The second to last week of the season proved to be important as two teams now control their destiny with a win and in scenario.
NFL Week Sixteen
"The Down"
This was kind of tough because there were a couple of bad performances, but I chose Curtis Painter because all he had to do was nothing and he did less than that. He did negative with his interception, incomplete passes and fumble that was returned for a touchdown. The Colts lost their undefeated season and gave the Jets playoff hopes.
Honorable Mentions:
QB Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) – 19 of 37 for 198 yards 1 TD and 4 INTs QB Charlie Frye (OAK) – 26 of 45 for 333 yards and 3 INTs QB Keith Null (STL) – 20 of 31 for 171 yards 1 TD and 3 INTs QB Drew Stanton (DET) – 11 of 21 for 130 yards and 3 INTs
"The Dirty"
Unfortunately, the player with the sickest game plays for a team with nothing to play for this season. Jonathan Stewart of the Carolina Panthers racked up 206 yards on 28 carries and one touchdown. Stewart torched a Giants team that was in a must-win situation to have a shot at the playoffs. So all Carolina did was embarrass to G-men and play spoiler with them. Both teams will be looking to next year in week 17.
Honorable Mentions:
WR Roddy White (ATL) – 8 for 139 yards and 2 TDs WR Randy Moss (NE) – 4 for 45 yards and 3 TDs WR Devin Aromashodu (CHI) – 7 for 150 yards and 1 TD RB Chris Johnson (TEN) – 18 for 166 yards and 2 TDs
If anyone thinks I missed a player that deserves to be recognized on either list please let me know.
NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson was named the 2009 AP Male Athlete of the Year.
Johnson received 42 votes. Tennis star Roger Federer came in second place with 30 votes and Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt came in third with 29. They were the only three to receive double digit votes.
The biggest problem I have with this is that race car driving is A) not a sport and B) you don't have to be athletic or an athlete to compete in NASCAR. Take Tony Stewart for example, this guy is a fat slob and is a beast race car driver. Now, you might look at David Ortiz and say he is not an athlete. I agree, but at least he has to have hand-eye cordination and such and not just turn left all day long. Besides, he would never win the award. At least R-Fed is an athlete. Usain Bolt is a monster but sprinting isn't anything special.
Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and Albert Pujols tied for fourth with nine votes each.
So this was just me venting a little bit because I have a problem with the race car driver winning an award dealing with being an ATHLETE.
Champagne is popping in South Florida because the '72 Dolphins are still the only team in NFL history to finish the regular and post-season undefeated (17-0).
Believe it or not the New York Jets defeated the previously unbeaten Indianapolis Colts. Now, obviously I am very happy about this because, being a Jets fan, it's nice to control our own destiny next week. So, I am just waiting to listen to the tons of Colts fans complain about them pulling starters, this being a cheap win for the Jets etc etc. It doesn't matter. I'll tell you why: The Colts have done the same thing in previous years, a win is a win, the Jets were sticking with them before Manning was pulled and no one will care when the Colts win the Super Bowl.
I don't know why everyone is complaining. I mean I guess the Broncos, Texans and Steelers have the right to be upset. They are the only ones that might be getting screwed since the Jets have the tie-breaker of those three clubs. It doesn't make sense for Colts nation to be upset because they are still the number one seed, a damn good team, clinched home-field throughout and so on. Why does it matter so much to go undefeated? Is it pride or ego or what?
Someone answer me that...
A fun stat: The past two seasons the Jets beat the last unbeaten team in the NFL. 2008 - NYJ: 34 TEN: 13 2009 - NYJ: 29 IND: 15
Look for a follow up story involving playoff scenerios and such.
Gosh it's been a while since I have written and I do apologize but you wouldn't believe what my work schedule has been like this past week. I hope everyone had a nice holiday whatever they chose to celebrate or observe.
To clarify the headline, the 2009 Miami Dolphins will in no way to rooting for the New York Jets to win today. However, the 1972 Miami Dolphins will be praying for victory over the unbeaten Colts so their perfect 17-0 record will stay intact. If the Jets win, they keep their slim playoff chances alive, but hurt the Dolphins chances. But then the '72 Fins will be popping champagne anyway because they are still the only unbeaten team in history. So there will be mixed feelings in Miami. Do you root for the franchise that you played for to do well or do you root for the record to set to not be broken?
These guys will have to make a decision because next week the Colts play the Buffalo Bills, and I will say it right here that there is ZERO chance the Bills can beat the Colts even if Curtis Painter plays instead of Peyton Manning.
Just so everyone knows...it's the middle of the third quarter in the Saturday, excuse me, Thursday Night Football: Special Addition. I'm a bit upset right now for a few reasons:
1: It's not TNF, it's Saturday, which makes it Saturday Night Football. Get it right NFL Network. 2: The Saints are behind the Cowboys 24-3. Saints by seven ain't looking to hot right now...that's unfortunate but there are worse things. 3: Tony Romo is playing well?! Of course I happen to be going against Tony Romo the week he launches a 50-yard bomb to Miles Austin. A few INTs would be nice. You might be thinking, he isn't having a Peyton Manning like day so what's the big deal? The guy also has Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne and Maurice Jones-Drew who of course all had monster days on Thursday.
