Blue Jays Starting Nine for Opening Day?

On April 2, the Toronto Blue Jays will line-up for opening day against the Cleveland Indians, but fans won't be seeing the same nine that took the field in September. General Manager Alex Anthopolous is probably not finished tweaking the line-up, but until the next blockbuster deal, here is my take on what fans would see in April (this is assuming the trade between the Jays and Marlins is approved);

SP - Josh Johnson
C - JP Arencibia
1B - Edwin Encarnacion
2B - Emilio Bonafacio
SS - Jose Reyes
3B - Brett Lawrie
RF - Jose Bautista
CF - Colby Rasmus
LF - Melky Cabrera
DH - Adam Lind

For fun, here is how I would bat them;
Reyes
Bonafacio
Bautista
Encarnacion
Cabrera
Lawrie
Lind
Rasmus
Arencibia

What do you guys think? Does Lawrie hit second? Is Bonafacio the starter over Mike McCoy and Maicer Izturis?

Blue Jays Make Big Trade. Exchange the Future for the Present

Going into the Blue Jays off season there was alot of concern from the fan base. All the optimism that was present in the Winter of 2012 had evaporated because many of the prospects that were going to be relied upon to play significant roles, were not as dominant as projected when called into action this past year. Now that five year plan was quickly turning into a 10 year plan. Along with the players not being in place, there was major concerns that Rogers would not fulfill its promise to spend more money to bring in front line players if there was an opportunity to do so. Fans cited the Yu Darvish situation as an example of the owners being tight with the payroll. Then the Jays lost their manager to Boston and still have not replaced him and the names being thrown around haven't really impressed most.

All the worries about this not being a productive off season were wiped out with one big move from General Manager Alex Anthopolous on Tuesday evening. A blockbuster of a trade with the Miami Marlins were 12 players are changing uniforms. The Jays acquired several all-star, proven big league talents, while sending back trouble makers and prospects. So who got the better of the deal? Immediately the reaction is that the Jays have robbed the Marlins blind. The Jays World Series odds dropped from 45/1 to 15/1 when the trade was announced. A whopping 89% of people on ESPN responded that the Jays won the trade. The cynics in Jaysville will say that we gave up the farm (prospects) and will pay for it later on, but will they care when they are celebrating a World Series on Yonge Street?

This is the type of move that winning franchises, Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Angels have made for the past decade. Acquire players that are ready to win now. You know the talent level that you are acquiring, you are happy with it and you know that it will make an immediate impact. These franchises trade away prospects. Prospects are always fun to have because you can dream about how good the future is, but you are never sure if that five-star prospect will actually be able to hit or find the strike zone once they are in the show. You don't win World Series trophies by having the most prospects ranked in the top 100 by Keith Law.

The players that the Jays sent to Miami may or may not become major league stars or even just major league players, we don't know right now, but what we do know is that the Jays acquired two top of the rotation players and an all-star.    

Once again, Jays fans have a Winter of hope. Spring Training can't come fast enough...

For a full list of names involved in the big trade, check the ticker...

NBA Season Preview - Eastern Conference

The NBA actually tips off tonight, but it isn't too late to get all the knowledge you need for the season. Yesterday we had a look at the Western Conference and delved into some preview and predictions. Today is the Eastern Conference. Where the West is top heavy with several of the elite teams in the league, the East has one powerhouse and a bunch of maybes and some maybe next years.

Here is your Eastern Conference preview and predictions;

1. Miami Heat - D'uh...the defending champs still have their big three in place and have added additional veteran help with Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. LeBron James is the best player in the league and will continue to show it. The only thing the Heat really have to worry about is do they want to keep up the blistering place all season. There closest competitors aren't really that close and although teams will be gunning for them every night because they are the champs, motivation towards the end of the regular season could be difficult.

2. Boston Celtics - The Celtics aren't getting any younger but somehow still manage to stay relevant. They have a big three of their own in Pierce, Garnett and Rondo, plus they have added former sixth man of the year Jason Terry. They also get the boost of Avery Bradley returning from injury to help on the defensive end. Their draft picks, especially Jared Sullinger are enigmas and could either end up being superstars or superstar busts. Barring injury, they are the only real challenge to the Heat dominance in the East.

3. Indiana Pacers - The drop off after the Heat and Celtics is pretty significant. Spots 3-6 are pretty much up for grabs. Indiana will finish third because they have an asset in Roy Hibbert that many of the other teams in the East can't match. A real centre. After Hibbert the Pacers still feature Danny Granger who can carry the scoring load most nights. The Pacers had a great year last season and they must continue on their upward trend to be a force.

4. Brooklyn Nets - New home and a new roster. The Nets have retooled most of the roster starting at the trade deadline last season. With the acquisition of Gerald Wallace and Joe Johnson to go along with Deron Williams and Kris Humphries, this team has scoring. They might put up the most points in the league this season and rival the 1990's Nuggets teams. Unfortunately, they have some real holes on the defensive end. There is no one to protect the middle and be a lock down defender when a stop is required. They better hope they have the last possession on most nights.

5. Atlanta Hawks - They lost their franchise player in Joe Johnson to the Nets in free agency, but it might be a blessing in disguise. Johnson was always the go to player because he was paid like it, but the supporting players might have been the better choice in crunch time. Now they have the chance to prove it. Josh Smith is in a contract year and has the skill set to be an all-star and a health Al Horford can be dominant. The Hawks could surprise people.

6. New York Knicks - Yes, they are old and made a bunch of weird roster decisions in the offseason, but all the experience has to count for something. Carmelo Anthony is a scorer, and the Knicks have to accept that for them to be successful. They will be tough and play good defense led by Tyson Chandler. The health of Amar'e Stoudamire is now a question mark, but his absence might give the rest of team time to come together and develop an identity.

7. Toronto Raptors - Surprised? A great pre-season offered some hope in Raptorland and although GM Bryan Colangelo has continued to manipulate the roster, it seems like his moves might be paying off. European rookie Jonas Valuncianias has earned the starting centre spot which allows Andrei Bargnani a chance to play forward where he is more comfortable and take advantage of mismatches on the offensive end. DeMar DeRozan was upset by some predictions in national publications and fans can only help this helps to motivate him and develop his game. Although rookie Terrence Ross hasn't looked spectacular, new point guard Kyle Lowry and Landry Fields have both looked good. After 4 down years with no playoffs, the Raptors will return and see some post-season action.

8. Chicago Bulls - The depth that the Bulls had for the past couple of seasons (Bench Mob) has been decimated and this really affects them more than even the Derrick Rose injury. Without the depth, and injury to anyone makes life difficult. Rose is really the swing vote in the whole Eastern Conference. If he comes back healthy, the Bulls are automatic title contenders and a first round match-up with the Heat could actually be quite interesting. 

