First Half Headlines: Guest Post

The following post was written by Cosmos & Cleats' favorite guest blogger and one of my best friends, Jahan. Enjoy his work and follow him on Twitter @jahanfourteen39.

I'M BACK AGAIN! (Not sure if it's by popular demand or sheer fact that Taylor Buckman is too busy going to Game 7's of the World Series to step up and write a post about European football.)

I figured it was time for some more insight on the 1st half of the NFL Season. With the World Series over and the NBA season more than likely not returning until 2012, all eyes of the sporting world will be fixed on the 2nd half of the NFL season.  Sorry NHL, but lets be real here.

 photo via All Posters

I return, ladies, with a little bit of a recap and some predictions for the rest of the season. The NFL season might start in September but it's won in November/December, when we start to see some "real" football weather. Enjoy these 1st half headlines...

- Jim Harbaugh turns the San Francisco 49ers around - 

photo via 49ers

People tend to forget that before the SF Giants had a new baseball stadium, the pulse of Bay Area sports beat with the 49ers. No one expected a 6-1 start (including me), and all I can say is that for the first time in my adult life Sunday's have taken on a whole new level of excitement.  

Now, I am not gonna make any bold predictions on how this season will end up, but the team has a favorable schedule the rest of the way which could lead to an exciting postseason run. Okay, now that I got that off my chest, lets move on.

- Packers stay undefeated and Aaron Rodgers' MVP Campaign -

I have a huge soft spot for #12 of the Green Bay Packers. Hearing announcers always mention that Aaron is from Chico, CA brings not only a smile to my face but a loud and quick "CHICO" yell too. 

He is putting up some insane stats this year and all signs point to the road going through Green Bay if you want a shot at the Super Bowl. Nobody scores more often and faster than the deadly Packers. If the defense tightens up we could be looking at a repeat. Plus, dude has a legit touchdown celebration that has yet to be banned.

- The "Suck for Luck" Campaign continues, but what happens to Peyton? -

photo via Viligant Sports

Miami, St Louis, Indianapolis, Arizona and Denver are all in the hunt for the worst record in the NFL.  The worst record of the season will lead to an amazing prize at the end of the tunnel: Stanford QB Andrew Luck, who everyone has anointed as the next great NFL prospect. 

The interesting foil in this whole matter is what happens if the Indianapolis Colts land him? What happens to their future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning? Trade? Bench? Tutor? We will have to wait and see, but this could create some serious drama heading into the last few weeks of the season.


- The AFC is wide opening heading into the 2nd half -

photo via LA Times

If the playoffs started today things would look very different in the AFC than they have in the past few years. Luckily for this blog's owner there is still a lot of football left to play (cuz San Diego would be at home).

With 11 teams realistically having a chance at the 6 playoff spots its going to be a dogfight to the bitter end. Nobody has proven in the first 8 weeks that they are the team to beat. I picked Baltimore early but they have looked shaky, and New England cant play defense at all.

Now some 2nd half predictions:

NFC Playoff Teams: Green Bay, NY Giants, New Orleans, San Francisco, Detroit(Wild Card), Philadelphia (Wild Card)

AFC Playoff Teams: New England, Houston, Kansas City, Baltimore, Buffalo (Wild Card), Pittsburgh (Wild Card)

Quick side note: There have been some epic Sunday Fundays this season in the Bay Area by myself and good friends of mine.  I won't name names but nice work by all—way to start the week off with a hangover!

Thank you again, Chelsea, for the opportunity. Next will be my NFL Awards—which you won't want to miss.

@jahanfourteen39

Mascot Wars

I recently had a friend tell me that when she isn't sure who to root for in a game (or doesn't care about either team), she judges by best mascot or logo. And while I've heard girls chose their team of choice by hottest star or cutest jersey, mascots were something I had never considered. Although I personally think it's best to root for your hometown team, I also liked the originality of her opinion. 

