Perhaps one of the biggest influences on both a quarterback's physical and intangible skills is something slightly out of his control — confidence. And that's exactly why Rex Ryan and the New York Jets have received so much attention for their plans to use both of their quarterbacks this season.

Starting quarterback Mark Sanchez has shown glimpses of promise at times, taking the Jets to the AFC Championship in two straight years. He's also struggled, though, failing to really progress under center by limiting turnovers and closing out games.

Tim Tebow, meanwhile, is nothing short of an icon in American sports. Off the field, he is one of the most recognizable faces in the country. He responds well to the ridiculous amount of media attention he receives, always seeming to have the "perfect teammate" answer for any question. On the gridiron, Tebow has never had good throwing mechanics or a great arm, but his size and athleticism make him a versatile threat to any defense.

The two quarterbacks play vastly different styles, both of which have shown the ability to win games. Throw in the absurd amount of media attention with Tebow's ever-growing fan base, and you have yourself one difficult decision to make as a coaching staff — how and when do you play each quarterback?

Perhaps the answer is that you don't have to.

Take away the pressure of being located in one of the top markets for professional sports, along with the tension of the media hype and the fan base smitten by Tebow, and look at the situation objectively.

Ryan and the Jets unveiled their Wildcat red-zone offense on Thursday, with Tebow at the helm. Although the 6-foot-3, 240-pound lefty is a force to be reckoned with, putting him in the game means taking out Sanchez on most occasions. And that could be very dangerous.

By taking Sanchez out in the red zone, it will be difficult for him to develop any flow throughout the course of a game. If Sanchez is to start every drive, work the ball downfield and then be taken out just as the drive is about to finish, it sends a message that the team doesn't have confidence in its starting quarterback.

Although Sanchez has had problems with turnovers, throwing 18 interceptions last season, he also threw a career-high 26 touchdowns in 2011. His play even contributed to the Jets leading the league in red-zone efficiency last season. Sanchez threw four interceptions within 20 yards of the goal line in 2011. Compare that to two of the NFL's best quarterbacks in Tom Brady and Drew Brees, who both also threw four interceptions in the red zone last year, and Sanchez doesn't look so bad.

Basically, the Jets should live by the motto, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Yes, Tebow is a strong ball carrier. But scoring in the red zone isn't the team's problem. By using this strategy and taking Sanchez out at the end of drives, Ryan will only be hurting Sanchez's confidence, which is the problem the team should be addressing.

Sanchez needs to know that his team is behind him despite some struggles, otherwise the Jets are destined to fail. If he feels a match has been lit underneath him, he will have even more mental difficulties than he did in 2011, and he will continue to throw picks. Sanchez needs to know that he can take risks downfield, get comfortable in the pocket, and build momentum on the field. All of this can be done by the coaching staff, by sending a message that despite the inevitable "We Want Tebow" chants that will linger in New York, Sanchez is the guy.

Tebow is a unique player, and can still be used on occasion to throw off the defense. But if his use becomes routine, like the Kevin Kolb-Michael Vick experiment Philadelphia tried, it will only take away from Sanchez's progression and mental development as a decision maker.

This isn't to say that Sanchez is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He is a mid-level quarterback who may be the answer for New York, but very well may not. However, the Jets have to give him a full, 100-percent chance under center before pulling the plug. If they hit a point in their season where things aren't working and they want to use Tebow, then they should. Only they must fully commit to him as the new starter at that time. By splitting time and remaining indecisive about who to give control of the offense to, neither quarterback will succeed.

In order to make an attempt at winning the division, the Jets need stability and a confident leader under center. Besides, the Wildcat beat the Patriots once a few years ago. Do they really think it will stump Bill Belichick again?

Maurice Jones-Drew

So, why is there any question of whether the Jacksonville Jaguars should renegotiate their franchise player's contract?

Well, because he is a running back. Unfortunately for Jones-Drew, the potential for career-affecting injuries for running backs is far higher than any other position on the gridiron. Although players of Jones-Drew's caliber are hard to find in the NFL, his position typically has a short shelf life, which brings high risk to a franchise that spends a lot on a long-term contract.

