WrestleMania 32 inside Cowboys Stadium should be the biggest Mania to date

For the average sports fan, The beginning of April marks the beginning of Baseball season, the start of the NBA playoffs, and being less than a month away from the NFL Draft. For wrestling fanatics like me, the beginning of April marks the biggest Pay Per View of the year, Wrestlemania! With the 32nd installment in Jerry’s world, this year’s Wrestlemania looks to be the biggest one ever. For the 2nd year in a row, I’m giving my predictions on who is going to walk out on top at the grandest stage of them all.

Team Total Divas (Brie Bella, Eva Marie, Natalya, Paige, and Alicia Fox) vs Team B.A.D (Naomi, Tamina, Emma, Summer Rae, Lana) - The fact that two of the greatest Divas to ever grace the WWE are on the same team and this match is on the preshow is a disgrace to the entire WWE. Happy late April Fools everybody! Honestly, you shouldn’t put any stock into this match. There was no build to this match and its only purpose is to fill time before the show. There isn’t a clear cut winner, so you’re basically drawing names out of a hat.

Winner - Team Total Divas

US Title Match Kalisto (C) vs Ryback - Once again this is a match that had little to any build and you question why this match is happening. Kalisto has started to pick some steam as of late, and it seems the WWE is finally starting to put some stock into the Lucha Dragon member. It looks to me the WWE sees Kalisto as the next Rey Mysterio, and are soon going to give him a major push. Kalisto also can do a lot more with the US Title than Ryback, so I have the champion retaining.

Winner - Kalisto

Andre The Giant Battle Royal - The Andre The Giant Battle Royal looks like an event that WWE doesn’t put a ton of stock into. It’s a nice gesture from WWE by honoring the great Andre The Giant, but as far as the match itself, WWE doesn’t do anything with it. Who remembers Cesaro winning the first ever Andre The Giant Battle Royal? The match has little to any value. The winner gets to flaunt the trophy for about a month before it becomes an afterthought. As far as picking a winner goes, your best shot at picking one is pulling a name out of a hat.

Winner: Big Show

The Usos vs The Dudleys - The WWE has had The Dudley’s sticking there noses into just about everyone's business in recent weeks, so it’s a little odd to see them matched up against the Usos. Regardless, this should be a good match with a bunch of cool spots that you come to expect with an Usos match. One thing to look out for is to see if one of these teams go through a table. The Dudley’s announced in early February that they are no longer going to use tables. All in all it should be an entertaining match and I expect the Dudleys to come out with the victory.

Winner - The Dudleys

Chris Jericho vs AJ Styles - AJ Styles vs Chris Jericho is one of the best storylines on this WrestleMania card. Since joining the WWE in late January, Chris Jericho has been all over the former TNA superstar. After being a tag team for a short stint, Jericho turned on AJ and they have been feuding ever since. AJ is looking for something to prove in his first Wrestlemania while Chris Jericho is trying to spoil the rookie’s big moment. Actual wrestling wise this should be the best match on the card. AJ Styles is arguably the best wrestler in the world, and Chris Jericho is an amazing worker as a heel. I’m hoping this match goes 15 to 20 minutes. This has the makings to be a very entertaining match, and I have no doubt in my mind that AJ Styles wins his first WrestleMania.

Winner - AJ Styles

Charlotte (C) vs Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks - Look how far the WWE Divas have come.Just one short year ago, the Bella Twins squared off against AJ Lee and Paige in a match that lasted just under 6 minutes in what many fans viewed as the “piss break” part of the show. Fast forward 365 days later, and now Sasha Banks, Charlotte, and Becky Lynch have the opportunity to put one of the greatest Divas matches we’ve ever seen. If it is anything close to what you’ve seen from these three on NXT, then you’re in for a treat. Charlotte has been sensational in the ring and on the mic since adding her father Ric Flair (maybe you’ve heard of him?) and turning heel. Becky Lynch is an amazing babyface and does a great job at drawing sympathy from the crowd. Meanwhile Sasha Banks has lacked the character her fellow competitors have shown. She is nothing compared to the “Boss” that we saw on NXT and loved. As much as I would loved for Sasha to win this match, Charlotte is simply too over as a heel right now. I expect Charlotte to win likely via some interference from Rick, and to pin Sasha to retain the title. One thing to look out for is Snoop Dogg. A cousin of Sasha Banks, he could find his way into this match and get involved with Ric Flair.

Winner - Charlotte

L.O.N vs New Day (C) - You know anything with New Day is going to be entertaining. I find it interesting that this match isn’t for the title, and that tells me that League Of Nations is likely going to win this match. This is so you can have League Of Nations get a win and finally build them up, and still keep the titles on New Day. The end goal for this feud seems to have League Of Nations take the titles off of New Day, and then lose to Enzo Amore and Colin Cassidy. The match should be an entertaining one, and I expect League Of Nations to pick up a much needed victory.

Winner - League Of Nations

Intercontinental Title Ladder Match - Kevin Owens (C) vs Sami Zayn vs Sin Cara vs Stardust vs Dolph Ziggler vs The Miz - This match is sort of a head scratcher. It makes a ton more sense to me to have Sami Zayn face Kevin Owens and begin a long feud, but that would be the smart thing to do and we all know Vince isn’t capable of making smart decisions. Nevertheless, even with a 6 man ladder match I fully expect this match to be all about Owens and Zayn. This should be an entertaining match with a ton of high energy, exciting spots. I’m still torn about who is going to win this match, but if I had to pick a winner right now, I have Kevin Owens retaining his Intercontinental title.

Winner - Kevin Owens

Shane McMahon vs Undertaker Hell In The Cell - If we are talking magnitude of matches and how much effect it has on the future of the company, there is none bigger than when Shane McMahon squares off against the Deadman this Sunday in Dallas. If Shane is able to defeat the Phenom, then he takes control of Monday Night Raw from his father. It also be Undertaker’s last WrestleMania match as he would be banned from competing in the biggest event of the year according to the chairman Vince. While we never learned why exactly Taker is competing in this fight other than following Vince’s orders, it doesn’t take away from this epic battle that can only be decided in Hell In A Cell. I have gone back and forth on who comes out on top and even at the time writing this I am still undecided, but I have this gut feeling that Undertaker comes out of this match the victor with the assistance of Vince McMahon.

Winner - Undertaker

Roman Reigns vs Triple H (C) - This is match has drawn a lot of controversy. Some believe that Shane vs Undertaker should close out the show. The biggest problem with this match is the inability to get Roman Reigns over as a face. If you were watching WWE for the first time and catch an episode of Monday Night Raw, you would think Triple H is the face and Roman Reigns was the heel based on the crowd's reaction. The end goal has always been for Roman Reigns to win the title at Mania, and while it might not be the popular opinion, it’s pretty much a guarantee for the Samoan to win.

Winner - Roman Reigns

Let me know your thoughts on WrestleMania. Who do you have winning the main event? What's the match you're most excited for? Let me know by leaving a comment below or tweeting me @Texashomeboy1! 

Roman Reigns became a 3 time WWE Champion on Sunday, defeating Triple H at Wrestlemania 32 in Dallas. (WWE.com

Wrestlemania season is officially over. The five and a half hour long show concluded last night in Dallas with Roman Reigns standing tall as your new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Wrestlemania 32 has received very mixed reviews with some saying this is one of the worst Mania's ever, while others actually liked the show. Well, today I'm giving you my 10 takeaways from last night in Jerry's World. I would like to state that these are in no particular order. Let's get into it.

Women’s wrestling is back - Let’s take a second and just appreciate what Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Charlotte were able to accomplish. Not only has WWE moved on from that stupid butterfly Divas title and brought back the Women’s title. These three women also put on a phenomenal match that a lot people considered the match of the night. After the match you could see all three women holding back tears, knowing how far they’ve elevated the now Women’s division. After defeating Bayley in a 30 minute woman match at NXT Takeover in October, Sasha said in a backstage interview, “A couple years ago, people would the leave arena. We were called the bathroom break. Now people stay and they want to come to see the women perform. I was like god, I’m apart of history right now.” Congratulations to these three women and the rest of the Women’s division. The fans have been wanting a respectable Women’s division for a long time and on Sunday night, the start of a new era began.

Thank you Shane - I was one of many people that didn’t love this match, but I can’t take away the memorable Wrestlemania moments that were created. Shane McMahon hit a coast to coast, and dove off the top of the cell onto an announce table. For those who don’t know, the Hell in a Cell that these two competed in is 20 feet tall. Also, Shane McMahon is 46 years old. The crowd chanting “Please don’t die” while Shane was scaling to the top and that he was carried out on a stretcher after the match (which I think was legitimate) tells you just about all you need to know. While some of you may not agree with Undertaker winning, you can’t take away the hell that both of these men went through in an attempt to put on an unforgettable match. So once again, thank you Shane.

WWE is going to get Roman over. Regardless of what you think - Roman Reigns is now a 3 time WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Deal with it. As you could tell by the overwhelming boos that Roman Reigns received (so much so that they had to lower the microphones so you couldn’t hear them on the broadcast) the WWE universe desperately wanted something besides Roman Reigns winning the title as a face. Triple H has done his best to try and get the crowd behind Roman in the weeks leading up to the big show, but it was no use. People were going to boo regardless, unless WWE turned Roman heel or Triple H retained his title. Well, like I’ve stated before, Vince is going to get over whoever he wants to get over, and he doesn’t give a single care in the world about what us fans think. So, what Vince likely said last after the show, “DEAL WITH IT.”

