A lot hype and drama for what?

In about 10 hours time or when ever you happen to read this the transfer window will be opened. I remember the time when there was no transfer window when it was year round trade and I have to say I do like the window much more.

Not because it has a massive impact on the clubs I support, in fact it reduces the amount of time Arsenal can sell their best young players. But for all the drama and tension that builds through out the month leading up to that big day, deadline day. I mean when else would anyone read the sun newspaper or check BBC sport gossip column ever hour. The answer is never, but because of this transfer window you live in hope that some tabloid newspaper is linking your club with Messi or sky sports have seen Ronaldo's agent leaving a restaurant in Manchester.

The drama created has all sports fans talking its likely every headline in a sports newspaper for the next month will be about a transfer. Yet when you think about not much business gets done in the January transfer window. Players are over valued, very few players contracts expire in January and clubs are more tighter with their money as we approach the end of the financial year.

I again predict that there will be very little movement of players between clubs in particular towards the top end of the premiership. I'm sure deals will be struck and the mid to lower table teams will need to do some wheeling and dealing, but come deadline day we will all be glued to the TV. As Sky Sports Jim White takes us through the closing hours and will all hope our team makes that signing which will keep them up or take them to the top.

My question is what started of to help clubs out by preventing agents searching for better deals for their clients all year round has turned into a bit of a media circus and clubs respond to this. I have no statistics but I guess during the window more newspapers are sold, BBC Sport gets more hits on their web page and Sky Sports news has more viewers. All of which generates financial power for those media outlets, in response they put out more outrages stories and linking players to clubs to increase the interest amongst fans. Supporters then respond with haste by getting on the managers back if they did not bring a particular player in or let someone go, players that are brought in struggle to settle because its not the player supporters wanted. All in all resulting people losing their jobs. Therefore I think at some point and we are not at this point yet we need to be careful with how much media attention the transfer window receives because it can have detrimental affects on club.

I'm not for one moment suggesting we need to remove the transfer window or give it no attention because it does serve a purpose and I'm as guilty as anyone for falling to the drama it creates. We just need to be careful that we do not get swept away by in and clubs respond to fans by sackings managers or spending money in response to the fans craving supplied by the media. As this can only be bad for football.


Having said all that Enjoy the transfer window people and happy new year. Update on my bowl predictions I'm currently 1-1 with 2 games I predicted yesterday playing tonight. Here is tomorrows prediction there are 6 games tomorrow so I will give you a prediction for all games.

Gator bowl: North western beat Miss State
Heart of Dallas bowl: Oaklahoma State beat Purdue
Capital one bowl: Georgia beat Nebraska
Outback Bowl: South Carolina beat Michigan
BCS Rose bowl: Wisconsin beat Stanford
BCS Orange bowl: Flordia State beat Northern Illinois

Week 17 predictor

At the request of a friend and something I want to carry on over in to the playoffs I want to have a go at predicting the result of each match up this tonight. Remember though week 17 is the hardest week to make predictions as teams have nothing to play for and even rest players for the playoff so I'm starting with a hard one.

Tampa bay @Atlanta. Atlanta has got home field advantage and has nothing to play for. However they are unbeaten at home and need momentum in the playoffs as Mike Smith and Matt Ryan are 0-3 post regular season. Tampa Bay are on a five game slide this is an Atlanta win.

Jets @Bills. What a horrid game two bad teams who knows which way this goes. I think Sanchez bounces back from being benched and makes a few plays and Bills continue to make mistakes. Jets win.

Ravens@Bengals. Tough game this one as there is a chance they meet again next week in the wild cards. Ravens looked like they pieced something together last week against the Giants and if they do that again they will be looking good going into the playoffs. I just feel the Bengals offence will not be able to make enough plays but ravens offensive line needs to have its best game of the season to stop that Bengals from four. Ravens win a close won.

Jags@Titans. Not much to watch here as the AFC souths weakest teams match up. My predictions going on how well Jags played Patriots last week they carry that forward and beat the Titans but they are tough at home.

Bears@Lions. The Lions have been in shut down mode for about 3 weeks now and with a long injury list they are scrapping the barrel. Bears need to win in order to have a chance to be playing next week Bears beat the Lions but Johnson goes 2k and Stafford goes 5K.

Texans@Colts. Both teams going to playoffs for one team this is an achievement for the other it is what happens in the playoffs that matter. Therefore it's this team that wins tonight. Texans will run all over the colts over 200 yards on the ground like Chiefs did last week and JJ Watt gets his record with 2 sacks as the colts could not contain him last time they meet.

Caroina@saints. Difficult won to call both are not playing for anything just next season but both come in quiet hot. I like what Cam has done in recent weeks so I'm going with the Panthers who capitalise on some Brees turnovers.

Eagles@giants. Giants still have a tiny hope of playing next week but after their performances the last two weeks they do not deserve to be. This is going to be Andy Reids final game and so an emotional one for the Eagles, Vick is also back and he plays better of a rest coming in as more of a surprise. Eagles win this in an emotional game but I have limited confidence.

Browns@stellers. If there is one place I would not want to start an inexperienced QB it is Pittsburgh. Cleveland will find this tough with Lewis at QB, Big Ben needs a coming out game after last week so Stealers have their way in this one.

Cheifs@Broncos. Manning still feels the offence has not clicked yet and Denver could get number 1 seed tonight against a 2 win KC team. Denver win this and carry a lot of momentum into the playoffs, they will be playing hard tonight especially as KC have 5 pro bowlers in a 2 win team!

Packers@Vikings. This is going to be the best game tonight with loads to play for. Rodgers is playing lights out but the Packers are not great away from home this year and struggled shutting down AP in the previous match up. Vikings win and we get this as a re match next week, loss and they are watching the wild card games on TV next week. The atmosphere will be amazing and it will be tough for the Packers but they squeeze by and knock the Vikings out.

Miami@New England. Brady gave the team a dressing down following last weeks performance, they will bounce back in dramatic style this week and win big. They are also playing for seeding. Miami has no chance.

Raiders@chargers. Chargers have a talented team and played the Jets well last week and could not possible loss their 6 home game. Raiders have looked bad for a few weeks Norv goes out with a win. Chargers win.

