Johnny Football

It took a 29-24 victory over the then #1 Alabama Crimson Tide for the nation to open their eyes to the caliber of player Johnny Manziel is. "Johnny Football", as he is called now, had been flying under the radar until this point, but when a freshman quarterback walks into Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and defeats the Tide, people begin to talk. Talk they did.

Manziel had some breakout games in various points throughout the beginning of the season, but few recognized the consistency in his other games. People across the college football nation expected Texas A&M, the team which Manziel is the quarterback for, to waltz into the Southeastern Conference, the most gruesome conference in the nation, and actually compete. What most did expect, however, was for the Aggies to turn out much like their fellow "transfers" from the Big 12, the Missouri Tigers, who did not win a single conference game all season. The Aggies can thank Manziel, the leader of the team at only 19, for much of their success in their first season in the SEC.

After his historic victory in Tuscaloosa, critics and sportscasters started talking Heisman. I thought it was a longshot, even though I hadn't really paid attention to the kid. I hadn't analyzed the statistics or reviewed the game changing plays that Manziel had created. I was not educated on how well this kid was playing the game. After I watched film on the Alabama game, I realized why the critics were talking like they were. This young man walked into maybe the most fierce atmospheres in college football, and silenced them without blinking. He played with the fluidity and confidence of a fifth-year senior. I was awestruck, and I have seen my fair share of great players. I've seen Cam Newton play in person, I've broken down game tape of Tim Tebow, and this kid compares as only a freshman.

Manziel checked in the most dominant offensive season in the history of the SEC. He compiled a total of 4,600 total yards and accounted for 43 touchdowns (24 passing, 19 rushing) according to ESPN.com. He was a mere one touchdown away from joining previous Heisman trophy winner, Tim Tebow, as the only quarterbacks in the SEC to have a 20/20 season (20 rushing/20 passing). He toppled statistics by both Tim Tebow and Cam Newton, both Heisman trophy winners. So it is only fitting that he win the Heisman, right?

It is truly amazing the difference that Manziel has created in College Station as only a freshman. He was awarded the Heisman Memorial Trophy. He is the first freshman to ever be awarded this prestigous achievement. However, I do not think it is right for him to win this award at such a young age. I do think he deserves it, without a doubt. The winning of this award as only a freshman, though, has only set him up for failure. If he does not win the Heisman, for example, in the next few years of his career, he will have been a one-hit-wonder. If he is not a first round draft pick, he will have been a bust. Do I think he will succeed? I sure hope so. He can do one of two things. He can rise above the hype and perform at the same level, much like Tim Tebow did at the University of Florida, or he can begin his decline in the realm of college football. It is hard to stay at a peak for very long, and he's got a long time to ride this one out. I truly wish him the ultimate best, because he is a pleasure to watch.

Signing off,

The Sports Guru

Kentucky, Don't Freak Out

At this point in the college basketball season last year, the Kentucky Wildcats were rolling over non-conference opponents. Led by freshmen Anthony Davis, Doron Lamb, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, along with super sophomore Terrence Jones, the Wildcats of the 2011-2012 campaign reeled off eight straight wins to open the season before losing to a potential Final Four Indiana Hoosier squad. The 'Cats of yesteryear went on dismantle the Southeastern Conference and the NCAA Tournament on their way to a national championship victory over a veteran Kansas team. A person can string off many reasons why it is great to win a national championship, and rightfully so. But can they point out a negative? There is but one negative. The only place to go is down, and the media has found this negative and put it on the shoulders of this year's young freshman crop of Kentucky Wildcats.

This year's squad is full of young talent, but when compared to the talent of last year's Cats, they don't measure up at this point in the season. Key words: "at this point in the season". They are, without a doubt, loaded with talent. Players such as Nerlins Noel, Alex Poythress, and Archie Goodwin are all looking to become first round draft picks after their spurts as stars in the college basketball world. However, it takes time to become a team and to adjust to the differences between prep basketball and basketball at the Division 1 collegiate level. So far, they haven't adjusted well.

Kentucky opened the season with a narrow victory over a pesky Maryland team from the ACC. Even with the slim margin of victory, this was a solid win for the program. It got the new crop off to a good start with winning their first game. That's usually the goal, right? Their next time on the court, they dropped a close game to the Duke Blue Devils, another team from the ACC. This is an acceptable win, in my opinion. Duke is a veteran team with a Hall of Fame coaching staff. They know how to win and have been in tight situations before, where as the core from Kentucky were playing in their second collegiate game. Experienced talent beats inexperienced talent every day of the week. The Wildcats wasted no time in getting their feet back under them, however, stringing together three straight victories with an average margin of victory of thirty. Dominance. This is when the metaphorical wheels fell off.

