My NCAA Basketball Top 10

Since everyone likes lists (right??), I figured this would be a good place to rank my top 10 in College Basketball right now.

(1) Florida - Despite having the huge target on their back, the Gators have been the best college basketball team in the land so far. Their two losses were in a neutral court game against Kansas by 2, and on the road to FSU by 4. Not bad. On Saturday they played a pretty subpar game (by their standards) and still beat a solid Kentucky team at Kentucky. Dont mess with the Gators.

(2) Wisconsin - They did lose last week, but as far as losses go, losing on the road to Indiana isnt so bad. Overall, they have the same number of losses as Florida (2) , and have some quality wins against Pittsburgh and Ohio St. The national polls seem to have the Buckeyes at #2 over the Badgers, but I dont see it based on their resumes. Ill take the Badgers right now.

(3) North Carolina - They havent exactly been easing anyones fears that they are a little too young right now, as theyve been a little sloppy in some recent games. Still, the talent is undeniable, and they have more firepower, depth, and athleticism than possibly anyone in the country. Young or not, this is not a team anyone wants to see come Tourney time.

(4) UCLA - They lost at West Virginia, but Im willing to see that as a game that they flew across country for and lost tight in a game that probably wont matter to them as far as seeding goes. So Im not too worried about that. What is a little worrisome is that the Bruins still dont have any consistent inside scoring, which could pose problems. Big game coming up this Saturday against a resurgent Arizona squad.

(5) Texas A&M - One of the toughest teams in the country, and one of my favorite to watch. They take hits and they just keep on coming, led by Acie Law. Theyre a balanced team with 4 players scoring at least 12 PPG, which will serve them well. Also, the fact that they are very well-coached and very good defensively will help.

(6) Ohio St. - The talent is there, with that Oden guy, as well as fellow frosh Mike Conley, whos a bit underrated and is another one of my favorite players to watch. Since Conley doesnt get as much pub, Im going to use this space to talk about him... hes already one of the best distributors and PGs in America. His A/T ratio is over 3/1, because he averages over 6 APG. Hes not a great outside shooter, but he doesnt force things. Hes shooting 53% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. Just an excellent, excellent player, and one who doesnt get enough credit for what he does.

(7) Kansas - Still one of the most talented clubs in the country. They have four players averaging in double figures, but its a 5th player (Sherron Collins) that might be their most explosive offensive threat. They responded very well to the A&M loss by just thrashing Kansas St. and Missouri, suggesting this may be a more mature team than last years first round losers. This is definitely a team that can go all the way if they can put it together when it counts.

(8) Memphis - I think they are flying a little under the radar because they dont have many really great wins and theyre not getting competition within their conference, but under John Calipari they dont rebuild, they reload. They have athleticism, depth, ballhandling, shooters, solid inside play, etc. In other words, dont be at all surprised if Memphis is back in the Elite 8 this year.

(9) Pittsburgh - The timing of these rankings were unkind to Pitt, as they did no favors by getting crunched by Louisville on Monday. But they are still 22-4 overall and 10-2 in the Big East, so theyre in fine shape. The guy that really makes Pitt go is sophomore Levance Fields, a tough PG that can shoot, distribute, and rebound the ball. If he is playing well, Pitt can make a deep run. If not, they could be in trouble.

(10) Washington St. - I never thought Id be putting WaSt in a top 10 list this year, but theyve certainly earned it. They beat Arizona twice, beat Gonzaga, and lost to UCLA by 3. Rookie coach Tony Bennett has them playing very well on both ends of the floor, and theyre only a half game back of UCLA for the Pac-10 lead.

What changes to my top 10 would you make?

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Mavericks 1 Spurs 0

Jason Terry failed to show up, Tony Parker only flopped once, and guess what - we did NOT see Roddy Beaubois. The Mavericks only trailed once in the second half in a game where Erick Dampier struggled placing the ball in the basket, but managed to play the majority of the second half. Oh, Carlisle. Tony Parker came off the bench to score 18 points. George Hill started and missed his only two shots in about 18 minutes. Two sprained ankles for Hill towards the end of the season have slowed him down and he was ineffective tonight in Game One. Tim Duncan had 27 for San Antonio, leading the way for them, and Dirk Nowitzki was 12-14 from the field, 12-12 from the free throw line, and ended up with 36 points in a spectacular effort as he guided the Mavericks to a series-opening win. Jason Kidd has 13 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds. Caron Butler contributed 22 of his own. The Spurs Mr. Fix-It 2010 Richard Jefferson had 4 points. Yikes, over 32 minutes as well. Because of the NBA Playoffs protocol, the teams will wait three days before resuming the series again in Dallas on Wednesday. Game 2 is at 8:30 and on behalf of the Mavericks, good seats are still available.



3 Things To Look for in Game 2:

More Dejaun Blair: The former Panther standout played behind Matt Bonner tonight. With his physical presence and Bonners inability to present ability, I would expect the banger, Blair to see increased PT on Wednesday.

Dirk Double Teams: San Antonio did not double team Dirk Nowitzki as much as you would expect, given the circumstances in this game. Jet Terry struggling, Dampier being himself, and only Caron Butler scoring non-German points, Dirk continued to face one-on-one coverage. Look for the Spurs to double more next game.

A Better Barea: Jose Juan Barea played nearly 15 minutes, and his only meaningful stat was 3 assists. He was 0-2 from the field but we still saw no Roddy. Expect a better performance from the Puerto Rican native in Game 2.

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Dallas Cowboys 2010 2011 Schedule

The Dallas Cowboys Schedule is listed as follows. And let it be a sign that the December woes may not be dead and gone quite yet.

Sun, Sept. 12 @ Washington (NBC) 7:20 PM
Sun, Sept. 19 CHICAGO (FOX) Noon
Sun, Sept. 26 @ Houston (FOX) Noon
Sun, Oct. 3 BYE
Sun, Oct. 10 TENNESSEE (CBS) 3:15 PM
Sun, Oct. 17 @ Minnesota (FOX) 3:15 PM
Mon, Oct. 25 N.Y. GIANTS (ESPN) 7:30 PM
Sun, Oct. 31 JACKSONVILLE (CBS) Noon
Sun, Nov. 7 @ Green Bay (NBC) 7:20 PM
Sun, Nov. 14 @ N.Y. Giants (FOX) 3:15 PM
Sun, Nov. 21 DETROIT (FOX) Noon*
Thu., Nov. 25 NEW ORLEANS (FOX) 3:15 PM
Sun, Dec. 5 @ Indianapolis (Fox) 3:15 PM*
Sun, Dec. 12 PHILADELPHIA (NBC) 7:20 PM*
Sun, Dec. 19 WASHINGTON (FOX) Noon*
Sat, Dec. 25 @ Arizona (NFL NETWORK) 7:30 PM
Sun, Jan. 2 @ Philadelphia (FOX) Noon*


