Mike Greenberg, of the Mike & Mike in the Morning 'sports' talk radio show, was prattling on about the potential for violence, arrests, etc. should the Yankee fans and the Phillies fans be in the same stadium at the same time. Nothing like reporting the news as opposed to generating it.

Why not pull out your long-dormant journalistic chops and wait until there's an incident before starting this conversation? Then Mike Golic chimes in with speculation about Philly fans who would attend both the Eagles/Giants game and World Series game 4, both scheduled for November 1st.

The theory goes that they'll tailgate, go to the Eagles game, come back to the parking lot, change jerseys, tailgate, and then go to the Phillies game as boorish drunks ready to fight with Yankee fans, cause mayhem and headaches for the cops and create lasting images for Fox to show endlessly for the duration of their - sure to be spectacularly captivating - World Series coverage.

All 60,000 fans. I think it's safe to say that Phillies fans and Eagles fans are a different sort of person. There is some mixing of the two, but, by and large, the fans that attend Phils games are not the same as the ones that attend Eagles games. I'm guessing that there will be a lot more peace in Philly on November 1st than the national media would like.

LA Times Recycles

Last year, TJ Simers of the LA Times made some stupid comments about Philadelphia and it's fine fan base. Before I get into his journalistically challenged 'writings' of 2009 regarding these same people, I'd like to mention his humorous foray into MannyWorld.

From the October 19th LA Times:

"The crowd starts chanting, "You took steroids," and just to prove to everyone he's no longer on the juice, Manny Ramirez whiffs.

Later I ask Manny, "Where did they get this crazy idea you took steroids?" "Next," he says, whiffing again."

Now that's funny. I almost believed that Simers might be able to avoid ticking me off.

Then, this gem from the October 20th LA Times:

"As you know, Fox will be broadcasting the World Series and it likes to put the camera on the face of every single fan sitting in the stands, these fans as ugly as any in the country.

Nowhere in America are people more angry than those living here."

And "...the only bright spot if they draw the Yankees now, getting a look in the mirror at fans who might remind them of themselves."

And so it goes. I guess the LA Times doesn't want to let nuisances like facts or objectivity get in the way of a potentially entertaining story.

The Enemy Within

Sadly, the Philadelphia media also got into the act. This exceprt is from the October 20th Philadelphia Daily News:

"It's all fun and games until someone starts a fire. Then trash cans get tossed, windows get shattered and a city's reputation gets sullied once again. At least, that's how it played out last October when some fans turned the Broad Street celebration of the Phillies' World Series victory into an ugly, unruly mess."

Very disappointing to see this in a paper where they should know better. Where the writer (David Gambacorta) should be keenly aware of the twisted national perception of Phillies fans. A few isolated incidents does not a fan base damn. And these paragraphs also happily leave out the fact that this sort of fan activity is not unique to Philadelphia. It just seems that way, as some media outlets just seem to love to focus on these isolated incidents (in Philly), rather than doing some work and getting a new and, perhaps different (and more representative) story.

Reluctantly, Back to TJ For the Close

Believe me, TJ, I get it. If my team sucked and choked as badly as the Dodgers have these past two years, I'd be bitter too. We Phillies fans have a lot of experience with teams that suck. How do you think we got so "ugly" ?

We may be ugly, but we're more than likely going to the World Series. Again. Past the wreckage of a Dodger team that chose to believe it was better than it was. A team that chose - like the national media - to disrespect the Phillies.

Keep on disrespecting the Phillies and their fans. We kinda like it. It makes looking at that 2008 World Series trophy all the more enjoyable.

I received this text from a friend of mine midway through the third quarter of today's Patriots' game, if you could call it "game."

It's truly out of line for a Philly fan to lecture anyone about "class," but I'll save me "you booed Santa Claus" argument for another day, because it's neither here nor there.

The bottom line is that today in the NFL the New England Patriots beat the Tennessee Titans 59-0.

And, I'm sorry if you think me arrogant, but, as a Patriots fan, I have absolutely no sympathy nor apologies and fully support my team.

This the National Football League!

Let's take a minute to think about that: this isn't high school or college, where a team like Michigan invites an inferior Delaware State team to the Big House and pummels them 63-6. This is the premier professional football league in the world!

If you get beat 59-0 in the NFL, it's your own fault!

This is a profession for these men. If your working on Wall Street but lose money on the Stock Market; if you broadcast on TV but can't read a teleprompter; if you build houses but can't cut a straight 2-by-4, you best seek a new profession, yet come Monday, these same 53 men will return to work for the Tennessee Titans.

Far too many Americans feel compassion in inappropriate instances. For example, lots of people would feel bad if they saw a puppy hurt its paw in a cartoon movie, yet they have no emotion when they see on the news that 35 Palestinian children died when their school was bombed.

The NFL minimum salary is $860,000, which means that per game, every player makes at least $53,750. So, please! Don't feel any remorse for the Titan players, who in one day made $20,000 more than the average American makes in a year. Today, the Tennessee Titans got paid to put up the worst performance in pro football in over 30 years.

Don't blame the Patriots for winning 59-0.

Blame the Titans for giving up 426 passing yards in a blizzard! Blame the Titans for turning the ball over three times in a sequence of five offensive players! Blame the Titans for amassing negative seven yards in the passing game! Blame the Titans!

--Originally posted on the JTStally Blog --

Here's a preview of the NHL season:

EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division 1. Pittsburgh Penguins - The reigning Stanley Cup Champions should be right back in the mix again this season. After making it to the Cup Finals in 2007, the Pens learned a valuable lesson last season when they stumbled through the first half of the season out of the playoff hunt. A strong second half propelled the team to its eventual Cup win. With the core group of last year's Championship returning, including 100-point scorers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, and role players like Brooks Orpik, Jordan Staal, Bill Guerin, and Pascal Dupuis, this team won't struggle like it did last year. Expect the Penguins to be one of the league's finest for all 82 games.

2. Philadelphia Flyers - If there's one team that will rival the Penguins every step of the way, it's the Pennsylvania arch rival Flyers. Like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia has young stars in Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. It will also receive a boost from the return of a healthy Daniel Briere and the addition of hard-nosed defenseman Chris Pronger. The biggest question, and the thing that could hold this team back, is the netminder. Current starter, Ray Emery, played in Russia's KHL last year, and was never regarded as a top goaltender in Ottawa before that.

3. New Jersey Devils - The Devils should fight neck and neck with the nearby rival Rangers for this spot in the Atlantic Divsion, and the two teams could likely be battling for some of the last playoff spots in the East. Why advantage Devils? Two words: Martin Brodeur. Brodeur missed significant time for the first time in his career last season, and at the age of 37, he's moving into the twilight of his career, but, at this point, he's also the consensus "best" goalie of all-time. The return of coach Jacques Lemaire, who led this team to the Stanley Cup in 1995, should mean good things for the Devils, although it will mean the opposite for all us fans who loathe his neutral zone trap techniques.

4. New York Rangers - As previously stated, the Rangers should be right there with the Devils. New York added Marian Gaborik this offseason, which could mean a lot of offense for the Rangers. I say "could" because Gaborik played in just 17 games due to injury last season, and excepting the 77 games he played the year before, he hasn't been healthy enough to play in more than 65 since the 2002-03 season. A healthy Gaborik could bump this team into the league's top tier, an unhealthy Gaborik could leave this team fighting for the playoffs in late March.

5. New York Islanders - The post lockout has been great to many teams, not the Islanders. New York's "other" team hasn't won more games than it's lost since the year before the lockout. The only thing this team seems good at is locking down unhealthy players to ridiculously long contracts. Goaltender Rick DiPietro is in the middle of an absurd 15-year deal, but he's been so injured that the Isles actually brought in two starting goaltenders from last season (Philadelphia's Martin Biron and Edmonton's Dwayne Roloson). Needless to say, this team isn't looking to confident in itself this season.

Northeast Division 1. Montreal Canadiens - Interestingly, the Northeast Division has had the top seed in the conference in six of the last seven seasons, but not once has a team won the division in back-to-back seasons. In the four post-lockout seasons, this division has had four different winners, all of whom finished with the East's best record. In fact, since 1998-99, when the three division conference was created, no team has ever won the Northeast in consecutive seasons. Speaking of teams that got the top seed in the Eastern Conference, I give you the 2007-08 Canadiens. Montreal has reshuffled much of a lineup that couldn't seem to come together last year and underachieved to an eighth place finish. With a talented, young goalie yet to come into his own (Carey Price), and an entire new first line of talented players (Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, and Michael Cammalleri) this team should look more like the 2007-08 one than last year’s debacle.

2. Boston Bruins - Despite the best record in the conference, I'm not overly excited about the Bruins this year, and when a Boston guy is down on his team, he's usually right. It was very costly that the B's traded Phil Kessel to Toronto. Seriously, all that stuff I was saying about the "young stars" that were beginning to lead their teams falls on deaf ears in Beantown. In typical B's fashion, Boston shipped its best young player, instead of signing him to a long term contract like the better teams in the league have done. The simple fact about the Bruins is that they matured last year and figured out how to win games, and the Northeast Division is open for the taking. I don't see the Bruins making a big spray in the postseason, but they should be good enough to make a run at the division. Even so, the statistical trend of different division winners for the last decade can't really be ignored.

3. Ottawa Senators - Post lockout success? Coming out of the lockout, it was the Senators that posted the best record in the Eastern Conference. The following year, the Sens made a run to the Stanley Cup Finals before being beaten by the Ducks. But, then the success abruptly ended. Ottawa was swept out by Pittsburgh in the 2008 playoffs and finished in eleventh in the Conference last season. Skeptics think the trade of star Dany Heatley to San Jose will hurt the team, conversely, I think the acquisition of Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo in that deal will help the team more than the loss of Heatley will hurt, because it fills out a roster in need of depth. The addition of the underappreciated Pascal Leclaire in net will also put the Senators in contention.

4. Buffalo Sabres - And, then we have 2006-07's top Eastern Conference seed. The Sabres have fallen off greatly since that season. However, they still have one of the better goaltenders in the league in Ryan Miller. Their first line of Derek Roy, Jason Pominville, and Thomas Vanek are also much better than they are given credit for. However, there isn't a whole lot of depth here. This team was inconsistent last season and, ultimately, underachieved because of that. If Buffalo can find consistency, it could be a playoff contender, but that's a pretty big "if".

5. Toronto Maple Leafs - Finally, we get to the team that hasn't been a top seed in the East in any of the last seven seasons, so it's fitting that they're in last. The Maple Leafs might be better off putting a "Shooter Tutor" in goal than any of the choices of unproven or proven-to-be-bad options they have for netminders. Outside of the crease, Toronto has little depth on offense. The addition of former Montreal defenseman, Mike Komisarek, gives the Maple Leafs a competent defense. The adage might be that "defense wins championships," but it takes six players to play defense in hockey, not just two!

