The Pats...what can you say?
12-4 to finish the season strong makes me feel better, as well as my lock and upset pick coming through like I said, but I'm not braggin...
With a little more than 12 hours left in 2007, I have so much to do, not least of which is my bowl picks, which have been coming up some kind of rotten this year. Oh well, the pros are more my forte and you can be sure that I will have indepth analysis and picks for those as well. But some quick thoughts on the recently concluded NFL season.
I'll hand out final grade cards after the Super Bowl, postseason work does figure into my grades, so I figure it would be better to give out all 32 grades at once. Still recognition has to be given to some teams.
New England
These cats are going where no one has gone before. But there are still some haters. Witness Bob Kuchenberg, a lineman on that great '72 Dolphins squad who tried to downplay the Pats achievement. Stating that they can never be better only equal and they were the first team and should get more credit. Lets not say anything about the weak division that they were in and the team that they blasted twice on their way to their perfect season was a 3-11 New England team. But enough of the haters, the Pats should be rightly lionized for their accomplishment, but the real season begins in 12 days if the Pats don't win it all they will lambasted as chokers.
Houston
8-8 could get you as high as 2nd in some divisions in the rugged AFC South it puts you in last. The plucky Texans have shed the expansion pushover status and are fast becoming a dangerous team. Too bad they are stuck in the NFL's deepest and toughest division, they would be a playoff team in any other division.
Washington
You have to give some dap to Joe Gibbs whom the media honks and wonks were trying to put out to pasture after the time out debacle against Buffalo, but the Skins rallied and charged into the playoffs winning four ultra critical games to storm past the badly fading Vikings in to the postseason. The Skins may not get far, but they are a feelgood story. Gibbs is still a decent coach and the Skins are using the tragic murder of Sean Taylor as a rallying cry to make a team unified.
On the other hand you have some teams that should be ashamed most notably
Cincinnati
The Bengals looked like a team full of promise, they were instead full of hot air, dissention some infighting, puzzling losses and a ton of injuries derailed a once promising season into a 7-9 campaign. Marvin Lewis has stated that there may be some changes but this team has got to get a lot more mature and cash in that talent.
Baltimore
This was a 13 win team last year? This team got old in a hurry and went from a bully to a bum in a blink of an eye. Steve McNair seemed three steps slower and the once proud defense got soft. Brian Billick's job is supposedly safe but this is a team so bad, Miami got their lone win from them.
Minnesota
I'm a bit conflicted here. This is a team that has a bright future with Adrian Peterson and CHester Taylor at RB and a stout run defense. But their questions at QB undoubtedly cost them a playoff spot. I have said it before Tavaris Jackson is not an NFL caliber quarterback and he proved it in critical losses to the Skins and Broncos to finish out an 8-8 season that should have been a playoff year. Brad Childress saved his job for now, but if he insists on sticking with Jackson long term he wont be around for long.
OK, now with the pros out of the way (Playoff picks on Friday) lets look at the bevy of college bowl games on tap for the next two days. I'll cover all the Post New Years Day bowl games on the 2nd and the BCS title game on the 5th
December 31
BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL
Air Force (9-3) vs California (6-6)
Amon Carter Stadium; Fort Worth, TX 12:30 ESPN
Favorite California by 4½
Fast Fact Air Force makes it first bowl appearance in five years
This isn't the Air Force squad you're used to seeing, no longer the triple option team it once was. The Falcons can still run as Chad Hall ran for over 1400 yards. The Bears started 5-0 and were talking BCS until a 3 game slide ended all talk of that and the Bears only won one of their last 7. Nate Longshore has had some time to shake off a sore ankle and has thrown for over 2500 yards, still you have to think that the Bears are lucky to be here while the Falcons are excited to be in a bowl. Motivation is a strong factor here.
Pick-Air Force
ROADY'S HUMANITARIAN BOWL
Fresno State (8-4) vs Georgia Tech (7-5)
Bronco Stadium; Boise, ID 2:00 (ESPN2)
Favorite Georgia Tech by 6
Fast Fact Both teams have won their only other appearances in this bowl game
The Bulldogs are familiar with the smurf turf, having battled WAC rival Boise State the YellowJackets are waiting on their new coach as the former Navy head coach Paul Johnson will take over next year until then defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta will guide the Ramblin Wreck. Tech's defense is a big play ballhawking type that will force the issue. Both teams run very well and are ranked in the top 20 nationally, Tech's Tashard Choice led the ACC in rushing and will be the big factor in this game. The combination of Tech's defense and Choice's running should wear the Bulldogs down.
Pick-Georgia Tech
SUN BOWL#21 South Florida (9-3) vs Oregon (8-4)
Sun Bowl; El Paso, TX 2:00 (CBS)
Favorite South Florida by 6
Fast Fact South Florida DE George Selvie needs one tackle for a loss to set the NCAA record
One of the better matchups of the bowl season, both the Bulls and Ducks have high powered spread offenses. The Ducks fell hard and fast after losing Dennis Dixon to a season ending knee injury and after backup Brady Leaf was hurt against UCLA seemed to be putting out want ads for a quarterback. Redshirt freshmen Cody Kempt or Justin Roper may get the starting nod. This puts even more pressure on RB Jonathan Stewart to carry the offensive load. The Bulls have dual threat Matt Groethe to rely on, call him Tim Tebow lite he can run (10 TDS) and throw (13TDS) He does throw a few picks though and the Ducks can keep it close if they force bad throws, but I don't think that the Ducks offense has recovered from the loss of their dynamic QB and it will show.
Pick-South Florida
GAYLORD HOTELS MUSIC CITY BOWL
Florida State (7-5) vs Kentucky (7-5)
LP Field, Nashville 4:00 ESPN
Favorite Kentucky by 9
Fast Fact The Seminoles are making their 26th straight bowl appearance.
Call this the attrition bowl, the Seminoles are leaving 26 players at home in the wake of a cheating scandal. The Wildcats have a couple players of their own suspended but not to the scale that the Seminoles have. This might have been a fairly even game with a slight edge to Kentucky with their fabulous passing game led by Andre Woodson, but the Seminoles losses have exacerbated this. The Wildcats have not won back to back postseason games in 55 years, that streak will end today
Pick-Kentucky
INSIGHT BOWL
Oklahoma State (6-6) vs Indiana (7-5)
Sun Devil Stadium; Tempe AZ 5:30 (NFLN)
Favorite Oklahoma State by 5
Fast Fact The Hoosiers are making their first bowl appearance since 1993
The Hoosiers are playing like gangbusters in memory of their recently deceased former coach Terry Hoeppner and are plenty motivated. The Cowboys Mike Gundy made headlines with his classic meltdown earlier in the year but his Pokes are no better than they were last year, 6-6 and in danger of a losing season. The Hoosiers are led by Kellen Lewis and his passing should be the difference
Pick-Indiana
CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL
#15 Clemson (9-3) vs #23 Auburn (8-4)
Georgia Dome, Atlanta 7:30 ESPN
Favorite Clemson by 2
Fast Fact These two teams have played each other often, 45 times since 1899
This clash of the Tigers is the last game of the calendar and has plenty of intrigue. Clemson has a potent, balanced offense with James Davis and CJ Spiller sharing the bulk of the running duties. Cullen Harper is a solid QB that has tossed a school record 27 TDs this year. Auburn has a hard charging stingy defense that has been hampered by the losses of OLB's Tremaine Billie and Nick Watkins who were declared academically ineligble. Those losses will hurt Auburn more than it can make up.
Pick-Clemson
Tuesday January 1, 2008
OUTBACK BOWL
#18 Wisconsin (9-3) vs #16 Tennessee (9-4)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa 11:00 (ESPN)
Favorite Tennessee by 1½
Fast Fact This is Wisconsin third appearance in the Outback Bowl (0-2)
A pair of young but rising teams square of in the calendar years first game.
The Vols are led by senior QB Erik Ainge who has tossed 29 TD and over 3100 yards. The Vols have a young defense that gives up a number of big plays. The Vols are also dealing with the imminent departure of offensive coordinatior David Cutcliffe to Duke. The Badgers are a stout Big Ten team that is suprisingly soft on defense. Badger RB PJ Hill is a definite TD threat in a game that is really too close to call.
Pick-Tennessee
COTTON BOWL
#6 Missouri (11-2) vs Arkansas (8-4)
Cotton Bowl, Dallas 11:30 (FOX)
Favorite Missouri by 3
Fast Fact Retring Arkansas AD Frank Broyles once was head coach of Missouri
Shafted out of the BCS bowl, Mizzou has a right to brood. The Tigers face the potent running attack of junior RB Darren McFadden who is the engine of the Hogs offense. Chase Daniel threw for better than 4100 yards and like McFadden was also a Heisman candidate. The Hogs may take advantage of the Tigers bowl inexperience and their possible pouting over a BCS snub. This may be McFadden's last college game and he'll want to shine for the pro scouts.
Pick-Arkansas
CAPITAL ONE BOWL
#12 Florida (9-3) vs Michigan (8-4)
Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando 1:00 (ABC)
Favorite Florida by 10½
Fast Fact: These storied college teams have only met one before, in 2002 (Michigan 38-30 in the Outback Bowl)
Heisman winner Tim Tebow will try to shake the supposed Heisman QB Jinx (QB winners are 5-7 in bowls since 1980) as he leads a decent Gator squad against Michigan. The Wolverines have plenty of talent. Chad Henne is a capable QB and Mike Hart is a scoring threat from anywhere on the field, but both are susceptable to injuries. The Wolverines want badly to send retiring coach Lloyd Carr out with a win. The Gators are well aware of the Wolverines troubles with mobile QB's Vince Young, Troy Smith, Dennis Dixon and Appy State's Armanti Edwards all ran wild against the slower Michigan D. As much as I love the Big Blue, I'm seeing a painful repeat
Pick-Florida
GATOR BOWL
Texas Tech (8-4) vs #20 Virginia (9-3)
Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Texas Tech by 6
Fast Fact The Red Raiders were sixth in the nation in offensive scoring
Classic opposite meet here, the Red Raiders are led by Graham Harrell who threw for a mind boggling 5298 yards (thats not a misprint) and 45 touchdowns equally impressive was his favorite target Michael Crabtree who caught 125 and 21 touchdowns. The Cavs hope to use their solid defense led by DE Chris Long, son of NFL hall of Famer Howie. The Cavs have held their opponents to under 19 points a game and have won five games by 1 or 2 points, a NCAA record. The Cavs had best keep this game low scoring and close. The word here says that they can't
Pick-Texas Tech
ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY CITI
#13 Illinois (9-3) vs #7 Southern Cal (10-2)
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA 4:30 (ABC)
Favorite USC by 13½
Fast Fact USC is playing in the Rose Bowl for the third straight year
An old school Big 10-Pac 10 Rose Bowl features a team used to being here (USC) and a surprise team (Illinois) The Trojans are that same old punch you in the mouth team with good running and solid passing. The return to health of John David Booty will be a boon to the Trojans. Meanwhile the Illini live on the freewheeling style of Juice Williams. The Illini opened a lot of eyes with their stunning upset of top ranked Ohio State but the Trojans should be able to umm..keep the Juice from getting loose.
Pick-USC
ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL
#10 Hawai'i (12-0) vs #5 Georgia (10-2)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans 8:30 (FOX)
Favorite Georgia by 7½
Fast Fact This is the Rainbow Warriors second ever bowl game on the mainland
This should be called the anger bowl. Both teams feel slighted, the Bulldogs are annoyed that they aren't playing a week later in the Big Easy and the Warriors wonder why their unbeaten mark doesn't get them more love from the BCS. Both teams are very good and this will make for an exciting game. Colt Brennan can and will throw the ball all over the place and put the points up. The Bulldogs have an impressive freshman RB in Knowshon Moreno as well as highly underrated senior RB Thomas Brown who give the Bulldogs a nasty 1-2 punch and can control the clock. The Warriors want to sell themselves as a latter day Boise State with the pluck and ambition to knock off a highly rated big name team. I'm not buying it this year.
Pick-Georgia
Previous Pick Set: 4-3
Overall: 8-9
I don't wear stupid hats, I might blow one of those silly horns or something like that, but I just want to wish everyone a safe, sane and happy new year. I'm wishing everyone the same thing, A great '08!
Until next year Fellow Sports Fans!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Week 17 Picks with more college bowl picks mixed in
I've been editing this post like crazy, so if you come back and see more things added on, its not because I'm trying to revise history. I'm trying to put more stuff on one post so I don't pad my posting stats with little posts. All of the posts encompass the Saturday and Sunday Pro and College football games, I apologize for any confusion this may cause, so hold onto your hats...
Starting first with the NFL, the curtain is about to close on the 2007 season and there is little drama to be had on the last weekend. Aside from the Pats gunning for a historical finish to their incredible regular season. Most of the teams that are going to play in January are resting players for their games next week, so you might see some no names getting big numbers. Thus it makes some of these games hard to call. Your humble scribe seeks to better his 2006 overall showing and unless I totally tank the week and fail to get five (something that could happen, mind you) I should exceed my 156 of last year. No Monday Night game this week as to not potentially handicap any team going into the wildcard round, so after the end of the Colts-Titan game,thankfully flexed from an orgininally scheduled abysmal Chiefs-Jets matchup. The lines are as usual provided by Yahoo Sports, you know the drill. The playoff implications are posted only for the games that have them.
Saturday, December 29
Patriots (15-0) @ NY Giants (10-5)
Giants Stadium; E. Rutherford, NJ 8:15 (NFLN, CBS, NBC)
Favorite Patriots by 13 ½
Fast Fact: This is the first NFL broadcast to be shown on multiple networks since Super Bowl I
The magnitude of history finally got to Mr. Goddell not Sen. Kerry and the decision was made to show this potentially historic game nationawide. The Pats are shooting for a host of records and despite their usual downplaying of such are now very cognizant of the what history they have on their back. Many people think that the G-Men who are locked into the #5 spot and know who the Bucs will be their playoff opponent next week will play the low-key role so as to not give away too much. I think that will be the case and the Pats write their names in the stars. Hey Mercury, the Pats are in your town and have located your subdivision.
Pick-New England
Sunday, December 30
Bills (7-8 ) @ Eagles (7-8 )
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Eagles by 7½
Fast Fact: Donovan McNabb has not thrown an interception in the three games he has played since returning from injury.
Both teams are playing out the string, but the Eagles seemed to take great delight in messing up playoff hopes of various teams in the past couple weeks and have been playing very well. The Bills have seemed to lose their focus and their play has reflected it. The Eagles will finish like the playoff team that they were last year.
Pick-Philadelphia
Panthers (6-9) @ Buccaneers (9-6)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Panthers by 3
Fast Fact: The Panthers have won four straight in Tampa
The Bucs are trying to play this one close to the vest to keep from giving away too much for their upcoming wild card game against the Giants. The Panthers just want a disastrous season to be over with. The Bucs puzzling decision to lift many of their starters in the 2nd half against the Niners may repeat itself in this game. I know this pick may make no sense, but the Bucs are unconcerned about this game. I think the decision will come back to haunt them.
Pick-Carolina
Bengals (6-9) @ Dolphins (1-14)
Dolphin Stadium, Miami 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Bengals by 3
Fast Fact The Bengals have not won in Miami since 1968 their first season
The Bengals got some satisfaction from an otherwise disappointing season by crippling the Browns playoff hopes last week. They are wary of coming out flat against a Miami squad looking to put on its best face for its new czar of football Bill Parcells. This game will be tight and one of the better played of the early set of games. I’ll probably regret this pick, but the Bengals have the talent and should finish strong.
Pick-Cincinnati
Lions (7-8 ) @ Packers (12-3)
Lambeau Field, Green Bay 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Packers by 4
Fast Fact Brett Favre has yet to lose to the Lions at home, the Lions last win at Lambeau was 1991.
The Pack laid a big fat egg in Chicago and cost themselves a shot at home field advantage. The Lions once again are feeling froggy after beating a hapless Chief squad in an ugly game. The Pack are locked into the #2 spot and have nothing to play for, but would rather not go into their playoff bye on a down note.
Pick-Green Bay
Jaguars (11-4) @ Texans (7-8 )
Reliant Stadium, Houston 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Texans by 6½
Fast Fact The Texans are 7-3 outside of their division and winless in it.
The Jags are looking to keep everyone on their squad healthy before an anticipated matchup with either the Steelers or Chargers and will play it lowkey and give many their starters limited playing time. The Texans are fast improving, but are locked in the basement of the NFL’s toughest division. The Texans will play it like a playoff game and send their fans home happy with a win over another playoff team. I'm calling this an upset only because the Jags are a playoff bound team and they were one of the rare teams this year that came through for me on an upset call
Pick-Houston (Upset of the week)
Saints (7-8 ) @ Bears (6-9)
Soldier Field, Chicago 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Saints by 2
Playoff Implications: Saints must win and get losses by Vikings and Redskins
Fast Fact: The Bears are the 5th team in the last 6 years to miss the playoffs the year after losing the Super Bowl.
Playing for their very lives, the Saints blew a big chance to stay in the middle of the playoff race with an ill-timed home finale loss. Needing a miracle of circumstances to get in, the Saints should play better and hope against hope for a miracle.
Pick-New Orleans
Seahawks (10-5) @ Falcons (3-12)
Georgia Dome, Atlanta 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Falcons by 2½
Fast Fact The Falcons have lost their last five by an average of 22 points
The Seahawks win the criss-cross award for another cross country trip. Look for the Seahawks to rest many of their starters, but they have more than enough to beat the woeful Falcons who just want it to be all over.
Pick-Seattle
49ers (5-10) @ Browns (9-6)
Browns Stadium, Cleveland 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Browns by 10
Fast Fact: The Browns have no say in their playoff status they await the outcome of the Tennessee-Indy game later in the day.
The Browns came out flat in Cincy and now are big Colts fans as they don’t control their playoff fate. The Niners are finishing strong but it won’t likely save Mike Nolan’s job. The Browns are the better team and despite the game having no bearing on their playoff fate will show it.
Pick-Cleveland
Cowboys (13-2) @ Redskins (8-7)
FedEx Field; Landover, MD 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Redskins by 9½
Playoff Implications: Redskins clinch with win or Vikings loss
Fast Fact: With a victory the Cowboys would set a franchise record for wins.
The Pokes locked into the #1 spot are trying to get rested and ready for the playoffs and a possible high stakes meeting with the Packers next month. Normally they would relish a chance to knock their hated rivals out of the playoff race but in this case they could care less about this game and it will show. The Skins blew open their playoff door with a late rush and will charge through a door once thought to be all but closed three weeks ago.
Pick-Washington (Lock Of The Week)
Chiefs (4-11) @ NY Jets (3-12)
The Meadowlands; E. Rutherford, NJ 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Jets by 6½
Fast Fact: This is the only weekend that both the Jets and Giants will both play at home.
The Herman Edwards bowl will conclude a disappointing a season for these playoff teams of a year ago. Both teams have a knack for losing close games, this will be a game of who wants it less…Flip a coin on this one.
Pick-New York Jets
Vikings (8-7) @ Broncos (6-9)
Invesco Field @ Mile High, Denver 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Vikings by 3
Playoff Implications: Vikings clinch with win and Redskins loss
Fast Fact: This is the second time in the last five seasons that the Vikings have gone to the last weekend of the season to attempt to clinch a playoff berth.
The Vikings blew the most golden of opportunities to clinch a playoff spot with a lackluster primetime performance against the Redskins and will be scoreboard watching. The Broncos have the look of a team that packed it in long ago and are playing like it. The Vikes will get a win, but it will be rendered meaningless by events some 1700 miles to the east
Pick-Minnesota
Steelers (10-5) @ Ravens (4-11)
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Steelers by 3½
Playoff Implications: Steelers can clinch #3 playoff seed with win and Chargers loss
Fast Fact: The Ravens are one of three 2006 playoff teams that will finish this season with ten or more losses
Mike Tomlin likely sent Marvin Lewis a nice fruit basket for his teams timely defeat of the fast pursuing Browns. They would love nothing more than to tune up against a Ravens team that fell frighteningly fast from a 13 win team of a year ago. This game will be ugly.
Pick-Pittsburgh
Chargers (10-5) @ Raiders (4-11)
Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Chargers by 8
Playoff Implications: Chargers can clinch #3 seed with win
Fast Fact: The Chargers have won the last meetings
Rounding nicely into playoff form, the Chargers thumped the Broncos and are looking to do the same against their hated NoCal rivals. The Raiders will finally give JaMarcus Russell the QB reins and his first start. Too bad he will face a Charger D that will pin its ears back and make life miserable for him.
Pick-San Diego
Rams (3-12) @ Cardinals (7-8 )
University of Phoenix Stadium; Glendale, AZ 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Cardinals by 6
Fast Fact The Cards seven wins are the most for the franchise since 2001.
The Cards are trying to finish strong and have something to build on for 2008, the Rams are infighting and haven’t played a competitive game in some time. The Cards may very well treat this like a playoff game and have fun playing the bully.
