Tanking?

Unfortunately we live in a city where the fans of the local hockey team don't think about what they're saying. There are some myths floating around that don't make much sense at the best and are flat out wrong at the worst. Are Oilers fans really this delusional? Most of the time the answer is yes. Yes, Mcavid and Eichel are both good players, but why do we have to cheer for losses?

Cheering for draft picks is a favourite past time of Oilers fans. It's a sad, sad reality. Yes I know McDavid and Eichel are two really good players and "generational talents" and frankly I don't care. Remember when Taylor Hall was going to turn this team around? Remember when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was going to turn this team around? Remember when Nail Yakupov was going to turn this team around? Remember when Jordan Eberle coming up was going to turn this team around? Remember when Omark and Paajarvi were going to at least help turn this team around? Haven't Oilers fans learned a lesson about draft picks and prospects? They aren't always what they're made out to be, and if they are, you need more than just that player. If you think Connor McDavid is coming here and turning the Oilers into a dynasty than I laugh at you. The Oilers will likely need at least one other centre, two defensemen, and a starting goalie, and that's just the basic shopping list. A top centre will not take this current group and make it completely turn around. Also since when did cheering for losses become the cool thing to do?

You really want to see this team lose? You honestly want to watch a mediocre or worse on ice product? And you want to do this to potentially get something that is nowhere near a guarantee. I can't think of any other scenario where such a thing is viewed as a positive. Don't you at least want to see the team play with pride, retain some form of dignity, at least try not to be the NHL laughing stock (seriously, leave that for  Toronto)? Potentially gain some confidence in themselves in the process? Like I said before a draft pick isn't a guarantee, Sure the Oilers are likely picking 2nd at worst, but there's a chance they find themselves picking third, and then what was the attempted taking for? Not the player most of you want. Or maybe you get the draft pick and the player's a bust, or suffers a career ending or altering injury. Sure both guys are having good seasons, but there's always that slight chance they can't translate to the NHL. So to summarize: you hope the team loses in order to get something that could potentially happen, but there's no guarantee of it happening, but even if it does happen that player won't be turning the team around.

Speaking of which can I show you some other teams with "generational talents" and their ability to make the playoffs and have post season success? I can? Great.

Washington Capitals, Alex Ovechkin, 05/06-present
Ovechkin played his rookie season in 05/06 and has become arguably the best pure scorer in the league. However, success for the Capitals has been far from guaranteed. In fact, the Capitals missed the playoffs in both the 05/06, and 06/07 seasons. Then they made the playoffs for six straight seasons. However, the conference semi-finals were as far as they went, and then last season they once again missed the playoffs.

Philadelphia Flyers, Claude Giroux, 08/09- present
08/09 was the first season Giroux played a significant amount of games, and in that season they lost the conference quarter-finals. The next season they did made the Cup Finals. However, this would be the last of any significant playoff success the Flyers would have. They would lose in the conference semis the next two years in a row, before completely missing the playoffs the next season and bowing out in the quarterfinals next year.

Tampa Bay Lightning, Steven Stamkos, 08/09- present
The lightning missed the playoffs in both Stamkos' rookie season and the year after. They lost in the quarterfinals for two years in a row before missing the playoffs for another three seasons. They lost the conference finals once, and then missed the playoffs twice more before losing in the conference finals last year.

All of these teams have a generational talent player, and yet they aren't necessarily guaranteed the playoffs and aren't at all guaranteed post season success. Oilers fans do you really want to be a fringe team that sometimes makes the playoffs and never does anything when you get there? Drafting McDavid won't solve all of this teams' problems. In fact, drafting McDavid with minimal additions elsewhere puts you closer to being Tampa Bay than it does Chicago. Personally I'd rather be like Chicago. Yes McDavid is a good player, but don't think he is going to bring this team out of despair on his own. More major parts are needed for that to happen. Which brings us to the next "saviour theory." Coaching.

In conclusion drafting either McDavid or Eichel is in no way a guarantee. If we do get to draft one of them there's no guarantee they're as good as advertised. And even if they are as good as advertised there's no guarantee that it turns the team around. So you still want to lose just to get something that comes with a lot of ifs and question marks? I sure don't.


-Darren


-What do you think of tanking? Let me know by either commenting below or finding me on twitter @thewildman111


-photo taken from cbssports.com

NFL Mock Draft #1

With the NFL Draft coming up soon, I thought it was time for a mock draft. I don't know how many I'll do or if I'll even do another, but as of right now, this is where I think everyone will be going.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

With the first overall pick in the NFL Draft the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Quarterback from the University of Oregon Marcus Mariota.

Tampa Bay needs help everywhere, usually the team picking first overall does. Mariota doesn't have the same problems in college that Winston did, and I also think he's the better QB. If Tampa adds this guy, they all of a sudden have a shot at becoming a good team.

