NFL Competition?

In the United States we have seen several sports leagues come and go trying to compete with the big four. It is extremely difficult for something new and different to come into play to beat something that has been popular for 75+years. In the world of baseball we have seen Independent Leagues fail over and over again, eventually to find their own niche in local towns. The same cannot be said for the other sports leagues. The NHL has never had real competition, the NBA had the ABA which was a money pit until they were finally bought out. But, one league that has always had competition has been the NFL.

The NFL's original competition was the AFL which as we all know was eventually merged with the NFL This would bring about increased popularity in the world of football, which at the time was competing with College Football. This would bring about the extreme popularity of Pro Football in the USA. However, after this merge and the explosion of popularity we would see more leagues form and more competition come about, especially in recent years. 

The most famous competition for the NFL was known as the USFL, a league that brought many superstars to the NFL. What made the USFL successful was that it was played not during the same time as the NFL, it was after the season was complete and it offered strong competition. It was a step above college football but, still below NFL standards. However, this would all change when spectacular players like Doug Flutie, Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Herschel Walker and many more. The USFL got these stars through the process of paying much higher rates causing players to want to come play in the league. These superstar players took the USFL to the next level and allowed for even more growth. However, the death of this league would come when they tried to breakout of their niche and compete directly with the NFL. This was their major mistake, the league was not ready yet, and they did not have strong popularity to compete with the NFL and College Football. This caused the death of the USFL.

We have seen several leagues come and go over the years, some finding niches like the Arena Football League, others failing like the XFL for over promising. We are now seeing a brand new league form of The Alliance of American Football, and the reformation of the XFL. Both leagues are promising to be competitive, popular, and unique. The Alliance of American Football is the league that we will see first. Founders Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian have plans to start their league after the Super Bowl ends. The league will be only 10 weeks with their championship occurring on April 28. 

The Alliance of American Football may survive, though it does not have the hotshot players like the USFL, it does have some above average guys like Trent Richardson, Trevor Knight and others. It will be interesting to see if the AAF decides to go after some big name players, overpaying them to bring in the media attention it wants. This league can survive. If Arena Football has made it this can as well. I foresee this league making it and eventually  merging with the XFL to combine for a larger spring time league. The potential is there and we are in for a very interesting future for football. 

Wentz, Our Lord and Savior?

He has risen, Wentz has risen indeed? Carson Wentz made his first start in 288 days against the Indianapolis Colts. The best takeaway from the Colts matchup is that Wentz was ready to play and appears to be fully recovered from his torn ACL injury. Some fans were concerned that the wet field and rain could cause him to re-injure to his knee. It was nice seeing Wentz being sacked five times, so we know he can take contact without crumbling to the ground.  It was marvelous watching him roll out of the pocket and dive (baseball slide) for a first down. It was inspiring watching him scrambling to evade a sack and hitting the new dynamic tightend duo (GoedErtz). 

Wentz was not the near perfect passer that he seemed to be before getting injured. There was rust that was being shaken off. Wentz needs to focus on ball security with being the reason for two turnovers. The Eagles could have easily lost the past game against after late interception from a bad throw by Wentz. It was the Eagles defensive line that saved them. Wentz needs to improve in the redzone. 

There was a clear desperate need that the Eagles need offensive weapons. With time the Eagles will have a dominating offense, patience is a virtue. Between developing young players and waiting for players to come back from injury, the Eagles will still be rusty next week against the Titans. 

The offense’s best trait is that they are able to spread the ball around. Almost every game at least 7 different players have made completions. A threat that the Eagles need to develop is their first draft pick in the past draft, Dallas Goedert. The new Philadelphia tightend was able to have a breakout game with having 7 receptions for 73 yards and his first touchdown on Wentz’s first drive back. Both Goedert and Ertz had more than 70 yards. 

Alshon Jeffrey, Darren Sproles, and Jay Ajayi should be back healthy next week. Wentz came back without having any major setbacks, so you can expect the injured veterans to not have any issues as well. 

While some teams lost to the Bills and Browns, the Eagles won an ugly and stressful game, but they won and that’s all that matters.

The turnaround

The Sixers preseason starts 10/1 this is the start of something very exciting. The Sixers shocked the world last year, going from a team of ragtag losers to a team that meshed together perfectly. This team for years has been in the rebuilding stages, and now they finally have it. They have the players, they have the skills, they have the coaching they have the pieces. This team can actually do it, they can shock the world, they will not only be competitive, but they could be champions. 