Southeast Division 1. Washington Capitals - The Capitals officially arrived last season, and star Alexander Ovechkin won the MVP as a result of his leadership. Ovechkin has a unique leadership quality not stereotypical of older Russian players, and it wears off on his team. It's hard to let down for a shift, when you see the best player in the league going as hard as he does and playing as gritty as he does every time he's on the ice for your team. The biggest question for the Capitals comes between the pipes for a team that finished in the bottom half of the league last year in goals against. Jose Theodore was shaky enough that he was relieved from his post after a bad Game 1 in the playoffs last April, but his replacement (and current back up) Semyon Varlamov is just 21 and it remains to be seen if he was just a playoff sensation last year. Luckily, the Caps will score enough goals to give its goaltending time to sort itself out.

2. Carolina Hurricanes - The Hurricanes aren't the flashiest team in the league. But "not that flashy" brought this team to the Eastern Conference Finals last season (and a Stanley Cup championship in 2006). With a tough-to-score-on defense, and a consistent offense highlighted by the likes of Eric Staal, this will again be a team that gets it done without making the highlight reels like some of their other counterparts in the East.

3. Tampa Bay Lightning - Barry Melrose only lasted a month as Tampa Bay's coach last season, but it wasn't Melrose, nor his mullet's, fault that this team wasn't any good. The Lightning finished in the bottom third in goals scored and bottom sixth in goals against, that's a recipe for a lot of losses! The Lightning (like the Penguins in the early part of the decade) is beginning to benefit from top draft picks each year. First overall pick in 2008, Steven Stamkos developed as the season went on and second overall pick this year, Victor Hedman, should help give some direction to the defense, as will the free-agent acquisition of Mattias Ohlund. Tampa still has the cornerstones of its 2003 Stanley Cup championship in Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, and while it'll be far from the Cup this season, it'll be a lot closer than last season!

4. Florida Panthers - Florida finished tied with the Canadiens for eighth place but lost the tiebreaker and missed the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season (eight “years” when you include the Lockout). Still, the disappointing finish overshadowed a return to relevancy for a team that hadn't been close to the postseason since a fifth-place conference finish in 2000. The problem now is improving on last season; it's unlikely the Panthers will do that. The offseason trade of All Star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and a lack of noteworthy acquisitions could send this team into oblivion again. At some point, you start to wonder just how much longer this failing experiment of the NHL in Miami can go on.

5. Atlanta Thrashers - Like most of its Southeast Division counterparts, a hockey team in this city fits in about as well as a white guy at an NAACP convention. Hockey has just failed to take hold in Atlanta, and this season will be the real test for the Thrashers, as it's the last year on All Star Ilya Kovalchuk's contract. It remains to be seen if Atlanta will have the resources to bring him back. The addition of defenseman Pavel Kubina should help a defense that gave up the second most goals in the league last season, but that's certainly not going to be enough to plug all the holes for this team.

WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division 1. Detroit Red Wings - The Red Wings failed to win at least a share of the Presidents' Trophy (awarded to the team with the best regular season record) for the first time since 2002-03 last year. That didn't really seem to phase the 2008 defending Champions, aside from a seven-game series with Anaheim, the Wings needed just nine games to dispatch of Division rivals Columbus and Chicago to make a second straight Cup appearance last spring. Detroit took a three games to two lead on Pittsburgh in the Cup before suffering two straight 2-1 losses to lose the Cup. In a league with few constants and high turnover, Detroit, like the trucks its city produces, is "like a rock." Until proven otherwise, this is still the team to beat each season, especially in the West.

2. Chicago Blackhawks - Chicago ended a five-season playoff drought in impressive fashion last season, finishing with the third best record in the West and making it to the Conference Finals before being outplayed by Detroit in five games. With its young players gaining a year of experience and getting some playoff time under their belt, the Blackhawks could be poised to make another deep run into late spring. The question is, as always though in this midwest city, can it better Detroit?

3. Columbus Blue Jackets - There was little talk about the Blue Jackets first-ever playoff appearance last year, perhaps because it only lasted four games, or perhaps because they play in one of the league's smallest markets. However, this team has quietly gone from a guaranteed victory for opponents to a solid, defense-oriented team that'll battle every night. The team also showed its gaining its footing in the league by extending All Star Rick Nash for eight years.

4. St. Louis Blues - The Blues streaked into the playoffs last year by closing the season at 8-1-1. They were then quickly shown the door in a four-game sweep by Vancouver. Aside from that hot stretch, this team was extremely mediocre. It won 41 games and lost 41 games, while scoring 233 goals and giving up 233 goals. To its credit, it has a good number of young players and is more likely to go up than down this season. However, without the impressive end to the season, this team would have missed to the playoffs, so adjust expectations and realize that even if it improves, it'll still be fighting for the playoffs.

5. Nashville Predators - The song in Nashville has gone sorely out of tune. Once one of the better teams in the Conference, the Preds missed the playoffs for the first time in five seasons last year. Sports Illustrated lists Nashville's "Key Additions" as "None," the only one of the thirty teams to be given such a distinction. It's no secret that the team is in economic trouble, but, for the time being, it's committed to Nashville. Unfortunately, being a struggling team in a city without a lot of hockey smarts, that commitment isn't a good thing for the Predators.

Northwest Division 1. Calgary Flames - The Flames have become a mainstay in the Western Conference through a simple plan: a solid goaltender (Mikka Kiprusoff), tough defense, and timely scoring. A team's style is usually exemplified by its captain, and, in Calgary, that's certainly the case. Jarome Iginla doesn't put on the skills clinic that captains like Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby do, but he's always up near those league leaders in scoring despite playing with a cast of supporting actors. He's more renowned around the league for his hard-nosed style that batters opponents to win games.

2. Vancouver Canucks - The Canucks were an overlooked three-seed in the West last season after winning this division. They're anchored by one of the stronger goalies in the NHL, Roberto Luongo, and are led on offense by the Sedin twins (Henrik and Daniel). Like the division rival Flames, this isn't the highest scoring team in the league, but, like the Flames, it doesn't need to be. The Canucks should again contend for the division.

3. Minnesota Wild - The Wild missed the playoffs by just two points last season, but were unable to re-sign their best player, Marian Gaborik, after the season. However, as I said about the Rangers (with whom Gaborik signed), Marian's health was always an issue, and he played in just 17 games for the Wild last season. It's never good when you lose your best player, but, by that logic, his loss shouldn't affect the team as much as expected. It certainly doesn't make them better without Gaborik, but the addition of Martin Havlat should help temper the loss. Minnesota is far from a playoff lock, but, like last season, it should be in contention all year long.

4. Colorado Avalanche - The Av's looked awful last season! They finished last in the conference and with the third worst record in the league. The team’s downfall came from an offense that finished last in the league in scoring. The offseason retirement of Joe Sakic and loss of Ryan Smyth certainly won't help the offense, but the return of a healthy Paul Stastny, who missed half the season, will. The Avs have almost always been a contender since moving to Colorado in 1995, so last year was a huge disappointment. Colorado won't make it back this season, but at least it's on its way up.

5. Edmonton Oilers - The Oilers upgraded at goaltender, brining in Nikolai Khabibulin to replace Dwayne Roloson, but that wasn’t the biggest concern for Edmonton. The Oilers, like Canadian rivals Calgary and Vancouver, are defensively oriented, but unlike those two, they lack any go-to forwards that can help them win the defensive battles. Alex Hemsky led the team in scoring last season with 66 points, tied for 45th in the league. Edmonton's offensive woes will leave something to be desired from this team.

Pacific Division 1. San Jose Sharks - If only there weren't any playoffs in the NHL, the Sharks might be working on somewhat of a dynasty right now. The reigning Presidents' Trophy winners managed to improve during the offseason by trading underachieving Jonathan Cheechoo and the developing, but never-destined-for-greatness, Milan Michalek for All Star Dany Heatley. Heatley makes an already good offense into a great one. The Sharks will again be a top team in the league, and hope that the addition of Heatley can give them more bite in the playoffs.

2. Anaheim Ducks - Ducks and Sharks are very different creatures, and the NHL only proves that. Whereas, the Sharks feast on the regular season, the Ducks tend to paddle along for 82 games before taking flight in the postseason. Nothing exemplified this disparity more than last season, when, despite finishing 26 points behind San Jose, Anaheim harpooned the Sharks in the first round. Just for good measure, the Ducks then pushed Detroit to seven games before getting knocked out. Honestly, Anaheim's playoff success wasn't as shocking as it was made out to seem ( I even picked them to beat San Jose!). The Ducks were a lot better than their eighth seed suggested, and simply performed under expectation in the regular season. If Anaheim decides to show up before April, it should finish much higher this year; if it doesn't, it'll probably knock out some team that's a little too enthusiastic over a great regular season finish (Sharks beware!).

3. Los Angeles Kings - Living just two miles from the Staples Center (home of the Kings) for the last four years, I always heard about how the Kings were young and developing. Every year I heard that! Sooner or later, you know, you gotta s**or get off the pot, right!? This should finally be the season that the Kings make their move. The addition of veterans Ryan Smyth at forward and Rod Scuderi on defense will provide some leadership for a team led by youngsters like captain Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, and Jack Johnson (who, I'm sure we all know has been "sitting, waiting, and wishing" for a better season). Don't worry Jack, now that this team is a little older things will be "better when you're together".

4. Dallas Stars - The Stars waived goodbye to Brendan Morrison, Steve Begin, Darryl Sydor, and Sergei Zubov and didn't bring in a whole lot to replace them. They do get a fully healthy Brad Richards, who missed a good third of the season last year, and Mike Modano returns for his 20th year in the organization (he's been around so long, he played half a decade in Minnesota, when they were still the North Stars). Aside from that, however, there's not a whole lot to get excited about in Dallas. Once a perennial contender for the Cup, the Stars have faded significantly. They'll still be competitive, but that's just a nice way of saying they won't stink, but they aren't good enough to make the playoffs.

5. Phoenix Coyotes - The best thing that happened to Phoenix this offseason was that the Coyotes weren't moved to another city, but when I say "Phoenix," I mean the city of, not the hockey team. The worst thing that happened to the Coyotes is that they weren't moved. This team has failed to make a profit since it moved to Arizona in 1996, and the economic struggles are reflected in the team that Phoenix puts on the ice. Not even Wayne Gretzky could help this program, and finally called it quits shortly before this season started. Arizona is no place for a hockey team! It's sad, but this team won't be competitive until it's moved to a more supportive city, which, unlike Dallas above, is a nice way of saying they’ll stink!

