Curing the Super Bowl Hangover

     If I painted a picture of a living room filled with fans sporting oversized jerseys, consuming chips and salsa, wings, guacamole, and of course Budweiser, what day of the year would most Americans immediately think of?  No, I’m not talking about July 4^th.  I didn’t mention fireworks.  I’m talking about the Super Bowl.  With a 48.1 Nielsen rating, a widely used system that measures audience size, the 2013 Super Bowl was the most watched television spectacle in American history.  Additionally, Americans chow down on 1,083,333 Football Fields worth of wings, while also consuming 325 million gallons of beer on this joyous day, according to a study done by the Huffington Post.  In fact, the Miami Herald reports that Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving as the largest food consumption day of the year in the United States. 

10 Things to Enjoy in the English Premier League

Ten Things to Enjoy in the English Premier League

            With over a quarter of the season finished, and the last international break until March in the rearview mirror, it’s a great time to look back at the first three months of the Premier League and see what we liked, and what we have to look forward to for the rest of the season. I hope this can become a regular “Five Things to Enjoy”, but seeing as a quarter of the season is already over, let’s make it "Ten Things to Enjoy".

1. The Return of Jose Mourinho



"I am Jose Mourinho and I don't change. I arrive with all my qualities and my defects." - Jose Mourinho

Week 1 Predictions (2013)

27 Baltimore at Denver 20

The Ravens have a huge chip on their shoulder.  I'm not talking about a standard Lay's potato chip sized chip here, folks.  I'm talking about a large tortilla chip sized chip.  When you win the Super Bowl and everyone doubts you, you get angry.  Not Ray Lewis angry, as #52 has retired, but maybe Michael Oher (played by Quinton Aaron) level angry when he imagines protecting Leigh Anne in "The Blind Side."  Baltimore's out there to prove the public wrong.  Talking heads have said the Ravens D is a lot worse than last year.  Hell, they lost Lewis, Ed Reed, Daniel Ellerbe, and Paul Kruger among others.  But Baltimore rebuilt their D on the sly bringing in the 6 foot 7 Chris Canty, underrated middle linebacker Daryl Smith, and pass rushing extraordinaire  Elvis Dumervil.  I expect Baltimore to come out with a vengeance and take the Broncos out in Denver.

2013 NFL Predictions

Tank-top season is over.  It's a hard pill to swallow for people of all shapes, sizes, and ages but the sad truth is Summer is coming to a close.  As the old adage goes, when one door closes, another one opens and in this respect that door leads us to the Kansas City Chiefs locker room where Andy Reid can be seen tutoring his offensive guys on the West Coast, spread offense.  Delectable sausage, thin sliced filet mignon, and crisp bacon fill the backdrop of our scene.  Quite a spread, indeed.1  What I'm trying to say is that there's much to look forward to in the coming weeks.  Sunday's will soon vault to the top 3 of the Days of the Week Power Rankings.  The NFL season is on the horizon and with that come my annual predictions.  Here we go.2

LBJ Better 3-Peat... Or Else

22 seconds.  22 seconds away from tedious criticism.  22 seconds away from intense ridicule.  22 seconds away from an offseason filled with widespread media crucification.  Another offseason of questions, hypotheticals, and should-have's.  An offseason in which anyone who watched the game, DVR'd the game but didn't watch the game, watched the post game coverage, had a friend who watched the game, or had someone who was an acquaintance but not a true friend watch the game would second-guess, mock, and degrade LeBron James.  When the King leapt off the hardwood to shoot that three pointer with 22 seconds remaining, his legacy hung in the balance.  Justly, unjustly; that will be dealt with later in this piece, but with 22 seconds left, this was the cold hard truth.  Some fans would deny that a missed three would have sent them into a whirlwind of indignation, contempt, and finger-pointing directed at LeBron.  Some analysts would staunchly reject the notion that a missed trey by James would have forced jokes that LeBron needs to work with Reggie Miller, teammate Ray Allen, or even opposing wingman Danny Green on his long distance shot this summer; the same way he tirelessly worked with Hakeem Olajuwon on his post game in the summer of 2011.

2013 NBA Mock Draft

With the NBA Draft on tomorrow night, it is time for Red Cup Sports to unveil their official mock draft. The new CBA makes it imperative to hit home-runs in the draft because of the limited financial flexibility of nearly every team in the league and the cap-friendly contracts of rookies. Last year’s draft was packed with can’t miss prospects headlined by Anthony Davis and…well… Anthony Davis. As I’m sure you’ve heard ad nauseum this draft class is WEAK on star-power. Like Michael Cera on estrogen weak. Like Mike’s Hard Lemonade with a chaser weak. This is crucial because it means the gap between the 9^th best player and 29^th best player in this draft is miniscule. Consequently, the draft should be unpredictable and with a surplus of trades. And despite the aforementioned lack of “star power” in this year’s crop, there is an enormous amount of depth, especially in the backcourt. The 2013 NBA Draft is going to be unpredictable, volatile, and pretty damn fun. And without further ado, I present my mock draft.

