NFL Divisional Weekend Wrap-up

Blowouts galore in the Divisional Round. Well, except for the Jets:

New Orleans Saints 45 - Arizona Cardinals 14
Surprisingly, the first game of the weekend set the tone for most of the games: blowouts. What was expected to be a high scoring game between two high powered offenses turned into a one sided Saints victory pretty quickly. The Cards scored first, on a 70-yard run by Tim Hightower, but that was followed by three unanswered scores, and the Saints led 21-7 after one quarter. The Cards scored first again in the second, and it would be their final score of the game. The Saints went on to lead 35-10 at the half, but the game was pretty much over when Drew Brees hit Devery Henderson on a flea flicker for a 44-yard TD just three minutes after Arizona's last score. The story underneath the Saints offensive explosion is how the Cards couldn't get any offense going. Kurt Warner barely passed 200 yards, though he was limited after taking a huge hit in the second quarter, and was ultimately pulled later in the second half. Take away the 70-yard run, and Hightower and Beenie Wells only had 24 yards on 10 carries. Two major questions are left after this game. The first is on the future of Kurt Warner and the Cardinals. Speculation says that he is planning on retiring, but that's up in the air after how the Cards went out. Those concussions have to be weighing heavily on his shoulders as he makes a decision. The loss of Warner would leave only Matt Leinart, so far considered a draft bust, as the leading candidate to take over the offense. The second question is simply how do you stop the Saints? Brees threw for three scores this week, and often made the Cards D look silly. Reggie Bush is suddenly playing like the runner he was expected to be out of college. Add to that his ability on returns, where he had another TD this week, and he adds a completely new dimension to the team. The Saints are clearly an offensive triple-threat now, able to score from anywhere on the field by passing, running, and on special teams. They'll be hard to stop from here on out, but it's always too early to crown a Super Bowl Champion before the game is played.

NFL Divisional Weekend Preview

Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints
Spread: Saints, -7
o/u: 57
The Cards had a huge shootout victory last week over the Packers, and they'll need to do it again against the Saints. The Saints D isn't great, but they have one of the NFL's best offenses. They can put up points against anyone, pretty much any way they want. Last week saw an almost complete breakdown of the Cardinals defense. If it happens again, there's no way the offense will be able to keep the score close. If they can play like they did at the start of the game, and keep it up for 60 minutes, the score will be close, but the Saints should still pull it out.
Pick: Saints 41 - Cardinals 31

NFL Wild Card Weekend Wrap-up

One week down, four more to go. Lets see how everybody did:

NY Jets 24 - Cincinnati Bengals 14
The Bengals may have been the favorite, but most people seemed to be picking the Jets to win. And win they did. The Bengals scored first, but the Jet D actually dominated right from the start. With the exception of that touchdown drive, the Bengals didn't have a first down until three minutes into the second quarter, and that was on a penalty. By that point, the Jets had tied the game, and would take the lead for good on their next possession. Both teams had solid rushing attacks in this one, as they both had 171 yards on the ground. Their passing games seemed to have switched places for this week, though. The Jets normally shaky air attack went for 182 yards as Mark Sanchez completed 12 of 15 for 2 TDs. The Bengals normally stable passing game only managed 146 yards as Carson Palmer completed only 18 of 36. The key to the game was turnovers. The Bengals lost the ball on a pick and a fumble, while the Jets protected their possessions and never lost it. What we saw was a finally complete Jets team. For the first time all season, every facet of their game was working properly at the same time. If they can continue to play this way, a Super Bowl berth isn't a far stretch.

NFL Wild Card Weekend Preview

NY Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals
Spread: Bengals, -2.5
o/u: 33.5
There is no possible way you should expect a repeat of last week's 37-0 Jets win. The Bengals will be playing the starters who rested because of injuries last week, and that alone changes the complection of this game. That being said, gametime conditions are expected to be very similar to last week. Expect a lot of running, with some passes thrown in, probably in the red zone. And the Jets are the better running team, and the better defensive team.
Pick: Jets 24 - Bengals 17

2010 BCS National Championship Preview

1 Alabama vs 2 Texas
Favorite: Alabama, -4
Finally, after waiting through a month of meaningless game, the BCS title game is here. On one side, we have Texas. Colt McCoy is the winningest QB in college football history. However, for all his wins, this is the first time he's led Texas to a Big XII championship. As usual, Texas had one of the best offenses in the nation this season, and they'll obviously try to open things up early. Alabama had one of the nation's top defenses, Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram on offense, and are coming off beating season-long favorite Florida. And in case you missed it, they held Florida's "high-powered" offense to just 13 points. In fact, Alabama has allowed 20 points just twice this season, to Kentucky and Auburn. Nebraska laid out a gameplan to keep the Texas offense out of the endzone when they allowed only 13 points in the Big XII title game. You can bet 'Bama has been studying and studying that game ever since.
Pick: Alabama 31 - Texas 17

2010 Orange Bowl Preview

9 Georgia Tech vs 10 Iowa
Favorite: Georgia Tech, -5
I don't like Georgia Tech. I think they've been overrated all season. They can run the ball well, and beyond that they aren't very good. Their defense gives up 24.8 points per game, a stat hidden by the fact that weak ACC defenses couldn't stop their running game. Iowa's Big Ten opponents weren't much better, but they did beat Penn State, and one of their two loses came against an Ohio State team that played very strong at the end of the season. Iowa also probably has a better defense than any team Tech has faced this season.
Pick: Iowa 27 - Georgia Tech 17

NFL 2009 Season Wrap-up

Boy, this was a crazy season, wasn't it?:

I Guess We Saw This Coming:
Indianapolis Colts
Did anyone really think things would be different this season? Sure, Jim Caldwell is in his first year as their head coach, but it isn't like they just grabbed some guy off the street. He spent the six previous seasons on the Colts coaching staff. Of course, there are those who say Peyton Manning is the real coach of the team. The may be true of how the offense plays on the field, since he makes so many adjustments and play changes at the line, but it's Caldwell and his staff that had to get this team prepared every week. He had a team that has been great every regular season, that hes been with for six seasons already, and that he simply had to prepare for every game. Going 14-0 may have been a surprise only in that they played so many close games. Really, the Colts have been the best team in their division for years, and the winningest team of the decade. As long as they keep things together, they should be expected to be the NFL's best team almost every year.

2010 Fiesta Bowl Preview

4 TCU vs 6 Boise State
Favorite: TCU, -7.5
So here we are, in the college football postseason, and instead of being in a playoff, the #1 scoring offense in the nation takes on the #1 defense in an essentially meaningless game. Lets behonest here, no one will confuse TCU with an offensive powerhouse, and they don't need to be one. Boise State scored the more points per game than anybody else, and TCU is right behind them. All the talk has been on their defense, but the Horned Frogs have put up 40.7 points per game, good for a third-place tie with Texas. Boise hasn't played a defense as tough as TCU's, and that will make the difference. Last year, when these teams met in the Poinsettia Bowl, TCU won, 17-16. This year, they have a better offense, and that should make for a higher score.
Pick: TCU 38 - Boise State 24

NFL Sunday Recap - End of the Regular Season Edition!

