Bleacher Report - Articles by Micah Chen

Why Tim Tebow Won't Make It in NFL

Micah Chen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:22:29 -0500

Tim Tebow is probably the most recognizable person in college football today. If you were to ask somebody to name one college football player, I'm willing to bet that nine times out of 10, they would say Tebow's name.

And I guess that makes sense. Tebow is not only known on the field as a great player, but his actions off the field make him popular, even with the non-football fans.

But we have all learned that a superstar in college doesn't always become great in the NFL. You don't have to look very far back.

In every draft, there's an expected superstar that turns out to be an injured backup. From Reggie Bush to Ryan Leaf, there have always been players that succumb to the following cycle:

Play magically first few games. Get injured. Come back next season, figure out that you can't play football anymore. Lie about your nagging knee injury so the press will stop bugging you. Rot for the next few years until nobody cares about you anymore. Vince Young and Reggie Bush fit this description perfectly.

Some players screw up, some players take advantage of their golden opportunity. I'm going to explain now why Tim Tebow will be a failure in the NFL. It is not his fault, he is genetically cursed. He was made perfect except for one flaw:

He's a lefty.

Bye-bye, Super Bowl dreams. So long, Pro Bowl. Sayanora, multi-million-dollar contract.

How many lefties can you think of that have actually been decent? I can name one: Michael Vick. And we all know what happened to him. The point is lefties are cursed.

Take Matt Leinart, for example. He was a hero back in his college days. Now he is practically begging that they bench Kurt Warner. Want to know why? Because he is a lefty.

I'm not prejudice against lefties, but it's kind of funny when you realize a lefty has never led a team to a Super Bowl championship. Let's look at the last six Super Bowls:

2004: New England Patriots, Tom Brady, righty.

2005: New England Patriots, Tom Brady, righty.

2006: Pittsburgh Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger, righty.

2007: Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning, righty.

2008: New York Giants, Eli Manning, righty.

2009: Pittsburgh Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger, righty.

Get my feel? Everybody right-hander has had the advantage right off the bat.

Is it really genetics or are righties just luckier than lefties. Obviously, there are fewer lefties. But if they really are as good as righties, wouldn't a lefty start for somebody? Look around the league, do you see any good lefties? Neither do I.

That is why Tim Tebow will not be successful in the NFL.

Injuries and How They Impact Sports

Micah Chen — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:57:34 -0400

First of all, I would like to apologize for the long absence and explain what I've been doing.

I am still a kid, and I have the privilege to play junior football. No matter what I say or do on this web site, I still like playing backyard football and watching the Hawks on the tube. A few weeks back one play changed my entire season.

We were just coming out of halftime. I was back to receive the kickoff. The opponents did an onside that the first line completely ignored. I fielded it at the 35 yard-line and realized that their was a huge gap. I ran through it and all of a sudden I was in open field.

One man to beat! I laid a move on him and kept on running. At the 30, the 20, the 10, it looks like he is going to take it to the house! And then suddenly, CRASH!

I fell hard on the ground at the two-yard line; I was tackled from my toes, and I fell down defenseless against the ground.

A jolt of pain went up and down my neck and collarbone. I knew something wasn't right so the coach pulled me from the game. All the players were congratulating me as I took a knee on the sideline. I finally walked up to the coach and told him that my collarbone area was burning.

They took a look at it and told me to take off my pads and jersey. They taped me up and I went to the ER (emergency room). After an hour of waiting, they finally got to me. Some service! They took X-rays and revealed that I had broken my clavicle.

In football talk: I busted a bone.

I was shocked and horrified. I felt like I was going to cry when they told me I would be out for the season.

Then I realized how much pain professional athletes endure throughout their lives. I used to call them "wimps" and "cry babies," but I have a new found respect for their strength. In the course of their careers, athletes break bones, heal them, and sometimes break them again.

Most professional athletes have long term issues that affect them for the rest of their careers and lives.

A day after my injury (it happened on a Saturday), I decided to watch the Hawks' game against the San Francisco 49ers. It was looking OK until disaster struck, Matt Hasselbeck went with the QB keeper and put his body on the line to score.

Unfortunately, Patrick Willis thought otherwise and busted Hasselbeck's rib. My knee jerk response was to say, "C'mon Matt! That's like the third time in two years!" But I paused, looked at my collarbone, and kept my mouth shut.