The Wildcats fell to a rugged Notre Dame squad at Notre Dame. What Notre Dame does well is control tempo, taking Kentucky out of their gameplan of running and gunning. The Wildcats fell in a low-scoring affair by the score of 64-50. Just a hiccup, right? Wrong. The Cats traveled back to the friendly confines of Rupp Arena to square off against the Baylor Bears, an Elite Eight opponent from the previous year. Baylor, however, returned most of their talent whereas literally all of Kentucky's talent is in the NBA. The Cats had plenty of chances to win, but fell yet again, 64-55. Two losses in a row is unheard of in the state of Kentucky. Maybe the Mayans were right?

Some words of advice to Kentucky fans; don't freak out. The team is full of first round draft picks again this year. Give them time to progress and mature. They are merely 18 and 19 year old boys, not even legal to drink. I'm not predicting a National Championship, by any means, but if anyone in the nation has the raw talent to make a run at it, that team is Kentucky. In a world that is hungry for results, be patient.

Signing off,

The Sports Guru

Crazy College Football

As the college football season is winding down, the National Championship and Heisman races are heating up. This is around the time of year where analysts for sports programming stations reverse field and change their picks for awards and recognition. Once in a blue moon, however, there are analysts who happen to pick these correctly. The only one that comes to mind this year, though, is ex-coach Lou Holtz, and the only fathomable reason he is remotely close to picking correctly is because he is forever indebted to The University of Notre Dame. Notre Dame was not even ranked upon entering the 2012-2013 season, but as of this weekend, they punched a ticket into the BCS National Championship game and hold the number one ranking in each of the major polls. In the entire world of college football, only one man, Lou Holtz, picked them to be in the big NC, and that is only because he is faithful to the program. This being said, let's review this season's biggest Sleepers and Sliders.

Biggest Slider - The University of Southern California

USC came into the season loaded on both sides of the ball. They acquired Silas Redd, an all Big 10 running back who transferred from Penn State after the Sandusky debacle. Head Coach Lane Kiffin had already promised a Pac-12 Championship and national title game birth before labor day, and Heisman Trophy dark horse Matt Barkley had already punched his ticket to the NFL Draft with hopes of being the number one pick. Their receiving core and defensive line could potentially all be drafted within the top 3 rounds of the Draft in April. They are the USC of old.

In the words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast, my friend." USC sprinted out of the gate to a 2-0 start, having no trouble with their first two opponents. Palo Alto, home of the Stanford Cardinal, does weird things to people in September, though. The then-number-one Trojans were upset by the Cardinal 21-14. They rebounded nicely, however, winning four straight. Then the nightmare set in. The Trojans are 1-4 in their last 5 games, winning over only an unranked Arizona State team, while being beaten by Arizona, as well as rivals Notre Dame, UCLA, and Oregon. They finished the regular season at 7-5, and will likely receive a pity invite to a no-name bowl game in mid-December.

Biggest Sleeper - Notre Dame AND Kansas State

I have two sleepers on my list. The first, Notre Dame, is an easy choice. The Irish were unranked coming into the season and did not fare well in Brian Kelly's first year at the program. What most fans and analysts overlooked, however, was their returning core of starters, as well as their do-it-all sophomore quarterback, Everett Golson and Heisman hopeful senior linebacker Manti Te'o. They have had a rocky road, however, while stringing off twelve straight victories. They have had quite a few nailbiters, including three point victories over Stanford (in OT), BYU, Purdue, and Michigan State (in triple OT). They have earned their way to the top, no analyst can argue that. However, many wonder how much longer this miraculous run can last. We will all have to wait until the BCS National Championship game for the final verdict.

My second sleeper is Kansas State University. Prior to the Bill Snyder Era in Manhattan, Kansas, the Wildcats were one of the most dismal programs in the nation. While still not represented in the elites of the nation, Snyder and his staff have turned Kansas State into a respected program. The Wildcats rely on junior college transfers and the progression of incoming freshmen to maintain their success. They will not turn in outstanding recruiting classes, but by the time players are seniors, they are more than ready to perform on the field. The Wildcats have turned in an impressive 10-1 record and look to finish out the season with a W against Texas. If the Wildcats emerge victorious, they will earn a trip to the Fiesta Bowl, a prime time BCS bowl game.

Salute to Chipper

As a kid, I loved baseball. I loved playing it, talking about it, and watching it. Also as a kid, my parents taught me things like loyalty, discipline, and class. "You're either first class, or no class", my dad used to tell me. While that sentence makes absolutely no sense, you get the jist of it. Either you do things the right way, or you might as well not even do them. Now, like most kids who love sports, I idolized my favorites. My favorite baseball player was Chipper Jones, the third baseman for the Atlanta Braves. He was, in my opinion, the only elite player that fit the mold of what kind of person I wanted to be, besides Derek Jeter, but he played for the Yankees, and that just wasn't going to fly.