Will the Next Danny Green Please Stand Up?

Let’s play a little game, shall we? Raise your hand if you thought taking Danny Green at pick 46 in the 2009 NBA Draft was a steal. Now keep your hand raised if you knew that the Cleveland Cavaliers and not the San Antonio Fightin’ Popovichs Spurs selected him. Leave your hand up if you saw Green’s Finals outburst coming even after the San Antonio Angry Scowls Spurs RELEASED HIM SIX DAYS AFTER SIGING HIM. Of course you did. You saw him nailing three after three while playing for the Reno Bighorns and said to yourself, “Gee, this guy could definitely come close to winning the NBA Finals MVP in a few years” Alas, the Spurs agreed with you and immediately signed him and made him a starter. O wait, what’s that? They assigned him to the D-League? I bet you still saw this coming. Right? Right? Now finally, hold your hand high if you knew that he would be the single biggest difference maker against the Miami Heat in the Finals. If your hand is still up, you are either a liar or a basketball savant. But probably a liar.

The point of this activity was that nobody saw this coming. And since no one saw it coming, it is theoretically possible that other Danny Green's are lying around somewhere in the D-League or outside of this year's Draft Lottery, patiently waiting for their opportunity. Every team in the NBA had their chance at Danny Green and all of them, sans the Spurs, passed it up.  In the spirit of Danny Green, I am looking for players who are afterthoughts, yet who I believe have a useful skillset that when paired with the right coach and/or the right system could be the #MagnaCartaHolyGrail commercial of rotational players. This list is ordered from my least favorite player to my favorite player. 

The Various Faces of Coach Pop

Angry

Contemplating ways to kill Craig Sager

In Defense of Tebow

The following stats are of seven 1st round picks, the earliest drafted in 2009, the latest in 2012. Six are currently the projected starters on the team that drafted them. The seventh is Tim Tebow. How would you rank these players in terms of who would you want to start a franchise with?

	Career Starts	Completion Percentage	Yards Per Attempt	TD/Int	ANY/A	QBR per season
Player A	62	55%	6.48	68/74	5.5	34.7
Player B	42	58%	6.26	45/34	5.8	42.3
Player C	26	59%	6.19	31/25	5.5	45.5
Player D	24	54%	5.61	21/17	5.1	27.8
Player E	16	48%	6.71	17/9	6.5	34.3
Player F	16	58%	6.8	12/13	5.23	52.3
Player G	15	57%	6.55	14/17	5.6	26.6

*Notes:

Adjusted Net Yards/Attempt weights for touchdowns and interceptions and incorporates sacks. The research behind this reasoning can be found on Pro-Football-Reference. Here's an article explaining why ANY/A is an effective analysis metric.

QBR is calculated on ESPN. Although I don’t love the metric, and no comparison should be based solely on QBR, it is still better than QB rating, and does give some idea of a quarterback’s ability.

The Best Game That Hasn't Happened Yet

Game 4 of the NBA Finals tips off at 9 EST tonight.  Been a back and forth series so far starting with the "How Did Tony Parker Not Travel And Then Have The Presence Of Mind To Make That Shot" game.  Next was the San Antonio, dare I say because the Spurs are such a well oiled franchise, choke-job game.  You know, the one where the Heat rattled off a 33-5 run en route to a commanding 21 point victory.  In game 3, though, the Spurs took back control with a 113-77 thrashing of Justin Bieber's favorite team led by a 2009 mid 2nd round draft pick (sharpshooter Danny Green) and a former Turkish basketball league leading scorer as a member of Pınar Karşıyaka (combo guard Gary Neal).

Titus Can't Be Stopped

ESPN  SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. -- Authorities say former Detroit Lions wide receiver Titus Young has been arrested in California for the third time in a week.

Young

Orange County Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Joe Balicki says the 23-year-old Young was arrested late Friday in San Clemente for allegedly breaking into a home.

Balicki says Young fought with deputies after a foot chase. He has been charged with attempted burglary, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He is in custody Sunday on $75,000 bail.

"There was a brief struggle," Balicki said, according to the Detroit News. "He wanted to fight with the deputies. They ended up subduing him."

Young also was arrested last Sunday in Riverside County on suspicion of driving under the influence, then was arrested again the same day for trying to take his car from a tow yard.


