My main man ERIC BERRY

My main man ERIC BERRY
My main man ERIC BERRY

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Post #7 NFL Free Agency

This NFL off-season has been a crazy one so far! Players signing with other teams, players not being able to agree on contract extensions with their current teams. The last few weeks were very interesting to watch for you football fans out there. Several star players signed contracts with new organizations including Brandon Marshall, Dontari Poe, Eddy Lacy, Alshon Jeffery, Latavius Murray and many others through out the league. One of the most interesting moves this off-season was that the New England Patriots acquired Wide Receiver Brandin Cooks from the New Orleans Saints. This could be very dangerous for the entire NFL because NE quarterback Tom Brady just got a brand new threat at WR and he is a good one. Coming off his rookie season, Cooks had a wonderful first year in the NFL and now gets to be with arguably the best quarterback to ever play the game of football.
        This can tie into my post a few weeks ago regarding Chiefs safety Eric Berry, most of these athletes want more and more money because they think they played well enough to earn it. But if a deal can't be made with an organization then that player will move elsewhere to try to get his hard earned money. Sometimes teams won't have enough "cap space" in order to agree to terms with a player becoming a free agent and that is usually when players find new teams. There has been numerous roster moves already and free agency doesn't end until the following season! Now some of you may not know this but each team has a "franchise tag". I mentioned this in my earlier post as well, but anyways, this tag is placed on a certain player for the reasons of not being able to agree to terms with that player(placing the tag would give the organization until June 15th to make a deal), or not having enough cap space, or simply not wanting to pay that player more than he's already being paid. Giving a player the franchise tag will only ad 15% salary to what he was paid the past year.
         I love seeing new faces on new teams so I am very excited for this upcoming year. The Chiefs are ready to get to the Superbowl I can sense it already! Feel free to comment and tell me what you think about some free agency moves so far! Thanks for reading!

Post #6 World Baseball Classic

This week's topic will feature the USA baseball team! Every spring, there's an international baseball tournament called the World Baseball Classic. This event includes 16 teams by invitation from a qualifying match prior to the tournament. For the last 4 tournaments, there has been 14 of the same countries invited to play. Including USA, Canada, Brazil, Spain, Panama, South Africa, Dominican Republic, etc.
       The tournament is actually under way right now! I'm a big Royals fan by the way and there are 7 Royals players competing for team USA. Danny Duffy, Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez, and others have played great so far in 3 games. USA actually defeated the defending tournament champions on Saturday (Dominican Republic). They will move on to face Japan in the Semifinals on Tuesday. During their matchup against Venezuela, both teams were tied at 2 and Eric Hosmer was up to bat with 1 runner on base. He drills a shot to deep right center field for a home-run to make the score 4-2 USA. USA went on to win that game 4-2 and Eric was awarded MVP for his game winning homer.
        Baseball has been one of the most popular sports around the world for while now, especially in the US. There are so many great athletes that have come through the major leagues since the great Babe Ruth. A lot of people say that baseball is boring or not a real sport, these people are uneducated. Baseball is one of the hardest sports to play and some people don't understand how much skill you need to have in order to play baseball. Look up how fast a pitch reaches home plate and how fast a batter has to react to that pitch in order to hit the ball. The results will change your mind about baseball completely I promise. If you guys have any comments or questions about the World Baseball Classic or baseball in general then please feel free to comment! Thanks for reading!

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Eric Berry Highlights 2016-17

Post #5 MARCH MADNESS!

         Hi everyone! Here were are at post number five already! This week I thought I should discuss the 2017 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament. Today, March 13th, was actually known as "Selection Sunday" for this long awaited tournament. Most know this tourney as "March Madness" as well, mainly because the entire tournament takes place during March and every game is insane!
         This tournament consists of 68 teams total, spread out through 4 regions(16 teams per). At first this tournament used to only be 64 teams but now there is such a thing known as "first four out". Before the NCAA tournament begins, 8 teams will face off to see who makes the last 4 spots in the bracket. Thus creating the 64 team bracket and beginning the first round of play! This is one of the most exciting sports times of the year. By far the biggest tournament in the sports world aside from the Olympics. Literally, anyone can win the entire thing. Each region is seeded 1-16 and each match up is based on worst vs best seed. For example, the number 1 seed will play the number 16 seed. Followed by 2 vs 15, and 3 vs 14, etc. Upsets happen all the time and they come out of nowhere!
         My favorite division 1 college is Kansas State University and this season wasn't their best. But they still somehow proved their way into the "first four out", so they will play on Tuesday night against Wake forest for the last spot in their region. I think they can win because K-state had some great wins and went toe to toe against Kansas twice this season. Anyways, if you're reading this and have no idea what the NCAA tournament is, I would encourage you to watch several of these games! Even if you don't like or know the schools playing, every game is very competitive and will satisfy your time with excitement!
         Something pretty cool that anyone can do is, go to ESPN.com and create you're own bracket. You predict what teams move on and what teams finish their season. I usually make 5 brackets just to fool around and get lucky! It's really fun to do and you can register to win like 10,000 dollars! I don't think anyone has ever had a perfect bracket but some have come very close. To conclude, I hope you guys watch a game or two from the tournament and please comment to tell me how it was for you!
GO STATE!

