2016 NBA Finals: With Great Failure, Comes Success

The Cavs return home, looking like champions should!

“CLEVELANNNDDDD, THIS IS FOR YOUUUUUU,” yells LeBron James as the emotion of accomplishing his main goal for returning to his home team hit him. A big sigh of relief was let out as the horn sounded in Oracle Arena. James had a vision in which he put his time and efforts into bringing it to reality. He knew he had to be patient but as an impatient person he had to deal with the shortcomings before the success. one of these mishaps came a year earlier against the ex-world champions the Golden State Warriors. Too bad Golden States success didn’t come at the right time.

Speaking of the Warriors, Steph Curry is the unanimous MVP,  they started the season 24-0 with an Assistant Coach at the helm and became the first team to win 73 games in the history of the NBA. This speaks of nothing but greatness. That success doesn’t feel to good after the horrible 4^th quarter performance by the best shooting backcourt.

The Splash Brothers went 12 for 36 from the field. Draymond Green who was one assist away from a triple double was left out to dry. To me the season doesn’t have the same magnitude as if they won championship. The unanimous MVP didn’t come to play this series; we need to start questioning his place as a top point guard in the league.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Kyrie Irving (to me) has put himself in the conversation for the best point guard spot. He dominated Curry for almost the entire series. Averaging 27.1 points per game, he consistently made the shots that Cleveland needed to stay ahead or to keep it competitive. The journey for him has been overshadowed by the drought that has been broken. Just one year ago he watched his team fight hard but lose in game 6 from his hospital bed.

To fight through injury and the media discussing your game, was all worth the game winning three. Irving knows he has to bring it for some time to come. As he approach Curry after the game he says “I will be seeing a lot of you over the next couple of years.” As great as Kyrie was, the MVP was awarded to the mastermind, team leader, businessman, The King; LeBron James.

“What More Can I Sayyyyyyy,” in the honor of the great Jay-Z. On the real, its nothing we can say as admirers, onlookers, and analyzers of the game of Basketball when it comes to LeBron. He had a blueprint, he was abele to draw up after being in Miami for 4 years. He absorbed what it took to become a champion. He would use this scheme to bring a championship to a city that hasn’t seen one since 1964.

King James thoughts:

“Throughout my 13-year career, I've done nothing but be true to the game, give everything I've got to the game, put my heart, my blood, sweat, tears into the game, and people still want to doubt what I'm capable of doing,” James said. “So that was a little icing on the cake for myself to just let me know that everything I've done, it results in this. They say hard work pays off, and that's what happened tonight.”

Back to back 41 point games, double doubles in both games. Triple double in game 7. This might have been the greatness performance seen in a NBA Finals series. The play to sum up the series and what it had become was the block that LeBron had on Iguodala to set up Kyrie Irving. "Iguodala is a bad m-----f-----," James snapped. "I had to go chase it down,” James tells ESPN. LeBron had the “Killer” instinct that a Kobe or Jordan would have in the closing moments of a Game 7. His spot amongst the greats has been cemented. Now we have to wait and see where his career finishes.

We may have the next great Rivalry on our hands. Golden State and Cleveland genuinely dislike each other. It has the star power of a Bird vs. Magic and the physicality of a Jordan vs. Detroit Pistons. I predict that we have a trilogy to this series to see who breaks the tie. Overall, I was satisfied with the series and the outcome. The Storybook ending has finally happened for LeBron.

2016 NBA Finals Preview

Cleveland versus Golden State. LeBron versus Steph. In the words of Jeezy, “once again it’s on.” Last year, LeBron carried the shorthanded Cavs to 6 games while averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds & 8.8 assists per game. Despite that grand effort, a shoulder injury in the 1^st round suffered by Kevin Love and a fracture to Kyrie Irving’s kneecap in game 1 of the Finals prevented the Cavs from being on the winning side holding up the Larry O’Brien trophy. Few people remember but the Warriors found themselves down 2-1 in the series after winning game 1 in overtime, losing game 2 in overtime by 2 points & losing game 3 by 5. Starting with game 4, head coach Steve Kerr made a lineup change, inserting Andre Iguodala into the starting lineup & moving Draymond Green to the center position.  Those moves effectively flipped the momentum toward Golden State as they went on to win the next two games by double digits and closed out game 6 on the road. Steph Curry averaged 26 points a game, Iggy was named Finals MVP and Golden State won their first NBA title in 40 years.

