Another banner week for me last week in picking games. Not. I'm now hovering around 50%. Yikes. Well..... if you fall off the horse, just get right b.......ah hell, ...here's the picks:
Redskins over the Lions. Stafford's back but won't he be rusty?
Cowboys over the Jags. All Doom and Gloom in Cowboy Country. Hey, John Kitna has played some decent QB in this league before. Maybe he'll channel his 2003 season. (3,500 yards 26 TDs).
Bengals over the Dolphins. There is no reason to pick Cincy over Miami. Except they're home and maybe they'll finally play like their preseason hype.
Chiefs over the Bills. It's been written about a ton this week, but Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has a pretty good passer rating at this point. Yay. Buffalo is saved. How about we wait a few weeks to see where that rating goes. And how long does Fitzpatrick have to be in the league before they stop referring to him as the Harvard guy? That's almost an indictment in the NFL ----I like the Chiefs. Two of the most underrated runners in the NFL: Thomas Jones and Jaamal Charles.
Rams over the Panthers. What happened to my Rams last week? Awesome first half. Crappy 2nd half. They have to win those games.
49ers over the Broncos. I thought Troy Smith was a decent backup in Baltimore. Reports have him starting for the 49ers this week. How bad must David Carr suck? Stick a fork in his career. He's done. I like Alex Smith but it would be quite the story if the other Smith (Troy) came out, played well, and snatched the starting job.
Jets over the Packers--Just not sure the undisciplined Pack can deal with the Jets Defense.
Chargers over the Titans---Speaking of lacking some discipline.....the Chargers need a new coach but I think they will still pull it together in time for this week's game against a legitimate playoff contender.
Bucs over the Cardinals ---I hope the result is opposite of this with Max Hall playing better. But maybe Tampa has something we're missing. Their coach thinks they're awesome. Which is awesome in a self delusional sort of way.
Pats over the Vikings --a Superbowl contender against a Superbowl pretender.
Seahawks over the Raiders. Mcfadden is starting to live up to his promise. He's averaging over 5 yards a carry. The Raiders are not a total joke this year. Considering that Al Davis is apparently alive that's kind of weird.
Steelers over the Saints. I want to say the Saints, but the Steelers have been too good this season. Damn them.
Colts over the Texans. Manning is shorthanded and he and the Colts got punched by the Texans last time they met. They usually play well at home though and Manning sometimes can just will a win or two on his own.
Last Week: 5-9
Overall: 51-52
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
NFL Picks: Week 7
Eagles over the Titans. Because the Titans QBs are banged up.
Chiefs over the Jags. Jacksonville is the definition of a mediocre team. Del Rio has never committed to improving the offense. It's a problem I think with some ex defensive players turned coaches. They think a running game and some good defense is good enough. This ain't 2000 and the Ravens aren't walking through that door.
Ravens over the Bills. This week would be a good one for Harbough to take the training wheels off for Flacco. Let the kid throw the ball coach.
Saints over the Browns. McCoy survived the Steelers and now he gets the Saints. Brees could teach him a bit about being an undersized QB in the league.
Bears over the Redskins.
Falcons over the Bengals. This will be the week the Bengals will probably wake up. But they are in Atlanta so I'm going with the home team.
Dolphins over the Steelers. Not sure if picking against the Steelers right now is smart but the Dolphins surprise people now and then.
Rams over the Bucs. More Bradford. I like him a lot.
Cards over the Seahawks.
Pats over the Chargers. Chargers are essentially eliminated from the playoffs with the loss.
Broncos over the Raiders.
Packers over the Vikes. This will be Rodgers revenge.
Cowboys over the Giants.
49ers over the Pathers. 2 in a row for San Fran would be a real accomplishment.
Last week: 10-4
Overall: 46-43
Chiefs over the Jags. Jacksonville is the definition of a mediocre team. Del Rio has never committed to improving the offense. It's a problem I think with some ex defensive players turned coaches. They think a running game and some good defense is good enough. This ain't 2000 and the Ravens aren't walking through that door.
Ravens over the Bills. This week would be a good one for Harbough to take the training wheels off for Flacco. Let the kid throw the ball coach.
Saints over the Browns. McCoy survived the Steelers and now he gets the Saints. Brees could teach him a bit about being an undersized QB in the league.
Bears over the Redskins.
Falcons over the Bengals. This will be the week the Bengals will probably wake up. But they are in Atlanta so I'm going with the home team.
Dolphins over the Steelers. Not sure if picking against the Steelers right now is smart but the Dolphins surprise people now and then.
Rams over the Bucs. More Bradford. I like him a lot.
Cards over the Seahawks.
Pats over the Chargers. Chargers are essentially eliminated from the playoffs with the loss.
Broncos over the Raiders.
Packers over the Vikes. This will be Rodgers revenge.
Cowboys over the Giants.
49ers over the Pathers. 2 in a row for San Fran would be a real accomplishment.
Last week: 10-4
Overall: 46-43
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
NFL Picks: Week 6
Giants over the Lions. Ok Detroit, so you took my Rams down last week. Big deal. ........Actually, any win for Detroit is always a big deal. Ditto for the Rams. Damn you Detroit, 3 in a row would have been great for St. Louis. The Detroit back-up QB was pretty good last week but that doesn't mean San Fran was wrong to choose Alex Smith over Hill. Smith may be headed for backup status soon but solid 2nd fiddle is all Hill will ever be.
Meanwhile in New Jersey, the Giants are playing better after a rough start and their defense looks awesome again. If they play at all up to their potential they should beat the Lions by at least 10 pts.
Saints over the Bucs. The Saints are surprisingly disappointing without Reggie Bush in their offense. Still, we are only 5 weeks in and there is no reason to panic if you root for New Orleans. Which I do. I don't think Drew Brees is going to go all Carson Palmer on us anytime soon.
Eagles over the Falcons.
Patriots over the Ravens. What's the big deal with Tom Brady's hair? So it's a bit shaggy, so what? Maybe it will be like Sampson's hair. I hope not. Count me as one who think the Pats will probably be better without Moss. They won't be as explosive but I think Brady had come to depend on Moss snatching miracles out of the air in crucial situations. Welker may be Brady's main safety blanket but I think Moss was always in his head and he was continually tempted to just "chuck" it.
Seahawks over the Bears. Because you never know what you will get with the Hawks.
Packers over the Dolphins. The Packers are one of the most undisciplined teams I've seen. They have talent all over the field and McCarthy better do something with that talent soon.
Steelers over the Browns. You know, if the unpredictable nature of this season held true to form, the Browns would go in and pull out the upset in Pittsburgh on "Ben Roethlisberger returns from Deuchebag status day".
Texans over the Chiefs. I'm actually kind of excited about this game. Two teams with some serious talent but perhaps without much of an idea of how to be mature about winning.
Chargers over my Rams. It's about that time when San Diego starts to wake up. Maybe Norv and the boys could be kind enough to wait a week.
Jets over the Broncos. The inability to score TDs this past week looked like the Jets of old. They had shocked me by opening up their offense and letting Sanchez pass the ball. He struggled a bit against the Vikings but still if you are a Jets fan you have to be encouraged by his overall play this season. Tomlinson looks like he has his legs back. If they can continue to pass the ball with any effectiveness and with that running game of LT and Greene and the usual Ryan defense they should continue to be a threat all season.
49ers over the Raiders. Just because the 49ers can't lose six in a row can they? Actually they probably can.
Redskins over the Colts. Manning has to work too much for his scores. They don't get anything easy. Despite the great record last year, the same was true then as well. Manning is great but it would help if they had a running back with some homerun speed.
Cowboys over the Vikings. Favre just looks terrible. Should have quit after last year's amazing run. But then timing and self awareness were never great strengths of his were they?
Titans over the Jags. When Vince Young is good the Titans just look unstoppable. He's still inconsistent but having Chris Johnson is helpful. I'd like to see the Jags Maurice Drew churn up some yards. That little bowling ball is fun to watch. Still, he needs help and I think this guy is right: http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2010/10/14/1748870/is-jacksonville-back-to-running-back-by-committee?ref=yahoo
Last Week: 4-10
Overall: 36-39
Meanwhile in New Jersey, the Giants are playing better after a rough start and their defense looks awesome again. If they play at all up to their potential they should beat the Lions by at least 10 pts.
Saints over the Bucs. The Saints are surprisingly disappointing without Reggie Bush in their offense. Still, we are only 5 weeks in and there is no reason to panic if you root for New Orleans. Which I do. I don't think Drew Brees is going to go all Carson Palmer on us anytime soon.
Eagles over the Falcons.
Patriots over the Ravens. What's the big deal with Tom Brady's hair? So it's a bit shaggy, so what? Maybe it will be like Sampson's hair. I hope not. Count me as one who think the Pats will probably be better without Moss. They won't be as explosive but I think Brady had come to depend on Moss snatching miracles out of the air in crucial situations. Welker may be Brady's main safety blanket but I think Moss was always in his head and he was continually tempted to just "chuck" it.
Seahawks over the Bears. Because you never know what you will get with the Hawks.
Packers over the Dolphins. The Packers are one of the most undisciplined teams I've seen. They have talent all over the field and McCarthy better do something with that talent soon.
