NFL Draft: Expect more players to skip bowl games

One of the most divisive topics in college football last season surrounded high profile NFL-bound players skipping their bowl games in order to prepare for the upcoming draft.

Translation...players skipping their bowl games to avoid injury prior to the draft. A move that could potentially save them millions of dollars.

Potential high draft picks like running backs Leonard Fournette (LSU) and Christian McCaffrey (Stanford), as well as Michigan's versatile defensive star and Heisman finalist Jabrill Peppers took a beating from the national media for choosing not to play in their respective bowl games.

Pundits called their actions selfish, and accused the players of "quitting" on their teams. Some went as far as to suggest that their actions would have a negative impact on NFL scouts.

Well...as it turns out...all three were taken in the first round of this year's draft. Fournette (4th) and McCaffrey (8th) were selected in the top ten. Peppers was selected 25th overall.

So much for backlash from the pros...but I digress.

On the other side of the coin, you could point to one player in particular to further cement these player's decision to sit out...Michigan tight end Jake Butt.

The four year starter was a two-time collegiate All American, Ozzie Newsome award winner in 2015, and Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year in 2016.

Butt, who is a proficient blocker at the line of scrimmage with excellent hands and rout-running skills, was one of the best prospects at his position as Michigan prepared to face Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

Rather than sit out like Peppers, Butt chose to play and was knocked out of the game with a gruesome knee injury. As a result, he was unable to participate at the combine and his team's Pro Day. He was also unable to attend private workouts.

Needless to say...his stock fell faster than a rock out of the sky.

Denver ultimately took a flyer on Butt, selecting him in the fifth round. And while a smart business decision to insure himself recouped some of the money lost by falling, the decision to play in the Orange Bowl still cost the rookie dearly.

Don't think that Butt's story will be lost on next year's draft class...especially the elite prospects.

In fact, if the player isn't participating in the conference title game or College Football Playoffs, then you should expect for his regular season finale to be his collegiate one going forward.

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Grizzlies: Coach Fizdale finds home in Memphis

Few sports franchises embody the city they represent like the Memphis Grizzlies. Their no-nonsense, blue collar grit and grind style of play struck a cord with a fan base that has to roll up their sleeves and work for everything they get.

Like the Grizzlies, the city of Memphis is not flashy. There are no downtown sky scrapers, and aside from Graceland, there are no world renowned tourist attractions.

In a state that has few major cities, Memphis is still overlooked, creating an us against the world mentality among the locals.

And as a result, outsiders are often welcomed with a long-handled spoon.

That was the case for first year head coach David Fizdale, until an epic rant turned the tide in his favor...and turned a potential sweep into a playoff series.

A few days ago the Grizzlies were on the wrong end of yet another blowout playoff loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Down 0-2 and appearing lifeless as the series headed to Memphis, coach Fizdale sat at the post game podium Monday night and went ballistic on the referees.

He called the refs unprofessional as he pointed to the huge disparity in foul calls. He said their actions were unacceptable. He acknowledged that, as a rookie coach of a team with no championships under their belt, he understood that the perennial playoff powerhouse Spurs earned the benefit of the doubt on most occasions.

Then he rebutted with..."But y'all ain't gonna rook us!"

He praised point guard Mike Conley for being mild-mannered and professional for far too long, and applauded his team for showing the grit and fight that Memphians had grown fond of.

Most importantly, he stood up for a team and city that no one stands up for. And the gesture was not lost on the fan base.

As he emerged from the locker room to take the floor last night, coach Fizdale was met with a standing ovation from the sold out crowd, something I have never witnessed in my 30 plus years of watching the NBA.

Fans made t shirts and signs with his "Take that for data" closing remark from Monday's press conference, and they were full throat the entire evening...creating an electric playoff atmosphere for the players.

And speaking of the players, Conley acknowledged sending coach Fiz a text at four in the morning following the press conference, thanking him for having the team's back. As a whole, the Grizzlies' roster pledged to pay the $30,000 fine levied by the NBA for his tirade.

When they finally took the court, the Grizzlies played their most complete game in weeks, let alone in this year's playoffs. The Grind House was rocking, and the team was flying around and making plays.