Cardinals@49ers. San Fran chocked big time last week and most bounce back and will do in a similar style to New England. They are a talented team and will be upset after last week they will not allow themselves to go into playoffs with two straight losses. San Fran wins comfortably.

Rams@seahawks. I love the Seahawks at the moment they are playing great football and are unbeaten at home, they can also still win the West. Seahawks win this game but Fisher you have built a good team in your first year well done Rams.

Dallas@Washington. What a game, the NFC East is up for grabs I a winner takes all match. RGIII has had a great year and the offence built around him is brilliant, Dallas has done a nice job fighting back this year and look a better team. This is close and could come down to a field kick but I take Dallas with Dez Bryant being the difference maker.

Tow bowl picks for tomorrow evening: LSU to beat Clemson in the Chick-FilA bowl and Vanderbilt to beat NC State. Happy bowling

Walcott the striker part 2

Two weeks ago I wrote a blog abut Theo Walcott and playing him as a striker rather than a winger. In the blog I wrote about how Walcott's best position is as the main striker and that Wenger needed to play him there on a more consistent basis. Walcott has played in this position since and most recently scored a hat trick against Newcastle and arguably had he best game.

His overall performance without the goals was much better, he plays much better moving into space which he can not do in the more freedom he has up front. As I mentioned in my previous blog his finishing is much improved and probably the best at Arsenal as proved with already scoring more goals this season than he has in any other full season. This then gives him the confidence to run at people with the ball which I honestly do not believe he is great at but can have moments of utter genius like the third goal today.

Walcott when confident and played in the correct position is a very valuable player to Arsenal football club. I said in my last blog that this run of games playing in a position Theo is more happier in may have come to late and Walcott was already considering a move away from North London.

This next month is so crucial for Arsenal they need to finally show they can hang on to a player who is hungry, young and playing his best football. Something they have been unable to do for the last 6 years. If Walcott leaves in January or walks out in the summer as he will be out of contract the Arsenal fans will be singing the same song "same old Arsenal".

Walcott is the centre piece to this young team full of home grown talent, it is imperative they re-sign him. It will also mean a lot to the club, it will show they are still ambitious and can hold on to their young talented players. I think Arsenal may not need to go out and make too many signings if they can sign the most in form english striker. Arsenal have given a lot of time to Theo over the last 6 years helping with his development and giving him his big opportunity. I ask him to be loyal now, Theo give back to this great club and be the centre piece for the future.

I will also make this prediction if Walcott re-signs his contract Arsenal do not make a single transfer coming into the club this January.

Tomorrows bowl prediction: TCU to beat Michigan State in the Buffalo Wild Wings bowl. MS have not played well all season and will not match TCU offence.

Chip Kelly NFL coach

Following Sunday and week 17's games comes black Monday. In the NFL world this is the day when head coaches who have not had a successful year get the chop. One of the most likely candidates to be axed is Andy Reid, the Eagles have a playoff caliber roster and ambitions to match this.

I'm not going to discuss Ried's legacy or all that he has accomplished in Philly but rather look at one of the people who could replace him. Oregon head Chip Kelly who still has the Fiesta bowl to take carry off, will more than likely be sort after by many NFL teams. Kelly runs a dynamic, quick scoring spread offence in Oregon which excites some NFL GM's. If the spread offence could work in the NFL is a topic I will discuss in a future blog, but many offences are looking for dual threat QB who can spread defences out and can hurt them with their legs and arms key features of a spread offence.

Kelly would be very interested in the Eagles job, the organisation in the past have given personnel decisions to the head coach something which will attract Kelly. Also the opportunity to work with Michael Vick will attract Kelly, as Vick will be a good QB to use to integrate his spread offence with. There are also many pieces in place with regards to the roster to help Kelly win straight away. Not being an Eagle fan but I could imagine this will be a popular choice with the fans as he not only has a winning mentality but a style of football the fans want.

I do strongly believe that Reid will be fired on Monday but I'm not saying Kelly will be his replacement it's just a good match. Kelly will be highly sort after by other teams as well but teams may also turn a cold shoulder on him as he does lack any NFL experience.

Tomorrows bowl selection
Pinstrip Bowl Syracuse to beat West Virginia in a very high scoring game.

The forgotten 2

Since the last blog much debate has been created as to who is the most dominant player in sports. First of all before revealing the two people I did feel I missed out I need to clarify my argument. I'm not arguing who is the best sportsmen of all time or even this current era because as I explained Johnson would not even enter that argument as he has never won anything. So how could he possible be compared to the greatest heavy weight champion Mohammed Ali or 5 time NBA champion and 6 time NBA MVP Michael Jordan.

My argument is no one currently dominates their sport either physically or through performance no matter what the opposition do. I will admit my argument is slightly bias as many of you know I am a huge Detroit Lions fan and Johnson is one of very few bright spots that has got me through a dark season.

I was pleased to see many people had a guess at the two sportsman who have dominated in a similar way to Johnson, if it was a discussion with me personal or through a forum or on a social media sight it created some good debate. Shout out to the following people who got it correct. Nigel Hume, Robert Owen and Rupert Collett. They mentioned either Roger Federer or Tiger Woods.

Starting with Woods I think the current man is not a dominant golfer although come a major he still has this ora surrounding him that he is still fancied as a favourite and magic could happen at any moment. This arises from when he was dominant, in a period between 1999- 2002 Woods won 7 out of 11 majors and on a number occasions by quiet a distance. It's this dominant period when his performance level was vastly above anyone else in the sport that golfers still fear today. This is a clear display of dominating within sport and is comparably to the dominant spell Johnson is having with gaining a ridiculous amount of receiving yards.

Federer like Woods and unlike Johnson belongs in that greatest sportsmen of all time debate as well as this one. Federer is similar to Woods in the fact he has not dominated by having any special physical tools like Johnson's speed or size but through performance and dominating all competition. Federer has dominated other a larger time scale than Woods, out of the last 32 grand slams Federer has won other half of them (17). This is remarkable when there has been other great competition in the world of tennis during that era, Federer on a performance level has dominated.

