Andre Drummond Deserves Better

I know that I touched on the NBA trade deadline yesterday, and RD even put up the fact that D’Angelo Russell got traded to the Timberwolves much to the delight of Karl Anthony Towns, and that the Warriors are ready to turn Andrew Wiggins around, but there’s one other trade that I want to focus on today, and it’s an egregious one. Russell was probably the biggest name moved, you could throw in Clint Capela maybe, but he has not been an all star, but that Andre Drummond was traded, to Cleveland, for what amounts to peanuts, has me shaking my head.

I get that Drummond is a dinosaur in the modern NBA. He might be the 21st century version of Roy Hibbert, except not as good on defense. He also has tried, but he simply isn’t a good enough shooter to become a stretch player. But, Drummond has been an all star. He’s been on the US national team. He’s been to the playoffs a few times. He is a savage rebounder. He’s relentless on the boards. He does have a solid low post game. Drummond isn’t great, but he’s no slouch. I actually feel kind of mean calling him a modern Roy Hibbert. Hibbert was good for maybe two seasons. Drummond has been a solid player his whole career. He’s just been languished on a team that is in NBA purgatory, and I think that has clouded people’s judgement on him as a player. If he was playing in a bigger market, or on a better team, Drummond would be a commodity. Mitchell Robinson, who I really, really like, is a similar player, but since he’s the only decent Knick, the media adores him. He plays a very similar game, is only a few years younger, and is on a very bad team as well, but he plays in New York, and people look at him like a prized possession. Drummond on the other hand, he’s a player that I’ve heard media members describe as a “stat hunter”, “lazy”, “not willing to adjust to the modern NBA” or “not good”. I don’t agree with any of that. I still believe that Drummond is a good player if he’s put in the right situation. I don’t think he’s a stat hunter. He’s a big guy that has been trained his whole life to rebound. That’s what’s in him. I don’t think he’s lazy at all. I watch too many Pistons games, I am a League Pass subscriber, and he looks like he’s going hard all game. He just doesn’t yell or scream or show up dudes. He does his job, and he does it well. I already said that he’s tried to get a jump shot, but I go back to the fact that he’s a big man. I’m sure he was big when he was young, and I’m sure he was told to rebound, block shots and stay in the post. It’s hard to move on from that when it’s been your identity forever.

The whole not good stuff, that’s just blasphemy. Drummond is a very good NBA player. A guy that’s no good wouldn’t be able to consistently grab 20 rebounds and pour in 20 points. I really think the people who say he’s no good are these analytical and stat nerds. They have no respect or sympathy for throw back centers. These are the same people who don’t think prime Shaq would be a good modern NBA player. Prime Shaq would dominate in the modern game. Giannis is like prime Shaq, just skinnier, and he’s looking at possible back to back MVP seasons. I don’t like that analytics have become such a part of the NBA. To me, it’s ruining the game.

Back to Drummond. I’ve already stated many reasons why I think he’s a solid player, but this trade is a slap in the face to him. He’s solid, and he was traded for two salary dump guys and a second round pick. That’s ridiculous. He is worth so much more than that. I personally think it should have been a comparable player swap, or multiple role player swap. A team like the Celtics could’ve used him. They would have had to give up Marcus Smart, or Daniel Thiess, or a few bench guys, but it would’ve been worth it. The Rockets would’ve been better off going Capela for Drummond straight up. I think the Clippers could’ve used Drummond, and they would have only had to part with players like Ivan Zubac and Mo Harkless, maybe Derrick Walton Jr too. Hell, Denver could’ve put him next to Jokic, and that would be a better front court pairing than Jokic and Paul Milsap.

I don’t like this trade for either team, and I feel bad for Drummond now. I hope he balls the hell out and gets a nice contract offer from a playoff team for next season. He’s a consummate pro, so I know he’ll try, and play hard. The Cavs are so bad, it might not matter. But, if Drummond goes out there and gets 20 and 20 every night, someone smart will sign him ASAP this offseason. I promise you that.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Ty Watches the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline

The NBA trade deadline is today. All trades, prior to buyout candidates, and salary fillers, need to be submitted and agreed upon by 2pm my time.

So far there has been one major trade in my eyes. It was a four team deal, but it was pretty much Clint Capela going to Atlanta and Robert Covington joining the Rockets. Sure, the Timberwolves got a few solid role guys that will get to show what they can do with extended minutes in Juancho Hernangomez and Malik Beasley, and they also got a pick. But, Capela and Covington are the big names. All in all, I don't get this trade for any team involved really. As I said, the Timberwolves got some guys to give extra minutes to, but they will, most likely, not be able to retain either of them in the offseason. The Nuggets, I think, got Evan Tuner and a pick. That is very ho hum for a contender. Capela going to the Hawks is good and bad. It's good for him because he gets to leave Houston. It is no fun to watch Houston, so I can't imagine it is any fun, especially for a true center, to play there. It's also good for him because he will get to play, and show the league what he can do when he isn't under James Harden's thumb. It is bad because he is going from a surefire playoff team to a team with 13 wins. That is a true bummer. As for the Rockets, Covington is a solid three and d guy, that they covet, but he is a guard. They have a roster full of guards. They have no real center anymore. Sure, Tyson Chandler is on the roster, but he is as old as me. This Rockets team is going to trot out a starting 5 with no one bigger than 6'6. They are going to get murdered on the boards, and their interior defense is going to be atrocious. They are going to get killed by the Lakers, Clippers, Bucks, any team with a viable center is liable to go off any night. This trade seems like a big deal, but it doesn't really move the needle, to me, for any of the four teams involved.

As for the "other" big trade, Andre Iguodala, who I have really soured on this year, was traded from Memphis to Miami. This looks very good on paper for Miami. They also got Jae Crowder as well. Crowder and Iguodala bring even more toughness and defense to an already great defensive team. But, Crowder's shooting has been iffy, and Iguodala is my age, and hasn't played competitive basketball in almost a full year. He is going to be rusty and need time to get back into playing shape. As for Memphis, they got rid of a headache, got Dion Waiters in return, who I am sure they will waive, and now they can go play and have fun. Oh, and I almost forgot, they also acquired Justice Winslow. I know he is hurt, and hasn't played much all year, and hasn't lived up to the hype, but maybe all he needs is a change of scenery. I think this could really benefit him, and the Grizzlies, as they make a playoff push.

Another deal went down last night, the Warriors traded Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III to the 76ers for some picks. The Warriors aren't going anywhere this season, so why not take picks, and the 76ers need shooters and depth, both of which Burks and Robinson III can bring. This is a solid deal with no real big named players.

I just read that the Danilo Gallinari trade from OKC to Miami has stalled, but it could still work itself out. Also, with Iguodala and Crowder, and if they can add Gallinari, they will be legit contenders. They can beat the Bucks.

Now that we are a few hours away, I wonder if any other big names will get moved. I’m sure role players and buyouts will happen, but what about the big names? As far as I can tell, some of the big names being mentioned lately are LaMarcus Aldridge, Jrue Holiday, and for some reason, and it’s been going on all year, either Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid have been brought up. First of all, I don’t think the 76ers are going to blow up their team right now. I know they’re struggling right now, but they’re in the playoffs, and these are the dog days of the NBA season. Every team goes through a rough stretch. It might be better for Philadelphia to get this out of the way now. They should not trade either of these guys. As far as LMA, I don’t think he’ll get moved because San Antonio is still in the playoff race, and Greg Poppovich likes to win and play in the playoffs. He needs LMA for that. Also, he’s been playing much better as of late. If the Spurs are to move anyone, I don’t see it being LMA or DeMar DeRozan. It will be a bench guy to get a veteran, if they trade anyone at all. And then we have Jrue Holiday. He seems to be the biggest name, and a player all the contenders want. The only problem, I don’t think the Pelicans want to move anyone because Zion is back. I think New Orleans really wants to see what they have now that they’re fully healthy. They’re also not totally out of the playoffs yet. I don’t they they’ll move Holiday unless they get an absolute king’s ransom for him. I’m talking a player of equal caliber, or players, and picks upon picks. They’d have to get a lot to move him.

I guess this is all to say, I think that Capela-Covington is the biggest trade to happen this deadline. Seems boring, and I think it is too. I see most teams staying pat because the league is so wide open this year. All the big stuff went down during the offseason. This trade deadline will, most likely, end with a dud. Sorry to all those who were expecting fireworks.

Editor’s note: After Ty sent in his article, he texted to say another trade has gone down. The Warriors sent D’Angelo Russell to the Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins. Looks good for both teams, but Ty thinks Minnesota and especially Karl Anthony Towns will be very happy to welcome Russell. We will see.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Should We Care that Mark Dantonio Has Retired as the Michigan State Football Coach?

Yesterday, as a shock to me, but maybe it shouldn't have been, Mark Dantonio stepped down as the head coach of the Michigan State football team. Now, since Kobe Bryant tragically died, I am trying to not be so judgmental about sports figures. They are people just like me, who happen to have their entire lives on camera. They are constantly in the limelight. But, this was a hard one for me to not be cynical, or laugh about.

First off, the entire Michigan State sports program is guilty of some seriously heinous crimes. I know they locked up that one monster, but still, many, many stories have come out about the other teams there, and the football team is one of the biggest culprits, and it all happened under Dantonio's watch. He has recruited, and stood up for, student athletes that have been accused of things like sexual and domestic assault, robbery and not going to class. He has stood up for these kids. He said glowing things about them. Hell, this season his best defender was suspended for steroids. And what did Dantonio do you ask? Well, he stood up for him, said the test was wrong, then when it was revealed that it was true, and only then, was he forced to suspend him. Note, he never kicked him off the team, just suspended him for the season. That player is gone now, but still, he should have been kicked off the team. But Dantonio never did that, and stuck by his side. You may read that and think, what a class act, but remember, he was standing up for a player that was knowingly taking steroids. Hell, I wouldn't be shocked if Dantonio himself not only knew about this, but encouraged this.

That is one of the many reasons why I find it so hard to say nice things about him. I will say, he did lead his team to the College Football Playoff one season, but their QB that year was a known racist, and he had a few sexual offenders on the roster of that team. And he did have a winning record against Michigan, but look at who was coaching those teams. In Dantonio's first year, he said some garbage, had a 14 point lead, but Michigan came back and won. This spawned the whole "little brother" thing, of which I am not a fan of, and Dantonio used this to amp his team up. And it worked. But, it worked against Wolverines teams coached by Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke. He got fat off of two of the worst head coaches that Michigan has ever hired. Harbaugh was 3-2 against him, and if it wasn't for a ridiculously muffed punt, he would have easily been 4-1. Also, the one was when Michigan had John O'Korn at QB. Take that as you may.

