This week's picks, with a twist:
Last Week: 14-6
Season: 131-69
Baylor at Oklahoma: Mismatch city. Famous Baylor alum: Drayton McLane (Astros owner). Famous OU alum: James Garner. Pick: OU
Kansas at Oklahoma State: Saturday Night Football on ABC, live from Stillwater, America. The Fighting Manginos are America’s darlings at 9-0. The Oklahoma Aggies continue to find ways to lose. Both teams score lots of points. If you’re looking for late local news on your ABC station Saturday night, don’t bother trying until 10:30 CST at the earliest, because this game will run long with all the pass attempts. Famous KU alum: Bob Dole. Famous OSU alum: Garth Brooks. Pick: KU
Texas Tech at Texas: The Red Raiders invade Austin to meet a team that will take a win any way they can get it. I get the feeling that the Longhorns are winning games simply because they have “Texas” on their jerseys. These guys are going to mess around and go 10-2. Famous Tech alum: Pat Green. Famous UT alum: Matthew McConaughey. Pick: UT
Texas A&M at Missouri: The Good Ship Fran is sinking ever so slowly. OU took it easy on them last week. Mizzou is out for blood, even after hanging half a hundred on Colorado last week. Famous A&M alum: Gov. Rick Perry. Famous Mizzou alum: Sheryl Crow. Pick: Mizzou
Kansas State at Nebraska: Nebraska is an eight-point underdog at home to an unranked team. Go figure. The Bill Callahan death march continues. K-State won’t score 76 on the Huskers, but they’ll score enough to win. Famous K-State alum: Gordon Jump. Famous Nebraska alum: Johnny Carson. Pick: KSU
Colorado at Iowa State: Gene Chizik has the Cyclones playing hard, and they got their first Big 12 win last week over K-State. The Buffs aren’t having much success playing in the North division, but got three wins against the South. Strange things happen in the corn fields of Iowa. Famous CU alum: Chris Fowler. Famous Iowa State alum: George Washington Carver. Pick: Iowa State
Auburn at Georgia: The most underrated rivalry in the South resumes Saturday. Both teams have owned the Florida Gators this year. There is a rumor that Georgia will show up in black jerseys. I pray this isn’t true. Georgia’s on a roll. Famous Auburn alum: Toni Tennille. Famous Georgia alum: Ryan Seacrest. Pick: UGA
Louisville at West Virginia (Thursday): The Ville goes into Morgantown as a decided underdog. West Virginia is rolling through the Big East after an early loss at South Florida. Famous Louisville alum: Larry Birkhead (father of Anna Nicole Smith’s baby). Famous West Virginia alum: Brad Paisley. Pick: West Virginia
Arkansas at Tennessee: Hogs ride the Darren McFadden Express into Knoxville. The Vols suddenly find themselves in control of their own destiny in the SEC East. They won’t blow it this week. Famous Arkansas alum: Jerry Jones. Famous Tennessee alum: Todd Helton. Pick: Tennessee
Florida at South Carolina: The mighty Gators find themselves with three losses in the conference, and going to Columbia to face Gator legend Steve Spurrier and his Gamecocks. The ‘Cocks left their season on the field in Knoxville two weeks ago in a heartbreaking loss. The Gators should be able to win here. Famous Florida alum: Erin Andrews. Famous South Carolina alum: Van Earl Wright. Pick: Florida
USC at Cal: This game once had BCS implications. Now, it has Sun Bowl implications. Both teams are disappointing. Famous USC alum: O.J. Simpson. Famous Cal alum: Judge Lance Ito. Pick: USC
Illinois at Ohio State: The Fighting Ron Zooks are having a nice season. However, they won’t be able to stop the train that is Ohio State. Famous Illinois alum: Gene Hackman. Famous Ohio State alum: Dwight Yoakam. Pick: TOSU
Florida State at Virginia Tech: FSU returned to college football relevance last week with their upset of Boston College in Chowderland. They now visit Virginia Tech, who plays on a Saturday for the first time in a month. Can it happen two weeks in a row for FSU? Doubtful. Famous Florida State alum: Burt Reynolds. Famous VT alum: NBC reporter Hoda Kotb. Pick: VT
Kentucky at Vanderbilt: Kentucky was once a top 10 team. Now, they find themselves in the scrum that is the SEC East. Vandy, once a doormat, could find themselves in a bowl game this year. My gut says go with the ‘Dores. Famous UK alum: Ashley Judd. Famous Vandy alum: Ross Perot, Jr. Pick: Vandy
Michigan at Wisconsin: What does it say about the Big Ten that Meechigan can win 6 in a row in the conference after losing to Appalachian State and getting thumped by Oregon? I’d like to see Wiscy get this one at home, but my gut says Michigan. Famous Michigan alum: Gerald Ford. Famous Wisconsin alum: Greta Van Susteren. Pick: Michigan
Minnesota at Iowa: This is for Floyd of Rosedale, a statue of a bronze pig. Minnesota has been playing like real pigs this year, with one win all season. Iowa is making a late-season run at a bowl game. Floyd of Rosedale stays in Iowa City. Famous Minnesota alum: Loni Anderson. Famous Iowa alum: Tom Arnold. Pick: Iowa
Fresno State at Hawaii: Warriors have their toughest home game to date. Fresno will represent well, but Hawaii remains undefeated for another week. Famous Fresno State alum: Mike Martz. Famous Hawaii alum: Mat McBriar. Pick: Hawaii
TCU at BYU (Thursday): Frogs got a huge shutout win last week over New Mexico, 37-0. Now they head to Provo to battle the conference-leading Cougars. It doesn’t look good for the Froggies. Famous TCU alum: Bob Schieffer. Famous BYU alum: Mitt Romney. Pick: BYU
Michigan State at Purdue: Battle of the middle rung in the Big Ten. Purdue has performed very well against the lesser lights in the conference. Michigan State had their hearts broken last week against the hated Wolverines. Purdue should put the boot on the throat this week. Famous MSU alum: Robert Urich. Famous Purdue alum: Orville Redenbacher. Pick: Purdue
Wabash at DePauw: Battle for the Monon Bell. Huge Division III game in Indiana. Famous Wabash alum: David Kendall (Bill Clinton’s attorney). Famous DePauw alum: Dan Quayle. Pick: DePauw.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Ugly Uniform of the Day
Today's UUOTD was unveiled Monday night for the second time this season. The Pittsburgh Steelers broke out their 60's throwbacks for a celebration of their 75th anniversary. These do not match. The mustard-colored helmets do not go with the white pants. The Steelers did well to do away with these uniforms in time for the dynasty of the 70's. The team was as bad as the uniforms when they wore them regularly.
Speaking of their dynasty: If the franchise is celebrating their past, why didn't they just wear their 70's uniforms? They're not that different from what they wear today, except for the fonts of the names and numbers.
The Steelers need to get back to their modern uniforms quickly.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Bonehead Moves of the Week
The absolute bonehead moves of the week were made by the owner of this blog, who doubles as manager of the fantasy football team known as the Redneck Hayseeds. This team is in a Yahoo public league.
I used Yahoo's analysis to choose my lineups. Mistake #1: Yahoo rated Kevin Jones of Detroit as a 5-star play, as they did LaDainian Tomlinson. L.T. was a no-brainer. Problem is, I also have Adrian Peterson. He was rated as a 4-star play. So, I used Kevin Jones. He scored 7 points in a league that values touchdowns. Adrian Peterson sat on the bench. So did his 45 points.
Mistake #2: Yahoo rated the Baltimore defense vs. Pittsburgh ahead of the Detroit defense vs. Denver. I had both defenses, and chose the Ravens. The Ravens' defense has produced 1 point so far tonight. The Lions' defense rode two touchdowns to 29 points. That is a total of 74 points on the bench.
Fast forward to the Monday night blowout. The Ravens got drilled. Willis McGahee of the Ravens was in my opponent's lineup. He scored a touchdown, and my opponent actually took a lead. I became fortunate in 4th quarter garbage time. The Ravens got an interception. On the ensuing drive, McGahee was knocked out of the game with a concussion while trying to make a block.
What should have been an easy win instead became one that needed an injury to be preserved. Redneck Hayseeds win, 70-69.
Such is life in fantasy football. Don't trust the experts at Yahoo Sports.
I used Yahoo's analysis to choose my lineups. Mistake #1: Yahoo rated Kevin Jones of Detroit as a 5-star play, as they did LaDainian Tomlinson. L.T. was a no-brainer. Problem is, I also have Adrian Peterson. He was rated as a 4-star play. So, I used Kevin Jones. He scored 7 points in a league that values touchdowns. Adrian Peterson sat on the bench. So did his 45 points.
