JACOB WALTERS
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Manchester City's Checklist

8/31/2020

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Manchester City wasn't their usual dominant selves, finishing with 81 points in the Premier League. However, the Sky Blues were overshadowed by Liverpool's historic run to their first Premier League title. Is this the end for the Cityzens? What does Manchester City need to do to get back to the top?
  • Get Lionel Messi?! The legendary superstar is divorcing himself from Barcelona, which has led to an wide array of speculation of his next destination. Will Messi wind up at Manchester United? Paris Saint-Germain? Manchester City? The possibilities are endless. Now, here's why the Sky Blues need Messi. Imagine a scoring group consisting of Messi, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, and Kevin de Bruyne. Can you imagine how broken those three would be? That'd be like when Barcelona had Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar all at once. It would rival Liverpool's dynamic duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. Granted, the divorce is not going to be easy considering the breakup won't be free and could head to court. There's also Messi's astronomical price tag that would come with it; Messi is said to be worth around 123 million Euros. Don't forget that we don't know where Pep Guardiola will end up, which could affect the Messi pursuit. Still, the Sky Blues should be willing to take a chance at getting Messi even if it means letting some players walk.
  • Keep Guardiola: Speaking of Barcelona, there have been rumors of the Man City coach possibly going to Barcelona. Guardiola has been responsible for Manchester City's success, making the Sky Blues more aggressive on the pitch and turning them into a force. Finding the right coach that will maintain Manchester City's identity will be key.
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South Side Strong

8/31/2020

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It's been a while since the Chicago White Sox made the playoffs. In fact, they haven't been to the postseason since 2008. Having watched the Chicago Cubs, their north-side rival, have all the success in recent memory, the White Sox were fed up and decided to do something about it. Low and behold, the White Sox lead the AL Central and are poised to make the playoffs.

The White Sox are the top batting team in all of baseball, leading the majors in batting average (.270). Led by Tim Anderson (.343 BA, .997 OPS) and Jose Abreu (.312 BA, 12 homers, 30 RBIs, .997 OPS), the White Sox are utilizing Guaranteed Rate Field as a hitter's park to their advantage. Eloy Jimenez (.303 BA, 11 homers, 26 RBIs, .958 OPS) and Luis Robert (eight homers, 19 RBIs, .902 OPS), there is no shortage on the White Sox's offensive power.

Chicago also has an excellent one-two combo to front their rotation. Lucas Giolito (who just threw a no-hitter against Pittsburgh) and Dallas Keuchel (2.70 ERA, 1.04 WHIP), Chicago has a formidable front of the rotation that should be a threat in the playoffs. The team's ERA (3.75, seventh in the majors) shows it.

The AL Central actually looks competitive this season. With the Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and even the Detroit Tigers (!), it should make for an exciting pennant race. The White Sox are hoping they'll come out on top.
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Manchester United's Checklist

8/29/2020

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The Red Devils managed to finish third in the Premier League with 66 points. However, there are underlying questions that Manchester United needs answers for. How will they address them? What must they do to return to glory?
  • Look For Young Goaltending Depth: David de Gea is heading into his prime at the age of 29. One of the best goaltenders in the game, de Gea was the 2017-2018 Golden Glove winner and has had 113 career clean sheets. However, it doesn't hurt to get additional depth, especially with Matej Kovar going to Swindon Town on a season-long loan deal. 
  • Get Jadon Sancho: Numerous pundits agree that Sancho checks all the boxes for Manchester United. The 20-year-old winger would fill a void for a position that Manchester United has had trouble with for years. If the Red Devils can pluck him from Borussia Dortmund at a reasonable price, that will be a huge win for Manchester United.
  • What To Do With Paul Pogba: Pogba earns a salary of 15 million Euros, with his current deal expiring next summer. The Red Devils have the option to extend him for another year, but they will try and work out a deal with the midfielder. Manchester United has no plans to sell Pogba, so it's imperative that they work out a new deal quickly.
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Chelsea's Checklist

8/28/2020

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After lowered expectations from a tsunami of bad news, the Blues managed to grab 66 points behind the emergence of wunderkind Christian Pulisic. What must Chelsea do to climb to the top of the Premier League once again?
  • Go For The Big Names: Having already plucked Ben Chilwell from Leicester City to fit their balanced defense, the Blues are already gunning for big names. Frank Lampard wants this team to be back at the forefront of the Premier League. Adding Thiago Silva to the mix will help matters for Chelsea. Even superfan J.J. Watt is making efforts to bring Lionel Messi to Chelsea!
  • Bring In The Youngsters: Pulisic is not the only young gun important to Chelsea's success. The Pensioners are expected to call up 11 youngsters and loan returnees to their first team. This includes Ethan Ampadu, Lewis Baker, and Conor Gallagher. It will be important for the youngsters to have an immediate impact on the team for Chelsea to make it to the top of the league this season.
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Leicester City's Checklist