Standings (Based on final point total. Division winners are automatically seeded 1, 2, 3 for playoffs, and denotes Division winners. ^ deonotes Presidents' Trophy for best record.)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Washington
2. Pittsburgh
3. Philadelphia (Playoff 4 seed)
4. Montreal(Playoff 3 seed)
5. Carolina
6. Boston
7. New Jersey
8. New York Rangers
9. Ottawa
10. Buffalo
11. Tampa Bay
12. Florida
13. Toronto
14. Atlanta
15. New York Islanders

WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. San Jose*^
2. Detroit
3. Chicago (Playoff 4 seed)
4. Calgary(Playoff 3 seed)
5. Anaheim
6. Vancouver
7. Columbus
8. St. Louis
9. Los Angeles
10. Minnesota
11. Dallas
12. Colorado
13. Edmonton
14. Phoenix
15. Nashville

Playoffs (1) Washington over (8) New York Rangers - 6 games
(2) Pittsburgh over (7) New Jersey - 5 games
(6) Boston over (3) Montreal - 6 games
(4) Philadelphia over (5) Carolina - 5 games
(1) San Jose over (8) St. Louis - 4 games
(2) Detroit over (7) Columbus - 5 games
(3) Calgary over (6) Vancouver - 6 games
(4) Chicago over (5) Anaheim - 7 games

(1) Washington over (6) Boston - 6 games
(4) Philadelphia over (2) Pittsburgh - 7 (+OT) games
(4) Chicago over (1) San Jose - 7 games
(2) Detroit over (3) Calgary - 6 games

(4) Philadelphia over (1) Washington - 7 games
(2) Detroit over (4) Chicago - 6 games

Detroit over Philadelphia - 5 games

--Originally posted at http://jtstally.blogspot.com --

Patton: Thirty years from now, when you're sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee and he asks you, "What did you do in the great World War II," you won't have to say, "Well... I shoveled sh*t in Louisiana."

Very early this morning, baseball's newest owner was awakened by his Steve Goodman "Go Cubs Go" ringtone. A nearly breathless Crane Kenney apologized for his intrusion but had to immediately share the startling and most unexpected announcement just delivered by Commissioner Bud Selig's office. Tom Ricketts dropped his cell phone in disbelief. His wife inquired what was wrong. He turned to her with a sheer look of bewilderment and euphoric joy.

"That was Crane calling. He told me that I just won the World Series".

The news quickly swept across baseball's landscape.

"Ricketts deserves it. The Cubs deserve it. As a baseball fan, I'm overjoyed by this news!"

"A little early perhaps, but Ricketts is so much better than the Tribune. This will inspire him to keep his promises."

"I am a lifelong Cubs fans. 100 years was just too long. I've never been so happy! I can now die in peace!"

"Tom Ricketts has restored pride to Wrigleyville. The man has saved the Cubs. This was a wise decision."

"Woo woo! Cubs! Woo woo! Ricketts! Woo woo World Series! Woo woo!"

"I'm speechless. I've never been so proud of being a Cubs fan. He brought us out of the light!"

"For so long the world hated the Chicago Cubs. I could never tell others that I'm a Cubs fan. This just confirms once and for all, that Tom Ricketts has changed the world's view of the Chicago Cubs."

"We are no longer the losers! We are now winners! Thank you so much Tom Ricketts!"

And so on... And so on....

An excerpt from Bud Selig's late night/early morning press conference with the announcement of the news:

"For the past century or so, the Chicago Cubs have been regarded as lovable losers. So why not do it now? Geez, we just canceled the Colorado game because global warming made it really cold and snow there. Baseball needs to change and Mr. Tom Ricketts has been its change. Baseball was never meant to be played in snow so why not just reward the World Series to Tom Ricketts now and be done with it? Some people say — and I understand it — 'Isn't it premature? Too early?' Gosh tooting, this season has not even ended yet and the Ricketts era has yet to really begun. Well, I'd say then that it could be too late to respond for another hundred years from now. It is now that we have the opportunity to respond — all of us."

Thunderous applause erupted from the press conference. And in a touching moment of baseball solidarity, a tearful spontaneous rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was sung by all.

A sleepy eyed, Scooby-Doo pajama clad Tom Ricketts addressed reporters on the edge of his drive way:

"Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of Cubdom leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all baseball team-doms - and that includes New York!  To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative teams who've been honored by this prize. But a World Series is indeed a World Series. So, this one is mine!"

Not everyone was cheerful of the news.

"I spent the most money. And now I get robbed. This sport is dead." - Hank Steinbrenner

"Why the (blank) are we still playing (blank) baseball if the (blank) Cubs already are declared winners?" - Tommy Lasorda

"I don't give a (blank). We already got swept." - Tony La Russa

"(Blank) those (blanks)!" - Patti Blagojevich

"Those (blank) rats!" - Ozzie Guillen

"Do I still get my playoff bonus money?" - Milton Bradley

Selig's shocking announcement has been divisive at best. He acknowledged, "Clearly those that hate Ricketts and Cubs might be disappointed by this announcement. However, times change. They lost and just need to get over it. No longer will be required to play the game on the field. Especially when it is so darn cold. Baseball needs to be viewed as more passive. And apologize for its arrogance and brashness. Tom Ricketts recognizes the ills of our previous ways. He is our guiding beacon of light. The candle of enlightenment burns within his soul. And I too was touched by this awakening. God bless Tom Ricketts. He truly has earned this distinction. And should everything go wrong, such as Jim Hendry offering Kevin Gregg yet another contract then one cannot say that this was because of Tom Ricketts.  It could be that it is because of us, all the others, that didn't respond. Today, everyone is declared a Cubs fan."

During a telephone interview, Lou Piniella burst into tears:

"Well this is a really, really nice surprise! And the nice boys I managed this season will be so happy! They tried so hard but things just did not turn out that well. But this makes up for everything that went so wrong. Boy, I gotta tell ya, that Mr. Ricketts sure is a really nice young man and he just.... just.... just.... is such a good, young baseball owner. He's earned it. And I cannot be happier for our players and fans. And best of all, Jim and I get to keep our jobs."

In a brief statement from the Mayor Daley's office, the press was informed that a 5 day festival would be held to honor Tom Ricketts and be hosted by Oprah Winfrey. Special guests include recording artists Eddie Vedder and Kayne West. A parade will be held TBA and plans are already underway to "temporarily" close the Kennedy Expressway "for the most super awesome raucous celebration ever celebrated by Chicago".

Rev. James L. Greanias of the Greek orthodox faith weighed in and probably said it best, "It is an award that speaks to the promise of Cubs Owner Tom Ricketts' message of hope. The goat curse is finally exorcised."

• When I looked at the Jets and the Tennessee Titans earlier in the year, I expected one of these teams to be 3-0 and the other to be 0-3.  I just got the names wrong.  Just like week 2, the Jets are using their pressure defense to keep opponents off guard.  This week Kerry Collins could not get in rhythm as the Jets defeated the Titans, 24-17

• As predicted here, the Detroit Lions end their losing streak at 19 games.  Jim Zorn has to be in danger of losing his job after his hapless ‘skins proved to be no match for the vaunted Lions, 19-14.

• The New England Patriots decided to switch from a pass offense to a run oriented scheme.  Fred Taylor and his 105 yards spearheaded the offense in the 26-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons.  The Pats’ balance of 39 runs to 43 passes was a far cry from the 50 pass average they had over the first couple weeks of the season.

• The Cleveland Browns are a complete train wreck.  Eric Mangini is at the head of a team that has scored one offensive touchdown in their last nine games (dating back to 2008).  Several  players have filed grievances against the team.  Oh yeah, they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 34-3.

• The New York Giants 24-0 defeat of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was an exhibition of contrasts.  The Bucs did not even belong on the same field as the Giants.  They did not get a first down until the third quarter and they finished with 86 yards of offense.

• The heart stopping 32 yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds to go in the game was why Brett Favre was brought to the Vikings.  Say what you want about the old man but his dagger to the 49ers hearts that went 42 yards on a line to the back of the endzone was a thing of beauty.  The Vikings pulled out the victory 27-24.

• Time for Jeff Garcia to leave his playbook in his locker and head on down the road.  Kevin Kolb finished 24/34 with 327 yards and 2TDs+1 TD rushing to prove he can get in done at the NFL level.  Granted the game was at home against the Chiefs, but it is still a decisive 34-14 victory for the Eagles.

• The Packer defense held the St Louis Rams to 0/7 on third down conversions in the second half.  You have to give Kyle Boller credit though.  He looked a lot better than Marc Bulger and I think the Rams have a quarterback controversy on their hands.  The Packers were able to pull out the victory 36-17. Oh, and proof that Mike McCarthy reads "Let's Talk", Desmond Bishop played.

• The Houston Texans' defense barely resembles an NFL team.  "We're giving up some big, big plays and struggling to stop somebody," said coach Gary Kubiak.  On the flip-side, the story of the Texan-Jaguar game is the tightening of the screws by the Jaguar defense.  Trailing 21-17 at the half, the Jags only allowed three second half points en route to a 31-17 victory.
  

• The famed Jay Cutler to Devin Hester combination has proven victorious again.  With under two minutes to go in the game and the Chicago Bears trailing the Seattle Seahawks by 2, Cutler found Hester open for a 36 yard catch and run to create a lead the 25-19 lead the Seahawks could not overcome. The Seahawks' plan to get more from their offense by wearing their “no contact” jerseys for the game did not work.

• The Cincinnati Bengals are one Brandon Stokley deflection touchdown reception from being 3-0.  This team is not your father’s Bungles as they relied on a Carson Palmer touchdown pass with 14 second in the game to defeat the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers 23-20.  Don’t look now, but the Steelers are 1-2 and looking up at the Bengals (2-1) and the undefeated Ravens.

• The explosion you just heard is from the Buffalo Bills locker room.  Terrell Owens can not be happy at all with being held to zero (zip, nil, null, nada) receptions for the first time since 1996.  Earlier this year, I put the over-under on his destructive tendencies to come to the fore as week 5.  The clock is ticking Buffalo.  Saints 27 Bills 7.

• San Diego proved that they can win without LaDainian Tomlinson.  Phillip Rivers passed for 303 yards and rushed for a TD as the Chargers beat the winless Miami Dolphins 23-13.  The iron man Chad Pennington was lost to a shoulder injury early in the third quarter.

• Denver is also 3-0.  The Broncos have relied heavily on a revamped defense to be off to their best start in years.  They easily handled the Raiders 23-3.  Before we send them to the Super Bowl, let’s see how they perform against an NFL caliber opponent. Remember, they started 3-0 last season before finishing 8-8.

• Although I still believe that the porous offensive line will prove to be the downfall of the Indianapolis Colts, they are still sitting at 3-0.  Peyton Manning can overcome a lot of shortcomings.  He finished 24/35 for 379 yards with one interception and four touchdowns.  The Colts went straight at Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and made him look, um, overrated. The Arizona Cardinals fell to the Colts 31-10.

• The Dallas Cowboys relied heavily on the running game and TE Jason Witten to send the Carolina Panthers to an 0-3 record by defeating them 21-7. It looks like Dallas is paying WR1 money to Roy Williams when he is merely a supplement to their offense.

