Kevin Durant: The Messiah

This is Kevin Durant.  At the age of 21, he became the youngest player to ever win the NBA scoring title.  He is the 2nd fastest player to reach 10,000 points for his career (Lebron James did it faster).  He is one of 15 players, in the history of the game, to win multiple NBA scoring titles.  He is one of 5 players to win four or more scoring titles.  He was the league MVP of the 2014 season.  Five time All-Star. Five time All-NBA First Team.  Rookie of the year.  It goes on and on.  He's only 26.  If he retired today, he would be a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee without question. Sure, when it comes down to playing against Durant, he gets his respect.  However, it's obvious when he speaks, and by the way he carries himself, that KD is not your average superstar.  He holds different ideals, driven by a love for the game that may be on par with the likes of Jordan and Bryant.  So what is about Kevin Durant that separates him from the modern superstar?

Drafted with the #2 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Kevin Durant could have easily been taken #1 to the Portland Trailblazers.  To this day, I cannot figure out Portland's logic in passing on Kevin Durant, but I digress. Listed as 6 foot 9 inches tall, Kevin Durant is the same height as Pelican's Center Anthony Davis.  However, Durant's talent contains elite ball handling, all-time great shooting ability, and (as much as I hate this phrase) the "clutch-gene."  The league has never seen a player with his body type that could shoot, dribble, and run like Durant can.  Another aspect of Durant's game that I believe is overlooked is the efficiency in which he scores the basketball.  He is one of six players ever to finish a season with a shooting percentage of 50+%, a 3-PT percentage of 40+%, and a free-throw percentage of 90+%.  During that season, he averaged 28.1 PPG, the highest of any member of the 50-40-90 club since Larry Bird in 1987.  Some of the records that Durant has set are simply unbelievable, such as recording 25+ points per game for 41 straight games.  That is second all-time to just Wilt Chamberlain, who recorded 80 straight games.  However, for a shooting-focused player, I believe it is more impressive that Durant had 41 straight games whilst getting the majority of his points on jump-shots, as opposed to Chamberlain, who lived underneath the basket.

Consistency+Efficiency=A scoring machine; which is exactly what Durant is billed as.  The term un-guardable gets thrown around a lot in today's basketball discussions.  I think that there are three players in the league right now that are truly indefensible: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant.  These three players transcend there positions, negating any idea of even slowing them down.  The scariest thing is, Durant and Curry may not even be in their "prime" yet.  Both players are 26 years old, one year younger than LeBron James and Michael Jordan were when they won their first championship.

The title of this article bills Durant as "The Messiah."  By definition, a Messiah is a leader or savior of a group or cause.  I believe that Durant stands for a lot more than he is currently given credit for.  I think he is the second coming of Julius Erving, both men dominated their era's with style, on and off the court.  More importantly, both will be remembered for doing it with class.  Even further, both men had a connection with the common people that hasn't been matched in my eyes.  Durant is famous for being a frequent member of Summer Leagues across the country; Erving did the same almost 40 years ago.  Durant is the last of the Julius Erving/Tim Duncan types.  He isn't in the NBA to be famous, he doesn't play for recognition.  His MVP speech spoke volumes to his love for the sport and his love for his mother, as well.  He hasn't forgotten where he came from, as some people do when fame is given to them.  He takes his role seriously, and he owes it to the people to play his ass off every night because he knows how lucky he is to be where he is.  Durant is driven by the fact that he has been "2nd" for his whole life.  He says, "I’ve been second my whole life. I was the second best player in high school. I was the second pick in the draft. I’ve been second in the MVP voting three times. I came in second in the finals. I’m tired of being second. I’m not going to settle for that. I’m done with it."  I believe that Kevin Durant is simply too talented to leave this league without at least one NBA Championship.  Statistically, KD measures up with just about anyone in the history of the game; but he knows, as well as we do, that in order to be put at the top of the mountain, you need rings to back you up.  Do I think Durant is going to jump ship on OKC and move to the Wizards? No, I do not.  I think, whether or not he ever wins a championship, Durant has given his heart to Oklahoma City, and I don't think he could leave.  One thing is for sure though, with Westbrook and Durant at full health, the Thunder will be a difficult match-up for anyone in the Western Conference come playoff time.  This could be the year where Kevin Durant takes his place among the legends of this game.

