcats, the leading scorers was junior forward Daniel Ochefu with 19 points and senior guard Darrun Hilliard II with 14. The most notable player that struggled in the game was JayVaughn Pinkston and Ryan Arcidiacono, who contribute significantly on the offensive side of the game. But the major weakness Villanova had all season continued today, as they lacked points off the bench, and continuously turning the ball over. Nova turned it over 16 times, but they had about 4-5 in the overtime period which proved to be very costly. In just of series of 30 seconds, Seton Hall was able to capitalize off Nova's turnovers and convert it into points down the other end. The 3 guys coming off of Nova's bench scored a total of 15 points, which is below average in many close games. Seton Hall had Khadeen Carrington, who was a great compliment to Sterling Gibbs, and expose the Villanova defense. He had a total of 17 points, and torched the defense in the final minutes of the game. Seton Hall also kept the number of turnovers in the game. They only had 11, with many coming in the first half. Looking ahead following the win, they play Xavier, Creighton, and Butler in Big East play and look to extend their 12-2 record on the season. Following the loss, Jay Wright will have to have his team bounce back against #15 St. John's, DePaul and Xavier. They have to avenge their loss in order to stay near the top of the AP Rankings.

Torture Report

After reading the article posted by cnn.com, I believe the torture report will affect the CIA's image going forward because the type of acts referenced in the report is simply not tolerated at all in modern day society. This report was just released nearly 13 years after the 9/11 attacks. So why does it take this long to expose the CIA? Just the fact that the CIA used these techniques are simply shocking.
     If you look within the report some of the techniques stated include waterboarding, mock executions, rectal feeding, sleep deprivation, and threats of rape. These techniques go against the constitution of the United States, as well as the Declaration of the United States. Not only did it go against people's basic rights, but it was also a violation of freedom, as expressed in the Declaration. The CIA had no right to forcefully interrogate people, especially to the point of death. It was completely illegal, and I believe the government has the right to send any people  involved in this to trial, to eliminate the possibility of future corruption. This type of corruption occurs in other countries as well, but as a country that prides itself on being free.
     This is not the first time U.S. Congress wanted to reform the CIA. Back in the 1970's, it was discovered that Sen. Frank Church's representatives had been involved in assassination attempts and spied on U.S. citizens. This led to reform Congress was able to pass Foreign Intelligence Act. This type of reform could be used in conjunction with the 8th amendment of the constitution. Although the amendment specifically addresses cases in Supreme court, it should be extended into the Intelligence Organization as well. The amendment prevents cruel and unfair punishment, and should be applied to this case as well. Reform is needed for a better CIA, and it all starts at the hands of the U.S. government, and once they do this, the country will be more united.

Lakers Trying To Tank

Over the past few days, hall of fame PG Earvin Magic Johnson weighed in on the Los Angeles Lakers and their 6th worst NBA record. He didn't hold back when he stated that the Lakers need to lose if they expect to be a top contender for the 3 top college basketball players coming out of the 2014 college class.

Last years draft there were no superstars. This year there are about 3-4 superstars in college basketball and we need one of them!

Of course, the NBA has no right to tell the Lakers they are allowed to lose games on purpose, but for teams to slump it will damage the NBA's image and reputation. It would hurt the fanbase, and the franchise, who historically has been one of the best ever. For the Lakers to lose would create absolute chaos because of the competitive nature out in Los Angeles in every sport. The same goes for the Philadelphia 76ers, who have been tanking for the past 2 and a half years by acquiring D league players to help propel their team to the top pick of the NBA draft. This was not possible however, because they were unsuccessful both years, losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers who used their pick to draft Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins. Both are no longer on the team and are currently residing in Minnesota.

Of course, the major difference in Los Angeles compared to Philadelphia is the Lakers still have Kobe Bryant, Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer. However, all 3 guys have underperformed this season. Nick Young seems to be their only hope in the young season, but the injury prone guard can not carry a team on his own. Kobe Bryant is still chasing every possible statistical category he is close to, but he slowly sees his potential last season ever in the NBA wither away. It seems that Kobe's numbers are down, but he averages nearly 25.5 points per game, which is higher than last season but still nearly 1.7 points off his average. Kobe Bryant is still trying to get used to a new offense, that was implemented nearly a year and half ago, when Phil Jackson resigned due to poor performance. Kobe thrives in a triangle offense, and by taking away the offense, he struggles to find areas for open shots and is forced to give up the ball more.

