NFL Playoff Predictions

Brian Hauch

Staff Writer

 The NFL regular season is two thirds of the way over, which means it's that time where true super bowl contenders start to emerge and mediocre teams start to sink. With just a handful of games left on each team’s schedule it’s now or never for many decent teams to take the step towards the postseason, or fall out of the playoff picture all together. Below are my predictions for which teams will be in the hunt for the Lombardi trophy come late December.

NFC North Champion: Green Bay Packers

Why they will win: The Packers offense has been nothing short of incredible. They have the best quarterback in the NFL (Aaron Rodgers) and arguably two top 10 wide receivers in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. They can also run the ball at ease with an upgraded o-line and backs like John Kuhn and Eddie Lacy. Barring Injury, The Pack could easily return the Lombardi Trophy to Green Bay.

NFC East Champion: Philadelphia Eagles:

Why they will win: You know your offensive system works when you can plug in your backup quarterback and he throws for 322 yards and 2 tds, and that’s exactly what Chip Kelly’s low risk high reward offense is. That, along with a much improved defense and outstanding special teams play should put the Eagles right into the postseason.

NFC West Champion: Arizona Cardinals

Why they will win: So what Carson Palmer is done for the season, they got Drew Stanton! Many forget the backup qb won 2 tough games for the Cardinals this year, one in New York and one at home against division rival San Francisco. Palmer’s loss in not nearly as big as many people make it to be. A stout defense along with a big play offense should carry the 8-1 Cards to the playoffs.

NFC South Champion: New Orleans Saints

Why they will win: This division is flat out terrible. The Bucs are terrible, The Falcons suck, and The Panthers offense can’t do anything right now. The Saints are a 4-5 team with a mediocre defense that just lost Keenan Lewis, but they have guys like Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham, and Marc Ingram on the other side of the ball so they win this division by default.

NFC Wildcards: Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys

Why they will win: I know what you're all thinking “Where are the Seahawks?”. Well they are not the dominant force they were last year and these two teams are simply better. The Lions have an insanely good defensive line along with a high powered passing attack with Megatron and Golden Tate. The Cowboys on the other hand have an insanely good offensive line along with one of the best backs in the league, Demarco Murray. Their defensive is iffy but they should win at least 10 games.  

AFC North Champion: Cleveland Browns

Why they will win: The Browns have a solid defense along with a strong running game and the reinstatement of Josh Gordon will provide huge support to one of the worst passing attacks in the league. I really like how Cleveland is playing and they have a serious shot of making the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

AFC East Champion: New England Patriots

Why they will win: Tom Brady’s offense is on a tear as of late. The ability to run the ball for 5 yards a pop coupled with the pinpoint accuracy on passes from Brady is a dangerous combination. That along with one of the best secondaries in the league allows the Pats to win this division easily.

AFC West Champion: Denver Broncos

Why they will win: Peyton Manning doesn't miss the playoffs. The Broncos offense is too good to miss the postseason.

AFC South Champion: Indianapolis Colts

Why they will win: The Colts are a very good team in an extremely weak division. Andrew Luck should have no problem navigating his team into the playoffs.

AFC Wildcards: Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs:

Why they will win:The Dolphins have had a very good season so far. The play of Ryan Tannehill has been outstanding and he has the offense playing extremely well. The defense is not half bad either, being the 6th best run defense in the AFC. The Chiefs are almost an exact replica of the Dolphins except with an upgrade at running back. A solid defense combined with the big play ability of Jamaal Charles should lead this team to the postseason.

NFL Power Rankings 2014

Ryan Shadle

Staff Writer

2014 NFL Power Rankings: Week 13

#32 Oakland Raiders- They will not go without a win this season but just got blown out and embarrassed by the Rams.

#31- Jacksonville Jaguars- This team has grit after coming back from 21-3 and winning the game. This team still has a long way to go relevance at the end of the season.

#30 Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Mike Evans looks like a steal at #7 in the draft but QB issues between Josh Mccown and Mike Glennon make this not as sweet. They are supposed to get Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston in the draft.

#29 Washington Redskins- This team has to figure out their QB situation as former #2 overall pick Robert Griffin III has not played well at all as Colt McCoy has taken over the starting QB spot. Colt McCoy is a free agent after this season they have must decide if they want to give up on RGIII.