I decided to do some research on broken collarbones among professional athletes. I realized that Adrian Peterson broke his collarbone in college and that it stopped other teams from wanting to draft him. Where others saw weakness, I now saw strength. He toughened up and kept on playing.

I wondered what it was like for Adrian Peterson to watch from the sidelines. When I watched players on the sidelines that are injured during NFL games I say, "What a bunch of fakers, these guys are getting paid millions for nothing."

So next time you see an NFL athlete go down with an injury, think about that time you broke a bone.

These guys are giving every ounce of energy to help the team, and bad things can happen. Nobody is injury-prone; injuries just happen. It's as simple as mistakes happening.

Nobody can stop them from happening, they can happen to anybody. An injury that you see on TV or the computer may be just mean a six week absence of your quarterback to you; but to them, it's six weeks of living in pain and wanting to play.

Now, I too have experienced that first hand.

Thanks for reading.

What's in Store for the 2009 Detroit Lions?

Micah Chen — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:05:32 -0400

Hey, you can't win them all, can you? On the other hand, you could lose them all if you're the Detroit Lions.

The 2008 Detroit Lions will forever be mentioned as one of the worst teams of all-time. But hey, there's light at the end of every tunnel, and you can look at some of the other lackluster NFL teams and how they have come back.

Take the Atlanta Falcons, for example. Many predicted the Falcons would go 2-14 and be the worst team in the NFL. But it's funny how winning 11 games can put you in a totally different position. They are now known as the class of the AFC South and one of the NFL's elite teams. Okay, maybe I'm being a little too generous.

However, you don't even have to look at the present to see some great turnarounds. The St. Louis Rams went from a 4-12 team to a 13-3 Super Bowl champion back in 1999. Then the New England Patriots went 11-5 and won the Super Bowl just one year after going 5-11.

If you look at these great NFL teams that have made turnarounds, you realize something. Each one had a great quarterback. The Pats had Tom Brady, the Indianapolis Colts had Peyton Manning and the Rams had Kurt Warner.

The Lions have...?

Well, everybody can dream, can't they?

The only team that had ever gone winless in an entire season was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They had an excuse. They were an expansion team and they only had 14 games instead of 16.

The Lions don't have an excuse. They have made the playoffs just once in 50 years. That is just pathetic, you have to try to be that bad.

The Matt Millen era is finally over after eight merciful seasons. The Lions went 31-97 in that span. He keeps on saying that things can get worse. Actually, Matt, they really can't.

But look on the bright side. The Miami Dolphins went from 1-15 to 11-5. It looked impossible at first, but the Dolphins managed to pull out a miracle and beat out the Patriots to make the playoffs.

Then there is another good part of not being able to do any worse. In any sports town that makes the economy look strong, because there is absolutely nowhere to go but up. Maybe that's why former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was so antsy to get the job way back in January. Even if you go 1-15, your season is considered a success.

Here come the Lions marching along. They look like they are in the same position as the Miami Dolphins were, just with one win less. Even after the 2009 Miami miracle, the Lions look like an even longer shot to repeat.

In fact, a titanic leap to 1-15 would be so huge, it couldn't even be measured in percentage.

At least Atlanta and Miami had some nice tools to work with. Atlanta had Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White and a relatively decent defense. The Dolphins had Chad Pennington, Ronnie Brown and Joey Porter. The Lions don't have a proven quarterback, the defense has definitely seen better days and pretty much everything else doesn't reveal any hint they can contend in 2009.

There is one exception here. Calvin Johnson is one of the best receivers in the game right now. But when you have an unproven rookie quarterback (Matthew Stafford) and a veteran past his prime (Daunte Culpepper), you have to wonder if either quarterback can actually get him the ball.

If anybody is still a Lions fan in Detroit, then I give him/her a round of applause. Unless people are all of a sudden willing to pay for overpriced tickets in the worst economy in the world, to watch an 0-16 team, then the money you're making looks pretty slim.

Fewer fans means less merchandise sales, less team support, less TV coverage, less media attention and most importantly, less money.

If all this is true, then there will likely be more games blacked out, which means a decrease in player salaries. That basically means you can't play players and your team is just going to get worse. Should the front office resort to (gasp!), lower prices?

