TheSportsWatchers.com

KnicksDigest: Knicks Start Slow, Finish Fast?

2009-11-11T03:31:00.002-05:00

What on God’s green earth are the New York Knicks doing every night? I don’t understand how they can honestly say that they come to the arena ready to play every night when they consistently, without fail, get outplayed in the 1st and 2nd quarters. If you watched the Knicks on Monday when they squared off with the Utah Jazz, you had to be as disappointed as I was. The Knicks were getting absolutely destroyed early on in the game. The Jazz scored 25 points in the 1st quarter, and outscored the...

Fantasy Football Week 10 Projections

2009-11-09T12:00:00.001-05:00

Well, the bye weeks are just about done, which means you should already know who your best options are each and every week of the fantasy football season. However, as we enter fantasy football Week 10, some of you who have assembled quite the fantasy roster, leaving you with a lot of options each and every week. I know, for me, having to choose between Kurt Warner and Philip Rivers every week can be quite a daunting choice. In fact, I actually got it wrong last week, going with Rivers over a...

If the Texans Don’t Win, Their Season is Over

2009-11-06T17:02:00.002-05:00

The Houston Texans are on the brink of history. Of course, they are on the brink of history each and every season, as they have never beaten their division foes, the Indianapolis Colts, in Indianapolis. But this time, the Texans are coming to Indy with a 5-3 record and a very decent shot at making the playoffs. However, a loss here in Week 9, will send them into their bye week 5-4 with a slim chance to none at making the postseason. Nobody likes to call the season over after Week 9, especially...

The Yankees Win! Thhhhhhhhhhheeeeeee Yankees win!

2009-11-05T00:20:00.005-05:00

The New York Yankees are the world champions! As predicted in the preseason by the folks here at TheSportsWatchers.com (and by the folks, I mean myself) the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series. That was my prediction the minute the Yankees brought in their two new pitchers, and if you don’t believe me, check out this video: Anyway, enough with tooting my own horn! After a 7-3 win over the Phillies in Game 6, the Yankees are champions. Quite frankly, the...

World Series: Each Manager is to Blame

2009-11-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

Is this how it’s going to go down? No matter how the World Series unfolds, one of the managers is going to take the brunt of the blame for their team failing to win the title. Certainly, New York Yankees fans will want Joe Girardi’s head if they fail to win after being up 3 games to 1. However, Charlie Manuel isn’t off the hook either if the Philadelphia Phillies fail in their attempt to win back-to-back World Series titles. Where did Charlie Manuel go wrong with the Phillies? Not pitching...

Could I have been wrong about Brett Favre?

2009-11-02T17:13:00.001-05:00

I will be the first person to admit it. I had no idea what I was talking about when I predicted that Brett Favre wouldn’t make that much of a difference for the Minnesota Vikings. Turns out, Favre has won several games for the Vikings, a couple of them where the Vikings didn’t get much from Adrian Peterson. That is something I never thought would happen, but as it turns out, I may have been wrong about Brett Favre. That’s right! I said it! I was wrong! I said that the Vikings wouldn’t be much...

Fantasy Football Projections Week 9: Predictions & Sleeper Picks

2009-11-02T06:39:00.003-05:00

Looking for the early jump on fantasy Football Week 9? Well, we have the information ready to go! We looked at the weekend's games and projected them against Week 9's games and matchups to produce this week's top fantasy football players and likely performances. Here is a look at one of our top fantasy football picks for Week 9... Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans Manning should have no problem doing to the Houston Texans what every other team has done to them: score...

Yankees Tie World Series, Burnett Pulls a Lee

2009-10-30T05:21:00.002-04:00

A.J. Burnett owned the Philadelphia Phillies every bit as much as Cliff Lee did the night before. Sure, Burnett didn’t last as long, but he didn’t have to. Because when you have Mariano Rivera in your bullpen, why waste exercising any other options? Last night, in Game 2 of the World Series between Philadelphia and the New York Yankees, A.J. Burnett pitched what can only be described as a “gem.” He had everything working for him, as his fastball had movement, and his breaking ball caught the...