Outside of the Michigan rivalry, Dantonio was a fine coach, but a coach that constantly made excuses, and blamed everyone but himself. When the University of Ohio State would beat his good teams, he would blame officials, or injuries. Injuries have been his biggest gripe these past couple of years while MSU has struggled. I can't take this seriously because every team has injury problems. Alabama lost their star QB this year and still won 11 games. The University of Ohio State lost two QB's one season, and won the CFP. Clemson's star receiver, Tee Higgins, was in and out of both playoff games this year, and Clemson still made it to the title game. Every team suffers injuries, and most coaches don't blame their downfall of the team on that. Dantonio did all the time.

This resignation isn't all too wild given the accusations lobbied against the university I should suppose. I feel like this may be the start of something big, not in a good way, at MSU. I heard a report, and this is all conjecture at this point clearly, that Tom Izzo is thinking about stepping after this year. That wouldn't shock me. Izzo has been fervent that he isn't going anywhere, but so was Dantonio. He got his bonus, and two days before national signing day, he bounced. Who's to say Izzo won't do something similar when the basketball season is over.

Also, I feel like Dantonio is leaving the football team in a bad place. He said some nonsense when he took the job about never leaving them in a bad spot. But, they are coming off two very subpar years, they are still stuck in the past offensively, their defense isn't as feared as it used to be, and the Michigan State football job isn't a super desirable one. I already saw that Matt Campbell, Iowa State's head coach, has declined to interview. And looking at the names that are on their list, well, Luke Fickell is the "best" name on there. I honestly don't know why any major head coach, or coordinator, would want to take on a job like this. As I said, I feel like Dantonio saw the writing on the wall, got his money and bounced before his name could be dragged. It will still get dragged, but he is so oblivious to any of that, he probably thinks this will clear his name.

Finally, Dantonio compiled a nice record as a head coach, but he was also a major asshole, a curmudgeon that blamed everyone but himself and was starting to fall off. So, while this surprised me at first glance, after I thought about it for a day, it makes sense, and I am curious to see what happens from here. As I stated, I think this is the first of many dominos to fall at MSU. It has taken too long, but I think the walls are starting to close in now.

Ty

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

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Ty's Thoughts on The Chief's, a Team from Missouri, Big Super Bowl Win

The Kansas City Chiefs are the Super Bowl champs.

Oh, and by the way, they play in Kansas City, Missouri, for any idiots out there that may have tweeted a congratulations last night, and saying what a great example they are for the state of Kansas. What a giant, colossal moron. I mean, my 8 year old even knows they are in Missouri. What are we becoming as a country?

Anyway, I am here to break down the game today.

So, for the first three and a half quarters, this Super Bowl was almost as dull as last year. It was a sloppily played game, that featured nothing of excitement. This is exactly what the 49ers wanted as well. They were in total control of this game right after they tied it at 10. The Chiefs took an early lead, at 7-3, but the 49ers kind of took over after that. They were running the ball like they have all post season, Jimmy Garroppollo was making the easy throws, of which his receivers would turn into solid gains and their defense was suffocating the Chiefs offense. I was a little confused as to why the 49ers didn't try to, at the very least, get a field goal before halftime. They had all three of their timeouts, they were rolling and this was their chance to deliver a crucial blow to the Chiefs hopes. And even when they completed that big pass to George Kittle, it was nullified by his dumbass for pushing off. He one hundred percent interfered with the defender. I'm tired of hearing 49ers fans saying they were robbed by this one call. He offensive pass interfered, full stop. But even without using their timeouts, and trying to get a late first half score, they still came out and scored 10 points pretty easily, and seemed destined to win this game 20-10. They couldn't be stopped, their defense was clutch and Patrick Mahomes was having one of his worst games as a pro.

Then, with about 6 and a half minutes left, something switched. The Chiefs were faced with a third and 15, and I think we all kind of thought they were done. Then Mahomes whipped a 44 yard pass to a streaking receiver, and they scored four plays later, and this was a game. The Chiefs had that second chance they were looking for all game. They got the explosive play that they needed to propel themselves to the finish line. After that 44 yard throw, Mahomes was a different QB. Oh, and when the Chiefs scored to make it a three point game late in the fourth, the defense stepped the hell up. Also, the 49ers play calling, I'm looking at you "boy wonder" Kyle Shanahan, was wild. They tried to run, but KC was stacking the box, and actually, for once last night, stopping the run, thus forcing Garroppollo to beat them. And, he did not deliver. Jimmy Garroppollo is a fine game manager, but he is not the type of QB that can go out and win you a game. Sorry to break the news to you 49ers fans, but you know it's true. He didn't show any of that during the first two playoff games, and when he was needed most last night, he threw errant passes, some of which turned into picks. When the Chiefs got the ball back with about 3 and a half minutes left, I knew it was a wrap. Mahomes led them right down the field for the go ahead TD, and he made it look easy. This is what makes Mahomes great. He never got flustered during the first three quarters. He knew he was having a rough game, but he kept his head into it, never got too down on himself, and after he completed his long pass, he had that spark he needed to finish it off. He is the best QB in the league, hands down. I really like how quickly the Chiefs got the ball back very late, and let Damien Williams finish the game off for them as well.

The 49ers blew their chance at a Super Bowl, and who knows if they can get back. The NFC is very tough, and they play in a very good division. But, I'm happy for Andy Reid, and I think this could be the beginning of the Patrick Mahomes, and Chiefs, dynasty. They have the main guys coming back, they are young and they are the most explosive team in the NFL. They also exorcised any playoff demons Reid may have had, and the Chiefs franchise may have had. Also, the AFC is easier to get through.

I'm glad the Chiefs won, it was nice to see Mahomes get the MVP and I'm stoked for Andy Reid. Now I say to all my football fans out there, we better get used to seeing this team be a contender for a long, long time. Last night felt like the start of something big for the Chiefs.

Ty

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

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Hatred, Respect, Admiration, and Heartbreak. Ty's Thoughts on Kobe

Yesterday while driving home from a very nice weekend visit to Cincinnati, at around 1:30pm, I started to get text messages from the group of guys I play basketball with asking if the Kobe Bryant news was true.

I had no idea what they were talking about because I was on a road trip, spending time with my wife and kids. I started to check some sports websites, to see what they may have been talking about, and no news had been released. All the sports sites only had stories about the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl. I started to ask more questions on the text thread, because I was curious as to what they were talking about. I did not expect to read what I read next. Some of the guys showed some stories that were circulating around tabloid style sites saying that Bryant had been killed in a helicopter crash.

My first thought was that this was a hoax, one of those fake death things that comes out about the uber famous from time to time. I kind of said as much in the text chain. But, the more texts, and stories that were being sent made this feel more and more real with each passing minute. Pretty soon I got a notification from Bleacher Report on my watch, that Kobe Bryant had, indeed, been killed in a helicopter crash. In fact it said that as many as 9 people were involved in the crash, and that there were no survivors.

I was stunned. I didn't really know how to feel at first. I have never been silent on this site, to friends, on the pod, about my feelings towards Kobe Bryant. I was not a fan of his, not at all. I didn't like him as a player or a person. He seemed selfish on the court, and reportedly did heinous stuff off the court early in his career. But still, I had this unsettling, sad feeling deep in my gut. I was shocked by the news. I didn't really process it at first because I didn't think it was real. I mean, he was only 41 years old, and he always, always took his helicopter to places. This was one of the many things he was famous for doing. He used to helicopter into practice when he was still in the NBA.

As this news sat with me all day, I started thinking about how I would tackle the story for the blog today. I had one million different thoughts racing through my head. Like I said, I rooted against him, but maybe I did that because he was such a great foil and villain to the teams I liked. Make no mistake, Kobe Bryant was an all time great NBA player. He had the rare tenacity needed to be wildly successful as a pro. His work ethic was second only to Jordan. He spent infinite hours honing his craft, and it showed on the court. He put up ridiculous numbers, won MVP's and won titles. He is one of the greatest players ever. I rooted against MJ early in his career too, so maybe that was why I had so many conflicting feelings. Then the personal life stuff came up. Bryant was accused of a heinous crime, of which he was never convicted of. It is wildly believed that he did it, but the only people that will ever know are him and the woman in Colorado. This made me root against him even more when he was a player. But, as he got older, had some kids and settled everything with his wife, it felt as if he had redeemed himself. He seemed like he had tried to put that rotten past behind him. He became a great husband, and a doting and loving and caring father. I am a dad myself, and I follow a ton of dad centric websites, and Kobe Bryant always popped up as a person who was totally invested in his kids lives. He was there for all of them whenever he could be. He also became a champion for players standing up for their beliefs when the Colin Kaepernick stuff happened. He mentored young players trying to get in the league, or veterans trying to get better. He had a TV show where he dissected the games he watched, and dare I say, it was super informative. And he even showed great humility and graciousness when LeBron James surpassed him on the all time scoring list, just one day before his untimely death. Kobe Bryant seemed like a changed for the better man in his post basketball life. I look at all these young guys in the league now, how much they looked up to him, respected him and wanted to be him. That was me when I was younger, watching guys like Charles Barkley and Shawn Kemp. There is a whole new generation of players, currently in the league, who play because they watched Kobe play. I am stunned that I am saying this, but I had grown to respect who Bryant had become since his retirement. I looked at him differently more recently because he seemed like he had calmed, and was a champion for young guys, and the league. I recognized his importance to a sport that I have loved my whole life.

What made this horrific news even worse was when they started to identify the rest of the passengers, and one of them was his 13 year old daughter Gigi. In fact, they were going to one of her practices in the helicopter when this all happened. I, again as a father of 2 myself, was completely heartbroken when this news scrolled across my screen when I got home. As I said before, Bryant was a doting father, and he was taking one of his daughters to her practice, of which he ran, in the helicopter. I simply cannot imagine the terror that they both had when they realized what was happening. I cannot fathom what his widow, who has been with him since they were both 17, and his other remaining children are going through as I write this. This is the type of thing that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. Not only was a legendary basketball player lost yesterday, but more importantly, and more devastating, a father and husband and a daughter and sister were lost yesterday.

This is a tragedy unlike anything I have seen involving people I have no personal connection to. For my generation, this is like when John Lennon died. I wonder if this is how RD felt when Prince died, except he was a huge fan of his. This is worse than when Magic confirmed that he was HIV positive. Kobe Bryant was a worldwide super star. Everyone knows who he was. I received texts from many other people, people I hadn't heard from in ages, asking me if I had heard this news yesterday. This is something that is going to linger, and stay with people forever. We all saw LeBron's reaction. We watched Dwayne Wade's moving video. We saw Carmelo tear up in a post game press conference. We saw all the tributes, the 24 second and 8 second violations that happened yesterday. We saw Trae Young come out wearing number 8. We all witnessed this, and we will remember this forever.