Looking forward, LA must move forward and start to rebuild the team around strong young talent and not dwell on aging players they have now with Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer. Both are washed up and need to be traded in order to free up cap space and sign big name free agents. One name that has been floating around last off season was Blake Griffin. No doubt, he can be a cornerstone to any franchise, and can improve a team instantly. Then, if LA Lakers tank, they could potentially land top college players like Karl Towns, Stanley Johnson, and Jahlil Okafor. Each are freshman that could consider leaving college early, and enter the NBA draft. The next draft class is also intriquing, with top high school players making an impact already and some are being considered to be stars in the next few years. Antonio Blakeney, Ivan Rabb, Harry Giles III, and Kwe Parker are all currently ranked one of the top 10 high schoolers in the country.

Criming While White

With the latest shootings occurring within months, protesters took to Twitter to get a widely debated trending on the social media site. It is just one hashtag that has opened up different angles people in other countries may have regarding racial bias. #Crimingwhilewhite was one hashtag that critiqued the actions of the police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, Cleveland, Ohio, and New York City, where the police officers were not indicted for their criminal actions that would put any other person in a jail. They were bailed out by their status in authority, which simply can't happen in this new time in history of the United States of America.
     People are trying to change how they treat other people, especially of a different race and ethnicity, but the way they treat people and how they socialize typically goes back to their childhood. An officer like officer Wilson or the NYPD officer who chocked out the innocent man, wouldn't just act like that on a regular day. Chances are, violence has played a major role in their development as police officers and could have been used as punishment when they were younger. Whatever the reason may be, the supreme court system did not bring justice to the victims and their families, and the whole community at large, and has left the entire community left putting the pieces back together.
    Part of the responsibility of the supreme court was to make sure laws are constitutional. Throughout the constitution, I don't remember ever seeing where excessive force was permitted. Let alone violence. The lack of authority regarding laws being enforced is unbelievable, and seems to be a recurring event in the United States. As soon as the Supreme Court failed to indict officer Wilson, a whole snowball effect occurred around the country. Every day, an innocent live is ridiculed by unnecessary police brutality, and is usually left unpunished. However, that must change.
     In support of the victim in NYC, many NBA players took to the court pregame wearing specialized t-shirts that read, "I Can't Breath," which were the exact words of the man who passed away from a heart attack, after being clutched in a chokehold for more than 30 seconds. Derrick Rose was the poster boy for this protest, as he was the first NBA player to wear it in warm-ups last weekend. In the wake of this, other NBA players started to follow suit. Finally, Lebron James, a major icon around the world, wore the t-shirt, to raise awareness for change. Change is needed for everyone to feel accepted, but due to the destroyed past, I'm sure the bond in society much severed.

New College Football Playoff

This week, the college football committee has released the 4 teams that are going to play in the new playoff format for the 2014 season. The system will most likely extend beyond the 2014 season, because it simplifies what teams can go to larger bowl games at the end of the season. The four teams that made the playoffs are Oregon, Florida St., Alabama and Ohio State. Alabama is currently ranked 1st in the AP top 25 rankings and will face off against number 4 ranked Ohio State team that is relying heavily on their 3rd string QB. Alabama no doubt has the advantage with Heisman contender JT Barrett, who is hoping to lead the Crimson Tide to a Sugar Bowl win. Oregon is ranked 2nd and plays against number 3 Florida St. The arsenal of tools  will be on display as Marcus Marriota and Jameis Winston, two of the best QB's in the nation, one was last year's Heisman winner and the other a possible Heisman winner this year, and could find themselves in the first round of the NFL Draft. Oregon and Florida St. will face off in the Rose Bowl this year.
    One flaw in the system is TCU. They were projected to be ranked 4th, but managed to drop 3 spots in the rankings after destroying an unranked team. Even with 1 loss on the season, they are left out of the big picture and are now forced to play a Mississippi State team that is ranked 7th in the country. Their defense only allows 19.4 points per game, which currently ranks 10th in college football.
     Each of the 6 bowls added will be played on New Years Day.