One thing I did want to bring up is the fact that we finally got to enjoy a football game on Thursday night that was worth watching. The Colts and Jags battled all night trading points and the Colts beat them 35-31 to stay perfect.
Then, the Cowboys jump out and score two quick touchdowns and everyone expects this game to be great as well. But wait, the undefeated, high scoring Saints disappoint us by only putting up three points on the board at half. This is just unfortunate. Not to mention, if you're watching the game you just witnessed Devery Henderson drop a wide open touchdown on the last drive that resulted in a punt. Doesn't look like it will end well in the Big Easy, but who knows, crazier things have happened.
Hopefully this game will get better in the fourth quarter. Currently, Cowboys lead 24-3.
Don't worry everyone, this should be the last mini edition.
Week 14
The Down
This could be the toughest week I have had yet involving the distribution of the award because of the ridiculously bad play by numerous players this week. Rams replacement QB Keith Null threw for five interceptions (which seems to be somewhat of a fad this season), the Chiefs wonderful new QB Matt Cassel threw for four intercepti0ns, and Bucs rookie Josh Freeman threw for three interceptions and only 93 yards. against the Jets stifling defense. These three quarterbacks were remarkably terrible this past week and deserve to be recognized for their wrongdoing. I couldn't pick just one for the award so I'll let you decide for yourself.
*Other notable terrible performances - Steven Jackson(STL): 18 carries for 39 yards Carnell Williams(TB): 11 carries for 14 yards
The Dirty
There were also three offensive players that caught my eye. Two of the efforts were in a losing manner but that doesn't take anything away from it. On Sunday night, Eli Manning exploded on the Eagles defense for 391 yards and three touchdowns. During the one o'clock games, Andre Johnson recorded 11 receptions for 193 yards and two scores. Not to be over shadowed, Brandon Marshall broke the single game reception record with 21, to go along with 200 yards and two scores of his own. Okay, I lied, there is one more person who deserves some recognition: the opposition to Eli, DeSean Jackson. He only recorded six receptions, but logged 178 yards and a touchdown. However, on top of this he added a 72-yard punt return touchdown.
The Philadelphia Phillies have said they have reached an agreement on a 3-year deal worth upwards of $60 million. Oh, I forgot to mention that the deal is with Toronto Blue Jays all-star Roy Halladay. The deal would send Halladay to the Phillies for prospects and in the process the Phillies would send could-have-been World Series MVP Cliff Lee to the Seattle Mariners for prospects.
This is the kind of deal that baseball fanatics, such as myself, love to see in the offseason because baseball disappears for a few months. So it is nice to see the MLB making headlines in the middle of December. However, it is even better to see that a divisional foe of my Yankees got rid of its ace/Yankee killer. Halladay was always spectacular but especially against the Yankees so I am glad to see him cross over to the NL. However, it is not nice to see that the Phils dealt Cliff Lee, who was phenomenal against the Yanks in the World Series, to the Mariners who are in the AL. Now Seattle has King Felix to go along with Lee and if you as me, that is one of the best one-two punches in the majors.
The Phillies are also looking to sign outfielder-first baseman Ross Gload to add some depth to the team. However, a more notable action is their pursuit of Fernando Rodney or John Smoltz to bolster up their bullpen.
Not a surprise to many, but to some...Alabama Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram has won the 2009 Heisman Trophy. His performance in the SEC championship game against Florida certainly helped his cause, 113 yards and three touchdowns. He finished with over 1,500 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He added 30 receptions for over 300 yards and three more touchdowns, including a 69-yard screen play in the game against Florida.
Ingram received 1,304 points, just above the 1,276 that Stanford running back Toby Gerhart. Gerhart had a phenomenal year for the Cardinals, over 1,700 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.
Longhorns QB Colt McCoy came in third with 1,145 points, Nebraska DL Ndamukong Suh received 815 points and Florida QB Tim Tebow finished off the ballot in fifth with 390 points.
The biggest part of Ingram receiving the honor is that of Alabama's historic program, he is the first player to win the Heisman. The Crimson Tide's history includes players like Broadway Joe Namath, Ken Stabler, and Ozzie Newsome.
Congrats to the running back and good luck to Alabama in the BCS National Championship game against Texas.
In case some of you football fans are unaware of the Thursday night games so far this season, it is as if the NFL took some of the worst games each week and decided to put them on NFL Network. The level of competition in these games has been remarkably pathetic and at times I regret my purchase of the NFL Network.