Tennessee @ New York Jets - Tennesee has a weak D. Look for Sanchez to have a solid day. *New York wins 23-10

New York Giants @ Tampa Bay - No Plaxico, No problem. Mario Manningham has another good game as Eli's go-to-guy. *New York wins 21-7*

Green Bay @ St. Louis - Green Bay was exposed again in week two. Still good enough to beat Rams. *Green Bay wins 21-3*

Atlanta @ New England - Should be a great game. Look for Turner to get the ball all day long. *Atlanta wins 21-20*

San Francisco @ Minnesota - 49ers looking like they might be back. Should be close. AP goes off once again. *San Fran wins in OT 24-21*

Kansas City @ Philadelphia- The Eagles are beat up. Kansas City still doesn't have it. *Philadelphia wins 21-17*

Jacksonville @ Houston - The Jags are no match for Houston's offense. *Houston wins 31-10*

Cleveland @ Baltimore - Brady Quinn is not a quality starter in the NFL. Baltimore will beat up on them. *Baltimore wins 28-0

Chicago @ Seattle - Forte runs all over Seattle's D. Seattle pulls the upset at home. *14-10*

New Orleans @ Buffalo - Drew Brees is the best quarterback in the NFL. Buffalo will not keep up. *New Orleans wins 41-17*

Miami @ San Diego - Sproles = Lightning. Miami will make this an interesting game. *San Diego 17-13*

Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati - No upset this time. *Pitt wins 21-7*

Indianapolis @ Arizona - The heat won't effect this game. Peyton will have a career day. *Indy wins 31-21*

Carolina @ Dallas - MNF will be a nailbiter. Barber might not play. *Dallas wins 23-19*

• The Jets defense is for real.  New York held New England without an offensive touchdown in the 16-9 victory. The Jets have yet to concede an opponents offensive touchdown.

• Hero today, Gone to goat tomorrow.  Jeff Reed, kicker of the game winning field goal a week ago missed two make-able FGs (38 and 43 yards) against the Bears and had to watch as Robbie Gould kicked the 44 yard game winner as the Bears beat the Steelers 17-14.
  

• The Lions made a run at it early, but in the end, they could not stay with the Minnesota Vikings and lost 27-13. Brett Favre set the NFL record with his 271st consecutive start.

• The Dallas Cowboys continue to come up small in the big games.  Romo throws 3 interceptions in the 33-31 loss to the Giants for the inaugural game in the JerryDome.  The Giants are 2-0 in the NFC East.

• Three field goals was all the Washington Redskins could muster against the St. Louis Rams.  It was enough to win 9-7.

• Chris Johnson had a career day with 284 yards from scrimmage and 3 touchdowns but the Texans defeated the Titans anyway, 34-31.

• The New Orleans offense continues their tear, defeating the McNabb-less Eagles 48-22.

• The Jacksonville Jaguars do not look good at all.  The Arizona Cardinals defeated them 31-17 in a game that was nowhere near as close as the score indicates.

• Oakland defeated Kansas City 13-10.

• Atlanta beat Carolina 28-20.

• Don't look now but San Francisco is 8-2 over their last ten games.  The latest victory, 23-10 over the Seahawks, knocked Matt Hasselbeck from the game. It's all about changing the culture. Winning is a habit, as is losing.

• Baltimore beat San Diego 31-26.

• Fred Jackson, 163 yards rushing, continues to state his case for Marshawn Lynch's job as Buffalo beat Tampa Bay, 33-20.

• The hapless Browns lost to the Denver Broncos 27-6. Are the Broncos the best team in the AFC West?

Want to vent?  Maybe brag a little? Tell me I'm wrong?  The comments are below folks.  Time to talk some NFL football.

The first week, for many fans, offers a glimpse at what will be for the next fifteen weeks of the NFL regular season. Some of us will find reason to be happy, while others will be mad as heck.

Either way, we are all prone to taking a big win too seriously, "The Saints are going to the Super Bowl", while taking a heartbreaking loss too hard, "The Texans are gonna be awful this season".

That said, I made a few observations of my own this weekend—many of them were made prior to the first snap and were confirmed by game's end. While others found their way in as the moments ticked away on the freshly minted season.

Without further intro, here are just a few of the snap judgments and, possibly, false conclusions that can be drawn from week one.

Jake Delhomme should no longer be starting in the NFL

February 1, 2004, New England beats Carolina, 32-29, in the Super Bowl—one of the best ever. Delhomme lights up the stat sheet and becomes the NFC South's golden boy after throwing for 323-yards and three touchdowns while rallying his team for 19-points in the fourth quarter to nearly win it all.

It was the moment that Jake Delhomme became a household name and the Carolina Panthers went from being second-thoughts to a-listers in the NFC.

That was then, this is now.

Delhomme has made a lot of money from that one shining moment of Super Bowl glory but, like Janet Jackson, I must ask, "What Have You Done For Me Lately"? That performance, if you wish to call it that, on September 13, 2009 was deplorable. Atrocious. Horrific. Bad.

It was miles away from the Super Bowl phenom he became in 2004, but not unlike the performance in his prior game—which performance is most likely closest to the real Jake these days, do ya think?

His apologists will say it was the defensive brilliance of the Eagles, the poor performance of the offensive line, the bad playcalling by coach Fox, the ineffectiveness of the run game, etc., etc.; that's why he only managed to throw for 73-yards. That is why he had five turnovers.

Stop making excuses for what many people already know.....Jake is done.

Now, might he come out next week and blow the doors off Atlanta? Maybe. It's been said that he might come up with a Drew Brees like performance of his own this next week to shut the naysayers up and prove he's still the best man for the job—that's laughable if you consider he's only had two 300+ yard games in three years (32 starts), but, okay.

It's time to call a spade a spade.

Snap conclusion: The Panthers will never reach another Super Bowl with Jake Delhomme as their quarterback.

Adrian Peterson is a man amongst boys

Brett Favre can now fade into the background that is Adrian Peterson's shadow. If it wasn't clear to anyone before, it should be mind-numbingly clear now, Adrian Peterson is the Minnesota Vikings.

His 180-yard trouncing of the Cleveland Browns on Sunday was nothing short of amazing. He ran over, around, and through defenders and made most of that Cleveland team look like they were members of a high school scout team.

He's a beast and, without question, the most valuable player on his team. If he goes down, may God have mercy on Minnesota's soul because they will be dead in the water—with or without Favre standing behind center.

Speaking of whom, Favre may as well have been Sage Rosenfels. His 110-yard passing performance was hardly impressive. He will likely get better as the games progress but, so far, the only thing impressive about him on Sunday was that he didn't throw any interceptions.

Snap Conclusion: The Vikings are the team to beat in the NFC North.

Jay Cutler is still Jay Cutler

The only person smiling after Jay Cutler's four interception performance on Sunday night was, likely, Jake Delhomme. Why? Because he would no longer dominate the talk of which quarterback looked the worst on the day.

A lot of people are knocking Jay for his lack of emotion over a Bear's loss. A loss, mind you, that he can claim a great deal of responsibility for having caused. No, the real issue should be his inability to read defenses any better than he did in Denver.

Jay threw pick after pick on Sunday night and didn't seem to glean any new insight from the one before; he's not learning how to be a more efficient quarterback. He's not trying to develop a better feel for reading defenses. He's just playing catch and hoping like hell the set of hands that finds the ball is wearing the same jersey as him.

In his defense, the Packers did happen to be home to one of the more opportunistic secondaries of the 2008 season, tied for third with Jay's current team, for interceptions. However, that is no excuse for what looked like sloppy play on Jay's part.

His task won't get any easier when he faces the Steelers this week but maybe Polamalu's absence will make it easier for him to see his receivers better—that or maybe a better set of contact lenses.

Snap Judgment: He's still immature and needs to grow up in a hurry if he expects to be a leader and not a liability.

The Bills look fine...why did they even need Owens?

T.O. sat on the bench with little to run his mouth about—his team lost a heartbreaker whilst his former team basked in the glory that was a win minus his drama.

For his part, Owens did manage to make a couple insignificant catches on the night but was overshadowed by a very impressive Bills defense whose efforts were thwarted by some very bad special teams play on the part of, second-year man, Leodis Mckelvin.

Owens not only looked out of sync in the Bills offense, he didn't even look like the man Trent Edwards wanted to throw the ball to—Fred Jackson held that honor.

The Bills looked good on both counts Monday night, despite the loss, and they looked that way without Owens providing the numbers he's used to having in a game.

Which begs the question? Why did they need him in the first place? Owens isn't likely to be held down for long, but the Bills offense ran crisp and clean without him and that cannot be a good harbinger of things to come—an unhappy T.O. is a no-no...just ask Romo.

It's possible that this was just a fluke of a game and Edwards is still searching for chemistry with his newest wide receiver but, from the looks of it, Owens won't be as important as many thought.

Snap Judgment: Owens will be lucky to hit 1,000 yards in Buffalo. He'll be lucky to matter at all.

The Bengals are just not very good

Denver Bronco fans can take that win on Sunday and mount it on the wall of Josh McDaniel's office at Mile-High Stadium. It won't happen very often this season.

The Bengals, for all the Carson Palmer talk, just don't look very good on offense. Sure, OchoCinco got his yards (89) and Benson put up some decent number (76-yards and a score), but none of those resulted in a win for the Bengals.

Carson Palmer looked dazed and confused by the Denver defense all day up to the point of his, impressive, 91-yard drive down the field to lead his team to a score—one that should have held true if not for a fluke play.

The game ended as it was played: ugly—and if the ending was any indication of how the Bengals season will go, it will be no different this year than the last.

Snap conclusion: The Bengals aren't contenders. They never were.

The Jets are for real

Rex Ryan has brought his tough talk to the Jets and has backed it up every step of the way thus far. Anyone who continues to doubt that the Jets are for real this season, need only look at the masterpiece that was their first game of the year.

Say what you will about how the Texans are overrated and Schaub is not a good quarterback. This was a team that was on the rise near the end of last season and boasts a ton of talent in both Steve Slaton and Andre Johnson.

The Jets have owned the Texans of late but were still the underdogs in this game since they were sporting a rookie quarterback and head coach coming into this game.

Will the Jets win the Super Bowl this season? Not likely, but this much is for sure, it won't be long before Ryan has them in the conversation.

Snap conclusion: The Jets are the new rising stars of the AFC East. On to week 2.

Here’s the situation.  The Packers had just given up a field goal to fall behind the Bears 15-13.  Facing third-and-one with the ball at midfield with 1:28 to go in the game, the Packers go for the jugular.  In a manner inconsistent with the play calling of last season, Green Bay went play action.  The result was a 50-yard touchdown completion from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings.

The training wheels are off.  Hopefully for good.

The game was not over yet.  With the score of 21-15 the Bears had 1:11 to drive 62 yards for the game tying touchdown.  This is the reason they traded for Cutler, right?  The man with the million dollar arm would lead them to victory, right?  One Al Harris interception later and it was time for my favorite play, the victory formation.

When commenting on the defensive performance after the game, coordinator Dom Capers said, "We did what we felt we needed to do to change things up. We wanted to be as disruptive as we could in terms of timing. You want to keep the quarterback out of rhythm, especially a guy like Jay Cutler. He hit us on a couple big plays. We have plenty of things we need to get cleaned up, but I was proud of the way our guys competed and we continued to take the ball away. That's normally the difference in the game."

In 2008, the Packers would have found a way to lose.  Last season, they lost eight games after either leading or trailing in the fourth quarter by less than one score.

From the Grill 

• If the offensive play call above is any indication, McCarthy has opened the playbook and is trusting his young QB to get it done.

• McCarthy’s c'est la vie attitude towards penalties will be the downfall of his teams.  The Packers must fix the stupid penalties.

• Mark Tauscher’s phone line should be abuzz today.  Allan Barbre was absolutely owned by the aging and fading Adewale Ogunleye.  After the game, McCarthy said, "I don't want to be here critical, but Allen Barbre had some tough moments. We had, I think it was three sacks off seven-man protection and that's not going to cut it. That's what we'll look at the film tomorrow and we'll correct it as an offense."  Be critical coach.

