January Issue

The 2011 Ford Explorer

PREMIER PLAYERS SPORTS FOUNDATION ADVISORY BOARD

Lee Roy SelmonUniversity of South Florida Foundation

President, Partnerships for Athletics

Pam IorioCity of Tampa

Mayor

Sean FarrellMerrill Lynch

Tampa Complex

Tyrone KeysAll Sports Community Service

Executive Director

Joe TomainoUniversity of South Florida Bulls Club

Director, Major Gifts

ABOUT ThE FOUNDATIONAccording to reports, there are more than 140,000,000 orphans in the world. Many of them can only dream

about doing what most of us may do on a daily basis: Play Sports. The Premier Players Sports Foundation, a 501c(3) nonprofit company based in Tampa, FL, wants to help kids live the dream now. Its mission is to

provide orphanages around the world with sports balls, apparel and league sponsorships as well as to help financially support other children ministries and nonprofits.

PREMIER PLAYERS SPORTS FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIREcTORS

Lee YostFinancial Advisor

Merrill Lynch

Georgia RiceWealth Management Banker

Bank of America

Radenko DobrasFinancial Advisor

Merrill Lynch

Carmen AlvarezCPA

Carmen Alvarez CPA

Carnell MooreFounder

Premier Players

features & departments

features

6 About the Award

10 Players’ Bio

15 NCAA Basketball

22 ‘10 College Football- FBS Review

22 NFL Playoffs

departments

7 Sound Off

14 Community

26 Travel (Tampa)

16 Men & Women Basketball Polls

30 Player’s Ink

PREMIER PLAYERS �

PUBLISHINGCEO & PUBLISHER

Carnell Moore

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSteve WrightMarc JenkinsSam Smoot

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERCherrielet P. Mercado

For advertising information e-mail:[email protected]

To submit editorials & ideas e-mail:[email protected] or visit www.premierplayers.com

Write to us at:P.O. Box 341064

Tampa, FL 33694-1064Call us at:

800-470-0250

AP PHOTO CREDITSCharles Krupa p5

Rick BowmerDave MartinRick Bowmer

Tony DingWily Low p7Jon Super

Mary Ann Chastain p14Keith Srakocic p18

Dave MartinMark J. Terrill p22

Dave MartinCharles KrupaAmy SancettaAndy King p28Tony Ding p30

Content Disclaimer & Use The opinions expressed in Premier Players Magazine and on Premier Players Online do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, publishers and or their agents. For use of any material used in Premier Players Magazine or on Premier Players Online, please contact the publisher

at 813-833-3495.

Talk about a Premier Player! New England Patriots Tom Brady has once again lead the team to the NFL playoffs. Can. . . they. . . go. . . all. . .the. . .way? Read about the matchups on page 28.

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ollege football, or any sport for that matter, would not bring excitement to millions of people each year if it wasn’t for the

fans. Yet, when it came to determining the best college football player in the nation, the fans were mostly left out of the selection process - until now. The Premier Player of College Football Award is a trophy presented to the athlete the fans voted for as the best player in NCAA college football. A poll is released at the beginning of the college football season with 20 of the best players for fans to follow. In mid October, five more great performing players are added to the poll. Fans then have until the last conference championship game to cast their initial votes for deciding The Premier Player of College Football. The five athletes with the most votes will be announced in early December, and invited to The Premier Player of College Football charitable awards dinner. Simultaneous, another poll begins with just those five players on the ballot that will remain open until the day before the awards dinner. This year, the recipient of The Premier Player of College Football award will be revealed at the charitable awards dinner held at the University of South Florida’s Marshall Center at 5 p.m. on January 15th, 2011. “Fans are such a big part of the games, so we wanted to come up with an award that they can be a big part of too,” said Carnell Moore, CEO of Premier Players. “All the athletes on the list are Premier Players, but we will let the fans decide who gets the award.” NFL Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon views this award as a great voice for college football fans, and sees The Premier Player of College Football charitable awards dinner as a signature event that can showcase Tampa, provide fun for fans, recognize premier athletes, and help many children. According to reports, there are more than 140,000,000 orphans in the world. Many of them can only dream about

