I've Got 15 Things to Say About this Serena Williams Naomi Osaka US Open Final

Like many others, I have some… thoughts on the whole Serena Williams/Carlos Ramos/US Open Final kerfluffle.  The universe (especially the Twitter-verse) is awash in incredibly simplistic takes.  These fall into two very shouty camps.  I’ll paraphrase briefly.  Camp Ramos:  “The umpire was completely right, Serena Williams was being a bully and a brat and how dare she sully the sanctity of our sport with her “thuggish” (subtext: black) behavior.”  Camp Serena:  “Carlos Ramos, the USTA and everybody is totally sexist and racist and DON’T YOU DARE criticize Serena because she is heroic and perfect and always right about everything.”

Frankly, the only person who got out of this unscathed is US Open Champ Naomi Osaka, who seems like a charming young woman who played breathtaking, dominant tennis for 2 weeks, and does not deserve to have her moment overshadowed by this.

Unlike many (most?) of the Hot-Takers mentioned above, I actually watched this disaster unfold in real time, not just reviewing the highlights.  So let’s all take a breath, and realize that many things can be true at once.  I’ll list out some of these true things here:

1.       Serena Williams has been subject to a lot of racism.  There are too many examples to list, but the recent dress code announcement by Roland Garros was the latest.  She and her sister weren’t the first black tennis players, even in the modern game, but they are of a different stripe.  They weren’t raised by well-off upper class parents like Chanda Rubin, or James Blake, or more recently, Sloane Stephens.  They brought with them some cultural stuff that a sport like tennis did not accept without a lot of growing pains.

2.       I’m not black.  I can’t begin to understand what the Williams sisters’ success (and Serena’s in particular) mean to the broader black community.  I am a woman of color, but I realize it’s not the same.  I understand the instinctive defense of Serena when she seems to be under siege. 

3.       Carlos Ramos is an umpire with a solid reputation.  He has officiated finals at all four Slams without incident.  He is fair and professional, but does have a reputation for being strict.  He has called time and coaching violations on Nadal, Djokovic, and many others.  Saturday’s coaching violation shouldn’t have been totally unexpected.

4.       Nothing happens in a vacuum.  Earlier this tournament, Mohammed Lahyani caused an officiating stir of his own, when he climbed down from his umpire perch to give a pep talk to a tanking Nick Kyrgios.  The uproar was instantaneous, and the consensus was that Lahyani was too accommodating with Kyrgios.  He was subsequently relegated to outer court doubles matches.  I’m sure Ramos was aware, and that may have factored into his decision to play it totally straight and not give any “leniency” to any player, no matter how famous.

5.       By the letter of the law, Ramos was totally in the right.  Whether you agree with these rules or not, coaching is illegal.  Racquet abuse is illegal.  Personal insults at the chair are illegal.  Code violations accrue.  Strike one, warning.  Strike two, point penalty.  Strike three, game penalty.  And on and on.  John McEnroe was once defaulted from the Australian Open for verbal abuse of an umpire.  Serena is not new here.  She knows the rules.  Maybe better than most, since in 2009, she lost to Kim Clijsters by getting a code violation on a match point.  (More on that later.)

6.       As a practical matter, Ramos DID have some leeway in how he dealt with the situation.  He could have given her a “soft” coaching warning, without it being an official code violation.  During her extended rant, he could have warned her about an impending game penalty if she kept attacking his character.  He could have, but he didn’t, and now here we are.

7.       Serena’s character was not impugned by Ramos.  First off, the behavior that was flagged was her coach’s.  Said coach, Patrick Mourataglou, admitting he was coaching.  Secondly, there’s no stigma attached (probably because, as Patrick noted, everyone does it).  It’s like speeding.  It’s illegal, it sucks to get caught, everybody does it, and nobody thinks you’re a horrible person because of it.  For Serena to blow it up into a personal attack on her integrity and character is ridiculous.

8.       Naomi Osaka’s win does not have an asterisk next to it, so people can just stop with that right now.  Osaka outplayed Williams from the get.  The reason Patrick was signaling in the first place was because Serena was getting beaten.  The racquet smash was precipitated by Osaka breaking Serena’s serve.  The extended rant at the chair was preceded by another service break.  She was losing, and didn’t have an answer.  The game penalty awarded to Osaka was on Osaka’s service game, which she had been holding fairly easily anyway.

9.       Serena has a pattern at the US Open of blowing up at officials when she’s losing.  See above, re: Clijsters in 2009.  Also, she was very much losing the 2011 final to Sam Stosur when she was legitimately called for a hindrance, and she yelled at the umpire again.  And again in 2018.  Three times is a pattern, and it doesn’t reflect well on Serena.

10.   Naomi Osaka handled the pressure like a boss.  First off, she came out fearless and swinging away against a 23 time champ, her idol, and the ESPN narrative favorite.  Later in the match, she handled Serena’s increasingly graceless behavior with her typical poker face.  At 5-3, after a lengthy and emotional interruption in the match, she basically let Serena have her service game, and then calmly and coolly served out the match at 5-4, throwing in a couple of totally unreturnable serves for good measure.  Those are the nerves of a future Hall of Famer.

11.   There is much to admire about Serena Williams.  As noted before, she’s dealt with a lot of ugly behavior from a lot of quarters over her years.  She’s had two brushes with death and been remarkably candid about motherhood and childbirth.  She works harder than anyone else on the tour.  She’s a 23 time Grand Slam champ, not just through talent, but though grit and determination and hard work.  She’s the toughest competitor on the tour.  Even when she’s down, it’s often foolish to count her out.  In recent years, her fiery persona has been tempered by maturity and little more graciousness and sportsmanship.  Again, there’s a LOT to admire.

12.   Little of this was on display on Saturday.  Serena behaved appallingly.  She stole the moment from Naomi Osaka, and made that match and the narrative about herself.  Even her supposedly “gracious” moment, telling the crowd to stop booing, was followed by a “We’ll get through this.”  Again, Serena, it’s not about you.  A truly gracious speech would have noted Osaka’s brilliant play, and asked the crowd to cheer her win.  Maybe it’s too much to ask for Serena to have her head together enough to do that, but asking the crowd to stop booing is pretty much the LEAST she could have done. (The one moment that touched me was the sisterly and protective way she put her arm around Osaka.  I’m not made of stone, people.) 

13.   The Arthur Ashe crowd should feel shame.  Even if you’re booing Carlos Ramos and the USTA, how do you think Osaka felt?  It broke my heart when Osaka apologized for winning.  She just won the biggest match of her life, and you people make her APOLOGIZE?  I have never heard anyone apologize for winning a sports championship.  No way.  Naomi, you have nothing to apologize for.  You deserve it, congratulations, and here’s to many more.

14.   ESPN, Chase, Nike, the USTA, and all the other sponsors and Serena boosters should also feel shame.  They contributed to this environment by making the whole two weeks all about Serena’s comeback/dominance/invincibility, etc.  When that narrative was shattered by Osaka’s exceptional play, neither Serena nor the crowd could handle it emotionally.

15.   The USTA and WTA’s subsequent statements are awful.  They have fully thrown Carlos Ramos under the bus, and I think they should have backed him up.  In sports officiating, I’m a proponent of enforcing the rules as written.  If you don’t want a rule enforced, change it.  In the final analysis, Ramos followed the rules as written, and was punished for it.  That’s totally unfair to the entire officiating community.  What happens next, when Maria Sharapova or Rafa Nadal or another big name throws a tantrum?  The official message to umpires is now “disregard the rules and let it go, because the minute there’s public outcry, we won’t support you.”  That’s bullshit.

As I said before, all of these things are true, and they don’t contradict each other.  It’s possible to recognize that Ramos did his job, and still think that the rules are silly.  It’s possible to have great admiration and respect for Serena, and still think she behaved very badly during the final.   It’s possible for the crowd to get wrapped up in ESPN’s narrative, and still behave gracefully when the outcome doesn’t match up.  It’s possible to think Naomi Osaka is totally awesome and… there’s nothing else to say about that! 

Sorry, I do have one more thing to say. Congrats to Naomi Osaka, future Hall of Famer.

Tina S

Tina is a sometime contributor to SeedSing and occasional guest on the X Millennial Man Podcast. Want to hear what Tina has to say on the topic of the 2018 tennis Grand Slam Season? Check out the latest edition of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

We made a twitter for Tina, go follow her @TinaSeedsing. 

What the Hell is Thibodeau Doing with the Timberwolves?

With the recent NBA news that Loul Deng was bought out by the Lakers and then signed by the Timberwolves, I just cannot help but wonder will happen, now that Joakim Noah is about to be released by the Knicks. I'm not the first person that has noticed that the Timberwolves team this coming season look a lot like the Bulls did in the early 2010's, when Tom Thibodeau was the head coach there. If he signs Joakim Noah, or even thinks about it, I will be all out on the Timberwolves.

Look, I have made it pretty clear that I have struggled to find an NBA team to root for since KD left the Thunder and signed with the Warriors. I eventually decided on the Suns, as I wrote awhile back, but for a moment, the team I was going to choose was going to be Minnesota. I had a history, what with Kevin Garnett being one of my all time favorite players while he was there, and I loved the young talent they had. They then let Ricky Rubio go. I know that they had to. He had run his course, and they needed to free up space for better, scoring point guards. They also traded Kevin Love, which I was also fine with because they got Andrew Wiggins and I felt like he was going to be a solid building block. Then they had the number one pick a few years back, and they took Karl AnthonTay-Towns, who I am a big, big fan of, and it just seemed like a good time to stick up for them. Even when they hired Thibodeau, which I wasn't a fan of, and then traded for Jimmy Butler, which I really liked, I was about to go fully on board with my fandom.

Then, they went out and signed Taj Gibson. I have nothing against Gibson, he seems to be a great team and locker room guy, but his best playing days are far behind him. He played his best when he was last coached by Thibodeau on the Bulls. That was about 5 years ago.

The Timberwolves then, after the Knicks dumped him, inexplicably signed Derrick Rose. Derrick Rose was once great. He won an MVP award. He had flashes where he looked like the next big star. But, he got derailed by two horrible knee injuries. He hen started to make wild claims in New York. He then disappeared for no reason while a Knick. He did the exact same thing when Cleveland signed him a year later. Derrick Rose is clearly not the athlete he once was, and there is certainly something mentally wrong with him. But Tom Thibodeau ignored all of the things we all see, and signed him anyway, and then kept him this offseason.

Now, he has decided to bring on Luol Deng. Deng is like Gibson. He was once a solid NBA bench contributor. He did things that helped the mid 2010 Bulls win games. But, he barely saw the floor last year. The Lakers did almost everything they could to get rid of him last year. His best days are clearly far, far behind him. But, Tom Thibodeau wanted to get the band back together as they say.

So, this whole meme and blog generation, and yes, that includes me, have started to call the "new look" Timberwolves, the Timberbulls. I mean, they now have Deng, Rose Gibson and Butler. Butler is the only one worth having, and he wants out. Go read some of his recent interviews, or just look at the fact that he opted to not sign a mega extension. But it doesn't seem like Thibodeau cares. And now, with Noah out there, I wouldn't be shocked if Thibs gets the itch to sign him. That would be horrible. How any of this fits, with Butler being the exception, with guys like Jeff Teague, Wiggins, KAT, is way beyond me. I feel like Thibodeau is a lesser version of Doc Rivers. He likes guys that used to be good on his teams, or against him, no matter how far past their primes they may be.

The only thing these signings, and the possibility of a Noah signing, does is push back the growth of their young stars. Wiggins hasn’t hit his stride, but he still can. Now though, he has to split time with Derrick Rose. Jeff Teague has proven himself a quality NBA point guard, but he also has to split time with Rose. KAT should be “the guy” for the Timberwolves, but Thibodeau is going to throw Luol Deng, Taj Gibson and, if he signs him, Joakim Noah out there to only stunt KAT’s growth. I wanted to like the Timberwolves. I wanted to be a fan. But, with what GM Thibs has done, I just cannot. He is signing over the hill has beens to play with budding stars. He is going to ruin the young players on this team, just so he can have some former Bulls around him.

What a waste.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is a great GM and has NBA 2K rosters to prove it. Call him up T’Wolves.

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Baseball Needs Shohei Ohtani

I know that I am not the big baseball guy on the site, but I want to talk about the Shohei Ohtani news, that he may need Tommy John surgery.

This is a real bummer to me. Again, I do not watch baseball at all, especially right now since football is in full time swing. But, I was looking at Bleacher Report the other day and saw that Ohtani may need the dreaded surgery for pitchers. Now, he has had a very solid season, at least from what I read, both pitching, but more so hitting. He has a decent amount of home runs, he has a decent average and has a good amount of RBI's. As far as pitching, he was doing fine. If you look at him as a rookie, which he is, he has had a very solid pitching season. He has missed a good amount of time, but who doesn't in baseball these days. Also, every star player is treated with kid gloves, so they don't burn out right away.

I had very high hopes for Ohtani, and he was kind of living up to them. I mean, no one really got to see him because he plays on a middling AL team, that is perpetually stuck at, or below .500. He plays on a team that has the best player in baseball, Mike Trout, and they have Albert Pujols, who is coming up on some iconic numbers as a hitter. But, the Angels are like the Chargers of the MLB. They are always the team that is the "sleeper", and they always stumble. I feel real bad for Trout because he is being completely wasted there, and I fear the same is going to happen to Ohtani.

My main point for my piece today, I think maybe the Angels pushed him a bit too much. I know I said that new stars get treated like kids, but they allowed Ohtani to play both. This was exciting to a guy like me, that never really watches baseball, but how was this good for their franchise, I will never know. They should have played him in the outfield, in my opinion, then on the rare, rare occasion that they needed a pitcher, preferably in relief, then they could let Ohtani pitch. I feel like this would have best utilized his unique skill set, and helped this team actually matter when September and October come around. Case and point, a day or two after the diagnosis of Tommy John, Ohtani played, and he hit 2 home runs. The guy can swing the bat. He has proven that he can hit major league pitchers, and hit them deep. He has proven his prowess in the field. Also, if you want to save his arm play him at DH. The Angles are an AL team and they have the DH, so why not? I mean, it would have fit perfectly with my idea to only pitch him in a needed basis.

