Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Bobby Cox, and a quick-run Football Preview...

Greetings all...Please forgive my inconsistency....Last trip of 2009 this weekend and a freeing of time are in order...the info will be stronger as we go...
  • Bobby Cox to retire after 2010....This is actually one more year than I'd been hearing and I'm okay with this...I'm not the staunchest of Bobby's supporters (especially lately), as he's long driven me crazy with his bullpen handling, but I haven't heard anybody give me a name that is available that I'd feel better with...so the farewell tour in 2010 sounds good to me...and it should be accompanied by a playoff berth with the addition of some young bats and the renewed starting pitching....
  • The richest man in Russia to buy the Nets...interesting turn here....this may fit into the Lebron James "world mega-star" plan, no? Just an angle I hadn't heard today...
To the college gridiron...
  • UNC/Georgia Tech - Huge implications here....must-win for Georgia Tech (many people's preseason conf. champ) to not garner a 2nd ACC loss in a division game...I like the Jackets...
  • VT/Miami - Easily the game of the week in the country IMO...Jacory Harris faces his stiffest test in this early supposed Heisman campaign... I like VT in the game b/c it's in Blacksburg...but it certainly wouldn't surprise me to see Tyrod Taylor lay an egg against this lightning fast Miami defense...
  • Cal/Oregon - 2 of the top 3 teams in the Pac-10 do battle....this may be Cal's toughest game of the season (apologies to USC, but they get the Trojans at home), and going into Autzen Stadium is never easy.... Jeremiah Masoli has to be semi-competent for Oregon to have a chance (he hasn't been yet this year), and b/c of that...Cal by a touchdown...
Quickly to the NFL's big games...
  • Atlanta @ New England...the marquee game of the week, especially where I live... I'm still extremely hesitant to show any confidence in the Falcons on the road here... Too much offensive firepower (through the air) and the first time the maligned (by me) Falcons secondary will see a QB that can challenge them...and I believe they'll fail...that being said, New England's defense has been soft (esp. vs the run without Mayo), and this has the makings of a 38-28 Pats win to me...
  • Tennessee @ NYJ.... Classic "means more to one team than the other" game....the Jets have looked great in going to 2-0...Tennessee blew a double-digit lead to Houston and somehow lost a game where Chris Johnson had 250+ total yards and 3 scores...that being said, Tennessee is 0-2 and in full must-win mode whereas the Jets have been told how great they are all week...add in the rookie QB against a competent defense...I like the Titans in a point-spread upset...20-13 Titans
  • Chicago @ Seattle... last week, this would've been a quick pick for me...Seattle by a score... but without Hasselbeck? Things get dicey...Seattle has one of the true homefield advantages in the league...and they'll need it behind Seneca Wallace...I'm a fan of his work, but he needs to incorporate TJ into the gameplan early to not rely on the Julius Jones experience on the ground...Cutler is capable of letting Seattle into the game...but without Tatupu, Walter Jones, and Leroy Hill....I can't pick Seattle outright....
I recognize this is just a smattering of games...but the college slate is less than desirable in the "big-time" conferences this week...and the NFL has settled into a bit more of what we can predict...it's almost time for another weekend of football folks...

No comments: