The AZ-TV Sports Blog

Just a quick note re: the Rattlers

2010-02-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posting on the blog of late...it's the slowest time in sports until Spring Training and the NCAA Basketball Tournament begin next month.

I just wanted to chime in regarding AZ-TV's partnership with the Rattlers. As someone who worked to facilitate the deal, I commend our General Manager Jeff Burnton as well as Rattlers owner Brett Bouchy and Team President Danny White for making concessions all around to get this done. We were the station who could give the team the most exposure...but financial considerations on both sides were the sticking point.

Arena Football is a great product and for those of you who have never been, you're missing out. Most people think Arena Football = Kurt Warner, but you would be surprised as to the talent level in the league. Considering the fact that Bouchy and White promised a winning team this season in Arizona, I'm excited to go out and watch.

Saturday, April 17th - mark your calendars - that's the first game to be televised on AZ-TV...against the Chicago Rush (who ironically are co-owned by Mike Ditka).

And on a personal note, I have to say...for all that I've heard about Danny White being the ultimate UofA hater...I can't argue with that...he's cracked some anti-UofA jokes in meetings we've had...but he sure seems to be a good guy. I look forward to working with him and the Rattlers going forward.

Back again soon...

Eric

Tuesday Thoughts - Wow, was I wrong!

2010-02-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

I didn't see that one coming...based on the success Indianapolis has had the last two seasons in meaningful games (25-1 or something like that), I just wasn't going to pick the Saints. But destiny was apparently on their side...and that certainly was an embarrassing pick I made...thoughts below:

-Drew Brees has won over a city like no NFL quarterback has done since Joe Namath. He will forever be a legend in New Orleans...and to think his career was seriously derailed by a severe shoulder injury at the end of the 2005 season...

-Brees was fantastic on Sunday night by taking what the defense was giving him...after the 1st quarter, the Saints QB continued to make precise shorter throws and pretty much abandoned the deep ball. He put on a clinic by taking what the defense would give him.

-Peyton Manning, on the other hand, looked flustered throughout. He had plenty of time to throw most downs, but he didn't seem nearly as calm in the pocket as he usually does.

-Saints Coach Sean Payton dialed up the most gutsy call in Super Bowl history with his second half opening onside kick. The resulting Saints recovery and ensuing touchdown changed the momentum towards the Saints side, even though they scored a last second field goal in the first half.

-How about Saints kicker Garrett Hartley? He was suspended for the first four games of the 2009 season for performance-enhancing drugs, yet came up clutch in the NFC Championship Game with the game-winner despite finishing the regular season poorly. His three 40+ yard field goals on football's biggest stage were extremely impressive...

-Give Saints cornerback Tracy Porter a big raise...he sends the NFC Championship into overtime by intercepting Brett Favre in Saints territory and essentially put the Super Bowl away with a long interception return for a touchdown.

-A 100% healthy Dwight Freeney would've helped, but Drew Brees was "in the zone" as they say...his accuracy was unquestionable under any circumstances.

-I wouldn't want Jim Caldwell coaching my team. No question that he did a fine job this year...but these were Tony Dungy's leftovers...Caldwell just had to make sure he didn't screw it up. He was a less than stellar head coach in college and displays no personality on the sidelines...give me a gambler like Sean Payton all day.

-It was a good game...not an all-time classic...but a well-played Super Bowl by both teams.

-Congratulations to the city of New Orleans...your championship is well-deserved based on the hardships you've encountered in the last five years.

-My playoff picks were absolutely brutal...hopefully you didn't take them to the bank (like I did at times)...

-And now...my early projection for Super Bowl XLV in Dallas:
Green Bay Packers 30, Pittsburgh Steelers 27

Mind you I reserve the right to change this pick several times before next September...other teams in consideration: Dallas, Atlanta, San Diego, Indianapolis, Baltimore (sorry New Orleans).

Why the Colts will dominate Super Bowl XLIV--The Breakdown

2010-02-04T15:45:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to pull any punches here folks...Indianapolis is going to win this game...there is no doubt in my mind...and like I said last week, I don't see this one being close.

Look at it this way...of the 43 Super Bowls to date, only 14 have been decided by a touchdown or less. Only twice in history has the game been decided by a touchdown or less in consecutive years...it has never happened three years in a row. The last two Super Bowls were decided by 3 and 4 points respectively...meaning we're due for a blowout.