Mistake #2: Yahoo rated the Baltimore defense vs. Pittsburgh ahead of the Detroit defense vs. Denver. I had both defenses, and chose the Ravens. The Ravens' defense has produced 1 point so far tonight. The Lions' defense rode two touchdowns to 29 points. That is a total of 74 points on the bench.
Fast forward to the Monday night blowout. The Ravens got drilled. Willis McGahee of the Ravens was in my opponent's lineup. He scored a touchdown, and my opponent actually took a lead. I became fortunate in 4th quarter garbage time. The Ravens got an interception. On the ensuing drive, McGahee was knocked out of the game with a concussion while trying to make a block.
What should have been an easy win instead became one that needed an injury to be preserved. Redneck Hayseeds win, 70-69.
Such is life in fantasy football. Don't trust the experts at Yahoo Sports.
He's Gone
The coach, not the dog.
It is being leaked that Texas A&M has agreed to a buyout of Dennis Franchione's contract. The news and details are neither being confirmed nor denied, but it's a matter of time.
Rumor has it that due to the VIP Connection scandal, the Aggies have a case for breach of contract, and will only need to pay him a year's salary of $2,000,000 for a buyout. Otherwise, A&M would be on the hook for upwards of $8,000,000. Boy, that's a big price to pay, at $1200 a subscription. And, Fran will never make this kind of money again.
Among the candidates for the A&M job is Tommy Tuberville, head coach of Auburn. Tuberville survived Auburn super-booster Bobby Lowder's attempt to fill his job with the clandestine interview of then-Louisville coach Bobby Petrino in 2003. Tuberville answered by coaching War Eagle to an undefeated season in 2004. The Ags have some high-powered boosters, but none as wheels-off as Lowder.
Undeniable truth of life: An Aggie is an Aggie is an Aggie.
NFL Highway, Week 9
A record-breaking game and a game that lived up to its hype. Just another weekend on the NFL highway.
Sunday night in Philadelphia, the Dallas Cowboys lit up the Eagles for 38 points, and pounded the Eagles 38-17. Tony Romo threw three touchdown passes for the Cowboys in his first game since signing his new contract and his weekend with Britney Spears and friends. The Eagles are in big, big trouble.
The game of the year was in Indianapolis, where the New England Patriots came back from a 10-point deficit to defeat the Colts, 24-20. The Pats have a very good chance to go 16-0. Their biggest obstacle to a perfect season looks to be in the last regular season game, when they travel to New York to play the Giants in an NFL Network Saturday night game. The Colts will have to play well to outlast the Titans and Jaguars in a tough AFC South.
Elsewhere in the AFC South, television viewers in southeast Texas got to see the Houston Texans get win #4 against the Oakland Raiders, 24-17. This game wasn't even that close, as the Raiders scored late to cut the deficit to 7. The Texans now go into their bye week at 4-5.
Another AFC South team that continues to win is the Tennessee Titans. The Titans dominated the quarterback-poor Carolina Panthers, 20-7. The Titans' defense recorded seven sacks of Panthers' QB David Carr. Some things never change.
The Jacksonville Jaguars came out on the wrong side of a track meet at the Superdome against New Orleans. The Saints earned their fourth win in a row, 41-24. Drew Brees threw three touchdowns for the Who Dats. The Saints were given up for dead a month ago, but now have a very good chance to win their division.
There was a bizarre event on Sunday at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Two NFL records were set in this game. The Chargers' Antonio Cromartie returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown. That was overshadowed by an all-time great performance by the great Adrian Peterson. AD rushed for 298 yards and three touchdowns, setting the all-time single-game rushing record. The Vikings won the game, 35-17. What makes AD's accomplishment even greater is the fact that the Vikes have no passing game. The Chargers should have been able to slow him down, but they didn't. San Diego is lucky they are in the AFC West, where they still have a chance to make the playoffs. However, they would get smoked by the Patriots or the Colts in the playoffs.
The Cleveland Browns continue to light up the scoreboard. Jamal Lewis scored four touchdowns as the Browns scored a comeback win over the Seattle Seahawks, 33-30 in overtime. The Browns are now 5-3. They are the surprise team of the year.
Speaking of lighting up scoreboards, the Detroit Lions did exactly that. The Lions beat up the Denver Broncos, 44-7. Detroit scored two touchdowns on defense to add to the domination. The Lions are now 6-2. Jump on the bandwagon while there's still room.
The New York Jets had a chance to win a game on Sunday. However, the Washington Redskins used a methodical running game, and came back to defeat the Jets, 23-20 in overtime. Clinton Portis ran for 196 yards for the Redskins. The Jets are officially putrid.
Marshawn Lynch ran all over the Cincinnati defense, gaining 153 yards and scoring two touchdowns as the Buffalo Bills beat the Bengals, 33-21. The Bengals were once a good team. All is not well in the 'Nati.
Two inconsistent teams met on Sunday at the Pirate Ship in Tampa. The Buccaneers out-uglied the Arizona Cardinals, 17-10. The Cardinals had a banner day rushing (sarcasm), running the ball 12 times for 23 yards. Some things are absolute: death, taxes, and the mediocrity of the Cardinals.
For three quarters on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs played an ugly game. The teams started scoring points in bunches in the 4th quarter, and the Packers used an interception return for a touchdown to extend their winning margin to 33-22. Brett Favre has now beaten every team in the NFL, one of only three quarterbacks to do that. The Pack is now 7-1, tied with Dallas for the best record in the NFC.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
No Live Blog
I have to go back on my promise of a live blog. I have some errands to run this afternoon, such as getting a new router and hooking it up. Ours is having trouble.
I'm afraid the Pats are going to win big anyway. I'd love to be wrong.
Sorry...
I'm afraid the Pats are going to win big anyway. I'd love to be wrong.
Sorry...
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Knee-Jerk Reactions
For most of the last half-century, Nebraska and Notre Dame were synonymous with college football. That is the case no longer. Both teams suffered crushing defeats today.
The Huskers were pummeled today 76-39 by Kansas. KU scored their 76th point with 11 minutes remaining in the game. They could well have scored 90 if they would have tried. The Nebraska program is in tatters. They need serious help.
Notre Dame lost to Navy today, 46-44 in triple overtime. The Irish had defeated the Midshipmen 43 consecutive times. The last time Navy defeated Notre Dame before today, Roger Staubach was their quarterback and John F. Kennedy was President. The Irish have a chance to lose at least 10 games this season.
Another game, another Poke choke. Oklahoma State led Texas at halftime for the third time in four years. They led by scores of 21-0 and 35-14. Texas came back to tie the game, 35-35. OSU missed a 30-yard field goal, then Texas came down the field to win on a last second field goal. This was the third time in the last four years OSU blew a big lead against Texas. An even worse choke by OSU came in 2004. The Cowboys/Aggies led UT 35-7 in Austin. Legend has it that there were no halftime adjustments in the OSU locker room, and coach Les Miles was on the phone with his agent trying to find another job. I've been watching Oklahoma State for 35 years now, and this is to be expected. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. But, Mike Gundy's a man. He's 40!
The Huskers were pummeled today 76-39 by Kansas. KU scored their 76th point with 11 minutes remaining in the game. They could well have scored 90 if they would have tried. The Nebraska program is in tatters. They need serious help.
Notre Dame lost to Navy today, 46-44 in triple overtime. The Irish had defeated the Midshipmen 43 consecutive times. The last time Navy defeated Notre Dame before today, Roger Staubach was their quarterback and John F. Kennedy was President. The Irish have a chance to lose at least 10 games this season.
Another game, another Poke choke. Oklahoma State led Texas at halftime for the third time in four years. They led by scores of 21-0 and 35-14. Texas came back to tie the game, 35-35. OSU missed a 30-yard field goal, then Texas came down the field to win on a last second field goal. This was the third time in the last four years OSU blew a big lead against Texas. An even worse choke by OSU came in 2004. The Cowboys/Aggies led UT 35-7 in Austin. Legend has it that there were no halftime adjustments in the OSU locker room, and coach Les Miles was on the phone with his agent trying to find another job. I've been watching Oklahoma State for 35 years now, and this is to be expected. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. But, Mike Gundy's a man. He's 40!
