The Fortress of Sportitude

Daydream Believers

2010-09-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: These picks are purely for the sake of entertainment. No wagers are being made on my behalf nor are they being taken by me. If you're betting on games, you're an idiot. If you're using my picks to bet on games, at least you're doing it right. Last week would have been your most profitable week, so you might as well stop while you're ahead.

NFL Week 2 Picks

Chicago @ Dallas (-8)

Since his infamous clothesline of Brian Orakpo last Sunday night, Alex Barron has sent me and every other Cowboys fan into a whirlwind of emotions. I've even gone so far as to look up every single disastrous play the Cowboys have made in my 30-year existence. In no particular order:

Leon Lett's Superbowl gaffe
Leon Lett's Thanksgiving blunder
Romo's fumbled snap
Cheerleaders (I love the feature on youtube where random videos are generated on the side bar using some of your keywords!)

As much as I would like to pick the Cowboys at home, after a loss, and because I'll need antidepressants if I don't...they still have Alex Barron AND he's going up against Julius Peppers. Pick: Cowboys win but don't cover the spread 20-17 on a special teams play in the 4th quarter.

Arizona @ Atlanta (-7)

At any other point in the season, the Falcons would have the better record here. For that reason alone I've gotta go with the dirty-birds. Pick: Falcons cruise to a 31-16 win over the out gunned Cardinals don't call me Cardinal. (Note: I wonder if the Cardinals could actually beat the Stanford Cardinal this season? Stanford scored touchdowns on it's first eight possessions yesterday against Wake Forest.)

Baltimore @ Cincinnati (+3)

Can you say Monday night hangover? Baltimore grinded out a tough road victory last Monday against the Jets, but this road game within their division should be too much to handle on 5 days of rest. Pick: Cincy jumps ahead early on the strength of their passing attack and holds off a late Ravens comeback for a 24-20 victory. (Note: Did you know Mel Kiper Jr. is from Baltimore? Can we name Baltimore the official home of the skunk mullet? Just a thought.)

Kansas City @ Cleveland (-3)

Don't even second guess that spread. I've looked on bodog.com, espn.com, cnnsi.com, and every other site that invades your computer with online slot machine pop-up windows. It's legit. Nothing says respect like beating your division's defending champs and turning into 3-point dogs in Cleveland the following week. Either the Chiefs got really lucky last week or the Browns have vastly improved every part of their game. I'm going with option A. Pick: Kansas City puts the hurt on a Browns team that still doesn't know how to get over the Earnest Byner fumble from the 1987 AFC Championship game, 28-10.

Philadelphia @ Detroit (-7)

A criminal going to a crime riddled city to do his job....Mike Vick should be right at home in Detroit. Pick: Philly buys Andy Reid some more time by gutting the Lions 38-7.

Buffalo @ Green Bay (-14)

Our first double digit spread of the season, courtesy of the Buffalo Bills! Other than the fact that NFL teams don't typically score in the triple digits, I can't find one reason why that line isn't Green Bay (-100). Wait, I know...Brett Favre. Pick: Green Bay picks up another impressive win over a pathetic wannabe CFL squad, 34-9.

Pittsburgh @ Tennessee (-6)

Country music and wish-bone! That's what Nashville does! Wouldn't it be great to see Vince Young and Chris Johnson line up in the old wish-bone offense? Oh the collisions that would made near the sidelines! I've got goosebumps. The reality is that both teams play great defense, so you pick the team with the best player on offense and take a chance that they make some plays. Pick: Tennessee wins on a late fieldgoal, 13-10.

Miami @ Minnesota (-6)

Here's the play call in the Viking huddle:

Favre: Ok guys I've been cleared to play today after having 37 cortisone injections and you know they make my vision a little blurry. So, I can't read from my wrist band and I'm definitely not looking over Childress, he's just creepy. AP just line up behind me and block until I can figure out their defense. Harvin go deep, don't try to sit in the zone coverage, and I'll try not get your cappa detated from the rest of your body. Ready break!

Here's how it should be:

Peterson: Hey Brett did you collaborate with Keyshawn Johnson for your next book Just Let Me Throw the Damn Ball? Well, I collaborated with Bo Jackson on my running back skills...so, I'm just sayin.

Pick: Vikings get back on track with a 27-17 win.

Tampa Bay @ Carolina (-4)

Yawn. Pick: Tie 0-0. Just kidding. Panthers reel off a couple of late scores for a 24-17 win.

Seattle @ Denver (-4)

Kyle Orton and a slew of no-name receivers = winning while not covering the spread. Pick: Denver picks up a late field goal to rain on Pete Carroll's parade, 19-17.

St. Louis @ Oakland (-4)

Close call last week for Sam Bradford and company. I'm convinced this kid will be a good quarterback for the next ten years. The only sad thing is that Steven Jackson is in the twilight of his career and is likely to leave at the end of his current contract. Maybe they could talk Marshall Faulk out of retirement. Pick: Oakland gets all the bounces in a rough start for Bradford, 27-13.

New England @ NY Jets (+3)

Rex Ryan better get his offense in order or else the Super Bowl dream becomes a wet-dream over night. Randy Moss is on a mission to get a new contract and he might make it personal against Darrelle Revis (who did get a new contract). Pick: New England endures a sloppy first half and pulls away with a 24-17 victory.

Jacksonville @ San Diego (-7)

The statistics point to a San Diego blowout here. Historically, teams that travel from one coast to another have a hard time adjusting to the time difference. More so for West coast teams traveling east due to the early kickoff times. I'm still confused as to why a Super Bowl contending team would let their Pro-Bowl Left Tackle and Wide Receiver hold out. How do you not pay those guys? If I'm Phillip Rivers here's what I say, "I'm holding out, not for a new contract, but until you guys pony up some cash for my only playmaker and my best bodyguard." Pick: San Diego finds a way to win 23-20.

Houston @ Washington (+3)

Here's your typical hangover game. Let's see, who do we go with for the most hung over after beating their rivals at home in stunning fashion? Every bit of me wants to pick the Texans, but I've grown to learn that the NFL is all about experience in games like this. Pick: Washington finds another way to deflate the state of Texas, 27-20.

NY Giants @ Indianapolis (-5)

Manning vs. Manning. I'm not sure that actual football will be played during tonight's Manningfest. However, it is sponsored by Sony, DirecTV, Gatorade, Reebok, Oreo, the city of New Orleans, Archie Manning, the other Manning brother.....I'll be tuning into Mad Men, thank you very much. Pick: Manning puts together a late drive for a great comeback while the other Manning wears the infamous "Manning Face" the entire way and NBC cuts to it about 25 times including in the car riding home after the game. NY wins 28-24.

New Orleans @ San Francisco (+6)

The Saints have had extra time to prepare for this game while the Niners have been licking their wounds. Everything points to New Orleans here.....except two tiny little details. Outdoors. Grass surface. Just two seasons ago, this same high-flying Saints offense went 1-5 on grass. I'd like to think that playing without Darren Sharper and playing a road game outdoors on grass should level the playing field. Pick: 49ers come through on the strength on their defense and a great running attack, 24-23.

Last Week's Record - 10-3-2
Overall Record - 10-3-2

2010: The Year of the Defense?

2010-09-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for supporting the blog through last season and into what looks to be an exciting 2010 NFL season. No sophomore slump in this blog, no sir. This year we're going bigger, better and more in depth than last year starting with my weekly picks, followed up with a Tuesday analysis of the weekend's big games.

You won't find any college football coverage here. I'm not Mel Kiper, I'm not Kirk Herbstreit and until the bright folks at the NCAA devise some sort of real playoff system and start punishing the real culprits inside of each and every recruiting scandal, consider this my formal boycott. I mean really, why should Matt Barkley and the rest of the crew at USC take it on the chin for Reggie Bush's antics back in 2005? Why not prosecute these former "student"-athletes, who've cheated their fans and Universities, for committing fraud? Oh, I know...because the NCAA isn't exactly the straightest shooter out there.

Back to the league where players make an honest living and their only problem is finding enough party favors that would put the 70's ABA to shame.

Let's glance into my brand new Apple iCrystal (Amazon.com $399) and breakdown how things will shake out in Week 1.

NFL Week 1 Picks:

Miami @ Buffalo (+3)

Miami is this year's trendy pick to win the AFC East division and they got a huge break this season when the league office released the new schedules. The Dolphins learned their annually most unanticipated game on the schedule was set for early September and not mid December. An eager and hungry Dolphin squad will roll into Buffalo on Sunday expecting to walk away 1-0. Hold the phone. Isn't Bill Parcells still employed by the Dolphins? Well, something's rotten in Miami and it reeks of old tuna. Meanwhile, the Bills have flown under the radar for the past few months even after having a malignant tumor removed in the form of Terrell Owens. Combine that with the fact that home field advantage still exists in the NFL and this has all the makings of a 16-9 stink bomb. Pick: Buffalo, 16-9.

Detroit @ Chicago (-7)

Detroit's main focus this offseason was to get rid of anything or anyone with ties to Matt Millen. Much like Jimmy Johnson did with the Cowboys in the early 90's, Jim Schwartz started cleaning house on Day 1. A few gray hairs and roster moves later, Schwartz and company look primed for another losing season. The only difference between this season and seasons past will be their level of competitiveness. Expect a lot of close games out of these Lions, which should continue to help their confidence and give them hope in 2011. The Bears are looking for some dividends out of the Jay Cutler investment. I'm sorry, but when you put your franchise in the hands of a pouty spoiled brat, you get what you deserve. If you could compare NFL players to NBA players, Jay Cutler would be the equivalent of Baron Davis. He puts up great numbers, his teammates love him, and coaches love his game while continually being burned by his attitude. Pick: Detroit covers the spread but Chicago pulls off a come from behind 24-21 victory.

Oakland @ Tennessee (-7)

Chris Johnson has been salivating for this game since his 2009 run for the record books came up just short of Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. His twitter account has been on overdrive the past couple of months after he announced his goal of 2,500 yards rushing this year. Um, that's over 160 yards per game Mr. Johnson. Oh yeah, you have Vince Young at quarterback. This is totally doable. Pick: Tennessee runs wild for a 31-17 victory.

Cincinnati @ New England (-6)

All the talk this off-season about the Patriots has been more about their adolescent defense and not enough about Tom effing Brady and Randy Moss going into their 4th season together. I'm not sure if you're aware of this but those guys are locks for the Hall of Fame. If anyone thinks New England is on a "down" year...think again. Do you think Brady would sign an extension if he didn't feel like they had a chance to win every season? As for the Bengals, their roster has done enough hard time to rank them ahead of Adam Sandler's squad from The Longest Yard for best prison league football team of all-time. Pick: New England will restore the faith by manhandling one of the AFC's best defenses for a 34-20 victory.

Carolina @ NY Giants (-7)

Addition by subtraction was a common theme among NFL teams this off-season and the Panthers were no different. They dump flailing quarterback, Jake Delhomme on the Browns and have reason to believe that no matter who steps in to fill his shoes, they should be a considerable upgrade. Their defense should again be in the top 5 against the pass. Combine that with two above-average running backs and guess what you get? I have no idea. This team has more people confused than DiCaprio in his latest thriller, Inception. Eli Manning is prone to throw momentum killing interceptions and expect Ahmad Bradshaw to finally let the Giants know who the alpha dog is in their backfield. Pick: The Giants give Panther fans something to cheer about, but for how long? Panthers take it 17-14

Falcons @ Steelers (+1.5)

I'm guilty of being completely biased about this game. I can't stand people that rape or are accused of raping other people. Steelers: check. I can't stand over-hyped running quarterbacks. Steelers: check. I can't stand teams that have beaten the Cowboys in the Super Bowl. Steelers: check. Even after running through that checklist, I still love their defense, coach, stadium, nickname, and even Polamalu's hair. I hope for the Falcons sake that Matt Ryan isn't happy with being the Phillip Rivers of the NFC. The Falcons will be in the discussion for Super Bowl favorites every season as long as Ryan plays Mr. Nice Guy with the media. Please do not fall in love with the Chargers, Falcons, or Packers this season. Give me one guy on each defense that has a decent post-sack dance. You can't. Pick: Falcons were given this game when this famous quarterback decided that he was the coolest guy at a college club in Georgia. Falcons win running away, 27-13.

