Bleacher Report - Articles by Justin Morgan

Choosing Money Over Quality Is the Problem with WWE

Justin Morgan — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:46:49 -0400

Let me first start off by saying that I am no longer a HUGE fan of the WWE, or any other promotion for that matter. In recent years, it has become more boring each week.

If I do feel like watching Raw or Smackdown (I never became interested in ECW), I watch the three key points in the show, the first segment, the end of the first hour, the beginning of the second hour, and the last 10-20 minutes of the show.

These three segments occasionally provide the most entertainment for me.

The first segment is usually a verbal and or physical altercation between two or four wrestlers or a big announcement. This is the time when the more charismatic characters get mic time, which is pretty entertaining.

The end of the first hour/the beginning of the second hour usually showcases the second biggest match of the night. Depending on my interest in the storyline I may or may not watch this part of the show.

The last 10-20 minutes of the show is as everyone knows, the main event. This is usually a highlight of the biggest current storyline. The problem with this is that it is usually predictable.

If there is only like 10 minutes left in the show the match usually ends in a disqualification.

If there is more than 10 minutes the match may go to pinfall or submission. But if there are no pay-per-view implications, does the outcome really matter?

Now that I have shared my current feelings on the main shows that the WWE currently shows, let me get into my point of this article.

I have read a lot of complaints on B/R lately about the product that the WWE is putting out these days. These displeasures range from too many titles changing hands too often, poor story lines, not enough variety, etc.

Where is the argument that there are one too many shows?

Having three main shows a week may seem great to all of you hardcore wrestling fans. But if you think about it, it may be part of your problem.

Three shows= more wrestlers! With more wrestlers comes thinner story lines with multiple participants. How many times must we watch three wrestlers battling for one belt. Where are the one-on-one wars like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant?

Things were fine when there were two shows, but three shows brings more money to the company, so that is how it looks to stay.

Why hasn't anyone realized that 14 pay-per-view events a year is too many?

Everytime I turn around there is another pay-per-view coming up. Whether it is a single-brand event or it includes all three, there are too many.

Of course the title is going to change hands every few months when the belt is on the line every month. If a wrestler won defended the title nine straight pay-per-views people would get bored.

However, having more pay-per-view events, like weekly shows, generates more money for the company.

I would suggest keeping the four biggest shows, Wrestlemania, The Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series, along with each brand getting a pay-per-view for themselves. This cuts the pay-per-view events in half.

The WWE would not make as much money, but the quality would probably be a lot better. Having fewer events and fewer superstars would create deeper and more interesting storylines.

There are more ways I feel the WWE could better its product, but we'll work on these for now.

NFL Preseason: Where All 32 Teams Have Questions To Answer

Justin Morgan — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:26:37 -0400

As we have already seen, there are plenty of NFL preview/prediction articles and slide shows written on this site, including one written by me.

This is not one of them.

I am here to pose one question to each team that may or may not determine the outcome of their season. I obviously know that there is more then one variable in the game of football that determines a teams' success, but there are certain aspects that a team must succeed in.

I do have biases as to which teams i feel will be successful, but I will try to hide them. Today in this article, (almost) everyone has a shot!

* I am also going to assume Brett Favre will be in Minnesota

Arizona Cardinals: Can Kurt Warner have another 2008, or was that his last run?

Atlanta Falcons: Will Matt Ryan have a "sophomore slump" even with all those weapons?

Baltimore Ravens: How much of an affect will the loss of Rex Ryan have on your defensive success?

Buffalo Bills: Where San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Dallas failed, will you guys keep T.O. happy?

Carolina Panthers: Where has Jake Delhomme gone, and will he be back this season?

Chicago Bears: Will the Matt Forte show have an encore?

Cincinnati Bengals: Other than Chad Ochocinco, how are you going to get in the end zone?

Cleveland Browns: Will you guys please pick a quarterback?

Dallas Cowboys: No more excuses, will Tony Romo lead you to a playoff victory?

Denver Broncos: When the season starts, will you guys put the off season behind you?

Detroit Lions: How many wins can you guys get?

Green Bay Packers: How well will you transition from 4-3 to 3-4?

Houston Texans: You guys have higher expectations, can you meet them?

