Week 3 Lines
I really need to do a better job of writing these posts a tad sooner than noon on Sunday. Although it's not like anyone is actually heeding my advice and rushing to their bookie's with my picks. But I do lose a bit of respectability when I am literally waiting until the LAST minute to publish the post.
I haven't even looked at the lines yet. So my assessment and analysis will totally be a gut feeling. Absolutely no research has been done (as usual) and there will be a hefty dose of bias in everything I write. Let's go.
(Team in bold: Winner)
San Francisco (+2.5) at Cincinnati
Talk about a stinker. I know that the NFL has taken the reigns from baseball as our national pastime and that a low-level football game normally would have higher Neilsen ratings than a Yankees-Red Sox playoff game, but not this one. This one is awful. And that's why gambling is so important. Without gambling, the only thing that would matter in this game is Andy Dalton's growth as a quarterback and how Jim Harbaugh responds to his first loss as an NFL head coach. Boring. Give me the road dog and the points.
New England (-7.5) at Buffalo
Another road dog, and this one is easy. Boy, would I LOVE to see New England get their proverbial heads kicked in today. They deserve a good whooping early in the season. From the looks of it, the Pats will have the East wrapped up and playing their second stringers by Week 13. But the Bills can put a temporary halt to that with a win at home today. But I don't see it. Tom Brady has gotten progressively better every season he has been in the league and by the time he's 48, he'll being throwing for 70 TDs a year and 10,000 yards.
Houston at New Orleans (-3.5)
Toughest pick of the week. And I haven't even looked at the other lines. I'm making that blanket statement already. There's a nice, high over/under for this game at 51.5. Taking the over is too easy though. And I know once I do take the over, the Saints and Texans will be struggling for field position all game and it will end in a 3-3 tie.
Giants (+8.5) at Philadelphia
Yes, I am a Jet fan. But I am not a Giant hater. Especially when they're playing a team from Philadelphia. That dirty place only has one thing going for it: beer. Philly's craft beer scene is unmatched on the East Coast. It's the one and only reason I would ever trek down there. Giants lose but cover.
Miami (-1.5) at Cleveland
Denver at Tennessee (-7)
Detroit (-3) at Minnesota
Jacksonville (+3.5) at Carolina
Kansas City (+14.5) at San Diego
The Chiefs are bad, but they're not THIS bad right. There is no way they are not going to cover. I usually don't do this, but my goal in life is to become a haughty NFL studio analyst, so I'm going to make this my LOCK OF THE WEEK. I absolutely guarantee that Kansas City will cover. They will keep the game close and lose by 10. LOCK IT UP!
New York (-3) at Oakland
Clearly a homer pick. But hey, when it is not broke, you do not fix it. I'm sure Sanchez will throw 3 pick-sixes and Shonn Greene will have 15 carries for 14 yards, but the defense will bail them out and Rex Ryan's will have to buy a new belt. Which he does after every Jet win. Also, the Raiders will never be good in my eyes. (Will regret writing that)
Baltimore (-5.5) at St. Louis
Aw, there was so much promise in St. Louis before the season started. Sam Bradford was coming off a remarkable rookie season and Stephen Jackson could maybe possibly NOT get injured and the team could win that shitty division. But no, for it is not to be. Bradford has regressed a bit and Stephen Jackson might as well have gotten injured during the coin toss. Baltimore wins by A LOT.
Atlanta (+1.5) at Tampa Bay
The Bucs are favored in this game? Wow. Didn't the Falcons have the best record in the NFC last season? Is Matt Ryan dead?
Arizona (-3.5) at Seattle
Green Bay at Chicago (+4.5)
Ohhh, upset city! Although personally, I wouldn't call it an upset. These two teams have a historic rivalry and in any rivalry, the Bears could field 8 players and I would still take Chicago to cover. Games like these are CLOSE, always. Last year's NFC Championship game was evidence of that. Hell, Jay Cutler left early in the game with an injury and the Bears still made it close. Bears by 3 at home.
Pittsburgh (-10.5) at Indianapolis
This is sad.
Washington at Dallas (-4)
Enjoy the games!
How about that!
How about it, huh? 11-5 against the spread in Week 2 for yours truly. I really should make a career out of gambling. Based entirely off that small sample set.