Friday, November 02, 2007
NFL Picks: Week 9
NFL Picks: Week 9
We are now at the halfway point of the NFL season. We also have the game of the decade, or this year’s version of it, in Indianapolis. Without further adieu, here are this week’s picks:
Last Week: 9-4
Season: 77-39
Dallas at Philadelphia: The biggest game of the year in Philly is when the Cowboys come to town. It bugs the Philly people even more that Cowboy fans couldn’t care less about the Eagles compared to the Redskins and Giants. The Iggles have to be affected by the legal troubles in coach Andy Reid’s family, as both of his young adult sons were sentenced to jail on the same day for drug-related violations this week. The Cowboys are coming off a bye week, which keeps Tony Romo out of Hollywood. Pick: Dallas
New England at Indianapolis: Undefeated vs. Undefeated. The Patriots have been a well-oiled killing machine. The Colts have been unbeatable, as well. Maybe I get caught up with style points, but I have a hard time seeing anyone stopping the Pats. I’d love the see the Colts win, but I don’t see it happening. Pick: New England
Houston at Oakland: Yuck. The Texans won three games before the injury bug hit. Now, they are simply horrible. The Raiders are somewhat competitive, but still aren’t very good. You would have to be a committed fan to watch this game. Or, stuck in Houston, Beaumont, or Bryan. This is a stinker. Pick: Oakland
Seattle at Cleveland: Points will be rung up in this one. The Browns are the surprise of the league with a 4-3 record. Derek Anderson continues to improve his trade value while keeping Brady Quinn on the bench. Pick: Cleveland
Green Bay at Kansas City: Brett Favre is just incredible. He’s playing as well as ever at age 38. The Chiefs have duct-taped this season into something that’s not that bad. They’ve come a long way from their Week 1 loss to the Texans. When you’re hot, you’re hot, and Brett Favre is hot. Pick: Pack
Carolina at Tennessee: The two-headed quarterback monster of David Carr and Vinny Testaverde lead the Panthers into Music City, where they meet Vince Young and Co. The Titans continue to find ways to win. Pick: Tennessee
San Francisco at Atlanta: Double yuck. The Niners have slipped during the absence of QB Alex Smith. The Falcons are simply floundering. I’m glad I don’t have to watch this one. Trent Dilfer vs. Byron Leftwich. I’ll take Leftwich. Pick: Atlanta
San Diego at Minnesota: The Chargers have gotten it together. This one is a classic running back matchup between LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson. L.T. runs all over the Vikings in the dome. Pick: San Diego
Jacksonville at New Orleans: This is a good matchup that not many people are excited about. The Jags continue to win, even with Quinn Gray at QB. The Saints are now only a game out of first place after starting the season 0-4. Saints continue to roll. Pick: New Orleans
Denver at Detroit: One team is playing well, the other one is struggling. But, the roles are reversed here. The Lions are 5-2, which is uncharted territory in recent years for this team. Thank you, Detroit! Pick: Detroit
Cincinnati at Buffalo: Ugh. Neither team is real great, but the Bills can be plucky at times, such as last week when they out-uglied the Jets. Pick: Buffalo
Washington at New York Jets: The Redskins are fairly pedestrian, but they’ll look like Super Bowl winners against the Jets. The Jets are not good. Pick: Washington
Arizona at Tampa Bay: The Bucs aren’t bad. Neither are the Cardinals. Neither team is that good, though. This game defines mediocrity. Go with the home team. Pick: Tampa Bay
Baltimore at Pittsburgh: The Ravens need this one to have a chance in the AFC North. The Steelers are a good team, right behind the Patriots and Colts. Monday Night in the Steel City? Come on. Never pick against Pittsburgh on Monday night. Pick: Pittsburgh
Bye: New York Giants, Miami, Chicago, St. Louis
We are now at the halfway point of the NFL season. We also have the game of the decade, or this year’s version of it, in Indianapolis. Without further adieu, here are this week’s picks:
Last Week: 9-4
Season: 77-39
Dallas at Philadelphia: The biggest game of the year in Philly is when the Cowboys come to town. It bugs the Philly people even more that Cowboy fans couldn’t care less about the Eagles compared to the Redskins and Giants. The Iggles have to be affected by the legal troubles in coach Andy Reid’s family, as both of his young adult sons were sentenced to jail on the same day for drug-related violations this week. The Cowboys are coming off a bye week, which keeps Tony Romo out of Hollywood. Pick: Dallas
New England at Indianapolis: Undefeated vs. Undefeated. The Patriots have been a well-oiled killing machine. The Colts have been unbeatable, as well. Maybe I get caught up with style points, but I have a hard time seeing anyone stopping the Pats. I’d love the see the Colts win, but I don’t see it happening. Pick: New England
Houston at Oakland: Yuck. The Texans won three games before the injury bug hit. Now, they are simply horrible. The Raiders are somewhat competitive, but still aren’t very good. You would have to be a committed fan to watch this game. Or, stuck in Houston, Beaumont, or Bryan. This is a stinker. Pick: Oakland
Seattle at Cleveland: Points will be rung up in this one. The Browns are the surprise of the league with a 4-3 record. Derek Anderson continues to improve his trade value while keeping Brady Quinn on the bench. Pick: Cleveland
Green Bay at Kansas City: Brett Favre is just incredible. He’s playing as well as ever at age 38. The Chiefs have duct-taped this season into something that’s not that bad. They’ve come a long way from their Week 1 loss to the Texans. When you’re hot, you’re hot, and Brett Favre is hot. Pick: Pack
Carolina at Tennessee: The two-headed quarterback monster of David Carr and Vinny Testaverde lead the Panthers into Music City, where they meet Vince Young and Co. The Titans continue to find ways to win. Pick: Tennessee
San Francisco at Atlanta: Double yuck. The Niners have slipped during the absence of QB Alex Smith. The Falcons are simply floundering. I’m glad I don’t have to watch this one. Trent Dilfer vs. Byron Leftwich. I’ll take Leftwich. Pick: Atlanta
San Diego at Minnesota: The Chargers have gotten it together. This one is a classic running back matchup between LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson. L.T. runs all over the Vikings in the dome. Pick: San Diego
Jacksonville at New Orleans: This is a good matchup that not many people are excited about. The Jags continue to win, even with Quinn Gray at QB. The Saints are now only a game out of first place after starting the season 0-4. Saints continue to roll. Pick: New Orleans
Denver at Detroit: One team is playing well, the other one is struggling. But, the roles are reversed here. The Lions are 5-2, which is uncharted territory in recent years for this team. Thank you, Detroit! Pick: Detroit
Cincinnati at Buffalo: Ugh. Neither team is real great, but the Bills can be plucky at times, such as last week when they out-uglied the Jets. Pick: Buffalo
Washington at New York Jets: The Redskins are fairly pedestrian, but they’ll look like Super Bowl winners against the Jets. The Jets are not good. Pick: Washington
Arizona at Tampa Bay: The Bucs aren’t bad. Neither are the Cardinals. Neither team is that good, though. This game defines mediocrity. Go with the home team. Pick: Tampa Bay
Baltimore at Pittsburgh: The Ravens need this one to have a chance in the AFC North. The Steelers are a good team, right behind the Patriots and Colts. Monday Night in the Steel City? Come on. Never pick against Pittsburgh on Monday night. Pick: Pittsburgh
Bye: New York Giants, Miami, Chicago, St. Louis
Interesting Uniform of the Day
While in Atlanta for Thursday night's Engineering Bowl against Georgia Tech, four Virginia Tech players had their jerseys stolen. Enter Georgia Tech. The Yellowjackets' staff lent some used GT jerseys to the VT players for their use in Thursday's game. Pictured here is VT quarterback Sean Glennon in his Georgia Tech jersey.
The VT players marked out "Yellow Jackets" on the front of the jersey and wrote their names on the back of the jerseys with a Sharpie.
Good stuff.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Upcoming Blog Event
Sunday afternoon brings us the NFL version of the Game of the Century (for this year, at least). The undefeated New England Patriots visit Indianapolis to take on the undefeated Colts. This is a matchup of titanic proportions.
CBS will broadcast the game nationally. Almost nationally, that is, thanks to the NFL's TV policy. There are two other games scheduled for the late slot on Sunday.
The Seattle Seahawks play at Cleveland, to be televised on Fox. NFL TV rules prohibit a game to be shown opposite the home team's game in the home market. Therefore, CBS cannot show a game in Cleveland opposite the Seahawks-Browns game. The CBS station in Cleveland will be reduced to showing informercials, old westerns, bad TV movies, or something.