The makers of the NFL schedule didnt exactly favor the Dallas Cowboys in this paticualr year. In fact, it seems as if the schedule is made by the people who say that the Cowboys struggle in the month of December. First off, the Cowboys have one of the earliest bye weeks comming in the 4th week of the season. So that makes for a long haul to the end. The premature bye may lead to injuries that wont have enough time to recover as the months 11 and 12 come along. So the bye doesnt exactly fir the criteria of a team making a late season push, maybe Dallas will get a break against some sub-par teams as the season winds down. Well, to end November Dallas gets New Orleans (Who Dat?...O yea the defending super bowl champions) followed by the Indianapolis Colts who finished as a close runner-up to the Saints. Oh and here is a good piece of news for Cowboys fans. Last year the Colts won every regular season game that they wanted to. After Indy, the Cowboys get Kevin Kolbs Eagles followed by Donovan Mcnabbs Redskins. The Cowboys went 3-0 against the Eagles last year, but that will be a tough feat to follow up. And then what does Jolly Ol St. Nick bring the Cowboys for Christmas? A trip to Arizona to play Matt Leinart led Cardinals. (Well, one can assume Leinart will still be the starter) Leinart hasnt prooved much in the NFL in his young career, although for some reason I think he has potential to be a pretty good quarterback in this league. With the loss of Matt Leinart and Anquan Boldin, this is a Cardianl team that must reload this year. Although, watch out for Larry Fitzgerald, because he can easily break this game wide open and torch the Cowboys. As for the last game of the year to end the season the Cowboys get to see a familiar face, the Eagles, again. Just 3 weeks after their previous meeting the Cowboys travel up to Philly to play the Eagles which is sure to be a hard nosed game with playoff implications. Some say the Eagles have questions at quarterback with Kevin Kolb starting. When has Kolb ever had experience playing with the big boys anyway? Oh yea thats right, he lit up the cowboys a few years back when Mcnabb wasnt avalible, so do not overlook this guy in 2010. As the season starts up, IO expect Dallas to get out to good start. Washington doesnt seem to have the pieces in place yet, and will probably make a run in the later part of the season (making them dangerous in the month off....yes December) So I think the Cowboys can open up with the win. They then play the Chicago Bears who have a quarterback who forgets what team he plays for at times in Jay Cutler. Jay is a spectacular quarterback out of Vanderbelt though, and I wouldnt be suprised if he puts up big numbers in the beginning of the year, but begins to slide as the year progresses. I also think this one turns out to a Cowboy victory. The next game is very tricky. The up and comming Texans are a very tough team. Although they have never beaten the Colts in thier short history in the NFL, they play them close year in and year out, and are a team that does not go away easily. Andre Johnson is just a beast and cant be stopped. If they could ever get a consistant season from Steve Slaton at the Running Back position they would be very dangerous. Although, I think Dallas is well equipped to handle Houston, and will come away with a close one in Relient Stadium. A 3-0 record going into the bye week, which I think they push to 4 against the Vince Young led Titans. Just please stop Cris Johnson. Next up is what I believe to be the first loss of the year. The trip up to Minnesota. As seen in the playoffs last year, it is impoosible to win in Minnesota. Hopefully the Cowboys will show some grit after getting shown up last year, and quite frankly embaressed in the second round of the playoffs. Minnesota is just too good though. Favre or not, this isnt a game I see Dallas winning. Too many mental errors will cost the Cowboys the game agasint the Giants. Cowboys prove to be the better team, but the Giants make more plays and less errors and come out victorious. Jacksonville is a win. The Green Bay game is tough to call, but the Cowboys come up short again which, and i have no doubt of this, will have the Dallas media in a flux with the Cowboys on a 2 game skid. But, they come out and play hard against the Giants and get a victory, then playing the Detroit Lions which also results in a victory. (Watch out for Felix Jones in this one)
So there it is. I have the Cowboys at 7-3 going into late November as December approaches. Everything from there is just to tough to call. The Cowboys should be in a good position by this time of the year at 7-3 sitting atop the NFC East. Although, with December looming. It is possible for the Cowboys to drop two in a row against the Saints and in Indy. A win in Dallas against Philly, followed by a loss to the streaking Redskins. A Christmas gift frmo Matt Leinart earns them a Christmas victory with a trip to Philly to start the new year. Then, in suprising Cowboys fashion, the Cowboys defeat an Eagles team who at this point is falling apart again. Andy Reids job in question, and Kevin Kolb simply just getting his first year as a full-time starter under his belt. But lets be honest. Philly could win the Super Bowl and theyd still be calling for Reid to get the boot. All in all I see the Cowboys finishing 10-6 and closing out the season not in a spectacular way, but not in a dreadful one either. The December woes may seem behind Dallas, but they will need to stay focused and play the stingy defense that was played last year to rid the team of its December curse.

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2006 MLB Playoff Predictions

Lets jump right in:

ALDS

Yankees vs. Tigers - Honestly, I just cant see the Tigers beating the Yankees. The Yankees have the best lineup possibly ever, and the Tigers pitching has not been the same as it was in the first half of the year. The Tigers lineup is impatient, which should play into the hands of the Yanks starters. Plus, Detroit has to be feeling down after being swept by the Royals to lose the division. YANKEES IN 3.

Twins vs. Athletics - I previewed this more extensively elsewhere, but I do think the As are getting disrespected a little bit. Zito-Loaiza-Harden-Haren can be a very good rotation, and the bullpen is very solid. However, the Twins still have Johan, and hes pretty good. Plus, if it gets down to the 7th inning and the Twins have runners on and they have to get Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau, who do they go with? Im not sure either. TWINS IN 5.

NLDS

Padres vs. Cardinals - The Cardinals limp into the playoffs with 1 good starter (who hasnt been all that great lately) and a mediocre bullpen. Meanwhile, the Padres have very solid starting pitching, a reliable bullpen, and a solid lineup. Albert Pujols is unbelievable, but he cant do it without any help. PADRES IN 4.

Mets vs. Dodgers - With Pedro Martinez, the Mets are the clear favorite to win the NL. Without him, theyre just another team with mediocre starting pitching. Whos their ace? Tom Glavine and his 4.33 ERA since the AS break? Orlando Hernandez and his 4.66 ERA? The Mets have the best lineup in the NL, but I just dont think they have the starting pitching to get it done against a solid, pesky Dodgers lineup. DODGERS IN 5.

ALCS

Yankees vs. Twins - Can the Twins score enough runs? Thats what it comes down to. Against any pitcher not named Johan Santana, we know the Yankees will get theirs. But can the Twins take advantage of the mediocre starting pitching of the Yanks? Can Boof Bonser and Brad Radke give the Twins 6 good innings and then turn it over to the best bullpen in baseball? As much as Id love to see it and will be rooting like none other if this matchup does happen, Im not sure they can. YANKEES IN 6.

NLCS

Dodgers vs. Padres - All of San Diegos batting stats are a bit skewed because of their home ballpark, but I do think the Dodgers have the better, more balanced offense. Kenny Lofton and Rafael Furcal set the table, and then guys like JD Drew, Nomar Garciaparra, and Jeff Kent are more than capable of bringing them in. Pitching wise, the Padres have the best in the NL, with Jake Peavy, Chris Young, Woody Williams, and even Clay Hensley providing stability. The rotation is so good they dont even know wholl be starting Game 1 yet. Theyve also got a great bullpen, with Trevor Hoffman, Scott Linebrink, and Cla Meredith. However, the Dodgers pitching is pretty solid as well... which is why theyre my slight favorite here. DODGERS IN 7.

WORLD SERIES

Yankees vs. Dodgers - A series only the TV networks could love! Two very solid offenses, two decent pitching staffs. However, I just dont think the Dodgers (or any NL team) has enough pitching or hitting to match up with the Yankees. If the As/Twins dont take out the Yankees, nobody does. Id put money on that. YANKEES IN 5.

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One Mans NFL Power Rankings

We are 12 weeks into the NFL season, and I must admit I still pretty much dont have this NFL thing figured out (Raiders almost beating the Chargers? Titans scoring 24 unanswered points?). Of course, this only makes me all the more qualified to contribute a list of my NFL Power Rankings, or at least the Top 10 teams as I see them. But I will delay no longer.

1. Indianapolis Colts - Edgerrin James who? As The Edge wastes away down in Arizona, Joseph Addai is doing just fine, thank you very much. Despite Indys seeming insistence on giving Dominic Rhodes carries, Addai managed to rush for a not-so-pedestrian 171 yards and 4 TD against the Eagles. And just for good measure he had 37 receiving yards. Yeah, hes pretty decent.

2. San Diego Chargers - Ok, so they squeaked by the Raiders. Ill give them a pass. They still have league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson joining talented Philip Rivers in the backfield. The defense aint so shabby either. They sometimes lose focus against lesser teams, but now that it looks like Marty Ball has gone out the window, the Chargers are a force to be reckoned with.

3. Baltimore Ravens - All season long Ive been ragging on "Air" McNair and saying that hes pretty much washed up, and while hes not his old self, hes still got something left in the tank. And with the Baltimore defense, that makes them very dangerous. However, if I were a Ravens fan, the biggest concern for me would be with the fact that Jamal Lewis is averaging only 3.5 YPC, and that could put a lot of pressure on McNair come playoff time.

4. New England Patriots - I have a hard time figuring the Pats out... by all accounts, you should lose when you turn the ball over 5 times, but I never really felt like they were not in control against Chicago. Maybe thats just because Ive become such an unbashed Tom Brady lover. He moves around better in the pocket than anyone in the NFL.

