Top 5 prospects I am excited to see........

Last year was truly a special year for baseball in terms of fans getting to see prospects developed before their eyes.  Baseball fans got to see a big glimpse into the future.  Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels and Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals were two prospects that baseball fans couldn't wait to see in action.  Once they were finally called-up to the majors by their respective organizations, they did not disappoint.  The #1 pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, much of Bryce Harper's hype stemmed from his much chronicled path to Major League Baseball; leaving high school early to enroll in junior college, then after a year at junior college leaving for the draft.  Once with the Nationals, Harper did not disappoint, finishing his rookie season with a .270 AVG, 98 R's, 26 2B's, 22 HR's, 59 RBI's, 18 SB's, .817 OPS, and a NL Rookie of the Year award.  For as good a rookie season Harper had, he was one-upped by fellow AL Rookie of the Year Award winner, Mike Trout.  Trout built his hype up through awesome performances both at the plate and defensively through his minor league career.  MLB and Angels fans got a sneak peek at Trout in the 2011 season, but once he got called-up for good in 2012, he left many baseball goers wondering if we were seeing the second coming of Mickey Mantle.  Trout finished his official rookie season with a .326 AVG, 129 R's, 27 2B's, 30 HR's, 83 RBI's, 49 SB's, .963 OPS, an AL Rookie of the Year Award (as mentions above), and finishing second in the AL MVP voting (many statistical geeks and sabermateric believers believe Trout should have been the AL MVP over triple-crown winner, Miguel Cabrera).  Suffice to say, Harper and Trout definitely put a different prospective and expectation on how fans look at upcoming prospects.

While we will probably never see anything like last season again, nevertheless there are still some exciting prospects that baseball fans can get excited about.  Here are my top 5 prospects that I am excited to see this upcoming baseball season.  

1.  Jurickson Profar - SS / 2B, Texas Rangers.

Profar is viewed by many as the best prospect in MLB baseball.  He is this year's must-see top prospect.  His stats won't jump out at you, but it's the position he plays, SS, that inflates his stats and gets baseball loves excited about him.  In 126 games at the Double-A level, he had a .281 AVG, 76 R's, 26 2B's, 14 HR's, 62 RBI's, 16 SB's, and a .820 OBS.  Again, if he played OF, they are good numbers; but as a SS, while also showing plus defensive skills, he is a roster builder and franchise player.  His path to the majors is somewhat blocked by current Rangers' SS, Elvis Andrus, but I think Profar is too good of a player not to be on the field for the Rangers.  I think the Rangers will find a way to either trade Andrus, or move current 2B, Ian Kinsler, to a different position on the field or DH, so that Profar can get playing time at 2B.  He'll lose some of his value if moved to 2B, but either way, its still AB's for Profar; and in an ultra-competitive AL West Division - a division that the Rangers lost to the Oakland A's on the final day of the season last year - it doesn't matter where Profar plays on the field as long as he gets AB's.       

 

 

2.  Wil Myers - OF, Tampa Bay Rays

Once thought to be the savior of the Kansas City Royals' franchise, Myers was traded along with other top prospects this offseason to the Tampa Bay Rays for SP's James Shield and Wade Davis, in what can only be perceived as a "win now" trade for the Royals.  Myers was thought to be blocked by current Royals' RF'er, Jeff Francoer, which made Myers expendable to be traded.  Frankly, this armchair GM would have never moved a prospect like Myers, but that is why I'm not paid the big bucks.  For the Royal's front office sake, I hope they are right.  In 99 games at the Triple-A level, Myers posted a .304 AVG, 66 R's, 15 2B's, 24 HR's, 79 RBI's, and a .932 OBS.  Myers is also a plus defensive OF and has the defensive skills to play all three OF positions, though his natural position is RF, making his path to the big leagues somewhat blocked by current Rays RF'er, Ben Zobrist.  However, Zobrist can play 2B, which could open up RF for Myers, or the Rays could move Myers to LF and move current LF'er Matt Joyce to DH.  Much like the Rangers' situation with Profar, I feel Myers is just too good of a player not to find AB's for, and when teamed up with 3B Evan Longoria, they could make for a killer middle of the lineup.      

 

 

3.  Trevor Bauer - SP, Cleveland Indians

Like Wil Myers, Bauer was also a highly-touted prospect who was traded in the offseason.  Bauer was the main prize for the Cleveland Indians in a three-team deal involving Bauer's former team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, as well as the Cincinnati Reds.  It was reported that Bauer was a cancer while with the Diamondbacks, often feuding with the front office about workout habits, game prep, and also clashing with current Diamondbacks manager, Kirk Gibson; all while experiencing a cup-of-coffee in the pros last September.  While in the majors, he suffered a leg injury in his first start, an injury in which he tried to play through but showed in his pitching.  Despite all of Bauer's talent, the Diamondbacks decided to just move Bauer now while his value was still high and fill other organizational needs.  In 14 starts at Triple-A, Bauer posted a 5-1 record with a 2.85 ERA, 97 K's, 35 BB's, and a 1.329 WHIP.  Bauer should have no problem cracking the Indians' starting rotation coming out of Spring Training, hoping to beat out the likes of Brett Myers and a washed-up Dice-K Matsuzaka.       

 

 

4.  Gerrit Cole - SP, Pittsburgh Pirates 

The former #1 pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, it may be a little soon for us to expect to see Cole in the majors this season, but I think we will, even if its a late September call-up.  Nevertheless, that doesn't temper my excitement to see Cole in the majors, and I believe there is an outside chance we see Cole sooner than a September call-up.  The Pirates currently hold the streak for longest playoff drought in baseball, and with the Pirates showing signs of life and sniffing around playoff contention last season, the organization may get desperate and call-up Cole.  The opposite could also happen and the Pirates are so bad that they might just call-up Cole to give him some live action in the pros.  Cole pitched in all-three levels of the minors last season, making 26 starts and posting combined numbers of 9-7 record with a 2.80 ERA, 136 K's, 45 BB's, and a 1.197 WHIP.  Again, it may be too early for us to see Cole, but that will all depend on how good or bad the Pirates are this upcoming season.   

 

 

5.  Billy Hamilton - OF, Cincinnati Reds 

This is my wildcard pick.  I'm going to say it right now, Billy Hamilton has the potential to be the next Rickey Henderson (without the power), or at the very least, the next Tim Raines.  In today's baseball world, the art of the stolen base is a lost trade, and for those of us who watched baseball during the mid-to-late 80's and into the early 90's, we can appreciate how exciting it is to see a true base-stealer in baseball.  Billy Hamilton can be that guy.  Arguably the fastest man in all of baseball, Hamilton set the record for most SB's in minor league history with 159 SB's.  Now the challenge for him will be to actually get on-base, but last season in the minors, sharing time between High-A and Double-A, he sported a .410 OBP and a .311 AVG.  The Reds have a crowded OF right now with Ryan Ludwick, Shin-Soo Choo, and Jay Bruce, but neither of them are either a true CF'er nor a leadoff hitter.  This is where Hamilton may see an earlier-than-expected call-up to the majors, as he would fill both of those areas if they become needed.  I can't guarantee that Hamilton will see more than a September call-up this upcoming season, but when he is called-up in September, it will be a fun month of viewing.  

