#i also wanted to promote rashad to rank 5 but at this point might need to buy gold 😀😀

[cynical-cemeteries]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRAM!!!

[thesportssoundoff]

So Who Replaces The Count?

Joey

May 30th 2018

First we can begin with what I figure is a fair yet short talk on "The Count" Michael Bisping. There are a hundred different words to describe Michael Bisping's legacy and they range from as sterling as the label of pioneer to as damning as simply referring to him as an asshole. If I had to find a single word to describe Bisping, I'm pretty sure I'd go with professional. In a sport where everybody from promoters to the fighters seems to be rife with amatuers getting the Peter Principle treatment, Bisping was a rare pro's pro. He never missed weight, he took fights all over the place against anybody offered him, he kept himself in shape to be able to fill in at any time, he always seemed mentally prepared for every fight he was taking and even if Bisping didn't always win, you never had a fight where you felt like he didn't give himself a chance to win. Even if Bisping was all sorts of limited athletically, his cardio, pacing and fight IQ always gave him a shot against any opponent. Put this way; here were the first five TUF season winners at the start of 2018:

Forrest Griffin- Retired Diego Sanchez- Active, on a two fight losing streak, 2-3 in his last five fights Rashad Evans- Active, lost four fights in a row Joe Stevenson- Trying to salvage his career outside of the UFC Michael Bisping- Former MW champ in 2017, two straight losses to guys in the top 10 Kendall Grove- Trying to salvage career outside of the UFC Matt Serra- Retired Travis Lutter- Retired Nate Diaz- Retired?

Most of them are out of the sport, some of them are scrapping to try and stay alive in MMA and some are just trying to hold on for a little bit longer in the UFC. As amazing as it sounds, guys like Rashad Evans and Diego Sanchez have just been trying to hold onto whatever remains of their relevancy. Michael Bisping headlined the biggest PPV of 2017----and then took a fight a few weeks later for the fuck of it. That was also the first time Michael Bisping lost two fights in a row which speaks to his absurd consistency and longevity. Not bad for a dude who I think most of us would consider limited athletically. Also worth pointing out that DJ Mikey B had his career renaissance with just one eye as well after Alan Belcher damaged it with an inadvertent eye poke. Bisping was even a professional asshole; a dude who understood how to promote fights and be the heel that MMA needs sometimes. Bisping's resume is highlighted by his insane win total, the TUF win and his KO over Luke Rockhold---but the one thing I hope he's remembered for is how he embodied professional fighting in so many different ways.

Having said all that, let's chit chat about what you need to remember about Michael Bisping and what the UFC is going to miss going forward. Of  Michael Bisping's last 10 fights, 9 of them were main events and only 2 were in the US. Bisping was Mr. International and the sort of fighter the UFC could use to either break into new markets or just guarantee fans a main eventer of consequence. He was a reliable headliner for free TV at the very least and his truest value may have been as a Fight Pass star for international fans. That's a lot of main events to make up, especially internationally. Who can the UFC turn to be the next big UK Star potentially? Well let's look at some dudes (and a lady!) who might be capable of filling up that spot:

1- UFC WW Darren Till

This is the easiest of the choices possible and the one that seems the most likely. In six UFC fights, Darren Till has headlined twice, both overseas. Till is really young, has weight division versatility at WW or MW and he is probably the best fighter out of the UK now that Bisping has retired. Till has the Bisping personality (although his shit talk seems more matter of fact and less humorous) and he's building himself up a crazy fanbase. Darren Till is the best fit for the spot but ironically enough, he might be TOO good. Bisping was always consistently above average (minus his second half career renaissance around Thales Leites) whereas Darren Till already has wins over Donald Cerrone and Wonderboy on his ledger. Dana has already said his next fight is going to be in Las Vegas so clearly Till's going to get his first real test outside of the United States. If Till turns out to be a draw, he's not playing around in the UK. Conor McGregor only headlined one time out in Ireland before it was straight up Vegas and MSG. Darren Till's talent might prevent him from being the next Bisping.