Whatever the reason, people say Ohtani need this surgery. Who knows what he will do, and what will happen from here on out. I personally hope he doesn't get it. I want him to become a full time DH, and find a way to heal his arm without having this 10-12 recovery period from this surgery. If he does opt for surgery, I feel sorry for Angels fans and hardcore baseball fans. Ohtani has this special ability to hit and pitch at one of the highest levels of baseball. And not only can he just do both, he is very good at both. If he gets Tommy John, these fans will miss a year plus of getting to watch him play. That is a drag. And, who knows how he will play when he gets back. The last person I remember with big time expectations that had to get Tommy John was Stephen Strasburg. Now, he is strictly a pitcher, but people expected the world of him. He then had the surgery, and while he is a fine MLB pitcher, he is not the threat that he was supposed to be. He is a 13-15 win guy with a 3 plus ERA. Everyone expected him to be the next Nolan Ryan, but after Tommy John, he is just another mid level starter on a supposed good team. He isn't even the best pitcher on his team now. I don't want that for Ohtani.

I personally want Ohtani to continue to play. He is one of the very few reasons I even know about baseball right now. I have checked on him occasionally because I was genuinely curious. That hasn't happened with a baseball player for me for a long while. I hope he continues to play as a DH. I hope he finishes out the season and finds a way to avoid Tommy John. I just want him to be on a baseball field next year, as opposed to him rehabbing after a surgery.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He used to pitch and hit for his baseball team. Unfortunately Ty had surgery and his career ended. It was wisdom teeth surgery, and Ty was 20 years old. What could have been?

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Ty Watches "Last Chance U" Season 3

I just finished up season 3 of “Last Chance U”. They did the right thing, changing which school they highlighted, and I have to say, it is still totally worth a watch. Now, I will say, it definitely helps to be a football fan, but it’s not completely necessary. There are human stories outside of the sport that are told this season. They get into anxiety, pressures of being high profiled athletes, depression, anger, struggles growing up and academic problems, just to name a few things outside of football. But, football is the primary source material, as it was in the first 2 seasons. It was no secret that I personally soured on East Mississippi Community College, and mainly their coach, Buddy Stephens. That dude is a piece of work. I felt like 2 seasons there was plenty.

In the third season they chose Independence Community College in Kansas. ICC was notorious for how bad they were. Up until 2 years ago, they had not won a game in almost three full seasons. Not only had they not won, they were the worst team in their conference. They were the team that everyone else beat, and beat bad.

Two years ago ICC went out and hired a guy named Jason Brown. This dude is wild. He is a white dude that was raised in Compton. He grew up tough, and he acts tough. He is a no nonsense, take no prisoners type of guy. He’s big, loud and knows he’s in charge. He also has a reputation of turning programs around. He did it for a few high schools in California. He then became a coordinator for some JUCO’s in Long Beach. He also became a notorious hot head, and could never keep a job for more than one year. But, he has managed to stick around at ICC. The people of the town like him, and he has turned that team around. In his first season they had a .500 record. This past season, they won the conference for the first time since 1987, and won their first bowl game ever.

The recent success ICC has as much to do with the players as it does with Jason Brown. There was a new rule that was also introduced where any team in the Jayhawk Conference could recruit as many players as they want from any state. That is Brown’s specialty. That dude can recruit. He signed 30 plus players, a bunch of which were former 4 and 5 star recruits. He got this kid Malik Henry who was the top QB in his class and was dismissed from Florida State. He had 2 running backs, Kingston Davis and Rakeem Boyd, both who either left or were dismissed from Michigan and Texas A&M. He had a receiver, Calvin Thompson, who was a return specialist and slot receiver at Texas Tech before getting dismissed for a violation of team rules. He then had a bunch of kids that were good enough to go division one, but due to many different circumstances, had to settle for JUCO.

So, we have the same plot as the first 2 seasons, but with newer, more fun people. Brown is way more fun than Buddy Stephens. The running backs, especially Boyd, were more committed to the sport. Thompson was the star of this season. I’m actively rooting for that kid to make it. Some of the lesser known players, namely Emmit Gooden and Jamal Scott, just had better stories. Bobby Bruce is another kid that has a way better story than any player from the first 2 seasons. The only real similarities were at QB. The QB’s at both schools had big heads, complained too much and were super, super talented. That was it.

I had a lot more fun with season 3. I’m sure it’s due to a ton of different things. It was a fresh school. There were fresh faces. This season felt more real. The people seemed more genuine. The stories were just better. There was a particular episode that chronicled a bunch of players and coaches personal upbringings. This was the best season yet.

I’m glad “Last Chance U” came back. I’m glad they changed the scenery. I like the new people a lot. Maybe that will all change after the fourth season, but for now, this show is great. I highly recommend checking it out. It is well worth your time.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He went to a small trade school in St. Louis, and they had a few guys play pick up football on the weekends. What we are saying is that there is a chance to film next season in Ty’s hometown.

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Ty's NFL Quick Hits: Week 1

Every Monday during the NFL season I want to do some quick hits. I want to talk about my reactions, my highlights, my lowlights and just give my own top teams and players. With it being Monday, I will not talk about the Monday night game, and I will not preview the game as well. So, with that being said, lets get to it.

Yesterday was the start to the season. I know we had a game Thursday night, but come on, Thursday night's game was awful. The Falcons and Eagles still need a few weeks before they are the teams they are going to be. And, that is exactly how I viewed the games yesterday. Yes, there are a few teams that we should already know how good or bad they are, but in reality, there are still about 30 teams that I don't have a full grasp on yet, and I probably won't for about 4 or 5 more weeks.

With that said, the Bills are horrendous. They got absolutely smoked by the Ravens yesterday. I know the Ravens have a solid defense, and a good running back, but Joe Flacco looked like a top 5 QB, and that was all because of the Bills awful defense. Flacco was out there throwing dimes and hitting the open guy all game. Alex Collins, the running back, didn't even have to do too much. The Ravens defense also swallowed everything the Bills tried on offense. First off, I cannot believe they started Nathan Petermann. I mean, how is this guy on a roster? How is he a starter? Why did the Bills let Tyrod Taylor go so this mediocre dude could be their QB? None of it makes sense. And, as predicted by everyone, the Bills took him out very early and went to Josh Allen. He didn't fare much better. Allen is going to be a bust. I'm about 99 percent certain of this. That game was awful, and spoke volumes about the Bills. They may be worse than the Browns.

Speaking of the Browns, they didn't lose yesterday, but they also didn't win. I don't know if that says more about them or their opponent, the Steelers. The Browns are not a good offensive team. They have an okay, up and coming defense. But, their offense is real bad. The Steelers are the opposite. They, at least on paper, are supposed to have an electric offense. I mean, I picked them to go to the AFC title game. Now, I know that Le’Veon Bell wasn't playing yesterday, but his backup, James Connor, went off. He had over 130 rushing yards and 2 TD's. He also had about 50 receiving yards. He played great. But, Antonio Brown was relatively quiet. Ju Ju Smith Schuster had an okay game, but nothing spectacular. The tight ends were very blah. And Ben Roesthilberger was dreadful. I feel like he is done. I kind of felt that way last season, but he looked real, real bad yesterday. This actually makes me happy because that dude is a creep, and he doesn't deserve anything positive said about him. I feel like this tie game was solely on him. He stunk up the joint. To go back to the Browns real quick though, they acted excited because they tied the Steelers. That is embarrassing. They have won 1 game over the past 2 years, and they are happy with a tie? Get the hell out of here. I still think they stink. Tyrod Taylor is a good QB, but he doesn't really have anything else. This team is bad.

The Chiefs looked wonderful yesterday. Patrick Malhomes looked awesome. He might be the real deal. Kareem Hunt looked just as good as he did last year. Their defense was bad though, real bad. They had that game sewn up early in the fourth, but they let the Chargers get back into the game. Also, the Chiefs started off super hot last year, and we all saw how that ended. So, I do not put a ton of stock in their win yesterday. Also, the Chargers are still the Chargers. People please, please stop picking them as your "sleeper" team. Please stop saying they are on the cusp. They are who we thought they were to quote the late great Dennis Green.

The Buccaneers need to cut Jameis Winston now and go with Ryan Fitzpatrick. He looked incredible and actually got the ball to guys like Mike Evans in prime position to score. Also, Alvin Kamara is the new best multi purpose back in the league, Drew Brees can still throw the ball, and what in the hell happened to the revamped Saint defense? They could not stop a thing. I think they will fix what ailed them last year, but they need to be better to compete in their hyper tough conference.

The Panthers and Cowboys game was ugly and boring. Ezekial Elliot looks like a flash in the pan. Dak Prescott, who I like, may be best as a backup and their defense is mediocre. As far as the Panthers, Cam Newton needs help. He will try to do it all, but he needs help. He needs weapons around him. At least their defense is sound and physical.

To finish it all up for today, I have to talk about the Packer game last night. They looked so so so bad in the first half. On the other side of that coin, the Bears looked great. Mitch Trubisky was making throws. Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen were doing their thing. And my god, Khalil Mack was dominant. He was totally worth all those picks for that trade. They looked to have that game wrapped up. I continued to watch because I am a glutton for punishment when it comes to the teams I root for. So, when Aaron Rodgers went down, and was carted off the field, I was certain they were done, especially after Mack got that pick 6. But, Rodgers came back in the second half, and then the pass to Geronimo Alison happened. That was a beautiful throw and an even better catch. That was when my hope came back that the Packers could win. Rodgers then threw a TD to Davante Adams to cut the lead to three. The Bears answered with a field goal, but that was about all they could muster in the second half. They looked like a completely different team. They looked content with winning a half, not a game. So, when the Packers got the ball back, I thought they could win. Then a 75 yard pass to Randall Cobb pretty much sealed the deal. The Packers came all the way back and won. I was happy for a minute, then I got a little concerned. Yes, they won. Yes, Rodgers looked amazing. Yes, the receivers were tremendous. But, the defense looked bad all night. They have no contain, and they got carved up for a half by Mitch Trubisky. Also, they need Aaron Rodgers. If he goes down, this team is done. They have no backup plan. Hopefully they will explore Colin Kaepernick. He would be ideal to play behind Rodgers. They also need a real run game. Jamal Williams had moments, but he is young and green. Ty Montgomery needs to be a slot receiver and returner, not a running back. But, I do appreciate his willingness to play the position. The Packers need a real running game. So while I am happy with the win, I still have plenty of concerns.

These are some of my thoughts my week one. I'm pretty stoked that football is back.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is not happy or sad for the Browns. His emotions are a tie, that is what Cleveland seems to want.

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Le'Veon Bell Deserves to Get Paid

With the NFL season kicking off last night, and pretty much all of the other games kicking off Sunday afternoon, I feel the need to weigh in on the Le'Veon Bell holdout. I've done my whole preview and picks and all that stuff, so I do not need to touch on that again. Today is all about one player.

This Bell holdout has become a very hot topic issue. His lineman are calling him out. Others are in support of what he is doing. He is going to miss out on a big chunk of money if he misses multiple games. His coaches are frustrated. This is what he has done the past couple seasons, but he has always showed up right before the season starts. That doesn't seem to be the case this year though. It looks like he is more than willing to miss upwards of 10 games to prove his point.

Now, I have 2 different thoughts on the holdout. My first one is short. I feel like he is letting his teammates down just a bit. He wouldn't be the running back he is without the help of his O line, and Antonio Brown. Those dudes give him many opportunities that other running backs can only dream of. If he owes anything to anybody, those are the 6 guys that deserve to know what he is doing.

Now, for my biggest point, and, I cannot believe I'm siding with Bell here, he is doing the right thing. He has been the do it all back for the Steelers for the past 4 years now. He carries the ball 250-300 times a year. He also makes multiple catches out of the backfield and makes things happen. He is as patient a runner as I have seen. He is the only current back that helps his line by waiting for them to get in position to block. Some guys are a bit too fast when they see a hole, or too slow to get to an open hole. Bell waits on it, then makes something happen. He has prolonged their sexual assaulter of a QB career much longer than it should have been. That rapist, alleged, can just turn around and hand the ball off to bell 30 times a game and save himself from getting hit. Bell has taken some licks over the past 4 years. When he does get hit, he gets hit hard sometimes. He falls forward a lot, but that still takes a toll on a player that is used as much as him. He helps Antonio Brown, Ju Ju Smith Schuscter, and whoever they have at tight end, face single coverage when he goes out for a pass. The fact that a player like Brown can face single coverage when Bell goes out for a pass, that is enormous for this team. He is the best wideout in football, and single coverage on him is a death sentence for the corner that has to deal with that. That only happens when Bell is out there, going out for a pass. So his plan to holdout, and wait for free agency, I have absolutely no problem with him doing this.

It is a widely known fact that the NFL is toughest on its players. They use you up, and when you are no longer of use to your first team, they cut you or trade you. They will get rid of you the moment you show a slip, or someone younger comes along. Coaches are, in fact, praised for doing such things. So for Bell to holdout, and try and get his, I have zero issue. He deserves to get paid. He has done a ton for the Steelers franchise. He has help to make them relevant and a perennial playoff contender when he is out there. But, the moment he gets hurt, or shows signs of slowing down, they will cut him. He needs to get his money, hopefully guaranteed in his case, right now. His positon, running back, is a dying position in the NFL. LeVeon Bell might be the best of the new era of backs, guy that can rush for 1,200-1,500 yards and catch 50 plus balls. So the fact that the Steelers won't pay him, I say continue your holdout. Wait until some team, be it the Steelers or another team pays you. You deserve a big contract Mr. Bell. The NFL is a brutal, brutal business, and you should get your money however, and whenever you can.

I know if Bell sits 10 games, the Steelers will have to pay him franchise money. I'd say do that, unless they give him what he wants. He can do the same if the Steelers want to continue this stupid game of chicken next season. So, while I think he owes his line and Brown a reason why, I do not think he owes the Steelers a god damn thing. They will just use him and spit him out. So, wait and get your money Le'Veon Bell. You deserve to get paid.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is the franchise player for us here at SeedSing. We will not tolerate a holdout. Hopefully Ty knows this.

