Bleacher Report - Articles by Nathan Lusk

Why Yao Ming Will Not Be the Biggest Chinese NBA Player

Nathan Lusk — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:38:53 -0400

I want to begin this by making a couple of points. First, yes, I am a big history nerd. This is the reason why so many of my pieces are about past players in sports.

Secondly, my first true love was the samurai history of 16th and 17th century Japan, with the Three Kingdoms era of China's second and third centuries a close second. What does all this have to do with basketball?

Nothing, really, except that basketball is the one sport in America in which a player's height can be of supreme importance. I know your next question: Aren't Chinese people typically shorter than average?

Generally speaking, yes. But when you have a country with more than four times the population of the United States, there are bound to be some monstrous giants, right? But that is also not the reason I believe more huge Chinese players will come along soon.

My "prophecy," if you will, comes from George Santayana's quote: "Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it." The exact wording of this quote will, by the end of this article, prove to be ironic.

Back to basketball. Yao Ming is listed at 7'6" and 310 pounds. He is not the tallest player ever in the NBA.

Shawn Bradley was also 7'6", Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan stood 7'7", and these are the tallest along with Yao.

My prediction is that within my lifetime, which began in July of 1977, there will be a Chinese player at least eight feet tall. Does that sound like too much? Here's why it's not too much.

In the second century in China, there was a warrior who baffled all logic and reason in the physical world. Hua Xiong, a general for the despot Dong Zhuo, proved to be a fearsome opponent on the battlefield.

Hua Xiong died in battle against one of the heroes of the Three Kingdoms story, Sun Jian. But before Hua Xiong's death, the world was astir over the man's physicality.

Hua Xiong's Nickname

Remember earlier, I mentioned the quote from Santayana, about people doomed to repeat the past if they forget? Nobody, at least in the United States, seems to be much of a Chinese historian.

Hua Xiong had a very memorable nickname given to him by contemporaries forced to battle him. The people of the time would run in fear when they heard "The Coming Doom" was approaching.

Hua Xiong's Size

So, the point of this whole article is to explain why I believe Yao Ming is the first of a large number of Chinese giants soon to change the athletic world. The historic figure, Hua Xiong, was the first noted man in history of his size.

At the time, there were other big men dominating the battlefields of China besides Hua Xiong. Guan Yu, the God of War, stood 6'8". Zhang Fei, called the "Crazy Tiger," was a 6'4" fighter, thought to be the strongest man in the world at the time.

But Hua Xiong absolutely dwarfed those around him. According to historic documents, The Coming Doom was somewhere a little over nine feet tall. He was too big for armor, too large to use weapons effectively, and strode out to the battlefield unarmed to break enemies with his bare hands.

Now, I know that a man this size is so rare it should only happen once every, what, thousand years. It has been nearly 2,000 years since Hua Xiong, and I cannot recall hearing of another giant like him. But we know the genetic code is somewhere in China.

It will be an exciting day when the next giant, who has the structure and strength to run and jump and shoot and throw, comes to the NBA. Just don't be surprised if he comes from Southeast Asia and changes everyone's perception of huge.

Freakish Freaks Of The Sports World (Most Who Never Made It)

Nathan Lusk — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:16:25 -0400

Ever wonder what happened to that guy you heard of coming up in baseball, or basketball, or football who was supposed to be the next big thing?

There are several different kinds of freaks who made big huge splashes when they first hit the sports world, or were first noticed by the sports world.

But many of these freakish freaks have remained relatively unnoticed. I want to tell the stories of three of these freaks. One most of us have heard of, and two most of us may not have heard of.

Bo Jackson

Freakish Freak No. 1 is regarded by some, myself included, to be possibly the best natural athlete of the last century. Bo Jackson was electrifying, unreal, and truly freakish.

A two-sport athlete, he played full-time in the MLB and part-time in the NFL.

A few stories that show how freakish Jackson's abilities were are easy to find.

On June 6, 1989, Jackson fielded a deep hit at the warning track in left center, turned flat footed, and threw to home plate. The strike he threw outed Harold Reynolds, a very speedy base runner, on a play Reynolds never even expected to slide. Many other stories of Jackson's stunning abilities are astounding.

I remember hearing one Jackson story of a deep fly he caught in left field. The runner on second tagged up for an easy extra base, and Jackson fired a laser to third while backpedalling. Later the runner asked the third baseman who relayed the throw. The fielder pointed at Bo and said, "Nobody, just Bo."

At the plate, Bo once called time out as the pitcher began his delivery. Bo turned around as the ball hurtled toward the plate, and, acting on impulse, threw his bat out in front of the pitch. The ball landed in the bleachers in right center.

Jackson also managed to have a stellar back-up career in the NFL. Any Bo Jackson youtube clip will show a freakishly fast, extremely strong runner with great moves and acceleration as well.

Lastly, Bo Jackson ran a freakish 40 yard dash at the NFL combine after his college career. Still regarded as the fastest true time of the combine, Jackson sprinted an astounding 4.12 second dash.

Steve Dalkowski

Quite possibly the most astounding pitcher in organized baseball history, Steve Dalkowski was truly a freak among freaks. At only 5'11" and 170 pounds, he never made it to the majors, but his statistics are absolutely amazing.

He had a 5.95 ERA with 46 wins and 80 losses from 1957 to 1965. Not impressed yet? Wait for it.

In 995 innings pitched, Dalkowski walked 1,354 batters, and struck out 1396. Then there is the Sports Illustrated story on Dalkowski that shows why his numbers are so impossibly improbable:

In 1958 Dalkowski was invited to the Orioles' camp in Miami. One day that spring Ted Williams was lurking around the batting cage and decided to see this Dalkowski kid for himself. The Splendid Splinter stepped into the batter's box, watched one pitch fly by and stepped out of the cage, muttering to reporters that he'd be damned if he would face Dalkowski until he had to. Williams told Dalkowski he hadn't even seen the ball, he'd just heard the pop of the catcher's glove...

On a dare Dalkowski once threw a ball over the stands behind home plate from a centerfield wall 440 feet away.

The article goes on to discuss just how hard Dalkowski could throw back then. Speculations usually fluctuated between 105 mph and 110 mph.

Speaking of freaks who never made it:

Nathan Lusk, the writer of this article

I graduated from high school in 1995, a freakish athlete only moderately skilled at most sports. I was 6'6'', about 195 pounds, and a quality high jumper despite breaking L5 in my lower back my senior year.