About The Award

doing what most of us may do on a daily basis: Play Sports. The charitable award dinners will help many of them live this dream now. A dream that can provide fun and laughter, the physical fitness that can improve their athletic abilities and self-esteem, and a chance at finding a forever coach, mentor or family. Premier Players Sports Foundation is a 501c(3) nonprofit company based in Tampa, FL. The foundation recognizes sports can be a game-changer in a child’s life because it teaches team work, physical fitness, leadership, relationship building and self confidence. That’s why its mission is to provide orphanages around the world with sports balls, apparel and league sponsorships to help their kids get into the games.

Be a team player and help make a difference in the lives of millions of children. You can make a tax-deductible donation to:

Premier Players Sports Foundation P.O. Box 341064 Tampa, FL 33694-1064

Proceeds from The 2010 Premier Player of College Football charitable awards dinner will benefit the Premier Players Sports Foundation, The Children’s Home and The Joshua House orphanages, and SCORE International Foundation which conducts sports missions to more than 20 countries. Call 800-470-0250 with any questions.

C“Fans are such a big part of the games, so we wanted to come up with an award that they can be a big part of too”

1) Washington fan Matt Heck, of Seattle, displays his signs.2) Arkansas fans cheer for their favorite player.3) An Oregon fan dresses as a masked duck before the start of an NCAA college football game.4) Iowa Hawkeyes mascot, Herky, giving high fives to Iowa fans.5) A Michigan player, center, celebrates with fans in the Michigan Stadium student section.

1 2

3 4

5

sound off

5:00 pm VIP reception for finalists, sponsors and community leaders only

5:30 pm General reception

6:00 pm Dinner & Welcome To The Event Emcee Rod Carter, Morning Anchor for News Channel 8

Presentation of The Colors MacDill AFB Honor Guard

The Pledge of Allegiance Emcee Rod Carter, Morning Anchor for News Channel 8

Prayer & Blessing of The Dinner Pastor John Zeller

Live Music Recording Artist Rachel Lewis

Welcome to University of South Florida From President Judy Genshaft Office

What is The Premier Player of College Football Award Carnell Moore, founder of the award

Joshua House Video Speaker from Joshua House

The Children’s Home Video Speaker from The Children’s Home

Score International Video John Zeller, Incoming Executive Director

Live Music Recording Artist Rachel Lewis

A Word About The Finalists before each of the videos (Short Bio of Success) Dave Wirth, Sports Anchor for News Channel 10

Denard Robinson Highlight Video (1 – 2 min) Jake Locker Highlight Video (1 – 2 min) LaMichael James Highlight Video (1 – 2 min Ricky Stanzi Hightlight Video (1 – 2 min) Ryan Mallett Highlight Video (1 – 2 min)

A Word From The Mayor Office Santiago Corrada

Presentation of The Award Announced by Dave Wirth, Sports Anchor for News Channel 10 Given by NFL Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon

A Word From The Winner of The 2010 Premier Player of College Football Award

8:00 pm Closing Remarks

The 2010 Premier Player of College Football Program5 p.m., Saturday, January 15th, 2011, At The USF Marshall Center

the

pla

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’ bio

Denard Robinson

Ryan Mallett6’-6” / 238

Redshirt Junior, Quarterback

University of Arkansas Razorbacks

Started all 12 games and completed an Arkansas single-season record 242 passes on 364 attempts for 3,592 yards and 30 touchdowns with 11 interceptions … Currently leads the SEC and ranks fifth in the NCAA with 299.3 passing yards per game … His 30 passing touchdowns lead the conference and are tied for seventh in the country, and his 295.5 yards of total offense per game rank second in the SEC and 13th in the nation … Has thrown for 1,691 yards and 12 touchdowns against ranked opponents this season to lead the SEC and rank second in the country in both categories … His 163.90 passer rating against ranked opponents is second in the conference and eighth in the NCAA … Is second in the NCAA with 30 completions of 30 or more yards, and his 63 since 2009 are the most in the NCAA … leads the SEC and ranks second in the NCAA with 93 completions of 15 or more yards and his conference-leading total of 35 completions of 25-plus yards is tied for fifth in the nation. … Has a completion of at least 25 yards in 24 of his 25 games as a Razorback and a 50 yarder in 15 games.

