King James makes royal blunder

It would have been one of the most watched NBA Finals in the history of the playoffs.  Kobe vs. Lebron.  Two men whom the media have cautiously compared to His Airness.  But fate was not kind to King James, as the Orlando Magic pulled off the major upset against the Cavs in the Eastern Conference finals.  I couldn’t help but be surprised with Lebron’s reaction after Game 6.  He promptly walked off the court, without shaking hands with any of the Magic players or coaching staff, and went off without the postgame interviews with the media.  Now, if Lebron left early to avoid the annoying Jim Gray, then I can understand.  No one likes being asked, “How do you feel that you should have won the Eastern Conference Finals and didn’t?  Did you screw up the Cavs chances?  Do you feel like you failed your team?  What does it feel like to suck?”  And no doubt, he was hurting from the loss.  But should Lebron have stayed after the game to congratulate the Magic for their surprising victory?  Lebron sure didn’t think so. “Its hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them.  I’m a winner.  I’m not being a poor sport or anything like that.  If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them.  That doesn’t make sense to me.  I’m a competitor.  Thats what I do.  It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand” said Lebron. 

Perhaps Lebron James has never watched a hockey game?  After two players pummel each other until noses bleed on the ice, they still can shake each other’s hand when the game is over to show good sportsmanship.  For someone who was annointed to be the next greatest NBA player, I think it was a severe blunder for Lebron to walk off.  A huge loss stings, but for the heart of the game, a man like Lebron should know better.  Even several of the Magic players were surprised with Lebron’s silence.  Maybe  before the game he watched the video of the 1991 playoff series the Bulls won against the bad boys of Detroit.  If you all remember, Isaiah Thomas led the starters off the court without conceding to MJ and the Bulls.  It would forever be tatooed in our minds as a cowardly act (at least I think so).  Maybe Lebron had a sour batch of Skyline Chili before the game.

I’m not trying to judge the guy, but simply wonder if Lebron acted out of character.  I have a feeling that he won’t make the same mistake again, lest King James desires to stay the media’s darling.  One thing is for sure, he should avoid learning his manners from John McEnroe!

Sweet Sixteen

And finally, the first two torturous rounds of the NCAA tournament are complete.  This morning, I couldn’t help but look at all 24 of my brackets with a sigh of disdain.  “Why?” you should ask….  I’ll tell you why.  My red pen has run out of ink!  I think that maybe 2 of my 24 brackets have remained quasi-intact.  My first mistake was choosing Illinois over Western Kentucky in the first round.  My second mistake was choosing Ohio State to beat Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen.  The Buckeyes?  They have enough trouble with Siena.  Does anybody have a coin?  I might as well have flipped it for all my picks.

This year’s tourney hasn’t been devoid of excitement, as it has had its share of upsets.  Three different #12 seeds (Arizona, Western Kentucky, and Wisconsin) made it past the first round by defeating some overrated #5 seeds (Utah, Illinois, and Florida State).  One #13 seed (Cleveland State) was able to pull off the upset against Wake Forest and make it to the second round, before falling to #12 Arizona.  All #1, #2, and #3 seeds have made it to the Sweet Sixteen, as well as two of the four #4 seeds.  So that leaves two teams that are the “oddballs” in the tournament: #12 Arizona, and #5 Purdue.  If we based the tournament strictly by ranking, they would be the only 2 teams that shouldn’t still be in the tournament.  If I were a betting man I would pick Purdue to make it further than Arizona.   And maybe, just maybe, I have Purdue making it to the Final Four in several of my brackets.  But the Big East has shown how dominant of a basketball force they are, with 5 of their teams representing the Sweet Sixteen (Louisville, Connecticut, Syracuse, Villanova, and Pitt).

So what can we expect in the Sweet Sixteen?  Well, I would be lying if I told you that I wasn’t quivering with anticipation to see #2 Michigan State against #3 Kansas, #1 Connecticut vs. #5 Purdue, #2 Oklahoma vs. #3 Syracuse, and #2 Duke vs. #3 Villanova.  Honestly, I believe that any of the #1, #2, and #3 seeds could win it all.  In my mind, the only team that has the smallest chance of making it to the Championship is Arizona.  But history has taught us that it is not impossible for a team with a double digit seed to make it to the Final Four (George Mason in 2006).  But that is the mystery in the tournament isn’t it?  You never know who is gonna win.  Its like playing the hand crane game at the local bowling alley.  You never know which cheap stuffed animal you’ll pick.  Ok, well maybe I’m the only one thinking that, but it brought back nostalgic memories of my time at Wheaton Bowl growing up.

So when Thursday arrives, get in your favorite chair with your favorite beverage, and get ready for some serious excitement!

Tournament Thursday

The tournament is finally here!  The 64 to 1 journey has begun for several eager teams who desire an NCAA title.  Unfortunately for several of the teams, their dreams will have been shattered before the tournament begins, with probabilities and statistics against their favor.  Four of those teams are Morehead State, East Tennessee State, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and Radford, who had to respectively face Louisville, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and North Carolina.

For sure the tourney will go well into the wee hours of the morning.  So far the upsets have been minimal, however, the Fighting Illini forgot to show up against Western Kentucky, and ultimately lost the game.  In terms of seeding, it was the largest upset of the day. beyond the usual #8 vs. #9 and #7 vs #10 upsets. See the results here, and get out that red pen for your brackets!

Barack’s Brackets

By now, you are probably frantically filling out those last few brackets before the NCAA tournament begins.  And some (ahem, several) of you may even be placing a small bet on your brackets, in the hopes of a little extra recession cash.  Which teams to pick?  Which #1 seeds will be upset?  And how late is Taco Bell open, again?