Pick-Arizona
Titans (9-6) @ Colts (13-2)
RCA Dome, Indianapolis 8:15 (NBC)
Favorite: Titans by 6
Playoff Implications: Titans clinch #6 seed with win
Fast Fact The Titans have lost eight of the last nine meetings
The weeks best game is the last one of the regular season as the Colts with really nothing to play for are trying to deny the Titans a playoff bid. Vince Young’s so-so play down the stretch hasn’t hurt the Titans yet. Peyton Manning will get a smidgen of work in this game and the Browns playoff hopes may rest on the arm of Jim Sorgi…sorry Cleveland your hearts get broken again.
Pick-Tennessee
Last Week: 10-6
Overall: 151-89
Turning now to the college game there are a few games to take in this weekend, the matchups run the gamut from interesting to sleep inducing. Not becuase of the names in the matchup, but because of the teams behind the names...
Saturday December 29
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL
#25 Connecticut (9-3) vs Wake Forest (8-4)
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte 1:00 ESPN
Favorite Wake Forest by 2
Fast Fact Demon Deacons making second consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in school history
Both of these teams are solid and play opportunistic. Both teams have young quartebacks whose play belie their age. Riley Skinner is a fairly solid QB but can be pressured into mistakes, not a good thing facing a ballhawking big play UConn defense that has 22 interceptions. If you watch this game, make a count of how many times the announcers mention how many bigger name school covet both the Huskies Randy Edsall and the Deacons Jim Grobe. I like that both coaches are staying where they are and this will be a good game. Wake is playing in its backyard but I like UConn's defense to force Skinner into bad decisions
Pick-Connecticut
AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL
Mississippi State (7-5) vs Central Florida (10-3)
Liberty Bowl, Memphis 4:30 ESPN
Favorite Central Florida by 3
Fast Fact UCF RB Kevin Smith needs 181 yards to break Barry Sanders single season rushing mark of 2628 set in 1988
This may be your first chance to watch amazing RB Kevin Smith in action, his first carry of the 2007 season went for 80 yards and he seemingly hasn't stopped running yet. He will be the focal point of the game, but you have to give some dap to the Bulldogs Sylvester Croom and the Golden Knights George O'Leary. Much ado has been made about Croom being the first black head coach in the SEC, but he has slowly and quietly built the Bulldogs into a decent squad. O'Leary after having to resign from Notre Dame after his resume padding got exposed went to UCF and has developed a tough squad. MSU has a solid defense and will be the biggest test Smith has had to face. This will be a tight game, but I like the Bulldogs big game experience to carry the day.
Pick-Mississippi State
VALERO ALAMO BOWL
Penn State (8-4) vs Texas A&M (7-5)
Alamodome, San Antonio 8:00 ESPN
Favorite Penn State by 5
Fast Fact Nittany Lion Coach Joe Paterno coaches in his 500th game tonight, Aggie Coach Gary Darnell is coaching in his first.
Usually I try to stay neutral on analyzing games, but Texas A&M got on my bad side when one of their "yellers" made comments about Penn State Coach Joe Paterno being in a coffin or close to one. The 81 year old patriarch of the Penn State Football program deserves much more respect than that. Dis the Lions uniforms or blah style of football, but leave the great coach out of it.
The Aggies were blundering along in the wake of now resigned coach Dennis Franchione's insider recruiting newsletter and his subsequent dismissal over it but looked sharp in a shootout win over archrival Texas. Aggie QB Stephen McGee easily played his best game but will have a much tougher go against the Penn State defense, nationally ranked in points allowed and run defense. I believe that if you do dirt it comes back. I think the Nittany Lions come out with a chip on their shoulder about the Paterno comment and play a crisp game.
Pick-Penn State
Sunday December 30
PETRO SUN INDEPENDENCE BOWL
Alabama (6-6) vs Colorado (6-6)
Independence Stadium; Shreveport , LA 8:00 ESPN
Favorite Alabama by 3½
Fast Fact This is the Tide's 55th bowl appearance
A fellow TSN writer called this the worst bowl matchup of the bowl season and I'd have to agree. With apologies to my homegirl Loriebamafan on TSN.com, the Tide are a sorry excuse for a bowl team. They started 6-2 but a fall from ahead loss to LSU triggered a four game slide which included an embarrasing loss to Louisiana-Monroe. The Buffs looked like a decent bowl prospect at one time after upending future Big 12 champ Oklahoma, but they stumbled badly after a 4-2 start losing 3 of 4 before winning a wild 65-51 shootout with a sorry Nebraska team to just get to .500 and bowl eligible. Both teams have decent players to be sure. DJ Hall is a potential gamebreaking WR for the Tide and Hugh Charles is a solid if unspectacular RB for the Buffs, but this matchup will be a yawn fest. It'll be my luck that it'll be a triple overtime shootout, this is a coin flip game. My general loathing of Nick Saban may cloud my pick on this one though.
Pick-Alabama
Previous Pick Set: 2-2
Overall: 4-6
I'm gearing up for the biggest bowl preview of the series, which will be posted either Sunday or Monday 12 games on New Years Eve and New Years Day. I've got to do my research so I'll be off. Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
Starting first with the NFL, the curtain is about to close on the 2007 season and there is little drama to be had on the last weekend. Aside from the Pats gunning for a historical finish to their incredible regular season. Most of the teams that are going to play in January are resting players for their games next week, so you might see some no names getting big numbers. Thus it makes some of these games hard to call. Your humble scribe seeks to better his 2006 overall showing and unless I totally tank the week and fail to get five (something that could happen, mind you) I should exceed my 156 of last year. No Monday Night game this week as to not potentially handicap any team going into the wildcard round, so after the end of the Colts-Titan game,thankfully flexed from an orgininally scheduled abysmal Chiefs-Jets matchup. The lines are as usual provided by Yahoo Sports, you know the drill. The playoff implications are posted only for the games that have them.
Saturday, December 29
Patriots (15-0) @ NY Giants (10-5)
Giants Stadium; E. Rutherford, NJ 8:15 (NFLN, CBS, NBC)
Favorite Patriots by 13 ½
Fast Fact: This is the first NFL broadcast to be shown on multiple networks since Super Bowl I
The magnitude of history finally got to Mr. Goddell not Sen. Kerry and the decision was made to show this potentially historic game nationawide. The Pats are shooting for a host of records and despite their usual downplaying of such are now very cognizant of the what history they have on their back. Many people think that the G-Men who are locked into the #5 spot and know who the Bucs will be their playoff opponent next week will play the low-key role so as to not give away too much. I think that will be the case and the Pats write their names in the stars. Hey Mercury, the Pats are in your town and have located your subdivision.
Pick-New England
Sunday, December 30
Bills (7-8 ) @ Eagles (7-8 )
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Eagles by 7½
Fast Fact: Donovan McNabb has not thrown an interception in the three games he has played since returning from injury.
Both teams are playing out the string, but the Eagles seemed to take great delight in messing up playoff hopes of various teams in the past couple weeks and have been playing very well. The Bills have seemed to lose their focus and their play has reflected it. The Eagles will finish like the playoff team that they were last year.
Pick-Philadelphia
Panthers (6-9) @ Buccaneers (9-6)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Panthers by 3
Fast Fact: The Panthers have won four straight in Tampa
The Bucs are trying to play this one close to the vest to keep from giving away too much for their upcoming wild card game against the Giants. The Panthers just want a disastrous season to be over with. The Bucs puzzling decision to lift many of their starters in the 2nd half against the Niners may repeat itself in this game. I know this pick may make no sense, but the Bucs are unconcerned about this game. I think the decision will come back to haunt them.
Pick-Carolina
Bengals (6-9) @ Dolphins (1-14)
Dolphin Stadium, Miami 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Bengals by 3
Fast Fact The Bengals have not won in Miami since 1968 their first season
The Bengals got some satisfaction from an otherwise disappointing season by crippling the Browns playoff hopes last week. They are wary of coming out flat against a Miami squad looking to put on its best face for its new czar of football Bill Parcells. This game will be tight and one of the better played of the early set of games. I’ll probably regret this pick, but the Bengals have the talent and should finish strong.
Pick-Cincinnati
Lions (7-8 ) @ Packers (12-3)
Lambeau Field, Green Bay 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Packers by 4
Fast Fact Brett Favre has yet to lose to the Lions at home, the Lions last win at Lambeau was 1991.
The Pack laid a big fat egg in Chicago and cost themselves a shot at home field advantage. The Lions once again are feeling froggy after beating a hapless Chief squad in an ugly game. The Pack are locked into the #2 spot and have nothing to play for, but would rather not go into their playoff bye on a down note.
Pick-Green Bay
Jaguars (11-4) @ Texans (7-8 )
Reliant Stadium, Houston 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Texans by 6½
Fast Fact The Texans are 7-3 outside of their division and winless in it.
The Jags are looking to keep everyone on their squad healthy before an anticipated matchup with either the Steelers or Chargers and will play it lowkey and give many their starters limited playing time. The Texans are fast improving, but are locked in the basement of the NFL’s toughest division. The Texans will play it like a playoff game and send their fans home happy with a win over another playoff team. I'm calling this an upset only because the Jags are a playoff bound team and they were one of the rare teams this year that came through for me on an upset call
Pick-Houston (Upset of the week)
Saints (7-8 ) @ Bears (6-9)
Soldier Field, Chicago 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Saints by 2
Playoff Implications: Saints must win and get losses by Vikings and Redskins
Fast Fact: The Bears are the 5th team in the last 6 years to miss the playoffs the year after losing the Super Bowl.
Playing for their very lives, the Saints blew a big chance to stay in the middle of the playoff race with an ill-timed home finale loss. Needing a miracle of circumstances to get in, the Saints should play better and hope against hope for a miracle.
Pick-New Orleans
Seahawks (10-5) @ Falcons (3-12)
Georgia Dome, Atlanta 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Falcons by 2½
Fast Fact The Falcons have lost their last five by an average of 22 points
The Seahawks win the criss-cross award for another cross country trip. Look for the Seahawks to rest many of their starters, but they have more than enough to beat the woeful Falcons who just want it to be all over.
Pick-Seattle
49ers (5-10) @ Browns (9-6)
Browns Stadium, Cleveland 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Browns by 10
Fast Fact: The Browns have no say in their playoff status they await the outcome of the Tennessee-Indy game later in the day.
The Browns came out flat in Cincy and now are big Colts fans as they don’t control their playoff fate. The Niners are finishing strong but it won’t likely save Mike Nolan’s job. The Browns are the better team and despite the game having no bearing on their playoff fate will show it.
Pick-Cleveland
Cowboys (13-2) @ Redskins (8-7)
FedEx Field; Landover, MD 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Redskins by 9½
Playoff Implications: Redskins clinch with win or Vikings loss
Fast Fact: With a victory the Cowboys would set a franchise record for wins.
The Pokes locked into the #1 spot are trying to get rested and ready for the playoffs and a possible high stakes meeting with the Packers next month. Normally they would relish a chance to knock their hated rivals out of the playoff race but in this case they could care less about this game and it will show. The Skins blew open their playoff door with a late rush and will charge through a door once thought to be all but closed three weeks ago.
Pick-Washington (Lock Of The Week)
Chiefs (4-11) @ NY Jets (3-12)
The Meadowlands; E. Rutherford, NJ 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Jets by 6½
Fast Fact: This is the only weekend that both the Jets and Giants will both play at home.
The Herman Edwards bowl will conclude a disappointing a season for these playoff teams of a year ago. Both teams have a knack for losing close games, this will be a game of who wants it less…Flip a coin on this one.
Pick-New York Jets
Vikings (8-7) @ Broncos (6-9)
Invesco Field @ Mile High, Denver 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Vikings by 3
Playoff Implications: Vikings clinch with win and Redskins loss
Fast Fact: This is the second time in the last five seasons that the Vikings have gone to the last weekend of the season to attempt to clinch a playoff berth.
The Vikings blew the most golden of opportunities to clinch a playoff spot with a lackluster primetime performance against the Redskins and will be scoreboard watching. The Broncos have the look of a team that packed it in long ago and are playing like it. The Vikes will get a win, but it will be rendered meaningless by events some 1700 miles to the east
Pick-Minnesota
Steelers (10-5) @ Ravens (4-11)
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Steelers by 3½
Playoff Implications: Steelers can clinch #3 playoff seed with win and Chargers loss
Fast Fact: The Ravens are one of three 2006 playoff teams that will finish this season with ten or more losses
Mike Tomlin likely sent Marvin Lewis a nice fruit basket for his teams timely defeat of the fast pursuing Browns. They would love nothing more than to tune up against a Ravens team that fell frighteningly fast from a 13 win team of a year ago. This game will be ugly.
Pick-Pittsburgh
Chargers (10-5) @ Raiders (4-11)
Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Chargers by 8
Playoff Implications: Chargers can clinch #3 seed with win
Fast Fact: The Chargers have won the last meetings
Rounding nicely into playoff form, the Chargers thumped the Broncos and are looking to do the same against their hated NoCal rivals. The Raiders will finally give JaMarcus Russell the QB reins and his first start. Too bad he will face a Charger D that will pin its ears back and make life miserable for him.
Pick-San Diego
Rams (3-12) @ Cardinals (7-8 )
University of Phoenix Stadium; Glendale, AZ 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Cardinals by 6
Fast Fact The Cards seven wins are the most for the franchise since 2001.
The Cards are trying to finish strong and have something to build on for 2008, the Rams are infighting and haven’t played a competitive game in some time. The Cards may very well treat this like a playoff game and have fun playing the bully.
Pick-Arizona
Titans (9-6) @ Colts (13-2)
RCA Dome, Indianapolis 8:15 (NBC)
Favorite: Titans by 6
Playoff Implications: Titans clinch #6 seed with win
Fast Fact The Titans have lost eight of the last nine meetings
The weeks best game is the last one of the regular season as the Colts with really nothing to play for are trying to deny the Titans a playoff bid. Vince Young’s so-so play down the stretch hasn’t hurt the Titans yet. Peyton Manning will get a smidgen of work in this game and the Browns playoff hopes may rest on the arm of Jim Sorgi…sorry Cleveland your hearts get broken again.
Pick-Tennessee
Last Week: 10-6
Overall: 151-89
Turning now to the college game there are a few games to take in this weekend, the matchups run the gamut from interesting to sleep inducing. Not becuase of the names in the matchup, but because of the teams behind the names...
Saturday December 29
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL
#25 Connecticut (9-3) vs Wake Forest (8-4)
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte 1:00 ESPN
Favorite Wake Forest by 2
Fast Fact Demon Deacons making second consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in school history
Both of these teams are solid and play opportunistic. Both teams have young quartebacks whose play belie their age. Riley Skinner is a fairly solid QB but can be pressured into mistakes, not a good thing facing a ballhawking big play UConn defense that has 22 interceptions. If you watch this game, make a count of how many times the announcers mention how many bigger name school covet both the Huskies Randy Edsall and the Deacons Jim Grobe. I like that both coaches are staying where they are and this will be a good game. Wake is playing in its backyard but I like UConn's defense to force Skinner into bad decisions
Pick-Connecticut
AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL
Mississippi State (7-5) vs Central Florida (10-3)
Liberty Bowl, Memphis 4:30 ESPN
Favorite Central Florida by 3
Fast Fact UCF RB Kevin Smith needs 181 yards to break Barry Sanders single season rushing mark of 2628 set in 1988
This may be your first chance to watch amazing RB Kevin Smith in action, his first carry of the 2007 season went for 80 yards and he seemingly hasn't stopped running yet. He will be the focal point of the game, but you have to give some dap to the Bulldogs Sylvester Croom and the Golden Knights George O'Leary. Much ado has been made about Croom being the first black head coach in the SEC, but he has slowly and quietly built the Bulldogs into a decent squad. O'Leary after having to resign from Notre Dame after his resume padding got exposed went to UCF and has developed a tough squad. MSU has a solid defense and will be the biggest test Smith has had to face. This will be a tight game, but I like the Bulldogs big game experience to carry the day.
Pick-Mississippi State
VALERO ALAMO BOWL
Penn State (8-4) vs Texas A&M (7-5)
Alamodome, San Antonio 8:00 ESPN
Favorite Penn State by 5
Fast Fact Nittany Lion Coach Joe Paterno coaches in his 500th game tonight, Aggie Coach Gary Darnell is coaching in his first.
Usually I try to stay neutral on analyzing games, but Texas A&M got on my bad side when one of their "yellers" made comments about Penn State Coach Joe Paterno being in a coffin or close to one. The 81 year old patriarch of the Penn State Football program deserves much more respect than that. Dis the Lions uniforms or blah style of football, but leave the great coach out of it.
The Aggies were blundering along in the wake of now resigned coach Dennis Franchione's insider recruiting newsletter and his subsequent dismissal over it but looked sharp in a shootout win over archrival Texas. Aggie QB Stephen McGee easily played his best game but will have a much tougher go against the Penn State defense, nationally ranked in points allowed and run defense. I believe that if you do dirt it comes back. I think the Nittany Lions come out with a chip on their shoulder about the Paterno comment and play a crisp game.
Pick-Penn State
Sunday December 30
PETRO SUN INDEPENDENCE BOWL
Alabama (6-6) vs Colorado (6-6)
Independence Stadium; Shreveport , LA 8:00 ESPN
Favorite Alabama by 3½
Fast Fact This is the Tide's 55th bowl appearance
A fellow TSN writer called this the worst bowl matchup of the bowl season and I'd have to agree. With apologies to my homegirl Loriebamafan on TSN.com, the Tide are a sorry excuse for a bowl team. They started 6-2 but a fall from ahead loss to LSU triggered a four game slide which included an embarrasing loss to Louisiana-Monroe. The Buffs looked like a decent bowl prospect at one time after upending future Big 12 champ Oklahoma, but they stumbled badly after a 4-2 start losing 3 of 4 before winning a wild 65-51 shootout with a sorry Nebraska team to just get to .500 and bowl eligible. Both teams have decent players to be sure. DJ Hall is a potential gamebreaking WR for the Tide and Hugh Charles is a solid if unspectacular RB for the Buffs, but this matchup will be a yawn fest. It'll be my luck that it'll be a triple overtime shootout, this is a coin flip game. My general loathing of Nick Saban may cloud my pick on this one though.
Pick-Alabama
Previous Pick Set: 2-2
Overall: 4-6
I'm gearing up for the biggest bowl preview of the series, which will be posted either Sunday or Monday 12 games on New Years Eve and New Years Day. I've got to do my research so I'll be off. Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
A Bowling we will go...a bowling we will go
Back after a nice Christmas, thankfully there was no squabbling with the relatives and I spent a majority of the day either eating or watching old school Looney Tunes cartoons. Not a bad combo for Christmas.
Anyhoo, the bowl season picks back up today and really ratchets up tommorrow and the Bandit has more bowl previews for you and of course the Phat Dap/Head Slap of the week. ;)
The first set of bowl pick were not at all kind to your humble scribe. East Carolina? Florida Atlantic? Who knew? And anyone outside of New Mexico that thought the Lobos would pitch a shutout is flatout lying... Oh well, the Bearcats came through so I'm happy with that but I've got a prognasticating rep to protect.
Thursday December 27th
PACIFIC LIFE HOLIDAY BOWL
#11 Arizona State (9-3) vs #19 Texas (10-2)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego 8:00 (ESPN)
Favorite Texas by 2½
Fast Fact The Longhorns make their 4th trip to the Holiday Bowl in 7 years
This used to be the so-called minor bowl before the big boys but now I think of it as the best bowl not in January. This matchup is no exception as you have a pair of top 20 teams with high powered passing offenses. The Longhorns seem to like coming to San Diego as this bowl and the Rose Bowl have been the Horns destination 6 of the last 8 years. Colt McCoy is a servicable QB but has a nasty tendency to throw the interception. The Sun Devils feel a bit slighted and thought they should have earned a BCS berth, QB Rudy Carpenter comes into the came hot having thrown 7 TDs and only 1 INT in his last five games.
The Holiday Bowl is more often than not a high scoring affair and this game will be no exception. I give the slightest of edges to the Sun Devils as their offense can put the points and yards up against a suspect Longhorn D and McCoy's predilection to throwing ill-timed picks.
Pick-Arizona State
Friday December 28
CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL
#14 Boston College (10-3) vs Michigan State (7-5)
Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando 5:00 (ESPN)
Favorite Boston College by 4
Fast Fact Boston College owns the nations longest current bowl win streak having won all its bowl appearences this decade.