I recuperated my leg strength for a little while after high school, and regained my three step jumping height of 54 inches. I was able, in my prime, to hit my throat on the rim. I then continued entering local dunk contests as an unheralded dark horse.

Most notably, in 1996, Texas Tech had a student open gym night with a dunk exhibition starring three students and three Red Raider players in which I was invited to participate. The players were Corey Carr, Demont Dailey, and Tony Battie.

I managed to awe the crowd with reverse under the leg dunks, and a few other high flying, far reaching slams as well.

The next year, Tech again had their all night gym, but this time they invited all students to participate in a true dunk contest. We were only given two dunks, and I went next to last in the set.

The judges, some notable locals and former players, decided the fates of the contenders on the court. I was detrimentally tabbed because of the apparent jealousy, or blindness, of Texas Tech's own former player, Lance Hughes.

Either upset at a young white kid able to outperform his dunking exploits so easily or unable to see properly from the judges' table at half court, Hughes scored two 8's on my two dunks when all the other judges gave me tens.

The only dunk contest I ever lost, and my last one, I am still miffed how anyone could score the two dunks I performed so low.

The first dunk: I took off with the ball of my left foot on the left elbow of the free throw line, did a full step and a half airwalk, and dunked one handed with room to spare.

The second dunk: I left the confines of gravity with my foot fully behind the right elbow of the free throw line, turned a 180 in the air, cocked the ball down between my outspread legs, and hammered it through the rim just above the back of my head.

Two low scores from one judge, and I lost a dunk contest the crowd knew I had won.

I, obviously, still have a grudge against Lance Hughes for that one, and I have never competed again. Now 80 pounds heavier, the dunk is practically a thing of the past for me.

I love swapping outrageous stories of truly heroic and gargantuan athletes. If you know of an athlete who was or is a truly freakish freak, let me know about them. Or write a story about them yourself and tell me so I can read it.

Redefining Sports: The Athletes Who Reshaped Their Games

Nathan Lusk — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:53:40 -0400

There are many "Top Ten" lists and "Favorite Player" lists on Bleacher Report and other publications devoted to sports and their players.

Most of the articles talk about upcoming drafts, championship teams, best stats etc. Very few are devoted to what I would call, "The Redefining Character" of the players who shaped the leagues around them.

Much like a good team is often shaped around a central player, one player can make the difference in a sport as a whole.

I do not want my selections to be deemed as "the only" players who had such great effects on their sport, but I do believe my choices will be agreed upon as favorites—at the very least, in what made these sports into what they are today, or at least set a new prototype for their sports.

Lastly, please keep in mind that this article is not a "Who's Who" of the greatest statistics in sports.

I am not talking about the greatest players ever, in some cases I am, but just the ones with the biggest impact.

Basketball: Magic Johnson

Earvin "Magic" Johnson wowed the world with his playmaking and natural abilities on the basketball court. His gigantic, charming smile helped him become a media darling in the crazy 1980's, a decade dominated by his Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird's Boston Celtics.

Every second of Magic's court time seemed to vibrate with tension, and when he had the basketball in his hands, time briefly stood still.

We watched him with our teeth biting our lips, anticipating, waiting, and wondering. As we rose to our feet, awaiting the "magic trick," Magic would flip the ball behind his back to Kareem Abdul-Jabar, lob it with one hand to James Worthy, or shoot a lazy hook shot from behind the free throw line.

Everything Magic did on a basketball court seemed effortless, never choreographed, and many times, never done by anyone else. He was pure entertainment, the LA lights, the traffic and skyscrapers, and the lifestyle all wrapped into one basketball player, one point guard, one man.

At six-foot-nine, Magic was too tall for a point guard in the NBA, a position usually reserved for the shortest of players. However, he dominated his position, throwing more assists and passes, looking or not, than any of his contemporaries; but, oh, Magic was so much more than a big point guard.

He played an entire championship game as a center. While his height made him a monster point guard, Magic was a minuscule center. He dipped, drove, hooked, finessed, and scored his way to another winning game.

Magic's Lakers won five championships in the '80's. Magic also holds the record for assists in the NBA, with 10,141, a stark contrast to his 17,707 points.

Now, with the NBA dominated by bigger and stronger players, a quick look back shows where that transition began.

Sure, Magic didn't have the athletic gifts of LeBron James—at his peak, Magic rarely even dunked—but he was an out-of-place, too tall guard, in an era when the NBA was beginning to hit its stride as quality entertainment.

There was nobody before Magic nor after as entertaining as he. The name says it all.

Women's Basketball: Sheryl Swoopes

How Magic redefined the NBA, so Swoopes redefined women's basketball. The first player taken in the WNBA inaugural draft, Sheryl Swoopes was the single most dominant player in women's basketball history.

After leading Texas Tech to its only National Championship in school history, Swoopes was one of the main reasons the WNBA garnered as much support as it did during its founding.

She dominated every facet of the women's game, boasting more speed, athleticism, skill, and basketball savvy than most of her contemporaries put together.

Swoopes won four consecutive WNBA championships, along with her college National Championship and paved the way for women's basketball players the world over to get the respect and face time the sport deserves.

Football: Bo Jackson

Bo Jackson was on the cusp of being considered one of the greatest football players ever when he was cut down by a crippling injury. Though many say Jackson's true calling was on the baseball diamond, he was a two-sport athlete, his achievements in part-time performances in the NFL are the stuff of legends.

Statistically, Jackson's numbers are not all that impressive, but further study shows his true skill was speed and power.

Jackson's career in Oakland consisted completely of backing up hall of famer Marcus Allen, but the reason Jackson is included in this article is about to become apparent.

In college, all NFL prospects are asked to go through the NFL combine. Many players have dazzled scouts and coaches at the combine. Many football fans still talk about Deion Sanders's fiery 4.19 seconds in the verified 40 yard dash at the combine.

Most seem to forget that at 6'1" and 195 pounds, Deion was practically made for the 40, but Bo Jackson actually holds the fastest "verified" 40 yard dash time at an NFL combine. Bo blazed in at 4.12 seconds, seven hundredths and 32 pounds ahead of Deion.

