NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft set to start Tomorrow night, rather than come up with an inaccurate Mock Draft or analyze the over talked about Quarterback debate, Sportacular Sports will look at the most intriguing NFL Draft storylines.

Tyrann Mathieu-Cornerback-LSU

Mathieu, the 2011 Heisman runner-up, was required to take a year off from football because of his Marijuana arrest. Although Mathieu has had a drug problem, no one is going to ignore his play making skills matched with his Heisman appearance. What people may not know, is that Mathieu is actually an undersized corner, standing at 5 foot 11 inches, and doesn't have blazing speed. But how are we going to ignore his play making abilities. Mathieu caused numerous turnovers, many for touchdowns, in the 2011 season and in an entertainment based league, Mathieu's punt return abilities, specifically his change of speed and vision, add to his draft stock. The major red flag I give to Mathieu is obviously the drug problem but more specifically my impression of him in an NFL Network Draft interview. The hours Mathieu has been coached seemed to have gone to waste. His never put the drug rumors away, he kept making excuses for himself, and admitted to chewing tobacco. If I was a team like the 49ers who have 13 draft picks and a very strong locker room, I would take a shot, otherwise no deal.

Manti Te'o-Linebacker- Notre Dame
Manti Te'o's draft stock was high and rising entering the National Championship game. As you all know, it took a tailspin from there. After an egregious appearance, the girlfriend scandal came about and nothing has been great for Te'o since. Add in an awful combine and you somehow still have a surprisingly highly rated prospect. Te'o is still projected to go in the first round and his endeavors may have improved the team in which he'll be playing for. Te'o should be an immediate starter and now may go to a team like the Ravens or Patriots late in the first round where he'd be playing on a championship team right out of College. While the money might not be there, the chance to play for titles will. Te'o is a guy I would want my team to take a chance at.

Star Lotulelei-Defensive Tackle-Utah

Lotulelei at one point in the draft process was projected to be the Number 1 overall pick in this very draft. This happened in last year's draft where Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers at one point was projected to go first overall but slipped into the second round. Lotulelei fell for a different reason though. Doctor's discovered a potential heart problem. Later though, the doctors confirmed that the heart condition was perfectly fine for playing. With that being said, I don't think Lotulelei should drop past his projected 14th selection to the Carolina Panthers. I think the NY Jets should take him though. They can go out and get their favorite player at Number 9 and then potentially steal the draft at 13. Lotulelei has drawn comparisons to Haloti Ngata and Ndamukong Suh and his name and playing style will both fit their production at the next level. Decent sized risk but amazing sized reward.

NBA Playoff Predictions- Sportacular Sports

I know all you NBA fans won't want to hear me say this, but I'm a College Basketball fan at heart. With that being said though, as I scanned the NBA Playoff matchups, I got a little giddy. In most first round matchups, the 4-5 and 3-6 games are of most interest but this season the 2-7 games are actually pretty intriguing.

Heat vs. Bucks
The Miami Heat have been by far the most dominant team all year. They have the best player in the world right now in LeBron James and his sidekick Dwyane Wade ain't that bad either. Throw in the knock down shooters off the bench and the playoff experience of the Heat veterans and you have a clear favorite. While I don't think the Bucks have any chance of taking down Miami, this series could be entertaining based off the fact that the Bucks can shoot the ball. They have Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, JJ Redick, and Ersan Illyasova to stretch the floor. Add Larry Sanders to protect the rim and I think this series goes farther than expected. Miami in 6.

Thunder vs. Lakers
If Kobe Bryant were playing in this series, I think it goes 7. Without their leader and top scorer the Lakers, you would think, should pose no threat. But think about this team without Kobe. They still possess the top 1-2 punch in the league between Howard and Gasol. L.A. has a 2 time MVP point guard in Steve Nash and the surprising play of Earl Clark to help them out. The Lakers aren't terrible without Bryant they're just not good enough to beat OKC. Thunder in 5.