Cleveland @ Tampa Bay (-3)

This game is certainly right up there with Broncos vs. Jaguars for most irrelevant week one matchup. Neither team can play the Tebow card here and they are unmatched in anti-star power. Let's try to think of some superstars in this one....and now I've got a headache. Bring back CHUCKY!!! Pick: Experience will be key here and Cleveland runs rampant with guys who've sat on the bench before in the NFL. That's more than Tampa Bay can say for themselves. Cleveland wins this season's toilet bowl by a touchdown, 21-14.

Denver @ Jacksonville (-3)

I'm giving Denver about 3 quarters of football before they hand over the keys to Tim Tebow. Listen, they have no receivers and they really don't have a running game. Solution: Run Tebow, run! This won't be enough against just about every NFL team this side of Oakland. Pick: Jacksonville wins a laugher in front of their only sellout crowd (all wearing Tebow jerseys), 38-10.

Indianapolis @ Houston (+1.5)

I love the Texans at home against just about anybody. I especially love them against an aging Reggie Wayne and the non-existent running game of the Colts. However, I'm hung up on these three things:

Can Coach Kubiak really take this team to the elite level? Are both Texas teams doomed by their own head coaches?
Can Matt Schaub stay healthy for 20 straight weeks? He finally played an entire season last year, but that makes one out the past three.
How much of a homer are you if you're rooting for any team or player with the letters TEX in their names? I love Mark Texiera. How can you get rid of that guy if you're the Texas Rangers?

Pick: Texans finally get over the hump in this one. Schaub can at least make through week one, right? Houston wins 27-24.

Arizona @ St. Louis (+4)

This line really surprised me for the simple fact that both teams are pretty much throwing rookie quarterbacks into the mix. I know Derek Anderson has been in the league a few years, but he still plays like a rookie. Why else would Cleveland replace him with Jake Delhomme? In a battle of inexperienced offenses, I've gotta take the home team plus the points. Pick: Rams and Sam Bradford give St. Louis something to cheer about since their baseball team just crapped all over them the past two months. 23-20.

Green Bay @ Philadelphia (+3)

The Packers have been getting the publicity this off-season and rightfully so, but Philadelphia is still sneaky strong. I can't tell you how many times I've said they Eagles were toast and they always seem to make the playoffs. It should be interesting without McNabb leading the offense for the first time in over 10 years. I love home teams in Week 1, but I also love Aaron Rodgers' hair. Pick: Green Bay is too much for Kevin Kolb and company. 31-17.

San Francisco @ Seattle (+3)

Singletary vs. Carroll. Integrity vs. Bailout. Intensity vs. Street smarts. If this were a battle of morality, the 49ers win running away. Its not. The NFL doesn't hand out merit badges and sell cookies. Pick: Seahawks win on the strength of their home crowd and Carroll's enthusiasm. 13-10.

Dallas @ Washington (+3.5)

McNabb is 2-5 against the Cowboys in the past three seasons while playing for BETTER team. Why should tonight be any different? The Cowboys have concerns about the offensive line and how they're going to protect Tony Romo. Local media have been hammering this point into the ground for over a month now and I feel like they're overlooking an important aspect of the game, defense. The Cowboys still have DeMarcus Ware, Bradie James, Terrence Newman, and young Pro Bowler Mike Jenkins. Pick: Dallas wins a close one, 30-27.

Baltimore @ NY Jets (+1.5)

Most interesting match up by a long shot. Both teams play great defense, run the football effectively, and have big personalities. I love the off season acquisitions by the Ravens at wide receiver which was once their only weakness. The Jets have been in the spotlight this entire off-season and they appear to be up for the challenge. Monday night football will not get any better than this. Pick: I've gotta take the home team in a game like this. Jets win on a huge late defensive touchdown, 20-13.

San Diego @ Kansas City (+5)

Huh? Um, why was this game chosen to be a part of the Monday night doubleheader? Packers - Eagles? Cowboys - Redskins? Colts - Texans? Even the Raiders - Titans match up is more interesting. Oh well, Week 1 is still awesome. Pick: Kansas City will stun the NFL and expose the Chargers without the help of their star wideout, Vincent Jackson. 21-17.

How to fix the NBA's Slam Junk Competition

2010-02-14T08:27:00.000-08:00

For the first time in a very long time, the NBA's Slam Dunk Competition didn't have my heart racing as if I'd just wakeboarded through a shark tank. Instead, it left an aftertaste in my mouth that even Everclear and listerine couldn't wash out.

I wanna say this first: I don't have a problem with short guys. At my current height of 5'8", on a good day, it's inbred in me to cheer for the short guys. I love Darren Sproles, J.J. Barea, David Eckstein, Martin Short, Michael J. Fox, Tom Cruise and a slew of other midgetesque entertainers.

Sproles is that shifty running back that defenses lose sight of as soon as he hits the line of scrimmage. Barea makes seemingly impossible reverse layups over giant like statues of defenders. Eckstein was the improbable MVP of the 2006 World Series despite being overlooked by many teams his entire career. Short went virtually unnoticed during the better part of the 80's until his lead role alongside Danny Glover in the 1989 blockbuster, Pure Luck. Fox is Canadian. Cruise is some sort of demigod within his own religion...or something like that.

These guys are all role models for us short guys. The unwritten code among short guys goes something like this: We always have each others back. No matter what. Whether it's for an Emmy, Grammy, MVP, re-election, back-alley fight, it doesn't matter.

After the past three years of watching a midget should-be gymnast, Nate Robinson, win the NBA Slam Dunk Competition, I've had enough. The code can no longer interfere with my passion for the NBA and their celebrated "larger" than life competition. I'm putting my foot down and begging for a new rule to be enforced..."You must be this tall to ride this ride". Please, Mr. Stern.

The "show" that was put on last night by a midget and three nobodies was the most disappointing professional skills competition since they had pro athletes on American Gladiators. About midway through the second round, Charles Barkley said it best, "These guys better show us something before the crowd gets up and walks out." I'm sure the execs at TNT cringed when Chuck busted out with his disappointing comments, but he was simply stating the obvious.

If that's the best the NBA has to offer when it comes to a dunking competition, maybe they need to provide some incentives for the real big boys to come out and play. There was no way in hell that LeBron James or Kobe Bryant was going to compete in last night's dunk contest against a midget and a bunch of nobodies. What was there to gain?

In the 80's and 90's the dunk contest was all about pride and becoming a legend by doing something creative that no one had ever seen before. Think about guys like Dee Brown, Shawn Kemp, Harold Miner, Isaiah Rider, or Vince Carter. They will always be remembered more for their dunks than anything else they've accomplished on the court. Nowadays, the guys like LeBron and Kobe don't want to compete, because if they embarrass themselves, their ego would take a big hit and it might affect their current "legendary status". So, they play it safe.

Let me ask you something, why is LeBron already considered a legend in the same breath as Michael Jordan? Simply, the NBA's marketing juggernaut alongside Nike have made everyone believe that he's more of a legend than he really is. He has zero championships (Jordan had 6). He has two bronze medals and one gold (Jordan won two gold). He has one scoring title (Jordan had 10 scoring titles and an NCAA title). He's never won defensive player of the year. He's won zero slam-dunk competitions (Jordan won two). What I'm saying here is that he's not even close to Jordan and he never will be.

I don't care if he's only 25. He'll never catch up to Jordan in any of these categories...except one, the dunk contest. Lebron has the opportunity to seal his place in NBA folklore with some jaw dropping dunk contest performances that will put him in the same breath as Kobe and Jordan, even if he never wins a championship. But, if he doesn't win a championship or a dunk contest, he'll go down in history as the most selfish, over-hyped, over-rated player to ever play in the NBA.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has a great idea for fixing the dunk contest. He says to put up a million dollars and a super sports car and have a no holds barred winner take all contest . Anyone in the NBA can sign up. You get one dunk. Best dunk wins. The cash goes to the charity of their choice and the player keeps the car. Everyone would watch that, right? I believe that most of the big names in the NBA, including an arthritic Shaquille O'Neal, would compete in it.

Let me know what you think. Did you guys even watch the dunk contest last night? Did you not tune in because of the poor quality of dunkers? Did you tivo it like me and were damn glad that you didn't watch it live? Did you just not care at all?

Root for Peyton Manning because I said so!

2010-02-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm giving you all about 45 minutes of entertainment/ brainwashing just before tomorrow's big game. Because the game is between the Colts and the Saints, I feel like a ton of people are searching for a rooting interest during the big game and ESPN's unbiased coverage isn't helping.

Consider today's post as an educational sermon on why this year's Super Bowl has way more outside factors influencing which camp football fans outside of New Orleans and Indianapolis should join. If anything, you can take away that I'm giving you guys a cheaper way to be interested in the Super Bowl as opposed to making silly prop bets in Vegas or dumping 20 bucks into an office pool.

5 Reasons to watch Super Bowl XLIV and root for the Colts:

Peyton Manning. This video is a great clip of Peyton Manning mic'd up during a game against the St. Louis Rams. It really shows how passionate and emotional he can be when faced with adversity. It's also pretty funny how he comes back down to earth as soon as his 332 lb left tackle, Tarik Glenn tells him to sit down. Click here
Peyton Manning. Before his breakthrough on SNL, Manning was perceived as that silver spooned kid that never made mistakes and was always politically correct. Even I couldn't stand Peyton Manning. My favorite QB growing up, Steve Young, already had that throne in my book. I remember being a Tom Brady fan because he played the mysterious, overachieving underdog that didn't take flak from anybody. He also happened to date supermodels....and impregnate movie stars, simultaneously. Manning's SNL skit tipped the scales in his favor, especially after this United Way commercial.
Peyton, Eli, and Archie Manning. By far the greatest karaoke song.
Hitler loves the Colts. Especially Peyton Manning.
Peyton Manning's audibles are in Gaelic.

5 Reasons to Root against the Saints

Reggie Bush. How can you root for a guy that dates Kim Kardashian, went to college in Southern California, got paid to play college football, destroyed the credibility of his Alma-mater's football program, and won the Heisman Trophy over Vince Young in 2005? The only consolation out there for Reggie Bush haters would have to be this.
New Orleans is a dirty sodomy filled city. Been there twice and hated it both times.
Sean Payton. When he was Offensive Coordinator here for our beloved Cowboys, I clearly remember him calling ridiculous plays in the worst situations. The most memorable being a 4th and goal from the 1 yd line situation, down by 4, under a minute left against the Chargers. What came next? Fade route to to Keyshawn Johnson. Incomplete pass. Now all of the sudden he's the hottest coach in the NFL.
Saints - Party in the MIA Remix. Wow. Not only was the Miley Cyrus version lame, but this is without question the worst Super Bowl pep song ever.
Katrina. Get over it. It was almost 5 years ago and we're still hearing about how devastating it was. Let me ask you this...Did you ever once hear a New Yorker try to convince anyone to pull for the Yankees or the Giants after 9-11? How about the Oklahoma City Thunder? Do they request any sort of charity from the fallout of the Oklahoma City bombing of the 90's? All over ESPN they're covering how the city NEEDS this Super Bowl victory for it's rebuilding efforts. Um, no. You need to build a city somewhere that doesn't require levies and doesn't get blasted by Cat 5 hurricanes every 5 years. Think about this...after all of the money that was poured into the rebuilding effort by the federal, state, and local governments, not to mention individual contributions and volunteer hours, what are they going to do if they win tomorrow? Have a $2-3 million Super Bowl parade? On who's dime? Maybe they should have it Houston (where most of the city's population moved to after the storm), or possibly in San Antonio (where the Saints practiced and relocated to for the remainder of the 2005 season).