9. Detroit Pistons -The Pistons have a developing young roster and they would be much closer to winning if not for the huge misguided contracts they gave to Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva a few seasons ago. Draft pick Andre Drummond looks like the real deal, but was often knocked while at Georgetown for losing focus, it might be a challenge for him to keep focus for 82 games, especially if losing. Greg Monroe is a good young big man which could pose match-up problems for the teams in the East.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks are going to see if two of the best pure scorers can live in harmony and take them to the playoffs. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis are each capable of putting up 40 points in a night, but if nobody else scores can they still win? Other than these two, you will know this team but not be able to pronounce any names - Illyasova, Udoh, Udrih, Mbah a Moute and Harris round out the line-up.

11.Washington Wizards - While most of the teams in the NBA have started going small and athletic, the Wizards seems to be going the other way. They acquired Nene, Emeka Okafor, and already had Jan Vessly in the fold. Can these bigs fit with run and gun point guard John Wall? Trevor Ariza will provide some quality defense, and rookie Bradley Beal needs to live up to his draft position.

12. Philadelphia 76ers - The 76ers made a bold move in the offesason trading away all-star Andre Igudala and acquiring dominant centre Andrew Bynum. Bynum gives them a force in the middle, but only when he is healthy and he is already out injured. Like many other teams in the East, Philly lacks depth and will struggle against the elite teams.

13. Cleveland Cavaliers - The Cavs have something special in point guard Kyrie Irving. He is going to be worth his share of wins this season. Tristan Thompson is starting to come into his own and Anderson Varejo hasn't slowed down at all. Unfortunately for Cleveland, LeBron isn't walking through the door and three guys aren't enough to win you a championship or even get you a playoff spot.

14. Orlando Magic - The Magic traded away Dwight Howard in the biggest move of the offseason and got NOTHING of substance back in return. The Magic are trying their hardest to finish last. It will be nice to see Hedo Turkoglu lose a lot of games.

15. Charlotte Bobcats - Can you have worst luck? After a year of sucking and hoping to secure the first pick in the draft, that didn't even work out for them. They are rebuilding slowly and painfully.

NBA Season Preview - Western Conference

The NBA season is just days away from tip off and in order to be prepared for 82 games of action you need to know who is good, who is bad and who will be ugly.

So, here are my predictions for the Western Conference (Eastern Conference tomorrow) and a quick little note on what you need to be aware of.

1. LA Lakers - They made lots of changes in the offseason so it may take the regular season for all the new parts to fit together, but when you have this many all-stars and future hall of famers players together, even if they are cohesive they can still win. Kobe, Nash, Howard, Gasol and World Peace....scary sight for any opponent.

2. San Antonio Spurs - The model franchise. Title contenders year in and out, they have run into some bad luck in the post-season the past two years, but they are still deep and a threat in the West. Tim Duncan is on his last legs so he'll start to rely even more on Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder feature the second best scorer in the league in Kevin Durant and that alone would be enough to carry them to the three seed, but they also have a top five point guard in Russel Westbrook. The trade of James Harden on the eve of the season might put them behind the eight ball in terms of team chemistry, but they got some good parts in return. Might not be a title contender this year, but will have the Spurs consistency in terms of being title contenders.

4. Denver Nuggets - A very sexy pick to be a top of the conference team in the West. They are doing it without one bonafide superstar. It is conceivable that the Nuggets could not have an all-star this season but end up in the Western Conference finals. They have improved their defence, but still need to find a reliable crunch time scorer.

5. LA Clippers - Lob City is back! They have so much depth it is almost laughable, unfortunately it is depth all at the same position and no one is quite certain how coach Vinny Del Negro is going to get them all playing time. Blake Griffin needs to be more of an all-around player than a human highlight film for SportsCentre.

6. Utah Jazz - The major story coming out Utah this pre-season is that Enes Kanter dropped 50 lbs and is ready to make an impact in his second season. The Jazz have support for Kanter if he ends up getting pushed around in the post with Al Jefferson. The supporting cast isn't too shabby either with Mo Williams running the point, Paul Millsap, Derick Favors and Randy Foye. Much has been made of the Nuggets depth and youth, but this Jazz team might give them a run for their money.


7. Portland Trailblazers - New uniforms! Beside the slightly new look, the Blazers actually have some talent and could cause trouble in the playoffs. Perennial all star LaMarcus Aldridge will lead and has support in Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum. Besides the big three, rookies Damian Lillard and Meyers Leonard have both played well in the pre-season. Lillard is even getting some rookie of the year buzz.

8. Memphis Grizzlies - The Grizz might have blown their championship chances when they failed to use Zach Randolph's magic playoff run a couple of years ago. They still have two of the best big men in Randolph and Marc Gasol but the rest of the roster leaves alot to be desired.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves - The T-Wolves have alot of "try hard" players supporting one super star in Kevin Love. The issue with the super star is injury. Love broke his hand during the preseason and is out for 6 weeks. While it isn't a huge part of the season, it might be enough to put Minny behind early and unable to climb outta their hole. They also have the injury to Ricky Rubio that will delay their success this season. The interesting players to watch here are Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko. Kirilenko returns after a season away from the NBA and Roy returns after retiring before last season. If these two can regain their form, an playoff spot isn't out of the question.

10. Golden State Warriors - The success and/or failure of the Warriors will be based on the health of its best players - Steph Curry and David Lee. Unfortunately for the Warriors they are already hurt and no one is sure when they will be back or if they can stay healthy.

11. Dallas Mavericks - Mark Cuban got his championship and has decided a second one is not necessary. The rag tag bunch of players will not give the Mavs much hope of making the playoffs this year. Dirk Nowitzki is still around and will have to carry much of the scoring load. Vince Carter, OJ Mayo and Darren Collison (filling in for Jason Kidd) will have to try and make the best of the situation.

12. New Orleans Hornets - First overall pick Anthony Davis will make an immediate impact but unfortunately he is only the start of the rebuilding process in New Orleans that might take a few more drafts. Eric Gordon is a quality starter and will make it his mission to guide the ship.

13. Houston Rockets - Although they acquired a couple of nice pieces in the offseason in Omar Asik, Jeremy Lin and now James Harden, GM Daryl Morey has a quick trigger finger and is trying to rebuild quickly. It will be interesting to see if he has any more moves up his sleeves.

14. Sacramento Kings - A great fantasy basketball roster, but put them on an actual basketball court and disaster. Tyreke Evans is probably the player who has the most talent, but no idea how to use it. DeMarcus Cousins is another player that needs to find a way to harness his skills and become an all star. They are still bummed to not be in Anaheim.

15. Phoenix Suns - Oh boy. Put the ping pong balls in the hopper for these guys. Unless you are following Jared Dudley on Twitter there is no real point to turn in to watch these guys.

Pay Me Sucka!

