Betts on Sports

Because I need something else bad in my sports fandom ...

2007-08-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

After the Cavs sweep ...

In the midst of another Indians Summer Slump (patent pending, I do believe) ...

Steely McBeam

I'm debating not even acknowledging his existence.

I Hate the ****ing Yankees

2007-08-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

I Hate the Yankees.

And, yes, I grew up being told to not use the word "hate" unless I really meant it.

And, yes, I still say I hate the Yankees.

I went to my first baseball game of the season on Friday night (been to at least one game every season since I was born). Got the "pleasure" of sitting in a section with a bunch of Yankees fans. And ... I say this as someone who grew up in Cleveland as a Stillers fan ... Yankees fans really need to learn etiquette for being in a visiting ballpark.

It's OK to have fun little chants. It's great to have playful banter with the other fans around you. It's fantastic to talk smak.

It's stupid to act like the home team. It's bad to stand and cheer for the closer when the final batter comes up, and act like you're the home team. And it's pathetic to start and/or crush "The Wave".

One more thought: my team may have gotten swept, but at lest my name isn't Melky.

I hate the ****ing Yankees.

ugh

2007-06-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

1.0 IP 7 hits 8 runs 8 earned runs 2 BB 1 K 2 HR

And this is why you almost never want to have players from your favorite team also on your fantasy team.

ugh, indeed

The NHL

2007-06-25T21:20:00.001-07:00

So, I really didn't understand the clamor in the media back in 1995. After the baseball strike and the canceled World Series. Perhaps it was my youth, or perhaps it was my living in a city going through a baseball craze. But I didn't get how one nasty experience, even as nasty as a canceled World Series, could drive you away from watching a sport.

Until it happened again. No, not in baseball. But in hockey. An entire season canceled. No Stanley Cup awarded. And now, here we are, two years later, and I still don't give a crap about the NHL. I watched exactly one game this year: when the Cup was in the building. I watched because I wanted to see the Cup awarded, not because I wanted to watch hockey.

However ... if Bill Simmons covered the NHL season like he did the NHL Draft, I'd be much more likely to watch. Classic Simmons humor. Awesome.

NBA Draft

2007-06-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

So, the NBA draft is coming up. There's a ton of buzz surrounding it. Durant, Oden ... two possible cornerstone players.

I just can't get excited. My team doesn't have a single pick in this draft. Not a single pick. In what's being touted as one of the deepest drafts ever.

I want to get excited for it, but it seems like I'm just waiting for every team but my own to get better.

*sigh*

At least I can go enjoy Jiri Welsch, since he's really our first round pick this year.

Crap.

Thanks a lot, Jim Paxson

hmmm ...

2007-06-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

Does this mean I need to start following NASCAR a little closer?

Questions I Can't Answer

2007-06-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

Let me start his off by saying that this year of sports will only be complete when the Indians get swept in the World Series, and the Steelers lose by 4 touchdowns in the Super Bowl.

Seriously, look at the year my teams have had:

Ohio State football: rolls through the regular season, gets whomped (completely and totally, the actual whomping may have been illegal in a few states) by Florida in the National Title Game.

Ohio State basketball: have a good-if-not-great season, have thrilling tournament victories, and then can't hit a shot to save their life in the championship game against Florida.

Cleveland Cavaliers: have a good-if-sleepwalked-through regular season, sleepwalk through two playoff rounds, dominate Detroit, and then never get a complete game together in a sweet at the hands of the Spurs.

At this point in time, I'm checking to make sure the Avs didn't get swept in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (after I check to make sure the NHL still exists)

So, this begs a few questions:

Is it better to make the championship game/series and get blown out, or to not make it at all?

My inclination here is to say it's better to make the championship game/series. If you can't be #1, #2 isn't a bad place to be. But it hurts more this way.

It hurts more this year to get swept by the Spurs than it hurt last year to squander away victory in the second round against Detroit. It hurt more to lose to Florida in 1997 than it did to lose to Seattle in the first round the year they won 100 million regular season games. No loss in the Wild Card or Division Round has felt as bad as the losses for the Steelers in the AFC Title games, or in Super Bowl XXX.

At the same time, it hurt a lot less to get whomped by Florida this year than it hurt all those years the Cooper-lead Buckeyes choked away a shot at a National Title by losing to Michigan or Michigan State.

So, I guess this question is up for debate, but totally leaning towards better to get there. At least you can talk some smak to 28 other teams (or whatever)

Is it better to get whomped in a championship series/game or lose a nailbiter?

I can directly compare two things here: The 2007 NBA Finals (Cavs swept handily by Spurs) against the 1997 World Series (Indians lose a heartbreaking game seven to the Marlins).

And I can say without a doubt that the 1997 World Series hurt more, was more devastating, and just without a doubt sucked more. But, I think there are some other factors to consider that keep this question from being answered:
This Cavs team is young, ahead of schedule, has a bright future, and should be back. That Indians team was nearing the end of their window of opportunity, never got back, and had the "veteran " experience edge over Florida.

The Spurs are a team built the right way, and have been there before, and handle business properly (for the most part, cheap shots by Bowen and Horry not withstanding). The Marlins bought that championship, then fire sold it away, and for the most part felt like a completely undeserving franchise and fanbase.

Baseball has always been my first love. Basketball has always been at best third, though I'm not sure if the Cavs rank higher than the Steelers, for reasons of my hometown being attached to one and not the other

So, I'm leaning towards saying it's better to get whomped, but I'm not able to say for sure.

So, two questions, no real answers. Anybody got any thoughts?

One Win

2007-06-14T04:37:00.000-07:00

... at a time.

What we always say, right?

Helps us keep the faith, keep perspective on the long seasons.

When the tip comes tonight, the Cavs and their fans have to leave the mindset of "we're down 3-0" behind, and have the mindset "this game is 0-0". Right?

And we can get this win, right?

I'm certain we can.

I'm hoping we see a lineup something like: Snow, Sasha, LeBron, Gooden, Z to start the game, with Boobie first off the bench (spelling either Sasha or Snow, depending on if we need more offense or just a fresh look), followed by Marshall (much higher basketball IQ than Gooden) and AV (much more energy than Z).

One win ... one game at a time ... it's not 3-0 Spurs, it's 0-0 in Game 4.

Hope ... springs ... eternal?

Mama said they're be days like this

2007-06-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

1-0.

12 innings.

ugh.

When you're starting pitcher throws nine innings of shut-out ball, you need to win that game. Period.

+16 in the 4th quarter

-11 for the game

ugh.

When you play like crap for three quarters, you can't win a game.

Any truth to the rumor the starting line-up for game 3 is: Boobie, Jones, James, Marshall, and Andy?

if that's the case, I'll stop calling (in Charles Barkley-like nicknames) Marshall the Large Splot of Missed Shot and Jones the Tall Stiff whose shots just whiff.

More Boobie, Please

2007-06-07T20:38:00.001-07:00

So ... that's what it feels like to watch a NBA game with your team involved?

I'm not sure I like it.

Ugly, ugly game for the Cavaliers for 7/8ths of the game. The offense never looked in rhythm, the defense seemed unprepared, and the team never got an advantage on the boards, which has been their coup de grace all season.

And yet, despite that, they had a chance to make a game of it. A better shot, and it's a five point game with 90 seconds left. And then who knows.

At least the solution seems simple:

More Boobie. More minutes. More touches. More shots.

Less Hughes. Yes, it's a gutty performance to play through the injury, but he's not in a flow of the game at all on offense. And if you just want his defense, play Eric Snow, who has much better defense.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing a rotation of Snow, Gibson, James, Gooden, and Illgauskas. Snow can play the point and distribute to four guys who can hit shots.

The analyst in me wants to say that this game proves the Spurs are the better team, with better experience and better coaching, which trumps the best individual player on the court. The fan in me still believes though.

Game two will really tell the story ... if the Cavs can respond and win or make it a last possession game, they've got a real chance to win when they go home and win the series. If they come out flat and get beaten down again ... the series might be over.

One last thought to hang my hat (and hopes) on: The Cavs have never lost consecutive games in the NBA Finals.

The Day has finally come

2007-06-07T03:56:00.000-07:00

The NBA Finals start tonight. After a long layoff. Seems like it's been forever since the Cavs played. I'm just eating up the experience right now. Taking in everything I can get.

Here's what everyone's saying today:

Gov. Strickland making sure the "witness" sign remains in place

Scouts Inc. has Spurs in six ESPN.com Insider required

$15K for a ticket?

True Hoop gives the Cavs some chance, but still won't pick them

Stat Geek Smackdown also has little love for the Cavs

Even Brian Windhorst is picking the Spurs

And, words from the expert:

"I think [the Cavaliers] might only be the fourth-best team San Antonio has faced in the postseason" -- ESPN.com's John Hollinger

Nice John ... I think ESPN has replaced usual East Coast bias with Western Conference bias when it comes to the NBA. I guess I was imagining that two of the last three NBA champions came from the East? I get you slotting the Suns above the Cavs, but the Nuggets and the Jazz, too? Come on, John.

Still looking for a member of the media not based in Cleveland to pick the Cavs to win ... still looking ... still looking ...

Happy to be There?

2007-06-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

In a word: Yes.

In a sentence: Yes, but I'd like to win four more games.

In a longer explanation:

I'm thrilled to have dispatched the Detroit Pistons in six games. I'm thrilled that the Cavaliers are in their first ever NBA Finals. I was very close to cloud nine as I watched the final seconds tick off the clock and the trophy presentation. It felt as good ... maybe even better ... than 1997 when the wheel play worked to perfection, and the Indians defeated Baltimore and headed to the World Series.

At the start of the season, I predicted the Cavs (along with Bill Simmons, BTW) to win the east, and then lose in the NBA Finals. Sports Guy, if I remember correctly, predicted Suns over Cavs, I predicted Mavs over Cavs. My honest expectation was for the Cavs to reach the Eastern Conference Finals and take it to 6-7 games. Hence, the Cavs have reached both my expectations and my predictions for them.

So, will I be sad if they lose the Finals to the Spurs? Yes. I want them to win. I want them to win (believe it of not) more than I wanted the Steelers to beat Seattle (or maybe that's just the present in me talking ... we'll see how I really feel in 2 months or so). But, at the same time, I won't be crushed if they lose, the way I was crushed after game seven of the 1997 World Series (and I still haven't forgiven you, Jose Mesa).

Cheering on a team that exceeded expectations, and has a chance to win the title is a great place to be. I want to enjoy it.

