A Tribute to One of the Greatest

With the Larry O'Brien Trophy and Lord Stanley's Cup finding their home for the next 12 months in Miami and Chicago, respectively, in the past week, we have hit the summer doldrums of exciting sports action. Even as a baseball enthusiast, I can admit that the period between the end of the playoffs of hockey and basketball and the beginning of football season provides a dreary outlook for the common sports fan. Nobody really enjoys the 1 p.m. game between the White Sox and Tigers, even when Miguel Cabrera goes 4-4 with multiple home runs (which he has done three times this season, and that is amazing). But not to fear, casual sports fans, the NFL season is only 2 months away and there are lots of interesting story lines forming. One that has not gained as much press as say, Aaron Hernandez's apparent secret life as a homicidal gang banger, is a new award which will be handed out at the end of the season. The first Deacon Jones Trophy, created in honor of the late Deacon Jones, will be awarded to the NFL player who records the most sacks on the season. If you read this blog, you probably do not know about Deacon Jones because you were not alive when David "Deacon" Jones was playing, but you should.

There are a handful of players in the history of any sport whom, through their physical ability, mental acumen, grandoise personality, or some combination of all three, change the way the game is played. Bill Russel changed the NBA forever with his ability to block shots. Jackie Robinson changed baseball forever by proving that an African American could play in the MLB. And Deacon Jones changed football forever by the way he terrorized opponents quarterbacks.

David Jones was born in Eatonville, Florida in December of 1938. As a young man his life was heavily impacted by the racism that oppressed African Americans as much as the offensive summer heat. Recounting his formative days Jones once said," Unlike many black people then, I was determined not be what society said I was". He played football, baseball, and basketball, but football,"Thank God I had the ability to play a violent game like football, it gave me an outlet for all the anger in my heart." Channeling the anger onto the gridiron, Jones earned a scholarship to South Carolina State University. However following his first year Jones' scholarship was revoked because he was involved in the civil rights movement. Jones transferred to Mississippi Vocational College and played one more year before declaring for the NFL draft.

Jones was drafted in the 14th round of the 1961 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams and became partners on the left side of the defensive line with Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen. The nickname "Deacon" was coined at this time because Jones felt that the religious implications of the name provided some contrast to the violent way in which he played. Playing at defensive end, Deacon placed heavy emphasis on rushing the quarterback, a tactic that up until that point was not a part of defensive line strategy. Revolutionizing the defensive end position was probably not his intention at the time, just merely the way he played football, but from such humble beginnings, that is exactly what he would do.

In 1961, his rookie season, he tackled the quarterback eight times in the backfield, and maybe more importantly added a term to football lingo that is now known the world over, the "sack". Jones would later say that he came up with the name "sack" because he felt that the devastation he created in the backfield was similar to the devastation wrought on cities that were being sacked by invaders. The NFL did not begin recording sacks until 1961, Jones' inaugural season, and did not assign sacks to specific defenders until the 1982 season, so all of Jones' numbers are technically unofficial, but following his rookie season, Deacon would go on to put up the most impressive string of seasons a defensive end has ever recorded.

From 1962 to 1970, Deacon recorded the following sack totals: 12, 20, 22, 19, 18, 26, 24,15, and 12. Reflect on that for a moment.

The current NFL record for sacks is 22.5, in 16 games, held by Michael Strahan.

Deacon Jones recorded his two most impressive totals, 26 and 24 (which would be one and two in the single season record book obviously) in 14 games.

Obviously there are differences in the modern game. More complex pass protections, bigger offensive linemen, schemes designed to limit the effectiveness of pass rushers, all of these things have altered the ability of defensive ends and outside linebackers to get to the quarterback. So one could say that it is unfair or unreasonable to compare Deacon's numbers versus the current crop of sack masters, but that would be asinine. Although the advanced statistical coverage that is available today is not available for seasons decades ago, I think it is a fair assumption that the percentage of plays in which a team passes the ball is significantly higher today than it was in the 1960's, thereby giving defensive players more chances to record sacks. In addition, offensive formations at the time often called for seven men on the line, providing both a tackle and a tight end, who were used almost exclusively for blocking, to shield the quarterback from Deacon and his ferocious onslaught. One cannot overlook his left side (strong side) partner Merlin Olsen, himself a 14 time pro-bowler (tied for the NFL record), but Jones did not play his entire career alongside Olsen.