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Post #4 The NFL Combine

This week's topic is the 2017 NFL Combine. This event is stretched out through a three day span consisting of collegiate athletes across the nation to compete to be drafted in this years draft. This day is special for these athletes because this is one of the tools they get to use for their chances in the NFL. Some of these athletes perform great numbers and some perform average numbers. This event includes several agility drills, a 40-yrd dash, a vertical jump and a broad jump. These numbers give NFL coaches and scouts ways to study players and decide who they want to draft this season.
          This is my topic this week because three of our Washburn football players are currently training for the draft. Hoping to get their name called, these players are Cody Heiman, Zach Franklin, and Michael Miller. All three were great players for us! Being a Chiefs fan, I love the NFL draft, also because I am a college football player dreaming of being drafted to an NFL team one day. Anyways... I think what I'm trying to say is why does the NFL make it so hard and nerve-racking to make it in the NFL. These guys go through years of training and practice, yeah most of them don't even think of making it to the next level after college but the ones who have the talent and ability have to go through so much work and basically have to prove themselves to these coaches and scouts. Is the dream of playing in the NFL worth all this effort and time just to fall short and not get drafted at all? Less than four percent of all high school athletes go to college to play sports, 1.6 percent of college athletes make it to professional sports.
          I love the NFL draft, I love watching athletes compete, I have no problem with anything towards the process of getting to the NFL. What do you guys think? Do you think it should be easier to get drafted or should every athlete get their shot on an NFL team? I'd love to hear what you guys think! Please comment your thoughts!

Post #3 Should Athletes Make Millions?

It's Sunday blog day everyone! This week I thought that we should talk about how much money should professional athletes be awarded with contract extensions and reaching agreements on long term or short term contracts. Currently, my favorite player in the NFL is the starting Free Safety for the Kansas City Chiefs. Eric Berry has earned his right to be named one of the NFL's best defensive players. When a team is winning and the players are having great seasons and the fans are cheering and not focusing on the next year or the next few years. People and organizations don't enjoy counting the days until a particular player's contract comes to an end and new negotiations need to begin. For the 2017 season, Eric Berry will be a free agent, unless the Chiefs can find a way to agree upon a long term deal with Berry. Also, the Chiefs could set him as their franchise tag, making Berry the franchise tag for the second year in a row. Being a franchise tag take your last years salary and adds on 15-20% for the following season. Berry has already taken to the public that he doesn't want to play as the franchise tag next season. Sources say that Berry is asking for 75 million dollars over a long term deal. Thats A LOT of money, most offensive tackles or quarterbacks don't make that much money. Therefor, this could be a break up or make up year for the Chiefs All-Pro Safety. I really hope the two find a way to agree to a long term deal. Anyways, do you guys believe that professional athletes are asking for or are being paid too much money? I honestly think that some athletes are paid way to much money and more than they deserve. For example, LeBron James is the greatest basketball player in the NBA but he isn't the most paid player in the NBA. Some athletes make more than they deserve and that is the only problem that I have with this topic. I want to know what you guys have to say! Feel free to comment and speak your mind! Thanks for reading.

Post #2 Where's the Defense!?

Hi again everyone, how about we begin our sporting adventure with the NBA All-star game, which happens to be streaming live as I write this blog! Most of the people that I've asked about the All-star game have told me that they enjoy it and are always excited to watch it. The issue that I have been trying to address with people for about 3-4 years is the competition level in this game alone has dropped significantly in the last couple years. Yeah, both teams score at will and reach over 140+ points per contest but my main point here is THERE IS NO DEFENSE. All of these professional athletes including LeBron James, Kevin Durant Kobe Bryant, etc. None of them play any defense until the end of the game. Something needs to change down the road or I believe that the NBA All-star game will become one of the lease popular sporting events out there. I don't think its anywhere close to the top already, so increasing the competition levels of the players would do this game some good!
That's what I think, what do you guys think? Feel free to comment or ask questions!

Chase Williams Intro

Hello everyone, my name is Chase Williams and I am a communications major here at Washburn and I'm actually looking to switch my major to Sports management while making communications my minor. I have a passion for sports and I'm looking to take my career into the sports world.

I'm from Winnetonka high school in Kansas City, Missouri. This is my second year here at Washburn and it has been a pretty great experience so far! I've met a lot of new people and the college experience has been really cool.

I also am continuing my football career here at Washburn on a football scholarship. I am a defensive back for anyone wondering! Football is by far my most favorite sport and after college I wish to be involved in some type of way with football! whether thats coaching, playing professionally, or even being a sports analyst. Thanks for reading!