Indianapolis Colts: How far will a new coaching staff set you back?

Jacksonville Jaguars: Is Maurice Jones-Drew ready to carry the load in the running game?

Kansas City Chiefs: Is Matt Cassel a product of his environment or is he really that talented?

Miami Dolphins: Without the element of surprise, can the Wildcat Offense still be successful?

Minnesota Vikings: Does Brett Favre have your team's best interests in mind?

New England Patriots: How much did Tom Brady lose in his time off?

New Orleans Saints: Can the rest of the team stay healthy and help Drew Brees get you back to the playoffs?

New York Giants: Will the return of Osi Umenyiora help offset an offense that will probably score less?

New York Jets: With a new, defensive minded coach, will your defense step up to the challenge?

Oakland Raiders: Are you making the right decision putting JaMarcus Russell in there over Jeff Garcia?

Philadelphia Eagles: Will Andy Reid correctly utilize all of those offensive weapons?

Pittsburgh Steelers: With a healthy Ben Roethlisberger, what is going to stop you from a repeat?

San Diego Chargers: Is LaDainain Tomlinson ready to get back to his former self?

San Francisco 49ers: Can your front four keep whichever QB you decide off the ground?

Seattle: Even if your healthy, will a new coach be able to get you back to the playoffs?

St. Louis Rams: You aren't that talented (with the exception of Stephen Jackson), can you just play the season without embarrassing yourselves?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: You have some potential at the RB spot, are they ready to carry you?

Tennessee Titans: If Kerry Collins can't produce like he did last year, is Vince Young finally ready?

Washington Redskins: After an up and down season, will you be able to find some consistency?

Please let me know how you feel about, not only the questions, but the format as well. If it is well received I may do a few during the season and a playoff edition.

The Melting Pot: My Thoughts and Opinions on Sporting News and Topics

Justin Morgan — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:38:00 -0400

Instead of writing a bunch of articles on topics that have been written about already, I've decided to encompass all of them into one. There will be no long breakdowns or analysis, just my personal thoughts and opinions.

I see no reason to go into a lengthy explanation, so let's just get started!

NFL

- The 2008 playoff teams that will have a drop in wins: Miami, Tennessee, Indianapolis, Baltimore, and Atlanta.

- T.O. will have his first blow-up as a Bill in Week Three.

- By season's end, we will realize the Wildcat offense experiment is a failure.

- Brett Favre may play well in a dome but a Super Bowl is not in his future.

- This year's list of coaches who get the axe are, but not limited to: Marvin Lewis, Jack Del Rio, Brad Childress, and Wade Phillips.

- I recently wrote an article picking the Steelers to repeat as champions. I am officially changing my pick to the Eagles.

- Tony Romo dropping Jessica Simpson does not equal a playoff victory.

- The UFL can succeed by doing two things:

1. Seeing itself as a developmental/minor league and not competition to the NFL.

2. Signing former stars that can still play (Plaxico Burress, Marvin Harrison, Michael Vick, Adam Jones).

NBA

- Everyone talks about the top three teams in the East. The race for spots four-eight will be pretty competitive.

- The L.A. Clippers just might make the playoffs.

- Why are Glen Davis, Raymond Felton, Allen Iverson, Linas Kleiza, David Lee, Andre Miller, Lamar Odom, and Hakim Warrick all unsigned?

- When the Cavs get knocked out at some point in the playoffs next year, will we see LeBron pull an Adam Morrison?

- This offseason has been very busy, but it is definitely too early to decide which moves were good and which ones were bad. At least wait until a month into the season to make these determinations.

- It will finally come to light this season that Greg Oden is actually 43 years old.

- If Allen Iverson does not get signed, you, the fans, will probably vote him into the All-Star Game.

MLB

- Unless a player recently failed a drug test, I don't want to hear about it.

- The next update on the Halladay situation should be where he got traded to or that he is staying in Toronto.

- Right now it is safe to say that the A.L. is a two-team race (Boston and N.Y.) and the N.L. is a three-team race (Philadelphia, St. Louis, and L.A.).

- Bud Selig really needs to retire.

- The fact that home-field advantage in the World Series is determined by the All-Star Game is ridiculous.