The Saints are a nice story...their city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the team and city had to rebuild basically from the ground up. Sean Payton has done a wonderful job as coach with Drew Brees being a God-send at quarterback. The team started 13-0 this season before losing its final three games. In the playoffs, they dismantled the Cardinals before squeaking by the Vikings with plenty of luck involved. Their only chance to win in my opinion is to put immense pressure on Peyton Manning like they did Kurt Warner and Brett Favre in these playoffs. But Manning has a quicker release than those QBs and dismantled far superior defenses in the Ravens and Jets these playoffs.

Throwing out the last two games of the 2009 regular season in which they played their backups nearly 3/4 of the time, Indianapolis is 25-1 in their last 26 meaningful games (23 regular season, 3 in the playoffs)...the only loss being in San Diego during the 2008-09 NFL playoffs. Manning is familiar with the spotlight having led his team to a win on the same field three years ago in a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

So with all that said, I'll take the Colts by a double-digit margin.

Now looking at the game from a Vegas perspective...the betting line and over-under. Indianapolis is now favored by between 4.5-5.5 points currently. The favorite has covered in 24 of the 43 games with 2 ties...at a rate of 59%. The over/under currently sits at around 56 for the Colts-Saints game, no doubt the highest total in Super Bowl history. Betters usually like the over, yet for some reason it has only hit in 20 of the 43 big games. Still, I'm tempting fate with my prediction:

COLTS 38, SAINTS 24
(Indy and over)

So who will the most valuable player be? Historically, quarterbacks have won the award in 22 of the 43 contests. No wonder Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have the lowest Vegas odds to win the award. Don't be surprised however, if a defensive player steals the ultimate individual game reward. Last year the Steelers' James Harrison was on his way to winning the MVP before the Cardinals' stunning comeback led to a wild 4th quarter (Steelers WR Santonio Holmes won it after making the dramatic deciding catch with under a minute to go).
This year I'll throw out two possibilities:
-Peyton Manning (1-2 odds) - obvious choice who also won the award three years ago.
-Dwight Freeney (50-1 odds) - the sentimental favorite who likely will play with a severe ankle sprain...if he makes at least two significant defensive plays from his defensive end spot and Indy wins, Freeney will get the award.

So there you have it folks, Indy wins convincingly, Manning or Freeney is the MVP...and all of Indianapolis is happy yet again.

FINAL NON-SUPER BOWL THOUGHT - The recently retired Kurt Warner is a shoe-in Hall-of-Famer in my opinion. He's a two time regular season MVP, a Super Bowl MVP, and holds the three highest passing yardage performances in sports' biggest game. Warner was clutch on the biggest stage, taking two of the NFLs most consistent underachieving franchises (Rams and Cardinals) to Super Bowls a combined three times (with a 1-2 record). If he's not a first or second ballot Hall-of-Famer based on those criteria (I understand he also had a rough period during the middle of his career mostly with the Giants), then the voting process to determine pro football immortality is severely flawed.

EC's 10 Fearless Predictions for 2010

2010-01-28T10:33:00.000-08:00

Since this is the first weekend without football in nearly five months (and no, the Pro Bowl doesn't count), I'll instead give you 10 "fearless" predictions that I think will come true in the sports world this year...I wouldn't necessarily call all of these off-the-wall picks, but you may disagree:

1. The Arizona Cardinals will not repeat as NFC West Champions in 2010 and therefore miss the NFL playoffs.
-With Matt Leinart likely at quarterback, the Cardinals offense won't be nearly as explosive next season as it has been under Kurt Warner.

2. No BCS conference teams will finish undefeated during the 2010 college football regular season.
-For now I'm going with Alabama and Ohio State to be the highest ranked one loss teams and face off for the National Championship in Glendale next January.

3. One of the Stoops head coaching brothers, Bob or Mike, will leave their current program (Oklahoma and Arizona respectively) for a better coaching opportunity after the 2010 regular season.
-Gut feeling here...my money is on Mike.

4. Suns forward Amare Stoudemire will be traded this February but WILL NOT re-sign with the team to whom he is dealt.
-The Suns will be better off without him as well as getting younger players / draft picks for their future.