Most importantly, watching old clips of Jackson running with the ball show a never before seen and never duplicated since combination of all the things the great running backs have exhibited over time. Bo knew speed, power, changing direction, catching the ball, acceleration, and how to play football.

I know that Bo's combination of all these things makes him the most feared man to ever take the field in the NFL. Since his time, football teams have been trying to find the next Bo Jackson, the one who encompasses the raw, pure athletic talent that Jackson embodied.

It doesn't take Bo to "know" that it won't happen again.

Don't believe me? Watch clips of Bo Jackson highlights and notice the complete dominance he exhibits over defenses.

Football: Lawrence Taylor

I am confident nobody will argue with me on this one, but I want to highlight a few reasons I put Lawrence Taylor on this list.

LT single-handedly revolutionized the linebacker position and left a trail of broken bodies and spirits in his wake.

Taylor forced offenses to overcompensate for him on every single down, yet no offense was able to completely contain him.

He wrecked offensive lines, destroyed running backs and quarterbacks, and laid to waste any receiver or tight end who ventured within range.

Quite simply, John Madden stated it best, "Lawrence Taylor, defensively, has had as big an impact as any player I've ever seen. He changed the way defense is played, the way pass-rushing is played, the way linebackers play, and the way offenses block linebackers."

Taylor actually redefined his position, and few have risen to the standard of play he established in his career.

Baseball: Nolan Ryan

To get to the point, Nolan Ryan actually is the greatest pitcher baseball has ever seen. He played for mediocre teams, but managed to dominate hitters from the mound.

Longevity was Ryan's hallmark.

He was the last player to retire that began playing in the 1960's. Yes, I said the '60's. Ryan's career spanned from 1966 to 1993, an astounding 27 years.

Ryan's career finally ended after he tore ligaments in his pitching arm against the Seattle Mariners. He courageously attempted to keep pitching, throwing one more heater before he resigned from the mound forever. That last pitch, thrown with a ragged arm used for 27 seasons and by a 46-year-old well past his prime, still clocked in at 98 mph.

Nolan Ryan defined fastball pitching, longevity, and dominance in his career. How dominant was he? Ask one of the batters who suffered one of Ryan's 5,714 strikeouts over his career.

Baseball: Larry Walker

Who is the greatest Canadian baseball player of all time—definitely, Larry Walker. With career stats of .313 BA, 383 HR, and 1,311 RBI, Larry Walker redefined hitting in the modern era of baseball.

Not impressed? It is the tremendous production during a few of Walker's seasons that separate him from the masses of players in baseball's stat heavy world.

Walker is one of the only modern players to combine batting average, home runs, runs batted in, and stolen bases in such a powerful combination. In 1997, Walker showed how potent a player one could be, with a true five tool offensive game.

In the 1997 season, Larry Walker compiled a .366 BA, 49 HR, 130 RBI, and 33 steals. Consistent, powerful, fast, and a perennial Gold Glove in the outfield, Walker dominated his sport.

After the 1997 season, Walker never again played an entire season healthy, but he still achieved noteworthy accomplishments. In 1998, Walker hit .363. In 1999, in only 438 at bats, Walker astounded with a .379 BA, 37 HR, and 115 RBI.

Nobody since has hit for that kind of average and power and had the ability to run and throw to boot.

Walker redefined what is possible in today's baseball world, and his equal, when healthy, has yet to be found.

Track and Field: Edwin Moses

There are always records to be broken in track and field.

One that may stand the test of time is 122 consecutive races won against world class competitors. For nine years, nine months, and nine days, Edwin Moses dominated his field—or track, as it were.

Before Moses, 400-meter hurdlers were taught to take 15 steps between each hurdle, but Moses had an impressively long stride to go with his fantastic speed. He practiced the hurdles at 13 steps and competed the same way in meets.

At his first international meet, the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Moses won the gold medal, setting the world record only he would defeat over the next 16 years. Ironically, Moses broke his own record the same day in Montreal in the next round of competition.

Two gold medals—a third would have been the boycotted 1980 games—placed Moses on top of the hurdling world for longer than any other human. However, it was his unique stride and longstanding unbeaten streak that redefined the hurdling world.

Overall, I know there are more athletes who could be included in this list: Wayne Gretzky, the only player to score 200 or more points in a season, which he did four times; Willie Mays; Reggie White; Carl Lewis; and Michael Phelps, among others.

But rather than write a 100 page report, I wanted to pick my favorites of the game changers and discuss them.

Hopefully, each of these athletes will have a peer sometime during my lifetime. I would love to see another one of these heroes revolutionize a sport.

South Plains Dodgeball League: One More Week Until the Season Finale

Nathan Lusk — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:56:45 -0500

As the South Plains Dodgeball League, in Lubbock, TX, winds down its inaugural season, some surprising statistics have been compiled by the teams. Only one undefeated team remains, SYAD (Sit Yo' Ass Down), and they have compiled a match record of 6-0, and a game record in those matches of 19-5.

Two second place teams have also made dominant marks on the league. The Red Rubber Balls are 5-1 in match play, with an astounding 21-3 in games in those matches. Their only lost match includes all three of their lost games.

The Vageniuses are also 5-1 in match play, with a 16-5 game record in their matches.

In the middle of the pack at 3-3 are ManBearPig and the Ball Bangers. Both teams are fun to watch and have made true strides in improving their games.

The bottom half of the league is populated with losing records, even from some surprisingly good teams. The Space Monkey Mafia is 3-4, with a game record of 10-16. At 2-4 are the Average Johns and Exploding Bazookas.

The Free Agent Nightmares (a team of individual players formed into the last squad) is 2-6, with Shabishell at 1-6.

Most surprising has been the skill of some of the players on virtually every team. Stacy, from Shabishell, is a former softball player, skilled at dodging the ball, and able to hurl it with most of the guys. The Red Rubber Balls have several players who are former college baseball pitchers, and their throwing accuracy is nearly flawless.

SYAD seems to win its matches with skills that encompass the entire game. They move well, dodge well, and their throwing, while not as hard as some teams, is deceptively accurate and timed for big outs. Tommy, the Captain of SYAD, leads his team with a real passion for the game.

The Vageniuses boast their own Danny Gokey look-alike, and have great dodgeball skills as well. Their strategy of having far too many players gives them rest and recuperation during each game, which means their tired opponents must face fresh athletes every game.

