Apologies for the lack in updates lately, but I figured I had to at least get in an obligatory year end review entry.
We began the year with the end of the McNabb era in Eagles green. After the Eagles were destroyed in Dallas twice in a row, the latter knockin them out of the playoffs, the writing was on the wall that Donovan would not be back. Donovan would be traded Easter night to the Redskins, in a huge "Really?" moment. However, we've seen that move has turned out great for the Birds and terrible for both McNabb and the Redskins.
We were then treated with a solid Super Bowl between the Saints and Colts. It was great seeing the underdog Saints win the game, and one could make the argument that New Orleans' Super Bowl victory is the biggest story of 2010. It was enough for Drew BREEEEEEES to win the Sportsman of the Year from SI.
Skip ahead a couple of months to March Madness. As always, one of the best sporting events of the year, and this year was particularly great, at least from a JCKevo point of view. The final between Duke and Butler was one of the best championship games I've ever seen in any sport, and it came down to Gordon Hayward's last desperate heave which looked good all the way, and was thisclose to giving me a heart attack. However, Duke prevailed, Coack K was deemed ruler of the world, and order was restored in the universe.
A few unexciting months, with a typical NFL draft, start of the MLB season, Tiger returning to the Masters, the NBA and NHL playoffs (I had to think long and hard about who won the NBA title and Stanley Cup last year).
The Phillies did not look good for much of the summer. The lineup went through a slump which seemed to last for eternity, the starting pitching was below average behind Roy Halladay, and the playoffs almost seemed out of reach when the Phils were trailing the Braves by 8 games. But things turned around, the offense was hot into the Fall, Roy Oswalt was acquired and he was dominant, Cole Hamels turned it on, and the Phils were deemed as the odds on favorites going into the playoffs.
Then the slump reared its ugly head again. The Phils managed to sweep the Reds mostly due to amazing pitching and a bit of luck, but there would be no such luck against the Giants in the NLCS. The Giants went on to win the World Series, and the Phillies were left wondering what the heck went wrong. This team was more talented than the 2008 champions, but things just didn't go right. We were left to wonder what would happen in the off-season.
We also had the World Cup over the Summer, the only month every 4 years in which more than 5% of the country cares about soccer. We got a decent showing out of the US, although losing to Ghana is still a disappointment, and a good final between Spain and the Netherlands. Once again, the question was asked if the World Cup would help soccer take off in America, and once again, the answer was no.
Time for football season, and the start of the Kevin Kolb era in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, the Kevin Kolb era lasted as long as it look me to type this sentence. Kolb was knocked out in the Eagles first game against the Packers, and Michael Vick entered the game. I've said a few things about this topic before, so I want to take this opportunity to clear up a few things:
1. I will admit I was wrong about Vick not being able to become a different QB. He is different than his Atlanta days, and he is better.
2. I will NOT admit I was wrong to not hop on the bandwagon after one half of football. People gave up on Kolb way too quickly, and that was my main problem with the whole thing.
3. I'm still not crazy about Vick as a person, nor do I think I have to be to root for him as the QB of my favorite football team. I will leave it at that for now.
4. I do realize I said if Vick led the Eagles to a Super Bowl, I would run down Broad Street wearing nothing but a Vick jersey. Oh boy.
So the Eagles are 10-4 and seem to be in the driver's seat for the NFC East title.
However, the Eagles season has almost been overshadowed by the Phillies off-season. We got the inevitable news first, that Jayson Werth would not be back. However, I don't think anyone expected Werth to go to the Nationals, and not for the obscene amount of money he received. Have fun in Washington Jayson.
Then we got the news that came out of no where. There were some rumblings after the season that the Phillies wanted to get Cliff Lee, but it looked like it would be impossible money wise. Then we heard about a "mystery team" that was in the Lee race along with the Yankees and Rangers. And then in a whirlwind couple of hours, we learned the mystery team was the Phillies, that they were a possibility, that they were now the favorite, and that they had officially signed Cliff Lee. The Phillies now have what many people are calling the best rotation ever: Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels. And while other people are trying any way possible to nitpick the deal, how the Phillies will have no money and their window of opportunity is small, I'm looking forward to what might be the most dominant pitching staff ever assembled.
So now we look forward to next year. Duke is undefeated and #1 in the country, the Eagles are headed to the playoffs, and the Phillies will be the prohibitive favorite heading into the baseball season. Could we possibly have a trifecta of Kevo championships next season? 2010 was good, 2011 has the potential to be incredible.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Random Weekend Thoughts
Winner and losers from a pretty good weekend of football and other action:
Winners:
- The BCS. Unfortunately. We ended up with a clear cut 1 and 2 in Auburn and Oregon. Yes, TCU is undefeated and deserving of a chance to prove they can play with the big boys, but if the BCS has only two undefeated teams from major conferences, they get exactly what they want. Now, if TCU goes undefeated again next season in the Big East and gets left out, then we'll have an issue, but for now, the BCS has won. We might not like it, but Auburn vs Oregon should get a great game.
- Cam Newton. It'll be interesting to see how ESPN fills an hour long Heisman Trophy show with any kind of intrigue of who might actually win the thing.
- Duke and Drexel. Still on track to meet in the Final Four.
- Firing your head coach in the middle of the season. It has worked wonders for the Cowboys and Vikings.
- The Falcons. They've been dominant at home, but haven't had a good win on the road this year. Taking care of the Bucs in Tampa was huge for them.
- The Steelers. It looked like they were going to limp into the finish, but by beating the Ravens in Baltimore, however ugly it was, they're still the team to beat in the AFC North.
- The Patriots. Yeah they're still pretty good.
- Dexter. For the second to last episode of the season, it started off slow. But the last 20 minutes, I don't think it was possible to take a breathe. The show is not always in your face and intense, but when it is, it does it better than any show on TV.
Losers:
- People who want a playoff in college football. No controversy. No TCU. No reason for the BCS bigwigs to admit their system doesn't work.
- Rutgers. 7 out of 8 Big East teams are going to bowls. Guess who the 8th is? Greg Schiano can't get enough credit for turning around what was probably the worst college football program in the country, but his offense this season was far too complicated and he outcoached himself. Greg: THE WILDCAT DOES NOT HELP YOU.
- The Bengals. They actually did show up and play the Saints hard. For 59 minutes. How you jump offsides on a 4th and 2 play where everyone in the world knows that's exactly what the Saints are trying to do is beyond me. That's why they're the Bengals.
- The Jets. I still wouldn't count them out coming down the stretch, but wow. That was embarassing.
- The Nationals. Jayson Werth is a good player. He's not a franchise player. The Nationals gave him franchise player money. For 7 years. When he's 32. This is why some franchises will always be terrible.
- The Walking Dead. A good episode, if it wasn't the end of the first season. Seriously, we get one minor cliffhanger going into next season (what the scientist whispered to Rick) and that's about it. We got no clue what they were going to be doing next, and no huge event besides the death of one inconsequential character. It's going to be a long 10 month wait.
Winners:
- The BCS. Unfortunately. We ended up with a clear cut 1 and 2 in Auburn and Oregon. Yes, TCU is undefeated and deserving of a chance to prove they can play with the big boys, but if the BCS has only two undefeated teams from major conferences, they get exactly what they want. Now, if TCU goes undefeated again next season in the Big East and gets left out, then we'll have an issue, but for now, the BCS has won. We might not like it, but Auburn vs Oregon should get a great game.
- Cam Newton. It'll be interesting to see how ESPN fills an hour long Heisman Trophy show with any kind of intrigue of who might actually win the thing.
- Duke and Drexel. Still on track to meet in the Final Four.
- Firing your head coach in the middle of the season. It has worked wonders for the Cowboys and Vikings.
- The Falcons. They've been dominant at home, but haven't had a good win on the road this year. Taking care of the Bucs in Tampa was huge for them.
- The Steelers. It looked like they were going to limp into the finish, but by beating the Ravens in Baltimore, however ugly it was, they're still the team to beat in the AFC North.
- The Patriots. Yeah they're still pretty good.
- Dexter. For the second to last episode of the season, it started off slow. But the last 20 minutes, I don't think it was possible to take a breathe. The show is not always in your face and intense, but when it is, it does it better than any show on TV.
Losers:
- People who want a playoff in college football. No controversy. No TCU. No reason for the BCS bigwigs to admit their system doesn't work.
- Rutgers. 7 out of 8 Big East teams are going to bowls. Guess who the 8th is? Greg Schiano can't get enough credit for turning around what was probably the worst college football program in the country, but his offense this season was far too complicated and he outcoached himself. Greg: THE WILDCAT DOES NOT HELP YOU.
- The Bengals. They actually did show up and play the Saints hard. For 59 minutes. How you jump offsides on a 4th and 2 play where everyone in the world knows that's exactly what the Saints are trying to do is beyond me. That's why they're the Bengals.
- The Jets. I still wouldn't count them out coming down the stretch, but wow. That was embarassing.
- The Nationals. Jayson Werth is a good player. He's not a franchise player. The Nationals gave him franchise player money. For 7 years. When he's 32. This is why some franchises will always be terrible.
- The Walking Dead. A good episode, if it wasn't the end of the first season. Seriously, we get one minor cliffhanger going into next season (what the scientist whispered to Rick) and that's about it. We got no clue what they were going to be doing next, and no huge event besides the death of one inconsequential character. It's going to be a long 10 month wait.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Week 13 Picks
Picks on time before a Thursday game? I am an overachiever this week.
@Philadelphia over Houston
The Eagles lost their game last week moreso than the Bears won it. Horrible tackling and terrible redzone execution doomed the Birds. The redzone problems in particular are starting to become worrysome. In addition to last week's game, the Eagles had redzone issues against both the Colts and Giants. They won both of those games, but they should have won by a lot more. What's the issue? Well, some questionable play calling to be sure, as I'm never a fan of using the shotgun inside the 5 yard line. However, Vick hasn't exactly made his best throws inside the red zone either. Yes, I made a critcism of Michael Vick, I'll probably be shot.
Anyway, the Texans' defense is not nearly good enough to stop the Eagles tonight.
New Orleans over @ Cincinnati
If the Bengals had any fight left in them, this is the game they might get up for. But they won't.
@ Detroit over Chicago
Am I bitter after last week? Yes, but this has upset special written all over it. A road game after a huge victory in which every analyst is overrating the team now? I don't care who the Lions QB is this week (Drew Stanton), I like the Lions here OUTRIGHT.
@ Green Bay over San Francisco
I appreciated what he did here in Philadelphia, but Brian Westbrook's performance agains the Cardinals on Monday night was a mirage. But like everyone in sports does, it has been blown way out of proportion and Westbrook is officially back. He won't break 50 yards against the Packers.
Jacksonville over @ Tennessee
Randy Moss went from Tom Brady as his QB to Rusty Smith. Good job getting out of New England, Randy.
@ Kansas City over Denver
Most exciting division race heading down the stretch? How about the AFC West, where we have the young, upstart Chiefs against the incumbent Chargers, back in their usual right before the playoffs form.
@ Miami over Cleveland
Watching the Browns-Panthers game on NFL RedZone last week was painful. The Browns came out on fire led by Peyton Hillis, who was unstoppable in the first half. Then for some reason, Eric Mangini decided to let Jake Delhomme throw the ball, and he quickly let the Panthers back into the game. Why Delhomme still has a job is beyond me. I don't care if your other QBs are hurt, pick up Jeff Garcia before you let Jake Delhomme take another snap in the NFL.
@ Minnesota over Buffalo
Poor Buffalo. Unlike some other bad teams (Cardinals, Bengals), they're actually trying hard. They should have beaten the Steelers last week before Steve Johnson somehow dropped a wide open catch. Now they're playing a Vikings team which will probably finish the season strong for their new head coach, which probably means Brett Favre will come back for another season.
@ NY Giants over Washington
Last week's game against the Jags summed up the season for the Giants. Lousy one minute, unstoppable the next. I hope the lousy team stays around a little while longer.
@ San Diego over Oakland
That's the last time I pick the Raiders or pick against the Chargers after Week 9.
@ Indianapolis over Dallas
How pissed off is Peyton Manning right now? If the Colts lose a third straight against the Cowboys, I don't think anyone inside Lucas Oil Stadium makes it out alive.
St. Louis over @ Arizona
Maybe the Rams are decent, but it doesn't matter, there's no way I'm picking the Cardinals again this year after their last game. That was pathetic.
@ Seattle over Carolina
It's a shame that Jimmy Clausen is essentially playing for his job already. If the Panthers get the no.1 pick in the draft, it'll be hard for them to pass up on a QB, whether it be Andrew Luck or Cam Newton if he gets a ton of momentum. Clausen fell into a terrible situation in Carolina, and it looks like he won't get much of a chance to improve.
@ Tampa Bay over Atlanta
See Bears vs. Lions for why I picked the Bucs in this game.
@ Baltimore over Pittsburgh
The Steelers should have lost to the Bills last week. Like 99 times out of 100 they lose to the Bills last week. So I'm not going to exactly have a ton of confidence with them playing at Baltimore on a Sunday night.
@ New England over NY Jets
The Patriots defense is questionable, to say the least, but against a struggling Jets offense, they should get the job done. I won't say anything more about this game because apparently it's the game of the century and all anyone can talk about.
Last week: 12-4
Overall 112-64
@Philadelphia over Houston
The Eagles lost their game last week moreso than the Bears won it. Horrible tackling and terrible redzone execution doomed the Birds. The redzone problems in particular are starting to become worrysome. In addition to last week's game, the Eagles had redzone issues against both the Colts and Giants. They won both of those games, but they should have won by a lot more. What's the issue? Well, some questionable play calling to be sure, as I'm never a fan of using the shotgun inside the 5 yard line. However, Vick hasn't exactly made his best throws inside the red zone either. Yes, I made a critcism of Michael Vick, I'll probably be shot.
Anyway, the Texans' defense is not nearly good enough to stop the Eagles tonight.
New Orleans over @ Cincinnati
If the Bengals had any fight left in them, this is the game they might get up for. But they won't.
@ Detroit over Chicago
Am I bitter after last week? Yes, but this has upset special written all over it. A road game after a huge victory in which every analyst is overrating the team now? I don't care who the Lions QB is this week (Drew Stanton), I like the Lions here OUTRIGHT.
@ Green Bay over San Francisco
I appreciated what he did here in Philadelphia, but Brian Westbrook's performance agains the Cardinals on Monday night was a mirage. But like everyone in sports does, it has been blown way out of proportion and Westbrook is officially back. He won't break 50 yards against the Packers.
Jacksonville over @ Tennessee
Randy Moss went from Tom Brady as his QB to Rusty Smith. Good job getting out of New England, Randy.
@ Kansas City over Denver
Most exciting division race heading down the stretch? How about the AFC West, where we have the young, upstart Chiefs against the incumbent Chargers, back in their usual right before the playoffs form.
@ Miami over Cleveland
Watching the Browns-Panthers game on NFL RedZone last week was painful. The Browns came out on fire led by Peyton Hillis, who was unstoppable in the first half. Then for some reason, Eric Mangini decided to let Jake Delhomme throw the ball, and he quickly let the Panthers back into the game. Why Delhomme still has a job is beyond me. I don't care if your other QBs are hurt, pick up Jeff Garcia before you let Jake Delhomme take another snap in the NFL.
@ Minnesota over Buffalo
Poor Buffalo. Unlike some other bad teams (Cardinals, Bengals), they're actually trying hard. They should have beaten the Steelers last week before Steve Johnson somehow dropped a wide open catch. Now they're playing a Vikings team which will probably finish the season strong for their new head coach, which probably means Brett Favre will come back for another season.
@ NY Giants over Washington
Last week's game against the Jags summed up the season for the Giants. Lousy one minute, unstoppable the next. I hope the lousy team stays around a little while longer.
@ San Diego over Oakland
That's the last time I pick the Raiders or pick against the Chargers after Week 9.
@ Indianapolis over Dallas
How pissed off is Peyton Manning right now? If the Colts lose a third straight against the Cowboys, I don't think anyone inside Lucas Oil Stadium makes it out alive.
St. Louis over @ Arizona
Maybe the Rams are decent, but it doesn't matter, there's no way I'm picking the Cardinals again this year after their last game. That was pathetic.
@ Seattle over Carolina
It's a shame that Jimmy Clausen is essentially playing for his job already. If the Panthers get the no.1 pick in the draft, it'll be hard for them to pass up on a QB, whether it be Andrew Luck or Cam Newton if he gets a ton of momentum. Clausen fell into a terrible situation in Carolina, and it looks like he won't get much of a chance to improve.
@ Tampa Bay over Atlanta
See Bears vs. Lions for why I picked the Bucs in this game.
@ Baltimore over Pittsburgh
The Steelers should have lost to the Bills last week. Like 99 times out of 100 they lose to the Bills last week. So I'm not going to exactly have a ton of confidence with them playing at Baltimore on a Sunday night.
@ New England over NY Jets
The Patriots defense is questionable, to say the least, but against a struggling Jets offense, they should get the job done. I won't say anything more about this game because apparently it's the game of the century and all anyone can talk about.
Last week: 12-4
Overall 112-64
Friday, November 26, 2010
Week 12 Picks
I went 3-0 on Thanksgiving, although it was tough breaking my tradition of picking the Lions every year. And despite the fact that the Lions haven't won on Thanksgiving since 2003, I would never change the tradition of having the Lions and Cowboys play on Thanksgiving, which so many people apparently want to do now. I don't care how bad the games end up being, some traditions should never be changed, and this is one of them. Now, are we ever going to get a Eagles-Cowboys game on Thanksgiving? Next year maybe?
@ Atlanta over Green Bay
Matt Ryan has lost one game at home as the Falcons QB. That's why Atlanta will be so dangerous come playoff time if they get home field advantage.
Pittsburgh over @ Buffalo
I'd like to thank the Bills for coming back against the Bengals last week, scoring 49 points out of nowhere, and ruining me in the office pool once again.
@ Cleveland over Carolina
Something I'd never thought I'd be doing this season: picking up Cleveland's defense in fantasy.
@ NY Giants over Jacksonville
I wouldn't be surprised if Amani Toomer ended up starting for the Giants at WR on Sunday.
Minnesota over @ Washington
The Cowboys won a couple of games after they fired their coach, so I'm thinking it might work the same way for the Vikings. Despite having Brett Favre still.
@ Houston over Tennessee
Almost any QB could throw for 300 yards against the Texans D. Luckily for Houston, the Titans are starting Rusty Smith at QB. Yes, that Rusty Smith.