Not listed / 193

Sophomore, Quarterback

University of Michigan Wolverines

Appeared in 24 career games ... Made 13 starts, 12 at quarterback and one at running back ... Team’s top returning rusher ... Surpassed 1,000 career rushing yards against Bowling Green (Sept. 25, 2010) in the first quarter ... Currently holds the NCAA season record for rushing yards by a quarterback (1,643), surpassing Air Forces’s Beau Morgan’s 1,494 against Wisconsin (Nov. 20th, 2010) ... Became the first player in NCAA history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,500 yards in a single season in 2010 … (University Bio)

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Jake Locker 6’-3” / 230

Senior, Quarterback

University of Washington Huskies

A legitimate candidate for All-America, Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien and Maxwell Trophy awards in 2010 ... Announced on December 14th, 2009 he would not enter the NFL Draft and return for his senior season at Washington ... Leading returning player in the Pac-10 in total offense and points responsible for ... Drafted twice by Major League Baseball and, in 2009, signed a six-year rights agreement with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ... Technically is a walk-on since the Angels are paying his scholarship costs ... Called the top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. ... Enters the 2010 season with 5,374 career passing yards, which is sixth on the UW career charts ... The school’s all-time leading quarterback rusher … (University Bio)

Ricky Stanzi6’-4” / 230

Senior, Quarterback

University of Iowa Hawkeyes

Started every game for the Hawkeyes in 2010, completing 210-324 passes for 2,804 yards and 25 touchdowns, with just four interceptions … had three touchdown passes in five games … Career totals include 531-886 for 7,177 yards and 56 touchdowns … Is third in career touchdowns, yards and total offense (7,164) and fourth in completions and attempts at Iowa … Ranks second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally in passing efficiency (160.5) in 2010 … Set an Iowa record with a touchdown pass in 21 consecutive games … One of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award … A semifinal candidate for both the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards.

LaMichael James5’-9” / 185

Sophomore, Running Back

University of Oregon Ducks

Oregon’s first unanimous All-America … Recipient of the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back … Also garnered All-America acclaim from SI.com and Scout.com … Finalist for the Heisman Trophy finished third in the voting … One of three finalists for both 2010 Walter Camp Player of the Year … One of four conference players to earn both Pac-10 All-Academic and All-Pac-10 first team honors … Also chosen first-team All-Pac-10 by Phil Steele, Scout.com and Rivals.com … Semifinalist for the 76th annual Maxwell Award, presented to the collegiate player of the year … National leader in rushing (152.9) and scoring average (12.0) while ranking seventh in all-purpose yards (168.1) … Leads the NCAA in overall rushing yards with 1,682, which ranks second on Oregon’s single-season list … 22 touchdowns (21 rush/1 rec) are an UO season record … Fastest player to 1,000 rushing yards in a season (7 games) and 2,000 (16 games) and 3,000 (23 games) for a career in school history … (University Bio)

PREMIER PLAYERS 11

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Proud Supporter of The 2010

Premier Player of College Football Award

Rachel Lewis is a singer/songwriter who originally hails from Toronto, Ontario. In her teens she began singing internationally, and has performed throughout the US and Europe. In 2002, she had a leading role in the movie “The Rev”, she also co-wrote and sang on the movie’s soundtrack. Most recently, Rachel has been writing, co-producing and recording her current CD. The first single is scheduled to be released in Spring 2011. Accompanying Rachel on the acoustic guitar is her father, John Ellison, who is the internationally renowned composer of the classic hit “She’s Some Kind of Wonderful”.