My point is that just because the city suffered through a tragedy doesn't mean that the rest of the nation has to jump on the bandwagon. The team's success has nothing to do with how the city is represented. Just look at Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Kansas City. If your team's success determined the general feeling of the city, then these cities would very high suicide rates, unemployment rates (sorry Detroit), etc.

If you couldn't care less about anything that I rambled on and on about...just root for Peyton Manning because he's a good guy.

4th and Done

2010-01-18T20:36:00.000-08:00

For 18 weeks now, Mondays have given football fans a day of heightened emotional exhaustion. Compounding the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat with an already tedious weekday that's typically characterized by high stress levels at the workplace. After mixing in an argument with your spouse, getting cut off in traffic by a teenager on their cell phone, and a sprinkle of unruly customers, "Overreaction Mondays" have given fans an opportunity to vent.

Message boards, chat rooms, talk radio, neighborhood bars, office water coolers, barbershops, etc...

No matter where you go on Monday, you'll be lucky to make it to lunch without hearing the chatter about yesterday's game.

For Dallas Cowboys fans, it's over.

Monday was your last chance to lie on the couch and tell Dr. Football what exactly has been bothering you since Brett Favre threw his 4th TD pass to humiliate your team the day before. I've gotta be honest, I couldn't even eat anything after that game. I found myself munching on some Doritos around 6 pm and finally able to slurp down some chicken noodle soup before bed. My bottom lip quivered and my eyes watered all night (this might have been caused by the tap water I used as contact solution, not a good idea). Favre had ripped my heart out like Kano's fatality move from Mortal Kombat.

Because of this unknown complex that I'm suffering from, I'm not getting into any specifics about the game. Ok, ok...maybe just one.

Let me paint the picture for you....

On the Cowboys first possession of the game the Cowboy offense moved the ball from just shy of their 20-yard line to the Minnesota 32-yard line and didn't show any signs of slowing down. Minnesota looked as if they were laboring against the run and Felix Jones had already squirted through for a couple of 8 to 10-yard carries. Even Miles Austin had a key 7-yard carry to convert a key third down situation.

Cowboys kicker, Shawn Suisham starts trotting out onto the field to attempt a 49-yard FG on a 4th and 1 situation...

A Field Goal?? Seriously, Wade?? On 4th and ONE?? With the score 0-0??

Did I mention that our kicker was 7-13 for his career kicking inside of domes?

It's impossible to pinpoint where everything went wrong for the Cowboys in such a lopsided game. If it wasn't Tony Romo, who looked like Willie Beamon in Any Given Sunday after he'd put himself before the team and his offensive line refused to block for him. Or our porous secondary who was torched by Jerry, I mean Sydney, Rice, for not one, not two, but THREE touchdowns. Or maybe Red Jesus and his play calling on offense? This is all fair game on Overreaction Monday, but my question goes to Wade Phillips...

What happened to being aggressive and pulling out all the stops in a must win game on the road?? Why didn't you go for it on 4th and 1?

That's it. There's nothing else to say.

In my opinion, this season was a success. We're off the hook as far as the 13-year playoff win drought goes. Our defense looked like a top-5 squad the second half of the season, against some pretty stiff competition I might add. And our QB and head coach have taken that ugly monkey off their backs.

Here are some things that Cowboys fans have to look forward to next year:

Cowboys Stadium is the best stadium in the NFL, by far. I encourage anyone that lives within a 500 mile radius of Arlington to check it out. It doesn't matter what type of event you go to, the stadium alone will blow you away. I just hope that it got the attention of some soon-to-be free agents this offseason.
Jerry Jones will make the necessary moves to get his team over the hump. It will be up to the players and the coaches to make it happen next season. Mark my words, as soon as Jerry starts holding people accountable, the Cowboys will return to their glory days of the 90's.
Standout seasons by Jay Ratliff, Mike Jenkins, Miles Austin, Anthony Spencer, and Felix Jones should be the tip of the iceberg. Each one of these guys made huge contributions and where pretty much afterthoughts before the season started. Now they're on the map and it will make game planning against the Cowboys that much more difficult.
Finally, Tony Romo's age is getting up into the area of "Super Bowl" or "Bust" as far as his career's concerned. The added pressure should motivate Romo to work harder this offseason and come into 2010 with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

Here are some pics of the Cowboys - Eagles playoff from a couple of weeks ago. Sorry it took so long! We had really great seats!

Playoff Drought - RIP

2010-01-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

Felix! Felix! Felix!

Those were the chants permeating inside the ninth wonder of the world, known as Cowboys Stadium, during the third quarter of last night's Cowboys/Eagles playoff game in Arlington, TX. Felix Jones had just ripped off an untouched 73 yard touchdown run, the longest in Cowboys playoff history. Felix's TD run made the score 34-7, Cowboys favor, with just over 20 minutes remaining in the game. You could feel it in the crowd. You could sense it in the air. You could see it on Coach Phillips' face (if you were looking at the largest flat screen in the world).

The Cowboys were about to pull off an improbable season long trifecta against their bitter rival the Philadelphia Eagles, and most importantly, end a 13 year-long playoff drought.

Two days prior to the game, my mother called me and asked if I would like to go to my first ever Cowboys playoff game for my birthday. I believe my response was something along the lines of, "Hell yeah!" or "That would be nice.". We were able to track down a couple a tickets online in section 219, at a very reasonable price I might add.

Realistically, I wasn't expecting much of a view. I've been to Cowboys games in the old Cowboys Stadium, and I've sat in just about every section. I can honestly say that the best seats were on the 50 yard line in the second deck. You're high enough to see over the players on the sideline and close enough to take in all the action on the field. Last night, we had two of the best seats in the house for the money. The thing is...every seat in the house is phenomenal.

From the time we were molested by security guards walking into the stadium, to avoiding all the meandering drunkards outside of the stadium after the biggest Cowboys win in recent memory...the experience had to be one of the greatest sports spectacles I've ever witnessed. I found myself watching the big screen for the majority of the game...along with high-fiving about 7 different people every time the Cowboys made a big play. My hand is killing me today.

My only complaint about the whole night is this...Eagles Suck! Eagles Suck! Eagles Suck! That was the clever chant the Cowboy fans repeated throughout the night. Please Cowboy fans, let's get a little more creative.

So overall, it was a fantastic game between a seemingly cohesive Cowboys squad and a flailing Eagles team that needed a trick play from a former dog fighter to get on the scoreboard. My buddy that went to the game with me, Tyler, said, "I wonder if Keith Brooking will go up to Mike Vick and say "I sure am glad we got the hell out of Atlanta."?

These were a few things that hit me during the game:

1. Mike Jenkins is the next great shutdown corner in the league. He and Terrance Newman held Eagles wideout, Desean Jackson, to three catches for 14 yards in last night's game. Jenkins also added two interceptions during the game and made one hell of a play on a key deep ball in the first half that could have been a turning point in the game.

2. The Dallas pass rush is downright scary. They remind me of the days of Charles Haley, Russell Maryland, Jim Jeffcoat, and Ken Norton. That defense was also overlooked because of all the stars on offense. The similarities give me goosebumps. I'm going to pray for Brett Favre next weekend. If what we did to Donovan McNabb is any indication...imagine what we can do to a 40 year old quarterback with zero agility.

3. Wade Phillips will keep his job next season, no matter what happens in Minnesota. Just by getting the monkey off his back last night, Phillips has all but secured his job with the Dallas Cowboys for at least another season.

4. Next weekend's game against Minnesota is my unofficial "Super Bowl". In my opinion, these are the two most balanced teams in the NFL. I feel like New Orleans faded down the stretch and lost their edge against Dallas. Indianapolis cannot make any stops in the fourth quarter. Every close game that they played in this year, the other team made boneheaded mistakes or went for it on fourth down as if they were playing a game of Madden. Minnesota and Dallas are the only two teams that you know what you're going up against when you play them. Relentless pass rush, smart middle linebackers, and balanced secondaries on defense. Quarterbacks capable of making every throw, running backs with home run speed, tight ends that move the chains and wide outs that are red zone threats on offense. I'm stoked about next week's "Super Bowl". Let me know what you think!

Hibernation

2009-12-29T20:13:00.000-08:00

Dear readers (all nine of you),

My wife and I have been on a whirlwind of a holiday vacation since December 21st and this is literally the first time I've been able to sit down and put it all on paper. Err...keyboard. Err...you know what I mean. I would give you all an apology, albeit an empty one, that would be a little bit like winning a trophy for finishing in last place. I guess you can't really measure your stress/frustration level in the game of life when you're a.) trying to start a sports blog from scratch b.) taking 12 hours of classes this semester c.) working part-time in an industry that you never knew existed until 5 months ago, and d.) newly married since June 2009.

So, when a vacation presents itself....you seize the day my friends. That's exactly what I did. No blog. No school. No work. No wife....wait a second, she's still here. Well 3 for 4 isn't bad.

Over the past few weeks, my life has been oddly fulfilled. Maybe being married has some perks that I wasn't aware of. For instance, you get to celebrate multiple Christmases. We celebrated Christmas with her family in Houston first, then hustled up to Mabank for a quick Nichols family Christmas. I understand that it may start out being a perk and may eventually end up a nightmare, but Christmas 2009 was outstanding in my book. (The PS3, EOS Rebel, The Hangover DVD, and other goodies were just icing on the cake!)

To make a long story short, I'm still on vacation. Consider this my version of checking in. Or out...whichever makes more sense to you. I'll return to my normal weekly blog after the BCS National Championship game on January 8th. My plan is to be the Vince Young of sports bloggers. Promising start....everything goes haywire for few weeks....then reels off seven straight wins out of nowhere. As my good friend Khayam would say, "I'll understand quantum physics 'fore I understand the NFL."

Have a happy New Year!

JNick

P.S. - Send me your New Year's resolutions. I'd like to know what everyone is planning for 2010.

Diggler and His Snarling Face

2009-12-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

Initially this post was going to be geared towards my NFL picks for the day, but yesterday, my buddy Tyler had some tickets to last night's Mavs/Bobcats game. I know what you're thinking. The Bobcats? Yes, those Bobcats.

Let me explain. I really wanted to watch the Mavs live this year, especially after their key off-season acquisitions of Tim Thomas, Drew Gooden, and Roddy Beaubois. No I didn't. Yes I did. No I didn't. Actually, the mere thought of watching Tim Thomas and Drew Gooden on the same team, and taking a chance of seeing two of the most underachieving players in NBA history taking the court together, had not even entered my mind all season. What the hell, right?

Man, I'm glad I went to that game.

As always, the AA center was rocking the usual 106.1 KISS FM hip-hop jams before the game and occasionally catered to the middle aged crowd by sprinkling in some Tom Petty, Aerosmith, and some Stones. I'm still amazed at how easily accessible the arena is from I-35 and how painless it is park and get in and out of the game. The other Dallas owner should take a page out of Mark Cuban's book. There's a reason the Mavs have sold out their last 350+ games and have won over 50 games in each of the past 9 seasons.

The final quarter and overtime couldn't have been more entertaining. Mr. Diggler (Dirk Nowitzki) overshadowed any sort of black cloud that loomed over Dallas last night. He led the Mavs with 36 points and the go-ahead face snarling, fade-away jumper with 1.7 seconds left in OT.

What made this victory even sweeter was the look on Stephen Jackson's face after Dirk hit the game winning shot. Jackson has to be the second most disliked player in the NBA behind Ron Artest. Mavericks fans reserve a spot at the front of the line for the chance to inflict pain on this man at all costs. (Detroit fans could claim first, but they're worried more about the economy these days)

In 2006-07, the Mavs flirted with the best record in NBA history and were believed by many to be one of the greatest teams ever. That memorable season for the Mavs just happened to be wedged between two of the worst sports scenarios of all-time.

