East Coast Bias

NFL Picks - Week 9

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:16:00 +0000

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A big bye week around the NFL leads to havoc for fantasy football owners and less games to choose from on the Board. Vegas continues to make life difficult with some very big spreads.

Brien (21-18-1)

An 0-5 week, ouch. Good thing I built up such a big lead on everyone else. I'm also glad I didn't actually bet those picks at my online sportsbook, although I do plan to do some sports betting online with these picks.

Baltimore (-3) over CINCINNATI - I'm really still not a believer in the Bengals. And last week the Ravens showed that when they're on, they're very tough to beat.

Detroit (+10) over SEATTLE - The Seahawks aren't good enough to give 10 points to anyone.

INDIANAPOLIS (-9) over Houston - The Colts are the quietest 7-0 team I've ever seen.

NY GIANTS (-4.5) over San Diego - This is close to a must-win for the Giants after dropping 3 straight.

PHILADELPHIA (-3) over Dallas - The Eagles look really good.

Jason (19-21-0)

I hope I can get some positive traction since Brien seems to refuse to run away with this.

PHILADELPHIA (-3) over Dallas - There is just too much dissension in Dallas for a tough road trip.

NY GIANTS (-4.5) over San Diego - The Chargers are simply mediocre.

Pittsburgh (-3) over Denver - I think the Ravens planted a lot of seeds of doubt in Denver last week.

NEW ENGLAND (-10.5) over Miami - Brady is catching fire.

Baltimore (-3) over CINCINNATI - Their backs are still against the wall. A season sweep by the Bengals ends the Ravens playoff hopes.

Jeremy (16-24-0)

Hoping Brien pays as much attention to his fantasy team this week as he did his picks last week... Let me try to snap my losing streak by going with all home teams.

CINCINNATI (+3) over Baltimore - A HUGE game for the NFC North. Ravens looked terrific last week, but Carson Palmer is no Kyle Orton.

INDIANAPOLIS (-9) over Houston - Look for the Colts to get out ahead early and for Schaub to have to throw the ball.

CHICAGO (-3) over Arizona - The Bears have fattened up some on some easy opponents, but Kurt Warner v. 2009 is beginning to look dangerously like Kurt Warner v. 2006.

SEATTLE (-10) over Detroit - Detroit has to travel west and this is a team that handed St. Louis a win last week. I'll give up the heavy dose of points.

SAN FRANCISCO (-4.5) over Tennessee - Kind of surprised this line is this low. I guess Vegas just doesn't trust Alex Smith yet. Can't really blame them.

Magic 8 Ball (14-26-0)
CINCINNATI (+3) over Baltimore - "Signs point to yes." (Bengals will beat the spread)

Houston (+9) over INDIANAPOLIS - "Don't count on it." (Colts won't beat the spread)
Arizona (+3) over CHICAGO - "No." (Bears won't beat the spread)
Detroit (+10) over SEATTLE - "My answer is no." (Seahawks won't beat the spread)
SAN FRANCISCO (-4.5) over Tennessee - "My sources say yes." (49ers will beat the spread)

Russell (19-20-1)
It's not often you can go 1-4 and still gain ground. Here's hoping we all do better this week.

Green Bay (-9.5) over TAMPA BAY - The Bucs are almost as bad as they were when they wore the orange unis.

SEATTLE (-10) over Detroit - If the Lions can lose to the Rams, they can definitely lose in Seattle by 10.

SAN FRAN (-4.5) over Tenn - One week is not enough to make me think the Titans are decent again.

ATLANTA (-10) over Washington - Picking against the Skins has been pretty consistently a good idea this year.

Houston (+9) over INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts have a minimal home field advantage in their new stadium and the loss of Sanders is huge. Also, the Texans are quietly a decent team.

Recap
Brien: PHI, NYG, IND, DET, BAL
Jason: PHI, NYG, PIT, NE, BAL
Jeremy: CHI, CIN, IND, SEA, SF

Russell: GB, ATL, SF, SEA, HOU

Again, a big thanks to Sportsbetting.com for sponsoring our bad gambling advice. If you plan to test our picks, we would appreciate you using the best sportsbook online.

College Football Picks - Week 10

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:22:00 +0000

I feel the need to take this opportunity to gripe about this week's schedule. The Thursday night games are N Illinois vs directional Michigan, Temple and Miami OH, and VT at ECU. Did MLB bribe ESPN to show crappy games during Game 7 of the World Series because MLB needs the extra ad revenue since savvy sports watchers would have been flipping between games? Then, we get Boise AGAIN on Friday. If the Broncos don't make the BCS, it won't be because of a lack of exposure. I count at least 4 nationally televised games already, and I'd bet we'll all see their game vs Nevada too. And Saturday's lineup features a whopping 2 games between top 25 teams...

Virginia Tech (-13) over ECU - The Hokies will bounce back from last week's debacle.

ALABAMA (-7.5) over Lsu - It won't take many points to cover when LSU's inept offense struggles against one of the nation's best D's. Remember the Florida at LSU game, 13-3?

PENN ST (-4) over THE Osu - The Buckeyes have been overrated all year, and PSU has the talent to expose them.

NC ST (-6.5) over Maryland - The Terps have covered in 2 straight road losses. Even though State lost to Duke, I still think they're better and will beat MD by more than 4.

Oklahoma (-5.5) over NEBRASKA - Rivalry or not, the relevant stat is 8. That's the number of turnovers Nebraska had against Iowa State's stifling defense in Lincoln. What's going to happen when OU rolls into town?

Oregon (-6.5) over STANFORD - The Cardinal are a decent team, but as long as Oregon stays focused, they win this easily.

Florida State (+8.5) over CLEMSON - The Noles have enough offense to keep this close.

Last week: 4-5
Season: 32-33

NFL's Most Annoying Fans - NFC South

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:18:00 +0000

This is the third in a running feature at ECB. We'll be rating NFL Fanbases by annoyingness and picking a winner for each division. After that, we'll select wild card teams, and have ourselves a little playoff. If you have suggestions for upcoming divisions or wildcard selections, send them to eastcoastbiasblog@gmail.com. This is thehe latest in our review of the worst fans of each division. So far we have given you the AFC West, the NFC West, and the AFC South. Who will join the Raiders, Cardinals, and Jaguars fans as the most annoying fans in their division? This week we present the NFC South.

New Orleans Saints

Quick Reaction:
Next time you watch a Saints game on TV, look at those folks in the upper deck at the Superdome? They're probably spending almost all of their discretionary income on Saints tickets given how depressed the New Orleans economy has been since Katrina. Still, to these people, season tickets to the Saints = love for their city. These folks are probably among the NFL's best fans.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Quick Reaction:
My friends who have visited games in Tampa tell me that the Buccaneers easily must have one of the highest quotas of hot female fans of any team in the NFL. I couldn't find a picture through Google Images to do justice. But I have on good authority that the article of clothing of choice of many female Buccaneers fan is a halter top jersey. I also have on good authority that most Bucs fans don't come into Raymond James until at least midway through the first quarter. Factors agaisnt most annoying fans, factors for least annoying fans. A toss-up.