Because win or lose this year, the expectation is that the Cavaliers win the 2008 NBA Finals. And that will put me in a totally different mindset.

pwnage?

2007-06-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm used to the idea of seeing a team/city dominate another team/city thoroughly.

I'm not used to my team/city being on the giving end of the whooping.

And yet, it seems that I'm staring that down.

The Cavs are up 3-2 on the Detroit Pistons with game six tonight in Cleveland with a chance to move to the NBA Finals for the first time in history.

The Tribe has won five in a row against the Detroit Tigers to open up a 4.5 game lead in the AL Central.

And the most recent wins for both teams seemed to rip the heart out of their Detroit counterpart. The Pistons held all but one player scoreless for the last 12+ minutes of the game, including both overtimes, and lost. The Tigers pounded out 11 runs and have a four-run lead in the ninth inning, and lost. Cleveland didn't just win those two games. They took shot after shot on the mouth, and then demoralized Detroit and won anyways. They left Detroit shaking their heads, wondering if they could do anything. Believe me, I know. I've seen my teams on the wrong end of those types of games all too often.

It seems like pwnage is happening. By the Indians. By the Cavs. By the city of Cleveland.

And yet ... the Clevelander in me is still waiting for the other shoe to drop. For something like "the Shot" or "The Mesa" or "The Drive" or "The Fumble" ... but I feel like it's not gonna happen this time. This isn't like last year against Detroit, where I was amazed the Cavs won three games and had a chance. This isn't like 1997 where we had a lead in a back-and-forth World Series. This is a basketball series we've been dominating, and losing by not making a clutch shot, not getting dominated and winning a game or two with luck. This is the type of run the White Sox had against the Indians two years ago.

It really feels different.

God, I hope it is.

Hatred

2007-06-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about being a sports fan, is you get an outlet for anger and hatred. These are natural, human emotions that shouldn't be placed onto singular humans in a "real" context. But, in the world of sports, during a heated contest, the outlet is there. And as long as you can separate the worlds, it's very healthy.

And, so, I've come to the conclusion that you really need someone, something, somewhere to hate in the world of sports.

And I've always been a little torn on finding something/one/place that I can really hate the whole year round.

I grew up in Cleveland, and most folks there hate Pittsburgh. It's a great rivalry that stems from football, the Browns and the Steelers. The problem though, is that while I'm a Cleveland fan almost all the time, my one exception is football. I'm a Steelers fan to the core. It's how my dad (Youngstown native) raised me. I can't change it, even if I want to. So, while I grew up hating the Browns, I can't hate Cleveland all year 'round, because of my love for the rest of the city.

So, I've been honestly searching. Until this past weekend. When it finally hit me.

I hate Detroit.

Hate them with a passion.

This past weekend, I was simultaneously watching Cavs-Pistons on TV while gamecasting Indians-Tigers online. And every ounce of my sports being was venomously rooting against Detroit. I found myself hating them, the way I hated Ric Flair as a young NWA/WCW/Sting fan. There was nothing more satisfying than seeing them lose, except seeing them lose to my team.

And it fits the criteria. I can hate them the entire year. As an Indians fan, I've been without a real rival ... well, my entire life. As a Cavaliers fan, the only team I could possibly ever hate as much as Detroit is Chicago, and the sting of "The Shot" isn't quite as potent when compared to the magic of MJ. He did it to everyone, we were just one victim. As an Avalanche fan, I already hate the Red Wings. And, who knows, maybe my renewed hatred of Detroit will give me a renewed interest in the NHL?

That only leaves football. And, I'll admit, it's hard to hate Detroit when they're so pathetic, such a non-threat, and not even in the same conference as my favorite team. But, I found a loophole. Detroit is close enough to Ann Arbor. So football season is covered, too.

At long last, I have my year-round place to hate. And I love it. I feel my sports fandom is finally becoming complete.

I'm No Analyst

2007-06-01T16:56:00.001-07:00

And that's why I'm changing up this blog.

It's fun to pretend that I'm an analyst. Fun to pretend I really know what I'm talking about. But, really, I have too much bias, and I'd rather just talk about what i like and what I hate, and what it means to be a fan and the joys and frustrations of fandom, then to try to break down match-ups and make prognostications.

So, I'm refocusing my efforts to emphasize the fan side more than the analyst side.

Changes

2007-05-24T20:44:00.001-07:00

Going to be changing the format of how I do this blog here in the near future.

Keep your eyes peeled and don't go too far.

NFL Mock Draft -- Final

2007-04-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

Well, it's draft day. The only day I eat unhealthier than I do on Super Bowl Sunday. So, I thought I'd get my final round 1 mock up.

1. Oakland: JaMarcus Russell, QB LSU

Pretty much a guarantee at this point in time

2. Detroit: Calvin Johnson, WR GT

Although I expect him (or the pick) to be traded to Tampa Bay, Atlanta, or Denver

3. Cleveland: Joe Thomas, OT Wisconsin

The smart pick. So, that means Cleveland will probably go with Brady Quinn

4. Tampa Bay: Gaines Adams, DE Clemson

Either in Tampa or Detroit, Gaines is the pick here.

5. Arizona: Adrian Peterson, RB Oklahoma

Could be Levi Brown, but I think AD is just a better value

6. Washington: Brady Quinn, QB Notre Dame

I expect Quinn to be the pick, but Washington won't be the team. I see Miami or Chicago trading up to this spot to get Quinn.

7. Minnesota: Amobi Okoye, DT Louisville

Too much potential to pass up

8. Atlanta: LaRon Landry, S LSU

Possibly the best defensive player in the draft, even though they probably want Okoye

9. Miami: Levi Brown, OT PSU

If this is Miami's pick, it's easily Brown. If it's Washington, it might be Leon Hall

10. Houston: Leon Hall, CB Michigan

11. San Fransisco: Teddy Ginn Jr, WR OSU

His speed is too salivating, and his potential to be a game changing on offense and special teams too tempting. They still need to get another weapon for Alex Smith and he fits the bill

12. Buffalo: Marshawn Lynch, RB Cal

Need to replace McGahee, and the drop off after Lynch is astounding.

13. St. Louis: Jamaal Anderson, DE Arkansas

14. Carolina Panthers: Grego Olsen, TE Miami

Great Value, great talent, fills a need.

15. Pittsburgh: Patrick Willis, LB Ole Miss

Best LB in the draft to a team that really needs a playmaking LB. This would be a Steeler's fan dream come true (him or Levi Brown ... and no, it't not a coincindence that in my two mocks those are the two players they got). If he's gone, I imagine Darrelle Revis is the pick

16. Green Bay: Dwayne Bowe, WR LSU

They want Lynch or Ginn, probably in that order, but really need a playmaker on offense. Bowe is the next best one. Might try to trade down in this scenario, and will have to hope to find value in the 2nd or 3rd round for a RB.

17. Jacksonville: Reggie Nelson, S Florida

Too much value to pass this guy up at this point. Not the greatest need, but too much talent

18. Cincinnati: David Harris, LB, Michigan

19. Tennessee Titans: Dwayne Jarrett, WR USC

They hope Ginn falls to them, but Jarrett (and his size) isn't a bad consolation prize, especially with the connection to Chow

20. New York Giants: Lawrence Timmons, LB FSU

21. Denver: Adam Carriker, DE Nebraska

Great value, and it fills a need. What a coup for Denver

22. Dallas: Darrelle Revis, CB Pitt

Great steal. Revis could go top 15

23. Kansas City: Robert Meachem, WR Tennessee

Another team hoping Ginn or another top WR fall to them. Meachem isn't a bad catch, though, and fills a great need

24. New England: Paul Posluszny, LB PSU

Good value, good fit, fills a need.

25. New York Jets: Alan Branch, DT Michigan

Nothing but BPA here

26. Philadelphia: Joe Staley, OT Central Michigan

The Eagles are in a position to go for good value and depth, and Staley is an excellent choice

27. New Orleans: Aaron Ross, CB Texas

Good value pick, and helps the NO Secondary which looked suspect at times

28. New England: Jarvis Moss, DE Florida

A tweaner that could go top-15, and now gets to be used in both his positions by the Patriots. This is scary.

29. Baltimore: Trent Edwards, QB Stanford

Boller never panned out, and McNair is old. They make a minor reach to grab Edwards, but only because Staley is gone

30. San Diego: Chris Houston, CB Arkansas

Another step to improve the defense

31. Chicago: Ben Grubbs, OG Auburn

I'm half expecting the Bears to trade up for Quinn, but if they don't Grubbs is an amazing talent and an amazing value. They could also go WR (Sidney Rice), but there is better value in the 2nd-3rd rounds for WR.

32. Indianapolis: Brandon Meriweather, S Florida

Good value pick, and while the Colts don't have many needs, a good, versatile safety can only help.

And that's that ... we'll see if I get more than 10 right.

Random Thoughts

2007-04-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

I know it's not just me, but I still have to make this statement:

The NBA Playoffs have way too many off-nights. The Cavaliers should be playing, at the minimum, game three tonight, not game two. Their series, if it ends in four, should be wrapping up Saturday or Sunday, not starting up in a new city for the first time. I sometimes wonder why more sports fans don't follow the NBA as closely as I do, and then something like this comes along to remind me why. Hope the large checks from TNT make it worthwhile to alienate some fan bases, David.

The Mavs and Spurs get a shot to even their series at home tonight. I won't be shocked to see San Antonio go down 2-0, but I'll be 100% shocked if it happens to Dallas. In fact, I think it's more likely that Dallas goes on a run and wins the next four against Golden State, then it is that Golden State wins even one more game. Avery will get his boys prepared, come in with a decent game plan, stick to it, and once they get the monkey off their backs and beat Don Nelson and the Warriors, they'll keep doing it.

I've come to the conclusion that Joe Thomas is simply the best available player in the NFL Draft. ESPN just posted a "risk study" on the "bust potential" for each position in the first round. Offensive Line ranked pretty safe. So, when you combine that with his skill and size, I just don't see how you would want a Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Brady Quinn, Gaines Adams, JaMarcuss Russell, or anyone else ahead of this guy. I'm a big fan of hanging on to your draft picks, but I'd give up quite a few to move up for a shot at taking this guy.

I'm wondering how to treat A-Rod's April. On one hand, he's on a record setting pace like nobody has any business being on. On the other hand, I hate to follow just about any story involving the Yankees or the Red Sox. And, on my mythological third hand, I'm comparing A-Rod's April this year to Chris Shelton's April last year. Just saying.

