Final

      Lacrosse came to Norton High School this year and for a brand new team they exceeded expectations. With a 4-14 record, which might not seem that impressive, it was not a bad finish for a new team with a minimal amount of players to choose from.  Their first win came against Metro Lacrosse on April 13, 2015 under the lights at Adams Field, Norton High School. This win was most likely the biggest of the season considering it was the whole programs first win ever. You would have to think that a new team would get maybe one or two wins which is why four is a great achievement.

        On April 14, 2015 Norton High School got a vital win over Metro with a 9-2 victory. Sophomore Andrew Raneri netted a remarkable 6 goals for Norton. Captains Luke Kane and John-Michael Lee each scored a goal. Also, Freshman Joe Weber got a goal of his own. Out of 13 shots on the Norton goal, sophomore Nick Joyce saved an astounding 11. Jake Palin, also a sophomore, picked up three assists over the course of the game. In reality mostly every stat you would want was in favor of Norton. Saves, assists, face-off wins, shots, it was a rough game overall for metro and a great game for the Lancers.

Norton Lacrosse team after first win

        Joe Weber, a freshman, started on varsity every game of the season for the Lancers. Number 13 was a defender and a long-stick middie who provided solid play all around all season long for the Lancers. Weber mainly contributed by facilitating the offense getting many assists all season long. It seems unbelievable that a player so young did this well going up against much larger and faster players. Based on his performance, it is no question at all that he can compete at this level. He proved this much earlier than most might know. As just a seventh grader, Joe was already playing on varsity lacrosse teams which is impressive for a freshman, let alone a seventh grader. For such a young player he shows a bright future for NHS lacrosse.

        A 4-14 record might not seem like that much, but for a brand new team this shows a bright future for the Lancers. With so many young players playing on varsity, there is so much potential to be found within this team. If these freshman and sophomores stick with it for all four years at a challenging level for them, the room for improvement is endless. They might not have a winning record for a few years, but the future shows great things with the performance from the team this season.  After a few years, the team will eventually gain more experience and support which will ultimately lead to a good season. As of the beginning of the 2014 school year, there were no definite answers if there was going to be a Norton High School lacrosse team. By the time spring sports began, lacrosse was an official program for Norton.  The team was a great idea and hopefully it goes on to be a winning program.

        As for Weber, he has shown leadership traits that will likely lead to him being a captain in the future. Almost acting as a captain this year, it is nearly inevitable that he will be one in the next few years. His great talent and hard work are certain traits all captains possess for the most part. As of now, he may be too inexperienced  in the high school sports environment to lead a team yet. It also might be too early to call him a future MVP for the team this early, but there is great evidence that he could be the team's best player. With experience he will be ready for this team to be his very soon.

        Before this season started, there were a lot of questions on who the coach was, how they would do, and a lot of speculation if the season would even happen. Coach Mark Notz made a strong statement at the team's first meeting before the season began, "This season is not about wins, it's about improving." If this was the team's goal then they accomplished it and then some. Getting better is exactly what they did. Going from a team where half of the players hadn't even picked up a lacrosse stick in their whole life, to a team that was a good match for almost every game they played in is a great leap. One would have to imagine that the 4-14 record this team recorded will only get better year-in and year-out. We can only find out next year when the season actually gets underway.

Marion Jones

        In the 30 for 30 documentary titled "Marion Jones: Press Pause", it is revealed how a seemingly invincible professional track star's career was destroyed by the use of performance enhancing drugs. Author John Singleton seems to display an argument that Marion Jones worked hard and powered through many struggles to regain her superstar status. Marion Jones was an Olympic track runner with 3 gold medals to her name. The documentary shows her interview in front of reporters where she admits to using PEDs and lying to federal agents. She uncovers her 6 month prison sentence. It may sound ironic, but Marion made the most of her time in prison by talking about her workouts she did to stay in shape. She returned to her family and began to shape her basketball skills. Eventually this got her a spot on a WNBA team. The documentary shows that even though Marion Jones struck the hearts of millions, she was determined to bounce back. 