The games have been absolutely pathetic; some have been just awful games between two subpar teams and others have just been bad football. The first game was one of the worst; week 10 the 49ers beat the Bears 10-6. Not to mention the fact that Jay Cutler threw five interceptions. The following week Miami edged Carolina 24-17 so you think it would be a good game. Besides the fact that the teams were bleh, it was just an ugly game of football to watch. The following week was Thanksgiving so you assume there has got to be some good football on television, right? Wrong, because the Lions are always on. They lost by three possessions to the Packers, the Cowboys embarrassed the Raiders, and the Broncos showed that the Giants are a mediocre team in their 26-6 win over the G-men.
After a disappointing holiday weekend, I got to watch my Jets on television and even though I thoroughly enjoyed their win over Buffalo, I can honestly say it was just bad football. To top it all off the defending Super Bowl champs, who had lost four in a row, were embarrassed in a 13-6 loss in Cleveland. I mean let's be honest, no one wants to watch the 49ers, Browns, Bills, Lions, or Raiders.
I can only ask myself one question here...why aren't the Vikings, Saints, Colts, etc on TNF?
Just so you know, the games the rest of the way are:
Week 15: Indy @ Jax Week 16: Bolts @ Titans
Both of these are at least watchable games and could turn into interesting contests, but that surely doesn't make up for the games earlier in the year. Hopefully next year the NFL will do a better job creating the schedule.
The Yankees buff up their outfield with the acquisition of Detroit Tigers star outfielder Curtis Granderson. This brings a ton of depth and youth to the Yanks outfield but puts a dent in their quality young pitching. The Bombers sent up and coming Phil Coke to Arizona, and Ian Kennedy and prospect Austin Jackson to Detroit.
Coke threw 2 2/3 innings in the postseason but most of it was in junk time. However, Coke did a reasonable job from the bullpen during the season. It was nice to see a young pitcher come out of the bullpen. Kennedy, who struggled in 2008, was rarely seen this year in a Yankee uniform, but if in the right organization could be a solid starter. Austin Jackson, a top prospect in the New York farm system, is an outfielder that has been working his way up the ladder.
Granderson is obviously the biggest name in the trade; he had 30 homers and 71 RBI and 20 steals. He has excellent range in center field and adds another impressive offensive threat in the lineup. Granderson has good speed but also has the ability to knock the ball out of the park at any time. He reminds me of a younger Johnny Damon with a better arm.
I think the Yanks definitely helped themselves here, however, they have a lot of outfielders and it would be smart to deal one and look for a young pitcher in return. The Yanks were looking to improve even though they just won the World Series. This should allow them to dominate in the coming season and cruise to an easy championship for the first back-to-back Series winner since the Yanks did so in '98-'00.
Hey everybody, finals week is approaching fast. This week and next week will be the last two mini editions of this segment. The rest of the season and the playoffs will be a more in depth look. Enjoy.
Week 13
The Down
Hooray, now all three first-round quarterbacks have thrown five (5) interceptions in a game this year. Matt Stafford, my very own Mark Sanchez, and most recently, Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman. He did throw for 321 yards, however, he was unable to come through in a very winnable game against division foe Carolina. Congrats to Freeman for joining the club, I'm sure Stafford and Sanchez will welcome him with open arms. Better luck next time.
The Dirty
Due to the lack of impressive performances this week, the winner of the award goes to Bruce Gradkowski of the Oakland Raiders. Yes, you heard me correctly, the quarterback of the Raiders just won this award. This is mainly because he threw for 308 yards and three touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 27-24 Oakland victory. However, I also want to give recognition to Tony Romo who threw for 392 yards and three touchdowns, and to Jason Witten who had 14 receptions for 156 yards in a loss to the Giants.
ACC - Unfortunately, my VA Tech Hokies were not apart of this game this year but that doesn't mean that a good show wasn't put on. C.J. Spiller went to work on his Heisman case but it wasn't enough to stop Josh Nesbitt and the Yellow Jackets. Spiller had a ridiculous game, rushing for 233 yards and four touchdowns. However, Nesbitt rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown and passed for 136 yards and another touchdown. To be honest, I wasn't expecting it, but hats off for GA Tech even though I still wish it was VA Tech was apart of it. Good luck to the Yellow Jackets in, most likely, the Orange Bowl against Iowa or Penn State.
Big 12 - Well this was just an absolutely ridiculous game. It wasn't exactly the smartest play that I have ever seen a QB make, but Colt McCoy got lucky that after he rolled out and threw the ball away there was still one second left on the clock. Game winning 46-yard field goal, boom...game over and the Longhorns are going to the BCS National Championship. End of story, there is no question about it. On a personal note, even though I love McCoy, his three interceptions probably destroyed his Heisman hopes due to the stellar day that many others had. No worries, he gets his shot at a ring.
Big East - This game is the definition of a heartbreaker for Pitt. They were ahead by as many as 21 and took a touchdown lead with less than two minutes play. However, a botched snap/hold on the extra point proved to be the difference in the game as Cinci put together a great drive to win the game on the extra point. Dion Lewis' 47 carries for 194 yards and 3 touchdowns was not enough. Cincinatti, though undefeated, will most likely be playing Florida in the Sugar Bowl.