Steelers over the Browns. You know, if the unpredictable nature of this season held true to form, the Browns would go in and pull out the upset in Pittsburgh on "Ben Roethlisberger returns from Deuchebag status day".
Texans over the Chiefs. I'm actually kind of excited about this game. Two teams with some serious talent but perhaps without much of an idea of how to be mature about winning.
Chargers over my Rams. It's about that time when San Diego starts to wake up. Maybe Norv and the boys could be kind enough to wait a week.
Jets over the Broncos. The inability to score TDs this past week looked like the Jets of old. They had shocked me by opening up their offense and letting Sanchez pass the ball. He struggled a bit against the Vikings but still if you are a Jets fan you have to be encouraged by his overall play this season. Tomlinson looks like he has his legs back. If they can continue to pass the ball with any effectiveness and with that running game of LT and Greene and the usual Ryan defense they should continue to be a threat all season.
49ers over the Raiders. Just because the 49ers can't lose six in a row can they? Actually they probably can.
Redskins over the Colts. Manning has to work too much for his scores. They don't get anything easy. Despite the great record last year, the same was true then as well. Manning is great but it would help if they had a running back with some homerun speed.
Cowboys over the Vikings. Favre just looks terrible. Should have quit after last year's amazing run. But then timing and self awareness were never great strengths of his were they?
Titans over the Jags. When Vince Young is good the Titans just look unstoppable. He's still inconsistent but having Chris Johnson is helpful. I'd like to see the Jags Maurice Drew churn up some yards. That little bowling ball is fun to watch. Still, he needs help and I think this guy is right: http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2010/10/14/1748870/is-jacksonville-back-to-running-back-by-committee?ref=yahoo
Last Week: 4-10
Overall: 36-39
Thursday, October 07, 2010
NFL Picks: Week 5
Jets over the Vikings --There are a lot of things to dislike about Brett Favre over the last few years. One thing that seemed cool about him though was the fact that he seemed to have a great family and he seemed (after a few rough years in the beginning of his career) to be a pretty decent husband and father. Apparently Favre is an even bigger deuchebag than we knew. As you probably know Deadspin has pretty decent evidence that Favre was trying to hook ex-FSU cowgirl Jen Sterger while she was working for the Jets and he was a Jet. How in this day and age can pro athletes ever leave messages or send pics that could seriously embarrass them? Notice I didn't say how could they screw around on their family? I'm coming to the realization that for enabled, pampered and egotistic athletes it's really not a question of if but when they will cheat on their loved ones. Really Brett?-- sending pics of your manparts over a phone to a chick half your age? Can a dude really destroy his legacy any more thoroughly than Favre has done in the past 3 years? Have to go with the Jets this weekend just for the sheer douchiness of Favre.
Colts over the Chiefs- The Chiefs are interesting this year. Why are they not giving the ball more to Jamaal Charles? He's getting less touches than Thomas Jones. I know Jones is not washed up to say the least but Charles is ripping off runs at 7 yards a clip. I mean...damn.
Broncos over the Ravens. toss up.
Panthers over the Bears. I have no idea what Collins will do for the Bears at QB. So far this season Cutler has been good and Chicago has to hope the drilling he took in Week 4 doesn't have lasting effects.
Jags over the Bills- Jags are the Jekyll and Hyde of the NFL. The Bills are more like the Barney Fife of the League.
Bengals over the Bucs- T.O. is killing it this season. This guy is going to be one of the most disliked Hall of Famers to ever don the yellow blazer. Right after Favre.
Falcons over the Browns- This is a year that Matt Ryan needs to prove he's for real.
Rams over the Lions. Hopefully not a step backwards for my Rams this week. The Lions however are due for a few breaks to fall their way.
Texans over the Giants --That was a flat out mauling the G-Men Defense gave the Bears. Looked like the Giants of a couple of years ago. Can they do it 2 weeks in a row against a much better offense? I'm going with with Shaub and Foster this week.
Packers over the Redskins --Why have I not jumped on the Aaron Rodgers bandwagon sooner? He seems like a genuinely good guy. The Anti-Favre.
Saints over the Cardinals - I'd love to see new AZ starter Max Hall do great this week. But you just know the Saints are going to throw the kitchen sink at him. Hope he knows how to duck.
Cowboys over the Titans-- I like the Cowboys at home this week. Well.....the word "like" might be a bit strong. I think they'll win. How's that?
Chargers over the Raiders. I wonder what Bolt's WR Vincent Jackson is thinking right about now. Is he wishing he would have taken the initial offer the Chargers offered him? If the players get locked out next year then he's going sitting a long time between snaps.
49ers over the Eagles--Not really a good reason for this pick. The Eagles are far more interesting if Vick is playing. I like Kolb though and in fact I like Alex Smith at QB too. I hope both of these guys can get their crap together and start earning their keep.
Last week:9-4
Overall: 32-29
Colts over the Chiefs- The Chiefs are interesting this year. Why are they not giving the ball more to Jamaal Charles? He's getting less touches than Thomas Jones. I know Jones is not washed up to say the least but Charles is ripping off runs at 7 yards a clip. I mean...damn.
Broncos over the Ravens. toss up.
Panthers over the Bears. I have no idea what Collins will do for the Bears at QB. So far this season Cutler has been good and Chicago has to hope the drilling he took in Week 4 doesn't have lasting effects.
Jags over the Bills- Jags are the Jekyll and Hyde of the NFL. The Bills are more like the Barney Fife of the League.
Bengals over the Bucs- T.O. is killing it this season. This guy is going to be one of the most disliked Hall of Famers to ever don the yellow blazer. Right after Favre.
Falcons over the Browns- This is a year that Matt Ryan needs to prove he's for real.
Rams over the Lions. Hopefully not a step backwards for my Rams this week. The Lions however are due for a few breaks to fall their way.
Texans over the Giants --That was a flat out mauling the G-Men Defense gave the Bears. Looked like the Giants of a couple of years ago. Can they do it 2 weeks in a row against a much better offense? I'm going with with Shaub and Foster this week.
Packers over the Redskins --Why have I not jumped on the Aaron Rodgers bandwagon sooner? He seems like a genuinely good guy. The Anti-Favre.
Saints over the Cardinals - I'd love to see new AZ starter Max Hall do great this week. But you just know the Saints are going to throw the kitchen sink at him. Hope he knows how to duck.
Cowboys over the Titans-- I like the Cowboys at home this week. Well.....the word "like" might be a bit strong. I think they'll win. How's that?
Chargers over the Raiders. I wonder what Bolt's WR Vincent Jackson is thinking right about now. Is he wishing he would have taken the initial offer the Chargers offered him? If the players get locked out next year then he's going sitting a long time between snaps.
49ers over the Eagles--Not really a good reason for this pick. The Eagles are far more interesting if Vick is playing. I like Kolb though and in fact I like Alex Smith at QB too. I hope both of these guys can get their crap together and start earning their keep.
Last week:9-4
Overall: 32-29
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
NBA: it's fantastic......Except when it's not. Which is most of the time.
Just a quick thought on the upcoming B-Ball season.
First being a Utah Jazz fan I can say to all Bulls fans: welcome to the Injured World of Carlos Boozer. Good luck with him. You are going to get frustrated with how much time he will spend on the bench in street clothes. I'm hoping Utah's new big man Al Jefferson can replicate some of Boozer's offensive play while avoiding the injury bug.
Second. Count me as a Heat hater. I used to root for Dwyane Wade but Mr. James has ruined that. I've already vented about Lebron and the "Decision" and I'm among the many who find the narcissistic superstar a bit of weenie. Still I'm not one who think the Heat will have a rough go of it this season. Lebron consistently won big with a bunch of nobodys in Cleveland. Now people are saying, well besides Bosh, Wade, Miller, and Haslem he has a bunch of nobodys so that's going to hurt the Heat. Huh? He won 60 games by himself and now he has 2 superstars with him plus a couple of other really nice role players. Depth might hurt them in the Conference finals or the Finals if they make it there but they are going to destroy people in the regular season. It's going to be fairly depressing. Additionally, with Shaq going to the Celtics now there really is nobody for me to root for east of the Mississippi. I guess Orlando is somewhat likable with Dwight Howard but my hopes will center in the West. The nightmare scenario for me will be the Lakers vs. the Heat in the finals. I might have to light my hair on fire at that point.
First being a Utah Jazz fan I can say to all Bulls fans: welcome to the Injured World of Carlos Boozer. Good luck with him. You are going to get frustrated with how much time he will spend on the bench in street clothes. I'm hoping Utah's new big man Al Jefferson can replicate some of Boozer's offensive play while avoiding the injury bug.
Second. Count me as a Heat hater. I used to root for Dwyane Wade but Mr. James has ruined that. I've already vented about Lebron and the "Decision" and I'm among the many who find the narcissistic superstar a bit of weenie. Still I'm not one who think the Heat will have a rough go of it this season. Lebron consistently won big with a bunch of nobodys in Cleveland. Now people are saying, well besides Bosh, Wade, Miller, and Haslem he has a bunch of nobodys so that's going to hurt the Heat. Huh? He won 60 games by himself and now he has 2 superstars with him plus a couple of other really nice role players. Depth might hurt them in the Conference finals or the Finals if they make it there but they are going to destroy people in the regular season. It's going to be fairly depressing. Additionally, with Shaq going to the Celtics now there really is nobody for me to root for east of the Mississippi. I guess Orlando is somewhat likable with Dwight Howard but my hopes will center in the West. The nightmare scenario for me will be the Lakers vs. the Heat in the finals. I might have to light my hair on fire at that point.