- With the exception of Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez will have the best second half of any player in either league.

- I think we should forget the salary cap talk until the Yankees win another World Series. I just love seeing them spend all that money for nothing.

NCAA-FB

- People will still complain about a playoff system so just use a better system to rank the teams...

- However, if you want really want a playoff system, just don't watch or go to BCS bowls. Force the NCAA to make a change.

- Put the next undefeated mid-major in the national championship game. It's either put up or shut up.

- My preseason pick is Texas.

- How many BCS bowls do Bob Stoops and Jim Tressel need to lose before the schools decide to go in a new direction?

- I wonder how many fifth graders Pete Carroll has recruited for the 2017-2018 season.

- I cannot wait for College Gameday!

UFC

- I'm looking forward to the next season of The Ultimate Fighter for one reason, the coaches. I wouldn't be surprised to see them come to blows on the show.

- If you feel a fighter got robbed in a fight, it will be ok. If the powers that be feel he got robbed it won't hurt him that much.

- Is anyone else hoping that the UFC will one day have a women's division?

- If a champion is going to change weight classes, then do it. Quit with this back and forth nonsense, I want to see title defenses.

- I wish Dana White would realize that if he catered more to the fans and not his wallet, he would still be rich and not receive so much criticism. Everyone would be happier.

- Lyota Machida will not be champion as long as everyone seems to think. I believe Rampage Jackson will be the next Light Heavyweight Champion.

- Is Matt Hughes serious, criticizing GSP in his win at UFC 100? Didn't Alves beat Hughes pretty handily in his last fight?

MISC.

- If the brass at Duke really didn't want Coach K coaching the Olympic team, he probably wouldn't be. If you don't like it, blame the school, not him.

- Tom Watson coming in second place at the age of 59 is not bigger news than Tiger not making the cut.

- I recently watched 12 Rounds and John Cena really needs to stick to his Monday night acting.

- I just want to advise the corporations that plan on sponsoring the WNBA that they will lose money by doing this. How many people can even name all of the WNBA teams?

Well there you have it, my random thoughts and opinions on the sporting world. Please be advised that some of these are just for fun, but most of them are said in truth.

I hope you have enjoyed and please let me know how you feel about them.

San Francisco 49ers: A Look at Their Schedule and Predictions

Justin Morgan — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:46:24 -0400

Is this the dawn of the Mike Singletary era? In his first full season as head coach, can he make them serious contenders for an NFC West Title?

How will Michael Crabtree's ankle hold up? Will his health make the 49ers regret drafting him? Will one of the OB's step up and lead this offense?

These are all questions that will be answered during the course of the upcoming season. I don't know the answer to them but I can predict how the 49ers season will fare.

Week 1: @ Arizona Cardinals

Not a blow out but i feel the Cardinals will take this one. They will want to start on a good note to try and prove last year was no fluke. 0-1

Week 2: v.s. Seattle Seahawks

I don't think this will be a very good season for Seattle. 49ers take their 1st home game. 1-1

Week 3: @ Minnesota Vikings

With or with out Brett Favre the Minnesota Vikings will run to a victory. 1-2

Week 4: @ St. Louis Rams

The Rams will be fighting for 3rd place in the NFC West with Seattle. 49ers take this one pretty handily. 2-2

Week 5: v.s. Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta has too good an offense for 49ers defense. 49ers dealt worst loss of season so far. 2-3

Week 6: Bye Week

Hopefully they rest up, next three games are nothing to get excited about.

Week 7: @ Houston Texans

Like the 49ers, Houston is on the rise. Which team progresses faster? Houston. 2-4

Week 8: @ Indianapolis Colts

A down year for the Colts, however they are still better then 49ers, especially in Indy. 2-5

Week 9: v.s. Tennessee Titans

Rushing attack + more versatile offense= loss for 49ers. 2-6

Week 10: v.s. Chicago Bears

Seem to be getting some love from a lot of people. Why? 49ers end four game skid. 3-6

Week 11: @ Green Bay Packers

Playing in Lambeau used to be intimidating. Those days are over. 4-6

Week 12: v.s. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jags will be better then last year, the 49ers however are better. 5-6

