East Coast Bias

ACC Tournament Odds

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:07:00 +0000

This post sponsored by Sportsbetting.com, the best place for sports betting online

That’s right, it’s Championship Week, and the Terps actually have a chance to win the ACC Tournament this year. I couldn’t find the odds posted yet, so here’s my uninformed take on what the odds should be.

Virginia (50-1) – They looked decent on Saturday and gave the Terps a scare, but the Cavs have lost 9 in a row and would have to face Duke in the second round.

Boston College (45-1) – It’s sad to see Al Skinner’s squad playing this badly, where they have to battle UVA for a chance to get slaughtered by Duke.

NC State (45-1) – The Wolfpack don’t have any easy games in the Tournament. To win, they would likely have to play the top 4 teams in the conference according to the Sagarin ratings.

Miami (40-1) – A couple years ago it looked like the Canes might be building a decent basketball program.

North Carolina (20-1) – The only reason the odds are this low is that you never want to turn your back on a wounded bear. The Tar Heels’ pride was severely damaged when they got blown out at Duke, and the tournament is just down the road from Chapel Hill.

Georgia Tech (15-1) – The only team from the ACC left on the bubble, the Yellow Jackets would have to do a lot to convince the Selection Committee to either take a 7th ACC team in a down year for the conference, or to leapfrog Virginia Tech or Wake Forest.

Wake Forest (10-1) – The Demon Deacons have played their way into the NCAA Tournament, but I just don’t see them making the semifinals of the ACC tourney.

Clemson (7-1) – Clemson has fallen off a bit after starting the season incredibly hot, but they are still a very good team. The second round matchup with FSU should be a great one.

Florida State (6-1) – The Seminoles got a bit screwed with the scheduling, as they’ll have to face a tough Clemson team in the second round, but they’re in the NCAA Tournament and have a good enough team to make a run.

Virginia Tech (4-1) – The Hokies have been playing good basketball lately, and they’ll be fighting for convince the NCAA Tournament Committee that they really deserve to be in.

Duke (Even) – It pains me to do this, but the Blue Devils have such are always so good in the ACC Tournament, especially when it is in Greensboro. It would be an upset for any other team to win.

Maryland (2-1) – If any team can knock off Duke, it’s the Terps. They showed last week that they can play with the level of emotion necessary to slow down Duke’s prolific offense.

Update: Sportsbetting.com has the actual odds posted. I wasn’t as far off as I thought I’d be.

Evil Incarnate

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:14:00 +0000

There's so much to report about last night's Maryland-Duke game, which I had the pleasure of attending.

I have no voice, I'm physically exhausted, but I do feel the need to post this picture.

I don't know how much ESPN's feed caught it, but I've now been to 11 Maryland-Duke games. Last night, Coach K was more absolutely out-of-control than I have ever seen him in my life. Not Gary Williams sweating, yelling, rage-filled... but actually "You look like you're about to act like your mentor Bob Knight and run onto the court and punch a referee" rage.

His team lost a lot. They likely lost a #1 NCAA Tourney seed. They possibly (though unlikely) will lose their #1 seed in the ACC Tournament. They lost momentum. And, most importantly, they were completely exposed as having no depth. In a game when they couldn't get any performance from Zoubek, and even less than nothing from Lance Thomas, Duke was completely and totally exposed. Coach K was outcoached.

And, now we have pictorial evidence... contrary to Duke fans' assertions, the biggest maniac in the ACC head coaching ranks is Coach K.

Duke @ Maryland Preview

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:32:00 +0000

#4 Duke travels to College Park to play #23 Maryland tonight for the second time this season. Duke won the matchup in Durham.

Duke is favored by 1, as they try to lock up the top seed in the ACC Tournament and possibly the NCAA Tournament.

Here is an analysis:

For the second time this season, Maryland and Duke face off.
Usually, the team trailing at the half wins.
Coaching plays a big part.
Krzyzewski manipulates the refs.

Digger Phelps loves this rivalry.
Unfortunately, this is Vasquez’s last home game.
Kismet favors Maryland.
Expect lots of Scheyer faces.

Where were YOU eight years ago?

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:51:00 +0000

Greg Abel’s excellent Terrapin Nation blog reminds us that the final game at Cole Field House was played 8 years ago today. They also have a great video collection that should bring back tons of memories for those that were in the building to witness history.

Does Vasquez’s Jersey Belong in the Rafters?

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:26:00 +0000

This post sponsored by Sportsbetting.com, the best place for online sports betting.

As Greivis Vasquez nears the end of his college career, there is one major question remaining: Will #21 be hung in the rafters next Wednesday when the Terps take on Duke?

He’s the 6th best scorer in Maryland basketball history, behind only Juan Dixon, Len Bias, and Albert King. He’ll pass King before the end of the year. That puts him in the top 3 scorers ever to wear a Terps jersey. He’s second all time for the Terps in assists, with 738 (behind only Steve Blake).

More importantly, he’s been the unquestioned leader of the team for 4 years. He’s taken the Terps to two NCAA tournament berths (with a third almost certainly on the way).

Vazquez also has one of only two triple doubles in Maryland history, which led the Terps to a victory over #3 UNC (one of four victories over top 10 teams during his tenure).

For reference, here is the list of jerseys honored by the University of Maryland. No one has been added to the rafters since Steve Blake in 2003. I think Greivis has done more than enough to cement his place among that rarified company no matter what happens the rest of the year. I hope to see his jersey raised high next Wednesday before the big game against Duke.

Photo via http://www.testudotimes.com/

Rick Reilly Insults Female Athletes

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:45:00 +0000

In his latest column for ESPN, Rick Reilly says that we've just witnessed "the greatest moment in women's sports history," and his column is devoted to questioning why this event has not received greater attention among sports fans or the media. What is this great event, you might ask? Kelly Kulick won a bowling tournament, beating the best in men's bowling. It's ridiculous to label that victory as the greatest moment in women's sports history, and further it's clearly insulting to women, especially female athletes.