Well, this evening I did a double take while surfing ESPN.com.  It appeared that President Obama was being interviewed by Andy Katz regarding the NCAA Tournament Brackets.  And the appearance did not deceive me.  Prez Obama followed Andy Katz through all picks of his bracket from start to finish.  Between scolding AIG, Lehman Brothers, and Madoff, Obama was able to find the time to make his picks and tell everyone about them.  Regardless of what “side of the aisle” you sit on, you have to admit it is pretty amusing to see a sitting U.S. President actually be interviewed by a mega-sports network about his NCAA picks.  Perhaps one of the best parts of the video (which you have to watch) was when Katz asked Obama if he picked Utah over Arizona because Arizona is where McCain is from (or something along those lines).  Obama assured Katz that it had nothing to do with it.

His bracket was respectable, but having three #1 seeds in the Final Four may seem a bit idealistic to me.  In case you are curious and interested, please take a look at President Obama’s brackets below.  Or if you wouldn’t mind seeing the video in its entirety, have a look at it.  But if you are Coach K of the Blue Devils, you will probably have nothing to do with it.  After hearing that Duke was not included in Obama’s Final Four picks, here is what Coach K had to say: “Somebody said that we’re not in President Obama’s Final Four, and as much as I respect what he is doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets.”  You can cut the tension with a knife!  As to how accurate Obama’s picks are, we will just have to see.  But click on his original bracket below, if you are unsure of what teams you should pick!

Wrighting the ship – Team U.S.A. stuns Puerto Rico in WBC nail-biter

Baseball fever is here.  Team U.S.A. defeated Puerto Rico on Tuesday night, and knocked them out of the World Baseball Classic.  Next up for Team U.S.A. is the semi-final round at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.  After being humiliated by a slaughter-rule defeat against Puerto Rico last Saturday, U.S.A. came back with a vengeance and had their way with Puerto Rico by overcoming a 5-3 deficit in the 9th inning.  It was brought to you by Mets star David Wright, as he golfed a 2 run single down the right field line.  “That situation is what you dream about when you’re a kid” said Wright of his hit.

The U.S. will determine their seed for the semi-final based on the result of a match-up with Venezuela on Wednesday.  The U.S. team has now eliminated two different teams while being on the brink of elimination themselves.  “If you are a baseball fan, you had to enjoy this game,” Jeter said. “Regardless of what country you’re from , which I’m sure if you are from Puerto Rico you were a little bit disappointed, but it was still an exciting game to watch”.  This is what the great American past-time is all about – and hopefully it’ll spur more viewer ship for the regular season which is quickly approaching us!

Just picture it now – a front row seat in the left field of Turner Field.  A foot-long Hebrew National hot dog with all the fixen’s and a nice tall Coke.  What more could a guy ask for?  And multiply that times 160 and you’ve got yourself a season full of excitement.  For those of you who have little to no interest in baseball, please take a quick inventory of what baseball has to offer you:

1) All you can eat seats: A new concept, in which you are given a bracelet in the stadium, and you can eat 1,2,5, or 10 hot dogs during a 9 inning game, plus all the popcorn, fries, and Coke that you want.

2) Free entertainment by fan-watching: We’ve all seen the 300 pound man sitting next to us in the bleachers who has consumed 7 beers and criticizes the players on the field for their efforts.

3) 2 words – shirt gun: Its fun to watch the group of entertainers run out on the field with the t-shirt guns, only to shoot them directly into the face of an innocent 6 year old kid.

4) Home run balls: There is no better feeling then catching a ball bare-handed that was hit 400 feet to you compliments of Chipper Jones (or insert your favorite star here).

5) Seat upgrades: We’ve all done it.  When we are sitting up in the nosebleeds during the 1st inning, we somehow manage to get ourselves down to the seats behind the dugout by the 5th inning.

March Madness is here.  But for some people it isn’t a college basketball thing, it is all about the long ball! (chicks dig it, ya know?)

Bracketology – Working the statistics

So its Tuesday, and you’ve surely begun the painstaking task of choosing which teams will be upset, which teams are sure fires, and which teams will make it to the Final Four.  Undoubtedly you have 7 or 8 different brackets that you’ve printed out from CBS Sportsline, Sporting News, ESPN, Yahoo, Facebook, CNNSI, and Fox Sports, and they are pegged to your wall.  When I was in college, I used to create a picture window sized poster with all of the brackets for the tournament, and hung it on my dorm room wall.  It wasn’t exactly symmetrical (i’m no artist), but it gave me a great idea of where I was at in the bracket challenge.  By the end of the tournament there were red x’s all across my poster. 

I decided to get serious about Bracketology.  So I spent a week and researched the last 15 years of NCAA tournaments to figure out what the probabilities were of upsets, which upsets consistently happened, and which teams have been relatively hot in the tourney.  Below are some pointers for your own brackets.  Keep these facts in mind before you decide to choose a #16 seed to defeat a #1 seed (it hasn’t ever happened).  But check twice before you have that second round #3 seed defeat a #6 seed.  There have been plenty of those upsets throughout the years.  Enjoy!

1st Round upsets

-Since 1994, there have been 12 times where a #13 seed has defeated a #4 seed (it last occurred in 2008 TWICE)

-Since 1994, there has never been a #16 seed that has defeated a #1 seed

-Since 1994, there has only been 2 years where a #12 seed has not upset a #5 seed (2000 and 2007)

-Since 1994, there have been only 3 years where a #11 seed has not upset a #6 seed (97,99, 04)

-2007 was the only year that a #10 seed did not defeat a #7 seed.

-in virtually every year since 94, there has been a #9 seed that upset a #8 seed (if you can call it that)

2nd Round

-In the past 6 years, a #5 seed has defeated a #4 seed

-Since 94, there have only been 2 years where a #6 seed has NOT upset a #3 seed

-In the past 6 years, a #7 seed has defeated a #2 seed

-Since 94, there have been 10 instances where a #10 seed has defeated a #2 seed.