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Nike and Kaepernick are Awesome

You do my name well sneaker people

I have always, and will always, be a Nike guy. I know I’ve written about Brooks running shoes, and how great they are, but Nike’s are still the best shoes I’ve ever worn. They’re the most comfortable. They’re the most durable. They look the coolest. And they always up the game in style.

Nike’s rule.

That is why I am so very, very happy that they are siding with Colin Kaepernick. The new ad campaign for their 30th anniversary features Kaepernick, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic. This is a great, savvy move by an extremely smart company.

Now, I understand all the stories about child labor and poor work conditions and low pay. I’m well aware of that. But, I want everyone that talks about that to look at what products they wear, and try to justify their company’s working conditions. Sure, Tom’s shoes donate a pair for every pair bought, but I bet their factories that make shoes aren’t much better than Nike. I’m sure companies like Patagonia and Brooks and North Face and Reebok and Adidas all have shady business deals. I know for a fact that the idiot that owns Under Armour is a big fan of that moron in the White House right now. So all the talk of Nike’s poor work conditions, I throw all that out as nonsense.

What sets Nike apart is their willingness to strike a nerve, and I love it. They did the whole, “I’m not a role model” campaign with Charles Barkley. They let Spike Lee direct Jordan commercials. They came up with the “Bo Knows” campaign. They know what they are doing whenever they do something like this. That’s another reason why I love them making Kaepernick the face of their new campaign. This is a perfect time to do this.

What Kaepernick has done, basically risking his professional career by kneeling in the name of police violence against minorities, is crucial in our current political climate. He is now the face of the resistance to me. And this Nike thing is only going to make him that much more of an icon. He will always be remembered for what he did. He was always be talked about not just among sports people, but in history books when my kids are in college. He has made a name for himself for standing up for what he believes in, and Nike wants to be on board with that. I mean, how can you not love all of this.

And for these idiots out here burning their Nike gear, or cutting the swoosh out of clothes and socks, you will be on the wrong side of history. Also, you are essentially burning money that you worked for you dumb dumbs. Could you be any more stupid? I will never, for the life of me, understand why these morons burn clothes they bought. It’s so dumb.

Also, for you idiot right wingers that are now “boycotting” Nike, how did that work for you when you tried to “boycott” Keurig or Dick’s Sporting Goods or Hamilton? All of those things are thriving. In fact, since you idiots tried to start a “boycott”, those companies have made more money. Your lame attempts don’t work, just like everything else in your miserable little lives. So yeah, try and boycott them, it won’t work. This only makes Colin Kaepernick that much more of an icon/historical/memorable person in our history.

Thank you Nike and thank you Colin Kaepernick. This is amazing and just makes me want to spend more and more money on your products. As I write this I have Nike slides, a Nike shirt and a Nike hat on, and I can’t wait to get more. This is awesome.

Just Do It.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is rocking his Michigan Wolverine Nike gear when he writes. Michigan may disssapoint, but Nike rules.

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What the Hell is Wrong with Braylon Edwards?

Like most Michigan fans, Saturday night was not fun. I had higher expectations for the game. I thought they would come out better. I thought I was going to be able to rely on the defense if the offense came out flat. I thought that the offense was going to be different under Shea Patterson. I thought they had the best guys on the field. I thought they were going to win.

These were all mistakes by me. They came out flat and looked tired. The defense was horrendous in the first half. They fixed it in the second half. The offense, while they did more shotgun, looked very similar to last year. The O line was getting beat on a consistent basis. Patterson looked way too amped up. The run game never got going. They never found any rhythm. The defense couldn't get off the field on third down, which they excelled at last year, and if they had a chance to, they committed some dumb ass penalties. The coaches were not prepared, and neither were the players. Due to all of this, they got beat, and they got beat fairly soundly. I know the final score was only a TD difference, but anyone that watched that game knows what I know. So yeah, I was frustrated and annoyed and a bit upset.

But then I went to bed, slept on what I had saw, internalized everything and got over it. It is a game played by kids. They tried their hardest, they just had a rough night. But, you know who didn't sleep on it and let his emotions get the best of him? Braylon freaking Edwards. Go read his ridiculous tweets right after the game. Go see him call out players by name, kids that are in their late teens, early 20's, and say they played "scared", or called them, and the team, "trash". Look at him scream into the internet and see him say that he is "done with this team". He went to school there. He was an all time great while he was there. He is the last player to wear the number 1 jersey, when it meant something, that truly deserved it. He delivered as a wide out for this team in the early 21st century. There is no doubt about that. But for him to do what he did just a couple of days ago, that is absurd. To call out your former university on Twitter is the height of childish behavior. Then, to double down on it, after other former Wolverine told him to calm the hell down, what was he thinking? Finally he issued an apology, but only after he was suspended by his current employer, the Big Ten Network. And that apology was so half assed, he would have been better off not even saying it. Oh, and don't let me forget, he was still found to be tweeting some dumb ass nonsense after he got suspended.

Now, as I said, he was great while he was there, but what did he win of any importance? He is out here talking all this shit like the Wolverines won a national title when he was the team captain. Well, I think I should know as well as anyone, I mean I love this team with all of my heart, and they didn't win shit while he was there. Sure, they had one or 2 double digit win totals, and they were always in a bowl game, but they never won a big game because of him. And yes, I am fully aware of his spectacular game he had against MSU in triple overtime when Chad Henne was a freshman, my god was he amazing that game. But you know what, MSU was not a very good football team back in the early 2000's. Get over it Braylon. Also, the best bowl game he played in was the Rose Bowl, so big time, and he did have three TD's in that game, but they got beat by Vince Young and Texas. That was the same year he won the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in the country. So, maybe it was just his personal stats and accolades that mattered to him. But, I don't remember him calling out players and coaches by name after they lost a game they should have won. I don't remember him saying that the teams he played on that went 8-4 and lost some games they probably shouldn't have were trash. Hell, I don't even remember him saying that the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke era teams were "trash". Braylon Edwards clearly has some kind of weird complex. He also clearly doesn't think before he speaks. He also doesn't seem to look back at record books from when he played. He just seems to be a guy that pops off at the mouth because anyone can do that now. To call out kids on social media though, that was a real low blow. He should know better than anyone else that that was wrong. Imagine if Twitter were a thing when he was in college. People would have trashed his stone hands all the time, especially when he got into the NFL. He dropped a ton of balls he should have easily caught.

That was what irked me the most was him calling out guys playing by name. That was a low blow. So I'm glad that Jim Harbaugh and Khalid Hill called him out. I'm glad that BTN suspended him. I'm glad that he is now being raked over the coals by other former Wolverines. If he doesn't want to root for the team he played four years of college football for, fine. Just don't talk about it in such a public way. Believe me, there are tons and tons of other, faithful Wolverine fans, such as myself, that will always stick by this team, in both bad and good days.

I used to be a big time Braylon Edwards apologist. But, after this childish nonsense, I am done. He can root for any team he wants, but he needs to cool it on bad mouthing his alma mater. I know he was mad, I was mad too, but I slept on it, and I am a god damn grown up. Maybe Braylon Edwards should grow the hell up as well. His actions were ridiculous. Get over it, it is just a game played by children that are ages 18-23. They are kids and you are a grown up. Now prove it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He was not on twitter after the Michigan Notre Dame game because Ty is not a man child who is only defined by the time he was a good sports person.

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Why Do We Love the Sports We Love?

The other day I was chatting with my dad about sports. With football about to begin, we were naturally talking about Michigan’s upcoming season. We were chatting about our concerns, what we liked and what we expected. This conversation turned into something so much more for me than just Michigan football though. It got to a point where I asked my dad when I truly started to root for the Wolverines. I was curious how, and why, I came to truly love this team more than any other “favorite” team of mine. I wanted to know why I was so much more invested in them than anyone else.

My dad told me that he used to sit me down and watch games with me. Apparently I was very interested in why my dad loved this team. I wanted to be just like him, so I guess it was just natural for me. One of my earliest memories, I was probably my son’s age, is sitting with my dad and him pointing out Bo Schembechler to me and telling me how great of a coach he is. It is burned into my brain. I am certain that was when my love for Michigan started, and it has only grown since.

We then started to talk about fandom, and where it comes from. This led to a conversation about why people get into the sports they get into. For me it’s simple. I have always wanted to be like my dad, so I watched and played what he coached and played. Baseball was easy. Football was glorious to watch. And basketball was like a ballet. I fell in love with these sports immediately because my dad loved them. As time went on, baseball started to fade. As I am growing older now, the NFL is becoming harder and harder to watch. Basketball is still great to watch, but I prefer playing it. But college football has been the one constant. It’s pretty much the same for my dad.

We then started to talk about my son, who says he loves Michigan, but I can only get him to watch for about an hour before he gets bored. But, he loves baseball. He loves to go to games, he will watch it on TV and he plays it passionately. I feel like he got that from me. I loved it just as much when I was his age. But, my daughter, who will be 3 in a few months, has no interests in the sports I watch or play. She does love her gymnastics class though. That is where she is happiest. It’s her thing and she’s good at it. I have no idea where it came from. I never did it. My wife never did it. And our son only likes baseball. Where did she get her love for gymnastics? I know my nieces did it, and seemed to enjoy it at the time, so maybe that’s where it comes from. Still though, kind of odd.

Then I started to think about my brothers and their kids. I also thought about my friends and their kids too. What will/are they into. My oldest brother’s oldest daughter is a volleyball player. Where did that come from? He played college football and was a great baseball player. So it didn’t come from him. But his wife is hyper athletic, she’s the one that got me into running, so maybe it came from her. I’m sure she played volleyball at one point in her life. My wife played it for a minute in high school too. Their younger daughter is more into basketball. I’m certain she got that from me. She has seen me play a lot. But that’s it for her. Other than basketball, I don’t think she really cares about sports. RD’s son likes tennis, which makes sense knowing his wife, and enjoys golf, again, makes sense knowing his grandparents on his wife’s side. But, he also LOVES NASCAR. No one in our family watches NASCAR. I can’t get into it, my parents don’t watch it and I know RD has never really watched it. So, where did his love for NASCAR come from? I don’t know if I will ever know. My other brother doesn’t have kids, but he was one hell of a football and basketball player. I’m sure he got that from our dad, but in reality, he’d rather go to a concert than a sporting event. That’s how he’s been since I was 17. He got me into live concerts.

Then some of my friends with kids, their kids are all over the place. Some like football. Others, baseball and basketball. But some like hockey and lacrosse and soccer. Their parents never really showed a love for those sports. But, their kids are way into it. I know hockey and soccer are big in Saint Louis, which is baffling to me. But where did lacrosse come from? That is so far out of left field. My own guess is, kids will like what their friends like, or play, for the most part. They just want to hang with their friends. Then you have some kids like me, that like whatever their folks like. Then you have the outliers, like my nephew, or friends kids that love lacrosse, that they just like something for no other reason than, they think it’s cool.

I’d love to see a scientific study as to why we fall in love with the sports that we do. But for now, I’m just going to go with what I know. But, I do think this is a very interesting thought exercise. I hope to hear from some people telling me why their kids like the sports they like. Let me know.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is looking forward to the day his grand kids are all about Rollerball and Muggle Quidditch. What a future we will live in.

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Happy Retirement Manu Ginobli

Manu Ginobli hung up his sneakers after 16 years of playing in the NBA.

Me personally, I am a big time fan of Ginobli's. He was one of the most selfless players I have watched in the NBA. He was the perfect third option behind Tony Parker, and one of my all time favorite players, Tim Duncan. I know he came off the bench in San Antonio, but lets be realistic, he was the third of their own "big three".

What else I truly appreciated about Ginobli's game, he was an exquisite passer. He was one of the best that I have seen at his position. He would whip the ball to guys slashing to the basket, find the open shooter on drive and kick outs and always put the ball into the shooters hands in perfect shooting position. He was the epitome of a Spurs player, and that was mostly due to his passing. He fit in perfectly with what Greg Poppovich and his staff wanted him to do. And while he was an exceptional passer, the dude could also score in very unique ways. He could hit open jumpers with the best of them. But it was his drives to the basket that truly astounded me. He would find the smallest opening, jet through it and find a way to reverse it in, or hit a hard layup. The way he split a double team was incredible. The screen would come, both guys would come to him, but Ginobli found a way, some way, to split it, go to the hoop and score, draw a foul or find the open guy. It was always amazing. I would always be shocked and just confused how he did it, but he did it and he did it great. And while he wasn't a top notch defender, he made plays when he needed to. Take for instance the block against James Harden. He got beat, then reset himself, and when Harden pulled up, thinking he was open, Ginobli swatted his shot from behind for the win. It was pure Ginobli and pure Spurs. He just did it all.

Ginobli also sacrificed numbers, and a lot more money than he already made, so he could win titles. He wanted to be a champion. That was what mattered to him and Duncan the most. They wanted to have rings. They turned down bigger offers from lesser teams because they wanted those rings. Ginobli also sacrificed minutes because he wanted what was best for his team. He could have easily been a starter and played 30 plus minutes a night, but that was not what the Spurs needed. They needed him to come off the bench, play 20-25 minutes a night and do all the little things that they needed to get wins. And he did it all with zero complaints. That was another thing I loved about Ginobli, he never complained and was never in the news for any wild off court stuff. He went about his business and he went about it quietly.

Also, let us not forget that Ginobli was the leader of the Argentina team that destroyed Team USA basketball. He was the main reason why that whole organization had to regroup. Ginobli led a well oiled machine for Team Argentina, and they made Team USA look bad.

I have also heard some pundits questioning if he is going to be a Hall of Famer.

Are they out of their god damn mind?

Manu Ginobli is, without a doubt, a first ballot Hall of Famer. That is not even a viable question. That is a ridiculous question. I know he may not have glowing numbers, he was only an All Star twice and he wasn't the face of the franchise, but come on. He was just as important to this team as Parker and Duncan were. He is, most definitely, a Hall of Famer.

While Ginobli has earned his retirement, it is kind of sad to me. This is the end of an era. Duncan retired 2 years ago. Parker is now on the Hornets and Ginobli called it quits this week. The Spurs will never be the same to me. Sure, they have very good guys on the team right now, and I still fully believe in Poppovich, and I think they will still be a playoff contender. But, their three star are gone. That is crazy to me.