#28 New York Jets- This team is gonna be a spoiler in a close division. Bad draft picks have led to this team being 2-8. This teams defense looked well against the Dolphins and almost won them the game. Difficulty passing the ball has lead to this teams record.

#27 Tennessee Titans- This team needs to draft a star playmaker or QB in the upcoming draft. This team has a lot of needs and needs to decide which ones they can put off.

#26 New York Giants- Eli Manning has gone from 2 Super Bowls in 3 years to the offense having a turnover in 26 straight games. It looks right now that they may need to cut their ties to Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin soon.

#25 Carolina Panthers- Nobody thought Kelvin Benjamin would be this good with the 28th pick. Their offensive line is filled of 5 undrafted guys that are doing a bad job. Look for this team to be reworking their offensive line the first 3 rounds.

#24 Minnesota Vikings- This team needs AP back. They will be focusing on WR’s, offensive line, and defense in this draft

#23 Chicago Bears- Signs a huge contract no one except the Bears thinks Jay Cutler deserves and then he plays like crap. Their defense is not that good and they have very inconsistent play from their QB.

#22 St Louis Rams- The Rams are hoping Tre Mason continues to produce and the project of turning Kenny Britt into the star receiver he used to be with the Titans succeeds.

#21 Atlanta Falcons- Not sure how a 5-7 is leading a division but the Falcons are. A lot of teams need offensive line in this upcoming draft and the falcons will be one of them. TE’s, offensive line, and linebackers will be critical pieces for this team to target.

#20 New Orleans Saints- The Saints are 3-5 since last season when Jimmy Graham has three or less catches compared to 13-6 when he has 4 of more.

#19 Buffalo Bills- They will probably need 3 wins out of four games against raiders, bronco, packers, and patriots.

#18 Houston Texans- Ryan Fitzpatrick abused the Titans. Fitzpatrick isn't the answer for the future though.

#17 Cleveland Browns- Looked like a surprise contender to make the playoffs but now looks like they don’t have enough talent at the moment.

#16 San Diego Chargers- Comeback win against the ravens. Firmly in the playoff race but has a tough game this week against the Patriots/

#15 Miami Dolphins- Almost lost to the jets but all that matters is they won. I don’t believe in this team because they almost lost to a 2-10 team.

#14 Baltimore Ravens- Joe Flacco has to prove that huge contract he got a couple years ago was worth it in this close division.

#13 Cincinnati Bengals-This team has talent on both sides of the ball but just needs consistency.

#12 Pittsburgh Steelers- Leveon Bell is just outright a stud RB. This guy may prove his worth if the Steelers get in the playoffs.

#11 Seattle Seahawks- The seahawks have a total of teams with the second highest winning percentage to finish the season.

#10 San Francisco 49ers- Colin Kaepernick had to get over the hump off division rival Seahawks if they want to get into the playoffs.

#9 Indianapolis Colts- Passing game very strong and running game very weak. Need to establish a constant solid running game.

#8 Detroit Lions- Megatron is heating up at a good time as he has two touchdowns and over 100 yards against division rival Bears last week.

#7 Dallas Cowboys- If they win or tie one game they will have a winning record for the first time since 2009.

#6 Arizona Cardinals- Toughest schedule in my opinion to finish off the season.

#5 Kansas City Chiefs- Have lost 8 out of 9 last divisional games at home. Need to win more.

#4 Denver Broncos- No real divisional challenge to get into the playoffs yet to the Broncos.

#3 Philadelphia Eagles- Lesean McCoy broke out against the cowboys for the first time this season. 244 yards on 40 runs.

#2 New England Patriots- They hold the tiebreaker over the broncos and winning the last couple of games will put them in foxborough for most of their run in the playoffs.

#1 Green Bay Packers- Beating the Patriots last week is what has vaulted the packers to the #1 spot.

76ers Expected to Struggle

Matt Steele

Staff Writer

 Although it feels like an eternity, the Philadelphia 76ers are only in year two of their total rebuild. Season one was the infamous gutting of the team, leaving the roster with more hateful and accusatory basketball fans than actual NBA-level talent. Their season was defined by 10-day contracts and losing. The question is: Will this season be any different? Ready for the scary answer? They may actually be worse this year than last.