The sorry Houston Texans play in Oakland against the awful Raiders. As is the case with many games in Oakland, it is not a sellout. Therefore, it cannot be televised in Oakland or in any TV market that reaches within 75 miles of the stadium. So, the game will not be televised in the home market of San Francisco, or in the secondary markets of Sacramento and Monterey. Other markets in California that would normally show the Raiders are switching to the Patriots-Colts game.
This means that the Texans-Raiders game will only be shown on three CBS affiliates, plus NFL Sunday Ticket. NFL TV rules force the CBS stations in Houston, Beaumont, and Bryan to televise the Texans-Raiders game. Per NFL rules, the game must be shown in the visiting team's market. Houston is the home market for the Texans. The market areas for the stations in Bryan and Beaumont come within 75 miles of Reliant Stadium, so those cities are considered the Texans' secondary markets by the NFL. The NFL requires all away games to be televised in the team's primary and secondary markets.
So, we in the Houston area are stuck with the sorry Texans. The sports bars will be full on Sunday.
This blog will enter new territory on Sunday. I will be live blogging from a local eating establishment with both NFL Sunday Ticket and wi-fi access. (you gotta love technology) This blog can't miss the Pats and the Colts. Of course, if the game gets bad, the live blog will shut down and go home.
The game starts at 3:15 PM CST. The Patriots-Colts game will be blogged, with possible updates from Texans-Raiders and Seahawks-Browns.
CBS will broadcast the game nationally. Almost nationally, that is, thanks to the NFL's TV policy. There are two other games scheduled for the late slot on Sunday.
The Seattle Seahawks play at Cleveland, to be televised on Fox. NFL TV rules prohibit a game to be shown opposite the home team's game in the home market. Therefore, CBS cannot show a game in Cleveland opposite the Seahawks-Browns game. The CBS station in Cleveland will be reduced to showing informercials, old westerns, bad TV movies, or something.
The sorry Houston Texans play in Oakland against the awful Raiders. As is the case with many games in Oakland, it is not a sellout. Therefore, it cannot be televised in Oakland or in any TV market that reaches within 75 miles of the stadium. So, the game will not be televised in the home market of San Francisco, or in the secondary markets of Sacramento and Monterey. Other markets in California that would normally show the Raiders are switching to the Patriots-Colts game.
This means that the Texans-Raiders game will only be shown on three CBS affiliates, plus NFL Sunday Ticket. NFL TV rules force the CBS stations in Houston, Beaumont, and Bryan to televise the Texans-Raiders game. Per NFL rules, the game must be shown in the visiting team's market. Houston is the home market for the Texans. The market areas for the stations in Bryan and Beaumont come within 75 miles of Reliant Stadium, so those cities are considered the Texans' secondary markets by the NFL. The NFL requires all away games to be televised in the team's primary and secondary markets.
So, we in the Houston area are stuck with the sorry Texans. The sports bars will be full on Sunday.
This blog will enter new territory on Sunday. I will be live blogging from a local eating establishment with both NFL Sunday Ticket and wi-fi access. (you gotta love technology) This blog can't miss the Pats and the Colts. Of course, if the game gets bad, the live blog will shut down and go home.
The game starts at 3:15 PM CST. The Patriots-Colts game will be blogged, with possible updates from Texans-Raiders and Seahawks-Browns.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
College Picks, Week 10
This is one of several Showdown Saturdays on the calendar which will affect the national championship race. There appear to be more teams jockeying for #2 than for #1. Several schools are just waiting for Ohio State and/or Boston College to fall.
Last Week: 12-8
Season: 117-63
Texas A&M at Oklahoma: The Fightin’ Texas Aggies face an uphill struggle as they try to save Dennis Franchione’s job. They visit Norman, where the Sooners have lost two home games in the eight years of the Bob Stoops era. The Sooners are 20 point favorites. OU takes no prisoners Saturday night. Pick: OU
Texas at Oklahoma State: Believe it or not, the Longhorns are now 7-2. They could easily finish 7-5 or 10-2. They are throwing QB Colt McCoy out there with a record of concussions and a suspect offensive line. OSU has their offense in high gear, and will be jacked up in Stillwater. However, an Aggie is an Aggie. The Pokes will find a way to choke this one away. Texas is still Texas. Pick: Horns
Nebraska at Kansas: The Big Red Nation once had an 80-game winning streak over KU. OK, it wasn’t 80 games, but it was around 40 in a row until the Huskers’ last trip to Lawrence in 2005. There is an undefeated team in this game. There is also a dead coach walking in this game. The undefeated team is Kansas. The dead coach walking is NU coach Bill Callahan. Nebraska gave Texas all they wanted last year. This is the year of the Jayhawk, though. Pick: KU
Missouri at Colorado: The Buffs are coming off yet another win over a South Division opponent after wrecking Mike Leach’s pirate ship. Mizzou is due to lose a game that they should not lose. The trip to the mountains is not easy. Pick: CU
Texas Tech at Baylor: Puhleeze. Tech is nothing special, but they should be able to name their score against the hapless Bears. Pick: Tech
Kansas State at Iowa State: K-State is a pretty good team. Iowa State has played hard but come up short the last two weeks against Top 10 teams. Mild upset alert this weekend in Ames. I’m not going to bite, though. Pick: KSU
Arizona State at Oregon: This week’s Game of the Week. Both teams are in the top 5 in the BCS. This is ASU’s toughest task to date. The Ducks benefit by having this one at home. Pick: Ducks
LSU at Alabama: This week’s SEC spectacular is in Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban and the Tide take on his former team. LSU is currently the best team in the SEC. But, the best team doesn’t always win. If this comes down to coaching, Bama has the advantage. Could it be….Saban? Pick: Bama
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech (Thursday): Two well-respected engineering schools battle for the Golden Slide Rule. Not really, but it might be a good idea. VT blew a big one last week at home against Boston College. GT is the most inconsistent team in college football. Tech wins this game no matter what. Pick: VT
Florida State at Boston College: This is a shadow of past FSU teams. In the past, FSU would have pounded BC, even in Boston. This time, it’s different. It could be ugly. It could be New England Patriots-style ugly. BC may lose before the end of the season, but it won’t be this week. Pick: Boston College
Michigan at Michigan State: Meechigan is running roughshod through the Big Ten thus far. It’s hard to tell if it’s due to the strength of Michigan or to the weakness of the Big Ten. The truth is somewhere in the middle. No one hates the Wolverines more than the people in East Lansing (not even the Buckeyes). Sparty will give the Wolverines all they can handle. But, at the end of the day, Michigan is still Michigan. Pick: Meatchicken
Wisconsin at Ohio State: Wiscy is back in the pack of the Big Ten, while TOSU is #1 in the nation. This won’t be a blowout, but Ohio State should be able to handle the Badgers. Pick: Ohio State
Navy at Notre Dame: The Midshipmen visit South Bend as the two schools meet for the 79th consecutive time. The hard part: Notre Dame has defeated Navy 43 times in a row. The last Navy quarterback to beat Notre Dame was Roger Staubach. This is the worst Notre Dame team in my lifetime. Problem is, Navy appears to have taken a half-step back. And, the game is in South Bend this year. Irish eyes smile for once this week. Pick: ND
Oregon State at USC: The Trojans are mortal. They return home to face the up-and-down Beavers. The Trojans are slipping and sliding. This is not the same USC team we have become accustomed to. Nonetheless, they should find a way to beat OSU of the West. Pick: USC
Cincinnati at South Florida: Two of the Big East’s rising stars meet in Tampa. Both teams are slipping of late, with both losing two conference games. USF will be looking for vengeance. Pick: USF
South Carolina at Arkansas: The Gamecocks come off of a heartbreaking overtime loss at Tennessee. The Hogs are in turmoil. Tough pick. Houston Nutt gets one last big win as coach of the Razorbacks. Pick: Arkansas
Rutgers at UConn: Huge Big East game. Who would have thought any football game between these two schools would ever be big? UConn finds themselves in sole possession of first place in the Big East. Rutgers finds themselves being merely above average this season. The Scarlet Knights got torched last week by West Virginia, 31-3. The Runway will be rocking this week in East Hartford. Pick: Connecticut
New Mexico at TCU: Lobos are a strong second in the Mountain West. Frogs are in the midst of a disappointing season. TCU bounces back after the bye week. Pick: TCU