        I think Singleton is correct by implying that Jones returned to being a professional after her collapse. It would be hard to provide a good argument contradicting this mainly because of her returning from prison then landing a spot on a WNBA team. It just was a great reminder that she does not ever give up and might actually be invincible. After shocking the country with horrible news, her great return must have warmed hearts all across America. There is also a lot of speculation about her prison sentence. It might confuse you a bit since no athlete has been jailed for using PEDs. Maybe there is an argument that racism or sexism played a role in the sentence. The punishment seemed a bit excessive for the situation. Ideally, if one athlete goes to jail for it, all of them do, but you do not see Derrick Jeter behind bars right now. Although what she did was wrong and a lot of controversy came with it, Marion Jones will always be an amazing athlete and a legend among Olympians.    

  

Norton High School Lacrosse (Rough Draft)(Revised)

       Lacrosse came to Norton High School this year and for a brand new team they exceeded expectations. With a 4-14 record, which might not seem that impressive, it was not a bad finish for a new team with a minimal amount of players to choose from.  Their first win came against Metro Lacrosse on April 13, 2015 under the lights at Adams Field, Norton High School. This win was most likely the biggest of the season considering it was the whole programs first win ever. You would have to think that a new team would get maybe one or two wins which is why four is a great achievement.

        On April 14, 2015 Norton High School got a vital win over Metro with a 9-2 victory. Sophomore Andrew Raneri netted a remarkable 6 goals for Norton. Captains Luke Kane and John-Michael Lee each scored a goal. Also, Freshman Joe Weber got a goal of his own. Out of 13 shots on the Norton goal, sophomore Nick Joyce saved an astounding 11. Jake Palin, also a sophomore, picked up three assists over the course of the game. In reality mostly every stat you would want was in favor of Norton. Saves, assists, face-off wins, shots, it was a rough game overall for metro and a great game for the Lancers.

        Joe Weber, a freshman, started on varsity every game of the season for the Lancers. Number 13 was a defender and a long-stick middie who provided solid play all around all season long for the Lancers. Weber mainly contributed by facilitating the offense getting many assists all season long. It seems unbelievable that a player so young did this well going up against much larger and faster players. Based on his performance, it is no question at all that he can compete at this level. He proved this much earlier than most might know. As just a seventh grader, Joe was already playing on varsity lacrosse teams which is impressive for a freshman, let alone a seventh grader. For such a young player he shows a bright future for NHS lacrosse.

        A 4-14 record might not seem like that much, but for a brand new team this shows a bright future for the Lancers. With so many young players playing on varsity, there is so much potential to be found within this team. If these freshman and sophomores stick with it for all four years at a challenging level for them, the room for improvement is endless. They might not have a winning record for a few years, but the future shows great things with the performance from the team this season.  After a few years, the team will eventually gain more experience and support which will ultimately lead to a good season. As of the beginning of the 2014 school year, there were no definite answers if there was going to be a Norton High School lacrosse team. By the time spring sports began, lacrosse was an official program for Norton.  The team was a great idea and hopefully it goes on to be a winning program.

        As for Weber, he has shown leadership traits that will likely lead to him being a captain in the future. Almost acting as a captain this year, it is nearly inevitable that he will be one in the next few years. His great talent and hard work are certain traits all captains possess for the most part. As of now, he may be too inexperienced  in the high school sports environment to lead a team yet. It also might be too early to call him a future MVP for the team this early, but there is great evidence that he could be the team's best player. With experience he will be ready for this team to be his very soon.

        Before this season started, there were a lot of questions on who the coach was, how they would do, and a lot of speculation if the season would even happen. Coach Mark Notz made a strong statement at the team's first meeting before the season began, "This season is not about wins, it's about improving." If this was the team's goal then they accomplished it and then some. Getting better is exactly what they did. Going from a team where half of the players hadn't even picked up a lacrosse stick in their whole life, to a team that was a good match for almost every game they played in is a great leap. One would have to imagine that the 4-14 record this team recorded will only get better year-in and year-out. We can only find out next year when the season actually gets underway.