Scenario #1, June 2006: Dallas was fortunate enough to play it's way through a 7 game series against San Antonio and a 6 game series against Phoenix in order to make the franchise's first ever NBA Finals appearance. The Mavs jumped out to a quick 2-0 series lead with convincing victories over Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat. To make a long story short and to keep me from chucking my wireless mouse across the room, Wade went on to take 73 free-throws in the final four games of the series to capture the title for the Heat. (I'm gonna have to side with Tim Donaghy here.)

Scenario #2, June 2007: Following their run at history, the Mavericks, for one night, took their foot off the gas and rested their starters before the playoffs. This proved to be one of the biggest blunders in sports history as the Mavericks were defeated in the first round of the playoffs and became the butt of many NBA jokes for the second straight year.

I'm not sure if the Mavs head coach, Avery Johnson, did it out of respect for his mentor and former coach, Don Nelson, or if he was just giving his starters a night off to regain their legs. This much I do know, it wasn't the final game of the regular season, it was the second to last game. The Mavs actually played their starters in the final game of the season and that's what makes this weird. Did the Mavericks want to face off in the first round of the playoffs against their former head coach and his erratic style of play, which happened to beat them 3 out of 4 times during that particular regular season? OR....did the NBA arrange this series? I would argue the latter based on the TV ratings for that series (3.77 million viewers for Game 7).

Anyway, this brings me to my point. Stephen Jackson and his thug attitude during that 2007 playoff series were so polarizing to Dallas fans that he immediately was cast into the same breath as Leon Lett, Roy Tarpley, Jim Jackson, and any Washington Redskins player. So last night was a great way to get back at Stephen Jackson and his shenanigans (note: Jackson scored 28 points and every time he made a shot, the crowed just hissed. I loved it.).

Tim Thomas and Drew Gooden combined for 15 min of playing time. Whew.

NFL Picks are below!

Week 14 - NFL Picks

2009-12-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

Week 14 - NFL Picks:

Indy -7 over Den and OVER 43.5

Cincy +7 but lose to Min and UNDER 42.5

NYJ -4 over TB and OVER 36.5

Buf -2 over KC and UNDER 38

Chi +4 over GB and OVER 41.5

NO -10.5 over ATL and OVER 50

Det +14 but lose to BAL and UNDER 40

MIA +4 over Jax and OVER 43

NE -13 over CAR and OVER 43.5

SEA +7 over HOU and UNDER 44.5

STL +13 but lose to TEN and UNDER 41

OAK +1 over WAS and OVER 37.5

DAL -3 over SD and OVER 48.5

NYG +1.5 over PHI and UNDER 43.5

ARI -4 over SF and OVER 44.5

Last week's record - crappy

Overall record - above crappy

Heisman Trophy Jinx?

2009-12-08T17:23:00.000-08:00

The following exchange was taken from a future conversation at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York on, or around the night of December 11, 2009:

(Silence in the room...)

Trophy Presenter: Let me ask you guys again, which one of you really, and I mean REALLY, wants to win this year's Heisman Trophy?

(...more silence)

Tim Tebow: Here we go again. You know, this is the third time that I've been invited to this crappy event and I just wish you guys would leave me alone. I've sacrificed enough already. Friday nights are game nights for my bible study, and tonight I'm missing Settlers of Catan. Plus, I could really use this time to work on my throwing mechanics and try to impress the NFL scouts with another heroic performance in a bowl game.

Mark Ingram: What's with this dark room? Why are all the doors locked?

Ndamakong Suh: Look, I didn't come all the way from Nebraska to be involved in some crazy head game. I came to win what's rightfully mine.

Toby Gerhart: Wait, I thought members of the media voted for the winner?

T.P.: Mr. Gerhart, you surprise me. I certainly would have pegged you as a historian of the game, especially coming from Stanford, a program with such academic tradition. Gentlemen, all of you must realize the profound risk you're taking by accepting or declining this prestigious award. Over the past 20 years, many of the game's greatest players have come before you, in this very room, and decided their own fates. This is far from a game, as Mr. Suh would have you believe, it's your future.

Colt McCoy (shocked): Jeez, you guys were serious last year. Bradford had me convinced this was all just a hoax and he accepted the award because he's claustrophobic and has bladder control problems when he's locked in a dark room, or maybe that only happens in the huddle. Darn it Suh, why'd you have to hit me so many times last week?

T.P.: As you all know, Sam Bradford was the gracious recipient of the trophy last year and surprised us all when he chose to stay in school for another year of "seasoning". Shortly after the ceremony, we cautioned Mr. Bradford about the, um...side effects of winning our coveted award. He refused to listen to the voice of reason that encouraged him to enter the NFL draft and become financially secure before any forces that the trophy may exert could affect him negatively.

McCoy: You're telling me that the trophy was responsible for Sam's injury?

T.P.: Not completely. It was Mr. Bradford's fate. He watched his entire offensive line leave for the NFL and/or graduate and it was he, himself, who decided to carry the hopes and dreams of an entire state on his "shoulders". Sadly, that was such a tremendous amount of pressure that, in the end, his shoulder just couldn't withstand.

Tebow: Why didn't anything happen to me the past two seasons, after becoming the first sophomore ever to win the Heisman?

T.P.: Tim, sometimes the trophy waits to unleash it's powers until a player begins his career in the NFL.

Gerhart: So, are you saying that there's a guarantee that something bad will happen to whoever accepts the Heisman Trophy?

T.P.: Gentlemen, the numbers don't lie. Success in the NFL has eluded even the best of college players over the past 20 years. Let me give you some examples: Andre Ware, Ty Detmer, Gino Torretta, Charlie Ward, Rashan Salaam, Danny Wuerffel, Ron Dayne, Chris Weinke, Eric Crouch, Jason White, Matt Leinart, and Troy Smith...

Gerhart: If my Stanford math is accurate, that's 12 out of the last 20 and it doesn't even include Bradford and Tebow.

T.P.: That's right. Even in the rare case in which the Heisman trophy winner had moderate success in the NFL, the trophy showed no mercy. Ricky Williams tested positive for marijuana and took a year off to smoke drugs and learn the ancient Indian system of holistic medicine. Eddie George performed particularly well for a Heisman winner, but his Titans came up one yard short in Super Bowl XXXIV. Another winner, Carson Palmer, led the Bengals to an 11-5 record and a division title in only his second season as starter. He then suffered a career threatening knee injury on his first ever pass attempt in the playoffs. Shall I keep going?

Suh: What about Charles Woodson, the last defensive player to win the Heisman?

T.P.: Charles had experienced great success in both his college and pro careers, but as you may have already guessed, the Heisman curse struck again at the most unfortunate of times. Woodson's sack and forced fumble on Tom Brady in the snow covered 2002 AFC Divisional playoff game appeared to have propelled the Raiders to a surefire victory. After a long review of the play, the referees ruled in favor of the Patriots and Mr. Brady, claiming his arm was moving forward at the time of the fumble. Vinatieri nails a 23 yarder for the victory.

Tebow: Look guys, don't let this clown scare you. Those are all just strange coincidences that happen to involve Heisman Trophy winners. Take it from me, the trophy has given me many blessings over the past two years and I don't expect any of that to change.

McCoy: But Tim, what if you get drafted by the Browns?

Gerhart: Or even worse, Colt...the Raiders? Holy smokes. You can count me out.

Tebow: Yeah, I don't really want to chance that whole Raiders thing. I'm gonna leave this one up to the man upstairs. I'm out.

McCoy: We fought hard all season long and I want to win the national championship this year. I'm out.

Suh: The only rule the NFL is going to make that involves my name will be because I tore off some quarterback's head. I'm out.

(All four seniors stare at Mark Ingram)

to be continued...

NFL - Week 13 Picks

2009-12-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

NFL Week 13 Picks

Den (-6.5) @ KC O/U 39

Denver had a long week to prepare for this abysmal Kansas City squad. I like Josh McDaniels against Jeff Haley in a match up of Super Bowl Offensive Coordinators. The funny thing about this game is that both coaches are trying to build their team around the defense. Pick: Den by 13 and UNDER

Oak (+15) @ Pit O/U 37

Ben R. is coming back this week and should be well rested after his controversial "concussion" in Week 11. Here's what kills me about the Steelers. For a team that's known for being so tough and physical, they always seem to have a key player sit out for their games against the Ravens. Jerome Bettis was notorious for it and recently it's been Ben R. and Willie Parker. I'm glad Hines Ward had the guts to call him out...even if it was in the wrong context. He's probably sick of playing the Ravens too, but he's always been out there. Pick: Pit by 10 and UNDER

Hou (-1.5) @ Jax O/U 47

Houston's season was lost in the last two weeks. It was a snowball effect that started with the loss of their All-Pro TE, Owen Daniels. I look for the snowball to continue to build up as Coach Gary Kubiak starts packing his bags. Pick: Jax by 7 and OVER

Ten (+7) @ Ind O/U 46

This game is so bizarre for so many different reasons. If this had been in Week 7, their records would've been like this: Ten (0-6) @ Ind (6-0). Now, Tennessee is riding a 5 game win streak into Indy, who looks poised to remain undefeated. Guess when Tennessee started winning again? When Jeff Fisher pulled his famous Peyton Manning jersey stunt at the Tony Dungy charity event....Pick: Ten by a late FG and UNDER

Phi (-5) @ Atl O/U 43.5

Matt Ryan's turf toe may scare everyone else, but I'm a firm believer in Atlanta's journeyman back-up quarterback, Chris Redmond. It reminds me of when Steve Buerlein guided the Cowboys to the playoffs in the mid-90's. I also think this McNabb/Vick charade in Philly has just about worn everyone out. During their games, Vick is seen pouting away on the bench as McNabb seems to pull out victories without much help on offense. Both guys will probably be out of Philly at the end of yet another disappointing season. Pick: Atl by 4 and OVER

Det (+13.5) @ Cin O/U 42

I don't even want to get into the reasons why this game is so uninteresting. Pick: Cin by 7 and UNDER

NO (-10) @ Wash O/U 47

This game will get national attention for about 5 minutes. Washington will appear to have everything going their way for three quarters of the game, and Drew Brees will lead his Saints team on a late game scoring barrage to pull off the victory and keep their undefeated season alive. Pick: NO by 7 and UNDER

TB (+4) @ Car O/U 40

I'll take the underdog against Carolina any day of the week. Pick: Car by 3 and OVER

Stl (+9) @ Chi O/U 41

Can Jay Cutler pull himself together for a solid game this week? For his sake, I sure hope so. He doesn't want Urlacher to call him any more names this week. Pick: Chi by 17 and OVER

NE (-5) @ Mia O/U 46

I love New England in this game. Every bounce would have to go Miami's way in order for them to win this game. The chances of that happening are about 5 to 1...this is the NFL you know. Pick: NE by 14 and OVER

SD (-14) @ Cle O/U 42.5

San Diego is just playing their butts off on offense this year. Cleveland would rather not even put their offense on the field. Pick: SD by 17 and OVER

SF (-1) @ Sea O/U 41/5

Not interested....too far away. Pick: SF by 3 and UNDER

Dal (-1) @NYG O/U 45.5

Tony Romo's accuracy will be the question in this game. It's already a huge concern for the Cowboys and playing in the swirling winds at Giants Stadium doesn't help the matter. If we can see Miles Austin's pearly whites at least 3 times, then it will be a good day. Pick: Dal by 4 and UNDER

Min (-1.5) @ Ari O/U 48.5

The Vikings roll against frat boy, Matt Leinart. Pick: Min by 20 and UNDER

Bal (+3.5) @ GB O/U 43

Is it cold in Green Bay this early in December? With all of this talk about global warming and the polar ice caps melting, I'm not so sure. If it's cold, I like the Ravens. If it's chilly, I like the Ravens. If it's abnormally warm, I like the Ravens. Pick: Ravens by 3 and OVER

Old School

2009-12-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

Call me boring. Call me a antiquated. Call me old school. Whenever I watch college football these days, it makes me cringe every time I see a "dual threat" quarterback, a 6'7" point guard, or better yet, a 6'4" 230lb safety. My problem isn't with the athlete that I'm watching. They're hardly to blame for using their athletic gifts.

