1/8: BCS Title Game Wrap-up, etc.

Greetings! A lot to get to this morning...

• Alabama is your BCS National Champion. In case you missed it, you can find my live (and detailed) thoughts here, but suffice it to say that Bama cruised during the 42-14 victory. It was utter domination from the beginning, and ND really was never in the game. Manti Te'o vanished into thin air, the ND offense couldn't generate anything until garbage time in the second half, and Alabama had the best player on the field in Eddie Lacy. I could opine forever on this game, but Alabama was outstanding and they deserve the title. Cue the insufferable SEC fans and their claims on a title that exactly one team was responsible for.
• Robert Griffin III has a full-blown injury controversy! One report had him missing 14+ months with a complete tear of multiple ligaments, now it is "reported" that he just tore his LCL. At any rate, we can agree that as long as he has a tear of anything, he shouldn't have been out there. Alas, this is a story worth following.
• In an extremely random NBA moment, Milwaukee fired head coach Scott Skiles after midnight last night. The weird part about it is that Milwaukee didn't play last night. Why the midnight firing? Who knows, but Skiles had Milwaukee in the playoffs at 16-16, and I'm confused by this one. That said, Skiles has a reputation for wearing out his welcome, and I never understood the Ellis/Jennings backcourt with regards to how it would mesh with Skiles. The search begins.
• There is trouble in Laker land. Pau Gasol (concussion) and Dwight Howard (torn labrum) are both out indefinitely, and Howard could miss months depending on the severity. It's been a full-scale nightmare since the opening tip of the season for LA, but this is the low point. Without Howard, they are going to be a disaster on the interior, and there are even whispers of Metta World Peace playing some center. That's not a joke.
• NBA Check - Washington shocked the OKC Thunder by a 101-99 final last night in DC. Bradley Beal led the Wiz with 22 points, but the key to the W was their defense holding OKC to 43% FG and just 6-25 from 3-point distance. There's not a lot to take from this one, but it's certainly surprising. Could Boston be turning the corner? Just two days after a crazy, comeback win over Atlanta, the C's went into New York and defeated the Knicks without Rajon Rondo. Boston got 23 and 6 from Paul Pierce, and held Carmelo Anthony to a woeful 6-26 from the field in the win. In another upset, New Orleans topped San Antonio 95-88 thanks to a 4th quarter surge. Eric Gordon seems to be rounding into form with 24 points for the Hornets. Finally, Portland and Orlando played a barnburner in the Rose Garden that saw the Blazers eek out a 125-119 OT win. LaMarcus Aldridge (27/10/5), JJ Hickson (20 and 15), Wes Matthews (24 points), and Damian Lillard (18 points, 10 assists) all had big games for Portland in the win. 

What to watch for on Tuesday (in chronological order)...

• 7:00 - NCAAB - Alabama @ #10 Missouri (ESPN) - Pressey and company are worth watching.
• 8:00 - NBA - Lakers @ Rockets (NBATV) - Metta World Peace at Center! No, really!
• 8:00 - NBA - Hawks @ T-Wolves (SportSouth) - Minnesota is battling big-time injury issues, but they're still 15-15 in the loaded West, and this is a tough spot.
• 9:00 - NCAAB - #15 Ohio State @ Purdue (ESPN) - Every road game in the Big 10 is a tough one and this is no different.
• 9:00 - NCAAB - Pittsburgh @ #19 Georgetown (ESPNU) - In a normal year, this game would never be on ESPNU, but that's where the Big East is at the moment.

Enjoy!

2013 BCS Championship Game Liveblog!

Greetings! It's been a while since I've trotted out a liveblog, but since this is expected to be the #1 rated program in the history of ESPN (not a misprint) and I have no rooting interest in the game (I hate Notre Dame and the SEC equally), it is time! Stay with me throughout the game for whatever "insights" I may have and may the best team win!
Note: You will need to "refresh" at the top of the page in order to see real-time updates, or simply come and go as you please.