This is a truly devastating event that occurred. I feel for everyone involved in this wreck, and I simply do not know how the families of the victims carry on. Just know, you are in mine, and everybody else's thoughts. This is devastating. I hope everyone finds peace. Rest in Peace Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant. You were taken far, far too early. You will be tremendously missed by so, so many people. This stinks.

Ty

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

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I am Already Sick of the Eli Manning Hall of Fame Conversation

Eli Manning officially retired from the NFL today. Eli will go down as a two time Super Bowl champ and MVP of each game, undeserved in my opinion. He has something near a .500 winning percentage as a starting QB. He has a lot of career TD’s, but also a lot of interceptions as well. He also griped his way to the Giants, refusing to play for the Chargers if they took him.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m not a fan. If his last name wasn’t Manning, and he didn’t play in New York, he wouldn’t have near the shine, or love that has been poured all over him today. I like to think of players I put in his class, guys like Trent Dilfer, Nick Foles, Joe Flacco and Jim McMahon. They all won Super Bowls, had a few good years, but none of them are considered hall of fame players like Eli has been talked about lately. They’re all mid level starting QB’s that played on teams with otherworldly defenses, Nick Foles being the lone exception. The fact that Manning won the MVP twice is lip service to the people who vote on that, and almost always give it to the QB. The first year the Giants won the MVP should have been David Tyree for that insane catch, or even better, the Giants D line should have gotten it for attacking Tom Brady all game. The second MVP should have been Mario Manningham, or Wes Welker for dropping that gimme that would have won it for the Patriots. So, no I don’t think he was anywhere close to deserving of either award.

As for his case as a hall of famer, I don’t think he should even be considered. Take away his two Super Bowl seasons, he is an average, at best, NFL QB. I don’t ever remember him leading the league in any major statistical category. I don’t ever remember him being a real MVP candidate. While the starting QB of the Giants, they were never a contender, even when they won the Super Bowl. They were a wild card team each time. Eli was never must watch TV. He’s more a meme, for those stupid faces he makes on the sideline, than anything else. He was also a dreadful “SNL” host. Everything about Eli Manning, except his last name, screams average. He wasn’t even a real star in college. You may say, but Ty, he was the first pick in the draft. So was Jamarcus Russell. So was David Carr and that dude Tim Couch. Eli Manning was a teeny tiny better version of Jay Cutler, a high draft pick as well, in college. Everywhere he has played, he’s been just okay. I say again, if his name was Eli Jones, with the exact same resume, he doesn’t even get a second thought as a hall of famer.

What’s a shame though, I bet he becomes a first ballot hall of famer, and people point out that he beat the undefeated Patriots, and then beat another Patriots team in the Super Bowl. Eli will benefit from beating this dynasty twice. For no other reason will he get into the hall of fame. Eli Manning is average, doesn’t belong in the hall of fame, I’d rather have 20 guys before I’d even consider him as my franchise QB, but will get in based on his name alone. That’s a real bummer. And call me a hater all you want. But after you do that, look at his stats, and then come back at me to tell me I was right.

My point? Eli Manning does not belong anywhere near the hall of fame.

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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In One Quarter, Zion Williamson Gave Us an Exciting Glimpse into His Future

I don't feel like I would be being a responsible sports/pop culture blogger if I didn't give my first impression of the debut of Zion Williamson last night.

I, much like the rest of the NBA watching world, have been waiting with bated breath for Zion to suit up. I know that the Pelicans are going to take every precaution, dot all the i's and cross all the t's, make sure he is more than 100 percent healthy before they were going to let him play. From what Zion said, he was ready to play a month ago. But, the Pelicans have a ton invested in him, so I get why they waited so long. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I get it.

Anyway, after 44 games, the Pelicans finally trotted Zion out last night. This was must watch TV. But, for the first three quarters, it was kind of a tease. The Pelicans started him, but he only played 8 total minutes in the first half. He took 2 shots, made 1, had a few rebounds and an assist. I said to my wife at one moment, "he looks a little awkward out there". He already has a weird gait, but it seemed more pronounced every time he ran. He almost immediately got rid of the ball when it was in his possession. He didn't appear as springy as we have all become accustomed to. He had a few wild turnovers. He seemed to avoid contact. Even in the second quarter, when he looked like he was finally getting in the groove, the coaching staff would take him out to get him some rest. All of this is expected, especially when it comes to a rookie, and a rookie coming off of an injury, but still, I felt a little disappointed after the first half. Even early in the third, it felt a little bit the same. He still looked somewhat tentative. I was kind of stunned because he has never shown this side of himself. He has always seemed to be an uber confident player, and when the lights shine brightest, so does he. He has a ton of followers on all the major social media platforms, he has since he was in high school, so to see him play, dare I say scared, was wild.

Then the fourth quarter happened.

The Pelicans were down, they needed a push and I think Zion sensed the moment, and that was when he took center stage. You could just tell by the change in his gait and face that he was ready to take over. He then went on to score 17 straight points, showing off all of the skills that he has been honing since high school. He ripped down rebounds. He bounced back up for tip ins. He made precise passes to start fast breaks. He dunked. He even hit a mid range here and there, and it was glorious to watch. I, and I cannot believe I am about to write this, felt the same as when I first saw LeBron in his first game as a rookie. Now, LeBron exploded right away, and he is now the second greatest player ever, and I am not saying that Zion will reach that stature, But, I had that same feeling that I watching a once in a generation talent. I was watching a guy built like Charles Barkley, but dunking and rebounding like Shawn Kemp ad passing like Chris Paul. He was playing defense like a vet against other vets. It was like the switch flipped, and he remembered he was playing a game he loves that he happens to be exceptional at. It was lightening in a bottle. All the wear and tear and rust, or whatever you want to call it, it went away in the fourth quarter, and it was so worth the wait. I thought while he was going off, this is what we have all been waiting for. This is what we all thought he could do. This was the fun player that I have been waiting to see. I know the Pelicans didn't win, but damn it if Zion wasn't a treasure to watch. He is part of this new generation that is going to continue to make the NBA the most fun professional sport to watch. I'm so happy he is healthy, playing and looks like he is having fun doing it all. And I'm glad that he is back on a court.

The wait was long, but if he continues to do what he did last night, and gets better and better every year, it will be completely worth it. Zion is a treasure.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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Ty's Midseason NBA Redo

Okay, finally time to do my NBA mid season redo. I definitely got some stuff wrong, but I think I also hit on a few things, mainly how awesome Ja Morant was going to be right away. Let’s get going.

I will start with the East, the JV of the NBA. I will touch on each team very quickly, where I had them preseason, and why I was wrong or right. For the East, the Bucks, like we all thought, sit atop, and share a very comfortable lead. They are clearly the best team in the conference with the most dominant player. The Bucks are good. Now lets see them make it to the Finals. Going from there, the current playoff teams are as follows, the Heat, Raptors, Celtics, 76ers, Pacers, Magic and Nets. I thought the Heat would be good, but not this good this quick. They will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time. The Raptors are being bolstered by Pascal Siakim taking the next leap, and a really, really good coaching staff. The Celtics are kind of just hanging around, but after what they did to the Lakers last night, they may start climbing up in the conference very soon. The 76ers are worrying me right now. I had them in the Finals, but Embiid is injured yet again, Ben Simmons has only taken 2 threes, Josh Richardson is not a poor man's Jimmy Butler. They need shooting, and they need it now. They can still turn it around. The Pacers are staying in the race, and they soon get Victor Oladipo back. I thought they would be much better, but the fact that guys like Damontas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon are playing this well, plus getting Oladipo back, will help this team stay in the hunt. The Magic are okay, but they are in basketball purgatory. They can't trade for anyone, can't lure stars and they have far too many bigs on the roster. They are destined to be a 7 or 8 seed for a long time. And we have the Nets. Man this team was so much fun last year. They are not fun at all this year. I think they will be dynamite when KD comes back, but Kyrie Irving is becoming more and more clear as a locker room cancer. He has destroyed every place he has played, and been super miserable about it. I don't know why I expected something different.

As for the rest of the East, The Pistons, with Derrick Rose being the lone exception, are awful and boring, the Bulls had promise, but they have an awful head coach, and their young talent isn't meshing, the Wizards are better than I anticipated, and Bradley Beal is awesome, but man do they stink on defense, like big time.

Now for the bottom of the bottom, the Hornets just can't figure it out. They started strong, but they have really fallen off as of late. The Knicks are the worst run franchise in sports, and they are a bad basketball team. The Cavaliers have so many problems off the court, and that is compounded by how young, and bad they are as a team. They're not good. And then we have the Hawks. Can they get Trae Young any real help please. He is so good, and so is John Collins, but outside of them, it is rough. Cam Reddish isn't good, Deandre Hunter is up and down, Kevin Huerter cannot hit enough open threes and Vince Carter, while I adore him, is showing his age.

Now to the varsity. The West is so much better, and it shows. I will admit it right now, I was very, very wrong about the Lakers. LeBron is playing at a super high level, AD is a monster and the roster, right now, is really clicking. I thought Dwight Howard would be a problem, he is not. I thought guys like Danny Green and Avery Bradley would struggle, they have not. The Lakers are very good, and a real threat to go to the Finals. The rest of the West playoffs goes like this, Nuggets, Jazz, Clippers, Mavericks, Rockets, Thunder and Grizzlies. The Nuggets are super deep and very well coached. They lose a guy like Jamaal Murray and just plug in Malik Beasley or Michael Porter. They have the goods to take the next step. The Jazz started slow, but they have figured it out lately. They score a ton and play very, very good defense. I will be curious to see how they do when Mike Conley gets back, but right now, Donovan Mitchell is running the show, as he should be. The Clippers are kind of sleep walking right now, but I don't think it really matters where they end up. This is a team made for the playoffs, and when that time comes, they can "flip the switch". Also, they have Kawhi freaking Leonard. The Mavericks have shocked me by how they have played, and by all the wins. Kristaps Porzingis has been a non factor, but Luka Doncic is the real deal. He is legitimately a top five player currently in the league. It helps that guys like Tim Hardaway Jr is hitting threes, and Seth Curry is really stepping up. The Rockets are struggling, and I picked them to go to the West Finals, thinking that Harden and Westbrook would click, but it just isn't working. They don't play defense, they have very lousy shooting nights more often than not and they don't seem cohesive. There's still time, but they look like a first round out right now. The Thunder are my most surprising team. I thought they would be fun, but not good. They are, in fact, both fun and good. Chris Paul has really taken on a leadership role and Shai Gilgeous Alexander is becoming a star. This team is, shockingly, very good and a playoff team. And then we have the Grizzlies, my Grizzlies. I wrote a whole thing about Ja, but this team is so fun, and playing very well right now. I don't know if they can keep this up, but dammit are they an absolute blast to watch.

