This is a strange week. I have been tracking my performance in the pool I'm in and giving you those picks in this space. However due to a rule in that pool (we go by the lines published in Thursday's USA Today), this week is completely fucked up. There was a typo on the USA Today page making the Colts an underdog against Carolina, instead of the other way around. Also because there was no line on the Chargers-Texans game due to uncertainty about location, that game is a pickem. If you have a brain you probably realize that's a very stupid way to run a pool in which more than $5000 is at stake. But I spoke out and tried to get a rule change and was shouted down and insulted. So I will be going with the incorrect lines here and my stats from now on will be affected by this crap.
cleveland -3 ST. LOUIS
The Rams are absolutely putrid and the Browns are better than people think. Plus, they can put points on the board which should prevent a fluke outcome.
ny giants -9 1/2 MIAMI
The Dolphins are the home team even though this game is being played in London. The Dolphins might not score any points against this rejuvenated Giants defense.
pittsburgh -3 1/2 CINCINNATI
This is a classic don't let one week fool you game. The Steelers are still good, the Bengals still have no defense and this one shouldn't even be close.
SAN DIEGO even houston
The real spread is 9 1/2 and despite the upheaval in San Diego the Chargers have finally started balling again and they should pound the Texans.
indianapolis +6 1/2 CAROLINA
The real spread should be -6 1/2 but I think the Colts will cover either way. One good game from Testaverde I can understand, but two? Not gonna happen. Especially not against Dwight Freeney. David Carr could be in by the second quarter. This will probably be the first game in NFL history in which a team used two overall number one picks at quarterback and still lost by 20 points.
Last week: 3-2 (4 points)
Season so far: 18-17 (21 points)
Best bet: 1-0 (5-2)
Home favorites: 2-0 (8-5)
Home underdogs: 0-0 (2-0)
Road favorites: 1-1 (7-7)
Road underdogs: 0-1 (1-5)
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
The NFL is Poop - Week 7
Best Team Ever
It's getting redundant but we could be witnessing history. I firmly believe that more likely than not the Patriots will go undefeated. They also will put together a season that will make them undeniably the best offense in the history of the NFL. They scored touchdowns on their first 5 possessions of the game. They were in a word, unstoppable.
Don't Forget About Us
The Colts are pretty good too. They are 6-0 also (Pats are actually 7-0). And they are the defending Super Bowl champions, something the Patriots are not. The dismantled a Jaguars team, in Jacksonville, that is probably better than anyone the Patriots have beaten so far. But I just don't get that same feeling from the Colts as I do from the Pats. But on November 4th they'll get their chance.
Don't Forget About Us Either
A popular question this season is "what's more likely, the Patriots going 16-0 or the Dolphins going 0-16?" The answer is choice C, the Rams going 0-16. They are absolutely terrible. They are supposed to be a good offensive team, but they've only scored 78 points, less than the half the Dolphins total. Steven Jackson is coming back this week but I don't think it's going to solve the problem. The best they can hope for is 2-14, but their best chance for one win comes against the Falcons on December 2nd.
Game of the Week
Tennessee Titans 38 Houston Texans 36
This game was an absolute blowout. After a fumble and an interception in relief, backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels spotted the Titans a 32-7 lead. Problem for the Titans, they couldn't punch it in and settled for 6 Rob Bironas field goals (to that point), and they made Sage Rosenfels angry. You wouldn't like Sage Rosenfels when he's angry. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter Rosenfels took over. He led a 70 yard touchdown drive, then a 98 yard touchdown drive before he was intercepted again with 4 minutes left. But the Titans couldn't get a first down and Sage got the ball back with 3:47 to go, trailing 35-22. 75 yards and 2 minutes 10 seconds later, the score was 35-29. The Texans recovered the onsides kick and after a beautiful 53 yard pass to Andra Davis the Texans had a 36-35 lead. But they left 57 seconds on the clock. That was enough time for Kerry Collins to hit Roydell Williams for 46 yards, setting up Rob Bironas' NFL record breaking 8th field goal, this one to win this crazy game.
Game of Next Week
Miami Dolphins vs. New York Giants
This game is being played in London, in Wembley Stadium. That should make this matchup quite interesting, but still a Giants blowout.
Cheerleader of the Week
Brooke of the Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders
Brooke has a dog named Doodle, not sure what breed. Her most prized possession is the love she has for her family. Her biggest accomplishment is anything that represents her family in a positive way. Her favorite book is the Bible. If Brooke were stranded on a desert island she would bring her mom, her iPod and her cell phone. I think the cell phone defeats the whole purpose of the desert island scenario.
Brief Rant About the Redskins
For the second straight week Coach Gibbs screwed up the end of game situation. This time he chose a passing play which was incomplete and gave the Cardinals an extra 30 seconds. Luckily for him the Cardinals missed a 2-point conversion and a long field goal attempt and the Redskins held on for a 21-19 victory. If Gibbs can pull of a win this week it would be the biggest miracle he's ever accomplished.
If the Super Bowl Were Played Today
New England Patriots 48 Dallas Cowboys 27
If the Redskins win this week they'll be in this space next week. But until one of these two teams loses (to someone other than each other), I'm sticking with them as the best two teams in their conferences.
It's getting redundant but we could be witnessing history. I firmly believe that more likely than not the Patriots will go undefeated. They also will put together a season that will make them undeniably the best offense in the history of the NFL. They scored touchdowns on their first 5 possessions of the game. They were in a word, unstoppable.
