9/30: MNF Recap, Twins/White Sox Play-In....

Some Old-school bullets....Here's to the Baseball Playoffs....

• While we're talking baseball playoffs...they truely start today with the Play-in between the White Sox and Twins....On the record, I'm gonna take the suddenly "hot" White Sox...but really, I'm taking John Danks at home over the inexperienced Nick Blackburn going on the road in a playoff atmosphere....So, there it is...and I'm mildly excited
• MNF was...interesting?...Yea, that's a good word....Joe Flacco's ups and downs...The Steelers abysmal O-Line (and Ben Roethlisberger's ability to fly by the hip late)....I marginally enjoyed the ugliness even.....All things equal, I still like Pittsburgh...but that O-Line is a huge question
• Scott Linehan fired as St. Louis Rams Head Coach...no shock to me...they've been abysmal and only getting worse...and he clearly lost his big-money QB...simple math really
• The Brewers announce...Yovani Gallardo?...as Game 1 NLDS Starter...yes, he's young and has shown flashes...but he's pitched once since May...I guess that's the state of their staff more than anything.....
• NY Jets Safety Eric Smith suspended 1 Game and fined $50K for his hit on Anquan Boldin....This struck me as an over-reaction...the Boldin injury was more a result of the fact that his body got contorted by the hit by Kerry Rhodes behind him....and while Smith did go helmet-to-helmet, I didn't think it warranted a suspension...just one man's opinion...

More later....including an MLB Playoff Preview to come at some point....

NFL Week 4 Wrap...

First things first....

THE PICKS WRAP:

YTD (Entering): 14-14-1

• NYJ -1....Winner!
• Washington +11....Winner!
• Green Bay +1.5.....Loser!

YTD (Current): 16-15-1....we're making dough! lol

To the games....

• Cleveland/Cincy was an absolute trainwreck today....nobody could let me know Carson Palmer was out? And a guy from Harvard is playing QB? Yikes...
• Jacksonville escapes in OT over Houston despite Matt Schaub's career-best road day....David Garrard was the David Garrard of 2007 today....impressed
• The Falcons were who I thought they were (thanks Denny Green)....a bad road team with a rookie QB....Oh well, can't hate on 2-2....
• Um, somebody wake up Denver? I know their run D is bad...but 200 yards to Larry Johnson's corpse? My goodness....I guess the "worst team in the league" discussion is down to Detroit and STL....
• Speaking of the Rams....The 4-0 Buffalo Bills....take a look at that again...your AFC East favorite Buffalo Bills....win again....ugly this time...but hey, it's a win...and I like Trent Edwards...very underrated....
• Drew Brees could throw the ball to anyone with 2 hands and 2 feet....
• NYJ 56, Arizona 35.....Kurt Warner throws for almost 500 yards...and they lose by 21....Brett Favre throws six? touchdowns....including 3 to Laveranues Coles (who I thought hated Favre...another overblown story)....good offense or bad defense? I choose the latter....and It's good to hear Anquan Boldin had movement after the game...that was ugly....Watch out for Steve Breaston in his stead....
• Matt Flynn won't win you a single game Packer fans...unless you're playing the Lions maybe
• Best looking AFC team through 4 weeks? Tennessee....didn't see that coming with Kerry Collins at the helm...but he's managing the game....and that D is nasty (Chris Johnson too)
• Washington beats Dallas in Big D....what is it with Santana Moss and the Cowboys? He disappears against everyone else...inexplicable...Jason Campbell looked good today....and how in the world does Marion Barber get single-digit carries? I don't care what the score is....that shouldn't happen
• This late game is virtually unwatchable.....(in progress)...Donovan looking bad....Kyle Orton being Kyle Orton...fumbles....bonehead plays...muffed punts....Hurray!

Hope you enjoyed the football weekend...I know I did...

CFB Wrap-Up....

Wow...sort of a ridiculous day in college football....Let's recap a bit...

To the 2 lead stories....

• Florida goes down....This one was the true shocker of the day....Tebow coming up inhuman...Dan Shanoff melting down (danshanoff.com for details)....and a blocked XP being the culprit...granted they were outplayed in this one overall (even holding a 17-7 lead at home and blowing it to an offensively-challenged opponent)...but the real x-factor was the "Wild-Rebel" offense that Houston Nutt brought from Arkansas that Florida just couldn't seem to stop.....This doesn't end Florida's season...but serious damage....they have to win out now
• Alabama takes it to Georgia from the opening kickoff....31-0 at halftime? My god....Nobody expected that...I enjoyed it thoroughly...but I digress....Georgia just got punched in the mouth and by the time they woke up, it was too late....They scored 30...yes, thirty points in the 2nd half....and still came up well short....Time to sure up that defense fellas....and congrats on that blackout...Okay, I apologize for the bias....They just got run over, they actually responded quite well after the early barrage...

Now to the fun stuff.....

