Baltimore Orioles: Can Jim Johnson Bounce Back?

Being a closer is one of most high-pressure jobs in all of sports.  It requires a consistent mental fortitude that never wavers along with having the skill to throw the right pitch at the right moment.  Day in and day out a closer is expected to not only efficiently shutdown an offense with a chip on its shoulder but he also has to do it with thousands of fans watching intensely as he throws each momentous pitch that could be the difference between a supreme victory or a deflating defeat.

The Baltimore Orioles have insistently lacked reliability in their bullpen, particularly when it comes to an avid closer.

Before his recent struggles, Jim Johnson seemed to be the next superstar closer and was crucial in the Orioles miraculous regular season success last season.  From July 30, 2012 to May 13 2013, Johnson had 35 straight saves with an overall ERA 0.61.  Johnson’s abilities appeared to not only supersede Rivera’s ERA (Rivera Career ERA is 2.20), but the level of consistency and effectiveness he brought to each and every game made him a man amongst boys in terms of his sensational pitching abilities. 

However, in his last 5 attempts as a closer, Johnson has only managed a single save.  While it could be argued that Johnson is simply in a random slump, the problem with that notion is that 3 out of his four losses have come at the hands of division opponents.  In arguably not only the toughest division in the American League but in the Majors as a whole, every win that you can earn could be the difference between making the playoffs or going home empty handed. 

Even with these recent travesties, it’s hard to condemn Johnson as having permanently lost his touch after only a few games, especially when the rest of the roster is having a terrific season.  The Orioles offense is second to none in the majors placing third overall in runs (259), second in batting average (.275), and first in slugging percentage (.459).  What these states emphatically suggest is that the Orioles have a variety offensive weapons that are not only instinctually gifted at locating the ball at the right moment, but that they have the vast strength and power to knock it out of the park at any time. 

With that being said, the Orioles will only find success in their division if they’re a complete team that is able to work together in cohesive manner with all cylinders firing.  If they were in any other division it would be feasible to postulate that they would easily be in first place and would even be up a few games to boot.  Yet, in a division where every team either has stellar pitching, a high-octane offense or both, it becomes absolutely necessary to have all facets of your game polished and fine tuned to avoid precarious situations against these opponents who could unpredictably turn the tides of a game in their favor.  As a result, having a single deficiency such as an incompetent closer is enough to plunge a recuperated franchise like the Orioles into the middle of the pack.

Of course, this is baseball.  In a sport where 162 games are played over six months, it’s not fair or even realistic to destroy a teams hopes and dreams just because they are facing some minor adversity at this point in the season.  If the Orioles were the franchise they were two years ago, it wouldn’t be difficult to confidently suggest that this team would have even a remote chance at competing.  However, with the inspirational resurrection and determination this team has emulated these last couple of years, thanks largely in part to the management of Buck Showalter, the Orioles have valiantly proven that they are no longer the epitome of a disgrace.  Gone are the years where the Orioles were forced to compete for fourth place against the Toronto Blue Jays (often failing in even that endeavor) as the only morale victory they could gain from every season that was an utter disappointment.

Now, with nearly every athletic component of the Orioles roster working smoothly and effectively, this team cannot be counted out as a playoff contender.  But when all is said and done, if this team really wants a chance at being the kings of this division come the end of the regular season, Jim Johnson has to shake off the jitters of these last few games and revert himself to the prolifically gifted pitcher he truly has been over the last year.  If Johnson can recover from these early season struggles and return to form as a reliable and consistent closer, he could once again lead this team to not only another playoff berth but to a desired destination far beyond it.

Washington Redskins: Can RGIII Throw First And Run Second?

Before the anticipated emergence of the now beloved quarterback Robert Griffin III, the Washington Redskins were a deflated franchise that hadn’t won a playoff game since 2005.  Amongst the other NFC opponents, the Redskins were condemned to mediocre expectations and lacked the athletic pizzazz that was the hallmark of their organization during the 80’s and early 90’s. 

