Author: maggiepilloton

The New Pacific Division Rivalry

NBA analysts usually just pencil in the Lakers as the winner of the Pacific Division each year, but this year, the Lakers are struggling mightily to find an identity and two other teams in the Pacific Division are playing at a much higher level. The Clippers are ranked #1 in the Pacific Division as of today, and the Warriors are ranked #2. These two times have never occupied the top two spots in the Pacific Division at the same time. Both franchises are known as ones that haven’t had much success in their history, so no one saw it coming that both these teams would be this successful at this point of the season. However, both teams are clearly on the rise. The Clippers and Warriors have already played twice this season, and both games have resulted in a Warriors win. Both games had very different tones though.

The first game was on November 3rd, 2012 in Los Angeles. It was the only the third game of the season, and the Warriors were 1-1 going into the game. The Warriors were a very different team back then. Andrew Bogut was resting his ankle this game, and the Warriors had just lost their sixth man, Brandon Rush, for the season with a torn ACL. The Warriors rotation was a little different back then. First of all, Festus Ezeli started his first game of the season, three games into his rookie year. Also, Andris Biedrins didn’t play at all this game, meaning the Warriors went small for the majority of the game, Charles Jenkins didn’t play any minutes either, Draymond Green played only five minutes, and Richard Jefferson played 22 minutes.

The Warriors led by as many as 14 points at a couple points in the game, but it was mostly a close game throughout. Fans were able to see intial signs that the Warriors were improving. First of all, the Warriors won the rebounding battle 48-33 and held the Clippers to 42.9% shooting, which was a good sign since rebounding and defense were always the Warriors’ problems. In addition, Stephen Curry took a charge on a Chris Paul drive to the basket that would have tied the game with 7.5 seconds left. Curry hasn’t been known as an elite defender, but starting in this game, he has shown signs of much improvement on defense. Curry then made two free throws with 6.9 seconds left that sealed the 114-110 win for the Warriors. Curry finished the game with 23 points and 4 assists. The Warriors also got a huge performance off the bench from Carl Landry, who had 23 points and 10 rebounds. Klay Thompson also chipped in 17 points and 8 rebounds. After the game, Mark Jackson said, “We don’t quit. We had every reason to quit, but we gutted it out and we defended. It was just a great win for us. I am extremely proud of my guys.” The Warriors determination and constant effort are traits that were developed early on in the season and have continued to grow since. To read more about how the Warriors have improved this season and how they never give up, click here.

To watch highlights from this game, click here.

The Warriors and Clippers met again on January 2nd, 2013 in Oakland. Oracle Arena was hosting a “Whiteout” that included all fans wearing white shirts, a snow machine outside of the arena, and several other displays of the holidays. It surely was a festive night at Oracle Arena, but in addition to the holiday spirit, the fans spread around their excitement for the game, which caused a playoff-like atmosphere at Oracle Arena for the first time since the “We Believe” playoffs in 2006-2007. The rotation now included Biedrins, Jenkins, Green, and no minutes for Jefferson. Bogut is out until his ankle is fully healed, so Ezeli is still the starting center as well.

The Warriors started off the game on fire, which led to a 26-8 lead. The Warriors had three days off prior to the game and appeared fresh and aggressive from the beginning of the game. The Clippers were playing their second game of a back-to-back and appeared a little worn out early on in the game. The Warriors’ biggest lead of the game was 24 points, and they built this lead because of their excellent 3-point shooting, great defense, and rebounding. The Warriors shot 52.2% from the 3-point line compared to the Clippers shooting only 27.6% from the 3-point line. The Warriors also played great defense, holding the Clippers to 36.2% shooting, and they won the rebounding battle yet again 53-38. Curry made 9 of his first 10 shots, and scored 25 points in the first half, the most points by a Warrior in a half this season. He finished the game with 31 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. David Lee had another spectacular game and finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists. Klay Thompson also had 19 points and was 5-9 from the 3-point line. The Warriors won 115-94.

To watch highlights from this game, click here.

