Stan the Man Stands Tall

Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka fought off World No. 1 Novak Djokovic to claim his first U.S. Open championship.

2016 U.S. Open Champion Stan Wawrinka had to earn every bit of his $3.5 million dollar prize money check in order to capture his 3rd career major title. Having endured almost 22 hours on-court during the two-week championship, saving a match point in the third round against Daniel Evans and overcoming the best player in the world in the final, Wawrinka proved that he is the current iron man of tennis. Since the beginning of 2014, Wawrinka has captured three Grand Slams and has elevated himself from underachiever to potential first ballot Hall of Famer. He has overcome Djokovic in two of the major finals, something few have been able to do in recent years. Even more impressively, he has shown he can physically and mentally outlast the world's best on the biggest stages of the sport. Possessing the world's most dominant one-handed backhand, combined with a much improved forehand and powerful serve, he has the weaponry to unsettle and beat anyone in the world. At 31, you can say it's a little late for a player's prime, but the way tennis has been evolving, 30 has become the new 20. It's not unreasonable to think that Wawrinka can keep up this current level of play for another four to five years. He credits his coach, former player Magnus Norman, with being the main difference in instilling the confidence and belief in himself and his game that he previously lacked. Wawrinka's now signature "point to the head" (pictured above) is a signal to his coach after he wins a big point during a match, which shows how far he's come mentally and the belief he has in the crucial moments. He has emerged from compatriot Roger Federer's shadow late in his career, and is certainly carving out an All-Time great career for himself. With the year's final Grand Slam in the books, it's hard to say who is the clear No. 1 heading into 2017, despite the rankings.

Steph and LeBron do battle in the 2016 NBA Finals

The NBA's top two superstars are set to lead their teams in the 2016 Finals.

The rematch is set. Steph Curry will lead the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors against LeBron James and a healthy Cleveland Cavaliers group in this year's Finals. The top two players in the association will once again duke it out for the title, but this year appears to be a much more evenly matched series. Last year, James single-handedly pushed the Warriors to six games without his top two guns by his side in Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. Now, with a healthy Irving and Love, along with key contributors such as J.R. Smith, James figures to have his group primed for a victory this time around. Having said that, it will be interesting to see which team comes out with more energy to start the series. The Cavaliers wrapped up their Eastern Conference Final against the Raptors last Friday, while the Warriors had to expend a ton of energy to be only the third team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit in the Conference Finals by taking out the talented Thunder. Cleveland has an impressive 12-2 record this postseason, albeit against lesser competition, and their health will be key in their ability to push Golden State to the limit. Curry and the Warriors will be looking to cap off the best regular season in NBA history, with 73 victories, and become the first back-to-back champions since James accomplished that feat with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013. With the Warriors' home crowd to surely be a factor to begin the series, and their core three players of Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green firing on all cylinders, it will be tough for Cleveland to even steal one game at Oracle Arena. If the Cavaliers can come out with fresh legs and manage to win Game One to automatically put a ton of pressure on the Warriors to secure Game Two, the odds will surely swing in favor of James' squad. The Cavaliers' ability to defend the three ball and Curry's dribble penetration will be a key element in the outcome of this series. Cleveland will surely try to slow the pace down and make it more of a half-court game, but that will be a tough task against these Warriors. Last year's Finals were captivating in their own right, but this year's sequel figures to be a popcorn series for fans.

LeBron and Cleveland's Time is Now

LeBron James is seeking to bring an NBA Championship to a title-deprived city.

With the NBA Eastern Conference Finals set to tip-off tonight, LeBron James and his Cavaliers are set on bringing Cleveland sports fans a title they deserve. The last time a Cleveland team won a championship was the Browns in 1964, and this year's Cavaliers seem to be the best chance they have had in quite some time. The Cavaliers have come through the first two rounds of the playoffs unscathed, unbeaten and untested. They have managed to get halfway to a championship without truly breaking a sweat, behind the exceptional play of their "Big Three." Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love have all been outstanding, albeit against lower-level competition, and will need to continue to get even better in order for the Cavaliers to lift the Larry Brown Trophy this season. Through the first eight games of the postseason, James has averaged 23.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Irving has put up a team-high 24.2 points to go along with 5.5 assists, while Love has contributed a nightly double-double with 18.9 points and 12.5 rebounds. These three, along with the Cavaliers supporting cast, will undoubtedly be tested more in the coming rounds.