Blog Post #10 (2nd Paragraph)

   In the article "Sox Hit Rock Bottom" by Stephen Hawkins, the slump that the Red Sox are currently struggling with is analyzed after a Josh Hamilton double that gave the Sox a terrible 4-3 loss last night against the Texas Rangers. A Boston team that was predicted to be a top runner seem to be in a lot of trouble with a mediocre 22-29 record. Luckily, they are not out of playing in October right now because they are only 4 games out of first in the east division in the American League. The audience is most likely for concerned Red Sox fans looking for any hope. Unfortunately there is not much to find within this article. This game was lost by one run which is beginning to become a routine for Boston with so many close, crushing losses. I do not think that the author shows any bias because a good amount of the article is a summary of the game. However, Hawkins hints with the idea that time is coming short for the Red Sox and things need to get turned around quickly if they want to be playing this upcoming fall. Most of the 10 tips for improving scholastic writing are used while the author uses a lot of good writing techniques. There is a ethical appeal that the Red Sox have to change something and the emotion is concerning because the clock is ticking for Boston.
   

Blog Post #10 (1st Paragraph)

        In Mark Farinella's article titled "The Prodigal Son Returns", he supplies details about the signing of former Patriot Brandon Spikes who left as a free agent in 2013 with a rather ugly departure; last week he was back in the blue collar with a new attitude and he made up with coach Bill Belichek. Farinella includes the 10 tips for improving scholastic writing within this article. He shows a bias that is supporting a new start between Spikes and New England. To start off, he gives readers background information of the tension between the linebacker from Florida and the Patriots. This tension and these problems sprouted from Spikes being a loose cannon and one time he was late to a practice during a snowstorm late last season. After this, only more problems developed and continued to his demise as a Patriot. Additionally, he showed evidence that there was a bright future for Spikes with this organization and no more bad blood. "You can clearly see that me and the Hoodie (Bill Belichek) kissed and made up." This statement is good news for Patriot fans, who may have been worried due to possible limitations next season from linebackers Jerod Mayo and Dont'a Hightower who are both undergoing off-season surgeries. Finally, the author makes it known that Spikes is on a short leash and this could be a huge success due to his raw talent, or a big disappointment because of his unpredictable personality.

 

Deflate-gate

        The 2014-15 NFL season did not end without controversy for the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. The issue, however, did not sprout up in the actual Super Bowl, it was in the AFC Championship against the Indianapolis Colts. This game was a complete blow-out with a score of  45-7 Patriots. 11 of the 12 footballs that the Patriots used were two pounds per square inch under the league's regulations. This problem quickly became known as Deflate-Gate. The Patriots, mainly Tom Brady, were accused of inflating the balls with a low PSI that greatly exceed the league's minimum. The punishment enforced on New England was a $1M dollar fine, termination of a 2016 first-round draft pick and a fourth-round pick in 2017, and a four game suspension on Tom Brady in the 2015-16 NFL season. There is a huge amount of argument brewing from both sides. 

        I, as a Patriots fan, am a great believer that Tom Brady is not guilty. However there are a lot of reasons and evidence on how he was guilty. Based on my knowledge of the Patriots, I am absolutely aware of the things New England does to get an advantage by bending the rules and pushing them to the limit. To contrast that, I know that Belichik is very educated on the game and always knows the regulations and make sure his team does not exceed them. I also think that these footballs had no implications on the outcome of this game. Sure it was a cold January day and softer footballs are easier to throw, catch, and hold on to, but a lower air pressure is not going to create a 38 point deficit. I think that somebody deflated the footballs, but I do not deem that Brady had a thing to do with it. 

        For being found guilty, Tom was granted a four game suspension for the next season. Even if he did do it, this punishment is outrageous! My question is if this was an average quarterback on an average team, would this punishment be consistent? My guess is most likely it wouldn't be. It is rumored that the league commissioner Roger Goodell dislikes the Patriots. Could this have anything to do with it? It's not a very far fetched theory. Taking draft picks is fair, taking a million is fine, but suspending our star player just baffles me. I would even accept one or two games as fair, but one fourth of the season is a little bit excessive. I do not think the punishment fits the crime and I am glad Brady appealed because I think the league needs to take a second look at this. 

