Posts Tagged ‘Cam Newton’

LEICESTER CITY, STEPH CURRY, AND THE ALL MADRID FINALS II

Monday, May 16th, 2016

by Nwaji Jibunoh

Nwaji Blog

 

 

 

 

As we get into the business end of the sports season, you find that times are changing with some intriguing accomplishments occurring.

Denver's stingy defense helps "The Sheriff" ride off into the sunset a champion. (Photo courtesy of FoxBusiness.com)

Denver’s stingy defense helps “The Sheriff” ride off into the sunset a champion.
(Photo courtesy of FoxBusiness.com)

In the 2015/2016 sports calendar year, we have already seen Peyton Manning and The Denver Broncos crowned Super Bowl Champions after an incredible defensive display against the Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers.

In as much as the lead up to the Super Bowl was quite exciting and the emergence of Cam Newton as an elite Quarterback was something to note, special mention needs to go out to other fascinating accomplishments occurring in other sporting events.

EPL Champions - Leicester City

EPL Champions – Leicester City

Let us begin with the English Premiership. At the conclusion of the 2014/2015 season, a little known club located in the East Midland of England finished in 14th place in a league with only 20 clubs. A little known club that nobody truly ranked and were given a whopping 5000/1 Odds to win the title the following season. That little known club are currently the champions of England and that little known club is Leicester City. To put things in context, let us use a case study for the odds that the bookies put in play at the beginning of the season. A lifetime Leicester City supporter put a 50 pounds ($30) bet on those odds of 5000/1 to win the title. That lifetime supporter cashed out on a take home prize of 250,000 pounds ($166,000). What has been accomplished by this club who had a spending budget of 52m pounds ($32.5M) in comparison to the likes of Manchester City (411m – $274M), Manchester United (391m – $260M), and Chelsea (298m – $198M) is something that has never ever been witnessed in British football. Leicester City took advantage of a slow methodology of playing every single game to win and taking advantage of lackluster performances from the other big clubs. Credit goes out to their manager (Claudio Ranieri) and star players James Vardy (who only a few years ago was combining his playing time while working part-time as a technician making medical splints) and Riyad Mahrez (a relatively unknown Algerian now among the English Premier League elites).

As we talk about this great accomplishment in sports by Leicester City, we cannot go any further without mentioning what Wardell Stephen “Steph” Curry has done in the NBA this year. Let us look at some quick numbers to put things into perspective. In the 2014/2015 season where he was crowned MVP and also won the NBA championship, his numbers were as follows:

Regular Season – 23.8 ppg. Playoffs – 28.3 ppg. Total number of three pointers made – 286.

This season, his numbers are:

30 ppg and he made 402 three pointers. I will say that again….402. The only other player to come close was Ray Allen with 289 and we all know him to be a three point genius. Steph Curry has

Stephen Curry hoists his second consecutive MVP trophy prior to Game 5 of the second round of the Western Conference Semifinals vs. the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena. (Photo courtesy of Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Stephen Curry hoists his second consecutive MVP trophy prior to Game 5 of the second round of the Western Conference Semifinals vs. the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena.
(Photo courtesy of Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

completely redefined basketball and the point guard position, and he makes shots from pretty much anywhere he wants to. He controls the tempo of the court and pulls out perimeter defenders, allowing other players such as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green to make significant contributions. The Conference Finals this year will see some exciting matchups with Golden State taking on Oklahoma City Thunder as perennial All-Stars (Curry, Thompson, Green, Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka) will dominate the highlights in the best of 7 series. On the East Coast, it looks like Cleveland with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, back at this stage of the competition healthy, will compliment the enigma that is LeBron James. We will most likely see the Cavs steamroll pass the Toronto Raptors to meet the best of the West.

UEFA Champions League Final - Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid - May 28th, 2016

UEFA Champions League Final – Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid – May 28th, 2016

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both finished in second and third positions in the Spanish La Liga. They were edged out by Barcelona but not before Barcelona suffered successive defeats to both clubs in the El Classcio and Champions League semifinals. These two clubs are Spanish power houses and are getting ready to battle it out in the Champions League Finals. This is not the first time we are going to have an “All Madrid Final”. In 2014, we saw these two clubs battle it out with Real Madrid emerging victorious. The Star man then and now and 3 time Ballon D’or (World Footballer of the Year) recipient, Cristiano Ronaldo is of course the centre of attraction. The last time these two teams met, Ronaldo was breaking records with an astonishing 51 goals. He has achieved that milestone again this season and goes into this final fully charged and poised to pick up his 3rd UEFA Champions League trophy. It will not be easy as Diego Simeone and his Atletico Madrid team, that play a high tempo coordinated style of Spanish football, will be looking to get revenge against their 2014 finalist fellow city rivals. These two teams have already met twice this season with Atletico winning one game and the other game ending in a tie. The UEFA Champions League Final which will be played at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy will be an explosive encounter come May 28th.