NBA Weekly Digest: Gilbert Arenas Back to Form

2009-10-29T17:05:00.001-04:00

It doesn’t matter whether you like him or not. It’s not about his attitude. Who cares how many games he has missed in the past? The fact is Gilbert Arenas was a baller the day he arrived in Washington D.C., and on opening night of the NBA season, Arenas proved that he still is. Agent Zero opened up the 2009-2010 NBA season with 29 points and 9 assists against the Dallas Mavericks—so much for easing him back into the game. I don’t claim to be an Arenas supporter, but perhaps I should pick...

Phillies Take Game 1 of World Series, Lee Pitches Gem

2009-10-29T01:02:00.003-04:00

Forget about Alex Rodriguez’s hot streak. Who cares if CC Sabathia has dominated in the playoffs? And who said playing in the New Yankee Stadium would be an advantage for the home team? Child, please! Cliff Lee of the Philadelphia Phillies walked into Yankee Stadium as cool as the other side of the pillow. And when he walked out of the stadium tonight, he walked out with a win, a complete game and 0 earned runs allowed. As a result, the Phillies now have 1 game lead in the 2009 World Series...

New York, Welcome to Knicks Digest!

2009-10-28T18:56:00.002-04:00

Hello New York City! It’s time for another NBA Season, which means 82 games with our beloved New York Knicks! We at TheSportsWatchers.com decided to go ahead and do something more local to area from which we hail, so seeing as we personally go to New York Knicks games more than any other sport, we though a Knicks blog would be most appropriate. New York Knicks fans & NBA enthusiasts click here to read more...

World Series Preview: Are the Yankees Really the Better Team?

2009-10-28T05:00:00.000-04:00

While all indications are that the mighty New York Yankees are the better team in this impending World Series matchup, the facts actually may state otherwise. That’s not to say that the overall consensus is wrong, but in the face of what each individual has done on the field, could the Philadelphia Phillies have the better baseball team? Catchers: NYY: Jorge Posada, .285 avg., .885 ops, 22 hrs, 81 RBI, 28% throw-out rate, 7 E PHI: Carlos Ruiz, .255 avg., .780 ops, 9 hrs, 43 RBI, 27%...

Absurd to include Laettner instead of Shaq on Dream Team?

2009-10-27T14:25:00.004-04:00

This is just a quick thought I had in reading an article, and perhaps I'll do more of this if the response is good, but I had to throw this "historical" question out there. In a J.A. Adande piece on ESPN.com, Adande opines on the recent developments concerning Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson and their media war about their failed friendship. While that subject is interesting in some respects, it's a little to "personal" for this site. However, in the article, Adande brings up how it was absurd...

NBA Preseason Predictions: Boston Celtics Hoist the Trophy

2009-10-27T14:01:00.002-04:00

Another NBA season is upon us, which means that it’s time for another round of NBA Predictions. You all have seen our NBA Power Rankings and both the Western and Eastern conferences, and while we have plenty of faith in those, our predictions for the season don’t necessarily correspond with those rankings. So without further adieu, here are our NBA Predictions for the 2009-2010 season as determined by the staff at TheSportsWatchers.com: NBA Divisional Winners Atlantic: Boston...

Is First Down the New "Money Down?"

2009-10-26T18:02:00.001-04:00

Unlike baseball, football isn’t as advanced in using statistics to understand the inner workings of the game—and rightfully so. Football is a game in which emotion, discipline and reactionary movement play a big role in the game. Thus, limiting the game to measurements, averages, and times is almost ludicrous, which is why teams that continue to draft purely on NFL combine results amazes me. That said, while football can’t be broken down into measurements like on-base-percentage and VORP,...

Revenge, thy name is Cedric Benson

2009-10-26T10:30:00.002-04:00

When the Chicago Bears released Cedric Benson 2 years ago, they had a myriad of reasons for doing so. Benson hadn’t lived up to his top 10 draft pick. Benson was considered soft by his teammates. And the legal issues concerning Benson certainly didn’t help his popularity with the city of the Chicago. So even without a proven running back to rely on, the Bears released Benson, getting nothing for him other than the cap room saved by not bringing him back for another year. Obviously, Benson...

Was the Yankees Loss a Blessing in Disguise?

2009-10-23T13:15:00.002-04:00

The Los Angeles Angels beat the New York Yankees in an ALCS game for the ages. In a 7th inning that lasted 49 minutes, the Angels saw their 4-0 lead vaporized into a 2-run deficit in the top of the inning. But in the bottom of the 7th, the Angels came roaring back with 3 runs of their own, to take the lead and ultimately the win, with a final score of 7-6. As disappointing as the Yankees may have been with the loss, perhaps it’s not all that bad. Of course, I’m assuming that the Yankees will...

