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
Friday, November 26, 2010
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.
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