Growing up in the Midwest, the Braves kind of fit our "country" culture. They weren't flashy like the New York's or the Boston's of the world, but they weren't small-market either. Chipper was the cornerstone of their franchise. He was easy to attach to, sometimes even reminding me a lot of my family members. I'd watch a game and see him wandering around by his perch on third base, "shootin' the bull" with the left side of the infield with a giant dip of tobacco in his lip, and then the play would occur. He seemed so casual and laid back, but when the time came to work, he got the job done as well as anyone else could. And for the record, if "Chipper" isn't a baseball name, I don't know what else even qualifies.

It was predetermined that this season would be Chipper's last. It's sad to see him go, but as a sports fan, I know that every player gets to a point. With some players, like Brett Favre, they don't realize when they've reached it, but Chipper has exited with class. He finishes his 18 year career in 2012, some 22 years after he was taken first overall in the 1990 MLB Draft. From his first day in the league to his last, Chipper has been a Brave. In today's world of sports, this is an incredible feat.

Historically, Chipper is one of the best hitters that ever stepped on a Major League field. He ranks third all-time in home runs by a switch-hitter with 468 (behind only Eddie Murray and Mickey Mantle), and second all-time in both career batting average and runs batted in, with a .303 average and 1,623 RBI. In Braves history, Chipper is second to ONE, and that is the great Hammerin' Hank Aaron, in my opinion the holder of the single season home run record. (Barry Bonds broke the record, but has also been in steroid allegations.)

Jones was one of the most feared hitters in baseball during his prime, and also one of the most clutch. This falls in the "intangibles" category, and these statistics cannot be measured. These can only be experienced. There is no number that defines clutch. There are no statistics that can define when great players make game-changing plays, or the fact that the mere presence of a man on a field can change the dynamic for an entire team. There aren't numbers for that, but sports fans across the globe know when it happens and it draws them in. There are kids in fields across the globe that dream of being this type of player, and to someday change the landscape of the sport. Chipper Jones used to be one of those kids, and now he's likely to be on his way to the Hall of Fame. Cheers, Chipper, to one hell of a career.

Signing off,
The Sports Guru

"Win, at all Costs"

A lot of criticism falls on sports for being too competitive. In some instances, I can understand why people may think this. One of the building blocks for competition is to "win at all costs". This is true, most of the time. Viewers outside of competition see this statement and cringe, because "at all costs" covers a very wide range of action. They think this may create a free pass for dirty play and unsportsmanlike behavior. However, for those inside the sporting arena, there is a different set of rules, but by the same standard. (Confusing, I know.) For those inside the actual competition, we still adhere to the statement "win at all costs". However, we take into account a different definition for "at all costs". Most of us inside the arena (sadly, most) can comprehend why people view the competition the way that they do. It's dangerous. But athletes flip the meaning. Instead of "at all costs" to opponents, and possibly their own teammates, they turn it on themselves. This is to be taken as a challenge saying, "How far can I push myself?" or "Where is my breaking point?" It is an internal statement for athletes meaning he or she is going to push every physical limit that his or her body bounds them to. It is found in many instances in my recent memory.

In Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Michael Jordan, arguably the best basketball player to ever walk the face of the Earth, overcame a stomach virus and food poisoning to win one of the most crucial and memorable games of his entire career. He played sparingly, but when he was on the court, he pushed his limits. He ended the game with 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, an incredible statline for a player at 100%. He went on to win the NBA Finals MVP.

The 1988 MLB World Series starred the Los Angeles Dodgers and the overwhelming Oakland A's. The Dodgers had been underdogs throughout the entire playoffs, and once again faced Goliath in the A's. (Literally giants, both Canseco and McGwire tested positive for steroids.) In the NLCS victory over the New York Mets, Kirk Gibson had injured both legs and was scratched for the lineup until further notice. With a runner on base and down 4-3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers turned to their veteran. Kirk Gibson appeared from the clubhouse, took 3 practice swings, and stepped to the plate. He was to face a menacing closer by the name of Dennis Eckersley. Eckersley was one of the best closers in the game of baseball at this point. Gibson took a 3-2, backdoor breaking ball nearly 400 feet and into the right field bleachers. A walk off home run by a man with two injured legs, who wouldn't take another swing in the entire series.

My most recent example, however, comes from NCAA football. The name is Mark Herzlich. A unanimous All-State linebacker in Pennsylvania, he signed to play for Boston College. He went on to earn Freshman All-American honors, All-Conference as a sophomore, first team All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year as only a junior. He was bound to be a top draft pick after his senior season. In 2009, he was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. He didn't even blink. He overcame his bout with cancer to return to the gridiron for the 2010 season. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants and started his first professional game in November, 2011.