Kelly Kulick celebrating her victory. (AP Photo)

First, is bowling a sport in which males enjoy a natural physical or mental advantage over females? Well, let's consider the areas where men might have such an advantage: overall strength and musculature, speed and maybe quickness, or size. Bowling does not require any of these, only requiring a walk of maybe 10 yards repeated about 15 times per game for the best bowlers. This is followed by a swing of the arm in rhythm, while holding a ball of 10-20 pounds, and then a precise release with the right speed and spin. All of this requires great concentration and practice and skill, but are women really handicapped somehow in these capacities? Reilly summarizes the qualities required as endurance, brains, strength, and will. I am not stupid enough to argue that women are less capable than men in items 1, 2, or 4, and could easily write a full post on reasons women could be superior in each of those. So that leaves only strength, and I would argue that being able to "throw a 15-pound ball at 17 mph, 18 times a game, for 90 games, over six days, averaging 226" is much more about endurance than strength. Most women who work out can roll (not overhand throw across a baseball field) a 15 pound ball, just as well as a man. And further, the slight difference in velocity that might differentiate men from women isn't going to help your bowling score that much. Justine Henin doesn't have to hit as hard as Serena Williams to win grand slam tournaments and be ranked #1 in the world.

This historical moment has received little recognition primarily because it's bowling. No one cares. ESPN shows it at 1 pm on Sundays in the fall, what else is on then? As the winner of this grand Tournament of Champions, Kelly won $40K. Granted it's not all about the money, but I think most professional sports pay a little more than that to the champ. I'm not trying to take away from Kelly's accomplishment, she is the best bowler in the country (or maybe world) this week, no qualifications or sneers required. But we're still talking about bowling.

And finally and most importantly, Rick's ridiculous claim is insulting to all the other female athletes, women in general, and even sports fans. There are so many examples of greater moments in women's sports that I'm sure I can't name them all, but here's a sampling of the types of events that are clearly more historic:

1. A victory that starts a league: Remember a few years ago when that US soccer team won some tournament and that player took her shirt off? Well most sports fans noticed and still remember the names of some of the players from that team: Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Julie Fowdy, and I promise I didn't google that. And then a women's soccer league started in the US, a country that couldn't care less about soccer. That game and that tournament garnered so much national attention that businessmen were willing to invest millions of dollars in women's soccer. People believed in the future popularity of a women's sport, even soccer in the US. Now that's a great moment. I won't remember Kelly's name in 2 months, and I'm pretty sure we're not going to see new bowling leagues in the wake of this event.

2. National pride and playing through the pain: Remember that Olympics when the gymnast had a bum ankle and could hardly walk, but then nailed a vault to clinch the gold for the US, and got carried off by her coach? Talk about a great moment, how about overcoming adversity in the form of crippling pain to come through for your teammates who are depending on you? How about winning the gold for your country, for their first team gold? I don't think anyone will ever forget the image of Kerri Strug in Bela's arms.

3. Perfection: How many Romanian athletes have you ever heard of? I bet you've heard of Nadia Comaneci and her perfect 10, just another example of a great performance popularizing the entire sport and entering the history books.

So why is Reilly's claim insulting? Because a victory over the guys in a minor sport (similar to archery) should not be the best thing women have ever done in sports. Why is beating the men so much more important than every other measure, such that a bowling game (not even a perfect game) becomes the best women's moment ever? Women have been playing sports for decades and have not failed to provide a long list of awesome, inspirational moments. They have excelled, overcome pain and adversity, fought for their pride in themselves and their countries. Unless I missed something, the ultimate goal for female athletes isn't to play professional football better (or run faster sprints or throw farther) than men. During the Olympics, we should all remember that the goal of sports is to be all you can be, to go "swifter, higher, stronger" than you have before. This is why even the athletes who have never been within 10 seconds of Michael Phelps compete, so that they can do better than they have before, and can represent themselves, their team, and their country proudly. Lisa Leslie's dunk was memorable because female athletes typically can't, not because she was dunking as well as the guys. Even the average sports fan recognizes these other events more than a victory over the guys in bowling. To say that Kelly Kulick's victory is the greatest moment in women's sports history is to insult just about everyone.

Idol Recap: 2/24/10

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:48:00 +0000

Quite possibly the worst, longest, most painful two-hour performance show in the four full seasons I have been watching this show. It felt about four and a half hours long. I mean, come on judges, what the hell was up with this season's top 12 male selection? I simply refuse to believe that these were the 12 best guys out of the tens of thousands who auditioned across America. It was absolutely dreadful.

And song selection tonight was even worse. Was there a memo circulated amongst contestants that warned about some penalty for picking an upbeat song? I think the entire studio audience is going to need electroshock therapy after this.

You know what, fuck it... let's just save my DVR space and the Idol production staff some monetary cost and just give you the final 4 guys right here: Lee Dewyze, Michael Lynche, Casey James, and Andrew Garcia. That's it. The other 8 can go home right now. We'll narrow down the girls over the next few weeks, end the show a few weeks early, and all will be well. Unfortunately we're going to have to suffer through some of these dreadful male performances over the next few weeks while talented girls are being sent home.

Enough bitching... on to the recaps... for more bitching.

Todrick Hall
Holy shit. Seriously... if Kelly Clarkson wasn't pissed off at American Idol before, she will be now for letting a contestant positively slaughter one of her songs the way that Todrick did.

Aaron Kelly
David Archuleta could pull off the undescended testicle prepubescent Idol contestant thing because he actually had vocal talent. Aaron doesn't have as much vocal talent. Which unfortunately just leaves him with delayed-onset puberty for 30 million people to see for at least a few more weeks because America's 10 and 11 year old females who are allowed to vote three times before they go to bed will flock to him.

Jermaine Sellers
Sexual Chocolate called. Randy Watson got another bit part on the hit television show "That's My Mama" so now they have an open spot for a lead singer. And if you're over age 21 and haven't seen Coming To America at least 4 times, I question your patriotism. I'm not even going to dignify this joke of a performance with an actual review.

Tim Urban
To quote your lyrics tonight... "Said it's too late to apologize." Yup. That about sums up the performance.

Joe Munoz
Hello Mexican Derek Zoolander. Decent vocals. Seems like a decent guy. Nothing much else I can say. He'll get some Latino vote and stick around.

Tyler Grady
You know it's a bad night when his tone deaf version of American Woman actually seems like a step up. At least the judges finally called him out on his horrible 70s shtick.

Lee Dewyze
Finally... a decent vocal performance. I didn't know if it was possible. For the first time in recent memory, all the judges disliked a performance except for the one judge who matters, Simon. The Snow Patrol song was a good, safe bet for a first song out. He's got some serious David Cook in him and will be a contender long into the spring.