Carolina Panthers

Quick Reaction:
Unlike Bucs fans, the redneck quotient of Carolina Panthers fans is one of the highest in the NFL. These fans have run like rats from a sinking ship from their team since recent failure after a trip to the Super Bowl just five years ago. North Carolina is a NASCAR state and a college basketball state. About the only college football team that is very well supported by fans native to the state is NC State. The Panthers are largely ignored now.

Atlanta Falcons

Quick Reaction:
Falcons fans have not truly been tested since the Vick incident, as the team was fortunate enough to stumble upon Matt Ryan. Atlanta fans continue to make the Georgia Dome one of the loudest venues for NFL football and continue to support their team, even buying new jerseys every two years because that's about the schedule the Falcons have seemed to adopt for rolling out new duds. I wish I could fault them for their love of Jerry Glanville and having Hammer on the sidelines back in the 1991 playoffs, but I think the statute of limitations has tolled on that one.

The Big Winner
Carolina Panthers - proving, like Jacksonville, that Paul Tagliabue picked the totally wrong markets to expand into back in the 1990s. Not even two of their cheerleaders being busted for having hot lesbian sex in a bathroom can save the Panthers fans from the dubious honor of being the most annoying fans in the AFC South.

NFL Picks - Week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:31:00 +0000

Before we get to our normal picks post, we'd like to give a huge MAZEL TOV (well, at least that comes from Jeremy, the resident member of the Tribe), to Brien, whose wife gave birth to son #2 on Wednesday, October 28. We do note with sadness that Brien did not follow our advice and name his second son "Comcast" or "Curley" which would have been the natural progression for him. Brien... seven boys more and you have your own baseball team. And to our readers... please click on our advertising links on the side, as Brien really needs some diaper money now.

On to the picks!!!

Brien (21-13-1)
~~Excused absence this week.~~
Update 7:25AM Sunday: I'll get my quick picks in, just so no one questions my victory later for skipping a week. Without too much analysis, I'm just going to take the tried and true strategy of picking with Denver (6-0 ATS) and against St. Louis (2-5), Miami (2-4), Carolina (1-5), and Tennessee (1-5)

Denver (+3) over BALTIMORE
DETROIT (-4) over St. Louis
NY JETS (-3) over Miami
ARIZONA (-10) over Carolina
Jacksonville (+3) over TENNESSEE

Jason (17-18-0)

Wait, Lisa was pregnant? She sure didn't look pregnant last football sea.....oh.

Miami (+3.5) over NY JETS - I thought Miami was going to come back strong after being the forgotten team early. Being unable to hold back the Saints does not make me wrong.

ARIZONA (-10) over Carolina - With a mid-game QB change.

Oakland (+16.5) over SAN DIEGO - Phillip Rivers. 16.5 points.

NEW ORLEANS (-10) Atlanta - I think Atlanta will hang in for the first half before it slips away.

INDIANAPOLIS (-12) San Francisco - There's a reason Alex Smith has never stayed the starter long.

Jeremy (14-21-0)
At this point a blind man online playing Texas Hold Em with the volume turned off would have better luck than I have had picking games this year.

Denver (+3.5) over BALTIMORE - They're unbeaten and getting points. I can't pick against Denver in this scenario, even on the road.

Minnesota (+3) over GREEN BAY - The WTF line of the week. The fans at Lambeau really, really want this win. Unfortunately the Packer's O-line isn't good enough to give Aaron Rodgers enough time to make it happen.

ARIZONA (-10) over Carolina - You think Vegas is pissed off about losing money? If Vegas hadn't been bleeding money this season, this line would be about -7 or -8. Even so, I'm taking the Cardinals at home. And time for one of our reader researchers - Panthers have two points at halftime in two games already this year. When was the last time a team had scored two points at halftime twice in a season?

New York Giants (pk) over PHILADELPHIA - I was not impressed with the way Philly played on Monday night in DC at all. A short week to prepare for a good Giants team and the possibility of no Westbrook makes me less impressed.

CHICAGO (-13) over Cleveland - If any team in the league has given up worse than the 'Skins, it's the Cleveland Browns.

And your bonus pick.... Bye (pk) over WASHINGTON - There's nothing more I can say.

Magic 8 Ball (11-24-0)

BALTIMORE (+3.5) over Denver - "Yes." (Ravens will beat the spread)
GREEN BAY (-3) over Minnesota - "Signs point to yes." (Packers will beat the spread)
Carolina (+10) over ARIZONA - "Don't count on it." (Cardinals won't beat the spread)
PHILADELPHIA (pk) over New York Giants - "Yes." (Eagles will beat the spread)
Cleveland (+13) over CHICAGO - "No." (Bears won't beat the spread)

Russell (18-16-1)
I clearly need to keep better track of things. Maybe I should start looking at Facebook so I know when my friends are having children. Or maybe this is what happens when you're trying to finish your dissertation. Goodbye, friends and social life.

NY Giants (pk) over PHILADELPHIA - The last weeks of Iggle football have been a loss to the Raiders, and a victory over the hapless Skins in which Philly did not run a single play in the red zone, and went 3-and-out twice on Skins turnovers deep in Washington territory. Plus Westbrook has a concussion. Meanwhile, the Giants pounded Oakland, and lost to the defending NFC Champs (even if they are the Cards).

Minnesota (+3) over GREEN BAY - Favre is giving points at Lambeau?? Green Bay has looked better since the bye week, but their opponents were Detroit and Cleveland. Let's keep things in perspective.

Jax (+3) over TENNESSEE - Has anyone looked worse than the Titans this year? Starting Vince isn't going to help.

ARIZONA (-10) over Carolina - With Jake averaging 3+ turnovers per game, you have to like Arizona at home.

NEW ORLEANS (-10) over Atlanta - The Saints in the Superdome are a lot better than the Saints on the road.

Recap
Brien: DEN, DET, ARI, NYJ, JAX
Jason: ARI, IND, MIA, NO, OAK
Jeremy: ARI, CHI, DEN, MIN, NYG
Russell: ARI, NYG, JAX, MIN, NO

College Football Picks - Week 9

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:10:00 +0000

Last week, I guess I was just hoping for excitement and picked a bunch of underdogs to keep things close or give us some upsets. Instead, I got a 1-6 week for my trouble. So I'm back to .500, and refocusing for better results. Too bad the slate of games this week is pretty poor again...