@ Oakland over Miami
I don't think it'll be possible to pick the Dolphins anymore this season after seeing how they played last week. Even against the Raiders.
Kansas City over @ Seattle
If they Chiefs want any shot at winning the AFC West, they have to win games like this. The Seahawks really don't need to win this game to win the NFC West. They really don't need to win any more games to win the NFC West.
Philadelphia over @ Chicago
People (including myself) have been saying all season long that the Bears really aren't that good. But hey, they're 7-3. At some point, we have to consider them decent at least. But they're not better than the Eagles.
@ Denver over St. Louis
If the Broncos aren't going to use Tebow at QB, they at least should put him at linebacker, where clearly they need some help, and clearly he would be the be linebacker in the world.
@ Baltimore over Tampa Bay
I've been doubting the Bucs all season, and now they're 7-3. But there's no way they can beat the Ravens in Baltimore. Right?
@ Indianapolis over San Diego
Although the Chargers are starting their normal second half surge, I'm not going to pick against the Mannings after the way last week's game ended. Peyton will catch his own passes if he has to.
San Francisco over @ Arizona
Worst Monday Night game ever? Yes.
Last week: 12-4
Overall: 103-60
@ Atlanta over Green Bay
Matt Ryan has lost one game at home as the Falcons QB. That's why Atlanta will be so dangerous come playoff time if they get home field advantage.
Pittsburgh over @ Buffalo
I'd like to thank the Bills for coming back against the Bengals last week, scoring 49 points out of nowhere, and ruining me in the office pool once again.
@ Cleveland over Carolina
Something I'd never thought I'd be doing this season: picking up Cleveland's defense in fantasy.
@ NY Giants over Jacksonville
I wouldn't be surprised if Amani Toomer ended up starting for the Giants at WR on Sunday.
Minnesota over @ Washington
The Cowboys won a couple of games after they fired their coach, so I'm thinking it might work the same way for the Vikings. Despite having Brett Favre still.
@ Houston over Tennessee
Almost any QB could throw for 300 yards against the Texans D. Luckily for Houston, the Titans are starting Rusty Smith at QB. Yes, that Rusty Smith.
@ Oakland over Miami
I don't think it'll be possible to pick the Dolphins anymore this season after seeing how they played last week. Even against the Raiders.
Kansas City over @ Seattle
If they Chiefs want any shot at winning the AFC West, they have to win games like this. The Seahawks really don't need to win this game to win the NFC West. They really don't need to win any more games to win the NFC West.
Philadelphia over @ Chicago
People (including myself) have been saying all season long that the Bears really aren't that good. But hey, they're 7-3. At some point, we have to consider them decent at least. But they're not better than the Eagles.
@ Denver over St. Louis
If the Broncos aren't going to use Tebow at QB, they at least should put him at linebacker, where clearly they need some help, and clearly he would be the be linebacker in the world.
@ Baltimore over Tampa Bay
I've been doubting the Bucs all season, and now they're 7-3. But there's no way they can beat the Ravens in Baltimore. Right?
@ Indianapolis over San Diego
Although the Chargers are starting their normal second half surge, I'm not going to pick against the Mannings after the way last week's game ended. Peyton will catch his own passes if he has to.
San Francisco over @ Arizona
Worst Monday Night game ever? Yes.
Last week: 12-4
Overall: 103-60
Friday, November 19, 2010
Week 11 Picks
Off to a good start...
@Miami over Chicago
To prove I don't cheat on my Thursday night picks, yes I picked the Dolphins last night. Maybe I put too much trust on Tyler Thigpen, but you can't overrate the greatest QB in Coastal Carolina history.
@Cincinnati over Buffalo
About the only team I would pick the Bengals to beat right now is the Bills.
@Dallas over Detroit
Although I get the sneaky feeling that after playing well last week, the Cowboys will completely blow it this week.
@Tennessee over Washington
We've since found out that it's not true, but when I saw that Donovan got a contract extension with $40 million guaranteed, I thought it might have been the worst contract in the history of sports. It's not quite that bad anymore since the Redskins apparently won't owe him anything if (when) they cut him after this season.
@Kansas City over Arizona
Are the wheels falling off the Chiefs bandwagon? If they lose again this week, the wagon is completely blown up.
Green Bay over @Minnesota
A tough one to pick, but I get the feeling the Vikings have just about given up on both Favre and Childress. By the way, if someone else refers to Childress as "Chilly" one more time, I'm going to Drew Brees-flip a table.
@ NY Jets over Houston
Remember when the Texans beat the Colts and they were one of the best teams in the NFL? Whoops.
@Pittsburgh over Oakland
The start of the Raiders becoming the Raiders again.
Baltimore over @Carolina
Brian St. Pierre is starting at QB for the Panthers. Against the Ravens defense. Sorry Carolina, at least you still have Duke.
@Jacksonville over Cleveland
Reason #3029478029384 why NFL RedZone is awesome. Seeing the end of the Jaguars/Texans game live last week. With Gus Johnson on commentary. One of my favorite football moments of all time.
Atlanta over @ St. Louis
I picked the Falcons to win the Super Bowl last week. So they'll probably lose to the Rams this week.
@ New Orleans over Seattle
No they haven't played well this year, but it would be unwise to count out the Saints. With no dominant team in the NFC, they still have the potential to be the best.
@San Francisco over Tampa Bay
Another tough game to pick this week. The 49ers are playing better under Troy Smith, but you have to wonder how long that will last. And we still don't know how good the Bucs are. Despite their record, they haven't beat too many good teams. I'll go with the home team.
@ New England over Indianapolis
Because the Patriots are just playing better right now, and the Colts are beyond banged up.
@Philadelphia over NY Giants
Let down game? Maybe, and it would be hard to pick the Eagles in New York in this situation. But at home on a Sunday night, I'm feeling pretty confident.
@San Diego over Denver
Because the Chargers annual undefeated run to make the playoffs and then lose in the first round begins now.
Last week: 7-7
Overall: 88-57
@Miami over Chicago
To prove I don't cheat on my Thursday night picks, yes I picked the Dolphins last night. Maybe I put too much trust on Tyler Thigpen, but you can't overrate the greatest QB in Coastal Carolina history.
@Cincinnati over Buffalo
About the only team I would pick the Bengals to beat right now is the Bills.
@Dallas over Detroit
Although I get the sneaky feeling that after playing well last week, the Cowboys will completely blow it this week.
@Tennessee over Washington
We've since found out that it's not true, but when I saw that Donovan got a contract extension with $40 million guaranteed, I thought it might have been the worst contract in the history of sports. It's not quite that bad anymore since the Redskins apparently won't owe him anything if (when) they cut him after this season.
@Kansas City over Arizona
Are the wheels falling off the Chiefs bandwagon? If they lose again this week, the wagon is completely blown up.
Green Bay over @Minnesota
A tough one to pick, but I get the feeling the Vikings have just about given up on both Favre and Childress. By the way, if someone else refers to Childress as "Chilly" one more time, I'm going to Drew Brees-flip a table.
@ NY Jets over Houston
Remember when the Texans beat the Colts and they were one of the best teams in the NFL? Whoops.
@Pittsburgh over Oakland
The start of the Raiders becoming the Raiders again.
Baltimore over @Carolina
Brian St. Pierre is starting at QB for the Panthers. Against the Ravens defense. Sorry Carolina, at least you still have Duke.
@Jacksonville over Cleveland
Reason #3029478029384 why NFL RedZone is awesome. Seeing the end of the Jaguars/Texans game live last week. With Gus Johnson on commentary. One of my favorite football moments of all time.
Atlanta over @ St. Louis
I picked the Falcons to win the Super Bowl last week. So they'll probably lose to the Rams this week.
@ New Orleans over Seattle
No they haven't played well this year, but it would be unwise to count out the Saints. With no dominant team in the NFC, they still have the potential to be the best.
@San Francisco over Tampa Bay
Another tough game to pick this week. The 49ers are playing better under Troy Smith, but you have to wonder how long that will last. And we still don't know how good the Bucs are. Despite their record, they haven't beat too many good teams. I'll go with the home team.
@ New England over Indianapolis
Because the Patriots are just playing better right now, and the Colts are beyond banged up.
@Philadelphia over NY Giants
Let down game? Maybe, and it would be hard to pick the Eagles in New York in this situation. But at home on a Sunday night, I'm feeling pretty confident.
@San Diego over Denver
Because the Chargers annual undefeated run to make the playoffs and then lose in the first round begins now.
Last week: 7-7
Overall: 88-57
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A Post About Soccer, Feel Free to Not Read
The word "soccer" in the title of this post means 99% already stopped reading, but I thought it would be time to diversify and talk about something other than football (American) and Duke basketball.
After the World Cup, which was pretty awesome this year, I decided I would try to follow soccer a bit more. It was good timing as the Philadelphia Union were just about to start their first season in MLS. However, as I quickly learned after trying to watch a few Union games, MLS is not the World Cup. I appreciate the product MLS is trying to put out, but it doesn't change the fact that it's a minor league of soccer.
So I decided I would try to follow an English Premier League team. The Premier League, as the name suggests, is the top league in England with 20 teams. It's probably the most accessible league television wise in America, with some games on ESPN and many more on Fox Soccer Channel. Unfortunately, too many of these games are at 8 AM on Saturday and Sunday, but I'm doing what I can.
The next step was to pick a team to follow. Yes, Bill Simmons wrote an article just like this a few years ago, but I won't go that in detail, nor did I take suggestions from anyone else. Here were my criteria:
- No Manchester United or Chelsea. Even if you don't follow soccer, you know these teams. They're the Yankees and Red Sox of England. No thanks.
- Not terrible. I won't be a front-runner, but I wanted a decent team at least.
- At least one American player that actually played on the team.
- Cool looking crest (logo) and kit (jersey) were a plus
After a lengthy, drawn-out process (about 5 minutes of looking through teams), I chose Aston Villa. Aston Villa has been one of the more successful Premier League teams, but they're no where near the level of Man U or Chelsea. They've finished 6th in the League the last three seasons, so they're competitive.
Plus, they have American Brad Friedel as their goalkeeper. Friedel is basically the Brett Favre of soccer, minus everything bad that has happened to Brett in the last three years. He's 39 years old, but he looks like he's about 59. He's the record holder for most consecutive appearances with 241. And he's still one of the best goalkeepers in the league. Yes, he's the man.
After following European soccer for a few weeks, you realize just how different it is than American professional leagues. Take the following for example:
- Relegation and Promotion. Probably the aspect of European soccer that would be coolest to see added to American sports. Let's say your team starts out poorly and they pretty much give up on the season, tanking it the rest of the way. There's no real consequence for this in American sports, but in soccer, there's a big one. Finish at the bottom of your league (bottom 3 in the Premier League) and you're out of the league, relegated to the league below you. The three top teams in the lower league take their place in the Premier League.
Just imagine how this would work in American sports. The Clippers would have been out of the NBA for years. The Lions might make it back to the NFL this season. The Pirates would have been out of MLB since the mid-90's. It's an awesome concept that really makes every game count for these teams.
Plus you get different teams in the league every year, meaning every season is truly unique.
- Leagues within leagues. This was the most confusing part of soccer for me at first. Basically, there are no playoffs to determine who the champion of the Premier League is at the end of the season. Whoever has the most points at the end of the regular season wins the league. However, the top 4 teams then qualify for the Champions League, which combines all of the top Leagues in Europe. The Champions League doesn't take place right after the regular season though, it happens during the next regular season. So right now, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur are playing in the Champions League as well as the Premier League. There are several instances of tournaments taking place during the season such as the Europa League, for teams finishing just below the top spots, and the FA cup, which combines every league in England into one tournament. But the Champions League is the most prestigious and the real prize of European football.
I really don't think this could work for American sports, and I'm not really a huge fan of it in soccer. The regular season itself for the Premier League is way too long (the only completely off months are June and July), and if they shortened the season they could have the Champions League afterwards. But it's definitely something different, and if your team is failing in the regular season, and least they still have a chance at taking home a tournament trophy.
- Very few teams actually have a chance at winning. If you thought baseball was top-heavy, soccer is even worse. Money rules everything in the Premier League. It's not like the worse teams can draft the best players and build up that way. Every player is signed in European soccer. Even if you're lucky to sign a good player when he's young, there's a good chance he'll bolt for a team with money once he shows how good he is. It's kind of disappointing to know that only a very few teams actually have a shot at winning the league, but it also makes the upsets that much more special.
- No commercials. The best part of soccer.
I'm no Richie Ongaro, but I'm learning. So if you're still not convinced, do what I did. Pick a team to follow, learn about them a bit, and try to get up early on a Saturday or Sunday and watch a game. I can already say with complete certainly that the Premier League is more fun to watch than the NBA.
After the World Cup, which was pretty awesome this year, I decided I would try to follow soccer a bit more. It was good timing as the Philadelphia Union were just about to start their first season in MLS. However, as I quickly learned after trying to watch a few Union games, MLS is not the World Cup. I appreciate the product MLS is trying to put out, but it doesn't change the fact that it's a minor league of soccer.
So I decided I would try to follow an English Premier League team. The Premier League, as the name suggests, is the top league in England with 20 teams. It's probably the most accessible league television wise in America, with some games on ESPN and many more on Fox Soccer Channel. Unfortunately, too many of these games are at 8 AM on Saturday and Sunday, but I'm doing what I can.
The next step was to pick a team to follow. Yes, Bill Simmons wrote an article just like this a few years ago, but I won't go that in detail, nor did I take suggestions from anyone else. Here were my criteria:
- No Manchester United or Chelsea. Even if you don't follow soccer, you know these teams. They're the Yankees and Red Sox of England. No thanks.
- Not terrible. I won't be a front-runner, but I wanted a decent team at least.
- At least one American player that actually played on the team.
- Cool looking crest (logo) and kit (jersey) were a plus
After a lengthy, drawn-out process (about 5 minutes of looking through teams), I chose Aston Villa. Aston Villa has been one of the more successful Premier League teams, but they're no where near the level of Man U or Chelsea. They've finished 6th in the League the last three seasons, so they're competitive.
Plus, they have American Brad Friedel as their goalkeeper. Friedel is basically the Brett Favre of soccer, minus everything bad that has happened to Brett in the last three years. He's 39 years old, but he looks like he's about 59. He's the record holder for most consecutive appearances with 241. And he's still one of the best goalkeepers in the league. Yes, he's the man.
After following European soccer for a few weeks, you realize just how different it is than American professional leagues. Take the following for example:
- Relegation and Promotion. Probably the aspect of European soccer that would be coolest to see added to American sports. Let's say your team starts out poorly and they pretty much give up on the season, tanking it the rest of the way. There's no real consequence for this in American sports, but in soccer, there's a big one. Finish at the bottom of your league (bottom 3 in the Premier League) and you're out of the league, relegated to the league below you. The three top teams in the lower league take their place in the Premier League.
Just imagine how this would work in American sports. The Clippers would have been out of the NBA for years. The Lions might make it back to the NFL this season. The Pirates would have been out of MLB since the mid-90's. It's an awesome concept that really makes every game count for these teams.
Plus you get different teams in the league every year, meaning every season is truly unique.
- Leagues within leagues. This was the most confusing part of soccer for me at first. Basically, there are no playoffs to determine who the champion of the Premier League is at the end of the season. Whoever has the most points at the end of the regular season wins the league. However, the top 4 teams then qualify for the Champions League, which combines all of the top Leagues in Europe. The Champions League doesn't take place right after the regular season though, it happens during the next regular season. So right now, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur are playing in the Champions League as well as the Premier League. There are several instances of tournaments taking place during the season such as the Europa League, for teams finishing just below the top spots, and the FA cup, which combines every league in England into one tournament. But the Champions League is the most prestigious and the real prize of European football.
I really don't think this could work for American sports, and I'm not really a huge fan of it in soccer. The regular season itself for the Premier League is way too long (the only completely off months are June and July), and if they shortened the season they could have the Champions League afterwards. But it's definitely something different, and if your team is failing in the regular season, and least they still have a chance at taking home a tournament trophy.
- Very few teams actually have a chance at winning. If you thought baseball was top-heavy, soccer is even worse. Money rules everything in the Premier League. It's not like the worse teams can draft the best players and build up that way. Every player is signed in European soccer. Even if you're lucky to sign a good player when he's young, there's a good chance he'll bolt for a team with money once he shows how good he is. It's kind of disappointing to know that only a very few teams actually have a shot at winning the league, but it also makes the upsets that much more special.
- No commercials. The best part of soccer.
I'm no Richie Ongaro, but I'm learning. So if you're still not convinced, do what I did. Pick a team to follow, learn about them a bit, and try to get up early on a Saturday or Sunday and watch a game. I can already say with complete certainly that the Premier League is more fun to watch than the NBA.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Duke First Impressions
As I'm sure all of you watched on ESPNU last night, Duke won their first game of the season against Princeton, 97-60. This is a Princeton team (who I would normally root for) that was picked by many to win the Ivy League this season, a league which had a team in the Sweet 16 last year, so the 37-point win is not to be taken lightly. There was a whole lot last night to feel good about for the rest of the season.
- Kyrie Irving is the best point guard at Duke since Jay Williams. Although he's replacing an All-American in Jon Scheyer, he's already an upgrade over him. He played incredibly tenacious defense all night, went 3-6 from three, and had a 9-1 assist to turnover ratio, which is unheard of for many young point guards these days. The only area I'd like to see him improve on is his midrange jumper, but besides that, he's the total package (not Lex Luger).
- This is perhaps the best bench Duke has ever had, scoring wise at least. The subs combined for 35 points, led by Seth Curry's 14 and Andre Dawkins' 13. Both are basically the same player, 3-point specialists who can drive when needed, but they will be deadly when combined with Irving and Kyle Singler. This might be the best collection of shooters Duke has ever had, and that's really saying something.
- The Plumlee brothers really need to step up. They combined for 7 points and 6 rebounds last night. Although the point really won't be neccessary, they need to increase their rebounding totals. I said Duke would be missing Brian Zoubek this year, and it already looks like they are. Luckily, Ryan Kelly looks a lot bigger than last year and will be able to play center, and freshman Josh Hairston was impressive in limited time.
- Overall, it was the kind of performance you would expect from the #1 team in the country. I hope they cut down on the turnovers a bit (14), but just based on last night, this team has the potential to be much better than last year's national champions.