NFL Draft is this weekend. Party at my house Saturday if you can make it. Homemade, hand-battered beer batter onion rings! I'll try to get up a final first round mock before then, but no promises.

NBA Playoff Preview

2007-04-20T05:11:00.000-07:00

Been a while. Oh well. Sue me. Missed the boat on an MLB preview, but I'm here now for an NBA Playoff Preview.

We'll Start with the first round series.

Eastern Conference

(1) Pistons vs. (8) Magic

I'm just waiting for the media to start playing up Darko's return to Detroit. Wouldn't it be great if he hit a game winning shot or two?

The Big Question: Will the Pistons sleepwalk through a few games and give them away?

The Pick Pistons in 6. (So, yes, they will sleepwalk and give away two games)

(2) Cavs vs. (7) Wizards

A rematch from last years first-round, only

a) LeBron is no longer a playoff rookie
b) Some key members of the Cavs have developed nicely (Gibson, Andy, Sasha)
c) The Wiz are without some key players

The Big Question: How will Mike Brown handle his bench in the playoffs?

The Pick: Cavs in Five (Mike Brown uses Eric Snow too much in one game, and the Cavs lose ... probably game 3)

(3) Raptors vs. (6) Nets

Did you know that Vince Carter used to play for the Raptors, and then tanked his way out of town? Or that the Raptors have vaulted from #1 draft pick status to division champion status in one year? If you didn't, you'll know it soon after the media hypes it for a week.

The Big Question: How did a team as talented as the Nets only get the #6 seed in the Eastern Conference?

The Pick: Nets in seven (and Vince Carter hits the game winning shot in Toronto)

(4) Heat vs. (5) Bulls
(Bulls have home-court advantage)

Another rematch from last years playoffs. This one just as interesting as it was last year.

The Big Question: Will the hot/cold shooting of the Bulls and their lack of interior scoring kill them in this series, or in another series?

The Other Big Question: How's the shoulder, Flash?

The Pick: Bulls in 7 (after Big Ben hurts Flash' shoulder in game six)

Western Conference

(1) Mavs vs. (8) Warriors

Did you know that the Warriors are the only team the Mavs didn't beat this regular season? You will, by the time you watch five minutes of any coverage of the Mavs this week.

The Big Question: Will the Warriors, after more than a decade out of the playoffs, simply be happy to be there?

The Pick: Mavs in four (that happiness won't last long)

(2) Suns vs. (7) Lakers

Yet another rematch from last year. If the Lakers were fully healthy and fully gelled, this would be a good series. That's not the case.

The Big Question: How many games can Kobe win by himself?

The Pick: Suns in 5 (Kobe goes for fiddy in game three, and the Lakers win)

(3) Spurs vs. (6) Nuggets

This is the second-most intriguing match-up of the first round for me. The Spurs are a veteran team, with championship experience, and are built to succeed in the playoffs. The Nuggets are up-and-coming, and their terrific two-headed monster is finally starting to gel.

The Big Question: Can Marcus Camby be effective on Tim Duncan?

The Pick: Nuggets in six (I'm not betting against AI in the first round)

(4) Jazz vs. (5) Rockets
(Rockets have home-court advantage)

I hate Carlos Boozer.

The Big Question: Can T-Mac get out of the first round?

The Other Question: How long until we're sick of that question?

The Pick: Rockets in 5 (T-Mac will leave no doubt, and I really hope Yao neuters Boozer)

Misconseptions in Sports

2007-03-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

I doubt it's a secret that one of my peeves in life is uninformed statements from announcers and other "experts" in sports. So, I thought I'd address a few of these today. Cuz I can.

Overtime against Xavier proved that Ohio State is better without Greg Oden

This is one I've heard so many times in the last week that it drives me crazy. There is a big, telling, obvious reason why Xavier was outperformed considerably in overtime by Ohio State. And it has little to do with Greg Oden.

The real reason is that Xavier was trying to recover from a stomach punch. They had the game won, and then it was snatched away from them by a desperation three-point shot. They gained a large lead, fought off a comeback attempt, and had a win in their grasps, and then watched it slip away on a one-in-a-hundred shot. That demoralizes a team, plain and simple. And when that happens, it really effects your play on the court.

Of course, the other reason would happen to be the talent level between the two teams. The longer two teams play, the more likely it is that the more talented team wins. It's why we see more upsets in single-elimination tournaments, than in best-of-seven series. Simple and plain.

Of course, Ohio State's play with Oden on the bench against Tennessee does little to help my argument, but his play against Memphis sure helps me.

The Cleveland Cavaliers cannot win an NBA title without a good "second banana" to LeBron James

There is a popular notion that a superstar needs a second superstar to win a title. Jordan had Scottie. Shaq had Kobe. D-Wade had Shaq. Duncan had Robinson and/or Parker.

Blah. Blah. Blah.

I call a foul.

I say with enough "third bananas" and a good second string line-up, a dominant superstar can win a ring. And I think the current Cavs are situated nicely in such a role.

Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden make pretty good "third bananas". Hughes might not have the dominant jump shot you want out of a #2 option, but he's got enough defense to give him minutes, and his court vision is pretty good, too. Gooden might not be consistent, but a guy that can honestly go on the floor on any given night and give you a 20-10 game is a good enough option. Add in other lesser players like Anderson Varajeo, Sasha Pavlovic, Daniel Gibson, and Zydrunas Ilgauskus, and you've got enough support around you to outrank a second banana.

And, besides that ... Scottie Pippen wasn't the real key to helping Jordan to his titles. It was Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant, Steve Kerr, and Luc Longley.

Four #1 seed in the Final Four would be bad for the NCAA Tournament

The crutch everyone leans on to support this: the NCAA Tournament is unpredictable, and that's what gives it such great appeal.

Great. I agree.

But you know what? As of now, everyone "knows" that all four top seeds will not make it to the Final Four. That's ... *gasp* ... something predictable. If it happened once ... just once ... it'd be enough to create doubt in your mind and remove the last ounce of predictability from the tournament.

The NBA MVP will be either Dirk or Nash

I honestly think this was true at the All-Star game, but is no longer true, no matter how many ESPN and TNT pundits tell me it still is. It's become a four-man race. And currently, my top four ballot looks like this:

1. Dirk
2. Kobe
3. LeBron
4. Nash

That's enough for now ... I'm gonna try to put together a full MLB preview later this week.

More NBA Thoughts

2007-02-11T18:26:00.000-08:00

So, in the past three days, I've finally gotten to catch a couple of NBA games.

Ok, actually, I've caught the last two Cavs games, against the Heat and the Lakers. And they've gotten me excited about the NBA again. Gotten me paying closer attention to NBA highlight reels on ESPN and following news stories and rumors and all that. And, I've got a couple of thoughts.

1) The Cavaliers are starting to look good. The move to go to Daniel Gibson as the starting point guard looks to have freed up the offense. Eric Snow is a phenominal defensive talent, but teams are no longer able to completely ignore one of the Cavs' starters when playing defense.

It's also energized the second team, to help the bench play. Eric Snow commands that unit a lot better, because they can run a slowed down offense through him, without everyone else standing around waiting for LeBron to get invovled. Sasha and AV are really producing on that unit right now, and if they keep it up, this could be a very dangerous team in the playoffs.

2) It's becoming obvious to me that the East playoffs are going to be dramatic than the West playoffs. The Mavs are the class of the West. There is no debate about it, at least not in my mind. They have the best player in the West (Dirk), are a deep team, and have tasted some success with the bitter taste left in their mouth in falling short. The other contenders in the West just seem too flawed.

In Phoenix, the lack of real depth is showing as injuries creep in. I wouldn't bet on them against a deep and rested and focused Mavs squad. They look like a team that is going to run out of gas in the second or third round of the playoffs.

In San Antonio, the team looks a little lost. Tim Duncan is still dominant as usual, but it doesn't look like anyone else is showing up consistently to help him. It could be just an off year, or it could be the end of an era. I'd probably bet on this being the end of their era. Lucky for them, Duncan has more than enough miles left for them to retool and make another run with him.

Both L.A. teams look too inconsistent to be real contenders. Utah doesn't do anything for me, especially if they lose seeding position with Boozer out.

The West just looks clear-cut as a slamdunk win for the Mavs.

In the East, however, there are a handful of teams I can see winning the conference.

The Cavaliers are starting to gel and come together. The Pistons, since the addition of Webber, have realy looked good. The Heat have to be a contender as long as they remain in position to make the playoffs. The Magic are someone who worry me, since they have Dwight Howard (more no him later), and there's no telling what a dominant center can do in the playoffs. And, there's Washington, lead by a man on a mission (Agent Zero), who can carry a team to an upset or two, which might be enough to win a few rounds and win the conference.

That said, I think the East drama is all for naught. None of those teams would I pick to defeat the Mavs for the NBA title, save the Cavs, but that would be a very biased pick.

3) I finally am starting to see what all the talk about Dwight Howard is all about. Wow, he's simply amazing, and he's getting better every game it seems. I'd put long-term stock in the Magic, if I could trust that organization to either build around a star, or at least keep a star. Still, he's entered into my top five NBA players I will stop and watch when they are on TV, just because you don't know what they might do next. That list:

1) LeBron
2) Kobe
3) Agent Zero
4) D-Wade
5) Dwight Howard

Mock Draft Version 1

2007-02-06T12:46:00.000-08:00

Well, the NFL Season is over, and the Cavaliers are depressing me so that i can't focus on the NBA, it's not March yet, so I can't get excited about college basketball, I don't get obscure channels, so I can't follow the NHL, and pitchers and catchers haven't reported yet.

That leaves me to talk about the NFL a little more, and this time, I'll focus on the upcoming NFL Draft, one of my favorite spectacles in all of sport. Here's my first attempt at a 2007 NFL Mock Draft, first round only.

1. Oakland Raiders

This team needs just about everything on the offensive side of the ball. It would be tempting to take a playmaker like Calvin Johnson, and if I were running the team I would be tempted to take a rock for the O-Line, like Joe Thomas. However, the NFL is a quarterback's league, and if you want to win, you need a franchise quarterback. Oakland has a chance to land one here, and I don't see them passing on that chance.

The pick: JaMarcuss Russel, QB, LSU

2. Detroit Lions

This is a team with not as many holes as Oakland, but still missing a few key pieces. I can see them trying to grab a rock for their O-Line in Joe Thomas, as among the picks that can get you real #2 overall value here, he's about the only one that will make an immediate impact. Brady Quinn is an option here, if only because the Lions have no long term answer at quarterback, and Quinn has all the desired measureables. Still, I think the pick is to try to get an impact player on defense, and see if you can compete quickly in a weak NFC.

