Bleacher Report - Articles by West Coast Bias

The Return of Michael Vick: Should We Just Forgive and Forget?

West Coast Bias — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:25:53 -0400

I would like to start this entry by informing you that it will be hard to find someone who cares less about character issues than me. I love watching sports and enjoy everything that goes along with it. But do I care that A-Rod was caught hanging out with Madonna? Not at all. I care about on-field production.

However, there are exceptions. I don’t care about character unless it interferes with team chemistry or with the player’s ability to avoid suspension (or in this case jail time).

For example, I would much rather have a player with a shady character if they’re a great team leader and have never done anything to warrant a suspension from the league as opposed to a player who stays out of trouble, but destroys the team’s chemistry (like T.O.) or takes illegal substances.

This brings us now to the case of Michael Vick.

My inspiration for writing this article is the constant babbling taking place (probably as you are reading this) about how Vick has paid his debt to society and any team would be wise to consider signing him.

I just wish that for once someone would man up and speak the truth. I would like for someone to throw out the possibility that maybe everything Vick has done or said has been to get back on the field and he really hasn’t changed.

I want just one commentator to mention that this is not an isolated incident, that Vick has been a character risk since the day he signed his first NFL contract.

And that is perhaps the main point I am trying to get at: That the dog-fighting scandal oversimplified the character problem that is Michael Vick. Even if you believe that he is done dog-fighting, there are piles of evidence to suggest that he will find some other way to get into trouble.

Michael Vick has been involved in numerous incidents with marijuana, including pictures that got leaked online and the airport incident in which he allegedly hid the drug in a water bottle (which is also not allowed on an airplane).

Vick was also caught on camera at an airport stealing an expensive watch. In 2005, a woman sued him for giving her genital herpes, claiming that Vick did it knowingly as he had previously received treatment under the name “Ron Mexico.”

This, of course, led to fans buying jerseys with Vick’s number and the name “Mexico” on the back. Of course, both of these incidents were settled out of court.

And we all remember how Vick flipped off all his fans, right?

All this happened despite repeated attempts by others to get him to stop hanging out with shady characters. Every incident happened even though the one before it happened and people are supposed to learn from their mistakes. So how are we to believe that he’s really learned his lesson this time around when he never did before?

And even though it’s easy to refer to the dog-fighting incident, many of the details get lost in the mess. Vick started this operation before he was even in the NFL. When caught, he lied and lied to the point that it took his friends being offered increasingly amazing plea deals in order to get the truth about what actually happened. He then violated his probation with a positive drug test while the trial was going on.

So again, why exactly should we believe that he won’t get in trouble again?

We make jokes about the Bengals having more arrests than wins and we all mourned the passing of the Jail Blazers. So why is Michael Vick so special? And why is every commentator on ESPN so spineless?

Is it not politically correct to point out that someone simply has poor character and that there is no reason to believe he will change? If you need a precedent, refer to Pacman Jones.

We live in a society that is quick to accuse, but just as quick to forgive and forget when it comes to our celebrities. While I do believe that Vick should be given the chance to live a normal life, I also believe that he is using the NFL to get back on his feet, and that without the inordinate amounts of money we give to our athletes as well as the unwarranted fame they so easily achieve, he’d still be in jail right now.

So here’s to hoping that 31 teams (I’ve given up on giving the Bengals any credit) are wise enough to stay away, to hoping that for once we will not all fall victim to the pitfalls of political correctness, and to hoping that the NFL does not again allow Michael Vick to use the league to fund his vices. And all this coming from a guy who doesn’t care what a player does off the field.

Here’s to hoping.

49ers Draft Preview: The Sleepers and the Busts

West Coast Bias — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:18:17 -0400

Don’t you hate it when all the mocks have your favorite team drafting a player you know will be a bust? Does the thought of Mark Sanchez sporting a 49ers jersey make you more nauseous than optimistic? Then this is the 49ers draft preview for you. First the sleepers, then the busts. Enjoy!

The Sleepers

1. Rey Maualuga—ILB

I have to start with Maualuga. It pains me how much the “experts” are underestimating him. I am a Pac-10 follower, and you know how many linebackers I’ve seen as good as him? Not a one. Mock drafters like to point to his stats, but USC’s defense was so good, it really doesn’t show how phenomenal he truly was in college. He’s a game changer, and a guaranteed stud.