As for the rest of the West, we have the Spurs, who are now shooting threes, and starting to play like they want to make the playoffs, the Trailblazers, who I assumed would be far, far better, but do not play defense and need someone besides Dame, CJ or Carmelo Anthony to step the hell up, the Suns, who started hot, cooled off and are playing well again recently, they just don't have the depth they need, the Pelicans, who have really turned it around since their awful start, and tomorrow night they get Zion back, and he could be the difference in them making the playoffs or not. We then have the Timberwolves who just cannot figure much out. KAT is all world on offense, but plays no defense, Andrew Wiggins has totally cooled off and they just traded Jeff Teague for scraps to try and get a better player before the deadline. The Kings are next, and I thought they would be so much better. Sure, they have dealt with injury stuff, and that is a bummer, but maybe Luke Walton really isn't a good head coach. This team just doesn't look, or feel, the same as last year. That is a bummer. And finally, we have the Warriors. Well, I don't think any of us expected them to be this bad, but they lost KD, there has been no Klay and Steph got hurt in, like game five of the season. This has to be hard for their fans, after so much success, but just look at this as a lost year, where you will get a super high pick, and then you can come out blazing next season when your core is back.

So at the current moment, if I had to pick conference finals, in the East I will go with the Bucks and Celtics, and the Bucks winning in 5. As for the West, I want to see both LA teams play each other, and that is what I think will happen. And I am going to go with the Clippers to win in 7. As for the Finals, I got Kawhi doing his thing yet again, and bringing a title to the Clippers in 6 games. As for the awards, Ja is ROY. Etch that in stone right now. I think Nick Nurse should be coach of the year considering how well that team has played after losing their best player. Defensive player of the year is Rudy Gobert. Sixth man of the year is Lou Williams. And MVP, it will be Giannis winning it once again. As for Finals MVP, I'm going with Kawhi.

Okay, there is my mid season NBA redo. I'm very excited to see how things play out from here. The NBA rules.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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NFL Playoffs Quick Hits: Conference Championship Games

I was going to do my NBA mid season redo, but it is going to have to wait another day because I want to talk about the NFL championship games that were played yesterday.

We now have Super Bowl 54 set. The Chiefs are playing the 49ers. I feel like this is right for how this season has gone. The 49ers, and I will eat crow in a bit, played bully ball better than any other team this season, and they are healthy at the right time. The Chiefs had an easy enough path to get to the Super Bowl, and Patrick Mahomes is cementing himself as the best offensive player in football. I don't think that can be questioned at this point. How did we get here though?

The first game of the day was the Chiefs-Titans game. The Titans had a great, memorable run. They beat the Patriots and the Ravens, both on the road, and held a 10 point lead twice yesterday. But, as a person who had no rooting interest, I never feared for the Chiefs or their fans. I was more worried last week when they were down 24 to the Texans. The Chiefs, and Mahomes, turned it on in the second quarter, and it was a wrap from there. The Chiefs were the only team, shockingly, that has been able to slow down Derrick Henry and make Ryan Tannehill beat them. And the Titans D had no answer for Mahomes. He made his incredible throws, that we all expect now, with ease, and he ran the hell out of the ball. That 30 yard TD run he had, to officially take the lead late in the second quarter, was one of the most athletic plays, and smartest plays, I have ever seen. To see him find the hole, take, then juke a few defenders and then drag 2 guys in the end zone, that was a magical football play. Mahomes owned this game. He has owned their 2 playoff games. He is playing on an extremely elite level right now. He is the most dynamic player on the field every time he steps on the field. The Chiefs have their dude, now we will see if they can win a Super Bowl.

As for the late game, I did have rooting interest in this one because the Packers were playing. Well, I turned this game off at halftime. I love the Packers, not as much as the Wolverines though, so I had no problem checking out. Hell, the Packers and Rodgers checked out in that awful first half. Green Bay, after one drive, was completely outmatched, outmanned and out played all game long. Matt Lafleur was made to look like Kyle Shanahan's little brother. San Francisco's defense controlled the entirety of the game. I know Green Bay pulled within 14, but it was never really that close. And that run game the 49ers put out there yesterday, my god was that a great plan that was perfectly executed. when the game was still scoreless, and the Packers pushed the 49ers back to a third and eight, I thought that it would be a close game. Then the 49ers handed the ball to Raheem Mostert on a quick draw and he proceeded to run untouched for a 25 plus yard TD. That was my first inkling that this was going to be rough. Mostert than put in 2 more TD's, both double digit runs, and I was done, as were the Packers. They could not stop that run game at all. And I don't want to hear from the ESPN's and Bleacher Report's and Sports Iluustrated's of the world about how this is all about Jimmy Garroppolo. He didn't do a damn thing because he didn't have to. Garroppolo is Alex Smith 2.0, except not as mobile. The 49ers are great because of coaching, defense, and most importantly, their run game. Not because of their handsome QB. Colin Kaepernick is a much better all around QB. Anyway, the 49ers did what they have done all year to the Packers and bullied their way to the Super Bowl.

As for the upcomming Super Bowl. I think this is the best matchup on paper. It is strength on strength. The 49ers are a defense, ball control team, and the Chiefs are a quick strike, lets score as many points as fast as possible team. This will be a good matchup, and if someone asked me right now who is going to win, I'd go with the 49ers. I will be rooting for the Chiefs, but if the 49ers can control the ball and the clock, and keep Mahomes off the field, basically what they have done all year, they will win a close one.

Ty

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

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Ja Morant is Must Watch NBA

I was going to do a big mid season NBA redo, like I do every year, but I want to wait for Monday to do that. I really want to pore over that, and really dig deep. When I do my redo's, I also like to really pore over each team. Take a real deep dive if you will. With that being said, I do want to talk about one player this year that has been very good very fast. That player you ask, it is Ja Morant.

Earlier this year, before the NBA season started, I decided to change my allegiance yet again, it has been so hard to stick with one team since the Sonics left Seattle. But I decided I was going to stand by the Memphis Grizzlies. I have, full stop, thrown my hat into their ring. They are my NBA team now, and there is a plethora of reasons. It is the closest city to Saint Louis with a pro basketball team. I love the city of Memphis. They have the best BBQ and music.

If you all remember my pre draft ranking, I had Morant as my number one overall prospect. I have believed in this kid from the first moment I saw him jam on some dudes while he was at Murray State. So, when the Grizzlies secured the second pick in the lottery, and Morant was the clear choice there, it made my decision to back the Grizzlies even easier. And watching this kid play half of this season has been an absolute wonder. He is a whiz with the basketball. He has very solid handles already, and runs that team like he has been in the league for five or six years already. His passing is insane. The other night I watched him on League Pass make two passes that reminded me of Magic Johnson. It is almost as if he has eyes in the back of his head. He found guys cutting to the basket that I think only he knew were open. Sure, Luka Doncic, rightfully so, gets a ton of hype and airtime for what he does, and Russ is a triple double machine and LeBron has been doing this for years, but there is something so enticing, for me, watching Morant do what he does. He has flair and an arrogance and a cockiness and a gravity that just draws me in. For example, the other night when he hit those threes on Harden, and said, sorry mom and dad, "tell that mother fucker about me", I grew to like him even more. He is not even close to Harden's level as a scorer, and may never get there. But, he wasn't going to let Harden punk him by playing no defense and giving him a WIDE open three. It shows that he is becoming more and more confident in his jump shot, the biggest knock on him pre draft, and that he is making them now. It also shows that he isn't scared of anyone in the league. He made it there, and he feels like he belongs, and he sure as hell does.

Above all though, it is his pure athleticism that makes him my favorite player in the league at the moment. I was a KD guy for awhile, I loved Shawn Kemp and Kevin Garnett growing up, and Charles Barkley is my favorite player of all time. But, Ja has me rethinking my whole past, of being a power/small forward guy, to being a point guard guy. Along with Ja, I enjoy watching Doncic and Devin Booker and Brad Beal and Eric Bledose and Jimmy Butler. Most of those guys, if not all, are guards. But none of them do to me what Morant does as a basketball fan. And when he went up to try and dunk on Kevin Love earlier this year, I mean, he didn't even make the dunk, but it was still a top highlight. The fact that a skinny, 6 foot something guard went to dunk on a 6 foot 10 inch center, you have to respect the moxie. I personally loved it. I mean, had he made the dunk, it would've been the highlight of the year, full stop. And still, he has already dunked on a ton of dudes in his half of a pro career at the moment, and that list is only going to continue to grow the older, and better he gets. Ja Morant has been everything I expected, and so, so much more. He is fun, easy to root for, clearly loves the game, and has shown that he is putting in the work to be a star in this league. I cannot wait to continue to watch him, to see him live and to pat myself on the back when he walks away with the Rookie of the Year award this season. Hell, he may be an All Star this year before the voting is all said and done.

Ja Morant is amazing, and I am so glad that he plays for my new, official favorite team in the NBA. He is a true wunderkind.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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LSU is a Champion that Makes Us All Awestruck

Last night, after what seemed like an eternity between games, the college football playoff, and season, came to a close.

If you had told me before the season started that a team like LSU would revolutionize their offense the way they did, go 15-0 and make it look easy against a team on a 29 game win streak, with one of the greatest QB prospects of all time, I would have laughed directly into your face. But, that’s pretty much what happened. LSU hired a great offensive mind to put this team into the modern era in college football, and boy did they do some magical and astounding things on that side of the ball. Also, seeing Joe Burrow transform into a super accurate, mobile and efficient QB was a thing of wonder. I remember watching LSU get beat by UCF, I think 2 seasons ago, in a New Years 6 bowl, and Burrow getting absolutely bullied by their defense. Hell, last season he threw for 16 TD’s, and LSU looked as stagnant as ever. Then, Joe Brady comes along, Ed Oregeron goes and recruits supreme athletes and Burrow threw for 60 plus TD’s this year. I can’t even do that in video games. And the speed, and up tempo-ness with which this offense played this year, it was a blast to watch, and I’m not even a fan. Also, that running back, Edwards-Helaire, man is he like a super strong version of Darren Sproles. He was so good all season, and was extra sensational last night. Even the defense, which has been their calling card, while not great, is still very, very good. Grant Delpit is a star. And that D line, my goodness are those kids big and fast and nasty, in all the right ways. That Clemson even made this a close game into the third quarter, was impressive. Clemson is a great team, an elite team, an all time great team, but LSU was special this year. I feel like this season’s LSU football team should go down as one of the greatest college football teams in history. The way they modernized their offense, the players they had that won all the awards, the defense figuring it out after the Ole Miss game, the coaching staff being as productive and efficient as they could possibly be, beating all those top 10 teams, and taking down this Clemson dynasty, it was truly incredible. They were must watch TV all season. I stayed up late to watch this whole game last night because I wanted to see if they could actually pull this off. I wanted to really see if Burrow could do it again. I wanted to see those receivers against top notch defensive backs. I wanted to see what Edwards-Helaire would do. I wanted to see Coach O, or hear him is more like it. And, like I said, I had zero rooting interest. But I am a college football fanatic, and when a team this dominant and fun and likable comes along, I want to take it all in because it doesn’t happen that often. Sure, Alabama has been dominant, but they were never this fun. The University of Ohio State is elite, but they cheat and I hate that team. Georgia is bland. Oklahoma is one dimensional. Even Clemson is kind of blah at this current time. To see a team like this, it’s magical. I’m also happy for my friends that are LSU fans. I know they’ve waited awhile to see their team play this well.