I'll admit I am not much of a gambler though. I went to Las Vegas last year and barely went near the casinos. I feared them for many reasons. One being losing all the beautiful money I earned and/or was given to me by my grandparents for my birthdays. Another reason was that I feared looking stupid in front of the more seasoned gamblers. On more than one occasion I was berated for taking too long to place a bet by both veteran gamblers and the dealer. Apparently you're not supposed to put much thought into parting with your money.
But if things don't pick up in the economy soon, I may be forced into the morally questionable world of gambling and prostitution. Or just gambling. Whatever pays.
I’ll start from Week 2
I could give you a litany of excuses as to why I have not been posting on the site that bears my name, but you wouldn't believe any of them because they would all be lies. Truth be told, I lost interest in writing. After college I got a real life job and all my hopes and dreams were dashed in an instant. Therefore, I became less interesting and settled into my lame, mundane life.
BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED!
Well, not exactly. I still have my job, no girlfriend, and a penchant for laziness. However, my love for writing has been rekindled. You could probably tell that my writing has suffered greatly since the days of my daily posts and hilarious observations. It's true that practice makes perfect. And since I have not practiced in a very long time, it's as if an eight year old stole my Wordpress log-in information and smashed frenetically at the keyboard.
I've made these promises before, but I swear I will post as many times as humanly possible. I will post about sports, life, love, politics, religion, food, television, sex, fashion, music, and sex. Every single time I have a thought. A thought with some substance behind it, I'll post it. Because the world needs access to my opinions. The people simple refuse to come to me, so I will come to them.
So what shall I start off with? I've been told throughout my twenty-three years on this Earth to stick to what I know. And what I know is sports. Everyone on board for my picks for Week 2 of the 2011 NFL season? No? I don't care I'm doing it anyway.
And remember, the games start in under two hours, so read this post, run to your local bookie, and place your bets right away.
(Team in bold: Winner)
Chicago at New Orleans (-6.5)
There is absolutely no way the Saints will start the season 0-2. And there is absolutely no way the Saints will lose their home opener. I'm trying my best to sound like an ESPN NFL analyst. The key is to use hyperbole often and when in doubt, use absolutes. Words like "always", "never", and "definitely" are important.
Kansas City (+8) at Detroit
I'm fairly certain everyone who has a soul is rooting for the Lions this season. They've been such a laughingstock over the past (checks watch) decade, most fans would love to see them do well. Hell, I bet there are some Chiefs fans hoping for a Detroit win.
Jacksonville at New York (-9)
Would a run-away win for the Jets be so much to ask? The past two seasons and last week's win over the Cowboys has caused me to develop a perpetual heart murmur. I'm just requesting a 49-7 outcome in favor of the Jets. A game that's over in within the first 10 minutes of the third quarter. Just enough time for me to sit back in my chair, check my fantasy scores and mentally check out for the rest of the day.
Oakland (+4) at Buffalo
No idea what to make of this game. Absolutely (there's that word again) no idea. Buffalo clearly overperformed in Week 2 by beating the barbecue sauce out of Kansas City. And Oakland won a war of attrition against the Broncos on Monday night. The bottom-line is, I can't bring myself to let Buffalo actually go 2-0 to start the season. Stupid reasoning, I know. But guessing the outcomes of any NFL game is an exercise in stupidity.
Arizona (+3.5) at Washington
Baltimore (-6) at Tennessee
Seattle (+14) at Pittsburgh
Green Bay (-10) at Carolina
Aaron Rodgers is good and I'll go out on a limb here by saying he's better than Cam Newton. I fully expect Clay Matthews and his locks of long blond hair to welcome Cam Newton to the NFL as well as the turf. I'm not saying Newton's performance last week was an aberration, what I'm saying is that I could throw for 400 yards against Arizona's defense.
Tampa Bay (+2) at Minnesota
Here's to Peterson running for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns (drinks). And here's to Donovan McNabb throwing for more than 39 yards (drinks).
Cleveland (+2) at Indianapolis
I can't believe I just typed that. Last week, we were shown just how valuable Peyton Manning is to the Colts. In fact, he could be the first player to win the MVP award without ever stepping onto the field. Browns by a touchdown.
