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It’s Almost Time!!!

markj — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:21:10 +0000

Well, it’s almost time for the big game. I don’t know if I’m happy or sad. I’m always excited about the Super Bowl, but also depressed that the season is over. I guess the season really never ends, but I can’t help being a little sad.

As I said the other day, I think the game will be close. The Patriots will dictate the pace of the game. If they can play their game, the Giants have no chance to win. If Tom Brady plays like he has the last couple of games, the Giants not only have a chance, they will win. With that said, I have to go with the team that is 18-0. The Pats will close out their historic season with a very hard fought win Sunday.

Check out some of these blog posts from around the web.

Plaxico Burress Suffers Foot in Mouth

Belichick is a Gump!

Five Keys for New York Giants Super Bowl Championship

Highlights from Super Bowl Media Day

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday Everybody and I’ll blog at you again next week.

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Play the Game Already!!

markj — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:20:15 +0000

I hate to say it, but it’s Super Bowl week and I’m ready for it to be over with. I can’t take any more of this crap the talking heads call journalism. I was in a great mood this morning and was beginning to feel some excitement about the game Sunday and then I was sucked into listening to a ten-minute discussion about Michael Strahan’s facial hair. I almost threw my coffee at the TV. What has happened to this game?? Does anyone in the media even care if they play the stupid thing?? I guess the people in charge of it are the same ones who think we care what Britney Spears does with her spare time. Anyway, with that off my chest, I will be the port in the storm and actually delve into the football game a little.

Do any of you actually think there is something wrong with Tom Brady’s ankle?? The walking boot is all Bill Belichick!!! Personally, I think it’s funny. The press takes that stuff hook, line, and sinker. And all the while, Belichick and Brady are laughing their butts off.

I do think the game sets up to be a good one. The Giants defense has an idea what to expect. Notice I said… “has an idea”. Belichick is capable of installing an entirely new offense with two weeks off. The Patriots defense is the key to the game for me. At some point they have to start playing old don’t they?? Bruschi, Seau, Vrabel, and Seymour are a collective 874 years old. I guess you could argue they have started playing old given the struggles of the second half of the season. I know, it’s hard to talk about struggle when they’re 18-0, but you know what I mean. We know the Pats are going to score. What we don’t know is whether the Giants can keep their momentum going for one more game. Eli seems to have finally grasped that if he doesn’t do stupid things with the football, the Giants have a chance to beat anyone. What the Giants offense has done over this run through the playoffs is not rocket surgery!! They’re running the ball effectively and completing short, possession type passes which opens up the vertical passing game. …DUHHH!!! I believe we discovered this formula at about the same time Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue. The question here is whether they can do it when the game starts on Sunday.

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The Week Between

markj — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:41:08 +0000

I have to be honest. I hate the week between the conference title games and the Super Bowl. I know there is news and stuff, but I’m still in my game-watching mode. At this point I’m not that interested in the Falcons, Ravens, and Redskins search for a coach. Could my apathy toward this subject be due to the fact that no-one worth a crap is going to be interested in any of them, save the Redskins??

Do any of you find it completely ridiculous that the Ravens hired a guy with 24 years of coaching experience, and by his own admission, none of it running an offense or a defense!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Can you imagine what Ray Lewis is going to do in that locker room when they start next season 0-8?? I’ll go ahead and say it now, he will demand a trade by the midpoint of the season if not sooner.

I have a different view of the thing in Atlanta, however. I think the new coach is probably pretty good, but he has absolutely no chance to succeed. The Falcons have no players and no money to get new ones. Between the Michael Vick and Joe Horn contracts, they won’t have any money for the next couple of years either. Or maybe they start the sell-off of the two or three players on the roster that teams around the league might be interested in. Alge Crumpler, Keith Brooking, and DeAngelo Hall perhaps?? Hmmmm, stay tuned!!

Even more than the other two coaching moves made this week, the Redskins job is the one I’m most fearful about. I’m not a Redskins fan mind you, but I just get the feeling Daniel Snyder is going to screw this up. He has two of the most capable replacements for Joe Gibbs already on staff, but he is intent on interviewing everyone on the planet including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Either Greg Lewis or Al Saunders would provide the best available coach and a seemless transition from Coach Gibbs.

Well, I guess I’ll wait ‘til next week to start dazzling you with my incredible breakdown of the big game. It will make your head spin. I’ll have in depth interviews with all the key players and I’ll actually get Bill Belichick to discuss Tom Brady’s ankle injury. And right after that, I’ll unveil the pictures I have of Bigfoot burying Jimmy Hoffa in the end-zone at the Meadowlands. So make sure you tune in starting Monday. See Ya!!

