Hot Stove Roundup - Free Agency Heating Up

Finally, with Winter Meetings about to start, some moves are being made:

Free Agency:
The big winners this past week were the teams of the NL East. For starters, the Phillies signed C Brian Schneider and Placido Polanco, who is expected to play third next season. The Schneider signing is more about taking away an asset, as he was signed from the Mets. He is expected to back up Carlos Ruiz, but other than their differences in age, their pretty much interchangeable. Neither will give big offensive numbers, but on the Phillies lineup, they don't really have to. The Polanco deal is a much better signing. He is a huge improvement over Pedro Feliz, and has a history in Philly, where he had career high in homers in 2003 and 2004 before being traded mid-season in 2005. His career +.300 batting average and .348 on-base will fit right in the lineup.

NFL Week 13 Preview

Philadelphia Eagles @ Atlanta Falcons
Spread: Eagles, -5.5
o/u: 43.5
Neither of these teams has been doing well lately, and both have been hit heavily by injuries. The difference has been depth: The Eagles have it, the Falcons don't. The Eagles will still be without Brian Westbrook, and now they've probably lost DeSean Jackson to a concussion, too. However, they've already shown their backups and rookies can carry the load. The Falcons will be without QB Matt Ryan, and probably RB Michael Turner. Those are huge hits for a team without much depth to take. The other big story, of course, is Michael Vick's return to Atlanta for the first time. I doubt he'd get much more playing time than usual, but everybody loves to speculate.
Pick: Eagles 28 - Falcons 21

Saturday Morning News - 12/5/09

The 2010 World Cup held its draw yesterday. Group G is this Cup's Group of Death, as it is made up of Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast, and North Korea. [NY Times]

The New Jersey Nets finally won their first game, beating the Charlotte Bobcats 97-91. [NJ.com]

The Philadelphia Flyers have fired their head coach, John Stevens. He will be replaced by newly-hired Peter Laviolette. [TSN]

Central Michigan won the MAC Championship, beating Ohio, 20-10. [MLive.com]

Notre Dame has decided no to play in a bowl this year, deciding instead to end their season and focus on finding a new coach. [Detroit Free Press]

College Football Championship Saturday Preview

1 Florida vs 2 Alabama - SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, GA
Favorite: Florida, -5.5
I want to tell you Florida will lose this game. I want to tell you Alabama's defense can and will stop Florida's offense. But I can't. Tim Tebow has basically carried the offense on his back all season. Once you get past him, there isn't much of an offense. Somehow, he has simply willed this team to win each and every week. Alabama has played well each and every week, and their defense is second to only Florida's. This will be the biggest game for both teams before the winner goes on to the National Championship, and I just think Tebow and the Gator's want it more.
Pick: Florida 27 - Alabama 24

Friday Morning News - 12/4/09

Seattle Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell has resigned rather than become a "lame duck" manager. [Shutdown Corner]

Oregon has won the 2009 Civil War game over Oregon State, 37-33. Oregon also won the right to face Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. [Register-Guard]

Mark Mangino has agreed to step down as head coach of the University of Kansas football program. Mangino was under investigation for alleged misconduct towards players over his 8 seasons with the program. [Campus Rivalry]

Thursday Night Special - Jets @ Bills

NY Jets @ Buffalo Bills
Spread: Jets, -3
o/u: 37
In their first meeting, the Jets ran the ball for 318 yards, held the Bills to 296 totals yards of offense, and... lost 16-13 on the back of 5 INTs by Mark Sanchez. Seven weeks later, and the Jets are headed to Toronto for the rematch. With last weeks performance against the Carolina Panthers, it looks like Rex Ryan finally has his team under control. A solid defensive outing against a QB whose career is falling apart right before our eyes and a one-turnover performance from Sanchez give the Jets some momentum coming into this one. Thats not to say the Bills don't have a chance. They've improved since firing Dick Jauron after Week 10, and TO has had back-to-back big games. What will carry the Jets is running the ball. The Jets offense is second to only Tennessee in the running game, and the Bills still have the worst rush defense in the league.
Pick: Jets 24 - Bills 17

Thursday Morning News - 12/3/09

The NFL has announced a new concussion policy which goes into effect this weekend. Under it, players who leave a game or practice with a concussion will not be allowed to return until he is fully asymptomatic. [UPI.com]

Cleveland Browns RB Jamal Lewis has been placed on IR with a consussion and his career is expected to be over. [Cleveland.com]

The NJ Nets have broken the record for losses to start an NBA season. Their 117-101 loss to the Dallas Mavericks was their 18th straight. [Bloomberg]

Allen Iverson has agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Philadelphia 76ers. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Gary Paterson has signed a contract extension to remain TCU head football coach through 2016. [Dallas News]

Wednesday Morning News - 12/2/09

FSU head football coach Bobby Bowden has announced he will retire following FSU's upcoming bowl appearance. [SI.com]

The Philadelphia Eagles extended the contract of TE Brent Celek. [Delaware Online]

Florida DE Carlos Dunlap has been suspended indefinitely after being arrest for drunk driving. He will miss at least the SEC Championship Game against Alabama. [Palm Beach Post]

Michigan State has suspended eight members of its football team who are believed to have taken part in an assault in campus dormitory. [Detroit News]

Washington Capitals F Alexander Ovechkin has been suspended 2 games for a knee-to-knee hit on Carolina Hurricanes D Tim Gleason. [NY Times Slap Shot]

The NHL has approved the sale of the Montreal Canadiens to the Molson family. [National Post]

Former NY Yankee Tommy Henrich, the first player to hit a walk-off home run in the World Series and the last surviving teammate of Lou Gehrig, has died at the age of 96. [

