College Football: Players to watch in 2017 (Part 4 of 5)

To help get everyone pumped up for the 2017 college football season, I will be doing a five-part series of posts, each post featuring five players to watch for this fall. Some players on this list are so obvious that you don't need a reminder to watch them, some could be busts, and there will certainly be players outside of these 25 that will have impactful seasons. Also, I must add that the order in which these players are listed is not a ranking system. Without further ado, part four of five:

(Part One)
(Part Two)
(Part Three)

Jake Browning



Although Jake Browning and the Washington Huskies ended their 2016 with a 24-7 loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff, the year was wildly successful leading up to that New Year's Eve matchup. Much of that success came thanks to sophomore QB Jake Browning and his main target, John Ross who was just drafted No. 9 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals (he also broke the record for the 40 yard dash with a time of 4.22). So having Browning back is huge for the Huskies, but things won't be as easy for him in his junior year without John Ross and with a stronger Pac 12 than in 2016. They're out-of-conference schedule is impressively weak, as their first three opponents are Rutgers, Montana, and Fresno State. All at home. Not that last year's games in weeks 1-3 were all that impressive in comparison (Rutgers, Idaho, Portland State all at home), but they still managed to land a playoff spot. But the main issue is that the Huskies will be given a major run for their money by Stanford, Utah, and Washington State. If they do wind up in the Pac 12 Championship, good luck with USC.

Anyway, back to Browning. In his sophomore campaign he was tied at the No. 20 spot for passing yards in the country with 3,340. More impressively, he had the second most touchdown passes in the country with 43 (17 of which were tosses to John Ross). Browning's odds to win the Heisman are currently at +1800, which are the same odds as Nick Chubb and Deondre Francois. Browning is also on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is essentially the JV Heisman.

Browning got shoulder surgery back in January, but was rehabbed in time to throw the ball around  a few times in the spring game. There certainly is the lingering question if that will negatively affect his game, but honestly with today's insane level of sports medicine I'm sure that won't be an issue. I'd expect senior wide receiver Dante Pettis to be Browning's No.1 guy.

Jalen Hurts



I think Jalen hurts gets criticized a little too heavily for a true freshman who took over as QB1 for the most dominant program since the turn of the century, leading them to a 14-1 record, literally seconds away from winning a National Championship until Deshaun Watson surgically picked apart the highly praised Crimson Tide defense. That's not too shabby of a college football debut, but the expectation for Alabama every year is to go undefeated as the champions of the SEC and the National Championship. Anything short of that is a failure. That's just how the Tide rolls in Tuscaloosa.

Personally, I think Jalen Hurts has done very well, I mean most QBs would kill for that season. I wouldn't go so far as to say Hurts could win the Heisman; I just don't see that trophy being handed to an Alabama quarterback. I think if you bet on Hurts to win the Heisman at +1600 you're a fool. But that doesn't deny the fact that Hurts will lead Alabama through the SEC and into the College Football Playoff. Although I do think they'll have one regular season loss in there. Hurts' stat sheet isn't quite the Mona Lisa but it certainly isn't macaroni art. The true freshman, Texas-native threw for 2,780 yards and 23 touchdowns (tied for 35th most in 2016), while also rushing for 954 yards and 13 touchdowns. He's great with the read option, which allows 'Bama to cater to their strength: running it right down their throat.

Alabama opens their season against Florida State, and also has to go up against LSU and Auburn, who are both supposed to have great years. But at the end of the day, I've learned to just trust that Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide will win the SEC more often than they will not. I don't think they're quite in "guaranteeing national championship" territory anymore, but guaranteeing a playoff spot is more than likely to be backed up on the field. For the record, Alabama has the best odds by far to win the National Championship at +275. The next closest is Ohio State at +600.


Malik Jefferson 



A noteworthy defensive player in the Big 12? I know, pretty wild. But it's undeniable that junior linebacker Malik Jefferson brings the heat. Before becoming a Longhorn, Jefferson was the No. 10 ranked recruit in the nation. Although Texas has struggled in recent years, Malik Jefferson has still impressed many, grabbing the attention of NFL scouts. Chad Reuter of NFL.com has Jefferson ranked as the 13th best player heading into the 2017 season.

Malik Jefferson stands at 6'3" and 240 pounds. He's got a little less mass to him than the elite tier of NFL linebackers, but his athleticism allows him to boast fantastic playmaking abilities. Jefferson is a very dynamic player; he can rush off the edge, play inside, and drop back into coverage. I'm excited to see Jefferson's performance improve even more under the instruction of Tom Herman, who had awesome defenses at Houston.

Jefferson's preseason praise has been put on display with his presence on multiple preseason watch lists:

• 2017 Bednarik Award watch list (best defensive player)
• 2017 Preseason All-Big 12
• 2017 Preseason All-American

Jefferson was also honored on the second team all-Big 12 last season. He recorded 62 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks.

Baker Mayfield



There's not too much that we don't know about Baker Mayfield as he enters his senior season. The kid can flat out play, hands down. He's a constant highlight reel that puts up big time numbers. He had the ninth most passing yards in the nation last year with 3,965 while also tossing the sixth most touchdown passes with 40. Although Mayfield is extremely mobile and tends to scramble, Oklahoma's love of the deep ball restricted him to 177 total rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

Mayfield currently has the second best odds to win the Heisman at +750, only behind Same Darnold at +275. Mayfield winning the Heisman wouldn't particularly be an underdog story, but my gut tells me it'd be a bad bet. But then again, the style of play in the Big 12 enables quarterbacks to put up ridiculous stats. In 2016, three of the top ten passing yard leaders were out of the Big 12 (No. 1 Patrick Mahomes with 5,052; No. 8 Mason Rudolph with 4,091; No. 9 Baker Mayfield).

The Sooners have had a successful run with Mayfield under center: in 2015 he led them to the College Football Playoff, where they eventually lost to Clemson 37-17. And in 2016 he led them to an 11-2 record topped off with a 35-19 Sugar Bowl win over Auburn. Earlier this summer Oklahoma's head coach Bob Stoops stepped down, so I think there's a little bit more weight on Baker Mayfield's shoulders as 33 year old Lincoln Riley will be adapting to his new role as head coach of one of the most storied football programs of all time. The Sooners' first big test will come in week two as they travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on the Buckeyes.

Bradley Chubb


Year in and year out I consistently consider NC State to be a trap game for the top tier programs of the ACC. The Wolfpack aren't typically in the running for the ACC Championship, but they usually have enough talent to be at least capable of upsetting the likes of Clemson and Florida State. Well this season, the NC State defensive line is just ridiculous. This beastly D-line is led by Bradley Chubb, the cousin of Georgia running back Nick Chubb and the brother of Wake Forest linebacker Brandon Chubb. The senior defensive end is 6 foot 4 and 275 pounds. He's explosive, he's aggressive, and he's sure as hell going to make some noise in the ACC this year, a conference whose stock is rising like Christ on Easter.