Baron Corbin might get a push - Just two days after losing to Austin Aries who made his WWE debut at NXT Takeover Dallas, Baron Corbin won the 3rd annual Andre The Giant Battle Royal. Corbin was a surprise entrant to me, and It was great to see him win the match in his WWE debut. Who knows, maybe Battle Corbin will get a push with this win and get some stock put into him. Probably not, as the WWE doesn’t put any stock into the ATG Battle Royal winners. Regardless, it was cool to see a NXT competitor win the Battle Royal.

Legends, Legends, Legends - WrestleMania is always chalked full of legends, but this year’s Mania seemed to have more legends than usual. It started with Shawn Michaels, (in wrestling gear) Mick Foley, and Stone Cold returning to attack League of Nations. As expected you got Michael’s superkick, Foley’s Mr. Socko, and Stone Cold delivering Stunners and drinking beer. The Andre The Giant Battle Royal saw the return of Diamond Dallas Page, who survived for a decent amount time before being eliminated midway through the match. Lastly we saw the return of The Rock! Who beat Erick Rowan in a WrestleMania record 6 seconds. With the Wyatt Family surrounding The Great One, John Cena returned to save the day! All the legends returning made for some very memorable WrestleMania moments.

Shaq? - WrestleMania 32 was full of surprises but there was none bigger than Shaq competing in the Andre The Giant Battle Royal. Shaq and Big Show rekindled their rivalry that started in 2009, when Shaq was the GM for one night on an episode of Monday Night Raw. It would’ve been a cool to see the former NBA superstar win the event, (he was eliminated by about 20 people) but having Shaq compete in a Wrestlemania match was a sight to see.

The return of John Cena - After only 3 months of recovery from a torn rotator cuff, it was rumored that the face of the WWE could make a return to Wrestlemania. A torn rotator cuff, which sidelines the common athlete for 6 to 9 months, was not match for superhuman John Cena. Cena is known for being a workout warrior and how he always comes back early from injuries, but still the fact that Cena came back from a shoulder injury in ⅓ of the average recovery time is remarkable. Cena made his return by running in and saving the Rock from a potential beatdown via the Wyatt Family.

Brock Lesnar needs more moves - Brock Lesnar hasn’t had the same aura he once had with me. After watching his match against Dean Ambrose last night I came to a two conclusions. One, Dean needed more offense in this match, and two, Brock needs a broader moveset. Sure, the whole “Suplex City” gimmick is cool and all, but that’s literally all he does. While watching the match you could see a fan at the bottom of the screen counting every suplex Brock delivered and I tried to count along with him, and the count went all the way up to 13. This was a No Holds Barred match and Brock didn’t use a single weapon. I want to see more from Brock.

Give props to Brie Bella - As much as I love to hate on Brie Bella, I gotta give her props. At the end of the 10 woman tag team match, Brie Bella hit her husband’s patented “Yes Lock” to win the match. To lock into the submission, Brie Bella grabbed Naomi’s arm and rolled into the Yes Lock. It was an amazing transition that words can’t describe and you just have to see. It looked very clean, and was impressive for a woman who gets ridiculed because of her in ring ability. Nice job Brie, I’ll give you props. This one time.

Somebody leaking on the inside - Zack Ryder won the Intercontinental Title that shocked many, but not people who were betting on the PPV. Kevin Owens came into Saturday night as the odds on favorite to retain his title in the ladder match. Then in the middle of the night, Zack Ryder became the betting odds favorite to win the title. That’s a head scratcher because we haven’t see Zack Ryder in an actual feud in about 3-4 years. So, how can a guy who was basically a throw in, be the odds on favorite? Something fishy is going on here.  

There are my 10 takeaways from WrestleMania 32. What did you think of the show? What were your favorite matches? Let me know by leaving a comment below and tweeting me @Texashomeboy1!

After winning the franchises first championship in 2011, the Mavericks have struggled to return to the top of the NBA. (USA Today.)

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Dear Mark Cuban, 

It's been a long five years since the Dallas Mavericks won their first championship in 2011. I still remember it just like it was yesterday. Watching the Mavericks celebrate after beating the new "big 3" Miami Heat. Twelve year old me flying around the house with my wings spread like my favorite player Jason Terry had done so many times before. Now things are different. The roster has been torn down and built back up so many times in an attempt to sign this superstar in free agency and ultimately failing. Watching this team barely make the playoffs then getting bounced in the first round by far superior teams. Watching Dirk Nowitzki who is now 37 years of age still have to carry this team, while his counterpart Tim Duncan barely plays 25 minutes a game and the Spurs are consistently atop of the Western Conference. Mark, it's obvious the this can't be built through  free agency. It's time to get younger.

The Mavericks have been known as team that doesn't build through the draft. In fact most of the picks selected by the Mavericks are traded to a different team before draft night is over. It scares me to know that when I look at this roster, only Dwight Powell, Chandler Parsons, and Justin Anderson are under the age of 28. What scares me even more is the Mavericks have 1 player on their roster that was selected by the Mavericks in the draft, and no it wasn’t Dirk Nowitzki. It is Justin Anderson, who was selected in this years draft.

Just coming off the team’s first NBA title, you decided to take a risk Mark. Let’s blow the roster up that just dominated the NBA and was known for team basketball with the ability of multiple guys being able to take over on any given night, to try and pair Dwight Howard and Deron Williams with Dirk Nowitzki. This ultimately failed as Dwight joined Kobe in LA, and Deron Williams paired up with Jay-Z to play for the new Brooklyn Nets. So, the Mavericks were stuck with second tier free agents like an aging Vince Carter and Lamar Odom. The 2012 season saw the Mavericks finishing with a 36-30 record and being swept by the OKC Thunder in the first round. Heading into the offseason, you had a similar approach. Blow up the roster to clear cap in an attempt to sign Dwight Howard after his failed experiment in Los Angeles and Chris Paul. This time Dwight Howard went to Houston to form a dynamic duo with James Harden, and Chris Paul goes to the Clippers to play alongside Blake Griffin. So, once again the Mavs are stuck with 2nd tier free agents on 1 year deals just to stay good enough to be a playoff contender, and no with regard for the future in mind. The Mavericks led by OJ Mayo and Darren Collison go an even 41-41 and miss the playoffs. 

In the 2013 offseason the Mavericks did what they do best. Bringing the likes of Monta Ellis, Jose Calderon, and Samuel Dalembert, the Mavericks finish one game under 50 wins at 49-33 and take the San Antonio Spurs to 7 games in the first round before being eliminated. Now only Dirk and Shawn Marion remain from the 2011 roster. The 2014 offseason was headlined by Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James, but we knew with the state that the Mavericks were in they weren’t coming close to signing either of these elite talents. Lebron goes back home to Cleveland, Melo stays in New York, and the Mavericks sign Al Farouq Aminu, a young forward named Chandler Parsons and bring back J.J. Barea who was a key piece to the championship team.The team also acquired back Tyson Chandler as well as Raymond Felton, sending Jose Calderon, two 2nd round picks, Wayne Ellington, Samuel Dalembert, and Shane Larkin to the Knicks. With the team starting at a record pace, you decided to go for the home run Mark. The Mavericks send Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, Brandan Wright and a 1st round pick for former all-star point guard Rajon Rondo and Dwight Powell. We all remember how this story ends. Rondo can’t play alongside Monta Ellis and quits in the middle of the first round where the team loses in 5 games to the Rockets. Now comes this past offseason where the DeAndre Jordan fiasco happens. Everyone knows what happened so I’m not going to dive into it, but you’re able to sign Wes Matthews, to a max deal. After agreeing to a 4 year deal around $60 million, you decide to up it to 4 years $70 million. Was it really worth an extra 10 million to say, “Thanks for the loyalty Wes, DeAndre can go shove it.” It’s a terrible business decision that was made purely out of spite. At the time of writing this article, the Mavericks sit at 40-38 and at the very least look like they are going to make the playoffs. While it is great to make the playoffs, Dallas is likely looking at another first round exit. The Mavericks haven’t made it past the first round since winning their first title and it’s time to change. It’s time to get younger.

Besides Wesley Matthews, Chandler Parsons, (if he comes back) Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Powell and Justin Anderson, everyone needs to go. These one year rentals in free agency aren’t working and it’s time to start building through the draft. If you look at the great teams in the NBA, the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder etc. they were built by drafting players and keeping their own, and adding free agents along the way to help the team. You can build a championship team in basketball through free agency, but it’s obvious Dallas isn’t one of those places. It’s time to blow the roster again and start over. Build around Justin Anderson, Chandler Parsons and Dwight Powell. Now I’m sure some of you are saying, “How is that fair to Dirk?” That’s a great point, but how have any of these last 5 years been fair to Dirk. He still has to carry this team night in and night out at 37 years old. Instead of just trying to win next year, why not try and build a team that can win for the next 5 years, Mark? It’s sad when I look back to highlight videos of that championship team and think about what could have been. Rick Carlisle is one of the best coaches in the league and has proven that if given talent to work with he can do great things. It’s time for change Mark, and this team needs to get younger.

 - Mavs Fan For Life, Jeremy Welch

After a roller coaster 4 years at Texas, Isaiah Taylor moves on to the next level and enter the NBA Draft this June. (USA Today.)

Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Taylor was one of the most polarizing players I've watched in my years as a Texas fan. The former 3 star recruit out of Houston stayed all 4 years at Texas and became the leader of Longhorns. Taylor would show flashes of greatness one minute, then having you screaming at your TV over the stupidity he just committed the next. Taylor grew from a role player into the best player on the Longhorns and one of the best guards in the country. With Taylor entering the draft this June, I am here to give the scouting report of the former Longhorn point guard.