Style and Movement: A Culture of Flash in Basketball

For as long as I can remember, basketball has been the most consistent thing in my life.  Whether it was playing in a league, pickup, or by myself, basketball has always been there.  Since my childhood, I have been obsessed with the creativity and fluidity that the game radiates.  Every trip down the court brings another opportunity to do something that no one has ever seen before.  That is what the greats are able to do; not just dominate the game, but do it with flash.  So many players are defined by one aspect of their game, whether it be a beautiful jumpshot, an unstoppable handle, or the ability to soar over the opposition and slam it down with force.  For me, great moves are artwork, making some players artists.  My favorite players are not the typical choices.  I idolize those who choose style over fundamentals.  I love players who trash-talk, players who play to the crowd. Showman.  They make basketball fun for me.  I have never understood why people do not accept streetball as "real basketball."  I ask anyone who thinks that streetball players lack actual talent to travel out to West 4th Street in New York City.  A small, caged basketball turns into a war-zone on a daily basis.  I would rather watch a day of pickup basketball at Rucker Park than most NCAA games.  There is a certain aura that surrounds an outdoor court, surrounded by people (and I mean surrounded in the sense that the crowd has become the boundary line), waiting for a chance to get on the court.

And 1 Mixtapes shaped my love for flash and introduced me to the fact that people played the game this way.  The fact that this group of players would travel from city to city and take on anyone who stepped up to challenge them was amazing to me.  Not only that, but they would also take the best players from each city and add them to the roster.  This is exactly how a player named Rafer Alston a.k.a. Skip to My Lou rose to stardom.  Alston eventually earned a scholarship to play for Fresno State, and even headlined SLAM magazine's 1997-98 NCAA Basketball Preview issue (right).  They dubbed him "The Best Point Guard in the World...You've Never Heard Of," and Alston went on to have a relatively successful NBA career.  However, many say that Alston failed to connect the streetball world with the NBA world.  While it is true that he did not embarrass the best defenders in the world like he embarrassed competition on the And 1 Mixtape Tour, he is still the only player to rise from And 1 all the way to the NBA.

I consider Julius Erving to be the greatest combination of style and skill to ever grace a basketball court.  It starts with the iconic afro that would hang behind as he flew down the court and over the top of defenders. His two most memorable plays are a windmill dunk over Michael Cooper and a swooping, double-clutch, impossible lay-up on the baseline against Magic Johnson's Lakers. What impresses me most about Dr. J is that he was arguably the most powerful player of the time, as well as being the most graceful.  In my opinion, Julius Erving was the original showman on the court.  Sure, the Globetrotters were doing it for years before him, but Julius did it at such a high level that people would travel from across the country to see him play.

The culture surrounding basketball may be more interesting to me than the game itself.  It is impossible not to see the influence that hip-hop has had on basketball.  The two worlds seem to be intertwined in the ways they have grown.  I believe that both helped each other to grow in popularity, seeing as both became very popular around the same time.  This will be the topic of part two of this three-part series: Hip-Hop and Basketball.

Tyrann Mathieu: The Exception

(Photo Credit: ESPN.com)

 The young man covering his face, in the center of the picture above, is Tyrann Mathieu.  When one looks at this picture, it is evident that Tyrann is surrounded by loved ones for a very special moment.  Even someone who does not follow the NFL can tell that Tyrann is overwhelmed by this moment.  The people standing behind Tyrann applaud, cry, smile, and dream all at once.  "Our boy made it," they must be thinking.  Pat Lawlor, Tyrann's former agent (as of July 23rd, Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson both fired Lawlor as their agent), can be seen behind Tyrann, as well.  This was the moment that Tyrann learned that the Arizona Cardinals drafted him with the 69th overall selection (3rd Round/7th pick) of the 2013 NFL Draft.  It is an amazing moment for any athlete; most athletes describe it as the best moment of their life.  However, for Tyrann Mathieu, this was almost certainly a moment that could have never taken place.  