However, once the Redskins acquired the highly intelligent and dynamically gifted rookie, a new era was dawning upon an organization that had lacked a legitimate passer in some time.  Despite a 3-6 start, the Redskins bounced back with a determined vigor and resilience by winning their last seven games of the season, sweeping their division rivals Philadelphia and Dallas in the process.

Finishing the season valiantly with a 10-6 record, the Redskins looked to be the hot team coming out of the NFC with the an unstoppable rushing attack that was coupled with a talented secondary.  Even in RGIII’s weakened state, he still managed to put together two touchdowns drives together against the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs, seemingly unaffected by the sprained knee that he had sustained against the Baltimore Ravens only a month earlier. Unfortunately, despite RGIII’s inspiring determination, his injury got the better of him as each play seemed to debilitate him to the point where he had to limp to the line of scrimmage after each play.  Eventually, RGIII’s mental toughness was no longer enough to trump his physical ailment as his knee buckled completely in an attempt to field a bad shotgun pass in the fourth quarter.

Fans looked on in utter disbelief and devastation as their newly idolized offensive leader collapsed to the ground unable to overcome the injury which finally did him in for the rest of the game.  Initially, some were quick to put the onus on Shanahan for being careless for letting the Redskins superstar play when his condition was clearly worsening after each agonizing snap of the ball.  However, when your team has a chance at their first playoff victory in seven years while your determined quarterback is begging you to not take him out, making the right or wrong call is not simply a black or white decision.

Either way, whoever was to blame in that controversial moment is an irrelevant contemplation.  What becomes pertinent now is keeping RGIII out of harms way while teaching him to become a more disciplined playmaker when it comes to running the option.  There can be no doubt that this is a catch 22 situation; If you force RGIII into a more conservative offensive play style he avoids a devastating injury but can’t be the dynamic leader that could take this team to another playoff berth and beyond.  At the same time, if you allow RGIII to revert back to his bread and butter run first and ask questions later comfort zone, there is a chance that he could sustain another debilitating injury, only this time the damage done would likely be irreparable.  

With that in mind, the Washington Redskins have a difficult decision to settle; Let him play his way or train him to enhance his passing attack over his favored running capabilities.  While RGII is more than capable of being an elite passer in his own right (20 TD 5 INT during the 2012 regular season), his running attack is what prevented opposing defenses from locking him down into a predictable algorithm that could be easily contained (7 TD 6.8 rushes per carry in 2012).

Ultimately, while there isn’t a simple answer to eliminate the threatening defenses that will mercilessly pursue RGIII week in and week out, the key to alleviating at least some of these dangers is to train the young quarterback to develop a more instinctual awareness before heroically dashing off into the open field.  Making a disciplined and intellectual playmaking decision in the heat of the moment could be the difference between RGIII coming out of the play unscathed or going down for the count.

RGIII is intelligent and gifted enough to reinvent himself to become a quarterback that is both offensively dynamic while not adamantly thrusting himself into harms way in crucial situations.  This will make RGIII not only a better NFL player overall, but it will only heighten his unprecedented understanding of the game to an entirely new level of prominence. 

New York Knicks: Can Carmelo Win In The Big Apple?

If the Knicks are suffering from any ailment it is by far their inconsistencies in the playoffs.  Their regular season accolades far exceed their post-season attempts in almost every way. From field goal percentage to points scored to rebounding (which the Knicks weren’t spectacular at to begin with), the Knicks seem to go through an unexplainable regression from the post season to the regular season.

During the first round of the playoffs against the Boston Celtics, the Knicks were able to pick up where they had left off at the end of the regular season with Carmelo Anthony shooting around 45% from the field while hitting over 50% of his 3-point shots within the first two games.  However, in the two games the Knicks dropped to the Celtics, Anthony’s field goal percentage decreased dramatically when he shot only 28.6% and 33.3% respectively.  Even when the Knicks were able to advance past the Celtics to the conference semi-finals, Anthony’s prolific shooting abilities became even more erratic.  In three out of the Knicks four losses to the Indiana Pacers, Anthony shot under 40% from the field while he shot over 40% in the two games the Knicks won.

