Deflate-Gate

Throughout the last couple of weeks the New England Patriots have dealt with a lot of suspicion after reportedly deflating eleven out of the twelve game balls used in the AFC Championship. Due to fan speculation, the Patriots have not had trouble focusing on the current task on hand, winning a fourth Super Bowl. On a local radio, the team's quarterback, Tom Brady, laughed at the fact that the NFL was investigating the ball deflation accusation and denied the allegation. 

Now that the results of the investigation have confirmed that eleven of the balls used in the second half were deflated, many football fans' loyalties are torn. Many would say that the deflation of the balls explain the 38 point lead the Patriots achieved in the second half of the game. In my opinion, the Patriots would have won the game in a blowout victory without the aid of ball deflation. Because, even with proper footballs the Patriots were the better team at the end of the day.

In a press conference discussing the matter, Tom Brady said that he always prepared the balls before the home games and that when he went into the locker room to check the game balls all of them were "perfect." Who knows what Tom Brady's meant when he said "perfect" as that could easily be construed as a perfect measure of deflation. Perhaps it was not Tom Brady's fault at all. The regular ball is 12.5 PSI but studies show that the footballs could have dropped down to to 11.5 PSI of air due to cold atmospheric temperatures since it was freezing in Foxborough during the game. At the same time, Tom Brady or head coach, Bill Belichick, could have instructed equipment management staff to drop the air levels in the balls thereby making the balls easier to catch and to throw. Also, in the press conference Bill Belichick denied any wrongdoing to the game balls. Instead of answering press inquiries head one, he kept referring the questions to Tom Brady since, per Belichick, Brady was always the one in the equipment room in charge of checking the footballs. Meanwhile, Tom Brady insisted that he was not doing anything wrong and that the press should get off the team's back in regards to these issues. 

This is not the first time the Patriots have been caught cheating big games. In the 2004 Superbowl where the Patriots were competing in, Beliechick reportedly bribed referees to give the Patriots all the calls in order to secure victory and to win the championship. All in all, I believe that from the Patriots have actually never cheated and that all of these allegations where created and blown up in the favor of boosting media ratings. In both the 2004 Superbowl and in this year's championships, the Patriots were and still are the better team and would have won the games with or without sketchy game aid. 

Anish' Pick for the Super Bowl

     The Super Bowl is coming up this Sunday, February 1st, at 3:30pm pacific time. The number one
seeds of the two divisions(NFC, AFC) are facing off in Super Bowl 49. The Patriots are going up
against the Seahawks and their excellent defense. The patriots had 3 time Super-Bowling winning
Quarterback Tom Brady, while the Seahawks are trying to repeat after destroying the Broncos last
year in the Super Bowl. Throughout the past week the Patriots have dealt with a lot of concern after a suspicion of deflating 11 put of the 12 footballs in the AFC championship against the Indianapolis Colts. In my opinion, it does not matter if the Patriots deflated the balls or not, they still would have beaten the Colts easily. If the Patriots are able to put this developing struggle behind them they will still have a chance of being an elite dynasty, by winning a fourth Super Bowl. I believe that the Patriots are going to win if they can meet some of these few requirements. If they hand it off the Legarrette Blount or Shane Vereen and are able to pick up decent yards, that can get them touchdowns or at least field goals while also running out the clock, they should be able to keep it a close game. One other requirement that plays a big deal in this game is the Patriots defense. With Vince Wilfork up front and BrandonBrowner and Darrelle Revis in the backfield they are a tough force to handle. Keeping Marshawn Lynch only gaining a few yards per carry will stop them. The Seahawks rely a whole lot on their running game with one of the most elite running backs in the league, the Patriots defensive line must be able to stop Lynch. If the Patriots Defense can run some safety and linebacker blitz's and not get stopped by Wilson scrambling in the pocket, they can win. While also covering the running game the Patriots have to get to the other team's quarterback very quickly. Russell Wilson is one of the elite quarterbacks that is great at looking for small gaps for the receivers and scrambling the pocket. Russell Wilson can fit the ball into places so accurately that almost seems inhuman at first. With his ability to throw long but very precise he can  get the ball to Baldwin and Kearse in the corners for some stellar touchdowns. the last but most important thing that the patriot have to do is get some point son the board. tom Brady has to pass the ball to Julian Edelman and Danny Ammendola so skillfully if they want to win. Ammendola won't have a hard time against the Seahawks because even when he was on the Rams he was still demolishing the Seahawks defense. If he has a good game and the Patriots get some points on the board they will win in a very close match. My prediction for Super Bowl 49 is Patriots over Seahawks 28-24.

Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona was born on October 30^th, 1960. He is regarded as one of the greatest players ever to play soccer. He transferred to Barcelona for a record 5 million euro fee. He then broke his own record fee by transferring to Napoli for 6.9 million euros. Maradona also played for the Argentine national team, where he impressed many people with his shots and his wizardry with handling the ball. He was born in a shantytown on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. When he was 8, a local scout spotted him playing on the street with his friends on a soccer team. He became a staple of Los Cebollitas “The Little Onions”, the junior team of Buenos Aires's Argentinos Juniors. He looked up to Manchester United winger George Best as one of the players who inspired him when he was growing up.

         After the 1982 World Cup, in June, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona in Spain , setting a world record fee of £5m ($7.6m). In 1983, under coach César Luis Menotti, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey beating Real Madrid, and the Spanish Super Cup, beating Athletic Bilbao. In one of the El Classico games, where FC Barcelona was pitted against Real Madrid, he led Barca to victory. By doing that, he was the first player to get applauded by the other side. He was injury plagued during his tenure in Barcelona, and got into fights with the front office often.

         He then transferred to Napoli for a record breaking 6.9 million euros. The Napoli fans were sure that their savior had come, especially after a string of losing seasons. First, he had to play in 1986 world cup. In a quarterfinal against England, he scored two amazing goals. The first one was called the hand of god. Apparently, Maradona batted the ball into the goal with his hand, but the ref didn’t see it and awarded Argentina a goal. Next, he scored the goal of the century. He juked all 11 England players on a coast-to-coast goal. He ran along the entire length of the field with possession of the ball. At the end of the run, he faked a kick, and even juked out the goalie. It is one of the most memorable games in soccer history. He led the Argentine team all the way to the finals, where they defeated West Germany in front of 115,000 people in Mexico City. At the end of it all, the judges awarded him the Golden Ball, which is for the best player in the tournament, by a unanimous vote. He is regarded as to have winning the world cup all by himself. Later, at Napoli, Maradona reached the peak of his career. He was adored by all of the fans, and led Napoli to two Italy Serie A championships and to 2^nd place twice. In the 1990 world cup, he again captained the team to the final, but this time they lost to West Germany.

         Maradona is widely criticized because of his drug and cocaine addiction, but in most peoples mind, he is one of the greatest players in the world.

-Aditya 

James Harden's Comments

Before the game on Saturday, James Harden was trying to pump up the team with a matchup with the Golden State Warriors. “They ain’t even that good”, he says. Wait, are we talking about the team that’s in the drivers seat in the West with a 33-6 record? Well, according to Harden, yes we are. Harden’s team got blasted by 25 that night, but today, they look for revenge. Good luck, James.

Aditya

Aditya's Super Bowl Prediction

In two weeks, the New England Patriots will face the Seattle Seahawks in the most watched TV show in America: The Super Bowl. Last year, everyone was predicting a hard fought game that would be decided down to the last wire. Instead, the game that was featuring a Number 1 offensive team and the Number 1 defensive team quickly turned into a convincing blowout for the defensive team, the Seahawks, against the offensive best, the Broncos. This year, they are looking to defend their championship, but this year, though in may not seem like it, it is a more daunting and dangerous opponent. Everyone always compares Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, but this year, the Pats didn’t have to rely on Tom Brady as much as the Broncos rely on Peyton Manning. Of course, like last year, the Hawks have the best defense, featuring Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor as the stars of the show. The Patriots have Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and Julian Edelman. What separates them from the Broncos is their defense. They have Darrele Revis, Jamie Collins, and Vince Wilfork. This defense is good enough to keep up with the legs of Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch. I expect this game to be a defensive struggle, with two interceptions from each quarterback and a fumble from each team. Tom Brady will turn on the clutch and lead them to a game-winning touchdown with under two minutes, and the Patriots will pull up on top 17-13.

                                                                                              -Aditya

2 Reasons why the Indian Cricket Team Will Win This Years World Cup

1.      India has one of the best spin bowlers in the world. Ravichandran  Ashwin at age 28 has become one of the elite bowlers in Indian history. Being on the National team for a couple of years now, he has become one of the best spinners ever. His off-break spin has led him to have a total of 119 wickets throughout his ODI (One Day International) career. But his bowling is not his only strength. Ashwin is also becoming an elite batter, in each game getting closer and closer to being one of the first batsmen up. With his dazzling spin and his batting ability, Ashwin has proven himself to be a key weapon for India this world cup.
2.      The second reason to why India should be a top contender in this years world cup is their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. After announcing is retirement from test cricket Dhoni is getting closer to retiring. With Sachin Tendulkar retired Dhoni will have to up his game to bring India to another championship. In the 2011 ICC World Cup Dhoni hit the game winning sixer against Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka, winning the Indian Nation Cricket team their second championship of all time. Dhoni's outstanding reflexes as the wicket-keeper for India, has made the Indian team one of the top contenders in every World Cup by collecting 85 wickets as the wicket-keeper.(not including the time when he bowled a wicket too) On the other hand, his batting ability is even more spectacular scoring 8,192 runs in his 10 year career. In conclusion, with these two weapons on Indi's side they will be one of the top contenders of this February's World Cup. 