The Clippers have two All-Stars in Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, but the Warriors have a point guard and power forward who both also have strong cases for making the All-Star team this year. Stephen Curry is finally healthy, and he’s had a phenomenal season averaging 20.4 points, 6.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 43.6% shooting, 45.6% shooting from the 3-point line, and 89.5% from the free throw line. Only two other players in the NBA average at least 20 pints, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. Those two players are LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, who are both All-Stars. Curry also has several 20 points-10 assists games. David Lee is basically a double-double machine, and he averages 20.2 points, 3.7 assists, 11.1 rebounds, 53.8% shooting, and 82.4% from the free throw line. He was named the Western Conference Player of the Week from Monday, December 10 to Sunday, December 16th. He also posted seven straight games, the whole seven-game road trip, with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. Mark Jackson discussed why Curry and Lee should be All-Stars this year after Wednesday’s game and he said, “[Curry] has been great. The guy’s an All-Star. Maybe I’ll hold my own game if these two guys [Curry and Lee] aren’t in there. Maybe that’s the answer, but these two guys are All-Stars. Steph Curry played Chris Paul and it looked like two of the best in the business going at it. It was great, because what happens is, the rest of the guys realize, we’ve got a guy at the head of the snake that’s not backing down, and it breeds confidence and breeds life.”

In addition to the All-Star matchups that we’ve seen in these games, we’ve started to see why the new must-see rivalry in the Pacific Division is between the Warriors and the Clippers. Although the Clippers made the playoffs last year, both teams entered the season very much underrated by the rest of the league, especially the Warriors. No one expected the Warriors to be 22-10 at this point in the season. The Clippers went on an unbelievable 17-game winning streak, but they have now dropped two straight games, and their record now stands at 25-8. These two teams are actually fairly similar though. The Clippers rank 3rd in the NBA in opponent field-goal percentage, and the Warriors rank 4th. Both teams have great bench support, although the Clippers have more experience on their bench. Both teams have incredible talent in the point guard and power forward positions. The Clippers have more experience in the playoffs though. The Warriors and Clippers meet again this Saturday night in Los Angeles, and the Clippers will want revenge. The Warriors will be prepared though. David Lee said after Wednesday’s game, “They’re going to be ready. They’re a team that has a lot of character and a lot of guys that don’t like to lose. They’ve won a lot of games in a row and they’re going to be ready and we’re going to be ready as well, we’re excited to go back down there for this challenge.” This will for sure be an interesting and exciting rivalry throughout the season.

How Good are the Golden State Warriors?

As of today, the Warriors are currently 20-10 and second in the Pacific Conference behind the Los Angeles Clippers. To say that no one expected this type of record from the Warriors at this point in the season would be an extreme understatement. The Warriors started off the season 3-3, before going into a game at Oracle Arena against the Denver Nuggets. This game would be an early season glimpse into how the Warriors would fare against a playoff team. The Warriors had several key moments where they could’ve sealed a win, but, instead, this game went to double overtime. The Warriors ultimately lost the game 107-101, because of some incredible performances by Danilo Gallinari, Andre Iguodala, and Kenneth Faried. The Warriors missed some clutch free throws, gave up too many offensive rebounds, gave up too many points in the paint, and they only shot 38.2% from the field. Since the Warriors are a young team, this kind of a loss can happen. However, the Warriors had to use this game as motivation in order to grow and be more successful in these types of games. The Warriors fell to 3-4 after this loss.

After that Denver game, the Warriors recovered from their traumatic loss and went 7-3 in the next 10 games before their long 7-game road trip. The Warriors started off the road trip 4-0 after impressive victories against the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Bobcats. The pivotal moment of the road trip though was when the Warriors pulled off a 97-95 victory against the Miami Heat. Klay Thompson led the Warriors in scoring with 27 points on 11-21 shooting, David Lee had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Jarrett Jack had 20 points on 9-14 shooting and had 4 assists, his last one coming on his pass to Draymond Green for the game-winning basket. The Warriors forced the Heat to commit 18 turnovers, and the Warriors shot 39.1% from the 3-point line compared to the Heat shooting only 31.8%. Given the Warriors’ improved record and desire to be considered a playoff contender, this victory over the Heat will be remembered as one of the Warriors greatest victories of the season. The Warriors finished the road trip 6-1, which marked the first time in franchise history that they won six games on a road trip, and they improved their overall record to 16-8.