2- UFC WW Leon Edwards

After nine fights in the UFC, almost primarily in Europe, Leon Edwards gets the opportunity to headline for the first time in the UFC against Donald Cerrone in Singapore. Edwards is under 30, he's fought plenty of times in the UK and he's the sort of guy who has earned his reputation by virtue of a tremendous glut of wins against good enough competition. It's taken a long time for Edwards to get his first main event which kind of is the problem; he's really nondescript. He's showcased some good wrestling but not great, he's had some pop in his hands but nothing recently, his fights are prelim memorable but not exactly the sort of fights you'd show to your friends. He's another one of these really good WWs who just doesn't generate any sort of excitement. If it was about results, Edwards would be a lock but unless he wow's vs Cerrone, this feels like a case of "We needed a guy" and not a case of any genuine enthusiasm for his future.

3- Cage Warriors FW Paddy Pimblett

Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett is one of those fighters who I have a tough time figuring out. I've watched him fight about five times in Cage Warriors and I still don't quite know what he is. Maybe it's the Marc Diakiese effect where a fighter who seems to have serious issues often getting fights where they need to be leave me on edge. Be that as it may or may not be, Paddy is already a big star in Cage Warriors, a Liverpool native who has tremendous character and some absurd grappling chops. He's one of those guys who "gets it" about how to promote and market yourself. He's not perfect but I suppose that's part of the charm. Paddy opted to re-up with Cage Warriors in March so he'd be a ways away I suppose from getting the call. Pimblett has a lot of Michael Bisping in him but again, there's some Diakese here.

4- Bellator WW Michael Page

Currently the attention of Bellator's next big free agent is Michael Chandler which is understandable. Talent at 155 lbs like Mike Chandler, still technically in his prime-ish at 32 years, are wanted on the open market. The reality though is that if I had to choose between two fighters with one fight left on their deals, I'm not entirely sure that Chandler would be the guy I'd want. That would probably have to be Michael Page even with the concern. I know Michael Chandler will be a decent LW in the UFC (maybe a little better, maybe a bit worse) whereas MVP could be the best WW or the worst WW. The pacing of his career suggests he's not going to be there---but if the UFC is looking to replace Michael Bisping, you'd HAVE to want to be in on MVP. He's a "star" in the UK, he's loaded with personality and while we've seen him put up stinkers time and time again; he's the sort of dude who has the ability to be a Vitor Belfort who lives off of the highlight reel. They'd have to sign him away from Bellator obviously but we can't let facts get in the way!

5- UFC FW Arnold Allen

There's something very Ortega-y about Arnold Allen. The late comebacks are obviously a part of it but there's something to be said about a guy who always seems to find a way to win under any circumstances vs opponents who are worlds higher in rank and stature. He's really flawed but I stop assuming guys are lucky and stop figuring they're bound to find a way to lose after their third "How'd he do that shit?" win. I don't know if Allen will ever be a superstar but he's young, he's talented, he has a knack for pulling off miraculous wins and he's cutting his teeth in a ridiculously tough division. It's worth noting that Allen has a checkered legal past (a bar fight where he apparently either hit a woman or was defending his girlfriend depending on who you ask) and we saw Jimi Manuwa struggle to get fights outside of Europe because of that.

6- Women's boxer Nicola Adams

By all accounts Adams is an MMA fan and considered making the move over to MMA at one point. It may be worth checking in and seeing just whether she'd reconsider that. She's obviously not a sure bet to develop into a "star" and at 35 she's a weathered athlete BUT wouldn't you rather take a chance on someone like this knowing what the upside could be? Even if you have her for 3-4 years before she retires, you're still getting arguably one of the greatest women's athletes you've ever had.

[junker-town]

Giants need more from Eli Manning to keep momentum in 2017

The Giants broke a long playoff drought under Ben McAdoo and have a hugely talented roster. But Eli Manning isn’t getting any younger.

