2015 Sports Examiner Awards

It's time for the first-ever Sports Examiner Awards. This will soon become an annual tradition that will hopefully become even a little prestigious. But until then, we'll make do with a few people on the internet reading it.

It's been a very exciting and newsworthy year for sports. The Kansas City Royals finally won the World Series, Ohio State won the first ever College Football Playoffs, Deflategate took over mainstream news, Duke men's basketball won its fifth national title, and Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota went 1 and 2 in this year's NFL Draft. In our inaugural awards, we'll be handing out 12 awards. Let's get started.

Franchise of the Year:
Golden State Warriors

This is a pretty easy pick when you think about it. The only real rule for this award is that this team had to have won a title in the past year. Based on that rule alone, we have a small amount of nominees, including the New England Patriots, Chicago Blackhawks, and Kansas City Royals. Out of all of those, there was no bigger story than the Warriors. Yes, the Blackhawks are on the verge of creating a dynasty, but this award is only for 2015. The Royals (the runner-up here) winning was a huge story, but they did make the World Series last year, so their victory wasn't as big. The Patriots had their Super Bowl win marred by Deflategate. That leaves us with the Warriors, who rolled over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals to win the NBA Championship. Add on to the fact that they only lost two games thus far in the 2015-2016 season and you have a clear winner.

NFL Player of the Year:
Tom Brady

Ignore Deflategate for a second. Think instead of Brady leading the Patriots to the Super Bowl and being named MVP, being named to another Pro Bowl this season, and leading an injury-depleted roster to another AFC East title and first-round bye. They are the current favorites to win the AFC title and compete in the 2016 Super Bowl. Sure, Cam Newton (our runner-up) will be most likely named MVP of the '16 regular season, but Brady led the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns.

NBA Player of the Year:
Steph Curry

We had runner-ups for the first two awards, but why even bother picking one here? Curry had a much better year than any other NBA player. He ended the 2015 season as a member of the championship-winning Golden State Warriors while also being named regular season MVP and member of the All-NBA First Team (along with James Harden, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Marc Gasol). This season, he has led the Warriors to the best record in the NBA while also leading the league in points per game and being fifth in free throw percentage (behind Jamal Crawford, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, and Lance Thomas).

Tennis Player of the Year:
Serena Williams

Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year had an absolutely incredible 2015. She won three majors: the Wimbledon, the Australian Open, and French Open. She also made it to the semi-finals of the US Open before being upset by Roberta Vinci. Her dominance in the sport was one never seen before. In fact, at one point this year, she had twice as many points as the #2 player in the world. These accomplishments are even more impressive when you consider that she was battling medical issues (such as bone bruises and a cold) all year long.

Sports Legend of the Year:
Kobe Bryant

In November, Bryant announced that the 2015-2016 NBA season would be his last. Thus, one of the greatest careers in the history of American sports comes to an end. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer has won five titles, twice been scoring champion, won 2 Finals MVPs, won 1 regular season MVP, made 15 All-Star games, been named MVP of the All-Star game four times, been a Slam Dunk Champion, has put up at least 60 points in 5 games, made 15 All-NBA teams, and has won two Olympic Gold Medals. There will never be another player quite like Kobe Bean Bryant, and the sport will certainly miss him.

Female Soccer Player of the Year:
Carli Lloyd

Even if Llyod hadn't won the Ballon d'Or, she would still be a shoe-in for this award. After all, she led the U.S. National Women's team to their first World Cup since 1999. Add on the fact that she won the Golden Ball and Silver Boot, was named to both the All-Star and Dream Teams, and became the first female player in history to score a hat-trick in the finals of a World Cup, and you have the clear winner for this award.

Male Soccer Player of the Year:
Lionel Messi

Messi won his fifth Ballon d'Or (given annually to the best player in the world) to cap off an absolutely incredible year. He helped lead Barcelona to its 23rd Spanish championship, scored 52 goals in 61 games with the club, led Barca to victory in the European Champions League and Spanish Cup, and also led Argentina to the 2015 Copa America final. How can anyone argue with results like that?

Golfer of the Year:
Jordan Spieth

Considering the year he had, it's hard to believe Spieth is only 22 years old. Take a look at his performance in Augusta, where he tied the scoring record set in 1997 by some guy named Tiger Woods. He also won the John Deere Classic (something he also won the prior year), came in second at the PGA Championship in Whistling Straits, won the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup in September, and led his teammates to victory in the Presidents Cup in South Korea. On top of that, he made a whopping $22 million (a golf record), a lot of which is going to a charity named after his family.

