The Sportsomniac

Offseason Confidential: Chicago Bears

2011-06-07T00:23:00.002-04:00

In reviewing the 2010 season for the Chicago Bears, despite falling short of reaching the Super Bowl, by early season expectations, the result can only be considered a success. Picked by many to finish third in the NFC North, Chicago posted an 11-5 overall record including a 5-1 mark against the division. While Chicago narrowly missed the opportunity to represent the NFC against Pittsburgh, the team just as easily could have been 0-2 against the Detroit Lions. 2011 is an important season for many reasons in Chicago and despite a contract extension for Lovie Smith, pressure abounds. Check out Chicago's keys to success for the upcoming season.

1. Offensive Line
It's no mystery that Mike Martz runs one of the most pass-happy offenses in the NFL and with a series of 7-step drops in the playbook, it puts a lot of pressure on the offensive line. To start the 2010 season the offensive line took a beating, most noticeably at the hands of the New York Giants who embarrassed the previously-unbeaten Bears on national TV. As the season went on, Chicago was able to put together a patchwork O-Line that kept Cutler relatively upright, but still struggled to get the push on rushing plays that made Matt Forte successful in his rookie season two years ago. With a late first round pick, many worried Chicago would not be able to address the greatest need area with a quality pick, but Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin fell to them at 29 and provides a steady tackle who should start from day one.

2. Development of Receiving Corp
Johnny Knox and Devin Hester combine to be two of the fastest receivers in the game, probably rivaled only by DeShaun Jackson and Jeremy Maclin in Philadelphia. What the Bears' tandem does not have that the Eagles enjoy, is a lot of success and touchdown receptions from their primary receivers. While Knox and Hester have the type of open field moves and quickness to make defenders miss, they have struggled to get the ball in their hands in the first place. Hester's inability to run consistent routes and break out as a legitimate starter makes it difficult for Knox, Olsen and Forte to find open space as Hester does not command the safety help that a player of his speed should demand. The Bears will go as far as their defense takes them, but to avoid a myriad of tight games against mediocre teams, the Bears receivers will need to put more points on the board in 2011.

3. Health
Few teams in 2010, or any season for that matter, enjoyed the level of health like that of the Chicago Bears. With a team with an aging defense and a quarterback who suffered behind a beleaguered offensive line for the first half of the year, Chicago was surprisingly not bitten by the injury bug. All Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher logged a full season for the first time in years and he was joined by an uncharacteristically healthy defense. While Chicago is unlikely to be as fortunate in 2011, the ability to keep key players on the field is essential. Urlacher, Cutler, Peppers, Briggs, Kreutz and company provide a lot of firepower to the Bears roster, but there is not enough depth behind them, particularly at quarterback, to lose multiple star players.

4. Mike Martz and Jay Cutler Synergy
With a pass-first approach and the strong arm of Jay Cutler, fans should expect better than 188 passing yards per game from Chicago. While Matt Forte provides a solid running back for the Bears' offense, being able to pick up third and long situations was a struggle in 2010. While Lovie Smith received a contract extension after making a playoff run, Mike Martz did not enjoy the same job security and will have to prove himself this season. To be successful, Martz will need to get Cutler living within the reads of his system and the protection he needs to get the down field throws to open receivers.

Recommended Reading: Detroit Lions Offseason Confidential Green Bay Packers Offseason Confidential

Offseason Confidential: Green Bay Packers

2011-06-04T02:49:00.002-04:00

It may seem odd to begin a series by including the reigning Super Bowl Champions, but the Green Bay Packers have to complete one of the most difficult tasks asked of any franchise, to repeat as champions. Eight times the champion has repeated in NFL history and only once in the past ten years (New England in 2004, 2005).

In 2010 Green Bay road incredible momentum and the wild card through the NFC playoffs en route to beating the Pittsburgh Steelers and bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Title Town for the first time since No. 4 led the way in 1997. Now in 2011, the Packers go from the list of favorite breakout teams to the team with a bullseye on their backs. Below are some key story lines to follow as the Packers work toward Lucas Oil Stadium and a return trip to the Super Bowl.

1. Running Back Health
'Running Back By Committee' does not begin to describe how the Packers approached the position in 2010. Short of Matt Flynn lining up as the single back, the Packers used just about everyone else available to take a try at running back. While the Packers were able to rely heavily on rookie James Starks and a myriad of others in 2010, the team saw a serious drop in production with Ryan Grant hitting IR early in the year. As Grant suits up for what should be a full and healthy 2011, expect Green Bay's offense to find some balance.

2. Aaron Rodgers Handling the Pressure
In 2010 Aaron Rodgers was the sexy pick as the next big quarterback. Now, Rodgers firmly has that distinction and the pressure associated with every team gameplanning for him all season. With the NFC North and the rest of the NFL gunning for Rodgers each week, it will be important for him to handle the pressure of playing against some great defenses, but also playing with the pressure of being "The Man" in Title Town. During his first seasons at the helm, Rodgers was able to live in the shadow of being not Brett Favre and instead now will begin carving out his own legacy. With the NFL Lockout still looming large, the Packers have been one of the least active teams in coordinating group workouts, something that could hurt a team recovering from a multitude of injuries. Rodgers is the key again for the Packers this season - making a repeat trip to the Super Bowl is made much easier if Rodgers maintains his playoff form of a year ago.

3. Veteran Experience vs. Veteran Age
While the star of the Super Bowl run was Aaron Rodgers and his championship belt, the veteran experience on the team made the deep playoff run possible. Charles Woodson and Donald Driver had the most to gain and most to lose a year ago. For Woodson and Driver, 2010 was their best shot at winning a championship for their career, and they were able to cash in. The Packers enter the 2011 season with some exciting young talent on defense with BJ Raji, Clay Matthews and A.J. Hawk, but in a pass-first league, a shutdown corner like Woodson is essential in locking up the opposition's No. 1 wide receiver. While Greg Jennings gets a lot of hype for being the go-to receiver in Green Bay, it is Donald Driver and his flawless route running that provides so many critical third down conversions. In 2010, Woodson and Driver were leaders on defense and offense and provided the veteran support the team needed; now the Packers need to hope their age doesn't begin to make them a liability as they enter the twilight of their careers.

4. Jermichael Finley
Entering 2010, many sports fans, and almost all Fantasy Football enthusiasts, were labeling Finley as the next Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzalez. Before Finley got the chance, he also found his way to injured reserve. While Andrew Quarless and Donald Lee were serviceable at the Tight End position, adding Finley to the offense will be needed in Green Bay. To get out of the NFC, the need to go through New Orleans, Philadelphia and Atlanta are likely again this season, and to do so Green Bay will need every offensive weapon available. A torn meniscus is relatively minor in the world of knee injuries, but following a long battle with infection, Finley's recovery time has lengthened and he needs training camp to get back up to football speed.

Recommended Reading: Detroit Lions Offseason Confidential

Offseason Confidential: Detroit Lions

2011-06-01T01:01:00.005-04:00

Today is the first in a series of posts titled "Offseason Confidential" with the initial focus team being the oft-discussed Detroit Lions.

After years of suffering, including a torrid 0-16 season, the Detroit Lions will enter the 2011 season as one of the most hyped teams in the NFL. While I still expect the Lions to fall comfortably in the bottom half of the NFC North, there is a lot of reason for optimism. Below is a breakdown of story lines to follow and big determinants of the team's success in making its first playoff appearance in more than a decade.

1. The Health of Matthew Stafford
While I'm a fan of the adage that "the most important player is the backup quarterback," tell that to those backing up Peyton and Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers or Brett Favre. The health of Matthew Stafford will mean more than any other factor to the Lions in the upcoming season. After enduring the substandard play of backups Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton, the Lions offense needs the consistency of a pocket passer who can complete every throw in the playbook. When healthy, Stafford appears to be exactly that. For the Lions to be a true playoff contender, Stafford will have to shed his glass chin moniker and slide a bit more often to remain a steady contributor at the quarterback position. Injuries have prevented Stafford from showing franchise quarterback potential and 2011 is a make or break season for the former No. 1 overall pick.

2. Front Four Protecting Back Seven
Typically when we talk about protection along the line, we're referring to the left tackle and guard watching the blind side of the quarterback. While that is a necessary story line to follow for the Lions as well, more importantly for this team to stay competitive will be hiding the glaring holes remaining in the defense. The Lions addressed one of their biggest strength areas, the defensive line, with their first overall selection by selecting Nick Fairley No. 12 overall. By picking a potential elite defensive tackle, the Lions now have a defensive front four that rivals teams like Pittsburgh, New York Giants, Green Bay and Chicago. However, the selection did little to help at linebacker and in the secondary. What this pick should allow, is for Detroit to put a ton of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and prevent the sketchy corners from having to cover downfield for long periods of time.

3. Continued Draft Success
While Nick Fairley was certainly a "best player available" selection, the Lions made what I would consider a few questionable picks later in the draft as well. Instead of addressing needs at offensive line, cornerback or linebacker, the team played to areas of strength. Boise State Wide Receiver Titus Young and Illinois Running Back Mikel Leshoure play impact positions that both look great in highlight reels, but may not influence games on Sunday as much as a less-flashy selection. The Lions did find a needed outside linebacker with their fifth round selection in Douglas Hogue and offensive line with Johnny Culbreath, but are project players and may not find their way to the 53-man roster. That will put added pressure on the Lions' early selections to carry the class and make large gains on offense. It's clear Detroit is making a push for a breakthrough season and by adding a couple offensive weapons with the return of Matthew Stafford, the Lions will have a lot of weapons on the offensive side of the ball. The big drawback, is scoring 26 points per game might not be enough to win most weeks.

4. Avoid the Slow Start
In each of the last several seasons, Detroit has been out of contention before hitting its bye week. One reason the Lions have so much hype entering 2011 is due to their strong finish to the 2010 season, including four consecutive wins to finish 6-10. For the Lions to make the transition to playoff contender, they will need to have at least 4 wins, before hitting their bye in week 9. Detroit opens with Tampa, Kansas City, Minnesota, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta and Denver. The second half gets tougher with two against Green Bay, the road half of the Chicago series and games against New Orleans and San Diego.

Recommended Reading: Green Bay Packers Offseason Confidential Home Page

Bulls Collapse, Heat Advance

2011-05-26T23:16:00.004-04:00

It's only a matter of time until #epicfail starts trending on Twitter. The Bulls absolutely collapsed and gave away Game 5 tonight in Chicago. Holding a 13-point fourth quarter lead, the Bulls ended the game by allowing the Heat to rip off a 16-3 run that included clutch shots by Dewayne Wade and LeBron James. Wade completed a 4-point play while LeBron hit a three to tie the game at 79 and then another basket to put the Heat up 81-79.

While LeBron and D-Wade stepped up with clutch plays down the end, league MVP, Derrick Rose, wilted. In the last 90 seconds of the game, Rose committed a costly turn over, missed a potential game-tying free throw, and ultimately failed to create an open look for himself or a teammate on the final possession of the game, leading to him being blocked as time expired.

Credit where credit is due, Miami did everything they needed to do to win the game late, but Chicago choked tonight's game away much more than Miami won it. Entering the series I was a believer in Chicago and thought the Heat would suffer a hangover from their excessive celebration over Boston. While the Heat were hung over in Game 1, that didn't last and Chicago failed to close out another game where they had control late.

Even Russell Westbrook thinks the Bulls looked inexperienced tonight.

Phillies, Reds entertain Sportsomniacs

2011-05-26T01:51:00.000-04:00

Despite an East coast venue, the Phillies and Reds treated us to a late night West coast finish, wrapping up at 1:19 am after taking 19-innings to settle at 5-4 Phillies. With over six hours of game time and a quality start from Roy Halladay, the Phillies relied upon 2B Wilson Valdez to come in and close out the game in the 19th.

After playing to a 3-3 tie in nine innings, the Reds and Phillies traded runs in the 10th, including a solo shot by Ryan Howard to keep the game alive. For the next several innings, relief pitchers for both sides locked down the offenses. In the top of the 19th, Philadelphia took Wilson Valdez from 2B and moved him to the mound. Ruiz became the first position player since Brett Mayne in 2000 to win a Major League game and the first since Babe Ruth in 1921 to win a game in which that player started in the field.

The game reminded me of the 22-inning marathon between the Rockis and Padres that I covered on this site in 2008. With a combined 600 pitches, 33 left on base and 16 pitchers used, the Phillies and Reds are both going to be dragging come 1:05pm today when the two meet again. Just as I did in 2008, I have to ask, would Ernie Banks make his famous "Let's play two!" call after a game like this?

Game 4 a "Must Win" for Chicago

2011-05-23T02:16:00.000-04:00

The Bulls now find themselves in a 1-2 hole and facing game 4 on the road Tuesday. ESPN continues to trump on its overused statistic of 86% of teams winning game 3 in a 1-1 series go on to win the series. The 2004 Boston Redsox couldn't care less about statistics than the Bulls do right now. This has nothing to do with history and everything to do with the Miami Heat team that Coach Erik Spoelstra brings on to the court every night.

Despite coming out of the gates strong to start the game and reclaiming the lead late, the Chicago Bulls did not give the impression that they were going to steal their first road game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Miami controlled tempo throughout the second half and any time the Bulls got something going, it was quickly answered by a contested basket by Chris Bosh or LeBron James creating space for himself or another Heat player to knock down a shot.

While James, Wade and Bosh will have quiet games and the unlikely event of at least two of the "big three" struggling could certainly lead to a Bulls win, but the unpopular truth in Chicago is that the Heat at their best is likely better than the Bulls at their best. Game 3 helped to rectify Chris Bosh's credibility and he now has two 30+ point performances in the series.

Look for Chicago to come out with a strong focus on interior defense in game 4 and attempt to keep Lebron and D-Wade out of the painted area. While it ended badly in game 3, the Bulls would still rather have Chris Bosh beat them on a night than give easy interior baskets from the Heats perimeter players.

Ooooh No, Macho Man Dies at 58

2011-05-21T02:32:00.002-04:00

Despite growing up as a "Hulkamaniac," toting my Hulk Hogan lunch box to school and cheering against Randy Savage each Monday Night, I was saddened to hear of the passing of the Macho Man.

Randy "Macho Man" Savage was killed Friday when he lost control of his Jeep Wrangler and struck a tree. His wife, Barbara, was also involved in the accident but is expected to fully recover from minor injuries.

To honor the former wrestling great, tonight I picked up a couple Slim Jims and dug out my old Wrestling Buddies out of a box in the basement, conducted some flying elbows off the top of the couch, and returned to childhood fantasies of Miss Elizabeth. Oooooh yeah, he will be missed.

Armstrong PED Accusation Meaningless

2011-05-20T03:44:00.001-04:00

Lance Armstrong's former cycling teammate, Tyler Hamilton, made accusations on CBS's 60 Minutes that he witnessed Armstrong inject EPO during the 1999 season and during training for the 2000 and 2001 Tour de France.

If the allegations were instead that Mark O'Meara witnessed Tiger Woods inject himself or Mike Mussina charging Derek Jeter with doping, this would be major news. A world-class athlete, free from major speculation of using PEDs, during a time when major testing was not in place. Instead, the accusation comes in a sport that is historically dirty, against the second most accused athlete in professional athletics, trailing only Barry Bonds in juicing allegations, during a time in his career when he was tested regularly.

While I'm not prone to trust Armstrong, I have a difficult time with someone being accused ten years after the event by a teammate who recently retired and lost his main source of income, all while there are negative tests to support Armstrong during that time frame. The one shred of credibility Hamilton has comes with his own admission of years of doping after adamant denial during his competitive years.

In sports there is a saying I've always felt rang true - "If you're not cheating, you're not trying." To me that always meant trying to find an edge and stretching rules (i.e. LeBron's crab walk, NFL corners holding receivers jersey's during press coverage, pitchers putting substances in their gloves or on their hats to doctor a pitch, etc.) and steroids go well beyond that adage. When every major cycling champion has won under suspicion of PED use, we should not be at all surprised if Armstrong is some day found dirty, but until we have a test, this allegation will remain simply that.

James, Haslem the Difference as Heat Draw Even

2011-05-18T23:24:00.001-04:00

Taj Gibson had the dunk(s) of the season in Game 1 against Miami and provided the spark the Bulls needed to pull away over a sluggish Miami team, still reeling from its celebration over defeating Boston. While the Heat thought they won their first of seven NBA Championships in round two, the Bulls were closing out the Hawks and focusing on winning Game 1 of the East Finals. Gibson, Boozer and the rest of the supporting cast contributed to lifting the Bulls to an early 1-0 series lead.

Game 2 is in the books and despite a gritty comeback to tie the game at 73-73 after trailing by 11 in the 3rd quarter, Chicago could not get over the hump. Each time Derrick Rose got his hands on the basketball, particularly late in the game, he was met by help defense and blocked lanes to the hoop. That didn't stop Rose, the only Bulls' player able to create his own shot, from making a lot of overly aggressive moves to the basket and forcing shots late in the shot clock.

While Rose was never able to get the support he needed on the offensive end, LeBron James and Dewayne Wade certainly got the help they needed from recently returned Udonis Haslem. As LeBron faced a resurgence of Bulls defense and Wade and Bosh spent time on the bench, Haslem grabbed offensive rebounds and knocked down open looks to give Miami a big boost in the second half. However, in the end it was James who closed out Chicago, hitting a clutch three-pointer as the shot clock expired to break the 73-all tie and start the 12-2 run that closed out the game.

Tonight's game taught us many things. First, Chicago can stay competitive even without a stellar game from Rose who was 7-23 from the field. Second, Miami has more mental toughness than they showed during the regular season. The Heat would have folded in February when the Bulls tied things up in the fourth quarter, but James was able to lead his team with big shots and close out the game. Third, it will be the role players that make the difference. While Gibson and Deng played big in game one, it was Haslem in game two.

In a look ahead to game three, expect perimeter shooting to be a bigger part of the Bulls offense and Miami to continue to try and lock down the lane from Derrick Rose, much as they did in game two. I stand by the prediction of Bulls in six.

Larry Bird Sighting in Dallas

2011-05-18T01:19:00.002-04:00

Larry Bird has aged tremendously well. Growing an extra three inches and suiting up in No. 41 instead of his standard green and white 33 was enough to confuse the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For years I've considered Dirk Nowitzki the toughest player to guard in the NBA. Each year we fall in love with a new dominant point guard (see the evolution from Chris Paul to Deron Williams to Derrick Rose with John Wall on the horizon), but truly there is not a player in the NBA that can match up with Dirk. At 7' tall, Nowitzki is a matchup nightmare and that mismatch proved the reason why Dallas knocked off LA to the tune of a 4-0 sweep. Lamar Odom is one of the few players who athletically can match up with Nowitzki, and neither he nor Pau Gasol wanted anything to do with guarding him.

At 12/15 from the field and 24/24 from the free throw line for 48 points, Nowitzki's performance to open the Western Conference Finals is easily the best so far in these playoffs.

The series is still young and Kevin Durant will continue to get his (10/18 and 18/19 on free throws himself for 40 points), but as long as the German Larry Bird continues to find his shot and force his way to the line, OKC is in for an uphill battle.

MLB Power Rankings

2011-05-18T00:52:00.000-04:00

As we hit the quarter pole of the MLB season, we finally have enough to start separating the pretenders (Cleveland?) from the contenders (nobody else in the AL Central?).

1. Philadelphia Phillies - This should be no surprise as the Phils have the best starting rotation in the majors despite giving Cliff Lee no support

2. Cleveland Indians - Despite my personal doubts, it is hard to rank the team with the major's best record and highest run differential any lower than second. A weak AL Central looks wide open

3. Cincinnati Reds - The Reds have dominated the NL Central with a 20-10 division record

4. Tampa Bay Rays - After losing Manny Ramierez to retirement and playing with Longoria for much of the season, the Rays are showing a lot of life and are the surprise leaders of the AL East

5. Florida Marlins - Another team that gives me doubts about their staying power, but the Marlins have looked impressive and a 3.38 team ERA will keep them in a lot of games

6. New York Yankees - Despite massive slumps from Jeter, Posada and A-Rod over the past 20 games, the Yankees are still within striking distance of Tampa

7. Atlanta Braves - Already the third NL East team to make the list, the post-Bobby Cox braves are looking solid at six games above .500 and the second best run differential in MLB

8. Detroit Tigers - As a Michigan resident I have a tough time believing in this team, but the Tigers are rallying, posting the best record over the last 10 games in the majors

9. Boston Redsox - Don't let the near .500 record fool you, the Red Sox will be part of fall baseball

10. St. Louis Cardinals - The best hitting team in baseball is doing it all with a quiet 2011 from its star, Albert Pujols

Waiting to wake up: Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers,

Jeter, Posada - Time to Accept your Fate

2011-05-18T00:28:00.001-04:00

As one of the few American sports fans that does not have an overwhelming opinion on the Yankees, either positively or negatively, I must say that the Sportscenter lead most nights is annoying. That said, I found the recent contract negotiations with Derek Jeter and the self-imposed benching by Jorge Posada to be some of the most interesting stories of the young season. In reality, Jeter (36) and Posada (39), have no real business trying to dictate anything in New York. While their slumps are likely temporary, they will be more pronounced than in past years and the mortality of age is set in for the two Yankee stalwarts of the past fifteen years.