 

 

Mr. Armchair Speaking!!!

What MLB and the NFL Get Right that the NBA Doesn’t –

Going from being an amateur athlete to a professional can be an arduous process.  For a baseball player, you can get drafted out of high school, forgo college, and make your way up through MLB’s minor league system.  Or you can accept a college scholarship and wait until after your junior year to be draft eligible.  For a football player, the NFL mandates that any player eligible for the NFL Draft must be at least three-years removed from high school, no exceptions.  Lastly, for a basketball player, the NBA mandates that a player must be one-year removed from high school, no exceptions.  For MLB and the NFL, these mandates have been in place for years and have rarely been challenged.  But the NBA, the so-called “one-and-done” rule is a mandate that was just recently enacted, and has been challenged and argued on numerous occasions.    

The NBA’s Draft eligibility criteria is being called into question again after Kentucky freshman forward and potential #1 NBA draft pick, Nerlens Noel, suffered a season-ending knee injury when he torn his ACL in last week’s Kentucky v. Florida game.  There is much speculation that, after suffering this injury while in college, it could potentially hurt his draft stock / positioning, and thereby costing him millions of dollars; all because Noel had to go to college for one year before entering the NBA Draft.  So now the argument is being made:  if the NBA never instituted the “one-and-done” rule, Noel would have never been in college as he would have most likely entered and had been drafted into NBA the previous year, and therefore would now be financial secure if he had suffered this horrific injury in the NBA.    

Many people want to see the NBA’s “one-and-done” rule gone away with not only for financial reasons, but also because these high school basketball players are only going to college for one year because they have too, and then they immediately leave to enter the NBA Draft.  I respectfully disagree with eliminating the "one-and-done" rule.  If anything, I think the NBA needs to add another year or two onto it. 

Prior to the "one-and-done" rule, the NBA saw an influx of high school basketball players enter the NBA Draft when they were clearly not ready or skilled enough.  They were told false information regarding their basketball skills by inspiring sports agents trying to make a quick million off of these kids; agents who told them it’s a great idea to try to make the jump from high school basketball to the NBA, only to have these kids not get drafted and be left with no college scholarship and eligibility.  What does their future hold for them then?  They don’t get drafted into the NBA, they can’t go back and re-accept their scholarship they turned down to enter the NBA draft, and if they don’t have the GPA or test scores to get into college academically, where does that leave them?  Many use their athletic skills as a tool to get them on the path to college, which is fine and I agree with.  But the reality is that when the NBA didn’t have the “one-and-done” rule and high school players were draft eligible, a lot of them were coming from low-socioeconomic status, and when a sports agents gets in these kid’s ears, telling them how good they are and how many millions they will make in the NBA, it’s hard for these kids not to listen or say no.  And sometimes, you need to protect kids from themselves; and that is what I think the NBA is doing with the “one-and-done” rule.   

The most common comparison being made for the argument of doing away with the NBA’s “one-and-done” rule is that MLB allows players out of high school to be drafted, and it doesn't seem to be a problem for that sport.  Yes, high school baseball players are eligible and do get drafted out of high school, but they also spend many years in the minor league system before they ever see time in the professional ranks.  And what gets lost is the fact that if a high school player were to instead go to college to play baseball, they can’t become draft eligible until their junior year.  If the NBA can create a system or rule much like MLB has, making high school players eligible for the draft but if they choose to go to college they are required to stay for three years, I would support and be in favor of that system. 

Another common argument for allowing high schooler to enter the NBA Draft is one that I feel is trivial and jaded, and that is the argument of “right-to-work law” and the NBA impeding that right.  This is a bogus argument.  First, the NBA is not infringing on a high schoolers "right-to-work" rights.  The NBA through collective bargaining came to this age requirement agreement with the NBA's players union, so there is no rights or laws being impeded.  Secondly, this is how the real world works sometimes.  Sometimes, there are certain requirements that an individual has to meet before they can be employed at a job.  Whether it's obtaining a certain degree, or certification, or even age, that individual must meet those criteria.  Just because a high schooler may be physically ready for the NBA, doesn't mean he is qualified or ready to be in the NBA.  High schooers aren’t going straight into the medicine field or becoming doctors and scientist because they scored great on their SAT's or ACT's.  They go through many years of schooling to become skilled at their craft, and that is how I look at athletes going to college first before joining the pros.  There is a lot of development, both physical and maturing, that a kid refines while in college.   

Don't get me wrong, I feel terrible for Nerlens Noel and wouldn't wish this on him or his family, but you can't blame the NBA for what happened to him.  Like any business or association, it's their right to implement an age requirement to be allowed employment.  If you want to place the blame on anyone in this situation, blame the NCAA for not providing a stipend for their athletes who make the NCAA the multi-billion dollar industry it is.  I believe we can all agree that the current system of "one-and-done" is a complete mockery and that some change needs to occur.  For me, the solution is simple; either implement a rule much like MLB or extend the current NBA age requirement an additional one or two years, with the latter being the preferred choice.  I think these kids benefit more from staying in college longer, prolonging their education and physical development, and therefore making the NBA and NCAA games a better product.  The current systems in MLB and the NFL work, and the NBA's doesn't.  MLB and the NFL gets it right, the NBA doesn’t.   

Mr. Armchair Speaking –    

Mr. Armchair’s Super Bowl Wrap up – For One Day, They Were Better / Prop Bets Results.

 Let this be the first and only time I do this.  Congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens and their fans on winning the Super Bowl.  It was well-earned and deserved. 

Ok, now that that’s over, let’s get onto the game.  I thought overall it was a great game and one of the better Super Bowls in recent years.  It was high scoring, drama filled, and had exciting plays that kept the interest of the general football fan; and that’s ultimately the goal of the Super Bowl.  Even with the blackout and 35 minute delay; I thought it only added to the game and will be another element that makes this game memorable. 

For the Ravens, it was the perfect ending to their perfect postseason.  Joe Flacco played perfect football and well undoubtedly get paid this offseason as he is set to become a free agent.  Expect a top 5 QB salary contract coming his way, even if his regular season stats don't merit his upcoming contract.  And the franchise's best and most memorable player, Ray Lewis, gets to walk off into the sunset.  I respect Ray Lewis as a football player and enjoyed watching him throughout his career, but I couldn't help but resent him a little bit for the abundance of media coverage he garnered this Super Bowl.  

For the 49ers, it just wasn’t there day.  Going into the game, I thought they were the clear-cut favor.  They were the more talented, balanced, and complete team; and should have walked away with this Super Bowl championship.  I predicted a 31-17 49ers victory.  I got the 49ers score correct, as I knew their offense would score points, but their defense just didn't come to play.  Their secondary got beat on a lot of plays and the lack of depth and pass rusher on the D-Line was apparent.  Luckily for the 49ers, they have 14 picks in this upcoming draft, and I have no doubt they will look to improve in those two areas.  In the end, they just made too many mistakes; the defense missed tackles, the coverage broke down, the offense was stagnant in the first half, and they had costly penalties.    

There were three mistakes that ultimately cost the 49ers the Super Bowl that I want to focus on.  The first mistake came on the Ravens very first offensive possession.  The 49ers had stopped the Ravens on a 3^rd inside the Ravens 20 yard line that would have results in a FG attempt; however Ahmad Brooks jumped offside, negating the defensive stop and giving the Ravens the down over.  The very next play, Joe Flacco goes up top to Anquan Boldin in the endzone for a Ravens’ TD.  That right there is 4 points given to the Ravens, and the 49ers lost by 3.  The math is simple.

The second mistake was the LaMichael James fumble.  The 49ers were down 7-3 but had moved the ball down the field and were in Ravens' territory.  James takes the handoff on an option right and after fighting off tackles to gain positive yards, he fought too hard and fumbled the ball, with the Ravens recovering.  The Ravens would eventually march down the field to score their second TD of the game, a one-yard TD pass to Dennis Pitta, making the score 14-3.  This was a huge turning point early.  I believe that if James hadn’t fumbled the ball, the 49ers were deep enough in Ravens’ territory that they would have scored on either a TD or FG.  If they did score a TD, they would have taken the lead 10-7, and I think that would have completely changed the whole dynamics of the Super Bowl.  The 49ers playing with a lead are a much different team than when playing from behind.  If they had only gotten a FG, they would have still only been down 1 point, but no air wouldn't have been deflated from their balloon.   

The third mistake was obviously the poor kickoff coverage on the Jacoby Jones’ kickoff return for a TD at the start of the second half, making the score 28-6.  Coming out of halftime down 21-6 and having to kick the ball off to the Ravens, the last thing the 49ers could afford was for the Ravens to score on that drive.  I won’t mention here that the refs missed an obvious holding call on the Ravens that should have negated the TD and brought the ball back, as I’m saving the poor officiating for another paragraph, but the 49ers needed a stop on that first possession of the second half in the worst way, and to not only give up a TD, but have it come on the opening kickoff had to be somewhat deflating.  Yes I know the 49ers fought back and had a chance to win the game, but its simple math again; take away that return TD and the 49ers win.

Now it’s time for me to get a little salty and address a couple a things.  First the blackout, I actually didn’t mind the blackout.  As someone who was hosting a Super Bowl mini-gathering and was responsible for clean-up, a promise made to Mrs. Armchair, the 35 minute break actually helped me out.  I was able to get most of the cleaning done and food put away during that time without having to miss any plays.  Brilliant move to whoever flipped that switch.  I also want to discount this notion that the blackout helped the 49ers and that if the 49ers had won the Super Bowl the blackout would have been the cause for the Ravens lose.  Stop it, Ravens fans.  The blackout had nothing to do with the momentum of the game or would have had any effect on the outcome if the 49ers had won.  Both teams had to sit through the delay.  Both teams were getting restless.  Stop. 

Secondly, unlike most of the national media, I thought the officiating was below average to poor.  I understand that the refs wanted to let the players play and have their play determine the outcome, but it just got ridiculous.  The officiating crew only called 7 penalties the entire game.  You are kidding me??  You can call 7 penalties on an entire drive let alone an entire game.  I get that the refs didn’t want to overtake the game or be the story at the end, but there comes a point where if you don’t officiate the game properly and do nothing in terms of calling penalties, you have the opposite effect and still become the story.  How Corey Williams can blatantly shove an official and not get ejected, let alone not even draw a penalty, is ridiculous.  And Corey Williams was a determining factor in the outcome.  He played well after that incident and broke up a potential game-tying TD for the 49ers late in the 3^rd quarter, making the 49ers settle for a FG.  I already mentioned the missed holding call on the Jacoby Jones’ return TD to open the second half.  On the Chris Culliver missed INT, Torrey Smith completely offensive pass interfered with Culliver, preventing him from completing the INT.  And not to pile on, but I echo the sentiments of Head Coach Jim Harbaugh.  The refs missed two defensive penalties on that last goal-line series.  On the second down play, Jimmy Smith completely shoves Michael Crabtree in the back at the goal-line, preventing him from making a TD catch.  AND HOW DO YOU NOT CALL DEFENSIVE HOLDING ON JIMMY SMITH ON 4^TH AND GOAL!!!  Granted, it wasn’t the best play call and I don’t agree with the play; but that was a DEFENSIVE HOLDING, 5 YARD PENALTY, HALF THE DISTANCE TO THE GOAL, and AUTOMATIC FIRST DOWN!!!!  AND THE EXCUSE OF “WE DON’T MAKE THAT CALL AT THE END OF GAMES,” WRONG!!!!  THAT’S WHEN YOU NEED TO MAKE THAT CALL!!!!!!  IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE GAME!!!!!!  BLOW THE WHISTLE!!!!!!  MAKE THE CALL!!!!!!!!  UUUUUURRRRRRRGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!

I digress.          

Prop Bets –

Every year, I participate in betting on the numerous, outrageous prop bets that Vegas creates for the Super Bowl.  This year, I wagered $30 on the prop bets this Super Bowl.  Here are the results:

Total bets wagered:  $30.00

Total winnings:  $27.56

Net Loss:  -$2.44

Will there be a Safety:  Yes +650 (bet $1.00 to win $6.50) – WON!

Team to Commit the 1^st Penalty:  Ravens -120 (bet $1.00 to win $0.83) – LOST!

O/U Jersey Number of Player to score First TD:  Over 27.5 even (bet $1.00 to win $1.00) – WON!

Team to Use Coaches Challenge First:  49ers -105 (bet $1.00 to win $0.95) – WON!

Distance of First Punt of the Game:  Over 48.5 -110 (bet $1.00 to win $0.91) – WON!

Will Both Teams Make a 33 or Longer FG:  Yes +120 (bet $1.00 to win $1.20) – WON!

Longest Made FG of the Game:  Over 45.5 -110 (bet $1.00 to win $0.91) – LOST!

Longest TD of the Game:  Over 45.5 -105 (bet $1.00 to win $0.95) – WON!

49ers Total Points:  Over 26.5 -120 (bet $1.00 to win $0.83) – WON!

Ravens Total Points:  Under 22.5 -110 (bet $1.00 to win $0.91) – LOST!

Team to Win the Coin Toss:  49ers -105 (bet $1.00 to win $0.95) – LOST!

Coin Toss:  Tails -102 (bet $2.00 to win $1.96) – LOST!

Player to score the 1^st TD:  Vernon Davis +1200 (bet $1.00 to win $12.00) – LOST!

Player to score the 1^st TD:  Frank Gore +800 (bet $1.00 to win $8.00) – LOST!

Super Bowl MVP:  NaVorro Bowman +7500 (bet $1.00 to win $75.00) – LOST!

Super Bowl MVP:  Michael Crabtree +1800 (bet $1.00 to win $18.00) – LOST!

Super Bowl MVP:  Patrick Willis +5000 (bet $1.00 to win $50.00) – LOST!

Super Bowl MVP:  Justin Smith +10000 (bet $1.00 to win 100.00) – LOST!

Super Bowl MVP:  Frank Gore +1000 (bet $1.00 to win $10.00) – LOST!

Super Bowl MVP:  Aldon Smith +4500 (bet $1.00 to win $45.00) – LOST!

Super Bowl MVP:  Ray Lewis +800 (bet $1.00 to win $8.00) – LOST!

What Color Gatorade that is dumped on HC:  Lime +550 (bet $1.00 to win $5.50) – NO ACTION!    

What Color Gatorade that is dumped on HC:  Blue +600 (bet $1.00 to win $6.00) – NO ACTION!

What Color Gatorade that is dumped on HC:  Red +350 (bet $1.00 to win $3.50) – NO ACTION!

Who will the Winning Coach Thank First:  Family +600 (bet $1.00 to win $6.00) – LOST!

Who will the MVP Thank First:  Coaches/Owner +500 (bet $1.00 to win $5.00) – LOST!

O/U Alicia Keys Singing the Anthem:  Over 2:05 minutes -135 (bet $3.00 to win $2.22) – WON!

In the end, the 49ers lost this game, just as much as I would say the Ravens won it.  If the ball bounces the other way or if the 49ers don’t make one or two of those bad mistakes, this is a more rejoicing blog post.  But it’s not, and we have to live with that.  I still think the 49ers are a better team.  I think if this game were played over again, or played 10 times; the 49ers would win 7-8 of them.  But on February 3^rd, 2013, for one day, the Baltimore Ravens were better.     

Mr. Armchair Speaking!!!

Mr. Armchair’s Super Bowl Preview – San Francisco 49ers return to Glory!!!

We have finally reached the mecca of the 2012-2013 NFL football season:  the Super Bowl!!!  The Super Bowl is the single most watched sporting event (and television event for that matter) of the year.  Casual football fans, non-football fans, to even Mrs. Armchair; they can’t help but find themselves glued to the television at some point during the game to watch.  Major companies paid upward to $5-6 million dollars just for a 30 second commercial spot during the Super Bowl.  Mountains of food and waterfalls of beer are consumed during the game.  Needless to say, the Super Bowl is a big deal!!!

What makes this Super Bowl even a bigger deal is that my San Francisco 49ers, my beloved San Francisco 49ers, are playing in this years’ Super Bowl.  After the heart-breaking, gut-wrenching lose to the New York Giants in last year’s NFC Championship game, and then watching them prevail over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, knowing that my San Francisco 49ers should have been the ones prevailing, was tough.  It didn’t make for a great Super Bowl, and as a fanatic football fan who loves the Super Bowl, it was bittersweet.  This year, it’s all SWEET baby!!!  No bitterness whatsoever; just pure joy!!!  And come Sunday, February 3^rd, that sweetness and joy will only intensify.  This Super Bowl has been a long time coming. 

As always, I will do my best to give you folks a complete and non-bias breakdown of the keys to victory for each team. 

Baltimore Ravens –

Ø  Joe Flacco needs to keep trending upward – At the beginning of the season, Joe Flacco so proudly proclaimed he was a top 5 QB and should be included amongst the elite QB’s in the game.  This brought much laughter and hilarity to the football world.  But after his performance this postseason – performing brilliantly and out-dueling the likes of Andrew Luck, HOFer Peyton Manning, and HOFer Tom Brady, the laughter and hilarity is now quiet.  This postseason, Joe Flacco has thrown for 8 Td’s, 0 Int’s, and has a QB Passer Rating of 114.7.  Pretty remarkable stats.  If he continues his play of late, the Ravens offense will be hard to stop. 

Ø  Feed Ray Rice – Let’s face it, the Raven’s defense is old.  They aren’t the same fast, bruising defense that they have been known for in the past.  The Ravens will need to feed Ray Rice and the O-line will need to open running lanes up for him to run through in order to keep the offense moving the ball down the field on long, sustaining long drives to keep the Ravens defense fresh and off the field.        

Ø  Blow up the middle – The 49ers run the pistol offense (for the most part), meaning their running game is predicated on their O-line setting the edges so that the RB or QB can read the edges and decided where to run the ball.  If the DE bites down, the ball goes to the outside.  If the DE stays home on the outside, the ball goes underneath and/or into the middle.  It’s the same style of offense that Oregon and most college football teams are running now.  This style of offense is fast-paced, with the idea of scoring points quickly.  In the cases I’ve seen where this style of offense has been stopped or slowed down; the defensive had a dominating DT that controlled the interior of the line and blow up plays before they even got started.  Case in point, 2010 NCAA National Championship game were Auburn defeated Oregon.  Auburn’s defense dominated Oregon’s offense, all do to DT Nick Fairley and his ability to get into the backfield and blow up plays before they even started.  If Ma’ake Kemoetu and Terrance Cody can control the interior and get into the backfield, the 49ers offense will go stagnant.

San Francisco 49ers –

Ø  Run at Pernell McPhee – The other option, running at Haloti Ngata, and good luck trying to accomplish getting rushing yards that away.  With the 49ers running the pistol offense, the best way to neutralize a good DE is to run away from them.  They will most likely be trying to control the edge and when they see the play moving the other direction, they won’t have the time or the footstep to catch up to it.  Hell, you can get away with possibly not even blocking the DE and pull the opposite T or G depending on how wide he sets up.  So in the case of the 49ers, Anthony Davis and Alex Boone better have their track shoes on. 