All in all, it has been an exciting year so far with so much more to play as we have the NBA Finals, UCL Finals, and the European Championships.

Sports fans, eat your heart out as the games will always continue to bring nothing but sheer entertainment and exhilarating excitement….

 

Nwaji Jibunoh, International Correspondent for War Room Sports

Located in Lagos, Nigeria, Nwaji Jibunoh is War Room Sports’ International Soccer Contributor.  Nwaji also contributes commentary on U.S. sports from an international perspective.  He’s an Atlanta Falcons fan, Howard University alum, and former tight end for the North Atlanta High School Warriors.

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Champions League, EPL, General, NBA, Nwaji Jibunoh, Soccer | 1 Comment »

WATCH: Darren Sproles’ punt return for touchdown against Panthers

Tuesday, November 11th, 2014

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

 

Cam. Woah Cam. The turf at the Linc is what Cam Newton will remember most from his trip to Philadelphia for Monday Night Football.

Cam. Woah Cam. The turf at the Linc is what Cam Newton will remember most from his trip to Philadelphia for Monday Night Football.

It was a game with many, many Philadelphia Eagles highlights, as the team extended its record to 7-2 with the 45-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Monday night. Blowout games tend to serve as highlight reels for the team doing the blowing out.

The Panthers, on the other hand, were so bad that you felt for them. You knew how awful quarterback Cam Newton must have felt after suffering sack after sack after sack by Eagles defenders, particularly LB Connor Barwin, who played like a man possessed with 3.5 sacks on Newton. Cam was sacked a total of 9 times in the game. Ouch. But he kept getting up, only to receive more punishment.

So many highlights from the Birds this game that it’s hard to pick one – there were the multiple, steady, and productive Mark Sanchez-to-Jordan Matthew’s connections that resulted in two touchdowns. For his part, Sanchez, in his first full game leading the Eagles offense, finished the game with an impressive 20 of 37 for 332 yards and two touchdowns.

Let’s go to an old favorite this season. RB Darren Sproles, the man so foolishly given up by the New Orleans Saints. He just won’t quit, and he has always delivered for this Eagles team.

The Eagles scored in all phases on Monday night – on offense, on defense, and on special teams. Watch Sproles deliver a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown, his second TD of the game – all while still in the first quarter.

 

Follow Philly Sports Muse on Twitter and Facebook

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Brandyn Campbell, General, NFL | No Comments »

All eyes on Mark Sanchez as Philadelphia Eagles face Carolina Panthers

Monday, November 10th, 2014

by Brandyn Campbell

Brandyn Blog

 

 

 

 

MS

As with any game, there are many important aspects of the Philadelphia Eagles on which to focus this Monday night. But who are we kidding?: Tonight’s game against the Carolina Panthers is all about Mark Sanchez.

Every step he takes, every move he makes, we’ll be watching him. Every throw. Every decision. Can Sanchez ably lead the Birds for the six to eight weeks that Nick Foles is expected to be out with a broken collarbone? If so, is he the quarterback on which we should hitch our trailers for an even longer stretch of time? If Sanchez can avoid the turnovers that became an all-too prevalent part of Foles’ performance this season and turn in a series of consistent performances, the answer could be yes. But those are big “ifs”. Sanchez has his own history of turning the ball over to overcome. Since entering the league in 2009, the former USC quarterback has thrown for more interceptions (71) than touchdowns (70) in his career.

Evan Mathis’will return to the o-line just as Todd Herremans exits for the season due to torn biceps. The Eagles have finally found some footing with their running game and would do well to take advantage of the 131.9 yards the Panthers have allowed on the ground each game. With a healthy Chris Polk added to the already powerful mix of LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles, the Birds could have a dynamic game on the ground tonight. The run needs to be a prevalent part of tonight’s game to allow Sanchez time to adjust to the role of signal caller for Philadelphia.

