It has been some time, hasn't it? Close to a month, so there's quite a bit of ground to cover.
This is normally a football blog, so naturally I'm going to start there. And I'm going to start with what has to be the most overhyped, overblown "scandal," that I have seen in sports in a long time, known as "Deflate Gate." My thought on this is; why in the world are we still over-hyping this? It's four months out from what allegedly happened and we're still making it out to be some huge thing?
For those unaware, independent attorney Ted Wells was hired by the NFL to do some investigating into whether the Patriots deflated their footballs in the AFC title game. He completed his investigation last week, and concludes that it is "more probable than not that the locker room attendant, equipment assistant and Tom Brady were aware of releasing air."
Look, there's a distinction to be made here. I don't mind the NFL going and investigating whether the Patriots deflated the footballs. I do have a problem with everyone over-hyping this whole thing and saying it's completely the reason the Patriots won a Super Bowl, or all four of them. The final of the game in question (AFC title game) was 45-7. This whole thing is not the reason the Patriots won that football game, or the Super Bowl after that.
I told you guys back in January that the sports media and Patriots haters in general were making a mountain out of a molehill, and they still are. Frankly, if there's anything I was more concerned about regarding the Patriots, it was that Aaron Hernandez get what was coming to him, and he did.
Meanwhile, in Houston (and no the Rockets aren't off the hook, I'll get to them later), Texans coach Bill O'Brien, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle, said that the Texans "have a lack of conditioning" and "need to get in better shape as a whole." He also didn't mince words when he said it was the long snapper who was in the best shape of those attending mini-camp.
Talk about no-nonsense; it's a far different cry from what we had in the previous regime. O'Brien is building toughness and setting high standards for the players that come in here. This is why he will be a winner here.
From Dallas Cowboys camp, it appears that there has been mutual interest prior to and after the draft about the possibility of the Cowboys acquiring Adrian Peterson from the Vikings. That having been said, it appears the Palestine, Texas native will not be returning home any time soon. So sayeth Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, who told TMZ Sunday that "we are both from East Texas. We believe in the same thing. Just as much as he love the game, I love the game the same way I think it would be something very special."
The Vikings are not willing to cooperate according to Bryant, who said "the Vikings not lettin' that happen, cause if they did, the league would know what would happen," Bryant said. "That man is a monster. He's something special."
I can't honestly say I blame the Vikings for holding onto All Day, although this smells eerily similar to the Herschel Walker trade in 1989 where the Cowboys sent Herschel Walker and a few other picks to Minnesota. Dallas received a king's ransom in that deal; they got several players but more importantly, received three first round picks, three second round picks and a third round pick.
Two of those picks became Emmitt Smith and Darren Woodson, two of the cornerstones of the Dallas run in the 1990s. One thing I think we can all agree on, Adrian Peterson is the franchise in Minnesota.
One more NFL note; the saddest thing about the whole Deflate Gate thing is it is overshadowing Gronk being Gronk. Gronk, of course, refers to Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots, who celebrated his 26th birthday this past weekend in Las Vegas. You know how the old saying goes, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Not with Gronk. Some of the highlights featured Gronk in a wig, two Super Bowl themed birthday cakes, inflatable footballs, and as per usual with Gronk, lots and lots of dancing. No one in the League knows how to have a good time like Gronk, I'm convinced.
From college football, before I go to more current events, I want to double back and talk about a possibility that surfaced a few weeks ago that I should have touched on then. A few weeks ago, a report by the SEC Network's Paul Finebaum surfaced that he had a source who said that it is possible Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller may transfer to Alabama.
The thing that makes this believable and gives it legs is that 1. he would be immediately eligible to play next season; he has eligibility left but graduated in December 2. he'd be most probably third on Ohio State's depth chart with the rise of J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones and 3. he'd immediately be the most talented quarterback on Alabama's roster.
All I can say is this; the rest of the SEC better hope this does not happen. Because if it does, Alabama becomes that much more lethal, even without Cooper. They already have an abundance of talent every year, and if they were to add Braxton...watch out.
