Was 2012 just a flash in the pan for Mike Trout?

Mike Trout’s 2012 season was one for the ages. The kid thrilled baseball fans everywhere with his spectacular play on the field and at the plate. He was all over Sports Center in 2012 and he even overshadowed Bryce Harper, the other young stud who plays in Washington for the Nationals. But now the questions are: Can Mike Trout continue to rise as a young baseball superstar? Can he do it again now that the pitchers have faced him and now know his weaknesses (Which aren’t many). We shall see!

We are just a few days away from Major League baseball’s opening day 2013.  Baseball fans all across America are excited about their teams and what they can do in the new season.

The Angels’ fans may be some of the most spoiled in baseball. They root for a team with an owner who is willing to spend money and put a competitive team on the field year after year. Last season they signed Albert Pujols to a multi year
deal, and this off season they go out and sign Josh Hamilton away from their AL West rival Texas Rangers.

Then for good measure, they call up the young 20 year old Mike Trout from the Minors and he goes on a tear of the American League. Seems like everything the Los Angeles Angels do turns to gold as of late.

Trout put up some huge numbers in his first full season in the Majors. He played in only 139 games and batted .326 with 182 hits, 30 homers and 83 RBI. He also scored a rookie record 129 runs and had 49 stolen bases. By the end of the 2012 season, baseball fans were comparing Mike Trout to a young Mickey Mantle.

Fast forward to 2013. Was Mike Trout’s 2012 season just a flash in the pan? Let’s find out as the new season is now upon us.

Robert Griffin III Runs For A 76-Yard Touchdown Against The Minnesota Vikings

It is hard to believe, but We are now over half way through the 2012 NFL season. Where has the time gone?! I guess the old phrase “Time flies when you’re having fun” rings true because it has been a lot of fun watching a few of this year’s rookie quarterbacks in the NFL.

Back when the 2012 NFL Draft was held earlier this year, all the talk was about Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin the third, and rightly so. Luck and RG3 have been solid as expected and both youngsters have their franchises heading in the right direction. Robert Griffin III has been spectacular as he has produced some great highlights for us NFL fans with his arm and his feet. The Washington Redskins are only 3-6 in the tough NFC East division, but with RG3 running the show in DC, it is only a matter of time before the Skins will be up there fighting with the big boys in their division. The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.

Robert Griffin III stats aren’t mind boggling but not bad for a raw rookie in his first go around against tough NFL defenses. Through 9 games played in his young career, RG3 has passed for 1,993 yards with 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The most impressive part of this kids game is his running. RG3 has 529 rushing yards and has scored 6 touchdowns running the football, including a spectacular 76 yard run a few weeks ago that was all over the ESPN highlight reels.

Andrew Luck Passes For 433 Yards To Break Rookie Single Game Passing Record

Andrew Luck has also been a young stud in his young NFL career. The #1 pick of the 2012 NFL Draft has lived up to the high expectations so far that was expected of him from the Indianapolis Colts fans as well as NFL experts everywhere. It can’t be easy but Andrew Luck is replacing a legend in Peyton Manning there in Indianapolis and he has done quite well.

Through 9 games Andrew Luck has passed for 2,631 yards with 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Luck also set the rookie single-game passing mark last week when he threw for 433 yards and lead the Colts to a 23-20 win over the Miami Dolphins. What may be even more impressive about Andrew Luck is that he has the Indianapolis Colts in the playoff hunt with a 6-3 record. Many experts believed that Luck would play well in 2012, but the same experts also believed that the Colts would struggle to get wins. That has not happened as of yet as they are playing well as a team. Just think, the Colts wouldn’t even have Andrew Luck had it not been for Peyton Manning’s neck injury. Some teams get all the “Luck”.

Now let’s head out to the West Coast and check in on another solid young quarterback. Of course I am talking about Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks. Head coach Pete Carroll and the Hawks may have gotten a steal when they selected Russell Wilson in the 2012 NFL Draft. Many teams passed on Wilson as he was drafted in the 3rd round (75th overall) by Seattle. It was kind of a surprise to Seahawks’ fans because in the off season, Seattle had signed Matt Flynn to a big contract and it looked like he would be under center for the Hawks in 2012. But all that changed in the preseason when Russell Wilson beat out Matt Flynn for the starting quarterback job.

Russell Wilson Has Lead The Seahawks To A Win Over The Patriots and A Blowout Win Over The New York Jets In The Past Few Weeks

The 2012 season did not start out so good for Wilson and Hawks fans were calling for Flynn to get under center. But in the past few weeks, Russell Wilson has played very well. He lead the Seahawks to two impressive home wins over the New England Patriots and New York Jets. The New England game was very nice as Wilson lead the Hawks back from a deficit to beat Tom Brady. In last week’s Jets game, Russell Wilson and the Hawks had a cake walk as they steam rolled Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez in an easy 28-7 win.

In the suddenly solid NFC West, Russell Wilson has lead his Seattle Seahawks team to a 6-4 record and has them in playoff contention as they chase the front running San Francisco 49ers. The Hawks are 0-3 against their division rivals in St. Louis, Arizona and San Francisco, but all those games were on the road. Now those same teams have to come to Seattle and deal with the 12th man at Century Link field. Should be a great finish!

Through the first 10 games of Russell Wilson’s young career, he has passed for 1,827 yards with 15 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Not bad for a guy who many NFL experts believed was too small to play quarterback in the NFL. Pete Carroll may have hit a home run with his pick of Wilson in the 2012 NFL Draft. Only time will tell.

Golden Tate Is Quickly Becoming A Hated Man In The NFL

Okay, I’m sure every NFL fan out there has now seen and heard all of today’s talk about the debacle in Seattle last night between the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.

With the Packers leading 12-7 in the forth quarter and time running out on the Seahawks, QB Russell Wilson threw a hail mary into the end zone for one last gasp. The ball headed toward five Packers defenders and two Seattle receivers.

The Hawks Golden Tate can clearly be seen pushing the Packers Sam Shields in the back before the ball even got there. Forget the Touchdown call, that shove should have eliminated the final play all together. But of course these replacement refs did not call it and the play continued. The next step of this final play involved the Packers M.D. Jennings. Jennings clearly got to the ball before Golden Tate and it looked like he had complete control of it when both players hit the ground.

The Replacement Ref Makes The Wrong Call In Last Night’s Seahawks-Packers Game.

Myself, just like millions of NFL fans who were watching the game, thought GAME OVER…Packers win. Not so fast! I was completely floored when the ref raised his arms and signaled the touchdown call. Unreal! I then thought, okay they will definitely overturn this bad call when they review it upstairs. To my surprise, as well as America’s surprise, the play would stand and the Seattle Seahawks end up winning the game 14-12. Complete highway robbery!

The real surprise came after the game. Golden Tate was being interviewed by ESPN and the reporter asked him about the shove he made on Sam Shields. Tate kept repeating “Don’t know what you’re talking about!”. Golden Tate knows deep down that he did not make that catch but I guess he would never admit it. Show some humility man! Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll were also classless as they were celebrating as if they won this game fair and square which they obviously didn’t.

I didn’t know too much about Golden Tate before this year, only that he came out of Notre Dame and has done nothing in the NFL. He seems like an immature jerk. The Dallas Cowboys fans already hate this punk because of the cheap shot hit that he put on Dallas linebacker Sean Lee in the Seahawks-Cowboys game last week. Watch your back Tate! You may have become a marked man.

Finally, can we please get the regular NFL refs back on the field? This has become laughable after last night’s robbery in Seattle.

There Is No Way Golden Tate Had Complete Control Of The Ball In Last Night’s Final Play Against The Green Bay Packers.