Monday, December 14, 2009

It's Bowl Season!!

Before we get into all of the other bowls, let's talk about Temple - UCLA. Personally, I'm stoked about this matchup for multiple reasons...First off, the Bruins are a nice name/test for the Owls to use to go into the 2010 season which could be even bigger for Temple if things bounce right for them. The talking heads on ESPN said that UCLA has the better talent and should easily walk all over the Owls. I just can't see that happening unless Golden is gone. No this Cincinnati opening scares the crap out of me but I can't see him leaving...I just can't.

For those not familiar with the Owls, Temple gets it done on the ground with freshman stud Bernard Pierce and Matt Brown along with Lamar McPherson and a little James Nixon around the edge. Pierce is practicing and should be ready for this. Chester Stewart has been an improvement over Vaughn Charlton as he's slightly more accurate and gives them a threat to run. This offense uses the reverse and the play action pass so well in getting it out to Nixon, Maneri and Campbell.

Defensively, I must say that this defense is perplexing. Their front four/five are outstanding. Adrian Robinson can get to the QB along with Neblett and the rest of the boys up front. Lately they havent been as good getting to the QB though and it's forcing this piss poor secondary to get burned. I've never seen a team run zone coverage worse then Temple does. They cover no one at all. I'm stunned at how poor they are. The linebackers are pretty good as this team hasnt been gouged too badly on the ground.

With regards to UCLA, from what I know about them, they were an under team. Great defense but a piss poor offense. This is a great matchup for Temple as I dont think the Bruins can beat the Owls as badly thru the air. Their QB play is so inconsistent that I can't see it going haywire on us. Defensively of course it's a concern for me as they could bottle up the run and force Temple to pass. Of course other teams have done that too but the Owls managed to still move the ball on them as well.

Intangibles in this one are these....Will Coach Golden be Coaching the Owls? I'd love to think he will but there's a chance he won't. If he's not, who knows what the mindset will be. Attendance will be another intangible. I have a feeling that UCLA fans won't be that thrilled to be in DC on the 29th and who knows if that carries over to the team. Flying east for a relatively early bowl game isn't exactly the best thing for a west coast squad. Finally, the intangible that is Temple in the bigtime...The Eagle Bank Bowl isnt great to most teams but this means a whole lot to these players, this school, this fanbase and everyone involved. Will nerves be a factor? Will the experience of UCLA win out?

Prediction: Your gonna think this is a homer pick...your going to question my thinking....I'm going to take Vegas gift and say thank you as I just think this magical season ends with a win. Could Temple be outclassed and get run out of the building? Sure....I see the game going like this....defensive struggle early on with field position flipping back and forth...Maybe a 7-3 halftime score...Temple's going to win this thing.

Temple 21-17

Other Bowl Game Picks:

St. Petersburg Bowl: Under 44.5 with two good defenses going at it here. The UCF offense is pretty bad. Rutgers is inconsistent but may struggle with UCF.
New Orleans Bowl: Under 58....Two underrated defenses in this one. I really like Dwight Dasher in this one almost enough to take MTSU but I'd rather go total here instead.
Las Vegas Bowl: Oregon State ML...The Beavers are the better team. How much motivation does BYU have to play in this bowl again? Not exactly what the Beavs want either but I'll take this PAC 10 talent over the Mountain West.
Poinsettia Bowl: Utah +3...Utes have won eight straight bowl games. Something about Cal just doesn't sit right with me.
Hawaii Bowl: Over 73.5...Two fun offenses in this one. Kyle Padron has moved in nicely for Bo Levi Mitchell. The balance of Nevada prevents me from taking SMU in this one but I'd lean to the underdog if forced to take a side.
Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl: Ohio ML...Bobcats win behind another solid effort by Theo Scott. Who is going to coach Marshall? Will Darius Marshall be healthy? Neither are questions I want to ask before a bowl game.
Meineke Care Bowl: Under 44.5 -- Two solid defenses. I like UNC to slow down Dion Lewis and force Stull to beat them. The Heels offense has been disappearing way too much this season.
Emerald Bowl: BC +9 -- Gotta question the Trojans motivation for this one. My worry about taking BC is that they dont have the talent to compete with a focused Trojan team. I'm banking that they arent and BC wants it more.
Champs Sports Bowl: Miami ML...Canes win this one with better athletes then Wisky has. Home field will play a factor a bit in this one too.
Humanitarian Bowl: Over 68...Fun game here with two teams that have smoking hot offenses. Idaho's defense tends not to show up in shootouts. This one will be played in the 40's.
Armed Forces Bowl: Houston -4.5...Air Force can't keep up in this one. Sure points will be scored but Case Keenum has a field day.
Sun Bowl: Stanford +8...Another chance for the Cardinal to make a statement to the country. Toby Gerhart will run wild on OU.
Texas Bowl: Over 53...This one will be like the SMU or Hawaii games. Navy can't stop the balance of Missou while the Tigers struggle with the Naval attack.
Chick Fil-A Bowl: VT ML...If the Hokies don't blow out Tennessee, i'll be disappointed. VT is head and shoulders above the Vols it's not even funny.
Gator Bowl: West Virginia -3....I dont care that it's Bowden's last game. Give me the more talented squad and the shorter number. FSU's defense is one of the worst units i've seen this season.
Rose Bowl: Oregon ML....I lulz at Ohio State. The Ducks will run roughshod all over the Buckeyes.
Sugar Bowl: Over 57...Cincinnati will be angry and will really test the Gators without Charlie Strong. The Bearcat D sucks too and Tebow won't want his last game to be a dud.
International Bowl: NIU +6.5 -- South Florida's collapse continues as the Huskies beat em outright.
Papa Johns Bowl: UConn +4.5 -- This team should have more wins and has played inspired ball since their CB's death. The Huskies close out the season on a high note.
Cotton Bowl: Ole Miss -3 -- Better team. SEC > Big 12
Liberty Bowl: ECU +7.5 -- The Pirates defense is underrated. They did some work on Tulsa who isnt as good as Arkansas but I feel they will do enough to hang around.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Musings across the sports world

So much to get to with the busy time of sports. It's funny...i'm not ready for college bball season but it's here.

MLB
Congrats to the New York Yankees. I'm not among those who hate this team. This year's version doesnt feature the crybabies and outcast losers like past years when Chuck Knoblauch, Paul O Neill and others were a part of their dugout. It's like they finally realized that they werent a corporation and had some fun. There's no reason they can't win again next year which may make me dislike them again.

Should be an interesting offseason with the likes of Roy Halladay and Matt Holliday changing places. Halladay will change the landscape of baseball depending on where he goes. I'd love to see him go to a smaller market team and make them relevant but that won't happen.