The pick: Alan Branch, DT, Michigan

3. Cleveland Browns

Another team with a lot of needs, mainly on the offensive side of the ball. Joe Thomas would go a long way towards helping a pitiful offensive line, but I don't see that as a good enough pick for a team that not only needs to turn it around on the field, but also needs to excite their fan base after a few dismal seasons. Calvin Johnson could be considered, but with Winslow and Edwards already on board, investing another high draft pick in a receiving threat seems ... odd, at best. I think the call here is for a franchise quarterback, something the team hasn't had since its return.

The pick: Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The once proud Bucs defense looked pitiful and pathetic at times this year. They got old quickly, and also suffered losses through defections. Jamaal Anderson could be looked at here to try to put some spice back in the defense, but I think the real answer is to get a scoring threat for the offense, take pressure off the defense, and see if they can perform better when they don't feel the need to play perfect.

The pick: Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech

5. Arizona Cardinals

This one seems too easy. The Cardinals need O-line help, and the best O-lineman is still on the board. If this situation unfolds, there is no need for the Cardinals to consider anyone else.

The pick: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin

6. Washington Redskins

Washington has invested money into offensive playmakers the past few offseasons, and seem to have a possible quarterback to build with in Jason Campbell. That puts the eyes squarely on the offensive line, and a defensive playmaker. No real value exists on the O-Line at #6, and so that leaves them to look for a defensive playmaker. I wouldn't be surprised to see them trade down to try to grab an extra pick, though.

The pick: Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas

7. Minnesota Vikings

Odd situation here. The best value on the board is a running back (Adrian Peterson), but the Vikings have no need there. They could reach for a wide receiver (either Ginn or Jarrett might make sense), but common sense says they'll either trade down with a team looking to move up for Peterson (like the Packers, Giants, or Jets), or take a good value pick on defense. Since I'm not allowing trades in this mock ...

The pick: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson

8. Houston Texans

Barring someone moving up in a trade, this could be a slamdunk for the Texans, too. After passing on Reggie Bush last year, there is no way they let Adrian Peterson get away if he's sitting there.

The pick: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma

9. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins could probably use a playmaker on the offensive side of the football, so a talent like Ted Ginn Jr. could be a temptation. At the same time, shoring up the fundamental areas of football, the O and D-lines, is essential, especially in a division featuring the Patriots, who exploit bad fundamentals so easily. That puts Levi Brown and Omobi Okoye on the radar screen. Still, I think the secondary is a big concern in Miami, and so they go there with the pick.

The pick: Leon Hall, DB, Michigan

10. Atlanta Falcons

Again, a guy with stretch-the-field speed like Ted Ginn is going to get a long, hard look here, especially with a guy like Michael Vick who we know can throw the deep ball and create time with his legs to get separation for his receivers. Still, I think the secondary remains a concern for Atlanta, especialy when they need to face the Panthers and Saints twice a year.

The pick: Reggie Nelson, S, Florida

11. San Fransisco 49ers

If this unfolds this way, I think the niners are jumping for joy. After seeing Alex Smith have a bit of a breakout, and getting great play out of Frank Gore, the niners have a great chance to add a playmaker to help Smith progress further.

The pick: Ted Ginn, WR, Ohio State

12. Buffalo Bills

The Bills have one of those impossible to predict front offices. That said, I think there's a value left on the board right now that Buffalo can't talk themselves out of, if they want to. And, I doubt they'd want to, since he has the look and ability to be a playmaker in the league for years to come.

The pick: Amobi Okoye, DE, Louisville

13. St. Louis Rams

The Rams were a very decent team last year, but their offense seemed to collapse when they had some O-line injuries, and their defense seemed to collapse a little too often. Hence, the obvious choices here seem to be O-Line or Defense. Levi Brown gets a bit of consideration, but that's not the best value here. This probably comes down to two linebackers.

The pick: Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida State

14. Carolina Panthers

Carolina is probably hoping against hope that one of the two big Quarterbacks falls to them, as Jake Delhomme has fallen off the map. That doesn't appear likely, so they need to look to other needs. Defense is always a strength, and so I don't know why the Panthers wouldn't try to make their strength stronger and see if they can't win that way.

The pick: Paul Posluszny, OLD, Penn State

15. Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh was a team plagued by injuries and turnovers last year, and you can't draft to get around that. So, they can take the best player available (Marshawn Lynch), or they can add depth to a position they are starting to age at (linebacker and o-line). With Posluszny and Timmons coming off the board, it makes the pick a little easier to figure out.

The pick: Levi Brown, OT, Penn State

16. Green Bay Packers

With Favre coming back for at least one more season, this team needs to find players that can impact right away to help Favre win for as long as they have him. To that end, they luck out in this scenario, as one of the top playmakers has fallen to them. If this unfolds, I don't see the Packers taking long to get their card in.

The pick: Marshawn Lynch, RB, California

17. Jacksonville Jaguars

There's a value pick on the board that really seems to fit the mold of what the Jaguars like to get on offense: a big, strong wide receiver with good hands. As they continue to try to find a franchise quarterback, and continue to try to develop the ones they have, I think getting as many targets to help as possible is key.

The pick: Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC

18. Cincinnati Bengals

The need for the Bengals is good character guys that can also make an impact. That might rule out a guy like Jarvis Moss, who while a possible impact player, has had some character questions. The best value on the board right now, by far, is LaRon Landry, but he's not a need for the Bengals. I think they shore up their defense with a different value pick.

The pick: Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska

19. Tennessee Titans

They would be very happy to see any of Ginn, Lynch, or Jarrett fall to them. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. So, I think they have to go with the best value on the board, and just try to get pieces to a puzzle that seems ready to come together. And, they get a real steal here.

The pick: LaRon Landry, S, LSU

20. New York Giants

Another team that really want, I believe, Marshawn Lynch, but barring a trade-up, there is no way he's available at this point in time. So, they need to look at other needs. Good value is available at linebacker, and a good fit is there at cornerback.

The pick: Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh

21. Denver Broncos

This is another team that simply ran into some bad luck to cause them to lose the playoffs. There in a great position to just go for the best player available, and find a place to plug him in. As such, they get great value here.

The pick: Patrick Willis, ILB, Ole Miss

22. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have a large glaring need at Guard, and at Safety. They narrowly miss out on great value at safety, but the best guard prospect available is still on the board, and that should make this an easy pick.

The pick: Justin Blalock, OG, Texas

23. Kansas City Chiefs

They are probably hopeful that Levi Brown falls to them, but that didn't happen in this mock. Outside of that, they could use help at WR, but need to evaluate if they can get better value in rounds 2 and 3, than they can get here. I think they can, and so I think they keep trying to improve their defense, and get a nice hybrid-freak type player that's dropped a bit.

The pick: Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida

24. New England Patriots

The need here seems obvious, after the departures of Deion Branch and the other wideouts, and the disappointment in the AFC title game. The question becomes, do they take a WR here, or do they wait until their second first round selection. I think WR is the pick here, if only because now they get their pick of the remaining first round talent.

The pick: Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU

25. New York Jets

New York's biggest need is a feature running back. I'd expect them to work the phones non-stop leading up to the draft to try to trade up to land Peterson or Lynch. If they're unable to do that (as this mock suggests), I'd expect them to wait until round two to grab a running back, and nab a Kenny Irons, Michael Bush, or a Brian Leonard. With that out of the way, the o-line solidified a bit last year, they can focus on defense and try to nab an impact lineman or an impact cornerback.

The pick: Marcus McCauley, CB, Fresno St.

26. Philadelphia Eagles

Outside linebacker and wide receiver look to be the biggest round-one needs for the Eagles, while other first day picks could be used to try to grab a quarterback to groom under McNabb. With linebacker depth starting to dry up, it makes the most sense to go with a first-round talented wide receiver here.

The pick: Sidney Rice, WR, South Carolina

27. New Orleans Saints

They could use some help stopping the run, so a run stopping linebacker or a penetrating defensive tackle might be the best bet here. Again, linebacker value is not high here, so a trade down could happen. If not, I see them grabbing an impact lineman.

The pick: Quinn Pitcock, DT, Ohio State

28. New England Patriots

The Patriots already addressed their biggest 1st round need earlier in this mock, so they are really in a position where they can simply go after the best play available and find a place to plug him in.

The Pick: Michael Griffin, S, Texas

29. Baltimore Ravens

Running back is probably a need for them, but without reaching for a second rounder, they shouldn't take one here. They can probably get the same type of back if they simply wait a round, and get better value for it. Linebacker could be an issue as well, but again, depth has dropped and so has value. Hence, the probable pick is offensive line.

The pick: Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan

30. San Diego Chargers

Since you can't draft clutch, the Chargers are left to look a little deeper onto their depth chart to find needs to fill in the first round. A wide receiver and linebacker depth seem to be the biggest areas of concern. There's not really a WR left on the board with value here, so I think they go for a depth LB.

The pick: Jon Beason, OLB, Miami

31. Chicago Bears

Super Bowl teams rarely have big needs, and that's the case for the Bears. Some might argue that they need to look towards a franchise quarterback, but there's not one available at #31 this year. Depth on the Offensive Line might be the best move for the Bears, and that's the way we'll lean with this pick.

The pick: Arron Sears, OT, Tennessee

32. Indianapolis Colts

Super Bowl winners very rarely have big needs, and the Colts have the luxury of trying to just add depth. One area that looked good in the playoffs but poor elsewhere was run defense, and so grabbing a run stuffer might be the best idea. Either a linebacker or a d-lineman would do the trick, but one offers much better value at this pick.

The pick: DeMarcus Tyler, DT, North Carolina State.

And there you have it ... my first mock for the year. I'm sure things will change around Combine time, and I'll need to update.

An Anti-Manning Conspiracy Theory

2007-02-04T19:24:00.000-08:00

warning

This post is fueled by thoughts of a man who is very much anti-Manning Family and even moreso anti-Peyton Manning. Hence, the resulting blog entry is not fair nor balanced, and is in fact biased.

So ... Peyton Manning was just named MVP of Super Bowl XLI. And I'm not really sure why . The Colts defense and running game were much more responsible for winning that game than Manning. If the Bears had been able to capitalize on the early Manning mistake and take a 14 or 10 point lead early in the first, that game ends very differently. But they didn't, and Peyton was bailed out by a defense that took advantage of bad play calling and poor executiong by Rex Grossman, as well as two pretty good performances by his running backs.

