Friday, October 30, 2009

Quick Weekend Football Picks...

Short on time but slacking a little less this week....

Big-game CFB Picks:

Florida over Georgia by 2 TD+
Oregon over USC in Autzen
Texas over OK State (not a believer in OSU)

NFL Picks:

Ravens over Broncos (mild upset)
Texans over Bills
Bears over Browns
Cowboys over Seahawks
Lions over Rams
Giants over Eagles
Colts over Niners
Dolphins over Jets (mild upset)
Chargers over Raiders
Titans over Jags (mild upset)
Pack over Vikings (mild upset)
Cards over Panthers
Saints over Falcons (pray I'm wrong)....

Thursday, October 29, 2009

World Series Game 1, The Cavs Issues, etc.

Greetings all...
  • Philly took a 1-0 lead last night in the World Series behind an unreal effort from Cliff Lee...6 hits, 1 ER and a complete game, crazy dominance....sets up a giant stage with Pedro on the hill in Game 2 in Yankee Stadium...and I personally like Pedro in the matchup...esp. when facing the inconsistent AJ Burnett....BUT even if Philly wins game 2 and takes the first in NY....Keep 1996 in mind...when the Braves won the first 2 in New York...and then came home and lost 3 straight...just saying..
  • Cleveland is 0-2 folks...That's fairly crazy when considering it includes a home loss (they went 39-1 in home games that they played their starters in last year), and the fact that they got blitzed by a Toronto team that doesn't play defense....Bargnani did whatever he wanted last night (28 pts)...and the pick-n-roll defense issue isn't going to go away for the Cavs...at least as long as Shaq and Z are trying to cover it...questions abound
  • My Atlanta Hawks got off to a positive start with an 11-point home win...Danny Granger was dominant for 3 quarters for Indiana, but it seemed like the defense woke up a bit in the 4th (only allowing 15 pts)....Al Horford was enormous (an indicator of things to come maybe?) with 24 and 16 and Josh Smith an efficient 7-10....encouraged....especially when Indiana got a ridiculous 37 total points from Earl Watson and Dahntay Jones...
  • Charlotte scored 59 points last night...in a full game...yes, it was against Boston's defense...but that's not exactly a good start to the season... their leading scorer was Gerald Wallace...with 10....yikes
  • Other small notes aka the round-up..... Brook Lopez was a man last night (27 and 15) and I expect that to continue... keep an eye on Jonny Flynn....who played 29 minutes (to Ramon Sessions' 19) and had 18 points.... the worst non-Bobcats debut? How bout the Grizzlies who managed all of 74 points AT HOME in a 20 point loss to the Pistons...they're gonna be brutal....
More later...

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

2009-2010 NBA Preview Part 3: Playoffs and Awards

Head-to-Head all in One post here.... First the Award Predictions:

Ryan
MVP: Kobe Bryant
Coach of the Year: Flip Saunders, WAS
Rookie of the Year: Tyreke Evans, SAC
Def. Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, ORL
Most Improved Player: Luis Scola, HOU
6th man of the Year: Ben Gordon, DET

Brad
MVP: Lebron James, CLE
Coach of the Year: Scotty Brooks, OKC
Rookie of the Year: Jonny Flynn, MIN
Def. Player of the Year: Rajon Rondo, BOS
Most Improved Player: Derrick Rose, CHI
6th man of the Year: Lamar Odom, LAL


To the playoff predictions....

Ryan
1st round
Lakers over Clippers
Spurs over Suns
Blazers over Nuggets
Mavs over Jazz
Celtics over Bulls
Cavs over Sixers
Magic over Raptors
Wizards over Hawks

Semi's
Lakers over Mavs
Spurs over Blazers
Celtics over Wizards
Magic over Cavs

Western Conference Finals 
Spurs over Lakers

Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics over Magic

NBA Finals
Boston over San Antonio in 7



Brad
1st round
Spurs over Thunder
Jazz over Mavs
Blazers over Hornets
Lakers over Nuggets
Magic over Sixers
Bulls over Hawks
Celtics over Raptors
Cavs over Wizards

Semi's
Spurs over Jazz
Blazers over Lakers
Magic over Bulls
Celtics over Cavs

Western Conference Finals 
Spurs over Blazers

Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics over Magic

NBA Finals
San Antonio over Boston in 6



2009-2010 NBA Preview Head-to-Head: East

Ryan's (@imryan on twitter for those that care) rebuttal to my East standings....

1-Boston:I'll start off by saying that I think that KG's knee will not be a big issue but even with him out they have depth with Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis. The only thing stopping this team from falling out of this spot is father time with most of their key guys being over 31.But I feel that they should hold up and if Garnett plays,they won't take any nights off and will try to prove that they are back to a few years ago.

2-Cavs:Nipping at Boston's heels will be Cleveland and they have retooled a little bit.It will be an ongoing thing to track Shaq's health and I don't think he'll be like he was last year(75 games!).Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon will help a very thin bench but the questions won't be here but in the playoffs...has Mo Williams stopped choking yet and will Lebron go 1 on 5 like he did last year?

3-Magic:Alot of people wondered how Orlando made it to the finals last year...well add Vince Carter and lose Hedo Turkoglu and we still have no idea how this will work out.There could be some slippage but they are still good enough to be here mainly because the other teams aren't as good talent wise. Here's a question..who will take the big shot with Hedo gone?..

4-Hawks:This team finally broke through the 1st round ceiling last year and there's no reason why that can't happen again. Hopefully Josh Smith grows up and moves in(jump shots that is) and adding Jamal Crawford will help Joe Johnson create something else on the perimeter.Speaking of Joe he has something to prove being in a contract year and passing on the offer that Atlanta gave him earlier. Something of note.