  Through General Manager Sam Hinkie is a evil genius, he has completely stripped the roster of anything resembling a go-to scorer, leaving the team absolutely inept on the offensive end. The Sixers now have between three and seven guys who look like legitimate NBA players, depending on who you ask. While this is less than the beginning of last season, as Spencer Hawes, Evan Turner, Lavoy Allen, and fan favorite Thaddeus Young are gone, they have been replaced by a group of young, athletic, defensive minded players who have high upside. However, most of them haven’t yet earned a spot in the Association, but it looks like there is a definite path. But a light at the end of the tunnel doesn’t translate to wins right now. This has been evident. At the time of writing this, the Sixers are a paltry 1-17, and their upcoming schedule doesn’t seem too likely to lend them a win.

  This leaves many people asking what possible reason there is to watch the league’s worst team during a historically bad season. The easy answer is, there isn’t a valid reason to. However, looking deeper into the makeup of the team, there is a chance for a truly entertaining basketball team, albeit one who seems to have a phobia of wins. If fans can look past the final box score, they will see an athletic team that has a penchant for crazy dunks, highlight worthy plays, and jaw dropping blocks.

  It may be emotionally draining, but being a fan of the Sixers will pay its dues in a few years. The future outlook of this team is extremely bright, but make no mistake, they will be bad this year. Very bad. Much like the Dark Ages transitioning into the Renaissance, the future holds success, but the present is bleak.

Eagles Still one of NFL's Best

Ben Keenan

Staff Writer

  The 2014 season for the Philadelphia Eagles has had a lot of ups and downs this season. Yet they find themselves 7-3 and in first place in the NFC East. This Eagles team has been the definition of bends but doesn't break. After becoming the first team in NFL History to start of the season 3-0 after trailing by at least ten points in each game  the Eagles picked up their first loss of the season in a heartbreaker to the San Francisco 49ers (24-21) in which the Eagles scored no offensive touchdowns.

  One of the biggest headlines for the Eagles this season has been the Injuries. Several star players have been injured and missed an extended period of time most notably starting quarterback Nick Foles, linebacker Demeco Ryans, and offensive lineman Todd Herremans. The Eagles are in a tight race for the playoffs in the NFC and their own division as well. The Dallas Cowboys are also 7-3. The Eagles have a rough stretch coming up with two of the Eagles next four games come against the Cowboys. Including a Thanksgiving day game and against the 2013 Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

  Unlike the 2013 season under Chip Kelly the Eagles have struggling on offense at times this season. Most notably from the running game lead by Lesean Mccoy. Mccoy has struggled behind an offensive line that has had as many as four backups in at times. Despite these struggles Lesean Mccoy is still in the top ten in rushing yards. Also having struggles after a record breaking year was quarterback Nick Foles before his injury that could end his year. Backup Mark Sanchez has also had his ups and downs in the offense with 6 touchdowns and 6 turnovers in three appearances. The Eagles still have still found themselves to be one of the best teams in the NFL.

Lebron James Returns to Cleveland Cavaliers

Tommy Lupo

Staff Writer

 Over the NBA offseason there were a lot of changes, but the biggest of all was Lebron James’s return to Cleveland.

  Lebron’s first seven years in the NBA were spent with the Cleveland Cavaliers. When his contract was up he decided to go play with the Miami Heat along side all-stars Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.

  While In Miami, Lebron won his first ring, and made it the NBA finals 4 times in a row. After his 4-year contract was up, Lebron made the decision to head back to his hometown.

  It was an offseason full of surprises when The Cavaliers traded away the number one overall pick in the draft, Andrew Wiggins, and a few other average players for the double-double king Kevin Love.

  With a team that had Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and Lebron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers were bound to have a successful season.

  The first game of the year came against Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks. The anticipation of Lebron’s arrival back in Cleveland grew so much attention towards Lebron that he did not perform like his normal self. Lebron finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. So far throughout the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are 5-4. This was not the start they were looking for, and they look to turn it around as the season goes on.

  With Lebron’s new transition. there will be even more spectators therefore even more criticism. Although according to Lebron, wins are the only things that matter, and stats come with it.

  Lebron’s return to Cleveland was an unexpected one, but he is looking to make the most of it, and continue his record breaking career.

2014 NFL Power Rankings: Week 13

Ryan Shadle

Staff Writer

#32 Oakland Raiders- They will not go without a win this season but just got blown out and embarrassed by the Rams.

#31- Jacksonville Jaguars- This team has grit after coming back from 21-3 and winning the game. This team still has a long way to go relevance at the end of the season.

#30 Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Mike Evans looks like a steal at #7 in the draft but QB issues between Josh Mccown and Mike Glennon make this not as sweet. They are supposed to get Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston in the draft.