- Kyrie Irving is the best point guard at Duke since Jay Williams. Although he's replacing an All-American in Jon Scheyer, he's already an upgrade over him. He played incredibly tenacious defense all night, went 3-6 from three, and had a 9-1 assist to turnover ratio, which is unheard of for many young point guards these days. The only area I'd like to see him improve on is his midrange jumper, but besides that, he's the total package (not Lex Luger).
- This is perhaps the best bench Duke has ever had, scoring wise at least. The subs combined for 35 points, led by Seth Curry's 14 and Andre Dawkins' 13. Both are basically the same player, 3-point specialists who can drive when needed, but they will be deadly when combined with Irving and Kyle Singler. This might be the best collection of shooters Duke has ever had, and that's really saying something.
- The Plumlee brothers really need to step up. They combined for 7 points and 6 rebounds last night. Although the point really won't be neccessary, they need to increase their rebounding totals. I said Duke would be missing Brian Zoubek this year, and it already looks like they are. Luckily, Ryan Kelly looks a lot bigger than last year and will be able to play center, and freshman Josh Hairston was impressive in limited time.
- Overall, it was the kind of performance you would expect from the #1 team in the country. I hope they cut down on the turnovers a bit (14), but just based on last night, this team has the potential to be much better than last year's national champions.
Friday, November 12, 2010
NFL Midseason Awards, Predictions, Week 10 picks
I apologize for the week layoff and missing last week's picks. After two miserable 7 win weeks, I managed a 10 spot in week 9. Of course, there's no documented proof of this, but you'll just have to believe me.
Most people do their mid-season stuff after week 8, but it's only after week 9 that we are actually halfway through the season. As I've said several times, it's been a very strange NFL season so far. There is no clear cut favorite team in either conference, and teams that seem good one week are terrible the next week, and vice versa. If you like parity, you love the NFL 2010 season. Predictions for the playoffs:
NFC
1. Giants 12-4
Who else can you pick right now? They're playing better than anyone in the league right now on both sides of the ball.
2. Falcons 11-5
Nearly unbeatable at home, and they have a complete team with very few weaknesses.
3. Packers 11-5
They've seemed to shake off a slow start and they're clearly the best team in the North right now.
4. Seahawks8-8
Someone's gotta win the NFC West. Seattle gets a slight edge because they're a decent team at home.
5. Saints 11-5
They also seem to be over their slow start, but they're not the same team as last year.
6. Eagles 10-6
Their 2nd half schedule doesn't seem as daunting as it did before the season started. Even if they lose twice to the Giants, they can get to 10 wins.
AFC
1. Steelers 12-4
They're the most complete team in the AFC, and their defense is the best unit in the league.
2. Jets 12-4
Offense has been inconsistent, but when they're on, no one is going to beat them.
3. Colts 10-6
Will have to fight off the Titans, but I'm not going to bet against Peyton.
4. Chiefs 10-6
I'm still a believer, as long as the defense holds up.
5. Ravens 11-5
Last night's loss aside, they're still a Super Bowl contender.
6. Patriots 10-6
Hard to believe they won't find a way into the playoffs.
Playoffs
Packers over Eagles
Saints over Seahawks
Colts over Patriots
Ravens over Chiefs
Giants over Saints
Falcons over Packers
Steelers over Ravens
Colts over Jets
Falcons over Giants
Steelers over Colts
Super Bowl XXV
Falcons over Steelers
Midseason Awards
MVP- Peyton Manning
Who else could it be? The Colts have no running game, a neverending cycle of receivers, but they keep marching on. Peyton is the most important player to his team in the league, perhaps in the history of the league.
Coach of the Year- Todd Haley, Chiefs
Coach of the Year typically goes to the most surprising playoff team, so if they Chiefs can hang on to the West lead, Haley will win it. I refuse to pick Tom Cable.
Rookie of the Year- Sam Bradford, Rams
The Rams are tied for first in the West, and Bradford is a huge reason. He's on pace for 3,330 yards, 22 TDs to 16 INTs, great numbers for a rookie QB on not such a great team.
Biggest surprise, good- Raiders, 5-4
They won't win the West, you can mark that down. But for now, the 5-4 Raiders have to be the most pleasant surprise in the league.
Biggest surprise, bad- Cowboys, 1-7
Wow, what a train wreck. It would be easy to blame the whole thing on Tony Romo's injury, but things were bad before that too. They're still one of the most talented teams on paper, but paper doesn't win you more than one game apparently.
Week 10 Picks
@Atlanta over Baltimore (I picked before last night, promise)
@Buffalo over Detroit
Minnesota over @Chicago
NY Jets over @Cleveland
@Indianapolis over Cincinnati
Tennessee over @ Miami
@ Tampa Bay over Carolina
Houston over @Jacksonville
Kansas City over @Denver
@NY Giants over Dallas
@Arizona over Seattle
@San Francisco over St. Louis
@Pittsburgh over New England
Philadelphia over @Washington
Last week: 10-3
Overall: 82-50
Most people do their mid-season stuff after week 8, but it's only after week 9 that we are actually halfway through the season. As I've said several times, it's been a very strange NFL season so far. There is no clear cut favorite team in either conference, and teams that seem good one week are terrible the next week, and vice versa. If you like parity, you love the NFL 2010 season. Predictions for the playoffs:
NFC
1. Giants 12-4
Who else can you pick right now? They're playing better than anyone in the league right now on both sides of the ball.
2. Falcons 11-5
Nearly unbeatable at home, and they have a complete team with very few weaknesses.
3. Packers 11-5
They've seemed to shake off a slow start and they're clearly the best team in the North right now.
4. Seahawks8-8
Someone's gotta win the NFC West. Seattle gets a slight edge because they're a decent team at home.
5. Saints 11-5
They also seem to be over their slow start, but they're not the same team as last year.
6. Eagles 10-6
Their 2nd half schedule doesn't seem as daunting as it did before the season started. Even if they lose twice to the Giants, they can get to 10 wins.
AFC
1. Steelers 12-4
They're the most complete team in the AFC, and their defense is the best unit in the league.
2. Jets 12-4
Offense has been inconsistent, but when they're on, no one is going to beat them.
3. Colts 10-6
Will have to fight off the Titans, but I'm not going to bet against Peyton.
4. Chiefs 10-6
I'm still a believer, as long as the defense holds up.
5. Ravens 11-5
Last night's loss aside, they're still a Super Bowl contender.
6. Patriots 10-6
Hard to believe they won't find a way into the playoffs.
Playoffs
Packers over Eagles
Saints over Seahawks
Colts over Patriots
Ravens over Chiefs
Giants over Saints
Falcons over Packers
Steelers over Ravens
Colts over Jets
Falcons over Giants
Steelers over Colts
Super Bowl XXV
Falcons over Steelers
Midseason Awards
MVP- Peyton Manning
Who else could it be? The Colts have no running game, a neverending cycle of receivers, but they keep marching on. Peyton is the most important player to his team in the league, perhaps in the history of the league.
Coach of the Year- Todd Haley, Chiefs
Coach of the Year typically goes to the most surprising playoff team, so if they Chiefs can hang on to the West lead, Haley will win it. I refuse to pick Tom Cable.
Rookie of the Year- Sam Bradford, Rams
The Rams are tied for first in the West, and Bradford is a huge reason. He's on pace for 3,330 yards, 22 TDs to 16 INTs, great numbers for a rookie QB on not such a great team.
Biggest surprise, good- Raiders, 5-4
They won't win the West, you can mark that down. But for now, the 5-4 Raiders have to be the most pleasant surprise in the league.
Biggest surprise, bad- Cowboys, 1-7
Wow, what a train wreck. It would be easy to blame the whole thing on Tony Romo's injury, but things were bad before that too. They're still one of the most talented teams on paper, but paper doesn't win you more than one game apparently.
Week 10 Picks
@Atlanta over Baltimore (I picked before last night, promise)
@Buffalo over Detroit
Minnesota over @Chicago
NY Jets over @Cleveland
@Indianapolis over Cincinnati
Tennessee over @ Miami
@ Tampa Bay over Carolina
Houston over @Jacksonville
Kansas City over @Denver
@NY Giants over Dallas
@Arizona over Seattle
@San Francisco over St. Louis
@Pittsburgh over New England
Philadelphia over @Washington
Last week: 10-3
Overall: 82-50
Friday, October 29, 2010
Week 8 Picks
Guaranteed to win 10 games this week, or my picks for the rest of the season are free.
@ Cincinnati over Miami
For some reason I will continue to pick the Bengals.
@Dallas over Jacksonville
Forget Kolb and Vick, the real QB controversy will be Romo/Kitna after Kitna turns the season around for the Cowboys. Or at least get a win against the Jaguars.
Washington over @ Detroit
Because Donovan always plays well against bad defenses. And I thought Drew Stanton was starting at QB for the Lions.
@Kansas City over Buffalo
Can KC hold on to the AFC West for the entire season? Right now, you would have to say yes. It doesn't look like the Chargers are going to make their late season turnaround again.
@ St. Louis over Carolina
Eh, I just wouldn't pick the Panthers to win back to back games this season.
@NY Jets over Green Bay
A popular Super Bowl pick before the season, the Packers got a big win they needed last week, and they're back on track to win the NFC North. But I can't pick them in New Jersey.
Denver over San Francisco
And the London crowd will go crazy over this one.
@ San Diego over Tennessee
I just can't see the Chargers being 2-6 bad. And I can't see the Titans being 6-2 good.
Seattle over @Oakland
Oakland scored 59 points last week. That means they probably won't score anymore points for the next 4 weeks.
@ New England over Minnesota
You think if Brett could go back in time, he would just retire as a Packer, when everyone still liked him, when everyone thought he was a good family man, and when everyone everywhere wasn't tired of hearing about him? Although it wouldn't shock me to see Randy Moss have a huge FU game to the Patriots here.
Tampa Bay over @ Arizona
Bucs coach Raheem Morris said his team is the best in the NFC. This should probably persuade me not to pick the Bucs, but I have their defense in fantasy this week.
@ New Orleans over Pittsburgh
The Saints have to put a good game together here right? The funny part is that their defense has been defense, but the opposing defense keeps scoring TDs off of Drew Brees INTs. Time to flip some tables Drew.
@ Indianapolis over Houston
Peyton Manning at home on a Monday night against a team that beat him this season. This is a lock.
Last week: a terrible 7-7
Overall: 64-40
@ Cincinnati over Miami
For some reason I will continue to pick the Bengals.
@Dallas over Jacksonville
Forget Kolb and Vick, the real QB controversy will be Romo/Kitna after Kitna turns the season around for the Cowboys. Or at least get a win against the Jaguars.
Washington over @ Detroit
Because Donovan always plays well against bad defenses. And I thought Drew Stanton was starting at QB for the Lions.
@Kansas City over Buffalo
Can KC hold on to the AFC West for the entire season? Right now, you would have to say yes. It doesn't look like the Chargers are going to make their late season turnaround again.
@ St. Louis over Carolina
Eh, I just wouldn't pick the Panthers to win back to back games this season.
@NY Jets over Green Bay
A popular Super Bowl pick before the season, the Packers got a big win they needed last week, and they're back on track to win the NFC North. But I can't pick them in New Jersey.
Denver over San Francisco
And the London crowd will go crazy over this one.
@ San Diego over Tennessee
I just can't see the Chargers being 2-6 bad. And I can't see the Titans being 6-2 good.
Seattle over @Oakland
Oakland scored 59 points last week. That means they probably won't score anymore points for the next 4 weeks.
@ New England over Minnesota
You think if Brett could go back in time, he would just retire as a Packer, when everyone still liked him, when everyone thought he was a good family man, and when everyone everywhere wasn't tired of hearing about him? Although it wouldn't shock me to see Randy Moss have a huge FU game to the Patriots here.
Tampa Bay over @ Arizona
Bucs coach Raheem Morris said his team is the best in the NFC. This should probably persuade me not to pick the Bucs, but I have their defense in fantasy this week.
@ New Orleans over Pittsburgh
The Saints have to put a good game together here right? The funny part is that their defense has been defense, but the opposing defense keeps scoring TDs off of Drew Brees INTs. Time to flip some tables Drew.
@ Indianapolis over Houston
Peyton Manning at home on a Monday night against a team that beat him this season. This is a lock.
Last week: a terrible 7-7
Overall: 64-40
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Phillies Off-Season
This might come as a shock to some of you, but Philadelphia sports fans have a tend to overreact. Judging by the fans reaction to the Phillies loss in the NLCS, you would think they lost 100 games this season.
Truth is, this is a team that didn't have a single every day player perform better than their average this season, except Carlos Ruiz. As Ruben Amaro said, if they Phillies had hit this season like they did in 2008 or 2009, they probably would have won 110 games. That's really not an exaggeration considering how terrible some of the team's hitting slumps were this season, and they still won a MLB high 97 games.
So where do the Phillies go from here? By some suggestions, they should trade Ryan Howard, trade Chase Utley, trade Jimmy Rollins, waive Raul Ibanez, keep Jayson Werth, and pretty much blow up the team. This is obviously ridiculous. Here's what's going to, or at least should, happen.
-The Phillies won't resign Jayson Werth
The writing's been on the wall with this one for a while. Before the Phillies started to get hot after the all-star break and acquired Roy Oswalt, Werth was very close to being traded. The Werth situation now is no different than the Pat Burrell situation after 2008. Now, Werth is a much better all-around player than Burrell, and coming off a better season than Burrell had in '08. And yes, the Phillies will miss the power that he brought from the right side. However, corner outfielder isn't the most difficult of positions to replace. Werth is a very good player, but I can guarantee he won't be worth (no pun intended) the kind of contract Scott Boras will get him from, most likely, the Red Sox.
- No one else of significance is leaving the team
Chase Utley is not getting traded. Ryan Howard is not getting traded. Raul Ibanez is not going anywhere, even if the Phillies probably want him to. The opening day lineup will be the same as last year's, minus Jayson Werth.
Everyone's mad at Howard because of how the NLCS ended. Yes, he should have swung, but that was a great pitch that definitely started outside and caught the outside corner. I have a feeling that after this debacle, Howard's going to come back better than ever next season.
Same can be said for Utley. He never could really get it going at the plate or in the field after injuries this season. But you know no one's going to work harder than him in the off season. He'll be ok.
The guy I'm most worried about is Rollins. He's been on the decline since his MVP season. However, 2011 will be the last year of his contract, so if he bounces back next season, great, if not, he'll be gone.
-What happens in LF and RF?
Ibanez will still get the lion's share of the stars in left field, unless he mirrors his performance from the first half of last season. Dom Brown will likely be the starting RF on opening day, but of course this leaves the Phillies with a ton of left handed bats. I'm still not convinced Ben Francisco is an everyday player, but I'd give him more starts in left and right next season. One guy that also needs to be considered is John Mayberry. He hit .267 with 15 HR, 67 RBI, and 20 SB in Triple A last season, which isn't exactly amazing, but as a right handed bat, I think he should get a shot to show what he can do in the majors.
-Keep Chad Durbin
Yes, that Chad Durbin who blew NLCS game 4. That aside, he's been a reliable right-handed reliever, and he's a guy worth keeping. JC Romero will most likely be gone, so the Phils will have to hope that Antonio Bastardo can be their main left-hander out of the pen, because there's not too much money left to find someone else.
-Have open competition for the 5th starter
Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels, and Blanton are locked in as the first four. The 5th starter is probably going to be Kendrick, but I hope the Phillies seriously consider Vance Worley. We know what we're going to get from Kendrick: a record around .500 with a 4.50 ERA. Worley might not be any better, but we're not sure that'll he be any worse either. The Phils should give him a shot to see if they have something with him. And sorry, Jamie Moyer will most likely not be back.
-Don't panic
The Phillies still have one of the top 2 rotations in the league (the Giants are up there), and we all know how this lineup can perform when at their best. I can't see another season where everyone in the lineup has a down year, along with all the injuries the team suffered through. They'll make it back to the playoffs next year, even if it's just on their pitching alone. Making it back to the World Series will depend on how the team hits in the playoffs. The Giants will probably enter 2011 as the NL favorites, and maybe that's a good thing for the Phils. They just didn't seem hungry this season like they have in the past few. As the "underdogs", hopefully we'll still be watching baseball at this point next year.
Truth is, this is a team that didn't have a single every day player perform better than their average this season, except Carlos Ruiz. As Ruben Amaro said, if they Phillies had hit this season like they did in 2008 or 2009, they probably would have won 110 games. That's really not an exaggeration considering how terrible some of the team's hitting slumps were this season, and they still won a MLB high 97 games.
So where do the Phillies go from here? By some suggestions, they should trade Ryan Howard, trade Chase Utley, trade Jimmy Rollins, waive Raul Ibanez, keep Jayson Werth, and pretty much blow up the team. This is obviously ridiculous. Here's what's going to, or at least should, happen.
-The Phillies won't resign Jayson Werth
The writing's been on the wall with this one for a while. Before the Phillies started to get hot after the all-star break and acquired Roy Oswalt, Werth was very close to being traded. The Werth situation now is no different than the Pat Burrell situation after 2008. Now, Werth is a much better all-around player than Burrell, and coming off a better season than Burrell had in '08. And yes, the Phillies will miss the power that he brought from the right side. However, corner outfielder isn't the most difficult of positions to replace. Werth is a very good player, but I can guarantee he won't be worth (no pun intended) the kind of contract Scott Boras will get him from, most likely, the Red Sox.
- No one else of significance is leaving the team
Chase Utley is not getting traded. Ryan Howard is not getting traded. Raul Ibanez is not going anywhere, even if the Phillies probably want him to. The opening day lineup will be the same as last year's, minus Jayson Werth.
Everyone's mad at Howard because of how the NLCS ended. Yes, he should have swung, but that was a great pitch that definitely started outside and caught the outside corner. I have a feeling that after this debacle, Howard's going to come back better than ever next season.
Same can be said for Utley. He never could really get it going at the plate or in the field after injuries this season. But you know no one's going to work harder than him in the off season. He'll be ok.
The guy I'm most worried about is Rollins. He's been on the decline since his MVP season. However, 2011 will be the last year of his contract, so if he bounces back next season, great, if not, he'll be gone.
-What happens in LF and RF?