Knicks vs. Celtics
Wow. A 2-7 matchup between two historical power houses. While NYK has only won one playoff game in the past 11 years, they are still always at the center of the basketball universe. Carmelo Anthony is blazing hot right now and so are the Knicks. After a promising start to the season, the Knicks slid a little but are now right back at the top. For the Celtics, they'll obviously be without their top Point Guard Rajon Rondo, but am I really going to doubt Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Shocker. Upset Alert. Boston in 6. (Melo please prove me wrong)

Spurs vs.Warriors
No one under 85 years old on this earth enjoys watching the San Antonio Spurs play. They aren't exciting, they play good defense, and they just win games. But if you are looking for some exciting basketball in a Spurs game, check out this kid Stephen Curry. He became big after he took Davidson to a magical Elite 8 run in his college days and hasn't stopped since. Curry can explode for 50 at any moment. I believe he's the best pure shooter in the game right now and he isn't afraid to fire. Golden State has plenty of decent players, David Lee, Klay Thompson, and Harrison Barnes. I think the Warriors win a few games, call it a season, and continue to build on their young team. Spurs in 5.

Pacers vs. Bulls
Unfortunately for basketball fans, it appears that Derrick Rose will NOT be returning this season. While I think it is the RIGHT decision, it's not going to make Bulls fans happy. With Rose, the Bulls can compete for an NBA title. Without him they'll fall in 7 to the Pacers. The Bulls will be happy to match Indiana's physical play, which has been deemed the way to beat the Heat. The Pacers are the favorite right now to take down the Heat if any team can do so but a grueling 7 game series with the Bulls won't help. Once again, Pacers in 7.

Nuggets vs. Rockets
This without a doubt will be your most exciting playoff series. If you like points, like most people do, your going to get a ton in this series. Denver and Houston both prefer to play offense and put up big numbers rather than lock each other down. Just check their last game on April 6. 132-114? Even for NBA standards that's a lot of offense. James Harden could be the deciding factor in the series but I think the Nuggets have too much depth. We'll have to watch and see how the loss of Gallinari hurts Denver in this series. For now, Nuggets in 5.

Nets vs. Hawks
Finally, we've reached the 4-5 matchups and I'm sad to say I'm not as intrigued as the games above. Don't get me wrong both these series should go no shorter than 6 or 7 games but I actually don't think they will. The Nets have a younger looking Deron Williams right now paired up with ex-Hawk Joe Johnson. While I don't think the Nets can compete for the title, they're making a step in the right direction. The Hawks have a Josh Smith who is a great player but would rather be playing somewhere else. I say Brooklyn in a sweep. 4 to zippo.

Clippers vs. Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies have held their own since trading their Superstar Rudy Gay before the deadline. Although they have held their own, I don't see them holding up in the playoffs. In a rematch of last year's first round matchup (Clippers in 7), I see Chris Paul calmly leading his team to the next round. If the Clippers do move on, I'm very excited to see the high flying LAC squad against the light it up Thunder team. Clippers in 5.

Thank you guys for reading (if you made it this far) comment below your predictions.

#PrayForBoston

NCAA Championship-Michigan Wolverines vs. Louisville Cardinals

The National Title game has been set! With that being said, Sportacular Sports will analyze and predict Monday Night's game.

Background:
CBS
9:23 PM ET
#4 Michigan Wolverines vs. #1 Louisville Cardinals

Final Four Recap:
In case you missed the two National Semi-finals, here is a quick recap.

Louisville-72
Wichita State-68

At one point in this game, the Shockers actually held a 12 point game. Unlike the Ohio State, Elite 8 game, this WSU lead slipped away. It was not the constant Louisville pressure that spurred a 15-0 crazy run (this did not happen), it was a more gradual comeback by the Cardinals. One you would expect from the Number 1 overall seed. The Shockers played a great game but the Louisville bench, led by Luke Hancock's 20 points, were the main reason the Cards play Monday night. The pivotal play of the game came after a missed Hancock free throw in which the ball was corralled by Wichita State. Unfortunately for WSU fans, Hancock clasped onto the ball and forced a jump ball. The rest is as they say history because Louisville owned the possession arrow and then the National Championship berth.