Wake Forest at Virginia: Cavaliers’ good fortune ran out last week in Raleigh against the Wolfpack. Wake Forest won’t repeat as ACC champions this season, but they’re still a pretty good team. As all of UVa’s games have been this season, this will be close. Pick: Virginia
Henderson State at Ouachita Baptist (Thursday): Battle of Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Officially, this is the Coleman Dairy Battle of the Ravine. This is the fifth oldest rivalry in college football, beginning in 1895. The series stands at 37-37-6. It should be standing room only Thursday night in Arkadelphia. I hate to pick against OBU of the East, but I’m going to. Pick: Henderson State
Last Week: 12-8
Season: 117-63
Texas A&M at Oklahoma: The Fightin’ Texas Aggies face an uphill struggle as they try to save Dennis Franchione’s job. They visit Norman, where the Sooners have lost two home games in the eight years of the Bob Stoops era. The Sooners are 20 point favorites. OU takes no prisoners Saturday night. Pick: OU
Texas at Oklahoma State: Believe it or not, the Longhorns are now 7-2. They could easily finish 7-5 or 10-2. They are throwing QB Colt McCoy out there with a record of concussions and a suspect offensive line. OSU has their offense in high gear, and will be jacked up in Stillwater. However, an Aggie is an Aggie. The Pokes will find a way to choke this one away. Texas is still Texas. Pick: Horns
Nebraska at Kansas: The Big Red Nation once had an 80-game winning streak over KU. OK, it wasn’t 80 games, but it was around 40 in a row until the Huskers’ last trip to Lawrence in 2005. There is an undefeated team in this game. There is also a dead coach walking in this game. The undefeated team is Kansas. The dead coach walking is NU coach Bill Callahan. Nebraska gave Texas all they wanted last year. This is the year of the Jayhawk, though. Pick: KU
Missouri at Colorado: The Buffs are coming off yet another win over a South Division opponent after wrecking Mike Leach’s pirate ship. Mizzou is due to lose a game that they should not lose. The trip to the mountains is not easy. Pick: CU
Texas Tech at Baylor: Puhleeze. Tech is nothing special, but they should be able to name their score against the hapless Bears. Pick: Tech
Kansas State at Iowa State: K-State is a pretty good team. Iowa State has played hard but come up short the last two weeks against Top 10 teams. Mild upset alert this weekend in Ames. I’m not going to bite, though. Pick: KSU
Arizona State at Oregon: This week’s Game of the Week. Both teams are in the top 5 in the BCS. This is ASU’s toughest task to date. The Ducks benefit by having this one at home. Pick: Ducks
LSU at Alabama: This week’s SEC spectacular is in Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban and the Tide take on his former team. LSU is currently the best team in the SEC. But, the best team doesn’t always win. If this comes down to coaching, Bama has the advantage. Could it be….Saban? Pick: Bama
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech (Thursday): Two well-respected engineering schools battle for the Golden Slide Rule. Not really, but it might be a good idea. VT blew a big one last week at home against Boston College. GT is the most inconsistent team in college football. Tech wins this game no matter what. Pick: VT
Florida State at Boston College: This is a shadow of past FSU teams. In the past, FSU would have pounded BC, even in Boston. This time, it’s different. It could be ugly. It could be New England Patriots-style ugly. BC may lose before the end of the season, but it won’t be this week. Pick: Boston College
Michigan at Michigan State: Meechigan is running roughshod through the Big Ten thus far. It’s hard to tell if it’s due to the strength of Michigan or to the weakness of the Big Ten. The truth is somewhere in the middle. No one hates the Wolverines more than the people in East Lansing (not even the Buckeyes). Sparty will give the Wolverines all they can handle. But, at the end of the day, Michigan is still Michigan. Pick: Meatchicken
Wisconsin at Ohio State: Wiscy is back in the pack of the Big Ten, while TOSU is #1 in the nation. This won’t be a blowout, but Ohio State should be able to handle the Badgers. Pick: Ohio State
Navy at Notre Dame: The Midshipmen visit South Bend as the two schools meet for the 79th consecutive time. The hard part: Notre Dame has defeated Navy 43 times in a row. The last Navy quarterback to beat Notre Dame was Roger Staubach. This is the worst Notre Dame team in my lifetime. Problem is, Navy appears to have taken a half-step back. And, the game is in South Bend this year. Irish eyes smile for once this week. Pick: ND
Oregon State at USC: The Trojans are mortal. They return home to face the up-and-down Beavers. The Trojans are slipping and sliding. This is not the same USC team we have become accustomed to. Nonetheless, they should find a way to beat OSU of the West. Pick: USC
Cincinnati at South Florida: Two of the Big East’s rising stars meet in Tampa. Both teams are slipping of late, with both losing two conference games. USF will be looking for vengeance. Pick: USF
South Carolina at Arkansas: The Gamecocks come off of a heartbreaking overtime loss at Tennessee. The Hogs are in turmoil. Tough pick. Houston Nutt gets one last big win as coach of the Razorbacks. Pick: Arkansas
Rutgers at UConn: Huge Big East game. Who would have thought any football game between these two schools would ever be big? UConn finds themselves in sole possession of first place in the Big East. Rutgers finds themselves being merely above average this season. The Scarlet Knights got torched last week by West Virginia, 31-3. The Runway will be rocking this week in East Hartford. Pick: Connecticut
New Mexico at TCU: Lobos are a strong second in the Mountain West. Frogs are in the midst of a disappointing season. TCU bounces back after the bye week. Pick: TCU
Wake Forest at Virginia: Cavaliers’ good fortune ran out last week in Raleigh against the Wolfpack. Wake Forest won’t repeat as ACC champions this season, but they’re still a pretty good team. As all of UVa’s games have been this season, this will be close. Pick: Virginia
Henderson State at Ouachita Baptist (Thursday): Battle of Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Officially, this is the Coleman Dairy Battle of the Ravine. This is the fifth oldest rivalry in college football, beginning in 1895. The series stands at 37-37-6. It should be standing room only Thursday night in Arkadelphia. I hate to pick against OBU of the East, but I’m going to. Pick: Henderson State
Blowin' Chunks
Here's Heisman contender Matt Ryan of Boston College after leading his team to an improbable late comeback win over Virginia Tech. Right before this clip, ESPN's Craig James said: "Oh, yeah, he's givin' it up".
Good stuff.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Eerie Parallels
This is currently flying around the Internet. I did not create this. It is a list of parallels between the fall of the Miami dynasty of the early 2000's and the current fall of the recent USC dynasty.
Miami ( 2000-2004 )
00 : 11-1
01 : 12-0
02 : 12-1
03 : 11-2
04 : 9-3
* 34 Game Win Streak
* Appeared in back-to-back BCS National Title games
* Lost 34 game win streak in 2nd National Title game appearance
* 4 straight BCS bids
* Located near an ocean
* Played home games in a stadium vacated by an NFL team
* In the 4th year of their "Dynasty", a 5* QB from Shreveport Evangel Christian High School became the starter.
* In said 4th year the 5* QB who took over was the #1 QB in his recruiting class ( Berlin ).
* The last name of that same 5* QB from Evangel Christian High started with the letter "B"
* In the same 4th year of their "Dynasty" they had a back up QB that was a 5* who happened to be from California.
* In the same 4th year that backup 5* QB who was from California was the former #1 Pro-Style QB and #1 QB overall in the country.
* Were 6-2 overall after 8 games in 2004
* In their 5th year ( 2004 ) they lost their 2nd game of the year by the score of 24-17.
* In their 5th year ( 2004 ) they scored 27 points in their 4th game of the year.
* In their first BCS championship game, Miami pounded a Big 12 team wearing red (Nebraska).
* In their second BCS championship game, they were defeated very late in the game (Ohio State).
* Miami's loss total went as follows: 1-0-1-2-3
* Miami lost those games in the following seasons as follows:
00 : Road ( v. Pac-10 team )
01 : None
02 : None ( Minus their 2nd National Title game bowl appearance )
03 : Road & Home
04 : Road, Home, Home
USC ( 2003-2007 )
03 : 12-1
04 : 13-0
05 : 12-1
06 : 11-2
07 : 6-2
* 34 Game Win Streak
* Appeared in back-to-back BCS National Title games
* Lost 34 game win streak in 2nd National Title game appearance
* 4 straight BCS bids
* Located near an ocean
* Played home games in a stadium vacated by an NFL team (in this case, two NFL teams)
* In the 4th year of their "Dynasty", a 5* QB from Shreveport Evangel Christian High School became the starter.
* In said 4th year the 5* QB who took over was the #1 QB in his recruiting class ( Booty ).
* The last name of that same 5* QB from Evangel Christian High started with the letter "B"
* In the same 4th year of their "Dynasty" they had a back up QB who was a 5* who happened to be from California.