“She’s Some Kind of Wonderful.”

erena Williams has had one of the greatest tennis careers of all time. She has won 28 singles and 11 doubles tournaments, including at least one title in all four Grand Slam tournaments. However, through all of

her success she has not forgotten the importance of a good education. Serena and, her sister and doubles partner, Venus, were taught at a young age the importance of a higher education. They were not allowed to participate in any fun extracurricular activities if they received grades lower than a B in school. That is why Serena was so disturbed when she learned of kids in Africa who could not attend school because their families could not afford to spend $1.00 a week on their education. Serena’s passion for education, helping others, and watching other succeed inspired her to build a school in Senegal. Children in Senegal will be given the opportunity to attend school for free. This will be the second school in Africa that Serena has contributed to. She also partnered with HP and Build African Schools to

open the Serena Williams Secondary School in Kenya. Both schools help children to get off the streets and be the best they can be and more. Not only does the Serena Williams Foundation provide children in Africa with schools but it also provides underprivileged youth in America with grants and scholarships. The foundation selects deserving high school students to help pay for them to attend college. Another goal of the foundation is to help youth whose families have been affected by violence. They will accomplish this goal by providing the youth who have been exposed to violent crimes with counseling, foster and day care, housing, food and an education. Serena has repeatedly sent the message through her words and actions that “giving is better than receiving.” She has proven to be a great role model as she continues to provide youth all around the world with a higher education and conducts tennis clinics for at-risk youth. You can learn more about The Serena Williams Foundation by visiting www.theswf.org.

Serena WilliamS Foundation

BY SAM SMOOT

S

Serena Williams poses with her trophy, after defeating Vera Zonareva to win the women’s singles final on the Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, July 3rd, 2010.

Serena Williams signs posters for local Boys and Girls club children from the Columbia, S.C., area after they took part in a tennis clinic.

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PREMIER PLAYERS 1�

We all know that in the grand scheme and big picture of the sports world that the months of November and December belong

to the Gladiators of the Gridiron. After all, it is the stretch run for the professional football players as well as time for conference championship games and the beginning of bowl season for the collegiate athletes. While the nation’s attention has been on interceptions, first and 10s and touchdowns, there have been plenty of fast-paced, hard-hitting action on the college hardwood featuring both the men and women.

On the men’s side, the biggest headline of the young 2010-11 season has been the dominance of the defending national champion Duke Blue Devils. Duke has jumped out to an 11-0 record entering ACC-play including impressive victories over Kansas State (82-68), Michigan State (84-79) and Butler (82-70) in a rematch of last year’s title game. They are third in the nation in points per game (89 PPG) and one of just seven teams shooting better than 50% from the field. Despite the possible season-ending toe injury to all-world point guard Kyle Ivring (who was averaging a team high 17.4 PPG during the eight games in which he appeared in), Duke has still managed to remain

W

Baylor center Brittney Griner (42) celebrates a score. The 6’ 8”

sophomore leads the nation in blocked shots.

