Markakis Has Broken Bone in Wrist

The most dependable of Orioles is headed to the disabled list for the first time in his career. Right fielder Nick Markakis has a broken bone in his wrist and will have surgery to repair it tomorrow. He is expected to miss 3-4 weeks. Markakis started all 50 games prior to last night (48 in RF, 2 @ DH). This is a big blow to the Orioles' playoff chances having Markakis out for 3+ weeks. It is also one that I am not sure the Orioles can overcome. Yes, he was having a down year by his standards, but he is a hitter pitchers fear. Without him in the lineup, it will be much more difficult for Adam Jones to get quality pitches to hit. Losing your #1 hitter and your #3 hitter kills any lineup. The new lineup will have to somehow account for the loses of Reimold and Markakis.

There is good news though because Brian Roberts should be back soon. He is scheduled to finish his rehab stint June 11. Zach Britton is scheduled to be back after his rehab start in the next day. Britton's return will help fortify a struggling rotation while Roberts return will help a weak lineup. We just better hope Roberts is something close to his old self with Markakis and Reimold out still.
Here is my proposed lineup until Roberts gets back.
2B Robert Andino
SS JJ Hardy
C Matt Wieters
CF Adam Jones
1B Chris Davis
DH Wilson Betemit
RF Markakis' replacement
3B Ryan Flaherty
LF Endy Chavez


Once Roberts is back
2B Brian Roberts
SS JJ Hardy
C Matt Wieters
CF Adam Jones
1B Chris Davis
DH Wilson Betemit
RF Replacement
LF Endy Chavez
3B Robert Andino

Wieters is the only guy that makes sense @ #3 in my opinion. Unless we are trying to have a good hitter behind Jones. If that is the case then we need to swap Davis and Wieters. However, I would have my best hitter hit 3rd and Wieters is a better hitter than Davis.

You will notice that Mark Reynolds is not in either lineup. I am not a fan. I would try to trade him asap and eat some salary. I'd do the same thing with Gregg. We have to get another OF with Cakes and Reimold out. We need to do it asap.

What are the internal options?
Xavier Avery could come back up. The only problem with that is many in the organization think he is getting into bad habits. He may be getting into bad habits, but he is better than Chavez. He's certainly better than no options. If we want to compete for the playoffs, we might have to call Avery back up.

Jai Miller is still in the organization, but he is not playing well. He strikes out about every other time to the plate. That can't cut it in the big leagues.

Lew Ford is also an option for the Orioles. Ford is hitting .370 with 2 homers this season in Norfolk. This is in only 12 games, but perhaps Ford is the best option. We don't have much OF depth in the minor leagues.

Sure would have been good to still have Matt Angle on the 40 man at this point huh? Good thing we kept Josh Bell and Jai Miller when we let Angle go. That to me was the worst move of the offseason. Letting Matt Angle go was a really poor decision. We need to get someone to the Orioles that will hit. If we pay a price it is ok, but we can't give up our first good season in years without a fight. It should be interesting.

-Noland

Wizards Draft Plan

This post will outline various scenarios for the Wizards draft. Everyone knows that Anthony Davis is going to the Hornets at 1, the question is what do we do at 3? Another question is what do the Bobcats do at 2? Going by Jordan's track record there is a good chance he will blow the #2 pick so many scenarios are on the table.

Scenario #1: Bobcats select Kidd Gilchrist
Kidd Gilchrist is one of the few guys in this draft I can be ok with the Wizards selecting. I prefer Singleton starting and so do the Wizards I believe, but I think we can survive with both guys starting. Kidd Gilchrist, Singleton, Seraphin, Nene, and Wall is a solid starting five. That five also gets at it on the defensive end and Crawford can come off the bench if we need a scoring punch. With Gilchrist off the board it makes it less likely the Wiz get a capable starter. Without Gilchrist I prefer the Wizards trade the pick.

Scenario #2: Bobcats select Harrison Barnes
Barnes is a UNC guy just like Jordan. Don't dismiss the connection. Barnes is actually the player I prefer if the Wizards stay at 3, but I don't know if they will reach for him. With the Bobcats selecting Barnes, the Wizards should either select Kidd Gilchrist or trade the pick.

Scenario #3: Bobcats select Bradley Beal
I do not want to touch Bradley Beal with a 10 foot pole in this draft. This is the scenario I am wanting and the one I think has a realistic chance of happening. I still believe trading the pick has more value and the value of the pick goes up as Beal is picked. However, if the Wizards select Barnes or MKG I am ok with that.

Scenario #4: Bobcats select Andre Drummond
The scouting report on Drummond is big, strong, and talented. The knock is that he needs to be motivated all the time. Big, strong, talented, trouble being motivated, does that sound familiar? We don't need Blatche or Brown version 2 in Washington. This is the other player I don't want in Washington. We finally have a young team that works hard. The Wizards do not want to ruin that by bringing in more lazy players. If the Bobcats pick Drummond we should be thanking our lucky stars.