3 times in a week?  Dude is on an absolute tear.  Now the only team dumb enough to sign him is the Cincinnati Bengals.  3 arrests for them is child's play.  You've gotta do much worse things than driving under the influence, attempted burglary, assaulting a cop, stealing a car out of a tow yard, and breaking and entering to garner a top 5 spot in Bengal criminal history.  Those guys just get cuffed at will.

In all seriousness, Titus is one mugshot away from tying his seasons TD total.  Bro is worse than Brandon Marshall circa 2008.  And to think I drafted him as a late round pickup in fantasy last year.  Thought defenses would focus on stopping Calvin giving the former Boise State Bronco room to operate.  From fantasy sleeper to real life nightmare.  Titus may be in the Tyson Zone now.  Crazy city.  Luckily he's only 23.  Nowhere to go but up, right?

P.S-

Check out Titus's 3 mugshots.  Which ones the best?  It's gotta be mugshot #2, right?  Rocking that "Yup, this is my 2nd mugshot today, I'm not proud but I'm not surprised" look.  

Yanks Back in the News

ESPN  KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- New York Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain scolded teammate Mariano Rivera before Saturday night's game, telling the star closer never to "shush" him.

New York media reports said the brief rebuke occurred before the Yankees beat Kansas City 3-2.

Rivera was talking to reporters in the dugout about his "emotional" meeting with local fans earlier in the day, while Chamberlain was standing just outside the bench chatting with his family.

At one point, Rivera told Chamberlain to lower his voice. Once Rivera's interview was done, Chamberlain told Rivera in front of reporters: "Don't ever shush me."

Chamberlain then reiterated his message, saying he was serious about it.

After the game, the players said the issue was between them to handle.


Really?  You've gotta be kidding me.  How is this a story.  Mariano Rivera, naturally, is getting interviewed.  Of course, if he's talking to a reporter everyone in the vicinity needs to be quiet.  Give the man the respect he's earned.  So some mediocre SP or RP or whatever, who was supposed to be a stud but never panned out, is naturally jealous of Rivera's sustained excellence.  Unsurprisingly, he gets so irritated that he warns the beloved legend never to shush him again.  Seems like a pretty typical story.  Stuff like this happens often.

Only takeaway is that Joba is clearly pissed with how his career turned out.  Think back.  This young fire arm in the Yanks farm system was supposed to be the next big thing.  Even had a dynamite nickname in "Joba the Hut."  Was poised to be another Bronx success story.   Once he gets to the Bigs, though, shit just hit the fan. He can't get anyone out, he injuries his shoulder, then he injuries his right ankle in a strange trampoline incident in which he nearly died from.  One of the oddest career arcs of all time.

I honestly had no idea Joba was still a professional athlete until I heard this "story."  Thought he was some washed up pitching coach in Japan or some shit.  Maybe even a short order cook with that stomach of his.  Anyway, I just found out that he broke his oblique a few weeks ago.  Classic Chamberlain.  Dude just can't catch a break so he takes his anger out on a 5 time World Series Champ.  Just a simple case of jealousy.  Standard procedure.  

P.S-

The New York media has not given the Yanks any attention so far this season.  It's been refreshing but that's all about to change.  The Isles are out of the playoffs and the Knicks/Rangers could both be out by the end of the week.  Get ready for the pinstripe talk.  I'm already sick of it.

Ramsey Auto Tune is Straight Fire

No need to re-hash the disappearance of the Cleveland girls and the rescue from neighbor Charles Ramsey.  We all know what happened.  It was unspeakable.  We also know that Ramsey's a top-notch neighbor and a budding comedian.  Man's funnier than a baby in a tuxedo.  So let's head straight to the auto tune.  I'm declaring "Dead Giveaway" pure gold and it's a no brainer.

Game of Thrones....Except with Jets Quarterbacks

So unless you've been in a coma for the past 6 months you know that the Jets QB situation is an absolute mess and that Game of Thrones is awesome. If you think Game of Thrones isn't awesome you either suck or you're my roommate Jake Nannen (possibly both). Anyway, I was watching the newest episode a few nights ago and as I was trying to remember what was going on with the 50 different characters, I realized that the fight for the Iron Throne is kind of like the fight for the Jets starting QB situation. I understand some of these comparisons may not be perfect but I think they are the closest as far as the show goes. *Spoilers

Mock Draft: Time for Day 2

Well that was an interesting first round.  Lot of surprises, lot of awkward exchanges between Mel Kiper and Jon Gruden, and a lot of Te'o talk highlighted Day 1.  Was it the sexiest draft of all-time? No, in fact, the first round was only slightly sexier than a pregnant Kardashian sister.  But, with myriad of the big names (all with question marks in certain areas) dropping out of the first round, the second round will have more story-lines than a Raymond Chandler screenplay.*  Without further ado, here are my predictions for how the first half of the second round will play out.