5. Chicago Bears - The Bears will not win the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman as their quarterback (for the record, I wrote this even before I read The Sports Pulse!) I dont care how tantalizingly good hes looked at times this year, or how good the Bears defense is. Put a little pressure on Rex and he starts to rush throws, make bad decisions, force the ball, and throw off his back foot. His two best plays against New England were when he threw ducks off his back foot and then got bailed out by pass interference calls. He was awful today.

6. Denver Broncos - I fully endorse the move to Jay Cutler as starter and think it will benefit Denver. Plummer is ok when you have a great run game and a great defense, and at times the Broncos have had that. At other times the run game has become inconsistent, and theyve tried to rely on Plummer. More often than not that has failed miserably.

7. Dallas Cowboys - I believe in a thing called Romo. I mean, obviously this has been beaten to death, but how good has he been? Poised, accurate, and fairly mobile. With him at QB I have the Cowboys just a smidgen behind Chicago, but with another week like this one I might have to reconsider that.

8. Kansas City Chiefs - With all due respect to LDT, I would probably take Larry Johnson as a runner over him. Tomlinsons more versatile all-around, but LJ is bigger and stronger as a runner. In the games that Johnson rushes for 100 yards, the Chiefs are 6-1. In the games that he fails to reach the century mark they are 1-3. Correlation does not always equal causation, but suffice to say Johnson is pretty important.

9. Seattle Seahawks - Seneca Wallace did a very nice job of keeping things afloat in Seattle while both Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander out. As a result, the Seahawks still have the division lead and everything is looking rosy in Seattle. As long as they beat GB Monday night.

10. New Orleans Saints - Tomlinson is probably the MVP of the NFL so far, but Drew Brees is on the short list. He continues to be excellent for the Saints, and even has a shot at breaking Dan Marinos passing yards record for a single season. And the rest of the offensive weapons arent so bad either. Deuce and Reggie Bush are a formidable duo, and the WR corps is getting better every week. This is an offense that is to be reckoned with.

So where did I go horribly wrong? What does your top 5 look like?

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MLB All Star Snubs

Now that we (I include you, the reader in this, because Im nice like that) have looked at the fan vote in both the American League and the National League, its time to look at the snubs. Because it wouldnt really be an All-Star game if we didnt do that.

American League
Kevin Youkilis - As a Twins fan, I hate to say it but I think Youkilis has been the best first baseman in the AL, probably even more deserving than Morneau. Carlos Pena would actually be another really strong possibility, but he doesnt have quite the ABs that the top guys have.

Orlando Cabrera - Looking at the numbers, hes been a lot better than Mike Young has been this year. Young is only on because they needed a Texas Ranger (and no, Sammy Sosa is nowhere near deserving), but that doesnt make Cabrera any less deserving.

Curtis Granderson - 23 doubles, 15 triples, 11 HR. Im not sure people know just how good Granderson has been so far this year.

Gary Sheffield - He had a really slow start and he might be penalized a bit because he is a DH now, but he definitely deserves a spot. He should be on the team over a guy like Manny Ramirez, who is having a down year.

Jeremy Guthrie - This is a bit borderline... hes been good, but Im not sure hes definitely better than any pitcher that made the team. So he gets the weak vote here.


National League

Chipper Jones - He is hurt a lot by the fact that he has had some injury problems and has missed some time this year, but hes deserving, I think. Hes got an OBP over .400 and is hitting for a good amount of power. When healthy, hes been the best 3B in the NL this year.

Hanley Ramirez - Hes been the best SS in the NL this year... so he should be on the team over Hardy (who made it as a reserve) or Freddy Sanchez, who wins the vote as the worst All-Star this year. For crying out loud, Ian Snell should have been the Pirate choice... Sanchez only way of being at this All-Star game should have been for him to buy a ticket.

Edgar Renteria - See Ramirez, Hanley. Except replace best SS in the NL this year with 2nd best SS in the NL this year.

Adam Dunn - I was tempted to put Hunter Pence here, but Ill give the nod to Dunn because he has a lot more PAs. Either way, both guys should be in above Carlos Lee. Lee is hitting well, but Dunn is hitting for more power.

Ian Snell - As mentioned, he should be representing the Pirates here, not Freddy Sanchez. Hes been very good this year and his peripherals suggest he should be able to keep it up.

Derek Lowe - With all due respect to Ben Sheets (who is having a nice year), how does Sheets get in over Lowe? They strike out a comparable amount of guys, Sheets has a little better control, but Lowe has allowed half the HR that Sheets has.

Who are your choices?

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Andre Iguodala

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Andre Iguodala. Sure, you know about him from the Dunk Contest last year, but thats just a small part. Dont look now, but hes been downright studly ever since the trade of Allen Iverson.

Ill go into depth in a minute, but first this video from last years dunk contest, along with a quote from Charles Barkley that summed up Iguodalas first 2 years in the NBA:



To recap the video, heres the conversation that took place:

Kenny: I never understood this... why would you use Allen Iverson to pass you the ball in a dunk contest?
Charles: Its a subliminal message... like when I gave Kenny those Altoids.

Allen Iverson is my favorite player in the NBA, but lets be honest, with him and Webber in the mix, Iguodala didnt have that many opportunities to create and score on his own, and that may have hampered his growth and potential as a young player a little bit. So in his young days he was just the best defensive player on the team from the moment he was drafted, a good finisher and good passer, but he didnt have the ball enough to score a lot of points.

Well, now he appears to be making up for lost time. In last nights game, Iguodala was the star for the Sixers in beating the Bobcats, with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals.

Of course, this is becoming a pretty common thing for AI2. He has scored 19 or more points in his last 9 games, and has averaged 23.4 PPG over that span. After averaging just about 14 PPG in November (before the shakeup in Philly), he averaged 18.9 PPG in December, 18.2 in January, and 25 PPG so far in February. But its not like scoring is all hes been doing.

In December and January combined he averaged around 5 RPG, about 5.5 APG, and over 2 SPG. So in addition to being a high percentage scorer and being able to get to the line, he also is a contributor on the glass, a very good passer, and the best defensive player on the team.

So have a look folks at a rising star, a supremely athletic player that is just learning how to really play on the offensive end, and so far with excellent results. Andre Iguodala, one of the most underrated players in the NBA.

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Fantasy Football Rankings Running Backs

After looking at the Quarterback rankings a couple of days ago, its to look at the heart-and-soul of fantasy football... running backs. They can and usually do make or break your season, so its doubly important to pick the right one.

1. LaDainian Tomlinson - As if there was any doubt. I suspect the numbers will dip a little bit (which, they almost have to after the amazingness that as last year), especially with the switch from Marty Ball to Norv Turners offense, but LT is still the easy choice as the #1 pick.

2. Steven Jackson - With Larry Johnson still not in camp and coming off of a year in which he had about 1500 carries, I think Jackson is the easy choice as #2. Hes becoming a great runner, and is also one of the best pass-catchers out of the backfield, which is big in that offense. He should be excellent again.

3. Larry Johnson - As mentioned, there certainly are concerns about LJ. The Line is not as strong as it has been, the QB situation is very muddled, and hes coming off of a season where he carried the ball a LOT of times. Oh yeah, and hes not signed yet. On the other hand, hes still extremely talented, figures to get the ball a ton, and a deal is reportedly close. Good enough for me.

4. Joseph Addai - I absolutely love Addai this year. For one thing, hes really talented. But more importantly, defenses have to focus on the passing game, which opens up running lanes (as well as dump off passes to Addai). And if thats not enough, his backup is a guy named DeDe Dorsey. This might be a little high, but I think Addai is going to have a huge year.

5. Frank Gore - Gore exploded onto the scene last year, and as long as he can stay healthy should be very productive again. The offense continues to improve around him, with the maturation of Alex Smith, addition of Darrell Jackson, and the athletic skills of Vernon Davis. That means teams wont be able to focus on Gore.

6. Rudi Johnson - Rudi might not put up MVP type numbers, but you know what youre getting. Hes really consistent, stays healthy, and is playing in an excellent offense in Cincy.