(Photo Credit: highschoolsports.nola.com)

After graduating from St. Augustine High School, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Tyrann enrolled at LSU; the dream school for any football player from Louisiana.  As a true Freshman, Tyrann Mathieu played in every game for the Tigers.  He recorded impressive numbers for a player of any age. The fact that Tyrann was 18 years old, and undersized, made his statistics all the more impressive.  It was evident, from the beginning of his college career, that Tyrann Mathieu was fearless.  In 13 games, Tyrann posted 57 tackles (4.3 per game); this was more than Darrelle Revis posted in any of his seasons at Pittsburgh.  Tyrann, also, collected the award for Most Valuable Player in the Cotton Bowl in 2011.  Facing Texas A&M, and future Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, Tyrann had 2 forced fumbles (the first on a sack-fumble of Tannehill and the second on a bone-crushing hit), with the second being returned for a touchdown.  He also had a diving interception and seven tackles.  Thus, the legend of the "Honey Badger" was born.

(Photo Credit: Derick Hingle)

Tyrann's sophomore season at LSU will go down in NCAAF history as one of the best seasons, for a cornerback, in recent memory.  He had 76 tackles (5.8 per game), along with two interceptions, six forced-fumbles, and four fumble recoveries (two for touchdowns).  Another area, where Tyrann shined, was special teams.  On 27 punt returns, Tyrann racked up 421 yard (15.6 per return) and scored two touchdowns.  His electrifying hits, reckless play-style, ridiculous punt returns, and fearlessness in moments of huge magnitude, earned him notoriety around the country as the most dangerous defensive player in the NCAA.  He was a Heisman Trophy finalist, which is extremely rare for a defensive player.  Tyrann was awarded the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the Best Defensive Player in the NCAA, and was also a consensus All-American selection.  It appeared that Tyrann Mathieu was destined for greatness.  Then, the unthinkable happened.

(Photo Credit: nflmocks.com)

August 10, 2012: LSU Head Coach, Les Miles, announces that Tyrann Mathieu was dismissed from the LSU Football program.  It has never been confirmed by Miles, but reports read that Tyrann failed multiple drug tests before his dismissal.  Exactly one week after his dismissal, August 17, 2012, Tyrann Mathieu checked into the Right Step recovery center in Houston, Texas.  Those close to Tyrann expected his stay at Right Step to last for the entire LSU football season, or longer.  However, Tyrann ended his withdrawal from the university and enrolled in fall classes on September 4, 2012.  His stay lasted less than three weeks.  

October 25, 2012: Tyrann Mathieu, age 20, is arrested on charges of marijuana possession.

(Photo Credit: gamedayr.com)

Just 77 days after his dismissal from the team, Mathieu was arrested.  He fell from the limelight, and he fell hard.  He was the poster-child of college football; on October 25, 2012, he became the laughing stock.  It seemed as though everyone had lost faith in Tyrann Mathieu.  However, there is just this thing about Honey Badgers, they just don't give a s***.  Maybe that brought Tyrann Mathieu down at first; he was going to do what he wanted, regardless of the consequences.  It can be argued that this fearlessness, the same fearlessness he displayed on the football field, is also what picked him up.

November 29, 2012: Tyrann Mathieu declares for the NFL Draft.  Speculation begins.  Bleacher Report, a respected website in the sports community, posts an article calling this decision, "(Tyrann's) worst decision yet."  No one would be surprised if he was not drafted, and that was essentially the expectation at the time of his decision to declare for the draft.  He would not be playing football anywhere before the draft; so, whoever would pick Tyrann Mathieu would have to rely on, both, the NFL Combine (and other workouts) and his play for two seasons at LSU.  

Soon, it was time for the NFL Combine.  All eyes were on Tyrann, as he needed to be extremely impressive to gain the trust of the scouts, GM's, and coaches in attendance.  Tyrann, however, had a very average NFL Combine.  He ran a 40 yard dash in a time of 4.51 seconds, which is an average to slightly above average time.  This alone was certainly not enough to separate him from the pack.  He performed well in drills, however.  He got out of his cuts quickly, he caught the ball well (like usual), and he showed good instincts, as well.  During the NFL Combine, there are also a series of interviews between the players, and the teams that would be interested in drafting them.  This would be a huge part of the process for Tyrann, as all teams would like to get a chance to see if Tyrann really was a changed man.

