Wednesday, September 29, 2010

NFL Power Rankings, 2010 Week 4

As the season starts to take shape, it again becomes time to revisit the NFL Power Rankings. With only three undefeated teams remaining, the season looks as balanced as ever.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) - Despite not having Big Ben and his entourage of hung over sorority girls, the Steelers have looked like the teams of old, defense and running with timely passing. The biggest surprise has been Charlie Batch's ability to make plays. There is no question when Roethlisberger comes back, he gets the starting job, however, and this team will be even better.

2. Indianapolis Colts (2-1) - After Arian Foster destroyed the Colts for 231 yards and 3 TDs, the team looks better and has stopped wasting MVP performances from Peyton Manning.

3. Chicago Bears (3-0) - While I don't expect this ranking to last, the Bears are 3-0 with recent wins over Green Bay and Dallas, two teams picked by many to win the NFC. Devin Hester, Brian Urlacher and the rest of the Bears' defense and special teams are bringing back memories of 2006.

4. New Orleans Saints (2-1) - Despite losing to Atlanta at home, the Saints are still the reigning champs. Marques Colston has been the disappearing man on offense and with Reggie Bush out, the team is vulnerable, but make no mistake, the Saints will be there in January.

5. Green Bay Packers (2-1) - Green Bay has all of the framework necessary to win the North this year, but the combination of penalties and the absence of Ryan Grant on Monday Night made this team look pedestrian.

6. Atlanta Falcons (2-1) - After an overtime loss in week one to Pittsburgh, Atlanta has done nothing but play exceptional football. A blowout win over Arizona and the upset win in New Orleans give this team a lot of momentum.

7. New York Jets (2-1) - The Jets have put an enormous target on their backs and if Mark Sanchez continues to improve they just may live up to some of the hype. I'm not totally sold on this team, but after dispensing of Buffalo this week they'll be 3-0 against the division.

8. Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) - In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, the Eagles are now playing in Vickadelphia and are looking to notch a big win against former teammate and division rival Donovan McNabb and the Redskins.

9. Baltimore Ravens (2-1) - A team looking for its first signature win of the season (the ugly game against the Jets does not qualify) has its opportunity traveling to Pittsburgh this week. While the running game has been quiet to start the season, Anquan Boldin is providing the spark in the passing attack.

10. Houston Texans (2-1) - Despite being ill prepared to own the state of Texas, Houston has a win over the Colts and an easy schedule upcoming with games against Oakland, the Giants and emerging Chiefs in an effort to improve to 5-1. That said, if their defense doesn't tighten up they could be 2-4 just as easily.

The Bottom Five:
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) - After an upset win against Denver in Week 1, the Jaguars have lost 38-13 and 28-3. With Indianapolis on deck it's not getting any easier.

29. Cleveland Browns (0-3) - The Browns have been competitive but in a tough division they're a distant fourth.

30. Detroit Lions (0-3) - With high hopes entering the season, the Lions are in a familiar place in the NFC North, at the bottom looking up. This team needs Matthew Stafford.

31. Carolina Panthers (0-3) - The future is now in Carolina, but even the future doesn't look very promising. This may be it for John Fox.

32. Buffalo Bills (0-3) - Trent Edwards was never the solution in Buffalo but does this team look like they have a viable alternative? C.J. Spiller got into the action for the first time last week but he's still 3rd on the depth chart at running back and Lee Evans has been silent thus far.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Conference Realignment: The Great Money Grab

Yesterday Colorado announced its departure from the Big 12 to join the Pac 10. Today, Nebraska fell into line and opted out for greener pastures in the Big Ten. As the big six converge to what will likely become the big four power conferences, schools may be forgetting some of what makes college football great.

I was only seven when I attended my first Michigan vs Michigan State football game at the Big House in Ann Arbor. In each subsequent trip I've had the great fortune to see two schools with great tradition and a lifetime of rivalry compete in an environment where fans are fired up for Saturday. With the Big 12 almost certain to dissolve, where will that leave the former "Big Eight" that have been together largely since the 1920s and solidly since the 1960s? Oklahoma versus Nebraska has been a Midwest staple for many years. While it does not get the attention of the "Red River Shootout" with Texas, it carries just as much weight with traditionalists.

As Texas is likely to split off and join the Pac 10, I can't help but wonder how excited Longhorns fans will be to road trip up to Oregon State for their cross-divisional showdown, or start up a rivalry with mighty Arizona State in the future Pac 16 East.

Nebraska's departure in many ways makes sense for the university. Nebraska has always held higher recruiting standards than many of its fellow Big 12 Universities and certainly tighter than the likes of Texas A&M, Baylor and UT. For anyone who has road tripped through Lincoln, it even feels more like going to a game in Iowa, Madison or Happy Valley.