On Saturday night, if you are a sports fan, you were probably doing one of two things. Watching Notre Dame roll over Oklahoma or dressed in some weird sports costume heading to a party at a friends place. Either way you were blindsided midway through the night about the news of a big NBA trade.

Trades in the NBA aren't all that common, they mostly happen when teams need to dump salary (see Knicks, New York) or a player is unhappy in his situation and demands out (see Howard, Dwight). This trade happened because the player was due a big contract extension and his current team wasn't going to pony up the cash.

James Harden of Oklahoma City Thunder has been a very visible star for the NBA the last couple of seasons. A high draft pick, playing on a winning team and his tell tale beard all made him quite the personality. His biggest contribution is probably the consistency that the Thunder get when the bring him off the bench. He was named the 6th man of the year last year because of the scoring (avr 16.8 ppg) he provides when his teammates might not have it that night. Even though many considered him the third best player on the Thunder, he was content, or so we thought, with coming off the bench.

Harden was entering the fourth year of his rookie contract and the Thunder could offer him an extension. Many thought that Harden would accept below market value on his contract extension so he could continue to contend for championships in Oklahoma City. Everyone was apparently wrong. Harden was offered a four year $55 million dollar contract by the Thunder, about $5 million less than the maximum that they were able to offer him on a four year extension. When he declined that extension, Oklahoma City's GM Sam Presti was apparently convinced that he wasn't going to be able to keep Harden and traded him to Houston.

Was Presti wrong for not offering Harden a max contract? Probably, his team would be in a better place with a player like Harden and financially they could have found a way to make it work. Was Harden wrong for not accepting a the OKC offer? Absolutely not! A professional sports career is short and while winning a championship is definitely important to most players, you can't deny the fact that a championship ring won't pay the bills. Harden might have had a better chance at a title in OKC this year, but Houston GM Daryl Morey is creative and will build that Houston team up quickly around Harden and Jeremy Lin.

The only question that keeps coming to my mind about the trade is why did Oklahoma City pull the trigger on the trade so quickly. They could have waited until March to make this deal. If they wait, maybe they realize that Harden is worth the extra cash or they realize that they can live with out and then make the move. Either way, the beard is taking a trip to Houston and the fun loving, young trio of stars in OKC are no more, which has definitely put the Lakers and their hall of fame roster in the drivers seat to represent the West in the NBA finals.

It's Hard Being The Superstar

When you are the best player, highest paid and team leader and something goes wrong, fingers are automatically going to be pointed in your direction. That is what happened this week with the New York Yankees.

Alex Rodriguez is a superstar player who has found himself in a bit of a slump come the playoffs, like many of the other Yanks. However, they aren't the ones that took the brunt of the criticism when the teams play starting going south in the ALCS versus Detroit. It was all on Rodriguez's shoulder. He was the one that got pulled during a crucial late inning at bat and then benched for the remainder of the series. Would the Yankees have won with A-Rod on the field? Doubtful, but it is likely he would have done better than his replacements. Will fans second guess manager Joe Girardi? Probably not, most fans love the fact that the superstar has to ride the pine, but the people that will second guess Girardi is management. Not making it to the World Series is pretty close to a fireable offense in New York.

Girardi has also sealed either his fate or A-Rod's in New York for the 2013 season. With what happened during this post season, it looks like only one of the two can remain in the big apple. There have already been rumours swirling that the Yankees are talking to the Miami Marlins about trading for Rodriguez. Other teams with deep pockets or those in need of a media splash could include the Cubs, the Dodgers or maybe down the street with the Mets. Rodriguez will not be easy to move. He is on the downside of his career, with an ever increasing cost. His play has declined from year to year, but is approaching many career milestones that could be good for turnstile numbers at least.

If it is Girardi that moves on, don't expect him to be unemployed for long. There are several franchises looking for a new bench boss, including the Red Sox and this would be an interesting move to say the least. That Red Sox job might not be open for long though. The Sox are interested in Blue Jays manager John Farrell and the sports news cycle is already saying the Sox and Jays are talking compensation. If that works out, could Girardi end up in Toronto? I don't think Jays fans would be upset with that move.

What could have Rodriguez and Girardi done differently, well for starters hit the ball out of the infield, but basically when you have a star, you can sit him for one game, but if it goes beyond that, you end up creating a situation that you can't reverse. Rodriguez isn't the first victim of this, look at the Roberto Luongo situation. The Canucks benched him and now the coach and fans don't have trust in him, so he needs to be moved. Girardi has created the same situation with Rodriguez and probably Curtis Granderson. However this ends up playing out we will probably see a new look New York next season.

Parity Reigns Supreme in the NFL

You wouldn't know it by looking at the NFL scoreboard this past weekend, but the two favourites to meet at the Super Bowl in New Orleans this February are the Houston Texans and the San Francisco 49ers.

This might not make sense to you since both of those teams were humiliated on Sunday, at home! The Texans were the victim of the Green Bay Packers. The Packers were the favourites to bring Lombardi home when the season started, but inconsistent performance from the MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a defense that was vulnerable and injured made the first 5 weeks of the season unbearable for cheeseheads. On Sunday though, the offense came to life and the defense, although still fighting through injuries, shut down the Texans running game.

The 49ers who were within a field goal of going to the Super Bowl last season were trying to avenge that playoff loss against the Giants. The New York Football Giants can't seem to get respect from the critics or bettors, despite being the defending champs. They went West and absolutely destroyed the 49ers. Jumping out to an early lead, forcing 49ers quarterback Alex Smith to play from behind and forcing him into turnovers. Then being relentless on offensive. Eli Manning keeps finding ways to hold his offense together finding a new receiver each week to star and a running game that grinds up the clock.

After reading those two paragraphs you might presume that the Packers and Giants should be 1 and 2 as Super Bowl favourites, but that's not how the league works this year. There are no teams that will challenge the unbeaten record of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, but each week there will be at least one team that looks like it belongs in the same breath. Usually you can narrow down the championship field to 4 or 5 teams, this year though, we are looking at 8 to 10. From that list we have to decide, the team with the least amount of faults.

8. Baltimore Ravens - Going through terrible injury crisis on defense but Joe Flacco has turned the corner as an elite quarterback

7. Denver Broncos - One word, Peyton. Although they seem to fall behind in each contest, they have the great equalizer in Peyton Manning.

6. Green Bay Packers - They seem to lack focus this season, Rodgers can't seem to stay focused for a full game (excluding Sunday) and the defense still needs to create turnovers.

5. New York Giants - As they have proven time and again, don't count them out. Playmakers like Victor Cruz and a defense that puts pressure on opponents. They also seem to play better on the road, bodes well for the playoffs.

4. Atlanta Falcons - Despite being the only undefeated team left, they have had some unimpressive wins and often play to the level of their competition. Matt Ryan has developed into an elite quarterback, but the running game which was reliable with Michael Turner has disappeared.

3a Houston Texans - Exposed by the Packers on Sunday, the Texans are still one of the elite AFC teams. Matt Schaub and Arian Foster lead an normally potent offense, but losing Brian Cushing for the season to an ACL tear puts some stress on the defense, JJ Watt will try to fill his big play shoes.

3b San Francisco 49ers - The major concern with the 49ers is how they would play if they fall behind. On Sunday they folded. The blame for the loss will fall squarely on the shoulders of Alex Smith since he is known as a game manager instead of a playmaker. They need him to be a playmaker to have a chance in February.

2. Chicago Bears - No team with Jay Cutler at quarterback will ever be ranked number one in one of my power polls.

1. New England Patriots - Did they lose on Sunday? Are they 3-3? Have they lost 3 games they should have won? Does Tom Brady look human again? The answer to all questions, yes. Do you still trust Brady and Coach Belichick in a meaningful January football game? YES

Kobe Says Aurevoir To The NBA in 2013-14

Let the retirement tour begin! Apparently, 2013-2014 will be Kobe Bean Bryant's last in the NBA. Since being drafted in 1996 by the Charlotte Hornets (yes, it is true, he wasn't always a Laker), Kobe has achieved greatness and no matter how much you hate the purple and gold and all their championships, you can't deny that.

His career will be defined by multiple things; his competitive nature, his 5 championships, being a ball hog, scoring 81 points in a game against the Raptors and desire to be better than Michael Jordan. All of these traits have made Kobe into the great player we still see on the court.

Why retire now though? The Lakers have just made two of the biggest off-season acquisitions in Dwight Howard and Steve Nash and he is playing with 2 other all-stars in Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace.This hardly seems like the time you would decide to hang 'em up. Kobe is only 34 years old, but has been playing in the NBA since he was 18. There are definitely a lot of miles on his legs, especially considering the Lakers have often gone deep into the playoffs and he has also played internationally. Recently signed teammate Steve Nash is 38 and signed a 3 years deal, why not stick around and play out the string with him, try and pick up an extra title or two. Kobe is apparently in a place where he feels good about leaving the Lakers. They will be in good hands with Howard and Gasol moving forward to keep the winning tradition alive, or so he hopes. Why not wait until he is sure Howard can produce at the championship level that Lakers fans demand?

The other big bullseye for Kobe, other than tying Jordan with 6 titles, is the all-time scoring record. He is currently about 9000 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or about 5 decent seasons. This doesn't seem out of reach for such a competitive athlete, especially if those knee treatments continue in Germany each off-season.

Kobe will be missed once he retires, probably not by fans in places like New York, Denver, Utah or Toronto, teams he consistently torched, but you probably do have to honor him when he comes to town one last time. If the Raptors are planning on doing so, I hope they decide to do it with a Raptors jersey with 81 on the back and Bryant as the nameplate.

Baseball Playoffs, Almost Always Fantastic!

There aren't many things wrong with the baseball playoffs. There is so much to like between the drama, unsuspecting heroes and champagne celebrations, but there are definitely some things that could use a fresh coat of paint, so to speak...

5. Late start times - much has been made in the past 5-10 years that kids aren't watching as much baseball and young athletes are choosing other sports. Well if a 12 year old can't stay up until 9:35pm to even see the first pitch, how is he going to fall in love with the sport? Also, I can't stay up past the 5th inning!

4. Extra umpires - they don't help at all as witnessed by the botched call in Atlanta and we got through a 162 game schedule with only 4 umpires per game, why change now? We don't add extra refs in hockey just because it is the Stanley Cup or an extra back judge during the Super Bowl. So why do it for baseball?

3. Rally _____ - fill in the blank with whatever ridiculous stunt the team has dreamed up. Whether it is monkeys, squirrels, towels or tomahawk chop, we don't need it. It is so nice to see full stadiums (I dream of this one day again at SkyDome) why do we mess it up with swag

2. Pitchers wearing winter coats on the base paths - no other explanation necessary

1. New York Yankees - has there ever been a team that 90% of fans wanted to see lose more than the Yankees? They have the most championships of any organization, don't you think it is time to give someone else a chance? Their bloated payroll currently features 8 potential Hall of Famers and they robbed the Mariners of Ichiro at the trade deadline. I don't really care who wins the World Series this year (c'mon Oakland), but as long as it isn't the damn Yankees, I'll be happy

Looking Forward To The 2013 Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are entering another difficult offseason. There was high hopes in Jays Nation that 2012 season would be a good one, full of breakout seasons and meaningful baseball in September and maybe even October. Unfortunately, the season fell apart shortly after the all-star break with some injuries, sloppy baseball and the Orioles not falling apart like we thought they would. Now the team must take stock of the talent and reassess their priorities heading into 2013.

There are several areas that should be set, Jose Bautista in right field, Edwin Encarnacion at first/DH, Colby Rasmus in centrefield, Brett Lawrie at third base and a catcher (either Arencibia or D’Arnaud). The relievers should also be in decent shape going into Dunedin. There are also many question marks, beginning with the starting pitching staff, which has lots of holes and is being held together by Dr. James Andrews surgeries. Left field is still a concern as is the middle infield. The other big question that the Jays might have to face is who will be the bench boss.

John Farrell was brought into manage the Jays with much fanfare. He had done a great job with the Boston Red Sox pitching staff, was known as players manager. In two years on the job he has kept up the rapport with the players and even though he has a pretty poor win loss record (19 games under .500), his former employer has apparently come knocking since the Bobby Valentine experiment didn’t work out.

The Jays are now in a tight spot, they can force their manager to stay and fight the possibility that he doesn’t want to coach the team or they let him go and start the search for a new manager. The Jays need to hope that Farrell decides to stay, not because he is irreplaceable as a manager, but because stability is a key to a winning organization. Farrell in his two years has seen all the players come up to Toronto that will make up the core of the Jays for the next 5-10 years and he should be working closely with general manager Alex Anthopolous to shape the roster.

Hopefully John Farrell is sitting in the corner of the Jays dugout in April and not at Fenway, but if he is, there are several candidates the Anthopolous could consider;

-Jim Tracey (former manager of Colorado who just resigned)

-Ozzie Guillen (soon to be former manager of Miami)

-Sandy Alomar Jr. (currently on the Indians bench, but was overlooked for the Cleveland job)

-Brian Butterfield or Terry Lovello (both on the current Jays staff)

-Ernie Whitt (wants a opportunity to coach at the big league level)

-Omar Vizquel (recently retired and could fit the profile of teams hiring former players, like Robin Venutra)

Whatever happens with the manager situation, this offseason needs to be about adding talent that will propel the Jays forward.