2. Tennesee Titans- Leonard Williams, DE, USC

I don't believe Tennesee takes a QB. I think they might be inclined to give one of the players currently on the roster a chance, or maybe find a free agent. I also believe Williams is too good to pass up. He would help a Tennesee defense that struggled a lot last year.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

The Jaguars drafted Bortles last year and the results on the action he had I believe are inconclusive. This six foot one receiver could go a long ways in helping Bortles develop as a QB and giving him a legitimate target to throw to.

4. Oakland Raiders- Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

Look for Oakland to go offense. They had an okay defense last year, and looks to be even better with Khalil Mack looking like a stud. Plus they may pick up some defensive free agents. Carr is a good young Quarter back, but he could use someone to throw to, and Kevin White would definitely be a nice target for him.

5. Washington Redskins- Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska

This Corn Husker has all sorts of raw talent. Despite what their record says, the Red Skins were okay on both sides of the ball last year, but obviously need improvement. At this point Gregory would be the best player available, considering the position they need, and would be a huge help on a Redskins team looking to find their way.

6. New York Jets- Jameis Winston, QB, FSU

This is the obvious pick, I don't always like going obvious, but in this case I don't see anything else they do. I'm not sold on Winston, but the Jets need a QB in the worst way possible. I don't think they can have another season under Geno Smith, at least not without another option. Jets go Winston and hope for the best.

7. Chicago Bears- Dante Fowler Jr, OLB, Florida

The Bears need defense, and at this point it looks like they either go with Shane Ray or Fowler. I give Fowler the edge because he can move around and play multiple positions. That is something that a Bears defense which struggled mightily last year will appreciate. However, with Cutler's future with the Bears being uncertain I also wouldn't be surprised to see them trade up and snag one of the top QBs.

8. Atlanta Falcons- Shane Ray, DE, Missouri

The Falcons had an abysmal defense last year and finished dead last in yards per game. They will be looking to change that this year. Shane Ray out of Missouri looks like a strong prospect, who could provide some immediate help for a defense that really struggled last year.

9. New York Giants- Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky

The Giants also had a really bad defense. At this point Dupree might not be the best defensive player available, however the Giants take him because of his versatility. When a defense is bad usually they need help at multiple positions. Well Dupree could move around as needed and maybe give some help to a struggling defense.

10. St. Louis Rams- Brandon Scherff, OG, Iowa

With Bradford coming back the Rams are looking to make a push in the NFC West. Obviously teams always need to protect a QB, but with Bradford coming off a significant injury it will be especially important for St. Louis. Scherff looks like a strong prospect to strengthen the offensive line in St. Louis.

11. Minnesota Vikings- Devante Parker, WR, Louisville

Bridgewater looks like a good young QB. Now he needs some targets. In a very deep year for the WR Parker is yet another strong prospect and will likely go a long ways in being a target for Bridgewater.

12. Cleveland Browns- Danny Shelton, NT, Washington

The Browns don't necessarily need a Tackle badly. However, at this point their key needs aren't really available. They just might trade down and out of this situation for something they need. However, if they were to draft Shelton they would be getting a big dominant defender, this would not be a bad thing to have here either. A positive for the Browns here is they would have some options on what to do.

13. New Orleans Saints- Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
The Saints are looking to get back to their winning ways. They could use some help on defense, and a player who can move around the field will be a real nice addition for them.

14. Miami Dolphins- Trae Waynes, CB, MSU
The Dolphins had a .500 season. Neither the offense or defense was terrible, but both definitely need improvement. Corner back is one of the positions they need anyways and Waynes is just sitting there ready for the taking.

15. San Francisco 49ers- La'el Collins, OT, LSU
The Niners could use a piece or two in most positions. I think they look to the offensive line first round. Protecting your quarterback is the most important thing for any team and Collins could be ready to jump in and give that help to the Niners.

16. Houston Texans- Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
I could see the Texans trading out of this spot, I think everyone they would have been looking at by this point has already been taken. However, Peat does look like a good player and it never hurts to strengthen your offensive line. Peat could go a ways in doing that for Houston.

17. San Diego Chargers- Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
The Chargers need some help in the secondary and Peters is the best available to them to do that. Some would say Waynes is better than him. To me it's a toss up, but both are solid defenders who look ready to make a splash in the NFL.

18. Kansas City Chiefs- Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon
The Chiefs may want to trade out of this position. By this point there's nothing they absolutely need that's available. However, beefing up the defensive line is never a bad idea and Armstead looks like a strong prospect there.

19. Cleveland Browns- Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
Having two picks in the first round is never a bad thing. Adding Thompson and Shelton would go a long ways to strengthen the Browns on defense. Cleveland could be on the verge of building something good.

20. Philadelphia Eagles- Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
The Eagles' secondary was less than stellar last year. Adding one of the top prospects at Safety in Collins should help fix that.

21. Cincinati Bengals- Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas
The Bengals don't really need a Tackle, however, at this point it's a bit of a fall for Brown and could potentially be a steal. I think the Bengals would jump all over this.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers- Eddie Goldman, DT, FSU
The Steel Curtain isn't quite what it once was. The Steelers might be looking to rebuild the defense a bit, and Goldman could be a help in that.

23. Detroit Lions- Cameron Erving, C, FSU
There's nothing the Lions absolutely need here,  however, protecting Stafford should be a priority for them and Erving would be able to help in that.

24. Arizona Cardinals- Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
The Cardinals defense could use some help, and Linebacker is a position they need. Inside Line Backer is a key position on any team, and Kendricks could fill that for them.

25. Carolina Panthers- TJ Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
Carolina needs multiple positions, and they have options at this point. However, Clemmings is the best available for them here and to me makes the most sense.

26. Baltimore Ravens- Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
Gordon really falls from where a lot of people think he might go. However, a lot of teams don't need a running back, or if they do they have more pressing needs first. This would be a steal for Baltimore and make too much sense for them to not do it.

27. Dallas Cowboys- PJ Williams, CB, FSU
This might be a bit of a reach for the Cowboys to take. However, they need a corner and PJ looks good. I don't really see a reason for them not to reach a little bit. There's nothing available that they need badly otherwise. PJ might be better than some rankings indicate.

28. Denver Broncos- Jalen Strong, WR, Arizona State
With at least one of the Thomases- if not both- set to leave Denver will likely be looking at Wide Receivers. Strong is yet another talented receiver in what is looking like a very deep draft for them.

29. Indianapolis Colts- Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Miss St.
The Colts have a very strong offense, however, defense has been their downfall in the playoffs the last couple seasons. They're going to look to improve that both in the draft and free agency. McKinney looks like one of the better Linebackers out there and should definitely help the Colts.

30. Green Bay Packers- Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami
The Packers will likely be taking whoever the best inside linebacker available is at this point. Unless a stud of a player at another position falls all the way down to 30th, they're going to be taking an inside linebacker. With both Kendricks and McKinney off the board that means Perryman falls to them.

31. Seattle Seahawks- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
I know people say the Seahawks need other positions, but I think they need a receiver. They rely heavily on the run and on their defense. If they could add an aerial assault they would be just that much better. And yet another receiver goes in the first round.

32. New England Patriots- Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
The Patriots might be looking to take the best available at this point, and that would be Gurley. Plus, they could use more strength in their running game so this would appear to be a good fit.

This concludes my first mock draft. I will take all comments, criticisms, and suggestions I get into consideration. Should I do a second mock draft I will take those a long with any recent developments to form another and hopefully more accurate mock draft.


-Darren


-What do you think of my draft? Let me know by either commenting below, or find me on twitter @thewildman111


-photo taken from sportingnews.com

MLB Predictions

With MLB Spring Training underway it is time for season's predictions.With the parity in the league increasing every year this is getting constantly getting harder to do. However, I'll give it my best shot.

A.L. East

1. Baltimore Orioles 92-70
2. Toronto Blue Jays 90-72
3. Boston Red Sox 83-79
4. Tampa Bay Rays 73-89
5. New York Yankees 70-92

The last couple years this division has been the most wide open I have seen it in a long time, and this year is no exception. To me the Orioles are the strongest team, but the Jays look to be close competitors. I put the Orioles ahead of them though because they have a proven and more complete starting rotation, where as the Jays is young and somewhat questionable. The Jays also did not get the bullpen player they needed so badly. However, despite this the Blue Jays look the strongest they have in a long time. Despite being somewhat questionable the rotation looks fairly solid, and the offense is potent. The only question mark is the bull pen. This Jays team should be competing for a wild card spot and potentially the division. The Red Sox added some pieces which should keep them hanging around most of the season. They will definitely be better than last season, however, are they good enough to get back to the post season? I don't believe so. They have too many streaky players. If players like Boegarts and Bucholz show up, watch out for the Sox. However, if these (and their other role players) slump for any reason, it's going to be a long season in Boston. I believe they're good enough to be above .500, especially with the addition of Pablo Sandoval, but I'm not sure if they're much better than that. The Rays are a team who's best days with this squad are behind them. They have good pieces like Longoria, Cobb, and Moore, however, other than a few pieces there isn't much there. Finally the New York Yankees, you can almost never count out the Yankees, but this year it seems a pretty safe bet to do so. They're full of aging stars who's best days are behind them, and I doubt A-Rod is leading them anywhere anymore. They have a few bright spots, but a few bright spots is about it.

