Bristol In My Rear View Mirror

MLB Playoff Picks

2010-10-06T10:27:00.001-05:00

Apologies for the gap between posts - sometimes life just gets in the way of important things like maintaining one's blog.

Enough whining - Let's wake up this near dormant blog with some picks for the 2010 MLB Playoffs!

National League

Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati

Doc Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels....need we say more. This team is battle tested, anxious to recalim the World Series, and playing it's best ball of the year. Cincy is a great story, but the feeling here is that Dusty Baker's boys won't be able to ovcercome the Phillies pitching (despite the sometime thrill ride known as Closer Brad Lidge).

The Pick: Phillies in 4

San Fran vs. Atlanta

Can the perennial postseason underachieving Braves give Bobby Cox (and perhaps Chipper Jones)a happy sendoff into retirement? Though this isn't the same bunch that was around for most of those years, the feeling here is no. Bruce Bochy's Giants can take this one, riding the clutch hitting of surprising veterans like Pat Burrell and Aubrey Huff to go aloing with the young arms like Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez, not to mention the outstanding (0.90 ERA since September 1) bullpen.

The Pick: Giants in 4

American League

New York Yankees vs. Minnesota

Full disclosure: We do not like the Yankees. Some might say we're haters. Those who say so might be correct in that assertion. Nevertheless, despite the fact that we will be rooting against the Yankees with every fiber of our being, we will be objective in this analysis. This is not the same team that waltzed through the playoffs in 2009 en route to Title #27. Derek Jeter is either in a simple prolonged slump, or is showing us the inevitable slow decline that comes with age. Alex Rodriguez has been unable to stay fully healthy, although the team seems to play pretty well without him. Mark Teixiera, while prodcutive with 33-108, hit 30 points below his lifetime BA. This lineup is still dangerous, and can be a bear to pitch to, but there are vulnerabilities which a good staff can exploit.

Enter the Twins, with a fully recovered Francisco Liriano and a rejuvanated Carl Pavano, and a surprsing bullpen. Even though 1B Justin Morneau will miss the series due to a concussion, the lineup is formidable. Sprinkle in the relative uncertainty of the Yankee rotation beyond C.C. Sabathia, the home field edge of Target Field and you've got us absolutely giddy for an early Bronx Bomber exit!

The Pick: Twins in 5

Tampa Bay vs. Texas

The Rays return to the playoffs after missing them in '09, while the Rangers remain the only franchise in MLB never to have won a playoff series. Not sure if Texas can buck that trend, though this group will give Tampa all it can handle. Picking up Cliff Lee, who you might remember as being completely amazing in the 2009 playoffs, was a master stroke. The slick lefty works quickly, doesn't walk anybody, and is on a nice run (1.94 ERA in Sept.). The Ranger lineup, however, is a little dinged with Josh Hamilton still nursing sore ribs, and Vlad Guerrero's sore legs.

Tampa doesn't flash a lot of power, but can create lots oin havoc (and runs) with overall team speed. The Rays swiped 172 bases to lead the majors, and Texas pitchers getting too obsessed with baserunners can lead to big fat mistakes in the middle of the plate.

The Pick: Rays in 5

So there you have it. Come back once the Division Series' are done and see how smart/stupid we are.

NFL Picks - Week 6

2009-10-17T21:35:00.001-05:00

Last week's matchups were just so awful, we decided not to even bother publishing a picks column. Well, that's not entirely true, but there are times when we can't get to throwing up a blog post, so eventful and busy are our lives.

That said, we found a few spare moments here to put together some wisdom for Week 6. Pull up a chair, soak in the knowledge, and enjoy.

CINCINNATI (-4.5) over Houston
Bengals are for real, apparently. Texans play just well enough to not win each week - witness the pathetic failure to punch it in from the one against Arizona last week. We'll go with the Don't-call-us-the-Bungles-anymore at home.
Bengals 27 Texans 21

GREEN BAY (-13.5) over Detroit
Lions are frisky, and should be able to keep it interesting for a half, but Pack is coming off a bye, and playing at Lambeau. Look for the late cover of this big number.
Packers 34 Lions 20

Baltimore (+2.5) over MINNESOTA
First challenge for Favre's Vikes. Ravens defense has showed some vulnerability thus far, and killer schedule hasn't done them any favors. The hunch is that they will find a way to harass #4 and slow down Peterson just enough to pull one out on the road.
Ravens 23 Vikings 21

NY Giants (+3.5) over NEW ORLEANS
Anytime Vegas wants to give you points with Big Blue, you take it, and don;t ask any questions. Saints are very tough at home, but Jet defense did a fine job bottling up Brees just two weeks ago, so there is no reason why Jints can't repeat the feat. IN what should be the game of the week, go with Eli and the boys.
Giants 23 Saints 21

TAMPA BAY (+3.5) over Carolina
Ew. Bucs are slowly becoming more capable, and the erratic Panthers can't seem to put together sixty solid minutes.
Panthers 27 Buccaneers 24

Kansas City (+6.5) over WASHINGTON
Will Jim Zorn be fired by halftime? Skins are simply not very good, while Chiefs are showing subtle signs of becoming a much better team in the second half. Todd Haley gets his first W here.
Chiefs 24 Redskins 20

JACKSONVILLE (-9.5) over St. Louis
Jags are a mess, but nobody can lay claim to the term "Train Wreck" like the Rams. If Jax didn't lose by 41 last week, this line would've been much higher, so count your lucky stars that you can lay less than 10 and cruise.
Jaguars 31 Rams 13

PITTSBURGH (-14.5) over Cleveland
Browns picked up first win, albeit in an ugly fashion, last week at Buffalo. Champs have been up and down thus far, but get back Troy Polamalu, which signifies a return to normalcy. Blowout city here.
Steelers 37 Browns 10

SEATTLE (-2.5) over Arizona
Seahawks enjoy a nice home field advantage, and a win here throws them right back into the hunt for the wide open NFC West. Cards should have lost, or at least been taken to OT, last week, so football karma is in play here.
Seahawks 31 Cardinals 27

Philadelphia (-14.5) over OAKLAND
Wow, only 14.5? Would not have been surprised if it was 20. Eagles are back on track and ready to assert themselves as one of the Big Boys in the NFC. How much longer can Oakland play JaMarcus Russell, who clearly is not ready to be an NFL QB?
Eagles 40 Raiders 13

NY JETS (-9.5) over Buffalo
Perfect time for the Jets to reassert themselves after back-to-back losses. Bills are no match for Rex Ryan's defense, which will be in Trent Edwards' face all afternoon. this one could, and probably will, get ugly.
Jets 37 Bills 13

NEW ENGLAND (-9.5) over Tennessee
Pats haven't really put it all together thus far, but the Titans are simply not very good. The questions is how bad must Vince Young be if Jeff Fisher is not willing to play him now?
Patriots 27 Titans 14

Chicago (+3.5) over ATLANTA
Banged up Bears are not being given much of a chance this week, but we feel Jay Cutler will be able to have some success here and keep it close.
Falcons 20 Bears 17

MONDAY NIGHT
SAN DIEGO (-4.5) over Denver
A couple things:
1) Chargers, coming off bye after an awful 45 minutes against Pittsburgh, will be amped up at home.
2) Broncos have to have a letdown at some point, especially after back-to-back home thrillers over Dallas and New England.
Chargers 20 Broncos 14

Best Bets: Eagles, Jaguars, Steelers
Last Week: 7-7
Overall: 43-33

NFL Picks - Week 4

2009-10-04T05:54:00.001-05:00

No column last week, as we were traveling and too busy, and for that we apologize. Despite the lack of blogged evidence, we went 10-6, with no Best Bets chosen. Not bad, considering.

Week 4 is upon us, and there are a couple of very interesting match-ups this week, including the ESPN-led, sure to induce vomit by kickoff due to Favre overload Vikes/Packers clash. More intriguing, at least from here, is the Saints/Jets battle of the unbeatens. It's also must win time for several teams, most notably the 0-3 Titans and the 1-2 Steelers. Losses here for either team will put them into deep divisional holes from which climbing out will be a huge challenge. On to the picks:

CHICAGO (-10.5) over Detroit
Bears are due to unload on somebody, and Lions are giddy over snapping long losing streak. Detroit might be able to hang around for awhile, but look for the Bears to pull away late and cover this double digit number.
Bears 27 Lions 13

Cincinnati (-5.5) over CLEVELAND
Bengals laying this much on the road is always a risky proposition, but the Browns are an absolute train wreck which has already quit on Eric Mangini. Throw in a decided lack of any offensive threat with a fan base that is out of patience and you've got a recipe for a blowout.
Bengals 30 Browns 10

INDIANAPOLIS (-8.5) over Seattle
Colts juist keep taking care of business, winning two big prime time games the last two weeks, now return home to face Seneca Wallace led Hawks. Too much Peyton, plus a dash of Joseph Addai/Donald Brown combo spell doom for Seattle.
Colts 27 Seahawks 13

NY Giants (-9.5) over KANSAS CITY
Arrowhead mystique really not in play these days, and Jints are way too solid away from Jersey for it to make any difference. Clearly emerging as the class of the NFC, don't look for the G-Men to slip up here.
Giants 31 Chiefs 13

WASHINGTON (-7.5) over Tampa Bay
Can't imagine the 'Skins being 8 points better than anybody right now, but the Bucs are in a state of disarray matched only by perhaps the Browns. This is a chance for the Washington fans and media to feel good about this team again, if only for a week.
Redskins 24 Buccaneers 14

Tennessee (-2.5) over JACKSONVILLE
Do or die for Titans, no doubt. Still holding to our assertion that the Jags are an awful squad, despite win last week. Look for Jeff Fisher's boys, who dominated in stretched at the Jets last week, to put together a full 60 minutes here.
Titans 30 Jaguars 10

HOUSTON (-9.5) over Oakland
Two words: JaMarcus Russel. Raiders defense is okay, and running game isn't bad, but the complete ineffectiveness at QB will continue to doom this team. Texans on a bit of a rollercoaster thus far, and this is an "up" week according to the pattern.
Texans 23 Raiders 10

NEW ENGLAND (-2.5) over Baltimore
Seems like a pretty stupid choice on the surface. Ravens are perhaps the best team in the AFC, showing a potent offense to go along with the stout defense, while Tom Brady has clearly not been the Brady of old thus far. Just a hunch that the Pats find a way to scratch out a tough win with a late FG at home, and that assumption is based on nothing factual.
Patriots 23 Ravens 20

NEW ORLEANS (-6.5) over NY Jets
Ahhh, here's the Game of the Week. High flying Saints matching up with the ball hawking, multiple looks, blitz crazy Jets defense. As is usually the case in game like these, we like to look at the other match-up, namely the New Orleans defense vs. Mark Sanchez and Co. The rookie QB has been an effective game manager so far, but at some point will be asked to take over and win a game by himself. Nawlins has some playmajers on defense which could give the Jets trouble, and the choice here is for an entertaining game ultimately going to the dome dwellers.
Saints 27 Jets 20

Buffalo (-1.5) over MIAMI
As we predicted, remember, this would be a very rough year for the Dolphins. Losing Chad Pennington just makes it tougher, and the Bills have played better than the 1-2 mark indicates (save for those disastrous 2 minutes against the Pats in week 1). Bills extend the Miami Misery another week..
Bills 27 Dolphins 16

DENVER (+3.5) over Dallas
Really not sold on the Broncos yet, mostly due to the opponents faced, but when you can grab a good defensive team getting points at home, you grab 'em. Cowboys have shown to still manage to come up small in big games, and we're betting this trend continues.
Broncos 20 Cowboys 17

SAN FRANCISCO (-10.5) over St. Louis
We believe in the Niners now, though one would be hard pressed to pick the Rams, well, ever. Even if Frank Gore sits, Frisco should roll.
49ers 31 Rams 10

San Diego (+6.5) over PITTSBURGH
Really tough to go against the Steelers at home coming off a loss, but this team is in trouble. The running game is a shambles, and the loss of Troy Polomalu seems to have rendered the defense toothless and passive. Can't see the Bolts not managing to stay close, if not winning outright.
Chargers 24 Steelers 22

MONDAY
Green Bay (+3.5) over MINNESOTA
Vikes escaped ugly loss with last second heroics last week thanks to Favre's heave. Never mind all of the hype surrounding #4 in purple, the real story here will be how Aaron Rogers manages to maintain his poise in a noisy house with the QB Who Wouldn't Leave standing on the otehr sideline. The play here is that the Pack will stick around, and maybe steal one here.
Packers 23 Vikings 21

Best Bets: San Fran, Buffalo, Cincinnati

Last Week: 10-6
Overall Record: 28-20

NFL Picks - Week 2

2009-09-19T15:35:00.001-05:00

It was a bit of an atypical Week 1 for us, as we usually do pretty well. Thanks to spectacular non-covers by the Pats and Chargers on Monday, we skidded to an 8-8 week. Some highlights from the opening games:

Denver's improbable 87 yard TD pass to beat Cincy, culminating in Brandon Stokely's goal line tightrope walk. Obviously, this guy played lots of Tecmo Bowl as a kid.

The Patriots quick strike victory over Buffalo. The decision to run the kickoff out of the end zone was actually pretty sound, but the need to figt for the extra meaningless yard nullified it.

Mark Sanchez's debut. The kid looked poised, if nothing else, but bear in mind the awful pick he threw, along with a few other ill advised tosses which could have easily been picked. The new Rex Ryan led defense will carry this team in '09.

For Week 2, it's Rivalry Week! Jets-Pats! Giants-Cowboys! Chiefs-Raiders! (Okay, only we care about that last one....)

On to the picks.

ATLANTA (-6.5) over Carolina

Panthers have become a bit of a chic pick since this line opened. We're not seeing it - Jake Delomme can play 75% better than he did a week ago and still be awful. The Falcs are home again, and have enough to grind out an ugly win.

Falcons 20 Panthers 13

Minnesota (-9.5) over DETROIT

AP, AP, and more AP. Favre will be a non-factor, meaning he'll be less likely to throw a damaging INT. Lions are better, but will have no answers for Purple Jesus.

Vikings 37 Lions 10

GREEN BAY (-9.5) over Cincinnati

Bengals reeling after ugly late loss to Denver at home, now go to Lambeau. Pack escaped with one last week, but staunch defense will have no trouble shutting down Cincy.

Packers 20 Bengals 7

Houston (+7.5) over TENNESSEE

This is not the same Titan team from 2008. Texans, a popular breakout pick by many (including this site), will be hungry and should have enough to cover this number.

Texans 23 Titans 21

KANSAS CITY (-3.5) over Oakland

Raiders might have been jobbed by reversal on that TD pass last week, and they appear to be much more disciplined thus far, but JaMarcus Russell's inaccuracy will cause problems. KC eager to please in first Arrowhead game of the Pioli/Haley regime, will take out hated AFL rivals.

Chiefs 24 Raiders 16

New England (-5.5) over NY JETS

Everybody loving the J-E-T-S Jets! JEts! Jets! after impressive opener. Couple that with New England's survival victory, and you've got plenty of concerned folks in Massachusettes. Not to worry. The Hoodie has always been able to rattle younger QB's, and Pats can look at last week as a wake-up call.

Patriots 23 Jets 14

New Orleans (+1.5) over PHILADELPHIA

Changed this one after seeing Kolb will be taking the snaps for Philly. Saints D is not stellar by any means, but Brees and CO. will be ablt to put up enough to compensate, and we're counting on some unfoirced errors by Kolb.

Saints 26 Eagles 24

WASHINGTON (-10.5) over St. Louis

Rams are absolutely dreadful. Skins bounce back in home opener, and despite the inconsistency of Jason Campbelll will be able to coast here.

Redskins 30 Rams 13

Arizona (+3.5) over JACKSONVILLE

Sorry, but the Jags are simply not very good, and do not deserve to be giving points, particularly to the defending NFC champs. We know, Western teams going East for 1:00 starts have an absolutely abysmal record, but this one is a trend bucker.

Cardinals 24 Jaguars 19

Seattle (+1.5) over SAN FRANCISCO

Still not sold on Niners, even after impressive road win at Arizona. Seahawks lloked sharp vs. Rams, which really wasn't difficult to do, but the feeling here is they will steal one on the road this week.

Seahawks 27 49ers 24

BUFFALO (-4.5) over Tampa Bay

Bills come home and reignite the hope for their beleaguered fan base. Bucs hung with Dallas for awhile last week, but gave up big play after big play en route to loss. Look for T.O. to have a good game and, hopefully, keep his yap shut afterward.

Bills 30 Bucs 16

CHICAGO (+2.5) over Pittsburgh

Upset special. Bears can't afford to fall to 0-2, and the defense should step it up big time against Champs. Cutler should enjoy seeing a Troy Polamolu-less secondary as well. Robbie Gould's leg decides it.

Bears 20 Steelers 17

Cleveland (+3.5) over DENVER

Not sold at all on the Broncos, who pulled one out of their backside last week. Browns are bad, but so is Denver, so we'll grab the points and hope for a close game.

Broncos 20 Browns 17

Baltimore (+4.5) over SAN DIEGO

Chargers, minus LDT, still a potent force as Darren Sprouls takes the ball. Ravens solid on both sides of the ball, and this seems like way too high a number to pass up.

Ravens 23 Chargers 19

NY Giants (+2.5) over DALLAS

Welcome to the Enormodome, or whatever the hell Jerry Jones is calling this monstrosity of a stadium. Hope this sucke- er, fans, enjoy getting fleeced for huge sums while enjoying obstructed views, essentially paying this man tons of money to watch his large TV. Back to the game, G-Men know how to beat this team, always play well on the road, and won't be fazed. Over/Under on punts hitting the monitor is 1.5.

Giants 24 Cowboys 20

MONDAY

Indianapolis (-3.5) over MIAMI

We told you that the Dolphins were the prime candidate to be this season's Let Down team, and gettign off to an 0-2 start will help cement that. Colts did just enough to win opener, and will be able to cover here despite being thin at wideout.

Colts 17 Dolphins 10

Last Week: 8-8

Best Bets: Bills, Vikings, Packers

NFL Picks - Week 1

2009-09-13T07:43:00.001-05:00

Not much fanfare for these picks, as history tells us nobody knows anything about Week 1. The spreads are usually low, since Vegas has no trending data or major injuries to factor into the equation.

This year, we're playing in the ESPN Pigskin Pick 'em group put together by Bill Simmons, a group with several thousand entries. Our goal is simply yo beat Matthew Berry.

That said, here are the Week 1 selections:
Thursday
PITTSBURGH (-5.5) over Tennessee (already a loss; thanks Hines Ward!)

Sunday
ATLANTA (-4.5) over Miami
Denver (+3.5) over CINCINNATI
Minnesota (-3.5) over CLEVELAND
INDIANAPOLIS (-6.5) over Jacksonville
NEW ORLEANS (-11.5) over Detroit
Dallas (-3.5) over TAMPA BAY
Philadelphia (+0.5) over CAROLINA
BALTIMORE (-8.5) over Kansas City
N.Y. Jets (+4.5) over HOUSTON
N.Y. GIANTS (-6.5) over Washington
ARIZONA (-6.5) over San Francisco
ST. LOUIS (+7.5) over Seattle
Chicago (+3.5) over GREEN BAY

Monday
NEW ENGLAND (-10.5) over Buffalo
San Diego (-6.5) over OAKLAND

Enjoy the opening weekend, everyone!

The 2009 NFL Preview!

2009-09-11T20:41:00.002-05:00

Finally, the 2009 NFL Season is upon us. Join us, won't you, as we fearlessly attempt to forecast the season, secure in the knowledge that several significant injuries/suspensions will completely screw the crap out of these meticulously prepared choices.

In the interest of accuracy, we broke it down by taking the complete schedule, and going game-by-game, predicting who would be the winner. The won-lost records were than compiled, the standings updated, and the rest is history. Check it out:

NFC
East
NY Giants 13-3
Philadelphia 13-3
Dallas 10-6
Washington 9-7

North
Chicago 13-3
Green Bay 12-4
Minnesota 8-8
Detroit 2-14

South
New Orleans 12-4
Atlanta 9-7
Carolina 8-8
Tampa Bay 1-15

West
Arizona 8-8
Seattle 7-9
San Francisco 5-11
St. Louis 3-13

AFC
East
New England 12-4
NY Jets 8-8
Buffalo 4-12
Miami 4-12

North
Pittsburgh 14-2
Baltimore 12-4
Cincinnati 6-10
Cleveland 2-14

South
Indianapolis 12-4
Houston 11-5
Tennessee 9-7
Jacksonville 3-13

West
San Diego 13-3
Kansas City 7-9
Denver 4-12
Oakland 2-14

Playoffs
NFC

(6) Green Bay over (3) New Orleans
(5) Philadelphia over (4) Arizona

(1) NY Giants over (6) Green Bay
(5) Philadelphia over (2) Chicago

(5) Philadelphia over (1) NY Giants

AFC

(3) Indianapolis over (6) Houston
(4) New England over (5) Baltimore

(2) San Diego over (3) Indianapolis
(4) New England over (1) Pittsburgh

(2) San Diego over (4) New England

Super Bowl
Philadelphia over San Diego

That's right, we're picking Norv Turner and Andy Reid to each lead teams to the Super Bowl. Jeez, are we screwed.

Most jarring observations from the above:

Miami and Atlanta both regress, with the Dolphins seeing a more significant drop due to a tougher schedule loaded with colder outdoor games.
Denver dropping like a rock. Partly wishful thinking, but come on, Kyle Orton plus pouty crazypants Brandon Marshall can't offset a potentially promising running game
Tampa Bay, Oakland and Cleveland will be really, really bad.
Detroit's 2-14 will feel like 7-9
Brett Favre is a douche

Enjoy the season everyone.

A Scare

2009-06-30T14:51:00.002-05:00

Sitting in the pool on Sunday, as my teenaged daughter feverishly works the cell phone, texting with friends about nothing in particular, as per usual. Suddenly, she gets my attention with this exclamation:

"Oh my God! Willie Mays died!"

My heart sank a little. The Say Hey Kid has always been my favorite player of all time, even though I only got to watch the very end of his long career. The admiration for Willie was passed down from my father and older brothers, and dated back to when Mays patrolled center field at the Polo Grounds in the 50's.

Reflection set in. Hell, I thought, Mays was 78 years old, and lived a long, full life. I imagined the tributes that would be forthcoming from the likes of Bob Costas, et al., and was certain I'd DVR the majority of them.

Then a thought occurred to me. Why would a teenaged girl (the one who texted my kid) even A.) Know who Willie Mays was and B.) more importantly, care who Willie Mays was? I said this and was told that "her family is really into sports". Okay, a stretch I suppose, but when kids are basically texting anything that occurs it made sense that this would find its way into the conversation.

Minutes pass, when the familiar buzz of the cell phone siginified another text. I'm then asked if Willie Mays was "that Oxy Clean guy". Um, no, that's Billy Mays. Kind of a big difference.

Then it gets pieced together that The Say Hey Kid had presumably not died, but that Mr. "As Seen on TV" himself did. Sad? Sure, but it was nice to know that my favorite player had not shuffled off just yet.

Good Stuff from Awful Announcing

2009-06-03T11:06:00.003-05:00

As a sort of tie-in to our recent entry into the Twittersphere, we present this from the awesome (see linky on the right) Awful Announcing, via USA Today.

The Sportscaster Twitter Game

Enjoy!

A Word About The Bird

2009-04-14T08:54:00.002-05:00

Damn, the "submit" button was barely clicked for the Harry Kalas post when word arrievd about Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, who passed away Monday at the age of 54.

Fidrych arrived on the scene like a flash in the summer of '76. I remember one of my friends enthusiasticaly telling me about this crazy pitcher who talked to the ball. In those pre-Internet, pre-24 hour news cycle days, it was awhile before i got to see him for myself, and i wasn't disappointed. Antics aside (besides talking to the ball, which he later clarified was actually talking to himself, Fidrych groomed the mound with his hands, ran off the mound after retiring the side, and was known to shake hands with players after they made a nice play in the field), the kid could pitch, racking up 19 wins en route to the Rookie of the Year award.

More than that, Fidrych was genuine. By all accounts, he was just a cool guy who happened to have the ability to pitch at the big league level. After fate cruelly intervened with a series of debilitating injuries which forced him from the game by 1980, he remained upbeat and thankful for the time he had. Simply, he was a "character" who was just being himself.

The sports world is a little less cool today. Damn.

Goodnight, Harry

2009-04-13T14:44:00.002-05:00

Sad news out of Washington today as Harry Kalas, longtime voice of the Philadelphia Phillies and NFL Films, passed away at the age of 73.

Though not from the Philly area, we grew up with Kalas as the golden throated voice of NFL Films. He had that classic voice which could make even the most mundane 3 yard off tackle play into a battle for the ages, make an awful 4-12 team sound like world beaters, or make a aging veteran quarterback into a warrior headed for one last battle.

Finding out later that he was a baseball play-by-play guy struck us as odd, until we heard him do a game. The man was money, pure and simple, and he will be missed.

Elway Frowns On Your Shenanigans, Jay

2009-04-03T17:25:00.002-05:00

The Denver Bronco saga continues to provide endless hours of entertainment, if by "entertainment" you mean "whiny bitching".

Mr. Bronco himself, John Elway, expressed his disappointment over the entire Jay Cutler situation last week, and this was before yesterday's trade to the Bears.

Speaking at a fundraising event in Pueblo, Elway said, "I'm disappointed
for both sides, I look at the Denver Broncos organization as the best in the
NFL, as well as Jay Cutler as (one of) the top five quarterbacks in the
league."

Hmm.....well said John. We can't imagine the unmitigated gall of a Quarterback who gets so frustrated about playing in a certain city that he whines his way into forcing the team to trade him elsewhere. Man, what kind of ungrateful scak of crap would pull a stunt like that?

Calhoun: "Misinterpreted"?

2009-02-27T16:05:00.002-05:00

Nearly a week after his unhinged rant at a local rabble rouser, UCONN Coach Jim Calhoun issued a sort of apology. Not to said rabble rouser, Ken Krayeske, but to the people of Connecticut.

From the statement released Thursday:

It has become clear that my comments have been misinterpreted by some as being
insensitive to the current economic climate that those of us around our
country
and here in Connecticut are all facing

Exactly what was "misinterpreted" Coach? The part where you moaned that you weren't giving back one dime, or the part where you needed to retire with this cushion?

This entire story only went viral because of Calhoun's ridiculous response. Had he simply given a stock answer, something at which sports folk usually excel, the story would never have taken off. Something along the lines of "I know times are hard, but I have a job to do...." etc. This whole controversy is on him.

Trust us, we live in CT, and both Calhoun and Geno Auriema walk on water, with little to no bashing from the local lapdogs in the media, who fear a loss of access if offending the savior coaches. Seeing someone calmly ask a question which immediately showed Calhoun's prckly side was a rare sight indeed.

For his part, Krayeske accomplished his goal of bringing the issue to light, and has reaped the reward of national exposure. Let's hope if he decides to show up at any future games or press conferences, he brings a bodyguard.

Calhoun Comments Misinterpreted (WTNH.com)
The 40 Year Plan

Fixing NFL Overtime is Simple

2009-02-20T14:36:00.003-05:00

The NFL Rules Committee is meeting this week, and one of the items on the agenda is overtime. Specifically, should it be changed and if so, how?

The Colts-Chargers playoff game brought this issue back onto the front burner, when Peyton Manning's Colts lost the coin toss, and the MVP stood there on the bench and watched the Bolts go down the field, score a TD, and send Indy home. The standard cry of "how can a playoff game be decided by a coin flip?" echoed throughout the land. "Something needs to be done!" cried disgruntled Colt fans.

Tony Dungy, for his part, was not one of the grumblers. He simply stated that you still have to play football after the coin flip, and if his teams' inability to get one defensive stop was the reason they lost. Plain and simple.

"Sudden death is a good procedure. It’s fun and everyone knows the rules," said Rich McKay, Atlanta Falcons president and co-chairman of the NFL's Competition Committee. Apparently he forgot about Donovan McNabb, who had zero clue how the whole "we're tied after 60 minutes thing" actually worked. How many other players lacked this knowledge is unknown, but we're betting there are many others.

"I would like to see the stats change because I don’t like the fact that that the team winning the coin flip now wins 60 percent of the time, and the team winning the coin flip, 40-plus percent of the time, wins it on the first possession." McKay continued.

Based on that stat, the clamor for change is being heard. Suggested options include the following:

A college style system where by each team alternates possession from the opposing 25 yard line. (This is gimmicky and reminds us of an NHL shootout. Also, it's stupid.)

Minor tweaks to the existing sudden death system, such as moving back the kickoff line to force longer drives for the team receiving the kick. (Nice try, but not enough)

Not allowing any punts in the extra session. (Stupid, since it removes an element from the game - why not eliminate blitzing while you're at it?)

An eight minute overtime, which presumably would allow each team a chance to get at least one possession. Ties remian ties during the regular season. (Hmmm.....)

This last one has some merit. However, we see an even simpler solution which requires no major overhaul of the existing system, nor any crazy stunts. Get ready, here it comes...

Each team gets to touch the ball in an offensive manner at least once. That's it.