Championship notes:

-Since 1979, only 1 time has all for #1 seeds made it to the Final Four (in 2008)

-The National Championship has matched two #1 seeds only 6 times (the last in 2008)

-At least one #1 seed has made it to the Final Four except in 2006 and 1980.

-The lowest seed to make it to the Final Four was #11 George Mason in 2006.

-The lowest seed to win the National Championship was #8 Villanova in 1985.

Hope you enjoyed some fun statistics.  Enjoy the tourney, and may the best bracket win!!

March Madness Cometh!

Its springtime, and that means one thing.  No, it doesn’t mean time to bust out the white pants.  And it doesn’t mean listening to Jim Nance over emotionalize The Masters.  12 inches of snow just fell in North Dakota, so it can’t be the weather!  March Madness baby!!  The tri-fecta baby!  There are too many moments to remember…  Christian Laettner throwing  up a free-throw line jumper for the win, Bryce Drew hitting a 3 at the buzzer against a shell-shocked Ole Miss.  The list goes on and on.

March Madness takes us away from all of the current “sporting controversies”.  Whether its Clemens, Rodriquez, TO, or Michael Phelps, we’ve all seen our disappointments and let downs in the sports world.  But March Madness is a time when sports fans can band together and be distracted by 64 teams widdled down to 1.  And perhaps the best part of the NCAA Tournament?  NO DICK VITALE!!

To give you a bit of NCAA Tourney history, the NCAA Tournament included 64 teams starting back in 1985, and in 2001, it became 65 teams with an “opening round” game to determine who the 64th team would be.  Before 1975, there was only one team allowed in the tournament per conference.  My how times have changed!  This year, there have been so many changes to the #1 ranking, it’ll be hard to know who will win the national title.  Connecticut, Duke, North Carolina, and Pittsburgh (among many other teams) are all possible teams running for the national title.  So before we being the NCAA Tourney, lets whet our appetites with the top 10 NCAA tournament moments (in no particular order).  Yes, there will surely be some left out, but if this doesn’t make you salivate for the tourney, I don’t know what will.

Indiana vs.  Duke – 2002 Sweet Sixteen

In a Rupp Arena shocker, the Hoosiers pull the upset over the Blue Devils, but not without drama.  The now retired Jay Williams challenged the Hoosiers with his 3 pointer after being fouled.  Fast forward to 4:35 to see the most exciting part!

Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Championship

Down by 9 points with 2:12 to go in the game, Kansas put forth a vicious comeback, cutting the lead to 2, before Mario Chalmers hit the shot heard round the world…

Maryland vs. UNC Wilmington – 2003 1st Round

Drew Nicholas, the man with a plan, hits a huge 3 at the buzzer to defeat the UNC Wilmington Seahawks. 

Valpo vs. Ole Miss – 1998 1st Round

Drew who?  Drew Bryce became the big man on campus after hitting a 3 pointer at the buzzer.  This is probably one of the most memorable moments in NCAA tournament history!

Kansas vs. Bucknell – 2005 1st round

A #14 seed defeating a #3 seed?  Who would have thought…  fast forward to 1:55 where the video gets exciting!

Iowa vs. Northwestern St. – 2006 1st round

Yet another #14 seed drops a #3 seed.  A thrilling 3 pointer from the corner for the victory. Fast forward to 1:00

Duke vs. Kentucky – 1992 Final Four

Christian Laettner’s shot of the century against Kentucky – one of the most overplayed highlights in ESPN history.  An oldy but a goody.  Duke wins by 1!

NC State vs. Houston – 1983 National Championship

2 words…Lorenzo Charles.  Talk about being in the right place at the right time!  Not the only time that Clyde Drexler finished 2nd!  The most classic NCAA tourney moment of all time.  Fast forward to 2:15

Indiana vs. Syracuse – 1987 National Championship

“The shot” by Keith Smart.  Unbelievable!

Illinois vs. Arizona – 2006 Final Four

In my opinion the greatest comeback EVER by a NCAA tourney team.  With 4:00 to go, and a 15 point lead, a victory seemed almost definite.  But Luther Head, Deron Williams, and Dee Brown had other plans.  Hitting a barrage of 3 pointers in the last 4 minutes, the Fighting Illini take the game to over time and go on to defeat ‘Zona by one point.  Watch the whole video – it is priceless!  Notice the nice Last of the Mohicans theme in the background. Gives me shivers down my spine everytime.

And folks, that is it.  Enjoy the tourney this year, and get ready for some great baskeball.

Playoff Weekend

vs. vs.

vs. vs.

Last week, probably one of the funniest articles on the accurate www.theonion.com was published.  For those of you that haven’t read the onion, it provides hours of chuckling with mock articles of varying degree such as: “American Airlines Now Charging Fees for Non Passengers” and “$700 Billion Bailout Celebrated with Lavish $800 Billion executive party“.  So I couldn’t help practically losing my lunch laughing when I read this week: “LaDanian Tomlinson to Play Next Week Without a Groin“.  With humor and satire, The Onion actually chose a title that draws some truth.  Although LT won’t be playing without a groin, there is some doubt that he’ll be playing at all.  Lets mow through this weeks matchups and predict who the winners and losers will be (ahem, last weekend I was 2-2 with the exact score guessed correctly in the Falcons/Cardinals matchup!!)

Ravens vs. Titans

The Ravens destroyed the Dolphins last week, thanks to their defense forcing 4 Pennington interceptions and 2 fumbles (1 recovered).  Look for the Ravens to do more of the same this week against the overrated Titans.  The Titans eeked out a win against the Ravens in the regular season, but the Ravens held Chris Johnson to 44 rushing yards.  I’m predicting that the Ravens will come up big yet again, and will stifle the Titan’s run offense.  There are only so many 150 yard passing games that Kerry Collins can pull off before it is too good to be true.

