Norton Boys Lookin' Good

          The Norton Track teams have shown that they are a strong program that just keeps moving forward each year, but now they just might be the elite team for Winter Track. Norton started off the year facing the supposed number one seed Medfield and beating them 54-32! The Boys have some of the top runners around the league in every event along with great depth to get those much needed third places in meets. Norton has at least one athlete in the top five in every event along with the best 4x400 relay. But more often than not, they have MULTIPLE athletes in the top five in events. At this point in the season, they have two athletes in the top three of the following events: high jump(1&2), 55m dash(2&3), 55m hurdles(1&2), and the 300m(2&3). This shows that the boys are not only ready to win the league, but to also win the Norton team's first TVL Championship Meet in history. They are following in the footsteps of the undefeated TVL Champion XC team and look to continue Norton's undefeated streak through this season and into the next. Coach Taylor could not be anymore proud with his hardworking group of athletes that solidify the Norton program as one of the best around and him as the best coach in the TVL. Norton2013-14= 27-0

Hall Of Patriots Reflection

          What could be more exciting than getting out of school to go tour the highly esteemed Hall Of Patriots? How about also meeting an actual player and interviewing him! This once in a life time oppertunity was brought upon by a school field trip for my Sports Reading and Writing class. Since the class is all about sports and writing articles, going to the Hall for a field trip to interview a Patriot was perfect for the class. We started off the tour on the second floor and were told of the history of the Patriots and the start of the Craft Era. Then, we got to look around on our own and examine all the famous memorabilia. Next, we were brought to a private theatre to see a screening of the Hall's short film on how impactful the Patriots have been to the area. Lastly, we were given an exclusive chance to sit down and interview LB Steve Beauharais with Romeo from Kiss 108! We asked him everything we wanted to know including his role models and favorite music. After the interview, our picture was taken with him, we wished him good luck, and then we were on our way back to school. Or were we? It was already past lunch time, so we were "forced" to go to Five Guys. It was a wonderful way to end an amazing day!

Nick Foles a future Elite?

     Nick Foles has shown that he can score, he can win, he can throw, and he can run but does this make him an Elite? At this point, most would say its a no, but only time will tell. Foles is in his second season in the NFL and has show great improvement since last year. He had around 1,700 yards, 6 TDs, and 5 INTs last year earning just over a 79 QB rating which is not the stats of a franchise or Elite QB. But this year, Foles already has 1,500 yards, 16 TDs, 0 INTs, and an amazing QB rating of 128. Foles has also won his first three starts that were all away to put the Eagles on top of the NFC east. Now, the question at hand is whether or not he is just having a good season or if he is truly that talented.
     He could not be doing this well if he was just lucky so therefore he must be highly talented. Foles is silently dominating the league at the QB position. He is currently the most efficient QB and his rating is actually better than Peyton Mannings whose is 118.3. He is also consistent and has only been under a 100 rating once this year. Oh, did i mention that he also leads the league in yards per attempt, on track to be forth highest in history, and can run the ball? But if these stats aren't good enough(or the fact that he had a 7TD game without an INT) then lets compare him to the current Elite QBs. 
       Foles has more touchdown passes and less INTs this season than Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, RG3, Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick, and Eli Manning with fewer attempts than they have completions! Okay now let's keep pretending Eli is an Elite QB so i can include this next statistic: if Foles threw all INTs in his next 26 attempts then his QB rating would still be higher than ELI's! If anyone considers Eli an Elite then they must consider Foles a God. Foles also managed to beat RG3, who is known as the best rushing QB in the NFL today, in rushing yards during their head to head game. What else can Foles do to show he is an Elite?
        As long as Foles stays as good as he has been on an off day of his as of late, or better, then he will be considered an Elite QB. Also, winning a Superbowl couldn't hurt his chances. To conclude, Nick Foles is the future franchise QB of the Philadelphia Eagles and if is not already considered an Elite QB, then he will be! 

Fantasy Football: Players on the Rise

Zac Stacy( St. Louis RB)- Unlike most RBs in Fantasy, Stacey is consistent in earning a good amount of points every week and has the occasional big game, 29.8 Points in Week 9. He may not be bringing in an absurd number of points each week, but he is reliable in earning at least low-teens for points every week and would make a great addition to almost any team. 

