Carolina Panthers Spoiled For Choice at #1

The moment I heard the new head coach of the Carolina Panthers Ron Rivera speak at his introductory press conference, I knew we were on to a winner. I know that sounds strange, but it is how I feel. Normally you can almost mouth the words a head coach says along with them because, let's face it, we've heard it all before. In Rivera's case, it was less about what he said and more about how he said it.

Confidently, with conviction and belief.

We are going to turn this ship around for the better.

That was the message I got from the press conference. Slowly but surely, Rivera's coaching staff is beginning to come together. Offensively, Rivera hired former San Diego buddy Rob Chudzinski who not only played tight end in college, but also coached some of the best tight ends the NFL has seen in recent years in Kellen Winslow and the inimitable Antonio Gates. Chudzinski's philosophy revolves around the vertical passing game, something that the Carolina offense lacked (or simply couldn't execute) in what was the poorest offensive year in the franchise's history last season.

Sean McDermott, after being abruptly dismissed by the Eagles brass, was offered the position of defensive coordinator in Carolina. This hire definitely got my attention. Rivera preaches a strong defensive mentality which employs aggressive, attacking defensive schemes. He has coached both 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, and while he claims that the Panthers' 4-3 scheme will remain in place, including some 3-4 looks would certainly make things more difficult for opposing offenses on game day. McDermott meshes perfectly with Rivera philosophically and should be a good fit on this coaching staff.

We can jabber on about which coaches have been hired all day and what their potential effect will be on this young team, but ultimately it rests on the player's shoulders to win games on the field. The first big decision facing this new staff and GM Marty Hurney is the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. After the unfortunate news of Andrew Luck opting to return to Stanford instead of declaring for the draft as a redshirt sophomore, the Panthers organisation have been forced to reshuffle their deck and a previous comment by owner Jerry Richardson intimating that Carolina would not trade down from the #1 pick is now moot.

The good news is that the number of impact players on both sides of the football is plentiful in this draft, aided by a strong group of underclassmen. Here are a few of the players that Carolina could consider taking #1 overall.

CB Patrick Peterson, LSU

LSU's Patrick Peterson is rated by many scouts as the best player from a talent standpoint in this draft. The Panthers held interviews with Peterson at the Senior Bowl a few days ago and should have a keen interest in this very charismatic playmaker from the CB position. Peterson isn't as legitimate a shutdown corner as his fellow 2011 draftee and likely top 10 pick Prince Amukamara, but the kind of return ability and athleticism offered by Peterson in all facets of the game is tough to pass up on. Some may argue that our interest in him is just covering all the bases, but with Richard Marshall more than likely heading out of town and Captain Munnerlyn suited to more of a nickel corner role, Peterson could be the perfect compliment and eventual replacement for Chris Gamble.

DT Nick Fairley, Auburn

The "fairley good" pun has been made far too many times for my liking, but let's just say I wouldn't get tired of hearing this guy's name mentioned in Carolina for the next ten years. Nick Fairley is a defensive lineman who simply takes over football games. Some scouts criticise him for getting too high and losing his leverage at the point of attack, but that is only a minor concern. Fairley, like Ndamukong Suh, is a difference maker from the interior defensive line. The Panthers have lacked a presence of his caliber for a long, long time. Defensive tackle is probably, besides QB, the biggest need the team has. Of course, need shouldn't dictate who you pick #1 overall, but in this case an exception may have to be made. Fairley has all the hype right now after a dominating game in the National Championship against Oregon. I have never come away from an Auburn game without being thoroughly impressed by what I saw from him.

DT Marcell Dareus, Alabama

Marcell Dareus is another player who can make a difference from the interior defensive line. He has scheme versatility and was coached by one of the great defensive minds in football, Nick Saban. Another feather in his cap is that he had the dominant college career he had in the SEC playing 3-4 defensive end for the most part. Dareus is all man and wreaks havoc on seemingly every play. His presence alone dictates to the offense which way they have to scheme their blocks, motion and run their plays. That is exactly the kind of player we desperately need on our defensive front. One thing that stands in Dareus' favour right now is his lack of any character issues unlike Fairley, who has had some immaturity issues in the past. Fairley's past is nothing to be overly concerned with, but I give Dareus the slight edge right now and I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear his name called first by Roger Goodell when April 28th comes around.