Their opponent in the Eastern Conference Finals are the Toronto Raptors, who have survived two very tough 7-game series' in order to reach the third round. Scrapping past the pesky Indiana Pacers and Dwyane Wade-led Miami Heat are impressive results, but, with tired legs, getting past the reigning Eastern Conference Champion Cavaliers is a completely different story. Toronto will need it's two best players, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, to continue to play well in order to have a fighting chance, but even that will likely have them coming up short against a superior group. James and his troops are focused, locked-and-loaded and are not wasting energy in dispatching opponents. Toronto figures to be too physically and mentally drained to put up a real test, and Cleveland should be able to get past them in five games. With the Oklahoma City Thunder winning Game One in Golden State last night, Cleveland has to feel like they are in a good position right now. With the Western Conference Finals shaping up to be a dogfight of six or seven games, the Cavaliers have to love the fact that they are playing a bruised team to reach the NBA Finals. All of the signs are pointing towards the Cavaliers ending their cities' title drought, but they will have to continue to take care of business as favorites. Then, based on the opponent's health and length of the Western Conference Finals, we will have a better understanding of how realistic it is to expect James and the Cavaliers to win an NBA championship.

If Super Bowl 50 was Peyton's last rodeo...

Peyton Manning holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy after what may have been his final NFL game.

The legacy that QB Peyton Manning has built since being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts number one overall out of Tennessee in the 1998 NFL Draft has been nothing short of remarkable. He is clearly the best, most consistent regular season quarterback of All-Time, and solidifying his postseason resume with his second Super Bowl title will go a long way in enhancing his "Greatest of All-Time" case. Manning has largely, especially towards the back-end of his career, accomplished all of his feats with superior mental awareness and preparation to that of his peers. He may not always throw the tightest spiral or the deepest or most accurate ball, but when you have a second coach on the field running your offense, those minor flaws can be downplayed. Manning's ability to confuse defenses and seemingly always having the upper-hand in terms of play calling against defensive coordinators is something that few, if any, quarterbacks have been able to do in NFL history. This season put Manning to the test more-so than any other in his illustrious career, where he failed to throw for ten touchdown passes and tossed seventeen interceptions before being benched mid-season for the young, inexperienced QB Brock Osweiler. Osweiler, who played admirably in Manning's absence, kept Denver in good position until they elected to put Manning back in as the starter during a Week 17 struggle against San Diego. After a first half ridden with turnovers and mistakes, Head Coach Gary Kubiak decided to pull Osweiler in favor of Manning, which proved to be the right decision as Manning led the Broncos to a victory in that game to lock up home field advantage. Manning would go on to have an unspectacular, game-manager type of postseason, but did just enough with his diminishing skill set in order to help lead the Broncos to a third Super Bowl title in franchise history. 

If Sunday was the last time we ever see Manning step foot on a football field as an NFL player, let's take a look at some of his most relevant, career-defining statistics:

- Manning is sixth All-Time in career starts with 265 (32 behind All-Time leader QB Brett Favre).

- Manning has totaled 5 MVP awards (2 more than the next on the list: Favre, Jim Brown and Johnny Unitas).

- Manning is second All-Time in passing attempts with 9,380 (Favre 10,169 pass attempts).

- Manning is second All-Time in pass completions (150 fewer than Favre).

- Manning is the All-Time leader in passing yards with 71,940 (roughly 100 yards ahead of Favre).

- Manning is the All-Time leader in touchdown passes (31 ahead of Favre).

- Manning is the All-Time leader in game-winning drives (56).