A.L. Central
1. Detroit Tigers 85-77
2. Kansas City Royals 83-78
3. Chicago White Sox 82-80
4. Cleveland Indians 78-84
5. Minnesota Twins 59-103

 The Tigers aren't the power houses they once were. Yes they still have Cabrera, and yes their core of infielders is still together. However, everyone's getting older and their pitching rotation isn't what it once was. Their bullpen does look good. I'd look for Detroit to win the divsion this year, but don't have expectations of them running away with it, despite the fact that it's a weak divison. Detroit has taken a few steps back and look to be declining from their power house days. Kansas City lost Shields, and look like they may be taking a step back this year. I don't think they'll be terrible, but don't expect another magical run either. The Chicago White Sox did a lot of good things in the off season, but to me it isn't a complete team yet. They will be vastly improved and also in a playoff hunt, however, with this roster they aren't there yet. Maybe if they make an early or mid season trade they can push themselves there. The Indians are no longer a power squad either. They have pieces to keep themselves afloat, however they're aging, and not much on this roster really pops out at you. The Twins are pretty much an after thought, there really isn't much there and will likely be another dismal season.

A.L. West
1. LA Angels 102-62
2. Seattle Mariners 91-71
3. Oakland Athletics 82-80
4. Texas Rangers 81-81
5. Houston Astros 77-85

Whoo! This is the strongest division so far. The Angels look like they could be Championship ready behind Mike Trout, this is a very strong team, look for them to go deep this year. The Mariners made big strides signing Robinson Cano last year. To me, this team looks good enough to be playoff bound. Nobody really knows what Billy Beane is up to. He traded Donaldson to the Jays and shipped out some other major talent. They still look good enough to be decent, but decent won't get you very far in this league. The Rangers have to improve after last year don't they? I think they have too good of a roster to be that bad again. I'd look for them to be around .500, but in this strong division their time may have passed. The Astros are steadily on an up swing, they aren't playoff bound yet, but they won't be the laughing stock and punching bag of the league anymore either, I'd look for them to creep up on the .500 mark.

This brings us to the A.L. side of the playoffs. Here's how the seeding turns out.

1. LA Angels
2. Baltimore Orioles
3. Detroit Tigers
4. Seattle Mariners
5. Toronto Blue Jays


Wild card game Toronto Blue Jays at Seattle Mariners
First up we got the wild card game, which would feature the Toronto Blue Jays at the Seattle Mariners. Neither team has a ton of playoff experience, however, I believe the additions of Russel Martin, and Josh Donaldson would go a long ways in preparing the team for what it needs, however, the Mariners do have Cano, who knows a thing or two as well. The Jays would likely have to face Felix Hernandez, which could be tough, however, pitchers who haven't been into the playoffs very much, if at all can sometimes struggle. I'm going to give the one game playoff to the Blue Jays, as I think they're ready to move into the playoffs and make a little noise.

ALDS: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Los Angeles Angels
Notice how I said the Jays are ready to make a "little noise?" Yeah, this season it will likely only be restrained to a little. I do think this would be a close series, however, I'm going to have to go with Angels in five here. I think they're more prepared, and the better team.

ALDS: Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles
Can the Tigers find a way to win in the post season? I don't think so. After getting a taste of the post season last year the Orioles are going to be hungry to get back and go deep. Orioles got a taste and have an idea now of what it takes. Orioles take this series in four.

ALCS: Baltimore Orioles vs. Los Angeles Angels
Man this would be a really good series. However, I believe the Angels are deeper and better than the Orioles. To me this looks like a special year for the Angels. I'll take the Angels in six here.

Now on to the National League to find out who gets to dance with the Angels in the World Series.

N.L. East
Washington Nationals 102-60
Miami Marlins  83-79
Atlanta Braves 78-84
New York Mets 74-88
Philadelphia Phillies 68-94

The Washington Nationals look good, they have what looks to be the best rotation in baseball and could be competing to be the best team in baseball. The Marlins look pretty good as well. They have some good young talent and will likely get Jose Fernandez back mid-season which would be a huge boost to the lineup. I think they fall just short of the playoffs this year, but they will definitely be in the hunt. The Braves aren't the power house they once were, they have a few bright spots, but I don't see much from them. The Mets have one of the top farm systems in the league. However, this talent has yet to develop, and for right now they aren't going to be very good. The Phillies need to start over, build a farm system and build for the future. There really isn't much in Philly right now and there isn't much to look forward to this year.