Congratulations to those of you that guessed correctly, back to more current affairs tomorrow. Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas, thank you to my gorgeous fiancé who said yes to marrying me on Christmas Day.

Most dominant player in all of sports

Today's blog is going to really create some debate so please feel free to throw your two penny in as I always do! On Saturday evening history was created as Calvin Johnson wide receiver broke a long standing NFL record for most receiving yards in a season. It was mid way through the second half and Johnson already had over 5 catches for over 150 yards when he ran another crossing route which took him over Jerry Rices record of 1848 receiving yards for this season. This record was set in 1995 so think of all the receivers that have had a go at beating this record Moss, Owens, Bruce, Harrison, Wayne and Johnson to name a few.

What's most amazing about this record is the team Johnson was able to achieve it with. When Rice set the record he was with the 49ers who had just won a string of Super Bowls and had talent all around him. Johnson plays for the helpless Lions who are now 4-11 with a lack of talent around him. Every team that plays Detroit knows that Johnson is not only the biggest threat but this season has been the only threat. Therefore teams game plan for this, he could probably count on one hand the number of times he has seen single coverage this year. The majority of the time Johnson is double teamed normally with a safety over the top of a corner. He can even be triple teamed as I have seen many times this year, Arizona several times last week put two people right on Johnson at the line of scrimmage like you would over a gunner in punt coverage to try and prevent him getting the ball. Yet he still managed over 100 yards receiving. The only way I could make a comparison to soccer to help people understand, is if Mancherster United played Arsenal Manchester United just stuck two players say Anderson and Carrick on Corzola for the whole game. Both players following him every where continuously marking him preventing him form having any space or possession. This is what Johnson receives week in and week out.

Yet Johnson is still able to go on and have the best season by a wide receiver in NFL history how is this possible. This then made me think Johnson has blown all competition out of the water in the NFL but how would he compare to other sports is he the most dominate person in all of sports. When you watch Johnson (like I have every game for last 4 seasons) he not only dominates opposition through his performance but also in his physical makeup.

Johnson is 6-5 and weights 232lbs making him one of the biggest wide receivers in the game which is not unusual there are plenty of big receivers. The only difference is they can not run 40 yards in 4.32 seconds, let me put this in perspective Chris Rainey who went to the Olympics this summer with team USA as a back up 100 meter runner ran his 40 yard dash in 4.4 seconds. Johnson's sprinter speed, size which is the wingspan of two full size garages and huge hands which means he rarely drops a ball is why Johnson is a match up nightmare and why he is the most dominate player in the NFL.

Comparisons to other sports could be made to James or Jordan in the NBA, Tendulkar or Warne in cricket, Phelps in swimming and Messi in football. I'm sure I have left some true sporting legends of the list and I'm sure they may even make better comparisons but these were the ones that I thought off. If I take some of these quickly, James is the one that probably dominated his sport in a physical way like Johnson does. James is an absolute beast and was at his most dominate when he played in a poor Cleveland team, since being in Miami James has learnt that for the best of the team he does not need to be as dominate but play his role within the team. Messi no doubt has dominated this year in la ligua scoring a record amount of goals and this is something that should not be taken lightly. However Messi plays alongside some of the best footballers in the world which has helped him achieve this great fate. Johnson does have some talented players around him but Detroit is not the Barcelona of the NFL not by a long shot. Johnson has had to achieve this single handed.

The best comparison is to Phelps who like Johnson does have a physical advantage in his sport and from all accounts is a hard worker and committed again like Johnson. The only difference I would say is Phelps has had success, a lot of success holding the record for the most Olympic medals. This is something Johnson has not achieved he has never won a playoff game let alone a Super Bowl. Phelps though will not be at the next Olympics and so while its not official is pretty much retired. Therefore Johnson could still be the most dominate player in all of sports, currently.

I just want to finish with saying well done Mr Johnson what you have achieved is amazing and a record I hope stays for a long time. It's how you went about achieving this though which I think is the most amazing thing teams know you were going to be the focus of the Lions offence yet you still dominated all competition. To make this statement untouchable that he is the most dominate sportsman on the planet he needs to be successful and win a Super Bowl then this will not be opinion but fact. Good luck Megatron in your hunt for 2000 this weekend.

Bowl games how does it all work...... Who knows

I have been a fan of football for 10 years including college football, yet I will happily admit I still do not fully understand the bowl system. To me it appears very unfair and creates a lot of controversy. To top it all its all going to change again in 2 years. Today I will attempt to explain the system as well as add in my usual strong opinions.

The hope of writing this particular blog it to further develop my own understanding of the bowl system but create some discussions with people who do understand it a bit more than me. The first place to start may seem a bit simple but you need to understand this before going any further. College division I teams are all in conferences and whilst playing through out the season to win their conference teams are also ranked. This ranking is done by a whole host of things including polls, results and a very complicated computer system. It is from these rankings that the BCS or national championship game is decided, the top two ranked teams then meet in the final bowl game of the season for the national championship, this year number 1 ranked Norte Dame play number 2 Alabama.

Four other bowls make up the bowl championship they are the Rose bowl, Orange bowl, Sugar bowl and Fiesta bowl. The champions of the six leading divisions all earn an automatic birth to one of these bowls. For example the BIG 10 champions always play in the Rose bowl unless they have been selected for the national championship. The remaining places at the bowl games are then selected by the bowl committees but the team must be ranked inside the top 14. This is where I have a bit of a problem with the system because a bowl committee sole objective is to make their game the most lucrative game. Therefore when selecting teams to play in their bowl game they generally choose big colleges with not too much travelling so that they can make the most money. This seams really unfair to me how a team ranked low can be picked to go to a bowl game over a team ranked higher because they are a more attractive option.

Another rule I do not like is that only 2 teams per conference can play in the bowl championship. I again feel this is unfair, take this year for example the SEC has dominated college football and everyone knows all the best teams are in the SEC. Five of the top 10 in the BCS rankings were associated to the SEC. Therefore more SEC teams should be in the bowl championship. I would like to see all the top 6 conference champions represented but then the extra or at large spots filled by the best ranked teams, this year SEC teams.