The Warriors’ win over the Jazz on Wednesday improved their road record to 11-6, which gave the Warriors one of the best road records in the NBA. As of today, the Warriors also rank fourth in the NBA for rebounds per game with 45.8, and they rank fifth in the NBA for opponent field goal percentage with 43.2%. Both these numbers are quite impressive given Golden States’ identity as a poor rebounding and awful defensive team. The Warriors are surely trying to make a statement around the league that they are changing their identity and that they can compete against any team. Jack said after their miraculous win against the Heat, “We’re one of those teams that feels it belongs among the elite, and we shouldn’t be surprised by the things we do along this nice journey.” Also, Draymond Green said after the Warriors’ win against Utah on Wednesday, “We just have the feeling that it’s us against the world. It shows in the game — the camaraderie that we bring, the toughness that we bring.”

The Warriors do have a strong team chemistry, as Green alluded to. Stephen Curry claimed that the long road trip really brought the team together and made them a tight-knit group. They also have a resiliency and a determination that is quite impressive for such a young, inexperienced team. Head Coach Mark Jackson said after the win against the Heat, “They’re the best team and for us to leave out of here [with a win], it’s a total team effort. Especially when our best players are having a tough night, there’s something about this team that refuses to quit.” This team battles and never gives up, even if they’re tired. After the last game on the 7-game road trip, a stop in Atlanta, Jackson said, “I’m proud of my guys once again, because we could have used the excuse of being tired tonight. I’m extremely happy about being part of this group. No game for us is going to be easy, but it’s important for us to take them one at a time, do what we’re supposed to do on each side of the basketball, and let the chips fall where they may.” One of the reasons why this Warriors team is so unique and different from Warriors teams in the past is because they believe in each other, they play for each other and not themselves, and this drives them to never give up, even in tough situations.

These particular characteristics are similar to ones that the San Francisco Giants had this past season. The Giants’ great team chemistry was apparent to everyone that watched them, and their chemistry vastly improved after the Melky Cabrera suspension. Melky Cabrera was one of their best hitters on the team and his suspension came in a key part of the season. The Giants could’ve given into the added pressure, but instead, the Giants grew even closer. Angel Pagan said, “We believe in what we have here.” Another reason why the Giants’ team chemistry was so strong was because of the trade for Hunter Pence. Pence fit in immediately and although his hitting came on slowly, his passion for the game and his exuberance inspired this team immediately. Pence had that incredible pre-game speech before Game 3 in the NLDS in Cincinnati that summed up what this 2012 Giants team was really about. The theme of the speech was, “Everything you’ve got for the man beside you.” Hunter Pence said after winning the World Series, “We bought into something you don’t see very often. We bought into playing for each other and loving each other.” During the playoffs, third base coach Tim Flannery also said, “These guys come out with their slingshots and rocks and they’re going to fight you. These guys just believe.”

The Giants provided a model to all professional sports teams on how to win a championship in a classy, respectful manner. They didn’t make a “super team” by signing as many top-notch free agents as possible. They didn’t rely on just one player. They wanted to win as a team, and that’s what the Warriors are doing now. Like the Giants, the Warriors have several different players that can provide a spark each game including Curry, Jack, Lee, Thompson, and Carl Landry. The Warriors’ resiliency and determination are comparable to the Giants and are some of the main reasons why the Warriors could make the playoffs. It’s only 30 games into the regular season, but the Warriors have a lot to be proud of. If they can continue to rebound, play defense, and play unselfishly on offense, the Warriors have a great shot at making the playoffs. The Warriors also need to improve on limiting turnovers, maintaining leads, and playing more consistently during the fourth quarter though. The Warriors will have to beat out the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and possibly the Portland Trailblazers and Minnesota Timberwolves for the sixth, seventh or eighth spot in the Western Conference playoffs. If the Warriors can keep up this style of play and gain more experience as a group, then there is a great chance the Warriors can make the playoffs for the first time since the We Believe season back in 2006-2007.

Should Colin Kaepernick be the 49ers Starting QB?

This week’s Monday Night Football game featured the 49ers and Bears, which was going to be an intense defensive battle. It turns out though that after the game, all people could talk about was the 49ers’ offense. The 49ers beat the Bears 32-7 behind a breakout performance from backup quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick not only slaughtered one of the best defenses in the league, but he also has caused the 49ers coaches and fans to question if he should take over the starting role. Alex Smith hasn’t been cleared yet to play, because he’s still experiencing concussive symptoms. Coach Jim Harbaugh announced Wednesday night that Kaepernick will start this upcoming Sunday against the Saints, but should he be the starter for the rest of the season as well, even if Smith is healthy?