Week 13: @ Seattle Seahawks

The 49ers get back to .500 with fourth win in a row against weaker team in weakest division. 6-6

Week 14: v.s. Arizona Cardinals

The 49ers will not drop 2 in a row to the Cardinals this year. 7-6

Week 15: @ Philadelphia Eagles

I picked the Eagles to win the NFC and losing to the 49ers will not get them there. 7-7

Week 16: v.s. Detroit Lions

The Lions will win some games this year. This will not be one of them. 8-7

Week 17: @ St. Louis Rams

The 49ers finish strong with a win in St. Louis who will finish last in NFC West. 9-7

I would be very surprised to look back at the end of the season and see that I went 16-0 on these picks. That is why I am saying, right now, that it will be +/- 1 game. I am confident that the 49ers can challenge the Cards for the Division Title.

Please let me know if you disagree with these picks or the final record for the 49ers.

2009-2010 NFL Season: Could Some Suprises Be In Store

Justin Morgan — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:12:34 -0400

Last year I wrote a NFL season preview that didn't go to well. This year I hope to make up for it. This year it will be just my picks for the final divisional standings, Wild Card selections and a Superbowl prediction. I know that picture has people thinking I have the 49ers having a HUGE season. I don't, I'm just a fan and didn't want to give away anything (What's worse then knowing the ending before you watch?) I must advise that there is no in depth analysis of the teams, just a little bit about each one and some questions I have. So let me just get to it! I do however see some other possible suprises

Begin Slideshow

Should the Magic Beating LeBron James and Co. Be Considered an Upset?

Justin Morgan — Fri, 22 May 2009 06:27:29 -0400

When the NBA Playoffs first started, I, like most people, felt that the Eastern Conference was a one team race. The LeBrons would cruise through the first two rounds and face a real test, in Boston or Orlando, before taking on the Lakers.

I am an Orlando Magic fan but felt that they were a year away from true title contention. But as the playoffs have rolled on, the Magic have shown what they are truly made of.

There is no excuse for the Magic to drop two of the first three to Philadelphia but they got back on track and beat them in six. Let us not forget that Game 6 was played without Dwight Howard or Courtney Lee.

Then it was off to Boston to take on the defending champs, who were without their emotional leader and defensive stud Kevin Garnett. With or without KG, the Celtics are a good team that has a defensive philosophy.

Some people say now that that game should have never gone seven games and that the Celtics let Chicago take them to seven, so they really aren't that good without KG. Have we forgotten that Atlanta took them to seven last year and Boston won the championship?

The fact is Boston is not as good without KG. But they have role players that step up night after night. Eddie House, Glen Davis, even Marbury had some good contributions. Plus, Ray Allen hit some huge shots.

So when I hear people say that Orlando Should have beaten the Celtics in four or five games, I write that off as ignorance or people just not thinking about things before they say them.

Let's move on to the LeBrons now. They blew through the first two rounds in the minimum amount of games. They played Detroit, a team that went from on top of the world for the past seven years to nothing very quickly. Then they ran through a very young and talented Hawks team.

All of a sudden the LeBrons were apparently unstoppable. They were going to beat the Magic in four maybe five games. They were going to go to the NBA Finals and take on either the Lakers or the Nuggets.

Then Game 1 of the Eastern Conference happened, the unthinkable. The LeBrons lost at home for only the third time this season and the first time at all in the playoffs. It was all put on the fact that they had over a week off and were rusty.

I don't buy that. If Mo Williams' shot had gone in, they would have won because they were "well rested" and simply the "better team."

Better team? Are they? Orlando was 2-1 against the LeBrons during the season and 5-2 against the three teams left in the playoffs. Orlando’s record against the top teams this year was pretty darn good.

Top to bottom, the Magic are in fact better than the LeBrons. Orlando has three stars starting for them. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu are obviously capable of hitting big shots at crucial moments. Turkoglu's passing ability is underrated and he can run the offense. Dwight Howard is the Defensive Player of the Year.

The LeBrons have LeBron, Williams, and Big Zeke. LeBron= MVP, enough said. Mo Williams was an all-star, but only because of an injury to Jameer Nelson. Big Zeke has a nice J for a big man and can help slow down Howard.