The blame lies solely on the shoulders of the college and high school coaches who misguide their student-athletes. Are these coaches doing their due diligence or are they just trying to be progressive in their respective sports at the expense of their athletes?

Naturally, every sports fan will fire back at me with shots like "what's wrong with being progressive?" or "Isn't a dual threat QB a good thing?". My response is that there's nothing wrong with being progressive and yes, a dual threat QB is a great thing...when they happen to be a pocket passer with wheels and can score in the double digits of a Wonderlic test and by being progressive, it actually means improving an already functional system.

Let me ask you this: Can you name more than one dual threat QB to win a Super Bowl or a National Championship? There are three names that come to mind: Former Texas QB, Vince Young in 2005, current University Florida QB, Tim Tebow, and former 49er great, Steve Young, have been the most successful dual threat quarterbacks in football. Tebow and Vince Young have electrified fans with their play-making ability and carried their respective teams to NCAA titles. Steve Young didn't exactly electrify with his feet as much as he did with his laser-guided left arm, but he did rack up 4,239 career rushing yards.

Now, let me ask you this: How many athletic quarterbacks were highly regarded in college, but failed to win championships, and were high draft picks in the NFL and yet again, failed to win Super Bowls? I can name at least eight: Michael Vick (1st Overall Pick), Donovan McNabb (2nd Overall), Alex Smith (1st Overall), Charlie Ward (played in the NBA), Eric Crouch (Played 1 season as WR in the NFL), Randall Cunningham (2nd Round), Kordell Stewart (Played WR/RB/QB/P in the NFL), and Steve McNair (lost in the Super Bowl).

Suppose you were a coach and a statistician came up to you with a breakdown of the previous two paragraphs that looked like this -

Probability that your "dual threat" quarterback will win an NCAA championship - 1/20 (There have been four to six that have ever done this by my count, and Eric Crouch is a stretch)

Probability that your "athletic" quarterback will win a Super Bowl in the NFL - 1/43 (only one Super Bowl win by Steve Young)

No coach in their right mind would set up their own players for failure in their future professions for the sake of padding their own coaching resume, right? One would like to think so, but then there's Urban Meyer. He's at the head of the class when it comes to coaching quarterbacks with "upside" that eventually crumble in the NFL. Meyer's list includes the aforementioned Tebow, Josh Harris, Chris Leak, and Alex Smith. Each were utilized in his "progressive" spread offense that has won Meyer two national championships, two Mountain West Conference championships, and two Southeastern Conference championships. (Honorable mention for the coach who's most likely to kill a quarterback's chances in the NFL would have to be Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech - Michael Vick, Marcus Vick, Bryan Randall, and Tyrod Taylor to name a few)

Not surprisingly, Meyer's version of the spread has produced some of the most prolific individual rushing and passing seasons by a college quarterback in the history of college football. This is great for Meyer and even better for his quarterbacks...while they're still in school anyways. What is surprising is the lack of translation those numbers have when it comes to the NFL.

Meyer's spread offense demands athleticism and a strong arm. His quarterbacks rely on the scheme and their instincts. The occasional Cover 2 read or blitz read is needed, but for the most part, the plays are designed so well that it doesn't matter what defense they're facing. This may win his quarterbacks a Heisman Trophy or two, but it does them no justice when it comes to preparation for the NFL. My fear is that as long as sports fans and the media are obsessed with statistics, Meyer will always be judged as one of the best coaches in our era and continue to ruin the professional-potential of his quarterbacks.

The very thought of college football turning into nothing more than a high scoring track meet doesn't interest me one bit. There's a reason why track-and-field is only televised once every four years and that the Arena Football League quit for a season to "reorganize". I'll take a 20-17 chess match of field position, defensive adjustments, and a handful of play-action passes any day of the week. The day college football returns to it's glory of decades past, I'll consider myself a fan.

Side Note: While writing this, I was watching the SEC Championship game between Florida and Alabama. Here's what I came away with about Tebow and Alabama's pocket-passer, Greg McElroy:

Perhaps this was Tebow's only game of his career against an NFL type defense...he didn't look comfortable at all. He still holds the football too low during his drop backs and his accuracy leaves a lot to be desired.

Greg McElroy (Southlake Carroll HS, Texas), looked like Joe Montana in this game. He made every subtle play that a pocket-passer is expected to make to lead his team to a victory. His decision making was sharp and the execution of his throws was phenomenal.

Check back tomorrow for my NFL picks!

There's a game on tonight??

2009-12-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

The first thing that I want to talk about this week is how embarrassed I am with last week’s picks. I could go on and on about all of the games that should have gone one way, but went the other. However, let’s start with some positives.

In just my second week of NFL picks, I’ve already established that I’m money picking the games straight up. I’m currently picking games at a 75% clip and in the past two weeks I’ve nailed four huge upsets and was on the verge of a fifth until the Eagles scored 11 unanswered points in the fourth quarter against the Redskins. This is what I love about the NFL, the unpredictable nature of the beast. The thing that bothers me is this: I can’t remember a single season in which we’ve had this many great teams (Colts, Saints, Vikes, Cowboys, Pats, Chargers), even more bottom feeders (Lions, Browns, Rams, Bucs, Bills, Raiders, Redskins, Chiefs), more questionable coaching decisions, and less season ending injuries. The first and last part of the previous sentence is encouraging, but the other two parts are just terrifying. Where do those cellar dwellers go after this season? What can they possibly do to become relevant again? Is there anyone coming out of next April’s draft that can turn a franchise around? Sorry, the A.D.D. was kicking in there. Back to the picks…

Thursday Night - NFL Pick

NYJ (-3) @ Buf O/U 37

First, I would wager that 80% of America doesn’t have a clue about this game being televised tonight. This would be the game of the week if it were in Week 2 or 3, but Rex Ryan’s emotional breakdown, Mark Sanchez’s seven INTs in the past three games, and T.O.’s sub-par 3 TDs in the first 11 games of the season have given this game the same kind of buildup as the Lions/Browns matchup from Week 11. That game just so happened to be one of the most entertaining games of the season. I look for a similar pattern in tonight’s game. Buffalo’s defense will outscore New York’s offense and defense. Pick: Buf by 4 and OVER

Even after last week’s mediocre performance, I’m still profitable against the spread at 55%. I'm not so profitable when it comes to the Over/Under, my prognosticating abilities are shaky at best. My picks are a Shaq Free-Throwesque 44%. Here’s a breakdown of the past two weeks of football foresight:

Week 11 vs. spread: 10-6

Week 12 vs. spread: 7-8-1

Total: 17-14-1

Week 11 straight up: 14-2

Week 12 straight up: 10-6

Total: 24-8

Week 11 O/U: 8-8

Week 12 O/U: 6-10

Total: 14-18

NFL - Week 12 Picks

2009-11-29T10:04:00.000-08:00

NFL - Week 12 Picks

Ind (-3.5) @ Hou O/U 48

The Texans are coming off a disappointing loss to the Titans on Monday night and the Colts are savoring a fresh victory over the Ravens. Taking the points against a shaky Indy secondary would be a wise move considering Dwight Freeney is out of today’s contest. Matt Schaub should take advantage of the extra time in the pocket and lead the Texans to a much needed victory over the rival Colts. Pick – Hou by 7 and UNDER

Cle (+14) @ Cin O/U 39.5

Both teams are coming back from devastating last-second road losses. Cincinnati appears to be prematurely anointed as a contender after their loss to the lowly Raiders. Two touchdowns are a lot of points for the Bengals to lay considering they’ve scored 17, 18, 17, 45, and 17 in their last 5 games. Pick – Cin by 9 and OVER

Wash (+10) @ Phi O/U 40.5

The Redskins are pathetic. These are the same banged up Redskins that came into Dallas and played their best game of the year and still only managed 6 measly points. Their number one ranked pass-defense shouldn’t scare the Eagles into throwing less and I expect LeSean McCoy to have a career day. This one could be close until halftime. Pick – Phi by 13 and OVER

Mia (-3.5) @ Buf O/U 39

The Bills would appear to have the deck stacked against them this week. Miami is coming off a quasi bye-week after playing last Thursday night, they’ve fired their head coach, Dick Jauron, and they lost a heartbreaker to Jacksonville last Sunday. That all equals one HUGE win for the Bills. Last Sunday, Terrell Owens had the breakout game that Buffalo fans had been yearning for all season. He should parlay that performance into another huge game today. Pick – Buf by 10 and UNDER

Sea (-4) @ Stl O/U 42.5

This game is just plain ugly. Nothing about this game interests me at all. Steven Jackson is having a remarkable season for the Rams, but he can’t find the end-zone unless he scampers for a 50 yarder. The Seahawks have a decent pass defense and should keep this low scoring. Pick – Stl by 3 and UNDER

TB (+13) @ Atl O/U 46

The Falcons have been looking forward to this game for quite some time now. They’ve gone 1-4 in their last 5 games against the Giants, Panthers, Redskins, Saints, and Cowboys. Atlanta should be able to pull everything back together and get back in the playoff picture with a BIG win over the Bucs. Pick – Atl by 20 and OVER

Car (+3) @ NYJ O/U 41.5

I’m running out of time here on my picks, I’m just going to keep this short and sweet. Sanchez is terrible at home. Pick – Car by 7 and UNDER

Jax (+3.5) @ SF O/U 42.5

Gore vs. Jones-Drew and over 1000 miles of traveling after Thanksgiving….Pick – SF by 10 and OVER

KC (+14) @ SD O/U 45

I need SD to blow the Chiefs out today in order to stay relevant in my Fantasy leagues…Pick – SD by 17 and UNDER

CHI (+11) @ Min O/U 47

Favre and his league leading passer rating are playing at home for what seems like the 37^th time this season. Pick – Min by 14 and OVER

Ari (+3) @ Ten O/U 45

Arizona plays better on the road than at home and Vince Young still hasn’t convinced me to jump on the bandwagon. Pick – Ari by 10 and OVER

Pit (NL) @ Bal O/U NL

Ben R. isn’t playing this weekend, so that makes for an interesting matchup of the Ravens defense against the stick figure the Steelers are starting at QB, Dennis Dixon. Pick – Bal wins a close and entertaining game.

NE (+3) @ NO O/U 56.5

I have to take the Pats in this one because the torch hasn’t officially been passed down to the Saints and the Pats aren’t just going to roll over. Pick – NE by 10 and UNDER

2009-11-26T08:22:00.000-08:00

Week 12 Picks

First off, I just want to thank everyone that's been following my blog for the past few weeks. Surprisingly, these blogs are way harder to promote than you can imagine.

Next, I wanted to give a shout out to the men and women overseas that don't have the luxury of being with friends and family this holiday season. Their sacrifice and commitment is second to none and I dare anyone to tell them otherwise. The blood, sweat, and tears that have been shed since 9/11 will certainly be remembered by my family this Thanksgiving and I would venture to say that many other families out there can say the same.

Before we get started here with picks, I'd like to mention that my record last week was 10-6 against the spread, 14-2 straight up, and 8-7-1 on the over/unders. So let's get those tickets ready to Vegas....I'm on a roll!

Now, on with the picks!