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Conference Title Sunday

markj — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 06:06:59 +0000

As you can probably tell from my last post, I’m taking the Patriots. …By forty. The Chargers have absolutely no chance in this game. They are out-manned, in the cold, and they will be incredibly out-coached by the Pats. The only hope for San Diego is for Bill Belichick to be abducted by aliens, Randy Moss to be accused of inappropriate behavior with all the women in Massachusetts, and for Tom Brady to want to be paid in foreign currency like his girlfriend. The part about Belichick isn’t that far fetched. I hear the aliens need some pointers on their inter-galactic defense strategies.

The better game this weekend will, no doubt, be the Giants at the Packers. The sentimental pick is the Packers, but it’s going to be brutally cold and both teams can run the ball. Do you find it as interesting as I do that the outcome will probably have nothing to do with the venerable old QB Favre and everything to do with two young running backs?? Bradshaw for the Giants and Grant for the Packers. Eli and the Giants are rolling, but Green Bay seems to be destined. Did any of us think that when they got spanked by the Cowboys back in November??
As bad as I hate to do it, I’m taking both home teams this weekend. I know, I know, that’s really going out on a limb, but what can I say. That’s how I see it.

Have a great weekend and may all your balls bounce to suit ya!!

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Tugging on Superman’s Cape

markj — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:25:59 +0000

At the start of the season, I had no idea I would end up despising the San Diego Chargers, but that’s exactly what has happened. This Sundays AFC Championship Game really begs the question “Who do you hate less??” The Patriots are easy to dislike. They have become the New York Yankees of football. Between “spy-gate” and the fact they just beat the crap out of everybody, it’s easy to see why people are lining up to hate them. To me, the Chargers are way worse. In my post from December 10, “It’s Official, LT’s a Jerk!!” I rant that LT isn’t as good a teammate as everyone seems to think he is. Now, come to find out he’s not the only one.

I can’t believe I was defending QB Philip Rivers. Did you see him taunting the Colt’s fans Sunday?? What an arrogant jerk!! My question to him is “What exactly did you have to do with the win anyway?? It was Billy Volek who led his team to the win, not tough guy Rivers. What ever happened to winning with dignity and grace?? Oh, and while I’m on the subject of LT, was it me or did Shawne Merriman do his stupid little dance in the middle of the Colts helmet at midfield after a total “gimme” sack of Peyton Manning?? I don’t hear LT screaming about how class-less his teammate is or how that starts at the top of his team with the head coach!!!

Now today, we have DE Igor Olshansky asking who the Patriots are and saying “Believe me, they’re more worried about us than we are about them!! They know what’s up!!” O-M-G!!! …Are You Kidding Me??? This is quite possibly the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard a football player say, EVER!! In case you don’t remember, Mr. Olshansky, the Pats b#$ch slapped you guys in week two in Foxboro, 38-14, in a game your vaunted offense was held scoreless until the second half. This may be the greatest display of Tugging on Superman’s Cape that we have ever seen in the NFL and I, for one, hope the Pats win this game by forty, then fly to San Diego and dance on the lightening bolt again!!!

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Terrell Owens and the Rest…

markj — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:56:31 +0000

Terrell Owens says he’s going to play Sunday. …There’s a shock!! He played in a Super Bowl on a broken leg, was there any doubt he was going to play?? I’m not a T. O. fan, but a wimp, he isn’t!

Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons talked to USC’s Pete Carroll about the teams vacant coaching position. ……Are You Kidding Me???? I had some sympathy for Mr. Blank after all the things that have happened to his franchise over the past year, but you must be joking!!!! Do the words Steve Spurrier, Butch Davis, and Nick Saban not mean anything to you?? Not to mention BOBBY PETRINO!!!!!!!! What the #$%& is he thinking?? Hire Mike Singletary and be done with it. Please!!!

Anyway, let’s get on with the picks for Sunday’s divisional matchups.

San Diego at Indianapolis
It will be one win and done for Norv Turner in the playoffs. Did you see the dance he did on the sidelines after beating the Titans last week?? OMG!!! How sad is it for a franchise that they celebrated a win on Wild Card weekend like they won the Super Bowl? Well however you view it, it doesn’t bode well for the Chargers this week in Indy. The Colts are going to be ready to play and Marvin Harrison will be back on the field. I’m not sure he’ll contribute a ton, but he will create some attention in the San Diego secondary. My guess is the Colts by double digits in the most lopsided game of the weekend.