Big Ten - Ohio State already clinched their birth into the Rose Bowl against Oregon. Woo woo, congrats.
Pac-10 - Oregon defeated Oregon State two days ago to clinch the title and face Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
SEC - If you know me at all, I have been all over Alabama this entire season. This game tells you why: Bama 32 Florida 13. If you ask me, this is the only stat you need, but I will also give you that the Crimson Tide rushed for well over 200 yards which is obviously most the this season. Bama got some revenge from last year and earned their birth in the BCS National Championship game in Pasadena. Best of luck boys, you will probably face Texas. Note: Mark Ingram was responsible for 189 yards and three touchdowns, and he deserves the Heisman.
I once again apologize due to the lack of posts. It is crunch time for college students because finals are approaching fast. This will be an abbreviated version of Weeks 11 and 12.
Week 11
The Down
Unfortunately, I am going to be unbiased because this week's award definitely is going to my New York Football Jets QB Mark Sanchez. Once again, he had an atrocious game adding to his most-likely record setting interception pace with four more against the Patriots suspect defense. He did throw one touchdown but on many of his throws he did a nice job scrambling and just tried to do too much by throwing into tight coverage. In fact, a few of his picks didn't even look like a Jets receiver was in the area. Hopefully, he will get his act together, but what do I know? I'm a Jets fan...
The Dirty
I can't believe this, but somehow Brown's QB Brady Quinn has just beyond convinced me that he more than deserves his award. I don't even care that it was against the Lions because the fact he threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns. Somehow the Browns blew a 24-3 lead and lost on a touchdown pass by Matt Stafford with no time on the clock. Who knows if Quinn will ever have a game even close to that ever again, but props to him. I would also like to send a shout-out to Wes Welker who had 15 receptions for 192 yards, and to T.O. who had nine receptions for 197 yards and one touchdown.
Week 12
The Down
I am proud to say that this week's The Down goes to a player that faced my Jets. Jake Delhomme stole the award, just barely, from Matt Stafford. Delhomme threw four interceptions against New York, two to Revis and two to Rhodes. Revis, one of the best corners in the NFL, took one back to the house. Delhomme had to win due to him throwing for 83 less yards and Stafford at least had one touchdown. Delhomme was just all around awful and Carolina's defense actually kept them in the game for the most part forcing three turnovers of their own.
The Dirty
While some people might disagree with Brett Favre not winning the award this week, those people obviously missed the Monday Night Football showdown in the Big Easy. The unbeaten Saints took it to the Patriots by exploding on offense and embarrassing the normally fluid Pats offense. The Saints defense picked off Tom Brady twice but it didn't even matter because Drew Brees threw five (5) touchdown passes. He showed that the Patriots are more than beatable and just put on a clinic with his right arm. He shared the love because each touchdown was to a different reciever. Oh, he also threw for 371 yards and had a perfect 158.3 QB rating. Congrats to the 11-0 Saints.
I want to apologize about the lack of posts this week. Toddy P. has been extremely dedicated to his school work and has had a tough time writing. Abe is in the same boat as him. However, I can promise that the slack will be picked up in the coming week.
My sincerest apologies for this delayed post.However, it is going to published before the start of the Thursday game coming up: Miami @ Carolina
NFL Week Ten
“The Down”
Most football fans saw something this past Thursday night that we might not see ever again.Jay Cutler threw five interceptions. You might be asking why this is special? The reason it is special is because his five interceptions made it three consecutive weeks that a quarterback has thrown five picks. He did throw for just over 300 yards and the Bears actually did have an opportunity to win the game at the end. But, what do you know, that was when Cutler threw his fifth, final and game-ending interception.
Honorable Mentions:
QB Brady Quinn (CLE) – 13 of 31 for 99 yards and 2 INTs
This week’s “The Dirty” might be a little controversial if you look at the honorable mentions; however, it seems to me that the situation was enough to help the stats. Reggie Wayne had 10 receptions for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. The reason he is the winner ahead of Moss is because Wayne’s second touchdown came with thirteen seconds left in the game.He dove to make the catch and there was a ton of contact between him and the defensive back.The game winning touchdown combined with stellar enough stats was enough for propel Wayne ahead of the players you see below.
Honorable Mentions:
RB Chris Johnson (TEN) – 26 for 132 yards and 2 TDs
QB Kurt Warner (ARI) – 29 of 38 for 340 yards and 2 TDs
This is my first post, and it’s going to be an important one. Tonight the Cavs and Wizards face off at the Phone Booth on ESPN.
The Wiz have been off to a slow start, and most of this blame lies with their inability to stay healthy. It should be interesting to see how Antawn Jamison responds after being on the sideline for the last 5 weeks with a shoulder injury. Agent Zero seems to be fully healed from the knee injury that kept him out all last season, and the decision to trade away their first round draft pick to receive Randy Foye and Mike Miller has looked like a good one.
