National Writer Predicts 16-0

Twitter: @James_Rapien



Most national sports-writers make picks for the NFL season, but when Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com predicted that the New England Patriots would go 16-0 many people were dumbfounded. Media members referred to Prisco as "insane," while others didn't take him seriously. Prisco followed it up by saying the Patriots would lose in the Super Bowl to finish 18-1.

"As you rip the idea of an undefeated season, I dare you do find a loss on the New England Patriots' schedule as of right now.Pick one. I couldn't. I have the Patriots rolling to a second undefeated regular season in the past five years.Of course, it's probably not going to happen. But that's what made this so much fun to do.I had no idea the Pats would be 16-0 until I tallied up the records after inputting all the scores."

If this seems like deja-vu, it's because it is. The Pats also finished 18-1 in 2007. To repeat that feat and win 18 straight games just to lose in the Super Bowl would be devastating, but that isn't the question that should be asked here. Is it possible for the New England Patriots to finish 16-0 in the regular season and advance to the Super Bowl?

In 2007, they added a downfield threat and future Hall-of-Fame receiver with Randy Moss and reception machine Wes Welker. Pair that with Tom Brady and this team had tons of firepower. Can the 2012 Patriots replicate it?

First, the Patriots added the down field threat they were missing last season with Brandon Lloyd. Lloyd thrived under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels system when he was the head coach in Denver and that was without a quarterback like Brady. He is familiar with the offense and could be the Moss-like threat the Patriots had in 2007.

The Patriots defense had veterans on their team in 2007 and in 2012 they will have defensive anchors like Vince Wilfork and Jerrod Mayo. However, they added an abundance of young defensive talent in the draft with players like Chandler Jones and Donta Hightower. Both will compete for starting positions this season.

It seems silly to predict that a team will go undefeated, especially because it is so rare in the NFL. But, with the additions of Lloyd, Jones, and Hightower, the Patriots will be more dangerous than ever. Don't forget they have the best tight end combination in the league with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. There is so much talent on offense, that if the rookies can contribute on defense, the New England Patriots could go undefeated. Don't forget the Patriots do have one of the weakest schedules in 2012.  One thing is certain, the Patriots will be favored in every regular season game this season. 


Pete Prisco can't control whether or not New England finishes with undefeated record, but one thing is certain, they will be contenders once again in 2012.

Can the New England Patriots go undefeated in 2012? It is possible
with an abundance of talent and a weak schedule.

Follow me on twitter: @james_rapien

NFL Network Analyst: Dolphins Should Sign T.O.

It is no secret the Miami Dolphins are lacking reliable wide receivers heading into training camp.Everyone also knows wide receiver Terrell Owens is looking for a job after being unemployed last season.

NFL Network Analyst Jamie Dukes says the Dolphins should sign the 38 year-old veteran wide receiver.

"The guy [Miami] needs to bring in -- I’ve said it before and I will keep saying it -- is Terrell Owens,” Dukes said Friday on the NFL Network. “Terrell Owens, I believe if healthy, is a top-25 receiver. He had a great year in Cincinnati and Chad [Johnson] and T.O. have worked together before in Cincinnati." 

People will think it is a joke when they hear Dukes suggesting the Dolphins sign Owens, however I am not laughing. Owens is a proven NFL player and a future Hall-of-Famer. Just a few seasons ago Owens and Johnson played well together, but I do not think this team will go after T.O.

The Miami Dolphins are a young team who need to see what they have in their young pass catchers. T.O. does have a place in the league. I think he would fit well with the Carolina Panthers. Owens wouldn't be able to bully second-year quarterback Cam Newton and this would give the Panthers two legitimate wide receivers by pairing Owens with Steve Smith.

There are a few other teams that Owens could work well with, but I don't want to speculate too much. Overall, T.O. does have top 25 ability like Jamie Dukes said, but the Miami Dolphins do not seem like the place for him.

The Johnson-Owens duo played well together in 2010, but Miami fans shouldn't
hold their breath on a Batman and Robin reunion this season.

Chad Johnson Vows to be His "Normal" Self

 Chad Johnson is done taking all of the blame for the way things went in his one season with the New England Patriots. Johnson vowed to be his old self, explaining his plans for this season.

"I'm going back to my normal ways," Johnson told the newspaper after a photo shoot for Zico Coconut Water. "My normal ways, when I was at my best, when I got fined, look at the production those years. Usually things don't go right when you try to change the way you do things. I'm back to normal. My personality was controlled last year. You didn't hear me at all last year. Zero. Zilch. When my mouth is running, it forces me to perform. It's never been vindictive. I never got anybody in trouble. ... When I can be me, I am loose. Everything just flows for me, whether it's the style of play, the way I learn."

 Chad Johnson has been one of the most entertaining players of the past decade, so last July when he was traded to the New England Patriots, most people thought he would become a favorite target of future hall-of-fame quarterback Tom Brady. 

Johnson never got on the same page with the Patriots and struggled the entire season. His 16 receptions for 276 yards and 1 TD were all career lows. He was released from the Patriots in June and within a few days, became a member of his hometown Miami Dolphins.

 The wide receiver formerly known as 'Ochocinco' says that this season will be different from day one of training camp.

“This season is going to be a monster year. I don’t care who’s playing quarterback. I’m going to have a great year,” Johnson said. “The first day I get to camp, everybody’s mouth can drop [the bleep] open. My game is at the point where it doesn’t matter who starts at quarterback. Oprah can play quarterback and we’ll be all right.”

 Hopefully, Johnson can recapture his old form and give the Dolphins a threat on the outside to replace wide receiver Brandon Marshall who they traded in the offseason.