Final Score: Ravens 24 – Titans 17

Cardinals vs. Panthers

This matchup will feature two veteran QBs who have both appeared in the Super Bowl (Kurt Warner won, Jake Delhomme did not).  Look for there to be some major fireworks.  The Panthers will most certainly use their running game in DeAngelo Williams, but have receivers Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammed to go deep.  Kurt Warner will use his experience to go to Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin frequently (as long as Boldin’s hammy holds up).  The Cardinals are only 2-6 against the Panthers but lets face it, The Cards traditionally suck and haven’t had a team like this before.  I would like to see the Cardinals win, but my gut tells me that the Panthers will pull out the victory.

Final Score: Panthers 34 – Cardinals 23

Eagles vs. Giants

In perhaps the most exciting matchup in this year’s playoffs, so the Eagles will travel to the Meadowlands to face the defending Super Bowl Champions.  The Eagles are running on adrenaline, after miraculously making it into the playoffs, and stunning the Vikings at home last week.  The Eagles handed the Giants one of their 4 losses this year, and the Giants only barely scratched out a win against the Eagles in week 6.  The Giants are without Plaxico Burress (whoops) and will have to rely on other options.  Eli has had time to rest, but is it too long?  We will see.  I’m going to predict an upset.

Final Score: Eagles 23 – Giants 20

Chargers vs. Steelers

And here we come to the subject of the onion article above.  Will LT play or wont he?  Who really cares?  I doubt he would be much of a factor anyways.  With last weeks performance from Darren Sproles, we may need to go from LT to DS.  With 328 total yards and 2 touchdowns last week, Sproles left the Colt defense in the dust (and put LT in a cold sweat).  I salivate when I think about “what might have been” if Turner had stayed with the Chargers.  Could you imagine a Turner/Sproles combo?  Who would have thunk it.  And we have Big Ben.  His concussion 2 weeks ago could be a factor this weekend, although he has had time to rest.  The Steelers held off the Chargers in an 11-10 bore in regular season.  How will the Chargers fare this week?  I’m convinced that Philip Rivers will be at his finest, and has plenty of ammunition to work with.  The Chargers will keep it close, and will end up pulling out the victory at the end of the game.

Final Score: Chargers 30 – Steelers 27

Now go watch some football!

Decision Day for Top Dawgs

Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno will be announcing their plans for the 2009 football season, and all sources seem to indicate right now that they will be turning pro.  I can’t say I blame them, but as a loyal Dawg fan, it still hurts.  It’s not a huge surprise by any means, as both are the top ranked players at their position, with Stafford possibly being the number one pick overall.  But with some key players returning from injury next year, it would have been nice to have those two in uniform to make one more run at a championship. 

I’ve tried to put myself in their shoes and figure out what I would do in the same situation.  And I have to say,  I can see why it’s a tough decision.  There are good reasons to choose either side. 

As far as Stafford is concerned, if he’s a possible number one pick now, it’s kind of tough to improve his draft status in 2010.  Some say that he doesn’t have the “big” game in his resume.  While I kind of see their point, he has still led Georgia to some key victories (remember the ‘Bama game in ‘07).  And in his defense, their losses and narrow wins this year were more a result of shaky defense than poor offense.  Sure they had some struggles, but for the most part they were putting up more than enough points to win each week.  He also showed a lot in the Capital One Bowl last week.  No, Michigan State isn’t Florida, but he showed a lot of resolve when he came back from a terrible first half to put up huge numbers.  

In Moreno’s case, he’s proved all he has to at the college level. The guy is just a machine.  He ran well over 1,000 yards in both of his seasons, and he’s a weekly highlight reel.  He seemed to constantly turn what was a sure 5-yard loss play into a gain of some sort.  His play energizes the team and annoys the heck out of the opposition.  

On the one hand, I like to think I would stay if I were them.  Does it get much better than playing for a huge program in a great college town with an awesome fan base?  In a way, no.  And the money would have been there next year too, as the NFL rookie payscale won’t be changing until 2011.  

But they’re playing for their future, and all the circumstances seem to indicate that now is the best time for them to take that step.  Their arguably the top picks at their positions and their healthy.  Why not go now?

It’s disappointing to know we won’t be seeing them in the Georgia red anymore, but when Stafford hit Moreno for the final touchdown in last week’s bowl game, it almost seemed too picture perfect to mean anything other than that it was the last time we’d see that happen.  

They represented the program well, and I wish them all the best.  Go Dawgs!

NFL Playoffs features birds of all kinds

vs.   vs. 

vs. vs.

In the words of our pot smoking friend Dave Matthews, “This is the Last Stop” in our NFL season. On Saturday, the first two games of this year’s playoffs will begin  by showcasing the Falcons vs. Cardinals, and Colts vs. Chargers.  On Sunday it’ll be the Eagles vs. Vikings and Ravens vs. Dolphins. There is a lot of irony in the first round of match-ups. Let’s start by the fact that the combined win-loss record of all  of this weekend’s 8 playoff teams last year was an unimpressive 58-70.  Two teams (Falcons and Dolphins) won a combined 5 games.  Only 2 of the 8 teams actually had a winning record in 2007.  This year, things have changed for the better.  The combined win-loss record of the 8 teams is 81-46 (and 1 tie by the Eagles).  The Falcons and Dolphins combined for 23 wins, which is more than 4x greater than last season (with 2 new head coaches and starting QBs, this is not surprising).  Another startling fact is that 2 of the 8 Quarterbacks are rookies (Matt Ryan of the Falcons and Joe Flacco of the Ravens).  Now lets look at the individual match-ups, and I’ll make predictions on the outcome (disclaimer: If you should bet on any game based on my predictions and lose, too bad.)