5-Wizards:Gilbert Gilbert Gilbert...I think he's back..but the season won't rest just on him this year.They added Mike Miller and Randy Foye to solidify the guard spots and I think that Andray Blatche is one of the most intriguing talents in the league being 6-11 and playing 3 positions well. The Jamison injury should set them back marginally but I feel that they will be just fine.

6-Raptors:Team euro as I see it. The dinos should have a bounce back year after injuries killed them last year. Chris Bosh is the best young power forward these days and pencil in a budding 20-10.The additions of Hedo Turkoglu,Jarrett Jack should increase the scoring on the outside and overall versatility.

7-Sixers:This team has the chance to sneak up the standings if the offense is learned quickly.They are one of the most athletic teams in the league and they added Jason Kaponoto a team who desperately needed outside shooting. The return of a legit big in Elton Brand should prove valuable if they want to do anything in the east and Marreese Speights is a guy who everyone raves about coming off the bench.

8-Bulls:This is the shock of the bunch to me. The baby Bulls coming off an super exciting series with the Celtics last year this time around as an 8 seed?....yes..they lost their best scorer in Ben Gordon and they regained Luol Deng. To me that is not a balance transition at all..the best Deng could do in his career was 19pts and Ben could do that in his sleep. A full year of John Salmons helps and the emergence of Joakim Noah will help too but still won't be enough. Heres something to note..the Bulls are painfully thin off of the bench. Kirk Hinrich, and Brad Miller are the main guys to know before you start turning to journeymen and rookies.

 

 

2009-2010 NBA Preview Part 2: Eastern Conference

Hope you saw the West...if not..hit the Link on the right... Part 3 to come with Playoff/Award Predictions... Enjoy it

  • 15. Milwaukee (19-63) - It gets ugly quick with Milwaukee.... Both of their top players are coming off serious injury (Bogut and Redd), and frankly that core of "best" players isn't very good anyway (even though i enjoy both guys work)... Joe Alexander is banged up already, R-Jeff is gone...and with that is one of the worst forward rotations I can remember (Hakim Warrick is their best forward), combine that with what will be inconsistent PG play from Jennings....yikes
  • 14. New Jersey (24-58) - Young talent...check.... experience....ehh...not so much.... Brook Lopez is going to be a star at the pivot (I'm thinking 18 and 10 this year in his soph campaign), and Devin Harris is an upper-level PG...those are the locks.... at the swing spots and the 4? It gets cloudy... There's one legit 4 on the team and it's Eduardo Najera... ehh... They will trot out Yi at the 4 who is softer than cotton...I like rookie Terrence Williams but do you trust him, Bobby Simmons, Courtney Lee, and Chris Douglas-Roberts as your wings? Neither do I....
  • 13. New York (27-55) - A really, really weird offseason in New York...their 2 free agents got low-balled everywhere and ended up resigning 1-year pacts (Lee and Robinson), they had the 8th pick in a 7 player draft (although Jordan Hill as upside), and they added nothing of substance....the 5 is the glaring hole...Eddy Curry is once again out-of-shape and potentially banished, and only Darko is behind him... There are some guys I like (Chandler, Lee, even Gallinari), but same old story with Duhon and Nate in the backcourt...they'll outrun people...but not consistently
  • 12. Indiana (29-53) - There's one reason this team is ahead of New Jersey and New York...they have Danny Granger... a legit all-star who will be in the top 5-6 in the league in scoring and provides them with ammo to win some games... Roy Hibbert is reportedly playing well (I'll believe it when I see it), and if they duplicate last year's production from Troy Murphy (a reach), they'll be okay upfront...hey...they even have Psycho T!... The question is depth.... Dahntay Jones and Earl Watson....behind injury-prone TJ Ford and Mike Dunleavy...
  • 11. Charlotte (34-48) - Depth is critical to the Bobcats...the starting 5 is surprisingly good on paper (Chandler, Diaw, Wallace, Bell, Felton)...but after them...the only legit rotation guy I see is DJ Augustin....so any injuries (i.e. the one they already have to Raja Bell) spell big-time issues.. they'll need somebody to step up off the bench to compete
  • 10. Detroit (36-46) - This ranking seems like a gift... you spent 90+ million on 2 guys that I can without question say could never be top 2 players on championship teams...I don't even think Ben Gordon is a starter in this league... the center rotation is Kwame Brown/Ben Wallace's corpse/Chris Wilcox....yeesh... The saving grace? Rip and Prince are back...and I like Maxiell and Austin Daye...
  • 9. Miami (39-43) - Courtesy to D-Wade here... they've done NOTHING to help him at all... no depth...very little talent... the 9th spot is pending a slight improvement from Beasley and Chalmers (far from a lock), and getting some sort of production from Jermaine O'neal...I don't even wanna talk about it....get that man some help Pat Riley
  • 8. Philly (42-40) - I've gone back and forth 100 times on Philly...talent abounds... I think Elton Brand has a fairly substantial rebound year in him...but I am wary of the backcourt situation... Iguodala is solid, but I don't think he's a natural 2-guard and he isn't a go-to scorer...and Jrue Holiday and Louis Williams share the point duties with neither being a natural fit...they're both scorers and very big talents...but can they mesh? Enthusiasm tempered...
  • 7. Washington (44-38) - Agent Zero returns...and looks good (even distributing, gasp).... when I did my initial draft of this...I had them #10 because of Arenas' skepticism...he's shown me a little...so here we stand...the frontcourt is highly underrated from a talent/upside standpoint... Blatche and JeVale McGee are both legit threats down there and both are very young and improving...Haywood is the steadying force.... Jamison (already injured as of writing), Butler and Gil will do the heavy lifting...and if anybody could assure me they'd be healthy, the Wiz would be 5th...but if they can even have 2 of them on the floor...they'll justify this spot
  • 6. Toronto (46-36) - Team International... Scary starting 5...absolutely huge up front with Bargnani/Bosh/Hedo...all 6'9+ and all very dangerous on the offensive end...on the other side, very limited on defense with Bargnani and Hedo... and the gaping hole at the 2 still stands...let's just say I'm not high on DeRozan...at least not as a rookie... Calderon's efficiency is scary...but the depth (Rasho and Bellinelli are the first 2 off the bench I see)..is questionable
  • 5. Chicago (47-35) - I think at the end of 2009-10, Derrick Rose will join the top 3 PG in the league discussion with Mr. Williams and Mr. Paul...and that's why they're here... Surprisingly this is a fairly deep club... the x-factor? Luol Deng without question...is he the Deng from 06-07 that was an up and coming superstar? Or the timid 13 ppg guy we've seen lately? Factor in the Tyrus Thomas upside show...and there's a few directions this could go... I'm high on John Salmons and Joakim Noah though, and I think Hinrich and Pargo can replace most of Ben Gordon's production...
  • 4. Atlanta (50-32) - My wheelhouse... I could write 1,000 words on this squad....but I'll shorten it up...same starting 5... Crawford is a legit scorer off the bench (and I'm not convinced he's not on the floor in crunch-time)... Horford makes a small leap... Smith returns to 07-08 form (nothing spectacular, but not as bad as last year)... Mo Evans gets buried...Jeff Teague has his ups and downs...but the biggest thing about this team...there's a legitimate bench here for the first time in a long, long time...and that's worst 5 wins by itself...not ready to challenge the upper tier...but I think a clear-cut #4...
  • 3. Boston (58-24) - Here we go with the big boys... KG is clearly the x-factor... no one seems to be able to diagnose this guy...he's out there and looks okay in pre-season... and that's enough for me...especially with the depth they added (Marquis Daniels, re-signing Big Baby, bringing in Sheed)... If they can make Rajon Rondo happy enough to play at the playoff level, and they don't get big drop-offs from Allen and Pierce...coasting to a high seed even with 80% of KG and they'd be higher if I thought they'd go all-out all year...
  • 2. Cleveland (61-21) - They traded Sasha Pavlovic, Wally, Joe Smith and Ben Wallace for Shaq, Jamario Moon, and Anthony Parker....I'd say advantage this year over last....that being said, I don't love the Shaq fit (I'm not convinced Z isn't a better player in this offense) and I'm definitely not convinced he can just fall in line behind Lebron... but the Moon/Parker signings were sneaky good (Moon on D, Parker on Offense)...and they still have the King...An x-factor? Delonte West after all the off-court issue...he makes that backcourt go
  • 1.  Orlando (63-19) - I'm drinking the Kool-aid...at least in the regular season...there's just an insane amount of depth on this team... Howard/Gortat/Rashard/Brandon Bass/Ryan Anderson/Pietrus/Barnes/Vince/Jameer/Jason Williams.... that's without question the most talented 10-man rotation in the league.... now... Vince Carter...obviously he's the key here... he's a jump-shooter for the most part at this stage...can he be a supporting guy? We've never seen him try to be...I'm highly intrigued...can they figure out an effective way to handle the forward rotation? Soooo many guys...all talented...all do different things...somebody has to get buried (I hope it's not Ryan Anderson)... and the important backup PG battle...you laugh... but Jameer has a slight injury history and it'll be crucial to get effective play out of either Anthony Johnson or Jason Williams... I'm sold on the regular season...but the playoffs? I guess we'll see.....
Part 3 later today...and Regular Season tip tonight!

