Defensive Rookie of the Year: TJ Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Younger brother of future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt. Same college, Wisconsin, as elder brother J.J. Watt. Similar draft hype as J.J. Watt coming into 2017, as we see at midseason, the hype was not misplaced. 7 games into the season, T.J. Watt has put up tremendous numbers. 21 solo tackles, 5 additional assisted tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 interception. Very strong start from his first outings as a professional, looking forward to seeing this young man grow into the monster that T.J. Watt can become.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans

This may be a controversial pick for some, but a tough decision for me nonetheless. Running back Kareem Hunt and Quarterback Deshaun Watson will battle to the end of the season for the award.

However, Deshaun Watson appears to be more elite. Starting merely 5 games, Watson has still thrown for 1,297 yards, 15 touchdown, 5 interceptions, completing passes at a 61.5 percent clip. Deshaun has even rushed for an additional 202 yards with two touchdowns on the ground to compliment. Despite all this, an even more impressive stat is Watson’s total QBR at 80.8. This rating leads league, higher than the likes of household names such as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and even defending MVP Matt Ryan. This earns him the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Comeback Player of the Year: Rob Gronkowski, New England

Playing a mere 8 games last year, Rob Gronkowski had yet another injury riddled season. Despite playing only half the season, in two of the eight games, Gronkowski was nowhere to be seen with no receptions. His season ended with back surgery, putting Rob on the shelf for good. Entering the 2017 regular season, Gronkowski’s health and durability had become a large question mark for the New England offense. Nonetheless, the Gronk has bounced back in a way few experts projected. With 452 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns on 29 receptions, Rob Gronkowski has nearly surpassed the entirety of last season’s output. 25 receptions, 540 yards, and only 3 touchdowns was the 2016 statline among his eight outings. Barring another injury, *knock on wood* Rob Gronkowski should own this year’s Comeback Player of the Year award.

Coach of the Year: Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams

The Rams may just be the surprise of the year. Following a miserable 4-12 record, the 2017 offseason did not show many roster changes, expecting to repeat the previous season’s failures.

Despite only notably adding wide receivers Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods, the Los Angeles Rams has made unbelievable changes moving forward. Their 5-2 record can be accounted due to the mindset of Head Coach Sean McVay. Following up the abomination of a coaching job completed by Jeff Fisher, McVay continues the dominant march of the defense. Additionally, Sean McVay has made the necessary changes to turn around the offense from a piddling 14.0 points per game in the 2016 to an astonishing 30.3 points per game, the highest scoring offense in the league. Coach Sean McVay is the difference moving this Rams football team past its previous mediocrity, earning McVay the 2017 Coach of the Year award.

Defensive Player of the Year: Melvin Ingram, Los Angeles Chargers

Bringing in a mighty 8 and a half sacks and 25 solo tackles, the LA Chargers have a beast at linebacker. The six-season veteran has made strides from an already elite level. Melvin Ingram has also forced two fumbles, recovering one. Ingram seemingly steps up his game daily, with the best of his outings coming within the last three games. Incoming offenses must be wary when moving the ball in his direction, giving space for other elite defenders to make plays. Defensive ends Joey Bosa and Chris McCain, cornerbacks Casey Hayward and Desmond King, and the entirety of the Charger defense benefit from his mere presence on the field.

Offensive Player of the Year: Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs

Prior to this week, Alex Smith was the frontrunner for this season’s MVP award. Despite this, Smith is being thwarted by a younger, more mobile quarterback. However, do not dare take anything away from Alex Smith. Twelve years into the league, Smith is seemingly putting up his best numbers yet. Passing for 1,979 yards, 15 touchdowns, and zero turnovers. All of this coming on a 72.4 completion percentage, enabling the Chiefs a hot 5-2 start. This record not only leads the the AFC West, but also leads the entire AFC. Their record matched only by the Patriots and Steelers. Capping off his impressive numbers, Alex Smith leads the entire league in passer rating at 120.5, solidifying him as the Offensive Player of the Year.

MVP: Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

Quite possibly the most difficult move was the decision to give the MVP nod to Carson Wentz. Despite having overall worse numbers by a slight margin, Wentz tops Alex Smith in a much more important category: Wins. The Eagles have soared high to grab the best record in the NFL, winning six of their first seven. Aided by the struggles of their NFC East rivals, as well as key injuries to top NFC contenders, such as Aaron Rodgers, Dalvin Cook, and Josh Norman, the Eagles seem to have a smooth ride to a first-round playoff bye. Wentz is passing for a remarkable 1,852 yards and 17 touchdowns, and completing 61.6 percent of his passes, with only 4 interceptions to rebut. Maintaining a total QBR of 72.7, a league wide third best, the impressive numbers by Wentz will be the determining factor for deep postseason success.

The post NFL Midseason Honors 2017 Edition appeared first on KRUI Radio.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – It isn’t the popular opinion, but all of the Patriots should make the White House visit. If it isn’t for something else planned, there are only reasons for the players to go meet President Trump.

The twist is that by attending they could still convey a message, and possibly a significantly more powerful one.

Earlier this week the University of Iowa Athletic Department held a town hall meeting for its student-athletes. The focus on the meeting, discussing diversity and inclusion. As thoughts were shared, the New England Patriots players who have decided to skip the White House visit were mentioned.

The topic brought about a critical response, from both perspectives. Some felt it hurt the team for the players not to attend, others said they have every right not to go. The media around the much anticipated visit was even brought into question.

Overall, the reaction to the players pledging their absence was that they need to make a statement against what they feel is wrong and that by not attending they will do so. Notable Patriots players Martellus Bennett, Devin McCourty, and LeGarrette Blount all have expressed that they will not attend, citing President Trump or the government as their reasoning.