Dallas (-3) at San Francisco
Even I remember when a game between these two teams mattered. Two NFC juggernauts going up against each other in a possible preview to a championship game. Now, not so much. Now, it's a little different. In fact, prior to the season starting, there were rumors that Niners head coach Jim Harbaugh was essentially tanking the season when he named Alex Smith the starter. The reasoning was that they were have the worst record in the NFL, draw the first overall pick in the draft, and select Stanford's super-stud quarterback Andrew Luck. And the Cowboys have showed they are no prize piece either. Week 1 against the Jets demonstrated their strengths as well as their weaknesses. With new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, the Cowboys beat up Mark Sanchez all game, forcing both an interception and a fumble. But it was their quarterback who caused their undoing. Similarly, with a fumble and an interception. NOW THAT IS ANALYSIS!
Houston (-3) at Miami
San Diego (+7) at New England
Cincinnati at Denver (-3.5)
Philadelphia at Atlanta (+2.5)
St. Louis at New York (-6.5)
I'm working this game. Actually, I'll be AT this game pretending to work. I'll mostly be walking around watching the game from time to time. Normally, I would love to do this, but I'm hoping for a ground and pound game. Keep that clock moving! I'm allowed to leave at half, so the sooner half hits, the sooner I get to run to my car and head home. But with Stephen Jackson questionable, as well as Brandon Jacobs, there's a chance both quarterbacks will be looking to air it out. Lots of incompletions, and lots of time stoppages. It's going to be a long, long game. And that's exactly what I want on a Monday night.
Rashard Mendenhall, Twitter, and Free Speech
I honestly can't stand it when I feel compelled to write something. It takes me away from doing more productive things. Things such as reading Celebrity Apprentice forums or sitting. But today I decided to put those things aside do some fingertip stretching so I can start writing about something that has been irking me since the day I heard it.
If you hadn't heard, Osama Bin Laden is dead. According to reports, he died from two gunshots to the head and chest respectively. Who fired the shots? Well we don't know his name, but we do know he is a member of a special ops faction of the Navy SEALS. Their name being Seal Team Six. They are a team of Jason Bournes who could most likely kill you rather quickly if they were so inclined. I've been told they slit a terrorists' throat with a plush toy (wasn't told that).
Anyway, you know the rest of the story. Our government, using the proper intelligence, decided to raid a compound located in a small, quiet town in Pakistan where they believed Osama Bin Laden was located. Turns out, he was there. And now he's dead. Yay!
"Yay!", right? Well I certainly feel good about it. It was he who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent Americans back in 2001. So obviously I am more than pleased that our Navy SEALs skipped reading him his Miranda Rights and went straight for the kill shot. He's dead. It's a good thing. Perhaps even a reason to celebrate. Which people did.
And rightly so. Beers were cracked, fireworks set off, chants sung. It was nice to see. Any excuse to come together as a nation, for the right reason, even if it's for a couple of hours, it's a good thing.
But I can also empathize with the people who did not celebrate. The ones who merely nodded their heads in approval and went on with their day. Celebrating death, even for a mass-murdering terrorist, just feels weird. We all understood that death was the least of what this guy deserved. And to be completely truthful, that's just sad. It's an indictment on the world we are currently living in.
____________________________________
See what I did there? I tried my best to see both sides of the coin. I measured my words, articulated as completely as I could, and made an effort to be unbiased. And factual. Facts are key when you want to be taken seriously.
But don't tell that to most professional athletes. Well, at least the ones who think they are modern day Descartes and Aristotle's. By now it should be fairly obvious as to who I am alluding to. Yes, that's right, Rashard Mendenhall. On May 2, the Pittsburgh Steelers current running back had a thought. Surprising, I know. He then decided to type said thought onto Twitter. Then press "TWEET". This is what he "tweeted":
“What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side...”
And this is why I hate it when I feel compelled to write. Because there shouldn't be any retort to what he wrote. At all. That "tweet" should be ignored completely, as if it was never written. But there was something inside of me that urged me to respond. Or at least state my opinion. And whatever is inside of me sucks. I should be relaxing. Not typing. Not giving any credence to the above statement.
But there's part of me that wants to defend him. A small part. Very small.
I know what he's trying to say. I said it earlier, just not in 140 characters or less. He was just questioning those of us who were joyful after hearing about the death of another human being. That's not the worst thing in the world to question. He meant it from a religious and moral stand point.