West Virginia (-3) over SOUTH FLORIDA - USF is still overrated from their victory over FSU. FSU just isn't very good on a consistent basis, and we saw that Cincinnati was fully capable of beating USF soundly in Florida. I don't see why WVU can't do the same.

UCONN (-7.5) over Rutgers - I'm sticking with the "Rutgers is terrible" line whenever they play decent teams.

Cincinnati (-14.5) over SYRACUSE - Paulus and a new coach have not made the Orange an overnight powerhouse, even in the Big East. I still have the Bearcats in the BCS.

Georgia Tech (-11.5) over VANDERBILT - The Commodores went to OT with Army. The Jackets should roll with no problem.

Georgia (+15) over FLORIDA - The Gators have not been impressive enough lately to merit this large a spread at the Cocktail Party.

NAVY (-6.5) over Temple - I know Temple is better than they have been, but Navy beat an ACC team last week. The Owls aren't that good.

Michigan (-7) over ILLINOIS - The Illini barely squeaked past Indiana, but they're still no good.

Texas (-9) over OKLA ST - The Cowboys just aren't the same without Bryant, their best player. Texas will be focused, knowing this is their last tough game until the Big 12 championship... Wait, who's winning the Big 12 North? Last tough game until the National Championship.

OREGON (+3.5) over Usc - In a huge game in the Pac-10, with implications for the national title picture, I like the Ducks in Autzen to confuse and rattle Barkley. USC's "big" victories this year have been over teams that aren't as good as they looked or were ranked (Ohio St, Cal, ND). The Ducks have figured things out since starting slow.

Last week: 1-6
Season: 28-28

Redskins Head Coach Zorn Is Demoralized and Must Be Fired

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:10:00 +0000

I don't think Jim Zorn reacted the way Vinny Cerrato, Danny Snyder and the Redskins had hoped. The team said all the right things after Zorn was named the "head coach for this year, maybe longer", but his demeanor reveals that his reprieve is not appreciated.

In tonight's game against Philadelphia, Zorn spent most of the game looking defeated. He moped a bit. Major game-changing events like penalties assessed against the wrong team and turnovers did not seem to faze him. Perhaps he was staying medium, but realistically Zorn has checked out.

The Washington Post said it best. If the Skins turn it around, people will give credit to the new playcaller. If the Skins continue to fail, they'll blame Zorn and not the offensive line. There is no scenario in which the Redskins can improve as the season progresses and Zorn can take some credit in it. He's a lame duck, and Portis and crew know it.

They've lost Portis, as evidenced by his body language tonight. They'll lose the rest soon.

And Jon Gruden should be corrected on air for these two comments:

"Randle-El is one of the more sure-handed punt returners in the league."

"There's no question Fred Davis is an outstanding pass receiver."

Redskins' Coach Zorn, GM Cerrato Go All In to Save Their Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0000

There is almost never anything positive to say about the Redskins' management the past decade, but this week Danny Snyder toadie Vinny Cerrato actually did something right. By giving head coach Jim Zorn the season-long vote of confidence, Cerrato and Snyder sent a clear message to the players to stop looking over their shoulders. They also sent the message that NO job is safe after the season.

Every player, from Jason Campbell to Clinton Portis, is on the chopping block now. Since Cerrato has linked himself to Zorn, they are likely both gone after this season absent a startling show of motivation and strategy. New GM and new head coach means no job is safe. Just look at the Cleveland Jets when Mangini took over, or the Dallas Jets when Parcells took over. Big name guys like to bring in people they trust.

Will the Redskins win more than 6 games this season? Almost certainly not. Still, Cerrato's move is the best talent evaluation tool he had remaining. Every player must play his best the rest of the way. With some breaks, maybe Cerrato keeps his job. That's all a Redskins hater like me can hope to see.

Paul Tagliabue was Wrong About Jacksonville

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:33:00 +0000

One of the greatest pleasures in life is saying “I told you so,” even if it’s 16 years later and the target is retired. So here goes: Paul Tagliabue, you were wrong about Jacksonville, and I told you so.

In 1993, when the NFL decided to expand from 28 to 30 teams, five finalists were selected: Charlotte, St. Louis, Baltimore, Memphis, and Jacksonville. Everyone assumed that the two winners would be Charlotte and either St. Louis or Baltimore, but Paul Tagliabue’s love for the “Sun Belt” led the NFL to award the second team to Jacksonville amid widespread criticism.

How’s that decision looking now, Paul? The Jaguars haven’t sold out any of their 3 home games this year. In fact, they haven’t cracked the 50,000 mark in attendance for a stadium that seats 76,877. The Jaguars also can’t find anyone to buy the naming rights to the stadium after their deal with Alltel expired.

As for the other 3 finalists, they all have teams now (except Memphis, but the Titans in Nashville get lots of support from Memphis). The Rams, Ravens, and Titans all have passionate fans who pack the stadium week after week while Jacksonville seems less and less interested in having a team each year.

If Tagliabue had picked St. Louis, the Rams might never have moved from LA. If he had picked Baltimore, the Browns might have stayed in Cleveland, and the 32nd team would have gone to LA. So basically, Tagliabue’s decision led to the NFL having a team in Jacksonville instead of Los Angeles. Great job, hall of famer.

NFL Picks - Week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:54:00 +0000

A tough week for most of us last week - some very unexpected results on the field. About the only pick we all got right was the Chiefs getting points against the Redskins. Vegas probably lost a lot of money on that one. On to the picks...

Odds from Doc's Sports

Brien (18-12-0)
4-1 again. This is when the statisticians bring up regression to the mean, and with good reason.

San Diego (-4.5) over KANSAS CITY - I realize the Chargers have underachieved a bit this year, but their losses are DEN, @PIT, and BAL. Plus, the Chiefs are putrid.

CINCINNATI (-1.5) over Chicago - The Bengals are probably a bit overrated, but I like them to bounce back here.

San Francisco (+3) over HOUSTON - I just have a feeling the 49ers are better than Vegas has realized so far.

New Orleans (-6) over MIAMI - The Saints pasted the Giants last week. I think they can handle the Dolphins.

Atlanta (+4) over DALLAS - The Cowboys are coming off a bye, but it really feels like they are losing momentum this year while the Falcons are gaining it.

Jason (15-15-0)

Doing my part to prove that nobody gets rich betting on the NFL, unless they're convincing others that they know a trick to betting on the NFL.

TAMPA BAY (+14.5) over New England - The trip to London should throw both teams off, which I'm hopeful keeps the score down.

MIAMI (+6) over New Orleans - I think Miami is actually finding a stride and New Orleans might face a road letdown after last week's big win.

PITTSBURGH (-4) over Minnesota - The Ravens hurt Minnesota's defense, and this is Minny's first outdoor game of the year.

WASHINGTON (+7) over Philadelphia - This is a WTF line, and I'm jumping on it.