NFL
Hard to believe we are half way thru the season but we are. Let me just say that the NFL Network's Redzone TV is a mix of awesome with a hint of "whoa, what kind of acid trip am I on." (not that the author endorses or takes drugs). Scott Hansen does a great job but I feel like I'm missing something by watching this instead of just one game. It also loses interest to me because I don't have a pay fantasy football team this year so i'm not as intrigued.

The Redskins talent finally showed up although they had the help of noodle arm Chris Simms. I can't believe how far he's fallen since his college career. Simms is worthless now....borderline irrelevant. I hope that Colt McCoy isnt that bad. It's a shame because I still stand by the fact that a better Skins team takes control of this division. That defense they have is pretty good when they want to be.

Elsewhere, It's great when Belicheck is wrong. The man believes he wrote football and while he has the rings to be the way he is, doesnt mean he should. It's amazing to watch the NFL is played at it's best. That game was the two best teams playing football as it should be. I hope we see it again although next time I'd like it to be a 45-17 Colts win.

I'm not a believer in the Saints. You can't convince me that this is a super bowl team. Their defense is pretty piss poor despite the influence of Gregg Williams. Their offense is all-world but I just don't like counting on guys like Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem. Reggie Bush is still overrated and always will be. I'm supposed to believe in him now? The man isnt even a full-time RB. They go to Bell and Pierre Thomas more...So paint me as someone who doesnt see the Saints winning the super bowl nor do I think they get there. Give me the Vikings over them with their running game and good defense.

NBA
Bah, it's the NBA. Congrats to Eric Maynor for his play. Bout time the Jazz realize how good he is. He needs to get more run. Other then that, I couldnt care less about this sport. Sorry.

NCAAF
This has been a great season so far especially for me as a fan of the mid majors. There's no doubt in my mind that the big three wants no part of TCU because they are the best team in the country. Yes, in this blog, I had them and Pittsburgh as likely unders for their win total this season but these two have played way better then I ever thought. That same article told you to take the under in Boise as well. I'm not as big a fan of the Broncos as the Horned Frogs but they'll do some damage to the right BCS team. Can't forget the great stories in Idaho and Temple. Two programs that would never see the light of day on ESPN College Gameday yet both are mentioned and featured on ESPNU.

With regards to the Heisman race, I'm still on the Case Keenum and Kellen Moore bandwagon. Colt McCoy's nice but all the do is throw the ball so you can't use that to benefit McCoy and condemn Keenum. If Tebow wins, then the award is a joke...even though it kinda is with all the jokes who've won it already. Tebow is nothing but a glorified TE in the NFL.

With regards to the local teams, I'm interested to see how much the Hokies are motivated in a lower tier bowl game this year. Not that they'll be playing out in San Francisco or Boise but I'm very interested to see how they react to a non-Orange and probable non-Chick Fil-A bowl season. Richmond's got that national title feel to them again this year and I think they loss will help set them straight. Not that they were doing much wrong but it's a lot to bear with such a long streak.

That's all I got right now...Time's yours.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Week 9 College Football Picks

Record: 21-18

As always we start with the Temple Owls. Last week, if I knew that Pierce was playing I wouldnt have played Toledo. My one qualm is that he carried the ball 40 times which was a little much for a banged up RB. This week, they face Navy who they should have beaten last year if not for an untimely fumble. The Middies will be using their backup QB who ran the offense well against Wake but Temple's rush defense is more stout. Behind the legs of Pierce and the solid defense of the Owls, I think Temple wins outright. Give me Temple +7 and if you must play a total, i'd lean under.

Elsewhere:

Idaho -3 -- I dont know why the people are on La Tech in this one. I know their offense is solid and Idaho's defense is pretty bad but c'mon the Vandals are the 2nd best story behind the Owls. Give me the Vandals in this one to win a high scoring affair.

Northwestern +15 -- This is simply a feeling as I dont like the Nittany Lions in this spot. Penn State gets into a sloppy affair in this one and I think the Wildcats keep it close.

ULM/Troy Under 58 -- Troy's defense will slow down ULM without their starting QB. The big hope is that Troy's attack gets slowed down too.

Western Michigan +2.5 -- I'll take the points with the better team in this one. I still dont know how Kent State has only one conference loss.

New Mexico State +45 -- A wise gambler once told me when the spread is close to the o/u to take the underdog as Vegas is expecting a low scoring game. Here's hoping for a 45-3 score.

Indiana +17.5 -- Iowa's banged up offensively so im hoping Indiana can take advantage of this with Doss and Chappell.

Rutgers/UConn Under 47 -- I'm not convinced in either offense to go off on the other. Solid defenses prevail in this one.

Time's yours.

Monday, October 26, 2009

I'm sorry....

There are so many apologies I must hand out in the sports world. So many mea culpas that I need to make.

- I'm sorry that I actually thought that the Skins were going to win. This is just a bad situation.
- I'm sorry for those who want to blame Jim Zorn for this mess. It's not his fault. He's about 4th or 5th down the line and it doesnt start with Campbell either. He's got nothing to work with on this team.
- I'm sorry for those who like that jerk Randle El. He's just a jerk and a loser. I dont think I've ever seen a punt that he's ever fielded and done something with other then go down or fair catch it.
- I'm sorry for those I told how excited I was about Macho Harris being an Eagle. Not very good at all right now. Kid could have a bright future but he is hurting us now...the tight end is still killing us.
- I'm sorry that the Eagles still would let Brian Dawkins go even if given another chance to get/keep him.
- I'm sorry for Washington fans because their sports suck. The Wizards won't be much better and most of DC won't follow the Caps once Ovechkin gets hurt or gets deported.
- I'm sorry for Hoos and Hokies bball fans. The season could be long for both teams.
- I'm sorry for the Big East or ACC team that gets the privilege to lose to Temple in the postseason bowl game.
- I'm sorry to Al Golden for doubting him.
- I'm sorry to my Phillies brethren but I'm rooting for the Yankees. The pain it would cause Sox fans would be too great to pass up.
- I'm sorry for those who hate the Yankees for any other reason besides being a rival. This is not a hatable team.
- I'm sorry for those of you who don't give hockey a chance. It's a lot of fun to watch and can be addictive.
- I'm sorry for those who have used my picks in the past and lost. I'm not gonna go 100% all of the time but we'll keep at it.
- I'm sorry for not blogging more often. My loyal readers (Dad) probably are very disappointed.

Time's yours.

Friday, October 16, 2009

College Football Picks Are Back!!!