Ibanez will still get the lion's share of the stars in left field, unless he mirrors his performance from the first half of last season. Dom Brown will likely be the starting RF on opening day, but of course this leaves the Phillies with a ton of left handed bats. I'm still not convinced Ben Francisco is an everyday player, but I'd give him more starts in left and right next season. One guy that also needs to be considered is John Mayberry. He hit .267 with 15 HR, 67 RBI, and 20 SB in Triple A last season, which isn't exactly amazing, but as a right handed bat, I think he should get a shot to show what he can do in the majors.
-Keep Chad Durbin
Yes, that Chad Durbin who blew NLCS game 4. That aside, he's been a reliable right-handed reliever, and he's a guy worth keeping. JC Romero will most likely be gone, so the Phils will have to hope that Antonio Bastardo can be their main left-hander out of the pen, because there's not too much money left to find someone else.
-Have open competition for the 5th starter
Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels, and Blanton are locked in as the first four. The 5th starter is probably going to be Kendrick, but I hope the Phillies seriously consider Vance Worley. We know what we're going to get from Kendrick: a record around .500 with a 4.50 ERA. Worley might not be any better, but we're not sure that'll he be any worse either. The Phils should give him a shot to see if they have something with him. And sorry, Jamie Moyer will most likely not be back.
-Don't panic
The Phillies still have one of the top 2 rotations in the league (the Giants are up there), and we all know how this lineup can perform when at their best. I can't see another season where everyone in the lineup has a down year, along with all the injuries the team suffered through. They'll make it back to the playoffs next year, even if it's just on their pitching alone. Making it back to the World Series will depend on how the team hits in the playoffs. The Giants will probably enter 2011 as the NL favorites, and maybe that's a good thing for the Phils. They just didn't seem hungry this season like they have in the past few. As the "underdogs", hopefully we'll still be watching baseball at this point next year.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
2011 NBA Predictions
Time for predictions for everyone's favorite league. I actually did some research this time around.
East
1. Miami
2. Orlando
3. Chicago
4. Boston
5. Atlanta
6. New York
7. Milwaukee
8. Indiana
9. Philadelphia
10. Washington
11. Cleveland
12. Charlotte
13. Detroit
14. New Jersey
15. Toronto
West
1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Portland
3. Dallas
4. Utah
5. Oklahoma City
6. San Antonio
7. Houston
8. Denver
9. Phoenix
10. New Orleans
11. Memphis
12. Golden State
13. Los Angeles Clippers
14. Sacramento
15. Minnesota
Playoffs
Miami over Indiana
Orlando over Milwaukee
Chicago over New York
Boston over Atlanta
LA Lakers over Denver
Portland over Houston
San Antonio over Dallas
Oklahoma City over Utah
Miami over Boston
Chicago over Orlando
LA Lakers over San Antonio
Oklahoma City over Portland
Miami over Chicago
LA Lakers over Oklahoma City
Finals
Miami over LA Lakers
East
1. Miami
2. Orlando
3. Chicago
4. Boston
5. Atlanta
6. New York
7. Milwaukee
8. Indiana
9. Philadelphia
10. Washington
11. Cleveland
12. Charlotte
13. Detroit
14. New Jersey
15. Toronto
West
1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Portland
3. Dallas
4. Utah
5. Oklahoma City
6. San Antonio
7. Houston
8. Denver
9. Phoenix
10. New Orleans
11. Memphis
12. Golden State
13. Los Angeles Clippers
14. Sacramento
15. Minnesota
Playoffs
Miami over Indiana
Orlando over Milwaukee
Chicago over New York
Boston over Atlanta
LA Lakers over Denver
Portland over Houston
San Antonio over Dallas
Oklahoma City over Utah
Miami over Boston
Chicago over Orlando
LA Lakers over San Antonio
Oklahoma City over Portland
Miami over Chicago
LA Lakers over Oklahoma City
Finals
Miami over LA Lakers
Monday, October 25, 2010
Hope is on the Way
I know we're all depressed right now....but hope is on the way.
DUKE BASKETBALL, LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN
Friday, October 22, 2010
Week 7 Picks
Well that was a strange, strange game last night. The sequence in which the Phillies scored their first two runs was one of the wierdest I've ever seen in sports. First, you have Chooch getting hit by a pitch, and because he's Chooch, he barely flinches. Then, the Roy Halladay foul ball. That wasn't even close to being fair. If people want a rallying cry over why replay should be used in baseball, it's right there. Not that I'm complaining. Not only was it a foul ball, but Ibanez was miraculously safe at third, and Halladay didn't even run out of the box. If he had, it would have been the shortest infield single of all-time.
Also, Pat Burrell has lost all of his fans in Philadelphia.
Then the Chase Utley catch to end the 7th inning. I still have no idea how he hung on to that, and I imagine we'll get plenty of GIFs of Chase awkardly diving through the air. Not that Chase can ever do anything awkward.
Of course, to quote Winston Wolf in Pulp Fiction, let's not start blank-ing each other's blanks just yet. The Phils still need to get back-to-back wins against two pretty good pitchers, and the hitting is still not quite there yet. But the Giants have lost their momentum, and one gets the feeling that maybe the Phils have finally figured out how to play this team.
Let's go to the picks
@ Atlanta over Cincinnati
One would think that the Falcons would be ready to play after getting destroyed by the Kolb Express. And Carson Palmer's personal vendetta to destroy my fantasy teams year after year will continue.
Washington over @ Chicago
Donovan typically played well when playing in his hometown. And the Bears offense is a mess right now.
Philadelphia over @Tennessee
The Kolb Express is ready to steamroll another defense this week. I don't want to get into a Vick/Kolb debate, but for a guy who can't throw the deep ball, Kolb threw some really nice ones last week didn't he?
@Kansas City over Jacksonville
Speaking of Vick, wouldn't he look great in a Jaguars jersey right about now. A team that desperately needs a QB and a way to sell some tickets, I'm sure they'd give the Eagles at least a 2nd round pick for Vick right now. Make it happen.
Pittsburgh over @Miami
Defnitely has upset potential written all over it, but I can't pick against the Steelers considering how well they're playing right now. I can't see Chad Henne getting anything done against their D.
@ New Orleans over Cleveland
The Saints seem to be the Saints again. Sorry Cleveland.
@ Tampa Bay over St. Louis
A battle of two overachieving teams this season, I give the edge to Tampa because they're at home and have a defense that creates turnovers; a problem for a rookie QB to be facing.
San Francisco over @ Carolina
Carolina has to win a game at some point this year, but that doesn't mean I ever have to pick them. They look like a team that has already given up on the season.
@ Baltimore over Buffalo
Yeah, this one just isn't fair.
@ Seattle over Arizona
The Barr asked me who he should pick last week in the Seattle-Chicago game, and I told him Seattle never plays well on the road. Well Seattle won, and for some reason the Barr won't let me hear the end of it. Maybe it's because he went 7-7 last week, I went 10-4 and now hold a comfortable 8 game lead over the Barr in the Buttler family picks. Someone needs some Boston Cream Pie.
@ Denver over Oakland
Finally, the Great Tim Tebow saw some action last week, and as expected, he dominated. God Bless.
New England over @San Diego
Because I refuse to pick the Chargers anymore until they win a game.
Minnesota over @ Green Bay
The Packers just aren't playing well right now. And the Vikings know they have to play well because there's a good chance Favre will be forced into retirement soon for some LOL text messages he sent. I'll have to ask Lonnie if he was CC'd on those texts.
@ Dallas over NY Giants
The Cowboys have to win a game again sometime this year, right? At home Monday night against a Giants team who is due for a bad game, seems like as good a time as any. Of course, the Cowboys will lose if Tony Romo plays as poorly as his brother has been for the baseball Giants.
Last week: 10-4
Overall: 57-33
Also, Pat Burrell has lost all of his fans in Philadelphia.
Then the Chase Utley catch to end the 7th inning. I still have no idea how he hung on to that, and I imagine we'll get plenty of GIFs of Chase awkardly diving through the air. Not that Chase can ever do anything awkward.
Of course, to quote Winston Wolf in Pulp Fiction, let's not start blank-ing each other's blanks just yet. The Phils still need to get back-to-back wins against two pretty good pitchers, and the hitting is still not quite there yet. But the Giants have lost their momentum, and one gets the feeling that maybe the Phils have finally figured out how to play this team.
Let's go to the picks
@ Atlanta over Cincinnati
One would think that the Falcons would be ready to play after getting destroyed by the Kolb Express. And Carson Palmer's personal vendetta to destroy my fantasy teams year after year will continue.
Washington over @ Chicago
Donovan typically played well when playing in his hometown. And the Bears offense is a mess right now.
Philadelphia over @Tennessee
The Kolb Express is ready to steamroll another defense this week. I don't want to get into a Vick/Kolb debate, but for a guy who can't throw the deep ball, Kolb threw some really nice ones last week didn't he?
@Kansas City over Jacksonville
Speaking of Vick, wouldn't he look great in a Jaguars jersey right about now. A team that desperately needs a QB and a way to sell some tickets, I'm sure they'd give the Eagles at least a 2nd round pick for Vick right now. Make it happen.
Pittsburgh over @Miami
Defnitely has upset potential written all over it, but I can't pick against the Steelers considering how well they're playing right now. I can't see Chad Henne getting anything done against their D.
@ New Orleans over Cleveland
The Saints seem to be the Saints again. Sorry Cleveland.
@ Tampa Bay over St. Louis
A battle of two overachieving teams this season, I give the edge to Tampa because they're at home and have a defense that creates turnovers; a problem for a rookie QB to be facing.
San Francisco over @ Carolina
Carolina has to win a game at some point this year, but that doesn't mean I ever have to pick them. They look like a team that has already given up on the season.
@ Baltimore over Buffalo
Yeah, this one just isn't fair.
@ Seattle over Arizona
The Barr asked me who he should pick last week in the Seattle-Chicago game, and I told him Seattle never plays well on the road. Well Seattle won, and for some reason the Barr won't let me hear the end of it. Maybe it's because he went 7-7 last week, I went 10-4 and now hold a comfortable 8 game lead over the Barr in the Buttler family picks. Someone needs some Boston Cream Pie.
@ Denver over Oakland
Finally, the Great Tim Tebow saw some action last week, and as expected, he dominated. God Bless.
New England over @San Diego
Because I refuse to pick the Chargers anymore until they win a game.
Minnesota over @ Green Bay
The Packers just aren't playing well right now. And the Vikings know they have to play well because there's a good chance Favre will be forced into retirement soon for some LOL text messages he sent. I'll have to ask Lonnie if he was CC'd on those texts.
@ Dallas over NY Giants
The Cowboys have to win a game again sometime this year, right? At home Monday night against a Giants team who is due for a bad game, seems like as good a time as any. Of course, the Cowboys will lose if Tony Romo plays as poorly as his brother has been for the baseball Giants.
Last week: 10-4
Overall: 57-33
Monday, October 18, 2010
NLCS Outlook: Stop Pitching to Cody Ross
Through two games of the NLCS, we are all squared at one game apiece. It's not too surprising of an outcome, although most would have probably though that if the series was 1-1, it would be because Halladay won game 1 and Oswalt lost game 2, but we got the reverse instead. Here are some thoughts heading into Game 3:
- Cody Ross. Unbelievable. He can take his stupid bald/beard combo and his little hop-step and GTFO. Cody, you're not Sammy Sosa, stop hopping. Seriously though, Ross has basically been the Giants entire offense (except a Pat Burrell fly ball that should have been caught and a Juan Uribe double). I'm going to make a bold prediction: Cody Ross will NOT hit another home run in this series.
If that's true, then the question becomes where does San Fran get their offense from, especially if Uribe doesn't play. Buster Posey has looked like a rookie, Aubrey Huff hasn't done anything, and I wouldn't count on too much more from Burrell. So if the Phils can avoid giving up more than one long ball a game, I can't see the Giants scoring more than 2-3 runs per the rest of the series.
- That being said, the Phils offense has continued to struggle. They once again did what they've been doing best all season: capitalizing on fortunate opportunities. If you make an error against the Phillies, or if a bad call goes against you, the Phils will make you pay for it. But they have to start hitting more consistently. I'm also not crazy about the way Charlie is setting up the lineups considering the way some guys are hitting right now. Here's what I would do:
Against righties:
1. Victorino
2. Polanco
3. Utley
4. Howard
5. Werth
6. Ibanez
7. Ruiz
8. Rollins
Against lefties:
1. Victorino
2. Polanco
3. Utley
4. Werth
5. Howard
6. Ruiz
7. Ibanez
8. Rollins
The only change I make in the right-handed lineup is moving Rollins down to 8. It's not just a demotion because of how he's been hitting (last night's big double aside), but it also breaks up the speed in the lineup.
I didn't like how Charlie had the lineup set last night against a lefty. Polanco is a perfect 2 hitter, but he's not an ideal 3 hitter. A 3 hitter needs to have some power. Also, Utley isn't so bad against lefties that he needs to hit at 2 instead of 3. I would put Werth in the clean up spot then, in order to break up Utley and Howard. Ruiz and Ibanez would follow, to again break up the lefties. I doubt Charlie would ever move Howard out of the 4 spot, but I think it would be a good move.
- I like the Phillies pitching matchups the next 2 games. Hamels has been brilliant, and Matt Cain has been hit around by the Phils in the past. Blanton vs Bumgardner in game 4 might seem like an advantage for the Giants, but remember, Blanton has pitched well in big spots before, and Bumgardner is still a rookie. However, if the Phils do lose game 3, I wouldn't be surprised if Charlie called on Halladay for Game 4. Obviously, the Phillies couldn't afford to go down 3-1 in the series.
- I still like my prediction of Phillies in six games. Everyone was freaking out after game 1, but it's not like many of us thought the Phillies would sweep this series. If the Phillies can capitalize on the opportunities the Giants give them, they should be able to score the 3-4 runs in each game they need to win.
- Cody Ross. Unbelievable. He can take his stupid bald/beard combo and his little hop-step and GTFO. Cody, you're not Sammy Sosa, stop hopping. Seriously though, Ross has basically been the Giants entire offense (except a Pat Burrell fly ball that should have been caught and a Juan Uribe double). I'm going to make a bold prediction: Cody Ross will NOT hit another home run in this series.
If that's true, then the question becomes where does San Fran get their offense from, especially if Uribe doesn't play. Buster Posey has looked like a rookie, Aubrey Huff hasn't done anything, and I wouldn't count on too much more from Burrell. So if the Phils can avoid giving up more than one long ball a game, I can't see the Giants scoring more than 2-3 runs per the rest of the series.
- That being said, the Phils offense has continued to struggle. They once again did what they've been doing best all season: capitalizing on fortunate opportunities. If you make an error against the Phillies, or if a bad call goes against you, the Phils will make you pay for it. But they have to start hitting more consistently. I'm also not crazy about the way Charlie is setting up the lineups considering the way some guys are hitting right now. Here's what I would do:
Against righties:
1. Victorino
2. Polanco
3. Utley
4. Howard
5. Werth
6. Ibanez
7. Ruiz
8. Rollins
Against lefties:
1. Victorino
2. Polanco
3. Utley
4. Werth
5. Howard
6. Ruiz
7. Ibanez
8. Rollins
The only change I make in the right-handed lineup is moving Rollins down to 8. It's not just a demotion because of how he's been hitting (last night's big double aside), but it also breaks up the speed in the lineup.
I didn't like how Charlie had the lineup set last night against a lefty. Polanco is a perfect 2 hitter, but he's not an ideal 3 hitter. A 3 hitter needs to have some power. Also, Utley isn't so bad against lefties that he needs to hit at 2 instead of 3. I would put Werth in the clean up spot then, in order to break up Utley and Howard. Ruiz and Ibanez would follow, to again break up the lefties. I doubt Charlie would ever move Howard out of the 4 spot, but I think it would be a good move.
- I like the Phillies pitching matchups the next 2 games. Hamels has been brilliant, and Matt Cain has been hit around by the Phils in the past. Blanton vs Bumgardner in game 4 might seem like an advantage for the Giants, but remember, Blanton has pitched well in big spots before, and Bumgardner is still a rookie. However, if the Phils do lose game 3, I wouldn't be surprised if Charlie called on Halladay for Game 4. Obviously, the Phillies couldn't afford to go down 3-1 in the series.
- I still like my prediction of Phillies in six games. Everyone was freaking out after game 1, but it's not like many of us thought the Phillies would sweep this series. If the Phillies can capitalize on the opportunities the Giants give them, they should be able to score the 3-4 runs in each game they need to win.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Week 6 & LCS Picks
I refuse to do power rankings at least for another few weeks, since the craziness of the NFL season so far has pretty much rendered them useless. Instead, straight to the picks.
@Chicago over Seattle
As I said, Seattle on the road = the worst team in the NFL. The Bears will be 5-1. Still not that great.
@Green Bay over Miami
How the Packers didn't score 40 points against the Redskins last week is amazing. They pretty much marched up and down the field on them, but came away with no points several times. Things aren't looking great in Green Bay with several injuries, including a banged up Aaron Rodgers. I still think they should be able to handle the Dolphins at home.
San Diego over @St. Louis
The Rams bandwagon blew up in flames after being pummelled 44-6 to the Lions. The Chargers had an equally bad week, losing to the Raiders. No idea what to expect from the Chargers, but I have to pick them here.
Baltimore over @New England
A tough game to pick. I think the Patriots will miss Moss more than they think. Even if he wasn't cathing passes, he was the number one attention grabber of the defense for the entire game. And I don't think the return of Deion Branch is going to help too much. It'll take time for the Patriots to figure out their new offense, and the Ravens aren't a good team to do that against.
@ NY Giants over Detroit
I hate to say it, but the Giants have looked like the best team in the NFC over the last two weeks, probably even the NFL. Of course, they looked awful for the first three weeks. The Lions have looked solid every week, but only have one win to show for it. This'll probably be a high scoring game, but the Giants are just better.
@Philadelphia over Atlanta
Atlanta is 4-1, but they haven't exactly wowed anyone. I'm not too scared of Matt Ryan against the Eagles defense, but Michael Turner is definitely worth worrying about. If the Eagles can keep him just somewhere around the 100 yard range, and if Kevin Kolb doesn' t get killed with King Dunlap as his left tackle, then the Eagles should be able to pull this one out.
@Pittsburgh over Cleveland
The return of my main man, everyone's favorite bro, Mr. No Means Yes, Big Ben. Of course, he's payed his dues to the NFL, is a changed man, and everything else we will surely hear about him this weekend. It's gonna be great if he leads the Steelers to the Super Bowl, and everyone talks about what a great story it is, and how Big Ben is redeemed. Can't wait for that.