Scenario #5: Bobcats select Thomas Robinson
The Bobcats may opt for the veteran leader in Thomas Robinson. That pick might work out for the Bobcats. They may decide that Robinson needs to be there so they have a player who is ready to contribute and get better. I wouldn't mind having Robinson on the team in Washington either. You don't want a bench guy with the #3 pick though. Again if Robinson fell the Wizards probably wouldn't take him. If the Bobcats do pick Robinson it won't really hurt the Wizards.

So since the best option appears to be trade, what are our options there?
On the trade front there isn't to much that meets the eye. A few teams have multiple 1sts, but not many.

Golden State has picks 7 and 30
Portland has picks 6 and 11
New Orleans has the best setup as they pick again at 10 after picking 1
Houston picks 14 and 16
Boston picks 21 and 22
Cleveland picks 4 and 24

Obviously the two of those that jump out as appealing are Portland with picks 6 and 11 and Cleveland at 4 and 24. Cleveland is appealing because if you can get an extra 1st rounder by trading one spot down in this draft it is huge. Portland would be even better. If we could get Barnes and Lamb, we'd be hitting the jackpot in my opinion. Not likely we get both, but we can compete with those two added to our rotation. Either one of those and Austin Rivers would be another way to go. I like the potential scoring from Rivers, Barnes, and Jeremy Lamb. Those three have more potential than the majority of draft picks as well.

Perhaps the most likely trade down scenario is Golden State. Golden State is appealing. You pick up a back end first rounder and still get a shot at Barnes or Jeremy Lamb. You can probably trade the 7th pick down to 10 or so and get Austin Rivers also. Rivers may be the pick here to fit with Washington. I say that for a couple of reasons. Rivers is a scorer whom the Wiz desperately need. However, Rivers also passes the ball and is a good ball handler. Sometimes, Wall is most effective as a scorer and Rivers can reset the offense when things break down. He also is a hard worker and coach's son, so we don't have to worry about work ethic, attitude, and basketball IQ. Not only that, but he tries to make everyone around him better. With Rivers and Wall we would have an incredibly small backcourt, but they could work well off one another. The appeal of Rivers is one of the reasons I want to trade down. Rivers is a bit of a risky pick and picking up the other 1st rounder could be huge.

Another likely trade down partner is Houston. There is a slim chance Rivers will be there at 14. Is it worth risking if Rivers is our guy? Perhaps not, but there are decent players available at those spots. Rivers is currently projected 13. You never know if the Celtics will trade up to get Rivers to pair with Rondo. Perhaps, they are done with the big 3. The draft presents so many interesting scenarios. Currently the 14th pick is projected to be John Henson. Henson is the ACC defensive player of the year and will obviously contribute on that end. He could provide insurance for an injured Nene and again isn't one of the players you need to worry about with the smarts and effort. At 16 the North Carolina point guard is projected. By adding Marshall, the Wizards have their back up point guard. Marshall is a very good back up point at that. I'd be ok with landing those two. I would prefer Henson and Rivers if we went this route, but you never know what will happen.

I think Boston is too far down to make it appealing unless they package a player. Should sure be interesting to watch. Soon, I will have other trade scenarios not involving picks. That one will be really interesting.

-Noland

Draft Lottery Results

For the past 30 minutes I have seen the Toronto Blue Jays destroy the Orioles on my computer (MLB TV's Free Game) while watching the NBA Draft Lottery. The lottery went a little better than the O's game during that time, but not by much.

The Wizards could have done no worse than 5th in the lottery after finishing with the 2nd worst record. However, the Wizards won't pick 2nd, they will pick 3rd. Not too bad, but it could have gone much better. New Orleans ended up with the top pick. In other words, the Hornets will get Anthony Davis. Who will the Wizards select though?

The #2 player on most boards is Michael Kidd Gilchrist. He was the SF on Kentucky's National Championship Team, playing alongside Anthony Davis. The Wizards have Chris Singleton, but could they pass up on Gilchrist if he fell to 3. The #3 player on most boards is now Bradley Beal. Beal plays a position of need for the Wizards, SG. However, Beal is a gator and not even a good one at that. I would not pick Beal. After Beal is Thomas Robinson. Robinson is a very solid player, but with Nene in the fold with Seraphin, I would rather have a more dynamic scorer from the 2 guard than Robinson. These imperfect solutions make me desire a trade.

