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      Shanahan names RGIII the Redskins’ starter and hey, why not?

      May 7, 2012 /

      Mike Shanahan apparently only needed one rookie minicamp to name Robert Griffin III his starting quarterback.

      My question is, what took him so long? I’m shocked Shanahan didn’t walk to the podium at Radio City Music Hall and made the announcement while Griffin was busy hugging Roger Goodell.

      If anyone is surprised that Shanahan has already made this decision, don’t be. He gave up first-round picks in 2012, 2013 and 2014, as well as the team’s second-round pick this year so why not start Griffin right away? There’s no reason to wait.

      “Any time you pick a player with the second pick of the draft and you give up another two No. 1’s and No. 2 and you move up four spots, you’ve got a game plan in mind,” Shanahan told Mike Jones of the Washington Post. “We’re going to adjust our system to what he feels comfortable with, and we’ll watch him grow, and we’ll do what we feel like he does the best.”

      You never want to rush a quarterback when he’s not ready but what is Shanahan to do, hold an open competition at quarterback when everyone knows Griffin is his guy? Shanahan has seen enough out of Rex Grossman to know that he can’t win with him under center for 16 games. Why delay getting Griffin much needed experience in his first season?

      Given the success that Matt Ryan, Sam Bradford, Cam Newton and Joe Flacco had as rookies over the past four seasons, there’s no reason to think that Griffin can’t turn the Redskins into an immediate winner. But his success will depend on how well Washington’s shaky offensive line protects him next season.

      Left tackle Trent Williams tested positive for banned substances ten times in September and October according to a report by Pro Football Talk.com last December. Thus, he’s one more screw up away from potentially serving a long-term suspension.

      On the other side, Jammal Brown continues to battle lingering left hip and groin issues while left guard Kory Lichtensteiger is coming off November ACL surgery. Granted, the Redskins did draft three offensive linemen last month but who knows whether or not any of those players will be able to make an impact from Day 1.

      But even if the Redskins decided to use a banner made of papier-mâché as their offensive line, Griffin will be their starter. He was destined for that role the second Shanahan swung that trade with the Rams.

      External Sports, NFL

      Brandon Marshall opens up about Junior Seau’s death, depression

      May 6, 2012 /

      In an op-ed for Sunday’s edition of the Chicago Sun-Times, Bears receiver Brandon Marshall discussed Junior Seau’s passing and the difficulty that NFL players have with depression.

      “Looking at the situation with Seau and other cases with retired athletes, I think our focus should be more on why the transition seems to be so hard after football. As athletes, we go through life getting praised and worshipped and making a lot of money. Our worlds and everything in them — spouses, kids, family, religion and friends — revolve around us. We create a world where our sport is our life and makes us who we are. When the game is taken away from us or when we stop playing, the shock of not hearing the praise or receiving the big bucks often turns out to be devastating. The blueprint I am creating for myself will help not only other athletes, it will help suffering people all over.”

      Marshall makes an excellent point. What happens when fans stop cheering their name? What happens when they’re not adored and admired? What happens when they stop getting everything handed to them in life?

      That last question isn’t meant to be crass – it’s reality. Because of their gifted athletic abilities, players are privileged from a very young age. They’re used to people making them feel special and handing them opportunities. All of a sudden when that’s gone, what happens? Talk about a transition.

      Marshall’s right – what happens when the lights finally go down? Many athletes only know one life and once that’s over, they often don’t know what to do. I talk to former athletes and a lot of them same thing: It’s jarring when their playing careers are over. Some know how to handle it, others don’t.

      We can assume that Seau had mental troubles stemming from using his head as a battering ram for 20 seasons in the NFL. And if he had the same condition as Dave Duerson, then we’ll find out soon enough.

      But maybe Marshall is right and concussions aren’t the only problem – they’re just part of a bigger, more frightening picture.

      External Sports, NFL

      2012 Kentucky Derby Predictions

      May 5, 2012 /

      The 138th running of the Kentucky Derby takes place today, Saturday, May 5. If you’re looking for some guaranteed winners to pay off the mortgage and set up the kids’ college funds, they’re below.