Atlanta Falcons vs. Arizona Cardinals

We are looking at two teams that haven’t been in the playoffs for quite some time (3 years for the Falcons, 9 years for the Cardinals).  They have never faced each other in the playoffs, and the Cardinals have a 14-10 record against the Falcons in regular season history.  This past season, the Cardinals had a 6-2 record at home while the Falcons had a 4-4 record away.  In the postseason, the Cardinals have a 2-5 record with 1 championship, and the Falcons have a 6-8 record with a Super Bowl appearance but no ring.   The Cardinals have 2 powerhouse receivers in Boldin and Fitzgerald, plus a Super Bowl winning quarterback in Kurt Warner.  The Falcons have arguably one of the best rushers in the NFL in Michael Turner, and the Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Matt Ryan.

In my opinion, the offensive power of the Cardinals plus the home crowd starving for a playoff game will be too much to handle for the Falcons.

The final score: Cardinals 30 – Falcons 24 (sorry other Nate!)

Indianapolis Colts vs. San Diego Chargers

We go from 2 inexperienced playoff teams to 2 veteran playoff teams in the Colts-Chargers.  Look for an exciting game full of offensive explosiveness, with two of the weakest defenses out of the 12 playoff teams.  The Colts have a 9 game winning streak, Peyton Manning won his 3rd league MVP, and lets not even talk about all the options Manning has to pass to (Wayne, Harrison, Gonzalez, Clark).  Manning will undoubtedly use Dallas Clark, who was the #1 tight end receiver in the NFL this year (up for debate, but not really).  This will keep the Charger’s secondary on their heels, with too many options for Manning to choose from.  The Colts have a 17-17 record in the playoffs with 4 championships/super bowls under their belt.  They have faced the Chargers twice in the playoffs with a 1-1 record (they lost last year at home).  Their regular season record against the Chargers is 9-14.  The Chargers have Philip Rivers, LT, Antonio Gates, and Vincent Jackson.  Their playoff record is 9-14, and they have 1 championship/superbowl to be proud of.  The Chargers ended the regular season with a 4 game winning streak, and beat incredible odds after being behind by 3 games in their division with 3 games to go.  (ahem….cough….choke….BRONCOS).  So needless to say, both teams have the momentum going into the playoffs.  The Chargers have home field advantage, and the Colts probably have the playoff experience.

In my opinion, the Colts will end up victorious in this classic playoff match-up

The final score: Colts 38 – Chargers 23

Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins

First of all, let me say to pretty boy Jason Taylor: Sucks to be you!  I wish you were still a Dolphin.  Whoever predicted these two teams to face each other in the playoffs this year are crazy.  “Why?” You should ask?  Both teams had losing records last year (combined 6 wins between both teams), both teams fired their head coaches, and now have 2 different starting quarterbacks, one of which is a rookie (Joe Flacco).  Last year, the Dolphins defeated the Ravens in the last regular season game for the Dolphins 1st win of 2007.  So all that to say, the Dolphins could repeat this feat, but only to advance to the next round of the playoffs.  For the Ravens we have one of the best defenses of the league (#3 in the league in opponents points, #2 for total yards, and #1 for opponent first downs).  My guess would be that the game could be low scoring.  Joe Flacco passed for just under 3000 yards in 2008, with 17 touchdowns.  Le’Ron McClain was their top rusher at 902 yards for the season, and Derrick Mason their top receiver with just over 1000 yards receiving.  Bottom line is the Ravens had one of the better rush offenses in the league, but one of the worst passing offenses in the league.  They’ll probably win the game if they succeed on the rushing attack (ahem, are you paying attention, Dolphins?).  And what about Chad Pennington, QB for the Dolphins?  Ironic that he should beat the team that gave him the boot for the AFC East crown AND a playoff spot (sorry Favre, you should have retired).  With a better than average rush and pass offense, the Dolphins should put up a pretty good fight.  Cracking the Raven defense will be the key.  And patience for Pennington will be important, as the Ravens lead the league in interceptions.  Look for Pennington to choose a wide variety of receivers (Cobbs, Ginn Jr., Camarillo, Bess), and to hand the ball off to both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.  The Dolphins have 20 playoff victories and 2 Super Bowl rings, while the Ravens have 5 playoff victories and 1 Super Bowl ring.

I’m going for the Dolphins, as they have a much more consistent offense than the Ravens.  If the Ravens had a more consistent passing game I may change my mind.

The final score: Dolphins 24 – Ravens 13

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Minnesota Vikings

This will be an exciting game for two teams whose playoff hopes went down to the last regular season game.  There will be a single deciding factor in this entire game: Adrian Peterson.  Will he show up with steady hands or butterfingers?  Peterson fumbled the ball 9 times this year.  This will be the key for a Vikings offense that ranked #25 in the league (the Lions were even better than the Vikings).  Look for Tarvaris Jackson to throw to Berrian, Wade, and Shiancoe.  Look for Donovan McNabb to come through in the clutch as he has in so many playoff games past.  With Brian Westbrook, DeSean Jackson, and nearly 7 other eligible receivers, McNabb will use a variety of offensive plays for sure.     With the #6 offense and the #4 defense in the league, look for the Eagles to stop Peterson dead in his tracks.

The final score: Eagles 26 – Vikings 20

So in summary:

The winners: Cardinals, Colts, Dolphins, Eagles

The losers: Falcons, Chargers, Ravens, Vikings

Enjoy watching the game, for those few souls who survived my torturous post.