Ok, so after taking a week off for the post-Christmas/New Year period, its time to look at some playoff teams:

NFC Top Seeds:
New Orleans Saints
The Saints looked great for 14 weeks, the terrible the last three. Of course, they weren't helped by sitting Drew Brees this week. They managed to finish in the top six of every major team offensive category, but 20th or worse in every defensive category. Their plan should have been to work on their mistakes in the final game of the season, then take the week off. Instead, the rested players and lost to the Carolina Panthers, 23-10. They have two weeks to fix things now, but that also means two weeks for rust to collect. The only good knews they have right now is that they can't play Dallas, the team that gave them their first loss, as their first opponent. That news actually isn't all that great when you consider that their potential opponents are Green Bay, Philly, and defending NFC Champ Arizona.

NFL Week 17 Preview

NY Giants @ Minnesota Vikings
Spread: Vikings, -9
o/u: 47.5
The Vikings have been terrible the last few weeks. They've lost three of their last four games, their last two to the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears. Adrian Peterson hasn't rushed for 100-yards in their last six games. Lucky for them that the Giants have nothing to play for. Last week, with their season on the line, they layed down for Carolina, losing 41-9. They've already put Brandon Jacobs and Aaron Ross on the IR, ending their seasons, and it looks like everyone besides Eli Manning wants to take the week off, too. Minnesota should take this one easy heading into the playoffs.
Pick: Vikings 30 - Giants 10

New Year's Day BCS Bowl Game Preview

Rose Bowl
8 Ohio State vs 7 Oregon
Favorite: Oregon, -4
The big news going into this game was the revelation Monday that OSU's Terrelle Pryor has a partial PCL tear in one of his knees. However, head coach Jim Tressel says the team is as healthy as it has ever been. I don't believe him. Of course he's going to say that. A Big Ten team hasn't won the Rose Bowl since 2000. Any admission of weakness at this point would be an admission that the Big Ten will have to wait another year. Unfortunately for him, an injury to Pryor slows down the entire offense, which is based on the running game. That leaves a huge opening for Oregon to take this game. Considering Oregon beat USC and Perdue this season, two teams OSU lost to, the outcome wasn't really in doubt for me to begin with.
Pick: Oregon 31 - Ohio State 21

Sugar Bowl
5 Florida vs. 3 Cincinnati
Favorite: Florida, -12.5
I'd love to say Cincy wins this one and could claim they should have had a shot at the BCS National Title, but I can't. Florida has too much motivation behind them. Their star QB is graduating, and this is their head coach's last game, at least until 2011. Knowing Urban Meyer has health problems is probably enough for Tim Tebow to will his team to victory. With the added fact that this could be his last game as a starting QB at any level, the entire team can rally around their head coach in the locker room and on the sidelines, and the schools greatest QB ever on the field. Since winning their conference, Cincy has been in upheaval, with their head coach leaving for Notre Dame, and his interim replacement hired away as well. In a state of flux, the team won't be able to match the production they had in their undefeated regular season.
Pick: Florida 35 - Cincinnati 27

NFL Week 16 Preview

Carolina Panthers @ NY Giants
Spread: Giants, -7
o/u: 42.5
Carolina's Matt Moore has been improving since replacing Jake Delhomme at QB. That doesn't mean his performances have been particularly good. Now he has to take on a strong Giants pass rush in the cold and wind of Giants Stadium. With DeAngelo Williams still doubtful, things won't be getting better for him. Though not really a cold weather team either, the Giants at least know what to expect from their home stadium.
Pick: Giants 31 - Panthers 17

Friday Night Special - San Diego @ Tennessee

San Diego Chargers @ Tannessee Titans
Spread: Titans, -3
o/u: 47
Since their bye in Week 7, the Titans have been on a 7-1 run. During that run, the Titans had one thing going for them: Only one of the teams they played against was playing at a consistently good level. That was the Colts, who they lost to. The Chargers go to Tennessee this week having won nine straight games, and haven't scored less than 20 points in a game all season. The Chargers are simply the better team. They haven't given up 100 yards to a back since Rashard Mendenhall in Week 4, their passing game has outplayed their opponents in all but five games, and have already beaten Philly, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, and the Giants. The Chargers are just plain better.
Pick: Chargers 31 - Titans 24

Wednesday Morning News - 12/23/09

Serena Williams has been voted 2009 AP Female Athlete of the Year, her second time winning the award. [TennisEarth.com]

Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh is the 2009 AP College Football Player of the Year, and is the first defensive player to win the award. [LA Times]

Major League Baseball and the World Umpires Association have agreed to a five-year labor deal to keep their umpires working. [Forbes]

The proposed Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight is said to be "in jeopardy" after Pacquiau refused to submit to blood tests within 30 days of the fight. [MLive.com]

NFL Week 15 Wrap-up

We've looked at playoff scenarios, we've looked at teams falling apart, now lets look at the top 5:

Just Barely Hanging On:
Philadelphia Eagles
I picked the Eagles to win the Super Bowl in the preseason, then said they'd never win one with Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook on the team. I stand bye that second assertion. McNabb and Westbrook, as good as they are, are far to unreliable. However, with Westbrook back this week, and the potential to get some rest for McNabb soon, the Eagles have a shot if both can stay healthy for the playoffs. The teams ahead of them in the NFC all have flaws on defense that the Eagles can exploit. Even if they can stay healthy, that still leaves the Andy Reid problem. Reid has shown a tendency to implode in his playcalling at times, sticking with a singular gameplan when it isn't working. His overreliance on the pass earlier this year cost them a winable game against the Oakland Raiders. If it happens again against, say, the Saints, the Eagles could be headed for a quick playoff exit.

Tuesday Morning News - 12/22/09

Jimmy Johnson has been named AP Male Athlete of the Year, and is the first NASCAR driver to recieve the award. [Examiner.com]

Former Seahawks and Packers head coach Mike Holmgren has agreed to become president of the Cleveland Browns. [Ohio.com]

Three members of the USC football team have been ruled academically ineligible for the Emerald Bowl against Boston College. [LA Times]

New Jersey Devils G Martin Brodeur recorded his 104th career shutout, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-0, and breaking Terry Sawchuck's record. [Baltimore Sun]

The University of Kentucky became the first college basketball program to record 2,000 wins by beating Drexel, 88-44. [Bloomberg]

NFL Sunday Recap - Winners & Losers

Some people had a special weekend this week, and some didn't:

Winners:
Ben Roethlisberger
Seriously, at some point soon, the Steelers are going to need to realize Ben can't win every game on his own. Seven loses after winning the Super Bowl should be a wake-up call. But the call can wait another week, as Big Ben threw for a franchise record 503 yards. That and his 3 TDs are the most ever for a QB without throwing a pick. Of course, all that is just gravy to the 19-yard completion to Mike Wallace with no time on the clock that gave Pittsburgh a 37-36 win over the Packers. It was only Wallace's second reception of the game, and both were for TDs. Congrats, Big Ben! After five straight losses, you are a winner!