Bowl season does not just comprise of the BCS bowl games but also includes another 30 non BCS bowls. These bowls have contractual agreements with conferences assuming their is enough bowl eligible teams available. For example the outback bowl is always played between the BIG 10 and SEC.

I'm not the only person to have doubts over the current system as come 2014 the whole system will change. College football wanted a playoff system something like Basketball has in March. The details of this system are still very unknown. From what I understand it will be made up of four teams selected by a panel or more than likely a ranking system maybe even the BCS. The semi finals will be rotated around the current BCS bowl sites with the championship final played some where neutral. I'm more than happy with this mainly from a supporters view because we finally get a college playoff system something that has been desired for a long time. We also lose this poor system where teams are selected to the more prestige's bowls based on attractiveness. The drama that is created in college hoops through march as they enter the playoffs is something special and now football will be able to achieve something similar.

There are still many factors to be decided such as what happens to the current BCS bowls and where are they played alongside lots of contractural negotiations for rights to these games. However I have had an idea which not only slightly expands this new system to make it even better and give the fans 1 more playoff game but also solves a lot of the contractual problems. Why not keep all four BCS bowls so they still make all their money and keep them happy but the teams who play in it are decided by this new panel. The four winners then play in a semi final and then final for the national championship. I maybe missing something but I think that's a good system for fans, colleges and bowl partnerships.

Bowl predictions

Last weekend was the opening of bowl season in college football and as we draw in on Christmas and the new year the bigger bowl games are fast approaching. Nearer to the time I will talk about different bowl games in more detail and look how the 2014 bowl post season will look different. For now I just want to make a few predictions regarding some of the marquee games.

There is no better place to start than the BCS national championship game. The SEC champions Alabama will take on the unbeaten fighting Irish. Alabama are 10 point favourites in this game which may surprise some people as Norte Dame are unbeaten but the SEC is the power house of college football and I would probably put Florida or Georgia as favourites over them as well. It will be a low scoring game as two defensive teams go hard but I think Bama win by 9 points.

Another matchup that catches my eye is the Rose bowl PAC-12 champs Standford and BIG-10 champs Wisconsin. Wisconsin are bit of a surprise to be in the Rose bowl as Nebraska was tipped to win the BIG -10 but they destroyed them in the championship match through running behind Monte Ball. The win was so comprehensive that's the reason I'm taking them in the Rose bowl, they will lean heavily on Ball again and I predict them to take it by 3.

I'm going to make a third prediction so you can use it as a treble if you want and I'm going to predict the Outback bowl. There are lots of other bowl games I'm excited about like the cotton, capital one and fiesta bowl but the outback I thinks going to be a classic football match. It pitches Clowneys South Carolina up against Dernard Robinsons Michigan. Clowney goes up against Michigan's left tackle Lewan both all Americans and this is going to be a battle to watch. I think both teams will put points on the board and Robinson in his last game produces one last moment of magic so Michigan win their second bowl game in a row. Michigan to win by 3.

Bowl season is one of my favourite times of the year and I will discuss the process of BCS bowls and other bowls and NCAA football in the future alongside discuss some of the match ups in more detail. Enjoy the predictions.

Future of Basketball in UK

Yesterday I blogged about the allocation of UKSports elite funding money in preparation for the Rio 2016 games. After reflecting for a day about all this news I am even more disappointed on its impact on basketball than I first thought.

Over the last few years the GB basketball team has come along way and much effort and money has been put in to raise the standard. In the Olympics this summer team GB soundly beat China ranked 10th in the world and then came with even 1 point of beating silver medalist Spain. Team GB currently has two players in Luol Deng and Joel Freeland playing regularly in the NBA. With Deng being one of the best players in the league. While there are also several players in Americas top colleges including senior Anthony Lawerence who plays at Charleston and is a lock to be drafted into the NBA next year. This shows the current wealth of talent in team GB and its because of the funding GB basketball has had which has helped support players through competing in America and supporting the national team in FIBA competitions.

So what's the future for the GB Basketball team, immediately it is probably okay because they have this wealth of talent which is establishing itself at the highest level. GB Basketball has also committed to FIBA competitions for the next couple of years. However it's the long term future or legacy that looks a bit more worrying. There will be limited funding available to plough into grass roots to inspire the next generation. As well as less money available to set training camps up in America were all the best facilities and competitions are like before they did prior to the London Olympics. There will also be less support from GB Basketball in establishing players in the college ranks in USA unlike what was available for Anthony Lawerence.

This really does worry me because I see an opportunity for basketball in this country. There is no reason with a little bit of commitment and lots funding why we can not be second in the world. We already have some great talent and could further add to it so in years to come we have a complete team. I'm going to do my bit, as a PE teacher I'm going to commit to Basketball in the curriculum just like I would to other English Sports like football or cricket. I'm going to do my bit lets hope UKSport can do their bit and add a little funding.

UKSport money allocations

The Olympics have been and gone and we have celebrated this year in amazing style at this weekends Sports personality of the year ceremony. It was back to work today as UKSport announced its money allocation for Olympic sport in the build up to the Rio games in 2016.

First off all UKSport have set themselves and team GB a challenging target but also an exciting one which if achieved will only go on to enhance the legacy of this years great games. UKSport have set the target of achieving more medals in Rio than Team GB achieved in London, a fate no hosting country has been able to achieve in the following games.

In order for Team GB to achieve this they will need to make strides forward in some sports they did not do so well in this year such as swimming and continue to dominate in sports such as rowing and cycling.

There was no surprise that it was the rowing and cycling teams who were the most successful teams in the Olympics got the majority of the pot of money, both receiving over £30 millions in the next four years. Big wins came from teams that over performed and beat their targets such as equestrian, boxing and gymnastics all receiving above 10% increases. I do not pretend to be an expert in any of those sports but boxing and equestrian I feel are sports we could dominate in again in Rio and score lots of medals. Gymnastics will also be tough mainly due to the nature of the sport being so young and the focus countries like China and Russia place on it.