2013 NFL Mock Draft

With the NFL Draft just days away, it is time for Red Cup Sports to unveil their official mock draft. Last year’s draft was packed with can’t miss prospects headlined by Andrew Luck and RGIII, and was a godsend for the bottom dwelling teams in the NFL. A strong case could be made that every player drafted in the top 10, at the very least showed flashes of the stars they could become. This year’s draft is the yang to 2012’s ying. Every QB this year has glaring question marks surrounding their potential, mobility, football IQ or some other critical factor of their game. In fact, there is a good chance Ryan Tannehill would be the first player taken this year and he went eighth overall last year. And for those thinking that there could always be a Russell Wilson lying around in the third round, well think again. That was an anomaly and no team should bank on those results from a mid-round prospect at any position, let alone the toughest position in the NFL. This is all very important to the draft on Thursday April 25^th because the difference between the 4^th and 14^th pick is slim to none. Every team drafting in the top 5 is going to be begging to trade down and accumulate more picks where this draft is strongest, rounds 2-4. Despite the aforementioned lack of “star power” in this year’s crop, there is an enormous amount of depth, especially in the trenches. The 2013 NFL Draft is going to be unpredictable, volatile, and really dam fun. And without further ado, I present my mock draft.

Also, I will be live tweeting the NFL draft @RedCupSports. Give us a follow and enjoy the draft along with me. 

NBA Western Conference Playoff Preview

Ready to explore the Wild Wild West.  Hear are some things you should be aware of:
1.  The West had more teams over .500 than the East this year 
2. The West has a big return home in the first round
3.  The West sees some very old foes matchup against one another in the first round

NBA Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

Now that the Eastern Conference matchups are set, it’s time to start picking games. While professional basketball is nowhere near as fun to project as college basketball, the NBA does provide us with bigger stars, better officiating (it can’t get worse can it?) and games that reach the 90s in scoring. Now, while it’s practically a foregone conclusion that King James leads the Miami Heat back to the Finals, I’ll do this article anyway. It’s for you America…your welcome.

Stash & Trash

Here's an article for all you fantasy baseball owners out there.  I will be dishin' out some advice on who you should add and who you should drop.  To give some context, I'm going to assume that you are in a 12 man league.  In addition, I will provide 1 deep sleeper for each position (I consider a deep league having 14 teams +).  I also will not be obvious; I'm not going to put Bryce Harper as an outfielder to "Stash."  If you think he should be in the "Trash" category you are crazier than Dennis Rodman.  If you do not know who Bryce Harper is, please stop reading (unless you want to scroll down to the candy portion- then go ahead).  Remember, even if a player isn't available as a free agent, a few trade offers never hurt anyone.  Except when Jose Reyes got dealt North of the border.  He was pretty peeved.

Catcher

Diary of a Pickup Basketball Player

Crisp cuts, sharp pick and rolls and rapid ball movement are some traits that constitute a quality pickup basketball game.  Unfortunately, when you play with people that do not know the game of basketball (or people that possess idiosyncratic characteristics), a pickup basketball game can quickly turn into a disaster.  Through my experiences, I can identify ten individuals who, without any assistance, can each turn a friendly, competitive affair into a watered down, colorless spectacle.  Here, they are listed from least annoying to most annoying.  Imagine a five-on-five game composed of these guys.  It would be chaos.

Top 10 Worst Pickup Basketball Players

To Fire or Not to Fire, That is the Question

Do you guys remember last Friday, the second day of this iteration of March Madness, when the 6th-seeded UCLA Bruins, coached by Ben Howland, played the 11th-seeded Minnesota Gophers, coached by Tubby Smith? Did you watch the game either hoping that your favorite team would pull it out, or that whatever semblance of a respectable bracket you had left would remain intact? Well, guess what, that game didn’t matter at all. In fact, that game may have been the least significant game in the history of the NCAA Tournament. Why, you might ask? Well, because, regardless of who won, neither UCLA nor Minnesota was winning the national championship, your bracket is already screwed, and both coaches were going to get fired. On Friday night, the underdog Minnesota won. They followed the victory with a loss to 3rd-seeded Florida, and Tubby Smith promptly got canned. The moral of the story is that no matter the outcome of that round one game against UCLA, Minnesota’s board of directors had already deemed the season a failure, and were determined to give their head coach the pink slip. On the other side, UCLA's loss resulted in the unceremonious firing of Ben Howland. Now, does anybody out there think Howland was going to keep his job if he lost to Florida? Does anybody think UCLA could have beaten Florida? I don't think so. Therefore the predetermined result of this game was that no matter who won, both teams were going to lose in the next round and end up firing their coach.