One last thing I want to share about Ginobli. If you haven't seen the video, or if you just forgot, go watch him knock that bat out of midair during a timeout in a game. It was incredible. I was stunned and amazed that he was able to do that. Think about the hand eye coordination and quickness that took. It was quintessential Manu Ginobli.

Enjoy your retirement Manu. You have earned it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. If a bat gets into the SeedSing virtual cubicle farm, we all hide and wait for Manu Ginobli to come and take care of it.

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The SeedSing 2018 College Football Preview

To wrap up my 2018 preseason football previews I'm going to do college football today. And yes, I realize that 4 games were played on Saturday, and there were a couple on Sunday. But, honestly, college football truly starts on Labor Day Weekend. It has for as long as I can remember, and the fact that 8-10 teams played this past weekend doesn't change that for me. As I have done in the past, I will focus on the Power 5 conference teams, pick a winner from each, pick a few "sleeper" teams, pick the playoff and pick the title game opponents and winner. I will also give everyone my preseason Heisman pick.

Okay, lets go.

I'm going to start with the Pac 12. The Pac 12 is actually kind of solid. USC is starting a freshman QB, but they always have a solid run game, good receivers and an above average defense. Oregon had a rough year last year, but I feel like they will bounce back with Justin Hebert at QB and a new head coach. Washington State will light up the scoreboards, but play no defense. Utah is always a tough team that no one wants to play, especially in Utah. UCLA hired Chip Kelly, and even though he didn't have success in the NFL, the dude can coach college football. Colorado is starting to have a bit of a resurgence, and that is nice. Arizona has a real legit Heisman candidate at QB in Khalil Tate, but they are horrendous on defense, possibly worse than WSU. Arizona State hired Herm Edwards, which is still puzzling to me, but they have a solid incumbent QB. And Cal and Oregon State are the conference whipping boys. The Pac 12 comes down really to Stanford and Washington. Washington has threats everywhere. Jake Browning is back, and he has a ton of threats on the outside to help him out. Chris Petersen is also a great college football coach, and this team was in the playoff last year. They are good. Stanford has Bryce Love, who is one of the best running backs I've seen in a long time. David Shaw is a top notch coach and his team's are always very, very good. Once again, I don't know why I continue to let them do this to me, I'm going to go with Stanford. Their defense is better than Washington, I like David Shaw more, and Bryce Love is, far and away, the best player in the conference.

Lets go to the Big 12 now. This conference lost a ton of talent at QB. Baker Mayfield and the kid from Oklahoma State are gone. Kenny Hill at TCU is gone. That is three top tier QB's from last season. Oklahoma has a replacement who is a great athlete. He was a first round pick in the MLB draft this year. Oklahoma also has an explosive offense, and they didn't seem to miss Bob Stoops at all. Lincoln Riley is perfectly capable of running this team. But, Oklahoma is still Oklahoma, which means they don't play defense, and they always blow an easy game late in the year. Oklahoma State lost their QB, their best receiver and they play no defense, in fact, this whole conference doesn't play defense. They will step back. TCU has a replacement for Hill, and while he isn't a big name like Oklahoma's new QB, he will be by the middle of the year. They also may be the only team that actually tries to play defense. Iowa State is solid, they are tough to play, especially in Ames, and they will somehow win a few games they have no business winning. Texas is about to become real good again. Tom Hermann has now been through an entire season with the team, he has "his guys" in place, and they will be explosive. He will bring the level of scoring to the Longhorns that he did in Houston. Watch out for this team. Kansas State will play solid, but boring offense. They will look okay on defense, until some team like Oklahoma or Texas lights them up. They are an 8 win team at best. Texas Tech is great on offense, but hat is because they throw the ball a million times per game. They will start hot and then backtrack, like they always do. I wouldn't be shocked if they fire Kliff Kingsbury by the end of the season. Screw Baylor. They are loathsome. Kansas is a dumpster fire, and they are a basketball school anyway. I feel like the winner of the Texas-Oklahoma game will win the conference, and I think Oklahoma will win the game. They are, for the moment, the better team.

The ACC is finally not the joke it was a few years back. Clemson has helped with that by winning a title and playing in another. And, Clemson may be the best team in the country this year. They have a great offense returning. And when a true freshman pushes the incumbent starter at QB, I love that in the college game. That will just make Kelly Bryant play that much harder. Where Clemson really dominates is defense, and especially on the D line. They will stop everyone that comes their way. I don't know how teams will run on them, and if they try to pass on them, the QB better get rid of the ball quick. Clemson is ferocious, and they are awesome. Florida State had a bad year last year, but remember, their QB went out in week one. Deondre Francois is back, and I know that Jimbo Fisher left, but Willie Taggart is more than capable, and this team is loaded everywhere on the roster. They are bound to be a problem again. While they are not on Clemson's level yet, I can easily see them being the second best team in the conference. Virginia Tech is back to being a problem for everyone. I knw their QB got in some offseason trouble, but if he is cleared to play, they will be good. They have a very good defense too. They also excel on special teams. Virginia Tech is a solid team. Miami is back as well. They are like Texas, but just a year ahead. They have a solid offense, but where they excel is defense, and more specifically, in the secondary. They have ball hawkers and hitters everywhere on the field. Mark Richt has turned that team around. Miami is legit once again. NC State may not be great, but they are a tough out for every team they play. They play rough, want to slow down the game and try and win low scoring games. They will be a headache. UNC is going to get in some kind of trouble, but until then, they will score quite a bit, and they should be a bowl team. Louisville has to replace Lamar Jackson, and that will be tough. Also, Bobby Petrino is a scumbag. The Cardinals will definitely take a step back, but they should still be a 7 or 8 win team. Pittsburgh is destined to be a .500 team. They are also awful on defense, which is surprising considering their head coach's background. Boston College isn't great, but they have a real good defense, they have a great running back, and they will win more games than they should this year. I wouldn't be shocked if they somehow win 8 or 9 games with scores in the range of 17-10 or 13-6. Syracuse shocked Clemson last year, but that was a blip. They are still trying to become relevant again. Duke is not very good anymore. They can fill it up, but they get beaten easily by better competition with a solid defense. Virginia and Wake Forest are very mediocre. And Georgia Tech will triple option the hell out of you, and I like their QB, but they are no better than a 7 win team, especially in the ACC. I'm taking Clemson for obvious reasons. But, don't be surprised in FSU and Miami are there in the end. The ACC is so much better now.

Next we have the SEC. I used to think the SEC was wildly overrated, and while I do not think it is the best conference in football, it is loaded. Alabama is Alabama. They will be number one a lot of the season. I know they lost a ton of talent to the NFL, but they always do and they always reload. They also still have Jalen Hurts and Tua Tiagoviola at QB. This team is unfairly stacked. They will be in the conversation all year long. They are the dominant team of the 21st century. Auburn seems to be back. Stidham seems to be a solid read option QB. They have great running backs. Their O line is stout. They have a great, swarming defense. Gus Malzahn has done a solid job getting this team back to being top 10 every year. Georgia lost 2 great running backs, and they won't skip a beat. Jacob Fromm is back, they have stud running backs waiting for their turn, they have a great tight end and solid receivers. They also hang their hats on defense, which they dominate. They are the new team that will challenge Alabama every year. Texas A&M just hired Jimbo Fisher, just got in trouble and they will still be good. It may take a year, that defense needs to be retooled, but the Aggies will be heard from sooner rather than later. LSU has to replace Derius Guice, and a solid defense. I think they will accomplish that task, but it may be tougher than usual. But, if you have read any preseason stuff, apparently they finally have a solid QB. This new kid seems legit. If he is, that would be big time for this team. That is the thing they have lacked for a long, long time. Florida now has a legit coach in Dan Mullen, and much like Fisher at A&M, he will get this team back. It will take a little longer, but Mullen can coach and recruit, and he has a fertile base in Florida. The Gators will be a force in maybe 2 years. He will right the ship on offense for sure too. South Carolina has a very good defense, a solid offense and, kind of a shock to me, Will Muschamp can coach. They are the stingy team no one wants to play in the SEC. Tennessee is in a weird limbo right now. They had an awful coaching search, players have sprinted out of the program and they just aren't very good right now. They have a former Alabama coach as their head coach now, but I do not believe in the Volunteers at all right now. Mississippi State had to replace Mullen, but they got a good hire in Penn State's former offensive coordinator. He also has a QB in place in Nick Fitzgerald, and that dude can play. MSU is a better team, but they have a rough schedule, and that will make them look not as good at they are. But, MSU is good. Ole Miss is about to go through some shit due to their former coaching staff. Arkansas fired Bret Bielema, and they aren't very good anyway. Vanderbilt plays defense, but their offense is horrible. Kentucky is a 6 win team at best. And, saving them last for my brothers, Missouri has a great QB in Drew Lock, but nothing else. Lock, and their schedule will get them bowl eligible, but they are not very good on defense, and they will give up a ton of points. But, they will also score a ton. They belong in the Big 12. I'm going to go with Alabama just because they are Alabama. But, I really like Georgia, and if Auburn can get by a brutal, brutal schedule, they could be there in the end too. But, I'm still going with Alabama.

The final Power 5 conference is the conference I watch the most, the Big Ten. The Big Ten is loaded. I personally think the Big 10 is the best conference in college football. I'm sure my bias comes into play here, but also, 7 teams are in the preseason top 25. That is half the conference. To take it a step further, 5 of those teams are in the top 15. The Big 10 is good, they just cannot get out of their own way. The University of Ohio State is going through some horrible stuff, by their own doing. But, all those scumbags of course got away with it because this team is good. They have a better QB than JT Barrett in waiting. They have a great, young running back. They have an awesome O line. Their defense is stout as well. This is a defense they can lean on when they struggle on offense. I hate hate hate this team, and I am disgusted by how they treated the whole Courtney Smith story. But, they will continue to win football games. Penn State is another school with a horrific past, but they are good at football now. This team should have gotten the death penalty for what they did, but they only had to "suffer" through 2 years where they couldn't go to a bowl game. Now, even with Saqoun Barkley off to the pros, this team has a very good QB, a good running back ready to play and very good, and fast receivers. They also have a defense that can get stops when needed. James Franklin is also a scumbag and a douche, but he has some talent around him. He will have to replace his offensive coordinator, which will be tough, but they have good players that can mask any problems. Wisconsin is the most boring team in the Big 10, and that is exactly how they want it. They play excellent defense. They can stop anyone. They have a game managing QB. They have some guys that can make catches. And they have the best O line in college football, and Johnathan Taylor. He is one of the best running backs in college football, and he will only get better. Wisconsin should easily walk with their half of the Big 10. My team, Michigan, is a wild card this year. They have a great defense. I am back to the point where I can count on this defense. They will get stops. Devin Bush is a top notch linebacker. Rashan Gary is a first round talent. Chase Winovich is a professional football player. David Long and Lavert Hill is one of the better cornerback duos that Michigan has had in a long time. The defense is great. The offense, that is the question. They do seem to have a QB in Shea Patterson now, and he could be the difference. That was what plagued this team last year was horrendous QB play. Hopefully Patterson can shore that up. Losing Tarik Black is a blow, but this will give others a chance to step up. I also really like how they use their tight ends, and I am a fan of Donovan Peoples-Jones. The O line should, I am being optimistic here, be better. They finally have a core group. And the running game has 2 very stable guys in Karan Higdon and Chris Evans. I have high hopes for my team, but they have a very, very tough schedule. Week one will show a lot, but they have a ton of tough matchups all year. I am eager to see Patterson play, and I love the defense. Now is the time for Harbaugh to make something happen with this squad. Michigan State, who I should have put with the University of Ohio State and Penn State, because of what happened this past winter, does have a good team. They play dirty, they play rough and they win games. They are scummy and filled with cheap shot artists, but when they get away with it, they are good. They also have a good running back, a good QB and good guys on the outside. Time will tell, in terms of possible sanctions, but for this season, MSU has a very, very good team. After that, it gets a little murky. Northwestern has a very good QB and very good skill players. They are also the tough team that no one wants to play in the Big 10. They will be tough and they will play tough. Their success is all on the shoulders of the QB. Nebraska hired Scott Frost, and while I love that for them, ease up on the preseason praise. It is going to take some time. Frost will need time to recruit his guys, but when he does, Nebraska could be a perennial top 25 team again. Iowa is like Wisconsin light. They want to run the ball, use their defense and bleed the game away. Kinnick stadium is also their best advantage. They will win 8 games, they do every year, but will they be the Iowa team that wins double digits, or will they struggle to get to 8? You never know with this team. Minnesota is in the second year of PJ Fleck. They will be better, but they are still on the bottom half of the conference. They will be in bowl game this year. Purdue is on its way back up. They had a very solid season last year, and they will build on that. They need to get better on defense, but they have a good offense, and they will be a thorn for awhile. Indiana got better at defense last year, but that took a toll on its offense, and that is where their bread is buttered. They are in a limbo of 6-6 or 4-8 or 5-7. Maryland is a horrendous program with some very disturbing issues they need to resolve very soon. DJ Durkin seems like a real awful person, and I am shocked that he hasn't been fired yet. And Illinois and Rutgers are there to be beaten. They should be better, but they just are not. Not yet anyway. The Big 10 is going to be brutal, especially in the East. The East has the University of Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State and Michigan. I mean, come on. If nothing more than the 3 game suspension happens, I feel like the University of Ohio State will win it, and then have to forfeit it after an investigation. If something more comes out, Penn State, MSU, Michigan and Wisconsin all have a shot. I'm going to go with Wisconsin because I think Urban Meyer will get into more trouble, or he will just quit.

As far as "sleeper" teams, I like Boise State, because they are due and Troy. Troy beat LSU in LSU last year. They are a really, really good team. As far as the Heisman goes, if he stays healthy, I'm going with Bryce Love. He is amazing. But, don't sleep on the new guy at QB for Oklahoma, Johnathan Taylor or some defensive player from Clemson. I would not be shocked if a defensive player gets a ton of Heisman love this year.