The Cavs have been on a hot streak since losing their first two. LeBron James has been playing well and Shaq looks like he can still be a force inside. The addition of Shaq and Anthony Parker really give the Cavs other offensive threats to complement LeBron. Unfortunately for the Cavs, they’ll be without Anderson Varejao and Shaq tonight, so the younger guys are going to have to step up.
If the Wizards want to get back in the win column, they’ve got to get Jamison involved in the offense, and they’ll have to play the strength of the guards. Defensively, they must contain LeBron and force him to make jumpers.
It all really took off during the 2009 MLB post-season. There were countless calls in just about every game that were questionable to the extent that it was hard to believe the referee or umpire couldn't see the play to make the correct call. For example: Game 2 ALDS, Twins vs. Yankees. Joe Mauer hit line drive right down the left field line and the ball is called foul even though it is clearly fair.
In the ALCS, Angels vs. Yankees, Nick Swisher was apparently picked off of second base but he was called safe. Later than inning, it was called that Swisher left early from third base even though he clearly did not. It is absurd to think that the umpires did such a poor job in the most important series of their careers and since it was a chance to go to the World Series for each team. I can only hope that the umpires were just consistently bad and did not feel the need to have a make-up call for a previously bad call. That would be dispicable and is not how the game of baseball is or should be conducted.
Don't forget about the NFL. Don't get me started on all these rules protecting quarterbacks; don't they wear pads and helmets? The thing that gets me the most in the NFL is the spot of the ball and how nonchalantly the refs just place the ball. The ball is supposed to be placed in its location when the players knee, elbow, etc. hits the ground. In many cases it seems like they are just guessing. Not to mention the forward motion rule. It is 100% speculation. The refs have to decide if they think the runner was trying to move forward or if he voluntarily moved backwards.
The worst might be the NBA and just basketball in general. I have a hard time watching basketball because I feel like a foul is called on every possession up and down the floor. All the player has to do is drive the lane and flail in the air and he will be awarded two shots.
Oh, by the way, these guys make six figure salaries just for the duration of the season.
As I promised, my weekly NFL preview will highlight the great games, the sure things, and my own fantasy watch list.
My games to watch this week are Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh andPhiladelphia vs. San Diego. I predict them to be the most competitive and exciting for all 60 minutes.
The Cincinnati Bengals vs. The Pittsburgh Steelers-This is my game of the week. AFC North matchups, excluding the Browns of course, always turn out to be a battle. These games are always won in the trenches. Both teams come into this at 6-2.
The Bengals are undefeated in the division and are showing no signs of slowing down. Carson Palmer has finally stepped up to his true potential following that devastating knee injury. Cedric Benson has proven he is not just a talentless thug. He can actually run the football and really well. He has run for 837 yards and 6 touchdowns. Even more impressive is the teams he has ran well against. He rushed for 237 yards in two victories over the Ravens and 189 against the Bears. Not only have the Bengals been winning games, but they are doing so without having to score 50 points a game. Their defense has been shocking to the point where they are only allowing 16.9 points per game on average.
The Steelers started off nothing like you would expect from the Super Bowl champions. Troy Polamalu went down with a knee injury week 1 and missed the next four games. In the first three games, the Steelers barely snuck by the Titans, lost to the Bears and then again to the Bengals. Since then, they have won 5 straight, and are back to their normal Pittsburgh style of football. Their ground game is not what it used to be, but is looking better every week. Rashard Mendenhall has proven he has what it takes to be the feature back. He ran for 165 yards against a stout San Diego D-line and 155 last week against Mike Nolan’s revamped Denver defense. Big Ben has been Big Ben, and Hines Ward is still Hines Ward.
This game is crucial for both teams. If the Bengals were to win, they would not only be leading the division but they will have swept the SteelCity for the first time since ’98. If the Steelers win they then take over the division and have a serious momentum with a 6-game winning streak. I am going to go with the last decade on this one. Pittsburgh scores another two defensive touchdowns and wins 28-21.
The Philadelphia Eagles vs. The San Diego Chargers-Best of the afternoon games. Both teams are extremely similar and show up when they feel like it.
The Eagles offense has been arguably one of the most inconsistent in the NFL. I just don’t understand how one week they didn’t get in the endzone against Oakland yet they can put up 40 points against the Giants. DeSean Jackson may very well be the key to this team. How about this stat from NFL.com: when DeSean scores, the eagles are 4-1 averaging 32.2 points per game, but when he doesn’t they are only 1-2 averaging 19.3. The Philly defense has been better than expected but not great. They currently stand 10th against the run and 11th against the pass. Another key to this game for Philadelphia could be how many touches Brian Westbrook gets. This will be his first week back from the concussion.