It's easy to see why his tweet caused such a stir. It's the opposite viewpoint from the majority. Not to mention the frightening stupidity he demonstrates. "Never even heard speak" is just so wrought with ignorance you begin to question if he has an undiagnosed concussion. And I'm not even going to entertain the follow-up tweets he wrote a few minutes later. If you haven't read them (they've since been deleted), I'll sum up. Let's just say he mentioned the long since debunked and borderline psychotic conspiracy theories surrounding the 9/11 attacks. Looks like someone majored in YouTube at Illinois.
I guess the purpose of my post was to both rant against stupidity and to make an attempt to understand why exactly we care about how some athlete feels about current events. If Joe, the guy who mans the deli slicer at your local supermarket spewed that nonsense on your Twitter feed, you'd ignore it. We all would. Because he's Joe, the guy who mans the deli slicer at your local supermarket. His views mean nothing. They have no effect on anything. But for some reason, Rashard Mendenhall tweets it and we're all in an uproar. Meanwhile, his views mean about as much as Joe's.
I think it boils down to jealously. We're all jealous that Rashard Mendenhall, who gets paid millions to play a game, be adored by fans, and have access to places we would never dream of, can be so epically dense. We expect Joe to be dense. He's the guy who mans the deli slicer at your local supermarket. But Rashard is successful. And we relate success with IQ. But we shouldn't. These athletes were blessed with unbelievable physical talent and a rare work ethic. But those attributes means zilch as soon as they open their mouths or their laptops. And we should make that distinction.
"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"
2010 NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Round
Saints (-10.5) over SEAHAWKS
I overheard a pretty good question posed to the fans of the Seahawks earlier this week: Would you have rather lost to the Rams in Week 17, miss the playoffs and get the 9th pick in the draft, or beat the Rams, make the playoffs, and receive the 21st (or something around there) pick in April? Because right now, I put the chances of the Seahawks beating the Saints at less than 0%. I'm sure most fans would say, "Hey, we're in the playoffs, and now everyone is playing with the same record. We have a shot." Well, first things first. No, you don't have a shot and second, wouldn't you rather think long term for your franchise? There are a good amount of decent quarterbacks in this draft and there's a chance they make be taken before you get to choose. Or are you happy with Chuck Whitehurst as the Ghost of Seahawk Future. The choice is up to you.
Jets (+2.5) over COLTS
Sure I'll take the Jets, especially getting 2.5 points. The Jets are going to win, right? I'm not asking you, I'm just trying to convince myself they are. They just have to. And not because Rex Ryan talks to much and has to back it up. They have to win because they're the better team. Honestly, why does it even matter that Ryan is confident in his team and thinks they're going to the Super Bowl? How does that effect anything, at all? So if they don't, it's his fault for thinking they would? I think I broke my brain. But truthfully, his bravado does has an effect on one thing: perception. His overconfidence changes the perception of the Jets throughout the league and especially the media. If the talent level of the Jets is low and he goes ahead and waxes poetic about their Super Bowl hopes, the subsequent 8-8 or even 9-7 record could get him fired.
EAGLES (-2.5) over Packers
Easily the best game of all the Wild Card round match-ups. But there really isn't much to say about it. Either team could win close, or blow the other team out. I mean, if it weren't for Matt Dodge (punter for the Giants), the Eagles might not even be in this position. And the same goes for the Packers. Both teams were helped greatly due to the severe ineptitude of the bumbling, stumbling New York Football Giants. That being said, it still should be a great game to watch. Especially if Vick gets into the open field a few times. Clay Matthews will have to use extra strength conditioner on his hair to make himself more aerodynamic.
CHIEFS (+3) over Ravens
Arrowhead Stadium just won't let them lose this game. I know it. I can feel it in my loins. Everyone and their mother is picking the Ravens because of their "vaunted" defense. But in reality, it wasn't THAT good this season. Their corners are fair at best. And Matt Cassel can expose them easily. Especially when Baltimore will be putting 7 or 8 guys in the box to stop Jamaal Charles. A running back who nearly set the record for average yards per rush in 2010 (6.38). 6.38! I don't think LaDainian Tomlinson had that many total yards in the second half of the season.