Of course this pot of money is not endless and so some sports did see a cut. However it most be noted overall more money has been made available in preparation for Rio. All of this money coming from the public sector. While sports like Swimming will get all the headlines for being the biggest losers in the cuts because of a disappointing medal tally this year. The bigger losers for me are those sports that got some funding because it was a home games but will have no funding for Rio such as basketball and handball.

This is where the real Olympic legacy will be tested. UKBasketball know that they would receive no funding for the next four year cycle back in March, however this does not mean they do not aspire to be there. They already have a plan "T16" in action to ensure they qualify for the games. There funding will be raised through commercial ways such as hoping to host Euro basket in forth coming years. Of course it's a long shot that GB will be represented in Rio in sports such as basketball and handball and even more of a long shot if they were to win a medal. However it would be a real measure of our Olympic legacy if one of these teams made it to the games or one of the sports such as swimming or badminton who had their funding dramatically cut were to win medals.

I think in 2016 we can begin to measure how much of an impact this Olympic legacy has had. Can teams that have no funding or funding cut rise from the ashes and can sports we dominate in continue to dominate.

Walcott the striker

We are just 14 days away from the transfer windowing being open and 6 months away from Theo Walcotts contracting expiring at Arsenal. There are no franchise tags to place on him it's either re-sign him, sell him or let him walk for free in the summer. This makes it more than likely that Theo is sold in this forth coming transfer window.

How has it come that Arsenals so called golden boy and saviour is going to be allowed to walk away from the club that gave him his chance at the top level. Well Walcott and Arsenal have been at stand off now for over a year regarding this contract and there are two real sticky points. The first being the usual thing and expiring contracts at Arsenal, players demanding more money. Arsenal have the money and could cave into his demands if they are prepared to move from their strict stance on players contracts (which I do admire).

The real sticky point is Walcott wants more playing time and more importantly the opportunity to play as a lead striker the position he feels he is best at. Wenger has been reluctant to not only play him regularly in recent years but when he does start him as a winger. If I throw my two penny in I have always believed he is a natural top man. The best use of his pace is to run on to balls rather than with the ball down the wing, for a quick man he is not the most natural dribbler. Running on to the ball he is very dangerous. Over recent years the most improved aspect of his game is his finishing, when he first entered Arsenal his finishing was below par now I actually think he is decent in front of goal. Again making him well suited to playing as a striker.

Guess what, Wenger plays him up top tonight against Reading. He not only scores a goal but it was also one of his best games in an Arsenal top. The question I have has this come to late, has Walcott already made his mind up to leave. This will all be answered within the next 6 months as an Arsenal fan I hope he stays but more importantly Wenger continues to play him up top.

The one thing I want to leave you with tonight is this thought, what if football were too use a salary cap. Players and rich owners would not hold as much power and you could even tag a player when his contract expires to prevent him leaving and creating obscure demands. Would it create a more fair and balanced premier league?

All Americans

Sorry for a few days without blogging I had a trip to London with my girlfriend in preparation for the seasons festivities. However that does not mean for one minute I'm behind in the sporting world. Yesterday while in Nike Town I took us out the wrong way so I could catch a glimpse of the football scores on the big screen!

Earlier in the week ESPN announced its All American team prior to bowl season kicking off this weekend. There were not to many shocks in the list but there are a few people I would like to discuss.
QB Johnny Manziel
RB K Barner (Oregon)
RB M Ball (Wisconsin)
WR M Lee (USC)
WR T Williams (Baylor)
TE Z Ertz ( Standford)
OT T Lewan (Michigan)
OT L Joeckel (Texas A&M)
OG J Cooper (North Carolina)
OG C Warmak (Alabama)
C B Jones (Alabama)

DE J Clowney (South Carolina)
DT D Moore (Texas A&M)
DE S Tuitt ( Norte Dame)
LB J Jones (Georgia)
LB M Te'o ( Norte Dame)
LB K Greene ( Rutgers)
LB M Mauti (Penn State)
DB D Milliner (Alabama)
DB B Roby (Ohio State)
DB P Thomas (Fresno State)
DB E Reid (LSU)

It would be easy to discuss the people left off of this list but I truly believe all of the players on this list are worth All Americans. I'm going to pick out a couple of players and focus on the ones who are more then likely going to make the step up next season to the NFL.

First person for me is Lee from USC he has dominated at the wide receiver position for a couple of seasons now, and even had a good year this past season when USC have not lived up to all their pre season hype. Lee is just in his sophomore year and as I understand will be back in USC next season. He is far more dynamic than the number 1 receiver taken in last years draft Blackmon was a top 10 pick and so when he does enter the league he can be expected to have his name called earlier. The numbers help prove how dynamic he is the average length of his 15 TDs was 40+ yards and by the time he leaves the PAC-12 he will hold most of the receiving records.

The next big left tackle to come out of Michigan is Lewan who played left tackle this past season but is probably more a right tackle at the NFL unlike the previous Michigan tackle Jake Long. He is built like Long 6-8 300+lbs but is not quite got the technique Long had coming out of Michigan but he is a quicker learner look at the steps he has made from his sophomore year. From all reports its believed this junior is likely to come out this season I would like him to come out following a senior season as he maybe a top 5 talent by that time. However now he has lockdown any rusher on his side of the line but is even more impressive in the run game, majority of UM run comes behind him.

In a couple of weeks Lewan has one final task this season shutting down the best pass rusher in college football this season Clowney. Clowney another sophomore in this years list as had a phenomenal year and at times looked unblockable. He lead the SEC in sacks with his combination of power but most of all speed. They say the game gets quicker at the next level which makes me think Clowney will be fine as he has tremendous speed and could be the next big 3-4 OLB pass rusher. In the forthcoming outback bowl it's going to be a great match up between Lewan and Clowney.

The last person I want to discuss is the lone returning LSU secondary member safety Eric Reid. Being the only returning member of that great defence meant he had to stand up as a leader which he was not able to do last year. Reid is known for his tackling skills and this will transfer over to the NFL, but this year we were able to see his closing speed and short area burst. He may not go in the top round of the draft but which ever team gets him will be getting a good player.

While I set of wanting to discuss likely NFL players in the 2013 season a number of these players will be in the same college stadiums on Saturday nights next season. That's not to say one day these talented All Americans will not be playing their football on a Sunday.