* In the same 4th year that backup 5* QB who was from California was the former #1 Pro-Style QB and #1 QB overall in the country.
* Were 6-2 overall after 8 games in 2004
* In their 5th year ( 2007 ) they lost their 2nd game of the year by the score of 24-17.
* In their 5th year ( 2007 ) they scored 27 points in their 4th game of the year.
* In their first BCS championship game, USC pounded a Big 12 team wearing red (Oklahoma).
* In their second BCS championship game, they were defeated very late in the game (Texas).
* USC's loss total went as follows: 1-0-1-2-( sits at 2 currently )
* USC lost those games in the following seasons as follows:
03 : Road ( v. Pac 10 team )
04 : None
05 : None ( Minus their 2nd National Title game bowl appearance )
06 : Road & "Road" played game in CA v. UCLA with a 50/50 split SC/UCLA fans
07 : Road, Home ( SC has 2 home games left - Ore St & UCLA )
This is up there with the parallels between the Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations.
Miami ( 2000-2004 )
00 : 11-1
01 : 12-0
02 : 12-1
03 : 11-2
04 : 9-3
* 34 Game Win Streak
* Appeared in back-to-back BCS National Title games
* Lost 34 game win streak in 2nd National Title game appearance
* 4 straight BCS bids
* Located near an ocean
* Played home games in a stadium vacated by an NFL team
* In the 4th year of their "Dynasty", a 5* QB from Shreveport Evangel Christian High School became the starter.
* In said 4th year the 5* QB who took over was the #1 QB in his recruiting class ( Berlin ).
* The last name of that same 5* QB from Evangel Christian High started with the letter "B"
* In the same 4th year of their "Dynasty" they had a back up QB that was a 5* who happened to be from California.
* In the same 4th year that backup 5* QB who was from California was the former #1 Pro-Style QB and #1 QB overall in the country.
* Were 6-2 overall after 8 games in 2004
* In their 5th year ( 2004 ) they lost their 2nd game of the year by the score of 24-17.
* In their 5th year ( 2004 ) they scored 27 points in their 4th game of the year.
* In their first BCS championship game, Miami pounded a Big 12 team wearing red (Nebraska).
* In their second BCS championship game, they were defeated very late in the game (Ohio State).
* Miami's loss total went as follows: 1-0-1-2-3
* Miami lost those games in the following seasons as follows:
00 : Road ( v. Pac-10 team )
01 : None
02 : None ( Minus their 2nd National Title game bowl appearance )
03 : Road & Home
04 : Road, Home, Home
USC ( 2003-2007 )
03 : 12-1
04 : 13-0
05 : 12-1
06 : 11-2
07 : 6-2
* 34 Game Win Streak
* Appeared in back-to-back BCS National Title games
* Lost 34 game win streak in 2nd National Title game appearance
* 4 straight BCS bids
* Located near an ocean
* Played home games in a stadium vacated by an NFL team (in this case, two NFL teams)
* In the 4th year of their "Dynasty", a 5* QB from Shreveport Evangel Christian High School became the starter.
* In said 4th year the 5* QB who took over was the #1 QB in his recruiting class ( Booty ).
* The last name of that same 5* QB from Evangel Christian High started with the letter "B"
* In the same 4th year of their "Dynasty" they had a back up QB who was a 5* who happened to be from California.
* In the same 4th year that backup 5* QB who was from California was the former #1 Pro-Style QB and #1 QB overall in the country.
* Were 6-2 overall after 8 games in 2004
* In their 5th year ( 2007 ) they lost their 2nd game of the year by the score of 24-17.
* In their 5th year ( 2007 ) they scored 27 points in their 4th game of the year.
* In their first BCS championship game, USC pounded a Big 12 team wearing red (Oklahoma).
* In their second BCS championship game, they were defeated very late in the game (Texas).
* USC's loss total went as follows: 1-0-1-2-( sits at 2 currently )
* USC lost those games in the following seasons as follows:
03 : Road ( v. Pac 10 team )
04 : None
05 : None ( Minus their 2nd National Title game bowl appearance )
06 : Road & "Road" played game in CA v. UCLA with a 50/50 split SC/UCLA fans
07 : Road, Home ( SC has 2 home games left - Ore St & UCLA )
This is up there with the parallels between the Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
NFL Highway, Week 8
For the 500th post to this blog...
The NFL highway is really long this week. With a game in London, it actually involves crossing an ocean by boat or by plane. This was one of the most uneventful weekends in recent memory. There were six teams out on bye weeks and a slew of awful games.
The Miami Dolphins played a home game against the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday. The NFL did a good job dressing up the stadium in the Dolphins’ colors, and the Dolphins did their part by bringing a ton of rain with them from Miami. The pitch at Wembley turned muddy and ugly very quickly. The game was as ugly as the weather and the field. The Giants came away with a 13-10 win.
Meanwhile, back in the States, the Indianapolis Colts visited Charlotte and thumped the Carolina Panthers, 31-7. The Colts are now 7-0, and host undefeated New England next Sunday.
Print up those playoff tickets in Detroit. The Lions are now 5-2. They completed a sweep of the Chicago Bears with a 16-7 win in Chicago. The Bears have serious quarterback problems, as Brian Griese threw four interceptions.
The Pittsburgh Steelers continued to have their way with the Cincinnati Bengals, with a 24-13 win Sunday in the Queen City. The Steelers are 5-2, while the Bengals are now 2-5. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is in serious trouble. The Bengals ought to be better than they are right now.
The Philadelphia Eagles went into Minnesota and held star running back Adrian Peterson to 70 yards on 20 carries, while defeating the Vikings, 23-16. The Vikings need a quarterback in the worst way. Some guy named Visanthe Shiamcoe caught a touchdown pass for the Vikings in the loss.
Break up the Browns! Cleveland is 4-3 headed into their bye week, after defeating the hapless St. Louis Rams 27-20. The Rams welcomed Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson back from injury, but it still wasn’t enough. Derek Anderson is making the Browns think they wasted a first-round draft pick on Brady Quinn. He threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns for Cleveland.
Vince Young threw for 42 yards today for the Tennessee Titans. The Titans lost, right? Wrong. The Titans rode defense to a 13-9 win over the Oakland Raiders. The Titans moved their record to 5-2. They aren’t getting much love residing in the same division as the mighty Colts.
The late games provided one of the worst set of contests in the history of the NFL. Only one game turned out to be worth watching, as the Jacksonville Jaguars went down to Tampa and beat the Buccaneers, 24-23. Quinn Gray got his first win as a starter in the NFL. The Jags are now 5-2. The AFC South is looking really stout.
Bringing up the rear in the AFC South are the Houston Texans. The Texans went out to California and were drilled, 35-10, by the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers’ Antonio Cromartie recovered a fumble for a touchdown, and returned an interception 70 yards for another score. The Chargers are beginning to flex their muscle.
In New York, the Bills and Jets threatened to play a game without a touchdown. The Bills scored a late TD to seal a 13-3 win for Buffalo. This game was as ugly as it sounds.
The New Orleans Saints are making their run after an awful start. The Saints went to San Francisco and pummeled the 49ers, 31-10. The 49ers are struggling after showing signs of life last season.
Last, but definitely not least, the New England Patriots continued to pound the competition. The Washington Redskins are the latest victims. The Patriots hung half a hundred on Sunday, thumping the ‘Skins, 52-7. The Redskins scored late to avert the shutout. Can we cancel the season and just let the Pats and the Colts play in the AFC championship game?
The Monday Night extravaganza features the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos. Can the Pack continue their good start? Can the Broncos build on last week's win?
The NFL highway is really long this week. With a game in London, it actually involves crossing an ocean by boat or by plane. This was one of the most uneventful weekends in recent memory. There were six teams out on bye weeks and a slew of awful games.
The Miami Dolphins played a home game against the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday. The NFL did a good job dressing up the stadium in the Dolphins’ colors, and the Dolphins did their part by bringing a ton of rain with them from Miami. The pitch at Wembley turned muddy and ugly very quickly. The game was as ugly as the weather and the field. The Giants came away with a 13-10 win.
Meanwhile, back in the States, the Indianapolis Colts visited Charlotte and thumped the Carolina Panthers, 31-7. The Colts are now 7-0, and host undefeated New England next Sunday.
Print up those playoff tickets in Detroit. The Lions are now 5-2. They completed a sweep of the Chicago Bears with a 16-7 win in Chicago. The Bears have serious quarterback problems, as Brian Griese threw four interceptions.