These extremely impressive numbers, along with his two Super Bowl titles, put Manning on the Mount Rushmore of the NFL. Whether we call him the greatest of All-Time will be up for debate for many years to come, but he is surely in the conversation. For Manning, there would be no better way to head into retirement than winning Super Bowl 50 and riding off into the sunset on top. If he decides to go that route, who can blame him? If, however, he elects to come back and continue to play another season, who can really blame him either? He may feel as if he is still good enough to start in this league, and his passion and love for the game may bring him back for another rodeo. Only time will tell, but I have a feeling it won't take the sheriff too long to draw or holster his gun. 

NFL Divisional Weekend Picks

The NFL Playoffs move to the Divisional Round this weekend.

AFC

Kansas City Chiefs at (-5) New England Patriots: 1/16 at 4:35pm ET

This is an intriguing matchup that pits the hottest team in the NFL against a struggling Patriots team, which finished the regular season 2-4. The Patriots have dealt with key injuries to offensive players all season long, but still managed to go 12-4 and secure a first-round bye. This is in large part to the everlasting tandem that is QB Tom Brady and Head Coach Bill Belichick. Despite what Kansas City has been able to do in winning 11 straight games, including last week's drubbing of the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round, it is hard to bet against Belichick and Brady's 21-8 playoff record and 4 Super Bowl titles together. TE Rob Gronkowski is expected to play, and when Brady's favorite target is in the lineup, expect them to control the middle of field throughout the game. 

Pick: New England Patriots (-5)

Pittsburgh Steelers at (-2.5) Denver Broncos: 1/17 at 4:40pm ET

The Sheriff is back in town just in time for a home playoff date with QB Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers survived a dramatic, drama-filled Wild Card game with division rival Cincinnati. WR Antonio Brown suffered a huge blow to the head towards the end of the game, and is not expected to play. RB DeAngelo Williams is also out vs. Denver, which will leave Roethlisberger without two key weapons against a stout Bronco defense. Given the fact that this may be QB Peyton Manning's last hurrah, and the Steelers will not put up the type of points their dangerous aerial attack is normally accustomed to, I am going to to pick Denver to get the home win and advance to the AFC Championship Game and set up the final Brady-Manning showdown for the right to advance to Super Bowl 50. 

Pick: Denver Broncos (-2.5)

NFC

Green Bay Packers at (-7) Arizona Cardinals: 1/16 at 8:15pm ET

In a rematch of a 38-8 Week 16 pounding by the Cardinals, the Packers will look to enact some revenge and build on their solid performance against the Washington Redskins. The Packers offense seemed to get back on track against the Redskins, but will face a stern test against the 5th ranked Cardinal defense (321.7 YPG allowed). They will have to lean on a heavy dose of RB Eddie Lacy, in order to combat the inordinate amount of pressure QB Aaron Rodgers has been facing lately. Lacy hasn't been getting the workload he is accustomed to, but will need to be a huge factor in order for the Pack to have a different outcome this time around against Arizona. QB Carson Palmer is having a career year in his 13th campaign, posting 35 TD's to 11 INT's and 4,671 yards with a 104.6 QBR. He has gotten the most out of his relatively unknown WR corps, outside of an aging Larry Fitzgerald, and will have to once again against Green Bay. This is a tough game to pick, as you cannot ignore the fact that Palmer has never won a playoff game and Rodgers is a Super Bowl champion and MVP. I like the Cardinals at home, as they have been one of the best team in the league all year on both sides of the ball, but the Packers will cover the spread in a tight contest.

Pick: Green Bay Packers (+7)

Seattle Seahawks at (-1.5) Carolina Panthers: 1/17 1:05pm ET

The Seattle Seahawks will look to take a different route to their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance this year, as they will have to win every playoff game on the road. They survived a tight, defensive contest in Minnesota last week with a missed 27-yard field goal by K Blair Walsh. QB Cam Newton, an MVP candidate, will lead his unproven, 15-1 Carolina Panthers into a tough home matchup with the best team in the NFC the last few years. This should be a tight contest throughout, and could come down to another QB Russell Wilson-like play, similar to the botched snap throw he made to WR Tyler Lockett to in essence save the game vs. Minnesota, by either QB. Newton will want to prove he is on the same level as the accomplished Super Bowl champion Wilson, as this is a crucial point in his 4th NFL season. As we've seen in the past, the hot, experience road team will come in and upset the NFC's number one seed, who have had a few weeks to get stale. Seattle has too much championship pedigree on their current roster, and seem to be hungry to get back to the title game they so narrowly lost a season ago. 