It’s not easy to move on from an entrenched head coach with multiple Super Bowl titles under their belt. Yet, that’s what the New York Giants did after the 2015 season, dismissing Tom Coughlin and replacing him with Ben McAdoo.

After winning the Super Bowl in the 2011 season, the Giants went through a four-year playoff drought. McAdoo was promoted from offensive coordinator and got his first head-coaching gig in a high-pressure environment. The Giants responded with an 11-5 season, reaching the playoffs for the first time since hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

There are a lot of reasons to think the Giants will make the postseason again. The defense got much better after general manager Jerry Reese spent big on the unit last year, and most of the core players are together again. Odell Beckham Jr. remains one of the most electrifying receivers the sport has ever seen, and now he has some veteran help in Brandon Marshall.

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul certainly isn’t lacking in confidence.

“I think the key is we added a lot of guys and people are like ‘Wow, this year has to be a team that goes to a Super Bowl this year,’” he told the New York Post.

But if they hope to get back to Super Bowl contention, they need more contribution from the offensive side of the ball — specifically, their franchise quarterback, Eli Manning.

Eli is showing real signs of aging

Manning thrived with McAdoo as the offensive coordinator in 2015, setting a career high with 35 touchdowns. However, things weren’t as good in 2016. Manning still threw for 4,027 yards, but it was his lowest total since 2013 and his TD-to-interception ratio fell from 35-14 to 26-16. His yards-per-attempt average (6.7) was the lowest since 2007.

Eli has always been prone to boneheaded turnovers, but at age 36, those mistakes are harder to ignore and it’s fair to wonder how much he has left in the tank. Eventually the Giants have to find a true successor to Manning, and they probably won’t find it in their current crop of backups — Josh Johnson, Geno Smith, and third-round rookie Davis Webb.

Things might be easier for Manning if he had any serious help in the running game, which is an area the Giants are still working on.

No running game creates more problems

The Giants were a pitiful 29th in the league in rushing yards, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry. Rashad Jennings, who’s currently a free agent, led the team with just 593 yards last season. It’s now up to Paul Perkins and Shane Vereen to resurrect the ground game.

Perkins, a 2016 fifth-round pick, broke out in the second half of the season. As a rookie, he recorded 456 rushing yards while averaging 4.1 yards per carry. The Giants seem committed to making him the lead back, with his only competition being Vereen, a pass-down specialist. Behind those two are career backups (Orleans Darkwa, Shaun Draughn) and fourth-round rookie Wayne Gallman. It’s still not an inspiring depth chart, even with Perkins’ potential upside.

Of course, the run game wasn’t helped by a bottom-tier offensive line, ranked 20th on Pro Football Focus last season. 2015 first-round pick Ereck Flowers was a disaster at left tackle, but the Giants are hoping he can make a jump in his third season. He’ll have to improve, because New York didn’t make any serious offseason additions on the blind side.

Left guard Justin Pugh and center Weston Richburg are good starters, but Pugh missed five games with injury and the middle of the line collapsed without him. The right side was a turnstile all year, but the Giants brought back right guard John Jerry and hope that another 2015 draft pick, Bobby Hart, can hold his own at right tackle. They also added free agent signee D.J. Fluker, who can play either right guard or tackle.

With the individual talent up front, there really aren’t many excuses for the line to be as poor as it was last season. A lot of the Giants’ offensive problems can solve themselves if the line just does a better job protecting Manning and opening up holes for Perkins.

ODB is the star, but he has some help this time

With respect to Manning, there’s really not much doubt who the real face of the franchise is here. Odell Beckham Jr. has taken the league by storm since arriving in New York in 2014, and he has a good chance to be this generation’s most iconic athlete. An incredible player and magnetic personality, Beckham is must-see TV.