My hat is off to LSU. They earned this title, and then some. This is a season that will go down in history, and man was it fun to watch. Congrats LSU. It was a well deserved title.

Ty

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

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NFL Playoffs Quick Hits: Semifinal Games

I have some thoughts now that we have the final four set for the NFL playoffs. This is going to be very similar to my weekly NFL quick takes in fact. I kind of want to touch on each game, and who I see playing in the Super Bowl in two weeks.

First and foremost, I was very wrong with my first prediction, of the Saints and Ravens in the Super Bowl. They were both first game exits. I touched on the Saints already, so let me talk a bit about the Ravens. They got bullied and beat pretty soundly by a Titans team that is peaking at the exact right time. This version of the Titans reminds me a ton of the Jags from, I think it was three seasons ago, except they have a much better, and much bigger, running back. I'm not taking anything away from what the Titans are doing right now, but I do think the Ravens got bitten by the bye week bug that gets top seeds sometimes. They were rolling, winners of 12 consecutive games I believe, and they came out flat and slow and didn't look like the same team. The Titans capitalized on that, and hammered them with the run game all evening. Derrick Henry is fast becoming a super star. Lamar Jackson did play well, but his defense didn't help him at all. This game was 14-0, and 21-6 before the third quarter was a couple minutes in. But again, this Titans team is so reminiscent of that Jags team to me. Props to them for making it this far, but I think it ends this weekend. I have said that twice now.

As for the team that I think will beat the Titans, and end this run, the Chiefs looked rough to start their game yesterday. They were down 21-0 before the first quarter was over. Then the Chiefs proceeded to score on 7 straight possessions. Seven straight TD's that is. They looked like the Chiefs from last season. They simply couldn't be stopped. Patrick Mahomes looked like his MVP self. And even their defense, for the most part, shut down Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense, They outscored them 51-10 after that first quarter. It was one hell of a performance. As for the Texans, this is kind of what I figured would happen. They are a fine team, and have an elite QB, but not much else. Deandre Hopkins is good, but he can only do so much when he is being double and triple teamed. They have an okay defense, but it isn't good enough to stop the best of the best offenses. They are stuck in a weird kind of 9 and 10 win limbo, and seem to be destined to do this most seasons, until they get a better coaching staff and hire a real GM.

As for the NFC, the 49ers easily dismantled the Vikings. This game was exactly why I wanted to see the 49ers play the Saints. It would have been a much better, and closer game. This game was essentially over after the 49ers went up 14-7. They stopped everything the Vikings tried to do on offense. Every time they went to play action, which they did often, the 49ers were there to stop it before it got started. The Vikings couldn't run at all. Kirk Cousins was pressured and looked like the overrated QB he has been his whole career. As for the 49ers, well, they didn't need much from their offense after the second TD drive. They ran the ball, controlled the clock and easily won this game. When the score was 21-10, right after half, I told my wife I was done watching because this game was over. She reminded me there was still a whole 2 quarters to play, but I told her that the Vikings quit. They got outclassed, outplayed and out coached all game. Good for Kyle Shanahan and his staff too. They have really turned this whole thing around quick. The 49ers are a very, very good team.

Finally, my team, the Packers tried to give me a heart attack, but ended up winning the game. They went up 21-3 before half, but only scored one more time, while letting the Seahawks back in the game. The final was 28-23, but it could've ended much worse. I firmly believed that the Packers were going to blow that game. But, they found a way to win, and beat Russell Wilson. As I have said all season, and it still pains me, Wilson is a great QB, and he showed that yesterday. But the Seahawks coaching staff still doesn't believe in him. For them to punt with under 4 minutes left was a terrible call. But, they did, the Packers got the ball back and never returned it to Seattle. Rodgers made some incredible throws, Davante Adams was an absolute beast and Aaron Jones gained some tough yards and scored pivotal TD's. The Packers now have to face the 49ers in San Francisco, and that will be tough.

As far as my Super Bowl pick now, I'm going with the Chiefs and 49ers. And I think the Chiefs will win. They are playing so exceptionally on offense right now, their defense is doing enough and the 49ers just aren't at that level yet. We shall see, but I think it will be a fun championship weekend, and I think that will be a very good Super Bowl matchup.

Lets do it.

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the Early Playoff Exits of the Saints and Patriots

As stated yesterday, I still want to talk about what happened to both, the Patriots and the Saints this past weekend. I promise I will get to something other than football this week, but I have to talk about these 2 teams getting beat.

Lets start with the Saints. First and foremost, and I think even RD would admit this, the Saints got hosed in overtime yet again. Now, that didn't cause them to lose the game. Not at all. Their play the whole game caused that. They looked awful, especially compared to how they played to close out the regular season. The defense was solid, but their offense was nonexistent. Also, why didn't they at least try to score a TD at the end of regulation? I don't understand why they didn't run one more play to the end zone, but that is that I guess. But Drew Brees played bad, the O line opened no holes for Kamara and they just seemed like they went out there and expected the Vikings to roll over. And props to the Vikings. They made the game ugly and slow and plodding and ran and ran and ran. I don't give Kirk Cousins the credit, maybe because I dislike him so much, but this win was due to Dalvin Cook. Cook is a beast out of the backfield. The fact that he played so well, while being hurt, that is admirable. I have all the respect for him, and the way their defense played, which was shorthanded in the secondary. The Vikings did enough to win the game. But, lets get real for a second. I mean, Kyle Rudolph pushed off. There is no way he catches that pass if he doesn't extend his arm. The Vikings would've kicked a field goal if the play was called correctly, and the Saints would have, at least, had a chance. The Saints might be the cursed franchise of the late 2000's, and now early 2020. They blew it against the Vikings two years ago, the Rams got away with a blatant pass interference, and then Sunday happened. This looks like the end for them as well. Brees is old, and unless they can retain Teddy Bridgewater, they may be in the market for a new QB for the first time in forever. I truly thought they had the goods to win the Super Bowl, but I was wrong.

Now for the Patriots. First and foremost, I was thrilled, absolutely thrilled, especially for a person who had no skin in the game, that the Patriots got beat at home by the Titans. It was tremendous. Bill Belichick got outcoached by a former assistant, the vaunted Patriots D couldn't stop Derrick Henry, who is amazing and their offense was absolutely atrocious. I'm stoked that someone other than Tom Brady and the Patriots will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. But what does this mean for the Patriots now? Will Brady leave? Is Josh McDaniels going to finally leave the nest and take a head coaching job elsewhere? What will Belichick do, besides being a curmudgeon? And how many "happy endings" did Robert Kraft go out and get after that game Saturday night? I kid on that, but I bet he did anyway. But let me try and answer the other questions I put out there. So, first of all, the Patriots are one of the most dominant dynasties in any pro sport ever. Sure, they cheated, big time, but they won a ton of Super Bowls, and went to plenty. This all started when I was a freshman in college, and now I am a husband and father of two, and it looks like it may be finally over. As for Brady, I think he return next season, and I wouldn't be shocked if it is with New England. But I think a lot of that depends on McDaniels. If he stays, I think Brady is a shoe in to stay. If he goes, I bet Brady will actually dip his toe into free agency for the first time. I don't know what team he would want to play for, that will also pay him a crap ton of money. He is a name, but he is also 42 years old. He will be 43 next season. So, I don't think he will want to go to a team that isn't a contender. I have heard people talk about Miami or the LA Chargers. I don't think he wants to go to a team that may not make the playoffs. I have also heard the Bears as a possibility. They seem to have all the pieces to contend, but they just said they are sticking with Trubisky. But, if they have a shot to sign Brady, I'd say to go for it. But again, he will be 43. And the Bears really struggled this past season. Outside of those teams, no other team that is a contender needs a 43 year old QB. The Ravens are set, as are the Chiefs. The Rams, unfortunately, paid Jared Goff a kings ransom. The Seahawks have Wilson, the Packers have Rodgers, the Cowboys have Prescott and a new coach. Even the Titans seem content to move forward with Ryan Tannehill. If I had to guess, if Brady comes back, I say he stays in New England. Which leads me to McDaniels. I think he is so afraid to fail again, much like he did in Denver, that he is going to stay and wait out Belichick. I assumed last year, after he accepted, then declined the Colts opening, that he was told he could be the next head coach of the Patriots when Belichick leaves. I also think he is a coward and not prepared to be a head coach. He is a gimmicky coach, and his offense has only ever worked with Brady. He couldn't do it in Denver, and with all the openings started to get filled by other coaches, I think he ends up staying in New England as well. As for Belichick, just like with Brady and McDaniels, I think he wants to try and run it back one more time. I think he knows that his defense is elite, and if he can get some outside help for Brady, possibly AJ Green, the Patriots can go right back to the Super Bowl. As much as I wished this was the end, I think they are willing to run it back one more time. Maybe, hopefully, it will end like this season, but you never know, especially with the ability to bring in new players. I do think after next season, changes will be plentiful in New England. But for now, I bet they run it back one more time. But at least they got beat this year, and we won't have to watch another boring ass Super Bowl featuring the Patriots. I can take hollow joy in that for now.

Well, onto the next round.

Ty

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

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The Era of Dallas Cowboy Mediocrity will Continue with Mike McCarthy

cowboys fans today and for the foreseeable future

I was going to use my time to day to talk about how the Patriots, and my Super Bowl pick, the Saints, got beat. But, some news came across my phone this morning, sports news, that I just cannot go without tackling today.

While out grocery shopping this morning the news popped that the Cowboys had hired their next head coach. I just kind of glanced down, and I assumed that it was going to be Urban Meyer, Lincoln Riley or Matt Rhule. I was one of the many people that thought known racist Jerry Jones would go after one of the big name college guys. Well, when I got to my car and had a minute to check out who they hired, I was stunned, and not in a good way. The Cowboys I read have reportedly hired Mike McCarthy to be the head coach.

