Today we welcome a post by our guest Bro Chris Housel. He's got a bit of a thing for one Tim Tebow:

Tim Tebow doesn’t own a watch, it’s always Tebow Time. This critically bashed Christian Football player has become an absolute phenomenon, only building since the day he got drafted. “Why?” Some people ask, but think about it. He is always looking to run, which is immediately contrasting the fact that he is a white quarterback and most white QB’s are pocket passers. He is extremely open about his religion, he’s a lefty, and he’s a bulldozer. The kid can get Chick-Fil-A on Sundays. Are people jealous? Or can they just not fathom how he can play quarterback and win football games? I think it’s a little bit of both.

Average Bro's Below Average Picks! NFL Week 16

Welcome back Average Bros to another week of the Average Bro's Below Average Picks with your favorite bro...The Average Bro!

To all the people who e-mailed and tweeted and screamed out your windows at me about not giving picks last week, (trust me! There was literally tens of ones of people doing this) I'm sorry. What with finals week and the holiday season coming up and me being really lazy and uncreative, I didn't feel like it. And just any bro might do this once again this week and take the easy road. But not the Average Bro! Nope! He's delivering these picks like an Average Mr. Santa "Bro" Claus! So Ho Ho Ho! Here ya go!

And let's not forget that my picks are on the up and up! Improving from 0-3 to 1-2 is no small feat, but the Average Bro does it for you! You can only imagine what it will be this week!

Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers

This match-up speaks to me on a personal level. When I was reading about my Washington Football Team a little bit ago, I read about the first ever NFL team. They were a company team started by the A.E. Staley Food Starch Company of Decatur, Illinois. The Decatur Staleys hired Geroge "Papa Bear" Halas and eventually became the Chicago Bears. AE Staleys Corporation and employs my dad. That's right! Papa Average Bro Himself works for the company that began the NFL! It's like I'm a distant cousin of Vince Lombardi or something! 

So the game sticks out because last night (During the Great San Francisco Black Out...just coined that term...TM) ESPN tossed up a stat about San Fran's run defense. The 49ers haven't allowed a rushing TD all season. In itself that is quite an amazing achievement, and ESPN informed me that this hasn't been done for this long, since 1920 by the Decatur Staleys. This in itself interested me because this was only 15 years after the forward pass was even a legal play (running the ball was once the only legal move). 

So who did the Seattle Seahawks play last week? Those same Decatur Staleys...only with different players, a different name, different home town and (I assume) different jerserys. And the Seahawks blew up those future Staleys with what? Well what else do they have? The run game led by beast mode Skittle man, Marshawn Lynch. I'm just some guy...and this is one crazy pick...but I think that Seattle brings that magic to the home field.

Seahawks over 49ers

Flying without a Pilot: Part 2

Well here we are. Another Football season has passed. If you're a fan of the Giants or Patriots, congratulations, and enjoy your Superbowl. If you are a 49er's, Saints, Ravens or Packers fan, my condolences. I know it's hard to go so far and fall so hard. But the rest don't have a whole lot of sympathy for you. The Cardinal's fans, the Bears fans, the Washington fans, we've got some real problems. Especially Washington!

We know how the season went and frankly I don't want to have to relive it to tell you about it. If you don't know, just think of any other Washington season you can remember post 1995, and then make it even worse.

But unfortunately, we didn't do bad enough. Had they competed with the Indianapolis Colts for "worst team in the history of forever" we might have had a shot at America's golden boy, Andrew Luck. This would have taken care of there Quarterback position for 10 years! (or at least the preseason, depending on how right everybody is about him).

So here we are again. The current Washington quarterback roster hasn't changed at all. There has even been talk about Rex Grossman remaining as our starting QB, and let me tell you, there are few things on Earth as scary to me as that thought.

(Reported) ROY possibly to Cleveland? (Reportedly)

This image might look familiar! That's right! It's right below this post! Except now it's all Cavalier-ed!