John Park
If American Idol held auditions at a karaoke bar in Seoul, John Park would be the grandest champion ever. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. Wins the award for worst song choice of the night. Also earned style points for calling out his parents for being poor when his parents were sitting front-and-center. Nicely done.

Michael Lynche
A good guy. We want to like him. We want him to do well. Because he's an ex-NCAA football player, I'll give this analogy... he's like the walk on non-scholarship football player who makes the team, through hard work and luck earns a starting spot and a scholarship, and you're happy for him to have made it, but at the same time, you're concerned he's a liability because he's just not that good compared to the rest of the guys on the field. And oh yeah, he really needs to avoid trying to talk over Simon or else he's liable to wear out his welcome.

Alex Lambert
For as much stage presence as the other Lambert had this year, this year's Lambert is the exact opposite. When I see him on stage, I'm reminded of when I was growing up and we'd have visitors and my cat would get the horribly freaked out look on it's face when it tried to flee and realized there was absolutely no place to go aside from passing by the stranger. Wins the "Dear God, make it stop... no, seriously, MAKE IT STOP NOW GODAMNIT" award of the night.

Casey James
Anybody catch when they panned to the kid's brother in the crowd? My God, dude, I'm sorry, but sometimes genetics can be really unfair. Also, the Kara crush thing stopped being funny two weeks ago. I give her a little bit of credit for trying to move past it. Casey has decent vocals sitting on a stool and strumming a guitar, but anybody who remembers his audition knows that he's a trainwreck waiting to happen when he has to actually perform on stage without an instrument. He's likely going to have to be in those horrible choreographed Top 10 performances on tour. That'll be almost as fun as seeing Scott McIntyre. Almost. Yes, I'm going to hell.

Andrew Garcia
Shit dude, even the Vegas favorite was off tonight picking a slow, dreary song that sounded like something I'd hear in an elevator. Just the end of a long, long, long night.

Pack your bags, you're likely going home:
Man, this is unbelievably hard... there were so many bad performances, it comes down to who had not only a bad performance but who will likely have problems getting a voting bloc.
- Tim Urban
- Todrick Hall
- John Park

Idol Recap: 2/23/10

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:58:00 +0000

So you may be shocked to see a recap of American Idol in this space if you're new to this blog since last May. Well, yes, some of us ECB Writers (3 of 4 of us) actually do watch American Idol. Plus, you can gamble on it (for your reference, Katie Stevens and Andrew Garcia are the two Vegas favorites to win it all). If you don't like these posts, well, skip them.

I'll handle most of the writeups but I will likely have some assistance from Brien and Jason as Idol dominates the television landscape during the next few weeks and there are multiple performance rounds each week.

Off we go with a recap of tonight's performances of the top 12 females...

Paige Miles
So we're officially introduced to Paige because we didn't see her at all over the past few weeks. She leads off. Big voice trying to sing too big a song outside a genre where she should be, which will cause her trouble in later rounds. That being said, she's through.

Ashley Rodriguez
Not a good performance out of the gate for the girl who, according to Vegas, has the second highest odds of winning it all. Maybe it's time to stop trying to emulate Simon's past diamonds in the rough. You're not Leona Lewis or Jordin Sparks. You're pretty, you have a decent voice, you have a shorter shelf life than you think.

Janell Wheeler
Should probably stick to being the girlfriend of college athletes (she's Tim Tebow's ex). And try to apply the Haley Scarnato theory and wear less and less each week. You'll be surprised how long you can stick around with minimal talent.

Lilly Scott
The Bjork of American Idol Season 9. A great voice but probably in the wrong venue. She'll get some name recognition from the show, go on tour, and cut an Indie CD.

Kristen Epperly
Shocked by a much more solid vocal than I was expecting and grateful that we didn't have to hear any more of her back story about how her performing on Idol will apparently piece back together her parents' broken marriage. Also shocked by the prostitute costume that she seems to have borrowed from the Idol costume closet. Adam Lambert called. Wants his drag outfit back.

Haeley Vaughn
All I can say is she wins the "Dear God make it stop" vote of the night. votefortheworst.com has it's official candidate. There is so much else that I can say. Very little of it I'm willing to publish.

Lacey Brown
Wins the all around FAIL award. Combination of "Dear God make it stop" award and, on top of that, holds up the wrong number of fingers at the end encouraging us to dial the number for the contestant after her.

Michelle Delamor
Hi there, Michelle. We are the Idol viewers. It's nice to meet you. Another who we never saw in the prelims. Stuck around with a tough Alicia Keys song which could kill many contestants.

Didi Benami
This year's Kristy Lee Cook/Megan Joy token understatedly cute blonde contestant, but with more talent.

Siobhan Magnus
Does a passable job with Chris Isaak's Wicked Game. Still creepy enough that America is left thinking that aside from using the torch for glass blowing, she may just be an arsonist on the side.

Crystal Bowersox
Wins the Helen Keller "Miracle Worker" award in honor of the makeup artists' intense work behind the scenes. Teeth lightened 20 shades from brown to light taupe, actually looks showered. Has the most musical talent of any of the 12 female finalists. We'll be left to see how well she can fit in the Idol format.

Katie Stevens
The 17 year old tries to vamp it up and does... not... do... well... at... all. I hope her Alzheimer's-inflicted grandmother was asleep and didn't have to watch this performance (seriously, Idol producers, we have been knocked unconscious by this back story... just kill it already). Unlike Jordin Sparks, a contestant of similar age, Katie seems like she'll be swallowed up by this competition. The overall Vegas favorite has a tough night but she shouldn't have trouble building a fanbase.

Pack your bags, you may be going home:
- Haeley Vaughn
- Lacey Brown
- Michelle Delamor... the dark horse surprise voted off pick (stuck in the middle of a talented female group, somewhat forgettable, and has no following because the Idol producers have given her no screen time)

I Could Watch This Over and Over…

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:30:00 +0000

This post sponsored by Sportsbetting.com, our favorite online sportsbook.