The Eagles limp into this game, having lost 3 of their last 5 after an 8-0 start. Matt Ryan was a top Heisman candidate but fell off badly. They face a bowl inexperienced team in the Spartans who last appeared in the 2003 Alamo Bowl. The Spartans rely on a balanced offense which can run well with Javon Ringer and pass capabaly with Brian Hoyer getting a good number of catches and yards from Big Ten receiving leader Devin Thomas. The Eagles have slumped but I doubt that the Spartans have the experience to tip the balance that much
Pick-Boston College
TEXAS BOWL
Houston (8-4) vs Texas Christian (7-5)
Reliant Stadium, Houston 8:00 (NFL Network)
Favorite TCU by 4½
Fast Fact: Both these teams were once longtime rivals in the old Southwest Conference
Both teams are staying in state for this bowl game. The Cougars will be riding the running of senior RB Anthony Alridge who rushed for 1568 yards and paces a nationally ranked running game that averages almost 240 yards a contest. The Horned Frogs will try to stop Alridge with all conference DE Chase Ortiz and try to control the clock themselves with a ball control offense. This looks to be a grind it out type game. The slight edge going to the Cougars playing virtually in their own backyard.
Pick-Houston
EMERALD BOWL
Maryland (6-6) vs Oregon State (8-4)
AT&T Park San Francisco 8:30 (ESPN)
Favorite Oregon State by 5
Fast Fact This is Oregon State's first meeting with an ACC team since the 1942 Rose Bowl.
There are a few things about this game that annoy me. First its being played in a baseball venue. I loath seeing a football game being bastardized by trying to squeeze it in to a place made for baseball. Second, it features a .500 team. Maryland. I know the Terps beat a pair of nationally ranked teams to strengthen its resume, but they are the definition of Jekyll and Hyde. The Beavers are also a bit schizophrenic but finished a bit stronger. Both teams like to run, I saw Beaver senior running back Yvenson Bernard play against Cincy in September and was unimpressed. Bernard does put up decent numbers (103.7 rushing yards per game) but is coming off minor knee surgery and could be rusty. The Terps also have a good running game, featuring Keon Lattimore and and Lance Ball both posting over 700 yards and double digit touchdowns each. The Terps have historically played well in bowls, but I'm just not sold on them coming cross country to beat the Beavers.
Pick-Oregon State
Overall Bowl Picks: 2-4
Phat Dap/Head Slap
PHAT DAP
It might sound a bit self serving, but I'm giving it to me. I won one of my fantasy football leagues The Great Midwest Football League (A Name that I will give up for a certain price to a certain collegiate league I have the copyright), this despite finishing 2nd in my division to an unbeaten team. I beat the team that beat the unbeaten squad. Wanna check out my title winning squad? Take a Look-See Here. The GMFL is a league I founded in 1990 and has been very competitive, though I have won my 6th title in 18 years. I am taking applications for two spots that will soon come open, drop me a private message with your qualifications and you might be able to get a spot.
HEAD SLAP
These go to two NFL teams, the Cleveland Browns and the Minnesota Vikings. Both these teams had chances to clinch a playoff berth by simply winning. The Browns came out flat against the Bengals and Derek Anderson threw four picks. This against a Bengals secondary that was starting two rookies! The Browns have to hope that a nothing to play for Colt team can down the Titans or the playoff berth that they fought so hard for will disappear. The Vikings also had a golden opportunity slip right through their fingers, but to lose at home to a beatable Redskins squad was shameful. Vikes coach Brad Childress stubbornly stayed with a ground game that was not working and QB Tavaris Jackson played a second poor game. This loss means that the Vikes are likely to be eliminated from the playoff race before they take the field in Denver. The Redskins have only to beat a Cowboys team that will likely rest numerous starters as they have nothing to play for to gain a once unlikely playoff berth.
More bowl previews on Friday and the NFL Picks as well. No Thursday NFL games to drop in, thank goodness. Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
Anyhoo, the bowl season picks back up today and really ratchets up tommorrow and the Bandit has more bowl previews for you and of course the Phat Dap/Head Slap of the week. ;)
The first set of bowl pick were not at all kind to your humble scribe. East Carolina? Florida Atlantic? Who knew? And anyone outside of New Mexico that thought the Lobos would pitch a shutout is flatout lying... Oh well, the Bearcats came through so I'm happy with that but I've got a prognasticating rep to protect.
Thursday December 27th
PACIFIC LIFE HOLIDAY BOWL
#11 Arizona State (9-3) vs #19 Texas (10-2)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego 8:00 (ESPN)
Favorite Texas by 2½
Fast Fact The Longhorns make their 4th trip to the Holiday Bowl in 7 years
This used to be the so-called minor bowl before the big boys but now I think of it as the best bowl not in January. This matchup is no exception as you have a pair of top 20 teams with high powered passing offenses. The Longhorns seem to like coming to San Diego as this bowl and the Rose Bowl have been the Horns destination 6 of the last 8 years. Colt McCoy is a servicable QB but has a nasty tendency to throw the interception. The Sun Devils feel a bit slighted and thought they should have earned a BCS berth, QB Rudy Carpenter comes into the came hot having thrown 7 TDs and only 1 INT in his last five games.
The Holiday Bowl is more often than not a high scoring affair and this game will be no exception. I give the slightest of edges to the Sun Devils as their offense can put the points and yards up against a suspect Longhorn D and McCoy's predilection to throwing ill-timed picks.
Pick-Arizona State
Friday December 28
CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL
#14 Boston College (10-3) vs Michigan State (7-5)
Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando 5:00 (ESPN)
Favorite Boston College by 4
Fast Fact Boston College owns the nations longest current bowl win streak having won all its bowl appearences this decade.
The Eagles limp into this game, having lost 3 of their last 5 after an 8-0 start. Matt Ryan was a top Heisman candidate but fell off badly. They face a bowl inexperienced team in the Spartans who last appeared in the 2003 Alamo Bowl. The Spartans rely on a balanced offense which can run well with Javon Ringer and pass capabaly with Brian Hoyer getting a good number of catches and yards from Big Ten receiving leader Devin Thomas. The Eagles have slumped but I doubt that the Spartans have the experience to tip the balance that much
Pick-Boston College
TEXAS BOWL
Houston (8-4) vs Texas Christian (7-5)
Reliant Stadium, Houston 8:00 (NFL Network)
Favorite TCU by 4½
Fast Fact: Both these teams were once longtime rivals in the old Southwest Conference
Both teams are staying in state for this bowl game. The Cougars will be riding the running of senior RB Anthony Alridge who rushed for 1568 yards and paces a nationally ranked running game that averages almost 240 yards a contest. The Horned Frogs will try to stop Alridge with all conference DE Chase Ortiz and try to control the clock themselves with a ball control offense. This looks to be a grind it out type game. The slight edge going to the Cougars playing virtually in their own backyard.
Pick-Houston
EMERALD BOWL
Maryland (6-6) vs Oregon State (8-4)
AT&T Park San Francisco 8:30 (ESPN)
Favorite Oregon State by 5
Fast Fact This is Oregon State's first meeting with an ACC team since the 1942 Rose Bowl.
There are a few things about this game that annoy me. First its being played in a baseball venue. I loath seeing a football game being bastardized by trying to squeeze it in to a place made for baseball. Second, it features a .500 team. Maryland. I know the Terps beat a pair of nationally ranked teams to strengthen its resume, but they are the definition of Jekyll and Hyde. The Beavers are also a bit schizophrenic but finished a bit stronger. Both teams like to run, I saw Beaver senior running back Yvenson Bernard play against Cincy in September and was unimpressed. Bernard does put up decent numbers (103.7 rushing yards per game) but is coming off minor knee surgery and could be rusty. The Terps also have a good running game, featuring Keon Lattimore and and Lance Ball both posting over 700 yards and double digit touchdowns each. The Terps have historically played well in bowls, but I'm just not sold on them coming cross country to beat the Beavers.
Pick-Oregon State
Overall Bowl Picks: 2-4
Phat Dap/Head Slap
PHAT DAP
It might sound a bit self serving, but I'm giving it to me. I won one of my fantasy football leagues The Great Midwest Football League (A Name that I will give up for a certain price to a certain collegiate league I have the copyright), this despite finishing 2nd in my division to an unbeaten team. I beat the team that beat the unbeaten squad. Wanna check out my title winning squad? Take a Look-See Here. The GMFL is a league I founded in 1990 and has been very competitive, though I have won my 6th title in 18 years. I am taking applications for two spots that will soon come open, drop me a private message with your qualifications and you might be able to get a spot.
HEAD SLAP
These go to two NFL teams, the Cleveland Browns and the Minnesota Vikings. Both these teams had chances to clinch a playoff berth by simply winning. The Browns came out flat against the Bengals and Derek Anderson threw four picks. This against a Bengals secondary that was starting two rookies! The Browns have to hope that a nothing to play for Colt team can down the Titans or the playoff berth that they fought so hard for will disappear. The Vikings also had a golden opportunity slip right through their fingers, but to lose at home to a beatable Redskins squad was shameful. Vikes coach Brad Childress stubbornly stayed with a ground game that was not working and QB Tavaris Jackson played a second poor game. This loss means that the Vikes are likely to be eliminated from the playoff race before they take the field in Denver. The Redskins have only to beat a Cowboys team that will likely rest numerous starters as they have nothing to play for to gain a once unlikely playoff berth.
More bowl previews on Friday and the NFL Picks as well. No Thursday NFL games to drop in, thank goodness. Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Seasons Greetings & NFL Week 16 Picks
Here are the rest of the weeks picks, posted later than usual as I was watching my beloved Bearcats complete their first ten win season in 56 years with a 31-21 win over Southern Miss. I’m hopeful for bigger and better things next season.
The picks have been so-so as of late, (I'm not complaining about a 10 win week mind you) but my goal of surpassing my total from last year and staying under 100 incorrect picks is still on schedule. With a majority of the playoff spots locked up there are few good games among the clunkers this week. But the gems are good ones and are thick with playoff rammifications. The odds are provided courtesy of Yahoo Sports and are for comparison and entertainment purposes only. I’ve been telling you for 16 weeks so I don’t think I have to remind you about leaving my name out of it if you get in too deep with Vinnie No-Neck, or 88 Fingers betting these lines..
Saturday, December 22
Cowboys (12-2) @ Panthers (6-8 )
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte 8:15 (NFL Network)
Favorite Cowboys by 10½
Playoff Implications: Cowboys have clinched first round bye and need win to stay in #1 playoff slot. Panthers need win and lots of help to remain in playoff contention.
Fast Fact: The Cowboys are unbeaten in 3 regular season trips to Charlotte, but winless in two postseason visits
The media has been waiting all year to jump on something that TO says or does, and they are taking his comments about Tony Romo’s arm candy a little too serious and are trying to blow it into a full blown controversy. The Pokes looked lethargic in a sloppy loss to the Eagles but should bounce back. The Panthers caught a playoff bound Seahawk squad napping but shouldn’t get as lucky against the Pokes.
Pick-Dallas
Sunday, December 23
Browns (9-5) @ Bengals (5-9)
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Browns by 2½
Playoff Implications: The Browns clinch playoff spot with win or Tennessee loss, a Browns loss clinches the AFC North for Pittsburgh
Fast Fact: The winner of this game will lead the all time series which is currently tied at 34 wins apiece.
The Browns slugged and slogged through a wintry game with the Bills and have an outside chance of still claiming an AFC North title once thought to be an unreachable star. The Bengals are looking at the calendar and want it all to be over. Jamal Lewis has always run well on the Bengals and this should be no different.
Pick-Cleveland
Packers (12-2) @ Bears (5-9)
Soldier Field, Chicago 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Packers by 8
Playoff Implications: The Packers have clinched a bye and need to win and have Cowboys lose to move into #1 NFC playoff slot.
Fast Fact: Packers are 1 of 4 teams to have won at least 12 games in a season after 14 games, the last time this happened was 1968.
The Pack are rolling along but for some reason the Bears have played them tough. Though they looked a bit unsteady against the Vikes. Their QB situation is a mess and Kyle Orton is not the answer. The Pack, wary of a late season stumble that could cost them a shot at the #1 seed will be focused and ready. This game could get ugly and fast.
Pick-Green Bay
Texans (7-7) @ Colts (12-2)
RCA Dome, Indianapolis 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Colts by 7
Playoff Implications: Texans need win and lots of help to stay in playoff contention, Colts are locked into #2 AFC playoff slot
Fast Fact: Colts are first team in NFL history to have at least 12 wins in 5 consecutive seasons.
The Colts are cruising to the postseason and have only to worry about staying healthy. The Texans are fast improving and could give them a good game, but still have yet to prove to me that they are ready to step up to the Colts class.
Pick-Indianapolis
Chiefs (4-10) @ Lions (6-8 )
Ford Field, Detroit 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Lions by 4½
Playoff Implications: None
Fast Fact: Lions have not beaten Chiefs at home since 1981
Zzzzzz. The Chiefs are limping along and the Lions are in free fall. I give the edge to the Lions only because they play much better at home.
Pick-Detroit
NY Giants (9-5) @ Bills (7-7)
Ralph Wilson Stadium; Orchard Park, NY 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Giants by 2½
Playoff Implications: Giants clinch wild card spot with win, Buffalo needs win and help to stay in playoff contention
Fast Fact: The Giants have won four of their last seven in spite of failing to score more than 21 points in any of those seven.
Uh oh…The playoff berth that was all but a spot on lock for the G-Men has suddenly gotten very tenuous. Eli Manning should take none of the blame for the shameful play of his receiving corps last Sunday against the Skins (12 drops???) but he and head coach Tom Coughlin are starting to look like they are under a ton of pressure. The Bills are hanging on to slim playoff hopes and may be energized by an emotional appearance by injured TE Kevin Everett. If the G-Men fall behind early, they could be in trouble. A loss here might bounce them from the playoffs, guess what unbeaten juggernaut is on the docket next week? I’m thinking that hot seat that Coughlin has been on starts to roast him.
Pick-Buffalo (Upset of the Week)
Raiders (4-10) @ Jaguars (10-4)
Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Jaguars by 13
Playoff Implications: Jaguars clinch playoff berth with win
Fast Fact: This is the Raiders first ever visit to Jacksonville
The Jags are hitting their stride at the most opportune time and are the team that no one wants to face in the playoffs. The Raiders are ready to go home and it helps matters none that they are now quibbling over who should start at QB. I’ll help you out Coach Kiffin. Start JaMarcus Russell, let him take his lumps now to get used it. You don’t want to waste another season while he learns, Al Davis wants his super bowl rings…
Pick-Jacksonville (Lock of The Week)
Eagles (6-8 ) @ Saints (7-7)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Saints by 3
Playoff Implications: Saints need to win to stay in playoff contention
Fast Fact: The Saints are one of seven teams without a player going to the Pro Bowl
The Saints are still in it, and with a little help could realistically get in. The Eagles may be playing for pride, but they are still playing tough and Brian Westbrook is an absoulte nightmare to plan for. Both teams are very evenly matched but the possible return of Reggie Bush to limited duty may give the Saints a slight edge at home.
Pick-New Orleans
Falcons (3-11) @ Cardinals (6-8 )
University of Phoenix Stadium; Glendale, AZ 4:05 (FOX)
Favorite Cardinals by 10
Playoff Implications: None
Fast Fact: Falcons have won the last four meetings.
Both teams are playing out the string, but the Cards have a lot of hope for the future and something to build on. The Falcons have by and large quit as was painfully evidenced by the thrashing that they took in Tampa.
Pick-Arizona
Buccaneers (9-5) @ 49ers (4-10)
Monster Park, San Francisco 4:05 (FOX)
Favorite Buccaneers by 5½
Playoff Implications: None, Bucs have clinched AFC South but need a Seahawks loss to move into the #3 NFC Playoff slot with win.
Fast Fact: Micheal Spurlock had the franchise's first kickoff return for a touchdown, it only took 31 years and 1865 times for it to happen.
The Niners stunned many with an efficent win in primetime last week while the Bucs are gearing up to the playoffs. NBC flexed out of this game with the quickness knowing that this game is nothing more than a Bucs tune up for the postseason. The Bucs also need this game to avoid the surging Vikes in the playoffs
Pick-Tampa Bay
Ravens (4-10) @ Seahawks (9-5)
Qwest Field, Seattle 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Seahawks by 11
Playoff Implications: The Seahawks need to win to remain in #3 NFC playoff slot
Fast Fact: This is the Ravens first visit to Seattle
Caught unawares in a sloppy game in Charlotte, the Seahawks need a bounce back game in the worst way. The Ravens are fresh off of a humiliating loss to the previously winless Dolphins and have more or less quit. What? The Ravens won’t have the services of Ray Lewis either? Not a real good omen for the road weary Ravens.
Pick-Seattle
Miami (1-13) @ New England (14-0)
Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, MA 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Patriots by 22
Playoff Implications: None, Pats have clinched AFC East Title and #1 seed.
Fast Fact: This marks the largest win differential between two teams in NFL history
Hoodie man swears up and down that players will not be rested in this matchup. The Dolphins come in off an emotional first win while the Pats are trying not to skylark. The Pats are fighting off the comments that they are playing too many close games now to be a serious contender for this exalted state that the media wonks have put them in. To borrow a line from Al Davis, “Just Win, baby.” And that’s what the Pats are doing and will do. Its too easy to ride the Pats as a lock and as it has been noted the lock is elsewhere, though this is as about as close to one as you could hope for.
Pick-New England
NY Jets (3-11) @ Titans (8-6)
LP Field, Nashville 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Titans by 8½
Playoff Implications: Titans need win to stay in playoff contention
Fast Fact: The Jets' run defense is ranked 30th in the league at 141.1 yards allowed per game
The Jets played the Pats tough but were worn down, while the Titans got a badly needed win to stay afloat in the AFC playoff race. With all the questions swirling around who will start for the Jets now and in the future, the Titans are catching them at the right time. This will be a rather ugly game, but the Titans have something to play for.
Pick-Tennessee
Washington (7-7) @ Minnesota (8-6)
HHH Metrodome, Minneapolis 8:15 (NBC)
Favorite Vikings by 6½
Playoff Implications: Minnesota clinches playoff berth with win and Saints loss, Washington need win to stay in playoff contention.
Fast Fact: The Redskins are the second team to play back to back Sunday Night games this year (NE)
Easily the best matchup of the week has been smartly flexed into the showcase primetime spot. The Vikings are playing as about as good as they can, while the Skins are another hanging ‘round type team. Good enough to be in playoff contention, but with too many holes to be taken seriously, yet dangerous enough to knock off a team that isn't careful. The Vikings looked rather sluggish in beating the Bears in primetime last week, I doubt that will happen again. Both teams have dual threat running games but the Vikings have a better run defense and that will be the difference in a game that will look and play like a playoff game.
Pick-Minnesota
Monday, December 24
Broncos (6-8 ) @ Chargers (9-5)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego 8:00 (ESPN)
Favorite Chargers by 8½
Playoff Implications: Chargers have clinched AFC West but need win to remain in #3 AFC playoff slot
Fast Fact: With a win, the Chargers will have back to back double digit win seasons for the first time since 1980-81
The Chargers are winning in spite of Norv Turner and in the weak AFC West their play is just enough for the city. The puzzling Broncos are chock full of questions and play horrendous on the road. This should be no exception.
Pick-San Diego
Last Week: 10-6 (Upset & Lock Correct!)
Overall: 140-84 (13-2 Locks, 4-11 Upsets)
The stockings have been hung by the fire, and ol Bandito is sitting in his recliner with the cup of hot cocoa and trying to get Snacks the wonder puppy to lay down just so. I'm not the nostaglic type, but you can't help but get all warm and fuzzy about this time of the year. So from my side of the keyboard to yours. May you and your loved ones have the Merriest Christmas, Joyous Kwanzzah, Happy Hannakkah or Winter Solstice or whatever you celebrate to make your season's bright. I tried to cover everyone not to be PC, but to make sure I didn't ignore anyone. Friends and family are something I do cherish and I wanted to make sure my blogging "Family" knows that I wish them all the best. I'll post again with more bowl picks on the far side of Christmas.
The Best of the Season to you and yours Fellow Sports Fans!!!
The picks have been so-so as of late, (I'm not complaining about a 10 win week mind you) but my goal of surpassing my total from last year and staying under 100 incorrect picks is still on schedule. With a majority of the playoff spots locked up there are few good games among the clunkers this week. But the gems are good ones and are thick with playoff rammifications. The odds are provided courtesy of Yahoo Sports and are for comparison and entertainment purposes only. I’ve been telling you for 16 weeks so I don’t think I have to remind you about leaving my name out of it if you get in too deep with Vinnie No-Neck, or 88 Fingers betting these lines..
Saturday, December 22
Cowboys (12-2) @ Panthers (6-8 )
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte 8:15 (NFL Network)
Favorite Cowboys by 10½
Playoff Implications: Cowboys have clinched first round bye and need win to stay in #1 playoff slot. Panthers need win and lots of help to remain in playoff contention.
Fast Fact: The Cowboys are unbeaten in 3 regular season trips to Charlotte, but winless in two postseason visits
The media has been waiting all year to jump on something that TO says or does, and they are taking his comments about Tony Romo’s arm candy a little too serious and are trying to blow it into a full blown controversy. The Pokes looked lethargic in a sloppy loss to the Eagles but should bounce back. The Panthers caught a playoff bound Seahawk squad napping but shouldn’t get as lucky against the Pokes.