Temple/Army -- It's going to be a wet one in Philadelphia on Saturday as the Owls and Army go at it. Unfortunately Army's specialty is the run game so the weather won't affect them. It may be a positive thing for Temple who won't have Charlton throw them out of the game. This game is going to be played on the ground and Temple's ground defense is pretty damn good. For the 2nd straight week, i'm faced with a point spread that's foreign to the Owls and for the 2nd straight week, i'm playing the opponent. Give me Army +10 in this one as Temple just can't make things easy for me. I see a 24-17 win or something like that.

Wake Forest +7 -- Color me unimpressed by Clemson. They lost to TCU there and while the Horned Frogs are better then Wake, I like the Demon Deacons at a few key areas more then I like Clemson. Skinner and Grobe can win this game for them.

Middle Tennessee State +5 -- This is a scary team at home and has had success against BCS schools sweeping Maryland their last two games. Miss State hasnt exactly lit the world on fire either.

Rice/ECU Under 55
TCU/CSU Under 50

Both of those above are the same game in my eyes. It's a good defense at home against an inferior opponent. I can't see Rice and Colorado State scoring often meaning their defenses have to slow down ECU and TCU. I can see like a 31-13 game in each.

Indiana +2 -- Why are they home dogs? I think that they are better then Illinois and have more to play for then the Illini do. The Hoosiers are capable of winning this game so the points are beautiful to have.

Navy/SMU Over 56 -- This game is my bazillion lock of the week. Last year they played in horrendous weather and almost got here. That won't be an issue in this game as Navy doesnt have the athletes to cover the wideouts of SMU while the Mustangs arent bright enough to be able to stop Navy. Both teams are getting to 30 in this one. Put the house on it.

Miami/UCF -- UCF gets another big boy at home with Miami coming in banged up and all. I really think this is a close tight game so i'm on UCF +14.5 and Under 47. Their offense isnt that good but that defense has talent all over.

Thoughts?

Rainy Friday

I honestly don't know how I survived four years in Syracuse. To me, the weather the past few days has been cold and horrible. I'm more of a bright and sunny kind of guy. Kinda like the outlook up in Charlottesville right now? Ain't that something that UVA has decided to pick up their play and start winning. One would like to think they could somehow market this and make money off of the fact that they don't wake up until October. Maybe sell some of it to the Skins who could become the most expensive embarrassment in the NFL. They rival the New York Mets as the team that thinks money wins out. It's heart and that's something that you can't purchase in the free agency market.

With regards to the much vaunted team name of the new Richmond minor league team....I love it. Why shouldnt we? It's clever...it's corny....it's minor league baseball! I for one welcome the new team name and think those who don't should really re-examine themselves. Are you really in a position to get uptight and angry over a minor league team that you may or may not see play at all next season? Honestly, the guy who's making the petition over this is the one who makes me laugh the most. If he spent more time on his work and less time on this stupid petition, his life would be so much better. Yeah, I wasn't a fan of some of those names but you know what, I moved on....I've got too many other things in my life to worry about from women issues to halloween ideas to my next great gambling picks.

Gambling picks? You want some picks? Let me tell you something...I like a bunch of games but if you want that one pick that I'm on....take Navy/SMU over 56. The Midshipmen managed 400 yards rushing on the Mustangs last year in a driving rainstorm. Weather won't be a factor in this one. For every rushing TD Navy will have, SMU will counter with a passing TD. Both teams will reach 30. Put the Hardly Workin Bucks on this one folks...and thank me on Monday.

That's all for now folks!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Yes, I'm still alive

I've wanted to do a blog for a long time because as most of you know i'm very opinionated. Problem is, that i'm not bright enough to update it enough to actually sustain followers. I'm going to try and do that again and see what happens:

MLB
It's playoffs time in baseball and unfortunately my Florida Marlins arent in it. Gotta love the stories behind the Rockies and Twins. Unfortunately neither team is going to be around that long I'm afraid to say. I really want to see an underdog series of Colorado-Minnesota but as Colin Cowherd says people like Cinderellas but the ratings don't reflect that. I'm calling Cardinals - Yankees with the Bronx Bombers taking it in 6. St. Louis is just an all around good team with two amazing aces, two great hitters and a solid manager. My Yankees pick is part bias and part recognizing the talent they've assembled. The Red Sox are their biggest threat as the Angels will prolly flame out like usual. They don't have the postseason pitching to succeed.

NFL
I really have to stop buying into the Redskins. Before the season began, I saw them as a threat to the NFC East but unfortunately this team is just a threat to the number one draft pick. I'll never get why Jason Campbell gets all the blame for this train wreck. Number one is Vinny Cerrato with number two being Jim Zorn. Zorn was put into a situation that was a lose-lose. They wanted Cowher, Shanahan or Holmgren and settled for this guy who they originally thought was good enough to just be their OC. Cerrato has shown time and time again that he's spending Danny Boy's money poorly. Effective use of the cash would make this team so much better because there are winning pieces.

Elsewhere in the league...did we overrate Tony Romo too fast? He's proven to be quite human on and off the field. While he was the greatest thing since sliced bread last year, he's become nothing more then another quarterback. His accuracy is in question and his woman (Jessica Simpson) is gone from his life. I'm also done defending JaMarcus Russell. He's just hopeless...just a cannon of an arm with a 10 cent head. Michael Vick will NOT help the Eagles this season but will go to some team in the offseason who hopes he can become their savior...which he won't.

NCAA Football
Tim Tebow's injury might be the most talked about injury in the history of college football. I really hope he doesnt play Saturday against LSU because they'll still win and hopefully Vegas gives me a good price on him. My question is...who will come down faster from their lofty college career....Psycho T or Tim "Virgin Mary" Tebow? Both will find that the pros arent as cushy as the college game has been to them.

Virginia Tech's offense has such potential and at times this year we've seen that. There are top 25 teams who would die for a situation with Oglesby and Ryan Williams AND a kid like David Wilson on the sidelines. Granted their WR core leaves a lot to be desired but Tyrod Taylor is improving in the many phases of his game. Could this be the year the Hokies have to outscore teams to win? Now that's something I'd like to see.

Quick hits....Richmond's got that title feel to them once again.....Virginia's got that feel of a comeback story which keeps Al Groh's job....Temple's got that feel of a bowl team. That's right Al Golden's got those boys on Broad Street heading in the right way.....Hey Penn State, Eastern Illinois, really? Good luck with that Nittany Lions. Frauds

NHL
The season has begun. I know most of you don't know and don't care but i'm kinda excited. Ray Emery has beaten anyone up yet and Cindy Crosby's boys are back as well. I won't waste much space on this league here but the Winter Classic at Fenway is gonna be a good one.