Monday, October 26, 2009

2009-2010 NBA Preview Head-to-Head: West

Greetings all... Just for fun...I've semi-challenged by friend and basketball cohort Ryan to see who does better with their projections... For entertainment only lol... Here are Ryan's thoughts on the West (The East to come tomorrow along with mine, and my award predictions)

West

1-Lakers:The Lake show is alive and well...we hope..Ron Artest can be the best or the worst thing that could happen to these guys.I'm not talking about him going into the stands or anything but his play on the court could be a distraction because he may not be a good fit offensively.Who is the 2nd scorer?...Gasol?...Ron?...I hope it's Gasol because he needs the touches to be the best he can be..all of these things considered..Kobe Bryant is good lol..somehow later in the season everything will be hammered out for the better.
2-Spurs:This is the only team that can dethrone LA outright. They are fighting the same battle that Boston is vs father time and thats the only thing really holding them back. The addition of Richard Jefferson will be huge for them on the wings but the real and only question is this.....how is Manu Ginobli feeling?...if he's fine..they have a 4-headed monster to trot out nightly..if not?...they slip a little.Due to the rest of Duncan on some nights a 2 seed fits nicely.
3-Blazers: This is what a youth movement should be..good draft after good draft and this is what you have...Brandon Roy is still underrated and LaMarcus Aldridge is a reallly good player. They have talent off the bench in Rudy Fernandez,Travis Outlaw,Joel Przybilla and Martell Webster. The only issue could be the Andre Miller signing where I haven't read anything good about his play or attitude about potentially coming off the bench. That is my only qualm I have with the Blazers and if they get anything out of Greg Odenpositive...theres nowhere to go but up.
4-Jazz:This is the wildcard in the west to me. Last year injuries killed them all year...and when they got healthy in the playoffs they were awful..I say that Carlos Boozer should be back to his normal self but as I finish this sentence he could be out for 5 months again. There's also a chance for Boozer to be gone this year because they aren't even selling his jersey at the arena these days(yikes).. But at the end of the day they have some talent and a great point guard in Deron Williams and they will compete
5-Mavs:You may not find a more random collection of talent in the league this year. Kidd,Dirk,Terry,Tim Thomas,Marion,Josh Howard,Drew Gooden,Dampier all on the same team!..the word I would use is hodgepodge but I feel like the 1st guy on my list(Kidd) will be the solution to this problem because he is a very pass first kind of guy and those other guys love to shoot...so it should work. Please note that Josh Howard could get hurt at any moment with an ankle injury..just thought that should be shared.
6-Nuggets: I feel like this is the year where things start to fall apart for the Nuggets. The team is a year older,Nene and K-Mart aren't always healthy and last year they weren't much at all and the bench depending how they work it,is nothing to write home about. But Carmelo is still blossoming and Billups and JR Smith are still good scorers but I feel like they got an easy run last year.
7-Suns:Run and gun is finally back!..Amare is back,Shaq is gone..the freewheeling,get shots up days are back....sort of. They lack ideal size up front while Robin Lopez(broken foot) and Channing Frye will help with that and they also lack any backcourt depth.Are we still praying that nothing happens to Steve Nash or they are done?..yes..
8-Clippers:Look who sneaks in!..the paperclips..while talented they ran into a slew of injuries that completely killed them but I don't think that will be the case this year. Even if they do they have depth this year with Sebastian Telfair and Rasual Butler in the backcourt. And they may have the best rotation of big men in the league with Blake Griffin,Marcus Camby,Craig Smith,DeAndre Jordan and Chris Kaman...see?...yeah..if Mike Dunleavy doesn't kill them somehow they should be back in the postseason.`