Don't Forget About Us
The Colts are pretty good too. They are 6-0 also (Pats are actually 7-0). And they are the defending Super Bowl champions, something the Patriots are not. The dismantled a Jaguars team, in Jacksonville, that is probably better than anyone the Patriots have beaten so far. But I just don't get that same feeling from the Colts as I do from the Pats. But on November 4th they'll get their chance.
Don't Forget About Us Either
A popular question this season is "what's more likely, the Patriots going 16-0 or the Dolphins going 0-16?" The answer is choice C, the Rams going 0-16. They are absolutely terrible. They are supposed to be a good offensive team, but they've only scored 78 points, less than the half the Dolphins total. Steven Jackson is coming back this week but I don't think it's going to solve the problem. The best they can hope for is 2-14, but their best chance for one win comes against the Falcons on December 2nd.
Game of the Week
Tennessee Titans 38 Houston Texans 36
This game was an absolute blowout. After a fumble and an interception in relief, backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels spotted the Titans a 32-7 lead. Problem for the Titans, they couldn't punch it in and settled for 6 Rob Bironas field goals (to that point), and they made Sage Rosenfels angry. You wouldn't like Sage Rosenfels when he's angry. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter Rosenfels took over. He led a 70 yard touchdown drive, then a 98 yard touchdown drive before he was intercepted again with 4 minutes left. But the Titans couldn't get a first down and Sage got the ball back with 3:47 to go, trailing 35-22. 75 yards and 2 minutes 10 seconds later, the score was 35-29. The Texans recovered the onsides kick and after a beautiful 53 yard pass to Andra Davis the Texans had a 36-35 lead. But they left 57 seconds on the clock. That was enough time for Kerry Collins to hit Roydell Williams for 46 yards, setting up Rob Bironas' NFL record breaking 8th field goal, this one to win this crazy game.
Game of Next Week
Miami Dolphins vs. New York Giants
This game is being played in London, in Wembley Stadium. That should make this matchup quite interesting, but still a Giants blowout.
Cheerleader of the Week
Brooke of the Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders
Brooke has a dog named Doodle, not sure what breed. Her most prized possession is the love she has for her family. Her biggest accomplishment is anything that represents her family in a positive way. Her favorite book is the Bible. If Brooke were stranded on a desert island she would bring her mom, her iPod and her cell phone. I think the cell phone defeats the whole purpose of the desert island scenario.
Brief Rant About the Redskins
For the second straight week Coach Gibbs screwed up the end of game situation. This time he chose a passing play which was incomplete and gave the Cardinals an extra 30 seconds. Luckily for him the Cardinals missed a 2-point conversion and a long field goal attempt and the Redskins held on for a 21-19 victory. If Gibbs can pull of a win this week it would be the biggest miracle he's ever accomplished.
If the Super Bowl Were Played Today
New England Patriots 48 Dallas Cowboys 27
If the Redskins win this week they'll be in this space next week. But until one of these two teams loses (to someone other than each other), I'm sticking with them as the best two teams in their conferences.
The Juice is Loose
This video from Scarlet Nation shows the on-field celebration after Rutgers beat South Florida. At about 2 minutes into the video you can see one of our favorite Poopheads screaming and shaking his hair.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
World Series Prediction
Red Sox in 5 games.
Momentum is only as good as the next day's starting pitcher and for the Red Sox the next day's starting pitcher is Josh Beckett, who will pitch Games 1 and 5.
Beckett is 5-2 with a 1.78 ERA in 8 postseason starts.
The Rockies are good, the Rockies are hot, but they are not as good as the Red Sox.
The long layoff the Rockies had will have nothing to do with the outcome of this series. All good things must come to an end. After three years of waiting, The World Series finally comes back to Boston.
Momentum is only as good as the next day's starting pitcher and for the Red Sox the next day's starting pitcher is Josh Beckett, who will pitch Games 1 and 5.
Beckett is 5-2 with a 1.78 ERA in 8 postseason starts.
The Rockies are good, the Rockies are hot, but they are not as good as the Red Sox.
The long layoff the Rockies had will have nothing to do with the outcome of this series. All good things must come to an end. After three years of waiting, The World Series finally comes back to Boston.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The Cuse Is In Da House
Cool photo spread from Sports Illustrated inside the house (406 Euclid) shared by some female lacrosse players at Syracuse.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
How Did I Miss This?
In the midst of my postseason statistical analysis of the 2007 baseball season I somehow glossed over the fact that one of my favorite records was broken.
Jimmy Rollins record 716 official at bats, smashing the old record of 705 by Willie Wilson which stood for 26 years. Of the 6 season in which someone has had 699 at bats or more, three times it has been done by the Phillies' leadoff hitter. First Dave Cash, then Juan Samuel, and now Jimmy Rollins.
Ichiro (704) and Juan Pierre (699) are the others with that many at bats in one season.
Jimmy Rollins record 716 official at bats, smashing the old record of 705 by Willie Wilson which stood for 26 years. Of the 6 season in which someone has had 699 at bats or more, three times it has been done by the Phillies' leadoff hitter. First Dave Cash, then Juan Samuel, and now Jimmy Rollins.
Ichiro (704) and Juan Pierre (699) are the others with that many at bats in one season.