If you agree with my friend, here are the competing mascots in Week 6 of the NFL, along with my (unbiased!) opinions of who's cooler:

Early games (1:00 Eastern)

Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons

Panthers are sleek, fast and gorgeous. Clear winner here.

photo via EveryOneWeb

Indianapolis Colts vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Since I don't exactly know what a bengal is (some sort of tiger?), I'll go with the horse.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Detroit Lions

A lion is way more badass than a dude during the Gold Rush.

St. Louis Rams vs. Green Bay Packers

 I'm totally obsessed with anything to do with cheese, so I'll go with Green Bay (and because I really want to party with these guys).

photo via Declan10

Buffalo Bills vs. New York Giants

Obviously being a giant would be pretty amazing.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

I think the Steelers sound way cooler than they actually are. Jags.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Redskins

I'm just going to pretend that Philly means the "bald eagle," in which case any American would have to go with them here.

photo via Jason Hahn

Afternoon games (4:05 or 4:15 Eastern time)

Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens

Any association with Texas I'll take.

Cleveland Browns vs. Oakland Raiders

I'll be honest. I wasn't sure what a "brown" was, so I googled it. This is what I got:

photo via Gunaxin

I don't get it, but this fella looks pretty awesome, so I'm gonna go with Cleveland.

Dallas Cowboys vs. New England Patriots

I'd take being a cowboy (girl) over ANYTHING. Pretty sure I was one in my past life.

New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Now what's cooler than a drunken sailor? Buccs all day.

photo via Sky

Sunday Night Game (8:20 Eastern)

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears

With their luscious locks and bulging muscles, who wouldn't want to be a vik?

Monday Night Game (5:30 Eastern)

Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets

Judging by the amount of dolphin ankle bracelets I had as I child, my heart is with Flipper.

photo via The Guardian

So whether you're a true fan rooting for a team out of love, or for which mascot is best, to each their own—at least you're getting creative. Enjoy another weekend of football!

Also, please keep remembering to vote!!

(Special shout-out to everyone who has been voting/pimping me out through social media this week—I couldn't ask for a more supportive group of friends and family. It means so much to me! Alright, enough mush, but for real, thank you!)

NFL Goes Pink

Notice anything extra cute about the boys playing football recently? From gloves, to mouth guards, and of course shoes, NFL stars were sporting neon pink all weekend long.

Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants

photo via USA Today

For the past few Octobers the NFL has teamed up with the American Cancer Society for a month-long campaign called "A Crucial Catch." Players, coaches, and NFL staff have the chance to raise awareness for Breast Cancer by wearing pink. The more pink each player wears the better, as these items are being actioned off and money will be given to team charities and the Cancer Society.

Antonio Garay, San Diego Chargers

photo via CBS News

Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders

photo via Examiner

Want to help out but not a football stud? Here is what I'll be picking up this week to help support our lady lumps and the NFL. And even though I'm not a huge fan of girly sports gear (or guys in pink), this is definitely an exception. Props to the players and those of you helping to fight the battle!

Find your own team's gear and learn all about the campaign here. 

Follow Cosmos&Cleats on Facebook and Twitter

Football FAQs

A few weeks ago I did the first post of baseball FAQs and now it's time for Round 2. 

Since football season is in full swing, I can only guess that you're surrounded by football crazed men everywhere you turn. Read below and you'll be a bit closer to understanding the complicated world of the sport.

photo via MJB

Q: What do the yellow and blue lines mean on the field?

A: Those lines are actually computer generated and only appear on TV—not on the actual field. The blue line represents the line of scrimmage, or where the players and the ball is starting from. The yellow line represents how far the offense needs to go to receive a first down. (Tip: The players have four tries to get this first down.)

Q: Why do I hear my guy talking about wanting his team to lose all their games?

A: He is most likely talking about wanting his team to have the worst record in the NFL, so that they get the top pick in next year's draft. (Tip: The first pick of next year is probably Stanford QB, Andrew Luck.) Basically, the team that does the worst each year gets to pick first at the draft the following year and can end up with the next franchise superstar. You usually only hear fans wish this upon their team when they are really bad or really need that first draft pick.

Q: What's the difference between a punt and a kickoff?