Thursday, October 22, 2009

2009-2010 NBA Preview Part 1: Western Conference

Greetings...forgive the lack of blogs lately...been kinda swamped, and football is pretty much covered from every conceivable ankle...I'll pick it up...especially in the NBA...here we go with the West from Worst to First....
  • 15. Sacramento (15-67) - Well...in a word...yikes... Positives first... I like the young frontcourt of Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes quite a bit, and I enjoy the skill-set of Kevin Martin.... but Martin is one-dimensional, Thompson is still quite raw, and Hawes has limited upside... and that doesn't comment on the biggest issues...SF Francisco Garcia is gone for the year, and since he doubles as their best wing defender...that's an issue....the Point is a mess with Beno Udrih's stealing of funds, and Tyreke Evans' lack of experience, and the fact that, oh, he isn't a point guard... It doesn't end well in Sacto....
  • 14. Memphis (19-63) - On paper? Talent-laden squad here.... Conley, Mayo, Iverson, Gay, Gasol, Randolph, Thabeet....I've seen worse talent...it's the mix that I question... I HATED the Iverson signing for the Grizz....this isn't a team that can win now, and this strikes me as a straight ticket/cash grab...he'll do nothing to aid the growth of Mike Conley at the point, and I can't envision a backcourt that features Iverson/Conley OR Iverson/Mayo (and those both have to happen) simply b/c of the defensive limitations of the first combo, and the ball-sharing of an Iverson/Mayo combo.... add in Zach Randolph's me-me-me persona and lack of D, a lottery pick in Thabeet with no discernable offensive talent...and a mess ensues....
  • 13. Golden State (23-59) - First of all, this is not a talent issue....stacked everywhere here...but the blend is hilarious/questionable...how many swingmen does one team need? They are trying to set the record...Nellie is certifiable...Cap'n Jack is suspended... there's no true point guard...I don't believe in the Ellis/Curry combo playing together... and Anthony Randolph hasn't proved anything yet (Yes, I like his upside just like everyone else)....there could be glimpses, and with a different coach, I'd add 10 wins at least here...but Nellie can't handle this talent distribution....
  • 12. Minnesota (24-58) - This would be better without the injuries... Love is out 6-8 weeks (and I'm a HUGE fan of his if you didn't know...unmeasurable loss)....Jefferson still isn't 100% coming off last year...Ricky Rubio isn't walking through that door, and there isn't a single desirable swingman on this team from an offensive standpoint... I like what Jonny Flynn could bring at the point, and when Love and Jefferson are healthy, that's an elite 4/5 combo... but unless Ramon Sessions proves the world wrong that says he's an all-world fantasy player with no substance, Wayne Ellington exceeds every possible explanation or Corey Brewer finds offense... it'll be a struggle for the first 2 months...enough to bury them....
  • 11. Houston (33-49) - There's a clear divide between the top 11 and the bottom 4 for me...but Houston is clearly #11... Yao is gone for the year....No one has any idea what Tracy McGrady is at this stage...and that leaves a hodge-podge of talent...Things I like: They really, really defend.....Battier and Scola are 2 of my favorite role players...Ariza is o the rise...and I like Aaron Brooks...Things I dread: Absolutely no semblance of a go-to-guy barring a McGrady rebound to 5 years ago... little to no size (Scola may be starting at the 5), too many role players and no one for them to support.... Just not enough firepower here...
  • 10. LA Clippers (36-46) - One of the most talented starting 5's in the L... monsters in the front court in Camby/Kaman/Griffin, and immense matchup-issues for opposing D's in the backcourt when covering Gordon and B-Dizzle...that being said...what are the odds that Kaman/Camby/Baron and even Griffin stay healthy and can play together for 75 games? And with that quality depth in the front court (even DeAndre Jordan as the 4th big)... there's literally none on the wing (Ricky Davis comes to mind) outside of the one-dimensional Rasual Butler (a nice move, btw)...and I don't trust Bassy Telfair on a "winning" squad.... If they have very good health, this is a playoff team...but I don't see it...
  • 9. Phoenix (42-40) - Fun 'n Gun is back in Phoenix.... and that's a good thing... Nash is perfect for this offense...J-Rich is healthy and raring to go on the wing...and nobody can put up numbers like Amare in this system... the issues? No true center...which only kills them on defense... Channing Frye as a starter at the 4 isn't cutting it...and a lack of depth on the wing behind Richardson (I don't trust Barbosa at all, and Grant Hill going healthy back-to-back years is questionable to me)....also, nobody behind Nash at the 1 that I trust... just enough issues to keep them out of the playoffs...but it wouldn't shock me if they suddenly were putting up 120 a night and winning 47-49 games....
  • 8. Oklahoma City (43-39) - Kevin Durant...Kevin Durant....Kevin Durant.... Simple as this...I took him 2nd in fantasy behind LeBron.... I think he leads the league in scoring...like a 31 ppg, 8 rpg, 5 apg sort of line... This starting 5 is young...and there isn't a guy I don't like...Green is the ideal supporting forward who D's up and makes plays.... James Harden was one of my favorite guys in the draft and can be the supporting shooter/scorer they need...Russell Westbrook is an elite talent who I think makes the leap this year... The issues? Front court depth right now consists of Etan Thomas and Nick Collison...I'll pass on that... and combined with the Kyle Weaver/Shaun Livingston backcourt depth... I can't trust them much farther than the 6-7 with Sefolosha and company.... Like them alot....
