Get ready to feel #USA feelings!
Hell yeah, pushups!
High fives all around!
Hashtag OneNationOneTeam all damn day!
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mardi 1 juillet 2014
No comments | 06:48
If you're eating waffles for breakfast, they better be American.
We ready #USA #WEBELIEVETHATWEWILLWIN http://ift.tt/VCnBJB
— Waffle House (@WaffleHouse) July 1, 2014
Want to #America like Waffle House? Here is a helpful guide to eating PATRIOTIC WAFFLES.
AVOID TRAITOROUSNESS THE ONLY WAFFLES YOU EAT TODAY SHOULD BE AMERICAN WAFFLES http://t.co/wBt0fP1aqN http://ift.tt/V5bMeu
— SB Nation (@SBNation) July 1, 2014
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No comments | 06:12
Jürgen Klinsmann has a difficult decision to make ahead of the United States' Round of 16 match against Belgium. In the US' first World Cup game, an injury forced Jozy Altidore off, with Aron Johannsson replacing him. Against Portugal and Germany, it was Clint Dempsey that got the nod up top.
But now, as the U.S. prepares to face the Red Devils in the Round of 16, Altidore is "ready and available." So what's Klinsmann to do?
First off, the coach must determine if "ready and available" is synonymous with "fit to start." If Altidore is anywhere close to 100 percent, he's the obvious choice. He's strong, can move, holds the ball up, and has proved over the last 18 months that he is far and away the best choice up front. But if he can't play?
It's difficult to imagine that, two weeks after suffering from what appeared to be a serious hamstring strain, Altidore can play for a long time or be in fine form. If he does play, it will likely be off the bench, which means Klinsmann has to decide how to start yet another match without Altidore up top.
That leaves the U.S. with three options at striker:
Clint Dempsey
Klinsmann has opted to start Dempsey alone up top in the last two matches, and he's done well. He's held the ball up, kept possession and even scored a goal. If there was any doubt that Dempsey is the Americans' best striker after Altidore, even in a more physical, hold up role, that was put to rest in the last two matches.
Putting Dempsey up top also allows the U.S. to stack the midfield, using Jermaine Jones, Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Graham Zusi and Alejandro Bedoya or Brad Davis to help win the numbers battle in the center of the park.
The problem is that using Dempsey as the lone striker means he's not free to drop deeper and help Michael Bradley or run off a partner, which he does so well to find space and get into scoring situations. Bradley has struggled and part of that has been due to lack of help. It's similar to the struggles he had in the friendly against Azerbaijan, when Dempsey missed out completely. Keeping Dempsey up top means Bradley will be playing in near-isolation once more.
Aron Johannsson
Johannsson has already gotten a look at striker, coming on for Altidore against Ghana, and he didn't exactly cover himself in glory. In his defense, few Americans played well against Ghana. Johannsson wasn't put in many positions to make an impact, but on the rare occasion he was given the chance, he wasn't able to take advantage. He was bullied, slow and sloppy.
Unsurprisingly, Johannsson hasn't been tapped since that showing against Ghana, but if Klinsmann believes the U.S. can keep possession against Belgium, he would be the smart pick. No U.S. forward moves as well, dragging wide to make himself available, cutting in and keeping the ball moving. Johannsson won't be a physical, hold up striker, but he can aide in possession and when his team has the ball, he does well to find space in front of goal.
Another benefit to bringing on Johannsson is that it allows Dempsey to help Bradley more. That would give the U.S. three players in the attack, with Zusi making it four, who can all move and pass effectively.
Betting on Johannsson making the difference in possession would be risky, though. Belgium have a powerful midfield that could overwhelm the U.S. and if that happens, Johannsson will be as helpless as he was against Ghana.
Chris Wondolowski
Wondolowski is a poacher. And he tries hard.
Is that enough?
If Wondolowski were to start for the U.S., he'd be able to find space in front of goal and, if the Americans could get him the ball, finish. He wouldn't do much in the way of creating chances, but he could certainly finish them. He would also be able to pressure the Belgians high and make it difficult for them to play out of the back. That could take some pressure off the U.S. defense and even create turnovers that turn into chances for the Americans.
Like Johannsson, Wondolowski also free Dempsey up to roam, find space and assist Bradley. Having two roamers, like Dempsey and Wondolowski, could cause havoc for a Belgium defense in flux.
The problem is Wondolowski isn't going to hold the ball up, relieve pressure or win a ton of headers to get possession. That's something the U.S. has counted on with Altidore and Dempsey. Playing Wondolowski puts more pressure on the U.S. defense to play the ball out of the back.