I genuinely think we'll be hearing Bradley Chubbs' name called in the first or second round of the 2018 NFL draft. He has the size, his block-shedding could use some improvement before making some noise in the League, but the raw talent and potential are there.

In 2016 he recorded the fourth most tackles for loss in the country with 22. Chubbs was elected as a team captain last year and had the honor of wearing the No. 9 Mario Williams jersey. He is on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for defensive player of the year. He also has a few studs wearing the same uniform as him, as BJ Hill (D-tackle) and Tony Adams (offensive tackle) are on the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy. Hill also joins Chubbs on the Nagurski radar.

The Wolfpack have a very intriguing start to their season, as they face off again another Carolina school- the USC Gamecocks. There are a few early ACC vs. SEC games this season, which will be great for the "Who is the best conference" debate. This is one of those gritty, lower tier games of the Atlantic Coast vs. the Southeast conferences, but will probably have some major leverage when the debate seeks a conclusion at the end of the season. I'm taking NC State in that one.

Ten Things I Need to Happen in Sports

It's two days after the MLB All-Star Game, or one of two days all calendar year (yesterday being the other) that there isn't a single live "Big Four" sporting event on TV. How are YOU coping?

I'm thinking about things I need to see happen in sports. Not necessarily happen today, perhaps tomorrow. Maybe by the end of the decade, maybe just in my lifetime.

No rhyme or reason to the order of these, it's just an old-fashioned spontaneous list of things I'd make happen if I were the "Sports Czar" Bill Simmons used to write about in his glory days.

1. I need baseball to MATTER again

Seemed like the Home Run Derby and ASG this week were fun, right?

Fox drew a 6.5 overnight rating for MLB All-Star Game, up slightly from record-low 6.4 last year.

— Austin Karp (@AustinKarp) July 12, 2017

What were you doing on a Tuesday night that was better than the All-Star Game? Watching NBA Summer League? Figure it out. Perhaps a Simpsons marathon on FXX? They show episodes from the mid-2000s and beyond rather than the '90s on Tuesday nights (don't ask me how I know that, just take my word for it).

I need Red Sox-Yankees to become a blood war again. A nuclear arms race along the lines of the pre-2004 build-up. I need Aaron Judge to become the new Derek Jeter. I need Bryce Harper to become the new A-Rod. I need someone on the Red Sox to step up and become a larger-than-life presence a la David Ortiz. I need more incidents similar to the one between the Red Sox and Orioles earlier this season, or the one between the Giants and Nationals. I need hate.

What I don't need is the tinkering of the rules to cater baseball strictly to those with short attention spans, but I also wouldn't hate to see games shrink in time by about half an hour. No need to dick around on the mound for 30 seconds between pitches.

"Baseball in decline" takes on sports take radio are tiring, but it also shows me people do care about baseball. Is there some truth that the game is sluggish? Of course. Getting rid of replay would be a great way to reverse the trend; just accept human error is part of the game and move on. Which would equal more manager freak outs, which is a good thing. Are you not entertained?

2. I need Jaromir Jagr to win another Stanley Cup

The Jagr made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 1990. Five days before I was born. He's the last active player in any of the Big Four sports whose career began before I existed. The sentimentality is real.

But sadly, his drought of Stanley Cup championships is nearly as long. After winning back-to-back Cups with the Penguins in 1991 and 1992, Jagr is on a 25-year personal Cup drought. He's only even been back once since, with the Bruins in 2013.

The NHL has expanded nine times since Jagr last hoisted the Cup. Plus the Whalers were still in Hartford, the Nordiques were still in Quebec City and the Stars were still in Minnesota.

I don't ask for much, but this one's gotta happen. Would help if a team signed the 44-year-old to a contract for the coming season, I suppose.

FA 1994- all GMs called , FA 2017- 0 calls🏆😀 pic.twitter.com/7uLJm95CAB

— Jaromir Jagr (@68Jagr) June 29, 2017

3. I need the Seattle SuperSonics to return to the NBA

Why do I remain so infatuated with an NBA team that's been defunct for nearly 10 years?

The Sonics bolting for OKC is without a doubt the shadiest relocation this side of the Baltimore Colts leaving for Indianapolis int he middle of the night. Perhaps even more so, since the lack of transparency was right there for everyone to see. The idiot Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who owned the team, selling to out-of-town buyer Clay Bennett, based out of OKC.

The Hornets had just played the better part of a full season in Oklahoma due to Hurricane Katrina rendering New Orleans unplayable. Fan reception was warm. Gee ya think the dude was trying to find a permanent tenant for OKC, Howard? One of the main reasons I don't drink Starbucks, by the way.

I recently watched Sonicsgate and it made my blood boil anew. Not enough bad things can happen to the Thunder franchise. It was awesome when Kevin Durant left and I fully look forward to Paul George and Russell Westbrook's imminent departures. Sick return on the James Harden trade, for that matter.

The AUDACITY of Clay Bennett to reject the Sacramento Kings' proposal to move to Seattle as chairman of the NBA's relocation committee back in 2013. Not that I wanted SacTown to lose the NBA, but the hypocrisy is unparalleled.

It seems like all leagues are inching towards 32 teams. The NFL is already there, the NHL is at 31, and there's some more baseball expansion talk involving Les Expos - which is a very good thing in its own right. There's no question there's enough talent in the NBA to add two more teams. So let's bring back the Vancouver Grizzlies while we're at it and right the wrongs the Pacific Northwest has endured this millennium.

4. I need lacrosse to overtake soccer as the "fifth sport" 

What is the fifth most popular sport in the United States? Now I know some people will tell me that it's NASCAR, which actually draws higher TV numbers than any sport but football in certain areas. Some may say it's golf, which during Tiger's heyday, I would have argued was fourth over hockey even.

Others will say it's soccer. And the screams only seem to grow louder every four years.

Speaking of which, I honestly try every four years. I try to get jazzed up for futbol. It'll happen again next summer, and it'll happen again in 2022 if the World Cup is even held due to that absolute bleep-storm in Qatar.

But it'll be a halfhearted effort. Hard to take the MLS seriously when its biggest names are players who can't cut it in Europe anymore; it's like the KHL to the NHL.

I'm all in on lacrosse and its rise in popularity. Now there's a sport where something happens more than once or twice every 90 minutes. The faceoff-X is a well-executed version of Vince McMahon's "coin toss" idea in the XFL.

I'm hoping the popularity of the high school and collegiate game translates to the pro game soon.

5. I need Roger Goodell to resign/be fired/fall victim to a coup as NFL Commissioner

In the faith of transparency, this would make my list long before the 2014 AFC Championship Game between the Patriots and Colts.

This has everything to do with the saturation of the NFL under Goodell, which future-president Mark Cuban astutely predicted in 2014 when he decried "Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered," about the path the NFL was taking.

This is about Thursday Night Football, which nobody asked for.

