Speed or Power, Security or Celebrity, Lefty or Righty

This OR That #1-My new article that will be up every time I think of three new categories, it will be called this or that. You will have the choice between to options and every time I post the three categories I will give you a theme. So today we will be featuring baseball and football. Players such as a speedster, the powerful man, a big boy whose got your back, the man known by everyone who will break your ankles, the young lefty trojan, and the out of nowhere righty are featured in this article. This weeks theme is... "Who would you build your team around?"

Pair A
Sport: Baseball
Options: Speed or Power
Jose Reyes OR Alex Rodriguez

So you were just hired to start a new expansion team. You already have the pitching rotation which is pretty good, now you have to pick up your positional players. You have to choose your players from a pool of minor league players, but then the commisioner due to wanting you to be able to make a little money with fan interest he says you can pick between two players to lead your minor league postional team. You could pick the lead-off man who can create opportunites with his stealing ability, the ability to bunt for a base hit, his amazing speed, the ability to hit for contact, and also play defense. Then there is the power hitter, who can hit in front of or behind anyone, give him some runner in scoring position and he will knock them in, a homerun and RBI monster, and the ability to make pitchers shake in there cleats when they see him in the on-deck circle. You pick the leadoff man you won't have that homerun affect though, the guy who will launch balls off the wall, and he isn't the most feared batter out there. You pick the power guy and you get a defensive blunder, a guy who doesn't have the ability to get in the picthers head on the basepaths, or be able to stretch the routine double into a triple. So who do you pick, Jose Reyes or Alex Rodriguez. In my opinion you gotta take Jose Reyes any time of the day. Reyes has the ability to put his teamates in position to produce. For example, Reyes gets a single, then he can steal 2nd base and a single scores him. Say he even steals 3rd two all you need is a sac fly. Also like I mentioned before he can stretch that routine double into a triple. My pick for Pair A is Jose Reyes no question.

Pair B
Sport: Football
Options: Line-man or Running Back
Walter Jones OR LaDanian Tomlinson

You have no offensive options, but no offesnive line either. you have the ability to get big name and amazing offensive tackle Walter Jones or get a feature back who can run all over any defense LaDanian Tomlinson. You pick Jones and you get a slightly below average runningback and a slightly above average ofeensive line package with Jones, but if you pick Tomlinson you get a slightly below average offensive line and slightly above average postional player package with Tomlinson. So you can get the guy who creates for the back or the guy who can capitalize with the smallest hole. I've argued with people before, like in my SI's TOp 500 NFL players list when they had Walter Jones at #10. I started to think about this situation, you get LT, every NFL general manager's dream, but you have no o-line to block for him, then he would get stuffed everytime at the line or behind the line. LT can produce, but not take on eleven players by himself. That's why I came to a conclusion I thought I would never come to in a million years. I would take Walter Jones over Tomlinson. Walter Jones gives you the ability to shutdown a side of the field and alow a nice big hole for the runningback to run though, but also give the quarterback that extra time needed to get the pass off. My pick for Pair B is Walter Jones.

Pair C
Sport: Football
Options: Lefty or Righty
Matt Leinhardt OR Jay Cutler

So this is peerly no situations introduced to you. You just have the decision to build your team around Matt Leinhardt or Jay Cutler. You have the college phenom in Leinhardt and then the guy who opened everyones eyes at the combine Cutler. Leinhardt is a winner and always has been and Cutler has the ability to win. Some say they are equal in talent some say Cutler has the talent edge while Leinhardt has the leadership edge. Either way you have two younguns who are unproven in the NFL except for Cutler who has somewhat proven he can play in the pros. Now to me I like Leinhardt, many might disagree, but if I was building my team around either one of these two young guys I would want to pick the guy who has won before and can lead a team to victory. Let's say Cutler does have a better arm, which he probably does, Leinhardt still has the leadership that Cutler doesn't have and Leinhardt still has that knack for winning games and he can clearly play in the clutch. Yes I know you would all pick Mr. Vince Young over them both, but to me, my Pair C pick is Matt Leinhardt.

Now it's your turn tell me who you would pick from each pair. Thanks for reading.

College Football Week 1 Recap

Week 1 Recap

AP TOP 25 after week 1
1. USC
2. LSU
3. West Virginia
4. Florida
5. Oklahoma
5. Wisconsin
7. Texas
8. Louisville
9. Virginia Tech
10. California
11. Georgia
12. Ohio State
13. UCLA
14. Penn State
15. Rutgers
16. Nebraska
17. Auburn
18. Arkansas
19. TCU
20. Hawaii
21. Georgia Tech
22. Boise State
23. Texas A & M
24. Tennessee
25. Clemson