However, it’s not a one-man show in the Giants’ receiver corps. They have quietly built a strong supporting cast around Beckham. Brandon Marshall was brought in after the New York Jets cut him, and despite some struggles with the Jets’ motley crew of QBs throwing him the ball last year, he can still play at age 33. Sterling Shepard turned in a strong rookie year with eight touchdowns, and with Marshall in town, he can thrive in his more natural slot position. As far as starting receivers go, that’s a pretty good trio of talent the Giants can boast.

Even the tight end position could be interesting again. The Giants have spent years shuffling between mediocrities like Will Tye and Larry Donnell, but now they have an intriguing rookie in first-round draft pick Evan Engram. The Ole Miss prospect was touted as one of the better pass-catching tight ends in the draft, and Engram is capable of lining up in multiple positions, giving Eli a versatile weapon at tight end he hasn’t really had since Martellus Bennett’s brief run in 2012.

There is potential on this offense, but also a lot of question marks, so New York will need its defense to step up once again.

Defense went from weakness to strength overnight

After Coughlin was forced out the door, Reese suddenly had the target painted on his back. The GM went into the 2016 offseason seemingly on the hot seat, and decided to invest on defense. Olivier Vernon (five years, $85 million), Janoris Jenkins (five years, $62.5 million), and Damon Harrison (five years, $46.250 million) were among the biggest free agent signings that spring, all in an attempt to improve the defense.

Normally, buying your way into contention doesn’t quite work out — it’s a classic last-ditch attempt by an embattled GM to save his job. The thing is, Reese’s spending spree ... actually worked? The Giants’ defensive DVOA jumped from 30th all the way to second, while ranking 10th in yards allowed and giving up the second-fewest points in the league (17.8) one year after allowing the third-most (27.6). It was a dramatic turnaround on every level, easily the biggest reason why the Giants went from 6-10 to 11-5.

It all starts up front, as most great defenses do. Vernon lived up to his price tag and led the team with 8.5 sacks. Pierre-Paul, wearing a custom-fitted glove on his mangled hand, had a tremendous comeback year with seven sacks and three forced fumbles, finally getting the big long-term contract he’s always wanted. “Big Snacks” Harrison was an unmovable force in the middle of the line, though Johnathan Hankins could be hard to replace after he left in free agency.

In the secondary, Jenkins teamed up with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to form one of the better cornerback duos in the league. Safety Landon Collins had an explosive breakout season with five interceptions, four sacks, and a defensive touchdown, getting named to the All-Pro first team as a result. Pro Football Focus recently ranked this unit as the best secondary in the league:

The @Giants own @PFF's top secondary in the NFL heading into 2017 Find out where all 32 teams rank:https://t.co/n03sEOnHQc http://pic.twitter.com/WHhStotDFR

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) July 18, 2017

This defense is littered with great playmakers, and with most of them under contract and still in their primes, the Giants are in good shape on that side of the field. They didn’t even do much to address the defense in the offseason — re-signing linebacker Keenan Robinson and drafting tackle Dalvin Tomlinson in the second round ended up being their biggest moves.

Playoff talent, but some unanswered questions

On paper, this team has all the pieces it needs to win the NFC East and make a real run in January.

However, the Giants still have the ugly memory of that Wild Card round loss — Beckham and Shepard committed multiple back-breaking drops and the team in general just made too many unforced errors. You can’t beat yourself when you’re already playing Aaron Rodgers, and the Green Bay Packers predictably rolled to a 38-13 win.

Most of the core is back together, with some glaring holes addressed in the offseason, and this looks like one of the more talented rosters in the NFC. The Giants have a lot of promise, but they must cut down on the mental mishaps to contend in an NFC East that’s as fiercely competitive as ever. The Dallas Cowboys are still the team to beat, even if Collins disagrees. Meanwhile, Washington and the Philadelphia Eagles have enough talent to challenge the Giants in any given week. Any minor slipup could prove costly in this division.

Manning also looked old last season, and Father Time is undefeated. If he can’t play at the level he used to just a few years ago, how high is this team’s ceiling? If he’s nearing the end, how long is their contention window really open? Those are the million-dollar questions facing McAdoo and Reese, both in the present and future.