N.L. Central
St. Louis Cardinals 91-71
Pittsburgh Pirates 86-76
Chicago Cubs 82-80
Milwaukee Brewers- 74-88
Cincinnati Reds- 70- 92

The Cardinals are going to be the Cardinals and continue their top play and once again take the division. The Pirates are essentially the same team that's made the playoffs the last couple years, however, they lost Russel Martin. They're going to be good and right in the playoff race, but I think they're just going to miss out. The Cubs had a really good off season and made some vast improvements. They'll have an outside chance at the playoffs, but I don't think they're quite there yet. The Brewers are interesting, they have the pieces to potentially be really good, but they could also flop. I don't see them doing it. I think they're a couple pieces away yet. The Reds are also a team with potential, however, other than a couple seasons they really haven't done much, they have a decent roster that might be capable of being good, but it just hasn't happened. These are my predictions for this division, but it could be wild, any of these teams have a roster potentially capable of jumping around.

N.L. West
LA Dodgers 93-69
San Francisco Giants 90-72
San Diego Padres- 88-74
Colorado Rockies- 64-98
Arizona Diamond Backs- 59-103

The top three of this division will competitive. The bottom two not so much. The Dodgers look good again and ready to take the division. Despite losing Sandoval the Giants are still going to be competitive. With the off-season they had I think San Diego is ready for a playoff race. And just like that three teams in a division make the playoffs. The final spot will be a tight race between them and the Pirates and I think they just edge out the Pirates, however it could go either way. Neither the Rockies or the Diamond Backs look good. Both will likely be in the running for worst record in baseball.

Now for the N.L. Playoffs here's how the seeding shakes out.
1. Washington Nationals
2. LA Dodgers
3. St. Louis Cardinals
4. San Francisco Giants
5. San Diego Padres

Wild Card Game: San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants
The Padres are finally good enough to get to the playoffs, even if it just is the wild card game. Unfortunately for them, this is as far as they get. The Giants are too deep and too good to lose out as a wild card.

NLDS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. LA Dodgers
The Dodgers haven't shown much at being a playoff team in the past. If Kershaw can find his way they would be really good. However, a historic non-playoff team plays what's historically a very good playoff team in St. Louis, I have to take the playoff team. Cardinals advance in 4.

NLDS: San Francisco Giants vs. Washington Nationals
The Nationals do have guys who have been to the playoffs before and they have made it as a team as well. However, the Giants have made it very hard to bet against them in the post season. This one is almost too close to call, however, I believe the Nationals can pull it off, they don't strike me as a team that will be continually failing in the playoffs, I think they have what it takes and I think they win in 5.

NLCS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals
A lot of times the hot team wins. To take out the Giants the Nationals would likely be coming into this series hot. I think with everything they have and the run they will be putting together at this point will be hard to overcome for St. Louis. I really like the Nationals this year. I think they win in six.

World Series: Washington Nationals vs. LA Angels
What a titanic matchup this would be. Both teams with prolific offenses and dynamic pitching staffs. I think pitching staff is what this series will come down to. I give the Nationals the edge in that regard and I think they win. Nationals win the World Series in seven.


-Darren


-What do you think of my predictions for the MLB season? Let me know by either commenting below or find me on twitter @thewildman111


photo taken from sportsconflict.org

Rethinking the Slam Dunk Contest

For many years the slam dunk competition has been one of the most anticipated events of all star weekend. From Dr. J starting it all to Michael Jordan dunking from the free throw line to Air Canada (Vince Carter) putting on a show the dunk contest has lived up to the hype many times in years past. Now fast forward to all-star weekend 2015. For quite a few years now the superstars of the NBA have not participated. What would the ideal slam dunk lineup look like right now? It would probably be something like Lebron James, Blake Griffin, Demar Derozan, and maybe this year's winner Zach Lavine gets in. One out of four guys on that list actually competed this year. Gone are the days when the Vince Carters and Michael Jordans of the league compete. The slam dunk contest has turned into a competition for rookies and rising stars. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing- Lavine and Oladipo showed they can put on a show- it can also lead to parts of the contest being rather boring. Let's use this year as an example. Giannis Antetokounmpo showed some promise in what he was attempting, but failed in execution, so while he could have put on a show, he just didn't live up to what he might be capable of. I also found Mason Plumlee to be a complete snore fest. This is a guy who was just picked to please the hometown crowd when he isn't even ranked as a top 12 dunker this season. Plumlee wasn't a promising dunk prospect, and didn't really perform well either, he had one decent dunk, and one other dunk get the lowest possible score of 36. This year, and the last few past years beg multiple important questions. Do we want stars in the dunk contest? Can we get stars back into the dunk contest to make it more interesting?  And finally, what should the format of the slam dunk contest look like?