Pick-Dallas
Sunday, December 23
Browns (9-5) @ Bengals (5-9)
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Browns by 2½
Playoff Implications: The Browns clinch playoff spot with win or Tennessee loss, a Browns loss clinches the AFC North for Pittsburgh
Fast Fact: The winner of this game will lead the all time series which is currently tied at 34 wins apiece.
The Browns slugged and slogged through a wintry game with the Bills and have an outside chance of still claiming an AFC North title once thought to be an unreachable star. The Bengals are looking at the calendar and want it all to be over. Jamal Lewis has always run well on the Bengals and this should be no different.
Pick-Cleveland
Packers (12-2) @ Bears (5-9)
Soldier Field, Chicago 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Packers by 8
Playoff Implications: The Packers have clinched a bye and need to win and have Cowboys lose to move into #1 NFC playoff slot.
Fast Fact: Packers are 1 of 4 teams to have won at least 12 games in a season after 14 games, the last time this happened was 1968.
The Pack are rolling along but for some reason the Bears have played them tough. Though they looked a bit unsteady against the Vikes. Their QB situation is a mess and Kyle Orton is not the answer. The Pack, wary of a late season stumble that could cost them a shot at the #1 seed will be focused and ready. This game could get ugly and fast.
Pick-Green Bay
Texans (7-7) @ Colts (12-2)
RCA Dome, Indianapolis 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Colts by 7
Playoff Implications: Texans need win and lots of help to stay in playoff contention, Colts are locked into #2 AFC playoff slot
Fast Fact: Colts are first team in NFL history to have at least 12 wins in 5 consecutive seasons.
The Colts are cruising to the postseason and have only to worry about staying healthy. The Texans are fast improving and could give them a good game, but still have yet to prove to me that they are ready to step up to the Colts class.
Pick-Indianapolis
Chiefs (4-10) @ Lions (6-8 )
Ford Field, Detroit 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Lions by 4½
Playoff Implications: None
Fast Fact: Lions have not beaten Chiefs at home since 1981
Zzzzzz. The Chiefs are limping along and the Lions are in free fall. I give the edge to the Lions only because they play much better at home.
Pick-Detroit
NY Giants (9-5) @ Bills (7-7)
Ralph Wilson Stadium; Orchard Park, NY 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Giants by 2½
Playoff Implications: Giants clinch wild card spot with win, Buffalo needs win and help to stay in playoff contention
Fast Fact: The Giants have won four of their last seven in spite of failing to score more than 21 points in any of those seven.
Uh oh…The playoff berth that was all but a spot on lock for the G-Men has suddenly gotten very tenuous. Eli Manning should take none of the blame for the shameful play of his receiving corps last Sunday against the Skins (12 drops???) but he and head coach Tom Coughlin are starting to look like they are under a ton of pressure. The Bills are hanging on to slim playoff hopes and may be energized by an emotional appearance by injured TE Kevin Everett. If the G-Men fall behind early, they could be in trouble. A loss here might bounce them from the playoffs, guess what unbeaten juggernaut is on the docket next week? I’m thinking that hot seat that Coughlin has been on starts to roast him.
Pick-Buffalo (Upset of the Week)
Raiders (4-10) @ Jaguars (10-4)
Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Jaguars by 13
Playoff Implications: Jaguars clinch playoff berth with win
Fast Fact: This is the Raiders first ever visit to Jacksonville
The Jags are hitting their stride at the most opportune time and are the team that no one wants to face in the playoffs. The Raiders are ready to go home and it helps matters none that they are now quibbling over who should start at QB. I’ll help you out Coach Kiffin. Start JaMarcus Russell, let him take his lumps now to get used it. You don’t want to waste another season while he learns, Al Davis wants his super bowl rings…
Pick-Jacksonville (Lock of The Week)
Eagles (6-8 ) @ Saints (7-7)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Saints by 3
Playoff Implications: Saints need to win to stay in playoff contention
Fast Fact: The Saints are one of seven teams without a player going to the Pro Bowl
The Saints are still in it, and with a little help could realistically get in. The Eagles may be playing for pride, but they are still playing tough and Brian Westbrook is an absoulte nightmare to plan for. Both teams are very evenly matched but the possible return of Reggie Bush to limited duty may give the Saints a slight edge at home.
Pick-New Orleans
Falcons (3-11) @ Cardinals (6-8 )
University of Phoenix Stadium; Glendale, AZ 4:05 (FOX)
Favorite Cardinals by 10
Playoff Implications: None
Fast Fact: Falcons have won the last four meetings.
Both teams are playing out the string, but the Cards have a lot of hope for the future and something to build on. The Falcons have by and large quit as was painfully evidenced by the thrashing that they took in Tampa.
Pick-Arizona
Buccaneers (9-5) @ 49ers (4-10)
Monster Park, San Francisco 4:05 (FOX)
Favorite Buccaneers by 5½
Playoff Implications: None, Bucs have clinched AFC South but need a Seahawks loss to move into the #3 NFC Playoff slot with win.
Fast Fact: Micheal Spurlock had the franchise's first kickoff return for a touchdown, it only took 31 years and 1865 times for it to happen.
The Niners stunned many with an efficent win in primetime last week while the Bucs are gearing up to the playoffs. NBC flexed out of this game with the quickness knowing that this game is nothing more than a Bucs tune up for the postseason. The Bucs also need this game to avoid the surging Vikes in the playoffs
Pick-Tampa Bay
Ravens (4-10) @ Seahawks (9-5)
Qwest Field, Seattle 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Seahawks by 11
Playoff Implications: The Seahawks need to win to remain in #3 NFC playoff slot
Fast Fact: This is the Ravens first visit to Seattle
Caught unawares in a sloppy game in Charlotte, the Seahawks need a bounce back game in the worst way. The Ravens are fresh off of a humiliating loss to the previously winless Dolphins and have more or less quit. What? The Ravens won’t have the services of Ray Lewis either? Not a real good omen for the road weary Ravens.
Pick-Seattle
Miami (1-13) @ New England (14-0)
Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, MA 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Patriots by 22
Playoff Implications: None, Pats have clinched AFC East Title and #1 seed.
Fast Fact: This marks the largest win differential between two teams in NFL history
Hoodie man swears up and down that players will not be rested in this matchup. The Dolphins come in off an emotional first win while the Pats are trying not to skylark. The Pats are fighting off the comments that they are playing too many close games now to be a serious contender for this exalted state that the media wonks have put them in. To borrow a line from Al Davis, “Just Win, baby.” And that’s what the Pats are doing and will do. Its too easy to ride the Pats as a lock and as it has been noted the lock is elsewhere, though this is as about as close to one as you could hope for.
Pick-New England
NY Jets (3-11) @ Titans (8-6)
LP Field, Nashville 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Titans by 8½
Playoff Implications: Titans need win to stay in playoff contention
Fast Fact: The Jets' run defense is ranked 30th in the league at 141.1 yards allowed per game
The Jets played the Pats tough but were worn down, while the Titans got a badly needed win to stay afloat in the AFC playoff race. With all the questions swirling around who will start for the Jets now and in the future, the Titans are catching them at the right time. This will be a rather ugly game, but the Titans have something to play for.
Pick-Tennessee
Washington (7-7) @ Minnesota (8-6)
HHH Metrodome, Minneapolis 8:15 (NBC)
Favorite Vikings by 6½
Playoff Implications: Minnesota clinches playoff berth with win and Saints loss, Washington need win to stay in playoff contention.
Fast Fact: The Redskins are the second team to play back to back Sunday Night games this year (NE)
Easily the best matchup of the week has been smartly flexed into the showcase primetime spot. The Vikings are playing as about as good as they can, while the Skins are another hanging ‘round type team. Good enough to be in playoff contention, but with too many holes to be taken seriously, yet dangerous enough to knock off a team that isn't careful. The Vikings looked rather sluggish in beating the Bears in primetime last week, I doubt that will happen again. Both teams have dual threat running games but the Vikings have a better run defense and that will be the difference in a game that will look and play like a playoff game.
Pick-Minnesota
Monday, December 24
Broncos (6-8 ) @ Chargers (9-5)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego 8:00 (ESPN)
Favorite Chargers by 8½
Playoff Implications: Chargers have clinched AFC West but need win to remain in #3 AFC playoff slot
Fast Fact: With a win, the Chargers will have back to back double digit win seasons for the first time since 1980-81
The Chargers are winning in spite of Norv Turner and in the weak AFC West their play is just enough for the city. The puzzling Broncos are chock full of questions and play horrendous on the road. This should be no exception.
Pick-San Diego
Last Week: 10-6 (Upset & Lock Correct!)
Overall: 140-84 (13-2 Locks, 4-11 Upsets)
The stockings have been hung by the fire, and ol Bandito is sitting in his recliner with the cup of hot cocoa and trying to get Snacks the wonder puppy to lay down just so. I'm not the nostaglic type, but you can't help but get all warm and fuzzy about this time of the year. So from my side of the keyboard to yours. May you and your loved ones have the Merriest Christmas, Joyous Kwanzzah, Happy Hannakkah or Winter Solstice or whatever you celebrate to make your season's bright. I tried to cover everyone not to be PC, but to make sure I didn't ignore anyone. Friends and family are something I do cherish and I wanted to make sure my blogging "Family" knows that I wish them all the best. I'll post again with more bowl picks on the far side of Christmas.
The Best of the Season to you and yours Fellow Sports Fans!!!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Post 200: A wintry mix of Schilling, Tuna and NFL Picks
I was hoping to hold out until Friday but things couldn't wait, also to my horror there were a pair of minor bowls that I missed analyzing. I know you were waiting with baited breath to get my picks on the New Orleans Bowl and Las Vegas Bowl, but I try to keep my word on getting to all the bowls but first...
It seems that Arthur Blank is the most unlucky rich guy in the world, first the Michael Vick fiasco, then his dealings with that shyster Bobby Petrino then he gets left at the altar by the Tuna. I reported that Bill Parcells was in negotiations to take over as VP of Football operations in Atlanta. But as I was posting it things changed and fast. Suddenly the Falcons upon finding out that Parcells was talking to Miami, pulled the deal off the table. Parcells suddenly took the same position with the woeful Dolphins. For all those that think that the Dolphins are going to make a quick turnaround, pump the brakes. The Dolphins are a long overhaul type and this will take a while to fix. I doubt that the Tuna will have the patience to rebuild this shattered franchise. To tell the truth I think he would have been better going to Atlanta, a team that was at least a playoff contending team before the Vick situation. Parcells won't stay in this quagmire too long.
There was a time that I really liked Curt Schilling, he was a gutty flamethrower with the heart of a lion and a pugnacious outspoken nature that was as live as his fastball. Now I wish someone would put a sock in Schill's mouth. Suddenly Schill has appointed himself the moral conscious of baseball and threw a nice brickbat at Roger Clemens. Schill states that if Clemens does not defend himself against the charges of PED use that he should "Give back some of his Cy Young awards." Oh really? Which ones? And can you be sure of which ones that Clemens won that were PED fueled? This smack of a sizeable use of hater-ade. While Schill is very much a great pitcher and borderline Hall of Famer. He sounds like someone that is trying to cop one of Clemens' 7 Cy Young Awards for himself since he has none. Schill makes it sound like any use of PEDS means instant forfeiture of any awards and titles that the player may have achieved. Well then Schill might as well give back his 2001 World Series Ring that he got with the Diamondbacks. It seems that Matt Williams was someone that has been linked to PED use. Williams was a key cog in the D-Backs stirring World Series title and was the one sweeping Jay Bell up in a hug when the Series clinching run was scored. I guess Schill wants that one taken back...what he doesn't??? Oh okay then.
Schill is a shoot from the hip cat, and his statement while pointed and blunt are not needed here. I have stated before and will do so again, there is no way to find out who used and when and accurately determine how it affected the course of games, so just leave it alone and shut your mouth Schill.
Since I overlooked two bowl games, lets take a look-see at them now. Odds are provided courtesy of Yahoo Sports for entertainment and comparision purposes only.
R&L Carriers NEW ORLEANS BOWLS
Memphis (7-5) vs Florida Atlantic (7-5)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans Fri 8:00 (ESPN2)
Favorite: FAU by 3
Fast Fact: Both teams come into this game with negative scoring differnential (FAU 361-405, Memphis 353-375)
This may be the best reason why there are too many bowl games. The Owls led by ageless coach Howard Schnellenberger are making their first bowl appearance and just started playing D-1 football in 2001, the Tigers have shook off the shooting death of Taylor Bradford to win 5 of their last 6. Both teams can score, but have shaky defenses. The Owls defense is less shaky than Memphis, but I think the Tigers experience in bowls carries the day
Pick-Memphis
PIONEER LAS VEGAS BOWL
UCLA (6-6) vs #17 BYU (10-2)
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas 8:00 Sat (ESPN)
Favorite: BYU by 6
Fast Fact: This is the teams second meeting this season, the Bruins beat the Cougars 27-17 in week 2.
The Cougars feel rightly slighted, 10 wins get them sent to a very small bowl. UCLA is just happy to be in one after the messy firing of Karl Dorrell. If Cougars soph QB Max Hall gets into a groove, the Bruins will be in for a long night
Pick-BYU
Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
It seems that Arthur Blank is the most unlucky rich guy in the world, first the Michael Vick fiasco, then his dealings with that shyster Bobby Petrino then he gets left at the altar by the Tuna. I reported that Bill Parcells was in negotiations to take over as VP of Football operations in Atlanta. But as I was posting it things changed and fast. Suddenly the Falcons upon finding out that Parcells was talking to Miami, pulled the deal off the table. Parcells suddenly took the same position with the woeful Dolphins. For all those that think that the Dolphins are going to make a quick turnaround, pump the brakes. The Dolphins are a long overhaul type and this will take a while to fix. I doubt that the Tuna will have the patience to rebuild this shattered franchise. To tell the truth I think he would have been better going to Atlanta, a team that was at least a playoff contending team before the Vick situation. Parcells won't stay in this quagmire too long.
There was a time that I really liked Curt Schilling, he was a gutty flamethrower with the heart of a lion and a pugnacious outspoken nature that was as live as his fastball. Now I wish someone would put a sock in Schill's mouth. Suddenly Schill has appointed himself the moral conscious of baseball and threw a nice brickbat at Roger Clemens. Schill states that if Clemens does not defend himself against the charges of PED use that he should "Give back some of his Cy Young awards." Oh really? Which ones? And can you be sure of which ones that Clemens won that were PED fueled? This smack of a sizeable use of hater-ade. While Schill is very much a great pitcher and borderline Hall of Famer. He sounds like someone that is trying to cop one of Clemens' 7 Cy Young Awards for himself since he has none. Schill makes it sound like any use of PEDS means instant forfeiture of any awards and titles that the player may have achieved. Well then Schill might as well give back his 2001 World Series Ring that he got with the Diamondbacks. It seems that Matt Williams was someone that has been linked to PED use. Williams was a key cog in the D-Backs stirring World Series title and was the one sweeping Jay Bell up in a hug when the Series clinching run was scored. I guess Schill wants that one taken back...what he doesn't??? Oh okay then.
Schill is a shoot from the hip cat, and his statement while pointed and blunt are not needed here. I have stated before and will do so again, there is no way to find out who used and when and accurately determine how it affected the course of games, so just leave it alone and shut your mouth Schill.
Since I overlooked two bowl games, lets take a look-see at them now. Odds are provided courtesy of Yahoo Sports for entertainment and comparision purposes only.
R&L Carriers NEW ORLEANS BOWLS
Memphis (7-5) vs Florida Atlantic (7-5)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans Fri 8:00 (ESPN2)
Favorite: FAU by 3
Fast Fact: Both teams come into this game with negative scoring differnential (FAU 361-405, Memphis 353-375)
This may be the best reason why there are too many bowl games. The Owls led by ageless coach Howard Schnellenberger are making their first bowl appearance and just started playing D-1 football in 2001, the Tigers have shook off the shooting death of Taylor Bradford to win 5 of their last 6. Both teams can score, but have shaky defenses. The Owls defense is less shaky than Memphis, but I think the Tigers experience in bowls carries the day
Pick-Memphis
PIONEER LAS VEGAS BOWL
UCLA (6-6) vs #17 BYU (10-2)
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas 8:00 Sat (ESPN)
Favorite: BYU by 6
Fast Fact: This is the teams second meeting this season, the Bruins beat the Cougars 27-17 in week 2.
The Cougars feel rightly slighted, 10 wins get them sent to a very small bowl. UCLA is just happy to be in one after the messy firing of Karl Dorrell. If Cougars soph QB Max Hall gets into a groove, the Bruins will be in for a long night
Pick-BYU
Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Parcells messy situation & Football Picks too
In keeping with my sometimes offbeat references, I’m mulling a theme song for my entries. More often than not the song will refer to something going on in the sporting world. Today’s theme song: Here We Go Again by Mint Condition. This song is for the Tuna, Bill Parcells who is rapidly turning into a football version of Larry Brown. Parcells has confirmed reports that he has been talking with Falcons owner Arthur Blank to possibly take over the football operations of the Falcons. Now keep in mind that I do think that this is a great move for the Falcons and a real chance to rebuild their already woeful image. But I have a hard time imagining Parcells wanting to sit idly by and not control all aspects of the team. I cant see Parcells in a suit sitting on high in a skybox fretting over his teams play. I do think that this may be a shot for Maurice Carthon, a long time Parcells player and assistant coach to move into the head coaching ranks, but I think that Parcells will be the power behind the coaching throne, superior to the throne itself. I think that Parcells is someone that has lived on his rep for way way too long. The media honks and wonks may decry this as heresy but I’m still not convinced that Parcells can win big like he did with the Giants in the 80’s, it helps when you know the oppositition had to game plan for the gamebreaking LB Lawrence Taylor.
But as I write this post, suddenly the offer comes off the table and the Tuna suddenly is now exploring a position with the Miami Dolphins. As if this whole mess with the Falcons cant get any more messier. Blowing a chance to have a solid football mind running things is just inexcusable. Details will be updated, so stay tuned for my thoughts on it on Friday.
In the continued fallout from the Mitchell report, Roger Clemens has come out vociferously denying that he took any PEDs and I’m still wondering how is anyone going to prove any of these allegations. In absence of a time machine that you can go back and retroactively test from back in the day and with no positive test results now, its gonna be pretty hard to prove anything.
Rich Rodriguez was introduced as the new head coach of Michigan and the Buck fans are already squawking. I’m hearing things like the Bucks will continue to dominate and that Rodriguez’s spread offense will not work in the Big Ten, I think that adding the element of speed will be just the boost that Michigan needs. The Big Ten has always had that sameness look about it and it Rodriguez installs an offense that is wildly different it might produce results. I will reserve my judgment until next season.
As promised here is the preview of the NFL game on Thursday, note the added caveat of info: Playoff implications.
Steelers (9-5) @ Rams (3-11)
Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis 8:15 (NFL Network)
Favorite: Steelers by 7 ½
Playoff Implications: Steelers clinch playoff berth with win and clinch AFC North with win and Cleveland loss on Sunday
Fast Fact: This is the Steelers first visit to St. Louis since 1979 when they defeated the then St. Louis Cardinals 24-21.
The Steelers seemed shocked that the Jags wouldn’t roll over and die in the Heinz Field muck this past Sunday and now have the upstart Browns charging hard at them. Still in possession of a valued tiebreaker over the Browns the Steelers need only to win out to clinch the division. The Rams are going through the motions and should provide token resistance. But the Steelers had best use this time to shake out any bugs, they will be playoff roadkill with a performance similar to the past Sunday.
Pick-Pittsburgh
Keeping with the football theme, the most sports saturated time of the year is upon us. Bowl season begins Thursday and you will have at least one bowl game everyday, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from now through January 3rd and that is only the prelude to the national championship game. But that’s the main course. Let’s start with the smaller dishes. I miscounted and said there would be six games for the first preview but there are only five this time around.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL
Navy (8-4) vs Utah (8-4)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego 9:00 ESPN
Favorite Utah by 9 ½
Fast Fact The Utes have won their last six postseason appearances, the second longest winning streak in college football.
This is a classic matchup of high powered offense in Navy versus a stingy defense in Utah. The Midshipmen run that classic wishbone and QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada has a hard to pronounce (and spell name) but an easy to enjoy running style. He leads the nations top rushing team. The Utes have a solid defense and give up only 15.6 points a game, trailing only Va. Tech and Ohio State nationally. If the Utes can slow or shut down Navy’s running game they should dominate
Pick-Utah
PAPA JOHNS.COM BOWL
Southern Miss (7-5) vs #22 Cincinnati (9-3)
Legion Field Birmingham, AL Sat 1:00 (ESPN2)
Favorite: Cincinnati by 11 ½
Fast Fact: These two teams were once conference rivals in Conference USA
The Bearcats are finishing their best season in over 50 years and look to finish their first ever ten win season. The Golden Eagles slumped late in the season but has a solid running game led by Daimon Fletcher who scored 14 touchdowns. He will be running in the teeth of a solid Bearcat defense led by hard hitting safety Haruki Nakamura. The Eagles will have their hands full with the Bearcat offense led by Ben Mauk who has thrown for 27 touchdowns, 13 of them to frosh Marcus Barnett. The Bearcats badly want to show the bigger bowls that they erred in passing on a good team and the Eagles will bear the brunt.