Montreal/Vancouver/Calgary/Toronto Blue Jays

A few days ago in Montreal a charity sports luncheon was held and many of the 1994 Montreal Expos happened to be in attendance. This obviously brought up many great memories of the team that had the best record in baseball at the time of the strike, but it also raised another question - could baseball return to Montreal?

Unlike the lingering questions of hockey returning to Quebec City, no one is realistically hoping for a return of the Expos to the Stade Olympique. What was discussed was the Toronto Blue Jays playing either exhibition or regular season games in Montreal. This comes on the heels of the very under publicized news that Jays games will actually be broadcast on radio in Montreal.

Toronto Blue Jays president Paul Beeston doesn't think it is likely that the Jays would play a regular season game in Montreal, but the Jays have not ruled out perhaps playing an exhibition game in the belle province in the future. This off season the Jays tried to increase their national profile this past winter with a road trip to Calgary and Vancouver and a trip to Quebec might not hurt.

The larger question here is why teams and leagues try to play games at neutral site. The obvious reason is money. By moving a game to a neutral site the franchise gets paid. For example the Buffalo Bills got a windfall payment of many millions of dollars from Rogers to play games in Toronto. When NFL teams agree to play in the International Series in London, England they get a payment from the league because they are not playing at home that weekend.

Do teams and fans get anything out of playing away from their home stadium? In my opinion not really. Teams end up playing a 'home' game on a neutral field. For example in Toronto during the Bills series, many fans come for the experience of seeing an NFL game. They wear their Raiders jersey or Tom Brady jersey, they don't cheer big third downs or even know who the Jills are. Also, players don't have the comfort of being in their home game routine. They have to sleep in hotel rooms and eat hotel food as they would on the road. Fans aren't necessarily seeing teams they enjoy and since they often don't get to see NFL/NBA/MLB games they aren't sure how to act and you get complaints from viewers on TV or from players that the crowd was poor. Fans obviously get to see world class sporting action which is great, but they often pay a higher price for a ticket than what fans normally pay.

In the end these experiments to sell your team in other communities are a losing proposition, unless you are the big dog of your sport (Yankees, Lakers, Steelers) and you can gain fans in other parts of the country or world because you are legendary franchises. For example the Raptors or Nets aren't going to be the big team in London just because they played two games there. The team that Londoners will cheer for is the team that wins championships.

Now, if we can just get a real team in Toronto....

Toronto Blue Jays 2011 Season Preview: A Good Season to be a Fan

The expectations for the Toronto Blue Jays have not been this high since the mid-90’s. With a team that finished 85-77 and in fourth place in a difficult AL East in 2010, which ended up being about 15 wins better than what was supposed to happen, the leap to the next level in 2011 is a dream that fans in Toronto are hoping becomes a reality.

The magic number to make the playoffs in the American League will be 95 wins and for the Jays to improve to that threshold they need to keep doing the things that made them potent in 2010 – hit the ball extremely well for power, hope that the other big three in the AL East stumble slightly and finally play well against the NL during inter-league games.

In 2010 the Jays were led by heavy bats who hit home run after home run and a deep pitching staff. Although the formula for success will be relatively the same for 2011, some of the faces and places have changed.

The pitching staff was the biggest surprise of last season. The young staff was thought to be developing and several of the pitchers who were supposed to lead the team ended up injured but the Jays still managed to put lots of quality starts together. They hope the same will happen this year. With 99% of the pitching staff, including all the starters under the age of 30, there is a bright future in Toronto.

After the trade of Shaun Marcum to the Brewers, Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow will be the top two starters this year. Romero finished 2010 with 14 wins and as the ace of the staff in 2011 he’ll be asked to win at least that many and should oblige. Although Morrow didn’t get the high win totals of some of the other members of the staff last season, he should be able to win at least 14-15 games this season. Morrow arguably has the best ‘stuff’ of anyone on the staff and will provide quite the 1-2 punch with Romero.

The third, fourth and fifth starters this season will probably flux throughout the season depending on injury and innings count. To start the season, the Jays will have top 50 prospect Kyle Drabek make the jump to the majors. A lot is expected of Drabek since he was the key piece of the Roy Halladay deal. Brett Cecil who finished 2010 with the team lead in wins is back and if he can continue his pace the Jays will definitely have a chance at the 95 wins. Jo-Jo Reyes, Jesse Litsch and Mark Rzepczynski will also all get chances to take the hill for the Jays this season. All are hard throwing, young pitchers who will hopefully be able to give 6-7 innings a start and then make way for the strong bullpen.

The closer spot will only have one question this season, who is going to get the ball? To start the season it will be Jon Rauch taking over from the inconsistent Kevin Gregg. Others that will get the ball at the end of the game will Frank Francisco or Octavio Dotel. In a scenario with everyone healthy, Francisco should be the guy with the ball at the end of the game, but it is always nice to have options. Jason Frasor returns as the set-up man and will be counted on to be a shut down pitcher and hold the lead when called upon.

Other names that fans will see out of the bullpen this year include Shawn Camp, Carlos Villanueva, David Purcey and Casey Janssen.

Now that the pitching staff has been set, the players that will score the runs to protect them need to be covered. The outfield has had the biggest makeover. With the magnificent trade to unload the contract of Vernon Wells there was the open spot in centrefield. Newly acquired Rajai Davis from the Oakland A’s brings speed and enough offence to make up for the year on, year off Wells. Travis Snider has claimed left field as his own. He will need to be more consistent as a young player, but it seems Jays management has confidence in him to be the man going forward. For awhile it seemed like the weak link in the outfield might be in right, but that is no more as manager John Farrell has decided that reigning home run champion and the Jays newly minted face of the franchise, Jose Bautista will be the everyday right fielder. Although it would be nice to see Bautista hit 50 home runs again, it will be tough for him as opposing pitchers will be on the look out for that sweet swing.

In the role of back-up outfielders will be Juan Rivera, Jayson Nix and Cory Patterson. Also, lurking are Scott Posednik and young farm hand Anthony Gose.

The infield defence may be a little inconsistent at times and could cause some pain to the Jays pitching staff. They will probably make up for it with their bats, but the more sure handed they can be, the more likely the Jays are to get closer to that magic 95 wins. Returning to the hot corner is Edwin Encarnacion. Encarnacion gets a bad rap for his defence but he covers a lot of ground, and as long as he can keep his throws accurate enough he will have a fine season. The person at the other end of EE’s throws is Adam Lind. The young star has moved to first base and has proven himself defensively. He needs to return to his 2009 offensive form again though and that could make him an all-star. The middle of the infield is strong with former all-star Aaron Hill manning second base. Hill is also a player who needs to return to his 2009 offensive form. Hitting for a .206 average despite hitting 26 home runs just isn’t going to cut it. At shortstop is Yunel Escobar. A solid defensive player who also adds some speed on the base paths will turn the double without problems and help keep those ERA’s down.