NFL Week 7 Power Rankings: Saints Rise to the Top

2009-10-22T12:18:00.003-04:00

There was a lot of movement this week, especially with the 6-week reigning #1 seed, the New York Giants, going down in flames to the New Orleans Saints. We only bumped the Giants down 3 spots, because we think they are a lot better than they indicated, but a sketchy performance in Week 7 could drop them much further. That said, the Orleans Saints are our new #1 seed. We decided to give them the spot over the Indianapolis Colts based on the quality of Denver’s most recent wins. As for the rest...

Phillies Beat Dodgers 10-4, Will Defend World Series Title

2009-10-22T08:33:00.001-04:00

What can you say about this Philadelphia Phillies team? They seem to be rolling right along, as if last year’s postseason has carried over into 2009. In a series that everyone predicted would go 6 or 7 games, the Phillies manhandled the Los Angeles Dodgers in 4 out of 5 games, with their lone loss being a game they probably should have won. But their mission is still incomplete. The jubilation you see from some teams when they win the NLCS or ALCS wasn’t there last night. Sure, the Phillies...

Yankess Go Up 3-1...Who says you can’t buy wins?

2009-10-21T08:01:00.000-04:00

The New York Yankees may not be buying wins directly, but it’s no coincidence, that in a game that for all intensive purposes put an end to baseball’s ALCS, the Yankees two highest paid players, CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez, came through with the best playoff performances of their lives. The result? The Yankees beat the Los Angeles Angels 10-1 and took a 3 games to 1 lead in the American League Championship Series. Forget about whether or not this series is over, because it is. The real...

Angels Keep Series Alive as Yankees Over-manage

2009-10-20T13:27:00.002-04:00

You’re damned if you and you’re damned if you don’t. That’s the life of a professional baseball manager, and that’s what New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi faces today. In yesterday’s ALCS Game 3, the Angels came back from an early 2-run deficit to defeat the Yankees in extra innings and are now only down 2 games to 1 in the series. But the big commotion is coming out of New York City, where many baseball fans and analysts are questioning Girardi’s use of the pitching staff. In the bottom...

The Phillies Go Up 2-1 on the Dodgers

2009-10-19T09:19:00.002-04:00

In a pitching performance that can only be called Cole Hamels-esque, the Phillies’ Cliff Lee dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers with a performance for the ages. He pitched 8 shutout innings against a Dodgers team that averaged nearly 5 runs per game during the regular season. Of course, Lee had plenty of help Sunday night, as his Philadelphia Phillies teammates put 11 runs on the board, instituting a beat down of the Dodgers starter, Hiroki Kuroda, as well as their famed bullpen. When Ryan...

Monday Night Football Fantasy Projections: Broncos at Chargers, Week 6

2009-10-19T08:54:00.003-04:00

Tonight’s game between the Denver Broncos and the San Diego Chargers is for all the marbles. If Denver wins this game, they will have a 3-game lead in the loss column, with just 10 games to play, making it all the more unlikely that San Diego can win the AFC West, even though they did just that last season. However, we’re here to talk about the fantasy aspect of the game, so without further adieu, here are your Week 6 fantasy football projections for Monday Night Football. Read More....

Phillies Take Game 1, But Dodgers Prove Meddlesome

2009-10-16T15:17:00.003-04:00

The Philadelphia Phillies are looking good right now. They won Game 1 of baseball’s NLCS against what was supposed to be the best pitcher the Los Angeles Dodgers could throw at them. Not to mention, the team that wins Game 1 of the NLCS almost always goes on to win the series. So why don’t I think the Phillies are in a good position right now. Everything would seem perfect for the Phillies as they head into weekend up a game on the Dodgers. However, there are three things I took away from...

NFL Week 6 Power Rankings: Giants At the Top

2009-10-15T16:18:00.002-04:00

The Power Rankings in full effect. It’s Week 6 of the NFL season, and for the most part, we know how good these teams are. So far, it is evident who the top tier teams are, but so many of those teams haven’t played anybody to this point in their seasons. We should find out how good those top level teams are this week, especially when the Giants play the Saints and the Ravens play the Vikings. That being said, the Week 6 NFL Power Rankings didn’t see too much movement this week. We did move...