2010 NFL Season: Week 5
Week 4: 9-5
Hey look, another rash post of NFL picks! As you see, I'm off to Houston tomorrow to watch the Giants face off against the Texans on Sunday. Another free trip. Do I deserve it? Perhaps. But probably not. Anyway, here are my picks:
Jaguars over Bills
Ravens over Broncos
Colts over Chiefs
Packers over Redskins
Lions over Rams
Bears over Panthers
Bengals over Buccaneers
Falcons over Browns
Giants over Texans
Saints over Cardinals
Cowboys over Titans
Chargers over Raiders
49ers over Eagles
Jets over Vikings
2010 NFL Season: Week 4
Week 3 Picks: 10-6
If you have actually been reading these NFL posts and caring about what I have to say, you probably have noticed that I have gone 10-6 with my picks for the first three weeks. What does that mean exactly? Nothing. It means nothing. But there is a fairly good chance I'll go 10-6 this week. Lets take a look.
Jets over Bills
Texans over Raiders
Eagles over Redskins
Earlier in the week, comedian Greg Giraldo died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in his hotel room in New Brunswick, NJ. When I heard the news, my heart dropped. There is a scarce amount of people in this world who can provide perspective in both the micro and macro levels of life. And many times, comedians are those people. Giraldo's stand-up analyzed current events, pop culture, sociology, and even the minutiae of every day living. All while making it hilarious. It's such a shame he won't be with us any longer. We lost another rare voice of perspective.
Bengals over Browns
Ravens over Steelers
Chargers over Cardinals
Now that I have lost all of the weight I intended to lose, keeping it off has become increasingly difficult. You'd think after nearly a year of significantly decreasing my food intake and increasingly my exercise regimen, I'd find a happy medium between the two and be comfortable with a diet that would maintain this weight. Nope. At heart, I'm still a fat guy. I still have fat guy urges. Fat guy needs. Fat guy cravings. It's like being an alcoholic. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. My palate still craves fat guy food. Chips, sweets, sodas, high fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, hydrogenated oils, frostings, glazes, gravies, jam, and jellies. It's a daily battle. The only thing that seems to be helping me is forcing myself to look at the nutritional facts of what I'm eating. And trust me, only when you start doing this, you realize how fat you really are.
Titans over Broncos
Packers over Lions
Falcons over 49ers
Patriots over Dolphins
I was in a CVS the other day waiting in line to purchase a water and a granola bar. And sidled up next to the line was a table of Entenmanns. Every single types of Entenmanns. Every type of donut, cake, brownie, danish, muffin, cookie, pie, or loaf was well represented. Being curious I thought I'd take a look at the nutritional facts on the back of the "8 Rich Frosted Donuts". I remember a few years back, I would buy a few boxes of these for the house and throughout the day treat myself to a few. Before school? Donut. After school? Donut. Watching television? Donut. Before bed? Two donuts. Do you know how much saturated fat is in one serving size of an Entenmenn's Rich Frosted Donut? 65% of your daily allowance, that's how much. And do you know what the serving size is for an Entenmenn's Rich Frosted Donut? One donut. One freaking donut! Do you know how small those things are? That's like 3 bites and maybe 20 chews of my mouth. 20 chews and I've already had over half of my allowed fat for the day. Like I said, I used to eat 5 of those, a day. No wonder I was so fat. I was shoving enough saturated fat down my gullet for three people. Three fat people.
Saints over Panthers
Seahawks over Rams
Colts over Jaguars
Giants over Bears
In an interview with CNN LeBron James (along with his manager Maverick Carter) claimed that race played a factor in how his decision to join the Miami Heat was covered this summer. Now, dignifying such a claim with analysis is clearly counterproductive on my part. But I feel the need to put in my two cents. (clears throat) No. No it didn't. Race played absolutely no factor. The Decision was the factor. That was it. 100%. All of it. As soon as James utters the infamous line "I'll be taking my talents to South Beach", the vitriol began to pour in. Was it just me, or was he black prior to saying those words? The vitriol he received was due to his egomaniacal, self-aggrandizing, entitled behavior. Think about it. He and his people decided to produce an hour long special in which he announces his decision to leave Cleveland and join two superstars with a team with a non-existent fan base. At no point did he mention or thank his teammates with the Cavaliers. And prior to his decision he gave no heads-up to the owner of the Cavs, Dan Gilbert. A owner who accommodated James in every conceivable way. He practically handed over the keys to the organization for six years. A six year span I may add, that resulted in 0 titles. So no, Team James, the race card can't be played here. The arrogance and ineptitude card can.