Clearly, the Knicks not only live and die by the three point shot, but their success is also predicated on how well Anthony plays in terms of his accuracy and the amount of points he scores.  Even when Anthony puts up strong scoring numbers in the upper thirties or higher, the Knicks still seem to find themselves in precarious situations that ultimately result in an epic collapse rather than a supreme victory.

However, despite these disappointments, Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks shouldn’t feel any animosity towards each other for these past transgressions.  The fact that the Knicks were able to win their division for the first time since 1994 should incite a sense of confidence rather than dismay.  While Knicks fans are no doubt clamoring for a national championship since they acquired their last one over 40 years ago, the fact that this team has taken the steps it has to be relevant again should be an encouraging sign even to fans who have been drained emotionally over these last few decades.

With that being said, the Knicks still need to find a way use the talent they have, along with Anthony, to take them to the biggest stage in the NBA.  They already have a great all-around center in Tyson Chandler who can not only make the necessary shots (63.8% from the field during the regular season) but who can also be an intimidating defensive presence that can be both physical and swift especially when it comes to rebounding (10.7 RPG during the regular season).

On top of that, the Knicks have a young and dynamic small forward in Iman Shumpert who has developed into a solid shooter who can also proficiently rebound the ball in critical situations.  Even Raymond Felton has stepped up effectively in place of Jason Kidd who went through his own post-season struggles especially when it came to shooting the ball accurately down the stretch.

When all is said and done, Anthony definitely has all the necessary tools around him that when they all function with harmonious cohesion is capable of being a well-balanced force to be reckoned with.  If the Knicks can play with the same confidence and vigor in the post season that they displayed during the course of their regular season, then they stand a chance at being one of the most formidable teams in the eastern conference. 

While Carmelo Anthony himself has proven to be every bit the scoring juggernaut he has been since his collegiate years at Syracuse, in order for this team to go the distance Anthony will have to be a part of the system rather than a required crutch that hinders this teams ability to work together confidently.

Dallas Cowboys: Can Tony Romo Compete?

On paper, Tony Romo would appear to be a competent passer.  During the 2012 regular season Romo completed 65.6 % of his passes, which is superior to both Drew Brees and Tom Brady who completed 63% of their passes during the same time span.  While this would seem to indicate that Romo is an underappreciated quarterback given this accomplishment, there is one glaring issue with his game that has prevented him from being as favorably respected as the two aforementioned future hall-of-famers; Throwing Interceptions.

Last year Romo threw for 19 interceptions and tied for the highest rate he acquired during his third year with the Dallas Cowboys in 2007.  Although Brees’ interception rate was tantamount to Romo’s, he was able pass for 15 more touchdowns to somewhat offset this game-alerting mistake (43).  However, even with this astronomical scoring accolade, the Saints still went 7-9 during the regular season and ultimately missed the playoffs (mainly because of their atrocious defense). 

While Romo’s interceptions definitely prevented his team from reaching their full potential, the offensive woes extended past this one statistic.  Rather, Romo’s insurmountable turnover rate was indicative of his lack of consistency as opposed to him being a lackadaisical passer overall.  In week fourteen of the regular season during a game against the Eagles, Romo completed 81.5% of his passes for 3 touchdowns against a team that was ranked 9^th in the league at preventing passes.  However, the next week Romo appeared to regress significantly in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.  He completed only 58.1% of his passes and only one touchdown paired with a single interception.  The very next week Romo completed 71.4% of his passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers who were the best in the league at stopping the pass.  Two weeks later, Romo had one of the worst performances of the Cowboys’ 2012 regular season in a decisive game against the Washington Redskins.  Romo completed a mere 54.1% of his passes and three interceptions, costing the Cowboys a coveted playoff berth once again.