Nowhere in the lineup will you find Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill or Tino Martinez. Gone are Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi. The new faces of the Yankees are Mark Texiera, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano. While Jeter and Posada are paid like more productive players at their respective positions, Troy Tulowitzki and Joe Mauer, they play like men well into the twilight of their careers.

Only in New York could these two continue to make a combined $27 million in 2011, but also only in New York do fans have a supreme intolerance for scuffling performance. With Jeter showing range similar to Prince Fielder at short stop and Posada failing to hit his weight, it is only a matter of time for the Yankee lore to wear off these two and fans to demand more production.

It's time for Mariano Rivera to share a little of whatever he's taking with his two struggling teammates in New York before 'The Captain' finds his way to left field and Jorge Posada takes a permanent seat on the bench.

Heat, Bulls Square off in East

2011-05-17T23:44:00.000-04:00

With 11.1 million viewers to open the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bulls and Heat combined to become the most watched sporting event ever on TNT. Quite simply, fans want to see stars and in a player-first league, there are no bigger names than the 2.5 stars in Miami and league-MVP Derrick Rose.

Stopping Dewayne Wade and LeBron James for an entire series simply will not happen. While the Bulls had the second best scoring defense during the regular season (second only to a Boston team that Miami destroyed en route to this series), prolific scorers such as Wade and James can not be shut down for an entire series. One important area for Chicago will be in avoiding dips in offensive production and long runs by Miami. With passable three-point threats along side Wade and James, Miami has the ability to score in waves and the Bulls have shown that with Derrick Rose on the bench, the team is prone to droughts on the offensive end.

The key to this series rests squarely in the Bulls front court. No one will be surprised when Derrick Rose scores 30+ in a game, but Carlos Boozer's ability to outplay Chris "Glass Chin" Bosh will be important. If out rebounding the Heat on the offensive glass 19-6 (leading to a 31-8 edge in second chance points) in game 1 is any indication, the Bulls will out hustle and out physical Miami all series long.

Expect Carlos Boozer to shed the tag of 'consolation prize' from this past summer's free agent sweepstakes and LeBron's premature celebration after closing out Boston to come back and bite him. Bulls in six.

NFL Power Rankings, 2010 Week 4

2010-09-29T10:34:00.002-04:00

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.

Conference Realignment: The Great Money Grab

2010-06-11T19:58:00.003-04:00

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.

Halladay Last of Dying Breed

2010-05-30T14:26:00.005-04:00

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.

Conference Finals

2010-05-27T13:15:00.002-04:00

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.

Michigan Optimistic with Soft Sanctions

2010-05-26T04:29:00.000-04:00

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.

MLB All-Star Break

2009-07-16T01:44:00.000-04:00

Another All-Star Break has passed and I am again reminded of how painful the few days of the year without the big 4 in regular competition can be. Highlights of the Tour de France, British Open Previews and Brett Favre rumors just aren't enough to justify my 7 hour per day addiction to ESPN. Now at 1:35 AM there is nothing worth watching and I catch myself in the throws of a Worlds Strongest Man marathon. Damn those Scandinavians are huge.

Each year some of the best hitters in baseball enter the Homerun Derby in hopes of entertaining the fans and hitting some banner parked 500 feet out in left center. Even Mickey Mantle thinks that thing is a little ridiculous.

I'm not sure which is worse after watching my DVR'ed Derby, the fact that Brandon Inge put up a goose egg or that Prince Fielder will likely hit about .240 the rest of the way in. Although, that would be an improvement for runner-up Nelson Cruz.

The All-Star Game carried itself in traditional form in recent years with the AL beating up on the National League. As a life-long Cubs fan I'm not accustomed to my teams winning anyway, so I can't say I was all that disappointed.

If nothing else, we can now officially end the Albert Pujols love fest on ESPN and go back to a general over appreciation and subtle man crush.

Hey Michael, Need a Cell Mate?

2008-12-03T21:05:00.004-05:00

Michael Vick might have a new cell mate soon as Plaxico Burress faces class C felony charges for carrying a concealed weapon. To add insult to injury, Burress will face a minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years for shooting himself in the thigh at a New York City night club.

For the New York Giants it's just another case of Plaxico showing a lack of good judgement. Burress has shown a history of failing to report to meetings and practices, but nothing to this extent. The recipient of the game winning touchdown in the Super Bowl over the Patriots last February, Burress is now Public Enemy No. 1 of Mayor Bloomberg who is calling for Burress to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Even Ray Lewis and Michael Vick think Plaxico Burress is foolish for getting mixed up with a bad crowd and making poor decisions.

Will we see Burress behind bars soon? We'll have to wait until March 31 to find out, but he certainly won't be playing for the Giants again this season and likely won't ever again. Just like Michael Vick, Burress will almost certainly end up with jail time, and will go from fan favorite to the butt of jokes. Have fun in prison Plaxico, or should I say, Harris Smith.

NFL Power Rankings

2008-11-26T14:58:00.002-05:00

As the playoff picture starts to shape up it is time to revisit our NFL Power Rankings. We are now without an undefeated team, but still with a winless team. Below, your third edition of the NFL Power Rankings.

1. New York Giants (10-1) - The Giants have proven with remarkable consistency that they are not suffering a Super Bowl hangover and look like the clear favorites to represent the NFC again.

2. New York Jets (8-3) - With five straight wins, including a dominating win over the previously unbeaten Titans, the Jets are giving life to the pretence of an all New York Super Bowl. Will Brett Favre continue to be a difference maker or will we see a gun slinger with no care for interceptions emerge again? So far, so good for Jets fans.

3. Tennessee Titans (10-1) - The Titans are still one of the best teams in the NFL and now play without the 16-0 pressure. We'll see how angry the Titans are when they face the Lions on Thanksgiving. How is the line only 11 points for this game?

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) - Despite the injuries, the Steelers keep cruising as they try to hold off the Ravens.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3) - The grizzly vets in the Bay know how to win and are doing just that.

6. Indianapolis Colts (7-4) - After a 3-4 start and talks of missing the playoffs, the Colts are now primed for a run to a wild card spot and look like the team we all expected.

7. Carolina Panthers (8-3) - Despite a loss to the Falcons, the Panthers are still one of the most balanced teams in the NFL and are bidding to keep the last to first streak alive in the NFC South.

8. New England Patriots (7-4) - Matt Cassel was a liability for the first half of the season, but now is looking Brady-esc with back to back 400 yard games. If Cassel continues his high level of play the Patriots will be a team to look out for in December and January.

9. Dallas Cowboys (7-4) - As Wade Phillips tries to hold on to his job, his defensive mastery is showing through and the Cowboys are playing like a motivated team once again.

10. Baltimore Ravens (7-4) - The Ravens keep finding ways to win and their offense has looked very strong at times, complimenting their typically great defense.

11. Atlanta Falcons (7-4) - Matt Ryan does not play like a rookie quarterback and the Falcons don't play like a team I and many others thought would be fortunate to win 4 games this season.

12. Arizona Cardinals (7-4) - I love the Cardinals offense but the defense worries me and the inability to win on the road will make a playoff run difficult. Kudos to Kurt Warner for continuing to put up outstanding numbers.

13. Washington Redskins (7-4) - Jim Zorn has done a great job with the Redskins this season, and while they're barely outscoring their opponents on the season (201-199) they continue to find ways to win.

14. Chicago Bears (6-5) - The Bears are the likely front runners in the NFC North and a big showdown with Minnesota this weekend will go a long way to determine the eventual division champion.

15. New Orleans Saints (6-5) - Don't forget about these Saints. They have the potential to be a major spoiler and get themselves into the playoffs.

16. Denver Broncos (6-5) - While they aren't the dominant team they appeared to be at the start of the season, the Broncos are almost a lock to win the AFC West and could pose a challenge in the playoffs, especially at home.

17. Minnesota Vikings (6-5) - An impressive win over Jacksonville and the chance to take first place outright could put the Vikings on a road to the playoffs.

18. Philadelphia Eagles (5-5-1) - Luckily for McNabb, most fans have moved on from the tie debacle and now he can focus on finding a way to get the Eagles into the playoffs. With Washington, Dallas and a handful of other teams in his way, it won't be easy.

19. Miami Dolphins (6-5) - It's clear the wildcat offense won't take them to a division title, but at least Tony Sparano has this team competitive again.

20. Buffalo Bills (6-5) - The Bills have fallen from their early season form but still have a chance to win 9 games this season.

21. San Diego Chargers (4-7) - If they don't win out, Norv Turner will likely not be back as head coach of the Chargers for 2009. Their goes the favorite to win the Super Bowl according to our preseason poll.

22. Green Bay Packers (5-6) - Aaron Rodgers continues to play well, but the Packers defense is suspect and their inability to get pressure on the quarterback will keep them from winning the North.

23. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7) - Another team with high expectations and low productivity, the Jags will be lucky to win 8 games.

24. Cleveland Browns (4-7) - With Brady Quinn out for the season Derek Anderson will get the chance to audition for a starting gig for next season, whether in Cleveland or elsewhere.

25. Houston Texans (4-7) - The Texans are showing signs of improvement each season, but still look miles away from a division championship contender.

26. San Francisco 49ers (3-8) - If teams continue to find ways to stop Frank Gore then the 49ers will struggle even more as the season winds down.

27. Seattle Seahawks (2-9) - Joining the Jags and Chargers, the Seahawks failed to live up to the expectations of almost everyone this season.

28. Oakland Raiders (3-8) - Still a team that is at least one year away from being competitive.

29. St. Louis Rams (2-9) - The excitement of a couple upset wins have worn off and the Rams are back to being one of the worst teams in the NFL. They would be wise to shut down Steven Jackson for the remainder of the season.

30. Kansas City Chiefs (1-10) - It's good this team got a win early in the season....

31. Cincinnati Bengals (1-10) - Why does Marvin Lewis still have his job?

32. Detroit Lions (0-11) - It's been a long time since such a bad team had so many people following their progression, or lack their of.

Can Jacksonville make it two in a row?

2008-11-09T12:56:00.002-05:00

Last week the Jacksonville Jaguars disappointed fans all over the country when they were upset by the Cincinnati Bengals, one of only two winless teams in the NFL. Now in week 10, the Jags face the final winless team, the Detroit Lions.

The Lions will enter the game with Daunte Culpepper under center, fresh out of retirement. It's more likely that Culpepper will draw up plays on the palm of his hand in the huddle than anything, hopefully calling the famous "run 10 steps then hook left" type of play calling. It might not be the worst thing, though, as the Lions have had no continuity on offense for an entire game this season and if all else fails, Culpepper might see visions of Randy Moss to his left and chuck deep bombs to Calvin Johnson all game.

The Jaguars are getting 6 points in this game, but their rushing defense has disappeared in recent weeks and their famed defense looks soft. Watch out Jacksonville, this may be Detroit's last chance to win a game this season, making them surprisingly dangerous.

Titans Officially Emerge

2008-10-28T00:14:00.001-04:00

As one of the last people to come around to the thought of the Tennessee Titans as an elite team, I have to admit that they looked great against the Colts on Monday Night Football. At 14-6 I was certain my +4 bet on the Colts was the wisest choice of the week in The Lock, but instead I suffered my first losing week (2-3) in over a month and the Titans proved how tough they really are. Down 8 points to the traditionally dominant team in the division, the Titans rallied and scored 25 unanswered and closed the door on the AFC South. The season is only half over, but the Titans have a 4-game lead on the rest of the division and holds the tie breaker.

The Giants, Steelers and Redskins all look good, and the Sunday afternoon game between Pittsburgh and New York looked like a potential Super Bowl preview, but the fact remains that the Titans are holding a perfect record and played like the best team in football tonight. Peyton Manning was relatively sharp compared to some early season efforts, but the complete inability to run the football allowed Tennessee to control the game. Their speed in the secondary and strength up front proved a dangerous combination as the defense stepped up to stop the Colts on two critical fourth down situations in the second half.

The next set of the Power Rankings will be coming soon and the Titans will hold the No. 1 ranking. Their rank will not be by default, but rather as a reflection of their dominating defense and strong rushing attack. Kerry Collins showed he is not simply a 'manager of the game' as suggested constantly by the MNF commentators, but systematically led the Titans downfield in the fourth quarter with a pass heavy attack to kill the Colts chances of a comeback.

0-16 Looming Large for Lions, Bengals

2008-10-26T22:58:00.000-04:00

While I often make fun of Lions' fans for looking ahead at the NFL draft only a few weeks into the regular season, there at least will be one distraction keeping them busy in 2008. The Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals have realistic chances of going 0-16 this year, and fulfilling one of my dreams of seeing a team run the table in reverse.

Again this week Detroit looked good in spurts. I had to watch the game as a Michigan resident as only the Lions-Redskins and Jets-Chiefs were options. But, through some unseen force, perhaps the power of Matt Millen willing the team to even lower standards after his departure, the Lions found a way to lose. The commentators even stated, "It's like the Lions are waiting for something bad to happen." That statement describes the entire Rod Marinelli era in Detroit and certainly explains the 2008 season thus far.

For the Bengals week 8 was another non-competitive showing. Aside from a close loss to the Giants, Cincinnati has been just as pathetic as Detroit this year. Cincinnati has scored 104 points this season, while giving up 217. Detroit, 114 vs. 212. Looking ahead at their two schedules, Detroit truly has the opportunity to go 0-16, while Cincinnati holds an outside chance as well.

Detroit's remaining schedule includes Chicago, Jacksonville, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Minnesota, Indianapolis, New Orleans and Green Bay. Only two of those teams (Jacksonville and Minnesota) have losing records.

Cincinnati is half way to its quest of a winless season and has games against Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Washington, Cleveland and Kansas City. Sadly, Kansas City could be a spoiler at the end of the season and Baltimore's offense has been inconsistent enough to make them vulnerable to upset as well.

Could both of these teams finish 0-16? Only time will tell, but their combined 0-15 record to this point demonstrates the pathetic nature of both these franchises and further confuse fans as to how these coaches are still employed. Look out second half of the NFL season; while many teams will be fighting for the playoffs, these two teams will battle it out for the first overall draft pick and a season for the record books.

As if the 4th quarter effort on Sunday wasn't enough to tell you that the Lions players have given up, the trade of Roy Williams to Dallas and placement of Jon Kitna on IR signals the end of an era.

ESPN Coaches Approval Ratings

2008-10-26T22:12:00.004-04:00

ESPN offers one of my favorite polls every year and this one runs during the NFL season. Approval ratings for head coaches. The highest rated head coach? Jim Zorn at 94%.

Also rating over 90% approval rating: John Fox, Jeff Fisher, Tony Sparano, John Harbaugh, and Tom Coughlin.

Bringing up the rear was Marvin Lewis of Cincinnati at 13%. Under 20% are also Herm Edwards, Brad Childress, Rod Marinelli and Norv Turner.

Looking at the results, and the 15% approval rating for Norv Turner, makes me wonder how long he'll be employed. After several failed stints as a head coach, Turner miraculously landed the job in San Diego where he was given one of the most talented rosters in the NFL.

Coaches who will likely be polishing their resumes this offseason: Marinelli, Edwards, Turner, Lewis, and Wade Phillips (43%).

Complete Ratings

The Lock - Week 8

2008-10-24T02:03:00.002-04:00

It was another profitable week here at Sportsomniac. While my 401k may be dissolving, my betting book is getting fat after a 4-1 week and a 20-12 overall record against the spread. There are few more things than getting a huge amount of points and watching your 'dog get the outright win. Look below for even more picks sure to cash in as Vegas is giving the favorites a lot of points in week 8.

The Lock:
Houston -9.5 vs Cincinnati
The Marvin Lewis era needs to end and a blow out loss to Houston will help to further convince Bengals' fans of that fact. While Houston is far from an elite team, even they have enough talent to dominate the hapless Bengals.

Cleveland +7 at Jacksonville
Anyone who knows me, knows I love the Jaguars' defense and focus on the run. That said, Cleveland's defense has been impressive the last two weeks holding the Giants and Redskins to 14 points each. Jacksonville should get the win, but it will be close and it will be late.

The Coinflip:
Buffalo -1.5 at Miami
In a classic trap game, Buffalo travels to Miami to take on the Dolphins. While this game features two teams on the opposite spectrum of the divisional standings, Buffalo isn't the clear favorite they probably should be. Expect the Bills to win going away to the tune of 29-17.

Take the Points:
Atlanta +9 at Philadelphia
As I said at the top, Vegas is giving a lot of favorites too many points, and this is just one more example. Atlanta recently showcased two impressive wins against Green Bay and Chicago and will be well rested coming off their bye as they travel to Philadelphia. While I like the Eagles who will view this as a must win game, they don't have enough to bury the Falcons like the line would have you believe. Expect a close game and consider the Falcons for the outright upset.

The Upset:
Indianapolis +4 at Tennessee
Despite the temptation to take the Rams looking to upset another top team in the Patriots, I have to go with Indianapolis here. While Tennessee enjoys the league's best record and the top spot on our recent Power Rankings, the Colts will show their experience here as they'll win on the road on Monday Night Football.

The Sportsomniac takes no responsibility for any money won or lost due to betting on these picks.

Mood: Missing Tom Brady

2008-10-23T03:33:00.001-04:00

To answer the questions in advance that the title may bring to mind I am not an emo blogger who starts each post with an emotion, I don't have a man-crush, and I do not have Tom Brady on my fantasy football team.

Most years in the NFL we have an idea of the elite teams by the quarter mark of the season, or certainly by the half way point. In the upside down world of the 2008 NFL season I'm still waiting for the Titans and Bills to be exposed and any other franchise to step up and take the season by the reigns.

The Colts dominated the Ravens in week six, only to crumple to the Packers on Sunday. Dallas was clearly the best team in the NFL a few weeks in, and now has back to losses and Brad Johnson at the helm. The Broncos and Saints were offensive juggernauts and now are looking sluggish with defenses that ride the short bus to games.

So with no team really stepping up to look truly dominant, I can't help but miss the evil empire to cheer against. I'm not from New York, but that doesn't mean I can't hate the Patriots as much as everyone else. Without the villain or the dominant team to cheer against, the league is a little duller in 2008.

There are still great matchups each week and my Bears keep every game interesting, even to the final play, but the season of true parity is making me miss some predictable blowouts. The Rams shouldn't be beating the Cowboys and Redskins. The Bills' one loss shouldn't be to the Cardinals. The Lions shouldn't...nevermind, I don't know where I was going with that thought.

What I'm really getting at, is that while I love the 'any given Sunday' mentality of the NFL, I do miss the one team that you love to cheer against and can get mad at when they smoke your hometown favorite by three touchdowns. At least for Lions & Bengals fans they'll have plenty of beat downs to suffer and a host of losses to experience, regardless of the mediocrity of the rest of the NFL.

NFL Power Rankings

2008-10-12T04:26:00.003-04:00

While others may say they have them, at the Sportsomniac we are proud to offer the true NFL Power Rankings; a 1-32 listing of each NFL team. Through six weeks of the season, we are now getting a sense of which teams are for real, and which are not there yet. I must say that in all my years following the NFL, I cannot recall a time where the league seemed so soft at the top where there is no dominant team.

1. Tennessee Titans (5-0) - This is a team I never thought would have the top ranking before the season started, but no franchise has matched the Titans' offensive and defensive intensity. After KC this week, the Titans will face a grueling stretch with matcups against Indianapolis, Green Bay, Chicago, Jacksonville and the Jets.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) - While this team has been struggling with injuries all season, Willie Parker is due back this weekend and the team is still 4-1. Despite a strong showing from the Browns on MNF, the Steelers are the best team in the AFC North.