• Ohio State wins easily...Terrelle Pryor should be in Maize and Blue....I hate my life sometimes....UNTIL....
• Michigan, somehow....comes back from a 19-0 halftime deficit that saw the Victors commit 5 first-half TOs (totalling 11 in a 6 quarter period) and explode for 27 second half points including 20 in the fourth to hold on for a 27-25 home upset over the top-10 ranked Badgers....The Michigan defense is an elite unit IMO...factor the 19 points came directly off the 5 TOs with short fields...and a 2nd half shutout barring the final drive in which the old-fashioned "prevent" was employed...All that said, I'm still skeptical of the offense for obvious reasons, but very encouraged by the glut of young weapons on the outside....I'm rambling now....
• I can't decide if Arkansas is that bad or Texas is that good....I'm leaning toward the former....
• Do you remember when people were arguing about whether East Carolina was a top-1o team? Seems like a long time ago for the now 2-loss Pirates....
• In a game few cared about...Navy took down ACC-favorite Wake forest....show of hands of who even knew this happened?
• Other top teams that simply took care of business: Oklahoma who easily dismantled a pretty talented TCU team.....Penn State who cemented their status as the Big 10 co-favorites with Ohio State (and they're playing better than the Bucks).....and LSU who survived and advanced against Miss. State

For kicks....

My New (and the debut of) Top 10: For the record, my rankings are based on resume, not who I think would win on a neutral field tomorrow

1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama (Best win on anyone's resume that is undefeated)
3. LSU (Gets the nod over Missou b/c of the Auburn win)
4. Missouri (Illinois could've helped their SOS)
5. Penn State
6. Texas
7. BYU
8. South Florida (The prohibitive Big East favorite)
9. Utah (gets the nod over Tx. Tech because win @ Michigan is significantly better than anything Tx. Tech has done)
10. Georgia

I did my best to punish USC and Florida....I can't get down with polls that just let the Top 5 teams get some sort of pass for bad losses, not when there are undefeated teams out there, Georgia gets the nod because Alabama is that good....Others receiving consideration: Texas Tech (has beaten who?),USC, Florida, Auburn

And finally....

THE PICKS WRAP-UP

YTD (Previous) 11-12-1

• Miss. State +24...Winner!
• Michigan +6....Winner! (somehow)
• Colorado +6...Loser!
• Arkansas +27.5.....Loser!
• Illinois +14.5....Winner!

YTD (Current): 14-14-1....Back to even!

Okay, then....Crazy day...Enjoy the NFL slate....

NFL Preview Week 4

It's NFL time...and yes, I know it's Friday....but hey, who has time when they are immersed in CFB to do NFL previews? That's right....

THE PICKS

YTD 11-12-1 (pending CFB this week)

• Green Bay +1 @ Tampa Bay
• NY Jets -1.5 vs. Arizona
• Washington +11 @ Dallas

And now the preview....

• Atlanta @ Carolina....Matt Ryan scares the (blank) out of me on the road; There's no answer for Steve Smith in the Falcon secondary, and Carolina will put 8 in the box all day long; The pick: Carolina
• Cleveland @ Cincy...This one is interesting; Cincy looked improved last week in New York and Cleveland is in huge turmoil; I'm gonna say after this one, Brady Quinn is your week 5 starter in Cleveland; The pick: Cincy
• Houston @ Jacksonville.... Matt Schaub is historically bad on the road and Jacksonville has some momentum from a last-second win last week...this has let-down game written on it, but I can't find a reason to pick Houston; The pick: Jacksonville
• Denver @ KC....The Chiefs are abysmal....at home, they should, in theory put up a fight behind their best QB actually playing (Damon Huard) and a steady diet of Larry Johnson against a subpar Run D....They'll play better than Weeks 1-3....but...The pick: Denver
• San Fran @ New Orleans....A Battle of throw-first, run-n-gun teams....Simply put, I'll take the better QB and the home-field....The pick: NO
• Arizona @ New York Jets....The Kurt Warner road show hits New York....I think the Jets throw it around all day, and force Warner into enough mistakes....The pick: NYJ
• Green Bay @ Tampa Bay....Brian Griese throws the ball 67 times??! That either won't sustain or if it does, they aren't winning....I think Green Bay looking that bad was more a product of Dallas than Green Bay...and if this game was played a week ago, GB would've been the clear favorite....translation; The Pick: GB
• Minnesota @ Tennessee.....This may be the game of the week....the league's best Run offense against the league's best run defense....in a purist's dream...and also, a battle of journeymen should-be-backup QB's....8 in the box and Albert Haynesworth in the middle beats Minny; The pick: TN
• San Diego @ Oakland....San Diego looks to be back on track...Oakland's D is bad against the run and not performing up to expectations against the pass either....SD goes on the road and wins soundly....The pick: San Diego
• Buffalo @ St. Louis....St. Louis is just as bad as advertised...and Buffalo is better than advertised....Simple right? Well, the Roscoe Parrish injury doesn't kill the Bills as much with Terrence McGee to return kicks instead....Trent Edwards can beat Trent Green...laughter...The pick: Buffalo
• Washington @ Dallas....I like this Redskin team....but I still don't trust Jim Zorn against a quality opponent and Jason Campbell is hit or miss....Dallas should be able to wing it on Washington and with homefield, this one speaks for itself....The pick: Dallas
• Philly @ Chicago....This should be a good game...Chicago's D is very, very good...but so is that Philly offense....if Westbrook and McNabb aren't healthy, this could be very close...I'll take Philly with the reservations on those injuries....The pick: Philly
• Baltimore @ Pittsburgh....Boy, the Pittsburgh O-Line can't catch a break...drawing Baltimore after being battered by Philly....That said, I think they respond a bit...and at no point, will I ever take a rookie QB on the road against a quality defense...that's a rule....sorry Joe Flacco....The pick: Pittsburgh