5. Your MLB surprise division winner this season will be the San Francisco Giants.
-Tim Lincecum is the best pitcher in baseball...and Matt Cain has explosive stuff as well. The lineup seems to be improved this year as well and the division has weakened despite the emergence of Colorado late last season.

6. With the great slugger Matt Holliday hitting behind him, Albert Pujols will chase a .400 batting average this Summer, only to end up in the .370s. He will also win the NL's MVP Award once again.
-This one might be a bit much to accomplish for the .330 career hitter, but the middle of the St. Louis Cardinals lineup will be more than dangerous.

7. Ryne Sandberg will be named the new manager of the Chicago Cubs after the 2010 season, no matter how they finish.
-Ryno has been on a fast-track in the Cubs organization and I can almost guarantee this is Lou Piniella's last season at the helm.

8. Kansas, Villanova, and Kentucky will comprise three of college basketball's Final Four come late-March.
-Texas is right up there as well...but it's likely there will be one surprise team that is capable of reaching college basketball's ultimate stage.

9. Team USA will surprise and win a medal, either Silver or Bronze in men's hockey during February's Winter Olympics.
-No Miracle on Ice Part II though as Team Canada is just that good...

10. Tiger Woods will go a second straight year without winning a Major tournament.
-The infidelity controversy certainly will not help his golf game at all.

Tuesday Thoughts - Championship Games, Favre's Retirement?, Trade Amare, and MORE!

2010-01-26T09:27:00.000-08:00

What a great Sunday of football it was...two competitive games...one epic finish...you can't ask for much more than that!

-The Minnesota Vikings franchise has a history of choking in big games...0-4 in the Super Bowl...getting knocked out of the playoffs on the final play of the season against the Cardinals in 2003 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MEsINwk-xA)...a horrible home loss to Atlanta as a 14 point favorite in the 1998 NFC Championship Game...needless to say Sunday's defeat in New Orleans is right up there...

-Minnesota thoroughly outplayed New Orleans...the yardage difference was almost 2:1 in the Vikings' favor...if they knew how to hold on to the ball, it would've been a rout.

-Adrian Peterson - you're a great running back, but learn how to hold on to the ball...there is no excuse for fumbling as often as you do.

-Brett Favre...what can I say? You're my favorite football player of all-time, but I was rooting against you this time...and you choked big time. There is no excuse to throw that ball at the end of the game...but then again...

-12 men in the huddle after a timeout...come on Minnesota...that's pathetic...

-Listen to the Vikings announcers describing the fateful Favre INT...classic...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJt4hDlEbPw

-I haven't mentioned New Orleans much thus far, but let's be honest...they didn't generate much that didn't relate to turnovers. They forced and scored off turnovers...that was about it. They deserved to lose...and while I congratulate the city of New Orleans on a momentous victory...it was more about Minnesota losing than New Orleans winning in my opinion.

-Indy and the Jets - Peyton Manning rallied his team back against a game Jets team, who played actually quite well. Mark Sanchez was poised beyond his years and played excellent in the 1st half...but the Jets defense just couldn't hold Manning and company down long.

-With Darrelle Revis, the best cover corner in the NFL all over Colts star WR Reggie Wayne, Indy had to explore their other options...and boy did Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie step up.

-Based on what I've seen from Indianapolis and New Orleans of late, my initial gut pick is the Colts to win the Super Bowl 38-24 with the MVP being Peyton Manning.

-Back to Brett Favre for a second...I truly think he's done...he got the Vikings about as far as he could take them and considering the way he was crushed by the Saints defense, I would guess that Favre has had enough. In that case, what a career! It's too bad his final (crucial) passes in Green Bay and Minnesota were both INTs.

-Switching sports, it's almost imperative now that the Suns trade Amare Stoudemire before the trade deadline in mid-February. The team has gone cold in the last two months and it's looking more likely that the playoffs might not be a reality this season. Look for an Eastern Conference team like Miami, Chicago, or Cleveland to make a solid offer that the Suns can't turn down. Remember - Phoenix likely won't be able to re-sign Amare after the season anyway. Enjoy your final few weeks in the Amare era, Phoenix.

-And finally, I would be remiss to mention the basketball beating that took place at Wells Fargo Arena on Saturday night. UofA, led by freshman sensation Derrick Williams, clobbered ASU 77-58 in Tempe. I can't imagine that anyone saw this coming considering ASU was on fire of late, while UofA was so-so.