Pick-Cincinnati
NEW MEXICO BOWL
Nevada (6-6) vs New Mexico (8-4)
University Field, Albuquerque, NM Sat 4:30 (ESPN)
Favorite New Mexico by 2 ½
Fast Fact: New Mexico has lost its last five bowl games
The Lobos are playing their bowl game at home…again. They lost to San Jose State last year and are facing a better team this year in Nevada. The Wolf Pack have a precocious redshirt frosh quarterback in Colin Kaepernick, who has filled in nicely as an injury replacement, the Wolf Pack have averaged better than 39 points a game with Kaepernick under center. The Lobos will be hampered by the unavailibity of top RB Rodney Ferguson who was declared academically ineligible. Despite playing in essence, a road bowl game. The Wolf Pack should roll to a solid win
Pick-Nevada
SHERATON HAWAI’I BOWL
#24 Boise State (10-2) vs East Carolina (7-5)
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI Sun 8:00 ESPN
Favorite Boise State by 11
Fast Fact The Broncos play their second straight game in Hawai’i, they lost to the Rainbow Warriors 39-27 a month ago.
The Broncos who captured the nation’s imagination with its stirring rally to beat Oklahoma in last years Fiesta Bowl has a much smaller stage this year. The Broncos still have a high powered and high scoring offense. Taylor Tharp and Ian Johnson are the focal points here. The Pirates have compiled a modest record behind the redoubtable running of Chris Johnson who rushed for 1244 and 16 scores while also catching 34 passes for 496 yards and five more scores. He will have a tough go of it against a rugged Bronco defense.
Pick-Boise State
MOTOR CITY BOWL
Purdue (7-5) vs Central Michigan (8-5)
Ford Field, Detroit 12/26 7:30 ESPN
Favorite Purdue by 8 ½
Fast Fact The Boilermakers beat the Chippewas 45-22 in West LaFayette on 9/15
The Boilers enter this game on a 3 game slide which included a painful late loss to archrival Indiana. The Boilers started the season 5-0 and with QB Curtis Painter throwing for 3,300 yards have a decent offense. This contrasts with the Chippewas who have won seven of their last nine including a 35-10 romp over Miami of Ohio in the MAC title game. Chippewa QB Dan LeFevour can run as well as throw and will be the key man that the Boilers need to stop. This will be a close game, but I think the Chippewas can pull the upset.
Pick-Central Michigan
The next preview will be next week and there will be plenty of games to feast on. 7 to be sure, and yes I counted right this time.
Finally today, lets hand out the Phat Dap/Head Slap Awards
Phat Dap
I could give one to the NFC players who named Sean Taylor to the NFC squad posthumously, but instead I’ll give it to Appalachian State, Valdosta State and
Wisconsin-Whitewater. These are three schools that won the FCS, Division II and Division III national titles respectively in football after a playoff. Gee, it seems that these schools were able to not only play through a playoff and hit the road for at least one game. The quality of football didn’t suffer and wow, these kids still go to class and get good grades. Wisconsin-Whitewater defeated its long time nemesis Mount Union of Ohio who had won the last three D-III titles. For all those that say a playoff cant work, why has it been working in these venues???
Head Slap
Though I could give one to these very same Pro Bowl voters that left playoff bound Jags and Bucs off its respective conference rosters and curiously no teams from the NFC South at all. I have another winner of the dubious honor. I know it may be piling on but I have to give this weeks head slap to the one Peter Edward Rose. Rose got on a moral high horse recently in decrying the alleged PED users, and is trying to link these allegations to his case and continues to shill for his entry in to the Hall of Fame. Rose badmouths the players and tries to make himself a someone who is being persecuted while others skate. Now I speak as a minority in my area. Having grown up in Cincinnati, the legions of Pete worshipers were thick and heavy. I liked Pete Rose as a player but still cannot excuse his breaking the laws of baseball. He bet on the game and bet on his team. These are rules that are clearly defined as verboten. At the entrance of EVERY major league clubhouse is the posted rule about betting on baseball and the severe punishments that are possible for breaking these rules. Rose broke the rules and got punished. I agree with Rose’s assertion that PED use is bad for the game, but until the use is proven. Not with allegation or heresay from a scorned trainer, then I will have something to say about the status of said players. Rose can’t leave well enough alone.
I’ll have the NFL Week 16 preview on Friday, we’re looking at a plethora of playoff critical games on this weeks docket. Also, a holiday season wish and thanks for the 20K mark. Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
But as I write this post, suddenly the offer comes off the table and the Tuna suddenly is now exploring a position with the Miami Dolphins. As if this whole mess with the Falcons cant get any more messier. Blowing a chance to have a solid football mind running things is just inexcusable. Details will be updated, so stay tuned for my thoughts on it on Friday.
In the continued fallout from the Mitchell report, Roger Clemens has come out vociferously denying that he took any PEDs and I’m still wondering how is anyone going to prove any of these allegations. In absence of a time machine that you can go back and retroactively test from back in the day and with no positive test results now, its gonna be pretty hard to prove anything.
Rich Rodriguez was introduced as the new head coach of Michigan and the Buck fans are already squawking. I’m hearing things like the Bucks will continue to dominate and that Rodriguez’s spread offense will not work in the Big Ten, I think that adding the element of speed will be just the boost that Michigan needs. The Big Ten has always had that sameness look about it and it Rodriguez installs an offense that is wildly different it might produce results. I will reserve my judgment until next season.
As promised here is the preview of the NFL game on Thursday, note the added caveat of info: Playoff implications.
Steelers (9-5) @ Rams (3-11)
Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis 8:15 (NFL Network)
Favorite: Steelers by 7 ½
Playoff Implications: Steelers clinch playoff berth with win and clinch AFC North with win and Cleveland loss on Sunday
Fast Fact: This is the Steelers first visit to St. Louis since 1979 when they defeated the then St. Louis Cardinals 24-21.
The Steelers seemed shocked that the Jags wouldn’t roll over and die in the Heinz Field muck this past Sunday and now have the upstart Browns charging hard at them. Still in possession of a valued tiebreaker over the Browns the Steelers need only to win out to clinch the division. The Rams are going through the motions and should provide token resistance. But the Steelers had best use this time to shake out any bugs, they will be playoff roadkill with a performance similar to the past Sunday.
Pick-Pittsburgh
Keeping with the football theme, the most sports saturated time of the year is upon us. Bowl season begins Thursday and you will have at least one bowl game everyday, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from now through January 3rd and that is only the prelude to the national championship game. But that’s the main course. Let’s start with the smaller dishes. I miscounted and said there would be six games for the first preview but there are only five this time around.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL
Navy (8-4) vs Utah (8-4)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego 9:00 ESPN
Favorite Utah by 9 ½
Fast Fact The Utes have won their last six postseason appearances, the second longest winning streak in college football.
This is a classic matchup of high powered offense in Navy versus a stingy defense in Utah. The Midshipmen run that classic wishbone and QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada has a hard to pronounce (and spell name) but an easy to enjoy running style. He leads the nations top rushing team. The Utes have a solid defense and give up only 15.6 points a game, trailing only Va. Tech and Ohio State nationally. If the Utes can slow or shut down Navy’s running game they should dominate
Pick-Utah
PAPA JOHNS.COM BOWL
Southern Miss (7-5) vs #22 Cincinnati (9-3)
Legion Field Birmingham, AL Sat 1:00 (ESPN2)
Favorite: Cincinnati by 11 ½
Fast Fact: These two teams were once conference rivals in Conference USA
The Bearcats are finishing their best season in over 50 years and look to finish their first ever ten win season. The Golden Eagles slumped late in the season but has a solid running game led by Daimon Fletcher who scored 14 touchdowns. He will be running in the teeth of a solid Bearcat defense led by hard hitting safety Haruki Nakamura. The Eagles will have their hands full with the Bearcat offense led by Ben Mauk who has thrown for 27 touchdowns, 13 of them to frosh Marcus Barnett. The Bearcats badly want to show the bigger bowls that they erred in passing on a good team and the Eagles will bear the brunt.
Pick-Cincinnati
NEW MEXICO BOWL
Nevada (6-6) vs New Mexico (8-4)
University Field, Albuquerque, NM Sat 4:30 (ESPN)
Favorite New Mexico by 2 ½
Fast Fact: New Mexico has lost its last five bowl games
The Lobos are playing their bowl game at home…again. They lost to San Jose State last year and are facing a better team this year in Nevada. The Wolf Pack have a precocious redshirt frosh quarterback in Colin Kaepernick, who has filled in nicely as an injury replacement, the Wolf Pack have averaged better than 39 points a game with Kaepernick under center. The Lobos will be hampered by the unavailibity of top RB Rodney Ferguson who was declared academically ineligible. Despite playing in essence, a road bowl game. The Wolf Pack should roll to a solid win
Pick-Nevada
SHERATON HAWAI’I BOWL
#24 Boise State (10-2) vs East Carolina (7-5)
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI Sun 8:00 ESPN
Favorite Boise State by 11
Fast Fact The Broncos play their second straight game in Hawai’i, they lost to the Rainbow Warriors 39-27 a month ago.
The Broncos who captured the nation’s imagination with its stirring rally to beat Oklahoma in last years Fiesta Bowl has a much smaller stage this year. The Broncos still have a high powered and high scoring offense. Taylor Tharp and Ian Johnson are the focal points here. The Pirates have compiled a modest record behind the redoubtable running of Chris Johnson who rushed for 1244 and 16 scores while also catching 34 passes for 496 yards and five more scores. He will have a tough go of it against a rugged Bronco defense.
Pick-Boise State
MOTOR CITY BOWL
Purdue (7-5) vs Central Michigan (8-5)
Ford Field, Detroit 12/26 7:30 ESPN
Favorite Purdue by 8 ½
Fast Fact The Boilermakers beat the Chippewas 45-22 in West LaFayette on 9/15
The Boilers enter this game on a 3 game slide which included a painful late loss to archrival Indiana. The Boilers started the season 5-0 and with QB Curtis Painter throwing for 3,300 yards have a decent offense. This contrasts with the Chippewas who have won seven of their last nine including a 35-10 romp over Miami of Ohio in the MAC title game. Chippewa QB Dan LeFevour can run as well as throw and will be the key man that the Boilers need to stop. This will be a close game, but I think the Chippewas can pull the upset.
Pick-Central Michigan
The next preview will be next week and there will be plenty of games to feast on. 7 to be sure, and yes I counted right this time.
Finally today, lets hand out the Phat Dap/Head Slap Awards
Phat Dap
I could give one to the NFC players who named Sean Taylor to the NFC squad posthumously, but instead I’ll give it to Appalachian State, Valdosta State and
Wisconsin-Whitewater. These are three schools that won the FCS, Division II and Division III national titles respectively in football after a playoff. Gee, it seems that these schools were able to not only play through a playoff and hit the road for at least one game. The quality of football didn’t suffer and wow, these kids still go to class and get good grades. Wisconsin-Whitewater defeated its long time nemesis Mount Union of Ohio who had won the last three D-III titles. For all those that say a playoff cant work, why has it been working in these venues???
Head Slap
Though I could give one to these very same Pro Bowl voters that left playoff bound Jags and Bucs off its respective conference rosters and curiously no teams from the NFC South at all. I have another winner of the dubious honor. I know it may be piling on but I have to give this weeks head slap to the one Peter Edward Rose. Rose got on a moral high horse recently in decrying the alleged PED users, and is trying to link these allegations to his case and continues to shill for his entry in to the Hall of Fame. Rose badmouths the players and tries to make himself a someone who is being persecuted while others skate. Now I speak as a minority in my area. Having grown up in Cincinnati, the legions of Pete worshipers were thick and heavy. I liked Pete Rose as a player but still cannot excuse his breaking the laws of baseball. He bet on the game and bet on his team. These are rules that are clearly defined as verboten. At the entrance of EVERY major league clubhouse is the posted rule about betting on baseball and the severe punishments that are possible for breaking these rules. Rose broke the rules and got punished. I agree with Rose’s assertion that PED use is bad for the game, but until the use is proven. Not with allegation or heresay from a scorned trainer, then I will have something to say about the status of said players. Rose can’t leave well enough alone.
I’ll have the NFL Week 16 preview on Friday, we’re looking at a plethora of playoff critical games on this weeks docket. Also, a holiday season wish and thanks for the 20K mark. Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
Monday, December 17, 2007
The Dream is Dead and More Mitchell Fallout
I was an unusual Sunday for me at Bandits Honeycomb Hideout. I had neither the Bengals to deal with watching as they had played (and lost a listless game to the 49ers) the night before nor the Vikings to look forward to (Playing da Bears tonite). Unconcerned about the snow bowl game the Browns and Bills were playing and not wanting to break out into hives listening to the Fox broadcasters drool over Brett Favre (Oh hush, Pack fans. I know he broke Marino's passing yard record and yes he is a great QB) I decided to work on my golf game (I play an old version of Hot Shots Golf and play decent on occasion) and check in on the scores. The only game I was really concerned about was the Dolphins and Ravens. After my first round of 3 under par 69, I checked to see that the Ravens were leading 6-3. After my second round of 1 under 71, I checked to see that the Ravens were leading 13-3 but the Dolphins were driving. After a horrendous 80 (Three times in the water hazard will do that to you) I checked to see to my horror that the Dolphins were winning 16-13.
What!!
This can't be happening.
I must admit before I continue that I was secretly harboring a desire to see the Dolphins go winless or at least until they got to their season ending game against the Bengals. I know that the pressure would have been on the Bengals to complete the dream of a winless season. I debated leaving the cozy confines of the hideout and trekking to the neighborhood pub (In the snow) to catch the conclusion of the game on their NFL sunday ticket. The only drawback is that I would have to deal with annoying Packer fans who host their weekly Favre fests at this bar and braying Browns fans who flush with playoff fever have gotten quite boisterous as of late. I decided to keep a vigil on the sports networls for updates. The Browns-Bills game ended and CBS cut to the Jags-Steelers game a tight one in itself but not the game I wanted to keep abreast on. I tracked the game on NFL.com and was pleased to see that despite being down 16-13 the Ravens were at the Dolphins 1 with a timeout to spare. 4th and Goal at the 1, with battering ram Willis McGahee at your disposal? The choice is obvious, run it in and send the Dolphins to another close loss and keep the winless dream alive.
Billick sends the field goal unit out to kick the chippee
Huh???
What happened to the axiom, play for the tie at home and the win on the road?
Guess Billick wasn't there for that lesson.
Anyway, the Ravens make the field goal and win the toss in overtime, the Jags-Steelers game concludes and the network switches to the Ravens-Dolphins game which sees the Ravens led by last years Heisman winner Troy Smith (Is HE still in this league?) marching down the field. Its looking a lot like this one is going to be over. Then the network does it.
They show a graphic, showing Ravens kicker Matt Stover is 5 for 5 in overtime field goal attempts in his career and I get that feeling.
The same feeling I got in the Metrodome in January 1999 when Gary Anderson lined up for a 38 yard field goal to give the Vikes a ten point lead in the NFC Championship game and hearing someone says Anderson's automatic he hasn't missed a thing all year.
The same feeling I had in 1997 when I was in the RCA Dome in Indy, sitting a row behind a Kentucky fan whom after watching Arizona beat North Carolina in the first national semifinal game and before Kentucky was to take the court to play Minnesota pulled out a cell phone and said "Go ahead and start on those back to back national championship t-shirts. We ain't losing to Arizona.
Anderson missed, the Vikings lost. Kentucky played a bruising game against Minnesota and was so spent that they let a talented but overmatched Arizona team beat them in OT in the national championship.
Anyway, Stover came out for a 44 yarder and missed. I knew then the dream would die. The network citing its league obligations cut away from the game at 4:15 ET. I went back to the computer and waited. The Dolphins ran two plays and then there was a long pause. Just as I was about to curse my PC connection CBS broadcast the final play of the game and I saw an aqua streak going across the small football field. 66 Yards to Brian Cammarillo (Who is that guy?) Touchdown Dolphins, they win and they won't go winless.
Damn.
I guess that dream will go the way of those back to back national championship t-shirts that UK fan was getting made...
I wanted to see the unbeaten Pats taking on the winless Dolphins, but now its just another meaningless game.
Some quick thoughts on the continued fallout about the Mitchell report.
Other than The Sporting News cribbing my abbreviations of PEDs (Yes they did!) There is only one thing I have to ask about.
The records and stats. I have heard that they should be expunged from the record, I have heard that they should have an asterisk next to them. I have heard that the players should never be in consideration for the Hall of Fame. Or that some or all of the items should be weighted But to all of these I say this.
Do nothing to the records and stats.
Make no asterisks.
Bonds hit 762 home runs, can you tell me which ones or how may of them will you throw out?
Given the intricate number of players and teams that were affected by this, what wins and losses do you throw out? Do you call them forfeits? What about the awards won, championships claimed and superlatives set? How do you adjust them?
I heard someone say just vacate their participation, but what of the clean players that have played and the games that they were in that had players that had PEDs? What do you do with them?
Like I said before, do nothing.
I am not condoning the use of PEDS, lets get that straight but what is punishing the players that did what they did retroactively going to prove? Now getting elected to the Hall of Fame, that may be a different story. It may be ironic that MLB's Hit King and Home Run King may be sitting at the gates of Cooperstown, on the outside looking in. But vacating records, alerting standings and redistributing awards will cause more of a mess than leaving things alone.
I state again, the Mitchell report while highly incidiary and quite damming on some fronts does shed light on some activities. It is not a positive drug test and since no one has them; whether because there was no testing for it, or there were ways to get around it. There is no proof besides the accusations of a trainer that there was PED use. Now, if players come forward like a Jason Giambi or an Andy Petitte and admit that they did use PEDS or a player is hemmed up in court to the point that they have to admit that they did use PEDS like I have the feeling that Barry Bonds will end up having to do. No one will ever find out the depth of PED use and how much it affected the game. Don't say look at the numbers and the jump in homers and slugging. You cant say that PED use was the single factor in that happening. Yes the Mitchell report will have some ripple effect. I'm hoping that once and for all it rids the national pastime of this PEDS shadow. But a reactionary and retroactive response to what amount to a McCarthy like laundry list is not the answer.
The great list of bowl picks will start on Wednesday with the first 6 bowl games of the season. Also on Wednesday will be a preview of another boring Thursday Night affair, as well as my thoughts on Michigan's new head coach and the Phat Dap/Head Slap of the week of which I have lots of nominees for both.
Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
What!!
This can't be happening.
I must admit before I continue that I was secretly harboring a desire to see the Dolphins go winless or at least until they got to their season ending game against the Bengals. I know that the pressure would have been on the Bengals to complete the dream of a winless season. I debated leaving the cozy confines of the hideout and trekking to the neighborhood pub (In the snow) to catch the conclusion of the game on their NFL sunday ticket. The only drawback is that I would have to deal with annoying Packer fans who host their weekly Favre fests at this bar and braying Browns fans who flush with playoff fever have gotten quite boisterous as of late. I decided to keep a vigil on the sports networls for updates. The Browns-Bills game ended and CBS cut to the Jags-Steelers game a tight one in itself but not the game I wanted to keep abreast on. I tracked the game on NFL.com and was pleased to see that despite being down 16-13 the Ravens were at the Dolphins 1 with a timeout to spare. 4th and Goal at the 1, with battering ram Willis McGahee at your disposal? The choice is obvious, run it in and send the Dolphins to another close loss and keep the winless dream alive.
Billick sends the field goal unit out to kick the chippee
Huh???
What happened to the axiom, play for the tie at home and the win on the road?
Guess Billick wasn't there for that lesson.
Anyway, the Ravens make the field goal and win the toss in overtime, the Jags-Steelers game concludes and the network switches to the Ravens-Dolphins game which sees the Ravens led by last years Heisman winner Troy Smith (Is HE still in this league?) marching down the field. Its looking a lot like this one is going to be over. Then the network does it.
They show a graphic, showing Ravens kicker Matt Stover is 5 for 5 in overtime field goal attempts in his career and I get that feeling.
The same feeling I got in the Metrodome in January 1999 when Gary Anderson lined up for a 38 yard field goal to give the Vikes a ten point lead in the NFC Championship game and hearing someone says Anderson's automatic he hasn't missed a thing all year.
The same feeling I had in 1997 when I was in the RCA Dome in Indy, sitting a row behind a Kentucky fan whom after watching Arizona beat North Carolina in the first national semifinal game and before Kentucky was to take the court to play Minnesota pulled out a cell phone and said "Go ahead and start on those back to back national championship t-shirts. We ain't losing to Arizona.