In our example, let's say the Colts and the Chargers are playing, but in the regular season. San Diego wins the toss, and scores a TD after a 7 minute drive. They would then kick to Indy, who would have to score a TD to stay alive. Fail and the game ends. Succeed, and we're now in Sudden Death mode, next score wins. If the 15 minute period expires and we're still tied, it remains a tie. Stratgey would be a huge factor when deciding to kick a field goal or not, knowing that a miss leaves a short field for your opponent. Teams with strong defenses might opt to kick when winning the OT coin flip in the hopes of pinning down the opponent and getting good field position for its offense. No mater what, it brings some strategy back into the game here, would be entertaining as hell, and eliminates the coin flip stat McKay uses above once and for all.

It could be hashed out as to what constitutes a "touch", but for the sake of argument let's say that in the example above, if Indy fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, the game would end. Other items like this could be hashed out by the comp committee, since they need something to do this week anyway.

For post-season games, the same rules apply, only we go beyond the 5th quarter until the game is decided.

Basically, the rule isn't overhauled, overtime doesn't become gimmicky, and the games don't get any longer. We can't see how the NFL goes wrong here.

Your move, Mr. Goodell.

Rules committee meets to discuss overtime rules (Yahoo Sports)

Tinkering with overtyime makes me nervous (Shutdown Corner)

NFL Picks - Super Bowl Edition

2009-01-31T22:26:00.003-05:00

We tried to lay low after the perfect round we had during Championship Weekend. That's right, let that settle in for a moment......perfect. Four and oh, thanks to Troy Polamolu's pick six late in the 4th, whihc brings the post-season mark to 12-8.

As promised, we will be selecting not only the game versus the points as well as the over/under, but a selection of prop bets as well in a misguided attempt to bring the season record above the .500 mark. Let's get to it...

First of all, it is refreshing to see a team that has never made it to the game play in the Super Bowl. Cardinal fans, wherever you are, rejoice and enjoy this moment. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is gunning for the a record sixth Super Bowl title, so this is all pretty much old hat for the players and fans in the Steel City.

So what happens Sunday then? The Steeler defense is as formidable a group the Cards have seen all season. Dick LeBeau's group simply cannot be run against, which might not matter since Arizona seems to have littl einterest in runngin the ball anyway. On the flip side, Pittsburgh's offense hasn't really been lighting it up, but could see some success against a Cardinal defense which has suddenly become a swarming bunch of ball hawks. The key could very well be how the "off" units (Pitt's Offense, 'Zona's Defense) perform. Let's look at it from that angle:

Steelers on offense - Big Ben is as tough as they come, and he has that uncanny, immeasurable ability to create something out of nothing, like he did on the long TD toss to Santonio Holmes against the Ravens. He also, however, tends to make some head scratching plays at times. He will have to keep those in his pocket on Sunday night. A less than 100% Hines Ward is still better than nothing at all, but the degree of his effectivemess will go a long way toward determining how successful these guys will be. The running game, normally a Steeler hallamrk, has been as spotty as ever and it's hard to predict what it can provide.

Cardinals on Defense - Eleven turnovers in three playoff games is a staggering total, and is an easy indicator when determining why this team has not only won its way here, but how. Since turnovers are often impossible to predict from game to game, we can't assume the trend will continue. Should the turnovers not come, this unit must force a few three and outs and avoid allowing long drives in the humid Florida night.

The pick:
All things seems to point to the Steelers: the experience, the better defense, the chance to make history. All solid reasons, but we just can't shake one big thing working against them - Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona's coach. As a former Steeler assistant, he kjows the Pittsburgh personnel, has spent countless hours practicing against Dick LeBeau's schemes, and has no doubt seen just about every look LeBeau can give. Toss in the crazy mojo surrounding Kurt Warner, the best ffnsive player on the field in Larry Fitzgerald, and we're going to go ahead and grab the Cardinals to not only cover, but win outright.

Cardinals (+7)
OVER 46.5
Cardinals 27 Steelers 20

On to the Prop Bets!

Since many of these bets involve multiple options (with accompanying odds), we're going to stick with only those involving two choices.

Coin Toss: Tails
Winner of Coin Toss: Steelers
How Many Times will NBC show Brenda Warner during the game: Over 2.5
Which QB will John Madden mention using his full name after kickoff: Ben Roethlisberger
First Score: Touchdown
First to score: Cardinals
Number of songs sung by Bruce Springsteen: Over 3.5
Jersey Number of player to score first TD: Under 38

Enjoy the game everybody.

The Chin To KC?

2009-01-17T12:03:00.002-05:00

An interesting blog post from Adam Schefter on nfl.com indicates that Bill Cowher could be the next coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, but not until 2010, based on things said by Boomer Esiason on his WFAN radio show Friday morning. While there is no hard data to back this up, Schefter does list a few points which make sense regarding the former Steelers leader:

Boomer works with Cowher, and is familiar with his thinking.
Cowher worked in KC as an assistant to Marty Schottenheimer prior to taking the Steeler job.
According to Boomer, new Chief GM Scott Pioli is good friends with Cowher.
The pool of desired coaches Pioli would have considered (Josh Macdaniels, for one) seems to have dried up.

While most insiders believe incumbent head coach Herm Edwards is a dead man walking, we can see him sticking around at least for one year while the rebuilding process kicks in. Herm is still well liked by his players, and the young guys seem to respond to him. There's also the little matter of the last year of his contract, which will pay him $4 million, and we're sure KC would like to have him earn that dough.

Either way, we Chief fans are looking forward to the Pioli Era.

NFL Picks - Conference Championships

2009-01-16T15:57:00.003-05:00

Where was last week's picks column, you're asking yourself? Never posted it, and it's a shame, because we had some good stuff planned. Stuff which turned to crap by around 4:30 on Sunday afternoon (Thanks Eli!).

Despite the lack of a posted picks column, we still had them done, and the results were a rather predictable 3-5 (1-3 on the games, 2-2 on the over/unders). Only the Steelers managed to come through and win at home, which up until this season was pretty much a lock during the divisional round.

So, what now? How can we possibly predict the outcomes of these rather unlikely matchups? More importantly, how can we get back to a 50% success rate with only 6 remaining things from which to pick? Simple - the Super Bowl pick will also involve all the Prop Bets (coin toss, first TD, first FG, etc.), which could result in a spectacular failure, but will be fun nontheless. On to the games at hand.

ARIZONA (+4) over Philadelphia
OVER 47

We understand how home field advantage has taken a bit of a beating this season, but if it does exist, the Cardinlas are a pretty solid example, going 7-2. It's notable how the home crowd responded during the opening round game against Atlanta, though that was against a batch of playoff newbies not accustomed to such things. This Eagle team has no issues travelling, haing already won twice in two pretty hostile environments (Minny and the Meadowlands). The line has been steadily moving in Philly's favor all week, creeping up to 4, and we will not hesitate to grab the points.

Nothing about the Eagles offense has impressed thus far. Think about it, the one screen pass Westbrook busted against the Vikes was pretty much the only big play they've pulled off in two games. What has them here is the defense, and we expect Jim Johnosn to have some new looks ready to throw at Kurt Warner. The X factor is Warner's ability to hang on to the ball, which he can often have issues doing. Keep an eye on Asante Samuel, who loves to go for the big play and jumps routes all the time - miscalcualting that here against the physical receiving corps of Boldin and Fitzgerald could result in big gainers for the Redbirds.

Throw out the Turkey Day debacle - Arizona had to travel cross country on a short week, while the Eagles stayed home with a pissed off Donovan McNabb ready to prove Andy Reid wrong for benching him three days earlier. Though that game jump started Philly's playoff push, it bears no relevance here other than to add more fuel to the Cardinal "nobody repects us" fire.

The pick: we like the Cardinals to continue the improbable ride, and prepare ourselves for 2 weeks of feel good stories about Kurt Warner.

Cardinals 27 Eagles 23

PITTSBURGH (-6) over Baltimore
OVER 34

Beating a team three times in one year can often be a chore, but the feeling here is that Pittsburgh is one team the Ravens are incapable of intimidating. Big Ben seems to get knocked around every week, but opicks himself up and manages to make just enough plays. throw in the fact that the Steelers offensive line finally showed signs of playing like a real cohesive unit last week, and that spells trouble for the Ravens. Joe Flacco has been a great story, and to call him a rookie seems improper by now - he's a "first year player" who has shown himself to be unflappable in big spots. He manages to make at least one big throw each week and will likely do so here as well.

Two significant injuries for Baltimore, Suggs and Rolle, will have an impact as well. A resurgent Steeler ground game will help chew up the clock and wear down the resilient defense. We see the Steelers gettign a lead and forcing Baltimore out of their game, which could make the game a bit more high scoring than most expect.

The pick: Pittsburgh returns to the Super Bowl in a game that might be closer than the final score indicates.

Steelers 23 Ravens 13

Last Week: 3-5
Playoff Totals: 8-8

Season Overall: 131-140 (48.3%)

Great Acceptance Speech, or Greatest Acceptance Speech?

2009-01-12T15:47:00.002-05:00

The results are in, and congratulations are in order for Rickey Henderson and, finally, Jim Rice, on making the Baseball Hall of Fame. Henderson got the call on his first year of eligibility, while Rice made it on his last non-veterans committee chance.

We suppose this ends any chance of another Rickey comeback, though perhaps the rules will allow him to be the only active HOF member ever. This will be especially fun if he signs with, say, the Bridgeport Bluefish.

The months ahead will undoubtedly feature a debate on which hat Rickey will wear, which can't be an easy decision since he played for 9 teams over his 25 seasons. We're guessing Oakland, but one never knows with Rickey.

That mystery will pale in comarision, though, to the The Speech. As touched upon in the headline, this should be one for the ages. If you thought Phil Rizzuto's gem from a few years back was good, we're betting Rickey's will be much more entertaining, with plenty of "Rickey played hard", "Rickey just loved the game", and if we're lucky, "Today, Rickey is the greatest of All-Time", etc. Should be awesome.

NFL Picks - Wild Card Weekend Edition

2009-01-03T22:18:00.002-05:00

Back to the picks after a brief, near suicidal hiatus. This has been an awful year for us, and we now look to the post season as the last chance for some kind of redemption. Toward that end, we'll be playing the over/unders as well as the point spreads from here on out. Let's get this underway with the Saturday games:

SATURDAY
Atlanta (-2.5) over ARIZONA
OVER 50.5
Love the way the Dirty Birds can run the ball, and by doing so keep the potent aerial show of Kurt Warner and Co. off the field. Also, have to like the Atlanta pass rush to put some big time heat on the immobile Warner all afternoon. Look for the Cards to post a late run to make it interesting
before the Falcons move on.

Falcons 27 Cardinals 24

Indianapolis (-1/2) over SAN DIEGO
UNDER 50
Newly crowned MVP Peyton Manning leads the red hot Colts into SD against a Charger group which has absolutely nothing to lose. Normally, a dangerous team playing at home would be a slam dunk, but this team has plenty of flaws, all of which will be exposed by a Dungy defense and a patient Manning. All that, plus Norv Turner, equals a confident pick for the road team.

Colts 27 Chargers 21

SUNDAY
Baltimore over MIAMI
UNDER 37.5
Dolphins are easily the story of the year, and give off a "glad to be here" vibe. Pennington and Co. overcame numerous mistakes (dropped passes, turnovers, bad penalties) to grab the AFC East and get here, but can't afford that kind of effort against the Ravens. Look for ball hawk extraordinaire Ed Reed to be on Chad's throws all afternoon, and the Joe Flacco led Baltimore offense to score just enough to get out of here with a victory.

Ravens 19 Dolphins 10

Philadelphia (-3) over MINNESOTA
OVER 41
Wow, four road teams picked? Really? Either we're geniuses or idiots.
Love what Philly can do in this matchup, namely, have a QB who is nimble enough to elude a solid pass rush, and have a guy like Westbrook who can give even the best LB's fits. Fired up Eagle defense will give Action Jackson all kinds of trouble, allowing the City of Brotherly Love to keep it's dream of another championship alive for at least another week.

Eagles 30 Vikings 21

NFL Picks - Week 13

2008-12-01T19:32:00.000-05:00

Late to the party, but the picks were in as of Wednesday night. A quick look at them shows that there is no way in hell these were made any later. Sigh.

THANKSGIVING
Tennessee (-11.5) over DETROIT
DALLAS (-12.5) over Seattle
Arizona (+2.5) over PHILADELPHIA

SUNDAY
BUFFALO (-6.5) over San Francisco
Baltimore (-7.5) over CINCINNATI
Indianapolis (-4.5) over CLEVELAND
GREEN BAY (-3.5) over Carolina
Miami (-7.5)over ST. LOUIS
TAMPA BAY (-4.5) over New Orleans
N.Y. Giants (-3.5) over WASHINGTON
Atlanta (+5.5) over SAN DIEGO
N.Y. JETS (-7.5) over Denver
Kansas City (+2.5) over OAKLAND
NEW ENGLAND (-1.5) over Pittsburgh
Chicago (+3.5) over MINNESOTA

MONDAY
HOUSTON (-3.5) over Jacksonville

End this miserable season already!

What We Learned...NFL Edition

2008-11-24T18:58:00.002-05:00

As the calendar turns toward Turkey Day, things begin to take shape in the National Footbal League (say it loudly and emphatically, like Ron Jaworski, who we swear must get a residual from Roger Goodell every time he says that). Early season pretenders are snapped back to reality, while those teams with talent start gettign it together and gearing up for a playoff run.

So what did we learn thus far after the near completion of Week 12?

The Jets are for a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
If you're around Jet fans, you know how much their collective stomach turns when they see a sentence like that. They rival, to a degree, Chicago Cubs fans when it comes to pessimism and gloomy doomy expectations. Strangely, we haven't heard much of that after yesterday's 31-13 whipping of previously unbeaten Tennessee. Brett Favre seems really comfortable right now, the offensive line is playing as a cohesive group, and Thomas Jones has returned to feature back/workhorse status. Not to mention the play of the defensive line (Kris Jenkins, take your bow). The AFC is still a bit wide open for the first time in several years, but to not see the Jets as the potential team to beat down the stretch is not being realistic.

The Colts are Back
Meanwhile, Indy keeps quietly stringing together victories and is poised to be the Team Nobody Wants To Play in the playoffs. While still having some issues on defense, recall that the team that won the Super Bowl was ranked last against the run before winning as well. These guys have experience and can find a way.

Dallas Isn't Going Away
As much as the rest of the league wanted them to go inot the toilet, it looks as if the 'Pokes are in for the long haul. Romo's back, and T.O. just had a big game which will keep his trap shut for awhile. This could be the NFC version of the team everyone will dread facing in Round one.

The Rams, Chiefs, Bengals and Lions simply aren't very good
The battle for the #1 pick is as hot as ever! Rams players voiced support for interim coach Jim Haslett last week, then promptly went out and were humilated by teh Bears 27-3. The Chiefs undid four weeks of apparent progress by allowing a team record 54 points to a Buffalo team which was struggling mightily. Cincinnati puts up some game efforts, but can't seem to buy a win. The Lions head into the annual Turkey Day game winless, putting an emphatic excalmation point on the suckiness that was the Matt Millen Era. (Side note: Michigan has to be one of the most depressing places to be if you're a sports fan, right? The Tigers massively underachieved, the Lions are perpetually awful, Big Blue just lost it's 9th game, oh and the whole automobile industry about to go belly up. Um, go Pistons?)

The Road to The Super Bowl will go through Jersey
The Giants continue to methodically do whatever it takes to pile up win after win. This does beg the question, how the hell did this team lose to Cleveland, and by a lot?

We Still Suck at prognosticating
Even though we're headed for a 9 win week if Nawlins can cover tonight, we're still below 50%. Only a few weeks of miracles can save this pathetic season. Luckily, we don't "gamble" with "money".

NFL Picks - Week 12

2008-11-21T15:52:00.003-05:00

Still reeling with bitterness after the touchdown/non-touchdown last week (hey, when you're having as crappy a year as this, you need every game you can get), we forge ahead with the selections for Week 11.

THURSDAY
We had Cincinnati (+10.5) and the aforementioned Mr. CrazyHair was involved in making this one go against us as well.

SUNDAY
ATLANTA (-1.5) over Carolina
Rare home loss for Falcs last week, look for a rebound in huge one here. Something seems off about the Panthers, despite the 8-2 record.
Falcons 23 Panthers 17

Houston (+3.5) over CLEVELAND
Two disappointing teams meet - when teams of equal value clash, expect it to be close. We'll grab the points. How exactly did this team beat the Giants again?
Texans 30 Browns 27

San Francisco (+10.5) over DALLAS
Niners have adopted the crazy ass persona of Coach Singletary, and have zero to lose here. Boys are not all the way back yet despite impressive win over Redskins last week. Grab the double digit line.
Cowboys 24 49ers 20

DETROIT (+8.5) over Tampa Bay
Symbolic pairing as the winless Lions have been compared to the 76-77 Bucs. What better time for the Motor City bunch to crack the W column? Upset of the week.
Lions 20 Buccaneers 19

NY Jets (+5.5) over TENNESSEE
Game of the Week! Titans have been flirting with losing of late, while the Jets are brimming with confidence after beating Pats. Titans might still win, but this line is too high, and we like the Jets to win outright.
Jets 24 Titans 16

KANSAS CITY (+3.5) over Buffalo
Improving Chiefs finally get 2nd win against free falling Bills. Build on this one, Herm!
Chiefs 20 Bills 17

Chicago (-7.5) over ST. LOUIS
Maybe Rams are this bad. Bears have to be pissed after being embarassed at Lambeau last week, and will take out frustrations here.
Bears 31 Rams 10

New England (+1.5) over MIAMI
Easily the WTF? line of the year, judging by pre-season standards. Pats have to be motivated after getting thumped by Fish earlier this year, right? Right?
Patriots 27 Dolphins 24

JACKSONVILLE (-2.5) over Minnesota
Two teams we cannot figure out. Since the line is under a Field Goal, we'll hold our nose and lay it.
Jaguars 23 Vikings 20

BALTIMORE (-1.5) over Philadelphia
Ravens return to form after rude awakening last week in the Meadowlands. Eagles look confused and listless. This one could get ugly, especially if Westbrook doesn't play.
Ravens 30 Eagles 17

DENVER (-9.5) over Oakland
As bad as the Denver defense is, the Raider offense is worse. Sonmething has to give! We'll take the Broncos at home in what will undoubtedly be frigid, non-California like weather, and lay the points.
Broncos 20 Raiders 10

NY Giants (-3.5) over ARIZONA
Can't bring ourselves to bet against the G-Men, even if Brandon Jacobs doesn't play. Kurt Warner will be pressured by Big Blue into rushing his throws, and the Cardinal defense has not shown us any reason to believe they will stop the Giants. Potentially high scoring affair, but take the better team.
Giants 30 Cardinals 24

Washington (-3.5) over SEATTLE
Look for the Skins to bounce back and keep the NFC East race tight for at least another week.
Redskins 24 Seahawks 14

Indianapolis (+2.5) over SAN DIEGO
Chargers continue to play just well enough to lose, and the red hot Colts are hitting their stride at precisely the right time. An ominous sign if you're Norv Turner.
Colts 22 Chargers 17

MONDAY
NEW ORLEANS (-2.5) over Green Bay
Big play offense back in the Dome. PAck ripe for letdown after blowout win.
Saints 27 Packers 24

Last Week: 8-8
Season Total: 77-82 (48%)

Farewell, FJM

2008-11-15T12:50:00.003-05:00

A fond goodbye to a favorite of this site, Fire Joe Morgan. The snarky, stat loving blog is being retired, and we'll miss it.

Thanks, guys, and best of luck in any and all future endeavors. Let's just say that you and your site were able to develop a great amount of consistency over the years, and as we all know, consistency is really the cornerstone of everything.

That's A Lot Of Cheeseburgers

2008-11-15T12:35:00.002-05:00

Back up the Brink's truck, boys, the Yankees are prepared to make C.C. Sabathia the highest paid pitcher in baseball history.

Reports are the offer exceeds the $137.5 million the Mets gave to Johan Santana last year. Hey, when it comes to throwing around large sums of cash, the Yankees wrote the damn book.

Sabathia, by all accounts, would perfer to pitch on the West Coast, and in the NL where he could display his hitting prowess. However, as it often does, cash will likely win out, and we can expect to see him with a cap and jersey at the inevitable press conference in a few weeks.

Here's the thing - Sabathia is, not to be too delicate, large. He's an innings eater, no question, but try to name a large pitcher who succeeded in pitching effectively into his thirties. Scouts already reported arm fatigue down the stretch last year, which could have resulted from the Brewers pitching him every three days in the heat of the playoff race, but could also be indicative of residual effects of tossing nearly 500 innings over the last two seasons.

The feeling here is that C.C. is a batch of DL stints waiting to happen. A guy his size will inevitably develop leg problems from supporting the weight, and the guy has been so durable that the sheer number of innings has to catch up with him. We understand why the Yankees feel the need to make a big splash and nab the biggest fish in the pond - a new stadium, a TV netowk, and a return to the playoffs, and this signing should provide a much needed short term boost. We'd just be really surprised if that by the time the contract is up that Sabathia isn't being compared to Carl Pavano.

NFL Picks - Week 11

2008-11-13T18:36:00.002-05:00

November is upon us already, meaning the games get that much important as playoff seedings are decided, and the contenders are separated from the pretenders, the men from the boys, the wheat from the chaff if you will.

More cliches, anyone? No? Okay, lets get the picks rolling as we look to start up some serious momentum to finish with a flourish:

Thursday
NY Jets (+3.5) over NEW ENGLAND
Jets finally have discovered the potent ground game, and while there is no way they rack up totals like last week here in muddy Foxboro, the hunch here is that they'll ahve enough to grind out a tough win.
Jets 17 Patriots 14

Sunday
ATLANTA (-5.5) over Denver
Falcs dominant at home, Broncos can;t stop a decent rushing attack. We're through underestimating Atlanta. This one could be a blowout.
Falcons 31 Broncos 17

CINCINNATI (+9.5) over Philadelphia
Bengals are a little friskier at home, and should be able to hang tight with Philly team which could be looking ahead to Baltimore, then Arizona in the next two weeks.
Eagles 23 Bengals 21

Chicago (+5.5) over GREEN BAY
LIne seems a bit high, so we'll take the Bears, since they won't be fazed by any crazy weather in Wisconsin.
Bears 20 Packers 16

INDIANAPOLIS (-8.5) over Houston
Colts are wide awake and poised for a nice run. No way they let Texans control game as they did for about 54 minutes in last meeting.
Colts 30 Texans 13

KANSAS CITY (+4.5) over New Orleans
Chiefs have to win one of these close ones after falling just short last three games, right? No better option that here at Arrowhead against a fragile Saint team.
Chiefs 23 Saints 20

MIAMI (-10.5) over Oakland
It shows just how far the Fins have come in such a short time to see them laying double digits to anhyone, even a woeful bunch like the Raiders. Here, we just can't see the Silver and Black scoring enough, if at all, to get the cover.
Dolphins 24 Raiders 6

NY GIANTS (-6.5) over Baltimore
G-Men now embark on the tougher part of the schedule, but this is one poised group. Ravens have been a pleasant surprise, but we can see young Joe Flacco feeling some heat this week frmo the Big Blue pass rush.
Giants 24 Ravens 16

Minnesota (+3.5) over TAMPA BAY
Bucs better at home, but it looks like Adrian Peterson is upping his game. Bucs could be starting to fade here.
Vikings 27 Bucs 20

Detroit (+14.5) over CAROLINA
No logical reason to take the Lions, who have been absolutely dreadful. Jake Delomme looked off his game last week, so we'll go out on a very shaky limb and grab the boatload of points.
Panthers 27 Lions 15

Tennessee (-2.5) over JACKSONVILLE
Is this the week the '72 Dolphins pop the corks? Nope. Jags waaaay too inconsistent, and we can see the Titans grinding out an efficient road win.
Titans 20 Jaguars 16

SAN FRANCISCO (-3.5) over St. Louis
Rams can't be as bad as they showed the world last week, but the Niners are due to have a laugher, and will get one here.
49ers 30 Rams 17

Arizona (-6.5) over SEATTLE
Cards laying nearly a touchdown on the road, in November? Yep, we're in bizarro world alright.
Hawks are a mess, and this line is well within reach for surging Redbirds.
Cardinals 31 Seahawks 20

PITTSBURGH (-6.5) over San Diego
Bow your heads for the Chargers, whose season will suffer a nearly fatal blow with a loss here. Steelers are due to roll after tough home losses to Giants and Colts in recent weeks.
Steelers 22 Chargers 13

WASHINGTON (+1.5) over Dallas
Romo returns, but there are several other problems surrounding this team. Skin pass rush can and will force #9 to make mistakes, as he is prone to do. Grab the home team and the points.
Redskins 20 Cowboys 17

Monday
Cleveland (+4.5) over BUFFALO
Bills winless since granting a contract extension to coach. Coincindence, or simply the league catching up to the team? Not sure, but Buffalo really needs a win here to keep pace with Jets/Pats/Dolphins, and should get it, but it won't be easy.
Bills 23 Browns 20

Last Week: 6-8, yet again
Season: Let's just say we're still below 50% and leave it at that, okay?

NFL Picks - Week 10

2008-11-10T19:10:00.002-05:00

Another week, another bout of flirting with 50%. Madeness, I say, this league is madness!

In what appears to be a futile attempt to get back to sea level, we submit our Week 10 selections.

Thursday
Denver (+4.5) over CLEVELAND

Sunday
New Orleans (+.5) over ATLANTA
Tennessee (-3) over CHICAGO
DETROIT (+6.5) over Jacksonville
MIAMI (-9.5) over Seattle
MINNESOTA (-2.5) over Green Bay
NEW ENGLAND (-3.5) over Buffalo
St. Louis (+8.5) over NY JETS
HOUSTON (-1.5) over Baltimore
Carolina (-9.5) over OAKLAND
PITTSBURGH (-3.5) over Indianapolis
Kansas City (+15.5) over SAN DIEGO
NY Giants (+2.5) over PHILADELPHIA

Monday
ARIZONA (-9.5) over San Francisco

NFL Picks - Week 9

2008-11-02T08:16:00.003-05:00

Time is short, onto the selections:

BUFFALO (-5.5) over NY Jets
CHICAGO (-12.5) over Detroit
Jacksonville (-7.5) over Cincinnati
CLEVELAND (-1.5) over Baltimore
Arizona (-2.5) over ST. LOUIS
MINNESOTA (-4.5) over Houston
TENNESSEE (-7.5) over Green Bay
KANSAS CITY (+8.5) over Tampa Bay
DENVER (-3.5) over Miami
NY GIANTS (-7.5) over Dallas
SEATTLE (+6.5) over Philadelphia
Atlanta (-2.5) over OAKLAND
New England (+5.5) over INDIANAPOLIS
WASHINGTON (-2.5) over Pittsburgh

NFL Picks - Week 8

2008-10-25T18:26:00.003-05:00

Back to our regular format this week, despite having tied our season high last week after not publishing an entry on the site. Here goes nothin'.....

Tampa Bay (+3.5) over DALLAS
We can no longer depend on the Cowboys rising to the occasion, and as banged up as they are, they'll have all they can handle with the Bucs. Let the Wade Phillips Watch commence....
Buccaneers 24 Cowboys 16

DETROIT (+7.5) over Washington
Skins have been unable to blow anyone out all season, and we have a hunch this might be the week the Lions decide not to fall behind by three touchdowns before halftime.
Redskins 28 Lions 21

MIAMI (+1.5) over Buffalo
Flashback to the 70's, when the Bills were utterly unable to win in Miami. Fins can keep this one very close, and maybe steal it.
Dolphins 17 Bills 16

NEW ENGLAND (-7.5) over St. Louis
Are the Pats back? Are the Rams suddenly this much better? We don;t know, but we think New England can cover this number regardless.
Patriots 27 Rams 14

NEW ORLEANS (+3.5) over San Diego (game played in London)
Another pointless Euro-game. Going against the Bolts simply due to the 9 hour time lag. We can't put a team in Hawaii, but we can pull this crap every season?
Saints 20 Chargers 17

NY JETS (-12.5) over Kansas City
Chiefs, bad enough when at full strength, are going with a 3rd striung QB (Tyler Thigpen), and have benched Larry Johnson. Further, Jets are returning home after bad loss in Oakland. It's a recipe for a blowout.
Jets 34 Chiefs 10

Atlanta (+8.5) over PHILADELPHIA
City of Brotherly Love hosting a big sports Sunday, starting with this one. Falcons have been a tough out and can move to 5-2 (!) with win here. Eagles have been a mystery, and this line seems a bit high, so we'll take Matt Ryan and Co.
Eagles 21 Falcons 17

BALTIMORE (-6.5) over Oakland
Raiders got their win last week, now face hard reality known as the Ravens defense. This one won't be pretty, and is unlikely to show up on ESPN Classic anytime in the near future.
Ravens 20 Raiders 9

Arizona (+4.5) over CAROLINA
Gotta love the Cardinals, even though Panthers are a monster at home. This one could be wild, but it should stay close no matter what.
Panthers 31 Cardinals 28

JACKSONVILLE (-6.5) over Cleveland
Jags looking to start their run, and this is the perfect week to start.
Jaguars 27 Browns 13

HOUSTON (-9.5) over Cincinnati
Texans living large after back-to-back wins, should be able to keep it alive against the mess that is the Bengals. Houston moo cows will know better than to allow a back door cover like they did last week, right?
Texans 30 Bengals 16

NY Giants (+2.5) over PITTSBURGH
Game of the Week, no doubt. Giants need to put some heat on Big Ben or it will be a long day. Pitt ground game will struggle minus Willie Parker. Late figgie decides it.
Giants 20 Steelers 17

SAN FRANCISCO (-4.5) over Seattle
After having the crazy Manson-like eyes of Mike Singletary stargin you down all week, you think these Niners don't want to go out and tear something apart? Throw in a woeful road team like Seattle and you'll see the fur fly in Frisco.
49ers 30 Seahawks 10

MONDAY
TENNESSEE (-4.5) over Indianapolis
...and this is the week in which America finally discovers the Titans are for real. Colts have been so up and down, and will have all kinds of trouble moving the football against a fired up Tennessee bunch.
Titans 24 Colts 13

Last Week: 8-6
Season: 50-51

MLB Predictions - A Bold Look Back

2008-10-24T08:27:00.000-05:00

That's right, we're doing something that one never sees the "Big Boys" do - actually reviewing the predictions we made back in March and gauging the results. As expected, they ain't pretty, but if you look back at the choices the ESPN "experts" made you'd likely find similar results.