San Diego (-4.5) over KANSAS CITY - Arrowhead is a tough place to play, but unless San Diego is giving up, this is a place to make a stand.

Jeremy (11-19-0)
Holy crap - I go shooting off about my 4-1 week and follow it up with 1-4. Now I need to go above .500 pretty much every remaining week just to finish at respectability. This is not good. I blame Vinny Cerrato. To switch it up, I'm going to pick all road teams this week:

San Diego (-4.5) over KANSAS CITY - Arrowhead is not kind to divisional opponents but I watched an entire Kansas City Chiefs game on Sunday. They are dreadful.

Minnesota (+4) over PITTSBURGH - And Heinz field isn't kind to any opponents, but a wet track on Sunday could surely favor Brett Favre and his receiving corps, although the Steelers' secondary is much more stout than the Ravens'.

Atlanta (+4) over DALLAS - Atlanta looked pretty good against Chicago. Granted, a short week to prepare, but the Cowboys are pretty damn dysfunctional right now.

Indianapolis (-13) over ST. LOUIS - St. Louis looked better with Bulger under center, but Indianapolis has way, way, way too many weapons to keep this one close.

Philadelphia (-7) over WASHINGTON - So much that I could say about this game and why I suspect it will be a truly epic fail by the Redskins. Suffice it to say, I'd take the Eagles at way more than seven playing in Lincoln Financial Field @ Landover.

Magic 8 Ball (9-21-0)
It may be time to retire the Magic 8 Ball this season. 9-21 is really, really, really hard to accomplish, actually.

KANSAS CITY (+4) over San Diego - "Yes." (Chiefs will beat the spread)
Minnesota (+4) over PITTSBURGH - "Don't count on it." (Steelers won't beat the spread)
Atlanta (+4) over DALLAS - "My answer is no." (Cowboys won't beat the spread)
Indianapolis (-13) over ST. LOUIS - "My answer is no." (Rams won't beat the spread)
WASHINGTON (+7) over Philadelphia - "Signs point to yes." (Redskins will beat the spread)

Russell (14-16-0)
I'd just like to point out that if Sanchez only throws 4 INTs last week, I had a winning week. And by the way, "PLAYOFFS? PLAYOFFS?" in response to Richard Seymour. Thanks, Jim Mora.

Indy (-13) over STL - The Rams are bad. Don't be fooled by last week, the Jags are bad too.

Green Bay (-9) over CLEVELAND - The Browns are still the Browns.

San Francisco (+3) over HOUSTON - After the embarrassment two weeks ago, with players showboating in ridiculous situations, how do you think that bye week went for the 49ers? Would you want Mike Singletary in your face for 2 full weeks about the same terrible performance? Didn't think so. Plus Gore should be back.

New England (-14.5) over TAMPA BAY - Last week's 59-0 slaughter was probably against a better team than the Bucs.

Philadelphia (-7) over WASHINGTON - First, the Skins are awful. Second, if you like Zorn, you're not going to be inspired to make him look bad by playing better for the new play-caller. Did we mention the Skins' play-caller was calling BINGO 2 weeks ago? This is the NFL...

Recap
Brien: SD, CIN, SF, NO, ATL
Jason: MIA, PIT, SD, TB, WAS
Jeremy: ATL, IND, MIN, PHI, SD
Russell: IND, GB, SF, NE, PHI

For NFL handicapping advice from people who actually know what they're talking about, check out Doc's Sports.

College Football Picks - Week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:29:00 +0000

Kind of a quiet week in college football, but those are the ones that sneak up on you and ruin your season. So the good teams need to stay focused against lesser opposition.

VIRGINIA (+5) over Georgia Tech - Tech is 0-8 since 1990 at Charlottesville, and UVA will play hard. They still control their own destiny in the ACC. UVA also won at Atlanta vs the option last year, so you can't expect the GT offense to confuse them too much.

UConn (+7.5) over WEST VIRGINIA - When one of your teammates is stabbed to death, and the team decides to play, you can expect their very best effort. The Huskies weren't bad to start with.

MICHIGAN (+4) over Penn State - When was the last time PSU won in Ann Arbor? I think it's been a while, and this Michigan is fully capable of upholding that tradition.

KANSAS (+8) over Oklahoma - I expect a flat performance from the Sooners. They have 3 losses at this point in the season for the first time in ages, and Bradford's done for the year. What do they have left to play for?

Arkansas (+6.5) over OLE MISS - First, Ole Miss hasn't looked good all year, and Arkansas is pumped up after beating Florida for 59 minutes. In addition, there's the Houston Nutt issue, and then the fight song has to be distracting this week. Apparently "the South will rise again" is part of Ole Miss' fight song. I don't have a problem with most things Southern, but that seems to me to be a little much, especially in Mississippi of all places.

MICHIGAN STATE (-1.5) over Iowa - The dream finally ends for the Hawkeyes, though they still may win the Big 11.

BYU (+2.5) over Tcu - Let's all remember that BYU was good enough to beat Oklahoma when Bradford was healthy entering the game. TCU's strength is defense, and BYU has already dealt with OU's, which is pretty good too. BYU wins in the 4th as the altitude saps the Frogs.

That's right, it's a 'dogs weekend. Not the Dawgs, they have a bye.

Last week: 5-2
Season: 27-22

Maryland's Vasquez Named Most Entertaining in Hoops

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:38:00 +0000

At least Maryland again tops one list...

See the list, and 2 through 16, here.

Ben Roethlisberger Sexual Assault Victim Survives Summary Judgment

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:33:00 +0000

The story on ESPN.

"I'm here to fix deine cable. Ich bin expert."

"You can imagine where it goes from here."

"She fixes the cable?"

This morning a Nevada judge ruled against Ben Roethlisberger in his efforts to have the claims that he sexually assaulted a Harrah's casino employee dismissed. The standard at this stage, known as the "summary judgment" stage, is very tough. Roethlisberger had to prove that even if all the evidence was taken in the light most favorable to the victim she still wouldn't not have enough to win her case. So at this level her credibility is not a factor - her allegations are presumed to be true.

The bad news for Roethlisberger is that the case rolls on, which can only lead to more embarrassment for him.

NFL’s Most Annoying Fans – AFC South

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:14:00 +0000

Indianapolis Colts

Quick Reaction: Colts fans somehow have the weakest reputation of any Midwestern fan base (other than the Rams). This is almost certainly due to a lack of history, dome play, and Indy being a second-tier city.

The most annoying feature of Colts fans is their unwillingness to listen to any criticism of Peyton Manning. Most fan bases are a bit in the tank for their signal caller, but Colts fans love Pey-Pey a bit too much.

Houston Texans

Quick Reaction: There’s always something a little annoying about expansion team fans. You always question what they were doing before the team arrived. Were they Cowboys fans? College Football? Astros?