        Nobody wants to see a team cheat the game whether New England did it or not. I expect to see a quick rule change really fast. I think a good idea would be for the refs to inspect the balls after every quarter rather than before the game and then saying let's go. These footballs could be partly the referees' faults. If they become a little more strict then we most likely will not see a dilemma like this again. No matter what happened with these footballs, I think "Deflate-Gate" got blown way out of proportion.               

Blog Post #8

        In Josh Greenbaum's documentary titled "The Short Game"(2013), he displays that children that are so young can be extremely dedicated to a sport. The author first shows dedication by interviewing the kids on their drastic methods to get better; he then shows clips of them actually performing these training tactics to show how hardworking they really are, and to conclude he finishes by showing the end result of the tournament. His purpose was to show how invested kids can be. He most likely has a younger audience in mind and not just athletes, but just to let them know to work hard at their dreams. 

        Children at the age of 8 and younger are being documented on their journey to the World Championship of Golf in the documentary titled "The Short Game". It shows the path these kids take one by one. How they started playing golf, how they got good, and all the sacrifices they made to play the sport they love. It uses interviews from the kids asking about things like what their daily life is and what they do to get better. At first the interviews are just to help you get to know the kids. Their future goals are also included, like what they wanna be, and what they want to achieve in golf. Their names are Allen, Amari, Sky, Jed, Agustin, Alexa, Kuang, and Zama. When the Championship comes, they all meet their expectations for the most part. Zama was the most improved player from last year. Allen placed first for theyboys division. Jed showed up late once due to rain delay and received a 10 stroke penalty who would have won without it. Amari was the winner of the girls' division. The rest played well but nothing special. One plus is that almost all of the kids said they made new friends and had fun.

        Personally, I really enjoyed the film. It is so impressive to see such a great amount of talent that young. However, I do not like how their parents were so hard on them. I mean I understand why they wanted to see their children do well and succeed but sometimes it seemed to be over the top. An example is when Agustin's mother was talking down to him and yelling at him. I would imagine that the competitiveness might get the parents fired up. Another thing is I have never seen so much heart and dedication in children that young. They leave themselves no time for a true childhood. At least that's how I viewed it. When he was asked though Allen disagreed. He said that he was not giving up his childhood, rather this was his childhood. I have such a great respect for that and that heart was shown in all of the children.

Blog post #7

        In Trevor Martin's documentary titled "Schooled: The Price of College Sports", he expresses that college athletes are treated unfairly by the NCAA and should not be exploited the way they are without pay. The author first argues with examples of the wrongdoings of the NCAA towards student athletes, he then adds to the argument with clips or stories of conflicts with the rule, and to conclude he addresses the audience with  sources like interviews with past college athletes who had no money to provide for themselves. His purpose is to persuade the audience that consumerism and things like that are hurting college athletes and are against the rules. He seems to have an audience of future student athletes in mind to show the cautions of becoming a student athlete.

        An example of how the NCAA has treated students unfairly is when a UCLA basketball player was put into a video game where he was not notified or paid for it. It was encouraged that being a student athlete could interfere with a student's education. Like when UNC running back Devin Ramsey was suspended for getting help from his tutor on an essay because of NCAA violation. Martin portrays that the NCAA's rules should either be changed or at least revised.

Westbrook's streak comes to an end in Chicago

        On Thursday, March 5th the Oklahoma City Thunder traveled to Chicago to take on the Bulls. Prior to this game, Thunder point-guard Russel Westbrook had recorded four straight triple-doubles. The first player to accomplish this since the legendary Michael Jordan who got seven straight. Although he may not of got a triple-double, Russel still managed to put up 43 points, along with 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. With the absence of Thunder star and reigning MVP Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook has worked himself into an MVP candidate himself. Although he had a prime-time performance, it did not cut it against Chicago.