So much so that Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich waived the white towel early in the second half as the Grizzlies' lead ballooned to as much as 20 points. His starters mostly watched from the bench from that point..

To put things into perspective, former Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger broke down and was reduced to tears at a post game press conference in last year's playoffs.

Tears? There's no crying in Memphis!

He was fired shortly after the Grizzlies were eliminated last season. I guess the We Don't Bluff city don't play that....

But I digress....

Yes, Memphis will and should be underdogs in game 4. And yes, the Spurs are still the prohibitive favorites to win the series, but what happened on Monday night was bigger than the end result.

On Monday night, Grizzlies fans let down their guard in appreciation for being fought for. On Monday night, Fizdale found a home in Memphis.

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Grizzlies vs Spurs: The series that changed both teams

The seventh seed Memphis Grizzlies will take on the second seed San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs. It's their fourth time meeting in the post season, and the Spurs hold a 3-1 lead.

And while San Antonio has pretty much had their way with Memphis in the playoffs, it was the one that got away that changed both teams forever.

The Spurs were the number one seed in the Western Conference heading into the 2011 playoffs. The Grizzlies were the eighth seed. Not only was San Antonio prohibitive favorites to win the series, they were favored to sweep a young Memphis team that had not won a playoff game in three prior trips to the post season (0-12 from 2004-2006).

That's right...three appearances...swept all three times. Once by the Spurs in their first playoff appearance in 2004.

The Grizzlies ruffled some feathers in San Antonio heading into that 2011 playoff match up, when it appeared they purposely sat players late in the regular season to drop to the eighth seed.

Spurs swing man Manu Ginobili saw it as a sign of disrespect, saying..."They wanted us...now they got us".

Memphis shocked the sports world when they came away victorious, in San Antonio, in game one of that series. It was their first playoff win in franchise history...

But it wouldn't be their last.

The Grizzlies went on to upset the Spurs in six games in what became the coming out party for newly acquired journeyman power forward Zach Randolph. The Spurs had no answer for Z-Bo and the Grizzlies' aggressive style of play on defense.

The first series win in playoff history not only put Memphis on the national radar, but it also ushered in the "Grit and Grind" era that you see today. The core four of that magical run (Randolph, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Tony Allen) remained in tact over the years, and as a result the Grizzlies are one of just three teams in the league to reach the playoffs each of the last seven years.

That series also ushered in the "Believe Memphis" mantra, which can still be seen in the Grind House at every Grizzlies home game. Memphis saw their confidence soar through the roof, and while they haven't earned a trip to the Finals, they haven't missed the playoffs since. They have also been a consistent playoff thorn in the sides of Western Conference opponents since then.

Before that series the Grizzlies had zero playoffs wins under their belt. Since then they have 24, and a Western Conference Finals appearance.

As for the Spurs, the natural overreaction was talk of their demise. But the playoff loss was a blessing in disguise for them, too.

A couple of months later San Antonio made a draft day trade with the Indiana Pacers for the rights to Kawhi Leonard. A versatile forward that could get his own shot while shutting down the most potent scorer for the opposition.

This move was important because the lack of a player with his set of skills ultimately cost the Spurs that series. Memphis clamped down on San Antonio bigs Tim Duncan and Antonio McDyess, forcing their perimeter players to beat them off the dribble...something Ginobili and point guard Tony Parker were unable to do.

With Leonard transitioning into the focal point of the team the Spurs rebounded by making back to back Finals appearances in 2013 and 2014, narrowly losing the title in seven games before dominating the LeBron James led Miami Heat to win it all the following year.

Coincidentally enough, Kawhi was the Finals MVP that season.

Today, Leonard is not only the best two-way player in the league, but he is now considered a top five player overall. All Star appearances, first team All NBA, first team All Defense, multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, and MVP candidate this year. Kawhi does it all.

And here we are again, the Spurs are once again the heavy favorite to knock off the Grizzlies. Can Memphis find lightning in a bottle one more time? We will start to find out Saturday night at 7:00.

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Russell Westbrook is the real MVP

This year's NBA season has been filled with numerous players performing at an MVP level, more than any in recent memory. LeBron James has been...well...LeBron James. San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard has put together another quiet, yet masterful season.