(sorry gpb)

Terps Rally, Beat Woeful Wolfpack

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:41:00 +0000

After a poor first half, Maryland surged late to take control behind yet another strong performance by Vasquez. In spite of a no-show by Hayes, Mosley, and Tucker (combined 1-13), the Terps achieved a critical road win in the ACC and are now just 2 wins away from my goal of 10-6 in conference. Defense really seemed to be the difference tonight during a 24-7 (and 13-0) run covering the majority of the second half, as NC State managed only 21 second half points and shot 35% for the game. Once Maryland rallied to take the lead, the game was never really in doubt. In the last 10 minutes, it was quite clear that only one team on the court really had something to play for, with Maryland controlling almost every aspect of the game. Only Dennis Horner kept the Wolfpack respectable, with an impressive 19 and 10 and seemingly everywhere on the court at times.

The Terps have now weathered the storm, literally. With 3 games in 5 days as a result of the bad weather, Maryland could easily have wilted from fatigue or just the struggles of logistical difficulties. But after a tough loss to Duke, we rallied to beat UVA and NC State in must-win games to set up a very interesting end to the conference schedule. There are no more "breather" games left in the Terps' back-loaded schedule, after an impressive 8-3 start against the underbelly of the league. The Terps' best win so far is over 7-5 FSU (twice), and no other vanquished foe is better than .500 in league play.

The remaining games are GT, Clemson, @VT, Duke, and @UVA, and we really need 2 of those at a minimum. A victory in at least one of the first two games, both at home, is critical because the @VT and Duke stretch will be very tough, both opponents at the top of the current conference standings. Neither GT nor Clemson has done anything worthwhile on the road this year, and Maryland has to hope the home-court advantage at Comcast can continue that trend. The final game in Charlottesville against a fading Cavaliers team will turn into a must-win if we stagger into that game 1-3 over the previous 4. In a weak year for the ACC, the Terps don't need to give the NCAA committee any reason for doubts, with something like a 1-4 finish and a first-round loss in the ACC tournament. All we have to do is take care of business, something the Terps have done all year against lesser opposition, and continued tonight, digging deep to get a road win against one of the worst teams in the league this year.

Nordic Triathlon?

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:56:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by Sportsbetting.com, the best source for online sports betting.

Like everyone else, I spent all of Valentine’s weekend watching the Olympics. I love that NBC is giving more prime coverage to some of the more unusual Winter Olympic sports, rather than filling its coverage with profiles of every figure skater in the competition.

On Sunday, we got to see the two weird combo events in the Winter Games: Biathlon and Nordic Combined.

For those who aren’t Olympics junkies, Biathlon combines cross country skiing with target shooting. The competitors ski with a rifle strapped to their backs and have to stop several times during the race to shoot at small targets. The challenge is that cross country skiing is one of the most difficult cardiovascular workouts (remember the old Nordic Trac commercials?) and shooting requires you to be perfectly still. So the biathletes get their heart rates high during the skiing and then have to calm down very quickly as they enter the shooting gallery.

Nordic Combined is another two-sport event combining ski jumping and cross country skiing. The interesting thing here is that while both events involve skis strapped to the athletes’ feet, they require totally different skills. As I mentioned above, cross country skiing is all about endurance and cardio. Ski jumping requires explosive strength in the jump and total body control in flight. Competitors in Nordic Combined have to prepare with two totally different training regimens.

So this raises the obvious question: Why isn’t there a Nordic Triathlon? Combine ski jumping with a biathlon and you have a new event that requires an even broader set of skills. Cross country skiing is already an element of the other two events, so combining the two seems like a no-brainer. For added drama, the athletes could also be required to complete the ski jump with rifles strapped to their backs. Why not?

A Case for Drew Brees as the Best of Our Generation

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:18:00 +0000

Marques Colston was the 252nd pick. Devery Henderson was the 50th pick. Lance Moore was undrafted. Pierre Thomas was undrafted.

Robert Meachem and Reggie Bush are the first rounders. Even Drew Brees was taken with the first pick of the second round.

How is Brees not the best QB in the NFL right now? With Brady and Manning getting "best of all time" talk, Brees has done the same with unheralded talent.

We Won't Be Fooled Again

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:22:00 +0000

On behalf of anyone who ever lived in New Orleans, this is special. I'm not a Saints fan, but I am a New Orleans fan. I feel like my three years in the Crescent City created a connection between me and its people.

Russ Grimm, Hogs, Don't Belong In the Hall

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:44:00 +0000

Russ Grimm has just been elected to Pro Football's Hall of Fame. He'll stand beside Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice.

Russ Grimm=Emmitt Smith=Jerry Rice?

Hell no. He never did.

The Hall was faced with a problem. The Redskins' "Hogs" deserve to be enshrined, but no one of them earned it. The Ravens have a "Colts" entry in their Ring of Honor. It includes, if I remember correctly, eight numbers.

That was the correct resolution for the Hogs. The problem is that the HOF voting is very well defined. There is no room for cutesy picks. The selectors were tasked with picking none (the correct choice) or one (Grimm was not the best player, but he was also a head coach).

They chose to shit the bed and pick the dude who had two jobs.

So for two years in a row, un-derserving Redskins will be "enshrined" while better players languish.

Blizzard Crushes DirecTV, Super Bowl Parties

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:31:00 +0000

I know I'm a little prone to hyperbole, but the blizzard that struck yesterday and continues to strike today could have a devastating effect.

This was eight hours and 6-8" ago.

As I write this, there is approximately 30" of snow on the ground in Columbia, Maryland, and it is still falling HARD. When I opened the front door this morning and a pile of snow came into the house, I just stared at it for a few minutes. It did not compute, especially since I had shoveled consistently last night until midnight.

My landlord has DirecTV. My dish is already inoperable. There is zero chance of me getting onto the roof to clear it off. That means there is no chance that I'll be able to watch the Super Bowl in my house on Sunday. Obviously, all Super Bowl parties outside of a dormitory or large apartment building are cancelled.

Luckily, this community has entirely underground power lines. I am not seriously concerned about losing power unless the entire region suffers a blackout. People with cable should not have a problem.

I haven't lived here long though, and I haven't met any neighbors aside from "shovel chat" last week, last night and today. I believe I have 32 hours, an hour for each inch of snow we'll have, to befriend a neighbor AND get invited into their living room.

I really should be panicking more than I am. Right now, I'm short-sighted enough to only be able to think about the game. I have enough food to last a week, and I might actually need it. There is no chance I'll be able to go anywhere before Monday, and probably not until Tuesday. They are calling for another significant storm on Tuesday. In an already hurting economy, am I wrong to think this might be the straw that breaks the camel's back? How many employees who are paid hourly can survive losing an entire paycheck? How many businesses can survive not having a single customer? It's really just astounding.