      WIN: Dullahan (8/1)
      Apparently Dullahan likes the synthetic surfaces better than dirt but I like the trends attached to this contender. Three-time Derby winner Kent Desormeaux will have the mount today and the No. 5 post position has produced 12 Kentucky Derby winners since 1900, which is tied with the rail for most victories. Dullahan is also coming off a victory at the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass and finished second at the Grade III Palm Beach on March 11. The fact that he doesn’t have six career races under his belt scares me a little, but Dullahan has displayed great closing speed in recent races and I like him to at least finish in the money.

      PLACE: Bodemeister (13/10)
      Bodemeister is the favorite to win Saturday’s race, although Union Rags has the exact same odds. Either way, what attracts me most to Bodemeister is the winning combination of trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith. Baffert has won three Kentucky Derby races in his career (2002, 1998, 1997), while Smith won the 2005 Derby aboard Giacomo. Bodemeister only has four career races under his belt but he finished second at the Grade II San Felipe on March 10 and won the Grade I Arkansas Derby on April 14. No horse has won the Derby that has not run as a 2-year-old since 1888 but I like Bodemeister to finish in the money.

      SHOW: Take Charge Indy (11/1)
      Considering he’s 5-0 in his career, I thought long about putting Gemologist in the money. But at the end of the day, how can you go against Calvin Borel? The man has won three of the last five Kentucky Derby races and he’ll be coming out of the No. 3 post position, which means he’ll be able to get to the rail faster. Take Charge Indy is also coming off a victory at the Grade I Florida Derby in which he went wire-to-wire.

      Other contenders that caught my eye: Gemologist (8/1) and Went The Day Well (25/1)
      As previously mentioned, Gemologist hasn’t lost in his five-race career, while Went The Day Well is trained by H. G. Motion and ridden by John Velazquez, who were the winning pair for Animal Kingdom last year.

      External Sports, General Sports, horse racing

      Bryce Harper unlikely to be sent down

      May 4, 2012 /

      One of the better storylines from the first month of the 2012 MLB season was the Washington Nationals, who now have a walking headline playing right field for them.

      Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo admitted to the media that rookie phenom Bryce Harper is unlikely to be sent back down to the minors after the club called him up a week ago.

      “We’re no dumb either,” Rizzo told the Washington Post. “This guy is performing admirably in the big leagues. We feel he’s got a chance to really impact the ball club. He’s a special talent. So you have to throw ordinary development curves out the window if you have to.”

      Harper is currently batting .375 over his first 16 at bats and he’s shown off his rocket of an arm. He’s also playing extremely hard, most notably running out routine fly balls on the base paths. Say what you want about Harper being overly confident (also known as “cocky”), but the guy is “Charlie Hustle” out there right now.

      The bottom line is that Bryce Harper is good for baseball. All good, young players are. And if he succeeds, he’s going to be great for the game for a very long time. Hopefully he’ll continue to rake, play good defense and flash speed on the base paths.

      This game needs its budding young stars and it’s great that, at least for the moment, Harper is here to stay.

      External Sports, MLB

      Report: Terrell Suggs out for the season after tearing his Achilles’ tendon

      May 3, 2012 /

      Perhaps the Ravens didn’t select Alabama defender Courtney Upshaw just because he was a value in the second round.

      As it turns out, they’re going to need him to be a major contributor this season.

      According to 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore, Terrell Suggs is out of the 2012 season with a torn Achilles’ tendon. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has already confirmed the news (so you know it’s true) and reported that Suggs injured himself playing basketball. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year will apparently have surgery sometime next week.

      This is a massive blow for a team that has had Super Bowl aspirations the last couple of seasons. Suggs is coming off his best season as a pro while recording career highs in both sacks (14) and forced fumbles (7). He was part of a Baltimore defense that finished third in both yards (4,622) and points allowed (16.6).

      Heading into the draft it didn’t appear as though linebacker was that big of a need for the Ravens, even after Jarrett Johnson signed a four-year deal with the Chargers in free agency. But with Suggs on the shelf, the Ravens were fortunate that a first-round talent like Upshaw fell to them in the second round. (Although GM Ozzie Newsome clearly wasn’t desperate to add marquee defensive help since he traded out of the first round entirely. Still, he was fortunate that Upshaw slid out of the first round.)

      The Ravens will now rely on Upshaw, Paul Kruger and Pernell McPhee to pressure the quarterback next season. 2011 second round pick Sergio Kindle was reportedly on the roster bubble (or would be heading into training camp), but his job appears to be safe for now. The Ravens are going to need bodies after the injury to Suggs.

      External Sports, NFL

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