MNF Preview - Week 15

NY Giants @ Washington Redskins
Spread: Giants, -3
o/u: 43.5
The Giants are one of many teams on the outsode of the playoffs looking in. With the two teams directly in front of them, the Cowboys and Eagle, both winning this week, the Giants are under incredible pressure to keep up. Of course, the Redskins have to be on the list of teams you want to face when you need a win. Denver thought the same thing in Week 10, and they lost, 27-17. What the 'Skins don't have is the strong running game they had before they lost their to two backs. What the Giants don't have is the strong defense they had all of last season. They haven't held a team to under 20 points since Week 5 against Oakland. Since that game, the end of their 5-0 start, they've gone 2-6, beating only Dallas and Atlanta, and getting crushed by Denver along the way. The Giants have finally found their passing game, though, and that should carry them to a win.
Pick: Giants 31 - Redskins 24

Hot Stove Roundup - Blockbuster!

The Trades section is being moved to the front this week because, well, yeah:

Trades:
The big news of the week is, of course, the Lee/Hallady deal. It's a big trade, involving four teams and eight players changing hands. First, a look at who went where:

NFL Week 15 Preview

Dallas Cowboys @ New Orleans Saints
Spread: Saints, -7.5
o/u: 53.5
The Cowboy Collapse is two games deep, and this year it isn't Tony Romo's fault! At least not yet. Romo has actually played well so far in December. Unfortunately, this week he goes into a hostile Superdome against a Saints team that plays very well against the pass. Even if he still plays well this week, the defense and short-yardage game have been awful this month. I don't see that changing as long as Wade Phillips is in charge.
Pick: Saints 35 - Cowboys 17

Saturday Morning News - 12/19/09

The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl is facing a political scandal as current and former employees claim they were encouraged to donate money to political candidates and then repaid for it. [ESPN]

Villanova is the 2009 FCS National Champion, beating Montana, 23-21, in the playoff final. [Philly.com]

NJ Devils G Martin Brodeur broke Patrick Roy's NHL record for appearances by a goalie in a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. [NJ.com]

Detroit Red Wings F Henrick Zetterberg will miss at least 2 weeks with a separated shoulder. [NHL.com]

Tiger Woods has been voted 2009 PGA Tour Player of the Year by his fellow golfers. [CNN]

Friday Morning News - 12/18/09

The St Louis Rams canceled Thursday's practice due to a swine flu outbreak. The team is back practicing today. [Bloomberg]

Former Falcon RB Warrick Dunn has bought a minority stake in the team and will be a limited partner in the teams ownership. [Atlanta Business Chronicle]

Pepsi has announced it will not buy ad time during Super Bowl XLIV, ending a 23 year run as an advertiser on the game. [CNN Money]

Denver Nuggets PG Chauncey Billups is currently listed as day-to-day with a groin strain. [Denver Post]

Thursday Night Special - Colts @ Jaguars

Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Spread: Colts, -3
o/u: 43
This is the first game in Jacksonville this season that won't be blacked out. Who wants to bet all those previously empty seats are being taken up by traveling Colts fans escaping the cold in Indy? Sell-out crowd or not, Jacksonville has their work cut out for them. Indy is still unbeaten, but they might rest some players this week. With this being a short week, it wouldn't surprise me. Still, I'd expect the healthy starters to get at least enough time to build a healthy lead before Maurice Jones-Drew runs all over the backups.
Pick: Colts 28 - Jaguars 24

Thursday Morning News - 12/17/09

Cincinnati Bengals WR Chris Henry has died, the result of injuries sustained after falling out of the bed of a pick-up truck. [My FOX NY]

Ottowa Senators C Jason Spezza will miss 6-8 weeks with a torn knee ligament. [Reuters]

The NHL is looking into holding a second outdoor game next season in Canada. [ABC11.com]

Tiger Woods has been named Athlete of the Decade by the Associated Press. [NBC New York]

Wednesday Morning News - 12/16/09

CMU's Butch Jones has been hired to replace Brian Kelly as head football coach at Cincinnati. [Cincinnati.com]

The Ohio State WR Duron Carter and DE Robert Rose have been ruled academically ineligible for the Rose Bowl. [Digital Sports Daily]

The Big Ten Conference announced it will explore expansion to 12 teams. [Chicago Tribune]

The NFL has cleared the Washington Redskins of tampering in contract negotiations for Albert Haynesworth. [Washington Times]

Tracy McGrady made his season debut last night, playing in an NBA game for the first time since having microfracture surgery nine months ago. [Hoops World]

NFL Week 14 Wrap-up

With the season winding down, and a significant number of teams playing poorly, lets take a look at some coaches on the hot seat:

Rookies Get a Second Chance, Right?:
Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs
Haley has a Belichick pedigree, which isn't necessarily a good thing. He also has the career advantage of bringing his QB from last season with him to his first job as a head coach. That also may not be a good thing. After throwing 21 TDs to only 11 picks last season with the New Engalnd Patriots, Matt Cassel is 13-13 so far this season. There have been bright spots this season, though. They took Dallas to OT before the Cowboy Collapse began. They also played strong against Jacksonville, who is in line for a playoff spot. Haley's saving grace may be the fact that he inherited a team in turnoil. He was bringing in a new system that only his QB knew, and had to deal with problems with his running backs, eventually cutting Larry Johnson. I'd expect Haley to be back next year, and for the Chiefs to be an improved team after having a year under his system.

Tuesday Morning News - 12/15/09

The NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox will be the opening game of the 2010 season, playing at Fenway Park on April 4th. [Yankees.com]

The NFL is planning on holding two games in London next season and already has two teams who have agreed to be the home team. [BBC]

Houston Rockets F Trevor Ariza has been suspended one game for attempting to elbow Toronto's DeMar DeRozan. [Houston Chronicle]

A Belgian court has suspended the one-year anti-doping bans of tennis players Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse, citing administrative errors. [ABC Grandstand Sport]

MNF Preview - Week 14

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers
Spread: Cardinals, -3.5
o/u: 44.5
When these teams faced off in Week 1, they were two different teams. The 49ers were starting a different QB, and the Cards receivers, their best weapon, were all banged up. Now the Cards have a healthy offense, and the 49ers returned Alex Smith to a starting position. The healthy receivers have helped the Cards more than Alex Smith has helped the 49ers, though. He may have brought Vernon Davis and the passing game into the forefront, but he hasn't brought wins. He also can't solve the consistency issues on defense. Those are issues the Cards will be able to exploit, and with the win this week, they lock-up the NFC West.
Pick: Cardinals 28 - 49ers 24

NFL Sunday Recap - Determination

Call it what you will - drive, determination, perseverance. Some players have it, and some players don't.

Drive:
LaDainian Tomlinson
Though he'll probably never be the back he was in 2006, when he rushed for 1,815 yards and 28 TD, caught three more, and passed for two, Tomlinson continues to be a scoring threat. He may have only rushed for 50 yards against Dallas this week, but his 1st quarter score would give his team the lead early enroute to a 20-17 win. It was his 10th of the year, extending his record streak of double digit TD seasons to 9, having done it in every season he's been in the NFL. The win also gave the Chargers their 16th straight win in December. It's a streak that may not last much longer. His 3.9 yards per carry this season is the lowest of his career, and Darren Sproles has taken many of his receptions out of the backfield. The fact that he's become a little injury-prone over the last few seasons could mean his career is coming to a close, but he should see decent production over the next season or two.