Fox News

After watching the documentary, I was very surprised at what Fox News did differently compared to other news networks that aired on primetime television. I learned that Fox News often broke "fake" news stories that got the public frantic. An example of one of the news streams was President Bush getting elected to presidency. It was not confirmed by the polls and Fox News heavily on the projected vote of the Eastern half of the United States, instead of using hard vote to break the story. In other words, President Bush never had half the votes Fox News said he did, and he ended up losing but it was reported that he won. Likewise, Fox was charged for reporting false news, and the drama unfolded from there.
     I also learned that Fox News often used shows as a "propaganda technique," and I never realized how networks had the ability to do that. To manipulate the audience to believing something is true, even though in reality it isn't the case. If you grew up your whole life watching primarily Fox News, chances are, some of the information that was reported could turn out to be false. They lacked accountability, and shame on them for having their viewers brainwashed and not apprehend from what is true and what is false.
    One thing I did not know before is about Fox's personal attacks on then 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry. The candidate was attacked by Fox after his heritage revealed mostly French descent, and the station went after him because if he was not from the United States, he shouldn't be able to run for president. It turns out, as revealed in the documentary, Outfoxed, most of the reporters and families at the Fox News station, were supporters in the Bush/Cheney campaign. Bush basically gained on the Kerry negative publicity, and eventually take a short lead.

St. Louis Rams Protest Ferguson Shooting

On Sunday, just 3 days after Thanksgiving, the Rams took to the field to honor the death of Michael Brown. The protest was started pregame and the 5 black players on the team, Jared Cook, Tavon Austin, Kenny Britt, Stedman Bailey, and Chris Given. They each physically showed the gesture of the motto "Hands Up, Don't Shoot." The protests undoubtedly spread to major sports outside of Ferguson, and the Rams were the first to recognize the problems that plague their community.  

    “I just think there has be to a change,” said tight end Cook. “There has to be change that starts with the people that are most influential around the world.”

The police force for the Ferguson police department wants an apology from the Rams and wants the players suspended from the team. They felt that on-field protests were too extreme, and deserved to be punished for their actions. The debate expands to even farther boundaries. If you think about it, athletes are the most highly viewed people in the world. They even control a lot of power, which come from their large contracts and play on the field. Their message could be sent even faster through technology compared to word of mouth displayed through the riots. This incident also brings more pressure on commissioner Roger Goodell, who now has to deal with Ferguson protests along with what to do with domestic abuse.      

Ferguson

After the judgement came down from the Judicial Branch regarding the Ferguson case, the white police officer was not indicted on charges after killing Michael Brown. I was surprised by the final result because I did think the officer was guilty, however, there wasn't enough sufficient evidence, that would make him guilty for the charges relating to the case. The two charges that came up before the final judgement was given was 1st degree murder, 2nd degree murder, and manslaughter. As for the riots, I believe the riots would happen either way no matter if the officer Wilson was guilty or not. The main goal is to find justice between both races of people, and violent protests seemed like the only option for weeks leading up to the trial.
    The riots are not only reckless to the entire community, but is also bringing a bad reputation to the town and surrounding areas such as St. Louis. They are losing visitors and tourists, because many fear for their safety and well being. According to a report, 90% of the people who took part in the protests were not from the Ferguson area. It was if they were instigators, and elevated the situation to extreme hype when it didn't have to be. After listening to interviews on the news outlets on TV, I can conclude that citizens of Ferguson wanted peaceful protests, and many within the town didn't support violent protests because it would affect their businesses and homes in the city. It was the outsiders who burned down houses and looted businesses.
    This case can be dated back Treyvon Martin. He was shot and killed by a police officer at night, after he was carrying skittles and ice tea. Martin turned out to be innocent, after it was concluded by the Grand Jury that Zimmerman had a long rap sheet related to misuse of firearms, and now can no longer possess them. After Zimmerman was freed on bail, he attempted to shoot another person, and found himself back in a jail cell. Protests erupted as a result for justice for Treyvon Martin, although, the protesters took a different approach to get their voices heard. They followed civil disobedience, and protested peacefully by picketing and holding small assemblies to voice the peace.