-Look out college basketball world, Sean Miller is going to do big things at the University of Arizona this decade...I'm predicting a Final Four appearance in 2012.

NFL Conference Championship Picks

2010-01-21T10:27:00.000-08:00

I'm running out of football picks here...with 3 games left to go in these playoffs, I'm a whopping 2-6. So as I've said the previous two weeks, I wouldn't recommend taking these picks to Vegas...

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 24, New York Jets 13
-The Jets' victory in Indianapolis in late December is meaningless to the outcome of this game...the Colts rested their starters most of the game, while the Jets played their guts out. The way I see it, Indy dominated a good Baltimore team last week, who happens to employ a similar type of defense to the Jets (consider that New York coach Rex Ryan was the Ravens' defensive coordinator last season). With that said, Peyton Manning does have a history of losing meaningful home playoff games. NOT THIS TIME. The Jets have had a great run, but as soon as they get behind, their power running game won't be nearly as effective. Colts TE Dallas Clark should have a big game...and this time, the Jets won't pull off the big shocker (I'm referring to Super Bowl III with Joe Namath against the Colts).

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 31, Minnesota Vikings 24
-With no disrespect to their emotional homecoming at the Superdome a few years back or the NFC Championship game they played in Chicago in 2007, this is the biggest game in Saints team history. Both offenses are juggernauts led by future Hall-of-Famers Drew Brees and Brett Favre...though Minnesota does have a big edge on the ground with star RB Adrian Peterson. I'm expecting Minnesota to lead throughout the first half until the Saints roar back in the 3rd quarter with two touchdowns. Favre will lead Minnesota on one final drive only to come up short once again in the NFC Championship Game. The stage will be set for an extremely exciting Super Bowl either way (assuming Indy beats the "boring" Jets)...but this one should be an "all-timer" as well. New Orleans will head to South Florida for Super Bowl XLIV.

Tuesday Thoughts - NFL Playoff Edition

2010-01-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

Just a quick heads up that the blog will be Tuesdays and Thursdays unless noted for the forseeable future...on to my playoff thoughts:

Cardinals vs. Saints

-Kurt Warner is done...he has to retire...not because his ability has declined, but because of the physicality of the game on his 39 year old body. The hit he took on Saturday after throwing his first interception was brutal...how he came back into the game was beyond my comprehension. He's had a great career...3 Super Bowls...2 MVP awards...but 5 concussions? You've been fun to watch Kurt.

-The Cardinals will not win the NFC West next season with Matt Leinart at the helm. He looks too timid on the field...and plays with nowhere near the confidence level he did while at USC.

-On Saturday, New Orleans implemented Green Bay's 2nd half gameplan from the week before...that is, spread the defense out with 3 or 4 wide receivers and watch Arizona's defense fold. Drew Brees absolutely shredded them through the air...

-...And then Reggie Bush took over. Bush has largely been a disappointment throughout his professional career but took about three steps forward in this game. His touchdown run was fabulous...and his punt return for a TD was even better. Before the game I predicted a Bush reunion with former college coach Pete Carroll in Seattle...I would be surprised if New Orleans let him go after that performance.

Ravens vs. Colts

-I guess Indy didn't lose much by resting their starters down the stretch. The defense looked fantastic by shutting down Baltimore from start to finish.

-Peyton Manning makes his reads so much faster than the average NFL quarterback...it's no wonder why he will go down as a sure-fire top 7 quarterback of all-time (let's see here - in no particular order: Montana, Marino, Elway, Favre, Manning, Unitas, Brady).

-The Ravens will be a trendy Super Bowl pick next year...in his first two years, Joe Flacco has won 3 playoff games - all on the road. If he continues to mature...and Baltimore's running game continues to be as effective, watch out AFC!

Cowboys vs. Vikings

-Was Minnesota that good or Dallas that bad? Once the Cowboys couldn't cash in on golden scoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes of game time, the outcome was not in doubt.

-As a Green Bay fan and longtime Brett Favre fan, it makes me sick to see rival Minnesota do so well under Favre's guidance. As much as I would've liked Favre to succeed on the Jets last season, I really hope New Orleans drubs Minnesota this Sunday.

-I'm very surprised Wade Phillips wasn't fired by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones...his team had all the momentum and just got wailed by a team that closed the regular season poorly.

