THE LIONS ROAR

2012-02-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Lion's Roar 13th Edition

Welcome to the Lion's Roar. With the second half of the year fully underway, we put together some of our best articles yet. Read the Silverstone brothers' articles on the Superbowl as well as Ben Acton about some of its best commercials.

Also be sure to read Phil Callimanis' NFL Mock Draft.

Thanks for Reading!

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

Mr. Weissman (Advisor)

Michael Silverstone (Senior Writer)

Ben Acton (Senior Writer)

Reed Weber

Gae Guarducci

Max Kalikow

Max Silverstone

Philip Callimanis

Daniel Martin

2012-02-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

Who Said An Undrafted Athlete Can’t Have His Moment?

by Michael Silverstone

What do Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz and Patriots running back Danny Woodhead have in common beyond playing in Super Bowl XLVI? You guessed it! Both of them were undrafted free agents from non-BCS qualifier schools, and both of them scored touchdowns in the Super Bowl.

Giants receiver Victor Cruz was a star at the multiple high schools he played for in Paterson, New Jersey, landing him a spot at the University of Massachussetts. At UMass, Cruz was named a first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) wide receiver in 2008 and 2009. At UMass, he had a solid career, finishing fourth all-time on the school’s career receptions list. Cruz declared for the 2010 NFL Draft but was not selected in either of the seven rounds. Rather, the Giants signed him as a free agent.

Immediately, his impact was felt in the Giants organization – at least in the pre-season. Cruz caught 297 yards and four touchdowns in the pre-season, raising eyebrows and beginning to somewhat make a name for himself. However, the regular season would not fare well for him, as Cruz recorded zero catches in the three games he played in before being placed on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury.

The rest was history – Cruz had a break out year in his second season, leading the Giants in touchdown receptions and receiving yards (3^rd in the NFL in the latter category). He became Eli Manning’s favorite target on a squad that arguably has the most depth at the wide receiver position. He caught 0 passes in his rookie year, and caught 82 passes in his sophomore season, including a touchdown catch in the Super Bowl that gave the Giants a 9-0 lead early on.

Patriots running back Danny Woodhead’s story was a bit different. Not only did Woodhead not come from a non-BCS qualifier school like Cruz, but he played ball for a Division II-A school, Chadron state. Woodhead’s playing career started in his home town of North Platte, Nebraska, where he broke many records at North Platt High School. He led the school all the way to a berth in the Nebraska State championship game, where it lost 28-14. Woodhead was recruited by in-state school Chadron State College, and became a star. He rushed for over 1800 yards in his true-freshman season. He is noted for being the first recipient of a full athletic scholarship at the college. Woodhead broke numerous, still-standing records, not only at his school, but in Division II-A overall. Woodhead was the greatest super star that nobody ever heard of.

Woodhead declared for the 2008 NFL Draft, but like most Division II-A athletes, did not get selected in any of the seven rounds. Woodhead was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets that year, but spent all season on Injured Reserve. Woodhead was waived by the Jets in 2010, and was soon picked up by the rival New England Patriots.

His claim to fame occurred when he was almost selected via “fan’s choice” to be on the cover of Madden NFL 2011, but he was barely edged by Michael Vick. Woodhead scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XLVI. However, that score was not enough to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Boston.

2012-02-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

NL East Now Best in Baseball?

Eric Smith

This offseason, the highlights went to the Angels for signing Pujols and Wilson, the Tigers signing Prince Fielder, and the Marlins signing Buehrle, Reyes, and Heath Bell. Out of nowhere, the NL East became the best division in baseball. The Phillies and Braves are still great, and over the course of the offseason, the Nationals and Marlins both became playoff contenders. This has now become the only division with 4 playoff teams.

The Phillies are still the Phillies. Halladay, Lee, Hamels is still the best rotation in baseball. Even with an aging offense of Rollins and Utley, they could still be the best team in baseball because of their rotation. Papelbon should obviously make an impact on his team.

The Braves are the Braves. This team will only improve. If Jurjens and Tommy Hanson could stay healthy, this team will be a world series contender. There offense should improve considering Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward are only improving. Not to mention they have several capable all stars in Dan Uggla, Brian McCann, and Michael Bourn. Also, the Braves probably have the best bullpen in baseball. Ventues and Craig Kimbrel forced the other team to have the lead before the 8^th inning. Even though the Braves have a great team, their two aces Jurjens and Hanson have injury issues. If they go down as expected, all they have left is Tim Hudson, and this will cause great fatigue to that great bullpen.

The Mets aren’t worth talking about. If they lose less than 100 games they should be satisfied. With no Reyes and an improving division, I wish the Mets a lot of luck.

Now the Nationals, maybe the sleeper team this year. This team added Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson to a rotation that already consisted of Jordan Zimmerman. This team was 81-81 even though they had no Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman had a down year filled with injuries, and Jayson Werth had a down year. They also had many standouts last year. Danny Espinosa was one of the only second baseman who hit 20 HR’s and 20 SB’s. Michael Morse hit 31 HR’s, 95 RBI’s, and a 303 BA. Also, if Bryce Harper reaches his potential as rookie of the year and gets called up this year, watch out. Not only that, but they have one of the best closers in Drew Storen. They also have great young talent in Ian Desmond who stole 25 bases last year, and Wilson Ramos who has potential for 20 plus HR’s a year. Also a sleeper pick this year could also be Ching Ming Wang. He had a great stretch with the Yankees, and he is finally healthy. Therefore, if these players get healthy and play to there potential, they could challenge the Phillies.

Another team getting hype is the Marlins. Ozzie Guilen is now the new manager, and maybe he could be a good spokesman for them. The additions of Reyes, Buehrle, and Bell will certainly help. Mike Stanton is a young stud hitting 34 HR’s last year at his age. A great player this year is Anibal Sanchez. Even though he had an ERA over 3.50 and a Whip over 1.20, he was one of the only pitchers around 200 innings and 200 strikeouts. If he could just lower his ERA and Whip slightly, he could be a potential ace. If he could improve slightly next year, he could be a cheaper alternative in free agency to Matt Cain and Cole Hamels. If the Marlins want to make the playoffs, they need production from Hanley and Josh Johnson. If Hanley plays like an MVP, and Josh Johnson plays like a CY young, they could be contenders.

Even though the Phillies should win the division, the next 3 spots are up for grabs. I feel that the Braves starters will get injured, and Hanley will have trouble capturing the magic he had before. Therefore, that leaves the door open for the Nationals. A team that finished 500 and yet they are receiving so many great players back from injury and through new acquisitions. I expect the rotation led by Strasburg, Zimmerman, Gio Gonzalez, Edwin Jackson, Ching Ming Wang could lead this team to a divison crown and a world series title.

2012-02-09T08:27:00.000-08:00

NFL Mock Draft

By Phil Callimanis

Indiannapolis Colts- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

St. Louis Rams- Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Minnesota Vikings- Mat Kalil, OT, USC

Cleveland Browns- Robert Griffin 3, QB, Baylor

Tamba Bay Buccanears- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Washington Redskins- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Jacksonville Jaguars- Quinton Coples, DE, UNC

Miami Dolphins- Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

Carolina Panthers- Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

Buffalo Bills- Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Kansas City Chiefs- Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Seattle Seahawks- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Arizona Cardinals- Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

Dallas Cowboys- Dre Krikpatrick, CB, Alabama

Philadelphia Eagles- Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

New York Jets- Mark Barron, S, Alabama

Cincinnati Bengals- Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

San Diego Chargers- Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

Chicago Bears- Michael Floyd, WR, Chicago Bears

Tenessee Titans- David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Cincinnati Bengals- David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

Cleveland Browns- Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Detroit Lions- Zach Brown, OLB, UNC

Pittsburgh Steelers- Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State

Denver Broncos- Devon Still, DT, Sandusky State

Houston Texans- Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan

New England Patriots- Andre Branch, DE/OLB, Clemson

Greenbay Packers- Ronnell Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma

Baltimore Ravens- Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona State

San Francisco 49ers- Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

New England Patriots- Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia

New York Giants- Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson

2012-02-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

The L.A. Way

by Reed Weber

No team started the NBA season with more turbulence then the Portland Trailblazers. Brandon Roy, a former all-star (more on that later), unexpectedly retired due to his knees that are less reliable then investing your money with Bernie Madoff. Greg Oden continued to live the most depressing life of an First Overall pick in the 21^st century as he again was ruled out for the season and had to undergo micro fracture surgery on just about every body part-twice. Nobody expected the team to compete in the balanced Western Conference. A conference full of many legitimate teams but no true powerhouses besides my OKC Thunder.

Just like last year though, Lamarcus Aldridge was not going to let some injuries and bad luck derail the season. He has responded by posting career highs in scoring, rebounding, assists and minutes. All of this despite entering the season with heart concerns; the 26 year old has not missed a game or beat. Following last years snub, Aldridge still does not pay attention to the voting or trying to lobby his way into the game like many others in the league. He has handled his snub with class and made it even harder for anyone watching the NBA to leave him off the ballot this year. Boasting a top 10 per that is ahead of more highly regarded superstars Blake Griffin, Melo and Dwade, Aldridge does not even watch ESPN. He is a humble superstar, and the last of a dying breed along with KD35. Humble superstars are an oxymoron these days, as players demand their way to large markets such as Miami, Los Angeles and New York. He has put Portland currently sitting at 14-10 with wins over the 76ers,Nuggets, Thunder, Lakers and Clippers. This is a direct representation that the Trailblazers are for real.

In a condensed season, where anything is possible, a few bounces their way and home court advantage (dominance on their home court 11-1) could spell a Western Conference Finals berth. This band of misfits does not care what you think of them, starting shooting guard Wesley Matthews was not even drafted out of college. But, for the sake of an all-star game where the top 24 players put on a show for the world, it would be a crime to leave L.A out of it. With numbers of 23 pts. and 9 boards a game you would have to be blind to not vote for him. Even if you were blind you would still have to vote for him-he’s just that good.

2012-02-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

Top 5 Super Bowl 46 Commercial

By Tough Acton

1. Bud Lite, Here We Go- This by far was the best commercial. From the start it had me laughing. Naming the dog, “we go”, you instantly knew something was up. I loved seeing the dog run to the fridge. The fact that he came back with more and more beer kept me laughing. The culmination of the keg, had me laughing for minutes. There was also a nice ASPCA touch at the end.

2. Ferris Bueller, Honda- Being a huge fan of Ferris Bueller, I loved every touch in this commercial. Starting off we the music and the phone call to his boss, ending with his car being taken for a joy ride, it was Ferris Bueller part 2. The scenes at the parade and at the carnival were amazing moments.

3. Dog/Star Wars, Volkswagen- This commercial and two halves and both were entertaining. I loved the dog getting in shape doing various activities such as running on the treadmill and swimming in the pool. I am a huge Star Wars fan and the cut to the cantina was epic. I loved hearing the witty banter and instead of getting his arm sliced off, he was choked by Darth Vader. I thought that this year’s commercial was better and I can’t wait for next year’s installment.

4. Sexy and I Know it, M&M’s- This commercial wasn’t the best overall but had one great moment which made it shine. As soon as Sexy and I know it by LMFAO hit and the M&M stripped his shell, I lost it. The commercial ended with him dancing on some girl and I couldn’t stop cracking up. This was one I had to watch again after the game.

5. You ain’t see Nuthin’, Doritos- I am not the biggest fan of this commercial, but I still enjoyed it. It had funny moments but the best was when the dog slipped the note. The note itself was good, but the misspelling of nothing was hilarious. The commercial ended on a high note with the guy’s wife interrogating him and the dog walks passed.

Overall this was a good commercial year. Some good ones I haven’t mentioned were:

Jerry Seinfeld, Pepsi Max, Opening Hyundai and Go Daddy.

2012-02-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl Halftime Shows

Max Silverstone

What makes a good Super Bowl halftime show? Well, some shows have only singing, and some shows have both singing and dancing, well, lip syncing and dancing. This year, for super bowl XLVI, Madonna performed the Super Bowl halftime show. It was much more visual rather than audial. Madonna featured stars LMFAO, MIA, Nicki Minaj and Cee Lo Green. Most of the show was in dancing, and not singing. Cee Lo Green was the only one who was not lip syncing of everyone on stage. He was also the most musically talented of all the stars onstage. Overall I would give this show a rating of 2/10 on the audio, but 10/10 on the choreography. The only music that I liked was Cee Lo, because Cee Lo is awesome. This raises a question though: Is that what the NFL wants in the halftime show? As a big fan of both the NFL and music, my answer is no. I would much rather a halftime show that is pleasing to the ear rather than pleasing to the eye. I loved performers like Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, and The Who. Those people are awesome. A usual NFL fan, is manly, and likes manly music. It would be much easier to find an NFL fan that likes Tom Petty rather than an NFL fan that likes the Black Eyed Peas. Now I know that it is not only NFL fans that watch the halftime show, however, the Super Bowl is an NFL event. It is not fair that non-fans want a halftime show that is not enjoyable for NFL fans like me. As a loyal NFL fan, I would like the NFL to bring back musically talented old-time artists, or new time artists that are enjoyable by all generations, and more about the music rather than the dancing. Until the NFL books another star that is for music and not dancing, and is enjoyable by most generations, I will be disappointed with their event planning staff.

2012-02-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

More to Come: Is this the Start of the Giants’ Dynasty

by Aakash Bhatia

The 90’s Yankees, the 90’s Lakers, the 2000 Patriots. Dynasties are prevalent and are a defining component in sports. Last Sunday, the New York Giants contributed to their case that they are the next big sports dynasty. With a 21-17 win over the Patriots, they Giants won the 2^nd Superbowl in four years. While their roster was slightly different, their key players (Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs) and coaches (Tom Coughlin) got their second ring. The question now is whether the Giants can keep it up. Here are four reasons on why they could:

1. Key Players are Young:

Several key veterans might leave the team in the offseason including Brandon Jacobs, Osi Umenyiora, and Kareem Mckenzie. However, the majority of the Giants’ impact players are under 27 years old. All three of their dynamic receivers (Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham) are 25 and younger with even younger players waiting in the wings. Furthermore, players such as Jason Pierre-Paul, Linval Joseph, and Jaquan Williams should be the next great Giants players moving forward.

2. Key Players Returning:

The Giants might have a lot of players leaving in free agency this year, but they might even have more coming back from injury. Jonathan Goff, Terrell Thomas, and Marvin Austin are all very talented and young defensive players. Thomas, in particular, should be a major upgrade over Aaron Ross if he decides to leave in free agency. A full season of training camp for Prince Amukamara, a very talented cornerback, could be huge as well and provide the Giants with three reliable corners next season as opposed to one.

3. Experience:

This team is battle-tested simply put. They have experienced all the criticism, all the ups, all the downs that a single team could possibly face. Going in the future, it will be tough to remove confidence from the group, which should translate into more deep playoff runs in the future.

4. Eli Manning:

At 31 years of age, the Giants have their franchise quarterback. Eli Manning can do it all and he has clearly proven that he can lead a team to the Superbowl and is an elite quarterback. He still has many good years remaining and as long as he’s healthy, the Giants will be in good shape.

2012-02-09T08:16:00.002-08:00

Watch Out Cup- Here Comes the Rangers!

by Max Kalikow

The New York Rangers have long gone under the radar in the city of New York. Teams like the Yankees and Knicks overpower the Rangers in popularity. Let’s face it; hockey is not the most popular sport in the U.S. The Rangers have the number one seed in the entire East, and most New Yorkers are probably unaware of this. The Rangers aren’t the flashiest team as they win games by out hustling and out checking their opponents. They are not afraid to block shots or do any of the dirty work. Defensive Dan Girardi goes for the blocks all day long and Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik are great at producing goals. All of these guys contribute greatly, but the main thing that makes the Rangers so special is their depth of talent. Derek Stepan, Michael Del Zotto, Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Carl Hagelin, and others really put the icing on the cake. They all have great chemistry which is the second reason why the Rangers are #1. The first? King Henrick Lunqvist at goal. He is a brick wall in goal and no one gets the puck past him. Coach Torterella gets the honor of coaching this stud group of players. When playoff time comes around, every opposing team will fear the Rangers.

2012-02-09T08:16:00.001-08:00

Thank You for Reading!

On behalf of all of our writers, thank you for reading this week's issue of the CGPS Lion's Roar. We encourage you to read any of our past articles, and, of course, our future ones which are posted on a weekly basis. Feel free to approach any of our writers with your questions or send them to:

thelionsroar@cgps.org

Until next time, thank you.

Sincerely,

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

2012-02-02T04:04:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Lion's Roar--13th Edition

Welcome to the Lion's Roar! In this week's version, Michael Silverstone discusses trash talk in the NFL and the expansion of social media use by its players. Max Silverstone gives his thoughts on the NFL Pro Bowl while Ben Acton gives his annual preview of the royal rumble.

Be sure to read them all!

Thanks for Reading!

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

Mr. Weissman (Advisor)

Michael Silverstone (Senior Writer)

Ben Acton (Senior Writer)

Reed Weber

Gae Guarducci

Max Kalikow

Max Silverstone

Philip Callimanis

Daniel Martin

2012-02-02T04:02:00.000-08:00

The World Wide Web of Sports

by Michael Silverstone

They call it the Trash Talking Circle (TTC): a community where 40-year-old men mercilessly argue with high schoolers, where embarrassing moments are left on the internet forever, and where passionate sports fanatics represent their football teams.

The TTC was said to have emerged when a video maker stated virally in the course of five seconds, “Cowboys, 2007 Super Bowl Champs…got a nice ring to it?” This five-second clip apparently led to the establishment of an almost exclusive NFC TTC, where fans of the Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, and Redskins could argue without end.

Over the course of the 2007 season, the TTC began to expand into a league-wide phenomenon.

Almost every team is represented by a group of video makers, who cam up weekly to talk trash on their favorite football team’s upcoming opponent. Notable groups include Cowboys Nation Syndicate (Cowboys), Who Dat Nation (Saints), Niner Empire (49ers), Big Blue Commission (Giants), and more. The TTC seems to be most popular among Cowboys and Giants fans, as they accumulate the most video makers.

Here’s how the TTC works…

For each divisional game, a video maker makes a “Hate Week” video, which is usually posted on YouTube at the beginning of the workweek. In this video, a Packers fan may trash talk for the upcoming Bears game, or a Steelers fan may trash talk for the upcoming Ravens game. Some video makers get very creative and use music and animations to enhance the viewing experience.

In Hate Week videos, or non-divisional preview videos, a fan will give his or her predictions, generally tweaked to seem biased towards their own team in an effort to raise the tension that is trash talking. One extra exciting component of the TTC is the establishment of bets. For example, one video maker might make a bet with another video maker stating that the representative of loser of Sunday’s game must send a gift to the representative of the winner. Usually, the winner requests a jersey or a hat, and money bets are generally rare in the TTC.

Perhaps the most anticipated occurrence in the TTC lies in the crow video. In this video, a trash talker whose team just lost must “eat his crow,” meaning he has to embarrassingly accept defeat. Crow videos are the best when they come from video makers who have so much confidence in their team, but then their team loses. In order to earn respect in the TTC, one must always crow up when necessary. A video maker cannot simply hide in shame if his team loses.

One unfixable problem is the existence of typers. The term “typer” was coined to describe people who leave comments on videos and talk their trash through text. In other words, typers never “cam up.” It is set in stone throughout the TTC that typers will not earn any respect among video makers. In order to be a respected character in this Circle, one must make videos on a weekly basis during the NFL season.

In the week leading up to the Super Bowl, there is a TTC awards show. The 2^nd annual award show will occur before Super Bowl XLVI between the Giants and Patriots. There are many categories in which video makers are nominated, but the big one is known as the MVT award (Most Valuable Trash-Talker). This award is given to a video maker who has exhibited creativity, fanhood, and consistency. Voting for the TTC Awards is as following: In each category, video makers get two votes, and typers get one vote. The decision to only give typers one vote was made as an incentive to gain more video makers and fewer typers.

The average man who comes home from work will eat dinner with his family, watch the news, and then go to sleep. The average student who comes home from school will start homework and talk to his friends online. But, in the TTC, the laws of society are different.

2012-02-02T03:59:00.002-08:00

Pro Bowl Predictions

by Max Silverstone

This year is another pro bowl. It is a bowl of pros. Not a cereal bowl, but a football bowl. It is just like an MLB all-star game, only no one tries, and Chad Ochocinco is the only performer. Chad ochocinco sucked this year, but he should still be in the pro bowl this year. I mean, dude, he is chad ochocinco man!

2 years ago, the NFL banned tweeting from the sidelines, because twitter was considered a distraction for the players, and they should be focused on their game. From the beautiful language of Chad Ochocinco, child please! I don’t use twitter, but if NFL players want to do what they want on the sidelines, they should be able to because it’s their loss. Limiting Chad Ochocinco is unfair and completely unconstitutional. The NFL has no right to ban twitter; well, at least not from Chad Ochocinco. This year though, the NFL is setting up one computer on each sideline of the pro-bowl so players can tweet during the game. Chad Ochocinco should show up to the pro-bowl, even though he wasn’t voted in, and hog the computers for twitter.

My prediction for the pro-bowl is that no one will try, and at least 100 combined points will be scored. If you are actually interested in watching the pro bowl, it will be on Sunday, January 29^th, at 7:00PM on NBC. If you are interested in going, it’s in this place called Hawaii somewhere off in the Pacific Ocean. Apparently Obama was born there, so it must be a pretty cool place…

…Oh yeah, and there’s the Super Bowl too.

2012-02-02T03:59:00.001-08:00

2012 Royal Rumble Preview

by Tough Acton

Sunday the 29^th marks the 25^th annual Royal Rumble. As we have seen in past years anything can happen ranging from no names winning to surprise returns. But this year there are three big matches in addition to the Royal Rumble, which I will preview.

John Cena vs Kane- In the past month we have seen this rivalry grow. Kane has been convincing Cena to “embrace the hate” and on Monday, Cena’s hate was shown. He came storming out and had an instant bone to pick with Kane. Furthermore, his boy, Zack Ryder, was destroyed and suffered a “serious back injury”. Cena has looked like the weaker man throughout this series but on Sunday, expect Cena to win in an exciting bout.

World Heavyweight Championship, Daniel Bryan vs Big Show vs Mark Henry in a Steel Cage- This match will be interesting to say the least. A Steel Cage may not be as exciting because both Henry and Show are too big to climb over the top. Also, Bryan has a bone to pick with Big Show after he accidentally mauled his girlfriend. Bryan has also developed a Napoleon complex, which may play out interestingly during the match against his much bigger foes. Since I expect Bryan to carry the title until Wrestlemainia, so Bryan should win.

WWE Championship, Dolph Ziggler vs CM Punk with John Lauranitis as special guest referee- Dolph Ziggler will play backseat in this matchup to the Second City Savior and the Funkman. The Interim GM has vowed to screw Punk out of the championship but now his job is in review. Looking at the participants alone, this should be a fantastic matchup, but with the possible screw job hovering the match. Since CM Punk is the “best in the world” and Ziggler isn’t prepared to carry a belt, Punk should win.

Royal Rumble Match- As always this is always one of the most exciting matches of the year. If you ask me whom I think will perform well, I say Wade Barrett, Sheamus, Cody Rhodes, Brodus Clay and Drew McIntyre. However, the Rumble will come down to men, hometown favorite Randy Orton and “the best in the world at what he does” Chris Jericho. With Jericho having not wrestled in over a year, he may be rusty but I am sure he will have a strong showing. Everyone in the WWE Universe is expecting a rivalry between Punk and Jericho, but being that expected it may not happen. The WWE would earn a cheap cheer if Orton wins and Jericho is talking about “ending the world as we know it”. I don’t feel confident choosing one so I will say one of these two men will win.

2012-02-02T03:58:00.001-08:00

Thank You for Reading!

thelionsroar@cgps.org

Until next time, thank you.

Sincerely,

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

2012-01-13T02:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Lion's Roar--12th Edition

Hello and welcome to the twelfth edition of the Lion's Roar--our last edition for the first semester. We have a great group of articles, ranging from Gae Guarducci's on soccer to Michael Silverstone on the NFL awards.

Be sure to also read Max Kalikow's preview on USA basketball as well as Phil Callimanis' on the NFL draft.

Thanks for Reading!

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

Mr. Weissman (Advisor)

Michael Silverstone (Senior Writer)

Ben Acton (Senior Writer)

Reed Weber

Gae Guarducci

Max Kalikow

Max Silverstone

Philip Callimanis

Daniel Martin

2012-01-13T02:52:00.000-08:00

Serie A Round Up

by Gae Guarducci

Over the weekend, AC Milan and Juventus, who are at the moment joint at the top of the table, faced opponents Atalanta and Lecce. Atalanta started off the season with -5 points due to scandals involving betting and unsportsmanlike behavior. Going into the AC Milan game, they were in 6^th place; which is very impressive for a team like Atalanta considering that they came in 14^th place last season. Lecce on the other hand, who was in 18^th place, have yet to win an away game. Milan and Juventus both wrapped up easy three points winning 2-0 and 1-0. Alessandro Matri scored the only goal for Juventus coming on as a sub at the 28^th minute for an injured Fabio Quagliarella.

Inter, who won only two games in their first eight encounters have been moving up the table like it’s their job. After sacking coach Gasperini in November, Inter have won 6 out of their 7 games. Star players like Milito and Sneijder who have been out due to injuries came back after winter break. This weekend, they faced Parma. Gabriel Milito scored a couple before Pazzini, Thiago Motta, and newcomer Faraoni each got on the score sheet. Inter won the game 5-0 and moved up to 4^th place. A few months ago, teams such as Juventus, Milan, Lazio, and Udinese weren’t concerned with 2009/2010 champions, Inter considering that they had lost more games then any other team in the serie A. Now, they are very careful for Inter have been winning steadily for the past 7 games and they look to keep on winning.

Lazio too garnered maximum points in front of their own supporters, but they left it late as Giuseppe Sculli netted the only goal of the game against Siena at the Stadio Olimpico in the 85th minute. At the other end of the table, rock bottom Cesena went down 1-0 to fellow relegation candidates Catania at home, Juan Cuadrado with the only goal at the Dino Manuzzi Stadium on 56 minutes. Catania had Luis Murial sent off just two minutes later. Cesena failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority and remain stuck on three points, five behind their Sunday opponents, who are now third from bottom. Elsewhere in Serie A on Sunday afternoon, Chievo defeated Fiorentina 1-0 in Verona, thanks to a 66th minute goal from Luca Rigoni, and Napoli beat Palermo 3-0.

2012-01-13T02:46:00.000-08:00

Hoosier Daddy

by Reed Weber

It has been a long road to rebuilding but Tom Crean and the Indiana Hoosiers finally can exhale. Gone are the days of when Kelvin Sampson’s lingered over the future of the program. Currently, IU is 8^th in the polls while boasting an explosive offense shooting over 50% from the field on the season and putting up 83 points a game. The most impressive thing about this season though has been the knack the team has shown to show up in big games. The team is 15-1 with the lone loss coming against an always-strong Michigan State team led by Tom Izzo on the road. The other 15 wins include wins over Butler, NC State, #1 Kentucky in a buzzer-beater thriller, Notre Dame,#2 Ohio State,#13 Michigan along with typical blowouts over lower tier schools. Indiana has talent throughout the roster and surrounds freshman star Cody Zeller who demands constant double-teams with floor spacing shooters. This leads to the balanced scoring of the Hoosiers as 7 players average 8+ points a game and as a team they shoot 48% from downtown, best in the nation. They also know how to lock down in the half court as demonstrated by their .74 points per possession mark, third in the big ten.

The amazing thing about this all is that the best is yet to come. Crean has already gotten three four-star recruits to sign on for next year, all who are ESPNU top 100 players. They have the #3 overall point guard Yogi Ferrell who is an in-state prospect that will add to an already strong backcourt of Jordan Hulls (95% free-throw shooter), Victor Oladipo(super athletic), Verdell Jones III(all around solid player) and sixth man Will Sheehey.

Prediction: The Hoosiers will make a deep run in this year’s tourney on their way to the Elite 8 with the potential for more and further greatness. They have shown the ability to beat the big dogs and that confidence will be crucial in March.

2012-01-13T02:43:00.000-08:00

NFL Draft Preview

by Phil Callimanis

Colts- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Luck is the best player on the board, and one of the best quarterback prospects of the decade. With the uncertainty of Peyton Manning's health, QB is a big priority.

Rams- Matt Kalil, OT, USC

The Rams gave up the most sacks in the NFL in 2011; they need to protect young QB, Sam Bradford.