The Chargers are similarly inconsistent all around. The real game plan for them is 3 step drops for Philip Rivers and a quick release. The Eagles like to send chaotic blitz packages and constantly pack 8 into the box. If River’s can manage to get the ball out to Sproles quickly and efficiently, they should be able to control the pace of this game. Vincent Jackson won’t be much of a factor paired up against Samuel, so look for quick screens and short passes all game. The Chargers are ranked 5th in the league and are getting healthy. Don’t expect them to give up much in any form.
I expect this to be the most exciting games of the week. Both of the teams are more than capable on scoring on the big plays. All 6 of DeSean Jackson’s TDs have came from atleast 50 yards out so I expect nothing less. Everyone knows what Darren Sproles can do in the open field so this will come as no surprise. My thoughts are that the Eagles don’t have an answer for Sproles and he runs for 1 TD and receives 2 more. San Diego wins a close one over Philly 34-31.
Sure Things against the spread:
Denver (-3.5) @ Washington
Kansas City (+2) @ Oakland
New York (A) (-7) vs.Jacksonville
Fantasy Predictions:
Start 'Em
Drew Brees against the lack of defense in St. Louis. I wouldn’t be shocked if he throws for 450 yards and 5 touchdowns. Expect huge production.
Ray Rice against Cleveland on Monday Night. In front of a national crowd, he will catch and run for possible season high numbers against the abysmal Browns.
Sit 'Em
Jason Campbell. Expect 2-3 interceptions and under 200 yards passing.
Mike Sims-Walker. David Garrard will have no time to throw against the Jets D and no time means minuscule catches. He better hope for some YAC if he wants any production at all. Good Luck.
Okay, due to this unbelievably boring (apparently professional) football game on Thursday night, I just want to note a few things:
I really paid for the NFL Network for this?
Three interceptions, one missed field goal, 10 first half points. Seriously?
The NFL needs to do a better job scheduling these games or people, such as myself, will do homework or go out on Thursday nights.
To go along with the previous, no one wants to watch a 4-4 vs. 3-5 game when there are games (Cinci @ Pitt) that are at 1 o'clock that the nation would much rather watch.
By the way, I was about the publish this post, but then Jay Cutler threw his 3rd interception of the game. Wow.
I am aware that I just wrote back-to-back pieces about the MLB Gold Gloves Awards, but this is my weekly piece and I want it to be down every Wednesday.Well, at least when I started it was still Wednesday.
NFL Week Nine
"The Down"
This award was tough to hand out to one player in the beginning. After analyzing the stats and looking a bit deeper into everything it became clear that Matthew Stafford came out on top (or bottom depending how you look at it). Even though he threw two touchdowns and Orton didn’t throw a single one.Stafford threw for 22 of 42 for 203 and 2 TDs. Oh, not his five, yeah count ‘em FIVE interceptions. Stafford took after last week’s biggest loser, Kurt Warner.The main reason why Stafford had to be chosen over Orton is because at least Orton faced a respectable team in the Steelers.Also, Stafford faced the Seahawks, and jumped out to 17 point lead.Why did he even throw a pass the rest of the game? Oy, who knows…
Honorable Mentions:
QB Kyle Orton (DEN) – 23 of 38 for 221 yards and 3 INTs
QB Joe Flacco (BAL) – 18 of 32 for 195 yards and 2 INTs
RB Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) – 14 for 39 yards
WR Ted Ginn, Jr. (MIA) – 1 for 7 yards
"The Dirty"
Kurt Warner, last weeks biggest loser, completely dominated the Chicago Bears supposedly respectable defense.Warner only completed 22 of 32 passes for a measly 261 yards. So you might be asking how he won the award this week? Well, his five touchdown passes certainly sealed the deal for me. That’s right, a week after his five interceptions, Warner showed that at 37 years-old he still has some juice left in the tank. I don’t think there is any discrepancy to be had over Warner. I mean Fitz had a crazy good game, but of course that was because of Warner.Randy Moss and Mike Sims-Walker put up impressive stats but they were identical so just one of them couldn’t win it.Lastly, Michael Turner put up over 150 yards for the second consecutive week but was slightly over showed in my book.
Honorable Mentions:
WR Larry Fitzgerald (AZ) – 9 for 123 yards and 2 TDs
WR Randy Moss (NE) – 6 for 147 yards and 1 TD
WR Mike Sims-Walker (JAX) – 6 for 147 yards and 1 TD
RB Michael Turner (ATL) – 18 for 166 yards and 2 TDs
If anyone thinks I missed a player that deserves to be recognized on either list please let me know.
C: Yadier Molina (STL) - One of the famous Molina brothers, Yadier is the most heralded for his ability behind the plate. He only made five errors behind the plate this year and recorded an impressive .995 fielding percentage. I don't see who else might deserve this award more than him.
1B: Adrian Gonzalez (SD) - Like Molina, it was also Gonzalez's second time winning the award. Sticking with the similarities to Molina, Gonzalez also recorded a .995 fielding percentage but with seven errors. This guy has a bright future on a below average -- at best -- team.