New York Giants at Dallas
Well, you might have missed it in my post yesterday. I said the Packers would beat the Seahawks and get another home game next week. The only way for that to happen is for the Cowboys to lose at home to the Giants and that is exactly what is going to happen. Although I think the Jessica Simpson stuff is stupid, Tony Romo is beginning to get defensive and snippy about it. I think that means he is starting to feel the pressure that he’s been able to avoid all year. After all, he’s the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys and they are the favorites to reach the Super Bowl. I really look for Eli Manning and the Giants to continue their consistent play and drive the Dallas defense crazy. Call me nuts, but I see it, 31-24 Giants!!!

Wait, I think they’re here to lock me up!! Oh, …no it was just the dog…

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Joe Gibbs and the Divisional Round

markj — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:43:31 +0000

Joe Gibbs retiring should not have surprised anyone at all. I know he said he intended to fulfill his entire contract, but the operative word there is intended. His grandson, who wasn’t even born when Coach Gibbs signed the contract, has leukemia. Also, he is 67 years old and still an active force in his NASCAR team. A team who switched from Chevrolet to Toyota this year and if you know anything about NASCAR, you know that’s going to take a lot of P.R. babysitting. The question now is, what does Daniel Snyder do??

I predict this will be the most painful coaching search Dan Snyder has ever gone through. He has to get a huge name and there just aren’t any available. Cowher isn’t coming back this year and he’s already been down the Schottenheimer road. The best candidates are already on his payroll in Al Saunders and Greg Williams, but mark my words, he won’t think they’re big enough. In the end, I think he will go through this long drawn out search and decide on Williams, but he won’t be happy about it.

Now on with the “take ‘em to the bank” picks for the divisional round of the playoffs.

Seattle at Green Bay
Even though I’m not completely sold on the Packers, I do think they will find a way to get past the Seahawks at home Saturday. The Seahawks are showing too much reverence for Brett Favre and the Packers in general for my liking. I’d rather see them with a little bit of an edge rather than the butt kissing everyone is doing. I think Favre will have a good enough game to get Green Bay another home game next week.

Jacksonville at New England
NO, I don’t think the Jaguars are going to beat the Patriots in Foxboro Saturday night. And YES, I think it will be a close hard fought game. It’s not in Jacksonville’s DNA to get blown out now. They have too much confidence after their win last week in Pittsburgh. The Patriots are simply too rested and too good to falter in this round though. They may lose, but it won’t be in this game. I’ll take the Pats, 31-27.

Please come back tomorrow for the other two picks and some more thoughts from the game that we all love…to fuss about!!

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A Goofy End to 2007

markj — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:41:04 +0000

What a weird year!! The teams we thought would be good stunk. The teams we thaught were overrated won!! It’s a world gone mad!! I know it’s not me, so there has to be some other logical explanation. I guess I’ll spend the next couple of months explaining it.

Brian Billick and Cam Cameron are out as head coaches. WOW!! I get the Brian Billick deal. He is an “offensive guru”, but never had one worth a crap in 9 years. What took so long?? Cam Cameron never had a chance. Once the team hired Bill “I want to buy the groceries” Parcels, Cameron was done. For all you people who thought the firing of GM Randy Mueller and Coach Cameron was harsh, I have two and a half words for you. Ted Ginn, Jr. They took a second rounder, at best, with the 9th overall pick in the draft. End of discussion!!

Anyway, here is how I see this weeks games shaping up.

Washington at Seattle
I’m telling you, you can never underestimate the power of tragedy on the human psyche. I don’t care where the Redskins play, they are going to be hard to beat. QB Todd Collins has been great and Clinton Portis is the hottest running back in the league. The Seahawks have been better than I ever expected, but I don’t know that they can compete with what bonds Washington’s players together. I’m taking the ’skins in a war, 17-16.

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
As you probably know, I haven’t been real high on the Steelers all year. I just don’t think they are as good as everyone else thinks they are. On the other hand, I now think the Jaguars aren’t as good as I originally thought either. This brings me to a strange place. As bad as I hate to admit it, I’m one of those people who thinks it’s very difficult to beat the same team twice in a short period of time. Having said all that, I’ll take the Steelers at home in one of the better games of the Wild Card weekend, 27-24.

New York Giants at Tampa Bay
I know it seems like I’ve been “hatin” on the Giants lately. That really isn’t how I feel about them. It seems like I talk about them only when they lose, but they were 10-6!! I can’t explain it, but I think Eli finally has his big game on a big stage. The Giants defense is good enough to contain the Tampa Bay running game and Jeff Garcia is likely to have a bad game from his long layoff. I’m taking New York over the Buccaneers, 27-16.

Tennessee at San Diego
Maybe if this game was being played in Nashville, I could give the Titans a chance. So there, you have my pick. The Titans have big trouble at QB due to the quad injury to Vince Young. While Kerry Collins has been a nice “fill-in”, he’s still Kerry Collins and this is a big game. The Chargers will win this one quite easily, 27-13.

