#PSBPopCulture: Everything’s a Remix – April 28, 2016

Last week, we witnessed Kobe Bryant leave the game of basketball in unprecedented fashion. Scoring 60 points in front of the cultural icons such as Jay-Z and Jack Nicholson while millions sat at home to see one last Kobe performance. It was THE game we wanted to see. Although he started slow, he would find his rhythm while hosting up 50 shots en route to 60 points and the win.

Inevitably, there were Kobe detractors and one of the most notable was Jason Whitlock who guest-hosted on the Colin Cowherd show last Friday. In his comments (below), he called Kobe a fraud and a knock-off of Michael Jordan. This led to an interesting conversation with our PSB Pop Culture team about the idea originality in sport, music and art. Jonathan Hemingway and Jordan Davis dive deeper into this issue in this article.

By: Jordan Davis @JDavisPSB and By: Jonathan Hemingway @JLHemingwayPSB

What are your thoughts about Jason Whitlock’s comments about Kobe?

JORDAN: I’m not thrilled about his comment, however I am not surprised. The reason the statement is invalid is because it is based on the ideas that Kobe copied Michael Jordan’s game. Of course he did!!! This is basketball and the best part about basketball is when players find other players that they look up to and they study their game. You want to be able to find pieces of their game you can incorporate into your own and improve your performance. And Kobe didn’t just do this with MJ, he took pieces of all the historic basketball greats and tried to embed that into his arsenal of his game.

HEMINGWAY: Personally, I am not a Kobe fan. So I did not take these comments to be as blasphemous as many others within our circle at Peach State Basketball. I think there is some validity behind his points about Kobe being selfish and narcissist. His farewell tour was a near farce, but it was entertainment and it was what the fans wanted to see. However, his points about Kobe being a fraud I think are way off base. His comment, “Imitation is often a sign of fraud” is completely inaccurate. Kobe won five championships, a league MVP, multi-year All-Star, etc. etc. etc. There is nothing fraudulent about that. Kobe won! Whitlock can stop with that rhetoric.

Is Imitation Good For Sports?

JORDAN: Imitation is great for sports in two different ways. First, to truly be great at your sport you have to find a few people that are great at your sport and see what it is that gets them their success. That can be anything you want it to be. Players look at the greats work ethic, their pregame ritual and literally everything else that they do. Second, that is the only way sports will revolutionize into better and better competition. Players watching legends from the past and trying to do what they did, but BETTER.

Imitation is a transition method of historic events and greatness from one generation to the next. I was born in ‘95, so I didn’t get to watch Jordan. I did witness was Kobe, who because of this, became MY generation’s version of MJ. My generation didn’t get to experience Michael Jackson, but they did they get Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, and other artists that pulled pieces of Michael Jackson’s greatness.

HEMINGWAY: After coaching basketball for 15 years, let me share a not well-kept secret: Everybody tries to copy the winners. You see it with teams that win. In the NFL, organizations try to copy the Patriots. Now everyone is trying to copy Golden State in the NBA. Small Ball and stretch 4 and 5 players are trending. If there is one place in the world where originality has little to no value, it is in the arena of sports. In terms of individuals, you always teach youth players to mimic the successful players. You tell players to watch the footwork of a Tim Duncan or the shooting release of Klay Thompson. Everything is copied in sports, because you know that works. In terms of Kobe copying the posture, the style and the moves of MJ – he modeled himself after the best and he came very close to mastering those skills and he won. Let him live.

Is Imitation good for Music and Art?

JORDAN: I read a book by Mark Fisher, called Capitalist Realism recently. This book briefly touched upon this idea of imitation. He describes how “monetary value is the death of culture”, and so on and so on. But then Fisher talks about Kurt Cobain and his ideas on the culture of music. He referred to Cobain’s quote, “Everything is a cliche”. Kurt Cobain understood that his music would make him famous. Cobain knew that regardless of his fame, everything that could be done has been done. It is that inherent idea that everything that has taken place will continue to repeat on down the road. Because of this there is no true originality in music/art. Everything has already been tried, everything has already been done, all we can do is revamp it or contort it into something that looks new. Every artist has an artist or two, or several that they embed into their own art form. Even if it’s unknowingly.