Strengths - 

Elite quickness - If we are talking about just pure speed and quickness, there are few that can top the speed up and down the court of the Longhorns point guard. Isaiah Taylor has elite speed, which he used to attack the basket and get in the lane. It proved to be a great compliment alongside jump shooting Javan Felix and became a matchup nightmare for teams to gameplan against. As he continues to develop his jumper, Taylor’s quickness should manufacture a lot of points early on in his NBA career.

Floater of death - Paired alongside his speed was a floater that was so effective and beautiful it looked like a piece of art. The high arching shot that stretched all the way out beyond the free throw line.The floater helped compensate for Taylor’s improving jumper and is nearly unguardable.

High energy player - While Isaiah Taylor may frustrate you to the brink of insanity at times, one thing you can’t question is the energy he played with on the floor each and every night. You can’t question Isaiah’s work ethic, you knew that he poured his heart and soul onto the basketball court every single night and left nothing behind. High energy and the ability to give 100% every night is a very valuable asset and one that NBA coaches look very highly at.

Weakness - 

Lacks a consistent jumpshot - While his jumper has improved, it is still a big work in progress. Isaiah Taylor’s jump shot has slowly improved all the way up to his senior season. At Texas, Taylor was able to hide his jumper due to the great three point shooters he played alongside, (Javan Felix, Connor Lammert, etc.) His jumper still needs some work, but if he continues to work on it, Isaiah could become a complete player and good point guard in the NBA.

Struggles from 3 point line - This one goes hand and hand with the lack of a good jumper. Isaiah Taylor is still developing his three point shot, but it is nowhere near the point to wear you have to guard him tight at the three point line. Isaiah Taylor was a career 26% three point shooter at Texas. Taylor shot a career high 29% this season from the great beyond, which is a lot better than his 22% from his sophomore season, but still is terrible. His 3 point game still needs a lot of work, especially with the three point moving back a few feet going to the NBA level.

Needs to bulk up - While Isaiah Taylor has great quickness and good size at 6’2, he only weighs about 170 pounds. At the NBA level, Taylor is going to struggle taking the ball into the paint against near 300 pounders and can’t rely on his quickness alone. Taylor is going to need to point on some weight and will likely do so as his young career progresses. If he can get up to a little under 200 pounds, that will drastically improve his inside game in the NBA and prolong his career.

I've tried to find one player that Isaiah Taylor compares to and honestly can't. He has the look of Eric Bledsoe and a young Derrick Rose, but he doesn't have the talent to draw that comparison. Taylor is a 2nd round talent, but has the physical ability and the work ethic to be a good player in this league. If Taylor can develop a consistent jumper and get stronger, then an NBA team might have something with the former Longhorn. 

Let me know your thoughts on Isaiah Taylor and the upcoming NBA Draft by leaving a comment below and tweeting me @Texashomeboy1.

WWE is missing on one of their biggest potential in Bray Wyatt. (WWE.com)

Today we will be looking at the top 10 WWE superstars that the WWE has missed on. Only active superstars are eligible, so without a further ado let's get into. 

10. Zack Ryder - When was the last time Zack Ryder was in an actual feud? No, I’m talking about his two day stretch where he won the intercontinental title in the ladder match at Wrestlemania then lost it the following night to the Miz on Raw. The last legitimate feud I can remember is the storyline with John Cena, Eve and Kane. That was four years ago. Zack Ryder’s has one win since the start of the new year in singles matches on Raw. After dropping the title to The Miz, Zack’s time on TV is likely over for a while. It’s a shame because he is a good wrestler and the fans love him. He’s become an afterthought and won the IC title at Mania for a memorable moment. It’s sad to see how far he’s fallen considering not even 5 years ago this guy was in a storyline with John Cena.

9. Bo Dallas - Bo Dallas is one of my favorite wrestlers to watch and it’s frustrating to see how little they’ve done with him. The guy is a former NXT Champion, and put on great matches with the likes of Big E, Adrian Neville (who is on this list) and Sami Zayn. After first being called up to the main roster, Bo Dallas had a positivity gimmick about how everyone should “Bolieve.” After a short stint with that, he is now apart of the “Social Outcasts,” a jobber faction that is more of a joke than anything else. Being the brother to Bray Wyatt (who is also on this list) it amazes me how different both of these guys careers have been. I would have loved to see Bo join the Wyatt Family and be alongside his brother, but the likelyhood of that happening is slim to none. I wish they would do more with a guy who was once at the top of NXT.

8. Tyler Breeze - Tyler Breeze is another guy who succeeded in NXT and Vince McMahon hasn’t found anything to do with. Breeze is your modern day pretty boy with the slick hair, selfie stick, and loves to talk about how much better looking he is than you. He debuted in the WWE late last year and looked to start building some momentum before he got the rug pulled out from under him by Vince. Mr. McMahon thought his gimmick was boring and gave up on him. Tyler Breeze has won 15 of his career 141 matches in WWE. That’s a whooping 10% people. What’s even worse is that Tyler Breeze is currently on a 49 match losing streak! Now this is taking into account live events, Superstars and Main Event shows, but still! What has Tyler Breeze done to deserve this kind of treatment?

7. Neville - Neville never had the build to be a WWE champion, but the WWE could a whole lot more than what they have so far with the former NXT superstar. Neville isn’t very good on the mic, but his forte is his in ring ability. Neville is a high flyer and a sight to see. He amazes the WWE Universe with ridiculous kicks and high flying maneuvers. Neville’s problem is with the lack of a good personality, WWE can’t find him a gimmick for him and that prohibits his TV time. Unless WWE can find him a good manager, Neville isn’t going to amount to anything.

6. Wade Barrett - I know Wade Barrett is on his way out of WWE, but it would felt wrong if I didn’t include him on this list. Wade Barrett saw his WWE career end as being the “weak link” of the League and Nations and being officially kicked out via a Brogue Kick by Sheamus. He constantly would be missing when the League of Nations came out and nobody knew why. He was looked at as the weak link. It’s sad to see how far this guy has fallen. He was once the leader of Nexus. Nexus was a faction made up five years ago with a bunch of NXT rookies, many that are still on the roster today (Ryback, Heath Slater, Darren Young.) The group took WWE by storm and looked unstoppable due to the strength in numbers. Wade Barrett became the WWE champion and had a short stint with it before losing it to Randy Orton, which caused John Cena to join Nexus. Now we all know how this story ends, Cena single handedly destroys Nexus, because he’s John freaking Cena. After that Barrett does his own thing for a while before landing on a gimmick know as “Bad News Barrett.” The gimmick was very simple, he would come out and give competitors bad news. The gimmick became extremely over with the WWE Universe, but eventually died. Now Wade Barrett is leaving WWE and moving on to bigger and better things. Good for him, but it’s depressing to think back at Wade Barrett’s career as one of the biggest “What could’ve been.”

5. Damien Sandow - Out of everyone on this list, Damien Sandow is my favorite. He is equipped with everything you need to be a great wrestler in the WWE, amazing mic skills, has a good look, and is a pretty good wrestler. He has been completely been taken off of TV and I can’t find a reason why. Sandow’s last win on a Monday Night Raw was in April, of 2015. In fact, it’s been 364 days since his win on Raw. I knew his career wasn’t going anywhere when Sandow cashed in his Money In The Bank and lost his WWE Championship to John Cena who was wrestling with one good arm. His most recent gimmick was being the understudy to The Miz, and copying his every action. Sandow still found a way to get over, and had one of the loudest pops in the WWE. It still saddens me to this day that WWE wasn’t able to do anything with him.

4. Cody Rhodes - Cody Rhodes is one of those guys who was always good enough to win the WWE title, but never truly got a shot. He’s an excellent wrestler, has a great personality and comes from a wrestling family (son of Dusty Rhodes, may he rest in peace.) After starting out as a student under Randy Orton, Rhodes evolved into a great singles competitor and was a multi time Intercontinental champion. One of his best gimmick, was his “Dashing Cody Rhodes” where he talked about how much better he is than you, like fellow member Tyler Breeze. Rhodes always was looked at as one of the great young talents on the roster, but never got his shot. He recently transitioned to Stardust, a gimmick that I can’t really explain and you’ll just have to see to fully understand. He hasn’t had a legitimate feud since facing Neville, and hasn’t been on TV in a while. I thought after the death of his father, Cody Rhodes would see more TV time, but he sadly hasn’t. WWE is wasting one of it’s potential top talents.

3. Rusev - Rusev has also been one of my personal favorites. Coming onto the main roster, Rusev was this huge European monster, that was accompanied by a beautiful manager in Lana, and just about crush everything in his path. He started his WWE career off with a very hot start, picking up the US Championship, successfully defending it against it John Cena, Jack Swagger, and going 146 days before taking his first pinfall. Rusev would lose to the title to Cena, and lose one more time against John Cena at Payback in an “I Quit” match to end that feud. Since losing to Cena, WWE really hasn’t found anything to do with Rusev. He was in a storyline with Ziggler, Summer Rae and Dolph Ziggler, but the storyline was confusing and one that not many people cared about. WWE punished Rusev for announcing his marriage to Lana to the public while in the middle of a storyline against Lana, and thus killing kayfabe. He is currently a member of the League of Nations, but the faction isn’t viewed as a legitimate threat and hasn’t really done anything since forming. Rusev could’ve been a star and one of the company's top heels, but it seems like he will never get to the level he was at when he first debuted on the main roster.