2B: Orlando Hudson (LAD) - Unlike the AL, the NL has a bit younger list with Hudson winning the award for the fourth time, more than any other of this year's NL winners.
3B: Ryan Zimmerman (WAS) - A bright young star, it was only Zim's first time winning this defensive award. Zim did commit 17 errors but similar to Longoria, his fielding percentage was a close second at .963. This guy, also like Longoria, will be a staple for this award for years to come as he only gets better at every aspect of his game.
SS: Jimmy Rollins (PHI) - Going to the World Series in consecutive seasons, Rollins was a large part of why that happened. His impecible defense, only six errors, is just one reason why he is an elite shortstop in the majors.
OF: Shane Victorino (PHI) - The only "veteran" in this extremely young outfield group, Victorino brings this award home for the second time and is showing everyone why he deserves to be a starter in this league.
OF: Michael Bourn (HOU) - The Phillies may have pulled a rabbit out of their hat with Victorino, but the Astros showed the Phillies they missed out on someone with Bourn. This kid can play some defense, a .992 fielding percentage. Oh and by the way, he can also steal bases at an alarming rate (61 steals - 2nd in MLB). He is quickly becoming an all-around player.
OF: Matt Kemp (LAD) - Kemp is a rising star for L.A. and had only two errors spending time in both center and right field. Not the best mentor in left field, Kemp will hopefully admire Manny's stats and not his attitude. Look for this kid to shine for years to come.
P: Adam Wainwright (STL) - Not only did he win 19 games this season, a career high, but he also did not commit a single error all year. He is one of the main reasons the Cards made it as far as they did and deserves this award just as much as the next the eight players above him.
Keep an eye out for other awards (MVP, Cy Young) to awarded later in the year.
C: Joe Mauer (MIN) - This guy is unreal. He just won the award in back-to-back seasons with a .996 fielding percentage this year. Mauer has had no less than a .991 fielding percentage in his career. Just in case you didn't know how insane he is, not to mention he is an MVP candidate.
1B: Mark Teixeira (NYY) - Not only is this guy a great hitter, but he only committed four errors all season long to acheive a .997 fielding percentage. Some of you might wonder where Kevin Youkilis is in this conversation; well Youk played just shy of 80 games at first due to the need for him to also spend time at third. So no need to doubt Teix's crediblity, not to mention he is also an MVP candidate.
2B: Placido Polanco (DET) - This might be a surprise to most people considering reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia received this award last year, but this season Polanco had only two errors to Pedroia's six. Polanco's fielding percentage was also .997 to Pedroia's .991 so obviously the voters know what they're doing.
3B: Evan Longoria (TB) - This kid is going to be a staple for this award for the next 10+ years, so you best get used to seeing his name here. While he did commit 13 errors this season, one more from last year, he played in 30 more games in 2009. Also, it must be taken into consideration that while his fielding percentage might only be .970, he plays arguably the toughest fielding position in the game.
SS: Derek Jeter (NYY) - One of the best shortstops of all-time, Jeter adds to his Hall-of-Fame resume with his fourth career Gold Glove. Not typically known for fielding, Jeter had a career-low eight errors and tied his career high with a .986 fielding percentage.
OF: Torii Hunter (LAA) - Winning his ninth consecutive Gold Glove, Hunter has continually proved himself to be a stellar defensive outfielder. Only committing one error this season, Hunter had an impressive .997 fielding percentage.
OF: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) - Like Hunter, it was also Ichiro's ninth consecutive time winning the award. These two have continued to impress and don't show signs of slowing down anytime soon. Not quite up to Hunter's level, Ichiro still posted an impressive .988 fielding percentage having only committed four errors.
OF: Adam Jones (BAL) - Orioles rising star, Jones is on the fast path towards long term success in the majors. This kid can do it all, but most impressively won his first Gold Glove in only his second full season in the majors. He had five errors and posted a respectable .986 fielding percentage to go along with his nine outfield assists.
P: Mark Buehrle (CWS) - Not one of the biggest names in the AL, Buehrle continues to show his name belongs up towards the top. He had only one error this season to go along with a perfect game and tying the record for most consecutive batters retired at 45.
Just to clarify, the Rawlings Gold Glove Award is voted on by the Managers and Coaches of each team. However, one important thing to remember is that the coach a team can't vote for a player on their own team.
Don't forget to check back tomorrow night to catch a review of the NL winners.
With the beginning of the 2009-2010 hockey season there were certain expectations for each team. However, there have been a lot of surprises so far this year, some for the better and some for worse. Due to last year’s performances, there were high expectations for the Red Wings, Sharks, Ducks and the young Blackhawks in the Western Conference. The Capitals, Penguins, Bruins, Flyers, and Rangers have high aspirations in the Eastern Conference. However, upon the start of the season, these are not the top teams, and some have fallen quiet far. Emerging in the Western Conference as three of the top teams are the Colorado Avalanche, L.A. Kings and the Phoenix Coyotes. After being towards the bottom of the pack last year, most people did not expect these teams to emerge as a top team. With the loss of Chris Pronger on the blue line, the Ducks look like they are struggling thus far and have fallen to the bottom of their division. The Red Wings are sitting just below the middle of the pack, however the Sharks and Blackhawks continue to live up to their expectations and are sitting near the top of the Conference.
