Troy Polamalu- By Ryan J. Murphy

My buddy and I had a conversation about how amazing Troy Polamalu is the other day. As we conversed about it we were also watching videos of his highlights throughout his career. As a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan, I might be a little bias toward how good he really is, but in reality he will probably go down as the best safety to ever play the game of football and also the greatest Steeler ever. Yes, over Lambert, Bradshaw, Greene, Bettis, among others. I wanted to do a top 5 list of Troy Polamalu’s highlights that I thought were the best. So, here it is:

5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFxxhjQZQMk

Polamalu punches a Tom Brady fumble forward into the endzone for a safety. Yes this is illegal, but since it was not called as a penalty it is on my list as number 5.

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqj9j4jne8Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doXNjFmQnqI

These are two highlights in one because they are both one-handed interceptions, one versus the Titans and one versus the Chargers. Both are amazing catches for even a receiver to make, but a safety to make these kinds of catches is unbelievable.

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewSS9h3pEAU

Polamalu jumps over the linemen to tackle the QB Kerry Collins. What makes this amazing is not only his athletic ability, but his timing, to make sure not to get an offsides or encroachment penalty.

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBHaAkj12PU

Polamalu rushes to Ravens QB Joe Flacco and hits his arm for a fumble to turn the game around.

1.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Pzi8HPWBA

This is easily my number one. Polamalu intercepts rival Ravens QB Joe Flacco in the 2008-2009 AFC Championship game for a touchdown to send the Steelers to the Super Bowl. Two weeks later the Steelers would win the Super Bowl against the Cardinals.

These videos are proof as to why Troy Polamalu is easily the best safety to ever play the game of football.

Mt. Rushmore of Athletes- by Ryan J. Murphy

Recently on Sports Center the rapper Ice Cube did a segment where he named his ‘Mount Rushmore’ of athletes. This means the four best/most influential athletes of any sport, ever. He said his four ‘Mt. Rushmore’ athletes would be Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, Jim Brown, and Magic Johnson. I wanted to do this as well, but do it for every sport, meaning the four best/most influential for each sport individually.

Baseball: Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, and Lou Gehrig.

Honorable mentions: Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter, Cy Young, and Hank Aaron.

Basketball: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Honorable mentions: Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neil, and Bill Russell.

Football: Jerry Rice, Jim Brown, Joe Montana, and Lawrence Taylor.

Honorable mentions: Johnny Unitas, Reggie White, Tom Brady, and Walter Payton.

Hockey: Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, and Mario Lemieux.

Honorable mentions: Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Ray Bourque, Steve Yzerman, and Mark Messier.

Golf: Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, and Bobby Jones.

Honorable mentions: Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Walter Hagen, and Sam Snead.

Boxing: Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Joe Louis.

Honorable mentions: Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jack Dempsey, and Julio Caesar Chavez.

I don’t follow Soccer or Tennis enough to do a list on those.

So what do you think of the lists?

The Penn State Disaster- By Ryan J. Murphy

This is a really hard topic for me to discuss, but I will anyway. There has been talk all over ESPN and the news about whether or not Penn State should receive the “death penalty.” I’m sure everyone has their own opinion on it, but here is mine.

What Jerry Sandusky did to those children is horribly, horribly, wrong. He is a monster. He should NOT have been given the death penalty, or life in prison. I do not wish this upon anyone, but that man should’ve been tortured to death with some medieval like device to suffer the pain he caused those children over the years.

Joe Paterno is a selfish man; I wouldn’t go as far as to say a monster, but what he did was absolutely horrible too. He allowed Sandusky to continue what he was doing to those children, all for himself. He was not concerned about the victims, football, or Penn State; he was concerned about Joe Paterno. He didn’t want bad publicity to his name. The statue of Joe Paterno should be immediately removed from the front of the football field and destroyed. The other day I tweeted that Joe Paterno “did nothing wrong.” Boy, did I screw up. A day later all this new information came out in the Freeh Report and I drastically changed my mind.

Now that that part is over with, here is my opinion on what should happen with Penn State. Yes, I know this was an incident surrounding the football program at Penn State, but everyone involved has already been punished in one way or another. It’s technically a new era in Penn State, and they should move forward, putting this horrible incident behind them. The NCAA should NOT give Penn State the “death penalty,” and here are the reasons why.

      1. They would be punishing the wrong people. If you cut the football program for two, three, even five years, you’re ruining the lives of the kids who came to Penn State to play football. Notice how I said ‘ruining the lives of the kids.’ That is what Sandusky did to those children for 14 years and possibly more, and these current college players should not have their lives, hopes, and dreams ruined because of this.

      2. The local businesses that thrive during home Penn State games would lose a ton of money. Think about it, the local hotels, restaurants, gift shops, and various other businesses near the stadium that get a majority of their business during college football season would be punished. Those businesses had nothing to do with this.

      3. As I said earlier, the high ups at Penn State are no longer there, and have already been punished. Do not punish people who do not need to be punished.

      

In the wake of all this, everyone got what they deserved and the NCAA should not step in. Maybe a fine, but that’s about it. It’s about individuals, as well as the past, and not the current football program.

Thoughts?