The Nightmares boast a few standout players as well. Brent, a soccer player and business owner, uses great footwork to both dodge and throw balls, while Kyle F and Kyle M make an attempt at catching any ball thrown their direction.

After the games played Wednesday, Feb. 25, seeding for the tournament will begin. Teams are seeded based on match record, with the game winning percentage used for tiebreakers.

Every team makes the tournament to compete for the prestigious Championship T-shirts and bragging rights for next season.

The Commissioner of the South Plains Dodgeball League is also the writer of this article, Nathan Lusk, and can be reached by interested parties at (806) 632-7454, or natelusk@hotmail.com.

How Will The 2009-2010 Texas Tech Red Raider Team Fare?

Nathan Lusk — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:39:05 -0500

Amid rumors and speculation of Mike Leach leaving Texas Tech before next season, other losses to the Texas Tech football team will greatly hamper the Red Raiders' ability to compete with the nation's best programs. Gone to the NFL are:

1. Graham Harrell, the only recent multi-year starter at quarterback for TTU holds NCAA records in several categories, and is Texas Tech's most successful quarterback of all time.

2. Michael Crabtree, nearly unanimously respected as the best receiver in college football, is leaving after only two years at TTU. Crabtree is widely-recognized as a top three pick for the draft. Crabtree scored 41 touchdowns in his short two year career at TTU.

3. Brandon Williams, who led the TTU defense with 13 sacks this season, has also decided to play next season in the NFL. Williams had two sacks in the season finale loss against Ole Miss.

So how will the Red Raiders perform next season? There are two scenarios to consider for that answer.

Scenario One

1. Mike Leach, the heralded genius behind the offensive juggernaut at Texas Tech, will begin anew once again. Though he is accustomed to teaching and coaching new quarterbacks, Leach's recent seasons have been nearly cakewalks due to Harrell's experience, intelligence, and exceptional skill.

But before Harrell's tenure as the signal caller for the nation's most consistent offensive beast, Leach had four seniors at QB in a row. Kliff Kingsbury, BJ Symons, Sonny Cumbie, and Cody Hodges all shined statistically in Mike Leach's system, but Harrell definitely took the Red Raiders' passing game to the next level.

Graham Harrell leaving for the NFL as a graduate (with a scholarly GPA to boot) will leave Leach and the team in a world of instability for a little while. With Taylor Potts, a high school standout from Abilene, Texas set to take the reins, he is nearly untested in college. If Potts can lead the Red Raider offense, and keep his head clear under pressure, his cannon arm, capable of throwing a football 2,600 yards on the fly (unproven, untested distance, but I believe it is true) should be enough to catapult the offense back on top of the nation's elite soon.

Losing Michael Crabtree is a different sort of loss. Think of it this way: if Harrell was perceived as the only offensive threat (with of course his receivers as the targets) he can be guarded. A smart, aggressive blitz, a fast nickel defense, or a jam at the line could threaten Harrell.

Adding Crabtree to the mix, however, made the Red Raider offense far more powerful. Blitzing Harrell opens up Crabtree for a quick look; a nickel defense means Crabtree's crossing routes go unguarded for a few seconds, and trying to jam Crabtree at the line either leaves him open on a fast route when they miss, or ends up looking like a dog trying to flip a car over. Crabtree is too strong for college defensive backs to jam.

Crabtree also relieved tension on all the other receivers. Pulling frequent double teams (that rarely slowed him down) Crabtree attracted the attention of entire defenses at times, freeing up other receivers and the backs to make statements of their own. When the team needed a big play, Crabtree was able to deliver (even in double coverage) just like he did in the UT game.

Brandon Williams's loss is, yet again, a different sort of setback for the team. Williams was a defensive leader, sack leader, tempo setter, and (should have been) chief Ruffin McNeill supporter. Williams came on strong as soon as McNeill took over the Red Raider defense, and played even better this last season.

Without a defensive end like Williams blitzing the quarterback and dominating his end of the line, the Red Raider defense, already mentally weakened by a horrific implosion against Oklahoma (66 points given up), will most likely regress into the ball chasing risktakers of the Red Raiders' past.

Because of Mike Leach's leadership and creative playmaking and playcalling, these setbacks will slow down the Red Raider offense, but they will still challenge for leadership of the Big 12 South. Playing OU in Lubbock this coming season will improve matters, but the Red Raiders will not, for once, live and die on the arm of their quarterback. Baron Batch and a slew of other running back hopefuls will lead a Red Raider ground attack that will shock and awe most opposing defenses.

In fact, the loss of Shannon Woods, a talented backfield receiver and great runner, might actually be good for the team. Batch proved to be an excellent ballcarrier and receiver himself, and the young players coming up just behind him should push him to be better. Those same younger players will have heavy competition to be the backup, and they should also improve each other.

All in all, in this scenario, Mike Leach and the Red Raiders will tackle these problems as they arise, and should be able to cope with the losses of such great talent, with only minor hiccups along the way.

Scenario 2

Mike Leach leaves for another program and Texas Tech never wins another game in my lifetime.

I really hope this scenario doesn't happen.

Speculating UFC 96: The Matchups We Want to See

Nathan Lusk — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:29:40 -0500

There are several upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-views and other events coming up that already have fighters locked up and training and unavailable for a while afterwards. However, thanks to the UFC's huge stable of fighters, there are many talented warriors waiting in the wings to perform soon.

So, since the next few events are already billed, the commercials budgeted, and the hype built, what fighters and matchups can we look forward to after them? There are so many fighters still available despite the upcoming events, I had a hard time figuring out who I would like to see perform.

So I made rules of engagement to help me choose. The fighters I can use must make it through the following criteria to be considered:

A fighter cannot have fought within the last month, and cannot be fighting already in any upcoming events.
A fighter cannot be semi- or fully-retired.
A fighter cannot have a record worse than two wins per loss (I did break this rule in two of my selections. You will see why.).
A fighter must be fresh, or newly refreshed.
No matchup can be a rematch.
No title fights.

So for UFC 96, which should be coming up in early March, I have some very interesting picks. My fight matchups are intriguing because I have a variety of different guys that have never faced each other before. So what matchups can we hopefully look forward to in 2009?