Anderson missed, the Vikings lost. Kentucky played a bruising game against Minnesota and was so spent that they let a talented but overmatched Arizona team beat them in OT in the national championship.
Anyway, Stover came out for a 44 yarder and missed. I knew then the dream would die. The network citing its league obligations cut away from the game at 4:15 ET. I went back to the computer and waited. The Dolphins ran two plays and then there was a long pause. Just as I was about to curse my PC connection CBS broadcast the final play of the game and I saw an aqua streak going across the small football field. 66 Yards to Brian Cammarillo (Who is that guy?) Touchdown Dolphins, they win and they won't go winless.
Damn.
I guess that dream will go the way of those back to back national championship t-shirts that UK fan was getting made...
I wanted to see the unbeaten Pats taking on the winless Dolphins, but now its just another meaningless game.
Some quick thoughts on the continued fallout about the Mitchell report.
Other than The Sporting News cribbing my abbreviations of PEDs (Yes they did!) There is only one thing I have to ask about.
The records and stats. I have heard that they should be expunged from the record, I have heard that they should have an asterisk next to them. I have heard that the players should never be in consideration for the Hall of Fame. Or that some or all of the items should be weighted But to all of these I say this.
Do nothing to the records and stats.
Make no asterisks.
Bonds hit 762 home runs, can you tell me which ones or how may of them will you throw out?
Given the intricate number of players and teams that were affected by this, what wins and losses do you throw out? Do you call them forfeits? What about the awards won, championships claimed and superlatives set? How do you adjust them?
I heard someone say just vacate their participation, but what of the clean players that have played and the games that they were in that had players that had PEDs? What do you do with them?
Like I said before, do nothing.
I am not condoning the use of PEDS, lets get that straight but what is punishing the players that did what they did retroactively going to prove? Now getting elected to the Hall of Fame, that may be a different story. It may be ironic that MLB's Hit King and Home Run King may be sitting at the gates of Cooperstown, on the outside looking in. But vacating records, alerting standings and redistributing awards will cause more of a mess than leaving things alone.
I state again, the Mitchell report while highly incidiary and quite damming on some fronts does shed light on some activities. It is not a positive drug test and since no one has them; whether because there was no testing for it, or there were ways to get around it. There is no proof besides the accusations of a trainer that there was PED use. Now, if players come forward like a Jason Giambi or an Andy Petitte and admit that they did use PEDS or a player is hemmed up in court to the point that they have to admit that they did use PEDS like I have the feeling that Barry Bonds will end up having to do. No one will ever find out the depth of PED use and how much it affected the game. Don't say look at the numbers and the jump in homers and slugging. You cant say that PED use was the single factor in that happening. Yes the Mitchell report will have some ripple effect. I'm hoping that once and for all it rids the national pastime of this PEDS shadow. But a reactionary and retroactive response to what amount to a McCarthy like laundry list is not the answer.
The great list of bowl picks will start on Wednesday with the first 6 bowl games of the season. Also on Wednesday will be a preview of another boring Thursday Night affair, as well as my thoughts on Michigan's new head coach and the Phat Dap/Head Slap of the week of which I have lots of nominees for both.
Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Mitchell Report: Where Name Dropping=Guilt & Week 15 NFL Picks
Yes, I'm going to as usual analyze week 15 of the NFL skein. But c'mon did you think that I was going to pass up a chance to sound off about the Mitchell report.
When this process was first announced, I thought: OK, now we're going to get a real investigation. We're going to get some definitive actions, people, places events and hardcore info. I thought that it was going to be something akin to a grand jury investigation where it would have been revealed if players had indeed taken performance enhanching drugs or substances. (For the purposes of space and clarity I will refer to them as PEDS) I saw George Mitchell as someone that had federal power and that he was bringing that power to bear to expose what if any shadows that were lurking concerning Major League Baseball and PEDS
But when this whole thing came out, the media was more focused on the name and allegations. Was there any proof? I saw none. Was there any definitive failed tests? Other than allegations from a former trainer naming certain Yankees this report is a 409 page monstrosity. I saw lots of eye catching allegations and enough spin and name dropping to make any socialites head spin. To me, this is what it seems the bottom line is.
This is the case of a disgraced trainer trying to keep his plump rump out of the sling, he figures if he drops enough names and says enough that it will win him points for his upcoming dealings with the courts.
Then you have Bud Selig who after the report was made public, tried to make himself look like the Great Protector of the game by stating that he will deal with the matter on a case by case basis. This in itself is hogwash. I mean, really Bud what are you gonna do? Suspend players who were named in the report? You are going to convict someone on what is at best circumstancial evidence and hearsay? The players union, the MLBPA is in a corner and has no leg to stand on if Selig wants to impose strict, even Draconian standards for testing for PEDs going forward. But Selig would have a real fight on his hands if he wanted to impose punishments on the players that were named in this report. You have no smoking gun, there are no positive tests. Yeah, yeah rail all you want about how Barry Bonds looked different from when he was a slim slender young man out of college to the behemoth crushing tape measure homeruns and now about how Roger Clemens suddenly remade his career in his 40s. I want proof, I want a failed drug test, I want delivery receipts. I dont want a trainer with an axe to grind dropping every name he can think of.
Then there is the curious case of the aforementioned Roger Clemens. The celebrated fireballer. Texas bred, mean and competitive. The Mitchell report alleges that he was one of the more promeinent users of PEDS and that he began taking them in 1998. One then jumps to the conclusion that Clemens career was jump started. The numbers do back up the timing. Clemens was 6-6 in 1998 before allegedly receiving the PEDS then wenr 14-0 after. I did some research and figured out that I actually saw one of these games. Clemens was outdueled by Brad Radke on a Sunday in August 1998 in front of a packed house at the Metrodome. Looking back on it retrospect, was I seeing a rebirth of a career or the start of a PEDS fueled run? But as I've stated before, there is no way to go back retroactively and determine if PEDS were used much less dole out punishment for them.
And then you have Bonds...Barry Bonds. Make no mistake, I like Clemens. I think he is one of my generations great pitchers and I thought so way before the time that the PEDS use was alleged. I also like Bonds (his game, not his attitude) I think both players had Hall of Fame credentials. My wonder is if that Clemens will get a free pass about this or will he be demonized like Bonds has been for years. Clemens has vocieferously proclaimed his innocence and vows to fight to clear his name. Bonds has done much of the same and still gets railed on it. Does having a clean media portrayal give Clemens a leg up in this matter?
I could like ESPN has, go on and on. But I'll save some of my thoughts on it for after I take another read of the report. (Yes, I read the entire thing)
Lets look at the rest of the matchup for Week 15 in the NFL. I thought that the Texans were only marginally better than the Broncos, I did not expect Mario Williams to go buck-whylin' on the Broncos offense. While the Texans may still catch grief for taking him over the more hyped Reggie Bush or Vince Young. I think that they are quite happy with their pick thank you. This week there are plenty of upsets that could be had, but I think many of the teams that are out of or close to being out of contention are starting to mail it in. The odds that are provided are for comparision and I won't be responsible for you losing your kids Wii if bet on the lines.
Saturday, December 15
Bengals (5-8 ) @ 49ers (3-10)
Monster Park, San Francisco 8:15 (NFL Network)
Favorite Bengals by 8.5
Fast Fact The Niners are last in the NFL in point differential (-141)
Two teams headed nowhere fast meet up in a primetime date. The Niners are going through QB's fast and even dug up Chris Weinke as a backup for rookie Shaun Hill. The Bengals while not the most feared defensive team in the world should tee off on the young QB while Carson Palmer leads a solid Bengals offense. The Bengals usually play well in primetime dates and this should be no exception. Why do I have the feeling that Chad Johnson will use this venue to act crazy after reaching the end zone?
Pick-Cincinnati
Sunday, December 16
Cardinals (6-7) @ Saints (6-7)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Saints by 3.5
Fast Fact According to NFL.com, the Saints are 27-7 when QB Drew Brees has a QB rating of 95 or better
The Cards showed why they are not a team to be taken real serious as they got their collective heads kicked in at Seattle. The Saints are still barely breathing in the playoff race and despite the loss of Reggie Bush have a fairly potent offense. The Cards don't play well on the road and the Saints need the win to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive. Despite similar records these teams are going in opposite directions.
Pick-New Orleans
Falcons (3-10) @ Buccaneers (8-5)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Buccaneers by 13.5
Fast Fact The Falcons have won 2 of the last 3 meetings
I really want the Falcons to play well under interim coach Emmitt Thomas, so that the long time assistant can get a shot at a full time coaching gig. The problem is that they are facing a Bucs squad coming off a rather embarrassing loss to the Texans and they want to lock up a divisional title as quickly as possible. The Bucs have more on the ball and this won't be pretty at all.
Pick-Tampa Bay
Ravens (4-9) @ Dolphins (0-13)
Dolphins Stadium, Miami 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Ravens by 3
Fast Fact The Dolphins lead the series 4-1
Some pundits think that the way the Ravens pretty much laid down last Sunday Night against the Colts may be indicative of how they will play the rest of the season and the woeful Fins may be the benefactor of this poor play and steal a win. Don't beleive the hype.
Pick-Baltimore
Bills (7-6) @ Browns (8-5)
Browns Stadium, Cleveland 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Browns by 5.5
Fast Fact Browns TE Kellen Winslow is 57 yards shy of reaching 1000 receiving yards for the first time.
When the schedule was drawn up no one suspected that this would be a battle for a playoff spot. Both teams are mystifyingly good. The Browns keep winning in spite of themselves and the Bills have made winning ugly a way of life. Either way, both teams are winning with strong running games. I get the feeling that despite their tendency to wander off in games the Browns are at least playoff material and are tough to beat at home where they are 5-1. Look for Jamal Lewis to get established and make a big contribution. This will be a tightly played game, but the Browns will pull it out.
Pick-Cleveland
Packers (11-2) @ Rams (3-10)
Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Packers by 8.5
Fast Fact Packers WR Donald Driver has caught a pass in 93 consective games
The Pack bounced back from their loss to the Pokes to whip the Raiders while the Rams are already looking for the exit door for the season. The Pack is simply the better team and they know it, better still the Rams know it too.
Pick-Green Bay
Jaguars (9-4) @ Steelers (9-4)
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Steelers by 3.5
Fast Fact The Steelers have won 3 of the last 5 but the Jags lead the alltime series 10-8
Another sneaky good matchup, both teams are likely playoff bound and could very well meet again in the playoffs. The Steelers are trying to fight the knock on them that they can't beat an elite team, a moniker that has been dogging the Jags as well. This will be a good old fashioned blood and guts game, won in the trenches. If the Steelers don't have the services of Troy Palomalu, they could be vulnerable. I like the Jags multi-pronged running game to wear the Steelers defense down. It’ll be a tight well played game.
Pick-Jacksonville (Upset of the Week)
NY Jets (3-10) @ New England (13-0)
Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, MA 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Patriots by 24.5
Fast Fact Jets RB Thomas Jones needs 56 rushing yards to be the first Jet RB since Curtis Martin in 2004 to reach 1000
Spygate bowl II looks to be even uglier than the first mismatch in September. Hoodie Man Belichick is finding all the ways that he can to motivate his squad. But lets be real the Pats are on a different level and I'm sure Roger Goddell is on standby to keep the Pats from dropping 80 on the Jets. You snicker, I wouldn't put it past Hoodie man to leave his starters in well into the 4th up by 6 touchdowns. Ignore the honks and wonks that say that the impending Nor'Easter will slow the Pats down to the point that the Jets could keep it close or spring an upset, this will get ugly and that very quick
Pick-New England (Lock of the Week)
Seattle (9-4) @ Carolina (5-8 )
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Seahawks by 7.5
Fast Fact These teams have split their two regular season meetings
The Seahawks are gearing up for another playoff run while the Panthers are gearing up to go home. Having to make a long road trip usually bodes bad for the Seahawks but the Panthers are horrible at home and are just about as big a hot mess as you can create. The Seahawks are focused the Panthers are not and this is a pretty easy call
Pick-Seattle
Titans (7-6) @ Chiefs (4-9)
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Titans by 3.5
Fast Fact Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez has caught a pass in 112 consective games, 2nd only Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome (150)
The Titans had best be careful here as this game has trap written all over it. No one can be sure which Titans squad will show up and after blowing a 14 point lead against the Chargers last week you cant be sure if they haven't mailed it in.. The Chiefs have no real sparkplug on offense and the Titans have a decent defense. The Titans will play desperate and get this one.
Pick-Tennessee
Colts (11-2) @ Raiders (4-9)
Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland 4:05 (CBS)
Favorite Colts by 10
Fast Fact Since the Colts drafted Peyton Manning in 1998, the Raiders have started 11 different quarterbacks
Lost in all the talk about the Pats pursuit of a 16-0 regular seasonm is that the Colts despite a nasty rash of injuries are still playing pretty good football. The Raiders have shown some improvement but you are really sippin that stuff if you think that they are ready to stay with these guys.
Pick-Indianapolis
Detroit (6-7) @ San Diego (8-5)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Chargers by 6
Fast Fact The Chargers have won the last five meetings between these teams after losing the first three.
The Chargers took a couple ill-timed personnel hits as Shawne Merriam is hurting and road paving fullback Lorenzo Neal is out. They are fortunate to catch a slumping Lions team that cant close out games. LT is still good enough to get his and I dont think that Lions are good enough to stop him.
Pick-San Diego
Eagles (5-8 ) @ Cowboys (12-1)
Texas Stadium; Irving, TX 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Cowboys by 10.5
Fast Fact The Eagles have won 2 of the last 3 meetings but trail the overall series 52-41
The Pokes are getting close to really uncharted waters as their 12-1 start has them atop the NFC and closing in on home field advantage in the playoffs. They need every win to stay ahead of the lurking Pack. The Eagles have slumped badly after getting to .500 and are looking more and more like they are finished. The Pokes are in no mood to be accomadating and will roll.
Pick-Dallas
Redskins (6-7) @ NY Giants (9-4)
Giants Stadium; East Rutherford, NJ 8:15 (NBC)
Favorite Giants by 4.5
Fast Fact The Giants lead the series 85-60-4
The schedule makers got this Sunday Night matchup right as the G-Men are closing in on locking down a wild card spot, the Skins are hanging on to their own playoff hopes by a razor thin margin. While Eli Manning will never play games with the flash and style of his older brother he is getting the job done. Unless the Skins establish a solid running game, a tall order given the G-Men's solid play. Add that the Skins do not play well on the road and Tom Coughlin's seat is only warm cause he's sitting in it solid.
Pick-New York Giants
Monday, December 17
Bears (5-8 ) @ Vikings (7-6)
H.H.H. Metrodome, Minneapolis 8:30 (ESPN)
Favorite Vikings by 10
Fast Fact Vikes QB Tavaris Jackson is 7-2 as a starter this year.
The Vikes won in spite of getting nothing from Adrian Peterson. The Bears will have all sorts of trouble dealing with the Vikes multi-faceted run game and their offense is not strong enough to match with the Vikes suddenly solid defense. Combine this with a rowdy Metrodome crowd and the Bears get sent to hibernation.
Pick-Minnesota
Last Week: 13-3 (Lock correct, Upset Incorrect)
Overall: 130-78 (12-2 Locks, 3-11 Upsets)
When this process was first announced, I thought: OK, now we're going to get a real investigation. We're going to get some definitive actions, people, places events and hardcore info. I thought that it was going to be something akin to a grand jury investigation where it would have been revealed if players had indeed taken performance enhanching drugs or substances. (For the purposes of space and clarity I will refer to them as PEDS) I saw George Mitchell as someone that had federal power and that he was bringing that power to bear to expose what if any shadows that were lurking concerning Major League Baseball and PEDS
But when this whole thing came out, the media was more focused on the name and allegations. Was there any proof? I saw none. Was there any definitive failed tests? Other than allegations from a former trainer naming certain Yankees this report is a 409 page monstrosity. I saw lots of eye catching allegations and enough spin and name dropping to make any socialites head spin. To me, this is what it seems the bottom line is.
This is the case of a disgraced trainer trying to keep his plump rump out of the sling, he figures if he drops enough names and says enough that it will win him points for his upcoming dealings with the courts.
Then you have Bud Selig who after the report was made public, tried to make himself look like the Great Protector of the game by stating that he will deal with the matter on a case by case basis. This in itself is hogwash. I mean, really Bud what are you gonna do? Suspend players who were named in the report? You are going to convict someone on what is at best circumstancial evidence and hearsay? The players union, the MLBPA is in a corner and has no leg to stand on if Selig wants to impose strict, even Draconian standards for testing for PEDs going forward. But Selig would have a real fight on his hands if he wanted to impose punishments on the players that were named in this report. You have no smoking gun, there are no positive tests. Yeah, yeah rail all you want about how Barry Bonds looked different from when he was a slim slender young man out of college to the behemoth crushing tape measure homeruns and now about how Roger Clemens suddenly remade his career in his 40s. I want proof, I want a failed drug test, I want delivery receipts. I dont want a trainer with an axe to grind dropping every name he can think of.
Then there is the curious case of the aforementioned Roger Clemens. The celebrated fireballer. Texas bred, mean and competitive. The Mitchell report alleges that he was one of the more promeinent users of PEDS and that he began taking them in 1998. One then jumps to the conclusion that Clemens career was jump started. The numbers do back up the timing. Clemens was 6-6 in 1998 before allegedly receiving the PEDS then wenr 14-0 after. I did some research and figured out that I actually saw one of these games. Clemens was outdueled by Brad Radke on a Sunday in August 1998 in front of a packed house at the Metrodome. Looking back on it retrospect, was I seeing a rebirth of a career or the start of a PEDS fueled run? But as I've stated before, there is no way to go back retroactively and determine if PEDS were used much less dole out punishment for them.
And then you have Bonds...Barry Bonds. Make no mistake, I like Clemens. I think he is one of my generations great pitchers and I thought so way before the time that the PEDS use was alleged. I also like Bonds (his game, not his attitude) I think both players had Hall of Fame credentials. My wonder is if that Clemens will get a free pass about this or will he be demonized like Bonds has been for years. Clemens has vocieferously proclaimed his innocence and vows to fight to clear his name. Bonds has done much of the same and still gets railed on it. Does having a clean media portrayal give Clemens a leg up in this matter?
I could like ESPN has, go on and on. But I'll save some of my thoughts on it for after I take another read of the report. (Yes, I read the entire thing)
Lets look at the rest of the matchup for Week 15 in the NFL. I thought that the Texans were only marginally better than the Broncos, I did not expect Mario Williams to go buck-whylin' on the Broncos offense. While the Texans may still catch grief for taking him over the more hyped Reggie Bush or Vince Young. I think that they are quite happy with their pick thank you. This week there are plenty of upsets that could be had, but I think many of the teams that are out of or close to being out of contention are starting to mail it in. The odds that are provided are for comparision and I won't be responsible for you losing your kids Wii if bet on the lines.
Saturday, December 15
Bengals (5-8 ) @ 49ers (3-10)
Monster Park, San Francisco 8:15 (NFL Network)
Favorite Bengals by 8.5
Fast Fact The Niners are last in the NFL in point differential (-141)
Two teams headed nowhere fast meet up in a primetime date. The Niners are going through QB's fast and even dug up Chris Weinke as a backup for rookie Shaun Hill. The Bengals while not the most feared defensive team in the world should tee off on the young QB while Carson Palmer leads a solid Bengals offense. The Bengals usually play well in primetime dates and this should be no exception. Why do I have the feeling that Chad Johnson will use this venue to act crazy after reaching the end zone?
Pick-Cincinnati
Sunday, December 16
Cardinals (6-7) @ Saints (6-7)
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Saints by 3.5
Fast Fact According to NFL.com, the Saints are 27-7 when QB Drew Brees has a QB rating of 95 or better
The Cards showed why they are not a team to be taken real serious as they got their collective heads kicked in at Seattle. The Saints are still barely breathing in the playoff race and despite the loss of Reggie Bush have a fairly potent offense. The Cards don't play well on the road and the Saints need the win to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive. Despite similar records these teams are going in opposite directions.
Pick-New Orleans
Falcons (3-10) @ Buccaneers (8-5)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Buccaneers by 13.5
Fast Fact The Falcons have won 2 of the last 3 meetings
I really want the Falcons to play well under interim coach Emmitt Thomas, so that the long time assistant can get a shot at a full time coaching gig. The problem is that they are facing a Bucs squad coming off a rather embarrassing loss to the Texans and they want to lock up a divisional title as quickly as possible. The Bucs have more on the ball and this won't be pretty at all.
Pick-Tampa Bay
Ravens (4-9) @ Dolphins (0-13)
Dolphins Stadium, Miami 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Ravens by 3
Fast Fact The Dolphins lead the series 4-1
Some pundits think that the way the Ravens pretty much laid down last Sunday Night against the Colts may be indicative of how they will play the rest of the season and the woeful Fins may be the benefactor of this poor play and steal a win. Don't beleive the hype.