Region Preview: East

It’s March, meaning it’s that time of year where everyone needs to know what they are talking about when it comes to college basketball. Whether it is at the water cooler, the lunch table, the classroom, or the bar you can’t be that one idiot in your group of friends who gets no respect. That’s why the benevolent writers here at http://redcupsports.blogspot.com/ are providing you with region by region previews to make you seem like (insert favorite college basketball analyst here not named Digger Phelps). Obviously, no guarantees in this craziest of seasons, but the more information you have, the better off you'll be. Without further ado, I give you the East.

Region Preview: Midwest

   Bracketology Baby.  You have until Thursday morning to lock in your picks.  To those who just pick based on the hotness of team cheerleaders or the color schemes of uniforms, let me say a few words.  If you were taking the Bar exam on thursday, would you choose answers based on preposterous criteria?  Would you blow off studying to watch re-runs of an old tv show or go on a date with your girlfriend?  Obviously, the answer to these questions is no.  You may need to be anti-social for a few days, but that's okay!  Study up.  Read my analysis, read my stats, and decipher what advice you like and what advice you despise.  Also be sure to check my clear-cut Midwest bracket at the end of the article.  You need to construct the best possible bracket before Thursday.  This is more important than becoming a lawyer.  A perfect bracket is immortality.

  I now present my Region Preview.
   

      Player to Watch- 

Region Preview: South

     How sweet it is to make a big run in the big dance.  When college basketball is in the spotlight of America, any little known player or team can make them self known.  I wish my team (Cornell) had won the Ivy.  I would have been able to travel with the team like the broadcasters of the miraculous team of 2010 did.  Unfortunately for me, I just get to be a spectator of this years NCAA tournament.  Hopefully in my future years at Cornell I will be able to travel with the team to a NCAA tournament appearance.  My fan-hood now lies with Michigan in this tournament.  Hoping for a big run by the Blue out of the South Region.

And now for my South Region Preview:

Region Preview: West

Just a quick note before we start: My friend has a charitable initiative that he's combining with March Madness. His brother died of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) as an infant, and he's started something to raise money for research to combat the disease. The website is run by a student group at Duke on their funds, so 100% of the donations go to charity. 50% of donations go to fight SIDS, while the top 5 brackets get to designate a charity for 10% of the donations each. The minimum donation is only $2. Obviously, he really appreciates anybody who participates and spreads the word. If this is something that interests you, please follow this link and help a good cause during this March Madness.

www.brackets4life.com

And now for the actual preview...

Jake's Declassified March Madness Survival Guide

Before you read this article it is very important to understand one thing, I watch College Basketball. I don't just watch games where two top-10 teams are playing, or Duke vs. Carolina, or watch Sports Center highlights and say, "wow, Doug McDermott on Creighton is totally the best scorer in the nation, his game is so versatile"¹ I watch the small conference tournaments, I watch mid-majors play, and I actually enjoy watching two unranked teams playing each other. This has been the case for years, and while it usually insures that I fail miserably at March Madness (I overthink literally every matchup). It does mean that I am qualified to tell you a few things that every bracketeer² must know, and then let you do the rest.

The Four Best Teams in the Country (Not in Order)

Win the Pool; Swim in the Money

     March Madness.  The best time of the year.  What December is to Christmas, March is to College Basketball.  In fact, I find various eerie similarities between X-Mas and The Big Dance.  First, you got Santa Claus and Joe Lunardi who are both the faces of their respective fields.  Without Santa, little kids would be leaving cookies and carrots out for only reindeer to devour.  Without Joe Lunardi, we would not know which teams would be in the field until Selection Sunday.  This segues me into my next comparison, Christmas Eve and Selection Sunday.  Both holidays (yes I said holidays) give a taste of what is coming.  On Christmas Eve, Santa frantically tries to get gifts to every (Catholic) person's house throughout the world.  On Selection Sunday, Joe Lunardi frantically tries to retrace his steps and figure out how he missed on predicting 1 of the 64 squads.  Both holidays (yes I said holidays) preview what is on the horizon.

The resemblance is uncanny.  Guy on the left is basically the bracketologist with a mustache and beard. 1

"You Win... or You Die"

I woke up today and watched the trailer for the new season of Game of Thrones a grand total of five times this morning. I swear I only intended to watch it once and move on with my day, but the replay button is just so damn convenient. (Try it. I insist.)