New Orleans over @Tampa Bay
Amazing that the Saints lost to the Cardinals last weekend because of three non-offensive TDs. They have no wake up one of these weeks, right? And the Bucs can't be 4-1 good, right?
@Houston over Kansas City
KC's defense put up a valiant effort against the Colts last week, but the offense didn't show up. Houston looked miserable against the Giants last week. I have to figure it will be a bounce back game for the Texans, and another tough road loss for the Chiefs.
NY Jets over @Denver
A tough game to pick, because I just get the feeling it will be one of those strange 4 o'clock games that Jim Nantz and Phil Simms will call where the home team always wins. But I can't pick against the Jets right now with their offense playing as well as it is.
@San Francisco over Oakland
The 49ers and Alex Smith looked great at some points last Sunday night against the Eagles, particularly in the beginning and end of the game. The rest of the game, they looked awful. Smith almost got benched for David Carr. Yes, that David Carr. Still, I can't pick the Raiders on the road.
@Minnesota over Dallas
Easily the most interesting game of the weekend, and the teams are a combined 2-6. The team that loses will be in serious trouble, and the coach's job will most likely be in jeopardy. These were the two NFC favorites going into the season, and the loser will probably miss the playoffs. There's a ton of talent on both teams, but their defenses have been shaky, their QBs are gunslingers, and their coaches often have very confused looks on their faces. I give Minnesota the edge because I think Moss will have a huge game.
Indianapolis over @Washington
Give the Redskins credit, they keep winning, although they have had no right to in the last two games. An ugly win counts as much as a pretty win though. I don't think they'll have the same kind of luck against the Peytons on Sunday night though.
Tennessee over @Jacksonville
This is the Monday night game? Really?
Last week: 7-7
Overall: 47-29
And now, baseball
Yankees over Rangers in 6 games
The Rangers surprised me by beating the Rays. They didn't even hit like they usually do; it was their pitching that carried them. I knew Cliff Lee would get it done, but I didn't think they would get much after him. Same can be said about the Yankees. Sabathia was actually their worse pitcher in their series agains the Twins. The Rangers can certainly beat the Yankees, but you kinda get the feeling like the Rangers are just happy to have made it this far. Unfortunately, the Yankees know how to do this.
Phillies over Giants in 6 games
The Phillies swept the Reds, but it's not all good news. They should have lost game 2, and really 99 times out of 100 they would have. The bats didn't look good all series after scoring four runs early in game 1. Halladay and Hamels were obviously brilliant; Oswalt had a rough start but I'm not too concerned about him. The Giants got fortunate against the Braves as well, using errors and a questionable call in game 1 to win that series. But their pitchers have been (almost) as good as the Phillies. How could you pick against the Phillies though? The only edge the Giants can claim to have is in the bullpen, and they got beat around by the Braves, whlie the Phillies bullpen was great in game 2 against the Reds after Oswalt struggled. The Phillies still have a slight edge in starting pitching, even taking into account Blanton vs Bumgardner, and their lineup is head and shoulders above the Giants. Put in the home field advantage as well, and this should be another Phillies victory.
@Chicago over Seattle
As I said, Seattle on the road = the worst team in the NFL. The Bears will be 5-1. Still not that great.
@Green Bay over Miami
How the Packers didn't score 40 points against the Redskins last week is amazing. They pretty much marched up and down the field on them, but came away with no points several times. Things aren't looking great in Green Bay with several injuries, including a banged up Aaron Rodgers. I still think they should be able to handle the Dolphins at home.
San Diego over @St. Louis
The Rams bandwagon blew up in flames after being pummelled 44-6 to the Lions. The Chargers had an equally bad week, losing to the Raiders. No idea what to expect from the Chargers, but I have to pick them here.
Baltimore over @New England
A tough game to pick. I think the Patriots will miss Moss more than they think. Even if he wasn't cathing passes, he was the number one attention grabber of the defense for the entire game. And I don't think the return of Deion Branch is going to help too much. It'll take time for the Patriots to figure out their new offense, and the Ravens aren't a good team to do that against.
@ NY Giants over Detroit
I hate to say it, but the Giants have looked like the best team in the NFC over the last two weeks, probably even the NFL. Of course, they looked awful for the first three weeks. The Lions have looked solid every week, but only have one win to show for it. This'll probably be a high scoring game, but the Giants are just better.
@Philadelphia over Atlanta
Atlanta is 4-1, but they haven't exactly wowed anyone. I'm not too scared of Matt Ryan against the Eagles defense, but Michael Turner is definitely worth worrying about. If the Eagles can keep him just somewhere around the 100 yard range, and if Kevin Kolb doesn' t get killed with King Dunlap as his left tackle, then the Eagles should be able to pull this one out.
@Pittsburgh over Cleveland
The return of my main man, everyone's favorite bro, Mr. No Means Yes, Big Ben. Of course, he's payed his dues to the NFL, is a changed man, and everything else we will surely hear about him this weekend. It's gonna be great if he leads the Steelers to the Super Bowl, and everyone talks about what a great story it is, and how Big Ben is redeemed. Can't wait for that.
New Orleans over @Tampa Bay
Amazing that the Saints lost to the Cardinals last weekend because of three non-offensive TDs. They have no wake up one of these weeks, right? And the Bucs can't be 4-1 good, right?
@Houston over Kansas City
KC's defense put up a valiant effort against the Colts last week, but the offense didn't show up. Houston looked miserable against the Giants last week. I have to figure it will be a bounce back game for the Texans, and another tough road loss for the Chiefs.
NY Jets over @Denver
A tough game to pick, because I just get the feeling it will be one of those strange 4 o'clock games that Jim Nantz and Phil Simms will call where the home team always wins. But I can't pick against the Jets right now with their offense playing as well as it is.
@San Francisco over Oakland
The 49ers and Alex Smith looked great at some points last Sunday night against the Eagles, particularly in the beginning and end of the game. The rest of the game, they looked awful. Smith almost got benched for David Carr. Yes, that David Carr. Still, I can't pick the Raiders on the road.
@Minnesota over Dallas
Easily the most interesting game of the weekend, and the teams are a combined 2-6. The team that loses will be in serious trouble, and the coach's job will most likely be in jeopardy. These were the two NFC favorites going into the season, and the loser will probably miss the playoffs. There's a ton of talent on both teams, but their defenses have been shaky, their QBs are gunslingers, and their coaches often have very confused looks on their faces. I give Minnesota the edge because I think Moss will have a huge game.
Indianapolis over @Washington
Give the Redskins credit, they keep winning, although they have had no right to in the last two games. An ugly win counts as much as a pretty win though. I don't think they'll have the same kind of luck against the Peytons on Sunday night though.
Tennessee over @Jacksonville
This is the Monday night game? Really?
Last week: 7-7
Overall: 47-29
And now, baseball
Yankees over Rangers in 6 games
The Rangers surprised me by beating the Rays. They didn't even hit like they usually do; it was their pitching that carried them. I knew Cliff Lee would get it done, but I didn't think they would get much after him. Same can be said about the Yankees. Sabathia was actually their worse pitcher in their series agains the Twins. The Rangers can certainly beat the Yankees, but you kinda get the feeling like the Rangers are just happy to have made it this far. Unfortunately, the Yankees know how to do this.
Phillies over Giants in 6 games
The Phillies swept the Reds, but it's not all good news. They should have lost game 2, and really 99 times out of 100 they would have. The bats didn't look good all series after scoring four runs early in game 1. Halladay and Hamels were obviously brilliant; Oswalt had a rough start but I'm not too concerned about him. The Giants got fortunate against the Braves as well, using errors and a questionable call in game 1 to win that series. But their pitchers have been (almost) as good as the Phillies. How could you pick against the Phillies though? The only edge the Giants can claim to have is in the bullpen, and they got beat around by the Braves, whlie the Phillies bullpen was great in game 2 against the Reds after Oswalt struggled. The Phillies still have a slight edge in starting pitching, even taking into account Blanton vs Bumgardner, and their lineup is head and shoulders above the Giants. Put in the home field advantage as well, and this should be another Phillies victory.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Week 5 Picks
Oh yeah, there's football this weekend too.
@Buffalo over Jacksonville
The Bills have to win one game this year. At home against a Jacksonville team coming off a huge win, seems as good a time as any.
@Cincinnati over Tampa Bay
Admit it, you're going to watch the TOcho show at least once. Too bad it's on Versus where no one can see it.
Atlanta over @Cleveland
If Cleveland hadn't won last week, I might pick them here. But they're not a team that'll win twice in a row this season.
@Detroit over St. Louis
The year's most anticipated game. Detroit is 0-4, St. Louis is 2-2, but you could definitely make the argument that Detroit has played better.
@Indianapolis over Kansas City
Like I said, Kansas City might have a chance in this game if the Colts hadn't lost last week. You know Peyton would take his laser, rocket arm and play defense and special teams for the Colts to win this. He should coach too. And call his own play by play.
Green Bay over @Washington
Ah Donovan playing against the Packers. Bring back some good memories. Mostly of ridiculous Eagles losses.
Chicago over @Carolina
Absolutely I have the upmost faith in Todd Collins to lead the Bears to victory in a road game. Or I made my picks before the news he was starting over Cutler. Either one.
@Baltimore over Denver
All we need is for Ray Lewis to spontaneously combust Kyle Orton in order for Tim Tebow to get on the field. It can happen.
@Houston over NY Giants
Finally I don't feel compelled to pick the Giants.
New Orleans over @Arizona
Say what you want about Matt Leinart, but wouldn't he be a better option at QB right now than Max Hall? I miss when the Cardinals were terrible.
@Dallas over Tennessee
Which Dallas team will show up? Probably the one that's good enough to beat Tennessee. Although I wouldn't mind the one with Tony Romo throwing 4 INTs.
San Diego over @Oakland
This is exactly the type of game the Chargers lose early in the season. However, I can't in good conscience pick the Raiders no matter what the reason.
Philadelphia over @San Francisco
On the road, Sunday night, West Coast, against a team that's desperate for a victory. Yeah, I really don't like this too much. Go Phillies.
@NY Jets over Minnesota
Over/Under on number of games it takes for Favre/Moss to completely blow up? One half.
Last Week: 9-5
Overall: 40-22
@Buffalo over Jacksonville
The Bills have to win one game this year. At home against a Jacksonville team coming off a huge win, seems as good a time as any.
@Cincinnati over Tampa Bay
Admit it, you're going to watch the TOcho show at least once. Too bad it's on Versus where no one can see it.
Atlanta over @Cleveland
If Cleveland hadn't won last week, I might pick them here. But they're not a team that'll win twice in a row this season.
@Detroit over St. Louis
The year's most anticipated game. Detroit is 0-4, St. Louis is 2-2, but you could definitely make the argument that Detroit has played better.
@Indianapolis over Kansas City
Like I said, Kansas City might have a chance in this game if the Colts hadn't lost last week. You know Peyton would take his laser, rocket arm and play defense and special teams for the Colts to win this. He should coach too. And call his own play by play.
Green Bay over @Washington
Ah Donovan playing against the Packers. Bring back some good memories. Mostly of ridiculous Eagles losses.
Chicago over @Carolina
Absolutely I have the upmost faith in Todd Collins to lead the Bears to victory in a road game. Or I made my picks before the news he was starting over Cutler. Either one.
@Baltimore over Denver
All we need is for Ray Lewis to spontaneously combust Kyle Orton in order for Tim Tebow to get on the field. It can happen.
@Houston over NY Giants
Finally I don't feel compelled to pick the Giants.
New Orleans over @Arizona
Say what you want about Matt Leinart, but wouldn't he be a better option at QB right now than Max Hall? I miss when the Cardinals were terrible.
@Dallas over Tennessee
Which Dallas team will show up? Probably the one that's good enough to beat Tennessee. Although I wouldn't mind the one with Tony Romo throwing 4 INTs.
San Diego over @Oakland
This is exactly the type of game the Chargers lose early in the season. However, I can't in good conscience pick the Raiders no matter what the reason.
Philadelphia over @San Francisco
On the road, Sunday night, West Coast, against a team that's desperate for a victory. Yeah, I really don't like this too much. Go Phillies.
@NY Jets over Minnesota
Over/Under on number of games it takes for Favre/Moss to completely blow up? One half.
Last Week: 9-5
Overall: 40-22
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
NFL Power Rankings- Week 4
Josh Scobee's 59 yard field goal to lift the Jaguars to a victory over the Colts pretty much summed up the NFL season so far. This has been one of the strangest starts to an NFL season in recent memory. We have no idea who's really good, somewhat of an idea of who's really bad, and absolutely zero clue about how it all plays out in the middle. With that in mind, here's my feeble attempt to make Power Rankings for this week.
32. Bills 0-4
This one was easy. The good news for Bills fans is that they definitely won't be losing a Super Bowl this year.
31. Panthers 0-4
They came thisclose to upsetting the Saints in New Orleans, so it's not all bad. Jimmy Clausen was decent, so maybe there's a little bit of hope for the future.
30. 49ers 0-4
Yes, they're 0-4. But they almost beat the Saints and Falcons. They honestly might be the best team in the NFC West still. Yes, we're back to bashing the NFC West.
29. Browns 1-3
Just like last year, they'll get uppity every once in a while and win a game here and there. They now have the second best Peyton in the NFL, so that's something.
28. Raiders 1-3
Could Bruce Gradkowski be the future at QB? No, not really. But they're (sorta) getting better.
27. Cardinals EDIT: apparently the Cardinals are 2-2 instead of 1-3. Doesn't really change much.
Has any team taken a nose dive this season quite like the Cardinals? Who knew how important Kurt Warner was to this team (besides his wife, of course).
26. Lions 0-4
Have had close games against the Bears, Eagles, Vikings, and Packers. They might be the best 0-4 team ever.
25. Seahawks 2-2
Seahawks at home: a respectable team that would win the NFC West easily and could give a team a scare in the playoffs. Seahawks on the road: the worst team in the NFL.
24. Rams 2-2
If the playoffs started today, the Rams would be the 3rd seed in the NFC. I think that just about sums up the season so far.
23. Jaguars 2-2
I would like to think the Jags inspired play against the Colts is partially due to my ripping of them week after week. At least partially.
22. Titans 2-2
Like I said, the very definition of an 8-8 team.
21. Broncos 2-2
Kyle Orton is playing too well. I think we'll need some divine intervention to get Tebow on the field. Luckily, Tim has friends in high places.
20. Bucs 2-1
I have no idea how good they are, but they're still 2-1, so you can be in the top 20, Bucs.
19. Redskins 2-2
They're not a good team. I give them props for actually realizing when the game started unlike the team they were facing, but they're not a good team.
18. Dolphins 2-2
So much for the Dolphins being on the level of the Jets and Pats. Luckily, Chad Henne still looks like a pretty good QB.
17. Bengals 2-2
For some reason, the biggest story in Cincinatti is that T.O got 200 yards, not the fact that they lost to one of the worst teams in the league. I wonder if T.O realizes this yet.
16. Giants 2-2
Tiki Barber pretty much just pulled a heel turn on Giants fans. They should have given him a mic at the stadium so he could rip them some more. And Jim Ross could be yelling in the background, "NOOOO NOOOO BY GAWD.....WHO IS THIS MAN".
It looks like the Giants will be inconsistent all season, just like the ....
15. Eagles 2-2
Two players did well for the Eagles on Sunday: Sav Rocca and David Akers. That's about it. I'll be the first to admit Kolb did not play well, as he was obviously scared to make mistakes (I wonder why), but he was one of a long list of problems for the Eagles on Sunday. No one could tackle. The offensive line should just be completely replaced by guys who won't commit penalities. LeSean McCoy killed the Eagles momentum with a fumble. Jason Avant, it was a tough catch to make, but c'mon man.
Bottom line: they're a young team who will look great one week, and terrible the next.
14. Vikings 1-2
I think they went up in the rankings by having a bye week. Game at the Jets on Monday night will show how good they are.
13. Cowboys 1-2
Same here. With how inconsistent the NFC East is looking, you have to pick the most talented team to win it, and it's still the Cowboys.
12. Bears 3-1
Yeah, that's more like how the Bears will really be this season.
11. Chargers 2-2
Pretty much by default, they looked better than just about any team on Sunday.
10. Colts 2-2
Really Colts, the Jaguars? Really? Can you imagine how bad this team would be without Peyton Manning? Even if you put a decent QB in his place, let's say Joe Flacco, they would probably be the worst team in the league.
9. Chiefs 3-0
The Chiefs were probably more upset about the Colts loss than anyone. Beating the Colts at home, coming off an embarrasing loss will be a near impossible task. But if the Chiefs win, they'll be number 1 here next week.
8. Falcons 3-1
Barely squeaked out a win against the 49ers. The Falcons are wild card team good, but they really don't seem like much of a threat other than that.
7. Texans 3-1
Unlike the Colts, the Texans beat a team they should have beaten on the road, even though the Raiders played a lot better than expected. Maybe we should consider the Texans to be the favorite in the AFC South now.
6. Patriots 3-1
Now that was the Patriots team we all know and love/hate. And they maybe even found a semblance of a running game with the ultimate RB tandem, Benjarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead. Yes, you read that right.
5. Saints 3-1
Yes, they're 3-1, but those have been three ugly wins. You've gotta think they'll wake up eventually, but if not against the Panthers, then against who? Ok, they're playing the Cardinals next week, never mind.
4. Packers 3-1
What I said about Peyton Manning and the Colts also applies to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. They would be awful without him. With him, they're the favorite in the NFC to this point.
3. Steelers 3-1
Can't blame them too much for losing a close game against the Ravens with their 4th QB. Now that everyone's favorite bro will be back after the bye week, look out.
2. Ravens 3-1
Not the prettiest of wins, but they're starting to put it together. Steelers/Ravens might be the best NFL rivalry we have going today. They'll be back and forth for the AFC North all season.
1. Jets 3-1
Take away their week 1 clunker, and they've easily looked like the best team in the league. The defense is still great, their offense is looking better every week, and they'll get Santonio Holmes back soon. As Rex Ryan would say, well this is a family blog so I can't say what he would say.
32. Bills 0-4
This one was easy. The good news for Bills fans is that they definitely won't be losing a Super Bowl this year.
31. Panthers 0-4
They came thisclose to upsetting the Saints in New Orleans, so it's not all bad. Jimmy Clausen was decent, so maybe there's a little bit of hope for the future.
