Well, Tuesday begins the 2nd best 3 weeks in college sports. It's time to go dancing, America. In this post, I'll talk about what I think of the field: the No. 1s, the Snubs, possible cinderellas, and sleepers. If I'm not too tired, I'll add some of my insight. Off we go!
We'll start at the top of the board with the Number 1 seeds. Louisville, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and North Carolina all grabbed the top lines of their brackets. Lousiville was able to edge out Pittsburgh for the top overall seed, thanks to a Big East tournament championship, and Pitt's failure against WVU in the Big East quarters.
UNC looks to have the easiest road to the Final Four, despite being the 3rd overall seed. The second round brings LSU or Butler to the table against the Heels. Pitt would face either OK State or Tennessee, UConn would draw BYU or Texas A&M, and UL would get the winner of Ohio State/Siena. Many think that the Cardinals have the easiest 2nd round game, but Ohio State beat 2nd seeded Michigan State in the Big 10 tourney by a 12 point margin. Neutral court wins are huge, and Ohio State could be a force to be reckoned with.
Snubs are always a huge topic after the brackets are announced. This year is no different (I say this as I watch Dickie V argue for St. Mary's) I agree with Vitale that maybe Arizona shouldn't have gotten in over St. Mary's. But my biggest problem with this year's tournament is that Auburn is not in. They had 22 wins, and 10 in conference. I do understand that had Miss. St not won the SEC tournament, the Tigers may have been dancing. I disagree that Davidson is out, despite being the cinderella story of 2008. Again, Temple stole the A-10's auto bid from Xavier, giving that conference more bids than it deserves (3).
Cinderellas. My absolute favorite part of this tournament is who becomes someone that noone expected them to be. Davidson was last year's cinderella story, riding the Curry Wave. This year, I think that Tennessee has the best shot at becoming America's sweetheart this year. The Vols play hard core defense, and have one of the best half court offenses in the SEC. OKST offers a tough challenge to start the dance off. Winning that game would put the Vols in the face of top seeded Pitt, who was exposed in the last 2 games.
Few people think about sleepers until it actually happens. Looking over the brackets this year, the first team that strikes me as a sleeper is Washington. The Huskies drew Miss St. with a 4-13 matchup. Washington is seeded below UConn, Memphis and Mizzou in their bracket, but would only run into one of those teams in the Sweet 16 or later, giving hem time to build some momentum. I like the Huksies to make a small run this year.
My Final Four: I like Kansas, Memphis, UNC, and Duke to make the trip to Detroit.
Now America, Let's Dance!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Bubble Talk
Well, welcome back fans. As of late, the three of use have been quite busy with work, school, and personal commitments. But that's not the point of this post, now is it?
With Selection Sunday less than 3 weeks away, let's take a look at some of the teams that need to jump-start their game-quickly. We'll narrow the post down to one team from the Big East, SEC and Big 12 conferences, to keep the length reasonable.
Big East
I'll start in South Bend, where the Irish really need to come up big in their last 2 games (both at home). The losing streak last month didn't quite help, as the Irish would be locks if it weren't for that. As it sits right now, Notre Dame needs to beat both 'Nova AND St. John's to have a chance at the Dance. That would put them at 9-9 in the conference, which should be good enough to get in. But if Notre Dame drops one of those games, it's an 8-10 finish in conference play, and the selection committee could very well leave the Irish at home (unless of course the NIT picks them up). Of course, a run in the Big East tourney would help....
SEC
South Carolina, even at 20-7, doesn't look like the team they were in December. The Gamecocks absolutely layed an egg (no pun intended) against both vanderbilt and Miss St. recently. They're 2nd overall in the SEC and atop the standings in the East division, but they need to pick up their game now. Tennessee comes to town Thursday, and then they visit Georgie next Sunday to finish off the regular season. Wins in both would tremendously help the resume (I know UGA is 11-17, but come on, wins always help). Their signature victory this year is against Baylor, but their non-conference schedule is TERRIBLE (ranked 260 nationally). that loss to College of Charleston hurts don't it boys? SEC tournament may have to be the place where USC earns that invite.
Big 12
Last but not least, Kansas State. Count your lucky stars that you beat Nebraska, because that was the game that saved your season (so far). With OKST and Colorado to finish up this week, K-State needs to win both to finish 10-6 in league play and look "decent" enough for the selection committee to even look at their resume. Excuse my language for a second, but Baylor bitch-slapped them IN Manhattan on January 21st... Not exactly what the Wildcats needed to go onto the resume. Kansas State needs to step up here soon- starting tuesday at OKST.
With Selection Sunday less than 3 weeks away, let's take a look at some of the teams that need to jump-start their game-quickly. We'll narrow the post down to one team from the Big East, SEC and Big 12 conferences, to keep the length reasonable.
Big East
I'll start in South Bend, where the Irish really need to come up big in their last 2 games (both at home). The losing streak last month didn't quite help, as the Irish would be locks if it weren't for that. As it sits right now, Notre Dame needs to beat both 'Nova AND St. John's to have a chance at the Dance. That would put them at 9-9 in the conference, which should be good enough to get in. But if Notre Dame drops one of those games, it's an 8-10 finish in conference play, and the selection committee could very well leave the Irish at home (unless of course the NIT picks them up). Of course, a run in the Big East tourney would help....
SEC
South Carolina, even at 20-7, doesn't look like the team they were in December. The Gamecocks absolutely layed an egg (no pun intended) against both vanderbilt and Miss St. recently. They're 2nd overall in the SEC and atop the standings in the East division, but they need to pick up their game now. Tennessee comes to town Thursday, and then they visit Georgie next Sunday to finish off the regular season. Wins in both would tremendously help the resume (I know UGA is 11-17, but come on, wins always help). Their signature victory this year is against Baylor, but their non-conference schedule is TERRIBLE (ranked 260 nationally). that loss to College of Charleston hurts don't it boys? SEC tournament may have to be the place where USC earns that invite.
Big 12
Last but not least, Kansas State. Count your lucky stars that you beat Nebraska, because that was the game that saved your season (so far). With OKST and Colorado to finish up this week, K-State needs to win both to finish 10-6 in league play and look "decent" enough for the selection committee to even look at their resume. Excuse my language for a second, but Baylor bitch-slapped them IN Manhattan on January 21st... Not exactly what the Wildcats needed to go onto the resume. Kansas State needs to step up here soon- starting tuesday at OKST.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Give me a break...
So the NCAA is thinking of implementing more strict penalties for taunting and celebrations.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3899874
For those that are too lazy to click and read, it basically states that there could be a new rule in place next year for taking the points off of the board if a player taunts before the endzone. Come the eff on. I'll agree that sometimes its a little over the top what players do but eventually its going to be like watching emotionless robots on the field.
The advantage that college football has, and always will have, over the Pros is that the passion is unparalleled. By players, by fans, by coaches, etc. Let the passion stay in the game. I'm not a proponent of players constantly celebrating but when you put your team up and 50,000+ fans let you know their appreciation, its gotta be hard not to celebrate. For a good example of that happening last year and the punishment that ensued, check Washington's Jake Locker and his celebration against BYU.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3899874
For those that are too lazy to click and read, it basically states that there could be a new rule in place next year for taking the points off of the board if a player taunts before the endzone. Come the eff on. I'll agree that sometimes its a little over the top what players do but eventually its going to be like watching emotionless robots on the field.
The advantage that college football has, and always will have, over the Pros is that the passion is unparalleled. By players, by fans, by coaches, etc. Let the passion stay in the game. I'm not a proponent of players constantly celebrating but when you put your team up and 50,000+ fans let you know their appreciation, its gotta be hard not to celebrate. For a good example of that happening last year and the punishment that ensued, check Washington's Jake Locker and his celebration against BYU.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
A-Rod Tests Positive.
So I just a text alert from ESPN saying that A-Rod has tested positive for steroids. When I read the article, it stated that A-Rod tested positive in 2003. He won the AL home run crown and AL MVP award that year. He was with Texas that year.
Before I go into anything else, I just want to point out that I called it. Before last season, I said to a friend "I bet A-Rod juices". He came back (being a Yankees fan-die hard at that) saying "Giambi's the only Yankee, past or present, to juice. Guaranteed."
Yes, I know he was with the Rangers when he tested positive, but I love picking on NYY.
Rodriguez denied ever using performance enhancers in an interview a year or so ago. He said he "never felt overmatched on the baseball field". Conveniently, Scott Boras, A-Rod's agent, couldn't be reached. Both the Yankees and Rangers said they would not comment.
This makes me wonder how many of those players that said they "never juiced" actually were telling the truth. Come on boys, the feds are into the investigation. Did you really think you'd get away with a lie, even if it was X-number of years old?
Baseball players, trainers, families, and organizations need to start coming clean. In this time when our economy brings us down, we need something to keep our spirits running high, or higher than normal. Baseball and its current state are not doing a very good job so far. This isn't something to be proud of.
Here's a link to the article on ESPN.com, complete with video clip:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3890785
-Jay
Before I go into anything else, I just want to point out that I called it. Before last season, I said to a friend "I bet A-Rod juices". He came back (being a Yankees fan-die hard at that) saying "Giambi's the only Yankee, past or present, to juice. Guaranteed."
Yes, I know he was with the Rangers when he tested positive, but I love picking on NYY.
Rodriguez denied ever using performance enhancers in an interview a year or so ago. He said he "never felt overmatched on the baseball field". Conveniently, Scott Boras, A-Rod's agent, couldn't be reached. Both the Yankees and Rangers said they would not comment.
This makes me wonder how many of those players that said they "never juiced" actually were telling the truth. Come on boys, the feds are into the investigation. Did you really think you'd get away with a lie, even if it was X-number of years old?
Baseball players, trainers, families, and organizations need to start coming clean. In this time when our economy brings us down, we need something to keep our spirits running high, or higher than normal. Baseball and its current state are not doing a very good job so far. This isn't something to be proud of.
Here's a link to the article on ESPN.com, complete with video clip:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3890785
-Jay
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Budget draft
ESPN Is doing a budget draft right now: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3864280
Frankly, I think that whatever team wins out can beat the Yankee's high powered payroll. Even if it doesn't, lets consider the following:
1) Yankee's payroll is right around 200 million, just bought two starting pitchers and a starting fielder who's reliable in hitting
2) These drafted teams have a max payroll at around 40 million
Consider both of those things, and then tell me you'd be anything but amused if the drafted team managed to win at least 2-3 of a 7 game series against the Yankees. Granted, its all simulated, but frankly I think that gives an edge to the Yankees.