Behind the plate this year is super prospect JP Arencibia. After making his debut last year with a bang, Arencibia was frustrated at the plate and then was relegated to back-up duty behind Bengie Molina. This year, he is the undisputed starter and needs to make the most of his opportunity. Molina will still get the opportunity to play enough as he will catch Brandon Morrow and probably Jo Jo Reyes.

With all the shifting in positions in the infield, the everyday DH ends up being Juan Rivera. Arriving from the Angels as part of the Vernon Wells deal, Rivera has to be consistent at the plate and provide the protection for the likes of Hill, Lind and Encarnacion and his job will be complete.

There you have the team that will take the field for the Blue Jays this season and try once again to make Canada proud by bringing the playoffs North of the border.

Across The Pond - Raptors vs. Nets in London, England

A change of venue could not help the Toronto Raptors win over the weekend. The Raptors and the New Jersey Nets played two games at the 02 Arena in London, England on Friday and Saturday. These were the first two regular season NBA games ever played outside of North America. After the weekend, the Nets now have the honor of having the only wins on foreign soil as they beat the Raptors in both contests.

In the Friday night’s game, the Nets came out on top 116-103 with newly acquired Nets guard Deron Williams controlling the contest by scoring 16 points and adding 11 assists, even though he was listed as questionable to play due to injury leading up to the game. This gave him his fourth straight double-double since joining the Nets at the trade deadline. Other Nets didn’t seem affected by the time change and media responsibilities during the visit to London as Brook Lopez contributed with 25 points. The Raptors managed to score points, but the defense once again let them down. DeMar DeRozan had a game high 30 points and is really blossoming into a well-rounded player, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Nets
Saturday’s game was a treat for the London fans as they received some free basketball. The game went into triple overtime, and in the end it was the Nets who came out on top 137-136. Andrea Bargnani had a chance to win the game for the Raptors at the end of both the first and third overtime periods, but failed on both attempts. Fans were treated to some great performances during the 3.5 hour game though. Brook Lopez once again came through for the Nets by scoring 34 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and blocking 8 shots. Deron Williams wasn’t too bad himself with 21 points and 18 assists. For the Raptors, Bargnani did have 35 points and 12 rebounds and DeRozan had another 30 point game in the loss.

Now that fans in the UK have seen live NBA basketball will they become fans like the NBA wants? Will they become fans of the Nets or the Raptors? Only time will tell, but history really isn’t on the NBA’s side.
The Nets are trying very hard to become “Europe’s Team”. Since being purchased by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, they have added a Russian version to their website and have started to sign promotional deals and run basketball camps across Europe. Winning games during the inaugural NBA international series will help their profile (all fans like winning teams), but it will still be an uphill battle for them. Traditionally, in areas that don’t have pro teams, the franchises that become popular are the ones that win championships or have the best/most recognizable players. The Yankees with their 27 World Series trophies or Manchester United’s popularity across Asia are prime examples. In this case, the Nets and Raptors are not in that class.

The NBA shop had a sale prior to the weekend, and instead of using NJ or Toronto players to sell to European fans who may be visiting the website shop during this period of time, they featured Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers, LeBron James of the Heat, Kevin Durant of OKC, Joe Johnson of Atlanta and Derrick Rose of the Bulls. If these are the players and teams that are the face of the NBA why wouldn’t the league consider sending at least one of them?

This has been common practice of leagues of the major North American sports leagues. They have never really send their best product overseas and it is baffling as to why. When soccer comes to North America, the teams that tour are the top clubs – Manchester United, Chelsea, Celtic FC, and Real Madrid have all played games during the past few years. The NBA sends two teams that are out of the playoffs. You could argue that they wouldn’t have known that at the beginning of the season, but neither team was predicted to have a good season.

The NFL has played an International game for the past 5 seasons. Only one of the games was exciting (Saints 37 vs. Saints 32) while the other games were poorly contested and featured the likes of the perennial losing teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, SF 49ers (twice!), Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Miami Dolphins. The New England Patriots did play in one contest, but they did that because their owner, also owns Liverpool FC. Next season it is rumoured that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be one of the teams featured in the International Series since the game is being played in Ireland where the Steelers owner is the US ambassador.

The NHL sends more teams over than any other league to kick off their regular season schedule each year for the past couple of seasons. This season it was the Bruins, Blue Jackets, Coyotes and Wild that traveled to Europe for games. Of those teams, only the Bruins have had any success recently. Next season the Washington Capitals are already rumoured to be one of the teams travelling. This finally makes sense. Send your most marketable player in Alexander Ovechkin to promote the game and show the fans the best brand of hockey possible.

If the big four sports in North America want to make any in-roads in Europe, they can’t force the issue. They will have to let the love for the game and the leagues come naturally. The things they can do to help fast track the passion for the game is to bring the best product when they do play games in Europe, continue to promote the best teams and players because if you have no allegiance to a team, you want to cheer for winners and of course, don’t run out of beer during your games.

Sunday Best

Another week has passed in the sporting world and it is about time that we review some of the best and worst from the week that was...

1. NBA Trade Deadline
-Best: Portland acquiring Gerald Wallace. He will help that team immensely. He adds a scoring threat, able to play defense and he will excel on a team/franchise that cares about basketball.
-Worst: (tie) Boston trading away Kendrick Perkins and Houston trading away Shane Battier. Kendrick Perkins was an key member of a very tight Celtics team. With the Eastern Conference stacking up on talent, having a big man who can defend the likes of Dwight Howard and Amar'e Stoudamire, along with the Lakers big men can not be looked upon lightly. Why was that Battier trade made again? A team that has struggled with injuries and trying to stay competitive trades away a player that has come to epitomize hard work and basketball smarts to a team who are the exact opposite of hard work and basketball. The Grizzlies are one of the teams that are rumoured to be on the move, so for Battier to go to the basketball abyss of Memphis is a shame.

2. Spring Training has started
Baseball is back! Lots of stories to start the year; do the Yankees have any pitching? Can the Cardinals sign Albert Pujols during the season? Will the hometown Blue Jays be able to improve on their 2010 campaign?

3. New golf #1 player
Most casual golf fans know the top 5 golfers in the world, or at least they think they do. A new number one player in the world was crowned during the World Match Play Championships over the weekend Martin Kaymer. The next world ranking will be Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald (who won the tournament) and Graeme McDowell. It's the first time since March 15, 1992, that the top four spots have been occupied by Europeans.

