It's Gametime!

It’s that time again! College football is about to start back up this Thursday. It will be an exciting season. Even after a lot of big time names left last year for the draft, the programs reloaded and have some top performers still around. Last year, five big name quarterbacks left (Tebow, Bradford, McCoy, Clausen, and Pike), but now there are six to seven good quarterbacks. So really, this is the year of the long ball. Many programs are stacked, but many programs are looking to make a name for themselves this year. The preseason look at the Heisman is a beauty. There are eight quarterbacks and four running backs receiving votes. Such names include as followed: Mark Ingram(last year’s Heisman), Case Keenum, Jake Locker, Ryan Mallet, Kellen Moore, Terelle Pryor, and Evan Royster. There were also a few coaching moves this off season with Bryan Kelly and Lane Kiffen jumping to different schools. With Alabama, Ohio State, Boise State, Texas, and Florida as the top five in the polls, it will definitely be an intense season. Every Saturday will count and it should end up being a great season. Hope you enjoy!

What is the NBA coming to?

Is the NBA trying to lose their audience that still puts up with them? Well they are doing a good job after their Lebron James ordeal. What I don’t understand is why there has to be an hour long show over which team he goes to. I mean granted he arguably the best basketball player in the league, but that doesn’t mean he deserves his time on television. I mean it was pathetic and stupid to have him come on there and decide where he was going. I didn’t even care to watch where he went. I did like how the city of Cleveland was frustrated at Lebron for leaving them. I personally do not think he should have left. I think he would have been respected more as a person than player if he stayed. It would have shown that he was dedicated to bringing Cleveland a championship. Now he is on a team that has two all stars. I do not know how the Heat will do with three players who are used to being leaders on the team. I can see some heated arguments arise in the locker room. I think they can be a good team, but it will be an interesting season. I believe if Lebron wanted to go to a different team than Cleveland, then he should have picked a team that could rally around him. I think a team like Chicago would have suited him better than Miami, just in the sense that he could improve that team. He can improve Miami, but he will do it along side Bosh and Wade. It will be an interesting season, but I am sure we will hear all about it because the NBA is a circus these days.

Marian Baseball Season After Florida Trip

After the long bus ride home from Ormond Beach, Florida, I believe the Marian University Baseball team is on the way up. After a disappointing campaign in Florida last year, where they finished 1-8, the Knights finished 4-4 this year. The Knights beat some very good teams this year including Ohio Dominican and St. Francis(Ill.), who were both receiving votes to be ranked. If you take out a couple of innings in the games the Knights did lose, their record would be better than it shows. The Knights are not an overpowering team in terms of size and hitting the ball far, but they do have a great pitching staff and can beat other teams in "small ball". I believe with a good recruiting class and an experience returning class, the Knights can compete with any team they play. I am very excited with how the rest of the season will turn out. I believe each player is starting to know their role on the team and that will help down the road. It was nice seeing the excitement from the squad in every game. Todd Ungru and Jake Mullis really got their bats going, while Ben Walters, Ricky Parrish, Neil Hackett, Pat Midla, and Tony Goodpaster really pitched well down there. It will be an exciting year for the determined Knights. Come out and cheer them on!

Olympics So Far

This year’s Olympics have been everything the hype has made it out to be. There have been tremendous victories won on the ice rink or out in the snow. The United States has represented this great country well. The stars the U.S. possess have stepped up and really contributed to the lead they have in the medal count. There have been many memorable moments in this year’s winter Olympics. Some include the men’s hockey team beating the hosting Canadians, Lindsey Vonn winning gold in women’s downhill despite being injured, Shani Davis repeating in his best even, the 1000 meter speed-skating, snowboarder Shaun White absolutely dominating all competitors in the men’s halfpipe, and Bode Miller winning in the men’s super combined. These skilled individuals came into these Olympics highly praised and they walked-the-walk and talked-the-talk. I am sure there will be many more moments that will go down in the books, and I will be sitting in my seat watching every minute. USA ALL THE WAY!!

