From Worst to First

With so much parity in the NFL theses days, teams that were considered 'bottom-feeders' and 'cellar-dwellers' from last season are competing for playoff spots and division championships. After going 4-12 in '09 and 2-14 in '08 seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs are chopping their way to a potential AFC West title through key draft picks and opportuned free agency.

Round One:

Upper management and the coaching staff possessed the fifth overall selection in this year's version of the NFL Draft and collectively decided to pick 6' 0" 211 pound strong safety Eric Berry form Tennessee. Berry would be expected to thrive in defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel's aggressive style of play.


Round Two:

The Chiefs selected another SEC player in multi-purpose dynamo Dexter McCluster out of Ole Miss and nickel corner back/ return guru Javier Arenas from Alabama (from Atlanta Falcons) in the second round. These two picks alone has made special teams reluctant to kick the ball in bounds, to say the least.

Round three resulted in a sleeper-like selection as Todd Haley and staff snagged 6' 3" 245 pound tight end Tony Moeaki out of Iowa. In his first twelve games, Moeaki has managed to grab 38 receptions for 451 yards and three touchdowns. Kansas City also acquired running back Thomas Jones from the New York Jets to join speedster Jamaal Charles in the Chief's backfield.

As of week fifteen, the Chiefs maintain first place in the AFC West with an 8-5 record behind the NFL's top-ranked rushing offense, averaging 165.4 yards per contest.

Minority Report: NCAA's Top Level

There will always be controversy in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I, as long as the BCS is the primary component in the highest level in college football. Various opinions from different sources have made the sport more popular than it has ever been. At Tazsports, we'll provide you with a preview of the NCAA's 2010 "postseason".

Ohio State Buckeyes:

The Heisman Trust Committee is keeping a close eye on 6'6", 233 pound junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes' offensive attack. Second on his team with 463 rushing yards and four touchdowns, Pryor is the primary catalyst to the success of Ohio State getting to a BCS bowl this season. Talented junior tailback Daniel Herron has also contributed, leading the Buckeyes in rushing with 634 yards and 12 touchdowns.


Boise State Broncos:

The idea of a non-traditional school like Boise State is something new which is uncomfortable to certain eyes, but the facts remain evident. No matter the opponent before them, this group won those games.  Appalachian State upset a fifth ranked Michigan squad by the score of 34-32 in '07. Jacksonville State over Ole Miss in week one, or James Madison stunning Virginia Tech by keeping the Hokies out of the endzone the entire second half in week two proves one thing. These teams indeed did not win games they were absolutely supposed to win.

South Carolina Gamecocks:

A select few are annoyed that everyone appears surprised a Spurrier-coached defense is among the best in the nation when the Heisman winning quarterback unleashed top notch, ravenous defensive efforts onto the Southeastern Conference throughout the 90’s with the Florida Gators. Freshman tailback Marcus Lattimore will more than likely end up playing on Sundays.  


Oregon Ducks:

The 'quack attack' currently has the nation's top offense, averaging 55 points per game behind the sophomore sensation tailback LaMichael James. James leads the nation in rushing with 1,331 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Ducks will more than likely end up featured in the BCS National Championship Game.

Rankings usually mean nothing until teams take the field with chinstraps fastened. Traditional reputation and a school's performance from the previous season play a major part in consideration with the human element of the BCS formula (33% Coaches Poll, 33% Harris Poll, 33% computer simulation). Pollsters won't admit it, but the selection process of teams for the BCS is the twin sister of the preseason rankings procedure. Don't be surprised if a non-qualifying school gets into the big show through the back door, going forward.

 BCS Ranking in ( )

1.   Boise State (4)

2.   Oregon (1)

3.   TCU (3)

4.   Auburn (2)

5.   Nebraska (6)

6.   LSU (5)

7.   Stanford (6)

8.   South Carolina (23)

9.   Wisconsin (7)

10. Ohio State (9)

Today's Lesson: Always Embrace Greatness

Over the last ten years of Fantasy Football, plenty of owners have debated endlessly over who's the best players for their rosters. Luckily, Tazsports would like present its All-Decade Fantasy team for the 2000's.

QB - Drew Brees / Kurt Warner
Take your pick of either of these Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks. Brees is ultimate proof that one does not have to be 6'5" to play the the position at a world-class level. Warner, on the other hand, has been to the Super Bowl three times with two different teams (St. Louis and Arizona).

RB - Marshall Faulk
Some owners are wishing he never retired to this day. Faulk pierced through the hearts of Fantasy opponents, grabbing 87 receptions while rushing and receiving for over 1,000 yards at the beginning of the decade.


RB - LaDainian Tomlinson
There has not been a more productive running back since Emmitt Smith retired. L.T. has accumulated over 16,000 all-purpose yards and 153 touchdowns (rushing and receiving). No one is anywhere close to these numbers since the TCU grad has entered the NFL.

WR - Terrell Owens
The Alexander City, Alabama native is showing no signs of slowing down as he enters his fifteenth season. Owens has received for over 1,000 yards in ten of those years, for a total of 1,006 catches for 14,951 (yards) and 144 scores with popcorn as a prop. And yes, T.O. ranks number one (2nd in TD's) in each of these categories this decade. What else would one expect from a player who was groomed by the legendary Jerry Rice?