WR A.J. Green, Georgia
A.J. Green doesn't strike you as an all-world talent at wide receiver when you first lay eyes on him. He appears skinny, frail and more like a beanpole than a pass catcher. Turn on the tape and you see just how unbelievable a talent he is. I am disappointed to say that I have only been able to watch Green play two or three games this season, but I came away impressed every time. Green has legitimate ability to take over a game and can be a No. 1 target in the NFL. Wide receivers have a high bust rate in the NFL, but Green has been lauded by scouts as the surest thing at wideout since Calvin Johnson. The Panthers need playmakers on the offensive side and offense is definitely the problem of the team. Steve Smith won't be around forever and if the CBA gets a quick resolution then we could see Smitty going packing. From that point of view, the pick makes perfect sense. However, I would like to see the Panthers trade down a couple of spots to take Green. I think we could still select him #3 overall. He would be a very exciting talent to have on our roster, but it is the QB position that needs addressing first, otherwise why have the ammo if you ain't got the gun?

These four players are my choices for the most likely selections for the Carolina Panthers at #1 overall based on everything I know about my team and their tendencies on draft day. Some tendencies will be broken with a new coaching staff, but some will remain the same. I just hope Hurney doesn't trade away any more future picks. We could really use that #33 pick right now.

Whatever happens, it will be a very exciting lead up to the NFL Draft and I think the mystery surrounding who we pick will be one of the more anticipated ones in our draft history. You may notice I didn't mention a QB above. I think Rivera will bring in a veteran presence. I don't know who yet, but Clausen needs some mentoring this offseason. I don't doubt Clausen's work ethic for a second; he just needs more time to develop and learn.

Thank you for reading!

Movie Review: Black Swan

I'm just back from the cinema where I took in the new movie "Black Swan" starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. Here are my thoughts on the film.

Prior to leaving for the movie tonight, I went to the old reliable amongst movie review sites. That's right, I enlisted the knowledge of RottenTomatoes.com. In case you haven't heard of it, RT is a place for movie enthusiasts and movie critics alike to share their insights. It covers almost every piece of cinema ever created and is definitely the place to be for up to the minute news and reviews of the world of film.

Black Swan scored 88% i.e. not too shabby and actually quite good. A good friend of mine has a rule that he follows closely: If Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie 70% or over, then you have to see it. End of story.

I did exactly that.

Black Swan (or is it "The Black Swan"... or is it even important?) is labeled a psychological thriller and I believe it fit that bill quite well. I won't claim to be a movie connaisseur who can tell you all about the very best thrillers of all time because, quite frankly, I haven't seen many. I like to think I have a wide knowledge of cinema and the genres that are contained therein, but this movie made me reconsider my stance.

From the beginning, the movie draws you in to the dark and disturbed world of professional ballet through the eyes of protagonist Nina (Natalie Portman). Now, we're not talking girls between the ages of ten and sixteen looking at themselves in the mirror and twirling, only to be floored with gleeful applause from their way too enthusiastic parents. No, no. We're talking hardcore competitive girls in their mid twenties looking to make it in this cutthroat business. It's about stage shows. It's about making your mark.

Above all, it's about being perfect in the eyes of the audience, a point I will touch on later.

Hint: the italics mean it's significant.

I've only seen Natalie Portman before in supporting roles, the worst of which was the terribly written Star Wars Episodes I through III, but let's not get into that. In this, one of her first true lead roles, she was simply fantastic from start to finish. Portman's character endures a struggle within herself and her own psyche to live up to the expectations of the choreographer of the show and her boss, Thomas. It is how she sells the internal battle that grabbed me. I have never seen her pull off such an emotional role before, and it was quite impressive to watch.

