Jason Haskins's Blog, page 32

NFL: The 5 rookie quarterbacks (thru week 12)

Week 12 is in the books so it's once again time to check-in with the five rookie quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.There's something intricately fun in watching the progress of a rookie quarterback in the NFL. The thrills, spills, and sometimes inexplicably bad play are all what make watching these quarterbacks can be great.
It's even more exciting in 2018 considering all five quarterbacks taken in the first round of last spring's draft have now started an NFL game. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens was the last to complete this feat two weeks ago, starting and earning a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
With Patrick Mahomes lighting up scoreboards in his 2nd year and with young quarterbacks like Jared Goff and Mitch Trubisky -- with a sprinkle of Carson Wentz mixed in -- also playing well, it's easy to overlook the five rookie quarterbacks.
These five have battled through injuries, head coaching changes, and difficult schedules to find bright spots in 2018. Some have played better than others and all are still in the midst of a learning curve. Through 12 weeks, however, it's easy to see that all may have a nice career in the NFL ahead of them.Lamar JacksonJackson had been seeing action throughout the season, running specially designed plays as a change-of-pace from starting quarterback Joe Flacco.
When Flacco got injured, the Ravens handed over the reins to Jackson. The results so far? Two wins for the rookie quarterback.
In his debut as a starter, Jackson ran for 119 yards in a victory over the Bengals. In his two starts, Jackson has carried 37 times for 190 yards and one touchdown. His passing stats aren't eye-popping (yet) but are more than serviceable. Jackson is 27-44 in his starts, with 328 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions.
On the season, Jackson is completing 60.7 percent of his passes with 415 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He's carried the ball 65 times for 329 yards and 2 touchdowns.Baker MayfieldBaker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns has taken his game up a notch since the firing of head coach Hue Jackson.
Mayfield and the Browns have won two straight, in which Mayfield has only ten incomplete passes while throwing for 474 yards and 7 touchdowns. 
In the three games since Jackson was let go, Mayfield has 771 passing yards, 9 touchdowns, and 1 interception.
Overall, in games he's played, the Browns have picked up four wins against five losses. Mayfield has thrown for 2242 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions while completing 62.7% of his passes. He had a few hiccups in the middle part of the season but if he continues down the path he's on now, Mayfield will be a starter for a long time to come.Sam DarnoldThe New York Jets have struggled on offense for much of 2018. When a team has a rookie quarterback and his top two receivers are battling injuries, struggles can be expected.
It also doesn't help that has soon these receivers returned to the lineup, Darnold went out with an injury of his own. He's missed the last two games with a foot injury. While his status for week 13 is still unknown, Darnold did get back on the practice field this last week. 
Before the injury, Darnold had lost his last three starts. In his last outing, a loss to the Miami Dolphins, Darnold was 21-39 for 229 yards and four interceptions. Darnold has thrown 7 interceptions in his last three games and leads the NFL with 14.
Darnold is 3-6 as a starter. He's throwing for 1934 yards and 11 touchdowns, completing 55 percent of his passes.Josh AllenJosh Allen had spent a long six weeks waiting to get back on the field for the Buffalo Bills.
When he did, Allen did so with his running game, his inaccurate passes, and his flair for the long bomb. And he picked up the victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in doing so.
Despite only going 8-19 in this victory, Allen averaged 20 yards per completion in throwing for 160 yards. He also had 13 carries for 99 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown run.
Lower completion percentage aside, the Bills are 3-2 in games Allen has played significant snaps. He's thrown for 992 yards with 3 touchdowns and 5 interceptions (along with 5 fumbles). Allen has added 254 yards on the ground with 4 touchdowns.Josh RosenThe Arizona Cardinals are taking their lumps in 2018 as is their rookie quarterback Josh Rosen. 
Rosen has been given the least focus of the rookie quarterbacks, which might be a good thing for the young signal caller. Much of the attention has been given to the other four and Rosen's numbers are quite similar to Darnold's in some regards.
Rosen is 2-6 in games in which he's started/played in more than just mop-up duty. He had a three-touchdown performance in a 23-21 loss to the Raiders, though he was only 9-20 throwing the ball in that game. 
Interceptions have been a problem for Rosen, at least as of late. He's thrown at least one in six straight games, bringing his total to 11 on the season. 
Overall, Rosen has thrown for 1521 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Five games are left  before the rookie season of all these quarterbacks wraps up. Only one -- Jackson -- has a shot left at the playoffs. And it's possible he's not the starter when that time rolls around, if indeed it does.
Given the production of all five in 2018, it's possible there is not a complete dud in the bunch. And if that's the case, we could be looking at one of the greatest quarterback classes of all time.
photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org NFL: 4 rookie quarterbacks looking to leave their mark NFL: Progress of the first-round quarterbacks (thru Week 8)

