America is Changing, the NFL should too

By: Jimbo Brown

The same day “Athlete Talk” debuted, two Pittsburgh Steelers running backs were cited for a misdemeanor marijuana possession. The NFL is more than likely to issue out suspensions but for now the situation is under investigation. I first, want to express my opinion on how dumb it is to drive around in a car with 20 grams of Weed (Stephen A. Voice). This is a prime example to show that marijuana is affecting the NFL culture everyday. On the other hand, this allows me to introduce a new perspective. The NFL should adapt to the times as America has and become more “understandable” when it comes to marijuana use. 

Opening up to using medical reasons should be the 1st step the NFL should take when tackling the marijuana issues in the locker room. The NFL has two law suits there’re currently dealing with: concussions and painkillers. Marijuana has showed to help with concussion-like symptoms without the side effects of the painkillers that the NFL has pushed on players throughout decades.

In a Huffington Post article by Eddie Pellis, retired defensive lineman Marvin Washington states that players don’t smoke because its something to do. Washington reveals its more of an “What if you could take something that helps you heal faster from a concussion, that prevents your equilibrium from being off for two weeks and your eyesight for being off for four weeks?” 

Did you know that 6 players who have tested positive for marijuana use have been suspended longer then Ray Rice (Domestic Violence)? After doing research I discovered that Josh Gordon  (2014 season), Daryl Washington (2014 season), Von Miller (4 games in 2013), Walter Thurmond (4 games in 2013 season), Brandon Browner (2013 season and 4 games in 2014 season) and Will Hill (6 games in 2014 season) have been suspended more harshly then Rice. Rice will only have to serve a 2 game suspension after knocking his then fiancé unconscious and dragging her out an Atlantic City hotel elevator. 

The penalties are to severe when you consider that marijuana legality is expanding and it has a potential use as relief for chronic pain. We see this in everyday life when a drug dealer is convicted for 20 plus years, but people who commit violent-crimes are in prison for minimum years. The conservativeness of the NFL will not allow marijuana to get a past just yet but they are allowing this harmless drug to ruin young men careers and franchise seasons. 

Winning Your Fantasy Football League

By: @WOLFcandyman

Less than 2 weeks away from the opening kickoff in the NFL, which means fantasy football season, is in full swing. For the veterans & for those in their first year, I’ll be providing a few simple guidelines that I follow that have helped me finish in the top 3 for the last 3 years. For you all in the CTA fantasy league, take notes.

Before anything else, my main goal is to draft the most consistent & balanced team all the way from the quarterback to the kicker. So that means no weak spots. This requires you to know who to draft, when to draft them, & how many of each position to draft. In a regular 10 team league, my roster always consists of 1 quarterback, 1 tight end, 1 defense, & 1 kicker. The rest is straight running backs & wide receivers. If you have Peyton Manning or Jimmy Graham, there’s no need to draft a backup. As for defense, unl ess you have 1 of the top defenses, I prefer to pick up a different defense every week that’s going up against a weak offense.

So now, you want to jump on the Seahawks defense but it’s only the 5^th round…bad move. It’s a general rule that you wait until your last 2 picks to draft your defense & kicker because those positions are so unpredictable regarding fantasy production. The Kansas City Chiefs were one of the top defenses last year & they weren’t even drafted in most leagues. For this guide, I’ll focus on the first 4 picks. You could really go any way…it’s been years where I didn’t draft a running back until the 5^th round & others where my first 2 picks were running backs. But since the NFL in recent years has been relying less & less on the running game & more on wide open spread offenses with 4 receiver sets, many people choose to go with quarterback & wide receiver with their first picks. I say that only increases the demand & value for running backs because they are so scarce. The talent at quarterback & receiver is so deep this year that you can wait until later to draft one. However, once you get past the first 10 or 15 backs, there is a big drop off in production at the position. So that means you should attack running back first so you won’t be stuck with Mark Ingram as your starting back later on. Focus on getting 2 or 3 running backs with your first 4 picks. Analysts like ESPN’s Matthew Berry say there are 3 elite quarterbacks & 1 or 2 elite tight ends which means their fantasy production will be far above the rest of the pack. Berry suggests that you draft them early or wait until the later rounds to get one. His reasoning is that after those elites, the fantasy production (total fantasy points for season or average points a game) is about equal for the next 8 or so players in that position. You can get about the same production from the 9^th player as you can from the 3^rd. As for wide receivers, stack up on them. The position is deep & there are about 6 elite ones such as Megatron, AJ Green, & Dez Bryant.

So now who do you draft? I won’t go into specifics but I prefer players from high scoring offenses. The more points the team scores, the more points your player scores. I also go for players that will be on the field a majority of the time; you can’t score sitting on the bench. Avoid players 3 or 4 spots deep on the depth chart until you have drafted players that will put up enough points to start on a weekly basis. Remember the goal is consistency & balance. With each pick, you can go with the best player available or attack a need to address that weak spot on your team. Moving on to weekly matchups & free agency. Keep your eyes on the free agent market because there will be guys who didn’t get drafted but blow up later in the season. Questions on who to start really depend on matchups. If you’re undecided between 2 players, start the one with the better matchup. Either it’s a quarterback going up against a weak defense or a receiver lining up against a corner that allowed 4 touchdowns last week. If you still can’t decide, GO WITH YOUR GUT. All in all, if you know your football you should be good. Just remember the goal, be wise about who you put on your team & who to start on a weekly basis.

Being High or Losing your Dream: You Decide

By: Jimbo Brown 

At the start of the 2013 NFL season, no one would believe that a player who is suspended for the first two games would lead the league in receiving yards. Cleveland Browns Josh Gordon accomplished the near impossible feat. As we enter the 2014 season, Gordon is facing a possible indefinite suspension or he will be suspended for some significant time. His biggest obstacle since his days at Baylor University hasn’t been the talented defenders he faced on Saturday and Sundays; but the most controversial drug of our generation, Marijuana! 

While growing up in the rough neighborhood of Carol City and being involved in sports year-round, I faced the peer pressure to indulge in marijuana usage. Even though at that time I didn’t give in to peer pressure, I’m not totally against marijuana use. I believe that if it starts to harm the way you provide for your family then there is one thing to do, QUIT! This has become a reoccurring issue with professional football players. For example, Justin Blackmon has recently been charged with marijuana possession. He is already serving an indefinite suspension from the NFL for substance abuse violations. The key is to stop this issue in college and show student-athletes what can be taken away by satisfying an urge. 

I commend Tyrann “Honey Badger" Matthieu on how he handled the situation he went through entering his junior season at LSU. After coming off a Heisman finalist sophomore season, the "Honey Badger" was dismissed from the team for a failed drug test then arrested for marijuana possession. Which lead to him missing a whole football season. Although he went through an all time low, he was still able to get drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. He had to hit rock bottom to realize the importance of following the rules even if you do not agree with them.