7. Shaun Alexander - Others are more bullish on Alexander, but Im not so sure. In year 1 after Steve Hutchinson, he really struggled. Hell get a boost because hell actually be healthy this year, but I still have a hard time putting him higher.

8. Willie Parker - First off, I never understood why he got the nickname "Fast Willie Parker." I mean, hes fast, but so are a lot of other guys. But thats neither here nor there. The important thing is that he gets a lot of yards, and scored double digit TDs last year. The only concern I have is the change of offensive styles, but hes still going to get his touches.

9. Brian Westbrook - As long as hes healthy, hes great. Theres no doubting that. But thats still a concern. Another key is how much he gets the ball. Last year, after Donovan McNabb got hurt, it seemed like Andy Reid started to run the ball more, and Westbrook really shined. Lets see if Reid sticks with the commitment to the run.

10. Laurence Maroney - There are concerns about whether or not Maroney will be able to fully carry the load, but I think he should be OK. With Brady and all the talent that they now have at receiver, he should be able to get ample rest. And score a lot of TDs.

11. Travis Henry - Good running backs tend to flourish in Denver, and Henry should be no exception. All signs point to him being the workhorse back, and that could mean really big numbers.

12. Willis McGahee - McGahee has always been really talented, and I think hell be very solid in the Baltimore offense. He should definitely get the ball a lot, and rack up the yardage behind a solid O-Line.

13. Reggie Bush - I dont think much detail is necessary here... hes extremely, extremely talented, and should be getting the ball a lot, whether its running or receiving. Also, I wouldnt be surprised if he starts getting more carries near the goalline... that explosiveness is tough to stop.

14. Ronnie Brown - Brown was disappointing last year, but I think he will bounce back somewhat with a new head coach in Cam Cameron. But there are reasons for concern... namely the lack of a consistent passing game (this is not the Trent Green of 5 years ago) and a young O-Line.

15. Edgerrin James - Im optimistic about James this year. The passing game should be explosive, meaning defenses definitely wont just be able to focus on Edge. Also, Russ Grimm should come in and help improve the line, and Ken Whisenhunt brings a more run-oriented approach to Arizona.

16. Cedric Benson
17. Brandon Jacobs
18. Maurice Jones-Drew
19. Cadillac Williams
20. Jamal Lewis

SLEEPERS
- LaDell Betts - He should get a lot of chances (probably in the red zone) even with Clinton Portis healthy. If Portis gets hurt again, Betts has the potential to be a top 10 to 15 back.

- Leon Washington - He showed last year that he can be pretty productive when he plays. If Thomas Jones gets hurt (and hes not exactly Mr. Durable), Washington should be a productive starter.

- Tony Hunt - This is digging a little deep, but I think there is potential for Hunt. For one, Westbrook and Buckhalter are not all that durable in Philly, leaving the door possibly open for Hunt later in the year. Also, theres a chance that he could get some goal line carries right now.

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MLB 2007 Predictions

I just had my first fantasy baseball draft of the season on Monday, so in my world that officially means that its about time for the baseball season to start. First off, if you still want to be led astray some fantasy baseball help, you can check out some of my rankings:

Catcher
First Base
Second Base
Third Base
Shortstop
Outfield
Starting Pitching

Now that thats covered, some predictions of standings, awards, and my long-awaited pick to win it all.

* denotes wildcard

AL EAST
1) New York Yankees
2) Boston Red Sox
3) Toronto Blue Jays
4) Baltimore Orioles
5) Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Comments: Ho hum, another division title for the Yankees. In reality, this will be a tight race between the Yankees and Sox, but I like the Bronx Bombers a little better here, especially if/when Carl Pavano gets hurt and Phillip Hughes joins the rotation. I think the Yankees lineup is a little better, and there are fewer concerns in the bullpen. Elsewhere, business as usual. The DRays are better than ever, but still not good enough to get out of the cellar.


AL CENTRAL
1) Cleveland Indians
2) *Minnesota Twins
3) Detroit Tigers
4) Chicago White Sox
5) Kansas City Royals

Comments: I suspect this will be the most controversial choice, but thats ok. As far as the top 4 teams go, this is the best division in baseball. At the top, I really like the Indians. For the second straight year, they were a lot better than their record would indicate. They have an explosive offense led by Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner, an improving rotation, and the bullpen should be better (it cant be worse). Up next, Ill take the Twins slightly over the Tigers... largely dependent on the fact that I figure at some point early in the season at least a couple of the Carlos Silva, Ramon Ortiz, and Sidney Ponson trio will be replaced by some of the talented youngsters.

Im not a huge fan of the Tigers offense, and Sheffield has a bad shoulder and has been declining for 4 years now. I would bet money that Kenny Rogers ERA will not be as low as 3.84 again, and the bullpen has some questions. I think the Tigers will have a White Sox like dropoff this year... which is to say theyll still be good, but not as good as they were in 2006. As for those said White Sox, I have a hard time seeing Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye replicate their great seasons from last year. Another minus is that Ozzie Guillen is batting Darin Erstad 2nd instead of Tad Iguchi... its almost like theyre trying to lose.


AL WEST
1) Los Angeles Angels
2) Oakland Athletics
3) Texas Rangers
4) Seattle Mariners

Comments: I dont have a lot of confidence in this pick... mostly a gut feeling. If Rich Harden remians healthy all season long, he can be a Cy Young candidate and the As can be back in the playoffs, but Ill believe that when I see it. As it is, as long as the Angels let some of the young guys play, I think their rotation will be enough. But again, I wouldnt put any money on this.


NL EAST
1) Philadelphia Phillies
2) *New York Mets
3) Atlanta Braves
4) Florida Marlins
5) Washington Nationals

Comments: Certainly a large gap here between the top 3 teams and the last 2... the Marlins overachieved some, and Im not sure they can compete with the top 3. The Nationals should be really bad, so we can discount them. Up top, its the pitching concerns of the Mets that have me putting them at #2. Im not in love with this Phillies team, but I think the stellar young pitching of Cole Hamels and Brett Myers (if he can, um, stay out of trouble) will be enough for the Phils to take the East.


NL CENTRAL
1) St. Louis Cardinals
2) Milwaukee Brewers
3) Houston Astros
4) Chicago Cubs
5) Cincinnati Reds
6) Pittsburgh Pirates

Comments: To be blunt, this division sucks. Which isnt really a surprise, since it sucked last year, but not much has changed. Ill take the Cardinals as long as Carpenter and Pujols stay healthy. Brewers are young and talented but I dont think theyre quite there yet. After that, its anyones guess. I feel confident that the Reds and Pirates will take up the rear, but I dont feel confident about much else.


NL WEST
1) Arizona Diamondbacks
2) San Diego Padres
3) Los Angeles Dodgers
4) San Francisco Giants
5) Colorado Rockies

Comments: I like the DBacks here... their pitching is not as good as the Pads, but they have a look of good hitters. Brandon Webb will anchor the rotation, I think the Big Unit will bounce back some, and Livan Hernandez improved a lot once he came over to Arizona. A lot of the offensive guys are a year away from becoming household names, but I like the direction Arizona is taking. Theyre my pick.


AWARDS
AL MVP: Grady Sizemore (CLE) - The most underrated player in the MLB, if only because people dont realize that hes the best CF in the MLB.

NL MVP: Albert Pujols (STL) - Still the best hitter in the MLB.

AL Cy Young: Johan Santana (MIN) - Should be taking aim at his 4th consecutive Cy Young.

NL Cy Young: Brandon Webb (ARI) - With Arizona a winning team, its Webbs turn to take home the hardware.

AL Rookie of the Year: Alex Gordon (KC) - All the hype, finally time for him to produce.

NL Rookie of the Year: Chris Young (ARI) - Could be a 20/20 man as a rookie.


Playoffs
Yankees over Twins in 5
Indians over Angels in 4

Mets over Diamondbacks in 4
Cardinals over Phillies in 5

Yankees over Indians in 6
Mets over Cardinals in 7

Yankees over Mets in 6

World Series Champion: New York Yankees.

So... where do you disagree the most??