Team him up with Willis, line up Haralson and Lawson on the outside with Spikes filling in off the bench, and that is a scary group of linebackers. I’m desperately hoping the 49ers are planning on taking him, but have just kept it quiet. If not, I just pray he doesn’t land with the Patriots.

2.Knowshon Moreno—RB

side note—I wrote this article before the San Francisco Chronicle released its draft preview, which argued for the 49ers taking Moreno.

This would sure screw up the draft, wouldn’t it? It might seem like a reach based on the other mocks, but I think Moreno is better than he’s getting credit for. I firmly believe in drafting for talent, and I’d much rather have Moreno than the three busts-in-waiting listed below.

People keep talking about the 49ers needing a big back to complement Gore, but I think Gore IS the big back. SF needs a quicker back to change up the pace. I like Moreno’s burst even if he isn’t blazing fast without pads on, and I like that he only played two years in college. Running backs only have a certain number of hits in them, and Moreno should have a lot left for the NFL.

And for all you skeptics out there, just know this—I cannot stand Georgia football. So the fact that I actually like Moreno says all you need to know.

3. Tyson Jackson—DE / BJ Raji—NT

You can’t have too much depth on the D-line. Raji will likely be gone, but if he’s there it’s the dream scenario for the 49ers. If not, I like Jackson as well. He’s the best 3-4 end in the class, and in case you didn’t pay attention the first time, you can never have enough talented D-linemen.

The Busts

1. Mark Sanchez—QB

Stop it everyone. Just stop it. It’s not going to happen.

Running backs project better with fewer miles on them, but it’s the opposite for quarterbacks. The best indicator of success is the number of starts they’ve had. As arrogant and self-serving as Pete Carroll is, he had a good point: Sanchez is not ready.

The 49ers are better off going with what they have, and not investing a ton of money on a longshot QB again. I was much more impressed with Leinart in college, and look at how he turned out.

Need another reason not to take him? How about the fact that Singletary is going to pass the ball about 10 times a game? No one talks about that, but it makes zero sense to invest money in a quarterback who won’t be utilized, no matter how good he is. That’s why drafting another running back is even more important.

2. Aaron Maybin—OLB

The argument here is simple: the Big Ten does not produce defensive players.

I was sure AJ Hawk would be a player, and now he is mediocre at best. And that Carpenter guy from OSU? Is he still in the league? And the others? How about Vernon Gholston? Anthony Spencer? Chad Greenway? Tamba Hali?

Donte Whitner is the only decent defensive player from the Big Ten to go in the first round in the last three years, and didn’t he just get arrested? Stay away from Maybin. Best case scenario—he becomes an OK player and then gets a DUI. Stay away.

3. Andre Smith—OT / Michael Oher—OT

Unless one the elite tackles falls, the 49ers are best off staying away from the offensive tackles. Besides, Smith is destined to be with the Bengals. They can’t resist taking a talented player with character issues. I’m sure the moment he got suspended from his bowl game, he shot right up the board in Cincinnati’s draft room. From then on, it just became a love affair.

The Bengals are the NFL’s answer to the Jail Blazers. If they line up Matt Jones and Chris Henry next to Ocho Cinco next year, I won’t even blink. Sign Ricky Williams to play running back and you have the sequel to The Longest Yard.

As for Oher, it’s a reach and I’m not convinced he’s an upgrade over what they already have. Why reach for him when there are plenty of other good players at other positions?

So there you go—three sleepers that nobody has the 49ers taking and three potential busts that many believe have a good chance of landing in the Bay. The 49ers keep talking about how they want to build through the draft, so this year could be critical in determining their future. So enjoy the draft everyone, and remember this: when Michael Oher is doing his best Kwame Harris impression, you heard it here first.

Predicting the Pac 10: An Early Forecast/Preview

West Coast Bias — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 21:44:15 -0400

The following is the predicted order of finish for the upcoming Pac 10 season. We’re going from the bottom up, so let’s start things off with the great state of Washington…

10. Washington

Sarkisian might bring this program back into the national spotlight, but it’s not going to happen this year. USC’s coaches are great recruiters, but not nearly as effective as developers of talent (more on that later).

As a result, UW will spend another season in Suckville at the bottom of the Pac 10. Another bold prediction- Washington may finish last, but they will win a game this year, maybe even two.

9. Washington State

Wazzu should savor not being in last for the time being, because they are looking to be a mainstay at the bottom once Washingtonturns things around. Watching them last year, you just get the sense that they are absolutely outmatched physically by every team (except UW).