Others have joined the list of players choosing to stay away. Dont’a Hightower’s reason was he had already attended in college; he also did not attend when the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX. Alan Branch decided to be with family and Chris Long didn’t give any more reason than he didn’t want to go.

The players holding out because of their disgust or anger with the new President came as no surprise. Many athletes have expressed their displeasure with the President and his actions over the campaign and into office.

Results from many of those who spoke out was what ultimately lacked. High profile statements have a cause and effect. One side will feel empowered while the other will lash back at whatever the statement was, just as it happened when players announced they wouldn’t visit the White House or when Colin Kaepernick sat during the national anthem.

The difference for these players, and the reason why they should still attend, is that they are public figures. They have abilities and opportunities that the average American citizen doesn’t have.

Whether someone is for or against President Trump they have an opinion. And the players have made theirs’ clear, but these players are also being given a chance that everyone else isn’t. A chance to speak to the President himself, in person.

Blount, who has been outspoken about feeling unwelcome in the White House, has the opportunity to meet face to face with the person so many Americans are frustrated with. He has a chance to express his concerns to the source of what many see as the problem. By not attending, he doesn’t have that.

These players can use the White House visit to spread their message to the ultimate target. They have the ability to be ambassadors to the President for the American people. They can be a more direct route than many of the politicians that are also causing frustration.

Being able to stand up for what you believe says more about ones character than letting the opponent win. Not attending sends a message but it brings no tangible results along with it. Speaking to the President does.

The old fashion way of solving problems is to talk it out. Today it is easier to avoid a problem or to speak out with no result than it is to go to the source. Discussion can solve problems; an idea the country was built on.

By these players attending, they would be able to tell the story of how the President acted with them. Was he rude, as many think would happen, or was he willing to talk? Did the President listen to the concerns of the players or did he allow it to go in one ear and out the other?

There would be no more powerful a message to the American people than a professional athlete, someone who to many is a role model, telling them how the President acted and what he said. Being able to say that he listened, or didn’t.

If the Super Bowl Champions, New England Patriots players could return and tell the American people they expressed their thoughts directly to the President it would leave a lasting impact. A message to stand up for themselves but also that discussion to work things through is much stronger a weapon.

The town hall for the student-athletes ended with similar words from the panel. Finding the people who can help tell the message and confronting it head on. Issues today need to be solved by working them out, face to face.

The post All of the Patriots Should Go to the White House appeared first on KRUI Radio.

New England Patriots

Defense

I will begin with a basic fact. By the numbers, the Patriots have the best defense in the NFL. Only 15.6 pts/gm. A number that doesn’t stack up to all time great defenses, but still gives the high-octane offense enough breathing room to comfortably operate. With big names such as Malcolm Butler, Rob Ninkovich, and Patrick Chung, the Falcons are in for their toughest test yet. The matchup to watch is Julio Jones and Malcolm Butler. The high-flying Falcon versus the show-stopping Patriot. Sure, if Matt Patricia wants to play it safe, he will give Butler help in the secondary to cushion the impact of #11. This, however, may not be enough to stop Jones. The battle will be won and lost in the Patriots ability to get to Matt Ryan and stop the dynamic duo in the backfield. Pressures on, Patriots D.

History

As long as the opposing quarterback in the Super Bowl is not named “Eli Manning”, then the Belichick Patriots have done fairly well. Actually, really well. Perfect, that’s the word I was looking for. Beating teams spanning from Seattle to Charlotte, Belichick has ran the table. Atlanta could be that jewel in the south that he will add to his trophy case. Last year we were met with a similar situation; A surprise team from the NFC South with a surging offense go up against a team who has done it all before with a wily, declining quarterback who has done it all before. A team that had a sensational quarterback playing against an immovable defense. We all saw the MVP go down with a couple of blitzes and a couple of turnovers. If the Kubiak-led Broncos could do it, Belichick could do it and then some.

Discipline

Saying Bill Belichick is a disciplined coach would be a wild understatement. According to Footballdb.com, The Patriots are ranked 5th in total penalties this year. Falcons are ranked 12th. With a difference in 10 penalties on the year, that could be a make or break statistic in the end of the game. Looking at false starts, the Patriots have 17 to the Falcons 19.

That’s a whole 10 yards; Or maybe, a key 1st down. Last week against Green Bay, Atlanta had 2 red zone false starts. Patriots had none. This may seem like a nit-picky stat, however, the NFL puts forth the best Referees in the league. Referees with a trained eye and a hand on the flag. Maybe I’m over-exaggerating, but Seahawks fans remember how referees in a Super Bowl can change the tide. The Patriots have a great locker room culture and a discipline unmatched by any team in the NFL.

Atlanta Falcons

Julio Jones

Here is a list I compiled of all the receivers this year who have tallied over 300 yards in one game:

1. Julio Jones

   

Early Leads

One of the many things the Falcons have been known for this year is their ability to pounce ahead and take a lead. In 10 of their 13 wins, they have been able to jump ahead by 10 points or more. That’s domination. With their powerful offense never taking their foot off the throttle, they can use their multiple weapons to burn you with every play in their playbook. Kyle Shanahan has been able to use Matt Ryan and his accuracy in the playoffs so effectively, it is scary. After Jumping ahead 17-0 against Green Bay, I realized this offense operates with lightning-quick speeds and plays that are simple, yet effective.

The Man with the most ice in his veins since Mr. Freeze in Batman in Robin

Matty Ice. I never really liked that nickname. Or the phrase “Ice in his/her veins”. The phrase makes the person being discussed is cold, a loser, and doesn’t have a winning bone in their body. None of these, of course, describe Matt Ryan.