In most cases, the high risk is not worth taking. But the Jaguars are in a unique position. They need to take the risk and pay their star rusher, who is now holding out from training camp.

Jones-Drew does not have a history of injury that should give Jacksonville any trouble sleeping over the next few seasons. He has only missed three NFL games in his six-season career, all while averaging nearly 250 carries a season.

The Jaguars have a young offense, with second-year quarterback Blaine Gabbert at the helm. Without an effective rushing game, Gabbert will struggle to develop in Jacksonville's system under the pressure to carry an offense that has very few playmakers. Jones-Drew is really the Jaguars' only offensive threat. Without him, it's hard to see this team scoring more than once or twice a game, at the expense of risking their young quarterback's progression in the NFL.

Jones-Drew is Jacksonville's leader, and the Jaguars need him to continue to be an example to the rest of the team. The Jaguars' latest first-round draft pick, wide receiver Justin Blackmon, was recently arrested for drunken driving and is the type of player that could blossom into one of the NFL's best deep threats if given proper guidance from a leader like Jones-Drew. Plus, Blackmon has still not signed his rookie contract — a move that could happen faster if Jones-Drew and the Jaguars work out a new deal first.

But ultimately, the Jaguars need to renegotiate Jones-Drew's deal because of the state of the franchise. Jacksonville is a small-market NFL team that doesn't receive much national attention and hasn't reached the playoffs since losing to the New England Patriots in 2005. After the team was sold to Shahid Khan in 2011, there were plenty of rumors that the team could move to a more lucrative market such as Los Angeles. If the team doesn't have its star player, Jaguars fans can expect those rumors to linger.

This fan base hasn't had much to cheer for outside of Jones-Drew. He is worth the risk. The Jaguars need him to sell tickets and keep fans interested — but they also need him to win.

Brandon Roy is reportedly re-entering the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves, agreeing to a two-year, $10.4 million contract.

Roy had retired before the start of last season due to knee problems, attributing the pain in his legs to a lack of cartilage between the bones in both his knees. The 26-year-old played five seasons with the Portland Trailblazers before walking away from the league in 2011.

Over his five seasons, Roy averaged 19 points per game, with 4.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds. He won the Rookie of the Year award with Portland in 2007, where he was also a three-time NBA All-Star selection.

The question of whether or not the Timberwolves made a good move in signing Roy has nothing to do with talent. Roy has constantly proven he is a scorer, a competitor and a leader. The debate about Minnesota's addition is about his health.

And that is why Minnesota was the perfect destination for the shooting guard.

Timberwolves general manager David Kahn has done a fairly good job of reconstructing a young team. The rebuilding process can often be a long road, especially after the departure of a future Hall of Famer like Kevin Garnett.

Still, Kahn has solidified the team's new franchise player, Kevin Love, and has surrounded him with young talent. Although they haven't made the playoffs in nine seasons, they recorded their best record since the 2006-07 season last year, and have the youth to make vast improvements over the next two seasons.

Last season, the Timberwolves were the second-youngest team in the NBA. Minnesota's average age  (with Roy included) is 25.5 years old, with only two players on their roster over the age of 28.

This framework is perfect for a player like Roy. It is unlikely that he will be able to return to his All-Star caliber level, especially if he does not treat his knee condition with care. By suiting up in Minnesota, he will be able to give the younger talent around him more playing time, and give himself more time to rest as he transitions back into the league. He can focus on his body, not worried about the burden of a starter's minutes, but can contribute as a role player off the bench.

Roy also has the fortune of leaving another burden, too. No longer will the shooting guard have to deal with the pressure of carrying a team like he did in Portland. Make no mistake, the Timberwolves are Love's team, and that's something Roy will welcome with open arms.

Love will take the pressure off Roy as the offensive focus and a persistent rebounder. Without the pressure to constantly create shots for himself or force his way to the basket, Roy is much more likely to last a full two years in the NBA than had he been expected to take on his former role from Portland.