After leading the Eastern Conference at the end of last season, the Boston Bruins are not living up to their expectations and are sitting just below the middle of the pack. The Flyers and the Rangers are sitting above the middle of the pack, and nothing less was expected, especially with their big offseason acquisitions. The Flyers traded for Chris Pronger, and the Rangers signed Marian Gaborik, the big scorer that the Rangers have been missing for a long time. With no surprise, the Penguins and the Capitals are tied for the lead in the Eastern Conference and feature 3 of the premier players in the league in Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin. Among league leaders in points, there is no surprise to find Ovechkin, but there is a big surprise with Anze Kopitar of the Kings leading the league in both points and goals. With Rookie John Tavares leading the way, the Islanders are showing some life and are starting to win some games and I believe that they could turn out to be the big surprise of the league. The rest of the season should be an interesting battle, and I can’t wait to see if some of the teams can turn it around and make a run at the playoffs.
Back from the dead, it’s Toddy P. I’ve been away but now I’m back to stay. My favorite time of the year is fast approaching so I’ll shed some light upon this chaotic, exotic, and quite possibly orgasmic game we know as college hoops.
Just so you have a grasp of who the men in suits are placing their bets on, I’ll give you the ESPN/USA Today Poll:
1.Kansas
2.MichiganState
3.Texas
4.North Carolina
5.Kentucky
6.Villanova
7.Purdue
8.Duke
9.West Virginia
10.Butler
11.Tennessee
12.California
13.Washington
14.Connecticut
15.Michigan
16.Oklahoma
17.OhioState
18.Minnesota
19.Miss.State
20.Georgia Tech
21.Georgetown
22.Dayton
23.Louisville
24.Clemson
25.Syracuse
I have to agree with the unanimous decision that the Jayhawks are the huge favorite to win big this year. With Hansbrough out of the picture, Cole Aldrich is on a fast track to be the best big man in the country. Sherron Collins averaged 18.9 pts/game last season and will not slow down. The addition of freshman Xavier Henry, Thomas Robinson and Elijah Johnson make this team knee deep with natural talent.
Overall, I agree with the preseason top 25 as it is shown, with maybe a few tweaks here and there. It’s hard to argue with the top 5. UNC could honestly put together a team of 73 year old, WWII vets with Alzheimers and Roy Williams would have them in the final four. MichiganState was the runner-up last year and has the preseason Big Ten player of the year in junior Kalin Lucas. I’m not entirely sold on Texas and Kentucky, but I’ll have to wait and see.
The rest of the board seems fairly steady but a few things to notice are the big conferences at hand. The Big East runs the table with 6 teams in the Top 25, the Big Ten has 5, the ACC has 4, and the Big 12 and the SEC both have 3. The rest may have one or two at the most but are not note worthy due to a lack of strength from top to bottom.
Now in this next part I will give my predictions for conference champions. These are based on each team's schedule, strength of other teams in the conference, last year's performance, returning players and new additions
Big East-This is probably the toughest conference to pick a winner. You have great teams like Nova, WVU, and UConn, but also the entire conference is capable of making a run. Now, I am sure I am going to take a lot of heat for this but my team to watch is Louisville. They may be small but everyone on that team can shoot. They also have four returning senior guards and a hell of a coach in Rick Pitino. They are very capable of playing a fast-paced game and can catch all of the over-sized teams in the conference off guard.
Big Ten-This conference is also very good all around. MichiganStatewill run it. It’s really quite simple. The only team that I feel could make an argument is Michigan and State is on an entirely different level.
ACC-UNC. Last year’s National Champions. Tyler Hansbrough or not the Tar Heels will continue to be there in the end.
Big 12-Kansas. My favorite to win the national championship. Sherron Collins and Cole Aldridge make this team almost unbeatable.
SEC-Now here I will be completely honest with you. I can’t give you a real answer as to who I think will win. Kentucky is the favorite and with new coach John Calipari, why not? LSU has forward Tasmin Mitchell coming back to play another year. Five teams in this conference have all five starters returning, and three others are returning four. I have a feeling this conference will be turned on its head by the end of the year. So I ask you, Down ‘N Dirty Sports fans, who do you think might pull it off in the SEC?
These are the conferences expected to be represented strongly in the tournament. Remember, these are preseason predictions so don’t give me a hard time when at the end of the season I may not have a single one right.
On that note, I am glad to be back and writing. Look forward to new posts from me, including a weekly college basketball blog, and also an NFL weekly preview. Maybe even a few more opinionated pieces here and there.
"Any American boy can be a basketball star if he grows up, up, up..." -Bill Vaughn