NFL Week 12 Wrap-up

Theres a big divide between the best and worst in the NFL this here. So how do you stop the best, and how do you improve the worst?:

Stopping the Best:
Indianapolis Colts
I'm chosing the Colts to cover first because they have the most obvious flaws. Yes, they have the best passing game in the league. They have nothing else, though. Their running game is the second worst in the league. Their defense, though third in points allowed, really can't stop anybody when it comes down to it. They're products of playing in a week division. While they beat the powerful Patriots, it was due more to defensive breakdowns against Peyton Manning than anything else. Not to mention the Colts arguably biggest weakness, run defense, couldn't be exploited by a Pats team without much of a running game of their own. The key to beating the Colts is disguised agression. Manning has never been a very mobile QB. While he has improved from early in his career, he's still slow and can be brought down. The problem, of course, is how. The Colts are one of the best teams in the league at picking up the blitz, and Manning is probably the best in the league at reading and reacting to defenses. The best option, then, is to run the ball straight at the Colts D, and disguise blitzes as much as you can. I know it goes against NFL logic, but maybe the best strategy is to not show blitzes, ever. If Manning can't read a blitz coming, he can't react to it before the snap. Disguising a blitz as a Cover 2 defense on every play, in my opinion, would keep Manning from making the reads he has become famous for making.

Tuesday Morning News - 12/1/09

Derek Jeter has been named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. He is the first Yankee to receive the award. [MLB.com]

Notre Dame head football coach Charlie Weis hass been fired after five season at the school. [Bloomberg]

Danica Patrick has signed a 3-year extension to stay with Andretti Autosports through 2012. [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Massachusetts has approved a bill to regulate mixed martial arts in the state. UFC is expected to hold their first event their in the summer of 2010. [MMAFrenzy.com]

MNF Preview - Week 12

New England Patriots @ New Orleans Saints
Spread: Saints, -2
o/u: 51.5
The Pats are looking like the team of old, with one exception: that Sunday night game against the Colts a few weeks ago. They had a lead, and they couldn't hold it. Manning helped expose the Pats scondary, and Drew Brees has been finding passing lanes better than Peyton all year. The score will be high in this one, but I don't think it will be as close as the Pats-Colts nailbitter was.
Pick: Saints 38 - Patriots 24

NFL Sunday Recap - Leadership!

Some teams have leaders they can rally behind, some don't:

It's Finally Paying Off!:
Vince Young
The Vince Young Experiment is being renamed the Vince Young Express, because its running over teams every week. Winning four straight games wasn't enough, as people were still questioning his abilities as a QB and be a leader. Well, maybe this week's game against the Cardinal can put some of those questions to rest. Vince went 27/43 for 387 yards, and led his team on a winning TD drive. With 2:37 left to play and trailing by 4, the Titans got the ball at their own 1-yard line after a punt. What followed was a 99-yard drive that featured two 3rd down conversions and three(!) fourth down conversions, including the game winning TD pass as time expired. If the win streak continues, Vince could be a cindidate for Comeback Player of the Year.

Monday Morning News - 11/30/09

The NJ Nets, mired in a 16-game losing streak to open the season fired their head coach, Lawrence Frank, before losing to the LA Lakers to tie the NBA record for worst start to a season. [Bloomberg]

Virginia has fired head football coahc Al Groh after nine season. [News Observer]

Nikolai Davydenko won the ATP World Tour Finals, beating Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets. Brothers Bob and Mike Bryan won the doubles event. [Examiner]

The Montreal Alouettes are the 2009 CFL Champions, beating the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 28-27. [Canada.com]

MY 25 - Week 13

There is probably nothing in sports I disagree with more than the BCS and college football poll system. With that in mind, each week I'll be naming my own Top 25. The only hard and fast rule of MY 25: overall records come first.

1. Texas
2. TCU
3. Florida
4. Alabama
5. Boise State
6. Cincinnati
7. Oregon
8. Ohio State
9. Houston
10. BYU
11. Iowa
12. Penn State
13. Pitt
14. Georgia Tech
15. Central Michigan
16. Virginia Tech
17. Cal
18. Miami(FL)
19. Oregon State
20. West Virginia
21. Wisconsin
22. Rutgers
23. Ohio
24. Nebraska
25. USC


Performance of the Week: BYU, South Carolina, Oklahoma, West Virginia, NC State, Mississippi State, Georgia
What do these seven teams have in common? They all won a rivalry game this week, and they all beat a ranked opponent to do it. All but BYU were unranked going into this week, and all but West Virginia were facing an in-state rival. Congratulations to the players and coaches who won this weekend.

The Sunday News - 11/29/09

Week 13 college football upsets: Georgia 30 - No 7 Georgia Tech 24, West Virginia 19 - No 9 Pitt 16, Oklahoma 21 - No 12 Oklahoma State 0, South Carolina 34 - No 18 Clemson 17, NC State 28 - No 24 UNC 27, Mississippi State 41 - No 25 Ole Miss 27 [ESPN]

MLB commisioner Bud Selig plans on stepping down when his contract runs out after the 2012 season. [MLB.com]

Orlando Magic SF Matt Barnes has been fined $20,000 for tossing a ball into the stands after a game against the Miami Heat. Barnes will appeal. [Orlando Sentinel]

Buffalo Sabres F Patrick Kaleta has been suspended 2 games after a hit on Philadelphia Flyers Jared Ross. [USA Today]

Colorado Avalanche F David Jones will mis 4-6 months with a torn ACL. [Denver Post]

Louisville head football coach Steve Kragthorpe has been fired after going 15-21 in three seasons with the school. [Pittsburgh Tribune Review]

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo broke the schools record for wins by beating Massachusetts, 106-68. It was his 341st win with the program. [MLive.com]