• 5:37 pm - The countdown is on! Just under three hours to game-time and though I haven't felt this kind of fan experience since I was very young (the 1997 Michigan Wolverines to be exact), it must be driving folks from Irish and "Roll Tide" nation crazy. Stay tuned for pregame and kick-off closer to 8:30 pm. 
• 8:21 - The TV is fired up and Brent Musberger is on the mic. Has there ever been a more perfect voice for college football? He always makes it feel like a big game, and along with the now-retired Keith Jackson, he's the voice of the college gridiron for me. 
• 8:24 - Cut to a live shot of Notre Dame slapping the "Play Like a Champion Today" sign... how did it make it here from Miami? Oh, here comes Alabama out of the tunnel followed closely by the Irish and a fired-up Manti Te'o. This is fantastic. Two legendary programs, two insane fanbases, and all eyes on Miami.
• 8:26 - Kirk Herbstreit isn't calling an Ohio State game! This is great for me! Where is Chris Spielman?
• 8:28 - Notre Dame wins the toss and defers. Their only win of the night?! Okay, too soon. I can't help but be more inspired by confidence when I see Nick Saban than when I see Brian Kelly. That's not a shot at Kelly, but Saban is the best in the business. 
• 8:31 - The ball is in the air! This is about as loud of a crowd as you'll ever hear at a neutral site in this big of a game. Think about Super Bowl crowds that you've heard... are they ever rowdy? This one is.
• 8:33 - AJ McCarron with a perfect strike for a 30-yard gain to Norwood. That should slow the ND defense a bit as they were really flying forward on the first two snaps. 
• 8:34 - Eddie Lacy is an absolute monster. 10 yards, about 4 broken tackles, and his helmet comes flying off. Suddenly Alabama is on the ND 27-yard line. How did that happen!?
• 8:36 - Did I mention that Lacy was a monster? 20 yards to the house for the opening touchdown. That's an absolute march by the Tide. And, on cue, Musberger points out that it was the longest drive allowed by the Irish defense all season. Not quite an "uh oh" from South Bend, but certainly not a positive start.
• 8:39 - Is this drive going to be huge as huge for ND as I think it is? If they go 3-and-out, Saban and company will start smelling blood, I think. 
• 8:40 - X-factor of the night for ND's offense? Tight End Tyler Eifert. He's the Mackey Award winning weapon on the outside that could pose some match-up issues, even against a lightning-fast Bama defense. 
• 8:42 - I know I just said that Eifert is the X-factor, but that doesn't mean I'd be iso-ing him on Dee Milliner. He's one of the top-5 corners in the country and has good size despite Eifert towering over him. 
• 8:44 - Most under-covered story of this game is Everett Golson playing in his 12th career game. Yes, 12 career games, with the fact that he wasn't even the full-time starter all year. Somehow, with all of the coverage on the Irish defense, it's been overlooked that he's going into the Lion's Den against Saban and that speed. Enjoy that, Everett. 
• 8:46 - Fumble!!? Alabama puts it on the carpet on the ensuing punt return, but the recovery is waived off due to a kick-catch interference call. Crisis averted, although that would've been a huge momentum swing and that fair catch signal was verrryyyyyy late. 
• 8:47 - On second look, that's an absolutely awful call and Brian Kelly is losing his mind (rightfully so). They blew that one. 
• 8:49 - Eddie Lacy is doing his best Trent Richardson impression. Ran through Te'o twice already. 
• 8:51 - If AJ McCarron is this accurate, good luck to Notre Dame's defense. Multi-faceted offense from Bama = doom. 
• 8:53 - Absolutely incredible run by Lacy down inside the 5-yard line. Two jump cuts, insane patience and great vision to get to second level.
• 8:54 - 14-0, Alabama. The Irish defense is on its heels in a big way. Couldn't be a worse scenario for Notre Dame through the opening half-quarter.
• 8:56 - I can't help but dread tomorrow's "SEC Rules!" response by the entire Southern United States. Have fun taking full credit for one team's performance! Can you tell I grew up in Atlanta as a Michigan fan? 
• 8:58 - Remember when I said that opening drive was huge for Golson? Multiply that by about 10 on his second drive. At the very least, ND needs a couple first downs to let their defense regroup.
• 8:59 - Oh. My. Goodness. Tyler Eifert just put the ball on the ground at the Irish 30-yard line. If that holds up, that literally could be the dagger for Notre Dame, and yes, I'm aware that there is 6 minutes left in the 1st quarter. 
• 9:01 - Currently during the commercial break, but I think Eifert's knee was down. Second life for ND if they overturn it.
• 9:02 - Irish ball. 
• 9:05 - Zero separation from the ND receivers/tight ends so far in the game. Another punt coming from ND. Time for Te'o and company to get a stop before things get out of control. 
• 9:06 - The first shot of AJ McCarron's girlfriend! Who had 9:06 in the pool? Wait, she's an Auburn student?
• 9:08 - I won't tell you that he's made any highly difficult plays, but AJ McCarron has been flawless so far. Tide on the march again. 
• 9:09 - A negative play for the Bama offense/Irish defense! Nicks absolutely blew up Barrett Jones and took away any chance for Yeldon to use his speed.
• 9:15 - Touchdown, Alabama. At 21-0, this game isn't over, but it is the tallest of tall orders for Notre Dame. Consider this, the Irish offense only threw for about 2600 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, and they're going to ask Golson to heave it around a lot if they want to come back. The downside? It's tee-off time for the Bama defensive line.
• 9:16 - Important for ND to not abandon the run entirely. They must keep the ND defense off of the field for a decent amount of time on this drive. They looked gassed and overmatched. 
• 9:20 - Some life from Golson and company until they cross midfield... and then he makes the inexplicable decision to throw a deep jumpball on 4th and 5. Turnover on downs.
• 9:21 - Nothing I hate more than that play call. When did it become an epidemic to be "cute" and throw deep on 4th-and-short? What's the percentage on that play's success? 15%? 
