Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween gang! IF you watch one Halloween themed video about a big bad wolf make it this one. Done by the younger brother of a friend of mine I defy you not to laugh.

2012 NBA Mega Season Preview

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for the Chocolate Puma. Yes it’s the start of the NBA season and the Chocolate Puma per what the people want, no what the people need is here to give you a preview of the NBA season. You’re welcome in advance.

Western Conference Playoff teams:

8. Houston Rockets

Their recent acquisition of James Harden gives them a young guard to build around for the future and if someone says Jeremy Lin is already there I will stab them in the cornea.  They have a good core of young players such as Terrence Jones, Marcus Morris and my sentimental favorite Royce White. Seriously you'll be a fan if you watch this.

7. Memphis Grizzles

This team really didn’t do anything to make themselves better. And to be honest outside the starting lineup I am hard pressed to find anything positive to say. Although I do not doubt that their bench is definitely kings of the open gym all-stars.

6. Dallas Mavericks

Insert Rick Ross grunt here.

This team is fading and it’s fading fast. OJ Mayo was a good pick up but they still have head case du jour Delonte West and your opening day starting center? Eddy Curry! Unless this is 2003 this is not a good thing.

 5. Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets got the athletic defensive stopper they wanted in Andre Iguodala, teamed with the Manimal Kenneth Faried and Ty Lawson this should definitely be an entertaining team to follow.

4.  San Antonio Spurs

Every year I predict the downfall of the Spurs and every year I am wrong. Not this year! I will bring up however that once Tim Duncan retires it could be the death of the traditional low post player. Kinda sad.

3. LA. Clippers

Never gets old.

The Clippers were a pleasant surprise last season and their growth will continue this season despite the inept coaching of Vinny Del Negro. Chris Paul is a monster; if Blake Griffin can develop a jumper he can take that next step to elite player. I’m a big fan of their off season signings of Grant Hill, Jamal Crawford, and Lamar Odom.

2. LA Lakers

They have a video game lineup, Nash, Kobe, Metta World Peace, Gasol, and Howard. Sweet mercy.  A bench with Chris Duhon, Antwan Jamison and Earl Clark ain’t that bad either. It’s title or bust for Mike Brown and the boys.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

I always believe the champ of the conference automatically starts the season as the team to beat. And with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and newly acquired Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb joining this well  coached squad I think there is no doubt the loss of Harden will not stop them from the #1 seed in the west.

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams:

8.  Milwaukee Bucks

An exciting young squad with Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings along with promising big men John Henson and Ersan Ilyasova should along with good coaching from Scott Skiles finally get them into the playoffs to be quickly dispatched.

7. Philadelphia 76ers

How many times must young Swaggalicious ask for a cheesecake!?!

 In a year or two they will definitely be higher on this list due to a young core of Evan Turner, Jrue Holiday, and Thaddeus Young. Add in the acquisitions of Nick “Swaggy P” Young and a franchise center in Andrew Bynum this team once healthy and will be a threat come playoff time.

6. Chicago Bulls

It breaks my heart writing this, we’ll be fine in the future but damn it this season is going to suck. No Derrick Rose and we get to see plenty of Nate Robinson. I want the Bulls to tank this season, a la the Spurs during the 96-97 season and we get Derrick Rose a running mate.

5. Indiana Pacers

I feel like the Pacers just stayed the course this offseason only adding DJ Augustin and Gerald Green really but they did re-sign Roy Hibbert. Paul George is a fantastic young player and Danny Granger is a perennial all-star. Could be trouble, but then again they could run into Miami again and flop.

4. New York Knicks

They are one of the best teams talent wise, but this does not mean they are a title contender. The Carmelo/Amare marriage is not one that is long for this world. They did do a good job of getting Raymond Felton to play point, Jason Kidd coming off the bench, and Ronnie Brewer should be a welcome addition to the bench. This could be the year they get past the first round but their journey should end shortly after that.

3. Boston Celtics

Rajon Rondo is one of the best in the league period, Paul Pierce and his YMCA game along with KG should be good to go for one more round. Loved the pickup of  Jason Terry bolstering the bench and drafting of Jared Sullinger could be low key moves that prove very beneficial to this team. Also the signing of Courtney Lee along with a healthy Avery Bradley could make them a threat.

2. Brooklyn Nets

The Nets who did all they could to get Dwight Howard didn’t do too bad this off season. Picking up Joe Johnson from the Hawks, Gerald Wallace and coming with a solid bench. CJ Watson when coming off the bench and not the main guy is a very good player, Marshon Brooks is a contender for 6^th man of the year and Kris “Insert Kardashian Joke Here” Humphries  for all the jokes averaged a double –double last year.