#29 Washington Redskins- This team has to figure out their QB situation as former #2 overall pick Robert Griffin III has not played well at all as Colt McCoy has taken over the starting QB spot. Colt McCoy is a free agent after this season they have must decide if they want to give up on RGIII.

#28 New York Jets- This team is gonna be a spoiler in a close division. Bad draft picks have led to this team being 2-8. This teams defense looked well against the Dolphins and almost won them the game. Difficulty passing the ball has lead to this teams record.

#27 Tennessee Titans- This team needs to draft a star playmaker or QB in the upcoming draft. This team has a lot of needs and needs to decide which ones they can put off.

#26 New York Giants- Eli Manning has gone from 2 Super Bowls in 3 years to the offense having a turnover in 26 straight games. It looks right now that they may need to cut their ties to Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin soon.

#25 Carolina Panthers- Nobody thought Kelvin Benjamin would be this good with the 28th pick. Their offensive line is filled of 5 undrafted guys that are doing a bad job. Look for this team to be reworking their offensive line the first 3 rounds.

#24 Minnesota Vikings- This team needs AP back. They will be focusing on WR’s, offensive line, and defense in this draft

#23 Chicago Bears- Signs a huge contract no one except the Bears thinks Jay Cutler deserves and then he plays like crap. Their defense is not that good and they have very inconsistent play from their QB.

#22 St Louis Rams- The Rams are hoping Tre Mason continues to produce and the project of turning Kenny Britt into the star receiver he used to be with the Titans succeeds.

#21 Atlanta Falcons- Not sure how a 5-7 is leading a division but the Falcons are. A lot of teams need offensive line in this upcoming draft and the falcons will be one of them. TE’s, offensive line, and linebackers will be critical pieces for this team to target.

#20 New Orleans Saints- The Saints are 3-5 since last season when Jimmy Graham has three or less catches compared to 13-6 when he has 4 of more.

#19 Buffalo Bills- They will probably need 3 wins out of four games against raiders, bronco, packers, and patriots.

#18 Houston Texans- Ryan Fitzpatrick abused the Titans. Fitzpatrick isn't the answer for the future though.

#17 Cleveland Browns- Looked like a surprise contender to make the playoffs but now looks like they don’t have enough talent at the moment.

#16 San Diego Chargers- Comeback win against the ravens. Firmly in the playoff race but has a tough game this week against the Patriots/

#15 Miami Dolphins- Almost lost to the jets but all that matters is they won. I don’t believe in this team because they almost lost to a 2-10 team.

#14 Baltimore Ravens- Joe Flacco has to prove that huge contract he got a couple years ago was worth it in this close division.

#13 Cincinnati Bengals-This team has talent on both sides of the ball but just needs consistency.

#12 Pittsburgh Steelers- Leveon Bell is just outright a stud RB. This guy may prove his worth if the Steelers get in the playoffs.

#11 Seattle Seahawks- The seahawks have a total of teams with the second highest winning percentage to finish the season.

#10 San Francisco 49ers- Colin Kaepernick had to get over the hump off division rival Seahawks if they want to get into the playoffs.

#9 Indianapolis Colts- Passing game very strong and running game very weak. Need to establish a constant solid running game.

#8 Detroit Lions- Megatron is heating up at a good time as he has two touchdowns and over 100 yards against division rival Bears last week.

#7 Dallas Cowboys- If they win or tie one game they will have a winning record for the first time since 2009.

#6 Arizona Cardinals- Toughest schedule in my opinion to finish off the season.

#5 Kansas City Chiefs- Have lost 8 out of 9 last divisional games at home. Need to win more.

#4 Denver Broncos- No real divisional challenge to get into the playoffs yet to the Broncos.

#3 Philadelphia Eagles- Lesean McCoy broke out against the cowboys for the first time this season. 244 yards on 40 runs.

#2 New England Patriots- They hold the tiebreaker over the broncos and winning the last couple of games will put them in foxborough for most of their run in the playoffs.

#1 Green Bay Packers- Beating the Patriots last week is what has vaulted the packers to the #1 spot.

NHS Winter Sports Begin

Gabby Lehotay & Toni Suler

Staff Writers

  With the heat heading south, students at New Hope are taking sports inside. Winter sports start this week, and everyone is excited!