As far as the playoffs goes, in backwards order from 4-1, I have Stanford at 4, Clemson at 3, Wisconsin at 2 and Alabama at 1. In the 1-4 matchup, I have Alabama beating up on Stanford. In the 2-3 matchup, I'm going with Wisconsin to win a very low scoring, very defensive minded game. So, my title game would pit number 2 Wisconsin versus number 1 Alabama. I know it is boring and dull and seemingly going through the motions, but I have Alabama repeating. Alabama is a much better version of what Wisconsin, and pretty much every other college football team for that point, wants to be. They have the best coach, the best players and they are more talented than everyone they play. I don't like it either, but I have Alabama going back to back.

There it is, my full NCAA football preview. That wraps up all my preseason football coverage. I will reassess everything midway through the year, but this is how I see it playing out now. I'm so excited for football this weekend. This is like my birthday.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He has already penciled Alabama in as the champions of next year. Maybe Michigan can prove him wrong. Come on Wolverines, win it all for Ty.

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2018 NFL Playoffs and Postseason Awards Predictions

I know it is one day late, but today, I have my postseason picks, my awards winners and my Super Bowl matchup and winner, to round out my 2018 NFL coverage. I'll start with the division winners, then my 2 wild cards. I will also start with the AFC because it is so much less competitive than the NFC. After all of my playoff predictions, then I will give my award winners for all the major awards.

Alright, lets go.

The AFC East is a joke. The Patriots are going to absolutely walk with this spot. I have no faith in the Jets, Dolphins or Bills in even having a winning record. The Patriots could win this division by week 10 and I wouldn't be shocked.

The AFC North will be more competitive than the East, but not by much. The Steelers will dominate, and easily win this division. But, the 2nd and 3rd spot will be a fight between the Ravens and Bengals, but it will be a fight to .500. The Browns are the Browns. Wake me when they win 4 games. The Steelers will walk with the North.

The AFC South is the best division in this conference. I'm not joking. If the Texans stay healthy, they could win 10 games. The Titans were in the playoffs last year and won 9 games. The Colts have Andrew Luck back, and he could push them to be competitive. But, the Jaguars have the best defense in football, and they will ride that and their run game to the division crown again. That said, I wouldn't be shocked if three of the 4 teams had, at least, 9 wins.

And finally for the AFC, we have the West. I don't know what to make of this division. The Raiders have talent, but they also have Jon Gruden as their new head coach. The Broncos have a solid defense, led by Von Miller, but they have no run game and are counting on Case Keenum. The Chargers are perpetually a "sleeper" team, but they are already suffering major injuries, and Phillip Rivers is a thousand years old. And the Chiefs still have a great run game, some solid receivers and Travis Kelce. They also have Andy Reid, which is a blessing and a curse. But, they are breaking in a rookie and their defense is suspect, especially after letting Marcus Peters go. That being said, I will take the Chiefs simply because Andy Reid can coach regular season football. He is dreadful in the playoffs, but he is a 9 or 10 win guy every year.

So, my division winners are the Patriots, Steelers, Jags and Chiefs. If I had to put them in order from 1-4, I'd go Steelers, Patriots, Jags and Chiefs. My 2 wild cards will come from the South, and those teams are the Texans and Titans. Round one will pit the 3 seed Jags against the 4 seed Texans and the 4 seed Chiefs against the 6 seeded Titans. I have the Jags and the Titans, just like last season. That would put the 1st seed, the Steelers versus the Titans and the Patriots against the Jags. A little different from last year, but not by much.. But this time, the Jags will beat the Patriots with defense and the Steelers will roll over the Titans. That would give us a Steelers-Jags "rematch". I feel like the Jags are the only team that can stop the Steelers offense, and they will, once again. That's right, I have the Jags in the Super Bowl.

Now, the NFC.

The NFC East is the Eagles to lose. They are loaded everywhere, and when Wentz gets back, they will destroy teams. Washington has an older Kirk Cousins in Alex Smith, no run game and a minimal pass game. The Cowboys are a perpetual 8-8 team as long as Jason Garrett is the head coach. Also, screw Jerry Jones. And the Giants are a dumpster fire, even with Odell Beckham Jr. The Eagles roll.

The NFC North is all about the Vikings and Packers. The Vikings have one of the best defenses in football, a great run game, and what some think, not me, an upgrade at QB. The Packers have Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Geronimo Alison and Jimmy Graham. Unfortunately, their defense is rough. The Lions, bless them, are doomed to regress back to a 6 or 7 win team. I like Matt Stafford, but this team is not great. And the Bears, while they may be on the come up, are still are few years away from being a real threat. Also, I still think Mitch Trubisky stinks. I'm going to go with the Vikings because they are, overall, a better, fuller team. But, the Packers, if healthy, will put up a fight.

The NFC South is real good. It is just like the AFC South. There are three really, really solid teams. The Saints have a run game, a solid defense now, Drew Brees still and a great receiving corps. The Panthers have Cam Newton, and if he plays pissed off, and is out to prove people wrong, they could be great. And the Falcons have Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman and Calvin Ridley. They will be deadly on offense. And then there is Tampa Bay. They stink, they have a horrible QB and a horrible coaching staff. They deserve all the bad that is coming their way. I'm going to go with the Saints, but it wouldn't shock me if the Falcons or Panthers won the division. This will be another division with three teams at, or above, .500.

Finally in the NFC we have the West. The Rams are, far and away, the best team. I do not buy the preseason 49ers hype. They have to prove it. The Cardinals are in a transition, and they are getting David Johnson back, but he is coming off a brutal injury. And the Seahawks are not that good. I feel like they don't know it, but they are not good. They cannot protect their QB, run the ball, have no real receiving threat and their defense has been ripped to shreds. They are a 6 win team at best.

So, my division winners, and in order from how I think they will be seeded, Eagles, Vikings, Rams and Saints. My 2 wild cards are the Packers and Falcons. I wanted to put the Panthers in, but I just think the Packers will claim that final spot. The first round in the NFC would pit the 3 seed Rams versus the 4 seed Saints and the 5th seed Falcons against the 6th seed Packers. I think the Rams will beat the Saints because the Rams defense is better, and Todd Gurley is further along than Alvin Kamara. I then have the Packers beating the Falcons in a high, high scoring game. It will be in a dome, and Rodgers and Ryan will light it up. I just feel like the Packers will score a little more and win the game. So, that would put the 1 seed Eagles facing the Packers and the 2 seed Vikings facing the Rams. The Eagles are still loaded, and will be in full stride by this point, and the Packers will not be able to stop them. The Vikings and Rams game will be a slugfest, and just because their defense is a little better, I am going with the Vikings. So, the NFC title will be a rematch, and I feel like it will be much of the same. The Eagles are just way too stacked. They will roll into their second straight Super Bowl.

I have the Jags playing the Eagles. And for as much shit as I gave the AFC, I'm going with the Jags to win it all. I know, sounds crazy, but their defense is so god damn good. They are elite at all three levels, and as we have seen, save for last season, the team with the better defense wins the Super Bowl, and that is the Jaguars. By the way, I just really want to see these 2 play for the Super Bowl.

As far as my award winners, I'm going with Bradley Chubb for defensive rookie of the year. He and Myles Garrett will be the only bright spot for the Browns. They will be the only reason to watch them. For offensive rookie of the year, and there is a bundle of players to choose from, I'm going to go with a QB, and that QB is Josh Rosen. I think he will be great when he replaces Sam Bradford as soon as he gets injured. The Cardinals will close strong, a la the 49ers last year, and it will be because of Rosen. Coach of the Year is going to go to Mike Zimmer. He will have a great, all time defense, and the offense will be better. Also, he deserved it last year and didn't win, so they will make up for that this year. My defensive player of the year, and I'm going way out there with this pick, is Khalil Mack. I feel like he will be on a new team very soon, and he will go and ball the hell out. He will be out to prove how dumb the Raiders are, and he will show it on the field. Also, he is an incredible player. My offensive player of the year, because I am so god damn tired of QB's winning this, is Alvin Kamara. He is the modern Marshall Faulk, and he will only get better this year. He is an amazing talent. Finally, for MVP, I am going to give it to the guy that I thought deserved it last year, and I think will have an even better season this season, Todd Gurley. The Rams use him perfectly, he just got paid and he is great. He should have won it last year, and he will win it this year.

Alright, that is my 2018 playoff preview and award winners. That is all the preseason NFL stuff I have. Please tell me how wrong I am. On Monday I will wrap up all my football previews with a very in depth NCAA football preview. Come back then.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is looking forward to visiting Jacksonville and being the toast of town with his championship pick. Get ready North Florida.

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Urban Meyer Got Away With It, Again

Where Meyer's coaching career belongs. Along with OSU football and the NCAA.

I know that I promised to do my NFL postseason pick, award winners and Super Bowl champs today, but after what happened with Urban Meyer and the University of Ohio State last night, that needs to be addressed.

First off, I am disgusted and disturbed by how corrupt and meaningless the entire NCAA is. They are a futile corporation that only cares about money and their "brand". If this incident happened at any other school, save for Alabama, the NCAA would have stepped in and made sure that the coaches, the AD and the president of the school were all fired. If this was at Michigan or Clemson or Tennessee or TCU or Oregon or, insert any big name university here, they would have done everything in their "power" to make sure something happened. It is truly disgusting that because this is the University of Ohio State, and because the name Urban Meyer is attached, the NCAA let them do the investigation. I read a tweet last night, I wish I remembered who it was, and they said, "shocking that an investigation into Ohio State, done by Ohio State concluded with a minimal suspension to Ohio State". This was a perfect response.

I think most of us knew, at least those of us that watch college football on the regular, knew that Urban Meyer was going to get off scott free. Now I know, he has a three game suspension but come the hell on, that is a slap on the wrist. He misses games against Oregon State, Rutgers and TCU. TCU is the only team that has even a minimal shot of knocking them off. This is just as bad when a player beats up his significant other, and they get a 3 game suspension in the NFL. Also, Meyer still gets to coach practice after week one. He will only be unavailable to be on the sideline for 3 games. He will be able to coach and talk to all players after the first week.

That is appalling.

It is clear that people in Columbus and in the NCAA only care about one thing, and that is their football program being a success. They don't care about safety of women. They don't care if a former coach was knowingly abusing his ex wife and taking lewd photos at the White House. They don't care that their current coach is trying to find a way to permanently erase text messages that could lead to a whole other story. They don't care that not one single person at the University of Ohio State has simply said "sorry" to Courtney Smith. They don't care that Meyer has tried to turn himself into the victim. They just care that the good ole Buckeyes keep winning them some football games.

That is disgusting.

Urban Meyer's press conference last night was an embarrassment. As I said, he painted himself as the victim. He said he followed his head and not his heart, and that is pure bull shit. When asked about Courtney Smith, he said, "we wished it hadn't come to this". When pressed about how he would go on, he acted arrogant and like he did nothing wrong. It is pretty clear that he is a scumbag. He was a scumbag at Florida, where his buddy Zach Smith worked with him, and he also constantly sided with a murderer, and he is still a scumbag today.

And no, this is not my Wolverines bias coming into play. I would be equally disgusted if this happened to Michigan and Jim Harbaugh. I would have a shit ton of clothes and shoes and shorts to get rid of, and I would also have to get a tattoo removed. I would be embarrassed and grossed out if it happened to my team. But, dumbass Buckeye fans are probably feeling like real winners today, just like their sleazy, scumbag liar of a head coach.

This is disgusting and disturbing.

This is clear evidence that Urban Meyer and his whole football program are above the law in Columbus and the NCAA. That is scary. It was also frightening to read the story about what Buckeye fans have been sending to the guy who broke this story first. If you want to be scared and feel even worse for humanity, go read some of the things that were sent Brett McMurphy's way after he broke the story. It is terrifying. There is also a terrifying trend happening in the conference I watch the most this offseason. We obviously have the coach of the University of Ohio State football team lying to everyone and everybody about his knowledge of abuse by a former coach. We have the horrifying story that came out of Michigan State and their gymnastic program, which bled into their football and basketball program. And we have the Maryland story about DJ Durkin. This is very upsetting and makes me scared for what these coaches will do just to make some money.

We live in dark, dark times and sports used to be my outlet. Now, I cannot even enjoy that on a very basic level. What happened yesterday is awful and loathsome. I cannot believe that Meyer and Gene Smith are still employed. I'm shocked at how little they seem to care about what happened to Courtney Smith. And I'm disgusted at the fact that they got away with everything, as I predicted when this story first broke. I'm so disappointed in every party involved. This is a horrible look, and it will only get worse.

This is bad.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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Ty Ranks the 2018 NFL Teams: Some Awesome Kaldi's Cold Brew Edition

Today I have my final four teams in my 2018 NFL preseason countdown. These 4 teams all have a legit shot at the Super Bowl, depending on health. They, on paper, seem to have it in every phase. But, each team does have faults, and I will point some out today. But, all of these teams will be heard from all year. They should all easily win their divisions, and be in the playoffs for sure.

Okay, lets do it.

At number 4 I have the Pittsburgh Steelers. First things first, I despise the Steelers. I hate the Cowboys and Seahawks more, but the Steelers are a close third. I got so much joy watching the Jaguars put it on them, in Pittsburgh, last year in the playoffs. That was amazing. They also have a rapist at QB. People will say that he has changed since he got married and had a kid. But, he still committed sexual assault, multiple times, and he is a garbage person. That being said, when healthy, he can sling the ball around the filed. He is slow, plodding and out of shape constantly, but he is still hard to take down. Although, I love when his punk ass takes a big hit. It is glorious. The Steelers have one of the best running backs, LeVeon Bell, but the dude has never been properly paid by the franchise, and he always seems to get in some kind of small trouble prior to the season. I think these dudes should smoke pot to heal injuries and what not, but be better about hiding it Mr. Bell. But, Bell is one hell of a running back. He is patient, follows his blocks and bursts through the line when he gets his shot. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield. He scores a ton of TD's. Bell is great. The Steelers also have the best receiver in football, Antonio Brown. Brown is amazing. He catches everything. He is faster and taller than anyone covering him. He finds ways to get open all the time. He is so god damn good. He needs to get paid, which I'm sure the Steelers will do. I have nothing but good things to say about Brown. I also like Ju Ju Smith Schuscter and the rookie they took, James Washington. The Steelers are set at receiver. They also have a solid tight end. They have an okay O line. The Steelers are set on offense. Their defense is another story. First off, the whole Ryan Shazier thing was frightening and the NFL should be embarrassed with how they handled that. But, on the field, the Steelers defense is very blah. They should be better, but they aren't. They could not stop the run against the Jags. The secondary also let Blake freaking Bortles torch them with his arm and legs last year. They need to shore that up. But, they can score enough points to be a title contender next year. The offense could even get them home field advantage in the weak AFC.