The odds on favorite to win MVP this year (#notmymvp) and NFC Champion, Ryan has certainly proved the critics wrong this year by finally winning more than one playoff game. He has been doing it in wonderful fashion as well. 117.3 rating 70% completion, 4944 Yards, 38 TDs and only 7 INTs! Hey, that’s pretty good! Not to mention he has yet to turn the ball over in the playoffs. Brady has twice. It will be a true test of character and skill for #2 going up against a defense that doesn’t bend or break. But with the help of one of an offense that could be described as a Swiss Army Knife, He has a good chance of getting his first ring

Tiebreaker

Running Backs: Advantage, Atlanta.

It’s rare to have two teams in the Super Bowl that have a pair of starting Running Backs each. Lewis and Blount lead New England’s rushing attack, while Freeman and Coleman run for Atlanta. While both sets of backs are incredible, the ability to catch out of the backfield that the Atlanta backs have is a substantial advantage. Both backs have over 400 yards of receiving. 400 Yards! That’s like having 2 Le’veon Bells on your roster! Not only that, Freeman has racked up 1079 rushing yards and Coleman has 520. On the New England offense, James White is the receiver out of the backfield. With 551 yards, he is someone to watch out for. Neither of the other two backs, however, have more than 100.

Another New Team in Canton

I cannot believe I am saying this, but the Atlanta Falcons will be Super Bowl 51 champions. For whoever listens to the NFL Rundown on KRUI, you know how much it hurts my heart to say this. For personal reasons and a sibling rivalry too long for a simple article, I cannot explain my dissatisfaction with the Falcons. They’re just too hot right now. Matt Ryan is playing on another level. Julio Jones is cementing his place in the HOF. The backfield of doom is playing up to immortal standards. And the defense is pulling together at the right time. Rise up, Atlanta.

Falcons 27, Patriots 23

Make sure to come back next week where I will recap my Superbowl picks!

The post Three Reasons Why Either Team Can Win The Super Bowl (And A Fourth For Who Will Win It) appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The most active team was Chicago as they made two trades. The Bears are extremely desperate for young, controllable talent on both sides of the ball. They were able to get the quarterback of the future and did so without mortgaging the future. The Cowboys pick up a talented running back to replace DeMarco Murray. The biggest winner from this draft for me is the New Orleans Saints who used all three picks to select starting caliber players at really good values.

There were several teams I wanted to trade up or down for, but was unable to due to a lack of trade partners or assets. These teams just selected the best player available if the draft spot wasn’t worth the player that was right for the team.

My next NFL piece will be a review of the draft. Until then enjoy both my final mock and the real draft.

Round 1

The post NFL Draft: Predicting the First Two Rounds appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Teams like the Jaguars, Raiders, Rams, and Vikings could all trade up if they fail to address the position earlier in the first round. Also tackles will start to come off the board pretty fast as there is a need for young controllable linemen, although most of the players taken this year will be moved to the right side of the line or inside to guard, there is still a huge need to protect the quarterback.

These picks are what I think teams will do at certain positions based off the needs I believe they need to address, but also from what I’ve been reading about each team from numerous sources. There is an occasional pick where I went with what I solely thought the team should do, but that’s only one or two picks. I did not include trades, but I will in the next mock draft. The three picks I like the most are the picks to Kansas City, New England, and Carolina, all of which I think got steals at their positions either based off value, or a player that I feel is underrated. Here we go, the San Diego Chargers are on the clock.

17) San Diego Chargers:  Melvin Gordon III- RB Wisconsin

The best running back in college football this year with Todd Gurley sitting most of the year out. Even with Gurley playing Gordon would’ve still ben extremely productive and fighting with Gurley for position as the top running back. The Chargers watched their top running back leave for Philly, and even though he was injury-prone, he was a productive back and they have no immediate solution. Gordon will be the perfect fit for the chargers who have a third down back in Woodhead and would allow Gordon to focus on running and limit the number of passing plays he would be a part of as catching is one of his biggest weaknesses.

Other Options: Malcolm Brown, Cameron Erving, Breshad Perriman

18) Kansas City Chiefs: Cameron Erving-OC Florida St.

Erving is one of my favorite players in this year’s draft. He has been playing center for Florida State, but was originally a tackle and should have the ability to play multiple positions on the line. Here he would stay at center where the Chiefs lost their starter to Oakland. The Chiefs have a couple positions to draft on the line and have addressed the need with the acquisition of Grubbs from the Saints. They could also look for receiver here or try to address depth on the defensive side of the ball.

Other Options: Breshad Perriman, Jaelen Strong, Landon Collins,

19) Cleveland Browns: Breshad Perriman- WR UCF

Nobody has seen their draft stock rise faster than Perriman due to one test. His 40-yard dash at his Pro day came out with numbers below 4.24 seconds being reported. On top of that he has good height and hands but again lacks polish in focus and route-running. The browns are in trouble on offense with Josh Gordon facing another suspension and Manziel being in rehab. If they want to succeed with Josh McCown as their quarterback they are going to need to surround him with weapons like he had in Chicago.

Other Option: Malcolm Brown. Landon Collins, TJ Clemmings

20) Philadelphia Eagles: Landon Collins- S Alabama

Landon Collins may be seeing a drop due to an injury he sustained during the season, or it may be that teams reviewed the tape and were not as thrilled as they were originally, for any reason, he is still a quality player and will address a need for Chip Kelly. After their offseason of confusion, it’s a little difficult to predict anything for this team, but this seems like a logical and safe way to go for the Eagles.

Other Options: TJ Clemmings, Dorial Green-Beckham

21) Cincinnati Bengals:  Malcolm Brown- DT Texas

The Bengals could really go a couple of different routes with this pick and if Malcolm Brown is available here I think this makes the most sense. This defense has been hit by injuries and players leaving in free agency, and could really use some depth especially along the offensive line. Being on a talented defense should help Brown’s development as he will probably see very few double teams and will opportunities created by other players on the defense.