Pick-Baltimore
Bills (7-6) @ Browns (8-5)
Browns Stadium, Cleveland 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Browns by 5.5
Fast Fact Browns TE Kellen Winslow is 57 yards shy of reaching 1000 receiving yards for the first time.
When the schedule was drawn up no one suspected that this would be a battle for a playoff spot. Both teams are mystifyingly good. The Browns keep winning in spite of themselves and the Bills have made winning ugly a way of life. Either way, both teams are winning with strong running games. I get the feeling that despite their tendency to wander off in games the Browns are at least playoff material and are tough to beat at home where they are 5-1. Look for Jamal Lewis to get established and make a big contribution. This will be a tightly played game, but the Browns will pull it out.
Pick-Cleveland
Packers (11-2) @ Rams (3-10)
Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Packers by 8.5
Fast Fact Packers WR Donald Driver has caught a pass in 93 consective games
The Pack bounced back from their loss to the Pokes to whip the Raiders while the Rams are already looking for the exit door for the season. The Pack is simply the better team and they know it, better still the Rams know it too.
Pick-Green Bay
Jaguars (9-4) @ Steelers (9-4)
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Steelers by 3.5
Fast Fact The Steelers have won 3 of the last 5 but the Jags lead the alltime series 10-8
Another sneaky good matchup, both teams are likely playoff bound and could very well meet again in the playoffs. The Steelers are trying to fight the knock on them that they can't beat an elite team, a moniker that has been dogging the Jags as well. This will be a good old fashioned blood and guts game, won in the trenches. If the Steelers don't have the services of Troy Palomalu, they could be vulnerable. I like the Jags multi-pronged running game to wear the Steelers defense down. It’ll be a tight well played game.
Pick-Jacksonville (Upset of the Week)
NY Jets (3-10) @ New England (13-0)
Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, MA 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Patriots by 24.5
Fast Fact Jets RB Thomas Jones needs 56 rushing yards to be the first Jet RB since Curtis Martin in 2004 to reach 1000
Spygate bowl II looks to be even uglier than the first mismatch in September. Hoodie Man Belichick is finding all the ways that he can to motivate his squad. But lets be real the Pats are on a different level and I'm sure Roger Goddell is on standby to keep the Pats from dropping 80 on the Jets. You snicker, I wouldn't put it past Hoodie man to leave his starters in well into the 4th up by 6 touchdowns. Ignore the honks and wonks that say that the impending Nor'Easter will slow the Pats down to the point that the Jets could keep it close or spring an upset, this will get ugly and that very quick
Pick-New England (Lock of the Week)
Seattle (9-4) @ Carolina (5-8 )
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Seahawks by 7.5
Fast Fact These teams have split their two regular season meetings
The Seahawks are gearing up for another playoff run while the Panthers are gearing up to go home. Having to make a long road trip usually bodes bad for the Seahawks but the Panthers are horrible at home and are just about as big a hot mess as you can create. The Seahawks are focused the Panthers are not and this is a pretty easy call
Pick-Seattle
Titans (7-6) @ Chiefs (4-9)
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Titans by 3.5
Fast Fact Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez has caught a pass in 112 consective games, 2nd only Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome (150)
The Titans had best be careful here as this game has trap written all over it. No one can be sure which Titans squad will show up and after blowing a 14 point lead against the Chargers last week you cant be sure if they haven't mailed it in.. The Chiefs have no real sparkplug on offense and the Titans have a decent defense. The Titans will play desperate and get this one.
Pick-Tennessee
Colts (11-2) @ Raiders (4-9)
Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland 4:05 (CBS)
Favorite Colts by 10
Fast Fact Since the Colts drafted Peyton Manning in 1998, the Raiders have started 11 different quarterbacks
Lost in all the talk about the Pats pursuit of a 16-0 regular seasonm is that the Colts despite a nasty rash of injuries are still playing pretty good football. The Raiders have shown some improvement but you are really sippin that stuff if you think that they are ready to stay with these guys.
Pick-Indianapolis
Detroit (6-7) @ San Diego (8-5)
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Chargers by 6
Fast Fact The Chargers have won the last five meetings between these teams after losing the first three.
The Chargers took a couple ill-timed personnel hits as Shawne Merriam is hurting and road paving fullback Lorenzo Neal is out. They are fortunate to catch a slumping Lions team that cant close out games. LT is still good enough to get his and I dont think that Lions are good enough to stop him.
Pick-San Diego
Eagles (5-8 ) @ Cowboys (12-1)
Texas Stadium; Irving, TX 4:15 (FOX)
Favorite Cowboys by 10.5
Fast Fact The Eagles have won 2 of the last 3 meetings but trail the overall series 52-41
The Pokes are getting close to really uncharted waters as their 12-1 start has them atop the NFC and closing in on home field advantage in the playoffs. They need every win to stay ahead of the lurking Pack. The Eagles have slumped badly after getting to .500 and are looking more and more like they are finished. The Pokes are in no mood to be accomadating and will roll.
Pick-Dallas
Redskins (6-7) @ NY Giants (9-4)
Giants Stadium; East Rutherford, NJ 8:15 (NBC)
Favorite Giants by 4.5
Fast Fact The Giants lead the series 85-60-4
The schedule makers got this Sunday Night matchup right as the G-Men are closing in on locking down a wild card spot, the Skins are hanging on to their own playoff hopes by a razor thin margin. While Eli Manning will never play games with the flash and style of his older brother he is getting the job done. Unless the Skins establish a solid running game, a tall order given the G-Men's solid play. Add that the Skins do not play well on the road and Tom Coughlin's seat is only warm cause he's sitting in it solid.
Pick-New York Giants
Monday, December 17
Bears (5-8 ) @ Vikings (7-6)
H.H.H. Metrodome, Minneapolis 8:30 (ESPN)
Favorite Vikings by 10
Fast Fact Vikes QB Tavaris Jackson is 7-2 as a starter this year.
The Vikes won in spite of getting nothing from Adrian Peterson. The Bears will have all sorts of trouble dealing with the Vikes multi-faceted run game and their offense is not strong enough to match with the Vikes suddenly solid defense. Combine this with a rowdy Metrodome crowd and the Bears get sent to hibernation.
Pick-Minnesota
Last Week: 13-3 (Lock correct, Upset Incorrect)
Overall: 130-78 (12-2 Locks, 3-11 Upsets)
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
A Post During the Crosstown Shootout
Sorry if I seem distracted during this post. My beloved beleaugered Bearcats are battling the Xavier Musketeers in the Crosstown Shootout, for most of the year the Public City School and the Private Jesuit School are quiet neighbors that mingle and frequent one anothers social gatherings. Both schools are on the edge of the hood and as the crow flies about 3.5 miles apart. Forget the Duke-Carolina rivalry being in one anothers neighborhood, these two teams are in each others back yard. But generally both teams more or less respect one another. Xavier saves its hatred for A-10 rival Dayton while Cincy wants nothing more than to pound Louisville.
Except for one night in the year when both teams are on the same court. This series was largely ignored by the mass media until the early 90s when UC suddenly rose to power. Xavier had by and large a decent team. Most notably their shocking NCAA tourney upset of Georgetown in 1990 (A team that had both Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutumbo)got them some notice, but when UC went to the final four in 1992 the rivalry got more intense. UC was winning the matchup frequently but when Xavier won it got notice. Witness the 80-76 OT struggle in 1994 where then Xavier Coach Pete Gillen stormed off the court after refusing to shake then UC coach Bob Huggins' hand. The rivalry was super intense and was even lampooned by Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Jim Borgman who likened the truce between the coaches as something out of a Israel/Palestine peace accord. The nation took notice in 1996, heavy underdog Xavier stunned then #1 UC at Shoemaker Center 71-69. Being an alum, the mere mention of Lenny Brown will make me cringe. His jumper at the buzzer sent a great UC team down to defeat. The nation took notice and seemed to be interested in the "itty bitty" school taking on the so-called city school bully and more often than not battling them to even terms. I can recall the game in the 1999-2000 season when a #1 UC team led by Kenyon Martin got all they could handle and then some by what was supposed to be a mammoth underdog in Xavier. UC won barely. Lately its been Xavier that is the supposed bully, coming into the game nationally ranked while UC still struggling to shake off the hangover of the dismissal of Bob Huggins in 2005 and trying to get back to respectability. I'm pounding out this post while watching the game so pardon me if my post might seem a bit...stilted.
I'll preview the NFL matchup for tomorrow to start off with.
Thursday, December 13
Broncos (6-7) @ Texans (6-7)
Reliant Stadium, Houston 8:15 (NFL Network)
Favorite Broncos by 1
Fast Fact This is the Broncos first visit to Reliant Stadium and their first visit to Houston since losing to the then Houston Oilers 42-33 in 1995.
Both of these teams are holding on to the slimmest of playoff hopes. The Texans have to climb over at least a half dozen teams to get the wild card and could incredibly win out and still finish tied for last in the AFC South! But considering the teams left on their docket, winning here might be their last best chance to match their best ever win total. The Broncos have a bit of an easier go to make the playoffs though they are depending on a Charger collapse to get there. The Texans are hoping that Sage Rosenfels continues to play well as his solid play sparked an upset of the Bucs last week. The Broncos are also hoping that Jay Cutler continues his positive play as of late. In these short week games, you give a slight edge to the home team and given that outside of Mile High the Broncos have been playing like glue factory nags, I think the Texans shine in a rare primetime date steal a tight one.
Pick-Houston
Phat Dap
I give the dap to someone who needs one. Falcons owner Arthur Blank who rightly called out former coach Bobby Petrino for his sudden abandonment of the Falcons but named Emmitt Thomas as interim coach, here hoping that the Falcons win all three games for Thomas and that Blank keeps him on and is not seduced by the lure of a Cowher or Schottenheimer.
Head Slap
This is one is almost too easy. Bobby Petrino wasn't a dude I had much love for in the first place. I rememeber the 70-7 beatdown that his Cards put on my Bearcats in 2004. When he committed to Louisville signing a long term deal, I rolled my eyes thinking how long would this one last. When he jumped to the Falcons, it surprised me little. A money-grubbing coach that was leaving a good program out to dry. It turns out the Petrino bit off more than he could chew as the Falcons without Michael Vick were an abysmal joke. The team started 3-10 and Petrino bailed on them. His jump to Arkansas looks shady to begin with but his sudden departure and the classless typed form letter his left for his Falcon players just smacks of gutlessness. The word integrity and class is a word that Petrino seemed to think so highly of he uses it sparingly. I have no real beef with Arkansas but I hope Darren McFadden jumps to the NFL and recruits see this fake coach as who he is.
2nd half of the game is starting, so I'll be off. The rest of the NFL Picks will be posted on Friday. Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
Except for one night in the year when both teams are on the same court. This series was largely ignored by the mass media until the early 90s when UC suddenly rose to power. Xavier had by and large a decent team. Most notably their shocking NCAA tourney upset of Georgetown in 1990 (A team that had both Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutumbo)got them some notice, but when UC went to the final four in 1992 the rivalry got more intense. UC was winning the matchup frequently but when Xavier won it got notice. Witness the 80-76 OT struggle in 1994 where then Xavier Coach Pete Gillen stormed off the court after refusing to shake then UC coach Bob Huggins' hand. The rivalry was super intense and was even lampooned by Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Jim Borgman who likened the truce between the coaches as something out of a Israel/Palestine peace accord. The nation took notice in 1996, heavy underdog Xavier stunned then #1 UC at Shoemaker Center 71-69. Being an alum, the mere mention of Lenny Brown will make me cringe. His jumper at the buzzer sent a great UC team down to defeat. The nation took notice and seemed to be interested in the "itty bitty" school taking on the so-called city school bully and more often than not battling them to even terms. I can recall the game in the 1999-2000 season when a #1 UC team led by Kenyon Martin got all they could handle and then some by what was supposed to be a mammoth underdog in Xavier. UC won barely. Lately its been Xavier that is the supposed bully, coming into the game nationally ranked while UC still struggling to shake off the hangover of the dismissal of Bob Huggins in 2005 and trying to get back to respectability. I'm pounding out this post while watching the game so pardon me if my post might seem a bit...stilted.
I'll preview the NFL matchup for tomorrow to start off with.
Thursday, December 13
Broncos (6-7) @ Texans (6-7)
Reliant Stadium, Houston 8:15 (NFL Network)
Favorite Broncos by 1
Fast Fact This is the Broncos first visit to Reliant Stadium and their first visit to Houston since losing to the then Houston Oilers 42-33 in 1995.
Both of these teams are holding on to the slimmest of playoff hopes. The Texans have to climb over at least a half dozen teams to get the wild card and could incredibly win out and still finish tied for last in the AFC South! But considering the teams left on their docket, winning here might be their last best chance to match their best ever win total. The Broncos have a bit of an easier go to make the playoffs though they are depending on a Charger collapse to get there. The Texans are hoping that Sage Rosenfels continues to play well as his solid play sparked an upset of the Bucs last week. The Broncos are also hoping that Jay Cutler continues his positive play as of late. In these short week games, you give a slight edge to the home team and given that outside of Mile High the Broncos have been playing like glue factory nags, I think the Texans shine in a rare primetime date steal a tight one.
Pick-Houston
Phat Dap
I give the dap to someone who needs one. Falcons owner Arthur Blank who rightly called out former coach Bobby Petrino for his sudden abandonment of the Falcons but named Emmitt Thomas as interim coach, here hoping that the Falcons win all three games for Thomas and that Blank keeps him on and is not seduced by the lure of a Cowher or Schottenheimer.
Head Slap
This is one is almost too easy. Bobby Petrino wasn't a dude I had much love for in the first place. I rememeber the 70-7 beatdown that his Cards put on my Bearcats in 2004. When he committed to Louisville signing a long term deal, I rolled my eyes thinking how long would this one last. When he jumped to the Falcons, it surprised me little. A money-grubbing coach that was leaving a good program out to dry. It turns out the Petrino bit off more than he could chew as the Falcons without Michael Vick were an abysmal joke. The team started 3-10 and Petrino bailed on them. His jump to Arkansas looks shady to begin with but his sudden departure and the classless typed form letter his left for his Falcon players just smacks of gutlessness. The word integrity and class is a word that Petrino seemed to think so highly of he uses it sparingly. I have no real beef with Arkansas but I hope Darren McFadden jumps to the NFL and recruits see this fake coach as who he is.
2nd half of the game is starting, so I'll be off. The rest of the NFL Picks will be posted on Friday. Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Weekend In Review
It ain't braggin' if its the truth...
Ok, your humble scribe is feeling a little braggadocious. No I didn't have advance knowledge on the exact order of the Heisman vote. But I know you folks liked how I broke down the odds on who would win it and it came down the exact way.
Can Tebow win it again next year? If Pat White stays in school, I think hes the frontrunner for the trophy but Tebow will be the one to watch.
I'll tell you the truth, I was sweating quite a few of the games. Anticipating another woeful week. But other than the Texans upset of the Bucs and my usual upset not coming to pass everything came down like I said it would. I'm not one to pick on the Lions but were you really surprised when they blew that sizable lead against the Pokes? Neither was I. Jon Kitna's bold prediction of 10 wins now is as valid as the elder Bush saying No New Taxes.
I'm thinking of the line uttered by Deebo, played by behemoth actor Tiny Lister in the movie Friday after he had just finished laying out the character played by Ice Cube. "Who wants some? Huh? Beat him down, beat you down too!" I make reference to this line after the Pats...umm Deebo'd the Steelers yesterday by the score of 34-13. The hacks, honks and wonks were so sure that the Steelers had the Pats number and would physical the Pats into submission. It seems everytime that someone throws a different problem at the Pats, they have an answer. I look at their remaining schedule and think. Could Eli Manning be the last barrier between the Pats and perfection? Also consider this. The Pats got the perfect storm in scheduling. Scheduling rotations gave the Pats them the NFC East and the AFC North which their two road games were both still in the Eastern time zone and both on Monday. They have been out of the Eastern Time zone one time the whole season (Beating the Cowboys in Dallas in October) and won't have to leave the northeast for the rest of the season. The Pats next time change might not be till they hit Glendale Arizona....think about that.
I'm hoping to pass my total of 155 correct picks from last year and going .500 over the last three weeks could do it. I am hoping though for a strong finish.
I dont comment on boxing often, though I do follow it. I was not surprised to see Floyd Mayweather put a beatdown on Ricky Hatton. Hatton just looked out of his league and woefully slow against the sharper Mayweather. No one knows what Mayweather's next move is, in any case Mayweather proved that he is one of boxing's best champions.
I guess I should make mention of the sentencing of Michael Vick. The judge gave him 23 months for his role in dogfighting. Many people wanted him to get an even stiffer sentence and I think its a tragic ending to sad tale. Vick as one of the most electrifying players that I had ever seen. The people that Vick was associated with and the endeavors that he undertook brought him down. I do not condone what Vick did and agree that deserved some sort of punishment, but the thing that bothers me is this. The origin of this whole case wasn't dogfighting...it was drugs. The feds had a supposed tip that drugs were being funneled through Vick's home. That was what the original raid was for, no drug were ever found, but this dogfighting operation was. It seems to that the Feds thwarted on one front decided that they were not going to make such a showy raid without gaining something. Make no mistake, Vick is totally in the wrong for his role and was a fool for not making him self as contrite as possible before his sentencing. But I wonder if Vick made himself a target that was too irresistable to avoid. Just a thought.
A word of note, the Thursday pick will be posted on Wednesday with my Phat Dap/Head Slap and the rest of the picks will be posted as usual on Friday. The posts will be a bit more infrequent until the bowls start then I'll attempt to preview everyone of the 32 bowl games. I'll be around, just a little quieter than I have been. I thank you for your support and comments and ask that you also check out my favorite blog posts to the right, there is some real thought provoking things being written there. Until next post fellow Sports Fans
Ok, your humble scribe is feeling a little braggadocious. No I didn't have advance knowledge on the exact order of the Heisman vote. But I know you folks liked how I broke down the odds on who would win it and it came down the exact way.
Can Tebow win it again next year? If Pat White stays in school, I think hes the frontrunner for the trophy but Tebow will be the one to watch.
I'll tell you the truth, I was sweating quite a few of the games. Anticipating another woeful week. But other than the Texans upset of the Bucs and my usual upset not coming to pass everything came down like I said it would. I'm not one to pick on the Lions but were you really surprised when they blew that sizable lead against the Pokes? Neither was I. Jon Kitna's bold prediction of 10 wins now is as valid as the elder Bush saying No New Taxes.
I'm thinking of the line uttered by Deebo, played by behemoth actor Tiny Lister in the movie Friday after he had just finished laying out the character played by Ice Cube. "Who wants some? Huh? Beat him down, beat you down too!" I make reference to this line after the Pats...umm Deebo'd the Steelers yesterday by the score of 34-13. The hacks, honks and wonks were so sure that the Steelers had the Pats number and would physical the Pats into submission. It seems everytime that someone throws a different problem at the Pats, they have an answer. I look at their remaining schedule and think. Could Eli Manning be the last barrier between the Pats and perfection? Also consider this. The Pats got the perfect storm in scheduling. Scheduling rotations gave the Pats them the NFC East and the AFC North which their two road games were both still in the Eastern time zone and both on Monday. They have been out of the Eastern Time zone one time the whole season (Beating the Cowboys in Dallas in October) and won't have to leave the northeast for the rest of the season. The Pats next time change might not be till they hit Glendale Arizona....think about that.
I'm hoping to pass my total of 155 correct picks from last year and going .500 over the last three weeks could do it. I am hoping though for a strong finish.
I dont comment on boxing often, though I do follow it. I was not surprised to see Floyd Mayweather put a beatdown on Ricky Hatton. Hatton just looked out of his league and woefully slow against the sharper Mayweather. No one knows what Mayweather's next move is, in any case Mayweather proved that he is one of boxing's best champions.
I guess I should make mention of the sentencing of Michael Vick. The judge gave him 23 months for his role in dogfighting. Many people wanted him to get an even stiffer sentence and I think its a tragic ending to sad tale. Vick as one of the most electrifying players that I had ever seen. The people that Vick was associated with and the endeavors that he undertook brought him down. I do not condone what Vick did and agree that deserved some sort of punishment, but the thing that bothers me is this. The origin of this whole case wasn't dogfighting...it was drugs. The feds had a supposed tip that drugs were being funneled through Vick's home. That was what the original raid was for, no drug were ever found, but this dogfighting operation was. It seems to that the Feds thwarted on one front decided that they were not going to make such a showy raid without gaining something. Make no mistake, Vick is totally in the wrong for his role and was a fool for not making him self as contrite as possible before his sentencing. But I wonder if Vick made himself a target that was too irresistable to avoid. Just a thought.