Expansion fans haven’t suffered together as a fan base for years, they have no shared experience, and everything still has that new car smell (even after 7 years).

Jacksonville Jaguars

Quick Reaction: If you can’t sell out your stadium, I’m not sure if that qualifies you as annoying or just non-existent.

Tennessee Titans

Quick Reaction: Titans fans come across as relatively normal people, except they probably would spend far too much time telling you how the Grand Ole Opry is a great tourist attraction.

Even though they’re still a relatively new team, I feel like the Titans developed an identity very quickly, which can help to make their fans less annoying (or sometimes more annoying).

The Big Winner

Jacksonville Jaguars – I considered giving them a pass because there aren’t enough of them to be annoying, but I’m sure there are tons of people walking around Jacksonville wearing Jaguars jerseys who can’t bother themselves to buy a ticket to a game that isn’t sold out. And when you get down to it, that’s one of the most annoying things a “fan” can do.

Steve Phillips - New Meaning to "Slumpbuster"

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:07:00 +0000

So by now we've all heard the allegations of Steve Phillips having had an affair with a 22-year-old production assistant and that said production assistant went all fatal attraction on his family, friending his son on Facebook and sending his wife letters describing birthmarks on his nether regions. If you didn't hear this yet, please consider ECB your breaking news source.

Well, ECB and numerous others have obtained a picture of the 22-year-old sure-to-be hot piece of tail who Steve Phillips was willing to risk career and family for:

Ummmm, really? I guess this must have just been a bad picture. I mean, you know that somebody worth millions is going to make the affair that jeopardizes career and family really worthwhile, right?

Wow. Click on the pictures for enlarged images just to be sure it's as bad as you think (and shield your eyes as you do). And to think Mets fans thought Phillips' most troubling display of past poor decision making was trading Jason Bay and signing Mo Vaughn, Robby Alomar, Bobby Bonilla, Mike Bordick, Kenny Rogers, and Ricky Henderson to huge contracts on the downside of their careers. And to think sports fans in general though Phillips' most troubling display of past poor decision making was taking a starring role in the Sportscenter series of mock press conferences to preview the upcoming baseball season, one of the worst regular features on Sportscenter since the Who's Now series.

Steve Phillips........ I really don't know what to say........ aside from the fact that if you really were in such a bad slump at home with the wife, Buck Showalter might have been a more attractive slumpbuster.

Splashing Cold Water on 'Skins Fans

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:55:00 +0000

A popular sentiment amongst Redskins fans all day long on sports talk radio has been that somehow if we can force Dan Snyder to sell the team, things will get better. After all, people reason, he must be in reasonably dire financial straits given how he's been hemorrhaging money with his Six Flags investment, his Johnny Rockets investment, and his investment in Valkyrie and other sundry Tom Cruise flicks.

To those who think that suddenly buying one less Clinton Portis jersey or giving up their 2 season tickets might somehow push Dan Snyder over the brink and into financial destitute, I urge you to do one thing:

1) Go to Google Maps. Or, if you prefer, Google Earth
2) Type in 11732 River Road, Potomac Maryland 20854 (note, this is not his address but due to a quirk in Google, this is the address to type in to get a good view)
3) If in Google Maps, click "satellite view"
4) Look for the insanely huge house that is all the way down the access road right over top of the Potomac River.
5) Zoom in. No, that gigantic house that is right along River Road... that's not the "residence." Keep scrolling back, down the 1/2-mile long driveway, until you get to the house with the helicopter landing pad in back along the River.

Look... I found Waldo... dressed up and playing football coach!!

Now, we of course have no way of knowing how heavily mortgaged the residence is, but according to tax records, the house sits on a total of 13.53 acres over two tax parcels, and is appraised at a total of $14,921,950. In 2001, Dan bought the house for $8,640,000.00. He's made a tidy profit of just under $6.3 million on his house, alone.

Redskins fans, Daniel Snyder isn't going anywhere. Maybe he'll lie awake tonight, sleepless, and wander amongst the 100 rooms of his residence. Maybe his donation to B'Nai Israel Congregation will be a little bit less this year. But make no mistake - he's not going to be selling off the Redskins, no matter how much of a dent you think you can put in his pocket.

How the Mighty (Terps) Have Fallen

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Less than a decade ago, Maryland was representing the ACC in the Orange Bowl against Spurrier's Gators. There were 3 straight 10-win seasons, and bowl destructions of Tennessee and West Virginia.

This year, the Maryland football program has reached a new low in the Friedgen era. We are 6 point underdogs at Duke. That's right, 3-3 Duke is favored over the Terps. The Blue Devils have victories over Army, NC State, and NC Central, not very impressive. Their losses are to VT, Kansas and FCS Richmond. But guess what, that's one more victory over an FBS opponent than MD has. And but for an OT victory over James Madison, MD's losses would be much worse. They're already more numerous.

Assuming (generously) a 3 pt home-field advantage in Durham, that means Vegas thinks the Blue Devils are 3 pts better on a neutral site. Sadly, you could make an argument for more, after MD's last ACC road trip was 35-10 at the half, and MD hasn't beaten anyone by more than 3 pts all year.

There's been a lot of talk on this blog about keeping the appropriate expectations for a school that is not really a football powerhouse. My expectations are that we should always be favored against teams that are 6-41 the previous 4 seasons and have lost to an FCS opponent this year. My expectations are that we should at least win 1 of 2 vs any Sun Belt team, and that we should consistently pound FCS opposition. My expectations are that we should not give up defensive TD's in close games on a consistent basis. My expectations are that when linemen graduate, there will be reasonably talented players waiting to take their places. My expectations are that the team will play hard on both sides of the ball for 60 minutes, every single game. My expectations are not being met. Cast the blame where you may.

The Most Wonderful Weekend of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:55:00 +0000

Halloween is quite possibly my second-favorite holiday all year. You can gorge yourself (relatively) guilt free into a diabetic coma, girls dress in provocative (read - slutty) costumes because it is socially acceptable, and it's just all around a good time. This year Halloween is on the weekend, which makes it even better. But for some of us, it's an even sweeter holiday weekend this season.
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2009 Maryland Terrapins Schedule
Saturday, September 5 - @ California
Saturday, September 12 - James Madison
Saturday, September 19 - Middle Tennessee State
Saturday, September 26 - Rutgers
Saturday, October 3 - Clemson
Saturday, October 10 - @ Wake Forest
Saturday, October 17 - Virginia
Saturday, October 24 - @ Duke
Saturday, October 31 - Open Date
Saturday, November 7 - @ NC State
Saturday, November 14- Virginia Tech
Saturday, November 21 - @ Florida State
Saturday, November 28 - Boston College
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Ohhhhh, excellent, Halloween spares me the bitterness of another horrifying Terrapins defeat. But wait, what's that you say... it gets better???