★★★
The U.S. has built a team around Bradley, but they haven't gotten the most out of him yet. Exactly how good or bad he's been is up for debate, but there is no doubt that he hasn't been at his best. Is that a matter of form or does he need help, which dropping Dempsey deeper would provide?
Assuming Altidore can't start, and it seems unlikely he can, Klinsmann needs to determine whether Bradley can play well with Dempsey as a lone striker. If he thinks so, Dempsey will be the pick up top again, but if not, Johannsson and Wondolowski come into the picture and Klinsmann has to project what kind of game the U.S. is going to find themselves in.
Going up against a team as good as Belgium, and one predicated on pure power, makes this a match where Altidore would be most valuable, but Klinsmann is unlikely to have that option. But, while his other three options are not ideal, none will doom the U.S.
Besides, the United States has gotten match-winning moments from more unlikely sources in the past.
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No comments | 06:12
Kansas City's big-name receiver failed to live up to the hype, and his $56 million contract, in 2013. That has to change in 2014 if the Chiefs are going to keep him around for the long haul.
The Kansas City Chiefs rebounded from a 2-14 record in 2012 to an 11-5 mark and a playoff berth in 2013. In other words, few underachieved on a team that exceeded most expectations. Still, one big name stands out as disappointing: Dwayne Bowe.
The former 2007 first-round pick out of LSU struggled to justify the massive contract he signed in the offseason for five years and $56 million. Bowe was very slow out of the gate in Andy Reid's West Coast offense, and ended the year with only 57 catches for 673 yards and five touchdowns.
Now, entering the second year of his eye-popping deal and a full grasp (supposedly) of Reid's offense, Bowe is under the gun to become the dominant force he once was.
How he got here
Bowe burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2007, going for 995 yards despite having Damon Huard as his quarterback. In 2008, Bowe eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time, amassing 1,022 with seven touchdowns. After a poor 2009 campaign with just 589 yards in his first year teamed up with Matt Cassel, the duo exploded in 2010.
Bowe needs to produce before he becomes a cap casualty
That season, Bowe posted career-bests for yardage (1,162) and touchdowns (15) to make his first Pro Bowl team. The following year, Bowe had only three fewer yards and five scores, playing with Cassel and Kyle Orton. The wheels fell off for Bowe and the Chiefs in 2012, with Bowe getting suspended for a violation of the league's drug policy. Playing in only 13 games, Bowe had 801 yards and three touchdowns.
Still, new general manager John Dorsey inked Bowe to the $56 million deal. Without him, Kansas City would have no threat on the outside and despite his down season, Bowe remained a legitimate No. 1 receiving option. However, the veteran receiver took ample time to get in rhythm with new quarterback Alex Smith, posting only 673 yards.
The stakes
In 2015, Bowe has a cap hit of $14 million, with $10.5M in dead money should the Chiefs decide to part ways before June 1. However, if he becomes a post-June 1 cut, the team would save a whopping $9.5M. With those numbers, Bowe needs to produce before he becomes a cap casualty.
If Bowe does make it through 2015, he is scheduled to make $13M with only $6M in dead money in 2016, another time when Dorsey could cut bait should he choose to do it. Another factor in how long Bowe sticks around revolves around his behavior off-the-field.
Last November, Bowe was arrested for possession of marijuana when pulled over by police for speeding in the Kansas City area. The receiver was not disciplined by the NFL for the arrest. Bowe was on his way to Sonic when he was stopped, making the story even more ridiculous.
Dorsey showed faith in Bowe by not drafting a wide receiver, something that Kansas City was universally expected to do in the first round. Still, this remains a key year for Bowe. The 29-year-old is in the prime of his career and remains the top target for Smith of the receiver group. Outside of megastar Jamaal Charles, Bowe is the epicenter of the Chiefs offense.
Can he bounce back in 2014?
When Todd Haley first arrived to Kansas City in 2009, he demoted Bowe to third-string until he learned how to block. At first, Bowe scoffed at the notion before accepting his flaws and working at it. Currently, Bowe is one of the best blocking receivers in the league. Faced with adversity and horrendous quarterbacks most of his career, Bowe has come back strong after disappointments.
Bowe was better down the stretch in 2013 than he was at the beginning of the campaign, lending credence to the idea that he was becoming comfortable in Reid's system as the year progressed. Over the first eight games, Bowe had 26 catches for 292 yards.
Over the last seven -- Bowe sat out the final regular season game with most of the other starters -- Bowe accumulated 31 receptions for 381 yards. In the Chiefs playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts, Bowe went for eight catches, 150 yards and a touchdown.