Social Media Ramblings

    In the modern world of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and all that other junk, there is no doubt that people are more connected than ever before.  Does Social Media make the revelation and dissemination of news quicker and more exciting?  Absolutely.  Does Social Media afford for an increase in social interaction, enabling physically separated individuals to maintain camaraderie?  Of Course.  Does Social Media perpetuate social stereotypes and stigmas while also narrowing the borders between different social cliques? Yes, this is true.

    In this piece, I will tackle some of the "most difficult" social-media-based decisions people deal with daily.  To be clear, I will be using the literary technique of hyperbole, breaking down these minuscule decisions by peering into an individual's thought processes.  Although this is meant to be a satire, it can not be denied that people do engage in some of these cognitive processes when making these choices.  Without further ado, I present my top 3 dilemmas.

Why the NL East will be the Best Division in the National League

   With the MLB's spring training in full swing, the regular season is only a few short weeks away and I for one am getting excited for another season of mediocre New York Mets baseball. However, my boss (I really don't want to call Zach my boss but I can't think of anything else to call him in this context. I'll hit up thesaurus.com later) is not so excited about the idea of having two writers talk solely about the Mets so I'm going to justify why they play in the best division in the NL.


1st place: Atlanta Braves

A First Person View: "Cameron Crazie at Duke-UNC"

            The funny part is that I don’t even know if this was my favorite time spent in Cameron. Georgia State was my first real experience. Ohio State, while maybe not as loud, was my first introduction to the insanity of the Cameron Crazies- including the two nights of tenting. Maryland had more creative chants.- “McDonald’s” for their god-awful warm-ups, “USA” for Alex Len, and of course, the classic, “Not Our Rivals.”* And I had way better seats at NC State game.* From the second row, I was close enough to get Rodney Purvis’ attention with a little “You nervous, Purvis?” yell.

But none of that is quite Duke vs. UNC. Imagine being so squished that the two people next to you could literally just hold you up. Personal space? It’s not a thing when you’re a Cameron Crazy at a UNC game. And it’s loud. Imagine being able to yell and not hear yourself. It’s you and your group of friends, surrounded by this girl who was in your Econ class, and her group of friends, and then that kid you met during O-Week and his group of friends. But at that point it doesn’t even matter if you know them. You’re all part of the same initiative. The same goal. Nobody wants anything more than a Duke win at that moment in time. Cameron Crazies are a collection of individuals made one.

College Sports Traditions

     What most separates college sports from the pros (besides the actual defensive effort on the hardwood and the lack of financial compensation for the players ) is the students.  Whether it's the "Rowdy Reptiles" in Gainesville, the "Izzone" in East Lansing, the "Oakland Zoo" at Pitt or the "Cameron Crazies" in Krzyzewskiville, the energy and dedication of the student sections really define college basketball.  College football, however, is more defined by pre-game tailgates, post-game victory parties, and some pretty gnarly sayings (often accompanied by some pretty awesome gestures).  In this piece, I present the best of the best.

Top 10 Sayings/Gestures of College sports

It's Mike Vick in a Box

After the firing of 14 year head coach and mustache enthusiast Andy Reid, most Philadelphia Eagles fan's had assumed that the reign of terror was over. The Eagles would no longer throw 50 times a game; they would no longer waste the talents of LeSean McCoy. The stubbornness and egotism that had haunted the team for years would dissipate. With that, disgruntled Quarterback Michael Vick could follow the lead of Jason Babin and his not-so-secret admirer, defensive line coach Jim Washburn, and make sure the door didn't hit him on the way out.

Under the guidance of new head coach Charles "Chip" Kelly the Eagles would become innovative, exciting,



and above all like-able. The Eagles would turn over a new leaf with Chip Kelly and either Nick Foles or a rookie to be named later under center. So, when the news broke on Monday that the Eagles had re-signed Vick, it seemed that the franchise was simply running in circles. However, when this issue is examined deeper it is obvious that there as many pros as cons.

Tuesday Night Gripe

     The common room is the most controversial room of any college dorm.  You got couches, causing the social type to view it as a "hangout" room.  You got a table, causing the studious type to view it as a "study" room.  You also have a sink, causing the barbaric type to view it as their own personal water-fountain which is disgusting because that means they're sticking their face in the faucet.  Whatever the case, it's definitely an under-appreciated, oft-forgotten about room.  I use it all the time though.  When I wanna hit the books, I go there.  When I wanna crush some oreos and crank some music, I go there.  When I wanna chill with my African-French bros and Gen/Filip, I go there.  Now because the common room is a space of multiple purposes, differences in theory, need, and culture can cause arguments between floor dwellers.  The classic battle: I-should-be-using-headphones guy vs I-have-a-test-tomorrow guy.  Often a toss-up because it is the common room but I usually side with I-have-a-test-tomorrow guy.  Usually these conflicts are subjective; I can see the argument from both sides.  But what happened tonight is not even an argument.  No other side.  I'm right.

