Ten Things I Think
1. I think the Yankees are back. Not that they ever went anywhere, but the Bronx Bombers have been relatively quiet since winning the World Series in 2009. With their influx of young talent paired with their recent acquisitions, the Yankees appear primed to make a run at the World Series not only this season, but for many seasons to come.
2. I think Clayton Kershaw is to baseball what Peyton Manning was to football. Both players put up immaculate regular season numbers in their respective sports, but come the postseason each struggled mightily. While neither player’s greatness can ever be denied, their status as all-time greats will be severely affected by their shortcomings on the largest stage.
3. I think the Colin Kaepernick situation is far more complex than people are willing to admit. Many are claiming that he is being black-balled by the NFL, but it isn’t that simple. Yes, he knelt for the national anthem. Yes, that was a distraction. Yes, there will be some uproar from whatever team’s fan base that signs him. But what no one is really talking about is Colin Kaepernick the quarterback. That guy, quite frankly, just isn’t that good. He took the league by storm when he came in for Alex Smith and the 49ers a few years back, but after defenses had time to figure him out he has become mediocre. While it is tough to defend the point that there are 64 quarterbacks better than him and that is why he finds himself on his couch rather than in an NFL training camp, you do not select your backup quarterback in a vacuum. A backup quarterback has to fit your general system. An inaccurate, overly reliant runner behind center isn’t ideal for most teams and that is precisely what Kaepernick is at this point. I believe that he will get another opportunity, but the reason why he hasn’t yet goes far deeper than his anthem protest.
4. I think the New York Mets are the biggest disappointment in baseball this season. Two years removed from a World Series appearance, and a year removed from a playoff berth, the Mets find themselves 14 games out of first place in the NL East. Entering this season, expectations were extremely high. Their starting rotation was supposed to be as dominant as any in baseball. Well, it hasn’t been and their offense has been downright horrendous. Someone is going to have to pay for their failures and my money says it will be their manager Terry Collins.
5. I think there will be many first-time All-Stars in the Eastern Conference this coming season. After the departures of Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and likely Carmelo to the Western Conference, there will be a new wave of All-Stars in the East. My bet is that there will be 5-7 first time All-Stars next season. Some names to watch: Hassan Whiteside, Joel Embiid, Nicolas Batum, Goran Dragic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Victor Oladipo.
6. I think John Wall is criminally underrated. Yes, he has his shortcomings – his inconsistent jumper, propensity to turn the ball over, etc. – but the Wizards point guard is incredibly valuable to his team. He led a Washington team to within one game of the Eastern Conference Finals with a sub-par supporting cast. Wall also upped his scoring by more than three points, while also finishing second in the NBA is assists. If Kyrie Irving and John Wall swapped roles, I think the Wizards might fall off of a cliff. That is not so much a condemnation on Kyrie as it is a praise of John Wall. The Wizards All-Star covers up a lot of the Wizards flaws and doesn’t receive enough credit in doing so.
7. I think Tom Brady will play until he is at least 45. Why not? He will turn 40 years old on Thursday and yet he’s best at what he does and has shown no sign of slowing down. He is maniacal in his diet and preparation. If anyone is going to play - and play at an extremely high level - well into their forties I’d bet on Mr. Brady.
8. I think Jon Jones has the best nickname in sports. Jon “Bones’” Jones … It flows well off the tongue, it’s simple, and it rhymes. It’s almost as though the names Jon, Bones, and Jones were meant for one another. Others in contention for best nickname in sports: The Black Mamba (Kobe Bryant), Megatron (Calvin Johnson), Beast Mode (Marshawn Lynch), and Slim Reaper (Kevin Durant).
9. I think Dalvin Cook will win rookie of the year and will have an Ezekiel Elliott-like rookie season. The Vikings just cut ties with AP, and now have an uber-talented rookie filling his shoes. Cook has all of the necessary tools; he’s fast, powerful, and elusive. While he doesn’t have the offensive line in Minnesota that Elliott has in Dallas, I expect the rookie tailback from Florida State to put up comparable numbers.
10. I think Amari Cooper will lead the NFL in receiving yards this season. Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., and Julio Jones get all of the shine and recognition as the league’s premier wide-outs and rightfully so, but Amari Cooper belongs right there with them. The Raiders receiver will erupt this season. In both of his first two seasons Cooper eclipsed 1,000 yards. With Derek Carr and his top pass-catcher on the same wavelength, I expect Amari Cooper to erupt this season. I am predicting somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 receptions for 1,500 yards, and 12 touchdowns.