What these numbers appear to suggest is that Romo isn’t a terrible quarterback or even just an adequate passer in his own right.  In one instance, Romo appears to have the passing capabilities of an elite quarterback that go up against any highly touted defense that stands in his way.  In the next, Romo goes through an athletic mid-life crisis and transforms into a Busch league rookie who looks completely distraught rather than a role model for quarterback excellence.

Initially, it could be assessed that Romo’s inconsistent mishaps are the result of a finicky receiving core.  However, this appears to be a minimal blemish at best as Romo’s most talented receivers (Miles Austin, Dez Bryant) and his 8x pro bowl tight end (Jason Witten) had a combined total of just 3 fumbles throughout the regular season. 

It could be fair to postulate that Romo’s quarterback lapses are the result of a non-existent running game that averaged only 79.1 rush yards per game.  The defense is also responsible for putting undue pressure on Romo, as the Cowboys were mediocre at stopping both the pass and the rush (19^th and 22^nd in the league respectively).

Ultimately, Romo’s unusual inadequacies are the result of one underlying factor; Confidence in himself.  While it’s impossible to confidently diagnose Romo’s mental state when it comes to playing the game of football, it would seem that whenever he puts the complete onus on himself to win a game or whenever game time pressure is at its peak, Romo struggles emphatically.  Yet, when Romo is confident and in sync with the rest of his team, he performs at an unprecedented level that at times is arguably superior to what any other quarterback is capable of. 

With that said, Romo still has a huge mental hurdle to overcome before he will be recognized as not only a legitimate quarterback but ultimately as a leader who can lead his team to the playoffs and beyond.  Without question, Romo has the tools and the potential to be recognized as one of the greats.  Nevertheless, in order to reach that pinnacle Romo must find the confidence within himself to prove to the critics and more importantly to the die hard Cowboys fans that he can revitalize his career while giving the city of Dallas a title that it has been striving for since 1995; To be America’s team.

Los Angeles Kings: Are They Primed For A Repeat?

The fate of the Kings in the playoffs will ultimately rest on the shoulders of one player, Jonathan Quick.

While Quick may not be the next Henrik Lundqvist in terms of his regular season accolades, during the playoffs there isn’t a more proficient or clutch goalie.  Compared to his regular season SV% of 90.2% (Compared to Lundqvist’s 92.6%), Quick has maximized his reflexive capabilities in the playoffs by stopping 94.7% of the shots which are fired against him (.2% more than Lundqvist).

However, unlike the New York Rangers, the Kings have the benefit of having one of the most balanced teams in the NHL that allows them not only to be effective on defense but also in a variety of offensive situations as well.  They rank 10^th in goals per game, power play percentage and penalty kill percentage making them a dynamic force to be reckoned with.  This multifaceted style of play prevents teams from pin pointing a specific player or area of the ice where the Kings are supposedly weak. 

Initially, it seemed the St. Louis Blues had a simplistic blue print for disrupting the Kings synchronized schemes; use your physical presence and the boards to prevent them from getting into any type of offensive rhythm.  Of course squelching the Kings offense is only half the battle as their defense is equally capable of shutting down any type of high octane offense, especially when Quick becomes the reliant crux of the defense.  As a result, the Kings usually find a way of reworking their game plan to divert any team from using their same methods from game to game (Kings would go on to win four games in a row and win the series 4-2).

The Kings are also capable of bringing their own unique form of offense to the table especially with Jeff Carter as their leading man who has proven to be both an avid shooter as well as a dynamic offensive tool who can just as quickly divvy out the puck to any open comrade with relative ease.  It seems that the Kings biggest strength offensively is having a deep core of centers with essential standouts such as Anze Kopitar (32 assists during the regular season) and Mike Richards (7 assists in the post season).  These three players not only have unique styles of play which lend themselves effectively to any situation but also are surprisingly consistent when it comes to their execution. This unique trio makes it hard for opponents to lock down one player before another jumps in to swiftly take over where the other left off.