The first question is probably the most important one as the answer depends on the answer to the next questions and the overall format of what the contest. I think we can all agree that we want to see at least some of the stars. Who wouldn't want to see Blake vs. Lebron? Or to see what Andrew Wiggins could potentially do? Not to mention guys like Deandre Jordan or Demar Derozan as well as others. It's easy to see the attraction of having these players in the contest, however, I don't think many people see the disadvantages. Right now the dunk contest is mostly rookies and rising stars. It's a chance for these young players to show what they're capable of. If we make the contest just for the best dunkers these young players would rarely- if ever- get a chance to show why they're considered rising stars. Lebron and company are in the spot light often enough. Do they really need to be in it again for yet another event? The bigger question is could they even be convinced to re-join the slam dunk contest?

I think there are ways to get the stars back in the slam dunk contest. Maybe they need extra incentive such as an extra pay check for participating. While it could work a lot of people would have a problem with stars earning yet more money and I don't believe it's necessary. Another option would be for the NBA to start handing down fines or suspensions from skipping All-Star events. However, I'm not a huge fan of this idea either. I don't believe the league would like it either as it would make it seem that they have to force players to come to the all-star game. This would not be a good image for the league to have. I do believe that there is a way to both bring the stars back and keep the excitement of having rising stars, but doing so would mean completely revamping the slam dunk contest.

What would the slam dunk contest now look like you might ask? Well picture this. First we would need to expand the number of competitors from four to either six or eight. Right now it's just too short, would be more exciting with a few more competitors. However, the six or eight contestants wouldn't be just any players. Half of them would be ranging from rookies up to 4 years in the league. The other half would be guys who've been in the league for 5+ years. This would add a veterans vs. rising stars element to the dunk contest, as well as potentially bringing back some of the better high fliers due to the added competition. Granted there's no guarantee this brings in Blake Griffin or Lebron James, however it would have a good chance of bringing back some of the better dunkers in the league and still being more entertaining than it is now. Of course if not even decent dunkers are interested then it wouldn't work, but I don't think that would happen. As soon as some good dunkers go in, it could attract others from around the league and revive the competition. I believe there is a genuine opportunity in a format like this to see some young fresh talent against some veteran high fliers. This is what I believe could turn the dunk contest around.

The slam dunk contest definitely isn't what it once was. The lack of star high fliers is definitely noticeable and sometimes the young kids just can't live up to the hype of the slam dunk contest. However, maybe we can bring back the veterans and keep the young stars in it. This would go a long ways in restoring the Slam Dunk Contest to its former glory.


-Darren


-What do you think of redoing the Slam Dunk Contest? Let me know by either commenting below or find me on twitter @thewildman111


-photo taken from espn.go.com

Oilers Of Next Year

With this season for the Oilers essentially being a wash we can look ahead to next season and see what the team might look like on opening day. Let's start with the leaving players.




Departures

Jordan Eberle
This will by far be the most controversial trade among Oilers fans, if Mactavish does this he absolutely has to get something good back. The reason I believe he does it is because the Oilers need pieces in key positions, and Eberle is the only piece of the Oilers core that is expendable. Of all the pieces on the trade block for the Oilers, Eberle is also the most valuable. I believe a deal gets done.

Justin Schultz
His game has improved under Todd Nelson, and this is part of the reason why I believe he's being shipped out. I believe some team will see Schultz's upside and ask for him in a trade. I think Craig Mactavish sees this and uses it to his advantage. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Schultz is gone at either the trade deadline or in the summer.

Jeff Petry
Man, I am a Jeff Petry fan. He's one of the most established defenders the Oilers have, however, with his contract being up and with hearing almost nothing for new contract talks it seems inevitable that Petry is done.

Martin Marincin
It seems odd to me that Marincin hasn't gotten more chances this year. I believe he's done and I think he is a fairly valuable trade asset. A team will see the time he's had here and see what he could potentially do if given a chance and will ask for him in a trade. The right deal will come a long and Craig Mactavish will pull the trigger.

Ben Scrivens
It's clear the Oilers need a legitimate #1 goalie and need to quit rolling the dice on young back ups who've had a promising start. Because of this Ben Scrivens is very likely done as an Oiler in order to make room for a new goalie Scrivens will either be traded in a package for the new goalie, or the new goalie will come as a free agent and Scrivens will be used in another deal. Either way he's done.


Arrivals

This is where it gets fun. Who will be entering the team via free agency or trade for the Oilers? Let's have a look at what I think Mactavish may have up his sleeve.

Keith Yandle, Antoine Vermette
You know how I said Mactavish trading Eberle would need to be something big? Well I believe he does with this deal. Yandle would definitely help stabalize the back end, and Vermette would be a nice addition at centre. I realize Vermette is a UFA and there's no guarantee we keep him, for that reason the Oilers might trade for Hanzal instead in this case as well. Or to guard against that risk they can have a conditional draft pick coming back. Or they could just ask for a third piece, that isn't a UFA so that then they have two pieces to stick to the team. There are ways around Vermette's pending UFA status, and he is the better player than Hanzal. Who knows? Maybe Vermette resigns here if traded, or maybe the Oilers do this trade for Yandle and another piece and sign Vermette in the off season. They do have options. If the Oilers are going to give up Eberle, a pick (likely Pittsburgh's first rounder), and likely another piece (this could be where Marincin goes), I want them getting back the best players possible.