HEMINGWAY: Much like in sports, musicians and artists take ideas or samples from their predecessors and make it their own. The most sampled song of all time is an 80’s track called La Di Da Di by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh. Ludacris and Mary J. Blige sampled it in Runaway Love when they scratched “like this” together (watch the video below). Color Me Badd sampled the phrase ‘to the tic toc you don’t stop” in their hit single “I Wanna Sex You Up.” Even Miley Cyrus put her own twist on the phrase La Di Da Di in her song 2013 song We Can’t Stop. She switches it up by singing “La da di da di, we like to party.” In many ways you can trace much of hip-hop back to this one song. Everything that we see in pop-culture is truly built upon something that came before. A key difference should be noted here. There is a difference between copying and imitation. Taking someone else’s work and putting your own name does stink of plagiarism. I am embarrassed to say that I have bought local rappers mix-tapes in parking lots. Only to find it is just a few teenagers rapping Young Jeezy and T.I. tracks. That is not imitation…it is a simple rip-off. However, when an artist takes a previous piece of work and takes it in another direction we can see the true value of creative imitation.

Ludacris – Runaway Love ft. Mary J. Blige

So what does it mean to be Original?

JORDAN: The true definition of originality is to be independent and creative. However there is no true originality in the world. Mark Twain once said, “All ideas are second-hand, consciously and unconsciously drawn from a million outside sources…”. After two semester of philosophy I just don’t believe there is such thing of originality.

HEMINGWAY: In my view, everything is original and nothing is original all at once. No one can walk in the same time and space as a previous athlete, writer or musician. The world changes by the day and the ways in which we encounter the culture change as well. We are unique and original by simply being who we are at this moment. Yet the thoughts, emotions, ideas that we have are all borrowed from those before us and even those around us. It is impossible to live life in a vacuum or a bubble. What is more important is using what we know and experience to mold ourselves into the best version of ourselves. That is true originality.

Is there a point where copy cats lose credibility? Or does it depend on their status?

JORDAN: There’s times when “copy cats” are badgered, the way Whitlock tried Kobe, or the way rap heads call Drake a “Culture Vulture.” Truth is, the people that attack their imitators are the ones that don’t understand it’s the way of life. When Young Thug first came on the scene everyone was saying, “Who is this Lil Wayne wannabe?”. Heck he even named his album “Barter”, after Lil Wayne’s “The Carter” album series. Now Young Thug is well known and commonly played throughout the world.

So at first, yeah the copy cats are made fun of and slandered. However once it starts to work and society looks passed the initial imitation, they develop a fan base and they are looked at as originators.

HEMINGWAY: I believe that the difference between a copy-cat and a true artist is being unique to the moment. Kobe may have borrowed MJ’s moves, but he brought LA back to championship status. Jay-Z has been accused of stealing Biggie’s rhymes, but he certainly made the 21st century his own. In the end, it does not matter who did it first what matters most is who did it the best. So in this way of thinking, “Everything’s a Remix.”

J-Davis-PSBPopCulture Jordan Davis is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com with a unique blend of #PSBPopCulture reviews. Davis has been rocking the latest trends since arriving here in 1995. He is currently a student at Kennesaw State, a Social Media Intern with PeachStateBasketball.com and is well on his way to being the youngest in charge sooner than later.

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

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#EntertainmentPSB: Serial Podcast – December 18, 2015

By: Jonathan Hemingway @JLHemingwayPSB

One of the things I enjoy while driving, other than listening to music, is listening to podcasts. I find them as a superior alternative to listening to the radio. Here are a few of the reasons why:

• You can chose from a wide variety of topics as opposed to being limited to what is on the radio at the moment.

• You can pause and start the podcast at any moment. Or you can even go back and listen to the episode again at any time.

• The production quality of these podcasts is usually A-1. The content is well thought out and worthwhile.

The Serial podcast is a must-follow in my opinion. This podcast broke an iTunes record with 5 million downloads and streams last year. It became the fastest podcast to ever reach that milestone.