At number 3, as much as it pains me, I have the Minnesota Vikings(I don't know if this makes you mad or happy RD). The Vikings win with defense. That side of the ball is amazing. They rule at all three phases. They have a stout line, great linebackers, who can cover, and a secondary that covers better and hits with fury. They are a dominant defensive team. I know that didn't show in the NFC title game last year, but that was a blip. They pretty much stopped everyone that came their way last year. I remember how they completely shut down the Packers twice last year. That was basically what they did to every other team. The Vikings defense is elite. On offense, they are good, but not great. I know everyone is going nuts over the Kirk Cousins signing, but not me. They gave him way too much money, all guaranteed, and he has never won anything of signifigance since he became a starting QB. He is more known for shouting, "YOU LIKE THAT!" to some random camera guy than anything he has done on the field. They do get Dalvin Cook back, and he will totally open up the offense. He is shifty, fast and can catch the ball out of the backfield. They have solid tight ends. They have Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen at receiver, and while they are good, are they one year wonders, or will they be able to sustain their newfound success? I don't know. Also, Diggs will always own a special place in all football watchers heart after scoring that miracle TD versus the Saints. The Vikings also have an elite O line. I just don't buy into the Cousins hype. But, if he is better than Case Keenum, which he better damn well be, with all the money they are paying him, the Vikings will be just fine. Their defense will take them very far.

At number 2 I, begrudgingly, have the New England Patriots. They just keep rolling out the same team, with pretty much the same staff, and they keep winning 12 or 13 games and easily win the division. That is what they do. Tom Brady is still elite. He may be the best QB to ever play the game. They don't have much of a run game, but since Corey Dillon retired, did they ever have a run game? Their running backs are just an extension of their passing game. Sure, they hand the ball off, but it is not that overwhelming. The receivers, while not being top notch, always put up numbers. Brady has made a ton of guys a ton of money. Sure, they lost Danny Amendola, Brandin Cooks and Julian Edelman is suspended four games. But, I'm sure they have some dudes in waiting that will be just fine. Look at a guy like Chris Hogan. The Patriots have 5 more of him on their roster. They also have Gronk. Now, I do not like Gronk at all. He is overrated, in my opinion, and if he were on any other team, and not a white guy, people would view him very differently. That is sickening, and his schtick has worn way, way too thin for me. But, he is a matchup nightmare, when he is healthy, which isn't very often. The Patriots defense is awful, but that doesn't really matter because they play in a shitty division, in the crummy AFC, and they always win double digit games. They will do that again, even with a horrendous defense, and most likely be in the Super Bowl once again. The Patriots are the Yankees of football, only they have a sustained 21st century success. I loathe this team.

My final team, the best team in the NFL in the preseason, and on paper, coming in at number 1, I have the Philadelphia Eagles. They won the Super Bowl, didn't lose anyone of importance and added Michael Bennett. I mean, how are they not everyone else's number one team. They have 2 solid QB's that work very well within their system. Carson Wentz is a future star and MVP. Once he is healthy again, he will be the starter and he will lead this team to many, many playoffs appearances. Until then, they have Nick Foles, who beat Tom Brady in the Super Bowl last year. Foles is in the perfect spot for him to come in and do what he is good at doing, then take a back seat when Wentz is back. They have a seemingly endless number of running backs that can do a bit of everything. Jay Ajayi is big and fast. Corey Clement is going to get more carries, and he is a classic running back. I'm sure they have 2 or 3 other dudes that will help them out when called upon. They have Zak Ertz at tight end, and he may be the most underrated tight end in the league. He is good, big, fast and has great hands. He also had the second best TD of the Super Bowl last year. They have Alshon Jeffrey signed long term now, and he blossomed there last year. He is a great, solid and awesome receiver. The O line can run and pass block with the best of them. I know the defense gave up a ton of yards and points in the Super Bowl, but don't get it twisted, they are real good. They can rush the passer very well. They added Michael Bennett, who will help with that, and run stopping, and grit and toughness. They have great, young linebackers. They have a solid secondary. The coaching staff knows how to best utilize the players they have. The Eagles, right now, are the best run team in the NFL, and they have some of the best talent on both sides of the football. I didn't think it would come together for them as quickly as it did, but it did and they are the reigning champs. I don't think it is too wild of a concept to believe they can repeat. They are that good.

There you have it, my 2018 NFL preseason countdown. Come back tomorrow and I will have full playoff predictions, my award winners and my Super Bowl opponents and champs.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is looking forward to the day when he does not need to automatically put New England and Pittsburg in his top four. Maybe he will have that change in 2030.

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Ty Ranks the 2018 NFL Teams: The First Pumpkin Spice Latte of the Season

Day 7 of my NFL preseason preview is starting to feature the best of the best. These teams are all playoff teams. These teams all have All Pro players. These teams all have solid coaching staffs, save the Packers, that are capable of leading the team to the title. They all have legit shots at the Super Bowl.

Lets get to it.

At number 8 I have the Atlanta Falcons. Yes, they took a step back last year. Yes, they blew a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl 2 years ago. Yes, they have some issues that they need to settle with Julio Jones. But, this team is good. They have a very solid QB in Matt Ryan. He is accurate, good in the pocket and throws for tons of yards and TD's. Matt Ryan is a good NFL QB. Hell, he won the MVP 2 years ago. He can play. He is also good in clutch moments. I like their running game. Tevin Coleman is a solid back that can kind of do a bit of everything. Devonta Freeman is a very solid number one running back. They have a great 2 headed monster. As mentioned, they have to get Julio Jones signed, and when they do, they are set at receiver. Jones is right up there with guys like Antonio Brown and Deandre Hopkins for me, and a whole lot of other people. I also love that they were able to draft Calvin Ridley. I feel like Ridley is going to be a great compliment to Jones. They also have Mohammed Sanu, and that dude is good. They are stacked at receiver. The Falcons defense is a bit suspect, but they were better last year. They can stop the run, but they struggle with the pass. They need to get a little better in the secondary, and I'd like for them to shore up their linebacker corps. But, they play just good enough to keep this team in the top ten. I also like the staff, with one exception. Steve Sarkisian shouldn't be an NFL play caller. Hell, he shouldn't be a college play caller. He is not very good at his job. But, the talent supersedes how bad of a play caller he truly is. The Falcons are good. They are a 10 win team easily. They will be in the playoffs.

At number 7 I have the New Orleans Saints. I was very low on them last year and they totally surprised me. They played very good football last year. They found a run game. They found a defense. And Drew Brees went out there and found another guy to turn into a star receiver. Michael Thomas, as much as it pains me to say this, is a legit top wide receiver threat. He is so good down the field and over the middle. He is awesome. Drew Brees has found another guy. Also, Drew Brees is still awesome at his advanced age. He is still a 4,500 yard passer, with a 70 percent completion rate and throws for 25 plus TD's every year. He is one of the best. What will make his career even longer is their newfound run game. Mark Ingram, who will miss the first 4 games after being suspended, played much better last year. He played like the bruising back that we all thought he would be coming out of Alabama. And they found another diamond in the rough in Alvin Kamara. He is the new Marshall Faulk. He is explosive out of the back field. He finds yards were there are no yards. He is excellent at catching balls out of the back field. Kamara is awesome and he will only get better and better. What was even more shocking was the Saints defense last year. They actually stepped up and held teams down. The Saints no longer have to score 40 or 50 points to win a game. They can play fast and slow now because the defense is that good. They can actually stop people. I don't know how Sean Payton did it, probably ridding himself of Rob Ryan, but he now has a defense that will help the offense. The Saints are good and will be a playoff threat as long as Kamara stays healthy. They are easily a 11-12 win team.

At number 6 I have the Green Bay Packers. As you may have saw at the top, I listed the Packers main weakness is coaching. Mike McCarthy is awful. I'm not super stoked about the Mike Pettine and Joe Philbin hires. I hope it works, but I am not optimistic about it. But, the Packers do get Aaron Rodgers back, and he is healthy. Rodgers is one of, if not the, best QB's in football. He is great on the run and in the pocket, has a laser arm and leads this team like no other. He is who they turn to when they are in trouble and need a play. He is the man in Green Bay. They let Jordy Nelson go, and I do not understand the outcry over this. He was always injured and it was becoming a problem. I know he was reliable, but he always missed time. The same can be said for Randall Cobb, but he is so much more explosive than Nelson. I would much rather have Cobb than Nelson right now in their careers. Cobb can also run trick plays. I also love Davante Adams. This is his year to become the number one receiver. He has all the tools, and I think he can have a great season. I also like Geronimo Alison. He has a chance to really make a name for himself. Also, the Packers went out and got Jimmy Graham. I know it doesn't hold the weight in may have 4 years ago, but I like it. I think Graham likes it too. He will be used properly in Green Bay. He could become the end zone threat that he was in New Orleans once again. The Packers need a better run game. I love that Ty Montgomery was willing to shift positions, and while he is an okay back, he is a receiver. That is where he should be. They have a bunch of young dudes, so maybe one of them will step up. But, the run game needs to get better. The Packers defense needs to get better too. They can get much better much faster if they somehow pull off a trade for Khalil Mack. I would jump for joy if this happens. I'm hoping it happens. They need a guy like Mack because they don't have much else. They are a poor pass rushing and run stopping team. They cannot set an edge, and linebackers overrun plays far too much. I do like the secondary, especially Tramon Williams, but they give up too many big plays. This Packers team reminds me of the Saints team when they had no defense. They will win double digit games if Rodgers stays healthy, but they will give up lots of points in doing so. The Packers will return to the payoffs though. Mark it down.

My final team for the day, at number 5, is the Jacksonville Jaguars. I think people are sleeping on a team that was 10 minutes away from playing in the Super Bowl last year. The Jaguars defense is, maybe, the best in the league. They are so young too. They will continue to dominate on that side of the ball, if they can keep most of these guys, for half a decade easily. I mean, Jalen Ramsey, AJ Bouye, Calais Campbell, Myles Jack and Barry Church are all awesome. They are all pro bowlers. They are all top 3 in the league at their positions. They are so, so, so good on that side of the ball. They can stop pretty much any team. They got screwed by the refs in the AFC title game last year, and they still held a league due to this defense. They are elite. The offense, on the other hand, is very bland. Blake Bortles is awful. They need to let it go. I know he was the QB in their run last year, but he is one of the worst starters in the league. Hell, he would have been one of the worst backups. He stinks. They do have a good O line though. They also have a great, young running back in Leonard Fournette. He is big, strong and fast. He needs to be more durable, but damnit, the kid can run the hell out of the football. I also like TJ Yeldon. He is a great change of pace back. The receivers unfortunately have Bortles throwing them the ball. Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook and Marqise Lee are all good, but they need a better QB throwing them the ball. The Jaguars are going to be a top team once again, and it is all due to the defense and run game. They need to lean on those 2 phases of the game. I do not think a return trip to the AFC title game is out of the question. I like the Jags so much, and it is solely due to their defense.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the top 4 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He does not know the value of Bloke Bortles in a late season fantasy football run. The head editor used Bortles, and his 9 points per game, to eek out a championship last year.

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Ty Ranks the 2018 NFL Teams: McDonald's has a Pretty Decent Cup of Coffee Edition

The weekend is over, and I am back to my preseason NFL countdown. The rest of this week will be all football. I have three more days of my countdown, then I will do all my NFL predictions, and I will finish everything up on Friday with my full college football preview. The rest of my NFL countdown has all teams that could, and probably should, be in the playoffs. They all should end up with winning records as well.

Let's get to it.

At number 12 I have the Tennessee Titans. I actually like the Titans. I actually believe that Marcus Mariota is going to make the leap this year. I feel like Derrick Henry can become a solid number one running back. I believe in Corey Davis. I think their defense is solid. I just do not like the coaching. The coaching staff doesn't feel great. They are trying their best, but I just think other guys could do so much better with the talent they have on their roster. They were boring last year and they kind of limped into the playoffs, but they made it there. They also won a game, which was astonishing to me. As I said, I like Mariota. I think he will finally put it all together. I feel like they have a solid O line. I like Derrick Henry becoming the feature back. I know Davis hasn't been great in preseason, but I don't care about preseason. I love Delani Walker. He is one of the better tight ends in the league. I like their defense overall. They are solid in all three phases. But, as I said, I just do not like the staff. They seem to find a way to hold this team back. They finished last year at 9-7, and while that seems like it could happen again, if Mariota makes that leap, they could be a 10-12 win team. They are a fringe playoff team, but being in the AFC will get them there.

At number 11 I have the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have some questions. They finally rid themselves of Alex Smith, and I think that will benefit them. He always collapsed in the playoffs. He always fell flat when they needed him most. I know that Patrick Mahomes is a first year starter, and he has looked a little shaky in preseason, but this team has faith in him, and that throw he made the other night was astounding. He looks like he could be good. I like Kareem Hunt. He will take on more of a heavy load this year, and that should benefit him, the Chiefs and Mahomes. The Chiefs don't really have great wide outs. That could be a problem. They do have Travis Kelce, and while he is a poor mans Gronk, he, at least, can stay healthy. He also makes things happen, both good and bad. The Chiefs defense should be better. That being said, they are average. Guys like Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali should be much better. I love Eric Berry, but he is only one guy, and he can only do so much. The Chiefs will need their defense to step up, especially since this is Mahomes first time starting. He needs the help. A lot of their success depends on Mahomes, but Andy Reid is a good regular season coach, and 10 wins doesn't seem out of the question. I also think they have a very good shot at getting back to the playoffs, and probably blowing their first round game, as they do. I just do not want to count an Andy Reid coached team out of the playoffs.