1. Miami Heat

Ugh, this sickens me. But I gotta give props where they are due. Lebron is the best player in the league, Dwayne Wade when healthy is dynamic, Chris “Catfish” Bosh is an amazing 3^rd option. Add in Ray Allen to take the ball out of Mario Chalmers more and hot diggity damn we got ourselves a squad.  Rashad Lewis and James Jones coming off the bench make their second unit stronger than last year although lack of a true center still hurts them.

Rookie of the year:

Anthony Davis, PF, New Orleans Hornets

Yeah...well at least he can ball.

 Like everyone else I am picking this guy to be rookie of the year. Given the seasoning he got running with the Olympic squad and the minutes he’s get def means we’ll see plenty of him. Also defense and rebounding usually translate over to the NBA game as well.

Most Improved Player:

Jimmy Butler, SF, Chicago Bulls

Hometown bias? You betcha. But there is no denying the improvement he’s made in the offseason and with all hands on deck due to toe Rose being out he’ll get plenty of opportunities to shine.

Coach of the Year:

George Karl, Denver Nuggets

I'm George Fucking Karl!!!

Every year this guy constantly kicks the ass of both his coaching peers and cancer. This year he continues that trend and gets his props as the best coach going.

MVP:

I could say Lebron and be totally warranted but here is my Non Lebron James top 3. Meaning these are the 3 guys who could possibly take the award away from James.

3. Chris Paul, PG, LA Clippers

A Chris Paul MVP reign means more of this adorable kid and the Blake Face!

 He’ll get the attention, he’s 100% healthy and there is no player in the league I’d rather have leading my team in the final minutes of a game.

2.  Tony Parker, PG, San Antonio Spurs

The torch has been passed, this team belongs to Tony Parker now and he has done an amazing job. No point guard gets in the paints and scores more often than this guy and he appears to be hitting his prime. If the Spurs were to emerge from the West he could steal the hardware.

1. Kevin Durant, SF, Oklahoma City Thunder

He was neck and neck with Lebron last year for the MVP and I expect this battle to continue. The man is the most natural scorer in the NBA and he’s not even in his prime yet. This is gonna be a good season for the fans of the Zombie Sonics.

 Well gang that's it for now, in the next few days expect a rankings of the top players and happy opening day!

2012 Puma Player Rankings

It’s that time ladies and gentlemen for the Puma to bless you all with his predictions for the player of the year. I missed last week but the Puma is here to make up for it baby! Here we go!

5. Geno Smith, QB-WVU

Season:  2,417 passing yards, 26 td passes, 2 Int

My how the mighty have fallen, the leader of the race has fallen out the lead with a few subpar performances. He hasn’t played bad, but he just hasn’t been good, as far as Heisman standards go. All this could easily change though when TCU comes to town this weekend.

4. Kenjon Barner, RB- Oregon

 Season: 141 carries, 974 yards rushing, 13 receptions, 158 receiving yards, 15 total tds

A new entrant into the Puma’s top 5. However don’t get too used to this young man I feel his time on this list shall be short. Not due to a lack of talent but due to the fact Oregon has been administering some epic ass kickings this season and I think he’ll be done just due to the fact out of mercy Coach Chip Kelly will bring in the backups.

3. Braxton Miller, QB- Ohio State

Season: 1,527 passing yards, 1,093 rushing yards, 24 total tds

Mr. Miller stays the course. I feel I could write the same thing every week for him. Passing accuracy could use some improvement but damn this kid is quite possibly the most electrifying kid in the nation.

2. Colin Klein, QB- Kansas St.

Season: 1,630 passing yards, 634 rushing yards, 28 total tds

I have officially stopped doubting Mr. Klein.  Every week he just goes out and against top 25 opponents he has done the damn thing consistently. He ranks higher than Miller due simply to the fact at this stage he is a better passer.

1.  Manti Te’o, LB- Notre Dame

"Go ahead and tell the folks, I am the best in the world!"

Season: 78 tackles, 5 interceptions, 1 sack

The most dynamic defensive player in the country and I am dubbing him the Puma’s pick to win his player of the year award. He passes the stat test, he passes the eye test, and he is going to be dominating on Sundays very soon. 

Well gang the Puma shall return shortly, let me know what you think if this list. 

Here we go again.

Hello fans of the Puma I wish you all a happy Friday. From time to time I am known to rant. And guess what kids? Uncle Puma has prepared for you a short little rant. You see I was doing something I do every morning and that’s check up on the sports news of the previous day by watching a little program called ‘Sportscenter.’ I bet you can tell where this rant is headed. You see despite the fact a team swept its way into the World Series, a top 5 team from college football was playing and a battle for the top of the NFC West happened the first story that led off was on the back up QB for a team that’s 3-3. 