Speaking of Nick Saban (this was something I also should have touched on), it seems to me that he has a problem with schools like Michigan and Penn State setting up satellite camps in his own territory. In case college football fans, or non-fans for that matter, don't know what "satellite camps" are you can read up on them here: http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/110369/what-you-need-to-know-about-satellite-camps
My response to this is; et tu, Nick? The man who has no problem stuffing his team with talented players and walking into Iowa and poaching Ross Pierschbacher after he had already committed to Iowa has a problem with this? Can't have it both ways, Nick.
In more recent events, here in Texas, even though the Aggies and Longhorns don't play anymore, the fires of rivalry still run hot, particularly in the A&M camp. In a Thursday interview with the Texas Tribune, A&M system chancellor John Sharp didn't pass up the opportunity to take a shot at UT and its Longhorn Network when he said this,
"We're hopeful that sometime in the future there will be a bowl game that we're able to play in, you know, if (Texas) gets there," Sharp said. "But the great thing about playing us is that you can get on real TV if you play us."
Honestly, there's no reason why those two can't play each other but the thing is, it takes two to dance. And if Texas won't do it, then it won't happen.
On the NBA playoffs, a few things stand out:
1. LeBron James got one on Chicago Sunday just as Michael Jordan did to Cleveland so many times in the past. His buzzer-beating three tied that series at two, and may have swung it back in favor of the Cavs with 5 and 7 at home.
2. The Rockets' goose is totally cooked. The bad thing for them is this; they're playing a Clippers team that is much tougher than it was in the past (that San Antonio slugfest did something to the Clippers because they're tougher and nastier than they've ever been), and Chris Paul when he's in is a terrible matchup for the Rockets. Getting beat by 20 to 30 points in two straight games is not a good look at all. McHale's done a good job this year, but until they get some mentally tougher players this is about as far as they're going to go.
3. Mike Conley is back and playing well and that's bad news for Golden State. With that series at 2-1 Memphis, game 4 is obviously a must win for the Warriors.
4. That Spurs/Clippers series was a war; a seven-game war and a classic. The Spurs are still the Spurs but it's obvious the Clippers have learned a lot from that series too. I think the next time those two play each other the Spurs will be look to exact their pound of flesh much as they did to Lebron last year.
Next, a few baseball things:
1. Big series win by the Royals in Detroit, capped off with a 2-1 10th inning victory late last night. Like them or not, the Royals have been able to survive all the suspensions and several injuries and are still at the top of the AL Central. They have also, largely, managed to stay out of trouble since Yordano Ventura's brawl with the White Sox.
2. At least early on, the Yankees are in first place. It's their first year in a long while without either Mariano Rivera or Derek Jeter playing regularly for them, yet so far they are making it work after beating the Orioles three out of four this weekend.
3. The Astros are off to a good start, but I want to see how they do long-term against teams outside the AL West. The Astros have been helped a ton by playing the AL West for the majority of the first month of the year, which has been playing mediocre. I still feel that Seattle, if they can hang on until June when one of their better pitchers comes back will challenge the Astros, but the Angels, Rangers and A's have played mediocre so far. Most of the teams the Astros will be playing are outside the division for the next long while, so this will be interesting to see.
4. The Cardinals are the best team in the NL right now, but my feeling is that long-term, without Adam Wainwright, they won't be. That's the most well-run organization in sports or one of them, but you need big-time players to win a championship eventually. I pegged them to win the NL at the beginning of the year, but you need aces like that in the long run.
5. I'm still intrigued by the Mets, who still sit in first place in May. Them and Washington is going to be a great race all summer; the young stable of arms for the Mets vs Washington who bought the farm to go get Scherzer for a run at the title.
One final golf note; very glad to see Rickie Fowler win the Players' Championship yesterday at TPC Sawgrass. He had a great year last year, but couldn't get that proverbial 900 lb. gorilla off his back with a big win. He did so yesterday. Can he win one of the three majors this year? Maybe not, but it looks like he's gearing up for a run at it.
Lastly, I hope all the mothers and mothers to be had a great Mother's Day Weekend.
Until next time....
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