The 2009 Detroit Lions have a brand new logo, a brand new franchise quarterback and a brand new head coach. But ultimately the front office is just polishing a turd.

But where's the fun in watching the team struggle? Everybody get on Lions' bandwagon! There are plenty of seats still available!

Seattle Seahawks Official 2009 NFL Preview

Micah Chen — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:03:51 -0400

OFFENSE:

The offense was absolutely dreadful in 2008 and it can no longer be called the team’s strength. The overall offense ranked just 28th in the NFL in 2008 and it ranked just 29th in the passing game

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeckd is no longer a top 10 quarterback. He is approaching his upper 30’s and he is always at risk for an injury. A bulged shoulder disk is nothing to laugh about. He will probably go for about 3000 yards and about 20 touchdowns but the declining years have officially started. And with no proven backup, the team will be in major trouble if Matt Hasselbeck goes down again.

The Seahawks made another greedy effort to strengthen their receiving corp by giving TJ Houshmandzadeh a mega deal that will cost the Seahawks 40 million over the next five years. TJ brings consistency to the table and great hands. He is in his mid 30’s also.

The Seahawks offensive line has too many 30 somethings. With Mike Wahle retiring, they have lost that much more depth to the O-line. Second round pick Max Unger will step in at the guard position. Left tackle Walter Jones is a future Hall of Famer and one of the best tackles in the game. Even when he is playing at 90 percent he is better than 90 percent of the tackles in the NFL.

John Carlson is the future Jason Witten of the NFL and became the first rookie tight end in Seahawk history to led the team in receptions

OVERALL:

The Seahawks made a bold effort to shore up this shaky offense but with all the 30 year olds in this lineup, the team isn’t set for the future. Expect enough out of this unit to make a playoff run at the most. B-

DEFENSE:

This defense is now officially the strength of the team even though they didn’t show it last year. The addition of Aaron Curry makes this defense even younger and even better than before.

The linebacker crew is one that will strike fear into running backs. All 3 of their starters are under 25 and play a smash mouth style of football. Lofa Tatupu is a top 10 linebacker and is the captain of this defense.

The defensive line made major upgrades in the power department. They brought in 330 pound Colin Cole and 295 pound Cory Redding. This will insure that the defensive line won’t get pushed around as much as last year.

Patrick Kerney was injured last year but he is still one of the best defensive ends in the league. He will make more sacks under a bigger defensive line.

The defensive back group should make improvements over last year’s lackluster campaign in which they allowed the most passing yards of any team in the NFL.

Pro bowler Marcus Trufant is the captain of this unit and is a Pro Bowler. He continues to deliver consistent performances. This unit is undersized as they got beat by bigger, stronger receivers. Josh Wilson at 5-9 and Kelly Jennings at 5-11 are at the top of your depth chart which is not a good sign. Kelly Jennings looks to be one of the biggest busts in Seahawks draft history. Josh Wilson is the immediate starter.

DEFENSE:

This defense is still the strength of the team even with last year’s performance. Injury’s tore this unit to pieces but their back and hungry for some payback. B

Wrestlemania 26: John Cena Vs Undertaker, Who Wins?

Micah Chen — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:01:53 -0400

Ok, picture this: It's the grandest stage of them all, Wrestlemania 26, Glendale Arizona, the lights are bright. John Cena and Undertaker are eyeing each other in the ring, the bell rings.

Who's going to win this main event of all main events?

I am going to argue both of these wrestler's cases.

Let's start with the Undertaker. Undertaker is 17-0 at Wrestlemania. He seemingly just won't lose the biggest match of wrestlers' careers. Last year it was the Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels, that match has got to be in my top three favorite matches of all time.

Then the year before that it was Undertaker vs Edge. Not quite as good, but still blew my mind. Then, every year before that he has won against everybody. He has never failed to give great matches.

This is when the problem comes.

We can now argue John Cena's case. You know what, let's keep it simple: John Cena losing=Mr. McMahon crying the night away backstage on the Super Bowl of wrestling. It would be a huge blow to McMahon's wallet and we all know Mr. McMahon simply can't accept that.