Other Options: TJ Clemmings, Dorial Green-Beckham,

22) Pittsburgh Steelers: TJ Clemmings- OT Pittsburgh

Wow this would be a cool scenario for Clemmings to stay in town and play football for the same city he’s played for the last four years for. The Steelers definitely could go defense here, but adding depth along the offensive line to protect Roethlisberger is important. We saw last year, when Big Ben was protected, there was no way to slow down this offense, but Ben also had one of his healthiest seasons in a while. This offensive line has had some injuries and really could use the depth to make sure Big Ben stays upright all year.

Other Options: Marcus Peters, Brad Dupree

23) Detroit Lions: Brad Dupree- OLB Kentucky

The Lions were hurt in free agency this year when they lost Suh to the Dolphins. Adding Haloti Ngata was a great addition and they really could use more help along the defensive line, but their choices here are not great. Still this defense could really some cost-controlled play-makers to help negate the loss of their best player last year. Dupree brings a great rush to stop passers from having time to survey the field, also can be a run-stopper with his great speed. The only thing he needs to work on is his pass-coverage which he will be asked to do more being in a 4-3 system.

Other Options: Green-Beckham, Eddie Goldman

24) Arizona Cardinals: Todd Gurley- RB Georgia

The Cardinals were the surprise team of the NFL last year with how well they played with Carson Palmer under center. Although most of the credit should go to the defense for being in the top five for almost every defensive category last year. The goal now is to try and improve a little offensively to take some pressure off the defense. Gurley would give them the power back they’ve been lacking to convert short third down and short into a new set of downs. He can take pressure off the quarterback and really open the play-action passes while also keeping their defense off the field by extending drives. He is coming off an ACL injury, but his talent warrants the risk at this point in the draft.

Other Options: Dorial Green-Beckham, DJ Humphries

25) Carolina Panthers: Dorial Green-Beckham- WR Missouri

His name has been all over the news lately and this mock draft for other options. Green-Beckham is super talented at 6’5” and 230+ pounds, he runs extremely well and is a ball hawk in the air. The reason he could drop this far is he has a history of off-the-field issues and many teams were concerned, but after the combine, teams see so much talent that they almost cannot look pass him and I expect him to rise up draft boards and make a push towards the top ten. The Panthers really could use a lot of help on offense and another defensive linemen could help as well. Remember this team made the playoffs with a below .500 record so they are a team with a lot of needs, but I felt made several good under the radar moves to try and improve this team. It will be interesting to see who is available at this time because that will most likely determine which position this team will draft.

Other Options: Cedric Ogbuehi, Owamagbe Odighizuwa

26) Baltimore Ravens: Devin Smith- WR Ohio State

I think Baltimore is sitting here hoping a WR falls as drafting Smith here may be a little` bit of a reach. After losing Torrey Smith in free agency, the Ravens will need to replace his production. The Ravens really do not have a glaring need, but do have several areas across the board that could use help, depth, or may start to need a replacement due to aging players. This really allows the Ravens to draft the best available player and not draft a need. Then again how many teams actually draft the best available player instead of a need? The answer; very few.

Other Options: Trade Down, Eddie Goldman, Tevin Coleman

27) Dallas Cowboys: Jaelen Strong- WR Arizona State

The Cowboys really could go a lot of ways here as they have several needs and areas to improve. Really any position could use an upgrade outside of that fantastic offensive line. That said, the idea is to improve and draft the best available player. This team made the playoffs because it is already talented on one side of the ball and the defense really played a lot better than it should have thanks to Rod Marenelli. Adding Strong would be more to protect Dez Bryant and take some pressure off 0f him and I believe Strong is the best available player at this point. Obviously adding any defensive player would help this defense, but that can be addressed at a later point. If addressing the defense is the main concern, I would highly suggest trading down instead of reaching for a player.

Other Option: Eddie Goldman, Trade Down, Benardrick McKinney

28) Denver Broncos: Eddie Goldman- DT Florida State

Denver just lost their starting nose tackle to free agency and really could use a cost-effective solution that has upside. Enter Goldman, who will need to add some weight and would probably be a better fit in a 4-3 system, but he will bring effort and experience. His speed could cause some problems for centers, but the main benefit is being on a talented defense and not needing to perform immediately and could use the time to develop. The Broncos could also go offensive lineman to try and keep Peyton Manning upright, they also could use some depth at the position. Either way, it looks like the trenches is the way Denver to improve.

29) Indianapolis Colts: DJ Humphries- OT Florida

If there is any quarterback that needs a little protection in the pocket it would be Andrew Luck. The Colts have been one of the worst teams at protecting the passer that last two years. It’s actually scary to think how good Luck could be if he had time to throw. Now Humphries will not solve the problem, actually this does not even come close to solve the problem, but it will be a solid start as Humphries projects to be a solid right tackle or a great guard. Either way this is a start, with four other positions that could use long-term solution on the offensive line. Expect the Colts to draft a couple linemen.

30) Green Bay Packers: Kevin Johnson- CB Wake Forest

The Packers are in a great situation where they really do not have a glaring need and really can draft however they feel like drafting. The fact is the defense is solid and the offense is great as long as Aaron Rodgers is under center. Johnson makes sense here since the Packers are at risk of losing Shields in the future and could really use some depth now just to protect in case of an injury.

Other Options: Maxx Williams

31) New Orleans Saints:  Maxx Williams- TE Minnesota

The Saints have two picks in the first round thanks to the Jimmy Graham trade that shocked the whole sports world. If Williams is available at this point I would declare the Saints the winner of the trade. I believe Williams to be a future Graham-like tight end that is an absolute match-up problem for defenses and a ball hawk in the air. The addition of Unger and Williams would really help Brees and the Saints to have a bounce back year.