He also will have an easier time of filling his role as a scoring option thanks to rising star Ricky Rubio. The 21-year-old point guard quickly solidified himself as a starter in Minnesota, and has turned a lot of heads with his playmaking ability. Rubio, who averaged 8.2 assists per game last season as a rookie, will make Roy's workload much easier on the offensive end.

With his ability to get into the lane and crafty passing skills, Rubio does a great job of spreading the floor. This extra room helps role players like Roy get extra space to maneuver, which goes a long way for a player monitoring knee problems.

Thanks in large part to a young core of talent consisting of Love, Rubio, Derrick Williams, Wes Johnson and Nikola Pekovic, Roy will be able to slowly transition back into the NBA. At the same time, some of these young players, along with newly-drafted rookie Robbie Hummel, will be able to learn from Roy's experience. He is known for having a positive impact on the floor and in the locker room, most notably for erasing the "jailblazers" nickname from Portland.

Health concerns are never taken lightly in the NBA. It is highly unlikely Roy comes in and makes an immediate, drastic impact considering his knee problems. However, he is in a perfect situation to find a role as a dependent scoring option while sharing necessary time with younger players.

With only a two-year deal worth just over $10 million, the Timberwolves aren't exactly taking a gigantic risk here, either. While the former Portland All-Star could end up fizzling out due to health concerns, his potential upside makes him valuable to the franchise.

It could be a risk that doesn't pan out. But Roy is still a risk worth taking.

Fans want a team that is consisted of the star players who make highlight reel plays on a nightly basis, like LeBron James. Some stare in awe the first time they see the sheer size of players like Dwight Howard or Yao Ming. Other players command the attention of the media and fans with their postgame comments like Shaquille O'Neal or Allen Iverson.

These players all deserve their titles as superstars. They have athletic ability unmatched by most of the league, and deserve the hype and attention their games bring. But that stardom doesn't always equate to a winning formula for a team. Just ask the New York Knicks, who added Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire last year and finished in seventh place in the Eastern Conference this season.

These players can help a franchise greatly. As they fill up the stat sheets, the team fills up its seats. But their stardom often overlooks the players who truly deserve a share of the credit.

There may not be a player who has been more of an overlooked "X-Factor" over the past few seasons than Kendrick Perkins.

Since he entered the league in 2003 with the Boston Celtics, Perkins has never posted flashy numbers. He is very rarely involved in highlight plays, unless you count the time Blake Griffin threw a monstrous dunk down over him. But he is a model of consistency and modesty that the NBA so badly needs.

In his nine NBA seasons, Perkins has averaged a plebeian 6.2 points per game. He only tears down 6.2 rebounds a game, while dishing out but a meager one assist on average.

But what means more important than filling up the stat sheet? Winning. As Oklahoma City pulled out a victory over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night, Perkins quietly improved his career postseason record to 63-38. His teams are 8-4 in the NBA Finals, in games he has played at least.

Perkins is currently in his third NBA Finals over the last five seasons. He has already won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, and possibly could have won a second in 2010, had the big man not been held out of Game 7 against the Los Angeles Lakers by injury.

Perkins doesn't get the credit he deserves. He is not some bench player who was lucky enough to sit on a star-calliber team that would have won without him. Perkins constantly does the dirty work, and doesn't demand the praise he should be getting from the media. Instead, he goes out and does his job to help his team win.

At first glance, you would look at the Thunder's Game 1 victory and attribute it all to Kevin Durant's stellar 17-point fourth quarter. Durant was truly amazing, and deserves a lot of the credit, especially at the end of the game. But there was Perkins, doing the quiet dirty work in the first three quarters of the contest to help the Thunder pull out the win.

The center only had four points, but that was on a perfect 2-for-2 shooting night. Perkins doesn't need to shoot the ball. He knows his role. He sets picks for Durant, clears out space down low for Westbrook to drive the lane and works the glass.

Perkins has only averaged 4.5 shot attempts per game in the Thunder's 16 playoff games, shooting .553 from the field. By not taking shots away from players like Paul Pierce or Ray Allen, or more currently Durant and Russell Westbrook, Perkins quietly assists his team.

Defense doesn't always show up in the stat sheet. Sometimes fans can overlook the value of a defensive minded player because they don't have the offensive firepower that other players at their position have.

Celtics fans can remember the last few seasons they had with Kendrick Perkins, where they were one of the few teams that didn't bother trying to double team Dwight Howard. It's nearly impossible to completely shut down a player like Howard, but Perkins devoted his energy to atleast slowing down the big man, and allowed the rest of his team to focus on their matchups and limit outside shooting.

It hasn't been all disrespect for Perkins, though. The Thunder's front office showed their appreciation, giving Perkins a $34.8 million deal over four years, last spring.

Make no mistake, however. For whoever wins the 2012 NBA Finals, it will be all about the stars. Each team has their version of a "big three." We will hear how LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh couldn't match up against Durant, Westbrook and James Harden, or vice versa.

With the new trend of the NBA's star players beginning to team up in larger markets, the league needs more players like Perkins. They need more athletes who are fine being the role players and doing what is asked of them, and not commanding the media's attention at every twist and turn.

Players like Perkins are the perfect ingredient for a championship recipe. Players who work like Perkins give teams a chance to compete against the All-Star loaded groups like what Pat Riley's cooked up in Miami.

But Perkins shouldn't mind too much that he may not get the credit he deserves. If the Thunder win, he'll be too busy polishing that extra ring on his finger. And that's something he very well may be be doing a few more times throughout his career.

Former head coach Paul Silas was told in April that his contract would not be renewed for the 2012-2013 season. After trading away star foward Gerald Wallace to the Portland Trailblazers a year earlier, Bobcats owner Michael Jordan left Silas a team comprised of young, inexperienced players that never represented anything more than just another rebuilding year.

Still, with a vacant head coaching position and the highest odds (at 25 percent) of getting the first pick in the NBA draft, it seemed like Jordan's plan to success was almost predictable.

Bobcats fans crossed their fingers for the first pick in the NBA lottery, as the almost certain first pick for any team would be University of Kentucky center Anthony Davis. With his shot blocking and rebounding abilities, combined with his high basketball IQ and low-post moves, Davis has the potential completely change the fortune of an NBA franchise. He has been called one of the highest-valued college prospects since the 1980s, when Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing entered the draft.

So, who else would have been better to coach the big man than Ewing, one of the best big men the NBA has ever seen? Charlotte would not be Ewing's first experience on an NBA bench, as he has spent the last six years as an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic, helping to develop All-Star center Dwight Howard. The former Knicks All-Star is known to be good friends with Jordan, so the move made perfect sense.

Davis and Ewing. That's what people predicted. And that's what no one will get.

The Bobcats announced Wednesday that Ewing had been turned down for the head coaching position, and they would pursue other options after the lottery. Then, that same night, the Bobcats "lost" the lottery, getting the second overall pick behind the New Orleans Hornets.

So, in less than 24 hours, what some Charlotte fans predicted as the new game plan was gone.

The Bobcats are not alone in their loss, as the worst team hasn't had the first pick since the Orlando Magic did in 2004. The question now is: Where should they go from here?

The Bobcats still have a long list of great coaches to consider for the job. They have reportedly scheduled interviews with Indiana Pacers assistant coach Brian Shaw, Lakers assistant Quin Snyder and Golden State assistant Mike Malone. The list also includes two former head coaches, ex-Trailblazers coach Nate McMillan and former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan.

The Bobcats do not have a star player. They have talent, but it is young and needs time to develop. What Jordan should be looking for in his future coach is patience and command. By missing out on Davis, the time to turn the franchise's fortunes will not come swiftly. There still is a slew of talent in the draft, but none like Davis.

What the Bobcats need is Jerry Sloan.

The former Utah Jazz coach is one of the few elite coaches who can command a team simply by demeanor and reputation. When leading players like Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson and Bismack Biyombo, the Bobcats need a coach who will be followed right from the get-go.