This means that if the Undertaker wins, then everybody goes home happy except Mr. McMahon, plus the streak stays alive. If John Cena wins, then Mr. McMahon goes home happy and nobody sleeps that night. Of course, when it all comes down to it, Mr. McMahon gets the final say. But god forbid he choose Cena.

After all, it just wouldn't be Wrestlemania if the Undertaker lost.

I'll leave you guys to debate this issue. Feedback is appreciated. Hope you enjoyed, thanks.

WWE Referee's: The Stupidest People I Have Ever Seen.

Micah Chen — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:26:37 -0400

First off, I want you all to understand that I am old enough to understand that the WWE is fake and everything is written by the so-called "creative" team.

By all means, I understand that the refs get paid to look like idiots in front of the whole wide world.

The WWE creative team always likes to make the heel cheat and the face (John Cena, Jeff Hardy, etc.) look like heroes that have been cheated. One way to do this is to have the referee be involved.

What I don't get is why they make it so that the referee is trying to help the heel or something. They always yell in the "heroes" faces and never in the heel's faces. Why? Because the referees are in on it too.

That's not the point, though—the WWE writers are trying to make you hate the heel even more by giving him the advantage with the referee. Here's an example:

The heel punches the face in the corner of the ring so many times that the referee starts pushing him back and starts yelling in his face ("Back off!" "What's your problem?" "Listen to me!"). While this is happening, the heel's posse starts beating the living crap out of the face while the referee isn't looking (Edge heads, Legacy, et cetera).

Then, when the posse finally finishes their dirty work the referee all of a sudden stops and turns around, unaware of any problems.

Now, I guess I could understand if it is your first or second match as a referee but most of the referee's have been in this business for years! And yet they still fall for the dirty tricks that the heels do.

It makes wrestling too fake to be true. I mean, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the referee is faking. Even the most gullible people can't fall for this crap for the hundredth time.

What I am trying to saying is that the creative team has to make the referees not favor anybody. That way, it will be less predictable.

I think the fans would enjoy it more. People don't realize how much of an impact a referee plays in a match, and if he does it correctly, they will at least know that the heel won fairly.

Of course, what are the chances of this happening?

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Comments are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Idea for New WWE Wrestlers' Themes (Part 2)

Micah Chen — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:54:42 -0400

Several people asked for a part 2 the the series of new ideas for WWE Wrestlers theme's. Last time we covered Kane, MVP, R-Truth, John Cena, and the ECW Theme. I plan to cover another 5 superstars and, or, wwe themes. I hope you enjoy this as much as my previous Idea's For New WWE Wrestlers' Themes.

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A New WWE PPV Idea? Check This Out: "Last Man Standing"

Micah Chen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:05:40 -0400

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you know that the WWE has come up with several new PPV's this year. Hell In A Cell, Breaking Point, Submission. Such and such. The idea is so that the WWE can have more PPV's per year which equals more income for Mr. McMahon.

With all the fuss about the new PPV's and how stupid they are (There have only been 19 Hell In a Cell's in the history of the WWE! Now your devoting an enitre PPV to it!) I started brain storming up different ideas.

Then this PPV occured to me. It would sort of be like the Royal Rumble only with titles at risk and you don't toss people over the top rope.

Every world title would be at risk, that means the World Heavyweight Title, the WWE Title, and the ECW Title. The rules are very simple.

For example, if the World Heavyweight Championship was the first title on the line that night then every single male wrestlers from Smackdown would go down to the ring. Once everyone is in the ring, the rules will be explained.

The goal is simple, everybody from Smackdown will compete in a last man standing competition. There will be about 10 referees circling the ring. Each time a man is down one of the referees starts the 10 count. The reason for so many referees is their will be 10 count's going on everywhere due to the number of wrestlers wrestling.

There are no rules, weapons are allowed, anything goes. You simply beat up whoever is in front of you until they can't answer the 10 count. Once the 10 count is done then that wrestler is eliminated.

It will be an all out war as the wrestlers will wrestle both in the ring and out. Due to the length of this match the PPV will only require 3 matches.

Once every wrestler except one is eliminated except one then that last man in the ring is the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Then the ECW champion would be on the line and everybody from ECW would come out. The same rules apply. Then after this match is over then the RAW and then it's over.