4. Tournament Time
Just around the corner is the busiest time of year for gamblers, NCAA men's basketball tournament. This year the field is wide open due to many reasons. The biggest is the fact freshman leave for the NBA, bring favourites back to the pack every year and creating huge parity. This season, all the top teams have lost games to inferior opponents which makes gambling on the tournament all that more fun. If you are unsure who to cheer for this year, the best choices might be Texas (two Canadians on the team) or Syracuse (one Canadian) or Gonzaga (three Canadians). So pick a squad and go nuts

5. UFC Slowly Becoming Boxing
In the main event of UFC 127, the fight between BJ Penn and John Fitch fought to a majority draw. I've seen alot of fights in my day and I can't really recall one where I left saying "you know, they beat each other up equally". Boxing started to fall off when it was the judging that became the story as opposed to the fighters, if the UFC isn't careful it risks falling into the same trap.

6. Oscars vs. Razzies
With the whole twitter phenom, people loving to react quickly and judge others, it really is a shame that the Razzies hasn't taken off. Halle Barry started what should have been a trend of actors and actresses going to accept their award. I wish it would take off.

It's Gotta Be The Shoes

With this being the NBA All-Star weekend, it is not only a weekend of great basketball displays (celebrity game, skills challenge, 3pt contest and the dunk contest) but a weekend to display new kicks. If you haven't seen all the new shoes, you can head over to Nice Kicks for a round up.

In honour of all the new shoes hitting the market here are my 5 all time favourites in no particular order;

Air Yeezy: The Kanye West show, not only is it really sharp looking, it glows in the dark!

Air Jordan IV: My personal fav Jordan sneaker. This one is a classic and came in the best colourways as well.

Adidas Shell Toe: I'm a classic guy, that loves classic lines, plus how can you turn down sneakers that RUN DMC co-signed.

Reebok Pumps: Now these aren't the original pumps that needed the side pump, but they are damn cool, especially since the pump was the same material as a tennis ball.

Check out the
Air Jordan Alpha 1 iD Basketball Shoe
I designed at NIKEiD.com

NIKE iD Air Jordan Alpha 1 with MMMMBLT on the side, SICK!


What is your favourite footwear of all-time?

Things I Think and Things I Know

Lots going on these days and since most of my thoughts on sports have been in the spoken word for the past 3 weeks (have you heard about the podcast?), figured it was time to check in online and write something nice.

Here are some things I think and things I know (h/t to Peter King)
1. Really looking forward to baseball season. The Jays are going to be decent and the A's are favorites in the AL West.

2. Not looking forward to hearing about labour situations for the next 8-10 months. With both the NFL and NBA about to renew the CBA's there is going to be lots more going on in board rooms instead of on playing fields.

3. The two 10 year old girls that have been "discovered" on youtube by Simon Cowell and Lady Gaga will not be the next Justin Beiber. Beiber is a hit because of his image and the fact that 10-15 year old girls need someone to crush on. Boys of the same age don't crush on 10 year old girls and won't buy the posters, teen beat magazine, go see the movie, etc...that made Beiber the phenom.

4. Bautista signing with the Jays for 5 years and $64 million is fine by me. Winning with young players doesn't happen, you need to sprinkle in veterans and a couple of stars. Bautista can be that for the Jays.

5. I've really started to enjoy coffee the last 6 months. I'm not a cup a day guy yet, but want to stretch my boundaries a little, besides second cup/starbucks/timothys - what do I need to try?

6. NBA All-Star weekend is probably the best of the pro sports All-Star weekends. Many activities beside the game that you tune in for (3pt contest and dunk contest), even if you end up disappointed in the end.

7. Brian Burke re-vamping the Leafs line-up is smart. It will take the rest of the season for the Toronto sports media to realize the new guys he has brought in our crap and then he is off the hook until the start of next season.

8. Do baseball players really need a month of spring training anymore? They used to because they wouldn't train in the offseason. Now that they arrive to camp in shape (except for Joba Chamberlain), why have a month to get ready. Two weeks tops...

9. CC Sabathia showed up to Yankees spring training about 20 lbs lighter. He lost all the weight by giving up his habit of eating a BOX of Cap'n Crunch cereal each day. That guy must have some serious cuts on the roof of his mouth.

10. How long can you wear the jersey of a player who has been traded from your favorite team? Carmelo Anthony is either going to be dealt in the next couple of weeks or will sign elsewhere in the offseason. Do I get a one season grace period before having to purchase a new Nuggets jersey? I don't want to spend all the money for a new jersey of a player who will be gone quickly.

11. Can you believe Joe Smith (former number 1 overall pick) has now played for 12 different NBA franchises? It ties the record of Chucky Brown, Tony Massenburg, and Jim Jackson (h/t Uniwatch Blog).

500 Level Podcast - Episode 2

Well look at that...this wasn't a one and done project.  Very happy to post the second episode of the 500 Level Podcast where my co-host Aman and I talk about Toronto sports.

In episode 2 we cover the Super Bowl (can't ignore that), the Phil Kessel mess with the Leafs, the end of the Raptors losing streak, the return of Touchdown Atlantic and some TFC training camp news.

Go ahead and download the podcast here - 500 Level - Feb 9

or listen to the live stream;


Any comments, feedback or questions - hit us up by email - 500LevelPodcast@gmail.com or on twitter @500_Level_Pod

Foodie Times - Restaurant Review - AME

Saturday evening I had the pleasure to join some friends at AME. AME is a Japanese restaurant in downtown Toronto. In his previous incarnation it was called Rain. For those of you who care, AME is the Japanese word for rain.

AME is participating in the Winterlicious promotion that is currently happening. Winterlicious can be a great program. It allows wannabe-foodies the chance to eat at high-end restaurants that they probably wouldn't otherwise try. Customers get to pick from a special "winterlicious" menu that is a set price. The issue many customers have with this special is that they feel they are not getting the best from the restaurant. They feel they are often neglected for the regular patrons. Luckily, this was not the case last night at AME.

We were seated in a corner booth that was well appointed with traditional Japanese fabrics on the comfortable chairs and bankettes. The finishings on the table were high quality chopsticks (and a rock to rest them on) and a cloth napkin.

Sitting and enjoying the conversation, it was easy to also enjoy the atmosphere; funky music played in the background throughout the evening, but not lound enough to be a distraction, and the decor throughout the restaurant (and including the bathroom) was well done.

Now that the mood was set it was time to eat and drink. The waiter took the time to not only explain the winterlicious menu, but also the regular menu incase we were interested. He was also knowledgeable with regards to the short sake list. This is one area the restaurant could definitely expand on. The idea of the menu is to share food with your partner, I'm not that good at sharing what's on my plate, but didn't have much choice last night.

We started our dining experience with a plate of Salmon Maki. It was well prepared, very tasty actually. Our dinner mates had the Unagi maki, which they seemed to enjoy very much as well. The next course was the snapper sashimi. Usually, the wife isn't a huge fan of sashimi, but she couldn't resist trying these. Presentation of both these dishes was excellent and made you feel like you are eating at a high end restaurant.