2. Paige - It’s crazy to think that Paige was once one of the two best women’s wrestlers on the main roster just two short years ago. Many saw Paige and AJ Lee as the entire division, and it seemed that way with their long lasting feud. Once AJ Lee quit like her husband, Paige and Nikki Bella were the dominant in the WWE. After the failure that was the Divas Revolution, Paige became an afterthought. She teetered between Face and a Heel and never found a stable character. With Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch now legitimate stars, Paige is going to be lucky to see any legitimate TV time. It’s crazy to see how Paige who won the Divas title in her debut on Raw, now has to watch women’s matches in the back.

1. Bray Wyatt - Bray Wyatt could easily be the WWE’s top heel. He has great mic skills, a very good heel move set, and has come a long from his Husky Harris days. The Wyatt Family should be the top heel faction in the company, but have been reduced to a jobber. Every time they look like they are building momentum towards a major push, just to be buried by a legend who’s returning. The WWE has turned him face recently, so hopefully WWE makes something out of his new face gimmick.  

Let me know who your top ten is. Leave a comment below and tweet me @Texashomeboy1.

With the Rams trading up to the #1 pick, the Cowboys could be in prime position to select Jalen Ramsey. (USA Today.)

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Thursday was supposed to be a day celebrating the NBA and the great sport of basketball. The Golden State Warriors broke the single season record last night, finishing the season at 73-9. Kobe Bryant also played his last NBA game, and finished the final chapter of his illustrious 20 year career. Even after all that, NFL still dominated the sports headlines this morning. As I scrolled through Twitter walking into school, everyone was losing their minds over the fact that the LA Rams now have the first pick in this year’s draft. Along with the 15th pick in this year’s draft, the Rams also sent, two 2nd round picks, a 3rd pick this year, and their 1st and 3rd round pick next year to the Tennessee Titans for the top pick. The Rams also acquired the Titans 4th and 6th round pick this year. Teams usually move up a few spots to try and snag the coveted player they want, but it’s very rare to see a team jump from a spot like 15 to the 1st pick. This has a huge impact on the rest of the top 10, and more importantly the Dallas Cowboys. With the LA Rams moving up to one, the Dallas Cowboys now have options with the 4th pick. Let’s get into them.

Now it’s pretty much a given that the Rams are going quarterback with the top pick, but the question is, do they take Jared Goff or Carson Wentz? That decision has no impact on any of these scenarios, but it’s still something to think about. So, in option A, The Rams take a quarterback and for the sake of the article let’s say Carson Wentz. As I suspect, the Browns still go quarterback and select Jared Goff. The Chargers now sit in a situation I’m sure they never imagined they’d be in, with Laremy Tunsil staring them right in the face. Tunsil is considered to be the next elite tackle in the NFL, and with King Dunlap struggling with injuries last season, the Chargers could select their next tackle of the future. Now the Cowboys are up and select the fan favorite Jalen Ramsey. Jalen Ramsey is one of the favorites among Cowboys Nation, and pairing him alongside Byron Jones would create one of the best safety tandems in the NFL in the coming years. This would be my favorite option, and the Cowboys would get their reported #1 player on their big board.

Like option A, in scenario B, the Rams still take a QB and nothing changes regardless of the selection of Jared Goff or Carson Wentz. This time the Browns and new head coach Hue Jackson show faith in Robert Griffin III, and select what many believe to be the best player in this class in Jalen Ramsey. With Joe Haden getting up there in age and beginning to decline, and the lack of an elite secondary member, this move makes a lot of sense. In scenario B, the Chargers still have Laremy Tunsil fall in their lap and they get their tackle of the future. Now the Cowboys are a pretty interesting situation. With the 4th pick, they could address the pass rush and select a Joey Bosa or a DeForest Buckner. The Cowboys could also select linebacker Myles Jack. They could also find Romo’s replacement and select whomever is left of Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Or they could trade back and try to stockpile picks. As a Dallas fan I would hope the Cowboys trade back. It’s too early to select a QB, and I’m not a fan Bosa or Buckner especially when they could select a Kevin Dodd or Shaq Lawson in the late first round or early second round. With one of the two franchise quarterbacks still on the board, teams could be offering a king’s ransom to trade up to 4, and the Dallas Cowboys could receive a pick package similar to what Tennessee just received.

Once again the Rams and the Browns take franchise quarterbacks, but this time the Chargers take Jalen Ramsey. This pick makes a ton of sense with the Chargers losing starting secondary members Eric Weddle and Patrick Robinson. Once again the Cowboys are in quite the interesting situation. The Cowboys once again could select Myles Jack, DeForest Buckner, or Joey Bosa. The Cowboys could select Laremy Tunsil. While this is highly unlikely, the Cowboys do have a need at right tackle with Doug Free at 32 years old. Imagine an offensive line of Tyron Smith, La’el Collins, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and Laremy Tunsil? You could stick me behind that offensive line and I’ll rush for over 1,000 yards. Now this is very unlikely, but it would be cool to see one of the greatest offensive lines in NFL history. The more realistic option would be the Cowboys trading back. With Tunsil still available, the Cowboys could get an incredible package in return for the 4th pick.

The Rams trading up and acquiring the first pick has given the Cowboys a lot of options. They could go a lot of ways depending on what happens with the top 3 picks. Let me know which of these 3 scenarios you think is most likely to happen by voting in the poll below, leaving a comment, and tweeting me @Texashomeboy1.  

NBA 2K16 was a good game, but still needs a lot of improvements to get to a point where fans are pleased with the game. (NBA-Live.com)

With the NBA playoffs in full effect and NBA 2K17 six months away, it's the perfect time to start a wishlist for next years game. This is my 2nd installment of the NBA 2K wishlist. My Team will not be included in the wishlist, as I haven't played enough of the mode to suggest improvements. So without a further ado, let's get into it. 

 My Career:

No more Spike Lee joints - As much as we love Spike Lee for his hilarious antics courtside at Knicks games and his phenomenal films like “He Got Game,” the story he produced for NBA 2K16 was a major flop. The ability to play in high school and college was a great addition to my career, but the story as a whole missed. First off the cutscenes. The cutscenes ranged anywhere from 5 minutes all the way to 20. Some of them were longer than the actual games! Second the high school and college games felt meaningless. You could lose the first 3 of your college games, and you’re still going to be playing in the National Championship. Lastly the story as a whole just missed. Your best friend dying at the end of your rookie season is not something meant for an NBA 2K franchise. Also, would the Minnesota TimberWolves release Karl Anthony-Towns if they didn’t like his best friend? Probably not, so it makes no sense for you to get released. I applaud 2K for trying to go for something with this story, but it was a big miss.

Post game interviews acknowledge accomplishments - I recently have gotten back into My Career and have tried to add more badges to my character. In the quest to obtain “Dimer,” my player broke the assists record in a game. When the record was broken, there was a cool graphic flashed at the bottom of the screen showing my new record. After the game, Doris Burke asked my guy about how well he saw the floor and about the team win, instead of the new assist record that had just been toppled for the first time in almost 30 years. If a record is broken in the actual NBA, that’s all you’re going to see on Sportscenter for the next week. 2K needs to have more questions for Doris to ask.

Player to base off your guy off of - This is one thing that MLB The Show has perfected. In their Road To The Show mode, while creating your player you can pick an MLB player to base your player around. You want a speedy outfielder that steals bases but lacks power? Go for a Delino Deshields or Rajai Davis. Want the jack of all trades outfielder? Go for a Mike Trout or Bryce Harper. This needs to be in NBA. If I want to make my player a short power forward with great vision and range, let me choose a Draymond Green model to build around. The attribute caps should also tailor around the player model. Speaking of attribute caps…

Better attribute caps - Attribute caps were obviously put in place to stop the 7’3 centers from having 99 speed and shooting threes, but the caps are still a problem. My player is an outside shooting small forward that has maxed out athleticism. His speed caps out at about 75. Just because I picked outside instead of a balanced or inside small forward, his speed takes a hit. Also height shouldn’t be as big of a factor as it is. A 5’10 point guard shouldn’t zoom past a 6’3 point guard every time. 2K Needs to take strides into account. Guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo don’t have blazing speed, but make up for it with huge strides.

My Park/Pro Am -

More to play for in Pro Am - While Pro Am is enjoyable because of the full customization of jerseys and courts and the resemblance of NBA 2K11’s fan favorite mode “The Crew,” Pro Am becomes very repetitive. There’s no tournaments, no seasons mode, no true incentive to play besides teaming up with your friends to face other teams of my players. Wouldn’t it be cool to play in tournaments? Or a seasons mode much like the one in My Team mode? You would get rewards for winning the tournaments and making the playoffs in the seasons mode, and get trophies that you can look back on. Who wouldn’t want to play in the last game of a season, with it being a must win to make the playoffs?

Ability to make a team - This idea springs from fellow sports game Fifa 16. In Fifa the mode “Pro Clubs” which is their version of Pro Am. In the mode you create a club. One person creates the club and then invites other members to join. You still have the same customization of choosing the name and the jerseys. What I really like about Fifa’s Pro Clubs is the owner of the club doesn’t have to be online for you to play. As long as you have at least 2 members you’re good to go. Contrary to Pro Am, where one person makes a team, and everyone has to join their My Court to be able to play. You and your friends are forced to make 3-4 Pro Am teams just in case the “owner” of the team isn’t online at the time. 2K should add the “Club” feature that Fifa has.

Different color jerseys - When in the motions of yelling and fighting with your teammates about how they didn’t properly cut to the basket, the last thing you want to be stressing over is trying to figure out who is your teammate because both teams have the same color jerseys. Especially with my players having similar hair and player models, it becomes extremely difficult to tell who is on your team and who is playing against you. I don’t know an exact way of fixing this, but there has to be a way 2K can program the game to where you can’t be matched up with the same color jerseys.

