NFL Draft

     After an eventful offseason the NFL Draft has finally arrived. This years class has plenty of talent, spread out through several different positions.
     Perhaps the biggest names of all is Johnny Manziel, the young quarterback out of Texas A&M. He won the ageism an trophy in 2012 and theew for over 7,800 yards in just two seasons. Along with all those yards through the air, he threw 68 touchdowns and had a 69% completion percentage. He also
Managed to rush for 2,160 yards and 30 more touchdowns I n the ground, all in just two seasons as a quarterback. Manziel is one of the best quarterbacks available, along with Teddy Bridgewater out
Of Louisville and Blake Bortles from the University of Central Florida.
     Besides quarterback there is still plenty of talented young men trying to make their NFL dreams come true this week. The biggest name
And most talented player at any position is defensive end Jadaveon Clowney. Clowney played for the University of South Carolina and was a dominant force on the defensive side of the ball. He could take on double teams and still make plays left and right, proving he was everything he had been hyped up to be. Besides Clowney se other big names are Sammy Watkins, Khalil Mack, Jake Matthews and Anthony Barr.
     The draft has caused a lot of dispute, as it always does, over who the first pick will be. The Houston Texans are most likely going to draft Jadeveon Clowney at pick number one, but there has been some questionable statements made by their team officials suggesting they want to draft someone else.
      The NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, May 9 at 8 pm. Tune in to see where all this talent ends up!

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     The Miami Heat have been playing anything besides the Heat we have seen the past two years lately. In the last 23 games they are just 11-12, playing inconsistently game-in and game-out.
     One of their two biggest concerns is their injuries (the other being the playoffs). Dwyane Wade has sat out of multiple games due to constantly nagging knee injuries along with a hamstring injury. Also both Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen are missing due to a virus. Also Greg Oden has a back injury that causes rookie Justin Hamilton to play upwards of ten minutes each game.
     Despite battling all these injuries to many big time players on the team, the Heat and Pacers are in  a huge race for the number one seed in the East. Miami is just a half game behind the Pacers, and the two will square off Friday, April 10, to basically decide who will win the division. If the two teams do finish the season in a tie, the Pacers will win the tiebreaker.
     The Miami Heat have won the league championship two years in a row and are still having a great season this year, but have been very inconsistent lately. Fighting against many injuries and an incredible team (the Indiana Pacers) they will have to work hard to come together and take home their third consecutive league title this year. It won't be easy, but with arguably the best player of all time leading them (Lebron James) it seems like it isn't really that far out of reach.

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     Johnny Manziel is probably the most hyped-up player in the last decade. Texas A&M hosted their pro-day workouts Thursday, March 29th, where Manziel put on a show. 
     Watching the young man workout were NFL general managers, head coaches, and even a former president of the United States. There were a plethora of different people watching, observing, and judging the young quarterback's ability. 
     Manziel is expected to be a high pick, most likely in the first round. He put on a show at his pro-day workout, too. He threw great passes, "an impeccable deep ball" according to former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner. He had "Great touch, good enough velocity and was able to set it out there," continued Warner. 
     There are no doubts surrounding his competitiveness, but there are a few concerns otherwise. A lot of analysts worry about his work ethic and ability to stay in the pocket. Too often at A&M he would roll out of the pocket unnecessarily, but was still capable of making throws. He can throw on the run and while remaining in the pocket. He has a very powerful arm, debatably the second-strongest among all quarterbacks in the 2014 draft. He has no problem with accuracy and ended the day with 61 completions on 64 throws. 
     Manziel handled everything really well, both the athletic performance and the interviews that followed. After the workout he said, "I'm an extremely coachable kid and I'm ready to learn. That's the biggest thing for me," Manziel said. "There were things that I wasn't asked to do at A&M, protections and so many things you have to do, so throw it at me. I want it. I need to learn it eventually. I'm tired of saying 'Man, I wish I would have known that when I was there.' Let's try and get ahead of the game." This showed leadership, confidence, and a willingness to learn which goes a really long way with scouts. He really improved his draft resume and made himself even more likely to go early in the upcoming draft. 

Changin' the Rules

     The NFL already has a plethora of complaints about the rules every week, and now there are many new rule changes being proposed to fix that. There are a total of 13 proposed new rule changes that can dramatically impact how the game is played.
     One issue the league officials seem to think is a growing problem is the language used by the players on the field. They often use swears and even racial slurs which the league would like to put an end to. They want to do this by penalizing the player who uses the inappropriate word by giving them a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. League officials believe that the  "N-word" is used too often during gameplay and can be offensive to many people.
     Another major change they could make is an extension to the playoffs each season. They want more teams to make it, creating a loner-lasting post-season. Since there's big money and important playoff games, they'll be making a lot more by making more post-season matches.
     A third major rule change would give coaches the ability to challenge a penalty. There have been countless times where a pass-interference call late in a game has changed the entire outcome. A big penalty can make or break a game, and allowing coaches to challenge them will at least prevent complaints about unfair calls by the refs. Penalties are a huge part of the game and are always used as scapegoats as to why a team won or lost the game. Challenging them will add more equality to the game and more fairness in every match-up.