The Green Bay defensive front seven was highly effective.  Cullen Jenkins and the defensive line (without BJ Raji) penetrated the Bears backfield all night.  They forced the outside runs deep.  The deepest linebacking corps in the league swarmed to the ball and gang tackled.

• The Dom Capers blitz packages were extremely disruptive.

• I love what I see from the new defense.  The Packers have become aggressive.  Forcing the plays rather than waiting for the opposing offense to dictate what they will do.

• The fact that the Bears struggled with injuries and the Packers still had to rely on a last second touchdown pass to pull out the victory concerns me.  The offensive line was entirely too pliable.

• Jay Cutler looked confused and the career-high 4 interceptions show it.

• Brandon Chillar has earned a spot on the starting defense.  The Packers have to find a way to put him on the field.

• I picked the Bears to finish 9-7.  With the injuries they received in the game, they could be worse.  Much worse.

• Safety Atari Bigby has a knee sprain.

• Mark Oct. 5 at 7:30 CST on your calendars

Sources: Packers.com, JS Online.com

Smith doesn't feel like Romo has made his presence felt as a quarterback in the Cowboys locker room—he hasn't been the leader he said he would be.

Well, if Emmitt and everyone else hasn't figured it out by now: Tony Romo is not that guy. He never was and he never will be; that's just telling it like it T-I-is as the late Bernie Mac would say.

Romo is a laid back, in the cut, kind of player. He takes the game plan and goes out there and tries to execute it to the best of his ability. He's not the guy you want out there with the game on the line and one play to win it all—he's simply not built to be a clutch player.

Romo needs to have big time guys around him to make him look good and to reduce that mantle of "leader" that everyone keeps trying to get him to carry.

His playoff performances in 2006 (where he bobbled the snap on a field goal attempt) and 2008 (where he threw the INT to lose to the Giants on his own field) were just a precursor to what his capabilities would be as the leader of this franchise.

Of course, some like to make excuses for Tony. They will say that 2006 was his first playoff appearance and he was put in a pressure situation that likely would have rattled any first-time player; uh-huh.

Here's the problem with that theory, when a player puts on that uniform, he is expected to perform wherever he is placed. All Romo did prior to overtaking Drew Bledsoe for the starting job, was act as the Cowboy's field goal holder—this was nothing new.

Dallas trusted that he would be able to do what he had done numerous times before that—take the snap, secure the hold, and let the kicker do the rest.

He crumbled under the pressure of the moment and fumbled the snap. Game over. Dallas loses.

In 2008, he threw an endzone interception to end the game and any hope of a Super Bowl appearance—in his defense, there were plenty of miscues throughout the game that contributed to that loss.

However, that said, it's the playoffs. If you have a genuine opportunity to make a play, you make a play; Romo just couldn't get the job done that day.

For those who will hang there hat on a porous offensive line, poor play by the wide receivers, and a secondary that forgot to show up for Dallas in the 4th quarter, I say to you, this is football. Adjust.

Tony may not have been able to do anything about the sacks or the secondary but, with the ball in his hands and the game on the line, he had a chance to be the savior. He could have made a play; instead, on 3 straight downs he couldn't manage even a yard—not one.

Is it his fault that the Cowboys lost, no, but it's his fault that he lacked the moxie to get the job done in, yet another, high-pressure situation.

Blame it on the trip to Mexico or on former-girlfriend Jessica Simpson but he wasn't blowing the doors off anyone in that game. Period.

Think Peyton could have found a way to make that 4th & 11? How about Brady? Roethlisberger?

Big quarterbacks make big plays in spite of the overall performance of their team. That's what separates good from great; the Super Bowl contender from the Super Bowl winner.

People need to stop making excuses for Tony Romo and his lack of clutch play because it simply is what it is, he's a good quarterback, perhaps even great, but he's not clutch. He will never be clutch and he's definitely not a leader.

Does that mean that Dallas cannot win a Super Bowl with him? Absolutely not. He still has a ton of talent and has the ability to put the D-Town Boys in position to win it all if given the right circumstances and the right personnel.

You put Tony behind center on that Ravens team last year and perhaps that AFC Championship game has a different outcome....just saying.

It's time for people to let Romo do what Romo does best: be an efficient quarterback with playoff potential.

Leave the rah-rah stuff for the other guys because, Romo, is simply not that guy.

Smith doesn't feel like Romo has made his presence felt as a quarterback in the Cowboys locker room—he hasn't been the leader he said he would be.

Well, if Emmitt and everyone else hasn't figured it out by now: Tony Romo is not that guy. He never was and he never will be; that's just telling it like it T-I-is as the late Bernie Mac would say.

Romo is a laid back, in the cut, kind of player. He takes the game plan and goes out there and tries to execute it to the best of his ability. He's not the guy you want out there with the game on the line and one play to win it all—he's simply not built to be a clutch player.

Romo needs to have big time guys around him to make him look good and to reduce that mantle of "leader" that everyone keeps trying to get him to carry.

His playoff performances in 2006 (where he bobbled the snap on a field goal attempt) and 2008 (where he threw the INT to lose to the Giants on his own field) were just a precursor to what his capabilities would be as the leader of this franchise.

Of course, some like to make excuses for Tony. They will say that 2006 was his first playoff appearance and he was put in a pressure situation that likely would have rattled any first-time player; uh-huh.

Here's the problem with that theory, when a player puts on that uniform, he is expected to perform wherever he is placed. All Romo did prior to overtaking Drew Bledsoe for the starting job, was act as the Cowboy's field goal holder—this was nothing new.

Dallas trusted that he would be able to do what he had done numerous times before that—take the snap, secure the hold, and let the kicker do the rest.

He crumbled under the pressure of the moment and fumbled the snap. Game over. Dallas loses.

In 2008, he threw an endzone interception to end the game and any hope of a Super Bowl appearance—in his defense, there were plenty of miscues throughout the game that contributed to that loss.

However, that said, it's the playoffs. If you have a genuine opportunity to make a play, you make a play; Romo just couldn't get the job done that day.

For those who will hang there hat on a porous offensive line, poor play by the wide receivers, and a secondary that forgot to show up for Dallas in the 4th quarter, I say to you, this is football. Adjust.

Tony may not have been able to do anything about the sacks or the secondary but, with the ball in his hands and the game on the line, he had a chance to be the savior. He could have made a play; instead, on 3 straight downs he couldn't manage even a yard—not one.

Is it his fault that the Cowboys lost, no, but it's his fault that he lacked the moxie to get the job done in, yet another, high-pressure situation.

Blame it on the trip to Mexico or on former-girlfriend Jessica Simpson but he wasn't blowing the doors off anyone in that game. Period.

Think Peyton could have found a way to make that 4th & 11? How about Brady? Roethlisberger?

Big quarterbacks make big plays in spite of the overall performance of their team. That's what separates good from great; the Super Bowl contender from the Super Bowl winner.

People need to stop making excuses for Tony Romo and his lack of clutch play because it simply is what it is, he's a good quarterback, perhaps even great, but he's not clutch. He will never be clutch and he's definitely not a leader.

Does that mean that Dallas cannot win a Super Bowl with him? Absolutely not. He still has a ton of talent and has the ability to put the D-Town Boys in position to win it all if given the right circumstances and the right personnel.

You put Tony behind center on that Ravens team last year and perhaps that AFC Championship game has a different outcome....just saying.

It's time for people to let Romo do what Romo does best: be an efficient quarterback with playoff potential.

Leave the rah-rah stuff for the other guys because, Romo, is simply not that guy.

"The Bears.. Number fif-" he replied.

"No, what was it... damn it... ummmmmmmm uhhhhh"

Then it hit him! "Oh Yeah!!! Mr. Belvedere! You were AWESOME on that show, dude!!!" ----

What the Scallop? Yup, a SpongeBob reference. That's how I roll.

4 of the 5 are true stories above and do recommend Desitin Creme as the mother of all childhood medical/parental-re-sane-izers... or is it sanitizer? resanitizer? anyway... the other is a fabriclicious recognillected multifarious tetraspherical conglomerated realmspace.

Which is NOT a true story???

(Winner get nothing but the satisfaction of not getting some sack of useless crap not in internet-driven font-facking form from me)

[edit] You know... there's a LOT of good 'F' words...

...just sayin'.

What'd you say? Shhhhh!!!

How 'bout that internet!

It's really NOT all politics and religion, you know? Even though it is.

Except for the porn and prodigious sports banter! Just kidding, it's the porn; I know.

To quote a fabulous line from the movie Airplane when thinking about the current state of ArmchairGM.com: "There's a sale at Penney's!"

(that line KILLS with an audience of mostly JCPenney employees...)

A lot of people yapping right now are gonna be closing their trap real soon. Bet on it.

Ohio State fans, you're on the clock.

Derek Jeter, don't bother sitting down in the waiting room. We'll serve you now.

Seriously. Dude... Get all the hits you want. You're not in the same state as Lou Gehrig. Not in the same time zone! On a 10x larger than life-sized map.

Gehrig was Great. Jeter is just very good (and at times, that is a stretch). I've given up hope that people would be randomly beaten senseful until everyone agreed that Jeter isn't REALLY Hall of Fame worthy, but alas I realize that the common misperceptions of man frequently are easier to remember and therefor endure.

Derek Jeter: You best watch out for Mike Shanahan (it's make sense if you read this whole article over and over many, many times until you shoot Yoko Ono. Or Julien Lennon; your choice, I'm not picky.

Los Angeles Dodgers, don't get too comfortable in the waiting room. You're next the last people in front of you just got toe tagged by a slight "mishap".

Maybe my pre-season MLB predictions were pretty freeking awesome once you skip the part where I had the Mets over the Rays in the World Series with Scott Kazmir as WSMVP... or when the Rockies catch the Dodgers for the Division title on the last day of the season. Then the Dodgers get to match up with the Cardinals as a Wild Card - a team that OWNS them.

"Donovan McNabb's feelings", unless you fork over more than $20 and maybe we'll get you a seat.

Maybe T.O. wasn't bullshitting you.

closin' their traps real soon!!! Shhhhhh!!!!! Maybe, if you're a Rays fan like me... you already know how it feels... Right, Oklahoma fans?

It's like I woke up and it 2007 all over again. Turn the game off before the 8th inning and you'll go to bed happy EVERY night!!!

JP Howell as Al "I am the reverse of Good Luck" Reyes, Rheal Cormier as a lefthanded Shawn Camp. Grant Balfour as Brian Stokes (I know, that's cruel). It's crazy. Once the team felt the race was too far away, they folded like a potato chip. Next year! Isn't that the chant? Eh...

"America: Hey, World, dont worry! We can ufck our own $hit up too!"

I'm gonna put it on a a bumpersticker made in China from non-recylcable materials and sell it to a bunch of "Americans" whose grandparents were illegal immigrants for a $2 a piece so they can turn around and sell them to rusty pickup truck owners with sticker fetishes for $4.50!