Monday Morning News - 12/14/09

Global consulting firm Accenture is the first sponsor to drop Tiger Woods, ending a six year relationship with the golfer. [LA Times]

Former NHL goalie Mertin Gerber was injured in a Russian KHL league game, suffering a spinal contusion. Gerber was originally diagnosed with a compression fracture of his fourth cervical vertebra, but further testing showed the injury was less serious. [Russian Hockey Fans]

The house of former Cincinnati head football coach Brian Kelly is believed to have been egged by Cincinnati fans on Saturday night. [Rivals.com]

The Sunday News - 12/13/09

Heaisman Trophy results: 1. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama(1,304 points, 227 1st place votes) 2. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford(1,276, 222) 3. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas(1,145, 203) 4. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska(815, 161) 5. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida(390, 43) Ingram is the first player from Alabama to win the Heisman in the closest vote in the award's history. [ESPN]

BJ Penn retained his UFC Lightweight Championship by defeating Diego Sanchez by stoppage in the fifth round at UFC 107. [Sherdog]

Vitali Klitschko retained his WBC Heavyweight Championship, beating Kevin Johnson by unanimous decision. [Miami Herald]

Stanford head football coach Jim Harbaugh has signed a contract extension to reamin with the school through 2014. [The Stanford Daily]

Kansas University has hired Turner Gill to replace Mark Mangino as head football coach. [Lawrence Journal News]

Hot Stove Roundup - Thoughts on the Winter Meetings

It was a crazy week, as pretty much every team and baseball agent was in Indianapolis for the MLB Winter Meetings:

Free Agency:
This seems like a great year for aging catchers! Hot on the heels of last weeks signing of Gregg Zaun comes the signings of Jason Kendall and Ivan Rodriguez to two-year deals. Both players are going to teams that haven't made the playoffs in years and expect to win. Rodriguez will most likely be a backup for the Nationals, but Kendall is expected to be the regular catcher for the Royals next year. Maybe the Royals are hoping he'll bounce back for them after he had a career low in batting average(.241) and slugging(.305). His 134 games played is also his lowest in 10 years. Well, at least the Royals are trying to do something in free agency for once.

NFL Week 14 Preview

NY Jets @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Spread: Jets, -3
o/u: 37
The Jets will be without starting QB Mark Sanchez this week, as he recovers from a sprained knee. Their running game should be more than up to the task against the NFL's second worst run defense. Can it win, though? After seeing Kellen Clemens in the second half against Buffalo, it'll have to. At least the Jets D should have an easy day, since Tampa's offense hasn't faired very well lately. They'll need to strong defensive game if they want to keep their plyoff hopes alive.
Pick: Jets 20 - Buccaneers 13

Saturday Morning News - 12/12/09

Amidst widening reports of marital infidelity, Tiger Woods is taking an indefinite break from professional golf. [TigerWoods.com]

Ice Edge Holdings has signed a letter of intent to buy the Phoenix Coyotes from the NHL. [The Globe and Mail]

Kyle Busch will become a NASCAR owner next season, fielding a two-car Truck Series team in 2010. [Miami Herald]

Friday Morning News - 12/11/09

Atlanta Falcons DT Jonathan Babineaux was arrested and charged with marijuana possession after over an once was found on him during a traffic stop. [ESPN]

Barry Bonds's agent Jeff Borris says the sluggers career is over after he has been unable to find a team to sign him since the end of the 2007 season. [MLB.com]

University of Cincinnati head football coach Brian Kelly is leaving the school to take over at Notre Dame. He will not coach Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl. [Chicago Tribune]

Thursday Night Special - Steelers @ Browns

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns
Spread: Steelers, -10
o/u: 33
The Browns haven't beaten Pittsburgh in 12 straight tries. With Eric Mangini at the helm, there isn't much reason to believe they'll win this one either. Sure, they've played tough the last few weeks, even putting up 23 points on San Diego in their last game. And sure, Hines Ward might not be playing, and the Steelers D isn't the same without Troy Polamalu. The Steelers are still the better team, even after losing their last four games. The Browns will keep this one closer than the spread, but the Steelers will still come away with the win.
Pick: Steelers 24 - Browns 17

Thursday Morning News - 12/10/09

Philadelphia Eagle head coach Andy Reid has been given a contract extension keeping him with the team through 2013. [The Trentonian]

Louisville has a new head football coach, naming Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong to the position. [Kentucky.com]

Texas head football coach Mack Brown has been given a raise and contract extension, making him the highest paid coach in college sports at $5 million per year. [ESPN]

Mark Messier has been named GM of Team Canada for the 2010 world hockey championships. [National Post]

Wednesday Morning News - 12/9/09

Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco has been fined $30,000 for wearing a poncho and sombrero on the sideline after scoring. [The Huddle]

Dallas Cowboys OT Flozell Adams has been fined $50,000 for a hit on NY Giants DE Justin Tuck after the whistle. [NFL.com Blogs]

Philadelphia Flyers G Ray Emery will be out 6 weeks after undergoing abdominal surgery. [The Trentonian]

British swimmer Mark Foster is calling for all swimming records set since 2007 to be remioved because they were made with performance-enhancing swimsuits. [BBC]

NFL Week 13 Wrap-up

Four games left, let's take a look at the playoff picture:

AFC:
The Indianapolis Colts have clinched the AFC South, and should clinch home-field in the playoffs with a win. The Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs have been eliminated from playoff contention based on record and tie-breakers.

East
The East in both conferences is the closest race from top to bottom. For the AFC, the New England Patriots are back on top, but barely. They split their games with the NY Jets and Miami Dolphins, but a win against Buffalo in Week 15 would give them tie-breakers against both. Unfortunately for the teams below them, the Pats only opponent with a winning record is the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. The good news is the Pats play two of their last four on the road, where their only win has been against the Buccaneers in a neutral site game in London. Down the stretch, I could see the Pats and Jets both going 2-2, and the Dolphins 1-3. That would give the Pats the division, and probably lock the rest out of the playoffs. The Bills are technically still alive, but they need to go 4-0, while the Pats go 0-4 and the Jets and Phins no better than 1-3.