         Now for the game. This game could not be decided until the very last seconds. Westbrook, who obviously had an amazing game, but it was the Thunder's power forward that made a huge impact as well. Serge Ibaka, a defensive force in the league recorded 25 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 assists. The Bulls were without star Derrick Rose and first time all-star Jimmy Butler. Russel put up 19 in the third quarter taking the Thunder into the final 12 minutes with a 79-72 lead. with 1:07 left to play, Oklahoma City had a 4 point lead. On the last crucial drive for Chicago they were down 2 with little time. E'twaun Moore hit a three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left to take the game despite Westbrooks performance.

Celtics Blow Lead and Fall to Steph Curry and the Warriors

        Isaiah Thomas' 20 points wasn't enough to hold a 26 point lead midway through the second quarter against Steph Curry and a surging Warriors team. After a mediocre second half, the C's defensive breakdown cost them the game last Sunday, March 1st. At the TD Garden in Boston, the Celtics fall 106-101.                                                                                                                                       The Celtics are without scoring and rebounding leader Jared Sullinger for the rest of the season who was arguably their best player. Point guard Isaiah Thomas who was acquired from the Suns at the trade deadline has quickly became the Celtics premier scorer. The Warriors, arguably the best team in the league, with MVP candidate Stephen Curry were more than the Green could handle.             

         "This was a fun challenge for us," Coach Steve Kerr said. "If we lost, it wouldn't have been the end of the world. But we were down and we came back. I was happy we showed good poise."

         This quote is from Warriors' first year head coach Steve Kerr. Although it seemed like Kerr did not care too much about the game, it must be great to see his team fight that hard in a game that might not be all that important. 

        So how did this game even play out? The Celtics had a hot start in the first half of play with a three-point barrage. At one point leading by 26 points. By halftime, the lead had been cut to 16. "Twenty-whatever we were up in the first half felt like three to me," Boston coach Brad Stevens said. "And 16 at halftime feels like two against those guys. They just come back so fast."

        Brad Stevens had no intentions of letting the Warriors come back at all. This game however, was not decided until the final seconds. With 10.5 seconds left to play, with a score of 104-101, the Celtics only chance was a three pointer. Off the Tyler Zeller pick, Isaiah Thomas seemed to have a clear look at the hoop. Thomas is also an excellent three-point shooter so the Celtics were not in such a bad position. Unfortunately, the shot rolled out, Curry grabbed the rebound, and hit the game clinching free throws. 

        Curry led his team with 37 points, which was a game high. Thomas led the Celtics with 20 coming off the bench. He is the first Celtic to get 19 or more points off the bench for four games in a row since the legendary Kevin McHale in 1989-1990. Jae Crowder also had a great game and swiped a career high 17 rebounds. However, the result was the Warriors second best comeback in 15 seasons.   

                   

Did Arthur and William's "Hoop Dreams" Come True?

        The documentary titled "Hoop Dreams", about two young basketball players living in Chicago trying to make it in life through basketball. William Gates was recruited to St. Joseph's high school, where he became an instant star. Arthur Agee, also recruited to St. Joseph's, had to transfer due to payment issues. He then went on to play at Marshall high school. They both had to overcome many hardships like drugs and gangs where they were living. Basketball was their "way out" and it did not give them any time for things like that. William's playing was limited during high school due to a knee injury that continued to bother him. The film made it seem as if William had a brighter future than Arthur which is debatable. It was portrayed that William was doing better with grades and was even more successful on the court than Arthur. At this time it also seemed that Arthur was unlikely to ever make it to a real college because of his grades. The documentary presented Arthur's lack of a true role model to look up to a lot. His father being in and out of the house and family, also getting involved with drugs many times. This really appeared to have impacted Arthur. The case was much different for William. His older brother Curtis had hoop dreams of his own. A basketball star, just like William and Arthur, that lacked the obedience to really shape a career. Curtis decided to put all his dreams into his younger brother so he helped William develop his skills on the court.  
        After high school, William got a scholarship to Marquette University. He graduated after playing three seasons for Marquette. Although this was not an easy few years for Gates. He had quit the team and even dropped out of college.  Eventually he came back and received a two year scholarship to complete college. After, he got a bible degree and became a pastor in his hometown of Chicago. Grades would not allow Arthur to receive a scholarship from any colleges. However, after going to junior college, Arthur was awarded a two year scholarship to Arkansas State. Unfortunately, his dream of making it to the NBA never happened. His father was killed on December 15, 2004 by someone who was believed to be paid to kill Arthur Agee Sr. I think this led to the creation of the Arthur Agee Role Model Foundation. This was to "help underprivileged kids to understand that their role models are not professional athletes, but their parents at home." Arthur most likely finally understood that there is more to life than making it to the NBA or being a great athlete. Overall I think that "Hoop Dreams" portrays that being a professional athlete is not the only way to succeed.  
       