  For both boys and girls, basketball is starting. New captains Spencer Tinkle, Anthony Vlahovic, Andrew Bove, and Patrick Gimpel are leading the team this year, and plan to take the team further than ever before. For the girls, Karli Burns, Annie Behre, and Lexi Morse are taking over the team this year. Both teams are aiming to get further than they did last year, and hopes are high for these talented teams.

  Moving off the football field and into competitions, competitive cheer is starting up. The team may be small but it’s fiercely competitive and the girls are playing on having a successful season.

  Wrestling is also starting up with the new season. This team of star athletes has dominated in all years past, and plan on continuing this tradition this year.

  Winter track is the last sport to start this season. The team, always successful, is planning on keeping up their reputation with this coming season.

  The cold may be coming, but these teams are ready. Each and every athlete is working hard and showing amazing results. With all eyes on them, the New Hope Solebury High School winter sports teams are going for the win this year.

Winter Sports Season Kicks Off

Katie Hunt and Parker Miele

Staff Writers

The start of winter sports is an exciting time for everyone. From boys’ and girls’ basketball to wrestling, winter cheer, and winter track, there’s plenty of excitement this winter season. All of these sports have team members that are dedicated to the sport and are excited for the season to start with high hopes.

 The practices for the Girls’ Basketball season opened this Nov. 17. With two seniors, six juniors, two sophomores, and four freshman, the New Hope team is looking good for the long season ahead. Toni Suler, a junior on this years Girl’s Varsity basketball team, was asked what she missed most about basketball in the off season. “Just playing and the home games. They were the best.” Toni says that this year, the team’s goal is to win districts. If you want to come cheer on Toni and the rest of the team, their games started  December 9, 2014 at New Hope and will continue through Feb. 5 at New Hope.

 With practice’s for the upcoming season already in high gear, starting up again on Nov.13 Winter Cheer is getting everybody pumped for the start of the new cheerleading season. Lexi Basford, a freshman on this year’s Winter Cheer team, says: “I’m excited for competition to start and to finally hold our own B.A.L. Cheerleading Competition at our own high school.” The BAL Competitive Spirit Championship is on Jan. 31 so come and flip out for cheerleading this winter season.

 The practices for the Boys’ Basketball season opened this Nov. 17, and the guys are working real hard to make a lasting impact on the season ahead. Kevin Dougherty, a freshman on the Boy’s Basketball Team this winter season, was asked what the team’s goals were for the season.

 “We are going to work really hard and it’s going to pay off because we are going win.”

 The boys’ games started  December 9, 2014 at Holy Ghost and will continue through Feb. 6, at Church Farm School so come and support the team before the season ends!

 The NHS Wrestling team is looking forward to the season ahead, with the practices already in process. A freshman, who wishes to be anonymous on this year’s wrestling team says “I am looking forward to getting into shape and learning a new sport. The goal is to become stronger and as a team to win and represent our school.”

 The boys’ competitions started December 17, 2014 at New Hope and will continue through Feb. 11, at Phil-Mont Christian and Feb. 14 is the BAL Wrestling Championship come and cheer them on!

 NHS Winter Track practices have started and the team is excited for what’s to come. Makena Kramli, a freshman on the NHS Winter Track team this season, is “looking forward to this winter track season!” When asked what she was looking forward to the most and what expectations she had for the season, Makena said: “The Armory at New York City, it’s my favorite event and expectation for myself are to improve my times and heal myself physically. Also, as a team, I would like at least a few of us to qualify for states and met all our goals as a team.”

 Chris Cammarata, a freshman on this years Winter Track team, was asked what he thought about the season ahead. “I think that we are going to do well this year.”

 The team had their first meet on Dec.13, at Lehigh University and will have their last one on March 1 so come and cheer on Makena, Chris, and the rest of the winter track team!

Peyton Manning Breaks Favre's Touchdown Record

Jake Smith

Staff Writer

 Peyton Manning broke Brett Favre’s all time passing touchdown record on a pass to Demaryius Thomas in a 42-17 win over the 49ers on October 19th.

 Manning finished the night completing 22 of his 26 passes for 318 yards and four touchdowns. His accomplishment further solidifies his spot as the greatest regular season quarterback of all time. Manning also holds the record for the most passing yards in a season. Favre congratulated Manning after the game posting on Twitter, “Well deserved Peyton. Congratulations on breaking my record.”