The biggest hole the Magic have is at head coach, and he really isn't that bad. He does panic too much when they are down and when they are up he allows them to relax too much to lose that lead. But he got them to the fourth best record in the NBA.

Overall the Magic match up well with the LeBrons. All they need to do is hit their jumpers and make sure Howard gets his touches on offense. On defense they need to do what they can on LeBron and shut down the rest of the team. LeBron cannot beat the Magic by himself.

So tell me now, if the Magic beat the LeBrons, would it really be an upset?

The NBA Should Revamp the All-Star Game

Justin Morgan — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:37:12 -0500

The NBA is a business, and like all businesses it wants to make money. This is the reason the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL—heck, even NASCAR—have All-Star events. They say they are for the fans, and I do agree to an extent, but the main reason is revenue.

However, I feel that the NBA needs to revamp its All-Star Game and take a page out of the MLB book. Major League Baseball requires that there be one player from every team represented in the All-Star Game. Is this the reason that the MLB All-Star Game is the most popular out of the five listed above? Maybe, maybe not!

I know MLB rosters are bigger so they can do this without leaving out anyone who deserves to be in the game. But I think there would be more of an interest if every team were represented. Fans of teams that had no player represented might be more inclined to watch if they could see one of their guys.

And it's no secret that the NBA likes to showcase its prized teams, just another business tactic, but why not try to gain more of an interest in these other teams? Give them a better opportunity for some revenue.

I understand that the annual Pittsburgh Pirate that gets to the MLB All-Star Game doesn't bring much to that organization because he was a bench player for the game. This is an advantage for the NBA, though, for having a smaller roster. A better chance for each player to make his mark on the game.

Let's say Danny Granger was selected from the Pacers, as he should be; he is a solid player that not too many casual fans know about outside of Indiana. If he was in the All-Star Game and played well, people would know about him.

I believe Granger is deserving of an All-Star selection but probably won't get it because he plays in Indiana. This is wrong! I know the NBA sees no money in selecting him, but I disagree. I really believe this would bring more fans to watch the game. Plus, people that don't really watch the NBA games because their teams stink might have a new reason to watch.

Well, enough trying to sell my idea, let me show you how I think it should play out:

EAST

ATL- Joe Johnson, G

BOS- Kevin Garnett, F

CHA- Emeka Okafor, F/C

CHI- Derrick Rose, G

CLE- LeBron James, F

IND- Danny Granger, F

MIA- Dwyane Wade, G

ORL- Dwight Howard, C

PHI- Andre Iguodola, G

DET- Allen Iverson, G

MIL- Michael Redd, G

NJN- Devin Harris, G

NYK- Al Harrington, F

TOR- Chris Bosh, F/C

WAS- Antawn Jamison, F

WEST

DAL- Dirk Nowitzki, F

DEN- Carmelo Anthony, F

GSW- Stephen Jackson, G

HOU- Yao Ming, C

LAC- Zach Randolph, F

LAL- Kobe Bryant, G

MEM- O.J. Mayo, G

MIN- Al Jefferson, F

NOR- Chris Paul, G

OKC- Kevin Durant, G

PHO- Amare Stoudemire, F/C

POR- Brandon Roy, G

SAC- John Salmons, F

SAS- Tim Duncan, F/C

UTA- Deron Williams, G

As you can see, these teams are pretty balanced as far as positions go. There aren't many good centers in the league. And all of the players put up quality numbers. Don't look too much into the players I have selected; it is more about the idea.

Most people are going to say that this idea leaves out a lot of deserving players, and that's true, but the NBA says the All-Star Game is about the fans. Well, let's get all of the fans involved. Of the fans that would oppose this idea, I don't think too many would not watch because of it.

Bottom line is I think this would bring more fans to watch the All-Star game and be more interested in the NBA as a whole. With more fans comes more money. It would also bring more money to these "lower class" teams.

NFL Playoffs: Winners, Losers, and Speed Bumps

Justin Morgan — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 04:21:57 -0500

Week 17 in the NFL was a good one, as many of the games had playoff implications. The Vikings, Eagles, Dolphins, Chargers, and Ravens all got in after wins on Sunday. Meanwhile, losses for the Jets, Broncos, Cowboys, Bears, and Bucs have them on an early vacation.