Morale is low in Charlotte. With an average team age of 26 years old, the Bobcats can't afford to let their one advantage — youth — go to waste. Assistant coaches from the Pacers, Lakers or Warriors will not have the same effect Sloan would. Sloan can immediately have the support of an entire 15-man roster, change the attitudes of his players and instantly put in a new system to develop the Bobcats. The younger coaches would take more time to earn a team's trust, figure out a strategy and move forward. That time would be wasting the young talent the Bobcats have.

Sloan's resume speaks for itself. He has 26 years of experience, with a .603 winning percentage. Although he never won a championship, he has 98 playoff victories. Sloan has the experience and the patience to develop a system in Charlotte that would instantly have an impact.

Truth be told, no coach will be able to turn the Bobcats into a playoff team right away. But Sloan will change the mindset of the team and create a vast improvement from years past. He has the ability to start an upward trend that will carry over each year, that will at the very least carry the Bobcats out of dead last in the league.

There are many viable options at Jordan's disposal, but Sloan is the clear, commanding and reputable choice to put in place. The fact he would come out of retirement to put his reputation on the line shows he is committed to turning this team around. After hitting rock bottom, it's time for rebuilding to take effect and improvement to begin, starting with Sloan.

On a team that lacks veteran leadership, Sloan would be the ultimate experienced coach to command the team.

It was as if every word coming out of the shooting guard’s mouth was frustration, his body language signaling “I’m done.”

After shooting just 15 percent from the field on 2-for-13 shooting, with five turnovers, you can’t be blamed for thinking the Heat just weren’t the same without Chris Bosh.

But the way Wade has turned it on the last few games, it looks like we were all wrong. Wade’s recent dominance makes a case that the Heat don’t even need Bosh on the offensive end of the floor.

Over the last three games, Wade has been nothing short of sensational offensively. He has averaged 33 points per game, along with 7.3 rebounds and three assists. Maybe all D-Wade needed to do was release his frustration of playing without the big man, which was exactly what coach Spoelstra let him do.

When Bosh went down with an abdominal injury in Game 1, people thought the Heat were vulnerable. Without their one true threat on the inside, how could Miami survive? True, the Heat struggled in Game 3, but Wade stepped up and they figured it out.

All Miami’s “Big Two” needed was two games to adjust, which it appears they have. In the last three games playing without Bosh, the Heat have actually improved offensively.

Over the course of the regular season, Miami averaged 98.5 points per game, good for seventh best in the NBA. During the last three games? The Heat averaged 107 points per game, including a 115-83 Game 5 blowout, thanks in large part to the offensive explosion by Wade.

The five-time All-Star has changed his game, and he looks near unstoppable as of late. With Bosh out, LeBron James has been pushed to the power forward spot, clearing out space for Wade to operate. One would assume that with limited interior presence it would be time to unload the three pointers, right?

Well, not for Wade. He has adjusted his game, only attempting four three-pointers (and making three) in the last three wins for the Heat. In fact, he didn’t shoot a single three-pointer in Game 6, when he dropped 41 points.

Wade has adapted. He still uses his strength and speed to get to the rim, but he has honed in to a perfect level of calmness on the perimeter. He has shot an incredible 61 percent from the field on 40-for-65 shooting in Games 4 through 6.

During the regular season, Wade only shot 49 percent from the floor. He has been more selective with his shots as of late, using picks to get to open spots. Instead of forcing up jumpers or looking for fouls, Wade has utilized the perimiter space to work on his mid-range game. Without Bosh on the floor, Wade has looked to push the ball in transition frequently, but has looked mature in not forcing the issue. He has also chipped in on the boards in the big man’s absence with 7.3 rebounds over the last three games, compared to a regular season average of only 4.8 per game.

With Bosh out, the Heat have to rely on Wade and James going forward. The thing is, Miami may not look as vulnerable as first predicted. It took a rough two outing to settle things, but the team looks to have found its strategy. With Wade and James shooting the ball nearly 40 times per game, the way they have as of late, the Heat look like a team ready to burn by the Celtics or 76ers.

It’s no secret that Wade and James are more offensively gifted than Bosh. With Bosh off the floor, Miami can give Wade and James more touches and provide their stars a chance to heat up with more shots.

