NFL Week In Review-Week 8

Wow. It’s midseason, and quarterback issues are making their annual trip to the forefront, due to both injuries and poor play. 10 of the 32 teams have already started multiple quarterbacks this season. It is definitely the impact position in the National Football League.

The most high-profile quarterback change has occurred in Dallas, as Drew Bledsoe was benched in favor of the Rib Man, Tony Romo. Romo struggled in the first half, before directing the Cowboys to a second-half blowout, as Dallas defeated the Carolina Panthers 35-14. This was a season-saving win for the Cowboys. It remains to be seen if this is the beginning of great things for the Rib Man, or if it is a blip on the radar in the tradition of Cowboy backups such as Clint Longley and Jason Garrett. I picked against the Cows at my peril. I played with fire and got burned.

Another quarterback controversy is flaring in Houston, as David Carr was benched after an awful first half against the Titans, throwing an interception, taking four sacks, and losing two fumbles, including one returned for a touchdown. Sage Rosenfels threw three touchdown passes, but it was not enough, as the Texans lost to Vince Young and the Tennessee Titans, 28-22.

From first to worst? Ben Roethlisberger is having an awful season, and the Steelers are right there with him. Big Ben was sacked five times, threw four interceptions, and had two of them returned for touchdowns, as the sorry Oakland Raiders defeated the Steelers, 20-13. The Steelers have joined the race for the #1 pick in the draft. Could Ben be benched in favor of Charlie Batch?

The leader for the #1 pick in the draft is the Arizona Cardinals, who have already changed quarterbacks, and are playing rookie 1st round pick Matt Leinart. The Cardinals’ defense allowed not one, but two 100-yard rushing days, as the Green Bay Packers rode Ahman Green and Vernand Morency to a 31-14 win. I hope Edgerrin James likes all that money he’s making in Arizona, because he left a Super Bowl contender to go to the worst organization in football. They have a nice new stadium, which amounts to putting lipstick on a pig.

The Baltimore Ravens came up big, as they went down to the Big Easy and whipped the Saints, 35-22. The Saints came up with some garbage time points to make it respectable. Steve McNair is still a quality quarterback, something that has been lacking in B-more.

The Atlanta Falcons went to Cincinnati and pulled out a 29-27 win over the Bengals. Michael Vick threw for three touchdown passes, as he comes into his own as a passing quarterback. Chad Johnson had a touchdown catch, after taking the field for warm-ups with “Ocho Cinco” as the nameplate on the back of his jersey. Highlights showed an upset Carson Palmer ripping the patch off, to reveal the normal “C. Johnson” above the number 85. Is he trying out for a gig on ESPN8-The Ocho?

The Philadelphia Eagles laid the biggest egg. Their high-powered offense could only manage six points at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags were missing QB Byron Leftwich, and won with backup David Garrard. Garrard was last seen directing the Jags into the playoffs last season, as Leftwich was injured.

Don’t look now, but Damon Huard has won four games as the starter in Kansas City. The banged-up Seahawks went into Arrowhead without their two main offensive weapons, and lost to the Chiefs, 35-28. Larry Johnson scored three touchdowns for the Chiefs.

The 49ers are awful. The Bears are good. The expected rout occurred yesterday in Chicago, as the Bears crushed the Niners, 41-10. A once-proud franchise in San Francisco has gone to the dogs. This Cowboy fan doesn't mind that, at all.

Tiki Barber and the Giants won the Barber Bowl, defeating Ronde and the Bucs, 17-3. Just another day at the office for the Giants, as Tiki Barber ran between the 10 yard lines, and Brandon Jacobs scored from the goal line. The Giants lead the NFC East.

The Chargers took care of business against the Rams, winning 38-24 in San Diego. LaDainian Tomlinson had a normal day, with two rushing touchdowns and a touchdown catch.

Prior to Sunday’s game with the Colts, the Broncos had given up two touchdowns all season. The Colts went to Denver and scored 34 points, defeating the Broncos, 34-31. Peyton Manning had three touchdown passes for Indianapolis. This goes a long way toward the Colts attaining home-field advantage in the playoffs, and avoiding a trip back to Denver and a possible snow storm in January.

The sad-sack Browns got their second win of the season, defeating the Jets, 20-13. The Jets’ offense was pretty non-existent, as their lone touchdown came on a kickoff return.

A Good Day To Be OSU, A Bad Day To Be USC

Schools with the initials OSU went 3-0 yesterday.

The #1-ranked Buckeyes from The Ohio State University rolled over hapless Minnesota, 44-0. Another day at the office in Columbus.

Oklahoma State knocked off Big XII North leader Nebraska 41-29. The Oklahoma Aggies are a force to be reckoned with, especially in Stillwater. Nebraska, once again, is not quite ready for prime time. The Big XII North is awful, again.

And, in the upset of the day, and possibly the season, Oregon State defeated USC, 33-31. The Beavers led by as much as 33-10, before the Trojans rallied to close to within two points. USC scored in the last 10 seconds of the game, but the Beavers denied the two-point conversion to save the win. It was definitely a goalpost game in Corvallis. Definition of goalpost game: a big win in which the home team’s fans have reason to swarm the field to tear down the goalposts.

In Columbia, the other USC also lost to an orange-clad team, as Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks lost to Phat Phil’s Big Orange of Tennessee, 31-24. Tennessee continues their rebound season.

The SEC, at the moment, is staring at a championship game between Arkansas and Florida. This year, a 3rd place game between Auburn and Tennessee would be well worth a doubleheader. Both are top ten teams, and have a chance to make a BCS bowl without making it to the championship game.

The ACC, on the other hand, is looking at either Boston College, Wake Forest, or Maryland on one side of their championship game, to play Georgia Tech. Good luck selling tickets in Jacksonville for that. Wasn’t this expansion intended to put Florida State and Miami together for a championship game every year?

BCS Bowl Projections
BCS NCG: Ohio State vs. West Virginia
Fiesta: Texas vs. Boise State
Rose: USC vs. Michigan
Sugar: Florida vs. Notre Dame
Orange: Boston College vs. Auburn

Big XII Rankings
1. Texas: Escaped with a win at Tech. Should talk with travel agent about reservations for Kansas City in the first weekend in November.
2. Oklahoma: Big win at Missouri. Even without Adrian Peterson, the best team outside of Texas.
3. Texas A&M: Saturday night at Kyle Field against OU should be quite the spectacle.
4. Oklahoma State: Big jump after big win over Nebraska.
5. Nebraska: Took two steps backward yesterday in Stillwater.
6. Missouri: Maybe they’re not all that after all.
7. Texas Tech: Just missed big upset over Texas. Have slipped a tiny bit from past years.
8. Baylor: They would own the North division.
9. Kansas State: One more win puts them into a bowl.
10. Kansas: Back in the win column after some rotten luck.
11. Iowa State: Looking more like some of the pre-McCarney teams.
12. Colorado: Long year in Boulder.