(Photo Credit: ESPN.com)

The young man covering his face, in the center of the picture above, is Tyrann Mathieu.  When one looks at this picture, it is evident that Tyrann is surrounded by loved ones for a very special moment.  Even someone who does not follow the NFL can tell that Tyrann is overwhelmed by this moment.  The people standing behind Tyrann applaud, cry, smile, and dream all at once.  "Our boy made it," they must be thinking.  Pat Lawlor, Tyrann's former agent (as of July 23rd, Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson both fired Lawlor as their agent), can be seen behind Tyrann, as well.  This was the moment that Tyrann learned that the Arizona Cardinals drafted him with the 69th overall selection (3rd Round/7th pick) of the 2013 NFL Draft.  It is an amazing moment for any athlete; most athletes describe it as the best moment of their life.  However, for Tyrann Mathieu, this was almost certainly a moment that could have never taken place.  

This moment has a different meaning when one knows everything that Tyrann went through to get here.  People will say, "He did it to himself," or, "It's his own fault that he had these problems."  Maybe that is true.  However, we all remember, everyone gave up on Tyrann, except Tyrann and his family.  That is why he is The Exception.  Most athletes, who get involved with drugs, crime, or alcohol abuse, will never find their way out.  Tyrann Mathieu did. 

(Photo Credit: ESPN.com)

After Tyrann Mathieu got his life in order, all that was left was to play football.  This photo was taken in Week 1 of the NFL season.  Tyrann Mathieu robs the St. Louis Rams of a touchdown, by making a chase-down, miracle, strip of Tight End Jared Cook.  Vintage Tyrann.

(Photo Credit: NFL.com)

On December 8, 2013, Tyrann Mathieu's season ended, when he tore multiple ligaments in his knee during a victory over the St. Louis Rams.  A tragic finish to his season, and maybe it was karma, but if anyone can bounce back from an injury like this, it is Tyrann Mathieu.  It is ironic, though.  His rookie season began by taking away from the Rams, and ended with the Rams taking from him.  

Mathieu is using his time off to do great things in the NFL community.  Along with speaking to high school students regularly, Tyrann also spoke at this year's Rookie Symposium, which is essentially Orientation for the NFL.  Based heavily on making off-field choices, Tyrann jumped at the opportunity to help others who may have been in a similar situation to him.  

Tyrann is currently spending time with his family and, while he can not participate, attending Arizona's training camp.  He is aiming for a Week 4 return to practice, which is the team's bye week.  He hopes to be in the starting line-up for Week 5 against the Denver Broncos.

-Patrick Murtha

The Return of the King

Maybe you hate Lebron James.  You hate that he flops, you hate that he argues with the ref, you hate that he is the only topic on SportsCenter most days.  But let's be honest with ourselves, everyone hated Kobe Bryant a few years back too.  Now, after he is most likely past his time of title contention, scoring titles, and game-winners, he is almost a fan favorite around the league.  The point is that we don't appreciate what we have until it's almost gone.  As fans we are now searching for weaknesses in our stars in order to keep them from surpassing our favorite players from the past.  They say, "Lebron can't shoot," so Lebron becomes a 40+% 3 point shooter.  They say, "Lebron isn't clutch," even though he destroyed the loaded Pistons defense and Celtics star-studded roster, he still improved in the 4th quarter scoring over the past 3 seasons.  They said, "Lebron will never win a championship," so he wins two in four years.  It's to the point where if a player doesn't win a championship, they were a waste of time.  I would take Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, or Patrick Ewing in my starting lineup, and I hope everyone else would too.  Gale Sayers never won a playoff game, Jerry West was 1-7 in NBA Finals series, we have forgotten how difficult it is to win a championship, in any sport.  Look past the title-talk, Lebron James has averaged a near triple-double for his career, at 25+ points per game.  He has transcended the basketball-court, he is the most powerful black male in our culture outside of Barack Obama, his shoes sell into the millions, and he is a continuing leader in the world of charity work in many different areas.  Stop comparing Lebron James to Michael Jordan, stop comparing him to anybody. He is unique in that he doesn't model his game after a former player, he takes bits and pieces of each and combines it with the most physically dominant athleticism that we have seen since Bo Jackson.  Never has an athlete been more scrutinized, more closely watched, than Lebron; yet, he has never been in any type of trouble off of the court.  Lebron James' biggest flaw, is that he was born when he was.  20 years ago, James wouldn't have to prove to everyone that he is a good person since social media paints him as such a bad person.  He was the prodigy who was supposed to be the next big thing, and he has surpassed expectations. How many players have done that in the history of sports?  Not many.  I can't tell you how to feel about Lebron, but a lot of the hate is unwarranted.  He's undoubtedly the best player in the world, anyone who says otherwise doesn't watch him.  He married his highschool girlfriend, he never knew his father, he moved from home to home as a child, most of the time without his mother being there because she worked day and night, he's a family man with another child on the way, he trains with Kevin Durant (his rival) so he can bring his game to another level as well.  See him for what he is, then decide if you still want to hate him.