It would give us all a taste of extreme action and no fan would be bored as there are so many wrestlers beating up each other that if one rivalry got boring then they could look at the guys next to them. POOF. All of a sudden there is a new change of scenery with new wrestlers and new weapons.

I would probably call the PPV "Last Man Standing".

Your feedback is appreciated and I would like it if you think my idea is good or bad. If you like my articles please consider becoming a fan. Thank you.

Why Ken Griffey Jr. is the Greatest Role Model in Sports History

Micah Chen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:56:07 -0400

One must appreciate the gracefulness, the elegancy, the beauty, and that FRIGGIN amazing swing that I am so badly jealous of. Yes, I am talking about none other than the great Ken Griffey Jr.

The man has been nothing short of amazing in his historic 21-year career. Gold glove after gold glove, home run title after home run title, MLB MVPs, All-Star Game MVPs, you name it, he has it.

But I want to look at the other side of Ken Griffey Jr. that not many people have noticed before.

This has to be one of the darkest eras in MLB history. Bud Selig has turned baseball upside down. In this era known as the "steroid" era, players are juicing themselves up and taking the easy way. Seemingly every great name has tested positive for the now banned substance.

Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and the list goes on and on. It has come to a point when you wouldn't be surprised of the shorty (respectfully) David Eckstein was doing steroids. How could a 5 foot 6 inch player 170 pound player have a career average of .283?

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Roy Halladay was now on steroids. Remember when Alex Rodriguez did steroids in 2003? It was because he was pressured to do well because of his huge contract.

Same situation with Halladay, so many teams are interested in him you would have thought he was the only player on the free agent market. Therefore there is more pressure for him to pitch well.

Back to Griffey now. What amazes me about Griffey is that he has NEVER tested positive for steriods, HGH, or any banned substance. In fact, he is was one of the few people that was clean and yet still is one of the biggest superstars.

Remember the 90's where we found a suspicious amount of home runs being hit. Well most of them were off the bat of Griffey and yet he still didn't test positive in 2003 while other guys tested positive and still didn't put up better numbers.

Now when you look at him today, he is batting .221 with 11 home runs but that is what happens when players get older, they start to decline unlike some hitters nowadays who are hitting half their home runs above the age of 35 (*cough cough* Jim Thome, Frank Thomas).

Not to mention he is one of the most friendly players in the game. Overall, he has had a decorated career, he is one of the all time fan favorites both in Seattle and out, he is drug free, and is a great teammate. all these traits make him one of the finest baseball players both on and off the field.

Thanks for reading. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and if you like my articles please consider becoming a fan.

Ideas For New WWE Wrestlers' Theme

Micah Chen — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:22:52 -0400

Some WWE Themes just leave you scratching your heads. Like, why did Jeff Hardy have to change his theme! His other one just made you want to stand up and dance. Or what about John Cena's. Sure he had a major character change but you gotta love Basic Thuganomics! Here are a few wrestlers who could use a change of scenery or have a better song that would fit them.

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Alex Rodriguez Traded to the Red Sox (Satire)

Micah Chen — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:49:58 -0400

First of all, this is meant to be a wacky prediction and by all means there is probably no chance of it happening just because, well, the Red Sox and Alex Rodriguez don't exactly have a good relationship.

But just for a few minutes were going to pretend that the Red Sox don't want to pull out Alex's intestines and tie it in knots.

Even with the hated, bitter, rivalry between the two cities there still is a glint of hope for Red Sox fans that this could happen. A GLINT. I don't care how much you hate him in Boston, I know that a David Ortiz-Alex Rodriguez-Jason Bay three-four-five punch looks extremely attractive.

Now, Alex Rodgriguez hasn't exactly been known for being loyal to his fans. Remember in the late '90s in Seattle where the Mariners were tearing up the American League? Alex Rodriguez was a guy in his early 20's that was already dominating superstar.

Pretty soon it was time for a contract extension. Alex Rodriguez looked at all the Seattle options and acted like he seemingly didn't like Seattle and wanted to play for an even bigger contender. Now we know what was really going through his head, "Where's the money! No big million dollar contract, then I ain't making no contact!"

As faith would have it, Alex Rodriguez was packing up his bags and heading out to Texas to play for the Rangers. He was playing under a 10-year, $262 million contract. That's $26 million a year! Oh yeah, the Rangers weren't exactly called, "contenders", at the time. They actually looked more like the door mat to the AL West.