As for the game itself, I will be interested to see how people handle the situation. Will Super Bowl party invites be extended to neighbors since friends can't come? Will the ratings actually be higher because much of the mid-Atlantic has to watch at home (meaning more individual televisions tuned in)? On the other hand, will we find out how much people ACTUALLY care about the game when they have to go to extremes just to watch it? I will be interested to see what happens.

Super Bowl Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:37:00 +0000

This post sponsored by Sportsbetting.com, our favorite online sportsbook. Lines as of Friday, February 5, at 10:00 a.m.

Brien (4-6-0)
Amazingly, I got both conference championship picks right. Insert something about a stopped clock.

INDIANAPOLIS (-4.5) over New Orleans - As much as the Saints have been the darlings of the football world this year, Peyton and the Colts have had an incredibly dominant season. We'll always have to wonder what could have been if Bill Polian wasn't such a pussy about resting his players late in the season.

Jason (2-7-0)

Well, the playoffs were dismal for me because I kept seeing cracks in teams that weren't really there. I don't see any real cracks in Indianapolis unless New Orleans and Brees can turn it into a true "score every possession" shootout from the opening kickoff on. If they ease into it like many recent Super Bowls, Manning will engineer his signature end-of-the-first-half drive and the momentum will go from there. Most likely the teams dance around each other a bit early, but the Colts eventually pull 10 points clear.

Also, I left my Saints hat at work.

Soo...INDIANAPOLIS (-4.5) over New Orleans, though I wish it weren't so.

Jeremy (5-5-0)

Unlike Brien, I lost both conference championship games. If I'd actually been betting, I would've bought the extra half point in the Vikes-Saints game to at least get me a push.

INDIANAPOLIS (-4.5) over New Orleans - A Dwight Freeney playing at 50% or less could have a major impact on this game. That said, Peyton Manning has enjoyed two weeks to watch video of how to pick apart a truly suspect Saints secondary. It's true that the Colts don't have much of a running attack, but they have just enough to keep the Saints honest and keep some long, sustained drives going that will exhaust the Saints defense. I'm thinking a 10-14 point margin of victory in this one. Which is truly unfortunate because you can't help but root for the Saints. And Peyton is about to become one rich guy. Your other good bet... take the under. 56.5 points?!?! The Colts enjoy walks on the beach and long, time consuming drives.

Russell (4-6-0):

Well, everyone loves Indy to win this game, and for good reason. But the entire South is behind the Saints, and I can't help but jump on their bandwagon. They've played well in every big game this year, and did just enough to beat the Vikings, who were probably the 3rd best team this year (definitely better than the Jets). So...

New Orleans (+4.5) over INDIANAPOLIS - Let's just say that I want to see the parade. Plus I copied Jeremy's picks earlier in the postseason, and vowed not to do it again the rest of the year, so I'm kind of obligated to go against him. Besides, how many times this year have the four of us agreed on a pick and it actually have been right? Zero?

Recap:
Brien: IND
Jason: IND
Jeremy: IND
Russell: NO

Oh the Weather Outside Is Weather

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:57:00 +0000

Watch the news this weekend if you want to see why Baltimore or Washington will never host a Super Bowl. snOMG!!!

NFL's Most Annoying Fans - Conference Championships

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:32:00 +0000

All season long we've brought you competition amongst all 32 teams for the most annoying NFL fanbase. You can see the history here. Just to recap, the Raiders, Cardinals, Jaguars, Panthers, Ravens, Packers, Patriots, and Cowboys "won" their respective divisions, the Jets, Steelers, Eagles, and Redskins received wild card entry into the playoffs.

Here we are at the conference championships. The NFC brings us an all-NFC East battle between the division champion Cowboys and the wild card Eagles. The AFC brings us a battle between the division champion Raiders and the wild card Steelers.

We've created a precise scientific formula to determine who will proceed on to The Most Annoying National Football League Fanbase Championship (not quite as catchy as "Super Bowl" but we're worried about the NFL lawyers honing down on us for unlawfully using their trademark). Each team will be measured on the following criteria:

1) Percentage of Fanbase Comprised of Bandwagoneers
2) True Statement that Will Incite Mayhem Amongst Fanbase
3) Best Selling Jersey Amongst NFL Top 25
4) Refusal to Lose Grips with the Past
5) Overall Historical Won-Loss Record (team with worse record has better fans)

The team with the most points will represent their conference in The Most Annoying National Football League Fanbase Championship.

National Football Conference - Dallas vs. Philadelphia

1) Percentage of Bandwagoneers...

Dallas - 47.86%. The same person who bought the Cowboys Starter jacket in the mid-90s who didn't live in Texas hung that jacket next to their Duke, Notre Dame, New York Yankee, and Los Angeles Laker jacket. Mitchell & Ness should just make a 1990s throwback bandwagon Starter jacket collection. They'd make a killing.

Philadelphia - 13%. Eagles fans don't even hold a majority in their own state. And most people don't want to be associated with the Eagle fanbase if they can help it.

Point - Dallas

2) True Statement that Will Incite Mayhem Amongst Fanbase

Dallas - Troy Aikman was only an above-average quarterback who was blessed with great intelligence and an incredible supporting cast.

Philadelphia - There are more Eagles fans in South Jersey than there are in South Philly, yet every one of these Jersey fans will lie to your face and tell you they live in Philly because nobody wants to say they live in Runnemeade or Camden, New Jersey.

Point - Philadelphia. I dare you to go to Pat's or Geno's and recite this very true statement.

3) Best Selling Jersey on NFLShop.com Top 25

Dallas - Tony Romo. A Pro Bowler. Who can't handle long snaps.

Philadelphia - Michael Vick. I'm not making that up.

Point - Philadelphia

4) Refusal to Lose Grips with the Past

Dallas - While they still love Emmitt, Michael, and Troy, they've fully embraced Romo (for better or worse), Barber, Ware, and the current group of Cowboys

Philadelphia - Granted, the present hasn't been so bright, but you've got a Super Bowl appearance under your belt not too long ago and a division championship more recently. Still, I'm guessing over 75% of Eagle season ticket holders saw Invincible in the theaters and silently wished that the team could be as successful now as it was then (when it also won zero Super Bowls).

Point - Philadelphia

5) Overall Team Record (through start of 2009 season)

Dallas: 455-333-6
Philadelphia: 507-548-26

Point - Dallas

American Football Conference - Pittsburgh vs. Oakland

1) Percentage of Bandwagoneers...

Pittsburgh - 34.52%. We've reached the "Red Sox" point with the Steelers. By this, I mean that anybody who claims at least one great grandparent from Western Pennsylvania calls themselves Steeler fans.

Oakland - 3.2% (and declining). If this measure was taken in the early '90s, the Raiders would've scored way higher. However, constant franchise relocation and two decades of losing have made the franchise nearly irrelevant.

Point - Pittsburgh

2) True Statement that Will Incite Mayhem Amongst Fanbase

Pittsburgh - "You were gift wrapped Super Bowl XL."

Oakland - "You can't teach speed."

Point - Pittsburgh. Steelers fans should go head-to-head against Ravens fans in a ref-whining competition. What Steelers fans don't realize is that they actually get the calls most of the time and the refs positively raped the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

3) Best Selling Jersey on NFLShop.com Top 25

Pittsburgh - Troy Polamalu

Oakland - n/a (none in top 25)

Point - Oakland. Come on Oakland, you're not nearly as economically depressed as Pittsburgh. Seriously. Support your goddamn team.

4) Refusal to Lose Grips with the Past

Pittsburgh - In September, when the Steelers have a game at Heinz Field (or hell, if you see a Pirates game at PNC), check out how many throwback jerseys you see in the crowd. You'd think that guys named Bradshaw, Greene, Harris, and Lambert were on the Steelers' active roster. The last of those guys retired in 1984.

Oakland - You're not seeing too many George Blanda and Fred Biletnikoff jerseys in the stands. And if you were seeing Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson jerseys in the stands (which you're not), these were players who played for Los Angeles, not Oakland. And this from a fanbase that has NOTHING to cheer about now, they still embrace the present instead of clinging to the past.]

Point - Pittsburgh.

5) Overall Team Record (through start of 2009 season)

Pittsburgh - 556-522-21
Oakland - 430-342-11

Point - Oakland

So, in a matchup the league office never could have envisioned, and would jump out their windows if happened in real life, an all-Pennsylvania Most Annoying National Football League Fanbase Championship will take place pitting two wild card winners against each other - the Philadelphia Eagles fanbase versus the Pittsburgh Steelers fanbase. Tune in next week for The Most Annoying National Football League Fanbase Championship

Five Ways to REALLY Save the Pro Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Labor strife? No Fun League? The NFL is bracing for its first real popularity test in some time this off-season.

Do they REALLY want to save the Pro Bowl? Keep the game between the championship games and the Super Bowl, but implement these ideas.

1) Pay Championship Game Losers More - It would be very easy for a guy who just lost out on a chance to go to the Super Bowl due to violating a rule we all learned in Madden '94 (throwing across the body....) to pretend an ankle hurts a bit more than it really does. Having the game fall before the Super Bowl is a great idea, but not if the Super Bowl participants and half the Pro Bowlers off the losing championship games don't play. Incentive-ize it.

2) Video Game Style Achievements - This is really the bread and butter of my plan. Position player kicks 20-yard field goal? $200K for the team. 30-yarder? $300K. Hook-and-ladder for a TD? $500K. Intentional tip to a teammate? $500K. Offensive lineman in the backfield? $50K for trying, $500K if he scores. Best TD celebration = $1M. See where I'm going?

Not only would the NFL give people an incentive to watch EVERY minute, the game would be fun again. The league likes to treat every game as a serious event, but the players and fans just want to have fun once in a while. The Pro Bowl is the proper venue.

3) Worst Record Coaches Pro Bowl - Don't you think Tom Cable deserves ONE chance to coach a good quarterback?

4) Mike Up Everyone - There should be a 100-man team listening in to everything every player says. I want to know if Ray Rice is saying stuff about a girl in the stands.

5) Half-Time is For Fans - Admit it. We all love those halftime "throw X balls in a can of Dr. Pepper for $1M" events. Let's make the Pro Bowl halftime an hour long. Let's really push it, with events like "Lay One Hand on Chris Johnson" and "Get Jared Allen on the Turf". Are you thinking American Gladiators, because I sure as hell am.

The Pro Bowl is the NFL's most ignored opportunity to fully indoctrinate us. I think the above ideas would do the trick.

Terps Lead ACC

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:17:00 +0000

This post sponsored by Sportsbetting.com, the best place for sports betting online

It's a third of the way through the ACC basketball season, and don't look now, but the Terps are in sole possession of first place! With victories over FSU, BC, NC State, and Miami against only an OT loss on the road at Wake, Maryland is 4-1, leading Duke, Wake, and Virginia by half a game. Further, the last two home games have been decisive victories, in which the Terps took care of business against inferior opposition.

Of course, the other part of the story is that the Terps' victories in conference are over teams with a combined 9-16 conference record, and our first place status only has us in the tournament (according to Bracketology) as a automatic qualifier with a #13 seed. So we still have a lot of work left to do in order to accomplish any goals. The Terps' schedule only gets harder from here, starting with road games at Clemson and FSU and adding two games each with Duke and Virginia (though the Cavs' current standing is likely more fleeting than ours).

The biggest positive is that the Terps are finally winning the games they're expected to win, and not letting them be nail-biters or bad losses. Now the team can enter the harder part of the schedule with more confidence. A 10-6 ACC record only requires a 6-5 finish to the conference schedule, and that doesn't seem too ridiculous any more, but we'll keep our expectations reasonable for the moment. Progress toward being a legitimate threat starts with winning one or both of the upcoming road games.

NFL Conference Championship Week Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:06:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by Sportsbetting.com, our favorite online sportsbook.

After only one game last week that was remotely close, we can only hope for better games this weekend. Interestingly, the second week in a row that the one game we were all in agreement on we all lost (Cincinnati over Jets in wild card round; Chargers over Jets in divisional round). No such game this week.

Brien (2-6-0)
INDIANAPOLIS (-8) over NY Jets - The Colts have been quietly dominant this year, and I don't think the Jets defense can contain Peyton Manning (even if Revis does shut down Reggie Wayne)

Minnesota (+3.5) over NEW ORLEANS - Maybe Favre won't have a breakdown this January. I just think the pressure on the Saints is too high and they're likely to falter.