By marc Jenkins

NCAA Basketball Actions Heating Up, Just in Case

You Didn’t Notice

AUSTIN FREEMAN, Georgetown, Guard, Senior

BRANDON KNIGHT, Kentucky, Guard, Freshman

CHANDLER PARSONS, Florida, Forward, Senior

ELIAS HARRIS, Gonzaga, Forward, Freshman

HARRISON BARNES, North Carolina, Forward, Freshman

JACOB PULLEN, Kansas State, Guard, Senior

JAJUAN JOHNSON, Purdue, Center, Senior

JARED SULLINGER, Ohio State, Center, Freshman

JORDAN HAMILTON, Texas, Guard, Sophomore

JIMMER FREDETTE, BYU, Guard, Senior

KALIN LUCAS, Michigan State, Guard, Senior

KAWHI LEONARD, San Diego State, Forward, Sophomore

KEVIN JONES, West Virginia, Forward, Junior

KYLE SINGLER, Duke, Forward, Senior

LACEDARIUS DUNN, Baylor, Guard, Senior

MALCOLM DELANEY, Virginia Tech, Guard, Senior

MARCUS MORRIS, Kansas, Forward, Junior

NOLAN SMITH, Duke, Guard, Senior

SHELVIN MACK, Butler, Guard, Junior

TREY THOMPKINS, Georgia, Forward/Center, Junior

Vote for The 2010-11 Premier Player of Men and Women college Basketball

The Poll will remain open until March 15th, 2011. however, check back for additional players that may be added at the end of January that will allow for additional voting. Award presentation information will also

be announced at the end of January 2011.

Men

AMBER HARRIS, Xavier, Forward, Senior

ANGIE BJORKLUND, Tennessee, Forward, Senior

BRITTNEY GRINER, Baylor, Center, Sophomore

CHASTITY REED, Arkansas-Little Rock, Forward, Senior

COURTNEY VANDERSLOOT, Gonzaga, Guard, Senior

DANIELLE ADAMS, Texas A & M, Forward, Senior

DANIELLE ROBINSON, Oklahoma, Guard, Senior

ELENA DELLE DONNE, Delaware, Forward, Sophomore

JASMINE THOMAS, Duke, Guard, Junior

JESSICA BRELAND, North Carolina, Forward, Senior

KACHINE ALEXANDER, Iowa, Guard, Senior

KAYLA PEDERSEN, Stanford, Forward, Senior

MAYA MOORE, Connecticut, Forward, Senior

NNEKA OGWUMIKE, Stanford, Forward, Junior

SAMANTHA PRAHALIS, Ohio State, Guard, Junior

SHEKINNA STRICKLEN, Tennessee, Guard, Junior

SHENISE JOHNSON, Miami, Guard, Junior

SUGAR RODGERS, Georgetown, Guard, Sophomore

TA’SHIA PHILLIPS, Xavier, Center, Senior

VICTORIA DUNLAP, Kentucky, Forward, Senior

Vote for The 2010-11 Premier Player of Men and Women college Basketball

The Poll will remain open until March 15th, 2011. however, check back for additional players that may be added at the end of January that will allow for additional voting. Award presentation information will also

be announced at the end of January 2011.

Wom

en

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undefeated and atop of the polls so far this year. In addition to their fine season head coach Mike Kryzewski also reached a milestone as he passed Dean Smith for second place on the all-time coaching wins list (880 wins). The Connecticut Huskies are back flourishing on the court thanks in large part to the return of Coach Jim Calhoun and the star play of junior guard Kemba Walker who is currently leading the nation in scoring per game (26.7 PPG as of January 2nd, 2011). UConn has raced out to an early 10-1 record and have been ranked as high as number four in both the AP and ESPN polls which is a great accomplishment so far considering that they were unranked at the beginning of the year and predicted by many experts to finish fifth or sixth in the Big East. Another surprise is the fine play of the San Diego State Aztecs who were 14-0 (as of January 2nd, 2011, one of just six unbeaten teams) and ranked seventh in the nation. The Aztecs even have a very high quality win on their resume after defeating Gonzaga in Spokane by three points (79-76). It will be interesting to see if they can continue their fine play throughout the season. In order to do so they will need sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard to continue playing at the level which he is (15.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG and 2.6 APG). Other intriguing storylines on the men’s side of things include the fact that the University of North Carolina remains to struggle, losing four early season games despite having the top freshman in the country, Harrison Barnes (who is averaging just 12.3 PPG and has scored less than double-figures in four contests). Kansas State and Michigan State are also two preseason favorites that have stumbled out of the gates losing seven games combined (Kansas State 10-3 and Michigan State 8-4) and looking bad against other quality opponents. By the time the NCAA tournament begins in March, which of these three teams will have righted the ship and be poised to make a deep run for the title? In women’s action the biggest story is without question the Connecticut Lady Huskies who have set records, had their streak stopped and everything else in between. For starters, the Lady Huskies picked up right where they left off last season demolishing every opponent which was placed in front of them and extended their win streak to an NCAA Basketball best (men and women) 90 consecutive games before losing to Stanford (who was the last team to beat them during the 2008 Final Four). Besides that history, the best player in the nation Maya Moore also became the all-time leading scorer in Lady Husky history when she topped her ex-teammate Tina Charles less than a year after Charles broke the record. Despite the streak being over, UConn still remains the strong favorite to cut down the nets in April. The Baylor Lady Bears are also looking impressive this season as well, posting a 13-1 record and almost defeating UConn in their matchup back in November (losing by one, 65-64). The Lady Bears