Back to reality now. Alex Rodriguez is playing in an aged New York Yankees lineup. Derek Jeter's best days are behind him, Robinson Cano isn't the same, and Jorge Posada is long gone from that .342 batting average. It looks like the time for the Yankees to at least trade one of their big superstars so they can get some prospects in return.

This is when the Red Sox come in. The Red Sox are know for making "home grown" players. Look at Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroria. Their farm system is juiced with young talent. Justin Masterson and Clay Buchholz are just dying for playing time.

And the Red Sox aren't exactly poor either. They could give Alex enough money to support his ego.

I could see this deal happening. David Murphy, Brandon Moss, Clay Buchholz, Just Masterson, Michael Bowden, and maybe a throw in for Alex Rodriguez.

It is highly unlikely that they would give up so many high touted prospects. But when you look at the farm system they still have plenty of ready prospects so it is a low risk, high reward deal. Alex Rodriguez would finally replace Manny Ramirez as the No. 4 monster.

Thanks for reading. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and if you liked it, it would mean a lot if you became a fan. Thanks.

Nine Players You'll Find on Your Kid's Little League Team

Micah Chen — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:35:34 -0400

Don't your remember the glory of playing little league baseball? The thrill of victory, the pain of defeat. Then there is just plain old having fun. But on every little league team, no matter where you live, or what kind of league you play in, you will always find these 9 players on your little league team. So enough of this mumbo jumbo, lets get a move on.

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The One Thing "Madden NFL" Needs to Change

Micah Chen — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:57:24 -0400

I have loved playing "Madden NFL."

It amazes me on how accurate they can get every stat, number, last name, logo, stadium, etc.

If there's a fire extinguisher in the fourth deck. it will be in the game, too. If there's a stadium being built in the background, they will also have that. The game has very few glitches and is fun to play.

There is just one drawback in the game that has been bugging me (in a good way) since the very first day It got it.

In the real NFL, for example, if you decide to pick up a high-priced free agent, there's a huge risk/reward factor in doing so. Take a look at Albert Haynesworth's new home in Washington. When the Redskins signed him, they knew there would be a slight chance he would not perform up to what he did back in Tennessee.

You can also look at Jay Cutler's new home in Chicago. This guy had an amazing season in Denver last year, but this year when he doesn't have Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall to throw to, things might be different. Chicago knows that while there are rewards in signing him, there are also risks.

Things, however, translate differently in the "Madden NFL" video game. I was playing franchise mode in "Madden," when I realized how easy it is to lead a team from the depths of the cellar to the Super Bowl.

It's so simple.

This is pretty much my motto: Stock up on high-priced superstar free agents who are ranked high and release players that are either too old or too young but have potential.

What's the point of waiting for young players to develop when you have $200 million in your back pocket and a loaded free-agent market?

These days in the NFL, it is extremely rare for your favorite team to sign somebody huge. Today you wait for your draft picks to develop into superstars; you don't sign big names as they might eat up salary and not perform well.

In "Madden," there is no such thing as big names not performing well.

For example, if you pick up Larry Fitzgerald via free agency, he will perform up to his rankings. That's why I hand out money recklessly in "Madden" franchise mode without mercy.

I know that the players I sign are going to perform up to what their overall points are.

I have no need for young players to develop. I just wait for other teams to develop their young players until they can't afford them anymore, and then I pick them up in free agency.

It's so easy to make a winning team, and the answer is simple: Buy, buy, buy.

Burn a hole in your wallet.

If I have a young Mark Sanchez on my team in the NFL, then I would probably wait until he develops instead of picking up one on the free agent market.

In "Madden," however, if I saw Donovan McNabb or Tom Brady on the market, I would immediately release Sanchez and pick up the veteran quarterback.

Just like that, you're guaranteed to make the playoffs regardless of the weapons surrounding your QB.

Bottom line: There is no risk signing big-name free agents in "Madden" as they are guaranteed to play up to their hype. No matter what. In the NFL there is never a guarantee.

Basically, I want EA to change "Madden" so that there is a 50/50 chance a free agent will play up to his paycheck.

What's The Point Of Rebuilding In MLB?

