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?
Friday, October 16, 2009
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!
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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