A: Punts: These are kicked when the team didn't score, and/or didn't make it to a first down. The team who was just trying to score punts to the opposite team. 

Kickoff: These are done at the start of each half and after teams score. You then kickoff to the opposing team. More here.

Q: Why do some states have so many teams and some none? Which state has the most teams?

A: It mainly has to do with profit—Montana might not bring in as many viewers, aka cash, to the owners and players of the team in a city like New York.

California, Florida and New York all have three teams (with California having two in the Bay Area—only 20 minutes from each other, and two of NY's teams actually play in New Jersey.)

Q: What's the difference between the AFC and the NFC? 

A: They are each a conference that make up the NFL. There are 16 teams in each conference, making up 32 teams in the NFL. (Tip: Each conference then breaks down into four divisions: West, East, South, North—four teams per division.) A team from each conference will go on to play each other in the Super Bowl. More here. 

Q: How long is the NFL season?

A: Preseason starts in August and the Super Bowl is played in early February. 

Hopefully these help you on the way to being super sporty (and help to get you off your boyfriends back—you're welcome boys!) Now head to the local watering hole on Sunday to totally impress a babe sporting jersey.

Email me with any questions that I didn't get to.

Guy Guest Post: NFL Week 2 Picks

*This is Cosmo & Cleat's first guest post and it's actually from a GUY. One of the most clever, stubborn, yet awesome guys I know. And he knows his football. Read ahead for picks on Week 2 of the NFL season. Enjoy!*

Well, here it is—my guest post.

 How I ended up writing a guest blog post for Cosmos & Cleats you ask?  I guess I have to blame it on a chance encounter nearly six years ago at Chico State (the Harvard of the West) when some strange girl wrapped in a Chargers blanket walked upstairs while a few of us were playing Madden—extremely intoxicated—at around 3 am.  I proceeded to yell at this strange girl and explain to her how more superior the 9ers were over the Chargers. Obviously she thought I was loud, obnoxious and out of my mind.  100% correct.  And thus began my friendship with the blog's creator...

Chelsea and I in our glory days @ Chico

*Quick side note: Don't expect any home team bias from me, unlike the owner of this blog.

It's Week 2 in what I believe is going to be the strangest NFL season I have ever watched.  Three main things to look for in Week 2:

1.  Tired Defenses - NFL Defenses are out of shape (due to short training camps caused by the lockout) and playing in the humid South/East Coast is having an effect on the third and fourth quarters.  QBs are killing defenses.

2.  Special Teams - The NFL changed the kickoff rule this season pushing up kicks five yards—thinking it would be safer for players, but in all actuality we're seeing lots of touchdowns!  Look for more in Week 2 from Darren Sproles, Ted Ginn Jr. and Leon Washington.

3. Lots of passing yards - Half the QBs in the "new, safer NFL" went for over 300+ yds.  Look for this to continue.  High scoring games are much more prevalent, which makes for more exciting football.

Now to the games.  (Random nerdy fact courtesy of Trey Wingo (ESPN): This is the first time since 1970 that there are no divisional games in a week.)

Morning Games: 1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM Pacific, for you diehard fans.  Bust out that bottle of Cooks, a splash of Minute Maid OJ and enjoy your hangover from a crazy Saturday night with these key games:

Green Bay @ Carolina
The defending Super Bowl Champions look better than ever.  Mr. Chico (Packers QB Aaron Rodgers) has all his weapons healthy and Carolina has zero chance of keeping up with them.  Expect Clay Matthews to have at least two sacks on rookie QB Cam Newtown.  

Packers win 42-17.

Baltimore @ Tennessee
Fact: HE BALTIMORE RAVENS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL.  Baltimore has the "best running back alive" in Ray Rice.  QB Joe Flacco looks ready to take that next step.  Ray Lewis and Ed Reed anchor a defense that just crushed the defending AFC Champion Steelers last week.  

Baltimore wins 20-6.