Last year, I listened to all 12 episodes of Season 1, which a real-life murder history that was told by This American Life and Sarah Koenig. The story centers on a murder of a teenage girl, Hae Min Lee, in 1999. Her boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was arrested and convicted of the crime a few years later. Koenig, the investigative reporter for the Serial podcast, conducted interviews and retold the story of Lee and Syed through the twelve episodes. It is a compelling story. Koenig found that many of the facts that she dug up, neither the jury nor the public ever got to hear at the time of the case.

Season 2, episode 1 of Serial was released last Thursday. The story that Koenig and her crew choose to tackle is quite different than that of a teenage murder mystery. Bowe Bergdahl was a soldier in Afghanistan who disappeared from his post in 2009. In 2014, he was returned by the Taliban back the United States. However, Bergdahl is now being charged with crimes that could land him in prison for life. He has not done any interviews with the press until now. The Serial podcast tells his story and will release a new episode on every Thursday.

You can download all of these podcasts on your iPhone in the podcast center or listen directly on the Serial website.

For more of my favorite podcasts and reading material, check out my personal blog on CoachHemi.com.

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

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#PSBSportsChop: In Defense of Jay Cutler – November 22, 2015

By: Jonathan Hemingway @JLHemingwayPSB

I will admit that I am a fan of Jay Cutler. I am fully aware of how silly this may sound to many, but I cannot help it. I am a Bears fan and here are the quarterbacks the team has played since I was a kid:

Jim McMahon (Super Bowl winner)
Mike Tomczak
Doug Flutie
Jim Harbaough
Peter Tom Willis
Steve Walsh
Erik Kramer
Dave Krieg
Rick Mirer
Steve Stenstrom
Moses Moreno
Shane Matthews
Cade McNown
Jim Miller
Chris Chandler
Henry Burris
Kordell Stewart
Rex Grossman
Chad Hutchinson
Craig Kenzel
Kyle Orton
Brian Griese
Jay Cutler

That is a list devoid of a legendary quarterback.

All of these years we have prided ourselves as the “Monsters of the Midway,” but somehow never find a QB with talent. Yes, we did go to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman but this is a guy who had more “Bad Rex” moments than “Good Rex.” Lovie Smith’s turnover creating defense should truly get the credit there.

Then we find Jay Cutler. Highly talented. Highly controversial. I concede what the detractors will say about him:

– He has poor body language
– He makes critical bad decisions
– He does not excude the ‘air’ of a leader

Fact is this: Jay Cutler has won more games and thrown for more touchdowns than any Chicago quarterback, EVER. He may be fatally flawed. He just may never be good enough to lead us back to another Super Bowl. I understand all of this. But I still root for the guy. Why? I am not sure.
But here is an attempt at an explanation…

First: There are LOTS of bad quarterbacks in the league. Sure we could trade or cut the guy, but that would get a guy like Ryan Fitzpatrick or Mark Sanchez…You do not just find an Aaron Rodgers on every street corner.

Second: I am stubborn. I have taken plenty of criticism for Jay’s play in multiple group texts over the years. I would like nothing more than to see Jay Cutler lead the Bears to another playoff appearance. But somehow I think this guy can turn it around.

This season has been a victory for Cutler of sorts. Coach Fox’s new offense has calmed Cutler down. An experienced offensive line has given him more time. While an increased emphasis on the run game has given Cutler balance. His numbers are not gaudy (13 TD’s, 5 INT, 267 yards per game), but they are serviceable. He has kept them in games that last year would have been blow outs. Me, along with many other Bears fans, are very pleased with this year’s start.

We will learn some more about Cutler and the 4-5 Bears when they take on the Denver Broncos, which happens to be Cutler’s (and head coach John Fox) former team.

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

You can follow him on Twitter @JLHemingwayPSB

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#iTunesSounds: Apple Music – Five To Know – October 30, 2015

I subscribe to the monthly Apple Music package that allows me to download virtually any released song or album. The freedom it allows me to preview and download different genres of music is very attractive. I listen to Beats 1 Radio on a weekly basis, which often introduces me to new artists and sometimes reintroduces musicians from the past that may be out of the consciousness of the mainstream.

