Just say the Nickname, Nothing Else

"Bengals on the two yard line. Dalton takes the snap, hands it off to the Lawfirm, BenJarvus Green Ellis who punches it it for another Cincinnati."

While there are many issues with the quote above, there's only one that truly irks me.

No it's not the fact that Dalton is a 6'2'' redheaded quarterback or that Cincinnati actually scored a touchdown. Instead, it's the unnecessary addition of saying BenJarvus Green Ellis' nickname if you're just going to say his name anyway.

Isn't the point of nicknames to shorten the player's original name? When was the last time you heard, "Ben Roethlisberger Big Ben throws for another interception!" The answer? Go head think about it. Never. Because his nick name isn't Ben Roethlisberger Big Ben. It's Big Ben. The reason you say the nickname is because it's associated with him. Saying both is completely redundant. If you have to say his nickname along with his name, then the nickname isn't worthy enough.

Now many not every announcer does this, but so far this year, that's all I've heard when they refer to BenJarvus Green Ellis. Either stick with the nickname or drop it completely. People are going to start thinking it's part of his name, which is already long enough as it is.

Imagine if we all talked like that. "I'm going to the ATM Automated Teller Machine to take out some dough money so I can get a Whopper burger from BK Burger King."

The sad part is, the Lawfirm is a great nickname. It's short, sweet, and witty. Whoever gave it to him has a pat on the back coming to them, but only if analysts and announcers use it in the right context.

While I'm on my nickname rant, here's a few other examples that drive me up a wall. The Lakers, The Jazz and Boomer. There's no Lakes in Los Angeles, Utah isn't known for their Jazz, and there's like 10 people in sports nicknamed boomer. That includes Chris Berman, David Wells and Norman Esiason. All three of which are nicknamed Boomer.

To relax myself from this rant, here's some memorable one and only nicknames that also don't need a name attached to it when it's said:

The Bambino, The Bus, He Hate Me, Magic, Ochocinco, Coach K, Big Ben, Sweetness, The Big Tuna, The Golden Bear, The Walrus, Boom Boom, The Great One, Sid the Kid, The Flying Tomato, Big Papi, Donnie Baseball, The Freak, Kung Fu Panda, Mr. October, Yaz, Teddy Ballgame, Stan the Man. Honestly I could go on and one but then when would I make my point.

Respect the Past, Don't Punish the Present

It will go down in history as one of the most insanely publicized, criticized, and scrutinized off seasons any athletic program has ever been through.

After more than a year of social media torture and Penn State can finally take a deep breath and look back at what should be considered one of the greatest turnarounds in sports history.

In less than a year after losing their coach, athletic director, vice president, multiple recruits, and former players, the Penn State football program was able to finish the 2012 season with an impressive 8-4 record. That's not even considering their 6-2 record in the Big Ten, which would be considered tied for second best in the conference with Michigan and behind Nebraska. (Ohio State went 8-0 but is also considered ineligible for post season play.)

That's the underlying issue with their impressive record. Penn State won't be rewarded for their accomplishments. In any way except for the "what if" factor. That's because the NCAA has not only fined the school $60 million dollars but also banned the football program for four postseasons, inevitably making them bowl ineligible.

Teams that aren't even half as good as Penn State are eligible to participate in bowl games. However, because of a assistant coach and his posy of protectors, the students and program now have to suffer. I'm in no way saying that Sandusky and company didn't get what they deserve, but I am upset that it affects the players.

These athletes made a life changing commitment to attend Penn State. Now their being punished for something they not only had any control over but for something that didn't even happen while they attended the school. This is where the NCAA needs to draw the line and throw out the bowl suspensions. The current players shouldn't be punished for a successful season.

There's an easy solution that the NCAA needs to consider. You let the program play in what ever bowl game they earn but you don't include the royalties that come with it. No extra incentives, no scholarship money, no funds for the program. They played their way to a bowl so make them pay their way to the bowl. It's a simple solution that takes care of both sides of the issue. You're not rewarding the program but you're allowing the players who didn't do anything wrong except get an education and play football to play in a bowl game they deserve to be in.