In Kaepernick’s first start in the NFL, he completed 16 of 23 passes for 243 yards, 2 TDs, and he ended up with a QB rating of 133.1. His first career touchdown pass was to Vernon Davis in the fourth quarter, and his second touchdown was to Michael Crabtree in the third quarter. Kaepernick also led a 96-yard touchdown drive (the longest of the season), and completed a beautiful 57-yard pass to Kyle Williams, which led to the Davis touchdown. Kaepernick and his teammates looked like they were having even more fun than any other time in the season. He was an inspiring and passionate leader in his first win as a starter.

I saw this tweet the other day from sports analyst Brandon Tierney, and I think this is the absolute perfect description of the situation. Read below:

Smith truly is a Honda. He’s reliable, he’s sturdy, and you know exactly what you’re getting from him, which isn’t bad. Kaepernick is the fun, exciting, flashy Porsche that the fans finally got to see on Monday night. The game against the Bears was one of the most entertaining 49ers games I’ve seen in a long time. In addition to Aldon Smith’s 5.5 sacks, Kaepernick’s performance made this game so much fun to watch. Even though he’s known for his running and his speed, he executed some absolutely perfect throws, which were beautiful. “I’m just so proud of him in that moment because the ball that he threw me, it was just one of those balls that you see Tom Brady throw,” Davis said. “Second window, right on the money. Surprise. I didn’t expect the ball to come because we ran that play quite a few times and the tight end usually don’t get the ball on that play.” Vernon Davis must have been so happy that Kaepernick started, because Alex Smith had a lot of trouble finding him in the past few games.

With a coach like Harbaugh and the same offense as last year, we’ve seen Alex Smith at his best. We’ve seen him have some great games, but he we all know that Alex Smith will always be just a game manager. Don’t get me wrong, he manages games very well and knows this team very well. However, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Alex Smith is a good enough quarterback to get a team to the playoffs, but he’s not good enough to win a Super Bowl. He will never be a Tom Brady, a Peyton Manning, a Drew Brees, or an Eli Manning. Kaepernick might not be one of those quarterbacks either, but he at least has the potential to become a great quarterback. He hasn’t just shown flashes of greatness through various games. He showed a whole game of greatness on Monday night. His performance was completely dominant and practically flawless.

Harbaugh said Wednesday morning on KNBR that Smith would probably be cleared later this week, but, on Wednesday night, he still named Kaepernick the starter for the Saints game. In the press conference after Monday night’s game though, Harbaugh wouldn’t clearly state who he was planning on starting Sunday against the Saints. He claimed that he would start whoever had the “hot hand.” Tim Kawakami brought up an excellent point recently about Harbaugh’s comment. Read below:

“Last night, Harbaugh could’ve said Smith is his starter, period, when healthy… but that things remain uncertain until Smith is fully healthy, but Harbaugh definitely didn’t say that. I fully expected a version of that last night. That’s been Harbaugh’s singular stance since he got this job–Smith is his starter, that’s not up for debate. And if he said it that way, the Saints would still have to game plan for both Smith and Kaepernick. It’s not like Harbaugh loses any strategic advantage for Sunday’s game in New Orleans by saying Smith is 1 and Kaepernick is 1A in case of further injury. I mean, if Harbaugh flat-out said Smith IS starting Sunday, you think the Saints would just ignore what Kaepernick did last night and only game plan for Smith? That’s not how the NFL works. If you’re arguing that Harbaugh is only leaving it open as a strategic pose, you’re over-thinking this.”

Kawakami brings up a great point about Harbaugh, who has been supporting Smith since the second he was named the Head Coach. Harbaugh could’ve easily said he’d most likely go with Smith, even when it wasn’t clear when Smith would be cleared, but he chose not to. Also, Harbaugh said this morning that Smith would be cleared later in the week, but he chose to name Kaepernick the starter the same night. This announcement is a strong indication that Harbaugh really does want to see what Kaepernick can do as a full-time starter. The timing of this announcement and the update on Smith is too coincidental and meaningful. Harbaugh wants to see if Kaepernick’s Monday night performance was just a “fluke,” and if he can be effective against a surging Saints team. Don’t get me wrong, Harbaugh has faith in Kaepernick and his abilities.Harbaugh has been given many reasons why he should keep starting Kaepernick, and he’s finally accepting it. Kaepernick will remain the starter, he will keep producing at a high level, and he will only keep improving.