And here is where my theory comes in.

Midway through the third quarter, the game is starting to look like it's almost certainly going to the Colts. At this point, Joseph Addai already has ten catches and is putting up an MVP-like performance.

And what do we get the rest of the game?

A large dose of Dominic Rhodes, not Joseph Addai.

No real explanation why. But I have a theory.

Peyton Manning asked for Rhodes to come in, and share the duties with Addai and put up similar stats. This would then (and I think did) cause MVP voters to say "hey, it didn't matter who was running the ball for the Colts, they were gonna run well, we can't name a Colts RB as Super Bowl MVP, let's just give it to Peyton Manning".

And it worked. Congrats on your Super Bowl Ring, Peyton, and may it be your only one.

And congrats on your MVP, as I'm certain you weaseled and politiced your way to it.

Or at least that's what I'm gonna tell myself, just so I can have something of a smile on my face when I think about the fact that you won a Super Bowl.

Is Tom Brady Overrated?

2007-01-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

This is not a knee-jerk response to yesterday's results.

This is not a post made by a Steelers fan, bitter that his team got punked in two AFC Title Games by Brady's Patriots.

This is an honest question.

Every sports media outlet talks about how clutch Tom Brady is. He's farly clutch, and I'll never deny that. But, he's never performed when the game completely hinged on him.

And i can say that, because there is a huge difference in leading your team down the field for a game winning/game tying field goal attempt, where you just need to move the ball quickly. It's a completely different beast when you have to move the ball into the endzone for a game winning/game tying touchdown. And while Brady has been near flawless in driving his team to put them in position for that field goal, yesterday he failed in his first real post season challenge to lead his team to a game winning touchdown.

Not only did he fail, he didn't give his team a maximized chance, throwing an interception to end the game. He did't go down fighting to the last second, putting the ball where his teamates could make a play, making smart decisions to keep hope alive. He threw the ball into bad coverage, and handed the other team the game.

So, yeah ... I've bought into the Tom Brady hype. I've called him great and clutch. But I'm starting to have doubts.

And I think you should, too.

NBA Thoughts

2006-12-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a while since I updated here. And way too long, it seems, since I made a post about something other than College Football.

So, how about an NBA post?

The NBA East is pretty much ... a mess. The New York Knicks are 1.5 games out of their division lead. That shouldn't happen in any division after more than three games are played. The Cavaliers are floundering without Larry Hughes, but still remain a respectable 13-8, and would be the #3 seed if the season ended today.

And, of course, there's the Allen Iverson trade mess. I cannot believe that there are not 29 teams interested in acquiring AI. There's not a single team he wouldn't improve, and no matter your situation, he can provide you with a lot of value.

Top Contender? He can put you even closer to the top.

Borderline Contender? He can make you a top contender.

Middle-of-the-pack team? He can put you in the playoffs.

Bottom-of-the-barrel team? He can put butts in the seats.

I'd personally start drooling if the Cavaliers could somehow find a way to get The Answer. Knowing we'd part with Hughes and at least one of our top rookies, as well as either a good expiring contract (Ira Newbie) or a young stud (Anderson Varajeo) shouldn't inhibit this trade. Lebron-Iverson-Gooden can win the East, and have a very good shot of winning the NBA Title, especially if Zydrunas Ilgauskus does anything in the playoffs this year.

The most likely end result for Iverson though, in my opinion? The LA Clippers. They have a lot of good pieces they can give up, and they have a lot to gain. They were very close to the Conference finals last year, and Iverson could be the piece to push them over the top. Plus, a superstar like Iverson could put them ahead of the Lakers in the public eye, something that has to be invaluable to the Clippers.

And, it would make sense for the Sixers, too. You don't want to keep Iverson in Conference if you can avoid it, and you for sure don't want to keep him in division (say goodbye to those pipe dreams, Celtics fans).

Outside of that, I'd really like the chance to smack David Stern upside the head. You don't switch balls in the middle of the season. You point to the stats that scoring is up, and you negotiate for any possible change to come in the off-season.

The BC-Mess

2006-11-27T12:52:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know. Lame title. Sue me. Whatever.

It's a joke. The whole thing. Just a joke. The fact that Florida has basically no hope of winning the title because they don't win with enough style is a joke. The fact that Wisconsin at 11-1 has no possible chance of going to a bigger bowl than the Capital One Bowl is a joke.

We should just revert back to the old system. Name the national champion before we play the bowls, and then just play the bowls for fun and bowl trophys. Give Ohio State the title, and then play the bowls.

And they'd probably look something like this:

Rose: Ohio State vs. USC
Sugar: Florida vs. Michigan
Fiesta: Nebraska vs. Boise State
Orange: Georgia Tech vs. Rutgers

Alas, that probably won't happen. And so, we'll have controversy and conflict. Arguments about who should have played for the title, and who didn't get a chance to.

The Game really was THE GAME

2006-11-19T17:19:00.000-08:00

It's amazing, isn't it, how few games that are so hyped up actually live up to the hype and deliver a game with high energy, good drama, and an amazing outcome. Three times in the past 16 months we've seen college football games deliver. Texas @ Ohio State, Texas vs. USC in the Rose Bowl, and now, Michigan at Ohio State. For everything leading up to the game, the rivalry, the history, Bo's death, the rankings ... the game still met expectations and delivered.

Of course, it delivered more than just a great game. It delivered proof that these really are the two best teams in the country. There is no doubt in my mind that Ohio State is number 1 and Michigan is number 2. I simply hope that, for political reasons, voters in the Coaches and Harris polls don't vote them that way.

And I say that for a simple reason:

There shouldn't be a rematch.

Otherwise, all the hype, all the tears, all the emotion for yesterday's game ... was for nothing. The two teams should have just played their backups if the real game was going to be played 50 days later. The winners should walk out with their prize, the losers should leave heading to a different Bowl Game, and Mike Hart should just shut up.

That leaves four basic contenders for the spot against Ohio State. USC, Florida, Notre Dame, and Arkansas. I rank them in the following way:

1. USC. If they win out, they deserve to go to the Title game, no argument about it. In doing so, they will have beaten two teams on the list of contenders above (Notre Dame and Arkansas), and will have their only loss coming on an incomplete pass on a two-point conversion attempt.

2. Arkansas. If they win out, and USC loses a single game left, they're the next-best choice. They'll have gone through the SEC unbeaten, which is a huge accomplishment, regardless of if you believe the SEC is overrated or not.

3. Notre Dame. If they win out, and Arkansas loses to either LSU or Florida, they're in, at least in my book. The pressure to win at Notre Dame is amazing, and to win with that kind of pressure is what championship games are all about.

4. Florida. They don't have a signature win. They didn't get through conference play undefeated. They're the lowest on the totem poll. They're only hope, in my opinion. to play for the title, is to win out, have USC beat Notre Dame, and then have UCLA beat USC. Very unlikely.

If, somehow, all four of those teams lose along the way (which is possible: LSU over Arkansas, USC over ND, UCLA over USC, Arkansas over Florida), give me anything but a rematch. Give me Boise State, give me Wisconsin, ... anyone but Michigan. They already lost their Title Game.

Saturday's biggest loser

Lost in the Michigan-Ohio State game was the biggest loser Saturday: West Virginia. Had WVU gotten the chance to play an undefeated Rutgers, then a win would have given them the Big East Title, and a trip to a BCS bowl. Now, that chance has been taken away from them. If they beat Rutgers, that will be Rutgers' second Big East loss, leaving the first place tie to be only Louisville and WVU, which would be decided strictly on head-to-head. And there's about 0% chance they'd get an at-large bid, not with three locked up with Boise, ND, and Michigan, and only one more to give out.

Ohio State Michigan

2006-11-17T07:56:00.000-08:00

Well, this game might break the hype machine by the time it kicks off. Hopefully, that will be well deserved. But, I cannot avoid doing a full breakdown, being from Northwest Ohio. So here goes.

Quarterbacks

This is a big advantage for Ohio State. Henne makes too many mistakes, and struggles to make plays out of nothing. Troy Smith is a smart quarterback, doesn't make a lot of mistakes, and has a knack for making a big play out of thin air.

Runningbacks

This is an advantage for Michigan. Mike Hart is simply amazing, and while Pittman is durable and good enough, he's not amazing the way Hart is. The questions about Chris Wells' hands and fumbleitis push it even further into the Michigan camp.

Receivers

Everyone wants to focus on Ginn/Gonzales vs. Breaston/Manningham. And while that's all good, Ohio State has the edge in the top pairs category, and an even bigger edge when you go down the depth chart (Robiskie is developing nicely, no?). Throw in a talented tight end for Ohio State, and I think they take this category nicely.

Offensive Line

I'm going to call this a push. Both teams have good units, but I think Ohio State has a more skilled unit. Having said that, Ohio State's line is a little more banged up and has been prone to stupid penalties more often. Although, the crowd could nullify that. Still, we'll call it a push.

Defensive Line

Here's another tough one. Michigan has a slightly better unit, but Ohio State has the best DLman (Pittcock). Still, the group beats the standout, so a slight edge to Michigan.

Linebackers

Again, the same problem as above. Michigan's unit is a little better, but Ohio State has the best standout. Slightest of edges to Michigan.

Defensive Backs

Now, we reverse that problem. Michigan has the best individual (Hall), but the Buckeyes have the better unit. We'll give tOSU the edge here.

Special Teams

Both teams feature good return men, reliable kickers, and good enough punters. I think Big Blue's kicker is a bit better, so we'll give Michigan the edge.

So, now, having done all that, what about matchups that actually take place on the field. I think Michigan has an advantage on Ohio State when they try to run the ball, but I'll flip it around and give Ohio State the advantage when Michigan goes to the air. I'll be the complete opposite the other way, giving Ohio State the advantage when they pass, but Michigan the edge when tOSU tries to run the ball.

I think it comes down to Ohio State needing to jump to an early start and take away the running game from Michigan. For Michigan, it comes down to controlling the ball, running well, and keeping their offense on the field for long stretches.

This is a game that can flip on a few key turnovers, and Chad Henne makes more mistakes than Troy Smith, and the Ohio State Defense is very opportunistic.

Prediction: Ohio State 35, Michigan 17.

Playoff Saturday

2006-11-12T08:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday certainly seemed like a playoff. Enough teams dropping out of contention thanks to knockout blows. Simply amazing.