I hope this shows that the talent you get through the farm system can easily create a team that can beat a team built from a couple of highly paid all-stars. Maybe some teams out there will realize this and really dump some money into improving the farm system, which will make the game much more exciting and diverse in talent.
Frankly, I think that whatever team wins out can beat the Yankee's high powered payroll. Even if it doesn't, lets consider the following:
1) Yankee's payroll is right around 200 million, just bought two starting pitchers and a starting fielder who's reliable in hitting
2) These drafted teams have a max payroll at around 40 million
Consider both of those things, and then tell me you'd be anything but amused if the drafted team managed to win at least 2-3 of a 7 game series against the Yankees. Granted, its all simulated, but frankly I think that gives an edge to the Yankees.
I hope this shows that the talent you get through the farm system can easily create a team that can beat a team built from a couple of highly paid all-stars. Maybe some teams out there will realize this and really dump some money into improving the farm system, which will make the game much more exciting and diverse in talent.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
What's going on in South Bend??
Notre Dame- A school filled with tradition, history (yes, they are different) athletic success, and great athletes in all sports. Basketball hasn't always been Notre Dame's fortee (fortay, forte- you know what I mean. I'm not a spelling genius) but like every team, they've had their years. Troy Murphy's senior class started the most recent run of Irish success on the hardwood, and it carries on as we speak. Coming into this season, many thought the Irish would challenge for the Big East title in both regular and post-seasons. Now that we're down to 10 games left in the regular season, less for some teams, we see that ND has no realistic shot at the regular season crown.
They started 12-3, with losses only to UNC, Ohio State, and St. John's. They also possesed a 45 game home win streak, until January 24th, when UConn had heard enough of it and ended the streak with authority. That loss came smack in the middle of a 5 game (and counting) skid for Mike Brey's team. Which brings up the question: what the heck is goin on up there?
Well, it sounds biased (kind of is, but not intended), but ND plays in arguably the best conference in basketball. The Big East currently has 7 teams in the AP Top 25, with 2 others (including the Irish) being right outside the poll. The next "closest" conference is the ACC, with 4 teams in the Top 25. All of Notre Dame's last 5 games have been against ranked teams (Syracuse, Marquette, UConn, Pittsburgh, and Louisville) the lowest ranked being Syracuse at 15. 3 of those 5 have come on the road: Syracuse (arguably the loudest arena in college basketball) Pitt, and Lousiville. Senior forward/center Luke Zeller isn't making any excuses though: "There are no excuses. Every single game in this league is a tough game. It's going to be a tough stretch the rest of the way, we just need to dig in and find a way to win every single night."
Mike Brey sees a bright spot though. Wait, where exactly do you see that Coach?
"I think it's not bad for them to be smacked around a little bit. It's been a good life here; they've been on a pretty good run. The seniors really haven't experienced anything like this since their freshman year. And no one on the team has experienced getting smacked four games in a row. Now granted, we have played some really good teams." Mike Brey stated after the Marquette game. "This is not a bad thing to toughen the group up, to see if they can come out of it tougher and understand it. I firmly believe, with this group, that we have a run in us. It's going to be really hard, though, and I think they understand that."
Notre Dame now travels to Cincinnati and UCLA before returning home to face Louisville again. UC provides a break from ranked opponents (as of Sunday 2/1, the Bearcats are unranked), but that doesn't mean the 'Cats won't provide a tough test for the visiting Irish. Deonta Vaughn, Mike Williams, and Yancy Gates all average over 10 ppg, and UC is coming off an upset over Georgetown. UCLA is ranked 16th in the nation (again, as of 2/1), and started 14-2 before winning 3 of their last 5, placing them at 17-4 on the season. The Bruins are currently on top of the Pac-10 standings, led mostly by Darren Collison and Josh Shipp.
Luke Zeller said it best though : Notre Dame needs to dig deep and find ways to win. I'd still bet that they are in the NCAA tourney come mid-March, but the Irish need to turn the streak around if they want a decent seed.
-Jay
They started 12-3, with losses only to UNC, Ohio State, and St. John's. They also possesed a 45 game home win streak, until January 24th, when UConn had heard enough of it and ended the streak with authority. That loss came smack in the middle of a 5 game (and counting) skid for Mike Brey's team. Which brings up the question: what the heck is goin on up there?
Well, it sounds biased (kind of is, but not intended), but ND plays in arguably the best conference in basketball. The Big East currently has 7 teams in the AP Top 25, with 2 others (including the Irish) being right outside the poll. The next "closest" conference is the ACC, with 4 teams in the Top 25. All of Notre Dame's last 5 games have been against ranked teams (Syracuse, Marquette, UConn, Pittsburgh, and Louisville) the lowest ranked being Syracuse at 15. 3 of those 5 have come on the road: Syracuse (arguably the loudest arena in college basketball) Pitt, and Lousiville. Senior forward/center Luke Zeller isn't making any excuses though: "There are no excuses. Every single game in this league is a tough game. It's going to be a tough stretch the rest of the way, we just need to dig in and find a way to win every single night."
Mike Brey sees a bright spot though. Wait, where exactly do you see that Coach?
"I think it's not bad for them to be smacked around a little bit. It's been a good life here; they've been on a pretty good run. The seniors really haven't experienced anything like this since their freshman year. And no one on the team has experienced getting smacked four games in a row. Now granted, we have played some really good teams." Mike Brey stated after the Marquette game. "This is not a bad thing to toughen the group up, to see if they can come out of it tougher and understand it. I firmly believe, with this group, that we have a run in us. It's going to be really hard, though, and I think they understand that."
Notre Dame now travels to Cincinnati and UCLA before returning home to face Louisville again. UC provides a break from ranked opponents (as of Sunday 2/1, the Bearcats are unranked), but that doesn't mean the 'Cats won't provide a tough test for the visiting Irish. Deonta Vaughn, Mike Williams, and Yancy Gates all average over 10 ppg, and UC is coming off an upset over Georgetown. UCLA is ranked 16th in the nation (again, as of 2/1), and started 14-2 before winning 3 of their last 5, placing them at 17-4 on the season. The Bruins are currently on top of the Pac-10 standings, led mostly by Darren Collison and Josh Shipp.
Luke Zeller said it best though : Notre Dame needs to dig deep and find ways to win. I'd still bet that they are in the NCAA tourney come mid-March, but the Irish need to turn the streak around if they want a decent seed.
-Jay
Midseason NHL Review
The NHL All-Star weekend wrapped up last weekend, signaling the mid-season point. I don't really care that much for All-Star games so there will be no insight into the game from me. But what I will offer, is my insight into the season thus far. I'll break it down and talk about 5 things from each conference and then give my Stanley Cup pick just for fun.
Eastern Conference
It's hard to pick against the Bruins at this point the way they're playing on both sides of the puck but I would also not be surprised to see a second half resurgence from the Penguins. That being said, I think the Bruins bring too much to the table in terms of goaltending, defense, and offense. Western Conference, its hard to pick against the Sharks at this point but I think I'm going to have to do it. I'm picking the Red Wings. Not because they're my favorite team. I'm picking them because they have the most talent, the best coaching, and one of the most experience and versatile defensive games in the league. If the Wings stay healthy, I think they're in the Finals.
Bruins vs Red Wings
Eastern Conference
- What in the world is up with the Pittsburgh Penguins? From Stanley Cup Finals to next to last in the division, something is obviously awry. Pittsburgh needs to get its goaltending back in order if they want to return to the playoff picture. The good news? 8 points separates them from the next lowest seed in the East and only 1 point between them and the team above them. There's still hope Pens fans.
- Talk about goaltending, no Martin Brodeur? No problem it seems for the New Jersey Devils. Somehow the Devils are only giving up about 2.45 goals a game under Scott Clemmensen, a goalie who started the year in the AHL but was called up after Brodeur was injured. Not to steal any glory from Clemmensen but the Devils have also gotten help offensively from Zach Parise and Patrick Elias. The good news? The Devils are in first. The bad news? It's not by much.
- Then there is the elite goaltending of the NHL so far. The Boston Bruins tandem of goalies have surrendered a scant 2.18 goals per game. To make things worse for the opposition, the Bruins have an incredibly big and physical defense that averages above 6' and 200 lbs, led by 6'9 team captain Zdeno Chara. And then you have the offense. Savard, Krecji, and Kessel have been dominant to say the least on offense.
- Somehow the Florida Panthers are in playoff contention. I don't mean this in a negative way, it's just not something that's been expected. They play in a small market with even smaller expectations but have found a way to win. They don't necessarily have the best talent in the league but make up for it with their exceptional size and physical play. They're one of the teams that players hate to play. You know they're going to give you everything they've got until the final horn sounds and you know you're gonna feel it the next day. Vokoun and Anderson have been relatively sound in net and the key to the Panthers offensive success is sharing the wealth.
- And then there are the Islanders. Oh, Islanders. How you are so awful, I'll never know. Okay so the team is built around Rick DiPietro and his injury has pretty much left them sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic division since early June of 08. Not much good news going ahead for the Islanders. Pack it up and enjoy the postseason when it comes
- The San Jose Sharks have statistically proven that they are the best team in the NHL so far. And I'll believe every second of it. Evgeni Nabokov has proven that he's one of the league's best goalies and is capable of keeping every game's balance in San Jose's favor. To go along with Nabokov's netminding prowess, it looks like the Sharks offense is at a pregame shoot around. They're able to force turnovers through forechecking in the offensive zone and turning those loose pucks into goals. It's no wonder they lead the league in points.
- Then there's the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings. Mike Babcock has got these guys playing some pretty inspired hockey, which is often hard to do coming off of a championship season. The Red Wings lead the league in goals scored per game which is pretty crucial to winning in a Western Conference dominated by some of the best goaltenders in the league. One problem I've seen thus far though is the incostitent play of Ty Conklin and Chris Osgood in goal for the Wings. One day they look invicible against some of the league's best players, the next they look like swiss cheese against some of the not so good players. I think part of this has to do with the defense. The defense is not what it was last year (for whatever reason) even though they've returned everyone from last year's team. The good news however is that Babcock is truly one of the league's best coaches and he has some of the elite talent playing for him. The Red Wings are one of the best teams in the league at holding the line in the offensive zone to prevent the opponent from breaking out and keeping the pressure on the opposing defense and netminders. That being said, Marian Hossa has proved his worth offensively and defensively and if possible, the Wings could have 3 candidates for the Selke Trophy with the play of Zetterberg and Datsyuk.