Week 14 review

I wanted to do this earlier in the week but other topics jumped in to be discussed in the moment. Week 14 of the NFL has to be my favourite week so far this season, so much quality football played unless your named Arizona, so much drama and so much playoff ramifications.

The best place to start is the first game on Sunday Washington travelling the short journey to Baltimore to tie in with my weekend discussion of derby days. Both teams are in a similar position or are now because of the result. They are both more than likely headed for the playoffs but have too many holes to go deep into January and those holes were exposed in this game. Baltimore look the more solid team behind a solid running game from Ray Rice 120 yards and a couple of big explosive plays from Flacco and to me this is how that offence is built and it works. Washington did what they do allow their rookie QB to make plays and drama this time it was not RGIII but Michigan State Cousins. Coming on in the fourth quarter to throw a game tying TD. It was a great game to watch not much defence a lot of drama late on in the game and two running backs I like a lot.

The second port of call is to see last years rookie of the year come over his sophomore slum. He ran riot over Atlanta both with his feet and through the air and was too explosive for them to contain. Atlanta appear to be poor timers to me wether this be giving up points at the wrong time or turning the ball over at the wrong time. I fear for Atlanta when they get to the playoffs because as a team I'm not sure they have taken that next step. Then on to another playoff bound team, well potentially in Seattle. Whoever the team are to stick 50 points on a team and shut them out is a great effort and i truly believe Lynch is one of the best backs in the league and most under rated. When he is in beast mode he is really good and can't be stopped. The best news of all is the Lions are playing Arizona this weekend.

The final game I want to talk about was the return of the Big Blue. Drew Brees has had the giants number for some time and I was worried for the giants as they can not afford to slip up too many more times in a competitive NFC east. However Brees has never come across Stevie Brown before who is a ball hawk and playing better than any safety in the game currently. He reads the game so well and reacts to the ball in the air brilliantly and then turns playmaker. Eli for me was a little inconsistent and I'm not too sure he is playoff read but I have no worry he will be come January and to add in Wilson on the ground New York look pretty complete. Plus they always get better as the season goes on.

Week 14 you were amazing and I did not even mention megatron closing in on rice, Tebow and the jets and New England beating the Texans which could get a replay in a months time. Week 15 try and live up to that.

Arsene is it time....

I was meant to blog about the wild week 14 in the NFL this evening but following Arsenals shock cup exist at the hands of league 2 Bradford City and a great debate that followed with my brother an Arsenal fan, I changed topic.

Our debate centred around the same topic should Arsene be told to leave. First a bit of back round, we are both true loyal arsenal fans and have been all of our lives. His argument is Arsenal should move on with out Arsene its nearly 8 years with out a cup and Arsene's transfer policy is frustrating. My argument is we should be loyal to Arsene we were a middle table club when he came to us and he brought us 15 consecutive years in the champions league and many trophies. The main point to my backing of Arsene is finishing in the top 4 and qualifying for the Champions league in my opinion is better than any cup apart from the league title and actually winning the champions league.

To begin with and maybe a few months ago both our opinions were quite polarised however recently I feel myself agreeing more with him when we discuss Arsenal. This is mainly because Arsenal have fallen well outside the top four positions in the league and have now been dumped out the cup by a league 2 side. I personally feel the great club of Arsenal is closer and closer to a serious period of change.

I'm not one for removing one of the best club managers in world football and rather a change of policies. In Arsene Wengers first few years as Arsenal manager he was regarded as a transfer guru bringing in unknown players for a cheap price and turning them into world beaters take Henry and Veria to name a few. With many of these transfers Wenger had his arm twisted by the old chairman David Dean he at times insisted certain players were brought in helping with Arsenals development and success. Arsene trusted Dean and went along with these players and on a number of times together they were able to make successful transfers. Since Dean left, Arsene has never had that relationship and trust with the chairman which has resulted in him maybe not being as active especially towards the top end of the transfer market and also maybe making some bad choices.

I'm not saying for one minute Arsenal have the wealth to compete with teams like Manchester City but looking at their turnovers Arsenal defiantly have more money available than they have been spending in recent transfer windows. It is now time Arsene needs to trust himself and the people around him in the transfer market and bring in players which are proven and can seriously make a difference not young players who can be developed.

My other main concern is the formation Arsene persists on playing 4-3-3 this is a topic I will discuss another time. For now as we fast approach the transfer market I think change needs to occur not in the form of removing one of the greatest managers on earth, but a change in policy. Arsene needs to trust himself and the people around him to make smart decisions which include bringing in some proven talent to play around the young talented players in place.

Closer to the transfer window I may do a blog as too who I would target if I was Arsene please let us know who you would target?

Wild week 14

Quick blog tonight as I have been at my cricket clubs AGM all night!

What a wild week week 14 was in the NFL and its not even finished yet as the number 1 ranked team in the AFC Houston Texans travels to New England this evening.

I will not go through performances and results this evening I will save that for tomorrow's blog as there is so much to discuss. Just a few quick things that stood out for me. Have Carolina laid out a blue print that has been in the making for the last couple of weeks in how to beat Atlanta. Not a good sign if this is the case as we near the playoffs and their big monkey or Matt Ryan's big monkey is to win a playoff game. Who would have thought we would see Cleveland win three games in a row and they look a real talented young side who will be dangers next season. How do you put this Indianapolis team away, teams look like they as going to beat them yet Luck hangs in their and produces the most unlikely wins. They are not Super Bowl contenders this year but Luck has all the abilities to be one of the best QB's ever to have played the game and will likely lead his team to a Super Bowl.

These are just a few quick thoughts without even mentioning the 50 burger Seattle put on Arizona. I will discuss the week in more detail tomorrow.

Derby day

In light of the Manchester derby that means so much to both sets of fans that took place today I thought it would be interesting to have a discussion which derby or rivalry match is the best.