(Quick note: how sick was that Cavs comeback yesterday? 11-0, down 19 in the 3rd? amazing! and completely under the radar thanks to the day of upsets in CFB)

We lost several national championship pretenders this week (Auburn, Cal, Texas) and added a contender (Rutgers), and had another contender fortify their claim (Arkansas).

With that said, here's an attempt at a top-25

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Rutgers
4. Arkansas
5. Southern Cal
6. Florida
7. Notre Dame
8. Wisconsin
9. LSU
10. Wake Forest
11. Texas
12. Auburn
13. Boise State
14. Georgia Tech
15. Virginia Tech
16. Oklahoma
17. Maryland
18. Nebraska
19. California
20. Louisville
21. West Virginia
22. BYU
23. Oregon
24. Tennessee
25. Boston College

And my updated Heisman Ballot:

1. Troy Smith, Ohio State
2. Darren McFadden, Arkansas
3. Ray Rice, Rutgers
4. Brady Quinn, Notre Dame
5. Mike Hart, Michigan

I was wrong

2006-11-10T12:23:00.000-08:00

The Big East does have a real team. Of course, I was right when I said WVU wasn't for real, and when I said Louisville wasn't for real. Rutgers, however, I believe is for real. A team that plays solid defense, has a smart quarterback who doesn't lose games, and has a solid running game can be for real. And Rutgers has all of those in abundance. So, hats off to Rutgers.

Although, their win does bring back into the fold the old playoff argument. I'd like to offer my suggestion for a playoff for college football.

First of all, we keep all the minor bowls. Most teams enter the season with no actual hope of winning the National Title. Every team can enter the season with at least a dream of a bowl game. No need to take that away from them.

Second, make it a ten-team playoff. Winners of the SEC, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac Ten, and ACC get automatic bids. They also get first round byes, and are seeded 1-6 by a committee. Four teams get at large bids. The only guaranteed at-large bid goes to a team that is undefeated that is not already in (for example, Utah a couple of years ago, or if Wisconsin was undefeated this year and never played Ohio State). The other spots are filled by a selection committe, and seeded 7-10.

The 10-seed plays in the 7-seed, and the 8-seed plays the 9-seed. Maybe a second-tier bowl (such as Capital One or Cotton) would host this game, or maybe you create new game sites.

Then, obviously, the teams advance through the tournament in single-elimination. Quarterfinal games are home games, semi-finals and the final and third-place game rotate among the four current BCS bowls.

So, this year, you'd have something like this: (predictions by me on conference champs, not on current standings)

Automatic bids: Ohio State (Big Ten Champ), Texas (Big 12 Champ), Georgia Tech (ACC Champ), Rutgers (Big East Champ), USC (Pac-10 Champ), Florida (SEC Champ), Boise St. (Undefeated).

At-Large Bids: Auburn, Michigan, Notre Dame

Seeds:
1. Ohio State
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. Rutgers
5. USC
6. Georgia Tech
7. Auburn
8. Michigan
9. Notre Dame
10. Boise State

Why would this system work? Simple: win your conference, and you get a shot at the national title if you're in a big-six conference. Go undefeated, and you get a shot at the national title if you're not. No one gets squeezed out if they simply take care of business.

And, how would I see this playoff playing out?

Auburn over Boise and Michigan over Notre Dame in the first round.

Ohio State over Michigan, Auburn over Florida, Georgia Tech over Texas, and Rutgers over USC in the quarterfinals.

Ohio State over Rutgers and Auburn over Georgia Tech in the semis, with Ohio State defeating Auburn in the National Title Game.

Minus six

2006-11-05T17:38:00.000-08:00

Steelers turned the ball over six times today and lost by 11. If they could hold onto the football, they might be undefeated. It's pathetic.

At least the Buckeyes keep winning and at least the Cavaliers are playing again.

That'll give me something good to hang my hat on, even if the defending champs are making me cry.

Actual analysis or something ... eventually

Gut Reactions

2006-10-28T11:15:00.002-07:00

Gut Reactions are overplayed in the media. Suddenly, the St. Louis Cardinals are the "worst World Series Champions" ever. Right.

Better to be the worst champs ever, than to be the best to not win, right? I'm sure the Mariners of a few years back would trade twenty or so wins in the regular season for a ring.

Suddenly, Ben Roethlisberger is a bust, and the most overrated QB in the NFL. Suddenly, he's back to being only a game manager.

Guess we've so quickly forgotten the playoffs last year, when he outplayed Peyton Manning to give his team the lead they would hold on and win with.

Suddenly, John L. Smith might not get fired. That comeback against Northwestern might save his job.

Guess we're so quickly to forget that they fell into that hole against Northwestern. And, that we're to quickly forget about the collapse against an above-average Notre dame team?

Oh well ... that will at least be corrected with the game this week. As I type, it's 30-7 Indiana.

Seriously, can the media please back off gut reactions? Remember about 11 months ago when last year's USC team was among the ten greatest of all time? Then, quickly, they became among the best to not win the title?

Gut Reactions

2006-10-28T11:15:00.001-07:00

Gut Reactions

2006-10-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

What a Choke

2006-10-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

Hello, Dennis Green? I know you don't read my blog, but these aren't thoughts that are going to be exclusively mine anyways. I just have a few questions. How do you blow a 13-point lead halfway through the 4th quarter? How do you blow a 20 point lead without giving up an offensive touchdown? Why do you throw the ball when the other team is using timeouts to stop the clock? (oh, wait, maybe that question answers the first two) Do you think NFL Network will hire you next year?

However, we did learn a few things last night (learning that Dennis Green is not going to win in Arizona isn't really learning ... we already knew that).

Rex Grossman for MVP hype is too much. Steve Smith is the MVP. He's very close to being for the Panthers what Emmit Smith was to the Cowboys. Seriously.

Brian Urlacher went from way overrated to way underrated. He might just be the best linebacker in the NFL right now. See what dumping Paris Hilton can do for you?

College Football

What the heck happened to Georgia? Wow.

Just me, or Michigan-Ohio State looks destined to be a battle of undefeateds?

Just me, or it's fitting that WVU (undefeated) is behind Auburn (with one loss) in the BCS standings? That's what you get for playing Our Lady of the Blind for your entire out-of-conference schedule. Part of me really hopes that holds up, USC loses and the OSU-UM winner plays one-loss Auburn for the National Title, while unbeaten WVU (or Louisville) plays in another bowl. But I don't think that'll happen. I think WVU beats Louisville, but then loses to Pitt in the backyard brawl. Just because Karma is like that.

Anyways, my top 25:

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. USC
4. Auburn
5. WVU
6. Louisville
7. Florida
8. Texas
9. Notre Dame
10. Tennessee
11. Georgia Tech
12. Clemson
13. Arkansas
14. Cal
15. Boise State
16. Rutgers
17. Nebraska
18. Wisconsin
19. Oregon
20. Boston College
21. Texas A&M
22. Missouri
23. Boston College
24. Iowa
25. Pitt
26. Akron
.
.
.
119. Miami (Fl)

And, my Heisman Ballot:

1. Troy Smith, Ohio State
2. Garrett Wolfe, NIU
3. Mike Hart, UM
4. Calvin Johnson, GT
5. Steve Slaton, WVU

And, coming in with the rank of "idiot showboat" ... Adrian Peterson, OU

When you're wrong ...

2006-10-14T05:39:00.000-07:00

So, about that Yanks-Dodgers World Sereis?

Eh, I was wrong. Oh well.

I would like to say congratulations to the Detroit Tigers on winning the 2006 World Series. What? They're *only* up 3-0 in the ALCS? So what. They're up 3-0 on an Oakland A's team in the playoffs, that's pretty safe. And, on top of that, they get to play the winner of the Little Leauge World Series, I mean National League, next.

The National League has been a joke all year, and a joke it shall remain. Tigers with a third straight AL Sweep!

College Football TODAY

A couple of very good games today. Two of which really need highlighted.

Florida-Auburn should be a great game. Auburn will have new-found intensity as everyone questions their mettle, while Florida continues to shine with a great 1-2 punch at quarterback. In the end, I can't bet against Urban Meyer, so I think Florida wins it by ten.

Penn State-Michigan should also be a dandy. Michigan has National Title hopes on the line, while Penn State is out for blood after Michigan cost them a chance at the National Title last year. The loss of Manningham will effect Michigan more than most will say, because Chad Henne is only effective (not most effective, only effective) when he can throw the ball over the top and deep. Without Manningham, he's lost his best WR to do that. That, combined with a rowdy Penn State crowd out for blood combines to a close Penn State victory ... possibly in OT.

MLB Playoffs

2006-10-03T14:14:00.000-07:00

My appologies for no posts as of late. See my regular blog for why. I'll try to get a litte more up later, but I wanted to get my thougts on the playoffs before too late.

First, I'd like to say a giant "thank you" to the Houston Astros for teasing us so much. To come within winning your own finale to have a shot at history and capitalizing on a huge collapse and then blowing it? geez, way to go guys. Better to lost 100 games than do that (belive me, I'm an Indians fan, I know the difference).

Anyways, onto predictions.

I think the ALCS will be a matchup of the two best two teams still in it, the Yankees and the Twins. The Yankee bats and experience are just too much, in my opinion, for the Tigers. As for the Twins-A's ... anyone who still bets on the A's to win a playoff series deserves to lose their money.

I think the Cardinals will be playing relaxed, happy to not be embarrsed by a giant collapse and will use that freedom to take a surprise win over the Padres. The Mets can't win a series without Pedro, and so the Dodgers will take that series, but it won't be easy.

I see the Yankees going to the 'Series. Most of the time, good pitching beats good hitting in October. But ... 1) This is GREAT hitting and 2) this is tired pitching. I think they'll see the Dodgers there, thanks in large part to some clutch performances from Greg Maddox.

But, even Greg Maddox won't shut down this Juggernaut offense, and I think the Yankees will slug themselves to a seven-game series victory.

A Tale of Two Quarterbacks

2006-09-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

Mark Brunell. I've been brutal on him this season. Deservedly so. He's looked lost on the field, and hasn't been very productive. I've been calling for Jason Campbell to get the start in Washington.

Ben Roethlisberger. I've been very high on him since he came into the league. Deservedly so. He's a proven winner. He's managed games well, he's won games well. He's got a Super Bowl ring.

So what happened to these guys Sunday?

Brunell breaks an NFL record for consecutive completions in a game and leads his team to victory, while Big ben looks feeble on the field throws a couple of back breaking interceptions and hands a game to his team's toughest in-division rival.