Green Bay (-12) @ Detroit O/U 48

This game just reeks. Detroit is coming off of a huge win against the Browns and will be playing without their starting QB (I stand corrected...Adam Schefter just tweeted that Stafford will start this week...Gutsy.). This was a no-brainer during the Brett Favre days in Packerland, but now that Dr. Aaron and Mr. Rodgers are playing QB for the Pack...anything's possible! My brain tells me Green Bay should enjoy a nice feast of tenderlions this Thanksgiving, but my gut tells me never to listen to my brain when it comes to the NFL. So....GB by 10 and UNDER

Oakland (+14) @ Dallas O/U 40

The Cowboys defense is just plain nasty. So nasty that Redskins QB, Jason Campbell, completed 13 of 13 passes on 3rd down for 150 yards and the Skins could only manage 6 points. This week the Cowboys offense was stripped by the local media of whatever shred of manhood they were clinging on to. I look for them to put the naysayers to bed and go looking for dinner against the lowly Raiders. Dallas by 17 and OVER.

NYG (-7) @ Denver O/U 42.5

Both teams are 1-4 in their last 5 games and have been written off by many so-called experts. Everyone had assumed that the "old" Giants were back after they jumped out to a commanding lead against the bandwagon Falcons. However, the Giants were outscored 24-14 in the second-half, but held on to win by a FG in OT. I believe this game will be low scoring and the Giants should be able to edge the overachieving Broncos with a late FG. Giants by 3 and UNDER

Week 12 Picks will be continued tomorrow! I hope everyone enjoys family, friends, football, turkey, stuffing, and dessert, in that specific order, this Thanksgiving. Best wishes!

All we could put together was one lousy TD?

2009-11-23T07:28:00.000-08:00

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys – 11/22/09

Running Game Time Diary

12:03 – Just settled into the IKEA chair that was given to us by my wife’s sister and husband. Thanks guys for making football Sunday so comfortable. Felix with an excellent return out to the 35 yard line. It looks like his legs are back for the first time since coming back from injury a couple of weeks ago. That’s a good sign.

12:05 – Fox just zoomed in on Big Albert Haynesworth on the sideline….wearing street clothes…what a relief.

12:06 – In typical Tony Romo fashion, he over throws Witten on 3^rd and 5 and is fortunate that it wasn’t picked off.

12:08 – Huge 3^rd and 1 stand by the Cowboys D. Keith Brooking has been the biggest acquisition for the Cowboys this season. Brooking looks like he should’ve been a character in the movie Gladiator. He just reminds me of this burly warrior that feasts on huge turkey legs and then snatches up a couple of women when it’s time for bed.

12:14 – RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN….I like where Garrett is going with his play calling.

12:15 – Just as I wrote the previous line…Barber fumbles and Romo injures himself making the tackle after. Maybe I should stop writing. Cue the eerie Kay Jewelers commercial…the one where the guy makes a comment about how bad the storm is and his wife says something cheesy and he follows it with up with “I’m right here, and I always will be.” I still have no idea how he got from the storm to opening up that flashy necklace.

12:19 – Jason Campbell makes his one and only highlight reel play of the season. He spins out the grasp of THREE Cowboys and converts a 3^rd and 13.

12:24 – Great shot of Dave Campo (yeah the former head-coach) manning up to Terrence Newman (the most overrated player on the Cowboys). I would to run see Campo sucker punch Newman like Buddy Ryan did to Kevin Gilbride.

12:26 – Martellus Bennett just made his first significant catch of the season…in week 11. Remember all the talk about “Double Dynamite” before the season started? Maybe, they just wanted to ease into it.

12:28 – The Redskins have exactly one running back left in the game. So, Jason Campbell will have to throw the ball 40-50 times today...(smiling).

12:31 – Back-to-back weeks with scoreless first quarters for Dallas, yuck. It’s sad when our most valuable player after the first quarter is Tony Romo and it’s not for his passing ability. He saved a sure fire touchdown when he made the tackle after Barber’s fumble.

12:34 – Brooking CRUSHES Campbell for a 6 yard sack! I can’t say enough about him…Uh oh, Newman kills us again with an illegal hands to the face penalty….HOW CAN YOU PUT YOUR HANDS IN SOMEONE’S FACE WHEN YOU KNOW IT’S ILLEGAL?

12:39 – Rock Cartwright makes his one and only highlight reel play of the year to convert a 3^rd and 2. (Shaking my head)

12:42 – Campbell get CRUSHED by Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Spencer…but guess what? He completes an 18 yard pass to Santana Moss to convert ANOTHER 3^rd and 8 situation.

12:46 – Redskins run a draw on 3^rd and 15 and settle for a FG. I sometimes wish the Cowboys would implement the FG strategy. FG’s are highly underrated in the NFL.

12:50 – The new Mastercard commercial with Peyton Manning is hilarious. I hope that he goes into acting full-time after retirement from the NFL. I’m afraid he’ll end up coaching some poor franchise that’s in an impossible situation for a few seasons, compiling an awful record and thus tarnishing is image forever with the younger generation. PLEASE PEYTON….DO NOT TRY TO COACH!

12:54 – Fox just cut to a highlight from the Vikings-Seahawks game. Favre to Harvin...what a combo.

12:55 – Roy Williams makes his presence felt with a key DROP on 3^rd down, again. Fool me once….shame on you? Fool me twice…shame on…you’re not gonna fool me again! Roy, please just take off your pads and give them to the equipment manager and turn in your pass to Valley Ranch before you leave the stadium. Thanks.

1:12 – Just noticed a graphic showing the Cowboys were about to be shut out in the first half of consecutive games for the first time since 2002. If we don’t get a FG soon, I might have to take a lap around my apartment complex to calm myself down.

1:16 – 2^nd and 23 from the Washington 43 yard line….pass complete to Bennett (3^rd big catch of the game) for 12 yards. Field Goal Range!!!

1:19 – 3^rd down: Romo to Williams….DROP. FOLK misses a FG from 40 yards. I’m depressed.

1:20 – Side note: I just checked in on the all-important Lions-Browns game and this is how bad those defenses stink: 24-24 with 5:01 left to play in the first half. Matt Stafford has thrown for 270 yards and 3 scores. Brady Quinn has thrown for 163 yards and 3 scores. They are terrible.

1:26 – Another one of those crazy challenges/ booth replays that happens in EVERY Dallas game. This one spurned from a play in which Campbell was running for his life and just ho-hum tossed the ball out of bounds as he stepped on the sideline. How can the Refs drop the ball on so many calls? How many zebras are out on the field? This game is still depressing.

1:30 – Troy and Joe are still rambling on and on about this booth replay and the repercussions of overturning the delay of game penalty. If I can sit here in my chair and know exactly what the call should be and where the ball should be spotted, but all of the refs on the field cannot even figure out how to clear this up, the NFL has a way bigger problem than Rush Limbaugh.

1:33 – Skins missed FG after all of that hoopla. I now understand why everyone in Washington and Dallas are fed up with their respective head-coaches: Washington 3 - Dallas 0 at the half. Break time! (Lunch, beer, laundry, and some more beer)

1:48 – Second half starts off just like it left off. Washington’s Devin Thomas has his career-best kickoff return out to the Wash 44 yard line.

1:58 – Campbell is 8-8 for 90 yards on 3^rd down so far this game. Unacceptable.

2:02 – It’s always nice to see Romo throwing out of his own end-zone. It’s kind of like running into your girlfriend at the movies and she happens to be with her “best” friend...who's a guy. It’s a little threatening, probably harmless, but you’re just waiting for her to screw it up.

2:07 – Campbell to Cartwright for 29 yards. We’re getting carved up by Washington’s scrubs. I feel helpless. I wish I had that “guy” that could take care of things like this. You always see them in those CIA/FBI thrillers, where they need some “specialist” to take out an impossible target. Target = Jerry Jones

2:14 – Romo airmails Williams on a 3^rd down play deep in their own territory. Our defense needs to make a BIG play. They’ve played their asses off up to this point, holding Washington to 3 points, and it’s about time that Campbell makes a critical mistake.

2:18 – Great pressure on Campbell again on 3^rd down…he completes ANOTHER 3^rd down pass for a first down. I’m glad Campbell saved his best game of the season for the Cowboys. The Redskins have cost me exactly 2 weeks worth of wins in my pick’em league because of Campbell’s ineptitude at QB.

2:22 – Campbell is now 11-11 passing on 3^rd down for 145 yards. Luckily, his last completion was short of the sticks. Field goal is good: Washington 6 – Dallas 0

2:27 – Romo rolls right and hits Miles Austin for a big gain! Why haven’t we thrown deep to Austin this game? Oh I forgot, we keep throwing the ball to Roy Williams.

2:29 – Following up the big play to Austin, Romo is sacked for a 5 yard loss.

2:31 – Back-to-back 1^st down passing plays for the Cowboys for a combined -5 yards. RUN the ball.

2:32 – Both 2^nd down plays have combined for 23 yards after those abysmal pass plays.

2:34 – 4^th and 2 for the Cowboys and Romo was in the grasp of the rookie, Brian Orakpo, and he forces a throw that’s picked off. Now I want throw something. Only in sports can you fail so many times at doing your job and still keep your job. Amazing.

2:36 – I’m almost certain the NFL instructed the Offensive coordinators in this game to keep the score low. I haven’t seen a single pass over 15 yards the entire game.

2:43 – Missed FG for Washington again! Wow, there’s no reason we should be in this game.

2:46 – Joe Buck just announced Romo’s QB rating – 35. Ouch. I think Chris Simms had a higher rating last week.

2:49 – Amazingly, Romo has hit Austin twice and Witten twice during their 5 play 50 yard drive. Who’s name wasn’t mentioned in that sentence? Roy E. Williams. Sit down, Roy.

2:52 – TOUCHDOWN Boys! Romo finds Patrick Crayton after buying some time and the Cowboys take a one point lead. Come on Defense it’s time to unleash DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff!

2:58 – Mike Jenkins goes to the ground for what seems to be the 8^th time in the past two weeks. Get out of the game. Where are the doctors in situations like this? If he keeps this up next week, I’m writing a letter to the head trainer of the Cowboys. Not only does it SLOW the game way down, it also makes Dallas appear to be desperate that Jenkins remain in the game.

3:02 – FINALLY! Spencer comes up with a huge interception after Bowen got a hand on Campbell’s pass. The Cowboys are kneeling it to clinch their 7^th win of the season. Ugly, horrific, boring, anticlimactic….insert your own negative adjective here to describe what everyone just witnessed.

A few thoughts about the game:

There’s no reason Dallas should have won this game. The game-ball should go to Suisam who went 2 for 4 on field goals for Washington and unintentionally saved Wade Phillips from the media this week.
If this is the same Dallas team that knocked off the Eagles in Philly earlier this month, I’m not looking forward to see how far we regress when December rolls around.
Wade, oh Wade. You’re hanging by a thread big guy. He may be safe for now, but his team is seriously under-performing against inferior opponents. Nine times out of ten, that comes down to poor preparation and poor coaching.