32) New England Patriots: Marcus Peters- CB Washington

Arguably the most talented corner in the draft, but his stock has taken a hit due to off-the-field issue. Peters has great ball skills and plays faster than his 40 time shows. He can help fill the void left by Revis and Browner leaving this offseason. The Patriots will still need another corner, but getting a starter is more important than the nickel, and they will probably wait until a later round to address that need.

The post NFL Mock Draft: Part 2 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

“Dynasty” is term loosely tossed around to describe successful teams after championship runs. In most modern sports, the talent pool has proven too deep to have a classic, 20^th-century, dynasty such as the 50s Yankees, 60s Celtics or 90s Cowboys. Those squads dominated and left little question as to which team was the best in their respective eras. While that same scenario may not exist in all major United States sports, we can garner at least a debate.

In this piece we will dive into the top dynasties since the first season post-2000 started of each major sport between the college and professional levels and decide which recent squad has had dominated its respective sport the most. There are rules that will be followed.

1. There will be a qualified team picked out of each individual sport before jumping to a final debate on who is the king of kings.
2. One team must be chosen out of each major sport – college football, men’s/women’s basketball, baseball, wrestling, volleyball, MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL.
3. Seasons that are currently in progress (2014-15 college hoops, NBA, NHL) are not included. For example, Kentucky’s current undefeated record in college hoops cannot be applied to their opportunity to be considered college basketball’s top dynasty on the men’s side.
4. Dynasty is a term used far too often. Are the Seahawks a dynasty because of how great their defense is in the past two years? No, because Seattle struggled through a lot of down seasons beforehand. In this piece, a dynasty will be defined as “Dominating a respective sport, while simultaneously competing for championships to the tune of being the greatest team in the discussed era.”
5. A team must consistently be in championship contention, but in order to be a dynasty in this span – a team must have won at least a single title.
6. I cannot compare teams between sports, as that will happen in the follow up article, where I will rank the selections from each league.

Let the games begin.

NBA

The NBA has always had a lack of parity.  We may no longer be limited to just the Lakers and Celtics, but the situation is still heavily lopsided.

Starting in the 2000-01 season, just three out of 14 Western Conference champions haven’t been named either the Los Angeles Lakers or the San Antonio Spurs. The Dallas Mavericks made two Finals appearances, and the Oklahoma City Thunder briefly showed up before being ousted in five by the LeBron James-led Miami Heat.

The Eastern Conference has been more diverse, but less successful. Seven teams (Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Detroit, Miami, Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando) have won the conference, but just three (Detroit, Miami, Boston) have managed to end the postseason with a victory.

The Heat have an impressive five title appearances and three championships to make a case for a potential top-NBA dynasty in the last 14 seasons. However, they fall well short of the Western Conference rivals from California and Texas.

The Spurs have a cumulative regular season record of 804-328 (.710), a postseason tally of 129-80 (.617), and four championships in five appearances since 2000. Their worst record in that span is 50-32 in 2009, and yet they still made it to the Western Conference Semifinals. Gregg Popovich has led this team to being easily the most consistent of all NBA squads in this era.

Los Angeles, albeit currently in its lowest moment in franchise history, also has an argument to be the representative for professional hoops. While their 690-442 (.610) overall regular season mark is well below San Antonio’s, their post season record of 108-66 trumps the Spurs. In six Finals appearances, the Lakers have taken home four titles – equal to the Spurs. If the 1999-2000 season and the first third of the Shaq-Kobe three-peat were included, my final decision may not have been…

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs, led by a long-time coach and familiar players, have (somehow quietly) been one of the most consistent teams in all of American athletics. Their YMCA-style of play may not captivate casual audiences with oohs and awes, but their record says all that is needed. The Lakers have missed the playoffs as many times (two) as the Spurs have missed the second round. The ability to avoid down years is what makes the difference. San Antonio and Los Angeles have the same highs, but the Spurs have yet to hit a low this century.

Honorable mention: Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat

NFL

Baltimore, New England, Pittsburgh and the New York Giants have all won multiple titles since Super Bowl XXXV, thus obviously deserving of recognition in this analysis. Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Green Bay and Seattle will also be included as to compare all Super Bowl victors.

Looking based simply off of this, the answer is penciled in. Let’s engrave it in stone with this next chart. I gave every team a point total for each category – the top team receiving nine points and the bottom receiving one – (regular season win percentage, total postseason wins, postseason win percentage, division titles and Super Bowls). The point total depended on where a team finished in each respective section.

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: New England Patriots. New England swept the board in each measurable category. It’s hard to tell if they’re farther ahead of the pack than Tampa Bay is behind. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have created a dynasty and are two absurd catches from having six Super Bowls in this span, including the Brady-Randy Moss 2007 combination that was the best team in NFL history to not win it all.

NHL

The NHL has experienced more parity than its professional counterparts this century. Ten teams have won a Stanley Cup in the last 13 occurrences (plus the 2005 lockout season). The Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche have all taken home one championship, while the Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings all have a pair of titles. To avoid confusion in the following chart, the NHL did away with ties during this span and therefore the records will be Win-Loss-Overtime Losses-Ties.

  We have seven categories (Stanley Cups, playoff appearances, playoff series victories, postseason wins, postseason win percentage and regular season win percentage and points). The best team in each category will receive 10 points and the worst will pick up just one. In order to put a stronger emphasis on advancing in the postseason, playoff series victories will count as a point for each accumulated. This should counteract disciplining teams for advancing on to tougher rounds just to be swept.