Micah Chen — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:30:05 -0400

Rebuilding, the dreaded time when a team decides to trade the stars and bring in younger players that become the gems of the farm system. Every team hates it, but sometimes it just has to be done.

I have never really understood the real concept of rebuilding. I get that the goal is to trade a big superstar for a bunch of future prospects, but in the end does it really work? A lot of the prospects that get shipped to another team often are forgot about after their debut.

Take Adam Jones for example. This youngster was shipped to Baltimore in a trade that landed Erik Bedard in Seattle. After his first few games in Baltimore he was eventually forgotten about and was just another young player on the Orioles team. I mean, they say he is the future and he is good, but what are the chances of him actually becoming one of the best in the league.

At this rate, not so good.

Then there is Matt Wieters, the young catcher who was picked fifth overall in the 2007 MLB draft. He is batting a mere .250 and has played OK defensively. Good player: yes. One of the best in the league: no. I could see him developing into a Bengie Molina type player but nothing more than that.

I believe the Pittsburgh Pirates have made a huge mistake. They traded away three of the top superstars in the team for basically nothing. Picture this: Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, Jason Bay, and Nate Mclouth all on the same team with a healthy, young roation that features Zach Duke. That sounds like a playoff-caliber lineup and a rotation that can manage to get by.

The problem with MLB teams is that soon as a young player finally develops into a star player they immediately ship him away for more future prospects. For some clubs it's a never ending cycle of trading players, getting new ones, and as soon as they blossom you trade again.

It's not like the Yankees are going to trade Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter, and look where they are now. Yes I know they have more money than a lot of clubs, but even a small market team like the Twins are in good contention and they never traded players like Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, and Francisco Liriano.

Now there are are few exceptions to what I am saying, like the Tampa Bay Rays. But come on, what are the chances of that happening again this year. I can't see any team that can possible achieve something like that with that many homegrown players.

Good luck to all the teams stuck in the rebuilding cycle and thanks for reading. Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Ichiro = Mr. Underrated

Micah Chen — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:01:05 -0400

Ichiro, the scrawny slap hitting speedster, is a hero in the northwest but is unknown out of the region. Do people in New York or in Minnesota know that this guy is leading the MLB in batting average? I don't think so. Do people know in Florida and Texas that this guy is on pace to set the record for infield hits? I don't think so.

For Ichiro, batting is like an art. It just comes so naturally. For him, at this point in his career, hitting the ball is easy; hitting it where he wants is hard. When was the last time you saw him strike out? If he wants to hit the ball down the third base line to get an infield hit, he can. His bat is like a magic wand in his hand. Like a samurai sword he raises before every pitch.

For every team in the AL West for the past nine seasons Ichiro has been a nightmare. He has been walked countless times with runners in scoring position and he gets a hit to leadoff seemingly every other game. He is respected in every aspect of the game including fielding.

Remember in the first game of his career against the Oakland A's when he nailed Terrence Long from a throw in right field to third base? That would dawn the beginning of an era in Seattle.

Since then teams have had second thoughts on sending runners home. And the teams that have sent runners home have never done it again.

His fielding looks so natural and easy. It seems like every game he runs out a ball that many would thought would be a sure double. His glove is like a magnet with the ball.

Then there is Ichiro's power. This guy could bat clean up if he wanted too. If you live in Seattle and go to M's games you can see him during batting practice frequently hitting them out of the ball park. That's why out of nowhere he could all of a sudden have a power surge and bam, home run.

Then there is Ichiro's speed. This man is fast, I mean, he is THE fastest in the majors. he can run from home to first in 3.7 seconds! Even though he is 35 he seems to be running like he is a 22 year old rookie. That is why infielders usually rush their throw on slow rollers. Even with the rushed throw, Ichiro always ends up on first base with ease.

Ichiro at this point of his career is easily a four tool player, speed, hitting for average, fielding, and a strong arm. Once he starts losing his speed (if he ever will), he can use that uncanny power to drill balls out of the ball park.

Ichiro would easily be a top 10 player if he were playing for a big market team like the Yankees or the Red Sox. Its just because of the team he is playing on and the location, it makes it tough for him to get much media attention.