For instance, I heard Estelle’s “1980” on Beats 1 and immediately downloaded the song ‘free’ of charge onto my iPhone to play whenever I want.

Sample the song here:

By: Jonathan Hemingway @JLHemingwayPSB

Here are the last five songs that are in my Recently Added section in my music section:

“Feel Good Inc.” by Gorillaz – 2005

The Gorillaz are a British ‘virtual band.’ They were particularly popular ten or so years ago. I am a fan of their unique sound.

“Pretend” by Seinabo Sey – 2015

I heard Seinabo Sey for the first time last week on Beats 1 and immediately was drawn in by her rhythmic and international sound. Sey is actually Sweedish with a Gambian ancestry. Her unique background shows up in her art.

“Forever” by Drake, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Eminem – 2009

For some reason this hit was not in my playlist, so it is a must add. My favorite line: 
“Everyone who doubted me is asking for forgiveness,
If you ain’t be a part of it at least you got to witness”

“The Clown” by Maribou State featuring Pedistrian – 2015

Here is another new artist I was introduced to via Beats 1. This electronic duo is also from England. This is their single from their first album Portraits, which I am anxious to sample in future sittings while writing articles for PeachStateBasketball.com.

“Autonomy (Slave)” by Samm Henshaw – 2015

Henshaw released his debut EP this month. This song reveals his gospel and pop influences in his young music career. He is quoted as saying that he has been influenced by Paolo Nutini, Lauryn Hill and Frank Ocean. All those artists who are in my rotation. Check out the London born Nigerian’s song below.

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.
You can follow him on Twitter @JLHemingwayPSB

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#EntertainmentPSB: “The Walking Dead” – Glenn Dies – October 28, 2015

I became a fan of “The Walking Dead” about a year ago. It is an AMC original program and is currently the most popular series on television. My family convinced me to watch a few episodes and after that I was hooked. I went on a personal watching marathon though all the seasons to catch-up before this season’s finale.

By: Jonathan Hemingway @JLHemingwayPSB

Last week’s episode had fans buzzing as it appeared that Glenn (Steven Yeun) dies after being trapped by walkers. The once coward, turned mentally unstable Nicholas (Michael Traynor) chose to kill himself while standing upon a garbage dumpster. Just before he pulls the trigger he says ‘Thank You’ to Glenn, which appears to be an odd thing to say. The limp Nicholas falls onto Glenn and they both tumble into the crowd of zombies where the camera shows Glenn’s face and bloody intestines being strewn everywhere.

We all went into the commercial break believing that we had just seen one of our program’s heroes killed. An impossible, even maddening turn of events when you consider all of the jams that Glenn had helped the group get out of in past episodes. This could not be!!!

Our first clue that Glenn may NOT be dead is when “The Talking Dead” (the talk show that runs immediately following) does not put Glenn in the “In Memoriam.” This segment always gives one last tribute to those who died in the past episode. The producers of the show danced around the issue by saying that they will show Glenn in a ‘flashback’ scene in a future episode and after that they will put him rest.

That had everyone rushing to their DVR’s to look at the scene one last time to see if there were any clues that we could cling to hope that Glenn is in fact still alive. When looking at the tape, it seems plausible that Nicholas landed on Glenn and that the walkers were eating the guts of Nicholas and not Glenn.

The Walking Dead fans are anxiously awaiting the next episode this Sunday to see if our Glenn will be there.
Add your comments below. We would like to hear from you. Is Glenn still alive?

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

You can follow him on Twitter @JLHemingwayPSB

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#ProSportsChop: USA Basketball Roundtable – Gregg Popovich – October 24, 2015

Earlier this week, current USA Basketball Senior National Team coach Mike Krzyzewski announced that he would step down after the 2016 Olympics. USA responded by striking gold as they landed five-time NBA Championship coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs as Coach K’s replacement.