Editorial Josh Gordon Cleveland Browns Wide Receiver

Week 12 is a bright spot for a resurgent Cleveland Browns, who are trying to make a playoff push for the first time in over a decade. With the return of speedster Josh Gordon, who is undoubtedly one of the best  wide receivers in the league, and now leaves the Browns offense at 100% with Brian Hoyer under helm. Gordon hasn't been allowed to participate under the collective bargaining agreement regarding the suspension for his failed drug test, but he was allowed to attend team meetings. I believe the league has overplayed the situation the whole year, and Gordon should've had his suspension reduced to only 4 games, instead of 10 games. Originally, he was handed down an indefinite suspension for the whole 2014 season, although an appeal helped the suspension get reduced. If you reflect on all suspensions handed down this season, this one should have been a minor one, compared to the assault cases of Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice and Ray McDonald.
       If you look into the NFL guidelines regarding possession of drugs, it states under the new rules, that a repeated offense of 4 times, immediately results in a 10 game suspension, rather than the entire season. The rules were proposed in September, after many players argued that the suspension handed down for first time offenders were simply too much. This goes for all types of drugs, which should be reviewed again. Back in 2012, the NFL  pursued the Richard Sherman case claiming he was taking performance enhancing drugs, and the punishment would have been to equivalent to a regular possession case. In my opinion, the consequences should be more severe than Gordon's standard marijuana case in the offseason, and the NFL needs to reconsider their policies regarding drugs and alcohol charges. With more severe drug penalties before they were updated, the NFL was sending the wrong message and jeopardizing many athlete's careers.
     The NFL could use the other major sports as a model when punishing players with possession of drugs and alcohol. The MLB has stricter rules when it comes to drug usage, and monitor players very closely, by drug testing players numerously in a short period of time. For a while, MLB has evolved from a steroid era, in which heavy hitters tacked on a ton of home runs, and accumulated exuberant amounts of money. Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire were the poster children during this era, and are ranked within the all time top 10 in home runs. They cheated, and were punished for it, and Major League Baseball sent a message stating that cheating would not be permitted. The NHL is completely different and only require players to take 2 drug tests per year, including one before the playoffs.The punishment that comes after one failed drug test is an immediate suspension without pay, and two failed drug tests results in a 60 game suspension without pay.
   With the return of Josh Gordon, the Browns put themselves as a major contender in the AFC playoff push, that features many strong contenders that have struggled the past few weeks. This puts the Browns as a potential favorite to claim a playoff spot, because they offense can now spread out teams defenses and open up running lanes for Isaiah Crowell and Terrence West. Gordon is coming off a season in which he led the league in receiving yards with 1,646 yards and 9 touchdowns. He averaged nearly 118  receiving yards per game.

Stanton Signs Largest Contract For Any Major U.S. Athlete

This week, Giancarlo Stanton signed the biggest contract ever for any major athlete, with a 13 year $325 contract extension, that locks up the young phenom for the unforeseeable future. He is guaranteed at least 6 years, and has an option to leave the team if for some reason, he decides to. Stanton is coming off a season where he came in 2nd place in the MVP voting, after hitting 37 home runs last season.  He also had a .555 slugging percentage, and displayed power that has not been seen from a younger generation player since Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera. What stands out about this deal is the fact that the total payroll for the Miami Marlins was $47.6 million dollars, which ranked 2nd worst in the majors, and then pay Stanton nearly half of their total payroll. That leaves half of the money to fill the roster, adjust lineup weaknesses, and resign other young free agents your team needs to win games.
Giancarlo no doubt displayed stardom in his first few seasons in the MLB, but to be given the highest paid American contract ever, that's hard to believe. He makes more money than other stars who played way better last season, and won more significant awards compared to Stanton. Clayton Kershaw has won back to back NL CY Young Awards and made it to the playoffs many times, has yet to see a contract even close to Stanton's because he allowed the franchise to have more flexibility to sign other above quality guys that can help the team win the World Series. Mike Trout, known for his all around play, is currently playing on a rookie contract. He has yet to see any big time money, even though he is now the face of the MLB, and has led players in nearly every statistical category.