Jones' impact on football continued long after his retirement, and will continue long after his passing this summer. Coaches, commentators, and opponents credit him with modernizing defensive football. Historic players such as Lawrence Thomas have said they idolized Deacon and attempted to model their games after him. Even current players like Demarcus Ware, the fastest player ever to 100 sacks, look up to Jones. After his death, Ware said, "I think he is the greatest ever."

However his impact is not, and was not, limited to the football field and football players. He established, and chaired, the Deacon Jones Foundation in 1997, which provides scholarships to inner city students in exchange for volunteer work. He also made several trips to the Middle East to visit with soldiers, even though he was in his late 60's.

So at the end of this season, when the inaugural Deacon Jones trophy is handed to the player with the most sacks it will be a bittersweet moment. On one hand it will be a tribute to the man who invented the term and changed the way football is played, but it will also be a reminder that the man who was so gifted in many aspects of life is no longer with us.

Beyond all his gifts as a player and a humanitarian, Jones was a gifted mind, with an acute understanding of self, and success. Coming from virtually nothing, battling the stereotypes of society as well as opposing offensive linemen, Deacon was well aware of the hard work it took to be great, and that is a lesson we can all learn from. I think that sentiment is summed up greatly by a quote from Jones that is relevant to everybody, "all men are created equal, from there it is up to you."

RIP David "Deacon" Jones.

Greg Hardy - The Kraken

Background
Greg Hardy was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2010 draft after playing his college ball at Ole Miss. In college, Greg was a dominant pass rusher until he was sidelined by injuries, which is why he was drafted in the sixth round. Hardy has always had the talent of an early-round draft choice and he proved that much last season, tallying 11 sacks. After struggling to put it all together his first two years, Hardy blossomed in his third season as a pro. His vast improvement can be attributed to his hard work and his new-found counter-ego, "The Kraken".

"The Kraken is a giant monster that just demolishes everything that moves," Hardy told the Charlotte  Observer last year. "On Wednesday or Thursday, I go down in my subconscious. I find him, and I unlock the cage. About Saturday he usually comes out. Then he's always out on Sunday. I don't control him then. What he does when I'm not there, I don't know."

So during the vast majority of the NFL season, Greg Hardy is not Greg Hardy; he is a slightly-crazed, 290 lb. monster living in the real world(as well as Matt Ryan's worst nightmares) just waiting to be unleashed on Sundays. And when game days arrive, the Kraken paints his face, wears colored contacts, and tapes the words "The Kraken" over where his name usually appears on the back of his jersey (this is removed before kickoff but how cool is that?).

Hardy has gradually become one of my favorite NFL players. I am an avid Panthers fan so I have watched him since he first came into the league. I remember watching the first game of his rookie season.The Panthers are punting and I glance to the outside of the punt coverage team and there is Greg Hardy, all 6'4 290 lbs, playing gunner. That's the moment I became enthralled with the Kraken. And then there is this past season's hit on Carson Palmer that knocked Carson out of the game with broken ribs.

Why He Has Become A Fan Favorite

But what has really made me love the guy is his-field personality. He is a quote machine because he always says exactly what he is thinking, a rare feat in today's PC world. He also has made a huge effort to connect with fans this offseason by engaging them on Twitter, Reddit, CatScratchReader, and his own video blog (the links take you to the Kraken's interactions w/ fans). Many fans have taken notice and Hardy is quickly becoming a fan favorite among the Panthers faithful. Lets take a look at some of the Kraken's best moments over the years.

I chalLange @WHOISJPP or Julius peppers to a game of 1 on 1 loser declines their probowl invite since I don't have one #don'tbescared
— GQ (@ItsGHardy) January 2, 2013

Haha who wouldn't love to see this? Hardy straight calls Peppers out. What makes it even better is Peppers is an ex-Panther whom Hardy is helping to replace (if you are a Panthers fan you understand the awesomeness of this tweet). Also, both are great athletes; Peppers played some ball at UNC and the Kraken has a series of dunks on YouTube (take notice of his clothes and where this takes place)

I love this app lmao so bored http://t.co/XvgAzhStHq pic.twitter.com/1fs7M0HmeX
— GQ (@ItsGHardy) April 3, 2013

This is a great example of Hardy's humor and all-around awesomeness as a person. I also implore the Panthers to put this picture, this picture, this picture and this picture into their game day media guides. This would definitely be a big hit.