Well first off I am currently the happiest man on the face of the earth to hear that Michigan is out of the Top 25. One of my best friends is a huge Michigan fan and we were driving to the California vs Tennessee game when we heard on the radio that Michigan's game winning field goal was blocked by a division two team, none other than my savior Applachian State. Llyod Carr has officially purchased his ticket to unemployment, talk about underestimating an opponent. Anyways, yes I did get to goto the Cal vs Tenn game which was an amazing game, well the first half at least. Deshean Jackson showed everyone why he should be considered for the heismen. There was a flaw though, Longshore had an okay game, had one drive that he did really good on, but other than that I thought he looked kind of bad. Ainge had a much better game than him and if Cal wants to succeed this year Longshore has gotta be better. Congrats to Charlie Weis and that amazing Fighting Irish Offense. They lost to a very tuff Georgia Tech *cough cough* Now onto the annual Bowden Bowl where daddy got beat up by son. Clemson came out clobbering Florida State. Yes Clemson got lazy in the end and only won by six, but it doesn't matter because Clemson still won knocking FSU out of the Top 25. Clemson's runningbacks Smith and Spiller looked very explosive combining for 150 yards.

Upset of the Week
Appalachian St. 32-34 #5 Michigan

This is obvious, it is surely Appalachian State over Michigan. You know if App St. would of beaten some other D1 team I wouldn't be so suprised. I mean App St. is all the thugs and crazy athletes that couldn't make grades for a D1 school. Still though, that is no excuse for them being able to beat, then #5, Michigan. This was a very embarrasing moment in the Michigan community. My friend, as I presume many Michigan fans will agree, that he will not watch another game until Llyod Carr is fired. He made a joke of his program. Then nerve of Michigan players too, after this huge upset they come up and still say they are going for a Big Ten Championship! How about beating Oregon first buddies. Let me end though with a congrats to App St. and all the player they showed amazing heart and what a block to win!

Game of the Week
#15 Tennessee 31-45 #12 California

This could easily be Appalachian State beating Michigan, but I thought I should recognize another game. Though hard to create much buzz in week 1 of the college football season, there was one game that was a great back and forth game. When 12Cal faced 15Tenn it was a great game, which it was supposed to be. After a great first half in which Cal lead by ten at half, the game had exceeded expectations I think. No one reall could have expected a real close game. Even though Cal was ranked higher, I think everyone was thinking Tenn would win the game without much difficulty. Two minutes into the game though Cal turned some heads ona cornerback blitz causing a fuble to be taken to the house for a TD. Tied 14-14 in the second quarter Desean Jackson ran backa punt return for a touchdown putting Cal up and showing why Jackson is considered one of the best punt returners in the NCAA. After that it became the Cal show, but what an exciting game to start off the Cal season.

Offensive Team Performance
#8 Oklahoma scoring 79 points on North Texas

Not much to say except Oklahoma has some much needed momentum going into the season. They had three passing touchdowns, seven rushing touchdowns, an interception returned for a TD, and a safey to top things off. They had 668 Total Yards, 403 were passing yards and 265 were rushing yards. Not to mention they had ZERO interceptions thrown. Great day for the Okalhoma offense. Not only that, but their defense only allowed ten points.

Defensive Team Performance
#2 LSU held Miss. St. to 0 points

Not only did LSU hold Miss. St. to ZERO points, but they also had six interceptions and a fumble recovery. It could have been better if they scored, which they technically didn't, but they gave the offense great field position all day. Not only all this, but they held Miss. St. to TEN rushing yards. That is amazing in itself, but they also held the team to only 147 total yards. They also caused Miss. St. to go 3-14 on 3rd down and 0-2 on 4th down.

Top 3 Impressive Performances Top 25 Teams

#8 Oklahoma
They top the list because of the great offense, scoring 79pts.

#23 Hawaii
Winning 63-3 explains it all.

#12 California
Beating a top 15 team really shows that Cal can compete with anybody.

Worst 3 Team Performances Top 25 Teams

#5 Michigan
They lost to a D2 team...SIT DOWN!

#19 Florida State
Daddy Bowden got beat down by son and knocked out of Top 25.

#18 Auburn
They didn't look very impressive and only beat Kansas State by ten.

My Heisman Watch

QB- Colt Brennan of Hawaii
6 TDs--416 Yds--221.86 rate--85% compl.

QB- Sam Bradford of Oklahoma
3 TDs--363 Yds--266.92 rate--91.3% compl.

QB- Graham Harrell of Texas Tech
4 TDs--419 Yds--156.61 rate--74.6% compl.

RB- Marlon Lucky of Nebraska
3 TDs--233 Yds--7.8 ypc

RB- Demarco Murray of Oklahoma
5 TDs--87 Yds--5.1 ypc

RB- Darren MacFadden of Arkansas
1 pass TD--1 rush TD--223 total yds

RB- Felix Jones of Arkansas
1 rush TDs--1 Ret. TDs--287 total yds

WR- Earl Bennett of Vanderbilt
3 TDs--223 Yds--17.2 ypr--15 rec

WR- Desean Jackson
1 Ret. TD--143 total yds