- Like the city's name suggests, the Phoenix Coyotes have risen from the ashes of a one game above .500 record to currently representing the 5th best team in the Western Conference. One of the more impressive parts of this is that they are doing this in arguably the NHL's toughest division. After last year's grumblings about the Great One's coaching inexperience, we're seeing this year that maybe Gretzky can coach afterall?
- Things are going the right way in the Windy City as the Chicago Blackhawks are in playoff contention and although its a long shot, within reach of Detroit by season's end. The reason for the turn around from the annual cellar dwellars to the Blackhawks that are playing so well today lies in the youth of their team. The team is very young and very talented, led by Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, and Jonathon Toews (if you can pronounce his name correctly without cheating, I'll give you $5). All but 3 of their skaters were born after 1980, incredible upside for the proud Blackhawk organization looking down the road. Cristobal Huet and Nikolai Khabibulin have proved an effective netminding duo and the big physical defense can put any team off of its gameplan. The tremendous upside for the Blackhawks scares me as a Red Wings fan but I think it's still a year or two before they really challenge for the division.
- Then there's the Dallas Stars. I had written them off in my first quarter review of the season on my other blog but they've stormed back into the race for the playoffs. A lot of this is that Marty Turco has gotten back to his old self and started to again become the goalie so many players hate to see on the line-up card. Another big step forward was getting the motormouth and team chemistry destroyer Sean Avery out of the locker room and more positive influences in. Sergei Zubov, one of the league's most underrated defenders and senior citizen of the team, heads up a young and hard hitting defense that complements Tippett's coaching style. Brad Richards and Mike Ribiero are the offensive leaders of the team and both are a threat to score any time down the ice.
It's hard to pick against the Bruins at this point the way they're playing on both sides of the puck but I would also not be surprised to see a second half resurgence from the Penguins. That being said, I think the Bruins bring too much to the table in terms of goaltending, defense, and offense. Western Conference, its hard to pick against the Sharks at this point but I think I'm going to have to do it. I'm picking the Red Wings. Not because they're my favorite team. I'm picking them because they have the most talent, the best coaching, and one of the most experience and versatile defensive games in the league. If the Wings stay healthy, I think they're in the Finals.
Bruins vs Red Wings
Super Bowl Picks
Super Bowl XLIII is upon us and it is time to make our picks for the game.
Arizona Cardinals (12-7) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (14-4)
Jay: Offense wins games. Defense wins championships, and that's why the Steelers will win. The Steelers' D takes pride in what they do, and they've got the biggest audience possible to prove it to. They will, no worries.
My key Matchup: Arizona's O-Line vs. one of the best defensive front 7s in history. I'll be interested to see how many times Kurt Warner gets a glimpse of the Tampa sky. Look for alot of quick hitting routes by the Cards to start the passing game off. You know Pittsburgh will bring the heat.
Matt: Steelers -- The how is simple: This is a big game for all NFL players, and more people on the Steelers know how to handle this game I think. The Steelers defense can handle this Cards offense enough to keep it a slug fest, which--Oh yea the Cardinal's defense isn't up for a slugfest. They're the team that let Philly score 3 straight TD's in a fricken quarter. The Cards will score only when the Steelers defense gives up a huge play, otherwise I don't see them driving well on a Defense who knows how weak their run game is.
Casey: I've picked against the Cardinals three times, and been wrong three times. However, I think I'm going to have to pick against them again. I think the Steelers simply have too much to throw at Arizona defensively and are a well coached team with loads of talent. That being said, I think the Cardinals have more of a chance than anyone is willing to give them. I'm gonna have to go Steelers 27 Cardinals 21. Maybe the Cardinals will prove me (and a lot of others wrong) a fourth time though to capture the first Championship in 61 years.
Key Matchups: Fitzgerald vs Steelers secondary, Cards' O-Line vs Steelers front 7, Tomlin vs Wisenhunt, Roethlisberger vs Car(dinal)s
Matt: Steelers -- The how is simple: This is a big game for all NFL players, and more people on the Steelers know how to handle this game I think. The Steelers defense can handle this Cards offense enough to keep it a slug fest, which--Oh yea the Cardinal's defense isn't up for a slugfest. They're the team that let Philly score 3 straight TD's in a fricken quarter. The Cards will score only when the Steelers defense gives up a huge play, otherwise I don't see them driving well on a Defense who knows how weak their run game is.
Casey: I've picked against the Cardinals three times, and been wrong three times. However, I think I'm going to have to pick against them again. I think the Steelers simply have too much to throw at Arizona defensively and are a well coached team with loads of talent. That being said, I think the Cardinals have more of a chance than anyone is willing to give them. I'm gonna have to go Steelers 27 Cardinals 21. Maybe the Cardinals will prove me (and a lot of others wrong) a fourth time though to capture the first Championship in 61 years.
Key Matchups: Fitzgerald vs Steelers secondary, Cards' O-Line vs Steelers front 7, Tomlin vs Wisenhunt, Roethlisberger vs Car(dinal)s
Friday, January 30, 2009
So here's a downer
Okay so this isn't exactly breaking news or anything but Sabathia just got a monster contract with the Yankees. $23 million a year. Here's how long you'd have to work at different income levels to equal one year of CC's ridiculous contract.
$20,000 a year - 1150 years
$44,000 a year (average US income) - 522 years
$100,000 a year - 230 years
$250,000 a year - 92 years
$500,000 a year - 46 years
$1 mil a year - 23 years (okay that one was easy)
$1.6 mil a year (Average NFL income) - 16 years
$100 mil a year (Tiger Woods) - about 3 months
Balls.
$20,000 a year - 1150 years
$44,000 a year (average US income) - 522 years
$100,000 a year - 230 years
$250,000 a year - 92 years
$500,000 a year - 46 years
$1 mil a year - 23 years (okay that one was easy)
$1.6 mil a year (Average NFL income) - 16 years
$100 mil a year (Tiger Woods) - about 3 months
Balls.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Thank God for playoffs....
So now that Duke has fallen, UConn seems to be first in line for the coveted #1 spot in the nation. But is UConn really the best team in the country? Or is it Pittsburgh? (being a WVU fan, I say no! But my voice means nothing) Or is Wake the best? How about Oklahoma? Honestly, I say Duke. here's my reasoning:
Duke lost AT Wake Forest Wednesday night. Wake Forest lost at HOME to Virginia Tech-who should be a Top 25 team, even thought hey lost to UGA- and didn't even score 50 in the loss. UConn lost at HOME to Georgetown, and Pitt lost AT Villanova. Oklahoma lost AT Arkansas. Not seeing my reasoning yet, are you?
Duke's loss was 70-68, on a VERY well planned and executed inbounds play by Wake in the Duke half of the court. It's not one of those losses that would hurt Duke if they were a bubble team. But any of the other teams (Pitt, Wake, OU, and UConn) don't have that argument. They were all upset by teams that they should have beaten, regardless of location, especially OU.
So here we are, at another "changing of the guard" for the rankings. We know Duke will fall. not far, but they will. They shouldn't fall, but such is life in College Basketball. If UConn wins out the rest of the week, there's no doubt that the voters will try them at #1 for at least a week. They play in the Big East-arguably the best conference in basketball. 6 of their next (and last) 10 are against ranked Big East teams, with 3 of those 6 on the road. My guess is that the Huskies won't be the top dog (no pun intended) for long.
But why am I trying to figure this out if we've got a system that actually works in NCAA basketball (Yes, another shot at the BCS)? Well, it's interesting to look at how topsy-turvy this sport gets.
So here's a question for you to answer in comments (if you so choose): Who's your new #1??
Duke lost AT Wake Forest Wednesday night. Wake Forest lost at HOME to Virginia Tech-who should be a Top 25 team, even thought hey lost to UGA- and didn't even score 50 in the loss. UConn lost at HOME to Georgetown, and Pitt lost AT Villanova. Oklahoma lost AT Arkansas. Not seeing my reasoning yet, are you?
Duke's loss was 70-68, on a VERY well planned and executed inbounds play by Wake in the Duke half of the court. It's not one of those losses that would hurt Duke if they were a bubble team. But any of the other teams (Pitt, Wake, OU, and UConn) don't have that argument. They were all upset by teams that they should have beaten, regardless of location, especially OU.
So here we are, at another "changing of the guard" for the rankings. We know Duke will fall. not far, but they will. They shouldn't fall, but such is life in College Basketball. If UConn wins out the rest of the week, there's no doubt that the voters will try them at #1 for at least a week. They play in the Big East-arguably the best conference in basketball. 6 of their next (and last) 10 are against ranked Big East teams, with 3 of those 6 on the road. My guess is that the Huskies won't be the top dog (no pun intended) for long.
But why am I trying to figure this out if we've got a system that actually works in NCAA basketball (Yes, another shot at the BCS)? Well, it's interesting to look at how topsy-turvy this sport gets.
So here's a question for you to answer in comments (if you so choose): Who's your new #1??
Zetterberg Takes Road Less Traveled
Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg recently signed a 12 year, $73 million contract extension. Yes, 12 years. Its kind of up in the air still whether or not the NHL will even be around in 12 years due to struggling ticket sales and a smaller market as a result of the dumbest move in sports history of signing an exclusive contract with Versus, a channel that a large portion of the US doesn't even get. But if this contract is any sign of confidence from within the league of a rebound, good things could be yet to come.
Zetterberg was to become an unrestricted free agent in July and would most likely reel in a deal in excess of $7 million a year on a shorter term basis. However, he signed a frontloaded 12 year deal that would pay him a total of $5 million over the last three years. Now, I'm not gonna pretend like I know the man personally but having seen numerous interviews with him and seen the character with which he plays the game, I'm surmising that his deal had very little to do with money and more to do with being part of a team. Zetterberg was drafted in the 7th round, 210th overall in 1999 but didn't make his debut for the Red Wings until 2002. He's crawled out of the draft basement to become a top-notch performer on hockey's biggest stage. Though Zetterberg doesn't have the point totals of Crosby or Ovechkin to awe you with, he is more of an all-around playmaker. One of his best contributions to the team is his defensive ability. Zetterberg and occasional linemate Pavel Datsyuk are two of the NHL's elite defensive forwards and it comes as no surprise that their defensive prowess is an indication of their "from the ground up" careers. He's not too shabby on the offensive side of the puck, averaging 60 points a year. These are some of the attributes that have contributed to him rising from a 7th round pick to a Stanley Cup Champion and Conn Smythe winner. That being said, I believe that is why he took an offer for less money to stay in Detroit. He has put everything into becoming a better player in Hockeytown and has consistently shown through his style of play that it's all about the team, not him.