First, the good. Where were we accurate?

Correctly picked as Division Winners (1 out of 6):
Chicago Cubs

Correctly picked as playoff teams (3 out of 8):
Cubs, Red Sox, Dodgers

Closest to actual W-L record:
Milwaukee (90-72), which we nailed exactly!

Also: We nailed the Yankees missing the playoffs, which was nice.

Now, the suckitutde:

Tampa Bay- 76-86, 4th place (with the "watch out for them in 2009" warning)

Seattle - 92-70, AL Champs(!)

Detroit - 93-69, AL Central winner

NY Mets - 95-67, World Series Champions

The Mariners, in the World Series? Really? Reality showed this team succumbing to infinghting, bad play, and the worst record in baseball. Could not have been more wrong here. In a feeble attempt a defense, many other "experts" had this team making noise. Easily the worst pick we made, followed closely by....

Detroit. Man, this team put together a modern day Murderers Row, was armed with a bevy of good young arms, and seemed poised to stomp through the AL Central. Didn't happen. The Tigers stumbled out of the gate and were never able to recover, save for a brief run in mid-summer which propelled them back to .500.

Finally, the Mets. Ugh. We really thought they could erase the epic failure of 17 up with 7 to play and get the full redemption. Probably just our hearts winning out over our heads.

Despite these horrid results, we will not be deterred from rolling out more predictions next March. The jury is still out on if we will exhibit this level of honest reflection should the choices be so horribly off.

NFL Picks - Week 7

2008-10-24T07:03:00.001-05:00

Last week, we were rushed/sick/busy, and didn't even enter the selctions until Sunday morning. As was to be expected, we had one of our best weeks of this wretched season, going 8-6. Verification of the choices is shown here.

Full Week 8 picks and analysis is coming, watch this space.

NFL Picks - Week 6

2008-10-09T17:44:00.003-05:00

We're thisclose to giving up - the season is showing no signs of rhyme nor of reason. Miami smoking the Pats, then beating up the Chargers? Really?

Let's just get these out of the way, with the usual soon-to-be-disproven analysis:

ATLANTA (+2.5) over Chicago

Falcons showing plenty, especially at home. Figure this one to be close, so we'll grab the points.

Falcons 19 Bears 17

TAMPA BAY (-2.5) over Carolina

Bucs return home after tough loss in Denver, while Panthers might start slowly after last week's blowout vs. KC. Another close one, so we'll take the home team.

Buccaneers 20 Panthers 17

WASHINGTON (-13.5) over St. Louis

Are the Rams really this bad? Maybe not, but the REdskins sure do look to be that good, and it is hard to imagine them not being able to cover this number, even if it takes a late tack on score to do so.

Redskins 31 Rams 13

HOUSTON (-3.5) over Miami

A risky choice, but the Texans were a very solid team for 56 miinutes last week, and don't think every single player in that locker room isn't fully focused on taking out the frustration from that stomach punching loss. Picking against the Fish hasn;t helped us at all, but they could be due for a slight letdown.

Texans 23 Dolphins 17

INDIANAPOLIS (-4.5) over Baltimore

We can't really explain why we're taking the Colts, who have played about 34 minutes of good football thus far in 2008. Somethign seems off about this team, but we'll play the hunch that they will be able to string together a solid 60 minutes and gut one out to get their first win in their new digs.

Colts 20 Ravens 13

MINNESOTA (-13.5) over Detroit

So long as the Vikes tighten up their punt coverage, we see no reason why they can't enjoy a laugher here.

Vikings 34 Lions 16

NEW ORLEANS (-7.5) over Oakland

Just can't take the Raiders, who solved their "problem" by removing Lane Kiffin prior to last week's bye. Sean Payton will have his sloppy Saints ready to go this week after ugly MNF showing last week.

Saints 24 Raiders 14

NY JETS (-5.5) over Cincinnati

Bengals getting a little more respect from Vegas, hence this line. Jets, fresh off bye, should be ready to roll, and Bengals have played just well enough to lose last two. Look for Jet ground game to get back on track, enough to make Favre's play action that much more effective.

Jets 27 Bengals 17

DENVER (-3.5) over Jacksonville

Line seems a tad high, but Broncos have shown themselves to be very tough at home, while up and down Jags forced to make this gtrip after ugly game vs. Steelers. Close, but we'll take the Mile High guys.

Broncos 20 Jaguars 16

ARIZONA (+5.5) over Dallas

Cowboys have shown disturbing tendency to play to opponents level, and the Cards are just dangerous enough to stick around here. Will the house still be half filled with Cowboy fans, still?

Cardinals 31 Cowboys 28

SAN FRANCISCO (+5.5) over Philadelphia

Can't figure out the Eagles, who've gone from Super Bowl contender to also-ran in 3 short weeks. They're likely somewhere between the two extremes, and the hunch here is that the Niners can hang close, and maybe even steal this one.

Eagles 27 49ers 24

SEATTLE (-2.5) over Green Bay

Never in a million years would we think the Seahawks should be favored, but using the "Vegas knows something" theory, we'll take 'em. No further questions, Your Honor.

Seahawks 23 Packers 21

New England (+6.5) over SAN DIEGO

Another line which seems a little steep - Pats spent the week in Cali, and the Bolts have shown very little consistency thus far. Matt Cassell looked more confortable last week, and the San Diego pass rush has been nothing to write home about. Look for the Pats to add to further bury the Bolts.

Patriots 25 Chargers 20

Monday

NY Giants (-7.5) over CLEVELAND

Thanks, Powers That Be, for subjecting us to yet another nationally televised Browns game. Can we safely assume that the boys from Cleveland will not be part of any Flex scheduling come the second half? Please? As for the game, the Giants look very solid, and will not be deterred here.

Giants 24 Browns 10

Best Bets: Redskins, Vikings, Giants

Totals
Last Week: 6-8
Season Total: 36-38 (48.6%)

Best Bets
Last Week: 3-0
Season Total: 4-5 (44.4%)

NFL PIcks - Week 5

2008-10-02T16:59:00.002-05:00

After boldly proclaiming a return to awesomeness last week, we were able to stumble home with a 7-6 record. Small steps, kids, small steps, but still in the right direction, as we now sit right smack dab at 50%. Looking to continue to move the line on the graph upward, we submit these gems for Week 5...

Chicago (-3.5) over DETROIT
Do the Lions get a boost for finally ending the Matt Millen Era? Absolutely, but the fact remains the BEars are a better team, and should be able to cover the relatively small number here.
Bears 27 Lions 20

GREEN BAY (-7.5) over Atlanta
If ever a team needed a Homecoming Game like this one, it's the Pack. Despite Aaron Rodgers dodgy status for this one, the Cheeseheads should have enough to roll at home.
Packers 30 Falcons 17

San Diego (-6.5) over MIAMI
Chargers can't afford to take 3 quarters off like they did against the Raiders last week, or else the frisky Fins will make them pay. This is right about the time the Bolts take their game to another level and establish themselves as the best of the west.
Chargers 23 Dolphins 10

NY GIANTS (-7.5) over Seattle
Champs are rested after bye week and even without suspended wideout Plaxico Burress should have no trouble dispatching woeful on the road Seahawks.
Giants 27 Seahawks 13

Washington (+5.5) over PHILADELPHIA
Tough going against the Eagles in Philly, but the Skins, perhaps due for a letdown after winning in Dallas, have shown improvement every week and we can't see this game being decided by more than a figgie.
Eagles 20 Redskins 17

Kansas City (+9.5) over CAROLINA
Chiefs finally back in Win column after 12 straight losses. It dcertainly won't be as easy to run against Panthers as it was versus Denver, but the hunch here is that with Huard at the controls, KC can stay close against Carolina tream which doesn't seem to ever blow anyone out.
Panthers 24 Chiefs 16

BALTIMORE (+3.5) over Tennessee
Ravens in control at Pitt last week before ugly fumble turned game around. A slugfest is virtually guaranteed here, and that usually means a tight score.
Ravens 16 Titans 13

HOUSTON (+3.5) over Indianapolis
Have to take the Texans at home against wildly inconsistent Colt team, and would not be at all surprised if they win outright. Indy could be looking at dreaded "Most Disappointing" team designation at this rate.
Texans 20 Colts 17

Tampa Bay (+3.5) over DENVER
KC exposed serious flaws in Denver's D last week, and no doubt Mike Shanahan has been working all week to plug the leaks. Broncs always better at Mile High, but Buc Cover 2 is making noise again, and should be able to hang tough.
Broncos 27 Buccaneers 24

Buffalo (+.5) over ARIZONA
Essentially a "No Line" game, we'll have no trouble taking the Bills straight up. Card lose big time weapon in Anquan Boldin, and Bills will punish and harass Kurt Warner all day.
Bills 30 Cardinals 17

New England (-3.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
Really? Three and a half? Pats have fallen, but not that much, and Bellichicks's post-bye record is ridiculous. Liking the Pats big here.
Patriots 34 49ers 13

DALLAS (-15.5) over Cincinnati
Speaking of big, how fired up do you think the Cowboys are after dropping home game to rival Redskins last week? Bank on many, many carries for Marion Barber and Felix Jones to atone for the head scratching decision last week to not give them the ball. Oh, and the Bengals are without Carson Palmer, just thought we'd throw that in there.
Cowboys 38 Bengals 10

JACKSONVILLE (-4.5) over Pittsburgh
Steelers are incredibly banged up, while Jags are surging. Pittsburgh is overdue to lose one ugly, and this is where it happens.
Jaguars 24 Steelers 13

Monday Night
NEW ORLEANS (-3.5) over Minnesota
Tough call here, but have to go with the Saints in the Big Easy. Watch it with the volume down.
Saints 23 Vikings 16

Best Bets: Patriots, Cowboys, Bears

Last week: 7-6
Season Total: 30-30

Best Bets
Last Week: None (forgot!)
Season Total: 1-5

We've Been Here Before

2008-09-29T18:15:00.003-05:00

Ah, the perils of being a Met fan these days. I admit to watching the entire game unfold yesterday with a huge sense of foreboding, just waiting for something to go wrong. That's what this team has done to us in 2008, save for a few glorious weeks when the team caught fire and got itself back into the NL East race. Adminttedly, after Carlos Beltran tied the game with one swing, the hope crept back in. It should have been expected, to watch the bullpen allow back-to-back homers in the 8th (just as Ryan Braun's 2 run jack put the Brewers ahead), and add a final element of urgency to the last six outs. Not agood sign, since this team seemed incapable of rising up to pressure all season.

I said out loud during the game that this team never, ever, makes it easy, either on itself or it's fans. It's been this way for well, forever. Sunday would be no different, and true to form the boys from Flushing managed to get two men on with two out with the most clutch player on the team coming up. As soon as the ball left Carols Delgado's bat, In jumped and yelled "He GOT IT!" as he smashed a missile to left center, which, died on the warning track. That was pretty much all she wrote, although I did find some optimism creeping up in the 9th after a two out walk when I quietly piped up "This is the same situation as Game 6, right?"

The bottom line is simply this team really didn't deserve to advance. As it was last year, the fate of the post-season berth was in their hands, and they let it slip away. Thye took no momentum from the heroic performance of Johan Santana on Saturday, only musterd 5 runs in three must win games, and looked like a team afraid. Can that be fixed? I don't know. Murmurings on talk radio about breaking up the core (trading Wright? Reyes? Are you nuts?) ring hollow. Throwing a ton of desperation money at Manny Ramirez and/or KRod seems almost inevitable. Not winning in 2009, with an even bigger payroll and a shiny new ballpark will further plumb the fanbase into the depths.

So, it ends again, only this time with the quite surreal ritual closing ceremonies for beloved Shea Stadium. The event was classy, but the stench of what took place hung over the whole thing, which was a risk the organization was willing to risk from the outset. Goodbye, Shea. It was time for you to go. Congratulations Phillies and Brewers.

(photo - NY Post)

NFL Picks - Week 4

2008-09-27T11:06:00.003-05:00

Our condolences to any of our loyal readers who might have put down some friendly wagers based on the information contained within this column. The picks thus far have been downright nasty, dropping below the 50% threshold for the first time, well, ever.

Armed with a newfound determination to right our previous wrongs, we forge ahead with the promise, nay, the guarantee, that a 60% success rate will be achiveed. Yes we can!

Let's do this:

Cleveland (+3.5) over CINCINNATI
As bad as Browns have been, it remains an indisputable fact that there is no way in Hell the Cincinnati Bengals are 3.5 points better than anybody.
Browns 20 Bengals 17

Minnesota (+3.5) over TENNESSEE
As much as we love the Titans, they seem like the kind of team that will be locked into tight games most of the time. Vikes are good enough to keep it close.
Titans 17 Vikings 14

KANSAS CITY (+9.5) over Denver
Broncos are easily the most entertaining team in the league, due as much to their porous defense as the explosive offense. Chiefs go back to their best QB, Damon Huard, who gives them best chance of putting up points.
Broncos 31 Chiefs 23

NEW ORLEANS (-6.5) over San Francisco
Saints are due for easy one, and having the Niners in the Dome is just the ticket.
Saints 30 49ers 21

NY JETS (-2.5) over Arizona
Samll line for Jet team returning home against Cards bunch due for a raod letdown. Look for a big week from Favre.
Jets 27 Cardinals 20

Green Bay (+1.5) over TAMPA BAY
Still not believeing in the Bucs, who needed 60+ throws frmo Brian Griese and an awful call ont he game tying drive to beat Bears last week. Big bounce back for the Pack.
Packers 24 Bucs 16

Atlanta (+7.5) over CAROLINA
Falcs showing lots of moxie, might just have enough to scare the up-and-down Panthers.
Panthers 23 Falcons 16

Houston (+7.5) over JACKSONVILLE
Jags suffer inevitable letdown after finally beating Colts. Texans nned thisw one badly to avoid 0-3 start, placing Gary Kubiak on the hot seat.
Jaguars 19 Texans 16

San Diego (-7.5) over OAKLAND
Chargers putting early season woes behind them, while the ongoing mess that is the Radiers simplty don't have enough firepower to keep up. It is amazing that this team is playing so wekll for coach lane Kiffin, who, incredibly, is still leading the team. This would never happen if Al Davis were still alive.
Chargers 30 Raiders 16

ST. LOUIS (+8.5) over Buffalo
Can the Rams actually be this bad? Maybe. Switching to Trent Green is one of those rare desperation moves which makes absolutely non sense. We imagine Marc Bulger will be back under center by halftime, taking baby steps toward leading this team to slight respectability.
Bills 27 Rams 20

Washington (+11.5) over DALLAS
Cowboys, right now, are the best team in the NFL, but this seems like an awfully high number in a series whcih always seems to produce a tight game. Skins have looked good since Week 1 debacle and can stick around here.
Cowboys 24 Redskins 16

Philadelphia (-3.5) over CHICAGO
Dominant Eagle pass rush will hit Kyle Orton hard enough to dislodge his neck beard. Can't see Bears generating nearly enoughn offense to keep this one close.
Eagles 20 Bears 8

Monday Night
PITTSBURGH (-7.5) over Baltimore
Risky pick at this number, but Pittsburgh has aleways shown the ability to come back big after a toiugh loss, and defense will lead the way in Prime Time.
Steelers 17 Ravens 7

Last Week: 6-10
Season Total: 23-24

Best Bets
Last Week: 0-3
Season Total: 1-5

NFL Picks - Week 3

2008-09-18T17:49:00.002-05:00

We saw a little bit of everything last week: horrific officiating in Denver, incredibly dumbass showboating in Dallas, a seemingly lame duck coach winning by 16 points, and a team from New England putting a halt to 76,000 J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jest! fans all to ready to shovel the dirt.

As for the picks, we had an incredibly mediocre 8-7 week (thanks to the cancellation in Houston, only 15 games were on the docket).

Week 3 sees some very intriguing matchups - Pittsburgh/Philly and Dallas/Green Bay the most prominent. Some of the lines seem very wacky, and if we've learned anything, it's to go with the wacky. On to the choices:

Kansas City (+4.5) over ATLANTA
As bad as KC looked at home last week vs. the Radiers, and trsut us, it was bad, we just have issues with the Falcons being 4.5 point faves over anyone. Tyler Thigpen, with a week of first team reps under his belt, starts at QB for KC. On second thought, maybe this is simply a heart pick.
Atlanta 20 Kansas City 17

BUFFALO (-8.5) over Oakland
Surprising Bills, at home, will in no way, shape or form allow the Radiers to even sniff 300 yards on the ground. Force JaMarcus Russel to out it up, and bad things will happen. Toss in the uncertainty surrounding Lane Kiffin, and you've got the recipe for a Buffalo Blowout.
Bills 27 Raiders 10

CHICAGO (-3.5) over Tampa Bay
Not loving the Bucs on the road, and thinking that Mr. Forte will pop a few big runs, allowing the Bears to move to 2-1.
Bears 20 Bucs 16

TENNESSEE (-4.5) over Houston
Impromptu bye week for TExans last week won't help here. Titans look tough, and should be able to cover this number in their own digs.
Titans 24 Texans 13

MINNESOTA (-3.5) over Carolina
Let's see, 0-2 Vikes favored over 2-0 Panthers? Yeah, that makes sense. Is Gus Frerotte that much of a difference maker? We'll see. He can't help but improve an offense that had to settle for 5 FG's last week. Panthers might be due for a bit of a letdown here.
Vikings 23 Panthers 17

NEW ENGLAND (-12.5) over Miami
And you thought the days of double digit Pat lines were over? Well, they likely are after this week. Matt Cassell will act as the caretaker of the offense, while 3 headed running back attack will keep Fish on their heels all afternoon. Pat D will harass Pennington all day.
Patriots 30 Dolphins 13

NY GIANTS (-13.5) over Cincinnati
Early season scheduling gifts just keep coming for Big Blue. No way do they letdown against hapless Bungles. Carson Palmer's feet are already shuffling...
Giants 31 Bengals 10

WASHINGTON (-1.5) over Arizona
Skins found some life last week, and this Cardinal team has yet to really be tested. Washington defense can bottle up the immobile Kurt Warner while Clinton Portis and Co. will grind up yards, and clock.
Redskins 24 Cardinals 13

DENVER (-5.5) over New Orleans
Saints have trouble stopping anyone consistently, and Broncos offense is in mid-season form (despite "assistance" from Ed Hoculi). Another shootout? Very, very likely?
Broncos 37 Saints 28

Detroit (+3.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
Egads, we're actually taking the Lions? On the road? Yep - they hung tough before late cosmetic scores led to Packer blowout last week, while the Niners just seem like the kind of team that will play a tight game every week.
49ers 27 Lions 24

SEATTLE (-9.5) over St. Louis
Seahawks are all over the place, but the Rams are a straight up mess.
Seahawks 31 Rams 16

BALTIMORE (-1.5) over Cleveland
Did you hear that thump? It was the Browns, crashing back to Earth. It's gonna be a long year in Cleveland, as maybe, just maybe, this team wasn't really as good as everyone thought.
Ravens 17 Browns 10

PHILADELPHIA (-2.5) over Pittsburgh
Home team pick, plain and simple. Iggles looking dangerous, and you just know the defense will clamp down after allowing Dallas to rack up 40+. Status of Big Ben casts a bit of a shadow over Pitt as well.
Eagles 24 Steelers 20

INDIANAPOLIS (-5.5) over Jacksonville
Add Bob Sanders to the list of Indy's walking wounded, which is another huge blow - recall how the run defense was shredded in 2006 while he was out. Jags, pre-season Super Bowl pick for many a writer, drop to 0-3? It's more likely than you think.
Colts 23 Jaguars 13

GREEN BAY (+2.5) over Dallas
First real test for Aaron Rogers, on the big stage against the Big Bad Cowboys. WE get the feeling that this is where Dallas will stumble - Philly exposed some flaws in the defense last week which a good team like the Pack can exploit, while the tough Green Bay defense will put some heat on Romo and Co.
Packers 23 Cowboys 20

MONDAY

NY Jets (+8.5) over SAN DIEGO
Normally, a team as good as the Chargers, staring 0-3 in the face, would be an automatic pick. A few reasons why we're going the other way: 1) Chargers have had a hell of a time stopping anyone thus far, and letting Brett Favre have all kinds of time means he'll eventually find someone to throw to, 2) LT is nicked up, and losing your most synamic offensive force has to knock your effectiveness down a notch or two, 3) getting jobbed last week in Denver seems to have made the whiny Chargers even more so, if that's even possible. Shockingly, we like the Jets to win outright.
Jets 27 Chargers 26

Best Bets: Giants, Patriots, Broncos

Last Week: 8-7
Season total: 17-14

Best Bets
Last Week: 1-2
Season: 1-2

NFL Picks - Week 2

2008-09-13T10:59:00.003-05:00

As expected, Week 1 was a mixed bag, and we came out with a 9-7 mark thanks to a Monday Night seweep. PLenty of question marks surround Week 2, as big names are either out for the year (Brady, Merriman), or haven't really found their legs yet (Peyton Manning). Best Bets have returned (we were rushed last week and simply ignored them. We can do that, since this is our blog). Let's get started:

Tennessee (+1.5) over CINCINNATI
Titans might be more effective on offense with Kerry Collins. Bengals are a mess.
Titans 24 Bengals 10

New Orleans (+1.5) over WASHINGTON
It's gonna take awhile for the Redskins to mesh on offense, while the Saints seem intent on unleashing Reggie Bush. Could be a blowout.
Saints 23 Redskins 13

CAROLINA (-3.5) over Chicago
Bears a fluke last week? Maybe. A healthy Jake Delomme couplled with second straight road game for Bears spells a Panther win.
Panthers 20 Bears 12

JACKSONVILLE (-6.5) over Buffalo
Bills looked solid in opening day win, but facing an angry Jags team that can't afford to start 0-2 n the wilting FLA heat will prove to be too much.
Jaguars 24 Bills 14

Green Bay (-2.5) over DETROIT
The Aaron Rogers Era starts with a bang, and here is where he gets his first road win. Lions are a mess whcih can make some noise on offense, but we're not counting on late garbage time TD's this week.
Packers 27 Lions 13

KANSAS CITY (-3.5) over Oakland
Game Chiefs nearly shocked the world in Foxboro last week, and could be one of those teamsn whihc end up playing tough and coming up short every week. The home opener at Arrowhead is one they can, and should, take.
Chiefs 20 Raiders 9

NY Giants (-8.5) over ST. LOUIS
Giants were the best road team in the world in '07, and opponents like the woeful Rams will do nothing to diminish that standing. Ugly one here.
Giants 30 Rams 13

Indianapolis (-1.5) over MINNESOTA
Leap of Faith taking the Colts, but we just can't see this team starting 0-2. Vikes, pre-season Super Bowl pick for many, face a quick 2 game deficit in division. YIkes.
Colts 24 Vikings 20

San Francisco (+8.5) over SEATTLE
Does home field mean this much for a Seahawk team using a backup QB, a team of RB's, and backup wideouts? Really? We'll grab the plethora of points and hold our nose.
Seahawks 23 49ers 21

TAMPA BAY (-8.5) over Atlanta
Despite Jon Gruden's insistence on using as many QB's as possible, and the impressive debut of Matt Ryan and the new-look Falcs, we just can't drink the Kool-Aid yet.
Buccaneers 28 Falcons 14

New England (+2.5) over NY JETS
Jet fans (and Jet media) might be overestimating this team a wee bit, putting them in the Super Bowl before Tom Brady was even off the filed on Sunday. Pats will find a way to keep this one tight, and keep the heat on Favre all day.
Patriots 23 Jets 20

ARIZONA (-6.5) over Miami
Fish hung tough vs. Jets last week, but cross country travel can't be helpful here. Cardinals at 2-0 after this, can stake claim to legitimate shot at division. Really.
Cardinals 19 Dolphins 10

San Diego (-2.5) over DENVER
Not buying Broncs big explosion last week against befuddled Raiders. Chargers steamed after last second defeat at home vs. Panthers last week, will come out ready ro roll.
Chargers 27 Broncos 16

Pittsburgh (-5.5) over CLEVELAND
Tough way to open for Brownies, facing Steelers after opening vs. Cowboys, but if it expects to contend will have to find a way to beat the good teams. Not gonna happen this week.
Steelers 24 Browns 13

MONDAY

Baltimore (+4.5) over HOUSTON
Joe Flacco! He's 1-0, and showed some moxie last week - more inmportantly, his team seems to believe in him. Texans might win outright, but Raven D will keep it tight.
Texans 20 Ravens 17

DALLAS (-6.5) over Philadelphia
Cowboys are on a mission, and will not be folled by 38 point Eagle outburst last week. TO loves the prime time games, and this one could be a blowout.
Cowboys 31 Eagles 17

BEST BETS: Saints, Giants, Chargers

Last Week: 9-7 (56.25%)
Season: 9-7 (56.25%)

NFL Picks - Week 1

2008-09-07T08:14:00.002-05:00

Finally, the NFL is back, baby!

Time is short this week, and analysis for Week 1 is usually pointless, so let's just roll out the selections and see how they fly...

THURSDAY
We had the Giants (-3.5), honestly.

SUNDAY
Detroit (-2.5) over ATLANTA (Lions 23 Falcons 10)
Seattle (+.5) over BUFFALO (Seahawks 21 Bills 16)
TENNESSEE (+3.5) over Jacksonville (Titans 20 Jaguars 17)
N.Y. Jets (-2.5) over MIAMI (Jets 30 Dolphins 17)
Kansas City (+16.5) over NEW ENGLAND (Pats 24 Chiefs 10)
Tampa Bay (+3.5) over NEW ORLEANS (Saints 21 Bucs 20)
St. Louis (+7.5) over PHILADELPHIA (Eagles 27 Rams 20)
Houston (+6.5) over PITTSBURGH (Steelers 23 Texans 20)
BALTIMORE (-.5) over Cincinnati (Ravens 17 Bengals 13)
Carolina (+9.5) over SAN DIEGO (Chargers 26 Panthers 21)
Arizona (-2.5) over SAN FRANCISCO (Cardinals 24 49ers 10)
CLEVELAND (+3.5) over Dallas (Cowboys 20 Browns 17)
INDIANAPOLIS (-9.5) over Chicago (Colts 29 Bears 7)

MONDAY
GREEN BAY (-2.5) over Minnesota (Packers 19 Vikings 14)
Denver (-1.5) over OAKLAND (Broncos 16 Raiders 9)

Just Do What They Say And I Won't Get Hurt

2008-08-08T13:18:00.004-05:00

Worlds collided on Thursday when everyone's favorite prima donna attention whore extraordinaire Brett Favre put down what should be very temporary roots in the media capital of the world.

This should end well.

Does this look like the face of a guy who ended up where he wanted to go? We swear that if you watch the video closely from yesterday's introductory press conference, you could see Favre blinking in morse code "s-a-v-e-m-e". The whole thing looked like a hostage video. It was very clear that Ol #4 wanted no part of the Jets, and fully expected to be holding up a Viking or Buc jersey at this point.

Too bad, Brett. You played this whole thing about as poorly as it could be done, tarnishing your legacy in the process. Sure, a handful of dumbasses in Green Bay will clamor for your return and never stop loving you, but the large majority of fans think you're an idiot. Football's Roger Clemens, if you will. We hope Aaron Rogers kicks ass this season.

How will this play out? Is it more Joe Montana to KC (got as far as the Conference Championship game) or more like Joe Namath to the Rams (generally shit the bed)? Our guess is somewhere in between, say 8-8, with plenty of slobbering commentary from Peter King and John Madden along the way.

Memph-Miss

2008-04-08T08:51:00.003-05:00

Spin it any way you want, but John Calipari's Memphis Tigers gagged one up big time last night. Up by 9 with 2:12 to play, in the biggest game of their lives, and they simply couldn't seal the deal, and lost the NCAA Championship to Kansas, 75-68.