NFL - Week 11 Picks

2009-11-19T17:16:00.000-08:00

NFL Week 11 Breakdown

Lines are courtesy of www.bodog.com

Miami (+3) @ Carolina Over/Under 42.5

Ronnie Brown has been ruled out of this matchup between 4-5 teams with a foot injury he suffered last week against the Bucs. Not to be out done, Carolina’s one-two punch of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are both questionable. This game is a wife’s dream because both teams run the ball so much that the clock NEVER stops. It’s like watching Greg Maddux go eight innings without breaking a sweat and you haven’t even finished your hot dog yet. My gut tells me not to bet against Jake the Great and not to overlook Carolina’s record last year. Pick - Carolina by 7 and OVER

Cleveland (+3.5) @ Detroit O/U 38

(Shaking my head) If Brady Quinn can’t throw for 300 yards against this defense…he never will. Detroit’s pass defense is dead last in the league and they’ve given up 20 touchdown passes and a staggering 107 QB rating. I’m still not buying into the Browns. Pick – Detroit by 10 and UNDER

Buffalo (+9) @ Jacksonville O/U 43

I tend to like Buffalo when they’re matched up against a team that really has no identity on offense. Jacksonville appears to be a run first team by averaging over 140 yards rushing, but they’ve won three of their past four games relying on David Garrard and the passing game. This doesn’t bode well for the Jags considering they’re up against league’s leading ball-hawk. Look for the Jags to pull off a close victory, but the Bills will cover the 9 point spread. Pick – Jags by 4 and UNDER

Pittsburgh (-10) @ Kansas City O/U 40

Sunday’s game against the Steelers caps off a terrible week for the Chiefs. First they released their franchise running back, Larry Johnson, due to off the field issues and lack of production. Next, Dwayne Bowe was suspended for the next four games for using a diuretic during training camp. Now, they’re facing a Pittsburgh team that would love nothing more than to tear them apart this Sunday and leave no doubt that they belong in the Super Bowl discussion. Pick – Pittsburgh by 17 and OVER

Indianapolis (-1) @ Baltimore O/U 44

In their first game since they matched up against “Cleveland Browns Era” Bill Belichick, Indy looks to remain undefeated against Ray Lewis and a furious Ravens squad (See Brady Quinn here). Who am I to pick against General Manning? I’m pretty sure he radios in the defensive audibles to Gary Brackett while he’s shooting commercials between possessions. Pick – Indy by 3 and UNDER

Atlanta (+7) @ NY Giants O/U 46

Atlanta’s offensive line has been labeled as “soft” after the New England game earlier this year. When you pair that with the fact that New York is coming off a bye week and their defensive front is as good as any in the NFL, the magic 8-ball says the “outlook not so good”. Pick – NY by 13 and UNDER

49ers (+7) @ Green Bay O/U 42

If Coach Singletary can stick to the ground game and keep Green Bay’s offense off the field, the 49ers have a good chance to keep this close. The 49ers are coming off of a quasi bye-week since they played Chicago last Thursday. I think the 49ers will cover the spread and possibly win straight up. Pick – GB by 3 and OVER

Seattle (+11) @ Minnesota O/U 46.5

Brett Favre’s home passer rating is a torrid 113…Pick – Min by 17 or more and UNDER

Washington (+11) @ Dallas O/U 41.5

Last week, Jason Campbell was given enough time in the pocket due to Denver’s undersized defensive line and their 4-3 scheme. That luxury is now gone and the Redskins face two of the fiercest pass rushers in the NFL in DeMarcus Ware (7 sacks) and Jay Ratliff (4 sacks). Look for the Dallas offense to rebound and try to open up the passing game by establishing the run early on. Pick – Dallas by 13 and OVER

New Orleans (-11) @ Tampa Bay O/U 51

Drew Brees is going up against a mediocre pass defense in Tampa Bay, but the number that jumps out is 19. That’s how many touchdown passes the Bucs have given up this season, the third most in the league. The one drawback to this matchup is in the last 10 meetings, the margin of victory was more than 10 only three times. New Orleans is also 4-6 on grass in their last 10 games. The Bucs cover the spread but the Saints pull away late. Pick – New Orleans by 10 and OVER

Arizona (-9) @ St. Louis O/U 47

Kurt Warner makes his return to St. Louis and he brings along the best Arizona Cardinal team that’s ever taken the field. No joke. Warner is 3-0 all-time, as a Cardinal, when he makes the trip to the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. He’s also thrown for over 800 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions in those contests. Pick – Arizona by 20 and UNDER

NY Jets (+10.5) @ New England O/U 45

Rex Ryan has the least enviable job in sports this week. Back in Week 2, his Jets pulled off an unexpected victory against a timid Tom Brady. They were full of swagger and the trash talking was hardly at a premium. Since that game, Brady has thrown for 17 TD’s and only 4 INT’s and the Jets have won just 2 of their last seven games. Add that to the fire Coach Bill Belichick was under during the course of the week and the final product should go something like this…Pick – Patriots by 21 and OVER

Cincinnati (-10) @ Oakland O/U 36

UPSET of the week alert! My gut tells me that these three things will happen on Sunday for the Raiders: Chad Ocho Cinco will have exactly 3 heated conversations with Carson Palmer due to the play of Oakland’s shut-down corner, Nnamdi Asomugha. Cincinnati’s offense will look lost and the commentators will automatically discredit everything they’ve done this season. Sebastian Janikowski will hit four field goals of 40 yards or more and the Raiders will pull off another upset at home. Pick – Oak by 3 and UNDER

San Diego (NL) @ Denver O/U – N/A

Will Kyle Orton play? Does it matter? San Diego has put together an impressive four-game winning streak including wins against the Giants and Eagles. Denver, on the other hand, has lost three straight. I’m sure if Orton plays, the line will be something like DEN -3. It doesn’t matter to me if John Elway comes out of retirement to suit up this Sunday…Pick – SD by 9 and UNDER 44

Philadelphia (-3) @ Chicago O/U 45

Andy Reid has to prove these four things before the Eagles can make me a believer: A.) Stick to one QB and drop the whole Mike Vick/wildcat formation B.) Fire the guy that convinces him to challenge the most ridiculous plays and lose timeouts C.) Figure out how to manage the clock at the end of games D.) STOP throwing the ball 50 times and start letting your defense win some games, instead of having them bail your offense out. Pick – Phi by 3 and OVER

Tennessee (+4.5) @ Houston O/U 48

Texans fans aren’t going to like this, but the loss of Owen Daniels was WAAYY bigger than most people thought. Daniels was the safety valve to the high-powered Texans passing attack. He also provided over the middle routes that opened up the outside for Andre Johnson. Now, the Titans can clampdown the outside routes and really rush the passer. Controversy at the running back position doesn’t give me any confidence in the Texans heading into Monday Night. This looks like a classic 24-21 game and it will be another happy homecoming for Vince Young. Pick – Tennessee by 3 and UNDER

I hope everyone enjoys the games on Sunday. Please remember our troops overseas during next week’s holiday festivities.

Shout Outs to the NBA

2009-11-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

Now that basketball season has officially begun, I've decided to add some posts about the NBA and maybe some college-hoops (Mostly regarding prospects). Here are just a few of my views on the NBA just 12 games into the season.

A few rants and raves about the NBA:

How did Brandon Jennings slip to the number 10 pick in the draft? Every scout apparently fell asleep on this guy after his season-long charade in Italy last year. I believe they're realizing this kid has the ceiling of Isaiah Thomas and the floor of Allen Iverson, in terms of potential. I’m not kidding. He’s really that impressive. Check out the following link to some highlights of his 55 point barrage of Golden State here
2. The Oklahoma City Thunder at 6-6, are the second most surprising team this far into the season. They have notched victories against Orlando, Detroit, San Antonio, and Miami. Not to mention, they lost by 3 in over-time to the defending champs. Their nucleus of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Russell Westbrook seem to have found their identities and have settled into roles that bring out the best of their abilities night in and night out. Now if only this trend could catch on with the Clippers…
3. Mavs Fan Alert! Dirk Nowitzki is averaging career-bests in points, blocks, turnovers, and minutes this season for an overachieving Mavs team filled with dead weight. Dirk has been needed to carry the likes of Drew Gooden, Tim Thomas, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, and Shawn Marion. Each of whom have such fatal basketball flaws that it’s a surprise that Nowitzki hasn’t gone ballistic and just walked off the court. Instead, he’s single-handedly turned the Mavs into contenders again and making his best case for MVP since his 2006-07 campaign. (To all of you Dirk haters: Please comeback and read this in June)
4. The LeBron James free agency saga is, um, how can I put this….He’s going to New York. Just look at his facial expressions during the game. The raised eyebrows and piercing stares that Lebron dishes out every time Side Show Bob gets dunked on while attempting to take a charge, leave zero doubt that he’s already contacted a real estate agent. He’s leaving that circus behind in Cleveland for an ever bigger circus in New York. What we don’t know at this point is if he’s going to the Knicks or the Nets. I’d like to lean more towards the Nets because of his ties to Jay-Z and the upside of their current roster.
5. Continuing with LeBron…ESPN’s recent attempt to coax readers into believing that James is actually contemplating a jump to the NFL was quite comical. First of all, Lebron doesn't even begin to tip the scales at his listed weight of 250 lbs. If you don’t believe me, compare him to stockier and thicker players in the NBA: Carmelo Anthony – 230 lbs., Al Horford – 245 lbs., Brian Cook – 250 lbs. Incredibly, just as I was typing this post, Jeremy Shockey just tweeted "Trust me everyone, LeBron James can not play in the NFL.". Marshall Faulk responded by saying "The first time he catches one over the middle, gets hit, and the official doesn't throw the flag and give him two shots...he'll quit.".Enough said.

NBA games of note this weekend:

Friday - 11/20

Houston (7-5) @ Atlanta (10-2) – Calvin Murphy is torn when rooting during this game because of his tutorship of Josh Smith and guess what…I love it. I’m all for any sort of mental anguish the Murph is subjected to. I can’t even begin to tell you the number of accidents this man’s radio show has caused in Houston rush hour traffic.

Orlando (9-3) @ Boston (9-3) – A rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals should surely entertain, and so should the commercials. One should expect to see many male enhancement spots and a handful of prostate relief advertisements during any Celtic game this season. We haven’t seen a collection of past-their-prime-but-not-yet-over-the-hill stars that were under this much pressure since Oceans 13.

Saturday - 11/21

New York (2-9) @ New Jersey (0-12) – The NFL equivalent would be the Browns @ Lions...what did sports fans do to get so lucky this weekend? They could pit the winner of this game against the loser of the NCAA Tournament play-in game and Vegas still might consider giving it a pick’em status.

Chicago (6-4) @ Denver (8-3) – This should be an interesting match up Chicago’s stingy defense and Denver’s high octane offense. This game could also mark the beginning of an intriguing weird hair rivalry between Joakim Noah and Chris Andersen.

Sunday – 11/22

New Orleans (4-8) @ Miami (7-4) – Record wise, this match up won’t jump out at you. Star wise, Dwayne Wade and Chris Paul make any game a little more interesting. This game is also brings together two of the top 25 Crime Infested Cities in the US (#8 N.O. vs. #19 Mia). I believe Miami could make a strong case for the top 10 with a victory over the Sodomesque city from the bayou.

Oklahoma City (6-6) @ LA Lakers (8-3) – Kevin Durant and the Thunder look to avenge a previous overtime loss to the Lakers. If Durant could notch a win on the road against the league’s best player, immediate respect will soon follow.

NFL - hitting it's stride in Week 10

2009-11-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

Stunned. Shocked. Flabbergasted. Those were my reactions to the end of the Colts - Pats game, the most anticipated game of the season. Indy's improbable comback was the icing on an NFL cake that even the Cake Boss could appreciate.

The NFL couldn't have scripted yesterdays contests with any more drama. It felt like every game was another installment to the Jason Bourne trilogy.

Quick recap of the televised games:

NE 34 @ IND 35

By far the most entertaining match up on Sunday's slate. The two best QB's in the league put on an aerial display that included a combined 680 yards and 7 TD passes. What people will remember most about this instant classic, is Bill Belichik's decision to go for it on 4th and 2 from his own 28 yard line with 2:00 left in the game. Peyton Manning should consider endorsing hypnotic products and services, because there's no way Belichik goes for it if Chad Henne is standing on the other sideline.

(If Chuck Norris didn't wear Peyton Manning pajamas before last nights game, he certainly will be now.)

DAL 7 @ GB 17

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Dallas games are painful to watch. Not just because I'm a fan, but because there seems to be at a minimum 8 coaches challenges, 26 TV timeouts, 5 two-minute warnings, 3 players carted off, 37 holding penalties, and 4 shots of Wade Phillips celebrating like the fat guy from Teenwolf when he hits his free throws. Sloppy play, poor play calling, and a lack of discipline proved to be more than the Cowboys could overcome. Green Bay's defense looked solid and Clay Matthews, along with A.J. Hawk will be a talented core of LB's for years to come.