XP bar for rep - This suggestion is courtesy of Jacob. The bar that shows your progression of rep to the next level needs to have an XP system. When you get up to the higher levels like the All Star and Legend tier, after winning a park game, you can’t even tell the bar has moved. It’s a small addition, but make it so each level has a certain amount of XP required to reach that level. So you have a general awareness of how many more games you have to play before hitting that level.

My League/My GM:

D-League - NBA 2K16 saw the addition of Summer League to My League. While it was a great addition, NBA 2K17 needs to take it one step further with the addition of the D-League to My League and My GM. The closest thing 2K fans have seen to the D-League was NBA 2K11, where your My Career would be sent to the D-League if he wasn’t good enough to make the NBA roster. The D-League would be extremely helpful to develop draft picks and free agents that wouldn’t get playing time on your NBA team.

Trade Logic - While the trade finder is one thing that I and other fellow gamers love to abuse, it needs to be addressed. With the trade finder, we are able to acquire good players Nikola Mirotic and Andre Drummond for dirt cheap, and sell players like Derrick Rose for a king's ransom. The picture below shows just some of the ridiculous offers that you will find while looking to unload a player.

Really 2k? Jimmy Butler alone is worth more than these two,.

Presentation:

New Scoreboard- The only problem with the current scoreboard is that it’s been the same for years now. It’s the same rectangular scoreboard in the bottom right corner that we have seen for years. Its time for something fresh.

Different Commentary- I asked for this in last years 2K and while it’s still unlikely to happen but I would really like to see different commentary teams in NBA 2K. As much as I love Marv Albert and Kevin Harling, wouldn’t it be cool to have multiple commentary teams. You could have Marv and Kevin one night, then have Chris Webber and Reggie Miller on the commentary team the next night. That would be pretty cool.

Presentation Overhaul in Pro Am - One of the things that makes Pro Am dry and boring is the lack of presentation. There’s no commentary team. No camera cuts or cool replays. There’s not even players on each bench or a coach! The game mode feels basic and there was 0 effort put into the presentation.

Gameplay:

Spacing. Spacing. Spacing. - I don’t know what it is, but the court in this year's game feels small. Whenever you feed the ball into the post, the perimeter defenders are instantly there and steal the ball from the post. On the contrary, whenever you kick it out to a wide opener shooter, it feels like the defender immediately recovers and contests the shot. The spacing needs to be better in 2K17, so you can actually use the post.

Ability to catch to steals - I know I’m not the only one. You read a pass perfectly and jump it to steal the ball. Your players jump in front of the pass and instead of catching it, your player tips it out of bounds and it’s still the opposing team's ball. I stated this in last year’s wishlist and was saddened to know that it was back in this year’s game. These are professional athletes. They should be able to steal passes.

Tapout rebounds - Tyson Chandler has made a career out of doing the “tapout rebounds.” Instead of going up, snatching the rebound and coming back down with the ball, he simply swats the ball back out to a teammate on the perimeter, so the offense can reset. In NBA 2K17 you should have the option to bring the rebound down or tap it out.

Ability to control defenders - This mainly applies to My Park and Pro AM, but still needs to be addressed throughout the game. When playing on ball defense it feels like you have no control over the defender. They don’t move the way you want them to, and that leads to you getting beat. It feels like the defenders are stuck in quicksand. The gameplay needs more fluidity.

Less animation heavy - NBA 2K’s gameplay has always been dominated by animations. While 2K has developed some very good and realistic animations, the game is too animation heavy. It doesn’t feel free flowing and you can’t have complete control of your player’s. Your players are constantly moving from animation to animation. 2K can still be animation heavy, just make the game more free flowing. 

That'll do it for this years NBA 2K wishlist. Let me know what you want to see in NBA 2K17 by leaving a comment below and tweeting me @Texashomeboy1.

Dirk Nowitzki will go down as the greatest Maverick ever, but should he be traded in his quest for another ring? (USA Today)

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

This is honestly an article that I never wanted to make, but while watching the Dallas Mavericks in the current playoff series against the Thunder, it’s time for me to get some things off my chest. It’s time for the Dallas Mavericks to trade Dirk Nowitzki. Now before I’m banished by the Mavericks fan base and have to look for a new team, let me explain. I understand the importance of Dirk to the city of Dallas and the Mavericks just as much as the next guy, but what has happened over the last 5 years isn’t fair to Dirk Nowitzki.

At 37 years of age Dirk Nowitzki is still the best player on the Mavericks. While Maverick fans have watched the rival San Antonio Spurs surround Tim Duncan (who is 39 years of age) with superstars like Kawhi Leonard and Lamarcus Aldridge. This is has not only prolonged his career because the Spurs are able to limit his minutes and take the massive workload off of him, but it has also kept him at the high level we’ve seen from Duncan for almost two decades. It has kept the Spurs a title contender without having to rely on Tim Duncan giving you 30 minutes a night. Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks are a completely different story. The Dallas Mavericks current roster is completely different from the one that was a title contender in the mid-2000’s or the team that won its first championship in 2011. Those teams were built on depth. Those Maverick teams were designed with Dirk to be the superstar, but filled with a roster where 5-6 guys could go off on any given night. It didn’t require Nowitzki to score 30 points a night, rather Dirk to score 20 points, and have players like Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, and Jason Kidd scores 10 points themselves as well. The current Dallas Mavericks are nothing like that.

The current Dallas Mavericks, (who are down 3-1 in the first round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the time of writing this,) are completely different. The current Dallas Mavericks need Dirk to shoot 25-30 times a game and the team to play for hard for all 48 minutes just to stay within 15 points. The Mavericks have been able to keep it close by just out hustling the Thunder, but the talent of OKC with Durant and Westbrook is far superior to that of the likes of Raymond Felton and David Lee. This roster isn't a contending team, it's barely a playoff team. This is the same team that had to win 7 of its last 9 games just to make it in the playoffs.

Dirk Nowitzki has about 2 left in his career and he will likely spend it in Dallas, fighting for the 8th seed in the playoffs and losing in the first round to a far superior team. Dirk has earned the right to compete for a championship in his final years, and it isn’t in Dallas. He has rejected contracts to go elsewhere for far more money to stay in Dallas. Fans were devastated that they couldn’t see Kobe compete for another ring in his final years because the Lakers roster was so terrible, and Dirk has fallen into the same path. The Mavericks should trade Dirk to a contender. Trade him to a team like the Clippers, Heat, where he can play 15 to 20 minutes a night, likely come off the bench, and just provide solid scoring. Dirk has deserved that. Dirk has earned that. He would still go down as the greatest Maverick ever, and retire as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, but he could have the opportunity to win more than one ring. Mavericks fans, doesn’t he deserve the opportunity?

Like I stated earlier, I’m sure I’m going to be exiled for the Mavericks fan base for writing this. As much as I would hate to see Dirk in another uniform, I think it’s only fair to him that if he wants to play for a contender and win another ring, he should. Let me know your thoughts. I am crazy to think that Dirk should play elsewhere? Did Mark Cuban ruin Dirk’s opportunity to win multiple rings because his infatuation to sign superstars? Let me know by leaving a comment below and tweeting me @Texashomeboy1.  

With one of the most important drafts in years for the Dallas Cowboys, who will Jerry Jones and Dallas select in this years class? (USA Today.)

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

We are about 24 hours away from the NFL draft and the anticipation is killing me. Nearly every thought running through my head is trying to figure out what exactly the Cowboys are going to do Thursday night. In the process of this I’ve asked myself a few questions about the upcoming draft in an attempt to figure out who is going to end up a Dallas Cowboys come Friday morning. Today I look to answer these questions. Let’s get into it.

Who gets selected with the 4th pick?

This is a question that has rattled around in my head for almost a month and has nearly driven me to the point of insanity. I’ve searched ESPN and Bleacher Report headlines, sources close to the Cowboys on Twitter, and just about any other option you can think to try and find some indication of where the Cowboys are going with the 4th pick. Even through all this research I’m still confused as ever. The Cowboys seem to be down to 3 players in Ezekiel Elliott, Joey Bosa and Jalen Ramsey. Joey Bosa is obvious with the Dallas massive hole at defensive end after both Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence were suspended the first 4 games for failing the substance abuse policy. Ezekiel Elliott is interesting because the Cowboys already have Alfred Morris, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar on the roster. This speaks to how great of a prospect Elliott is. He could prolong the career of Tony Romo and take this offense to another level. Ramsey is pretty obvious with the poor play from the corners and the safety. It also helps that Jalen Ramsey is viewed by many as the best player in this class. So where do the Cowboys go? This seems like a 2 horse race to me between Ramsey and Elliott. If Jalen Ramsey is available, he will be a Dallas Cowboy, if he goes #3 to the San Diego Chargers, then the Cowboys take Elliott. Either way you’re getting a superstar.

If the Cowboys select Bosa at 4, where do you go 2nd round?

I’ve always been of the mindset that Dallas will go Ezekiel Elliott or Jalen Ramsey at 4, and then take a defensive end with the 34th pick. Even though it's in the second round, you can still get a player like a Kevin Dodd or possibly even Noah Spence if he falls. So if the Cowboys take Bosa with their first pick, where do you go in the second round? You obviously aren’t going to take another defensive lineman. You could reach on a running back or a quarterback, but that wouldn’t be a smart selection. You could select a receiver, but I think the Cowboys still have faith in the combination of Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams, and Cole Beasley. So now if you’re the Cowboys, you’re stuck between a rock and a hardplace. I think this further validates the selection of either Jalen Ramsey or Ezekiel Elliott.