WWE: Becky Lynch runs the world

It's hard to argue that there has been any wrestler in the WWE more "over" than Becky Lynch these past couple of months.The WWE Survivor Series is set for November 18 and this past week the company forced to cancel one rearrange one of its marquee matches.
Though I imagine Becky Lynch would have wrestled with casts on all four limbs if given the opportunity.
Lynch was scheduled to square off with Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series in a match that was rumored to be the main event of the pay-per-view. A few weeks of back-and-forth on Twitter and taped segments on Raw and Smackdown culminated in Lynch leading an invasion of Raw -- with other Smackdown women superstars -- last Monday night.
The invasion was (mostly) as success, with Lynch gaining even more steam, spitting more fire, and skyrocketing even further into the upper stratosphere of popularity.
Unfortunately, a real injury suffered by Lynch in the invasion meant the match for Survivor Series had to be put on hold.

Real injuries happen in the squared circle, often leaving stories to be changed and matches to be re-arranged. And though Lynch will miss the match on Sunday (though might still make an appearance, who knows), this should do nothing to prevent her popularity from soaring even more.From popular to over-the-topEver since her arrival in the WWE -- and prior to that, NXT -- Lynch has easily been one of the more liked and appreciated wrestlers by fans. The Lass-Kicker was part of the Women's Revolution and pairing her with other young talents like Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks showed that the "powers-that-be" (ne: Vince McMahon and Triple H) had faith in this budding superstar.
This was given even more credo when Lynch was selected to the blue brand in a WWE draft, later becoming Smackdown's first-ever Women's Champion. 
Lynch owned the last half of 2016, even winning Survivor Series for the Smackdown women. She ultimately dropped the belt that year to Alexa Bliss, but Lynch appeared to be a cornerstone of the Smackdown women's division.
Until she wasn't. 
Story focus drifted away from Lynch and often we wouldn't even see her appear on television. She'd taken a backseat to others and fans were forced to patiently bide their time until her next chance arrived.
When that chance arrived, Lynch took it and ran with it to the moon.
Even a "heel turn", when Lynch turned on best friend Charlotte, did nothing to stop the pure amount of energy fans direct towards Lynch. And she hasn't let up either, destroying in the ring, on the mic, and, in this new age, social media. If the first half of 2018 belonged to Seth Rollins, then the second half has been all Lynch.
Let's hope it doesn't stop anytime soon.2018 Survivor Series cardNo predictions from me this time around but here is the card. I will see it's good they found a way to get the Good Brothers some screen time as well as including Finn Balor in this pay-per-view.
Tag Team Survivor Elimination Match:  Raw (Roode & Gable, The Revival, The B-Team, The Ascension, Lucha House Party) vs Smackdown (Usos, The New Day, Good Brothers, The Colons, SAnitY)
Men's Survivor Elimination Match: Raw (Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, Finn Balor, Bobby Lashley) vs Smackdown (The Miz, Shane McMahon, Samoa Joe, Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy)
Women's Survivor Elimination Match: Raw (Natalya, Mickie James, Nia Jax, Tamina, Ruby Riott) vs Smackdown (Carmella, Naomi, Asuka, Sonya Deville, TBD)
Cruiserweight Title: Buddy Murphy (c) vs Mustafa Ali
Tag Team Champions: AOP (Raw) vs The Bar (Smackdown)
Midcard Champions: Seth Rollins (Raw) vs Shinsuke Nakamura (Smackdown)
Women: Ronda Rousey (Raw) vs Charlotte Flair (Smackdown)
Men: Brock Lesnar (Raw) vs Daniel Bryan (Smackdown)
Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.orgTo learn more about Jason: jason-haskins.com

The Walking Dead: Andrew Lincoln's "exit"

*Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers from Season 9, episode 5 of AMC's 'The Walking Dead'. Read ahead at your own peril."I found them."
Three words, simple in nature but utterly profound when said in context of the events of the November 4 episode of The Walking Dead .
This bit of dialogue had the chance to go into the pantheon of greatest television exits. It was up there, to me, with the closing lines of Justified. "We dug coal together."
The words "I found them" were spoken by Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, the central character of The Walking Dead for the past nine seasons. He said the words just before blowing up the valued bridge he'd worked so hard to preserve. The act was a final good-bye in realizing he'd been with his family -- comprised of apocalypse survivors -- the entire time.
End scene.  Good-bye, Rick.
Psych!
Turns out there was to be two more scenes after this act, with an immediate aftermath negating one of the more gripping scenes this series had produced in recent years. Instead of going out with its hero blowing up his beloved project, Rick flew away in a helicopter, saved by the effervescent Jadis/Anne (Pollyanna McIntosh)
To make matters worse (better?), turns out Lincoln isn't truly leaving The Walking Dead universe after all. It would have been one thing to think, "Hmm.  Rick's just out in the world somewhere."  That wasn't enough. It was announced after the episode that Lincoln had signed a contract to film up to three feature-length movies.
Dramatically speaking, I feel I've been let down.To me, you are perfectRick spent most of the final episode -- after pulling himself off the rebar that had punctured his side -- in between reality and a feverish dream. There were nods to his past in the dreams, on search for his long-dead family, while occasionally waking up to continue to lead a zombie herd away from his people.
The episode itself was not perfect, but there was a balance present in which viewers were unsure if Rick was going to find a way to survive or his exit was going to be death.
Lincoln has been a favorite actor of mine for a long time and he had a lot on his plate this episode. And there was a perfect build to the moment he, as Rick, walked across the bridge, thinking the zombies would fall.
Except it turns out he's much better of a bridge-builder supervisor than even he thought. The look on his face that the end was likely near as the zombies closed in was perfection. As was ultimately, with his family rushing in to save the day, Rick's recognition that his family was all around him and ultimate decision to sacrifice his own life for the greater good.
And then...
...he washes up in the river, Jadis finds him, deus ex whatever.
While all of his friends and family believe him to be dead, Rick has been transported to who knows where. This character has proven time and time again to be one who do whatever it takes to save/find/protect his family and friends. 
Season nine picks up with a time jump of what is guessed to be roughly five years. What's Rick doing this time that he hasn't fought his way back to Virginia? Do the others even mention him? Did he think they'd be better off without him? Is he a slave to these mysterious helicopter people? Are they on an island? In New Jersey?Performers shineRick's exit episode also appears to be the final episode for Maggie (Lauren Cohan), at least as far as season 9 is concerned. There was less fanfare for Cohan's exit and, if it wasn't for show-runner Angela Kang stating as much, would have never guessed she was done for the season.
Still, she had some closure with the Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) story line and had a some great scenes in last night's episode, including with Michonne (Danai Gurira). The two had a tense standoff just outside of Negan's cell that led credence to the entire episode.
Speaking of Negan: what a performance by Morgan. He found a depth to Negan that made me feel for the character for perhaps the first time.
And Daryl's (Norman Reedus) silent, stoic, tear stained look as Rick made the choice to blow up the bridge ended nine years of a bromance.
Season nine has seen a return to form from the creative side as well, though I'm still a little iffy as to how much of Rick's exit played into that.
Overall, I enjoyed the episode, thought Lincoln went out in style and I look forward to what is next. 
I just wished it was one scene shorter.
photo credit: pixabay.comTo learn more of Jason's writing: jason-haskins.com

NFL: Progress of the first-round quarterbacks (thru week 8)

