An Unbelievable Stat That Shows Just How Rampant The NFL's Youth Movement Has Become

We've already pointed out the fact that as of last week four rookie quarterbacks were set to open as starters for their respective teams in Week 1 of the 2012  NFL season.

Then came word Sunday that the Seattle Seahawks are going to go with their rookie signal caller, Russell Wilson, as well.

That means five rookie QBs — Andrew Luck (Colts), Robert Griffin III (Redskins), Brandon Weeden (Browns),  Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), and Wilson — will be under center when the season kicks off.

But the NFL's switch to youth at the most important position on the field goes way beyond that.

In his Monday Morning Quarterback column this week, Sports Illustrated's Peter King pointed out an eye-popping number:

Fourteen of the 32 starting quarterbacks in Week 1 (15 if the Cards start John Skelton) will be either rookies or 25 or younger when they take the first snap of the season. That's 44 percent of the starters in the NFL.

The count: five rookies, five second-year players and four third- or fourth-year guys.

After the five aforementioned rookies here's the list of young starting quarterbacks King refers to:

• Mark Sanchez (Jets)
• Andy Dalton (Bengals)
• Jake Locker (Titans)
• Blaine Gabbert (Jaguars)
• Matthew Stafford (Lions)
• Christian Ponder (Vikings)
• Josh Freeman (Buccaneers)
• Cam Newton (Panthers)
• Sam Bradford (Rams)

The reasons behind nearly half the league going with a young quarterback include the NFL becoming a pass-centric league with an increasingly smaller margin for error, more and more young quarterbacks having plenty of spread/west coast offense experience from college, and every team dying to find the next superstar and reaching for QBs in the first round to do so.

And with prolific offenses making the league more profitable than ever before, don't expect this to change anytime soon.

Please follow Sports Page on Twitter and Facebook.

Join the conversation about this story »

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/4GSIUVxyjgQ/young-nfl-quarterbacks-2012-8

Colin Curtis Kevin Russo Curtis Granderson Nick Johnson Javier Lopez Alex Hinshaw

Avalanche milestones to watch for

Source: http://www.milehighhockey.com/2012/8/27/3269573/avalanche-milestones-to-watch-for

John Madden Petr Kalus Colton Gilies Justin Falk Robbie Eal Joe Callahan

SPORTS CHART OF THE DAY: The Cost Of Air Jordans And LeBrons Through The Years

The folks at Mandatory.com put together a cool little infographic looking at the cost of Nike Air Jordans and Nike LeBrons through the years. The rise in cost is jaw-dropping at first, when you see that Air Jordans cost just $65 when they debuted in 1985, and the latest incarnation go for $180. Meanwhile, the newest LeBrons will cost a whopping $290.

But if we adjust for inflation, things are not as crazy as they first appear. Well, the $290 LeBrons are still crazy. But the rest is more palatable. In fact, adjusted for inflation, the Air Jordans have been consistently priced around $200 in 2012 dollars, and have even gone down a bit in recent years...

Please follow Sports Page on Twitter and Facebook.

Join the conversation about this story »

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/ERTdaB5KP3A/sports-chart-of-the-day-how-much-have-air-jordans-and-lebrons-cost-through-the-years-2012-8

Los Angeles Kings Phoenix Coyotes San Jose Sharks New Jersey Devil New York Islanders New York Rangers

FedEx Cup 2012: Biggest Winners After Barclays Tournament

Lost in the shuffle of the madness that was the Barclays Tournament was the start of the FedEx Cup, the PGA Tour's version of a playoff system. While it doesn't draw the same level of interest that a normal postseason does, it has grown in prestige in the five years since its inception. 

The Barclays served as the first event of the FedEx Cup, with only three more to go before a champion is crowned. This is the event that sets the tone for the entire Cup, so getting off to a fast start is imperative. 

Here are the biggest winners in the FedEx Cup after the Barclays and heading into the Deutsche Bank Championship. 

 

Nick Watney

Who better to start with than the player who sits in the top spot thanks to a victory at the Barclays?

Watney entered the FedEx Cup in 49th place. He was a long shot to get back into competition, much less actually hold the lead. That is what makes the start of these playoffs so entertaining—the knowledge that anything can happen. 

The odds of Watney, who entered the event with no wins on Tour this year, hanging onto the top spot throughout the playoffs are slim, but the only way to get there is by getting off to a great start. His first mission has been accomplished. 

 

Sergio Garcia

After years of teasing fans, Sergio Garcia is on arguably the best run of his career. Sure, he fell apart on Sunday at the Barclays, but he has finished in the Top Three in his last two tournaments. That is a huge deal for him after having just one Top 10 PGA Tour finish this year prior to the Wyndham Championships. 