2010 NFL Season: Week 3
Because I am insanely lazy, here is an abbreviated version of my Week 3 picks:
Week 2 Picks: 10-6
Giants over Tennessee
Cincinnati over Carolina
Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay
New England over Buffalo
Baltimore over Cleveland
San Francisco over Kansas City
Dallas over Houston
Minnesota over Detroit
New Orleans over Atlanta
Washington over St. Louis
Philadelphia over Jacksonville
Indianapolis over Denver
Oakland over Arizona
San Diego over Seattle
New York over Miami
Chicago over Green Bay
That's it. Those are the winners. So there's no need for you to watch the games tomorrow. You'll now have more time to spend with your respective families and their problems.
SIDE NOTE: Believe me, I will try to post more. I've just been blah blah blah busy blah blah overwhelmed blah blah blah such a hard worker blah. So yes, I'll be posting more. Early and often.
2010 NFL Season: Week 1
Baseball used to be my favorite sport. I would dread the last day of the playoffs, even if it conincided with yet another Yankees championship (te he!). The offseason was agonizing. Nearly five whole months of either no baseball or meaningless preseason baseball. I would count the days until Opening Day. And when it came, I would skip out of school just to watch the Yanks.
Not anymore.
Sure, I still look forward to Opening Day, but not nearly as much. And I'm fairly certain any excitement I have for it is because it coincides with the unofficial start of Spring (any season not named "Winter" is a good season). That being said, those feelings I once had for baseball have long been replaced by football.
Oh, how I love football. It's practically the perfect sport. It has everything you could want. Star players, franchises rich in history, rabid fan bases, incredible athletes, insanely fat offensive linemen, and Sundays packed with entertainment. And all of that goodness will be on display starting at 9:00pm on Thursday when the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints take on Brett Favre (and the rest of the Vikings). Oh boy!
Usually when I make my picks, I ignore the spread and pick the games straight up. Also, unlike other "handicappers", I do little to no research on the teams and/or the matchups. I rely strictly on preconceived notions, sterotypes, gross generalizations, and what I've seen on SportsCenter. So clearly, trust me, you should not. That not to say I'm completely ignorant. I do play fantasy football obsessively, so I know a thing or two about what players are hot and who to watch out for in terms of sleepers. But you've been warned...
Saints over Vikings
I hate Brett Favre about as much as the next guy or girl or human, but I say this without any bias or agenda. He's going to have a completely average year. And that's being nice. Can any reasonable person out there readily predict a year similar to last year's for Favre? He's one year older. And going from 39 to 40 is a hell of a lot different than going from 29 to 30. He has a bad everything. I wouldn't be surprised to eventually see on the scroll at the bottom of ESPN to read "Brett Favre, DOUBTFUL: Dementia". Sidney Rice is out for at least half of the season. Percy Harvin needs to take 65 Tylenol a day to fight his migraines and stay on the field. Favre is going to get desperate and gunslingerish early on and start chucking picks quicker than you can say "pain-killer addiction". I'd be wary of the Vikings this season.
Giants over Panthers
YEAH! New Meadowlands Stadium! It's the stadium without a sponsor and therefore, without a name. And that's actually kind of refreshing, because before you know it, Al Michaels will be opening up Sunday Night Football with "Tonight, the New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys here at AshleyMadison.com Field!" But we'll see.
Falcons over Steelers
Can you believe that Peter King (SI writer, Favre caresser) choose the Steelers to win the Super Bowl? I can. Because Super Bowl picks are decidedly meaningless. Even if the Steelers DO win the Super Bowl, it won't be because of the reasons King states. Teams change too much over the course of a season. Players get injured, losing streaks, winning streaks, dropped passes, fumbles, picks, etc. By the time the Super Bowl rolls around, you're usually looking at a totally different team. And no Peter, that won't be the team you picked at the beginning of the season. Anyway, I like the Falcons.