  • 7. Denver (46-36) - I'm in the minority on this sort of step-back from Denver...but there are reasons... First the positives...Billups is a steady hand...Carmelo has developed into the cut-throat competitor who can put teams away and score at will...I'm VERY high on Nene, and the Birdman is an ideal bench, energy guy.... now... the depth is a serious question mark....here is their bench right now: Anthony Carter, Arron Afflalo, Renaldo Balkman, Malik Allen, Birdman, Ty Lawson.... That's ugly folks..I don't care who's starting... and I still don't believe K-Mart and Nene are both healthy all year... Wouldn't shock me to see them bottom out, and I wouldn't have kept them in the playoffs had Melo not shown the killer streak in the playoffs last year....
  • 6. New Orleans (48-34) - Chris Paul is still here...that makes them a threat...he's the best PG in the league and a top 3-4 player in the league overall... I like the Okafor for Chandler trade mostly because Chandler hasn't been the same guy he was 2 years ago, and Emeka is consistent, will defend, and is a heady leader... David West is 20 and 8 every night of the year....now...the positives slow dramatically... On the wing? Peja, Posey, Julian Wright, and Devin Brown....that may be the worst wing combo in the all of the league.... and it's the reason they've kept themselves out of home-court in Round 1... I like the Ike Diogu pick-up on the block and Darren Collison is a guy I'm very high on behind Paul.... but I just can't get over the wing issues....
  • 5. Utah (50-32) - Typical story...really bad luck last year with injuries...deep team...all healthy...some of them playing for contracts.... ==== Response.... D-Will is 2nd only to CP3 at the point...Boozer is playing for a contract (meaning I think he goes 20/10 or in the neighborhood), Kirilenko does too many things well...I actually enjoy the Ronnie Brewer/Kyle Korver wing combo....Okur plays well off Williams....I like this team... There are a couple question marks... I don't trust Paul Millsap (now overpaid) to contribute in the same fashion, especially playing behind Boozer in a contract year... Kosta Koufos is a stiff that I don't think will ever make a significant impact....blah blah blah...I like the squad... bounce-back ahead
  • 4. Dallas (52-30) - I was taken aback when I looked at this roster again...how do they play all these guys? I know what I'd do... Play Dirk at the 5 ALOT...will they? who knows...but that makes the most sense.... check out this roster of Guards/Forwards....Kidd, Terry, Barea, Howard, Marion... That pretty much maintains that Dirk needs to play the 5...but add in Quentin Ross and James Singleton (who they've made reasonable investments in as role players).... and Erick Dampier being the only proven center (yikes)... and there's still a log-jam... Interesting to see if Kidd can have the same type of year...if he does, this ranking looks good to me....
  • 3. Portland (55-27) - Depth... young talent... no weaknesses....headlines of Portland... there are questions, however....can Greg Oden stay on the floor/emerge as a big-time player? Can Andre Miller fit in on a team that walks the ball up the floor? Will LaMarcus Aldridge take it easy after getting paid? All questions that I'll try to answer.... 1) I like Oden...I'm convinced he makes at least a mini-leap this year....at least to the 14/9/2 range... if they get that out of him, this seeding may be modest.... 2) Andre Miller....yeesh... Never a huge fan, and I hate the fit...but at the same time, what have they really been getting out of the PG position? I'm as big of a Steve Blake fan as anyone...but be serious... He won't be great...but he won't kill them...at least ON the court... 3) Aldridge is who we thought he was (apologies to Dennis Green)... 18 and 8...put it on the board.... After all that...we haven't mentioned legit star Brandon Roy....or that this team employs Juwan Howard AND Rudy Fernandez (how do I not root for them?)... this is going to be fun...
  • 2. LA Lakers (59-23) - Let me say this...I actually think the Lakers may end up with the best regular season record...more because the #1 seed below is known for coasting a bit early... But don't let that fool you...this team isn't as good as the 08-09 version.... on PAPER, Ron Artest is an upgrade from Trevor Ariza....I'll go the other way... Ron-Ron isn't the same lock-down perimeter defender he was 3 years ago..and he's going to kill them at times on offense with abysmal shot selection.... the rest of the roster? Here we go... The point guard play can't get worse than late last year...so that's a plus... Andrew Bynum should improve (if he can stay on the court), and Pau Gasol is an elite 4.....but here's the big swing guy....Lamar Odom....Khloe Kardashian not withstanding...he's a huge enigma at times...and he can't afford to be....I like them..,but you couldn't pay me to pick them over............
  • 1. San Antonio (63-19) - Ah yes....the Spurs... Timmy D has one left in him doesn't he? Manu's healthy...Parker's Healthy...they have a 4th wheel in Richard Jefferson...Antonio McDyess was an absolute steal and is the best frontcourt partner Duncan has had since Robinson retired (not saying much though).... DeJuan Blair is a player it seems... and I even enjoy the George Hill/Roger Mason backcourt depth... if there's a weakness? It's behind Jefferson... Michael Finley is there but not his old self...and I'm hesitant to see if Pop will actually put Blair out there in a big spot...that being said.... I have the utmost confidence in this squad...and that's why they reside here.....
Part 2 later... Get fired up!!!!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

As the mind wanders...

