A Beard and Stache Hiatus!

- Troy Ballard and Adam Parker

Before we explain about the future of the site, we'd like to open with thank you! Thanks to our readers, our critics and people who are even first-time visitors. Without the support and critique of our work, Beard and Stache would have never flourished as much as it has.

With that in mind, we sadly report that both Troy and Adam have accepted writing positions as Senior Staff members at Endzone News.

But! It should be noted that as of now, both Adam and Troy are on a trial basis until the end of the NFL season. Following this year, we will both re-evaluate our position at EZ as well as at B&S. Meaning that truly, the best word for it, is a hiatus.

Stay tuned and be sure to check out our archives. You'll probably find something you like.

Thanks again.

Much love,

Troy and Adam

What's Wrong In Laker Land — And Who's To Blame?

Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/US Presswire

- Adam Parker

The 2012-13 NBA season is just getting underway with most teams having played a handful of games up to this point and unless you've been living under a rock, you likely have heard, at least in passing, about the early season struggles of the new-look Los Angeles Lakers.

After a frustrating 95-86 loss to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, the Lakers fell to a disappointing (1-4) on the young season and as expected, the Lakers' faithful are getting a bit restless.

Kobe Bryant and the rest of the new-look roster that includes Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks as well as three new assistant coaches in Bernie Bickerstaff, Steve Clifford and Eddie Jordan aka the guy who is credited for the installation of the Lakers' new Princeton 'hybrid' offense are all preaching patience.

However, after such a bad start for a team with impossibly high expectations heading into the season, you can bet that the patience of both the fans and the Buss family who sign the checks is wearing thinner by the minute.

So who's to blame?

2012 NFL Week 10 Predictions: Beard and Stache Edition

Photo: Getty Images/Jonathan Daniel

- Adam Parker

Week 9 of the 2012 NFL Season is done and with it, so are arguably the playoff hopes of teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns.

But while those three teams are already planning for draft day next April, the rest of the league is continuing to take strides towards a playoff push.

As for the teams who flourished this week? Well, I'm not going to go through all of them, but as far as the big wins go, we saw Tampa Bay Buccaneers' rookie running back Doug Martin go complete Beast Mode for the second straight week to the tune of 251 yards and 4 touchdowns. If you had this guy in fantasy football, odds are, you, like the Bucs', won.

The Chicago Bears continued to show why they have arguably the best defense in football. They blew out the Tennessee Titans by a score of 51-20. Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall hooked up for three scores through the air while the defense added two touchdowns of their own thanks to a pick six from Brian Urlacher and fumble returned for a touchdown by defensive end Corey Wooton. Make no mistake, folks. This Bears team is legit.

And last but certainly not least, what about those Indianapolis Colts? You know the ones — those (5-3) Indianapolis Colts who are turning heads around the league. Andrew Luck is as good if not better (not sure that's humanly possible) than advertised and the defense is playing inspired football as well.

I had another strong showing in Week 9, finishing with a stellar mark of (11-3).

My Pick 'Em Record: (66-46)

Now, let's push forward to Week 10!

The Slippery Slope of Being a Fan of the Philadelphia Eagles

Photo: David Grunfield - The Times-Picayune

- Troy Ballard

It didn't take long for me to realize what the situation was in the Philadelphia Eagles latest embarrassment — a 13-28 loss on Monday Night Football to the disconnected New Orleans Saints — this team is a total loss.

This was it, ladies and gentlemen. This was the deal-breaker game for Philadelphia's entire 2012-2013 campaign. Forget about the past, if the Eagles could win this one in New Orleans, that would somehow solidify the team as a playoff contender once again.

Clearly, that's bullshit.

This game is no different than any of the other five losses this team has. It's like watching the same miserable b-list movie (think Samurai Cop, 1989) over and over. With each run-through, we as the audience keep hoping that something, even the smallest detail, will change. Sadly, nothing does.

That's the state of the Eagles. A loss-failure-disappointment-of-colossal-proportions.

And that's the slippery slope of being a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mariano Rivera Plans to Pitch For the Yankees Again in 2013

Photo: Elsa/Getty Images

- Adam Parker

It looks like the New York Yankees won't have to find out what life after Mo' will feel like on a permanent basis just yet, as Mariano Rivera has informed Yankees' General Manager Brian Cashman that he plans to make his triumphant return to the mound as the Bronx Bombers' closer extraordinaire for the 2013 season.

"He wants to play again," Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand on Saturday. "I'll work with his agent, Fernando Cuza, on the details of a contract."

The negotiations for the new contract will be interesting indeed considering that Rivera made a cool $15 million last season — a season in which he only pitched in nine games before suffering a torn ACL during his vintage pre-game warm-up routine where he would shag fly balls in the outfield during batting practice.

A day after the injury, Rivera, who turns 43 on Nov. 29, vowed he would return in 2013. "I'm coming back. Put it down. Write it down in big letters. I ain't going down like this."

James Harden Inks $80 Million Extension with Houston Rockets and Proves He's Worth Every Penny

Photo: US Presswire/Rick Osentoski

- Adam Parker

It has become the norm in today's NBA. Another relatively big-named star player is leaving behind his old town for a new one.

That's what happened when the Oklahoma City Thunder shipped reigning Sixth Man of the Year James Harden to the Houston Rockets for Kevin Martin, rookie Jeremy Lamb, and two future 1st-round picks and a future 2nd-round pick over the weekend.

Why did the Thunder do this, you ask? Well, as it typically does in these cases, money was the straw that broke the camel's back and forced Thunder General Manager Sam Presti's hand.

Harden, who last season averaged career highs in points (16.8), rebounds (4.1) and assists (3.7), rejected the Thunder's offer of a four-year contract extension worth between $52-55 million.

Why would Harden turn down so much cash, especially when it meant that he would likely be in position to contend for a title every year with the team that drafted him? It's simple. Money.