NFL Picks-Week 8

Last Week: 8-5 Season: 68-32

Dallas at Carolina: The Cowboys are mired in yet another quarterback controversy. Drew Bledsoe has been benched in favor of Tony Romo. I like some of what I see in him, but ultimately, I'm afraid this is another in a long line of spare quarterbacks for the Cowboys. Meanwhile, the Panthers are a pretty decent team. It's easy to forget that the Cowboys are 5-0 in the regular season against Carolina. That's because they are 0-2 in the playoffs against them. I have a bad feeling about this one. Pick: Carolina
Houston at Tennessee: What was once a candidate for the Suck Bowl is turning into a decent (not great) matchup. The Texans now have two wins. The Titans have one win, and have shown marked improvement with Vince Young at quarterback. The Titans break out the Oilers' Columbia blue and win this one in Music City. Pick: Titans
Atlanta at Cincinnati: There should be some fireworks here. Michael Vick comes off his first four-touchdown performance. The Bengals got a big win last week against Carolina. The home field is safe here. Pick: Cincy
Arizona at Green Bay: The Packers are starting three rookies on the offensive line. They got a win last week in Miami. The Cardinals are one of the great disappointments so far this year. Birds do not fly north for the winter, nor do they belong in Green Bay. Pick: Green Bay
Baltimore at New Orleans: Irresistible force (Saints' offense) vs. immovable object (Ravens' D)? Almost. The Saints have so much going for them so far this year. The roll lasts at least one more week. Pick: New Orleans
Seattle at Kansas City: The AFC West Reunion tour continues for the Seahawks. Seattle is in big trouble, as Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander are still injured. There is a big difference between them and their replacements, Seneca Wallace and Maurice Morris. Speaking of backups, the Chiefs have won three games with Damon Huard at quarterback following the injury to Trent Green. Seahawks are in big trouble. Pick: Kansas City
Jacksonville at Philadelphia: The Jaguars are coming off an embarrasing loss to the Texans, while Philly was beaten on a 62 yard field goal last week. The Jags continue to struggle on the road. Philly bounces back. Pick: Eagles
San Francisco at Chicago: The 49ers are the worst two-win team out there. Those wins are against the sorry Cardinals and the sorry Raiders. Da Bears are having one of those seasons where everything goes right. Chicago moves one step closer to destiny. Pick: Chicago
Tampa Bay at New York Giants: The Bucs have new life with new rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski. The Giants mangled the Cowboys last week. In the last Barber Bowl, Tiki gets the win over brother Ronde. Pick: G-Men
St. Louis at San Diego: This is not a baseball game. It's a good football game. The Rams have been a surprise up to this point. The Chargers are strong, but were shocked last week in Kansas City. The Bolts bounce back this week. Pick: San Diego
Indianapolis at Denver: One of the best games of the year. The Broncos have given up two touchdowns all season. The Colts are still unbeaten. What gives? Outdoors, on grass, in the mountains-don't doubt the Broncos. Pick: Denver
New York Jets at Cleveland: The Jets aren't the greatest team out there. But, they have been winning games against teams they are supposed to beat. The Browns are yet another one of those. The misery continues in Cleveland. Pick: Jets
Pittsburgh at Oakland: Ugh. The Steelers are struggling. But, they get some medicine in the sorry Raiders. I'm glad I won't be watching this one. Pick: Oakland
New England at Minnesota: Good Monday Night game. The Pats continue to win. The Vikes have been a nice surprise. This one's in the dome. Pick: Minnesota

College Picks-Weekend of October 28

A little late on the picks this week, as I was out of town yesterday. For the record, I was in Las Vegas interviewing for a job. I didn’t get the job, but I won $70 on slots in the airport, so it wasn’t all for naught. I caught a red-eye back to Texas, so I am running on airport and airplane sleep. Bed will be good tonight.

It’s tough to find 20 games worthy of picks this week.

Last Week: 14-6 Season: 113-47

Oklahoma at Missouri: Missouri is a solid team, but this is their toughest test to date, even as OU is without Adrian Peterson. The Sooners desperately need for something good to happen for them. This is the week it does. Pick: OU
Texas at Texas Tech: Texas loses every four years in Lubbock, losing out there in 2002, 1998, and 1994. This isn’t one of the better Tech teams, though. The pattern ends here. Pick: Texas
Texas A&M at Baylor: Both teams are 3-1 in the Big XII. A&M was the beneficiary of a bad snap last week in Stillwater, as the Texas Aggies won in overtime, 35-34. Baylor is vastly improved. The Bears win this week, and it won’t be an upset. Pick: Baylor
Nebraska at Oklahoma State: OSU lost a heartbreaker in OT last week against A&M. Nebraska had their hearts broken by the Longhorns. Nebraska is a little better than OSU, though the game is in Stillwater. Pick: Nebraska
Iowa State at Kansas State: These second-division games in the Big XII North all look alike now. Iowa State is banged up after a brutal stretch of schedule. K-State is at home, and has shown signs of improvement at times this season. Pick: K-State
Colorado at Kansas: KU is reeling, after losing a rash of close games. Colorado is improving, ever so slightly. KU gets things right this week. Pick: KU
Georgia vs. Florida at Jacksonville: No matter what CBS, ESPN, the SEC, or the universities say, this is still the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Georgia is struggling as the worst 6-2 team in America. Florida is shaping up as the best team in the best conference in the nation. Pick: Florida
USC at Oregon State: Is this an ambush waiting to happen in Corvallis? Almost, but not quite. OSU-West will give SC a battle, but SC will squeak by, as has become normal this year. Pick: USC
Tennessee at South Carolina: The Vols have bounced back in a big way this season. However, this game has one X-factor: Phil Fulmer is the coach for Tennessee, while his nemesis Steve Spurrier is the coach for the Gamecocks. Spurrier owns Fulmer. Spurrier doesn’t have half the team Fulmer does this year, but his magic continues. Spurrier is a mad scientist, and the ‘Cocks are at home. Pick: USC-East
Wyoming at TCU: Cowboy Joe comes to Texas to play the Frogs. Wyoming has won 3 conference games, while the Frogs are 0-2 in the Mountain West. The Frogs get back on track this week against a conference opponent. Pick: TCU
Miami at Georgia Tech: The Larry Coker death watch continues. Miami is in a tough spot this week, as Georgia Tech is having a good season, and stands a great chance of being in Jacksonville for the ACC championship game. Pick: Georgia Tech
Kentucky at Mississippi State: Not the best game in the SEC this week. Both teams stand a good chance of finishing last in their respective divisions. But, this shapes up to be a competitive game. Pick: Kentucky
Wake Forest at North Carolina: Wake Forest is ranked 22nd, North Carolina fired their coach this week. Wake is a team of destiny. Pick: Wake Forest
Ohio at Kent State: Battle for 1st place in the MAC Eastern Division. Kent State has come out of nowhere this season to roll through their MAC schedule. Pick: Kent State
BYU at Air Force: The Y is undefeated in conference play. Classic matchup between passing team and running team. The Falcons last week gave up the first win to San Diego State, and now head to Provo. Pick: BYU
Washington State at UCLA: Bruins had their hearts broken last week at Notre Dame. Now, the Bruins attempt to bounce back. They’ll do so. Pik: UCLA
Illinois at Wisconsin: The Fighting Ron Zooks take their show on the road to Madison. The Badgers have only one loss. They’ll still have one loss after Saturday. Pick: Wisconsin
Syracuse at Cincinnati: Cuse hits the road, and goes to Cincinnati. No, the university’s football games are not on WKRP. Pick: the ‘Nati
N.C. State at Virginia: A coach on the hot seat (Amato, NC State) vs. one that should be (Groh, UVa). The Wolfpack come out and play well this week. Pick: NC State
Upper Iowa at University of Mary (N.D.):They play football in Bismarck, North Dakota. The thought of being at this game makes me cold. Besides, how can I pick against the mother of Jesus? Pick: Mary