Vikings- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

The Vikings secondary was constantly torched, raking in the bottom third for passing yards allowed per game.

Browns- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

There is much uncertainty around the running back situation in Cleveland. Peyton Hillis is expected to leave due to contract disputes, poor play, and injuries (victim of the Madden curse).

Buccanears- Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Their pass attack was weak. Not one receiver on the Bucs' caught for over 800 yards. Josh Freeman needs a #1 receiver in order to excel.

Redskins- Robert Griffin 3, QB, Baylor

John Beck and Rex Grossman didn't cut it. Heisman winner, RG3, is the obvious choice to to the QB turmoil in Washington.

Jaguars- Quinton Coples, DE, UNC

The Jaguars need a wide receiver, but no one is available that's worthy of a top ten pick. Quinton Coples adds youth to an aging Jaguars defensive line. He is also the best player on the board.

Panthers- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The Panthers, like the Vikings, were terrible pass defenders, ranking 24th in the NFL in passing yards allowed.

Dolphins- Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

The Dolphins need a QB, but the only two worthy of a top 10 pick are already gone. Instead, they will protect Matt Moore.

Bills- Nick Perry, DE, USC

Bills had issues rushing the QB and getting sacks.

Chiefs- Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Martin doesn't fill the biggest Chiefs need, but he is the best player available. Also Chiefs offensive lineman Barry Richardson is a free agent

Seattle- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst are not cutting it at QB. This may be a reach, but with the Seahawks QB situation, they need this pick.

Cardinals- Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama

The Cardinals don't have enough linebacker depth. They need someone to both stop the run and put pressure on the QB.

Cowboys- Alfonzo Denard, Nebraska

Eagles- Luke Kuechly, Boston College

Jets- Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina

Bengals- Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama

Chargers- Mark Barron, Alabama

Bears- Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

Titans- David DeCastro, Stanford

Bengals- David Wilson, Virginia Tech

Browns- Kendall Wright, Baylor

Lions- Zach Brown, UNC

Steelers- Whitney Mercilius, Illinois

Broncos- Brandon Thompson, Clemson

Texans- Cordy Glenn, Georgia

Giants- Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

Patriots- Jerel Worthy, Michigan State

49ers- Mohammed Sanu, Rutgers

Patriots (via Saints)- Andre Branch, Clemson

Ravens- Zebrie Sanders, Florida State

Packers- Melvin Ingram, South Carolina

2012-01-13T02:38:00.000-08:00

Wild Card Week NFL Playoff Awards

by Daniel Martin

Wild Card Week MVP: Tim Tebow, QB, Denver Broncos

C’mon. He was making plays everywhere against a good Pittsburgh Steeler defense. He threw for 300 yards! He just made all the right moves in all the right places to get the Broncos this huge upset.

Wild Card Week Defensive MVP: Jabri Greer, CB, New Orleans Saints

For Greer, the number show a lot. 7 tackles and 2 picks including one that really put the nail in the

coffin for the Lions. Greer was just everywhere for the Saints on Saturday night.

Rookie Of The Week: T.J. Yates, QB, Houston Texans

Yates did not have a phenomenal game. His stat line wasn’t huge, he was never even really put in a pressure situation. But like he often does, Yates did what he had to do to get the Texans to win.

Best Team Performance: Houston Texans

Yates played well. Foster was great with 153 yards and 2 TD’s. On top of that they really stuck it to Andy Dalton forcing him to throw 3 picks including one that was returned for a TD by J.J. Watt.

Best Play: 80 yard TD pass from Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas

First play from scrimmage. Tebow hung in the pocket for a little bit, then he threw the perfect ball to Thomas who shook off an Ike Taylor tackle and bolted for the end zone to seal the win for Denver. Nothing to say but WOW.

2012-01-13T02:37:00.000-08:00

Tim Tebow Today: Where does he stand

by Max Silverstone

What builds a good quarterback? Is it based on how many games you win? Is it based purely on your statistics? Is it based on how much of a leader you are of your team? Is it based on the playoffs? Is it based on religion? Jesus? Does Jesus have a role in football?

Tim Tebow is a quarterback on the Denver Broncons. He went 7-4 as a starter, and thanked his lord and savior Jesus Christ after every win. However, he never contributed too much to the team as a quarterback. Who should he really thank? How about his kicker Matt Prater. Under Tebow as a starter, the Broncos won three games in overtime due to the leg of Matt Prater. What about the offensive line? A quarterback is worthless without his protection. A good offensive line enables for the quarterback to watch his receivers and release the ball before getting hit and or sacked. It also enables him to run the ball, if there is no one open. Without an offensive line, Tebow probably wouldn’t have been able to rush for one of his six rushing touchdowns this season. The Broncos offense has been based on their running game this season. They were first this season in rushing yards per game. Part of it was Tebow running the ball, but you must give credit to Willis McGahee, and the slight contribution of Lance Ball. Tebow is one of the better rushing quarterbacks in the NFL, but a quarterback’s main job is to throw the ball and lead the team, which was helped to be made possible by his O-line.

So, is Tebow an elite quarterback in NFL? Nope. 0%. Period! Nothing! He always thanks Jesus Christ for helping him win games, when all he does is throw a few touchdowns in the 4^th quarter, and let his kicker do everything real important. A rating of 72.9 shows complete mediocrity, and how it doesn’t always have to be you to win games. He 100% has his chance to prove he’s good, and although he has won many games and conducted many comebacks, his team deserves more credit than him. He’s thanking Jesus now while he’s winning, because in the future when he doesn’t do well, and neither does his team, he’ll blame Jesus rather than himself or blaming the rest of the team and getting them mad at him. Tim Tebow is not amazing, not elite, not skilled enough to be an NFL starter, and not a great of the 2011-2012 season. Only his team is.

2012-01-13T02:35:00.000-08:00

The New York Giants Approach: What it is and Why it Will Send Them to the Superbowl

by Aakash Bhatia

The New York Giants have truly had one of the most up and down seasons in the league. After a surprising 6-3 start, the team lost their next 3. However, with exciting wins over the Jets and Cowboys, they finished 9-7 and entered the playoffs as the four seed. Last Sunday, they won their first home playoff game in the Eli Manning-Tom Coughlin era with a 24-2 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Now, the debate is whether the Giants can keep it up as they enter Greenbay next week. Here are four reasons about why the Giants have the best roster and personnel out of any team to win the Superbowl:

1- The Defensive Line

In today’s high paced version of the NFL, more teams are dropping their players into coverage than ever before. This adds importance to the defensive line, as they and they alone are in charge of bringing pressure to the opposing team’s quarterbacks. The Giants, with an outstanding defensive line, have the luxury of consistently rushing 4 men and dropping the rest of them into coverage. This makes it harder for opposing quarterbacks to throw the ball downfield. In a playoffs with Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady, having this is as important as ever.

2- Running Game

The Giants finished with the worst running game in every category this season. However, they have accumulated over 100 yards each of the past five games. Part of this has to do with the return of Ahmad Bradshaw, but the offensive line has been playing really well. If the team can continue to run the ball effectively, they can take time off the clock against the powerful offenses in the league. Furthermore, it will open up looks for the Giants’ impressive passing game.

3- Eli Manning

The Giants have the luxury of the one of the most clutch and playoff experienced quarterbacks in the league. With a Superbowl ring already under his belt as well as a career year, Manning enters the playoffs with more confidence than ever before. Furthermore, it helps the Giants that they have the league’s best fourth quarter quarterback.

4- They are Battle Tested

No team than the Giants have had more stressful games throughout the course of the season. Every one of their games have been down to the wire and they have six fourth quarter comebacks. With that type of experience, the Giants will fare well in similar situations in the playoffs.

2012-01-13T02:33:00.000-08:00

NFL Awards

by Michael Silverstone

Offensive Rookie of the Year – Cam Newton – The rookie silenced every critic by breaking numerous rookie passing and quarterback rushing records. The Panthers are obviously in the rebuilding stage, and did not make the playoffs, which could hurt Newton’s chances. However, I believe Newton has had the biggest impact of all rookies this season.

Defensive Rookie of the Year – Von Miller – Miller led all rookies in sacks with 11.5 on the year. He proved to be a defensive force for Denver by helping them solidly improve.

Offensive Breakout Player of the Year – Jimmy Graham – How often does a tight end catch well over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns? He was also one reception shy of 100.

Defensive Breakout Player of the Year – Jason Pierre-Paul – In his second season as a professional, Pierre-Paul recorded a team-high 16.5 sacks, and has come up huge in clutch situations, such as in New York’s victory against Dallas in which he blocked the potential game-tying field goal.

Coach of the Year – Jim Harbaugh – In his first year as San Francisco’s head coach, Harbaugh led the 49ers to their first playoff berth since 2003. Finally, Alex Smith is starting to perform at the level that was expected of him.

Comeback Player of the Year – Matthew Stafford – By avoiding injuries, Stafford became the first Lion to pass for over 5,000 yards. He also threw 41 touchdowns, more than double his first two years in the NFL combined.

Surprise Team of the Year – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Josh Freeman was destined to be a star, and it seemed the team would be hungry after just coming up short last season. However, this “young-and-improving” team only won four games, and finished last in the NFC South.

Offensive Player of the Year – Drew Brees – Brees threw 46 touchdowns, 5,476 yards (NFL record), and completed 71.2% (NFL record) of his passes. All of these statistics led the league.

Defensive Player of the Year – Patrick Willis – His statistics may not show it, but this guy could do it all. Willis, a linebacker, could easily slip into pass coverage. His 12 pass deflections led all linebackers in that statistic. If you watch him play, you would realize how huge his impact has been to guiding a team from futility to elite status.

NFL MVP – Aaron Rodgers – The numbers he has put up this year are jaw dropping, but perhaps the most important statistic lies in his ability to bail out the worst defense in the league. Leading a team to a 15-1 record despite having the 32^nd-ranked

2012-01-13T02:30:00.000-08:00

The Bucking Broncos Wild Ride

By Tough Acton

The Denver Broncos have had an up and down season. Lows have included replacing their starting qb after 6 games, injuries to key players such as Knowshon Moreno, and Tebow’s horrendous play for the first 3 quarters. However, their highs have been equally as exciting starting with Tebow’s debut, which led to a 6 game winning streak, the resurgence of Willis McGahee and the breakout of rookie Von Miller. But what would there future be like in the playoffs?

On a cold day in Denver, they led 20-13 after 3 quarters. Despite the lack of a running game, Denver was still moving the ball. The defense also looked dominant holding Big Ben to under 200 yards through the first three. Knowing how clutch they are in the 4^th quarter, Bronco fans were sitting in the driver’s seat.

But then, little by little, Steelers started getting big plays from young players. Both Sanders and Brown caught huge passes to put the Steelers in scoring position culminating with a 31 yard TD pass to Jericho Cotchery. Steeler D then had a big stop forcing the Broncos to punt. Big Ben then marched down the field, in reach of field goal range. Jesus finally appeared as the unthinkable happened. The second string center snapped the ball over the head of the qb eliminating any chance of a field goal. After a big sack, OT was around the corner.

After a kickoff, the Broncos were 80 yards away from the win. One would think that the methodical Broncos would have pounded the ball but that was not the plan Elway had in mind. Instead Tebow throws an 80-yard TD for the win. Who would have expected Tebow’s arm would be the reason for a Broncos win?

What does this mean for next week? The Pats have been a tough team all year even beating the Broncos weeks ago. In a cold environment, Tebow should be more successful than some might think. All in all, the Pats should win but don’t be surprised if the Broncos give them a run for the money.

2012-01-13T02:27:00.000-08:00

The Olympic Juggernauts

by Max Kalikow

The 2012 summer Olympics are in London and they are coming this summer. One of the many events in the Olympics is the basketball tournament. In 2004 the United States came in 3^rd place even though they clearly had the most talented squad. In 2008 they took home the gold and this year they look to do the same. They are going to sport a squad likely to include many NBA stars, such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Love, plus others who are going to try out. At first glance this team is a juggernaut that cannot lose. At second class you notice nothing different and continue to think that this team cannot lose. Of course, in 2004, there was a similar mindset. Having so many stars on one team can result in some problems. First, a lot of these guys are used to taking all of the teams shots. They all play in different systems and will have to adjust. Fortunately, when you have this many stars there is basically no way to lose. I don’t want to hear someone say, “but the Heat lost?” That’s 3 stars… this is more like 15. Spain is normally the biggest threat to the U.S. How good are they?

The Gasol twins are up top with Rubio and most likely Rudy Fernandez in the backcourt. Don’t get me wrong, the Gasols are great NBA players but neither of Spain’s stars would start if they were on the U.S. team. Historically, Spain plays very well because they have very good cohesiveness and thus they get far. If the U.S. team gains the cohesiveness that Spain normally has, they will be unstoppable. If their egos get in the way they will still probably win, but it certainly won’t be as pretty.

2012-01-13T02:26:00.001-08:00

Thank You for Reading!

thelionsroar@cgps.org

Until next time, thank you.

Sincerely,

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

2011-12-17T17:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Lion's Roar-11th Edition

Hello and welcome to the eleventh edition of the Lion's Roar and our last one for 2011. It's been a great year in sports, and our writers put forth their best effort. Gaetano Guarducci has his weekly soccer column while Max Silverstone and I give our predictions on the NBA. Be sure to also read Phil Callimanis' article on the international MLB free agent market and Daniel Martin on this year's fantasy football steals and busts.

See you next year!

Thanks for Reading!

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

Mr. Weissman (Advisor)

Michael Silverstone (Senior Writer)

Ben Acton (Senior Writer)

Reed Weber

Gae Guarducci

Max Kalikow

Max Silverstone

Philip Callimanis

Daniel Martin

2011-12-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Tyson Chandler: Worth the Risk?

By Aakash Bhatia

The New York Knicks recently made a huge acquisition in this shortened NBA offseason, acquiring former Dallas Maverick, Tyson Chandler. However, this did not come cheap, as the Knicks had to release Chauncy Billups, trade Ronni Turiaf, and sign Chandler to a monster deal, eliminating them from the Chris Paul and Dwight Howard sweepstakes. The question now is, was Chandler worth it? This is a guy, after all, who came out of nowhere last year and misses around 20 games a year. Also, does he really deserve a close to max contract?