Rise of the Cardinals

Who could forget this moment in sports?  On October 16th 2006, the Chicago Bears were down 20-0 against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium.  This was after 6 turnovers by Rex Grossman.  The Bears were down 23-3 while the clock was winding down in the 3rd Quarter.  They somehow stripped the ball of Cardinal QB Matt Leinart, and ran it back for a touchdown – 23-10.  With 5 minutes left to go in the 4th Quarter, the Bears stripped the ball AGAIN from the Cardinals, and ran it back for a touchdown 23-17.  Then, with 2:58 left to play, Devin Hester the kick return genie ran back a punt 84 yards for another touchdown 24-23.  And the Cardinals missed a 41 yard field goal with under a minute to play to blow a 20 point lead and lose the game.  The most amazing football game I have ever seen.  What did Cardinals coach Dennis Green have to say?  You have certainly seen the video below:

And that sums up the entire franchise history of the Arizona Cardinals.  Did you know that the Arizona Cardinals are the oldest operating professional football team in the U.S.?  And did you know that they have only won a single playoff game in only five appearances?  And only 2 winning seasons since 1984?  After the 2006 loss to the Bears, coach Dennis Green eventually was fired, the Cardinals finished the season 5-11.  Thngs seemed to have hit rock bottom after 2006.  Then, they hired Ken Whisenhunt, play-calling master of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Whisenhunt orchestrated the 2005 Super Bowl Steelers Offensive play-calling and was sure to make a “bang” when he went over to the Cardinals.

Probably the smartest move Whisenhunt did was benching Matt Leinart in favor of veteran Kurt Warner.  While Leinart was busy beer bonging and having a loose zipper, Whisenhunt put in the clean-cut Warner to turn the team around.  And how has Warner done this year?  Week 2: 361 yards.  Week 4: 472 yards.  Week 8: 381 yards.  Week 10: 328 yards.  As of right now, Warner is projected to have the best QB rating since his 1999 season with the Rams.  So all that to say, the Cardinals are pretty darn good.  So good in fact that they are 6-3 and are blowing the rest of the NFC West Division out of the water.  The Cards remainder of season schedule is moderate, and we should see them playing in the playoffs for the first time in awhile.

The 2008 NFL Season needed a team for the media to get hyped about.  The Patriots fizzled out when Tom Brady got hurt in the 1st Quarter of the 1st game.  The Seahawks have shown zero momentum and have bored the city of Seattle into a stupor.  The Cowboys have started to take a dive after losing Romo to injury.  But right now, I believe that the Arizona Cardinals are the most exciting team to watch in the NFL.  Yes, they even beat out Brett Favre’s Jets and Chad Pennington’s Dolphins.  But probably the most entertaining part of the Cardinals is that their coach looks like Woody Harrelson.  Who wouldnt win with a coach that looks like him?

                                       

Trading Intangibles

You just gotta love the trade rumors. 

The Braves are close to acquiring Peavy.

Oh wait, no they’re not.  

The Cubs are now the favorite. 

Ok maybe they’re just talking.  

The Padres are going to keep Peavy. 

But that would be tough to do considering he would take up more than a quarter of their 2009 payroll. 

Makes you wonder if we just can’t completely trust the media anymore. Weird. 

With all that in mind, I’d like to piggyback on one of the other Nate’s posts a few days ago.  He and Jen had a great discussion about the importance of character and if or why it should be considered when a team makes a personnel decision.  By the way, appreciated the great feedback on that post, Jen, so thanks for the input.  Hope you all will feel free to do that anytime you have some thoughts on a post. 

Now that’s not the first time we’ve discussed the character issue and so I don’t want to beat a dead horse but…..I’m going to anyways. That’s completely a figure of speech. Don’t want PETA banging on my door for horse abuse. Or maybe it would be hate speech towards horses. Anyways…

I’m going to try and approach the issue from another angle, though.  The one we’ve already talked about is how an athlete’s character effects the fan.  If they’re perceived as role models, whether they want to be or not, then shouldn’t that be considered when they’re given a public platform?  

But the question I want to cover is one that was raised to me today by someone who’s very much in the know about such things: does character it effect the team?  The answer I got was a resounding “yes.” And it’s something that needs to be thought through very carefully.  

Look, I don’t think there’s any denying that what happens in the clubhouse has a huge impact on how the team performs on the field.  I’ve heard players from various sports at various levels say the same thing.  Time after time we hear individuals from a successful team say that one of the huge keys to success is the clubhouse chemistry.  That’s why the Sox unloaded Manny.  He was becoming such a distraction that it was disrupting the clubhouse and having a negative effect on the team.  

No, good chemistry doesn’t guarantee a winning season,  just like bad chemistry doesn’t guarantee a losing one.  But most players and management will admit it’s a huge factor.  

So with the trade winds blowing stronger every day, I got to thinking: is this something that GM’s should be taking into consideration?  Gaining a star player can help your team immensely on paper.  But giving up a popular clubhouse presence can take away from the statistical advantage.  

That’s why as a fan, I’d like to see the Braves tread carefully with the Peavy deal. in terms of who they give up in return.  Most will say I’m crazy because Peavy is one of the best in the game. And I’m not saying he’s not a good clubhouse presence at all.  I don’t know anything of the guy but I have no reason to think he’s not a great teammate.  The question comes in what they give up in return.  The latest rumors have the Braves possibly giving up Blaine Boyer in the 4-5 player package they would need to get Peavy.  And from what I know and what I’ve observed, Boyer would be a huge loss to that team.  He’s a solid guy and a great teammate.  

Another disclaimer – I’m not saying that’s not true of any of the other players involved.  You can have a team full of great guys, but that doesn’t mean that they all have an equal impact on the clubhouse.  Some personalities just play that role more than others.  So I’m just highlighting Boyer’s place with the team, and and I believe losing him would be a big loss for the team.   

Yeah, you have to give up a lot to get a lot.  But I do believe that character counts when you’re building a team of guys who will spend most of their time together.  So all I’m saying is it’s an intangible detail that GM’s need to keep in mind.  When you have the camaraderie, guys are more likely to play as a team.  They’re less likely to go up there and think of how they can pad their own stats.  They’re going to go up there and do whatever it takes to make the team AND the teammate a success.