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Historic First Telerobotic Pitch that Stole our Hearts

In our modern life, as a result of social media sites, it has become too easy to focus simply on the controversial and negativity when it comes to sport. With the rush to be the first to break the story and have the most views, it seems that the world has lost sight of what really matters. Between the drug lawsuits and investigations, the on-field brawls and player suspensions, it seems that we have forgotten the amazing positives sport brings to the world. With a shared passion and love for their favourite team and their sporting heroes, sport brings people together. It is not often we get reminded of this, but just like on jackgold.com, every once in awhile, everything lines up and the world stops and shares in the beauty that sport brings to each and every person.

Meet Nick LeGrande, a regular 13-year-old from Kansas City who loves baseball and everything about it. Sadly though, he is fighting a serious illness. Nick suffers from severe aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder which has not only made it difficult for him to play the sport that he loves but also made it impossible for him to attend games due to his weakened immune system. This has not dampened Nick’s spirits though, as he became the first person in the history of the Major League Baseball to throw the first pitch telerobotically 1800 miles from Kansas City to Oakland A’s reliever Ryan Cook’s hands at the Coliseum in Oakland.

With help from Google Fiber, a mini-stadium was built, complete with real grass and a real dirt mound. LeGrande stepped up onto the mound in Kansas sporting his baseball cap and pitched with all his heart. The robotic arm in Oakland copied Nick’s pitching motion via sensors, completing the world record breaking pitch perfectly.

For Nick and everyone watching, the records were not important, instead, with teary eyes, everyone forgot all the negativity and focused only on the innocent and heart-warming events that unfolded. To make the surprise even greater for Nick, he only realised what was actually happening about two hours before his pitch. He was told that he was off to visit his grandmother, but was driven instead to the Google offices where he was given the opportunity to pitch to the reliever of his favourite team. Ryan Cook and all the other players topped off the event by signing the ball and sending it back to Nick.

By Jason Swindon

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Time for University of North Dakota to Drop The Fighting Sioux Nickname

Originally posted on Big Sky Basketball.

The University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux are set to join the Big Sky officially on July 1, 2012, but that may be in jeopardy.

For as long as I can remember (I am a UND graduate), there has been an intense nickname debate raging at North Dakota. The current nickname is the Fighting Sioux, and that has drawn angst from the NCAA. They have placed sanctions on the athletic programs, forced them to change their names, and it has had some affect on scheduling.

For a while, it looked like the issue was settled. Then the North Dakota legislature stepped in, telling the University to continue to use the nickname. It was seen as a short-term stopgap as they tried to continue to battle the NCAA on the issue.

All of this has come to a head though, as the Big Sky has told UND that continued use of the nickname could be an issue for the school joining the conference:

UND President Robert Kelley was told last week that continued use of the Fighting Sioux name and logo as mandated by a new state law has become a "concern" for them and could jeopardize UNDs joining the conference next year.

As an alum, I love the nickname, and the history and tradition that goes along with it. But it is time for it to change. At best, keeping the nickname would keep the situation contentious and would probably still cause some scheduling issues. At worst, it could keep UND out of the Big Sky, which would be disastrous for the athletic program.

President Robert Kelley is doing what he can to change the nickname, lets hope the legislature follows suit. Otherwise, we could have one less team joining the Big Sky in July 2012.

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Beware the Ides of March

Beware the Ides of March...That seems to be a warning most people dont pay attention to, well, in the middle of March; especially people who try and predict the outcome to a now 68 team tournament, a tournament in which your odds in predicting a perfect a bracket are somewhere in the range of 1 quintillion to 1. (A pretty good payout for a $1 bet if you ask me) Despite the odds, millions of people play bracket challenges where teams they know, and have seen, play teams they have never heard of from conferences they didnt even know existed. (Yes Im involved in this stat) So as sports fans we all listen to so called "experts" to predict the perfect bracket either for fun or for bragging rights in the office pool. You cant count out these smaller schools though. Just because the big power house of oh let’s say Louisville, the Caesar of college basketball is playing an opponent they think wouldnt pose a threat like oh I dont know some team called Morehead State. Louisville wasnt prepared for Morehead and ended up being defeated. Louisville, like Caesar, failed to listen to the warnings with the Ides of March upon us, and with a little luck on St. Patricks Day, the little school from Kentucky, Morehead State, went on to beat the power house of Louisville.
The Louisville game is just one example of the madness that starts to take place during the ides of March. Let’s be honest with ourselves here...who can name one player from Morehead State, or even find it on a map before today? My dad posed me the same question and I had absolutely no clue, but I do know this, they play basketball there, and they are very good at it. The past few days have been interesting for NCAA basketball. For once something was able to overshadow the NFL players and owners negotiations to try and play football next year, and prevail as a positive light on the sports world. A lot has been said about the committee and the questionable selections they made to the final 4 teams in the tournament. This year, the committee expanded the field to 68 teams with play-in games between two sets of #16 seeds and two sets of #11 seeds. The teams that raised the most questions in this group were the selection of VCU, UAB, and USC. The most noticeable snubs from the tournament were Colorado and Virginia Tech. Both teams were not even listed as the last four in, because, well, everyone already thought they were in. VCU, UAB, and USC were not mentioned in the discussions of the first four out, because, well, they were predicted to be in the NIT not the major tournament to crown a national champion. Colorado players were reported to be crying in Boulder once the news broke, because they believed they had done enough to attain a spot in the field of 68. (Quite frankly I thought they did enough too, but people like Jay Bilas, Dick Vitale, and I arent on the selection committee) Virginia Tech also had players that were beyond discouraged as they have now had their bubbles busted two years in a row now. A rough time for the Buffaloes and Hokies, but both teams had impressive showings in the NIT trying to show up the committee that they did indeed belong to at least have a chance at the national championship. Im going to say this just straight up, UAB didn’t play well against Clemson, and that is putting it nicely. It didnt look like they belonged. If not for Jamarr Sanders, their senior leader, who went down late in the 2nd half, the game would have been even less competitive. In my opinion, Colorado or Virginia Tech would have put up a better fight. VCU looked very stout defensively against the Trojans of USC who didnt seem to be that great. Although what more can you expect from a team that managed a 19-14 record and still got into the tournament? Aside from those two performances, and the always talked about "snubs" of the tournament, the committee did a good job in putting teams where they belonged.
In my opinion, there is nothing more exciting than the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. First off, the networks finally got the coverage right where the 16 games on Thursday and Friday are split up upon four different TV. stations. You can also watch any game on your computer, or on your smart phone. Free of charge I may add for the I-phone 4 which offers free live streaming of any tournament game thanks to an NCAA tournament application. (You’re welcome for the free marketing Apple) Aside from the ability to watch every game, every game is exciting. The story lines are endless, but for the first round more than likely revolve around David vs. Goliath. The small team school vs. the big school. Perhaps the first round pits to mid-major teams you have heard of against another, despite what game is on, it always seems to come down to the end. Unless of course the game were discussing is any of the #1 vs. #16 games or Florida vs. University of California Santa Barbara, those werent anywhere near close. I mean, unless Duke, Ohio State, or Kansas becomes the first team to drop the first game in the round of 64 to #16 seed, these games will remain to be non-competitive. But, enough of those, either the first or second game was Butler vs. Old Dominion. Butlers Matt Howard (Andy Samberg look alike) isnt boxed out and tips home the game winning points against Old Dominion. Morehead State won on a cold blooded 3-pointer to put the Eagles ahead of Cardinals by one point with a little over three seconds remaining in the game. Rick Pitinos squad was unable to go ahead of the Eagles marking maybe the biggest upset of the first round this year. It certainly is to co-host of Mike and Mike in the Morning Mike Greenberg who had the Cardinals winning it all. That’s a rough day. But it all adds to the fun of watching the most exciting tournament in all of sports. Everyone who creates a bracket follows along and watches the games, because they know have their own personal rooting interest to try and see how accurate their bracket predictions really were. Other great games today were the Temple Owls ousting the Nittany Lions of Penn State. Jimmer Fredette putting up 32 points and 7 assists in a BYU Cougar win over #14 seeded Wofford. The Richmond Spiders pulled the upset over Vanderbilt and oh so tricky #5 vs. #12 match up. UCLA jumped out to a huge early lead, only to barely hold off the Spartans of Michigan State late. Kentucky pulled out a close one against Princeton, and Kansas State pulled out a close one as Frank Martin stared right through the players from Utah State who were trending Cinderella to go far in the years tournament. That’s just a few of the games from today, but with the spacing of each game putting one fantastic ending right after the other, this tournament is very well thought out and prepared no matter how much negativity it gets for teams that ultimately have a very low chance of making an impact in the tournament. But, once again anything can happen in March. (That being said...Colorado and Virginia Tech should be in period.)
My only problem with the tournament this year that really gets to me is that the round of 64 is the first round. It is not the 2nd round. The first four games that play-in to the field of 64 are play-in games and should not be labeled as the first round of the tournament. They should be labeled as play-in games. Before you know it, teams who lose in the round of 64 calling it the 2nd round will have a Wade Phillips reaction and try to convince the media that they had indeed won a game since they had moved onto the 2nd round. No. It is the first round. The round of 32 is the 2nd round. This is Followed by the sweet 16, Elite 8, Final 4, and championship game. That is how it has been and how it should stay, no questions asked. Aside from that blunder, this tournament has been great so far. Smaller schools get that determination in their eyes, and bigger schools dont take the smaller ones seriously, perfect weather for upsets. The big teams failed to heed the warning of March Madness past, they failed to beware the ides of March...