All That, For This?

As I write, the Cowboys are losing to the Giants, 26-7, at the end of the third quarter. Barring a Staubachesque comeback, the Cowboys are on the receiving end of a butt kicking.

Was tonight the end of the Drew Bledsoe era? He really stunk in the first half, doing his best imitation of the Statue of Liberty, taking sack after sack while throwing more picks than a frustrated guitarist. Bill Parcells replaced Bledsoe with the Rib Man, Tony Romo, for the second half. Romo promptly threw an interception (off a tipped ball) deep inside Dallas territory, to set up a touchdown for the G-men. Since then, he is making some things happen with his mobility. On both sides of the ball, though, the Cowboys look a day late and a dollar short. Bill Parcells didn't sign up for this. He is in danger of living up to his nickname of the Glorified Gym Teacher.

Terrell Owens just caught a touchdown pass to narrow the deficit. He has been a pretty good receiver, but his value really comes by providing opportunities for Terry Glenn to come up big. That does not totally justify the money Jerry Jones is paying him. But, Jerry is all about the buzz, and T.O. brings plenty of buzz. Something is missing here, especially with the investment Jerry has made in Big Bill and T.O.

It looks like Tony Romo is the quarterback of the near future at Valley Ranch. The alternatives can't be worse. Good luck to Tony. By the way: the ribs are good!

NFL Week 7 In Review

Another trip around the NFL….

The Pirate Ship in Tampa was the scene of a bizarre game yesterday. Donovan McNabb threw 5 touchdown passes. Three of them were to Eagles. The other two were to Ronde Barber of the Bucs, who returned two interceptions for touchdowns. The Bucs won on a 62-yard field goal by Matt Bryant, the third longest in NFL history. With that kick went my chances in survival football, as I’m done in week 7.

Pittsburgh and Atlanta have wild games whenever they get together. In their last meeting four years ago, they played to the last regular season tie in an NFL game. Yesterday, they lit up the scoreboard, and 46 year old Morten Andersen hit the game winner for the Falcons in overtime, 41-38. Hines Ward caught three touchdown passes for the Steelers in his return to Georgia. Michael Vick accounted for three touchdowns for the Falcons. The Falcons also knocked out Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The defending world champions are now 2-4.

Another team that is now 2-4 is the Houston Texans. The Jacksonville Jaguars really stunk yesterday, and made the Texans look like the ’72 Dolphins. The Texans won going away, 27-7. Maybe they should wear red more often.

Speaking of the Dolphins, the ’06 edition is not nearly as good as they were expected to be. Brett Favre and the Packers went down to Miami and outscored the Dolphins, 34-24. The Dolphins have won one game all year. They are in contention for the top pick in the draft.

Another wild game occurred in the Jersey swamps, as the Jets moved to 4-3, with a 31-24 win over the Detroit Lions. The Jets are taking care of business against the teams that they are supposed to beat.

The Cincinnati Bengals perhaps saved their season, with a comeback win over the Carolina Panthers, 17-14. The Bengals needed it desperately to keep up with the Ravens in the AFC North. The Panthers end a four game winning streak.

The New England Patriots continue to do what they are supposed to do. They were able to handle the Buffalo Bills, 28-6. Buffalo is pretty mediocre. The Patriots are winning their games in a weak division.

Kansas City was host to a thriller, as they were able to hold off the Chargers, 30-27. LaDainian Tomlinson threw a touchdown pass for the Chargers. However, Lawrence Tynes made up for a missed extra point with a game-winning field goal.

The Denver Broncos did their job, going to Cleveland and winning, 17-7. The Broncos gave up only their second touchdown of the season. However, they were able to score two touchdowns, as their offense begins to wake up.

The Indianapolis Colts stayed undefeated, with a 36-21 whipping of the Washington Redskins. Two of the Redskins’ touchdowns were on kickoff returns. Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes. I was a happy camper, as he is quarterback of my fantasy team.

The Seattle Seahawks are hurting. Already missing star RB Shaun Alexander, they lost QB Matt Hasselbeck to a sprained knee. The Minnesota Vikings took advantage of the circumstances, and beat the Seahawks, 31-13. Chester Taylor set a Vikings record with a 95 yard run for a touchdown.

The Suck Bowl took place in Oakland yesterday, as the Raiders escaped the winless column with a 22-9 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals are reeling, and now are on track for another high draft pick, to go along with their talented skill position players. Same old Cardinals. A skunk by any other name still stinks.

More Rumblings

This weekend could be described as the week of the near miss. Oklahoma State, UCLA, Washington, and Nebraska all barely missed upsets over ranked opponents. Texas A&M beat OSU in overtime, as the Cowboys had a botched snap on an extra point in overtime to lose 34-33. Notre Dame came back to beat UCLA on the last play of the game, 20-17. Washington forced overtime with Cal on a catch of a Hail Mary pass, but could not get past the Bears in overtime, and lost 31-24. Nebraska had Texas beaten, but fumbled with two minutes to go in their own territory, allowing Texas to score at the end of the game to win, 22-20.

Duke barely missed winning their first game, losing to suspension-riddled Miami, 20-15. The Blue Devils had the ball on the Miami 5 yard line at the end of the game, but threw an interception to give the ‘Canes the victory.

The Bowl Championship Series picture is shaking out slowly, but surely. There are 7 undefeated teams: Ohio State, Michigan, USC, West Virginia, Louisville, Rutgers, and Boise State. Boise, if they finish undefeated, will most likely be in a BCS bowl. Ohio State and Michigan are on a collision course with each other for the biggest game in the history of their historic rivalry. USC is mortal, but has managed to beat every team they have played to date. West Virginia and Louisville play next Thursday night at the Pizza Box in Louisville. Both teams still have to play Rutgers.

Big XII Rankings for this week:

1. Texas: Escaped Lincoln with a win. Can begin making hotel reservations for Kansas City in first weekend of December.
2. Nebraska: Had their chances to beat Texas, but still a tad bit better than the rest of the league.
3. Oklahoma: AD-less Sooners have their biggest test Saturday in Columbia.
4. Texas A&M: Lucky to escape Stillwater with a win.
5. Missouri: Chance for their biggest win to date with Sooners coming to town.
6. Texas Tech: Not as good as in previous years, but got road win at Iowa State.
7. Baylor: Last time the Bears had 3 conference wins, they were in the Southwest Conference.
8. Oklahoma State: Outplayed A&M, only to lose heartbreaker.
9. Iowa State: Beaten up by tough schedule: Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas Tech.
10. Kansas: Blew big lead at Baylor. 3-5 could very easily be 7-1. Snakebitten.
11. Colorado: Anemic offense did very little in Norman.
12. Kansas State: New coach, growing pains, long season.

NFL Picks-Week 7

Last Week: 8-5 Season: 60-27

New York Giants at Dallas: This week’s Monday Night extravaganza comes from the future site of the Irving Industrial Park, at the corner of highways 114, 183, and Loop 12, also known as Texas Stadium. Both teams need this one bad. Both are 3-2, and are trying to keep up with the Iggles. Can Drew Bledsoe stave off a quarterback controversy, with the Rib man waiting in the wings? Will T.O. show up? Or, will Tiki Barber torch the Cowboys on their home field? Pick: Dallas, of course.
Jacksonville at Houston: They’re calling it Battle Red Day in Houston. It’s the day the Texans wear red jerseys, and the fans are asked to wear red. They need a gimmick, because they’re still a bad team. The Jaguars have shown signs of greatness, but have still not won a road game. That changes this week. Pick: Jacksonville
Carolina at Cincinnati: The Panthers are hot, having won four in a row after losing their first two games. The Bengals come off a loss at Tampa Bay. The Bengals need this one desperately. Pick: Cincinnati
Detroit at New York Jets: The Lions won their first game last week, while the Jets beat the sorry Dolphins. The Jets continue to beat up on weak sisters. Pick: Jets
Green Bay at Miami: This smells like week-old cheese. Both teams are bad. Miami has switched to Joey Harrington at quarterback. I don’t know if that will help them. Brett Favre can still sling it. Green Bay will outscore the Dolphins. Pick: Green Bay
New England at Buffalo: The Patriots are head and shoulders above the rest of their division, again. The Bills are pretty mediocre. The Patriots go for the sweep. Pick: New England
Philadelphia at Tampa Bay: The Bucs got their first win last week, behind rookie quarterback and ex-Toledo Rocket Bruce Gradkowski (How’d the MAC become the cradle of quarterbacks?). Philly keeps finding ways to win. Pick: Philly
Pittsburgh at Atlanta: The Steelers got a big win last week. The Falcons lost a lead and the game to the Giants. The Steelers are too inconsistent. The Falcons are at home. Pick: Atlanta
San Diego at Kansas City: The Chargers have been impressive with new QB Phillip Rivers and all-world RB LaDainian Tomlinson. Trent Green is still out for the Chiefs, leaving Damon Huard at QB. The Chargers are on a roll. Pick: San Diego
Denver at Cleveland: The Broncos have a great defense, and are struggling on offense. The Browns are struggling, period. As the Broncos return to Cleveland 20 years after “The Drive”, they won’t need magic. They’ll just win. Pick: Denver
Arizona at Oakland: McAfee Coliseum will need a post-game check for toxic waste, due not to a bomb threat, but to the suckiness of the teams involved. Arizona has more talent than the Raiders, but they are snakebitten after the events of the last two weeks. Oakland is a bad team, but this is one of their best chances for a win this year. Pick: Oakland
Minnesota at Seattle: Seattle got a big win in St. Louis last week. The Vikings aren’t bad, but won’t be able to pull this one off in Starbucksville. Pick: Seattle
Washington at Indianapolis: The Redskins are fresh off giving the Titans their first win of the year. Their fortunes won’t change this week. The Colts are rested and ready to go. Pick: Indy

Baseball: It's Not What It Used To Be

Last night, the St. Louis Cardinals used a 9th inning home run from Yadier Molina to defeat the New York Mets in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series. The Cardinals now hop on a plane to Detroit, to meet the Tigers in game 1 of the World Series.

This series illustrates how much baseball has changed in my lifetime. When these two teams last met in the World Series, it was 1968, and I was in diapers. Both teams won their leagues in the last year before divisional play. There were no division series or league championship series, but the best team over 162 games won the pennant and went to the World Series.

Turn the clock to 2006. The Tigers led the American League Central Division for almost the entire season, until the final weekend. They had a series at home against the Kansas City Royals, the team with the worst record in baseball. Detroit needed to win only one game to clinch the division. The Royals swept three games from the Tigers, including a comeback from a 6-0 deficit in the final game. What did it cost the Tigers? They got to be the wild card team, and had to play the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs, instead of hosting Oakland. In the old days, they would have stayed home, with 95 wins. Instead, they got hot, winning the last three games against the Yankees, and sweeping four games from the Athletics.

The Cardinals, on the other hand, led the weak National League Central division for the entire season. With two weeks to play, they had an 8 ½ game lead over the Houston Astros. They lost 8 games in a row, and the lead shrunk to ½ game, before they split a four-game series with Milwaukee to salvage a division championship. They advanced to the post-season with a record of 83-78. They would have finished 13 1/2 games out of first place in their old division, the National League East. They were given up for dead in the post-season, but beat San Diego 3 games to 1, then beat the Mets in a 7 game series to advance to the World Series.

What does this prove? Baseball has changed, especially with the addition of the extra division and the wild card. The best team in the regular season does not always win at the end, especially in the convoluted post-season. Anything can happen in a best-of-5 or best-of-7 series, and usually does. It’s all about timely hitting and pitching.

I’ve bombed one prediction already, as I picked the Yankees to beat San Diego in the World Series. I’ll take a do-over on that one. Detroit in 5.