New NFL Overtime Rule

Does the NFL need a new overtime rule? I believe so. This was very evident in the New Orleans Saints/ Minnesota Vikings' game. The two best NFC teams were dead even in talent and score, and then their fates came down to a coin flip. I feel bad for the Vikings because they did not even get a chance to challenge the Saints' defense. Any team that wins the coin flip just needs to have an okay kick-off return, and then drive the ball forty-five yards to get themselves in decent field goal range. I just hate how one team gets the opportunity to do all this because of a fifty-fifty chance of calling the right side on the coin. What should the NFL do? One idea is do the same thing colleges’ do, which is each team gets it at the opponent's twenty-five yard line, and they play it live. The only problem with that is the second team gets the advantage. They get to see how the other team plays their possession and then goes from there. I do not think that is the answer for the NFL. If they did decide to use that idea, then I believe the NFL teams need to back up and get the ball at midfield. The other idea, which I like, is shortening the overtime to like ten minutes and then just playing the overtime out. I like that idea because it gives each team at least one or two possessions and both sides of the ball get a chance to stop the other teams. The only problem with that idea is the team that gets the ball first will come down to a coin flip and we are back to this same argument again. I believe the NFL has to make a change in the overtime rule, but what they do will have controversy too. It will be interesting to see how the NFL decides to go about this problem. What do you think?

Thoughts on Tiger Woods' Speech

One word describes the "apology" speech that Tiger Woods spoke, "Wow". I didn't really buy it. I mean who needs to read their speech off a paper? Why can't you just say what you feel in your heart? I kind of think that this speech was what the press wanted to hear, and not what the people wanted to hear. He did not get real emotional, and he wanted everyone to help him. Then, he throws a curveball and talks about his new found religion. I have no problem forgiving the guy if he comes out and explains what he did and his reasons for doing it. Look at America these days, baseball players who admit using steroids are heckled for a little awhile, but then are eased up on. Fans respect those players who are up front with them and admit their wrong doing. I just believe Tiger tease America by saying what he did. This was not an “apology” speech, but instead a stunt to get attention. This was however the worst case of the press ruining the integrity of an athlete. I do feel bad for his family that had to be ambushed by the press day and night. I do hope he and his wife work things out for the kids’ sake. He needs to stay away from golf for awhile to prove to his wife he is loyal to her. If he thinks this matter is far from over because of this speech, he is mistaken. What are your thoughts?

Who Should the Indianapolis Colts draft for 2010?

The Super Bowl just happened and now its offseason right? Wrong. Since the last seconds ticked off the game clock in the Super Bowl game, I have been asking myself, what do the Colts need to improve?" If you look back on the last couple of years, the Colts have gone after an offensive specialist, whether it is a receiver or running back in the first round. Do they continue to go after offensive people? I do not think so. I think this year is the year to go after some defensive players. Some key positions where the Colts could use some help is maybe another linebacker and a defensive tackle, so it helps the young secondary. On the offensive side, I think the Colts should make sure they get some linemen because the line is getting older and older with each season and game played. I think the Colts draft the right type of players and that has always been Bill Polian's forte. I know every time I watch the Colts draft, I always ask myself, is this the right pick? He has a system for the players he picks, and I think that it would be wrong of me to question his picks. When the Colts start losing more games than they play, then we can start challenging his moves. It will be an interesting Draft and I am looking forward to seeing the new Colt faces. These are my opinions. What's yours?

Are Colleges Recruiting Men or Boys?