At number 10 I have the Carolina Panthers. This team's success fully depends on one guy, Cam Newton. I lived through this being a Packers fan with Brett Favre. Come to think of it, I am still living through it with Aaron Rodgers. It is painful, but can also be great. Remember 2 years ago when the Panther were 15-1 and in the Super Bowl? That was all Newton. Then, last year when the refs decided to not call anything against Newton, the Panthers regressed and missed the playoffs. I feel like Newton is out for blood this year. He wants to show that one season wasn't a flash in the pan. I personally think he is great. He definitely needs help on the outside. Devin Funchess is okay, but not great. I have no idea who else they have at receiver, which is a problem. I like Greg Olsen, so does Cam Newton, but he is old, and oft injured. Christian McCaffery is okay, but I do not know if he is the guy they traded up to draft last year. Maybe a year of being a pro will make him better, but I don't know. The Panthers defense is a lot like the Chiefs. They should be better. Their star linebacker is always concussed. He never seems to not get injured. I do not believe he has played a full year yet in his career. They have an okay D line, but they need to get more pressure. Their secondary is fine. The coach, Ron Rivera, this should be a make or break year for him. This team should be so much better, and I think Rivera knows it. I feel like a return to the playoffs is almost a sure thing, especially if Newton plays how I think he will this year. The Panthers should win, at least, 10 games this year. It all depends on Cam, but there could be worse things.

My final team for today, at number 9, is the Los Angeles Rams. I'm not even a Rams fan, never have been, but I'm still a little pissed off at Stan Kroenke for moving them away from Saint Louis. That hatred soared last year when the Rams surprised everyone, and had a great year. Sean McVay proved he can run an offense. He made Jared Goff an okay starting NFL QB. He helped Cooper Kuup make a name for himself. Todd Gurley was finally used as he should be, and I still think he should have been the MVP last year. The O line stepped up. Sammy Watkins, even though he is gone, was solid. All of this was due to McVay and Gurley. Todd Gurley is awesome. Everyone needs to watch him, even if you don't like the Rams. This kid is a real talent. The Rams defense is even better than their offense. They have the best defensive player in the game, assuming they sign him, in Aaron Donald. That dude is amazing. They added Ndamokong Suh next to him. My god that is a deadly D line duo. They have very solid linebackers. They can cover in the secondary. And Wade Phillips, while he wasn't a great head coach, that dude can coach defense. That was McVay's best decision last offseason. As long as they sign Donald, which they definitely should, this defense is going to be tough. The Rams can score and they can stop people. They also have a solid coaching staff. This is a team on the rise for sure. They should easily win their division, and maybe, after last season's playoff debacle, they have learned and will win a game or 2. I do not see anything less than 11 wins for this team.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He knows that players play and coaches talk, but a bad talking coach can make great players play bad. Just look at the Mike Martz era in St. Louis.

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Ty Ranks the 2018 NFL Teams: The Morning K-Cup to get the Day Started

Welcome  day 5 of my 2018 NFL countdown. We are pretty much to the point that all these teams will, at the very least, be .500, if not better. I don't particularly think any of these teams will make the playoffs, due to many different reasons that I will state, but they are darn close.

Okay, here we go.

At number 16 I have the Dallas Cowboys. As you all should well know by now, I despise the Cowboys. I always have, and I always will. Jerry Jones is a piece of human garbage, and he needs to get punched in the face repeatedly for many things. He is a phony, a liar and thinks he is a plantation owner. He treats his players as property, not people. Jerry Jones is the worst in a long, long line of terrible men. All 32 owners, for the most part, are terrible rich white guys, but Jerry Jones is the worst. I LOATHE him. Now that that is out of the way, the Cowboys have a very solid offense, but not a great defense. When the defense implodes when a player like Sean Lee goes down, that is a big problem. While he is a fine line backer, he shouldn't be the best player on that side of the ball. That doesn't make for a contender. Their secondary is abysmal. They are the opposite of what the Seahawks were at their height. They give up way too many big plays. Their D line doesn't get much of a pass rush, and that bums me out because I like Taco Charlton. They just aren't that good on defense. They do have a solid offense. Letting Dez Bryant walk may be the best thing they did all offseason. He never lived up to the hype. I do like Dak Prescott a lot. I wish the best for him. He has had a very tough life, he is a good kid, and I wish him nothing but the best. He is already better than Tony Romo is my opinion. Ezekial Elliott is a woman abuser, and an all around shitty person. He is arrogant, cocky and seems like a drag to hang around with. While he may be a good back, all the outside stuff makes me not like him. I have also heard multiple stories from multiple people saying that he is a dick head. I don't like him. The Cowboys O line is very good too. That is why Elliott gains so many yards, and Prescott barely gets sacked. They do have to replace Bryant, but that will be easy enough. What holds this team back is their horrid defense and Jerry Jones. I hope this team continues to lose while he is still the owner. That would be sublime. The Cowboys are plus .500 team, but not a playoff team.

At number 15 I have the team from Washington. Now, I do not thing Kirk Cousins is as good as others do, but to replace him with Alex Smith is baffling. He is just an older, more hit version of Cousins. I know he had a decent year last year, but Andy Reid, while being a horrible playoff coach, is a great regular season coach, especially for QB's. Alex Smith's best days are far behind him. They also already lost their rookie running back to a torn ACL on the third play of preseason. I thought Derrius Guice had a chance to be decent, but now he will miss the entire year. The O line isn't that great either. Smith will get pummeled, and whoever is the running back, they will find it hard to gain yards. They also don't really have many solid receiving threats. Vernon Davis is a million years old. Josh Doctson is a bust. And I don't know anyone else at that position. The defense is so so. They can get a bit of pressure, and they have some solid cover guys. But, they are not much to write home about. I also feel like a guy like Ryan Kerrigan is a bit overrated. Also, while I loved Vita Vea in college, I believe he is hurt too. They won't stop too many people. It is sad to say, but this team will regress because they let Cousins go. Again, I do not think he is great, but Alex Smith is not an upgrade. 8-8 is their destiny.

At number 14 I have the Detroit Lions. First of all, I do not think Jim Caldwell deserved to be fired. He led that team to the playoffs, and they were much mote competitive than they should have been, given the roster. And the hiring of Matt Patricia is questionable. He definitely committed some kind of sexual assault that was covered up, and his "expertise" lies in defense. Well, his Patriots defense got ripped apart all season last year, especially in the Super Bowl. Also, the Lions problems lies with their defense. They are a sieve. Besides Ezekial Ansah, they don't really have anyone else of note. Ansah is great, but no one pays attention to him because the Lions defense is just not good. And I don't think Patricia is the right guy to fix it. He is going to have a tough time. The Lions offense though, they are good. Matthew Stafford is a solid QB. He doesn't deserve the money he is getting, but the dude is solid. He trusts his arm far too much, but he has a great arm. I also thought he was going to regress when Calvin Johnson retired, but he didn't. He has made guys like Golden Tate and Kenny Golladay viable receivers. He uses his tight end, Eric Ebron, perfectly. The Lions don't have much of a run game, and that hurts them in tight games when they need to salt the clock away. The Lions will score plenty, but they will also give up a ton of points. I could see them setting a scoring record, but also giving up a record number of points. I have always had a soft spot for the Lions, because of Barry Sanders, but they just don't have quite enough to be a playoff contender. 8-8 or 9-7 seems right to me.

My final team for the day, at number 13, I have the Houston Texans. This team is being held back by 2 things, the coach and injuries. Bill O'Brien is mediocre at best. He has just failed upwards. Just because he once challenged Tom Brady, Penn State, and now the Texans gave him a head coaching job. He hasn't done much since taking over both spots. He is a poor play caller, and he acts like a real asshole. I wouldn't be shocked, if this team misses the playoffs, if the Texans finally fire him. Injuries also plague this team every year. JJ Watt is never healthy. They cannot keep a running back on the field. They lost their star QB to a torn ACL in a non contact drill at a practice last year. They just cannot stay healthy. Also, their owner, is right up there with Jerry Jones. He is a horrible human being. He is the owner who made the "inmates running the asylum" comment talking about the protests last year. He is the guy that forced his best player, Deandre Hopkins, to walk out of a practice after making those comments. He is a monster. I hope he loses all his money in a pyramid scheme. Now, if the Texans can stay healthy, they should be, at the very worst, second in their division, and fighting for a playoff spot all year. JJ Watt needs to stay healthy, which he hasn't done in 2 years. Pair him with Jadaveon Clowney, who is so great, that is a great pass rush duo. Clowney is so much better than Watt too. He is an amazing football player. Now that known steroid user Brian Cushing has retired, I think that will be better for the defense. Other, younger guys will be able to step in and play. And the secondary is fine. They're not great, but they are solid. On offense, this team has the QB of the future. I have always been a Deshaun Watson fan, and the 7 games he played in last year only furthered how much I like him. He is a very, very good QB. He has the tools to be one of the best. He is a taller, more accurate Russell Wilson. He is a faster and taller Drew Brees. He is awesome. He just needs to stay healthy. Those of us that still watch football need a player like Watson to play because he is so wonderful. Now, he doesn't have much of a run game. He can kind of make that not a problem with his legs, but the Texans need to get a running back worth his salt to help Watson out. What Watson does have is Deandre Hopkins. Hopkins is one of the best in the game. He runs great routes, makes incredible catches and is easily the leader of the team. He is criminally underrated. If Hopkins played on a better team, he would be mentioned with guys like Antonio Brown and Julio Jones. Deandre Hopkins rules. The rest of the receiving corps is fine. But, when you have a number one like Hopkins, that makes the rest of the positon unit look so much better. The O line is blah. But, again, a guy like Watson kind of blurs their problems. The Texans can be very good, like 10-12 win good, if they can stay healthy. But, they most likely won't, O'Brien will make some dumb calls and the owner will divide the locker room at some point this year. The Texans should win, at least 10 games, but I bet they end up 8-8, or 9-7. I hope not because I adore Deshaun Watson, but that is what the Texans do.

That's it for today. Come back next week for the top 12. The best of the best.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He knows that Texas is a big state with some great people. It just really sucks that two of the worst Americans happen to own the two football teams in the state.

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Ty Ranks the 2018 NFL Teams: Gas Station Cappuccino Edition

Before I get into day 4 of my NFL preview, I need to say RIP to Aretha Franklin. She was one of, if not the, greatest souls singers of all time. She had a magnetic voice, and I loved every song she sang. Her version of "Respect" is wonderful. Her "A Change is Gonna Come" is fantastic. She was amazing, and she will be sorely missed. Rest in Peace Aretha Franklin, you are a legend.

Okay, lets get into my NFL preview.

Today I have teams 20- 17. Some people may see these teams and think, why are they so high or low. It needs to be stated that I think none of the teams I mention today are playoff contenders or hopefuls. These teams will win 9 games at the very, very best. Okay, on with it.

At number 20 I have the Chicago Bears. I view the Bears pretty much the exact same way I view the 49ers. I know I had the 49ers at 21 and the Bears at 20, but they are pretty much interchangeable. Both teams have a QB that is getting a ton of hype. I don't believe in Jimmy Garropolo, as I stated yesterday, but I really don't believe what is being said about Mitch Trubisky. I do not think he is good at all. He is a bust. I pretty much have no doubt about that. He is inconsistent and, for being considered a dual threat, kind of plodding. Playing out of shotgun may help, but I don't think so. Some may think he will have a Jared Goff type jump in his second year, but I don't. Also, Goff has a hell of a running game behind him, which leads me to what I actually like about the Bears. They have a great 1-2 punch at running back. Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen are perfect compliments for one another. Howard is more the traditional type bac, and Cohen can run and make catches. They are good. I don't really believe much in their pass game, mostly due to Trubisky. But, they don't really have many solid receivers. They lost their best one last year, Alshon Jeffrey, and they never really replaced him. The Bears defense is okay, but not great. Their best player is a rookie that they just signed. Roqoun Smith is awesome, and I have mad respect for him for fighting the team until he got what he wanted. But outside Smith, the Bears defense is thin. They will give up points, and the offense won't be able to utilize their best aspect, the run game, as much as they should. 7 wins seem like the ceiling, and that is sad because I bet Bears fans would kill for 7 wins.

At number 19 I have the Cincinnati Bengals. Sorry RD, I don't know if this is too high or low (ed note: Way too high), and that is the problem. Also, I cannot believe they brought Marvin Lewis back. (ed note: ughhhh) What has he done to continually get contract after contract after contract? It's confounding. He's an okay coach, but he has done all he can do with this team. Which leads me to the rest of the team. They are, for the most part, just like Lewis. Andy Dalton is trash, and he will never be the franchise QB they thought he was. How have they not cut him yet. Their run game is as bland as baked chicken. Gio Bernard is not nearly as good as he was that one year. Also, Joe Mixon shouldn't be in the league. Tyler Eifert is going to get hurt. The only solid player they have is AJ Green, and he deserves so, so, so much better. They should trade him, but they won't, or if they try, they will find a way to screw it up. The Bengals defense is dirty, and not good. Vontez Burfict is already suspended. They have no secondary. This team is just dry and boring and not very good. I feel like they will win, maybe, 6 games, but somehow that will be enough to get Marvin Lewis another extension. Sorry Bengals fans, you guys are in some type of awful purgatory. Maybe it will end soon.

At number 18 I have the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders were like the Buccaneers to me last year. In fact, I had them in the AFC title game. Boy was I wrong. They imploded last year. Derek Carr totally regressed. They had no real run game, even after signing Marshawn Lynch. Amari Cooper dropped every pass that was thrown his way, except for the one game that I sat him on my bench in fantasy football and he went off. Their O line, their supposed strength, was not great. I don't know how they remedy all that this year. And on defense, they are in the dumbest kind of stand off with their best player, and team leader, Khalil Mack. Mack is a great, great linebacker, and the Raiders are being so dumb with the contract negotiations. Also, they have no one, and I mean NO ONE, that is near his talent level. They need Mack if they want any semblance of a defense. They have an old secondary, an even older D line and only Mack at linebacker, who they will most likely trade. Also, they gave Jon Gruden a 10 year 100 million dollar contract to be their coach. What the hell?! That is nuts. He was never really that good a coach. Yes, he won a Super Bowl, but that seems lost in the wind. Besides that one year, he was worse than average. And he has been away from the game for a decade. Jon Gruden will not be a viable head coach. The Raiders are a mess again. They had their window, and it seems like it has already closed. Please trade Mack to the Packers. That would be awesome.