• 9:23 - In all seriousness, if Alabama scores a touchdown here, this game is academic. Please don't give me the "Auburn did it with Cam!" argument for a comeback, because Everett Golson is certainly not Cam Newton. 
• 9:27 - Alabama forced to punt! The dream lives!
• 9:27 - Of course ND muffs the punt. That would've been comical if Bama recovered. That said, the Irish take over inside their own 10-yard line in desperate need of points. 
• 9:32 - Yikes. An explosive safety blitz from Alabama shuts down ND for a loss of 5 yards right after ND finally had a positive running play. Golson follows with a short completion and a scramble, but Kelly sends the punting unit on for a 4th-and-1.
• 9:33 - Musberger brings up a great point. How long before we see Tommy Rees for Notre Dame? Isn't he the better passer?
• 9:36 - I think Eddie Lacy looks fantastic. I know I keep referencing him, but every run is patient and powerful. 
• 9:39 - McCarron misses Cooper about about this much on the cut-your-throat deep ball there, and Bama will punt. Seems like Notre Dame's defense has awakened a bit, but they're still in need of rest and the Irish offense has let them down in a big way. 
• 9:40 - Another special teams miscue? Notre Dame has now muffed a punt AND fielded one inside their own 5-yard line. I feel like young punt returners have literally forgotten about the "plant your feet on the 10-yard line" rule this season. 
• 9:42 - I'm not crapping on him, but has anyone heard the name "Manti Te'o" tonight? It's not his fault that the secondary is getting torched, but he's been a non-factor in run support, too.
• 9:44 - If you're an ND fan, aren't you dreaming of a 12-play touchdown drive here? If they can get 7 and milk the rest of the half, they're suddenly back in the game... right?
• 9:47 - Almost on cue, Golson takes a soul-crushing sack. I don't even know what to say. Rudy was offsides, too. 
• 9:48 - If you're Saban, I think you just ride the two running backs at this point. I don't think ND has shown you that they can score 21 points without any big swings/turnovers, and if you couple that with a monster offensive line and two gifted backs, it's a pretty solid recipe. 
• 9:50 - Great point by Herbstreit. ND never misses this many tackles, and it's not like they haven't played against some serious runners this year (Denard, Le'veon Bell, etc.). Either Yeldon and Lacy are just incredible, or the Irish are folding. 
• 9:51 - On cue, Te'o misses a tackle in the backfield. If that wasn't a microcosm of the night's events, I don't know what is. 
• 9:56 - Eddie Lacy is a certified ballplayer. He spins into the endzone and the lead is now 28-0 with :31 left in the 2nd quarter. Over 100 total yards and 2 TDs for Lacy in the half. Wow. For all intensive purposes, this one is over, and we could be witnessing one of the most dominant title game performances of all-time. 
• 9:57 - This is when being a "journalist" is difficult. I probably shouldn't flat-out call this game "over", but I'm having serious trouble conjuring up a scenario where ND gets back into this game. Punt return TD? Pick-six? Both? 
• 9:59 - Halftime. 28-0, Alabama. We'll be back for the second half after a short recess. Stay tuned.
• 10:16 - We're back! It's pretty indicative of the way things have gone that Desmond Howard and Urban Meyer are virtually cackling on the halftime set. Have to imagine that millions of TV sets have been turned to the "off" position after the 1st half.
• 10:22 - Serious question, would you throw a single pass in the 3rd quarter if you were Nick Saban? I literally don't think I would. With their running backs and ND's refusal to play 8 in the box, they're going to move the chains enough to sustain without risking the ball through the air. It should look like an early 1970's Big Ten game in the second half. 
• 10:27 - INT from Golson on the 1st drive. That's incredibly brutal for ND. I'm out of ideas.
• 10:28 - I said this on the first drive of the game, but Herbstreit just banged the point home. Why on Earth is ND attacking Dee Milliner? He's an All-American! He's literally made every play he's been asked to make all night, and if they thought they saw something on tape, they didn't. 
• 10:30 - 14 carries for 116 yards from Eddie Lacy. Scroll up to read me fawning over him endlessly.
• 10:34 - I feel bad for Brent and Herbie. They're going to be in full-scale BS mode by the start of the 4th quarter. Anyone have a good TJ Yeldon story!?
• 10:36 - On a positive note for Notre Dame, Nix is out there absolutely giving it up on one leg. That's the kind of stuff that makes sports special. They're getting absolutely housed, and he has no business out there, but refused to be left on the sidelines.
• 10:37 - And in the same breath... Touchdown, Alabama. 35-0. I'll be wrapping this up soon if this continues. You've been warned. 
• 10:40 - I would lay at least 20-to-1 that Brent Musberger will make a veiled Vegas reference if and when this game goes over the 40-point over/under total. He's in Cooperstown with regard to veiled references and by that point, it'll be the only thing left to talk about.
• 10:44 - Openly rooting for ND to scratch. The SEC conglomerate will be at least 15% more insufferable if they get shut out. 
• 10:48 - Touchdown, Irish! And the over hits! It's a celebration! I can't stop using exclamation points! Somebody stop me! 
• 10:52 - I'm actually interested to see how Saban handles this now. Go for jugular with some play-action from McCarron or just grind with the running backs. To be honest, I don't think it even matters.
• 10:56 - I've actually enjoyed Herbstreit tonight... until he starts talking about how Notre Dame "hasn't seen this speed all year." Come on, Kirk. You're better than that. 
• 11:04 - $200,000 for Saban after the win tonight.... and he's worth every, single penny.
• 11:06 - Kinda surprised that Bama is still throwing, but it's about as safe as it gets in the passing game for the most part. Dump-off city and they've been coached to stay in bounds it seems. Clock is rolling.
• 11:07 - Eddie Lacy is the best player on the field tonight, and that's really saying something with the talent that is assembled.
• 11:09 - Touchdown, Alabama. 42-7. And with that, I am signing off until tomorrow... 