In my opinion, yes, Chandler is definitely worth the cost. For the first time since Patrick Ewing, the Knicks finally have a legitimate Center. Chandler, however, is exactly what the Knicks need: a tough, defensive minded player. The Knicks have all the firepower on offense that they need to be successful, but the defense is where they really struggled. Chandler finally gives them a defensive threat and his style of play is the type that will elevate the defense of his teammates as well. Chandler also is a great leader and has post season experience, winning a championship last year. Therefore, while the cost is great, the reward will be greater, Tyson Chandler was a great acquisition by the New York Knicks.

2011-12-17T16:35:00.000-08:00

The Lost Ones – Tragedy Strikes the ’94 Chargers Once Again

by Michael Silverstone

An AFL-turned-NFL team founded in 1960, the San Diego Chargers and their fans recall one year in which absolute glory was almost achieved – 1994. The Chargers went 11-5 that season, good enough for an AFC West Division crown. Fans from the 1990s will recall the exciting Divisional game against Miami, in which San Diego overcame a 21-6 halftime deficit and won the game on a passing touchdown from quarterback Stan Humphries to wide receiver Mark Seay with 35 seconds left. Miami missed a game-winning field goal wide right, as time expired. San Diego then went into Pittsburgh to face the heavily favored Steelers, prevailing 17-13 thanks to another great second-half performance.

San Diego’s exciting season ended with a blowout loss at the hand of a cross-state rival, the San Francisco 49ers, thanks in part to Steve Young’s record setting six touchdown passes. The Chargers have not returned to the Super Bowl since.

Now, one may ask, why is this relevant now? Last Thursday, former Chargers linebacker Lew Bush passed away, making him the seventh player from the 1994 Super Bowl team to perish. This article will focus on the accomplishments of Bush and the other six who died tragically before the age of 45.

1. David Griggs (Linebacker) – Drafted by New Orleans in the seventh round of the 1989 NFL draft, Griggs came from the University of Virginia. Griggs was cut by New Orleans and picked up by Miami, where he did not see much playing time in his four years as a Dolphin. He was only on the Chargers for one season, but he started in Super Bowl XXIX, San Diego’s only trip to the big game in the Super Bowl era. Griggs died in a fatal car crash on June 19^th, 1995, when his speeding car lost control on an expressway and hit a pole. He was 28.

2. Rodney Culver (Running back) – Culver was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. A player at Notre Dame, he was part of the Irish team that made the 1991 Orange Bowl and won the 1992 Sugar Bowl. He mainly played backup to Jerome Bettis. Culver never started in the NFL, and did not touch the ball in Super Bowl XXIX. He died on May 11^th, 1996, along with his wife Karen, when a plane from Miami to Atlanta crashed into the Florida Everglades. All 110 people aboard were killed.

3. Doug Miller (Linebacker) – Miller was drafted in the seventh round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played at South Dakota State University. In his two seasons as a professional, Miller never started a regular season game. In one of the most strangest athlete deaths, Miller was struck by lightning in 1998 in Colorado.

4. Curtis Whitley (Center) – A fifth round draft pick out of Clemson, Whitley spent six years in NFL (three with San Diego). He was also a player for the Carolina Panthers’ inaugural season team after being selected in the 1995 NFL Expansion Draft. In his first of two years for the Panthers, Whitley started all 16 games. He ended his career in Oakland. Whitley died of a drug overdose in 2008.

5. Chris Mims (Defensive end) – Mims was selected in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft, after a great career at Tennessee. He played seven seasons in San Diego (1992-1996, 1998-1999). Mims recorded 42 career sacks in 104 games played, which means he got about one sack close to every two games. He was found dead in his apartment by police officers conducting his welfare check. The cause of death was an enlarged heart, and he weighed 456 pounds at the time of his death.

6. Shawn Lee (Defensive tackle) – Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 1988 NFL Draft, Lee joined the Chargers in 1992, whom he stayed with until 1997. He went to the University of Northern Alabama. Lee was a starter in Super Bowl XXIX. He is best known for his dual nickname with fellow lineman Reuben Davis, “The Two Tons of Fun.” Lee was just short of a star for San Diego, starting in almost every game for most of his time there. He died on February 26, 2011, due to complications of diabetes and pneumonia that caused cardiac arr

2011-12-17T16:28:00.000-08:00

The International Market

By Phil Callimanis

Twenty-Six year old Cuban outfielder, Yoenis Cespedes, an unknown commodity until recently, has created much buzz with his YouTube showcase.

In his scouting video, Yoenis Cespedes showed off his super natural strength, agility, and speed.

Cespedes, projects as a five-tool player. In 2011, playing in Cuba, Cespedes batted .333 with thirty-three homeruns and a whopping ninety-nine runs batted in, in just ninety games.

Cespedes defected from Cuba recently and is attempting to gain residency in the Dominican Republic, in order to become a Major League free agent. Word is that once he becomes a free agent, he will ask for more money than fellow Cuban defector, flamethrower, Aroldis Chapman, who commanded thirty million dollars from the Reds. At twenty-six years of age, it is expected that he might have to transition immediately to the majors.

Just last week after the conclusion of the winter meetings, Japanese phenom, Yu Darvish was posted. The bidding ended Wednesday at 5 pm. The frontrunners for Darvish were expected to be the Blue Jays, Ranger, and Yankees. So far, it is known that those three teams all bid, with the Cubs joining the mix. Jon Heyman of CBS sports, reported that the Darvish’s Japanese team is pleased with the top bid, and they will soon accept it. Once the bid is accepted, Darvish will have 30 days to negotiate with the winning club.

2011-12-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

Seasons Greetings to the NBA

by Max Silverstone

Christmas is usually a Christian holiday. This year, it’s going to be a completely national holiday. Why? The long awaited, formerly locked out, NBA season is starting. Through all of the controversy that happened off the court relating to money, it has been settled. It’s time for the preseason picks: Who will do well? Who will not? Who will win it all? These are my predictions

First pick: Who will make the playoffs, who missed out last year?

The LA Clippers

They now have Chris Paul. In the NBA, you only need one exceptionally good player to do well. Although he may start off rough on his new team, you have to remember that this sport is recovering from a lockout, and everyone is going to start off a bit rough from having very little time at training camp. Chris Paul should not really stand out much more than any other average team. Also, Blake Griffin will not longer be a rookie, and has the depth to do even better than he did last year. Paul and Griffin will be the core of fueling this team into the postseason.

Second pick: Who will miss the playoffs who made it this year?

The Memphis Grizzlies

In most sports, only deserving teams make the playoffs. In the NBA, 50% of the teams in the sport get a ticket to the postseason. That means that there is almost nothing elite about a 7 or 8 seed. I don’t see the Grizzlies as an exception to being a playoff team that didn’t have a good record, but had good players. I do not believe in this team this year, and think that they will have to try a bit harder if they want to make a playoff spot, and show what they can earn.

Third pick: Who will make the championship?

Chicago Bulls vs. San Antonio Spurs

These are two amazing teams. I believe in both of them. They both did very last year, and I think that they can also do very well this year.

Fourth pick: Who will win the championship?

The Bulls

This team will not disappoint. They went very far last year, know what its like to be in the playoffs, understand the system, and know what to di. I am putting my hope into this team.

Overall standings prediction

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic:

Boston

New York

Philadelphia

Toronto

New Jersey

Central:

Chicago

Milwaukee

Detroit

Indiana

Cleveland

Southeast:

Miami

Orlando

Charlotte

Atlanta

Washington

Western Conference:

Northwest:

Denver

Portland

Oklahoma City

Utah

Minnesota

Pacific:

Lakers

Clippers

Phoenix

Golden State

Sacramento

Southwest:

Dallas

San Antonio

New Orleans

Houston

Memphis

2011-12-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

2011/2012 Fantasy Football All Steal And All Bust Teams

by Daniel Martin

Well the fantasy season is wrapping up and this year, like all years, their have been some steals, players who were drafted late or picked up of waivers who had great seasons, and some busts, players who did not live up to their expectations. Here are the biggest steals and busts on one roster.

All Steal Team:

QB Cam Newton, Panthers Rookies are usually underestimated in fantasy and Newton has had a really good season. On top of that, usually when the Panthers get into the red zone he just runs it in.

RB DeMarco Murray, Cowboys Another rookie. Before the lockout ended he looked like he was 4^th on the cowboys depth chart. Most likely no one drafted him in their fantasy drafts. In week 7 he blew up against the Rams running for 253 yards. While he did recently get injured and wont return this season, he wrangled up a bunch of points for the owners who had him.

RB Darren Sproles, Saints Sproles has had a fantastic season. He has been a huge triple threat for the Saints both running, receiving and returning kicks. In other words he was for the Saints what Reggie Bush never became and more. To give you an idea about how important he has been to the Saints offence in every game but 1 he has caught at least 5 passes. His old team, the Chargers, must really be kicking themselves.

WR Victor Cruz, Giants Wow! That’s all you can say about Cruz. He has just been incredible. Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham have both had stints on the injured list this season and Cruz did more then fill in for them. He has arguably become Eli Manning’s favorite target and has taken Manningham’s role in the starting lineup. The second year wide out from UMass has had 68 catches for 1,150 yards and 7 TD’s, stud stats

WR Percy Harvin, Vikings Harvin has been a lot like Darren Sproles this season. The former gator has done everything for the Vikings, especially recently as star RB, Adrian Peterson has been injured.

TE Rob Gronkowski, Patriots He had a good season last year so he didn’t come out of no where but no one could have expected this from Gronkowski. He has broken the single season TD record for TE’s in a season, and all the while, has shared playing time and catches with Aaron Hernandez, who has made 59 catches himself. Just a fantastic season from this second year TE.

K Dan Bailey, Cowboys Bailey, despite the recent stuff where he seems to freeze up in pressure situations has done a stellar job as the Cowboys kicker especially in fantasy. He wasn’t even there kicker at the beginning of the year.

All Bust Team:

QB Michael Vick, Eagles Who else? He got hurt. When he did play he was not as impressive as he should have been. On top of all that, the “dream team”, proved to be anything but.

RB Jamaal Charles, Chiefs Not entirely his fault but still. He looked so good last year and he was a top 10 pick in most leagues. Then in week 2 he suffered a season ending injury.

RB Peyton Hillis, Browns He was predicted to be a bust but he’s a bust all the same. You cant go from a 1,177 yard season to a 346 yard season and not be called a bust even if a lot of people predicted it.

WR DeSean Jackson, Eagles He was totally ineffective all season and created major off the field issues, bringing back the questions about his attitude that made Jackson and his tremendous talent slip to the middle of the second round in the 2008 NFL draft.

WR Chad Ochocinco, Patriots What a nightmare of a season it has been for Ochocinco. Not even his harshest critics (me) expected a mess of a season like this. 13 catches all season thus far. Ouch.

WR Roy Williams, Bears Not much to say here. He got into the starting lineup and has just been playing really poorly. He just hasn’t really had “it” since he got injured in 2008.

TE Dallas Clark, Colts Just pitiful. He has only missed a few games but he hasn’t managed to break 30 catches or even 300 yards. He was supposed to be a reason that the Colts would be able to live without Peyton. Instead it turns out that Clark cant live without Peyton.

K Nate Kaeding, Chargers Kaeding is considered one of the best kickers in the NFL and was probably one of the first kickers taken in most leagues. However, in week 1 on the opening kickoff, Kaeding tore his anterior cruciate ligament causing him to miss the season. He didn’t record a single point in any fantasy league.

2011-12-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

Threat or Menace?

by Gae Guarducci

Ever since soccer star Mario Balotelli arrived at Manchester in the summer of 2010, he has been involved in quite a few mishaps. As a player, he is considered to be one of the best out there, but as soon as he steps off the field, he’s a heck of a guy. This season alone, he scored over ten goals and is the third top scorer for his club Manchester City. It’s an impressive number considering that he is the player with the least number of minutes on the field out of the starting eleven. It’s also safe to say though that he is the least consistent player in the whole squad. One game, he could bring home a hat-trick, the next, he could receive a red card within the first ten minutes on the field. He stands third on the “disciplinary” list with three yellow cards and one red card since September. The two players above him on the list are defender Vincent Kompany and Gael Clichy. You never know what this guy will bring to the table once he steps on the pitch. He could score the winning goal or he could lose the game for Manchester City.

Last weekend, Manchester City faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea’s Stadium). Within two minutes of play, Balotelli netted a goal for City. The score was 1-0 up until the 35^th minute, where Raul Mereiles tucked in an easy goal for Chelsea to make it 1-1. Manchester City coach, Roberto Mancini didn’t sub Balotelli out, like he normally would, in hope that he could bring home the glory. Before this game, Manchester City were one of the two only teams in Europe to remain undefeated since the start of the season; Juventus from Italy is still undefeated having won eight matches and tied six. Chelsea got the last goal of the game at the 82^nd minute. The match ended 2-1 for Chelsea and Manchester City’s undefeated run was over.

Mario Balotelli was under the spotlight, as usual, when he got into an exchange with teammate Michah Richards. The press was all over it, reporting that Balotelli lost his temper and is the one to blame. The truth of the matter is that Mario Balotelli isn’t who everyone believes he is. Although it is true that since last summer he has been involved in: throwing darts at the Manchester City academy players, going to night clubs when his coach or club don’t allow him to, burning down his own house with fireworks, and so on… In reality, he is just a young Italian immigrant who is trying to find his way in life. He is at the center of attention on all the English and Italian newspapers, but frankly, nothing he is portrayed to have done is his own fault. In an interview with Mario, he expressed himself as a shy and quite fellow, quite the opposite of what the newspapers illustrate him as.

2011-12-17T13:02:00.001-08:00

Battle of LA: Staples Center

by Reed Weber

Clippers trade Aminu,Eric Gordon,Minny 2012 1^st Rounder and Kaman for CP3. By doing so, they leaped the Lakers as the top team in LA. The keys to Los Angeles have been passed down the Totem Pole and across the hall from Kobe to Blake.

The Clippers are set at PF with the super-gifted Blake Griffin. In his delayed rookie year, he posted a per that was the highest since CP3 himself in the 2005-2006 season. Blake is in elite company as his per of 21 in 2,000 mins. or more of playing time was only done before by – Paul, MJ, The Admiral, Shaq and Tim Duncan. Not too shabby to say the least. Only 22 years of age at the start of this season, Griffin hopefully put work in during the lockout to improve his post game, defense and foul shooting to ascend even farther into stardom. Keep a close watch on wether Blake has improved his mid-range game. If he has , I expect him to only improve upon last years beast mode.