Other than the recent spot light that Notre Dame has seen because of their undefeated record, Penn State has practically had the spotlight to themselves since the original Jerry Sandusky allegations. Granted they only faced two ranked teams,(#16 Nebraska and #24 Northwestern) but Penn State still beat Wisconsin who is playing against Nebraska in the Big Ten title game.

It's about respecting the past and not punishing the present, or future for that matter. The NCAA messed up with this one, because it's the current players that are suffering not the excuses for a staff that messed up years before them.

Week 17, Say it aint so

It's hard to believe that we're finally at week 17 in the NFL. Just this past summer, we were unsure if we'd even see week 1. But what a great year it's been for football. From record breaking quarterbacks to Tebowing and beyond, there's been so many different angles to watch this year. And wouldn't you know it, even on the final week of the season there's still plenty of excitement. There are several teams that are fighting to get into the playoffs and about a dozen coaches fighting for their jobs. The only good thing about this being the last week in the regular season, is that playoff football starts next week.

DET @ GB – GB. I was really hoping that this game would come down to the “Perfect Season.” Unfortunately, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to play spoiler a couple weeks ago. If the Packers were 15-0 going into this game, I probably would have taken Detroit out of principle. That’s not the case however, so I’m going with Green Bay. 

TEN @ HOU – TEN. I need the Titans to come up big in this game. All I need is a win out of them and about half the population of my work comes in on Monday with sulking faces. Good news for Tennessee is that Houston has clinched a spot in the playoffs and has already stated that their starters will play limited time. I’m just hoping they don’t have a huge lead by the time that happens.

IND @ JAC – IND. This was another game that I was hoping would have meant something. When Indy went 0-10 I chose this game as the only one on their schedule where they could pull off a win. Never thought they’d be going into this game with a pair of wins, let alone one. Still taking them though, considering they seem to be the hot team right now.

NYJ @ MIA – NYJ. I honestly think that the Jets are going to win this game. They may not be able to choose their own destiny, but I at least think they’ll help themselves by winning against Miami. It’s a do or die situation for the Jets, something I’m sure Rex Ryan won’t take laying down.

CHI @ MIN – MIN. There just doesn’t seem to be any hope for either team. They’re both hurt and out of contention. I’m taking Minnesota in this one even though Chicago seems to have the better record. Most of those wins came at the likes of Forte and Cutler.

BUF @ NE – NE. Personally I don’t think New England is going to win this game because I don’t think their starters will be on the field long enough to make a difference.

CAR @ NO – NO. New Orleans might be in the playoffs, but their defense is still good enough to stop the Panthers and Drew Brees can still tack on a few hundred more yards to pad that record for the next challenger.

WAS @ PHI – PHI. The dream team has finally woken up and now they’re trying to just salvage the season they have left with an even record. I think they’ll get it at home especially the way they’ve been playing lately.

SF @ STL – SF. The 49ners are still looking for a first round bye. All they have to do is win against St. Louis whom have done nothing this year. Now they might not even have their quarterback.

SEA @ ARI – SEA. Other than the Indy/Jacksonville game, this one is probably the second worst game of the week if not the first. Flip a coin and I take Seattle.

TB @ ATL – ATL. Tampa Bay has just been a complete disappointment and with Cam Newton now in the picture, people are going to forget about Josh Freeman very quickly.

BAL @ CIN – BAL. This game has definitely become a rivalry, especially this year. It’s fitting that the final game matches these two teams up. No explanation for picking the Ravens, just have a feeling.

PIT @ CLE – PIT. Big Ben or not, Pittsburgh shouldn’t have a problem either putting up points or keeping Cleveland from putting them up.

KC @ DEN – DEN. Tebow Time has been on hiatus the last couple weeks, so I think it’s time it came out of hibernation.

SD @ OAK – SD. San Diego may be out of contention as well, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play a great spoiler game. In fact, I’m counting on it with my pick. Oakland may be playing for another game, but more importantly they’re playing for their former owner. The last time that happened, they lost in dramatic fashion. History does tend to repeat itself.

DAL @ NYG – NYG. This game is a complete toss up, but sometimes you just got to bELIeve. I’m actually hoping that this game ends in perfect Dallas fashion with a Romo-tastic finish.