3. Indianapolis Colts (3-2) - This likely isn't a popular pick among anyone, like myself, who watched the Colts' first four games. However, despite some awful performances from the offensive line and struggles to run the football, the Colts are 3-2 and Peyton Manning finally looks 100%.

4. New York Giants (4-2) - The Giants were run out of Cleveland on Monday night but a big win against San Francisco at home this week and they'll be poised to face the Steelers in week 8 in a potential Super Bowl preview.

5. Washington Redskins (4-2) - A week 6 loss to the Rams doesn't bode well for the 'Skins, but Washington has proven they can beat anyone (at least those teams with a win already, 0-2 against winless teams - although I don't know if the 0-0 Giants really count).

6. San Diego Chargers (3-3) - An impressive win over New England got the Chargers to 3-3 and with some better breaks they'd be leading the AFC West right now.

7. Tampa Bay Buccanneers (4-2) - With perhaps the fewest star players among the top teams in the league, the Bucs keep finding ways to win and the defense continues to impress, remaining one of two teams having given up less than 100 points through six games (Carolina is the other).

8. Dallas Cowboys (4-2) - For all the talk on ESPN about Dallas falling apart and looking like they're going to miss the playoffs, this team still has a ton of talent. Having Tony Romo go down will be a blessing in disguise as America's Team will realize how effective Marion Barber can be when rushed 25 times per game.

9. Denver Broncos (4-2) - Many experts will rank the Broncos higher than I do at 9, however a team with so little defense almost always seems to struggle in the playoffs and down the stretch and I expect the Broncos to do exactly that.

10. Carolina Panthers (4-2) - The Panthers had a chance to vault into the top five with a win over Tampa this past week, but a 27-3 drumming barely kept them in the top ten. With key matchups against New Orleans and Arizona the next two weeks, the Panthers will make or break their season in the next two weeks if both games have the same outcome.

11. Chicago Bears (3-3) - I give the Bears the second spot among 3-3 teams due to their nearly 5-1 record. Chicago needs to figure out how to hold onto games or they won't make the playoffs, but they've played like the 2006 Bears at times as well.

12. New York Jets (3-2) - While they've been inconsistent, the Jets are doing a lot of things right. The next four opponents are Oakland, KC, Buffalo and St. Louis. The Jets could be 7-2 by week 10 and running away from the Patriots.

13. Buffalo Bills (4-1) - Only one loss and outside the top ten. Maybe it's true that Buffalo doesn't get enough respect, but I'm still not convinced they're the class of the AFC East.

14. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) - The Jags enter the bye at a great time and will face a soft schedule the next few weeks. With Cleveland, Cincy and Detroit coming up before a pivotal division showdown with Tennessee, now is the time for Jacksonville to make up ground in the AFC.

15. Arizona Cardinals (4-2) - While we're all still on injury watch for Kurt Warner, the Cardinals are quietly two games up in the NFC West and the offense looks great, even without Anquan Boldin.

16. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) - The Eagles seem like an afterthought in the NFC East but are capable of beating anyone and are one of the most balanced teams in the NFC. Nothing from 8-8 to 11-5 would surprise me, but this division is tough.

17. Green Bay Packers (3-3) - The Packers started out as one of the best teams in the NFL but Aaron Rodgers and company have slipped of late. However, a great win on the road against Seattle will give this team a boost.

18. New Orleans Saints (3-3) - Drew Brees looks like an MVP candidate if he can get the Saints over the hump. Matchups with Carolina and San Diego before the bye will tell us how good the Saints are at the half way point of their season.

19. Atlanta Falcons (4-2) - While the Falcons continue to win I am still not a believer. You would think after doubting the Rays all season I would have learned my lesson, but Atlanta just doesn't have all the tools on defense necessary to win down the stretch. Expect the Falcons to fade with a brutal schedule coming up that includes Philadelphia, New Orleans, Denver and San Diego, Carolina. Only Oakland looks like a sure-fire win over the next several weeks.

20. Cleveland Browns (2-3) - A great win against the Giants goes a long way toward giving the Browns hope for the rest of the season.

21. New England Patriots (3-2) - It's tough to think of the Patriots as the 21st team in the NFL, but Matt Cassel has proven he can't hit open receivers beyond 20 yards down field, something the Patriots desperately need with a weapon like Randy Moss.

22. Minnesota Vikings (3-3) - While it may be painful to watch, the Vikings do seem to find a way to win games.

23. Baltimore Ravens (2-3) - The defense always looks good but without Willis McGahee eating up yards on the ground Joe Flacco can only do so much as a rookie QB.

24. Miami Dolphins (2-3) - There is one great thing about the Dolphins, and that is almost any high school football player could pick up their offense in a weekend if Ronnie Brown goes down. Did Urban Meyer take control of play calling for the Dolphins with nobody noticing?

25. Houston Texans (1-4) - A near-win against the Colts is as close as the Texans have come to relevancy this season. Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton and the defensive line look great, but the rest of the Texans need to catch up.

26. San Francisco 49ers (2-4) - The 49ers have done some good things this season but other than Frank Gore the team has not been consistent. The offense has found success, but the defense has more holes than a whack-a-mole game at the arcade.

27. Seattle Seahawks (1-4) - For a team that I picked to win the division and one with a ton of talent on defense, the Seahawks have looked awful. I still believe the Seahawks can win the NFC West, but their performance each week makes me question my own sanity.

28. Oakland Raiders (1-4) - The Raiders have been able to play well in spurts but are clearly a year away from any type of success. And if head coaches keep flying out of the organization like they have, we might never see JaMarcus Russell's potential reached.

29. St. Louis Rams (1-4) - The win against the Redskins was impressive but there still isn't much hope in St. Louis. With Dallas, New England and Arizona all on the schedule the next three weeks, a 2-6 record would be a success after week 9.

30. Kansas City Chiefs (1-4) - The Chiefs haven't been able to get anything going all season with a combined 65-131 score against opponents this season.

31. Cincinnati Bengals (0-6) - Marvin Lewis can't seem to right the ship and this train is off the tracks. They just need to take one game at a time and play like a team. I figured some tired cliches were in order for a team with uninspired stars at the skill positions. What the hell, how about a John Madden quote to boot, "The team with the most points usually wins, and that hasn't been these guys so far this year."

32. Detroit Lions (0-5) - It's no mystery that this team is in disarray and an 0-5 start only tells part of the story in Motown. Three wins would be a successful finish for this awful franchise. How many more years will we have to watch the Lions on Thanksgiving?

For comparison, the ESPN Power Rankings, released a few hours after ours here at The Sportsomniac.

The Lock - Week 6

2008-10-12T00:26:00.000-04:00

The Sportsomniac is back again with some picks to pad your pockets. The stock market may be crumbling but we're still raking cash here behind some strong picks.

The Lock:
New York Jets -9.5 vs Cincinnati
While the Bengals aren't quite as bad as the other winless teams in the NFL, but they are still inept enough to be run off the field by Brett Favre and company. Expect a big win for the J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!

Chicago -3 at Atlanta
The Bears demonstrated last week that their offense is starting to come together and Kyle Orton looks competent enough to move the football. The Bears will make the Falcons look like one of the worst teams in the NFL like we all expected at season start.

The Coinflip:
Green Bay +1.5 at Seattle
Quest Field is possibly the toughest place to win on the road, but Green Bay has the ability to win this one on the road. There is still no continuity with Matt Hasselbeck and his receivers and a week's practice won't be enough to get Branch and Engram up to speed. Green Bay will keep it close, but will pull out the win.

Take the Points:
St. Louis +13.5 at Washington
I've done a 180 on the Redskins and picking against them versus the spread doesn't deter that, I simply don't see them as proficient enough to cover two touchdowns in this game. St. Louis will fall, but they'll lose to the tune of 23-12 or closer.

The Upset:
Miami +3 at Houston
I couldn't tell last week if Houston's rush defense just looked that good, or if the Colts offensive line is just that bad. That said, Miami is feeling very confident right now and as much as the Texans are looking forward to their schedule this month, the Dolphins are even more excited to move above .500 on the season.

The Sportsomniac takes no responsibility for any money won or lost due to betting on these picks.

Upcoming Content

2008-10-04T20:04:00.003-04:00

The NFL season is in full swing and we're still struggling to make sense of what to think with the current NFL standings. Indy is 1-2 and Buffalo is 4-0. The Falcons have as many wins as the Seahawks and Browns - combined! With all that in mind, below is a quick preview of what is to come for the duration of the NFL season here at The Sportsomniac.

NFL Power Rankings
Stay tuned as after week 5 The Sportsomniac will give you our first mid-season NFL rankings. Based off our Preseason Power Rankings we will have some updates to make. Look for a full 1-32 style ranking with writeups for each position in the rankings. The rest of the way, the NFL rankings will become bi-weekly.

Playoff Outlook
Each week I'll outline which teams are facing a must-win game or how the playoff picture is shaping up. Each edition will be future-focused in order to give fans a real sense of what is to come for their favorite franchises.

The Lock
For the gamblers in the house The Lock will continue with its weekly predictions. To date we're sitting at 12-8 and Week 5 picks are below.

Weekly Recap
Despite taking a week off following week 4, the weekly recaps will resume as scheduled. Look for recaps to include anything from critical game breakdowns to deep dives into player performances, injury updates or anything else a die hard NFL fan could want.

Stay tuned for what will be an exciting NFL season both on the field and here in the digital world at The Sportsomniac.

The Lock - Week 5

2008-10-04T19:35:00.003-04:00

In week 4 bettors again profited behind a 4-1 record with correct picks of Washington over Dallas, Tampa over Green Bay, San Diego -7.5 over Oakland and Cleveland over Cincy. We missed only on Atlanta vs Carolina. In week 5 there are some enticing matchups again and fresh off a trip to Vegas, I can tell you the sports books can expect some good betting on a few of these picks.

The Lock:
Indianapolis -3 at Houston
The Colts have struggled to find a rhythm but have shown fourth quarter promise against Minnesota and Jacksonville in consecutive weeks and a bye last week should have helped solidify the inconsistent offense. Look for the type of Colts offense we all expect this week in what will likely be a high scoring game won by the Colts going away.

Denver -3 vs Tampa Bay
As proven by my betting record in Tampa games, I really like the Buccaneers this season but this is a match up their secondary can't handle. Denver is looking too strong right now and while I think the Tampa offense will have some success against the Bronco defense, I don't see them keeping pace with Jay Cutler and company.

The Coinflip:
Buffalo -1.5 at Arizona
With the tightest line of the week Buffalo travels to University of Phoenix Stadium to play the Cardinals that are in the midst of an early season losing streak. For the Cardinals this is an important game to win but Buffalo is simply too focused right now to drop its first of the season here.

Take the Points:
Washington +6 at Philadelphia
For those who have been following The Lock since the start of the season it's been pretty obvious my feelings have changed on Washington, and I'm buying as much into Jim Zorn as Jason Campbell and the Redskins players. Playing at Philly in Week 5 is going to be difficult but the team is coming off a big win against Dallas and the offense is starting to click. Campbell looks comfortable in the pocket and Portis is finding running room. Even if Philly wins this game, it will fall within the 6 point spread. Take Washington and the six.

The Upset:
Detroit +3.5 vs Chicago
As an enormous Bears fan it pains me to pick Detroit as the upset of the week. The Lions have looked horrible all season but this is exactly the type of game Bears fans expect to slip up. With both starting corners out of the game Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson should find a lot of open room in the secondary and a few big strikes will be all it takes for the Lions to get ahead. Unless the Bears can put a lot of pressure on Jon Kitna early and often this will be a week 5 upset for the Chicago Bears.

The Lock - Week 4

2008-09-26T11:00:00.001-04:00

With our record at only 8-7 on the season against the spread, The Sportsomniac is looking at Week 4 with high hopes due to some soft lines on the books this week.

The Lock:
San Diego -7.5 at Oakland
Luckily for fans of the Silver & Black the Raiders are improved in 2008, but the Chargers have finally found their stride and will have no trouble dismantling the Raiders on their home turf. Expect another showing like the MNF performance this past week against the Jets and a lopsided Chargers victory.

Atlanta +7 at Carolina
The Falcons have overachieved to a 2-1 record and I expect them to do the same in Week 4. While I don't feel comfortable picking them as The Upset, I do see them as a lock to keep it within the spread. Watch for Michael Turner to be the difference maker again for the Falcons.

The Coinflip:
Tampa Bay -1 vs Green Bay
In the closest line of the week, Tampa is favored by only 1 point against Green Bay. While I still see Green Bay as the second best team in the NFC, they will fall in week 4. Tampa is looking strong behind Brian Griese and their defense is playing tough. Were this game played at Lambeau in January the prediction (and the line) would look totally different, but right now Tampa is playing stronger football. Expect a close game won by the Bucs at home.

Take the Points:
Washington +11 at Dallas
Dallas is the elite team in the NFC this year and already has wins over two of the best conference opponents in Green Bay and Philadelphia, but much like Philly, the Redskins will play a tight game this weekend in Big D. The Cowboys should still come away with the win, but Washington will keep this one close.

The Upset:
Cleveland +3.5 at Cincinnati
Cincinnati finally woke up from its early season slumber last week against the Giants and Cleveland continues to struggle. That said, the Bengals aren't ready for their first win of the year and the Browns need it. Look for Cleveland to take the outright upset in this matchup and walk away with a 1-3 record, officially starting the "fire Marvin Lewis" talk in Cincinnati.

Week 3 Recap

2008-09-25T10:40:00.004-04:00

In week 3 we'll look at four underperforming stars of the NFL and determine if they can break out from their early season slumps.

Randy Moss (WR, New England) - Moss is still one of the best receivers in the game, but without Tom Brady he is looking mortal compared to super hero status in 2007. Randy Moss can only improve if one of two things happen: Matt Cassel improves, or the Patriots find a new QB to throw to the veteran wide out. With things in their current state, Moss won't achieve 1000 yards or 10 touchdowns this season but if the Pats make a move his stock could return to near pre-injury levels. Do you think Dante Culpepper wants that job in New England? Too bad the hoodie probably doesn't want him...

Peyton Manning (QB, Indianapolis) - Peyton Manning is also off to a rough start, also due to injuries. Manning's obstacles stem from his own offseason injury that kept him out of the preseason, damaging the precious timing that has made the Colts passing game so flawless in recent years. The other glaring issue facing Manning is the loss of Jeff Saturday to an MCL injury. Upon Saturday's return to 100% you can expect Manning and the Colts to turn the corner. Also, a week 4 BYE is perfect as Indy has a lot of fine tuning to do. Expect Manning to come back with a strong second half of the season, but not quite the MVP form he typically displays.

Chad Johnson/Ocho Cinco (WR, Cincinnati) - It's hard to believe we haven't heard much out of Chad Johnson so far this season. With only 8 receptions for 88 yards and no touchdowns, No. 85 is off to his slowest start yet. Typically a slow starter, Johnson has also been battling a shoulder injury suffered in the preseason. Cincinnati finally moved the ball last week and looked like an NFL franchise again playing against the Giants, but Johnson still didn't contribute. Expect this to be a down season for Johnson, especially due to a lack of successful play action passing that made the Rudi Johnson/Chad Johnson combination so deadly.

Larry Johnson (RB, Kansas City) - LJ was the predominate No. 1 or No. 2 pick in fantasy circles a couple years ago but has now slipped to the role of No. 2 or No. 3 running back. Very little of Johnson's slip has to do with his individual performance or effort, but instead the loss of a quality offensive line. KC was once famous for its great line, but now it looks better suited to play powder puff with high schoolers than on Sundays and the lack of a true quarterback threat will make for a long season for Johnson. I'll be surprised if Johnson crosses 1,100 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2008.

The Lock - Week 3

2008-09-18T03:02:00.001-04:00

We struggled a bit in week 2 with the lock and our overall record fell to 5-5 against the spread. We missed on the Broncos/Chargers game (but it's okay, so did the officials) along with the Bills and Redskins. We did give you the right game to take the points with Philly and picked the upset of Oakland over KC. However, in week 3 there are a few key matchups that look particularly appealing to the betting mind at the Sportsomniac.

The Lock:
Dallas -3 at Green Bay
I love the Packers this year and have them as my NFC North champion (provided they hold off the Bears) but they're no match for Dallas in this one. Were this game played later in the season among the elements at Lambeau it might be a different story. Green Bay does match up very well with Dallas, perhaps better than any team short of Philadelphia, but the Packers are just slightly over matched.

Chicago -3 vs Tampa Bay
Many people were down on the Bears entering the season but I've been cautiously optimistic. The monsters of the midway have returned and the Bears are finally healthy. While the offense isn't setting any records, it has steadily moved the ball and Matt Forte gives the team a legitimate running back (adios Cedric Benson). Tampa Bay is now led by Brian Griese despite the proven track record of Jeff Garcia. This game likely won't be pretty, but the Bears will cover and improve to 2-1, taking a share of the division lead.

The Coin Flip:
Cleveland +2 at Baltimore
While I'm down on the Browns this year they have enough to win this week at Baltimore in what is the closest betting line of the week. Baltimore's offense looked rough in week 1 and despite the extra week to prepare for Cleveland, the Ravens will not be very fluid on offense. Willis McGahee has been hurting and Flacco is far from an NFL star at this point. Take the points and take the Browns in an outright upset.

Take the Points:
Cincinnati +13.5 at New York Giants
The Bengals are worse than even I expected and their offense has not produced in the first two weeks. While there's no sign of that changing, and the defense is looking soft, 13.5 is too many points to give to the Giants. Eli and company are off to a good start despite the loss of some key starters on defense, but they are not the type of team that will blow out opponents, especially in the first half. Take the Giants to win but Cincy to keep it interesting early.

The Upset:
Pittsburgh +3 at Philadelphia
While I like Philly as the third best team in the NFC (Dallas, Green Bay leading the way), they are no match for the Steelers. Pittsburgh's defense is up to the challenge of containing McNabb and the offense has enough weapons to lay points on the Eagles defense. Take the points and the Steelers for the upset win.

The Sportsomniac takes no responsibility for any money won or lost due to betting on these picks.

Week 2 Recap

2008-09-17T12:59:00.004-04:00

In our first weekly recap I talked about some expected and unexpected happenings in the first week. In week 2 I'll break down which 0-2 teams have a chance to still make the playoffs and which winless teams are teetering on the edge of breakdown.

0-2 With a Chance:
San Diego Chargers - It's tough to imagine one of the five most talented teams in the NFL missing the playoffs, particularly in the weak AFC West. The Broncos are better than expected, particularly on offense, but the Chargers still have 4 games between Oakland & KC which will almost certainly be a sweep. Expect the Chargers to finish at 11-5 and skate into the playoffs.

Jacksonville Jaguars - I said at season start that the Jags, Colts, Texans and Titans would combine to make the toughest division in the NFL, and I'm sticking to that. The Jaguars still have a chance but with Indy on the schedule this week they could drop to 0-3 and be on the outside looking in. Jacksonville is banged up itself but will need to take care of Indianapolis this week as they'll be without Bob Sanders and Jeff Saturday.

Seattle Seahawks - The NFC West is an interesting division. It doesn't get a lot of play, and rightfully so, as it is the worst in the NFL. That said, Seattle is already 2 games back of Arizona that has a revitalized Kurt Warner at the helm. Expect to see the first part of a turn around as Seattle hosts St. Louis this week in a game that should be a huge confidence booster. I'm still picking Seattle to win the division with a 10-6 record despite the slow start.

0-2 And Likely Done:
Cleveland Browns - Many people came into the season high on the Browns. I did not, however, as the breakout season from Derek Anderson is difficult to replicate and Jamal Lewis is still on the wrong side of his peek. Cleveland will be chasing Pittsburgh all season and a week 3 loss to Baltimore would put an early nail in the coffin for the Browns, especially if the Steelers clean up Philly.

Minnesota Vikings - It's hard to say a team with this defense is done already, but Green Bay looks really strong and I could easily see 3 playoff teams out of the NFC East again (sorry Washington, this doesn't include you). Minnesota plays the Panthers this week and a loss will put them to 0-3. Tavaris Jackson, enjoy the season because it will likely be your last in Purple.

Detroit Lions, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins. These are five of the worst teams in the NFL and their records reflect that fact. Fans of these teams need not worry, I'll start putting together draft projections before the season is done.