There is a decent amount for me to unpack with this decision. First off, yes McCarthy is a Super Bowl winning head coach. I watched that Super Bowl with big time rooting interest because he was the head coach of my favorite team, the Packers. In fact, I watched McCarthy coach for years, and all in all, he was a fine coach. But, he was not elite. I actually am of the ilk of people who feel that he wasted a good chunk of Aaron Rodgers prime. But, I'm not going to do all the bad stuff just yet. So yes, McCarthy has won a ring, he has been to the playoffs a ton, his offenses were always in the top 10, or at the very least, top half of the league. And he helped groom Rodgers. He is a very good coach for you team's QB. He knows how to work with them. Also, his teams were always competitive, even if they weren't a playoff team. They still made every game a game.

But, I am stunned, and yes, stunned is the word I want, that the Cowboys and Jerry Jones and Dallas and all the big wigs there decided that McCarthy was the best guy to take over as head coach, only two days after firing Jason Garrett. Like I said, I thought they would go for the big college guy. Or maybe a big time assistant, like a Greg Roman or Eric Bienemy type. Hell, I even thought they had the juice, especially since they just got beat, to finally get their white whale, Sean Payton. I never, ever expected Mike McCarthy to be the head coach of the Cowboys.

This is wild, and for all the wrong reasons. He will work with Dak Prescott, and I think this hiring means Prescott is about to get super duper paid. But, Green Bay never had a running back that was used properly under McCarthy. Now he has Ezekial Elliot, who got paid last offseason, and he will become, if McCarthy sticks to his usual nonsense, a guy that carries the ball 12-17 times a game and has a few catches here and there. He was already becoming neutralized this season, and he will regress more under McCarthy. I'm sure they will try and find a way to sign Amari Cooper so Prescott can have a good target, but that means they will lose some of the speedy guys they have, and some of the slot guys they have. Sure, McCarthy has experience coaching Randall Cobb, but he under utilized him in Green Bay. I'm sure he will do the same in Dallas. A guy like Michael Gallup, the Cowboys might not have the money to keep him after paying Cooper. The Cowboys also need a new tight end because Jason Witten is a billion years old. But, with all this being said, the offense should still be competent.

Yet, and this is what always bugged me about McCarthy, and why I was glad that Green Bay finally parted ways with him last offseason, he doesn't care about defense, and the Cowboys aren't very good on defense to begin with. The Packers D, under McCarthy, was horrendous. The offense was so highly rated because they needed to be great. They needed to score 25-35 points a game just to win. That is because McCarthy only focused on offense, hiring crappy coordinators and simply didn't care about that side of the ball. The Cowboys could score upwards of 28 points a game under McCarthy, but they may give up 28 points a game as well.

Finally, I feel like this is about as parallel a move as this franchise could've made. I expected an enormous splash. I expected the big time name. I expected a party after naming their new head coach. Now, they have a slightly better offensive mind than Jason Garrett as their head coach. Mike McCarthy definitely has had more success than Garrett, but he is just as bland, and cares less about defense. This almost feels like a move to please Jerry Jones because he knows he is still the boss. Mike McCarthy won't push and talk back. He will do what he is told to do. I don't think guys like Matt Rhule or Lincoln Riley would have done that. They would have wanted full control. And Jerry Jones is insane enough to not go out and get those  guys because he still thinks that the Cowboys are all about him.

This is a very puzzling hire. If I were a Cowboys fan, thank goodness I am not, I would be very pessimistic about this hire. I just don't get it.

Ty

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

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The SeedSing 2020 NFL Playoff Preview

Tomorrow the NFL playoffs kick off, and for the first time in a long time, spoiler alert, I'm not picking New England. I'm sure this means that they will find a way to win ugly and win yet another Super Bowl, but they have looked very good as of late, and they have to play on wild card weekend for the first time in forever. So, I will start with my AFC picks, then NFC, Super Bowl game and winner and my Super Bowl MVP.

The Texans and Bills are the first game of the day tomorrow, and I got to tell you, I am not going to watch a second of this one. I like Deshaun Watson, and I am a big Deandre Hopkins fan, but this game is going to be BORING. This is going to be a lot like the Jags-Bills game from a couple years ago, which I believe ended 10-7, and it was even more boring than that. Both teams are coming in kind of slow. The Bills have a very good defense, but their offense leaves a ton to be desired. The Texans have Watson and Hopkins, but they have a porous line and a mediocre defense. I'm sticking with Houston because of Watson, but this will be low scoring and brutal to the eyeballs.

The other AFC wild card game features The Patriots and the Titans. Again, I feel like this game is going to be slow and boring and not very well played. Both teams are better on defense than offense, but the Titans do have Derrick Henry. But, they also have Ryan Tannehill at QB. The Patriots are still the Patriots, but they have been a shell of themselves offensively all year. They have no run game, and Tom Brady looks every single second of 42 years old. The game is in New England, and honestly, that is the only reason I am picking the Patriots. I will be pulling really hard for the Titans, but I'm sure something weird will happen in favor of the Patriots to secure an ugly win.

That would give us a rematch of KC and New England, but this time I think KC will cruise. They are peaking at the right time, they have all their weapons healthy, Patrick Mahomes is 100 percent healthy and they are playing at Arrowhead. This will not be a repeat of last season. The refs can't even put the fix in on this one. If the Chiefs don't win, I'd be stunned.

The other matchup would pit The Texans and the Ravens. The Ravens should crush the Texans. They are better in every phase of the game, and I'm sure Lamar Jackson is itching to get the stink from last year's playoff game off him, and prove even further that he is the MVP of the NFL. He is awesome, the offense is awesome and the defense will harass the Texans all day. I have the Ravens winning big.

That leaves us with the Chiefs and Ravens in the AFC title game. This game should be a blast to watch. I may actually tune in just to see Mahomes and Jackson duel. But, the Chiefs just don't have the defense to stop anyone, let alone Lamar Jackson. This game will be high scoring, fun and I am picking the Ravens to be the AFC's representative in the Super Bowl.

Now to the NFC.

The wild card matchups included one good game and one I could care less about. The one I could care less about features my preseason Super Bowl champs, the Eagles, facing a very injured Seahawks teams, that was half a yard away from being the one seed. The Seahawks will win this game, but they will make it so much closer than it should be. That is what they do. Russell Wilson will pull something out of his butt, and throw a game winning TD, or set the Seahawks up for an easy field goal. The Eagles are too undermanned and Carson Wentz is not nearly as good as Russell Wilson. The Seahawks win a close one.

The other wild card game features New Orleans and Minnesota. Sorry RD, but the Saints will exorcise some past playoff demons and win this game with relative ease. The Saints are just a better football team, Drew Brees and Michael Thomas are lethal and Alvin Kamara is starting to look like his former self. And, the Vikings have Kirk Cousins as their QB, and he has an atrocious prime time and playoff record. Also, Dalvin Cook isn't fully healthy and the Vikings defense isn't as dominate as they could be. They also stumbled at the end of the season. Things are setting up nice for the Saints to make one last run with Brees.

If these teams win that would give us Saints-49ers and Seahawks-Packers. I don't trust the Packers as far as I can throw Aaron Rodgers. But, the game is in Green Bay, the Seahawks are hurt, and the Packers can control clock with their run game. I think it will be an ugly, and much closer than comfort for me, type game. But, I think the Packers can pull this one out.

As for the Saints-49ers, I trust the 49ers less than I do the Packers. The 49ers may be the most hollow 13-3 team in NFL history. They feasted on bad teams early in the year, and struggled against teams with solid QB's. Welp, the Saints have one of the best QB's to play the game, and I feel like he is going to carve up this defense, which has fallen as of late. The 49ers were a nice story, but they are still a year away, for me, to becoming a perennial threat. It is coming, and they could be good for awhile, but they will not beat the Saints.

That gives us Green Bay and New Orleans in the NFC title game. I am going to stick with my midseason pick, and say the Saints will win the game in Green Bay. Yes it will be cold and the Saints have a bad track record, but I feel like this is Brees' last go round, and he won't settle for anything less than a Super Bowl appearance. He will do enough, and the Packers will find a way to screw up in a critical moment, for the Saints to win a close one.

That gives us Saints and Ravens in the Super Bowl. And as much as I want to pick the Ravens because I love Lamar Jackson that much, I am going to stick with the Saints, and the fact that Brees will retire after the game. Like I said, this feels like their last run, and things are setting up almost too perfectly for the Saints to not go out as the champs this year. And of course this means I'm picking Brees to be the Super Bowl MVP. The game will be fun and exciting and come down to the end, but I feel like the Saints will have the ball last, Brees will hit either Thomas or Kamara on a critical third down and set them up for the win. The Ravens will be back, Jackson is that good, but this one is going to New Orleans.

Ty

Another view of the playoffs

The first round is filled with good teams playing bad teams. Ty is right on his picks for the first round. I would not be shocked to see New England lose, but I would also not be shocked if they won the Super Bowl. They cheat, that is why you cannot count them out.

The second week will see the 49ers lose to the Saints. Their first meeting was an aberration, the Saints will roll in San Francisco. I do not agree with Ty, I think Green Bay will easily beat the Seahawks. Russell Wilson is great, but Aaron Rodgers is also great and has a better team around him. In the AFC Kansas City and Baltimore will win easy games. Unless the Patriots cheat again, then it will be New England and Baltimore.

In the NFC championship I am picking Green Bay to beat New Orleans. The home field advantage of Lambeau in late January will be too much for the Saints finesse offense. In the AFC Kansas City, or New England because they cheat, will beat the Ravens. Lamar Jackson will put up numbers, but the Chiefs have a more balanced team, and I think Mahommes when healthy is the best quarterback in the NFL.

The Super Bowl will finally go to Andy Reid when the Chiefs beat the Packers and take revenge for their loss in Super bowl I. If the Patriots cheat their way to another Super Bowl, they will cheat their way to another win. I am just hoping that the cheaters finally falter, that is why I am holding out hope for a Kansas City win.

One more thing. The Bengals, if they draft Joe Burrow,. will be a better bet for the Super Bowl next year than the Vikings will. Kirk Cousins is not the answer, and never will be. Can Minnesota get Case Keenum back?

RD

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

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Welcome Clay Travis to the World of Hot Take Idiots

As I stated yesterday, I watched my Wolverines lose yet another bowl game. I have come to realize that they are a mediocre, pretty much irrelevant college football team. Yes, they have a big name, a big name coach, a big stadium, are on TV all the time, but when it comes to play on the field, they are a 9 or 10 win team at best. I hope this changes, and I think it can, especially under Jim Harbaugh, but for now, they are a mid level Big Ten team. That's the honest truth.