Generally when you think of derby days in soccer you think of two teams that share a city, where fans are divided between the two teams. Like Rangers and Celtic, City and united or Everton and Liverpool where work colleagues, family members or friends for one day do not talk and are desperate for their team to destroy their close ones team. I think over the last couple of years the United and City derby has risen quickly to the best derby in the country. It did not use to be because there was such a gulf between the two teams now with City and all their money at their disposable they have become the league champions. Not only now do United share Manchester with City but both are competing for the same trophies. This is one derby I can only for see getting bigger and global.

I think when people think of sporting derbies they also think of sporting rivalries such as England v Australia or Packers v Bears or USA v Europe for the Ryder Cup. These sporting rivalries do not have to be within a few miles of each other but you can create that derby day atmosphere and competition between two sides even if they are on opposite sides of the world. Take the Ashes for example competed between England and Australia no where near each other but both sides label it as their top priority and fans will save for a life time just to travel as the away fan base to support their team. The number one goal for any English or Australian cricketer is to take away the ashes from their main rival and this goal has not changed for decades and probably will not.

Sporting rivalries are more common than derby matches in countries like USA because of the huge size of the country. Towns and cities traditionally have one sporting team per sport and every one supports that team. That makes these sporting rivalries not just two teams going head to head but two cities or towns. Maybe the biggest rivalry of them all is where when two of Americas largest Universities clash, there can be over 100,000 spectators in attendance, they traditionally are two of the most successful football teams and it normally decides who is going to win the BIG10 conference. There is nothing in comparison to the Michigan Ohio State rivalry, for me this match up produces some the best drama in sport. Both colleges are desperate to win as it means so much, it normally produces fantastic finishes and talked about for days after.

No matter what sport you follow or play you always have a rival. This team could be located just round the corner creating derby days where a town or city could be split in half or they could be on the other side of the world. No matter who your rival is there is no better sporting match up. I finish with one final question what's your favourite sporting rivalry?

Young's time is done

Detroit Lions attempt to end a a four game loosing streak when they travel to Green Bay this weekend. It was three weeks ago when the reverse fixture took place that Titus Young finally drew his last breath as a Detroit Lion.

In the game the second year pro was not happy with how many times he was being targeted and so he took it upon himself to intentionally line up multiple times in the wrong position. This then boiled over to an argument between wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator Scoot Linehan resulting with Young being benched for the remainder of the game.

This is not the first time Young's actions have cost the team in fact he has had several incidents where he has not seen eye to eye with the coaching staff or his teammates. Most notably in the pre-season where he was banned from the team facility for throwing a punch towards safety and defensive leader Louis Delmas. This is not a new thing to Young he came out of Boise State as a productive and explosive receiver but also with red flags surrounding his character and lack of maturity.

The lining up in the wrong position was the icing on the cake for coach Schwartz as he suspended Young for one week. He was not seen at the Lions next fixture against the Texans and was not allowed at practise. Young returned to practise the following week in preparation for the Colts game but was not selected in the 46 man squad and was told to stay away from the stadium. This week it has been announced he is to have an operation on his knee and so puts an end to all the speculation if he will play again this season.

However what about the long term future surrounding Young. In my opinion Young has no chance of playing for the Lions again, he has lost all the respect of the locker room and most notably the leaders of the locker room. The coaching staff appear resigned to the fact Young will not be on the roster as well. I believe the Lions will not find a trading partner either as everyone is not only aware of his character concerns but also that he has no future in Detroit. This will ultimately lead to cutting him in a time when the Lions needed him to step up. Next season Nate and Broyles will be returning from surgery and so will take time to get up to full speed which would have given Young a great opportunity. Now the Lions will need to be active yet again in the off season to find some depth at the wide receiver.

I want to finish with this final point not as a Lions fan (which of course I am) but as someone when young growing up all I wanted to do was play professional sport. If I had been given the opportunity Young had been given I would have done everything to remain at that level and not done anything to harm. I have also played in hundreds of sports teams and not once would I even consider doing something to hurt the team just to make a point. It therefore hurts me as a sports fan to see someone waste the amazing talented they have and opportunity they have been given. The Lions will be better of without Young but Young will also be better of without the lions, he could easily end up at some where like New England or Baltimore where their great leadership can help him mature because their is no doubt he is a talented player.

Captains curse

Hi guys sorry no blog yesterday, got OFSTED in today and tomorrow so as you can imagine left little time for blogging. However only one more day of them and can not do any more planning so blogging time.

What a performance from England's Test captain Alistair Cook today his 23rd test hundred and now the leading hundred scorer for England. He also past 7000 test runs and is the youngest Englishmen in doing so. He has developed a technique and temperament that makes him well suited to batting at the highest level. He knows the areas he can score in and yet in his 86th test you can still see him learning and developing his shot play, such as adding the sweep into his game over this tour. It's a scary thought how good he could be in 5 years when he will only be 32 and have over 10,000 test runs to his name and 120 test caps. However what comes as the most surprising stat for me in what was a day of stats, is this is Cooks 5 test match as captain and this is his 5th century one in each test he has captained England in.

When Cook was announced as test captain following Strauss it did not come as a surprise to me but I did worry. It's always a worry when you make one of your better players captain, how will it affect their ability to do their primary job in Cooks case open the batting. Well Cook has answered this question and not just answered it he has left no one wondering. It almost appears to have helped his batting he thrives on the opportunity to lead from the front and take responsibility for scoring a good portion of England's runs.

Yet this is not unique to Cook, Australia have recently made Michael Clarke the captain of their test team and have also been repaid with buckets of runs. Clarke has had a phenomenal calendar year being the first man to score over 200 runs in 4 innings and over 1300 runs. This is easily Clarke's best year as a test match batsmen yet it is also his first year as captain.

This is quiet remarkable when we look back, it use to be a curse being named captain of your nation especially as a batsmen. Ganguly when he was first named Indian captain struggled to score runs and was moved all around the batting order to try and find some form. Other great players also struggled such as Lara and Atherton, hence this is where the worry came from when Cook was named as captain.

Cook and Clarke may not have broken the curse as I'm sure it will come to haunt future captains including captains of Australia and England. Cook and Clarke are just exceptions to the rule. They are both young and will go on to have record breaking careers and could end up the leading run scores of their nations respectively. What helped them have this success is they both had good captains to learn from, they are both young but very experienced players and their batting roles where settled within the team therefore if they were captain or not nothing needed to change.