The Pittsburgh Steelers continued to have their way with the Cincinnati Bengals, with a 24-13 win Sunday in the Queen City. The Steelers are 5-2, while the Bengals are now 2-5. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is in serious trouble. The Bengals ought to be better than they are right now.
The Philadelphia Eagles went into Minnesota and held star running back Adrian Peterson to 70 yards on 20 carries, while defeating the Vikings, 23-16. The Vikings need a quarterback in the worst way. Some guy named Visanthe Shiamcoe caught a touchdown pass for the Vikings in the loss.
Break up the Browns! Cleveland is 4-3 headed into their bye week, after defeating the hapless St. Louis Rams 27-20. The Rams welcomed Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson back from injury, but it still wasn’t enough. Derek Anderson is making the Browns think they wasted a first-round draft pick on Brady Quinn. He threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns for Cleveland.
Vince Young threw for 42 yards today for the Tennessee Titans. The Titans lost, right? Wrong. The Titans rode defense to a 13-9 win over the Oakland Raiders. The Titans moved their record to 5-2. They aren’t getting much love residing in the same division as the mighty Colts.
The late games provided one of the worst set of contests in the history of the NFL. Only one game turned out to be worth watching, as the Jacksonville Jaguars went down to Tampa and beat the Buccaneers, 24-23. Quinn Gray got his first win as a starter in the NFL. The Jags are now 5-2. The AFC South is looking really stout.
Bringing up the rear in the AFC South are the Houston Texans. The Texans went out to California and were drilled, 35-10, by the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers’ Antonio Cromartie recovered a fumble for a touchdown, and returned an interception 70 yards for another score. The Chargers are beginning to flex their muscle.
In New York, the Bills and Jets threatened to play a game without a touchdown. The Bills scored a late TD to seal a 13-3 win for Buffalo. This game was as ugly as it sounds.
The New Orleans Saints are making their run after an awful start. The Saints went to San Francisco and pummeled the 49ers, 31-10. The 49ers are struggling after showing signs of life last season.
Last, but definitely not least, the New England Patriots continued to pound the competition. The Washington Redskins are the latest victims. The Patriots hung half a hundred on Sunday, thumping the ‘Skins, 52-7. The Redskins scored late to avert the shutout. Can we cancel the season and just let the Pats and the Colts play in the AFC championship game?
The Monday Night extravaganza features the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos. Can the Pack continue their good start? Can the Broncos build on last week's win?
More Knee-Jerk Reactions
In the late night West Coast game, Arizona State remained undefeated with a 31-20 win over the Cal Bears. This sets up a Top 5 showdown this Saturday in Eugene between ASU and the Oregon Ducks.
Philip Fulmer nearly hurled in his Post Toasties. His Tennessee Volunteers blew a 21-0 lead, and allowed South Carolina to take a 24-21 lead. The Vols nearly lost a fumble on a game-tying drive, and missed a game-tying field goal, only to have it called back due to a false start penalty. The Vols were backed up five more yards and made the field goal, sending it to overtime. Tennessee then kicked a field goal and then held SC without points to win 27-24 in overtime.
The Fighting Manginos are for real. Kansas and Texas A&M played a scoreless first half, then the Jayhawks took control in the second half for a 19-11 win. Next up for the Ags: ABC Saturday Night Football in Norman against OU. KU is undefeated at 8-0. I'm already getting geeked up for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when KU and Mizzou play at Arrowhead Stadium for the Big 12 North title.
In last night's Saturday Night spectacular, The Ohio State University went to Happy Valley and pounded The Pennsylvania State University, 37-17. Yes, that is the real name of PSU. What's an 80 year-old man doing working in a 100,000 seat stadium on a Saturday night?
That's all for now..
Philip Fulmer nearly hurled in his Post Toasties. His Tennessee Volunteers blew a 21-0 lead, and allowed South Carolina to take a 24-21 lead. The Vols nearly lost a fumble on a game-tying drive, and missed a game-tying field goal, only to have it called back due to a false start penalty. The Vols were backed up five more yards and made the field goal, sending it to overtime. Tennessee then kicked a field goal and then held SC without points to win 27-24 in overtime.
The Fighting Manginos are for real. Kansas and Texas A&M played a scoreless first half, then the Jayhawks took control in the second half for a 19-11 win. Next up for the Ags: ABC Saturday Night Football in Norman against OU. KU is undefeated at 8-0. I'm already getting geeked up for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when KU and Mizzou play at Arrowhead Stadium for the Big 12 North title.
In last night's Saturday Night spectacular, The Ohio State University went to Happy Valley and pounded The Pennsylvania State University, 37-17. Yes, that is the real name of PSU. What's an 80 year-old man doing working in a 100,000 seat stadium on a Saturday night?
That's all for now..
Homer Call of the Day
This is from the world of Division III. Trinity University of San Antonio traveled to Jackson, MS to take on the Millsaps Majors. Trinity used an improbable series of laterals to score a long touchdown to snatch a victory on the last play of the game. The play looked like a combination of rugby and "Kill the Man With The Football". Meanwhile, the announcers nearly had a heart attack in the booth.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Knee-Jerk Reactions
Some knee-jerk reactions from the Sooners' off week...
Nebraska came to play. They led Texas for most of the game before Jamaal Charles broke two long runs in the fourth quarter, and the Longhorns held on for a 28-25 win. KU, K-State, and Colorado better not pencil the Huskers in for an easy W just yet. However, the Bill Callahan death watch is still on.
The UConn Huskies are still in first place in the Big East. It wasn't real long ago that UConn was in the Yankee Conference and South Florida didn't have a team. There they were today in East Hartford, playing for at least a share of the Big East lead. UConn got a big 22-15 win over the Bulls, the biggest win in the history of the program. The biggest beneficiary of that result, though, was West Virginia. The Mountaineers have the one conference loss to South Florida, but are plowing through the rest of their opposition. Today, they beat Rutgers, 38-3.
Say goodbye to the Florida Gators. They went out and lost to their archrival Georgia Bulldogs, 42-30. The Gators now have three losses in the conference. The way the SEC is cannibalizing itself, the Gators may have an outside chance at the SEC championship game. But, that is doubtful.
Elsewhere in the SEC, the Kentucky Wildcats were very flat today. They lost at home to Sly and the Family Croom, aka the Mississippi State Bulldogs. MSU won decisively, 31-14. The Cowbell Crew still has a good chance to play in a bowl this season.
Also, say goodbye to the USC Trojans. The Condoms went up to Eugene and lost to the Oregon Ducks, 24-17. Oregon still has a good shot to end up in the top two in the final BCS rankings at season's end. USC is looking at going some place like the Holiday or Sun Bowl.
Finally, George Washington is dead. The horse, that is. He was euthanized after an injury in today's Breeders Cup.
More later...
Nebraska came to play. They led Texas for most of the game before Jamaal Charles broke two long runs in the fourth quarter, and the Longhorns held on for a 28-25 win. KU, K-State, and Colorado better not pencil the Huskers in for an easy W just yet. However, the Bill Callahan death watch is still on.
The UConn Huskies are still in first place in the Big East. It wasn't real long ago that UConn was in the Yankee Conference and South Florida didn't have a team. There they were today in East Hartford, playing for at least a share of the Big East lead. UConn got a big 22-15 win over the Bulls, the biggest win in the history of the program. The biggest beneficiary of that result, though, was West Virginia. The Mountaineers have the one conference loss to South Florida, but are plowing through the rest of their opposition. Today, they beat Rutgers, 38-3.
Say goodbye to the Florida Gators. They went out and lost to their archrival Georgia Bulldogs, 42-30. The Gators now have three losses in the conference. The way the SEC is cannibalizing itself, the Gators may have an outside chance at the SEC championship game. But, that is doubtful.
Elsewhere in the SEC, the Kentucky Wildcats were very flat today. They lost at home to Sly and the Family Croom, aka the Mississippi State Bulldogs. MSU won decisively, 31-14. The Cowbell Crew still has a good chance to play in a bowl this season.
Also, say goodbye to the USC Trojans. The Condoms went up to Eugene and lost to the Oregon Ducks, 24-17. Oregon still has a good shot to end up in the top two in the final BCS rankings at season's end. USC is looking at going some place like the Holiday or Sun Bowl.
Finally, George Washington is dead. The horse, that is. He was euthanized after an injury in today's Breeders Cup.
More later...