NBA
Really? Sorry...no time for this at all. Couldnt care less. The Lakers are gonna win 70 games...Lebron will travel at least once or twice a game and Kobe's gonna do something dumb. Moving on.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

College Football Win Total Article

With the upcoming College football season approaching, gamblers are looking for value in over/under win totals. There's always a team or two that surpass or fall short of lofty expectations set by the oddsmakers. When trying to find value, you must group games into three categories...sure wins, sure losses and question marks. Ideally you want to find more sure results when deciding which side you fall on. This year I've found value in a couple of totals. All spreads provided by bodog sportsbook.

Boise State Under 10.5 (+150) -- There is a lot of hype surrounding the Broncos this season as a BCS buster and a team to be watched potentially in the national title hunt. Boise returns six starters on offense and five on defense. The offense will be led by Kellen Moore who will have Jeremy Avery and Austin Pettis to help him out. The team also returns three offensive linemen. Their problem lies in the front seven where only two starters return from a defense that was pretty strong last season. Looking at their schedule:

Sure Wins (8):

Miami Ohio (9/12), @ Bowling Green (9/26), UC Davis (10/3), @ Hawaii (10/24), San Jose State (10/31), Idaho (11/14), @ Utah State (11/20), New Mexico State (12/5)

Sure Losses (0):

Question Marks (5):

9/3 vs. Oregon -- The Ducks will have revenge on their minds from last season's 37-32 home loss to the Broncos. Oregon returns just nine starters from last year's team but they are at the right places. Oregon was 4-2 on the road last season and has the talent to make this a close game.

9/18 @ Fresno -- The Bulldogs bring back 15 starters and have shown that they can be a thorn in teams sides with upsets over Rutgers and Kansas State over the past few season. FSU grinds it out with Ryan Mathews and Lonyae Miller and has the offensive line that could be able to push around the relatively new Boise D-Line.

10/14 @ Tulsa -- The Golden Hurricane are one of the few teams who can match point for point offensively with the big boys. Their defense will be improved with eight starters back and many offensive weapons as well. They've gone 11-1 over the last two seasons at home.

11/6 @ La Tech -- All I'm saying here is that the Bulldogs won't be a pushover. They return 16 starters from an improving Bulldog team and are another squad that has the run game and the o-line to push Boise around. Daniel Porter is an underrated back. Last year they beat Mississippi State there and two years ago LT matched them offensively but had a costly fumble in BSU territory.

11/27 vs. Nevada -- The Wolf Pack have a bunch of offensive weapons and return Colin Kaepernick and Vai Taua who will be joined by Luke Lippincott who was granted a fifth season of eligibility. The last two meetings have been close with a 7 point loss last year and 2 point loss in 4OT in 2007.



Pittsburgh Under 7.5 Wins -- The Panthers are one of the many teams in the mediocre Big East who could be towards the top or fighting Syracuse in the bottom. There's a lot of uncertainty in the conference with Rutgers, West Virginia, USF and Pittsburgh among those who could win it all. Upon first look in Pittsburgh you'll notice no LeSean McCoy who stablized the position along with LaRod Stephens-Howling who is also gone. The Pitt Panthers return 15 starters but are handicapped by Dave Wannstedt who isn't exactly the brightest bulb in the bunch. The schedule also doesnt do the Panthers much good.

Sure Wins (4): 9/5 Youngstown State, 9/19 Navy, 10/10 UConn, 11/7 Syracuse

Sure Losses (2): 9/26 @ NC State, 10/16 @ Rutgers

Close Calls (6):

9/12 @ Buffalo -- The Bulls played them tough in Pittsburgh falling 27-16 to the Panthers and were only down 1 entering the 4th quarter. Pittsburgh lost to Bowling Green last season at home and the Bulls have comparable talent. James Starks and Naaman Roosevelt will need to have a big games for the Bulls to pull it off.

10/2 @ Louisville -- The Panthers have lost seven of their last eight to Louisville ending a seven game losing streak last season. The Cardinals bring back 13 starters and a potent offense that will need time to gel with new QB Justin Burke, the NC State transfer.

10/24 vs. USF -- Matt Grothe and George Selvie lead the inconsistent Bulls. Last year Pittsburgh won in Florida but the Bulls took the game in Pittsburgh two years ago. USF lives and dies by their stiff defense and has shown they can win on the road putting it on NC State last season.

11/14 vs. Notre Dame -- The Irish will be much improved this season and are 12-3 since 1988 against the Panthers. Last year Pittsburgh won 36-33 in 4OT against the Irish in South Bend so revenge will be on ND's minds.

11/27 @ West Virginia -- Revenge will be involved in this one. The Panthers have won two straight in this rivalry but Jarrett Brown and Jock Sanders pace an offense that can put up points if need be. The Mountaineers may also feature the best secondary in the Big East.

12/5 vs. Cincinnati -- Eight starters on offense return plus possibly the best coach in the Big East in Brian Kelly. The Bearcats may need this game for bowl eligibility. Cincy won last year's meeting.



NC State Over 8 (+170) -- The Wolfpack have the pieces to be a real dangerous team in the ACC. They bring back the best quarterback in the conference in Russell Wilson and a nasty defense. The thing that makes the Wolfpack even tougher is the depth they have on both lines. Last season, they finished one of the hottest teams in the country winning four of their last five games including demolishing North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Sure Wins (6): 9/12 Murray State, 9/19 Gardner Webb, 9/26 Pittsburgh, 10/10 Duke, 11/7 Maryland, 11/14 Clemson

Sure Losses: 11/21 @ Va Tech

Close Calls:

9/3 vs. South Carolina -- NC State has won four of their last five vs. the Gamecocks. They got shut out 34-0 last year on the road but were breaking in Wilson who got hurt in the middle of the game. South Carolina is rebuilding.

10/3 @ Wake Forest -- The Wolfpack scored a comeback win over the Demon Deacons who are tough at home. Riley Skinner has a case for being the best in the conference. The Demon Deacons only return four starters on defense.

10/17 @ BC -- The Eagles are a thorn in the side of NC State. The Pack havent won in Chestnut Hill since 1937. Last year they gave up 578 yards to them losing 38-31. BC will have an inexperienced QB and a relatively weak defensive line.

10/31 @ FSU -- Halloween night the Pack will see the Seminoles who have won two straight against NC State after losing their last four. The Pack had a 17-13 lead in the 4th quarter before losing 26-17. FSU is only 5-4 away from home the last two seasons and return only 5 starters on D.

11/28 vs. North Carolina -- The Wolfpack are 9-4 since 1996 in home finales and forced 6 Heel turnovers last year on their way to a 41-10 win. They've won two straight in this heated rivalry.