Sunday, October 03, 2010
NFL: Week 4 Picks
Rams over the Seahawks. What can I say? I'm a Ram fan. I want to drink this kool-aid. I need to drink this kool-aid.
Jets over the Bills. This could easily be a trap game for NY. Humility is hard for these guys. Some swagger is good but overconfidence in this league can sometimes bite you.
Ravens over the Steelers. This week the Steelers come back to earth. They really will need Roethlisberger.
Saints over the Panthers. Saints should have won that game last week. An extra point field goal miss was not the only reason they lost but it's the main reason.
Titans over the Broncos. Kyle Orton. 2nd in the league in passing yards. Knowing that McDaniels will want to pass that doesn't come as a major surprise. But Orton's 97 QB rating does make me raise my eyebrows. Titans at home today so I'm saying Young and Johnson keep the Broncos at bay.
Packers over the Lions. If the Packers can eliminate some mistakes this shouldn't be close. It's weird but to me it seems that last year was filled with mistakes for the offense as well. Very good offense but at critical times they would do something stupid. If they keep it up it will bite them in the fanny come playoff time.
Bengals over the Browns. The battle for Ohio. Yay.
Falcons over the 49ers. San Fran goes into crisis mode after today. Alex Smith should be better than he is. Another offense coordinator goes down in flames and the constant turnover in coaches hasn't helped him any but at some point talent should take over. He has flashes but nothing sustained. I rooted for him in college at Utah but if I was a 49er fan I would be tearing my hair out with the inconsistency.
Texans over the Raiders. The improvement of McFadden has to be encouraging for Oakland. I'm guessing thought that the Texans rebound today.
Colts over the Jags. Jacksonville always plays Indy tough. Could be an upset today. I'll stick with Manning and hope that BYU guy Austin Collie has another big day.
Chargers over the Cardinals. This shouldn't be much of a game should it? Ken Whisenhunt though is a decent coach and has the Cardinals doing something they haven't done under other head coaches. Playing hard.
Eagles over the Redskins. Maybe McNabb will come in and get ultimate revenge on the team that jettisoned him. Maybe Vick will continue to play well. Probably won't be both today though.
Giants over the Bears. Upset special for tonight. I keep picking against the Bears and they keep surprising. Maybe they're just good.
Pats over the Dolphins. Dolphins look pretty good this year. The Pats defense is suspect but they have Brady, Moss, Welker, etc. and that should be enough.
Last week 6-10 (double ouch!)
Overall: 23-25 (triple ouch!)
Jets over the Bills. This could easily be a trap game for NY. Humility is hard for these guys. Some swagger is good but overconfidence in this league can sometimes bite you.
Ravens over the Steelers. This week the Steelers come back to earth. They really will need Roethlisberger.
Saints over the Panthers. Saints should have won that game last week. An extra point field goal miss was not the only reason they lost but it's the main reason.
Titans over the Broncos. Kyle Orton. 2nd in the league in passing yards. Knowing that McDaniels will want to pass that doesn't come as a major surprise. But Orton's 97 QB rating does make me raise my eyebrows. Titans at home today so I'm saying Young and Johnson keep the Broncos at bay.
Packers over the Lions. If the Packers can eliminate some mistakes this shouldn't be close. It's weird but to me it seems that last year was filled with mistakes for the offense as well. Very good offense but at critical times they would do something stupid. If they keep it up it will bite them in the fanny come playoff time.
Bengals over the Browns. The battle for Ohio. Yay.
Falcons over the 49ers. San Fran goes into crisis mode after today. Alex Smith should be better than he is. Another offense coordinator goes down in flames and the constant turnover in coaches hasn't helped him any but at some point talent should take over. He has flashes but nothing sustained. I rooted for him in college at Utah but if I was a 49er fan I would be tearing my hair out with the inconsistency.
Texans over the Raiders. The improvement of McFadden has to be encouraging for Oakland. I'm guessing thought that the Texans rebound today.
Colts over the Jags. Jacksonville always plays Indy tough. Could be an upset today. I'll stick with Manning and hope that BYU guy Austin Collie has another big day.
Chargers over the Cardinals. This shouldn't be much of a game should it? Ken Whisenhunt though is a decent coach and has the Cardinals doing something they haven't done under other head coaches. Playing hard.
Eagles over the Redskins. Maybe McNabb will come in and get ultimate revenge on the team that jettisoned him. Maybe Vick will continue to play well. Probably won't be both today though.
Giants over the Bears. Upset special for tonight. I keep picking against the Bears and they keep surprising. Maybe they're just good.
Pats over the Dolphins. Dolphins look pretty good this year. The Pats defense is suspect but they have Brady, Moss, Welker, etc. and that should be enough.
Last week 6-10 (double ouch!)
Overall: 23-25 (triple ouch!)
Friday, September 24, 2010
NFL Picks 2010: Week 3 Picks
Week 3 Picks:
Rams over the Redskins. I want to believe. I'm picking my Rams again. Come on Sam. We need to start a "Sam I am" chant. Didn't he ever read Dr. Seuss? Every young QB should have a copy of "Oh the Places You'll Go"
Pats over the Bills. I thought last week wouldn't be much of a game for New England and I was wrong. Still, the Pats don't lose 2 in a row very often and the Bills have always been a nice remedy when the Brady and Belichik need a doormat. Go ahead and wipe your feet boys, the Bills are used to it.
Ravens over the Browns. Joe Flacco really sucked last week. Keep this up Joe and Ray Lewis may have a meltdown and do his Raven dance on your head. Speaking of which, when does Ray just lose it and end up one morning at 3 am, stark naked standing on the flag at 50 yard line of the stadium yelling, "where's my Payton Manning? Where's my Drew Brees?"
Giants over the Titans. Both looked pathetic last week. It's amazing isn't it?.....when the Giants are winning, Tom Coughlin's manic control issues are seen as keeping the team in line and giving them needed structure, but when they are losing, guys start jumping off his ship like it's the Titanic going down. Super authoritarian types don't go over well in NY when the going gets rough. But one thing's for sure, Coughlin's right about Brandon Jacobs. Just start running hard and straight dude. Your too big to be dancing around back their like Tinkerbell. Man up and drop the drama.
Saints over the Falcons. Brees and co. are tough to beat at home.
Bucs over the Steelers. Even with Charlie Batch running things for Pittsburgh, a Tampa win would be an upset. If it happens Bucs mania goes into full gear..... and that would be awesome. Awesome because it would be totally overblown and in my view not at all indicative of where these teams will be heading by mid-season. It's fun to get worked up over things that don't matter. That's why fantasy football exists.
Bengals over the Panthers. Jimmy Clausen was so-so at Notre Dame and I have trouble seeing him be successful in the the NFL in his rookie season. It's amazing to me that Carolina Coach John Fox left Jake Delhomme in as a starter year after mediocre year...... and then Matt Moore is yanked after 2 starts. Did he watch Jake's performance at all last year? It took a truly vomit-induced year by their QB to get the Panthers out of the Delhomme business. I realize Matt Moore didn't have the relationship and history with Fox that Delhomme had but wow.... Fox, as a coach, seems done in Carolina. If not in body, at least in spirit.
---speaking of mediocre QBs, the Bengal's Palmer who I once thought was going to join
Brady and Manning in elite QB status, has never been the same since getting his knee wrecked in the playoffs against the Steelers a few years back. Too bad.
Vikings over the Lions. Favre, Favre, Favre. This week I want to see Adrian Peterson run wild. I'd also like to get a look at this Jahvid Best kid from Detroit.
49ers over the Chiefs. I need to see more of the Chiefs before I get all hot and bothered by them. The 49ers need to play mistake free for more than a quarter and maybe this week they will.
Cowboys over the Texans. I know, I know. This is crazy. The Cowboys look overrated and the Texans look great. This seems like the perfect time for the Texans to kick big brother in the nuts. Doesn't always work out like you'd dream though. Not that I've had a dream about kicking my big brother in the nuts or anything. However, I have had a couple of thoughts about what it would be like to put a boot into the "nether regions" of Jerry Jones a couple of times......but I mean hey..who hasn't?
Jags over the Eagles. I love to watch Vick. He's just fun. He's also scary as hell if you are an Eagles fan. Watching him in the pocket he's just a flick of defensive paw away from getting stripped (he still holds that pigskin to carelessly). But he's got an incredibly strong arm and he has played well enough to be a starter this week. Considering how many QBs have stunk so far you don't just take good QB play lightly. I hope Kolb's ego can take the hit because he'll probably be needed this season. The Jag's Garrard is occasionally good and maybe this week he and his running game will show up. Or not. They are at home so this week, so I'm thinking they might.
Cardinals over the Raiders. Gradkowski would be the smart answer right now for the Raiders at QB....unless they think Campbell is a long term answer eventually. Then you let him play. The Raiders aren't a playoff team so why not test him out for a year? If he still sucks then he's had plenty of time to prove himself in Washington and Oakland. I think Campbell, like many of the starting QBs in the league is more suited (skillwise) to a backup role (as is Gradkowski). Speaking of backups, Derek Anderson needs to start showing something soon or he's headed back to the bench soon.