 Manning and the Broncos are poised to make a deep postseason run and are already Super Bowl favorites. The Broncos were blown out by the Seahawks in last year’s Super Bowl but have made many offseason additions to bolster their roster. Players like Emmanuel Sanders, Demarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, and T.J. Ward were scooped up from free agency and will look to help the Broncos win a championship.

 This post-season is a must win for Manning. He has a roster that can support him, and he will need to take home the trophy this year to erase his spotty record in the playoffs. Manning holds the record for most first round losses and most postseason losses by any quarterback. Critics have questioned his ability in the biggest games and as a quarterback, those are the games that count.

Manning’s only Super Bowl win came against a Bears team on a Cinderella run. The Bears had a strong defense but lacked offensive firepower and were outmatched by a Colts team that included future Hall of Famers like Manning, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, and Marvin Harrison. People can’t take anything from Manning because of his outmatched competition. He can’t control that. But the win wasn’t memorable except for that it was Manning’s first Super Bowl title.

 Manning has the ability, and the talent surrounding him, to win his second ring and put himself in contention as the greatest quarterback of all time.

Anticipation Grows for Boys' Basketball

Matt Steele

Staff Writer

 As Fall sports wind down in New Hope, excitement grows for the coming Boys’ Basketball season.

 Despite having strong seasons for the past few years, it seems like every year, the Boys’ Basketball team is underrated. The team has historically been built around ball movement, rebounding, and strong defense. While these may not be the most highlight reel worthy traits, the results have been there.

 This season figures to be no different, with strong post play coming from Spencer Tinkel and Max Wagner, consistent performance from the guard rotations consisting of Patrick Gimpel, Dylan Waterman, Brendan Shadle, and Anthony Vlahovic, and versatile scoring from the wing from Mayes Lane and Andrew Bove.

 Captain Spencer Tinkel has an opportunity to surpass the 1,000 point mark this season, a feat that has only been performed six times before. When asked how he thinks his season will go, Spencer said, “I’m really excited about how well the team is meshing thus far, and the season hasn’t even started. I look forward to the team growing as the season rolls on. I can’t wait to see the Lions’ Den at full force at home games.”

 While fans can’t expect to see many sky-scraping dunks coming from the boys on the team, there’s something to be said for wins, and this year’s team figures to get plenty of those. Like all years, a District Title is the goal, and with the current makeup of the roster, it’s far from a pipedream.

 In the end, anyone looking for a fun activity to do after school should be able to find one in the ‘14-’15 team as this season promises to get the Lions’ Den roaring again.

Rise of Baseball Salary

Mitch Lewis

Staff Writer

 The past decade in baseball have seen some of the most lucrative contracts in baseball history. It seems every year that a new rising superstar signs a $150 million dollar deal and every year teams reach new ground in paying their players.

  In 2014 alone, three players signed $200 million or greater contracts. These players were: Clayton Kershaw, Joey Votto and Robinson Cano. These three players however are three of the most talented baseball players in the game, not only in Major League Baseball but in the world. Just last year the baseball world was shocked by a Felix Hernandez deal that was worth $25 million per year and will only grow greater as his contract continues. Currently, the highest paid baseball player is Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers. This year Clayton made $30.7 million, the single largest salary in baseball history.

  The Los Angeles Dodgers have the highest payroll in baseball right now of nearly $240 million. The team in second place is a full $30 million dollars behind them being the New York Yankees. In 2014 the team with the lowest payroll is the Houston Astros, with a payroll that doesn't even break 45 million. Currently, the best player on the Astros, Jose Altuve, made $1.25 million dollars while breaking the Astros single season hits record and winning the American League Batting title. Altuve was worth a total of six WAR or wins against replacement, meaning he gives the team six extra wins than if a replacement level player. Felix Hernandez may as well be the best pitcher in the American League as he was worth 6.8 WAR in his 2014 season. The main differences between these two players is the salary. Felix Hernandez made $22.8 million his season, one of the highest salaries in baseball. Altuve was worth .8 WAR less than Felix but Felix made $21 million more than Altuve. This is due mainly to the fact that Felix Hernandez ten seasons in Major League Baseball Compared to Altuve’s three. I don’t believe that simply because you have played longer, you deserve an absurd contract that is worth more money than you could possibly need to spend. Major League Baseball players play a sport that they love for a living. The average American makes around $46,000 dollars, Felix Hernandez earned almost $700,000 dollars for each game he appeared in (34). In my opinion, athletes are paid gross amounts of money that the players frankly don’t need. Players such as Joey Votto are paid tens of millions of dollars but then are stricken with injuries that forces them to miss the majority of the season. Why invest so much money into people that could become inconsistent or injuries? These salaries are often reached because players demand their salary based on their peers salary. This started with Alex Rodriguez when he signed a record 10 year $252 million dollar deal with the Texas Rangers. After this contract, players started demanding more and more money per year inflating contracts and exploding payrolls.