Potential 2012 Giants Postseason Roster

Bruce Bochy has been very quiet about what his postseason roster is going to look like. Now that the Giants have formally announced that they won’t bring Melky Cabrera with them to the postseason, the Giants’ coaches and management can bring along the players that truly helped them win the NL West. Bochy says that he is close to finalizing the 25-man roster, and one of the last things he has to consider is whether to have 11 or 12 pitchers. If he only has 11, he has to decide which position player will take that extra spot. When discussing this idea, Bochy brought up the disastrous 2003 playoffs that continue to haunt Giants fans today.

In 2003, the Giants decided to carry 12 pitchers on the roster because Jason Schmidt had a lingering elbow injury. Because of this, they were forced to leave off their fast outfielder, Eric Young. In Game 4 of the Division Series, the Marlins held a 2-1 lead in the series over the Giants and had a one-run lead in the ninth inning. Jeffrey Hammonds hit a single, and J.T. Snow tried to score from second. Snow was never known for his speed and was tagged out at home on a throw from Jeff Conine. Snow tried to hit the catcher, Ivan Rodriguez, hard enough that he might drop the ball, but Rodriguez, a future Hall of Famer, was able to hold on and give the Marlins the series win. If Young had been on the postseason roster, he could’ve pinch run for Snow and easily scored on the play. Therefore, the Giants are being cautious about bringing on too many pitchers, which could cost them speed.

Emmanuel Burriss

So who could the Giants bring on for speed? The two most likely options are Justin Christian or Emmanuel Burriss. Francisco Peguero has been used in several pinch-running situations, but both Christian and Burriss have more experience and could provide some more versatility than Peguero would. Both Christian and Burriss aren’t known for their hitting, but both can play solid defense, and, of course, both are fast enough to steal some bases and give the Giants an advantage in their running game. Christian provides depth in the outfield, and Burriss provides depth in the infield. If Hector Sanchez really is going to catch Lincecum and possibly Zito in the playoffs and Buster Posey plays first base, then Belt would most likely play in left field those games, which would give the Giants some extra outfield depth. Since Blanco, Nady, Pagan, and Pence will also be on the postseason roster as well, it might make more sense for the Giants to bring on Burriss if they want to add some speed, but it’s a very close call. Burriss also has more major-league experience than Christian, which could be imperative in the playoffs.

Bochy also hasn’t fully decided on what the starting rotation will look like either. It’s pretty certain that Matt Cain will start Game 1 of the Division Series and that Madison Bumgarner will start Game 2. Tim Lincecum might be starting Game 3, but his recent performance in San Diego might make the Giants re-think this idea. Bochy has said that Zito and Vogelsong will both make the playoff roster and could potentially start based on matchups. If not, one or both of them will be available as a long reliever, if Lincecum is one of the starters. There are also a lot of questions involving relief pitchers. The five relief pitchers that are pretty much guaranteed a spot are Jeremy Affeldt, Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez, and Jose Mijares. This leaves one more spot open for a relief pitcher and it will most likely come down to George Kontos and Guillermo Mota. Kontos has been solid all year, but is young, which might give an edge to Mota. The fact that the Giants brought Mota back after his suspension shows that Bochy really believes in Mota and his abilities, which suggests that he will most likely be the 11th pitcher. If the Giants do decide to bring a 12th pitcher, then it seems as if Bochy would choose Kontos in that case.

Aubrey Huff

The Giants have to also consider some players that could come off the bench in pinch-hitting situations. It’s almost entirely certain that the Giants won’t bring on Eli Whiteside, Brett Pill, and Peguero. Some of the backup position players to consider for roster spots are Huff, Theriot, and either Christian or Burriss for speed. This season, Huff hasn’t been a starter, which is what he was used to being throughout his whole career. With Belt’s emergence as a reliable hitter, Huff has had to accept his role as a bench player, and, as of recently, has been pinch hitting pretty well. He can provide a left-handed bat off the bench, which is valuable to have in the playoffs. However, if Huff makes the roster, it makes even more sense to go with 11 pitchers and bring on Burriss, because Huff will need a pinch runner if he can reach base. Theriot is a solid, veteran player with lots of playoff experience and he also provides some infield depth. He could be the primary right-handed batter off the bench too. Then, if the Giants decide to carry only 11 pitchers, either Christian or Burriss could take the 25th roster spot.