I'm sure they were just blips on the radar. I have confidence that by the end of the season, Brunell will be riding the pine and Ben will be playing well and fighting for a playoff spot, if not fighting in the playoffs. I'm sure it's a product of shaking off rust for Ben, and playing against the Texans for Brunell.

I sure hope so.

Around the NFL

Three weeks in, what do we know?

The Colts are going to have a phenominal regular season. I've never doubted that. They'll probably win 12-14 games. Of course, I'll be waiting to try to predict which lower seed they flame out against in the playoffs this year.

Arizona was over-hyped. Seattle looks good, and St. Louis looks decent, and San Fransisco is much better than predicted. So, all-in-all, when (not if) the Madden curse strikes Alexander, that division could be a free-for-all. I'm pulling for the 49ers, personally ... I can't believe how much progress they've made.

John Fox might be in line for the "Tony Dungy" treatment. That is, he might get fired. This guy consistently has a team that competes with the best, but they never seem to show up for 16 weeks. Odds are, he gets fired, and then quickly snatched up by another team (maybe Dallas or Arizona).

College Football

I'm not going to over react the way a lot of analysts do (and why should I? I'm a fan, not an analyst). Georgia's scare against Colorado was just that ... a scare. They're still undefeated, still have one heckeva defense, and can still run the tables in the SEC. No need to drop them in the ratings. I've seen too many good teams pull out close wins (OSU in 2002, Auburn two years ago) to knock a team for finding a way to win in gut-check time.

My Top 25:

1. Ohio State
2. Auburn
3. Florida
4. Michigan
5. USC
6. Georgia
7. Louisville
8. West Virginia
9. Iowa
10. Virginia Tech
11. TCU
12. Oregon
13. Texas
14. Notre Dame
15. LSU
16. Boise State
17. Cal
18. Oklahoma
19. Clemson
20. Tennessee
21. Nebraska
22. Missouri
23. Purdue
24. Arkansas
25. Rutgers
26. Akron

And, my Heisman ballot:

1. Troy Smith, Ohio State
2. Mike Hart, Michigan
3. Dwayne Jarrett, USC
4. Steve Slaton, West Virginia
5. Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois

In-Game Thoughts (College Football)

2006-09-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd do a post here and give thoughts on games as they progress.

What is it about Michigan receivers? They don't fight for the ball, they make routine drops, and they hurt their QB's stat sheet. Manningham, not Henne, was to blame for the first INT in that game. Although, to now, the real story in that game is the Wisconsin run blocking. That's a very nice O-Line.

Officiating is off to another bad start ... just look at the Iowa-Illinois game.

I'll update as I have more thoughts and flip between games (I've got Iowa-Illinois, Michigan-Wisconsin, and Purdue-Minnesota).

Kick early, go for it late, Lloyd Carr. I hope those three points come back to haunt you.

Manningham is definately a Michigan receiver. He drops the easy ones, and then makes the spectacular.

Anyone else disappointed whenever they pan to the sideline during a Minnesota game and it's not Craig T. Nelson?

Ron Zook is not a good head coach (not news, I know, but it sure is being reinforced)

I hate stupid announcers. With a passion. 1:02 to go in the first half, Wisconsin gets a third-down stop on Michigan. The referee winds the clock and the seconds start to tick off, even though the stop went out of bounds. Wisconsin calls timeout (obviously, the clock was running and the ref wound it), and the announcers proceeded to spend the rest of the half talking about the "mistake" of calling timeout. Stupid announcers.

Manningham is Richie Sexson. He's either gonna hit a homerun, or he's gonna strike otu. Lucky for him, his latest homey has Michigan up.

How about that Georgia-Colorado game? Did anyone see that coming? I have a theory: Karma. Last time Han Hawkins played Georgia? They ran up the score on Boise State and trashed talked like it was a title game.

Michael Hart is going on my Heisman ballot. Anyone who gets that many after-contact yards and after-contact chances is a beast.

The Week That Was

2006-09-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I suppose this is a down week for me in sports. I don't really care about the potential of a NY-NY World Series, I don't have quite the golf knowledge to talk about the Ryder Cup (although I am pulling for team USA ... and not just because I'm a Tiger fan), and my Stillers got it handed to them on Sunday.

Still, a pretty much slow sports week, at least from my perspective. A couple of interesting articles popped up on ESPN this week, though. So, I thought I'd comment on them.

NBA Future Predictions ... *sigh* ... I really wish ESPN would get off the "Lebron wants to play in New York" thing. UGH! Do you really think the man really would keep investing millions into the Cleveland community if he was thinking "man, I can't wait till I can blow this town and play in a real city"? Do you really think a man who grew up experiencing heartbreak after heartbreak in that city would want to bring another and possibly the largest to it? I don't. Lebron is committed to Cleveland. Could there be a greater lecagy than "I won a major sports championship for a franchise in Cleveland?" I doubt it. Get the heck off that boat.

An Article about rooting against your team. I disagree with some of his points. Fantasy sports are never as important as real sports. Nor is a single player worth rooting against your team. But, other than that, it was a decent read.

College Football Preview

Not many great games this week, but ... I might as well offer a few predictions

I like Arizona State to edge out Cal. Ohio State should blow out, yes blow out by at least 4 touchdowns, Penn State. Likewise, I think Notre dame blows out Michigan State.

Oh ... and a random thought ... could this year's Oakland Raiders be the worst professional sports team in my lifetime?

Separation Saturday

2006-09-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

Wow. What an amazing day of college football. It's days like these that remind us why we love the game. And why we watch it and follow it so intently.

Ohio State had a very good showing. They struggled in the first half of a classic trap game coming off the high of last week, but the second half showed, once again, that they are the #1 team in the country. That, coupled with M*ch*g*n's drubbing of Notre Dame (which made me sad), has me dreaming of another (albeit unlikely) 1 vs 2 matchup this season, this time in Columbus (how great would that be???).

I thought going into the game that the Auburn-LSU winner would be the #2 team in the nation, and I was proved right. That was a heck of a defensive struggle. It might have severely hurt Kenny Irons' Heisman hopes, but I think he'd trade that for a trip to the Fiesta Bowl.

If the season ended right now, we'd have an amazing National Title Game. The amazing defense of Auburn against the explosive offense of Ohio State. I know we've got a long way to go still, but I can see both teams holding on and giving us that match-up. Still, Ohio State has to get through Michigan, Iowa, Penn State, and a couple of Big Ten trap games, while Auburn's got plenty of heavy hitters and the big 'Bama game. Here's hoping Ohio State and Auburn make it, though.

Other teams making big impressions with me: Florida, Louisville, and Georgia. Georgia's D looks suffocating, I guess Louisville doesn't miss Bush all that much afterall, and it looks like Urban's system might be starting to click. That Georga-Florida cocktail party is going to be a great match-up, another amazing O vs. amazing d match-up. And is there anyone willing to bet the under when West Virginia plays Louisville?

Here's my updated top 25

1. Ohio State
2. Auburn
3. Florida
4. Michigan
5. West Virginia
6. Georgia
7. Louisville
8. USC
9. Virginia tech
10. Oregon
11. TCU
12. Iowa
13. Texas
14. LSU
15. Notre Dame
16. Boston College
17. Boise State
18. Arizona State
19. Michigan State
20. Penn State
21. Cal
22. Oklahoma
23. Tennessee
24. Clemson
25. Nebraska
26. Akron

And, my updated Heisman Ballot:

1. Troy Smith, Ohio State
2. Steve Slaton, West Virginia
3. Dwayne Jarrett, USC
4. Mario Manningham, Michigan
5. Mike Klinkenborg, Iowa

Go Away

2006-09-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

Go Away.

Your 15 minutes are up.

Actually, they were up a while ago. I don't know why you're still here.

I'm talking to you, Michelle Wie.

You finished dead last at the European Masters a week ago.
This week, you finished dead last, again, this time at the 84 Lumber Classic

You are not revelant.
You are not entertaining.
You are not worthy of my time.
You should not be be getting the face time you get on ESPN.
Go play on the LPGA tour
Win something there.
Then, maybe, maybe, take another shot at a PGA tour event.

But for now, just go away.

And take Danica Patrick with you

PTI

2006-09-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

Alright, so in addition to sporting news, one thing I'd like to start doing on this blog is reviewing, commenting, and so on Sports Writers, Columns, Shows, and the such. And, I'll start with my personal favorite among Sports TV Shows, Pardon the Interruption (PTI).

Obviously, by my saying that it's my "personal favorite", you know that I give it at least favorable reviews. The question for me is ... why?

The hosts of the Show are Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. Neither of which, on their own, are what I'd call entertaining nor insightful. Prior to PTI, I very much disliked Kornheiser, seeing him as a bumbling idiot who didn't have much to offer. PTI was my first exposure to Wilbon, but he's done nothing and said nothing that makes me say "wow, this guy gets it".

So, clearly, what makes PTI great can't be PTI, right?

So we look at the formula ... a handful of "quick-hit" topics, an interview, a goofy segment with shorter quick hits, errors, happy-happys, and a big finish. None of these seem to add to the charm. There's usually no great knowledge displayed, neither of them have interview skills that are that great, and they flip-flop on predictions so frequently, that it's hard to count on those for anything.

So, clearly, it can't be the formula.

Yet, if I turn on the TV at 6:30 (to catch the ESPNews replay), and either (or both) of them is missing for the day, I often turn it off, because the show isn't nearly as good.

I guess ... it's just that unknown "it" factor. We talk about it all the time with players (Tom Brady has "it" ... his arm isn't as good as Peyton Manning, his legs aren't as good as Vick, but he wins because he has "it"). Part of it is their chemistry together, but it goes beyond that. Tom Jackson and Chris Berman have great chemistry, but they are nowhere near (for me) as watchable and entertaining as PTI.

It really is that "it" factor.

So what are your thoughts? What makes PTI so good? Or am I totally wrong and PTI sucks? Who/what else in sports has that "it" factor?

CFB

2006-09-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

As promised, a college football post. I'll hold my tongue on this post for my rant about the lack of a playoff system, about the lack of good scheduling, and just do some analysis. I'll rant later.