Chris Paul is the best point-guard in the game. Trading for him elevates the Clips to elite status. Los Angeles will be renamed Lob City very shortly as his penetration and vision are tops in the league and unrivaled. .He had been carrying a very poor New Orleans team to wins and it is scary to imagine what he can do with a talented supporting cast of shooters and athletic big man around him.

Playing the 5, Deandre Jordan is very raw offensively but has excellent athleticism as a shot blocker. Recently signed, him and Blake are very good friends and look to form a formidable frontcourt. A defensive force that averaged almost 2 blocks a game and only looks to improve upon that number. I look for Deandre to take a very big step this year with Cp3 now in town.

In conclusion, the three players noted above are the “big three” of this team.Caron Butler and Billups at shooting guard are the wild-cards of this bunch. Currently, Billups looks to start at the two but I just do not know how the pieces of that will fit for now. Billups provides a great shooting threat that can sink 3’s with regularity and ease. Butler is a toss-up as he does not have a great defensive reputation but his scoring and offensive ability, when healthy, are quite impressive. Both are aged though and are not long term-pieces that will be around for a while. That’s the price to pay for landing a player the caliber of a Chris Paul top 10 talent. Now it is just up to see whether the fit is good or if the Clippers manage to continue to blow their golden opportunities.

Prediction: 3 or 4 seed while the Lakers barely squeeze into the playoffs at a 6 seed or above.

2011-12-17T12:58:00.002-08:00

2011-2012 BCS Bowl Game Predictions

By Tough Acton Ben Acton

The Rose Bowl- The “granddaddy of them all” this year will be played by the Wisconsin Badgers and the Oregon Ducks. This will be one of the better bowl games this year as it will be a high scoring game with two powerhouse offenses. LaMichael James and Russell Wilson will be the players to watch as they lead their respective offenses. I think the speed of the Ducks will be too much to handle in this game.

Prediction- Oregon

The Fiesta Bowl- Glendale is the host for this exciting game which will truly be a shootout between the Oklahoma St. Cowboys and the Stanford Cardinal. Both Andrew Luck and Brandon Weeden have incredible arms and great receivers to go to. I think that this game will come down to a matter of stops and the defense that makes the big play will win. I think the Cowboys will come prepared and get the W.

Prediction- Oklahoma St.

The Sugar Bowl- Two undeserving teams, Virginia Tech and Michigan, both play in this game. Michigan didn’t make the conference championship and Virginia Tech got blown out. I understand that the BCS wants to put butts in seats, but teams like Boise St. travel with a huge fan base. Nonetheless I have to make a prediction. In my mind Michigan is too inconsistent and the Hokies are always a second away from a big play.

Prediction- Virginia Tech

The Orange Bowl- Clemson takes on West Virginia in this matchup. Both teams put up big numbers on both sides of the ball. Furthermore, the speed of each team will entice viewers. Whenever I watch West Virginia I have trouble understanding how they don’t win every game. They are a tremendous team with unbelievable talent. However, Tajh Boyd has been incredible this season and will put up a huge game.

Prediction- Clemson

The BCS Championship Game- No. 1 vs No. 2 rematch in this game. LSU beat Alabama the first time around and very well could do it again. Each team has a Heisman finalist, Richardson and Mathieu, trying to prove the voters wrong. In my mind, Alabama will come hungry and try to overcome doubts, but the play of the Mathieu led Tigers will be too much.

Prediction- LSU

2011-12-17T12:58:00.001-08:00

Thank You for Reading!

thelionsroar@cgps.org

Until next time, thank you.

Sincerely,

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

2011-12-11T12:58:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Lion's Roar--10th Edition

Welcome to the Lion's Roar! We have some great pieces of work this week, as Ben Acton discusses the Heisman race in college football. Be sure to also read Gae Guarducci's weekly article on soccer. Phil Callimanis discusses the Yankees while Michael Silverstone talks about Caleb Hanie. Be sure to read them all!

Thanks for Reading!

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

Mr. Weissman (Advisor)

Michael Silverstone (Senior Writer)

Ben Acton (Senior Writer)

Reed Weber

Gae Guarducci

Max Kalikow

Max Silverstone

Philip Callimanis

Daniel Martin

2011-12-11T12:56:00.000-08:00

An Angry Bears Fan Puts All the Blame on Caleb Hanie

by Michael Silverstone

I would be repeating old news to say that Jay Cutler went down with a nasty thumb injury, and that Matt Forte could be out for a few weeks with a knee sprain, so I won’t go into that much detail on those stories.

The topic of today’s article is Caleb Hanie, Chicago’s deemed savior who led a fierce comeback in last year’s NFC Title Game before being intercepted in the final minutes.

Some necessary background – despite the news of Cutler’s injury, the Bears were 7-3 and in control of the top wild card spot. Chicago survived a brutal stretch of games to start off the season and proved its status as an elite football power, but that all changed with the emergence, or lack of, of Caleb Hanie.

The Bears have lost two straight with Hanie as the starter, who has posted a sub-50 QB Rating with two touchdowns versus six interceptions.

In this article, I will argue against all of my fellow Bears fans that still have faith in Hanie, because it is just the way I need to vent my anger on his dreadful performance so far.

Argument to Shoot Down #1 – He doesn’t know the system yet – Actually, Hanie has been with the Bears for four seasons. Despite never having started a single game until two weeks ago, Hanie was still required, as a backup, to know the Bears’ playbook. In fact, Hanie has been in a Bears uniform longer than Cutler has been!

Argument to Shoot Down #2 – He has bad receivers – The age of bad receivers in Chicago is just about over. True, there is no superstar wideout on this team, but Johnny Knox, and Earl Bennett have improved significantly to the effect where they could be consistently reliable receivers. Tight end Kellen Davis has emerged as solid tight end, leading the team with four touchdown receptions, and rookie Sanzenbacher could soon become a dominant receiver. Through two games as a starter, the only consistency that Hanie has shown is inaccuracy. He has missed open receivers on numerous occasions in critical situations. Against Kansas City, he missed a wide-open Earl Bennett for a potential touchdown. Chicago lost by seven.

Argument to Shoot Down #3 – The offensive line is bad again – Much of Cutler’s success as a quarterback in the Bears’ five-game winning streak gets credited to the offensive line, who only allowed Cutler to be sacked a mere five times. In only two games as a starter, Hanie has been sacked 11 times, including seven in the Kansas City game. Despite these stats, all the blame still goes on Hanie. When Cutler was playing, the offensive line was able to successful hold up for his three-to-four-step drop backs, which is long enough for just about any quarterback in the league to avoid being sacked. Hanie has been taking seven-step drop backs, allowing the defense to swarm in at a point where Cutler would have gotten rid of the ball already.

Argument to Shoot Down #4 – Roy Williams dropped the game-tying touchdown pass in the Chiefs game – Drops happen. But one must look at it from the perspective of Roy Williams, as a receiver. Just about every time he looked back on a route designed to get him the ball, he would see Hanie on the ground. So, why should he be expecting the ball at this point late in the game after what had happened to Hanie before?

The Free Agent frenzy for quarterbacks has been the talk of the town in Chicago. Here’s a look at what’s potentially available.

Donavan McNabb

A Fit?: NO

McNabb’s failure in Washington and Minnesota cannot be completely blamed on him. He was just with these teams at the wrong times. McNabb, a scramble-type quarterback, was expected to excel in systems meant for pocket-presence quarterbacks, so it would have been idiotic to expect anything spectacular of him. The Bears’ system would be better for McNabb than Washington’s and Minnesota’s, but with only four games remaining in a tight playoff race, it would not be smart to bring him in. He would have almost no time to learn Chicago’s system.

Brett Favre

A Fit?: NO

It would be any Bears fan’s biggest nightmare to see Favre in a navy blue and orange uniform, but it won’t happen. Unfortunately for Favre, playing staged backyard football games against random men in a Wrangler Jeans commercial will not get you into football shape. The cold Chicago winds would knock this old man down in a second…in the summer time.

That puts those cases to rest.

The best options for veteran quarterbacks, who would only come in as backups, are Charlie Frye, who would have to come out of retirement, and David Garrard, who was cut by Jacksonville prior to Week 1 of this season. The Bears should have jumped on Jake Delhomme sooner, who was recently signed as a veteran backup in Houston, a team that has also had quarterback issues this season.

Josh McCown should be the starter against Denver. Although his stats are not impressive, as a veteran, he has had multiple starts under his belt. Rookie Drew Enderle would be his backup, and Hanie would be the third string.

2011-12-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

The NFC East: What Happened?

by Max Silverstone

The NFC East used to be an NFL division that dominated for the past decade. But this year, none of the teams are playing exceptionally well. What happened? With the NFC east currently up for grabs by the Cowboys or the Giants, I will break down and analyze the seasons of all 4 teams in the NFC east, explain what happened, and they can improve. This will be done in order of the current standings.

1. Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are a team that have a lot of talent and a lot of promise, but have been in a steady decline over the last few years. Right now they stand atop the NFC East at 7-5, however, they’re record does not look as good as they really are. The only quality team that they have beat so far are the San Francisco 49ers. They have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL, playing the Eagles and Redskins twice, the AFC East (which is also up for grabs), and the NFC West, which I don’t think I need to say, is not a very good or competitive division, nor has it been any time in the recent few years. So, how can a team with so much talent, and so many good players, manage to have such a mediocre record? Quarterback Tony Romo, who has a rating just under 100, has seen better days, and is at the beginning of the end of his NFL career. Although he is very doing well this year, he is not doing as well has he has done in previous seasons. We all know what he is capable of, and although he is delivering, he is not giving as much as the Cowboys are asking for. His stats are matching ho he has done in the rest of his career, but with the receivers that he has and with the quality of the defenses that he’s playing, he should be doing better than he is right now.

2. The New York Giants

Oy vey! A team with so much inconsistency. Giants coach, Tom Coughlin, is on the hot seat annually, and if the Giants don’t make the playoffs, he could be gone. The Giants are one of those inconsistent teams that lose to bad teams, but beat good teams. They are coming off their best loss of the season. Many people predicted that they could upset the undefeated Packers, and they got very close. This shows the nation that if they pull it together, and play hard, they are in fact, a good team. This loss also motivates them for the rest of the season to win the rest of their games. With a big game coming up against the Cowboys, I believe that they could pull it off, and win this game. Although I regret saying this, take a look at the Jets. The pat few years they’ve had a mediocre core of players, but they were extremely motivated, and made the AFC championship twice in a row. If the Giants match this motivation, then they can do well. Also, in ’07, no one thought that they were the best team out their. However, before the season, general manager Jerry Reese predicted that they would win the Super Bowl. They pulled of the biggest upset in Super Bowl history. Again, at the beginning of this season, Jerry Reese has made that same prediction. Will it be correct again? Only time will find out.

3. The Philadelphia Eagles

This team may be one of the biggest fails in all of sports history. Tied at last with the Washington Redskins, it would be hard to believe that at the beginning of the season, this team was called the dream team. They have amazing players, but have not had any amazing games. This unmotivated team has not had anything going their way this season. With players like Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy, how could they not lose? Well, to this day I’m still not sure how, but it happened, but they are not in any position to make the playoffs this year. This team should be ashamed of themselves for wasting so many amazing players, and not getting anywhere near to being on the NFL’s elite teams, which everyone thought they would be at the beginning of the years.

4. The Washington Redskins

No one expected anything special from them, and they are not a team that does well. AT 4-8 and dead last, they’re right where everyone though they should be.

2011-12-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

Brian Cashman

by Phil Callimanis

Brian Cashman has so far preached that they are “comfortable” staying quiet during this years’ Winter Meetings.

Cashman, known as a “stealth ninja,” likes to “hide his hand.” Six years ago Cashman went on the record saying Bubba Crosby would start the following season in center field; a few days later Johnny Damon was shaved his bead, cut his hair and came to New York.

Numerous rumors have circulated, connecting the Yankees to almost every available pitcher on both the free agent market and via trade. Recently, the Yankees ruled out the free agent starters, which is headlined the over-priced, over-hyped CJ Wilson and Edwin Jackson. Cashman is willing to trade prospects in the “right deal.” Starters who appear to be available are Gio Gonzalez, Matt Garza, and John Danks.

The prices on these starter appear to be high at the moment, with teams requesting one of the killer B’s (Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances) and hitting phenom Jesus Montero.

As the offseason progresses, the prices will for sure drop, but for the Yankees the question is “How far will the prices drop?”

2011-12-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

Euro Groups Set

by Gaetano Guarducci

On Friday December 2^nd, the groups for the UEFA Euro 2012 were released. In Group A, co-hosts Poland will face 2004 champions Greece who haven’t been very convincing for the past several years, Russia, who barely made it through the qualifiers, and the Czech Republic, who, like Greece, haven’t demonstrated their abilities in the past few seasons.

In Group B, which is considered to be the toughest group, we have the Netherlands, runners-up of the World Cup 2010 and 2^nd ranked in the Fifa Coca-Cola ranking, who will face Germany, runners-up of the last Euro and 3^rd ranked in the Fifa Coca-Cola Ranking, Portugal, runners-up of the Euro 2004 and 7^th ranked, and finally, Denmark, who is definitely the weakest link in this group.

In Group C, defending world cup and euro champions, Spain, will go up against previous World Cup champions Italy, ranked 9^th after being pulled down three spots losing to Uruguay by one goal back in September, Republic of Ireland, who hasn’t participated in this tournament since 1988, but has been very effective in the qualifiers and has a lot to bring to the table, and Croatia, a rather quite team and under-estimated squad that is ranked one higher than Italy at 8^th.

In Group D, co-hosts Ukraine will face France, who has been going through rough times since their elimination from the World Cup in 2010. The players and their former coach Raymond Domenech didn’t get along and there were rumors of racist remarks being thrown at the players. France has been improving since then even though they had trouble qualifying, having to play a play-in game to make it. Other teams include England, who has shown greatness with their new coach Fabio Capello, and Sweden, who have star players such as Zalatan Ibrahimovic and goalie Andreas Isaksson, yet they haven’t convinced anyone of their potentiality.

2011-12-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

Heisman Prediction

By Tough Acton Ben Acton

The 2011 Heisman race has come down to five men:

Montee Ball, Wisconsin

Robert Griffin III, Baylor

Andrew Luck, Stanford

Trent Richardson, Alabama

Tyrone Mathieu, LSU

Let’s examine each player.