Rob Gronkowski (New England TE)- Gronk is back! The top TE from last year is starting to play like his old self again and will regain his role as long as he stays healthy. Considering that there are very few TEs that can put up big points in any week, Gronk is a player worth getting despite his risk of injury unless you have Jimmy Graham or Julius Thomas. Gronk earned over 19 points in Week 9 before going on a BYE week and will return ready for another big game.

Percy Harvin (Seattle WR)- Harvin is returning soon was talked about only recently, so he still may be availiable to pick up in many leagues and should help those looking to find a solid WR. He was a top WR last year and anyone without great WR should pick him up because very few WRs are consistently gaining large amounts of points and Percy is likely to become one of them. He is said to be returning this week and projected in the low teens for points against the Vikings. He would be very much worth the risk as a flex or second WR.

Russell Wilson (Seattle QB)- Russel Wilson is moving his way up among QBs in both consistency of points and amount of them. Wilson has had multiple 20 point games and only a few low scoring games, but as of late he is explosive. He is destroying defenses with his offense and with Percy Harvin returning, he will be playing even bigger. Count on him as a starting QB and you will not be disappointed

Panther's Defense (Carolina Defense)- Carolina's Defense has been on fire as of late totaling 7 sacks, 4 INTs, 2 fumbles, and a touchdown in the last two games. They are not only making big plays, but are consistently stopping offenses which leads to big plays when the offense needs to score. They have had huge weeks this season and will continue to do so. They are ranked 2nd only to the Chiefs, but may still be available in some leagues. Great Defense to start after this week.

NFL Playoff Preview

          

          Going into Week 10 of the NFL season, it may be too early to know for sure which teams will make it into the playoffs or is it? Certain teams, such as the Seahawks and Chiefs, have clearly shown their dominance among many teams and most division leaders are ahead by at least two games. As of right now, the teams that would make it are the Patriots in the AFC East, the Bengals in the AFC North, the Colts in the AFC South, the Chiefs in the AFC West, the Cowboys in the NFC East, the Lions in the NFC North, the Saints in the NFC South, the Seahawks in the NFC West, and then the Broncos and 49ers for wildcards. Most teams are superior in their divisions, but is everything set in stone?

          No. The NFC North division spot is still very much up for grabs. The Lions are in the lead solely because they have a better conference record, 4-2, compared to the Packers, 3-2, and the Bears, 3-3. All three teams share the same overall record at 5-3 so none can afford any mistakes for the rest of the season considering their records are a few games worse than the teams that will most likely acquire the wildcard spots. Are there other teams that have a high chance of losing their spot?

          In my opinion, yes. If I had been asked this question in previous weeks, I would say the Patriots, but it seems like they are starting to gain chemistry on offense and their defense is holding up despite the many significant injuries. The cowboys are the team that have the highest chance of being surpassed and losing their spot in the playoffs. They have a good rooster, but are not consistent with how well they play.

          Although the teams that are going to the playoffs seem to already be predetermined, what will happen in the playoffs is another story. The playoffs are very unpredictable and any team could be out at anytime. Which team you are matched up against and where you play have a great impact on how well eacj yeam will perform. So, the Superbowl does not necessarily come down to which too teams are the best, but the two teams that have done the best in the last two weeks.

Can Anyone Beat The Heat?