Ø  Getting to the second level – With the Ravens playing a 3-4 defense, meaning there are only 3 down-linemen, it leaves 2 O-linemen (in theory) free to get into the second level and put hats on linebackers.  This means someone better be laying the wood to Ray Lewis.  Yes he is having an unbelievable postseason and ride to the finish line of his career has been fun to watch, but most of the plays he is making are due to the fact that he is able to run freely on the field.  Let’s face it, he is old and not the same player he used to be.  He can’t shed away blockers the way he used too, relying on the D-linemen to take on those blockers.  If the 49ers can get an O-lineman into the second level and put a hat on Ray Ray, they will essentially take him out of the play and allow the RB or QB to get more yardage.

Ø  Pressure Joe Flacco – Part of the reason why Joe Flacco has been playing unbelievable football is due to his newly constructed O-line and them only allowing Flacco to be sacked 4 times this entire postseason.  Moving Michael Oher to RT, Kelechi Osemele to RG, and Brian McKinnie to RT has really transformed the Ravens O-line, opening wider holes for Ray Rice to run through and better pass protection for Joe Flacco.  The 49ers on the other hand, had 38 sacks for the entire season, 2.375 per game, but only 2 sacks this entire postseason.  The theory was that with an unhealthy Justin Smith, opposing O-lines have been able to neutralize Aldon Smith (49ers sack leader) with double and triple teams.  With Justin Smith now somewhat healthy, he can now occupy more blockers, freeing up Aldon. Hopefully the 49ers can get to Joe Flacco to disrupt his throwing pattern, and make him revert back to the Joe Flacco that we have come to known and are used to seeing.  The 49ers stand to have an excellent chance of winning this Super Bowl if they can do this.

Prediction –

San Francisco 49ers – 31

Baltimore Ravens – 17

MVP – Colin Kaepernick

49ers Super Bowl Champions!!!! 

I know people are expecting a rather close game between the two teams, but I think the 49ers are going to win this game comfortably, completing the “Quest for Six.”  I think Colin Kaepernick will be too much for the Ravens defense, both in the running and passing games.  I think the 49ers O-line is too good and too big for the Ravens D-linemen to control and they won’t get the type of penetration they need to disrupt the read-option offense.  And finally, I think the 49ers defense is just too stout and fast and will be able to disturb Joe Flacco’s passing rhythm and clog up the running lanes for Ray Rice.  On paper and on the field, the 49ers are a more talented, more balanced, and a better overall team; and they will prevail.  San Francisco 49ers return to glory.   

 

And besides, did you actually think I would pick against my team???  NINERS BABY!!!! 

Mr. Armchair Speaking!!!          

Baseball Writers Got it Wrong –

For the first time since 1996, no candidates eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame (HOF) will be granted entrance as voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).  For those unfamiliar with the process, the BBWAA is in charge of voting on and electing eligible candidates into Baseball’s HOF.  A player must be retired from baseball for 5 years before he can become eligible for the HOF, and a player must garner 75% or more of the writers’ votes to be awarded entrance into the HOF.  What made this year special and unique was that this was the first year of eligibility for major players involved in the steroid era, namely Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.  Others with first-year eligibility who were suspected of using steroids and PED are Mike Piazza, Curt Schilling, and Craig Biggio.  All did not get in.  

Craig Biggio lead the group of eligible candidates with 68.2% of the vote, followed by Jack Morris (67.7%), Jeff Bagwell (59.6%), Mike Piazza (57.8%), and Tim Raines (52.2%).  Barry Bonds received 36.2%, Roger Clemens received 37.6%, Curt Schilling 38.8%, Mark McGwire 16.9%, and Sammy Sosa 12.5%.  

What the BBWAA did today by not electing anyone into the Baseball HOF is a shame and travesty.  With all of the eligible candidates they had to choose from, to not elected anyone from this years’ group is just wrong.  First off, the BBWAA's unwritten rule to not elect anyone into the baseball HOF on their first-year of eligibility, unless they were truly a special player, is insane.  If a player is a HOF’er, he’s a HOF’er; no matter in his first-year of eligibility or in his ninth-year of eligibility.  Second, I understand that some of the old-timers in the BBWAA want to punish those players for their part in the "supposed" steroid era, but there were other candidates’ eligibility this year who weren’t a part, or played no role, in or with the steroid era who deserved to make it this year.  Jack Morris, Tim Raines, Lee Smith, Alan Trammell, Dale Murphy, and Edgar Martinez are all well-deserving players who deserve to be elected into baseball’s HOF.  Third, get over yourselves, BBWAA.  Ok, you want to take a stance and bash those involved with the "supposed" steroid era, that’s fine; but do so in your columns.  To completely ignore the era and shun them from baseball’s HOF is wrong.  It "supposedly" happened, just like the "dead-ball" or "shrinking ballpark" era, it's all a part of baseball's history and needs to be recognized.  These are some of the greatest players in baseball history and it’s a shame that they will not be recognized in baseball’s HOF.  Instead of completely ignoring the era, just accept that it occurred, recognize it, and move on.   

Now I’m only an amateur blogger, but if I had a vote, here is who I would have elected into the HOF (maximum 10 players allowed on a ballot):

Craig Biggio – 3,000 hits, played multiple positions. 

Jack Morris – 254 wins and possibly the best big-game pitcher of our generation.

Mike Piazza – best offensive catcher in baseball history.

Roger Clemens – 7 CY Young Awards, enough said.

Barry Bonds – do I even need to make this argument?  Please!

Edgar Martinez – career .312 hitter and was one of the best pure hitters of our generation.  

Mark McGwire – saved the game of baseball after the strike era.

Sammy Sosa – see McGwire, Mark.

Rafael Palmeiro – you can’t deny 3,000 hits and 500 hrs.

Tim Raines – comparable offensive numbers to Rickey Henderson (excluding hrs).


Baseball as a whole needs to reevaluate how they go about election players into its HOF.  Have it in the hands of the BBWAA is old and antiquated.  Some of the BBWAA members don't even cover a team or the sports closely anymore (for a lifetime ballot, you just need to cover a team or the sport for 10 years).  They need to move to a panel or committee process.  Have a panel or committee made up of former players, executives, and writers, and have them decide who gets into baseball's HOF or not.  That would be more logical and also cut out most of the nonsense that are these unwritten rules and vindictive attitudes these BBWAA members have toward certain players.  

Bottom line, the baseball writers got it wrong today.

  

Mr. Armchair Speaking!!!  