In watching this movie initially, or perhaps even before you even go, you may have the incorrect impression that this will be a rather uninventive "girly" film just because you associate ballet with femininity. That couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, you are taken on the journey of Portman's character and feel the pain she feels, go through the same hallucinations and get a sneak peek into her disturbed world. There is no spoonfeeding for you in this movie - it is simply raw, passionate acting at its best.

More than anything else, this movie tells a compelling story of how the search for perfection in life is often a fruitless one fraught with peril and inevitably, heartbreak or worse. Portman's character learns this the hard way in the dancing business which, although glamorous and sparkly on the outside reeks of backstabbing, countless hours of labour and a lack of wholeness in life. Like all good films, it takes you on a whirlwind of a journey that you won't soon forget.

Ladies and gentlemen, my scores are in...

8.9/10

Black Swan was a terrific piece of cinema that I would recommend to anyone. It keeps you entertained throughout and also challenges you to empathise with this Nina character in her search for the perfect performance as the Swan Queen. I won't go into any details to spoil the movie. Just go to a showing. You won't regret it.

Boogie Night for Dave

What was supposed to be a quiet night in on the sofa probably playing a bit too much Call of Duty: Black Ops turned into an evening of entertainment courtesy of the Strictly Come Dancing live tour. Held in the O2 here in Dublin, I actually bought two tickets for my parents as a Christmas present. When the day finally arrived and I had no plans to speak of, they kindly asked me to come along. I figured, what the hell. I wasn't exactly going to be having a riveting time at home alone.

Well, I'll tell you something folks: it turned out to be one of the most entertaining shows I've ever been to. Going to see Chicago in the West End of London was a treat, but this show tonight was something special. The arena was buzzing with somewhere in the region of 9,500 fans of the fancy footwork displays on show from both the professional dancers and the celebrities, all of whom could be called veterans of the dancefloor after several months of intense training courtesy of their professional courterparts.

The show itself lasted about two and a half hours, with Zoe Ball hosting the event. I must say, Ms. Ball (or is it Mrs. Ball?) looked rather lovely although her sparkling dresses - she changed her dress at least a couple of times - were slightly blinding at times. I'm no dancing expert, but it's the kind of show that is easy to enjoy to those with an untrained eye. Entertainment was the name of the game, with contestants continuously commenting on how amazing the crowd here in Dublin was. Sometimes it's hard to know where sincerity ends and playing to the audience begins. Nevertheless, I can't take anything away from them after all the hard work that went into putting on such a great spectacle.

A favourite of mine is Aliona Vilani, a hot Russian seductress who has basically a perfect body. Seriously, I couldn't design a woman better. And you know, that segues nicely into my next point. The glitz and glamour of the dancing is what the women go for, but for us red blooded males it's all about the ladies. Oh yes, gentlemen. If you want to get involved with a hot chica, look no further than dance classes. I know not every woman you dance with is going to be a looker, but the crew on this tour were all hotties. Aliona is the highlight for me, and here is a picture of her to convince you of my point.

Just awesome, isn't she? (Forgot that guy with her...)

Anyway, it was a simply magnificent night that both my parents thoroughly enjoyed. It kind of makes me want to try this whole dancing thing, but then I remember I have no money and no job and hence taking on new hobbies is a tad difficult.

I'm hoping to apply for the diploma in Sports Journalism at the Independent Colleges in the city centre. That will knock me back a good €900 but I think it'll be worth it, to be honest. You have to get your feet wet in the industry before you can fully commit to it. My path isn't yet determined, but I'm confident that with hard work and dedication - like these dancers showed tonight for the adoring audience - I'll find my niche in this thing we call life and be happy.

After all, being happy is what life is all about. So go now, my readers, and smile. The next stranger you see in the street, shoot them your pearly whites (make sure you've brushed!). I hope you've enjoyed reading about my boogie night experience.

Super Bowl XLV, Life Lessons and Job Hunts

Welcome back to the blog.