Class of 2015 College Basketball Recruits

This week, Kentucky established themselves as clear cut favorites to be awarded top recruiting class for the second straight year. In a span of 1 hour, the Wildcats received commitments from star guard Isaiah Briscoe and Skal Labbissiere. Both are 5 star recruits, and two of the best players in the country. Labissiere is a 6'10 power forward, who is described as a skinnier Anthony Davis, going into his freshman year of college.  Briscoe is a New Jersey native, coming out of Roselle High School, and was on the NJ Playaz AAU team that won the Peach Jam Championship last summer. Both are within the top 15 players in the country, and join Charles Matthews in the list of recruits for Kentucky this season.  It is also possible that Kentucky gets another elite player as several names are still considering going to their school. These names include Jaylon Brown who is ranked 2nd in the country, Malik Newman, Ivan Rabb, Cheick Diablo, Caleb Swanigan, Stephen Zimmerman, Brandon Ingram, Antonio Blakenay and Carlton Bragg.  

UMass' Gordon Becomes First Openly Gay D1 Athlete

Last night, Derrick Gordon, student athlete from the University of Massachusetts, became the first openly gay athlete to play in a collegiate game. He scored 17 points in his first game against Siena, as he got to start the game. The Plainfield, New Jersey native talked about how his relationship with his teammates improved, despite openly admitting that he was gay.

"I'm just so happy and excited to finally put this out there," Gordon said at the time. "I've lived my life hiding behind somebody who I wasn't. I wasn't really that close to anybody on this team because there was something I had to hide."

The tolerance level compared to what it was before is significantly different. Based on what took place with Michael Sam a few months ago, when he was not picked until the 8th round of the NFL Draft. Many based his placement in the draft as an anti-gay protest by the NFL teams, but it turns out that it was based on his skill set on the field and nothing to do with anything off the field. Sam has yet to play a snap in the NFL, as he has bounced around numerous practice squads before being cut by the Dallas Cowboys several weeks ago.

Gordon contributed to the team significantly in the season opener. He nearly had a double-double in his first game, as he finished the game with 17 points and pulled down 9 rebounds. He also made 11/12 free throws in the game, that helped end the game against Siena. The tolerance is so much better for gay athletes, and the NCAA is setting an example to other leagues that being gay is okay. They don't ridicule athletes like other leagues, but embrace them. What Massachusetts did last night sent a message to other colleges that no matter what you believe in, you are still given a chance to do big things.

Peterson/Rice

Pending a ruling by the NFL and Rodger Goodell, Ray Rice may be able to return to the NFL at the very least, next season. Although that is very unlikely, because no team would want to sign him, especially how brutally he hit his wife in the Atlantic City casino in February. He appealed to the NFL saying that the NFL punishment was "too harsh." The solution by the court could be to sign Rice to a team, and let him sit out the rest of the season, including playoffs. However, I believe the signing of Rice would bring chaos to the whole fan base not just in Baltimore but around the country. Human rights activists would be against Ray Rice signing back with the team after abusing his wife, however, it was mentioned that it was not as severe as other cases that played out throughout the season with Adrian Peterson and Ray McDonald, who brutalized their victims for more time than Rice had done in the few moments he was in the elevator, and when he dragged his wife out. The possibility of Ray Rice returning to the NFL is also highly unlikely because he was cut shortly after the TMZ video was released, and has well below average numbers compared to Adrian Peterson. Adrian Peterson would be eligible to return to the Minnesota Vikings because he was not released by the team, and is the teams best player, so they almost had to keep him under salary. His punishment for his crime was far less significant compared to Rice, and he was ruled guilty for 4 counts of a misdemeanor. Even if you look at both cases together, both players deserve to be given a second chance, because if you look at what Ben Roethlisberger did back in 2010, when he was accused of sexually assaulted a 20 year old girl and was only suspended for 6 games. It was reduced however, because the evidence was insufficient. His crime was much worse than Rice's and Peterson's, but he was only suspended for 4 games, while both Peterson and Rice have been out for 10+ weeks, and probably for the rest of the 2014 season. As for the NFL, every day, their standards are always evolving, and are never consistent. They rely too heavily on past cases, and fail to recognize what punishments are appropriate.