Week 1 Recap

Week 2 Fantasy Preview

2008-09-13T04:46:00.001-04:00

In Fantasy Football we all know LT needs to be started each week and Randy Moss should never sit the bench, but what about those players who are conditional starters or warrant another look? That is where we'll focus each week in our Fantasy Preview.

Quarterback:
Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh) - In week 1 Roethlisberger had a quiet game while Willie Parker went crazy, but look for more impressive numbers in week 2 against rival Cleveland. The Browns demonstrated a lack of defense in their opening week loss to Dallas, a game in which Tony Romo put up 320 yards. Expect Roethlisberger to finish with 300+ yards and a couple TDs, making him my start of the week!

Running Back:
Ryan Grant (Green Bay) - Two words: Michael Turner. Turner exposed the Lions rush defense in week 1 with 220 yards and we can expect Grant to follow suit. While it's unlikely Grant will put up such staggering numbers, it's clear that the Packers will lean on him to move the offense and Detroit showed they can't tackle anyone. Expect 120+ yards and a touchdown.

Wide Receiver:
David Patten (New Orleans) - In the spirit of finding players fantasy owners might not expect to be big contributors in week 2, I give you David Patten. Patten is now a starting wide receiver for New Orleans until Marques Colston returns from injury in 4-6 weeks. While Washington isn't an ideal matchup, it rarely matters for Drew Brees who has quietly become an elite QB. Expect 5-6 receptions with touchdown potential. Patten is a free agent in about 50% of leagues for owners who lack WR depth.

Tight End:
Heath Miller (Pittsburgh) - Not trying to sound like a broken record, but I really like Pittsburgh this week against Cleveland. The Browns don't really have anyone that matches up well with Miller meaning he'll have a lot of open looks and owners can expect Roethlisberger to connect early and often.

Defense/Special Teams:
New York Giants - St. Louis put up 3 points in their opener and while they are historically stronger at home than on the road, they will struggle again. The Giants lost a lot of play makers but the Rams still don't have an offensive line to speak of and the Giants front 4 will be in the backfield most of the game.

The Lock - Week 2

2008-09-11T23:09:00.002-04:00

Each week at Sportsomniac we will give you the locks of the week as well as the biggest betting coin flip, the underdog getting too many points, and the game with the most potential for outright upset. Last week we were 2-0 in The Lock and gave you the right suggestion to Take the Points in Chicago at Indy. We lost the coinflip of Seattle & Buffalo and called the wrong upset with San Fran & Arizona bringing our record to 3-2 versus the spread.

The Lock:
San Diego -1.5 at Denver
Despite an opening week loss to the Carolina Panthers at home, the Chargers are still the class of the AFC West and Phillip Rivers looks much more prepared at this point in his career to lead a team to the Super Bowl than Jay Cutler. Expect the Chargers to win this one by at least three with the outside chance that this one gets away from the Broncos early.

Jacksonville -5 vs Buffalo
The Jaguars fell in week 1 to Tennessee in an unexpected upset while Buffalo blew a talented Seahawks team out of the water. Despite differing week 1 performances, the Jaguars are the favorite here. Jacksonville's defensive front 7 will make it difficult for Marshawn Lynch to do much on the ground and Buffalo's defense will struggle to slow down the rushing attack of Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor. Expect this game to stick close to the line with the Jaguars winning 23-17.

The Coin Flip:
New Orleans PK at Washington
In the first even game of the season, New Orleans will travel to Washington to face the 0-1 Redskins. Many factors favor the 'Skins this week including home field, the absence of Marques Colston, and having extra days to prepare due to the early game against the Giants Week 1. With all these factors in play, it may be surprising that I'm taking the Saints, but the loss of Colston won't be as great as many expect and the Saints are clearly not affected by extra road games as demonstrated in years past. Take the Saints in this even money matchup.

Take the Points:
Philadelphia +7 at Dallas
The Cowboys are clearly the best team in the NFC and they're playing at home against the Eagles in week 2, but the 7 point margin is too great in this divisional showdown. Philly knows how to stop Dallas and will do just that as they nearly steal the game. Expect a late drive to be the difference in Dallas one way or another.

The Upset:
Kansas City -3 vs Oakland
I am the furthest thing from a Raiders fan and the team is clearly not a playoff contender in 2008, but that doesn't mean they can't win this week's game against the Chiefs outright. KC is suspect against the run and Oakland should be able to move the ball with relative ease. Expect Darren McFadden to get the first 100 yard rushing game of his NFL career and the Raiders to win this one going away.

The Lock - Week 1

The Sportsomniac takes no responsibility for any money won or lost due to betting on these picks.

Week 1 Recap

2008-09-10T03:17:00.000-04:00

Week 1 is in the books and there were some surprises and some familiar and expected sights.

What we expected:
1. Brett Favre is still Brett Favre
While it was only Miami, Brett Favre played a very steady game on Sunday in leading the Jets to a 20-14 win over the Dolphins. At 15/22 for 194 yards and 2 TDs, Favre looked comfortable behind the formidable Jets offensive line. While he still had a couple of his typical gun slinger passes that had fans holding their breath, Favre otherwise looks ready to lead the Jets back to contention.

2. The Cowboys look like the class of the NFC
Dallas dismantled the Cleveland Browns defense to the tune of 28-10. Tony Romo had a terrific start to the season with Patrick Clayton, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten all amassing 5 or more receptions and 80+ yards. The compliment of Felix Jones to Marion Barber behind dominating offensive line gives Dallas the deadliest offense in the NFC.

What we didn't Expect
1. Michael Turner is much more than a backup RB
While we all knew Michael Turner was the most over-talented backup in the NFL behind LT, I don't think anyone expected a performance like what he had Sunday against the Detroit Lions. There are few players in NFL history to put up more yardage than Turner's 220, and only one on opening day (O.J. Simpson, 250 yards in 1973). The performance is lessened by the fact that it was against the Detroit Lions, but strengthened by the mediocre Atlanta offensive line.

2. Tom Brady would be out for the season
Fantasy Owners that burned a first round (or first overall) selection on Tom Brady really got burned when the Kansas City Chiefs put Brady on the shelf for the season. Brady's absence likely drops the Patriots from Super Bowl favorites to 'contenders' but will allow Matt Cassel to finally step out of the shadow of Brady, and previously of Matt Leinart. While this isn't VH1, Matt Cassel clearly has to be having the "Best Week Ever" as he now has the reigns of the best team in the NFL and sees Matt Leinart riding the bench in Arizona.

3. The Bears Defense to look like vintage 2006
The Indianapolis Colts are still an elite team in the NFL but the Bears made them look like the Colts of the early 90's on Sunday night as the Colts unveiled their new stadium. Peyton Manning struggled and clearly looked off his game, but the Colts could never find an answer for Brian Urlacher playing just behind the defensive line. While Urlacher was relatively quiet with his 8 tackles, he kept the pressure on Manning all night and confused the young Colts' offensive line that sorely misses Jeff Saturday at Center.

NFL Players Under Pressure

2008-09-05T22:13:00.002-04:00

Coming into 2008 there are a lot of players facing inordinate amounts of pressure. Whether it is due to a change in scenery, expectations, or something different all together, below are the players who have the most weight on their shoulders entering the new season.

1. Aaron Rodgers (QB - Green Bay)
It's no mystery that Aaron Rodgers is feeling the heat right now. He is squared to make the first Monday Night Football appearance of the new season under center for a team that has seen the same quarterback for the past 16 seasons. And if that doesn't make things worse, Rodgers is facing division foe Minnesota, the team most commonly picked to win the division when Green Bay is not the selection (sorry Chicago & Detroit but get some offense and defense, respectively). Rodgers will have to prove he is not only ready to be a starting quarterback, but also is ready to step into the biggest empty space since Michael Jordan left the 2-guard empty in Chicago.

2. Brett Favre (QB - New York Jets)
While Rodgers is trying to live up to Brett Favre in Green Bay, Brett Favre is trying to live up to his own legacy in New York. The Jets traded for Favre with the hope and expectation that he would be the 2007 version of No. 4 and not the 2005-2006 edition that fancied multi-interception games and missed opportunities to reach the playoffs. Favre is out of the comfort and sanctuary of Lambeau and is being tossed into the New York media and a less-talented team. However, expectations are high as many experts are, prematurely, calling the Jets a playoff team. Don't be alarmed when the Jets start the season 1-2 and are looking up at New England & Buffalo.

3. Tony Romo (QB - Dallas)
Don't look now but it's another Jessica Simpson sighting. Since his weekend in Mexico and subsequent playoff departure, Romo hasn't been able to shake the label of being Jessica Simpson's boyfriend. Entering 2008 the Cowboys are the clear No. 1 team in the NFC and will likely cruise to the division championship over the defending Super Bowl Champions and talented Eagles (sorry Redskins fans who really won't be competitive this season despite some likely upsets and a deceiving 7-9 record). If the Cowboys fail to reach the Super Bowl again this year, expect either Wade Phillips or Tony Romo to be looking for a new job in 2009.

4. Eli Manning (QB - New York Giants)
The pressure in New York won't be exclusive just to the Brett Favre and the Jets. Eli Manning is the reigning Super Bowl MVP but even that won't buy him much slack in New York where he has proven to be consistently inconsistent. While the season opener against Washington looked good (and Plaxico looked GREAT), Manning will still be suspect in the eyes of fans and media alike until he leads the Giants into the playoffs again.

5. Chad Joh...err..Ocho Cinco (WR - Cincinnati)
While the quarterback is the most important, glamorous and pressure packed position in football, there is one player who has so deliberately put pressure on himself that he can't be ignored from our Top 5 list. Chad Ocho Cinco, formerly Chad Johnson, of the Cincinnati Bengals, is keeping his name in the spotlight again. While I am excited to hear some of the stodgy color commentators call him by his unique new name, No. 85 is going to look pretty foolish if he racks up 850 yards and 6 TDs. Ocho Cinco has ensured all eyes will be on him, now he just needs to put up the numbers to back up yet another one of his stunts. Luckily for him, he's already proven legal names to be less permanent than tattoos.

Other names were considered ranging from Rex Grossman to Adrian Peterson to Derek Anderson, but the five players above will be sweating extra hard on gameday.

Week 1 Fantasy Preview

2008-09-04T15:51:00.003-04:00

In Fantasy Football we all know LT needs to be started each week and Randy Moss should never sit the bench, but what about those players who are conditional starters or warrant another look? That is where we'll focus each week in our Fantasy Preview.

Quarterback
Jon Kitna (Detroit) - While I'm not high on Kitna for 2008, I love him in week 1 against Atlanta. The falcons are coming into their first regular season game without star cornerback DeAngelo Hall and Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson and company are going to be open all day long. Provided the Lions offensive line can keep Kitna upright, there will be a lot of scoring opportunities.

Running Back
Laurence Maroney (New England) - Week 1 looks like the perfect start for Maroney owners. While he's a No. 2 back in most leagues, he is a must start in week 1. Against the Kansas City Chiefs the Patriots are sure to get ahead early. Tom Brady will play but likely will not be 100% and Bill Belichick will lean on his stud runner from the University of Minnesota to put up big yardage. Expect 100+ yards and a touchdown.

Wide Receiver
Santonio Holmes (Pittsburgh) - The Steelers square off against the Houston Texans in what should be a home opening win for Roethlisberger and company. Holmes is coming into the storied third year of his career and expect him to start breaking out already in week 1 against Houston's weak secondary.

Tight End
Anthony Fasano (Miami) - It's no mystery that Chad Pennington is an accurate passer, and even less of one that he has a weak throwing arm. The primary benefactor of that will be Anthony Fasano. Expect Fasano to catch five or more passes and be a red zone option.

Defense/Special Teams
Detroit Lions - While the Lions lack overwhelming skill on the defensive side of the ball, they will be facing the Atlanta Falcons in week 1. The falcons have a huge question mark at quarterback in Matt Ryan and I'm not sold on their other offensive weapons. Week 1 could be a huge feel good game for the Lions fans and it will start with a strong defensive performance.

The Lock - Week 1

2008-09-04T15:27:00.005-04:00

Each week at Sportsomniac we will give you the locks of the week as well as the biggest betting coin flip, the underdog getting too many points, and the game with the most potential for outright upset.

The Locks:
New York Jets -3 at Miami Dolphins
The Jets have two big things the Dolphins don't. The first is a talented offensive line, and the second is a hall of fame quarterback. While this game is being played in Miami, the Jets will have all the momentum as the team gets behind veteran signal caller Brett Favre and moves the ball with ease against the soft Dolphins defense.

Dallas Cowboys -5.5 at Cleveland Browns
After a 10-6 season the Cleveland Browns are a trendy pick this NFL season, but the Cowboys are the real deal. Dallas looks sharp and will come out with something to prove in week one. Again expect the road team to lock this one up early.

The Coin Flip:
Buffalo -1 vs Seattle Seahawks
While no games this week are a true coin flip we'll look at the line with the fewest points, Seattle vs Buffalo where the Bills are favored by 1 point at home. Buffalo is improved coming into 2008 and were it not for the advent of the Jets, the Bills would be a likely playoff sleeper for most analysts this season. While all that may be true, Seattle is simply the better team in this matchup. Buffalo is improved, but the baseline was a 30th ranked offense that scored only 15.8 points per game in 2007 and Seattle will score 20+ with ease. Look for Seattle to steal one on the road in our first coin flip game of 2008.

Take the Points:
Indianapolis Colts -9.5 vs Chicago Bears
While few are doubting the Colts to win this game, and many are taking them in a blowout, I am less convinced this game is going to get away from the Bears. Chicago's defense has looked poor in the preseason and Kyle Orton is no Peyton Manning, but the Colts have had relatively little time together as a full starting unit and Chicago rarely lets games get out of hand. I'm calling for a Colts win but for the Bears to cover.

The Upset:
Arizona Cardinals -2.5 at San Francisco 49ers
With the recent shakeup at quarterback I was surprised to see the line fall where it did for this game. Both sides have new quarterbacks and while the 49ers don't have the same weapons in the passing game, they do have Frank Gore who has dominated the Cardinals over his short career. San Francisco won both meetings in 2007 and I expect them to pull the upset and get the outright win against Arizona

The Sportsomniac takes no responsibility for any money won or lost due to betting on these picks.

NFL Power Rankings

2008-09-04T09:15:00.004-04:00

Tonight kicks off the new NFL season and with it comes the first installment of the NFL Power Rankings.

The Top Ten
1. New England Patriots - While the team suffered a historic collapse in the Super Bowl that had Giants fans and the 1975 Dolphins all popping champagne, they're still the most ready to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

2. Dallas Cowboys - The Cowboys look great on paper with a dynamic offense and a strong defensive secondary. Expect the 'boys to dominate the NFC and win the second toughest division in football.

3. Indianapolis Colts - Peyton Manning & Marvin Harrison are both healthy and Joseph Addai doesn't get the credit he deserves (much like Edge was underrated in his time in Indianapolis). While the team has some questions on the offensive line, Peyton runs the best play action in football and the Colts will again be successful, to the tune of 12-4.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars - When I said the NFC East was the second toughest division in football it is behind the AFC South. David Garrard was sensational a year ago and the addition of Jerry Porter should give him a reasonable target to throw to. Jones-Drew & Fred Taylor are the type of one-two punch rivaled by few teams in the league. Jacksonville's defense is scary enough that even if Garrard doesn't put up numbers like last season, the team is still a lock for the playoffs.

5. San Diego Chargers - While many are calling the Chargers the best team in football, I'm not entirely sold due to Phillip Rivers not looking like an elite quarterback and Shawne Merriman's injury. San Diego does have the benefit of playing the Broncos, Raiders & Chiefs twice which should mean a 5-1 or better divisional record.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers - Roethlisberger and company look sharp this season and the addition of Rashard Mendenhall gives the team a Bettis-like goal line running back. Expect the Steelers to be the true class of the AFC North, and not the Cleveland Browns.

7. Seattle Seahawks - It's a big drop from the class of the NFC (Dallas) to the next level, but Seattle leads the rest of the pack. With one of the best defenses in football and an epic 12th-man in the stands, Seattle will be ready for a division title in the NFC West.

8. New Orleans Saints - While a lot of people see Tampa Bay as the division winner, New Orleans is the class of the division. Drew Brees has the second best offense in the NFC at his disposal and the defense is strong enough to make stops when needed.

9. Green Bay Packers - While Minnesota is the favorite to win the North in many rankings, Green Bay still has a great defense and talented receivers. Aaron Rodgers hasn't looked like Brett Favre, but he's looked like the best QB in the division already (Sorry Kitna fans, the guy is going to throw 20+ INTs again this year and Jackson & Orton aren't even in the discussion).

10. Philadelphia Eagles - While many will be surprised that the Eagles, and not the Giants, are the second best team in the division, a simple look at the rosters will tell the story. The Giants were great last season out of getting production from unlikely sources, but the well is starting to run dry and the Eagles are ready to return to the playoffs.

Bottom Five
28. Detroit Lions - Despite a perfect preseason, the Lions still don't have what it takes to win eight games, even in the NFC North. Questions on both sides of the ball abound and Rudi Johnson is far from the savior the team needs.

29. Miami Dolphins - While I like the Jake Long draft pick and addition of Chad Pennington, the Dolphins are still the worst team in a very difficult division.

30. St. Louis Rams - I'm done believing in the Rams the same way Lions fans are tired of being let down. St. Louis is going to struggle on the offensive line and the defense is questionable at best.

31. Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs have a lot of young talent and a few valuable veterans, but the team that once had the best offensive line and rushing attack in football will not be in that same ballpark. Expect the Chiefs to battle Oakland for the bottom spot in the AFC West.

32. Atlanta Falcons - While I like the future potential of Matt Ryan, he is in a spot right now where he can't be successful. The line is tough at the defense is spotty. Hopefully Ryan doesn't suffer a David Carr type of rookie season.

Who's the NL MVP?

2008-06-03T00:13:00.001-04:00

While I rant at times about the useless stats that get thrown around in professional commentary such as winning percentage with a full moon, completion percentage against left handed corners, etc.; there are others that we live and die by as sports fans. Turnover ratio in football, shooting percentage in basketball, batting average in baseball, hot dogs per minute in professional eating. It is with the most essential baseball stats in mind, that I present the case for each of the three primary MVP candidates in the National League.

1. Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
Utley is having a career year and it's only the start of June. With another home run tonight, Utley brought his MLB leading total to 21 home runs to compliment his .320 batting average and NL-leading 52 RBI. Utley is also slugging an impressive .680 and is the driving force behind the first place Phillies. While Utley's success translates very well into numbers, he is also carrying the Phillies to victories right now and is covering for some of his slumping teammates, like Ryan Howard who has 80 strikeouts and a .209 batting average.

2. Lance Berkman, Houston Astros
While Houston isn't enjoying the same success as Philadelphia, Berkman may be playing an even larger part in his team's results than Chase Utley. With a .385 batting average, Berkman is showing he's not limited to pure power productions and the "Big Puma" is living up to his reputation of driving the ball deep. With 17 home runs and 47 RBI, he trails only the aforementioned Utley for the national league lead. Berkman is also showing his versatility by stealing 10 bases already, ranking him in the top 10 in nearly every measurable category on offense. To pose himself as a triple crown threat, Berkman also ranks second in batting average behind our third legitimate MVP contender, Chipper Jones.

3. Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
Chipper Jones is batting .407. I don't know how much I need to say beyond that. It is getting a little too late in the season to be batting over .400 and Chipper even has Tony Gwinn talking up his accomplishments to this point. If it weren't for Chipper, the ridiculous numbers being put up by Lance Berkman would be shining even brighter. While Jones' average gets the spotlight, he has still driven 12 home runs and batted in 35 RBI. As the only previous MVP winner, Jones can pull from his experience in 1999 on how to maintain numbers down the stretch as in that year he hit 45 HRs, 110 RBI and batted .319.

The season is still young and the massive numbers always have a tendency to level out during the course of a 162 game schedule, but to this point Utley, Berkman and Jones have looked incredibly impressive and each deserving of the distinguishing award. Before these three become complacent however, there are a few more players on the fringe that will be looking to jump into the mix.