WR - Randy Moss
In his thirteen-year career, Moss has managed to put together 1,000 yard performances in eleven of those seasons. Tied for the most touchdowns in '09 with 14, the 6"4' 210 pound gazelle has caught the most touchdowns since 1998, with 144. Moss is also only 486 receiving yards behind the decade's leader, Terrell Owens.


TE - Tony Gonzalez
He needs only one catch to reach 1,000 for his professional career. He has over 11,000 receiving yards and 82 scores and has only missed two games in fourteen seasons. At 6'5" and weighing 243 pounds, the term beast seems rather appropriate.


K - Adam Vinatieri
The South Dakota native kicks field goals at a 82 percentile rating (not to mention giving New England three Super Bowl wins in four years) including a fifty-seven yard boot in 2002. Not bad.

DEF - Baltimore Ravens
Allowing a league best seven and a half points per game in '09, the Ravens defense has stood tall year after year. The black and purple birds earned the title of Greatest Defense off All Time in 2000, winning four consecutive regular season games without scoring an offensive touchdown.

Needless to say, the upcoming decade, starting with this season, shall be gigantic!

Growth

Some believe if one moves forward while being aware of the past without dwelling, things will work themselves out over time. One of the most imperative components to relocating is property taxes. Everyday living expenses present massive presence as well.
Taxes only affect selective economical groups. After the state and local government get their ten percent, all taxes don't affect everyone. A person with an annual salary of  $17 million stands to save $2.3 million on property taxes in Florida. A motorist will undoubtedly be affected by fuel taxes while not affecting one who walks or rides a bike to commute. A heavy drinker living in Wyoming would spend much less on alcohol taxes, since it's the least taxed state. Although each state adds its own algorithm to budget funds, a single hockey mom who doesn't play the lottery would be unaware of taxes off winnings, even in West Virginia where a sixty-one cent tax is sprinkled in as the largest rate in the nation. Sales taxes are dependent on the amount spent on goods and services, which also vary from state to state.
With merely mentioning tobacco, property and inheritance, pension, and Social Security, no matter the state of residence, the citizens control how much is spent on taxes for the most portion. Controlled spending is not a drastic recession, therefore, shouldn't be depressing when taxes are raised. How long before a nation realizes this?
Fast forwarding to June 2011, the Miami Heat should be facing the Los Angeles Lakers in the year's version of the NBA Finals.

Donkey Kong

Imagine a time when chat rooms were actual social gatherings. An era in which $1.75 could buy two "frozen cups", a Chico Stick, a box of Boston Baked Beans, Lemonheads, and a bag of Hot Fries from the candy lady. Games were played primarily outside and Solitaire was played with real playing cards. Look briefly over your right shoulder to glance at nostalgia. The year of 1987:

3 Men and a Baby was the #1 box office smash in theaters.
Postage stamps were twenty-four cents
Television programs 21 Jump Street, Matlock, and Duck Tales had debuts.
Prozac debuts in the U. S.
Vinny Testaverde was selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL Draft.
Fox Broadcasting Co. aired for the first time on prime time television.
Hollywood celebrities Bow Wow and Hillary Duff were born.
Ronald Reagan was President.
David Robinson was the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
"Love you down" by Ready For The World was the #1 single on Billboard.
Gas was eighty-nine cents per gallon.
The Miami Hurricanes won the National Championship in football by defeating Oklahoma 20-14.
Disposable contact lenses hit the market for commercial distribution.
The Simpsons aired for the first time on The Tracey Ullman Show.

Some long for the past. A time when there was no internet or mp3 players, just stonewashed jean-jackets and Panasonic double cassette players. If everyone can remain aware of the past without dwelling, while focusing on the present, the future should be bodacious.

Oliver "Ollie Lang" Gonzales

Order two helmets, eight to ten cases of ammunition, ten pounds of Shih tzu, a custom crimson- colored Project Salvo AR-15 Tactical paintball gun, and a new hopper case. What's missing?

 Meet Oliver, the shih tzu with the perfect mixture of accuracy, athleticism, and saliva.  The ever- excitable pup remains in control of his emotions at all times while entertaining the room through nonverbal communication. Above, the mellow morsel has just polished off the tennis competition in dominating fashion, winning in straight sets to love. Exhausted? Hardly. The young Gonzales was just getting started.

 There aren't a great abundance of terms that can describe the legacy of Oliver. Perhaps epic. Maybe even mammoth. Going foward, there is a star among us. Please, no flash photography.

Four Wins Away

Only one can call themselves champion. The other thirty-one, unfortunately, cannot. While pretending not to acknowledge the past, the champion of 2008 Boston Celtics and defending champion Los Angeles Lakers attempt to focus solely on game one of the NBA Finals.

In brevity, this series match up will be dependent on defensive intensity. The fact that Lakers center Andrew Bynum had fluid drained from his knee and his progress in mobility still didn't improve has to be a non-factor. The monumental-like presence of Celtics Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins in the front court cannot phase Pau Gasol following elbow after elbow to the ribs and chest. The athletic prowess on both ends of the court by guard Rajon Rondo must not be a problem.

Key components must be present in order for the Lakers to repeat as champion. If not, 2010's version of the NBA Finals could end with Boston winning in six games like two years ago.

However, according to number twenty-four, this series could also end with Lakers in seven as well.