We're going to take the blog many directions today. You might say it's going to be a chameleon blog. Since my last entry there have been several interesting developments in my life, none of which incidentally are getting a job. How unfortunate... We start the blog as always with the latest from the world of pro football, quite possibly (ah, let's be honest, definitely) my favourite thing in the whole world.

1. Football News

The 45th Super Bowl is set at last, and man does it look like a tantalising one. The Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers will contest it. Both teams had very different paths to the dance, the Packers having the tougher road. Green Bay defeated three pretty good football teams (Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago) on the road and made it look comfortable for the most part. Pittsburgh just did what they always do. Success is in their blood. They defeated arch rivals Baltimore and budding rivals New York Jets to reach Dallas.

I want to devote a paragraph to a guy many of you know as Aaron Rodgers because... well, it's his name. Look, Rodgers has had his critics over the past few years since taking over as starter from perhaps the biggest shadow in sports history, Brett "Do Me a Favour" Favre. He had to sit and be patient for a time, but GM Ted Thompson knew what he had in Rodgers and anointed him the starter. It took the former Cal Bear some time, but he has taken the Pack to the Super Bowl after three seasons as a starter. Rodgers will go to more big games, people. He has it in his blood. His performance against Atlanta was simply incredible. He sliced up the Atlanta defense like a surgeon. The game against Chicago wasn't as convincing, but the Bears offense gave the Pack little to be concerned about even when Jay Cutler was in the game.

Let's just say I have a very good feeling about Green Bay in the Super Bowl. I'll have more thoughts on the game as the date approaches, but for now I think we all need to bow down to the greatness that is Aaron Rodgers.

2. The Job Front

The job front is quiet right now. I find that with these things you just have to approach it with the right attitude and then things will flow from there. I went down to a local shopping center today to submit some CVs. Some shops simply didn't take them. In a lot of cases, no staff can be hired because of the current economic climate. I won't claim to understand the nuances of running a country, but clearly we as a nation took some terrible missteps along the way. It will take time to get out of the mess we made ourselves - something I like to compare to soiling sheets in a bed - but we will do it. We may be a little reckless at times, but we're a resilient people.

I'm starting to consider other options, like perhaps doing a Masters here in Dublin. My best friend has managed to secure a Masters that he thinks he will enjoy. I need to find something I will enjoy. That is the great challenge. Until I have more to say on this issue, I'll leave it at that. It goes without saying that I have a long road ahead of me.

3. Life Lessons with Dave

Remember that even when things are difficult, keeping your life in perspective is the most important thing to do. Assignments? No problem. Missed a bus? Come on, quit whining. No credit? It could be a lot worse.

That's kind of my phrase - "It could be a lot worse". I know it appears to a rather general statement, but I believe it and it is all part of my positive makeup as a person. And that is why I will not let this job search get me down, I will rise to the occasion and do the absolute best I can.

Fantasy Football: My Dynasties Year In Review

At 0:00 in the Minnesota/Philadelphia game last night, the first NFL game to be played on a Tuesday night in forever, the fantasy football season came to an end. Some owners rejoiced, others bemoaned their pre-kickoff decisions over who to start and some just didn't notice, having been out of contention for weeks. The end of the fantasy season brings with it many things - chief among those being hope for next year if you were unsuccessful in winning your league, or if you did win then simply determination to repeat the feat.

Either way, it has been a memorable fantasy football season for me because I just enjoy the hobby so much. Like real football, it is unpredictable and exciting. What follows are my thoughts on my three dynasty teams in 2010.

SCHNOCKERED DYNASTY
Team Name: The Sofa King Awesomes
Team Record: 2-12

My hope was to follow up my 5-9 season in 2009 with a better season in 2010 in this league, but in truth the moves I made in the offseason pretty much guaranteed that wouldn't happen. I would say this is the league where I've made the most mistakes, but I've definitely learned from them. 2010 was a step backward in terms of record, but in terms of my overall team quality I think I've improved.