Chad Johnson vows to regain his old form and prove his doubters wrong
 this season as a member of his hometown Miami Dolphins. 

Follow me on twitter: @James_Rapien

Cincinnati Bengals First-Round Pick Injures Knee

When thinking about a young team that is coming off of a playoff season last year, Cincinnati Bengal fans have plenty of reasons to be excited.The Bengals start training camp tomorrow and although Bengal nation is still very optimistic for this upcoming season, they were knocked down a peg or two when news broke late Tuesday night that first-round draft pick Dre Kirkpatrick fractured a bone in his knee and will be out for training camp in its entirety. Dan Hanzus of NFl.com writes:

"Kirkpatrick injured the knee while preparing for training camp, creating a situation where the Bengals could potentially withhold pay from the former Alabama standout. He will fail the team's physical and land on the physically unable to perform list."

 The odds of Kirkpatrick having a big impact on the field this season weren't great anyway. Now, Kirkpatrick could find himself starting the season on the PUP list with fellow defensive back Leon Hall. Kirkpatrick is weak in coverage and would needs to develop before becoming a starter for the Bengals. However, starting his career off with an injury and not being able to start his on-field development definitely hurts any progress coaches had planned for him during training camp.

The Bengals will look to third-year player Brandon Ghee and veterans like Adam "Pacman" Jones to play a major role this season. Their star defensive back Leon Hall is expected to start the season on PUP list for the first six weeks while recovering from an Achilles injury suffered last season.


More news on the Kirkpatrick injury and Bengals training camp news when it breaks.

Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick injured himself
"preparing for training camp"
according to sources.

Follow me on twitter: @James_Rapien

He Got Game- Ray Allen aka Jesus Shuttlesworth

In honor of Ray Allen joining the Miami Heat, here's the FULL length movie 

Allen starred in entitled 'He Got Game.' Enjoy!

NBA Offseason Winners and Losers

The last time I posted on here it was a celebration of the Miami Heat winning their second NBA Title and the coronation of King James. Now, just a few weeks later, the journey for a second-straight championship begins for the Heat, while the rest of the NBA works to become the next world champ. The draft and free agency have been very entertaining and I felt the need to recap some of the biggest moves this offseason so far. Here are the winners and losers:

Winners: 

1. Brooklyn Nets: Deron Williams and Joe Johnson bring some stability to the Brooklyn Nets. This will be one of the better back-courts in the league and the Nets should become a playoff team in their first season in Brooklyn. They could get even better if they can pull off a trade for Dwight Howard. If not, Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace are solid third and fourth options, respectfully. No team has improved more in free agency than the Nets with the acquisition of All-Star Joe Johnson and by retaining Deron Williams.

Deron Williams looks to lead the new Brooklyn Nets
to the playoffs in 2013.

2. Los Angeles Lakers: It seemed as though Steve Nash was headed to the Toronto Raptors. They offered him more money than anyone else, and were hoping to make him the face of their franchise for the next few years. If he wasn't heading to the Raptors, he was going to New York where he could rejoin Amare Stoudemire and try to make the Knicks a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. But, the 38 year-old veteran decided something no one expected. He joined the Los Angeles Lakers and will pair up with Kobe Bryant to give the Lakers a Hall of Fame back-court. Nash will have a big impact and instantly turns the Lakers into a contender who are also in the market for Dwight Howard. 

Steve Nash (left) and Kobe Bryant (right) will join forces in purple and
gold after having some classic battles in the playoffs over the years.

3. Boston Celtics- The Celtics were only one game from the NBA Finals in 2012 and it's no secret they're on a mission to beat the Miami Heat and return to the NBA Finals. They are well on their way to doing that with their offseason additions. They had a great draft by selecting Ohio State Forward Jared Sullinger and Syracuse Center Fab Melo. Both players add length to the front-court and can learn from future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett. Garnett was a free agent until he signed a 3-year deal with hopes of one more title run. The Celtics also resigned Brandon Bass and are in the process of agreeing to terms with Jeff Green. However, adding veteran shooting guard Jason Terry may be the best move of all. He is a spark plug off of the bench and shows up in the clutch. If Ray Allen re-joins this already deep team, the sky is the limit for the aging, yet deep Boston Celtics. 

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett would like nothing more than
to win a second NBA Championship.

Losers

1. Dallas Mavericks- The Mavericks were hoping to land a superstar this offseason and instead they've lost some of their own. They missed out on Deron Williams and that led to Jason Terry departing to Boston. Steve Nash  decided to go to Los Angeles instead of reuniting with the Mavs. It'll be interesting to see what Mark Cuban and the Mavericks do, but they are just a year removed from a championship and now they are in danger of missing the playoffs.

2. Orlando Magic- The Magic are stuck with the players they have because free agents do not want to play for the Magic until the Dwight Howard situation gets resolved. Howard is holding that franchise hostage..... literally. 

The sooner Dwight Howard is in a different
jersey the better for the Orlando Magic
organization and their fans.

3. Houston Rockets- The Rockets had dreams of acquiring a star (maybe 2) and becoming instant contenders. Instead, they are left without a point guard and are likely going to miss out on the one they have signed to a contract. The Knicks have said they would match any offer for restricted free agent Jeremy Lin. The Rockets have also agreed to terms with Center Omer Asik, but the Bulls will have three days to match the offer starting on July 11th.  The $25 million deal seems a bit much for Asik if you ask me. 

Houston entered free agency with two point guards, but after trading
Kyle Lowry and free agent Goran Dragic signing with Phoenix,
the Rockets are left hoping the Knicks do not match
their offer for Jeremy Lin.