Have a great “Wild Card” weekend everybody and I’ll be back with more next week.

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The Rest of Week 17.

markj — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:00:05 +0000

Here are the rest of the picks for week 17. Enjoy!!

San Francisco at Cleveland
The Browns have no control over their playoff destiny. The 49ers look to continue to play well going into the offseason. The weather will be bad and Frank Gore has finally come around. I’ll take San Francisco here in a low scoring game, 13-7.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore
The Steelers will be resting starters and the Ravens will be trying to score a point on offense. Pittsburgh will win this game by merely showing up.

San Diego at Oakland
Finally, …QB JaMarcus Russell gets his first start in the NFL for the Raiders. Week 17 against one of the better defenses in the AFC. Hmmmm!! He will struggle and the Chargers will solidify their playoff position with an easy win.

Dallas at Washington
In a game that has playoff implications, the Cowboys are going to rest starters while the Redskins won’t. Let’s just say, Washington’s motivation is much stronger than Dallas’ this week. The ’skins will win it, 27-16.

St. Louis at Arizona
Both the Rams and Cardinals look to end their dismal seasons on a high note. My guess is the Cardinals will pull it out late at home, 23-21.

Minnesota at Denver
The Vikings need a win to stay in the playoff hunt. The Broncos want to carry some level of momentum into the offseason. QB Tarvaris Jackson will be out in the elements with the weight of the Viking’s season squarely on his shoulders. I believe he will buckle and Denver will win this game, 23-16.

Kansas City at the New York Jets
Who Cares??? The Jets over the Chiefs at home, 13-10.

Tennessee at Indianapolis
Well, we know what Tony Dungy is going to do in this game. As quick as he can get Marvin Harrison some reps with Peyton Manning, the starters will be on the sidelines. Not good for the Cleveland Browns who need the Colts to win. The Titans will get in with a win and Colts QB Jim Sorgi isn’t exactly the cat’s meow. Anyway, the Titans will win this game on the feet of Vince Young.

There you have it. My last regular season picks for 2007. Boo-Hoo, sniff-sniff!! It’s been a fun year and I’m looking forward to an exciting post season. I hope you all have a happy and blessed new year and I’ll telecommunicate with you again later.

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The Final Week …Uugh!!!

markj — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:49:58 +0000

While lamenting the fact that this is the last week of the regular season, I’d like to say it’s impossible to pick most of these games. All the talk this week is “who’s going to rest who? and who is going to shut it down for the year?” and such. I’m not going to spend much time on games that have no meaning in the playoff picture. Oh well, I’ll stop making excuses in advance and start pickin’!!

New England at New York Giants
In the most absurd game of the week, the Patriots hit the “Big Apple” to play the Giants. Ok, Ok, they hit the New Jersey Turnpike to play the Giants. Anyway, all I’ve heard this week is “how much are the starters going to play?” This irritates me to no end. The Pats are going for the perfect season and the “G” men aren’t even going to put up a fight. New England will get out to a lead and the game will become unwatchable. The score will be 31-17.

Seattle at Atlanta
The Seahawks backups will beat the Falcons starters in Atlanta, mercifully ending the Falcon’s putrid season.

New Orleans at Chicago
The Saints need to win and the Vikings and Redskins need to lose for the Saints to make the playoffs. As I said before, two of these three things will happen to keep the Saints fans on the edge of their seats ’til the very end. Unfortunately, the one that will fail will be the Saints themselves. They will go to Chicago and get spanked by the Bears like they did in the NFC Title game last year. Too many injuries and goofy play calling will ensure it!!

Cincinnati at Miami
It says a lot that the most interestng aspect of this game is that Bill Parcels will be there as the new football guru for the hapless Dolphins. All of Miami’s players will be auditioning for the new regime, but that extra effort won’t be enough to beat the Bengals. The score will be 24-13.

Detroit at Green Bay
The Lions stopped the bleeding last week and the Packers have nothing to gain by winning this game. With that said, the Packers will find a way to pull this game out at home. They do not want to limp into the playoffs with back to back losses.

Jacksonville at Houston
I look for the Jaguars to continue their great play this weekend against the Texans. The Jags want to roll into the playoffs and the Texans won’t have too much to say about it here.

Carolina at Tampa Bay
The Buccaneer’s place in the playoffs is set. The Panthers are ending this disappointing season on a brighter note with better play lately. I think Carolina will win this game on the road, 17-13.

Buffalo at Philadelphia
Neither team has anything to play for in this game. The Bills will play hard, but won’t have enough in this game and the Eagles fans will be able to say goodbye to Donovan McNabb after a hard fought win.

Come back later to see the rest of the picks for week 17.

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