Greetings..just a few thoughts I had to get to the masses (lol)

  • Angels in 6, Dodgers in 7... Welcome to a LA World Series everybody....
  • The Raiders are absolutely the biggest joke of a franchise....does anybody remember Al Davis with an OVERHEAD PROJECTOR trying to get rid of Lane Kiffin?? This even trumps that...Tom Cable coaching (badly) with a pending indictment on his hands...the worst QB in football...no gamebreakers on offense (their best player on that side of the ball is Zach Miller the tight end)....poor Nnamdi....
  • Stephen Jackson is certifiable....but I still think I want him on my squad...figure that one out...
Quick NFL power rankings after 5 weeks (and everyone playing 4 games or more)....

NFC - 1) Giants, 2) Saints, 3) Vikings, 4) Eagles, 5) Falcons, 6) Bears.... I still think GB is better than Chicago long-term, but haven't shown it...and notice the lack of an NFC West team...that'll still this way...

AFC - 1) Colts, 2) Broncos (got to, man, 5-0 speaks), 3) Pats, 4) Ravens, 5) Steelers 6) Bengals... Yes, I know Cincy just beat Baltimore....but Cincy is 4-1 with only a +11 point differential...hard to keep up... and I'm not a believer (at all) in the Jets... Chad Henne just slinging it around doesn't make it any better for them here...


More later...

Saturday, October 10, 2009

CFB Wrap: Survive and Advance for Florida, etc.

Hm....A little under the weather...but on we go
  • Florida did exactly what the title says...survive and advance... I disagreed with playing Tebow in this game (b/c they wouldn't lose anything but their "undefeated" status even if they lost), but he was just good enough, and their defense was utterly dominant in dismantling an overmatched LSU offense....it's looking like a set-up with....
  • Alabama... who beat up on Ole Miss at Vaught-Hemingway stadium...22-3...and it wasn't that close... Alabama's defense was also outstanding, and at what point do we get to bash the preseason hype on Ole Miss? Now? Jevan Snead has been nothing better than mediocre (putting it nicely) and they can't score....
  • Bobby Bowden is in trouble...giving up 49 at home to Ga. Tech is one thing...but losing 5 of 6 at home when the only win is Jacksonville State in a nail-biter? yikes....Josh Nesbitt was unbelievably good and efficient for Tech...
  • I'm not ready to talk about the Michigan game just yet...but if you saw my twitter (@browismyhero), you'd know that I whole-heartedly disagreed with the playing of Denard Robinson down the stretch...even on the TD drive he engineered, they weren't getting to the line of scrimmage and it cost them over 5 minutes of clock time (that they didn't have)... and even after that worked...inserting him in a must-throw 80+ yard field situation is patently absurd, and he proved that out by throwing the most ill-fated of INT's.... sigh...
  • Georgia gets trampled...I guess there was a reason Tennessee was a small home favorite this week... 40+ points for the beleaguered Tennessee offense (and the incomparable Jonathan Crompton), and a boatload of skepticism for Georgia fans on defense... let me say this if you didn't already know...Eric Berry is the best football player in the country...better than Tebow, better than McCoy, better than everyone... but he plays Safety.... let it sink in.... 
  • Bye-bye unbeaten Auburn... Bobby Petrino (aka the snake, the scoundrel, etc.) leads former Michigan QB (sigh) Ryan Mallett into a beating of Auburn that made most blush... exposed was the usually solid Auburn defense as having some gaping holes... their offense has gotten the pub...and that seems to be the better unit right now... gives me nausea to see Petrino doing good things...
  • Pretty ho-hum elsewhere....watch out for an emerging Oregon team that took care of business on the road despite being without Masoli and suddenly look like USC's pac-10 competition...
Until later...

Friday, October 9, 2009

Let's talk football....

Okay, Here's what I'd be watching this weekend...in order

Saturday
  • Noon - Georgia @ Tennessee (I'd throw in a little Presidents Cup for the early slate)...I really like Georgia in the game but Neyland Stadium hasn't exactly been kind to them lately...and Lane Kiffin is sort of due....that being said, nobody in their right mind can pick Jonathan Crompton
  • 3:30 pm - Alabama @ Ole Miss toggling with Wisconsin @ Ohio State.... Everybody has heard about Alabama and Ole Miss this week (I like Bama handily...and Ole Miss proves to be that one team that was inexplicably overrated preseason)... but my focus will be more on the Badgers and Buckeyes...Wisconsin is 5-0 but it has high mirage potential...this will tell the Big 10 if they are a factor...and OSU is still my favorite despite what Iowa has done and what Penn State was rumored to be....
  • 8:00 pm - Florida @ LSU and Michigan @ Iowa.... Okay, Okay...I know I'm the only person outside of the Midwest that will have the Michigan game on.... but it's a big barometer for both teams.... that being said...Florida and LSU get all the attention and rightfully so...personally, I don't think Tebow plays in the game....and I still like Florida... backup QB John Brantley was (and is) highly coveted and in limited opportunities has been generally fantastic...even pre-season I was reading that he might be the 2nd best QB in the conference....and I don't trust LSU at all...yes the night game helps tremendously, but not enough on offense to combat what Florida will bring... 
Other games to keep an eye on: Oregon @ UCLA (I like the Ducks with or without Masoli), and Georgia Tech @ Florida State (too much turmoil in Tallahassee and GT runs for 300+ yards in this one)