Here’s what USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo had to say about the decision, per the team’s official press release:

“I’m absolutely delighted to announce Gregg Popovich as head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team for 2017-20. There is no doubt in my mind that we have the great fortune of bringing on board one of the NBA’s best and most successful coaches ever to lead the USA National Team for the 2017-20 quadrennium. By making this decision now, it will allow us to have a clean, efficient and immediate transition following the 2016 Olympic Games.”

Per the same release, here’s Popovich’s reaction:

“I’m extremely humbled and honored to have the opportunity to represent our country as the coach of the USA National Team…What the program has accomplished over the last decade under the leadership of Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski is truly impressive. I will do my utmost to maintain the high standards of success, class and character established by Jerry, Coach K and the many players who have sacrificed their time on behalf of USA Basketball.”

Here is reaction from our PSBPopCulture.com experts:

CLAY: This move is right in line with the type of decisions that Colangelo has executed since taking over as USAB director in 2005. He has been impressive with his forward thinking and has once again made USA Basketball a destination for both elite coaches and players. The youth levels have shown both consistency and production as well. My educated guess is that Popovich will guide the USA to the 2020 Gold Medal and probably step aside after that. It will be interesting to chart who the next coach will be. Will they go in the direction of a younger guy Brad Stevens (Boston Celtics coach) who will be 41 after the 2020 Olympics or choose another veteran leader like Coach K or Pop?

HEMINGWAY: The hiring of Spurs coach Popovich is a home run. There is no other coach that has worldwide respect like ‘Pop.’ His longevity and success in the NBA give him instant credibility among America’s top players. Plus his ability to get superstars to buy into roles makes this a union that will work. Add in the fact that Spurs have traditionally played an international style of basketball and Pop appears to be the perfect coach for the job.

MOORE: Looking at the changes USA Basketball has made over the last decade, it’s evident they are organization working hard to stay ahead of the curve as opposed to reacting and responding late in an ever changing industry. As represented by this summer’s USA mini-camp in Las Vegas, we now have a true national team pool. Unlike the late-90’s/early 2000’s when we were begging players to “give up” their summer and play with the national team, we now have players that are jumping at the opportunity to put on a USA jersey. This is a testament to the work done by Colangelo and Krzysewski. Right now, the U.S. National program is arguably in the best place it has been in it’s history. Popovich is the perfect choice as the standard bearer for continued future success into the next decade.

Brandon-Clay-Bio-2 Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @bballplusmusic.

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

Keil Moore Keil Moore is a Philadelphia sports fan who loves the Eagles, 76ers and Phillies. He’s the go-to NBA League Pass subscriber in the PSBPopCulture.com. Moore will contribute his expertise to multiple categories on the site. He is the owner of Keil Moore Basketball, Inc. You can follow him on Twitter @KeilMoorePSB.

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#iTunesSounds: Drake – “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late” – October 22, 2015

I realize this Drake album may not be as popular as many of his previous album releases. Plus his recent beef with Meek Mill overshadowed this particular work. That said there are a few of the tracks I have on CONSTANT repeat in my Apple Music rotation.

By: Jonathan Hemingway @JLHemingwayPSB

Here’s my Fab Five with my favorite lines:

1) No Tellin’

“Please do not speak to me like I’m that Drake from four years ago
. I’m at a higher place.”

…and a second line just for my guy Scott Johnson

“I gotta keep watchin’ for oppers cause anything’s possible, yeah
There’s no code of ethics out here, anyone will take shots at you, yeah”

2) Star67

“Got my foot on the ‘Cedes Benz pedal
/Doin’ 90 on the bridge like, ‘brotha you already know’”

3) Preach

I like this song mainly because he collaborates with “PARTYNEXTDOOR.” I became a fan of these guys because of the Instagram work of Retrospectivetrill_OG.

They do some funny stuff with the song “Recognize” Check this post out:

When you chilling at your homies house and his mom start spazzing 😂😶✌️ #nileseyyniles

A video posted by Nileseyy Niless (@retrospectivetrill_og) on

4) Know Yourself

I like how Drake is using the beat switch seamlessly these days.