Tuesday Morning News - 12/8/09

Whitey Herzog and retired umpire Doug Harvey have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the veterans commitee. [NY Times]

The 2009 Heisman Trophy Finalists: Texas QB Colt McCoy, Alabama RB Mark Ingram, Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh, Florida QB Tim Tedow, and Stanford RB Toby Gerhart [Associated Content]

Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate will enter the 2010 NFL Draft and forgo their senior year of college. [Chicago Tribune]

Danica Patrick has reportedly reached a deal to race a partial NASCAR Nationwide series schedule for Junior Motorsports. [Dallas News]

MNF Preview - Week 13

Baltimore Ravens @ Green Bay Packers
Spread: Packers, -3.5
o/u: 43
Everything about this game scream Packers win. Aaron Rodgers has played lights out over the last few weeks, the defense is playing better, and the team has a three game win streak going. Rodgers may be the most sacked QB in football right now, but with a running game thats finally coming along and the Ravens defense that hasn't played up to expectations, he'll be just fine. Ray Rice and the Ravens running game might keep the score close, but they won't be able to win in a night game at Lambeau Field.
Pick: Packers 31 - Ravens 24

NFL Sunday Recap - The Future and The Past

Two games this weekend highlighted the how far some players have come, and how far some still have to go:

Vikings @ Cardinals:
In the battle of the two oldest QBs to ever face each other, you had the amazing play of Brett Favre versus Kurt Warner in his first game back after sitting one out with  a concussion. So does Favre and his records win? Or Warner after having an extra week of rest? Well, coming in, it looked like a win for the Vikes. Favre has been playing some of the best football of his career, and had the team at 10-1, one game out of home-field advantage in the playoffs. With Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin on his team, how could he lose? Its December, thats how! Since 2005, Favre has thrown just 13 TDs against 31 picks after December 1st. Unfortunately for him, this game was played on December 6th. His 2 scores against 2 picks in this game wouldn't help the team, but they weren't the only problem. The running game couldn't get things moving either, as Peterson only had 13 carries, and barley averaged a yard per.

Monday Morning News - 12/7/09

The 2009 BCS Bowl matchups: Rose Bowl - Ohio State vs Oregon, Sugar Bowl - Florida vs Cincinnati, Fiesta Bowl - TCU vs Boise State, Orange Bowl - Georgia Tech vs Iowa, National Championship - Texas vs Alabama [The Quad]

The NFL is ending its $100 million-per-year revenue sharing program after this season. The NFLPA is challenging the move. [ESPN]

Philadelphia Flyer Daniel Carcillo has been suspended 4 games for punching Washington Capital Matt Bradley. [Canada.com]

Jim Furyk has won the Chevron World Challenge by one stroke under Graeme McDowell. It is his first win in two years. [Golf Monthly]

Spain clinched a David Cup win, beating the Czech Republic for their second straight. [National Post]

How Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer Cost Florida a BCS Title

On Friday I predicted Tim Tebow would carry Florida to victory over Alabama in the SEC Championship Game by shear strength of will. My gut said that's what would happen, and I made my prediction on my gut. My logic said something very different: Alabama's D was too good, that they'd practice for Tebow all week, and they'd stop him. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who didn't listen to logic.

If you want to know who the biggest and worst believer in Tim Tebow was, look no further than Florida's sideline. No one has had a better view of Tebow's triumphs than head coach Urban Meyer. No one believed in him more. And why shouldn't he? The analysts and experts bought into it, so why shouldn't the man who has been there for all of Tebow's big plays? Because head coaches are supposed to be better than that.

The opening quarter should tell you all you need to know about Tebow's performance against Alabama's D. In Florida's first drive, he was 1/3 for 2 yards. After the second, he was 5/10 for 39 yards, but had only 9 yards on 3 rush attempts. Alabama was keying in on him, and Urban Meyer wasn't doing anything about it.

With Tebow so far held under wraps, you might think a team would try going a little more conventional in their offensive choices. Call some handoffs, give the ball to someone else, then go back to a Tebow-heavy offense once things got moving. In the entire first half, only two plays had Tebow giving the ball to someone else, one in the first quarter, and one in the second.

At halftime, Florida was still in the game. They only trailed 19-13, and there was plenty of time to make adjustments. Get the ball in someone elses hands, and get the running game started. Coming out of the gate, Chris Rainey got the ball on the second play of the half, but lost a yard. It would be the last time a running play would go to anyone other than Tebow.

Coming into this game, Alabama had one of the best defenses in the country. They had already beaten four ranked teams. Those four teams averaged 11.25 points per game against 'Bama's D. In 44 games against other teams, they combined to average 28.7 points per. Alabama was holding ranked teams to 17 points less than they scored against other opponents. This week, they just had to stop one player. Clearly, Urban Meyer would have to do something about that.

When playing against a team that doesn't have any obvious holes in their defense, the best option is to spread the ball around early. Find one thing that works, and keep doing it until the defense can stop you. That should have been Florida's plan. Tebow running up the middle doesn't work? Try a bubble screen. That doesn't work? Option. Stopped again? Throw the ball. Instead, Meyer's game plan seemed to consist of "Throw the ball, then have Tebow run it." When that didn't work, the plan seemed to change to "Have Tebow run the ball a little more." The results are obvious to see: Tebow carried the ball 10 times for 63 yards, threw the ball 25 times for 247 yards, 1 TD, and 1 pick, and no one else had more than two rushes. Only four plays the entire game were put into the hands of someone other than Tim Tebow. And the result was Florida's first loss of the season.

So what does this all mean? Well, obviously it means Florida lost to Alabama, 32-13. After 60 minutes of football, gone were Florida's undefeated season and BCS title hopes. Thats the short-term outcome. The bigger concern is what happens next season. This was Tebow's last season in college. If I were a Florida fan, and I just saw my team lose after giving the ball to a graduating senior on 45 of 49 offensive plays, I'd be worried about what comes next. Meyer has to figure out how to keep this team successful with Tebow next year. A lot of people think Meyer is a great coach, and cite his two National Championships as their proof. But those championship were won on Tebow's back. If Tebow couldn't get the job done, and Meyer kept going back to him, what does that say about his ability as a coach?

In Notre Dame's coaching search, Urban Meyer's name keep coming up. He has said he'll be in Florida until they don't want him any more. Without Tim Tebow as his QB, the time when Florida doesn't want him any more could be sooner, rather than later.

MY 25 - Regular Season Final

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


Performance of the Week: Devan Cunningham
Cunningham is a guard on the Fresno State football team. Normally, he gets no attention. Rarely are his blocks remembered after a game, and when the running game 233 yards, the backs will get the love, andhe'll be forgotten. Sometimes, though, somthing special happens. Fresno State had just scored a TD with 2 seconds left and trailed Illinois, 52-51. Head coach Pat Hill didn't want overtime, and called for a pass attempt for the 2-point conversion. Ryan Colburns throw was batted down at the goalline, right into the hands of Cunningham. He put all 350 pounds of his body into the Illinois defense, and came out the other side with 2 points and coach Hill's 100th win at the school.

The Sunday Morning News - 12/6/09

Roy "Big Country" Nelson is the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 10. Kimbo Slice also defeated Houston Alexander by unanimous decision in the fianle. [MMAFrenzy.com]

Portland Trailblazers C Greg Oden could miss the rest of the season with a fractured patella in his left knee. [The Blazers Beat]

Ohio State G Evan Turner is expected to miss 8 weeks after fracturing two vertebra in his spine when he fell on his back following a dunk. [Big Ten Network]

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]

Hot Stove Roundup - Rumors and Signings

Its been a week, and not much has happened in free agency. The high-profile players are still out there, but some needs are being filled:

Free Agency:
The Toronto Blue Jays signed SS Alex Gonzalez to a one-year deal with a club option for 2011. One has to wonder what exactly the Jays plans are with this signing. Compared to Marco Scutaro, their previous SS, Gonzalez is a downgrade. With Scutaro eligible to be a free agent but waiting on an arbitration offer, the Jays may not be expecting to get him back. This would be a huge blow for the organization, as Scutaro is coming off a year where he had career highs in almost every offensive category. The only real advantage Gonzalez has is age, as he is 2 years younger than Scutaro. With Gonzalez now signed and Scutaro expected to play elswhere, the Red Sox and Dodgers look like his most likely landing spots.