Blame can be placed all around for this one, from the players (whose awful free throw shooting - this has been a problem all season - came back to bite them in the end as they converted only 1 of 5 down the stretch), to the coach, who inexplicably didn't have his team commit a foul on Sherron Collins as he brought the ball upcourt with 10 seconds to go and the Tigers up 3. Hello, McFly? Put him on the line and even if he hits both of 'em, you're still up one with about 5 seconds to go.

Be that as it may, congrats to Kansas, as they still had to convert the opportunities presented to them as the game wound down. Mario Chalmers, welcome to highlight reel immortality.

(photo from Getty Images)

Baseball Preview

2008-03-28T13:14:00.001-05:00

Here it is. the First Annual BIMRVM Baseball Preview!

Unlike ESPN, these picks actually work - meaning that the Win-Loss totals actually reconcile. As for the accuracy, let's be honest - they can't be any worse than some of the so called experts.

American League
East
Boston 98- 64 - Champs have too much talent not to win again
NY Yankees 90-72 - Pitching questions offest awesome lineup
Toronto 83-79 - Talented, but two teams above will always be in the way
Tampa Bay 76-86 - Improving, team to watch in 2010
Baltimore 58-104 - Wisely blew up the team to rebuild for real. '08 will be painful.

Central
Detroit 93-69 - Loaded lineup plus decent enough arms allow Tigers to steal division
Cleveland (wc) 91-71 - Enjoy C.C. this year, and order up another bug infestation for October
Chicago W. Sox80-82 - Ozzie Guillen's head just might explode this year. Good times.
Minnesota 73-89 - The post-Johan era begins, but this team won't be down long.
Kansas City 62-100 - Does anyone remember when this was the model franchise?

West
Seattle 92-70 - A well rounded team with a new ace in Bedard
Anahiem 90-72 - Recent pitching issues will force Halos to come up just short
Texas 73-89 - Hey, maybe G.W. Bush will come back in '09!
Oakland 67-95 - Beane retools his team. Again.

National League
East
NY Mets 95-67 - Johan will help erase the bitter ending of '07.
Philadelphia 90-72 - Bullpen seems shaky; lineup is best in NL
Atlanta 85-77 - Better, but don't have enough to unseat Mets/Phils.
Washington 79-83 - A big time spoiler that will make the 3 teams' above lives miserable for much of the season. Another one to watch in '09.
Florida 60-102 - Team makes less than ARod in 2008. 'Nuff said.

Central
Chi. Cubs 91-71 - Cubbies are locked and loaded; Behold the power of Fukodome!
Milwaukee 90-72 - Improved Brew Crew fall just short.
St. Louis 82-80 - This is generous, but the hunch is LaRussa will find a way to keep Birds afloat.
Houston 78-84 - Roy Oswalt has to be wondering why he re-upped.
Cincinnati 73-89 - A fun team to watch, but will be on the short end of a few 10-9 games.
Pittsburgh 63-99 - These guys were good once too, right?

West
Arizona 95-67 - Arms galore equals big time success. Young lineup has another year under it's belt as well.
L.A. (wc) 90-72 - Torre weaves his magic to grab another post-season berth.
San Diego 89-73 - HE MISSED THE PLATE!
Colorado 81-81 - Good young team, but we just see a big post-World Series hangover this year.
San Fran 63-99 - Barry? Barry who?

Playoffs
Division Winners
AL: Boston, Detroit, Seattle
Wild Card: Cleveland

Boston over Cleveland
Seattle over Detroit

AL Champion: Seattle

NL: NY Mets, Chi. Cubs, Arizona
Wild Card: Los Angeles

Arizona over Chi Cubs
NY Mets over Los Angeles

NL Champion: NY Mets

World Series
NY Mets over Seattle

Biased? A little, but the Mets are loaded and ready to win now, and will outlaqst the surprising Mariners in October.

Of course, we could be wrong....

Masters:Welcome, ESPN. Leave The Blowhard Behind

2008-03-21T16:35:00.004-05:00

As you might have heard, ESPN was granted the rights to televise the first two rounds of The Masters this year. This is a huge get for the World Wide Leader, another impressive feather to add to the cap which already includes the NFL, NBA, and NASCAR.

Surely, one would think, the coverage would be anchored by someone who is synonymous with the network. Someone who dons an (enormous) green blazer of his own every Masters Sunday while anchoring Baseball Tonight. Someonme who, each year, handles the on-site coverage for the U.S. Open. Someone who has been with the WWL since its inception in 1979. Someone like.....Chris Berman, right?

Um, no.

As reported in Phil Mushnick's column today, the ESPN coverage team does not include the rotund schtickmeister. Since no rationale is given by Masters officials nor ESPN for the omission, it stands to reason that the Augusta National folks, who are extremely protective of the televised presenataion, said a big fat "No" when imaging Berman yukking it up during the telecast.

We'll just have to get by without hearing nicknames for the golfers, tired references to Eagles and/or Fleetwood Mac songs, or a ramble on how a wedge from 90 yards "could...go...all...the.....WAY" into the hole.

How will we manage?

MERRY CHRIS-MISS (New York Post)

This Hoop Thingy Started Today

2008-03-20T17:39:00.004-05:00

Not much comes from this site regarding college hoop, but if there was ever a time for it, it would be now.

We confess to only a passing interest in NCAA BAseketball, despite being in Connecticut, a state which has nothing else sports related with which to concern the folks.

Picks? Yeah, we got 'em. Accept them in the spirit in which they were made - on Thursday morning in a frantic effort to join some online pools. If form holds, this will be the year we win going away. On to the choices....

EAST
Sweet 16:
North Carolina over George Mason
Tennessee over Louisville

Winner: North Carolina

(Bold choice there, taking the 1 over the 2, eh?)

MIDWEST
Sweet 16:
Vanderbilt over Kansas
Georgetown over Wisconsin

Winner: Georgetown

SOUTH
Sweet 16:
Memphis over Michigan State
Texas over Stanford

Winner: Texas

WEST
Sweet 16:
UCLA over Drake
Xavier over Duke

Winner: UCLA

Final Four:
North Carolina over Georgetown
Texas over UCLA

Champion: North Carolina

Boring, safe, and predictable choices. We get the feeling we'll either win the whole thing or be out of the running by Sunday.

We'll keep you posted as events develop.

(Not to get too excited, but as of right now we're 7-0)

Dirty? Me?

2008-03-13T17:49:00.004-05:00

Shelly Duncan doesn't understand why the Rays (sans Devil) are so hot and bothered about his "slide" yesterday. Look at the photo - does that look like a dirty play to you? Isn't it routine to play "hard nosed ball" by attempting to separate the pivot from his testicles?

The whole thing started last week when a Tampa Bay single-A player (trying, no doubt, to make an impression on the manager)ran into a Yankee single-A catcher during a play at the plate, breaking the young man's wrist. Apparently, there is some unwritten baseball rule which states one is not supposed to do things like that during spring training. Decorum states you stand there and get tagged, as one would in T-Ball. Yankee manager Joe Girardi got his panties all twisted and raised a stink, then was promptly rebuffed by Don Zimmer now a Rays coach). For a guy who is supposedly more Old School than former boss Joe Torre, Girardi sure sounded a little whiny about this whole deal.

Yesterday's game began with a plunking, which, if we're following the unwritten rules, meant the matter was then settled.

Oh no, sir, not by a longshot.

Enter Shelly Duncan and the slide shown here. Maybe if we were forced to go through life with a girl's name, we might be a tad more likely to feel the need to prove our masculinity say, daily. Listen, Shelly, take out your anger on your parents, not opponents.

We do secretly love the fact that the Rays are doing everything possible to engage this new rivalry with the big bad Yankees, and hope that the fireworks continue throughout the upcoming season.

Yanks' Duncan still doesn't know why Rays reacted to spikes high slide (ESPN)
(AP photo)

I Love Mickey Mantle - Can I Play Now?

2008-03-12T18:29:00.002-05:00

Speaking of stupid spring training stunts, the Yankees have pulled off a doozy. They're allowing long time Yankee fan (despite wearing a Mets cap in City Slickers) Billy Crystal to suit up and appear in a game.

Maybe it's just us, but if we were pitching for the Pirates we would not hesitate to buzz one right under his freaking chin. C'mon, you know if they were playing Tampa that's exactly what would happen!

How's The Slim Fast Thing Working Out, Tommy?

2008-03-12T18:11:00.004-05:00

Isn't this cute? Former Dodger skipper Tommy Lasroda was allowed by current manager Joe Torre to take the reins for a spring game yesterday. Just for old times sake, and not at all for the benefit of the cameras, Ol' Number 2 even found the time to get into an argument with an umpire! Wow! Nothing contrived about that. And damn, doesn't he look great for his age? What are the odds he eschewed the post-game spread and instead enjoyed a nice glass of carrot juice and a little bean sprout salad?

Dodger beat writers will tell you that the whole persona this guy created for himself was total bullshit - he was a cantankerous bastard through and through. For us, nothing was better than the time he encountered Stuttering John.

To quote Irwin M. Fletcher, upon seeing a picture of Lasorda with the police chief:

Fletch: Hey! You and Tommy Lasorda! [points to picture, which is surrounded by dozens of celeb photos]]

Chief: (proudly) Yeah!

Fletch: [punches picture, cracking glass] I hate Tommy Lasorda.

Lasorda Back With Dodgers: Still Fat (Deadspin)

It's Time To Can The Pro Bowl

2008-02-12T18:30:00.000-05:00

The NFL played its annual Hawaii vacation All-Star game this past Sunday, not that you would have noticed. Seriously, half the big name players decline to attend, and the game itself generates absolutely zero interest. For that matter, All Star games in general seem to be on the decline - witness how baseball decided to spice things up by attaching home field advantage in the World Series to the winner, which will go down as one of the dumbest ideas of all time. The NBA game amounts to nothing more than a defenseless dunkfest, while the NHL version, while freewheeling, still places little to no emphasis on things that are important, like contact. Baseball, Basketball and Hockey have tries to make events of the games by celebrating All Star Weekends, or similarly themed Fan Fests, which were cool at first (like the Slam Dunk contest or Home Run Derby), but have seen interest on the wane.

The beef here, however, is with the NFL. By its very nature, football is a brutal contact sport. PLaying an actual game in which players clearly want to do nothing more than avoid getting hurt is never a good idea. Absolutely nothing is at stake for the participants, either. Seeing that the contract the league was under to hold the game in Hawaii each year is up, now is as good a time as any to call it a day and shut this game down. Would anyone actually care, other than the Honolulu tourism board? Quick: name the last 5 winners of the Pro Bowl? See, nobody cares!

The solution, then? We like the idea of integrating the All Star players with the events of Super Bowl week. Some have mentioned playing the game during the off week, but again, the game isn't the thing. Also, what about the players who are playing in the Super Bowl? No way in hell their respective coaches allow them to do this. How about naming the actual Pro Bowlers after the conclusion of the regular season? Once the All Conference players have been named, setup an event in the host city which honors these guys, and throw in the annual awards (MVP, Rookie of the Year, etc.) while you're at it, and make it the NFL Annual Awards Night or some such thing. A black tie event, with high priced tickets, right smack dab in the middle of the biggest self-congratulatory party week an organization can throw itself sonds like a winner to us.

So, to review: no more Pro Bowl, huge public high priced slobberfest instead, massive coverage, everybody wins. Mr. Goodell, you can contact us at the e-mail address provided for further details. We'll take a cut rate, because we care.

Now....Nothing.

2008-02-07T08:45:00.001-05:00

This is a rough time of year to be a sports fan. Even though the NFL has managed to extend itself into February, thus shortening the space between the end of football and the beginning of meaningful hockey/hoop/baseball, the remainder of this month consists of….not much.
Okay, okay, stop it. "College Hoops", you say. Bleh. Wake us up when the conference tournaments start, and the March Madness seeds become a reality. "What about pitchers and catchers?" Again, nice, but not quite the real deal. Other than the first day when you begin seeing baseball players back in uniform, tossing balls and taking BP swings, we’re left with very little of interest amidst a barrage of spring training reports. Don’t you love those? After three weeks of hearing about your #3 starter’s new and improved slider, or the battle for the 24th roster spot on your local team, there’s not much happening.

"The Pro Bowl?" Please.

"NBA All Star Weekend?" You’re kidding, right?

"NFL Draft speculation?" Stop it. Stop that right now.

Hurry up and get here, March, we’ve got brackets to fill out

This Really Did Happen, Right?

2008-02-07T08:11:00.000-05:00

Four days later and it still takes a minute to pause and realize that the Giants won the freaking Super Bowl, and Eli Manning is the MVP. This really happenend, right?
Pretty much everything that could have been said afterwards has been already, but a few things still stand out for us:

4th and 13, Coach Bellichick? Going for it on 4th and 13? If you can't trust your kicker to hit a 48 yarder, indoors, then he shouldn't be on the roster (recall that the terminally shaky Lawrence Tynes hit a 47 yarder in frigid Green Bay two weeks ago to get the Giants to this game?). It's unknown whether this was simple arrogance on Bellichick's part, thinking his juggernaut offense would bury the Giants with a TD, or just a lapse in judgement. It would be hard to understand the arrogance angle, given how his team was having all kinds of issues moving the ball anyway up until that point.

Seeing Tom Brady hit the turf time and time again was truly an amazing sight to see, especially when recalling how many times during the 18-0 run he just sat there, untouched, scanning the field for a receiver.

The Manning to David Tyree play, which is still awaiting a name for the ages. There are no words. Care to suggest what we call this play, a la "The Catch", or "The Drive"?

Tom Petty ripping through a note perfect version of "Free Fallin’" – just as the Pats dream began to crumble.

The racist stereotype salesgenie.com ad. Wow. Just, wow.
[Note: The ad has since been pulled due to the uproar it caused. Imagine that.]

Now We Believe

2008-02-06T14:46:00.001-05:00

He even wore the traditional blue hat. Let's Go Mets.

Really, Steve Kerr? Really?

2008-02-06T14:19:00.000-05:00

In what already sounds like a done deal, the Phoenix Suns are set to acquire Shaquille O'Neal from the Miami Heat in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.

Like most of the sports world, we're having a hard time figuring out why this trade would take place, specifically, why would Phoenix want to do this? Let's do a Pro/Con breakdown, from a Suns perspective:

PRO
Chemistry: Marion is unhappy, and has publicly said so.
Banks has an absolutely ridiculous contract for a backup.
Getting Shaq in the middle allows Amare Stoudamire to move to his more natural power forward spot, playing next to his idol.
A motivated Shaq can still be an unstoppable force (at least if he's healthy).
Having him in the middle provides better match-ups against the center loaded Western Conference (against which this team is only 14-12).
The window is closing for this group, and standing pat simply wasn't going to get them a title.
The Suns have been way too reliant on shooting three's of late, and dropping Shaq in the middle will force opponents to collapse a little more than they have been.

CON
Have you seen Shaq play recently? The guy is a shell of his former self.
He's not healthy.
How does he fit into Mike D'Antoni's offense, which stresses run-run-run?
Does this signify a power shift or the very least, a change in philosophy for Phoenix? It would be hard to imagine D'Antoni being in favor of this move.
Why Shaq? He is owed $40 Million, and this is a team which is adamently opposed to paying any luxury taxes. Wouldn't Marcus Camby be a better, more athletic fit?
Is this just a panic move in response to the Lakers getting Pau Gasol over the weekend?

This could completely backfire, but the conventional wisdom says this team had to do something if it wants to go deep into the playoffs and bring home that title which has long eluded the city of Phoenix. We're still not convinced, but as Suns fans, will sit back and hope for the best.

Maybe Shaq won't pass his physical, and make the whole thing a moot point?

(UPDATE: He passed. It's a done deal.)

Sources: Suns a 'yes' away from acquiring Shaq for Marion (ESPN)

Super Bowl Preview

2008-01-31T22:25:00.000-05:00

Finally, can we get to the damn game already? Whatever genius from the NFL made the executive decision to stick an extra week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl, look what you have wrought. Media Day is an absolute joke, where nothing of note has happened since Jim McMahon mooned a helicopter in 1986. Reporters from such sports non-entities as TMZ.com and Entertainment Tonight descend upon the host city looking for “fun” “entertaining” “stories”, resulting in such hard hitting tales of what Tom Brady is doing at his baby mama’s house at 9:00 in the morning. Riveting stuff.

It’s a shame too, because as potentially great a game this could turn out to be, one gets the feeling it could’ve been even better had it been played last Sunday. The Giants’ momentum coupled with the drama surrounding Brady’s ankle….sounds like a great game. Too bad we had to endure BootGate instead.

That said, we feel this will still be a competitive game. Let’s do a little breakdown and see where we end up:

When The Pats Have The Ball – Ahh, so many weapons, only one football. Much has been made of how this group has slowed down as the season progressed, and there is some statistical evidence, mainly on the scoreboard, to support this. However, getting back into a dome/warm environment could be just what the doctor ordered to let this bunch flourish as it did in September/October. How impressive have the Pats been in the playoffs? Randy Moss has two, count ‘em, two catches in the two games, and they’re still here, winning by an average of 10 points. Brady is not afraid to make full use of everybody, and when Moss, Wes Welker, Ben Watson, Dante Stallworth or Jabar Gaffney are all covered, he dumps to no-longer unsung hero Kevin Faulk. Truly a terrifying bunch, and one that is no doubt keeping Giant defensive coordinator Steve Spagnolo from getting a lot of sleep this week. Oh, and the emergence of a ground game, which drained the final 9 plus minutes of the AFC title game behind Lawrence Maroney and occasionally Heath Evans, needs to be considered as well. If there is one team that has as front seven which could unnerve the Pats, it’s the boys from Jersey. No team was better this year in pressuring the QB, and the Pats should expect plenty of heat along with some looks they didn’t see either on film or during the Week 17 match-up. Football purists will be in their glory watching the trenches during this game, particularly the Matt Light/Osi Umenyoura battle. The key will be found here, as any lack of pass rush or general pressure from the front seven will put immense pressure on the Giant secondary, which is no doubt still smarting from that December night in the Meadowlands. It will be a long night for these guys if Osi and Michael Strahan don’t make some noise.

When The Giants Have The Ball – What else can be said about Eli Manning? The kid has been fantastic in getting his team here, and you can see his confidence and leadership growing with each win. Jersey will not be intimidated by this Pats defense, which they moved the ball on quite well in Week 17. Only when the Pats started blitzing were they able to slow down Manning, so he should expect to see some blitzes, or blitz looks, early on. One way to neutralize that is by utilizing the double barreled ground attack of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw – both of whom have been able to pick up crucial yardage in big spots. Doing this along with a controlled passing attack could enable the Giants to drain some clock, keep an older bunch of guys on the field for a long time and, most importantly, keep Brady and Co. on the sidelines.

Special Teams – Lawrence Tynes is an adventure, and many Giant fans are hoping that this doesn’t come down to a late FG attempt. Nothing else about either team’s units poses a significant edge over the other.

Coaching – It’s been said that if you give Bill Bellichick two weeks, and he’ll usually come out ahead. Tough to argue with that, but don’t underestimate Tom Coughlin. Rarely, if ever, mentioned when talking about great current coaches, the guy seems to always find his way to the playoffs, and finally got over the hump to make his first Super Bowl. He modified his approach this year, and his players responded in kind. Well, losing Tiki Barber likely helped him a lot as well, since it eliminated the whispers to the beat writers that the Today Show pretty boy became noted for. Watching how the Pats players rallied around their leader after the whole “SpyGate” thing in Week 1 showed how much these guys love their coach too. Don’t think for a minute that these guys don’t want 19-0 as much for Bellichick as for themselves.

The Pick – All signs point to a close game, and we honestly have been going back and forth since the Tynes kick sailed through the frozen Lambeau uprights as to which team we would pick. We could see the Giants grinding it out a la the bunch that upset the Bills in Supe XXV. We could also see a high scoring, wildly entertaining repeat of the 38-35 game from December. After all that, we’re going with what many might feel is a cop out: Pats win, Giants cover, and the inevitable 19-0 dream year becomes a reality. Bonus: we’ll never have to see another televised interview with Mercury Morris!

Giants (+13.5)
Let’s say Patriots 31 Giants 20

Not So Fast...

2008-01-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

This is what we Met fans fear the most right now: being unable to get the contract worked out for Johan Santana, and watching the deal get nullified just as the vision of a blue pinstriped S A N T A N A 57 was beginning to dance in our heads.

Remember, you're talking about fans who have recently seen seemingly sure things go the other way:
October 2006 - win NLCS Game 6, with Game 7 at home, huge momentum changing catch by Chavez, called striked three, game and season over.
September 2007 - up 7 with 17 to play...you know the rest.....

Until we see a press conference where the best pitcher in baseball dons a blue NY cap (not the black/blue aberration) and pulls on the aforementioned jersey, not one chicken will be counted.

According to the ESPN's Jayson Stark, the stumbling block revolves around the length of the contract. Santana's agents want a six year extension, the Mets would rather only guarantee five. Whatever, guys, either way he instantly becomes the highest paid pitcher in baseball, both in total and average annual salary. With a new stadium on the horizon, plus the cash cow SNY available to tap into, there should be no issues. Just get the damn deal done already. Now. Please?

And The Winner Is......The Mets?!?

2008-01-30T07:56:00.000-05:00

As you've no doubt heard by now, Johan Santana, the current Best Pitcher In Baseball, has been traded to the Mets in exchange for four young players. Whooah!

The deal is pending the signing of a contract extension which will deliver a metric assload of money to Mr. Santana, plus the requisite physical. It would be a huge surprise if the deal didn;t go down, since the Mets have to know roughly what it will take to lock up the lefty for the foreseeable future.

Mets GM Omar Minaya can now be forgiven for the inactivity of the last few months, with the notable exception of the head scratching Lastings Milledge/Ryan Church/Brian Schnieder deal in November. One thing is certain: there are no longer any excuses for this team to not win the East in '08. A rotation headed by the innings eating strikeout machine that is Santana, followed by a healthier Pedro Martinez, a maturing John Maine and Oliver Perez, with El Duque where he belongs as a fifth starter should be able to dominate the National League. The bullpen gets Duaner Sanchez back, which is huge as well. The offense should be fine, provided the extended slump Carlos Delgado went through last year was more an aberration than the beginning of a decline in skills. Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran will still be the main cogs, and a full year from hitting machine Moises Alou would be nice. It will be interesting to see how these guys respond to being an overwhelming favorite, especially after the classic collapse of '07.

The best part of the whole trade, though? Simple - #57 will not be suiting up for the Yankees or the Red Sox, much to the chagrin of ESPN, which simply adores all things pertaining to those two teams. Ha!

Get Well, Knucklehead

2008-01-29T16:39:00.001-05:00

Best wishes go out to Michael Wilbon, who suffered chest pains yesterday and had an angioplasty done. As one of the few personalitites left on the Worldwide Leader whom we can tolerate, we honestly wish him a speedy return to health, and PTI.

[Must. Resist. Urge. To write "shoulda been you, name of obnoxious ESPN personality joke here]

Boston Fans, Media Play It Safe

2008-01-29T12:05:00.000-05:00

You can bet the Patriots are a confident bunch heading into the Super Bowl, and with good reason: being the first team ever to go 18-0 will have that effect. Despite this fact, one will be hard pressed to hear any arrogance from them as the week progresses. Bill Bellichick runs a pretty tight ship, and you won't hear any declarations like "We're gonna win" out of the mouths of Brady, Bruschi, or even Moss. Boring? Maybe, but pretty standard stuff nonetheless.
The Boston media and fans, however, are a different story.
Risking embarassment, or just trying to strike just before the iron gets hot, two products hit the market yesterday:

1.) A book about the magical 19-0 season, courtesy of the Boston Globe, available for pre-order

2.) "19-0" T-Shirts, which you can "wear as history happens"...or be doused with salsa and beer and soundly humiliated when your dream dies.

The Pats can't be too happy about these things, while Giants coach Tom Coughlin will undoubtedly use them as motivational tools. In prior years things like this would be ready to go before the game, but wouldn't be advertised until the result was assured. Announcing their availability before the game just smacks of arrogance from a fan base which, admittedly, has plenty to crow about over the past few years.

We kinda liked Boston fans more when they were loveable losers. These jerks are just begging for a nice healthy dose of schadenfreude.

Links:

19-0.org

19-0: The Historic Championship Season of New England's Unbeatable Patriots (amazon)

Following The Clemens Blueprint...Except For The Injections

2008-01-28T21:31:00.000-05:00

Teemu Selanne is taking a page from the Roger Clemens playbook and is returning to the Ducks for the remainder of the season.

To be fair, the Finnish star never actually said he was retiring, never accepted the farewell accolades, and never took any cars or prizes on his way out. It is heretofore unknown if he has received any ass injections prior to the return (allegedly, of course).

Teammate Scott Neidermayer did a similar thing, and one wonders if this will become standard operating procedure for guys 35-plus. Skipping training camp at that age, and joining the team for the second half of the season plus playoffs, could prove to be a recipe for success, especially if the Ducks can repeat as Cup champs.

The Ducks are currently the #5 seed in the Western Conference.

After considering retirement, Selanne agrees to one-year deal with Ducks

You're Dead Wood But I Won't Fire You

2008-01-25T16:37:00.000-05:00

Raiders owner Al Davis is apparently still alive, and continuing his sad, downward spiral. Hiring Lane Kiffin as his coach just a year ago did little to dispel the notion that any man follish enough to take this job would be constantly haunted by the specter of the crypt-keeper-like owner. Conventional wisdom dictated that the young coach would be merely a puppet for the whims of the crazy old man.

The result? A dismal 4-12 season. Losing patience, Davis allegedly asked Kiffin to resign his position so he could bring in Dennis "Crown Their Asses" Green to oversee the ongoing train wreck. As usual, control over player decisions is playing a factor. Kiffin, however, has other ideas - he's not giving Davis the satisfaction.

According to Chris Mortensen:
Davis has gone so far to draft a letter of resignation for Kiffin to sign, a source said. Kiffin has refused to do so but has dared Davis to fire him instead.

Kiffin, who was 4-12 in his first season as coach, has two years remaining on his contract at an estimated $2 million per year.

We love the idea of a lawyer calling up the coach and saying that your boss would like him to step down, likely so he won't have to pay him, and expecting the coach to say, "Sure, okay that sounds perfectly reasonable."

Fight the power, Lane!

It Could Be Worse

2008-01-23T22:40:00.000-05:00

As much as we (and just about everyone else) hate how the NFL insists on taking an extra week between the Conference Championships and the Super Bowl every year, we do take some small comfort in realizing that somehow, on some level, it would have been ten times more unbearable if the Packers had won. Imagine the number of slobbering articles and gushing reports from Arizona as everybody's favorite gunslingin' fun havin' good ol' warrior Brett Favre was involved.

[shudder]

By comparison, having to endure 10 days of Manning related stories versus The State Of Brady's Foot doesn't sound so bad. Can't wait to see if anyone makes an ass of himself at Media Day. We're betting on Rodney Harrison, since he might actually hear some questions about A) Roids or B) his general asshole-ish tactics on the field. Grow a pair, media guys, and grill him. What's the worst that could happen, other than perhaps a little skirmish?

NFL Picks - Conference Championships

2008-01-17T22:38:00.000-05:00

It's going to be hard to top last week, let's get that out there right now. After an intensifying as the game progressed snowstorm in Green Bay to the Jags giving the Pats a decent battle on Saturday, followed by the Colts-Bolts see saw game to Big Blue showing a ton of grit and teamwork to shut down the Cowboys on Sunday, it was a tremendous 48 hours. To top it off, we went 3-1 as well, as only Indy didn't fare as expected.

Obviously, it sucks to be a team comes this far and loses. That gets compounded when you are the team that is expected to do well, only to find your season suddenly over. Despite all that, only in rare cases can a team say "we were robbed" or "they didn't win the game, we lost it!" or some such things, and 99% of the time these statements are made when the loss stings like a fresh wound, so they're taken with a grain of salt. None of this, however, applies to the idiotic statement by Dallas coach Wade Phillips a full day after his top seeded Cowboys were bounced by the Giants. "The better team didn't win", said the coach. Really, Wade? Let's have a look at that, shall we?

Is that "the better team" which committed a staggering 11 penalties (for 84 yards), many of them devastating?

Or is it "the better team" whose offensive line was gasping for wind in the fourth quarter as the Giant defensive lineman blew by them?

Perhaps it was "the better team" who had receivers aligator arming several passes, while dropping several others?

Sorry, Wade, but the better team emerged with the win on Sunday, despite what the yardage and time of possession numbers say. And, you are now 0-4 in the postseason.

The biggest highlight of the weekend, maybe the entire season however, had to be this:

Man, we're getting teary just watching it again, but these are from laughing so damn hard. What an ass.

On to the picks...