But, I am not here to douse more gas on the fire that the media has been hitting Michigan with the moment that game ended yesterday. Quite the opposite in fact. I am hear to ask, why does Michigan and Jim Harbaugh bear so much of the brunt from media members who have never, ever coached a single game, at any level, of any importance, ever? I have gone on the record stating how much I think Paul Finebaum actually loves Harbaugh because he is ALWAYS talking about him. A weekend during the college football season doesn't go by where he doesn't have some flippant comment about Harbaugh or Michigan. All this coming from a guy who looks like he never played a sport his entire life. It's okay though, he gets owned constantly on ESPN now by many, many former players that they currently employ. Go look up the whole Cam Newton-Eli Manning debate when Ryan Harris absolutely trolled the shit out of him on live TV. It was tremendous.

Today I want to talk about Clay Travis, who I can almost guarantee is a racist, and never did anything of consequence in the sports world, comments he made on Twitter yesterday. He said something along the lines of Jim Harbaugh being the most overrated coach in the history of college football. Now, I do agree with most people that Harbaugh hasn't done what many, myself included, what we thought he could do at Michigan. But still, he has a solid, winning record at Michigan, he has gone to a bowl game ever year, had them on the cusp of the playoff twice and turned a program that was in the toilet under Rich Rod and Brady Hoke, into a viable Big Ten contender. So, I want to ask Clay Travis, who was against his alma mater Vanderbilt taking the word "confederate" off a hallway sign, why is he the most overrated coach? What has he done to you personally that makes you think he is the most overrated coach ever? Is it because you placed a bet on Michigan, because you are a degenerate gambler, and it didn't work out the way you hoped? Or is it because you are a hot take dipshit that works for Fox Sports, and you always want to say some stupid shit that your dumbass fans will rally behind? I have to think that is the case. You know what Clay Travis, I am shocked, absolutely shocked, that you don't work for that frat boy website Barstool Sports, because your takes are as hackey as the nonsense they put up daily. I'm fed up with people who have never played, or coached at any level saying stuff like this, and it gets hundreds of thousands retweets. That is all he is doing this for. He doesn't care about Michigan football or Jim Harbaugh, he just wants the clicks, retweets and likes. He doesn't know what he is talking about. He isn't out here doing the things that major division 1 college coaches do. He doesn't have it in him to do that. He isn't good enough to do that. I told my father today that, since he thinks he is so smart, I'd like to place him in the job as head coach at Michigan for one day, that's it, just a day, so he can see how hard it is when idiots like himself say this nonsense on Twitter. Clay Travis is no better than Paul Finebaum or Skip Bayless or Stephen A Smith or Jim Rome. He is a wannabe, a hack and a phony. He was never able to reach the heights that these coaches he chastises have, and he is jealous. This is the pathetic state of what some consider real journalism.

My point? Clay Travis is as awful a human being as his takes. He is a nobody with no real accomplishments, except acting like a typical bro. Take his mic, phone and computer away from him, and he is just another average nobody. And he is certainly no Jim Harbaugh. You can take that to the bank. I'd much, much, much rather have Jim Harbaugh as the Michigan football coach then read another dumbass tweet from a Fox Sports moron like Clay Travis. 

Ty

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

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RIP David Stern

As I was watching my Wolverines getting waxed this afternoon, I say that too much lately, news flashed across my tv saying that David Stern had passed away. This was a shock. I know that recently, I believe December 12th, he was rushed to a hospital after having a brain hemorrhage. But, I assumed he was going to be okay because I hadn’t heard much since then. But, while watching the Citrus Bowl, the news scrolled.

I think this is so stunning to me because of how influential Stern was to the NBA, and to getting me back into the game big time while he was in charge. Stern took over as commissioner in 1984, I was only 2, but his time as the boss was unforgettable. He took over the league when guys like Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan were the stars of the league. I think his first year was Jordan’s first year. To take over the league with a player like Jordan at the forefront, you couldn’t ask for it any better. And from there on out, Stern pretty much nailed his job as commissioner.  Stern helped the NBA grow when he took over. He made the game accessible, and watched a ton, in Canada. He got the NBA to be on tv all the time because he knew the product was good enough to get people all over the world to watch. Stern also had a hand in getting the WNBA off the ground. Before Stern, we didn’t have teams move like the Clippers, Grizzlies and Hornets. He also was a part of the relocation of the Sonics, which I’m not a fan of, but the Thunder are a legitimate team. They have been to the Finals, drafted KD, Russell Westbrook and Harden. None of that happens without Stern. Stern was also the guy who vetoed the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers. That would have made them unbeatable, so Stern vetoed it, and then Paul ended up with the Clippers, and then “Lob City” happened. All thanks to Stern. Stern was also the commissioner during the “iced envelope” in the 1985 draft lottery that gave the Knicks the right to draft Patrick Ewing. I’ve always known the draft lottery was rigged, and who cares if that let the Knicks get Ewing. That made New York basketball exciting and relevant again. I’m sure he also had a hand in getting LeBron to Cleveland in his draft. Hometown kid to a hometown, moribund franchise, why not do that. I also loved that he took on morons like Jim Rome. Rome tried to get him to admit to fixing the draft lottery and Stern simply said he didn’t, and then shamed him for asking. I love that. Stern was also a big proponent of not doing load management. He hated it, and so do I. Stern fined players and coaches constantly for doing this, and I supported that. Stern was a very, very important NBA person. He ran the league super well, made it a worldwide phenomenon, dealt with the biggest of stars and never backed down. Stern is a legend and will be remembered rightfully as one.

Rest In Peace David Stern. You will be sorely missed.

Ty

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

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A Few Thoughts on the 2019 College Football Semi-Final Games

I want to take today to talk about the two college football playoff semifinal games. Both were the finals I expected, I picked each winning team, but I did not expect the games to play out as they did. I was actually kind of stunned by each outcome, and how we got there. Let’s break it down.

First off, I expected LSU to win, even picking them to win by double digits, but I didn't expect it to be a 63-28 beat down. I mean, it was 49-14 at halftime. Joe Burrow went for 350 plus passing yards and 7 TD's in the half. That is insane. I can't even put those numbers up in a video game, or if I do, it is time for the backups to come in. This game was close for one drive. LSU scored very early on a muffed punt. Then Oklahoma got the ball and immediately answered. After that, it was over. LSU went on to score, I think, 28 unanswered points, made it look super easy, and this game was done before halftime. I have never seen a beat down like this between two, supposedly, even matched teams. I thought Oklahoma would be able to stay in it for a half, maybe even until the third quarter. Well, I was wrong.

I am a big time Jalen Hurts guy. I love the way he transformed himself, I love his leadership, I love how humble he is and he is one of the few transfers who benefited from leaving Alabama. But, LSU was so far ahead that they turned him into only a passer, and that is how you beat Oklahoma. When Hurts cannot be fully utilized as the threatening dual threat QB he is, and has to become a pocket passer, it isn't the best formula to win. Hurts hung in there and did his best, but his defense let him down.

As for LSU, I mean is there any question they are the best team in college football anymore? What they did on Saturday night was one of the most impressive things I have ever watched. They looked like they were playing 7 on 7. It looked liked a practice for them. Their star running back, Edwards-Helaire, was able to rest his hamstring for the title game because they were so far ahead. Their receivers, especially the Biletnikoff winner, whose name I cannot remember, were always open, always scoring and making the game look so easy. And Burrow, he was outstanding. For a kid I knew very little about coming into the year, this kid is a star. He should be the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft. He looked poised and calm in the pocket. When he had to improvise, he always seemed to find an open guy for a big gain. And again, 7 passing TD's in a half! Wow, just wow. What a performance by this team. I didn't even mention the defense, but they did their job. Sure, Oklahoma had 28 points, but 21 of them were very hollow. I think 14 of them were against backups too. This was a dominant performance.

As for the other game, that gave us the drama and complaints and intrigue I think we all wanted from the semifinal. Look, I picked Clemson to win, thinking they would expose the University of Ohio State's defense. They did win, but it was ugly and riddled with questionable calls. Also, I will never, for the life of me, understand why Clemson decided to make Trevor Lawrence a runner in this game, but it did work. He went for 100 plus rush yards and a TD. He also threw for 250 plus yards and a few scores. He is every bit as good as the hype suggests, it was just weird that it took an odd targeting call to get him going. The University of Ohio State should have won the game, jumping out to a quick 16-0 lead, but there was some poor officiating. I am in no way saying this is why they lost, not at all, but still, there was some bad calls. I do need to say that as much as it pains me. Still, they were up 16-0 early in the second quarter, and they blew it. They had three opportunities inside the red zone in the first half, and they had to settle for field goals. They had too many dropped passes. They couldn't stop Lawrence after the first quarter. The stud defensive end they have was neutralized by Clemson's run game, and quick pass game. The running back, Dobbins got hurt, and they couldn't run much with him out. So no Buckeye fans it wasn't the refs, your team blew it. Believe me, I know. I have seen Michigan blow too many games, tried to blame it on refs and then realized that it was their fault, and no one else's. That fact that their coach is out here blaming it on refs is just sour grapes. Get over it. You have the majority of this juggernaut coming back, and hopefully your receiver and QB don't have a horrific miscommunication in the end zone next season to end your season. The university of Ohio State had a 16 point lead and blew it.

As for Clemson, again, I don't understand their plan heading into this game, but it eventually worked. They ran, ran and ran some more until it worked. They played the check down pass game, until they decided to throw screens against an attacking defense, which of course worked. Their defense constantly blitzed, even though they were giving up chunks of yards, until it worked. They played this game like they were playing an ACC opponent, and you know what, it worked just like it had for the previous 28 games. Clemson hasn't lost in nearly 2 years. Trevor Lawrence hasn't lost since taking over as the starter, and in fact, this game was the first time he had taken snaps trialing in a game since high school. I guess I shouldn't be questioning what they do because it obviously continues to work for them. I was glad that this game was close to the end though. For someone with zero rooting interest in this game, it kept my attention. I watched the whole thing with bated breath. I was taken aback by the interception to end the game. I was impressed by both teams final offensive drives, until the interception. It was a very, very good game. The play was a little sloppy, but I have come to expect that from college football. That doesn't make the game any less exciting.

So, while we get the title game that I, and many others, predicted, it was an odd way to get there. I am sticking with LSU to win, but who knows. Clemson is the dynasty. Will LSU be the team to dethrone them? We will have to wait until January 13th to find out.

Ty

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

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Best of 2019: Top Five Sports Moments

Finishing up my best of 2019 lists, today I come to you with sports. I love sports, I love watching and playing and flat out enjoying it all. This is a big time in sports for me too. We have bowl games, the NBA starting to ramp up, the NFL playoffs coming, it is all good. And as usual, I do not have stuff like horse racing, golf, soccer, hockey or baseball on my lists. Those sports mean little to nothing to me. Anyway, to the list.