Pick: Seattle Seahawks (+1.5)

NFL Wild Card Weekend Picks

The 2016 NFL Playoffs kick off this weekend with the Wild Card round.

AFC

Kansas City (-3) at Houston: 1/9 at 4:35 ET

The Kansas City Chiefs may be the NFL's hottest team entering the 2016 postseason, recovering from a 1-5 start to rattle off ten consecutive victories and finish 11-5 as the AFC's No. 5 seed. They come up against what some would consider a favorable matchup at Houston, but with JJ Watt on the field for the Texans nothing is advantageous for the Chiefs. The Chiefs will look to methodically move the ball and control the clock with a combination of RB's Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware. The Texans' defense is stout, but too much time spent on the field will doom them in this contest. Plus, given the lack of consistency with the Texans' QB situation, how can one have confidence in their offensive attack?

Pick: Kansas City Chiefs (-3)

Pittsburgh (-3) at Cincinnati: 1/9 at 8:15 ET

This AFC North rivalry has had many intriguing story lines this season. From Le'Veon Bell's season ending knee injury, to the pre game scuffle and Twitter trash talk along with QB Andy Dalton's season-ending thumb injury, it is only fitting that we get Round 3 this weekend. This one will initially look similar to the post-Dalton matchup, as backup QB AJ McCarron will spread the ball around well and keep Cincinnati close against the suspect Steeler secondary. QB Ben Roethlisberger will have to continue to air it out, which hasn't been an issue, with RB DeAngelo Williams inactive. Look for a high-scoring affair in this one, which will see Bengals' Head Coach Marvin Lewis finally get his first career playoff win.

Pick: Cincinnati Bengals (+3)

NFC

Seattle (-5) at Minnesota: 1/10 at 1:05 ET

This seems to be the "easiest" pick of the weekend by many. If Seattle's Week 13 38-7 drubbing of the Vikings is any indication, this will be a straightforward pick. But not so fast. Minnesota is playing with a ton of confidence after going into Lambeau Field last Sunday night and taking the NFC North crown away from the Packers with a ferocious pass rush that harassed QB Aaron Rodgers all night long. Being at home, in what is expected to be one of the coldest games in NFL history, with a raucous crowd should lead to a very competitive affair. The disadvantage for Minnesota is that they are coming up against an experienced, championship-caliber Seahawks team that, except for a Week 16 slip-up at home against St. Louis, seems to be rounding into their old form just at the right time. QB Russell Wilson is playing at an elite level, and their defense seems to be regaining that L.O.B. swagger. It would also be shocking if RB Marshawn Lynch doesn't find a way to play, as he has been a full participant in practice all week. This game will be won at the line of scrimmage, with two of the NFL's best RB's going head-to-head, but look for a few more big plays from the Wilson and the Seattle passing attack to be the difference.

Pick: Seattle Seahawks (-5)

Green Bay (-1) at Washington: 1/10 at 4:40 ET

YOU LIKE THAT?! Yes, somehow the Washington Redskins found a way to get themselves a 9-7 record and an NFC East crown that doesn't look all that impressive. But, when you consider QB Kirk Cousins' unexpected high performance, a four-game winning streak, a home atmosphere and a reeling Green Bay squad, this game is virtually a pick 'em. The Packers' offense has looked un-Packer like for some time, while the Redskins' offense has looked very un-Redskin like for the better part of a month. Cousins and TE Jordan Reed have developed confidence in one another, and WR DeSean Jackson always remains a deep threat. With some key guys in the Green Bay secondary questionable, notably CB Sam Shields, this could be an opportunity for Washington. Despite all the things pointing to a Redskins  win, I can't take Cousins over Rodgers in a playoff game. They have been trending in opposite directions, and the Pack may not lift the Lombardi Trophy this season, but they will find a way to advance to the Divisional Round.

Pick: Green Bay Packers (-1)