Top 25

Here's what my top 25 would look like if I had a ballot to fill out:

1. Ohio State
2. LSU
3. Notre Dame
4. USC
5. West Virginia
6. Auburn
7. Florida
8. Georgia
9. Florida State
10. Virginia Tech
11. Texas
12. Tennessee
13. Iowa
14. Michigan
15. TCU
16. Oklahoma
17. Boston College
18. Miami (Fl)
19. Louisville
20. Boise St.
21. Nebraska
22. Oregon
23. Arizona State
24. Texas Tech
25. Clemson
26. Akron (see below)

(Disclaimer: I think polls this early in the season are stupid. We really haven't seen enough out of most teams to say "that's a top five or a top ten team" ... we have out of Ohio State, but that's about it. However, it's done and it's done, so there's mine).

Heisman

If I had a Heisman Ballot, it'd look a little something like this:

1. Troy Smith
2. Ted Ginn Jr.
3. Adrian Peterson
4. Steve Slaton
5. Kenny Irons

(Dislaimer: As the season wears on, the true best players in the nation will emerge. This will, in all probability, be an offensive lineman. As such, my Heisman ballot will reflect the actual best player in the nation, not just the best QB/RB and maybe WR. As of now, though, with mainly cupcake games played, the skill positions are shining the brightest, and as such, my ballot reflects that)

Upsets

I'd also love to give mad props to Akron for going for the win, rather than playing for overtime on Saturday. I'd say the odds that you score from that far out are, at worst, 50/50. If you kick the field goal and go to overtime, the talent difference between a middle-of-the-pack (no pun intended) ACC team and a lower-rung MAC team will be enough that the ACC team will win 90-99% of the time. And then your long, hard-fought day becomes a foot note of "gave a scare to" instead of "pulled off a great upset". So, major props for going for the win, doing the smart thing and getting rewarded. For that reason, you get honorary placement at #26 on my ballot this week, and will remain there until another team knocks you off (or you do something stupid to knock yourself off).

Props also to Air Force for attempting a similar feat, even though they fell short. Two point conversion rates are somewhere around 58% I believe, while OT success is, at best, 50/50 (lower, probably, given the talent difference between AFA and UT). The gamble didn't pay off, but I still give you mad props and great respect.

MNF Game 1

2006-09-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

0-1 on predictions made on this blog. Great start.

A couple of reactions from the game

Sean Taylor needs to grow up, and stop making stupid mistakes. Aggression is good (and neccessary to be a good safety in the NFL), but you have to know how to cap it and not take a ton of personal fouls.
Mark Brunell is just not a good NFL QB. He doesn't strike fear into the heart of anyone on the defense, and that means they don't have to respect him. No way should a team featuring Randle El, Santana Moss, Brandon Lloyd, Cooley, and Clinton Portis barely scrape by to score 16 points. No way.
Troy Williamson looked good. Looks like he just might develop into an NFL WR afterall.
Brad Johnson ... is ugly. But he's efficient. He's like the poor man's Big Ben. Only, he's been around longer, so it's not a perfect analogy. Maybe Big Ben is the rich snob's Brad Johnson?
Joe Theisman ... is horrible. I really don't have much to say beyond that. Except thank God that he's not paired with John Madden. That might cause me to chuck my television out the window. And I can't afford to replace either.

NFL Thoughts for Week 1 and Monday Previews

2006-09-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

I love, absolutely love Football season. No other pro sport gives you one day per week to have so much to feast on, and have so much build up for every game. The 16-game season makes every single game count, unlike other sports where one loss can never be too damaging all by itself.

Anyways ...

THURSDAY

Pittsburgh 28, Miami 17

Dante Culpepper looked good for a half ... maybe even for three-quarters. But he never looked spectacular. And that's why Miami brought him in ... to be spectacular. He lost his cool and through a game-ending pick after being handed the game back after what seemed to be a game-losing pick. Amazing.

On the Steelers side, Fast Willie Parker looked good ... very good. Has anyone gotten less love for a 1000 yard seaons than Willie? Hopefully this year, everyone takes notice.

SUNDAY

New Orleans 19, Cleveland 14

The Browns looked impressive in defeat. I didn't see all of this game, but from what I saw, it looked as if a few minor things (like WRs) holding onto the ball would have helped. The two biggest things in this game for me were: Kellen Winslow showing up and performing and Reggie Bush living up to his hype with 100+ yards of total offense. Bush and Brees are nice puzzle pieces for the saints.

Seattle 9, Detroit 6

I was able to watch a good chunk of this game. Seattle looked tentative and out of sync. I think the NFC Superbowl curse will live on. They couldn't score double-digits on Detroit ... they'll never survive a first-place schedule ... even in the creampuff NFC West. Maybe Detroit's defense is that good, but I doubt it.

New York Jets 23, Tennessee 16

UGH @ Kerry Collins. Why is he playing? The Titans are going nowhere, why keep playing a journeyman quarterback who's lost it?

As to the Jets ... I wonder if Pennington is as good as he looked, or if it was the bad Titans D. I personally hope for the former, because I'm a big Pennington fan. Go MAC QBs!

Cincy 23, KC 10

Rudi Johnson is a beast. Marvin Lewis seems to be growing as a coach and learning the finer points of game management. That's scary.

Chad Johnson's hair ... also scary, but for a different reason.

St. Louis 18, Denver 10

I'm glad I didn't get to see any of this game. Looks like we're back to Bad Jake Plummer. I knew it wouldn't be long until he showed up again. Just wonder if the rest of Denver can carry them to respectable, or if they'll be floundering before too long. Should we start the "Countdown to Cutler?"

New England 19, Buffalo 17

How ... how ... how do you lose a game on a safety in the 4th quarter? I would have fird Jauron right after that play. Other than that, the only real revelation coming from this game is that, yes, the Patriots are going to miss Branch. Maybe it would help if they got rid of the distraction, but I think even more than that, they need his talent to open up the field for the tight ends.

Baltimore 27, Tampa Bay 0

Ummm ... way to get spanked, Tampa. I'm still not sold on Steve McNair as still being a viable quarterback, but for now I guess I have to eat my crow about him being way past prime. Just wait till he gets injured ... again.

Atlanta 20, Carolina 6

You have to think that this game would be different if Steve Smith played. Still, the A-T-L running game looked good and Michael-Mike Vick looked good, too. He'll never be a great quarterback, but if he (and the coaches) accept his role as a game-manager who can make a great play once a half, they are very good and very dangerous.

Philadelphia 24, Houston 10

Think this game might have been different if Reggie Bush was in Houston? Or if Dante Stalworth wasn't in Philly? He looked good.

(As an aside ... I want Mario Williams to succeed and to be better than Reggie Bush. If only to shut up so-called experts. But it isn't going to happen. The Texans talked themselves out of a difference maker to get a guy who is going to be closer to Courtney Brown than Julius Peppers. And why didn't anyone mention Brown during the draft? Every comparison was to Peppers ... wasn't Courtney Brown a can't-miss Defensive End?)

Arizona 34, San Fransisco 27

Then again, maybe Vernon Davis is the real offensive steal from the last draft. He made Alex Smith look like an NFL Quarterback! I didn't think anyone could make that happen.

And if the Cards are going to struggle to beat the 49ers (!!!) there is no way they'll live up to their "sleeper" hype ... again. Welcome to 7-9 land, Cards fans. You've been here a while, and you're not gonna leave.

Jacksonville 24, Dallas 17

I am going to boycott all things TO. That includes reactions from any game he plays in.

Indianapolis 26, New York Giants 21

I, for one, am glad this game is over, so I can stop hearing about Manning vs. Manning. It was even more hyped than any (and I mean any) Red Sox-Yankees game. The actual game itself provided some clarity for the NFL season.

1) The Colts are going to miss Edge. Welcome back to the playoffs, Peyton. You'll be 0-1 here again.

2) Plexico Burress stinks. He never fights for a ball in the air. He just runs his patterns and catches what comes to him naturally. What a worthless punk.

3) Eli needs to work on clock management. Welcome to 8-8 and missing the playoffs, kid.

Monday Night

Is Phillip Rivers the most blessed young QB since Big Ben? Seriously. He gets a team with Antiono Gates, LT, and a very good defense. Plus, he gets his first game against the Raiders. Not only the Raiders, but the Raiders quarterbacked by Aaron Brooks. The same Aaron Brooks he nullfies the Raiders best weapon, Randy Moss, and allows them to key on their next best weapon, Lamont Jordan. The chargers should take this one easily. Somewhere around 38-3 (expect LT to have 2 TDs and a buck-fiddy).

Minnesota vs. Washington should be a better game, but there's no denying which team has more talent. The only problem with that team, is that it has a QB I have no faith in ... and who seems to be declining rapidly, and might not be able to involve that talent in the game. Why doesn't Washington bite the bullet and start Jason Campbell? Surely, he can manage a game, hit short passes to Cooley and the speedy wideouts and involve the running game and get 11 wins this year, right? Even will noodle-arm Brunell, the Skins have too much talent (and too good a coaching staff) to lose this game. Should be somewhere around Redskins 17, Vikings 7.

Please leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments section. I'll get some college football thoughts up next, along with my rankings (not sure if I'll do top ten, 16, or 25 yet though).

What is this?

2006-09-10T17:50:00.000-07:00

This is my new, sports-only blog (obviously).

Man, I hate when I do that. When I just state the obvious.

Anyways, I'll use this for a variety of reasons. Previews and reviews of games and seasons, reactions, opinions, article reviews, news reactions, links, and whatever else. It'll all be sports-related, and it'll all be biased.

Just the way sports should be.

I'll probably have some NFL Week 1 stuff up soon, as well as some College Football stuff.

Betts on Sports

Because I need something else bad in my sports fandom ...

I Hate the ****ing Yankees

ugh

The NHL

NBA Draft

hmmm ...

Questions I Can't Answer

One Win

Mama said they're be days like this

More Boobie, Please

The Day has finally come

Happy to be There?

pwnage?

Hatred

I'm No Analyst

Changes

NFL Mock Draft -- Final

Random Thoughts

NBA Playoff Preview

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Misconseptions in Sports

More NBA Thoughts

Mock Draft Version 1

An Anti-Manning Conspiracy Theory

**warning**

Is Tom Brady Overrated?

NBA Thoughts

The BC-Mess

The Game really was THE GAME

Ohio State Michigan

Playoff Saturday

I was wrong

Minus six

Gut Reactions

Gut Reactions

Gut Reactions

What a Choke

When you're wrong ...

MLB Playoffs

A Tale of Two Quarterbacks

In-Game Thoughts (College Football)

The Week That Was

Separation Saturday

Go Away

PTI

CFB

MNF Game 1

NFL Thoughts for Week 1 and Monday Previews

What is this?

warning