College Picks-Weekend of October 22

College Picks-Weekend of October 22

Last Week: 12-8 Season: 99-41

Improved a little on the picks, but there is still room for improvement…

Here it goes for this week:

Colorado at Oklahoma: Colorado is coming off of their first win. Oklahoma is missing franchise RB Adrian Peterson. This won’t be a total blowout, but OU wins.
Texas at Nebraska: The Huskers are not quite ready for prime time. Texas has won in their two previous trips to Lincoln in Big XII play. Make this a third. Pick: Texas
Texas A&M at Oklahoma State: Ag Bowl II. OSU is probably more of an agricultural school than Texas A&M these days. However, this isn’t fertilizer science or agronomy, it’s football. Both teams won last week. It comes down to the A&M offense vs. the OSU defense. A&M milks the clock and wins the game. Pick: A&M
Texas Tech at Iowa State: Last week, Tech became the first team to lose to Colorado. Iowa State has gotten through a murderer’s row of a schedule, with Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma in consecutive weeks. They obviously do not have friends in the conference office. Tech continues to struggle. Pick: Iowa State
Kansas State at Missouri: Missouri returns home after suffering their first loss. Tigers bounce back here. Pick: Mizzou
Kansas at Baylor: KU is now in a free fall, having lost their first three conference games. Baylor improves every week. I hate Dr. Pepper, but I think Baylor will win this week. Pick: Baylor
UCLA at Notre Dame: Notre Dame gets the other guys from Los Angeles. UCLA can’t keep up with the Irish. Pick: Notre Dame
Alabama at Tennessee: No longer played on the Third Saturday in October, but a huge game, no matter the records. Tennessee is very good this year. Bama is a disappointment. Pick: Tennessee
Georgia Tech at Clemson: Possible preview of ACC championship game. Ramblin’ Wreck have not lost since opening game against Notre Dame. Clemson has not lost since a week 2 hiccup to Boston College. The game is in Death Valley, giving Clemson the advantage in a close one. Pick: Climpson
Rutgers at Pittsburgh: Scarlet Knights take their unbeaten record to the Ketchup Bowl to take on once-beaten Pittsburgh. Pitt is the best team Rutgers has faced to date. Both teams leave this one with one loss. Pick: Pittsburgh
West Virginia at Connecticut: Mountaineers on a collision course with Louisville. They should handle UConn. Pick: West Virginia
Wisconsin at Purdue: Wisconsin only has one loss. Purdue will wind up in a bowl somewhere. Wiscy is a little better than the Boilermakers. Pick: Wisconsin
TCU at Army: TCU has been beaten up bad the last two games by the two teams from Utah. After the week off, they venture to the banks of the Hudson River. Army will give TCU all they want, but TCU has too much talent. Pick: TCU
Washington at California: Washington is much improved. Cal has bounced back well after their opening loss to the Vols. Pick: Cal
Boston College at Florida State: The Eagles are ranked 22nd, and the Seminoles are not ranked. How the mighty have fallen. FSU has pride, and pride will carry them this week. Speaking of pride, the Seminoles will be wearing black uniforms, in honor of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Pick: FSU
UTEP at Houston: Speaking of free fall, that describes the Cougars. After barely losing to the U in Miami, Houston has since lost to Louisiana-Lafayette and Southern Miss. UTEP is talented and well-coached. The game is in Houston, but that won’t matter. Pick: UTEP
South Carolina at Vanderbilt: Vandy is coming off an upset of Georgia, the first time they have defeated a ranked opponent in 58 games. The ‘Cocks aren’t as good as Georgia. The ‘Dores continue to improve. Pick: Vandy
Louisville at Syracuse: Louisville is rolling along, and has a big game next week at the Pizza Box against West Virginia. The ‘Cuse has improved a lot as they have changed to the old-school uniforms. This one is in the dome, and the Ville better be ready. Pick: Syracuse
Miami (or what’s left of them) vs. Duke: Not quite half of Miami’s team were suspended as a result of last week’s fight with Florida International. Duke hasn’t won a game all year. Miami is down, but their mix of starters and reserves should still be able to handle the Dukies. Pick: Miami
Blackburn (Ill.) at Maranatha Baptist Bible College (Wis.): Maranatha has won three games, and Blackburn has won two. Maranatha has the home-field advantage. Pick: Maranatha

Don't Count Your Cardinals Before They Hatch

As I wrote last night, the Arizona Cardinals had a 23-3 lead over the Bears in the 3rd quarter. The Bears made a rendezvous with destiny, as they scored two defensive touchdowns, then went ahead on a Devin Hester punt return. The Cardinals gave Neil Rackers a chance to win the game with a 40-yard field goal, but he missed.

That game defined the term "finding a way to lose". This is the second week in a row the Cardinals have blown a 14-0 lead to lose a game. The Curse of Bidwill lives on. No matter the city: Chicago, St. Louis, Tempe, or Glendale, the Cardinals still stink.

The Bears are pretty good, though. The road to the Super Bowl goes through Chicago.

NFL Week In Review-Week 6

Another trip down the road known as the National Football League…

The first half of yesterday’s Cowboys-Texans game was one of the ugliest displays of football I’ve seen in a while. The Cowboys played to the Texans’ level and trailed 6-3 at the half. Big Bill must have said something at halftime, because the Cowboys crushed them in the second half to win 34-6. Terrell Owens caught three touchdown passes, including the first TD pass by Tony “Ribs” Romo. Texas Stadium-A Place For Ribs?

The Tennessee Titans got their first win of the season, going into Washington and defeating the Redskins. What is up with the Redskins? The Titans are improving in a hurry, with Vince Young at QB.

There was a barn-burner in St. Louis yesterday, as the Seattle Seahawks kicked a field goal at the end of the game to defeat the Rams. Torry Holt made an awesome juggling catch at full speed for the go-ahead TD, but the Seahawks had the ball last and won the game on an FG.

How about the Saints!?! Break them up! They’re 5-1. They have a very good QB in Drew Brees, a healthy Deuce McAllister, and two good rookies on offense in Reggie Bush and Marques Colston. They’re the real deal. Big win over the Eagles on Sunday.

The Carolina Panthers won their fourth game in a row, over the Ravens in Baltimore. They are starting to live up to pre-season hype.

Congrats to the Detroit Lions, on their first win of the season. The Tigers’ mojo did make it across the street to Ford Field for yesterday’s game.

Congrats also to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who also won their first game, over the tiger-striped guys from Cincinnati.

The New York Football Giants saved their season yesterday, with a comeback win over the Atlanta Michael Vicks.

The Jets sucked less than the Dolphins yesterday. Enough said.

Speaking of suck, the 49ers continue to define the word. No NFL team should give up 48 points to anybody, though the Chargers are a good team.

Any discussion of 40+ point games this week is incomplete without mention of Pittsburgh’s 45-7 rout of Kansas City. I don’t know if the Steelers will be back in the Super Bowl, but I know the Chiefs won’t be there.

The worst team in the league continues to be the Oakland Raiders, 13-3 losers to Denver. Al Davis needs to have mercy on all of us and sell the team. Commitment to Excellence? Just Win, Baby? Puhleeze. This is a joke.

The sorry Cardinals are taking the undefeated Bears to the woodshed as I write. There is hope in the desert. Isn’t it unstable, though, that they play in a stadium named for a university without a football team (University of Phoenix Stadium)?