NFL Week 12 Preview

Carolina Panthers @ NY Jets
Spread: Jets, -3
o/u: 41.5
The Jets are 1-6 in their last seven, and yet the oddsmakers still make them the favorite. In that same 7-game stretch, the Panthers have beaten the Cardinals and Falcons, but lost to the Dolphins and Bills. Really this game will come down to the QBs. Both have had their problems this year, and both will need to step it up to win this game. Both teams can rush for all the yards they want, but if Sanchez or Delhomme throws a pick after gaining 20 yards on the ground, it won't really matter. What will matter is the fact that the Jet's secondary hasn't been getting pick in the first place.
Pick: Panthers 20 - Jets 17

Saturday Morning News - 11/28/09

Tiger Woods was injured in a one-car accident early Friday morning. The latest update says his injuries were caused by his wife, not the accident itself. [TMZ]

Duke won the 2009 NIT Season Tip-off, beating UConn, 68-59. [NYDN]

UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma won his 700th career game, beating Hofstra, 91-46. [Danbury News Times]

The Las Vegas Locomotives won the inaugural UFL Championship beating the Florida Tuskers in overtime. [Las Vegas Sun]

Thanksgiving NFL Special!

Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions
Spread: Packers, -10.5
o/u: 47.5
The problem with short weeks, like Thanksgiving week, is lack of time to prepare. That goes for teams as well as people trying to pick winners. Here we have two teams coming off wins who have major players who may or may not play. We already know the Packers will be without defensive standouts Aaron Kampman and Al Harris. It's assumed the Lions will be without Matthew Stafford, and possibly without Calvin Johnson. With one team losing two defensive players, and the other two offensive, I still have to give it to the Packers.
Pick: Packers 28 - Lions 20

Oakland Raiders @ Dallas Cowboys
Spread: Cowboys, -13.5
o/u: 40.5
Bruce Gradkowski led the Raiders to a win over a division leader last week, and now he has to face another one this week. I can't simply say the Cowboys will win this one. They barely pulled out a 7-6 win against an excellent Redskins defense, and the Raiders D showed they can take on the best of them last week. The advantage the Cowboys have is a running game. Nnamdi Asomugha may be the NFL's best corner, but if they can't stop the run game as a team, they won't be able to win.
Pick: Cowboys 17 - Raiders 13

NY Giants @ Denver Broncos
Spread: Giants, -6.5
o/u: 42
This Thanksgiving, we should all be thankful for the late Lamar Hunt. Without him, we would be forced to watch the Raiders and Lions on Thanksgiving without a third game to remind us that there is still good football out there. This year we have the Giants and Broncos. But lets not get ahead of ourselves and think this is a definite game to look forward to. Both of the Giants RBs are nursing injuries with Ahmad Bradshaw not expected to play. Denver will be trotting out injured QB Kyle Orton, after Chris Simms couldn't get the job done. The real story is how the Ravens and Steelers exposed their one weakness: if the Broncos can't get their running game started, they can't get their offense started. Despite some late-game collapses the past few weeks, the Giants have a very good defense, and they aren't happy about playing on Thanksgiving. Shutting down the running game early should put this one out of reach, and the Giants can coast most of the second half.
Pick: Giants 31 - Broncos 17

Wednesday Morning News - 11/25/09

NL MVP: 1B Albert Pujols(STL) [MLB.com]

Jim Bates has been demoted from defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Head coach Raheem Morris will take over his play-calling duties. [Miami Herald]

Washington Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray is expected to be named head coach of the University of Memphis football team. [Washington Examiner]

Abe Pollin, owner of the Washington Wizards, has died at the age of 85. [Washington Post]

Maybe the Deer Just Wanted to Play, Too

So some kids in Ohio were playing football. The ball gets away from them, and rolls towards a woodsy area behind the house. One kid goes to retrieve the ball. Then, fan interference:

Devil Deer my ass. Rumor has it Al Davis has already contacted his agent, and he'll be working out for the Raiders this Friday. We're awaiting the results of his 40 time.

The kid with the stick has been suspended for one half against the girl down the block by Urban Meyer.

NFL Week 11 Wrap-up

The AFC North went 0-4? Seriously? Seriously:

Well, That Makes Sense:
Baltimore Ravens
Playing Indy, some people had the Ravens as a slight favorite, some people had the Colts as a slight favorite. At this point, I think people are overvaluing the Ravens defense. Yes, like I've said before, Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are two of the best defensive players in the league, maybe ever. But the losses of Rex Ryan, Bart Scott, and Jim Leonhard have hurt more than people think. And without Terrell Suggs this week, things only got worse. The Colts have been struggling, but to think Peyton Manning wouldn't be able to beat that defense is silly, in my mind. Sure, the Ravens almost won, but almost doesn't get you to the playoffs.

Tuesday Morning News - 11/24/09

AL MVP: C Joe Mauer(MIN) [MLB.com]

Montreal Canadiens F Geroges Laraque has been suspended 5 games for a knee-to-knee hit on Detroit Red Wings D Niklas Kronwall. [Detroit Free Press]

Lorena Ochoa has won her fourth consecutive LPGA Player of the Year title. [USA Today]

Northeastern University will be ending their football program after 74 years, due to the costs of fielding a competitive team. [Berkshire Eagle]

MNF Preview - Week 11

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans
Spread: Texans, -4
o/u: 48.5
The Vince Young Experiment comes to Houston this week, as the struggling, inconsistent Texans look to finally be consistent. They may have finally won three-in-a-row in Weeks 6, 7, and 8, but they followed that up with a 3 point loss to the Colts going into the bye week. And just like I predicted, Steve Slaton is the starter again. The fumblemonster will have to face a team on three straight wins whose D has improved greatly after their own bye in Week 7. Vince Young and the option offense have opened up the field for Chris Johnson, and hes been taking full advantage of it. Thats gonna be hard for the Texans to stop, and they fall back to .500 after this week.
Pick: Titans 31 - Texans 27

NFL Sunday Recap - QBs: Rookies and Backups Make the Day

It was a tough day to be a QB this week, mostly:

A Tale of Two Rookies:
Mark Sanchez
The guy the Jets are banking their future on looked like a rookie for the third time this year. His 4 picks are only second to the five he threw against Buffalo, and getting strip-sacked late in the game pretty much sealed the deal for the Pats this week. He did have an impressive touchdown throw, but his mistakes doomed the Jets from the start. He finished the first half with 2 completions and 2 INTs.