Unsurprisingly, this makes the Kings extremely thin at both the left and right wing positions.  However, rather than this being a point of weakness, this allows the Kings to focus on training the majority of their squad to penetrate an opposing defense in a variety of ways rather than having an overly physical line up that shoots first and asks questions later.  The Kings are more concerned with finesse rather than power which allows them to be more accurate with their shots on goal as well as to wear down teams who simply try to exert all their energy to physically impose themselves upon this team.  While this strategy may work initially at disrupting the Kings primary form of attack, eventually the simplicity of this strategy will succumb to its inevitable downfall of allowing another player to be open for an easy assist, which is where the Kings are at their strongest offensively.

The only way the Kings can be demoralized and intimidated is by a combination of not only out shooting them but also by playing them loose defensively.  Rather than trying to bum rush every player that has the puck, playing a loose man coverage scheme will give opposing teams both a better view of how the Kings are moving around the ice while creating an instinctual awareness that will allow for better chances at interceptions and ultimately more fast breaks which the Kings will be unable to anticipate.

Beyond that, this team can’t be beaten with the old school hockey mentality of beating an opponent into submission until they hopelessly relinquish the puck.  The Kings intelligence on the ice and  their awareness is far more innovative than that once “go to” philosophy.  If the Kings lose in the post season it will come at the hands of an opponent who has studied them through and through while finding the soft spots on Quick.

Los Angeles Lakers: Is It Time To Rebuild?

Underwhelming. This was the sad sentiment of the Lakers regular season that was plagued with debilitating injuries to key players along with a controversial coaching change that seemed to cause more internal strife than it did unity.  Arguably, the two best centers in the league, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol were never fully utilized under Mike D’antoni’s system and seemed to get in each other’s way rather than providing the Lakers with a reliable and consistent defense.

A Laker team that seemed to be rejuvenated with newly acquired superstars at the beginning of the season (Dwight Howard, Steve Nash), quickly succumbed to a life of mediocrity that was completely foreign to a city which prided itself on fostering one of the best NBA franchises of all time.

Now, after a possible career ending injury to the Lakers leading man Kobe Bryant, this team is faced with the difficult reality that they may no longer be the dominant franchise to beat in the west.  Even if Bryant were to make a triumphant return sometime next season, it would only delay the inevitable retirement of the future hall of famer for only a year or two.  With that looming prospect in mind, the Lakers have a grim but necessary decision to make; Do they rebuild their franchise back from the ground up or do they take the ultimate risk by signing Dwight Howard to a max contract (making him the face of the franchise after Bryant’s departure) and hope that the atrocities of this season were simply a one time fluke in the Lakers illustrious and treasured basketball existence?

Initially, it would seem fairly clear that the Lakers will be forced to deal with at least one ultimatum; Either keep Pau Gasol, who was been Bryant’s right hand man since his initiation into the Lakers organization resulting in two national championships. Or, if Dwight Howard decides he wants to stay with the Lakers, reciprocate his loyalty with a maximum contract in hopes he’ll be the crux to your team in the upcoming years.  It is possible that the Lakers could opt to rekindle a previous deal with the Clippers to trade Gasol for their star point guard Chris Paul.  Given their premature elimination in this years playoffs against the Grizzlies, Paul could be seeking an organization that is predicated on being not only competitive but also on building a championship caliber team that is usually a contender for being a national champion.  While this may seem like the ideal situation for the Lakers going forward in terms of having a younger and more athletic roster, simply dismissing Pau who is a proven dominant center is easier said than done.