            Fast forward one year and these two teams are set for a rematch starting tomorrow night. For Cleveland fans that wanted to see their team back in the Finals and others that doubted the legitimacy of the Warrior’s win because of the injuries Cleveland suffered, they got what they wanted. Between a locked & loaded, and most importantly, healthy Cavs team that have been shooting lights out so far in the playoffs and a Warriors team fresh off an amazing comeback against the Thunder, I’m expecting a long & exciting series without the excuses of last year. As both teams return pretty much the same lineups from last year, the only major difference in this series is Tyronn Lue, who was hired in January after the firing of David Blatt, undeserved or not.

Road to the Finals

The Warriors started off the regular season with 24 straight wins before losing their first game in December against Milwaukee after a double-overtime bout against Boston the night before. 1996 Chicago Bulls & Michael Jordan comparisons aside, they went on to break their record for most wins in a season and finished with a 73-9 record. Golden State then beat Houston 4 games to 1 in the 1^st round, got past Portland 4 games to 1, and came back from down 1-3 to defeat Oklahoma City.

            Cleveland started 30-11 before David Blatt got fired. Coach Lue kept the momentum going as they finished 57-25 with the #1 seed. The Cavaliers are arguably the hottest team in the playoffs after sweeping Detroit & Atlanta in the first two rounds while finishing Toronto in 6 games in the conference semifinals. They found their stroke from the 3 point line and rode it all the way to the Finals.

             

The Warriors took both regular season matchups; a low scoring 89-83 Christmas day game and 132-98 blowout on January 18. Their defense in that game was put under a microscope & exposed, blamed on a combination of bad effort, bad communication & poor positioning, particularly from Love & Irving. But as everybody knows, the regular season and the playoffs are two completely different animals.

Matchups

          The Cavaliers should come in with the same starting lineup that got them here; Kyrie & J.R. in the backcourt with Bron, Love & Thompson in the frontcourt. The Warriors will have snipers Steph & Klay, with Bogut, Green & Barnes or Iggy on the backend. Based on last year’s results, it might be smarter for Iggy to start. Both teams are evenly matched with secret weapons on the bench. I know it seems obvious, but this series will simply come down to which team is shooting better. We’ve seen those rare occasions where Golden State just couldn’t get the ball in from the 3-point line and that was the case in the majority of their losses this season. Same goes for the Cavs as they turn into a low-effort, stale, predictable, 3-point jacking team when they can’t figure things out on offense. So it all comes down to who can score consistently, from the paint & out on the perimeter. Another key factor is defense, specifically Kyrie & J.R. on the perimeter against Steph & Klay, and Kevin Love against Draymond Green. Kyrie is known for his poor footwork (not being able to stay in front of his defender) & bad play against the pick & roll while J.R. doesn’t put forth the effort you would like. Love on the other hand has to work on getting to the right spots on the court to properly defend on & off the ball but he has never been known as a defensive specialist.

I don’t think anybody’s expecting the Cavs to hold Steph to 17 points or the Warriors to hold Bron to 15. The key for Cleveland is to limit the 3’s from Steph & Klay & clog up the passing lanes that will lead to turnovers and easy fast break points. Golden State, on the other hand, has to get big in the paint defensively and on the glass. They need to force Bron & Kyrie out of driving into the paint for easy layups & consistently make them settle for jump shots, while also finishing defensive stands with rebounds, something they did a poor job of doing against the Thunder. Weapons off the bench for Golden State include Marreese Speights who seems to always come through with a clutch 3, and Shaun Livingston. Channing Frye, Iman Shumpert & Matthew Dellavedova should be key contributors in this series for Cleveland. We haven’t seen Delly much in the playoffs but it will be interesting to see if he can earn extra playing time with his impressive defense on Steph in last year’s Finals.

Remember, Klay was shooting less than spectacular and  we didn't even get MVP Steph for a majority of the Finals last year. What won it for them was Iggy rotating into the starting lineup, Draymond Green’s all-around game on both ends of the court, and role players that were able to step it up when Steph & Klay were in a slump. Cleveland would be smart to learn from past losses & realize that they cannot depend on the big 3 to carry them for the whole series. All in all, I predict the Golden State Warriors to beat the Cavaliers in 7 games for their second straight championship.