Side Note: Is anyone else as sick of the Bud Light "Too light, Too Heavy" commercials as I am? The lady using the nail gun to pin on her beau's boutonniere was pretty funny, but I get it already...Bud Light's not too light and it's not too heavy. One last thing...give it up on the Bud Light Lime already...if we want lime in our beer, we'll do it ourselves...with actual lime juice, thanks.

CIN 18 @ PIT 12

First place in the NFC North was decided by the boot of Shayne Graham and the stifling defense of Cincinnati. Graham's four second-half field goals were too much for the hometown Steelers to overcome. Cincinnati held the Steelers to a paltry 3.6 yards per play and sacked Big Ben four times. Pittsburgh finds itself in unfamiliar territory after losing both games to the Bengals this season. They're now two games behind the Bengals heading into Week 11.

DET 10 @ MIN 27

I mentioned Lions Rookie Matthew Stafford in an earlier blog post and brought up a few numbers that might relate to the Lions poor record this year. In an encore performance, Stafford attempted over 50 passes for the second straight week. So let me get this straight...it's Favre vs. Stafford, Good vs. Bad, no one believes you can win, and you want to lay the game on the shoulders of a baby-faced, 21 year-old rookie QB? They pay Coach Schwartz a considerable amount of money to make decisions like that. Run the ball, play defense, kick field goals, keep it close, and most of all keep yourself out of 3rd and Lake Michigan.

That's all for the recap! Enjoy tonight's scintillating contest between the Old Browns from Baltimore against the New Browns from Cleveland.

This week's picks will be posted on Thursday afternoon prior to the game.

2009 Rookie Report - Part I

2009-11-12T16:58:00.000-08:00

As we head into week 10 of the NFL season we can easily assess the performance of each team with just a quick glance at the standings. On the surface that measurement only indicates their performances during the months of September, October, and thus far into November. That assessment leaves out one of the most important months of the season, April.

Many teams over the past three decades have transformed themselves into dynasties, or crumbled into ruins by means of the draft. Whether you’re searching for a cornerstone left tackle or in desperate need of a ball hawking safety, the draft is where hope can become reality and visions of Super Bowl glory can cloud even the best of judgements.

Let’s take a look at how the top 15 picks of the first round of last April’s draft have performed through the midway point of the season.

Top 15

Pick Team Player Pos College

1. Lions Matthew Stafford QB Georgia

In Week 3 against the Redskins, Stafford led Detroit to their first win since Dec. 23, 2007. His progress during the early part of the season was offset by a knee injury he suffered against Chicago in Week 4. The injury kept him out of two straight contests and he’s thrown for 2 TDs and 6 INTs since his return. Look for Stafford to continue to progress as soon as he becomes 100% healthy.

2. Rams Jason Smith OT Baylor

Early injuries have slowed the emergence of this former Baylor Bear in 2009 and have only allowed him to start 3 out of 6 games. Steven Jackson’s yards-per-carry is up from 4.1 last season, to 4.8 this season and during Smith’s 3 starts, Jackson has averaged 108 rushing yards a game. Smith should expect to get more reps and more starts due to issues involving former 2005 first round pick Alex Barron.

3. Chiefs Tyson Jackson DE LSU

Jackson’s performance this season cannot be defined by statistics. He has 12 total tackles this season, with seven coming in a Week 9 loss to Jacksonville. He has yet to register a sack this season, but he was brought in primarily to shore up a Chiefs run defense that ranked 30^th in the league in 2008. They are currently 28^th against the run this season. Jackson’s impact as a top 5 pick remains to be seen.

4. Seahawks Aaron Curry OLB Wake Forest

If there has been one bright spot in 2009 for the Seahawks, it would have to be the addition of Aaron Curry. He’s tallied 44 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles through the first half of 2009. He’s played a critical role in transforming a Seattle defense which ranked 30^th in total defense in 2008, into the 13^th ranked defense this season.

5. Jets Mark Sanchez QB USC

The headline of the draft hit the ground running by producing victories in each of his first three starts. The most impressive of which, was against the Patriots and an upright Tom Brady. Sanchez followed his impressive start to the season by losing three games in row and tossing one TD and 8 INTs in those contests. It seems as though the jury is still out on Sanchez. He has yet to play in the cold and windy climate of Giants Stadium, which we know can affect even the greatest of QBs (Brett Favre).

6. Bengals Andre Smith OT Alabama

Where to begin with the troubled, yet talented kid out of Alabama? You can trace it all the way back to the February NFL combine, and then find your way back to the broken foot he suffered on the second day after ending his training camp holdout. No matter which way you slice it, this pick stinks.

7. Raiders Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland

The most criticized pick of the top 15 has yet to silence his critics. His QB hasn’t provided much support in terms of accuracy and to make matters worse, fellow rookie, Louis Murphy, has more than tripled Heyward-Bey’s production this year. Oh, the Raiders drafted Murphy in the 3^rd round at number 124. If you’re a GM in this league, you have to love Al Davis in April, because by November, your draft looks amazing compared to his. I can see GMs schmoozing with Raiders brass nights before the draft, so they can find out which players to remove from their own big boards.

8. Jaguars Eugene Monroe OT Virginia

The tackle from Virginia spent a few weeks in Coach Del Rio’s dog house after holding out to begin training-camp. Monroe proceeded to lose his starting job early on this season to the longtime vet, Tra Thomas. It was reported this week that Monroe had taken back his spot as starting left tackle. Jacksonville coaches and fans have to consider his rookie campaign to be disappointment.

9. Packers B.J. Raji DT Boston College

Raji’s season was delayed a couple of weeks due to an ankle injury during Green Bay’s final preseason game. Much like Tyson Jackson at Kansas City, Raji has tallied 11 tackles and has failed to register a sack in six games. Green Bay lacked depth on their defensive line going into last April’s draft and addressed that issue with the addition of Raji. Their run defense has improved from 26^th in the league to 9^th since last season.

10. 49ers Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech

Hands down, the most controversial pick of the NFL Draft. Crabtree may be recognized more for his 71-day holdout than his record breaking college career. Portrayed by many to be the next “diva” WR in San Francisco, Crabtree was the only sure bet at WR leading up to the draft and hasn’t disappointed since signing his 6-year contract. His 14 catches already rank him ahead of Heyward-Bey, and he’s played in only 3 games.

11. Bills Aaron Maybin DE Penn St.

Buffalo drafted Maybin to add speed and depth to their defensive line. He’s been playing behind Chris Kelsay and only seeing the field during third-down situations. Buffalo coaches have indicated that Maybin will see more reps and opportunities in the second-half of 2009.

12. Broncos Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia

Moreno’s playing time this season has been somewhat of a rollercoaster of sorts. The Denver coaching staff has been monitoring his touches this season as if he were on some sort of a pitch count. At times he’s shown that quick burst that turned him into a one-man highlight reel at Georgia, and at times he’s proven to be very mediocre. He leads all rookies with 423 yards rushing, but his 3.7 yards-per-carry is about a yard less than expected.

13. Redskins Brian Orakpo DE Texas

This year’s pass-rush specialist has been nothing short of phenomenal. He was brought in to disrupt the pass and make opposing QB’s look for him on every play. His six sacks are the most among rookies this season and it’s twice as many as fellow Redskin, Albert Haynesworth. Too bad Washington can’t translate this Rookie’s play into some much needed victories.

14. Saints Malcolm Jenkins CB Ohio St.

The Saints have used Jenkins in many nickel and dime situations, but Jenkins has made a name for himself with his special teams play. He’s forced two fumbles on special teams plays and has earned a lot of respect with the veterans for his work ethic. The Saints have the luxury of assigning their first-round pick to kick coverage duties because of their depth at DB.

15. Texans Brian Cushing OLB USC

Following the footsteps of Willie McGinest, Lofa Tatupu, and Troy Polamalu, Cushing is another defensive player from USC that has made an immediate impact in the NFL. He leads all rookies with 78 total tackles and has also recorded 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 INT’s. The Texans look to have another major building block to go alongside Mario Williams, Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels, and Steve Slaton.

Look for Part II coming Saturday, November 14th

Ochocinco's next deodorant victim...the Lions!

2009-11-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

At first glance, the score of 32-20 looks like a pretty good victory for the Seattle Seahawks. Every NFL fan would be happy with their team after a home win of 32-20 and everything in the box score suggests that Seattle was the dominant team…except for the 17-0 first quarter Detroit lead. Something like this jumps off the page to Detroit Lions fans trying to figure out what in the hell went wrong on Sunday. How can you give up a 17-0 lead against an inferior offense that has had trouble finding the end zone all season long?

Look no further than Matthew Stafford’s stat line: 22-42, 209 yds, 2 TD 5 INT

Now before you start pointing fingers at Matthew Stafford, let’s try to figure out why the Lions would even consider throwing the ball 42 times in a game where that held a 17-0 lead after one quarter of play. My initial thought was that Seattle had fought their way back into the game and Detroit needed to throw the ball in order to keep up. Wrong. My next guess was that the Lions had too many penalties on first and second down. Wrong.

When I went back over the play-by-play breakdown, I primarily focused on the first down play calling of Lions Offensive Coordinator, Scott Linehan. I must admit that I was thinking to myself “surely this guy would run the ball at least 70% of the time on first down with a lead…and a ROOKIE playing quarterback.” Wrong again. The breakdown went like this:

First Down Plays

Penalties – 2 false start penalties

Run – 12 att, 84 yds, 7.0 yds/att

Pass – 6 -11, 45 yds, 1 TD, 1 sack (-8), 3.8 yds/play (This doesn’t include spiking to stop the clock)

The Lions offense appeared to have everything going it’s way in the first quarter. Coach Linehan scripted the first 15 plays strategically enough to mix up the run and the pass that translated into four straight possessions with an opportunity to score. They cashed in on three of these four possessions, which led to a 17-0 lead.

What happened after that? To some it may not come as a surprise, but the Seahawks proceeded to outscore the Lions 32-3 over the final three quarters. Failure to make adjustments at halftime and not taking advantage of Seattle’s shoddy run defense proved to be the difference in the game.

As I mentioned earlier, many people would like to pin this loss on Stafford and his five costly interceptions. Let’s not be hasty, we should instead attempt to understand the game situations in which his mistakes were made. All but one of his interceptions came on third and long situations. One interception was essentially a punt with 4:34 left in the fourth quarter. On 3^rd and 9 from the DET 24 yard line, Stafford went deep down the right side to Calvin Johnson and was picked off by Marcus Trufant at the SEA 40. Stafford’s other three 3^rd down interceptions came on distances of 16, 10, and 9 yards.

I understand that there’s a learning process for rookie quarterbacks in the NFL and at times it can be a lengthy one (just ask Washington and San Francisco). Quarterbacks are such easy scapegoats in this league and in most cases it’s validated. However, Stafford wasn’t the main reason the Lions lost on Sunday.

The coaching staff of Detroit needs to put Stafford in situations where he doesn’t have to be the reason they win or lose. Never underestimate the importance of not going backwards on first down. Balance the playbook to a 70-30 run/pass ratio on first down to give Stafford a chance to get to 3^rd down and manageable. Also, consider the fact that your playbook opens up quite a bit more on 2^nd and 6 than it does on 2^nd and 10.

Stafford should never attempt more than 30 passes per game this season. At this point in his young six game career, he’s averaging over 35 attempts per game. That’s absurd. When the Dallas Cowboys started Troy Aikman as a rookie and finished 1-15, he averaged only 26 attempts per game. You know you’re team is going to struggle, so why, as a coaching staff, make it harder than it has to be. Go back to the basics and run between the tackles, make a few first downs, and play a little field position. You never know what kind of bounces that funny shaped pigskin can take sometimes.