To start with, let us get the basic fights out of the way. My "possibly not televised" undercard would be three fights:

James Lee (25-3) vs Eric Schafer (12-3-2) Two light heavies with bright futures. Schafer is definitely up-and-coming, and despite two recent losses, his last fight was a first round win against powerful Huston Alexander. Lee lost to horrifyingly powerful Alessio Sakara in his only UFC fight, but the matchup of two good submission fighters could prove to be a real show. I think Schafer would win in the second round by submission.
Luke Cummo (9-6) vs Matt Brown (11-7) Welterweight action for my two bad-record candidates. These two have mountains of heart and sluggers' mindsets. The fight, even though an undercard to much higher profile battles, would be a great candidate for Fight of the Night. My call is Cummo (I know this is slightly off-kilter; I just like the guy) in the second round by TKO.
Goran Reljic (8-0) vs Thales Leites (14-1) These two middleweights are poised to do great things in the UFC. Both are on win streaks, and both seem on the verge of becoming stars. I would give the edge to Reljic, mostly because he has proven to be able to do enough to win in every fight so far.

Main Event (televised) fights

Michael Bisping (18-1) vs Patrick Cote (14-5) Other than his recent loss to Anderson Silva, Cote rode a win streak through his previous four fights. Bisping is one of the scrappiest, smartest fighters in the game. These two would be dynamite in a fence with the winner connecting on a square power punch and a ground and pound TKO finish in the third round. Bisping would be my guess on this one.
Mac Danzig (19-5-1) vs Tyson Griffin (12-2) Griffin is a dynamite wrestler with good speed and power. Danzig matches up with ground skills, smart striking, and guts of solid steel. I would give a slight advantage to Griffin throughout the fight unless Danzig caught with a head kick or power punch. Griffin in the second round by ground and pound TKO.
Thiago Alvez (22-4) vs Diego Sanchez (21-2) Alvez rides into this on a big win streak, with Sanchez 2-2 in his last four fights. These two fighters would play a rich game of chess for a whole round or more, and once they were done feeling out, they would begin tearing each other down. Alvez would have the strength advantage despite Sanchez's wrestling, and look for Alvez to win by submission in the third round.
Kenny Florian (13-3) vs Nate Diaz (10-2) Two excellent fighters with similar builds. Diaz, who has a slight advantage on the ground, is a true constrictor snake; flexible, quick, and deadly. Florian holds a distinct advantage on his feet, with Muay Thai skills unseen in the lightweight class.

This one is too tough to call, as both fighters are superior at what they do. I would have to go with Florian for being better rounded, and being able to end any fight in one elbow, whether by knockout or huge rivers of blood, second round.
Rory Markham (16-4) vs Matt Serra (16-5) Markham is the spoiler here. Though still not well known in the UFC, this fight would be his chance to upset a big name. Serra would want this fight to be his crutch, helping him get back on his feet after a tough loss to St. Pierre. Markham by knockout at 2:30 in the first.
Amir Sadollah (2-0) vs Kendall Grove (11-5) After his latest fight, a win against Evan Tanner (RIP), Grove needs one more win under his belt to have the confidence we have seen from him in the past. Sadollah just needs more experience to determine what kind of fighter he is.

One thing we already know about these two though: They both love to pound out a good striking game on the feet. This would be one of those standing wars that would be talked about for years. Both fighters would throw the kitchen sink at each other, hoping to be the last man standing when the dust cleared. I really like these two, and would give this match an instant classic status as soon as it was announced.

But how would it end? Sadollah rocks Kendall with a good punch in the first round and it looks like Grove is out. In the second round Grove lands a clinched flying knee to the face of Sadollah, making him a twin of Rich Franklin. Winner, Kendall Grove!

If Dana White has any of these fights pegged for UFC 96, I would consider myself a genius, and none of you would ever hear the end of it. If he doesn't have any of these fights on the card he's worked out to himself and not shown us, then it doesn't mean I am not a genius, just that White's genius and my genius don't see eye to eye right now (I am quite a bit taller than Dana White).

So here's to you UFC 96. We hope you give us the great matchups we crave in the UFC, and if you could give the Kendall and Amir fight a chance, well; I would really appreciate it.

And one last thing Dana:

I am available for hire to make matchups for you if you like my ideas.

I'm just saying.

But seriously.

I am.

How To Have a Zero-Win Fantasy Football Team

Nathan Lusk — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:19:54 -0500

Fantasy football is regarded by most as the most enjoyable fantasy sports experience available. Football, with its short season and single-game playoffs, is the epitome of the "big leagues" in fantasy sports. Everyone has their own methods of drafting and playing each year, but there is no way to guarantee success.

There are, however, some sure-fire ways to make sure that you never win another fantasy football league, or even game, ever again. In case that is your goal (and apparently it is my goal with one of my teams this year), this is your path to success (failure).

So here goes nothing.

The rules of engagement:

1. You must have all positions filled with starting players, so as not to tip off your league that you intend to lose. This type of catastrophic losing will probably not go over well with your league-mates.

2. Perform your draft with enthusiasm and make sure appropriate trash-talking (whatever is your norm) is carried out. This will lead your league to believe you are really doing what it takes to win and that you have confidence in your team.

3. You do not talk about your intent to lose.

4. You do not talk about your intent to lose.

Now that these basic rules have been laid out, here is what you must do to make sure your team is the laughing stock of your league.

First, when trying to assemble the worst fantasy football team in your league without making anyone else aware of it, you have to set some guidelines:

1. You must draft players in a way that does not indicate that you intend to lose. In other words, make sure you are getting players that are starters or viable second-teamers.

The trick is to make sure you are going for injury prone has-beens who are overrated or injury prone rookies who already have starting jobs. Sometimes, your intent here can be covered up with a simple, "I think this will be his comeback/breakout year."

2. You must rotate your players so that you are covering injuries and off weeks so as not to tip off your competitors of your genius plan to lose. Also, look for bad matchups while you rotate your players in and out.

Again, excuses can be something like, "Oh, I think the Giants/Vikings/Bears/Bucs defense is overrated, and Jerry Porter/Justin Gage/Robert Meachem/Jabar Gaffney will expose their weak pass protection."

3. You must make sure you are patrolling the free agency and the waiver wire for those "one-hit wonders" (which is actually the name of every one of my yahoo fantasy teams) that had one big game and will soon fade away (Donnie Avery, anyone).