Michigan-61
Syracuse-56

The matchup between Michael Carter-Williams and Trey Burke could have been the greatest matchup of the Tourney, instead it was the role players who put on the show. Freshmen Spike Albrecht and Caris LeVert both hit important threes and the other freshmen big man Mitch McGary tallied his 3rd double double of the Tournament. With all those Freshman superstars, the MVP should truly go to Jordan Morgan. As McGary's play has improved, Morgan's minutes have diminished to the point where he didn't record a minute in their opening round game. After being a starter for most of the past two seasons, it is fitting Morgan owns MVP honors of the Semi-Final game. While it might not seem that he played a large part in the box score (3 points) it was his two charges taken that really won the game for the Wolverines. Michigan couldn't hit a Free Throw down the stretch connecting on only 3 of their Final 11 attempts but it was Morgan's charges that got them those extra possessions to save the game. He fittingly ended the game with a Monster slam to put Michigan in the Finals.

Now for the National Championship prediction!

To think that this is the National Championship matchup is a Hard Core fan's dream. The casual fan understands the Guard play matchup between Burke/Hardaway Jr. and Smith/Siva and that's a great storyline but for someone like me, sports lunatic, we see the real storyline. 

Michigan ranks #1 in Offensive efficiency while Louisville ranks #1 in Defensive efficiency. 
For a National title to have the top ranked offenses and defenses is hardly a reality. Fortunately for us that's what we have. Throw in that Louisville loves to force turnovers (2nd to VCU) and Michigan doesn't cough the ball up (2nd to none) and we have two amazing story lines. 

These two teams matchup as evenly as can be. For example, Russ Smith and Trey Burke. Both sporadic shot takers at time, can instantaneously take over and win their school a National Title. Hardaway Jr. and Peyton Siva. Both have amazing leadership and will will their to victory. Chane Behanan and Glenn Robinson Jr. Both slash the lane but have the ability to stretch the floor. 

Louisville has the edge in the experience department. Michigan has 5 Freshamn in their rotation, a Sophomore, a Junior, and a Senior (see above-Jordan Morgan). Louisville went to the Final Four last year and have plenty of Senior leadership. While people say experience doesn't really matter, check Louisville vs. Michigan's free throw shooting down the stretch. 

With the equality of both these teams, I am waffling a ton on my pick. I picked the Cardinals pre-season (I'm impressed with myself) but my favorite College Basketball team happens to be Michigan. Seeing both teams in action this weekend, I can't point out one thing that will separate one from the other.

With ALL this being said, I'm going with the...Wolverines...no Cardinals... tie?...OK

Michigan Wolverines!!!

I think the difference in the game is Mitch McGary down low and Trey Burke being the best player in the Nation. 


Wolverines-67
Cardinals-66

The Final Four is set! Early predictions

The extended tournament weekend started out excellent with another Ohio State buzzer beater, Syracuse's stifling defense taking down Number 1 Indiana, and Trey Burke and Michigan's improbable comeback. If you missed any of those games you truly missed out because the Regional Finals were a bit of a disappointment. I'll explain below.

Louisville vs. Duke

Louisville celebrating their Final Four berth. Pay tribute to teammate Kevin Ware.

Probably the most compelling Regional Final matchup in the past decade. Coach K against Pitino, Louisville vs Duke two perennial power houses, Siva and Smith against Seth Curry and his team of sharp shooters. The game started off with great energy but then it went all down hill after Kevin Ware's injury. If you didn't see this you don't want to. Ware suffered a compound fracture in his leg on an attempted blocked shot. Thankfully his surgery was successful and he has made the trip to Atlanta to be with the team. After the injury, Louisville went on to dominate the 2nd half and won the game by 23 points. Great game on paper, not so much on the court.