Chicago @ New Orleans (my Upset Pick of the Week)
Jay Cutler is single.  Saints can't play defense.  With the unfortunate death of linebacker and captain Brian Urlacher's mother, the Bears are going to be playing with a lot of emotion to win this one for him.  After watching the Saints last week I don't think they can play defense.  Should be a shootout at the Superdome.  

Chicago wins 38-27.

Afternoon Games: 4:15 ET/1:15 Pacific.  

Okay, so you partied too hard and didn't wake up til noon.  You still have time to slam a beer and get to the nearest watering hole for the afternoon games.

Dallas @ San Francisco
Uhhhhh....now to my team.  "I'm going to have a heart attack this season watching the 49ers" said Adam Rosenthal after the 49ers strange win against the Seahawks.  49ers secondary looks terrible and Jim Harbaugh's redzone play calling is extremely suspect.  On paper Dallas should win this no problem, but with Tony Romo playing QB, the 9ers still have a chance to squeak it out by some weird fumble/interception late in the game.  

49ers win 20-17.  

Yea, okay, a little bias, but its my guest blog post!

San Diego @ New England (Game of the Week)
  Two preseason Super Bowl favorites battle it out in Foxboro.  This game is going to be a shootout.  Both QB's are capable of lighting up the scoreboard.  I give the edge to New England (lets see if this post sees the light of day after typing that last sentence) because SD was hit with a few key injuries.  Tom Brady looks unstoppable, but I got Phillip Rivers on my fantasy team so the dude better show up and throw some touchdowns.  

Patriots win 42-34.

Sunday Night Game: 8:20 ET/5:20 Pacific.  

You're slightly buzzed, you have to work at 8 am, Entourage/Curb Your Enthusiasm/True Blood (take your pick) are all over, and the last good game of the week features its most polarizing star.

Philadelphia @ Atlanta
Mike Vick returns to Atlanta.  I'm not buying the hype around Atlanta this year.  They went 13-3 and I don't think they can repeat due to a much tougher schedule and losing two of their starting defensive linemen this week won't help.  Vick should have no problem creating four or five "did he really just escape that guy and pull that off?" type plays.  Matt Ryan will have to be perfect to stand a chance.  

Philly wins 28-14.

There you have it.  Hope you enjoyed, and if you didn't and you just hit the back button on your browser and went back to Facebook, I understand.  

Thanks for reading! Find me on Twitter @jahanfourteen39

*Big thanks to Jahan for this guest post! Girls, he's single btw. Go Chargers!*

Babe of the Week: Mark Sanchez

Though he's been in the NFL for a couple seasons now, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is growing more and more attractive. Whether it's his confident play, his charming smirk or his dark complexion that makes him oh-so-appealing, I'm sold.

This born-and-raised Southern Cal cutie enjoys music, charity work (aww!) and comes from a family of football-playing boys.

He's been linked to Jamie-Lynn Sigler in the past and more recently to Hayden Panettiere. The duo claims they are "just friends" as Hayden is a self-proclaimed "Jets fanatic." Fingers crossed their relationship is simply platonic.

photo via People

 Enjoy this dose of eye candy:

 Looking gorgeous on the field...

 photo via Yardbarker

all dressed up for the ESPYS...

photo via Zimbio

channeling his inner David Hasselhoff...

 photo via Jersey Chaser

and looking ever so handsome with a laid-back vibe.

photo via Gambling 911

Him and his team are coming off an exciting Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys, where Mark looked smoking as usual. You can catch him next Sunday taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1:00 pm (ET).

 Thank you, football!


Cosmo Clue:
New York Jets QB, Mark Sanchez, is a babe.


See Mark's full schedule here

Feelin' Football

In between vacations, a busy workload and all the excitement of football season, I fell behind a bit in posting. But after the first official NFL games got off this weekend, I'm back on my feet and back to the blog!

Hope you girls got to catch some games this weekend and your teams started off on top. To my delight, a group of my closest friends got together at a local bar for yummy food, beers and fun, all while cheering on our favorite teams.

Luckily for us, both of the groups' teams (Chargers & 49ers) won and we got to rest easy on a Sunday night.