This team has so much potential, the most seen in a long-time with a Sixers squad. If you just look at their roster you can see the strengths. Players like Simmons, Embiid, and Saric coming into their own last season, finally showing what we all had been waiting for. This paired with surprises like McConnell and Redick, the team looks like it is in a good position to be very competitive once again. The Sixers have also brought in several great additions during the offseason veteran Wilson Chandler and rookie Zhaire Smith. This team has the potential to make an unbelievable run this season, and I would not be surprised if a big addition comes during the season if the Sixers prove their competitiveness. This addition could be on the scale of a player like a Kemba or Tyreke. Though it may sound crazy, these players could be huge additions to the Sixers lineup. 

The key this season will be Fultz, I would like to see him standout and step up. The guy has the potential to be a star, however the Sixers went too easy on him and he did not trust himself enough. Fultz needs to show that he belongs in a starter position. He needs to show that he can add value to the team, and propel them into super stardom. 

The Sixers will be very competitive this year, and I wholeheartedly believe that they will be a semi-final contender, and even possible an NBA Champion. If all the pieces fall into place, it can take them to the next level. They can position themselves as a team of young superstars that have the stamina, skills, and abilities to take them all the way. The Sixers may be the most exciting team in Philadelphia this year!

The Change of Sports?

I wrote an article a while ago in regards to the changing winds of the world sports. How the sports industry is no longer a business of drafting, trading, and building the best teams. How it has nothing to do with placing the best product on the field for the enjoyment of the fans. For years teams have been placed in specific areas because of the desire by the fans for a team to cheer for, an organization to call their own. As a stated before this no longer exists, the world of sports no longer deals with wins or losses it is now all about profitability. 

Sporting leagues and even teams are no longer focused on the product, rather they are focused on investments. We are now seeing team ownerships venture outside of the world of sports, but they use their team as collateral in a sense. They use their players as the aspect that is enticing. In fact we are in sorts seeing an opposite of what happened in the late 90s early 2000s with sports. During this time large organizations like Disney and Comcast were using their business power to purchase professional teams, to use as assets. They used these teams to push their other products to increase sales thus creating more profitability for the teams. We can see this in the example of Disney where they used their purchase of the Ducks and Angels to push their movie franchises, and to bring basically free advertising to their other assets like Parks and Television. The same case is made with things like Comcast and Time Warner; it was all used to build the business side. 

But, today’s world is very different in the sports industry. We are seeing these large sports teams becoming almost in the sense as investment banks. US and global teams are buying into industries such as eGaming, foreign sports leagues, television companies, and technology organizations. We see teams like the Orlando Magic partnering with EA Sports, and the Philadelphia 76ers purchasing an eGaming team. In some cases we even see investments like the 49ers purchasing an English soccer team. The hand is extending everywhere we are seeing sports teams and leagues reaching out to invest further, gathering assets. It is because they are realizing the profitability of using their team as an asset to push for long-term potential. 

The sporting world is at a brink of total change. Yes, championships still matter, and teams love the fans, things are soon going to be very different. We will soon see sports teams acting as conglomerates. Working together to build large-scale money making organizations on the same scale as a Merill Lynch or Wells Fargo

Phillies Playoffs?

The Phillies have been dominating as of late; they have proven themselves over and over again this season. The team has shocked the MLB currently ranking 2^ndbehind the even more surprising Atlanta Braves. But, with their amazingly surprising performance, the question comes up… Do they have the ability to be a playoff team?

This team could definitely be a playoff contender; they have the pitching and the clutch hitting. The reason they have been so successful is their consistent play. The team has not tried to do too much; rather they play the same way almost every single night. They provide strong pitching performances and play small ball with a few big homers. The other reason they have been so competitive is their strong performances from their young superstars. Players like Nola, Hoskins, and Franco have carried this team on their backs. However, we are looking at a similar situation as the 2007 Phillies. We have a strong talented team, but they are missing those veteran leadership guidance. This will be their downfall towards the end of the season.

The Phillies will be a playoff team this year; they will get to the Wildcard. However, they will not advance past there. This has nothing to do with their talents, they will be able to be competitive for the next few years. I truly believe that this team can be a World Series contender within the next 3 years. I believe that this run, and the playoffs will be a great teaching moment for the young Phillies roster. It is truly a waiting game, but the Phillies will bring a World Series very soon to Philadelphia. 