Michigan vs. Florida

Nik Stauskas after one of his 6 three pointers.

If your a Michigan fan like myself, you actually enjoyed watching the Wolverines beat down on Florida. But for the rest of the nation, this was just another blowout in the Elite 8. Michigan got off to a 13-0 start and never looked back. The Gators once again fell in the Elite 8 and can't seem to get over the hump since their Titles in '05 and '06. Trey Burke earned POY honors on Friday against Kansas thanks to his domination in the 2nd half as Canadian Nik Stauskas stole the show on Sunday in a punishing performance against Florida.

Syracuse vs. Marquette

Syracuse celebrating their first Final Four berth since 2003
when they won it all with Freshman Carmelo Anthony

If your an old-timer you probably enjoyed this game. Syracuse's 2-3 zone defense embarrassed Marquette on Thursday night. Being in the Big East, you would expect the Golden Eagles to have some sort of clue of how to perform against the zone but they showed no signs of that. They were terrible shooting 28% from the field. To show their offensive struggles note that the Golden Eagles accounted for 39 points in the game while Michigan put up 47 in the first half. Marquette bad, Syracuse good.

Wichita State vs. Ohio State

In what was probably the most exciting game of the Elite 8, Wichita State continued their run as Cinderella. Leading by 20 points at one point, the Shockers almost gave the game away. The Buckeyes got back in the game by pressuring an inexperienced Wichita squad. At one point, the Shockers went 14 possessions with only 1 Field Goal. With about 3 minutes to go, OSU had cut the lead to 3 when, and this bothers me, they called off the pressure. Ohio State had cut the lead down by 17 points with constant pressure but when they finally made it one possession they stop pressuring. This let the Shockers who two enormous shot. One by Teleke Cotton a clutch 3 and then a fall away jumper by the Freshman VanVleet which closed the game for the Shockers. I think Ohio State is going to regret those last 3 minutes as they were a great matchup with Louisville. 

Now, here is my analysis of the Final Four games and my predictions.

The early game tips off at 6:09 ET between Louisville and Wichita State.

Peyton Siva (left) and Russ Smith (right) are the most dominant
duo in the entire nation right now.

While many people though Ohio state would blow out Wichita State, myself included, I honestly believe this is an extremely lopsided matchup. If you read above, which I hope you did, Wichita State started to turn the ball over when they faced some defensive pressure. Now look what they have ahead of them. Besides maybe VCU, Louisville is the best defensive team at forcing turnovers. They also have the ability to speed you up and play their up tempo style of Basketball. Louisville will cruise to the Title game with Kevin Ware heavy in their hearts.

Louisville 78

Wichita State 65

Now for the more intriguing game. Syracuse's 2-3 zone vs. Michigan's sharp shooters.

Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Wolverines to their
first Final Four berth since the Fab 5 in 1993.

If you remember back to midway through the College Basketball season both these teams at one point reigned atop the College Basketball world. While both teams struggled, Michigan deemed too young and Syracuse struggled offensively, both these squads should not have been surprising picks. For Michigan it's the emergence of Freshman Mitch McGary who gives the Wolverines an inside presence and for Syracuse it's the stifling 2-3 zone. The Cuse' defense has caused more turnovers than they've allowed field goals, that stat tells a lot. With that being said, Michigan matches up very well with the Cuse. Michigan poses outside threats Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Nik Stauskas. If the Wolverines are hot from beyond the arc, Syracuse has absolutely no chance. Yet, if they are not, Syracuse has a great chance of advancing to a rematch of the Big East Championship game. This Syracuse team is more physical than Michigan and poses a ton of matchup problems. Almost every player in the Syracuse starting line up will be a few inches taller than their respective Michigan matchup. The key to this game will be whether Michigan shoots well from outside or whether Syracuse controls the game down low. I give the edge to the Wolverines but not by much.