Why "Streetball" is Historically Underrated

I'm assuming we all know who Allen Iverson is.  However, I suggest that Allen Iverson would not have been the NBA superstar that he was if streetball never existed.  You see, the crossover's origin has been argued for decades.  Oscar Robertson said that the first person he saw perform the crossover dribble was Pee Wee Kirkland, who averaged 41 points per game in high school, was drafted by the Chicago Bulls, turned down a professional career to sell drugs, and once scored 465 points over 8 games (58.1 ppg) in a prison league.  Players with real talent have graced the outdoor courts.  Some of the greatest ball-handlers ever reached that level from playing outdoors, where the wind wouldn't let you shoot, and the defense would force you to drive to the rim.  Players such as God Shammgod, Kenny Anderson, Rafer Alston, and Jason Williams (look up each highlight real in your free time) all got their first taste of basketball on an outdoor court.  The game was revolutionized by players who saw creative ways to dribble, pass, and score.
NBA greats have all taken time in their off-season to play in some sort of streetball league.  Julius Erving, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Connie Hawkins, and most recently Kevin Durant have all played in leagues at Rucker Park.  Not just the greats have taken to the concrete courts.  Just use the last NBA lockout as an example.  Iman Shumpert was a mostly unknown player coming out of Georgia Tech.  However, when a video was posted on YouTube of Iman performing highlight reel dunks, his popularity took off in New York.  We will ignore the fact that Iman had a relatively horrible season this year because it is beside the point.  The common basketball fan ignores streetball because it "isn't real basketball" and "there is no defense."  I ask these people to try and understand this comparison.  Hip-Hop is directly related to the growth of basketball as a sport; as both have been almost interwoven with trends.  In rap music, one of the most popular forms of expression is to freestyle rap, no pre-written rhymes, no game-plan.  Streetball is the freestyle rap of basketball.  It requires you to be completely unique to everyone else to succeed.  Sure, players are embarrassed and beaten in every game; but when one player does something that has never been seen before, even the opposing team gives him respect.  It's truly not about winning and losing, it is strictly expression and creativity personified in a sport unlike anything else.  In the end, you don't
have to like streetball, but as a basketball fan it has to be respected for the way it advanced the game, and revolutionized the way we dribble and pass the basketball.

Melo Drama

It seems as if every time Carmelo Anthony's name is mentioned in today's media, it is in the context of where he will be playing next season.  Melo has the option to either opt-in to his final year of his contract with the Knicks and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, or he can opt-out of his final year and become a free agent this summer.  Speculation is leaning towards him testing free agency this summer, so in this post I wanted to cover his potential options and decide which would make the most sense for Melo at this point in his career.

New York

His first choice would be to remain with the Knicks and see if he can, in fact, make them contenders again like they were two seasons ago.  With a new coach, Derek Fisher, and Phil Jackson running the show, Melo may be drawn to "championship pedigree" of the two men leading the team.  However, Fisher is a rookie head coach, and Carmelo will have to decide if it is worth the risk of not having as much talent this year in order to have a chance to learn from such a basketball mind like Jackson's.  Everyone knows that the Knicks will not have much of a chance to make a deep run next season; however, rumors that Mr. James from South Beach may be drawn to New York if he opts out of his deal are beginning to swirl around.  Melo will again have to decide if he is willing to take such a risk for such a high reward if it pays off.  Not to mention, he can make more money if he signs with the Knicks than anywhere else, thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement.