Clinching is Beautiful Thing

Tis the season to watch football. Fortunately for me, I don't have to worry about these next couple weeks since my team is all set for the post season. Unfortunately for almost everyone I work with, this week counts for two of New York's teams and would you know, they're playing each other. I can't explain how nice it is not to have to worry about crunch time in the NFL. It nice to just sit back, relax, chill out in good ole rural Vermont, and read about the scores in the paper the next morning. So while your panicking over your teams playoff hopes, I'll be watching the Yule Log and playing cards with my future in-laws. Cheers!


HOU @ IND - HOU. Yay Indy!!! You finally did it, Now it's time to lose number 14. But good job beating Tennessee. Good luck with a playoff contender.


CLE @ BAL - BAL. I nailed the Cleveland game last week right on the head. Thanks a lot Cardinals! Now it's time for the other birds to do the same.


DEN @ BUF - DEN. I love every bit of this game. Buffalo coming off a tough loss to the Miami Heat-ing up, while Denver get's thwarted by the New England Patriots. Something tells me Tebow and friends aren't going to let their heads sulk too long. Meanwhile, Buffalo seems to be enjoying their losing streak again.


TB @ CAR - CAR. My friend told me last week that he was surprised by Tampa Bay's record when he saw it. Well I said the same thing when I saw Carolina's record. The only difference is, Carolina's win-loss doesn't match the talent on the field. The team will flourish in the years to come. Not many quarterbacks take their teams to the end in their rookie season. The best part is that Cam Newton is performing like an All Star player and turning heads left and right. This one's a coin flipper when it comes down to it, but I'll take Newton since I've taken him for a majority of the year.


ARI @ CIN - CIN. Arizona loves to show up where they don't belong, especially with a 7-7 record. That record is nothing to hold your nose up to, especially with the Cardinals riding a 4 game win streak. However, it comes down to who wants it more and the Cardinals are far from a playoff spot with the 49ners clinching the division. That means that Cincinnati should be going out there on Saturday "balls to the walls." I have faith in Andy Dalton to put the Bengals back into wild card contention. With a Jets loss that becomes a huge reality.


OAK @ KC - OAK. Congrats to Kansas City for taking down the mighty mighty Packers. Unfortunately it doesn't make the Chiefs any better of a team. All that win did was give them a boost of morale. Meanwhile, Oakland needs to run the table and pray for a little less Tebow magic.


MIA @ NE - NE. Personally these next two weeks mean nothing to me as a fan. I could hoot and holler about home field advantage throughout the playoffs but the last two years for the Patriots, that hasn't mean diddly, yes I said diddly, squat. I could care less about a bye week in the playoffs, because as far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter if the Pats are playing at home, on the road, in the first or second round, or on the God forsaken moon. I'll take New England in this game just on principle, but I honestly could care less until the playoffs begin.



NYG @ NYJ - NYG. I can't really get in to the reason why I think the Giants are going to win. It's not because of their record and it's definitely not because of their momentum since they lost to Washington last week. Quite honestly, they probably had the worst game of the year last week against the Redskins, but for some reason, some odd little reason, I think the Giants are going to pull it off against the Jets.


STL @ PIT - PIT. Pittsburgh may be hurt, but they're still better than St. Louis.


JAC @ TEN - TEN. Way to go Tennessee. You gave Indianapolis hope and stopped Peyton Manning from making a comeback this year. As a New England fan, I was hoping the Colts would rush Peyton Manning back only to set him back in the long run. Do me a favor and make it up to me this week by putting Jacksonville further into a hole.


MIN @ WAS - MIN. Washington played a great game against the Giants or did the Giants play just a horrible game against Washington?? Either way I'm going with Minnesota on this one, since I'm not really convinced that Washington has any true talent besides at running back.


SD @ DET - DET. Detroit did miracles against Oakland last week, but can they do the same against an evenly matched team like San Diego. My guess is yes, but I still think it's going to be a high scoring game.


PHI @ DAL - PHI. Philly's on a roll these past few weeks. They're playing like they should have playing the entire year. Maybe the dream team finally woke up, too bad it's probably too late.


SF @ SEA - SF. Will San Francisco be holding back this week? Well they didn't last week against Pittsburgh. Instead they came out swinging. Something tells me they're not finished.