Rumblings

Rumblings from the weekend in college football…

As I expected, Auburn bounced back from their unexpected loss to Arkansas to take care of business against the Florida Gators. This leaves one unbeaten team in SEC play: the Arkansas Razorbacks. It also leaves five undefeated teams in BCS conferences: Ohio State, Michigan, USC, West Virginia, and Louisville. USC has two tough games remaining, against Cal and Oregon. Ohio State and Michigan play each other at the end of the season, and West Virginia and Louisville play each other next Thursday night.

There were two upsets of significance in the Top 25 yesterday. The Vanderbilt Commodores went between the hedges and defeated the 16th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs, 24-22. Vandy had lost 58 games in a row to ranked opponents before yesterday. The Bulldogs are struggling in a huge way. In Bloomington, Indiana, the Indiana Hoosiers shocked the #15 Iowa Hawkeyes, 31-28. Indiana is now 4-3. There are two non-conference losses the Hoosiers would like to have back, as they lost consecutive games to Connecticut and Southern Illinois while coach Terry Hoeppner was absent due to emergency brain surgery. If the Hoosiers can win two of their three games with Michigan State, Minnesota, or Purdue, they can make it to a bowl game for the first time since the Lincoln administration.

Down in Little Havana, there was a fight at the Orange Bowl, during last night’s game between Miami and Florida International. The video is here. The fight was instigated by a FIU player when he tackled the holder after an extra point was made. Chaos ensued. On the video, former Cane and color analyst Lamar Thomas represents The U with class, stating on the air that he’d like to get on the elevator, go down on the field, and take care of business, and that they ought to continue this in the tunnel after the game. Same old Miami we all know and love. Word for FIU: If you can’t beat them on the field, beat them off of it.

My Sooners beat Iowa State, 34-9, but it felt like a loss, as Adrian Peterson suffered a broken collarbone as a result of diving into the end zone, and is out for the season. If he is smart, he will declare for the NFL draft, and become an instant millionaire. The Sooners now have four dangerous road games in the Big XII, with trips to Missouri, Baylor, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State. At this point, an 8-4 finish and trip to the Alamo Bowl looks like a successful season. What was once a successful 2003 recruiting class, featuring Peterson and Rhett Bomar, has disintegrated. These are not the best of times in Norman, Oklahoma.

Big XII rankings for this week:

1. Texas: Bevo rolls on. Next stop: Nebraska
2. Nebraska: Are they ready for Bevo?
3. Oklahoma: Currently here by default. Their season is radically changed with AD’s injury.
4. Texas A&M: What a difference two weeks make. Strong win to knock Mizzou from the ranks of the unbeaten.
5. Missouri: All good things must come to an end.
6. Baylor: Yes, they gave up 63 to Texas. However, they are better than the teams below them this week.
7. Iowa State: Has completed the toughest part of their schedule.
8. Texas Tech: Lost to Colorado. Enough said.
9. Oklahoma State: Big win at KU. Need two more wins for a bowl.
10. Kansas: Slipping fast at 3-4. Didn’t need yesterday’s loss.
11. Colorado: Finally gets a win. Will be hard to deal with the rest of the way.
12. Kansas State: Someone has to be in the basement, and this week is their turn.

NFL Picks-Week 6

Last Week: 12-2 Season: 52-22

Last week was a good week for me on picks, making me look like a genius. Let’s see how this week unfolds.

Houston at Dallas: This is a big game for people in Houston. Sports radio in Houston still talks about the 19-10 victory by the Texans over Dallas in their first regular season game four years ago. In Dallas, that was two coaches and almost an entire roster ago, or ancient history. The Texans got a win before their bye week, but they’re not as good as the Cowboys. The Cowboys aren’t as good as the Eagles, but they’re good enough to win this week. Pick: Dallas
Buffalo at Detroit: A mediocre team against a bad team. DET is a hopping place this weekend, with this game, and the American League Championship Series across the street. Some of that Tigers’ mojo spreads over to Ford Field for the Lions. Pick: Detroit
Carolina at Baltimore: The Panthers are winners of three in a row. The Ravens lost their first game in Denver on Monday night. Both teams should be in the playoffs. The Ravens still have that stout defense, and are the home team. Pick: Baltimore
Cincinnati at Tampa Bay: Just a few short years ago, the Bengals were terrible, and the Bucs were good. Now, the tide has turned. The Bucs have to beat somebody. This isn’t the week. Pick: Cincinnati
New York Giants at Atlanta: This one is worthy of a coin flip. Pick: Atlanta
Philadelphia at New Orleans: The Eagles fly into the Superdome coming off a big win over hated rival Dallas. The Saints are off to a nice start, at 4-1. My gut says Saints. Pick: New Orleans
Seattle at St. Louis: Big game in the NFC West. Shaun Alexander is still out for the Seahawks. That and the St. Louis home field advantage could be the difference. Pick: St. Louis
Tennessee at Washington: The Vince Young Show continues, this time in D.C. Clinton Portis runs all day on the Titans’ D, and the Titans remain winless. Pick: Washington
Kansas City at Pittsburgh. Kansas City has won two in a row with backqup quarterback Damon Huard. The Steelers have struggled out of the gate. That can’t last long. Pick: Pittsburgh
Miami at New York Jets: Yuck. Miami is terrible, and the Jets lost 41-0 to Jacksonville last week. Gee, who do I pick? Pick: Jets
San Diego at San Francisco: The Niners got a win last week against Oakland. San Diego is a lot better than Oakland. Pick: San Diego
Oakland at Denver: Yuck, part 2. The Raiders are the worst team in the league. Denver is a tough place, especially since they hate the Raiders. Mike Shanahan beats Al Davis’ team again. Pick: Denver
Chicago at Arizona: Monday Night Football comes to the new stadium in the desert, along with the most impressive team to date, da Bears. The Cardinals have struggled, as usual. Pick: Chicago

College Picks-Week of October 15

Long time, no blog…

Last Week: 10-10 Overall: 87-33

Bad week on the picks, as I picked 1 out of 6 winners in the Big XII. This will be a better week.