At number 5 I have Giannis Antentekoumpo's MVP award season, but more importantly, his speech he gave at the awards show. This kid is an amazing basketball player, and an even better person. To hear him talk about his struggle growing up, to being picked much later in the first round than most thought, to being mocked at that draft for the videos they sent in, to being humbled as a rookie, to learning how to be more aggressive, working on his game and lifting the Bucks franchise, he has been through it all, and he explained that so gracefully and eloquently during his acceptance speech. I don't know any NBA fan out there that doesn't like Giannis. He is a good dude that works tirelessly on his game, wants to be the best and doesn't seem to be in the game for the fame or money. He wants rings and respect. Giannis is wonderful.

At number 4 I have Kawhi Leonard's playoff run last year. When Kawhi was traded to Toronto most of us knew it was a one year rental. And what he did, carrying the Raptors to a title, it was more than worth it. Kawhi has always been a good, but quiet player. He was still pretty quiet during that playoff run, but after the previous season, where he only played 9 games, he was out to prove how great he can be, and he did that throughout Toronto's playoff run last season. He, after they blew game one, helped the Raptors easily dispose of the Magic. He then, playing hurt, did everything for the Raptors against the 76ers, including that incredible buzzer beating shot in game 7 to get his team to East Finals. Then, after losing the first 2 games to Milwaukee, Kawhi became the dominant force we thought he could be. He was the catalyst to the Raptors winning the next 4 games and shutting down Giannis. He became his primary defender, and he did enough to slow him down. Then, he led the Raptors into the Finals against the Warriors juggernaut. People may discount this title because KD didn't play, but I don't. The Warriors won without KD, and they were mostly healthy this whole series. Kawhi was just better than everyone on the floor. His offensive game exploded, he was as good as ever on defense, and he was the reason they ended the Warriors dynasty in Golden State in game 6. He has now shut down two dynasties, and watching him do it, I can't help but respect the hell out of him. Kawhi is, somehow, still underrated, but he showed that he is the real deal in the playoffs last year. It was a thing of beauty.

At number 3 I have the rise of Lamar Jackson. He is the MVP. He is the most fun player to watch in the NFL. He is proving all of his critics wrong. He has made Baltimore's front office, and head coach, look like geniuses for building around his skill set. He is Mike Vick 2.0, and I am all in for it. I am not a Ravens fan, but I adore watching Jackson play football. He has so much fun, seems like a great teammate and is one of the few players that has kept my attention for a professional league I am losing hope in. Lamar Jackson has become must watch TV. He is the best player in the NFL and it is not even close. He has shown up and shown out all year, and if the Ravens play anyone else other than the Packers in the Super Bowl, I will be fully rooting for them. Lamar Jackson is the new generation of QB, and I love it.

At number 2 I have Michigan men's basketball hiring Juwan Howard. After John Beilein left, I didn't know what to think or who they would hire. Some established coaches names popped up here and there, but none of them moved the needle for me. None of them got me excited for the future. Then I heard Howard's name starting to get mentioned, and after reading about his post NBA career, how well respected he was as an assistant coach in the NBA, I started to buy in. I became one of the many people hoping and wishing they would hire him. Eventually, actually pretty quickly after the rumors started, Howard was officially hired, and I was stoked. Beilein didn't leave the cupboard bare for him either, but I also was stoked about his relationships, and potential ability to recruit. The Wolverines basketball team has started much stronger than I would have thought, and Howard has already reeled in two top recruits for 2020. After looking at things possibly being bleak, I have totally flipped and am totally stoked for the future with Howard at the helm. He is returning this team to the fun, and don't get me wrong, the team was super successful and very, very good under Beilein, they are just more fun to watch with Howard as the head coach. It was  great choice.

Finally, my number one sports moment of 2019 is two Michigan football games. I have been very critical, and think that the 2019 Wolverines were one of the most underachieving teams of the year. But, they had two games that were great to watch, and had me thinking, if they played like that all year, they would have been a playoff team. The first was their night game against Notre Dame. They were not picked by many to win, they looked kind of confused on offense and the defense gave up too many big plays. They then came out on a slippery, wet and rainy night and ran the ball down Notre Dame's throats. They went for 300 plus yards. Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet were the offense. Shea only threw the ball about 10 times, and that was all that was needed. As far as the defense, they were all over the field, hitting hard, stopping the run, pressuring and sacking the QB and covering receivers. If not for one atrocious pass interference call, this game would have been a shutout. Michigan stomped on their throats at the jump, and never let up. They won that game 45-14. Then they had another home game about a month later against Michigan State. I loathe Michigan State, and I was nervous about this game, as I always am. And it started rough. MSU went right up the field and scored an easy TD to take an early lead. I thought I was in for a long day. Well, MSU only scored three more points the whole game, while Shea Patterson threw for nearly 400 yards and 4 TD's. He looked as good as I had seen him in his 2 years at Michigan. I also loved that, while up 27 late in the fourth, Josh Gattis called a read option play that was actually a pass and Patterson hit a wide open receiver for another TD to go up 44-10. This was the beat down of MSU I had been waiting for since Harbaugh took the Michigan job. It was nice to see the offense humming, the defense playing fast and mean and the team not letting up an inch after a slow start. It was fun.

As for disappointments, lets continue with Michigan football. The end of the season was an absolute train wreck yet again. Michigan got destroyed by the University of Ohio State, but this year it was in Ann Arbor. They looked under-prepared, slow and not up to task. They got out coached, out played and out classed after their first drive. When Quinn Nordin missed the extra point, I had that sinking feeling that is was a bad omen, and boy oh boy was it ever. They are not at the level of these elite college football teams, and that game showed it once again. Things are better for Michigan than they have been in awhile, but they still have a lot of catching up to do if they want to be a real contender. It has been a frustrating past seven years. Some other disappointments, I am bummed that the OKC Thunder are a shell of the perennial playoff and title contender they were, with Russ and PG leaving this past offseason. They are just not the same team that I once loved and rooted like hell for. They are an average at best team, who does look to have a very bright future, but this was a team that was a true contender. Now, it is Chris Paul and a bunch of young guys, or guys that are looking for a trade. It's a bummer. I also am not a huge fan of the Lakers getting their way yet again. Anthony Davis let LeBron and Rich Paul convince him that he needed to go to LA, and of course they got what they wanted after Davis acted all disgruntled last season. He went to LA after a big time trade, and the Lakers look great. This all proves how much more a the GOAT Jordan is because he never orchestrated a super team like LeBron does. LeBron is great, but only when he has other great players surrounding him. And before you throw Scottie Pippen in my face, AD is a better modern day player than Pippen was back in the 90's. The Lakers always seem to get what they want, and they don't care what franchises they have to potentially blow up to do it. They think they are the glamour franchise, but lately, they are more like the Dallas Cowboys. They may have a big name, but they haven't won anything of importance in nearly a decade. Finally, the most recent Super Bowl, where the Patriots beat the Rams 13-3, might be the most boring, and poorly played Super Bowl I have watched. The game was pointless, easy to see what was going to happen and the cheating Patriots won yet again. I guess this is what I get for rooting for the Rams, even though they were stolen from Saint Louis by a money hungry douche bag. This game was rotten, the teams played awfully and fan boys for the Patriots got more ammo to talk about how great they are. What a waste.

Okay that does it for my best of 2019 lists. I hope you all enjoyed them.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. I know Ty does not care for hockey, but how could he miss his hometown St. Louis Blues winning the Stanley Cup. How soon we all forget. Like I can not tell you who won the previous ten cups before the Blues.

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Can John Beilein and the Cleveland Cavaliers Really Work?

This past NBA offseason, myself and a lot of other people were kind of stunned when John Beilein left Michigan to take the Cleveland Cavaliers head coaching job. He had a good group of players coming back, Michigan was a perennial top 20 and NCAA tournament team, and after flirting with the NBA the season before, he said something along the lines of wanting to retire at Michigan. So, for him to leave, and to choose Cleveland, as I said, it was a stunner. I’m happy with how things have turned out for Michigan. They got Juwan Howard, and they’ve already beaten 2 top 10 opponents in their first 10 games. Also, Howard seems like he’s going to be a great recruiter.

Back to Beilein though. When he left, I wrote a whole thing about how I’m rooting for him, and, after a few days to think about it, kind of understanding why he took the job and how I didn’t think it would go so well. But, I didn’t see it turning this bad this fast.

Recently some of his players, who I think were anonymous, called out his coaching, his tactics and kind of said, this isn’t college anymore. They seemed to be irritated with his play calling, and what he named his plays. Now some players have come out and said they don’t agree, and think he’s going to be a good coach, but when this stuff leaks, and it’s coming from reputable sources, I feel like the damage is done. I kind of fall on both sides of this argument. I get why some of the players on the team may not be so into Beilein’s approach as a head coach. In college, you’re the top dog. The players come to your school to play for you. You have all the power. In the pros, the coach is simply a figure head, picked because someone in the front office thinks they can manage talent. That’s not John Beilein’s strength. He was known for getting under the radar players to excel in college. Now, he’s coaching former champs, former all stars and lottery picks chosen to be franchise players. These guys are making much much more money than him, they have way more pull and they’re more essential. No one is going to Cavs games to watch John Beilein coach. They want to see Kevin Love, Darius Garland and Colin Sexton fly up and down the floor and figure the game out. So I can see why some of the current players may not be so down with watching film for hours, working on fundamentals and practicing as much as Beilein may want them to. I may not agree, but I can understand them tuning him out. Especially the veterans, mainly Kevin Love who just wants out, doing so.

I also find myself sympathetic towards Beilein. Look, he was chosen to coach this team because they’re so young and need to be taught the game. Any NBA fan knew going into this year that the Cavs were going to be one of the worst teams in the league. They are too young to be a real threat. Their best veteran is Love, and as I said, he has one foot out the door already. This team needs to run plays, be re taught fundamentals, have sets they can go to in times of need. They need an adult in the room, and Beilein proved to be one in college. He also proved to be a damn good coach with less than ideal recruits. He turned guys like Trey Burke and Nik Stauskas into lottery picks. He helped Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III get drafted. Hell, he had two guys get picked in the most recent draft. He can develop talent, he just needs time. So, for some to call him out after only 21 or 22 games, chill out. Give him time. If you take his coaching, it may benefit you in the long run. If he is given time, I could see the Cavs winning 30 plus games as early as next season.

So, while I don’t like that Beilein thinks he can use a college coaches mentality in the NBA, I still think he needs more time to be truly judged as an NBA coach. We will see if the Cavs brass gives him the time needed, or if they side with the players sooner rather than later.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. It’s also Ty’s birthday today. The best basketball writer in all the internets never takes a day off.

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