At QB, Matt Ryan is the unquestioned QB1 and has scored a solid 287 points for me this year. I spent a high enough draft pick on Ryan in the startup draft in summer 2009 and this looks like it will pay off. The backup situation is dicy, and perhaps I should address that in the offseason by trading a low round draft pick, but QB's become available during the season all the time and Ryan rarely gets hurt. My stash at QB is Matt Flynn, the promising Green Bay Packer with a ton of upside and someone who I feel will be a valuable asset to have for the future.

Running back is the Achilles heel of the roster without a doubt. With only Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, Brandon Jackson, Tyrell Sutton and Brian Westbrook, this is an area of my team that needs a lot of upgrading. Enter a top 6 draft pick in the first round next year along with a pair of 2nd rounders and four 3rd rounders and I should have a decent chance to grab a couple of promising backs. My draft last year in retrospect was actually quite solid. The trade I made to acquire the 1.09 pick resulted in Jermaine Gresham who has come on strong these past few weeks. I also took Demaryius Thomas with the 1.12 pick and Arrelious Benn in the 2nd. I am going to be aggressive in the 2011 rookie draft and go after the players I like in a "win now" sort of mode.

As far as my wideouts, I am feeling really good about the future. In fact, this may be one of the best WR corps I've assembled in any of my leagues in a while. Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Smith (NYG) are my top two options, but besides them I have a great core of youth. Demaryius Thomas, Arrelious Benn, Jacoby Ford, Emmanuel Sanders, Andre Caldwell and Seyi Ajirotutu. This is a great group of young WRs who I have a lot of hope for. Youth is on my side at this position. Oh, and did I mention I have speedster Donnie Avery stashed away on IR too?

At TE, I picked up John Carlson after someone lost patience with him and dropped him recently enough. I think Carlson can be a good TE much in the same vein as Brent Celek in the right situation. Perhaps the guy I'm most pleased about is Tennessee TE Jared Cook, a physical freak like Jermichael Finley who has gotten his opportunity to start the past few games of this season and had some great games. If Cook can get it all together, he can be a breakout star next year. My starter at the position going forward will be Jermaine Gresham, but I've got plenty of options here for the long haul. I'm cutting Todd Heap this week as I don't see him playing a role in my long term championship aspirations.

Since this is a league without the wonder of IDP, that's the end of my roster assessment for Schnockered Dynasty for 2010. It's been disappointing to lose 12 games, but this may be the catalyst I need to push on and get a great RB and hopefully go from there. I am enjoying the rebuilding project with this roster, and I think if you took a look at the roster a year ago and compared it to the current one, the difference would shock you.

BLACK AND BLUE IDP DYNASTY
Team Name: The Wet Bandits
Team Record: 9-3 (won league championship)

The sweet smell of victory fills my nostrils this morning as I rejoice knowing that I have won my first ever fantasy football championship. In the three week all-play playoff format, I went 8-1 against my rivals and came out as the league champion. I scored over 300 points this week, and as I say "if you get over 300, you'll probably win". I couldn't be happier right now. Even my family is taking an interest in my championship. I have won $325 in cash and a trophy as well. I like getting the cash, but to be honest the trophy is the more exciting prize. I just hope I can get it shipped over here fast.

Instead of going through the team position by position in this league, I'm going to give out awards to some players who really stood out for me on this team. The players who really made that difference that secured me a league title. I'll go through my thoughts on the future of the roster in another blog entry. For now, let's start with the awards.

The Clutch Award for most points scored in Week 16 championship goes to...

RB Matt Forte for his 24.9 point effort.

Most Points Scored: QB Drew Brees (368 points)

Most Valuable Player: DE Justin Tuck (263 points)

Best Rookie: DT Tyson Alualu (140 points)

Best Free Agent Pickup: CB Alterraun Verner (229 points)

Best Future Pickup: LB Jamar Chaney

That's all the awards I have for now. I'm in a state of ecstacy right now about this victory. It's truly awesome. I want to thank everyone at FBG and everyone else who helped me throughout the year. All the time and effort I put into this league was worth it, and it feels good. Trust me, I'll be talking more about this during the offseason.