And lastly, I leave you with my favorite Kraken moment: "Get the F*** off our field". In week 4 of last year's NFL season, the Falcons made a miraculous comeback to beat the Panthers thanks to a 50-yard pass from their own goal line in the final minute of the game (special thanks to Haruki Nakamura aka you are the worst). After the game was over, Matt Ryan yelled "Get the F*** off our field!" to the opposing Panthers team. Well, the Kraken took notice. Fast forward to week 15 and the Falcons are playing the Panthers at home. After coming away with a victory, Hardy kindly returns Ryan's favor by yelling "Get the f*** off our field". And luckily, we have video documentation:

Priceless. The small white guy you see respond at the end of the clip is Atlanta's FG kicker, Matt Bryant. When asked about his post-game interaction with Bryant, the Kraken had this to say:

“I told him politely to remove himself from our facility because it was time to go, and he invited me to come watch him in January,” Hardy said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “It was a nice conversation. I really didn't know who he was. He was so small and weird-shaped, I was trying to figure out what he did,” Hardy said. “I found out when I looked online that he was a kicker. I was a little shocked.”

There is so much I could say in response to this, but it really speaks for itself. These are just a few examples why The Kraken has become one of my favorite players. I encourage you to check out the links I have posted and follow him on twitter; he is always entertaining and has a ton of respect for his fans.

Lollapalooza, Michael Kiwanuka, and M83

Lollapalooza was my first music festival. To call it just a music festival does it injustice; it is a cultural experience. Last summer, I made the voyage to Chicago, IL with a fellow contributor to this blog, Matthew Houchins. After seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers live in Charlotte that Spring, we decided to see them again at one of the biggest musical events of the year. After all, the Chili Peppers were aging and we thought it would be one of our last opportunities to see them perform while they still resembled the band that rose to fame in the 90s.

We left straight from work on a Thursday in order to arrive in Chicago Friday morning. The all-night drive was exhausting, but something well worth it. We drove through North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. Note: not only does the US have a great public school system and giant water parks, it also has a great highway system. Road tripping is easy in America and something I wish I did more of; road trips are fun 95% of the time every time.

The two headliners we saw were the Black Keys and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Both were fantastic shows that lived up to the hype. The Black Keys sound just as good in person as they do on vinyl and the drummer, Patrick Carney, is really impressive. The Chili Peppers were everything they were billed to be, a high-energy show filled with plenty of Flea base-lines and a lead singer, Anthony Kiedis, that bounces around more than a basketball in Chris Paul's hands.

The two acts, besides the ones I mentioned above, that I enjoyed the most were Michael Kiwanuka and M83. Each had a totally different vibe that really struck me. Some music is great because it makes you feel a certain way; it affects your emotions and plays with your feelings. Each of these acts had a different effect on me that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Michael Kiwanuka is one-of-a-kind. He is a British soul musician that compares favorably to Otis Redding. His sound is soothing, slow-paced, and focuses on his amazing voice. Kiwanuka is someone I listen to when I want to chill out and let my day waste away from mind. He allows the listener a certain release and comfort in his music and his voice. Below is an example of Kiwanuka at his best; all he needs is a microphone and a guitar:

M83, an electronic band from France, is a different animal.Upbeat and intense, M83 put on a show full of movement and emotion.  They have a dreamy quality to their music where it sounds like you are listening to a wonderful alternate universe (does that even make sense?). After i typed this, I did a Google search on M83. It turns out that the band is named after the spiral galaxy Messier 83, so their other-worldly sound meshes nicely with their other-worldly name. M83 uses loud instrumentals over reverbed vocals to create a real energy in their sound. The music makes you feel alive, hence why it is featured in The Art of Flight, a documentary about snowboarding (if you haven't seen it you're missing out), and several Red Bull commercials focused on extreme sports. In a nutshell, M83's sound is explosive and capturing. Here is one of my favorite songs from their album "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming" (title points back to the dreamy quality of their music). The song is called "Steve McQueen":

Is that Jimmy Chitwood Coming in to Pitch?