Jason (1-6-0)

Wait, I got one right?

INDIANAPOLIS (-8) over New York Jets - The Jets can win if and only if they can get to Manning. Shutting down Wayne, as the Ravens proved, is such a tiny part of the puzzle. If Indy gets a 10-point lead, rookie Sanchez emerges and the game gets out of hand.

NEW ORLEANS (-3.5) over Minnesota -

Jeremy (5-3-0)
Looks like nobody should've talked trash about my picks last week. Hell, I've very nearly clinched at least a tie for the playoff picking win. Russell is just lucky he unabashedly copied my picks Wild Card Weekend.

New York Jets (+8) over INDIANAPOLIS - I like the Colts to win the game but I'll take the points here. I am a believer in Revis' ability to singlehandedly keep this game from being a shootout and the Colts don't have much of running attack, thereby keeping points low. I am a believer in Peyton Manning's ability to win in the playoffs.

NEW ORLEANS (-3.5) over Minnesota - Tough to pick against the Vikings when they have so many weapons on offense. That being said, while both the Vikings and the Saints won impressively and dominatingly last week, I was more impressed by the Saints' performance and think the Superdome will be an insanely hostile environment - this game will actually be influenced by home field.

Russell (3-5-0)
NY Jets (+8)
Minnesota (+3.5)

Recap
Brien: IND, MIN
Jason: IND, NO
Jeremy: NO, NYJ
Russell: MIN, NYJ

A Ravens Fan Response to "United We Stand"

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:47:00 +0000

I'm the lone Ravens fan in the mix here. I don't feel any tie to the Colts, but I do feel a tie to Unitas, Donovan, Berry, etc and I definitely spent a lot of time as a kid in Memorial Stadium rooting for the O's. I do not feel like the team, the colors, or the uniform have any emotional impact on me, though.

I do agree about the records though. Until Jeremy vomited this burgundy-and-gold tinged post, in my head the Colts had won one Super Bowl. This does drive home that they do in fact claim Super Bowl V. I guess because I separate the two in my head, I don't think of how the NFL has jobbed us. I know I didn't see a 19 hanging from the rafters in Indy, but that would have pissed me off too.

I think we Baltimore fans (I'm from Salisbury so I can't claim to be a native, but I do live in the city now) are in a tough position. We're accused of having an inferiority complex due to our proximity to Washington, Philadelphia and New York. There's probably some truth to that, even if it is an apples to oranges comparison. We certainly do not feel inferior to Indianapolis, which is, by all accounts, a zit on the ass of America. Still, we feel rightly slighted. The more we draw attention to it, the worse we look. We know that, but we won't let it go.

I think we will have to accept that the Colts' departure and Tagliabue's botching of the situation is akin to the Tuck Rule. We definitely got screwed. The league learned from their mistake and rectified it with the Browns, but they're not sending the Raiders to Super Bowl 36, and they're not giving the honors back to us now. We got gypped by a bad call (which we should be getting used to by now...), and there's no making it right.

I'm 29 years old. I can't pretend to speak for someone who lived and breathed the Colts for decades. I do know, now, that we are going to have to find a way to be reasonable. There is no way that the current Colts meant to reference Unitas with their United We Stand slogan. It was clearly a band-aid over their "bench the starters" gaffe in Week 16.

You know how I know that? The people who fill those seats barely know who Unitas was. It would be a nonsensical campaign. Try to remember that today's 30-year-old was born in 1980. I was, and I didn't even see the connection.

Get over it Baltimore...........

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:50:00 +0000

For those out of the area, WNST is a sports talk radio station out of Baltimore that is 100% devoted to the Ravens and to Baltimore sports.

On WNST's Facebook page this morning, they posted this image, with the caption: "We think this is a real slap at Baltimore & the legacy of Johnny Unitas in the Charm City..."

Here are some of the comments that WNST's friends on Facebook had to say about this picture:

John F.: "Disgusting"

Pete F.: "C'mon, Jim Irsay, if you're not gonna honor it, send the name and the stuff back home. End the Babylonian captivity of our town's football heritage, and bring some decency back to your family's name."

Jimbob Z. (I'm not making that name up): "there is no honor to the name of Irsay, biggest bunch of douchebags"

Marty K.: "This makes me so angry."

Vince B.: "Yeah. Sick to my stomach seeing that all game. I hate because they don't know what it means."

Maggie G.: "F them"

Baltimoreans, it is officially time to get this chip off your shoulder.

First off, as somebody very much detached from both the Ravens and the Colts, I assure you all that nobody looks at that sign and equates it with Johnny Unitas. The sign did not say "Unitas We Stand." Maybe you may have not noticed, but since 9/11, "United We Stand" has become a popular and widely-used cliche, especially in the sports context. In fact, I would bet damn near every cent I have that the Indianapolis Colts marketing staff did not have Johnny Unitas anywhere near the drawing board when they came up with their "United We Stand" slogan. Ravens fans, you may not have noticed, but Indy kind of has their own relatively good quarterback playing for them right now.

Second, appreciate what you have, goddamnit. The Baltimore Colts cowardly left Baltimore in the middle of the night in March 1984. 25 years and 10 months ago. The Baltimore Ravens arrived in Baltimore in February 1996, 14 years ago next month. The Ravens, in the last decade alone, have brought Baltimore a Super Bowl victory, and four additional playoff appearances. Do the math. An average of every other year the Ravens have gone to the playoffs. I'm a long-suffering, lifelong Redskins fan. I would kill to have the same success for my franchise that the Ravens have had over the past decade, I would kill for the Ravens' ownership for the Redskins, I would kill for the Ravens' stadium for the Redskins, and hell, I'd take Harbaugh over Shanahan right now. And you know what... probably over half of the franchises and fanbases in the NFL feel the same way about what the Ravens have enjoyed the last decade. But still, many of you can't let yourself enjoyt his, insisting instead on bemoaning the loss of the Colts. And you know what... you can save your pitiful moans and yells to me that "you don't know what it's like to lose a team that meant so much to your city and had such a heritage here." Hmm... yeah... I guess Washingtonians don't know... but wait, the Washington Senators were in DC for fully 80 years before they picked up and left. The Colts were in Baltimore for 37 years. You're right... Washingontonians know nothing about franchise loss.