AFC - 3:00 PM EST
NEW ENGLAND (-13.5) over San Diego
All things being equal, the Pats are the clear choice, despite the fact that their games have gotten tighter as the second half of the season wore on. Toss in the number of dings to key Charger players and it seems like the Bolts will have a hard time keeping this one close at all. The Pats can taste it now, and the realization that they are just 2 games away from immortality is all the motivation they'll need. Throw in some stupid comments by Igor Olshansky, and the general douchebaggery that is Philp Rivers, and you're just adding more fuel to the fire.

KEY PLAYERS: San Diego - Antonio Cromartie. The ball hawking, big play abilities of this guy can play a huge factor in how well the Patriots offense can produce. Cro is always around the ball, and has an uncanny knack for finding the end zone (see last week's called back TD just before halftime, on what was a pretty bogus call). If he can disrupt Moss, Welker and the rest, it could force Tom Brady to check off and look for his 3rd or 4th option - perhaps giving Shawne Merriman and the gang a chance to knock Brady on his butt. For New England, we'll go with Randy Moss. He caught only one ball last week, but his presence alone caused matchups which allowed Wes Welker to grab approximately 57 balls, and Brady to be near perfect. If he draws double coverage, look for a repeat of last week. If not, he'll be a human highlight reel.

The Pick: No sense picking against what has seemed to be inevitable for months. Patriots 34 Chargers 15

NFC - 6:30 PM EST
NY Giants (+7) over GREEN BAY
First things first, the weather will be just as much a pain in the ass to Brett Favre as it will be to Eli Manning. Though it was a Winter Wonderland in Wisconsin last week, it wasn't accompanied by bone rattling temps and sub-zero wind chills. You don't have to look back very far (Week 16 in Chicago) to see how this severe weather affected Favre - he was brutal, as was the entire Packer team in a 35-7 loss. Manning has been no day at the beach either in these types of situations, but all this talk of "Packer Weather" and what not just sounds like posturing at this point. Both teams have solid running games, and the one that proves more effective and mistake free will likely lead its team to the Super Bowl.

KEY PLAYERS: New York - Eli Manning. Should the game plan work as designed, Eli should have to simply manage the game, not force any passes, and keep his cool, just like he's been doing since the Week 17 kickoff against New England. He's done a good job thus far, and doesn't get rattled in hostile environments, however if the G-Men fall behind early it will be interesting to see how he responds. For Green Bay, let's go with Ryan Grant. The ex-Giant had the game of his young career last week, and the fact that he bounced back after two disastrous early fumbles which resulted in Seattle touchdowns made his day even sweeter. He won't have the slippery field advantage this week, and the Giants showed they could clamp down on the run in the second half last week. Suffice it to say that if Grant gets his yards, the Packers will be hoisting the Halas trophy around 10:00 on Sunday.

The Pick: Somehow, Favre makes it happen, and the NFL gets the match up it wants.
Packers 24 Giants 21

Last Week: 3-1
Playoff Total: 4-3-1

NFL Picks - Divisional Round

2008-01-10T21:57:00.000-05:00

We sat watching football last weekend, presumably NFL football. We weren't sure what the game was about - was it a special game? A regular season match up? All-star game perhaps?

Thank goodness the powers that be were kind enough to put, right there on the field, 20 yards across, the word PLAYOFFS. We smacked our collective forehead, and gave thanks that the glorious league continued with its continuing campaign to CHEAPEN. EVERYTHING. Seriously, from officially sanctioned celebrations (wearing official celebratory logo hats and T-shirts) to prepackaged, canned trophy presentations, it's just so much crap. "Wait, before you begin your spontaneous celebration, put these things on - okay, now go whoop it up!"
Eh, let's just move on.

Buck up, kiddies, we've only got seven, count 'em, seven more NFL games (we don't count the Pro Bowl lovefest, thank you very much) that matter left this season. As depressing as that sounds, don't let that spoil the greatness that is this weekend - the top seeded teams return after a well earned week off, and the survivors from Wild Card weekend all are looking to keep the magic alive another week. Good stuff.

Some late ugliness by the Titans contributed to a 1-2-1 mark last week, as only the Seahawks panned out, while the Jags decided to tank an 18 point lead, then not go for the spread covering TD late in the fourth quarter, thus earning the enmity of gambl- er, "gamers" everywhere by gaining a push. Tennessee was covering for about, oh, 54 minutes before allowing the second chance LT goal line plunge to fall by 11. Only with the Tampa pick did were we completely wrong, as Eli Manning decided he would be Phil Simms, circa 1986.

Let's dive right in with the selections:

Saturday
GREEN BAY Bay (-8) over Seattle
"Packers at Lambeau" isn't as automatic as one would think - they're just 4-4 in the last 8 playoff games on the no-longer-frozen-heat-coils-under-the-tundra. Favre must've needed a week off, at his age, and the place will be abuzz with vision of a trip to Big D next week. Much has been made about the YAC (yards after catch) factor of the Green Bay wideouts, but the physical Seattle corners could slow them down.

THE KEY: The Seahawk offense. They did not look great in winning last week, as the misleading final score was padded by two defensive TD's. Matt Hasselbeck will need to carry much of the load, and the speedy Pack defense could be teeing off on him as the game progresses. It's been a magical sesaon thus far in Green Bay, as very few people outside of Wisconsin expected this team to be here. We don't see the ride ending just yet.
Packers 27 Seahawks 17

Jacksonville (+13.5) over NEW ENGLAND
Jags, as stated above, tried like hell to give the game away last week, but were saved by David Garrard's legs (and perhaps a slight hold on the play) in knocking off the Steelers. Weather will not bother this team, as they are built to play in foul conditions. The defense, though prone to lapses (see last week, late 3rd/early 4th quarter), has enough to stifle the mediocre Pat running game while keeping some heat on Tom Brady.

THE KEY: Patriots defense. They played much better than they actually were for most of the season, owing to large leads provided by the record setting offense. When games have been tightly contested (Eagles, Ravens, Giants), the cracks have shown. There is no way this one is a blowout, despite any of the bulletin board items put out there by the press this week, and teams have shown that just by staying close to the mighty Pats inspires a ton of confidence. Jacksonville is the better than the teams mentioned above that have challenged NE, so this figures to be tight, with the aforementioned New England defense likely being forced to come up with one or two key stops in the 4th to hang on and advance to the AFC title game, but not by much.
Patriots 31 Jaguars 27

Sunday
INDIANAPOLIS (-9) over San Diego
Bolts are brimming with confidence after second half surge last week produced first playoff win since 1994. The team is clearly on a roll since late October, and there is something to be said for riding the wave of momentum into the playoffs. Included in the recent surge was a win over this Indy team, which will do nothing but enhance the San Diego belief that this game is theirs for the taking.
Back it up, boys, let's take a look at that, shall we? We don't think it's likely that the Chargers will score two TD's on kick returns, intercept SIX Peyton Manning passes, and have Adam Vinitieri shank a chip shot figgie late in the game. All of those things happened in the previous match up.

THE KEY: Tomlinson. With Antonio Gates hurting, QB Philip Rivers loses one of his best weapons, and a fired up Colts defense will give him fits all day. LT needs to elevate his game and be the game breaking back he has shown himself to be, but in a big spot. It wouldn't hurt if Norv Turner tried to get him as many touches as possible - can anyone explain why he didn't do this in the first half last week? Sorry, Norv, the run ends in the Dome.
Colts 24 Chargers 13

NY Giants (+7.5) over DALLAS
The only red flag seems to be that, much like the Jags last week, everyone loves the G-Men. No doubt, they were very impressive last week, and seem to be playing with a loose confidence of a team that has absolutely nothing to lose. They don't, as the 'Boys are the overwhelming favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. One small problem; Dallas has been playing its least impressive football over the past month or so. Terrell Owens is a game time decision, though it would be a big surprise to not see him out there. Tony Romo not only has a bum thumb, but has been forced to answer questions all week about his little Mexican holiday with Jessica Simpson. Add into the mix the 8 game Giant road winning streak (last loss: here in Big D back in Week 1) and you've got the current conventional wisdom which says take the Jints.

THE KEY: The Giants pass rush. If they can at least contain Romo and limit his room to scramble, and occasionally knock him on his ass, their chances go way up. Romo has killed them in both meetings, tossing for nearly 600 yards. If the defense does a better job, and newly confident Eli Manning efficiently manages the game, mixing in the suddenly potent double barreled ground attack of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to control the clock and keep Dallas' offense on the sidelines, New York can keep this one close, and maybe steal it outright.
Cowboys 30 Giants 27

Last Week: 1-2-1

Goose Goes In Alone

2008-01-08T19:37:00.000-05:00

In a bit of a surprise, only Goose Gossage received enough votes to qualify for the baseball Hall of Fame. Jim Rice finished second, just a scant 24 votes shy. Sucks to be him today.

As you might recall, in our preview, we speculated that Gossage would get in, along with Rice, so we're 1 for 2. Rice's chances could take a hit next year, barring any sympathy votes, since Rickey Henderson will be on the ballot and is a likely first time winner. Others affected by Rickey's emergence will be Andre Dawson (358 votes, 65.9%) and Tim Raines (132, 24.3%). Bert Blyleven (336, 61.9%) will get there, eventually, but fell short again, as should Jack Morris (233, 42.9%).

Mark McGwire (128, 23.9%) is still being punished for that jar of Andro and his "Let's not live in the past" comments, no doubt. It would be a surprise if both he and Dale Murphy (a shockingly low 75, 13.8%) don't received increasing support over the next few years.

It's hard to take issue with the voting results. What jumps opff the page upon looking at the breakdown, however, is the lower half of the list. To wit: Harold Baines, who received a scant 28 votes in his first year of eligibility, is the last player who could at least be debated as to his worthiness for the Hall. One would think that the remaining players listed on the ballot would not get any consideration. One would be wrong:

Rod Beck	2	0.4%
Travis Fryman	2	0.4%
Robb Nen	2	0.4%
Shawon Dunston	1	0.2%
Chuck Finley	1	0.2%
David Justice	1	0.2%
Chuck Knoblauch	1	0.2%
Todd Stottlemyre	1	0.2%
Jose Rijo	0	0%
Brady Anderson	0	0%

Come ON! Who is the douchenozzle who chose to throw away a vote on Todd Stottlemyre? Travis Fryman? Chuck freaking Knoblauch? Really? You want to defend that choice there, buddy? Not that these votes would have tipped the scales for any other of the near misses, but the BBWAA should take a long, hard look at the idiots who make votes like this, and consider revoking the privilege.

Hall Welcomes Gossage (mlb.com)

NFL Picks - Wild Card Weekend

2008-01-04T15:36:00.000-05:00

Wild Card Weekend is upon us - here are the picks, with comments to follow:

SEATTLE (-3.5) over Washington

The momentum of the Redskins vs. the enormous home field advantage owned by Seattle. Skins are everyone's sentimental choice, and it's not a bad one seeing how they've run off four straight since Sean Taylor's funeral. We think the magic ride ends here though - the crowd noise is an invaluable asset, which might be able to unnerve Todd Collins and, more importantly, his offensive line. Washington should be able to hang tough, but the Hawks will prevail and move on.
Seahawks 23 Redskins 17

Jacksonville (-2) over PITTSBURGH

Big red flag: the whole world seems to love the Jags. After much back and forth, we decided we do too. It's not just that Jacksonville seems to be built to play in cold weather cities, but also that the Steelers might just be a bit overrated. Jags can run the ball, limit the turnovers, and keep Ben Roethlisberger off the field. When the Steelers do have the ball, there are huge concerns about the offensive line (they'll be using their 3rd Left Tackle in this game), as well as the lack of Willie Parker. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Del Rio's boys run away and hide here, but we'll go with a somewhat tighter Jags win, setting up a nice matchup in Indy next week.
Jaguars 24 Steelers 16

TAMPA BAY -2.5 over NY Giants
Pros for the G-Men: 1.) Nice weather, which always helps Eli Manning. 2.) Ronde Barber decided to run his mouth off in an effort to be as much of a jerkweed as brother Tiki, which provided some nice bulletin board material.
Cons: 1.) Pass rush could be neutralized by mobile Jeff Garcia. 2.) Buc defense is quite solid, if underrated, and if they watched any film from last week should quickly realize the positive effects of bringing some heat on Manning.
All in all, the Giant moral victory from last week will have no real meaning, and Coach Tom Coughlin will face the endless WFAN fueled speculation about his job for the next two weeks.
Buccaneers 22 Giants 13

Tennessee (+9) over SAN DIEGO
We were all set to take the Chargers in a blowout, until the weather forecast: rain, and lots of it. This could slow down LaDanian Tomlinson just enough to allow a better than average Titan defense some success. If that occurs, would you really want to bank on Philip Rivers? No matter who takes the snaps for Tennessee, they should be able to stay surprisingly close and cover this number.
Chargers 20 Titans 16

Last Week: 11-5

Okay, Now He's Just Messing WIth Us

2008-01-03T13:42:00.000-05:00

Oh, Isiah, you do know how to push the collective buttons of the media. Just when we think there isn't anything more absurd, ridiculous, or just plain crazy left for you to say, you uncork this gem:

"My belief and what I see and where I believe we can go as a team and an organization, I believe one day that we will win a championship here and I believe a couple of these guys will be a part of that, I believe I'll be a part of that."

Outside of perhaps the trainers, or maybe the ball boy, can we realistically say that some of
these guys will be part of a winning season, let alone a championship?

Later, Ol' Crazypants seemed to backtrack just a little:

"I don't necessarily want to win a championship," Thomas added. "I want to leave something that's going to stand for a long time. I want to leave a legacy. I want to leave a tradition. I want to leave an imprint, a blueprint in terms of how people play and how they coach and how they respond when they put on a Knick uniform. " (emphasis ours)

On that note, Zeke, mission accomplished!

Isiah Thomas Predicts A Title (NY Daily News)

NFL Picks - Week 17

2007-12-29T11:50:00.000-05:00

This is it - the final regular season picks in what has been a disappointing season for this column. Another 7-9 last week continued the downward spiral toward mediocrity, and with the lines so out of whack this week the choices are even more difficult.

SATURDAY
New England (-14.5) over NY GIANTS
The Game Which Pissed Off Bar Owners From Coast To Coast. Thanks, Mr. Goodell, for arriving at such a royally screwy compromise to allow us all to see this classic battle. Hey, why not show it on Lifetime and Home & Garden TV as well, in case you missed some other potential audiences? As fot the game, we'll go with the Pats on the simple premise that they will want to keep the starters in since they will be off next week, while the Giants have to stay intact for the first round game in Tampa next week.
Patriots 27 Giants 10

SUNDAY
ATLANTA (-2.5) over Seattle
Screwy line #1. Hawks, bad on the road and with nothing to play for, will mail one in and give the Falcs the chance to end this awful year on a positive note.
Falcons 20 Seahawks 17

CLEVELAND (-9.5) over San Francisco
Browns need this one badly, and Niners are not going to play so well in frigid Cleveland.
Browns 27 49ers 10

New Orleans (-2.5) over CHICAGO
No rational explanation, other than the fact that the Saints need to win in order to have any mathematical chance. We'll lay the figgie.
Saints 23 Bears 20

Cincinnati (-2.5) over MIAMI
Dolphins have been more competitive, and new honcho Bill Parcells will be in attendance actively evaluating players and coaches. Still, Bengals should be able to cover this small number.
Bengals 21 Dolphins 12

PHILADELPHIA (-7.5) over Buffalo
Eagles on late season tear, while Bills blew any chance by collapsing at home vs. Jints. Farewell game for Donovan McNabb?
Eagles 27 Bills 17

Carolina (-2.5) over TAMPA BAY
Screwy line #2. Bucs have zero to play for, and should rest key players, while Panthers look to close out on an upswing.
Panthers 20 Buccaneers 17

GREEN BAY (-3.5) over Detroit
This would have been another "rest the starters" game, but blowout loss in Chicago last week makes us think the Pack will stay on the gas pedal here and head into the bye feeling better about themselves.
Packers 30 Lions 14

Jacksonville (+6.5) over HOUSTON
Screwy line #3. We understand the sentiment behind making Texans the fave, we just don;t think they can cover this many points. Still think the Jags are rolling, and won't be deterred here.
Jaguars 23 Texans 16

Pittsburgh (-5.5) over BALTIMORE
Steelers need to re-establish the running game after losing Willie Parker, and will take it to overmatched Ravens.
Steelers 24 Ravens 9

WASHINGTON (-8.5) over Dallas
No T.O., no Gurode, a QB with a bad thumb, Skins need to win to stay alive. All these add up to the inflated number, and a Washington win.
Redskins 19 Cowboys 10

ARIZONA (-6.5) over St. Louis
Ugh. In a game nobody should have to watch, we like the Cards.
Cardinals 27 Rams 17

Minnesota (-2.5) over DENVER
Tough call, since Broncos play better at home. Vikes have incentive, and can run the ball against surprisingly porous run defense.
Vikings 27 Broncos 10

San Diego (-6.5) over OAKLAND
Raiders will go with Jamarcus Russell, who will become quite intimate with Shawn Merriman by the fourth quarter. Bolts will keep the throttle on and cruise into playoffs on an up note.
Chargers 37 Raiders 9

Kansas City (+5.5) over NY JETS
This was originally scheduled as the Sunday nighter - thank you Flex Scheduling! Chiefs finish worst year since '88 by watching Herm Edwards make a less than triumphant return to team he abandoned. Jets have a knack for keeping all games close, win or lose, so we can see a tight, boring one here.
Jets 17 Chiefs 13

INDIANAPOLIS (+6.5) over Tennessee
Screwy line #4. Colts getting 6.5 at home seems unthinkable, even if Jim Sorgi plays the whole game. Titans need the game, but it will not come easy.
Colts 23 Titans 17

Best Bets: Chargers, Packers, Eagles

Last Week: 7-9, again
Season Total: 125-115 (52.1%)

BEST BETS
Last Week: 2-1
Season Total: 24-18 (57.1%)

Baseball Hall Of Fame - Class of 2008

2007-12-26T22:11:00.000-05:00

Some interesting names appear on the nomination list for the Baseball Hall of Fame this year. Mark McGwire's inclusion marks the second (of what, sadly, will be many) opportunity for voters to sound off on The Steroid Era. Bristol In My Rear View Mirror presents the entire list below, with comments on each. Enjoy the Bill Simmons-esque groupings below:

The "We're Listed Because, By Rule, We Have To Be" Group
Brady Anderson - A more obvious 'roid aided player. C'mon, are you kidding?
Chuck Finley - Better known for getting smacked by a blitzed Tawny Kittan.
Todd Stottlemyre - Dad was better.
Robb Nen - A dominant closer when healthy, he just didn't last long enough. Still, an impressive career.
Jose Rijo - Too bad his career was filled with so many injuries, or else he could have been a great one.
Travis Fryman - Nice player, who helped several of us to fantasy league titles, but not a Hall of Famer.

The "Who Will Be The First True DH Elected" Group
Harold Baines - We're not counting Paul Molitor as a true DH - he cut his teeth playing infield before going the "extend my career" route by DH toward the end. Would you believe that Molitor played at least 50 games at five different positions, not counting his stints at DH? Baines is remembered as perhaps the quintessential DH, a true hitting machine. Is he the one? Not this year, maybe someday in the future as a Veterans entry.

The Closer Not Named Gossage
Rod Beck - A guy who would have been a blast to have a beer with, which unfortunately doesn't result in many HOF votes. RIP, Shooter.

The Recent Near Misses/Enough Votes To Be Optimistic
Goose Gossage - Now or never for the Goose. A true reliever, as opposed to closer - he would enter games in the 7th with guys on base, escape the jam, then finish the game. They don't make them like this anymore. If Sutter is in, you have to let Gossage in too.
Jim Rice - A stud; his 1978 season (46-139-.315) would have been legendary if the Sox didn't collapse. Another case of a guy who didn't exactly endear himself to writers, which ultimately hurts the HOF cause.
Bert Blyleven - Getting closer, but could be overshadowed by the two names above.
Andre Dawson - The Hawk was a true pro, and one can only imagine what kind of career he would have had if not for the cement like turf in Montreal screwing up his knees.
Jack Morris - If only for Game 7 of the '91 Series. Morris would routinely throw 250+ innings per year, which is unheard of today, and his 254 career wins rank 40th of all time. Also, a winning percentage of .577, with 145 complete games. Perhaps the most dominant pitcher of his era, which the Hall must acknowledge.
Lee Smith - #2 All time in Saves, but won't get in before the Goose. The save total, while impressive, isn't enough, otherwise John Franco would be getting votes.

Great Players, No Support (Yet)
Dale Murphy - 2 MVP's, 7 All-Star games, a truly feared player in his prime. The only problem? His prime didn't last very long. Needs a stronger showing than last year, when he garnered only 9%.
Dave Parker - Another monster player, who hit for power (339 HR) as well as average (.290 lifetime). Throw in an absolute cannon of an arm and you have a player who deserves consideration.
Don Mattingly - An amazing hitter, as well as a Gold Glove (9 times) first baseman, Donnie Baseball's only knock will be the relatively short career he had. Never making the post-season didn't help from an exposure point of view, even though he played for the Yankees.
Alan Trammell - Twenty seasons with one team, part of one of the all time great double play combinations (with Lou Whitaker), excelled in the post season. He'll also need to boost his percentage this time around if he expects to make a run at this.

The Ongoing Controversial Guys List
Mark McGwire - Did not appear in the Mitchell Report, but his case is well documented. He will likely get incremental increases each year, as some writers feel the need to "punish" him by delaying support.
Chuck Knoblauch - Appeared in the Mitchell Report. Not that he had much of a prayer anyway, but that sure won't help him. Also, most guys in the Hall never had issues throwing to first base.

First Timers Who Will Eventually Get Strong Consideration
Tim Raines - Might see some punishment delay due to the nose candy issues, but should eventually merit strong consideration.

First Timer, Little To No Eventual Chance
Shawon Dunston - Never lived up to the hype, but nevertheless had a decent career. His arm could be its own exhibit.

Great Players, Not HOF Material
Dave Concepcion - Use the Phil Rizzuto defense here: the starting shortstop on the reigning dynasty of his era. If that works, we'll see Davey in the Hall in about 40 years or so. A steady defender who patented the one hop throw off of the turf.
Tommy John - A special mention is deserved for having a surgery named after you, no? Points for longevity, and doing what he did after what had been up till then a career wrecking injury.
David Justice - He was married to Halle Berry, which always, always has to be mentioned. Oh, and he could play a bit too, but there is no way he ever makes the Hall. Actually, losing Halle Berry should work against him.

The Verdict:
We're betting on Gossage and Rice, with Dawson and Blyleven inching closer (in the 50-65% range), but falling just short.

Official HOF Site

NFL Picks - Week 16

2007-12-20T14:49:00.000-05:00

Man, has any franchise ever suffered what amounts to a season long crotch kick like the Atlanta Falcons? From having its franchise player caught torturing and killing dogs and subsequently heading off to prison, to seeing its newly hired college coach gutlessly bail on the team after a Monday Nighter without telling his players in person, to the latest - being led to believe that Bill Parcells was en route to help straighten out the team, only to shaft Arthur Blank at the altar and grab a deal with the Miami Dolphins (whom he will no doubt abandon in a few years if something better comes along). Man, it must royally suck to be a Falcons fan right now.
The funniest part, though, is seeing the idiots carrying the "Free Michael Vick" signs at the last few home games. Um, folks, he actually admitted doing what he was accused of, and is serving his penance. Normally, the "Free" whomever signs are used when a person is wrongly being held, ya know? Jerks.

Speaking of kicks to the crotch, our picks have kinda felt like that of late. Another 7-9 mark last week, adding to the current misery of a 28-36 run over the past four weeks, has us in desperation mode. Knowing that the final weeks are usually filled with some unpredictable results (some bad teams have simply quit, others are bad but playing well, some good teams are coasting with nothing to play for, others are tuning up), we bravely submit the following:

THURSDAY
ST. LOUIS (+7.5) over Pittsburgh
Steelers are a bad road team, plain and simple. Rams threw blanks in second half at home last week vs. Pack, but should be able to at least keep it interesting in front of a "national" TV audience. (See what we did there? It's "national" because it's on the NFL Network, which is in about 37 homes.)
Steelers 23 Rams 17

SATURDAY
Dallas (-11.5) over CAROLINA
Yes, we know Tony Romo has "a thumb", and yes, we know the Panthers looked frisky last week in knocking off Seattle. We don;t care - it seems highly unlikely the 'pokes will put together back-to-back stinkers with home field advantage at stake.
Cowboys 34 Panthers 17

SUNDAY
Kansas City (+4.5) over DETROIT
Two teams on a combined 0-12 run - something's gotta give! We'll take our beloved Chiefs to stay close and ultimately fall in some sort of disappointing fashion.
Lions 23 Chiefs 20

INDIANAPOLIS (-7.5) over Houston
Indy's tight win over Oakland last week, coupled with Texans' impressive home win over Denver probably helped keep this line down. No matter, Colts are back home and will roll, despite having next to nothing to play for.
Colts 30 Texans 20

JACKSONVILLE (-12.5) over Oakland
Everybody loves and fears the Jags right now, and with good reason. Who would have believed a few months back that the Jags, led by David Garrard, would be The Team Nobody Wants To Face in the Playoffs? Not us.
Jaguars 41 Raiders 10

Green Bay (-7.5) over CHICAGO
Pack still has a shot at top seed, and will go all out in the Windy City against a very bad Bear team.
Packers 27 Bears 10

BUFFALO (+3.5) over NY Giants
G-Men are very good on the road, but the weather conditions are forecast to eerily resemble the mess they played in last week vs. Skins, and we all saw how that turned out. Combine that with Eli Manning losing his safety net option in Jeremey Shockey, PLUS the return of injured Bill Kevin Everett, and you've got an ugly scenario for Tom Coughlin and his team. How does a must win game against the 15-0 Patriots next week sound to you, Tom?
Bills 20 Giants 17

NEW ORLEANS (-3.5) over Philadelphia
Saints have quietly moved up in the offensive ranks to #4, and are poised to move into a playoff berth which seemed like a pipe dream after an 0-4 start. Eagles are tough, and might stick around, but we like Brees and Co.
Saints 24 Eagles 20

Cleveland (-3.5) over CINCINNATI
Brownies will be happy to play in a non-blizzard, that's for sure. Bengals are still a mess (see last week's dismal performance in San Fran), and Cleveland has too much at stake to falter here. A repeat of the 51-45 shootout from Week2? Maybe.
Browns 40 Bengals 24

ARIZONA (-10.5) over Atlanta
Cardinals take out frustrations at missing playoffs (again) at the expense of the hapless Falcs, who simply can't wait for this nightmare year to finally end.
Cardinals 38 Falcons 10

SAN FRANCISCO (+7.5) over Tampa Bay
Niners, as they did last season, are suddenly spunky in December (recall the upset in Denver last year which propelled the Chiefs to an improbable playoff berth?). Is Shaun Hill the answer at QB? Probably not, but he's playing with house money here, and can keep the 49ers within this high number.
Buccaneers 20 49ers 14

NEW ENGLAND (-21.5) over Miami
Pats have had all kinds of issues covering these big lines (and we should know - we've laid the 20+, and lost, each time), but the weather looks like it will cooperate on Sunday, and Miami got their win last week. All signs point to a large win for the Pats on the road to 16-0.
Patriots 41 Dolphins 13

SEATTLE (-10.5) over Baltimore
Seahawks did a nice job screwing over all those who were finally starting to believe in them last week, dropping a nasty game to Carolina. Don't fret, we still believe, at least when they're back home against a craptacular team like the Ravens.
Seahawks 24 Ravens 9

NY Jets (+8.5) over TENNESSEE
Jets have been in just about every game they've lost, save for the ugly Thanksgiving game in Dallas. Titans are a crapshoot team that has been almost impossible to pick all year, so we'll take the touchdown plus.
Titans 22 Jets 17

Washington (+7.5) over MINNESOTA
Skins will know the results of Giants game by kickoff, and will be extra motivated if G-Men fail in Buffalo. Again, after watching the Vikes and Tavaris Jackson last week, it's hard to expect them to lay over a touchdown to a team that plays good defense like Washington.
Redskins 23 Vikings 21

MONDAY
SAN DIEGO (-9.5) over Denver
Broncos are woeful on the road, and the Bolts are looking to keep the engine chugging toward the playoffs. No signs of a letdown after cracking the 50 point barrier last week, we like San Diego in a runaway.
Chargers 37 Broncos 17

BEST BETS: Cardinals, Chargers, Redskins

Last week: 7-9
Season Total: 118-106 (52.7%)

Best Bets
Last Week: 1-2
Season Total: 22-17 (56.4%)

NFL Picks - Week 15

2007-12-15T14:28:00.000-05:00

You stay classy, Petrino. Man, what a douchebag.

Weather looks to be a huge factor this weekend as a nasty storm moves toward the Northeast. Lucky for us we made these picks well before looking at a weather forecast, which will force us to defend what could be ridiculous choices.

On Thursday, we did take Houston -1.5 over Denver, so we're up 1 so far this week. Sorry the picks didn't make it in before that game kicked off.