This is about London. Uh hey Roger, what about the vacancies in St. Louis, San Diego and (soon enough) Oakland created under your watch?

This is about the push to add two more games to the regular season, which save for 31 owners and a slew of Green Bay Packers shareholders, no one seems to think is a good idea. More opportunities for concussions seems bad.

This is about Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Josh Brown, serious issues handled about as poorly as humanly possible by the commissioner's office.

This is about "integrity." I don't know how, I don't know when, but Roger Goodell's day of reckoning can't be too far off. And it will be glorious.

6. I need the University of Rhode Island to drop its football program

Do I actually want my alma mater to drop football? Of course not.

But when you've had three winning seasons since 1985 -- none since 2001 -- and a grand total of zero playoff appearances since '85, you can understand my frustration.

I probably still wouldn't care all that much about the ineptitude of the football program if it weren't preventing the following programs from achieving varsity status down in the lovely village of Kingston, R.I.:

• Men's ice hockey
• Women's ice hockey
• Men's lacrosse
• Women's lacrosse
• Field hockey
• Wrestling
• Men's swimming & diving
• Women's golf
• Men's tennis
• Men's volleyball

I'm not here to tell you I'd be a season ticket holder for any of those, save for men's puck. But it's truly absurd that there are 10 varsity sports every school should have which are unable to be funded due to that albatross of a football program, which is 16-73 (winning percentage of .180) since my freshman year in 2009.

7. I need the University of Connecticut to join a real conference

Growing up, I paid close attention to UConn and BC basketball in the Big East. How could you not if you lived in New England? BC was a legitimate program under Al Skinner, with great players such as Jared Dudley, Craig Smith, Troy Bell, Sean Williams, et al.

But UConn was in a class of its own, winning national titles in 1999, 2004, 2011 and 2014.

The first three were won under the banner of the Big East, but after the realignment turmoil that reached DEFCON1 status, UConn was left without a date to the prom.

The Huskies remain stuck in the American Athletic Conference, a hodgepodge of old Big East and Conference-USA vagabonds, all of whom will bolt the second a better offer comes along.

UConn won that 2014 'ship in its first year as an AAC member, a major FU to the B1G (which plucked RUTGERS from the Big East over Connecticut) and the ACC (which currently houses all sorts of former Big East members, including BC).

What I'm getting at is that UConn deserves better. Jim Delaney, the B1G commissioner, is the biggest villain in sports you've never heard of. Check out some of his finest work here. The B1G deserves whatever happens to it with Rutgers and just in general.

The ACC currently has 14 full-time members, plus one part-timer in Notre Dame. This gives the league 15 basketball playing schools. You know another league that used to have 16 basketball members? That's right it was the Big East. Make it happen again.

8. I need the NBA to re-do its age minimum rule and fix (save?) college basketball

Speaking of college hoops, here's a not-so-revolutionary idea for you: the NBA should raise its age minimum from 19 to 20, thus mandating players stay two years in school for the betterment of the college game, as well as ensuring they are more ready for the pros upon entering.

HOWEVA.

If you want to declare for the draft straight out of high school, go right ahead. But once you step on to a campus, you're there for two years. 

The requirement of players to be 19 to be eligible for the draft is absurd. Is one year THAT much of a difference?

Look at some of the great players who've gone straight from high school to the NBA: Bron, Kobe and KG are three of the top 20 players in NBA history, don't @ me. There've been some very, very good players like T-Mac, Jermaine O'Neal, Dwight Howard, Tyson Chandler, Amar'e Stoudemire and Rashard Lewis too. Heck the Celtics drafted a few solid ones of their own in Al Jefferson and Perk.

Yes I'm aware of Kwame Brown, Eddy Curry, Darius Miles, Sebastian Telfair and a slew of other busts. Believe it or not, they're the exception, not the rule.

The is plan similar to the baseball draft, where players can be drafted right out of high school, but if they sign with a college, aren't eligible again until after their junior seasons. Basketball isn't baseball, but I fail to see how everyone doesn't benefit under a revised NBA draft system.

9. I need the Red Sox to stop retiring numbers like they're the Memphis Grizzlies

In case you missed it, the Memphis Grizzlies are set to retire Zach Randolph's No. 50 this coming season. This, despite the fact that Z-Bo did not, in fact, retire, and instead signed as a free agent with the Sacramento Kings. 

The numbers on the right field facade at Fenway used to mean something. And certainly, the recent additions of Nos. 45 and 34 are worthy. But get out of here with retiring Ortiz's number less than a year after he's been retired. Plus he's still coming back.

What I'm really getting at here is No. 26 (Wade Boggs) and the inevitable retirement of No. 21 (Roger Clemens). Boggs and Clemens are Yankees. Fact, not opinion. I admire Boggs greatly for his ability to crush 60 Miller Lites on a cross country flight, as well as his Always Sunny cameo which spawned one of the series' greatest episodes. 

But come on. Guy showed up to his number retirement ceremony with a Yankees World Series ring on. His number is retired by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, too.

Clemens? He had a chance to come back here multiple times later in his career, including in 2007, when he chose to sign with the Yankees instead. Guess what? THE SOX WON THE WORLD SERIES WITHOUT HIM.

Thirteen players wore No. 26 for the Sox after Boggs left; most recently Brock Holt. I don't get it. And for whatever reason, NO ONE has worn No. 21 since Clemens left in 1996. You know as soon as he gets into the Hall of Fame -- and it's coming -- Roger Clemens Day is bound for Fenway Park the following season. I'm all set.

10. I need the NHL to send its players to the Olympics in 2018 and beyond

While Roger Goodell is a worse person, Gary Bettman is worse at his job if we're talking Big Four commissioners, if that makes sense.

Bettman has overseen three lockouts, including one season lost completely. 

The Sun Belt Expansion continues to work wonderfully. The Atlanta Thrashers are gone, while the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and Phoenix (Arizona, lol) Coyotes continue to set attendance records for all the wrong reasons.

He's done virtually nothing right...save for allowing NHL players to participate in the Olympics each year since 1998.

There's quite possibly nothing better than Olympic hockey. Waking up at 6:30 a.m. for those games in Sochi, Russia in 2014? Sheer awesomeness. Sure it was better when the games were in Vancouver in 2010, meaning you were basically just staying up a little later to watch a Bruins-Canucks game, but nevertheless. The puck could drop at 3:30 a.m. and people would still tune in.

But no. God forbid the game continues to grow on a global scale while creating new fans for what's become a signature event. Who cares if the season pauses for two weeks once every four years? I don't think it affects the NHL's product whatsoever.

I'm looking forward to seeing which players (Ovechkin) head over to South Korea in spite of Bettman this winter. But hopefully it won't have to be in spite, and can simply be because it makes sense.

SPECIAL BONUS LIGHTNING ROUND

• I need the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to go back to the Anaheim Angels, or better yet, the California Angels. The name literally translates to "The Angels Angels of Anaheim." Dumbest name in sports, bar none. 