star center Britney Griner is the catalyst for this team and as she goes they go, especially on the defensive end where she leads the nation in blocked shots per game with 5.5 and causes opponents to think twice about the shots which they take. The Stanford Cardinal will also get much more attention now after upsetting UConn. They were already regarded as a top ten team but now they are looked at as one of the best teams in the nation. As long as Jeanette Pohlen can continue to play at the level which she is (31 points in win over UConn), then the Cardinal could have an opportunity to meet and beat the Huskies again in the Final Four. There’s a lot more in both men’s and women’s action that has taken place that I didn’t mention. As bowl season ends and the NFL Playoffs begins, it is also time for the focus of the sporting world to change to the hardwood to see what was missed and much more!

Connecticut’s Kemba Walker (15) scores in front of Pittsburgh’s Ashton Gibbs (12) during an NCAA college basketball game last month. At 26.7 points per game, Walker is one of the nation’s leading scorers.

Kansas cheerleader during an NCAA college basketball game with Southern California last month.

Tattoos for the New 2012 Ford FocusThe popularity of tattoos has turned body art into a fashion statement especially

among Millennials and Ford is taking the trend one step further by offering car buyers a quick and inexpensive way to express themselves with tattoos for

the new 2012 Ford Focus.

ime seems to fly by faster each year and with the ringing in of 2011 it is the right time to look back on

the 2010 NCAA Football regular season. 2010 was a year that we defined by two mega stories that ran throughout the season. The first was the ultimately failed assault on the BCS National Championship by Boise State, while the second was the emergence of Cameron Newton as the poster boy of the college football world, for

both good reasons and bad. Here are the ups, the downs, and the surprises of 2010.

Ups Cameron Newton – The Auburn quarterback came out of nowhere, putting together one of the finest seasons in the history of college football and led his team to a national title game berth while winning the Heisman Trophy. Boise State and TCU – In a world that provides huge advantages to the big six

conferences, it is always nice to see non automatic qualifying schools go blow for blow with the big boys. Boise State was rolling along until a couple of missed field goals cost them in a game at Nevada, while TCU completed a perfect season with a win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Justin Blackmon – The Oklahoma State wide receiver had an outstanding season compiling 111 catches, 1,782 yards, and 20 touchdowns for the year. Blackmon achieved all

2010 College Football – The FBS Year In ReviewBy Steve Wright

T

Auburn quarterback Cam Newton (2) gestures near the end of the Southeastern Conference Championship football game against South Carolina at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Auburn quarterback came out of nowhere, putting together one of the finest seasons in the history of college football and led his team to a national title game berth while winning the Heisman Trophy as well as other awards.

22 PREMIER PLAYERS

this in record breaking fashion by breaking Larry Fitzgerald’s record for receiving yards by a sophomore while scoring at least one touchdown and gaining at least 100 yards in a record 12 consecutive games. Oregon – It says something about an offense when teams have to resort to nefarious means like faking injuries to try to disrupt the flow of the attack. Watching Oregon play is sometimes like watching a game on fast forward as the offense runs play after play at an astonishing rate. Chip Kelly’s boys are a real breath of fresh air when compared to some of the stagnant play around the country.