This weekend marked the eighth week of action in the NFL. It's time to check-in on all of the quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.Throughout the history of the NFL, there has been a long debate on how soon -- and how ready -- rookie quarterbacks should make their debut. Even for the most talented of passers, with the rare exception, the prevailing thought has been to have the rookies sit a year or two while learning the ins and outs of the pro game.
This year has been different, with four of the five quarterbacks selected in the 2018 NFL draft already earning multiple starts for their respective teams. And the fifth, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, has seen game action in certain packages.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs is a good example of having a quarterback sit a year before starting. Mahomes has thrown for 300 yards or more in seven games and four or more touchdowns in four straight games. In the process, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to a 7-1 start.
The quartet of rookie quarterbacks making starts in 2018 -- Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, and Josh Rosen -- have been thrown into the fire. The results have been mixed through eight weeks.
Bright spots have occurred, but as expected, individually the rookie quarterbacks have been inconsistent. Win-loss records have been helped along by strong defenses for three of the four teams. And while it appears none of these teams represented by starting rookie quarterbacks will reach the playoffs this season, the foundation is being laid for a bright future for all five of the quarterbacks. (Jackson and the Ravens probably have the best chance of reaching the playoffs, though one wouldn't guess by today's loss to the Carolina Panthers.)Baker MayfieldMayfield, the first pick of the draft, sat for the first few games of the season for the Cleveland Browns. Since replacing an injured Tyrod Taylor in game three and leading the Browns to a victory over the New York Jets, Mayfield has kept a firm grasp as number one on the depth chart.
The Browns (2-5-1) have been a fixture in close games this season, with a lot of the credit going to Mayfield on the offensive side of the ball. Mayfield is 2-4 in games he's played and currently mired in a three-game losing streak. 
Mayfield has often looked like the most veteran of the first-round picks, proving why he was selected first overall. At other times, he's struggled to get rid of the ball in a timely manner, taking sacks when not needed.
Cleveland's rookie quarterback has completed 58.3 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,471 yards. Mayfield has eight touchdown passes and six interceptions. His best game was a 12-9 overtime win over the Ravens in which he threw for 342 yards.Sam DarnoldDarnold is the only one of the group to play in all of their team's games thus far and the New York Jets have gone 3-5 in the process.
The rookie has thrown for 1,705 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Darnold has completed 55.2 percent of his passes, completing under 50 percent in four of the eight games. In those four games, the Jets won once.
Darnold has thrown a touchdown pass in five straight games. This has occurred with New York's top two receivers, Quincy Enunwa and Robby Anderson missing time. 
Darnold had his best performance so far in week 6. The Jets defeated the Indianapolis Colts 42-34 and Darnold was nearly flawless. He was 24-30 for 280 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. Darnold also averaged 9.3 yards per attempt, his second-highest average of the season.Josh AllenAllen and the Buffalo Bills (2-5) have struggled on offense for most of 2018. To top it off, Allen will miss his second-straight game when the Bills take on the New England Patriots on Monday night.
Allen injured his elbow in a week 6 loss to the Houston Texans. He was 10-17 for 84 yards before leaving that game. With very little in the downfield threat department, Allen averaged under five yards per attempt in his last three games. His completion percentage is at 54 percent, but in only one start did it fall below 50.
He's thrown for 832 yards and two touchdowns, but has thrown five interceptions and fumbled four times. Allen's best game was a victory over the Minnesota Vikings, in which he completed 68% of his passes in leading the Bills to a win.Josh RosenRosen and the Arizona Cardinals (2-6) probably wish they could play the San Francisco 49ers every game.
Arizona defeated the Niners 18-15 on Sunday, giving them and Rosen a 2-0 record versus them in 2018.
He's 0-3 in his other starts and has struggled for the majority of the time. Firing offensive coordinator Mike McCoy might be a blessing for the former UCLA quarterback.
Rosen had his best game, going 23-40 for 252 yards and two touchdowns (with one pick) in the victory. His completion percentage (55.6) is similar to the other first-round picks. Rosen has thrown for 1,072 yards, five touchdowns, and tossed six interceptions.Lamar JacksonJackson continues to get playing time for the Ravens (4-4). He even scored his first touchdown, running the ball in for a score in last week's loss to the New Orleans Saints.
He's 2-6 for 29 yards in 2018 and also carried the ball 20 times for 103 yards.
Be sure to check back in after week 12 to see how the progress of the first-round rookie quarterbacks has continued.
photo credit: flickr.comTo learn more about Jason: jason-haskins.com