Early NFL 2012 Season Predictions- By Ryan J. Murphy

NFL Season 2012

I wanted to pick who I think will win each division with their record, and who will advance to the AFC/NFC Championships, and The Super Bowl.


AFC:
1. New England Patriots (13-3)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
3. Houston Texans (12-4)
4. San Diego Chargers (11-5)
5. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
6. Denver Broncos (10-6)


NFC:
1. San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-4)
3. Green Bay Packers (12-4)
4. Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
5. Chicago Bears (11-5)
6. Detroit Lions (10-6)


Playoffs: Round 1
AFC: Broncos at Texans (W)
          Ravens at Chargers (W)
NFC: Lions at Packers (W)
          Bears (W) at Falcons


Playoffs: Round 2
AFC: Texans at Steelers (W)
          Chargers at Patriots (W)
NFC: Bears at 49ers (W)
          Packers (W) at Eagles


Playoffs: Conference Championships
AFC: Steelers (W) at Patriots
NFC: Packers at 49ers (W)


Playoffs: Super Bowl
Steelers at 49ers (W)


I'm predicting a Steelers 49ers Super Bowl. Both teams are much improved. Both have great defenses, as well as their QB's both are now in their prime. Looks to be a great NFL season, and I cannot wait.


       

Rush: The Greatest Band to Walk this Earth- By Ryan J. Murphy

As some of my followers know, I am a HUGE Rush fan. I am going to see them live in concert on October 20th at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. I have already seen them twice, once at SPAC in Saratoga, and once at MSG in New York City. They put on such a great show and have a collection of great music. Since the setlist is not yet released for this upcoming tour, I'd like to make my own "dream setlist" of the songs I wish they'd play at this concert.


Now, as much as I'd like to see them play EVERY song from EVERY album they ever did, that will not happen. So as hard as this is for me to pick out a certain few, I will see if i can actually make a "dream setlist." The last two shows I saw they played about 25 songs, in two sets and an encore consisting of two songs, so I will try to mimic that.


Set 1:
1. Subdivisions (my favorite song, so we'll start with this).
2. New World Man
3. Cinderella Man
4. Time Stand Still
5. Kid Gloves
6. (Song from the new album)
7. Totem
8. (Song from the new album)
9. Grand Designs
10. Red Barchetta
11. Limelight
12. Tom Sawyer
13. Manhattan Project


Set 2:
14. Roll The Bones
15. The Enemy Within
16. Between The Wheels
17. Superconductor
18. The Pass
19. Entre Nous
20. Earthshine
21. Secret Touch
22. (Song from the new album)
23. (Song from the new album)
24. 2112/ The Temples of Syrinx
25. Freewill
26. The Spirit of Radio


Encore:
Xanadu
Closer To The Heart
La Villa Strangiato


I could have put 100 songs on this setlist, but again, that would never happen.
What do you think?

NFL Draft- By Ryan J. Murphy

So the NFL Draft is over, and it was an interesting draft to say the least. The were so many trades in the first and second round, and I believe there was a record set for the amount of trades. I'd like to analyze the draft and give my opinion as to who had the best drafts as well as the worst.

Teams who drafted GOOD:
1. Bengals- all around great draft
2. Eagles- great upgrades at lineman
3. Steelers-great upgrades along the offensive and defensive lines
4. Cardinals- great compliment to Larry Fitzgerald, drafting Michael Floyd
5. Cowboys- great trade up to snag Morris Claiborne
6. Buccaneers- great safety and running back pick
7. Bills- good upgrades along the offensive line

Notables:
Patriots- upgrading at linebacker
Ravens- upgrading at linebacker
Jets- young wide receiver drafted
Broncos- got a young QB who develop behind Peyton Manning

Teams who drafted BAD:
1. 49ers- didn't do much for me in the draft
2. Seahawks- drafted a linebacker way to high up
3. Jaguars- I don't like the Justin Blackmon pick, I believe Floyd will be the better of the two
4. Vikings- drafted a great offensive lineman, but not much else
5. Browns- yes, they got Trent Richardson, but Weeden was a waste of a pick

Notables:
Giants- did not draft bad, but wasn't great
Texans- didn't improve much but will still be a threat in the AFC
Chiefs- don't like their first round pick

Thoughts?

Recap- By Ryan J. Murphy

Since I have not blogged in a while, there a few things I’d like to say right off the bat:

-Everyone involved in the Saints bounty scandal got the right amount of punishment.

-Tim Tebow will be the starting QB for the Jets in the long term, if not by week 6 ofthis year. Jets fans will boo Sanchez, and Tebow will be the starter.

-I was wrong about Peyton Manning. My guess was he’d land in Arizona, but he signed with Denver. Good news is my Steelers can give him his first loss week 1.

-Metta World Peace AKA Ron Artest should’ve been suspended longer for his elbow on James Harden. Suspending him one game in the regular season was not necessary. He should been suspended for however long Harden is hurt. There is no place for that in the NBA, or any sport for that matter.

-I went to a Rangers-Avalanche NHL game at MSG on March 17. It was a great time. Anyone reading this, I suggest you see a professional hockey game in your life because it is a great time.

Be advised that I now post polls on the right hand side of the blog. If you don't feel like commenting, please voice your opinion by voting!