Test nations and future test captains can learn from this model as it is with out doubt a model of success, but it also helps having some very talented young players.

Heisman trophy finalist

Just a short one from me this evening as I have still not recovered from the Lions walk off loss to the Colts on Sunday and this evening the young gunners are playing in the Champions league.

The big news coming out of college football today alongside with the BCS bowl rankings (which I will discuss later this week) is the Heisman trophy finalists. The three well deserved players are Kansas State quarterback Colin Klein, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and Norte Dame line backer Manti Te'o. All three players are fully worthy of their trip to New York this weekend and all deserve the right to be crowned Heisman winner.

I have one clear winner in my opinion and I will take you through why Manti Te'o come Saturday afternoon should hear his name called. There is no bigger leader currently in college football and for leadership skills alone he is probably the best leader since Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. He is not only the emotional leader of his team but also sets the tone and example on the pitch. He is the best defender in college football he is always around the ball, tackles with force and is a playmaker. He impacts the game not only in the backfield like any good linebacker will but he creates turn overs. He has the second most interceptions in all of college football this season and he plays linebacker, this fact alone is staggering.

By definition the Heisman trophy winner is deemed to be the most outstanding footballer in college football. Johnny Manziel or Johnny football as he is being known as has put up outstanding numbers but I believe Te'o is the most outstanding player. After all he has lead his team to the nation championship and an unbeaten season. Yet to fully understand how good Te'o is you need to watch how much he impacts the game by sticking on his tape. Lets hope the voters this Saturday have watched their fighting Irish tape.

Ricky the great

How great is Ricky Pontings career? Will he go down in the ICC hall of fame? Will he be one of the those batsmen all future Australian and world number 3 are compared to?

Only time can answer these questions but I already have my answer. Today in Perth, South Africa dismantled Australia with a day to spare and retain their position as the best test nation in the world, yet this is only a sub headline. The headline coming out of Perth is all about that one man yet this one man nearly had a very short career.

Back in Leeds 2001 the fourth test in the Ashes which Australia had already won Ponting was hanging on to his position in the team by his finger nails. Justin Langer was due to come back into the team in the next test after a long injury and Ponting was the out of form batsmen who was going to loss his place. This was his 46th test but he already looked the odd man out with vastly experienced players around him and had only scored more than 50 runs in a test match once in his previous 8 matches. I still remember this test strongly as its were I formed a love for an Australian the only one apart from Nicholas Babcock. He was gritty at the start as England bowlers continuously past the outside edge and then when he was in he took the attack apart. He went on to score 144 and 76 in the second innings and this was the real start to Pontings career.

Perhaps how I will also remember Ponting is a man who looked so vulnerable at the start of his innings. You could often getting him pulling the wrong delivery or dragging him outside off stump and nicking him out early on. Once past 30 or settled at the crease and more importantly those feet moving there is no better batsmen to take an attack apart. Once Ponting is in no captain had a plan of attack. He was lethal against short pitched bowling perhaps the best modern puller and hocker of ball. When those feet were moving no one needed less effort to push the ball through the covers or mid on or even check it over the top for 6.

It's hard to pick a highlight out of a career which included over 13000 test runs at average of over 51 and lasted a staggering 168 test matches. In 2003 Ponting scored back to back double centuries I remember this not because of Pontings excellence but the look on Ganguly the captain of Indias face as to not only how do you get this man out but how do you stop him from scoring.

That's how I will remember Ricky Ponting a great batsmen who was versatile to all conditions and could put any bowling attack to the sword. He will most certainly go down in the hall of fame because 13000 test runs do not grow on trees. When I look to pick any team in the future I look for a number 3 who is gritty and can bat in all situations and when they are in score big runs at a quick rate putting all the pressure on the opposition. Therefore unfairly comparing them to the great Ricky Ponting.

Bell or Bairstow

On Wednesday England cricket team go into the heart of Indian cricket, Eden gardens to try and win two test matches in a row. England produced one of its best performances away from home to win last week in Mumbai where the English spin attack out bowled its hosts counter parts. Yet it's the English team who face a selection conundrum.

Ian Bell who missed the second test because of going home to be at the birth of his first child is set to return. This is more than likely going to come at the expense of young Johnny Bairstow who was unlucky to be given out when he should not have been, caught using the aid of a helmet and fielded superbly close to the wicket for our spin bowlers. The argument which I heard Angus Fraser having on the radio today is which one of these should play.

I believe Bell should defiantly play he does not have a great record in the sub continent but is one of the best batsmen in the world. If England have learnt anything from this summer and the KP debacle it is you play your best players. Bell has the capability to score big test runs against any attack and is a naturally attacking player of spin. However he should not come in at the expense of Bairstow. Bairstow is again another good player of spin as shown in his recent Lions tours of the sub continent. I think Patel should be drop, he has added nothing with the bat and England believe Bairstow is the better bat hence which one of them played as a batsmen against South Africa. His bowling is no longer needed because England have finally got the balance of their side right in these conditions including both Monty and Swan.

England must continue to stay on top of India and the way to do this is to pick your best players in these conditions and drop all dead weight. Having Bell back at 5 makes the top 5 really strong again with lots of experience to draw upon and the capability of scoring as Gooch outs it grandad hundreds. While picking Bairstow at 6 ahead of Patel means your picking the better batsmen, an attacking one who is also by a long way more valuable in the field.

Good bye Patel welcome back Bell.

Introduction

Hi everyone,

Probably should have done this as my first blog but I just wanted to get my fury out for the lack of respect my favourite sportsmen Ndamukong Suh was not getting.

I'm a PE teacher and have studied sports coaching at University and am always surrounded by sport of some what. I currently play cricket and have played at a decent level but my number 1 love has to be American Football and Detroit Lions. Try calling me during a Lions game and you will talk to my answer phone I watch every game without fail.

I do have some favourite sports teams which will more than likely feature heavily in my blog but I'm just an all round sports nut and will talk about cricket, soccer, football, basketball and many more.

Please do comment and discuss the matters I raise but most of all enjoy reading.
Mike