Pirate Galaxy » appearance during the playoffs

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is the perfect villain. Thats what I hear, and when I turn on the tape, I can understand why. Just look at how he knocked out?Antonio Brown in the AFC wild-card game last season.You cant have that hit. Shoulder pad to the helmet at the worst possible time. The resulting penalty cost the Bengals a playoff win and contributed to Burfict landing a three-game suspension to start this season for repeated violations of player safety rules.No one knows Burficts intent on that particular hit. He plays fast. He plays hard. Guys can cross the line at times. Thats how a lot of defensive players are wired. That doesnt mean they are malicious in how they play the game. Maybe he could have pulled up. Heck, maybe he could have avoided the hit all together, I guess.But as Burfict returns to the field on Thursday night, this also needs to be said: Id love to play with this dude because he can change the flow of the game.?And I can tell you that a lot of other guys would too.This is hard to understand, so let me explain:As a defender, if you can physically intimidate the opponent, that will make every offensive player sit up a little straighter in the film room when youre next on the schedule. And it alters how opposing offenses practice and play -- because they know youre going to hit.Burfict gives that to his team. Hes going to shorten some arms of wide receivers who want to work the middle of the field. Everyone on the?Miami Dolphins offense will be aware of where Burfict is at all times during Thursdays contest in Cincinnati.As a defensive back, you love that. It means some basket picks: balls that flutter into the air and land in your lap; free gifts because of that linebacker patrolling the middle of the field and delivering blows. Boom. And no one on offense wants to get close to a guy like that. Thats when wide receivers start telling the quarterback to avoid those inside routes.Look back to the Bengals loss on Sunday to the Denver Broncos. Would Gary Kubiaks team have been able to put together that go-ahead, fourth-quarter drive with Trevor Siemian throwing slants, inside hitch routes and wide receiver screens if Burfict was running to the ball and driving through ball carriers? Thats just something to think about here when we talk about the impact a physical player like Burfict can have.What Burfict needs to understand is that the game has changed. And every player has to adapt to the new rules. Look at Luke Kuechlys hit on Demaryius Thomas over the middle in Super Bowl 50. Thats a clean strike -- and I can promise you it stuck in the back of Thomas mind all night.The lesson? Theres no substitute for physicality and intimidation -- but that physicality and intimidation need not draw 15-yard penalties and three-game suspensions.Its a fine line, a tightrope defenders have to walk in this league on a weekly basis. You gotta hit or you wont last very long; and in 2016, you gotta do it cleanly or you wont last very long, either. Because of his history, Burfict will be watched closer than most. But as long as hes out there patrolling the middle of the field, his effect on his teammates and the Bengals defense will be palpable.Remember, defenses that can read, run, hit and intimidate dictate the tempo of the game. You can intimidate through execution, but its still football. It also helps to have that guy who creates a little fear. Burfict is that guy.ESPN.com NFL analyst Matt Bowen played seven seasons as a defensive back in the NFL.fake jerseys china . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . cheap china jerseys . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. https://www.chinajerseysreplica.us/ . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. wholesale jerseys china . Ashley Youngs cross was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute, allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said. china jerseysCLEVELAND -- Wild Thing will have to stay in the bullpen during the World Series.While actor Charlie Sheen, who played Ricky Wild Thing Vaughn in the movie Major League offered to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before one of this years World Series games, Major League Baseball said the choices have already been made.A spokesman told the AP on Friday that MLB has worked with the Indians to identify former franchise greats to throw out the first pitch for the games in Cleveland. An announcement is expected early next week.The Indians host Games 1 and 2 on Tuesday and Wednesday. If necessary, Cleveland will host Games 6 and 7 on Nov. 1-2.There had been a movement by fans on social media for Sheen to throw the first pitch and be part of the pregame festivities.Sheen got wind of the buzz and responded on Twitter, posting a photo of himself as Vaughn in his Indians uniform and wrote, Major League continues to be the gift that keeps on giving! if called upon, Id be honored.Sheen made an appearance during the playoffs at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday when the Chicago Cubs beat Los Angeles in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series.ddddddddddddReleased in 1989, Major League is a fictional account of the Indians finishing in first place with an unconventional group of players including Vaughn, who struggled to find the strike zone and warmed up to Wild Thing, a No. 1 hit song in 1966 by The Troggs.The real Cleveland Indians, who overcame injuries to win the AL Central, before knocking off Boston and Toronto in the playoffs, took a page from Major League this season.Slugger Mike Napoli and second baseman Jason Kipnis constructed a shrine in an empty clubhouse stall between their lockers like one in the movie. In the film, character Pedro Cerrano practices Voodoo and prays to an idol named, Jobu to help him hit curveballs.Like Cerrano, Napoli and Kipnis have their own Jobu and have left gifts, including small bottles of rum and cigars, to keep them out of hitting slumps. ' ' '