-Colby

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NFL PIcks Against the Spread 2007 Week 2

Time for my week 2 picks! Yay!

Jets (+10) over Ravens
Look, the Jets are not that great, but theyre not as bad as they showed last week. The Ravens are good, but I just dont see them as 10 point favorites. Plus, Im one of the guys that thinks the Jets will be better with Kellen Clemens at QB. I still like the Ravens to win, but I think itll be decently close.

Texans +6.5) over Panthers
I kinda like what the Texans are doing. I dont know why, but I like them in this game, very possibly to win it. Part of it is that Im not a big believer in Jake Delhomme... he was great last week, but Im a bit skeptical well see a repeat.

Bears (-12.5) over Chiefs
If the Bears somehow find a way to lose this game outright, it might knock out absolutely everyone that plays any type of Survival Football. Thats not even a joke. Every game would end because everyone would be eliminated.

Bengals (-6.5) over Browns
The Browns QB options are Derek Anderson (career: 6 TD, 9 INT) and Brady Quinn, a rookie who got into camp way late. They have a lame duck coach, a bad defense, and a past-his-prime RB. Other than that, things are going great for the Browns.

Cowboys (-3.5) over Dolphins
I dont care how bad the Cowboys defense looked last week, I dont see the Dolphins scoring enough points to keep up with them. I dont see the Dolphins scoring enough points to keep up with most teams.

Broncos (-10) over Raiders
I really dont know what to think in this game. I thought the Broncos were sure bets to beat the spread last week against Buffalo, and we know how that turned out. The Lions had some success running the ball against Oakland last week, and if Detroit had success, I can only imagine what the Broncos will do.

Vikings (+3) over Lions
If the Vikings can get pressure on Jon Kitna, I think hell make some mistakes. If last week is any indication, the Vikings will be coming after the QB a little, which could leave them susceptible to some big plays, but I think theyll get to Kitna enough. Plus, Adrian Peterson should have another big day.

Colts (-7) over Titans
The Titans have a shot because they are sneakily good at running the football, but the way that I saw the Colts play last week leads me to believe theyll win by double digits. Peyton Manning might very well be a machine.

Falcons (+10) over Jaguars
I dont think the Falcons are as bad as they looked. Seriously. Harrington will play better with more time in the system, and their running backs are solid (the Minnesota run defense is just awesome). Plus, the Jags seem to always play down to the level of their opponents.

Patriots (-3.5) over Chargers
This is another game that I really dont know what to think. Both teams are among the 3 best in the NFL. I think the Patriots will win, so thats why Im taking them with the points. But really, I have no idea.

Saints (-3.5) over Bucs
I just think the Saints are a much better team than the Bucs. Simple as that. Drew Brees will not play that poorly again.

Packers (+1.5) over Giants
The Giants have an injured QB that may or may not play, their starting RB is injured, they hate their coach, and their defense is atrocious. Other than that I love them this year.

Bills (+9.5) over Steelers
I like the Steelers, but the Bills showed last week theyre a pretty darn good football team. Losman needs to play a lot better, but theyre solid defensively, solid on special teams, and Marshawn Lynch had a great debut. I think theyll keep this one fairly close.

Seahawks (-3) over Cardinals
Not that the Seahawks lit up the world in week 1, but the Cardinals were very unimpressive. Although it was good that they got the running game going. With the run-oriented Ken Whisenhunt at the helm, I am kinda glad that I didnt really take Matt Leinart, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin in any of my fantasy leagues.

Rams (-3) over 49ers
I came into the year very optimistic about the Rams, and they sure sucked last week. Now, theres news that Orlando Pace is done for the year. So why am I picking them? Probably foolishness.

Redskins (+6.5) over Eagles
This is obvious, but I really did not like what I saw from the Eagles last week. No commitment to the run game, and McNabb did not play well. On the bright side, their special teams almost literally cannot get any worse. I expect them to beat Washington, but I think itll be a tight contest.

Last Week: 8-6-2

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Who is the best Mid Major

One of the best parts of college basketball is the Mid-Major... the teams that seem to come out of nowhere (mostly because people dont know a lot about them) to make major impacts in March. Now its time to assess who is the best among them. For the purposes of this post, I am included all teams that are not in a BCS Conference and are not Memphis. The candidates are:

Butler - Ive written about them before, but I love watching these guys play. Fundamentally, theyre excellent. Theyre unselfish with the ball, dont turn it over, and shoot the ball well from downtown. Theyre not athletic (other than Mike Green), but the aforementioned attributes allow them to compete with anyone.

Xavier - Their domination of Dayton seems to establish them as the team to beat in the A-10 (if they werent already). Theyre deep, experienced, and very well-balanced. They have 6 guys that score between 10.2 and 12.0 PPG, which is pretty remarkable. With Drew Lavendars steady hand at PG, they can play any tempo.

St. Marys - Has Gonzagas reign over the WCC ended? Perhaps. Theyve got solid wins over Drake, Oregon, and San Diego St., which will help come Tourney seeding time. Youve probably heard of frosh Patrick Mills by now, but if not, you should. Diamon Simpson provides a presence down low.

Drake - Theyre not extremely talented or athletic, but they just play very well together. They turn the ball over just 13 times per game, and shoot the ball efficiently. They dont really have any overly impressive victories, which makes it hard to know just how good they are, but as of this writing theyre 17-1, which isnt too bad.

Dayton - Theyve lost 2 in a row, but they still stand at 14-3 right now. Theyre led by senior Brian Roberts, who might be fighting Drew Lavendar for A-10 Player of the Year. Freshman Chris Wright is one of the most athletic players in the conference.

Gonzaga - They have 5 losses already, but theyre all (well, almost) to good teams. Their win over Connecticut is looking better and better after UConn beat Indiana. They might not have the star power theyve had at times in the past, but this might be their deepest team in a while. 10 guys average at least 10 minutes per game.

VCU - They give up only 58.8 PPG, which is pretty good. Eric Maynor gained fame when he hit the game-winner in the Tourney against Duke, but he really is one of the best PGs in the country. His scoring is way up this year, hes still distributing the ball, and hes very good defensively. With Jamal Shuler as a second scoring option, VCU is just as good this year as they were last year.

Who do you think is the best Mid-Major? Right now, I lean toward Butler by a smidgen over Xavier. Itll be interesting to watch these teams the rest of the way to see who can make some noise come Tourney time.

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College Football Season Predictions

Its time for my semi-detailed look at the college football season, with some predictions.


ACC Atlantic Winner - Florida St.
ACC Coastal Winner - Virginia Tech
ACC Player of the Year - CJ Spiller

Comments: Virginia Tech looks like they should run away with the Coastal division, but the Atlantic is wide open, as anyone really has a chance to win that division. I went with the most proven commodity, FSU. For the Player of the Year race, even though Spiller is a sophomore, I just love his talent and think he will continue to shine.


Big 12 North Winner - Nebraska
Big 12 South Winner - Texas
Big 12 Player of the Year - Colt McCoy

Comments: I think Nebraska, with the addition of Sam Keller, should have a real nice year and be the favorites in the North. In the South, it should be a really interesting battle as usual between Texas and Oklahoma, but Ill go with the Longhorns on the strength of Colt McCoy, my pick for the POY.