8/27/2020

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Leicester City had a strong season, finishing with 62 points en route to the Europa League. What must they do to get to the Champions League and perhaps beyond?
  • Extend Jamie Vardy: The Premier League's top goal scorer (23 goals with Leicester City) was paramount to the Foxes' success last season. Vardy and Jonny Evans formed an unstoppable duo that was the focal point of Leicester City's attack last season. The Foxes extended Vardy's contract through 2023, which will help Leicester City offensively.
  • Add More Offense: Helping Jamie Vardy on the pitch will help Leicester City go a long way in competing for the top. That's why the Foxes are looking at Bryan Mbeumo to help the cause. This is especially true with Riyad Mahrez leaving the team.
  • Replace Ben Chilwell: Chilwell just completed a 50 million Euro transfer to Chelsea, which will leave a void on defense. While Chilwell will enjoy being under Frank Lampard's wing, he will be missed in Leicester City. A good replacement for Chilwell at a lower cost would be Nathaniel Clyne, who is valued around 8.80 million Euros.
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Nostalgia Game Review: Pokemon Puzzle Challenge

8/26/2020

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Welcome to another edition of Nostalgia Game Review, where I showcase old-school games and see if they're worth the time to play now. This edition will cover Pokemon Puzzle Challenge for the Game Boy Color.

Initially released on September 21, 2000, Pokemon Puzzle Challenge was developed by Intelligent Systems. It is based on the popular Japanese game, Panel de Pon, only featuring Pokemon characters based on the Gold and Silver games. The premise is simple: Beat the gym leaders and Elite Four in a Panel de Pon format. There are other modes such as time attack and a marathon mode.

I am not much of a Panel de Pon player, but I can tell you this game is fun. The harder modes can be a challenge, with your opponents dropping bricks on you. Still, the game can be fun as you have to accomplish certain feats to unlock different characters. The music also ramps up, making for an intense fight as you try and vanquish your opponent.

If you have played Tetris Attack or even Panel de Pon before, this is the game for you. Pokemon Puzzle Challenge is a nice test on the go for any puzzle connoisseur. Get yourself a Game Boy Color and pick up Pokemon Puzzle Challenge.
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Tottenham Hotspur's Checklist

8/26/2020

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Despite making the Europa League, the Spurs underachieved, finishing with 59 points in the Premier League. What must they do to get to the Champions League?
  • Get Your Young Ace Ready: It appears that Troy Parrott is ready to go for Tottenham Hotspur and Spurs fans couldn't be more excited. Parrott scored 14 goals in the 2018/2019 campaign in the under-18 Premier League and bagged three goals in five appearances in the UEFA Youth League. Spurs fans have every right to be excited as the young ace looks to score more goals than Harry Kane.
  • Get Wilfred Ndidi: What better way to get back in the UEFA Champions League mix than to go after one of your Premier League rival's best players? Eyed by numerous clubs, Wilfred Ndidi of Leicester City has been linked to a possible move to Tottenham. The Spurs should be aggressive in their pursuit of Ndidi and offer him good money.
  • Don't Just Settle For Ndidi: The midfield, both attacking and defensive, needs to be addressed. Getting Ndidi for the defensive side would be nice, but Harry Kane can't carry the club by himself. Barcelona is cleaning house and Ivan Rakitic would be a great pickup for Tottenham to bolster the attack.
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Wolverhampton's Checklist

8/24/2020

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Despite finishing seventh in the Premier League, Wolverhampton missed out on the opportunity to make the Europa League. It was still a solid year for the Wanderers, finishing with a 15-14-9 record and a goal differential of +11. What must the Wanderers do to get better and possibly make the Europa League (or even the Champions League)?
  • Find Depth Behind Raul Jimenez: The forward was the catalyst behind Wolverhampton's surprising run last season, scoring 17 goals with the Wolves. However, there are rumors that Jimenez will be pursued by Juventus to accompany Cristiano Ronaldo. If Jimenez leaves, it'd be best to find a suitable replacement. If not, it's best to have that depth behind him.
  • Replace Outgoing Talent: There are other stars that are set to leave Wolverhampton. For example, Adama Traore is rumored to be going to Arsenal along with Morgan Gibbs-White going to Swansea City. If Wolverhampton is to have the same success as last season, they must find suitable replacements, either through their younger academy stars or through transfers.
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Arsenal's Checklist