Time For Another Top Ten

Well here we are.  Another Monday.  is it just me, or are Mondays remarkably less depressing during football season? I mean when football isn’t on Monday is just a cruel reminder that you’re as far away from the weekend as you can get.  Even during baseball season your team has a good chance of having the night off on Monday.  So thanks football – we appreciate your presence on Monday nights. 

Anyways, I’m heading out on another trip tomorrow so I’ll be absent for the rest of the week. But thought I’d write up a fresh Top Ten list to leave you with.  In honor of the free agency period starting in MLB last Friday, I thought I’d do the top ten ways to tell if you’re Scott Boras. 

1.  The only recession you see is in A-Rod’s hairline.  

2.  You’re number 3 on the American Public’s most wanted list, behind Osama Bin Laden and Steve Bartman. 

3.  When you have people over for dinner, you present them with a thick binder explaining all the various reasons that the cheeseburger you have just made for them is the greatest cheeseburger in history.  

4.  Then you charge them to eat that cheeseburger. 

5.  You think Obi-Wan Kenobe’s Jedi mind tricks were amateur at best.  

6.  When you get a speeding ticket, you somehow convince the policeman to give you $200.  

7.  Instead of cereal, you eat small market teams for breakfast. 

8.  You think the $52 million extension that Jake Peavy signed last year is “cute.” 

9.  You believe AIG, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac should have held out for more from the government. 

10.  During your neighbor’s wedding ceremony, you held a press conference in the church lobby to announce that your daughter is single and ready to accept dating offers.

Matt Cassel May Make Tom Brady Drew Bledsoe

Tom Brady may become the next Drew Bledsoe. Yes, it may be confusing for some of you to understand this concept. Sometimes it is hard enough to just tie your shoes, I know. But After the last two weeks of solid play at QB for the Patriots, Matt Cassel is making a huge statement about his abilities in the NFL. In Week 11 we saw Cassel throw for 400 yards, 3 touchdowns, and ran for 68 in a loss to the Jets. For Week 12, Cassel threw for 415 yards, 3 touchdowns, and ran for 1 touchdown. That is 7 touchdowns in two games, and 2 400+ yard throwing games in a row. In the last 7 years combined, Brady has only thrown for 400+ yards once, and that was back in 2002. Cassel has already thrown for 400+ twice this year. I’m not saying that Cassel is better than Brady. But if I’m not mistaken, Drew Bledsoe lost his starting job to Tom Brady back when he got injured. This season, we saw Tom Brady injured before the end of the 1st game and what next?…

In the second game of the 2001 season, Drew Bledsoe was hit by a Jets linebacker and he never started for the Patriots again. Who replaced Bledsoe? None other than Tom Brady, who led the Patriots to win a Super Bowl that year. Bledsoe had one good season with the Bills, and then ended up fading quickly into the sunset by playing for the Cowboys. And he was replaced by Tony Romo after stinking it up in Dallas. The Onion, one of the most accurate newspapers in our world’s history, wrote a hilarious article about Drew Bledsoe that pretty much sums it up for me. Now back to Cassel. Cassel’s rise to fame in the NFL is even more unbelievable than Brady’s. He was the second stringer for USC behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. The only collegiate start he made was not even at the Quarterback position, but at tight end. He was drafted in the 7th round as the 230 overall pick by the Patriots. This year, Palmer’s Bengals are a staggering 1-11, Matt Leinart isn’t even playing for the Cardinals, and Matt Cassel’s Patriots are 7-4, behind the New York Jets in the AFC East. Now, I seriously don’t think that Cassel could permanently take over Brady’s job, but since I don’t like Brady I definitely have thought about this scenario several times.

It is hard for me to see if Matt Cassel will stick around with the Patriots after this year’s season. Brady will surely be back as starting QB, and if Cassel keeps up his stats, he should look for a starting job with another team. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent for 2009, as long as the Patriots don’t slap the franchise tag on him. So which team should Cassel go to? In my humble opinion, the OBVIOUS first choice for Cassel would be the Chicago Bears. Why, you should ask? Great question. The main reason is that I am sick of Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman. I think those reasons should stand by themselves. The next team that would deserve a Quarterback like Cassel would be the Tennessee Titans. Cassel could be reunited with Norm Chow, who is part of the Titan’s coaching staff and who happened to be a coach for Cassel while at USC. Kerry Collins is not that special, and Vince Young doesn’t have any confidence. Cassel would be a lethal component along with LenDale White, Chris Johnson, and a powerful Titan’s defense. Could you imaging a Cassel vs. Brady AFC Championship game? Other team options could be the 49ers, Raiders, Lions, and Vikings.

How Cassel performs in the next 5 games is yet to be seen. But you can guarantee that NFL GMs will be licking their chops at the end of this season IF Cassel becomes a free agent. Look for him in a new uniform in 2009.

The Turkey & The Pigskin

They just seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly.  Ketchup and mustard.  Brangelina and adoption papers. 

Yes, the combination of Thanksgiving day and football seems to be one of the greatest pairings on earth.  There’s just something about eating turkey and watching athletes run at full speed into one another that makes it one of the greatest holiday traditions. 

No matter who is playing and no matter what the score, the NFL just has a way of helping us kick off the Christmas season.  No pun intended.  Well…maybe a little.  It’s a grand tradition, and I’m looking forward to continuing it this year.  

This year’s Thanksgiving day schedule has no shortage of interesting story-lines.  The Titans are coming off their first loss of the season, the Cowboys are in the hunt for a wild card spot, the Cardinals continue to be one of the year’s biggest surprises, and Eagles fans will be keeping a close eye on Donovan McNabb after his second half benching on Sunday.  

As for the games themselves, my picks are the Titans, the Cowboys, and the Cardinals.  It’s a prediction shared by many, I’m sure.  But the NFL seems to pull off more upsets than any other sport.  So what do you all think?  Do you think there is any upset potential? 