A word of note, the Thursday pick will be posted on Wednesday with my Phat Dap/Head Slap and the rest of the picks will be posted as usual on Friday. The posts will be a bit more infrequent until the bowls start then I'll attempt to preview everyone of the 32 bowl games. I'll be around, just a little quieter than I have been. I thank you for your support and comments and ask that you also check out my favorite blog posts to the right, there is some real thought provoking things being written there. Until next post fellow Sports Fans
Friday, December 07, 2007
Week 14 NFL Picks
Take this time to gear up folks, the bowl season is coming and you will overdose on college pigskin like I will and enjoy it.
Barry Bonds answered the charges levied against him today and posted a 500K bail. I'm telling you now the feds are looking to make an example of him and this trial will get ugly.
Looking at the NFL I have one thing to ask...
Todd Collins??? Is he still in this league? Oh well, so much for my Thursday pick. I thought it quite amusing to hear that former presidential candidate Sen John Kerry penned a letter to NFL commish Roger Goddell urging him to make the NFL network game between the Pats and Giants in week 17 available to the masses. Do you think that the NFL really cares about a nice letter? No one will really get up in arms until the NFL start copping playoff games and the Super Bowl. You laugh, but it could happen. A decent week for me, had it not been for Joe Gibbs brainfart on timeouts, a bad call in the Cleveland game and Eli Manning deciding to be a 4th quarter hero I would have easily been 13-3. 10-6 is nothing to complain about, but some of these games are a call or two away from going my way (Don't remind me of my pick of Miami, please)
Odds are as usual provided for comparison and entertainment purposes only. I'm dead broke so don't call me asking for a loan if you bet these lines and get took.
Sunday, December 9
Panthers (5-7) @ Jaguars (8-4)
Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Jaguars by 10.5
Fast Fact This is the fourth meeting between the 1995 expansion class, the Jags lead 2-1.
These teams are going in opposite directions though they are coming off of atypical performances. The Jags look to keep their stake on a playoff spot while the Panthers are playing out the string. The Jags have more on the ball offensively and David Garrard is emerging nicely as a tough leader. Meanwhile the Panthers are a mess on the offensive side of the ball. The Jags should slog their way through this cat fight.
Pick-Jacksonville
Cowboys (11-1) @ Lions (6-6)
Ford Field, Detroit 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Cowboys by 10.5
Fast Fact Through luck of the schedule these teams have met each of the last 7 years splitting the last six meetings.
The Pokes are flying high after outgunning a solid Packers squad last Thursday and are well rested. The Motor City Kitties are coming apart fast, their offense has been figured out and their defense is getting regular beatdowns. Looking to wrap up a first round bye the Pokes will have no real worry here and Jon Kitna's preseason claim of ten wins for the Lions will officially be rendered null and void.
Pick-Dallas Lock of The Week
Dolphins (0-12) @ Bills (6-6)
Ralph Wilson Stadium; Orchard Park, NY 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Bills by 7
Fast Fact The Dolphins have lost 14 of 20 in Buffalo since 1987.
The Dolphins took a frightening beatdown from the Jets and have never been too good at playing in cold weather enviroments. I remember going to a Bills-Dolphins game in 1995 with a lot more on the line in this game and seeing Dan Marino coming out of the Buffalo Marriott, he had a look on his face as he perused the snowy setting that was priceless. The Dolphins lost that game and were loads more talented then. Neither team has a real solid offense but if MarShawn Lynch is a go for the Bills they will have a more decided edge.
Pick-Buffalo
NY Giants (8-4) @ Eagles (5-7)
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Eagles by 3
Fast Fact Eagles RB Brian Westbrook leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,598.
The Eagles blew a golden chance to stay in the thick of the NFC Wild Card hunt with a heartbreaking late loss to the Seahawks. The G-Men got off the deck to beat the Bears in a game that they really should have lost. Eli Manning is a tough cat to figure out, but he has shown some heart in his last few games. Donovan McNabb might get the starting nod for the Eagles but the Giants will try to unleash a defensive fury at GangGreen similar to the 12 sack mauling they handed the Eagles back in September. The Giants are the better team and should win to keep their lead in the wild card secure.
Pick-New York Giants
Raiders (4-8 ) @ Packers (10-2)
Lambeau Field, Green Bay 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Packers by 10.5
Fast Fact- Brett Favre makes his 250th consecutive start this week
The Raiders are coming in off a surprising beatdown of the Broncos while the Pack have had a few extra needed to days to get Favre healthy after getting whomped on by the Pokes. The Raiders are improving make no mistake, but are you really going to bet on a California team winning in the frozen tundra? I didn't think so.
Pick-Green Bay
Chargers (7-5) @ Titans (7-5)
LP Field, Nashville 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Even
Fast Fact The Chargers have won four straight meetings in this series
A matchup of two very evenly matched teams, but the Chargers are in a much better position as leaders of the weak AFC West. The Titans look much better after getting hulking DT Albert Haynesworth and they will need him to slow down LaDainian Tomlinson who had a solid game at Kansas City and has the Chargers playing much more solid. This game is too close to call, but I'll bank on the Chargers pressuring Vince Young into a couple costly mistakes.
Pick-San Diego
Rams (3-9) @ Bengals (4-8 )
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Bengals by 7
Fast Fact This is the Rams first visit to Paul Brown Stadium
The Bengals are coming off a lethargic loss to the Steelers while the Rams are coming in winning 3 of 4 following an 0-8 start. The Bengals have historically haad trouble with good running backs and Steven Jackson has been playing well as of late. The Rams get up and down QB Marc Bulger back and he has been playing well too, but I cant shake the feeling that the Bengals are set to make another late season dash to the 8-8 mark. The Bengals have a good enough offense to make any defense wary and they will show that side again.
Pick-Cincinnati
Buccaneers (8-4) @ Texans (5-7)
Reliant Stadium, Houston 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Buccaneers by 3
Fast Fact This is the Bucs first visit to Reliant Stadium
The Bucs rallied late to beat the Saints and solidfied their grip on the NFC South. This has all the makings of a classic trap game for the Bucs as the Texans are just good enough to be dangerous while their pedestrian record belies that fact. The Bucs have too much on the line to let that happen as they can clinch their division with a win.
Pick-Tampa Bay
Cardinals (6-6) @ Seahawks (8-4)
Qwest Field, Seattle 4:05 (FOX)
Favorite Seahawks by 7
Fast Fact The Cards are looking for their first season sweep of the Seahawks since moving to the NFC West in 2002
The Seahawks have shook off a .500 start in the first half of the season to win four straight, surprisingly with little or no help from Shawn Alexander. The points will be plentiful as both teams can and will score. It is hard to take the Cards serious as playoff contenders, but the Seahawks are wary of the Cards and know that they can clinch the NFC West with a win. The Cards are fast improving but have yet to prove that they are ready for primetime.
Pick-Seattle
Vikings (6-6) @ 49ers (3-9)
Monster Park, San Francisco 4:05 (FOX)
Favorite Vikings by 8.5
Fast Fact The Vikings have averaged 37.3 points since getting shutout in Green Bay
The Vikings wrote off for dead four weeks ago have ripped off three wins in a row with a stout defense and a two pronged running attack. All of this bodes badly for the Niners who if Frank Gore cant get on track, will have to depend on Trent Dilfer to carry them...not good. If Adrian Peterson and/or Chester Taylor get cranked up the Vikings will roll.
Pick-Minnesota
Browns (7-5) @ NY Jets (3-9)
The Meadowlands; East Rutherford, NJ 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Browns by 3
Fast Fact The Browns have won all of their games when they have had a positive turnover ratio.
On paper this should be a walk for the Browns, but they have made a bad habit of losing winnable games and the Jets fresh off a beatdown of the Dolphins are just enough of a handful to be troublesome. The Jets will use their decent receiving corp to pound a weak Browns secondary that gives up yards and points at a frightenting clip. The Browns are capable offensively but is another team I can't take seriously. This is an ambush waiting to happen
Pick-New York Jets (Upset of the Week)
Chiefs (4-8 ) @ Broncos (5-7)
Invesco Field @ Mile High, Denver 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Broncos by 6.5
Fast Fact The Chiefs have never won at Invesco Field (0-6 since 2001)
This game looked so intriging at the start of the season, but now both teams are on playoff life support and look punchless. The Broncos are coming off a humiliating rout in Oakland while the Chiefs looked lost against the Chargers. Dont you think that Bronco fan is sorry that they ran Jake Plummer out of town so fast? Jay Cutler regresses more and more each week, but he will have the full time services of Travis Henry at his disposal. Henry has had two solid games against the Chiefs and if he has a third the Broncos win easy.
Pick-Denver
Pittsburgh (9-3) @ New England (12-0)
Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, MA 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Patriots by 10.5
Fast Fact The Patriots need 87 points (21.75 ppg) over the last four games to break the single season points record. The fewest points they have scored in one game is 24
The honks and wonks are lionizing the Steelers as the one team that could derail the Pats perfection hopes and they believe that they are destined to do it. Steelers DB Anthony Smith has guaranteed a win, but the Steelers were quick to quash that talk in fear of stirring the Pats who have looked less than formidable in their last two wins. The Pats have a great offense (#1 in points, total yards, offense and passing yards while the Steelers have a great defense (#1 in fewest points allowed, total defense and passing yards) This smacks of an upset call here, but the Steelers are weak outside of Ohio and Pennsylvainia and that will be their downfall (9-0 in those two states, 0-3 elsewhere) I'm not calling it a lock but the Pats will win
Pick-New England
Colts (10-2) @ Ravens (4-8 )
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore 8:15 (NBC)
Favorite Colts by 9
Fast Fact The Colts have won the last four meetings
The Ravens are still seething after their hotly contested loss to the Pats last Monday. While the Colts have righted their ship after bad back to back losses. The Colts are getting key parts back at the right time as Marvin Harrison should be a go for this game after missing seven games with a knee injury. The Ravens have a good defense to be sure but their offense is highly questionable and you are taking a big chance to count on Kyle Boller having a second solid game in a row.
Pick-Indianapolis
Monday, December 10
Saints (5-7) @ Falcons (3-9)
Georgia Dome, Atlanta 8:30 (ESPN)
Favorite Saints by 4.5
Fast Fact The Falcons have lost three straight for the third time this year
ESPN goes from the great matchup to an absolute snoozer this week as these two string playing teams hook up. The Falcons have tried everyone short of your humble scribe at QB and turn to Chris Redman (Is HE still in this league???) out of football since 2004 to get the Falcons on track. The Saints who still harbor the faintest of playoff hopes are bad, but not this bad. They will get their offense healthy against a sad sack Falcons squad who are looking longingly toward the end of this pitful season.
Pick-New Orleans
Last Week: 10-6 (Lock Correct, Upset Incorrect)
Overall: 117-75 (11-2 Locks, 3-10 Upsets)
Barry Bonds answered the charges levied against him today and posted a 500K bail. I'm telling you now the feds are looking to make an example of him and this trial will get ugly.
Looking at the NFL I have one thing to ask...
Todd Collins??? Is he still in this league? Oh well, so much for my Thursday pick. I thought it quite amusing to hear that former presidential candidate Sen John Kerry penned a letter to NFL commish Roger Goddell urging him to make the NFL network game between the Pats and Giants in week 17 available to the masses. Do you think that the NFL really cares about a nice letter? No one will really get up in arms until the NFL start copping playoff games and the Super Bowl. You laugh, but it could happen. A decent week for me, had it not been for Joe Gibbs brainfart on timeouts, a bad call in the Cleveland game and Eli Manning deciding to be a 4th quarter hero I would have easily been 13-3. 10-6 is nothing to complain about, but some of these games are a call or two away from going my way (Don't remind me of my pick of Miami, please)
Odds are as usual provided for comparison and entertainment purposes only. I'm dead broke so don't call me asking for a loan if you bet these lines and get took.
Sunday, December 9
Panthers (5-7) @ Jaguars (8-4)
Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Jaguars by 10.5
Fast Fact This is the fourth meeting between the 1995 expansion class, the Jags lead 2-1.
These teams are going in opposite directions though they are coming off of atypical performances. The Jags look to keep their stake on a playoff spot while the Panthers are playing out the string. The Jags have more on the ball offensively and David Garrard is emerging nicely as a tough leader. Meanwhile the Panthers are a mess on the offensive side of the ball. The Jags should slog their way through this cat fight.
Pick-Jacksonville
Cowboys (11-1) @ Lions (6-6)
Ford Field, Detroit 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Cowboys by 10.5
Fast Fact Through luck of the schedule these teams have met each of the last 7 years splitting the last six meetings.
The Pokes are flying high after outgunning a solid Packers squad last Thursday and are well rested. The Motor City Kitties are coming apart fast, their offense has been figured out and their defense is getting regular beatdowns. Looking to wrap up a first round bye the Pokes will have no real worry here and Jon Kitna's preseason claim of ten wins for the Lions will officially be rendered null and void.
Pick-Dallas Lock of The Week
Dolphins (0-12) @ Bills (6-6)
Ralph Wilson Stadium; Orchard Park, NY 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Bills by 7
Fast Fact The Dolphins have lost 14 of 20 in Buffalo since 1987.
The Dolphins took a frightening beatdown from the Jets and have never been too good at playing in cold weather enviroments. I remember going to a Bills-Dolphins game in 1995 with a lot more on the line in this game and seeing Dan Marino coming out of the Buffalo Marriott, he had a look on his face as he perused the snowy setting that was priceless. The Dolphins lost that game and were loads more talented then. Neither team has a real solid offense but if MarShawn Lynch is a go for the Bills they will have a more decided edge.
Pick-Buffalo
NY Giants (8-4) @ Eagles (5-7)
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Eagles by 3
Fast Fact Eagles RB Brian Westbrook leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,598.
The Eagles blew a golden chance to stay in the thick of the NFC Wild Card hunt with a heartbreaking late loss to the Seahawks. The G-Men got off the deck to beat the Bears in a game that they really should have lost. Eli Manning is a tough cat to figure out, but he has shown some heart in his last few games. Donovan McNabb might get the starting nod for the Eagles but the Giants will try to unleash a defensive fury at GangGreen similar to the 12 sack mauling they handed the Eagles back in September. The Giants are the better team and should win to keep their lead in the wild card secure.
Pick-New York Giants
Raiders (4-8 ) @ Packers (10-2)
Lambeau Field, Green Bay 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Packers by 10.5
Fast Fact- Brett Favre makes his 250th consecutive start this week
The Raiders are coming in off a surprising beatdown of the Broncos while the Pack have had a few extra needed to days to get Favre healthy after getting whomped on by the Pokes. The Raiders are improving make no mistake, but are you really going to bet on a California team winning in the frozen tundra? I didn't think so.
Pick-Green Bay
Chargers (7-5) @ Titans (7-5)
LP Field, Nashville 1:00 (CBS)
Favorite Even
Fast Fact The Chargers have won four straight meetings in this series
A matchup of two very evenly matched teams, but the Chargers are in a much better position as leaders of the weak AFC West. The Titans look much better after getting hulking DT Albert Haynesworth and they will need him to slow down LaDainian Tomlinson who had a solid game at Kansas City and has the Chargers playing much more solid. This game is too close to call, but I'll bank on the Chargers pressuring Vince Young into a couple costly mistakes.
Pick-San Diego
Rams (3-9) @ Bengals (4-8 )
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Bengals by 7
Fast Fact This is the Rams first visit to Paul Brown Stadium
The Bengals are coming off a lethargic loss to the Steelers while the Rams are coming in winning 3 of 4 following an 0-8 start. The Bengals have historically haad trouble with good running backs and Steven Jackson has been playing well as of late. The Rams get up and down QB Marc Bulger back and he has been playing well too, but I cant shake the feeling that the Bengals are set to make another late season dash to the 8-8 mark. The Bengals have a good enough offense to make any defense wary and they will show that side again.
Pick-Cincinnati
Buccaneers (8-4) @ Texans (5-7)
Reliant Stadium, Houston 1:00 (FOX)
Favorite Buccaneers by 3
Fast Fact This is the Bucs first visit to Reliant Stadium
The Bucs rallied late to beat the Saints and solidfied their grip on the NFC South. This has all the makings of a classic trap game for the Bucs as the Texans are just good enough to be dangerous while their pedestrian record belies that fact. The Bucs have too much on the line to let that happen as they can clinch their division with a win.
Pick-Tampa Bay
Cardinals (6-6) @ Seahawks (8-4)
Qwest Field, Seattle 4:05 (FOX)
Favorite Seahawks by 7
Fast Fact The Cards are looking for their first season sweep of the Seahawks since moving to the NFC West in 2002
The Seahawks have shook off a .500 start in the first half of the season to win four straight, surprisingly with little or no help from Shawn Alexander. The points will be plentiful as both teams can and will score. It is hard to take the Cards serious as playoff contenders, but the Seahawks are wary of the Cards and know that they can clinch the NFC West with a win. The Cards are fast improving but have yet to prove that they are ready for primetime.
Pick-Seattle
Vikings (6-6) @ 49ers (3-9)
Monster Park, San Francisco 4:05 (FOX)
Favorite Vikings by 8.5
Fast Fact The Vikings have averaged 37.3 points since getting shutout in Green Bay
The Vikings wrote off for dead four weeks ago have ripped off three wins in a row with a stout defense and a two pronged running attack. All of this bodes badly for the Niners who if Frank Gore cant get on track, will have to depend on Trent Dilfer to carry them...not good. If Adrian Peterson and/or Chester Taylor get cranked up the Vikings will roll.
Pick-Minnesota
Browns (7-5) @ NY Jets (3-9)
The Meadowlands; East Rutherford, NJ 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Browns by 3
Fast Fact The Browns have won all of their games when they have had a positive turnover ratio.
On paper this should be a walk for the Browns, but they have made a bad habit of losing winnable games and the Jets fresh off a beatdown of the Dolphins are just enough of a handful to be troublesome. The Jets will use their decent receiving corp to pound a weak Browns secondary that gives up yards and points at a frightenting clip. The Browns are capable offensively but is another team I can't take seriously. This is an ambush waiting to happen
Pick-New York Jets (Upset of the Week)
Chiefs (4-8 ) @ Broncos (5-7)
Invesco Field @ Mile High, Denver 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Broncos by 6.5
Fast Fact The Chiefs have never won at Invesco Field (0-6 since 2001)
This game looked so intriging at the start of the season, but now both teams are on playoff life support and look punchless. The Broncos are coming off a humiliating rout in Oakland while the Chiefs looked lost against the Chargers. Dont you think that Bronco fan is sorry that they ran Jake Plummer out of town so fast? Jay Cutler regresses more and more each week, but he will have the full time services of Travis Henry at his disposal. Henry has had two solid games against the Chiefs and if he has a third the Broncos win easy.
Pick-Denver
Pittsburgh (9-3) @ New England (12-0)
Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, MA 4:15 (CBS)
Favorite Patriots by 10.5
Fast Fact The Patriots need 87 points (21.75 ppg) over the last four games to break the single season points record. The fewest points they have scored in one game is 24
The honks and wonks are lionizing the Steelers as the one team that could derail the Pats perfection hopes and they believe that they are destined to do it. Steelers DB Anthony Smith has guaranteed a win, but the Steelers were quick to quash that talk in fear of stirring the Pats who have looked less than formidable in their last two wins. The Pats have a great offense (#1 in points, total yards, offense and passing yards while the Steelers have a great defense (#1 in fewest points allowed, total defense and passing yards) This smacks of an upset call here, but the Steelers are weak outside of Ohio and Pennsylvainia and that will be their downfall (9-0 in those two states, 0-3 elsewhere) I'm not calling it a lock but the Pats will win
Pick-New England
Colts (10-2) @ Ravens (4-8 )
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore 8:15 (NBC)
Favorite Colts by 9
Fast Fact The Colts have won the last four meetings
The Ravens are still seething after their hotly contested loss to the Pats last Monday. While the Colts have righted their ship after bad back to back losses. The Colts are getting key parts back at the right time as Marvin Harrison should be a go for this game after missing seven games with a knee injury. The Ravens have a good defense to be sure but their offense is highly questionable and you are taking a big chance to count on Kyle Boller having a second solid game in a row.
Pick-Indianapolis
Monday, December 10
Saints (5-7) @ Falcons (3-9)
Georgia Dome, Atlanta 8:30 (ESPN)
Favorite Saints by 4.5
Fast Fact The Falcons have lost three straight for the third time this year
ESPN goes from the great matchup to an absolute snoozer this week as these two string playing teams hook up. The Falcons have tried everyone short of your humble scribe at QB and turn to Chris Redman (Is HE still in this league???) out of football since 2004 to get the Falcons on track. The Saints who still harbor the faintest of playoff hopes are bad, but not this bad. They will get their offense healthy against a sad sack Falcons squad who are looking longingly toward the end of this pitful season.
Pick-New Orleans
Last Week: 10-6 (Lock Correct, Upset Incorrect)
Overall: 117-75 (11-2 Locks, 3-10 Upsets)
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