30. 49ers 0-4
Yes, they're 0-4. But they almost beat the Saints and Falcons. They honestly might be the best team in the NFC West still. Yes, we're back to bashing the NFC West.
29. Browns 1-3
Just like last year, they'll get uppity every once in a while and win a game here and there. They now have the second best Peyton in the NFL, so that's something.
28. Raiders 1-3
Could Bruce Gradkowski be the future at QB? No, not really. But they're (sorta) getting better.
27. Cardinals EDIT: apparently the Cardinals are 2-2 instead of 1-3. Doesn't really change much.
Has any team taken a nose dive this season quite like the Cardinals? Who knew how important Kurt Warner was to this team (besides his wife, of course).
26. Lions 0-4
Have had close games against the Bears, Eagles, Vikings, and Packers. They might be the best 0-4 team ever.
25. Seahawks 2-2
Seahawks at home: a respectable team that would win the NFC West easily and could give a team a scare in the playoffs. Seahawks on the road: the worst team in the NFL.
24. Rams 2-2
If the playoffs started today, the Rams would be the 3rd seed in the NFC. I think that just about sums up the season so far.
23. Jaguars 2-2
I would like to think the Jags inspired play against the Colts is partially due to my ripping of them week after week. At least partially.
22. Titans 2-2
Like I said, the very definition of an 8-8 team.
21. Broncos 2-2
Kyle Orton is playing too well. I think we'll need some divine intervention to get Tebow on the field. Luckily, Tim has friends in high places.
20. Bucs 2-1
I have no idea how good they are, but they're still 2-1, so you can be in the top 20, Bucs.
19. Redskins 2-2
They're not a good team. I give them props for actually realizing when the game started unlike the team they were facing, but they're not a good team.
18. Dolphins 2-2
So much for the Dolphins being on the level of the Jets and Pats. Luckily, Chad Henne still looks like a pretty good QB.
17. Bengals 2-2
For some reason, the biggest story in Cincinatti is that T.O got 200 yards, not the fact that they lost to one of the worst teams in the league. I wonder if T.O realizes this yet.
16. Giants 2-2
Tiki Barber pretty much just pulled a heel turn on Giants fans. They should have given him a mic at the stadium so he could rip them some more. And Jim Ross could be yelling in the background, "NOOOO NOOOO BY GAWD.....WHO IS THIS MAN".
It looks like the Giants will be inconsistent all season, just like the ....
15. Eagles 2-2
Two players did well for the Eagles on Sunday: Sav Rocca and David Akers. That's about it. I'll be the first to admit Kolb did not play well, as he was obviously scared to make mistakes (I wonder why), but he was one of a long list of problems for the Eagles on Sunday. No one could tackle. The offensive line should just be completely replaced by guys who won't commit penalities. LeSean McCoy killed the Eagles momentum with a fumble. Jason Avant, it was a tough catch to make, but c'mon man.
Bottom line: they're a young team who will look great one week, and terrible the next.
14. Vikings 1-2
I think they went up in the rankings by having a bye week. Game at the Jets on Monday night will show how good they are.
13. Cowboys 1-2
Same here. With how inconsistent the NFC East is looking, you have to pick the most talented team to win it, and it's still the Cowboys.
12. Bears 3-1
Yeah, that's more like how the Bears will really be this season.
11. Chargers 2-2
Pretty much by default, they looked better than just about any team on Sunday.
10. Colts 2-2
Really Colts, the Jaguars? Really? Can you imagine how bad this team would be without Peyton Manning? Even if you put a decent QB in his place, let's say Joe Flacco, they would probably be the worst team in the league.
9. Chiefs 3-0
The Chiefs were probably more upset about the Colts loss than anyone. Beating the Colts at home, coming off an embarrasing loss will be a near impossible task. But if the Chiefs win, they'll be number 1 here next week.
8. Falcons 3-1
Barely squeaked out a win against the 49ers. The Falcons are wild card team good, but they really don't seem like much of a threat other than that.
7. Texans 3-1
Unlike the Colts, the Texans beat a team they should have beaten on the road, even though the Raiders played a lot better than expected. Maybe we should consider the Texans to be the favorite in the AFC South now.
6. Patriots 3-1
Now that was the Patriots team we all know and love/hate. And they maybe even found a semblance of a running game with the ultimate RB tandem, Benjarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead. Yes, you read that right.
5. Saints 3-1
Yes, they're 3-1, but those have been three ugly wins. You've gotta think they'll wake up eventually, but if not against the Panthers, then against who? Ok, they're playing the Cardinals next week, never mind.
4. Packers 3-1
What I said about Peyton Manning and the Colts also applies to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. They would be awful without him. With him, they're the favorite in the NFC to this point.
3. Steelers 3-1
Can't blame them too much for losing a close game against the Ravens with their 4th QB. Now that everyone's favorite bro will be back after the bye week, look out.
2. Ravens 3-1
Not the prettiest of wins, but they're starting to put it together. Steelers/Ravens might be the best NFL rivalry we have going today. They'll be back and forth for the AFC North all season.
1. Jets 3-1
Take away their week 1 clunker, and they've easily looked like the best team in the league. The defense is still great, their offense is looking better every week, and they'll get Santonio Holmes back soon. As Rex Ryan would say, well this is a family blog so I can't say what he would say.
Monday, October 4, 2010
MLB playoffs preview
I'm going to pretend that football doesn't exist today and instead focus on the MLB playoffs now that they matchups have been set.
NLDS
Phillies vs Reds
The Reds remind me of the Phillies from a few years ago when they won their first of 4 straight NL East titles. Good young pitching and strong young lineup led by a power hitting first baseman. However, the key word there is young. Like the Phillies from 2007, the Reds aren't quite ready to make a deep run into the postseason. The Phils will feast the on the three right handed starters the Reds will trot out, and H2O should be able to contain the Reds lineup.
Phillies in 3
Giants vs Braves
These teams are pretty evenly matched on paper. The difference will come down to the Giants home field advantage. The Braves have been great at home, but not so great on the road. This'll be a series in which the home team wins every game.
Giants in 5
ALDS
Twins vs Yankees
The big question in this series is who is going to pitch for the Yankees after Sabathia? The Twins starters (Liriano, Pavano, and Duensing) won't blow you away on paper, but they've been solid all season. The Twins might have the biggest home field advantage of any team, given they're playing in Minnesota in the Fall, meaning plenty of below freezing games. I picked the Twins at the beginning of the season, so
Twins in 5
Rays vs Rangers
The Rangers have certainly had a good season, but they almost won the AL West by default. With Cliff Lee not pitching at his best lately, and Josh Hamilton banged up, I don't think this'll be much of a series. The Rays pitching after David Price (James Shields and Matt Garza) is a bit inconsistent, but they should get the job done here.
Rays in 4
NLCS
Phillies vs Giants
This matchup will be all about the pitching. Halladay vs Lincecum, Oswalt vs Cain, Hamels vs Sanchez. Even if you put the pitching as a wash, the Phillies lineup holds the advantage over the Giants lineup, despite their improvement throughout the season. A tough series for the Phils, but they'll pull it out.
Phillies in 6
Rays vs Twins
A very tough series to predict. The Rays have the potentially better pitching, but again, Shields and Garza are inconsistent. The Rays may have a slight advantage on offense, but the Twins have been quietly efficient all season. I have a feeling the Rays pitching will ultimately let them down, and I picked the Twins at the beginning of the season, so
Twins in 7
World Series
Phillies vs Twins
A potentially scary series for the Phillies, since they got beat around by the Twins in interleague play this year, at home. Of course, that was back in the portion of the season when the Phillies weren't really the Phillies. What this series might ultimately come down to us the NL winning the All-Star game this year. It's hard to imagine the Phillies losing a series in which they have home-field advantage, considering the way they've played at home since August. Did you really think I would pick anyone else?
Phillies in 6
NLDS
Phillies vs Reds
The Reds remind me of the Phillies from a few years ago when they won their first of 4 straight NL East titles. Good young pitching and strong young lineup led by a power hitting first baseman. However, the key word there is young. Like the Phillies from 2007, the Reds aren't quite ready to make a deep run into the postseason. The Phils will feast the on the three right handed starters the Reds will trot out, and H2O should be able to contain the Reds lineup.
Phillies in 3
Giants vs Braves
These teams are pretty evenly matched on paper. The difference will come down to the Giants home field advantage. The Braves have been great at home, but not so great on the road. This'll be a series in which the home team wins every game.
Giants in 5
ALDS
Twins vs Yankees
The big question in this series is who is going to pitch for the Yankees after Sabathia? The Twins starters (Liriano, Pavano, and Duensing) won't blow you away on paper, but they've been solid all season. The Twins might have the biggest home field advantage of any team, given they're playing in Minnesota in the Fall, meaning plenty of below freezing games. I picked the Twins at the beginning of the season, so
Twins in 5
Rays vs Rangers
The Rangers have certainly had a good season, but they almost won the AL West by default. With Cliff Lee not pitching at his best lately, and Josh Hamilton banged up, I don't think this'll be much of a series. The Rays pitching after David Price (James Shields and Matt Garza) is a bit inconsistent, but they should get the job done here.
Rays in 4
NLCS
Phillies vs Giants
This matchup will be all about the pitching. Halladay vs Lincecum, Oswalt vs Cain, Hamels vs Sanchez. Even if you put the pitching as a wash, the Phillies lineup holds the advantage over the Giants lineup, despite their improvement throughout the season. A tough series for the Phils, but they'll pull it out.
Phillies in 6
Rays vs Twins
A very tough series to predict. The Rays have the potentially better pitching, but again, Shields and Garza are inconsistent. The Rays may have a slight advantage on offense, but the Twins have been quietly efficient all season. I have a feeling the Rays pitching will ultimately let them down, and I picked the Twins at the beginning of the season, so
Twins in 7
World Series
Phillies vs Twins
A potentially scary series for the Phillies, since they got beat around by the Twins in interleague play this year, at home. Of course, that was back in the portion of the season when the Phillies weren't really the Phillies. What this series might ultimately come down to us the NL winning the All-Star game this year. It's hard to imagine the Phillies losing a series in which they have home-field advantage, considering the way they've played at home since August. Did you really think I would pick anyone else?
Phillies in 6
Friday, October 1, 2010
Week 4 picks
@ Atlanta over San Francisco
When a coach who likes to drop his pants for inspiration names a player captain (Vernon Davis) who was kicked off by said coach during a game two seasons ago, you know there's something wrong with your team.
NY Jets over @ Buffalo
When you cut the QB you started in week 1 after week 3, you know there's something wrong with your team. And despite their Hard Knocks appearance, it's getting easier and easier to dislike the Jets every week.
Cincinatti over @ Cleveland
I have to wonder what sports talk radio in Cleveland is like right now. Sports in Cleveland right now are probably worse than Philadelphia in the mid to late 90's. The Phillies were terrible, the Eagles were terrible, the Sixers were the Sixers, Flyers-one Stanley Cup appearance. Cleveland just lost their best (or second best behind Jim Brown) athlete of all-time in his prime. The Indians are awful and have nothing to hope for. And the Browns, first they leave for Baltimore and win a Super Bowl there, and now after coming back to the league, they've been atrocious. And there's very little hope there unless Colt McCoy turns into Bernie Kosar. I think they'd even take Tim Couch back right now. Just remember Cleveland, you're not Detroit.
@ Green Bay over Detroit
The only way the Packers lose this game is if they commit 18 penalties, drop two interceptions on the opponent's last drive, and fumble on their last drive, taking away $160 from me in the process. Oh wait.
@Tennessee over Denver
Josh McDaniels, give the people what they want. We want Vince Young vs Tim Tebow. We want 30 MINUTES FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES. God Bless.
Seattle over @St. Louis
Do I really want to pick the Seahawks on the road? No. But I already turned in my picks, so I'll take this one inevitable loss.
@New Orleans over Carolina
If you're in a suicide pool, this is probably the safest pick you'll get all season. If you're in a pool where you actually have to commit suicide if you lose, this is probably the safest pick you'll get all season.
Baltimore over @Pittsburgh
Charlie Batch can get it done against Tampa Bay's defense, but I don't think he'll have the same kinda luck against Baltimore. If the O/U on this game was 20, I'd probably take the under.
Houston over @ Oakland
Let the Houston hype machine start all over again after the pound the Raiders. You know after the way they lost last week, the Raiders have probably just given up on the season at this point.
Indianapolis over @ Jacksonville
Amazingly, Peyton Manning is off to the statistically best start of his career. Amazingly, the Jaguars might get 30,000 fans for this game. What is it with Florida fans? The Marlins don't get anybody, even when they're good. We've heard all week about how the Rays can't get anybody, even when they're about to win the AL East. I would imagine the Jaguars have the smallest fan base of any team in the NFL. Are there really that many more things to do in Florida? Besides being really hot and/or old?
@Philadelphia over Washington
I'm a bit worried about this game because a) Everyone's picking the Eagles b) Donovan, in general, played well against the NFC East.
But most of all, reason c) Karma is completely against the Eagles in this game.
In one corner, you have Donovan, who had haters in this town from the second his name was called by Paul Tagliabue. Who was criticized throughout his career for almost any reason possible (he runs too much, he doesn't run enough, he smiles too much, he chokes, he doesn't care about losing, he's inaccurate, he throws at the ground, he's not a leader, he's too goofy, he pukes, he ran T.O out of town, he's not a West Coast QB, A.J Feeley is better, Jeff Garcia is better, Kevin Kolb is better, I think that about covers it). Are some of those criticism justified? Sure, but by the way, he's only the best QB in franchise history.
In the other corner, you have Michael Vick. I won't get into it, but yeah, I would say karma favors the Redskins.
@ San Diego over Arizona
Picking San Diego before week 8 is never a good idea, but neither is picking a Derek Anderson led team on the road.
@ NY Giants over Chicago
Giants, you reeled me in again. At home, Sunday night, team desperate for a win against a team coming off a huge win. I hate you Giants.
New England over @ Miami
This game answer a lot of questions. Is New England still a top contender? Can Miami compete for a playoff spot? Why does Miami have back-to-back home primetime games? Can Tom Brady's hair get more feminine?
Last week: 11-5
Overall: 31-17
When a coach who likes to drop his pants for inspiration names a player captain (Vernon Davis) who was kicked off by said coach during a game two seasons ago, you know there's something wrong with your team.
NY Jets over @ Buffalo
When you cut the QB you started in week 1 after week 3, you know there's something wrong with your team. And despite their Hard Knocks appearance, it's getting easier and easier to dislike the Jets every week.
Cincinatti over @ Cleveland
I have to wonder what sports talk radio in Cleveland is like right now. Sports in Cleveland right now are probably worse than Philadelphia in the mid to late 90's. The Phillies were terrible, the Eagles were terrible, the Sixers were the Sixers, Flyers-one Stanley Cup appearance. Cleveland just lost their best (or second best behind Jim Brown) athlete of all-time in his prime. The Indians are awful and have nothing to hope for. And the Browns, first they leave for Baltimore and win a Super Bowl there, and now after coming back to the league, they've been atrocious. And there's very little hope there unless Colt McCoy turns into Bernie Kosar. I think they'd even take Tim Couch back right now. Just remember Cleveland, you're not Detroit.
@ Green Bay over Detroit
The only way the Packers lose this game is if they commit 18 penalties, drop two interceptions on the opponent's last drive, and fumble on their last drive, taking away $160 from me in the process. Oh wait.
@Tennessee over Denver
Josh McDaniels, give the people what they want. We want Vince Young vs Tim Tebow. We want 30 MINUTES FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES. God Bless.
Seattle over @St. Louis
Do I really want to pick the Seahawks on the road? No. But I already turned in my picks, so I'll take this one inevitable loss.
@New Orleans over Carolina
If you're in a suicide pool, this is probably the safest pick you'll get all season. If you're in a pool where you actually have to commit suicide if you lose, this is probably the safest pick you'll get all season.
Baltimore over @Pittsburgh
Charlie Batch can get it done against Tampa Bay's defense, but I don't think he'll have the same kinda luck against Baltimore. If the O/U on this game was 20, I'd probably take the under.
Houston over @ Oakland
Let the Houston hype machine start all over again after the pound the Raiders. You know after the way they lost last week, the Raiders have probably just given up on the season at this point.
Indianapolis over @ Jacksonville
Amazingly, Peyton Manning is off to the statistically best start of his career. Amazingly, the Jaguars might get 30,000 fans for this game. What is it with Florida fans? The Marlins don't get anybody, even when they're good. We've heard all week about how the Rays can't get anybody, even when they're about to win the AL East. I would imagine the Jaguars have the smallest fan base of any team in the NFL. Are there really that many more things to do in Florida? Besides being really hot and/or old?
@Philadelphia over Washington
I'm a bit worried about this game because a) Everyone's picking the Eagles b) Donovan, in general, played well against the NFC East.
But most of all, reason c) Karma is completely against the Eagles in this game.
In one corner, you have Donovan, who had haters in this town from the second his name was called by Paul Tagliabue. Who was criticized throughout his career for almost any reason possible (he runs too much, he doesn't run enough, he smiles too much, he chokes, he doesn't care about losing, he's inaccurate, he throws at the ground, he's not a leader, he's too goofy, he pukes, he ran T.O out of town, he's not a West Coast QB, A.J Feeley is better, Jeff Garcia is better, Kevin Kolb is better, I think that about covers it). Are some of those criticism justified? Sure, but by the way, he's only the best QB in franchise history.
In the other corner, you have Michael Vick. I won't get into it, but yeah, I would say karma favors the Redskins.
@ San Diego over Arizona
Picking San Diego before week 8 is never a good idea, but neither is picking a Derek Anderson led team on the road.
@ NY Giants over Chicago
Giants, you reeled me in again. At home, Sunday night, team desperate for a win against a team coming off a huge win. I hate you Giants.
New England over @ Miami
This game answer a lot of questions. Is New England still a top contender? Can Miami compete for a playoff spot? Why does Miami have back-to-back home primetime games? Can Tom Brady's hair get more feminine?
Last week: 11-5
Overall: 31-17
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
NFL Week 3 Power Rankings
32. Browns 0-3
31. Bills 0-3
30. Panthers 0-3
These are easily the three worst teams in the league. All have terrible QB problems (Jake Delhomme for the Browns, the Bills cut their week 1 starter after week 3, Jimmy Clausen isn't ready to start for the Panthers), bad coaching, bad defense, bad cities, it's just bad all around. I think 8 wins between these three will be impressive.