However, the Lakers have a more pressing predicament at hand when it comes to essential personnel; Kobe Bryant’s status going into next season.  It’s hard to imagine Kobe not coming back for at least one more season given his unwavering tenacity and unrivaled toughness, which is difficult to find especially in players who have participated in the NBA for over 17 years and continue to post elite numbers nearly every game.  While Jodie Meeks has proven to be a fairly sufficient back up, he isn’t a scoring juggernaut and still has yet to prove that he can step up as a supremely confident leader for the long haul.  In this case, the Lakers may decide to look to the draft to discover a talented prospect that can fill their lofty needs at the position.  While top prospects such as Ben McLemore and Victor Oladipo are clear favorites, the likelihood of them being available by the time Los Angeles gets to pick is slim to none.  Given this disappointment, the Lakers have a shot at grabbing the younger sibling to one of the best shooters who is currently playing for the Golden State Warriors: Seth Curry. 

According to CBS Sports Jeff Goodman, Seth Curry (Duke Blue Devils) is ranked 17^th out of the top shooting guard prospects going into the 2013 NBA draft.  Assuming these rankings hold true, Curry could be a steal for the Lakers if he falls to them.  Not only does Curry follow in his eldest brothers footsteps by being extremely accurate from beyond the perimeter (43.8%, 2012-2013 season), he also has a beautiful mid- range shot that is hard to contest (46.5 FG% 2012-2013 season).  If Curry can carry these impressive accomplishments over to the NBA he could prove to be not only a prolific shooter in his own right, but also an adequate replacement for Bryant somewhere down the line.

Even if the Lakers make all the right decisions, it’s hard to fathom that they’ll be immediately competitive right out of the gate.  However, if this franchise is patient and weighs its decisions properly there is little doubt that this team won’t be back to their dominant selves in the years to come.   

St. Louis Rams: Underappreciated Competitors or Sadly Irrelevant?

The NFC West; This is the division that went from being the sideshow of the NFL to one of the most competitive and talented divisions since the days of Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers.  Between the innovations of the 49ers who effectively utilized the pistol offense to baffle defenses and the reinvigorated Seattle Seahawks who possess one of the most hard nosed and consistent defenses in the teams history, this division is stacked with championship caliber opponents.  Even the Arizona Cardinals, who despite their lackluster offense, have acquired a brilliant offensive mind in Bruce Arians.

When all is said and done it appears that these teams have found a way to personify the intimidating juggernauts they were of yesteryear.  This is true for all of these franchises, except for the one team that is trapped in football limbo between being an underappreciated sleeper and a team that is forced to clean house and rebuild its franchise once again; the St. Louis Rams.

Ever since the Rams lost Super Bowl XXXVI in 2001 to the underrated New England Patriots, this team has lacked both a sufficient quarterback as well as a competent head coach to lead this once iconic franchise to supreme victory once again.  While Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk were able to keep the rams relevant in the 2003-2004 regular seasons, their majestic perseverance and unwavering abilities seemed to slowly dissipate as they lost two consecutive divisional playoffs.  Once these demoralizing loses occurred, the St. Louis Rams were devoid of any tenacity or talent as they only managed a single .500 season between 2005 and 2011.

As dominant as this team once was, they quickly became a franchise that all opponents circled on their calendars as an easy victory to boost their playoff chances and nothing more.

However, the Rams transgressions over the last several years have not appeared to debilitate them permanently or hamper their spirit.  In fact, as of last season the Rams have proven that not only are they refusing to capitulate themselves to an existence of chronic disgracefulness, but that they are also revamping their roster to make themselves an unexpected force to be reckoned with.

The acquisition of Jeff Fisher, a brilliant defensive mind who had a long and successful tenure at Tennessee, was the beginning of the Rams ultimatum to themselves to be a great team rather than one that exuded mediocrity.

While it could be argued that the Rams first overall selection of QB Sam Bradford in the first round was the inaugural start of their return to relevancy, they still lacked a strategically adept coach who could properly utilize Bradford’s talents to their fullest extent.  Under the tutelage of Fisher, Bradford was able to boost his quarterback rating from an average 70.5 to a respectable 82.6 within one year.  On top of that, Bradford’s inexcusable turnover antics were also minimized from 7 lost fumbles in 2011 to 0 in 2012.Even with these impressive improvements from the Rams starting quarterback, the team still needed to reload offensively after the devastating loses of RB Steve Jackson and WR Danny Amendola to free agency.