Mr. Armchair’s Year in Review – 2012

2012 was an epic year for me in regards to the sports world; filled with a rollercoaster ride of emotions.  There was the ultimate high of the San Francisco Giants winning the 2012 World Series (and I got to attend what is probably the best baseball game I’ve ever been too, Game 1 of that World Series).  But I must say, Vernon Davis making “The Grab” and the San Francisco 49ers beating the New Orleans Saints in the final seconds in the NFL Playoffs, and Matt Cain throwing the first ever Perfect Game in San Francisco Giants history, are a close second and third to the Giants winning the World Series.  There were also the extreme lows for me in 2012:  the 49ers losing to the New York Giants (the eventual Super Bowl Champions) in the playoffs, Cal football sucking, and pretty much everything associated with the Sacramento Kings. 

There were also a ton of other great sports moments and achievements that while I may have no vested interest or direct emotional ties, I still found myself in awe.  There was, in no particular order:  the Space Jump; Jack Taylor busting out 138 points in a single college basketball game; Miggy Cabrera winning baseball’s Triple Crown; a freshman, Johnny Football, winning the Heisman Trophy; possibly the greatest NFL rookie QB class ever; an epic MLB regular and postseason; Linsantity; Tebowmania!!!; Trout and Harper; the New England Patriots losing in the Super Bowl again to the New York Giants; Adrian Peterson being superhuman; Man City winning the EPL Championship over Man U; freshmen and 15^th seeds dominating March Madness; the Miami Heat (I guess) winning their first of, not one, not two, not three, not four championships; clown questions, bro!!; R.A. Dickey knuckling his way to a CY Young; Bama being Bama; Good job – Good effort; ND returning to glory (I can’t believe I’m speaking of this); the Peyton Manning free agency fiasco; Bubba Freaking Watson at the Masters; I’ll have Another at the Kentucky Derby; the LA Kings dominating to the Cup; the Olympics with Oscar Pistorius (maybe the best non – SF Giants moment for me this year), the US Women’s soccer team, Usian Bolt, Michael Phelps, Gaby Douglas, Missy Franklin (GO BEARS!!!); and of course, THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS!!!!

There were almost the disappointing, shake-your-head moments in sports this 2012:  Bobby Petrino; Lance Armstrong; Cal Football; the Replacement Refs; and my personal favorite, the Mark Sanchez Butt Fumble.

All in all, 2012 was a year to remember in the sports world.  While this blogger tried his best to capture the many great moments from throughout the year, I can only type so much.  Let’s take a quick trip back through the old blog and look at the Year in Sports 2012.

January –

We start the year with The Sacramento Kings firing head coach Paul Westphal and hiring assistant coach, now head coach, Keith Smart.  A new era of Kings Basketball started, again.  So far, as of today, the Kings are in more disarray and dysfunction as they have ever been in. 

Tim Tebow proves to us once again that he is supernatural and something from a different kind.  Tebowmania beats the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime 29-23 in the first round of the NFL playoffs.  How he is currently not under center for an NFL team still baffles me. 

The San Francisco 49ers do the unthinkable and beat the New Orleans Saints in what might possibly be the greatest football game I’ve ever watched.  It culminated 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh’s epic first season with the team; one that would soon end with…….

“A man can be destroyed but he can’t be defeated.”  Those were the lasting words of head coach Jim Harbaugh, as the 49ers lose to the eventual Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.  It was an ugly game featuring 1 for 13 on third downs and 2 punt return fumbles. 

I end January wondering and questioning how far I’m taking my love for football; mainly college football and the whole recruiting process of these college football athletes.  As I monitor and track where these high schoolers will be attending college, I wonder if it’s too much.   

February –

Congratulations to the New York football Giants for winning the Super Bowl.  It was a game featuring a low score, an old Madonna, Mrs. Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen, “My husband cannot f&^*ing throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time.”, and all my failed prop bets. 

With it being Valentine’s Day and love in the air, I write about all the athletes I love in the three major sports.  My personal favorites were Tim Lincecum (for winning us Game 5 of the 2010 World Series), Champ Bailey (first born child namesake), and of course Tebowmania!!!

With February being the lull period for the sports world, we did a mid-year basketball review to see how the seasons were going so far for the NBA and College.  The Miami Heat were on their way to their first NBA Title and Anthony Davis was well on his way to completing the trifecta.  

One of the darkest days of my life all of a sudden became bright when Mayor Kevin Johnson, Sacramento Kings owner’s Gavin and Joe Maloof, and the NBA announced together they have all reached a tentative financial agreement for a new arena.  We all know how this story ends.

March –

With the NBA Trade Deadline approaching, we had a little fun with ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine and worked out some possible trade scenarios, or “really bad trade ideas, that we kind of like.”  Of course, none of my trades actually happened, but nevertheless still fun to play GM.

It is March, so of course that means March Madness!!!  I give you all of my NCAA March Madness bracket predictions, filled with plenty of upsets; no chalk here.  And like everyone else in America, I too had the University of Kentucky cutting down the nets in the end. 

We were lucky enough to witness possibly the greatest NFL free agent signing in history, as the Peyton Manning free agent sweepstakes finally comes to an end with Peyton signing a deal with the Denver Broncos.  I guess Manningmania trumps Tebowmania. 

The 2012 MLB season is finally upon us and I unleash the Mr. Armchair MLB preview.  We go very in-depth, as I predict each team’s record, who will make the postseason, who will win the World Series, and who will take home the major awards.  Tigers over Phillies in the Series.

April –

April is probably my second favorite month in the sports year, and no one has a better month than CBS’s Jim Nance.  “Hello, Friends!” gets to call the Championship game on the NCAA Tournament – congratulations to Kentucky – then swings on over to Augusta for the Masters. 

Speaking of the Masters, my prediction holds up and first-time winner, Bubba Watson, takes home the Masters title.  This year’s Masters was quiet possibly the best Masters we’ve seen since El Tigre went -18 under in 1997, boat racing the field.  Congrats, Bubba.

What also makes April my second favorite month in sports is its NFL Draft season, which means plenty of mocking to be had.  There is no other process I love more in sports than the NFL Draft.  One of my many Christmas’s throughout the year, I unleashed my final NFL Mock Draft.

May –

May gets going with my NFL Draft Recap, three days of pure bliss, and my Kentucky Derby preview.  I break down the Draft and hand out my grades for all 32 NFL teams, comparing my Mock Draft to the so-called experts; and I give you my Kentucky Derby winner and trifecta.

The NBA playoffs get going in May, and I give you my brief NBA playoff preview.  The NBA playoffs are the worst of the three major sports, as more than half of the teams in the NBA make the playoffs and it takes forever to complete them.    

Giants fans were starting to get a little worried about a concerning trend that was happening with one of our beloved.  Timmy Lincecum wasn’t getting off to the greatest start to the season and fans are starting to wonder what’s wrong with “the freak.”  I broke it down for everyone.