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2009-2010 Washington Redskins Schedule
Sunday, September 13 - @ New York Giants
Sunday, September 20 - vs. St. Louis Rams
Sunday, September 27 - @ Detroit Lions
Sunday, October 4 - vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sunday, October 11 - @ Carolina Panthers
Sunday, October 18 - vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Monday, October 26 - vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, November 1 - BYE WEEK
Sunday, November 8 - @ Atlanta Falcons
Sunday, November 15 - vs. Denver Broncos
Sunday, November 22 - @ Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, November 29 - @ Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, December 6 - vs. New Orleans Saints
Sunday, December 13 - @ Oakland Raiders
Monday, December 21 - vs. New York Giants
Sunday, December 27 - vs Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, January 3 - @ San Diego Chargers
***********************

Halloween weekend 2009, my friends. Those of us who are unfortunate enough to love both the Terps and the Redskins will be spared the misery of watching the teams that we love take yet another gut punch.

Brad Childress is a Headset Hottie

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:41:00 +0000

This offseason, Brad Childress earned widespread praise for converting the creepy moustache into a respectable beard. Seemingly determined to remain the subject of ridicule, even at the helm of an undefeated team, Childress has insisted on wearing a special headset instead of the standard-issue Motorola model.

This has the strange effect of making him look like one of the call center operators depicted on every IT website in the world and immortalized at headsethotties.com.

I guess the silver lining here is if the NFL coaching thing doesn’t work out for Childress, he can always get a job handling tech support calls.

Incredible Redskins and Panthers Futility Stats

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:12:00 +0000

All six teams the Redskins have played this year were winless coming into the game (NYG 0-0, STL 0-1, DET 0-2, TB 0-3, CAR 0-3, KC 0-5). That means four teams got their first win of the season against Washington.

Also, the two teams the Redskins beat (TB and STL) are still winless.

Carolina, like the Redskins, has two wins. Except Carolina has only beaten Washington and Tampa Bay. That means that both Carolina and Washington have only beaten teams who are either winless or who have only beaten winless teams. The depth of the NFL's basement this season is staggering.

As for the Ravens, I'm still not ready to talk about it. I am still trying to get over the fact that they would be 6-0 if it weren't for one player making a mistake late in the fourth quarter of each of the last three games (Clayton's drop against NE, Ray's 15-yard penalty against Cincy, Hauschka's missed FG today against Minny).

Maryland to the Big East? An Examination.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:46:00 +0000

Over the summer, there was some idle chatter about the possibility of Maryland moving to the Big East. Such a move couldn't take place until 2015, at the earliest.

As a lifelong Marylander and proud Terp, my initial reaction to this was shock and horror. Maryland is a charter member of the ACC, dating back to 1953. Prior to that, we had been a member of the Southern Conference, along with Wake, Duke, NC State, UNC, Clemson, Duke, and South Carolina (South Carolina came to the ACC in 1953 and left in 1971). My point is simply that for the better part of nine decades, Maryland has been in the same athletic conference as five of their current ACC brethren. Maryland's athletic history is indelibly interwoven with the Demon Deacons, the Tar Heels, the Wolfpack, the Tigers, and the Blue Devils.

The more I got to thinking about this, and the more I discussed this with friends who have attended Big East schools, the more it begins to make sense from a fan's perspective. Here's why, I submit to you ECB readers, a move to the Big East might not be so horrific.

Football

The Big East presently has eight teams for football, seven of them are set forth above (University of South Florida is the outlier down in Tampa). The Terps would be very much geographically in the middle of the conference with UConn, Rutgers, Syracuse, Pitt, WVU, Cincinnati, and Louisville. There would be four road schools within an easy drive to go to away games (Rutgers, Syracuse, Pitt, WVU), and there would be a road trip to a nice warm weather destination (Tampa).

More importantly, as stated, presently the Big East has 8 teams for football. The Terps would add a ninth team. One of the best things about the ACC pre-expansion was the 9-team league, which meant that every year you played all 8 other teams and rotated home-away each season with those 8 teams. Joining the Big East would bring this back for the Terps.

ACC football is mired in mediocrity (as is the Big East). There wouldn't really be anything lost by going to the Big East. In fact, the lack of a conference championship game in the Big East might make it easier for the Terps to make a long shot BCS appearance, just as the Terps were able to do in 2002, pre-ACC expansion.

Also, in football, the Terps have no true "rival." UVA is the closest thing that Maryland has. I could easily see the Terps forming a football rivalry with Syracuse, another school with a historically strong football program, who lacks a football "rival" in-conference. Think about it - trading ACC football for Big East football - not so horrible.

Basketball

Now this is where we get very sensitive, as Terps fans. We care like nothing else for ACC basketball. We treasure our history in the 70s against NC State. We treasure our rivalry games of late against Duke and UNC. Our history as Terp basketball fans is measured by watching those ACC tournament games in Greensboro Coliseum.

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But I ask you to take a second and look at those teams above. Yes, I know, West Virginia, Seton Hall, Rutgers, South Florida, and DePaul don't do too much for you as a college basketball fan. But neither likely do Virginia Tech, Clemson, Florida State, or Miami.

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How about these teams - Syracuse, Villanova, St. Johns, UConn, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, and Pitt - does that spur your interest as a college basketball fan? As much as Duke, UNC, NC State, and Wake Forest? How about a conference tournament every year in Madison Square Garden in New York? Does that inspire you as much, if not more, than a rotating conference tournament that returns to Greensboro every other year and goes to Tampa, Atlanta, Charlotte, and the highly occasional stop in DC in the other years? I do have some concern that the Big East tournament doesn't invite every team. However, if you're so low in the conference that you're not getting invited to the tournament, you'd probably lose the first game of any conference tournament in the country, including the ACC Tourney.

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For recruiting purposes, I think we wouldn't have any problem getting kids as inspired to come play for a Big East school as we do getting them inspired to play for an ACC school. For rivalry purposes, can you even begin to fathom the animosity that a Terps-Georgetown basketball rivalry would create? It would make the Terps-Duke relationship suitable for Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. We wouldn't lose any television exposure, in fact we'd likely gain television exposure.

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The ACC has truly suffered in basketball post-expansion. The Big East has gained. My one concern is it's almost unwieldy size. So, you separate into Big East North and Big East South and you play half the teams home-and-home (twice a year) and the other half of the teams once a year, alternating home and road year-by-year. It could work.

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Lacrosse

Bet you didn't think about this one, did you? Let's talk about it. The ACC presently has a four-team lacrosse league, comprised of UNC, Duke, UVA, and the Terps. There is even a four-team conference tournament at the end of the season. A Big East lacrosse league could easily be formed with Notre Dame, Syracuse, Georgetown, Rutgers, and Maryland. I don't think any Terp lacrosse fans would mind getting to play Syracuse every season. In fact, I think we'd gladly give up our ACC schedule for any schedule that gave us Syracuse on the calendar every season.