For the rest:

SATURDAY
Cincinnati (-8.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
One look at this line tells you all you need to know about the wretched state of things in Frisco. Bengals should not be giving anyone 8.5 points, but we're going to lay it anyway.
Bengals 30 49ers 13

SUNDAY
Arizona (+3.5) over NEW ORLEANS
Essentially a playoff game for both teams, we'll take the uneven Cardinals over the slightly less unstable Saints, in a field goal game.
Saints 24 Cardinals 21

PITTSBURGH (-4.5) over Jacksonville
A bit of a head scratcher, this line. Steelers coming home after late blowout in New England, and should be able to move the ball on Jax D missing Marcus Stroud in the middle.
Steelers 20 Jaguars 14

Green Bay (-10.5) over ST. LOUIS
Packers are rolling, and won't be denied despite Favre's less than stellar record in domes. If Bulger doesn't play for St. Loo, this one is over by halftime.
Packers 31 Rams 13

TAMPA BAY (-10.5) over Atlanta
Will the Falcons play better and rally around the hatred for departed coach Bobby Pertrino? Maybe, but the team is still short on talent, and the Bucs are coming off an ugly loss last week, so we'll take Tampa.
Buccaneers 27 Falcons 16

MIAMI (+4.5) over Baltimore
This could be the one. If the Fins don't get it now, you can book the 0-16. Ravens are a nasty mess prone to peaks and valleys - after bigtrime letdown last week they just might put together a solid effort.
Ravens 20 Dolphins 17

NEW ENGLAND (-24.5) over NY Jets
See lead paragraph. Pats have not been able to cover when laying 20+ thus far, and the weather could prevent that from happening here. Since I have to defend the pick, I'll go with a low scoring blowout.
Patriots 28 Jets 3

CLEVELAND (-5.5) over Buffalo
Browns can taste the playoffs now, and a win here pretty much cinches it. Despite their penchant for playing tight games, we like the Brownies to pull away at home and continue the unlikely playoff run.
Browns 28 Bills 20

KANSAS CITY (+3.5) over Tennessee
Two teams which have been frustrating bets most of the year. In cases like this, we'll take the home underdog, even when they have an offense which struggles to score more than 13 points each week. We can no longer pick the Titans, given our inability to correctly predict what they will do from week to week.
Titans 20 Chiefs 17

Seattle (-7.5) over CAROLINA
Seahawks have quietly got themselves to 9-4 and are in prime position to grab a 3-4 seed in the NFC. how the heck did that happen? Panthers simply playing out the string, and aren't being very competitive while doing so.
Seahawks 31 Panthers 7

Indianapolis (-10.5) over OAKLAND
Colts must be loving the lack of attention they're seeing as the whole world focuses on the unbeaten Pats. Dungy's boys quietly and efficiently get win #12 and solidify hold on #2 seed here.
Colts 34 Raiders 14

SAN DIEGO (-11.5) over Detroit
Still not fully sold on Norv's guys, but Lions stink on the road and are coming off blowing big lead at home versus Cowboys last week. Not a good combo.
Chargers 30 Lions 10

DALLAS (-10.5) over Philadelphia
Cowboys are rolling, especially at home, and should be able to bottle up McNabb and the Eagles.
Cowboys 37 Eagles 24

Washington (+4.5) over NY GIANTS
Skins need this one to stay in the hunt, and always manage to keep things close against Giants.
Giants 20 Redskins 17

MONDAY
MINNESOTA (-9.5) over Chicago
Kyle Orton starts at QB for the Bears. 'Nuff said.
Vikings 30 Bears 10

BEST BETS: Seahawks, Chargers, Vikings

Last week: 7-9
Season Total: 111-97

Best Bets
Last week: 3-0
Season Total: 21-15

We Suck Because You're Mean!

2007-12-11T07:51:00.000-05:00

Knicks President/GM/Coach/Dismantler Isiah Thomas has finally discovered the reason for his squad's lackluster play, which, after last night's 99-89 loss to Dallas dropped the Knickerbockers (6-14) deeper into last place. Is it the "we barley care" attitude of the high priced imports like Eddy Curry and Stephon Marbury? Is it the awful shooting? Is it a roster and accompanying slary structure seemingly put together during a three day hookers n' blow binge? Nope, it's you!

According to Altschuler, Thomas said, "We're missing layups because you're
booing." Altschuler, who worked 16 years for CBS News, said Thomas turned to
make his stream of remarks in the third and fourth quarters, directing it to the
first couple of rows.
According to Altschuler, Thomas invoked the phrase "Sixth Man," explaining what a crowd should be. Thomas mentioned Indiana and North Carolina as crowds that the Garden should emulate, she said. She said Thomas blamed a Quentin Richardson airball on the boos. Thomas could be seen by reporters in the third quarter exchanging words with fans, and did not deny it later.
So, remember, Knick fans: it's your responsibility, nay, your duty to cheer on your hometown squad, no matter how
horrid the play is on the court, nor how reprehensible the conduct of those in
charge. Be that Sixth Man!

The Garden of Hate (NY Post)

NFL Picks - Week 14

2007-12-06T07:43:00.000-05:00

Isn't it nice to be back to the point where nobody really cares that they can;t watch the Thursday night game? It kinda brings the normalcy back, and the NFL loses any chance to argue how much the world should embrace the ridiculous battle they chiose to fight with cable systems nationwide, where nobody wins. Nice job, guys!

A 9-7 rebound last week somewhat eased the pain of the 5-11 debacle in Week 12. Trying to keep that momentum, we submit the following for Week 14:

THURSDAY
Chicago (+3.5) over WASHINGTON
Skins have played juuust well enough to lose last two weeks, and the short week following the Sean Taylor funeral might be togh on them. This one just seems like a field goal game, in whcih case we'll grab the points.
Redskins 20 Bears 17

SUNDAY
BUFFALO (-7.5) over Miami
Tough to lay this many poiunts woth the Bills, but the Fins have zero offense. It isn't hard to imagine Buffalo winning a low scoring game and covering this rather easily.
Bills 17 Dolphins 6

Dallas (-10.5) over DETROIT
Lions collapse is a big enough reason, but add in the fact that Jon Kitna provided some bulletin board material after the game last season and you've got a recipe for a blowout.
Cowboys 31 Lions 16

St. Louis (+6.5) over CINCINNATI
Bulger is playing, so this line is a gift against defenseless Bengals. Could be high scoring, but we'll go with the better than their record Rams.
Rams 24 Bengals 20

GREEN BAY (-10.5) over Oakland
Favre is playing, and Pack will not let up against improving Raiders, especially at Lambeau. Let's go with a repeat of the socre from Super Bowl II:
Packers 33 Raiders 14

Tampa Bay (-2.5) over HOUSTON
Bucs focusing on playoff seeding now at 8-4, and should be able to cover the less than field goal line on the road. Texans might hang tough, but talent wins out.
Buccaneers 23 Texans 17

JACKSONVILLE (-10.5) over Carolina
Jags fell behind in Indy last week, and nearly recovered. Their collective anger and frustration can be spent this week against reeling Panthers. Duck, Vinnie!
Jaguars 30 Panthers 13

PHILADELPHIA (-2.5) over NY Giants
This will be a far cry from the 12 sack nightmare Eagles endured in first meeting. Philly has played back to back tough games, getting burned by bad iNT's by AJ Feely. Donovan McNabb returns this week and engineers a close win over the G-Men.
Eagles 20 Giants 17

TENNESSEE (+1.5) over San Diego
Two teams we hate to pick, going head-to-head. Titans at home a slightly better bet than Chargers on the road, so, good job there, Vegas, in setting this line. When in doubt, take the points.
Titans 20 Chargers 17

Minnesota (-8.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
Vikings have come a long way to the point where they can lay this much on the road, eh? Too much Adrian Peterson, plus a defense that gains more confidence each week, spells doom for the pathetic Niners.
Vikings 27 49ers 13

Arizona (+7.5) over SEATTLE
Seahwaks have to be the least convincing "good" team in the NFL. Honestly, these guys are 8-4? Cards have the ability to hang tough with anyone, and should be able to keep this one close, maybe even take it outright.
Seahawks 31 Cardinals 30

Pittsburgh (+13.5) over NEW ENGLAND
Wow, a Pat line below 20! Have to like the fact that the Steelers have an actual runing game, which has shown to be a problem for the Pats to stop recently. Also, Big Ben is a much better quarterback than either A.J. Feely or Kyle Boller, each of whom almost engineered big upsets the past two weeks. Pittsburgh can drain the clock a little and frustrate Brady, Moss and Co. by keeping them on the sidelines, which should result in, at the very least, a cover.
Patriots 24 Steelers 21

Kansas City (+6.5) over DENVER
Even at Mile High (we will never, ever, use the corporate name for any edifice, thank you very much), it's hard to pick the Broncos as being 7 points better than anybody. That, and the fact we hate them, makes it hard to pick against KC. Chiefs break the schnied!
Chiefs 17 Broncos 16

Cleveland (-3.5) over NY JETS
The wheels came off the Browns bandwagon last week, but we still believe. Jets don;t have the firepower to match the Cleveland offense, and we can see a close game for about a half before Cleveland pulls away.
Browns 31 Jets 16

Indianapolis (-9.5) over BALTIMORE
Ravens left it all on the field in upset bid last Monday night, and will not have enough to get fired up to upset Colts. It won't take a self destruct job this time for Baltimore to lose, either.
Colts 24 Ravens 10

MONDAY
New Orleans (-4.5) over ATLANTA
One week after setting a ratings record for cable, it won't be a surprise if this game sets a new mark as well - least amount of total viewers for an NFL game. Saints have to pretty much win out for any kind of shot at the playoffs, and will get a boost of hope here.
Saints 27 Falcons 17

BEST BETS: Packers, Browns, Vikings

Last Week: 9-7
Season Total: 104-88 (54.2%)

BEST BETS
Last Week: 1-2
Season Total: 18-15 (54.6%)

NFL Picks - Week 13

2007-11-29T16:25:00.000-05:00

First things first: terrible news regarding Redskins safety Sean Taylor, who was senselessly killed on Monday. We're often told how things like this "put things in perspective", and like all cliches, that has a ring of truth to it.

Let's move on.....the NFL has really mucked this one up, haven't they? A superb matchup (10-1 Cowboys vs. 10-1 Packers), which didn't look like much in April, falls into the (unecessary) Thursday night package, and the majority of fans will have no visibility to the game. Nice! Obviously, the honchos on Park Ave. are hoping this will create a groundswell of support for their channel, which will then force cable systems to place it on the basic level tier. No matter who wins the battle, which will ultimately be settled, the biggest losers, as usual, are the fans. Maybe we'll live blog the thing for the benfit of those who can't see it. Stay tuned.

On to the picks. The less said about last week's 5-11 crapfest, the better, but I will say that the following things do indeed suck:

Gus Frerotte

Pittsburgh's grounds crew

The Tenness Titans

The Jet offensive line

Eli Manning

THURSDAY

DALLAS (-6.5) over Green Bay

Cowboys are very tough at home, while Favre has never won here. The number looks tempting, but Big D should be able to get out of this one with a win. By the way, is there a more quiet, unassuming coach in the league besides Wade Phillips?

Cowboys 28 Packers 20

That's a winn-ah!

SUNDAY

CAROLINA (-2.5) over San Francisco
Ugh, another crapfest. Condolences to those who are forced to watch this one.
Panthers 20 49ers 18

Jacksonville (+7.5) over INDIANAPOLIS
Big game for control of the AFC South. Jags always give Colts trouble, and since Indy hasn't been setting the league on fire much of late, we'll grab the touchdown plus.
Colts 24 Jaguars 20

MINNESOTA (-3.5) over Detroit
We're reasy to throw more disrt on the Lions, especially on the road. Vikes get Adrian Peterson back and should roll at home.
Vikings 27 Lions 16

KANSAS CITY (+4.5) over San Diego
Still not sold on the Chargers turning the corner yet, particularly in Arrowhead, which has been a House of Horrors for them. Chiefs can stay close and maybe steal this one.
Chiefs 20 Chargers 17

NY Jets (+1.5) over MIAMI
Wow, an 0-11 team is giving points? Do the Jets garner that little level of respect? Put no stock in the Monday Nighter by the Fish - your local high school team might have been capable of slowing down the Steelers on that crummy field.
Jets 17 Dolphins 16

WASHINGTON (-5.5) over Buffalo
In what should be a somber FedEx field, the Skins will rebound and dedicate this one to their fallen teammate Sean Taylor. It doesn't hurt that the Bills have been in free fall the past three weeks either.
Redskins 30 Bills 13

Houston (+3.5) over TENNESSEE
We're officially through with the Titans. They have become impossible to pick week-to-week. Texans getting healthy, and have returned to the level of competitiveness they showed in the first few weeks.
Texans 20 Titans 17

ST. LOUIS (-4.5) over Atlanta
No Bulger, which would have impacted this pick had we known. nevertheless, it's near impossible to trust the Falcons on the road, so we'll go with the hometown Rams.
Rams 22 Falcons 14

PHILADELPHIA (-3.5) over Seattle
Eagles, fresh off big important moral victory last week, return home in a prime spot to lay an egg. The hunch is that with Feely at the helm they can avoid that pitfall and take out the maddeningly inconsistent Hawks.
Eagles 24 Seahawks 17

Cleveland (+1.5) over ARIZONA
Browns are our anti-Titans: we're picking them every week, since they never seem to disappoint. Cards coming off ugly-ass loss to the Niners last week, and falling behind early here could finish them off quickly.
Browns 38 Cardinals 27

Denver (-3.5) over OAKLAND
Raiders a little tougher at home, but it's hard to imagine the Broncos not recovering from late collapse in Chicago last week. Besides, Raiders don't have a Devin Hester, so it's all good there.
Broncos 23 Raiders 10

Tampa Bay (+3.5) over NEW ORLEANS
Okay, okay, we'll jump on the Bucs bandwagon now. Saints can;t seem to string together a decent run of games of late, and we can see this one maybe being decided by a late figgie.
Saints 23 Buccaneers 21

NY Giants (-1.5) over CHICAGO
Manning! Grossman! The Clash Of The QB's!!! So long as the G-Men don't kick it to Hester, and Eli can manage to hit the guys in the white jerseys (which he had no problem doing last week), this is a nice recovery week for them.
Giants 27 Bears 17

PITTSBURGH (-7.5) over Bengals
Show of hands: who else took a bath on the Steelers last week? Field has been repaired, and the Steely McBeamers (worst. mascot. ever.) will rebound.
Steelers 31 Bengals 20

MONDAY
NEW ENGLAND (-20.5) over Baltimore
So much for Vegas not requiring a "Patriot Tax" after last week. We'll bite on this one, since there is no way Ravens can match the offensive effort put forth by Philly last week. Blueprint, shmueprint, Pats are pissed off they nearly lost and will roll.
Patriots 40 Ravens 10

BEST BETS: Patriots, Vikings, Redskins

Last Week: 5-11
Season Total: 95-81 (54%)

Best Bets
Last Week: 1-2
Season Total: 17-13 (56.7%)

We'll Take A Shot At This One....

2007-11-28T12:56:00.000-05:00

Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury continued his amazing year yesterday. After the Knickerbockers knocked off the Jazz 113-109 at MSG, the long suffering fans, apparently not ready to forgive all recent transgressions despite the win, booed. Marbury, not normally prone to broad, idiotic statements, uncorked this gem:

"If people feel like they need to come here and do that, then that's what they're going to do.....I don't even think they know why they're booing."

Hmm, you raise an interesting theory there, Mr. Marbury. Perhaps we can offer some points of rebuttal:

The team, once one of the jewels of the NBA, has become a laughingstock
The owner is a trust fund idiot who has absolutely no idea how to run the business of Madison Square Garden
Said owner hired a GM (who now doubles as coach) who has failed at every other endeavor he's undertaken since retiring as a player
Said GM/Coach recently took a bath (thus tarnishing an already damaged public image) by losing an embarassing sexual harassment lawsuit
Said owner allowed that case to go to court rather than pay a quick settlement
You, sir, Mr. Marbury, introduced the "fun truck" to that circus
You also ditched the team during a recent west coast road trip
The fans, realizing they were forced to pay exorbitant prices to fund this disaster, needed an outlet to express their collective frustration

Just a hunch.

Week 12 - What Did We Learn?

2007-11-26T21:18:00.000-05:00

Welcome to a new feature which will appear sporadically after a NFL Sunday, What Did We Learn?

Pretty self explanatory, eh? Let's proceed:

1.) Kicking to Devin Hester is really stupid. This was actually learned by most people several weeks ago, but Mike Shanahan apparently did not get the memo.

2.) The Cardinals should rarely be favored over anyone, and Vegas is just messing with us when they set the line at 10+.

3.) The Rams will not run the table, go 8-8, and win the NFC West. Gus Frerotte saw to that.

4.) The Chiefs might have something special in Kolby Smith.

5.) It is actually possible to hit Tom Brady, bottle up Randy Moss, score 28 points on the New England defense, and still lose.

6.) The Ravens really, really suck. This makes us really, really happy.

7.) Eli Manning might have issues differentiating between blue and white jerseys.

8.) Vince Young might not be that good.

9.) The bookies made their point with the huge Pats/Eagles line. Might be awhile before we see it go that high again. Phew.

10.) Brett Favre kinds, sorta did the right thing by sticking around. Can't imagine why anyone would have said he was selfish for doing so.

NFL Picks - Week 12

2007-11-21T08:44:00.001-05:00

Two issue at the forefront this week: First, the ongoing debate about the Patriots. Are they exhibiting poor sportsmanship, or simply playing to perfection? Tough call, and the reason the issue is so hotly contested is simple: we've never, ever seen anything like this at the NFL level before. This argument was commonly heard about college teams like Nebraska and Oklahoma back in the day, and they would routinely be 35 point favorites on any given Saturday against a weak sister opponent and end up winning 73-6. Even the most dominant teams of recent years have not come close to producing consistent blowout wins each week. This leads to the oddsmakers, finally, forcing bettors to lay really big numbers in order to stay on the New England gravy train - this week the Pats are laying 22 1/2 (and this line has moved several times already, meaning it could go higher by Sunday)! We've learned our lesson after hopping off the bandwagon last week, taking the Bills plus 16 1/2....then watching Buffalo fall by 46.

Also, a quick note to bid farewell to Priest Holmes, who retired this week. Going from being undrafted to All-Pro is something one doesn't see very often, and 31 did it with class and professionalism. His comeback this year once again showed that he could never be counted out, and at least he can leave after starting one last time.

A 9-7 mark last week pushed the season total to a nice round 90-70, and we look to boost the record with some early wins on Turkey Day:

Thanksgiving Day
Green Bay (-3.5) over DETROIT
Going agianst the Lions on Thanksgiving is usually a bad idea, but Favre on national TV is too good to pass up. The Packers are on a roll and won't be deterred here.
Packers 24 Lions 16

NY Jets (+14.5) over DALLAS
Jets have been losing, but have a habit of staying close when doing so. Big win over Steelers has to give them a boost as they head into Big D. Count on TO having a big day, as he usually does when there are more cameras around, but we think the Jets can harass Romo a bit and keep this one closer than you'd think.
Cowboys 24 Jets 13

Indianapolis (-11.5) over ATLANTA
Falcs were blown out at home by Bucs, which leads us to think they are the perfect cure to what ails Indy. It won;t matter who the Colts are missing, this one will be over early.
Colts 31 Falcons 10

Sunday
CAROLINA (+3.5) over New Orleans
As soon as we can figure out either one of these teams. we'll alert you. When in doubt, we'll go with a home underdog.
Panthers 20 Saints 14

CINCINNATI (+1.5) over Tennessee
Another pair of impossible teams, so we'll go with the same theory (home underdog).
Titans 20 Bengals 19

Houston (+3.5) over CLEVELAND
Texans are better now that Andre Johnson is back (and more importantly, Matt Schaub is finding him). Browns are the most entertaining team in the league, having mastered the art of 3 point wins. How about another one here?
Browns 30 Texans 27

Buffalo (+7.5) over JACKSONVILLE
Let's see if the Bills can bounce back from the blowout last week. Maybe they can, but at the very least they should be able to stay within a touchdown of the oh-by-the-way-we're-7-3 Jags.

Jaguars 17 Bills 14

KANSAS CITY (-5.5) over Oakland
Brodie Croyle looked pretty good last week, despite being handcuffed by the ultra conservative play calling of Mike Solari and Herm Edwards. Croyle will have to step it up this week with the lack of an experienced halfback (Larry Johnson: OUT, Preist Holmes: Retired). Welcome to the show, (Chief RB) Kolby Smith.
Chiefs 20 Raiders 13

NY GIANTS (-7.5) over Minnesota
No Adrian Peterson for Minny, plus a devastating Giant pass rush against Tavaris Jackson, equals a Giant blowout.
Giants 30 Vikings 14

ST. LOUIS (+3.5) over Seattle
Rams have the horses (Bulger, Jackson) back, and can easily hang with a Seahawk team that does not travel well. We said it last week, and it still holds: the Rams run the table, finish 8-8 and win the West!
Rams 24 Seahawks 17

Washington (+3.5) over TAMPA BAY
Still not fully sold on the Bucs, and with a two game lead it's easy to see them fall into a bit of a trap here against the feisty Redskins.
Redskins 23 Buccaneers 20

ARIZONA (-10.5) over San Francisco
Niners are a train wreck, while the Cardinals have a real shot at (gulp) the division title. Even though 'Zona doesn't normally win big, this looks like the perfect chance to buck that trend.
Cardinals 27 49ers 7

CHICAGO (-2.5) over Denver
Time for the Broncos to come back to the pack. Given the recent play by these teams, this line doesn't really add up, and you know what that means: take the unlikely favorite.
Bears 20 Broncos 17

SAN DIEGO (-9.5) over Baltimore
Chargers are a mess, but play better at home, while the Ravens are still reeling from the we-won-no-we-didn't routine against the Browns last week. Bolts take control of the AFC West with win here, which seemed unfathomable a month ago.
Chargers 24 Ravens 13

NEW ENGLAND (-22.5) over Philadelphia
With or without Donovan McNabb, this line would still be huge. Patriots, at home, with the "let's not only win, let's break their spirit" attitude, will run away with another one, causing another vein in Don Shula's head to throb that much more intensely.
Patriots 41 Eagles 10

Monday
PITTSBURGH (-16.5) over Miami

Jeez, another huge spread, and we'll lay it, thanks very much. Steelers should be very focused after lackluster effort in the swamp, and will have enough anger to overrun the overmatched Dolphins.
Steelers 31 Dolphins 7

Best Bets: Colts, Rams, Steelers

Last Week: 9-7

Season Total: 90-70 (56.3%)

Best Bets

Last Week: 2-1

Season Total: 16-11 (59.3%)

NFL Picks - Week 11

2007-11-15T20:30:00.000-05:00

We regressed a bit last week, posting a 6-8 mark. Not fully damaging, but putting us in need of a big rebound this week. Let's get the ball rolling with these gems:

ATLANTA (+3.5) over Tampa Bay
Falcons show a little toughness at home, enough to stay close to the Bucs.
Buccaneers 20 Falcons 17

CINCINNATI (-3.5) over Arizona
Can't take Cardinals on the road, even against lackluster Bengal team.
Bengals 24 Cardinals 20

Kansas City (+14.5) over INDIANAPOLIS
Look, we know that KC is starting Brodie Croyle, and is also missing Larry Johnson, but we can;t underestimate the loss of Dwight Freeney for Indy, combined with the key losses on the other side of the ball. Peyton Manning surely won;t throw 6 picks, but the hunch is that the Chiefs can put together a decent defensive effort to keep the score down.
Colts 23 Chiefs 13

JACKSONVILLE (-2.5) over San Diego
We're not folled by Chargers - the offense is still not doing a damned thing. Jags, at home, force more hair to fall out of Norv's head.
Jaguars 22 Chargers 14

MINNESOTA (-5.5) over Oakland
Note to selves: Never take the Radiers on the road, unless Vegas is spotting them 20+.
Vikings 24 Raiders 10

Cleveland (-2.5) over BALTIMORE
Browns almost pulled out big W in Pittsburgh, and will not suffer letdown against a bad Raven team.
Browns 24 Ravens 16

GREEN BAY (-9.5) over Carolina
Juggernaut that is The Pack will not be slowed down here. Panthers, once a staunch defensive squad, have been juts plain ordinary thus far, and we won't even mention the issues they have offensively.
Packers 30 Panthers 13

New Orleans (-1.5) over HOUSTON
Not sure why, but something says the Saints will rebound from the debacle last week against the previously winless Rams.
Saints 20 Texans 17

Miami (+10.5) over PHILADELPHIA
Up and Down Eagles now face a "down" week. Dolphins have been losing, but somewhat competitive, and are going with rookie QB this week. Look for Cleo Lemon to be in by the 3rd quarter.
Eagles 21 Dolphins 12

DETROIT (+2.5) over NY Giants
Lions are back home, where they have been deadly efficient bunch. Are the G-Men starting another second half swoon? Maybe, and expect that talk to increase with a loss here.
Lions 24 Giants 21

Pittsburgh (-9.5) over NY JETS
Even though Kellen Clemens has had an extra week to prepare, we just can't see the Jets hanging with a vastly superior team like the Steelers.
Steelers 27 Jets 13

Washington (+10.5) over DALLAS
Possible slight letdown after big win over Giants last week will allow the feisty Skins to keep it closer than it should be. Cowboys are still the class of the conference right now, and will ultimately prevail here.
Cowboys 24 Redskins 17

St. Louis (-2.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
Anyone else think the Rams can run the table, finish 8-8, and win the West? Don't laugh, this division is so bad even the Niners have a shot. Okay, everyone except the Niners has a shot.
Rams 27 49ers 13

SEATTLE (-4.5) over Chicago
Hawks better at home, and would love to payback Bears for 38-0 nationally televised shellacking last season.
Seahawks 20 Bears 10

Buffalo (+15.5) over NEW ENGLAND
C'mon, Bills have to be able to stay close, right? Pats have been obliterating everyone in their path not named Indy thus far, but the rest of the league might be able to catch up to them (or at least slow 'em down).
Patriots 29 Bills 16

MONDAY
Tennessee (+2.5) over DENVER
Two teams we hate to pick - something's gotta give. Since we like the Titans defense better, and feel that the erratic Vince Young has to have a big week sooner or later, we'll go with the visitors.
Titans 17 Broncos 13

Best Bets: Rams, Seahawks, Steelers

Last Week: 6-8

Season Total: 81-63 (56.3%)

BEST BETS

Last Week: 1-2

Season Total: 14-10 (58.33%)

NFL Picks - Week 10

2007-11-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

Now what? Now that Super Bowl 41.5 is in the books, and the Pats appear on their way to a perfect season (one AP writer went so far as to say it was a virtual lock), what are we supposed to do? We're going to go out on a limb and say, what the hell, let's play the rest of the schedule out and see what transpires. Who knows, maybe we'll all learn something, and isn't that ultimately the point, kids?

On to the Picks, though with New England on their bye everything seems so......empty. Sigh.

