Please Note: “Vic’s Picks” will be posted every Saturday that will include whatever Victor from the “Victor and Matt” show has on his mind. Whether it be a prediction, an event you must watch this weekend, linking his favorite story on the web or giving kudos to a great game or play. Here is this week’s installment of Vic’s Picks:
- With the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select: Cam Newton. Even though Newton will always have claim to being the No. 1 overall pick, the reality is, all that matters is how you produce on the field. While the Heisman Trophy winner has excellent size and athleticism, his decision making is in question, and no not because of race, but because he ran a simplified offense in college where if the first option wasn’t open he would just take off. Putting Newton in the same class as Jamarcus Russell is unfair to him.
- Alabama’s Mark Ingram will make the biggest rookie impact next season. Surprised he fell so late in the first round, Ingram couldn’t have asked for a better team or system. Often times a players career is based on who drafts him and for what type of system suits him best. Joining an offensive unit with one of the top quarterbacks in Drew Brees, arguably the best offensive line in football and all the play makers at backs and receivers, Ingram will not have to be the man, but instead another piece to Sean Payton’s offense.
- NCAA president Mark Emmert announced on Thursday that for the next three years there will be no new bowls added until the NCAA’s Division I Board of Directors have time to assess the criteria and process for licensing bowls games and update the standards. This decision may not sit well with some people who think more is always better. While the argument that more bowl games means more money for schools is a legitimate claim, some believe there are too many bowl games already. Watching two teams with 6-6 records play a week and a half before Christmas is not a good thing for college football, in fact, some of those games are dreadful to watch. Emmert made the correct decision to halt making more pointless bowl games.
- The NBA’s first round of playoff games have been televised on ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBATV, and while the coverage has been more than enough, there is one thing that bothers me. During halftime of games played on TNT, there is a segment called “Kenny’s Pictures” where Kenny Smith will leave the set and walk all the way to the back and stand below a huge screen and break down a play. This is unnecessary and pointless. There is no reason from him to have to leave the set and make a big deal out of it. Charles Barkley doesn’t need to have any props in order to make a point and Smith shouldn’t either.
- The second round of the NBA playoffs begin this weekend and most eyes will be on the series between Boston and Miami. The Celtics dominated the season series versus the Heat, but dropped the final game between the two teams ultimately allowing Miami the No. 2 seed in the east and home court advantage in the series. So far in the playoffs, Boston took care of business, sweeping a watered-down New York Knick team playing three games without Chauncey Billups and a hobbling Amare Stoudemire. Miami took care of Philadelphia in fives games, but still played inconsistent and at times seemed uninterested. By sweeping the Knicks, the Celtics assured themselves of a weeks rest before the second round games and that week will go a long way. With Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce returning to playoff form, Boston’s play may be too much in Game 1 and the series. The Celtics steal home court advantage with an 85-79 victory over the Heat and will win the series in six games.
- Also, don’t forget to listen to our latest (4.27.11) podcast show with ESPN college basketball analyst, Jay Bilas.
Thanks for reading the Victor and Matt blog. Contact Victor by email at victor(at)radioexiles(dot)com. You can also follow the show (@victorandmatt) on Twitter.