In an era where baseball players are being payed $20+ million a year or NFL and NBA players demanding a trade so their egos can be placated, its good to see a player take a deal that keeps him with a team for the long haul and gives him less money. It has become rare for such contracts to even come into place, let alone be signed by a player. For one of the NHL's elite players to take a paycut to stay with a team and truly lead by example speaks volumes of the often underspoken character of the NHL players. In the end, I think Zetterberg's deal puts an eventual "C" on his chest and a "40" in the rafters of Joe Louis Arena.
Zetterberg was to become an unrestricted free agent in July and would most likely reel in a deal in excess of $7 million a year on a shorter term basis. However, he signed a frontloaded 12 year deal that would pay him a total of $5 million over the last three years. Now, I'm not gonna pretend like I know the man personally but having seen numerous interviews with him and seen the character with which he plays the game, I'm surmising that his deal had very little to do with money and more to do with being part of a team. Zetterberg was drafted in the 7th round, 210th overall in 1999 but didn't make his debut for the Red Wings until 2002. He's crawled out of the draft basement to become a top-notch performer on hockey's biggest stage. Though Zetterberg doesn't have the point totals of Crosby or Ovechkin to awe you with, he is more of an all-around playmaker. One of his best contributions to the team is his defensive ability. Zetterberg and occasional linemate Pavel Datsyuk are two of the NHL's elite defensive forwards and it comes as no surprise that their defensive prowess is an indication of their "from the ground up" careers. He's not too shabby on the offensive side of the puck, averaging 60 points a year. These are some of the attributes that have contributed to him rising from a 7th round pick to a Stanley Cup Champion and Conn Smythe winner. That being said, I believe that is why he took an offer for less money to stay in Detroit. He has put everything into becoming a better player in Hockeytown and has consistently shown through his style of play that it's all about the team, not him.
In an era where baseball players are being payed $20+ million a year or NFL and NBA players demanding a trade so their egos can be placated, its good to see a player take a deal that keeps him with a team for the long haul and gives him less money. It has become rare for such contracts to even come into place, let alone be signed by a player. For one of the NHL's elite players to take a paycut to stay with a team and truly lead by example speaks volumes of the often underspoken character of the NHL players. In the end, I think Zetterberg's deal puts an eventual "C" on his chest and a "40" in the rafters of Joe Louis Arena.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
What a weekend!
In the sad absence of any sort of football this weekend, college basketball does it's best to offer Saturday entertainment (for those of you that don't watch hunting shows, at least). Maryland visits Cameron Indoor Stadium for what should be a decent game. Baylor looks to continue to improve against fifth-ranked Oklahoma. Memphis and Tennessee renew their rivalry, with Memphis looking for revenge. Finally, the night game finds out who the top dog is in the Big East when UConn travels to South Bend, looking to end Notre Dame's home dominance.... And that's just Saturday's lineup.
We'll start in South Bend:
Notre Dame puts it's record home-win streak on the line against a dangerous team from UConn. Luke Harangody, Kyle McAlarney, Ryan Ayers, and Tory Jackson lead the way for the Irish, whose home-win streak is now at 45 games. Hasheem Thabeet will have his work cut out for him against the 6'8 Harangody, who grabs just under 13 boards per contest while netting 24.8 points per. Believe it or not, that matchup is not the only thing to watch for in the game.
Notre Dame's bench has done a great job so far, and needs to continue to do so if Coach Mike Brey wants to have a true contender come time for The Dance.
Tory Jackson. At 5'11, 195lbs, he's a bit small right? Well, some seem to think that, but this junior knows how to play. He's quick on his feet on defense, and has the ball handling and passing skills to run the offense efficiently. I'm watching to see how tough UConn's guards really are- Jackson gets after it.
Who am I picking? Notre Dame. Noone wins in South Bend but the Irish, and they play with fire at home. The fans don't make it any easier for opponents either.
On to Norman:
No. 23 Baylor visits No. 5 Oklahoma in a Big 12 slugfest. About now, you're probably saying "Baylor? 23?!" Yeah, that's right. Scott Drew has these guys playing some great ball. But Blake Griffin isn't quite ready to forget how close last year's games were. This is going to be one to watch (If you have ESPNU of course)
Baylor has the offense pretty well in order. Any one of their starters can explode on any given night, as Curtis Jerrells proved a week ago against OKST when he contributed 31 points. The problem with the Bears is defense. Kevin Rogers is the only player that averages over 5 boards per game, and is also the only player to average more than 1 block per game- but he only averages 1.1 blocks per game. Speed isn't the problem, it's inconsistency. Baylor will have moments of defensive genius, but also moments of developmental-level defense (Elementary-school type development) Baylor needs to brush up on the D before the stretch.
As for the Sooners, well, Blake Griffin. At 6-10, 251 pounds, he's a monster inside. He averages 22.3ppg and a D-1 best 13.6 rpg. The man shoots 50% from outsideOh by the way, he's already got 15 double-doubles this year. Oklahoma has played 19 games, you do the math. Coach Jeff Capel says he's " a very confident player" (Coach, if I were 6'10 251 pounds and could play like that, I'd be confident too.)
Oklahoma hasn't lost to Baylor in 30 years, and even though that dominance is shaky of late, I don't think it's going to end tonight. Boomer Sooner tonight boys.
I did leave out Maryland-Duke and Memphis-Tennessee, but that doesn't mean they're not good games. I'm taking Duke at home, and Memphis on the road. Enjoy Sunday's games as well: Louisville at Syracuse (Noon, ESPN360- for those who don't get that service, like me, go to channelsurfing.net They should have a feed of the game) Michigan State at Ohio State( 3:45PM, CBS) Pitt at West Virginia in the Morgantown version of the Brawl (4PM, ESPN360).
-Jay
We'll start in South Bend:
Notre Dame puts it's record home-win streak on the line against a dangerous team from UConn. Luke Harangody, Kyle McAlarney, Ryan Ayers, and Tory Jackson lead the way for the Irish, whose home-win streak is now at 45 games. Hasheem Thabeet will have his work cut out for him against the 6'8 Harangody, who grabs just under 13 boards per contest while netting 24.8 points per. Believe it or not, that matchup is not the only thing to watch for in the game.
Notre Dame's bench has done a great job so far, and needs to continue to do so if Coach Mike Brey wants to have a true contender come time for The Dance.
Tory Jackson. At 5'11, 195lbs, he's a bit small right? Well, some seem to think that, but this junior knows how to play. He's quick on his feet on defense, and has the ball handling and passing skills to run the offense efficiently. I'm watching to see how tough UConn's guards really are- Jackson gets after it.
Who am I picking? Notre Dame. Noone wins in South Bend but the Irish, and they play with fire at home. The fans don't make it any easier for opponents either.
On to Norman:
No. 23 Baylor visits No. 5 Oklahoma in a Big 12 slugfest. About now, you're probably saying "Baylor? 23?!" Yeah, that's right. Scott Drew has these guys playing some great ball. But Blake Griffin isn't quite ready to forget how close last year's games were. This is going to be one to watch (If you have ESPNU of course)
Baylor has the offense pretty well in order. Any one of their starters can explode on any given night, as Curtis Jerrells proved a week ago against OKST when he contributed 31 points. The problem with the Bears is defense. Kevin Rogers is the only player that averages over 5 boards per game, and is also the only player to average more than 1 block per game- but he only averages 1.1 blocks per game. Speed isn't the problem, it's inconsistency. Baylor will have moments of defensive genius, but also moments of developmental-level defense (Elementary-school type development) Baylor needs to brush up on the D before the stretch.
As for the Sooners, well, Blake Griffin. At 6-10, 251 pounds, he's a monster inside. He averages 22.3ppg and a D-1 best 13.6 rpg. The man shoots 50% from outsideOh by the way, he's already got 15 double-doubles this year. Oklahoma has played 19 games, you do the math. Coach Jeff Capel says he's " a very confident player" (Coach, if I were 6'10 251 pounds and could play like that, I'd be confident too.)
Oklahoma hasn't lost to Baylor in 30 years, and even though that dominance is shaky of late, I don't think it's going to end tonight. Boomer Sooner tonight boys.
I did leave out Maryland-Duke and Memphis-Tennessee, but that doesn't mean they're not good games. I'm taking Duke at home, and Memphis on the road. Enjoy Sunday's games as well: Louisville at Syracuse (Noon, ESPN360- for those who don't get that service, like me, go to channelsurfing.net They should have a feed of the game) Michigan State at Ohio State( 3:45PM, CBS) Pitt at West Virginia in the Morgantown version of the Brawl (4PM, ESPN360).
-Jay
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Super Bowl XLIII Preview
Well, the end of the football season is here. And no, I don't mean the Pro Bowl. Super Bowl XLIII (or 43 for those who don't know their numerals) promises to be...well, probably mediocre at best. Sorry, it's just not the most riveting match up. So we'll do a little preview of the game but the picks won't come until the week of the game.
First thing to watch in this game is how the Arizona defense plays. We all know that the Steelers defense is incredible and can stop pretty much anything you hurl in their path. But the Cardinals defense has been some what of an enigma over the past few weeks. After dropping the second to last game against the Patriots by a score of 47-7, many thought there would be no way that this team could make it to the Super Bowl with a defense like that. Let's face it, during the regular season they gave up 30 or more points 5 times, 3 of those 5 times allowing more than 47 points. That is not good at all. But in the playoffs, they taken on a completely new persona and have played lights out--except for the Eagles comeback. They were able to stop two of the NFL's best running games in the Falcons and Panthers in the opening two rounds of the playoffs. Against Philadelphia they were able to keep the Eagles out of the end zone for the first half but allowed 19 straight points to allow the Eagles to take the lead. So is the defense reverting to their old ways or was it just a temporary lapse in focus?
The next thing to look for is the match up of Larry Fitzgerald vs the Steelers secondary.