There are many things in sports that athletes say: taglines, quotes to remember, and chants. Most of these, however, are never meant to be threatening to the opponents. Most are meant for internal purposes to drive the athlete past the point of exhaustion, past the point of weakness, to strive for victory.

The Unwelcomed Homecoming

I had the opportunity to return to my home town to watch a football game this past Friday night. My old high school team played very well. The team has been down in the years of late, with a combined 2-16 record over the past 2 years. However, this year they are 3-1, and playing fundamentally sound, passionate football. I mentioned they played well and earned the victory. I was, however, not very excited about their victory, mainly because I was a coach on the opposite sideline.

This past summer has been very stressful for me. I, full-time college student, took a high school football coaching job at Oswego High School, which is approximately 40 miles away from Pittsburg. I took the job because I missed the game and wanted to find a place where I could possibly return to it. Oswego is that place.

I am also a recent alum of Humboldt High School, located in Humboldt, Kansas, the small community that I spent my entire childhood growing up in. Humboldt is very special to me. When I stepped foot onto my high school field, my "old stomping grounds", I was rushed with emotion. Every vivid memory that I have oppressed came back to me. It was a very emotional time for me and my family. The past icon to the people of Humboldt, the poster child to the community turned arch enemy seemingly overnight. I had that game circled from the moment I signed my contract. I was going to have to return home and face the community that shaped my character from the innocence of my youth.

As the weeks passed and the game grew nearer, I began to get more calls from back home. Some were out of competitiveness, but most were out of excitement. They were excited for the opportunity to play against me. I have known the kids on the high school team since they were very young. I have coached them in baseball and football. Our baseball team even made it to nationals when they were in the 8th grade. They were no longer just kids to me, they were friends of mine, which made this game much larger than football.

Like I said earlier, they came out victorious, and honestly I couldn't have been more proud. After the game I was swarmed by the fans, players, and coaches from Humboldt, all congratulating me on my success at such a young age, and telling me how proud they are of me. In my mind I couldn't help myself but think, "This is what it's all about." I looked at my parents getting congratulated by school board members and city council members. I had finally realized what I had done. I had left a footprint. I had left a legacy, even if in one of the smallest corners of the world. I had set an example and been a role model for the youth of a community that has been hurting for quite some time now. I have done my job in the town of Humboldt, I have accomplished what it was that I had wanted for so long. It's not about the games, the wins, or the losses, it's about how you carry them, and what you do with the glory that comes along with it.

Signing off,
The Sports Guru

In the beginning...

Hello all! I am Jake Manbeck, and I am the Sports Guru.

I am currently a junior at the great Pittsburg State University, and am majoring in English with an emphasis in Technical and Professional Writing. Some of you may ask, "Jake, why do you consider yourself a guru? You're still in college and have barely been alive for two decades!" My reply to this is that I have been "through the ringer" or "around the block" or any other puns that are used in this context.

I was born and raised in the small town of Humboldt, Kansas. In a town of less than 1,200 people, there isn't much to do, so our community thrives on sports. From an early age I was fascinated with the competition, the traditions, and the camaraderie that correlates with the world of sports. While other kids my age were watching Barney, I was watching Sportscenter. Some kids had Tonka Toys, others had coloring books, and I had my footballs and baseballs. Sure, there were others with the same interests as me, but I was hooked. I wouldn't just play, I would analyze, watch numerous hours of ESPN to memorize stats from Major League Baseball and break down film from NFL and NCAA football games. When I was a kid, I would research the histories and traditions of programs and professional teams. From the best of baseball like Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Mays, Rose, and Ryan to the greats of the gridiron: Unitas, Marcus Allen, Jerry Rice, Lynn Swann, and Dick Butkus, I know everything there is to know and ever was to know about sports. This theme has carried throughout my entire life.

I played all of the sports from elementary school through my high school days. It was my life. I had extracurriculars like FFA, StuCo, and FCA, but athletics was where I found true happiness. I worked hard enough to become an two-sport All-Conference player as a sophomore, and by the time I was a senior, I was a two-sport All-State athlete in football and baseball. "The reasoning for my success?" you ask. My answer is in my understanding of the games from such an early age and my work ethic. I am in love with sports because it teaches that the more a person works, the better he or she will become. We can take this idea from sports and insert it into any one's life, and the theory remains constant.

As an ex-college football player and a current high school football coach, I have been and still am around sports every waking second of my days. In this blog, I will write about some major topics in the world of sports, yes, but at the same time I will write about the morality and the lessons learned in athletics. This blog is much deeper than just the games themselves. I will dive into the importance of discipline and how it is distilled in the minds of young athletes, and how competition in athletics is beneficial to the success of the person off of the various playing field. Sports, in their purest form, can teach us alot about life.

Signing off,
The Sports Guru