CAROLINA (-4.5) over Atlanta
Neither team has shown much of anything, so we'll side with the home team and a relatively small line.
Panthers 24 Falcons 10

GREEN BAY (-6.5) over Minnesota
Pack return home after two big AFC West road wins, and will be primed to stop the only prong in the Viking attack: Adrian Peterson. It's obvious Minny coach Brad Childress reads this column, as he decided to use Peterson extensively last week, and the kid went ahead and set a new single game rushing record. You're welcome, Brad. That gets negated, however, by the idiotic team decision to fine WR Troy Williamson for burying his grandma (though today the team caved to public pressure and returned the check to Williamson). This from the team that gave us the infamous Sex Boat scandal last season. You stay classy, Vikings.
Packers 26 Vikings 13

KANSAS CITY (-4.5) over Denver
Chiefs should have been able to stave off Packers last week, but somehow allowed LB Donnie Edwards to cover a speedy wideout one-on-one while nursing lead late, with predictable big play results. Broncos have been one of the league's biggest disappointments, and do not win here since Elway retired. Think about Denver for a moment - last year, heading into a Thanksgiving Day showdown at Arrowhead, the team stood at 7-4 with the division in their grasp. After losing that night, overrated (no titles sans Elway) Head Coach Mike Shanahan decided to throw rokkie QB Jay Cutler into the starting role, and the team limped home to a 9-7 finish, missing the playoffs. At 3-5, a loss here would pretty much finish them off, and we're betting that is exactly what will happen, even as KC goes with Priest Holmes at HB.
Chiefs 23 Broncos 14

Buffalo (-2.5) over MIAMI
Only here would we take the Bills on the road, but this team has actually played pretty well of late. Think about it - if not for losing two winnable games ( a last second loss to Denver, and the ugly collapse against Dallas), these guys could be 6-2. No way they suffer a let down against the punchless Fish.
Bills 17 Dolphins 6

NEW ORLEANS (-11.5) over St. Louis
Drew Brees is the hottest QB not named Tom Brady right now, and this one could get ugly early. Betcha Sean Payton doesn't leave Brees in and have him throw the ball at that point though.
Saints 38 Rams 10

PITTSBURGH (-9.5) over Cleveland
Wow, this line is pretty large, don't you think? At home, look for the Pittsburgh defense to slow down Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis and the rest of the high flying Brownies, and seize control of the division in the process.
Steelers 24 Browns 14

Jacksonville (+4.5) over TENNESSEE
Titans continue to win ugly each week, but they win. It can;t last forever, and Vince Young's erratic play is going to catch up with him sooner or later.
Titans 20 Jaguars 18

WASHINGTON (-2.5) over Philadelphia
Skins rebounded from Pat blowout with come from behind win at the Meadowlands, and even though we like Philly more on the road than at home, the number here is low enough to envision a narrow Washington victory.
Redskins 20 Eagles 17

BALTIMORE (-5.5) over Cincinnati
God, we hate taking the Ravens. No team is harder to root for (Brian Billick, Ray Lewis, need we go on?), and no team plays more havoc with the weekly pick sheet. the only team more difficult to pick and root for? The Bengals, thus the pick below.
Ravens 22 Bengals 16

ARIZONA (-1.5) over Detroit
No logic here - this is purely a "Vegas knows something we obviously don't" choice. How else could you explain it?
Cardinals 23 Lions 21

NY GIANTS (+1.5) over Dallas
Tough choice, but we're thinking the defense Tony Romo will see on Sunday will bear little to no resemblance to the unit he picked apart at will in Week 1. The pass rush is a monster, and will keep the pretty boy on his toes all afternoon. Eli Manning will do just enough to get the G-Men right in the thick of the NFC East title hunt.
Giants 27 Cowboys 24

Chicago (-3.5) over OAKLAND
Go ahead, Raiders, kick it to Devin Hester. Idiots.
Bears 27 Raiders 10

Indianapolis (-3.5) over SAN DIEGO
My oh my will Norv Turner be exposed this week. Colts are angry at themselves for letting the game get away in the last 10 minutes last week, and will take it out on the up and down Chargers, who were pitiful against the run last week.
Colts 31 Chargers 14

MONDAY
SEATTLE (-9.5) over San Francisco
It's an "On" week for the Seahawks as they return home, and the toothless Niners are the perfect foil. Once again, people will become convnced Seattle is a legitimate contender....until the next meltdown. This team isn;t very good, and may win the West through attrition thanks to games like this one.
Seahawks 34 49ers 14

BEST BETS: Colts, Seahwaks, Saints

Last Week: 11-3
Last 3 Weeks: 27-14 (65.9%)
Season Total: 75-55 (57.7%)

BEST BETS
Last Week: 1-2
Season Total: 13-8 (61.9%)

NFL Picks - Week 9

2007-11-03T15:54:00.001-05:00

Apparently, there is a pretty big game this week. We hadn't heard too much about it. If you know which one of the below is the game in question, feel free to drop us a line.

The hot streak continues for this column, after a quietly efficient 8-5 week (though the 1-2 Best Bets were a concern). Looking to stay hot, we submit the choices for Week 9, relying pretty heavily on the favorites:

TENNESSEE (-4.5) over Carolina
Titans continue to have some pretty ugly games, win or lose, and could very easily be 3-4 right now, but the unsettles Panther QB situation, coupled with a tough road venue, leads us to believe Fisher's boys can lay the 4.5, though it will probably be ugly.
Titans 24 Panthers 17

TAMPA BAY (-3.5) over Arizona
Like the Bucs at home just about as much as we don't like the Cards on the road. Always wary of the back door cover by 'Zona, but will lay the number nonetheless.
Buccaneers 27 Cardinals 20

Washington (-3.5) over NY JETS
The Kellen Clemens Era begins! Will that make a difference for the disappointing jets? Maybe a little bit, but we like a pissed off Washington team which was humiliated by the Pats last week to come back with a vengeance and take it out on Mangini and Co.
Redskins 30 Jets 13

NEW ORLEANS (-3.5) over Jacksonville
Seems a bit high here, but we still think the Jags will struggle with Quinn Gray at QB against the resurgent Saints. This one could be one of the more entertaining games of the week, with the Saints pulling one out.
Saints 20 Jaguars 14

San Diego (-7.5) over MINNESOTA
Vikes just can't seem to understand that they have one of the most explosive weapons sitting in the backfield in Adrian Peterson, as shown by the sparse usage of the rookie. Chargers seem to have things back together now and can enhance their team speed in the Metrodome. This one might get ugly.
Chargers 31 Vikings 13

ATLANTA (-3.5) over San Francisco
Ugh. Woe be to those who are forced to watch this stinker. Niners are a mess on offense, which makes us think the Falcs can out enough on the board to cover.
Falcons 17 49ers 10

KANSAS CITY (-2.5) over Green Bay
Pack should have lost last week if not for the remarkable ineptitude of the Bronco red zone offense. Short week plus back-to-back tough venues add up to the biggest Chief victory thus far.
Chiefs 20 Packers 16

DETROIT (-3.5) over Denver
Wow, how the heck are the Lions 5-2? Denver has not traveled well and will have its hands full in the Motor City. Still trying to figure out how the Best Corners in Football(tm) were burned for two bombs last week against the Packers.
Lions 24 Broncos 19

BUFFALO (-1.5) over Cincinnati
Bills should be 5-2, and seem to be gaining confidence each week. Bengals are a mess of a team, and are going nowhere. Love the Bills at home with this low spread.
Bills 19 Bengals 10

CLEVELAND (-1.5) over Seattle
Seahawks are another team which can't seem to play consistently on the road, while the Brownies, behind Derek Anderson is playing his way to a Hawaii trip. Don't look now, but Cleveland might be able to maybe, possibly, hopefully think about the playoffs with a win here.
Browns 27 Seahawks 24

INDIANAPOLIS (+5.5) over New England
Oh, this is the game everyone is all hot and bothered over, eh? We've been riding the Pats train all year, and they have not let us down. Still, these Colts are easily the most potent offense, as well as the toughest defense New England has seen thus far, and if you think Brady and Co. will just show up and put 40 on the board you're nuts. While we believe the whole deal about NE being on a missions and crushing all in its path, we still think Indy will find a way to, at the very least, stay close.
Patriots 26 Colts 24

Houston (+3.5) over OAKLAND
Honestly, does anyone else besides the people who set the lines think the Raiders are 4 points better than anybody right now?
Texans 29 Raiders 27

Dallas (-3.5) over PHILADELPHIA
Tony Romo will have to try not to justify his shiny new contract in one day. Cowboys are better, and the Philly boo birds will be out early and often. The Andy Reid situation strikes us as more of a distraction than a rallying point right now as well. Throw in the TO Revenge factor, where he will most certainly do something douchebaggy if and when he scores, and you've got a recipe for a blowout.
Cowboys 31 Eagles 16

MONDAY NIGHT
PITTSBURGH (-8.5) over Baltimore
Initially we thought this line was too high, but upon further review take the Steelers with no qualms. Ravens are not exactly a scoring machine, and the defense has just enough holes to allow Pittsburgh to put up a few points.
Steelers 23 Ravens 10

BEST BETS: Washington, Kansas City, Buffalo

Last Week: 8-5
Overall: 64-52

NFL Picks - Week 8

2007-10-25T21:55:00.000-05:00

As the season progresses, we have learned about the struggle to achieve perfection, and the associated issues therein. We realize how difficult it is in the modern NFL to finish the season with a zero in any column besides the one marked "T". With the midway point of the 2007 NFL season just about here, we here at BIMRVM wholeheartedly support the efforts of the team that will not wilt in its relentless pursuit of perfection.....

The Miami Dolphins

On to the picks for Week 8:

Indianapolis (-6.5) over CAROLINA
No way Colts get caught looking ahead to Pats, and with the way the defense is playing we look for Indy to keep rolling. (The offense isn't too shabby either, by the way)
Colts 24 Panthers 13

Pittsburgh (-4.5) over CINCINNATI
Steelers have to get their act together on the road one of these weeks, and now is the time. Bengals defense will have all kinds of problems trying to slow down Willie Parker and Co.
Steelers 34 Bengals 16

CHICAGO (-5.5) over Detroit
Bears saved season with late TD drive in Philly last week, and come home to face Lion team that has issues playing away from Ford Field. Line might be a bit high, particularly if Lions do the sensible thing and never kick the ball anywhere near Devin Hester. Nonetheless, we like the MiIdway Monsters here.
Bears 22 Lions 16

TENNESSEE (-7.5) over Oakland
Speaking of crappy road teams, how 'bout the Radiers? Titans return home and welcome back Vince Young, but the real key will be the Tennessee rush defense's ability to stymie Raider running game. After near record collapse in 4th quarter last week in Houston, look for Jeff Fisher's bunch to stay focused and finish the job at home this week.
Titans 27 Raiders 7

Cleveland (-3.5) over ST. LOUIS
Stephen Jackson returns for Rams, but he still needs blockers, doesn't he? We mentioned the Dolphins in the opener, but Rams are in the same, leaky winless boat. They'll get one soon, but not this week.
Browns 27 Rams 19

Philadelphia (-1.5) over MINNESOTA
Hard to see how the Eagles can be favored on the road, so we're going with them using the "Vegas Knows Something" theory. There is no other explanation.
Eagles 19 Vikings 17

N.Y. Giants (-9.5) over "MIAMI" (in London, England)
Honestly Roger, give this crap a rest, It's all well and good to throw the occasional pre-season game to the Eurpoean fans, but this is just stupid. As for the actual game, it is somewhat fitting that the big international showing will showcase the winless Dolphins against the surging Giants. No contest here, G-Men in a rout.
Giants 34 Dolphins 16

N.Y. JETS (-2.5) over Buffalo
Bounce back game for the Jets, now that the pressure is off and Chad Pennington has been giving a stay of execution. This might be the most boring game on the docket this week, but Jet fans will take the W.
Jets 20 Bills 13

SAN DIEGO (-10.5) over Houston
Still unsure where this game will take p,ace, but we like the resurgent Chargers no matter the building. Texans showed tons o' moxie last week in nearly pulling off the most amazing comeback ever, but will be hard pressed to slow down LT and newly acquired WR Chris Chambers.
Chargers 30 Texans 14

TAMPA BAY (-4.5) over Jacksonville
Another head scratcher, until you realize the Jags are going on the road into a hostile venue with a rookie QB. Not the best recipe for success. Bucs remain tough to beat at the pirate ship and will keep the roll going this week.
Buccaneers 23 Jaguars 10

NEW ENGLAND (-16.5) over Washington
Another ridiculous double digit spread for the Pats...and once again we'll take 'em. Skins could be one of the toughest Patriot opponents thus far, and could slow down Brady, Moss and Co., however we can't see the offense generating enough points to match them. Win here sets up showdown vs. Colts which will be hyped more than the Super Bowl.
Patriots 31 Redskins 10

New Orleans (-2.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
If Saints are truly back, they will not stumble here. Niners get Alex Smith back, but this offense hasn't been able to generate much of anything thus far and we can't see that changing anytime soon.
Saints 24 49ers 10

MONDAY
Green Bay (+3.5) over DENVER
The only underdog we're choosing this week is the Pack. Coming off the bye against what is still a pretty shaky Bronco team, look for Favre to shine in the prime time spotlight. On a side note, how does a non-playoff team like Denver get back-to-back prime time, national games?
Packers 27 Broncos 22

BEST BETS: Indianapolis, Tennessee, NY Giants

Last Week: 8-6
Overall: 56-47 (54.4%)

BEST BETS
Last week: 2-1
Overall: 11-4 (73.3%)

NFL Picks - Week 7

2007-10-18T19:42:00.001-05:00

Nice, a return to glory in the short week! Please allow us a moment to bask in the glory of a 10-3 week, erasing the awful memory of the 4-10 abomination which preceded it.

Ahhh. That’s nice.

What a week it was, too. The Pats continue to flip off the rest of the league, and score points in buckets, 74 year old Vinny Testaverde played like he was 40 again, Adrian Peterson had a big-ass coming out party at the expense of the suddenly toothless Bear defense, Tony Gonzalez cemented his spot in Canton, and LaDanian Tomlinson stopped whining and started scoring touchdowns, to the delight of Fantasy owners nationwide.

(Also, the Chiefs are back in 1st place again. Shhhhh…….)

On to the choices:

DETROIT (-1.5) over Tampa Bay
Strange that Vegas is favoring the Lions, even though the game is in the Motor City. Lions have been pretty up and down, so this looks to be an "up" week.
Lions 19 Buccaneers 16

NEW ORLEANS (-7.5) over Atlanta
Are the Saints back? Sure looked like it last week, didn't it? If the opponent was anyone else it might be a different story, but it looks as if the Falcons have cashed it in. Byron Leftwich takes the helm for Atlanta, but it shouldn't matter, at least not yet.
Saints 34 Falcons 20

WASHINGTON (-7.5) over Arizona
Skins defense is very tough, and will feast at home against Tim Rattay-led Cards. The line seems a bit high, but the hunch here is that Washington can handle it.
Redskins 23 Cardinals 13

Baltimore (-3.5) over BUFFALO
Ravens always a close your eyes and hope for the best bet, and this could easily be the ugliest game of the week. In this case, we'll go with the stronger, big play defense, and that belongs to the Ravens.
Ravens 16 Bills 10

New England (-17.5) over MIAMI
That’s it, only 17.5? Cripes, we’d be willing to lay 25 here. Despite Pats recent struggles in this city, this team is on such a roll that it is impossible to place a ceiling on them. Dolphs look like they have a little more life with Cleo Lemon at the helm, but we feel he’ll be running for his life in the second half as opposed to putting up some cheap late scores.
Patriots 38 Dolphins 13

Tennessee (-1.5) over HOUSTON
Vice Young is listed as a "game time decision", but those of us gamblers/fantasy owners know that Jeff Fischer loves to mess with us via his injury report every week. Mark it down, Young will play, but even if he doesn't Kerry Collins can provide suitable numbers. Titans will not be able to run the ball versus stout Titan D, and the low number tells us to go with the visitors.
Titans 20 Texans 14

NY GIANTS (-10.5) over San Francisco
G-Men could be caught looking ahead to big London trip next week (side note to Roger Goodell: please stop floating the possibility of playing the Super Bowl overseas. It's stupid, nearly as much as playing a regular season game in Europe). Trent Dilfer will be a sitting duck for the Giant pass rush, and the manning-to-Burress combo will continue to click.
Giants 30 49ers 16

NY Jets (+6.5) over CINCINNATI
Jets have stunk less than Bengals have thus far. Line is too high for a team that plays defense as poorly as Cincy, and the team is this close to a full scale mutiny. Jets more relaxed on the road, and should stay close enough to cover if not win outright.
Jets 31 Bengals 28

Kansas City ( +2.5) over OAKLAND
Raiders are better than they've been in recent years, no question, and do play better in the Black Hole. However, Chiefs might be finally ready to turn the corner on offense now that Larry Johnson cracked the 100 yard mark last week (admittedly against an awful Bengal defense). Game could be tight, so we’ll take the points.
Chiefs 24 Raiders 20

DALLAS (-9.5) over Minnesota
Big bounceback for the Cowboys, despite facing All-World RB Adrian Peterson. Vikes have no other weapons, which will allow the 'Pokes to key on and contain him. Look for Dallas to take out the frustration from Patriot game here.
Cowboys 27 Vikings 14

SEATTLE (-9.5) over St. Louis
Please, please, can someone figure out the Seahawks? There is no explanation for getting blown out (and shut out) on the road in Pittsburgh, then coming home and getting torched in the first half by the Saints. Despite all that, the Rams are a welcome sight, as they are truly awful. Should Bulger and Jackson return, it could be closer, but this one has all the makings of Seattle getting its act together and taking out its collective frustrations.
Seahawks 23 Rams 9

PHILADELPHIA (-4.5) over Chicago
Eagles better at home, and you can be certain they will not kick the ball to Devin Hester, who is the Bear offense at this point. Line does seem a bit high, but honestly have the Bears shown themselves worthy of any respect recently?
Eagles 24 Bears 14

Pittsburgh (-3.5) over DENVER
Maybe Denver isn’t ready for prime time after all. Jay Cutler has had his moments, but the real surprise has been the woeful rushing defense displayed by Shanahan's bunch. Pittsburgh is not the team one would want to see when having that kind of problem. Look for the Steelers to control the line of scrimmage, the clock, and the game.
Steelers 20 Broncos 7

Monday Night
JACKSONVILLE (+3.5) over Indianapolis
Conventional wisdom tells us that the Colts are coming off a bye, and are likely the 2nd best team in the NFL right now, thus would be the smart play. Maybe, but CW also tells us that the Jags always play them tough, particularly in Florida. In what could be the best game of the week, we like the Jags to put up the first "L" on Indy.
Jaguars 27 Colts 24

BEST BETS: New England, Washington, Dallas

Last Week: 10-3
Overall: 48-41 (53.9%)

Best Bets
Last Week: 1-2
Overall: 9-3 (75%)

Manny: Too Stupid To Plunk?

2007-10-18T19:40:00.000-05:00

How the heck nobody has drilled Manny Ramirez in the ribs multiple times by now is simply staggering to us. This guy has been preening and admiring his prodigious blasts, no matter the situation, for so long now it defies explanation that he hasn’t been knocked on his ass by an opposing pitcher.

We can somewhat understand the Indians not wanting to rock the boat right now – there is too much at stake. Plunking Manny tonight might awaken the sleeping giant, and there is no need for that when Cleveland is poised to eliminate the Sox. Next spring though? He should get decked, and there should be several teams lining up for the opportunity.

It occurs to us that there might be other valid reasons for not dusting Manny. He has been painted as such a character by the press (and teammates), that maybe, just maybe, he really has no idea what he’s doing up there after he swings the bat. He just happy that he did well! Maybe he thought the blast in Game 4 put the Sox ahead, rather than only closed the gap to 7-3?

Who knows? Maybe the pitchers know something we don’t – that Ramirez is simply not bright enough to know what he’s doing, and they in turn take pity on him. Being Manny might be enough punishment in and of itself.

Torre to Yanks: Thanks, But No Thanks

2007-10-18T19:39:00.000-05:00

After managing to keep the team in the spotlight a full week after being eliminated, the Yankees dropped the other shoe on Thursday by announcing that Joe Torre would not be returning as Manager in 2008. Strangely, but perhaps predictably, the team statement put it all on Joe, stating that an offer was made which the skipper turned down.

On the surface, the offer seems somewhat fair: one year, $5 million, with separate $1 million bonuses for reaching each tier of the post-season, totaling $8 million if the Yankees make the World Series (make, not win it.) Should that occur, an option for a second year kicks in.

Until Torre makes a public statement, we’re left to speculate as to why he turned down the deal. Maybe he wanted a longer deal. Maybe he got the feeling that if the 2008 team started 21-29 like the 2007 team did, he’d be canned at that point. Perhaps he was simply tired of the whole ordeal that comes with managing this franchise, and the slow changing of the guard in Tampa as George The Elder fades into the sunset.

The Yankees come out of this with clean hands: they can rightfully claim that they made a fair offer which was refused, and begin the search for a replacement with no blood on their hands. Who will take the job now? Here’s a quick look at three oft-mentioned candidates:

Don Mattingly – This one baffles us. What, exactly, are Donnie Baseball’s qualifications to take the helm here? The fact that he is a “True Yankee”, whatever the hell that means today? Or, is it simply that he would be easily controlled? So, he was the hitting coach for this team? Honestly, big deal. We’re reasonably certain we could have done the same job and had similar results. Give #23 a minor league job first to get his feet wet. Anyone remember the similar infatuation with giving Bucky Dent this job a few years back? How’d that turn out?

Joe Girardi – Better. Here’s a guy who seems to be more of a student of the game (catchers often are). Besides, he’s proven himself as a big league skipper, though he pulled the unlikely exacta of being named Manager of the Year in Florida, while being fired. Girardi is a no nonsense guy, which could work well with some of the younger players, but might not play so well with the veterans, and also would not take any crap from Tampa, making his hiring that much less likely.

Tony LaRussa – Oh baby, this would be awesome. LaRussa has his head so far up his own ass that he bristles at any strategy questions thrown his way. He ran into issues with the normally benign St. Louis press – just imagine how he’d do with the New York tabloids screaming every morning. Good times! As Yankee Haters, we would love to see this happen.

Another intriguing sub-plot will be how the player retention drama plays out. Mariano Rivera has already publicly stated that the Torre situation would have an impact on his return, and the Alex Rodriguez soap opera just had another wrench tossed into the mix. Count on hearing more about this team all winter long, no matter who wins the World Series.

One last and perhaps more important thing: how is Suzyn Waldman taking this?

NFL Picks - Week 6

2007-10-15T12:33:00.000-05:00

Never got the chance to post the Week 6 picks in time, but they were nevertheless made late Friday. (The picks are part of an ESPN Pigskin Pick 'Em pool).

Here they are, minus the commentary:

BALTIMORE -9.5 over St. Louis
Washington +3.5 over GREEN BAY
TAMPA BAY -2.5 over Tennessee
KANSAS CITY +3.5 over Cincinnati
Philadelphia -2.5 over NY JETS
JACKSONVILLE -6.5 over Houston
CHICAGO -5.5 over Minnesota
CLEVELAND -4.5 over Miami
Carolina +4.5 over ARIZONA
Oakland +10.5 over SAN DIEGO
New England -4.5 over DALLAS
SEATTLE -6.5 over New Orleans

MONDAY
NY Giants -3.5 over ATLANTA

BEST BETS: Chicago, Seattle, NY Giants

Last Week: 4-10
Season Total: 38-38 (50.0%)
Best Bets: 2-1 last week, 8-1 (88.9%) overall
BEST BETS

NFL Picks - Week 5

2007-10-05T12:28:00.000-05:00

Another stellar week (9-5) pushes the surplus up another notch. Let's stay hot and bestow these babies upon you for Week 5:

HOUSTON (-5.5) over Miami
Dolphins are crumbling to what could be the worst season since the pre-Shula days. Texans have struggled of late, but still show up every week and put out a solid effort for Coach Kubiak. Their efforts get rewarded here.
Texans 31 Dolphins 16

KANSAS CITY (+2.5) over Jacksonville
We need to say this now, since we might not get another chance all season:

The first place Kansas City Chiefs.

Wow, that was nice. Chiefs come home after tough 3 of 4 road stretch, and can keep the momentum rolling in Arrowhead against up and down Jags.
Chiefs 24 Jaguars 20

NY Jets (+3.5) over NY GIANTS
"Road" game for Jets, who need a solid effort after tough loss in Buffalo. Whihc version of the Giant D is the real one - the sorry bunch thrashed by Dallas or the 12 sack nightamre for last week versus Philly? We think the answer lies somewhere in between. Either way, Jets can steal one with this line.
Jets 20 Giants 17

NEW ORLEANS (-3.5) over Carolina
Do or die for the boys from Nawlins. Fresh off a bye week, where Coach Sean Payton constantly told the players how much the world has counted them out, back in the Dome, NO should roll. David Carr starts at QB for the inconsistent Panthers.
Saints 23 Panthers 13

NEW ENGLAND (-15.5) over Cleveland
How high will these lines go for the Pats before the season is out? 20? 25? It's beginning to look like College Football spreads with these guys - but they always cover. We can't see any reason to expect a slowdown this week against overmatched Brownies.

Patriots 41 Browns 16

Detroit (+3.5) over WASHINGTON
Lions showed tons of grit in late explosion over Bears last week, and Skins under Gibbs are strangely rusty off bye weeks. Again, maybe they don't win outright, but we like the number and are going with Kitna and the God Squad.
Redskins 24 Lions 23

TENNESSEE (-8.5) over Atlanta
Pretty large number for Vince Young and Co. to cover, but coming off the bye week we can't imagine Titans missing a beat. Falcs look to be a team that will slowly improve as the season progresses, and will be a tough out in December, but look for Titans to pull away late and make this one easy.
Titans 31 Falcons 16

Arizona (-2.5) over ST. LOUIS
Any other week, this would be an obvious trap - Cardinals coming off huge home win over Pittsburgh, due for massive letdown. But for the fact that the Rams are so banged up (Pace, Jackson, now Bulger) and just might be the worst team in the NFL right now. Folks will really start taking 'Zona seriously after it racks up another W this week.

Cardinals 24 Rams 10

Seattle (+6.5) over PITTSBURGH
Why this large number? Feels like a setup, but we just can't see Seahawks losing this one by more than 6. In fact, an outright win by Seattle would not be that big of an upset. Stillers need a bounceback win after last week, and we think they'll get it.
Steelers 24 Seahawks 20

INDIANAPOLIS (-10.5) over Tampa Bay
No way the line is this high if Cadiallac and Pettigout were healthy for TB, but Manning and Co. at home are tough to pick against. We're booking for a tight three quarters, followed by Colts pulling away late to cover.

Colts 29 Buccaneers 14

Baltimore (-3.5) over SAN FRANCISCO
Trent Dilfer starts for Niners. In what should be the ugliest game of the week, look for Ravens to prevail. Condolences to those who are forced to watch.
Ravens 12 49ers 6

San Diego (+1.5) over DENVER
Another team in a must win situation: Norv Turner's Chargers. Normally, trying to get well in the Mile High city would be a tall order, but this Bronco team could very well be 0-4 right now, and have had all kinds of issues stopping the run. So long as Bolts keep ramming LT down the Bronco's throats, they can prevail.....though watching Turner coach so far gives no indication this will occur.
Chargers 24 Broncos 17

GREEN BAY (-3.5) over Chicago
Wow. Just a few weeks ago, this line would have been, at the very least, reversed. Bears are an absolute mess right now, while Pack are the toast of the NFL. Okay, bandwagon, we'll jump on.
Packers 23 Bears 10

MONDAY NIGHT

Dallas (-10.5) over BUFFALO
Bills looked good, and finally grabbed a W last week ( and might have found a new QB in Trent Edwards, but that's a whole 'nother story). That said, Cowboys are real solid right now, and will once again strut their stuff in front of the national TV audience.
Cowboys 27 Bills 13

BEST BETS: Patriots, Cardinals, Seahawks

Last week: 9-5

Last 3 weeks: 26-20 (56.5%)

Best Bets: 6-0 (100%)

Season Total: 34-28 (54.8%)

Baseball Playoff Preview

2007-10-03T13:28:00.001-05:00

Division Series Edition

Say what you will about baseball, what with the ridiculous salaries, steroid controversy, etc., but you can't say this wasn't a strange year. Bud Selig's dream of parity became clearer in 2007, as there were no 100 win nor 100 loss teams in either league. Also, 7 of the 8 teams playing in the post-season were not doing the same thing last season.

We had several milestones, including Barry's 756th*, Biggio's 3,000th hit, Glavine's 300th win, and the 500th HR from Arod, Thome and Frank Thomas. I would rather not mention it, but we also saw the historic collapse of the New York Mets. There, I said it, now let's move on to the teams that are still playing ball.

National League
Phillies vs. Rockies
It is unfortunate that the two Teams of Destiny have to meet in this round, isn't it? Colorado's unlikely run to this series was just as remarkable as Philly's, no doubt. The wild win over the Padres on Monday seemed appropriate in many ways, and this is clearly a team on a roll.
For all that was made of the Mets implosion, let's not forget that the Phillies had to play lights out baseball as well to get to this spot. They're also afire, which could make this the most entertaining of the four Division Series.
The Pick: Just a hunch, but we've got a feeling the Philadelphia pitching might come back to Earth a bit, at the worst possible time. Expect some slugfests.

Rockies in 5

Cubs vs. Diamondbacks
Lost amidst all the craziness in the Eastern and Western divisions was the Cubbies - a team which overcame a pretty significant deficit themselves to get to the playoffs for the first time since the immortal gag job of 2003 (can you say Bartman?). The anonymous D-Backs somehow managed to win the West despite scoring less runs than allowed.
The Pick: D-Back kiddie Corps might be too young to feel the playoff pressure, while Cub players must carry the weight of a century of failure. Still, we like the boys from Chicago, at least at this point. Come back in 1/2 and hour and the pick might change, but for now it's...

Cubs in 5

American League

Red Sox vs. Angels
Sox built huge lead, then avoided the meltdown you were secretly expecting (c'mon Sawx fans, admit it, you were waiting for it to happen). Something feels a bit off about this Angel team though. The pitching has been spottier than usual, and the power numbers haven't been there. Boston has been somewhat in cruise control for much of the second half, but can trot out a nasty lineup to go with ace Josh Beckett.
The Pick: Like the Sox here in what could be a short series. Let's give the Angels at least one, making it.. Red Sox in 4.

Yankees vs. Indians
Seems like everyone is of the mindset that Alex Rodriguez needs to have a big series in order for the Yankees to do well. We're more concerned that the bullpen and thin starting staff can hold up against the Tribe's loaded lineup (not to mention the Sabathia-Carmona 1-2 punch on the mound). It makes for a sexier sub-plot, no doubt, to focus on ARod and his recent post-season struggles, but Yankee fans should be more concerned about Roger Clemens in Game 3, and the bullpen beyond Joba Chamberlain and Mo Rivera.
The Pick: ARod does just fine, but the Cleveland pitching makes the difference and leads the Mistake By The Lake to victory. Have fun in Anaheim/Boston/Chicago/San Francisco in '08, Alex!

Indians in 5

NFL Picks - Week 4

2007-10-01T10:09:00.000-05:00

D'oh! Technical difficulties (thanks for that single point of failure, AT&T!) prevented the publication of the Week 4 picks in a timely fashion. You'll simply have to trust that the selections were made in advance of kickoff on Sunday, which they were.