4. Fumble, fumble, fumble. The best way to hurt your stats every week is to have tons of turnovers. Get the stone-hands receivers and running backs that are practically known for letting go of the ball. Draft the quarterback with the knack to find a DB with 25 percent of his passes but with a great "upside." Turnovers can really stomp a mudhole in your games.

5. Get yourself the kicker who was on fire last season, but had an injured leg (quad, groin, hamstring) during the offseason. If you are lucky he will shank a few to start the season off, while adjusting to the new hitch in his step.

6. Always go for the next DB-turned-receiver. They never have the hands to be great; that's why they're on defense you idiot.

7. Be the first in your league to draft a kicker. No one has any idea which kickers are going to have good years, so jump out there and grab a big handful of mediocrity early. It gives you an extra round to stall.

These are your simple rules to follow to make sure your team is everything (nothing) you want it to (never) ever be. So what, you ask, is a great example of a loser team?

Thanks for asking. This is a current (not draft time) example.

QB Gus Frerotte

QB Trent Edwards

RB Larry Johnson

RB Julius Jones

RB Darren McFadden

WR Justin Gage

WR Robert Meachem

WR Steve Breaston

WR Donnie Avery

TE Billy Miller or Heath Miller or Zach Miller (any Miller will do)

K Janikowski

Def Miami

As you can see from the sample team above, pretty much all the players have been heard of. They are all starters with their teams, too. But at this point, that team could only beat another "one-hit wonders" team of rejects.

Nearly every player on there had a strong point to them or some kind of pre-season or during-season upside to make them seem like a believable pick-up.

If you have any ideas on how to make the rules of this better or more effective, please comment it to me here. I may include it in my next edition of "How to Have a Zero-Win Fantasy Team."

Texas Tech-Oklahoma: Red Raider Failure or Foregone Conclusion For Sooners?

Nathan Lusk — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:35:41 -0500

If there is one thing true about college football, it is that momentum is often the death of a team, even when they seem invincible. There are a few things that can make very strong currents of momentum suddenly shift and begin flowing the opposite direction. Here are some examples of the non-calls and mistakes by the referee team during the game.

In Saturday's game between Texas Tech and Oklahoma, there were definitely occurrences that insured the ebb and flow would stay with the Sooners. There were, in fact, several just within the first quarter.

To begin with, there were several times throughout the game (actually several just in the first quarter) when Sam Bradford was very guilty of false starts. Bradford, when OU called a running play, would get under center, make his pre-snap calls, and then, a split second before receiving the snap, he would step back with one foot; this is a false start.

If you want to see what I am talking about, the first one occurred at 10:47 left in the first quarter; the second one, which was much worse, was at 9:54, on the Tech 3-yard line. Multiple false starts, had they been called, would have probably made Bradford as uncomfortable as Harrell in the pocket, changing the tempo and momentum of the game.

There was a play in the first quarter with an Oklahoma defensive lineman lined up with his hands on the ground over the line of scrimmage, and his helmet nearly even with some of Tech's offensive players' pads.

The first offensive play of the game for OU had an offsides call against Tech, even though the Sooners left tackle jumped just before the snap. Yes, I know how encroachment works, but they called offsides, not encroachment.

At 7:04 left in the first quarter, there was a pass from Harrell to Tramain Swindall called incomplete. Swindall caught the ball, never bobbled it, put one foot down inbounds, then fell out of bounds onto his back. An Oklahoma player dove on top of him, knocking the ball out of Swindall's hands, after they had already slid six feet out of bounds, with his elbow. The play was wrongly ruled as an incomplete catch.

Throughout the first quarter I noticed several OU linemen bobbing a little in their pre-snap stances, and at 5:20 left, the tight end whipped his head around to face forward, and then leaned forward just prior to the snap.

I remember as I watched the game that these things kept making me think, "Hmm. Tech can't even try to mount a comeback if the rules don't apply evenly to both teams."

Now, don't get me wrong. I am sure that a few of these calls were obviously not the difference in the game. However, I learned from the great C.S. Lewis "most people know what has happened; there are a few that may know what will happen; but noone knows what would have happened.

Because of this belief I cannot say whether TTU would have won with more even officiating, but I can say the game would have been closer, the game would have been more fun to watch, and I would not still have a sour taste in my mouth.

Red Raider Defense: Can They Stop The Sooners?

Nathan Lusk — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:35:15 -0500

Texas Tech (10-0), for the fourth straight week, is widely considered the underdog in this week's match against Oklahoma (9-1). But is the nation worried that the Sooner defense will prove to be too much for the Red Raider offense? Doubtful.

The real culprit for the higher-ranked team being dubbed the underdog—again—is actually the match-up of Tech's defense against the potent Okie offense. But this match-up should not be a concern for the Red Raiders, as they have proven throughout the season they are up to any task.

History

Texas Tech's defense has always had its ups and downs. Despite their undefeated mark so far this season, the Red Raiders have had their issues stopping opponents. Against Nevada (6-4) early in the season, Tech allowed 488 total yards and 19 points.

Against Eastern Washington (5-5), Tech allowed 341 passing yards and 24 points. Yes, I said Eastern Washington. Why, you ask, am I telling you Tech's defense will help them win, when they have struggled against such questionable offenses?

These two examples, both Nevada and Eastern Washington, were Tech's first two games of the season, and TTU seems to have improved steadily on defense since then. After the first two shaky games, Tech has only had one real defensive letdown, a high yardage allowance (471 total yards) to Nebraska (7-4), which led to an overtime win in Lubbock.

Texas Tech gave UT (9-1) its only loss this season in a thriller, and only allowed the Longhorns 374 total offensive yards. Oklahoma State (9-2) only racked up 368 yards and Kansas (6-5) 315 yards.

Current Variables

Tech's secondary, led by Darcel McBath, has 16 interceptions in 10 games this year, two returned for touchdowns. OU has not played a team that flies around in the secondary ball-hawking like the Red Raiders, but Bradford and company have thrown seven picks so far (one by the backup, Halzle). Watch for McBath and the Tech secondary to catch at least two interceptions and bat several balls down.

While games can be won in the trenches, look for Tech's underrated defensive line to hold the OU blockers up, and then push them back as the game goes on.

Against Ranked Opponents

The TTU defense appears to step up in intensity as the games get more important.