• Speaking of Anaheim, I need the Mighty Ducks logo back. Could work well on the orange uniforms they've used for a decade.

• I need Eli Manning to not get in the Hall of Fame some day. Save for those 2007 and 2011 runs to the Super Bowl, did you know Eli's never won a playoff game?

• I need UMass to not do anything stupid like join the American Athletic Conference and stay put in the Atlantic-10. Need that rivalry with Rhody in hoops.

• I need the college football playoff to expand to eight teams. The fact that there's a playoff at all was a good first step, but it was a half measure like you read about.

• I need Gary Bettman to resign as NHL commissioner. See above for more. While we're at it I need the Florida Panthers to move to Quebec City, thus reviving the Nordiques; I need the Carolina Hurricanes to return to Hartford; and I need the Phoenix Coyotes to move to Seattle. To get the NHL to 32 teams, how about an expansion team in Milwaukee?

• I need ticket prices to come down at all sporting events. Beer prices, too

College Football: Players to watch in 2017 (Part 3 of 5)

To help get everyone pumped up for the 2017 college football season, I will be doing a five-part series of posts, each post featuring five players to watch for this fall. Some players on this list are so obvious that you don't need a reminder to watch them, some could be busts, and there will certainly be players outside of these 25 that will have impactful seasons. Also, I must add that the order in which these players are listed is not a ranking system. Without further ado, part three of five:

(In case you missed them: Part One and Part Two).

Deon Cain


Another year, another impressive receiving corps for the Clemson Tigers. Junior wide receiver Deon Cain has proven his worth as a lethal target over the last two seasons. Mike William's was clearly Clemson's No. 1 receiver in 2016, but Cain still managed to put up some impressive numbers catching the ball 38 times for 724 yards and nine touchdowns. Cain thrived in some of Clemson's primetime games; he recorded 98 yards and two touchdowns against the 42-36 thriller over Louisville, and caught the ball five times for 94 yards in the National Championship against Alabama (a defense that boasts three first-round picks and two second-rounders).

With Mike Williams now playing professional ball in San Diego  Los Angeles, Cain will presumably be getting more touches. Good news for Deon Cain. But the bad news for Deon Cain is that Deshaun Watson will no longer be under center. That's not a knock on any of the QBs competing for Clemson's starting spot (I think it will be Kelly Bryant), but whoever is throwing the ball to Deon Cain will not be as good as Deshaun Watson. Plain and simple.

The ACC is expected to have some excellent competition in 2017, so Cain and the Tigers will be facing off against some high profile opponents with Louisville, Virginia Tech, and Florida State. Not to mention the Tigers play the other Tigers from Auburn in week two, which should be a phenomenal matchup.

J.T. Barrett

It's pretty likely that Ohio State enters 2017 as No. 1 in the preseason polls, and if not No. 1 it's a guarantee they'll land in the top three. So naturally their senior quarterback JT Barrett is in the national spotlight. Honestly, I feel like I've been watching JT Barrett for a decade now. I swear he was handing the ball off to Maurice Clarett.

My favorite thing that JT Barrett has ever done is allowing the world to experience Cardale Jones in 2014, what a time it was to be alive. But regarding his expectations for this year, JT Barrett has the fourth best odds to win the Heisman (+900), only behind Sam Darold (+275), Baker Mayfield (+750), and Lamar Jackson (+800). The Buckeyes have the second best odds to win the College Football Playoff, only behind Alabama of course.

In 2016, JT Barrett led Ohio State to an amazing regular season record of 11-1, which led to a disappointing playoff blowout to the eventual champions Clemson. Over the course of the season, Barrett threw for 2,555 yards and 24 touchdowns. He's proven to be very mobile, as he totaled 845 rushing yards and ran the ball into the end zone nine times.

What's happened is in the past, and there is nothing we can do to change it. But for the sake of holding grudges and sticking by your takes, JT Barrett did not get the first down against Michigan.

Just sayin'. 

Deondre Francois 



I firmly believe that Deondre Francois' sophomore season will be highlighted by a playoff berth. Despite losing Dalvin Cook, I think the Seminoles have improved since 2016. The combination of a better, deeper defense and a more experienced Francois will make for a special year.

Francois, the Orlando native, stands at 6'2" and 205 pounds. During his freshman campaign, in which the 'Noles finished 10-3 with an Orange Bowl victory, Francois threw for 3,350 yards (25th most in the country) and 20 touchdowns. Although he's athletic, Francois is not much of a scrambler. He averaged a measly 1.8 yards per carry on 108 attempts. But to his defense, he managed to tally five rushing touchdowns.

The 'Noles have one hell of a schedule to conquer this year: season opener against Alabama, hosting Miami week three, playing Louisville in Tallahassee on Oct. 21, and have to travel to Death Valley Nov. 11 to play the defending National Champions. And to top all of that off, the 'Noles end their regular season playing their rivaled Gators at the Swamp.

Deondre Francois has the potential to pull off a wildly impressive season if things go Florida State's way. The talent is there, but one bad loss can lead to a domino effect of shittiness in college football. Some teams just crumble. But I think this Seminoles squad is capable of fulfilling the expectations. Francois is a good quarterback with a great surrounding cast and a year of experience under his belt.

Bo Scarbrough



Before the 2016 season, Bo Scarbrough was a player I was really looking forward to watching. He fit the prototype as a beastly Alabama running back, so it didn't take an expert to predict he'd excite. Not to mention his high school picture legitimately looked like an NFL Pro Bowler.

Despite the presumptions for his success, it took until Alabama's seventh game at Tennessee for Bo to put up some serious yardage, when he tallied 109 yards with a touchdown. He missed two games in November against Mississippi State and Chattanooga, and then tore it up in the final four games:

• 11/26 vs. Auburn: 17 carries for 90 yards
• 12/3 SEC Championship vs. Florida: 11 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
• 12/31 CFP Semifinal vs. Washington: 19 carries for 180 yards and two touchdowns.
• 1/9 CFP National Championship vs. Clemson: 16 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

Although 'Bama ended up falling short in a thriller of a Natty Championship, at one point in that game it looked like the Tide were going to come out of it with a blowout win. During that point of the game, this was Tweeted

View from Clemson secondary pic.twitter.com/UaYUQpGXrc

— Mark Schlabach (@Mark_Schlabach) January 10, 2017

and I still think that's the only way to describe Bo Scarbrough running the ball when he's clocked in.

Bo's talent will be put to the test plenty of times this season against the always defensively-loaded SEC and in the opening weekend against Florida State. Alabama, once again, is the favorite to win the SEC and the National Championship. I think the Tide's offense is looking stellar between Jalen Hurts, Calvin Ridley, and Big Bo Scarbrough.

Maurice Hurst Jr. 