OTHERS TO LOOK FOR:
Under 9 TCU (+110) -- Tough road trips to UVA, Clemson, Air Force, BYU and a sneaky trip to Laramie could help the Under.
Over 9 Oklahoma State (+110) -- The Cowboys just need to take one game out of the group of Texas, @ Oklahoma and Georgia in order

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Memorial Day Weekend

Before we begin this blog with sports drivel, I want to thank all of the soldiers and people in the service for what they do for us. Without them, things would be much worse and people would have bigger worries then Brad Lidge's blown saves and travelling non-calls in the NBA playoffs. So on this weekend, when you are enjoying your beer and your burgers, remember those who helped it make it a good day.

Interleague play wraps up it's first weekend and I for one have enjoyed it. I get a lot of pleasure from seeing the two leagues play each other. The series in NY, Boston, Houston, Minnesota have all been highly enjoyable and something the sport needs. Heck, do you think Nats park would be as packed as it was on Saturday and Sunday if it wasn't the Orioles? People laugh at the White Sox/Pirates and the Braves/Jays series but they are just as enjoyable as any old Pirates/D-Backs or Padres/Brewers series so why not? I dont mind watching the AL pitchers hit...heck Orioles fans may ask for more of that with Danys Baez and Brad Bergesen getting hits. I'm 110% for Interleague and would love to see more of it. Those who are against it just don't get it. Stop living in the past and enjoy the present and future of baseball.

It's such an awkward time in football. You know it's bubbling deep in the NFL and NCAA fans' bellies which is why the letters O T and A mean something to us. It's amazing how much of a hold it has on us. It's why the NFL Network is a stop for most sports fans nowadays even if it's got nothing on. College Football Live and NFL Live are now regular staples on ESPN even though there is rarely new news. The season is coming.

The playoffs in both sports have been pretty good. I'll give the NBA credit in that these four teams still playing are great but all of these LeBron/Kobe commercials are making me sick. They are falling into the same trap the NHL did with Crosby and Ovechkin. Why aren't they marketing Howard and Carmelo? Those two are highly entertaining and a series featuring Denver and Orlando would be more enjoyable to me and some fans outside of LA and Cleveland. Plus, it's hard to watch a sport where every call is being bitched about. Every NBA player feels like they've never committed a foul. Stop crying and moaning. If you are a superstar, occasionally you do committ a foul.

Admittedly, i've checked out of the NHL playoffs for now. A Pittsburgh-Detroit Stanley Cup final will be exciting but my despise for both teams prevents me from wrapping my arms around it. Both are quality organizations but Cindy Crosby is a crybaby, Evgeni Malkin is ugly and the Red Wings inspire thoughts of Communist Russia.

That's all for now. I'm goin to watch the Twins and Brewers.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Baseball's Time To Shine

The NBA and NHL playoffs are rapidly heading towards their conclusions although the NBA surely has another month or two left. It's baseball's time to shine and so far this season hasn't let us down. Let's take a look at why this season has been very good:

1) Check out the standings...Right now Kansas City and Toronto are in first place and are giving those cities hope of a bright future. Heck, Zack Greinke might put up amazing numbers this year for the Royals bringing them the Cy Young Award. Toronto has Roy Halladay and a bunch of no-name starters making people scurry to baseball-reference.com to find out the difference between Scott Richmond and Richmond Virginia.
2) The Mets and Yankees are struggling. Granted the Bronx Bombers are headed in the right direction but the Mets are a mess. They have superstars but not super leaders. Their rotation is as mediocre as it gets and when they send Johan to the mound, they just don't score. Thank goodness there won't be a Subway Series.
3) The Texas Rangers are no longer a black hole for starting pitching. Scott Feldman and Kevin Millwood have led the charge as the Rangers are atop the AL West. Good for them. Josh Hamilton isn't even hitting much yet but the rest of the team is. I hope they keep it going.
4) The Nationals are a fascinating team. Check out these numbers: Relievers have a 6.68 ERA and are 1-13. Washington is 6-10 when they've scored 6+ runs this season whereas Pittsburgh is 14-0 in the same case. This is one of the best lineups in the NL with quite possibly the worst bullpen in the history of major league baseball. They don't draw but perhaps they should. If people are clamoring for offense so desperately, then why not go patronize the team with some of the best in baseball. Ryan Zimmerman should be in the NL All Star game. And with that, time for me to get on my soapbox. Vote for who belongs not your home team. I love the Marlins but im sure as hell not voting for Emilio Bonafacio or Cody Ross to go. I've got some sort of soul so here's who you SHOULD be voting for

AL
C: Victor Martinez, Cleveland (.401 on that bad team is pretty good) Also Acceptable: Joe Mauer, Mike Napoli
1B: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit (almost hitting .400 and 30 RBI's) Also Acceptable: Kevin Youkilis, Justin Morneau
2B: Aaron Hill, Toronto (leads 2B's in all major categories except SB's) Also Acceptable: Ian Kinsler, Dustin Pedroia.
3B: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay (Putting up obscene RBI Numbers) Also Acceptable: Michael Young
SS: Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay(.384 5 HR, 22 RBI are by far the best here) Also Acceptable: NONE
OF: Adam Jones, Baltimore (.370 8 HR, 26 RBI from a relative unknown before this year), Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay (a terror on the basepaths and hitting over .300), Johnny Damon (.324, 10 HR....someone's benefitting from the new park) Also Acceptable: Jason Bay, Torii Hunter, Nick Markakis
SP: Roy Halladay (If the fate of the world depended on one game, I'd give the ball to this man) Also Acceptable: Zack Greinke

NL
C: Bengie Molina, San Francisco (hitting over .300 and represents the power in a weak Giants lineup) Also Acceptable: NONE really
1B: Albert Pujols, St. Louis (usually one of the few that the fans get right; Prince Albert just keeps rolling) Also Acceptable: Todd Helton (pretty nice numbers for him), Nick Johnson (what he's not hurt?), Joey Votto
2B: Orlando Hudson, Los Angeles (pretty nice pickup at the end of the FA for the Dodgers) Also Acceptable: Chase Utley, Freddy Sanchez, Felipe Lopez
SS: Hanley Ramirez, Florida (.343 6 HR, 20 RBI...i'm a homer so what) Also Acceptable: Cristian Guzman (NL's leading hit guy)
3B: Ryan Zimmerman, Washington (.358 10 HR, 31 RBI...shame he'll lose) Also Acceptable: David Wright, Aramis Ramirez (injured), Chipper
OF: Carlos Beltran (.378...hate rewarding big market guys but he belongs), Ryan Braun (gotta rep the Jews especially when they hit over .300 with power), Raul Ibanez (.357 13 HR...does the guy ever smile? Meanest homerun hitter ever) Also Acceptable: Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, Manny Ramirez
SP: Johan Santana