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: Detroit Red Wings. Outside of postseason win percentage, Detroit swept the board since 2000. Its 17 postseason series victories is even more impressive when factoring in the lockout season and the fact that no other franchise has more than a dozen. Despite parity among Stanley Cup victors, Detroit has easily been the most consistently dominant in all of professional hockey. Not much of an argument can be made for any other squad from this chart, and therefore none are honorable mention worthy.

Men’s college basketball:

After a relatively easy start, we reach what might be the most complicated of all sports we list. College basketball is about as random as they come (see odds of making a perfect bracket). Of course, Kentucky seems like an obvious choice after winning a national title in 2013-14 and going undefeated so far in 2014-15 (void). Don’t let fresh tastes discount distant memories.

Recent impressions can’t influence this decision, but the Wildcats have enough beyond that to make a pretty decisive statement. A 369-124 overall record is tough to argue with. What’s even harder? Twelve NCAA Tournament appearances, eight Sweet Sixteens, three Final Fours and a 1-1 record in the championship. Take away the two seasons Billy Gillispie coached Kentucky to a 40-27 overall record with zero NCAA Tournament victories and an NIT berth, and the Wildcats may blow the competition out of the water.

One team has been so remarkably consistent in its conference that it’s impossible to leave off this list: The Kansas Jayhawks.

After transitioning from a Hall of Fame coach, Kansas found a fate much simpler than Kentucky. Bill Self took over Roy Williams’ squad and didn’t miss a beat.

Williams’ last three seasons resulted in a 42-6 conference record that was overshadowed by a Sweet Sixteen, Final Four and a championship appearance. Since? Self has given the Jayhawks a 325-69 mark with a 151-31 stretch in the Big 12.

Self’s initial tournament resume left much to be desired with two first round exits sandwiched between a pair of Elite Eight showings. That turned around quickly with Kansas’ lone national title during this span in 2008.

Kansas boasts similar marks to Kentucky, with one extra championship loss thrown in, and its down years were first round exits over being completely left out.

So how about ex-Jayhawk coach Williams’ new squad – North Carolina? The Tar Heels have two national titles and another Final Four on their record and they may not even be the best dynasty in their own state.

Recent 1,000 game winner Mike Kryzewski’s Duke Blue Devils are.

Duke has a pair of national titles, has appeared in the tournament in each covered year, and has lost in their opening matchup just three times. Their conference dominance may not be as high as a team such as Kansas, but the competition is relatively stellar each season.

The Blue Devils hold an absurd 412-87 (.826) record in this span. So it has to be them, right?111

Let’s head over to Big Ten country where Tom Izzo is standing by for a quick lecture on postseason play. Michigan State, although missing its 1999-2000 national championship by just one season, has made nine Sweet Sixteens, five Elite Eights, four Final Fours, and has won one title. They haven’t missed the tournament a single time, and have been eliminated before the Round of 32 just four times.

What about UConn’s three title runs? Florida’s star-studded squads? Kentucky’s heated-rival Louisville? We need a way to rank these teams accordingly as to put all bias aside and assign an overall score. Postseason play in college basketball has always taken precedence over any other measurement of success. Here is the scoring chart to decide the top NCAA Tournament team since 2001’s tournament when solely considering those whom have a title to their name in this span:

Round of 64 loss: 0 points
Round of 32 loss: 1 point
Sweet 16 loss: 2 points
Elite Eight loss: 4 points
Final Four Loss: 8 points
Championship loss: 12 points
Championship: 16 points

NCAA Tournament champions results since 2000-01 March Madness: Kansas 68, UConn 67, Duke 59, North Carolina 56, Florida 55, Kentucky 55, Michigan State 51, Louisville 44, Syracuse 37, Maryland 30.

Shockingly, outside of its three titles runs, UConn only scored 19 points on this scale. The Huskies fell just a point shy of claiming this all important statistic in pushing forward to choosing men’s college hoops’ most dominant dynasty of the 21^st century. Despite just one title, consistency overcame roller coaster levels of postseason success and your winner is…

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: Kansas Jayhawks. Not only has Kansas (almost surprisingly) performed as the top overall team in March Madness, but it also has the most eye-popping accomplishment. I’m going to type this out to make it even more drastic: Kansas has won at least a share of (ahem) back to back to back to back to back to back to back to back to back to back regular season Big 12 championships. That’s 10. Read that out loud and you’re likely to need to catch your breath. This isn’t Kansas playing in the Summit League or intramural athletics – this is a major conference with a tough road to the top every season. Ten?! In a row? And just for the record, it’s also 12 of 13, but who’s counting? The Huskies have a legitimate argument when it comes to this discussion due to three incredible runs to the championship, but Kansas has been a more consistently feared team. Welcome to a new postseason tournament, Jayhawks. Let’s see who else is joining you.

Honorable mention: Duke, UConn

Women’s College Basketball

I went from one of the more difficult sports to choose to what might be the easiest. UConn women’s hoops is out of this world. Seven championships since the turn of the century. Average margin of victory in those title-winning contests? 15.4 points. That’s 15 points better than the second best team in the country. Talk about a talent gap. I can’t put into words how unbelievably incredible the Huskies’ overall record has been, so I’ll leave two simple numbers on its own.

486-38.

That’s a .927 winning percentage.

I could play myself in checkers and not win 93 percent of the time.

Connecticut has missed out on the Sweet Sixteen in this span only…well, they haven’t. And just once were they limited to that. On top of the Sweet Sixteen and seven titles, the Huskies have made two Elite Eight appearances along with four Final Fours. Therefore, your clear cut winner without any hesitation is…

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: Connecticut Huskies.