St. Louis not only addressed this problem in the 2013 NFL Draft, they also expanded their horizons by selecting top defensive prospects to establish consistency on both sides of the ball.  Between the Rams acquisition of Tavon Austin, arguably the best offensive player in the draft, and selecting a dynamic safety in T.J. McDonald, the Rams strategically found a way to procure the players that would cater properly to their playing style and needs.

Seeing how the Rams were able to boast a surprising 7-8-1 regular season without these young and athletic prospects, the addition of these collegiate wunderkinds will only build upon the new and improved teams philosophy of constant improvement over taking a backseat and biding their time for next season.

Granted, while the Rams have a plethora of potential going forward into next season, the fact of the matter is that all of these positive trends won’t be fully realized until they can prove it can work on the football field and not just in theory.

However, based on what they valiantly accomplished last season and the gargantuan steps they have taken to elevate themselves to an elite level in terms of roster capabilities, the St. Louis Rams look to make a splash in their division which is up for grabs for the team that not only wants it the most but for the franchise that is seeking to be an up and coming Super Bowl contender.

The Chicago Bulls: Down But Not Out

The Chicago Bulls, a team that has been systematically decimated by untimely injuries, is nearly at the end of their tumultuous playoff run.  Although they have fought valiantly to get to this point despite the momentous adversity they have faced, the Bulls are running off the last remaining emotional fumes that they have left.

While the story of 2012-2013 Chicago Bulls may be in the process of reaching its inevitable resolution, the potential this team has within its ranks has yet to be fully unveiled.  Chicago Bulls fans and LeBron shunners will get their just desserts next year when a depleted Bulls franchise transforms into not only potentially the best team in the Eastern Conference but also into the Achilles heel of the now dominate Miami Heat team.

Throughout the regular season the Bulls proved unquestionably that they can play inspired basketball without an unprecedented offense.  Even without their superstar point guard Derrick Rose, this team has proven time and time again that they can play at a high level by having both veteran leadership in Joakim Noah and a highly respected coach in Tom Thibodeau.

While the Bulls had their fair share of inexcusable loses down the stretch (lost to Toronto, Detroit and Washington in April) , they made up for these athletic lapses by unleashing their defensive prowess against imposing opponents who underestimated not only their athleticism but also their undeniable will to win (see victory over Miami Heat to snap their 27-game winning streak).

While it appears that the Heat will get their revenge against the Bulls for the events that transpired during the regular season, this underwhelming series will only strengthen this team as whole and prepare them for the upcoming regular season.

If Derrick Rose had played this season then the underappreciated depth the Bulls have within their ranks never would have been fully realized. Nate Robinson, now a household name and one of the toughest point guards in the playoffs, got his chance to be in the limelight as the next in line to be a dynamic playmaker.  While not quite the prolific shooter that Derrick Rose is, Robinson has stepped up to the plate in other ways by stepping up in critical game time situations (see game four against Brooklyn Nets).  Seeing the tenacity and gusto that this man plays with, it becomes that much harder to believe that he stands at a mere 5’8”.

Of course, it’s impossible to discuss this resurgent Bulls team without bringing up the admirable leadership of their dynamic center Joakim Noah.  His intimidating on the court presence coupled with his tangible ability to consistently and effectively rebound the ball, regardless of the opponent, has made him the face of this debilitated franchise in the absence of Rose.  He seemingly has no fear and lacks a worrisome bone in his body as he continues to play inspired basketball despite a chronic injury of his own (missed 15 regular season games due to plantar Fasciitis).