Boston's Isiah Thomas and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo threw their respective names in the hat with breakout seasons worthy of consideration.

And James Harden's resume would earn him the coveted award in any season....except this one.

This year, OKC's Russell Westbrook is the league's unquestioned Most Valuable Player.

With eight assists last night in Phoenix, Westbrook became the first player in 55 years to average a triple double for the entire season.

While this is a remarkable feat in any era, Westbrook's triple double average is not mere semantics. We're not talking about 10 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists...he is currently leading the league in scoring with just over 31 points a game.

In addition, Westbrook's season averages were not the result of stat-stuffing in meaningless games. The Thunder are 32-9 when Russ notches a triple double, and 13-25 when he doesn't.

To put this in perspective, the Denver Nuggets are currently on the outside of the playoffs looking in with 38 wins...9th place in the Western Conference. Without Westbrook's heroics the Thunder could realistically be lottery-bound instead of the sixth seed.

Talk about value...

And speaking of the Thunder...quickly...name the other four players in their starting lineup....

Don't worry...I'll wait while you Google it....

OK...I digress...

Yes, even with the historic season put up by Westbrook this year James Harden can still feel slighted if he doesn't win the award after transforming himself from a shoot first...no defense playing Prima Donna into a well rounded all around player that shares the ball while still getting his.

Harden leads the league in assists (no...you did not misread that), and as a result his Rockets are legitimate threats to knock off the reigning two time Western Conference Champion Golden State Warriors.

But as it relates to a mano y mano comparison with Westbrook I want to dispel a notion regarding the two...

Kevin Durant's departure from OKC last season put a spotlight on Westbrook as being an inefficient and selfish player, while Harden is widely considered one of the most efficient and deadliest shooters from behind the three point line.

Well...the numbers don't lie, and their shooting percentages to date are just about equal. Field goal percentage (Harden 44%, Westbrook 42%). Three point percentage (Harden 34%, Westbrook 34%).

All things being equal, Westbrook has amassed those numbers with inferior talent around him as it relates to Houston's roster, and when you add on the triple double season average it's a no-brainer.

With two games to play Westbrook is one triple double shy of breaking Oscar Robinson's record of 41 in a season, and given his tenacity and durability you should expect him to go for the all-time record....even with a playoff berth already secured.

Even if he doesn't eclipse the Big O, Russell Westbrook's overall body of work has earned him the right to be the league's Most Valuable Player this season.

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Dallas Cowboys: Honeymoon over for Dak Prescott

Now that the dust has settled on the year-long drama between the Dallas Cowboys and their former star quarterback Tony Romo, we can now see a clearer picture for both parties going forward.

Romo is heading to CBS, and the Cowboys are heading into this season with their championship aspirations still in tact...thanks to their new star quarterback Dak Prescott.

By all accounts Romo has handled his demotion and the fallout from it with class, but one has to wonder if he offered some words of wisdom to Prescott on his way out of the door.

Because the truth of the matter is...the honeymoon phase is officially over for Prescott now.

The most popular player in all of sports among fan bases is the backup quarterback, and no backup qb was more popular than Dak Prescott...last season's NFL Offense Rookie of the Year.

The fourth round pick out of Mississippi State engineered a magical season for America's team last year, and he earned the right to supplant his predecessor with his poise and play.

But with Romo now out of the picture, Prescott will be held to the highest of standards that comes with being the signal caller for one of the most polarizing franchises in all of sports.

Something Romo knows all too well, and something he learned the hard way. In fact, I'm sure that he sees himself in Prescott as their ascension to prominence is eerily similar.

Like Prescott, Romo entered the league with little to no fanfare. He was signed by the Cowboys to back up veteran qb Drew Bledsoe, who had numerous victories and a Super Bowl appearance under his belt.

As time went on and as Bledsoe's play continued to decline, Cowboys fans clamored for Romo to see more action. And when he ultimately got his chance midway through the 2006 season, he took the reigns and never looked back.

As for Bledsoe, he had no choice but to quietly ride off into the sunset.