Tech averages 52 versus 25 in its games against ranked opponents while OU averages 38 versus 40. Tech scores two touchdowns more against ranked defenses, and allows two touchdowns less against BCS-ranked offenses as well. OU can't outplay a four touchdown swing.

Layoff

The last question on peoples' minds about this huge game: will the layoff hurt Texas Tech's chances of going undefeated? Will they be able to kick the rust off after taking a one-week breather?

The best answer I can give... Oklahoma took this same week off. Any chances of harming Tech's game is offset by the sediment OU may have accumulated as well.

Prediction

So what does all this mean? This all means that Texas Tech will win the game this Saturday, November 22 in Norman, Oklahoma. And my thinking is that they will win this game by quite a bit, 46-32, thanks to their usual highlight reel of an offense, and a smart defensive scheme that will keep OU from running wild on them.

UFC 91 Reflections: Brock Lesnar Changes the Game

Nathan Lusk — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:50:36 -0500

The Ultimate Fighting Championship of Saturday November 15th, 2008 proved a few things that many UFC fans had been wondering about. I am not about to talk about all the fights that transpired, but there were a few eyebrows raised after the event.

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Josh Hendricks

The first fight that answered some questions last night was Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Josh Hendricks. Only one minute into the first round, Gonzaga was able to connect with a well-timed strike and drop Hendricks.

Even though Gonzaga recently won against Justin McCully in July, he seemed nervous, and out of sorts and didn't seem to have a plan prior to the fight.

Gonzaga was destined for greatness early in his UFC career, with early wins against up-and-coming Fabiano Scherner and Carmelo Marrero. He followed those two wins with a shocking knockout of Mirko Cro Cop. Now 6-2, Gonzaga looks poised to regain his status as a contender, and his confidence as a fighter.

Joe Stevenson vs. Kenny Florian

Another fight with possible championship implications was the match between Joe "Daddy" Stevenson and Kenny "Ken-Flo" Florian. Florian won the fight with a rear naked choke late in the first round, although many thought the submission game would be Stevenson's strength.

Even though Florian was already rising through the ranks of the lightweight class, Stevenson had been mired every few fights with a loss.

Florian's record (now 9-2) seems to be strong enough to challenge BJ Penn for his championship belt soon. Florian sports a uniquely balanced skill set.

As a Brazilian Jiujitsu specialist, Florian has also become one of the most adept with Muay Thai. Florian's disturbingly sharp elbows have ended a few of his fights, and more than one Octagon mat has absorbed a few pints blood from Florian's opponents.

Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar

Finally, the headline fight of UFC 91. Any reader of my November 14 article "UFC Championship Time: Couture vs. Lesnar" knows that I strongly believed in Lesnar as the favorite in this fight.

The battle played out exactly as I thought it would: Lesnar proved too fast, too strong, and too unbelievable for the likes of Randy Couture.

Brock Lesnar, the new heavyweight champion, will prove to be a formidable adversary for the next several fighters who challenge for the belt. It may be nearly impossible to find someone who can prove to be a real challenge to Lesnar's intimidating stature, especially since Tim Sylvia now seems completely out of the picture.

In fact, Lesnar's imposing strength and formidable power has only been rivaled once in the history of the UFC, by Dan "The Beast" Severn. Unless he has a clone about 15 to 25 years younger, Lesnar will sit undisputed atop the weight class for at least a few years to come.

For those unlucky enough to have missed UFC 91, do not miss the next event that Lesnar headlines. There is no telling how long he will remain a mixed martial arts competitor, and we don't know how long the fickle feelings of Dana White will keep Lesnar employed in the UFC.

Lesnar's future performances, especially if he keeps learning and improving at such an accelerated rate, will be like Michael Jordan's peak performances in the 90's.

I also think Couture will soon be calling it quits in the Octagon for good. He already tried to leave the UFC once, but I am pretty sure this one will stick.

Thanks for another great night UFC. I look forward to the next time I get to see Brock "Raging Bull" Lesnar in the Octagon. Until then...

All NFL Team: Just Past Midseason Best

Nathan Lusk — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 06:16:18 -0500

In the NFL, the annual all-star game (called the Pro Bowl) does not occur halfway through the season like it does in other sports, like baseball and basketball. Because of the physical abuse football players take, they must wait until the end of the season to play their version of the all star exhibition.

But if football were to have a mid-season All Pro game, who would be the teams? The answers are easy, and there is more to it than just the stat books. The most dominant players at their positions (at the offensive skill positions) for the NFC and AFC are as follows: (All stats are current before the week 12 games.)

AFC Offensive Pro Bowl Team

QB - Drew Brees (NO) 2985 Pass Yards, 17 TD, 10 Int

QB - Philip Rivers (SD) 2354 Pass Yards, 21 TD, 8 Int

RB - Thomas Jones (NYJ) 854 Total Yards, 9 Total TD

RB - Chris Johnson (Ten) 902 Total Yards, 6 Total TD

RB - Ronnie Brown (Mia) 674 Total Yards, 9 Total TD (1 Passing TD)

WR - Andre Johnson (Hou) 900 Rec Yards, 3 TD

WR - Reggie Wayne (Ind) 700 Rec Yards, 5 TD

WR - Brandon Marshall (Den) 714 Rec Yards, 4 TD

WR - Lee Evans (Buf) 700 Rec Yards, 3 TD

TE - Antonio Gates (SD) 469 Rec Yards, 6 TD

TE - Tony Gonzalez (KC) 544 Rec Yards, 5 TD

NFC Offensive Pro Bowl Team

QB - Kurt Warner (Ari) 2760 Pass Yards, 19 TD, 6 Int

QB - Aaron Rodgers (GB) 2124 Pass Yards, 13 TD, 5 Int (3 Rushing TD)

RB - Adrian Peterson (Min) 1113 Total Yards, 7 Total TD

RB - Clinton Portis (Was) 1145 Total Yards, 7 Total TD

RB - Brandon Jacobs (NYG) 837 Total Yards, 9 Total TD

WR - Anquan Boldin (Ari) 606 Rec Yards, 10 TD

WR - Roddy White (Atl) 801 Rec Yards, 6TD

WR - Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) 788 Rec Yards, 6TD

WR - Calvin Johnson (Det) 774 Rec Yards, 6 TD

TE - Jason Witten (Dal) 549 Rec Yards, 2 TD

TE - Visanthe Shiancoe (Min) 252 Rec Yards, 4 TD

Now I am sure to get a lot of people making their suggestions to put their favorite team's players in some of these spots, but statistically these are the best in the league. Moving forward from here to the end of the season, I also believe these players will continue to shine and distance themselves from their peers.