So, there we have it - some of the case (a blog post that explains in full detail would be way longer than appropriate for this blog) why in my own mind, after much deliberation, I conclude that a move by the Terps from the ACC to the Big East might not necessarily be so horrific - it might actually be desirable. I know that many Terp fans will claim heresy at this one. That's part of our job as bloggers, I suppose.

NFL Week 6 Picks

brienc@gmail.com (Brien) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:17:00 +0000

Wow, aside from maybe two games on the schedule, Week 6 brutalizes us with some horrible football games. The only thing that could make it palatable for 90% of NFL fans is playing fantasy or having money on the game. Which is where we come in...

Brien (14-11-0)
With that slow start behind me, I managed to take the lead this week. That means I'm due for an 0-5 week.

CINCINNATI (-4.5) over Houston - The Bengals are actually looking pretty good this year, even though I don't think they'll manage to win the division.

Carolina (-3.5) over TAMPA BAY - This is a battle of some awful teams, but I have to believe the Panthers are better than the Bucs.

Denver (+4) over SAN DIEGO - The Broncos are undefeated, both straight up and against the spread, and they're getting points? Yes, please.

ATLANTA (-3.5) over Chicago - The Falcons' win over the 49ers really impressed me.

Arizona (+2.5) over SEATTLE - The only wins the Seahawks have are over really, really bad teams.

Jason (13-12-0)

I ate it this past week with a 1-4. A ton of home favorites this week.

PITTSBURGH (-14) over Cleveland - Most years, these two teams play each other in surprisingly close games. I have a bad feeling that Mendenhall has finally gotten his sea legs back though.

Denver (+4) over SAN DIEGO - Okay, I'll believe in Denver just long enough for them to lay an egg on national television.

NY Giants (+3.5) over NEW ORLEANS - This should be a great game, but the extra half point puts me towards the Giants.

NEW ENGLAND (-9) over Tennessee - New England has had back-to-back tough games, but I think this is a good punching bag.

Philadelphia (-14) over OAKLAND - Philly is all business right now.

Jeremy (10-15-0)
Finally the type of week that ECB readers have come to expect from Jeremy. 4-1. Marching back towards respectability.

Kansas City (+6.5) over WASHINGTON - Your WTF line of the week. Or maybe the line that Vegas hopes catches people who base their bets purely on the team's won-loss record and not actual strength of team.

SEATTLE (-2.5) over Arizona - Seattle is not an easy road game and the Seahawks looked like a completely different team with Hasselbeck under center last week.

CINCINNATI (-4.5) over Houston - I would have expected a much larger line on this game with the Bengals being home and playing as well as they have been.

MINNESOTA (-2.5) over Baltimore - I was very tempted to pick the Ravens to win outright until I remembered just how bad Brett Favre will likely pick apart the Ravens' secondary (25th in the league in pass defense).

Philadelphia (-14) over OAKLAND - This is a huge line for an East Coast team to cover that has to travel 3,000 miles and play in the Black Hole. However, expect the Eagles multi-faceted offense to feast on the Raiders nonexistent defense.

Magic 8 Ball (8-17-0)
Finally a week above .500 for the Magic 8 Ball.

WASHINGTON (-6.5) over Kansas City - "My sources say yes." (Redskins will beat the spread)
SEATTLE (-2.5) over Arizona - "My sources say yes." (Seahawks will beat the spread)
Houston (+4.5) over CINCINNATI - "Don't count on it." (Bengals won't beat the spread)
MINNESOTA (-2.5) over Baltimore - "Yes." (Vikings will beat the spread)
Philadelphia (-14) over OAKLAND - "Don't count on it." (Raiders won't beat the spread)

Russell (12-13-0)
And that's the type of week our readers know to expect from me in NFL picks. 1-4. Sliding back toward the basement.

Kansas City (+6.5) over WASHINGTON - After a 9-7 victory over the Rams and a loss to Carolina, the Skins shouldn't be favored over anyone.

Denver (+4) over SAN DIEGO - Either the Broncos lose or this pick is right. Either way, I win.

NY JETS (-9.5) over Buffalo - What does a 6-3 loss to the Browns mean to you? Obviously, the no-huddle offense was not the answer, with or without TO.

MINNESOTA (-2.5) over Baltimore - If everyone knows how bad the Ravens' nickel and dime corners are, don't you think Brett will take advantage of that?

SEATTLE (-2.5) over Arizona - The Seahawks may turn out to be the best-kept secret in the league. And the Cards haven't impressed lately.

Recap
Brien: CIN, CAR, DEN, ATL, ARI
Jason: PIT, DEN, NYG, NE, PHI
Jeremy: CIN, MIN, PHI, SEA, KC
Russell: NYJ, MIN, DEN, SEA, KC

An Instant "Fix" for the Ravens at Cornerback

noreply@blogger.com (J-Red) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:13:00 +0000

The Ravens remain solid in the front seven, even if the defense is getting accustomed to new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. Both safeties are strong too, with All-Pro Ed Reed supported by Dawan Landry. The corners though....oh the corners.

The Ravens rely on Dominique Foxworth and Fabian Washington (formerly of the Broncos and Raiders respectively) as their starting cornerbacks. Samari Rolle is still on the PUP list, presumably still trying to find the right mix on his epilepsy medication. Chris McAllister is persona non grata in Baltimore, for reasons known only to the staff and team.

It's Week 6, and the Ravens have a problem. They aren't accustomed to giving up points, but with these cornerbacks, that could be an issue. One fix would be to send riskier blitz packages, but that obviously would leave them open to big strikes. Plus, the new quarterback protection rules add many opportunities to pick up 15-yard penalties through no fault of the pass rusher.

But there is a man formerly known as Pacman.

Adam Jones was last seen with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, but they cut ties with him last month after he made comments referring to the league as the United Football League. He also was vocal about his desire to skip out on the CFL as soon as an NFL team called.

Yeah, he has some problems. Lots and lots and lots of problems. He doesn't seem very bright, and he doesn't seem like he has fully learned his lessons. He should be humbled by his fall, but as recently as last month, he was still putting his foot in his mouth.

But, he can play. He can probably play now, and he is probably better than what the Ravens have. Is he worth the headache? Who knows? Michael Vick certainly didn't cause the uproar that was predicted. Some others have settled in and fallen back under the radar. If Ray Lewis and Ed Reed can hold Jones in check, maybe he is the answer.