Monday Morning News - 11/23/09

Jimmy Johnson won his fourth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup, coming in 5th at Homestead-Miami Speedway. [Virginia-Pilot]

Real Salt Lake won the 2009 MLS Cup with a win over the LA Galaxy on penalty kicks. [Goal.com]

Usain Bolt and Sanya Richards have been named IAAF World Athletes of the Year. [BBC]

MY 25 - Week 12

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. Alabama
3. TCU
4. Florida
5. Boise State
6. Cincinnati
7. Pitt
8. Georgia Tech
9. Oregon
10. Ohio State
11. Utah
12. Houston
13. BYU
14. Temple
15. Iowa
16. Penn State
17. Oklahoma State
18. Central Michigan
19. Virginia Tech
20. Cal
21. Navy
22. Clemson
23. Ole Miss
24. Oregon State
25. Miami(FL)


Performance of the Week: UConn
Even with the state of Notre Dame football, its hard for a team to go into South Bend and win, especially on Senior Day. UConn did just that, pulling off what's being called the best win in program history. After quickly going down 14-0, the Huskies D only allowed a field goal in each half, while the offense came back to tie the game at 20-20. They almost won on a late field goal that went wide, but won anyway on a TD in the second OT period. This is their first win since CB Jasper Howard was murdered, and head coach Randy Edsall dedicated the win to him, saying he would send the gameball to Howard's family.

The Sunday News - 11/22/09

Week 12 college football upsets: Ole Miss 25 - No. 8 LSU 23, Northwestern 33 - No. 16 Wisconsin 31, No. 25 Cal 34 - No. 17 Stanford 28 [ESPN]

UFC 106 results: Forrest Griffin beat Tito Ortiz by split decision, Josh Koscheck beat Anthony Johnson by submission, Paulo Thiago beat Jacob Volkmann by unanimous decision, Amir Sadollah beat Phil Baroni by unanimous decision [LA Times]

NJ Devils C Dainus Zubrus will miss 4-6 weeks with a broken kneecap. [NorthJersey.com]

Michigan AD Bill Martin has announced Rich Rodriguez will continue to be head football coach through next season. [Detroit Free Press]

Kyle Busch clinched the NASCAR Nationwide Series title with his start in the series finale yesterday. [Seattle Times]

Hot Stove Roundup - Covering the Top Free Agents, and a look at Aroldis Chapman

We're one day into free agency and not much is happening. It looks like most teams are waiting to see what the Yankees do, which is a fairly silly thing to do:

Free Agency:
This week, we'll take a look at the top three free agents this off season:

Matt Holliday:
No stranger to moving around, Holliday could be on his third team in the past two years. After spending his first five seasons with the Colorado Rockies, he was traded to the Oakland A's after the 2008 season, then to the St Louis Cardinals at mid-season. Though his numbers have declined over the last two season, he remains one of baseball's best hitters. Coming up on 30-years-old in January, his production should stay around .320 BA/.400 OBP/25 HR or better for a few more years. Lucky for him, it looks like a lot of teams will need a corner outfielder this year. However, the Angels and Giants have already publicly claimed they aren't interested, and I get the feeling the Yankees will get outfield help from within the organization this year. With the Red Sox looking at him and Jason Bay, he's most likely to end up there or stay with the Cardinals.

NFL Week 11 Preview

Atlanta Falcons @ NY Giants
Spread: Giants, -6.5
o/u: 46
The Falcons are in trouble. Matt Ryan is still good, but not as good as he looked last year. Michael Turner is out. Last week they lost to the Panthers. The Giants are coming off the bye, and have only Antonio Pierce out with a bulging disk. They may have lost four straight, but that has to end, eventually. This is the week, it does.
Pick: Giants 24 - Falcons 17

Saturday Morning News - 11/21/09

NY Giants LB Antonio Pierce is out indefinitely after an MRI revealed a bulging disk in his neck. [NJ.com]

Jacksonville Jaguars S Reggie Nelson has been fined $7,500 for an unnecessary blow to the head on Jets QB Mark Sanchez. [Pro Football Talk]

Dallas Stars F James Neal has been suspended 2 games for a major boarding penalty against Columbus Blue Jackets F Derek Dorsett. [National Post]

Syracuse wins the 2k Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, upsetting 6 Syracuse, 87-71. [Greensboro News-Record]

College Football Week 12 - Important Matchups

With the season winding down, there are really only two major games this weekend. Thats not to say there won't be upsets. With six teams still undeafeated, and five of them playing this weekend, you would think someone has to lose at some point. With Florida playing FIU and Alabama playing Chattanooga, the odds of both teams still being undefeated going into the SEC Championship are still pretty high, though.

10 Ohio State @ Michigan
Favorite: Ohio State, -12
This game mattered a lot more when it was basically the Big Ten Championship game. Now, Ohio State has already wrapped up the championship, and Michigan is playing for their bowl life. After starting the season 4-0, they've played like NY's NFL teams, going 1-6 and in danger of not making the postseason. After last season's 3-9 debacle, coach Rich Rodriguez could also be coaching for his career. Things don't look good for the home team, though. Outside of their loss to Purdue, Ohio State has looked like the team that would win the Big Ten, even when Iowa was undefeated. They've also beaten Michigan five straight times.
Pick: Ohio State 28 - Michigan 17

25 Cal @ 17 Stanford
Favorite: Stanford, -7
Jim Harbugh and Stanford are relevant again, after knocking off favorite USC, 55-21, last week! This week, they play the only ranked-vs-ranked game, at home against Cal. The Cardinal comes in as the nation's hottest team, and still have an outside shot at the Pac-10 title, with a little help from Oregon. Meanwhile, Cal wants to prove that a) they matter, too, and b) Jahvid Best is great, but they can win big games without him. This is the second straight week Cal will take on the 17th ranked team in the nation after beating Arizona last week. Unfortunately for them, Stanford has scored 106 points the last two weeks, against Oregon and USC. Cal has scored 38 against Oregon State and Arizona.
Pick: Stanford 51 - Cal 27

Friday Morning News - 11/20/09

NL CY Young Award: Tim Lincecum(SF) []agreed to a trade sending P Aaron Heilman to the Arizona Diamondbacks for prospects P Scott Maine and 1B Ryne White. [ESPN]

The Chicago Cubs

Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in Minnesota through 2013. [Minneapolis Star Tribune]

Milwaukee Bucks C Andrew Bogut will miss 2-4 weeks with a leg injury. [SI.com]

Karo Parysian Done With UFC?

Karo Parysian, who had just come off a 9-month drug suspension, will apparently be cut from the UFC roster. Parysian was expected to fight Dustin Hazelett at UFC 106, but pulled out the day before weigh-ins. From UFC President Dana White's twitter account:

Karo Parisyan has fucked over the UFC, the fans and his opponent again!!! He will not be fighting saturday or ever again in the UFC!!

Pulled out of the fight the day before weigh ins again with a laundry list of excuses!!! Let the press ask karo why! Let him explain.

Parysian has a history of problems in UFC, previously pulling out of a match scheduled for UFC 88 at the last minute, claiming a back injury. His last match, at UFC 94, was declared a "no contest" after he tested positive for banned painkillers, leading to his suspension. Hazelett will be paid a full purse for the canceled fight. Parysian's run ends with a 8-3 UFC record, with the one no contest.