Guess we’ll find out.  

All that said, Thanksgiving means much more than tackles and touchdowns. It may not always be an easy day depending on your circumstances, but it’s an important one.  Whatever life has thrown you this year, the TwoNateShow wants to wish everyone out there a very meaningful Thanksgiving holiday. 

Enjoy the games, enjoy the food, and enjoy the day.

Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness, and…Sports!

As the clock quickly approaches midnight here in Atlanta and the first minutes of Thanksgiving day approach, I look over the last year and think about all of the things that I am thankful for when it comes to sports:  I am thankful for teams like the Tampa Bay Rays, who show that a baseball team doesn’t have to have a giant payroll to make it to the World Series.  I am thankful for coaches like Mike Krzyzewski, who led Team USA to a gold medal in Beijing, bringing USA basketball back in business.  And lets not forget the New York Giants, who came in and stole the Super Bowl from the New England Patriots.  The month of February is another thing I am thankful for.  Many see it as the middle of winter, but I see it as the beginning of spring training when pitchers and catchers report for the first breath of America’s past-time.  Michael Phelps.  How many of you who watched his performances can honestly say that you didn’t pump your fists in the air and scream when he helped Team USA win the 4×100 freestyle relay?  And his other 7 golds.  Jon Lester.  A champion for cancer survivors around the world, after coming back to baseball and pitching a no-hitter in front of a Fenway crowd.

I am thankful for Lou Piniella, Brett Favre leaving the Packers, Derrick Rose, and Joe Gibbs.  And Joey Chestnut, who defended his title of the Nathan’s hotdog eating contest (yes, that is a sport).  Matt Forte, Matt Ryan, Tiger Wood’s pain tolerance, and Bruce Weber’s ‘09-’10 recruits.  I am thankful for MLB.tv for when I was in Amman, Jordan.  I watched the Cubs win and listened to the call of prayer all at the same time.  And what about all the food items that are sold at the stadium?  Maxwell Street Polish, Funnel Cakes with powdered sugar, churros, nachos with jalepenos and beer (and mountain dew).

Before I go any further, let me warn you that what you will read below may come across to you as corny, cheesy, and cliche.  You will say “Elwell, I think you’ve gone off your rocker and are a major softy”.  But lets not forget how we got here today.  Many will criticize our country and say we do so many things wrong.  But I believe that we have so much to be thankful for that we take for granted.  Food, a car, an internet connection (without it you wouldn’t be reading this), a hot shower, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, a job, a spouse, being single, etc etc.  As you sit down today and watch the NFL matchups, remember to be thankful for what you own, and consider going out and sharing it with someone in need.  In the midst of all of life’s stresses, frustrations, anger, pain, and bitterness, remember that an act of kindness, especially on Thanksgiving day, will give someone a day that they’ll never forget.  Instead of sitting on your couch alone like a lazy bumb, Invite over your annoying next door neighbor who maybe smells a little and doesn’t brush his teeth.  After all, two beers opened are better than one.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving feast, and be careful with your Turkey fryers.

Destined for the Punchbowl?

So Frank Wren and his staff must be starting to get a complex.  

First there was the Jake Peavy situation.  It was widely known that the Braves were one of five teams that Jake Peavy would wave his no-trade clause for.  They were also the team that had the most valuable pieces to offer.  But Padres GM Kevin Towers kept coming back for more and more and the Braves finally said enough.  Towers now claims that Peavy likely wouldn’t have waived the no-trade clause for the Braves after all.  Shortly after that was the bizarre story that Peavy wanted to be a Cub so much that he was heard chanting “Go Cubs, Go!” at a restaurant.  That deal of course fell through, but one gets the feeling that perhaps the Braves were just being used as leverage to get the Cubs more involved. 

Next came the AJ Burnett sweepstakes.  The Braves made their strongest push for a big free agent in years.  So much so that they virtually matched the Yankees offer, which is not easy to do these days.  But Burnett eventually chose the Bronx.  To his credit, the main reason he did so is that it’s closer to his offseason home and that would make it much easier for his wife to come see him in New York.  I respect that decision tremendously and commend him for it.  

But that made it another swing and a miss for the Braves as they try to fill their needs this offseason. 

That brings us to the Furcal situation.  By all accounts, the Braves had a gentleman’s agreement with Furcal’s agents that they had a deal pending a physical.  But they have continued to negotiate with the Dodgers anyways, using the Braves agreement as leverage to get the folks in LA to up their offer.   Furcal will probably still end up with a tomahawk on his uniform, but the Braves can’t at all be happy with the way these negotiations have gone.  

The Braves have been in the thick of some very high level negotiations this offseason, but they’ve come up empty handed.  Some say players don’t want to come to Atlanta anymore because of their losing season last year, or because there’s no assurance of how long Bobby Cox will be the manager.  And that’s probably true.  But regardless of the reason, they’ve been the victim of some dirty dealing this offseason.  

 Certainly it’s normal for GM’s and agents to do as much as they can pay less or get more, but it seems as though there is usually some kind of code that’s followed in the process.  And this year, that hasn’t been the case.  

The Braves basically had to have their negotiations for Peavy with the general public thanks the Padres – who made the hole in the Titanic look small compared to the information leaks they had going.  

With AJ Burnett, they weren’t really used, but they are still the only reason his contract went as high and as long as it did.  So he can thank them for his payday, even if he’s not playing for them.  

And now with Furcal, his agents apparently hold to the “our fingers were crossed so it doesn’t count” argument.   

So in the prom of life, the Braves have spent a lot of this offseason being the back up date.  And if things continue to break against them, they could end just dancing alone awkwardly by the punchbowl.  

It’s frustrating to see the way things have played out so far, but whatever happens, Wren and the front office are doing a great job in my opinion.  They’re getting creative and trying everything possible.  And if they come away empty handed it’s through no fault of their own.