Sports Effects on Culture

        Sports have modified the American culture in many ways. Whether it has created parties, or broken racial barriers. Racism was a huge issue in our country for a long time. The Jackie Robinson story is perhaps what eliminated this problem. He was the first African American baseball player ever to play in the MLB. Although he got a bunch of hate, this led to great things. Sports have also changed the way people act now. They are things to talk about and hobbies. For few, it is more than a game. For some, sports are a lifestyle that people put their blood, sweat, and tears into. Sometimes, sports can make somebody forget about everything else in the world. Maybe even ignoring priorities so it might not always be a positive thing for our culture.

Jackie Robinson

        Even today sports continue to effect our culture. Super Bowl Sunday has basically worked itself up to a holiday in our country's culture. Family and friends get together and have parties just to watch a football game. I guarantee this day's festivities will continue to grow and get even bigger. Also, sports have brought a huge market along with it. People pay for gear, to go to games, their favorite players jersey, and so much more. This is mostly for younger people, but with sports there is a whole new wave of role models. A lot might look up to an athlete and want to be just like them. Sports can spark a lot of conversation too. They are on the news, TV shows, the radio, they are seen almost everywhere.
        My life has been greatly impacted by sports. At first, they were just a hobby and something to do. However, as I played them more, and understood them, they have become a huge part of my life. Sports are responsible for at least 90% of my friends. This is because there are no family-like bonds built like there are in sports. Winning, losing, and fighting alongside with the same people always makes it that much more special. Following sports in my opinion is a hobby to me. I think it is fun to keep updated with them, talk about them, or even pay attention to stats. I think sports are amazing things and our culture has been greatly shaped based on them.

My Thoughts on the Super Bowl

        On Sunday February 1, 2015 the New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl 49. It was the Patriots fourth Super Bowl victory dating back to 2001 when they upset the St. Louis Rams 20-17. The Patriots were down 10 in the fourth quarter. Getting the victory was the largest fourth quarter comeback in Super Bowl history. There was most likely a point in the game where all viewers thought it was over for Patriots. They had come out terrible in the second half which is strange because Bill Belichik is known for having amazing second half adjustments. The last drive of this game created a lot of buzz in the social media world as well as the football world. As I know it wouldn't be a Patriots victory without some controversy.

        On the potential game winning drive for the Seahawks it looked as if it was all over for New England. Seattle was down by 4 with only enough time for one last drive. On first and ten with 1:14 left in Super Bowl 49, Patriot's fans took a trip down memory lane. Russell Wilson threw a pass that was caught by wide receiver Jermaine Kearse and shocked the world. He bobbled it and it looked as if it was bound to be dropped. Undrafted rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler was the defender on this play. In the 2007 Super Bowl against the Giants all Patriot's fans are scarred by "The Helmet Catch" by David Tyree that basically lost New England the game. In 2011 a perhaps lucky catch by the Giants got the best of us again when Eli Manning threw a perfect ball to Mario Manningham, so was this going to happen again? Well the Kearse reception got the Seahawks to the New England 5 yard line. Next play Marshawn Lynch ran it down to the 1. The situation is second an one yard for the Lombardi Trophy. Next play, a pass is thrown to wideout Ricardo Lockette on a slant route. Butler, again undrafted rookie, steps in and picks the pass of and clinched New Englands fourth title. People say a pass by Pete Carrol was a bad play call. However I disagree. It seems like running one yard with the best power back in the league is a good idea, which it is. As any team knows scoring in the redzone takes some creativity. He had three downs to get a yard and running on all three is not a must. So passing on one down is not a bad idea. Maybe a fade route instead of a slant underneath could have been a bit better but it does not really matter. Anyway the end result is the same, Patriots win 28-24! That cannot be taken away from us.        