Some of my highlights from the start of the season included:

A love/hate relationship I have with my niner-loving friend, Claire

Tailgating with my best friend, Lindsay, at the Chargers vs. Niners preseason game

  

My dad proving he can still hang with the young crowd

 

Charger fans celebrating their first victory of the season!

My good friend Caitlin sporting her new jersey (Chargers obviously)

Hope your NFL season has been successful and fun like mine. I'm looking forward to Sundays full of games and spending time with fellow football lovers. 

A special shout out to all my girls who watched the game(s) yesterday and who are starting to love the sport as much as I do. You're all so sporty and I love you.

No plans on this Monday evening? Catch the two remaining games of Week 1. 

New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins - 7:00 (Eastern Time)

 Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos - 10:15 (Eastern Time)

I'll be rooting for the Dolphins and am hoping both teams of the later game lose. (Sorry Raider nation.)

Cosmo Clue:

The NFL started their first week of regular season play.

See all the scores from the weekend here.

Game Day Attire

With football season officially in motion, it's time to buy some tickets and plan Sunday soiree's around game time. Besides the necessities for a game—whether you're tailgating or hangin' at home—like beer, bbq's and yummy grub, you'll also need to get your game day outfits all set. And unless you want to be that girl wearing the pink jersey (sorry to all the pink-loving ladies, but it's just a big NO with football), stick to these staples below.

1. Victoria's Secret t-shirt
2. Tom's shoes
3. Face tattoos
4. Skinny jeans

Even if you aren't totally into jerseys, pick up a cute team tee from Victoria's Secret and you can still support your boys. Be sure to shy away from heels, as in DO NOT EVER wear them to a game because you will definitely look like a diva, and stick to cute kicks (closed toed is better when you're surrounded by thousands of beer-spilling babes). Pick up some fun face tattoos for a little extra spunk and team spirit. I prefer skinny, dark jeans for games, because they won't drag on the nasty ground and every color top looks good with dark denim.

So to repeat: No pink. No heels. 

And for comfort, pick up a cross-body bag.

 Cosmo Clue:

Have fun with this total excuse for a trip to the mall! 

Girls Guide to Fantasy Football

Who's ready for a little friendly competition? As the regular season of the NFL approaches, along comes fantasy football, which can be a super fun event if you let it be. I've been getting a zillion questions from girlfriends about everything fantasy, and I figured I'd give it my best shot to give some pointers.

 photo via Digital Trends

Warning: I am no fantasy guru. I'm about 50/50 when it comes to winning leagues, aka I'm not that good. But I do understand the system and have some pointers to get you started. 

1. Consistency. 

This has been my downfall in the past. You HAVE to keep up with your fantasy team and maintain a healthy roster. You need to check your team multiple times a week and ESPECIALLY before the first game of the week starts (usually Thursday nights). Once a player on your team starts a game, you can't move that player around. Check to see if anyone got hurt or isn't playing that week. If a player of yours is out, you'll have to switch him out of your lineup with a backup or draft/trade fresh meat.

2. Do your research (a little goes a long way).

Go to as many sites as you can before draft day and scour different strategies. There are endless strategies out there and, again, I am not the person to tell you which to choose. Some fantasy addicts swear to draft multiple running backs right of the bat, while others say to pick the best QB first. Check here for all you could ever desire to learn (and more) when it comes to fantasy strategies. 

3. Stray from your team and the babes.

I know, I know. In a perfect world you'd be able to draft all the players from your favorite NFL teams, or the hottest players from around the league. And you can. But you'll lose. I learned this the hard way my first fantasy season, drafting every Charger I could get my hands on and coming close to last. Though it's fun to have your boys on your roster, make sure to take the best players per position, and this may mean straying from your hometown heroes.

4. Know the players you DON'T want. 

This is an easy way to recruit players backwards, without having to know every player in the league. Make a list of players who you hate and players who suck or tend to get hurt a lot. You probably don't want these players on your team, unless you feel like being super risky. Players who will never make my squad: Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Jay Cutler.