Ball has had a great year. He leads the nation in rushing with 1759 yards and rushing touchdowns with 32 TD’s. He has also been a threat in the aerial game scoring 6 TD’s.

RG3 has been the best QB in my mind this year. He is top 10 in every throwing category with 3998 passing yards and 36 TD’s. Furthermore, he is a rushing threat too. He had a quiet 644 rushing yards and 9 TD’s.

Andrew Luck has put up a quality year and is the future number 1 pick. He has thrown for 3170 yards and 35 TD’s. He has looked poised all season and has landed Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl.

Trent Richardson, the other running back, has also had a great year. He has racked up 1583 rushing yards and 23 total TD’s. If it wasn’t for his play, Alabama wouldn’t be in the National Championship.

Tyrone Mathieu has led LSU’s defense all year. His 2 interceptions have come at the best times. Furthermore as a returner, he has been an all around threat.

So which of these men will win?

In my opinion, Griffin has been the best player and has caught my eye. Not only his he successful, but he is also exciting. Any NFL team would be lucky to have him and if he doesn’t win the Heisman it will be a shame.

Now for other writer’s predictions:

Aakash- Luck

Max K- RG3

Daniel- Richardson

Reed- RG3

Phil- Luck

Max S.- Ball

Mr. Weissman- Luck

2011-12-11T12:34:00.002-08:00

The Miami Marlins: Another Dream Team?

by Aakash Bhatia

The Florida, no Miami, Marlins have made a splash this baseball offseason. The team, usually as conservative as can be, have spent over 18 million dollars so far on free agents and are looking to spend even more. Jose Reyes, superstar shortstop, already agreed to terms with the Marlins and Albert Pujols was just offered a massive 10 year deal. The Marlins have truly shocked baseball with this spending, as people have struggled to understand how they’ve acquired this money and why their suddenly willing to spend. Regardless of the answer, the Marlins have made it known that they’re ready to compete; if they sign Pujols, they have another “dream team.” The question is though, will this “dream team” be different than those of the past: the Philadelphia Eagles and the Miami Heat. Here is my analysis of the roster if they were to sign Albert Pujols:

1st Basemen- Albert Pujols

2^nd Basemen- Emilio Benafacio

3^rd Basemen- Hanley Ramirez

Shortstop- Jose Reyes

Outfield- Mike Stanton

Outfield- Logan Morrison

Outfield- Chris Coughlin

Obviously, this lineup is loaded. They have a tremendous amount of power with Stanton, Pujols, and Buck, and would have the best speed in baseball; it’s a possibility that four guys in that lineup steal at least 40 bases. With that speed and power, the lineup would be the best in the NL East and possibly all of baseball. All they would need is bounceback seasons from Ramirez and Coughlin and they’ll be set.

Pitchers:

Starter- Josh Johnson

Starter- Ricky Nolasco

Starter- Anibal Sanchez

Starter- Clay Hensley

Starter- Chris Volstad

Closer- Heath Bell

The biggest problems with this team is easily the pitching. While Josh Johnson is as good as any pitcher in the league, he consistently gets hurt and the Marlins can’t rely on him for a full year. Nolasco Sanchez and Volstad all have a lot of potential, but have struggled to fulfill expectations. Heath Bell was a very solid signing and will anchor that end of the bullpen. He had a down year though, last year, and time will tell whether that was a blimp or a sign of things to come.

2011-12-11T12:34:00.001-08:00

Thank You for Reading!

thelionsroar@cgps.org

Until next time, thank you.

Sincerely,

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

2011-12-02T04:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Lion's Roar--9th Edition

Welcome to the Lion's Roar! This week we have a plethora of wide ranging and interesting articles from Gae Guarducci's about soccer to Max Silverstone about Peyton Manning and the NFL.

Phil Callimanis gives us this year's first NFL Mockdraft while Michael Silverstone writes about LSU. Be sure to read them all!

Thanks for Reading!

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

Mr. Weissman (Advisor)

Michael Silverstone (Senior Writer)

Ben Acton (Senior Writer)

Reed Weber

Gae Guarducci

Max Kalikow

Max Silverstone

Philip Callimanis

Daniel Martin

2011-12-02T04:19:00.000-08:00

Painting A New Picture

By Daniel Martin

We can all agree that the Indianapolis Colts are in a jam. The longtime face of their franchise, Peyton Manning, is for the first time in his 13 year NFL career, injured. Manning has been the force that has driven the Colts to dominance in the last 9 years. It is unclear how long he will be out but he has already missed 4 weeks and is expected to miss a good chunk of the rest of the season if not the whole season.

Now lets go back 2 years to the 2009 NFL draft. The Colts take QB Curtis Painter in the 6^th round with the 201^st pick overall. Painter, a hometown boy who was born in Illinois and grew up and went to college in Indiana was somewhat of a steal. When he was at Purdue he had shown flashes of greatness and led Purdue to a victory in the Motor City Bowl, but a mediocre senior season made his draft stock plummet. The Colts were in no need of a quarterback. They had Peyton Manning who was showing no signs of fading but they liked what they saw in Painter and drafted him. They set up a mentor situation with Painter and Manning and seemed to be grooming Painter for when Manning retired even if that was years away, which it was and still probably is. Since then Manning has shown no signs of fading and has maintained his status as, in my opinion, the best QB in the NFL and one of the greatest QB’s ever to play. Painter’s NFL debut was not a success though. Going in to week 15 of the 2009 season (Painter’s rookie year) the Colts had a perfect 14-0 record. At the half, they were leading the New York Jets 15-10. Coach Jim Caldwell decided to sit Manning to make sure he would not get hurt going in to the play-offs. In comes Painter, a rookie with an undefeated season in his hands and to put it lightly, he had a rough game. He went 4 for 11 with 44 yards an interception and a fumble and the Colts lost. What people often forget about this game was Painter was not the only back up on the field. His entire offensive line was made up of back ups and they gave him practically no protection. The Colts, behind Manning, ended up making it to the Super Bowl and losing the New Orleans Saints. However now there is no Peyton Manning to save the Colts.

This season, upon hearing that Manning would miss some time, the Colts signed veteran QB Kerry Collins to play QB until Manning recovered. The Colts seemed to not have enough trust in him so even in Manning’s absence Painter would sit and watch. Collins has played terribly for the last few weeks and in last Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers got a concussion. In steps Curtis Painter… again, and Colts fans had flashbacks to the game 2 years ago against the Jets. But Painter had his own ideas. While on the first drive he fumbled, he bounced back on the next drive by leading the Colts downfield 80 yards for a late 4^th quarter touchdown. The Colts did not win in the end but Painter’s impressive drive on primetime showed the world what he is capable of. My prediction is tonight against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Painter will have the first start of his career, he will shine. While I do except Manning to return either this season or next and play a few more seasons I also think that Curtis Painter has a very bright future as the next star quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts.

2011-12-02T04:16:00.000-08:00

NFL Mock Draft

by Phil Callimanis

Colts- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Rams- Matt Kalil, OT, USC

Vikings- Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Dolphins- Matt Barkley, QB, USC

Panthers- Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Jaguars- Quinton Coples, DE, UNC

Chiefs- Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Cardinals- Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Redskins- Robert Griffin 3, QB, Baylor

Seahawks- Ryan Tennehill, QB, Texas A&M

Buccaneers- Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska

Browns- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Chargers- Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Eagles- Zach Brown, OLB, UNC

Bills- Whitney Mercillius, DE, Illionois

Titans- David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Jets- Vontaze Burflict, ILB, Arizona State

Giants- Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

Broncos- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Bengals- Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

Lions- Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

Browns (via Falcons)- Alshon Jefferey, WR, South Carolina

Bengals (via Raiders)- Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

Texans- Devon Still, DT, Penn State

Bears- Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

Dallas- Manti Teo, ILB, Notre Dame

Steelers- Kelechi Osemele, OG, Iowa State

Patriots (via Saints)- Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

49ers- Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin

Ravens- Nick Perry, DE, USC

Patriots- Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

Packers- Vinny Curry, OLB, Marshall

2011-12-02T04:14:00.000-08:00

Peyton Manning for MVP!

There are many quarterbacks in the NFL. Only a few can be elite. There are quarterbacks who have not been doing well this year, such as Sam Bradford and Blaine Gabbert. There are also quarterbacks who have been doing very well this year, such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. There have been teams who are affected by quarterback injuries, such as the Colts, Texans and now Bears. Because the quarterback is arguably one of the most important positions in sports, it’s important for a team to have a good quarterback, and to keep him healthy. The Indianapolis Colts, have dominated the last decade. For the last 9 seasons they have had double digits wins, and have won a Super Bowl. Why? Quarterback Peyton Manning. He has spent his whole NFL career on the Indianapolis Colts. He came in 1998, and started 16 out of 16 games, and started every game in the playoffs, every season after until this 2011 season. He has a neck injury, and has gotten surgery several times. Because of this, he has not played a single-game this season. So, after all of this leadership from Manning on the field, and his injury keeping him off of the field, how have the Colts been doing? Well, I’m not even going to sugar coat it. First-off, their defense has given up 29.7 points per game, which is dead last for the NFL. I’m not going to go into detail about that so I can make it easier for everyone. Moving on to their offense, I would like to remind you that once again, their star, pro-bowl, former MVP, future hall-of-fame, legendary quarterback, is injured. They rank 30^th in points, with 13.6 per game, and 25^th in rushing yards, with 99.0 per game. But their passing game, led by QB Curtis Painter, has just been completely terrible. I’m sorry if you can’t handle this, but the Colts have 181 passing yards per game, which is 28^th in the NFL.

Now what is an MVP? Well, it stands for Most Valuable Player. That doesn’t mean best player, but it means the player that means the most to the team. Although football is a very physical sport, mentality has a very large role, right on the side that is often looked past. When a team has a great player, such as Peyton Manning, who has won season MVP’s in the past, and a Super Bowl MVP, losing him is bad news. Not only was the Colts offense directly impacted with a loss in the passing game due to an amazing quarterback being unable to play, but the whole team was brought down. A bad passing game can spread over to a bad running game faster than you think. A team may rely on the running game if their passing game isn’t good, but this can wear out the running backs, and puts them at hire risk of getting injured. A bad passing game, and a poor running game, are what make up a bad offense. A bad offense is what turns into a bad overall team. Everyone needs to try harder to win, so everyone is under more pressure. Therefore, this shows the real and full value of that one player who is lost. Because the Colts are 0-11, dead last in yards per game, and dead last in giving up points per game, Peyton Manning has been revealed as an extremely valuable player, much more valuable than people think. Now everyone knows that he has the power to take a double-digit loss team to a double-digit win team. That shows value. But that shows not only value; but the most value.

2011-12-02T04:13:00.000-08:00

The Wingman

by Michael Silverstone

After pulling away from and routing then #3 Arkansas, top-ranked LSU has finished this NCAA regular season undefeated, and as a overwhelming favorite to be the National Champion no matter which team comes its way.

Let’s take a look at this team: average passing game (ranked #100 in the country), spectacular running game (ranked 18^th in the country), and an unbelievable defense (ranked 2^nd in the country). But perhaps LSU’s most significant key to success has gone unnoticed – the punting unit.

Led by Freshman Punter Brad Wing, of Melbourne, Australia, LSU has provided its opponents with awful starting field position and a near impossibility to score. Of LSU’s 50 punts this season, 42 have been booted by Wing, and only 13 have been returned. Brad Wing’s 43.0-yard punting average ranks towards the top of the NCAA among automatic BCS-qualifying contenders. His longest punt of the season, a 73-yarder, came against then #2 Alabama, in a crucial game that would likely determine a BCS championship berth.

Not to mention, Wing has also made highlight reels with a 44-yard run on a fake punt.

But perhaps the most jaw-dropping statistic is the Tiger’s success in punt coverage. All season long, they have allowed a mere six yards in punt returns. That number is not per punt, nor is it per game; it represents the ENTIRE season. Putting it into perspective, this team allows just less than 1.5 inches per punt return.

Wing’s ability to place opponents at their own 20-yard line or lower (which he has done on over 50% of his punts), allows the defense to do what it has been doing all season: only allowing 10 points per game.

All but one of LSU’s games have been decided by two possessions or more. They win by an average of four touchdowns per game. That one game that was decided by one possession, a three-point victory over Alabama, was perhaps where Wing’s presence was felt the most. Take out the huge factor of LSU’s punting unit, and the Tigers very well could have lost that game, making for a very different situation in the BCS standings.

Wing has been named a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, which is given to the best punter annually, and is my favorite to receive it. Perhaps Ray Guy, whose punting skills at the professional level keyed his teams to three Super Bowl victories, was the last punter who had this much significance. Today, Brad Wing, a freshman, has contributed invaluably to LSU’s memorable championship run.

2011-12-02T04:12:00.000-08:00

Reed Weber

by Tebow and Arrow

Tim Tebow stands at 6’3”, 236 lbs. in the pocket. Every sort of criticism ever invented has been thrown at this man. “He can’t throw “ and “He’s too religious” among the countless. His own Vice President of Football Operations, all time Broncos great, Jon Elway did not even think TT was the long term answer at QB. Tebow takes care of the rock though. He is 5-1 in 6 starts this year and has thrown 8 touchdowns to only 1 interception while rushing for another 3 touchdowns. He has brought Denver back from the dead into the thick of the AFC West playoff race now one game behind Oakland after three straight wins over division opponents in the same amount of weeks. His 1 interception in 143 attempts is the lowest in the entire NFL, even below the prolific Aaron Rodgers.Some may say it has been due to strong defense, either way though there’s something special starting to happen in Denver. You can’t argue with winning and with Tebow at the helm there has been plenty of it. Denver has dominated the ground and time of possession.Two of his five wins have been overtime. Soon enough, the whole world is gonna be Tebowing if they are not already.

2011-12-02T04:10:00.001-08:00

Serie A Review

by Gaetano Guarducci

Over the weekend, one of the most anticipated clashes took place in the Stadio Olimpico of Rome. Runners-up of the current season, Lazio took on giants, Juventus. The Bianconeri (Juventus) were the team to beat so far in the Serie A being the only squad who remains to be defeated. Lazio certainly had an advantage coming into the game being the home team (in Italy, more than other countries, it’s crucial to be the home team). Reja’s men went into the game without being too complacent. After 37’ minutes of play Simone Pepe got the first goal for Juventus tapping in a slick ball in from Mirko Vucinic. The first half ended 1-0 for the Bianconeri.