Thursday Night Special - Dolphins @ Panthers

Miami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers
Spread: Panthers, -3
o/u: 42.5
A week or two ago I would have given this game to the Dolphins, easily. Now Ronnie Brown is done for the year, and that severly limits the Wildcat. Yes, Pat White can still run it, and Ricky Williams has been strong out of the backfield, but neither one can do what Brown has done over the past two seasons. Last week, the Panthers faced a strong runner in Michael Turner. Once he went down with an ankle injury, they pulled out a 28-19 win. With DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart healthy enough to be a dangerous backfield combination again, the Panthers will get themselves back in the playoff picture this week.
Pick: Panthers 24 - Dolphins 20

Thursday Morning News - 11/19/09

MLB Manager of the Year: Mike Sciosia(LAA), Jim Tracy(COL) [MLB.com]

Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn has been fined $10,000 for a low hit on Baltimore Ravens LB Terrell Suggs. [TribToday.com]

Montreal Canadiens F Brian Gionta will be out indefinitely with a broken bone in his left foot. [Globe and Mail]

LA Kings C Ryan Smyth will miss at least a month with an "upper body injury." [LA Times]

Wednesday Morning News - 11/18/09

AL Cy Young Award: Zach Greinke(KC) [MLB.com]

The Buffalo Bills fired their head coach after a 3-6 start. Dick Jauron will be replaced by defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. [NFL.com]

Kansas City Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe has been suspended four games for violating the NFL PED policy. [KansasCity.com]

LA Laker Kobe Bryant had his 100th career 40-point game in a 106-93 win over the Detroit Pistons. [NBC Sports]


Raja Bell, who was sent to the Golden State Warriors in a trade Monday could miss the rest of the season after upcoming surgery on his wrist. [Examiner]

Orlando Magic PR Jameer Nelson is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a torn meniscus in his left knee. [Sporting News]

Portland Trailblazer Travis Outlaw will miss 6-8 weeks with a broken bone in his left foot. [Blazers Beat]

Brendan Shanahan has retired from the NHL. He played for 21 years, and is one of the last two active players to play for the Hartford Whalers. [NY Times]

NFL Week 10 Wrap-up

With teams facing injuries heading into the playoff push its times like this that...Screw it, lets talk about the NFC East!

Whats Wrong with These Guys?:
Dallas Cowboys
After five weeks, the 'Boys looked lost out there. They had a 3-2 record, but couldn't beat anyone above .500. And KC had just taken them to overtime. Then they had a bye week, officially made Miles Austin a starter, and the team blew up for three weeks, ending with a 20-16 win over Philly for first place in the division. With Green Bay coming off a loss to then-winless Tampa Bay, they looked set to go 5-0. And then their offense didn't show up. The defense played ok, racking up four more sack on Aaron Rodgers and holding the team to a field goal in the first half. But they had no turnovers while the offense lost 2 fumbles and an INT. Clearly this team is different from the one that lost 33-31 to the Giants in Week 2. They're defense is much improved, but their offense is only showing quick flashes. And now that teams have figured out Austin, they can't look to him anymore. Roy Williams and Tony Romo need to step up. Williams claims he's the teams #1 receiver, and now he needs to prove it. He had 105 yards and a TD this week, and it only took him until Week 10 to have a 100 yard game. Its also only his third TD of the season. Its also beginning to become clearer that Romo is not a frnachise QB. Is he a solid QB? Yes. But he's not going to lead anyone to a Super Bowl any time soon. The team looks like a playoff contender, but only because the rest of they're division is falling apart, too.

Tuesday Morning News - 11/17/09

MLB Rookie of the Year Awards: RP Andrew Bailey(OAK), OF Chris Coghlan(FLA) [MLB.com]

Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams has been fined $250,000 for an obscene gesture directed at the Buffalo Bills in the Titans 41-17 win. [Nashville City Paper]

ESPN is reporting the Cincinnati Bengals have signed Larry Johnson to a one-year deal. [ESPN]

The Golden State Warriors completed a four-player trade, sending Steven Jackson and Acie Law to the Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic. [ABC 7 News]

The Memphis Grizzlies and Allen Iverson have agreed to part ways. [Bloomberg]

MNF Preview - Week 10

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns
Spread: Ravens, -11
o/u: 39.5
The good news: The Brady Quinn Era is back! The bad news: The Browns are on Monday Night Football. I guess the schedule-makers felt the Browns would be better than the Bengals this year, since this looks like it would have been a perfect week to put Pats-Colts on Monday, Bengals-Steelers on Sunday night, and bury this game at 1 on Sunday. But no, now we have to suffer. Thanks schedule-makers. Thanks for nothing.
Pick: Ravens 24 - Browns 10

NFL Sunday Recap - Week 10

Injuries! They hurt. And not just the person getting injured:

I found their weakness. They're powerless without their heads!:
Kyle Orton
After putting together a great start to the season, the Broncos had lost two straight. But never fear, they played the Redskins this week! There was no way they could lose! Brandon Marshall started the game off catching 2 passes for 115 yards and 2 TDs. They would add on a field goal in the second quarter to take a 17-14 lead into the half. Orton wouldn't see the field again, however, leaving with an ankle injury. Chris Simms would fill in for him in the second half, and he would go 3/13 for 13 yards and a pick. The Broncos would lose their third straight, 27-17.

Monday Morning News - 11/16/09

Jimmy Johnson, current NASCAR Chase for the Cup points leader, won at Phoenix International Raceway. He only needs a 25th place finish in the last race of the season next week to win his fourth Sprint Cup. [LA Times]

Michelle Wie, once the youngest professional gofler at 10 years old, has won her first event, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. [Honolulu Advertiser]

Novak Djokovic won the Paris Masters, beating Gael Monfils. [Bloomberg]

MY 25 - Week 11

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. Alabama
3. TCU
4. Boise State
5. Florida
6. Cincinnati
7. Pitt
8. Georgia Tech
9. Oregon
10. Ohio State
11. Wisconsin
12. Rutgers
13. Utah
14. Iowa
15. BYU
16. Temple
17. Houston
18. Penn State
19. LSU
20. Oklahoma State
21. Central Michigan
22. Virginia Tech
23. Stanford
24. Navy
25. Cal


Performance of the Week: Stanford
Sure, USC has been beaten by two other Pac-10 teams already this season, but they hadn't lost at home in two years. The last team to do it? The Stanford Cardinal, in one of the biggest upsets ever. At 6-3 coming in, Stanford obviously felt they had something to prove, and prove it they did, beating USC 55-21. Its the most points ever scored against USC, and pretty much ends their streak of BCS bowl appearances, 11-win seasons, top-4 poll finishes, and is the first time Pete Carroll has lost as head coach of USC in November.

The Sunday News - 11/15/09

Week 11 college football upsets: Stanford 55 - No. 9 USC 21, UNC 33 - No. 14 Miami(FL) 24, UCF 37 - No. 17 Houston 32 [ESPN]

Manny Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto by 12th round TKO. [Miami Herald]

Tiger Woods scored a final round 68 to win the Australian Masters by 2 strokes. [Guardian]