Player Spotlight – Sidney Jones – Jonseing to Start

On Sidney Jones’ Pro Day he practically suffered a season ending torn Achilles injury before he was even drafted. He had potential to be a top 10 pick and the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him in the middle of the second round. Jones is a solid press corner that has the speed to keep up with almost any receiver. After a lengthy recovery and some week 17 playing time, Jones is competing for a starting corner back position. 

With Patrick Robinson now on the Saints, the corner slot position is up for the taking. Both Jones and Avonte Maddox are the two corners competing for the position. Maddox doesn’t have anywhere near as much talent as Jones. The job is essentially Jones’ to lose. Jones will have to play well to keep it because Maddox is decent at the nickel corner position. 

Ronald Darby is in his contract year, so he will be making big plays hoping to get the big pay check. It is unlikely that the Eagles will have the money to resign Darby in order to give Wentz the contract he deserves. If Jones doesn’t start on the outside this year, he will definitely next year. 

The competition is a great problem to have. Injuries aren’t a matter of if they will happen, but when they will happen. The Eagles will be prepared for whatever happens during the season, because players can fill in for one another. With the way the league works, Jones will likely replace Jalen Mills after Mills gets injured and keep the job after playing lights out. No matter who plays, the Eagles secondary could live up to the stardom and success of the 2003 squad that had Dawkins, Troy Vincent, and Lito Sheppard. 

Running…Running… Running Backs Everywhere…

The Eagles are ready to take on the season; the Super Bowl Champions have the potential to repeat. However, there is one main question on many fans minds. Why are there so many running backs? The Eagles backfield has made an interesting turn since they lost LeGarrette Blount. Let’s take a closer look at this young and stacked Eagles team.

The Eagles current running back depth chart looks as follow:

Jay Ajayi, Darren Sproles, Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, Donnel Pumphrey, Josh Adams, and Matt Jones

To be honest we may see 3 kept in the running back role and 1 more kept in the special teams capacity. When you look at this roster Jay Ajayi is the clear star, he will be the one who is the starting RB day one. However, there are several questions that arise with the rest of the running back competition. When we delve deeper we can see some strong potential with these running backs. But, the main issue has been that no one has stood out so far.

Darren Sproles is the veteran; he is the true front-runner for the 2^nd position in the RB race. However, how much confidence should be placed in Sproles. The man is 35 years old, and has been injury prone the last few years. Yet, over and over again he has proven he can be productive. Now the question arises do the Eagles use him as their piece or do they use him as potential trade bait. Eagles fans are excited about the creative plays Doug Pederson was not able to utilize last year because of Sproles being injured.

Corey Clement is a shoe in for the RB position, the guy proved himself last year to be a key asset. We may actually see Clement get a good number of carries and receptions this season. This is because Jay Ajayi does not have the full confidence of the Eagles staff and the skillset of an every down back. Clement could easily play himself into a starting role.

Wendell Smallwood has had his ups and downs in an Eagles jersey. He has proven himself to be a strong Special Teams candidate, however he hasn’t played up to par in the RB position. The man has unique set skills that could help balance the offense. However, I would not be surprised if Smallwood gets moved prior to the start of the season. If not he will only be a Special Teams player. He would be far fetched to make the team.

Now Donnel Pumphrey is someone I find to be extremely interesting. The 2^nd year player has shown his unbelievable college ability can transfer to the NFL. However, his main issue is his size. Pumphrey is much like Darren Sproles, he is a tiny RB with a lot of skill. The man is the leading rusher in College Football history. Which proves if given the opportunity he could definitely add a unique perspective on the field. Pumphrey needs to prove himself in the final two games of the preseason to show his value. The Eagles will not want to cut their own drafted player so easily. They may try to stash onto the practice squad.

The last two Running Backs we are going to discuss are Matt Jones and Josh Adams. Matt Jones was a favorite to win the 4^th spot coming into Preseason. Jones has had his ups and downs as a starter in the past. The man is a powerful asset in the backfield, however he has had a lot of hiccups since his start. Jones had to prove himself this Preseason, and he has not done that. Josh Adams on the other hand is an interesting case. He may be starting the season on the IR, however he has the skillset to be a backup RB for a team. He was a very successful RB for Notre Dame. Both of these players are outliers right now to make the team. However, don’t be surprised if Matt Jones ends up as a back up somewhere like New York.

The Eagles have a lot of discussion on their hands in the world of Running Backs. This should be an interesting conversation going forward. I believe the final RB’s will be Jay Ajayi, Darren Sproles, Corey Clement, and Donnel Pumphrey. This season should be very interesting to watch going forward.