Congratulations to the Crimson Tide on a dominant, national title-winning performance. 

1/7: Wild Card Wrap and more!

Greetings! It was certainly a busy weekend in the sports world, but as always, the NFL is king in this country so let's hit that first...

• Green Bay 24, Minnesota 10 - Aaron Rodgers is better than you... and he's much better than Joe Webb. I was actually semi-excited about Joe Webb getting the start for an injured Ponder, but it wasn't enough, and not even Adrian Peterson could save them. Green Bay is just better and they showed it here.
• Houston 19, Cincy 13 - I can't believe Cincy didn't win and/or cover this game. That said, Andy Dalton was awful and that's the key to the game despite Matt Schaub's mediocrity and Houston's coaching staff. Alas, the Texans move on.
• Baltimore 24, Indianapolis 9 - Andrew Luck didn't play well... and that's that. A 27.2 QBR and a QB rating south of 60 wouldn't do it, and I picked Indy on the back of him. Baltimore got the Ray Lewis bump, but it was all about shutting down the Colts' passing game. Moving on.
• Seattle 24, Washington 14 - Best game of the day, but it was marred by the RG3 injury. He was really limited, and they couldn't score a single point in the final 47 minutes of the game. The Washington offense simply hasn't been the same since the initial knee injury, and they had no shot once he couldn't move and there was a Kirk Cousins sighting. Also, Russ Wilson!

Elsewhere..