Chargers over the Seahawks. So if Lane Kiffin has 2 or 3 years that are average at USC and likewise, Peter Carroll also has some rough years in Seattle, .....does Carroll end up back at USC again? He rides out the sanctions and then comes back on his noble steed? Or is Pat Hayden (new AD at USC) not a Carroll fan? Just wondering. Anyway, the Chargers are a better team than the Hawks so they should beat them. Like that matters sometimes in the NFL. By the way, I loved the "Lord of No Rings" shot that Vincent Jackson's agent threw out there about Chargers G.M, A.J. Smith. Smith is a putz and I'll always side with the players against him. He ran Drew Brees out of town. Damn you A.J. Smith. I liked Drew Brees in the lightning bolt.
Dolphins over the Jets. I will say that if the Jets have the guts to throw on 1st and 2nd downs again this may turn into a victory. I have no idea how good the Dolphins are. Likewise what do we know about the Jets? We know they like to talk, they have a coach that likes his snacks, and they have a corner and a wide receiver with drama issues. I know they impressed me and surprised the hell out of me with the victory against the Patriots. Ryan needs to realize that the Ravens are not something he wants to model in NY. All defense and no offense equals 9-7 and 10-6 seasons and out in the first round or missing the playoffs altogether. You can't be a grinding team in the NFL and win on a consistent basis. It's set up for offense and he needs to let the training wheels come off Sanchez again even if Sanchez take a few lumps and interceptions along the way. If Sanchez isn't the guy then so be it. At least you find out.
Colts over the Broncos. I'm tempted to say the Broncos take this one. The Colts looked good against the Giants so I'll pick Manning again.
Packers over the Bears. This should be interesting. A good offense against an offense that we thought would be good last year....but might be good this year instead. Rodgers is a really good guy and Cutler's a really big dick. Hmmm...who to root for.? Mike Martz is working for the Bears so that clinches it. I wonder if I can make a cheesehead out of paper-mache in time for tomorrow's game.
Last Week: 9-7
Overall: 17-15
Rams over the Redskins. I want to believe. I'm picking my Rams again. Come on Sam. We need to start a "Sam I am" chant. Didn't he ever read Dr. Seuss? Every young QB should have a copy of "Oh the Places You'll Go"
Pats over the Bills. I thought last week wouldn't be much of a game for New England and I was wrong. Still, the Pats don't lose 2 in a row very often and the Bills have always been a nice remedy when the Brady and Belichik need a doormat. Go ahead and wipe your feet boys, the Bills are used to it.
Ravens over the Browns. Joe Flacco really sucked last week. Keep this up Joe and Ray Lewis may have a meltdown and do his Raven dance on your head. Speaking of which, when does Ray just lose it and end up one morning at 3 am, stark naked standing on the flag at 50 yard line of the stadium yelling, "where's my Payton Manning? Where's my Drew Brees?"
Giants over the Titans. Both looked pathetic last week. It's amazing isn't it?.....when the Giants are winning, Tom Coughlin's manic control issues are seen as keeping the team in line and giving them needed structure, but when they are losing, guys start jumping off his ship like it's the Titanic going down. Super authoritarian types don't go over well in NY when the going gets rough. But one thing's for sure, Coughlin's right about Brandon Jacobs. Just start running hard and straight dude. Your too big to be dancing around back their like Tinkerbell. Man up and drop the drama.
Saints over the Falcons. Brees and co. are tough to beat at home.
Bucs over the Steelers. Even with Charlie Batch running things for Pittsburgh, a Tampa win would be an upset. If it happens Bucs mania goes into full gear..... and that would be awesome. Awesome because it would be totally overblown and in my view not at all indicative of where these teams will be heading by mid-season. It's fun to get worked up over things that don't matter. That's why fantasy football exists.
Bengals over the Panthers. Jimmy Clausen was so-so at Notre Dame and I have trouble seeing him be successful in the the NFL in his rookie season. It's amazing to me that Carolina Coach John Fox left Jake Delhomme in as a starter year after mediocre year...... and then Matt Moore is yanked after 2 starts. Did he watch Jake's performance at all last year? It took a truly vomit-induced year by their QB to get the Panthers out of the Delhomme business. I realize Matt Moore didn't have the relationship and history with Fox that Delhomme had but wow.... Fox, as a coach, seems done in Carolina. If not in body, at least in spirit.
---speaking of mediocre QBs, the Bengal's Palmer who I once thought was going to join
Brady and Manning in elite QB status, has never been the same since getting his knee wrecked in the playoffs against the Steelers a few years back. Too bad.
Vikings over the Lions. Favre, Favre, Favre. This week I want to see Adrian Peterson run wild. I'd also like to get a look at this Jahvid Best kid from Detroit.
49ers over the Chiefs. I need to see more of the Chiefs before I get all hot and bothered by them. The 49ers need to play mistake free for more than a quarter and maybe this week they will.
Cowboys over the Texans. I know, I know. This is crazy. The Cowboys look overrated and the Texans look great. This seems like the perfect time for the Texans to kick big brother in the nuts. Doesn't always work out like you'd dream though. Not that I've had a dream about kicking my big brother in the nuts or anything. However, I have had a couple of thoughts about what it would be like to put a boot into the "nether regions" of Jerry Jones a couple of times......but I mean hey..who hasn't?
Jags over the Eagles. I love to watch Vick. He's just fun. He's also scary as hell if you are an Eagles fan. Watching him in the pocket he's just a flick of defensive paw away from getting stripped (he still holds that pigskin to carelessly). But he's got an incredibly strong arm and he has played well enough to be a starter this week. Considering how many QBs have stunk so far you don't just take good QB play lightly. I hope Kolb's ego can take the hit because he'll probably be needed this season. The Jag's Garrard is occasionally good and maybe this week he and his running game will show up. Or not. They are at home so this week, so I'm thinking they might.
Cardinals over the Raiders. Gradkowski would be the smart answer right now for the Raiders at QB....unless they think Campbell is a long term answer eventually. Then you let him play. The Raiders aren't a playoff team so why not test him out for a year? If he still sucks then he's had plenty of time to prove himself in Washington and Oakland. I think Campbell, like many of the starting QBs in the league is more suited (skillwise) to a backup role (as is Gradkowski). Speaking of backups, Derek Anderson needs to start showing something soon or he's headed back to the bench soon.
Chargers over the Seahawks. So if Lane Kiffin has 2 or 3 years that are average at USC and likewise, Peter Carroll also has some rough years in Seattle, .....does Carroll end up back at USC again? He rides out the sanctions and then comes back on his noble steed? Or is Pat Hayden (new AD at USC) not a Carroll fan? Just wondering. Anyway, the Chargers are a better team than the Hawks so they should beat them. Like that matters sometimes in the NFL. By the way, I loved the "Lord of No Rings" shot that Vincent Jackson's agent threw out there about Chargers G.M, A.J. Smith. Smith is a putz and I'll always side with the players against him. He ran Drew Brees out of town. Damn you A.J. Smith. I liked Drew Brees in the lightning bolt.
Dolphins over the Jets. I will say that if the Jets have the guts to throw on 1st and 2nd downs again this may turn into a victory. I have no idea how good the Dolphins are. Likewise what do we know about the Jets? We know they like to talk, they have a coach that likes his snacks, and they have a corner and a wide receiver with drama issues. I know they impressed me and surprised the hell out of me with the victory against the Patriots. Ryan needs to realize that the Ravens are not something he wants to model in NY. All defense and no offense equals 9-7 and 10-6 seasons and out in the first round or missing the playoffs altogether. You can't be a grinding team in the NFL and win on a consistent basis. It's set up for offense and he needs to let the training wheels come off Sanchez again even if Sanchez take a few lumps and interceptions along the way. If Sanchez isn't the guy then so be it. At least you find out.
Colts over the Broncos. I'm tempted to say the Broncos take this one. The Colts looked good against the Giants so I'll pick Manning again.
Packers over the Bears. This should be interesting. A good offense against an offense that we thought would be good last year....but might be good this year instead. Rodgers is a really good guy and Cutler's a really big dick. Hmmm...who to root for.? Mike Martz is working for the Bears so that clinches it. I wonder if I can make a cheesehead out of paper-mache in time for tomorrow's game.
Last Week: 9-7
Overall: 17-15
Thursday, September 16, 2010
NFL Week 2 Picks
Why would you ever bet on NFL games? To me the risk is so much greater than any possible reward. The way the NFL plays out every year, is to use a gambling term, "a crap shoot".
Still maybe that's why even if you don't gamble it's fun to try and predict what might happen in an uncertain landscape.
Week 2 picks
Colts over the Giants. It's not even close who is the better QB out of the Manning Brothers. Eli is never going to be an elite QB. But he can be a pretty good one at times and I have to think he wants a victory bad. He wants this one like Lindsay Lohan wants a shot of whiskey. I'm guessing NY will send everyone and the kitchen sink at Payton. Last week I thought maybe the Colts might get clipped by the Texans but I wasn't willing to go all in on it. This week they are at home and although I think the Colts have some issues to iron out I'm picking them by a field goal. Question though: Who does the better Manning face, Payton, Eli, or Archie? I'm going with Dad. Last time the two brothers played Archie looked like he needed to take a poop for 3 hours.