June –

June begins with the NBA Finals preview.  We all got our dream matchup, Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder v. LBJ and the Miami Heat.  My x-factors for the series were the play of PG Russell Westbrook, Chris Bosh’s health, and the OKC bench.  I predicted OKC in 6 games.   

Congratulations to the Miami Heat for proving me wrong again and winning the NBA Title.  OKC, good job – good effort.  Shortly after the NBA Finals we had the NBA Draft, which means another mock from yours truly.  My prediction for the Kings:  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF UK. 

July –

The Midsummer Night Classic, MLB’s All-Star game, signifies the official start of summer.  There was controversy surrounding this year’s game as fans, mainly SF Giants fans, were accused of stuffing the ballot boxes in order to get their hometown players into the game as starters. 

Also in July we finally saw an end to the tragic and unfortunate events which occurred in Happy Valley and Penn State.  We discussed the sanctions levied on Penn State and how I felt they weren’t enough.  In my opinion, Penn State needed to be handed down the death penalty. 

August –

August came and so did the MLB Trade Deadline.  It was an exciting time for Giants fans as management pulled off two spectacular trades, adding to an already potent lineup.  It lasted only one game, as Melky Cabrera would be suspended 50 games for testing positive to PED’s.

The 2012 College Football season begins with some great news.  The NCAA announces that starting in 2014, there will be a new playoff system to determine the National Champion.  The country rejoices.  Prediction for 2012:  Alabama over USC; Heisman:  Matt Barkley, QB USC.    

September –

September means one thing and one thing only:  THE NFL BEGINS!!!  I unveiled my 2012 NFL Preview, written in a similar fashion as my MLB preview.  I predicted the 49ers will defeat the Patriots in the Super Bowl.  As of now, both are in the playoffs, so the prediction is still alive. 

October –

October is my favorite month of the entire sports year.  The NFL is in full swing and the MLB playoffs and World Series begins.  I previewed the World Series, of course featuring my SF Giants, and the Detroit Tigers.  Prediction:  Giants in 6 games.  Could it happen again…….?

OF COURSE IT DID!!  THE SAN FRANSCISCO GIANTS WIN THE WORLS SERIES!!  After being on a continuous high for the entire month of October from the Giants amazing run through the playoffs and World Series victory, I slipped in an NBA preview: Lakers over Miami in the Finals. 

November –

Now that the baseball season is officially over and all the awards were announced, we wrapped-up the 2012 MLB season with a look back on my predictions for the season, including were teams would finish, who would win the World Series, and who would win major awards. 

November ends with the end of an era.  Cal head coach, Jeff Tedford, was fired after finishing the season with a 3-9 record and getting absolutely destroyed in their final two games.  I thank coach Tedford for rebuilding the Cal football program and discussed possible replacements. 

December –

We end the year as always with this Year in Review.  Again, it was a tremendous year of sports for me and the sports world.  Whenever you can witness one of your sports teams win their respective championship (GO GIANTS!!!), you know it’s a pretty good sports year for you.  But now that the year is over, we can only hope and look forward to the same kind of successful year as the previous.  Too you’s and your’s sports team; Happy New Year!!! 

Mr. Armchair Speaking –

                  

Thank You, Jeff Tedford –

The Jeff Tedford era at the University of California has officially come to an end.  Last week, Cal Athletic Director Sandy Barbour, announced that head coach Jeff Tedford would not be returning to the football program after a 11 year run.  While this move may not have been all that surprising given the way Cal finished this season - with two blowout losses coming at the hands of Oregon and Oregon State - it is saddening because the Jeff Tedford era started off with such promise and hope, and frankly this was news that no Cal fans never thought they would ever hear.  From 2002-2009, Tedford had a winning percentage of .657, 5 bowl wins, and 0 losing seasons.  In these last three seasons, Tedford had a winning percentage of .405, 0 bowl wins, and 2 losing seasons.  As a season-ticket holder and someone who watched the majority of Cal’s games this season, Tedford looked burnt out with no energy, and as if he had no answers for what was occurring on the field.  One has to ask, what went wrong? 

The first thing, and the main reason why Tedford is gone, is his inability to develop a quality QB to run and lead the offense, the very thing he was known for and brought in to do at Cal.  When Tedford first came to Cal, he developed and turned Kyle Boller and most famously, Aaron Rodger, into NFL first-round draft pick QB’s.  But the string of QB’s that followed those two, Nat Longshore, Joe Ayoob, Kevin Reilly, and recently Zach Maynard, have all been flat disappointments.  He also seemed to recruit high-level QB prospects that never panned out or were given the opportunity to play.  Brock Mansion, Beau Sweeney, Allen Bridgeford; all these QB’s were highly touted 4-star recruits that many fans thought would come in and be the next Kyle Boller or Aaron Rodger.  When you are dubbed the “QB guru” and you can’t seem to get consistently good play from the QB position, it’s going to cause a lot of chatter and second guessing. 

Secondly, Tedford was too loyal to upperclassmen.  It seemed to me that Tedford had a seniority policy among players rather than being a coach that would play the best players available.  He never seemed to reopen position competitions despite how poorly a player was playing and never gave way to an underclassman that may be better.  Granted there were the occasion exceptions were a star-studded freshman would come in and there would be no choice but to play him, but in most cases, Tedford always seemed to defer to the upperclassman in a position battle.  You may know it to the upperclassmen that have been with the program to play them, but if they’re not cutting it and there’s are underclassmen that are better, you have to get them in the lineup because ultimately, it’s about winning games. 

Finally, Tedford was one of the highest paid coached in NCAA football and was also the highest paid employee for the state of California at nearly $2.5 million per year (granted a lot of his salary was being paid through private donor and alumni dollars); and with that comes a lot of scrutiny.  A lot of academia at Berkeley were becoming unrest with the fact that a lot of money was being put into Tedford and the football program in the midst of this poor economic time and rising tuitions on college students (Cal spend over $350 million in revenues to Memorial Stadium and an addition $150 million for a new athletic training center).  The one saving grace Tedford and Cal football always had been that the program was winning and the stadium was full.  But with losing comes lost support and empty seats. 

Possible Candidates –

So where does Cal go from here?  Well, they need to find a young, energetic, offensive-minded head coach to come in and bring in a new voice.  I also believe that the new head coach must have some name ID and clout, as Cal still needs to sell those high-priced ESP seats and continue to fill the stadium in order to pay for all of the remodel and additions.  Having a coach that the fan base, and more importantly the donors, is excited about would go a long way to doing that. 

The Pac-12, while being a strong conference, is very winnable.  USC and Oregon are both about to go on sanctions for recruiting violations, and in the coming years, that may bring them back down to earth.  Stanford and David Shaw are building a machine in Palo Alto, but with Shaw’s star on the rise, one wonders how long he can truly put off going to the NFL if a team came calling.  Cal, with its new stadium and facilities, has the resources to continue recruiting top 25 classes and if anything, having those new facilities should improve that ranking.  It’s a very attractive job for an up-and-coming coordinator or head coach at a mid-major, or even at the NFL level, to want to have. 