Maurice Hurst Jr., the fifth year senior (and Massachusetts native) looks to be Michigan's leading pash rusher this year. Michigan lost a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball, so Hurst deciding to stay for his fifth year was huge for the Wolverines. It doesn't take 20/20 vision to see Hurst's colossal size, and his ability to get off the ball quickly is what makes his game so impactful.

Hurst will be teamed up with last year's No. 1 recruit in the country Rashan Gary to anchor the defensive line. Both Hurst and Gary have been put on the preseason Bednarik Award watch list. Back in May, Mel Kiper released a 2018 NFL Mock Draft in which Hurst landed the No. 21 spot. If that's not enough for you, Pro Football Focus ranked Hurst as the No. 1 pass rushing defensive tackle in the nation.

Most productive interior pass rusher in the nation?@UMichFootball DT Maurice Hurst pic.twitter.com/wafMQ8yXF9

— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) June 7, 2017

Okay, I guess we have time for one more stop on the Mo Hurst preseason hype train: Sports Illustrated listed him as the No. 71 best player in the country for 2017. Obviously all of these preseason honors have to be proven, but Hurst's past performance has given many people reason to believe the hype.

College Football: Players to watch in 2017 (Part 2 of 5)

To help get everyone pumped up for the 2017 college football season, I will be doing a five-part series of posts, each post featuring five players to watch for this fall. Some players on this list are so obvious that you don't need a reminder to watch them, some could be busts, and there will certainly be players outside of these 25 that will have impactful seasons. Also, I must add that the order in which these players are listed is not a ranking system. Without further ado, part two of five:

(Part 1 in case you missed it)

Mason Rudolph

Oklahoma State is considered a contender for the Big 12 title in 2017, largely due to their quarterback Mason Rudolph returning for his senior season. Mason's career as the Cowboys' starter began in their second-to-last regular season game at Baylor his Freshman year in 2014. His numbers have gone up each year since, as he looks to continue the trend for his final season at OK State.

In 2016, Rudolph led the Cowboys to a 10-3 season (lost to Central Michigan, Baylor, and Oklahoma) which ended with an impressive 38-3 win over Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. He had the eighth most passing yards in the nation with 4,091 and ranked 20th in passing touchdowns with 28. Most impressively, Rudolph only threw four interceptions all year. It'd be easy to credit subpar Big 12 defenses for that stat, but that'd be invalid considering Patrick Mahomes threw ten picks, Baker Mayfield had eight, and Kenny Hill tallied 13.

It will be interesting to see Rudolph and Baker Mayfield battle it out to be the Big 12's top quarterback. Their passing numbers should be in the same ball park by the conclusion of the season, but Mayfield's rushing numbers will be in another world as Rudolph isn't as much of a scrambler. Expect Rudolph's main target to be senior wide receiver James Washington.


Luke Falk



Luke Falk is undoubtedly the best quarterback to wear a Washington State uniform since the first overall pick of the 1993 NFL Draft, Drew Bledsoe. Falk finished his junior season with the fourth most passing yards in the nation with 4,468. He also had the seventh most touchdown passes in the country with 38. And to top it all off, Falk finished the season with the second highest completion percentage (70.0), trailing only Baker Mayfield (71.0).

I consider Luke Falk to be a very likable player, considering Washington State's relevance is a nice change of pace for college football. Also, he's a walk on, which always gets the people going. Living the American Dream, Luke Falk. Grinding your way to the top. "Like a goddamn pilgrim!" He also throws absolute darts, for entertainment's sake.

At the end of the day, Falk's numbers were incredible but the Cougars' 8-5 overall record, including a week one loss to Eastern Washington...not a good look boys. Their first big test will come in week two as they look to get revenge for last year's 31-28 loss to Boise State.

Derwin James



Per usual, the Florida State Seminoles are expected to have an excellent year, being a preseason contender for the ACC Championship and a playoff berth. Much of this offseason praise can be credited to the 'Noles defense. One staple of their defense is redshirt sophomore Derwin James. The 6'3" 211 pound defensive back absolutely lays the hammer. His lengthy build combined with pure athleticism make James one of the best defensive players in the country.

The 2016 season came to an unfortunate halt in week two against Charleston Southern, where he tore up his knee, eventually leading to him being granted a redshirt for the year. However in Florida State's Labor Day Weekend matchup against Ole Miss, James clearly established himself as an elite talent. Similar to last year's ACC/SEC opening weekend matchup, Florida State faces off against Alabama in week one and you're a fool of you're not counting down the seconds to that.

Ahmmon Richards



It's all about the U! Year in and year out, everyone who genuinely loves college football wants the Miami 'Canes to be in the mix of college football's elite. The U finished 2016 with a 9-4 record, with three of those losses being understandable: Florida State, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina. However, the loss to an atrocious Notre Dame squad was inexcusable. But in the end, things looked great for the U as they capped the season off with a 31-14 Russell Athletic Bowl victory over No. 14 West Virginia. In that game, Miami's star freshman receiver Ahmmon Richards had three receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown.

It will be interesting to see how Richards adjusts to not having Brad Kaaya throwing to him (drafted by Detroit Lions). But for what it's worth, Richards totaled 49 receptions for 934 yards and three touchdowns. He was listed as the 23rd best player going into the 2017 season by NFL.com.

Although the ACC is looking to be strong overall, Miami does avoid playing Clemson and Louisville. Not to mention their out-of-conference schedule is pretty weak: Bethune-Cookman, Arkansas State, Toledo. So they should be able to have a respectable record again this year, depending on how Kaaya's replacement connects with Ahmmon Richards. Who that quarterback will be is still up for debate, but the competition is looking to be between junior Malik Rosier and sophomore Evan Shirreffs. It will be fun to watch head coach Mark Richt bring this program back to, at the very least, some flashbacks of the glory days.

Derrius Guice


Leonard Fournette certainly left some massive shoes for junior running back Derrius Guice to fill. But Guice still got plenty of touches in his sophomore year due to Fournette's nagging ankle problems. Guice totaled 1,387 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He also caught nine passes for 106 yards, and had a receiving touchdown in LSU's 29-9 spanking of No. 13 Louisville in the Citrus Bowl. In that same game, he rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown on 26 attempts.

Derrius Guice is your prototypical SEC running back: he's strong, he's fast, he can pummel through defenders, and he's guaranteed to get a bountiful amount of carries each game. Just to give you a better idea of Guice's physical power, a video was recently making its rounds through the internet of him squatting 650 pounds:

Todays Freaky Friday so Derrius squats 650 @DhaSickest #Freaks pic.twitter.com/wtI9obhu6u

— Aaron Moffitt (@AaronTMoffitt) June 23, 2017

Will this be the year that LSU takes down 'Bama as the kings of the SEC? Probably not, but Derris Guice will be appointment television regardless.