29. Rams 1-2
They're not gonna back down from anyone this year, that's for sure. The Redskins took them lightly and the Rams and Sam Bradford played well. They're still a couple years away, but the pieces are in place.
28. Lions 0-3
To be fair, they've played three tough games (@ Bears, Eagles, @ Vikings) and have held in there in all three. They could easily be 2-1 if a couple of things went their way. This team won't be in the basement for too long.
27. 49ers 0-3
I guess Mike Singletary needs to pull his pants down some more.
26. Jaguars 1-2
And the most boring team in the NFL loses another boring game. Seriously, at least the other really bad teams have some level of comedy about them. The Jags have nothing. They should have taken Tebow. They should move to LA. They should do something besides wear their ugly teal uniforms in Jacksonville.
25. Raiders 1-2
Is Sebastian Janikowski the worst draft pick of all-time? Sure, there have been other guys that have hurt franchises more, and more high profile busts, but if you're gonna spend a first round pick on a kicker, he better make everything inside 40 yards.
24. Broncos 1-2
Tebow, Tebow, Tebow, Tebow, Tebow, Tebow
23. Giants 1-2
I want to personally thank you Giants. I said in my picks that I shouldn't pick you, but I did anyway. So Giants, because of you, I fell a game short of winning my first football pool at work, which would have established my dominance as football expert in this office. But no, you have to be idiots and commit 203843 personal fouls. Never again will I pick you. Except maybe at home on Sunday night against a Bears team coming off a big win.
22. Redskins 1-2
Sorry Donovan, I know you would have beaten the Rams if you were still in Philadelphia. It'll be good to see you this Sunday.
21. Bucs 2-1
So that's what the Bucs look like when they face a good team. I have a feeling they'll be slowly climbing down these rankings soon.
20. Cardinals 2-1
I've spent my last few blogs ripping the NFC West, but now they have more winning teams than the NFC East. To be fair, the Cardinals should have lost to the Raiders. They really should have lost.
19. Seahawks 2-1
If any team stands a chance in be decent in the NFC West, it's the Seahawks. They are really tough to beat in Seattle, and overall their talent level is decent, even if they have a blood sucking mercenary head coach.
18. Chargers 1-2
Typical Chargers.
17. Titans 2-1
The Titans are the epitome of an 8-8 team. They'll be ok some weeks, they'll be terrible other weeks. They have some good players but not enough good players. They'll just be around this year.
16. Vikings 1-2
I'm not convinced that a win against the Lions will cure all in Minnesota. They suddenly play in a tough division, with the Packers, Bears looking good, and the Lions looking like a tough win. The Favre Sudden Career Ending Injury chance is now at 56%.
15. Cowboys 1-2
Who is this Roy Williams guy the Cowboys had at WR on Sunday? Never heard of him. He played a pretty good game though.
14. Bengals 2-1
The Bengals will beat bad teams and probably lose to most good teams (despite their win against the Ravens). And how does Carson Palmer suddenly get terrible? He was better when the Bengals were a bad team. Maybe it's actually Jordan Palmer playing.
13. Dolphins 2-1
A tough loss to the Jets. Like I said about the Dolphins last week, they would probably be a playoff team in the NFC, but I don't see it happening in the AFC.
12. Eagles 2-1
Just for the record, I said Vick would have a big game against the Jaguars. He's playing great right now. That doesn't change my stance on him. I don't think he'll win big games and I don't think he'll lead the team to a Super Bowl.
Mike Missanelli, who I really don't like, has the same stance on Vick as I do, and really brought up a good point. How can you really get behind this guy 100%? Sure, we can root for him, but can you really be happy for his success? Because a guy went to jail for something terrible and came back and is doing well in his life now, that makes it a better story than a guy who never got in trouble and is doing well in life? Don't Steelers fans feel the same way about Big Ben?
Being an Eagles fan: never a dull moment.
11. Texans 2-1
That thud you hear is everyone simultaneously hopping off the Texans' bandwagon. Seriously though, I think they can still be a factor this year, but people got a little too excited about them and they ran into a team desperate for a win. They'll be alright.
10. Patriots 2-1
I have a feeling the Patriots should be lower, almost losing to the Bills and all, but it's hard to be against this team. They can still put up 40 points on anyone, although it looks like they might give up 40 points a game as well. Monday's game at Miami will show a lot.
9. Chiefs 3-0
If you were wondering if they were for real or not, they absolutely gave the business to the 49ers. If I didn't know that the Chargers will likely finish the season 8-0 like they always do, you would have to say the Chiefs are the easy favorite in the AFC West.
8. Bears 3-0
Yes, I have the Bears below the Packers. The Packers lost the game last night more than the Bears won it. 17 penalties, dropped interceptions, fumbles, that's how the Bears won the game. They're still a decent team, but remember, they should have lost to the Lions as well.
7. Ravens 2-1
Thank you Ravens, now I don't look so stupid for choosing you to win the Super Bowl. I don't care if it was against the Browns, I'll take it.
6. Falcons 2-1
See my reasoning for the Bears as to why I put the Falcons below the Saints this week.
5. Saints 2-1
Amazingly, their problem has been their offense. They'll turn it around. They remind me of how the Phillies struggled with their offense early in the season. And now the Phillies will win the World Series. So no problem.
4. Packers 2-1
I shouldn't put all of my hate on the Giants. All the Packers had to do was take the last drive of the game and get a field goal and I win my football pool. I even had the exact amount of total points right, 37. Jay Cutler threw you two interceptions, and you drop one and get an unneccesary pass interference on the other. I'm going to put in a complaint with Lonnie on this one.
3. Jets 2-1
If Mark Sanchez keeps playing well, they will be very hard to beat. That was a tough game to win in Miami, but they pulled it out. It may be hard to like them because of Rex Ryan, Braylon Edwards, Antonio Cromartie and his 32 kids with 79 women, and their decision to cut Danny Woodhead, but they'll be good.
2. Colts 2-1
Never mind the week 1 loss. The Colts are who we thought they were.
1. Steelers 3-0
They're undefeated with a combination of Dennis Dixon, Byron Leftwich, and Charlie Batch at QB. What other team could do that right now? When they get everyone's favorite Bro back, they'll be even better.
31. Bills 0-3
30. Panthers 0-3
These are easily the three worst teams in the league. All have terrible QB problems (Jake Delhomme for the Browns, the Bills cut their week 1 starter after week 3, Jimmy Clausen isn't ready to start for the Panthers), bad coaching, bad defense, bad cities, it's just bad all around. I think 8 wins between these three will be impressive.
29. Rams 1-2
They're not gonna back down from anyone this year, that's for sure. The Redskins took them lightly and the Rams and Sam Bradford played well. They're still a couple years away, but the pieces are in place.
28. Lions 0-3
To be fair, they've played three tough games (@ Bears, Eagles, @ Vikings) and have held in there in all three. They could easily be 2-1 if a couple of things went their way. This team won't be in the basement for too long.
27. 49ers 0-3
I guess Mike Singletary needs to pull his pants down some more.
26. Jaguars 1-2
And the most boring team in the NFL loses another boring game. Seriously, at least the other really bad teams have some level of comedy about them. The Jags have nothing. They should have taken Tebow. They should move to LA. They should do something besides wear their ugly teal uniforms in Jacksonville.
25. Raiders 1-2
Is Sebastian Janikowski the worst draft pick of all-time? Sure, there have been other guys that have hurt franchises more, and more high profile busts, but if you're gonna spend a first round pick on a kicker, he better make everything inside 40 yards.
24. Broncos 1-2
Tebow, Tebow, Tebow, Tebow, Tebow, Tebow
23. Giants 1-2
I want to personally thank you Giants. I said in my picks that I shouldn't pick you, but I did anyway. So Giants, because of you, I fell a game short of winning my first football pool at work, which would have established my dominance as football expert in this office. But no, you have to be idiots and commit 203843 personal fouls. Never again will I pick you. Except maybe at home on Sunday night against a Bears team coming off a big win.
22. Redskins 1-2
Sorry Donovan, I know you would have beaten the Rams if you were still in Philadelphia. It'll be good to see you this Sunday.
21. Bucs 2-1
So that's what the Bucs look like when they face a good team. I have a feeling they'll be slowly climbing down these rankings soon.
20. Cardinals 2-1
I've spent my last few blogs ripping the NFC West, but now they have more winning teams than the NFC East. To be fair, the Cardinals should have lost to the Raiders. They really should have lost.
19. Seahawks 2-1
If any team stands a chance in be decent in the NFC West, it's the Seahawks. They are really tough to beat in Seattle, and overall their talent level is decent, even if they have a blood sucking mercenary head coach.
18. Chargers 1-2
Typical Chargers.
17. Titans 2-1
The Titans are the epitome of an 8-8 team. They'll be ok some weeks, they'll be terrible other weeks. They have some good players but not enough good players. They'll just be around this year.
16. Vikings 1-2
I'm not convinced that a win against the Lions will cure all in Minnesota. They suddenly play in a tough division, with the Packers, Bears looking good, and the Lions looking like a tough win. The Favre Sudden Career Ending Injury chance is now at 56%.
15. Cowboys 1-2
Who is this Roy Williams guy the Cowboys had at WR on Sunday? Never heard of him. He played a pretty good game though.
14. Bengals 2-1
The Bengals will beat bad teams and probably lose to most good teams (despite their win against the Ravens). And how does Carson Palmer suddenly get terrible? He was better when the Bengals were a bad team. Maybe it's actually Jordan Palmer playing.
13. Dolphins 2-1
A tough loss to the Jets. Like I said about the Dolphins last week, they would probably be a playoff team in the NFC, but I don't see it happening in the AFC.
12. Eagles 2-1
Just for the record, I said Vick would have a big game against the Jaguars. He's playing great right now. That doesn't change my stance on him. I don't think he'll win big games and I don't think he'll lead the team to a Super Bowl.
Mike Missanelli, who I really don't like, has the same stance on Vick as I do, and really brought up a good point. How can you really get behind this guy 100%? Sure, we can root for him, but can you really be happy for his success? Because a guy went to jail for something terrible and came back and is doing well in his life now, that makes it a better story than a guy who never got in trouble and is doing well in life? Don't Steelers fans feel the same way about Big Ben?
Being an Eagles fan: never a dull moment.
11. Texans 2-1
That thud you hear is everyone simultaneously hopping off the Texans' bandwagon. Seriously though, I think they can still be a factor this year, but people got a little too excited about them and they ran into a team desperate for a win. They'll be alright.
10. Patriots 2-1
I have a feeling the Patriots should be lower, almost losing to the Bills and all, but it's hard to be against this team. They can still put up 40 points on anyone, although it looks like they might give up 40 points a game as well. Monday's game at Miami will show a lot.
9. Chiefs 3-0
If you were wondering if they were for real or not, they absolutely gave the business to the 49ers. If I didn't know that the Chargers will likely finish the season 8-0 like they always do, you would have to say the Chiefs are the easy favorite in the AFC West.
8. Bears 3-0
Yes, I have the Bears below the Packers. The Packers lost the game last night more than the Bears won it. 17 penalties, dropped interceptions, fumbles, that's how the Bears won the game. They're still a decent team, but remember, they should have lost to the Lions as well.
7. Ravens 2-1
Thank you Ravens, now I don't look so stupid for choosing you to win the Super Bowl. I don't care if it was against the Browns, I'll take it.
6. Falcons 2-1
See my reasoning for the Bears as to why I put the Falcons below the Saints this week.
5. Saints 2-1
Amazingly, their problem has been their offense. They'll turn it around. They remind me of how the Phillies struggled with their offense early in the season. And now the Phillies will win the World Series. So no problem.
4. Packers 2-1
I shouldn't put all of my hate on the Giants. All the Packers had to do was take the last drive of the game and get a field goal and I win my football pool. I even had the exact amount of total points right, 37. Jay Cutler threw you two interceptions, and you drop one and get an unneccesary pass interference on the other. I'm going to put in a complaint with Lonnie on this one.
3. Jets 2-1
If Mark Sanchez keeps playing well, they will be very hard to beat. That was a tough game to win in Miami, but they pulled it out. It may be hard to like them because of Rex Ryan, Braylon Edwards, Antonio Cromartie and his 32 kids with 79 women, and their decision to cut Danny Woodhead, but they'll be good.
2. Colts 2-1
Never mind the week 1 loss. The Colts are who we thought they were.
1. Steelers 3-0
They're undefeated with a combination of Dennis Dixon, Byron Leftwich, and Charlie Batch at QB. What other team could do that right now? When they get everyone's favorite Bro back, they'll be even better.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Week 3 Picks
Two posts in two days? Unheard of.
@Kansas City over San Francisco
I will ride the KC bandwagon for one more week. Patented letdown game for the 49ers after almost beating the Saints on Monday night. Good news for the 49ers: they could be 0-3 and still have a chance to win the NFC West. They could be 0-15 and win the last week of the season and still win the NFC West.
@Minnesota over Detroit
If the Vikings lose the game, I predict Brett Favre will be "injured" and have to retire again for the 32nd time. Sorry Lonnie.
@New England over Buffalo
Coming off a bad loss against a hated rival, against a terrible Buffalo team, at home, how many points will the Pats score this week? I will be shocked if they don't get to 40 before the 4th quarter.
@New Orleans over Atlanta
The Saints are 2-0, but haven't exactly looked spectacular. But with how crappy the NFC has looked so far, who are you going put ahead of them, except maybe the Packers? And no, losing Reggie Bush doesn't really hurt at all. It's not like he's a Heisman trophy winner or anything.
@ NY Giants over Tennessee
If the Giants lose, it'll be the last time I pick them this season. But Vince Young is back to being terrible again, so I like their chances.
Pittsburgh over @ Tampa Bay
A tough game to pick because a) the Steelers are on the road b) Charlie Batch is their starting QB c) the Bucs aren't 2-0 good. I'll say the Steelers win a 6-3 game.
Cincinatti over @Carolina
Poor Jimmy Clausen. First he falls in the draft because Todd McShay likes to make up rumors about how Clausen has "attitude" problems, and now he has to start 3 games into his rookie year because Matt Moore was not a franchise QB. Shocking.
Speaking of Notre Dame, they need to forget about who they hire as head coach, and just focus on getting the best defensive coordinator possible. The offense can score with anyone's, but the defense is awful. This has been the theme for a long time.
@Baltimore over Cleveland
Is this the week the Ravens' offense wakes up? It doesn't matter, they won't need more than 10 points to beat any team with Jake Delhomme at QB. But please Joe Flacco, help your fantasy owners out.
Dallas over @ Houston
Dallas is desperate for a victory. Tony Romo is desperate for a victory. Wade Phillips is really desperate for a victory. The Texans are feeling pretty good about themselves, maybe too good. I just can't see the Cowboys starting 0-3. Not that I wouldn't enjoy it.
Washington over @ St. Louis
Will Donovan F. McNabb have a bad game because he's looking past the Rams to his return to Philly next week? Maybe, but it doesn't really matter because they're playing the Rams.
The one good thing about Vick/Kolb, we don't even really mention McNabb too much in the whole thing. I'm sure that'll change next week though.
Philadelphia over @ Jacksonville
The Eagles should win this game, but the never really play well in Florida for some reason (see any game at Tampa Bay, Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Donovan puking in both, etc.). The Jags are not good. Vick will likely have a big game. Wonderful.
Indianapolis over @ Denver
Just start Tebow, Broncos. It's what we all want to see. You're not going to be any good this year anyway. I want some emotional halftime speeches.
@Arizona over Oakland
You want somewhat of a mirror of the Kolb/Vick situation, look at Arizona. McNabb/Warner, the successful QB of the team for years, leaves town to give way to Kolb/Leinart, two young, unproven QBs who have been waiting their turns. However, team brings in Vick/Anderson, who end up taking jobs from said young QBs. Obviously Derek Anderson isn't quite as talented as Vick, and Leinart has played a bit more than Kolb has, but it's comparable. Going great for Arizona so far.
San Diego over @Seattle
I'm not sure how to care about this game. Moving on.
NY Jets over @ Miami
Probably the toughest game to pick of the week. The Jets looked great in the second half of their victory over the Pats, and the Dolphins have looked good as well. Add to it that it's in Miami, at night, and it's tough to pick the Jets. But I will anyway, now that the Curse of Hard Knocks was ended by the Bengals last season.
Green Bay over @ Chicago
Probably won't be easy for the Packers, but they'll take care of the Bears. Remember when Aaron Rodgers was first starting for the Packers? The team wasn't good that year, and he took his lumps, but he ended up better for it. Hmmm, would that work anywhere else?
Last week: 11-5
Overall: 20-12
@Kansas City over San Francisco
I will ride the KC bandwagon for one more week. Patented letdown game for the 49ers after almost beating the Saints on Monday night. Good news for the 49ers: they could be 0-3 and still have a chance to win the NFC West. They could be 0-15 and win the last week of the season and still win the NFC West.
@Minnesota over Detroit
If the Vikings lose the game, I predict Brett Favre will be "injured" and have to retire again for the 32nd time. Sorry Lonnie.
@New England over Buffalo
Coming off a bad loss against a hated rival, against a terrible Buffalo team, at home, how many points will the Pats score this week? I will be shocked if they don't get to 40 before the 4th quarter.
@New Orleans over Atlanta
The Saints are 2-0, but haven't exactly looked spectacular. But with how crappy the NFC has looked so far, who are you going put ahead of them, except maybe the Packers? And no, losing Reggie Bush doesn't really hurt at all. It's not like he's a Heisman trophy winner or anything.
@ NY Giants over Tennessee
If the Giants lose, it'll be the last time I pick them this season. But Vince Young is back to being terrible again, so I like their chances.
Pittsburgh over @ Tampa Bay
A tough game to pick because a) the Steelers are on the road b) Charlie Batch is their starting QB c) the Bucs aren't 2-0 good. I'll say the Steelers win a 6-3 game.
Cincinatti over @Carolina
Poor Jimmy Clausen. First he falls in the draft because Todd McShay likes to make up rumors about how Clausen has "attitude" problems, and now he has to start 3 games into his rookie year because Matt Moore was not a franchise QB. Shocking.
Speaking of Notre Dame, they need to forget about who they hire as head coach, and just focus on getting the best defensive coordinator possible. The offense can score with anyone's, but the defense is awful. This has been the theme for a long time.