Dying breeds: The role of the true starting pitcher

"Baseball really is a glorified game of throw and catch. And if you don't have guys who throw it really well, you can't compete for long." - Tucker ElliotThe complete game by a starting pitcher will be extinct in five years.
It's a stat that has been clinging to life for many years now and, in 2018, had vital signs that barely registered on the baseball monitor. Pray for its well-being.
The complete game led a robust life, thriving in the dead ball era, holding solid through decades until the 1980's, and even enjoyed a few surprise performances into the early aughts.
Leaving behind a cadre of greats, the complete game is topped by the king, Cy Young. Back in the day when starting pitchers would throw nine innings, hit the bar all night, and get up and do it again the next morning, Young finished his career with 749 complete games.
Strategy, technological advances, and care for the welfare of pitchers advanced, in turn leading to the infrequency of the complete game. Starting pitchers who were at the tail-end of their careers during my youth barely crack the top-100 all-time on the complete game list. Tom Seaver (T-100), Bert Blyleven (T-91st), and Phil Niekro (T-85th) all had long, outstanding careers, finishing with 231, 242, and 245 complete games, respectively.
Those days are long gone.
Twenty years ago, the leaders in complete games for a season were Curt Schilling in the National League (15) and Scott Erickson in the American League (11).
In 2018? Multiple players in each league sat at the top of the list with two complete games.
Not only is this stat nearing extinction, the role of a starting pitcher is being redefined and may never be the same again.A switch in strategyThe advent of the role of closer was one of the first shots fired in the long death knell of the complete game and starting pitcher. Or, more specifically, it was the creation of the "save" stat in 1969.
As baseball progressed so did the use of relief pitchers. Specifically, the role of specialist -- brought in to face one or two hitters -- changed the game even more. Starting pitchers, if the game was going in their favor, began to last only six or seven innings. They then gave way to one or two pitchers who bridged the gap to the closer.
These days, getting five innings out of most starting pitchers is trending to the norm, especially in the playoffs.
Many instances can be pointed to over the years as to why this has changed, but it really took hold in the 2016 playoffs. Managers Terry Francona of the Cleveland Indians and Joe Maddon of the Chicago Cubs both used their bullpen at will, foregoing traditional ideology to get their best relief pitcher in the right situation.
The strategy worked for both as each team landed in the World Series, with the Cubs finally flying the 'W' flag high with a World Series title. One can question how effective this strategy was in the long run, as Indians reliever Andrew Miller and former Cubs reliever Aroldis Chapman have not been the same since.
In the playoffs, managers will do whatever it takes with the bullpen to secure a win. That likely means trotting out relievers like marching bands at a Christmas parade. In 2018, however, the game of baseball and pitching strategy has jumped to a new level.Two innings and doneGame 1 of the 2018 NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers took things to a new level, albeit with a starting pitcher taking the mound and lasting a whole two innings.
Gio Gonzales of the Brewers, long-time starting pitcher with a pretty solid career, was taken out of the game not because he was getting rocked or injured. He'd allowed a run and a hit, but Brewers manager Craig Counsell made the move to the bullpen.
He did so at the expense of perhaps using his best reliever, Josh Hader. Hader ending coming in the game in the fifth inning with a 4-1 lead. He pitched three innings of magnificent baseball, but this was his longest appearance of the year and, with Game 2 coming on Saturday, was not available.
(Hader could have been used as the bullpen blew a 3-0 lead and the Brewers now trail 4-3.)
Game 1 featured 13 pitchers used between the two teams with the game lasting four hours, two minutes.
While Gonzales is a starting pitcher, teams have even begun to go away from a true starter. The Tampa Bay Rays used this approach frequently in 2018, giving a member of the bullpen the start. This pitcher would throw an inning or two before giving way to a former starter to hopefully toss the next 4-5 innings.
The Oakland A's used this approach on occasion, even doing it in their wildcard game against the New York Yankees. The result was not a good one, in this instance, but one wonders how much will see it in the 2019 season.The extinction of the true starting pitcherBaseball is -- and always has been -- a patient sport, but these numerous pitching changes can test even the most ardent fans.
Most teams still use a five-man (sometimes six) starting rotation. Will this trend be replaced by using an "opener" like the closer is currently used? One might envision a future where teams only have an ace or two, with the 4-5 days in between their starts be replaced with a coterie of pitchers and we have to sit through 6-7 pitching changes a game.
What do you do to halt this trend? Does major league baseball limit pitching changes to five per game unless the lead is greater than five? Does a pitcher have to face a minimum of three batters (unless he gets injured)?
I don't think either of those would (or should) be implemented. Ultimately, the choice to use multiple pitchers in a handful of ways is strategy. Just like the shift, it shouldn't be banned. It's the natural evolution of a sport that has been ingrained in American history for well over a century.
Like it or not, changes in baseball are here to stay.
photo credit: publicdomainpictures.netStay updated with Jason's work at jason-haskins.com

WWE Super Showdown: Past and present collide

The WWE heads to Australia for a super-show, with current and former superstars headlining this showdown. Super.How would you like your lasting in-ring image and impression of your favorite WWE superstar to live on in your memory?
Is it their dominance during their heyday? Nailing their finisher? Chugging beers?
For many, especially in the wide, wide world of wrestling, the image is one of the wrestler going out on top in a final, epic match for the ages. Or perhaps it's their favorite wrestler receiving one final ovation -- even if they lost the match -- from an arena of caring fans.
Ideal scenarios, for sure, but most of us are well aware that's usually not the case when it comes to the business of the WWE.
On the business side of things, the WWE wants to make money and capitalize on a wrestler's popularity. And with this huge event in Australia, by using favorites from the Attitude Era The Undertaker, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Kane, that's exactly what the WWE is doing.
Yes, Triple H and Kane have been still ever-present in story lines the last few years (though one can imagine these are the last of Kane's appearances until his mayoral duties end).
Shawn Michaels, the man ultimately retired by The Undertaker at Wrestlemania in 2010, has made a few appearances on RAW over the last month. He's now in Triple H's corner at the Super Show-Down and will likely be involved in the outcome.
And this is a man who had performed a few of his signature moves over the last eight years, but has held true to the word of staying retired. Until now.