Eric Gryba
The Senators reportedly have an interest in Jeff Petry, and the Oilers are almost certainly going to trade him. However, they would likely need an established defenseman in return. Gryba is twenty-six years old and plays about sixteen minutes a night. That sounds like something that could help the Oilers. Gryba does only have a short contract, but his numbers don't scream that he's deserving as a massive long term deal. The Oilers should be able to lock him up on a reasonable deal when his current contract expires if they were to land him.

Cam Ward
I think Ward comes as a trade. I know, I'm usually the one saying Oilers won't land a good player, however, I think there are reasons he would come here and resign. Sometimes good players do want to help a young, struggling team improve. I think Ward might want to do that. The fact that he's originally from the Edmonton area doesn't hurt either. And he's 30, he's not likely to land a massive record breaking deal anywhere so he should be affordable for the Oilers. For once a star player willingly coming to the Oilers makes sense. As for who is traded it could be an interesting package. I'm not totally sure who it would be. Maybe some picks or prospects, or Ference might be a possibility.

Karl Alzner
The Oilers may want to lock up a winger with Eberle now gone, and Washington could use a back up goalie. So could Scrivens, and a piece for Alzner potentially work? I don't see why not, Washington needs a goalie and Alzner would be a welcome piece on the Oilers. I doubt it would be Scrivens for Alzner straight up, this could be where Schultz goes as well. In Washington Schultz could get to play behind some veteran defensive defenseman, he would have a chance to work on his defensive game without always being in the spotlight.


Intorducing the starting lineup for your 2015/2016 Edmonton Oilers

Taylor Hall-Ryan Nugent-Hopkins-Nail Yakupov
Benoit Pouliot- Antoine Vermette- Teddy Purcell
Matt Fraser- Derek Roy- Iro Pekarinen
Matt Hendricks- Boyd Gordon- Rob Klinkhammer

Keith Yandle- Mark Fayne
Oscar Klefbom- Karl Alzner
Erick Gryba- Andrew Ference

Cam Ward
Victor Fasth


-Darren


What do you think of my roster for the 2015/2016 Edmonton Oilers? Let me know by either commenting below or find me on twitter @thewildman111


photo taken from hockey30.com

Blow It Up: Toronto Maple Leafs Edition

Usually before any team in pro sports completely blows up a team to start over it's something for management to think long and hard about, something to be contemplated and speculated on. They get concerned about what's happened to teams like the Oilers when they went in that direction, but you can also look at teams like the Blackhawks to encourage it. However, there is no doubt in my mind that if the Leafs ever want to get past being mediocre and a fringe playoff contender at best they need to blow it up. I know that they look close with some players they have and they might be able to put something together. However, this just isn't the case when you look at it. Before judging, hear me out and allow me to show you why.

The Leafs have had the same basic core in place for about three years now. It's basically been Kessel and Phaneuf as the main two guys with Bozak, van Reiemsdyk, Kadri, and Lupul being other prominent players for quite some time now. In the three years where this has been more or less the core the results have been average at best. The 2012/13 season was the only time they made the playoffs with this group, and just when they looked poised to advance to the next round and defeat the Boston Bruins, they suffered an epic collapse and fell well short in what was a lock out shortened season. Last year, they had a playoff spot all but clinched but they fell short by losing big down the stretch, they could barely win a game to save their playoff lives and couldn't edge in just two more wins which would have clinched a playoff spot, keep in mind that before this run they weren't barely clinging to a wild card spot, but they had full control of actually getting a decent birth, and failed. Then this season, they aren't even in a playoff spot right now  and have managed to hit a slump of epic porportions. This really brings up some major questions about the club and their direction, however, this alone isn't reason enough to blow up the team, after all there is still something to build around....isn't there?

If a team had similar pieces that the Leafs had I might agree depending on the team. However, there are some really major flaws with the Leafs team as it is. The first is that they have guys playing the top minutes, who aren't top minute players. Kessel would be better suited not having to be the man on the offensive side, and Phaneuf would be much better as a 2nd or 3rd defenseman, where he gets to play beside another star. This is part of what has led to the mediocrity of the Leafs. They have the players who are bonafide, solid, and even star NHLers. However, they aren't superstars or spot light NHLers. They would be more suited as secondary guys. When guys who aren't necessarily meant to be the top guys have to be the top guys they will be prone to disappear, and when those guys disappear, it's unlikely the secondary scoring will be able to completely take up the slack, and the team will struggle. We have seen this happen at least once every year from the Leafs. This leads to the question of why not trade for number one players?