-The Vikings-Saints game will be a classic...a can't miss game for any true football fan regardless of their rooting interests.

Jets vs. Chargers

-I am still shocked at how this game unfolded...San Diego had not lost in three months and had plenty of scoring opportunities, while the Jets' 17 points were the most they could've possibly scored based on the way the Chargers' defense stifled them throughout. If it weren't for a missed field goal or two...and two costly INTs, San Diego wins easily.

-Why is it that the Chargers always have coaches who don't know how to win meaningful playoff games? Marty Shottenheimer, Norv Turner...

-Most accurate regular season kicker of all-time...and Nate Kaeding once again chokes in the playoffs going 0-3...including missing two chip shots.

-San Diego should be in line for another big season in 2010...but I just don't know if I'll have the guts to pick them in the playoffs again.

Back Thursday with this week's picks...

NFL Divisional Playoff Picks

2010-01-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

I still can't get over the fact that I went 0-4 last week after a nearly 69% regular season success rate in picking winners. I was dead-on with the fact that two of the higher seeded teams would lose...I just didn't think both would come from the AFC.

This week I would expect either 1 or 2 of the lower seeded teams to pull off the upset...take a look below to see my analysis:

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 34, Arizona Cardinals 21
-I don't like the fact that New Orleans lost its final three games of the regular season (after starting 13-0) and hasn't played a truly meaningful game in nearly five weeks. The Cardinals are coming off a highly emotional win against the Packers in the highest scoring playoff game in NFL history. Look for New Orleans to move the ball at will against the now suspect Arizona defense and put up 30+. On the other hand, I expect the Saints defense to slow Kurt Warner and unfortunately push him into retirement after this one (Warner has reportedly been considering it these last few weeks).

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 23, Baltimore Ravens 17
-This would be my second choice as an upset pick this weekend...but I have a feeling Indy jumps out to a double-digit advantage early and slows Baltimore's rushing attack. Joe Flacco wasn't asked to do much in the Ravens' victory over the Patriots last Sunday...and I don't expect him to be able to lead his team all the way back once they get behind.

Dallas Cowboys 27, MINNESOTA VIKINGS 24
-Here's your big upset folks. Dallas is on fire of late, while Minnesota didn't look too sharp to close the season other than a strong effort against the Giants - who basically didn't want to even play in Week 17. We all have heard by now about Tony Romo's playoff failures...but he sure seemed to put that argument to bed in last week's big win over Philly. Like Kurt Warner, I predict that this loss finally ends the career of Brett Favre - my favorite player of all-time (as a Packers fan).

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 26, New York Jets 13
-As I explained last week, the Chargers haven't lost in nearly three months and look to be the best team in the NFL at this point. The Jets have overachieved of late led by a strong defense and run-oriented offense. San Diego will attempt to severely slow the Jets rushing attack and make California-native Mark Sanchez beat them through the air. The last time these two teams played in the playoffs several years back, then rookie kicker Nate Kaeding missed a crucial field goal which cost the Chargers the game. He'll kick four this time around in a comfortable San Diego victory.

Back next Monday with thoughts and analysis from this weekend's games!

Monday Musings - Greatest game of all-time?, my 0-4 playoff record, and more!

2010-01-11T13:01:00.000-08:00

There is no question in my mind that the Cardinals-Packers game was the best NFL game I've ever seen...much less the best FOOTBALL game I've seen live in my soon-to-be 27 year old life. The Miami-Ohio State 2OT thriller in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl with the National Championship on the line was incredible...but yesterday's game = the best.

-Though it didn't have the meaning of a Super Bowl or championship game, I just don't see how that doesn't go down as one of the top 5 or 10 most unbelievable/exciting games in NFL history. Though my team was on the losing end, I was glad to witness it in person.

-Kurt Warner will retire at the end of this postseason, there's no doubt about it...and he's clearly a first ballot Hall of Famer in my opinion. He played the NFL equivalent of a perfect game against Green Bay...anytime you throw for more touchdowns than incompletions - that's special. But to do it in a game of this magnitude...incredible.

-Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is also a star who will win a Super Bowl in his career. As he continues to mature and not hold on to the ball as long, he will be among the elite in the league for the next decade.

-Defensive questions: Why did the Packers never blitz Warner? Why did the Cardinals stop blitzing Rodgers in the 2nd half? Why did Arizona's cornerbacks continually go for the big defensive play when every time it worked out in Green Bay's favor?