Play of the Year:
Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl Interception

There is no bigger single night for sports than the Super Bowl. This year's event (the 49th in history) was watched by 114.4 million people, making it the most watched event in the history of American television. So, any big play made on that stage is set to be noticed by people all around the world and will elevate that player into the stratosphere. That's exactly what happened to Butler. The cornerback intercepted a pass from Seattle's Russell Wilson late in the fourth quarter to end Seattle's comeback bid and seal the deal for New England.

NCAA Football Player of the Year:
Christian McCaffrey

This was actually closer than you might think, as the Cardinal gets the nod here over Ezekiel Elliot of Ohio State and Derrick Henry of Alabama. Elliot led the Buckeyes to the first ever CFP title in January while being named the Offensive MVP. He also finished 8th in this year's Heisman voting. Henry meanwhile, won the Heisman and led Alabama a spot in the CFP. So how does McCaffrey (the Heisman runner-up) get the nod here? Simple, he broke Barry Sanders's NCAA record for all-purpose yards in a single season.

Upset of the Year:
Holly Holm defeats Ronda Rousey

It cannot be argued that Rousey is one of the biggest female athletes on the planet. The first and only female bantamweight champion in UFC history had successfully defended her title six times against talents like Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano. Holm on the other hand, had only been in two UFC fights before her meeting with Rousey. In a complete shocker, Holm defeated Rousey the champ in the second round by knockout to win the title and end Rousey's unbelievable run.

Sports Star of the Year:
American Pharaoh

That's right, our biggest award of the year is going to a horse. Not Serena Williams, not Steph Curry, not Jordan Spieth, but a horse. Of course, American Pharaoh is no ordinary equine. The most famous horse in the world won the Triple Crown, a feat that had not been accomplished in 37 years. On top of winning those three races (the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and Belmont Stakes), he also won in the Haskell in August and the Breeders' Cup Classic (the main event of racing's world championships and the last big race of the year). In doing so, he became the first horse in history to win both the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic. His career earnings are more than $8.6 million dollars, good for seventh-highest in history. American Pharaoh earns Sports Star of the Year for making his mark in the record books. 

NFL 2016 Playoff Predictions

The 2015-2016 NFL regular season is over and it sure was an exciting one. But it's now time for the playoffs, which will undoubtedly even be more exciting. In this article, we'll break down each game and pick a winner. Let's get started.

NFC Wildcard Round:

#6 Seattle Seahawks at #3 Minnesota Vikings- The Seahawks are red-hot after their big win over Arizona in Week 17. The Vikings are also hot after beating Green Bay in Week 17 to clinch the NFC North. Unfortunately, the Vikings just don't match up to Seattle. The 'Hawks secondary will create trouble for Teddy Bridgewater, Pick: Seattle

#5 Green Bay Packers at #4 Washington Redskins- The 'Skins are doing a lot better than the Pack right now, and that could be the difference in this match. Overall, the Packers are a better team with more talent, but Washington is simply better playing football right now. Aaron Rodgers is in a terrible slump while Kirk Cousins is having the best year of his career. Pick: Washington

AFC Wildcard Round:

#6 Pittsburgh Steelers at #3 Cincinnati Bengals- Cincy is notorious for going one-and-done in the playoffs, and it looks like that trend will continue this year. The Bengals will be without their starting QB Andy Dalton, who was an MVP candidate earlier in the season. In his place will be AJ MCarron, who's made three starts his entire career. The Steelers meanwhile, feature an elite aerial offense comprised of stars like Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger, and Martavis Bryant. Pick: Pittsburgh

#5 Kansas City Chiefs at #4 Houston Texans- Both of these teams have elite defenses, but the edge here goes to the Chiefs. Alex Smith and Andy Reid have playoff experience, while Brian Hoyer and Bill O'Brien do not. When you add on the fact that Kansas has won their last ten games, a KC win looks certain. Pick: Kansas City

NFC Divisional Round:

#6 Seattle Seahawks at #1 Carolina Panthers- It looks as if Marshawn Lynch will not be back in time for the playoffs, and that's really going to hurt the Seahawks. They don't have anyone else on their roster that can run through that stout Carolina D. Meanwhile, Carolina is flying high and absolutely loaded with talent like Cam Newton, Mike Tolbert, and Josh Norman. Pick: Carolina

#4 Washington at #2 Arizona Cardinals- Realistically, Washington doesn't have a chance here. A defense featuring guys like Calais Campbell will most likely shut down the 'Skins offense. Expect Carson Palmer, David Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, and the rest of Arizona's offense to do big things in this one. Pick: Arizona

AFC Divisional Round:

#6 Pittsburgh Steelers at #1 Denver Broncos- Peyton Manning will be starting for the Broncos, but it's not known exactly how healthy he is. The Steelers meanwhile, are hopeful DeAngelo Williams (who was great for them this season) will be back for this round. If he is, expect the Steelers to pull off an upset. Pick: Pittsburgh

#5 Kansas City Chiefs at #2 New England Patriots- As mentioned before, the Chiefs are one of the hottest teams in the league and have one of the best defenses in the league (thanks to guys like Dontari Poe, Allen Bailey, and Eric Berry). While I wouldn't be surprised by an upset, the Patriots are still the favorites here. Their defense has been playing well all season and Tom Brady had a great season. Pick: New England

NFC Championship:

#2 Arizona Cardinals at #1 Carolina Panthers- The Panthers had the best record in all of football this season, but that run should end here. They just don't have that playoff experience while the Cardinals are chock-full of veterans like Palmer and Fitzgerald. Pick: Arizona

AFC Championship:

#5 Pittsburgh Steelers at #2 New England Patriots- The Patriots have had trouble staying healthy this season, but receivers Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman should be available for this game. That could tip the scales in what will otherwise be a very close game. Pick: New England

Super Bowl:

New England Patriots vs. Arizona Cardinals- Despite Brady having a great season, he has been stopped on occasion (like against the Jets in Week 17). The Cards' defense is good enough to stifle the Pats' offense (especially their running game). The MVP will go to the probable regular-season MVP runner-up, Palmer. Pick: Arizona Cardinals (Carson Palmer)

Agree with these predictions? Comment and let me know. 

Week 14 Heisman Watch

It's now time for the final Heisman watch of the season. It's been a wild and crazy season with numerous contenders rising and falling. In this article, I'll give my pick for the Heisman and finalists (the top three in the standings). We only have one superstar who dropped off from last week: Oregon's Royce Freeman who did not play last week. The seven superstars in this watch are the only ones I expect to get any Heisman votes. Let's get started. 

7. Keenan Reynolds, Navy (Last Week: 7)- Reynolds did not play in Week 14, but it's impossible to ignore how good of a season he's had. He's accounted for 25 total touchdowns while leading Navy to a 9-2 record. 

6. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 6)- Elliot and the Buckeyes did not play in the Big Ten championship game and will not play in the playoffs this year. However, they will take on Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.  

5. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 5)- Though Cook will not be playing in the playoffs, he will be taking on Houston in one of the New Year's Six bowl games. 

4. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: 4)- Mayfield and the Sooners will be taking part in the second-ever playoffs. On top of that, Sports Illustrated and other websites have pegged them as the favorites. 

3. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 2)- Watson threw for 289 yards and two scores as well as running for 131 yards and two scores while defeating North Carolina for the ACC Championship. Watson will also be competing in the playoffs for the #1 ranked team in the country.

2. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 3)- Though Watson has had a great season, McCaffrey's had one for the history books. The Cardinal broke Barry Sanders's single-purpose all-purpose yards record thanks to his performance against USC in the Pac-12 title game.

1. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 1)- Henry is the favorite to walk away with the Heisman, ad he solidified his campaign with a great effort against Florida. On top of that, he broke the SEC record for most rushing yards in a single season.

Thanks for reading everyone. Check back soon for more articles. 

Week 13 Heisman Watch

With only one week of the regular season left, the Heisman race is drawing to a close. For the first time this season, we have less than 10 players on our list. Two players have dropped out: Corey Coleman of Baylor (who didn't make much of an impact against TCU) and Leonard Fournette of LSU (who had the week off). Let's get started.

8. Royce Freeman, Oregon (Last Week: 10)- Freeman had himself a day as Oregon knocked off Oregon State, He ran for 167 yards and two touchdowns while also picking up 51 receiving yards. Freeman definitely won't make it to New York, but he deserves some votes.