There is another important story to watch as the Eagles take the field at the Linc tonight and for the remainder of the season. How will Philadelphia fill in for the loss of DeMeco Ryans? Defensive coordinator Bill Davis plans for Casey Matthews and Emmanuel Acho to take over Ryans’ middle linebacker responsibility as far as making calls. On the field, the defense will use a combination of Acho, Matthews, and Mychal Kendricks to make up for the loss of Ryans. It’s a similar solution as to when Kendricks was sidelined for several weeks, Davis said last week.

“[Linebackers] Coach Rick Minter does a great job of teaching the concepts of both so we can move multiple guys to the MIKE or the WIL depending on what we need”, Davis said. “Whether we’re in dime or nickel or anything like that. Right now it’s the same rotation as when Mychal [Kendricks] was down. It’ll be [Emmanuel] Acho and Casey [Matthews] handling first and second down duties at the DeMeco spot instead of the Mychal spot. They’re cross-trained and they’ll be fine.”

While the Panthers defense features Luke Kuechly, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year at MLB, it is struggling this season. They have already given up 236 points this season. They gave up only 241 in all of 2013. They are missing Pro Bowl DE Greg Hardy. Their struggles will be a nice complement to an Eagles team adjusting to key losses on both sides of the ball.

Cam Newton and the Panthers’ offense aren’t doing well on any front this year, putting up just 19.7 points per game, 25th in the league. By comparison, the Eagles average 29.2 points per game (5th in the NFL). Newton is completing just 57% of his passes, and Carolina’s receiving corps’ top producers are Greg Olsen, Kelvin Benjamin and former Eagle Jason Avant. Love Avant as we do, that is hardly a stellar lineup. The Panthers are also putting together just 94.7 rushing yards per game, which leaves them with no clear answers for getting points on the board.

A Panthers team with significant issues facing an Eagles team adjusting to key losses on both sides of the ball may make for a more competitive Monday night matchup than we’d like to see. But the Eagles will still prevail.

Prediction: Eagles 24, Panthers 14

Follow Philly Sports Muse on Twitter and Facebook

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Brandyn Campbell, General, NFL | No Comments »

Nnamdi Asomugha Believes Things Will Turn Around for Himself and the Philadelphia Eagles

Monday, November 26th, 2012

Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

  Fairly or unfairly, if there is one player who represents the underperformance of the 2011 and 2012 Philadelphia Eagles, it is Nnamdi Asomugha.

When the Birds landed the three-time Pro Bowl corner in the free agent spending spree that followed the NFL lockout in the summer of 2011, it seemed that the sky was the limit for the team.  In hindsight, it’s hard to fault Vince Young for his “Dream Team” comment, particularly after they landed the most prized free agent of the year in corner Nnamdi Asomugha.  In those early moments of a shortened training camp, it seemed that with the talent the Birds had locked up, the sky was the limit for the squad.

Or not.  Asomugha, along with his team, struggled in 2011.  Maybe he needed time to acclimate to a new system.  Perhaps he wasn’t being utilized properly.  Maybe things would get better when Philadelphia offloaded Asante Samuel.

After embracing Jeffrey Lurie’s notion that 8-8 wasn’t good enough, this offseason again generated new hope.  Players like Asomugha were confident.  They had a season of  Juan Castillo’s system under their belts.  Unlike the previous offseason, there was time to work with their teammates in OTAs and minicamps and truly gel as a team.  For real this time — THIS was going to be the year.

Until, once again, it wasn’t.  In the middle of a season that is unbearably miserable, Asomugha still has failed to deliver.  He has just one interception and has fallen so far in the eyes of his opponents that he’s not even seen as a threat.  Teams now throw towards him and why not?  They are having a great success doing so.  Opposing quarterbacks have a 110.4 QB rating when throwing in Asomugha’s direction so far this season, according to ProFootballFocus.  He has just one interception.  This is not working out as anyone planned, including Asomugha.

Asomugha knows that he is being heavily criticized and deserves it.  He opened up to reporters on Friday to discuss that reality.

“Obviously, it hasn’t been as good as I wanted it to be.  As far as team and individually, my expectations were so high, and then things just kind of just hit really quickly and it was like team-wise and player-wise, it was kind of like playing catch-up, trying to get it back on the right foot.”

“So that part of it has been difficult.  But I still keep that faith and believe that at some point the thing will turn, because the mindset is keep working hard, keep pushing and at some point, it’s going to turn.  And that’s just what I believe.”