In no particular order:
-Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee, Aramis Rameriez
-Brandon Webb
-Albert Puljos, Ryan Ludwick
-Dan Uggla
-Ryan Braun

At this point in the season, I can't help but vote for Berkman. I know the Astros aren't leading the division, but Berkman has looked like a men among boys at this point and is getting it done in all areas of his game. That said, Utley is heating up more than slowing down and Chipper Jones will not go quietly, especially if he can maintain his insane batting average for much of the season. The Cubs are the best team in baseball and have three talented hitters in addition to Fukudome, Soto and Theriot who are all contributing quietly. Dan Uggla's pursuit may be over if the Marlins can't stay competitive and slip down the standings in the NL East. Ryan Braun is picking up where he left off a year ago but is the victim of a mediocre team with relatively no national press. Brandon Webb has the supreme disadvantage of being a pitcher while Albert Puljos and Ryan Ludwick aren't standing out against the likes of the top three players listed.

My sleeper pick for the MVP has to be Carlos Zambrano. Zambrano is looking to improve to 8-2 tonight and is batting .366 on the season now. There are few pitchers that present nearly the type of threat that Zambrano represent at the plate each at bat.

The season is young and the NL MVP is certain to finish the year with some amazing statistics. Hopefully baseball gets the sport cleaned up so these numbers don't get marked with an asterisk that shouldn't apply.

MLB Power Rankings - Top 10

2008-06-01T11:59:00.003-04:00

With a new month means new Power Rankings. In parenthesis behind each team is their position in the last Top 10.

1. Chicago Cubs (3)
Chicago is led by its strong starting rotation as Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster both have collected 7 wins and have sub-3 ERAs on the season. Carlos Marmol is looking like the best setup man in the big leagues right now with a 1.75 ERA and 54 strikeouts in only 36 innings pitched. The biggest concern I have for the Cubs at this point is their poor road record. At 25-8 at the friendly confines this season, Chicago holds the major's best home record by a healthy margin. However, at 10-13 on the road the Cubs have looked like a very different team. While early in the season many teams naturally struggle a bit on the road, the Cubs disparity between home and road performance will have to lessen during a big late summer road trip.

Interesting Statistic: Carlos Zambrano is now hitting .316 with a .447 slugging percentage, higher than Gary Sheffield, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Derek Jeter and Travis Hafner.

2. Philadelphia Phillies (5)
Philadelphia was one of my favorites coming into the season and they have done little to dissuade my arguments thus far. The Phillies are looking very strong and Chase Utley is showing no signs of slowing down. While Philadelphia may not have the type of starting rotation of most World Series contenders, they do make up for it with a potent offense. In a previous ranking I placed the Phillies 5th despite being 17-14. I'm proud to say the team has been climbing the standings since and is now comfortably 7 games above .500 and only 1/2 game back of NL East Leaders Florida.

3. St. Louis Cardinals (4)
St. Louis entered the season as something of an underdog as they were off the radar for most analysts. However, Albert Puljos is quietly putting together a strong season and starters Adam Wainwright and Todd Wellemeyer are carrying the load, combining for a 10-3 record and looking like they can maintain their fast start for the remainder of the season. For as strong as the Cubs are playing, St. Louis is still only 2 1/2 back.

4. Boston Red Sox (8)
While the Red Sox haven't been playing their best baseball of late, the team still has the Manny Rameriez & David Ortiz duo in the middle of the lineup and a strong pitching staff. However, the team slipped in my rankings due to the injury/fatigue suffered by ace Daisuke Matsuzaka. While the Red Sox do have other talented arms, Matsuzaka is clearly the class of their rotation and was on pace to battle Cliff Lee of Cleveland for the right to start the All-Star game. If he comes back healthy, Boston will certainly get a boost, but without him they may struggle to hold off Toronto.

5. Los Angeles Angels (2)
I had no choice but to drop the Angels in the rankings this month, despite putting together another winning month in May. While the Angels are still finding a way to win, the team's offensive productivity has crawled to a halt. Vladimir Guerrero's production has been incredibly limited this season, hitting only .246 with 7 HR. Previously one of the most feared hitters in the game, Guerrero is striking out over 17% of at bats and is showing even less discipline at the plate than normal.

6. Tampa Bay Rays (NR)
Be careful not to let the word get out, but Tampa is actually putting together a solid season. While many experts are calling the Rays the best team in the American League, and certainly their record supports that, the team likely does not have the type of offensive fire power necessary to hold off the Red Sox all season. Tampa Bay's Scott Kazmir is a ridiculous 5-0 with a 1.22 ERA in 6 starts. BJ Upton continues to look like an All-Star and Carl Crawford is dangerous at the plate and on the base paths. Upton and Crawford already combine for 32 steals in 41 attempts. The Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics have proven in the past that timely hitting, strong defense and aggressive base running can keep a team in any game, but I think the Rays still might be a season too early for this type of breakout year.

7. Arizona Diamondbacks (1)
The Diamondbacks stumbled from the No. 1 spot in last month's rankings all the way to 7. While some are placing the Diamondbacks even lower on their respective lists, I'm not that quick to call the first month a fluke. Arizona still has dynamic pitching, and while went 6-8 over the last month, the three are far too talented to struggle over the course of a season.

Interesting Statistic: Arizona leads the Majors with 21 triples and ranks 5th in runs scored (282).

8. Chicago White Sox (NR)
In a division that should have featured the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians running away from the rest of the American League, Chicago has quietly built a 2 game lead over the Minnesota Twins. The White Sox rank second in team ERA at 3.35 on the year and surprise player Carlos Quentin is looking like an MVP contender at this point in the season. If Paul Konerko (.206 batting average) and Jim Thome (.207) can wake up and start hitting the ball the surprising White Sox will carry the division lead late into the season.

9. Florida Marlins (NR)
The Marlins, much like the Rays, are an unlikely division leader this late into the season. In the competitive AL & NL East, the Florida teams don't have the type of star power that their division rivals hold, yet they continue to put notches in the win column. Dan Uggla is putting together a career year with 129 total bases and 16 home runs already, despite 60 strikeouts.

10. Toronto Blue Jays (6)
I initially planned on having the Athletics in the No. 10 spot on these rankings, but that was before the Blue Jays out scored the A's 15-4 and took 2 of 3 in their recent series. Also with AJ Burnett lowering his ERA with each of his last 5 starts and Roy Halladay continuing his long inning wins, the Jays look like contenders in the AL East.

And without explanation, the Bottom 5. Way to go NL West.

26. San Francisco Giants
27. Kansas City Royals
28. Seattle Mariners
29. Colorado Rockies
30. San Diego Padres

It's a Sad Day to be a Pistons Fan

2008-05-31T09:40:00.002-04:00

This column was written by guest columnist Matt Hawkins, formerly of The Bowling Green News

It’s a sad day to be a Pistons fan right now. Pistons President Joe Dumars has some difficult changes to make this off season but the easiest one of all is to get rid of Rasheed Wallace. For all the good he has done for Detroit, I can’t stand to watch another one of his outbursts or costly mistakes in a crucial playoff game for the Pistons.

Last night’s 89-81 loss to the Boston Celtics in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals might mark the end of an era for these current Pistons, at least the end of Sheed in a Pistons uniform
After losing to the Spurs in the 2005 NBA Finals, the Pistons have lost three straight conference finals appearances and the majority of the blame should be placed on Rasheed Wallace.

Let’s flashback to the year 2005, Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Wallace left Robert Horry open for the game winning three pointer which gave the Spurs a 3-2 series lead. Even though the Pistons lost in game 7, it was this play that cost them the title.

Then there was last year against the Cavs in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Wallace fouled out with 7:44 left in the fourth quarter. Instead of heading to the bench, Sheed continued to argue with the ref, picking up two technical fouls in a major meltdown that cost them any chance at a comeback.

Of course this year was no different. Wallace got a costly technical foul in game 5 against the Celtics which gave him seven for the playoffs (one more and he would be suspended for the next game). He shot 2 for 12 from the field in game 6 which was the most important game of the year for the Pistons. His horrible shooting and turnovers down the stretch hurt the Pistons momentum as they lost a 10 point fourth quarter lead and were eliminated for the third straight year in the conference finals, all game 6 losses. I can’t believe he continues to get a pass as his defenders always say “it’s just Sheed being Sheed.”

I’m sorry but enough is enough. Pack your bags Sheed your time is up.

Doug Collins Gets Golden Opportunity

2008-05-30T00:20:00.001-04:00

Talk about coming back for the right situation. Retired NBA Head Coach and TNT analyst Doug Collins is returning to the sidelines to coach the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are coming off a 33-49 season where the team clearly did not live up to preseason expectations.

For Collins there will be the opportunity to work with a very talented and young lineup of players, have a hand in selecting the No. 1 overall pick, and coach in a major market.

The Windy City experience will be part two for his career as he coached a young Michael Jordan and led the Chicago Bulls to an Eastern Conference Finals in 1989 before being replaced by then-assistant Phil Jackson. Collins went on to Detroit in the 90's with minimal success before becoming an analyst.

While I don't look at Doug Collins as the type of elite head coach that a town like Chicago really deserves, he will be a stabilizing factor for the team and give the type of insight and leadership that will ensure a playoff berth a year from now.

The Chicago Bulls will be a step behind the Celtics and Pistons entering next season, but should be able to live up to the hype that the team failed so miserably to achieve this year. Look for Michael Beasley to join the team in the off season as the No. 1 overall pick and further solidify the deep and talented Bulls lineup.

Celtics Win Pivotal Game 5

2008-05-29T00:35:00.001-04:00

While the story of the night in Boston may be Kevin Garnett's 33 points and 7 rebounds or Kendrick Perkins stepping up again, this time to the tune of 18 points and 16 rebounds. Maybe it's Ray Allen finally finding his touch and going for 29 points on 9-15 shooting, including 5-6 on three pointers.

While each of those story lines make for a great reason why the Celtics won Game 5, it was Doc Rivers having his team prepared for the Pistons that really did it. The Pistons through a lot of punches and came back from a 17-point deficit late in the game but Rivers' Celtics held it together, including playing things the right way in the final two minutes. The Celtics used the clock well, got the ball in the hands of their best free throw shooter, Ray Allen. Not only that, but Boston and fouled Detroit to avoid a "Mr. Big Shot" moment in those closing seconds.

While fouling with the lead in the closing seconds is an incredibly basic strategy, practiced from AAU to the NBA, it is incredibly underutilized. I have to commend Rivers for having his team prepared and making all the right decisions during crunch time. I'm not ready to give the man the coach of the year award Byron Scott deservedly won; afterall, the Celtics almost lost to the Hawks and Cavs, but Boston really looked solid Wednesday night against Detroit.

Game 5 is the pivitol game of any 2-2 series and Boston is definitely in command, needing only one win to advance to face the Lakers, err, play in the NBA Finals.

John Calipari is the only person that can't understand the intelligence of fouling with the lead in an important game.

Pistons Even Things Up

2008-05-27T00:12:00.000-04:00

The Detroit Pistons have tied things up with the Boston Celtics again and will be sending the series back to Bean Town. Detroit took control of the game early, putting together a 14-point lead in the first half. The Pistons led throughout and never gave up the lead. Boston made it interesting at 78-73 but could never get it down to a single possession in the closing minutes, eventually falling to the Pistons 94-75.

While Detroit had the air of control the entire night, the team saved its best basketball for the closing minutes. The Pistons were poised and hit their free throws down the stretch while Ray Allen clanked a couple hard off the iron. Most importantly of all, Chauncey Billups stepped into the action tonight. While Billups struggled from the field with 3 for 12 shooting and only 10 points, he did hit a clutch three down the stretch and looked much more comfortable on his sore hamstring.

The big contributor in tonight's matchup was Antonio McDyess. For the many Pistons fans that miss Ben Wallace's interior presence (and trust me, Chicago and Cleveland would be happy to give him back, especially at his salary) Antonio McDyess has filled the void very nicely. 'Dyess has stepped into the position as another role player on the team full of veterans and is really looking good, sticking close to his regular season numbers even against tougher players that have demanded more from him on the defensive end.

Now with the series headed back to Boston at 2-2 it's now a best of three with two games at home for the Celtics. Boston is still an impressive 9-1 at home but Detroit did etch that 1 into the otherwise perfect record at home and does not fear playing in the Garden. In Game 5 expect a close contest and expect to see the Pistons come out on top, 93-89.

Memo to Joakim Noah: You are not in college any more.

2008-05-26T01:31:00.003-04:00

Good thinking. Smoking weed has done great things for so many other professional athletes' careers

While compiling this article, I was going to list the athletes who have been arrested for marijuana possession in the past year but I had hand cramps before I was done with the Cincinnati Bengals lineup. Welcome to the club Joakim. Ricky Williams wants to know if he can braid your hair.

Despite being "the man" in Gainsville during his college career at the University of Florida and winning the 2006 NCAA Championship, Joakim Noah is taking his college fame a bit too far.

The bushy-haired rookie of the Chicago Bulls was busted early Sunday morning when he was stopped in Gainsville for drinking in public. When he was searched by police they discovered a bag of marijuana in his pocket.

While it may have been cool to hang around Gainsville as a student, you have to know when to walk away. Noah was certainly a popular figure on campus; he's identifiable, famous and a big personality. There's even the status of smoking in college and being involved in parties, but at some point that pressure has to go away and be replaced by the maturity of someone playing professional sports.

While Joakim Noah is hardly a star for the Chicago Bulls, he was a solid contributor as a rookie and showed signs of being a strong rebounding and scoring boost, along with his emotional spark he gives when in the lineup. According to ESPN.com's article, the Bulls' only comment was one from General Manager John Paxton who expressed his disappointment.

Just disappointment? Really? Are the Bulls really going to call it quits with disappointment? After an under performing season where the team entered the season as one of the Eastern Conference favorites, Chicago failed to make the playoffs despite being there a year ago and looking improved from '06-'07. This is a chance to make a statement as a franchise. Two years from now Chicago does not want to be in the same spot as the New York Knicks are right now, with troubled players and more personality than teamwork.

While there is not always a direct correlation between off the court issues and a team's success, there certainly isn't evidence to show it benefits a franchise. Chicago should come down hard on Joakim Noah. As for Noah, he needs to figure out if he still wants to be the big man in Gainsville or make a name for himself in the NBA.

Paterno Says it All

2008-05-23T01:38:00.002-04:00

As someone who has grown up in Big Ten country, constantly cheering against Penn State, I can't help but respect Joe Paterno right now. Joe Paterno said in an interview that the reasons given by the college football commissioners are 'bogus' and stated that he can't foresee a playoff in the near future.

My favorite quote from the interview expressed Paterno's frustration and also his timeless stance as a coach at Penn State. "Paterno, who is entering his 43rd season as Penn State's head coach said, 'I'm only going to be a head coach another 10 or 15 years, and I don't think it will happen by then.'" I think it's sad that Joe Paterno is 81-years old and even he thinks the rest of college football is too old fashioned to see what would be best for the sport in form of a playoff.

I'm embarrassed to say that as a Big Ten fan the conference does not support the playoff, and that only the ACC and SEC were in favor of continued discussion regarding the proposed playoff system.

If I hear the argument of missing too much class time again, I think I'll be sick. How many students are in class from December 18 & January 7? None. Student athletes? None. Having a game the week of Christmas and the BCS Championship the week of New Years makes perfect sense, and encourages teams to play a tougher schedule as having one or two losses won't necessarily prevent an appearance in the championship.

For people who argue that a playoff would water down the regular season have to consider that a playoff does not need to be 64 teams like the NCAA Tournament where the top half of every conference received a near automatic berth. Instead, a 4 or 8 team field allows the elite programs to participate while preserving the sanctity and excitement of each week of the regular season.

Later in the story picked up by the Associated Press Paterno commented on his decision to not participate in the Coaches' Poll due to being required to vote for the BCS Champion in the final poll, something Paterno disagreed with in 2004 when undefeated Auburn was left out of the title game but won its bowl.

Anyone else hoping Joe Paterno sticks it out to 100 years old and 500 career wins?

"And down goes Fraizer"

2008-05-23T00:09:00.000-04:00

The Boston Celtics were perfect for the first two rounds at home. 8-0. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals the Celtics moved that mark to 9-0 and asserted their home dominance over the Pistons. In Game 2, it was a different story.

The Detroit Pistons came out and looked prepared to play and made the adjustments needed to contain Kevin Garnett. Most importantly, the Pistons were able to quiet the crowd when the Celtics made their push. Every time Boston hit a couple big shots, Detroit was poised with a 3-pointer from the quarter or a slashing layup, something the San Antonio Spurs couldn't do last night in Los Angeles.

While I didn't appreciate the "Rodney Stucky is like Dwayne Wade" comment coming from the sidelines, the kid did look good coming off the bench with 13 points and a needed spark. Rasheed Wallace looked much more comfortable and finally hit a 3-pointer.

Detroit looked like a team with desire, instead of a lethargic former champion as they did in the first game of the series. The energy level in The Palace is going to be huge this weekend and Boston will have the 0-6 road record staring them square in the face until the ball tips for Game 3.

Lakes Pull out Game 1

2008-05-22T00:18:00.001-04:00

Watching the Spurs/Lakers game tonight it felt like watching the big brother play against his little brother. The Spurs showed their dominance and looked to squash the Lakers early, leading 65-45 at one point. However, the Lakers proved they wouldn't be bullied around by turning things around and showing they can hang with the big kids now.

While Tim Duncan's stat line of 30 points & 18 rebounds looks sensational, almost all of his production came in the first 2 1/2 quarters of the game. As the game progressed, Kobe Bryant looked like the MVP (something that's hard for me to admit) and completely took the game over. During a 14-0 run, Kobe had his hands in every play. When Bryant wasn't hitting the shot, he was drawing the extra defender and finding his open teammate. Thankfully for Bryant, Gasol and Odom both stepped up and hit the shots they needed, and Bruce Bowen was off the court.

Watching the last two minutes of tonight's game, it was very clear that the referees had no control over what was happening on the court. I completely understand that an official doesn't want to make the call that ruins the game for one team and I'm as big a fan of the "let them play" mentality as anyone else, but let's also not forget about consistency. There were loose balls where the scene resembled a mosh pit and not a professional basketball game. The horrible call with 1:07 left to give the Lakers possession and the awful makeup call (or lack of call) when Ginobili clearly fouled Gasol was amateur.

The Spurs came into Game 1 tired from a long series and a ridiculous travel schedule, but they played the Lakers tough. A weaker team with a lesser coach would let that be defeating, to lose such a big lead, but Gregg Popovich will use it as a tool to improve for Game 2. Despite the loss, I'm still behind my pick of the Spurs in 6.

Anyone else happy to see some fire coming from Tim Duncan?

Cowboys Break Bank

2008-05-21T02:53:00.000-04:00

Earlier in the off season the Oakland Raiders proved to be the most financial irresponsible in blowing cash on Javon Walker ($55 million), Tommy Kelly ($50+ million), and Gibril Wilson ($39 million). While I look at Walker as a second tier but solid receiver, Kelly as a decent tackle and Wilson as a serviceable - yet not dominant - safety, the team clearly overpaid. Well move over Oakland, Dallas is raising the bar!

Marion Barber is a great running back. From his days in Minnesota, it was clear he had the type of power that would make him a treat to watch in the NFL. Barber has been a work horse for Dallas since joining the team, and has been a touchdown machine for fantasy players and Tony Romo alike. While Barber certainly runs as hard as any player this side of Maurice Jones-Drew, he likely will never live up to the 7-year, $45 million contract he just inked. To put it into perspective, that money catapults Barber into the same paygrade as LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson. The deal also included a guaranteed $16 million.

While I'm in favor of looking at Barber as a better than average running back, but neither in college nor in the NFL has he ever carried the full load for his team, making me curious why he is getting paid as an elite back. Also, Dallas just drafted Felix Jones from Arkansas, who averaged 7.6 yards per carry in his collegiate career. If Dallas wants Barber to be an elite back, then it's curious for them to spend first round money on a complimentary RB.

To make sure the spending wasn't limited to the offense, Jerry Jones wrapped up Terence Newman to a 6-year, $50.2 million deal, with $22.5 million in guarantees.

Newman and Barber are both strong contributors to the Dallas Cowboys and warranted extensions, but the amount of money being thrown around by the Cowboys is not indicative of one that will be financially free in the future to make any necessary moves. Jerry Jones is putting all of his eggs in the Tony Romo basket, let's hope for him that Jessica stays away and Dallas can get it done in 2008.

Bulls get No. 1 Pick

2008-05-21T00:32:00.001-04:00

There are few things that more consistently keep sports insomniacs up late at night than a good mock draft. For fantasy fans you can now log on to CBS Sportsline and jump into an NFL mock draft or join up a late start fantasy baseball league. A few weeks ago, NFL analysts and casual fans alike spent hours with the lights down in front of a monitor, studying their team's strengths and weaknesses and evaluating it against the draft class.