College Wrestling

If the 70s, 80s and 90s were included, this wouldn’t even be a competition. The Iowa Hawkeyes took home 20 titles from 1975-2000. Despite those all being out of the picture, Iowa is still in contention for the 21^st century title post-Dan Gable. The Hawkeyes have three titles to their name, which comes shy of Penn State and Oklahoma State, who put together four each. With the overall team title competition so close, our answer comes from individual championships. The Nittany Lions have nine, Hawkeyes 13 and Cowboys 18.

Oklahoma State’s 2005 season was the best of the era, fielding five individual champions in 10 weight classes, and scoring 153 points – best since the 1997 Hawkeyes scored 170. Therefore the winner is…

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Cowboys are tied for the lead in titles, have the best overall team of the era and can claim having the most individual titles. They may be fortunate to wrestle outside the Big Ten, but national titles don’t lie.

Honorable Mention: Iowa Hawkeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions

MLB

Four teams have won multiple titles since 2000 – the Red Sox (three), Giants (three), Yankees (two) and Cardinals (two) – to give a clear starting point when trying to declare the top 21^st century dynasty of professional baseball.

It’s clearly visible that this is a dead heat. You know the drill. In order to decide, I assigned a point total to each stat category. The top finisher in each category – World Series victories, division titles, regular season winning percentage, playoff appearances, total playoff wins and postseason playoff winning percentage – receives four points, followed by three for second place and so on. I also gave teams an extra point for each playoff series they won. The final tally came out as followed:

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: St. Louis Cardinals. Any fan of one the final four teams can state a statistic on how their team deserved to be the one represented. New York dominated the AL East. Boston and San Francisco won a third World Series and were more efficient in the postseason when they did make it. None of that jumped out the way this did:

The Cardinals took the cake with 16 postseason series victories.

That’s out of this world consistent. The Yankees came close, carried by consistently owning the division crown, whereas the two teams that take advantage of playoff appearances the most, Boston and San Francisco, found themselves looking up.

Honorable Mention: Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants

College Volleyball

Some of these don’t take much time. Penn State has six championships, including two 38-0 seasons. USC, Stanford, Nebraska, Texas and UCLA have had strong programs, but none have approached the dominance by the Nittany Lions. Let’s just get to the point. Without a hint of doubt, your winner is…

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: Penn State Nittany Lions.

College Baseball

Unlike most of the other sports in the discussion, the full 2000 season is included since it began post-millennium. Texas, South Carolina and Oregon State all have a pair of titles, with nobody else claiming more than one. Naturally, only those three are in consideration. However, the Beavers have only made four CWS appearances compared to six for South Carolina and eight for Texas. Typically that would lead one to believe that the answer is obviously the Longhorns.

Take a look at overall winning percentage: Texas is 661-294 (.664) in this millennium, lagging considerably behind the Gamecocks at 713-289 (.712). So what do we value? Winning more regular season games against what is typically stronger competition, or taking overall postseason play? The latter carries more weight. Here is how each team fared in NCAA Tournament play with its overall statistics tallied at the bottom.

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: Texas Longhorns. In what ended up being the closest contest of any sport so far, Texas prevailed because of one statistic: CWS appearances. South Carolina may hold a relatively significant advantage in regular season record and have a slim lead in postseason record, but they couldn’t get the job done in enough Super Regionals. One could argue that Texas’ lows were below South Carolina’s, but they consistently made the trip to Omaha and that familiarity with getting to the final eight put them over the edge.

College Football

Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, and Florida all have multiple FBS championships to their names, while Appalachian State and North Dakota State have dominated the FCS level well enough to be included in the discussion. USC vacated one of its two national championships and will not be considered. As we’ve come to find out, tables can be really useful when measuring statistics of multiple teams. Unfortunately, college football has more variables than most so let’s compare like it is 2000 (and we’re using WordPad).

Alabama: The Crimson Tide are the only team in this span with three FBS national title victories. Their overall record takes a hit because of 21 vacated wins, but stands at 116-57, including a 6-5 bowl mark – which is also hindered by one vacated victory and two seasons in which ‘Bama was ineligible for the postseason. They have garnered three SEC titles and five SEC West crowns – most of which have come under Nick Saban. The pre-Saban era was somewhat dark for Alabama, which had a (now shocking) 3-8 season in 2000. The loss of 21 victories could really come back to bite the team that is likely the first one on everybody’s college football power shortlist.

Florida: Florida boasts two national titles (thanks, Tebow) complemented by a 137-56 overall record. If Alabama had kept its wins, Florida would be one game ahead in the loss column and tied with the Tide for overall victories. In bowl play, Florida has a lackadaisical 7-6 mark. They have picked up three SEC Titles and have headed the SEC East four times.

LSU: Consistency in a more than tough conference is what could separate LSU from the group. Like every team on this list besides Alabama, the Tigers have a pair of national championships. Their overall record of 151-45 is only topped by Ohio State. They’ve won nine bowl games compared to six losses and have not missed out on the postseason. They’ve picked up four conference titles and five SEC West titles along the way to top both Florida and Alabama in those areas.

Ohio State: Surprised to see a Big Ten team here? You shouldn’t be. Despite a negative stigma built around the conference in recent years, Ohio State has been among the most dominant teams lately. The Buckeyes’ 157-36 overall record is hard to argue with. An 8-7 bowl record with a few postseason embarrassments could be improved on. What really couldn’t be is a sensational seven conference titles – which reasonably would be eight if not for a postseason ban on a 12-0 squad in 2012. The Buckeyes may not have the numbers to claim best of this century now, but with Urban Meyer pulling the strings, it might not be too long until they do.

North Dakota State: If we were only talking about the last four years, the Bison would breeze through the competition. Their 63-3 record with four national titles is, well, absurd. Before that? North Dakota State swiftly comes back to Earth with a more reasonable, but still strong, 74-40 mark. Did you already do the math? That’s an overall record of 137-43

…and I should probably mention they have a 20-2 postseason record.