For Eagles players and coaches to continue to get on the field each and every week they have to believe that things will change.  That they will improve.  Otherwise, who would suit up to be humiliated by bad teams every week?  Asomugha believes that things will turn around, but when will that be, exactly?  And why has he struggled so much in his career as a Philadelphia Eagle?

At least Asomugha knows how poorly an attempt at an explanation will be perceived these days.  We are far beyond the point of needing words.  All we will believe is improved play on the field.

“I think there’s a lot of things that go into it, but I think to say anything about that now would kind of be like making an excuse.”

“So my mind is focused on turning it around instead of why hasn’t it or what has been the issue.  I don’t want to get into that and make it seem like there’s an excuse.  You know?”

What Asomugha knows is the frustration of being a fan and seeing a player you expect to come up big fail to do so week after week.  So, unlike some of his teammates, he’s not going to lash out at the Eagles fanbase.  He understands where they’re coming from.

“As a fan I can look back to teams that I like and a player that I’ve liked  comes in and expecting it to just change, and it not working out and being upset about that,” he said.  “I can’t now be that guy and look at them and say, ‘You can’t be upset that we haven’t won and I haven’t been Superman on the field’ even though that’s what has been expected of me.”

The Eagles will face many big questions at the end of the season, one of which will be whether or not to hang on to Nnamdi. He is set to earn $15 million in 2013 if he stays in Philly, $4 million of that guaranteed.  And this is where he wants to be.

“I absolutely believe in the decision I have made and believe in this team.”

There are six more games in the season for us to see Asomugha make that turn he referred to.  He is certainly not the only player on the team, or even the defense, who needs to improve dramatically so that this team has a chance to win games.  Will he be back next year?  We’ll see.  For now, let’s see whether Asomugha can help to neutralize the potent combination of Cam Newton throwing to Steve Smith against the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

A Modest Proposal: Checking in on a Philadelphia Eagles Preseason Prediction

Monday, October 22nd, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

It’s not yet midseason but the bye week provides an opportunity to take a look at the Eagles season thus far and consider what the next ten games may feature.

While the Eagles are at exactly .500 at 3-3, there is ominous feeling surrounding the team and the rest of the season.  Why?  Because no one is convinced that the many issues on offense that have plagued the Birds — that o-line, the fumbles, the play calling — have been corrected.  While head coach Andy Reid chose to take a stand by firing defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, he has taken no action on the offensive side of the ball.

We desperately want to believe that the problems on Philadelphia’s offense will magically work themselves out.  Magic may well be the only solution, as we’ve seen no evidence of any ability on the coaching staff to adequately address the errors that have afflicted the team thus far.  Which is precisely why Reid seemingly has decided to stay the course.

What’s that, that they say about the definition of insanity?  Doing the same thing repeatedly yet expecting different results.  It’s a quote that is often applied to the Philadelphia Eagles and especially Andy Reid for reasons precisely like this.

In early September I made a prediction for the Eagles 2012 season.  Nothing outrageous, but an achievable goal: A 10-6 record for the season.

At 3-3, that means the Eagles need to go 7-3 for the remainder of the season in order to reach a record of 10-6.  Can they do it?

The next test is the undefeated Atlanta Falcons at home.  If the Birds don’t come out swinging this game they never will.  The jobs of their coach and starting quarterback are on the line, and Reid’s perfect record out of the bye won’t hurt.

Philadelphia then takes to the national stage and heads to New Orleans to face the Saints on Monday Night Football.  The Super Dome is a notoriously difficult place to play and after a very poor start, the Saints have some momentum and are heartened by the moral victory of having Jonathan Vilma back with the team.

Then we get into the thick of the NFC East battles.  If the present is any indication of the remainder of the season, this may not be a year where a poor record can win the division, with the Giants currently standing strong with a 5-2 record.  Dallas will come to town in Week 10, then the Eagles will head down the road in Week 11 to face an RGIII-led Redskins team for the first time.

Monday Night calls again in Week 12 as the Birds play Cam Newton in what so far has been a disappointing and frustrating season for the Panthers.  In Week 13 Philadelphia gets even more prime time action as the Eagles faceoff with the Cowboys in the den of evil—Dallas– on Sunday Night Football.