Fantasy sleeper of the week....Bryant Johnson! (Translation: he was my best bye-week option this week in one of my leagues)

There it is...enjoy the football

USC Goes down....

EDIT: I thought I posted this at 8 am this morning....turns out I just saved as draft? So forgive the lateness

Wow...the favorites go down in a heap....to recap....A 5'4 (my height guess) true freshman RB slashes and gashes the vaunted USC defense....they get shutout for a half for the first time since 2001....and NO one saw this coming.....Because I love good football, I always seem to find a shred of hope for the underdog before big games with top 5 teams (to talk myself into the game)....and for this one? Not a thing....but hey, the Beavers proved me wrong....and opened the door for the 1-loss Big 12 or SEC teams to play....undefeated BYU for the title! I can dream right?

CFB Weekend Preview....

First, as usual, is....THE PICKS!

YTD: 11-12-1

• Mississippi State +24 @ LSU.....I'll take the Bulldogs defense....too many points for an LSU offense that is still quite inexperienced at QB...
• Michigan +6 vs. Wisconsin....Yes, I'm a homer...but Wisconsin is a mediocre road team, and Go Blue should be able to move the ball....
• Colorado +6 @ Florida State....Colorado beats WV....Florida State scores 3 points vs. Wake....FSU has no QB....I'll take the points please....
• Arkansas +27.5 @ Texas....Old-school rivalry....TONS of points....Texas isn't the juggernaut they have been in the past....
• Illinois +14.5 @ Penn State....Yes, PSU has looked great early...but over 2 touchdowns against a real Big 10 opponent good? Prove it....

Okay, that's enough of that....to the action....As always, in order by start time....

• USC @ Oregon State (Thursday, 9 pm)- Interested to see how USC responds on the road in conference...Oregon State is....bad? terrible? pathetic? Yea...all of those....so a complete beating should be the standard....
• North Carolina @ Miami (Saturday, Noon) - Somehow this is the best game of the Saturday early slate...Miami is young....so is UNC....it's at Miami...I'll take the home team....but that's all I got
• Wisconsin @ Michigan (Saturday, 3:30) - First conference game for both....Wisconsin seems to be the Big 10 national hope...I'm skeptical....
• Tennessee @ Auburn (Saturday, 3:30) - Tennessee is suddenly in huge turmoil...with a real possibility of a 2-4 start and Fulmer's job on the line...It won't get any better here...Auburn's defense will swallow Crompton whole...too much speed
• Purdue @ Notre Dame (Saturday, 3:30) - No one cares...except I openly root against Notre Dame at all costs....good enough? Curtis Painter throws for 350 and 3 TDs here....
• TCU @ Oklahoma (Saturday, 7:00) - This is an underrated game...TCU is, as usual, one of the best non-BCS teams...and they have played OU good in the past....but, for that reason, OU will be ready and should take care of business....
• Alabama @ Georgia (Saturday, 7:45) - This is the headliner...the Gameday game....I think UGA handles business here....as much as I'd love to think otherwise...Alabama has to get pressure on Stafford early and often to have a chance here, and while they are capable, I'll take UGA
• Illinois @ Penn State (Saturday, 8:00) - Already discussed this one....Penn State, IMO, looks like the class of the Big 10 and should handle Illinois....but that said, the Penn State offense is widely inexperienced, and haven't faced a real unit to this point...should be a good measuring stick for PSU

That's all I got....

9/24: Matt Millen, Plax, Starbury....

Greetings...

• Matt Millen gets canned....hilarity...It's about time...that's really all I got...it won't save them from the inevitable 3-13 this year, but maybe they'll be some actual direction in that franchise....
• Plax Burress gets suspended for "two" weeks....but only one game....seems sorta convenient to me...they get to say they suspended him 2 weeks without pay, but only lose him one week on the field...."violation of team rules" is one of my favorites too....
• The Rams continue to overhaul....cutting STARTING CB Fakhir Brown midseason....not benching...outright cutting....Scott Linehan next?
• Baseball coming to the wire....I'll go ahead and predict the Brewers winning the wild card and the White Sox winning the central....in the only races that are still really popping....
• EDIT: I'm an idiot and left on Steph Marbury...turns out he'll be in camp after all? Weird...I smell James Dolan...

That's it for now....lots of content coming focusing on the weekend....