My final team for the day, at number 17, I have the Los Angeles Chargers. I need to get this out of the way first, I'm sick of every other football writer, for what seems like the last 3 or 4 years, saying that the Chargers are their "sleeper" team. The Chargers always shit the bed, so why is this year any different? Well, they do have a very good defense, with some young, super talented guys. That defense should be enough for a couple wins. They have an exceptional pass rush as well. No, the defense is not the problem. What the Chargers lack, and what will continue to hold them back from being a "sleeper" team, is their QB. While I think Phillip Rivers is better than some other guys out there, namely his draft mate Eli Manning, he has never, in his entire career, played in a big time playoff or regular season game. Sure, he puts up numbers, throws for 4,000 yards a year and 25 plus TD's, but it all feels hollow to me. He is old. He has taken too many hits. He talks too much shit for a dude that has never won an important game. He blames everyone around him. Rivers is old, and I feel like the Chargers need to move on. As far as the rest of the offense goes, Melvin Gordon had a much better second year, but he is not the player the Chargers thought they were getting when they drafted him top 15 two years ago. He also fumbles a lot. They do have Keenan Allen, but he is a few concussions away from being out of the league. Oh, and Antonio Gates is back again, but he isn't a quarter of the guy he was 5 years ago. The Chargers are a lot like the Bengals on offense. They are stuck back in time, and have no intentions of changing. That will continue to hold them back. Phillip Rivers has done all he can for this franchise, which is nothing, and they need to find his replacement now. I'm sure other writers will still call them a "sleeper", and claim that this year they will finally "make the leap". Well, I don't buy it. 8-8 looks like their best case scenario.

That does it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams. We are getting oh so close to real playoff contenders.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He has way too much faith in the Cincinnati football team. Winning is bad for the Bengals. That means more people will come to the Queen City and see their terrible tax payer funded stadium. The Bengals don't want that.

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Ty Ranks the 2018 NFL Teams: Folgers Coffee with Powdered Creamer Edition

Welcome back to Day 3 of my annual NFL preview. These are not the worst teams, but they are also not very good.

Let's get to it.

Today's preview begins with the team that I think will be one spot ahead of the Seahawks in the same division, coming in at number 24, the Arizona Cardinals. The reason I have the Cardinals one spot ahead, they have a better defense, but that is it. The Cardinals actually have a very solid defense. I know they lost Tyrann Mathieu, but they still have Patrick Peterson, and that is more than enough to make up a solid secondary. Their line backing corps is so so, but their D line is stout. They can stop teams. They also have a new, defensive minded head coach. I liked Bruce Arians, but his time was up. Their offense is why I have them this far down. Yes, Carson Palmer finally, mercifully retired. He is the quintessential "what could have been" QB. If his knee didn't get shredded in the playoff game years ago, he could have been one of the greats. Since that injury though, he was so up and down for the rest of his career. Last year was rough. They still have Larry Fitzgerald, and he is an all time great. He is the best receiver of my generation. He might be the second best receiver ever, behind only Jerry Rice. Unfortunately, he never got much help. The Cardinals have other receivers, but they are all short, burners. They are fast, but that is it. They do get David Johnson back, but how good will he be coming off that gruesome injury last year? Time will tell. If he is anything close to what he was 2 years ago, the Cardinals might be a surprise. But, it is too early to tell. To replace Palmer the Cardinals drafted Josh Rosen. Rosen was my favorite QB in the draft, and I think he will be a solid NFL player. But, he does have turnover problems, and he trusts his arm way too much. He is the type of player that needs one year in waiting before he takes over. Unfortunately, Sam Bradford is the other option at QB. He is going to get hurt, and that will force Rosen into action. That is what Bradford does. The Cardinals should be better, but they won't because their offense is so suspect. I like this team, but 7-9 feels like their ceiling. But, I do feel like Rosen is a QB they can build around.

At number 23 I have the Buffalo Bills. Can someone explain to me what in the hell this team tried to do this offseason? It makes absolutely no sense. They let Tyrod Tylor go, and he led them to the playoffs last year. They traded up to take Josh Allen, my least favorite QB in the draft, when they could have gotten him at their original spot. They have this whole LeSean McCoy fiasco going on right now. Kelvin Benjamin is out here taking shots at Cam Newton. It is baffling. This team was in the playoffs last year, and now, I think they might be one of the worst teams in the NFL. The QB battle is between Nathan Petermann, of the 4 interceptions in the first half of a game fame, AJ McCarron, who is better known for having a very attractive wife, and the aforementioned Josh Allen. Yeesh. I'd much rather have Tyrod Taylor. Who knows what is going on with that run game. Benjamin is their best wide out, and that is not saying much. The O line is okay, but that doesn't really matter. The offense is a mess. The defense is solid though. They will keep them in games. They have heavy hitters, good coverage guys and can rush the passer. The playoff game against he Jags last year was an affront to football, but the Bills did play great defense in that game. The Bills made too many dumb offseason moves to make a return to the playoffs. They will regret letting Tyrod Taylor go. This is a 6 win team at the very best. I'm still shocked at their offseason.

At number 22 I have the Baltimore Ravens. First things first, I love that they traded up to take Lamar Jackson. He should be their QB of the future. I love Lamar Jackson, and I think with a few years of learning the NFL game, he could be Mike Vick 2.0. But, until then, they still have Joe Flacco. Flacco reminds me a lot of a guy like Joe Theismann. Both weren't that great of pros, but because they won a Super Bowl, they get undue credit. Flacco has a monster arm, but he is inaccurate, slow, makes dumb decisions and he just doesn't seem to care. He is not a good QB, and I don't really think he ever was. They do have a solid run game, which they should rely on more than they do. I also like that they brought in Michael Crabtree. But, it is all a wash when you remember that Joe Flacco is the starting QB. Their defense is okay, but that is it. Everyone is just old. I love Terrell Suggs, but I feel like he has been in the league for a billion years. They have that solid corner that played at Colorado, but he is in his sixth or seventh year. I feel like this team is just begging to bring back Elvis Dumervil, or sign a guy like Dwight Freeney, because they need some older dudes on that side of the ball. I like John Harbaugh. He has won a Super Bowl, and he is Jim Harbaugh's older brother. But, it might be curtains for him if he continues to stick with Flacco. Flacco will only continue to hold this team back. They have 7-9 or 8-8 written all over them. 

My final team for the day, coming in at number 21, is the San Francisco 49ers. I know, I know, they have all the hype in the world, but I do not buy it. They will most likely get second in their division, but it is only because the Seahawks are going to take a major step back, and the Cardinals are a team filled with uncertainties. The Rams, I will get to them next week, are light years ahead of them. Also, everyone is saying this team is on the rise because they now have a franchise QB, Jimmy Garropolo. I think he is okay, but he is not a franchise QB. Just because they won their last three games with him at QB, against poor competition, doesn't make him suddenly great. Just because he played in New England and sat behind Tom Brady doesn't make him great. Just because he is handsome doesn't make him great. Just because Kyle Shanahan called plays in Matt Ryan's MVP year doesn't make Garropolo great.  In the three game she started he threw 7 TDs to 5 interceptions. Yes, they won all three, but who cares. Outside of Jimmy G, what do the 49ers truly have. They have the rotting corpse of Pierre Garcon. Great. They have no real run game. Their O line is suspect. I don't even know any other skill players on that side of the ball. And on defense, they aren't there yet. I like Soloman Thomas. Richard Sherman was an okay pickup, but he is coming off a torn ACL. Reuben Foster is a woman abuser. DeForest Buckner is a bit undersized. And Arik Armstead is just not cutting it yet. I have no real faith in their defense. So, don't listen to people like Bill Simmons, or any writer on The Ringer's NFL staff, because they all love Jimmy G. That is the only reason why those guys think they will "take the leap" this year. I am very curious to see how Garropolo performs with high expectations, and as the starter from day one. I see a very similar dynamic between him and Matt Cassel after he left the Patriots. Don't get your hopes that high 49er fans. You guys still have a ton of work to do.

That does it for today. Come back tomorrow for my next 4 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Unlike Joe Flacco, there is no debate on if Ty is an elite sports knower. Ty is elite. End of debate.

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Ty Ranks the 2018 NFL Teams: The Bottom of the Coffee Pot Edition

Day 2 of my NFL preview, and I will be counting down teams 28-25. I will say before I get started, one of the teams may be a surprise to some. But, with what they did this offseason, it really shouldn't be.

Okay, here it goes.

At number 28 I have the New York Jets. Now, I thought the Jets were going to be, hands down, the worst team last year, and they won 5 games, with Josh McCown as their starting QB. That doesn't seem like a lot, but when you look at this roster, that is an achievement. Dare I say, Todd Bowles is a solid head coach. Well, I should say, he can coach defense. That defense kept them in more games than they should have been in. Jamal Adams is a burgeoning star. He is a hard hitting safety, and when his coverage skills catch up, he will be an all time great. They have a solid D line, linebackers and an okay secondary. What holds this team back is their offense. They only won 5 games last year, and they were not shoot outs. This a team that wants to control the ball. They want to run and they are happy to win 17-13 or 10-7. Unfortunately, they don't really have much of a run game, especially since Matt Forte called it quits. They also don't really have good enough receivers. They also don't have much of a tight end. Their O line is suspect. They went out and drafted Sam Darnold and signed Teddy Bridgewater, but that feels like a reach and a last chance. Darnold could be good, but he was a turnover machine in college. Bridgewater looked like the Vikings QB of the future, and then he almost lost his leg. They do still have McCown, but I feel like 5 wins is his ceiling. So, while the Jets have a solid defense, and a solid head coach, their offense is horrendous, and that will keep them from getting anymore than 5 wins this year. They will not be in any Super Bowl any time soon. Also, Sam Darnold might be the next Mark Sanchez.

At number 27 I have the Denver Broncos. This needs to be said, I loathe the Broncos, and I despise John Elway. The fact that he got Peyton Manning near the end, and won a ring with him disgusts me. That Super Bowl was won by their phenomenal defense that year. Speaking of which, what happened there? They do still have Von Miller, and he rules, but where is everyone else? Did they all get snapped by Thanos and disappear into the ether? They have no one else on that side of the ball, and that makes me feel bad for Miller. He deserves so much better. He is a once in a generation talent. He is the Derrick Thomas, or even Bruce Smith, of this generation. The Broncos offense is just as bad as the Jets, but no one says so because they are the Broncos and John Elway is their GM. They started Trevor Siemian for most of last year. He is horrible. I watched him play college football live once and knew he wasn't that good. The fact that they thought they could win with him was hilarious. When they finally realized he was garbage, they turned to Paxton Lynch. Well, he was worse, and there is video evidence of him crying on the sideline of a meaningless late season game to prove how bad he is. People say that shows his competitive edge, I think it shows that he now hates the game of football. They also brought back Brock Osweiler for some unknown reason, and he was terrible of course. The Broncos also have no run game. They lost CJ Anderson, and now they have a platoon with some guy I don't know, and Devontae Booker. I took Booker with the second to last pick in my fantasy draft, and I was mad at myself for doing so. He is so poised to gain 200 yards and score zero touchdowns this year. But don't worry, you still have 5 foot tall Emmaunel Sanders, who is bound to get concussed, and Demayrius Thomas, who I think I am faster than. The Broncos stink. They are going nowhere fast, and it is because Elway has no idea what he is doing.

At number 26 I have the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins are riddled with injuries, bad players and a bad coach. This is the same team that did give Jay Cutler 10 million dollars last year to be a doofus for them. But now they have Ryan Tannehill back, for maybe a month. He is going to get injured, that is what he does. He will never live up to this potential. They have no run game. They let their best receiver go to the Browns for nothing. Their O line is trash. The defense isn't much better. They did get off of Suh's enormous contract, but hell, he was the only halfway decent guy they had on that side of the ball. I guess Cameron Wake is okay too. But other than that, they have nobody that can stop anybody. Sure, they will get their one glorious win in the regular season over the Patriots like they do every year, but other than that, who cares. This team is not very good, and they need an entire new staff. Adam Gase is not a head coach. I'm just waiting for a story about him where he overworks someone. He seems like that type of dude. The Dolphins are not going to any Super Bowl now, and possibly never in my lifetime.

My final team for the day, my surprise team I teased at the beginning, at number 25, I have the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks have thudded like no other the past 2 seasons. They crapped out early in the playoffs 2 years ago, and last year, they missed out entirely. Now, this team has put all their eggs into the Russell Wilson basket. While he is solid, I would not build my team around him. Also, he is going to get hurt at some point because the O line is so atrocious. They might be the worst one in the league. They also have no run game, partly because of the line, but also, they haven't had anybody that good since Marshawn Lynch was let go. They have trotted guys out there, but none have been worth their salt. The receivers, minus Doug Baldwin, who I'm not even that high on are no better than third or fourth, or slot options. They have no tight end either. They also couldn't figure out how to use Jimmy Graham, one of the better tight ends in the league, so they just must not care about that position. I think last year proved how far this team could go with Wilson as "the guy". The defense, what they used to be built around, is gone. Michael Bennett, Richard Sherman and basically Earl Thomas, he wants out of there so bad, are gone. Sure, they might be passed their prime, but now, they have to replace all of them. I'm also sure Kam Chancellor will get hurt, and Bruce Irvin already played his best football. This team's defense is a total shell of its former self, and they are not the unit they once were. They cannot really stop anyone. They don't strike fear in anyone anymore. The Seahawks had a solid run, hell, they even won a Super Bowl, but they are done as a dominant franchise. The offense may put up numbers, but the defense will not be able to stop anyone. They are on the downswing.

That does it for today, come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is very happy to get the hate out of the way for the Broncos and Seahawks. The next few posts should be filled with hapiness, that is until Washington DC.

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