Broncos: Wild or Half-Tamed Horses

D enver’s defense set the tone for the game early, sending Baltimore on a three and out for their first drive of the game, but by the end of the first quarter, the Ravens were up 7-0. An interception by cornerback Chris Harris set the Broncos in the perfect position to tie the game with 11:40 left before the half. Soon after, Denver’s defense had sent for Baltimore’s punt team and had WR Wes Welker ready to receive the punt when he fumbled with the ball and it slid between both hands. Just as the ball flew out of reach, he was swarmed by Ravens on the Denver 2-yard line. In only one play, Baltimore’s offense sent RB Ray Rice into the end zone untouched, putting the score at 14-7 Baltimore. Denver QB, Peyton Manning, did not take that lightly as he used his “no huddle” offense to catch Baltimore sleeping and threw a deep left pass to tight end Julius Thomas for a 23-yard touchdown. With the game tied, the Ravens traveled down the field to score a field goal with no time for the Broncos to strike back before the half.
W ith the score 17-14 Baltimore at halftime, there was no doubt that the Broncos need feeling any pressure coming from the Denver defensive squad, but that was soon to change. ed to make some adjustments. It was noted during the half that Ravens QB, Joe Flacco, was not
T he Broncos were ready to receive the ball and turn the game around and did just that after a dropped pass to Welker went unnoticed by officials and unchallenged by the Ravens. The no huddle offense left little-to-no time for the Ravens to make a decision on whether or not they should challenge the play. Welker gained the first down and two plays later Manning threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to WR Andre Caldwell to put the score at 21-17 Denver. The non-challenge flag sent the momentum swinging in the Broncos direction. Baltimore went three and out on the next drive and a blocked kick by safety, David Brunton, left Denver just inside the Baltimore 10-yard line. By the end of the drive, the Broncos were up 28-17.
G oing into the fourth quarter, the Ravens were down 35-17 and things were not looking up. The Ravens got lucky after a pass meant for Rice was intercepted by Denver LB, Danny Trevathan and dropped before he reached the end zone. The ball bounced back into the end zone and labeled a touchback. The Broncos defense stepped up the pressure on Flacco and left him and the Ravens offense struggling to put points on the board. With 10:32 left in the game, the Ravens scored their first points since the second quarter with a 13-yard touchdown pass to WR Marlon Brown.
T he night ended in a Broncos victory. Final score: 49-27.
By the end of the game, Peyton Manning had tied a record of seven touchdown passes in one game. He is the sixth person to ever hold the title and the first person in 44 years. He also finished the game with 450+ passing yards.
Ravens Nation was positive that their team would be on top of the league this year, but last night proved otherwise. Will the loss of superstars Ray Lewis and Ed Reed impact Baltimore more than fans thought? What kind of offensive threat will Peyton Manning and Wes Welker be this season? Is Peyton the better Manning?

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ARTICLE-Revelations in Chicago

Brian Urlacher FOX SPORTS1

Revelations in Chicago
by:Genevieve Noel
Most recently, former Chicago Bears linebacker, Brian Urlacher, made a comment that questioned the integrity of the Bears organization. Urlacher, now an analyst for Fox Sports 1 revealed that during his time in Chicago the team had something we call a “dive-guy.”

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Revelations in Chicago

Many may not know the term well, but when a team has a “dive guy” a coach on the sidelines will give a signal as to when the specific player (known only by that team) should stop the game and fake an injury. The tactic is generally used to slow down high-powered offenses and to give their own team a chance to regroup. Sometimes the “injuries” are so bad that they can result in an official timeout, which gives both teams enough time to get things together and even change games entirely. In the NFL, when a player claims he is injured, the lead official must stop the clock. Because the referees are not doctors, they cannot properly assess whether or not the player is actually hurt and thus is required stop the clock to allow team doctors and trainers to better analyze the player.

Although the comment was very shocking, this is not a new tactic for the NFL or even other sports leagues. The same thing was said about the New York Giants in 2011 after linebacker Jacquian Williams and defensive back Deon Grant openly flopped in a game against the St. Louis Rams. The Rams had just crossed the Giants’ 10-yard line and were about to execute in the red-zone when both Giants players fell to the ground in pain. After the league office was able to review the tapes of the red-zone flop, both players and the Giants organization were fined, as it seemed the players were not in on the trick alone.

This plan also worked for the Patriots in 2003, when LB Willie McGinest found himself on the ground late in the 4th quarter during a game against the Indianapolis Colts simply to recover a minute later. McGinest returned to the field to make the game saving tackle.

If you are a college football fan, you most likely know that the Notre Dame Irish was deemed the “Fainting Irish” in 1953. This nickname was given to them after a Notre Dame football player, Frank Varrichione, pretended to faint during an intense game against Iowa. The fainting allowed the Irish to regroup, fight back, and score just in time to tie the game.

We can see that the sneaky tactic is nothing new and clearly successful, but does that make it tolerable? Should the NFL and other sports leagues try to better monitor the faking strategy? Which games or plays have you seen and felt that this kind of a scheme has been executed? And is it always successful?


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Kicking Off 2013 in Denver

During 2012, the Broncos went 13-3 in the regular season and would fall to the Ravens for the title of “Division Champions” and possibly “Super Bowl Champions”. Since then, the organization has made many transactions that have allowed them to build a team around superstar QB, Peyton Manning. One new face the Broncos have added is WR Wes Welker, who signed a 2-year deal with Denver after failing to meet contract agreements with former team, the New England Patriots. While Welker has been battling an ankle injury for the last few months, the WR returned to full practice in late August and is probable to play tonight against Baltimore.