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                                                                   Free Agent Insanity
     Free agency in the NFL has started off with a boom. With big named players being signed left-and-right, there has been plenty to talk about over the last five days.
     Some of the biggest players already signed are Aqib Talib, Darrelle Revis, and Eric Decker. Talib signed with the Broncos for 6 years and $57 million. With $26 million guaranteed, this is an extremely pricey sign by Denver. Denver also managed to sign DeMarcus Ware, probably the most talented defensive end on the market. Revis, unlike Talib, signed a contract with the New England Patriots. However, like Talib, he got big money; 2 years for $36 million. Decker was finally able to help out the New York Jets' receiving core by signing a 5 year, $36.25 million contract. These talented players are all sure to make an immediate impact on their new teams.
     Some other big-name players that have found new homes are Alterraun Verner, Donte Whitner, Darren Sproles, and Justin Tuck. All sure to make a huge impact on their new teams, but not receiving as much publicity as the other all-stars signed.
     Despite all these big signings, there are still plenty of extremely talented players out there. Some of the most notable being Jared Allen, Hakeem Nicksl, Steve Smith, Chris Johnson, and Ben Tate. Allen will be a huge improvement to any defense he lands a spot on and will continue to be an excellent pass-rusher. Nicks can play in the slot or wide-out, and will be a useful weapon wherever he ends up. Steve Smith is a veteran wide receiver who can still pose a deep-threat and has the aggressiveness everyone is looking for in the NFL recently. Last season he proved he still has plenty of gas left in the tank and is fully capable of being a number one receiver somewhere. At runningback there are two types of players; a speedy, one-cut back, and a powerhouse. Luckily there is one of each on the free agent market right now. Johnson's speed is unmatched by any other back in the league, and Tate is fully capable of plowing through defenders to make it to the endzone. Wherever these players land they'll be sure to make other teams regret not signing them.

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     This year is another big year for free agency in the NFL. Just like last year, there are a lot of big-name players who will be released and in search for a new team. With the salary cap being raised for each team, there will be even more money available to sign all the big names out there.
      Perhaps the biggest name on the market is Mike Vick. Despite the fact he has had a career plagued by injuries and only finished one full season, the 33 year old quarterback is still very capable of competing in the league. Despite only throwing only 5 touchdowns compared to three interceptions last year, he did still average 8.5 yards per carry, proving he still has the speed and mobility he once had. Vick should find himself a job pretty quickly, whether it's as a guaranteed starter or as a veteran backup.
      The biggest names at wide receiver are Eric Decker and Jeremy Maclin. Decker had a standout year in the Broncos' Super-Bowl-run, and over the last three years he has an accumulated 32 touchdowns. Maclin missed all last season due to a torn ACL, but is still a premier deep-threat and a reliable target in any offense.
     As of pass rushers the market is lead by Henry Melton and Michael Johnson. In the last two seasons Johnson has gotten 15 sacks and proved he is an incredible run-stopper. Despite Melton missing the majority of the 2013 season due to an injury, his presence was clearly missed by a defense that ended up allowing 5.3 yards per carry in his absence.
      Another extremely important positions is anywhere in the defensive backfield. Cornerbacks and safeties are positions with increasing value due to the increase in talent of wide receivers in the league. Therefore there is a high demand for a talented defensive backs. The biggest names at cornerback are Aqib Talib and Alterraun Verner. Both have experience and have proved they can compete with the best receivers in the league. Talib was a pro-bowler last season, but being 2 years older than Verner he seems like the less desirable option. Ass for safeties, the most talented player is by far Jairus Byrd. Since he came into the league in 2009 he has 22 interceptions and has proved he is a run-stopping force. All of these three will draw a lot of attention to themselves this year.
     The free agent bidding will begin on March 11, 2014. There's a lot of talent out there and they're sure to attract a lot of attention. Be sure not to miss this year's free agent frenzy!

Sport Vs. Activity

                There is really no way to define what a sport is. The distinction between what a sport is and what an activity is impossible to pin down. To qualify as a sport you need an organized event with more than one participant whereas an activity is just something done for physical wellness or enjoyment.

                Many different games can be considered a sport; the biggest being football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, and track. All of these events have a team that works hard and trains together to prepare for an organized season. There is structure and organization along with a high level of competitiveness. Sports have rules and referees and are usually taken pretty seriously at all levels. Most people play sports for enjoyment, to make friends, learn how to work hard to achieve a goal, and for exercise. It helps to teach kids how to be a part of a team and work together with other individuals. Sports are also a business; aside from the players and parents, there is another side. That’s the people who run them and organize the events and the people who make the money. They see sports as a business; a way to make money, whereas all the parents and players use it for a good time. Sports are much more organized compared to an activity. They are usually taken a lot more seriously and get really competitive. However, they are great events and a lot of fun to be a part of. They are a huge business and a great way for kids to learn important life interactions.

                An activity is a lot less serious than a sport is, but still used as a way to gain physical wellness. An activity is something like yoga or fishing, where you can do it on your own. There is no team, no rules, no structure, and a lot of freedom. You can do it how you want to and there really isn’t anyone to tell you how you should do it. Activities are usually done for physical wellness or enjoyment, too, but at a less competitive level. Lots of different people can do an activity, ranging from all ages. A sport is usually limited to younger people that are physically capable of more wear and tear. When you’re 75 you can still participate in a yoga class but you certainly can’t get out on a football field and play ball. Activities appeal to a much broader audience and are a lot easier to become a part of. There is no offseason and no training before you begin to participate. Without the worries of a coach, a team, or rules, they are easy to get into and become hooked on.

                A sport and an activity are very similar but do indeed have their differences. Sports are competitions. They are played by people who like to compete and work hard. Usually the players must train in advanced to work together for a season-long sport. Activities are for people who maybe don’t want all the training and competition, but just want an activity on the side; something easy that they enjoy, but isn’t too challenging or time consuming. They are both done for similar reasons such as exercise, enjoyment, and a way to be involved with other people.