   After this years’ World Series, the Third Basemen of the championship winning San Francisco Giants, Pablo Sandoval was offered a $15.3 million dollar qualifying offer to be under contract for the next season. Pablo quickly declined the offer in pursuit to find a better deal worth more money. Pablo Sandoval earned $8.25 million dollars last year and produced a disappointing season in which he was barely above league average at both the plate and in the field. Pablo however has been very successful in the past three World Series’ he has appeared in, winning it in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Pablo also has a reputation of coming up clutch in the playoffs. While I have already made it evident that I don't believe any player should be making so much money, I especially don’t believe that a player who has not lived up to expectations for three years straight, should garner a contract worth $100 million dollars. While players are the main attraction of the game, I believe that they could make more than enough money on endorsement and commercial involvement along with their contract to cause any uproar from the players. Just 17 years ago, Albert Belle earned $10 million which was more than any other player up to that point. Albert Belle was a perennial all star who finished in the Top 5 in the MVP voting for four years straight. Brian Wilson, a reliever who was coming off of injury, was given a contract of $10 million and he proceeded to perform extremely sub par and hurt the Dodgers more than he helped them. Now it seems that every player makes at least $10 million, players earn this kind of money solely for playing longer than others, the longer they play, no matter how effective, they always demand more and more money.

  I personally believe that no player should earn more than $12 million dollars a year and that teams should maintain a salary cap of $115 million dollars This would prevent the inflation of contracts and the unnecessary paying of tens of millions of dollars to people who play what is simply a childs game.

Cross Country Wraps Up Fall Season

Savannah Herring

Staff Writer

Cross-Country Season Summary

The New Hope Cross Country team has completed another successful season. The seniors of the team stepped up and took charge of keeping practices orderly, focused but also, fun. Several new students joined the XC team this year in hopes to find fitness, team achievement and personal success. The boys’ team this year remained in division A, while the girls’ team moved up to division AA. Competition grew for the girls this year, but ultimately became a reason to work harder.

Pre-season began on Aug. 11 with two-a-day practices from 7-9 am and 6-8 pm. Practices throughout the season consisted of workouts like 5-10 and even 12 mile runs, tempo track workouts and triple hills on the popular sledding hill, Magills Hill. The result of everyone’s hard work at practice was clearly visible at every meet New Hope attended.

The first official meet of the season was at Moravian Academy on Aug. 29. The boys’ varsity team won their division. Everyone tested the training they had at that point in the season and saw what they needed to work on to improve their race technique and performance. The next meet was on Sept. 6 at the Abington Invitational. The runners faced a challenge with heat that day, but remained strong and performed well. Neither team won their division, but Tabitha Liucci and Savannah Herring both placed in the top 30 and received medals. A few weeks later the team loaded the bus for the Foundation Invite at Hershey Park on Sept. 20. This course is known for its hills but New Hope came prepared. Many people surprisingly broke personal records. They left in hopes to return for the State Championship in November. At the Council Rock Invitational, New Hope brought home two trophies. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams competed extremely well and were rewarded with a first place trophy for the boys varsity team and second place trophy  for the girls varsity team. The BAL Championship meet was soon after. Torrential down pours were not ideal running weather but New Hope endured and many members medaled for the best in the league. The final race for many runners was the District Meet at Lehigh University on Oct. 24. The team had been preparing for this race since the beginning of the summer, and it had finally arrived. The team faced new competition but had confidence in their training, knowledge of the course, and were prepared to run hard. The top 11 girls of the AA division received medals, and even though New Hope was not among these medalists, they were satisfied with their overall performance throughout the season. Greg House placed first of seven medalists in the division A boys. The boys showed strength and determination throughout the race. The JV runners also pushed themselves when faced with tough competition from A, AA and AAA schools. The boys’ team finished first and was soon back on the road to Hershey Park for one final race of the season where they placed 10th overall in the state of Pennsylvania.