• The NHL is... back!? Yes, it appears that way. As you may know, there's not a ton of hockey coverage in this space (and that's not changing, sorry), but it is certainly worth noting that the NHL and its players have agreed to terms. It seems as though they'll be a 48-50 game season to follow, and that'll be interesting. Welcome back, hockey.
• Coaching news! Chip Kelly will reportedly stay at Oregon after turning down the Eagles job. This one kind of surprised me as it seemed like he was all but gone, but that's a huge coup for Oregon as he's one of the elite guys in the country. Doug Marrone, on the other hand, is leaving Syracuse for a close destination as the new head coach in Buffalo. Marrone took Syracuse out of the ashes, but doesn't have a huge track record, and the Bills are swinging for the fences here. Good luck. 
• Minnesota T-Wolves all-star forward Kevin Love has re-injured his right hand. He'll be reevaluated by doctors as far as timetable is concerned, but this is a huge blow for the playoff-contending T-Wolves. Any loss of more than weeks or months would torpedo their hopes.
• On Saturday night, the Atlanta Hawks turned in their worst half of basketball this season against the Celtics. In fairness, it really wasn't a "half" as the Hawks got absolutely slaughtered by a 33-9 margin in the 3rd quarter and that was good enough to give the game away. No analysis here other than hopefully it was an aberration, but it was brutal.
• NBA Roundup (Sunday edition) - Miami and Oklahoma City cruised to easy wins over Washington and Toronto respectively. Again, no real analysis as both teams were led by their stars as Lebron had a typical 24 points and 7 assists, and Durant/Westbrook keyed the OKC win. Elsewhere, Memphis went into Phoenix and beat the Suns 92-81 behind 21 points from Z-Bo, and a balanced attack from the rest of their rotation. Finally, Denver beat LA in the Staples Center by 112-05 final tally. Ty Lawson led Denver with 21 points and 10 assists, but the key to the win for the Nuggets was winning the turnover battle (18 to 8) and grabbing 17 offensive boards to allow for a staggering 101 field goal attempts. Multiple chance mean buckets. On the LA side, Kobe had 29/7/5, but the story was Dwight Howard, who scored 14 points and grabbed a staggering 26 rebounds. Maybe he's getting healthy? Either way, a nice win for Denver away from home.

What to watch for on Monday (including a preview of the BCS title game)...

• 8:30 - BCS Championship Game - #2 Alabama vs. #1 Notre Dame (ESPN) - Obviously, this is the headliner of the night on Monday. I'm taking Bama in the game because I think they have a) more talent, b) the better quarterback, and c) the better coach. That's not a shot at Brian Kelly, who I think is excellent, or at the Notre Dame defense, which is superb, but I trust Saban and Bama has the horses on both sides of the ball. 

Also, I will be live-blogging this game. Yes, you read that right, I'm bringing the live-blog back! It's been a long time, but tune in at 8:30 this evening for my every thought on the game as it unfolds... 

• 6:30 - NCAAB - #21 Notre Dame @ #14 Cincinnati (ESPN2) - School officials moved this game to 6:30 so that the ND students could watch both games, and that's a great idea. At any rate, this is a quality basketball game, so if you need an appetizer to the gridiron action, here you go.
• 7:00 - NCAAB - #5 Indiana @ Penn State (BTN) - A true road game for Indiana, and the former #1 has looked vulnerable in recent days.

Enjoy!

NFL Wild Card Round Preview

Aloha! It's time for the NFL's playoff "tournament" and since it's the national pastime (sorry, baseball), I figured I should break it down round-by-round. Let's go!