A team could play sloppy and turn the ball over and still blow WSU out of the water. WSU fans, I feel for you.

8. Arizona

Zona fans won’t like this. However, this ranking is more about the strength of the Pac 10’s top 8 teams than about how bad UA will be. Having said that, losing Tuitama will hurt more than Arizona would like to think, and I’m not buying that Stoops has fully turned this program around.

7. Stanford

I like Gerhart and I like the energy and physical style of play that Harbaugh has brought to the furd. But it’s going to be hard for them to really break into the top half of the Pac 10 with the talent level where it is for the time being.

And I know nobody’s talking about it, but once Stanford gets decent, you know Harbaugh is just going to leave them for a better job. Perhaps Rodriguez gets fired and Jimmy leaves for his alma mater? Speaking of teams with head coaches destined to leave their current team once they can land a better gig…

6. Arizona State

Let the Dennis Erickson jokes begin! I like ASU, but now that Carpenter has exhausted his nine years of eligibility, they are destined to struggle, at least early on in the year. I’m thinking they’ll be the lowest-rated team to make a bowl from the Pac 10.

Either that or in an unprecedented move, an elite team will fire their head coachmid-season and elect to hire Erickson instead of an interim coach, and Erickson will have no choice but to accept, leading to ASU tanking it down the stretch.

5. UCLA

The talent is coming in, and things are looking better for UCLA. I expect them to get better every year for the next three seasons until the NCAA discovers that Neuheisel has been convincing UCLA basketball players to shave points to fund his “recruiting” efforts. For the time being, a bowl game seems likely.

4. Oregon State

Every year, I want to underestimate them. Every year, they lose to a horrible team early in the season, seemingly confirming my predictions. And every year, they turn it around and end up near the top of the Pac 10.

Riley has brought a certain level of stability and predictability to this program. Fourth seems high to me, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they manage to get even higher.

3. USC

Anyone can pick USC to win the conference title, but I’m going to show you why they won’t even finish second. Think of this year as payback for that horrible Sanchez press conference.

First of all, Pete Carroll is a phenomenal recruiter, and he hires other coaches who are young and enthusiastic recruiters. Because of this, he gets all the best players.

However, there’s a tradeoff—USC coaches are great recruiters, but they are content to let competition among blue chip prospects determine their depth chart rather than trying to develop the talent they already have. And this year, they just might pay for it.

New coordinators on both sides of the ball, new QB, new LBs. I know they have talent stashed away, but you don’t win titles with new quarterbacks. And with so much change, I think the Trojans will struggle at the beginning of the season.

By the end, they’ll probably be among the elite, but with an early game at Ohio State and playing away against both Cal and Oregon, I think they lose at least two games this year.

2. Oregon

I hesitated on this pick, but I decided to take a risk and really stick it to all the USC homers out there. I think Oregon has the potential to win the Pac 10, but with a new coach and the second coming of Onterrio Smith at running back, there’s reason for concern.

In spite of that, Oregon seems to always have talent stashed away at the skill positions, and if Chip Kelly turns out to be an even better coach than Bellotti, the sky is the limit for this team. If not, USC could sneak in at runner-up.

Pac 10 Title- California

Here’s what should scare teams about Jahvid Best—last year, he was coming off major surgery (yes I realize he had two surgeries this offseason, but they were very minor), had no consistent QB play, and had an offensive line severely depleted by injuries…and he ran for 1580 yards with 15 TDs and led the nation in yards per carry.

Cal has offensive lineman who were starting last year and are now struggling to hold on to a backup role. That’s how many injuries they had.

Again, there are concerns here, as there are with all the teams on the list. But Cal has so much talent returning. The secondary and defensive line are back, and the new linebackers are more experienced than others might lead you to believe.

All the receivers and running backs return, and if Riley (because he WILL win the job) can play the way he’s capable of playing, Cal could put together a very special season.

Utah to Claim 2008 Men's Basketball Title

West Coast Bias — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:26:07 -0500

Recent reports indicate that the Utah men’s basketball team plans on trying to claim the 2008 National Championship. This is an unprecedented demand by a team, especially since Utah waited so long to make this claim, and finished last year with a record of 18-15.

Said an anonymous player, “Look, I know we weren’t in the championship game. I know we weren’t even in the tournament, but is that really a good reason to deny us the championship?”