Next weekend we will see if any of these teams has what it takes to be a factor in this year's playoffs, or whether they will all just be speed bumps for the big boys that all have bye weeks in the first round.

Let's start off in the NFC. The No. 5 seed Falcons travel to Arizona to take on the No. 4-seeded Cardinals. No one knows how rookie Matt Ryan will handle the pressure of the playoffs. Lucky for him, he has a good running back in Michael Turner.

The Cardinals played pretty well in the beginning of season, getting a lot of talk for Kurt Warner for MVP. However, they have struggled recently, giving up 35+ points in two of their last three games.

As much as I'd like to see Kurt Warner make a longer run at it, the run stops here. I'm going to give the win to Atlanta, 34-28.

The other NFC Wild Card matchup is up in Minnesota, where the No. 3-seeded Vikings will host the No. 6 seed Eagles. They will be missing Pro Bowl DT Pat Williams (injury), so expect Pro Bowler Kevin Williams to see more pressure. The Eagles swear that they run a balanced offense, so let's see if they can exploit the hampered D-line of the Vikings.

The Eagles have been playing good football since Donovan McNabb was benched in the second half against Baltimore. I expect them to keep rolling, 28-16.

Over in the AFC, we start out with the No. 5 seed Colts traveling to San Diego to take on the No. 4-seeded Chargers. The Colts won a regular season matchup after a last second field goal and are on a nine-game win streak. Many people now see Peyton Manning as the front runner for the MVP award.

The Colts are playing as good as anyone in the league, while the Chargers are the best team in the lowly AFC West. Colts 42-27.

The No. 6 seed Ravens travel to Miami to take on the No.3-seeded Dolphins in a rematch of week seven, when the Ravens won 27-13. The key for me in this game is turnovers. In a low scoring game, which this will be, turnovers are key.

If Miami can be successful at mixing in some of their Wildcat offense, they should be able to win this game. Look for Joe Flacco to struggle a bit in his first postseason action. I'm going to take the Dolphins 16-13.

Check back next week for divisional playoff matchups!

Orlando Magic: Sleeper Team in the East?

Justin Morgan — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:05:06 -0500

At 22-6, the Orlando Magic are off to their best start in franchise history. It's just too bad that they are up against the Celtics and Cavaliers in the East.

Jameer Nelson is having a breakout year so far. He's averaging 17.0 points and 5.4 assists per game. If he can keep playing at this level, he might be in line for a Most Improved Player Award. Aside from his improving stats, he seems to be taking on more of a leadership role on this team.

The Magic are 9-1 in their last 10 games, all against the Western Conference. In that stretch they have beaten four quality teams in Portland, Utah, San Antonio, and the LA Lakers. Wins against New Orleans on Christmas and Minnesota on Saturday would cap off a nice 12-game stretch against the Western Conference.

Forgetting about the fact that they have to contend with Cleveland and Boston, I do have other concerns with this team. Dwight Howard seems to be playing at the same level he's been playing at for the past couple of years. If they want to surpass the Cavs and dethrone the champs, he needs to show some improvement in is game.

I'm also a little disappointed in Hedo Turkoglu. Shooting 38 percent from them field means that his shot selection isn't so good. He needs to take better shots and improve his percentage from behind the arc. Right now it’s at 31 percent.

On a brighter note, Rashard Lewis is playing well, and although he is only averaging 5.7 points per game, rookie Courtney Lee is shooting 48 percent from the field and 44 percent from behind the arc.

The Magic are a good team and may be under-appreciated playing the third wheel in a tough Eastern Conference. However, they have a chance next month to show just how good they are. Orlando has a tough January playing Miami twice, Atlanta twice, San Antonio, La Lakers, Denver, Boston, and Cleveland.

If they play well, they might turn a two-team race in the East into a three-team race.

Kurt Warner: Back in Your Mind, Back in Your Conversations

Justin Morgan — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:34:31 -0500

I'm willing to bet that 14 years ago, when Kurt Warner was working at a grocery store somewhere in Iowa, he would have never thought he'd be where he is today: Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP, NFL MVP.