-If only Rodgers had put a little more air under that deep ball to Greg Jennings on the first play of overtime...he was WIDE open.

-Props to the Cardinals fans...I would say it was 75/25 Arizona supporters in University of Phoenix Stadium...but wow were the AZ fans loud when they needed to be.

-While I'm truly disappointed in the Packers loss, I'm pleased to have seen one of the most exciting football games (pro or college) in at least the last quarter century.

-Not only did my Packers lose, but I ended up going 0-4 in my playoff picks this weekend! How is that even possible? It's almost more difficult to intentionally pick four losers than four winners at this time of the year.

-The Cowboys look like world beaters in their last four games...and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if they beat the Vikings on Sunday. In fact, I'll likely pick Dallas as my upset of the weekend.

-Indianapolis must also be on high upset alert as the Ravens running game and defense completely dominated against New England.

-I like New Orleans and San Diego quite a bit this weekend...

-My early 2010 college football top 5: 1. Alabama, 2. Ohio St., 3. Boise St., 4. Oregon, 5. Virginia Tech

-Bye bye Pete Carroll...congrats on the huge contract in Seattle...thank you for restoring permanent hope to those teams other than USC in the Pac-10.

Back Thursday with the 2nd round of playoff picks...I promise you folks that I'll get at least one right this time!

NFL Playoff Picks

2010-01-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

Let's be honest here folks...can you think of a tougher NFL playoff season to pick? Three rematches in the Wild Card round from Week 17...that's never happened before in the same season. Did you know that Week 17 losers are 5-4 in revenge matchups the following weekend since 1990? Forthcoming are my playoff predictions, but please don't take these to Vegas...I'm not too confident across the board.

Week 17 Result: 12-4
Overall Season: 177-79 (69.1%) - not bad, but not the 70% I was hoping to achieve

EC's Playoff Picks (HOME TEAMS IN CAPS)

CINCINNATI BENGALS 17, New York Jets 13
-I really wanted to pick the Jets here, but like all four of these first round matchups, this one could easily go either way. Along those same lines, I'll take the hometown Bengals who should have the crowd in their favor and revenge on their minds after a brutal performance last Sunday night at the Meadowlands. Also, while the Jets defense is superb...I doubt that rookie QB Mark Sanchez will be ready for the pressure of a playoff game on the road.

Philadelphia Eagles 27, DALLAS COWBOYS 20
-The Cowboys have posted two straight shutouts, including a pasting of the Eagles last Sunday. But the fact is...Philly coach Andy Reid is 7-0 in first round playoff games in his career...and we all know Dallas' recent playoff troubles. I see the Eagles playing inspired football from the beginning and the Cowboys not being able to catch up.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 23, Baltimore Ravens 16
-Losing star #2 receiver Wes Welker likely ensures that New England won't go too far in these playoffs...he's just too valuable a weapon to lose at this juncture. But Baltimore hasn't played crisp football of late and I don't see them shocking the football world with an upset at previously undefeated at home New England.

Green Bay Packers 31, ARIZONA CARDINALS 24
-I truly believe the Packers have the Cardinals' number...the first string offense ran up 38 on Arizona in the first half of a preseason game...and 33 last Sunday in essentially three quarters. That's 71 points in essentially 5 quarters..meaningless games or not...I'll go with the trend. No postseason of magic this January for Arizona.

For the rest of the playoffs (though I have the right to revise these each week):

AFC
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS over Cincinnati Bengals
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS over New England Patriots

San Diego Chargers over INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

NFC
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS over Philadelphia Eagles
Green Bay Packers over MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Green Bay Packers over NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

SUPER BOWL
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS over Green Bay Packers 31-27
MVP: Chargers QB Phillip Rivers

I know these are a bit off-the-wall...but you weren't looking for me to pick the favorites in every game, right?

P.S. - I'm still sticking with Alabama 27-17 over Texas tonight in the match of undefeated teams in tonight's BCS Championship Game.

Tuesday (Football) Thoughts: the Holiday Bowl debacle, the Pac-10's embarrassment, the Cardinals' chances on Sunday, and more!

2010-01-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010 everyone...so much to discuss in this edition of my ramblings...here we go!