Look, we all know that Troy Polamalu is a natural ball-hawk and has tremendous coverage skill. But only so much of the passing game can be defended by the safety before the Cardinals exploit the hole Polamalu vacates. How much can the Steelers defense focus on the 6'3 Fitzgerald before Breaston, Urban, or Boldin (still questionable for the game) find holes in the defense. Fitzgerald can be effective as both a decoy and a star receiver. He's gone over 100 yards in every game so far in the playoffs and scored at least once. He will probably be the best receiver the Steelers have faced all season (sorry Chad and TO, you just don't take the cake as elite in my book this year) and could pose serious threats to the Cardinals keeping this one close, and even possibly winning.
Third match up, Steelers D-Line vs. Cardinals O-Line. This one should be a clear cut advantage for the Steelers. Arizona has allowed 3 sacks while on offense (2 coming against the Eagles). When you think about it though, that is not all too bad considering some of the defensive ends and tackles the Cardinals have faced. Victor Abiamiri and Trent Cole were able to sack Warner twice and the third came from Carolina's Damione Lewis. John Abraham, Julius Peppers, Brodrick Bunkley, and Jonathon Babineaux (all very skilled players on the defensive line) were unable to bring down Warner due to the play of the Cardinals O-Line. The Cardinals O-Line averages about 6'4, 315 lbs compared to the Steelers defensive line average of 6'3, 300 lbs. That may seem like advantage Arizona but the Steelers D-Line is incredibly strong and surprisingly quick and able to get into the backfield to break up plays. Combined with Dick LeBeau's aggressive use of blitzing linebackers and defensive backs, the defensive line will give Arizona plenty to handle throughout the game. A lot of the success of both teams lies in these respective lines. Arizona thrives on its passing game so they need Warner to stay up. Pittsburgh thrives on its defensive pressure and forcing bad plays. However, with Arizona's use of quick passes and screens, I have to give a very slight edge to the Cardinals on this one.
Fourth match up would have to be Steelers running game vs. Cardinals running game.
The Steelers defense averages only 80 yards a game by opposing running backs during the regular season. The Cardinals do have quite a bit of depth at the running back position and Wisenhunt could end up looking like a genius for keeping James out of some of the regular season games and saving his workhorse for postseason play. Rookie Tim Hightower has great vision and speed, plus a little power to complete his game and is a potential homerun threat every time he touches the ball. JJ Arrington and Edgerrin James are also potential homerun threats but Arrington doesn't get many snaps and James is often used as a blocker. The most shocking part of the Cardinals running attack? They averaged only 70 yards a game on the ground, last in the NFL. You'd think this would put this clearly in the win column for the Steelers right? Wrong. The Steelers average about 105 yards a game on the ground and the Cardinals only allow an average of 110. And when the Cardinals defense went up against two of the best rushing attacks in the NFL in round one and two, they allowed a two game total of 135 yards. The Steelers have Willie Parker as their main workhorse but also rotate Russell, Davis, and the resurgent Mewelde Moore into the line-up when possible. Parker is clearly the best back out of the group with a good balance of speed and power to go along with a good offensive line in front of him. Moore presents some playmaking ability but the bulk of the carries are likely to go to Parker. In the end, the Steelers can win the running game battle if their offensive line can get off the ball and get blocks down field on a very aggressive Arizona run defense. In the end though, I'd have to call this a pretty even match up.
Final, and the most unpredictable match up, is the turnover battle. The Cards have been exceptional at forcing turnovers, including picking off Jake Delhomme 5 times in the game in Carolina. They've intercepted 8 passes in 3 games and the Steelers have reeled in 4 in 2 games. The Cards have recovered 4 fumbles and the Steelers 2. However, the most telling stat of this is how the offenses have fared in the turnover battle thus far in the postseason. Cardinals have thrown 2 interceptions and have lost only one possession by way of fumble. The Steelers, however, have thrown 0 interceptions and only lost one fumble (on a play that was a interception, then fumble on the return). This pretty much means that both defenses are exceptional at forcing turnovers--Cardinals +9, Steelers +5--but do not turn it over on offense. The main indicator of who will turn the ball over more is based on which team applies the most pressure defensively on the other teams quarterback...or maybe its just luck that's essential to winning this match up.
This is one of the toughest games to analyze before hand in a long time. Arizona could show up as they have in the playoffs so far, or just not show up at all like they have done at times in the regular season. Pittsburgh has faced some of the better teams in the regular season and playoffs and played extremely well. So maybe this game won't be so mediocre after all?
-Casey
First thing to watch in this game is how the Arizona defense plays. We all know that the Steelers defense is incredible and can stop pretty much anything you hurl in their path. But the Cardinals defense has been some what of an enigma over the past few weeks. After dropping the second to last game against the Patriots by a score of 47-7, many thought there would be no way that this team could make it to the Super Bowl with a defense like that. Let's face it, during the regular season they gave up 30 or more points 5 times, 3 of those 5 times allowing more than 47 points. That is not good at all. But in the playoffs, they taken on a completely new persona and have played lights out--except for the Eagles comeback. They were able to stop two of the NFL's best running games in the Falcons and Panthers in the opening two rounds of the playoffs. Against Philadelphia they were able to keep the Eagles out of the end zone for the first half but allowed 19 straight points to allow the Eagles to take the lead. So is the defense reverting to their old ways or was it just a temporary lapse in focus?
The next thing to look for is the match up of Larry Fitzgerald vs the Steelers secondary.
Look, we all know that Troy Polamalu is a natural ball-hawk and has tremendous coverage skill. But only so much of the passing game can be defended by the safety before the Cardinals exploit the hole Polamalu vacates. How much can the Steelers defense focus on the 6'3 Fitzgerald before Breaston, Urban, or Boldin (still questionable for the game) find holes in the defense. Fitzgerald can be effective as both a decoy and a star receiver. He's gone over 100 yards in every game so far in the playoffs and scored at least once. He will probably be the best receiver the Steelers have faced all season (sorry Chad and TO, you just don't take the cake as elite in my book this year) and could pose serious threats to the Cardinals keeping this one close, and even possibly winning.Third match up, Steelers D-Line vs. Cardinals O-Line. This one should be a clear cut advantage for the Steelers. Arizona has allowed 3 sacks while on offense (2 coming against the Eagles). When you think about it though, that is not all too bad considering some of the defensive ends and tackles the Cardinals have faced. Victor Abiamiri and Trent Cole were able to sack Warner twice and the third came from Carolina's Damione Lewis. John Abraham, Julius Peppers, Brodrick Bunkley, and Jonathon Babineaux (all very skilled players on the defensive line) were unable to bring down Warner due to the play of the Cardinals O-Line. The Cardinals O-Line averages about 6'4, 315 lbs compared to the Steelers defensive line average of 6'3, 300 lbs. That may seem like advantage Arizona but the Steelers D-Line is incredibly strong and surprisingly quick and able to get into the backfield to break up plays. Combined with Dick LeBeau's aggressive use of blitzing linebackers and defensive backs, the defensive line will give Arizona plenty to handle throughout the game. A lot of the success of both teams lies in these respective lines. Arizona thrives on its passing game so they need Warner to stay up. Pittsburgh thrives on its defensive pressure and forcing bad plays. However, with Arizona's use of quick passes and screens, I have to give a very slight edge to the Cardinals on this one.
Fourth match up would have to be Steelers running game vs. Cardinals running game.
The Steelers defense averages only 80 yards a game by opposing running backs during the regular season. The Cardinals do have quite a bit of depth at the running back position and Wisenhunt could end up looking like a genius for keeping James out of some of the regular season games and saving his workhorse for postseason play. Rookie Tim Hightower has great vision and speed, plus a little power to complete his game and is a potential homerun threat every time he touches the ball. JJ Arrington and Edgerrin James are also potential homerun threats but Arrington doesn't get many snaps and James is often used as a blocker. The most shocking part of the Cardinals running attack? They averaged only 70 yards a game on the ground, last in the NFL. You'd think this would put this clearly in the win column for the Steelers right? Wrong. The Steelers average about 105 yards a game on the ground and the Cardinals only allow an average of 110. And when the Cardinals defense went up against two of the best rushing attacks in the NFL in round one and two, they allowed a two game total of 135 yards. The Steelers have Willie Parker as their main workhorse but also rotate Russell, Davis, and the resurgent Mewelde Moore into the line-up when possible. Parker is clearly the best back out of the group with a good balance of speed and power to go along with a good offensive line in front of him. Moore presents some playmaking ability but the bulk of the carries are likely to go to Parker. In the end, the Steelers can win the running game battle if their offensive line can get off the ball and get blocks down field on a very aggressive Arizona run defense. In the end though, I'd have to call this a pretty even match up.Final, and the most unpredictable match up, is the turnover battle. The Cards have been exceptional at forcing turnovers, including picking off Jake Delhomme 5 times in the game in Carolina. They've intercepted 8 passes in 3 games and the Steelers have reeled in 4 in 2 games. The Cards have recovered 4 fumbles and the Steelers 2. However, the most telling stat of this is how the offenses have fared in the turnover battle thus far in the postseason. Cardinals have thrown 2 interceptions and have lost only one possession by way of fumble. The Steelers, however, have thrown 0 interceptions and only lost one fumble (on a play that was a interception, then fumble on the return). This pretty much means that both defenses are exceptional at forcing turnovers--Cardinals +9, Steelers +5--but do not turn it over on offense. The main indicator of who will turn the ball over more is based on which team applies the most pressure defensively on the other teams quarterback...or maybe its just luck that's essential to winning this match up.
This is one of the toughest games to analyze before hand in a long time. Arizona could show up as they have in the playoffs so far, or just not show up at all like they have done at times in the regular season. Pittsburgh has faced some of the better teams in the regular season and playoffs and played extremely well. So maybe this game won't be so mediocre after all?
-Casey
Monday, January 19, 2009
Cardinals advance to Super Bowl XLIII
Close but no cigar once again for the Eagles as the Cardinals held off a 19 point Eagle rally to win the NFC championship and go on to the Super Bowl. Congratulations to the Cardinals though. They've proved everyone wrong, every step of the way. Fitzgerald showed why he is one of the elite receivers in the league and Warner was able to stop the surging Philly defense. The Cardinals defense has been much underrated coming into the playoffs, especially after the game in New England, but has showed up when it matters most.
The game was really a story of two halves and two completely different teams during each half. In the first half, the Cardinals completely dominated the Eagles and Larry Fitzgerald racked up 3 touchdowns on an Eagles defense that seemed to completely lack focus. However, the defense is also what got them back into the game in the second half. They brought an enormous amount of pressure and disrupted Warner's groove, forcing the punting team on to the field on 3 straight drives. McNabb looked like a completely different quarterback in the second half than in the first half and powered the Eagles to a 1 point lead. That 1 point lead didnt last long though as the Cardinals drove down the field and scored the go ahead touchdown on a well executed screen to Tim Hightower.