Here are a few names that I would want Cal Athletic Direction, Sandy Barbour, to consider for the Cal football head coaching position.

Chris Peterson, Boise St. – He ranks #1 on my list and as a season-ticket holder, if Cal has to raise my prices in order to pay him to leave Boise, so be it.  I think Cal is tailor-made for Peterson.  He is from the area, having played and coached at UC Davis, so he has local ties and it would be an easy move and smooth transition for his family.  He can definitely recruit the area, as most of his star recruits from those high-powered Boise St. teams that won BCS bowl games came from California.  And, it’s not like Boise St. is crushing team this season like they used too and maybe Peterson is starting to see that the well is drying up for him.  Your star can only be on the rise for so long (ask Iowa’s Kurt Ferentz) and really, there is nothing left for him to accomplish in Boise; so maybe a new challenge, in a new conference, with new facilities, would service him well. 

Side note:  And to further my excitement, CBS Sports Bruce Feldman tweeted out that a source told him there are two jobs Chris Peterson would consider leaving Boise St. for and that’s Oregon and Cal.  It’s been widely stated that Chip Kelly wants to go to the NFL but only if his OC, Mark Helfrich, is guaranteed to be the next head coach at Oregon.  Supposedly, this was the main reason why Kelly backed out of becoming the Tampa Bay Bucs head coach because Oregon couldn’t guarantee that they would hire Helfrich to be Kelly’s replacement.  If Kelly sticks to his word and makes Oregon hire Helfrich that leaves only one job open for Peterson to consider.  But the flip side is that Peterson and Tedford are close friends and Peterson may not want to follow in Tedford’s footsteps and over-shadow his legacy.  My hope is that Tedford talks to Peterson and convinces him that Cal is a great opportunity for him and that he’s left Peterson with a new stadium, new facilities, and loaded roster.  He’ll win immediately.            

Mark Helfrich, OC of Oregon – If Oregon’s not going to hire you, I’ll take you.  And it’s not like Cal hasn’t tapped Oregon’s coaching staff before (Tedford was Oregon’s OC before coming to Cal).  If Chip Kelly turns his back on the NFL and decides to come back to Oregon, you may have a situation much like Texas had with Mack Brown and Will Muschamp.  You have these coaches-in-waiting, but the head guy never leaves or retires and eventually, coaches get impatient.  If Kelly doesn’t land an NFL gig this offseason, especially with all of the open positions that are presumably going to be opening, this may be Helfrich’s only chance to get out of Oregon and land a prime coaching gig.  Things seemed to have worked out nicely for Muschamp. 

Jon Gruden, ESPN – I know, I’m dreaming, and I’ll admit that.  But really, is Cal any less of an attractive job than Arkansas and Tennessee (two schools Gruden has been linked too)?  Again, he is from the area, has coached in the area, and I believe still lives in the area.  I know the minute he gets the NFL inch and decided to scratch he bolts, but I’ll take 2-3 years of Chucky and then figure things out afterward.

Greg Roman, OC for the SF 49ers – This is also a pipe dream but it’s still nice to have.  Roman is most likely going to be a solid candidate for a NFL head coaching gig come this offseason, so why would he leave the 49ers and that opportunity for Cal.  Well, maybe he doesn’t want to wait that long for a position to open and there are no guarantees he gets it.  Remember, he interviewed last season for the Colts head coaching position and didn’t get it and they were going to draft his QB project at Stanford Andrew Luck.  Maybe he is starting to realize that being a NFL head coach isn’t in his cards and the only way to get out from underneath Jim Harbaugh’s shadow is to leave and create an identity of his own.  But speaking of Roman, that leads me to my other coaching candidate………

Geep Chryst, QB coach for the SF 49ers – I know he is Harbaugh’s OC-in-waiting for when Roman leaves for a head coaching position, but what if Roman doesn’t get a head coaching job and does in fact decide to stay with the 49ers, where does that leave Chryst?  Chryst’s older brother, Paul Chryst, is the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh and Geep almost left the 49ers to go be his OC.  If he can almost leave the 49ers to go coach at the University of Pittsburgh, he can certainly leave the 49ers to coach Cal.  Plus, he has experience grooming QBs, with Alex Smith and now Colin Kaepernick looking like All-Pros. 

Mike MacIntyre, HC of San Jose State – If Cal is looking to hire a good young coach on the cheap then this is Cal’s hire.  He has completely turned SJSU into a bowl eligible team in two years and has recruited the area strongly.  He is defensive-minded and wouldn’t be that sexy hire that I want, but I don’t doubt that he is a solid football coach. 

Pep Hamilton, OC of Stanford – Again, he has that Andrew Luck connection and if you have so much as laid a hand on the greatest QB prospect of our generation, you hold a lot of clout in my book.  He guided Stanford’s offense to a BCS bowl game and he has guided Stanford’s offense post-Luck to a 9-2 record and into the Pac-12 championship game. 

Sonny Dykes, HC of Louisiana Tech – He is a Mike Leach clone who runs a very power spread offense.  He has coached La. Tech into the Top 25 this season and is another young coach on the rise.  Plus, he used to be the OC at Arizona before becoming Texas Tech’s OC under Leach so he knows the conference.  And like MacIntyre, he too could be another coach Cal can hire on the cheap. 

Willie Taggart, HC of Western Kentucky – He is another Jim Harbaugh coaching disciple from there Stanford days and Taggart also played fullback at Stanford, so he knows the Pac-12 and the area from recruiting purposes.  Many have him already linked to the Kentucky HC opening but he may want to come back to the west coast and coach somewhere that has a legitimate shot at winning.  When was the last time Kentucky football was relevant? 

No matter how you feel about the firing of Jeff Tedford, you can’t help but feel bad for the guy.  Yes he will get paid his remaining $6.9 million salary, but Tedford rebuilt the Cal football program and was the driving force behind the whole remodel of Memorial Stadium and the construction of the new Athletic Performance Center.  He was patient through that whole purpose which had many bumps in the road; and when everything is finally finished and built, he doesn’t get to witness or experience what the remodel and new facilities will do for the Cal football program and university.  There is no doubt that he left the Cal football program in much better shape than what it was when Tedford first came to Cal.  He single-handedly made Cal football relevant in an era of super-conferences and big time money football.  So for that, I personally thank him for his serve and dedication.  In the end it got sour, but there were many good times during his era.  Thank you, Jeff Tedford. 

Mr. Armchair Speaking –