I'm actually rooting for Fred Taylor to do well. I think the Patriots "dynasty" talk is still verifiable over. Unless miracles happen - I suppose they can - like the Patriots winning 2 or three more Super Bowls in the next 2 or three years it's tucked neatly into the time period called "when the Pats got me through Baseball's Steroid Era."

[edit] What's Rodney Harrison doing these days?

He's so tough he can kick Bruce Lee's ass... using only Chuck Norris's beard. He's Frank Robinson and you're not.

"It puts the lotion on the skin, you marvelous coiffed, hoodie manipulating bastard!" It will also be when we realize HOLY CRAP!@!! Mike Shanahan killed Bill Belichick and is wearing his skin, doffing his marvelous coif and manipulating the hoodie. Because that's what it's gonna feel like...

Can I get a "woof" from Cleveland? or a lead paint tinged grunt from Oakland

Seriously; I've never been to see for myself, but is Cleveland really such a bad place? So what if the Beatles total collection came out, it's been 40 years since a river in Cleveland has caught on fire! Where's their parade?

1948. The shot. The _________ (I can't bear to say it to you.) And now you got Shaq. If I was still a Suns fan I might say "Thanks".

I'm actually quite excited for LeBron to shed the proverbial monkey (Championship - it will happen) off his proverbial back. It's stupid when you think of the boundless pressures and illusory "responsibilities" that are so stupid and meaningless in the grand scheme of things that he must endure as merely "routine". Ugh. That's why I hope he gets it soon so he can answer the questions that matter instead: "How much better can he still get??"

- "Dude is amazing" typed the blogger as he wrote about LeBron James or as more often likely - as recognized during a scientific study for the Freethought Unilateral Coallition Koncern - You Magazine to a 96:1 ratio in recent surveys - "himself" since he's such an egotistical freek not-so-discreetly interjected another handsome run-on sentence in the middle of this "article".

..on that note

Ever think Matt Cassel's name sounds too much like Scott Mitchell and other moments in Flashbacks of the 90's Isn't a black panther really a jaguar? Man, the NFL kinda messed up on naming so many of it's teams after a big pussy.

Wasn't the Lions enough already?

I think they should change their team color to pink.

It's the same shading of red to white as their current 'eyeshadow of a crossdressing whore blue' is to white. They can make pink into "Manly Light Red", "Masculine Red tinted White" or "Roast Beef Curtains" (All of which make great Fantasy Football Team names, right?)

Yes, I keep up in the world of ever-changing fashions of crossdressing whores simply for my own amusement.

They're still the best 0-16 team ever! And if Roger Goodell get his way (18 games), 0-16 can never be achieved again! They're like the new '72 Dolphins! "Bust out the Champagne, bitches!"

They probably should have been 5-11, maybe 6-10 last year if not for the fun fact that they sucked at "not losing". There's hope at the end of the tunnel for Lions fans... the year the world ends, all the teams will have to forfeit and the Lions will be tied for first place!

Let's all bow and worship the awesome power of a historically ridiculous season.

I still say Junior Seau should go into the Hall of Fame. You know, simply because he stopped Ryan Leaf from getting his ass kicked by a journalist.

It's good I don't worship Hunter S. Thompson more or am not a marshmallow salesman: I really, really, really wanted to ask Mike Babcock if he could pull my shirt over my head and beat me up demonstrating some proper techniques.

You see a guy you recognize from TV, make an ass out of yourself by claiming he was on a show he wasn't and it only makes you wanna get him to beat you up so you can brag about it to people who will never share the joy of your actual presence. I mean... that's what I would do!

But alas, I was playing trivia, enjoying a Rocky Patel and wasn't drinking enough to conspire aspirations of getting roughed up by some seasoned hockey goons willing to let out some agressions on a 98 degree, 6'6" 270lb punching bag and besides... my wife wouldn't let me anyway.

Moral of the story - don't get married.

And in case you were wondering if you should really wonder that much in the first place, but... I came in 4th place tonight. Boo. But I still won - due to luck/athletic skill - some Miller Lite schwag that will never dare to dream of fitting me ("Honey, I won, I mean got you a present! Phew. Now don't ask me for nothing 'til after Valentine's Day is over!" during promotional giveaway moment at "halftime". Perhaps if the Red Wings coaches, front office employees - many of whom were easily recognized by their multi-knuckled noses they were former players and well versed in the artform known as "Goon" - were there tolerating me and my Rocky Patel and the way I play trivia, I might not have needed to "ask" in the first place!

On the eve of the 2009 NFL season, let's take a look at what to expect in the year ahead.

AFC East

1. New England Patriots (12-4) - Tom Brady's return can only mean good things for the Patriots, but with losses of veterans Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi (retirement) and Richard Seymour (recent trade) on defense, the Pats D could hold this team back from its previous greatness.

2. Miami Dolphins (7-9) - The Dolphins were a great story last year (for everyone except us Patriots fan, of course), but give me one good reason why Chad Pennington will lead them to the playoffs again and I'll be shocked!

3. New York Jets (6-10) - Mark Sanchez is the answer for the Jets, but it's hard to expect the rookie to carry his team to the playoffs! Still, with an improved defense, the Jets will at least get off the ground this year.

3. Buffalo Bills (4-12) - Terrell Owens is not the answer, not in a stadium in which the wind swirled so much in a game last year, that two field goal attempts on opposite sides of the field were carried miserably wide right (think about it, the wind carried them in opposite directions!).

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3) - The Steelers have won two of the last four Super Bowls and are a force year-in and year-out.

2. Baltimore Ravens (9-7) - The defense will lead this team as always. The Ravens were a tough team last year and made big improvements, but Ray Rice will have to be a running force for this team to make a playoff run again.

3. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10) - The Bengals season will depend significantly on the arm (and health) of Carson Palmer. A healthy Palmer could result in a surprise season, but an injury will mean another long season for the Orange and Black.

4. Cleveland Browns (3-13) - People speculate that Eric Mangini was just playing mind games with his opponent in not openly naming his starting QB, and as a Bill Belichick disciple, that's a perfectly reasonable explanation, but when the competition is between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, wouldn't you be apprehensive to give one of them the title "starting," as well!?

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts (12-4) - Don't sleep on Peyton Manning! He'll get this team back to its elite status of 2007 and before.

2. Houston Texans (10-6) - Don't sleep on this team either! The Texans are probably the most overlooked team in the NFL, but with a top WR (Andre Johnson), a good young RB (Steve Slaton), and a QB (Matt Schaub) that, if he stays healthy, knows how to manage a game, the Texans are nothing to mess with! Remember how down everyone was on this franchise when they took Mario Williams over Reggie Bush!? Now they have Super Mario and Slaton is a much more prominent running back than Bush (they definitely get the last laugh).

3. Tennessee Titans (10-6) - The Titans were this division's winner last year, and there's no reason to believe they can't still do it again. They have a great veteran Head Coach, and a superb defense. The one-two punch of RBs Chris Johnson and LenDale White is deadly, but the QB position and passing game leave a lot to be desired.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10) - It's not that this team isn't competitive, it's just that with six games against teams projected to win 10+ games, it's hard to expect them to be that great in the win-loss columns.

AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers (14-2) - Playing in one of the weakest divisions in all of football (San Diego won this division last year with an 8-8 mark), the Chargers could post big stats. This team lost a lot of close games last season and was much better than its 8-8 record. A few better bounces this year and a healthier Shawne Merriman and LaDainian Tomlinson will make this team a force to reckon with.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) - Former Patriots, QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel, could give this team a boost on both sides of the ball. Look for young offensive players like WR Dwayne Bowe and RB Jamaal Charles to gain prominent roles as the season progresses.

3. Denver Broncos (5-11) - Nothing's going right for Denver. Their disgruntled star QB (Jay Cutler) finally got the trade he demanded, their disgruntled star WR (Brandon Marshall) is still demanding one, the defense is one of the worst in the league, their top two QBs (Kyle Orton and Chris Simms) are both questionable with injuries, and a team that has relied heavily on the run in the past is looking to a bunch of never-were's (Correll Buckhalter, LaMont Jordan and Michael Pittman) and a rookie (Knowshon Moreno) to carry the load. Still, it's the Broncos, and they always find ways to win some games.

4. Oakland Raiders (3-13) - This has become an easy prediction over the better half of the past decade. The biggest debate is always: three wins or four?

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) - It's yet to be seen where Michael Vick truly fits in, but he'll definitely serve a purpose on this offense. Donovan McNabb established good chemistry with 2008 rookie WR DeSean Jackson, who should blossom into a solid option this year, and even if Brian Westbrook is a little dinged up, the draft choice of LeSean McCoy gives the team solid options at running back. On other side of the ball, the Eagles are traditionally one of the best in the league, and that won't change this year.

2. Dallas Cowboys (11-5) - Getting rid of Terrell Owens will be like getting a monkey off their back. The Cowboys have been a good team for quite sometime, but, due to, what I believe is in large part, players like Owens (and Adam Jones), this team underachieved last year. Expect to see them back near the top of the league.

3. New York Giants (8-8) - I'm still not sure what makes the Giants such a good team. Eli Manning is a subpar quarterback with few wide receivers, and Brandon Jacobs isn't exactly God's gift to the running game. The defense is top notch, and it'll need to continue to be that way if this team is going to make the playoffs this season. However, at some point, the Law of Averages states this team should have a mediocre season.

4. Washington Redskins (6-10) - Like Jacksonville, the Redskins are an easy team to put at the bottom of the division. Not because they're all that lousy, just because the other three teams are better.

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers (10-6) - I believe in Aaron Rodgers, and you should too!

2. Chicago Bears (9-7) - Jay Cutler won't be the player he was in Denver, Chicago is like a black hole for quarterbacks, but if he can transform the way he plays into a more conservative style, the Bears should be on the verge of a playoff appearance.

3. Minnesota Vikings (8-8) - This team won the division last year, but just ask the New York Jets, Brett Favre sinks franchises! Bring back Tavaris Jackson and we'll talk about the Division Title (and, yes, I'm serious!)

4. Detroit Lions (4-12) - I'll give you 99:1 odds that this team wins more games than it won last year. Then again, when you go 0-16, that's almost a guarantee! Matthew Stafford might have a long season, but at least he'll be able to throw to one of the best receivers in the league, Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. If those two can develop good chemistry, Detroit should be back on the map sooner than later, especially with emerging second-year RB Kevin Smith.

NFC South

1. Atlanta Falcons (11-5) - After losing Michael Vick two seasons ago and suffering through a difficult 2007, this team bounced back big time in 2008. Of all the 2008 turnarounds, this one is the one I buy the most. Matt Ryan is a superb young quarterback, and Michael Turner has become a marquee running back in the NFL.

2. Carolina Panthers (10-6) - In a softer division, the duo of RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart could be deadly. An offense that can control the ball is perfect for a borderline top tier defense, like Carolina's.

3. New Orleans Saints (8-8) - Drew Brees is one of the league's best quarterbacks, and this offense follows suit, but the defense continually holds this team back from greatness.

4. Tampa Bay Bucaneers (5-11) - No surprise, here. There's not much exciting about the Bucs. Then again, they won a Super Bowl with "not much exciting," but there's seriously just nothing exciting about QB Byron Leftwich, a committee of back up RBs, and WR Antonio Bryant, and without an offense that can control the clock, the defense will struggle in an otherwise offensively dominated division.