   

Blue Chip Collections Presents The Bombers VS The Birdmen

By: Jimbo Brown 

Blue Chip Collection has put a twist to one of their previous designs that was influence the motion picture Above The Rim. BCC believes that the movie shows America that the road for the minority athlete has many obstacles. The athlete has decide whether their going to take the positive or negative route on the journey to success. 

The Blue Chip Bombers & Birdmen jerseys are symbolic of those triumphs and struggles. The championship game of the Shootout Tournament summarizes the film and BCC's collection. No matter what someone says, stay true to your beliefs and it will play out in your favor. 

You can pre-order your jersey starting tomorrow 05/31 at BlueChipCollection.net and receive 20% off by using the code: NutSo. 

Believe. Love. Unite. Empower

Steph Curry Edition

          Had to dedicate this post to Stephen Curry. That’s how he good he was last night when he had the NBA community and all of twitter talking about him. After missing a part of the game with a tweaked ankle & Golden State down 12 points in the fourth quarter against OKC, Steph pulled his team back into the game & won it in overtime with a 3-pointer from 32 feet out. He ended up finishing with 46 points, including 12-16 from 3-point range, 3 rebounds, 6 assists & 2 steals.

At this point, what Curry is doing right now, nobody else in the history of this game has done. When we think about the greatest 3-point shooters, we think about Ray Allen & Reggie Miller. But I don’t think either of them can touch Stephen Curry. I’ve been debating it in my head but this season has showed me Curry is the best shooter we’ve ever seen & the best player in the game today. I just finished watching him bury the Heat on Wednesday with 42 points. He then comes back the next day and puts up 51 points in Orlando, with 30 of those coming from 3-point range. And Saturday night, with his team down for most of the game, he goes hammertime with 46 points and 12 3’s. Since coming back from the All-Star break, he’s averaging 38 points a game. The numbers are amazing in their own right, but watching this man pull up from anywhere inside half court and drain a 3 with ease is amazing. Even beyond half court, his range is lethal. That’s the thing that separates him from other 3-point shooters. Others can only shoot 3’s consistently at center court, in the wing or corner, off the pass, off the dribble, or walk into their 3 with a pullup. Steph, on the other hand, can create his own shot & score from an assist, after pulling a crossover between 2 opponents, pullup after dribbling the ball in from back court, step back or fadeaway, while at the same time, shooting at high percentage from anywhere on the court.

Curry Game Winner

Going back to the game last night, Curry hit many accomplishments. Not only did he break his own record for most 3’s in a season with 24 games still left to play, he also tied the record for most 3’s in a single game with 12. He’s the first player in NBA history to score 10 3-point field goals in back-to-back games and is in the midst of a 3 game streak of scoring 40 or more points. Last but not least, he scored the game winning shot from just inside half court to give Golden State the game over OKC, 121-118. Crazy. The Warriors are now 53-5 and must (will?) go 20-4 in the next 24 games to beat the 72-10 record held by the 95-96 Bulls. 

University of Florida Track & Field: Still Great

This week, the world of collegiate track & field heads to the historic Hayward Field out in Eugene, Oregon for their last event of the season. Our No. 1 ranked Florida Gators are looking to reestablish their title as the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Champions after losing to Oregon last year. Just before heading to Eugene, the Gators made a quick stop in Jacksonville, Florida for the NCAA East Preliminary rounds. To call the weekend a success is an understatement, with a total of 23 athletes, both men and women, qualifying for the outdoor championships. 

There is a tremendous amount of talent within the Southeastern Conference, but Florida has consistently proven to be a track and field powerhouse thanks to Coach Mike Holloway and his staff. Most notable of his team are senior sprinter Dedric Dukes and senior jumper Marquis Dendy. Both athletes have built an impressive resume on the track over the past four years. You can expect that they end their final season with the Gators with some of their best performances yet! Before the meet ended, I got a chance to talk with both athletes about their performances and what we should expect to see out at Hayward Field. “It’s exciting to have the team heading back to Oregon. We are really looking to bring home the championship, it would be a great way to end my last season,” said Dendy. Keep in mind, Dendy had a record-breaking 8.05 meter leap in the long jump. Sprinter Dedric Dukes is looking forward to the same season ending, with hopes of taking his career to the next level. His feelings on the moment were summed up in four simple words, “Last one, best one.” With a winning time of 20.14, Dukes is looking to hold on to his title in the 200 meter dash. Do not be surprised if we see a sub-20 performance this weekend, as he told us he has been working really hard for this moment, especially after overcoming an ankle injury just before the start of the indoor season.