Now NBA followers get their chance to break down the class with the lottery in place. Below are the lottery selections.

1. Chicago Bulls
2. Miami Heat
3. Minnesota Timberwolves
4. Seattle/New Orleans SuperSonics
5. Memphis Grizzlies
6. New York Knicks
7. Los Angeles Clippers
8. Milwaukee Bucks
9. Charlotte Bobcats
10. New Jersey Nets
11. Indiana Pacers
12. Sacramento Kings
13. Portland Trailblazers
14. Golden State Warriors

Well Chicago, which is going to be? Do you go Michael Beasley, the dominant big man from Kansas State, or Memphis star Derrick Rose who stepped up big in the tournament. As I explained during the NCAA Tournament, I really didn't get caught up in the super hype of Derrick Rose, and while he is clearly one of the top 10-15 college players of the year, I still look at O.J. Mayo, Eric Gordon and D.J. Augustin as better players, among others (see previous article).

With the draft a ways away, the mock drafts are beginning, and questions on who the top player of 2008 will be is going to be debated for weeks. Not trying to ruin the suspense for everyone, but Beasley is the best pick for Chicago and the best player in the class.

For some good reading, check out Chad Ford's mock draft, one of the ten best columnists in the country.

8-0, 0-6. Celtics to face Pistons

2008-05-19T00:28:00.001-04:00

Paul Pierce looked good on Sunday. As someone who has given Pierce a lot of grief for taking difficult shots instead of looking toward teammates with more open looks, I must say he was dominant in Game 7 against the Cavs. The only person on the court was LeBron James who demonstrated he can almost carry a team on his back as he was a missed layup near the end of the 4th quarter away from getting Cleveland within one possession and a potential upset.

On 13-23 shooting and 11-12 from the line, Pierce had the hot hand all night. However, his biggest play was the dive for the loose ball coming off the jump ball that Cleveland should have controlled. Pierce showed his emotion and proved he can still play with the best in the league and while he has taken a back seat to Garnett and Ray Allen to a certain extent, he looked like the star of Boston for 48 minutes.

While Pierce surprised me on Sunday, I wasn't shocked to see the Celtics beat out the Cavaliers to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. After all, Boston has been undefeated at home all postseason. The problem is, they are still winless on the road. While I know Boston has home court advantage through the playoffs, I'm not foolish enough to think they'll go 16-0 en route to an NBA Title. Detroit proved during the regular season that they can hang with Boston and will almost certainly win a game in Boston.

The Detroit Pistons are going to create problems for the Celtics. The Pistons are a hard nose team that has played in the last five Eastern Finals and has proven they can win on the road. Boston, has not. KG has never played in a Conference Finals. Paul Pierce stepped up big tonight, so I'll give him an exemption from any comparisons. Ray Allen already disappeared from the face of the earth once the playoffs hit, so again, I'll pass on saying much there.

While I'm far from a Pistons fan, they have been my favorite from the start of the season to come out of the East and Boston's inability to play on the road hasn't changed that prediction. Look out Boston, Detroit is coming to town!

I'm a Believer

2008-05-17T00:03:00.001-04:00

I can remember watching Kerry Wood in 1998 when he threw his 20-strikeout gem. Years later he was being looked at as a total bust. Now, Wood is making a revival in the bullpen as the Cubs closer, making his 9th save of the season earlier today.

Alfonso Soriano has spent his career going from an All-Star second baseman with the biggest franchise in professional sports to an outfielder for the Rangers and Nationals. Now Soriano is a Cubbie and despite receiving more boos than Tony Romo during the 7th inning stretch, Soriano has risen to his old form and is really producing out of the lead off position again.

As a life long fan of the lovable losers it's tough to get too high on the team that lets me down season after season. That said, I'm tempted to believe at this point. Soriano is getting on base and hitting for power, Derek Lee is playing well and Fukudome looks like just the piece the team was missing.

With all of the surprises for this season, I have to give the most credit to the pitching as Ryan Dempster is 5-1 with a 2.35 ERA and Kerry Wood looks rejuvenated.

Behind solid pitching and timely hitting, the Cubs are 10 games over .500 at 26-16 and have the lead in the NL Central. I know this happens every year, but I'm officially excited about the Cubs' chances in the playoffs.

I used to think I'd give up hope at some point, but considering it's been 100 years since the last championship and I still enter every season like the ugly kid going stag at prom, hoping that this just might be my chance, I hold on to the long shot, the underdog. Go Cubs!

Put Spygate to Rest

2008-05-15T00:23:00.001-04:00

Matt Walsh is the Paris Hilton of sports. We sit around and talk about tapes that at first only a few had seen and are now leaking all over the internet, he really has no talent or ambition and is makes the news for simply showing up for appointments with legitimate members of society.

I struggle to understand why it is that I need seven different NFL experts to break down the impact of Spygate and how it has been overblown for the past several months. Since the story broke it sounded like the Patriots were getting the firm slap on the wrist for something that likely many teams are guilty of and they had been warned about before. Certainly the allegation of taping the Rams' walk through was more severe, but overall we knew everything we know now only hours into the initial reports.

At the start of SportsCenter I heard that Spygate can be put to rest, then later I heard John Clayton and other ESPN analysts breaking down what will happen next. Do we really need a next!? The Patriots were guilty, they admitted guilt. The paper overreacted, they posted an apology. I changed the channel, ESPN News was running the same story.

One of the questions posted to a sports talk show host was if the NFL would recover from the Spygate scandal. I'm sorry as maybe I'm incredibly under reacting to the ongoings of illegal taping of defensive signals (something that has happened in baseball for decades), but Spygate just was not a major story after the first 48 hours. Very few fans outside of Boston continued to track the progress of this story aside from the 5 minute caveat on ESPN or Fox Sports any time mention of pro football was made.

After months of this annoying, non-developing story, let's please put this to rest. I'm about as interested in hearing more about Spygate as I was hearing about the NHL Lockout. It was simply a non-issue that 98% of sports fans did not care about. Let's move on.

Has anyone else wondered what John Clayton would look like with Mel Kiper Jr.'s hair?

Greg Maddux, the Best of an ERA

2008-05-13T02:35:00.001-04:00

After four failed attempts, Greg Maddux collected his 350th career victory over the weekend against the Colorado Rockies. Maddux improved to 3-3 on the season with a 3.60 ERA. To collect win 350 it was vintage Maddux as he allowed 3 hits in 6 innings on only 68 pitches. Maddux held the Rockies without an earned run, and as he has so often in his career, did not allow a walk.

My interest in baseball grew in the early 90s, in part from watching Greg Maddux throw ridiculously efficient games for the Cubs and Braves. When Maddux was on the mound I found myself turning the channel to another game or Indiana Jones replaying on TNT for the 80th time while his team was up to bat, but always flipped back for every pitch. Maddux has spent his entire career as a student to the game and while he has never had dominant pitches, he has had dominant command and strategy.

For his career Maddux has been the barometer for pitching efficiency. With a career average of 1.8 walks per 9 and a career ERA just over 3, all in an era when players like Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire lit up the record books with juice-inflated numbers.

While at 42 years old Maddux no longer has the endurance to carry him into the late innings on a regular basis, the Mad Dog has compiled 35 career shutouts and 109 career complete games. That goes with 17 Golden Gloves and 4 Cy Young Awards. While on paper Roger Clemens put together a more dominant career, he will be remembered as the more skilled pitcher and Maddux will be the great pitcher. Clemens will be the cheater and Maddux will be the genius. Clemens' numbers will be recounted as being fueled by steroids, while Maddux's memory will be that of the most strategic pitcher in history.

While he will never admit to it, Greg Maddux is the greatest pitcher since Bob Gibson and Warren Spahn and will go down as one of the ten best pitchers in MLB history. Enjoy it while you can because Greg has all of his milestones and has his ring, he won't be around much longer.

What happens when LeBron gets hot?

2008-05-13T01:07:00.000-04:00

I don't know if I should be surprised by the Celtics 0-5 road record in the playoffs with how this team is playing. Boston is playing sloppy, the team can't shoot outside of Massachusetts, and despite a 31-10 road record in the regular season, Boston can't do anything right in the post season.

While Boston is struggling, Cleveland isn't exactly shooting the lights out. LeBron exited game 4 with the worst playoff shooting percentage of his career for a series at 26% on 20-78 shooting. While LeBron still made his presence felt with 13 assists and a hard fought 21 points, he failed to get himself going or hit his regular season form.

The series will return to Boston Wednesday where the Celtics hope to protect their undefeated home playoff record, but I can't help but worry for the Boston Three Party and company as they are incredibly vulnerable. LeBron James is far too talented to struggle for the entire series. With the physical nature of game 4 and his ability to make the open three and a massive statement dunk over Kevin Garnett in the fourth quarter, LeBron looks ready to awake from his shooting slumber.

Game 5 is going to go to the Cavaliers unless Ray Allen scores 20 points, something he has failed to do in ANY of the four games against Cleveland.

Look out KG, you may be the defensive player of the year, but LeBron posterized you tonight and is ready to do it on your home court in game 5.

Sergio Wins Player's Championship

2008-05-12T00:04:00.000-04:00

Sergio Garcia bested the field at the TPC Sawgrass to win the Players Championship, widely considered to be golf's fifth major championship. Below is part of the story posted by ESPN.com that detailed Garcia's win after speculation he could not win 'the big one'.

"All that changed in the final hour of The Players Championship thanks to two clutch putts, a wedge that found safety on an island and a playoff victory that Garcia desperately needed."

While any respect I had for Sergio Garcia was lost during his Chiquita Banana-wearing appearance last year on the PGA Tour, he does have a lot of talent. However, as ESPN stated Garcia has never risen when the pressure was on, against the best players in the world, and grabbed victory on the big stage. According to ESPN and golf analysts, Sergio has finally broken through.

Since none of the more esteemed writers in the sports community will say it, I will. The win today by Sergio Garcia is not a career defining victory. Garcia did have a solid comeback with some great putts and a victory on the first playoff hole. Garcia did not go toe-to-toe with Woods, Mickelson and Singh. Instead he beat out Paul Goydos who self-destructed with a water ball on the famous 17th hole in the playoff to go with bogeys on 14, 15 and 18 to close out his final round.

While I respect every player on the PGA tour as any one of them could work me up and down the links and I consider myself to be a strong competitor, but Goydos is ranked #140 in the world and hits the ball shorter than most club pros at only 265 yards. Garcia did not win the Players Championship any more than Kansas won the National Championship, instead it was given to him as Goydos refused to win with his sloppy play into the club house.

Maybe I'm just being hard on Garcia, but until he can figure out his putter he will not be a top competitor in the PGA. Somewhere Tiger Woods is nursing his knee with his baby on one side and his super model wife on the other, licking his chops at the thought of annihilating Sergio Garcia at the US Open.

Paul Can't Do it All, Spurs Win Again

2008-05-11T23:32:00.001-04:00

Chris Paul would have gotten my vote for NBA MVP. As a disservice to everyone around the world, I do not receive an MVP vote however and Kobe Bryant was allowed to pull it from Paul's grasp. That said, he is not a team unto himself as was proven tonight in the matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.

In the contest, Paul scored 23 points on 10-16 shooting while also leading the team in rebounding (6), assists (5) and steals (3). In games 1 and 2 Paul was able to rely on David West and Tyson Chandler to step up and help him keep the tempo up and drop in buckets for the New Orleans Hornets. Instead Paul scores 23 points compared to 25 scored by the other 4 starters for the Hornets.

David West struggled with 4-15 shooting while Chandler did not attempt a field goal and Peja Stojakovic who is often counted on to hit the open shot, was just 3-9.

On the other side of the ball, Tim Duncan stepped up just as I had hoped after his quiet start to the series. Duncan led the Spurs in scoring with 22 points on 10-13 shooting and also grabbed 15 rebounds. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili still did their part with 21 and 15 points respectively, but it was Duncan who led the charge, getting his points while passing out of double teams quickly and effectively.

The most impressive thing in game 4 was that the Spurs put away the Hornets early. In game 3 the Hornets were allowed to linger longer than they should have, and had the opportunity to capture momentum and win the game late. After the first quarter the Spurs turned up the intensity, led by 8 points to start the second quarter, and never let New Orleans get back into things.

Spurs return to Championship form

2008-05-09T00:54:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure which is the bigger story from tonight's matchup between San Antonio and New Orleans in the Western Conference Semifinal. First is the Spurs resurgence in game 3. Tim Duncan and company looked like they were pressing in the first half and had their backs against the wall. In the second half it was a different story as they came out like caged animals and really took it to New Orleans as they built up their lead, capped by Bruce Bowen's 3-pointer from the corner leading to a Hornets time out.

As I watched the second half of tonight's game I saw San Antonio convince itself it was still the reigning champs and the team regained its typical calm induced by the best coach in basketball, Gregg Popovich. Where things stand for the Spurs right now I still feel like they're reeling a bit and I am still struggling to see them move on to face Los Angeles in the Conference Finals.

The reason for that feeling, Chris Paul (I'm not a fan of the CP3 abbreviation, so you will never read it on the site aside from this reference. Nicknames should be inspiring or intimidating like "The Big Hurt" or "Air Jordan." Even "Lefty" or "Hefty" for Phil Mickelson is better than Paul's handle.)

Chris Paul looked absolutely incredible at times tonight. There were points in the game where Paul looked as dominant as any player has looked this playoffs, short of Duncan's game 1 performance against Phoenix. David West was solid in the first half and disappeared as the game wore on, and some miscues on offense as the Spurs pulled away ultimately led to the defeat. However, Paul and company are dangerous and San Antonio is living on the 3-ball right now. As Paul continues to drive the lane and create, his impact can really only be minimized by strong shooting from the Spurs and Tony Parker creating plays.

Tim Duncan looked better tonight than in the first two games of the series. However, there still isn't a fire in his eyes like there was against Phoenix, and I'm simply not buying the illness holding on this long. Duncan even said before tonight's game that he was feeling 100% better, but to me he still looked like he had no emotion. I know Duncan's lack of emotion is as expected as Joey Chestnut or Takeru Kobayashi's lack of appetite on July 5, but in Phoenix he was the leader of his team, and so far against New Orleans he has been a role playing with little fire.

For the Spurs to win the series, even with some momentum from tonight's win, they're going to have to keep hitting big threes. Right now New Orleans is giving them the open looks as they double up Duncan, but quicker rotations in game 4 could be all the Hornets need to slow the Spurs offense. The Spurs remind me of this year's Duke Blue Devils team where eventually the threes won't go in and the team will crumble. Maybe Ginobili, Parker and Finley will keep connecting, but without a strong interior presence, they don't have the luxury of many off nights.

Watching Chris Paul and Tony Parker go toe-to-toe tonight (Paul 35 pts, 9 assists; Parker 31 pts, 11 assists) was truly exciting to watch and gave me renewed hope in the NBA and reminded me how special this year's playoffs are to watch.

Even Kobe Bryant can't deny that Chris Paul looked like the MVP tonight

Don't want Bonds? Must be collusion

2008-05-07T03:08:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it, MLB owners don't want to sign Barry Bonds. Afterall, Bonds is only the single biggest lockerroom distraction in recent baseball history and has more people writing him hate mail than cheering him in the stands.

The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) has opened an investigation to determine if owners are in collusion as Barry Bonds, Kenny Lofton and other free agents are going unsigned.

Barry Bonds' agent Jeff Borris indicated that his client is yet to receive an offer from a team since becoming a free agent at the end of the 2007 season. I do enjoy that this allegation implies teams should have no choice but to make Bonds an offer. Barroid has a black cloud over his head and would certainly bring drama to any team that signed him. Bonds may be an incredible hitter into his 40s, but teams are by no means obligated to sign him.

While Bonds is an enormous distraction and realistically would be a bad addition to almost any team, Kenny Lofton may have a case. While Lofton has become more of a defensive liability than a highlight show primed for a SportsCenter Top 10 at any moment, he hit .300 or better in 2 of the last 3 seasons and still stole 23 bases in 2007. Lofton would be a strong addition to most teams, especially those looking for some veteran leadership and a steady leadoff hitter.

Maybe the Mariners should sign Barry Bonds as DH, but I don't know if they have enough free money to pay for his acne medication and increasingly larger hats and shoes each week.

Benson maced for drunken boating

2008-05-06T00:03:00.000-04:00

Careful Cedric, he winked at you. Time to fall over and blame the O-Line!

Cedric Benson of the Chicago Bears was arrested for BOATING While Intoxicated as a result of a routine safety check. During the inspection, it became clear that Benson was intoxicated and resisted arrest, leading to him being maced in the face.

According to reports published by ESPN, Benson took field sobriety tests on the boat and the officer wanted to go to land for further testing. At that point, Benson declined to go ashore and was maced.

My favorite part of this entire story is Benson's response released today.

"I'm thinking, I passed all the tests, did everything right. Then the officer told me we needed to go to land to take more tests. I politely asked him why we needed to go to land to take more tests when I took every test. Then he sprayed me with mace, on his boat.
"I'm not handcuffed. I'm not under arrest. I'm not threatening him. I'm not pushing him. I'm not touching him. And he sprays me right in my eye."

Maybe I'm just skeptical, but for some reason I doubt a law enforcement officer would spray Benson in the face in front of a large group of people just for a good time. While Benson may crumble to 190 pound free safeties in the open field, he still isn't a small guy. Also, officers are intelligent enough to follow proper procedure in any situation involving many witnesses, intoxicated or otherwise.

Any bets on if Cedric played the "Do you know who I am?" card? Maybe the officer knew exactly who Cedric Benson is, the flop 4th draft pick that pushed out Thomas Jones and helped to upset the Bears' lockerroom.

Will the real Boston Celtics please stand up?

2008-05-05T00:35:00.001-04:00

Today I watched one of the most dominating performances I've ever witnessed at the professional level as the Boston Celtics dismantled the Atlanta Hawks. I chatted with friends as I watched the team shut down the Hawks offense to the tune of a double digit lead before the first quarter ended By half time the lead was over 20, and early in the 3rd quarter it was 30. At 79-41 late in the 3rd quarter I expected to see the Celtics pulling back and easing in for the victory. Instead I saw Kevin Garnett skidding across the ground diving for a loose ball, followed by Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo risking injury to do the same.

After my blog a couple nights ago challenging Boston to step it up (found here) I expected Boston to win game 7. Boston has been dominant all season at home and Atlanta is terrible on the road. Also, despite inconsistency in the series, Boston had more experience and talent than Atlanta and had won the previous three home games in the series.

On a quick side note, did anyone catch the note about Boston being 14-2 all time in game 7 situations? Does anyone really think that means anything. Considering none of the current players were on the last team to participate in a game 7, I'm going to go on a limb and say that really doesn't mean anything. It was like during the NCAA tournament when Digger kept pulling out Kansas' record in previous tournament games when they had none of the same players and a different coach. Tradition builds a fan base, it doesn't win championships.

But I digress...

With Cleveland on the horizon it is tough to know which Celtics team will show up. The one that nearly lost to an Atlanta team that finished the season with a losing record, or the one that looked so dominant on defense it took nearly 40 minutes for Atlanta to reach 50 points.

Ultimately Boston can go through the playoffs and win the title without winning a road game, but the chances of going undefeated at the Garden against the likes of Cleveland, Detroit and the Western Conference Champion are very unlikely. Boston will have to win on the road, and the team will have to show it can play in any setting.

One concerning sight from the game today was Paul Pierce. Pierce was in his old refuse-to-pass mode and took several unorthodox shots with time running out on the shot clock. Pierce was particularly bad when KG & Ray Allen were out of the game. Hopefully for Boston's sake Pierce remembers he has two teammates with more talent than himself and doesn't revert to the Antoine Walker era.

The series with Cleveland should be interesting, especially if LeBron James and company steal game one in Boston.

Anyone know Kevin Garnett's field goal percentage during playoff appearances with a full moon? Ask the guys at ESPN who want to quantify everything into a cool statistic with no relevancy.

Kentucky Derby Parties? Seriously?

2008-05-04T02:20:00.000-04:00

When August comes I almost always try to make my way to a college campus and catch a good tailgate party. Every year for the Super Bowl I make sure I have a ridiculous spread of food, beer and pounds of salty snacks. There is something about the manliness of football that must be enjoyed by other people as you gorge to excess. With that in mind, I couldn't help but be a little disturbed when I heard people calling in national sports talk shows all week to talk about their Kentucky Derby plans.