Big East Winner - West Virginia
Big East Player of the Year - Steve Slaton

Comments: I have these dominated by the Mountaineers, but this should be one of the most fascinating conference races once again. Rutgers will be very good behind Ray Rice, but I dont think theyll quite be able to compete with West Virginia or Louisville. Their game on November 8th could very well decide who wins the Big East (and perhaps goes to the national title?), and I like West Virginia at home. As a sidenote, watch out for WVU freshman Noel Devine, who I think is just going to be awesome, and a great fit for that offense. Seriously, go watch one of his highlight videos.


Big Ten Winner - Michigan
Big Ten Player of the Year - PJ Hill

Comments: I love PJ Hill for Wisconsin, which is why hes my pick for the Player of the Year. However, I think Michigan will be just a little too explosive, which is why theyre my pick to win the Big 10.


Pac-10 Winner - USC
Pac-10 Player of the Year - John David Booty

Comments: California might have the talent to compete with USC in the Pac-10 this year, but I think the Trojans are going to be just a little too good. Booty has tons of weapons at his disposal, he just has to not screw it up.


SEC East Winner - Florida
SEC West Winner - LSU
SEC Player of the Year - Darren McFadden

Comments: I know Florida is young and they will struggle defensively, but I think the offense will just take off. Elsewhere, LSU is probably the best team in the conference. Darren McFadden is the best RB in the country, so he gets the POY nod.


Heisman: I already went over this, but John David Booty is my pick for Heisman.

National Championship: USC vs. West Virginia
This might look like Im blatantly copying The Sports Flow, but that is not the case. I think USC is probably the most talented team in the country, and they should fly through their schedule. West Virginia basically has 2 really tough games all year (Rutgers and Louisville) and both of them come at home.

Also, in a bit of a surprise, WEST VIRGINIA is my pick to win the national title. USC is deeper and maybe has more overall talent, but the offense speed that West Virginia has is unrivaled. Seriously, watch this video of Noel Devine:



This is absolutely filthy. He reminds me of a smaller Reggie Bush. Add that to Pat White, Steve Slaton, and Darius Reynaud, and the West Virginia offense should be just sick. Thats why theyre my pick to win the National Championship.

Whos your pick? Which of my picks do you disagree with?

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A Special Kraft

During the Super Bowl I will be rooting for a man all of you have rooted for at some point in the past months. Maybe I wont be rooting so much for a certain team since I have no affiliation to either, but it is the man I will rooting for. What, you may ask, makes this man so special? Without this one man there would not have been football this year. Throughout all the off-season labor disputes you rooted for this man to save the day, and he did. Through many different meetings, agendas, personalities, and the passing of his wife, this man persevered through it all to preserve the right of everyone to watch football. A right Im sure all of you were/are in favor of. Come Sunday at 5:29 my alliances will be on the side of the New England Patriots and their owner who saved football, Mr. Robert Kraft.

Throughout this past summer no one knew if football was going to played this year, or any time in the foreseeable future. The players and the owners could not agree on anything, and people like Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen speculated there would be no football for sure this year. A lot of speculation surrounded the meetings that seemed to be happening almost daily with different legal issues to deal with every day. Either the players were suing the owners or the owners were suing the players, and on top of all that, rules were being changed left and right to accommodate for the ever-changing style of pro football. As the season drew closer and closer, it looked like a deal would not be reached. The Players and owners couldnt even agree with themselves much less a collective bargaining agreement with each other. Although, one day, instead of just sitting back like all of the other owners do waiting to reject another new proposal, one man stood up and took charge of the owners. This was one Robert Kraft.

The players and owners could have talked all they wanted to about how these meetings were for the fans and how the sport was about them, but no one believed these statements. The people who watch football and follow it know that this argument was strictly over money. Or, at least, thats what it became after a while. Robert Kraft, a Harvard Business School major, finally intervened and took control of the owners group to try and hammer out a deal. Did he get any more money for doing this? No, not another cent. His purpose was for the fans. The fans deserved to see football, and Mr. Kraft wasnt about to deprive the millions of fans of the NFL to go a year without football. Mr. Kraft is an older gentlemen, as are most owners, and is not only the owner of the New England Patriots, but the chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group with an estimated wealth of $1.7 billion. Not the type of guy you would expect to stand up for the American people who would be lost without a year of fantasy football.

Mr. Kraft was able to lead the owners and persuade the players to come to an agreement at a point in time where the NFL would still be able have its full season, shorter training camps, but at least they would be playing all 17 weeks of the regular season plus the play-offs. The news was ready to be announced to the public when Mr. Kraft received the worst news one can imagine. His wife, Myra Kraft, had been having a hard fought battle with cancer, and on July 20 of this year she passed away due to it at the age of 68. The news hit Mr. Kraft hard, but he had every owner and player behind him to get him through his difficult time. In a time where players and owners had been arguing over months over everything from what money should go to who to where the kick off should be from for months on end to no avail, they were able to support one of the men who didnt miss a single meeting. Quite a few of these meetings turned into shouting matches, but Mr. Kraft was still at every single one.

At the press conference to announce to the media that a deal had been reached and that there would be a full NFL season this year, countless players and owners came to the podium to talk about how the negotiations went, and every single one of them thanked Mr. Kraft for all of his contributions and paid their respects to his late wife. Respects have also been shown by the entire New England Patriots organization. Every game this year they have worn a patch on their shoulders reading MHK to honor the memory of their owners late wife.

Theres always a feel good story for either of the two football teams come Super Bowl time. A feel good story that feels like that team needs a win to put the right ending on their story book. It cannot always work out for both teams though. But, if I were to have a rooting interest this Super Bowl, it would be for the team whose owner saved football. A man who saved football and lost his wife in a short period of time. You may have differing opinions on the players for the Giants and the Patriots, but its hard not to like a man like Robert Kraft. If you were ever rooting for a season this year, you were rooting for him. So why not have the man who gave us the opportunity to watch and enjoy football this year, be the man holding the most coveted prize at the end of the season. The owner who had every other owner and every player behind him is in charge of the team who preaches the team above everything else. The New England Patriots are a team organization, meaning no one player or coach is about the team. This undoubtedly is a point made by Mr. Kraft. Thats the kind of man I like rooting for. Regardless of the outcome though, you have to be thankful for Robert Kraft, and maybe after reading this youll be rooting for him too just like me.

-Colby
Day to Day Sports Contributor and Co-Founder

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Bill Walton Chats

I have to admit, Im a big fan of the chats at ESPN. Typically they cover a lot more topics and so theres a better likelihood that theyll talk about things Ill find interesting. However, I saw that there was going to be a chat with Bill Walton, which was something I had never seen before, and so I figured it would be a little different and strange.

Generally the chatter answer lots of questions and give short answers... not Bill Walton. He took 7 questions and gave very long responses. I find Bill very funny in person because of his great exaggerations and hyperbole, but I wasnt sure how it would translate to writing... but I found it funny.

So here are some of the parts I found funny... if you think it sounds like the writing of a guy tripping on acid... well, youre not alone.

"Joe Crawford has stepped into the center circle, hopefully he wont be ejecting any willing participants in todays ceremony. The ball is in the air, the two hands going ever higher. The fate of the known world is in the balance. Im ready to play...Thanks for putting me in coach. Lets go!"

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[talking about the Phoenix Suns]"...and my favorite coach in the NBA (he shouldnt be wasting his time with basketball, he should be president) its all there for Phoenix. Theve capitalized brilliantly on their favorable schedule (a lot of home games against the Sisters of the Poor). But now they head East, for their first of what promises to be many momements of Truth."

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"Were really excited Ben about your Bulls impressive 5 game win streak! And if you can continue to play the Knicks, Boston, and any other memebers of the Atlantic Division (Philly tonight ESPN at 9 ET) were sure that there is nothing that will stop your mighty Bulls from shattering the Lakers 33 game win streak."

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"And we can only hope that Shaq is able to return as quickly as possible. Were well aware of how hard he worked all summer to come back in tip-top shape to defend his fourth championship."