The talent is there and the system is now firmly at place. A quarterback with legitimate ability is throwing to him for a second consecutive year. A bounce back is certainly possible, and necessary if Bowe wants to be considered worth the money he's being paid.
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No comments | 06:12
Blake Barnett is one of the highest-rated quarterback prospects in the class of 2015, and has received interest from some of the top programs in the nation.
Barnett attends Corona (Calif.) Santiago High School, and is listed at 6'3.5, weighing in at 195 pounds. He is considered a dual-threat quarterback with offers from Alabama, Arizona, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Oregon and UCLA, among others.
The 247Sports Composite, which aggregates the ratings of all four major recruiting services, rates Barnett as a four-star prospect, considering him the third-best dual-threat quarterback in the class and the 10th-best player in the state of California.
Barnett can be found on Twitter @BlakeBarnett_8.
Blake Barnett is one of the best quarterbacks in the 2015 class, and that would be true for almost any class.
Barnett has the frame to play at more than 215 pounds. He looks like how most of the classic, elite quarterbacks did coming out of high school.
Barnett may have the look of a pocket passer, but he is classified as a dual-threat for a reason: he is very athletic. No, he will not go out and win a track meet, but he has fantastic quickness, body control and agility, relative to his size and length. Most players who are this leggy take a while to reach top speed, but Barnett does not. I can't see Barnett ripping off runs of 40 and 50 yards, but I can see him picking up a ton of first downs if the opposing pass rush gets undisciplined and a lane opens up.
Barnett is also really good at evading the rush. His offensive line allows a lot of pressure, and he deftly dodges it, looking like a taller Johnny Manziel. When he senses that he should run, he does so quite well. But more often, Barnett keeps his eyes up and is very good at finding the open man.
Barnett has a good arm, but it is not huge. Still, he is capable of making all the throws. Barnett's ball is easily caught, and he does a nice job of leading his receivers so that they can run after the catch. And he can do so when "off platform," dodging the rush.
His release is very over the top, and he won't have many balls batted down at the college level. It is longer, and he shows the ball early in his break, but it is not necessarily slow. He may end up holding the ball a bit higher when he works with his college coach.
I think Barnett would fit best in a spread offense. To stick him in a pro-style offense that doesn't use his feet on designed quarterback runs would be a mistake.
Note: Recruits commit and decommit throughout the process. No effort is made to note commitments or decommitments in these scouting reports. All we note is claimed offers at the time of evaluation.
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No comments | 05:05
3 Things
Football after hours: the glories of extra time
Next to the compelling psychodrama of penalties, extra-time seems a little ... unglamorous. Basic. Obvious, even. No difference yet? Play a bit more. That'll sort it.
But while you don't quite get the same sugar-rush gratification as with the kicks from the penalty mark,...
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No comments | 05:05
Jerome Baker is a talented linebacker and running back.
Jerome Baker is one of the top athletes in the class of 2015 and has a multitude of top-tier programs pursuing him as a recruit.
Baker attends Cleveland (Ohio) Benedictine High School, and is considered one of the top prospects in the Midwest. He can play multiple positions, including running back and outside linebacker, and is considered an athlete at the next level.
Baker is listed at 6'1 and weighs in at 205 pounds. He is considered a four-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals, Scout and ESPN, giving him a composite four-star rating (aggregating from each of the four major recruiting services' rankings). The 247Sports Composite considers Baker the 42nd-best player in the country, ranking him as the fourth-best athlete in the class of 2015 and the second-best player in the state of Ohio.
The rising senior has offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State and Tennessee, among others.
Baker's tremendous athleticism shows up at both positions, and he is a bit more athletic than you might think given his thick build.
At linebacker ...
Baker is a physical run defender, and can pick his way through traffic well to get to the ball carrier. He seems to understand when to pull the pin and get to the ball. I'd like to see Baker take on blocks better or more often, and I do wonder how much more size he can add to accomplish that.
Baker is a natural instinctive player in zone coverage, and his experience catching the football on offense shows up on defense, as he comes up with a number of interceptions.
Baker is the ideal WILL in a 4-3 defense. He'll be able to run and make tackles without having to take on too many blocks.
As a running back ...
Baker is also an instinctive player on offense. He is explosive and gets to his top speed rather quickly. Baker is able to avoid tacklers like he avoids blockers when playing linebacker.
Ultimately, I think Baker projects as a very good player at the BCS level. I do wonder how much size he can put on his frame, and whether that will limit his ultimate ceiling.
Note: Recruits commit and decommit throughout the process. No effort is made to note commitments or decommitments in these scouting reports. All we note is claimed offers at the time of evaluation.
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