Now that’s not the shocking part, I get that people like Tim Tebow and he’s going to be covered, but talk of him playing running back is in a word downright stupid and also a smidge disrespectful to running backs. Allow me to explain. You see the New York Jets average on the ground 111.2 yards per game which is 15^th overall. They pass however for 184.3 yards per game which is 30^th. So the real problem is not with the running game, but more with the passing game which spoiler alert, he can’t help. 

"Uh who did you say was gonna play running back?"

And maybe I am embellishing a bit calling it “a disrespect to running backs” if he plays the position, but it does do a disservice to all running backs if you think he can do this better than the backs on their roster. Will he try hard? Absolutely, but guess what? So are the other backs.  The secret to the success of Tebow was the threat of him passing the ball (even if he could barely do that) and getting that moment’s hesitation in the defense. With him as a running back he does not have that hesitation or the elusiveness to get away. You see it on his little read options they run.

"But I'm trying guys!"

 If you get him running east-west, the best he can get is back to the line of scrimmage. So please for the love of God, knock off the Tebow as New York football hero who will save the day stuff ESPN. It’s about time the Puma’s loyal fan base had something other than me espousing truth on that kid.

On a brighter note:

2012 College Football Player Rankings

Welcome all to the Chocolate Puma’s college player of the year rankings. I know you all have been anxiously sitting there awaiting this post, well kids the Puma is here to help.

5. Johnny Manziel: QB- Texas A&M

1,680 yards passing, 676 rushing yards, 24 total tds

Dark horse pick right now but this kid is playing out of his mind. We’ll see if he continues to pile up the stats with teams such as LSU and Alabama on the schedule. This freshman is definitely a name to remember in the coming seasons.

4. Colin Klein: QB- Kansas St.

1,074 yards passing, 510 rushing yards, 17 total tds

This kid has all the tools to be a Heisman winner but when I see him play he just looks so limited. Regardless of my opinion he continues to ball so hard.

3. Manti Te’o: LB- Notre Dame

57 Total tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries

The kid is a monster point blank. And if not for the two men above him he would be the most dominant player in the game.

2. Braxton Miller: QB- Ohio St.

1,271 yards passing, 912 rushing yards, 20 tds

No one has loved Urban Meyer’s spread offense more than the supremely talented Braxton Miller. For the fifth time this season he compiled over 300 yards of total offense and day by day becomes a more legit passing threat.

1. Geno Smith: QB- West Virginia

Season Stats: 2,271 yards passing, 26 tds, 0 interceptions

The Mountaineers lost but that was not the fault of Mr. Smith. The defense has yet to be able to stop well anyone.  Smith only had 1 td but he also had a QB rating of 100.75 and threw for 275 yards.

Randomness Galore

My mind has been filled with ideas, thoughts, and rants recently and to be honest with all of you it’s been quite difficult to nail it down to just one subject to write about. So I think we all know what time it is…Uncle Puma is about to bless you all with one of his incoherent ramblings. You’re welcome.

· So a high school in New York thought it would be good for a laugh if hey let’s dress up at a pep rally, wear black face and then re-enact the Chris Brown-Rihanna domestic abuse episode. I honestly don’t even know where to begin because this has all kinds of levels of fucked up going on. First off when did it become school spirit to effectively mock a woman being brutally beaten? Also black face? In 2012? Word? The adults in charge are either racist misogynists or incredibly stupid. 

Nothing says school spirit like domestic violence!

· So Nike is dropping Lance Armstrong. Duh. What’s funny to me is I have heard people using an argument of “well Nike didn’t drop Tiger Woods.” True, maybe because Tiger cheated on his wife, not cheated to win. Hell given the amount of women I have always said I was impressed Tiger was good enough to win golf tournaments because he clearly wasn’t practicing putting in his spare time.

·Awesome.
 

 · The start of the NBA season is like Christmas to me. No other sport has reached me in the manner of basketball and even sitting and watching preseason basketball games has been just a dream to me.

· That said, how about that NHL huh? Last year I saw so many hockey fans reveling in the fact the NBA was locked out. Not realizing they were in the same position. I wonder where these kids are now? I wanna see how these “thugs who are lucky to play a game” should just accept whatever deal and get back to work.





· Hey soccer, this shit is getting old. How are you the world’s most popular game and still remarkably racist in far too many instances? I know 99% of matches go off without a hitch but damn it when it does it’s deplorable. Seriously UEFA get this shit under control.

·  THE WALKING DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!

· I get sick of hearing everything that’s wrong with America. So I am gonna tell you what’s right with America. That's right...laughing baby videos.


Alright gang I am out, look for my NBA preview of the top players and teams in the coming week.