Wild Card Round

• AFC - #6 Cincy @ #3 Houston (Saturday 4:30 on NBC) - I have no idea to make of this Texans team. After starting the season 11-1, they finished 1-3 in their last four games and looked bad doing it. There's a case to be made that all three losses were to playoff teams, but on the other hand, they weren't competitive in any of the three. Arian Foster doesn't look like the same player in 2012 (career-low 4.1 per carry) as he was in 2010 and 2011, and their defense is severely banged up. On the Cincy side, they've won 7 of their last 8 games after a slow start, and they feature a very potent defense. There's no question they're playing better than Houston at the moment, but the X-factor is that Houston is probably the more talented team and they're playing at home. I'm taking the upset with Cincy, but I don't feel great about it.
• NFC - #6 Minnesota @ #3 Green Bay (Saturday 8:00 on NBC) - Remember when these teams played less than a week ago? I do. It took the best game of Christian Ponder's career and a super-human performance from Adrian Peterson for the Vikings to win... in Minneapolis. This game is outside in Green Bay, and I really think the Packers are a better team. Throw in Christian Ponder on the road against Aaron Rodgers, and I'm taking the Pack. Sorry, Adrian.
• AFC - #5 Indianapolis @ #4 Baltimore (Sunday 1:00 on CBS) - The battle of the Colts and the former Colts. The fact that Indy won 11 games including 9 of their last 11 is absolutely staggering when you remember how bad they were last year. Andrew Luck has suddenly become the unsung rookie due to the praise for RGIII and Russell Wilson, but I still feel that Luck will be the best pro, and he's been electric as well. Throw in the fantastic story of Chuck Pagano (chuckstrong!) and his return, and they have mojo working. For Baltimore, they've lost 4 of their last 5, and backed into the playoffs in a big way. Seems easy to pick Indy, right? Well, I am going to pick the Colts, but not without reservation. Baltimore is playoff-seasoned, they are a different (read: much better) team at home including Joe Flacco becoming shockingly competent when inside his home stadium, and Indy has done much of the season with smoke and mirrors behind Luck and Reggie Wayne. I'm taking Indy because of Pagano and Luck, but I don't feel great.
• NFC - #5 Seattle @ #4 Washington (Sunday 4:30 on FOX) - Best game of the opening weekend for me. Russell Wilson against Robert Griffin III? Come on! Wilson has a QB rating of 100 for the season (insane) and that number is over 120 in the months of November and December. He's playing out of his mind right now, and Seattle's offense has gone with him since the inception of their college-like read option offense. Throw in a very stout defense with a non-suspended Richard Sherman and Seattle is a gauntlet. On the Washington side, Griffin has looked a bit slowed since returning from his injury, but with Alfred Morris coming off of a 200-yard day against Dallas, that offense is scary in its own right. I think it'll come down to whether Washington can get Russell and company off of the field, and I frankly don't think they can with how he's playing right now. Take the Seahawks, even on the road. 

Just for reference (since the playoffs haven't begun yet), I wanted to get my overall playoff picks on the record... here they are!

• NFC Wild Card - Green Bay over Minnesota, Seattle over Washington
• AFC Wild Card - Cincy over Houston, Indy over Baltimore
• NFC Divisional Round - Atlanta over Seattle (this one was close), Green Bay over San Fran
• AFC Divisional Round - Denver over Cincy, New England over Indy
• NFC Title Game - Green Bay over Atlanta
• AFC Title Game - New England over Denver 
• Super Bowl - New England over Green Bay

Enjoy!

1/4: Fiesta!

Greetings! Happy Friday...

• Oregon beat up on Kansas State last night in the Fiesta Bowl by a final count of 35-17. The Ducks took their foot off the gas late, but still ran for 200+ yards including 143 from Kenjon Barner that keyed the victory. I thought the biggest factor in the game (besides speed) was Collin Klein's performance, and he was underwhelming, throwing 2 interceptions, going 17/32 for 151 yards, and only rushing for 30 yards. Big win for Oregon, and now all eyes shift to Chip Kelly and the NFL. 
• Speaking of the NFL, reports are circling that Kansas City is going to hire former Philly HC Andy Reid. This is just a weird situation in general, as their GM Scott Pioli is universally hated and no one can believe he wasn't fired... so he brings in Andy Reid?! I don't get this one at all, but maybe Reid will be reinvigorated in a new place.
• And in a final NFL coaching note, Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien will remain in Happy Valley after being courted by the Cleveland Browns. He did an insanely good job with that undermanned PSU team this year, and it's a huge win for them that he's staying to lead them through this tough time.
• NBA Roundup - In the early game, New York blasted San Antonio 100-83. The Spurs had won 7 in a row, but ran into a buzzsaw here, and Pop called the dogs off in the 4th quarter. New York dominated on the glass (48-35) and held the Spurs to just 36% FG and 26% from 3-point land in the win. And later, Minnesota went into Denver and stole an impressive road win by a 101-97 tally. The biggest key was the T-Wolves controlling the glass 52-39, and that helped them to overcome just 44% shooting. Both teams had 6 guys in double-figures and the game-high scorer was just 17 points (a tie between Shved and Barea). Weird game. 
• On the college hardwood, there was a wild one played in Tucson between Colorado and Arizona. The Buffs' Sabatino Chen lofted a buzzer-beating bank shot to win the game in regulation... but it was overturned by an official video review, and Arizona went on to win the game 92-83 in overtime. It was one of the crazier reviews you'll ever see, as some angles looked like the shot was out of his hand, and others didn't, but Arizona seized the game after that and Colorado was shell-shocked. At any rate, wildly entertaining game, as the teams combined for 99 points in the 20-minute second half, and we'll see this match-up again.

