Miami Youth Football: More than Just a Platform

By: Jimbo Brown

Growing up in Miami, their were not many opportunities for the youth to succeed. We were constantly surrounded by violence and drugs either being sold or used. In other cities, it might be unusual to see crack pipes or baggies on the streets, but in the inner city of Miami that’s every day life.  When living in Miami it is easy for you to get sidetracked and into the gang/drug culture. Those were the successful people we saw on a daily basis.  We have no choice but to turn to little league sports, football being the most popular.Youth football helped kids in  my generation in multiple ways. It keep us off the dangerous streets of Miami, helped us learn discipline, and build a brotherhood with peers we normally wouldn’t have. 

If you were able to withstand the desire to join that culture, the people in it would encourage you continue on the sports route to success. Our coaches were extended father figures and for some the father figure that they were missing. Some coaches would get so involved where they would pick kids up for practice, pay for participation and supplies, plus get involved in academics for those who needed it. When you got in trouble at home or in school the coaches would discipline you on top of being punished at home. Running, crabbing and having to hit the whole team are just some of the disciplinary tools used. Lifetime friendships have been made through playing optimist football. Most of my friends I have either played with or against during my optimist career. The Miami youth football scene is filled with many teams in several different leagues. 

When it comes to the popularity of Miami youth football it is known and respected throughout the country. Years back Uncle Luke and Snoop Dogg hosted a day filled with the best youth teams throughout the country. Most of the teams were from the Miami and  California pop warner leagues. Miami's Pop Warner and South Florida Youth Football League was arguably the two best leagues and where most of the talent in Miami was found. The programs that had consistent success and talent were: North Dade, Bunche Park, Scott Lake, Gwen Cherry, NW Boys & Girls Club, Liberty City and Miami Gardens. Many players have became stars on their high school, college and professional level. 

Teddy Bridgewater, Devonta Freeman, Allen Hurns, Eugene Smith and Kayvon Webster are just a few players who continued their success throughout all three levels. These individuals and a host of others serve as role models and give the youth hope that their dreams can come true. Showing the youth in their communities that dreams do come true.

Adrian Peterson Child Abuse Scandal: Was he right or wrong?

By: Jimbo Brown

It has been a long couple of weeks for the NFL due to legal issues: Domestic Violence and Child Abuse, neither being acceptable to me or to many others across the nation. When it comes to the Adrian Peterson situation I believe he has every right to discipline his children. He may have went overboard, but he only implemented the tactics learned by his parents.

For those who may not know the story let me get you up to speed. Earlier this year in May, Peterson took a switch (thin branch with no leaves) and spanked his son for pushing his sibling. He was questioned by two different police departments with a lawyer, summoned and testified before the Grand Jury. A warrant for his arrest was issued in Montgomery, Texas, where he turned himself in and posted the $25,000 bail. The Minnesota Vikings will not take any action until due process has taken place. 

Even though the child sustained bodily injures and Peterson may have went over board, I believe you can't tell someone how to discipline their child. In the black community, getting whipped or spanked is common in most households. Parents go-to line will always be “I brought you into this world and I can take you out.” We all have done things in our life that has lead to our parents disciplining us.

It was times during my life where my parents have disciplined me in multiple ways: whippings (belts,switches etc) and Physical (punch in chest, slap in face etc). have gotten bruises and sometimes bleed during a whipping. I now understand the purpose for the punishment. It made me think about the actions and the consequences behind it. My parents also explained to me after on why this happen and how I can prevent it by following their rules. I believe the white culture will not understand because they were raised differently. 

A large part of the country is quick to judge this situation but no one is in the position to tell someone how to discipline their child. We all have our beliefs and ways we might have gone about this. Adrian Peterson admits to overly whipping his child but didn’t intentionally mean to abuse and harm HIS child. I hope the NFL doesn't overly react to the situation before all the details are out. We don’t need another Ray Rice situation. 

One Night in Magic City

By: Jimbo Brown

About a week ago “A week ago”, Ray Rice was living good. He believed everything that happened in the Atlantic City casino elevator was in the past. As the saying goes “What happens in the dark, must come to the light,” is exactly what happen when the video from inside the elevator was released Monday by TMZ.