Today marks the outset of the culmination of the college baseball season, the College World Series. This year, unlike some in the recent past, the eight team field is dominated by the traditionally elite (LSU, UCLA, UNC, Oregon State) and those who have performed well all season (NC State, Louisville). Mississippi State is a strong team from the SEC, so we know they are battle tested and capable. And then there is Indiana.

Indiana represents the first team from the Big Ten to make it to the College World Series since...wait for it...1984. Thats almost 30 years. 30 years since a team from one the biggest and baddest conferences in the country has even sent a team to Omaha. To do so, the Hoosiers went down to Tallahassee, FL and beat national seed Florida State on their home field two times in a row. They knocked the ball all over the park en route to eliminating the most underperforming postseason team in college baseball (a winning percentage of .730 during the regular season and .600 in the postseason. They have been to the CWS 21 times, 11 times under current coach Mike Martin, and never won). Despite the laser show they put on last weekend, the Hoosiers are going to need to channel, well, their inner Hoosier.

Indiana's first matchup is with the Cardinals of Louisville, who come in somewhat on fire, having won 21 of their last 23, and sporting some of the freshest uniforms around.

Don't assume that just because they play in the conference of Legends and Leaders that they are lacking  in baseball skill. Indiana is led by Dustin Demuth, a doubles machine hitting nearly .400, and Kyle Schwarber, he of 18 home runs (that is really good in college baseball these days). The real strength of the Indiana team however is their pitching staff. As a group they have an ERA of 2.67, and WHIP (Walks + Hits/Innings Pitched) of 1.25. They are going to need to continue to pitch this well and get some timely hitting from their best hitters if they want to hang around longer than a couple of days in Omaha. If there is anything we have learned over the past decade of college sports though, its not to count out the team who seems like they might not belong. And if you do, do so at your own peril.

However improbable it is that Indiana might navigate the brackets all the way to the championship, the underdog roll, combined with momentum, seems to carry disproportionate weight in the performance of a team. Just look at the LA Kings last year in the Stanley Cup playoffs (the topic of an upcoming post). When a team starts to irrationally believe in their own abilities theres no telling where or when the train stops. So heres to you, Indiana, the bases are still 90 feet apart, and the mound is still 60 feet 6 inches from home plate, lets see where this goes.

NFL Roster Comprised of Current NBA Players

My friend and I are obsessed with NBA All-Star weekend. It has lost some of its luster recently, but it is still a phenomenal showcase of athleticism. NBA players are some of the greatest athletes on our planet and the all-star weekend really showcases this. One of my friends commented that Derrick Rose looked like a cheetah playing in last year's all-star game. NBA players can accelerate to full speed in seconds, stop on dimes, soar through the air, and spin quicker than a dreidel during Hanukkah. See Tony Parker Below:

And yes, I really just wanted an excuse to post this gif (back to the point at hand). Watching the All-star festivities got us to thinking...what would happen if you put NBA players on a football field? The possibilities are endless, and the potential of some of the players on a football field is downright scary; just think about Lebron James catching passes. Naturally, we then decided to compose a NFL roster using current NBA players. Note: we included one player currently in the D-league and one player currently playing in Turkey, simply because the player in Turkey could not be left off the team, period. Here is what we came up with:

Offense                               Defense                               Special Teams                                                             

WR Lebron James               DE Dwight Howard                  KR Ty Lawson          
 LT Zach Randolph              DT Glen Davis                        PR John Wall                  

 LG Luke Harangody            DT DeJuan Blair                      K Steve Nash               

   C Kevin Love                    DE Kendrick Perkins                P Matt Bonner      
RG JJ Hickson                  SLB Thomas Robinson                                              

RT Demarcus Cousins      MLB Joey Dorsey

TE Blake Griffin                WLB Kenneth Faried
Slot J.R. Smith                   CB Rajon Rondo
WR Shannon Brown            CB Derrick Rose

QB Kyrie Irving                    FS Dwyane Wade

RB Eric Bledsoe                  SS Russell Westbrook
              

Analysis:

We definitely have the nicknames needed to assemble a successful NFL roster. Zach "Z-Bo" Randolph and Demarcus "Boogie" Cousins anchor our offensive line. Side note: ever wonder how Cousins got his nickname "Boogie"? I sure did. Well, it turns out the story is not as good as I thought it was going to be. Demarcus was asked how he got the nickname on ESPN First Take and his response was:

Coach Rod Strickland at Kentucky gave me the name. I would be playing ball and I would do moves that guards would do and coach Strickland said, "Man, you got a lot of Boogie." Every time I walked into the gym he would say, "What's up Boogie!" and it just stuck.