College Football: Players to watch in 2017 (Part 1 of 5)

To help get everyone pumped up for the 2017 college football season, I will be doing a five-part series of posts, each post featuring five players to watch for this fall. Some players on this list are so obvious that you don't need a reminder to watch them, some could be busts, and there will certainly be players outside of these 25 that will have impactful seasons. Also, I must add that the order in which these players are listed is not a ranking system. Without further ado, part one of five:

Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson is easily the most obvious player on this list, as last year's Heisman winner is back for his junior season. There's always the looming possibility of a Heisman hangover, partially due to so much previous exposure to every defensive coordinator in the country. However, I think Lamar Jackson is simply too athletic to let last year's success negatively affect his play in 2017. I mean, it's not like opposing coaches were unaware of the most dangerous offensive weapon in the country. They just didn't know how to stop him.

The only thing resembling a Heisman hangover for Jackson this year that I could see happening, is him still having an excellent season that doesn't quite reach a bar set way too high. Jackson can still put on an elite performance without reaching the numbers he did last year; his sophomore season stats were simply out of this solar system. In 2016, Jackson passed for 3,543 yards and 30 touchdowns. He was the only quarterback within the top ten for total rushing yards, tallying 1,571. He also had the fifth most rushing touchdowns in the country with 21.

I think Lamar Jackson is capable of repeating as the Heisman Trophy winner, but he'll definitely need some impactful wins in order to help this cause. More specifically, Louisville needs to come out of the Florida State and Clemson games with at least one win. Louisville's record didn't really affect Jackson's Heisman hopes last year because his numbers were so wildly impressive. But with expectations so high in 2017, he'll need some big time wins if he wants to repeat as college football's most outstanding player.

Ed Oliver

I refuse to believe Ed Oliver is five years younger than me

— Caleb Blackmur (@CalebBlackmur) November 18, 2016

The Houston Cougars were by far my favorite team outside of a Power Five Conference to watch in 2016. I found a few things to be extremely likable about them (one of which is now in Austin), and freshman defensive tackle Ed Oliver was certainly one of those likable aspects. The 6'2", 290 pound mobile beast should put on another stellar performance for his sophomore season.

NFL.com's Chad Reuter has Ed Oliver ranked as the No. 1 best player heading into the 2017 season. Oliver's most notable games last year included the opening weekend upset over Oklahoma (seven total tackles, two sacks), and Houston's first loss of the season to Navy, where he recorded 11 total tackles.

To put Oliver's freshman performance into perspective, his list of honors/awards is screen-shot worthy because it'd take too long to type out:

All of that accomplished by a true freshman, truly incredible. 

Sam Darnold


Even if you didn't particularly make an appoint to watch USC games last season, you know Sam Darnold. The Trojan quarterback's freshman year was highlighted by saving Southern Cal's season and leading them to the second most exciting Rose Bowl of all time. (Amazing game but if you think it was better than USC/Texas with the National Title on the line....you're wrong.) Darnold broke Vince Young's record (467) for most total yards in the Rose Bowl by putting up 473. And for the cherry on top, he threw for five touchdowns.

It took until USC's fourth game of the 2016 season at Utah for Darnold to be named the starter. Although the Trojans lost that one 31-27, it would be their final loss due to Sam Darnold absolutely going on a tear. As a starter, Darnold averaged 295 passing yards per game. He also had the ninth best completion percentage (67.2) in the country, while only three of the QBs (Mayfield, Falk, Trubisky) ahead of him in that statistic played in a Power Five conference.

If you don't trust Darnold's numbers, or his skill from the tapes, at least this video from his Instagram shows off his pinpoint accuracy:

Heads up Trojan nation. I think we may have found our next great receiver @seanmorrissey 🤙🏼

A post shared by Sam Darnold (@samdarnold) on Jun 18, 2017 at 2:39pm PDT

Many people believe that Darnold will end up being the top quarterback prospect in the NFL Draft, and I don't think people are crazy for believing that. However, that is all dependent on how he plays this season. For the Trojans, 2017 is filled with a lot of hype coming from the thriller of a Rose Bowl, a difficult in-conference schedule with a seemingly strong Pac 12, a legit non-conference schedule (Western Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame), and potential Heisman hopes from their sophomore quarterback. I think Sam Darnold`has enough composure to take all of this on, and I'll admit college football is a little more fun when the Trojans are relevant. I, for one, will be tuning into more USC games than I have in previous years.

Calvin Ridley



Definitely look for junior wide receiver Calvin Ridley to be making some noise down in Tuscaloosa. Ridley is crazy athletic; the Amari Cooper comparisons are both abundant and valid. Ridley's numbers last year weren't overly impressive (72 receptions, 769 yards, 7 TDs) but he certainly has great playmaking ability. That's usually how things go with SEC wide receivers; they're underutilized freaks.

When the play calling does get the ball in Ridley's hands, it's fun to watch. He's fast enough to straight up burn defenders downfield on a streak, but he's also shifty enough to get some extra yardage on shorter, quicker patterns. There was not a single game during Ridley's sophomore campaign in which he didn't record a catch.

Alabama's first game of the season will be against the Florida State Seminoles at neutral-site Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and what a wild game that should be. FSU is supposed to have an awesome defense this year, and it'd be a great way for Ridley to put his talent on display.

Saquon Barkley


Another star player featured in the aforementioned second best Rose Bowl of all time, Saquon Barkley is arguably the best running back in the country entering the 2017 season. In his sophomore season, Barkley put up some impressive numbers, landing himself a spot in the top 15 for total rushing touchdowns (18) and total rushing yards (1,496). The only defenses on Penn State's 2016 schedule that prevented Barkley from getting into the end zone were Michigan and Ohio State.

In the legendary Rose Bowl game that we were all so privileged to witness, Barkley ran the ball 25 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns. Barkley's 79 yard TD run in the third quarter was simply outrageous:
 

Sequin Barkley is much stronger than guys who are as shifty as him. Or he can break off for big plays  more than guys who are as powerful as him. Depending on which way you look at it. Regardless, the junior running back has a lethal combination of attributes that will make for some excellent football, especially against some of the BIG 10 defenses.

Boobie's Backup's Backup: The Chris Comer Underdog Story

“I’m actually Boobie’s backup’s backup…I’m third string right now.”

“Don’t you ‘baby Boobie’ me! I wanna be with a ball carrier. Give me one touchdown."

“CHRIS! YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU’RE HELMET IS? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?”

“You wanna know why you ain’t got a girl yet Water Bug? You got the wrong shoes on man! You got on white Adidas!”

Throughout the 1988 Permian High School football season, third string running back Chris Comer was the butt of everyone’s joke. He couldn’t even get credit as the guy who would’ve started if Boobie wasn’t around. To put it bluntly, Comer was a nobody. 

Comer’s irrelevance, combined with his desire to be relevant, brought us one of the most depressing sights in film history, as he sat in the locker room before the first practice coloring his white adidas with a black sharpie.