CHI @ GB - GB. Green Bay may have lost focus last week to blow their perfect season, but that doesn't mean their done doing work. As far as I'm told they still have to keep winning to get home field advantage throughout the playoffs. There's still a team or two that can steal that away from them.


ATL @ NO - NO. Atlanta's not who we thought they were and right now they're only beating teams that have sub-.500 records. It's going to take a little more than luck to beat a team that has an 11-3 record. It also doesn't help that New Orleans already beat Atlanta earlier this year.

It's Turbo...errr.. TEBOW TIME!!

I was in my chair, phone in hand talking to my dad, screaming at the television, with wide eyes. Last week I was witnessing another miracle by Tim Tebow. It's as if he's dogging it the entire game and just when you think you've seen him at his best, he throws another curve ball at you and you're hooked. (pun intended.) I can only pray that he doesn't do it again this week. Unfortunately, I don't God will be answering my calls, since his line is busy. Thanks a lot Tebow.

JAC @ ATL - ATL. As many points as Jacksonville put up against Tampa Bay, I don't think it's going to happen against Atlanta. I truthfully believe the only reason Atlanta let up a high score like 23 last week was because Cam Newton was the one slinging the ball. Let's face it, the Falcons are playing to stay in the hunt for the wild card since New Orleans is a win away from clinching the division. Meanwhile, with four wins, Jacksonville is looking at next year's draft pick.

***THE REST OF THE PICKS TO COME SOMETIME ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY***

DAL @ TB - DAL. Same deal as the Falcons. Dallas will be playing for a playoff spot while the Bucs will be playing for a new running back. Trent Richardson maybe?

CIN @ STL - CIN. Gotta go with Cincinnati on this one. St. Louis hasn't show any signs of life since the New Orleans game. That was a long time ago.

CAR @ HOU - CAR. I understand that Houston is a little banged up and still looking for a first round bye in the playoffs, but I feel Carolina has something to prove in this game. I expect Houston to back off in this game after clinching. Cam Newton can still put up numbers even if it is against a secondary like Houston. High scoring game for this match up.


SEA @ CHI - SEA. Seattle showed they can put up numbers if they have too. While their post season fell short this year, Chicago is hurting on all levels. Not only have they lost their quarterback and running back, they were also Tebow'd last week. Morale is definitely low in that locker room. I'm not saying Chicago can't come out and win, I'm just picking Seattle as my sleeper.


WAS @ NYG - NYG. Even though Washington beat the Giants in week one, the G-Men have done what they have to do to stay with Dallas atop the NFC East. The way they've been putting points up on the board, the Giants should have no problem in their rematch with the Redskins.


TEN @ IND - TEN. I really thought that this game could be the one where Indy gets their first win. Now I don't see that happening especially with Chris Johnson finally starting to wake up. I'm going to forget about last week's loss to New Orleans. Let's face it, the Titans didn't even have a chance stat wise. 


MIA @ BUF - BUF. This game could really go either way. But I'm going to go with the Bills on this one out of respect for my Rochester/Buffalo peeps that I worked with this week. Bumper Sticker idea for Bills fans: "Our QB's GPA is higher than your QB's GPA."


NO @ MIN - NO. Nuff said.


GB @ KC - GB. Nuff said^2


DET @ OAK - DET. As much as I'd love to choose the Raiders in this one, I have now have no reason to cheer on Carson Palmer after being eliminated from my fantasy football league. En-stomp-a-kin Stupid, should be raring to go in this one, like a mad dog. His built up rage might just put him back on the sidelines.


CLE @ ARI - ARI. Arizona keeps showing up where they don't belong. This is another one of those games.

NE @ DEN - NE. I held off picking this game until the end, simply because I don't know what's going to happen. I've said every week that the Broncos' defense has put Tim Tebow in the lime light to succeed, but this week it might be Tebow himself that's doing the dirty work. The Patriots defense has been proven a disaster and that might be what keeps the Broncos in this game. I'm stilling going with the Patriots but I'm nervous that the Tebow magic with thrive again in Denver.


NYJ @ PHI - NYJ. As much as I'd love to choose Philly in this one, I truly believe the Jets want this one more. Just a couple more win and it's off to the post season they go again, behind the second greatest quarterback in New Jersey. Here's hoping I get this pick wrong!