Most casual fans probably don't even see Kurt Warner as still being a great NFL quarterback, when in fact he is. Let me take that a little further and say that most NFL teams probably don't see him as a threat anymore, until this season anyway.

Most people, including myself, thought that he had a few great seasons and that was the end of the Kurt Warner story. Well, he's back for the sequel.

Everyone remembers watching the greatest show on turf and the hundred times a game when the networks put the camera on his wife cheering on her "Where did this guy come from" husband. It was fun to watch a team that never mattered, finally matter.

And they weren't just winning games. They were killing their opponents through the air, led by a quarterback that no one knew or ever heard of—unless you are from Iowa or watch the AFL.

Prior to this glory, Warner played in the AFL for a few years with the Iowa Barnstormers. I know what you are thinking: "Who?" But yes, there is an AFL team in Iowa, and their name is the Barnstormers.

After he put up good numbers in the AFL, the St. Louis Rams decided to sign him in 1998, a season where he appeared in only one game and completed four of 11 pass attempts. The rest is all history.

But where has Kurt Warner been for the past seven years? In the NFL, battling injury and going mostly unnoticed.

After his three years in St. Louis where he was great, he spent two more injury-shortened years there before moving to the Giants. He played in 10 games there before Eli stepped in.

After his season with the Giants, Kurt went to Arizona to be a veteran backup for the new, young Matt Leinart. Eventually Kurt would get the starting job after Leinart showed immaturity both on and off the field.

That brings us to this season, a season where people are actually talking about Kurt Warner possibly winning another MVP award—a season where the Cardinals are finally living up to their potential. And what do you know, they are led by the afterthought that is Kurt Warner.

When it first came to me to write about Warner, I thought to myself, "Are you serious? All of his success has come with either the Rams or the Cardinals. You like the 49ers, you can't write about this guy."

Fact of the matter is that Kurt Warner is a great quarterback, no matter who he plays for. No one in NFL history has a higher percentage of 300+ yard games (45 percent of games started). Only one other person has a higher career QB rating (Steve Young).

The guy is good, and when it's all said and done, I would give him a vote for the Hall of Fame.

Did The BCS Finally Get It Right This Week?

Justin Morgan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:17:41 -0500

As with most people I think the BCS is screwed up and there needs to be a better way to decide the National Champion in college football. But I think that THIS WEEK'S BCS poll is spot on.

1. Alabama

2. Texas Tech

3. Texas

4. Florida

5. Oklahoma

6. USC

7. Utah

8. Penn St.

9. Boise St.

10. Georgia

Obviously there are people out there that think their team is too low or another team is too high, but I can't argue with it much. Let me throw out there that I am a Michigan fan just to clarify that my team isn't even in the picture.

Alabama and Texas Tech are obvious picks for No.1 and No.2 and the order that they are in is correct. Alabama beat both Georgia and LSU on the road while Texas Tech beat Texas and Oklahoma St. at home.

Texas lost a great game to Texas Tech and I believe that they deserve to be No.3 with having only one loss (to Texas Tech) and beating Oklahoma by 10 in Norman.

Florida comes in at No.4. The Ole Miss game hurt but it was a close one. However, beating both LSU and Georgia by a combined score of 100-31 really shows that Florida is not a team that anyone would like to play.

No.5 is Oklahoma. One loss to Texas in Norman, but the Big 12 South is the best division in any conference. The thing they have on their side is that none of their wins have been within two touchdowns, even if the competition wasn't so great.

USC is sitting at No.6, which probably where most of the arguments come from. USC, like Oklahoma, crushes most of their opponents. Problem is, the Pac 10 is pretty sorry. Their biggest win was to Ohio St., who I don't think is as good as a lot of people thought they would be.

The loss to Oregon St. was no fluke. Remember when it happened two years ago in Beaverton? They just got outplayed. I feel that they are overrated this year and will continue to feel that way until they prove me wrong in their bowl game.

I don't think that any of the other teams have a real chance at the BCS Championship, unless there is a major collapse with the current top five teams, so I'm not going to justify their poll position. I just feel that the top 10 (according to the BCS poll) is currently correct.