The player went on to explain how the team has always felt they were really the best team in the country, but waited until now to make their case because they were inspired by Utah’s men’s football team.

“Yeah, they definitely were an inspiration. I mean, they didn’t even play hardly any good teams and they seem to be making a great case for the title. So why can’t we? We had a way harder schedule than they did.”

Early indications are that the NCAA will not budge, and is unlikely to give Utah the basketball title.

Said the same Utah player, “That’s just ridiculous. We could’ve beat any team in the country if we played them enough times. If that doesn’t make us the best team in the country, what kind of criteria are they using?”

2009 NFL Draft: Projecting the Top-Five Quarterbacks

West Coast Bias — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:32:58 -0500

Even with the championship yet to be played, it's still not too early to take a look ahead to the 2009 NFL draft. As always, the debate will center around who should go where in the draft. However, I don't care about that nearly as much as I do how well a given player will perform once they're in the NFL.

The following is my own scouting report and predictions for the top-five QBs in the upcoming draft. Colt McCoy has not been included because he was smart enough to realize he would rather carve up the horrible Big 12 defenses than stink it up in the pros and has announced he will stay. Tim Tebow has been left out as he will likely spend his NFL days at another position (but still running over linebackers).

We'll start from the bottom and work our way up:

No. 5- Graham Harrell

Projection: round 4-6

Unless a team can draft Mike Leach along with Harrell, I doubt he will be a great pro. He would be best served practicing skills such as carrying luggage and how to handle the clipboard if he hopes to find a home in the NFL. Or maybe Belichick takes him and he becomes a franchise player, I don't know.

No. 4- Josh Freeman

Projection: round 2-3

Ron Prince is quoted as saying that whenever Freeman enters the draft, he will be the No. 1 pick. With talent evaluation skills like that, it's puzzling why Prince is currently unemployed.

Freeman is big, has a good arm, and is somewhat mobile. Perhaps his best assets are his experience and the fact that he's familiar with playing on a crappy team. Having said all that, I kind of like him. He's no first rounder, but I could see him being the kind of QB good enough to start one day. Think of him as a poor man's JaMarcus Russell, but he's not on the Raiders so he might have a chance to succeed.

No. 3- Mark Sanchez

Projection: late first- second round

Sanchez has not declared yet, but would be wise to ride his momentum to a higher pick than he deserves (somewhere, Matt Leinart is banging his head on a desk in a frat house). Sanchez is ok, but has just a year of experience under his belt. He's good, but doesn't do anything fantastic. Think of a young Gus Frerotte, only before he knocked himself out while celebrating a touchdown.

No. 2- Sam Bradford

Projection: top three

Everything about Bradford screams franchise player. He's put up gaudy numbers in back-to-back years. He's a winner. He plays well in the clutch. But is he NFL material?

While he could end up being a good QB, I have my reservations. When you watch him play, it almost seems like it's too easy. He's rarely pressured. His WRs always have about 10 yards of separation. I give him credit for putting up the numbers, but who was the last Oklahoma QB that didn't put up great numbers?

And how will he handle playing for a team like the Lions where you might as well play with four offensive linemen? Based on past trends, it seems that being able to play well on a crappy team equates to NFL success, likely because everyone is so even on the NFL level due to the parity, that the QBs who always were surrounded by superior athletes in college don't know what to do anymore.

Look at all the best young QBs- Ryan (who carried an inferior BC team) and Flacco (from Delaware) came from this past year. Then there's Eli Manning (Ole Miss), Ben Roethlisberger (Miami of Ohio), Jay Cutler (Vanderbilt), Trent Edwards (from a horrid Stanford team), and the list goes on.

Meanwhile, big program studs like JaMarcus Russell, Matt Leinart, Vince Young, and (cough, cough) Alex Smith have struggled, and Brady Quinn is a work in progress. Bradford could just as easily fit into this category.

In addition to all this, he plays in the Big 12. Oklahoma State gave up 42 to Oregon and Texas Tech gave up 47 to Ole Miss in their bowl games. If that doesn't tell you how bad Big 12 defenses are, then I don't know what will.

Side prediction- Bradford will struggle against a solid Florida defense.

Side side prediction- If he doesn't, he might move up on this list.

I could see him being good as a starter, but not top-pick worthy. Think Chad Pennington with a slightly stronger arm, but without a chip on his shoulder.