What to watch for on Friday (in chronological order)...

• 7:30 - NBA - Hawks @ Pistons (SportSouth) - Rematch of the 2-OT battle from last week, and hopefully Larry Drew will design something to stop Will Bynum!
• 8:00 - NCAAF - Cotton Bowl - #9 Texas A&M vs. #11 Oklahoma (FOX) - Probably the most entertaining of the non-BCS games this year, with two top-11 teams facing off and the Heisman winner featured. No result would surprise me here, and it's a fun game. 
• 8:00 - NBA - Bulls @ Heat (ESPN) - Chicago will at least guard well in this one.
• 10:30 - NBA - Lakers vs. Clippers (ESPN) - The battle of LA re-engages and this time, Steve Nash is involved. Really fun game.

Enjoy! And don't worry, I'll have an NFL preview ready by Sunday... Stay tuned!

1/3: Down with the SEC!

Greetings! Short today....

• Louisville upset Florida by a 33-23 tally in the Sugar Bowl last night. It was a semi-shocking sight to see the Cardinal up by 3 touchdowns in the second half, but they were the better team all night and got all of the breaks. Deadly combination, and a black mark for the vaunted SEC (which I love). 
• Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim won his 903rd game last night, which pushed him to 2nd place all time behind Coach K. Boeheim doesn't get mentioned enough as one of the best ever, but he's proved it over and over again, and with his longevity combined with the national title, he's on the short list.
• NBA Check! - Memphis gave Boston their 4th straight loss with a 93-83 decision in the garden. Mike Conley led the way with 23 points and 9 dimes for the Grizz, who are now a stellar 20-9. Miami rallied from a late deficit behind a 32/12/9 from Lebron and beat Dallas 119-109 in overtime. These lines are becoming "typical" for Lebron, but that doesn't make them less absurd. Tim Duncan had 28 points and 13 rebounds to lead San Antonio to a 117-110 road win in Milwaukee. He's the best. Kevin Durant got ejected (what!?) in OKC's home loss to Brooklyn last night. OKC was getting beat before his early exit anyway, but it was the first ejection of his career and they had no prayer without him. Finally, the Clippers have now lost two straight after suffering a 115-94 blowout loss to Golden State last night. Steph Curry led the way for GS with 31 points and 8 assists, and the Dubs basically ran LA out of the gym.

What to watch for on Thursday (chronological order)...

• 7:00 - NCAAB - #2 Michigan @ Northwestern (ESPN2) - I'm overly excited about this Michigan team as they enter conference play, but this is no easy game on the road in Evanston. 
• 8:00 - NCAAB - Colorado @ #3 Arizona (ESPNU) - Arizona is probably overrated at #3 but that doesn't mean they aren't an elite team, and Colorado is playing well at 10-2. 
• 8:30 - NCAAF - Fiesta Bowl - Oregon vs. Kansas State (ESPN) - This is the 2nd-best game of the bowl season, as two top-5 teams face off. I think Oregon's speed and offensive firepower is too much for K-State, but the Wildcats are well-coached and they do have a Heisman finalist in Klein. Tune in for a fun match-up. 

Enjoy!

1/2: Happy New Year!

Greetings everyone! Took yesterday off due to holiday, but there is a ton to get to this morning, so let's dive right in... First? The New Year's Day bowl slate!