7. Keenan Reynolds, Navy (Last Week: 6)- Reynolds and Navy fell to Houston, but Reynolds still had a good game. He went 13 for 16 with 312 yards and a touchdown through the air. He also ran for 84 yards and one score.

6. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 7)- Elliot was a big reason that the Buckeyes trampled over the Wolverines. The back ran for 214 yards and two touchdowns while also catching two passes for seven yards.

5. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 5)- Cook has an outside chance of making it to New York, but he'll definitely get some votes. In FSU's win over #12 Florida (a win that ended Florida's playoff dreams), Cook ran for 183 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries.

4.  Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: 4)- Mayfield and the Sooners beat Oklahoma St. to all but clinch a playoff spot. Mayfield went 17 of 25 for 180 yards, two scores, and zero picks. He also ran for 77 yards and one score on 11 runs.

3. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 3)- McCaffrey failed to get 100 rushing yards against Notre Dame, but he did accumulate 19 receiving yards while also returning five kicks for an average of 21.8 yards.

2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 1)- Watson may have fallen out of the top spot, but he can still has a chance to walk away with the Heisman. He'll need a big game over North Carolina in the ACC title game next week.

1. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 2)- At this point in time, Henry looks like the favorite to walk away with the Heisman. He's been consistent for 'Bama all season long and is one of the main reasons they're ranked #2.

Thanks for reading, be sure to check in next week for the final installment of the Heisman watch.

Week 12 Heisman Watch

For the first time this season, we do not have anyone on the watch-list. As the season gets longer, the list of real Heisman candidates shrinks. We have two players who dropped off the list: Trevone Boykin (who didn't play due to injury) and DeShone Kizer (who played sloppily against Boston College). Let's get started.

10. Royce Freeman, Oregon (Last Week: NR)- Freeman has had a great season thus far for the Ducks. Against #24 USC on Saturday, he ran for for 147 yards on 20 carries while also picking up 50 receiving yards.

9. Corey Coleman, Baylor (Last Week: 8)- Coleman had a relatively quiet game on Saturday (three rushes for 21 yards and five catches for 77 yards). Baylor beat Oklahoma St. to keep their playoff dreams alive.

8. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 6)- Fournette stopped his two-game slide by rushing for 108 yards on 25 carries and hauling in four catches for 72 yards. However, LSU lost its third straight game.

7. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Elliot failed to rush for at least a 100 yards for the first time this season. The stout MSU defense held him to 33 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries. He'll need a big game against Michigan to get back in the top tier of Heisman contenders.

6. Keenan Reynolds, Navy (Last Week: NR)- No player in FBS history has run for more touchdowns than Reynolds. Against Tulsa, he ran for 81 yards and one score while also throwing for 55 yards and another TD.

5. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 7)- Cook rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns as his Seminoles cruised past Chattanooga for an easy win. Cook still has a chance of making it to New York. but he'll have to finish the season strong.

4. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: 4)-Oklahoma did knock off TCU, but Mayfield only played in the first half after being pulled due to injury. Fortunately for his team, he is expected to play next week against Oklahoma State.

3. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 5)- No Heisman contender had a better week than McCaffrey did. Against Cal, the Stanford Cardinal ran for 192 yards, hauled in a 49 yard touchdown pass, and returned a kick for a score.

2. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 2)- Henry only played in two quarters as Alabama coasted past Charleston Southern. In those two quarters, he ran for 68 yards and two touchdowns on 9 carries.

1. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 1)- Watson holds on to the top spot in our Heisman watch after running for 44 yards and one touchdown while also accumulating 343 yards and three scores through the air.

Week 11 Heisman Watch

After last week's major shake-up in the Heisman watch, a lot of fans were expecting more stability this week. That pretty much happened, as we have no new superstars on the list. We are now at the point of the season where it is virtually guaranteed that one of the ten men listen below will walk away with the Heisman (unless our sole watch-list player, Houston's Greg Ward Jr., catches fire). Let's get started.

10. Trevone Boykin, TCU (Last Week: 7)- Boykin never got a chance to get going on Saturday, as he suffered an ankle injury early into the game. Reports indicate that he will be able to play next week, however.

9. DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame (Last Week: 10)-  Kizer didn't have eye-popping stats against Wake Forest, but he didn't need to, as the Irish dominated the game from start to finish. Kizer finished by going 13-19 for 111 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

8. Corey Coleman, Baylor (Last Week: 5)- Coleman was pretty much shut down against Oklahoma. The star receiver had only three catches for 51 yards and no scores. He's going to need a big game against Oklahoma State next week if he wants to stay in the Heisman race.

7. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- #16 FSU defeated NC State, and Cook was a big reason why. He ran for 138 yards and two scores while also picking up 17 receiving yards. He should have a big game against Chattanooga next week.

6. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 3)- After his disappointing performance against Alabama last week, Fournette needed a big game in order to keep his Heisman dreams alive. Unfortunately for him, he only managed 91 yards and one score.

5. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 6)- Stanford lost to Oregon and got their playoff hopes dashed. Nonetheless, McCaffrey had a big game, as he had more than 200 total yards and one rushing score.

4. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: 9)- The Sooners handed Baylor its first loss of the season. Mayfield threw for 270 yards and three scores while also rushing for 76 yards and another touchdown.

3. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 4)- There has perhaps been no player more consistent this season then Elliot, who has rushed for at least a 100 yards in every game. Against Illinois, he ran for 181 yards and two scores.

2. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 2)- Honestly, you could switch around #s 1 and 2, but Henry has to be content with the #2 spot for now. He ran for 204 yards and two scores against Mississippi State.

1. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 1)- #1 Clemson beat Syracuse 37-27 to stay undefeated. Watson went 34 for 37 for 360 yards and two scores to lead Clemson to victory. He also ran for 105 yards and a score.

Thanks for reading everyone, and be sure to check back next week for an updated Heisman watch.

Week 10 Heisman Watch

In a shocking turn of events, both of the top two players in last week's Heisman watch tumble after disappointing performances on Saturday. Many players have capitalized on this tumble including our new leader. We have only one player on the watch-list: Greg Ward Jr. of Houston. We also have two players who dropped off: Josh Doctson (who suffered a wrist injury) and Paxton Lynch (who lost to Navy by 25). Let's get started.

10. DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame (Last Week: NR)- Kizer is Notre Dame's third player to make the Heisman watch this season, making it the only school (along with Ohio State) to have that many players in the top ten. (The only other teams with multiple players are Baylor and TCU). Kizer accounted for six touchdowns in ND's 42-30 win over Pitt.

9. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: NR)- Mayfield resurfaces on our top ten list after throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns. Furthermore, thanks to TCU's loss, Oklahoma is still in playoff contention.

8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 9)- The Seminoles picked up their second loss of the season, but Cook was still impressive. He ran for 194 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries against Clemson.

7. Trevone Boykin, TCU (Last Week: 2)- Unfortunately for Boykin, you can't throw four interceptions and lose by 20 points and expect to remain a Heisman front-runner. He will get a chance to redeem himself next week against Kansas.

6. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 7)- #11 Stanford rolled through Colorado, with McCaffrey running for 147 yards while also adding 35 return yards and 15 receiving yards. At this rate, McCaffrey could earn himself a ticket to New York.

5. Corey Coleman, Baylor (Last Week: 6)- Baylor stayed perfect this week by beating Bill Snyder and Kansas State. Coleman caught 11 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns. Thanks to Doctson's injury, Coleman is the only receiver in the nation with a chance at winning the Heisman.

4. Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State (Last Week: 4)- Ohio State is still undefeated and very much in the playoff conversation. Elliot rushed for 114 yards and one touchdown in OSU's 28-14 win over Minnesota.

3. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 1)- Fournette could do absolutely nothing against the Crimson Tide defense on Sunday. The star back ran for only 31 yards and one score on 19 carries, by far his worst outing of the season.

2. Derrick Henry, Alabama (Last Week: 5)- Fournette's counterpart on the other sideline meanwhile, had a fantastic game. On 38 carries, Henry ran for 210 yards and three scores to keep 'Bama's playoff dreams alive.

1. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 3)- The QB of the #1 team in the country sits atop our Heisman standings. He threw for 297 yards and one score while also rushing for 107 yards as Clemson clinched a spot in the ACC title game.

Thanks for reading everyone, and be sure to check back next week for an updated Heisman watch.