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"Artis Gilmore gave me more trouble than anyone else, but that was because he had no comprehension that double dribbling, three seconds, offensive fouls, and travelling were not only against the rules of basketball, but against the rules of human decency."

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"When I joined the NBA in 1974, I became the highest paid player in the history of all team sports (for about as much money as todays minimum salary). My agent was so excited he was raving about all the money, and how it was going to change my entire life. And I looked at him and said, "I dont care about any of this. After four years with John Wooden the only thing that I was concerned about was that I didnt want anyone to tell me when to get a haircut and when to shave or whether or not I could wear a headband." And I was a rookie Ben! I knew enough at that point to get it in writing!"

Bill Walton everybody! One crazy SOB.

And remember, you hear a good Bill Walton quote, let me know as I am compiling my Bill Walton Quote Library!

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NCAA Tournament Day 1

Admittedly, things could have been more exciting, but not a bad start to the Tournament. There was some well-played basketball, but other than about 2 games, things were generally anti-climactic.

But on to the best game of the day, VCU upsetting Duke. For the most part, this game went exactly how I thought it would go... the pressure of VCU was very much disrupting Duke, but they were playing through it, knocking down shots, and had a lead for most of the ballgame. In the end, I thought Duke will be able to grit out the game. As it turns out, Eric Maynor was just a bit too quick for any of the Duke guards, and he was able to get off any shot he wanted, especially in the last couple of minutes when Duke was tired. In the last 2 minutes he scored twice right at the basket, and then of course got himself a great look to seal the ballgame and send VCU into the second round.

But other than that, the highlight of the day involved Dick Enberg... at one point he was doing a promo for the Evening News with Katie Couric, and you could just tell he was cringing as he had to say it. The transcript must have been something like:

Dick Enberg (cringing): How long would you wait for love? Tomorrow on the CBS Evening News, hear about a pair of soulmates who waited over 60 years.
Jay Bilas: That seems to be taking "playing hard to get" to a bit of an extreme.

Oh gosh, I laughed. Enbergs reluctant "do I really have to read this?" voice, coupled with the perfectly timed Bilas line. Sadly, this was one of the highlights of the day for me.

As a side note, guys like Dick Enberg and Keith Jackson are really old and sometimes screw stuff up, but theres never a game they announce that I dont enjoy (at least before Jackson retired). I could listen to Dick Enberg commentate paint drying and I would be entertained. The fact that hes with Jay Bilas (who I really like), and well needless to say I greatly enjoy that duo.

One more note, and thats to say that [obvious comment] the amount of commercials is just absolutely ridiculous. I mean, I know the point is to make money, but theres a point in time where enough is enough. For example, this sequence of events.

- Its halftime of Indiana/Gonzaga, so they switch over to Wright St/Pittsburgh.
- Halftime is about over, so they cut from Wright St/Pittsburgh to tell us that well go back to Indiana/Gonzaga after a commercial break.
- Theres a long commercial break.
- Then they come back, flash the score, and say that the half will start after another commercial break.
- Then there was another long commercial break.

I can understand one commercial break (even though they did cut away from the game while it was right in the middle of the action), but 2 in a row? Is that really necessary?

But anyway, that was the story of day 1 in the Tourney... 2 good games, no real upsets (VCU over Duke wasnt all that shocking), and a lot of commercials. Hopefully Friday will be a little better.

Also, Im not really a Duke hater by any means, but this video is hilarious. Its even better after you turn up the sound to hear the laughter after this Greg Paulus flop is shown in slow motion. Found over at The Big Lead.

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Stuff

With the weather getting nicer, admittedly Im spending less and less time watching sports and more time, you know, outside doing stuff and enjoying the Memorial Day weekend. So Ill just post my thoughts on some different topics of sports conversation over the weekend.

- First, the Western Conference has been a lot better all year long, and the first 2 rounds of the playoffs were worlds more exciting in the West than the East, but I have found a little more interest in Pistons/Cavs than Jazz/Spurs. Utah and San Antonio is probably a little better played, but the other series has a guy named LeBron James. For all of the slacking LeBron has done this year, he has still turned it on for the playoffs and hes still the most exciting player to watch in the NBA.

- Just to clarify, the fact that LeBron can do things like this is a big reason why hes so great to watch.

- This doesnt even really need to be said, but if youre bored, just go to Fire Joe Morgan and read. Definitely one of the most consistently entertaining sites on the interwebs.

- As more and more evidence piles up against Mike Vick and his knowledge of the dogfighting ring, I hope Roger Goodell is proactive (like he was with Pac-Man Jones) and suspends Vick, even if the law hasnt filed charges yet or the case is still pending. I think he will, and I think that will be the right move.

- I took Roger Clemens in my fantasy baseball drafts at the start of the year with the expectations that hed be back, so from that standpoint it was good to see that after two OK starts, he was very solid in his AAA start, tossing 6 scoreless innings. But dont get me wrong, the Yankees still suck a lot.

- For the record, of all of the Thursday Debates Ive done, I still think the question about who is the 2nd best PG in the NBA is still the most intriguing one. Ive still going with Chris Paul, but its tough to argue with Pacifist Viking who likes Jason Kidd as the best PG in the NBA.

- Spurs lead the series 3-1... assuming their ticket is punched (and I dont see any way the Jazz will win 3 straight), heres hoping the Cavs join them in the Finals.

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The Patriots are ridiculous

Earlier in the week I talked about the chances that the Patriots could go undefeated, and some seemed to feel that it was too soon to be asking that question.

Well, the Patriots now lead 42-7 near the end of the first half, and Tom Brady is 16/19 for 291 yards and 5 TD.

It is not too soon to talk about this team being undefeated. Wow.

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Super Bowl Picks from around the Webosphere

I gave you my pick yesterday, but heres everyone elses picks, so you know who to laugh at when theyre wrong (just kidding)(but not really).

Insomniacs Lounge - Colts 27, Bears 13

Just Call Me Juice - Colts 35, Bears 21

Sweaty Men Endeavors - Colts 23, Bears 13

Signal to Noise - Bears 24, Colts 20

Petey - Bears 28, Colts 24

The Sports Flow - Colts 27, Bears 14 AND Colts 23, Bears 17

The Zoner - Bears 27, Colts 20

Dan Shanoff - Colts win.

WBRS Sports Blog - Bears 20, Colts 17

If youre brave enough to face the ridicule of the millions and dozens that read this site, include your picks in the comments or send me an email and Ill add it to the post. Enjoy the Super Bowl.

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NFL Week 14 Thoughts

Quick thoughts from the week that was in the NFL:

If youre a Texans fan look away:
- Reggie Bush - 6 carries, 37 yards, 6 receptions, 125 yards, 1 TD. Saints win
- Vince Young - 19/29, 218 passing yards, 1 INT, 86 rush yards, 39 yard TD run in OT, Titans win
- Matt Leinart - 21/34, 232 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, Cardinals win
- Mario Williams - 2 tackles, Texans loss

- Congratulations to LaDainian Tomlinson, who already has the record for most TDs in a single season. Oh yeah, and theres three games left in the season.

- Congratulations Drew Brees, the only guy that can reasonably challenge LT for the NFL MVP award this year. Just another incredible day against a good Cowboys defense... 26/28, 384 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT. And that was with Joe Horn out and Marques Colston still not quite 100%.

- It says here that Sean Payton is the NFL Coach of the Year. It also says here that the New Orleans Saints are the class of the NFC. That could very well be the best offense in the NFL.

- The New York Giants have lost 4 of 5 games, and if the season ended today theyd be the 5th seed in the NFC. What a world. By the same token, Brad Johnson is the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings and theyre 1 game back of a playoff spot right now.

- I knew the Colts had problems stopping the run, but this was a little ridiculous. Jones-Drew runs for 166 yards, Fred Taylor gets 131 yards, and Alvin Pearman gets 71 yards just for good measure. As a Maurice Jones-Drew fantasy owner, I thank the Colts.

- As Bill Parcells himself might say, lets not put Tony Romo in the Hall-of-Fame quite yet.

- Thanks for playing San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, and Denver Broncos. Better luck next year.

- Bears vs. Rams on Monday night. I cant wait [to do something else instead of watching that]!

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