Credit is due to the Eagles for not just "rolling over" at half and taking a loss. They made an incredible comeback but fell just short against a good Cardinals team. And for once, let's not put blame on the Eagles for "blowing the game" or anything like that. Why not give credit to the Cardinals for playing 60 minutes of effective football? I think they have a much tougher game ahead of them, but then again, they've proved me wrong three times this postseason, what says they don't make it a fourth?
-Casey
The game was really a story of two halves and two completely different teams during each half. In the first half, the Cardinals completely dominated the Eagles and Larry Fitzgerald racked up 3 touchdowns on an Eagles defense that seemed to completely lack focus. However, the defense is also what got them back into the game in the second half. They brought an enormous amount of pressure and disrupted Warner's groove, forcing the punting team on to the field on 3 straight drives. McNabb looked like a completely different quarterback in the second half than in the first half and powered the Eagles to a 1 point lead. That 1 point lead didnt last long though as the Cardinals drove down the field and scored the go ahead touchdown on a well executed screen to Tim Hightower.
Credit is due to the Eagles for not just "rolling over" at half and taking a loss. They made an incredible comeback but fell just short against a good Cardinals team. And for once, let's not put blame on the Eagles for "blowing the game" or anything like that. Why not give credit to the Cardinals for playing 60 minutes of effective football? I think they have a much tougher game ahead of them, but then again, they've proved me wrong three times this postseason, what says they don't make it a fourth?
-Casey
Friday, January 16, 2009
Championship Weekend Picks
So, the final 2 games before the Super Bowl take place this weekend. With the Steelers being the only team ranked above 3 in the initial playoff seedings, the NFL shows why a playoff system truly works (yes, that's a shot below the BCS' belt buckle) So writers, who you got?
Sunday 3:00 PM ET
Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals
ESPN Line: Eagles by 1.5
Jay: Cards- Honestly, I'd love to pick the Eagles, but they're 0-6 in their last 6 NFC title games. I just don't think this is the year. Sorry Philly
Casey: Eagles- I've picked against the Cardinals the last two weeks but I think the Eagles D is the best that they will have faced in the NFC playoff run
Matt: Cards - Because like Jay said, the Eagles suck in NFC championship games, and because the eagles look beat up a bit. Also, because I can't put any trust in Donovan or Reid to deliver when it counts the most
Sunday 6:30 PM ET
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
ESPN Line: Steelers by 2
Jay: Steelers- They belong in the Super Bowl. Period. Their defense is stout, their offense is unpredictable most of the time, and Willie Parker, Hines Ward and Big Ben are good enough to carry the team through this game if needed.
Casey: Ravens- Third time is the charm (going with this logic for the second time) but I think based on how closely the Ravens played the Steelers the two previous times this year, I think the Ravens defense can hold the offense of the Steelers and Flacco gets it done through the air, McGahee on the ground.
Matt: Ravens - Because I believe this game will be down to field goals, and the last time the Steelers won it was on a bad call in my opinion. Each team will score only one touchdown, and the Ravens will come out barely on top due to being called 'the underdog' all week.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Apparently...
I found an article this morning about how Michael Irvin was at a redlight and two guys in a truck pulled up next to him. The passenger in the truck flashed a gun but Irvin had a response.
He started talking about the Cowboys...and it worked. The passenger (and probably driver too) said that they were big Cowboys fans and after they talked with Irvin about the Cowboys awful season...they just drove off.
So if you're a retired pro athlete, and you are threatened with a gun...just talk football! It'll work 5% of the time probably!
Note to self: Don't go to Dallas...ever.
He started talking about the Cowboys...and it worked. The passenger (and probably driver too) said that they were big Cowboys fans and after they talked with Irvin about the Cowboys awful season...they just drove off.
So if you're a retired pro athlete, and you are threatened with a gun...just talk football! It'll work 5% of the time probably!
Note to self: Don't go to Dallas...ever.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
NFL Awards
Well, not that we are an authority at all or that anyone will take our opinions as fact...but we don't care. We do this for fun anyway. Nevertheless, we'll hand out some awards for the season.
Note: These are based on REGULAR season, not the playoffs
Matt: Matt Ryan
Jay: Matt Ryan, definitely
Casey: Not much of a discussion in my mind, Matt Ryan takes the cake easily.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte,RB, Chicago Bears; DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles; Johnathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers
Defense
Matt: Ehh Horton.. I liked Lofton more though, but considering how bad Washington was, Horton made a huge difference.
Jay: I'd put Chris Horton as well, but Lofton was darn close
Casey: Chris Horton (SS) of the Redskins. This guy flew all over the field and was one of the high points in a bad Washington defense.
Honorable Mentions: Curtis Lofton, LB, Atlanta Falcons; Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, CB, Arizona Cardinals
Matt: Flacco The guy made it to the AFC championship, and this was like a typical Ravens run to the Super Bowl. The Ravens actually CAN score on offense, and Flacco's arm is just amazing. When he makes a mistake, he doesn't let it get to him, while most rookies do. Yea the Ravens have a sick defense, but in the close games they've won it's been the offense scoring points.
Jay: I got Steve Slaton here (not just because I'm a Mountaineer) Eddie Royal wasn't used to his potential, and that's why I can't give it to him.
Casey: Um....I can't decide. Chris Johnson did incredible but so did Joe Flacco. I'm gonna have to go with Chris Johnson though. He was a game changer and made that offense explosive. The Ravens didn't need an explosive offense with a defense like that.
Honorable Mentions: Eddie Royal, WR, Denver Broncos
Defense
Matt: Mayo. He was great in college, and he looks like a regular in the NFL.
Jay: Without a doubt Jerod Mayo takes this cake.
Casey: Jerod Mayo, hard to believe this guy is just a rookie.
Honorable Mentions: Brandon Flowers, CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Jay: Adrian Peterson, the guy is just insane.
Casey: DeAngelo Williams. The scary part of his season is that he shared time with Jonathon Stewart and still put up 18 TDs and 1500+ yards and 0 fumbles.
Honorable Mention: Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Jay: Matt Cassel- sure they didn't make the playoffs, but how many people had them one win away from the post season when Brady went down? Not me. This guy took an organization with broken spirits and gave them hope. Not many people can do that.
Casey: Nope, NOT Peyton Manning. I'm sorry but I've gotta go with Matt Cassel. I know, Pats didn't make the playoffs, but they wouldn't have even come close to the playoffs if he didn't play the way he did. And let's face it, the AFC South isn't really that good.
Note: These are based on REGULAR season, not the playoffs
NFC Rookie of the Year
OffenseMatt: Matt Ryan
Jay: Matt Ryan, definitely
Casey: Not much of a discussion in my mind, Matt Ryan takes the cake easily.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte,RB, Chicago Bears; DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles; Johnathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers
Defense
Matt: Ehh Horton.. I liked Lofton more though, but considering how bad Washington was, Horton made a huge difference.
Jay: I'd put Chris Horton as well, but Lofton was darn close
Casey: Chris Horton (SS) of the Redskins. This guy flew all over the field and was one of the high points in a bad Washington defense.
Honorable Mentions: Curtis Lofton, LB, Atlanta Falcons; Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, CB, Arizona Cardinals
AFC Rookie of the Year
OffenseMatt: Flacco The guy made it to the AFC championship, and this was like a typical Ravens run to the Super Bowl. The Ravens actually CAN score on offense, and Flacco's arm is just amazing. When he makes a mistake, he doesn't let it get to him, while most rookies do. Yea the Ravens have a sick defense, but in the close games they've won it's been the offense scoring points.
Jay: I got Steve Slaton here (not just because I'm a Mountaineer) Eddie Royal wasn't used to his potential, and that's why I can't give it to him.
Casey: Um....I can't decide. Chris Johnson did incredible but so did Joe Flacco. I'm gonna have to go with Chris Johnson though. He was a game changer and made that offense explosive. The Ravens didn't need an explosive offense with a defense like that.
Honorable Mentions: Eddie Royal, WR, Denver Broncos
Defense
Matt: Mayo. He was great in college, and he looks like a regular in the NFL.
Jay: Without a doubt Jerod Mayo takes this cake.
Casey: Jerod Mayo, hard to believe this guy is just a rookie.
Honorable Mentions: Brandon Flowers, CB, Kansas City Chiefs
NFC MVP
Matt: Deangelo Williams. For the exact same reasons as what Casey said. He shared time and came in 3rd for top yards in the NFL, that's amazing (Stewart had 800+ yards).Jay: Adrian Peterson, the guy is just insane.
Casey: DeAngelo Williams. The scary part of his season is that he shared time with Jonathon Stewart and still put up 18 TDs and 1500+ yards and 0 fumbles.
Honorable Mention: Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta Falcons
AFC MVP
Matt: Jay Cutler - Cassel did do great, the fact that he got a franchise tag was pretty good. But Jay Cutler's team had an amazing offense, and lost a lot of games because of that porous defense. The had the 3rd best passing defense, and there was no Randy Moss catching for them. For a guy with Diabetes, that's a pretty good accomplishment.Jay: Matt Cassel- sure they didn't make the playoffs, but how many people had them one win away from the post season when Brady went down? Not me. This guy took an organization with broken spirits and gave them hope. Not many people can do that.
Casey: Nope, NOT Peyton Manning. I'm sorry but I've gotta go with Matt Cassel. I know, Pats didn't make the playoffs, but they wouldn't have even come close to the playoffs if he didn't play the way he did. And let's face it, the AFC South isn't really that good.
Incredible Collapse of the Year
Really, no contest. We didn't even need to check with each other on this one. We'll just say one word: Plax.Matt: Cowboys Geez did you see the talent/money on their team? It was a collapse from the start, and a marvelous one to watch. Yea Yea collapse means started good and ended bad, but the Cowboys SHOULD have been a super bowl team..
Jay: Bills, Broncos tie for this one
Casey: Broncos. I mean, shouldn't be up for debate even.
D'oh of the Year AwardJay: Bills, Broncos tie for this one
Casey: Broncos. I mean, shouldn't be up for debate even.
Incredible Comeback of the Year
Matt: Chargers,no doubt, since they got screwed against the Broncos early and still made it to the second round of the playoffs.