Chicago

What I believe to be the best choice for Anthony would be to move to the Windy City and the Chicago Bulls.  Everything about this move makes sense for everyone involved.  Carmelo is not an elite defender by any means, but he is underrated in my opinion.  When he decided he wanted to play solid defense, his strength and size allowed him to do so pretty damn well.  There were games when both Melo and J.R. Smith would put the effort in on defense, and the traps that they were pulling were scary good.  For Melo, it is a question of motivation; and if Tom Thibodeau can't motivate you to play defense, then Joakim Noah certainly will.  I believe that Melo fits best in Chicago, not only because it would take pressure off of Rose to score at the end of games, but also that Melo is the best rebounding small forward in the league (averaging over 9 per game).  The best defensive teams finish possessions; and with the best center in the league, along with Taj Gibson--who is a freak athlete for his size, and adding Melo to that mix makes it very hard to match up with the Bulls size-wise.  People say he will be drawn to L.A. because of the "history" involved; but Chicago is no slouch when it comes to historic figures in basketball.  Lets be honest, Brian Scalabrine never played for the Lakers, but he was a Bull.  I believe Melo is the final piece to the puzzle for the Chicago Bulls because while they are the best defensive team, they sometimes just can't score with the best of the eastern conference; but with the addition of one of the two best scoring forwards in the league, they will be pushed over the top.

Miami

You'd better not Melo.  I will not forgive you.  Where will you play? Power forward? With Bosh at Center?  Good luck defending anybody with a 7 footer.  Yeah, you guys will score a lot, but Wade is on his way out.  And Lebron dominates the ball at all times.  In Chicago or New York, the offense is run through you on the wing or in the post, where you are at your best.  This decision doesn't make sense unless the goal is to make the most unfair team for NBA 2k15.

Other Options

Dallas-Not a fan of this option.  Dirk is a Hall of Famer, and Monta is good in stretches; but is this really a huge upgrade from New York?

Lakers-Play with Kobe for two seasons.  Could be a great choice, or a horrible choice as well if it doesn't work out.

Orlando-This is a team that no one is talking about.  With the 4th pick in the upcoming draft, the Magic will pick up another elite young player to go along with Oladipo, Tobias Harris (who I think is goign to be a star in a few years), Mo Harkless from St. Johns, and Vucevic in the middle.  With a good point guard and an elite scorer (Melo), I believe that the Magic will be contenders for years to come.

World Cup Day 1

In case you have been living under a rock for the past few months, the FIFA World Cup began today with a match between the host country, Brazil, and the quiet, but formidable, opponent, Croatia.  A star-studded roster on one side with Brazil, with guys like Neymar, Hulk, Oscar, David Luiz, and Thiago Silva.  On the other side, only one really well known player in Luka Modrić of Real Madrid.  Going in to the match, Brazil was the heavy favorite; they were expected to win by multiple scores.

However, in the early stages it was Croatia putting pressure on the all-world back line of Brazil.  After multiple plays down the left side, a ball played into the middle was deflected into the net by Marcelo of Brazil for an own-goal.  Given 50 or 6000 guesses I would not have gotten to that as the first goal of the match.  However, after grabbing the lead early on, the tide began to turn in favor of the Brazilians.  The attack picked up some pace and, after a scramble at mid-field, Neymar had a free run to about 24 yards out.  A low, slow-roller came off the foot of the Brazilian and barely beat the keeper to level the score.  

After that score, it was mostly Brazil's game.  The referee was allowing Marcelo to dive all over the pitch and get calls, and even awarded a penalty kick after striker Fred flopped like Shane Battier trying to get a charge call.  Neymar finished the PK even though the keeper got both hands on the ball.  With the score now at 2-1, the Brazilians began to move with more confidence.  The beautiful skill and style of the likes of Oscar and Brazilian substitute Bernard began to show through.  Finally, on a beautiful run by Oscar, a ball to the near post, and jubilation in the home country, Brazil lead 3-1.

That is how it would finish, and with controversy surrounding some of the calls in this game, including Floppy Fred and a disallowed goal by the Croatians after a questionable foul on Julio Cesar, some die-hard fans of the game were left questioning the validity of this victory.  However, none of that matters now, because the Brazilians are on to face Mexico on the 17th; and the question remains-who will stop this young, electric, and talented squad?