Do the Cowboys finally select a quarterback?

As much as Cowboys want to shun it, the end of the Romo era is approaching… Fast. The Cowboys have selected 2 quarterbacks since 1990, Quincy Carter and Stephen McGee, obviously not household names. The Cowboys lucked out with finding Tony, who went undrafted in 2003. As much as Jerry Jones and Cowboys Nation don’t want to admit it, Tony Romo only has 2-3 years left producing at a high level. Even though this year's QB class is weak compared to others, Jerry seems inclined to take a QB. There have been rumors that the Cowboys might trade up from 34 back into the first round to try and snag a QB. My thinking is the Cowboys are looking at either Paxton Lynch or Connor Cook. If the Cowboys don’t trade up, then I could see them selecting a Christian Hackenberg or a Dak Prescott in the later rounds. Don’t be shocked if the Cowboys go into Friday morning with a QB they are looking to groom.

Hopefully this provides some clarity for you and me on what the Cowboys are going to do tomorrow night. Let me know your thoughts. Where do the Cowboys go with their first round pick? Who is your team going to select? Let me know by leaving a comment below or tweeting me @Texashomeboy1.    

After an amazing career at Ohio State that saw back to back seasons of 2,000 all purpose yards, Ezekiel Elliott. (USA Today.)

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

For football fans, Christmas came last night with the first round of the NFL Draft. The first round was filled with drama with Myles Jack falling all the way out of the first round, to Lamrey Tunsil falling to the Dolphins at 13 because of a video of Tunsil smoking out of a gasmask surfaced 13 minutes before the draft, to the Cleveland Browns actually making smart decisions! Even with all the drama, the Dallas Cowboys still found themselves at the forefront of headlines. Not because they took a chance on a risky player with a troubled past. They made the flashy, sexy pick. The Cowboys added Ezekiel Elliott, the best running back in this class, to an already potent offense, and disregarded defense with Jalen Ramsey still on the board. Was it the best pick? No, I personally think Jalen Ramsey is your best option and provides a shutdown corner for Dallas. Was it a good pick? Sure, anytime you have the option to get a game changer like Ezekiel Elliott you don't pass up on it. Was it a Jerry Jones pick? Absolutely. This picks represents everything Jerry envisions in the Cowboys. High profile, must see, but also winners. Let's dive a little deeper into the newest Dallas Cowboys.

I’ve heard numerous people say last night and today that this was a “luxury pick,” and a waste because the Cowboys went with the flashy pick instead of picking a need on defense. This may all be true, but Ezekiel Elliott is so much more than that. Yes, the Cowboys could’ve taken Jalen Ramsey, who is likely going to be a great corner or safety in this league, but they didn’t. I’ve had some people tell me that if they weren’t going to select Ramsey, then they should’ve traded down, and I couldn’t disagree more. We can all agree that the Cowboys likely aren’t going to be picking in the top 5 for hopefully a long time.This is an opportunity for the Cowboys to select a potential superstar and building block for the future. If you trade back, you lose this golden opportunity. Let’s say the Ravens accept the proposed trade offer last and move back 2 spots to 6. The Ravens could very well select Ezekiel Elliott. The Jaguars take Jalen Ramsey at 5 and then what? You could go vice versa with the Ravens and Jaguars, and the Cowboys miss out on one of the two best players in this class. Now let’s talk about exactly what the Cowboys are getting in Zeke.

‘

The Complete Back:

One of the very few knacks on Elliott is that he doesn’t do anything great. On the contrary I think one of his biggest positives is that there isn’t a hole in his game. Sure he doesn’t excel in one thing, but he is good all across the board. His patience and vision is great with his ability to wait and find the running lanes. He’s physical at 6’0, 225 pounds. While being a physical back, has the speed to burn defenses at the 2nd level. Ezekiel Elliott is everything you want in a running back and much, much more.

The best defense is a good offense:

Let me ask you a question and I really want you to take a minute to think about it. What made the 2014 Dallas Cowboys so good? As many of you have probably guessed, because of the elite rushing attack DeMarco Murray provided. Darren McFadden did a good job filling in for his role in 2015, but he wasn’t what DeMarco Murray was. McFadden wasn’t a game changer. He didn’t keep defensive coordinators up at night trying to figure out how to stop him. He couldn’t be a guy that you can hand the ball to and tell him to finish a game. Ezekiel Elliott can replicate what DeMarco did in 2014. Elliott can have defensive coordinators wanting to rip their hair out because they are trying to figure out how to stop the Dallas offense. You can’t stack the box because that leaves Jason Witten and Dez Bryant single covered. You can play max coverage because Ezekiel Elliott will shred the defense. He can be your bell cow who takes a majority of the carries each game. What made the 2014 team so good is that the Cowboys grinded out long six, seven, eight, minute long drives that kept the opposing defense on the field and your defense off of it. It wore out the opposing team defense, while keeping your defense fresh. Those same runs of 3-4 yards in the first and second quarter, turn into 10-15 in the third and fourth quarter. Ezekiel Elliott helps out not only the offense, but the defense as well.

Big time player in big time games:

Ezekiel Elliott is a player you don’t ever have to worry about the moment being too big for him. In fact, some of his best games were on the biggest stages in college football. Apart of the 2014 National Championship team, Elliott had videogame like numbers in the Big 10 Championship and 2 College Football Playoff games. In those 3 games, Elliott had a grand total of 76 carries, 696 yards and 8 touchdowns. For the people keeping track at home that’s an average 25 carries, 232 yards and 2.6 touchdowns a game. In the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame this season, Elliott rushed for 149 yards on 27 carries and 4 touchdowns. Ezekiel Elliott doesn’t crumble under the spotlight, he elevates his game. Ezekiel Elliott’s most impressive stat is in his last 22 games, Elliott rushed for over 100 yards in 19 of those games.

Like I stated before, the Cowboys taking Ezekiel Elliott wasn’t the best pick, but a luxury pick. The Elliott pick not only helps the offense, but the defense as well. I really like the pick, please don’t banish me Cowboys Nation. Let me know your thoughts on the Ezekiel Elliott pick? How did your team do in the first round? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below and tweeting me @Texashomeboy1.  

Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul nearly became teammates, creating one of the best backcourts in the NBA. (Sportschump.net)

Whenever you're talking about sports with your friends and peers, the what if game is always a fun one to have. What if the Dez play was actually ruled a catch? Do the Cowboys make it to the Super Bowl instead of the Seahawks? What if the Seahawks had ran the ball with Marshawn at the 2 yard line with 25 seconds left? Are they the new super bowl champions? What if the Nets never traded all those draft picks for Pierce and Garnett? It’s interesting to ask yourself about the greatest sports hypotheticals and see how much that sport would change based off of one single change. Basketball is especially fun because it’s one of the only sports where one player has such a huge impact on an organization. With the amount of big moves the NBA has seen over the last 6 years, from players like Lebron and Melo finding new homes, to superstars being shipped out in blockbuster deals, today we’re going to discuss the top 5 biggest what ifs in the NBA since 2010. Let’s get into it.

5. What if the Dallas Mavericks never blew up the 2011 Championship roster?

As a Mavericks fan you should have expected that I would have something Dallas related on here. In the 2011 NBA season the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat and the new big three in 6 games to win the franchise's first ever championship. It was a sign of things to come for the NBA. The Miami Heat led by the big 3 of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh squared off against the Dallas Mavericks led by Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and many more. Superstars vs a team. Star power vs team power. The Mavericks won the series in 6 games led by Dirk Nowitzki. Dallas was the perfect team. Just enough nastiness on the inside with Tyson Chandler and Ian Mahinmi in the paint to scare teams from driving to the basket. Just enough shooting with snipers like Peja Stojakovic, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd on the perimeter. Just enough perimeter defense and fearlessness from guys DeShawn Stevenson and Shawn Marion to want the challenge of stopping Lebron. Lastly the security blanket that was Dirk, who you knew could give you a basket whenever you called his name. Mix all of that together and what do you get? A world champion.

Fast forward to the next season and the Mavericks only have 7 players left from the championship roster and get swept by the OKC Thunder in the first round, a team they just beat to make the NBA Finals just a few short months ago. So what happened? How can a team do a complete 180 like this and go from on top of the world, to now barely being a playoff team. Superstars. The NBA is a super star driven league. Everyone in the NBA wants to build super teams with super teams to try and win a championship and Mark Cuban fell into the same trap. Instead of retaining the team that had just won him his first title, he decided to blow the team up in pursuit of Deron Williams and Dwight Howard. So what if the Mavericks had been able to keep the core together? I see this Mavericks team as a potential dynasty. Tyson Chandler continues to be one of the best rim protectors in the NBA and is only 28 years old, Jason Kidd gives the team his last few good years and Caron Butler returns from injury. If the Mavericks were able just 1 or 2 more titles, Dirk is now put alongside Duncan as one of the greatest power forwards and players the NBA has ever seen, Jason Terry is potentially one of the greatest 6th men ever, and Jason Kidd’s might be one of the five greatest point guards ever. Instead the Mavericks have yet to make it past the first round, and have been stuck in an endless cycle of being average.