Pats over the Jets. Shouldn't be close. The Jets D probably is/will be good this year, but Brady is all the way back and he has his weapons. I think the Pats are going to the Super Bowl this year and I might need to stick my head in an oven when that happens.
Ravens over the Bengals. .....just because I'm giddy over the possibility of Owens and Ochodoofus arguing on the sidelines with each other, Palmer, or anyone for that matter.
Cowboys over the Bears. If the Cowboys lose this game at home and go 0-2 to start, we may as well call in the Apocalypse. Or at least that will be the sentiment in Dallas. I trust Romo over Cutler. However, both sort of scare their fanbases every time they let the pigskin fly.
Eagles over the Lions. I love to watch Michael Vick when he is elusive in the pocket, runs a lot, and is hitting his receivers. Trouble is, even if he plays much this year and were to get back to anything like his form before jail, he had major flaws as a passer in terms of accuracy and touch (which are still there) and I think that dooms him from ultimate success. If Kolb is accurate and can move the offense then I think this he is a no-brainer starter for this season. And even if he isn't great this year don't you need to give him a year to work out the kinks? You just jettisoned a pretty good QB in McNabb for this guy.
Falcons over the Cardinals. Matt Ryan has to be one of the most disappointing players to me last year. He didn't do anything to change that opinion in the first game. Isn't this guy supposed to be getting better instead of regressing? It's early though. Still a whole season to go and he can prove us doubters wrong. On the other side here, I think Derek Anderson may do better this year than he did for the Browns but the Cardinals almost lost the game against the Rams and probably should have lost it. Being a BYU fan, I'm actually rooting for backup QB and ex-BYU Cougar Max Hall to get a shot.
Packers over the Bills. I think this should be a blowout. The Bill's C.J. Spiller will hopefully see a few open holes this week. There weren't any last week that's for sure.
Titans over the Steelers. I'm really starting to dislike Vince Young and Chris Johnson. Johnson especially bugs me. He's fast and a great runner but I find myself rooting against him. Not sure why other than I'm not a big fan of extreme arrogance. I think right now he's on top and he knows it and he's going to make sure everyone else knows it. He deserves a lot of accolades but he's too over the top for my tastes in terms of what he says and how he carries himself. As for Young, the dude says he wanted Bush's tainted Heisman. That's messed up. He's long believed he should have won it. Watch the replay of the announcement at the original presentation. He's visibly upset that he didn't get it. Not that that is a big deal necessarily but I just get a sense of entitlement this guy has had since he got into the league and once again I'm bugged by it. I'm so cliche with my desire for humility from insanely gifted athletes who are worshipped by the masses. I realize the the hypocrisy: we tell these guys how great they are and then we want them to go into "aw shucks" mode. It's not totally unrealistic though. Look at Drew Brees, Kevin Durrant, Rafeal Nadal, etc. It can be done.
Chiefs over the Browns. Memo to Coach Haley of the Chiefs: Get the ball to Jamaal Charles. And often.
Panthers over the Bucs. Don't care about the game. Don't care about either team. I am slightly interested to see which ex-backup QB plays better though.
Vikings over the Dolphins. If the Vikes are smart, they'll dial down the passing game and see if they can win a game on the ground. Favre needs the rest.
Rams over the Raiders. I'm hopeful here. I really like Bradford and I wish he had receivers like Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce (in their primes) to throw to. I don't know what the identity of this team is. Jackson is a great back and they should probably ride him a lot but at the same time that arm of Bradford sure looks fun to test out.
Texans over the Redskins. I may hate myself tonight for drinking the kool-aid (...wait shouldn't it be gatorade in the NFL?) on these guys but Houston looked pretty good against Indy.
Broncos over the Seahawks. This seems like a toss-up but the Broncos are at home. Is that the only reason I picked them? Yep. At least for this week.
Chargers over the Jags. Slow starting San Diego needs to step it up this week and I have hardly ever seen David Garrard have 2 good games in a row.
Saints over the 49ers. Who dat? You guys are the Saints. Why are you always asking that? It's getting annoying.
Last Week 8-8. Ouch.
Still maybe that's why even if you don't gamble it's fun to try and predict what might happen in an uncertain landscape.
Week 2 picks
Colts over the Giants. It's not even close who is the better QB out of the Manning Brothers. Eli is never going to be an elite QB. But he can be a pretty good one at times and I have to think he wants a victory bad. He wants this one like Lindsay Lohan wants a shot of whiskey. I'm guessing NY will send everyone and the kitchen sink at Payton. Last week I thought maybe the Colts might get clipped by the Texans but I wasn't willing to go all in on it. This week they are at home and although I think the Colts have some issues to iron out I'm picking them by a field goal. Question though: Who does the better Manning face, Payton, Eli, or Archie? I'm going with Dad. Last time the two brothers played Archie looked like he needed to take a poop for 3 hours.
Pats over the Jets. Shouldn't be close. The Jets D probably is/will be good this year, but Brady is all the way back and he has his weapons. I think the Pats are going to the Super Bowl this year and I might need to stick my head in an oven when that happens.
Ravens over the Bengals. .....just because I'm giddy over the possibility of Owens and Ochodoofus arguing on the sidelines with each other, Palmer, or anyone for that matter.
Cowboys over the Bears. If the Cowboys lose this game at home and go 0-2 to start, we may as well call in the Apocalypse. Or at least that will be the sentiment in Dallas. I trust Romo over Cutler. However, both sort of scare their fanbases every time they let the pigskin fly.
Eagles over the Lions. I love to watch Michael Vick when he is elusive in the pocket, runs a lot, and is hitting his receivers. Trouble is, even if he plays much this year and were to get back to anything like his form before jail, he had major flaws as a passer in terms of accuracy and touch (which are still there) and I think that dooms him from ultimate success. If Kolb is accurate and can move the offense then I think this he is a no-brainer starter for this season. And even if he isn't great this year don't you need to give him a year to work out the kinks? You just jettisoned a pretty good QB in McNabb for this guy.
Falcons over the Cardinals. Matt Ryan has to be one of the most disappointing players to me last year. He didn't do anything to change that opinion in the first game. Isn't this guy supposed to be getting better instead of regressing? It's early though. Still a whole season to go and he can prove us doubters wrong. On the other side here, I think Derek Anderson may do better this year than he did for the Browns but the Cardinals almost lost the game against the Rams and probably should have lost it. Being a BYU fan, I'm actually rooting for backup QB and ex-BYU Cougar Max Hall to get a shot.
Packers over the Bills. I think this should be a blowout. The Bill's C.J. Spiller will hopefully see a few open holes this week. There weren't any last week that's for sure.
Titans over the Steelers. I'm really starting to dislike Vince Young and Chris Johnson. Johnson especially bugs me. He's fast and a great runner but I find myself rooting against him. Not sure why other than I'm not a big fan of extreme arrogance. I think right now he's on top and he knows it and he's going to make sure everyone else knows it. He deserves a lot of accolades but he's too over the top for my tastes in terms of what he says and how he carries himself. As for Young, the dude says he wanted Bush's tainted Heisman. That's messed up. He's long believed he should have won it. Watch the replay of the announcement at the original presentation. He's visibly upset that he didn't get it. Not that that is a big deal necessarily but I just get a sense of entitlement this guy has had since he got into the league and once again I'm bugged by it. I'm so cliche with my desire for humility from insanely gifted athletes who are worshipped by the masses. I realize the the hypocrisy: we tell these guys how great they are and then we want them to go into "aw shucks" mode. It's not totally unrealistic though. Look at Drew Brees, Kevin Durrant, Rafeal Nadal, etc. It can be done.
Chiefs over the Browns. Memo to Coach Haley of the Chiefs: Get the ball to Jamaal Charles. And often.
Panthers over the Bucs. Don't care about the game. Don't care about either team. I am slightly interested to see which ex-backup QB plays better though.
Vikings over the Dolphins. If the Vikes are smart, they'll dial down the passing game and see if they can win a game on the ground. Favre needs the rest.
Rams over the Raiders. I'm hopeful here. I really like Bradford and I wish he had receivers like Tory Holt and Isaac Bruce (in their primes) to throw to. I don't know what the identity of this team is. Jackson is a great back and they should probably ride him a lot but at the same time that arm of Bradford sure looks fun to test out.
Texans over the Redskins. I may hate myself tonight for drinking the kool-aid (...wait shouldn't it be gatorade in the NFL?) on these guys but Houston looked pretty good against Indy.
Broncos over the Seahawks. This seems like a toss-up but the Broncos are at home. Is that the only reason I picked them? Yep. At least for this week.
Chargers over the Jags. Slow starting San Diego needs to step it up this week and I have hardly ever seen David Garrard have 2 good games in a row.
Saints over the 49ers. Who dat? You guys are the Saints. Why are you always asking that? It's getting annoying.
Last Week 8-8. Ouch.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
NFL Picks: Week 1
Saints over the Vikes. Yes I know it's already been played. Still, Favre returning to New Orleans where he got trashed last year was a no-brainer, even if it was closer than I thought it would be.