Friday, May 8, 2009

Sports World Musings

So much going on across the board so let's go for some musings

MLB
- Manny's on illegal drugs. Oh well. I'm from the camp that I just don't give a crap. I go to baseball for a few things....some cash to spend if I'm doing well in my picks, some entertainment if my team is winning and a diversion if my life isn't going so hot. Yeah, i'd like to tell my kids that the players didn't cheat but is it really cheating if the majority is doing it. And don't think that because they havent been exposed, doesnt mean they didnt cheat. I just don't care anymore.
- The Nationals arent the worst team in baseball. Their record may say so but their lineup is better then a lot of teams' with better records. Their pitching staff is going to improve once Zimmermann learns to stop relying on his fast ball. Stephen Strasburg threw a no-no tonight and struck out 17. He'll be on this team in August and September. This will be a ticket you want to get so stay tuned to the show to get your tickets. This team will be around come August and September and won't be an easy win.
- The Yankees won't win the AL East. Their bullpen just isn't good enough for them to do it. Not every SP is CC Sabathia who can throw 130 pitches every time. The Red Sox or Rays will take it and the Jays will hang around the Wild card race too.

NBA
- I'm sorry, i'm just not a LeBron fan. Then again, I'm not an NBA guy so the thought of Kobe/LeBron NBA finals just doesnt interest me. I'd like a Suns/Magic "First to 120" series. I'm not interested in the close game in the 80's with many timeouts and "strategy" You can get me into a game with all these suspensions and all these issues that they've been having.
- Sixers Brass...if you are reading this. Please draft Eric Maynor. We need a point guard who can score and he fits the bill there.

NHL
- Begrudgingly I must give the NHL it's due. This Caps/Pens series has been pretty spectacular despite what it took to get here. I'm also glad that it's bringing new fans to the sport who see that it's pretty fun to watch especially played at it's highest levels. Finally, I'm also glad that they are seeing Sidney Crosby for what he is which is a pampered superstar who needs to get a reality check that there are others out there besides him.
- Finals prediction: Ducks - Caps.

NFL
- Signups are also taken here for my side of the Brett Favre argument. If he comes back AGAIN, do I get credit for calling it a 2nd time? And to play for the Vikings? Do you have any shame Brett? He was bad for the Jets and his wanting to get revenge against Green Bay may mean that the Packers sweep the Vikes. Would that finally end his career? God I hope so. Just stay away Brett.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Cleaning out the sports closet.

Well the draft is over and next up is minicamp after minicamp. The funny thing about that is NFL fans gobble this stuff up. No other sport would practices like these be attended so well and be so much on a sports fan's radar. The NFL is the king in all of the sports world yet for some reason a lot of their athletes arent happy. Contract squabbles are common on almost every team and I don't get why. These players make more then we could ever dream of. Sure they put their body's on the line for our entertainment but that was their choice. Sheldon Brown, Mike Sellers among others arent happy with their contracts. Just shut up and play for the love of the game and try not to squander that 10 million dollars you already have.

Elsewhere it's playoff time in the NHL and NBA. Geez, could the NBA playoffs be any longer. It's one of a few things i'd change. First off, three game series in the first round and five the rest of the rounds. I'm getting sick of seeing the same teams, same plays and same storylines. It's time to move on to the next round.

Secondly, the superstar treatment goes out the window. I dont care if you are Dwight Howard or Peja Stojakovic or Chris Anderson....a foul is a foul is a foul. Rajon Rondo hacked Brad Miller maliciously but it wasn't called the flagrant like it should have been.

Next, get rid of the rule that you can advance the ball after a timeout. Pointless. Why are rewarding people for that stuff. Also, reduce the number of timeouts. The end of these games take forever. Finally, with regards to rule changes, make the bonus available after 7 fouls like in college basketball. Not five...comes too quickly and greatly reduces the flow of the game.

The NBA needs to take it's cue from the NHL where someone else is a star every night. The goalies, the wingers, the defensemen all come up big on different nights. Sure most of the players arent American but c'mon it's a great sport if you give it a chance. Those of you in Richmond, Vs. is channel 2 on your cable box. Find it and watch and thank me later.

Baseball time...We're about 20 games in or so in the season. I'd say about 20-25 more before the monotony of the season begins to set in. Fortunately soon comes interleague which adds a little spice to the season. Count me as one who likes it and wishes it was expanded more. Take a picture Mariners, Blue Jays fans...your teams stay in 1st place won't be that long.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Broseph's Mock Draft

Alright, everyone else has a mock draft. I'm going to do one as far as I can until I get bored with typing or until I just run out of intelligent things to say. Some would stop now thinking I have nothing intelligent to say.

1) Detroit Lions -- Matt Stafford, QB Georgia - It's the logical pick but I'm 100% sure he's not the #1 talent in this draft. The Lions would have been better served stinking next year and drafting Sam Bradford instead. Of course, there's nothing to say they couldn't go 0-16 next year too.

2) St. Louis Rams -- Eugene Monroe, OT, UVA - The Rams had success drafting former Hoo Chris Long so they go back to the well and take someone from the offensive side of the ball. They are looking to replace Orlando Pace and can't go wrong with Monroe.

3) Kansas City Chiefs -- Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest - The number one defensive player in the draft goes to the worst defense in the draft. Last year, KC had an obscenely low total of sacks. Curry will help change that.

4) Seattle Seahawks -- Mark Sanchez, QB, USC -- This mock draft i'm doing will not feature any trades. The Skins will NOT get Sanchez so don't worry. In the end, I think logic wins out and the team stays where they are. Seattle drafts their QB of the future since Matt Hasselbeck is on the other side of his NFL career.

5) Cleveland Browns -- BJ Raji, DT, Boston College -- Pair off this big man with Shaun Rogers and it's going to be tough to run up the middle on the Browns. Raji played well at Boston College. Crabtree could go here and if he did then Braylon Edwards could be on his way out to the Giants.

6) Cincinnati Bengals -- Andre Smith, OT, Alabama -- It's a match made in heaven as the troubled NFL franchise takes the best player with the checkered past. Smith's actions during the combine and the picture that has scared little children of his flabs of skin make him attractive to the ugly rose of the NFL. Smith's talent isn't in question, his decision making is.

7) Oakland Raiders -- Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri -- Speed speed speed. That's what Al Davis wants in his players and certainly in his wide receivers. Maclin's a do it all player who will help the Raiders on offense and the special teams as well.

8) Jacksonville Jaguars -- Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech -- Crabtree will not fall much more. The Jaguars offense desperately needs weapons especially with losing Matt Jones. Crabtree's talent isn't denied by anyone but his injury caused some to be scared off especially since they didnt get to "kick his tires."