Feature Story Kyle Lowry

The 2014 NBA season has brought nothing but success for star point guard Kyle Lowry. He  proved he is capable of making an NBA all star team, but was cut from the team as a finalist  the past 2 years. So this year, Lowry is making an early case as to why he deserves the honor, because he has elevated his game to ground breaking numbers. He emerged last year into a star point guard, and the Toronto Raptors were able to make the playoffs behind Lowry's breakout season. Not only has Kyle Lowry made an impact on the court but he has also made an impact off the court as well. Starting last season, Lowry created his own non profitable organization named Lowry Love Foundation, that is targeted to help underprivileged  kids in the Philadelphia area by giving back to the community. His foundation also helps Toronto children as well,not just the area he grew up in.
     Growing up, Lowry had to battle through hardships and doubt to even get a chance in the NBA. After being raised in North Philadelphia, Lowry jump started his journey at Cardinal Dougherty high school. As a freshman, Lowry came into high school under 6ft tall, but provided scrappiness and provided points for his high school team. The highlight of his high school career came in 2004, when he averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals as a senior, and was named Pennsylvania High School Player of the Year.
     Coming out of high school however, Lowry was tagged with a "hot head" reputation, because many coaches thought Kyle lacked the maturity to lead a team.

      "He was a handful, boy," Wright said. "Everything he did on the court was about being small and not backing down to anybody and being tougher than everybody. You loved that about him. But off the court, he did the same thing with authority. He never wanted people around him to see that someone was going to tell him what to do. And in his mind, it was kind of cowering if you gave in to that."

He lacked command off the court as well. Many times, his personality got him into trouble, but Villanova wanted to take a chance on Lowry, and had no idea what path Kyle Lowry was going to follow. The path for any athlete is either pass into the NBA or fail. He approached the game differently, but his consistent work ethic helped his chances of getting drafted into the NBA. In just 2 short years, Lowry was drafted by the Memphis Grizzles in the first round, after leaving the Villanova Wildcats with 543 career points, 219 rebounds and 171 total assists. He was also named to the Big East Second Team All Conference, Big East Honor Roll, First Team All Big 5, Big All-Rookie Team and Philadelphia Big 5 Rookie of the Year. 
     Lowry was traded from Memphis to the Houston Rockets, where he played off the bench, with occasional minutes in the starting lineup. In his last season with the rockets, Lowry averaged 14 points per game, 6.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game. It wasn't until Lowry was traded to Toronto that his career took off. Lowry last season improved his averages, and developed himself into a leader, and lead a young Toronto team to the playoffs. He managed to put up career numbers, which led to a major contract extension in the off season.  Last season, he averaged 17.9 points per game, 7.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. Between him and Demar Derozan, both combined to average over 30 points per game. They are one of the most underated duo back court in the NBA, but this season, they used it as motivation. Both players led the Raptors to a franchise record start, and are poised to return to the playoffs once again.
     As for Lowry he learned from his past teammates to guide his potential and shape out his NBA future. He valued his coaches and former teammates, and now sees all the advice payoff. The one person Lowry looked upon for advice was from former NBA stud, Chauncey Billups.

     “Chauncey pushed me,” Lowry said. “He pushed me mentally to challenge myself. He just has this aura about him like you don’t want to upset him. You want to make sure he’s like, ‘Good job.’ There are some people in this world that you just be like, ‘Man, just give me some praise.’ And the little bit of praise, the sky’s the limit for that. There’s not many people I say I look up to. I don’t look up to people like that. [But] I look up to him.”

     

Oscar Taveras

Following the death of MLB player and former outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, an investigation was conducted to determine if Oscar Taveras was intoxicated prior to be killed in the car accident. The results were released today, and show that Taveras was in fact intoxicated and had a blood alcohol content 5 times greater the legal state limit. He was killed along with his girlfriend on the highway of Puerta Plata on Oct. 26 after he lost control of the car after exceeding the speed limit.
     Taveras left behind a bright future because of one bad mistake. According to MLB.com, he was ranked a top 3 MLB recruit at an age of only 22 years old. He was signed by the Cardinals back in 2008, in the first year player draft. However, he was brought up this past season to play right field for the Cardinals, and made his first career playoff start in the National League Division series. This season, Tavares hit .239 with 3 homeruns and 22 runs batted in which was accumulated in 80 games. He is best known for his  heroics in game 2 of the NL Championship series, when he hit a homerun in the 7th inning against the Giants.