Garcia jumped all the way from 33rd in the FedEx Cup standings to No. 10. He still has a long way to go before cracking the top of the leaderboard, but he is striking the ball as well as he has in a long time. 

Hopefully, he is able to keep up this pace because he is an entertaining and charismatic player who makes the game more fun to watch. 

 

Dustin Johnson

The battle for third place at the Barclays was actually a dead heat between Garcia and Dustin Johnson. The difference is, while Garcia struggled to find his shot with a four-over 75, Johnson shot a three-under 68. 

Johnson started the FedEx Cup in 26th place, which is not a bad spot to be in as long as you show solid progress with each event. 

Not only did Johnson take advantage of the situation right out of the gate, but he put himself in a prime position to win by moving all the way up to eighth place. The only players ahead of him that are well-known are Watney, Rory McIlroy and Brandt Snedeker. 

Follow @adamwells1985

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1312595-fedex-cup-2012-biggest-winners-after-barclays-tournament

Andrew McDonald Matt Martin Frans Nielsen Dwayne Roloson Jon Sim Jason Arnott

Tony Stewart Wrecks At Bristol And Then Loses His Mind

NASCAR races at Bristol are always entertaining. And Tony Stewart did not disappoint tonight when he and Matt Kenseth were battling for the lead. The two finally rubbed each other one too many times, causing both cars to spin and hit the wall. And Stewart, ever the hothead, decided to take out his frustration on Kenseth the old fashioned way. He threw his helmet at him when he came back around.

And the best part is just how nonchalant the announcers are about it. If this was baseball or football, the commentators would be calling for a 1,000 game suspension.

Oh NASCAR, this is why we can't quit you...

Please follow Sports Page on Twitter and Facebook.

Join the conversation about this story »

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/sportspage/~3/NCWIZjXlUeM/tony-stewart-wrecks-at-bristol-and-then-loses-his-mind-2012-8

Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes Damaso Marte Mariano Rivera

Luka Modric: Tottenham Agrees to Deal with Real Madrid for Star Midfielder

Tottenham has reached a transfer agreement with Real Madrid for dynamic midfielder Luka Modric, according to the club's official website. Along with Robin van Persie, Modric was one of the most talked about players on the market this summer and finally has a new home.

Jason Burt of The Telegraph reports the deal is for around £33.3 million, pending medical clearance. He will then sign a new five-year contract with the La Liga superpower, which is looking to defend last season's title.

The move comes at an ideal time for Los Blancos, who have started the new season with a draw against Valencia followed by a loss to Getafe. It's certainly not the way the team or its fans wanted to begin the defense of a championship.

Acquiring Modric should be a wake-up call for the entire squad. The fact the team was willing to step up and finalize the deal shows club management is focused on bringing home another title, even if it means spending some big money to do it.

The 26-year-old creative playmaker scored 17 goals and chipped in 26 assists during his four seasons at White Hart Lane. He should immediately jump-start the Madrid offense, which has been far less explosive in the early going than expected.

Modric joins a midfield group that already includes Mesut Ozil and Xabi Alonso as well as Angel di María on the wing. It's an area where Los Blancos should always have an advantage over opponents, even more so now thanks to Modric's distribution skills.

It's a key loss at a difficult time for Spurs. Even though it's not a surprise given all the speculation throughout the offseason, the team has very little time to bring in a replacement since the window closes at month's end.

Tottenham remains interested in Shakhtar Donetsk star Willian, according to ESPN, which reports the team had a bid rejected for the attacking midfielder. The extra funds generated from the Modric agreement could help improve the offer, though.

Spurs must work fast if they plan on replacing Modric during the current window, however. After going winless in their first two games, a move would seemingly be a necessity.

 

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1312359-luka-modric-tottenham-agrees-to-deal-with-real-madrid-for-star-midfielder

Phil Hughes Damaso Marte Mariano Rivera Kerry Wood Francisco Cervelli Chad Moeller

2012 NFL Season Preview: NFC East

With the NFL regular season rapidly approaching, let’s take a look at the intriguing NFC East.  Featuring the reigning Super Bowl champions (Giants), the former “Dream Team” turned “dynasty in the making” (Eagles), the league’s most exciting rookie (Robert Griffin III), and America’s team (you know who that is), this division might just prove to [...]

Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/nfl/2012-nfl-season-preview-nfc-east/

detroit red wings nashville predators St Louis Blues Calgary Flames Colorado Avalanche Edmonton Oilers