While these two Gators shine in the spotlight, there’s still much more to expect from the team. Including runners Najee Glass and Antwan Wright who are a part of the 4x100 relay. You should also look out for senior Mark Parrish, who is looking to take his final wins in the steeplechase and the distance duo consisting of Andres Arroyo and Ryan Schnulle dominating the 800 meter race. Of course, we can’t forget about our Lady Gators! They are heading into the competition ranked No. 6. If regionals were any indication of what to expect of the Florida women this weekend, we are in for a treat! Sprinter Kyra Jefferson broke a University of Florida record with her 22.49 finish in the 200 meter dash. Senior hurdler Bridgette Owens also had a great performance in the 100 meter hurdle alongside fellow senior Cierra Brewer, who is best known for her success as Florida’s leading triple jumper. The women’s 4x100 team also took a huge lead in the last leg of the relay, confirming their spots in Eugene with a 42.93 finish.

You can catch the NCAA Championships starting June 10^th, hosted by the University of Oregon. We wish our men’s and women’s teams the best of luck as they make their way to Oregon this week. As always, it’s great to be a Florida Gator!

--solementality

The Billy Donovan Era

            Scott Brooks was fired by the Oklahoma City Thunder after 7 years and Billy Donovan’s name soon came up as the potential coach to replace him. After a couple days of rumors & speculation, Donovan signed on to be the new head coach for the Thunder for about $30 million over 5 years.

            It’s tough that Billy Donovan is leaving UF but it was expected as he had multiple opportunities over the years to jump to the NBA and he & the Gators just came off a down year in which they missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1997. Donovan will go down as a legend in Gators sports history for what he has been able to achieve with the basketball program. In a landscape where there are fewer & fewer Coach K’s or Bobby Bowden’s and more college coaches are constantly changing jobs & leaving programs behind for greener grass, Billy Donovan was the man in charge of Gators basketball for almost 20 years. He elevated the program to long-term success in the same way Steve Spurrier did when he took over the football program. 467 wins, 16 20-win seasons, 6 SEC championships, 4 SEC tournament championships, 4 Final Four appearances & 2 national titles. Gators basketball started with Billy.

            The opportunity to coach OKC along with 2 of the best players in the NBA is once in a lifetime and anybody would jump on that. Although the Gators will have to rebuild & find new talent along with a new coach after losing McDonald’s All-American Chris Walker & 3-point specialist Michael Frazier, it will be exciting to see Billy Donovan face off against his old players in the NBA. Older guys from the early 2000’s such as Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Matt Bonner & David Lee. Also, the younger guys from the back-to-back national championship teams & on such as 2014 Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah (one of my favorite players in the league), Corey Brewer (1^st triple-double in Gators history), 2 3^rd overall picks in Al Horford & Bradley Beal, Chandler Parsons, Nick Calathes & Marreese Speights.

            Billy Donovan will be considered as the best coach in Gators sports history and leaves behind almost 20 years of his legacy & fingerprints not only on the basketball program but on the University of Florida. I think we can find a spot in front of the O’Dome in the future for a statue in his honor.  

University of Florida: A Track & Field Powerhouse

By: Jimbo Brown

Dedric Dukes bringing home a 1st place finish

University of Florida is considered one of the best schools to attend in the world. Being one of the top-ranked public schools, UF has one of the biggest fan bases. This wonderful institution has excelled both academically and athletically. The Warrington Business School just won 1st place at the national case competition and the girl’s gymnastics team took home a National Championship in 2014. The track program has had the most consistency since Coach Mike Holloway took over about a decade ago.  The Gators are coming off of a successful weekend at Florida Relays track meet. The men and women teams finished with 20 individual personal records and 17 top-five finishes.