The only thing more disturbing than the thought of Kentucky Derby parties was listening to the talk show hosts trying to sell the event as an elite sporting event. Let me tell you something; I was offended a couple years ago when Pardon the Interruption tried including the X-Games as a major sporting event. To hear the Kentucky Derby in the mix ranks up there with the Australian Open for tennis or the MLS finals. The only people who really get into the Kentucky Derby are social elites who need a little more time on camera.

The average American really has no interest in the Kentucky Derby aside from the betting odds in hopes of making it on a 20-1 pony for $50. This year there was no bigger disappointment when Big Brown (3-1) won the Derby and made all the long shot gamblers pissed off and broke. Only people who play it safe and back their bet with the favorite really made out today and even those people would rather have seen Z Fortune or another horse charge to the finish.

I'm really not against horse racing, but what I am against is the love affair it gets with some heavy hitters in the media for the few days out of the year when they try to convince us that the sport is a big deal the other 352 days when legs of the triple crown are not being run.

If you're planning your next sports party, don't include the wine tasting, you'll just turn off those of us who are real sporting fans.

MLB Power Rankings - Top 10

2008-05-04T01:40:00.001-04:00

I caught the ESPN Power Rankings for Major League Baseball again this week (found here) and also those from a few other sites, and regrettably none of them can seem to figure things out. Below is the only legitimate list you'll find on the internet.

1. Arizona Diamondbacks - Arizona is led by its pitching with a combined 15-1 record among its top three pitchers (Webb, Haren & Owings). LA is finally picking things up and they may be the only team capable of preventing Arizona from getting a double-digit lead in the NL West before the All-Star break.

2. Los Angeles Angels - The Angels are getting it done and have had success from all areas of the bullpen. Torii Hunter is looking like one of the best offseason acquisitions at this point and Vladimir Guerrero hasn't even hinted at a hot streak yet. If this team stays healthy all season, they'll be the dark horse for the pennant.

3. Chicago Cubs - Let's face it, Chicago is ready for this season. There is a certain swagger to this year's Cubs and maybe the pressure after 100 years of failing isn't that high anymore. Derrek Lee is looking like an MVP and Kosuke Fukudome makes Ichiro look like "that other Japanese player" with a smooth .348 batting average. Right now the Cubs rank first in the NL in batting average and runs scored, all while Alfonso Soriano has been out or ineffective. Carlos Zambrano is also looking flat out mean at this point, and moving Ryan Dempster to the starting rotation may be the smartest move this club has made since acquiring Aramis Ramierez.

4. St. Louis Cardinals - For everything that Chicago is doing right, St. Louis is right there with them and currently leading the division. While the red birds are leading the Cubbies to this point, the team hasn't had the same level of consistency and run potential each night that Chicago possesses. Albert Puljos is stroking the ball like always and St. Louis is going to be neck and neck with Chicago all season.

5. Philadelphia Phillies - Yes I'm aware that Philly is only 17-14 but is there anyone that wants to face Philadelphia right now? The team leads the NL East on the strength of Chase Utley's bat (.369, 13 HR, 26 RBI) and the middle of the lineup is going to cause problems all season. With just a little more consistency out of the starting pitching, Philadelphia just may hold its division lead and keep New York and Atlanta at bay.

6. Oakland Athletics - The A's have some of that "The Little Engine that Could" mentality. It seems like every year they lose talented free agents and drop money off the roster, only to contend the following year. They're like the Minnesota Twins of NoCal. I really like the addition of Frank Thomas particularly due to his success with the team in 2006 you can't deny a 3.26 ERA that leads the American League. The Angels will have Oakland breathing down their necks all season.

7. Los Angeles Dodgers - I don't know what happened during the first couple weeks of the season, but somehow Joe Torre sorted things out, as he always does, and got this team moving in the right direction. Now at 17-13 Los Angeles is moving things in the right direction and seem unstoppable during the past week. I may have ranked the Dodgers a rung or two higher, but Andruw Jones has been too horrendous (.163, 1 HR, 4 RBI) for me to consider this to be an elite team. Rafael Furcal is really looking strong to this point, however.

8. Boston Red Sox - While Boston isn't exactly blowing people away, the team looks like the Yankees of the late 1990s. Everyone knows they can flip the switch at any time and rattle off 10 of 12 and they're going to be in contention when the post season rolls around. All it's going to take for this team to explode will be one throw-down with the Yankees. I would not want to be the pitcher responsible for throwing at Manny Ramierez and waking this sleeping giant.

9. Detroit Tigers - After an anemic start on offense Detroit has recently found something of a groove. The bats are warming up and balls are flying out of Comerica Park faster than F150s roll off the assembly line. The return of Curtis Granderson has helped to spark the offense, and Placido Polanco is finding his bat. Miguel Cabrera looks very comfortable not being the guy every night and Ordonez isn't far off his form from a year ago. If Detroit's starting pitching figures things out you'll want to take cover.

10. New York Mets - The Mets are underachieving to this point at only 15-13 but Johan Santana looks like he's made the transition from the AL to the NL without much difficulty (3-2, 3.12 ERA) and the bats will be there as the season wears on. On another positive note, Billy Wagner is still yet to give up a run and has 6 saves on the season.

I don't know if the Power Rankings will become a regular part of the Sportsomniac, but with so little on TV tonight and all the news being about the Kentucky Derby, I had to find something to keep me busy all night.

Can someone please inform the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees that they need to pick things up? If the Spurs vs Hornets game wasn't on tonight they would have ended up in the Bottom 10 list.

Kobe wins MVP

2008-05-04T01:15:00.000-04:00

Something feels wrong about Kobe Bryant winning the MVP award this year. In year's past he has been more dominant, as recently as a season ago. He has also had better numbers, like in 2002-03 when he averaged 30 ppg or 05-06 when he eclipsed 35 ppg.

For this season, Kobe hasn't been the most dominant player, that distinction is left for Chris Paul. He also hasn't put up the biggest numbers, that honor goes to LeBron James (30 ppg, 7.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists). LeBron has risen to be the best driver of the basketball and is doing it as the only real scoring option in Cleveland. Without James, I doubt Delonte West and Ben Wallace would rise to the challenge and carry Cleveland to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Kobe wasn't even the player to spark the most improvement on his team, also going to another MVP contender in Kevin Garnett. Garnett led the Celtics from 24-58 to 66-16, an improvement of 42 games! Garnett also provided the spark on defense Boston needed while letting his more selfish teammates shoot more on offense. Garnett's scoring decreased, but he was more efficient with the ball as he improved his fieldgoal percentage 13% from a year ago, increasing to .539. Meanwhile, the Lakers never really got better until the team acquired Pau Gasol from Memphis. Without Gasol, Kobe was trying to keep the Lakers together as a playoff contender.

Thankfully two weeks from now Los Angeles will be out of the playoffs and this will all be forgotten as Kobe watches someone else hoist the trophy he so desperately wants to win without Shaq.

Time to Step up "Boston Threeparty"

2008-05-03T00:40:00.002-04:00

I enjoy ESPN commercials as much as anyone else, and the Boston Threeparty is fairly witty, but right now the guys are looking foolish in the face of an overachieving Atlanta Hawks team. Tonight it was all about Kevin Garnett who played a steady game, leading the team in points (22), rebounds (7), assists (6), blocks (3) and steals (2). Meanwhile for Boston it was a quiet night from Sam Cassell who has been the biggest indicator of the team's success so far in the playoffs. In Boston's three wins Cassell is averaging 11 ppg compared to 2 ppg in their three losses. Not surprising, it is typically the bench that makes the difference between a good team and a great team.

For the scrappy Hawks team it has not been a series of lucky shots or hot 3-point shooting. In fact, Joe Johnson's 3-pointer with just over a minute to go was the only successful 3-pointer from the team that finished 1-7 behind the line.

Meanwhile, Cleveland closed out the Washington Wizards and will be awaiting the winner of Boston and Atlanta. The expectation of Boston vs. Los Angeles in the finals is in serious jeopardy at this point while Kevin Garnett's teammates look more like members of the Minnesota Timberwolves than perennial all-stars.

If the Celtics go down it will mean a likely rematch between Cleveland and Detroit in the Eastern Conference Finals, and again it would likely be LeBron versus the balanced Pistons. That said, let's not get ahead of ourselves as Boston should be a heavy favorite going into game 7 and Kevin Garnett and the Celts should step up to claim the first round victory.

Avery Johnson is the only person who wouldn't blame Doc Rivers if the Celtics lost in round 1 of the playoffs. Afterall, doesn't the regular season mean anything?

Indians & Tigers are Back! + MLB Rewind

2008-05-02T00:04:00.000-04:00

I can now comfortably say that the Detroit Tigers have turned things around for the season. There were a few points along the way where they showed the team was headed toward a winning season many predicted, but the recent sweep of the Yankees in New York and at only 1 game below .500, Detroit is back in contention.

Fortunately for Jim Leyland and the Tigers, the AL Central has been far from the hyper-competitive division many experts predicted. Many predicted winning 90 games would probably finish 3rd as preseason estimates had Detroit and Cleveland both at 90+ game winners. Now they're knotted up at 14-15 with only the Chicago White Sox ahead of them at 14-12.

With the first full month of the season in the books, baseball is resembling normality at this point. However, Brandon Webb could still pass for Superman and Derek Jeter's .357 slugging percentage more closely resembles a typical batting average for the Yankee captain.

Here are a few things we know for sure at this point, and some questions that are unanswered.

What we know:
1. The Arizona Diamondbacks can pitch. With Brandon Webb, Dan Haren and Micah Owings combining for a 14-1 record as starters the three are making major leaguers look silly at the plate. While they won't maintain that pace all season, they're not just getting outs, they're dominating people at this point.

2. Carlos Zambrano would be the best hitter on the Cubs if it wasn't for Derek Lee. Zambrano has a .421 slugging percentage and has 9 homeruns in the past 2+ seasons. And oh, by the way, Zambrano is 4-1 with a 2.11 ERA. That big contract the Cubbies offered up is looking a lot better than the $126 million forfeited by the Giants for Barry Zito.

3. Torii Hunter was a great addition to the Los Angeles Angels. Hunter is batting .299 with 55 total bases, second on the team and ahead of Vladimir Guerrero. Most importantly, Hunter is making it tougher for opposing pitchers to work through the middle of the Angels' lineup. No more are these a scrappy bunch of base stealers with one big bat in the lineup, the Angels are going to go as far as their pitching can hold up, and that appears to be to an AL West title.

Now for what we don't know:
1. Greg Maddux should get to win 350 before the All-Star break. For one of the greatest pitchers of all time, and the greatest of this era (I'll reference all Clemens proponents to the Mitchell Report), but the Padres are not giving Maddux any help. In his last two outings since reaching 349 career wins, Maddux has gone 7 innings of 4-hit ball without a run in the first (no decision) and 6.1 innings of 3-run ball in the second (loss). With Adrian Gonzalez as the team's primary offensive force, it's little wonder that Maddux, Young, Peavy and the rest will struggle to get wins this season despite having ridiculous ERAs.

2. Where John Smoltz will fall in the rotation by season end. John Smoltz just hit the 15-day disabled list and is reportedly going to be returning to the team as a reliever. While John Smoltz was the best closer in baseball a couple years ago, he is far too talented to be in that role. I have a lot of respect for someone like Mariano Rivera who can completely shut down the middle of a lineup in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Smoltz made a bigger impact throwing 8-inning gems than he ever can out of the 'pen. That said, who could blame a guy who consistently plays his heart out and rarely gets any runs from his team. Thank goodness for Atlanta that Chipper got off to a hot start (.410 average, 8hr) because the team is 0-9 in 1-run games so far this year. Switch that to 9-0 and theyd have the best record in baseball.

3. How long Roy Halladay's arm will stay on. The season is still young but Halladay has already thrown 4 complete games and leads the bigs in innings pitched. With a 3.26 ERA Halladay has looked sensational at times. Now for the downside; at 2-4 Halladay is getting no help and without the underproducing Frank Thomas, there is little pop left in the lineup aside from Vernon Wells. Already in last place in one of the most top heavy divisions in baseball, Toronto is going to need Halladay to continue throwing strong late into the season, but the amount of innings he has pitched already are going to catch up to him eventually.

The season is still young and there are a lot of moves yet to take place, but we're already primed for a big summer. Do you think the Yankees will miss A-Rod while Jeter is hitting the way he is? Hopefully for them they're not 10 games back when he returns.

Sorry Avery, It's time to Go

2008-04-30T00:01:00.000-04:00

Over the past few years, Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban has remained steadfast on one thing, and that was he would not trade Dirk Nowitzki. Instead, Cuban and company brought in the 'missing link' in Jason Kidd who was anything but the veteran leadership the Mavs needed.

In the five games against the Hornets, Kidd averaged less than 8 points and 7 assists per game. Kidd also seemed to completely lose his touch as a shooter. Despite being "Mr. Triple Double" Kidd really added very little value to the franchise and in many cases left scoring opportunities on the court that would have likely been converted by Devin Harris.

While there is certainly plenty of blame that Kidd deserves, and Chris Paul's rise to elite status should be considered, the main problem with this Mavericks' team is Avery Johnson. From his time as a player of the San Antonio Spurs it was evident that Avery Johnson is a natural leader. Johnson is intelligent and intense, but he has lost his team. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs the Mavs were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors after entering the tournament as the top team in the league and an overwhelming favorite.

The true measurement of a coach is the ability prepare for every opponent and rally a team to victory. And while Avery Johnson may do so many things right as a coach, he has been unable to get it done in the playoffs. Much like Rick Carlisle couldn't get over the hump with the Detroit Pistons, Avery Johnson hasn't gotten the most out of his team. Dallas looked like a team without an answer for a New Orleans team which only has two real players needing to be shut down. While David West had a great series, he's still no Dirk Nowitzki.

The only way I can really see Avery Johnson keeping his job is if the Mavs make some major personnel changes in the offseason. Josh Howard, Jason Kidd and Jerry Stackhouse should all be on the chopping block, regardless of Avery's status with the team. Dallas owner Mark Cuban will only tolerate losing for so long, and he's not going to pass up the chance to make his team better for next season.

Even Mike D'Antonio thinks Avery Johnson failed to prepare his team for the playoffs

Barry Zito is a Historic Failure

2008-04-29T00:39:00.000-04:00

Today the San Francisco Giants revealed that pitcher Barry Zito, the $126 million man is being relegated to the bullpen. At 0-6 with a 7.53 ERA Zito is one of only three pitchers in history to lose six games in the month of April, joining the elite group, joining Dave Stewart and Mike Maroth.While there is no official word on how long Zito will be backing up the likes of Kevin Correia (1-3, 4.50 ERA) and Matt Cain (0-2, 5.27 ERA), the real question is if he should be called on with the game on the line and what will have to be done in order for him to return to the starting rotation.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Giants weren't looking for an $18 million/year middle reliever when they decided to bring on Barry Zito before the 2007 season. Zito is the highest paid pitcher in the majors despite a clear decline in production following his 23-5 Cy Young season of 2002. Zito has won a high of 16 games in a single season since and has had as many losses as wins since the start of 2003.

Even Kerry Wood is making fun of Barry Zito's loss of pitching ability.

Larry Brown ready to coach again, should he be?

2008-04-25T01:42:00.001-04:00

Whenever someone with a successful past wants to take one last run at the big show it makes me cringe. Whether it was Michael Jordan lacing up for the Washington Wizards or any other elite athlete making a post-prime return, the potential to add to a legacy is minimal. Instead, we all think the same thing in that the person has no business getting back into the big leagues and should settle away in retirement and coach prep sports in their home town (see Brett Favre).

While normally we talk about players, coaches are often guilty of failing to call it quits. Recently Joe Gibbs proved that while his style of play can be effective at times, it doesn't mean much if the team never responds to it. Bill Parcells left Dallas with work left to be done, and now Larry Brown wants back into the NBA or NCAA to coach basketball. Brown is 67 and already holds titles in the NCAA (Kansas, 1988) and the NBA (Detroit, 2004). As a member of the basketball Hall of Fame Brown has little left to prove. However, after a failed attempt with the Knicks (which I think we all know wasn't exactly his fault, see Isiah Thomas) Brown slipped off the sidelines and into the office as VP of the Philadelphia 76ers.

With the prospect of some high profile collegiate and NBA positions open, Brown has the type of resume that would lure suitors from across the country. However, Brown also has been noted for one very important trait, the ability to rub players the wrong way. Whether it was Allen Iverson or half the Pistons' lineup, Brown doesn't usually make friends. Larry Brown has the ability to make a team better in spite of its efforts, not because of them. When he was in New York, there were simply too many players that didn't want to comply with what coach was saying, and never really wanted to buy in. If Larry Brown seriously wants to get back on the sidelines, he's going to have to adjust to the selfish style of play that roughly 25 NBA franchises play and almost all star college players throw down.

Hey Larry, I'm on your side. Players are too selfish and need the fundamentals, but sadly your message is that of an old man to a bunch of punk kids.

Even Joe Paterno thinks Larry Brown is too washed up to coach again.

Pacman the next Ricky Williams?

2008-04-24T05:28:00.002-04:00

Did someone say strip club?

Pacman Jones was just traded from the Tennessee Titans to the Dallas Cowboys for a 4th round draft pick. The trade includes a clause that Pacman has to play significant time and be reinstated by the league or the Titans will have to deal them an undisclosed pick in 2009.

For Pacman Jones this is time for a new start, not as if he hasn't been given that opportunity before, but it is a change of locale this time. Jones will be playing with a team of talented young players and veterans and should help a defense that was already strong a year ago. Jones should also be able to make an instant impact on the kick and punt return teams where Dallas struggled a year ago.

In the contract with Dallas, Jones will receive $0 in guaranteed money (that compares to the $30 million in guarantees for Jake Long in his 5-year contract). What that does for Dallas is ensure they don't get snubbed in the deal if Jones can't be reinstated or relapses into another strip club bender where he gets drunk with naked women and allegedly flees the scene of a crime...allegedly.

So while Dallas did all the things they needed to do to avoid paying out huge sums of money to a player banned from the league, the expectations have to be low for Pacman. The man has already had one major relapse due to strip club withdrawal and as soon as he starts cashing paychecks again he's certain to be spending a weekend at Scores or some other blue-chip "gentlemen's club."

Even Ricky Williams' former agent, rapper Master P, wouldn't have negotiated a contract with $0 in guarantees

Dolphins smart to take Long, now what?

2008-04-23T00:28:00.000-04:00

Jake Long is far from a flashy player and may not be the total package at left tackle that Joe Thomas was in the 2007 draft, but he is the smartest choice for the Miami Dolphins. I've listened to a lot of analysts talk about Long's relative lack of skill as a pass rusher, but he will give Miami the cornerstone to a rebuilding effort.

As discussed on "The Herd" with Colin Cowherd left tackle is one of the important positions that has to be successful in order to build a great team (others mentioned were quarterback, corner, defensive end). In my rating, I had Long as the No. 7 overall player but the No. 1 overall pick in my projection due to Miami's inability to solidify the offensive line. The team didn't need to take Matt Ryan as they invested in John Beck a year ago and while the defense is aging, it is not the most glaring issue for the team. While I'm not a Parcells fan, the drafting of Long makes sense as he was never a threat to be a holdout for pay and will be a leader in the locker room early in his career. Being flashy sells jerseys, it doesn't rebuild franchises.

The next question is what St. Louis should do with the 2nd overall pick. While there are teams looking to move up, and St. Louis may consider moving down, history shows that there are rarely trades into the top 5 overall picks and we can expect to see the Rams make a selection. The team needs to go defensive line and while Glenn Dorsey is the man to choose according to Mel Kiper Jr. (why do we still listen to someone who claimed Mike Williams as the best player in the 2005 draft class?) I look at Vernon Gholston as the best fit for the team. Gholston is level headed and improved his numbers for his senior season, unlike Dorsey who struggled with injury and consistency, and ultimately is a tackle while the Rams need more help at defensive end. Gholston is also a sack machine for a team that struggled with only 31 in 2007.

With the draft looming I can't help but wonder, what keeps Mel Kiper Jr.'s hair in place? Even Pat Riley is jealous of that gel-job.