This guys career batting average is .333 and has always led the league in a category at least once. This man has the potential to be one of the best ever so don't be surprised if he ends up in Cooperstown.

Thanks for reading.

MVP: The Future of the WWE

Micah Chen — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:48:48 -0400

MVP, this guy amazes me in his ability to work a great match and give us the smack on the mic. What's there not to like about the guy?

He has both the size and strength to wrestle with the big boys (Batista, Randy Orton) and with the highflyers (Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy). His skills on the mic can drive you crazy with hatred. This man can say one sentence and the boos come pouring in.

Lets go back to the beginning of his career when he was the "Bud Light Can" and the "power ranger". He was a cocky, greedy, annoying punk.

But you can be all that but in order to succeed in this business, you need to know how to wrestle both with excitement and with caution.

He proved that he was all that and more. Even though he was in a match with Marty who? A lot of people were upset with this decision.

Remember John Cena's debut? He went up against the best in the business with Kurt Angle. Nonetheless he gave us an interesting match to watch where he dominated.

He then had a short feud with Kane where he actually won a steel cage match "fairly" and won a street fight with a little help from Mr. Kennedy.

While he did lose an inferno match, c'mon, if you were facing Kane in an inferno match, you would probably do the same thing too. Things were lookin' up for the ballin' superstar.

Matt Hardy was the next victim of MVP. MVP and Matt Hardy dominated the tag team division, but in the process, MVP also became the United States Champion.

While their tag team success remained stellar, Matt Hardy wanted a piece of MVP's other gold: The US championship.

They had back and forth matches for several pay per view but MVP still found a way to retain. Finally the longest reigning United States Champion gave up the title at backlash and the MVP was at lost. So far the US title signified his career.

He then went on one of the most embarrassing losing streaks I have ever seen! This guy was meant to be stepping up to the main event level, and here he was losing to Kizarny! Who the heck is he!

MVP turned babyface in the process, which will play a major step in taking him to the main event status. He eventually defeated Matt Hardy for the U.S. title, where Matt was now the heel and he was now the face.

He had a solid run with it but eventually lost to Kofi Kingston, another rising superstar. This was in my opinion and in many others was a chance for MVP to finally make a chase for Randy Orton's title. Six months ago this could not be possible as MVP was still a heel but now here as a babyface, new doors are opening.

Everything seems to be falling into place, Triple H has already faced Randy Orton enough times for the title. Batista is out of action again and John Cena is feuding with the Miz, another superstar who will sooner or later be a main event star.

None of the obvious main event wrestlers are really giving much challenge to Randy Orton so this might be the time for MVP.

Maybe you could put him in a match in a RAW main event before you let him face Randy Orton. Just a thought for a future WWE main event. Leave your feedback please.

Do Kids Really Like John Cena?

Micah Chen — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:46:18 -0400

I am only 12 years old and this is my first article, so cut me some slack. I'm here to talk about John Cena and his fans.

Now, I have been a WWE fan for a few years and I have always HATED John Cena. There is something about the dude that really gets on my nerves.

I have looked back at the 1990s version of John Cena and this is the guy that I have always wanted to see, the Doctor of Thuganomics.

John Cena's character has been stale from the beginning. He has had the same thing for about five years and it gets so boring watching him win every single match!

Every WWE Pay Per View he is main eventing, he wins. I don't remember the last time I have seen him lose a match.

Now, when I watch Monday Night Raw, the fans are treating him like a heel. It seems like the only real fans of John Cena are the seven-year-old kids who still think wrestling is real and the teen-age girls who only watch wrestling because of the good-looking guys.

For seven- to nine-year-olds, John Cena might as well be running into he ring with a cape on. Then you get to the 11-15 year-old audience and they are literally booing him.

Then you get to the older audience who have been watching wrestling since the 90s and they are chanting "you can't wrestle" just about every other match.

The fans hate John Cena so you might as well turn him heel. How about turning somebody like Jeff Hardy as the new Cena.

He gets so much more cheering from the 11-15 year old fans AND the older guys in the audience. And best of all, he doesn't win every match so we can expect something good out of him all the time.

This is coming from a 12 year old, Cena, I HATE you. You're boring, you're stale, and the guys that chant "you can't wrestle" are right.

Most of your fans are too young to stay up late enough to watch your matches, so you might as well give up.