Coach Holloway aka “Mouse” a UF graduate is the nucleus that makes the machine produce greatness and consistency. He was an assistant coach on the 2012 USA Olympic team. Through his 8-year career with the Gators he has develop 12 individual national champions. The men’s and women’s programs has won multiple of indoor and outdoor SEC conference championships. If the teams didn't win out right, they either tied with another powerhouse or finished in the top-three. The men’s program has had more success overall bringing 5 team national championships; 3 indoor and 2 outdoor. The program wouldn't be as successful if it wasn't for the talent coach Holloway is able to recruit throughout the year.

Holloway is a mastermind when it comes to recruiting. He has always been able to get the most talented runners in the nation. Both teams are stacked with runners, jumpers and throwers from across the nation. Even though the Gators can have any student-athlete in the country, Holloway focuses on the talent in the state of Florida. Ebony Eutsey and Robin Reynolds two of the most decorated Florida High School athletes. They have contributed to the success of the women program, along with many others. On behalf of the men programs, the athletes that have come through have went on to represent the university and the country all over the world. Will Claye, Tony McQuay, Christian Taylor and Jeff Demps have contributed to our countries Olympic success. Coach Holloway has modeled many athletes to NCAA legends. The track & field program has produced 47 All-Americans and 141 All-American Honors. To have a great program at any level of competition you have to have a great leader.

This past indoor season yielded great results for the University of Florida Men’s program, with them winning the SEC championship this year. Najee Glass posted the second fastest 400m time in the nation this year and the 8^th fastest time in school history. With this early success, he will do nothing but progress. Coach Holloway is one of the best coaches in the nation and has built a program that will continuously  grow.

Highlights of NBA All-Star Weekend

By: CandyMan

Last weekend was one of the better weekends for the NBA All-Star weekend in recent history. Every event was fun, engaging & competitive. The weekend started with the celebrity game where Kevin Hart won his 4^th straight MVP. There were more deserving candidates though, as his East team lost to the West 57-51. Mo’ne Davis probably had the play of the night after driving down the lane with Hart in her face and hitting him with a spin move that opened up an easy layup for her. Next, there was a new format in the Rising Stars Challenge. Freshmen & sophomores from the USA & international countries would compete against each other. The World team beat the U.S. 121-112 as Andrew Wiggins (from Canada) scored 22 points and won MVP. Victor Oladipo & Zach Lavine were the leading scorers for team USA with 22 points each.

Saturday night started off with the first ever fashion show in which JR Smith, who just got traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, finished in first place. The Shooting Stars competition got off to a fast start with all 4 teams finishing und^rd straight Shooting Stars win. Next up was the Skills Challenge with a new tournament format where 8 players competed against each other 2 by 2 side by side. Patrick Beverly won the event after struggling with the chest pass in the last 2 rounds, but came from behind & hit his first 3 point shots with ease against Jeff Teague in the semifinals and Brandon Knight in the final round. 

er a minute. But only 2 could advance into the second round, Team Westbrook (Russell Westbrook, Penny Hardaway, Tamika Catchings) & Team Bosh (Chris Bosh, Dominique Wilkins, Swin Cash). Team Westbrook couldn’t make their half-court shot after using up the whole minute & thirty seconds. Team Bosh came out on top after a half-court shot from Wilkins with just under a minute. It was their 3

The 3-point contest itself was an All-Star roster and ended up meeting expectations as one of the best 3-points competitions ever. The roster included James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kyle Korver, Wesley Matthews, Marco Belinelli (last year’s winner) & JJ Redick. Matthews scored 22 points in the 1^st round but it still wasn’t enough to get into the 2^nd round as Curry, Thompson & Irving all scored more. Curry finished with the title after scoring 27 points and hitting 13 straight shots at one point. Many consider Curry to be the best 3 point shooter in the game and he solidified that status with this win. The final event of the night was the dunk contest. Everybody knew Zach Lavine was going to win and he did just that. He had two perfect score dunks in the first round that brought the whole crowd on their feet. Honestly, they were his best dunks of the night and there was no competition. The Greek Freak was hyped up coming into the event but failed to finish a dunk which basically knocked him out. Victor Oladipo had an impressive first dunk and advanced to the 2^nd round but couldn’t keep up with Lavine.