NBA Playoffs provide lack of upsets, lots of story lines

2008-04-22T00:19:00.002-04:00

I can't help but feel like I'm somehow going to be cheated if all of the higher seeded teams win in the first round of the NBA playoffs. That said, it worked wonders for the NCAA Tournament to have all four one-seeds in the Final Four. Many experts predicted zero upsets and so far the only team leading the series that isn't favored is the Philadelphia 76ers against Detroit. While Detroit can be a bit lackadaisical at times, there is little doubt that they'll bounce back and get out of the last 6.

While there may not be any first round shockers, and it's still early so we can't quite tell yet, there are some solid story lines emerging. The Suns vs. Spurs opening game was ridiculous to watch, and while it didn't have the late night appeal preferred by the sports insomniac audience, especially for two west coast teams, the game was an instant classic and immortalized Tim Duncan. Shaq needs to show up big in the coming games in order to avoid looking old and defense-less against Duncan and the Spurs, a team he was supposed to help the Suns in beating.

Tracy McGrady is already well on his way to his typical choke job and first round exit. There's little doubt Utah will take the series behind the strength of Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams. McGrady looked really strong in game 2 of the series, for three quarters...again. There is a reason analysts and casual fans weren't picking Houston to go anywhere in the playoffs, even during their 22-game winning streak.

In the East Chicago and Miami...err... Sorry about that slip, I momentarily forgot Chicago fired one coach, didn't offer a job to his replacement, and missed the playoffs and Miami was statistically eliminated so early in the season their coach spent more time on vacation than on the sidelines. The East is looking like a two-team race. Boston is a cinch to win the top half of the bracket and Detroit should emerge from the lower half. When it became apparent that the Cleveland deal didn't help out LeBron it started the countdown to the Boston vs. Detroit showdown for the Eastern Conference Championship.

At this stage in the game, it's tough not to like the Lakers to come out of the West. Los Angeles won't have to face Phoenix, San Antonio, New Orleans or Dallas until the Western Conference Finals, if at all, and Utah doesn't really scare me with how solid Pau Gasol is looking. And yes, I made a reference to the fate of the Lakers being in the hands of Pau Gasol. Kobe may win the NBA MVP, and ESPN has been putting on a love fest for him as the best player in the league (how we keep forgetting LeBron, Howard and Garnett in these discussions is beyond me) but once again if the Lakers win a title Kobe will have to be in a backseat role. Kobe Bryant does not make his teammates better, but having the dominant presence of Pau Gasol and the mismatches he creates is what is making Los Angeles difficult to play against. When LA acquired Gasol they were a borderline playoff team and went on to finish the season as the top seed in the conference and a favorite to win the NBA Championship.

With only a few days of the playoffs complete the one question to ask; how does Gilbert Arenas' 7 points on 2-10 shooting fit in with the plan to beat Cleveland? I'm guessing an embarrassing 0-2 start wasn't part of the master plan.

Bears need to give Urlacher an extension

2008-04-19T00:34:00.001-04:00

Image from DallasNews.com

Brian Urlacher is suddenly not a happy man, and not in the unhappy way he hits opposing offenses who dare to come over the middle, but in the disgruntled form of unhappy. Urlacher is reportedly wanting a multi-year extension to his contract with the Chicago Bears. Urlacher is currently wrapped up in a nine-year deal that he signed in 2003 for $56 million.

While Urlacher still has several years left on the deal and received a hefty $13 million signing bonus at the time the deal was signed, he is claiming that he has outperformed the deal. And while the deal was a big one, he has a good argument. In 2007 Urlacher had a quiet season by his standards and still had 123 tackles, 5 sacks and 5 INTs with 1 TD. Urlacher also has won a defensive player of the year award in 2005 and has amassed 6 pro bowls in only 8 seasons.

Chicago proved difficult to deal with in the Lance Briggs contract situation and threatened holdout and again has not been quick to deal with Urlacher. According to ESPN.com a one-year extension has been offered, but Urlacher's agents are seeking more. While there may be concerns about his health, Urlacher has missed only 7 games in 8 seasons, all in 2004.

Needless to say, Brian Urlacher is one of the best players in the NFL and the most marketable person in Chicago sports. While I rarely side with a player seeking more money when they are getting paid millions already, the Chicago Bears should throw stacks of cash at the person who keeps Chicago interesting. Without Brian Urlacher and Devin Hester, Chicago would be a 3-win team with unsold tickets by the barrel load. Just like New England is stingy with pay but paid Tom Brady well, Chicago needs to do the same for its star player.

Brian Urlacher is an irreplaceable player. Are there five defenders you'd rather have to start a team?

Padres, Rockies go 22 strong

2008-04-18T05:28:00.001-04:00

Image from ESPN.com, courtesy of FSN Rocky Mountain

Sports insomniacs rejoiced last night while being treated to a 22-inning showdown between the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres. For those of us who live for the late night theatre, the pitching duel between the two NL West opponents provided more late night excitement than a slurpee run to 7-Eleven.

In a game that featured 658 pitches from 15 different pitchers and stretched on until 4:21 AM EST. The teams' combined 30 runners left on base and 37 strikeouts won't likely be beaten this season, as the 22-inning showdown was the longest game since 1993.

Perhaps the most impressive statistic is that Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba and Padres Josh Bard caught the entire game for their respective teams. They might wake up in the morning with sore knees.

At one point in the game they flashed to the grounds crew who was set to clean up the stadium, impatiently and tiredly waiting for the game to finish so they could get to work. Both Colorado and San Diego are hitting the road after the long matchup, highlighted by Greg Maddux going for his 350th career win Friday in Arizona.

Would Ernie Banks make his famous "Let's play two!" call after a game like this?

Miguel Tejada admits to being 47 years old

2008-04-18T00:21:00.001-04:00

In all seriousness, Miguel Tejada is now admitting to be 33 after spending his entire Major League career lying about his age. Tejada, who was traded to the Astros before the season, is now two years closer to a productivity decline.

At one point in the story originally reported by The Houston Chronicle, Tejada said, "I'm feeling free now. It's something that I had in my mind."

Is there anyone who is buying this? Tejada is pretending like he's a victim in this instance that he can now live freely now that people know the truth about his age. That's about as convincing as when Tejada said he didn't take steroids.

I'm a little surprised it took so long for Tejada's real age to be released, considering ESPN.com stated that his driver's license, green card, and other official documents list May 25, 1974 as his date of birth. That also means Tejada is only six weeks away from turning 34. Aside from Barry Bonds, players generally don't have career years after hitting their mid thirties. Then again, Bonds also had unusual growth in head and foot size...but that is all natural afterall.

I think my favorite part of the story posted on ESPN is the line "Earlier in the interview, before being presented with the birth certificate, Tejada was asked how old he was. His answer was '32' -- which is neither his real age nor his listed age." I don't know who Miggy thought he was fooling there, because only he is fooled by the tricky conversion of figuring his age. Considering every child can factor in the "half" year old, I'm left to assume Tejada was simply rounding up with what he reported to be his (alleged) 32nd birthday upcoming. Tejada probably won't realize the full effect of his newly revealed age when he hits the free agent market at 35 instead of 33.

Anyone want to take bets on if Julio Franco is in his sixties? The over-under is set at 57.

Tiger Woods out Four Weeks

2008-04-16T00:07:00.001-04:00

Tiger Woods underwent surgery Tuesday to repair damage to his left knee. The injury had been plaguing Tiger for several weeks according to Woods and his agent Mark Steinberg. Woods' decision to undergo the knee surgery, or need for the surgery, were a well hidden secret as even his swing coach Hank Haney did not know Woods planned to get the surgery Tuesday until this week according to a quote on ESPN.

Tiger is expected to miss four weeks with the injury. The Players Championship will fall within that stretch and Tiger will be forced to miss the "Fifth Major" but should be ready to return by the US Open. The time away won't be new to Woods who missed considerable time in 2006 following the death of his father. Woods also has recovered from a similar operation in the past and anticipates rehabilitation to go smoothly.

While many are surprised Tiger did not advertise his ailing knee until the day of the surgery, I for one am very glad it was not known going into this past week. Tiger played well from tee to green at Augusta, but can you imagine what the announcers would have been like had they known of the knee injury? I am a Tiger fan for the most part, but there would have been few things worse on Sunday than having to hear how Tiger's knee impacted every poor shot and missed putt (you know they would have tried to blame the putting on the knee too).

Now the PGA realizes its real problem - ratings in events where Tiger Woods is not in the field. Somehow Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els don't seem to carry the same allure to the casual fan.

Carmelo provides black eye with DUI

2008-04-15T00:48:00.001-04:00

Nothing like giving your team some negative press heading into the playoffs

On behalf of journalists everywhere, I'd like to thank Carmelo Anthony for reminding us that the NBA is unpopular in the United States for a reason, specifically the actions of its players.

According to published reports and police statements, Anthony was pulled over after weaving and failing to dim his lights. Anthony then failed filed sobriety tests and was taken to police headquarters where he took a blood test and was released to a sober third party after being charged with a DUI. The result of the blood test won't be released for about two weeks, just in time for Denver to be out of the playoffs following a first round loss.

Fortunately for the Nuggets, Golden State blew a late lead tonight against the Phoenix Suns and eliminated themselves from the playoffs. Had the Warriors won the media circus in what would have been a critical 82nd game of the season would have been ridiculous. Instead, the game against Memphis will mean as little for Denver as it does for the Grizzlies.

I am certainly not saying the NBA is the only league with issues by its players, but it is the league that promotes the individual over the team (see previous blog). It's not often Allen Iverson can look like the more responsible player.

In 'Melo's defense, the Nuggets are only about to enter the playoffs where they'll face either New Orleans or Los Angeles. Terrell Owens and Stephon Marbury have shown that off field issues can have a huge impact on the focus of a team, and hopefully for Denver that issue doesn't overshadow the team's attempt to make a first round upset in the playoffs.

Even Pacman Jones and Chris Henry think Carmelo showed a lack of judgement in his off field behavior.

Brett, Please stay Retired

2008-04-13T00:47:00.000-04:00

On a slow day in sports, somehow the rumor of Brett Favre returning to the NFL emerged again. While I don't foresee Favre throwing another pass for the Packers, I would give the plea for him to stay retired. For a point of reference on Favre's potential retirement, let's refer to two other elite athletes in other sports.

We couldn't talk about a failed retirement return if we didn't talk about Michael Jordan. Jordan's first return was a complete success. Other than the ugly playoff loss to Orlando just weeks after his initial comeback, MJ led the Bulls to another three-peat of NBA Championships. However, what is most remembered is Jordan's failed second return from retirement. Two failed seasons with the Washington Wizards while watching an overweight Jordan struggle to motivate his young, less talented and lazy teammates was truly hard to watch.

Another failed return was that of Roger Clemens. Clemens never missed a season to retirement as Jordan did, but things are turning out even worse for him. Had Clemens left after his great 2005 season in Houston where he led the majors with a 1.87 ERA. However, Clemens was tempted out of retirement in 2006 with a huge contract and has to be regretting it today as he finds himself neck deep in steroid allegations and legal proceedings, all after a disappointing 6-6 season with the Yankees.

So while I don't believe a word of the rumors/reports that Brett Favre is considering a return to the NFL, my advice to him, as demonstrated by the failed multi-retirement career endings of other elite athletes, is to let it go and go out on top. There is nothing wrong with leaving the money on the table in favor of maintaining your dignity.

Anyone else hoping Steve Young follows Keyshawn Johnson back to the gridiron from the broadcast studio?

Ready for a Masterful Weekend

2008-04-12T00:17:00.003-04:00

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are looking up, hoping for other players to slip down the leaderboard. (Image by Donald Miralle of Getty Images)

There are many signs of Spring. Robins appear, flowers sprout up, and Tiger Woods sightings are all over SportsCenter. At the half way point of The Masters fans are braced for a great weekend full of possible story lines. At -1 after shooting rounds of 72 & 71, Tiger Woods is 7 strokes off the lead, trailing Trevor Immelman who shot his second 68 on Friday.

Also in the mix is Phil Mickelson, whose ability to hit incredible shots as well as horrific shots (Winged Foot anyone?) makes him exciting to watch. Between Woods and Mickelson they combine for five of the last seven green jackets given out at what many consider to be the year's biggest event. Mickelson will tee off in the second to last group at 2:30, while Woods will beat him onto the course by 80 minutes with his 1:10 start.

While ESPN and other media outlets have pointed out the statistic that only one golfer has ever come back from being more than six back to win the Masters, Tiger Woods is far from out of contention. With tougher conditions expected for the weekend, Woods is still holding his status as betting favorite to win the tournament, rivaled most closely by Mickelson. Woods also came from six-back to win the 2005 Masters.

Trevor Immelman is a steady player and might not be as likely to slip up as a more volatile player like Mickelson or Sergio Garcia (Garcia's not in contention, but I can't pass up a chance to bash on the deliberate and streaky player..or his Chaquita Banana wardrobe), but he also hasn't been in as many pressure situations with the type of field on his heels as he'll have this weekend. Joining Woods in the group of players on the border of contention are Retief Goosen (-2), Vijay Singh (-1) and Jim Furyk (-1). While Woods will almost certainly make a move, expect one of these players to put on some pressure as well. With how they're playing right now, I expect Singh to be that person as he is only a hot putter away from really going low.

It's not a popular opinion because Tiger is always Tiger, but all the talk of Woods winning every major this year is getting really preemptive and winning the Masters is certainly in doubt at this point. After two rounds I like the steadiness of Immelman's game and the focus of Mickelson. If conditions really toughen up Tiger will be in position to make his move, but the field will have to come back to him a little, and with so many strong players at the top Woods will need to make more birdies. Tiger has had a few bad breaks with approach shots not holding or putts lipping out, and a few luckier bounces and a bit of momentum in his favor could be all he needs to make his charge.

If Mickelson falters and Woods fades, will you be watching CBS on Sunday?

Why is Walsh considering keeping Thomas?

2008-04-10T01:17:00.002-04:00

Even Zeke knows he's to blame for the Knicks' current state of affairs

New team president of the New York Knicks, Donnie Walsh, is stated to be considering retaining Isiah Thomas for the 2008-09 season. Walsh has yet to meet with Isiah Thomas, and does have a few tough questions for the former Pistons great. The list is said to include what caused the feud with Stephon Marbury and also his disagreement with Eddy Curry that resulted in Curry's benching. Zeke also got into it with star center Zach Randolph and Quentin Richardson. All of those situations are on top of the 23-56 record, which ranks 5th worst in the NBA.

For those who may be thinking that Thomas is a victim of circumstance, and he simply has a difficult group of players whose personalities make it tough to win, there is one simple truth; Isiah Thomas is responsible for bringing in EVERY player currently on the New York Knicks. Essentially, Thomas dug his own grave by bringing in players with questionable character such as Marbury and Zach Randolph (has any former Trailblazer turned out well?).

The New York Knicks are now on their way to their worst season ever and it is up to newly hired Knicks President Donnie Walsh to determine Thomas' future. Perhaps the only thing more amazing than Zeke's ability to retain his job this long, is the fact that Walsh has not called for his resignation effective season end already.

In all professional sports managers and coaches are rated on results, fairly or unfairly. There are some markets where this is particularly true, none more so than New York. Joe Torre was effectively run out of the Big Apple despite several World Series rings and playoff appearances. Thomas has taken the once proud Knicks franchise, which wasn't in great shape when he inherited to be fair, and has further run it into the ground.

If Thomas were a model citizen (see sexual harassment claim) or loved by his team (see any NY Knicks player) there may be a legitimate case for him to retain his job. However, the clear facts are that Isiah Thomas is a horrible coach and a deplorable general manager and team president. If Donnie Walsh wants to get off to a good start, and build a lasting future, he needs to be decisive with his first move and find the best replacement on the market.

Anyone in New York hoping for a Pat Riley return?

Ewing, Olajuwon Represent Golden Era of NBA

2008-04-09T00:25:00.001-04:00

The NBA was recently ranked behind NASCAR, Major League Baseball, the NFL, College Basketball & Football and even the NHL in a popularity poll. The NBA is now a shell of its former self, only a decade after the final retirement of Michael Jordan and many of the other Top 50 players in NBA history.

Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon were elected into the Hall of Fame this week, and while they were far from flashy players, they joined the likes of Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen to demonstrate fundamental team basketball where the competitiveness of the game outshadowed the individual accomplishments of the players. Now highlights include 7 dunks by Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant with a small mention at the end that the Lakers won by 10.

While I'm not a proponent of eliminating individual accomplishment from the NBA, the promotion of the individual is doomed for failure. As the "stars" of the game fail both personally and professionally, it takes away from the excitement of the game. The last thing advertisers want to see is another San Antonio vs. Detroit NBA Finals because Duncan, Ginobli, Hamilton and Billups aren't flashy scorers. The teams play fundamental basketball but they don't have the explosiveness of Kobe & KG.

It may be hard to imagine the NBA returning to the greatness of the 90s, stars like Allen Iverson, Starbury and Kobe Bryant aren't helping the image of the league. Fundamental team basketball that is competitive, where players are active on defense, is ultimately more interesting to watch than a 168-142 shootout between two teams with no sense of defense.

Am I the only one who would like to see one last MJ return?

Memphis Refuses to Win

2008-04-08T01:40:00.003-04:00

Watching the National Championship game tonight I couldn't help but wish it was UCLA & UNC. Kansas and Memphis tried desperately to lose the game but ultimately it was Memphis who succeeded in failing. My hat goes off to the kids from Memphis who suddenly remembered they don't know how to shoot free throws.

One thing that was apparent tonight was how Kansas looked battle tested, with close wins over UNLV, Davidson and North Carolina, Kansas maintained poise with the game on the line. Despite a horrible layup attempt in traffic with about twenty seconds left in regulation, Kansas made all the right decisions late.

Up 9 points with just over two minutes to play, Memphis pulled out the loss from the clutches of certain victory. Congratulations to coach John Calipari who took 30 minutes to realize Kansas was going to do its damage inside, especially with the Memphis big men in early foul trouble.

If there is one thing I'll take out of this game, it is the short term memory of the experts of the media. Memphis was dogged by analysts before the tournament started but when the team knocked off Michigan State big and handled Texas, suddenly everyone was kissing Calipari's feet. Despite the picks of North Carolina and UCLA by most analysts before the tournament, almost everyone flipped their selections to Memphis in the Final Four, never mentioning the previous selections, instead referencing the talent of the Memphis lineup. Dick Vitale even went so far to say that if he was drafting, Derrick Rose would be his No. 1 pick to start a team. This is only weeks after the matchup of O.J. Mayo and Michael Beasley (both first team All-Americans compared to Rose's Third Team status) was billed as the best two players in College Baseketball.

Sincerely, Kansas had a great comeback, but Memphis has only themselves to blame. Kansas lived up to their end of the bargain, but Memphis had opportunity after opportunity to put the game away but failed to do so.

How's KU looking right now Coach Williams?

Orioles will fly South, Tigers will Roar

2008-04-08T01:30:00.003-04:00

There are a few things that get frustrating as a sports fan, and one of them is bandwagon jumpers. I've had to suffer through Davidson's run to the Elite 8 and the Giants making the Superbowl, but now I've actually heard people talking up the Baltimore Orioles and downplaying the potential of the Detroit Tigers.

At what point do people realize that the season is 162 games? As a life-long Cubs fan I endure the pain of watching the team show promise in April and suffer through August, and that bitter reminder every fall is enough to tell me that how a team starts the season has relatively little to do with how they'll finish it.

Certainly the AL Central is a difficult division with the Cleveland Indians the trendy pick to win the World Series this year, but people forget the Yankees were 21-29 at one point in 2007. A number of years ago the Houston Astros were 15-30 and still went on to make the playoffs.

I was amazed to hear commentators pulling out the statistic that no team has ever started 0-6 and made it to the playoffs. Yes, that is a true statistic, but it also means about as much as how Brett Favre's passer rating was influenced by a full moon. The Tigers have a strong start to the rotation, but their bullpen is suspect. However, the team boasts an outstanding lineup and right now it's all a matter of the bats heating up. Granted the team could have scored 12 runs in the final game against the White Sox and still lost, but the team is last in the AL in run production.

The Tigers need to snap out of their slump, but Jim Leyland is too good a manager and the lineup is too strong for the team to play sub-.500 ball for long. By fall the Orioles will have fallen to 4th in the AL East unless they can beat out the Rays in the battle for worst MLB franchise, and the Tigers will be incontention for the Wild Card or AL Central.

Speaking of bandwagons, what happened to the Houston Rockets?