That's right! THe Cleveland Cavaliers got another part of their LeBron James severance package from the totally fair and not at all fixed National Basketball Association in the form of the first overall pick. The Philadelphia 76ers sold their fan base on the idea that "the 3rd pick is good enough, plus we got that 10th pick too so we'll be just fine."

Well apparently the Sixers don't feel as fine as they let on, because they are reportedly trying to get that first round pick that they had so heinously stolen from them.

There has also been talk ever since the end of the regular season about the possibility of trading ROY and teen-heart throb, Michael Carter-Williams. Is this the time where it happens?

MCW (reportedly) is the Rookie of the Year!

(Reportedly)

Guys. GUYS!

It's all going to be okay. Today it was announced that Michael Carter-Williams will (reportedly) win the Rookie of the Year.

OMG! Right!?

I've written on the Sixers a couple of times in the past few months. Back at the beginning of the season when they were 3-0 and everything was awesome! And more recently, when things were noticeably less awesome. And even when Bynum was on the team (at least we're not at that point anymore amiright?!)

But NOW, MCW is (reportedly) rookie of the year. And that means everything is great!

Sure it doesn't change anything about the season. And MCW would have his great season whether he was recognized for it or not. But still. This is the best thing ever!

Until the Sixers win the lottery on May 20th and have the first over all pick! That'll be the best thing ever!

MLU Week 4: Games to Watch

Well it's a sad week here at Sports Pro and the Average Bro. After coming out of week 2 with a 2-0 record, I thought for sure I would maintain my undefeated record through week 3 as well. ESPECIALLY, after the amazing game I watched in Philadelphia, where the Spinners edged out on top just like I predicted.

But alas, the Nighthawks couldn't pull out a win against the Rainmakers. I don't blame Vancouver. It's not their fault that I'm 3-1 instead of 4-0. You shouldn't read too deeply into the fact that I'm not picking them to win this week-and-wouldn't-if-you-paid-me. So let's get to it!

I will say that the MLU knows what they're doing. This is the second week in a row where the best games to watch are both the best games you CAN watch on MLULive.

East:

Both teams in this battle are coming off interesting games. The NY Rumble are coming off a double overtime match up against the Spinners. Sweeping the home and home would have firmly cemented the Rumble as a top force in the east. The second game, however, did not go the way the Rumble would have liked. Rumble made too many mistakes and too many missed opportunities. No matter how many chances the Spinners gave them to win the game, they simply couldn't close it out.

The Whitecaps, on the other hand, are coming off a statement game in which they certainly made their statement. The Current beat them in a similar overtime game in week 2, giving them their first loss in the history of MLU. Was this the end of Boston's Ultimate Reign? Boston answered this question for us: "Nope, we're still here."

MLU Big Game Recap: Spinners vs. Rumble

Spinners huddle up before first OT this past Saturday night.

This week, I selected Philadelphia Spinners vs. NY Rumble as my Game to Watch in the East.

Boy. Was. I. RIGHT!

I was at this game and the excitement was insane throughout the game. It was on the brink of being the lowest scoring game in the history of Ultimate, but that doesn't mean it lacked action in any way.

It appeared, at first, that the Spinners were still relying on big plays like they had been in their first contest versus the DC Current. It didn't work well for them then and it wasn't doing much for them this night either. But, like the Spinners always seem to do, they kept it close and made it a 7-5 NY Rumble game at the half.

Lakers Need a Coach All of a Sudden

RING RING! Hello! Kentucky! May we speak with Mr. Calipari!

Who Let These Guys In? The 2014 Flyers

Because it's the Cup.

The NHL keeps telling me this. It's the greatest playoffs in American sports "Because it's the Cup."

But there's another reason why the NHL can boast the best playoffs. It's because the competition is all so balanced. There's a true chance of an 8 seed upsetting a 1 seed in either conference. These teams have played against each other and fought hard all year. In the NHL playoffs it is the cream, and only the cream, that rises to the top. This means every game is a fight to the end. Every game is a battle that can be one by anyone. Anyone that is, except the Philadelphia Flyers.