Well being an Oilers fan has taught me and many other Oilers fans that trading for number ones is very difficult. Every week rumours pop up about the latest number one player at whatever position the Oilers might be interested in, however, as of yet no deal has happened. Why do you think that is? Teams are very reluctant to give up number one players at any position unless they're having a fire sale (and even in this case they can still be somewhat expensive), or they're getting a really good package in return. Just look at what the Leafs gave up to get Kessel for example, one of the draft picks they gave up turned into Tyler Seguin. How much would the Leafs like to have him right now? Quite often giving up what it takes to land a number one player will leave a hole in another position, which will lead the team to either overpay in another trade or overpay at free agency and it can be a black hole that just sucks them in with no way to get out. There's also the other issue of changing a culture and getting almost anything and everything that's leftover from being a team that can't win out of the organization and locker room.

Even if the Leafs were to trade one key player for a massive upgrade, there would still be prominent players left over from the mediocre years. Players who couldn't win and suffered really bad collapses. Would a team really want these players left when they're trying to reinvent the team and become winners? I don't think so. When a team rebuilds, or is trying to win they generally don't want any players left over from the losing years to still be on the team, it usually doesn't work. Especially when players have been called uncoachable.

For me the final dagger in blowing this thing up is that former Leaf coach Ron Wilson called the core uncoachable. Now you do have to take what a former coach says with a grain of salt. However, considering what we've seen from the Leafs recently I don't think it's surprising. Why would a team want uncoachable players if they want to change the way things are going? Having uncoachable players is another really good way to maintain mediocrity.

I think at the end of the day blowing things up is the only way for the Leaf to eventually achieve consistent success. Their current core are players who might not be meant to be a core and trading for actual core players would take too many assets. It generally isn't a good idea to have pieces left on the team that couldn't win, especially when these pieces are uncoachable. At the end of the day it looks like the best thing the Leafs can do is blow it up and start over.


-Darren


-Do you think the Leafs should blow it up or is there another way for them to improve? Let me know by either commenting below, or find me on twitter @thewildman111


photo taken from thehockeynews.com

It's Time for the Packers to Quit Playing "Nice"

The Packers have a history of having nice clean players, who don't open their mouth, and coaches who never scream. Well this is contributing to their lack of playoff success. I will show you why.

 I realize the Packers and their fans like their coaches and players to be a certain way, so I realize what I'm saying won't be very popular. However, given the skill the Packers have especially on offense, and with at the very least an average defense they should be doing a lot better in the playoffs than they have. This was their first NFC Championship game since the Superbowl win. Think about that. All of the talent they have and they can barely reach the NFC Championship. Now let's look around the league and we'll see what I'm getting at.

Let's look at teams that have won and been good consistently in the recent past. This includes teams such as the Ravens, Patriots, Saints, Giants, Seahawks, and 49ers. Now look at what these teams have. For the longest time on defense the Ravens had the trio of Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and Terrell Suggs. The Patriots have Tom Brady and Bill Belicheck. The Saints have Sean Payton at the helm and the Giants have Tom Coughlin. The Seahawks have a whole host of notable guys Pete Caroll, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Cam Chancellor, and the list goes on. The 49ers had Harbaugh, and the really good Steelers teams used to be filled with edgy and questionable characters.

Now you're probably what these players have in common and what this has to do with the Packers. Well look at the players and coaches I listed above. They all either play or coach with an edge, have an attitude, or both. We all know that Brady and Bellicheck don't always play nice, Richard Sherman has shown his attitude, and Harbaugh is a very intense coach. Just to point out a few things from that list. This is what the Packers need.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying go get everyone with a criminal record or who's a locker room cancer. Obviously you don't want to cause major problems. However, I do believe the Packers need a guy who will ruffle some feathers and who's going to come in with an attitude. They need someone who's going to fire people up, play with an edge, and who might be a somewhat controversial figure around the league. They need either a Sherman-like player or a Harbaugh like coach, something to get the team going in the playoffs. After all, all the teams who've won have at least one of these players or coaches and some have had many, so why don't the Packers have any? For the sake of an image? Well it's time to forsake the image a bit and go get one of these players. Not someone who will cause major problems, but someone who might be a bit controversial, who will make a big hit, and maybe provide an interesting sound bite. Matthews and Peppers are good and they do play hard, but they don't have the same attitude or edge.

The Packers biggest reason for lack of success in the palyoffs is they don't have someone who has an edge or attitude. Look at the teams who have made the playoffs and have had success. Almost all of them do have one of these players or coaches. It's time for the Packers to do the same and add an edge to the team.


-Darren


Do you think the time has come for the Packers to stop being nice? Either comment below or find me on twitter @thewildman111


photo taken from usatoday.com