Come to think of it, Comer potentially brought two of the most depressing scenes in cinema, depending on where you stand on Boobie Miles. Let’s not forget that the star running back’s season-ending injury came when Comer “lost” his helmet on the sideline, forcing Boobie back in the game. We’ll never know where that helmet went on that Friday evening, and we’ll never know for sure if that was some pre-conceived, long-term ploy from the Water Bug in order to increase his chances at getting on the field. I’m surprised Alex Jones hasn’t gone back to the tapes and featured this on info wars.

Connecting HelmetGate and some of Comer’s first words of the movie, who in God’s name was Boobie’s backup? We never get his name, although he had to be clearly pretty damn good if he was ahead of Permian’s dark horse on the depth chart. But regardless of skill, it looks like he went the Boobie “Only thing I’ve gotta do is show up” route regarding the weight room, seeing as the dude got injured almost immediately after Boobie went down.

And that’s exactly when things started looking up for our protagonist; the moment that the greatest underdog story in sports came to life. Comer’s first touchdown left the coaches (and himself) in disbelief. Hell, even head coach Gary Gaines had to ask an assistant who just scored. “Our Comer?!?!” And with Water Bug’s first rushing touchdown came the demise of any and all negative quotes at/about him for the rest of the film.

If the Permian Panthers completed their comeback against the juggernaut Dallas Carter in the Astro Dome that day, the Chris Comer story would be almost identical to what Cardale Jones did for Ohio State in the first ever College Football Playoff. But sadly for Water Bug, the boys from Odessa just couldn’t get it done, and his comeback story had a disappointing end.

Just kidding.

The most overlooked part of the greatest movie of all time occurs in the ending scene, where nothing but text on the screen informs us that in the 1989 season Chris Comer and Gary Gaines led the Permian Panthers to an undefeated, State Championship season. How is that worth only like 10 seconds of screen time?

After ’88, the Panthers lost their QB Mike Winchell, monster defensive end/locker room preacher Ivory Christian, cornerback/intellect Brian Chavez, AND Don Billingsley aka the Johnny Manziel prequel. Seems like a pretty significant collective loss, because these guys were always seen as the team’s stars.

It’s about damn time that Chris Comer, THE runnin’ back, gets the credit he deserves. A true warrior who overcame emotional abuse from his teammates, coaches, and (probably now ex) girlfriend. 

After feeling the agony of defeat when Winchell failed to cross the goal line, I think we all deserve a pick-me-up sequel of Chris Comer tearing it up in an undefeated season while Boobie Miles and the rest of the class of ’88 watches, wondering to themselves how they ever let the GOAT be merely Boobie’s backup’s backup. So next time you bring up Water Bug, put some respect on the man's name.

As a little bonus, I stumbled upon this incredible tribute video to the '89 Panthers State Championship season. Phenomenal choice of music, a few mullets featured, and great football. This video has it all.

Dynasties Derailed

Or more specifically, how emerging dynasties and/or would-be dynasties recovered from debilitating championship game or series losses.

This is mainly to do with the Golden State Warriors, who if you haven't heard, recently handed LeBron James his fifth loss in the NBA Finals.

Everyone knows the story: Golden State was the darlings of the NBA when they beat the Cavs in 2015, came back to post the best regular season record in league history (73-9), overcame a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference Finals before blowing that very same 3-1 lead against those very same Cavs in the NBA Finals.

How did they respond?

By signing Kevin Durant and going 15-1 in the postseason en route to a world championship the very next season.

Make no mistake about it, the Warriors blowing that 3-1 lead was as painful a loss in a championship series in recent memory. I hate pretty much everything about the signing of Durant, but if you're truly a blue-blooded Golden State fan, it's about as great a response to a crippling loss as humanly possible.

Not all teams are this lucky.

The point of this exercise is to look at dynasties which were derailed, stalled, or finished before they even began thanks to a loss in their respective league championships.

A few loosely simple rules: for the most part, I'll be looking at a team that won a championship in Year A, lost a championship in Year B, and see what happened in years C, D and E.

The Warriors won the title in 2015, lost in 2016, how did they do in 2017? 

The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 1929, lost the Stanley Cup in 1930, how did they do in 1931?

For "established" dynasties, say, the San Antonio Spurs, said brutal championship loss doesn't necessarily need to be just a year after winning - provided the team's core is still there.

The San Antonio Spurs won NBA titles in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007. They lost in the Finals in 2013. Did they win another title reasonably soon after '13?

Covering the last 20 or so years, here's a list of the "Dynasties Derailed," going backwards from most recent to most distant. I've already discussed the Warriors, so without further ado, our first entry:

2014 Seattle Seahawks

How it started: Pete Carroll was hired in 2010, and Seattle was a bona fide contender by 2012 with Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch and the "Legion of Boom" defensive backfield. The Seahawks didn't just win Super Bowl XLVIII in 2013, they handed Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos the third-worst margin of defeat in Super Bowl history, 43-8.

How it got derailed:

The response: To Seattle's credit, they have actually won a playoff game in each of the two seasons since it blew a measly 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIX. But it's been well documented that the Seahawks haven't truly gotten over that game. The Legion of Boom is aging, the Shermanator seems to want out, but as long as Wilson continues to drink his concussion water. Seattle will have ownership of the NFC West.

2013 San Antonio Spurs

How it started: The Spurs drafted David Robinson No. 1 overall in 1987, but it was 10 years before they could find him a legitimate sidekick: Tim Duncan. With the Big Fundamental alongside, The Admiral finally delivered San Antonio its title in the strike-shortened 1999 season. Manu Ginobili and Eva Longoria's ex-husband joined the fray and the Spurs went on to win three more titles by 2007, adding Kawhi Leonard in 2011, and returned to the NBA Finals in 2013.

How it got derailed:

Ray Allen hit a corner 3-pointer with 5 seconds left in regulation of Game 6, the Heat won in overtime, and Allen's 3 was the catalyst to saving Bronny's bacon.

The response: Gregg Popovich astutely pointed out that he and Tim Duncan had now won not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4...but 5 NBA Championships together. Against those very same Heat, who you'll notice aren't on this list. They never felt like a true dynasty, particularly after LeBron left. An artificial dynasty of sorts maybe?

2009 Philadelphia Phillies

How it started: It's remarkable how not that long ago, the Phillies weren't just a World Series champion, they were a budding dynasty. The young core of Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino won the World Series in 2008 and were seemingly on their way to becoming baseball's next great team.

How it got derailed: The Yankees missed the playoffs in 2008, so they signed CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and AJ Burnett to contracts worth more than Amazon's purchase of Whole Foods. They knocked the Phillies out of the Fall Classic in six games.

The response: The Phillies, if you think about it, were better in the two years after their back-to-back NL pennants than the two years they represented in the NL in the World Series. Sure, Jayson Werth left as a free agent after 2010, but they added Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee (again) to their pitching staff. Philly won 97 and 102 games in 2010 and 2011, respectively, compared to 92 and 93 in 2008 and 2009. But the team's nucleus got old FAST, regressing to 81 wins in 2012, and haven't won more than 73 games in any season since.