5. Ask a guy.

As much as I try to prove otherwise, unfortunately guys usually know best in this situation. Where us females can name every brand sold at Nordstrom and Bloomingdales, most males can name every NFL player (and where they went to college, what their stats are and so much more that we tend to block out). No hard feelings here sporty girls, but it tends to be the truth. Suck up your pride and ask a guy for help when drafting. Bribe him with a beer and burger post draft, and I'm sure he'll be willing to help you along throughout the process.

6. Have fun!

I know it sounds corny, but seriously, just have a good time. Sure, you're probably throwing some money into the competition and your pride is at stake, but just try your best and enjoy football season. Make draft day with your friends entertaining and make sure to plan something for a post-season wrap up. (Friends from my league, how do you all feel about a little flag football game once the season is done?!)

 photo via Pulse of Vegas

So do your studying pre-draft day and try to have in mind a handful of players at each position that you're interested in. (Don't stress though, even if your player gets picked before it's your turn, just go to the next-ranked guy.)

Good luck, girls! Your fantasy awaits you... 

(Sorry, couldn't resist putting that line in.)

Click here to sign up for a team and to learn more.

TGIF (Thank God it's football)

I don't know about you girls, but a smile hasn't left my face since the NFL lockout was lifted. 

Last night kicked off the official start to the NFL season (preseason at least) and the best time of the year. It is with great pleasure to finally say...HAPPY FOOTBALL SEASON! 

 photo via Fanpop

Time for Sundays full of tailgating (or being stuffed into a sports bar), babes on the field and vicious rivalries between fans.

Some of you might be confused as to what preseason is and what the point of it is. In the short, preseason consists of about a month of games for teams to get comfortable playing together (since each team has rookies and new players from other teams), to give the backups some playing time, to see which players make the final cut of the roster, and not to mention the NFL rakes in extra cash with preseason. 

The preseason games don't count towards the official records of the season, and since most starters don't really play, it's not always the best insight to how a team will finish. But still, it means football starts and that's all I care about. 

Unfortunately, my beloved Chargers lost to the Seahawks last night in the last few minutes, but our starters and ultimate babe of a quarterback Philip Rivers (below) looked strong. 

 photo via Value Sports Picks

There are more preseason games all weekend and for the next few weeks until regular season starts on September 8th. 

For those of you participating in fantasy football, get a quick refresher here. I'll do a post in the next few days on the top players to draft for a little extra help. 

Have a great weekend of football, ladies!

Cosmo Clue:

NFL preseason started last night.

Click here to see the entire NFL schedule.

NFL Traders

I go on vacation for a week and the NFL blows up.

From the end of the lockout to endless trades and resigning deals, everything in the football world is buzzing.

The NFL players and owners finally sucked it up and came to an agreement, leaving the lockout lifted as of last week. It's official ladies, football is back (well, almost!).

Since the lockout has ended, the NFL has been in a frenzy of free-agent trades, aka players switching to different teams. Though it can be too much to keep up with, and a lot can go over your head, I'll give you some of the biggest trades of the week. Here are a few big-name players (who you have hopefully heard of), and where they have ended up.

Donovan McNabb, from Redskins to the Vikings

The record-breaking quarterback will see if he has any steam left for Minnesota.

photo via Mlive

Chad Ochocinco, from the Bengals to the Patriots

The ever-entertaining Ochocinco will head off to join Tom Brady in New England.

photo via NewsOne

Takeo Spikes, from the 49ers to the Chargers

The veteran linebacker leaves behind the fog and heads to the sunshine in San Diego.

photo via cbcsports

Matt Hasselbeck, from the Seahawks to the Titans

Hasselbeck is the brother-in-law to The View host Elisabeth and will now run the field in Tennessee.

photo via The Tennessean

Reggie Bush, from the Saints to the Dolphins

Kim K's ex is no longer living the life in NOLA and will now take the field in Miami.

photo via USC

and in other NFL news...

photo via Scrape

After 13 unforgettable seasons in the NFL, Randy Moss announced his retirement today. Although saying that you retire in the NFL usually means that you'll just un-retire and come back next season, it's still breaking news.