4. What if Carmelo Anthony left for the Bulls in 2014?

Melo is one of the most polarizing and underappreciated players in the NBA and a lot of it stems from his inability to win in the postseason. He’s only made one conference finals and that was back when he was a member of the Denver Nuggets and had cornrows. After being traded to his hometown New York Knicks, Melo looked to capture a ring with JR Smith and Amare Stoudemire. In his 5 seasons as a member of the Knicks, Anthony has yet to make it beyond the 2nd round. In the 2014 offseason, Carmelo Anthony became a free agent and was one of the most highly sought after players in the free agent class. Even through all the drama of Lebron James going back home to Cleveland, Chris Bosh possibly leaving Miami, everyone wanted to know where Carmelo Anthony was going. The decision had come down to the Knicks and the Bulls. The Knicks offer him the opportunity to play in front of his hometown, and make the most money. New York was the only team that could offer Melo a 5 year deal that could go all the way up to 129 million. Chicago gave him the chance to play under one of the best coaches in the league in Tom Thibodeau, play on one of the best teams in the NBA, have a great shot at winning his first NBA title, and still make a cool 17 million a year. As we know Melo goes back to the Knicks for a massive 5 year 124 million. What if the Carmelo decided to go to Chicago? Now you’re looking at a team with Derrick Rose, an up and coming Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah. The Bulls finally find that pure scorer that they’ve needed, and now could arguably be the best team in the East. Tom Thibodeau keeps his job as the Bulls make it to the Eastern Conference Finals every year in the weak Eastern Conference. Melo more than likely wins his first ring, and is looked at as a lot more than just a “scorer.” Derrick Rose solidifies his Hall of Fame career with a championship and is able to return back close to his old MVP self without having the heavy burden of carrying the Bulls roster. As far as the Knicks go, the roster is blown up and they’re in full rebuild mode. With Kristaps Porzingis as the only true piece to build around, the Knicks are one of the worst teams in basketball and have a lot of top 5 picks in their future.

3. What if Lebron James never left the Heat?

Lebron James shocked the world when he had an hour long segment on ESPN titled “The Decision.” The king would announce where he was taking his talents to and what team he was going to sign with. As we all know, Lebron joins the Miami Heat to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, creating the big 3 in Miami, and causing an outcry in Cleveland. After winning 2 championships and making it to 4 straight finals appearances, Lebron is forgiven by the city of Cleveland when he signs with the Cavaliers, joining Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving to form a big 3 on his home team. What if Lebron never left the Miami Heat to go back home? This is a question that many people have asked including myself with good reason. What does Cleveland have that Miami doesn’t? Besides it being his home state and a chance to be forgiven by his city, honestly what did Cleveland have? Miami had just won two championships in four years, he was playing on a better roster and alongside his best friend in Dwyane Wade. So, if Lebron were to stay in Miami, the Heat likely make the finals for the 5th time in a row. With a healthy big 3 unlike the Cavaliers, the Heat give the Warriors a run for their money and have a great shot at winning their 3rd championship in 5 years. They probably win the East this season, and have a great shot at repeating. The Heat could potentially win 5 titles and make the Finals 7 years in a row. Now they're in the discussion for the greatest team ever. As far as Cleveland goes, they are still rebuilding. Kevin Love doesn’t get traded to the Cavs as he doesn’t think they are going to compete for a championship and the Cavs don’t want to give up Andrew Wiggins as they look to build for the future. Now the Cavs build for the future with Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins at the forefront.

2. What if the NBA never vetoed the Chris Paul to the Lakers trade?

In the midst of the NBA lockout in 2011, the Lakers, Rockets and New Orleans Hornets, (now the Pelicans) were about to pull off one of the biggest trades in recent memory. A deal was in place to send Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers and pair him alongside Kobe Bryant. The Rockets would receive all-star big man and NBA champion Pau Gasol. The Hornets were going to receive Lamar Odom, Goran Dragic, Luis Scola, and the Knicks 2012 first round pick that the Rockets had acquired. The trade was a win for everyone. The Lakers get one of the best point guards in the league and someone to put alongside Kobe, The Rockets find an all-star big man in the wake of Yao Ming’s retirement, and the Hornets get a huge return for a point guard that desperately wanted out. The trade was rejected by the NBA and the commissioner David Stern. The exact reasoning for the NBA rejecting the trade was never released, but David Stern was pressured by many owners to veto the trade. With the unhappy point guard still wanting out of New Orleans and the Hornets looking to get something for him, New Orleans shipped Chris Paul to the Lakers rivals and fellow Los Angeles counterparts the Clippers. The Hornets received Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman and Minnesota’s 2012 first round pick (which was the 8th picked that turned into Austin Rivers.) What if the NBA didn’t reject the trade? Let’s start with the Hornets. The Hornets won the 2012 draft lottery which ended up netting them Anthony Davis. With a new core of Odom, Dragic, and Scola, the team now has veterans with playoff experience that gives enough additional wins to where they don’t end up with Davis. Instead they are a couple spots down in the draft and could take a guy like Damian Lillard or Andre Drummond. Lamar Odom would likely get homesick and want to go back to LA, and the Hornets are likely still stuck in the same situation they’re in today. A superstar that has no talent around him, and a team that is on the brink of the playoffs. As far as the Lakers go, they finally get an elite point guard to put next to Kobe. Chris Paul at only 26 years old and has just entered his prime. The Lakers lose Pau Gasol, but in 2012 the Lakers did acquire all-star big man Dwight Howard. With Gasol gone this gives the Lakers even more of an incentive to get Howard. Now the Lakers are looking at a big 3 of Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and Kobe Bryant. With one the best point guards in the game, Dwight’s career in LA isn’t a complete disaster, and Kobe has a really good shot at making one last deep run in the playoffs in the pursuit of his 6th ring. For the Rockets, James Harden gets another star to play alongside in Pau Gasol, and makes one of the best pick and roll duos in basketball. With pieces like Jeremy Lin, Patrick Beverly, and Chandler Parsons to play alongside, the Rockets are still one of the best teams in the West. The Clippers are no longer one of the dominant teams in the West, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan don't develop into the stars we see today without their star point guard. 

1. What if the Brooklyn Nets never traded for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce?

This was a move that changed the entire direction of two organizations. On June 27, 2013, news broke that the Boston Celtics had sent Kevin Garnett Gerald Wallace, Kris Joseph, Kris Humphries and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets for 3 first round picks, (2014, 2016, 2018,) Marshon Brooks, and Keith Bogans. The Celtics had realized that the big 3 era of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce was over and it was time to move on. This move gave the Celtics a ton of cap space and a plethora of picks to work with. As far as the Nets go, they were in win now mode. Fresh off of a new logo and stadium in Brooklyn after moving from New Jersey, owner Mikhail Prokhorov was looking to build a super team and win a championship for the new fans of Brooklyn. With a starting 5 of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Brook Lopez, the Nets looked like early contenders in the East. We all know how this story plays out. The Nets underachieve, have to move Garnett, Williams, Johnson, and Pierce for barely anything in return, and now are a team that has one of the worst rosters in basketball, and no draft picks to build with. The Celtics are the complete opposite. A roster full of young players, tons of cap space and a bunch of picks. In this upcoming draft, the Celtics own 3 first round picks. The Celtics have a young roster and are a superstar away from making the next step. If this trade never happens the Celtics and Nets are in similar situations. Brooklyn has a roster capable of being a playoff team with a good amount of cap space and picks. Boston still finds teams willing to take Garnett and Pierce, but get nothing close to the value of what Brooklyn gave them. So now both teams are middle of the road and have the assets to make moves.

There’s endless possibilities when playing the what if game. These are the 5 biggest I can think of, and I’m sure there’s a few major ones I missed. Let me know your biggest sports what if’s by leaving a comment below and tweeting me @Texashomeboy1. 

After a great first season with the Charlotte Hornets, Nicolas Batum looks to cash out this offseason. (USA Today.)

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Another season has passed and it's the same old story. Rick Carlisle coaches a team full of role players and Dirk to the playoffs before being bounced in the first round in 4 to 5 games. Now the Mavericks see themselves in a similar situation as years past. A team that has loads of cap space because the roster was filled with a bunch of 1 year deals and rental players to just make it to next season. Once again Mark Cuban is going to promise signing a big fish and ultimately fail, then sign 2nd tier free agents to fill out the roster. So today I’m going to suggest some players that the Mavericks should look at in this upcoming free agent class. Now obviously the likes of Kevin Durant aren’t going to be on this list because the Mavericks aren’t going to be contenders to sign him. Let’s get into it.

Dwight Howard - If the Mavericks are able to sign Dwight Howard and bring back Deron Williams, it’ll be the big three that Mavs fans and Mark Cuban dreamed of! From like 5 years ago…. In all honesty I wouldn’t mind a Dwight Howard signing, he’d be an upgrade to ZaZa Pachulia. Sure Dwight Howard is 30, and hasn’t been the same player since his back injury back when he was on the Lakers, but he has shown flashes of the player that we knew and loved in Orlando. He started 71 games this season, averaged 13.7 points and 11.8 rebounds making it 12 straight years of averaging a double-double. I feel his stats could have been better this year if he was in actual offense that gave him touches instead of whatever Houston is running. Dwight can’t be the go to guy of your offense, but he still can be a solid 2nd or 3rd player on your team. He is probably going to demand the max this offseason, but if the Mavericks can get him on a short term deal, I would love seeing D12 in big D.

Joakim Noah - Much like Dwight Howard, Joakim Noah isn’t a long term fit at the center position, but a guy who can provide two to three good years while the Mavericks try to find their franchise guy. Joakim isn’t the same triple double machine that we saw a couple of years ago on the Bulls, as evident by Fred Hoiberg benching him for Pau Gasol. This doesn’t mean that Joakim can’t produce. He still has excellent court vision and passing skills for a big man, and has one of the highest motors in the NBA. Could you imagine a lineup with Justin Anderson, Dwight Powell, and Joakim Noah? Nobody in the NBA is giving more energy. Like I stated earlier Joakim isn’t a player you can build a franchise around now at age 31, but he can still be a good player and produce for a team.