Michigan 60

Syracuse 58

My title game pick will come later in the week, so keep checking back!!

Who Impressed and Who did not Impress this March Madness Weekend

Today, Sportacular Sports looks at who left the Round of 32 with a positive impression versus the others who left not looking so hot. 

Impressive
1. Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 

Sherwood Brown-The Eagle's lovable Senior

This is the obvious pick for who impressed this weekend. The Eagles from Florida became the first 15 seed to ever advance to the Sweet 16 in their impressive 81-71 win over San Diego State. If you have been in a cave, FGCU also defeated Otto Porter and the #2 seeded Georgetown Hoyas on Friday. Their's not much to say about the Eagles except their so easy to love. Who doesn't love the Cinderella story and to augment to their amiable story is the fact that they are having so much fan. You constantly see the players soaking up the experience whether it be shaking hands with the Broadcast teams or dancing around in the locker room. If you aren't rooting for the Eagles, you're probably a SDSU or Georgetown fan but even in that case you've got to respect this truly unbelievable story.

Trey Burke-Sophomore Guard-Naismith Award Finalist

2. Michigan Wolverines
After I put Michigan on upset alert a few days ago, the Wolverines now find themselves on my impressed list. Michigan had a solid performance against South Dakota State on Thursday but came away as major impressers after the game against VCU. The Rams turned teams over the most in the nation at 20 times per game, while the Wolverines turned the ball over the least amount of times at 9.0. When you see this matchup, you know something's got to give. Unfortunately for Rams fans, it was their defense. The Wolverines dominated in a 78-53 win in which they only turned the ball over 12 times and were never in grave danger of losing. Even more impressive than their win, is the importance of this game. A Blue-collar Freshmen named Mitch McGary may have had his official coming out party. McGary went 10-11 for 21 points and added 14 rebounds in an excellent performance. The reason Michigan has had so many doubters is their lack of an inside presence. While this was only 1 game, if McGary plays with consistent efficiency the Wolverines have an excellent chance of knocking off the top seeded Jayhawks in the Sweet 16.

3. Close calls 

Aaron Craft's Game Winner to send the Buckeyes to the Sweet 16

While Indiana barely escaped Temple, Ohio State needed a bogus call, Miami some clutch free throw shooting, and Marquette yet another escape, what impressed me about all these teams were their ability to win tight games. In every championship run, a team must win a game they had no business in winning and I believe all of these teams may have just done that. Indiana closed out Temple on a 10-0 run in a game they could have easily lost. While people may think teams like Indiana should crush a team like this, it's the tournament and their are no easy games come the weekend. For Ohio State, even though it took a questionable call (see Bad impressions), Ohio State found away and that's what it's all about come March. While Miami got a great battle from Illinois, they showed that the pressures of the NCAA Tournament won't be getting to them down the stretch. While Illinois fell victim to a bad call as well, Miami never gave the Illini a chance to tie or take the lead in the final minute nailing all 6 of their FT attempts. Finally, my Final Four pick, Marquette, once again got my heart beating in my favorite game of the weekend. The Butler and Marquette game was just a great game that Marquette found a way to win for the second straight game. Marquette won't be able to win 6 games by less than 3 points but they've shown their ability to win in tight situations.

Considered- Louisville (Blowout performance, playing like the Number 1 overall seed) La Salle (Game winner against a feisty Ole Miss team- 13th seed to the Sweet 16)

Not Impressive 

Missed Call on Aaron Craft-But really, they're supposed to get this call?