No. 1- Matthew Stafford

Projection- top 10

Well, Matt, you finally won me over. I still feel justified for not liking him after last year. Two full years of starting with no 300-yard games and a mediocre-at-best passer efficiency rating didn't justify NFL scouts drooling over him in my eyes.

To me, it seemed that everyone loved his size and arm strength, but didn't care that he really wasn't that good. And I do realize that having him ahead of Bradford directly contradicts my theory of drafting QBs that have to carry bad teams. However, the great equalizer for Stafford is the defenses he's already faced in college.

At first, I wondered what came first—the great defenses or the awful QBs? In other words—are SEC defenses really that good, or are the QBs in the conference just that bad? My conclusion—a little of both, but mostly the defenses are that good.

Now, I hate the SEC as much as the next west-coaster, but I must admit that the SEC knows defense. Stafford finished 15th in the nation in passer efficiency. This isn't mind-blowing, but this is: aside from Tebow (fourth) and Jevean Snead (21st), the next highest-rated QB from the SEC is Casey Dick at 68th.

I just find it hard to believe there are that many bad QBs in one conference, especially after most of them played pretty well in their bowl games.

As a result, Stafford's numbers look much better. He's played good consistent football (minus the Florida game) against stellar defenses and has improved each year. He may not be the next Eli Manning or even Matt Ryan, but he's the best there is this year. Unfortunately for him, that might land him in a Lions jersey.

An Argument Against a College Football Playoff System

West Coast Bias — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:36:26 -0500

Yes, you read that right. I’m not saying the current system is perfect, just that I’m not sure a playoff system would solve more problems than it would create. I do, however, want to start out by saying that having a January version of March Madness is appealing and intriguing to me, but that I ultimately think it makes more sense to keep the current system, and just not allow any Big 10 teams into any major bowl games.

Point No. 1: 12 Games of Excitement or Three?

Most people seem to favor an eight team playoff, which would make it necessary that a team win 3 games against elite teams to win the title. However, the current system requires a team to win at least 11 of their 12 games (often times all 12) to get to the title game, making each game intense and meaningful.

I just think this makes every week in the regular season so much more interesting. Every upset, every misstep by an elite program just means so much more in the current system. A playoff would be fun to watch, but I like knowing that each week could potentially change the entire landscape of the rankings. Maybe it’s just me. Yeah, it’s probably just me (but that doesn’t make it wrong).

Point No. 2: Playoffs = Less Games

Counterintuitive I know. But think about this: the current system has 12 regular season games for each team and a bowl game for all the good teams as well as Notre Dame. Adding a playoff system again adds three games for the victor (and the loser) of the title game, meaning two lucky teams get to play 15 games, almost an entire NFL season, only with school on top of it. You really think the NCAA would allow this?

Instead, they’d shorten the regular season by a game or two for EVERY team, meaning we’d be sacrificing 50 games or so just to get a couple extra to determine the champs.

So, let me ask you this—do you care more about watching your own team than you do about who wins the title? If you answered “no,” then you are either not a true fan or just a bad person in general. I’d much rather see two more games from my favorite team than have a playoff system so the Nick Sabans and Les Miless of the world can get more face time for their corrupt and overrated programs.

Point No. 3: Current System Rewards Consistency

It might sound cliché, but every team has a chance to prove itself on the field. If you lose even just one game, then you can’t blame anyone but yourself for not being in the championship game. Having said that, only an undefeated team in a major conference (SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac 10) has a gripe if they don’t make the title. However, this is an extremely rare and unlikely result (I think it only happened to Auburn).

For example, this year we have two one loss teams playing for the title. If USC wanted the title game, they should’ve beaten a slightly-better-than-mediocre Oregon State team. If Texas wants to whine (like they always do), then they should go back and look at how badly they got pounded by Texas Tech (I don’t care if it was close at the end. Tech dominated that game from the start).

The current format rewards teams that come out and play their best game every game. As a result, we get two teams that are likely to come out and play a good game. Does that make too much sense?

So, I’ll admit that there are problems with the current Bowl system, mainly that match-ups are often chosen based on the projected attendance, the extremely biased coach’s poll has too much of an influence, and the Big East gets an automatic BCS bid. Call me old-fashioned, but I think teams should be rewarded for having a good season.

If you win 12 out of 12 games, you shouldn’t have to win two more to get to the title game. I don’t care if the current trend is to beg and plead for a playoff system (as though it won’t lead to the No. 9 team complaining about how they got left out of the playoff). I think the current format is, for the most part, about as good as it’s going to get.