With the end of the season in sight, the Eagles will face the Bucs in Tampa Bay in Week 14; back-to-back home games against the Bengals and Redskins, and in Week 17 finish it all off against the Giants.

To finish at 10-6, the Eagles can lose only three of their remaining games.  If they can lose even fewer, fabulous.  The good news is that, aside from the Falcons, none of the remaining Eagles opponents seem formidable.  And the fact that Atlanta will play at the Linc lessens the worry.

The season will come down to the division games.  I’m hoping that the Giants will do the opposite of what they did last year — start off strong and then trail off come the end of the season.  But the Redskins are a surging team and are going to be more and more of a challenge for Philadelphia as RG3III gains more experience in the league.  Dallas is an organization with a lot on the line if they have another disappointing year so expect a lot of fight from the Cowboys.

Whatever the record, we know that this year it’s about the postseason.  Making it there and going deep.  But first thing’s first: the Birds need the record and the standing to put them in a position to make a run.

As is said far too frequently when the Philadelphia Eagles are involved, there is an incredible level of talent on this roster.  It’s all about how it’s put together.  Time to see that “FIGHT-FIGHT-FIGHT” we know this team has to battle through and show what they’re truly made of.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

Cam Newton: “Rules of Engagement”

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Why is it that we now live in a society where we live to put you up only to knock you down?  When did we become social predators showing the fangs of jealously instead of patting your fellow man on the back?

When you put an inkling of doubt into someone’s head, you will never get it out.  There will always be whispers of “what if he did it, what if he didn’t”.  There are countless examples of what I mean, but for this instance I will choose just one.

Cam Newton is one of the best, if not the best athlete to have hit college turf.  He’s won The Heisman, he just won the BCS Championship along with his team, but yet he is being overshadowed by exploitation, greed, and the wrong doings of others, and you better believe that sooner or later it’s going to bite him right where it counts.  Instead of a “congratulations”, he is getting the “Scarlett Letter” of sports stamped right on his chest…the BIG “C” for cheater.

I’m not going to pretend that I know all the facts, because really nobody does.  This investigation has been so screwed up from the beginning that I’m not sure the real truth will ever come out.

Here is what I do know…                                                                      

First, the story is the Auburn quarterback and his father had put him on the auctioning table to be bought by the highest bidder.  Now we find out that he had no idea what was going on and that his father acted alone.

It didn’t matter that the NCAA had all the facts.  All they wanted to do was make this go away.  So what do they do decide to do?  Deem him ineligible following the NCAA amateurism rules, only to reinstate him the next day, finding they had no sufficient evidence to keep him from playing football and winning every trophy he was eligible to receive.

After all is said and done, this blemish on Cam Newton’s record is very present and does not seem to be going away anytime soon.

If the NCAA later finds Newton was involved along with his father and other unknowns in selling himself on the black market of football, then I will come to the conclusion that the NCAA has found no more use for Cam Newton and has thrown him to the wolves to satisfy the blood craving of those who need to see an artificial justice to make themselves feel relevant and important.

 My ramblings are not about the boy and whether or not he made a poor choice, but a much bigger picture.  A picture of how the NCAA and the universities & colleges recruit these young men and women, only to have them “slum it” for four years eating Oodles of Noodles, secluding themselves and cutting off their social circles, because if you just so happen to buy them a drink, they may get kicked out of their selected program.  These kids have special talents, but they are much more than the talent they have.  They belong to a family that may depend on them.  They give up a lot to reach their potential, only to become sacrificial lambs.  They are human and they make mistakes and may want or need more than what these prospective organizations can offer.

I do not condone rule breaking but there is nothing to lose in changing the rules.  I am sure I will be perceived as giving these guys an excuse to take the gifts that are given to them, but this is my opinion and if you don’t like it then you should stop reading right now.  Like it or not this is a business, a profitable business that should be held accountable for their part in why this happens to what seems like all the time with young athletes.   I can’t tell you how it is to be a highly skilled athlete in college, but I can tell you what it is like to be me in college, and it wasn’t all gum drops and rainbows.  I had a full-time job plus a full course load, so I can imagine what these highly publicized athletes have to endure.

Maybe one day someone with authority in the NCAA will look at the rules and see that they are a little lopsided.  Maybe one day it will change, but for now I’ll look to papers to see which young athlete will be next to get the “Scarlett Letter” of “C” on their chest.

Stephanie C. Curry, Guest Blogger for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NCAA, NFL | 7 Comments »