“Running through the 6 with my woes. You know how that stuff goes.” – Reminds me of my days with the original Steve Nash aka Daniel Vo. @chiefofnbp

5) Jungle

Maybe I’ve gone soft. I’m married now, a daughter in the house. This song really resonates with me these days

“She forgave me for everything, this is a forever thing
/Hate that I treated like it’s a whatever thing/
Trust me girl, this is everything to me”

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

You can follow him on Twitter @JLHemingwayPSB

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#ProSportsChop: Top 5 NFL’s QB Right Now – October 20, 2015

I am on record as saying that the position of Quarterback is the most difficult position to master of all of sports. It is often impossible to predict the success of quarterbacks from college to the NFL. There is so much more involved than athleticism or arm strength. I often engage in lively debates in our PSBPopCulture.com group chat about the better QB’s in the league (which never included Tim Tebow).

By: Jonathan Hemingway @JLHemingwayPSB with commentary from Brandon Clay @bballplusmusic

Even quarterbacks who we believed to be sure-fire ELITE QBs this year are struggling. Look at Peyton Manning – his defense has carried the Broncos this year. Drew Brees has struggled to find his rhythm without Jimmy Graham. Even Andrew Luck has struggled with both injury and production!

Here is my list of the five best right now with Brandon Clay’s commentary on each:

CLAY: Before we start, do you have to keep reminding Keil Moore that his beloved Florida Gator Tim Tebow isn’t currently in the NFL? Come on Hemingway.

1) Tom Brady, New England Patriots

HEMINGWAY: Say what you want about the Patriots, but Brady is still the gold-standard. No one out-smarts these guys. Brady has laser focus that we have not seen in professional sports in years.

CLAY: Facts. Only. ACL Tear – No problem. Deflategate – No problem. Winner.

2) Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

HEMINGWAY: This guy is terrific. Laser arm. Great athlete. His best attribute this year is to make plays even when the pocket collapses. His wideouts have been great even with Jordy Nelson being injured this year.

CLAY: Rodgers confidence is the steam that powers the Green (and Yellow). He plays with a chip on his shoulder despite all the success. No Nelson, insert James Jones and roll on to victory. At times, it seems that Rodgers still visualizes that 2005 NFL Draft night when he was selected 25th nightly.

3) Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

HEMINGWAY: I became a Newton fan this year when I drafted him in my dynasty-league (I said dynasty, not keeper. That is another blog post for another time). You have to give Cam a lot of credit. His best WR, Kelvin Benjamin, went down in the preseason. No problem though, 5-0 for Newton and the Panthers.

CLAY: Despite Newton being a NFC South rival to my Falcons, I respect his play so far. He’s using Greg Olsen, his tight end, as a primary target. In addition to Olsen, Newton is leading the team with three rushing TD’s as well.

4) Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

HEMINGWAY: Atlanta people never seem to be happy with this guy. He is not flashy and has not won the big game (yet). But the fact is that he puts up big numbers and the Falcons are 5-1. He is as talented as they come in the NFL. This year is big for him to crack the conversation of the ELITE.

CLAY: Hold on now Jon. Atlanta people (myself included) respect Ryan. We also know his salary eats up a considerable amount of the financial cap. So far this season, Ryan is earning his pay with Julio Jones cashing in on Ryan’s accuracy. “Matty Ice” should have a chance to earn postseason stripes this winter.

5) Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals

HEMINGWAY: Casual NFL observers may be surprised to see Palmer’s name on this list. Fact is that if Palmer had not been injured last year, the Cardinals may have challenged the Seahawks as the best team in the NFC. The veteran puts up big numbers week in and week out and he has some of the best wide receivers in the game.

CLAY: Agree 100%. Palmer picked up right where he left off. After two ACL surgeries, he’s throwing the ball as well as I can remember. In the process, Larry Fitzgerald looks like an All-Pro receiver once again.

Brandon-Clay-Bio-2 Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. With a degree from Georgia Southern in Sport Marketing, he keeps an eye of marketing trends in the entertainment field. Clay’s full-time position is serving as the Owner of PeachStateBasketball.com.

You can follow him on Twitter @bballplusmusic.

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

You can follow him on Twitter @JLHemingwayPSB

Category: #BCSSportsChop | LEAVE A COMMENT