Jay: Spanning 2 years really, but Miami Dolphins; 1 win a year ago to playoffs this year. Incredible.
Casey: Other end of the spectrum, same division. San Diego Chargers
Jay: Spanning 2 years really, but Miami Dolphins; 1 win a year ago to playoffs this year. Incredible.
Casey: Other end of the spectrum, same division. San Diego Chargers
Coach of the Year
Matt: John Harbough.. New coach on a team that wasn't sure of its direction, and because I didn't want to also pick Sporano.
Jay: Tony Sporano, Miami Dolphins
Casey: Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons. Smith changed the whole mentality in Atlanta and got players to actually live up to potential *cough* Roddy White *cough*
Jay: Tony Sporano, Miami Dolphins
Casey: Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons. Smith changed the whole mentality in Atlanta and got players to actually live up to potential *cough* Roddy White *cough*
Team You Wish Had Done Better
Matt: 49ers After so many years of being terrible and getting great picks, this team should be much better than it is. And going with O'Sullivan was a terrible idea (Thanks Martz)
Jay: Honestly, as much as I don't like them, New England: This would have made one of the better stories in all of sports. Having to replace a definite Hall-Of-Fame quarterback with a little known backup, everyone doubting your chances, and then making the AFC title game or better. That would have been a movie.
Casey: For me, I wish the Jacksonville Jaguars had done better. After everything that happened with Richard Collier, I wish they were able to perform better than a 5-11 record. Its rare that you see such a contrast in sports as the tragedy with Richard Collier and the stupidity of Plaxico Burress.
Jay: Honestly, as much as I don't like them, New England: This would have made one of the better stories in all of sports. Having to replace a definite Hall-Of-Fame quarterback with a little known backup, everyone doubting your chances, and then making the AFC title game or better. That would have been a movie.
Casey: For me, I wish the Jacksonville Jaguars had done better. After everything that happened with Richard Collier, I wish they were able to perform better than a 5-11 record. Its rare that you see such a contrast in sports as the tragedy with Richard Collier and the stupidity of Plaxico Burress.
Jay: Hahahahaha, Plax.
A once in a million event?
I just read an article (well, I wouldn't call 9 lines an article) about Myron Rolle and his decision to forgo the NFL draft until 2010 so he can puruse a 1 year masters degree in medical anthropology at, and here's the kicker, Oxford. Yes, I'm pretty sure they mean THE Oxford, and you have to ask yourself, how often does an NFL athelete really take their education this seriously?
I'm not saying most college kids are leaving for the NFL at a young age like OSU's Wells, but they don't exactly major in the most 'difficult' majors, and you can tell that's because they're really pursuing a career in football. Not to say that all of them take a BS major just to get through, I'm just saying that most probably have their sights set on an NFL career rather than a career that utilizes their B.S. in Sociology or Human Food and Nutrition. They might view these majors as something that could help them after a run through the NFL. A classmate of mine said it the best when defending athletes in an English class of mine: It's not that athletes, even football players, are dumb, it's just that there are plenty of athletes that don't try. Some want to be great at sports and just get a GPA that passes NCAA requirements, while others want to excel at their sport AND get a 3.0-3.5 or better.
However, the disturbing trend in Football is that many great athletes don't try. They put all their eggs in one basket and ride the fame of being a great college athlete. Consider Jason White, winner of the 2003 Heisman. A great college athlete, but now operates some small memorabilia store and a small shoe store. I'm not going to guess if that's what he wanted to do after college, but he could have done much better. Many of these kids don't realize that football, as well as any other sport, is cruel. You get injured and your performance suffers for too long, they won't hesitate to drop you. Evidence: Matt Cassel was given the franchise tag from the Patriots. High and Mighty Tom Brady is now defintely looking over his shoulder because of his knee. What will Brady do if he can't play in the NFL any longer? Trust me, my grandmother had complications in the bone after surgery, she lost a lot of weight and bone mass. You're just not the same, period, and Brady needs his legs in great condition to throw well again.
The point to all this is that Rolle has defied a trend not only for some of these Florida schools (*cough**Miami**cough*) but also has defied a trend of college athletes from Football, Basketball, and to some extent Baseball. He has a long range view of his life, a big picture look. He knows at best he'll be in the NFL until he's mid to late thirtys. If he's drop dead amazing, sure he could get an analyst job and/or a coaching job, get tons of money with sponsers and advertisements, etc. But he's being realistic, planning for the worst, because you only get one shot in life. Not to mention, he's pursuing something else in life that he enjoys that isn't football, and that's a healthy pursuit.
Rolle, I wish you the best of luck in your studies, thanks for being an athlete that is a true model for all people, young and old. It's not often we find these people today, and we need more of them.
_-Matt
I'm not saying most college kids are leaving for the NFL at a young age like OSU's Wells, but they don't exactly major in the most 'difficult' majors, and you can tell that's because they're really pursuing a career in football. Not to say that all of them take a BS major just to get through, I'm just saying that most probably have their sights set on an NFL career rather than a career that utilizes their B.S. in Sociology or Human Food and Nutrition. They might view these majors as something that could help them after a run through the NFL. A classmate of mine said it the best when defending athletes in an English class of mine: It's not that athletes, even football players, are dumb, it's just that there are plenty of athletes that don't try. Some want to be great at sports and just get a GPA that passes NCAA requirements, while others want to excel at their sport AND get a 3.0-3.5 or better.
However, the disturbing trend in Football is that many great athletes don't try. They put all their eggs in one basket and ride the fame of being a great college athlete. Consider Jason White, winner of the 2003 Heisman. A great college athlete, but now operates some small memorabilia store and a small shoe store. I'm not going to guess if that's what he wanted to do after college, but he could have done much better. Many of these kids don't realize that football, as well as any other sport, is cruel. You get injured and your performance suffers for too long, they won't hesitate to drop you. Evidence: Matt Cassel was given the franchise tag from the Patriots. High and Mighty Tom Brady is now defintely looking over his shoulder because of his knee. What will Brady do if he can't play in the NFL any longer? Trust me, my grandmother had complications in the bone after surgery, she lost a lot of weight and bone mass. You're just not the same, period, and Brady needs his legs in great condition to throw well again.
The point to all this is that Rolle has defied a trend not only for some of these Florida schools (*cough**Miami**cough*) but also has defied a trend of college athletes from Football, Basketball, and to some extent Baseball. He has a long range view of his life, a big picture look. He knows at best he'll be in the NFL until he's mid to late thirtys. If he's drop dead amazing, sure he could get an analyst job and/or a coaching job, get tons of money with sponsers and advertisements, etc. But he's being realistic, planning for the worst, because you only get one shot in life. Not to mention, he's pursuing something else in life that he enjoys that isn't football, and that's a healthy pursuit.
Rolle, I wish you the best of luck in your studies, thanks for being an athlete that is a true model for all people, young and old. It's not often we find these people today, and we need more of them.
_-Matt
Sunday, January 11, 2009
A look ahead at 2009
Well, after watching the most mediocre National Title game in recent memory, I couldn't help myself but to start thinking about next year. What's going to be the first "biggest game of the year"? Who's going to be the first team to be upset? Will we go through 5 or more #1s again? In time, those questions will be answered for us, but the big question right now: Who's in the preseason top 10?
No doubt about it, there's alot of teams that deserve a look, maybe even a second look. But for sure, there are few teams that cannot be left out.
Jay's Pre-2009 Top 10
1-) Florida You cannot deny that the Gators are the clear favorite to win a second straight title. They may not truly have been the best team in the nation this year, but we're talking next year here. With Tebow, Harvin, Rainey and Demps all returning, it's hard to see too many teams slowing the Gators down enough to defeat them. This especially because they play one of the easiest non-conference schedules in the nation next year (Charleston Southern, Troy, FIU, and FSU. The toughest game (as of now) Florida has next year is AT LSU. I'm thinking back-to-back for the Ol' Boys from Florida....
2-) Texas Colt McCoy returns, as does his O-Line. Leading RB (not rusher, running back) Vondrell Mcgee returns, and he's only a junior next year. Brandon Collins and Malcolm Williams (a sophomore and frshman, respectively) will return to be McCoy's deep threats-especially Williams, being he's 6-3 and has a 38" vertical. Texas' defense will need to step up a bit during their conference schedule to stop offenses such as Texas Tech, OU, and OK State. A weak non-conference schedule will help the 'Horns get into a pretty good groove, setting up another classic in Dallas on October 17th.
3-) Virginia Tech Yeah, I said it, and I'll repeat it for those who are doing a double-take: Virginia Tech is my pre-season #3. Tyrod Taylor is a very legitimate dual threat QB, and workhorse Darren Evans (a rising sophomore) only adds to the Hokies' offensive potential for next year. It remains to be seen whether big TE Greg Boone will return or not, but if he does, he's a big target for Taylor to look for in the red zone. The Hokies also return Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale, their leading recievers from 2008, and rising sophomores. I would say that losing Macho harris and 3 other defensive starters is a possible problem, but this is a Bud Foster defense- no problems here. Virginia Tech opens with their toughest game-Alabama in the Georgia Dome- which they will win (write it down now). Look for Va Tech to be in the BCS Title mix next year.
4-) USC They won't stay long, but because of this year's success, they'll start in the Top 10. If Sanchez returns, the offense will still be potent. The big question for 2009 is their defense. They have to replace AT LEAST 7 starters, and maybe 9 depending on the futures of Taylor Mays and Josh Pinkard. The Trojans play some tough games on the road, including a trip to Columbus to face the next team on the list.
5-) Ohio State Did you see Terrell Pryor play at all this season? If you did, you know why the Buckeyes are here. He'll be a sophomore. I don't need to spell it out for you: this kid is freakin good. I'm talking Heisman-Candidate-as-a-sophomore good. Decision making skills are still not great, but again, he's young. He's also a quick learner. One knock I had on Pryor this year was that he's a run-first kind of QB. With Beanie Wells gone, Pryor will need to carry much of the offensive load. The defense also lost a bit of strength with Laurinitis, Jenkins and Freeman all graduating.
6-) Alabama The offense won't be as great, but the defense replaces 2 or 3 starters, depending on Terrence Cody's future. Alabama loses 2 of the best O-lineman in the country, but retains 3 very experienced hawgs up front. Greg McElroy is a decent replacement for John Parker Wilson, but will take most of the time in the non-conference schedule maturing into an SEC ready QB.