9) Green Bay Packers -- Jason Smith, OT, Baylor -- Smith is the best of the remaining OL right now and it fills a big need on Green Bay who wants to have Aaron Rodgers survive another season. Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton are getting up in age.

10) San Francisco 49ers -- Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss -- Oher's an athletic tackle and being written in a book helped this guy's stock. The 49ers need a mauling run blocker so they'll go after the athletic Oher.

11) Buffalo Bills -- Brian Orakpo, DE/LB, Texas -- The Bills Defense gets a boost for a front line that didnt get enough sacks or pressure on the quarterback. Orakpo is flexible enough to be on the line or rushing from the edge.

12) Denver Broncos -- Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State -- Maybin's quickness helps the Broncos defense which was absolutely horrible last season. Maybin or Tyson Jackson could go here. Depends on what they value more on their draft board.

13) Washington Redskins -- Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee -- Sorry no Sanchez, no Crabtree, nothing too exciting. That D-line is aging and in need of some youth. Ayers can get up the field after the quarterback. It's the smart pick and I think the team should pay for the medical bills of it's fans for putting them thru the Sanchez saga.

14) New Orleans Saints -- Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State -- Jenkins helps the leaky secondary of New Orleans. Beanie Wells has been rumored here but they need more help on the defensive side of the ball. Jenkins can play either corner or safety for New Orleans too.

15) Houston Texans -- Everette Brown, DE, FSU -- The Texans need a rush end to complement Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye. Brown fits that and fits in with Houston's scheme.

16) San Diego Chargers -- Beanie Wells, RB, Ohio State -- Need some thunder to go with Lightning in Darren Sproles. Wells injury concerns are an issue but he'll fit right in to be groomed until LT is ready to give up the reigns.

17) New York Jets -- Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State -- The Jets need a quarterback and moving up get Sanchez will cost too much. Why not get the talented yet raw Freeman and groom him to take over next year after one year of Kellen Clemens?

18) Denver Broncos -- Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi -- The defense gets another stud. This time it's a beefy defensive tackle who penetrates the gaps and causes havoc in the middle.

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Brian Cushing, OLB, USC -- Derrick Brooks' replacement has been found in one of the three linebackers that come from USC to be drafted early in this draft.

20) Detroit Lions -- Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU -- Well I completely forgot about this guy so why not have the Lions take him. Hey, sometimes good players are forgotten about and fall farther then they should. Jackson's a great addition to a defense that needs all the help it can get.

21) Philadelphia Eagles -- Donald Brown, RB, UConn -- The Eagles have professed their love for Knowshon Moreno as much as I have for Megan Fox on the air. That usually means that they arent taking him. Brown is a nice complement to Westbrook. Brandon Pettigrew could also be the pick here after Philly fell short in their pursuit of Tony Gonzalez.

22) Minnesota Vikings -- Percy Harvin, WR, Florida -- The Vikings need weapons. Despite Harvin's drug use and injury history, he's one of the most explosive wideouts in the draft. Coach Childress has to step outside the box here with this pick.

23) New England Patriots -- Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois -- Best player on the board who will help the Patriots now. The best cornerback in the draft and despite a checkered past, Coach Belicheck will roll the dice with this good cover corner.

24) Atlanta Falcons -- Clint Sintim, OLB, UVA -- The Falcons got their tight end already so they'll bolster the linebacker corps.

25) Miami Dolphins -- Darrius Heyward Bey, WR, Maryland -- Heyward Bey can stretch the field real well and will help a WR core that needs a little more. Chambers and Ginn are nice but we saw last year that the depth wasn't there. Camarillo, London and now Heyward Bey make this a nice group to compete in the AFC East.

26) Baltimore Ravens -- Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers -- Another team that needs a boost to their wide receiver corps gets on in Britt who has great hands and will be able to catch Flacco's deep bombs. Derrick Mason needs help and gets it in Kenny Britt.

27) Indianapolis Colts -- Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia -- No more Dominic Rhodes in Indy. Joseph Addai is injury prone so why not add Moreno to the mix and Peyton Manning's team will run the ball a little more.

28) Buffalo Bills -- Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State -- Best TE in the draft goes to the team that needs it the most. They could go Tackle here and take Eben Britton but Pettigrew is good for the offense both blocking and catching.

29) New York Giants -- Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC -- Maybe a Plaxico Burress in training? He's tall, fast and able to be the red zone presence that Eli Manning needed last year against the Eagles.

30) Tennessee Titans -- Rey Maualuga, LB, USC -- They needed a WR but the last run prevents them from getting who they want. Maualuga strengthens an already tough defense and joins Cushing as the USC linebackers taken in the 1st round.

31) Arizona Cardinals -- Clay Matthews, LB, USC -- Arizona wants a running back since Edge is most likely splitsville at the end of the season. Unfortunately the top three are off the board so they'll defense as well. Matthews is the most flexible of all the USC linebackers and has the pedigree to succeed in this league right away.

32) Pittsburgh Steelers -- Max Unger, C, Oregon -- Offensive line help is needed for the defending champions. Unger is able to play multiple positions on the OL. Could also see Alex Mack go here as he's the most talented Center in the draft.

Other Predictions:
Lawrence Sidbury to the Dolphins -- They love their small school guys. Jim Reid gets Sidbury to join him in Miami.
Pat White to the Patriots -- It's crazy enough that it just might happen. White's the biggest wild card in the draft and Bill Belicheck is the right man to take the risk.
Temple will have more players drafted then the U. 1-0 will be that score. Small victory for the up and coming Owls.

Monday, April 13, 2009

One Week In....

One week already into the baseball season and basically everyone except the Nationals are in it. Kudos go out to the Orioles who are playing good baseball right now. Their lineup is quite formidable although it's not enough to beat the Rays or Red Sox. Any team with Mark Hendrickson and/or Adam Eaton in their rotation won't survive.

Notice I didn't put the Yankees up there. I'm just not convinced right now. They have a lot of holes and older players who i'm not convinced will make it the whole season. Mark Teixeira already is out with a wrist injury. Jorge Posada's knees are already an issue. This team will go as far as CC, AJ, Joba and Chien Ming Wang can take them. Also, they need a quick return by A-Rod because this lineup isn't as formidable as the older bronx bomber days.

In the NL, my Marlins are lookin good early. They will be a factor so fans of other NL East teams need to realize that. They have the best rotation in the division and if they can field even a little bit, they will be there in the end. The Phillies and Mets started slow but we know they will be there in the end. Atlanta (as i predicted on the show) will be there too. Their lineup is fierce from Chipper to McCann to Schafer who has been a godsend in CF. Heck, if Francoeur can put something together, they may surpass Philly as the best lineup in the NL East. Washington will get better. They have shown they can hit the ball, they just havent done it when it mattered yet. One hit here and there and this team has 2 or 3 wins.