1. I do not want to take away from both the great Ohio State-Iowa State and Miami-Illinois game but for a moment I want to talk about the refereeing. In both games, the call ultimately cost ISU and Illinois the game but to your surprise I'm more upset about the Illinois call. If you were still in your cave, Aaron Craft from Ohio State took a charge with under a minute to play which should have been an And-1 pushing the Cyclone lead to 4 or possibly 5. I am not upset at the refs for this call. The play is happening so fast and Craft is literally 2 inches over the restricted area. While the NCAA has admitted the wrong call was made, that's the toughest call of the weekend and I'd say 9 refs out of 10 call that a charge. Now for the Illinois game. This points towards the NCAA Rules Comittee. With under 30 seconds to play, Illinois trailed by 2 and missed a shot but on the rebound, a Hurricane player (Kenny Kadji) clearly knocked the ball out of bounds. While it was another bang-bang play, it was seen clearly on replay. With that being said, why can't the officials go to the monitors with under 2 minutes to play. While we all know one play doesn't determine a game, why can't we get that call right and not knock Illinois out of the tournament. Unfortunate for both teams, but I honestly believe one of these issues could be fixed. 

2. Ben McLemore-Kansas 
A projected NBA lottery pick (top 5), Big 12 player of the year, and top Freshman in the nation, Ben McLemore did not show up against North Carolina on Sunday. McLemore shot 0-9 from the field and his 2 points came from the Free Throw strike not to mention his mere 2 assists. While the Jayhawks advanced, is it possible that the Freshman superstar is afraid of the spotlights. In a poor team performance against 16th seeded Western Kentucky, McLemore shot 2-5 from the field and got most of his points from the FT line. He scored only 11, 5 points below his season average. If McLemore is the superstar that all the NBA scouts believe he is, he better put on a strong showing against an undersized Michigan size.

Considerations- MWC (only 1 of 5 teams made it to the Sweet 16), VCU (got clobbered by Michigan)

Round of 64-Upset Alert-Thursday-March Madness-NCAA Tournament

The Round of 64 begins tomorrow, March 21st. In it contains 16 of the 32 games played in the Round of 64. With that being said Sportacular Sports breaks down all the possible upsets and why.

Beginning with Louisville and Gonzaga, we will assume they are safe as 16 seeds are 0-112 against Number 1 seeds. 

After that, I would say any game could be on Upset Alert. No #2 seeds are participating in the festivities on Thursday therefore Upsets are bound to happen. 

I have heard analysts throw out names like Montana over Syracuse or Davidson over Marquette but I believe the NCAA tournament is relying heavy on Coaching and backcourt play (Point guards).
Therefore, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and Marquette's under rated head coach Buzz Williams should be able to coach their teams to victory. 

Another team I've heard under Upset Alert would be Butler against Bucknell. Bucknell's star player is Mike Muscala who plays under the basket. While he may be an underrated big man, Butler truly does well in the postseason and don't see this trend stopping this year.

A team that hasn't been mentioned on upset alert that contains a strong backcourt and excellent head coach is Michigan State. They face the #14 seeded Valparaiso who they should have no trouble handling.


With that being said, I see a ton of potential upsets on the slate for Thursday.

The College Basketball season has been madness already and to think that this trend would come to an end would be silly. 

8 vs. 9 games will also not be counted because I don't believe they are truly upsets.

Sorry for the long introduction, now we get down to business.

1.South Dakota State vs Michigan (13-4) 
Michigan started off the season with a bang and eventually obtained the #1 ranking in the nation. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, they are trending in the wrong direction. While their season did not spiral out of control like the 2010 Texas Longhorns, the Wolverines did not finish with momentum. With that being said, Michigan still has a National POY candidate in Trey Burke. But on the other side for the Jack Rabbits, South Dakota State has 6 4' guard Nate Wolters. Wolters is a tough guard who puts the ball in the basket. South Dakota State has experience in the tournament (appeared last year) and Michigan is a young team. Michigan fell in the first round last year and their coach, John Belein, only has an 8-7 career record in the NCAA tournament. My alert level would be low but don't be surprised.