NFC West

1. Seattle Seahawks (9-7) - I like a healthy Matt Hasselbeck throwing to T.J. Houshmanzadeh. This team has been forgotten, but they did make the Super Bowl not too long ago.

2. Arizona Cardinals (8-8) - Ok, before you ask why I'm down on the Cardinals, let me point out this team only went 9-7 last year, so I'm only down on them by one game. A hot playoff run last winter disguised that this is still a mediocre team that despite a top passing attack lacks a running game or a competent defense.

3. San Francisco 49ers (7-9) - This team isn't as bad as you think. In fact, did you know they went 7-9 last year!? A couple unexpected wins and this teams could seriously vie for this weak division.

4. St. Louis Rams (3-13) - A healthier Steven Jackson will benefit ateam that only won two games last year, but there's still no passing attack and no defense, so let's be reasonable with our expectations.

• Note: Records should add up to an even 256-256*

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

AFC Ranks 1. San Diego 2. Pittsburgh 3. New England 4. Indianapolis 5. Houston 6. Tennessee

NFC Ranks 1. Philadelphia 2. Atlanta 3. Green Bay 4. Seattle 5. Dallas 6. Carolina

Wild Card 6. Tennessee 24, 3. New England 21 4. Indianapolis 34, 5. Houston 24

6. Carolina 17, 3. Green Bay 14 5. Dallas 31, 4. Seattle 21

Divisional 1. San Diego 30, 6. Tennessee 27 2. Pittsburgh 20, 4. Indianapolis 13

1. Philadelphia 38, 6. Carolina 23 5. Dallas 30, 2. Atlanta 26

Conference 1. San Diego 23, 2. Pittsburgh 17 1. Philadelphia 23, 5. Dallas 20

Super Bowl Philadelphia 27, San Diego 20

For better or for worse, Michael Vick gets a ring; and definitely for worse, Philadelphia gets a Super Bowl Championship.

--Originally posted at http://jtstally.blogspot.com --

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (2008 record: 12-4, SB XLIII Champs; '09 prediction: 13-3)*

2. Baltimore Ravens (2008 record: 11-5; '09 prediction: 10-6)#

3. Cincinnati Bengals (2008 record: 4-11-1; '09 prediction: 5-11)

4. Cleveland Browns (2008 record: 4-12; '09 prediction: 4-12)

The Super Bowl XLIII Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, of course, are the favorites in this division again this season but expect the Baltimore Ravens to have another solid playoff run.  Quarterback Joe Flacco has one season under his belt and I expect even more from him this season.  His line is solid but what is going to hurt Flacco the most is his lack of weapons on offense.  The defense will be stellar as always, but the Steelers still have the edge over Baltimore because of the supporting cast that Big Ben Roethlisberger has around him on offense.  This division is rather top heavy after the 1-2 defenses (Pitt and Bal) with the rebuilding Bengals and the struggling Browns. I expect a strong bounce back season from Carson Palmer with weapons such as Chad Ochocinco and Laveranues Coles and Cedric Benson in his backfield but Brady Quinn/Derek Anderson don't have much to work with other than Braylon Edwards (who happened to drop a league-leading 16 balls in '08).  Cincinnati's defense is still in rebuilding mode (drafted LB's Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga in consecutive seasons to improve their thin LB corps), but is looking more and more like a team each day.  Cleveland's new head coach Eric Mangini brought in Rob Ryan--brother of Rex and son of Buddy--to help with last year's 17th ranked defense.

Bottom Line: Pittsburgh and Baltimore are both playoff teams but Cincinnati and Cleveland still have a long way to go to make it back to the top of the division.

AFC East

1. New England Patriots (2008 record: 11-5; '09 prediction: 14-2)*

2. Miami Dolphins (2008 record: 11-5; '09 prediction: 9-7)

3. New York Jets (2008 record: 9-7; '09 prediction: 7-9)

4. Buffalo Bills (2008 record: 7-9; '09 prediction: 6-10)

The return of Tom Brady has been the main headline in the East this offseason and will also be the difference-maker.  The offense may be even better this year than back in '07 (when the Pats went 18-1) with the key additions of WR's Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis, both deep threats for a rejuvenated Brady, TE's Chris Baker and Alex Smith and of course veteran RB Fred Taylor.  All of these players will make an immediate impact in an already very dangerous offense for coach Bill Belichick.  New England's aging defense lost Mike Vrabel (trade to KC), Tedy Bruschi (retirement) and the team's leading sacker in '08, Richard Seymour (acquired by Oakland).  But, to add young talent, the front office went out and drafted three solid defensive players in the second round of the draft (S Patrick Chung, DT Ron Brace and CB Darius Butler), which will add depth to the secondary, the defense's primary weakness.

But, enough about the AFC's favorite, how about we talk about the remainder of the AFC East a little.  For some unknown reason people jumped on the Bills' bandwagon as soon as they signed Terrell Owens earlier this offseason.  Trouble is, they already had a playmaker at the receiver position (Lee Evans; 63 rec, 1,036 yards, 3 TD's in '08), that wasn't their biggest need.  We still aren't sure if Trent Edwards is capable enough to carry a team without a proven run game (Marshawn Lynch is suspended for the first three games and the Bills cut RB Dominic Rhodes a few days ago).  All the above reasons and the questions involving the team's defense lead me to believe that the Bills will finish at the bottom of the division in 2009.  The Dolphins and Jets have promising futures but neither will knock off the Ravens and Texans for a Wild Card berth.

Bottom Line: Patriots pick up where they left of in 2007, dismantling the rest of the East and go on to take the AFC's number one seed.

AFC South

1. Tennessee Titans (2008 record: 13-3; '09 prediction: 12-4)*

2. Houston Texans (2008 record: 8-8; '09 prediction: 10-6)#

3. Indianapolis Colts (2008 record: 12-4; '09 prediction: 9-7)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (2008 record: 5-11; '09 prediction: 4-12)

This is as bold as it gets..picking both the Titans and Texans to earn playoff berths, over the Colts no less.  I'm going out on a limb, for sure, but I really do think that this is the year the Texans get over the hump and finish above .500 for the first time in franchise history (they went 8-8 the last two seasons).  The Titans will capture their second consecutive division title with a 12-4 record thanks to a stellar run game and mind-blowing defense while the Texans' high-powered offense wins 10 games as the second Wild Card team.  Yes, Peyton Manning is..well, Peyton Manning.  But, the Colts have just taken too many blows lately.  Whether it's bringing in almost an entirely new coaching staff or losing key parts of the team (Marvin Harrison, Dominic Rhodes, Hunter Smith, etc.).  I just think that Indy's reign as the AFC South's team-to-beat is close to over with and the younger teams (Tennessee and Houston) have made the playoff race in the South a whole lot more exciting come December.  The addition of RB Donald Brown (via the draft) will certainly help with Indy's poor run attack (31st in the league last year) but this team may need a lot more than just a pair of fresh legs in the backfield.

Bottom Line: Defense will be the key in this division.  All four teams have a solid offense (including Jacksonville who has one of the top three best fantasy backs in Maurice Jones-Drew, who can also catch passes coming out of the backfield), but the Colts' poor run defense (allowed close to 2,000 yards on the ground in '08) may hurt them in the long run.

AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers (2008 record: 8-8; '09 prediction: 11-5)*

2. Kansas City Chiefs (2008 record: 2-14; '09 prediction: 6-10)

3. Denver Broncos (2008 record: 8-8; '09 prediction: 5-11)

4. Oakland Raiders (2008 record: 5-11; '09 prediction: 3-13)

Overall, this division is a mess.  You've got the Oakland Raiders, the scum of the AFC, the Denver Broncos, won the award for biggest bonehead move this offseason (dealing franchise QB Jay Cutler) and the Kansas City Chiefs, who are currently still in the rebuilding process.  Then there's the San Diego Chargers, one of the few bright spots in this entire division.  Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers is leading a high-powered Charger offense with a solid offensive line and weapons galore.  He has a couple of receivers (Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers), a tight end who can block and catch 60+ passes coming off the line in the five-time Pro Bowler Antonio Gates.  Plus, two more-than-capable RB's--Ladainian Tomlinson and little man Darren Sproles--who are great inside runners and pass-catchers.  If you want another reason to like San Diego's chances this season, take a look at the nasty defense, led by LB Shawne Merriman, who is looking to bounce back from injury this year.  If he can keep his off-the-field issues to a minimum during the season, then I'll expect big things from him.

Bottom Line: San Diego wins the division title easily, going 6-0 against the rest of the West.  There's no question about it, really..

NFC North

1. Minnesota Vikings (2008 record: 10-6; '09 prediction: 12-4)*

2. Chicago Bears (2008 record: 9-7; '09 prediction: 9-7)

3. Green Bay Packers (2008 record: 6-10; '09 prediction: 8-8)

4. Detroit Lions (2008 record: 0-16; '09 prediction: 4-12)

All Brett Favre has to do for the Minnesota Vikings is manage the game, meaning PROTECT THE BALL.  Keeping the interceptions to a minimum is key for him in this offense.  Gameplan: give the ball to AP, give the ball to AP, toss the ball to AP, pass, give the ball to AP.  I don't think head coach Brad Childress is going to ask Brett to do all that much "gunslinging."  They are a run-first team, and why wouldn't they be with a guy of Adrian Peterson's talent in their backfield?  I like the looks of the combo in Chicago--Jay Cutler and Matt Forte--but they just don't compare to the firepower that Minnesota has with the stout running attack and smashmouth defense, led by Jared Allen and Antoine Winfield.  With the defense in Green Bay, the Packers will give the second place Bears a run for their money but a lack of a sufficient running attack will hurt QB Aaron Rodgers in the end.  And, obviously we will see improvement in Detroit (duh, you can't get any worse than 0-16) but there's no way in hell that rookie QB Matthew Stafford can lead his team past any of the other team's in the North.

Bottom Line: Minnesota, as expect from most every NFL follower, will take the division but I don't really expect them to still be on the field come February (sorry, Brett).

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles (2008 record: 9-6-1; '09 prediction: 12-4)*

2. New York Giants (2008 record: 12-4; '09 prediction: 11-5)#

3. Dallas Cowboys (2008 record: 9-7; '09 prediction: 9-7)

4. Washington Redskins (2008 record: 8-8; '09 prediction: 5-11)

As if the Giants' defense wasn't scary enough last year (5th in the NFL in total yards allowed).  This year their dangerous defensive line, possibly the best in the entire league, will get two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion Osi Umenyiora back in their lineup.  The addition of former Dallas defensive end Chris Canty and Seattle defensive tackle just adds to the team's depth on the line.  Antonio Pierce and Aaron Ross will continue to anchor the linebacking and secondary corps this season and look to improve on last year's success.  Funny thing is that I didn't even pick the Giants to win the division, though.  Donovan McNabb's Eagles will knock off the Giants by a game because of the simple fact that Eli Manning doesn't have too many weapons to choose from in the passing game.  Manning may have a couple running backs that are tough to bring down (6-4, 256 pound Brandon Jacobs and 5-11, 195 pound speedster Ahmad Bradshaw) but McNabb has it all, including a threat with the Wildcat formation (as soon as Michael Vick is done serving his suspension).