Who should Win MVP in the NBA at Mid-season

                  LeBron James is no longer the king. He stepped down for Kevin Durant last year, and the quality of his game is not the same. This year, I think the crown will go to a young player. There are many candidates including: James Harden, Kyle Lowry, and Damian Lillard, but the two candidates I think have the greatest chance are Stephen Curry and Anthony Davis. Here, I will give my pitch for both the players.

Stephen Curry:  Stephen Curry is sure playing like the best player in the NBA. He is averaging 23.1 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.0 rebounds. He has led them to many wins, and he is cold-blooded in the clutch. In the absence of Andrew Bogut, he stepped up his game. If you take away Stephen Curry, the Warriors might not crumble. They have many other playmakers who can step up their game, like Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala. Stephen Curry is the best player in the NBA.

Anthony Davis: Anthony Davis has averaged 23.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks. He is a monster on the paint. No one wants to go near; he averages 2.9 blocks as I stated earlier. He is the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year, and in many minds, is the MVP. If you take him away from the Pelicans, they have no one to replace his production. That is why he is the most valuable to his team.

            These two players have been the two players in the NBA. Stephen Curry has been the best player, but Anthony Davis is the most valuable player to his team.

                                                                                                            -Aditya

7 Reasons Why the Warriors Are off to Their Best Start Ever

     The Golden State Warriors are off to a hot start this year. At this point in the season, they currently are 22-3 and have beaten top teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, the Houston Rockets, and the Oklahoma City Thunder. They are on pace to end up with about 68 wins this year and thus far they have the best record in the league. Surprisingly, the Warriors’ new offensive and defensive system takes all the weight off Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson backs’ because new players are stepping up to take on leadership roles. This all leads to a recipe for victory. Here are 7 reasons why the Warriors are off to their best start ever.

1. Draymond Green

            As a Warrior’s fan you would think, “Oh, when I’m missing my all-star power forward, David Lee, my team is done for” Well, not really, because the Warriors have Draymond Green. This third year stretch-4 out of Michigan State has really picked up the slack. Green is averaging 12.5 points, 3.3 assists, and 7.5 rebounds per game.  He plays with a lot of energy, which fuels the team. In one of his earlier games, the ball was going out of bounds, and he saved the ball, crawling on his back in the process. In a film session, they showed a clip of it, and next showed a clip of a bug on its back fighting for its life. The entire staff and team burst out laughing. When he plays, he plays a lot of energy, being very aggressive and vocal. It seems very contagious. All of this gives Steve Kerr a little breathing room when it comes to the power forward spot.

2.              Marreese Speights

           

            Also helping out with the Warrior’s loss of David Lee is Marreese Speights, who is also picking up the slack after starting the season slow. The seventh year veteran is averaging 11.5 points and 4.3 rebounds, but in his last five games he is averaging 17.4 points and 5.4 rebounds. He currently leads the NBA in points per 48 minutes.

3.              Turnovers

           

            The Warriors may have started 5-0, but they averaged 22.1 in their first 7 games, and that led to two losses after the 5-0 start. Since then, the Warriors have been averaging 12.8 turnovers after that.  For example, in their current 7 game-winning streak, Stephen Curry dished out 60 assists and only 15 turnovers. Before that, when the team was 5-2, he had 48 assists and 32 turnovers. The Warriors are able to keep the ball, and that is another reason why they are so good.

4.              The Offense

           

            We all knew the Warriors could score. After all, they did average 104.3 points per game in the 2013-2014 season. The problem was the consistency. Mark Jackson did a great job coaching this team, I will give him credit for that; he improved the defense and the offense to a certain extent. With his offensive mindset, it was more of an isolation heavy offense. With Steve Kerr now coaching the team, there is more of a Triangle offense with a lot of passing involved.

5.              The Defense

            As I stated earlier, Mark Jackson made the defense stronger. Last year, they ranked 5th in defensive efficiency. This year, under Ron Adams, they rank 2nd in defensive efficiency. In the starting lineup, they took out their best defender, Andre Iguodala, but put two good defenders, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green. That way, the starters are still very good at defense, and the bench is better too.

6.              The Splash Brothers

            How could I go through this without mentioning Steph Curry and Klay Thompson? Not only are they shooting better than ever, they are improving the other different aspects of their game. Ever since Klay signed a 4-year extension worth $70 million, he has been lights out. Steph Curry is nearly averaging a triple-double; also leading the league in steals.

7.              Chemistry

            All those other reasons are pretty big, but the team’s chemistry is at an all time high. They are passing the ball around more, and when there are mistakes, each of the players fix them as one. No one is dissing their teammates, everyone loves playing there and watching them play. Even the new players, like Leandro Barbosa and Shaun Livingston have fit right into the system.

            The 7 reasons listed above are why this Warriors team is one of the best in the history of the franchise. The players all love playing with each other, and we all love watching them.


                                                                                                        -Aditya