Buccaneers over Browns
Oh God, what a terrible game. I don't even think their respective fan bases are looking forward to this. Wait, actually, on second thought, they are. Because there's a good chance either one of these teams could win and therefore be undefeated. Thus resulting in dreams of Super Bowl championships and sugarplums dancing in their heads. And...that's it, I got nothing else. Delhomme, Mangini, Raheem Morris, there's nothing left to say.
Jaguars over Broncos
Brandon Marshall: Traded to the Dolphins. Elvis Dumervil: Out for a long while. Forgive me if I'm not in love with the Broncos. But hey, they surprised a lot of people last year by starting the season hot and finishing 8-8. And also, never count out Tim Tebow. Say what you will, but the guy wins (with unbelievable talent surrounding him). So all they need is the relatively superb talent and they'll be fine.
Texans over Colts
Finally! This is the Texans year. I can smell it. Matt Schaub is a top ten QB. Arian Foster, Steve Slaton and Derrick Ward could be the best running back trifecta in all of the NFL. Andre Johnson is the best WR in the sport. And they have a very formidable defense. But you know the rest of the story. They'll score a lot of points, look fabulous for three quarters every game, and inevitably go 8-8, barely missing the playoffs. Also, pencil in the Colts for another 13-3 season (the 3 losses being weeks 14 through 17 when they rest starters).
Dolphins over Bills
Why are there so many Dolphin fans in New York/New Jersey? I know two Dolphin fans, and that's plenty. You live in the Northeast. Not only that, you could practically look out your window and see the New Meadowlands Stadium and you root for Miami? Let the New York transients who moved all the way down there to live among the Cubans and be on Burn Notice to root for them. Not you, you're better than that.
Lions over Bears
My hatred for Brett Favre is only rivaled by my hatred for Jay Cutler. He throws picks just like Favre. A lot of them (like Favre). Yet he doesn't crave the attention like Favre. He just wants to throw his picks and be left alone....Sorry, I lost my train of thought. The Bourne Ultimatum is on. That whole movie is heart-stopping wire-to-wire. Anyway, Culter sucks.
Titans over Raiders
It's a new beginning for the Raiders and their fans. JaMarcus is gone! And he's been replaced with a fairly decent quarterback in Jason Campbell. I'm hopeful for them. And I'll go as far as to say they might even go 8-8 this year. Tom Cable, when he's not sucker-punching his assistants, has been a relatively good coach and seems to have the respect of his players. And that's nothing to scoff at. Titans Side Note: Keep an eye on that Chris Johnson kid. I see special things for him this year.
Bengals over Patriots
Remember how I said I hate both Brett Favre and Jay Cutler? I hate the Patriots doubly more. I hate Bill Belichick. I hate their fans. I hate their owner. I hate Gillette Stadium. And I hate them just because. It's a sporting type of hate. Not REAL hate. But I REALLY hope they lose every game this season. They've had enough winning. It's time to share the wealth. So please Cincinnati, commence the pain. I want to see both T.O. and OchoCinco dancing in the endzone come Sunday.
Cardinals over Rams
Hey, it's two of the teams Kurt Warner left in his wake. One team has their quarterback of the future starting (Sam Bradford) and the other just cut its quarterback of the future (Matt Leinart) and is stuck with one-season wonder Derek Anderson. Both these teams are clearly in rebuilding mode. I think the Rams have a brighter future with Bradford, but with the ineptitude of the NFC West, the Cardinals have a chance to compete for a playoff spot.
49ers over Seahawks
Did I mention how terrible the NFC West is? Yes, I did, in the previous paragraph. Just look at these teams. They're both okay, at best. And both could win the division. Which is good for my dad. He's a Niner fan. And he's been NFL-depressed since Steve Young retired. He seems to be encouraged with Alex Smith under center and Mike Singletary play-calling. Oh, 49ers, don't let him down!
Packers over Eagles
If there's one thing I've been adamant about this entire offseason is that I believe the Eagles with reject trading Donovan McNabb. A lot of people seem to LOVE Kevin Kolb. Why?! What has he shown?! Ever?! Nothing, that's what. You traded the best QB you'll ever have and now he'll make you look stupid by succeeding with the Redskins (I believe). Eagle fans: You'll end up booing Kolb and it'll be awesome.