We then received our two hot dishes and our side. Everyone at the table chose the same items - Miso marinated striped bass and the Teriyaki Cornish Hen. The item that was left in the kitchen - the vegetarian mushroom salad. Again, the whole table decided on the same side dish, the Waygu beef rice. The other choices were very plain, and when you have a chance to eat Waygu beef, you go for it.

The piece of bass and the cornish hen were each single serving pieces. For an XL individual like myself, sharing wasn't necessary, but I couldn't leave the wife starving. The bass was very soft and fell apart while trying to get it to my mouth with the chop sticks. The miso crust was a nice touch. The Teriyaki cornish hen was garnished with...wait for it...7 spice popcorn. If you don't think that was the first part of the plate that I went for you are seriously mistaken. The cornish hen was very tender and juicy. The Teriyaki flavour wasn't overpowering, so you were able to enjoy the meat.

Unfortunately, the sides was brought after we had finished the main course. I'm not certain if this how the chef plans to serve every meal or he just couldn't get the rice ready at the same time as the proteins. Either way, the Waygu beef rice was very tasty and a nice way to finish off the meal. Dessert was carrot cake that was served with an tiramisu. Very tasty and a great way to cleanse the pallette.

After we had finished the meal, and the group enjoyed some coffee and tea, there was no pressure for the cheque to be settled and we were permitted (as you should be) to enjoy the restaurant until we felt it was time to leave.

Overall, this was a great experience and would recommend AME if you needed a higher end restaurant to entertain a client, take the wife or girlfriend for a special evening out or as we saw last night a night out with friends before hitting the town.

Super Bowl Preview - Packers vs. Steelers

With the Super Bowl only one day away (or today, depending on when you read this) we can now break down the game confidently knowing nothing will change between now and gametime.

Whether you are a fan that has been watching since training camp in August or you are going to a Super Bowl party and you really want to sound knowledgeable in front of your boyfriends friends, these are the hot topics for you to consider;

1. Defense vs. Defense
This Super Bowl matches the number 1 and number 2 defenses of the league. Steelers took the top spot, while the Packers were #2. The Steelers are great against the run, and average against the pass, while the Packers are top 5 against both the run and the pass. Both defenses have to worry about containing the opposing QB breaking out of the pocket and gaining yards on the ground. The key to the Steelers defensive success will be containing the fast Packers wide receivers and can Harrison and Woodley put enough pressure on Aaron Rodgers to force mistakes. The key to the Packers defensive success will be to take advantage of the injuries on the Steelers offensive line. If they can put pressure on with their defensive line and contain the run, it will force Big Ben to throw into coverage with the ball hawking Packers secondary.
ADVANTAGE: PACKERS

2. QB Battle
Both these quarterbacks have had great seasons. Big Ben obviously had 4 less games at the start of the year, but he has proven once again that he is a top tier NFL QB. If he wins this Super Bowl, he will have 3 rings before the age of 30 putting him in the same company as Tom Brady and Joe Montana. Aaron Rodgers has been red hot with his play in the last 4 weeks of the season. He has made the leap into the discussion of a top QB. These guys have similar skills, but what we have seen from Big Ben in the past is that he can still get the win even if his team plays poorly. Rodgers hasn't really proven this yet, and has shown a lack of killer instinct going down the stretch of games. It will be a battle of who makes the fewest mistakes.
ADVANTAGE: Ben Roethlisberger

3. Injuries
The Packers led the league in games missed due to injury, but luckily for them they were all in the first few of games of the season which let them recover and fill the holes. Injuries to Ryan Grant, Jeremichael Finley and Nick Barnett were tough to swallow at first, but they have managed to fill the voids. The Steelers have caught the injury bug in the last couple of weeks. The offensive line has been decimated by injuries. Both starting tackles and starting centre Maurkice Pouncey are all likely to miss the big game. The other injury concern for the Steelers is all-pro and defensive player of the year Troy Polamalu. He has battled an Achilles injury all season long. Polamalu will definitely play on Sunday, but he will have to be on top of his game to keep the Packers wide receivers from breaking big yards.
ADVANTAGE: Packers

4. Intangibles
This is the area that will probably decide the game. The first is penalties. The Packers had a couple of really bad games with lots of penalties (vs. the Bears they had 18 penalties), but overall they weren't as bad as the Steelers in terms of penalty yards. The Steelers with the depleted offensive line have to be careful that they don't get holding and illegal motion penalties. The other side of the ball, everyone knows James Harrison is good for one unnecessary roughness penalty.
The Steelers also have the experience of being in the big game. 26 players on the Steelers roster have Super Bowl experience, while only 1 Packer has been to a championship game. The Steelers should be more relaxed and ready for all the delays and distractions that come with playing in the Super Bowl.
Although the QB's are the stars of the show, the running game might decide the outcome. The Steelers feature a back (Rashard Mendenhall) that could easily gain 100 yards. The Packers on the other hand have a practice squad runner in James Starks who has made a splash, but no one is really sure what he will deliver from game to game. If either player can keep the chains moving and put their team in second and medium, and convert third and short yardage situations it will dramatically help the teams success.
ADVANTAGE: Packers

5. MVP Candidates
The obvious MVP candidates are the two QB's. If there teams win Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers will obviously have played well and will be prime candidates to win the MVP. Other players to watch as MVP candidates will be Steelers tight end Heath Miller. The Packers give up big yards to TE's all season and if Miller has a big game, he could get himself some hardware. As mentioned earlier, the Steelers defense is ranked number one for a reason. Troy Polamalu, James Harrison or LaMarr Woodley could all make cases for themselves as MVP with an interception or a couple of sacks or a fumble recovery. On the Packers side of the ball wide receiver Greg Jennings could be on the receiving end of lots of Rodgers passes which could give him an MVP trophy. The other players to look out for might be Sam Shields. The Packers corner plays opposite Charles Woodson so might get picked on a little more, opening up for him to make some big plays. Packers defensive tackle BJ Raji also gets to work against the back-up centre which might allow him to make some impact plays and get his hands on some hardware.
ADVANTAGE: Steelers

It will come as no shock what my pick for the game is;
Packers 28 vs. Steelers 13

GO PACK GO!!!

Debut of the 500 Level Podcast

We told you about it on twitter, facebook and now it is here! The debut of the 500 Level Podcast.

Aman and myself have taken to the airwaves to give you opinions, news and views on the Toronto sporting landscape. We'll talk about Raptors, Leafs, Blue Jays, TFC, Argos and then give you a quick "around the world" segment to cover big events like the Super Bowl, March Madness or the Masters.

Listen to the podcast by streaming the audio


Or follow this link to download the podcast.
500 Level Podcast Link

Once it is downloaded you can import it into iTunes. If you have any difficulty downloading please leave a comment or email us at 500LevelPodcast@gmail.com

You can also follow us on twitter @500_Level_Pod

Tell your friends!