Browns over the Bucs. Would this be an upset? Delhomme was so bad last year that yes, yes it would.
Pats over the Bengals. The Bengals may replicate some of the success they had last year but this game is in N.E. and the Bengals attempt to take out Brady in a pre-game car wreck didn't work. I smell a big year for him.
Lions over the Bears. This pick is made with the heart and perhaps not the head. I like the Lions. Not so much on the Bears. Is it possible to like Cutler? When I see him I want to reach into the t.v. and punch him in the face.
Dolphins over the Bills. Isn't it weird that we think of Ricky Williams as a model player now? Will they lean on the former pothead again like they have the past couple of years? I'm not sure but I hope so. I like watching him run. I'm also a little geeked to see C.J. Spiller run for the Bills this year. I thought he should have come out after his junior year.
Falcons over the Steelers. Just can't trust the Steelers yet until we see how Dixon plays.
Jags over the Broncos. Equally frustrating in terms of trying to figure these guys out. This game is a crapshoot too.
Colts over the Texans. I smell an upset here but I can't pull the trigger on it.
Giants over the Panthers. The battle of Steve Smiths. How many Steve Smiths are there around the nation? A couple of hundred thousand? I might start using a flashy middle name if I were one of these guys. Steve Shazam Smith. Now that would get chicks.
Titans over the Raiders. Al Davis is dead. He has to be. JaMarcus Russell is gone, they've hung onto a coach for a couple of years, plus they are talking about hope in Oakland this year. Maybe it's one of those "Weekend at Bernie's" things where they just keep Al on ice and wheel him out every so often with a ventriloquist nearby.
Rams over the Cardinals. I really want the Rams to win this game. I'm buying the Bradford hype. At least for a game. The Rams destroyed me the last few years. As a fan since the mid-90's I just couldn't watch them return to laughingstock status after having a real team from 1999-2004. I've been on leave and just waiting for them to give me a reason to watch. I hope Bradford is it.
Packers over the Eagles. I like everyone else see big things happening for the Packers this year. Rodgers looks great, the teams looks hungry and the Favre thing is so done for them. At least until they play Minnesota.
49ers over the Seahawks. No idea what the "hawks" will be like this year. We have somewhat of an idea about San Fran. Smith is shaky at QB, their defense will play hard and if they win it might be ugly.
Cowboys over the Redskins. This one will probably bite me. I mean it's not like the Redskins have the Cowboy's problem of having a QB trying to prove his worth after some letdowns in the playoffs, a crazy owner, and some dysfunctionality that follows the team. .....oh wait, never mind.
Ravens over the Jets. Do the Jets talk to much? Yes. Does Rex Ryan have a big belly?u..yes. Is Sanchez overhyped? Hell yes. Should I stop talking in questions? Debatable.
Chargers over the Chiefs. Rivers is no slouch at QB. Still, I wonder if Charger fans ever wonder if they would be better with Drew Brees. To me it's like they gave up an elite QB for a very good QB. The difference may not be huge but it could be the difference between a Super Bowl or not.
Browns over the Bucs. Would this be an upset? Delhomme was so bad last year that yes, yes it would.
Pats over the Bengals. The Bengals may replicate some of the success they had last year but this game is in N.E. and the Bengals attempt to take out Brady in a pre-game car wreck didn't work. I smell a big year for him.
Lions over the Bears. This pick is made with the heart and perhaps not the head. I like the Lions. Not so much on the Bears. Is it possible to like Cutler? When I see him I want to reach into the t.v. and punch him in the face.
Dolphins over the Bills. Isn't it weird that we think of Ricky Williams as a model player now? Will they lean on the former pothead again like they have the past couple of years? I'm not sure but I hope so. I like watching him run. I'm also a little geeked to see C.J. Spiller run for the Bills this year. I thought he should have come out after his junior year.
Falcons over the Steelers. Just can't trust the Steelers yet until we see how Dixon plays.
Jags over the Broncos. Equally frustrating in terms of trying to figure these guys out. This game is a crapshoot too.
Colts over the Texans. I smell an upset here but I can't pull the trigger on it.
Giants over the Panthers. The battle of Steve Smiths. How many Steve Smiths are there around the nation? A couple of hundred thousand? I might start using a flashy middle name if I were one of these guys. Steve Shazam Smith. Now that would get chicks.
Titans over the Raiders. Al Davis is dead. He has to be. JaMarcus Russell is gone, they've hung onto a coach for a couple of years, plus they are talking about hope in Oakland this year. Maybe it's one of those "Weekend at Bernie's" things where they just keep Al on ice and wheel him out every so often with a ventriloquist nearby.
Rams over the Cardinals. I really want the Rams to win this game. I'm buying the Bradford hype. At least for a game. The Rams destroyed me the last few years. As a fan since the mid-90's I just couldn't watch them return to laughingstock status after having a real team from 1999-2004. I've been on leave and just waiting for them to give me a reason to watch. I hope Bradford is it.
Packers over the Eagles. I like everyone else see big things happening for the Packers this year. Rodgers looks great, the teams looks hungry and the Favre thing is so done for them. At least until they play Minnesota.
49ers over the Seahawks. No idea what the "hawks" will be like this year. We have somewhat of an idea about San Fran. Smith is shaky at QB, their defense will play hard and if they win it might be ugly.
Cowboys over the Redskins. This one will probably bite me. I mean it's not like the Redskins have the Cowboy's problem of having a QB trying to prove his worth after some letdowns in the playoffs, a crazy owner, and some dysfunctionality that follows the team. .....oh wait, never mind.
Ravens over the Jets. Do the Jets talk to much? Yes. Does Rex Ryan have a big belly?u..yes. Is Sanchez overhyped? Hell yes. Should I stop talking in questions? Debatable.
Chargers over the Chiefs. Rivers is no slouch at QB. Still, I wonder if Charger fans ever wonder if they would be better with Drew Brees. To me it's like they gave up an elite QB for a very good QB. The difference may not be huge but it could be the difference between a Super Bowl or not.
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Dear Mountain West Conference: I miss you already, Sincerely a BYU/Utah guy
Oh what could have been. The Mountain West Conference has been the top Non-BCS conference in the nation over the past few years and it's top teams (Utah, TCU, BYU, Air Force) have rivaled and in some cases been flat out better than other BCS Conference top tier teams. With the addition of Boise State, can you imagine what this conference would have been like a year from now had they also been able to hang onto Utah and BYU. The Beehive State's two college flagship programs have, unfortunately for the conference, decided to take their talents to South Beach......metaphorically speaking. The Pac-10 invitation was too good to pass up for Utah and BYU's bid for independence has it's risks and negatives but will bring the program more money and exposure. More on that in a minute. Right now as a fan of the Mountain West Conference I'm just stuck in a state of grieving. This has been a
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conference gaining respect and it's sad to me that it has taken a step backward. TCU and Boise St. will dominate for years to come and I can't help but mourn the loss of the rivalry that was developing between TCU and Utah and TCU and BYU, not to mention the Boise St. rivalry that would have been obvious between the Idaho school and the 2 Utah schools as well as the one Boise has already developed with TCU. Another point to mention is the additions of Nevada and Fresno St. to the conference recently. Granted they might not/probably would not have been invited had BYU not been planning to bolt the conference, however it would be cool to think of those guys in there as well. That would have been 7 teams capable of being pretty good year in and year out. Coulda, shoulda, woulda. It would have been fun and there may have been a chance of the conference replacing the Big East in the BCS conferences. It's not to be though and I'm a bit bent about it.A couple of other points:
- BYU's football independence leaves me with mixed feelings. The Mt. West tv network deal is a joke and the conference teams were stupid to agree to it in the first place. It was never going to be a network that was viewed by very many people. BYU was one of the biggest losers of the conference tv deal as it had probably had the most tv exposure prior to the "Mountain" Network. Now they have an ESPN deal that will be a whole lot better. No conference means they'll be playing for bowl games and national respect. Not playing for a conference championship is going to mean less to play for each year. BCS bowls are not guaranteed even with a very good season. Nothing less than an undefeated season would make that a possibility and BYU hasn't done that since 1984 and their national championship. So that can't be part of the thinking in doing this. Supposedly they will try to ratchet up the level of their competition (Notre Dame has signed a deal with the Y and Texas will play them a couple of times) but that means undefeated seasons will be even tougher to accomplish. Still even though a BCS bowl hasn't been their past and probably won't be their future, I at least will enjoy the fact that I can find their games on t.v. next year.
- Utah's move to the Pac-10 makes sense. You can't turn that down as much as I hate to see them leave the Mountain West. Still, if the Utes essentially become a team that loses 3-5 games each year and become something like a middle of the road Pac-10 team I wonder if all that tv money and BCS money they'll share will be much consolation for fans that have been used to seeing them be part of the annual national BCS buster conversation. It's entirely possible they can compete regularly with the Pac-10 teams. They have done really well against them in cross-conference competition in the last 5 years. I think occasionally they can even compete for a conference championships. But the days of undefeated seasons are gone and they will be just another hungry Pac-10 team trying to take the king (USC) down.