Stay tuned for my next NFL article, which will include my educated picks and predictions for the Super Bowl.

Red Raider Nation: Why Texas Tech Deserves More Credit Than It Is Getting

Nathan Lusk — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:50:47 -0500

What is Mike Leach pointing at? Is it a bird, a plane... It's the BCS Rankings.

And he is pointing at it because the Red Raiders should be ranked No.1 in the polls right now.

For some stupid reason, the Red Raiders of Texas Tech are constantly being called the underdogs this season. They started the year off ranked just outside the top ten: No.12 to be exact. With a starting rank that high, and knocking off some very powerful teams through this season, I find it inconceivable that TTU is not ranked No.1.

They were called underdogs while ranked in the top 10 versus No.23 Kansas a month ago. How is a top 10 team an underdog to a team that is almost not ranked?

They were called underdogs to the Longhorns who were ranked No.1 at the time of the meeting. Sure that makes sense. But then once again, most analysts and so-called 'experts' said TTU would lose to Oklahoma State as well the next week, despite being a higher ranked team.

I apparently am misinformed on what BCS Rankings mean. Aren't they supposed to be a measure of how good a team is; How good every team is? Then why is a better-ranked team like TTU constantly being put in the doghouse before their games?

And by the way, the analysts' farce is about to happen next week also, as TTU travels to OU to take on the Sooners. Tech is undefeated, and has beaten Texas (who beat OU earlier in the season), OK State, Kansas, a stubborn Nebraska team, and even continued the fine tradition of annually destroying the Aggies of Texas A&M.

The Sooners lost by 10 to Texas, and have some other scores we can compare to see the strength difference between the teams:

Versus UT

OU lost by 10. Tech won by six.

Versus Kansas

OU won by 14. Tech won by 42.

Versus Kansas State

OU won by 23. Tech won by 30.

While I will admit that OU has come on strong recently, trouncing Nebraska and A&M, Tech should still be the favorite to win the game for three reasons.

TTU has a better rank, and I am sure there is a reason for it.
TTU has defeated a team that beat the Soooners.
TTU is undefeated, and OU is not.

If there were more reasons TTU should not be the underdog, they pale in comparison to these three. Texas Tech also deserves to be ahead of Alabama on the BCS. How you ask?

Not only were the Red Raiders higher ranked coming into the season (ranked 12 versus Bama's 20-something), but they also have beaten stronger opponents. At the time of the games, TTU has faced three of the BCS Top 25. Kansas: No. 23 at the time, UT: No.1 at the time, and Oklahoma State: No.8 at the time.

In the current rankings, TTU has the edge as well. While only two opponents of each school are still ranked, Bama's are No.10 and No.20 while TTU's are No.3 and No.13.

One last reason (like I need one) TTU deserves to be No.1 in the BCS Rankings

Texas Tech is the most exciting school to watch this year (as usual), averaging 47.9 points per game, while Bama hasn't even broken 50 yet.

Taking the two teams' averages and putting them together against each other (Tech's Offense—Bama's Defense, and Bama's Offense—Tech's Defense) would yield a final score of...

Texas Tech 30.5 points and Alabama 26.85 points.

There you have it, your new National Champions: Texas Tech Red Raiders.

UFC Championship Time: Couture Vs Lesnar

Nathan Lusk — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:25:46 -0500

The UFC is widely regarded as the best organization in the Mixed Martial Arts business. And lets be frank, Dana White is a very savvy business owner who knows how to be successful, investing a great deal of his own time and money into the venture. He has hit shows on Spike (one of my favorite channels for brain-bashing shows), a huge stable of fighters for great matchups, and one of the more recognizable brands in the sports industry.

With all that said, it is a wonder to me that Dana and his staff at the UFC think they can just pull the wool over our eyes and make a matchup between an MMA icon and a relative baby in diapers (at least to MMA)... And Dana and gang didn't just make the matchup, they're putting the championship on the line... And not only is the belt on the line, they are billing this thing as some "Fight of the Century" like Lesnar belongs in the ring with Couture legitimately. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?!?!

Exactly! Despite his newness to the Octagon, the MMA game, and obvious lack of striking experience compared to Couture (who once knocked out a world-renowned boxer, Vitor Belfort, with nothing but punches), Lesnar is going to win. What? That's not what you were thinking?

Let me tell you why you should be thinking that. Lesnar is waaaaay bigger than Couture, and other than Tim Sylvia (who we all agree has become kind of a wuss) Couture struggles against bigger guys. To be such a small heavyweight, Couture usually fights up a little on paper. Ricco Rodriguez, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Josh Barnett are all bigger than him. Sure Couture beat Gonzaga, but Gonzaga was still new to the game, and the UFC threw him to the wolves before he was ready. The other two guys, Rodriguez and Barnett, beat Randy up, both winning the striking game well enough to get a stoppage. Rodriguez got the submission to strikes, and Barnett scored a TKO.

So what does all this have to do with the upcoming Lesnar-Couture bout? Everything! Brock Lesnar is the most physically imposing and impressive man that Couture has ever, and will ever, stare at across the Octagon. Couture usually wins by getting his opponent down and pounding on him, but the odds of getting Lesnar down (also a world-class freestyle wrestler) are almost nil. To top it all off, Lesnar could bench press Couture's entire extended family all at once. He is a beast, a freak of nature, a true hulk.

While Couture may be the better striker, Lesnar is the better athlete (Couture is not used to that either); while Couture may be the better wrestler, he won't be able to bully Lesnar down; and while Couture may be the experienced veteran, Lesnar brings an explosive, lethal combination of power, size, speed, and just plain overall wow that Couture has never seen before.

My prediction: the UFC is about to have a new heavyweight champion, one who has to diet to get down to the 265-pound max weight for heavyweights. This new champion has more athletic skill, strength, raw power, and speed than any heavyweight the UFC has seen. This new champion will be the one and only Brock "The Raging Bull" Lesnar. (That nickname is my idea, I really want it to stick.)

The MMA world is about to become a new animal, and it will be a change led by a beast.