Perhaps the Trail Blazers would want to move up? The Blazers have two lottery selections. If another team would be willing to part with 2 first rounders I would jump on that offer as well. There isn't much difference between 2 and 10 and frankly you might rather have Harrison Barnes or Jared Sullinger than Beal or Robinson. You sure would have rather had one of the former two last year at least. It should be an interesting story to follow going forward. I'd be ok with Harrison Barnes at 3 actually. Most would say it is a reach though. This class just doesn't have a clear cut person to pick outside of #1 though.

-Noland

Donald Driver: Packer for Life

Although I focus on my favorite teams on this website, you know I focus on the classy guys in sports as well. When I think of classy athletes, they don't come much classier than Donald Driver. The Packers receiver has been with the team his entire career and it looks like it will stay that way. It appears that he will be coming back to Green Bay for the next year or two before he hangs up his cleats for good. According to Driver's Twitter he will be a Packer for Life. Read the post for Driver @Donald_Driver80. As soon as my account is unsuspended, which should be any minute now, you can follow me @norob55.

-Noland

Spurs Win 20th Straight

This team moved to 10-0 in the playoffs with a fantastic game again last night. It was also their 20th straight win period. The amazing streak leaves the Spurs just two games shy of the NBA Finals as the series shifts to Oklahoma City. So how did they get here?

It all starts with Gregg Popovich obviously as he has this team on a mission. All season long he has pushed all of the right buttons and it is easy to see how he won coach of the year. He helped create of team of unselfish players as well which definitely helps.

Those unselfish players were lead this year by a man who probably should have been MVP, but didn't even make first team All-NBA. That man is Tony Parker. Usually, Duncan is the leader, but no questioning that it is Parker this season. The point guard again played amazing last night as he had 34 points and 8 assists. Not only that, but he did it efficiently. Parker was 16-21 from the field. When is the last time you saw someone shoot that good from the field. Find me a box score of Lebron's or Kobe's where they shot only 21 times and scored 30+.



Tim Duncan did not have his best shooting night, but he was great and looked fresh. Duncan finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. He also gave Serge Ibaka a nice facial during the 1st half when he slammed it home. The best power forward ever also blocked 4 shots which may not seem that significant. However, those four blocks tied him for 2nd all time in the playoffs with Hakeem. Duncan needs four more to tie Kareem for the all time record. Five more blocks and Duncan has himself an NBA record. That should happen this season.

Look at this stat and see exactly why the Spurs were so dominant. Rookie Kawhi Leonard recorded a double double. Leonard had 18 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2. This team just plays well together and it does not matter who gets the credit.

They even have Manu Ginobili coming off the bench. He accepts his role as 6th man because it is better for the team. Remember when Allen Iverson said how many all-stars, scoring champs, and MVPs come off the bench? Well, at least one all-star Allen. Also this all-star has a couple rings. Maybe you should have tried it. Ginobili finished with 20 points for the game.

Now the Spurs take their winning streak to Oklahoma City.

-Noland

Kendrick Perkins Takes a Shot @ Andrew Bynum

I was looking at the great website over at Project Spurs and saw this gem. It was an article about Kendrick Perkins being asked the difference between guarding Tim Duncan and guarding Andrew Bynum. If you want the analysis over at Project Spurs, then click on the link. My analysis will be below. Anyways here is the quote.

"Well, Duncan is smart”

Ouch. Burn.
It sounds worse than it is though. Duncan has one of the highest basketball IQs we have ever seen. He is also an incredible team player that knows how to help his team in each situation. It is one of the reasons that the Spurs have won all these years. This was said in a poor way and I have though and I have to assume that Andrew Bynum isn't too happy about it.

-Noland

More Oriole Roster Moves

The Baltimore Orioles are now in a tie with the Tampa Bay Rays for 1st place in the AL East. This is partially because Tommy Hunter has been awful lately to lose the Orioles the best record in baseball. During his last start he couldn't get past the 4th inning. Because of his poor pitching, the Orioles optioned Hunter today. It is the 2nd time this season that Hunter has been optioned. The first time Hunter was optioned he didn't actually go to Norfolk because another player went on the DL so he was recalled. This time he is going down and there is no telling how long he will be down there.

Recalled in Hunter's place is Miguel Gonzalez. The pitcher was not on the Orioles 40 man roster, but with the roster at 39, Gonzalez was simply added. He signed with the Orioles as a minor league free agent February 28th. Last year he was with the Red Sox pitching in Single A, Double A, and Triple A. Through 5 minor league seasons Gonzalez was 18-22 with a 3.92 ERA. This season though Gonzalez has been much better pitching to a 2-1 record with one save and a 1.50 ERA. He was as deserving as anybody of a promotion.