Now on to the main event on Sunday night. A few stars missed the game due to injury including Kobe Bryant, Anthony Davis & Blake Griffin (all starters for the West). DeMarcus Cousins & Damian Lillard got to play in the game at last, after being snubbed when the initial roster was announced. It was the usual All-Star game: fast-paced, little defense, plenty of turnovers, many 3-pointers and a lot of highlight plays. The West’s stacked roster beat the East 163-158. Westbrook was very explosive from the start and scored 41 points for the West and won MVP. LeBron James scored 30 points for the East and finished 2 points shy of tying Kobe for most career points in an All-Star game. The West is 4-1 against the East in the last 5 All-Star games.

The Bigger Picture: Jackson Robinson West striped of Little League World Series Title

By: Jimbo Brown 

Life has shown us that if you are in a position of power (race, money, title) you are somewhat above the rest of society. You are more than likely will go through life without any major hiccups. Growing up in the 90’s when most of the MLB stars were using PED’s while the people in charge turned the blind eye. Alex Rodriguez, arguably one of the greatest Yankee players admitted to the DEA that he used Performance Enhancement Drugs for a two-year period. Even though the MLB has since tightened their polices, the actions of the 90’s probably played a part in A-Rod decision making. Kids easily can see that if you are in a position of power the rules of life are beneath you. This got me to thinking about the Jackie Robinson West little leaguers.

If your not familiar with the situation, an all black team of little league baseball players from the inner city of Chicago had some players out of their region on the team. This was against the rules of the Little League World Series and had their 2 championship titles vacated. The players of Jackie Robinson West will be hurt because they are not the Little League World Series Champions. The memories created can never be destroyed. I believe the committee did make a impact on the future athletes of the world. 

I believe that this can be an example for future generations to learn from. With great success it can be great failure. The adults in the situation failed the kids. The committee could have slapped them on the wrist and punish them for the next year, instead extreme measures was took and the title was striped from the team. We may prevent the next Josh Gordon or Johnny Manziel from happening once they get success. 

#AthleteTalk Recaps National Signing Day

By: Candy Man

National Signing Day came & went and Dade County sent athletes to schools all over the country. Two of the biggest football programs in Miami, Booker T. & Central, had about 30 players altogether sign with schools yesterday. Both schools are coming off three straight state championships & have sent big time athletes to college & the NFL over the years. Booker T. had 2 players sign with Miami, running back Mark Walton & linebacker James King, joining Chad Thomas & Demetrius Jackson from last year’s class. Devonaire Clarington & Davante Davis, a Homestead transfer, both signed with Texas. The 3 other Homestead transfers that played big roles for the T last season committed to FIU (Maurice Alexander), Florida (Antonio Calloway), and FAU (Ocie Rose). Two other key players that had productive seasons, Terry Jefferson signed with FAMU & Vaquan Smalls signed with Samford. Central already have 2 of their best players from this class attending Florida State, receiver Da’Vante Phillips & defensive back Calvin Brewton, continuing the Central to FSU pipeline. Fermin Silva & Anthony Jones both enrolled early at FIU. Marshall University, where former Rockets Rakeem Cato & Tommy Shuler have broken multiple records, is getting Marquis Couch & Jason Jean. Keivonnis Davis will be joining the Gators & Dade County’s leading rusher signed with Jacksonville State. I’ve seen Miller play in person & I’m surprised because he has the talent to play for a major D1 team & should’ve got more offers. 

Some of the best high school football is played in South Florida & that is illustrated on National Signing Day every year, with high schools all over Dade & Broward sending athletes to college on football scholarships.