Defending Super Bowl Champions, the Baltimore Ravens, ended the season at the top of the league. Finishing the regular season with a record of 10-6, the team went into the post season on a mission. The return of former LB Ray Lewis to the game after battling multiple injuries over the duration of the season was just the spark that the Ravens needed to excel on the field and claim the title against the San Francisco 49ers. While the team clearly holds the most prestigious title in the NFL, many people have questioned Baltimore’s strength as a team going into the 2013 season after the loss of multiple key players that assisted in the 2012 championship. Former safety Ed Reed, linebacker Ray Lewis, and wide receiver Anquan Boldin were three of the team’s most valuable players. Each player filled their positions and were, most times, game changing factors on the field.

With tonight’s anticipation in full swing, millions of fans will tune in to see which team will start the season off with a bang. Will it be the defending Super Bowl Champs, the Baltimore Ravens, or will Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos celebrate their first victory in Week 1 of the 2013 NFL season? (photo by: Google)


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ARTICLE-ENTER SCOTTY THE KID

SCOTTY THE KID

Scotty The Kid is an innovative artist who isn’t afraid to take risk in the creative process, maximizing the impact of each project he develops.
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ENTER SCOTTY THE KID

August 2012 marked a key moment when he signed with a talent manager, and sequentially performing at Key Club during Sunset Music Fest, opening for Wu-Tang’s the Rza! He most recently opened for Tha Dogg Pound at Key Club, and is scheduled to open for Warren G on November 9th also at the same. venue. He’s been busy meeting with various record labels interested in signing him…but alas, only one can procure SCOTTY THE KID!
More:
Twitter Followers: 25,500
Facebook: 4,000
Total Mixtape Downloads: 2,500

Fan Demographic:
1. 64% FEMALE
2. 36% MALE

TOP 3 CITIES:
1. Phoenix Arizona
2. Los Angeles California
3. Chicago Illinois


ARTICLE-“Almost Heaven, West Virginia”

West Virginia Mountaineers COLLEGE FOOTBALL

“Almost Heaven, West Virginia”
by:Genevieve Noel

On Saturday afternoon, the West Virginia Mountaineers opened their season with a win against William & Mary. Going into the season, many questions arose after the departure of WVU’s former QB Geno Smith. The WVU coaching staff chose Junior Paul Millard who shadowed Smith during his time in Morgantown. Replacing the now-NFL QB Smith, Millard had some big shoes to fill and many hearts to win over. With all the pressure on him, Millard looked calm and under control as he lead his team down the field and to a victory. If people didn’t think he was ready, Millard may have shut that rumor down when he faced the pressure, sat in the pocket, and waited for Ex-Alabama WR Ron Carswell to make his way down the field and complete a 69-yard pass for a TD. Millard took a hard hit after the pass, but that did not stop the celebration or the excitement of a tied game. Millard ended the game with 237 yards passing and one touchdown.
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“Almost Heaven, West Virginia”

Charles Simms, a transfer RB from Houston, TX was a popular name on the WVU offense on Saturday afternoon. Rushing for 120 yards, Simms ended the game with one touchdown and a target on his back. With his quick feet and powerful running, Simms made a clear statement that he would be a threat to Big 12 defensive squads.

The Mountaineer’s defense was lead by 5-year senior Darwin Cook and Sophomore Karl Joseph. Cook, or “The Cookie Monster,” a Safety and Mountaineer fan favorite, ended the day with six total tackles and one interception that sealed the victory for West Virginia.
While his stats against W&M did not show his true work ethic, Safety Karl Joseph made his presence known in the backfield. As a freshman, Joseph had a breakout season and quickly became one of the key faces for Mountaineer Nation. It is clear that Joseph’s amazing field vision is something that works in WVU’s favor, especially after the Mountaineers struggled to find balance in the backfield during the 2012-2013 season.

The West Virginia coaching staff has made significant improvements to the young team after losing key seniors QB Geno Smith and RB/WR Tavon Austin, who were both signed to NFL teams during the offseason. The question is, are these changes big enough for the Big 12? (photos by:Google)

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ARTICLE-Does Sanchez Have a Future in New York?

Does Sanchez Have a Future in New York?
by:Genevieve Noel

On Monday, September 2, 2013 the New York Jets made a major move in signing veteran QB, Brady Quinn. The transaction by the New York team left fans, players, and spectators around the league questioning, former starting QB, Mark Sanchez’s future with the team. Sanchez, who has played with the Jets for four years, took a hard hit to his throwing shoulder from New York Giant DT, Marvin Austin. After the hit, Sanchez was taken into the locker room for better evaluation and since then he has yet to throw a football. It has been nine days since the injury and very little information has been released about Sanchez and his status on the Jets.
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Does Sanchez Have a Future in New York?

With the competition for the starting QB spot in full effect, it is easy to question whether or not Sanchez has a future in New York. He is expected to make $8.25 million guaranteed whether he remains a part of the organization or not, but the Jets have not ruled out releasing Sanchez just yet.

It has been reported that rookie QB, Geno Smith, is expected to start Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and that Quinn will be used as a safety net should the Jets need one.
As of right now, Smith is the in the lead for the starting spot and doesn’t necessarily need the W in Week 1, but definitely needs to show he’s ready. The Jets need to keep him confident and ready for the expected, action-packed season opener.

With multiple QB’s in the running for his job, does Sanchez stand a chance on the Jets after multiple shaky seasons and now an injury to his throwing shoulder? What is more of a liability for the Jets, Sanchez himself or releasing him and losing out on $8.25 million? (photos by: Google)

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