- I feel bad for Boise St. They thought if they joined the Mountain West they would become part of an emerging elite league. They've upgraded but it could have been more. Having said that, the same point I made for Utah applies here to Boise. If they don't dominate the Mt. West like they did the WAC and there are no BCS bowl invites in the next 5 years then I would think their fans will think they should have stayed where they were.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
NFC Preseason Picks
NFC East
1. Cowboys
2. Giants
3. Redskins
4. Eagles
The talent level in Dallas is impressive. Will it be dysfunctional though? McNabb has to make the Redskins better, Kolb looks good for the Eagles and the Giants seem like they could be back as well. Any team could win this division and I would not be surprised. I'll root for the Eagles to win this division but I think the very creepy Jerry Jones will end up getting his wish with a division title for his "boys".
NFC North
1. Green Bay
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Chicago Bears
4. Detroit Lions
Aaron Rodgers is pretty damn good. I think it's his year. He was very good last year although Favre was better. As much as we all are bugged by Favre the past few years (actually make that 5 or 6 years) you have to admit he was awesome last year. That had to rankle the Green Bay folks. He has to be dead to Wisconsin, right? His indecision has killed his legacy (his annual waffling is the first thing people will think of 10 years from now and considering the career he's had that's really quite amazing). Favre is bound to have a a drop-off from last year and that to me means 2nd place for the Vikes in the division.
NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Carolina Panthers
4. Tampa Bay Bucs
It's risky picking the Saints. History has not been kind to NFC champions the year after a SuperBowl. If Brees stays healthy though they should be fine. I like the Falcons to rebound this year too though.
NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers
2.Seattle Seahawks
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. St. Louis Rams
How do you pick this division. 3 teams at least seem destined for 8-8 or 7-9 seasons. The Rams should win a couple more than last year, Seattle's an enigma, ditto for the Cardinals without Warner. I want to trust Alex Smith and the San Fran defense but I just can't. Not yet at least. Still I had to pick someone here so I'll use the stupid chic pick and go with San Fran.
Wildcards: Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings
1. Cowboys
2. Giants
3. Redskins
4. Eagles
The talent level in Dallas is impressive. Will it be dysfunctional though? McNabb has to make the Redskins better, Kolb looks good for the Eagles and the Giants seem like they could be back as well. Any team could win this division and I would not be surprised. I'll root for the Eagles to win this division but I think the very creepy Jerry Jones will end up getting his wish with a division title for his "boys".
NFC North
1. Green Bay
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Chicago Bears
4. Detroit Lions
Aaron Rodgers is pretty damn good. I think it's his year. He was very good last year although Favre was better. As much as we all are bugged by Favre the past few years (actually make that 5 or 6 years) you have to admit he was awesome last year. That had to rankle the Green Bay folks. He has to be dead to Wisconsin, right? His indecision has killed his legacy (his annual waffling is the first thing people will think of 10 years from now and considering the career he's had that's really quite amazing). Favre is bound to have a a drop-off from last year and that to me means 2nd place for the Vikes in the division.
NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Carolina Panthers
4. Tampa Bay Bucs
It's risky picking the Saints. History has not been kind to NFC champions the year after a SuperBowl. If Brees stays healthy though they should be fine. I like the Falcons to rebound this year too though.
NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers
2.Seattle Seahawks
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. St. Louis Rams
How do you pick this division. 3 teams at least seem destined for 8-8 or 7-9 seasons. The Rams should win a couple more than last year, Seattle's an enigma, ditto for the Cardinals without Warner. I want to trust Alex Smith and the San Fran defense but I just can't. Not yet at least. Still I had to pick someone here so I'll use the stupid chic pick and go with San Fran.
Wildcards: Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings
Monday, August 23, 2010
AFC Pre-season Picks
Let's be honest here, NFL pre-season picks are a complete guessing game. It's like trying to figure out who is crazier, Lindsay Lohan or Mel Gibson? It's a crapshoot. Still I'll give it a shot.
Picks
AFC EAST
1. N.E. Patriots
2. Miami Dolphins
3. N.Y. Jets
4. Buffalo Bills
Despite the hype for the Jets and the probable improvement for the Fins, I think the Pats are being underestimated (again) and they will probably dominate this division. They still have Brady and they are my pick to represent the AFC in the Superbowl. Dammit.
AFC NORTH
1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Cleveland Browns
Roethlisberger is apparently quite the douche, and with him out 4-6 games that might just make a game or two difference in the standings.
AFC SOUTH
1. Ind. Colts
2. Jacksonville Jags
3. Tenn. Titans
4. Houston Texans
It's pretty tough to go against the Colts here. Unless Manning gets hurt this seems like a no-brainer.
AFC WEST
1. S.D. Chargers
2. K.C. Chiefs
3. Denver Broncos
4. Oakland Raiders
This is a quarterback driven league and the Chargers still have the only elite QB in this division. Rivers is a punk but he's still the guy in the West.
Wild Cards: Dolphins & Steelers
Picks
AFC EAST
1. N.E. Patriots
2. Miami Dolphins
3. N.Y. Jets
4. Buffalo Bills
Despite the hype for the Jets and the probable improvement for the Fins, I think the Pats are being underestimated (again) and they will probably dominate this division. They still have Brady and they are my pick to represent the AFC in the Superbowl. Dammit.
AFC NORTH
1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Cleveland Browns
Roethlisberger is apparently quite the douche, and with him out 4-6 games that might just make a game or two difference in the standings.
AFC SOUTH
1. Ind. Colts
2. Jacksonville Jags
3. Tenn. Titans
4. Houston Texans
It's pretty tough to go against the Colts here. Unless Manning gets hurt this seems like a no-brainer.
AFC WEST
1. S.D. Chargers
2. K.C. Chiefs
3. Denver Broncos
4. Oakland Raiders
This is a quarterback driven league and the Chargers still have the only elite QB in this division. Rivers is a punk but he's still the guy in the West.
Wild Cards: Dolphins & Steelers
Monday, July 12, 2010
Lebron, Free Agency and a Collection of Losers
One thing is for certain. The train wreck that masqueraded as the free agency scramble for Lebron James sure gave us something to laugh about.
So who doesn't come off looking like douche-bags in the whole "Lebronpalooza"?
I'm trying to see some winners here. ---Maybe it's better to start with the losers. Cavaliers? Check. Dan Gilbert? Check. Jesse Jackson? Check. James Dolan, the Knicks & Nets? Check. The Bulls? Lets come back to them, as I'm not ready to label them losers in this whole mess yet. The Heat? They got Lebron, Bosh & Wade. How can that be a losing proposition? Let's return to that topic later as well. Instead let's start with the city of Cleveland, the Cavaliers and their petulant owner.
The Cav's franchise is now in the toilet. You can't seriously talk about them being better off without Lebron (even if he held them hostage for another 3-4 years). Cleveland basketball has been relevant since Lebron showed up. Fans in the stands is always better than empty seats. You can whine about the the evils of selling your soul but the bottom line is sports franchises will always do a little soul bartering for wins, relevancy, and profit. However, there is no doubt the Cavs, and Cleveland in general, appear desperate and pathetic for pandering to James and then getting jilted. But can you blame them? They were a contender and an exciting team for the first time since Mark Price was nailing 3 pointers back in the 80s. They had the most talented basketball player on the planet playing for them and he threatened to leave if they didn't bow down to his giant billboards and satisfy his every whim. Don't kid yourself and say that he never threatened Cleveland. People in that city know the threat. They felt it for the last 3 years. That city was held hostage. Before his Heat announcement Cleveland didn't even dare call him out for his punk-like attitude in the playoffs. The guy quit on his team. The Owner was right about that. They were scared to say anything negative to him. That's the reality of today's free agent landscape in regards to stars. Here in Utah we have the same situation on a much smaller scale with Deron Williams. '"Make me happy.... or I leave". It's what stars do. But it still makes you sick to your stomach. So Cleveland, you've got nothing but love from me. You were trapped and I have totally sympathy for your plight. You did what every other franchise and city would have done with a megastar and mega-a$$hole like Lebron. Your owner is another story. He was rightly ticked off with Lebron for leaving in the way he did. He spoke for many fans. Still, where's the filter dude? You're not a fan, you are a professional sports franchise owner. You could share your disappointment without getting so nasty. And stupid. The Cavs will win a title before Lebron? That's just dumb. Now you got Jesse Jackson on your case. And some say many blacks are now backing Lebron because of Gilbert's comments (if Mike Wilbon from ESPN's PTI is any indicator). I agree more with Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports News who called the Reverend out for his crazy comments. Jackson's slave analogy is insulting and belittles what slaves went through in this country. Frederick Douglas and Harriet Tubman would punch Jackson in the face if they were alive today. The spoiled and ridiculously rich and pampered Lebron is in no way like the slave forefathers that toiled before him. Gilbert's anger is not about race, --he would feel the same anger if Lebron was white and meant the same in terms of dollars to his team. It's about $$$$. Jesse Jackson has done and said many things I agree with. This isn't one of them. So both Gilbert and Jackson come off pretty bad here. Douche-bag bad.
The Knicks and Nets lost in this farce. Of course they did. They swung for the fences and struck out big-time. The Knicks especially have egg on their face because they have been planning and hoping (and torpedoing their franchise) for 2 seasons at least to try and land the king of douchiness. Still, can't blame them either can you? Isaiah Thomas had already put the "stank" on the team and it couldn't be much worse for a couple of seasons. Lebron had teased them to the point it was actually getting fun to watch. Yankees caps, shout outs, etc. Unless you were from NY the ultimate rejection here had to make you giggle like a schoolgirl.