In addition to that, Endy Chavez is on his way back off the disabled list. Unfortunately, for Xavier Avery, that means Avery is on his way out. Avery started out amazingly with the birds, but has cooled as of late. He is in a 3-30 slump and was 0-3 with 3 strikeouts last night. If you asked me last week if I would be upset with Avery being sent out I would have said yes. However, now I say that since Chavez is back it is ok. Probably better for Avery to get the extra work at Norfolk. If Reimold is done for the year though, I would not keep Avery down for too long.

-Noland

NCAA Tournament (Baseball Style)

The bracket has been announced. The Noles are a top 8 seeed. They will be joined by many others in the conference. Nobody has as many teams as the SEC though who has 8 teams (No Alabama). The ACC has the next most teams with 7 (FSU, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami, UNC, NC State, and Miami). I thought Virginia Tech and Maryland had a shot, but after they weren't in the ACC Tournament it was hard for them to get the invite. Maybe next year. Another surprising exclusion was the Texas Longhorns. Texas is usually a team that does pretty well in tournament play so it is surprising to see them out of the field. The Miami Hurricanes have the most consecutive appearances with 40. Our beloved Noles are next with 35.

South Carolina was also a top 8 national seed as they try for their third straight title. They would be only the second team to do that.

The top 8 national seeds are listed here in order. If any of these teams advance, they will host super regionals next week. Winners of the Super Regionals advance to the College World Series.
1. Florida
2. UCLA
3. Florida State
4. Baylor
5. Oregon
6. UNC
7. LSU
8. South Carolina

All of those teams are pretty familiar with the top 8 besides the Baylor Bears. I cannot remember Baylor as a baseball powerhouse, but perhaps I am just forgetting their exploits. Now that I looked it up I can see that Baylor has been to three College World Series and been ranked in the top 8 twice.

Now on to the Tallahassee Regional.
I like the draw other than the fact that we must play Mississippi State. How does the SEC champion get into the regional of the #3 team in the nation. It would seem that Miss State should have hosted a regional or at least been at a regional that was not a host site. That I don't like. Miss State knocked us out of a regional before and I do not like to play them. However, we are the better team and should still win. Also in our bracket is first year postseason team, Samford. All 3 teams in the regional with us won their conference.

Friday, June 1, 2012
Game 1: Mississippi State vs. Samford - 12:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
Game 2: Florida State vs. UAB - 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 12:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 12:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 - 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
Monday, June 4, 2012
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary) - 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
Tournament passes are $50.00 for reserved seats and $35 for general admission seats. These are good for every game of the tournament. Single game reserved seats are $12.00 with single game general admission tickets priced at $10.00 for adults, $7.00 for youth and students. The stadium will be cleared at the end of each game.

-Noland

American Patriot: Pat Tillman

Pat Tillman is one professional athlete that we all think of as a hero. Tillman is the guy that left millions to join the army following the Sept.11 terrorist attacks. He enlisted in 2002 and had a very bright future ahead of him in the NFL before he left. I can only think of one NFL player in the last 20 years that would even think to do that and it is Pat Tillman.

Tillman served several tours and joined the Army Rangers after enlisting. Unfortunately he died April 22, 2004 in the mountains of Afghanistan. No greater love has one than to lay down his life for his friends. No greater love has one than to lay down his life for his country. Pat Tillman made the ultimate sacrifice and died while trying to defend this country. We should all thank him for that.

I will not ever get into the controversy surrounding his death. It is not my place and will not be my place. I was not there and I do not know. All I know is that Pat Tillman gave up millions to join the army, after giving up millions he protected our freedoms and while doing that he lost his life. That is good enough for me and should be good enough for anyone.

Thank you to everyone who currently serves, or has served. We appreciate it.

God bless America

-Noland

American Patriot: Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson would be an American Hero even if it wasn't for his military service. For those following this blog, you know that I posted two things about Robinson back on Jackie Robinson day. You can find those stories by clicking on the Jackie Robinson tab at the top of the page. Most people only know about him for what he did on the field. Robinson was equally impressive and influential off of it.

Jackie Robinson applied for OCS (Officer Candidate School) when it was unheard of for African Americans to do so. This was in 1942 During WW2 which was before Robinson's breaking the color barrier. Not only was Robinson accepted into army OCS, but in 1943 he finished. After finishing OCS, Robinson was commissioned a second lieutenant. Once Robinson received his commission he joined the 761st Tank Battalion in Fort Hood Texas.



Robinson was told to go to the back of the bus by a military bus driver at one point during his commission which he refused. He received racist insults and questioning during that incident as well. Robinson would have shipped to Europe with his unit in 1944, but was instead court martialed over the incident. Later in 1944, Robinson was exonerated and honorably discharged. Who knows what would have happened in Robinson shipped out to Europe instead? He is a patriot for becoming a lieutenant in the 1st place and trying to serve his country and protect their freedoms. Jackie Robinson is quite the impressive person.