Triple H's opponent, of course, is the man who retired "The Heartbreak Kid".
In what is being billed as the final time they face each other, Triple H will take on The Undertaker, a wrestler who many believed to be calling it a career a few years back at Wrestlemania 33.
'Taker lost that match to Roman Reigns and after the match -- in what was seen as a passing of the torch -- left pieces of his wrestling gear in the ring. He walked off to one of the longest ovations in recent memory and all signs pointed to the finality of his career.
It wasn't.
Don't get me wrong. I still get chills every time those chimes hit and the arena goes dark. But perhaps it's time for The Undertaker and others to officially pass the torch and retire from full-on matches. It's still perfectly fine to bring back these stars from time-to-time, let them pull off a signature move, get a pop and move on. Who doesn't like seeing sweet chin music? Or a Stone-Cold Stunner? Or even the occasional appearance from Mr. Socko? And let's not forget any appearance by the Nature Boy.
It really is a conundrum perfectly captured in the movie The Wrestler. There's a desire and need to perform, even if your body is broken and is telling you otherwise.
Sometimes it's all these wrestlers know how to do and I can't imagine having to give up something like performing in front of millions.
The thrill, the excitement, and the joy of being in the squared circle pulls at these performers like no other. Let's hope it doesn't ruin the last great image we have of these men and the match in Australia gives us one more wild-ride.Best of the restThe battle of aging superstars is far from the only story going on in Australia.
Nine other matches are on the docket, with plenty at stake. 
The Shield vs Braun/Dolph/Drew: Does Dean Ambrose turn on his stable mates? Or do the brothers rise above?
A.J. Styles vs Samoa Joe: It's time to give Samoa Joe the title, no matter how creepy this story line has been.
Daniel Bryan vs The Miz: This is for the right to be number one contender. I can see The Miz winning, eventually earning the belt and facing off at Wrestlemania against Bryan for the title.
Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair: This is number one on my list. All in for Becky Lynch.
John Cena/Bobby Lashley vs Kevin Owens/Elias: Speaking of part-timers, Cena makes his first appearance in month. And speaking of being all-in for something, this KO and Elias friendship is simply on fire.
The Ilconics vs Asuka & Naomi: A little bit of love for Australia's very own Ilconics.
New Day vs The Bar: A battle for the Smackdown tag titles.
Ronda Rousey & The Bellas vs The Riott Squad: Okay.
Cedric Alexander vs Buddy Murphy: Alexander has been champion for awhile now. Do we finally see a Cruiserweight title change?
What matches are you looking forward to? Will you be watching the Super Showdown? Should the WWE bring back Truth TV?
photo credit: en.wikipedia.orgLearn more about Jason over at jason-haskins.com

NFL: Four rookie quarterbacks looking to leave their mark

It didn't take long for one of the most talked about QB draft classes to begin imprinting themselves on the NFL.We're a quarter of the way through the 2018-19 NFL season. Over this span, we've witnessed high-scoring affairs, a modern take of the "Greatest Show on Turf", and far too many overtimes and tie games to deal with.
Among all of this action, we've also seen four of the five quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft start at least one game.
And all four don't look to be relinquishing their spot anytime soon.
Success has been varied for each, to be expected at his point in their careers. Three of them have a win under their belt. All four have looked impressive at times, mediocre in long stretches, and completely lost in spurts.
One, Baker Mayfield, has looked pretty electric in his eight plus quarters of action.
The fifth quarterback taken in the first round, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, has seen game action as well. He likely won't supplant incumbent Joe Flacco -- barring an injury -- but the Ravens have found use of Jackson. Taking the field in special packages, Jackson is 1-4 for 24 yards and has also carried the ball 9 times for 45 yards. (Through three games.)

Still, it has been the top pick of the draft who has found the most success.
Baker MayfieldMayfield could very well be 1-0 as a starting quarterback if not for a defense that struggled against the Oakland Raiders. Or if he didn't have four turnovers.
Ten days after relieving an injured Tyrod Taylor and leading the Browns to their first victory since December 24, 2016, Mayfield turned in another solid performance.
Unfortunately, he and the Browns were on the losing end of a 45-42 overtime loss to the Raiders.
Mayfield certainly had the hated "rookie lapse" but continued to show why he gives the Browns their best chances to win. The rookie threw for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns, completing 51.2% of his passes. He also threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles.
The touchdown passes were the first of Mayfield's career. He's thrown for 496 yards and completed 59.4% of his passes in two games.Sam DarnoldSam Darnold, selected with the third pick by the New York Jets, was the first of the rookie quarterbacks to pick up a victory in the NFL. After an innocuous start by throwing a pick-six, Darnold settled in to help the Jets defeat the Detroit Lions.
After that, it's been downhill for Darnold and the Jets as they've lost three straight.
They've been competitive in the games, for the most part, so the growth of Darnold will be instrumental as to whether or not they get over the hump.
Darnold started out the season going 41-62 but has struggled the last two games with a completion percentage of 49.2. This includes a 17-34 day against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Darnold threw for 167 yards and one touchdown while finishing his first career game without an interception.
Overall, Darnold has 868 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.Josh AllenTaken number seven in the draft by the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen was expected to be the most raw of the quarterbacks. Allen was slated to back up a veteran while learning from the sidelines.
That lasted all of one game.
Allen was inserted for a struggling Nathan Peterman in the season's first game and was named the starter in week 2 against the San Diego Chargers.
Much like Allen's college career, the results have been mixed. His accuracy in college ranged from 55 to 59 percent and we've seen much of that through four games. Allen has completed 53.3 percent with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He's also done damage with his legs, carrying the ball 16 times for 116 yards and two scores.
As good as Allen was in an upset victory over the Minnesota Vikings, his penchant for inaccuracy was on display in Sunday's loss to Green Bay. He was 16-33 and had three turnovers all while being sacked seven times.
This type of play has been seen from Allen, but it's his strong arm that continues to wow fans. He completed a 57-yard pass to Zay Jones earlier this season, of which the ball traveled 64 yards in the air.Josh RosenJosh Rosen, selected number 10 by the Arizona Cardinals, was the fourth quarterback taken and the fourth to earn a start.
In his debut, Rosen nearly led the Cardinals to a victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle hung on, kicking a last-second field goal for a 20-17 victory.
Rosen had some impressive moments, including a nicely thrown pass to Chad Williams for his first-career touchdown pass. He finished the day 15-27 for 180 yards and one touchdown. The previous week he relieved Sam Bradford and was 4-7 with 36 yards and interception.
Mayfield has the early edge in who has been most impressive. Of course, the sample size has been smaller in his case, with both Darnold and Allen playing in more games. As with any quarterback -- especially with a rookie -- the talent around them will help determine the success. 
On offense, the Cardinals have the talent that might allow Rosen to win the most games this season. Each team, even the Bills, have solid defenses that might help each quarterback stay in games, even if they struggle.
All told, through four games, all four might be in for lengthy careers. We'll check back in quarterly to see how their progress continues (plus hopefully with Lamar Jackson joining the mix, one way or the other).
photo credit: it.wikipedia.orgFor more on Jason, be sure to visit jason-haskins.com