As an aside, it's stanley cup playoff time. For those of you who stopped reading my blog post at the word Stanley, I urge you to sit and watch one game, one period and tell me that you don't find it exciting. Heck, we'll welcome you even if you are a bandwagon jumper to watching NHL hockey. The whole Washington Capital fanbase are bandwagon jumpers. They didn't know that city had a hockey team until they made the playoffs. I'm goin San Jose-New Jersey in the Stanley cup finals with the Sharks taking it all.

Oh yeah, NBA playoffs start next week..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Putting College Ball to bed.

Was it just me or did this tournament lack excitement? The final 4 featured a couple of blowouts and the title game also wasn't very close. What's even odder was the fact that I chose to watch the Twins/Mariners game and House instead of the title game. Granted, I had a bigger interest in baseball for certain reasons but still, this was the National title game.

Heck, even One Shining Moment lacked the excitement that it always carries when you know the tourney is about to end. So looking back at the 2008-09 season here's what stuck out:

- VCU ended two eras with another CAA title and a heartbreaking loss. I'm thinking the Shaka Smart era continues with much success and hits the ground running early and often next year.
- The Richmond Spiders will be the scariest team in this city next year with the potential that they showed at the end and adding Dan Geriot. It's not out of the realm of possibility that they win the conference especially with Sean Miller taking his expertise elsewhere.
- The Hokies were well....the Hokies. They came up short in their quest for a tournament bid by virtue of some close losses and odd play. The face of the franchise will change next year.
- The Hoos hired Tony Bennett who I've said on the record will be an outstanding hire. Winning is winning no matter if it's by scoring 50 points or 80 points.

And now it's time for baseball and eventually the NHL and NBA playoffs. I'm sure most eyes will go to the Great American Pastime as they should but don't forget about the postseason in those other two sports. While I dislike the NBA, i'll be checking in from time to time and the NHL is exciting stuff when we hit this time of year.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Coaching Searches are OVER

Well that was quite a rush for a pair of Virginia schools. First let me start with UVA, a school that people know I don't particularly care for. Tony Bennett is an outstanding hire. The man has done a lot with Wazzu and this past year's effort should be the reason why you like him. Wazzu wasn't expected to do squat in the PAC 10 yet this team made a late push for a potential at-large and got an NIT bid instead. He's shown he can recruit and he's shown that he can win. Bennett's going to do well. Don't worry about the style of play. Clearly the up and down style (see: no defense played) of Dave Leiteo didnt work. Cougar students showed up for Bennett's team, UVA students will do the same or pay for it. Sounds familiar like another Virginia school.

VCU's hire is good as well. Shaka Smart is a stud, bar none. Florida fans arent happy he's leaving while we took another "Anthony Grant" from their school. Grant was a one of a kind coach and his departure will leave a void temporarily. He's class personified and those condemning him for leaving should look in the mirror and tell themselves they wouldnt have done the same. Grant will prosper in Alabama and those who were unhappy he left, will quickly turn around and root for him in the end. Smart keeps Eblen and the rest of the current Rams squad, Mason and ODU fans will be complaining once again that VCU is too good. VCU made the "smart" hire. hehe

It's almost baseball season...So excited for it because for the first month or two the Marlins are hanging around.

Later on fellas
Matt

PS..... Villanova must go down

Sunday, March 15, 2009

NCAA Tournament Dancing and NIT

Well the brackets are out and VCU is coming home to my town to play the west coast Bruins of UCLA. What a great matchup for the Rams as they will be staring at a mirror image of them. UCLA features all world PG Darren Collison, Shipp and Aboya and a lot of youth. At times the Bruins are a turnover prone team and one that has gone cold for long stretches of time. Don't expect this one to get to 70 points. If either does then, they will win. I just don't see it happening because the one consistency for the Bruins is a stout defense. Plus, never count out Ben Howland or Anthony Grant. This one has classic written all over it. VCU 67-64.

If they win, they play the hated Villanova Wildcats...well...err at least I hate them....and..that's if Jeff Jones American team doesnt knock off the Vilecats. Nova isn't a tall team outside of Dante Cunningham and has guards out the wazoo. This one would be a higher paced game because both teams push the pace. Nova has given up exorbitant totals at times in the Big East.

Elsewhere:

Va Tech gets Duquesne in the NIT. This is big time trouble for them. What will the Hokie mindset be? Will they take this as a challenge and make a run to send Vassallo off or will they bitch and moan and piss awy the home game. The Dukes are an explosive team and will be tough to prep for. This will be an intriguing one especially if Duquesne is hot from the outside.

Mason made the NIT and will get Penn State in a 2-7 matchup. Another case of mindset as most NIT games are. Especially if PSU is unhappy to have not made the tourney. I havent seen too many PSU games this year as Big 10 bball is unwatchable. I'd like to think Mason can hang around and clamp down on the Nits. This one wont reach 70 either.

Teams to watch in the NCAA tourney:

Temple of course
Washington -- Watch out for the VCU of the west. Final 4 talent when it all gets put together.
Ohio State -- Only because they are "home" which is a crock (PS...How the hell did Maryland get a 10 when they didnt even belong in the tourney. No team should make the field of 65 when you've lost games by at least 30 points)

That's all for now

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Welcome Back

Hardly Workin is back on the air and it feels great especially since i've started to catch some march madness fever. The CAA tournament is one of the more underrated tournaments in the mid-major country. Great crowds, great action and good rivalries. The Mason-VCU final tomorrow will be outstanding. I feel like the Rams will come out on top because they can't let Eric Maynor's senior year be sullied by an NIT bid. VCU's defense as of late has been out of this world and the tired Patriots had way too many mental lapses. Rams take it 67-60.

The Spiders are going into the A-10 tourney with a ton of momentum. I'm feeling at least one victory with a good chance for two. Richmond's bigs are going to be the key. We know that the Spiders guards will score and we've seen games where Martel/Gonzo/KA have carried the team to a victory but it's the bigs who will need to contribute as well. Rhode Island's guards are good, Dayton's are underrated. Spiders get two wins but bow out in a close one in the Semi's.

Would you call me crazy if I said UVA had a better chance of winning their first round game then the Hokies do? I know about the crazy stretch Va Tech has had but UVA is "hot" right now. You never know where the points are gonna come from outside of Sylven but the Hoos are playing with house money. There's even a projection out there the Hoos make the CollegeInsider.com tournament. Meanwhile the Hokies big 3 have struggled mightily lately. They will be playing a desperate Canes team in the 1st round and will need Delaney, Vassallo and Allen to step up big to prevent Miami from gettin back on the bubble.

March Madness is alive and well and soon before we know it, it will be baseball season.