DYNASTYGUYS IDP CHARTER LEAGUE
Team Name: Puntzilla's Barnstormers
Team Record: 11-4 (#3 seed in playoffs)

Congratulations are in order for Motorboaters (Rob McAngus) for winning the league championship this weekend. Motorboaters were the team who beat me in the playoffs, so it feels better to say I lost to the eventual champion. My commisserations to Greg and Tristan who barely lost out in a tightly fought game.

Some good news about this league is that I'll be joined in it by my best friend John in due course, and to make things even spicier he'll be in my division. Interesting, eh? And John, if you're reading this, you're going down my friend.

I won't go into much detail on this team right now because this blog entry has been quite long already, but I will say that I feel I have a very solid team which can compete for a championship next season and beyond. I'll be looking to better my 11-4 record from 2010 in 2011.

Until next time, stay classy and stay on the defensive.

Fantasy Football: My Dynasties Through Week 15

The end of the season is nigh both in real life and fantasy football. It's sad how quickly the season goes in, but boy do I enjoy every second of it. There's nothing like an NFL Sunday. Absolutely nothing. I look forward to Week 16 as I compete for my first ever fantasy championship in two leagues, one with the possibility of a lot of money coming my way and the other just for pride. The fact that I am in the championship hunt is a nice feeling.

I just want to send a quick shout out to my best friend John Nash who had to suffer his Giants falling to the Eagles after giving up 21 points in eight minutes including a DeSean Jackson punt return TD as time expired. That was one of the most unbelievable losses I've ever witnessed. Don't worry John, your boys will make the playoffs.

SCHNOCKERED DYNASTY
Team Name: The Sofa King Awesomes
Team Record: 2-12

I'm not even going to say much here, other than I played in a consolation game and lost. Look, I'm optimistic for this team long term and I like the players I have. I'm just not quite there yet. Another draft will get me there, especially if I can add a great talent like Ingram or Green in the first round.

BLACK AND BLUE IDP DYNASTY
Team Name: The Wet Bandits
Team Record: 9-3* (* = clinched playoff berth)

So in the all-play format of this league (which I particularly like) I'm now 5-1 after scoring enough points to beat all but one of my opponents in Weeks 14 and 15. I'm disappointed not to be 6-0, but True Grit just scored a lot of points this week. It's very exciting to know that I have a chance to secure my first fantasy football championship. We're discussing the possibility of a trophy in this league too, which would make the winning of the league all the more sweet considering I would also win 325 dollars in cash money. Oh yes, I'm reeeeeeeally looking forward to this week's games. If I better or match the record of True Grit this week, then I am the champion.

Here is how it stands as of now:

Wet Bandits 5-1
True Grit 4-2
Mudville 3-3

So it's basically between myself and TG. Bring it on!!!

Best Performer: TE Jason Witten (35 points)

I have to applaud myself for making a trade in preseason that may just result in winning a championship. I made the trade to get Witten and in the process gave up Jennings and a couple of other players. I got a good package in return, including a 2nd round pick. The funny thing is that I made that trade with True Grit, the only one who stands in my way. Witten's 35 points helped me secure a 2-1 record this week. He has been on fire recently. Great job Jason.

DYNASTYGUYS IDP CHARTER LEAGUE
Team Name: Puntzilla's Barnstormers
Team Record: 11-4 (#3 seed in playoffs)

The good news is that the guy who beat me in the playoffs is in the championship game, so if he wins I won't look so bad. :) Well, all I can say is that I'm happy I could add Jamar Chaney, middle linebacker for the Eagles, before his breakout game this week against NYG. He posted a 12-4 line which is studly and looked good doing it. I'll probably hang on to Chaney long term or sell him to the highest bidder, but LB is not a big strength of mine in this league.

That's all I have to say about this league. I just can't wait to compete next season and get to the title game this time.

Until next time! I hope I have good news to report next week!