The team was able to show why New Hope deserves recognition for all the hard work that goes into every practice, every race, and every season. This is a team that rises early, works in the sweltering heat, frigid cold and pouring rain, all to run and improve. A team that has always shown determination, dedication and love for the sport of running. Keep up the great work lions!

NBA Season Preview

Brian Hauch

Staff Writer

This NBA season is going to be an amazing one. There are an abundance of reasons for fans to stay glued to their television sets over the course of this NBA season.

  The homecoming of Lebron James, as well as the return of stars like Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose headline the bunch, but there are also plenty of other storylines to follow over the course of the season. This years draft class is expected to be the best since the 2004 one, which are some huge shoes to fill. This almost impossible task will be most likely graded by the performance of the first three picks in this past years draft, as well as the rest of the first round picks respectively. Rookies Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Joel Embid, as well as other talents like Nik Stauskas, Aaron Gordon, and Marcus Smart will look to make big impacts for their teams in the 2014-15 season.

 New Coaches also expect to make an impact in the upcoming season. Derek Fisher will take the triangle offense to New York, Jason Kidd moves from Brooklyn to Milwaukee, and former basketball player and long time TNT analyst Steve Kerr will coach Steph Curry and Co. in Oakland.

 So who takes the Larry O’Brien Trophy this year? In my eyes, it is too close to call. There are many teams that look like legitimate contenders but none really seem dominant enough to coast right to the Finals the way the Heat did the last few years. Many experts believe the Spurs could be the favorites to repeat, and that has a decent chance of happening. They have the best coach in the NBA, as well as the old veteran core of Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili supported by young talents like Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard.

 Other teams that could compete for the title include the Lebron led Cavs, Kevin Durant’s Thunder, The Bulls, the high scoring Rockets, and many other Western Conference teams like The Clippers, Warriors, Trail Blazers, and Suns.

 Get ready NBA fans, it’s gonna be a fun season.

Messi Nears Another Record

Thomas Muzekari

Staff Writer

FC Barcelona star, Lionel Messi inched closer to breaking yet another record Wednesday, November 5 as he scored two goals against Ajax (located in the Netherlands) in Barcelona’s 2-0 win. With Messi’s 70th and 71st Champions League goals, he tied ex-Real Madrid player, Raul for the most goals in the Champions League. The record for the most goals in the Champions League by a player could be broken by Messi as soon as November 25 when Barcelona plays Apoel Nicosia. This is not the only record Messi is chasing right now. The Argentine is just two goals away from breaking the record for most goals in La Liga. Messi could break ex-Atletico Bilbao striker, Telmo Zarra’s record of 251 La Liga goals (set 60 years ago) with two more goals. It is incredible how many records Messi holds considering he is only 27 years old. “The magician, the genius of football (soccer),” FC Barcelona announcer Ray Hudson called Messi. Messi is known as one of the best players ever, if not the best ever. He has won a record four Ballon D’Or awards which are given to the best player in the world every year. He did this in four consecutive years. He could become a five time winner this year as he is having another brilliant year.

In Messi’s La Liga career he has scored 250 goals and also has had 100 assists in 248 appearances. In 2012 Messi broke the record for most goals in a year as he scored 91 goals for Barcelona. Those 91 goals in one year goes down as one of the best individual years for a soccer player ever. Barcelona and Real Madrid are in a tight race for the league title. Real Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 on October 21 in the Bernabeu (Real Madrid’s home stadium). The Barcelona-Real Madrid match, next time at Camp Nou (Barcelona’s home stadium) should be an important one on March 22. Messi will look to expand his incredible goal and assist totals leading up to this match in March. Messi and Barcelona will hope to win yet another league title this season after losing a close, down-to-the-wire battle with Atletico Madrid last season. Messi could expand his La Liga goal total as soon as November 22 against Sevilla and his Champions League goal total as soon as November 25 against Apoel Nicosia.  
Messi has broken many records and two more should be broken by the Argentine very soon. There is much to argue that Messi is the best soccer player ever considering his four Ballon D’or awards, his 91 goals in a season record, and of course many other records that he has broken. It is not just the eye-opening stats and records that place Messi where he is in history, but also just the pure skill, knowledge, and creativity he possesses for the game. “He’s the best ever, there is no other like him,” ex-Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola (now Bayern Munich coach) described the Argentine. Messi, just 27, should expand many of his records and put his name under even more as he looks to lead Barcelona for many more years to come.