With this article I am not jumping on the BCS bandwagon, I was just surprised that I had no beefs with it this week. I know that I will probably have an issue again (either after the TTU-OU game, or the Big 12 and SEC championships are over).

As mentioned before I think that there needs to be a better way to decide the BCS National Championship, but I can't think of a way that would be good with everyone. So we are all going to have to deal with this BCS for now. At least it was correct this week.

NBA Western Conference Not Looking As Dominant As Previous Years

Justin Morgan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:14:52 -0500

Few teams in the Western Conference should be thinking they actually have a shot at making it to the NBA Finals. Heck, there are only five teams that should be thinking about the playoffs.

The LA Lakers, Utah, Phoenix, New Orleans, and Houston are the only teams that should have the playoffs in their minds right now. I know that leaves three playoff spots open, but no one else appears to look like a playoff-quality team.

I know what you are thinking, "The season is only 5-7 games old, (insert team) is just having a rough start" or "(Insert team) is just having a hot start, but they will fade away into mediocrity."

What I say to you is to just think about your team or whatever team you think I am giving the shaft. Do they have what it takes to make it to the playoffs and out of the first round? Probably not.

Let me start by eliminating the teams at the bottom of the barrel: LA Clippers, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, and Golden State. That leaves Portland, Denver, Sacramento, Dallas, Memphis, and San Antonio to fight for the Nos. 6-8 spots.

Denver, Sacramento, and Dallas are all organizations that are not in the best shape. The A.I.-Melo thing didn't work in Denver, and acquiring Billups for A.I. isn't going to make them that much better, if at all.

For Sacramento to make it very far, there needs to be better play in the post. Brad Miller and Spencer Hawes need to step up. Plus, the Maloof brothers want to move the team to Las Vegas, so they are probably praying for a bad season.

Dallas really messed up with the Jason Kidd-Devin Harris trade. It was a trade for a run last year that didn't work, and now the Mavs are a veteran team that doesn't have the fire they did three years ago.

I'm still curious about San Antonio, Portland, and Memphis. San Antonio is obviously a very good team when healthy, but can it get healthy and make a run? Can Tim Duncan still go a seven-game series outplaying the likes of Amare Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, Yao Ming, and Carlos Boozer? I think that this team can get healthy and make a playoff run.

Early last year, Portland showed us signs of being a good, young team, but then fell flat. Can the Blazers play more consistently this season? Will Oden get healthy and be as good as hyped? Portland should squeak by and get a playoff spot.

Memphis is a very young team that should be good in the next few years. If the Grizz stay together and play together, they should be a staple in the playoffs. Can they do that this year? It is too early to tell, but if they grow up quick and use their youth to their advantage, they can earn a spot.

All in all, does it really matter? Does anyone think that the Western Conference champions won't be either LA or New Orleans? Fact is, unlike last year, the West is not as powerful, and the power will soon shift back over to the Eastern Conference.

NBA Finals: Breen, Van Gundy, Jackson a Good Team Calling Games

Justin Morgan — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:42:26 -0400

Well the 2008 NBA Finals are over and the Boston Celtics are the Champs. It was pretty clear early in the series that the Lakers did not come to win. Pau and Odom stunk up the court, D-Fish didn't show much leadership, the bench didn't show much life, and I'm pretty sure Phil Jackson gave up coaching after game four. But hey, Chris Mihm got some floor time.

For me, the most exciting part of this series was the commentary. Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mark Jackson are a great team.

Mike Breen is a great lead man because he is knowledgeable about what is going on and he doesn't take up too much mic time from the guys that we really want to hear.

Jeff Van Gundy is great to listen to. That bit about fining players for flopping was a great idea. Being a former coach, he knows how teams and players should adjust to be more effective during the game.

I love when he starts talking about random stuff that has nothing to do with the game. I'm very surprised that a team has not approach him for a head coaching job yet. Even if no one goes for him, I think he is pretty happy where he is at.

Mark Jackson is the player on this team. Like Van Gundy he knows what is going on during the game, unlike some other commentators throughout the sporting world. I've learned a lot about the game while listening to him. His debates with Van Gundy are very entertaining.

Like Van Gundy, I would like to see him on the sideline as a coach soon.