Lifelong Cowboys fans remember the fanfare and excitement around a young gun-slinging Romo, much like Prescott experienced last season. Fans were patient, and dare I say, protective of Romo throughout his playoff growing pains and failures.

After all, he was not Drew Bledsoe. He was fresh and new. He was confident and charismatic.

But after a while that all changed. Romo's approval rating started to slip and he could never quite get it back as the Super Bowl glory years faded further from the fan's memory.

When Prescott got his chance last season it felt like Bledsoe-Romo all over again. There were no calls for Prescott's head when Green Bay squeaked out a narrow victory in last year's playoffs. There were no calls for Romo to resume his old job.

Ah...the bliss of the honeymoon phase.

But Prescott has something that Romo didn't have heading into his second full season as the starter...the weight of being prohibitive favorites to win it all.

So how much leash will Cowboys fans give the former Mississippi State Bulldog before the scrutiny tightens? This season? Next season?

One thing is for sure, Prescott will not be given the luxury of ten plus years with no trips to the Conference Championship game. The NFL is a win-now league more than it has ever been.

I'm not suggesting by any means that Romo's departure now puts Prescott on the proverbial hot seat, but I am suggesting that he is kidding himself if he thinks that fans won't turn up the heat on him if he doesn't lead the Cowboys back to the promise land.

I hope Dak enjoyed the pass that comes with being the shiny new toy under the tree last season, because those days are over.

Now it's time for him to win...and by win I mean the Super Bowl while the window is still open.

This is the Dallas Cowboys we're talking about, after all.

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North Carolina: Facing Gonzaga and sports gods

After a gut-wrenching loss at the buzzer in last year's National Championship game the North Carolina Tar Heels are now just 40 minutes away from redemption.

Gonzaga, their opponent on Monday night, are appearing in their first title game in school history. But the Tar Heels are facing another unseen opponent that night as well....

The sports gods.

For some strange reason the last twelve months has been the year of the underdog when it comes to winning it all in both the collegiate and professional ranks. And if the underdog had endured a long championship drought then it spelled double trouble for the prohibitive favorites in those contests.

It all started with, coincidentally enough, North Carolina who were favored to capture their sixth National Championship over Villanova.

The last time the underdog Wildcats won it all, Back to the Future and The Color Purple were still playing in theatres (1985).

The Wildcats' upset victory over North Carolina set off a chain of similar events that sent shock waves throughout all of sports.

A few months later LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers captured their first title by knocking off the heavily favored defending champion Golden State Warriors, who had just completed the best regular season record in NBA history (73-9).

Not only did LeBron and Company become the first NBA team to win it all after trailing 3-1 in the Finals, but they also ended a 52 year title drought for the city of Cleveland.

Not to be outdone, the Chicago Cubs also rallied from a 3-1 deficit to the Cleveland Indians in last year's World Series a few months later to capture their first title in over 100 years.

A century? Think about that for a second...

That alone, in theory, should have made the sports gods proud. But they were just getting started.

Ten weeks later the Clemson Tigers faced the juggernaut Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football National Championship game.

Nick Saban's Tide were heavy favorites after knocking off the Tigers in the previous championship game, and the talk leading up to the match up was Saban's legacy after capturing yet another title.

Clemson (and the sports gods) had other plans as the Tigers staged a furious comeback to capture their first tile in 36 years.

A month later the sports gods essentially gift wrapped a Super Bowl victory to the underdog Atlanta Falcons, which would have been their first in franchise history. But an epic collapse that even divine intervention couldn't prevent led to the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history for the New England Patriots.

Unfazed by the Falcons' lack of gratitude, the sports gods then set their sights on Geno Auriemma and the UConn women's basketball program. A program seeking their sixth straight championship and 112th straight victory overall.

The Lady Huskies were stunned last Friday night by Mississippi State, a team they defeated in last year's tournament by 60 points. The two point overtime loss is the biggest upset in women's NCAA history, and arguably one of the biggest upsets in all of sports...regardless of gender.

So what does this mean to North Carolina on Monday night?

It means they have to play a near-perfect game, and it wouldn't hurt to have Tom Brady in the stands rocking a Tar Heels jersey.

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