Downs The BCS – Once again the system failed the fans as an undefeated TCU was denied the chance to play for a national title based on nothing more than preseason rankings and perceived conference strength. Cameron Newton – While Newton’s on field play was nothing short of magical, his one-day suspension and subsequent reinstatement by the NCAA based on his involvement in a potential recruitment scandal at Mississippi State cast a cloud over his entire season. The Big Ten on New Year’s Day – The Big Ten started the Bowl Season in fine form and the traditional Slate of New Year’s Day games were supposed to be the icing on the cake in a show of conference power. What actually happened was a total conference meltdown as Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Penn State all got blown out before Wisconsin went down to BCS Buster TCU in the nightcap. Kyle Brotzman – A kicker is never noticed until he either

makes or misses a game winning kick and, unfortunately, for the usually reliable Brotzman his two misses for Boise State in Nevada cost the Broncos both the game and a prestigious BCS Bowl berth. The Big East – A BCS game berth was no problem for the winners of the Big East, even if eventual champs UConn finished ranked outside of the Top 25. The conference will be hoping that the addition of TCU will bring it some legitimacy after a woeful regular season was capped with the Huskies getting blown out by Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl 48-20.

Surprises Urban Meyer resigning at Florida – When news came that Urban Meyer had stepped down as the head coach of the Florida Gators, it was like 2009 all over again. Meyer, who has cited health and family as reasons for walking away from Gainesville, was 65-15 in his tenure at Florida with two national championship rings. Who would have thought that in a bowl game featuring Meyer vs. Joe Paterno, the 46 year old Meyer would be the one coaching his last game for the foreseeable future. The Service Academies – 2010 became a banner year for the service academies as Air Force, Army, and Navy all went bowling together for the first time in history. Even better news was that

the academies went 2-1 in their bowl matchups with Navy beating Georgia Tech and Army victorious over SMU. Conference Realignment – Utah and Colorado in the Pac 12, Nebraska to the Big Ten (12), TCU in the Big East, BYU as an independent, the college football world is going to look very different in the next few years. Spare a thought for Boise State who moved to the Mountain West for better competition only to see the aforementioned Utah, BYU, and TCU disappear for new pastures.Thirty Five Bowl Games – College football is a fantastic sport. More than 50% of the FBS teams played in bowl games at the end of the season and yet we still want more.

TCU head coach Gary Patterson holds up the Rose Bowl Trophy after defeating the Wisconsin Badgers during the Rose Bowl NCAA college football game Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011, in Pasadena, Calif. Once again the system failed the fans as an undefeated TCU was denied the chance to play for a national title.

PREMIER PLAYERS 23

traveltravel

2011 Ford Mustang GTThe all-new 5.0-liter V-8 engine in the 2011 Mustang GT uses advanced technology to deliver 412 horsepower and a best-in-class highway fuel economy of 26 mpg.

1) Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner will lead a grinding ground attack.

2) New England Patriots has offensive and defensive playmakers. Here, linebacker Rob Ninkovich (50) celebrates his sack with teammates Jerod Mayo, right, and Myron Pryor.

3) The Steel Curtain is up on both sides of the ball. Pictured is offensive tackle Flozell Adams (71), offensive tackle Ramon Foster (73), and running back Rashard Mendenhall (34).

4) Chicago Bears’ Devin Hester (23) is a dangerous return man. Here, he is congratulated by Devin Aromashodu (19) after returning a punt 64 yards for a touchdown The return was Hester’s NFL-leading 14th career return for a TD.

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he 2010 NFL regular season has come and gone which means it is now time to focus on the road to Super Bowl XLV;

the 2011 Playoffs. Twelve teams will enter the NFL’s ultimate tournament, two teams will reach the Super Bowl and only one will sit atop of the mountain following the four weeks of unbelievable action. This year’s edition of the NFL postseason should resemble all of the breath taking action which was displayed during the incredible regular season. Here are the 12 teams that will be competing in the 2011 playoffs, which will be the favorites to advance and the two teams who will go the distance and reach Super Bowl XLV in Dallas on February 6th.