Devising, creating and writing

Hitting a wall arrives more out of laziness than anything else. Right? Writing every day should happen, even with a few words, a few sentences being put to paper. Different stories require different states of mind. Or so I've led myself to believe.

Sometimes scorching thoughts burn through the brain cells, leaving embers floating along the path of once working synapses.

Stall.

So I free write. Devising something new. Or so I'd like to believe.

A chance
before the world spins out of control.
Carrying towards zero
desiring to win.
Executing with every ounce
finally settling in with zeal.
Guarding life with limitless energy.

Having to settle for a lost wish
inserted via a narrow sleeve
Joking still
keeps me at the forefront of deep.

Little by little I zoom
maybe into the place of misguided care

Never have (rarely) given a peep
or maybe it's just a lull
pleading inside for something more.
Quiet leads to coda
rarity leaves behind vapors
searing the last traces of love.

Time
Under a bloody moon
veers gently around the bend.

Waxing and waning without room
Xenoliths protruding at any angle.

Yearning
zero.

More of Jason's work can be found at jason-haskins.com

WWE: Matt Hardy unlaces boots for (possibly) final time

Speculation has been swirling for weeks, but it appears the WWE's Matt Hardy has wrestled his last match.Growing up, way back in the late 1980's, when professional wrestling entered my world, those late Saturday nights when what formerly was the WWF (now WWE) came on, I was kid in complete awe.
There was Andre the Giant dominating opponents. I dreamed of one day having 24-inch pythons, all thanks to eating my vitamins. Snakes being brought out and being placed on fallen opponents and the insurmountable presence of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper all piqued my interest.
These were much simpler times, ones in which naivete about the world of wrestling, not realizing the outcomes had been scripted, allowed awe and an infinite suspension of disbelief.
By the time my late teens and early 20's rolled around, I'd handed over my fandom of the WWE for others to love. I'd outgrown the sport enough to not watch the shows anymore (but still occasionally read up on).
Matt Hardy was part of the reason I came back.
He was part of the now idolized Attitude Era of the WWE. Wrestlers like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Christian and Edge, and Mick Foley were all favorites of mine (to name a few) during this new era of WWE.
And of course, Hardy was one-half, along with his brother Jeff, of the iconic duo The Hardy Boyz. It was in their TLC match at Wrestlemania 17 in which my fandom was won over once again.

The rise and fall (and rise again) of both Hardy brothers has been well documented. Though I missed much of their TNA (now Impact Wrestling) careers, I did my best to keep up-to-date with what they were up to, including their epic Hardy compound match.
The rumors have been flying for the past month or so about Matt transitioning from an in-ring role to something backstage. Matt seems to have finally confirmed as much last night:

[EXCLUSIVE VIDEO] It's time for me to go home.. To be a father and a husband. I did so much more than I ever imagined I would do in this industry. Thanks for making this incredible journey with me, ladies and gentlemen. I love you all. https://t.co/xGbm8bKSQD— MATTHEW MOORE HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) September 16, 2018