Sunday (If you have direct ticket)
  • 1:00 - Cincy @ Baltimore... yikes...this is the worst slate of games I can ever remember in a non-week 17 irrelevant situation... but this is watchable... I'm a fan of what Cincy is doing on defense and Baltimore will be a true test for them... Flacco is playing at a high level and Ray Rice is dangerous... Cincy keeps it close (covering the 8.5 number) but Baltimore wins....
  • 4:00 - New England @ Denver toggling with Atlanta @ San Fran... The Denver game is the better game...but you know where my allegiances are.... huge test for Denver (I know Dallas was supposed to be but I'm incredibly low on Dallas)... Brady isn't quite all the way back yet from a production standpoint and Bailey is a good matchup on Moss...but Welker gets healthy and the Pats score 25+ and win.... Atlanta/SF is a close game from the jump... I like the Niners, but the reason I'll take the Falcons is simply the dropoff from Frank Gore to Glen Coffee (who is averaging under 3 YPC as a starter)... not enough to exploit the holes on the Falcons D-line... thinking 24-20....
  • 8:15 - Indy @ Tennessee.... how mad is NBC that Tennessee is locked in here and they can't have Denver/NE? Win or absolutely die for Tennessee (I think they're dead anyway) but nobody beats Indy at night it seems...I'll take the Colts.....
Other picks: Houston over AZ, Cleveland over Buffalo (upset), Washington over Carolina, Pitt over DET, KC over Dallas (upset), NYG over Oak, Philly over TB, Minny over STL, Seattle over Jax...

Enjoy it everybody

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Postseason Baseball, Braylon, Dez Bryant, etc.

Back with bullets....on we go...
  • What a game last night between the Tigers and Twins...you just can't miss that many big-time opportunities if you're Detroit and Minny made them pay late...crazy atmosphere too, and it proves why 1-game playoffs are probably the most watchable baseball outside of Game 7's...
  • Cliff Lee and the Phillies dominate the Rockies....This doesn't surprise me in the slightest...Lee is an elite starter and the Rockies don't have elite starters... Colorado is a .500 team on the road, and they won't beat Hamels or Lee....
  • 2 more games to come today (posting mid-day Wednesday)...one of the cooler things about the 1st round is that you can almost always have an afternoon game..something cool and throw-back about that...
  • Braylon Edwards (Wolverine!) dealt to the Jets....let me say this now...I think Braylon explodes there...like pro-bowl 1300 yard form from 2 years ago..just a hunch..this is a guy who stepped up in the biggest of big spots in college, and now has weapons around him like Leon Washington and Cotchery... just a shot...but Cleveland had to deal him...I'm surprised this is all they could garner for him (although I'm a Chansi Stuckey fan)
  • In former Big 12 receiver news....Michael Crabtree signs...basically an identical deal to the one he's been holding out from....pointless.....and...Dez Bryant is now ineligible due to some dealings with the NCAA/lying, etc... he'll go ahead and declare tomorrow...lol... and he'll be a 1st rounder...probably the most talented receiver in the nation this side of AJ Green...
  • I don't care if Tim Tebow plays...they're beating LSU...and I REALLY don't care if Tim Tebow plays...just shut up...
  • Big football weekend for my personal interests...Michigan on the road at #13 Iowa (in a very winnable game IMO)...and the Falcons traveling west in a big game to try and keep pace with the suddenly awesome Saints....
Enjoy it everyone...it's a great time of the year for sports

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

MLB Playoff Preview/Season Awards

Greetings...I know nobody is really too focused on baseball right now...but it'll heat up in a hurry....First...here are my season awards

NL MVP: Albert Pujols
NL Cy Young: Chris Carpenter
NL ROY: Tommy Hanson

AL MVP: Joe Mauer (who has been incredible)
AL Cy Young: Zach Greinke (the best pitcher on earth for 8 months)
AL ROY: Rick Porcello

That was easy....Onto the playoffs....

AL 1st Round:
Yankees over Twins/Tigers (it doesn't matter which one) in 4
Red Sox over Angels in 5

ALCS:
Red Sox over Yankees in 7

NL 1st Round:
Cardinals over Dodgers in 4
Phillies over Rockies in 5

NLCS:
Cardinals over Phillies in 5

World Series:
Red Sox over Cardinals in 6

You call it analysis...I call it a hunch.... The baseball playoffs are about as big of a crapshoot (lately at least) as any... I picked the Sox before the season, and I'm a believer in that nucleus, especially with the playoff pitching success of Lester and Beckett... For the Yankees? Please show me a time when CC Sabathia was a dominant postseason pitcher...I'll wait...and don't get me started on AJ Burnett.....They'll falter.... Enjoy October baseball everyone



Saturday, October 3, 2009

CFB Wrap: Geaux Tigers, ND prevails, etc....