It seems like in today's world, college coaches are finding athletes that are just kids and not even men yet. In recent news, ESPN did a story on a thirteen year old boy, who got recruited by USC's football coach. The boy is a lengthy quarterback named David Sills. Honestly, the kid is in seventh grade and already receiving a scholarship to play at USC. I just do not understand why coaches are putting these young boys in the spotlight already. With that being said, the parents are just as much in fault as the coaches. David's dad wants his son to get the exposure and said that any parent would do the same thing if they were in the situation. I'm sorry Mr. Sills, but no I wouldn't. I believe I would let the boy enjoy being a kid before I got too serious about his future as an athlete. USC head coach, Lane Kiffin, has nothing better to do than to go after thirteen year olds, instead of the top high school players. If he wants to be in the spotlight more, he has done it. I would be worried if I was a Trojan fan because Coach Kiffin is looking too far in the future at athletes instead of winning now. The young boy hasn't even taken a snap in high school to see what his true potential is. I believe that even though the boy verbally committed to USC, he will back out of that and go somewhere else that will be better than USC. I mean in five years, USC could be one of the worst universities to play football, especially with Lane Kiffin as their coach. I do not think Lane Kiffin has proven himself enough to be a good enough coach to lead a college to the promise land. Only time will tell what will happen with this thirteen year old and the future for the program of USC. I believe that colleges and universities should stay away from young athletes until their sophomore year of high school. This would allow the athlete to develop as a person and player. I believe too much exposure can put more pressure on the athlete than they can handle and mess them up psychologically. With athletes becoming more and more developed at a young age, I think the world will see more and more of these kinds of situations. It is bad for the sport, for the programs, and for the athletes!

Tebow in the NFL

Tim Tebow needs no introduction. He has become a television star in the way that everyone knows him for his play in college football. The press loves to talk about him. I watched a piece about him on 60 Minutes, and the host said he is so popular that he is an answer on Jeopardy; you know your a "big deal" when Jeopardy is asking questions about you. He has changed the game of college football for a quarterback in the way he uses his feet to make plays. I mean he holds the Southeastern Conference rushing touchdown record and rushing yards for a quarterback. He has definately made a name for himself because of the power running he provides, but what about the passing ability? Can he be a quarterback in the NFL? Everyone likes to get on him for his baseball wind-up that he uses to throw the ball; I have to admit, I am one of them. He takes way too long to get rid of the football, and the defense wil eat him alive in the NFL. The long wind-up will make defensive linemen try harder than ever to get to him. They will just swat the ball out of his hands and not really try to sack him. Plus, the wind-up tells the secondary that he is going to throw and gives them time to mark their receiver. He has poor footwork and is sometimes inaccurate with his throws. His receivers would help him out and make great plays. However, I do believe the game of football is changing in the NFL. More and more teams are moving to the "wildcat" offense, and I believe Tebow would be the best candidate for that type of offense. He would always be a threat to run the ball with power or fool the defense and find an open receiver. So, I believe Tebow can be a good quarterback in the NFL, but he will need to work on throwing for accuracy. He is a hard-worker and a determined player, which helps him be a football player. It will be exciting to see how his career develops. Agree or Disagree?

What a Super Bowl Match-Up

There are so many things to consider for the Super Bowl. First off, I love the match-ups that both teams have to offer on offense and defense. The Colts are playing like they did in the regular season. Their offense is unstoppable, which was evident on Sunday's game against the Jets. The Jets' defense even shut down the Colts' "best" receiver(Wayne), but couldn't stop the other stars(Clark, Garcon, and Collie). I think the defense is playing better than ever, especially in the playoffs. The front four for the Colts are getting some pressure to the quarterback, which is allowing the rest of the defense to just worry about their job. Gary Brackett is leading his defense to the promise land. They get plenty of criticism about allowing an abundance amount of yards, but they are just playing like they know they can. They stopped the number one rush-offense with ease on Sunday. However, I do think the Saints have more weapons than the Jets. The Saints are more of a complete team, in the sense they are balanced in the running and passing game.For starters, they have one of the best quarterbacks in the league(Drew Brees). Brees is a teammate who gives it his all everytime he is out on the field. He will have plenty of help with Reggie Bush, Jeremy Shockey, Marques Colston, and Robert Meachem assisting him. The defense is one in the best in the league, in terms of turnovers. In Sunday's game, they were all over the field and taking away possessions for the Vikings. The Vikings did not play that well, butwere still in the game. It took the Saints overtime to beat the Vikings, so anything is possible. I believe the game will come down to who doesn't turn the ball over more, and who can capitalize on each possession. In the end, I believe the Colts win 33-30. Agree or Disagree?

Is College Basketball a Freshman's Game?

It seems like in today's college basketball, freshman are taking over the sport. I mean has this game become a freshman-dominate sport? For a great example, look at the University of Kentucky's starting five(John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, and Darius Miller). They start three freshman(Wall, Cousins, and Bledsoe)and will probably become the number one team in the nation. They have respectively the best player in basketball(Wall), who isn't a junior or senior, but a freshman. You can look around the U.S. universities and see other uprising players who are impacting their team; they are mostly freshman. It seems rare to have a player on your team who stays all four years. Sure, there will always be a few out there who are devoted to getting a degree like Tyler Hansbrough and Sherron Collins, but they come rare. I mean I think its uncommon to see a player stay all four years, unless they haven't played that much in the previous years and were sitting on the bench for their freshman and sophomore year. Other great examples include as followed:Xavier Henry(Kansas), Derrick Favors(Georgia Tech), Lance Stephenson(Cincinnati), Avery Bradley(Texas), and Kenny Boynton(Florida). These are just a few names but if you were to watch them play, you would understand just how dominate they are. I am not saying it is a bad thing that they are good. I just think the sport would be great if they stayed for two years or more. I'm glad they have the rule that makes them come to college. How great would it have been if Lebron James came to college for a year? We will never know. I think college basketball should be more than one-and-done!

Is Peyton the Eighth Best Quarterback Ever?

I, as a Colts fan, have to argue the case for Peyton. He is football. Just like the article mentioned, Peyton=hurry-up offense. That style of offense was not heard of until Peyton made it happen. Peyton is a freak of nature in the way he does his job. He brings his team from behind; he has to be up there on the list in comeback wins. He throws passes in the tightest places and just does his job to perfection. He directs his players all over the field. I mean I remember the day when the Colts had the option to pick him or Ryan Leaf in the draft. Are you serious? Peyton deserves to be considered one of the top five best quarterbacks. I would have to say that Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, and Otto Graham are good picks at the number one, two, and three greatest quaterbacks, but after that I think its up for grabs and that's where Peyton belongs. I do not believe it is right to punish him or any good quarterback because of how many rings he has. Sure, Tom Brady has three rings, but that does not tell the whole story. Brady is in a system in New England. New England had a good defense in the years they won the Super Bowl. The Colts' defense was average at best when they won and have been many years since Peyton has been there. I believe a quarterback is great in the way he contributes to his team. He brought a struggling Colts squad from the slumps to a dynasty in the past 7 years if not more. He is definately one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play.

The Beginning of Something Special

This is the first of many blogs going to be on here. This is an introduction of the new Marian Univeristy student sport show called Knight Time Sports. This show is going to be hosted by two students, Ian Garner and Evan Schludecker. Ian Garner is a sophomore, who knows his sports stuff, whether it be the university athletics or the sports going on nationwide. Evan Schludecker is a sophomore who plays baseball here at Marian and will contribute to both topics. These two will work together to bring the fans plenty of entertainment.
This show will be on air two days a week. This blog site will allow people to express their opinion on certain topics we discuss or allow fans the opportunity to post certain subjects they want to be broadcasted on the show. The show will have coaches and players of our athletic programs. We are hoping this show and blog site can inform fans of their athletics here on campus and all over the United States. If anyone has any ideas about what they want to be discussed on the show please don't feel shy and write in. Thank you for your time and hope to hear from you very soon. GO KNIGHTS!!