-Noland

American Patriot: Bernard James

Most people know Bernard James as the face of the Seminole basketball team the past two years. James was the emotional leader of the Seminoles basketball team that made the Sweet 16 last year and won the ACC this season. However, none of that is what we want to recognize James for on this site.

James served 6 years in the United States Air Force before his time with the Seminoles. This tour of duty was from (2003-2008). During this time, James served three tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Qatar. The forward is extremely proud of his time in the Air Force where he defended our freedom. During his third Iraq deployment in 2007, James suffered a near death experience. His base came under mortar fire and one landed 75 feet from him. It knocked him down and he had partial hearing loss from the incident, but he wasn't one of the 67 injured from the attack.

This is what James had to say about his service, "It opened my eyes that there really are people out there who want to hurt you just because you're an American and because of what America represents: freedom, prosperity and dreams."

His journey to FSU was a fascinating one and I am glad that he is a Seminole. Even better for us is that he is an American who risked his life to protect this country.

Bernard James is preparing for the NBA Draft and here is an update on that. I sure hope an NBA team takes a chance on him. Video is below.

-Noland

American Patriot: David Robinson

David Robinson is best known for his time with the San Antonio Spurs, but on this memorial day we are remembering him for something else. He is going to be remembered for his service to this country.

Robinson attended the Naval Academy. He was the largest player in the academy's history which is probably why he was most effective. Robinson grew when he entered his 1st game at the Academy to 6'9 and by the time he graduated he was 7'1. The reason Robinson was allowed to go to Navy was that he was 6'4 when he decided to go there. By choosing the Naval Academy, David Robinson had a two year commitment to the military. However, Robinson was given the opportunity to transfer following his sophomore year because of his basketball ability. Robinson declined to transfer and decided to honor his commitment. Which must have been hard for anyone that is one of the country's best players. So even though Robinson was the #1 pick in the 1987 draft by the Spurs, he could not play until 1989. How many players can you name in today's NBA that would do anything remotely similar? He is a better man than I. Give up two of your best years to serve the country, great man.

While at Navy, Robinson led them to their greatest seasons ever. During the 1986-1987 while receiving the Wooden Award, Associated Press Player of the Year, and Naismith Awards, Robinson led his team to the NCAA tournament on again. He led the Midshipmen to three tournament appearances, one in 1985, another in 1986, and then the one in 1987. The 1985 Midshipmen made it to the 2nd round of the tournament. The 1986 squad made it all the way to the Elite Eight as an 8 seed. Finally, the 1987 team was an 8 seed, but they were knocked out first round. However, Robinson scored 50 points in that loss. The ball from the game Robinson scored 50 is still on display in Annapolis.

Despite, all of that accomplishment, David Robinson fulfilled his service commitment. He is my all-time favorite athlete because of what he meant. He is the classiest guy that I have ever seen in sports and he does things for the greater good of people. Although his nickname is the admiral due to his time at the Navy, he was a lieutenant based on rank in the service. This guy is an American Hero though and should be celebrated for it. He was also used in recruiting videos, one of which I will post at the end here. Thank you to David Robinson for his service and thank you to all of our military for their service.

-Noland

Spurs Win 19 Straight

It wasn't always pretty, in fact sometimes it was ugly, but the Spurs pulled it out. Despite trailing for the majority of the 3rd quarter and looking absolutely terrible that quarter, the Spurs remained undefeated in these playoffs. They are now up 1-0 over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals behind a 101-98 victory.

Matt Bonner, Boris Diaw, and Danny Green looked awful on offense and for some reason kept jacking threes despite looking awful. Luckily, Splitter, Neal, and Ginobili stepped it up. Tiago Splitter had 9 key points and drew a crucial charge to help turn the game around. Ginobili led the Spurs with 26 points and was definitely the biggest key to the victory tonight. He finally got it going for the Spurs in the 4th after they were struggling a great deal offensively. Gary Neal was huge and was great down the stretch.

The Spurs went with an extremely small lineup at the end of the game. They had Neal, Ginobili, Parker, Jackson and Duncan. You rarely see an NBA team run 4 guards out there, but the Spurs ran this lineup the majority of the 4th quarter. Stephen Jackson did an amazing job guarding Durant and even added a few buckets. Jackson was like Bruce Bowen with his amazing defense. Very nice to see Jackson play great defense like that.

The other two parts of the big 3, Duncan and Parker both had decent, but unspectacular games. Parker had 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Tim Duncan had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Each can definitely play much better though.

The most satisfying part for the Spurs has to be that they won this game despite the turnovers. They had 12 turnovers in the 1st half. How do you win with 12 turnovers in one half? They finished with 17 turnovers for the game. If the Spurs win after that game, then how can they lose? Too much depth, too much skill, too much desire.