Nice Saturday...
  • Miami ends Oklahoma's title hopes.... wow, what a win for Miami...and what a stretch... 3-1 in the most daunting 4-game stretch to start the season for anyone in recent memory...yes, it was without Sam Bradford, but the Canes earned that one...for Oklahoma? Still in good shape as far as the Big 12 title goes...and IF by some miracle there was a 2-loss team in the title game...they'd get that nod b/c of the Bradford asterisk...but a tough loss for them nationally... 
  • LSU overcomes Georgia late.... a pretty putrid offensive game on both sides, and both teams proved that their rankings are a bit SEC-inflated IMO...but LSU sneaks away and sets up a gigantic game next week with Florida....at LSU...at night.... that crowd will be nuts... I really like the offensive makeup of LSU with the 2 veteran, explosive receivers and a QB with a run/pass option...they just don't have the dominating run game that they have on paper...
  • Ho-hum winners: Ohio State, Ole Miss, Cincy, Penn State, Alabama
  • Ranked teams who were challenged by weak teams and should be concerned a bit: Iowa (yikes), Va Tech, Boise
  • Utter domination by USC... Cal looked dreadful on offense yet again...and it's not hard to figure out how to stop them (put 9 in the box) until Riley beats someone, or until Jeff Tedford wakes up and inserts Nate Longshore into games so they can challenge teams downfield... USC's defense was outstanding though...fast and physical, and they are a different team confidence-wise on offense with Matt Barkley in there....
  • Michigan State outlasts Michigan....heroic comeback by Sir Forcier...but Michigan State controlled the clock all day and Michigan made mental mistakes on defense and special teams all day...the biggest? Senior All-universe Punter Zoltan Mesko decided to make a fake punt run read on 4th and 1 from the Michigan 21 yard line...and he was stopped 7 yards short and that led to a automatic score for Sparty...an indefensible play that was a microcosm of the goings on here... That said, you can't play heart-stoppers every week and win them all...but what can you say about Tate Forcier's comeback? The Wolverines had absolutely no business being in that overtime period to begin with...Highly encouraged by the resiliency....
  • Notre Dame steals one... First of all...the ND offense is very good...and even without their All-American WR Michael Floyd...Golden Tate had 270+ combined yards rushing and receiving...Jimmy Clausen will kill you if he has time..blah blah blah....I still hate them...and Jake Locker did everything in his power to beat them....some god-awful play calling around the goal-line all night for the Huskies, and a couple of big drops by the Washington receivers late... anyway, sets up the easy road for ND to 10-2 with a loss to USC....
  • Virginia AND Maryland won ACC games today....what were the odds of that?
  • As of press time (laughter), Houston is trailing UTEP by 10 on the road....that would be yet another non-BCS contender gone from the title picture if they can't make the comeback... UPDATE: Houston down 17 with a minute to go...defense completely exposed...Keenum is awesome though
Looking forward to tomorrow's slate as well...

Michigan hits the mat....

Well that one hurt... Tate was incredible down the stretch of regulation... and got an unlucky bounce on a questionable decision in OT... I think Michigan State struggles to make a 40-ish yard field goal in that rain if Troy Woolfolk (who was absolutely pathetic all day) could finish a tackle on 3rd down.... I'm not bitter....

Friday, October 2, 2009

An Improved Football Weekend...

Let's get at this...College first...
  • Michigan/Michigan State...clearly this one is close to my heart...but it's also the first road test for an undefeated Michigan team that suddenly claims to be in the picture as a Big 10 contender....I don't necessarily trust this team yet, if ever, and especially on the road in a rivalry game against a bitter rival coming off a loss....that said, Michigan is the better team here...this will go to the wire...but I like the Wolverines
  • LSU @ Georgia... LSU certainly seems to be an overrated mess at this point...BUT they are 4-0...#4 in the nation and have unbelievable talent on both sides, especially at the skill positions... Georgia's defense hasn't shown the ability to defend...at all... but they are playing at home, and LSU doesn't have the fantastic downfield throwing QB that could highly expose them... I'm inclined to like Georgia in the game, but I can't get past the skill position advantages for LSU...give me the Tigers
  • Oklahoma @ Miami...Landry Jones makes his road debut...yes, that's the name of Sam Bradford's backup that will hit the field for the Sooners in a packed stadium (biggest ticket selling in almost a decade for Miami football)....and Jacory Harris is coming off a stinker... it won't get easier for him, as the OU d-line may be the nation's best and they'll be living in the backfield... I'll take the limb and back Landry Jones and the boys....God help that....
  • USC/Cal...probably the most important game of the weekend when you're talking about conference titles... the preseason favorites in the league have been maligned lately...and Cal was flat-out embarrassed last week.... it won't get easier...Matt Barkley is back...and the Trojans will cruise....
  • As a sidebar...take a look at that Washington/Notre Dame game if you like elite QB talent....Jake Locker and Jimmy Clausen are both playing at a very high level
To the league...
  • Baltimore @ NE.... Best game of the weekend to me... for as much as the talk has been on the Ravens, I still favor the Pats at home here for 2 reasons...1) The Ravens defense has taken a step back this year...and no one's talking about it...they've given up 24+ points twice already and their one dominating performance was against the putrid Browns....and 2) Tom Brady and Bill Belichick know how to beat a blitz....
  • NYJ @ New Orleans.... I don't fully believe in the Jets yet.... Yes, that's an elite defense...but they employ a rookie QB who hasn't had to make any plays yet, and Thomas Jones suddenly can't establish the run... and there isn't a better guy in the league at beating the blitz than Drew Brees (who was 14-14 against blitzes last week btw).... too much talent on that NO offense, and the NFC South frontrunners will win...
  • Dallas @ Denver... Like what Denver is doing...they haven't beaten anybody, but that defense is playing well and Kyle Orton can manage the game (laughter)...and they have an effective ground game by committee....Mile High (or Invesco or whatever its called) is a legit home field, and I cannot will not trust Tony Romo (esp. with no receivers) on the road... Go Broncos...
  • San Diego @ Pittsburgh... Pretty darn good Sunday night matchup... Pittsburgh is in full must-win mode...1-3 would be ugly... and it's a home game they can't afford to drop...Pitt HAS to be able to run the rock here....and I don't know if they can unless Mendenhall awakens from the dead or they play Mewelde Moore on every down....LT isn't himself even if he plays, and Sproles won't be able to beat up on this defense.... I like the Steelers at home
More later...