Tony Romo has a lot going for him in Dallas, but he will have to prove he can lead his team for a full 16 game season, like Manning and McNabb, before I can pick him to beat them out for a spot in the playoffs.  Like just about every other season, all four teams are strong and this division could wind up flipped upside down come January, you just never know with the NFC East.

Bottom Line: Washington is still in the rebuilding mode and hasn't decided whether or not Jason Campbell is 'the man' yet.  Until then, they will be at the bottom while Philly and New York battle it out for the division.  McNabb leads the Eagles to a number one seed in the playoffs with Eli getting in with a five seeded team.

NFC South

1. Carolina Panthers (2008 record: 12-4; '09 prediction: 11-5)*

2. Atlanta Falcons (2008 record: 11-5; '09 prediction: 10-6)#

3. New Orleans Saints (2008 record: 8-8; '09 prediction: 7-9)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2008 record: 9-7; '09 prediction: 5-11)

Jake Delhomme has certainly seen better days but with the supporting cast he's got in Carolina, it's tough to go against him.  Jake could have a fantastic season if he manages to limit the interceptions to around 10, and hands the ball off to his dynamic duo in the backfield--DeAngelo Williams, A.K.A. TD Machine, and Jonathan Stewart.  My bold prediction for this team is that both RB's will top 1,000 yards and score double-digit TD's.  The defense for Carolina has improved as well, with the young Jon Beason roaming the field, making fantastic open-field tackles (138 tackles in '08; named to first career Pro Bowl) and Julius Peppers coming off the end for last year's 12th ranked defense.  The Falcons will be in the hunt as well with second-year QB Matt Ryan leading the attack, alongside Pro Bowlers Michael Turner and Roddy White.  The defense is what will hold back the Falcons and Saints from winning the division.  New Orleans has what they need on offense (outstanding air attack with record-breaking QB Drew Brees and RB Pierre Thomas), but their defense just doesn't stack up to Carolina's.  Tampa is still undergoing maintenance and is currently in search of their future QB (possibly rookie Josh Freeman, who was taken with the 17th overall pick in this year's draft).

Bottom Line: Carolina's run game, not Delhomme's arm, carries Carolina into the playoffs.  Matt Ryan picks up where he left off last year, leading his team to 10 victories and a playoff spot once again.

NFC West

1. Seattle Seahawks (2008 record: 4-12; '09 prediction: 9-7)*

2. Arizona Cardinals (2008 record: 9-7; '09 prediction: 8-8)

3. San Francisco 49ers (2008 record: 7-9; '09 prediction: 5-11)

4. St. Louis Rams (2008 record: 2-14; '09 prediction: 4-12)

The NFC West, as usual, will be the weakest of them all, despite being home to the defending NFC Champions.  Arizona lost both their offensive and defensive coordinator over the offseason and I am questioning their ability to bounce back after a superb 2008 campaign.  Mainly due to the fact that Kurt Warner is running out of gas and lost many key parts to their 19th ranked defense from last year (other than the DC, of course).  The Cards lost veteran running backs Edgerrin James and J.J. Arrington, too, but they made up for it by drafting former Ohio State RB Chris "Beanie" Wells in April.  How this team will respond in '08?  I really don't know.  I expect there to be a few struggles/issues, which is why I have chosen the Seattle Seahawks to take back their title of NFC West division champions this season.  Matt Hasselbeck seems to be healthy again and with T.J. Houshmandzadeh catching passes for him, I expect big things from him this season.  The defense still has a few questions to answer, but with a new defensive coordinator in town, I expect things to be a little different (in a good way, though).  Mike Singletary has his hands full in San Francisco with the whole QB situation and Michael Crabtree fiasco, so I don't expect him or Steve Spagnuolo in St. Louis to make much noise this season..wait til next year SF/STL!

Bottom Line: I doubt they'll get far, but Seattle will be back in the playoffs in '09-'10.  If they can improve the defensive play a little then who knows, maybe they will win a playoff game or two.  So far, it looks like it's the same old, same old in the NFC West..sorry.

BBB15's Regular Season Awards:

MVP: Adrian Peterson

Offensive POY: Adrian Peterson

Defensive POY: Mario Williams

Comeback POY: Michael Vick

Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak

Rookie of the Year: Matthew Stafford

'Playoff Outlook:

Seedings:

AFC

1. Patriots (14-2)

2. Steelers (13-3)

3. Titans (12-4)

4. Chargers (11-5)

5. Ravens (10-6)

6. Texans (10-6)

NFC

1. Eagles (12-4)

2. Vikings (12-4)

3. Panthers (11-5)

4. Seahawks (9-7)

5. Giants (11-5)

6. Falcons (10-6)

Wild Card Weekend

AFC

Titans over Texans..A bit more playoff experience and the fact that Tennessee has a better overall "smashmouth" football team than the Titans, not to mention a more sturdy defense.  It was a good run for Houston, but it ends here.

Chargers over Ravens..If they played the Texans instead of San Diego, I would certainly have picked Baltimore.  But, I just think Shawne Merriman and Co. are gonna eat up the young Joe Flacco in the playoffs this year.  The truth hurts, but San Diego is just the better team.

NFC

Panthers over Falcons..Matt Ryan falls to 0-2 in the playoffs but he has nothing to be ashamed of.  Carrying your team (with a little help from RB Michael Turner) to the playoffs in your first two seasons is fantastic.  The next step is winning when it counts.  Matt will get there eventually.

Giants over Seahawks..I picked them to go to the playoffs, but I certainly didn't expect Seattle to get out of the first round.  Especially not against this defense.  Umenyiora put Hasselbeck on his back several times and sent him home all bruised up.  Manning rolls on..

Divisional Weekend

AFC

Patriots over Chargers..Always a great matchup, especially when they meet in January.  The Chargers have a nastier defense, but it's one Brady knows well and can beat without a problem (he's done it numerous times in the past).  Brady survives and the Pats live another day.

Titans over Steelers..The run game is always an important part of the game, especially in the playoffs.  Titans win this game because they have the edge in the running game because of the combination of Chris Johnson's speed and elusiveness and LenDale White's pure power.  It hurts to admit, but the Titans will win this game.

NFC

Eagles over Giants..These two teams have played many, many times before, so both teams obviously know each other pretty well.  Donovan McNabb knows how to exploit the defense and the Wildcat formation with Vick certainly puts them over the top.

Vikings over Panthers..Adrian Peterson single-handely wins this game, rushing for 150+ against Carolina's defense, putting the Vikes into the NFC Championship game.  Favre doesn't have to do much to do it either.

Conference Championship

AFC

Patriots over Titans..Brady passes for 300+ against the Titans' secondary (not exactly the strength of their solid defensive attack) while veteran Fred Taylor breaks 80 yards and adds two touchdowns.  Taylor is overjoyed with the chance to play in his first-ever Super Bowl.

NFC

Vikings over Eagles..Philly beat Minnesota in the playoffs last year but it's Minnesota's turn this time.  Favre gets the chance to play in his third career Super Bowl as Peterson carries his team to victory with 120 yards on the ground and a pair of touchdowns.

Super Bowl XLIV (in Miami, FL)

Patriots over Vikings

Ok, I understand that quite a few people are picking these two teams to play in the Super Bowl, as well.  But, here are my reasons as to why I think it will the Patriots and Vikings:

Balance is very key and both of these teams have balance on both sides of the ball.  Yes, I understand that New England's defense is a bit old, but they have a decent team put together and Bill Belichick knows how to use his players to their full potential.  Lets face it, he's a winner.

As for Minnesota, their defense is nasty, especially up front, and swarm the ball on every play.  Adrian Peterson gives them a fantastic run threat and if Brett Favre just limits turnovers and doesn't air it out on every passing play, he should do fine.

MVP: Tom Brady..he will return to his '07 form and use his new offensive weapons to their full potential.

Whew!  Glad I finally got this out.  Personally, I cannot wait for the season to kick-off in Pittsburgh tomorrow night (8:30 PM ET)..Titans v.s. Steelers.

Are you ready for some football?!

Truthfully, you can't blame the Patriots for taking this deal; Seymour is an aging defensive lineman who has seen the injured list more than the line of scrimmage over the last few years, but still, it seems kind of cruel to trade him to such a poor team this late in his career.

The Raiders haven't seen the playoffs in six-years and don't look to be headed there any time soon—least of all this year.

Seymour is reportedly "angry" about the trade and likely feels a little unappreciated by the Patriots.

At the same time, however, Richard should know that Bill Belichick is less about loyalty than he is about longevity—it's the best man for the job, regardless of the name on the jersey.

That is how Bill works and that is what works for the Patriots; plug and play.

Honestly, it was pure brilliance on behalf of the Patriots front-office, the Raiders are likely to remain in the basement and are almost a lock to have a Top 15 pick in 2011—anyone who believes the Raiders are anywhere near being a playoff team is kidding themselves.

That said, the Patriots stand to get a top-flight player in 2011 without having to do too much wheeling and dealing on or before draft day. It's hard to argue with their decision.

As for Seymour, he needs to use his anger to play like a beast this season as 2010 is likely to see an uncapped year and his services could be in high demand from a team with a spot for a Pro Bowl caliber player such as himself who is stout against the run.

That said, the Raiders clearly won't have any chance of keeping Seymour beyond this year so it begs the question, why make the deal in the first place?

Did someone feel that he would make the difference between a 5-6 win season or a 8-9 win one? Either way, they wouldn't make the playoffs with what they have now. Jamarcus Russell is likely to be better, but will he continue to overachieve now that he has no competition to push him?

The Raiders cut Jeff Garcia but he wasn't likely to have made an impact on the field this season anyhow as he spent most of training camp injured and absent. However, that does leave only Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye as the backups.

Not sure if those two are the answer to anyone's quarterback question. If nothing else, the presence of Garcia would have been good for the maturation of Russell as a quarterback—not sure if Garcia was willing to take that role on, however.

Darren McFadden is talented and can be a playmaker...when he's healthy. However, that is something he has not been since arriving in Oakland. Add to that the sheer plethora of backs that Oakland has on roster and it's any wonder that there aren't cage matches for playing time.

The addition of Seymour will help their defensive line, as it was awful against the rush last season, but again, it's a one-year fix and it won't lead to a playoff appearance for the team; again, scratching my head as to the Oakland upside.

If anything, Oakland made a move that on the surface seems like a good one—they had a need on the line for a run-stopping defensive end and they met that need. However, wouldn't it have been better to address that in the draft instead of opting for another fast wide receiver?

Just a thought.

New England, for it's part, did need to consider the expiring contracts of players like Vince Wilfork (2010) and Tom Brady (2011) so they are looking ahead to the future and Seymour, with his injury warts and all, was the most expendable piece of the puzzle.

Good luck to Richard in his season of purgatory. Despite what Oakland fans believe, the Raiders will be lucky to hit six wins this season; 4-5 seems much more likely.

As for the Patriots, well, they will miss Richard in the run game, that is for sure. However, Bill knows how to make the most of what he has—that's precisely why he is one of the best coaches in the NFL.