-Noland

Is Florida State Back?

Before I get started today, let me just say that for some reason my Twitter account has been suspended. They said this usually happens due to unusual following practices which is strange because I am only following like 34 people and have very few followers due to my short time on Twitter. The only thing I can think of is that I challenged the writer from SI, but even then it does not make sense. I will keep you posted when it is no longer suspended.

Anyways this is my final post about the Athlon feature on FSU football. It talks about whether FSU is back as a national title contender. Here are some thoughts. The full article is here.

David Fox said FSU is on the right track, but not truly back. He said they won't be back until they compete for the national championship. Finishing in the top 25 isn't good enough for them to be back according to Fox.

Brandon Gaell said FSU's dominance in the ACC will likely never be replicated, but if being back is saying the Noles can win the ACC, then yes they are back.

Steve Lassan said they are going in the right direction, but it will take another year or two likely.

Mark Ross contends that FSU never left. He said the following "I know that it was the '90s when the Seminoles dominated the ACC and won their two national championships, the last one coming in 1999. And I know that this is 2012, which means it's been more than a decade since the mighty 'Noles were on top of the college football mountain and six seasons since they made their last BCS bowl appearance (2006 Orange Bowl), but it's not like they've plummeted to the bottom of the rankings either. Overall, Florida State has won its last four bowl games and in Jimbo Fisher's first two years as head coach, the 'Noles have won 19 games combined and were ACC Atlantic Division champions in 2009."

Patrick Snow thinks that it would be a fair statement to say FSU is back.

While I would prefer the dominance of the 90s, I am kind of with Ross on this one. We have to put things in perspective. The Seminoles have had a winning year every season since 1976. That is absolutely amazing. Even in the down decade of the 2000s the Noles averaged 8.5 wins. I mean that is still pretty impressive. No team will replicate the run from 1987-2000. We should be thankful that the dark days for FSU appear over and that even during the dark days they had winning seasons. This FSU team is the best we have had in a while and we should be very excited for this year.

-Noland

Adam Jones Is Here to Stay

If you have been following my twitter feed, you have noticed that I love the Adam Jones deal. I retweeted Roch's tweet following the Jones signing that broke the news. Not only that, but I disputed the ignorant piece that was put up by Cliff Corcoran over at SI. I will go deeper into my piece here. You can read Corcoran's piece here. Don't forget to follow me on twitter @norob55, I recommend following @SimplyAJ10 and @masnRoch as well.

Corcoran starts off talking about how great a year Jones is having and how he would have him 4th in MVP voting. I don't know who he has 2 and 3, but that is for him to say I guess. No way anyone besides Hamilton deserves the MVP more than Jones right now. Just kidding, as I wrote this I decided to look, it was Paul Konerko and Austin Jackson. That should tell you all you need to know about this guy's dislike of Jones, but he goes further.

His first dig says that Andrew McCutchen is a better player that is further from free agency. He says that the Orioles don't a steal like that deal. Look, I like McCutchen, but let's not go overboard here. McCutchen is fantastic and a year younger than Jones. McCutchen is .004 BA points better over his career, but he also plays in the National League Central. Who has better pitching, the AL East or NL Central? How can you even compare that. Jones also has 30 more career home runs in the AL East. This season McCutchen has a higher average, but Jones crushes him in every other category. How can you make an absurd claim like that.

Corcoran then goes on to throw out all these insane stats to try to support his argument and say that it is not age related. Well then what do you make of his McCutchen argument? Andrew McCutchen is a career .282 hitter that is hitting .339 this year. How is he excused from his production bump, but not Jones? Adam Jones learned patience, is working hard, and now has protection in the lineup. Why can't that be here to stay? He is only 26. Ya McCuthen is 25, but if you factor in age for him, than you also have to do it with Adam Jones. Also Adam Jones is the better player. BY FAR.

Now back to my thoughts. I am pumped about this signing. I will admit that I was on the trade Adam Jones bandwagon the last season. I was on that because I thought Adam Jones would never re-sign here. I was told Jones was going west and didn't know any better. I wanted to get something great for him before we lost him for nothing. Then this season happened. We also found out that Jones was willing to come back to Baltimore. One of the best players in the league actually wants to stay here. Of course the Orioles re-signed him. They would have been foolish not to. Put me firmly in the Adam Jones fan club.

-Noland

Greatest Moments in Seminole History

I am almost done with the Athlon Sports features on the Florida State Seminoles and my breakdown of them. This is something fun to look at in the offseason. Today I will focus on the greatest moments in Seminole history slideshow they posted. Then, either later today or tomorrow, I will break down their article about whether the Seminoles are back. Should be interesting. If you go over to Athlon they have video of each of their moments. Hard to argue with the moments they chose. I will only post video of the top 2.

5. Choke at Doke
4. 1991 Michigan Rout
3. Bowden's 1st Big Road Win
2. Peter Warrick Goes Off in National Championship
1. 1994 Orange Bowl

Here is the video of Warrick dominating the title against the Hokies. That catch with the defender all over him gets me every time.

And Here is the 1994 Orange Bowl against Nebraska. The original video posted by Athlon belongs to a disabled account, so I posted another video. This video really only has the field goals, but still great.

Interesting that two of the big moments came against Nebraska.

I can't really replace anything on that list. The only one I'd consider is taking out the one before my time, but how can you really it was so significant. I did want to share this footage of Greg Jones the beast though because he had some of the best moments in Seminole history as far as I am concerned.

Vs. Dexter Reid

Vs. Sean Taylor

Vs. Entire Clemson Defense

O man those were the days of FSU greatness.

-Noland



Former NFL Receiver Charged With Attempted Murder

I don't know what possesses anyone to make poor decisions like this, but former NFL receiver Bobby Sippio was recently charged with murder. Sippio is not the most famous football player, but he did play for 13 teams in 4 different leagues. He is also the cousin of more famous receiver Dwayne Bowe. In the NFL, Sippio played for the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Kansas City Chiefs. The receiver even played for the local Tampa Bay Storm. Sippio also played for the Chicago Slaughter, a name he took a little too far. What a shame this story is.

He was arrested along with friend Santana Coates for attempted murder, aggravated battery, armed robbery, and kidnapping. They were attempting to kill Sergio Moore, who was Sippio's girlfriend's brother. Apparently, Moore was kidnapped repeatedly kicked and beaten while having a gun pointed at him the entire time.

Now at least we know that Bobby Sippio is a scumbag and will be locked up for a very long time.

-Noland

Far Cry From Tony Dungy's Colts

This is an outside of the box piece. It talks about why the Colts have gone so far downhill. Look at some moves they have made lately or plan to make soon and ask yourself if Tony Dungy would have wanted that move. Under Dungy, the Colts only went with high character guys and now it looks like it may be a different story.

Over the offseason the Colts got rid of three outstanding players in Clark, Manning, and Saturday. Not only that, but these guys were great guys that carried little baggage. Out of the big free agents that they kept who was it? Reggie Wayne. This after Wayne paid a mistress and had an affair. The old Colts wouldn't have canned 3 high character guys and then resigned a guy with perhaps the worst character on the team. We all make mistakes, but it just seems like something the old Colts don't be.

Ok that one might just be coincidence, but what about this? The Colts hired Jim Tressel last year. Yes, the same Jim Tressel that was run out of Ohio State. Sure it was a minor position that was fairly low profile, but again its a move the old Colts don't make.

And now, they want Mike Jenkins. Jenkins has basically demanded a trade from the Cowboys. He has skipped OTAs. Does Dungy touch this guy with a ten foot pole? Probably not. Do these Colts? Probably.

Now we are not talking about what Dungy does off the field. Tony Dungy has been involved in prison ministry and helping people turn themselves around. We aren't talking about that. We are talking about giving in to whiny primadonnas and guys that show little to no remorse. If you are willing to do better Tony Dungy helped you and will still help you, but he didn't want to surround himself with malcontents that wanted to do nothing better. The Indianapolis Colts have lost sight of that.

-Noland

FSU Seminoles 2012 Team Predictions

Before I get into the 2012 Seminole Team Predictions from Athlon, I wanted to say that on Monday, I will be posting a few stories about sports heroes that were also American heroes. As someone that has a great appreciation for what the military does and for everything they sacrifice I think it is important to do that. Look for those stories on Monday.

Now, getting back to the Seminole stories from Athlon, we look at their predictions for players at FSU. We already know that Athlon has FSU at #9 and thinks they will win the ACC, but what else do they have predicted for the Noles this year. Here is the full story.

Athlon has put us on upset alert in our trip to Raleigh, NC. The October 6th date with the Wolfpack is not a game the Noles should take lightly. The last time our team traveled to Carter-Finley stadium we lost. Although we beat the Wolfpack 34-0 last year, we can't expect that to happen again.

They picked our offensive MVP to be EJ Manuel. No surprise there. EJ needs to be the offensive MVP and needs to have improved play this season if we are to get back into the BCS.

Our biggest game according to Athlon is against the Clemson Tigers on September 22. I could not agree more. There is a strong chance that the winner of this game will represent the ACC Atlantic in the title game. If FSU wants to win the ACC, this very well could be a must win game. Luckily the game will be at Doak Campbell Stadium. This one should be an easy sellout.

We all know the Seminoles have an amazing defense. Everyone also knows that Brandon Jenkins is the leader of that defense and the team. This guy is a 1st round pick. The stud pass rusher will lead the Seminole defense back to the BCS.