NFL's Most Annoying Fans - NFC West

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:50:00 +0000

This is the second in a running feature at ECB. We'll be rating NFL Fanbases by annoyingness and picking a winner for each division. After that, we'll select wild card teams, and have ourselves a little playoff. If you have suggestions for upcoming divisions or wildcard selections, send them to eastcoastbiasblog@gmail.com.

St. Louis Rams

Quick Reaction: Seriously, Google Image the phrase "St. Louis Rams fans" and see what you get. You find one picture of St. Louis fans holding fake Lombardi trophies from a 1999 home game and a few pictures of St. Louis fans wearing paper bags on their heads at a road game in Arizona last year. That's it. That about says it all.

Rams fans enjoyed the "Greatest Show on Turf" and a Super Bowl win. They were out in droves after the team moved from L.A. and replaced the relocated Cardinals. Lately they've suffered nothing but pain, victimized by the fact that Kyle Boller is their fill-in starting QB and now dealing with a bid by Rush Limbaugh to purchase the team. And the worst part for the Rams is that even a 2-14 or 1-15 finish this year might not get them the #1 overall pick next year.

We feel for Rams fans. That's why we'll just give them the picture above and end this discussion.

Arizona Cardinals

Quick Reaction: It's understandable that the Cardinals had trouble filling Sun Devil Stadium in September when it was 110+ degrees and fans got to sit on metal bleachers. However, the above picture was taken at a game in November. Arizona in November = beautiful.

Suddenly the Cardinals become decent, enjoy a flash-in-the-pan 9-7 season and Super Bowl appearance and the NFL can't sell Boldin and Fitzgerald jerseys fast enough. I'd venture to guess most Cardinals "fans" couldn't tell you where the team used to be located. Or who Kurt Warner won a prior Super Bowl with.

Wait until the 6-10 seasons start up again. That flashy new stadium will only be filled for Super Bowl games.

San Francisco 49ers

Quick Reaction: You really do have to admire 49ers fans, even though there are many jokes that I could make about the picture above given San Francisco's stereotypical acceptance of alternative lifestyles and the presence of 9 men squeezing up against each other while wearing leather.

They stuck with the team through the really down late 90s and 2000s after the insanely good Montana and Steve Young years. They still fill the decrepit Candlestick Park (formerly Monster Park, formerly 3Com Park, formerly Candlestick Park) Sunday in and Sunday out.

And 49ers fans can take solace that no matter how bad things get, Al Davis is safely ensconsced across the Bay in Oakland, running that team into the ground.

Seattle Seahawks

Quick Reaction: You'd think that Seahawks fans would be latte-sipping alt-rock loving peaceniks. Not so fast, my friends.

Seahawks fans turn Qwest Field into one of the loudest, if not the loudest and hostile venues for opposing teams to visit. A friend of mine who visited Qwest Field for a Redskins-Seahawks game a few years ago swears that he was treated more harshly by Seahawks fans than Eagles fans. Not in terms of physical assaults, but in terms of constant verbal barrage of creative and well-thought-out insults, both personal and addressing the Redskins.

Plus, there's serious Microsoft money behind the Seahawks. I'm a PC, so I like that.

The Big Winner

Arizona Cardinals - In a division that is largely irrelevant and not known for its rabid fanbases, somebody has to be the "winner." We at ECB have no tolerance for bandwagon fans who couldn't give the time of day to a team for year after year, then suddenly profess long-standing fandom for that team as soon as they enjoy a modicum of success.

Next week one of us will tackle the AFC South.

College Football Picks - Week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Russell) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:28:00 +0000

More on time this week, the Red River rivalry, Touchdown Jesus vs. the Spoiled Children, and the battle of the Techs highlight the schedule.

Cincinnati (-2.5) over SOUTH FLORIDA - USF's best two victories are over FSU and Syracuse. While the Noles used to be good, they're not what they used to be. The Bearcats roll in this game, continuing my projection that they will win the Big East again.

Pitt (-3) over RUTGERS - This spread is ridiculous. Rutgers is 4-1 with victories over Howard, FIU (by 8), Maryland, and Texas Southern. Meanwhile, Pitt has beaten L'ville, UConn, and Navy, and lost a close game to NC State. Until Rutgers can pass the ball against a legitimate opponent, they'll get crushed like they did against the Bearcats.

Oklahoma (+3.5) over TEXAS - The Horns are struggling to run the ball and struggling to beat lesser opponents. Check out their scores at halftime vs Wyoming and Colorado. Meanwhile, the Sooners have Bradford back and have lost to 2 very good teams.

NOTRE DAME (+10) over Usc - The best programs don't rebuild, they reload. But this year, USC is taking a little longer than normal to get back to form. Claussen and the Irish are good enough to keep this close, with a little help from Touchdown Jesus and the home crowd.

Virginia (-3.5) over MARYLAND - Virginia dominated a BCS conference opponent last week. Maryland was down 35-10 at the half. I'm not sure Wake is that much better than Indiana. Even Maryland's victory over Clemson wasn't particularly convincing, and losing to Rutgers... see my thoughts on Rutgers above.

Virginia Tech (-3) over GEORGIA TECH - The concern here is GT's defense. 44 pts to FSU with zero stops in the first half, ugliness vs Miami, a couple bad quarters against Clemson... I don't anticipate the option putting up 49 on the Hokies' D, so Derrick Morgan and the rest of the Wreck defense need to have the game of their lives to stay in the ACC Championship discussion. Otherwise Ryan Williams and Tyrod will run wild in Atlanta.

Stanford (+4.5) over ARIZONA - I still like the Cardinal even after a pounding by the Beavers.

Last week: 5-3
Season: 22-20

Throwing a Flag on Excessive Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:01:00 +0000

Much has been made in recent weeks about stupid penalties for excessive celebration in college football that have had a direct impact on the games.

You want to talk about truly excessive celebration? Well, I ask you, what do each of the pictures above have in common? No, they are not pictures of the Angels and Yankees celebrating winning their respective division titles. Yes, they are pictures from the aftermath of games yesterday wherein the Angels and Yankees both clinched victories in the WILD CARD ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS.

All that the Angels and Yankees clinched yesterday was the right to play for the right to play in the World Series. That's it. They clinched getting into the second round out of three of the MLB playoffs.

In what other professional sport does this type of idiocy take place? Answer - none. You don't see teams giving the coach a Gatorade bath and shooting off champagne following a wild card round victory in the NFL. You don't see NHL teams shooting off champagne in the locker room following any other round of the playoffs but for the Stanley Cup. Occasionally an NBA team will spray champagne around the locker room for making it to the NBA finals. Or maybe because it's a routine Saturday night. Hell, even in the NCAA's, they cut down the nets for making it to the Final Four, but that's only after they've made it through four rounds of the tournament.

So Major League Baseball, stop already. Really the only people who you're keeping happy are the California vintners. To the rest of us, you look like a bunch of morons.