Redskins over Cowboys
Oh look! Everyone is picking the Cowboys to win the Super Bowl again! How original! This is their year apparently. Tony Romo will get better again, I guess? Wade Phillips will suddenly become a big game coach, right? Dez Bryant is NOT the next T.O (Primadonna wise), okay? Got it.
Jets over Ravens
Clearly a homer pick. Because the Ravens look good and the Jets look...? If Hard Knocks is any indication, New York will be loud, late, and obnoxious. So I guess we can't go on that. What we know is that the league's best defense got better. Pace may be out for the first few games, but Jenkins is back and the additions of Jason Taylor and Antonio Cromartie can't hurt. And yes, Revis Island is under contract and showing up to practice (good things). I'll be at this game. Just thought I'd mention that.
Chargers over Chiefs
My prediction for the Chargers: 14-2, out in the divisional round, Rivers throws 2 picks. Man, I sound like a broken record. That was prediction for San Diego for the past 4 years. But hey, I was close each time. By the way, the Chiefs look decent. Matt Cassel, when healthy, can play very well. I'd also like to see Kansas City do well. They honestly have terrific fans.
Until Week 2...
I’m in College Basketball mode
I've mentioned this before, but the Super Bowl hangover for dedicated football fans lasts a while. After having the NFL in our lives for the past five months, it's difficult for us to imagine life without it. We wander around aimlessly wondering what is going to keep us entertained on Sundays. Not to mention, no more fantasy football. It's an awful feeling. I myself have finally gotten over the lack of football. I'm looking forward to next year, but I can wait. Too much of a good thing is rarely good.
That all being said, I am officially in college basketball mode. In years past I was more fully vested in college basketball because I really didn't have a team. I rooted for the Big East. I also live in New York, so the teams hoping for my support weren't exactly lighting the world on fire (still aren't). St. Johns, for instance, hasn't been good since they recruited good criminals. So thanks to the lack of a true rooting interest in any one team, I was allowed to enjoy the sport even more. I knew everything about every team. I could match the coaches to the teams and the teams to their respective rankings.
But as soon as I started attending Seton Hall University in the Fall of 2008, I thereby branded myself forevermore as a fan of the Pirates. Whether I wanted to be one or not. And you all know how average (at best) Seton Hall has been for the past decade. So rooting for them has taken the gloss off college basketball for me. I've become disillusioned by the sport. You don't exactly want to watch more games after witnessing the Pirates fall to Villanova by 30.
This year has been a tad different though. Seton Hall isn't terrible. Currently they are 14-9 (5-7 in conference) and have fairly big wins over Cornell (that's right), Pittsburgh, and Louisville. Obviously a NCAA Tournament berth is a long shot, but if they finish strong and have a good showing in the Big East Tournament, there is definitely a chance.
So needless to say, I'm a bit more interested in the sport in general. And I'm happy I am. It's nice to have something to bridge the gap between football and baseball. Usually I would just stare out the window, or twiddle my thumbs until Opening Day.
Anyway, here are some nonsensical thoughts about the 2009/2010 College Basketball season thus far:
Team to win it all
Kansas. I'm really going out on a limb here, aren't I? But honestly, Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich are pro players masquerading as college athletes. They're undefeated in conference and only have one loss (Tennessee). I may be a Big East guy, but until I see a crack in the armor, I'm picking them.
Sleeper draft pick
Wesley Johnson. The Syracuse transfer looks to me, like a guaranteed first rounder. He's long, atheltic, smart and can shoot. What a terrible time to be a Knick fan (no draft pick).
Cinderella Story
Seton Hall. Can a Big East team be considered a Cinderella story? Can they even make the tournament? Am I being a ridiculous homer? All answers: Yes. Like I said, a lot has to go their way (i.e. actually winning games) for them to make any noise in March. But they have the pieces to compete. I think the only thing holding them back is Bobby Gonzalez.
- @robdelaney His fault. He should've had his hands in fists. Doesn't he understand science?
- @YankeesWFAN So a coaches only responsibility is to make sure his players don't mutiny?
- Amendment 28: All links should open in a separate tab.
- @YankeesWFAN But he can't hit. He hasn't had an OPS over .900 since 2009.
- Oh, I get it. It's "MAID in Manhattan". Because she's a maid.
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