Pithy predictive paragraphs have been omitted, since it would be pointless to do so after the fact. That said, here are (were) the picks:

Houston -2/12 over ATLANTA
NY Jets -3/12 over BUFFALO
Baltimore -4 1/2 over CLEVELAND
DALLAS - 12 1/2 over St. Louis
Chicago - 2 1/2 over DETROIT
Oakland +3 1/2 over MIAMI
Green Bay - 2 1/2 over MINNESOTA
CARLOLINA - 2 1/2 over Tampa Bay
Seattle - 1 1/2 over SAN FRANCISCO
ARIZONA +5 1/2 over Pittsburgh
INDIANAPOLIS -9 1/2 over Denver
Kansas City +12 1/2 over SAN DIEGO
NY GIANTS +2 1/2 over Philadelphia

MONDAY NIGHT
New England -7 1/2 over CINCINNATI

BEST BETS: Dallas, Arizona, New England

Last week: 10-6
Overall: 25-23 (52.1%)
Best Bets: 3-0 (100%)

No, We Won't

2007-09-26T21:16:00.000-05:00

Jim Caple threw up a column today telling all of us that we'll miss Barry Bonds when he's gone, as he plays his final home game in San Francisco tonight.

Don't think so, Jimmy. It's been a refreshingly Bonds-free time since he broke Hank Aaron's record, save for the info this week about the Giants asking that he not return in 2008. Watching him parade his tired ass around this winter looking for a team will be a sad spectacle, no doubt, but there will be little sympathy. As stated many times, by many people, Bonds is, and has been for quite some time, a jerk, which makes him impossible to root for. Watching him take hacks in 2008, likely as a DH (Detroit? Anaheim? Oakland? Yankees?) will be a non-event, and if he doesn't return, we here at BIMRVM speak for many when we state he will not be missed.

Bye Bye Barry!

Caple (Page 2): You'll miss Bonds

NFL Picks - Week 3

2007-09-22T19:42:00.000-05:00

The March Toward Mediocrity continues full steam ahead, after last week’s 7-9. We mentioned the fact last week that at this point there are several teams sitting at 2-0 which cause one to scratch one’s head, and this season is no different. The Lions, Texans, 49ers, Packers and Redskins all fit the bill. Equally surprising are some of the names found on the winless list, however: The Saints and Eagles, two teams which need to get better, now, and put up a number in the W column this week.

Self-congratulations are in order, as we correctly predicted an exact score last week (Chicago 20 Kansas City 10). The New York Times attempted to do this for several years before getting one right. Ha! Take that, Old Grey Lady! Also, new this week will be a “Best Bets” feature, where the three games of which we feel most confident will be noted.

Full of confidence, and ready to surge above the .500 mark, we submit the picks:

San Diego (-4 ½) over GREEN BAY
Surprising Pack getting points at Lambeau? The defense is for real, but will have its hands full against potent Charger attack. Bolts need a big performance here after the debacle in Foxboro Sunday night, and another ugly performance could be the beginning of the finger pointing and “maybe they’re not as good as we thought” columns. Look for LDT to get in gear and pace SD to victory. Norv Turner is still living up to his stellar coaching record, isn’t he?
Chargers 23 Packers 17

Indianapolis (-5 1/2 ) over HOUSTON
Loss of Andre Johnson is huge for host Texans, but Indy survived scare last week and won’t take Houston lightly. The fact that Houston is 2-0 keeps the number down, which makes Colts the smart play, not to mention the revenge factor in play after Colts lost to Texans late last season..
Colts 23 Texans 10

KANSAS CITY (-2 ½) over Minnesota
Chiefs had chances last week in Chicago, but couldn’t convert. Why is it that Herm Edwards’ teams always seem to start slowly? Is it a lack of preparation in training camp (if you saw Hard Knocks, that answer could be self-evident)? Although last year isn’t a perfect gauge, we note that KC was 0-2 then as well, having scored 16 points in two losses, then exploded in Week 3 to the tune of a 41-0 blowout of San Francisco. Vikes offense is in disarray (who, exactly, will be taking the snaps is still up in the air), and going to noisy Arrowhead won’t help. KC looks like a team that will get better as the season moves along, though that won’t necessarily translate to more than 6 wins, they should have enough in the tank to knock off Minny.
Chiefs 19 Vikings 13

NEW ENGLAND (-15 ½) over Buffalo
Potential letdown alert here for Pats. Bills come in struggling on both sides of the ball, and simply can’t match up with explosive Patriots. We can see perhaps a first half struggle which keeps things close, but talented Brady, Moss and Co. will pull away and cover the huge number. Start the “can the Pats go undefeated?” stories on Monday, and be prepared for many interviews with members of the ’72 Dolphins.
Patriots 31 Bills 10

NY JETS (-3 ½) over Miami
Jets showed moxie last week in nearly pulling out victory in Baltimore, while depleted Fins wore down in loss to Dallas. No Zach Thomas hurts Dolphins, while the return of Chad Pennington (with Kellen Clemens threat looming behind), plus a big effort from Thomas Jones, should help the Jets in Jersey.
Jets 24 Dolphins 14

Detroit (+6 ½) over PHILADELPHIA
Iggles are a mess, and playing at home doesn’t seem to help. Every little mistake is magnified, and Donovan “Woe is Me” McNabb juts doesn’t look right. Lions are rejuvenated, and should be able to at least cover this line on the road, if not win outright.
Lions 20 Eagles 17

PITTSBURGH (-8 ½) over San Francisco
Can’t see Steelers letting down against a Niner team that hasn’t looked particularly sharp, despite winning both games. SF QB Alex Smith will be under tons of pressure, and Pittsburgh will have a surprisingly easy time at the Field Named After Ketchup.
Steelers 27 49ers 13

TAMPA BAY (-3 ½) over St. Louis
Somehow we’d forgotten about the magic that is Jeff Garcia. Honestly, this guy is something else – he led basically the same Eagle team currently struggling under Donovan McNabb to 6 wins last year, and now has this Buc team lighting up the scoreboard. Rams minus Orlando Pace are finding it hard to open up decent holes for Stephen Jackson as well as protect Marc Bulger’s blind side. Hearty Buc D will keep the heat on in sunny FLA and move to 2-1.
Buccaneers 30 Rams 16

Jacksonville (+3 ½) over DENVER
Classic sucker bet here, but we’re taking it anyway. Jags can’t possibly seem more discombobulated, but are now entering the “do or die” phase. Broncs have eked out two wins against clearly inferior opponents, and could very easily be 0-2 right now. The less than crisp play will catch up to them this week. As Jack Del Rio coaches for his job.
Jaguars 20 Broncos 17

Cleveland (+3 ½) over OAKLAND
What? Browns, who put up 51 last week, are getting points against the Raiduhs? Seems like another sucker line, but the feeling here is that the resurgent Brownies will put together enough to at the very least keep this one close. Maybe this week Sea Bass Janikowski nails that late FG in one should be an entertaining game.
Raiders 30 Browns 27

SEATTLE (-3 ½) over Cincinnati
Hawks should be 2-0 but for a botched handoff exchange in the opener, while Bengals have been perhaps the most erratic team in the league. That inconsistency will doom them in the Pacific Northwest. Also, as a side note, Chad Johnson? We like you, honestly, but knock it off already.
Seahwaks 31 Bengals 20

Carolina (-3 ½) over ATLANTA
Falcons don’t seem to have it together yet, and now QB Joey Harrington knows the team has no faith in him as they brought in Byron Leftwich this week. Panthers kicking themselves after squandering 14-0 lead last week, and will not suffer similar fate here simply because Atlanta seems incapable of putting that many points on the board right now.
Panthers 24 Falcons 7

WASHINGTON (-4 ½) over NY Giants
‘Skins seem to be the real deal, with QB Jason Campbell improving each week to go along with decent running game. Either way, the extremely porous Giants defense will allow Joe Gibbs’ guys easy passage to the promised land. Quick show of hands: who saw this Washington team starting 3-0? Nobody? Yeah, us neither.
Redskins 34 Giants 17

CHICAGO (-3 ½) over Dallas
Another gut check game for the defending NFC champs. How much longer can they sustain with Rex Grossman running the show? Stellar defense should be able to bottle up Tony Romo and Co., but if the Bear offense doesn’t get it in gear soon it will be a very long year in the Windy City. It might be ugly, but Bears prevail in front of the national TV audience.
Bears 24 Cowboys 9

MONDAY
Tennessee (+4 ½) over NEW ORLEANS
Must win deal for the Saints, no doubt. Titans are a very tough team to blow out, that’s for sure, and should have no trouble keeping this one tight. We still believe in New Orleans, maybe too much, and the hunch is that Drew Brees and Reggie Bush will put up just enough to withstand the inevitable Titan late run.
Saints 23 Titans 21

BEST BETS: Colts, Patriots, Steelers
Last week: 7-9
Season total: 15-17 (46.9%)
Exact Score Total: 1

NFL Picks - Week 2

2007-09-15T21:06:00.000-05:00

Not a bad start (8-8) for week one, all things considered. As we said, the first week is always a total crapshoot, so coming out right at 50% isn’t worthy of complaint.

Week 2 features another mixed bag, though some of the lines have jumped pretty high. Resisting the temptation to jump to early conclusions on the basis of one game, we move forward with the following selections:

Houston +6.5 over CAROLINA
Have you ever noticed that every year a team or teams starts out 2-0, and suddenly everyone sits up and says “Whoa, these guys are 2-0?”. Not sure if the Texans can do that, but they should be competitive enough to cover this number.
Carolina 20 Houston 17

Cincinnati -6.5 over CLEVELAND
Remember what we said two paragraphs ago about not jumping to conclusions after one game? This is the exception. The Browns are awful, and the explosive Bengals should take this one going away.
Cincinnati 31 Cleveland 10

JACKSONVILLE -10.5 over Atlanta
Jags smarting after losing to Titans, and Falcs defense won’t be able to slow down Maurice Jones-Drew.
Jacksonville 27 Atlanta 10

NY GIANTS +3.5 over Green Bay
A lot depends on the status of Eli Manning, who looked very comfortable in Big D last week. G-Men defense can’t be much worse, and an extra full week of practice for Michael Strahan should help.
NY Giants 24 Green Bay 14

Buffalo +9.5 over PITTSBURGH
Heavy hearted Bills go into the blast furnace in Steeltown. Still not sold on Pitt just yet, and playing-with-a-purpose Bills should keep this one tight.
Pittsburgh 20 Buffalo 14

San Francisco +3.5 over ST. LOUIS
Niners, who really should stick with those Walsh-era unis [link], were lucky to escape over inept Cards last week. Rams loss of Orlando Pace is a huge blow, and the feeling here is the Niners can win this one outright, in an ugly one.
San Francisco 24 St. Louis 20

New Orleans -3.5 over TAMPA BAY
Vegas obviously knows something we don’t. Saints have had 10 days to stew over blowout loss at Indy, and though this could be a back-to-the-pack year, can’t see them stumbling here.
New Orleans 27 Tampa Bay 10

Indianapolis -7.5 TENNESSEE
Warning signs abound here. Titans always give Indy fits, Colts due for a letdown. Can’t underestimate the value of the extra off days for Indy, even this early. We can see this one being tight but opening up late.
Indianapolis 30 Tennessee 17

ARIZONA +2.5 Seattle
Another wacky line, at least at first glance. Redbirds are always a trendy early season pick, while Hawks are seemingly flying under the radar a bit. Against our better judgement, we’ll go with (gulp) ‘zona…
Arizona 21 Seattle 20

Minnesota +3.5 over DETROIT
This one is actually an interesting matchup. Vikes offense essentially sputtered in Week 1 win, while Lions put up 36 against a decent Raider D. Can the Lions join the ranks of surprising 2-0 teams? Why not?
Detroit 27 Minnesota 24

Dallas -3.5 over MIAMI
Cowboy D has holes, which were exploited last week, but can’t see Dolphins doing the same. Look for Pokes to tighten things up and take care of business in sticky Miami.
Dallas 23 Miami 10

NY Jets +7.5 over BALTIMORE
Just cannot see Ravens being 8 points better than anyone right now. Steve McNair has not looked good for awhile now, and the stellar Baltimore defense should give Jets problems no matter who is behind center. Low scoring games usually mean close games, so we’ll take the Jets.
Baltimore 13 NY Jets 10

Kansas City +12.5 over CHICAGO
Our beloved Chiefs are an apparent mess right now. The O-Line has yet to come together and the receiver corps lost another starter, not to mention they had to cut the rookie kicker. However, Larry Johnson should be more involved this week, and even though Bears shut down LT last week, LJ might be able to pop one or two. Bears offense is a mess with issues at QB (the erratic Rex Grossman) and RB (enigmatic Cedric Benson), so it’s not unlikely each defense could outscore the offenses here.
Chicago 20 Kansas City 10

DENVER -9.5 over Oakland
Doesn’t matter who starts at QB for Oakland, we will not pick against Denver in a home opener. Broncs fortunate to escape Buffalo with a W last week, but will have no need for such theatrics this week.
Denver 31 Oakland 13

San Diego +3.5 over NEW ENGLAND
Pats lose edge with video clampdown (perhaps you’ve heard about that little flare-up?). Too bad that this match-up is being somewhat overshadowed by the video controversy, as it should be the best game of the week. Pats could adopt bunker mentality and ride that all season, but Chargers (despite Norv Turner, who we feel will doom this team at some point this season) have too much firepower on both sides of the ball to not hang tough, while NBC thanks their lucky stars this one dropped in their lap.
New England 30 San Diego 28

PHILADELPHIA -6.5 over Washington
Classic bounceback game for Iggles, who were embarrassed in Green Bay last week. Skins can keep it close, but the play here says Philly will pull away in the second half in front of the rowdy home crowd.
Philadelphia 24 Washginton 14

Last week: 8-8
Season total: 8-8 (50.0%)

NFL - Week 1 Picks

2007-09-09T07:19:00.000-05:00

The picks have returned, with one slight change: this year, point spreads are in play. The lines are taken from the ESPN Pigskin Pick'em, as I have joined the Bill Simmons group. Whee!

Since Week One is a total crapshoot anyway, I have forgone the capsule summaries for each game. Oh, and I'm already 0-1 thanks to the miserable performance by the Saints on Thursday. Thanks guys.

The Week One selections (home team in CAPS):

THURSDAY
New Orleans (+6/2) over INDIANAPOLIS

SUNDAY
BUFFALO (+3 1/2) over Denver
Pittsburgh (-3/12) over CLEVELAND
Philadelphia (-2 1/2) over GREEN BAY
Kansas City (+1 1/2) over HOUSTON
Tennessee (+5/12) over JACKSONVILLE
Atlanta (+2 1/2) over MINNESOTA
New England (-5 1/2) over N.Y. JETS
ST. LOUIS (-1 1/2) over Carolina
WASHINGTON (-3 1/2) over Miami
OAKLAND (-2 1/2) over Detroit
Chicago (+5 1/2) over SAN DIEGO
SEATTLE (-6 1/2) over Tampa Bay
DALLAS (-3 1/2) over N.Y. Giants

MONDAY
CINCINNATI (-3 1/2) over Baltimore
Arizona (+3 1/2) over SAN FRANCISCO

Back On Track?

2007-06-14T09:56:00.000-05:00

Has the Good Ship Steinbrenner finally righted itself? A recent winning streak, which has propelled the team back above the .500 mark, seems to indicate just that.

Obviously, the $200 million squad couldn't be so pathetic forever. Six games against the fading White Sox and awful Pirates also went a long way toward curing the woes. The pitching staff began to get its collective act together about a month ago....right when the hitting went suddenly tits up. Now, led by Bobby Abreu of all people, the bats have awoken. ARod has snapped out of his mini-drought, while Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada have pretty much mashed all sesaon.
Still, to us, some issues remain.

The Bullpen comes immediately to mind. This is a less than stellar bunch to begin with. Throw in the fact that they were way overworked in the first two months and you've got a recipe for a late season meltdown. Having Roger Clemens in the fold equals no rest for the weary, as they will be needed to bail out the aging, fatigued groin hurler. Not much help will be available in the trade market, as everyone will be looking for available arms around the July 31 deadline - most with much more to offer up than the Yankees can.

Seriously, Kyle Farnsworth is always a threat to load the bases, and reminds of a real life Nuke LaLoosh. Scott Proctor is good, but pitches seemingly every day, so how long can his arm hold up? Mike Myers and Ron Villone scare no one. After that it's pretty much a crapshoot getting to Mariano Rivera, who has looked somewhat mortal himself thus far, though that could be attributed to a lack of work - he went almost a month between save opportunites.

No doubt this team will be in the mix come September, most likely contending for the Wild Card. The Red Sox have slowed down a bit, but still have a 9 1/2 game cushion over New York in the Eastern division. Chasing the Wild Card brings with it more issues, as they will be in amongst a group of 4-5 teams, making it difficult to gain ground.

It says here that while certainly a possibility, the 2007 Yankees will ultimately fall short and miss the post season for the first time since 1993. At least, that's what we're hoping for.

Vilma: Lay Off Vick

2007-06-13T19:57:00.000-05:00

New York Jet linebacker Jonathan Vilma, during an interview with WFAN afternoon host Chris Russo on Wednesday, was asked to comment on the eventful offseason, specifcally regarding the misbehavior of stars like Pacman Jones, Chris Henry and Michael Vick. Somewhat casually, Vilma seemed to dismiss the Vick controversey, at one point uncorking this gem:

..of course dog fighting is much more extreme, but you can equate it to horse
racing.

Really, Jon? That's a pretty bold statement there. You sticking by it?

We can see how he might equate the two. After all, it's a well known fact that Affirmed and Alydar fought each other to the death in 1978 after the Belmont Stakes. Also, do you think Ruffian's leg was broken during that run off race with Spectacular Bid? In fact, they had a pre-race brawl where The Bidmaster leaped from the top rail of the stable and crushed the fragile bone of the filly.

It's become comical to hear people attempt to defend dog fighting. "It's cultural", they've said, "you wouldn't understand". Maybe, but cultural tradition or not, it is, like, say, cockfighting, still against the law. And? It's wrong.

WFAN

The Worst Possible Outcome

2007-06-13T07:24:00.000-05:00

This is how you know the Cavs are doomed: the game is in the hands of The Man, and everyone in the house knows he is going to spot up and shoot a three. The Spurs know they have to foul him before he can get the shot off. This can go several different ways - 1.) James is fouled before shooting, putting him on the line for two and forcing an attempted miss and rebound on the second shot, 2.) He's fouled during the act and has to hit three free throws, or 3.) he hits the shot and sends the game to OT.

Or, if you're Cleveland, you get option 4 - he gets fouled while shooting, it doesn't get called, the shot doesn't fall, and the series is, for all intents and purposes, over.

Winning Game 3 was imperative for the Cavs, which would have created the need to take 3 out of the next 4 - unlikely, but not impossible. Obviously, there is no way anyone is winning 4 straight against the Spurs. I know that's a bold statement, but I'll stand by it.

The kicker is that LeBron really did have a great game - he was creating numerous open shots for his teammates, but unlike Game 6 against Detroit, they weren't falling. Once he took over and starting going hard to the hoop, he put his team in position to grab the game at the end.

Predicted scoring line for King James for Game 4: 30-58 FG, 20-27 FT, 85 pts, 0 assists. Cavs lose 87-86.

(photo: Getty images)

NBA Finals Preview

2007-06-06T07:12:00.000-05:00

Just in time for summer, the NBA will wrap up its season beginning tonight as we begin....wait for it....The Finals. With any luck, the series will wrap up in time for the Fourth of July holiday, and then training camps can open up two weeks later. I Love This Game!

The prevailing wisdom seems to indicate the Spurs will officially reach Elite Team status by taking this series, thereby capturing their fourth title in eight years, which qualifies as a dynasty in today's NBA. However, the league mandates that the games be played, so let's take a look at how this will shake out.

LeBron James has arrived, and led the Cavs to the promised land. The fact that this team has made it to here is in many ways a victory in itself for the city, and the franchise. To say the city of Cleveland is starved for a title (none since 1964) is like saying Nicole Ritchie needs a sandwich. The stunning elimination of the Pistons made for some of the most compelling hoop of this year's playoffs, as King James proved that he was 1.) unstoppable and 2.) willing to let his teammates shoulder the load when he was double and triple teamed.

San Antonio has been strictly business as usual thus far, though the suspensions in the Phoenix series led us to wonder how things would have played out had Robert Horry not decided to hip check Steve Nash. Regardless, the Spurs are poised, polished, and playoff tested. Coach Gregg Popovich has had plenty of time to watch and prepare a plan to defense the Cavs, and it is highly unlikely the King can defeat Tim Duncan and Co. all by himself.

We want to believe that Cleveland can stay with the Spurs and make this a great series, but the coaching ability gap between the two coaches is wide enough to drive a semi through. James will undoubtedly be the best player on the floor, and when the floor also contains Tim Duncan that's saying something, but we feel the Spurs will be able to adequately defend the other four guys on the court, and score enough to take the series, though it would not be unusual to see many of the games be decided by less than 10 points.

The pick? Spurs in 5.

Goodell Takes Aim At History

2007-06-05T12:51:00.000-05:00

I guess there is no doubt that the NFL has a new sheriff. Fresh off his suspensions of Pacman Jones and Chris Henry, new commissioner Roger Goodell set his radar on Tank Johnson, and banged out an 8 game suspension. What will he do with Michael Vick regarding the dog fighting? An anxious world awaits.

Claiming he wanted to "strike while the iron was hot", Goodell today suspended O.J. Simpson, retroactively, for the 1973 season. "Being able to remove this blemish from our great game was something that had to be done, even if my predessors didn't have the stones to carry it out." he said. Effective immediately, Simpson's then record setting 2,003 rushing yards will be stricken from the record books, and his bust tossed onto the lawn in Canton, where passers by will be encouraged to "do whatever is needed" to vent their frustrations.

Simpson could not be reached for comment, as he continues his search for the real killers.

Corporate Synergy Uber Alles

2007-05-25T08:36:00.000-05:00

ESPN has devolved to the point now where it is a necessary evil. We watch it, a lot, simply because there is little choice. Despite the increase in excess garbage which has inundated the network, we watch to get our daily fix of all things sports. The title of this site is taken from a quote from ex-Sportscenter anchor Sal Maricano as he was quitting the network, though he was likely referring to the idea of Bristol being such a boring place to be more than the hellish work environment. It accurately sums up our love/hate relationship with ESPN.

Many of us were, understandably, concerned when Disney swooped in and purchased the network along with ABC. That relationship, coupled with the increasingly annoying factor of Sportscenter anchors becoming "personalities" who each felt the need to develop their own shtick ("booyah!"), has helped shape ESPN into the annoying entity it is today.

Two things seen on SportsCenter this week served to underscore how much ESPN has turned into a corporate shill machine that has continued to move away from it's primary function. First, it was deemed necessary to update us on the latest from Dancing With The Stars. Why, one might ask, would a sports highlight show run this? Well, there were two athletes (female boxer Laila Ali and speed skater Apolo Ohno) competing, so it was sports related. The fact that DWTS is an ABC show apparently was entirely coincidental. As a sports fan, I was grateful to receive this vital update in lieu of something trivial like the Royals-Indians game from the night before.

This morning, the innovative folks from Bristol found a way to integrate clips from the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie which, by pure coincidence, opens today, into highlights from the Pirates-Cardinals game. See what they did there? The fact that this mega-blockbuster just happens to be a Disney production was, again, strictly happenstance, and was more a byproduct of the producers' creativity than a shameless product placement.

We understand the need to cross promote, and to tie all your little entities together. Really, we do. But would it kill these soulless empty suits to leave SportsCenter alone, and let it be the show we knew and loved?

I think we all know the answer to that one.

SAY IT! SAAAAAY IT!

2007-05-18T09:16:00.001-05:00

Oh, Jason Giambi, you're so close!

The Yankee slugger, famous for apologizing for some undisclosed thing back in 2005, is talking again:

I was wrong for doing that stuff. What we should have done a long time ago
was stand up -- players, ownership, everybody -- and said, 'We made a mistake.'

C'mon Jason, say it with me, "I took steroids. I injected them into my butt cheeks, and did so willingly. I knew I was violating the rules, yet did it anyway."

Instead, he follows up with this:

That stuff didn't help me hit home runs. I don't care what people say, nothing
is going to give you that gift of hitting a baseball

Maybe not, but they helped you recover from nagging aches and pains quicker, didn't they? Which led to better numbers, which in turn led to a huge contract with the Yankees. To say they didn't benefit you is ridiculous.

When asked, "So why did you take steroids?" Giambi told the newspaper "Maybe one day I'll talk about it, but not now." Why? If not now, when? After you've retired, and aren't on someone's payroll?

I suppose Giambi deserves some credit for being the only player to actually come out and talk about this whole issue, but I wish he would just come completely clean about the whole thing. Maybe someday, unless some other high profile player beats him to it.

Goodness Gracious! Clemens Returns!

2007-05-11T15:25:00.000-05:00

I actually have a tiny bit of pity for the Yankees here. Think about it, the most hallowed franchise in sports was reduced to what amounted to begging a 45 year old pitcher to stop by when he has a moment and pitch into the sixth inning, while paying him about $1 million every time they give him the ball.

This is the team which does not allow facial hair, which no player is ever bigger than, which is steeped in tradition. No more. Today, they're the exact same as the Houston Astros, the last team to kiss Roger's butt and give him the most ridiculous consulting assignment in history.

The entire thing is high comedy. Clemens actually said he had no idea the "I'm flying home between starts" clause was even in the contract? Really? He expects us to believe that?

How about the unveiling of the news at Yankee Stadium on Sunday? What a joke. Again, the Yankees, baseball's classiest team, resorts to cheap theatrical tactics worthy of P.T. Barnum to spring the news on the world. Radio voice Suzyn Waldman practically wet her pants in the broadcast booth, reacting as if Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle were also returning. Goodness gracious indeed.

Not that we here at BIMRVM take any pleasure in the misfortune of others, but it would be really fun if Clemens is nothing more than mediocre once he starts throwing. Something along the lines of 8-7 with a 4.50 ERA would be enough. Numbers that one of the young Yankee arms could easily reproduce, for about $27.8 million less.

Either that, or a failed HGH test. Either option would make our year.

Two Sides of the Schilling

2007-05-11T09:07:00.003-05:00

Just once it would be nice if Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling made some news from his pitching, as opposed to shooting his mouth off. Apparently Schilling likens the sound of his own voice to a symphony, as he sounds off on any topic which strikes his fancy. I would say the fact that he has a blog just intensifies his self-indulgence, but that might be a tad hypocritical, eh?

To this writer, The Schill lost any shred of credibility he had on that fateful day in March 2006 as he appeared before Congress during the steroid hearings. You will recall the SI article a few years earlier, which predated any of the Jose Canseco book stuff, in which several players estimated the percentage of big league roid users to be at least 50%. Schilling himself said that he knew something was out of sorts when, after a good play, a playful tap on the butt would result in the recipient reacting with a big "Ow!". (That's where the injections went, you see).

Here would be a perfect chance for a player who seemed to value the integrity of the game over all else to simply repeat and elaborate on the statements he made to SI. Would it be easy? Certainly not, but telling truths which nobody wants to hear rarely is. So, what did our hero do? Simple: he told the panel that what he said to SI couldn't be taken seriously.

Wait, what? Were we to believe that the man who is never at a loss for words, who always has something profound to say about any topic which presented to him, suddenly couldn't be taken seriously?

It was a chickenshit copout, plain and simple. When the heat was on, and he was amongst other ballplayers, he clammed up. Something I imagine he wishes he was able to do several times in recent days.

First, when asked to comment on the Clemens to the Yankees story, Schilling gave what I thought was the correct response. He basically said, "we're good right now, and really don't need him". The media took that and ran with it, and within the hour the headlines screamed "We Don't Need Him". In this case, Curt backed the 24 other guys in his locker room, whcih was exactly what he should have done. He went on to say that since the Yankees have been so decimated by injuries so far this year that it was basically a move they had to make. Furthermore, saying "I wish we got him instead" would be a slap in the face to someone on the current roster, which would create needless division in the clubhouse of a first place team. Good on you, Schill.

Feeling the need to talk to anyone who will listen, Curt made another in a long list of appearences on Boston Sports radio WEEI to blather on about anything from the state of the Sox to the Clemens thing, etc. When the topic turned to Barry Bonds and his pursuit of Hank Aaron's home run record, Schill went into character assasinantion mode, calling Bonds an adulterer, tax cheat, and steroid user, none of which have ever been actually proven (swelled head notwithstanding). As expected, the poo hit the proverbial fan, and after manager Terry Fancona prodded him, Schilling came through with a big mea culpa the following day. Not your best showing there, Schill.

Here's a suggestion Big Guy. Take a break from you blog, and concentrate on talking only about your pitching. The media will no doubt be disappointed, as a surefire quote machine will be running dry, but you'll probably feel much better. Leave the blogging to the professionals, like me. Besides, as you said, we shouldn't take your words seriously anyway.