There are several issues that I feel need to be addressed that stems from this situation. The first issue is domestic violence, how the NFL glosses over it and the severity of Ray Rice new punishment. 

Domestic Violence is something that is present in all cultures and walks of life. Even though the man is most likely to be punished for the crime, the women can become the attacker too. A man or woman shouldn’t engage in any physical altercation, whether they are married, boyfriend/girlfriend or just friends. In the case of Ray and Janay Rice, it could be said that Janay provoked him to deliver the knock out blow. In his press conference, Ray stated that wasn’t the way he was raised, meaning he knew better and could have been the bigger person. His actions are still looked down upon. 

Ray Rice was suspended for a mere 2 games before the new video was released. This means Rice would have attended practice this coming Friday. This suspension was criticize by many professionals. It felt odd seeing him get much less time then a Josh Gordon. The NFL doesn’t care about Domestic Violence when 2 other players suited up Sunday with pending domestic violence cases: Ray McDonald and Greg Hardy. The indefinite suspension and release of Ray Rice was strictly a PR move.

The NFL was put in a predicament Monday when the footage was released. Already being criticize for sweeping this issue under the rug, I believe the media and society forced the NFL to deliver an even harsh penalty to make up for the backlash. Ray Rice is suspended indefinitely and was released by the Baltimore Ravens for a issue that he received rehab for. Ray and Janay had already moved forward with their lives. Janay expressed her feelings in a Instagram post Tuesday morning. 

Ray Rice actions were inexcusable that night in the elevator and it still is. Its not cool to punish someone two times for one mistake, especially when the person is remorseful and has taken the necessary steps to move forward. It’s not his fault the NFL didn’t get it right the 1st time. I hope that Ray and Janay Rice keep fighting for him to get back on the field sooner then later. 

When you Stay Ready...

By Jimbo Brown

Close your eyes! Now imagine you are a 3-year starter at your dream-school and a historically known NCAA college football powerhouse. You end your senior year by breaking the career receiving record that puts your name in the category with all the greats who played before you. Now its on to the “process” known as the NFL draft. With your talents and production in college anyone would expect to be drafted no later then the 3rd round. That wasn’t the case for undrafted free agent (UFA) Allen Hurns, now, 3rd string receiver of the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

The 3-day event became more grueling after each round, when Hurns didn’t hear his name called. After the 6th round he didn’t want to hear his name called at all. Becoming a UFA would give him the power to decide where he wanted to take out his frustration. He kept faith that God would lead him in the right direction. Hurns gets his Christian faith from his mother Ms. Erica Wilson. With the support of his mother, family and friends Hurns kept a positive outlook on the task ahead. Enabling him to hook up with his former Offensive Coordinator from his early years at UM.  His main focus would be on perfecting his technique since he was so familiar with the playbook. Given himself a edge on the rookies and veterans on the team. 

Determined to show all 32 teams that they made a big mistake, Hurns went into the rookie workouts with a big chip on his shoulder. He was determined to prove the “experts” wrong. Hurns would go to neighborhood parks around 1 am and run air routes. His early success in OTA's led to an invitation to the 90-man training camp. Once Hurns got into camp, his hard work was aided with quite a few injuries within the receiving group. From practicing with the 5th group to working with the 1’s and 2’s helped him catch the eye of the coaches. He caught the attention of the nation by outperforming every receiver in the NFL, especially the ones took in the 2014 draft.

Hurns has a strong case to start alongside veteran Cecil Shorts III, due to the fact that he out worked 2nd rounder Marqise Lee. Finishing the preseason with 14 catches for 232 yards has led experts to believe Allen is steal for the Jaguars. He averaged 17.7 yards per catch and has 45 yards more then any other receiver in the NFL. 

Since joining the team Hurns has found himself very hungry yet humble about the situation. Hurns has expressed his journey so far into three words: Dedication, Faith, Underrated. As stated on “A Few Good Minutes with Brian Sexton”, Hurns believe its not about how you get there, its will you seize the opportunity or not (Link Below).  Allen has began on a path that can become a true cinderella story. No matter if he starts or not “He will Stay Ready, So he don’t have to Get Ready."

A Few Good Minutes with Brian Sexton: Allen Hurns

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.