Nicolas Batum - After being traded to the Hornets for Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh apart of the Portland fire sale last offseason, Nicolas Batum grew from a role player into a potential star in this league. Batum blossomed from just a great defensive player who was an okay scorer, into a very good two way player. At only 27 years old, he is likely going to get a huge contract this offseason. Nicolas Batum looks to me like he could have a similar role as to Chandler Parsons. If he comes to the Mavs, he would be the star on the team, and get a lot of looks to help take the load off of Dirk Nowitzki.

Kent Bazemore - Kent Bazemore has grown a lot since going undrafted out of Old Dominion. The former LA Laker is now a key piece for the Atlanta Hawks and was a major catalyst for Atlanta making it to the 2nd round. Bazemore is extremely athletic, a pretty good defender, and has improved his jumper. Kent started a career high 68 games for Atlanta, and numerous times was the spark that the Hawks needed. His 11.8 points, 5.1 rebounds 2.3 steals and 1.3 steals were all career highs. Kent Bazemore could hit the open market with the Hawks likely resigning Al Horford to a max contract, and Atlanta possibly looking for a star that they have desperately needed. Bazemore should draw quite the market as he is an athletic forward that is only 26 years old. If the Mavericks were able to sign the North Carolina native, he would be a great piece for the future. I doubt he is going to grow into a superstar in this league, but he could be a building block to base your team around. Could you imagine Justin Anderson and Kent Bazemore as your perimeter defenders? That’d be quite the combo for the future.

Bismack Biyombo - Bismack Biyombo is a player that is likely going to be heavily overpaid this offseason, but he is a player that is needed in today’s NBA. Bismack’s game is built around being a great defender and rebounder that will always give 100% effort. He’s not a player that will give you 25 points a night, but the opposing team still has to account for him because he can change the game. He reminds me of last season’s Tristan Thompson and the amazing playoff run he had. The Cavaliers paid 82 million over 5 years last offseason for his ability to rebound and protect the rim. Biyombo will likely have a huge market in this upcoming free agency, and the Mavericks should be in the thick of things. The Mavericks haven’t had a legitimate center and rim protector since Tyson Chandler back on the championship team in 2011. The big appeal to Bismack Biyombo is that he’s only 23 years old. He is just about to enter his prime and could be one of the league’s rim protectors for years to come. With a core of Justin Anderson and Bismack Biyombo, the Mavericks will have two good defenders that never take a play off. Bismack Biyombo is going to get a max contract from someone this offseason, so why not the Dallas Mavericks as they transition towards a younger lineup.

The Mavericks attempts to sign superstars in free agency have failed and it’s time to move on to a new approach. Dallas needs to sign young players who aren’t superstar caliber, but can provide an impact right away and multiple years down the road. Once this team builds up some talent and produces a team that can make it past the first round, then maybe Mark Cuban can draw the superstar free agent that he has wanted so badly to Dallas. Let me know your thoughts. Who should the Mavericks sign in free agency? Who should your favorite team sign in free agency? Let me know by leaving a comment below and tweeting me @Texashomeboy1. 

If you ask somebody on Twitter what the Warriors style of play is, they will tell you its nothing but illegal screens and lucky threes. (USA Today.)

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

If you sit back and actually think about it, it’s crazy how much social media has grown over the years. Twitter has 289 million active users that post 58 million tweets a day. There’s about 1.4 billion active users who log onto Facebook every month. It’s become some people’s entire life. They can’t go 5 minutes without checking their timeline to see what Sydney did on her vacation or to post about the jerk they met at the gas station. For me, social media is an outlet for my love on sports. When I scroll through my timeline, I see fans reacting to the latest news on who their team just picked up, arguments of who is better all time, and play by play of the current game that is on. I use it as an outlet to give my opinion on what's occurring in the sports world and communicate with people who I will probably never meet outside of the internet. Some sports fans take it too far. Social Media has given everyone the power and opportunity to have a voice and reach a group of people they would never come into contact with. It allows fans to lash out and view sports under a microscope. You can nitpick every single play of a game and talk with people of the same opinion. It has revolutionized the average sports and completely changed their outlook on the game. Now people look for every flaw in the best sports teams that make them look mortal and slander them for it. Pounce on any opportunity to show that this team isn’t as good as people are making it out to be and they’re overrated. They’re so focused on showing the flaws in the great sports teams and athletes, that they completely miss how great of a product we are actually witnessing. Social Media has ruined this generation of sports fans. Let me give you some examples.

With the NBA season quickly coming to a close, I can say with 100% honesty that I’m currently witnessing the greatest team I’ve ever seen. I wasn’t alive for Larry Bird’s Celtics that dominated the 80’s, or Michael Jordan’s Bulls that destroyed the competition in the 90’s and set the record for the most regular season wins. What I’m currently witnessing is a Golden State Warriors team that could be well on it’s way to a second straight NBA title and solidifying itself as one of the best NBA teams ever. The Warriors set the record for most wins in a regular season finishing 73-9 this season. Their star point guard Steph Curry is now a back to back MVP and was the first ever unanimous MVP winner this season. If he continues on the pace that he’s going at, Steph will go down as the greatest pure shooter the NBA has ever seen. Klay Thompson his teammate and fellow splash brother has the best shooting motion in basketball, is one of the elite two way players in the NBA, and is sadly very underrated. Alongside these two elite players is Draymond Green. He is an undersized power forward that stands at only 6’7, but plays much bigger and always has the biggest heart on the court. He can stretch you out to the three point line, make point guard like passes, and grab rebounds over 7 footers. To back all this up is one of the best benches the NBA has ever seen. Shaun Livingston is a 6’7 pure point guard who is a matchup nightmare because of his size and ability to consistently hit mid range jumpers and is a player who can start for most of the NBA. Andre Iguodala is one of the league's best perimeter defenders and a guy who doesn’t get enough credit. Leandro Barbosa is a 12 year veteran who still runs the floor like he is a 20 year old rookie. They are the perfect team that utilizes everyone’s strengths. They are a team that is changing the way the NBA is being played.

People are afraid of change. Bill Gates once stated that “People always fear change. People feared electricity when it was invented, didn't they? People feared coal, they feared gas-powered engines... There will always be ignorance, and ignorance leads to fear.” That’s what fans have become, ignorant. Instead of taking time to truly appreciate that we are witnessing one of the greatest teams ever assembled, they take the easy route and find things to complain and nitpick about. If you ask people on Twitter what they think of the Warriors, you’re likely to find answers like:

“they’re so lucky, they just chuck up 3’s,”

“they’re ruining the game of basketball because they shoot nothing but 3’s”

“the Warriors get all the calls,”

“Draymond is such a dirty player and a thug.”

Okay that last might be partially true, but you get the point. Let’s break these down. If you think all the Warriors do is chuck 3’s and get lucky, then you need to learn the game of basketball. The Warriors take advantage of matchups and fatigue. If all five guys are constantly moving and a defender has to chase Klay and Steph around the court for 24 seconds constantly fighting through screens, then eventually the Warriors are going to get an open look. It’s impossible to keep up that level of defensive intensity for an entire game. One of the most underrated qualities of the Warriors is how conditioned they are. They run up and down the court for all 48 minutes without breaking a sweat. If you think that the Warriors are ruining the game of basketball, I suggest you find a new sport to watch because that is blasphemy. They are leading the new era of basketball and are ahead of the times. So instead of finding ways to try and make the Golden State Warriors look mortal, how about you sit back and appreciate the greatness in front of you, because we may not see a team dominate the NBA like this for quite some time.

Let’s move on to one of the most polarizing bunch in the sports world. Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the New England Patriots. There is no inbetween with the Patriots, you either love them or hate them. Now New England’s situation is a bit different than that of the Golden State Warriors in the fact that most of the hate directed towards the Patriots is through accusations of cheating, but the message still applies. The New England Patriots have dominated the NFL for nearly two decades. Since 2000, the Pats have 13 AFC East division titles, have made the Super Bowl 6 times with 4 victories, and have reached the AFC Championship 10 times. Over those 16 years, New England has a regular season record of 187-69. Only Neal Dahlen has more super bowl rings than Bill Belichick’s six. To put it simply, the Patriots are one of the greatest dynasties the NFL has ever seen. Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in the history in the NFL. Even at 38 years old, Tom is still dominating the NFL, but he only has so many years left. Once he decides to hang it up, Bill Belichick will likely follow soon behind. Instead of Tom and Bill being remembered as the greatest coach/player duo we’ve ever seen, they are just looked at as a pair of cheaters. Instead of Tom being known as the greatest quarterback of all time, he’s the whiney pretty boy who complains when something doesn’t go his way. Bill Belichick is a NFL mastermind who has built an unstoppable scheme to the point where you can plug in just about anyone and they’ll produce. In the eyes of most fans, he’s a coach that had to push the envelope just a bit too far and cheat to win. We are witnessing the greatest duo the NFL has ever seen and all the fans worry about is a group of footballs that were underinflated.

Social Media is a great outlet to communicate your thoughts on anything on the world, but unfortunately it has molded the modern day sports fan. Instead of praising and appreciating the best of sports, now fans look for ways to tear it down and prove to you it’s not as good as you think. While finding every which way to try and bring down that certain player or team, they are missing the greatness that is on display and before you know it, it’s gone. Those championship teams have disassembled, and those all time great players have retired. Let me know your thoughts. Has social media ruined today’s sports fans? Share your opinion by leaving a comment below and tweeting me @Texashomeboy1.