@Baltimore over Cleveland
Is this the week the Ravens' offense wakes up? It doesn't matter, they won't need more than 10 points to beat any team with Jake Delhomme at QB. But please Joe Flacco, help your fantasy owners out.
Dallas over @ Houston
Dallas is desperate for a victory. Tony Romo is desperate for a victory. Wade Phillips is really desperate for a victory. The Texans are feeling pretty good about themselves, maybe too good. I just can't see the Cowboys starting 0-3. Not that I wouldn't enjoy it.
Washington over @ St. Louis
Will Donovan F. McNabb have a bad game because he's looking past the Rams to his return to Philly next week? Maybe, but it doesn't really matter because they're playing the Rams.
The one good thing about Vick/Kolb, we don't even really mention McNabb too much in the whole thing. I'm sure that'll change next week though.
Philadelphia over @ Jacksonville
The Eagles should win this game, but the never really play well in Florida for some reason (see any game at Tampa Bay, Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Donovan puking in both, etc.). The Jags are not good. Vick will likely have a big game. Wonderful.
Indianapolis over @ Denver
Just start Tebow, Broncos. It's what we all want to see. You're not going to be any good this year anyway. I want some emotional halftime speeches.
@Arizona over Oakland
You want somewhat of a mirror of the Kolb/Vick situation, look at Arizona. McNabb/Warner, the successful QB of the team for years, leaves town to give way to Kolb/Leinart, two young, unproven QBs who have been waiting their turns. However, team brings in Vick/Anderson, who end up taking jobs from said young QBs. Obviously Derek Anderson isn't quite as talented as Vick, and Leinart has played a bit more than Kolb has, but it's comparable. Going great for Arizona so far.
San Diego over @Seattle
I'm not sure how to care about this game. Moving on.
NY Jets over @ Miami
Probably the toughest game to pick of the week. The Jets looked great in the second half of their victory over the Pats, and the Dolphins have looked good as well. Add to it that it's in Miami, at night, and it's tough to pick the Jets. But I will anyway, now that the Curse of Hard Knocks was ended by the Bengals last season.
Green Bay over @ Chicago
Probably won't be easy for the Packers, but they'll take care of the Bears. Remember when Aaron Rodgers was first starting for the Packers? The team wasn't good that year, and he took his lumps, but he ended up better for it. Hmmm, would that work anywhere else?
Last week: 11-5
Overall: 20-12
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Kolb/Vick
Well, I guess it's a good thing that I didn't buy that Kolb jersey like I was planning on. Although, if I wait a few more weeks, it might be on sale. Backup QB jerseys usually aren't hot sellers, unless you're Tim Tebow.
In case you haven't realized, I am not a fan of this decision. Andy Reid obviously has made mistakes before, mostly dealing with timeouts and challenges. However, as an off-the-field coach, I think he has done a pretty good job. I'll say right now that this will go down as his worse decision ever.
I can understand why people want Vick to be the starter. He has looked great the past one and a half games. He's exciting, he's flashy, he's fun to watch, I won't deny any of that.
However, he's not a QB that can be a consistent winner in the NFL. And what amazes me, it's not like he's a rookie and we're still figuring out if he can win or not; we already know. He can't throw the ball in crunch time when it matter, he proved it time and time again in Atlanta. He got to one NFC title game with the Falcons, where he was crushed by the Eagles. And the NFC was terrible that year.
Want more proof ? Sure, he brought the team back against the Packers, but how did he do with the game on the line? On the last drive, he threw behind open receivers. He couldn't convert on 4th and 1 (although I will give a lot of the blame to Reid for the playcall). Against the Lions when the Lions were coming back, he foolishly spiked the ball after not getting a first down, costing the Eagles 15 yards and giving the Lions better field position. What if he does that against a good team?
He brought the team back against the Packers because a) they weren't prepared to face him for the entire game b) they were up by 17 points and were playing soft defense in the second half, allowing him to get his rushing yards as long as he didn't get the big pass and c) the defense played very well in the second half and got him the ball back several times.
He played well against the Lions, I'll give him that. But it's the Lions. THE LIONS. 2 wins in the last 2 seasons. Vick was throwing to wide open receivers all game. I am fairly certain that Kolb would have had just as good of a game. And he wouldn't have lost his cool and spiked the ball at the end of the game.
I'm not saying Kolb is a better QB than Vick. Honestly, we have no idea how good Kolb really is.
We have 2 games last season. He put up good numbers, but was a bit turnover prone. He didn't look good in preseason, but it's preseason. It means nothing. He threw 10 passes against the Packers. He didn't look good, but it's 10 passes. How did Tom Brady look in the second half against the Jets last week? Are we going to judge him on one half of football?
What happens to Kolb now? I doubt he gets traded. The Eagles would have a 5th round rookie as a backup. Unless Vick is terrible in his next few games, I doubt Reid puts Kolb back in. I'm sure he doesn't want to flip/flop that much.
Here's the only reasoning I could get behind for this decision. If Andy is really concerned that his offensive line is so bad that there's no way Kolb will succeed and he doesn't want Kolb turning into the next David Carr, I understand his choice. If they let Vick play this year, don't resign him, and let Kolb really be the starter next year, I understand the choice. Other than that, I can't get behind it.
Let's make one thing clear: the Eagles won't win the Super Bowl with Vick as QB. If they do, I'll be estactic and I'll eat my words. I'll buy a Vick jersey and run down Broad Street with just that on. But it's not gonna happen.
Sure, maybe they'll make the playoffs. Maybe they'll even win the East. But what's that? Haven't we been doing that for the last decade? Isn't that why we got rid of McNabb? He could take us so far, but not all the way?
Kolb probably wouldn't win the Eagles a Super Bowl this year either, but we don't know his potential. He's shown good flashes, and we have no idea what his ceiling is. Drew Brees was terrible in his first few seasons. Could Kolb turn into Drew Brees? It's unlikely, but possible.
We've seen Vick. We know what his ceiling is. I guess people just have short memory spans. The odds of him turning into a winning QB at this point are slim.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Vick will be great, maybe the Eagles will sign him to long term deal and he'll be the QB for the next several years.
But for now, it looks like the Eagles have mortaged their future for some publicity and a quick buck.
In case you haven't realized, I am not a fan of this decision. Andy Reid obviously has made mistakes before, mostly dealing with timeouts and challenges. However, as an off-the-field coach, I think he has done a pretty good job. I'll say right now that this will go down as his worse decision ever.
I can understand why people want Vick to be the starter. He has looked great the past one and a half games. He's exciting, he's flashy, he's fun to watch, I won't deny any of that.
However, he's not a QB that can be a consistent winner in the NFL. And what amazes me, it's not like he's a rookie and we're still figuring out if he can win or not; we already know. He can't throw the ball in crunch time when it matter, he proved it time and time again in Atlanta. He got to one NFC title game with the Falcons, where he was crushed by the Eagles. And the NFC was terrible that year.
Want more proof ? Sure, he brought the team back against the Packers, but how did he do with the game on the line? On the last drive, he threw behind open receivers. He couldn't convert on 4th and 1 (although I will give a lot of the blame to Reid for the playcall). Against the Lions when the Lions were coming back, he foolishly spiked the ball after not getting a first down, costing the Eagles 15 yards and giving the Lions better field position. What if he does that against a good team?
He brought the team back against the Packers because a) they weren't prepared to face him for the entire game b) they were up by 17 points and were playing soft defense in the second half, allowing him to get his rushing yards as long as he didn't get the big pass and c) the defense played very well in the second half and got him the ball back several times.
He played well against the Lions, I'll give him that. But it's the Lions. THE LIONS. 2 wins in the last 2 seasons. Vick was throwing to wide open receivers all game. I am fairly certain that Kolb would have had just as good of a game. And he wouldn't have lost his cool and spiked the ball at the end of the game.
I'm not saying Kolb is a better QB than Vick. Honestly, we have no idea how good Kolb really is.
We have 2 games last season. He put up good numbers, but was a bit turnover prone. He didn't look good in preseason, but it's preseason. It means nothing. He threw 10 passes against the Packers. He didn't look good, but it's 10 passes. How did Tom Brady look in the second half against the Jets last week? Are we going to judge him on one half of football?
What happens to Kolb now? I doubt he gets traded. The Eagles would have a 5th round rookie as a backup. Unless Vick is terrible in his next few games, I doubt Reid puts Kolb back in. I'm sure he doesn't want to flip/flop that much.
Here's the only reasoning I could get behind for this decision. If Andy is really concerned that his offensive line is so bad that there's no way Kolb will succeed and he doesn't want Kolb turning into the next David Carr, I understand his choice. If they let Vick play this year, don't resign him, and let Kolb really be the starter next year, I understand the choice. Other than that, I can't get behind it.
Let's make one thing clear: the Eagles won't win the Super Bowl with Vick as QB. If they do, I'll be estactic and I'll eat my words. I'll buy a Vick jersey and run down Broad Street with just that on. But it's not gonna happen.
Sure, maybe they'll make the playoffs. Maybe they'll even win the East. But what's that? Haven't we been doing that for the last decade? Isn't that why we got rid of McNabb? He could take us so far, but not all the way?
Kolb probably wouldn't win the Eagles a Super Bowl this year either, but we don't know his potential. He's shown good flashes, and we have no idea what his ceiling is. Drew Brees was terrible in his first few seasons. Could Kolb turn into Drew Brees? It's unlikely, but possible.
We've seen Vick. We know what his ceiling is. I guess people just have short memory spans. The odds of him turning into a winning QB at this point are slim.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Vick will be great, maybe the Eagles will sign him to long term deal and he'll be the QB for the next several years.
But for now, it looks like the Eagles have mortaged their future for some publicity and a quick buck.
Monday, September 20, 2010
NFL after week 2- AFC
AFC East
Jets- The first two weeks are probably going to be a microcasm of the Jets' entire season. The defense will be good week in and week out, but the offense will come and go. Ultimately they're too talented not to make the playoffs.
Patriots- The Patriots looked great through one and a half games, but were dreadful in the second half against the Jets. The offense will still put up a bunch of points because of Brady/Moss/Welker, but their lack of a run game still hurts, and their defense is definitely suspect. They'll be fighting with the Jets all year long for first in the East.
Dolphins- They're 2-0, but they beat the Bills and a Vikings team that didn't seem like they wanted to play. They would probably be a playoff team in the NFC, but I don't see them surviving through the mess of potential playoff teams in the AFC. 9-7 or even 10-6 is possible though.
Bills- Really really bad. They have very little going for them. Chan Gailey was a terrible hire at head coach, and have absolutely no answer at QB. I thought CJ Spiller would be good for them, which I why I have him on three fantasy teams, but he's done zilch so far. 3 wins, maybe.
AFC North
Ravens- Every year, the Ravens have a great defense but a below average offense. We thought with the addition of Anquan Boldin, another year of Ray Rice, and an improving Joe Flacco, they would have a formidable offense as well this year. Well, that definitely has not been the case so far. I think they'll put it all together and win the North, but Flacco has to be better.
Bengals- Really, I have no idea what to make of them. They got blasted by the Patriots, but beat the Ravens. I'm not sure if their win against the Ravens was more the Ravens being bad or the Bengals being good. I felt like they were a bit of a fluke last year, but I still picked them for the playoffs this year. With the strength the AFC is showing, however, I have a feeling they'll be on the outside of the playoffs.
Steelers- It's been ugly, but they're somehow 2-0 without Big Ben at QB. The defense has looked good, and the run game has done just enough to get the wins. In other words, typical Steelers football. I just wonder if they can win ugly the rest of the season. Like the Bengals, they could be a playoff team but there's a huge glut of teams to get through in the AFC.
Browns- They're bad, what else can you say? Delhomme is done, they might as well get Colt McCoy out there to see if he can do anything. Nothing much to say.
AFC South
Colts- Probably the biggest headline after week 1: what's wrong with the Colts? They never lose to the Texans, Peyton is done, defense is terrible and so on. So what do they do? They were the Colts and destroyed the Giants. They're fine, they're a playoff team. They Texans will challenge them, but they're still the team to beat in the South.
Texans- Probably the most talked about team of the year so far. They finally got over the hump and beat the Colts, then they staged a dramatic comeback against the Redskins. They definitely have the pieces in place to be a playoff team, with a high-powered offense with loads of talent at each position, and a solid defense with some playmakers. I think their defense may hold them back a bit, and remember, we think the Texans are gonna make the playoff leap every year. This is probably their best team so far, and they'll have a shot for sure.
Titans- See, this is what happens when you invest too much in a win over the Raiders. People were talking playoffs for the Titans after the way they ended last season and their convincing win over the Raiders. But besides Chris Johnson, they still don't have a ton of weapons on offense. Vince Young is inconsistent, and he's a headcase. The defense is nothing special. They're an 8-8 team in my book.
Jaguars- Is there a more nondescript team in the NFL than the Jaguars? They had a couple good seasons when they first started, but for the last 10 years or so, they haven't been good, they haven't been terrible, they're just there. Besides Maurice Jones-Drew, they have no standout players. Just not a good franchise.
AFC West
Chargers- Typical Chargers; look terrible one week, look great the next. We all know how this goes. They should win the West with a strong late season run. Everyone will be talking about them going into the playoffs and then they'll fizzle out in the first round.
Chiefs- Another surprising team, and they already have a win over their top division rival under their belts. I think their offense will put up points all year, but I still wonder how the defense will look over a full season. They have the pieces in place, and they could make it scary for the Chargers, but I think they're still a year away.
Broncos- They lost to a bad Jaguars team, then beat a bad Seahawks team, so really, I don't think they're very good. The defense just isn't very good, and Kyle Orton is a "game manager" (aka crappy quarterback). Josh McDaniels is not Bill Belichick, as much as he is trying to be. Fans will be clamoring for Tebow by week 6.
Raiders- So much for Jason Campbell being the answer at QB. Just another typical Raiders season. They might beat some bad teams, surprise a team here and there, but they're the Raiders. They have no direction and they're going nowhere.
Playoff Teams:
1. Colts
2. Ravens
3. Jets
4. Chargers
5. Patriots
6. Texans
Jets- The first two weeks are probably going to be a microcasm of the Jets' entire season. The defense will be good week in and week out, but the offense will come and go. Ultimately they're too talented not to make the playoffs.
Patriots- The Patriots looked great through one and a half games, but were dreadful in the second half against the Jets. The offense will still put up a bunch of points because of Brady/Moss/Welker, but their lack of a run game still hurts, and their defense is definitely suspect. They'll be fighting with the Jets all year long for first in the East.
Dolphins- They're 2-0, but they beat the Bills and a Vikings team that didn't seem like they wanted to play. They would probably be a playoff team in the NFC, but I don't see them surviving through the mess of potential playoff teams in the AFC. 9-7 or even 10-6 is possible though.
Bills- Really really bad. They have very little going for them. Chan Gailey was a terrible hire at head coach, and have absolutely no answer at QB. I thought CJ Spiller would be good for them, which I why I have him on three fantasy teams, but he's done zilch so far. 3 wins, maybe.
AFC North
Ravens- Every year, the Ravens have a great defense but a below average offense. We thought with the addition of Anquan Boldin, another year of Ray Rice, and an improving Joe Flacco, they would have a formidable offense as well this year. Well, that definitely has not been the case so far. I think they'll put it all together and win the North, but Flacco has to be better.
Bengals- Really, I have no idea what to make of them. They got blasted by the Patriots, but beat the Ravens. I'm not sure if their win against the Ravens was more the Ravens being bad or the Bengals being good. I felt like they were a bit of a fluke last year, but I still picked them for the playoffs this year. With the strength the AFC is showing, however, I have a feeling they'll be on the outside of the playoffs.
Steelers- It's been ugly, but they're somehow 2-0 without Big Ben at QB. The defense has looked good, and the run game has done just enough to get the wins. In other words, typical Steelers football. I just wonder if they can win ugly the rest of the season. Like the Bengals, they could be a playoff team but there's a huge glut of teams to get through in the AFC.
Browns- They're bad, what else can you say? Delhomme is done, they might as well get Colt McCoy out there to see if he can do anything. Nothing much to say.
AFC South
Colts- Probably the biggest headline after week 1: what's wrong with the Colts? They never lose to the Texans, Peyton is done, defense is terrible and so on. So what do they do? They were the Colts and destroyed the Giants. They're fine, they're a playoff team. They Texans will challenge them, but they're still the team to beat in the South.
Texans- Probably the most talked about team of the year so far. They finally got over the hump and beat the Colts, then they staged a dramatic comeback against the Redskins. They definitely have the pieces in place to be a playoff team, with a high-powered offense with loads of talent at each position, and a solid defense with some playmakers. I think their defense may hold them back a bit, and remember, we think the Texans are gonna make the playoff leap every year. This is probably their best team so far, and they'll have a shot for sure.
Titans- See, this is what happens when you invest too much in a win over the Raiders. People were talking playoffs for the Titans after the way they ended last season and their convincing win over the Raiders. But besides Chris Johnson, they still don't have a ton of weapons on offense. Vince Young is inconsistent, and he's a headcase. The defense is nothing special. They're an 8-8 team in my book.
Jaguars- Is there a more nondescript team in the NFL than the Jaguars? They had a couple good seasons when they first started, but for the last 10 years or so, they haven't been good, they haven't been terrible, they're just there. Besides Maurice Jones-Drew, they have no standout players. Just not a good franchise.
AFC West
Chargers- Typical Chargers; look terrible one week, look great the next. We all know how this goes. They should win the West with a strong late season run. Everyone will be talking about them going into the playoffs and then they'll fizzle out in the first round.
Chiefs- Another surprising team, and they already have a win over their top division rival under their belts. I think their offense will put up points all year, but I still wonder how the defense will look over a full season. They have the pieces in place, and they could make it scary for the Chargers, but I think they're still a year away.
Broncos- They lost to a bad Jaguars team, then beat a bad Seahawks team, so really, I don't think they're very good. The defense just isn't very good, and Kyle Orton is a "game manager" (aka crappy quarterback). Josh McDaniels is not Bill Belichick, as much as he is trying to be. Fans will be clamoring for Tebow by week 6.
Raiders- So much for Jason Campbell being the answer at QB. Just another typical Raiders season. They might beat some bad teams, surprise a team here and there, but they're the Raiders. They have no direction and they're going nowhere.
Playoff Teams:
1. Colts
2. Ravens
3. Jets
4. Chargers
5. Patriots
6. Texans
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