7-) LSU Some may say "Jay, LSU just lost it's whole D-line and start MLB. Why are they here?" Well, new Defensive Coordinator John Chavis should have the ball hawks ready in time. The Tigers made one of the smarter coaching moves in the nation bringing him in. Now, what about the offense? Well, if you watched the Chick-fil-a Bowl, you know that Jordan Jefferson knows how to run an offense. Oh by the way, Les Miles is still one of the best coaches in the nation.
8-) Oklahoma Really Jay, the National Title runner-up here? Yeah, really. Even if Bradford comes back, OU still loses 4 starters on the O-line, and Iglesias is going to the draft. Gresham looks like he's leaning towards the money as well. Defensivcly.... Oh wait, we're talking about a Big 12 team here.
9-) Oklahoma State With 3 of 4 offensive stars coming back to school, it's hard to believe that the Cowboys won't at least be a threat to Texas or Oklahoma. Brandon Pettigrew graduates, leaving the all important TE position to be filled. The 'Pokes need to juice up the defense if they really want to challenge for the Big 12 South title.
10-) Boise State A tough home game against Oregon to start the season is about all the Broncos have to worry about next year. Ian Johnson departs, but Kellen Moore is only a sophomore, and their 2 leading recievers will more than likely be back. Linebackers will be a question come August, but the secondary is in good shape, especially if Kyle Wilson stays in school. BSU should have no problem going 11-1 and making another BCS bowl (depending on how the voters feel).
Teams to watch: Ole Miss, Penn State, Iowa, TCU, and Oregon
Teams to forget about: Central Florida, Auburn, Michigan
For those who aren't counting, there's only 236 days left until Virginia Tech and Alabama square off in the "Chick-Fil-A College Kickoff Game" on Saturday September 5.
No doubt about it, there's alot of teams that deserve a look, maybe even a second look. But for sure, there are few teams that cannot be left out.
Jay's Pre-2009 Top 10
1-) Florida You cannot deny that the Gators are the clear favorite to win a second straight title. They may not truly have been the best team in the nation this year, but we're talking next year here. With Tebow, Harvin, Rainey and Demps all returning, it's hard to see too many teams slowing the Gators down enough to defeat them. This especially because they play one of the easiest non-conference schedules in the nation next year (Charleston Southern, Troy, FIU, and FSU. The toughest game (as of now) Florida has next year is AT LSU. I'm thinking back-to-back for the Ol' Boys from Florida....
2-) Texas Colt McCoy returns, as does his O-Line. Leading RB (not rusher, running back) Vondrell Mcgee returns, and he's only a junior next year. Brandon Collins and Malcolm Williams (a sophomore and frshman, respectively) will return to be McCoy's deep threats-especially Williams, being he's 6-3 and has a 38" vertical. Texas' defense will need to step up a bit during their conference schedule to stop offenses such as Texas Tech, OU, and OK State. A weak non-conference schedule will help the 'Horns get into a pretty good groove, setting up another classic in Dallas on October 17th.
3-) Virginia Tech Yeah, I said it, and I'll repeat it for those who are doing a double-take: Virginia Tech is my pre-season #3. Tyrod Taylor is a very legitimate dual threat QB, and workhorse Darren Evans (a rising sophomore) only adds to the Hokies' offensive potential for next year. It remains to be seen whether big TE Greg Boone will return or not, but if he does, he's a big target for Taylor to look for in the red zone. The Hokies also return Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale, their leading recievers from 2008, and rising sophomores. I would say that losing Macho harris and 3 other defensive starters is a possible problem, but this is a Bud Foster defense- no problems here. Virginia Tech opens with their toughest game-Alabama in the Georgia Dome- which they will win (write it down now). Look for Va Tech to be in the BCS Title mix next year.
4-) USC They won't stay long, but because of this year's success, they'll start in the Top 10. If Sanchez returns, the offense will still be potent. The big question for 2009 is their defense. They have to replace AT LEAST 7 starters, and maybe 9 depending on the futures of Taylor Mays and Josh Pinkard. The Trojans play some tough games on the road, including a trip to Columbus to face the next team on the list.
5-) Ohio State Did you see Terrell Pryor play at all this season? If you did, you know why the Buckeyes are here. He'll be a sophomore. I don't need to spell it out for you: this kid is freakin good. I'm talking Heisman-Candidate-as-a-sophomore good. Decision making skills are still not great, but again, he's young. He's also a quick learner. One knock I had on Pryor this year was that he's a run-first kind of QB. With Beanie Wells gone, Pryor will need to carry much of the offensive load. The defense also lost a bit of strength with Laurinitis, Jenkins and Freeman all graduating.
6-) Alabama The offense won't be as great, but the defense replaces 2 or 3 starters, depending on Terrence Cody's future. Alabama loses 2 of the best O-lineman in the country, but retains 3 very experienced hawgs up front. Greg McElroy is a decent replacement for John Parker Wilson, but will take most of the time in the non-conference schedule maturing into an SEC ready QB.
7-) LSU Some may say "Jay, LSU just lost it's whole D-line and start MLB. Why are they here?" Well, new Defensive Coordinator John Chavis should have the ball hawks ready in time. The Tigers made one of the smarter coaching moves in the nation bringing him in. Now, what about the offense? Well, if you watched the Chick-fil-a Bowl, you know that Jordan Jefferson knows how to run an offense. Oh by the way, Les Miles is still one of the best coaches in the nation.
8-) Oklahoma Really Jay, the National Title runner-up here? Yeah, really. Even if Bradford comes back, OU still loses 4 starters on the O-line, and Iglesias is going to the draft. Gresham looks like he's leaning towards the money as well. Defensivcly.... Oh wait, we're talking about a Big 12 team here.
9-) Oklahoma State With 3 of 4 offensive stars coming back to school, it's hard to believe that the Cowboys won't at least be a threat to Texas or Oklahoma. Brandon Pettigrew graduates, leaving the all important TE position to be filled. The 'Pokes need to juice up the defense if they really want to challenge for the Big 12 South title.
10-) Boise State A tough home game against Oregon to start the season is about all the Broncos have to worry about next year. Ian Johnson departs, but Kellen Moore is only a sophomore, and their 2 leading recievers will more than likely be back. Linebackers will be a question come August, but the secondary is in good shape, especially if Kyle Wilson stays in school. BSU should have no problem going 11-1 and making another BCS bowl (depending on how the voters feel).
Teams to watch: Ole Miss, Penn State, Iowa, TCU, and Oregon
Teams to forget about: Central Florida, Auburn, Michigan
For those who aren't counting, there's only 236 days left until Virginia Tech and Alabama square off in the "Chick-Fil-A College Kickoff Game" on Saturday September 5.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
NFL Picks
Well another weekend of NFL playoffs approaches as some interesting rematches take place. Here's what we think will happen.
Saturday
Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans (4:30 PM)
Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants (1 PM)
Saturday
Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans (4:30 PM)
- Matt's pick: Ravens...The Titans have one of the worst strength of schedule in the NFL, not that they're not good, but possibly out of practice for a big game like this (They also lost to Farve and the Jets..)
- Jay's pick: Titans
- Casey's pick: Titans...this one is a tough call
- Matt's pick: Panthers... I give credit to Atlanta's defense for being good, but the Panther's defense many times is very very good, and the rest of the time is solid. Arizona won't run like they did last week, and won't pass quite like they did. Not to mention the monster that is Steve Smith is lurking around, preventing them from sticking a ton of men in the box.
- Jay's pick: Cards
- Casey's pick: Panthers...I realize the Cards stopped the Falcons run game but the Panthers running attack is a different monster
Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants (1 PM)
- Matt's pick: Giants...This pains me to pick, as both sides are good and bad picks. The Eagles are a hot team right now, but they've been there and lost a lot (See all those NFC championship games in the past 6 years they were in). The Giants love to beat themselves up when they should cruise to an easy victory. If the Eagles lose bad, expect McNabb and Reid to be looking for new jobs (seriously).
- Jay's pick: Eagles... I fear for Andy Reid's job if they lose
- Casey's pick: Eagles...think the third time is the charm for the Eagles
- Matt's pick: Steelers...just because Pittsburg is a nasty place to play at. O Pittsburg fans, go easy on these poor Chargers. Turner's in trouble if the game is a blowout. Think I'm crazy? See what happened to Marty.
- Jay's pick: Pass, oh, forgot that we can't- Steelers
- Casey's pick: Steelers...its a tough call considering injuries at key positions for both teams
Monday, January 5, 2009
Utah Shows They Belong
Utah proved the point that you never really know who will win until the game is played. They also furthered the argument for a playoff in the place of the current BCS system.
The Utes finished the season at 13-0 with big wins over Oregon State, BYU, TCU, and eventually Alabama (I would include Michigan but we all know how they turned out this year). The speed of the Utah defense was simply too much for the depleted Alabama offensive line. Too often there was pressure on John Parker Wilson to make a play and he ended up slipping into his old habit of holding onto the ball too long (he was sacked 8 times) or making poor decisions with his passes (he was intercepted twice). When the offense was on the field, Alabama had little chance then as well. Johnson was as close to perfection as possible, throwing for 330+ yards and 3 TDs.
The only real high point for Alabama was when Javier Arenas ran a punt back 73 yards for a touchdown right before halftime. The closest Alabama came to the Utes came at the start of the 2nd half with a touchdown to Glen Coffee. Another good thing for the Crimson Tide is how young their team is.
In a few days, we'll see if there are any first place votes for Utah following their perfect season and a BCS win. And I dont see why they wouldn't get any votes, but as I said, we'll see.
Casey
The Utes finished the season at 13-0 with big wins over Oregon State, BYU, TCU, and eventually Alabama (I would include Michigan but we all know how they turned out this year). The speed of the Utah defense was simply too much for the depleted Alabama offensive line. Too often there was pressure on John Parker Wilson to make a play and he ended up slipping into his old habit of holding onto the ball too long (he was sacked 8 times) or making poor decisions with his passes (he was intercepted twice). When the offense was on the field, Alabama had little chance then as well. Johnson was as close to perfection as possible, throwing for 330+ yards and 3 TDs.
The only real high point for Alabama was when Javier Arenas ran a punt back 73 yards for a touchdown right before halftime. The closest Alabama came to the Utes came at the start of the 2nd half with a touchdown to Glen Coffee. Another good thing for the Crimson Tide is how young their team is.
In a few days, we'll see if there are any first place votes for Utah following their perfect season and a BCS win. And I dont see why they wouldn't get any votes, but as I said, we'll see.
Casey