Tumultuous Tuesday

    As March Madness approaches, the upsets, injuries and great games continue to roll in.  Tonight's contests featured two battles of ranked opponents as well as some bubble breaking games.  The first game of the evening was Florida versus Kentucky.  The newly ranked Kentucky Wildcats had been rolling in SEC play at 8-2 until they rolled into the swamp.  The gators came out swishing and dishing as they swarmed the Wildcats with gator chomps and their experience.  A scary moment occurred with 8 minutes left in the second half as the nations leading shot blocker and potential number one pick, Nerlens Noel, came down hard on his left knee after a fast break block.   The Wildcats training staff is yet to officially announce the extent of the injury but it looked ugly.  Hopefully Noel will be able to recover and become a great defensive presence in the NBA.  Expect Willie Cauley-Stein to step in and do big things in Noels absence.  I look for Cauley-Stein to rise amongst scouts draft boards.  Florida on the other hand played an outstanding all around game with 6 players scoring 9 points or higher.  A highlight for Florida was the outstanding defense of Patric Young (12 pts, 11 reb, 4 blks).  Look for Florida to continue rolling due to its outstanding size, defense and shooting ability.

Introduction

   My devout readers (shout out to you three) already know me pretty well by now but ZboNfl is expanding.  Allow me to introduce RedCupSports, your cup of tea for anything sports related, funny, ridiculous or bizarre. I would also like to cordially introduce my two co-founders.  Mr. Chadwick Edelblum is a freshman at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.  When Chad isn't studying, he can be found pledging for AEPi, broadcasting Cornell hoops games, interviewing famous people, talking about how he knows a lot famous people, referring to times he has met or maintained relationships with famous people, or hanging out with his girlfriend.  Not only is Mr. Edelblum a sports aficionado (interned with the Mets last summer) and comedy enthusiast (laughts at 82.6 percent of my lower-level jokes), he also is a dynamite blog technician.  He brings a lot to the table.  Mr. Jacob Shubert is a freshman at Wake Forest University located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  If Jake isn't watching Sportscenter or talking about sports, he is probably shirtless covered in yellow and black paint at a Demon-Deacon basketball game.  While currently undeclared, Shubert is strongly considering a major in Communication.  In high school, he dabbled in radio, (under the tutelage of WDOT's own Mr. Klaff) broadcasting varsity basketball and football games alongside Chad and myself.  In addition to being an under-the-radar NCAAM recruiter insider, Jake is a masterful ball-handler and well-know jump shooter at Pine Street Park.  Shubert rounds out the trifecta.  Now to the first real RedCupSports post...

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the new internet sensation the Harlem Shake.  Here is a video of TEP fraternity members at the University of Florida doing an original choreographed routine.

Gator bros rockin' out

- I show this video in particular to point out my friend Kyle.  He's at the top right wearing a beer keg suit.  Dude is absolutely killin' it.  Flailing his arms without a care in the world followed by a flawless transition into the "Bernie" for a couple seconds of pure bliss.  Keep up the good work man.

Welcome to RedCupSports

Superbaughl

Superbowl Sunday.  One of the best days of the year, definitely the #1 Sunday of the Year... Just in case you've been living under a rock for the past few months...

is today the super bowl?

Prediction:

Before the season, I predicted the Ravens to beat the Pats on the road in the AFC Championship game (nailed it) and the Falcons to lose at home in the NFC Championship game (nailed it).  I may, or may not, have had the Lions (gulp) beating Atlanta though and not Jim Harbaugh's ferocious niners.  Hey, 3/4 teams ain't too shabby, eh?

For my pre-season Superbowl Prediction, I had the Baltimore Ravens defeating the Detroit Lions.  As I sit here today, I will not flip-flop, Baltimore Ravens over the San Francisco 49ers is my pick.  Let's get it Ravens.