Here’s a look at what the 2012 Giants postseason roster would mostly likely look like with 11 pitchers:

1. Bumgarner
2. Lincecum
3. Cain
4. Zito
5. Vogelosong
6. Affeldt
7. Casilla
8. Romo
9. Lopez
10. Mijares
11. Mota
12. Posey
13. Sanchez
14. Arias
15. Belt
16. Crawford
17. Sandoval
18. Scutaro
19. Blanco
20. Nady
21. Pagan
22. Pence
23. Huff
24. Theriot
25. Burriss

Here’s what the 2012 Giants postseason roster would most likely look like with 12 pitchers:

1. Bumgarner
2. Lincecum
3. Cain
4. Zito
5. Vogelosong
6. Affeldt
7. Casilla
8. Romo
9. Lopez
10. Mijares
11. Mota
12. Kontos
13. Posey
14. Sanchez
15. Arias
16. Belt
17. Crawford
18. Sandoval
19. Scutaro
20. Blanco
21. Nady
22. Pagan
23. Pence
24. Huff
25. Theriot

The final decisions on the postseason roster will come down to Kontos and Burriss. Even though the starting rotation isn’t totally set yet, Bochy has already said that all five starters will make the postseason roster. In terms of the final positions available, Bochy has to decide if he wants to add some speed to the roster, which could pay off in close-game situations near the end of the game, or whether he wants to have an extra pitcher available and not have to potentially overwork Romo, Lopez, etc.

The Worst Call in NFL History

The Seahawks took on the Packers in last night’s Monday Night Football matchup, and many fans expected the Packers to cruise to the victory. Mike Perry of Sportsbook.ag, a large sports betting establishment in Las Vegas, said that up to 85% of the bets for last night’s game were in favor of the Packers winning. According to the footage, the Packers did earn the victory. However, the NFL replacement refs gave the game to the Seahawks on what was arguably the worst call ever made in NFL history. With eight seconds left in the game, Seattle faced a 4th-and-10 from the Packers 24, so the Seahawks rookie quarterback Russell Wilson was forced to throw a Hail Mary. The refs ruled that Golden Tate caught the game-winning touchdown when video proves that it was, in fact, a game-winning interception by M.D. Jennings. This gave the Seahawks the controversial 14-12 victory.

Watch the play here:

To be fair, the Seahawks were playing excellent defense in the first half of the game and were able to sack Aaron Rodgers eight times. However, in this low-scoring game, there were several calls near the end of the game that really impacted the result negatively. Many of the calls seemed to go the Seahawks’ way and should’ve been called differently, according to the replays. There was also an immense amount of confusion among the refs themselves at the end of the game. One ref called a touchdown and one called a touchback (meaning that the Packers would win), and this uncertainty shows the replacement refs’ complete ignorance and incompetence in situations like this. The calls were so wrong that it almost calls for speculation as to if the Seahawks actually paid off the replacement refs. The replacement refs have already had a history with inappropriate alliances with NFL teams this season. Brian Stropolo, a replacement ref, was assigned to the Saints-Panthers game last Sunday and was pulled from the assignment because of his open allegiance as a Saints fan.

The coaches, players, and fans have all shown disapproval of the newly appointed replacement refs, since the normal refs are currently in a labor dispute with the league. Many of these refs have very little or no officiating experience at even the college level and, honestly, weren’t good or qualified enough to ref at the college level. These refs only have experience at the high school level and maybe at the Division III college level, which is simply just insufficient for NFL games. The replacement refs have been accused of calling too many penalties, calling the wrong penalties, taking longer to “choose” the penalty, and even something as simple as forgetting the announce the number of the player that the penalty is on. Drew Brees, who has always been known for his class and integrity, said about the replacement refs, “You know, I think it’s getting to a point where it’s pretty horrendous and it’s an embarrassment to the league and the way it’s being conducted.”