My frustration in the upcoming changing face of college athletics is not with Nebraska, as independently it made a good decision. More money, strong tradition, better academics and improved overall athletics. The disappointment comes in what will happen as conferences grab blindly at other television markets to snatch up in the hope of adding operating revenue. The Big Ten started the land grab with its announcement of expansion some six months ago and with the addition of a couple more solid universities, it stands to sit as the model super conference while the SEC, Pac 10 and ACC aimlessly gobble up the leftovers.

The wish list for the Big Ten certainly still includes Notre Dame and the success in landing the nation's team likely will determine if they come out as the eventual winners in the great money grab.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Halladay Last of Dying Breed

While the Lakers were busy closing out the Phoenix Suns in what should have been the most interesting sporting event on TV this weekend (sorry French Open, it's still Tennis), Roy Halladay dominated the Florida Marlins en route to throwing the 20th Perfect Game in MLB history.

At 7-3 with a 1.99 ERA, Halladay is once again proving to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. The more exciting part is to see this accomplishment by one of the last throw back pitchers in the majors. In the model of Greg Maddux, Nolan Ryan, Warren Spahn and Bob Gibson, Halladay is an innings eater with a fixation for throwing deep into ball games. While Maddux and Ryan couldn't be much more dissimilar, neither wanted to see the closer warming behind them to close out a game. Halladay takes pride in the same approach. In an era when middle relievers are paid millions and four runs over 5 2/3 justifies a quality start, it's refreshing to see someone like Halladay. While others like Livan Hernandez are known to jump into 120 and 130 on pitch counts, no one else maintains mastery of both velocity and control so late in the game.

Without sounding like a toothless traditionalist with my mind in the 1950's, it was only a generation ago when teams carried four-man rotations and pitchers traditionally went late in games. The last 30-game winner was Denny McLain in 1968 and no one has come close in the last fifteen years. Cy Young winners can now win half as many games (Tim Lincecum, 15-7 in 2009) and still hoist pitching's most prominent award. The last Cy Young winners to even have 30 decisions were both in 1996 (Pat Hentgen, John Smoltz). While Halladay certainly won't win 30 games this year, and is unlikely to finish with 30 decisions, he will be a bullpen saver and put the brakes on a losing streak.

Ubaldo Jimenez look out, Roy Halladay is coming for you.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Conference Finals

After a combined 5-0 start for the Lakers and Celtics it was looking as though the NBA Conference Finals were nothing more than a formality in reuniting the 2007-08 Finals that went to the Celtics. The Suns' inability to stop the Lakers was matched only by Orlando's ineptitude on the offensive end against a stifling Boston defense. Now with the series at 2-2 in the West and 3-2 Boston in the East, it's looking like a whole new series.

Orlando has taken the last two from Boston and in the process of dominating Game 5, took some key Celtics' players out of the game. With a pair of technical fouls Kendrick Perkins was ejected from Game 5 and would have faced suspension in Game 6, but after one was rescinded today by the league, he is eligible to suit up. While we know Perkins will be in the lineup when the series resumes this weekend, the same can't be said for Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Marquis Daniels just yet. Both suffered concussions during Game 5 and along with Rasheed Wallace (back), could be limited in Game 6.

For the Suns tonight's game in Los Angeles will be the story of the series. The Lakers are 18-0 all time in Game 5s at home when tied 2-2 and coach Phil Jackson knows just how important this game will be. Kobe Bryant wasn't shy in calling out his teammates after a disappointing loss in Game 4 where the Lakers inexplicably forgot how to defend.

Despite a resurgence by both Orlando and Phoenix, I would be surprised if we don't see a rematch of the '08 finals. Look for Kobe and the Lakers to come out and make a statement in Game 5 tonight and Boston to buckle down and close things out in The Garden this weekend.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Michigan Optimistic with Soft Sanctions

This week the University of Michigan imposed sanctions upon its own football program for violations of exceeding practice and workout times as allowed under NCAA rules. Here is a breakdown of the sanctions Michigan has placed upon itself.

-Cut practice time by 130 hours over the next two years
-Ban certain staff members from attending practices, games or coaching meetings

Overall, the University is stating that it disagrees that Rich Rodriguez failed to create an environment of compliance with NCAA Rules. Truly this was the only play that new Michigan Athletic Director David Brandon had, but in my opinion is unlikely to save the team from harsher penalties coming from the NCAA or Big Ten when it is reviewed in the coming months.

While the self-imposed sanctions are new, the allegations are not. This has brought around another wave of Michigan faithful calling for Rich Rod's head, nothing has changed from five months ago when the season ended. Rodriguez and AD David Brandon know this is a make or break season for the coach. Eight to nine wins and a bowl game buy Rodriguez another year; a losing season and he'll be searching for a mid-level job in the ACC or Big East. While the mood in the fan base appears to still be down on Rodriguez and the direction of Michigan Football, there is a lot of optimism building in Ann Arbor both about the upcoming season and the team's ability to dodge tough probation from the NCAA by beating them to the punch with their own sanctions.