The second half was filled with excitement as the home team hit the post twice (once on a beautiful shot from Brazilian midfielder Hernanes.) Juventus suffered for most of the second half, focusing on defensive plays rather than trying to score. The match ended 1-0 for Juventus; a crucial result for both teams. The Bianconeri moved up to first place, one point clear of Milan and Udinese with a game in hand, while Lazio moved down two spots to fourth place. AC Milan, Inter, and Udinese all came out with wins over the weekend. AC Milan defeated 11^th spot Chievo 4-0, while Inter barely survived Siena winning 1-0, scoring in the 89^th minute. Udinese on the other hand had a comfortable lead on Roma, the match ended 2-0 for the men from Udine.

Other games included: Catania-Lecce 1-0; Novara-Parma 2-1; Atalanta-Napoli 1-1; Cagliari-Bologna 1-1; Palermo-Fiorentina 2-0; Cesena-Genoa 2-0.

2011-12-02T04:08:00.000-08:00

Thank You for Reading!

thelionsroar@cgps.org

Until next time, thank you.

Sincerely,

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

2011-11-20T08:26:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Lion's Roar--8th Issue

Welcome to the Lion's Roar! This week we have a handful of diverse and interesting articles, ranging across all sports. Gae Guarducci talks about soccer while Reed Weber discusses college football. Be sure to also check out Phil Callimanis' article about the Yankees' offseason and Michael Silverstone's on the NFL's best teams and whether they can sustain their success down the stretch.

Thanks for Reading!

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

Mr. Weissman (Advisor)

Michael Silverstone (Senior Writer)

Ben Acton (Senior Writer)

Reed Weber

Gae Guarducci

Max Kalikow

Max Silverstone

Philip Callimanis

Daniel Martin

2011-11-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

Trade Nick Swisher?

by Philip Callimanis

With Nick Swisher resigning with the Yankees last week, there is much speculation that he could be traded for starting pitching.

The free agent market for starting pitching is pretty thin. People question CJ Wilson’s lack of experience and age. Edwin Jackson is inconsistent. Also teams are leery of possible Japanese import, Yu Darvish because of the failure of Dice-K and Kei Igawa.

Brian Cashman stressed that the focus this offseason is “pitching, pitching, pitching.” The Yankees could theoretically trade Swisher and prospects to perhaps the San Francisco Giants, a team chalk full of starters such as Matt Cain or Madison Bumgarner. The most likely matchup would be Matt Cain. He is entering the final year of his contract, and will be a free agent after the season. The Giants are in desperate need of offense to compliment one of the best pitching staffs in the league.

For one guaranteed year of Matt Cain, it would be fair to offer Nick Swisher, Austin Romine, and Eduardo Nunez. Austin Romine could be their catcher, so the Giants could transition phenom Buster Posey to first base full-time to preserve his health. To fill the void of Nick Swisher, the Yankees could sign either Michael Cuddyer or Josh Willingham.

2011-11-20T08:17:00.000-08:00

QB Controversy in the desert?

by Phil Callimanis

In light of the recent turf toe injury to Arizona Cardinals’ starting quarterback, Kevin Kolb, backup John Skelton has led the team to two straight victories. Kevin Kolb started seven games, leading the Cardinals to a horrid 1-6 record. Since John Skelton took over the reigns, he has led the team to a 2-0 record, including a win against the “dream team,” the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kevin Kolb signed a very lucrative deal, after being acquired by the Eagles for Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second round pick; the deal was worth 63 million (21 million guaranteed) over 5 years. Arizona went into the season, believing they were competitors after acquiring the much needed quarterback they were missing the prior season. Kevin Kolb has had a rocky start to say the least. He has been constantly under pressure, and has been leaving the pocket sometimes prematurely, thus he has made some bonehead plays. Kolb has constantly thrown balls into coverage, when he is better off throwing it away.

Second year backup quarterback out of Fordham, John Skelton, has proven in the time he has started this year, that he is a legitimate starter; he was a fifth-round pick in 2010.Last year, Skelton got a glimpse of what the NFL is like, starting in place of "Temper Tantrum Derek Anderson." He seemed raw during that time, but that is understandable for a rookie. Skelton has a power arm stemming from his large structure (6-6, 250 lbs). What I like about Skelton is his "big game ability." Although he threw two interceptions against the Eagles, John Skelton followed up each interception with a touchdown drive, including an 84-yard touchdown drive with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Kevin Kolb and John Skelton have the tools to be a great quarterbacks, but only one will be the future of the Arizona Cardinals. They both will get their time to shine.

2011-11-20T08:15:00.000-08:00

Contenders or Pretenders?

by Aakash Bhatia

The 2011 NFL season has certainly been a wild and unpredictable one. Many teams with low expectations going into the season have been major surprises. However, the question remains whether these teams can keep it up. Here is a list of each of these surprising teams and an analysis on whether they can keep it up:

1- Detroit Lions (Contenders)

The Lions have been a fairly big surprise this season, going 6-3 to start the year. However, after a hot start they’ve been struggling. The Lions, however, have enough talent to make the playoffs. With a strong defensive line and playmakers at quarterback and wide receivers, the Lions should have a good end to the year. The only concern with this team is their lack of a running game. This will prove to be a problem as winter and the cold weather approaches.

2- Buffalo Bills (Pretenders)

The Bills’ high-powered offense has propelled them to a strong start. However, their defense has been in shambles for most of the year. Although they do have talent on both sides of the ball, this defense will be the cause of their downfall. They’re too many strong offenses the AFC and the Bills will struggle down the stretch.

3- San Francisco 49ers (Contenders)

The 49ers have probably been the NFL’s biggest surprise. Although a lot of people picked them to win the NFC West, no one expected them to start the year 8-1. The Niners, though, are for real; they have all the ingredients needed to win. They have a smart coach, a defense that can stop the run, and a quarterback who rarely makes mistakes. Although they’re not at the level of the Packers, the Niners are an awfully good team.

4- Cincinnati Bengals (Contenders)

The Bengals proved last week that they are a legitimate team in the NFL. Although they lost, they put up a great fight against the powerful Steelers. They have a talented young QB, a solid running game, and a very good defense. They will content for the rest of the year for the division title.

2011-11-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Suck For Luck

by Reed Weber

146.0- 2 Td 0 Int

198.4- 4 Td 1 Int

173.9- 2 Td 0 Int

192.5- 3 Td 0 Int

196.9- 3 Td 1 Int

173.4- 4 Td 1 Int

175.2- 2 Td 0 Int

161.5- 3 Td 1 Int

150.7- 3 Td 1 Int

132.7- 3 Td 2 Int

The stats above are Andrew Luck’s stats so far in the passing game for the first 10 games so far in the 2011 NCAA Season. He has not had a completion percentage below 64% so far in a game and his season high is 85.2%. His season avg. sits slightly below that at 70.6%. Also, an astounding number is his sack percentage. On 313-drop backs, Luck has only been sacked 7 times, a .022 rate. So get your mind around those numbers. Andrew is not only completing more then 70 percent of his passes and carving up defenses but getting rid of the ball before the D-Line can even lay a hand on him. The occasional exceptional edge rusher wont fare much better as Luck has demonstrated the ability to extend plays with similar success to Big Ben and then make the right decision while gaining an average of 8.5 yards per pass. Not even the 85’ Chi Bears could stop this guy. Undoubtedly, he is the consensus #1 pick in the draft for whoever is Luck-Y enough to land him. He will instantly turn around the franchises fortunes similar to Peyton Manning did in Indy and make them a top tier team for the next 10 years. Things he also has in common with Peyton: the colts may just be bad enough to land him. Currently on pace for an impressive (not) 0 wins, the team has holes all over the place but none more then the absence of their star QB. They will be faced with a tough decision on whether to win now or make the right choice and take Luck if he’s such a lock to be a stud as all scouts are saying. Well Indy, listen close because here is your solution. Draft Luck in the upcoming draft and do so with confidence.

The chance to snag talent like him does not come around every year and Bill Polian needs to recognize this. Let Luck sit for one year behind Peyton and learn the game. As we have seen with Arodgers, sitting behind superstars isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Luck would then come into 2013 with the tutelage of one of the game’s all time greats and a rejuvenated franchise regardless of how 2012 season goes. If they win, great but if they don’t, no need to panic. Luck would be ignorant to not drool at the opportunity to have Peyton mentor him before taking the NFL by storm and winning early and often in his career. The Colts then could either ship Peyton out after 2012 to a win-now team for draft picks that would then allow the Colts to improve the young nucleus of talent around their future star. Peyton would not take a backup role so saying goodbye to their longtime franchise stud would be difficult but it would be for the best of the organization. It may sound far fetched now but I honestly see this as the ideal way for Indy to handle this LUCKY opportunity upon them as they would not only develop Luck but improve the team in the process. Hey, maybe Peyton will even sign with Texans now that Matt Schuab is out . Wouldn’t that just be fitting for the Arodg-Favre comparison? I think so .

2011-11-20T08:03:00.000-08:00

Tim Tebow- Yes He Can?

By Tough Acton

Drafted 25^th overall, Tim Tebow has had a difficult road to the NFL. Starting out as a mainly running QB he has had to change his style completely. The alteration of his throwing form was well documented landing him with the Broncos. However, can he be a success in the NFL?

Like some of the best QB’s of all-time, Tebow is a great game manager. He is a selfless guy not needing to have the ball at all times. When he has the ball, he doesn’t turn it over. In his career he has 4 total INT’s and 3 total fumbles. One can’t argue with those numbers. Furthermore, he has gotten the ball in the endzone with 12 throwing touchdowns and 8 rushing, not to mention he has picked up solid yardage. As of now I would say he is a success. However, one must analyze him further. Despite having few turnovers, his career completion percentage is 47.1, not to mention his rating is 81.8. But it is not just those stats. He is having trouble as an actual quarterback. His decision-making is off at sometimes, thinking run over pass. Most of his interceptions are a result of him throwing at where the target is not where he is going to be. His accuracy also is troublesome and is why he wasn’t number 1 overall. So by these stats, where does he stand?

My opinion, he is an NFL QB. He has the most important quality as a QB, heart. He is fearless and knows how to win. He does everything you ask of him. He knows how to lead and lead by example. He is a coach’s dream at QB.

2011-11-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

Seeding’s announced

By Gaetano Guarducci

On Monday November 15^th, UEFA (Union of European Football Association) has announced the rankings for the UEFA Euro 2012. The Euro cup will take place in two countries this time, rather than one. The reason behind this is that both Ukraine and Poland don’t individually have the money to support a tournament as big as this one. They decided to host it in several different cities running through both countries. The finals will be held in Kiev, Ukraine as opposed to Warsaw, Poland.

Sixteen nations qualified for the Euro including powerhouses: Spain, Netherlands, Italy, and Germany. Other teams include: France, Portugal, England and Russia. The other 8 qualifiers have been allocated to the remaining three pots according to their respective coefficients.

Pot 1: Spain, Netherlands 

Pot 2: Germany, Italy, England, Russia

Pot 3: Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Sweden

Pot 4: Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland

The reigning champions Spain will be placed in Pot 1, together with the Netherlands, the team with the highest national team coefficient, as established at the conclusion of the play-off matches. In the last Euro, Spain defeated Germany in the finals 1-0 with a thrilling goal by Fernando Torres in the second half. This year, the competition looks more robust as the Netherlands, Germany and Italy will also be looking for the top prize.

2011-11-20T07:23:00.000-08:00

Cruzin’

By Daniel Martin

Right now, the New York Giants are enjoying a lead in the NFC East. One of the biggest reasons the Giants are sitting pretty atop the east is WR Victor Cruz. You might remember Cruz from the preseason game 2 years ago who, as a rookie against the New York Jets, impressed with 6 catches and 145 yards plus 3 TD snags, including a one handed TD grab and a 64-yard TD catch. Cruz, who was on the cusp between making the team, practice squad of free agents list, made the team, but then, during the regular season, disappeared. However, this year, with the absence of Steve Smith, Cruz was given a real role in the Giants offense. His role was elevated even more due to the injuries of Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham and he stepped up to the plate. Week 3, against the Philadelphia Eagles Cruz caught 3 passes for 110 receiving yards and 2 TD’s, including a remarkable 74-yard TD. Cruz continued bringing it in the next few games. He caught 6 passes for 98 yards week 4 vs the Arizona Cardinals, and had 8 catches the next week vs the Seattle Seahawks, for 161 yards and a TD. He also wowed people in that game with a one handed catch, which was voted by SportsNation.com, one of the best plays of the first half of the season.

In the 3 games since the Giants bye week, in week 7, Cruz has had 19 catches for 274 yards and a TD. Cruz has not had a game with less then 6 catches or 80 yards since the bye and has emerged as one of Eli Manning’s favorite targets. Cruz has stayed consistent all season, proving that he has not just had a few good games, and I expect his strong season to continue and I think he will be a valuable asset as they venture into the playoffs.

2011-11-20T07:19:00.002-08:00

NFL Teams that Will Fail Down the Stretch

by Michael Silverstone

Six or seven games remain for each NFL team. We have learned a lot in the first nine or ten games for each franchise when it came to surprises, and disappointments. If the NFL season ended today, this is what the playoff scenario would look like:

AFC:

1. Houston Texans

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. New England Patriots

4. Oakland Raiders

5. Baltimore Ravens

6. Cincinnati Bengals

NFC:

1. Green Bay Packers

2. San Francisco 49ers

3. New Orleans Saints

4. New York Giants

5. Detroit Lions

6. Chicago Bears

Six teams from a North conference would be represented, making for epic battles in the snow, (barring a Lions-Bears NFC Championship game that would be played at Ford Field). But, the obvious fact is there are still six to seven games left for each team, and this list will most likely change. Here are three teams in the current playoff picture that will fall by seed or completely miss the post season:

Houston Texans – Injuries…they actually are not hurting the Texans! This team has spent much of the season without its best offensive player and its best defensive player, and has somehow maintained a 7-3 record, good enough for the top seed in the AFC. But, recent news has announced that passing-yard machine Matt Schaub will be placed on IR with a foot injury. History has shown epic failure from backup Matt Leinart, who has found every way possible to blow huge leads and even blow games altogether. Houston is lucky that it is going into a BYE week to give Leinart more time, but the odds of the Texans maintaining the top seed have shrunken. Luckily, Houston plays in the AFC South, meaning that it can lose out and still make the playoffs, but this team can kiss the top seed, or a first-round BYE, BYE-BYE. Houston will stumble into the playoffs as a #4 seed.