Well he basically made it stick himself. His twitter handle is @boogiecousins and his middle name on Facebook is "Boogie"....no wonder it caught on! But let's be honest, if someone called me "Boogie Grantham", I would be doing all the above as well as naming my first child "Boogie Grantham".

On defense, we have Gen "Big Baby" Davis holding down the interior of the line. The crowd would definitely chant "Waaaahhhhhhh" every time he made a play because he's just a big baby...bad joke? And we also have Kenneth "The Mannimal" Faried playing linebacker, enough said. Last, but certainly not least, we have Matt "The Red Rocket" Bonner at punter. I mean, I couldn't think of a better nickname for a punter myself. As we all know, having a great nickname makes you much better at sports so our roster is looking really solid already.

Some of you might question the selection of Eric Bledsoe at RB. This was a hotly debated position that was eventually solved by performing a Google image search of Eric Bledsoe, which yielded this picture:

Reminder: this is a picture of him from college. The dude is 6 ft 1, 200 pounds and extremely explosive. If you need further proof, YouTube Eric Bledsoe dunks and keep in mind his height.

As far as how we are going to put up points, we have built our offense around Kyrie Irving, more affectionately known as "Uncle Drew".  Uncle Drew is built in the mold of RG3; he has dynamic vision, elite speed, and could flick the ball with ease down a football field. He would have fans yelling "that's a pocket pass"! all game long. The team would mainly function out of the spread, with Kevin Love delivering pin point shotgun snaps. At WR, we have three elite jumpers with blazing speed. Throw in Blake Griffin at TE and this group of pass-catchers could out-jump any secondary in the NFL. NFL RedZone would have to add a screen box specifically designed for this team.

Our defense is anchored by Joey Dorsey, a power forward most notably known for playing on Derrick Roses' Memphis squad. I fondly remember his fast-break windmills and his strip downs to wife beaters once he fouled out of games; this was a site because the guy was a mammoth. According to Wikipedia, during the 2007 NCAA Tournament, Dorsey famously called Ohio State center Greg Oden "overrated as a big man", said that Oden "might be as good as Joey Dorsey", and labeled himself "Goliath" and Oden "the little man". That is the kind of attitude needed to lead a NFL defense.

Our pass rushers, Dwight and Perkins, wouldn't be that effective at getting to the quarterback. However, how are you going to throw a pass over these guys let alone attempt a field goal? They would block more kicks than a Euro Leaguer's shin guards. Also, if Perkins ever got a quarterback, he would leave him looking like this:

In my opinion, the secondary is the best part of our team. Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose would be shutdown corners on the edges. Rondo's hands would allow him to manhandle receivers at the LOS, pick off passes with ease, and give Brett Favre-esque butt slaps. D Rose has all-world quickness/agility that would allow him to blanket any receiver in the game. At free safety, Dwyane "Flash" Wade is allowed to roam the field, much like he does as a defender for the Heat. One of the best fits on the team is Russell Westbrook at strong safety. Can you imagine him running downhill at a ball-carrier in the same fashion he attacks the hole on fast breaks? Sheeshhh. Rusell would also set the fashion tone for our team.

On special teams,we have two of the fastest players in the NBA: Ty Lawson and John Wall. Ty has the straight-line speed to be devastating on kick returns and John Wall has the elusiveness and spin-moves to decimate coverage units on punt returns. Wall could also lead our team in pregame dances:

I talked about the Red Rocket earlier as our punter; couldn't you see him being able to just boom the football?. Steve Nash rounds out our roster at kicker. He is white, Canadian, and an accomplished soccer player, a great fit for the position.

Our roster is filled with exceptional athletes that would wreak havoc in space, but the team just doesn't have the size up front necessary to compete in the National Football League. The linemen are too tall and not thick enough; they would be abused in the leverage battle. However, getting this team in the open field would provide some very entertaining stuff. That's it, folks. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of the roster in the comments. Special thanks to Camp Arnett for helping me assemble the team.