Super Bowl 49

 It is Super Bowl time again! This upcoming Sunday February 1, 2015 at 6:30 PM, will be the date and time of Super Bowl 49. This year it will be the New England Patriots, versus the Seattle Seahawks. Both teams ended the regular season with a record of 14-4. The Patriots, led by Tom Brady who has been lucky enough to make a sixth Super Bowl, have come a long way. Taking in back to week 4 where they got smashed 41-14 by the Kansas City Chiefs. Many were saying things like "Brady's not good anymore" or "Belichick is done", after hearing this they caught fire and won 7 in a row. Beating big names like the Broncos, Colts, and Lions. Now here they are in the biggest game in America. Now the Seahawks, led by Russell Wilson starting his second Super Bowl in his first three years, the first to do that since Brady. Seattle is mainly a defensive team which is a great match up for the Patriot's "invincible" offense. Being a Patriots fan, I obviously think they will win. However, I still have some reasoning behind that. Tom Brady has lost two Super Bowls in a row, with his waning career I doubt that will happen again. Also with the deflategate situation, I think it angered the Patriots, and I expect to see them come out with more intensity, and fire than the Seahawks. It has also been a couple years since New England has seen Seattle. The Seahawks won with a late game touchdown. The Patriots have since then gained a secondary, Brady trusts his receivers, and Gronk is healthy. The Seahawks have improved too, but not as much as the Patriots. Brady has won three Super Bowls. Getting four would tie him with Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana. Two legendary quarterbacks. Personally, I think a win would make Tom Brady the best quarterback to ever play the game. It would also put a big impact on Belichick's legacy. I'm excited, it is going to be a great game, and I hope to see the Patriots hoisting the Lombardi trophy.  

Josh Gordon Suspension

Josh Gordon Suspended Again?

The argument made by the Sun Chronicle in the section titled "Browns' Gordon says he was caught drinking" is that Browns receiver Josh Gordon failed alcohol test. In the topic it is stated "The 23-year-old receiver said he had two beers and two other drinks with teammates on a flight to Las Vegas on Jan. 2, after Cleveland's season ended." It is suggested that he also could be on his way to another suspension. Last season, Gordon was suspended 10 games for testing positive for marijuana. He also agreed that he would not drink alcohol last year. He took full responsibility for this situation. In conclusion, this section in the Sun Chronicle believes that the Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon is going to be suspended for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. 

Personally, I think the section in the Sun Chronicle was right because Josh Gordon did break the rules and he admitted to it. Things like this are very unfortunate because Gordon is such a great player and even a former Pro Bowler. I think he will get suspended because lately the NFL is cracking down on their substance abuse policy. Although it will not be official for a while, I think it will result in a one year ban for Gordon. It is hard to think about a future with the Browns in Gordon's career. After the last suspension I can assume that Cleveland is just about done with him. He is a great talent but i strongly agree with an upcoming suspension for wide receiver Josh Gordon from the NFL.

What are Sports?

       What is a Sport?

 Sports are a competition between two opponents. There might not be a true definition to what a "sport" is. Everybody might have their own interpretation. The way I see it, it is a game between two teams that are playing against each other to score more points or to exceed at a certain goal more than the other team or player. Sports can also come in many different shapes in sizes. They can range from things as different as ping pong and football. Some are fast paced, like basketball, while others move a little slower, such as baseball. There are also many different levels of sports. From up to high school to college and a good amount of sports are played at a professional level! 

 There is a lot more to sports other than winning or scoring. In a good amount of sports, there are statistic, injuries, trades, strategy, and so much more. In some, it can be a lot to keep up with. However, in my opinion sports are essentially just a competitive way to have fun! They do not always have to be played organized! A lot of times people will play sports just messing around with their friends. People that play sports are not the only ones involved with them. There are sports analysts, coaches, people who keep stats, the list never ends! This proves that just because you love a sport does not mean you have to play it.  Basically, there is not a true, 100% correct answer to what a sport is.