Detroit Lions – The Chicago Bears exposed Detroit last Sunday in a 37-13 blowout, in a game that Detroit absolutely had to win to take control of a wild card spot. What lies ahead is ugly: a meeting with New Orleans in the Superdome, and two matchups with Green Bay. Detroit will have to root for San Francisco to start losing, so that Green Bay secures the top seed and rest its starters against the Lions in Week 17. But, another challenge for Detroit is the Bears’ schedule, which consists of four AFC West games, a game against Minnesota, and a matchup against Green Bay. If Detroit misses the playoffs, it will almost certainly be because the Bears will take over its position. Dallas can also pose a threat for a wild-card spot with an easy schedule and solidified running game, potentially knocking out a team that has rallied a city for the first time this century.

New York Giants – The win against New England was huge, but it followed with a loss to San Francisco. Remaining obstacles for New York include New Orleans, Green Bay, Dallas, and the Jets (yikes!). They will beat the Eagles, because the Eagles are not a real team anymore, but will face a terrible stretch of games. Dallas, who has Washington, Miami, Arizona, and Philadelphia ahead, can take control of the NFC East. If Detroit falls, the Giants can still clinch a wild card, but their lead in their division will be extremely tough to maintain

2011-11-20T07:19:00.001-08:00

Thank You for Reading!

thelionsroar@cgps.org

Until next time, thank you.

Sincerely,

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

2011-11-11T22:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Lion's Roar--7th Issue

Welcome to another edition of the Lion's Roar. With the baseball season at a close, our writers look at what some teams need to do in the offseason. Ben Acton lists the best free agents while Phil Callimanis talks about which one of them the Yankees should sign. Be sure to read the Silverstone's articles as well as Max talks about the art of cheese rolling while Michael talks about the Philadelphia Eagles.

Thanks for Reading!

Aakash Bhatia (Editor and President)

Mr. Weissman (Advisor)

Michael Silverstone (Senior Writer)

Ben Acton (Senior Writer)

Reed Weber

Gae Guarducci

Max Kalikow

Max Silverstone

Philip Callimanis

Daniel Martin

2011-11-11T21:47:00.000-08:00

You Would Not Believe It’s a Sport: Cheese Rolling

by Max Silverstone

Sports vary worldwide. There are hundreds of different sports, and all of them are unique in their own way. Some sports happen every day, some once a week, some once a month, and some once a year. One sport that happens once a year in Gloucestershire, England, is cheese rolling. What are the rules? How is it played? Who is involved? Well, before you learn anything about it, you should know that it is very crazy, and extremely unsafe.

Here’s how it works. Anyone (over 18) who wants to can enter. You just show up at the top of the hill, and wait for the race to start. It would be a very smart idea to buy some insurance, and to make sure that your will is ready so your family knows what to do with all of your belongings when you die. The hill is 200 yards down, and is on a slope ratio of 1:2. That’s pretty steep. The thrower holds an 8lb wheel of cheese. He yells “ready, set, go!,” throws the cheese, and all of the participants run down the hill to try to get it. The first person get to the bottom and grab the cheese is the winner. However, it is not very easy. The hills are always very slippery, steep, and crowded. This causes everyone to fall over at least once, and bump into, and possibly trip people over. People can sometimes get launched into the air, and slammed into the ground. The one word to summarize it would be “chaos,” because that’s what it is. There are fences on the side of the hill set up as boundaries so people don’t go to far to the sides. Also, spectators can go up to the fences, and watch and cheer the people running down the hill. They usually cheer a lot, and record their friends with their cameras, so they can have something to laugh at for years to come. There are paramedics and police officers at the bottom, and if you make it safely to the bottom, sometimes they’ll tackle you as a joke. It’s really something you would not want to have happen to you after bruising and cutting yourself running down a steep, slippery, and crowded mountain. There are separate races for men and women, and they are won once someone makes it to the bottom and grabs the cheese.

In between every race, there is a children’s race. This race starts at the bottom, all the children who want to participate line up, some one says “ready, set, go” and they all race up the hill. It must be really exhausting. The first kid to make it to the top of the hill wins the race. This is good practice for the children, so they can experience the hills and conditions. Therefore, if they are brave enough when they are adults, they can run down the hill for that cheese.

This race is held on a once a year basis, near the end of the year. The injury rate is usually very high. In 2009, the injury toll of 18 was low. 10 of those injuries were spectators, so not even the people running are at risk. Everyone gets a few bruises, and some people can even sprain an area, or break a bone. There are always several ambulances parked and on call so all emergencies can be dealt with. Overall, it seems like a very funny experience, but it is very dangerous, and there is a high risk of serious injury. Only the elite have survived, and everyone has hurt themselves some way in some place or another. If you would like more information on the races, or maybe even to participate, you may click on the link below.

2011-11-11T21:39:00.000-08:00

Are the Eagles Really Revitalized?

by Michael Silverstone

Deemed the “Dream Team” due to many acquisitions of star athletes in the off-season, the Philadelphia Eagles surprised all sports fans by starting the season a dreadful 1-4.

Since their last loss, the fourth one that ruined a 1-0 start, the Eagles have won two straight, and face the Bears in primetime in an attempt to reach .500.

The two-game winning streak has brought the hype back. Like the 2010-11 Miami Heat, who started 9-8 but then won 12 straight, the Eagles are regaining attention. The Heat would be the perfect comparison because it, too, gained star players in the off-season who, at first, failed to create chemistry but then dominated. Here are the Eagles; a team that looked like its only post-season aspirations were on the couch through five games, with back-to-back wins. Although many people believe that this team can potentially win out, because they are the “Dream Team,” I am not buying any of the hype, specifically because of their wins:

Win #1: Rams – The Rams went 0-6 before winning their first game. Injury-plagued and unmotivated, the Rams have appeared to be almost as big a disappointment as the Eagles were through five games. St. Louis is 1-7 following their loss to the lowly Cardinals. This win for the “Dream Team” means nothing.

Win #2: Redskins – The 3-1 start may have been surprising to many, but we all forgot that Rex Grossman was the quarterback. Grossman is the poster boy of sports inconsistency. He is the planet Mercury of the NFL (note: Mercury has the most drastic temperature change, ranging from -300˚F to 800˚F). The only successful Occupy Movement came from the Redskins, who gained control in the “Occupy the Cellar of the NFC East” Movement.

Win #3: Cowboys – I already acknowledged that Grossman epitomizes inconsistency. I will now mention that Grossman and Tony Romo are twins separated at birth. Everyone was excited when Romo proved his clutch ability by playing through a cracked rib to lead Dallas to an overtime win over the 49ers (note: the 49ers are 7-1), but since has been mediocre, throwing for 7 TDs and 6 INTs through the Eagles game. History has shown, through Romo’s career, that the Cowboys play only as well as their quarterback does.

I have now provided commendable evidence that the Eagles have beaten two dreadful teams and one ridiculously inconsistent one. Where do their four losses come from? They lost to the Falcons, Giants, 49ers, and Bills, who have a combined record of 25-9.

The Eagles may wind up going far this year, but as of now, I am not buying any of the hype. To me, the Eagles will not have proven their worth until they beat a quality team.

2011-11-11T21:37:00.000-08:00

Yankees Offseason

by Max Kalikow

The Yankees pitching staff was suppose to be a failure in 2011 but it was actually very solid. Veterans who were signed to smaller contracts really contributed big to the team, such as Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. However, the Yankees were not good enough to win the World Series. There are some moves that could really make them the favorite for the World Series title.

CJ Wilson and Yu Darvish are the two biggest free agent pitchers available. One is the ace for the Texas Rangers, and one is a very hyped Japanese pitcher. Which one should they go after? The answer is Yu, and this is why. CJ Wilson really struggled in the postseason and is 31 years old. Also, a couple years ago he was a struggling middle relief pitcher. He will also demand a lot of money. Yu Darvish has been criticized heavily with the media because Japanese pitchers have a tendency of failing in the MLB but this 25 year old will not be the case. He has a great, high delivery with great control and movement. This kid could really be special.

Another thing I recommend for the Yankees is to sign a right fielder; someone like Michael Cuddyer. With him they could trade Nick Swisher and some other players for pitching. One guy I really like is Matt Cain. If the Yankees offered the Giants, Swisher, Nova, and Bentances for Cain, there is a good chance the Giants would accept it. Another guy I would be interested in is Jair Jurrjens, who could probably be obtained for less than Cain.

All around I think that this will be an interesting offseason. The Yankees will likely want to make some moves after last years disappointing postseason. Lets just see.

2011-11-11T21:29:00.000-08:00

Top 5 MLB Free Agents

By Tough Acton

As free agency is rapidly approaching, here is a look at the top free agents and where they might land.

Albert Pujols- Many teams will be interested in this perennial all-star. Despite his injury, he still put in a quality season. He has a price tag, which will push $250 million. The Cardinals can’t let him go so watch them fork up the dough.

Prince Fielder- Fielder will have many of the same bidders as Pujols. He put up huge numbers yet again, which equals big bucks. As a Scott Boras client, you know he will be rewarded it is just a matter on who is willing to take a big risk. Watch the Mariners come in and put an unmatchable offer and land the Prince.

Jose Reyes- After a hot start, the Met’s shortstop was plagued by injury. However, he is a bat at the top of the lineup that no team can refuse to pass up. His price tag should be somewhere around $100 million, and the Mets are in too rough of a financial state that will leave them unable to afford Reyes. With Fielder leaving the Brewers, watch the Crew try to fill some of his void with Reyes.

CJ Wilson- Despite a rough postseason, Wilson has been one of the most durable pitchers the last two years racking up a total 76 starts. His 16 Wins last season will fetch a great deal of interest. With Burnett struggling and some of their younger pitchers not quite ready, the Yankees will definitely be in the hunt and snag the southpaw.

Yu Darvish- Yu Darvish is possibly the most hyped Japanese player in a while. His posting rumors have gone back and forth for years but this should be the season he joins the big leagues. His transfer value alone will scare off most teams, so his teams are pretty limited. If his value is cheap the Yankees will definitely hop in, but the Blue Jays are the team that will be winning to pay his lucrative bill.

Here are some other key names to watch out for:

Aramis Ramirez- As the best third baseman on the market, he will certainly gain a lot of interest from a multitude of teams.

Carlos Beltran- After his best season in years, he will gain a lot of attention. However, his unwillingness to play DH and his injury history will lead to many teams offer him an undesired one year deal.

Carlos Pena- After a subpar season, his suitors will be limited. His power and defensive play though will allow teams to forget his poor 2011. Watch for him to be batting in the heart of the lineup for an up and coming team.

2011-11-11T21:15:00.000-08:00

@DSproles43

by Reed Weber

He stands at 5’6’’ and 190 pounds. No, Darren Sproles is not a member of my flag football class but rather dominates the NFL at that size. Sproles is an energizer bunny that is quick as a rabbit. He spent the first half of his career in San Diego where they mainly utilized him as a change of pace third down back. He has filled the hole left by Reggie Bush’s departure down to South Beach to hang with Lebron and then some. He has exceeded all expectations, a common theme in his career. Countless times, Sproles has been told he is “too small “ and not “big enough” but he has defied all the naysayers. Brees and Darren have shown they are still on the same page from their days in SD together and Drew was a very heavy advocate to coach Sean Payton to sign Sproles in the offseason knowing he could be a piece to a championship team. Although he is not an every down back, he is a part of a 3-headed backfield that is very formidable.

Rookie Mark Ingram was a Heisman winner at Alabama and has shown flashes in games this year to take over the starting spot down the road and become a 1,200 yard 10 Td player due to his great strength in between the tackles down near the goal line. Pierre Thomas is the other back that receives a share of the workload and is a versatile threat in both the passing and running game. So, halfway through the season, although he himself is not the biggest nor is his contract but Darren Sproles has proven to be the best signing of the offseason due to his constant contributions every game in the short passing game along with great contributions in the return game and the occasional big run he breaks loose. You may be bigger then him but it may not matter. Try and tackle Darren Sproles but hesitate, even blink for a second, and you will only see the back of his jersey as he houses a punt return for a 70 yard touchdown to give New Orleans the lead with a joyous Drew Brees and Sean Payton celebrating together on the sideline as their little signing has paid big dividends.

2011-11-11T21:05:00.000-08:00

SERIE A Review

by Gaetano Guarducci

While Udinese got the better of Siena 2-1 at home, Edy Reja's Lazio edged past Parma 1-0 in Rome, and now both sides are on 21 points after 10 matches, two ahead of the Old Lady (Juventus). Francesco Guidolin's Udinese surged ahead in the very first minute through Dusan Basta and doubled their advantage on 64 minutes when talisman Antonio Di Natale found the target. The visitors from Tuscany threatened to launch a comeback when Francesco Bolzoni pulled one back with 14 minutes of regulated time left on the clock, but the Bianconeri held on for all three points.

Lazio too garnered maximum points in front of their own supporters, but they left it late as Giuseppe Sculli netted the only goal of the game against Parma at the Stadio Olimpico in the 85th minute. Defending Italian champions AC Milan continued to maintain their great run as they hammered Catania 4-0 at home to rise to third in the table on 20 point. Zlaton Ibrahimovic broke the deadlock at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza from the penalty spot after just seven minutes and Robinho made it 2-0 to the Rossoneri midway through the first half. An own goal from Francesco Lodi on 69 minutes saw Milan virtually wrap up the points and Gianluca Zambrotta added the icing on his cake with his side's fourth just three minutes later.

At the other end of the table, rock-bottom Cesena went down 1-0 to fellow relegation candidates Lecce at home, Juan Cuadrado with the only goal at the Dino Manuzzi Stadium on 56 minutes. Lecce had Luis Murial sent off just two minutes later. Cesena failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority and remain stuck on three points, five behind their Sunday opponents, who are now third from bottom.

Elsewhere in Serie A on Sunday afternoon, Chievo defeated Fiorentena 1-0 in Verona, thanks to a 66th minute goal from Luca Rigoni, and Atalanta beat Cagliari by the same margin courtesy of a German Denis strike. Genoa was scheduled to play Inter on Sunday at lunch-time, but it was postponed because of floods and so was Napoli versus Juventus, which was due to be held in the evening.

2011-10-31T15:13:00.000-07:00

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