Can Nebraska Finally Get Over The Hump In The Big Ten?

I will admit I thought when Nebraska moved to the Big Ten it suited the kind of football they played, but so far it has been a bit of a rocky road. Nebraska at times have looked good, but for the most part they have looked downright horrible. Some games I will admit I was embarrassed the way they played especially against Wisconsin one year. Over the last few years there have been games that Nebraska fans have come away shaking there heads. Yes, Nebraska fans are passionate and many times they do cross the line on social media calling out coaches and players. Sometimes I wish it would not happen, but it does. Passionate fans is something Nebraska football is all about. Now back to the question can Mike Riley and the Nebraska Cornhuskers get over the hump this year?

Tommy Armstrong will be the key this season once again. I am hoping over the spring and summer he has worked on his decision making skills. Many times he made mistakes that cost Nebraska games because he was trying to do to much. With that said Armstrong also has the heart of a lion as well. He will give you all he has on every play. You really cannot ask any more of a player. I am critical of Tommy Armstrong at times, but I will take him any day of the week. He just needs to make better decisions with the ball this coming season.

I like the offense has they should be able to score points with the talent returning and what is coming in to the program. What worries me the most is the defense. We need a defense that can get stops when needed and that was not the case last season. Hopefully the defense will get better and the Blackshirts will be back. Can they get over the hump? The answer is yes if they get good play and some breaks go there way. This season the Big Ten will be tough, but with the right leadership on the team they will be very competitive this coming season.

Are You Ready For Some Football Cleveland Browns Fans?

Most Cleveland Browns fans will tell you they cannot wait for the season to start, but isn't it that way every season. The Browns are hoping a new serious coach in Hue Jackson will turn things around for them. Cutting Johnny Manziel should help as there should be alot less distractions to deal with which is a good thing. Hue Jackson is a no nonsense guy that wants you to come to work and be prepared. He is fair with everyone, but if you get in his doghouse that is not a good thing. He did help get the Raiders going in the right direction which is no small feat.

August 12, 2016 the Browns will head to Green Bay to take on the Packers which should be interesting to say the least. Both teams will play alot of players and this is something that is normal in a preseason football game. I will be looking at several things in the first game. One of the things I want to see is how many mistakes the Browns make. I know this is the first game, but you do not want to see alot of mistakes. Preseason mistakes can translate to regular season mistakes and you do
 not want that to happen.

One of the most important things to watch will be the quarterback play. RGIII is being groomed to be the started, but nothing is guaranteed. Every quarterback will be given a chance, but in the end the one who moves the team and makes the less mistakes will win out. No matter whom it may be the Browns need someone they can count on. I will admit I have no idea who the starter will be, so we will just have to watch and see what happens.

This is what is great about the NFL you never know what could happen. A player many people never heard of could come out of nowhere to be the starter. This years Browns team should be fun to watch. I just hope Hue Jackson can do what he did in Oakland and that is turn the team into an competitive team week after week. If he does that Browns fans should be very happy.

Kevin Durant Decides To Take Easy Route And Play For Golden State Warriors

Well I must admit I never thought Kevin Durant would leave the Oklahoma City Thunder and take the easy way out. In the years with the Thunder he would say how he loved playing for the fans and he loved the small town atmosphere in Oklahoma City. I guess that was really just talk, as he bolted for the Golden State Warriors. Was this  good move or one that kills his legacy as a player?

Many people keep saying it won't make a difference, but I have to disagree with that analogy. Going to Golden State is the easy way out and it will hurt his legacy. Lebron James legacy was not cemented until he came back to Cleveland and led  the team to the NBA Championship. Durant is going to a team that has already won a championship. His contribution will not be valued as much because Golden State was already the early favorite to win anyways.

Durant has disappointed a lot of people by his decision, but it will be one he must live with down the road. I think staying in Oklahoma would have been the best move, but only time will tell on that one. Russell Westbrook now becomes the man in OKC and they are still going to be a good team. Durant will be hated forever in OKC, but it was his choice and in my opinion not a wise one.

Is Lebron James A Coach Killer?

When David Blatt was fired as the Cleveland Cavaliers coach many people were scratching their heads. Why do you fire a coach that has his team with the best record in the East Conference? Many people think Lebron James had something to do with it. Is Lebron James a coach killer? Let's take a closer look at James and his role in all of this.

Now David Blatt was not the best coach in the world. There have been many stories how he was confused with the American game and understanding defense and matchups. This maybe true, but James and his camp was never happy with Blatt. It was a surprise to me when the Cavaliers retained him after the first season. James and his camp wanted a changed, but did not force one in season one.