          Miami has an amazing opportunity to achieve a three-peat for the NBA Title this coming year and at the moment, is there any team capable of challenging them? With such a powerful starting five and sixth man they would be hard enough to beat even without their versatile bench. Lebron and Wade have both shone that they are capable of single-handedly leading teams in seasons past and after three years playing together and developing chemistry, they are seemingly unstoppable duo. Together, they conquer teams and while watching them, it seems like you're watching men play among little boys. They tear through defenses by finding holes, drawing fouls, and making their shots and pummel offenses with their stealing, blocking, and rebounding. It is bad enough having to try to stop this dynamic duo on their own, but when they are also on a team full of other great players it is damn near impossible!
          When Bosh, Chalmers, and Allen are added to the equation, the chances of even staying in a game with the Heat are far worse. Bosh may not be one of the tallest centers around, but what he lacks in height is more than made up with his quickness and versatility. Chalmers is a well-rounded and solid point guard who can easily dish the ball out to any other one of his teammates on the field without any hesitation caused by questioning their skill sets. Allen is one of the best, if not the best, sixth man in the league right now and is a tremendous threat from beyond the arc. Knowing this, how can the Heat be stopped?
          The only thing that they are lacking is size. They are just a very small team compared to most in the league and are forced to overcompensate with hustle, aggression, and three-point shooting. Lebron may play a big game, but he is not very tall compared to other players at his position especially when he is the power forward. So, an ideal team to beat the Heat should have height or a roster with great depth of skilled players. Clearly, no team that just has one superstar and a couple other decent players has a chance to be greater than the Heat. This knocks off the Bulls and the Thunder as candidates to beat the heat because having just D-Rose or Durant won't cut it when they are having to battle James and Wade. So, who could challenge them?
          It seems that the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks are the only teams with a fighting chance. The Nets have great depth and are a team full of seasoned all-stars, but they do have their downside. There has to be a lack of chemistry among the team that has acquired multiple new players, such as Pierce and Garnett, who now must begin their first year under the franchise with a very different roster. Also, they do not have height either, having only Garnett and Plumlee both at 6'11", which will not make the Heat a good match-up for them. The roster is alos old which decreases their chance in future years and is not as quick or aggressive as the Heat. Thus, the Nets' chance is slim, but if chemistry is not an issue they will still be a threat. The Knicks seem to have more of a chance. They have an extremely talented roster like the Heat and also have height. Tyson Chandler and Amar'e Stoudemire are both aggressive and agile big men that are great on both sides of the ball and give them the height advantage and over the Heat along with support from Aldrich. They also have star-player talent from Carmelo Anthony and other skilled players such as Felton and Peace. J.R. Smith is a top sixth man just like Allen from the Heat which makes their sixth man talent evenly matched. They still will most likely not be as good as the Heat because Chalmers is a better guard than Felton, they have no match for Wade at guard, Lebron gets the edge over Carmelo, and the height advantage alone isn't enough to stop the Heat. Thus, there are few teams that even have a chance at beating the Heat and none probably will.

FEAR THE BEARDS

          What does a former WWE Champion and a MLB Outfielder have in-common? Most would say that their only major similarity is that they are professional athletes, but in this case it is much simpler. Great beards. Daniel Bryan of the WWE, the man who gave birth to the phrase "Fear the Beard", challenged Oakland Athletics right fielder Josh Reddick to a Beard-Off until the end of 2013.

          Bryan targeted Reddick via twitter saying that he would not have the audacity to take on the self-proclaimed "King of Beards" in a head-to-head best of the beards competition. He tweeted this on March 5th of this year and later went on saying, "Also, I encourage my followers to mock [Reddick's] beard at every oppertunity, and let him know that I alone am #KingOfBeards". The rules of the competition are simple: at the end of the year, fans will vote for whomever they believe has the nicer beard and the loser has to shave it off completely. Reddick starts off at a great disadvantage since Bryan has had an eight month head start and has far more twitter followers than Reddick, outnumbering him by over 500,000 followers. On the other hand, Reddick's beard is seemingly growing a lot faster, so he still has a chance of victory unless the voting is baised on the concept of who has more fans.

          Reddick responded in a playful yet mocking way when he accepted the challenge tweeting, "Bring it. YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!" using Bryan's signature catch-phrase. Reddick is a huge fan of WWE and has personally met many superstars, yet this is his first encounter with Daniel and greatly appreciates the friendly competition.  He is also looking forward to establishing a lasting relationship with the WWE and who knows what could happen from there! It is not likely that Reddick will be giving up a solid career in baseball to pursue a career in professional wrestling, but I believe that it is possible for him to be a guest appearance towards the end of the beard-off. So, the A's should not worry about losing their star right-fielder for the upcoming season, but should be prepared for the consequences of the end of the beard-off: the death of a beard.

          Whether Bryan or Reddick wins, one legendary beard will meet its end and the other will be crowned the King of Beards!

                                                                    Two great athletes........

                                                                              Two amazing beards.............

                                                                                     One Winner................

                                                                                             YOU Decide!

                                                              BEARD-OFF 2013!!