So what about the Bulls? They lose out on Lebron and probably more wins and possible titles. But I don't think James seriously considered playing in a place where he would have passed Jordan's statue everyday. I don't care how serious people say the consideration was, I don't buy it for a second. So how can they Bulls really be called losers here when there was nothing to lose. We aren't calling the Timberwolves losers in the "chase" for Lebron ----and realistically the Bulls are in the same category. They got Boozer and they still have a decent-to good team.
The Heat have to be winners in this. They had Dwyane Wade and still were not going anywhere without another star. They might have been good enough with just Wade and Bosh but now you have Lebron, and they become in my mind the instant title favorite (sorry Laker lovers). They have Haslem and Miller and they will have enough other role players. This doesn't mean I want them to win the title. I was a huge fan of Dwyane Wade and now I hope his team burns in hell. ----That's right, I want the Miami Heat to suffer like they have the very chains of Lucifer around their necks. That's what Lebron brings to this team for me. A likeable team becomes the symbol of all that is wrong with the NBA. I'm one of many on this bandwagon and I don't care. I'm not going to get off just so I can be different and contrary. You'll see many folks that will swing that way just because so many of us are miffed about Lebron's behavior. You'll see them excuse him and defend him. Please. Right is right and wrong is wrong. If Lebron wanted to leave Cleveland so be it. I've got no problem with it. But the narcissistic and jerk-like way he went about it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I will actively root against him and his new team. I'm predicting a Wade-James fued when Wade realizes James is the toast of the town and not him. When you invite a snake into your pants you can't be surprised when it bites you in the place you prize the most.
So in the final analysis Lebron to me is the biggest loser of them all. He may gain some of his tarnished legacy back if he wins and wins a lot. Kobe would be exhibit A for that. But he will never shed some of the valid criticisms that have come out of this summer of excess. He did show he is a coward by joining his rivals instead of fighting them. He did abandon and betray his home state. He did show excessive narcissism and an utter cluelessness on how his actions would be perceived. He might think he's global but everyone comes from somewhere and he has played basketball in the same state since he was old enough to dribble. Had he been drafted and played his first contract somewhere else this wouldn't be an issue but Lebron had either the privilege or the curse of playing b-ball his whole life in Ohio and the mainstream public there will never forgive him for leaving for beaches and sun. Because I've already seen it, I suspect it will divide somewhat racially even in Ohio (don't understand that and never will) but overall how does one forgive somebody for public humiliation. An hour-long tv special to say "screw you Cleveland"? What a dog. It's not silly to call Lebron out for all of this. He created it. Kevin Durrant did it the right way. Durrant is class. Lebron is classless. Also, you know you probably screwed up when people are talking about Kobe as the anti-Lebron.....and they mean that in a good way.
Too bad the most talented player to come along in a while has to be such a huge douche-bag.
Hey Lebron, break a leg.......Literally.
Ultimate Loser in the free agency summer of 2010.--- Lebron? Check.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Federer The Champ Chump
Roger Federer is often praised for his class. To be honest I don't see it. Yesterday he blamed injuries for his loss in Wimbledon, giving absolutely no credit to the guy who beat him. It's not the first time. In the past he has expressed joy when opponents that are dangerous to him are upset in earlier rounds, knowing that he won't have to face them. He's one of the best players ever, but he's a jerk who because he goes about being a jerk in a somewhat quiet way, has fooled many. He's not a brash jerk like a Terrell Owens or John McEnroe. Federer has an image that doesn't quite fit. The quality of players to oppose him has been less than what other great champions have faced. His only real rival in the last 5 years has been Nadal and all you have to do is look at Nadal's record against Federer and realize that Roger "the great" is often on the losing end of that match-up. Now if you want to watch class, watch Nadal when he loses or wins. He epitomizes the word.
Federer is a legend, an all-time great. But he's not the best player ever... and more importantly, he's a chump.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Texas vs. Alabama: Blechhh
So the two teams that I probably hate the most in college football are playing for the national championship. That blows. The question then is not who would I rather see win but who would I rather see lose. Both have annoying fan bases. But I would give the Texas fan base a big thumbs up for being quite a bit more annoying than almost any other group out there. However, Alabama has the bigger douche-bag for a coach. So that's it for me. I dislike Saban more than I dislike the Texas fans. Go Texas. Hook em Hor......aww crap, this game sucks.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Where the hell did I go?
For those that have occasionally checked this blog I apologize for not posting this season. I'm working most Sundays and I'm afraid that my time to devote to posting has been almost non-existient. Next season I will be back with a vengeance.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Football Season ahhhh.
It's coming. I can feel it. Another season of the most misnamed sport in history is almost upon us. Training camps and college seasons will be here before you know it. If you must salivate at this point, do so.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Roger Federer is a Coward.
It takes something that is really bugging me to post something before football season starts. That something happened recently at the French Open.
Roger Federer is an ass. Plain and simple. I do not like the guy and I don't believe he is the "greatest player of all time". If he was playing in the time of Sampras and Agassi in their prime he would have been won a few majors but nowhere near the amount he has today. I was really bugged during this French Open with his gleeful comments about all his rivals going down before he had to face them. He openly commented about how happy he was that this was his year for the French because he wouldn't have to face Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray (all guys he has trouble beating). What kind of player roots for less tough competition? A cowardly player. He has tremendous talent and not much heart. I hope Nadal wipes the floor with him at Wimbelon.
Roger Federer is an ass. Plain and simple. I do not like the guy and I don't believe he is the "greatest player of all time". If he was playing in the time of Sampras and Agassi in their prime he would have been won a few majors but nowhere near the amount he has today. I was really bugged during this French Open with his gleeful comments about all his rivals going down before he had to face them. He openly commented about how happy he was that this was his year for the French because he wouldn't have to face Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray (all guys he has trouble beating). What kind of player roots for less tough competition? A cowardly player. He has tremendous talent and not much heart. I hope Nadal wipes the floor with him at Wimbelon.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
NFL Playoff picks: Championship round
So far I'm not doing to hot in predicting playoff winners. But really who could see the Cards coming on like they have?
Picks:
Cardinals over the Eagles
I like the Eagles and hope they win this but the Cardinals are at home and they are peaking right now. The same might be said of the Eagles but how healthy is Westbrook? That has me worried.
Steelers over the Ravens
I wouldn't mind seeing the Ravens win this. Should be cold and probably low scoring. For me it's really a toss up. I'll take the Steelers by 3.
Picks:
Cardinals over the Eagles
I like the Eagles and hope they win this but the Cardinals are at home and they are peaking right now. The same might be said of the Eagles but how healthy is Westbrook? That has me worried.
Steelers over the Ravens
I wouldn't mind seeing the Ravens win this. Should be cold and probably low scoring. For me it's really a toss up. I'll take the Steelers by 3.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
NFL Playoff Picks: Round 2
I didn't get around to posting my first round picks due to my work computer getting a virus and my home computer getting fried from an electrical shock. It was like a perfect storm of events that had me thinking I was in the twilight zone. Anway, my picks that I didn't poste were thus:
San Diego over Indy (I always go for the Chargers against Manning)
Miami over Baltimore--I should have gone with my instints about Pennington against Ed Reed and the Ravens defense
Atlanta over Arizona (I know Ryan is a rookie and the Cardinals were at home but I really didn't think the "redbirds" had it in them).
Philly over Minnesota
Playoff picks:
2-2
This week I think that:
Tennesee will beatBaltimore --I like the Ravens defense but the Titans defense has had its moments as well this season. Also, I trust Kerry Collins over Joe Flacco (and me using trust and Kerry Collins in the same word is something I've had to work on).
Carolina will beat Arizona -- I don't think the Panthers are legitimate Super Bowl title contenders though. Then again, I thought that about the Giants last year.
NY will beat Philadelphia
I know they just lost to these guys but I don't think it will happen again.
Pittsburgh over San Diego
It's hard for me to think that an 8-8 team (no matter how hot they are know) can make it to the conference championship game. Maybe I'm wrong but I think the Steelers will buckle down and take these guys out in a close game.
San Diego over Indy (I always go for the Chargers against Manning)
Miami over Baltimore--I should have gone with my instints about Pennington against Ed Reed and the Ravens defense
Atlanta over Arizona (I know Ryan is a rookie and the Cardinals were at home but I really didn't think the "redbirds" had it in them).
Philly over Minnesota
Playoff picks:
2-2
This week I think that:
Tennesee will beatBaltimore --I like the Ravens defense but the Titans defense has had its moments as well this season. Also, I trust Kerry Collins over Joe Flacco (and me using trust and Kerry Collins in the same word is something I've had to work on).
Carolina will beat Arizona -- I don't think the Panthers are legitimate Super Bowl title contenders though. Then again, I thought that about the Giants last year.
NY will beat Philadelphia
I know they just lost to these guys but I don't think it will happen again.
Pittsburgh over San Diego
It's hard for me to think that an 8-8 team (no matter how hot they are know) can make it to the conference championship game. Maybe I'm wrong but I think the Steelers will buckle down and take these guys out in a close game.
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