Baltimore 10 San Francisco 6

Stats:

Ravens Stats

BAL Flacco: 18-25, 222 yds, TD, INT
BAL Rice: 20 carries, 69 yds
BAL Pierce: 7 carries, 34 yds
BAL Ray Lewis: 42 total tackles, 41 solo, 1 combo, 3 in-game deer antler injections, 7 pre-snap hallelujah's, 28.5 post-game God references, and 1 untimely ascendence into heaven
BAL Ed Reed: great safety play, 3 shots of him looking homeless, 1 half-hearted "Ed Reed, Da U," 1 surprising retirement announcement (sad, but that's what I'm calling)
BAL Bernard Pollard: 4 knock-out shots, 2 emergency room shots, 1 attempted ACL tear, 1 ironic rant about how he thinks football is too violent
BAL Suggs: 2 sacks, 1 BSHU reference, .5 smiles
BAL Michael Oher: 0 blind-side blocks, 2 p-cakes, 1 p-cake on previous Ole-Miss teammate Patrick Willis

49ers Stats

SF Kaepernick: 21-38, 250 yds, INT, fumble, 5 carries, 32 yds
SF Gore: 26 carries, 117 yds
SF Crabtree: 7 rec, 92 yds, fumble
SF Akers 2-3 FG (make 31, 38) (missed 51)
SF Patrick Willis: 10 tackles, 9 camera shots of his biceps which make me feel bad about myself
SF Navarro Bowman: 9 tackles, 1 MMA style locker-room fight with Willis over who is the better LB
SF Smith brothers: 2 combined sacks, 1 decoy, 2 MIZZOU alumni
SF Randy Moss: 3 irrational, cocky and untrue declarations, 1 catch, 26 yds, 4 quarters used as a decoy

Prop Bets

Coin Toss: Heads (toss-up)
National Anthem: Under 2 min, 5 sec (this line is too high)
Color of Championship Gatorade: Orange (seems to be the most common color)
How many times it will be referred to as the HarBowl: Under 2.5 (too played out)
Will Beyonce have straight or Curly Hair: Straight (easy call)
Who MVP will thank first: Coach (Flacco ain't thanking God first like Ray will)
How long coaches handshake will be: Over 7.5 seconds (I'm going with the prolonged hug)
Amount of times Dad Harbaugh is show: Over 2.5 times (this guy is always killin' it)

For more analysis on these prop bets check barstool

By the way, my Chinese floormate just asked me to take a picture holding up a sign with two green Chinese characters on it... I asked him what it said and why.  He told me not to worry and that he just needs to send it to a friend...

Is it bad that I was skeptical because I didn't want to end up as the face of a fake online Chinese Athlete's lover?

Enjoy the game

Divisional Round/AFC and NFC Championship games

I did terribly on my divisional picks...

I incorrectly picked Seattle over Atlanta, Denver over Baltimore, Green Bay over San Francisco
I correctly picked New England over Houston.... Just a bad week for me

AFC Championship game-

Ravens 14 Patriots 13

NFC Championship game-

24 49ers   Falcons 21

Wild-Card Round

AFC

6 Cincinnati at 3 Houston
Cincy 27 Houston 16

-It's all about being hot coming into the playoffs.  Cincy has won their last 3 and 7 of their last 8 games (a 1 pt loss to Dallas splits up these streaks).  Houston has free-falled from 11-1 and the consensus #1 seed to losing 3 of their last 4 and ending up in the wild-card round.  J.J Watt will give Dalton trouble but I think Green-Ellis sets the pace for this one as the Bengals pull away in the early 4th quarter.
CIN Green-Ellis 23 rush, 87 yds, TD
CIN Dalton 20-32, 222 yds, 2 TD
HOU Foster 24 rush, 111 yds
HOU Schaub 23-45, 251 yds, TD, 2 INT

5 Indianapolis at 4 Baltimore
Indy 24 Baltimore 23
-#ChuckStrong over Ray Lewis' last game.  Toss up, though.

IND Ballard 14 rush, 30 yds
IND Luck 32-51, 363 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT, 5 rush, 29 yds, TD
BAL Rice 18 rush, 54 yds, TD
BAL Flacco 16-31, 159 yds, fum

NFC

6 Minnesota at 3 Green Bay
Green Bay 41 Minny 13
-Adrian Peterson is a stud who can not be stopped, only slowed down.  However, Aaron Rodgers at home against Christian Ponder in the playoffs?  Too much talent on the side of the Pack.

GB Grant 17 rush, 77 yds, TD
GB Rodgers 20-29, 339 yds, 2 TD, 2 rush, 14 yds
MIN Peterson 22 rush, 103 yds
MIN Ponder 22-43, 204 yds, 3 INT

5 Seattle at 4 Washington
Seattle 17 Washington 12
-I think Seattle can stop the Redskin rush attack forcing RGIII to pass on Seattle's tremendous pass defense.  The Hawks will win this one with defense, a tough run game and a clutch performance by Russell.  Same formula they've used all year.  I don't care that they went 3-5 on the road.

SEA Lynch 21 rush, 89 ids
SEA Wilson 24-35, 279 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT, 3 rush, 31 yds
WSH Morris 18 rush, 33 yds
WSH Griffin III 18-41, 217 yds, INT, 6 rush, 36 yds

Last Week: 12-4
Season Total: 162- 93-1