Third, the Baltimore Colts name hasn't been erased. Go to the NFL archives. The "Baltimore Colts" are still the team that played in "The Greatest Game Ever Played." The "Baltimore Colts" are still the team that got tooled on by Joe Namath in Super Bowl III. Raymond Berry, Art Donovan, Johnny Unitas, and Lenny Moore are all in the Hall of Fame as "Baltimore Colts."

Baltimore... nearly 26 years ago you lost your team mascot. You lost your team colors and logo. 14 years ago you got another team. A team that has enjoyed great success and brought your downtrodden city tremendous amounts of civic pride since they've arrived. Baltimoreans... you look petty, stupid, and foolish for desperately hanging on to the past like you do. Further, its a slap in the face to the guys who suit up (in one of the ugliest uniforms in pro football) every Sunday for you now, and who have since 1996.

There's no other way to say it... just get over it.

NFL Picks Against the Spread - Divisional Round

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:49:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by Sportsbetting.com, our favorite online sportsbook.

Onward to another terrific weekend of playoff football with some very intriguing matchups (and lines)...

Brien (1-3-0)

Arizona (+7) over NEW ORLEANS - The Cardinals have proven themselves to be pretty good in January, and the Saints are in a free-fall.

INDIANAPOLIS (-6) over Baltimore - The Colts seem to have the Ravens' number the past few years, and I don't think resting their starters hurt that much.

Dallas (+3) over MINNESOTA - It's time for Brett Favre's collapse, right?

SAN DIEGO (-7) over NY Jets - This might be the year for the Chargers to make it back to the Super Bowl.

Jason (0-4-0)
Jason may have thrown in the towel already after the Bill Simmons week. I was moving today and the Saints game is presently Saints 21, Arizona 14. I would have taken Arizona +7 (and probably still would) because I think Kurt's planned retirement has inspired him to near perfection.

Baltimore (+6) over INDY - Here is the difficulty posed by Ray Rice: if you stack the box, you can't see him. He's too short. If you don't, the big boys will be three yards down the line before first contact. I think Indy will concede 4-5 yards per carry for Rice and assume they can still keep the Ravens under 21. It's just a matter of how many mistakes Peyton makes, forced or otherwise.

Dallas (+3) over MINNESOTA - Dallas has played historically well on defense the past month. Minnesota struggled heading towards the playoffs. Could Minnesota hit some homers with Favre, Sidney Rice and Adrian Petersen? Sure. But more has to go right on a home run offensive play than to continue to play solid defense. Dallas' pass rush makes the difference.

SAN DIEGO (-7) over New York Jets - The Jets are a great story, but Sanchez will have to win this game, even if Revis takes away Vincent Jackson. I don't think this one is close.

Jeremy (2-2-0)
"I expect Ray Rice to have a huge day." - As stated by me in my pick of the Ravens-Patriots game last week. If only I could selectively pick out the few bold predictions that I've made this season that turned out right, I'd seem a lot smarter.... You'll see a trend in my game picks this week.

NEW ORLEANS (-7) over Arizona - This is a huge line to bet against Arizona, especially given how prolific their offense was last week and especially given how the Saints shat the bed for three straight weeks to end the season. Still... much harder to win a shootout with the Saints than with the Packers (o/u is an astonishing 57.5).

INDIANAPOLIS (-6) over Baltimore - I don't think any of the teams with a first round bye is less likely to have a letdown than the Colts, even though the last three years they've had a bye they've lost in the first round.

MINNESOTA (-3) over Dallas - The sexy pick for an upset, with E.J. Henderson out for the season, the Choice/Jones/Barber machine at work for the Cowboys, and Dallas riding some serious momentum. I still think the Vikings are just too dangerous on their home turf in the Dome to pick against them.

SAN DIEGO (-7) over New York Jets - Another big line shows that Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez, and the rest of the Jets just aren't getting much respect, especially after eviscerating the Bengals last week. That said, I expect Revis to shut down Vincent Jackson, the Jets front seven to shut down Sproles, but PhiLLLLip Rivers will feast on a steady diet of Antonio Gates all game long.

Picking all favored home teams to win. You can say it... I have no balls.

Russell (2-2-0)
Unlike last week, I will not be copying Jeremy's picks, as they are indeed sans cajones.

Arizona (+7) over NEW ORLEANS - When was the last time anyone was impressed by the Saints? Against the Pats in week 12? Since then, they beat the Skins and Falcons (without Ryan or Turner) by a FG each, and then lost 3 straight to DAL, TB, and CAR.

Baltimore (+6) over INDIANAPOLIS - As Jeremy was so kind to point out, the Colts have lost the last three years they've had a bye. I'll take the points.

MINNESOTA (-3) over Dallas - The sexy pick for an upset indeed, but I like a rested AD, the ageless wonder, and the Vikings still solid defense. Let's not get all excited about how great the Cowboys' recent victories have been. They've beaten NO (see above), the Skins, and the Iggles twice. Color me not that impressed.

SAN DIEGO (-7) over NY Jets - An extra week of rest and a rookie QB to feast on for the Chargers. The Jets won't be able to run the ball well enough to win.

Recap
Brien: ARI, IND, DAL, SD
Jason:
Jeremy: NO, IND, MIN, SD
Russell: ARI, BAL, MIN, SD

Gilbert Arenas Charged with Felony Gun Possession - Just How Much Jail Time?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:30:00 +0000

Breaking news at ECB, courtesy of Michael Lee, Wizards beat reporter, at Washington Post.com . Apparently plea discussions have broken down and Gilbert Arenas will be charged with felony gun possession.

Last week, I broke down the possible charges that Arenas would face here. Although there was spirited discussion in the comments section debating this issue, it appears that the grand jury or the U.S. Attorney's Office (as of right now it is unclear whether the charges stem from a grand jury indictment or an "information" filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office) does not believe that the Verizon Center is Gilbert Arenas' "place of business" within the places where carrying an unlicensed firearm would only result in a misdemeanor. As speculated in the link blog post, this was the most likely outcome from the grand jury.

For each felony charge, Arenas will face a maximum penalty of 5 years incarceration and a $5,000 fine. Each weapon will result in an independent charge. Even though it is undisputed now that there were four weapons, under the doctrine of merger, Arenas would only face one charge for the same incident because the same incident involved all four guns (therefore he would face a maximum of 5 years in prison -- not 20 years, five for each gun).

ECB will continue to track this story as two of the four of us are both sports fans and law geeks.