Iowa State at Oklahoma: The Cyclones appear to have slipped a notch, but are also in the middle of a brutal stretch of schedule. They have suffered losses to Iowa, Texas, and Nebraska, and visit Oklahoma next. The Sooners laid a big egg in the second half last Saturday at the Cotton Bowl. They get enough fixed to get a win this Saturday. Pick: OU
Baylor at Texas: The last time these teams met, Texas won 62-0 in Waco. It’ll be closer this time, but the better team will still win. Pick: Texas
Missouri at Texas A&M: Mizzou is still unbeaten, and coming off of a big win last week in Lubbock. A&M saved their season with a comeback win at Kansas. I’m still not impressed with A&M, though. Pick: Missouri
Nebraska at Kansas State: K-State has 4 wins, and is coming off of a comeback win over Oklahoma State. Nebraska looks like the best team in the North. Pick: Nebraska
Oklahoma State at Kansas: The Fighting Manginos could very well be 6-0. Instead, they’re 3-3. OSU is having problems on defense, and blew a big lead in their last trip to the Sunflower State. When in doubt, pick the home team. Pick: KU
Texas Tech at Colorado: The Buffs have still not won a game, losing in overtime to Baylor last week. The Red Raiders are smarting from last week’s loss to Missouri. Tech has more talent, and will bounce back. However, it won’t be a blowout. Pick: Tech
Florida at Auburn: Did Auburn fall apart last week, or what? Arkansas owned them. Meanwhile, Florida put a beating on LSU last week in the Swamp. ESPN is all over this one, as they are putting this one on most of their networks as ESPN Full Circle. ESPN2 will have a different camera view, there will be something on ESPN360 and ESPNU, and the original game will be on the Mother Ship. The game will not be on ESPN8, The Ocho, however. I look for War Eagle to bounce back here. Pick: Auburn
Michigan at Penn State: Star WR Mario Manningham is out for the Wolverines. The whole world is waiting for a showdown between undefeated Michigan and undefeated Ohio State. Not going to happen. It’s Saturday night in Happy Valley, and the Lions are up for the upset. Pick: Penn State
Virginia Tech at Boston College: Old Big East matchup, transported to the ACC. The Hokies are still stinging from that loss to the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. BC turned into powder at N.C. State, before handling the Maine Black Bears. This is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. Pick: Virginia Tech
California at Washington State: When we last left the Palouse, USC barely escaped with a win. Now, it’s the Bears’ turn. Cal has been on a roll since losing their first game at Tennessee. This will be a good game. However, Cal is just a little better. Pick: Cal
Ole Miss at Alabama: Bama is struggling, having lost two conference games. Mike Shula is under fire, but the Auburn folks want him to stay, and even have a website to prove it: www.keepmikeshula.com. Ole Miss is not one of the better teams in the SEC. Pick: Alabama
Rutgers at Navy: Rutgers is undefeated at this point in the season for the first time in 30 years. Florida State and Miami are unranked, and Rutgers is ranked-go figure. Great turnaround. The Midshipmen aren’t so bad, themselves. The game is in Annapolis, and Navy is good enough to win on their home field. Pick: Navy
Syracuse at West Virginia: The Mountaineers march on. Pick: West Virginia
Wake Forest at N.C. State: The Deacons were undefeated, and had a 14 point lead in the 4th quarter last week against Clemson. They lost. N.C. State has bounced back since losing to Akron. Winner remains in contention for a trip to the ACC championship game. Pick: N.C. State
Tulsa at East Carolina: Staying in the Tar Heel State, the Pirates are improving, and host defending conference champion Tulsa. ECU stayed on the field earlier in the year against West Virginia. Tulsa is getting stronger every year. Pick: ECU
Arizona State at USC: The Trojans just keep rolling along. They’re young, but still plenty good enough to win. This might not be close. Pick: USC
Minnesota at Wisconsin: This is for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. Wisky currently has the axe, and looks to hold on to it at home. I look for that to happen. Pick: Wisconsin
UCLA at Oregon: Oregon got spanked last week at Cal. They’re back home this week for some home cooking. Bruins are for dinner this week. Pick: Oregon
Maryland at Virginia: Both teams are slipping fast. I better draw straws on this one. Pick: Maryland
Bryant at Stonehill: It’s homecoming for the Skyhawks. Bryant is 4-2, and Stonehill is 1-5. Pick: Bryant

NFL In Review: Week 5

Cue the music, it’s time for another review of the weekend in the NFL….

The Terrell Owens road show returned to Philadelphia yesterday, and the Eagles were more than ready. T.O. played, and didn’t contribute much, but there were a lot of big plays on defense, especially for such a high-scoring game. The last series was particularly bizarre, as Drew Bledsoe threw a 50-yard pass on 4th and 14, and the Eagles were called for pass interference on Terry Glenn. This gave Dallas 1st and goal at the 6, down 31-24 with :34 to go. Two plays later, the Eagles’ Lito Sheppard intercepted a pass in the end zone and ran it back 102 yards for an Eagles touchdown, turning a potential tie game into a 38-24 Eagles victory. Bad for the Cowboys, good for my fantasy team.

The Colts nearly lost to the lowly Titans. Vince Young had a pretty good game, and the Colts needed two second half touchdowns to win, 14-13. Watching this, you’d never know one team was 5-0 and the other was 0-5.

The Washington Redskins went into the New Jersey Meadowlands, and played an ugly game against the New York Football Giants, losing 19-3. There’s not a whole lot notable about this game. I was more interested in the Colts game on CBS.

Break up da Bears! They’re 5-0, after whipping Buffalo, 40-7. They had the Bills skunked before a late-game touchdown by Buffalo. The NFC road to the Super Bowl leads through Chicago.

Don’t look now, but the Carolina Panthers have now won 3 in a row, after defeating the Cleveland Browns. The Panthers were helped by an interception return for a touchdown. Cleveland is looking competitive, but coming up just short on the scoreboard.

The Detroit Lions only gave up 26 points to Minnesota, after giving up 40+ points to the Packers and Rams. Problem is, they only scored 17. Word to the Lions: You’re supposed to break 30 when your defense improves its performance like it did.

Reggie Bush has been a factor for the Saints all year. Yesterday, he scored his first touchdown, on what proved to be a game-winning punt return against Tampa Bay. The Bucs have still not won a game. Maybe they should go back to the Creamsicle orange jerseys.

As I expected, the Packers had a little bit of a shootout with the Rams, but lost, 23-20. The Rams are 4-1. I’m not sure how legit that is, but you have to beat the teams you play, and the Rams are doing that.

The Patriots took care of business against Miami. The Dolphins are not a good team. They’re not as bad as the Raiders, but they’re not very good. The Pats will win the AFC East in a walk.

The Matt Leinart era has begun in Arizona. Unfortunately for him and the Cardinals, they continue their losing ways. Kansas City won its second game with backup QB Damon Huard, 23-20. The Cardinals were losers in Chicago, losers in St. Louis, and are losers in Phoenix. Maybe they should move to Bakersfield.

I thought the Jaguars would beat the Jets, but who expected 41-0? No NFL team should lose to another one by a score of 41-0. 41-0 in an NFL game is like 70-0 in college. The talent is supposed to be more spread out, and the coaches have an unwritten agreement to not run up the score. So, this wasn’t a matter of Jacksonville running up the score, but of the Jets being just plain awful yesterday. Yuck.

Speaking of yuck, the 49ers and the Raiders battled it out to see who sucked the most. The 49ers won the game, and the Raiders won the suck contest. The Raiders will win a game sometime this year, but they won’t be favored in any of them. The Niners would like to play the Raiders every week.