It would be easy to go on through the rest the Bulls roster and reiterate their individual contributions and how each one was necessary to the Bulls unexpected success.  Between Luol Deng’s physical presence and his ability to be an effective clutch shooter to Jimmy Butler having a stand out performance as a young strong forward (12.8 PPG, 41.9 3P% in the post season), the Bulls have a plethora of up and coming stars who could easily rival those of the Miami Heat when at full strength.

If you have watched any of the playoffs and observed how this Bulls team has been triumphant in more ways than anyone thought was possible, it becomes a near impossibility not to be intrigued by what this teams potential could be when all of the cylinders are firing.  While this year may be disappointment to some fans, to many others it is a reason to not only rejoice with a sense of deserved pride but also to be hopeful and anxious for the seasons that are to come.

While the anticipation and excitement for what is to come may be difficult to suppress for fans this season, one aspect remains absolutely concrete: the Chicago Bulls, come hell or high water, will be legitimate contenders for the national championship when their notorious superstar Derrick Rose comes back to the Windy City to rejuvenate a franchise that deserves to be feared by opponents and loved by die hard fans that have waited patiently for this moment to come to fruition.  

Geno Smith: An Overrated Liability

Being disappointed is one thing.

Leaving the NFL draft because you weren’t selected in the first round is not only a display of conceded immaturity; it is an egregious act that shows the true colors of a future NFL quarterback.

While it is understandable that Smith would feel slighted due to the fact that several mock drafts had him as a top ten draft pick, it is simply unacceptable to succumb to your emotions, particularly when your position of choice designates you as a confident leader.

Rather than displaying professional dignity, Smith chose to capitulate himself to his own heightened ego which inevitably damaged his reputation as an up and coming professional athlete.  However, Smith’s ill-advised antics didn’t stop there.  His chronic frustrations with being supposedly black balled elevated his corrupted mind set to the point where those who helped him were also caught in the crossfire.

Less than a week after the New York Jett selected Smith in the second round, the young and naïve athlete took the liberty of firing his agents without remorse.  While Smith stated that the firing of his agents wasn’t due to his disappointing drop in the draft, he was extremely vague on the circumstances that led to their termination; “I don’t want to shed too much light on it,” Smith said in an interview on SiriusXM Radio.  “The thing that I can tell you is that it’s not because of the whole draft experience.  As of right now, I don’t feel comfortable talking about all the details of it.”

What seems disingenuous about this statement is that it lacks any type of directness or culpability.  Rather than confidently conveying a pertinent answer to the situation, Smith decided to dodge the question all together.  This not only points to a sign of desperate deception, it also displays that this young athlete is way in over his head in terms of making these types of drastic decisions.

However, even with these emotional disputes, Smith is at least worthy of being a highly touted draft pick right?  While Smith completed an impressive 71.8% of his passes during the 2012 regular season, 34% of his thrown passes were at or behind the line of scrimmage.  Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising that in West Virginia’s six losses, Smith completed less than a quarter of his 15-yard throws and was typically off target on more than half of his passing attempts.  Finally, Smith averaged only 7.7 pass yards per attempt, the fewest of any top quarterback prospect.

What this means is that not only was Geno Smith lucky to be selected even in the second round, but the notion that he deserved to be a top ten overall pick in the draft is simply preposterous.  This is why mock drafts should only be considered as professional speculation rather than justifiable gospel (that’s another story for another time).

Given all this information, is it safe to say that Smith is on the path to being a total bust for a team that is on the precipice of being not only the worst team in the league, but also as a broken franchise that fans and analyst talk about in jest?  Can the incongruous actions on Smith’s part be attributed to a nervous youngster trying to alleviate the tension he feels with the media, or is Smith simply trying to ingratiate himself because he believes he didn’t garner the respect he deserved?

While the answers to these lofty and detrimental inquires still have yet to be fully decided one notion remains absolutely certain; if Geno Smith fails to live up to his glorified expectations that have been bestowed upon him (fairly or unfairly), he will not be one of the biggest let downs of all time, but ultimately the most disgraceful prospect in NFL history.