• Rose Bowl - Stanford outlasted Wisconsin by a 20-14 score in the Granddaddy of them all. It was an ugly second half where both teams combined for just 3 points, but the Cardinal hung on thanks to a stout defense, and the fact that they didn't turn the ball over all game. It was a valiant effort from a 5-loss Wisconsin team that probably shouldn't have been there, but overall, it's always fun to see Pasadena.
• Orange Bowl - Florida State cruised over an over-matched opponent in Northern Illinois by a 31-10 score. The Noles ran up 534 yards of total offense, while holding NIU to under 300 on the other end, and after two touchdowns in the opening 5 minutes of the 2nd half, it was virtually over. Vaunted QB Jordan Lynch was just 15-41 passing for the Huskies, and the FSU defense is scary when it gets going. Not a shocking result, but I'm still not looking forward to listening to the pundits kill NIU for even being there. 
• Capital One Bowl - Overall, the Capital One Bowl is usually considered to be the "best" of the non-BCS bowl slate and they didn't disappoint during a 45-31 Georgia victory over Nebraska. The Cornhuskers actually led by a point entering the half, but the UGA offense took over, hanging 22 efficient points in the second half, and the Dawgs were able to clamp down on the Nebraska rushing attack. Aaron Murray went for 5 touchdowns and 427 yards on just 18 completions, which is absolutely insane, and UGA also got 120+ yards from Todd Gurley on the ground. Nebraska was very competitive, but the big play bit them in the end.
• Outback Bowl - I pretty much don't want to talk about this one. South Carolina beat Michigan on a late passing touchdown that was far more wide-open than it should have been. Clowney is a monster, Michigan doesn't have a single NCAA running back, and big plays victimized Michigan from the jump. Sigh.
• Gator Bowl - Northwestern got its first Bowl win since 1949 in beating Mississippi State by a 34-20 margin. In what could've been a stellar day for the Big 10, Northwestern was the only team to actually hang on and win, and they did so in convincing fashion. Enjoyed it.
• Heart of Dallas Bowl - I have no idea why the Heart of Dallas Bowl exists. Purdue had no business (as a 6-6 team) playing on January 1st, and Oklahoma State showed us why, as they hung 58 points on the Boilermakers, and it could've been worse. Not much else to say about that one.

In non-bowl news..

• Andy Reid to the Arizona Cardinals? This was reported as a virtual done deal in some places, but it is backed off a bit. I think that's a decent move for Arizona, as Reid has probably been unfairly criticized in Philly this year, but he's still a horrible game-manager and they have no quarterback. Good luck!
• NBA Roundup - The LA Clippers have begun January 0-1 after completing an absolutely insane 16-0 record in December. Denver was the team that broke the streak, with a 92-78 victory at home over the Clips. 6 players scored in double-digits for Denver, and they managed to hold the electric LAC offense to just 38.5% from the field. Impressive win. Portland went into MSG and knocked off the Knicks 105-100. This would be a mild upset under any circumstance, but since Carmelo Anthony had 45 points and A'mare returned for NYK, it was even bigger news. Stoudemire was a -9 in 17 minutes and looked wildly rusty, but the key to the loss for NY was allowing 51% shooting to the Blazers and getting killed on the glass. And finally, my Atlanta Hawks came from behind in defeating the Hornets in New Orleans by a 95-86 final. A 28-14 advantage in the 3rd period keyed the win for the Hawks, and they were led by a ridiculous line from Josh Smith that included 23 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks, and 3 steals. The last time that line was matched in the NBA? Tim Duncan in 2008. Yep. On the positive side for NO, Greivis Vasquez almost had a triple-double with 17 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds.
• In a random MLB note, Cleveland has reportedly inked a 1-year deal with former Astros pitcher Brett Myers. All signs to Myers starting for Cleveland, and at worst, he's an innings-eater a team with a need in that area. Not a bad deal for both sides.

What to watch for on Wednesday (chronological order)...

• 7:00 - NCAAB - #1 Duke vs. Davidson (ESPN2) - This isn't Stephen Curry's Davidson team, but it's a chance to see Seth Curry and company.
• 7:30 - NBA - Grizzlies @ Celtics (NBATV) - Boston is 14-16 and no one seems to realize that they are really scuffling. Usually, Memphis isn't the cure for anyone's ills, but it's a chance for Boston to get a momentum-building home win.
• 8:30 - NCAAF - Sugar Bowl - #21 Louisville vs. #3 Florida (ESPN) - On paper, this looks like a complete mismatch and it probably is. That said, Florida is a defense-first team with an offense that scares no one, so if Louisville can score 20+ they'll have a chance, and Teddy Bridgewater is a big-time QB.
• 10:00 - NCAAB - San Francisco @ Santa Clara (ESPNU) - My first chance to tout a WCC game! Tune in!

Enjoy!