AFC In the American Football Conference all of the usual suspects are in the postseason (Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens) along with the New York Jets and the surprising Kansas City Chiefs. The Patriots and Steelers both have bye weeks during the Wild Card round (as result of being the top two seeds) while the Jets head to Indy to take on the Colts and the Ravens go to Kansas City to face the Chiefs. The Colts and Ravens should both advance and look to square off against the top two teams in the conference on the road with hopes of advancing. Now once the divisional round begins in the AFC then, honestly, all bets are off. There will be four quality teams facing one another and there is no guarantee which two will win and advance to the AFC Championship Game. If the Colts can continue the fine run defense which they have displayed over the last four weeks of the regular season then they should

be able to stop the Steelers and move on. If the Steelers continue to rush the pass well and create turnovers then it could be a long day for Peyton Manning and Indy as Pittsburgh would advance to the conference title game. The Ravens need Joe Flacco to play big in order to defeat the Pats, he has to have a great game with minimal turnovers so he can keep up with Tom Brady. The Pats need a solid game out of their young defense against a Ravens offense that can move the ball via the ground or the air effectively. When it’s all said and done I feel the Ravens will win the AFC after defeating the Patriots in the division round and then either the Steelers or Colts in the conference title game. The Ravens have everything that one would want out of a football team in all three phases of the game (offense, defense and special teams) to be superior in the postseason.

NFC The National Football Conference has five teams entering the postseason that belong (Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers) and one team (Seattle Seahawks) that absolutely belong at home watching on their couches. The Falcons and Bears were the top two seeds, therefore, they will receive byes during the wildcard round. While they are at home resting, the Eagles will be hosting the Packers and the Saints will travel to Seattle to take on the first sub .500 team to reach the NFL Playoffs, the Seattle Seahawks. In this conference, I like both road teams to come out on top and advance to the divisional round to face very difficult challenges. In the divisional round, if my predictions for the wild card round

are correct, the Saints will travel to Chicago to face the Bears and the Packers will head to Atlanta to square off with the Falcons. These two matchups should be tremendous featuring battles between terrific offenses (New Orleans and Atlanta) and dominating defenses (Chicago and Green Bay). If the Bears can continue to play well on defense as well as get some big plays from Devin Hester on special teams then they should be able to dethrone the defending champions. If Drew Brees can pick apart the Chicago secondary then the Saints will march on to the NFC Championship game. During the regular season, the Packers held six of their opponents to single-digit point performances and will need to keep that up in order to advance. Matt Ryan and the Falcons have been clutch all season long and they should once again do it against the Pack, pulling out a late win in the fourth quarter and move on to the title game. Once the NFC title game is set to kick off on January 23rd, the Falcons will be squaring off with the Packers and I like the Falcons to once again pull off another late game victory and move on to Super Bowl XLV. On Super Sunday, the Ravens and the Falcons will take part in a rematch of an epic battle between the two from week 10 in which both quarterbacks (Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco) led there teams on late touchdown drives. However, in the end, it was Ryan’s TD drive that proved to be the winning one (26-21). Super Bowl XLV should be every bit as good as that game if not better, with the bright lights and excitement filling the stadium as well as having the Lombardi trophy on the line. Here’s to a great NFL postseason in 2011!

The NFL Playoffs – Can The Top Seeds Go The Distance?

BY MARC JENKINS

T

PREMIER PLAYERS 29

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Michigan running back Vincent Smith (2) show off his Florida-themed tattoo. The sophomore from Pahokee, FL, played superback in all 12 contests with nine starts. He had 129 carries for 588 yards and five touchdowns, and caught 13 passes for 113 yards and two touchdown. The 5’6”, 180 lbs. back made his Michigan career debut vs. Western Michigan in 2009. With stats steadily improving, Smith is one to watch next season. In the background, Smith (2) celebrates his touchdown with receivers Kelvin Grady (19) and Junior Hemingway (21).

Vincent Smith

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