The relationship between Blatt and James got worse in season two and I think the Cavaliers could see that and decided a changed needed to be made. No matter what anyone says publicly James wields a lot of power still in Cleveland. James may not have asked for the firing directly, but I'm sure management was warned about James displeasure with Blatt.

James a coach killer? Maybe not in that sense, but James has a lot of power in Cleveland. The writing was on the wall and Blatt days were numbered. We may never know what influence James had on the decision, but for James coach killer will now follow him.

Ohio State Loses First Game And Things Fall Apart

​Now when you win as a team you are suppose to lose as a team which is how it's suppose to go. Ezekiel  Elliott must not have gotten the memo as he ripped into some of the play calling in the loss to the Spartans. Elliott could have a beef as he only carried the ball 11 times in the game, but you never air it out in the public forum. If you have a beef you always keep it in house as it never looks good to air out grievances. Yes Elliott should have carried the ball more, but as a whole the Buckeyes offense did not look good at all. The defense did not do anything when it counted either, so this was a team loss nothing more or less.

Ohio State on reality has had a pretty soft schedule this season and it showed up on Saturday. Yes, they had some close games and maybe should not have been ranked as high as they were. This comes many times from being National Champion and defending your title.  Many times you are given the benefit of the doubt just like Florida State was last season. I'm sure we will here about this more in the coming days from players, fans, and coaches about what went wrong. Against Michigan State the Buckeyes did not play well and that is the bottom line.

Will this loss carry over to the Michigan game next week? It could and if that happens you will see more players speak up and it could get ugly. I hope that does not happen, but Buckeye Nation are not use to losing games since Urban Meyer took over. It's the nature of the beast, but the Buckeyes will be back, but this will not be there year to be National Champions. The loss did open the door to alot of teams who are smiling this morning.

Should The Browns Give Johnny Manziel The Starting Job

The Cleveland Browns drafted Johnny Manziel to be there starter, but he has only started a few games for the Cleveland Browns. Josh McCown has been injured this year and Manziel has filled in and has done a decent job. He has not been great, but he did get one win for the Browns as a starter. There comes a time when you must decide if Johnny Football is going to be the man or not.

Cleveland drafted Johnny Manziel to be there starting quarterback and I think it is time the Browns give him that opportunity. If he cannot handle the job this is something the Browns need to find out. That way they can look towards the draft for a future quarterback or through free agency. Many people feel Johnny can be the quarterback, but you must first see what he can do on the field of play before you can make any kind of a decision.

The one thing to remember when looking at Manziel he does not have the greatest talent around him either. he Browns have no kind of running game and the receiving corps are not the greatest either. This must all be looked at when giving an opinion of his performance as a starter. Cleveland has been known not to do things the right way, but hopefully they will this time around.

Why Nebraska Has Many Changes To Make

One of the most passionate fan bases in College Football is in Nebraska that is why it is so hard for them to watch there beloved Cornhuskers get beat week after week. There are things to do in Nebraska, but when fall comes around it is all about the college football team and that will probably never change. This year brought in a change at head coach and so far the results have been dismal. Let's take a closer look at Nebraska football and see where the problems are and how they can be fixed.

It starts with recruiting and this is one area the Cornhuskers have really struggled. It's hard to convince top level recruits to come to a school that plays in cold weather and has not won in awhile. Recruits like things like warm weather and playing certain kinds of football and many times that is why they pass on Nebraska football. The one thing that can help Nebraska is to recruit better and get players who understand the program, and what hard work and dedication will get you at Nebraska. These kind of players are out there you just have to go out find them. You do not have to recruit five star athletes all the time, but you need guys who will fit it well with the type of program you are running.

Another thing Nebraska must do is get better on defense and you can do that in a few ways. Look towards junior college players more as starters is an option. Sometimes switching offensive players to the defensive side is a possibility as well. Talk to kids in there home and see if they would be receptive to that kind of an idea. Sometimes when you cannot get the top recruits you must think outside the box.

Third is the quarterback position is very important. Lately, Nebraska had quarterbacks that did not really fit the system they were running or the plays they call. Getting guys who have a good grasp of the game is important. You don't necessarily need the most talented quarterback, but you want a coachable smart young man that makes good decisions. If you find young men like that you will be fine at the quarterback position.

Lastly, you must get back to what Nebraska football is all about and that is tradition. Nebraska was built on rushing the football behind a good offensive line and using the pass to keep a team off balanced. Playing good safe defense was a hallmark of great Nebraska teams. Run the ball stuff the opponents offense was a recipe for success. If Nebraska wants to win consistently again they have to get back to this part of the program.