20 wins. Two losses.

The Bison made the move from Division II to FCS in this time period and were ineligible for postseason play in multiple 10-1 seasons, otherwise they very well could have added to that title total. Which, quite frankly, is a little scary. One thing that isn’t as scary is this game. And this one in the same season. Sometimes you find things while researching that you wish you never did. Those qualify.

Appalachian State: While the Bison were fiddling around with moving up from Division II, another squad was busy winning national championships and knocking off the winningest-program in FBS history. That was the Mountaineers of Appalachian State. Their record of 131-52 is a modest amount below North Dakota State’s. It isn’t the regular season that separates these two FCS programs. The Mountaineers postseason mark, despite a three-peat from 2005-2007, is 19-8, considerably worse than the Bison’s…let me say it again…20-2.

Top Dynasty of the 21^st century: North Dakota State Bison. I get it. Strength of schedule for the Bison isn’t anywhere near what Ohio State, let alone Alabama, Florida and LSU, face on a week-to-week basis. Their national titles are much less publicized and viewed. They don’t have NFL prospects filling up the first round. They weren’t even in the FCS for part of this era. There are a lot of reasons not to pick them.

Go ahead, write an article on why LSU’s consistency in the SEC makes them the best dynasty of this century, or why Alabama’s three titles set it apart, or how Ohio State’s conference dominance make them the frontrunner. They all have strong cases to disprove my choice.

To me, these issues have to be made relative, not directly compared. Of course North Dakota State doesn’t have to play the LSU defense, the Tim Tebow offense or Nick Saban’s game plan on an annual basis, but they ought to be held to the standards of their competition, not of a league above them. North Dakota State has simply dominated about as much as a modern college football team can in this span. 137-43 in the regular season? Incredible – just as incredible as the others on this list, especially considering transition seasons. That doesn’t set them apart.

A .909 winning percentage in the postseason will. When the Bison play the best competition, they don’t just compete – they absolutely own everyone. Alabama doesn’t. Florida doesn’t. LSU and Ohio State don’t. They’re all tremendous teams, but have not set themselves apart at any part this century the way the Bison have.

Conclusion

The aforementioned follow-up article will now include the St. Louis Cardinals, San Antonio Spurs, New England Patriots, Detroit Red Wings, Kansas Jayhawks men’s hoops, UConn Huskies women’s basketball, Oklahoma State wrestling, Penn State volleyball, Texas baseball and North Dakota State football. Those ten dominant teams will be ranked to determine an ultimate “dynasty of the 21^st century.”

Be sure to check out Night Stuff on KRUI at the stroke of midnight Wednesday mornings as we discuss topics such as this, other sporting news and a few outrageous topics mixed in with a phone always ready to hear your takes. Did you like the article or happen to disagree with some of the choices? Tweet @TheMainStevent or @KRUISports to share your opinion.

The post The 21st Century’s Best Dynasty appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Sure this time it was the Seahawks, and sure the Patriots were wearing white, but when Marshawn Lynch raced passed Jamie Collins and into the New England side of the 50, I was back in a Giant nightmare.

The nightmare of what could have been. The flawed pursuit of perfection, or the win for Myra Kraft that never materialized, both ripped away in the waning moments on the game’s biggest stage.

In each of the previous five Super Bowl trips for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Patriots allowed a fourth-quarter touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

Lynch was about to make it six for six.

Russell Wilson set up the inevitable with a pass to the near sideline that simultaneously drifted into Jermaine Kearse’s lap while once again bringing Patriots fans to their knees.

After a Lynch rumble to the one yard line, I am certain I will never understand Seattle’s justification for their next—and last—offensive play-call. Malcolm Butler’s incredible break on the ball, like the incomplete pass against the Raiders or Adam Vinatieri’s right foot, will endure forever.

When accepting his fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy, Owner Robert Kraft compared this championship to his first, putting the latest triumph in the same breath as one of the great Super Bowl upsets 13 years prior.

In this Super Bowl, there was more on the line.

For two weeks leading up to the world’s biggest stage, nearly every media outlet in America poked their gauges into Foxboro footballs. Former players and respected journalists took turns sawing at the roots of the Patriots dynasty, delegitimizing all New England has accomplished in the last decade and a half.

This came four months after the 2-2 Patriots crawled to October, humiliated on national television with an ordinary, 37-year old quarterback and a roster full of gaping holes. Not even in the aftermath of the 2009 Wild Card shellacking against Baltimore did anyone around Foxboro feel the 4^th ring was further from their grasp than when they awoke on October 1^st.

Yet somehow, on February 1st the confetti at season’s end rained Patriot red and blue.

The craziest thought in the aftermath of the most watched television program in history is how our memory of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s Patriots came down to that last yard.

A yard away from seeing “Kearse’s Katch” as another representation of supernatural influence in football games. Three feet from a third straight Super Bowl loss, all coming since Brady’s prime began, or 36 inches from three straight defensive letdowns at the end, regardless of the new personnel fortifying this New England secondary.

Insert Malcolm Butler: Protector of the Patriots’ Reign.

A friend asked me in the aftermath of the Red Sox Championship in 2013 if I had gotten used to all this winning, if the celebrations lack the luster they once did. He wanted to get a grasp of what it felt like winning a championship for the eighth time in my lifetime.

It is like your favorite movie, I said. You have seen it a few times, so while watching again, there is a sense of how you will feel at the end, but you never really know until you get there.

With the seconds ticking away in Super Bowl XLIX, and with Seattle a yard away from victory, I had a sense of what I was going to feel in the imminent end.

Little did I know I was about to watch something that for the last decade has only existed on DVD.

The post Upon Further Review: Immortality appeared first on KRUI Radio.