I know, I know. They won Game 2 so clearly they can beat someone. But that was a fluke. I think Ray Emory must have snuck in some of that Super water from Space Jam and blocked 29 shots at the end of the game. But even with his super water induced body, he still let in 2 early goals! And don't even get me started on Games 1 and 3.

MLU Week 3: Games to Watch

Oh hey there Ultimate Fans! I didn't see you come in! I was busy reading over last weeks installment of MLU Games to Watch. You know, the one where I swept the weekend picking two upsets, SUPER close to the actual score? I mean really, it's no big deal. But just since we'e on the subject:

There!

Now to try and bring it to 4-0, I give you the Sports Pro and the Average Bro MLU Games to Watch in Week 3!

East

The East is Rematch City this weekend! Two of the great games of Week 2 will be replayed in enemy territory. And since last week I picked the stunner in the Nations Capital, this week I'm heading a bit north to Philadelphia.

Conflicted Love: NBA Superstars

If you've followed this blog since the beginning, you know that there is one athlete on this planet that I love more than any other. More than Roy Halladay. More than RG3. It's Lebron James. You can see examples of this love here and here.

I've lived a very comfortable and happy life with the idea of Lebron. He's always been there when I've needed him most. He's been a perfect role model for me no matter what-don't-you-try-to-tell-me-different-I-can't-hear-you-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA!

Anyway, things have been pretty good. I could have went through life with Lebron being my favorite player forever.

And then I watched Game 2 of the OKC Thunder vs. the Memphis Grizzlies. And I saw a basketball player there who wowed me. Who made me say "woah." That player, of course, was Kevin Durant.

Wizards Answer the Skeptics

Nay-Nay indeed!

A Tribe Called West: SPAB NBA Playoff Preview

Now that we've seen the first game of every match up, it's time to look at the NBA's Western Conference.

The West is much more competitive than the East. The Phoenix Suns, who just missed the playoffs in the West, would have been the 4 seed in the East. There are five teams I can see making it out of the West: The Spurs, Thunder, Clippers, Rockets and Warriors. Of those five however, I only see the Spurs and Thunder as legitimate contenders. They are my picks for the Western Conference Finals (I know big surprise, but hey this is the NBA.) The other three teams have upset potential but it is hard to see them going through both top teams in a 7 game series.

It seems like for the past 5-6 years, The Spurs have been counted out because of their age. That kind of thing can be expected when the man who leads their team, Tim Duncan, is so old that his social security number is 1! However to go along with that old age The Spurs have great young talent, and one of the best coaches ever. The Thunder’s hopes at their first championship in OKC were crushed when Russell Westbrook went down last year. This year Westbrook and MVP favorite, Kevin Durant, are determined to get back to the NBA Finals. Durant is on a mission this year, he led the NBA in scoring for the 4th time in 5 years at 32 ppg and he will lead the Thunder to the NBA Finals.

In a repeat of the 2012 NBA Finals which seems so long ago, the Heat square off against the Thunder. Lets take a trip down memory lane at some of the events waaaaay back in 2012.

• Gangnam Style became a mega hit
• The Dark Knight Trilogy came to an end
• Tim Tebow led the Broncos to an OT win in the playoffs over the Steelers
• The world did not end on December 21st (I was really wrong on that one)

What do these things have to do with this year’s NBA Finals? Well not much, its just fun to take a trip down memory lane. This year’s NBA Finals will come down to LeBron vs Durant. While Durant won the regular season battle, LeBron will win the battle when it matters most. Picking the Heat to win it all this year is not as easy as it was the past two years, but they still have the best player, and the best team.

In two years we can only hope that when the SPAB playoff preview comes out it will involve the Andrew Wiggins led 76ers winning it all.

MLU Week 2: Games to Watch

After an exciting Opening Weekend in the MLU, teams brushed off the rust and set their sites on their Week 2 Matchups. After a surprising Portland Stags win last week, they get the week off, but the rest of the league will be vying to be undefeated or to even up their record.

