NFL Combine

The NFL combine has been nothing but a surprise. The most impressive quarterback was unknown coming into the draft Arizona’s Matt Scott. Most experts said that the ball exploded out of his hand. The best Offensive Line man at the combine was an unheard of kid coming from an unheard from school. Terron Armstead is a 306 Ibs offensive tackle ran a 4.7 at the combine he played his college ball at Pine Bluff University. Where that is I can’t tell you. The most surprising Wide Receiver was Denard Robinson; a converted quarterback from Michigan proved to the scouts that he has hands. This made me believe that no matter what school you play at to look good in the combine athleticism is key. You can’t teach athleticism but looking good at the combine is a far way from being a good football player. This is why I always believed that the combine never meant anything unless you have to prove yourself. If you’re going to get drafted the combine doesn’t mean anything you can go 1^st overall and still be worse then the 300^th pick. Take Tom Brady for, seven quarterbacks were drafted before him and only one is still playing in the NFL today. Tom Brady has 3 super bowl rings  while everyone else is working a desk job. Its how you prove yourself when you’re in an actual game.

MJ

Michael Jordan turns 50 in only a couple days now and even when he’s out of the game he is getting worldwide attention, just for his birthday. Michael Jordan changed the face of basketball, the shoe market, and advertisement. Before Michael Jordan you would never hear of athletes singing with companies. As a 50 year old retired from playing he still makes a little over $80 million a year. He owns a N.B.A team in Charlotte and let’s not forget about the famous shoe line Jordan’s.  The way Nike marketed Michael Jordan and the era he came into was perfect. Originally Jordan wanted to sign with addidas but they denied him when Nike offered him a contract he jumped on it. Giving Nike an amazing profit Jordan wasn’t only the face of the bulls, and the NBA, but he was also the face of Nike. Addidas later found Allen Iverson and tried to follow what Nike did with Jordan, but it didn’t work nearly as well. Sports marketing companies now recruit people to sign with their businesses instead of the players coming to them. Some of the bigger companies start with kids that are in high school. Let’s face it Michael Jordan changed the way sports were perceived in this country and he helped grab the attention of every marketing agency. He was an amazing athlete, a great basketball player, and one of the best in the world at marketing himself. Retired from the game and still making $80 million a year doesn’t sound so bad to me.

NHL is Going Strong

It was something I needed to talk about, the NHL is back and coming strong. There ratings are great and people are packing the stadiums. The only thing that I have to complain about is that the Black hawks sitting on top of first place. They have great talent and are playing great as a team. As a Detroit Redwings fan Ive got to say I'm hoping for a fall in their play. I cant hear another Hawks fan come up to me and say. "How about them hawks" or "Tell your Redwings to keep up." We get it the hawks are a good team. I never know what to say, because they are a more well rounded team then the wings this season. I always come back with the fact that the wings have 11 cups and the hawks only have 4, but I hate that I'm the kid living in the past. Overall I'm happy that the NHL is going strong again, because it is the greatest game in the world. I never understand how people could argue with me, but  I guess its something I've fallen in love with. Hockey has the physicality of Football, the athleticism of basketball, and the physical stamina of soccer, while doing this all on a thin blade. It is a sport that I think anyone can start watching and fall in love with. I hope I can see the NHL reach one of the top sports in America again that would be great.

Troops Coming Home

Recently President Barack Obama will announce in his State of the Union address that 34,000 U.S. troops will be home from Afghanistan within a year. This is about half of the current active military that serves in Afghanistan. "Obama will announce the troop draw down and the future of the U.S. role in Afghanistan during a joint session of Congress that is otherwise expected to be dominated by the economy and other domestic issues." Fox News reports. Many people are on the fence with Obama's decision, but the one thing I would not want to see is people who voted for Obama to complain. We all new when he was elected president was to cut down on our active men and woman actively serving, and also he wanted to settle are wars. It is hard to be completely upset with Obama, this term. He has stayed on track of what he told us he was going to do. Unlike last term when many of his promises were not delivered. I realize things cant get better with one term but four years is a long time of not seeing that much of a progress. Coming from someone who was disappointed with Obamas last term, I cant argue with most of his decisions this term.