8/23/2020

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Now we get into the meaty part of the checklists. Despite an underwhelming eighth place finish in the Premier League, Arsenal somehow managed to make it into the Europa League. They managed to win the FA Cup to secure their Europa spot. What must they do to get back to prominence?
  • Extend Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: The centre-forward has been an important cog in the Gunners' system. Aubameyang has scored 44 goals in his last two seasons in the Premier League. With a market value of 61.60 million Euros, Aubameyang will be worth plenty of gold. Still, it's imperative that Arsenal locks him in. Think of the Los Angeles Angels and how important Mike Trout is to them. Trout has won a few MVP awards while keeping the Angels relevant.
  • Focus On The Midfield: While Arsenal tries to work out a contract with their top star, the Gunners should also look at bulking up in the middle of the field. Arsenal has their sights set on Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara, who was previously rumored to be linked to Liverpool. If Alcantara does go to Liverpool, Arsenal can look at Jeff Hendrick and Daler Kuzyyaev as alternatives. Arsenal has also signed Gabriel Magalhaes for 27 million Euros, so the Gunners will be even stronger if they get Thiago.
  • Boost The Offensive Midfield As Well: The defensive part of the midfield position shouldn't be the only thing that needs to be boosted. Getting an attacking midfielder will help take the pressure off Aubameyang and create more opportunities offensively. The Gunners have been linked to Phillippe Coutinho despite Coutinho's underwhelming season with Bayern Munich (eight goals in Bundesliga competition in 2019-2020).
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Who Rules The Roost In The NFC?

8/23/2020

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Hint: It's not Detroit, Carolina, or the Washington "Football Team". Still, there are plenty of teams that are vying for NFC supremacy this season. Who are these teams that are shooting for the top?

Let's start with the NFC champions themselves, the San Francisco 49ers. They might've dealt DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis, but Buckner was a significant cap hit. Besides, George Kittle wouldn't have gotten a contract extension with Buckner's contract in the way. To replace Buckner, the 49ers drafted Javon Kinlaw from South Carolina. San Francisco also acquired offensive tackle Trent WIlliams from Washington, ensuring that Jimmy Garappolo gets better protection this season.

There are other teams vying for the top of the NFC. Minnesota still has a loaded offense even with Stefon Diggs out of town. Minnesota also has a stellar defense with Anthony Barr leading the way. There's also New Orleans, who has Michael Thomas as a dangerous offensive weapon. Thomas is terrific at creating mismatches and breaking for the open field, giving Brees a formidable target. However, New Orleans must overcome all excuses and better themselves for the upcoming season. Their Super Bowl window is closing with every passing second.

Green Bay has Aaron Rodgers, who's still learning the ins and outs of Matt LaFleur's offense. The Dallas Cowboys just added numerous receivers to give Dak Prescott weapons. However, they still haven't inked Dak to a new deal yet. Is Jerry Jones pulling a Dan Snyder here and slapping Dak Prescott with franchise tags the way Snyder did with Kirk Cousins? The Eagles just added Marquise Goodwin to bolster their receivers and Darius Slay to bolster their secondary.

You also know about Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski going to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have been irrelevant for so long that they had to make a splashy move. What better way to do that than to grab the six-time Super Bowl champion? Brady should find success with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin? Plus, Bruce Arians is the master of routes and Brady should have an easier time with Arians at the helm.

However, the team that will rule the roost in the NFC this season is Seattle. You know about Russell Wilson, but you should know about Seattle's rushing attack. Wilson can run the ball on his own when he needs to, but the Seahawks have plenty of viable running backs. Chris Carson (1,230 rushing yards last season) and have a great second option in Rashaad Penny. But that's not the only reason why Seattle will win the NFC.

Adding Jamal Adams to the secondary will help Seattle immensely. The All-Pro safety had a frustrating time in New York with the Jets and should thrive in Seattle. Granted, there are a few things that need to improve for Seattle, i.e. their pass rush. The Seahawks must do a better job at getting to the quarterback. This unit underachieved greatly and that's what cost them. But if the Seahawks can get that reined in, watch for the Seahawks to possibly win it all this season.
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