The Chargers broke out the AFL-era powder blue uniforms last night. The Steeler Nation invaded Qualcomm Stadium, with upwards of 25,000 Steeler fans in the house. Are there that many Pittsburgh fans in SoCal? Or, were all the flights from Pittsburgh to San Diego full? Those folks left disappointed, though, as the Chargers came up big for the win.

Tonight’s Monday Night extravaganza brings us the Ravens and the Broncos. The Ravens have been living large, winning their first 4 games, including comebacks against the Browns and Chargers. The Broncos are at home in the mountains, though. Who knows what we’ll get..

Big XII Rankings-October 8

1. Texas. Still here until someone beats them.
2. Nebraska. Looks to be the best team in the North, but Missouri will have something to say about that.
3. Missouri. They keep Showing Me. Big win on the South Plains. Need to follow it up with a win in Aggieland.
4. Oklahoma. Seriously disappointed with two losses, including one to hated archrival Texas.
5. Texas Tech. Follow up a win against the Aggies with a bad loss to Mizzou.
6. Texas A&M. Turned their season and perhaps Fran’s career around with a last-minute win at Kansas.
7. Kansas. Could very well be 6-0. Instead, with two overtime losses and the last-minute loss to A&M, they are 3-3.
8. Baylor. Learning how to win, have started 2-0 in the conference.
9. Iowa State. 3 losses to good teams in Texas, Nebraska, and Iowa. Have a lot to prove in the second half of the season.
10. Kansas State. Saved their season with a comeback against OSU.
11. Oklahoma State. There’s a big difference between Missouri State, Arkansas State, and Kansas State.
12. Colorado. Just missed on best chance to date for a win. Once again, close only counts in horseshoes and handgrenades.

The Curse of A-Rod

I have hated the New York Yankees as long as I have watched baseball, which is since I was a little boy. My hate has subsided to mere dislike as I have gotten older (I am annoyed even more by the Red Sox), but I still get tickled when the Yanks fall short.

Alex Rodriguez is a great player. He’s not worth $25 million per year, but no one is. However, he brings bad fortune everywhere he goes. In his early days in Seattle, the Mariners were good, but could not quite get over the hump to get to the World Series, in spite of having some pretty good teams. He took a lot of Tom Hicks’ money to go to the Rangers, and the Rangers immediately went into the tank, stayed there, and still have not recovered. He was such a failed bit with the Rangers that they paid the Yankees to take him off their hands, and are still paying part of his salary. That’s right: the money from those $5 hot dogs at Ameriquest Field in Arlington helps pay A-Rod to play for the Yankees.

So, A-Rod goes to Gotham to play for the Bronx Bombers, winners of 25 world championships, and with more money than Fort Knox to spend on players. The Yankees are stacked every year with talent at every position. They also are a mainstay in the post-season. However, after spending all that money on A-Rod and others, the Yankees have not won a world championship in six years, and have not been to a World Series in five years. A-Rod was still in Seattle when the Yankees last won a World Series. His curse has infected the Yankees. After today's event in Detroit, heads will roll.

These are the Yankees. The Yankees should do better.

The Debacle In Dallas

The Oklahoma Sooners played a great second quarter today against Texas, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Problem is, there are four quarters in a football game. The Longhorns manhandled the Sooners at the line of scrimmage, and won, 28-10.

The Sooners committed 11 penalties and 5 turnovers. That will get you beat every time, often by a wider margin than 18 points. As much as it pains me to say, Texas was better than us today.

OU has a long second half of the season ahead of it, with tough road trips to Missouri and Texas A&M, and grudge matches with Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. With the national championship off the table, and only an outside shot at a Big XII championship, all the Sooners have left to play for is pride, and the best bowl possible. They have a choice: to suck it up, or to just plain suck.

In the words of Jim Rome: Have a take, and don’t suck! The Sooners need to suck it up and play ball.

NFL Week 5 Picks

NFL Week 5 Picks

Last Week: 10-4 Season: 40-20

Dallas at Philadelphia: The traveling circus that is Terrell Owens returns to the City of Brotherly Love. T.O. is wearing a target bigger than the sign in front of SuperTarget. He’ll come through for the Cowboys. The Iggles have injury questions on both sides of the ball, but Brian Westbrook should be back. My heart says Dallas, my gut is torn, and my head says Philly. Pick: Philly
Buffalo at Chicago: Da Bears are da bomb. They are the real deal. The Bills are fair to partly cloudy. Not great, but not bad. The Bears stay undefeated. Pick: Chicago
Cleveland at Carolina: The Browns came back to beat the sorry Raiders last week. The Panthers are on the way back after an 0-2 start. Pick: Carolina
Detroit at Minnesota: Detroit has scored 68 points in the last two weeks. Problem is, they have allowed 81 in those two games. There’s no D in Detroit. The Vikes are an above-average team. In the old dome in Minneapolis, I’ll take Minnesota.
Miami at New England: The Dolphins have slipped into the muck of suckage. The Pats came up big last week with a convincing win at Cincinnati. I see no way the Dolphins can win here. Pick: New England
St. Louis at Green Bay: Sant Louis (as my dearly departed mother used to call it) is 3-1. They’re a shaky 3-1, but they have 3 wins. Green Bay is 1-3. The vultures are circling around Brett Favre. That only means that Favre comes up big. In a slight upset….Pick: Green Bay
Tampa Bay at New Orleans: The Bucs are struggling. The Saints come home. This is so hard to pick, because the Bucs are bound to break this winless streak sometime. However, they have no quarterback. So…Pick: New Orleans
Tennessee at Indianapolis: This has Survival Football written all over it, only I’ve already used the Colts. The Titans are a bad, bad team. Vince will get some yards in mop-up duty, though. The Colts are good, and stay undefeated. Pick: Indy
Washington at NY Giants: Huge game for the New York Football Giants, as they do not want to be left behind in the NFC East. The Redskins have bounced back after losing their first two games. I have to pick a road team, and this is a good time to pick one. Pick: Washington
Kansas City at Arizona: The Fighting Damon Huards made San Francisco look like a high school team last week. The Cardinals have all those offensive weapons. However, they’re still the Cardinals. A leopard doesn’t change its spots, and the Cardinals are forever cursed to be terrible. Pick: Kansas City
New York Jets at Jacksonville: The Jags are a great 2-2 team. The Jets are perhaps overachieving at 2-2. Pick: Jacksonville
Oakland at San Francisco: This is about as bad as it gets. It’s a grudge match for the Bay Area, but it will really go a long way toward determining the #1 pick in next year’s draft. Pick: San Francisco
Pittsburgh at San Diego: The Chargers lost a tough one in Baltimore last week. That won’t happen this week. Pick: San Diego
Baltimore at Denver: Steve McNair has a lease on life in Baltimore. The Broncos are pretty inconsistent. It’s Monday Night in Denver, though, and it’s hard to go against the home team. Pick: Denver