The Matt Hardy BrandWe all might have assumed that when the Hardy Boyz returned at Wrestlemania 33 the upcoming years were going to be a swan song for the duo. Their high-flying, risk-taking style of wrestling took their physical toll on both men.
They provided fans a few final memories as a tag team, winning the title upon their return. Both were given a singles run, with Matt and the WWE finally obtaining the rights to use the WOKEN character outside of Impact Wrestling.
While Jeff continues to put his body on the line -- he has a match against Randy Orton in the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view -- it appears Matt has finally seen the end of the line.
Most of the time, fans take a retirement in the WWE with a grain of salt. It seems there is always one more match, one more run, or one more time of taking a bump in the ring.
With the dedication to the craft Matt put forth it's entirely possibly he no longer wants to put his body through that.  Hopefully a long career behind the scenes -- if that's what's in store for him -- will continue Matt's life within the WWE. No matter the case, he has a Hall-of-Fame selection coming his way in the future.
In the end, Matt Hardy was much more than a brand. He was a hard-worker, a dedicated performer, and a master of words. Importantly, he was an inspiration. And he will never be obsolete.
photo credit: flickr.com

USMNT: Transition period in full swing

After missing the 2018 World Cup and still without a permanent coach, the USMNT is very much a team in transition.Hope and dreams of a bright future are very different than the results they bring.
For the United States Men's National Team, all three will eventually one day coincide.
We knew after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, changes were going to come for the USMNT. It began a few years prior -- during qualifying -- when Bruce Arena replaced Jurgen Klinsman as the coach.
Arena has left as well, with interim coach Dave Sarachan leading the way of this youthful team until a permanent solution is found.
The future of the program was once again on display in a recent match against Brazil. Playing versus a team who was using the majority of their World Cup squad, the United States fared valiantly. A 2-0 loss to Brazil might be disappointing, but young players gained valuable top-level experience.

Keep learning. Keep building.

Next up: A date with rival Mexico in Nashville on Tuesday night.#OneNationOneTeam // #USMNT pic.twitter.com/LcFPP6YW5k— U.S. Soccer MNT (@ussoccer_mnt) September 8, 2018

Players like forward Bobby Wood and defender John Brooks have been contributors for years and both are still young. Others, like midfielders Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams, plus defender Antonne Robinson, are earning important minutes, even if these games are friendlies.
This game, of course, was played without an injured Christian Pulisic.
Preparing for a run at the 2022 World Cup is on the agenda for the USMNT and it shows with the younger lineups. We already knew their would be new faces as qualifying began, with changes at goalkeeper for sure. Clint Dempsey and Jermaine Jones added their cleats to the box, both recently retiring. And even stalwarts like Michael Bradley (34 in '22) and Jozy Altidore (32 in '22) might see their roles reduced.
The youth will continue to play an important role, with upcoming friendlies in the United States against Mexico (9/11) and Colombia (10/11). The team travels to England for a match with the Three Lions on November 15.
All of this is in prep for their next major tournament, which will be the Gold Cup in the summer of 2019. (Sorry. No Copa America this time around).
There is hope for the national team. A tie against France and the effort against Brazil prove as much. Now, it's time to start scoring goals and get back into the win column.Clint DempseyClint Dempsey was a master of his craft, plain and simple.
Cliche or not, he did not rely only on his great skills. The man worked hard and overcame health issues in becoming one of the greatest players the men's national team has ever seen.
Playing in three World Cups (first appearing in 2006), Dempsey ended up with 141 career international caps and 57 goals. He is currently tied with Landon Donovan in that regard, leaving two of the greatest strikers of the last 25 years sharing the scoring throne.



It was pretty disappointing to not see him play in a fourth World Cup but a few were holding a slim hope he might make it to 2022. Dempsey would have been 39, though, and his role had essentially been reduced to super-sub over the past couple of years.

For a full look at Dempsey's career, be sure to visit his Wikipedia page.

Thank you it’s been real. ✌️ https://t.co/lllgqECqwX— Clint Dempsey (@clint_dempsey) August 29, 2018

Jermaine JonesJermaine Jones may have not had the same impact as Dempsey, but he was still integral to the USMNT for a good five-year span. Overall, after using his dual-citizenship to switch from Germany to the United States, Jones made 69 international appearance for the United States.
An injury kept him from participating in the 2010 World Cup, but his impact was certainly felt in 2014 (and the games leading up to the event). He had many memorable moments, notably, this goal against Portugal:

The last few years were marked by injuries for Jones and he would have been 41 by time the next cup rolled around. Still, his leadership and passion will be missed going forward.
All good runs must come to an end and the USMNT are beginning the crossover to the next generation. Dempsey and Jones have moved on and other veterans will likely not be around come 2022. 
And, with Dempsey retired, we know one thing for sure: It's Pulisic's world now.
photo credit: flickr.com