2. Belmont Bruins vs. Arizona Wildcats (11-6)
My alert level would be at a medium for this matchup. Arizona was another team that began the season undefeated and entered the top 5 ranking at one point. They have excellent players in Solomon Hill and Mark Lyons but the Wildcats are inconsistent. On the other hand, Belmont has tournament experience which is very important come March. They also have a Senior Guard in Ian Clark who average 18 points per game. Arizona very well could breeze through this Belmont team and then beat New Mexico two days later. But, don't be shocked if it's this Belmont team that is defeating Arizona and New Mexico in a span of 3 days.

3. California Golden Bears vs. UNLV Runnin' Rebels (12-5)
UNLV might be in trouble. The Runnin' Rebels reign from the MWC (Moutain West) which has low success in the Big Dance. To augment to the conference's low success level is my disbelief in highly ranked mid major teams. I've never seen a team from a mid major seeded top 5 go very far in the tournament. For some reason, those schools are always the Cinderellas never the favorites. Another reason I don't like St. Louis, New Mexico, or this UNLV team. But in this instance, it is more what I like about Cal than what I don't like about UNLV. If you've never heard of Allen Crabbe and Justin Cobb you will be hearing their names tomorrow night. Crabbe and Cobb are the backcourt for the Bears and combine for 33 points per game. Not only do I think they'll run past the Rebels (no pun intended) but I think they'll shoot the lights out against Syracuse's zone two days later and advance to the Sweet 16. 

Thanks for reading my Upset Alert picks. Leave your comments below.

NFL Trades

Free agency has officially begun but the bigger news has come by way of the trade. As you probably know Percy Harvin was sent to Seattle and Anquan Boldin was traded to rival San Francisco. Sportacular Sports takes an in depth look at the trades.

Percy Harvin-WR (Minnesota to Seattle)
Star running back and now former teammate, Adrian Peterson tweeted: "The best all around player I ever seen or you'll ever see! Goes to Seattle! I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach. Several times!!!"
To hear the League MVP say those words about another player validates the claim that Percy is a great player. Percy Harvin brings great value as be is an excellent slot receiver in a league that lacks that position. To augment to his value, he is capable of returning punts and kickoffs at a high rate. Even more special is his running ability out of the backfield. To say the least, Harvin is not a one trick pony. Harvin is going to join an already special team. Seattle's defense is stifling and their offense is loaded with talent. Imagine Russel Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, and Percy Harvin lining up in the backfield and tell me defenses won't be cringing. Then flank him out wide with Doug Baldwin and you'll see a much improved passing offense than the 27th ranked team last year. Agreeing with Vegas, this takes the Hawks to the top of the NFL as lead contenders.

Anquan Boldin-WR (Baltimore to San Francisco)
Even Anquan Boldin was surprised by this trade (as reported by ESPN). Q as they like"d" to call him in Baltimore is heading off to the Bay Area to play for another Harbaugh. Jim this time. After Boldin's comments that if the Ravens released him he would retire a Raven, Baltimore asked Anquan to take a pay cut and stick with the team. But Boldin was having none of it. It is true that the Ravens could have kept him but that would have meant letting Paul Kruger, Danelle Ellerbee, and Ed Reed into free agency. Baltimore needs to get younger and not retain older players like Q.
The major uproar of the trade came when Baltimore fans found out that they were receiving only a 6th round pick for them top Wide Receiver. After Minnesota got a 1st founder why was Baltimore only getting a 6th? The reason why, the Ravens just wanted something. Ultimately, Baltimore was going to cut Boldin so to get a 6th was just extra. The Super Bowl Champs cut 6$ million off their cap to clear space for the aforementioned free agents.
What does this mean for San Fran? Once again, agreeing with Vegas, the Niners are co-favorites with Seattle to win the 2014 Super Bowl. Both these teams have young, stud Quarterbacks and unbelievable defenses. Anquan will bring sure hands and excellent leadership to a young offense.

Who will be better?
My early pick is San Fran because of their SB47 appearance but who knows. These teams replicate each other in amazing ways. All I know is these trades make a playoff team and SB contender even better. A scary thought for the rest of the NFL