2009 Detroit Red Wings

How it started: Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, Nick Lidstrom and the gang, up until last week, formed the nucleus of the last back-to-back Stanley Cup winners in 1997 and 1998. With other all-time greats flowing through, such as Dominik Hasek, or younger players like Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, the Wings won again in 2002 and 2008. They don't call it Hockeytown for nothing.

How it got derailed: Not Sidney Crosby, not Evgeni Malkin, not Jordan Staal, but Max freaking Talbot scored twice in Pittsburgh's 2-1 win in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final to hand the Red Wings their first Cup loss of their run.

The response: Detroit would make the playoffs in each of the next seven seasons before finally seeing its run of consecutive postseason berths end at 25 this spring. But these Wings never made it beyond the second round again, and as the roster continued to turn over, it's safe to say the next Detroit championship team will not be considered a part of this underrated dynasty.

2007 New England Patriots

How it started: Mo Lewis almost killed Drew Bledsoe and an unproven sixth-round pick out of Michigan was sent under center in just the second game of his second season in the league, with only three career passes attempted.

How it got derailed: A career special teamer made what would be the final catch of his NFL career.

The response: The short term? An 11-5 season without the playoffs featuring Matt Cassel. The long term? Well, it took seven years, with another loss to the very same New York Giants mixed in, but the Patriots and Tom Brady would be just fine, it turns out. Total side note: imagine if Danny Ainge were GM of the Patriots? Think he trades Brady in '08 after seeing what Matt Cassel was capable of? A frightening parallel universe for sure.

2005 Detroit Pistons

How it started: Despite drafting Darko Milicic over Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Kirk Hinrich, David West, Kendrick Perkins, Josh Howard, or literally dozens of other players who proved to have a pulse from the 2003 draft, the Pistons became today's contrarian talk radio take of "You don't need a superstar to win an NBA Championship! Just look at the 2004 Detroit Pistons!" Of course, we didn't realize it at the time; there was no reason to think this group couldn't win multiple championships as the Lakers collapsed and LeBron wasn't quite ready to take over yet. Of course...

How it got derailed: The Spurs were still pretty darned good, and knocked off the Pistons in seven games. The final score of Game 7? 81-74. Not a halftime score. The final score.

The response: Shockingly, drafting Darko Milicic eventually caught up to Detroit. The Pistons went to three straight Eastern Conference Finals before the '08 Celtics truly ended this group's run, followed by an anemic postseason appearance the following spring -- they were 39-43 -- and the Pistons have made the postseason just once since. People forget Chris Webber and Allen Iverson had brief Detroit cameos at the tail end.

2004 Los Angeles Lakers

How it got started: In 1996, Shaq left Orlando for Los Angeles and 12 teams passed on Kobe Bryant in the draft. But even that 13th team, the OG Charlotte Hornets, couldn't help themselves and traded Bryant to the Lakers for Vlade Divac. Soon enough, it was a three-peat for the LAL.

How it got derailed: I still think there's a better chance of a Beatles reunion tour than a Shaq and Kobe reunion tour. And half the Beatles are dead.

The response: Former URI great Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum came to LA and the Lakers went to three consecutive Finals between 2008 and 2010, winning the latter two. Do they fall into the Patriots/Yankees camp of "win a bunch of championships early, see some good but not quite great years, then win more championships?" I say no, even though Kobe was there for all five. Brady or Jeter weren't directly responsible for jettisoning an all-time great from the roster.

2001 New York Yankees

How it started: 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier reached over the stands in Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS for what clearly should have been fan interference, but instead was ruled a home run for the Yankees' rookie shortstop Derek Jeter.

How it got derailed: Now this is very much open to interpretation. After the Jeter home run, the Yankees went on to win four of the next five World Series. Despite the very best efforts of Byung-Hyun Kim, the fourth-year Arizona Diamondbacks knocked the Yankees from the top in '01. But was that how it ended? Or was it Josh Beckett and the 2003 Florida Marlins, when the two teams deprived the nation of what should have been a Cubs-Red Sox World Series? Did the 2004 ALCS do these Yankees in? Buster Olney wrote a book about Game 7 vs. Arizona, "The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty." But if you're going to consider the 2001-2016 (and beyond) Patriots a dynasty, don't you sorta have to say the 1996-2009 Yankees are one in the same? There's more crossover in terms of players between the '96 and '09 Yankees than the '01 and '16 Patriots.

The response:Iin the context of just 2001, the Yankees made the playoffs in each of the next six seasons. There was somewhat of a roster reboot after Luis Gonzalez's bloop single, but the core remained in tact. Bringing on A-Rod for 2004 was perfect because it made the Yankees as hateable as ever. Joe Torre left after '07, but Jeter, Posada, Rivera and Pettitte (after his Houston sabbatical) were around for the '09 bookend.

2001 St. Louis Rams

How it started: Then a San Diego (RIP in Peace) Charger, Rodney Harrison crashed into Trent Green's knee in a 1999 preseason game, forcing the Rams to turn to former Arena League star Kurt Warner.

How it got derailed: the Patriots chose to come out as a team.

The response: Warner was benched midway through the 2002 season in favor of esteemed 'Brady 6' member Mark Bulger, who did lead the Rams back to the playoffs in 2003. They'd make it once more in 2004 despite an 8-8 record...and haven't been back since. Oh yeah, they play in Los Angeles now too. Man oh man have the Patriots altered the course of NFL history in more ways than one.

1997 Green Bay Packers

How it started: Desmond Howard - not Brett Favre - won Super Bowl XXXI MVP as the Packers cruised by the New England Patriots, 35-21.

How it got derailed: Eric Cartman's father finally got his ring the following season, denying Green Bay back-to-back titles.

The response: If you ever need proof that Favre is one of the most overrated quarterbacks in league history, say no more: it took the Packers until 2007 to even back it back to the NFC Championship Game under Favre. He screwed the Patriots once again with an ill-conceived throw to Corey Webster, who propelled the New York Giants in to Super Bowl XLII. Favre lost home playoff games to Mike Vick, Daunte Culpepper and Eli Manning over the course of his career. Yikes.

1996 Atlanta Braves

How it got started: Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Steve Avery gave the Braves the early-'90s equivalent of the much-ballyhooed New York Mets pitching staff of today, except they could all stay healthy (minus Avery). However, Atlanta lost back-to-back World Series in 1991 and 1992 before finally breaking through in 1995 vs. the Cleveland Indians.

How it got derailed: In one of the true all-time gag jobs, the Braves blew a 2-0 lead -- after winning the first two games IN NEW YORK! -- and gave birth to the Yankees dynasty.

The response: Here are those dang Marlins again, standing in the way of the Braves getting back to the Fall Classic the following year. And then the San Diego Padres the year after. Atlanta got back to the World Series in 1999, only to be swept by the Yankees, giving it a 1-4 World Series record in the '90s that even LeBron thinks is mediocre. The Braves won their division a bunch more through 2005, but could never get back to October's pinnacle.