They picked USF as a trap game. I don't know about that one. This could be a trap technically, but in state opponents aren't usually taken lightly. Ya, it will be the week after the Clemson game, but these Seminoles should be hyped for it. It will be in Tampa which is awesome because that is my new city. However, I don't think I'll be going to this game. It is on September 29th which is my baby boy's due date. Well actually the date was moved up to September 25th, but even a diehard Nole like me wouldn't miss the birth of his son for anything.

Their breakout candidate is Rashad Greene. I say that Rashad Greene has already broke out. He was the leader in receiving last season. My choice is Christian Jones. I believe Jones will be 1st team All ACC.

Athlon's bounce back candidate was Xavier Rhodes. I agree 100%. Rhodes has amazing talent and if he really wants to be that top 10 pick will have to bounce back. I see it happening.

The national championship defining moment game should be an ACC Championship preview. If the Seminoles are undefeated heading into their November 8th showdown at VT, they have a great chance at the National Title. This is the biggest obstacle to that. Lane Stadium is a very tough place to play though and I am not sure they will get their unscathed. It is a real possibility though that they can do it.

There is more covered on predictions over at Athlon, so be sure to check the article out. I feel a big year for the Seminoles. However, I will admit to being a big time homer. This year there is plenty of reason to be excited though with nearly everyone coming back. Including our best defensive line since the 90s.

-Noland

Orioles Beat Royals

The Baltimore Orioles defeated the Kansas City Royals handily last night. Baltimore won 8-2 behind excellent pitching, defense, and hitting. This is one of the most complete games the Orioles played all year. At what point do Orioles fans get excited about this team.

Jason Hammel had his best game since the knee injury. He pitched 6 strong innings earning a quality start and his 6th victory this year. Now 6-1, Hammel is showing to be quite the offseason addition. The righty did not give up a run and lowered his ERA to 2.78. What a fantastic outing. With starting pitching like that it is difficult to lose.

The bullpen was also very good. Stu Pomeranz gave up KC's only 2 runs. Pomeranz got the call back up to Baltimore yesterday. He was having a terrific season and those are the first runs he has given up in Bowie, Norfolk, or Baltimore this year. This guy deserves to be in the big leagues with how he has pitched. I am not going to let one outing change my mind on that. He was followed by Dana Eveland. Eveland pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the victory. The lefty lowered his ERA to 3.95.

Next, we need to talk about the performance of JJ Hardy. Hardy made a fantastic leaping catch to rob Billy Butler in this game. It was critical to the outcome and Butler is an Oriole killer. Great to see Hardy make such a fantastic stop. The guy did it with his bat also. JJ was 2-4 in the game with a double. He also walked, drove in 2, and scored. This game is all about scoring runs and when you score or drive in someone else it is huge. Big game from JJ.



Nick Markakis had a big night with the stick. He went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles. Markakis now has 11 doubles for the season and continues to hit well. In the process, he raised his average back up to .271. Not only that, but his on base percentage is .350. He gets on base and has increased power numbers and while this is a down year, you can live with this production from Nicky.

Adam Jones with all the contract talk in the air, had a great game. Jones drove in 2 more, strengthening his MVP case.

Meanwhile, Chris Davis had his best offensive game in a while. Davis was 2-4 with his 7th homer. He also had 3 RBIs and raised his average to .299. Davis pictured above had an awesome night.

Also if you go to the game on Monday you will get these sweet camouflage T-shirts assuming you are one of the first 10,000 fans in attendance.

-Noland

Former Yankee Faces Teen Sex Charges

The evil empire moniker doesn't seem like it will be leaving the Yankees anytime soon. One of the players that they employed is involved in a huge scandal. Chad Curtis has been charged with sexual misconduct in Michigan. Curtis was volunteering at a high school when two girls accused him of touching them inappropriately. The 43 year old was released on $250,000 bond after paying $25,000 of the bond in cash. He was in line to be named that school's football coach prior to this scandal. Chad Curtis played for 5 teams in his career, but he is best known for his time with the Yankees. He won 2 World Series rings with the Bronx Bombers. What a shame.

-Noland

Adam Jones Near Contract Extension

The Orioles are about to sign their best player long term. Center Fielder Adam Jones, who is a serious MVP candidate, is going to be a Oriole for a while. Put all of the rumors to bed, this guy is staying. Apparently the deal will be worth 85.5 million over 6 years. This contract will be the largest in Oriole history. This deal would lock up the 26 year old until he is 33. Jones will not have to go to arbitration now if the contract is signed and will delay his free agency 5 years.

The previous contract record belonged to Miguel Tejada. That deal was worth 72 million over 6 years.

-Noland