BAL @ SD - BAL. Gotta go with Baltimore in this match up. I love San Diego's offense, but I they have been off an on all season. I have to take a rolling Ravens crew over a rejuvenated Chargers since Baltimore is also in the hunt for a first round bye.


PIT @ SF - PIT. They're hurt, they're winning, and they're on the hunt to get back in the playoffs and beyond. Also, San Francisco just got beat by the team that wins where they don't belong, Arizona. Hopefully, the 49ners are hoping their home crowd can boost their confidence, but a well rested Pittsburgh team should be good to go on Monday Night Football.

The 12 Movies of Christmas

It’s not really beginning to look a lot like Christmas. That may be the case outside with the lack of snow but within my apartment, there’s plenty of Christmas cheer. More than enough to put Chevy Chase to shame. One of my favorite parts of the holidays isn’t just the presents or seeing family, but also the excuse to watch all of my favorite Christmas movies. There always seems to be a debate about the best Christmas movies. Many people watch the classics, but some are often forgotten because Christmas isn’t really the main focus. Well some of my top 12 might not be centered around Jolly Ole Saint Nick but they definitely involve the holiday spirit. Enjoy!

12. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

For the record, if you have to ask if I’m talking about the classic Grinch or the Jim Carrey monstrosity, then you need a life lesson in Christmas movies. The original Grinch is a great story and obviously because of the list, one of my favorites. It has a great mix of character interaction and narration, as if someone is actually reading a story to you.

11. A Christmas Story

From the leg lamp to the bunny suit to the Red Ryder BB Gun, none of those scenes is more memorable than the “Ohhhhh fuuuuuuuuudge. Except I didn’t say fudge.”  The best apart about this movie, is it’s played for 24 hours straight on Christmas. So sometime between that second glass of egg nog and that discussion over horrible Christmas sweaters, pull up a chair and watch the boy shoot his eye out.

10. Santa Claus 2

While Tim Allen isn’t one of my favorite actors, his digital counterpart is hysterical. The second Santa in this movie has all the great lines, best facial expressions, and funniest scenes. A must see if you like to see Tim Allen make fun of himself.

9. Trading Places

 
This is the first of my not so typical Christmas movie picks. Yes, it’s more of a movie about deception and greed but it does take place during Christmas. The fact that Dan Aykroyd didn’t puke after eating half that Santa beard is a Christmas Miracle in itself.

8. Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas

Of course I have to throw a Muppet Christmas movie in the mix. This one in particular because of the hard work and creativity that went into making this film. Jim Henson was a genius when it came to this kind of movie. Plus the outtakes are probably one of the funniest outtakes I’ve ever seen from any movie…. ever.

7. Rocky IV

Go ahead, say what you will. Rocky ended the Cold War on Christmas. That is a Christmas miracle. Nuff said.

6. Claymation Movies

Because I can’t decide which one I love more (Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer or Santa Claus is Coming to Town) I’ve decided to group them together. I usually watch them within 24 hours anyway so it’s a safe rank. These movies were not only way ahead of their time but they’re also fun to watch now-a-days because the crazy mess ups that go on make the movies creepy and funny at the same time.

5. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

What father doesn’t strive to be the next Clark Griswold minus the electrocution. This movie is one of the many reasons that neighbors compete with one another. It’s also the reason that many put the cat in the guest room while other’s decorate the tree. This movie has crazy families, slapstick humor, and non-stop inflicting pain. It has all the fixings for a Christmas celebration.

4. Jingle All the Way

ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED CHRISTMAS MOVIES OFF ALL TIME! This movie doesn’t stop hitting you with comedy. Not only can you not understand a word that Arnold Schwarzenegger is saying but Sinbad just makes fun of him the entire time. The movie focuses on what parents go through on the holiday’s to get their kids the perfect gift. However, I don’t think any parent ever fought a mailman dressed in an evil villain costume while attached to a jetpack.

3. Nightmare Before Christmas

This movie may be found somewhere towards the bottom of someone’s list rather than in the top three but it’s one of my favorite Christmas movies from childhood. My mom and I use to watch this movie ever December since it came out in theaters. Others might find this movie creepy but come on… it’s about a skeleton that finds out the true meaning of Christmas. Two opposite holidays combining into one to make you believe that anyone can feel the true magic that Christmas rubs off on some people.