Friday, October 26, 2007
NFL Picks, Week 8
We are almost halfway through the NFL season. We have a good idea of who is good (New England, Indianapolis), who is bad (St. Louis, Miami), and who is in the middle (a bunch of teams). The NFL goes overseas this weekend, as the Giants and the Dolphins play each other in jolly old London, England.
Last Week: 11-3
Season: 68-35
New York Giants vs. Miami at Wembley Stadium, London: The NFL invades the land of the English Premier League with a not-so great matchup. The Giants are looking pretty good. The Dolphins look like a team that would be better left in England as a new team in NFL Europe. Oh, yeah, NFL Europe no longer exists. The Dolphins will have to return to Miami after the game. Pick: Giants
Indianapolis at Carolina: The Colts march into Carolina with an undefeated record, one week before their titanic matchup with the Patriots. The Panthers are 4-2 while starting three different quarterbacks. This week, the ageless Vinny Testaverde will start at QB for Carolina. The Colts will take care of business this week. Pick: Indy
Detroit at Chicago: The Lions are shocking the world with their 4-2 record. The Lions definitely have more offense than the Bears, but they are also going into the great outdoors of Soldier Field. I don’t trust this dome team outside. Pick: Da Bears
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati: The Bengals have a good offense, but run into a team with a good defense. Plus, Pittsburgh has a good enough offense to outscore Cincy. Look for Ben Roethlisberger to light up the Bengals in his return to Ohio. Pick: Pittsburgh
Philadelphia at Minnesota: The Eagles have stumbled on some hard luck, while the Vikings seem to be headed nowhere in spite of their two-headed running back monster of Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. The Vikes are a different team at home. Pick: Minnesota
Cleveland at St. Louis: The Rams once played in Cleveland. St. Louis is stuck with them now. This game is not sold out, meaning this game will only be seen on TV in southern Missouri and northern Ohio. Can you blame the good people of St. Louis for not wanting to spend their hard-earned cash to see an 0-7 team? RB Steven Jackson should be back for the Rams, but that won’t be enough. Derek Anderson continues to light it up for the Browns. Pick: CLE
Oakland at Tennessee: The Raiders are rather unpredictable. So are the Titans, who expect Vince Young to return this week. The Titans won’t need eight field goals this week. Pick: Tennessee
Buffalo at New York Jets: Ugh. This qualifies as the Suck Bowl. The Bills got back in the win column last week. Every dog has its day, and Sunday is the Jets’ day. Pick: Jets
Houston at San Diego: This game was rumored to be headed everywhere from Phoenix to Houston to Dallas to back to San Diego this week. Thankfully, Qualcomm Stadium will be used for football on Sunday, and not as a shelter. The Chargers have been whipping themselves back into shape. In spite of this week’s chaos, they should be able to handle the Texans. Pick: San Diego
Jacksonville at Tampa Bay: The Battle of Florida. Or, two-thirds of it, anyway. The Jags are down to a second-team quarterback, Quinn Gray. The Bucs are much better at home than on the road. Pick: Bucs
Washington at New England: The Redskins may as well be the Washington Generals this week. You can’t stop the Patriots. You can only hope to contain them. Pick: Pats
New Orleans at San Francisco: The Saints are on the way back. The Niners are not. I’m glad I won’t get stuck watching this stinker. Pick: New Orleans
Green Bay at Denver: The Monday Night special gives us a rematch of Super Bowl XXXII. Brett Favre still plays for the Packers. John Elway does not play for the Broncos. The Broncos saved their season last week by beating Pittsburgh. Can the Broncos do it two weeks in a row? I don’t think so. Pick: Green Bay
Bye: Dallas, Kansas City, Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Seattle
Last Week: 11-3
Season: 68-35
New York Giants vs. Miami at Wembley Stadium, London: The NFL invades the land of the English Premier League with a not-so great matchup. The Giants are looking pretty good. The Dolphins look like a team that would be better left in England as a new team in NFL Europe. Oh, yeah, NFL Europe no longer exists. The Dolphins will have to return to Miami after the game. Pick: Giants
Indianapolis at Carolina: The Colts march into Carolina with an undefeated record, one week before their titanic matchup with the Patriots. The Panthers are 4-2 while starting three different quarterbacks. This week, the ageless Vinny Testaverde will start at QB for Carolina. The Colts will take care of business this week. Pick: Indy
Detroit at Chicago: The Lions are shocking the world with their 4-2 record. The Lions definitely have more offense than the Bears, but they are also going into the great outdoors of Soldier Field. I don’t trust this dome team outside. Pick: Da Bears
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati: The Bengals have a good offense, but run into a team with a good defense. Plus, Pittsburgh has a good enough offense to outscore Cincy. Look for Ben Roethlisberger to light up the Bengals in his return to Ohio. Pick: Pittsburgh
Philadelphia at Minnesota: The Eagles have stumbled on some hard luck, while the Vikings seem to be headed nowhere in spite of their two-headed running back monster of Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. The Vikes are a different team at home. Pick: Minnesota
Cleveland at St. Louis: The Rams once played in Cleveland. St. Louis is stuck with them now. This game is not sold out, meaning this game will only be seen on TV in southern Missouri and northern Ohio. Can you blame the good people of St. Louis for not wanting to spend their hard-earned cash to see an 0-7 team? RB Steven Jackson should be back for the Rams, but that won’t be enough. Derek Anderson continues to light it up for the Browns. Pick: CLE
Oakland at Tennessee: The Raiders are rather unpredictable. So are the Titans, who expect Vince Young to return this week. The Titans won’t need eight field goals this week. Pick: Tennessee
Buffalo at New York Jets: Ugh. This qualifies as the Suck Bowl. The Bills got back in the win column last week. Every dog has its day, and Sunday is the Jets’ day. Pick: Jets
Houston at San Diego: This game was rumored to be headed everywhere from Phoenix to Houston to Dallas to back to San Diego this week. Thankfully, Qualcomm Stadium will be used for football on Sunday, and not as a shelter. The Chargers have been whipping themselves back into shape. In spite of this week’s chaos, they should be able to handle the Texans. Pick: San Diego
Jacksonville at Tampa Bay: The Battle of Florida. Or, two-thirds of it, anyway. The Jags are down to a second-team quarterback, Quinn Gray. The Bucs are much better at home than on the road. Pick: Bucs
Washington at New England: The Redskins may as well be the Washington Generals this week. You can’t stop the Patriots. You can only hope to contain them. Pick: Pats
New Orleans at San Francisco: The Saints are on the way back. The Niners are not. I’m glad I won’t get stuck watching this stinker. Pick: New Orleans
Green Bay at Denver: The Monday Night special gives us a rematch of Super Bowl XXXII. Brett Favre still plays for the Packers. John Elway does not play for the Broncos. The Broncos saved their season last week by beating Pittsburgh. Can the Broncos do it two weeks in a row? I don’t think so. Pick: Green Bay
Bye: Dallas, Kansas City, Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Seattle
Bonkers In Beantown
Every once in a while, a city and a region hits the jackpot with their sports teams. Right now, it's Boston's turn. This is quickly turning into the Year of Chowder. (I'm not from there, so I'll call it chowder. The natives call it chowdah)
The Boston Red Sox are two wins away from another world championship. They have dominated the Colorado Rockies in the first two games of the World Series. The Series now shifts to Denver, but I'd be shocked if this series went back to Boston. The modern-day Red Sox are different from the old Red Sox, so I don't expect a choke here.
The New England Patriots are dominating the National Football League. They've pounded bad teams and good teams. Tom Brady is lighting up the scoreboard for fantasy owners everywhere. Only the Indianapolis Colts stand between them and a fourth Super Bowl in eight years.
Boston College is an Ohio State loss away from the #1 ranking in the BCS. The Eagles pulled a win out of the bag Thursday night at Virginia Tech, overcoming a 10-0 deficit in the last five minutes of the game to win 14-10. The Eagles are good enough to run the table in the ACC and remain in the top two of the BCS standings. That would give them a spot in the BCS National Championship Game.
The Boston Celtics made some blockbuster deals over the off-season in an attempt to return to greatness. They now have Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to go along with Paul Pierce and a bunch of other guys. They will contend for the Eastern Conference championship in the NBA.
The Boston Bruins are currently in 4th place in the NHL Eastern Conference. It's a long season, and any team can get hot in the playoffs.
It's an exciting and wicked* time for the home of Legal Sea Foods and Papa Gino's Pizza. Beantown and all of New England are sticking their chests out, for good reason. The Hub is rocking.
*In New England, the word wicked=good.
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