Let's look at the games to watch in the MLU:

East

There's a rivalry a brewing as both the Boston Whitecaps and the DC Current come off wins in week 1. Both teams shamed their opponents showing that they had a superior game plan from start to finish. A big difference between their games was Boston's ability to finish. DC let Philadelphia stay in the game far longer than they should have. Like I wrote in my DC vs. Philadelphia recap, the teams were pretty unevenly matched and, though the score was close, the game was pretty one sided. But that doesn't mean Philadelphia didn't have plenty of chances to pull away. Boston put the Rumble to bed early and piled up on them after that. They struggled somewhat on their one possession scores.

Beasts from the East: SPAB NBA Playoff Preview

The NBA season is over, so lets take a look at the SPAB NBA Playoff Preview!

Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks got the #1 seed with a 25% chance at the number 1 overall pick in the draft. The Bucks actually set out to be a playoff team this year which makes it pretty embarrassing that they finished with the league’s worst record. Bad news for the Bucks is it has been 9 years since the team with the best chance has actually landed the first overall selection in the draft.

Philadelphia 76ers - The #2 seeded Sixers have a 19.9% chance at the number 1 pick. Its no secret that the number 1 pick is what they have planned on getting ever since GM Sam Hinkie took over last year and traded away Jrue Holiday. The Sixers brought in and ended the season with wins against the Miami Heat. The real story in what was sandwiched in between those wins, 63 losses (including an NBA record tying 26 game losing streak), acquiring almost all of the second round in the draft, and putting a team on the court that had about 8 guys who belong in the D-League.

 Huh?

Are you sure?

I’ve just been informed that the NBA Playoffs is not the race for the #1 overall pick in the draft. I guess after a year of watching the Sixers I lost sight of what basketball is played for.

Well, I guess I’ll get into the ACTUAL Playoff Preview.

Fixing Instant Replay...Already

Finally!

It's 2014 and the ancient and noble game of Baseball has done what pretty much everyone born after 1980 wanted it to. Integrate instant replay into the game.

And now, three weeks into the season, pretty much everybody is super complainy about it.

Here's the thing. It's new. It's good that it's here and it is going to do more help than hurt eventually. There are some inherent problems in that the umps probably don't want to overturn calls they just made (especially when they're still sore about losing some of their emperor-ship) and the managers just use it to slow down the game for one reason or another.

MLU Opening Day: Philadelphia Spinners vs. DC Current

The final score of Saturday's Opening Day match between the Philadelphia Spinners and the DC Current was close. The game itself, however, was not as close as the score makes it seem.

The Current controlled the game from first pull to the end. They dominated on just about every stat line. They were able to capitalize on their turnovers and Philadelphia's defensive overcomittals. They took advantage of some weak Philadelphia pulls and got the disc quickly down field.

I would attribute this to the superior game planning by the Current offense. They did a great job of spreading the field and keeping their cutter's open. But even more than that, they made the Spinner's defense work.

And they didn't work all that well.

Sarge and Wheels Rubbing It In

I do...I really, really do.

Major League Ultimate's Rule Changes

The baseball purists have been out in full swing this year, crying out about the addition of instant replay and the Posey Rule. Even Football purists, though fewer, have been vocal about their displeasure with a change to the extra point. But there are another group of purists out there that are joining the ranks. Ultimate fans.

Ultimate is a sport with a great deal of unwritten rules. The concept is simple enough. Throw the disc, catch the disc, don't walk with the disc, and catch the disc in the end zone. Call your own fouls on the honor system with observers. Simple! Just a few unwritten rules, until the game went professional and the rules got written down.

The Greatest MLB Picks You'll See All Season!

How has everyone been enjoying opening week so far? We've been loving it! In fact, we've been loving it so much we almost forgot about getting you our picks! 

SO! 

Without further ado! Here they are:

Sports Pro:
The Pitching staff in Detroit is just too good! Boston spent a lot of money so they'll be fine. The A's have Brad Pitt and Jonah so you can't go wrong there.