·      NORLAND…Carlton Davis – Auburn, Rayshad Jackson – Florida, D’Andre Smart – Kent State, William Gordon – Alcorn State

·      KILLIAN…Jaquan Johnson, Sheldrick Redwine – Miami, James Bowe – Massachusetts

·      NORTHWESTERN…DeAndre Baker – Georgia, Khalid McGee – South Florida, Samuel Dervil – South Carolina State, David Vincent – Mississippi Valley State, Xavier Bailey – Florida A&M

·      CAROL CITY…Rashad Fenton – South Carolina

·      EDISON…Robert Knowles – Miami

·      GULLIVER PREP…Dominic Sheppard – Virginia, George Grimwade – Samford, Antonyo Sotolongo – Bowling Green, Jowan Watson - Georgetown

·      ST. THOMAS AQUINAS…Jordan Scarlett, Richerd Desir-Jones – Miami, Damon Arnette – Ohio State, Colin Byrne, Samuel Clausman – Syracuse, Chris Hart, Tyson Cisrow – Utah, Devante Peete – Louisville, Brandon Boyce – Duke, Rashard Causey – Central Florida, Wyatt Ray – Boston College, Jawaun Harris - Rutgers

·      MIRAMAR…Tyrek Cole, Jovon Durante – West Virginia, Kahlil Lewis – Cincinnati, Leeward Brown – Tulane, Jeffrey Hill – Northern Illinois

·      AMERICAN HERITAGE…Torrance Gibson – Ohio State, Tarvarus McFadden – Florida State, Christian Irving – Wyoming, Anthony Flory – Appalachian State, Janarvis Pough – Bowling Green

·      MONARCH…Calvin Ridley, Shawn Burgess-Becker – Alabama, Ronnie Hoggins – South Florida

·      HALLANDALE…Sh’mar Kilby-Lane – Florida State, Juwan Taylor – Georgia, Taj McGowan – Central Florida, Malik Henderson – Pittsburgh, Dana Levine – Temple, Richie Cooper – Akron

Alabama, Florida State, USC, Clemson & Tennessee all finished with top 5 recruiting classes according to Rivals & ESPN, with Alab

ama having the #1 class in the ESPN rankings & USC with the #1 class in the Rivals rankings. Florida State, by far, ended up with the best class in the state. They signed 5 5* athletes that should be able to come in & contribute right away. Florida had a horrible class a month ago but new head coach Jm McElwain & his coaching staff had a great National Signing Day & finished with a top 25 recruiting class. Headlined by Martez Ivey & Cece Jefferson, they also stole a few recruits from Miami including Jordan Scarlett, Jordan Cronkite & Antonio Callaway. Miami had a good class and ended up finishing a few spots behind Florida in the rankings. Mark Walton, Jaquan Johnson, Bar Milo & Scott Patchan are some of the key players they signed but UM also lost a lot of potential players with about 15 decommitments.

Things I learn during the 2014-2015 season

By: Jimbo Brown

Tom Brady is the best ever

• After winning his 4th Super Bowl, Tom Brady, has cemented his spot as one of the all-time greats. Tom is the poster child for the NFL since the start of his career. First, he was a 6th round pick who was the 2nd a string quarterback behind the legendary Drew Bledsoe. Once throw into the starting he began to show levels of greatness by winning 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. While losing twice to Eli Manning in the big game, Tom still lead his team to the first undefeated regular season since the 72 dolphins. He had his down points during his career with the knee injury and recent deflate gate scandal. When the clock reached zero this past Sunday and the New England Patriots was world champions again, Tom had put the exclamation mark on his profound career. 

2014 Wide Receiver Class on track to the best ever

• The 2014 draft class was deep with receivers. There was so many receivers that talent like Allen Hurns went undrafted after setting records at the University of Miami. Rookie receivers has shined all over the NFL. Odell Beckham Jr, Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins and Brandon Cooks all high draft picks had good start to their careers. Even the overlooked guys have contributed to the success: Allen Hurns, Jon Brown and Chris Matthews late Super Bowl efforts. I can’t wait to see how do these guys careers pan out. If they stay hungry and work hard everyday, we will see many great moments. 

Running Backs = Super Bowl

• The road to the Super Bowl is hard and difficult for even the best teams in the league. Those two teams this year was preseason favorites: New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. Even thought they have two different cultures, they are built on some of the same principles. Both teams came into the playoffs at full stride. The teams are highlighted by their defensive powers. Richard Sherman and Darrell Revis are arguably the two  best cornerbacks in the NFL. With talent at each level of the defense these two teams are offensive coordinators nightmare. Both teams had a strong running game. Seattle put the offensive success in the hands of Marshawn #BeastMode Lynch. On the other hand, the Patriots put their running in the hands of a cast of running backs. Legarette Blount become the main gut once things didn’t work out in Pittsburgh and he went back to his former team.