2. Elf

The best part about the movie Elf, is that I can watch this movie in June if I want too. This movie never seizes to amaze me. I’m always laughing. Not only am I laughing but there are parts that make my side hurt, even after watching it three or four times. This is the kind of movie that should be on 24 hours on Christmas. I’d probably watch it five or six times throughout that one day alone.

1. Die Hard

One of the greatest action movies of all time just happens to take place on….. Christmas Eve! It’s got parties, presents, decorations, guns, bombs, Carl Winslow, and Bruce Willis. What more could you ask in a Christmas movie. We’re only a week into December and I’ve already watched this movie twice. That leaves me plenty of time to watch it a half dozen more times before Santa makes his way down the chimney.

Yippee-ki-yay, Motha F*cka!

S.F. Clinched? It's a X-MAS Miracle!

14 and 2. 14 and 2... 14 and freakin 2. How can I even begin to live up to that standard. Well, I guess I could start by not embarrassing myself the following week. At first I thought my week was in the tank after blowing the first four games of the week. However, I was able to recover quite nicely and pull off 10-6 record last week. Hopefully I won't have the slight heart attack I had at the beginning of last week.

CLE @ PIT - PIT. This game is another one of those jokes on a paid network. If you have NFL Network, are you really going to watch this game. The only one's watching it will be Cleveland and Pittsburgh fans as well as Big Ben Fantasy owners. I heard that some people are betting the points scored by Cleveland. Apparently the over/under for Cleveland points is 7.5. That's just disgraceful. I don't think they'll win but I hope they score more than just a touchdown.

***THE REST OF THE PICKS TO COME SOMETIME ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY***

IND @ BAL - BAL. Nuff Said.

ATL @ CAR - CAR. I'm taking the young gun and the rest of the Panthers in this spoiler. ALL ABOARD THE CAM NEWTON TRAIN! WOOOOO WOOOOO!

HOU @ CIN - CIN. Houston has done a great job of getting the win even without a couple of their star players. Cincinnati, however,is going to put up more points than Houston opponents have these past couple weeks. This could be a high scoring game if the defenses shut down.

MIN @ DET - DET. I just doing see Minnesota pulling this one off. Detroit is still pushing for a playoff spot and they can do that very easily without Adrian Peterson on the other side. Detroit just has to shut down Ponder and the pass.

TB @ JAC - JAC. With no Josh Freeman, I expect Jacksonville to pull away with this win.

PHI @ MIA - MIA. Philadelphia couldn't get it done against Seattle and maybe having Michael Vick back will change that but I don't think it's going to matter against a Miami team that's too hot to handle right now.

KC @ NYJ - NYJ. The Jets need to keep their playoff hopes alive. This game should be a cream puff for them this week.

NO @ TEN - NO. As much as I'd love to choose Tennessee as the spoiler, not even a 300 yard rushing attack by Chris Johnson could give them a win. New Orleans is playing like they're already planning their Super Bowl parade. Who Dat? Where you at?

NE @ WAS - NE. The Redskins lost to the 2nd place team in the AFC East, now they're going to lose to the 1st place team in the AFC East. Best part of this game is if the Patriots win and Jets lose... game, set, division clincher.

SF @ ARI - SF. Even though San Francisco clinched last week, that doesn't mean they'll be holding back. It's all about the first round bye and that's what they'll be playing for.

CHI @ DEN - DEN. No Cutler, No Forte, No Problem. Get ready to be Tebow'd Chicago.

OAK @ GB - GB. 13-0, here we go!

BUF @ SD -SD. Buffalo is finally back to their losing ways. There was a chance at the beginning of the season that they could play contender but now they're just playing spoiler. Hopefully it's not against the Patriots.

NYG @ DAL - NYG. This one can definitely be a toss up but the way the Giants have been playing, they have a better chance of sharing the NFC East with Dallas.

STL @ SEA - SEA. Last time these two teams met, Seattle manhandled the Rams and that was in St. Louis. Now they're at home and coming off a win against Philadelphia. They've also had a few extra days to rest after playing on Thursday night.