On the final play of the game, the refs called a touchdown on the field, but reviewed it shortly after. Even after review, the refs said the ruling was correct, even though the video clearly proves that Jennings had and retained possession of the ball and Tate didn’t. Rodgers said in the post-game press conference, “It was awful. Just look at the replay. And then the fact that it was reviewed, it was awful. That’s all I’m going to say about it.” Even Tate was unsure if he caught the ball before Jennings. “I think so. … Oh, well maybe he did. But I took it from him,” Tate said. When Tate and Jennings hit the ground after the catch, the officials ruled that it was a “simultaneous catch,” which is described below:

Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 5 states:
Simultaneous Catch. If a pass is caught simultaneously by two eligible opponents, and both players retain it, the ball belongs to the passers. It is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control. If the ball is muffed after simultaneous touching by two such players, all the players of the passing team become eligible to catch the loose ball.

The officials claimed that both Tate and Jennings caught the ball and retained it, and, therefore, the offensive player, Tate, had to be rewarded with the ball, which means it would be a touchdown. The NFL backed up the officials’ decision to call the play a “simultaneous catch.” However, in the replays, it is blatantly obvious that Tate didn’t even catch it. He had an arm on it, but he didn’t have possession of the ball, so the simultaneous catch argument is completely irrelevant. Even if he had gained possession of the ball at some point, Tate said himself that he wasn’t sure when he caught the ball and that he “took the ball from him [Jennings],” meaning the call of “simultaneous catch” is still wrong no matter what.

The NFL released a statement earlier today about how the league will not overturn the ruling by the officials. However, the league points out another call that the replacement refs missed at the end of the game. “While the ball is in the air, Tate can be seen shoving Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields to the ground. This should have been a penalty for offensive pass interference, which would have ended the game. It was not called and is not reviewable in instant replay.” The league admitted to the fact that deciding who caught the ball and who had possession is, in reality, irrelevant, because Tate committed a penalty before the catch even happened. His offensive pass interference, that should have been penalized, would have ended the play and, therefore, the game. The replacement refs messed up on every single aspect of reviewing and calling this play, which is shameful and gives the NFL a bad image.

With all of this evidence going against the replacements refs’ ability to officiate a game properly in the NFL, the league needs to reach an agreement with the normals refs immediately. Based on the severity of these missed calls, money should not even be an issue anymore. Bringing back the normal refs is too important to the image of preservation of the NFL. Rodgers spoke out today about the importance of ending the labor dispute with the normal refs. “NFL obviously cares more about saving some money than having the integrity of the game diminished a little bit,” Rodgers said. The poor decision-making of the replacement refs decided this game and gave the Seahawks the win. The result of such a mistake not only affects the Seahawks and the Packers, but it also affects all of the NFC North and the NFC West, and, honestly, the entire NFC. The result of this game could have serious playoff implications later on in the season, because it could affect which teams make the playoffs. It also affects how fans view the league and their future viewing of games. Because of this horrible decision, the NFL’s popularity could potentially be severely hurt. We’ll see if the NFL can recover from this mess.

Skip Bayless vs. Kevin Durant

One of the biggest pieces of “breaking news” for the NBA recently is that LeBron James and Kevin Durant were, once again, working out together this offseason. Before this past season, these two worked out together during the lockout, and many people wondered why Durant was working out with “the enemy.” Some say though that if you want to get better, compete against someone who’s better than you are, so maybe this is the approach Durant chose to take last year and this year again. According to Skip Bayless, Durant is making the wrong move here by working out with James. He claims that LeBron finally won an NBA championship because when Durant guarded him, Durant allowed James to attack the basket, play freely, and play how he wanted to. When James and the Heat lost to the Mavericks in the Finals last season, the Mavericks were able to get under his skin and frustrate him defensively. Bayless claims that since Durant and James became “best buddies” during the offseason prior to when James won the Championship, James was able to play more comfortably and dictate more on offense.

Watch more of Bayless’ opinion here.

Some memorable quotes from the video:
1. “Kevin Durant is falling right into LeBron James’ trap.” -Skip Bayless
2. “LeBron is a shrewd operator, and he knows full well that you keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” -Skip Bayless
3. “I say, once again, Kevin Durant, congratulations. You are owned by LeBron James. Have fun in next year’s NBA Finals, finishing second again.” -Skip Bayless
4. “Kevin Durant is not owned by anybody. You have to contend with that brother. He is not a star. He is a superstar.” -Stephen A. Smith

In response to Bayless, Durant tweeted “@RealSkipBayless u brainwashing these people out here, they think since you on espn you know what you talkin bout…please, nobody owns me.” Durant quickly deleted the tweet soon after though. Watch Bayless’ opinion on Durant’s response here.