Preseason games start in just a couple weeks, so until then, get your fantasy football leagues all situated and get set for the best part of the year (and for a Chargers Super Bowl ring!).

Get a fantasy football refresher here and get ready for some football!

Cosmo Clue:

The NFL lockout has ended and trades are happening throughout the league.

Get more trade info and everything NFL here.

Double Dipping

It's no secret that some people are just flat-out better than others. For females, it's the girls who get the good hair, the fast metabolism and all the brains who attract the most envy. And for males, it's the guys who can run the fastest, hit the hardest and make the most three-pointers. 

I'm pretty sure most guys would give up anything (money, steaks, girlfriends) to play a professional sport, even for a day. Making it to the college level is hard enough, let alone going all the way pro.

Some professional athletes have to take it to the next level and try to outshine the competition in more than one sport. Take a look at a few show-offs who have tried to take their game to a new level.

Michael Jordan

Though basketball's legendary star played for a Chicago White Sox farm league, he never actually made a debut in a MLB game. At least he'll always have Space Jam.

photo via Sneaker Files

Deion Sanders

The NFL hotshot played in the MLB part-time for nine years. He is the only person to play in a World Series and a Super Bowl. Now those are some good genes!

 photo via Madtreehouse

Chad Ochocinco

With the NFL lockout looming over his ever-growing head, Ochocinco looked to his "childhood dream" and tried out for Sporting Kansas City, a Major League Soccer team. He didn't make the final cut.

photo via Zimbio

Tony Romo

An avid babe/golfer,  NFL quarterback Tony Romo has been playing in US Open qualifying rounds, hoping to make it to the big competition. I'll pull for this cutie, no matter what he's trying for.

photo via NFLtouchdown

Cosmo Clue:

Some athletes go pro in more than one sport. 

More double dippers here.

Rookies of the Year

Happy Draft Day!

As I mentioned in my post a couple days ago, the 2011 NFL Draft starts TODAY! To some of you this may be a regular Thursday for the books, but for football diehards, it's like the best thing ever.

You get to see the new talent your team acquires and who your opponents grab. It also gets you pumped for football season (even though if it DOES happen, it's still a few months away). Basically, it's an excuse for us football fans to get together, down some adult beverages and talk sports. I'll take it.

Each year there are loads of pro-football newbies with tons of talent. Draft analysts spend months predicting which players NFL teams will choose and which rookies get picked up. Though different analysts have different opinions, there are always some college stars whose names stick out.

Take a look at some of the most talked about rookies to grace this year's draft:

Patrick Peterson, Cornerback/Return Specialist, LSU

photo via Zimbio

Nick Fairley, Defensive Tackle, Auburn

photo via EveryJoe


Von Miller, Linebacker, Texas A&M

photo via Fox Sports

Cam Newton, Quarterback, Auburn

photo via Jonathon Hood Show

A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Georgia

photo via SI

Julio Jones, Wide Reciever, Alabama

photo via NYDaily News

Blaine Gabbert, Quarterback, Missouri

photo via Mizzou Nation

Da'Quan Bowers, Defensive End, Clemson

photo via CBSCharlotte

Robert Quinn, Defensive End, North Carolina

photo via Fox Sports

and though he doesn't top the draft lists, he's my personal favorite for more reasons than just his QB skills (hello dark-tall-and-handsome stud muffin)...

Christian Ponder, Quarterback, Florida St.

photo via BleacherReport

No one knows for sure where these football wonders will end up by Saturday, but one thing's for sure - they'll go quick. 

Make sure to check out the draft between now and Saturday to see who your team goes home with. And keep your fingers crossed that the NFL dickwads can get their situation straightened out and give us a chance to see these rookies tear it up. 


Have a great draft weekend!

Cosmo Clue:

Many of the same college studs top different draft analysts' lists.


Wondering what the rookies do pre-draft day? Check out this video. 

Can't get to a TV? Stay online here to catch the draft live.