The way Wade has been playing, The Heat may not even need Bosh on offense right now. If Bosh has a chance to return next round, Spoelstra should consider sitting him in the fear of facing Tim Duncan in the Finals, because right now, the Heat don’t need him.

And after that argument with Coach Spoelstra, which seemed to characterize Wade as immature and hot-headed, all the superstar has been with the ball is calm, cool and collected.

There is nothing quite like watching a Dirk Nowitzki jump shot and its high arc as Nowitzki fades away on one leg regardless of whether he's covered or not. We all know the feeling of anticipation as some poor guy goes for what he thinks is an easy layup, only to have it blocked against the backboard by LeBron James, who purposely hangs behind a step to make the swat. And in Boston, fans yearn for that moment when Rajon Rondo fakes a layup and sends his defender jumping up, grasping at the air, only for Rondo to spin for an easy two.

But the NBA also allows for a style not shown in a player's skills. Unlike uniforms of other sports, basketball players can be characterized by their look. When you hear the name Chris "Birdman" Anderson, the first thing that pops in your head is his crazy tattoos and mohawk.

Rondo is no different in showing his style, but he's had some trouble with his choices over the past few years. For the majority of the first few seasons since he was drafted by the Phoenix Suns (and subsequently traded to the Celtics) in 2006, Rondo wore an upside-down headband. It seemed like every time the Celtics played, an inverted Jerry West could be seen on the point guard's forehead. But then the league banned Rondo (and the rest of the league) from flipping the headband in 2010, leading Rondo to lose the the accessory altogether. The All-Star began wearing it again this season against the Nets, but he doesn't wear one every game, as he did before.

It's no secret that Rondo has been on a tear thus far in the 2012 NBA playoffs. In 10 postseason games, Rondo has averaged 15.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and an insane 13.2 assists per game. In the first two rounds, he has led the Celtics with two triple-doubles and a 3.9 assist-to-turnover ratio. What has changed, however, is when Rondo is sporting a headband in those contests.

In those 10 games, Rondo has worn a headband three times: Game 4 against the Hawks, and Game 2 and Game 4 against the 76ers. In those contests, the Celtics are 1-2. But let's look a little closer at the numbers.

                                                    Rondo With Headband                          Rondo Without Headband

Points Per Game:                                      14.3                                                           16.1
Shooting Percentage:                                 51%                                                           46%   
Assists Per Game:                                     14.7                                                           12.6
Turnovers Per Game:                                  2.0                                                              4.0
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio:                            7.3 to 1                                                       3.1 to 1
Rebounds Per Game:                                  4.7                                                             6.7

These five statistical categories are what define Rondo's most important contributions to the Celtics. His chief role as a facilitator has expanded since Boston's championship in the 2007-08 season, with increased point production and his knack for rebounding as the main reason he seems to frequently post triple-doubles.

So far in the 2012 playoffs, Rondo has been a significantly better distributor when wearing a headband. He is averaging two more assists per game and two less turnovers per game. This may seem insignificant at first, but that adds up to four possesions per game. In the Celtics' two playoff series, the average margin of victory has been 8.27 points. With the likes of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett shooting the ball, those four possessions could add up to the 8 to 12 points Boston needs to win.

Rondo's assist-to-turnover ratio has been off the charts, a whopping 7.1 to 1 with a headband, compared to 3.1 to 1 without one. The two points per game Rondo loses without the Jerry West logo on his head are easily doubled by the two assists he gains when he does have a headband. Rondo seems to be more efficient with the ball, distributing better and shooting 5% better from the field.

So what does this mean for the three-time NBA All-Star? Should he always wear a headband? Maybe. The sample size of the 2012 NBA playoffs has been pretty small, so it would be a stretch to definitively say anything of the data.

But maybe it makes sense. Maybe Rondo is more comfortable on the floor with his headband, as he showed when he led the Celtics to their title in 2008. Maybe the band keeps the sweat out of his eyes a little bit more, just enough so he can see the court clearer and shoot the ball better. Maybe it's all just coincidence and it doesn't make a difference. And maybe, just maybe, it doesn't matter whether he wears one or not on his trip to a second NBA championship.