Some more memorable quotes from the video:
1. “I’ve said many times to you, he [Kevin Durant] is my favorite player in the league. But repeatedly, when I’ve tried to help him or protect him or defend him, he responds by attacking me, saying I have no idea what I’m talking about.” -Skip Bayless to Stephen A. Smith
2. “Psychologically, LeBron now owns Kevin Durant. I love Kevin. I’ll make the case to you that he’s still a better player all-around than LeBron James, but right now, he’s falling right back into the trap of getting too close to his primary threat. This is his primary rival, and LeBron’s biggest threat to winning multiple rings is now Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder.” -Skip Bayless to Stephen A. Smith
3. “I’m just trying to help you, and, someday, Kevin Durant, you’ll wake up and say ‘You know what? He was right about this.'” -Skip Bayless
4. “He’s not going to say that because you didn’t sit there and say that he’s losing his competitive edge. You said he’s owned, and I don’t know any man, with any degree of integrity, including you, who would concede ownership of yourself to another human being.” -Stephen A. Smith

So, who is right in this debate? Is Skip Bayless right that Durant is “getting too close to his primary threat” and that this will result in more rings for LeBron and not Durant? Or is Stephen A. Smith right that Durant is allowed to feel disrespected based on what Bayless said? I think that Bayless has some elements to his argument that are true. I do believe that James was able to dominate offensively during the NBA Finals against Durant, but not necessarily because they’re too close of friends. I believe that Durant, despite his long reach and his wingspan, is not that strong defensively and didn’t defend James well enough overall. Against James, defenders need to step up even more than usual, so Durant didn’t respond as he should have defensively. It is true that James might have naturally felt more comfortable playing against Durant because they’ve played each other and worked out together many times, and that was one of the reasons why he was successful against him in the Finals. However, that’s not the only reason why Durant wasn’t successful guarding James, but it is an important factor to consider in this debate. I also agree with Stephen A. Smith that Bayless doesn’t need to be so harsh and thoughtless when saying Durant was now “owned” by James, because that is extremely disrespectful.

In baseball and according to Mike Krukow, the Giants broadcaster, a hitter can have “ownage” over a pitcher if they have an impressive batting average and have had success against a pitcher very often. However, the concept of “ownage” doesn’t mean that this specific hitter owns this pitcher, even if it is psychologically. This particular hitter has had great success against this pitcher, but that doesn’t mean that he owns and takes over the mind of the pitcher in a dominant or superior way. A hitter’s high batting average against a pitcher might give him confidence in the batter’s box, but that doesn’t mean the pitcher can’t come right back and strike him out and humble him a little. The term “owning” in basketball is completely different. There is no statistic that measures someone’s field goal percentage against one specific defender, and that’s why “ownage” never comes up. Basketball is too much of a team sport to consider one player “owning” another player. A player might perform well when playing against another player, but that doesn’t mean he “owns” the other player, because there are so many other factors that go into a player’s success.

LeBron James might have won a title now, but that doesn’t mean he is more superior to Kevin Durant. Plenty of people have won NBA Championships, but that doesn’t mean they are superior to someone who hasn’t won one. For example, Adam Morrison won two NBA titles with the Lakers. Is he more superior to Durant? Does he “own” Durant? Not even close. In fact, that notion would be ridiculously absurd. LeBron James might feel more comfortable around Kevin Durant now that he’s played against him more and that might mean that he’ll play better offensively against him, but in no way does that mean that he “owns” Kevin Durant or that he ever will. Durant isn’t necessarily getting too close to “the enemy” though. If James feels comfortable playing against Durant, then Durant needs to respond by stepping up and playing even better when he goes up against James. There will always be a debate about if Durant or James is better. However, there should never be a debate on if LeBron James “owns” Kevin Durant. Bayless brings up an interesting point, but he hurts his credibility and his argument by using harsh, unnecessary words. He needs to respect the players and respect the game.

The 3rd Sister

A professional fan's perspective on Bay Area sports.