-What a complete joke Arizona's performance was in the Holiday Bowl against Nebraska last week! They were a team who was happy to get there...and who didn't bother showing up when it came to the game on the field. I'm not even sure where to begin...

-The fact is...Nebraska badly out-schemed Arizona in all phases of the game. Their defense was able to generate pressure with four pass rushers, therefore allowing 7 linebackers/defensive backs to drop into coverage to shut down the high-powered Arizona passing game. Check.

-On offense, Nebraska employed the "Wildcat" using running back Rex Burkhead to take the direct snap from center...Arizona had no answer. Likewise when QB Zac Lee was mobile and running out of the pocket...Arizona had no answer there either. Check.

-It was arguably the most embarrassing loss in UofA history...33-0 and I hate to admit it but the score was closer than the game itself. I couldn't get out of the stadium fast enough in the 3rd quarter when it was clear that Arizona wasn't going to generate any points.

-Of course not only does UofA not show up, but the weather was cold and rainy. Clearly the best part of the game was the amazing fireworks show at halftime...that was clearly top notch.

-Besides the game, how can anyone not love San Diego, with the exception of a rainy day here or there? There is plenty to do and the weather usually cooperates.

-Speaking of letdowns, the entire Pac-10 conference look poor in bowl games. Even the two winners, USC and UCLA, had troubles against far inferior teams in Boston College and Temple respectively. Oregon was clearly outplayed by Ohio St., Oregon St. was manhandled by BYU, Cal was outclassed by Utah, and of course Arizona...the only team that showed some heart in my opinion was Stanford...who lost by 4 to Oklahoma despite missing starting QB Andrew Luck.

-The Pac-10 was criticized heavily during the 2008 regular season for its inferiority compared to its non-conference opponents...then went 5-0 in the bowls last December/January. This season was just the opposite...and the conference will be under plenty of scrutinty next Fall.

-Best Bowl Game: Outback Bowl...Auburn-Northwestern...if you didn't see it, then click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKVv_m95UdA - it was a classic which will be replayed for years to come. Idaho-Bowling Green was a very close 2nd.

-Most surprising outcome(s): Too many to list in their entirety...Wyoming over Fresno St. in double OT, SMU over Nevada 48-10, and BYU over Oregon St. 44-20 are among the most surprising...especially the last two being in blowout fashion. Boise St.'s upset over TCU last night was also a bit hair-raising.

-Bowl games this year seem to be all about who wants to be there more...and who feels more disrespected. Underdogs are covering the spread at more than a 2:1 rate - which is shocking.

-Iowa will upset Georgia Tech tonight...I'll say 26-20...and I'm sticking with my original pick of Alabama over Texas 27-17 on Thursday.

-On to the NFL - now in full disclosure, I'm a Packers fan and was thrilled at the result of Sunday's 33-7 over the Cardinals, but can they really do it again. Yes...and they will. For all of these Cardinals fans who believe the team was not actually trying...they need to remember that Kurt Warner was in the game until after Green Bay had already led 14-0.

-24 is the magic number for Sunday's matchup...first team to reach that point total will win.

-Come back Thursday for the rest of the NFL playoff picks...I don't want to spoil them too early.

-Back to college football for a second, does anyone really believe that former Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach was fired solely for his mishandling of a player's concussion symptoms. No chance. Leach is an offensive mastermind, but not so much a people person. I'm convinced that he had run-ins with TTU brass...who figured this was the time to dump his high salary with cause. Look for a settlement to be reached sooner than later.

-I'm also sorry to see Bobby Bowden exit at Florida St. having been forced out by the powers that be. He's been a classy gentleman who took the FSU program from next to nothing and kept them in the spotlight for the last nearly four decades. It was nice to see how focused his players were on whooping a superior West Virginia team in the Gator Bowl to send their coach out with a W.

FINAL THOUGHT - I know that 33 of the 34 bowl games are essentially meaningless in terms of the national championship, but damn are some of them fun to watch. Even if there is a playoff one day in college football, I really hope that those in charge keep a good chunk of the lower-tier bowl games around.

Week 17 NFL Picks

2009-12-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

Gotta make it quick this week...as I'm getting ready to head to the Holiday Bowl tailgate here in San Diego...GO WILDCATS!!

Week 17 NFL Picks

HOME TEAMS IN CAPS
Last Week: 11-5
Overall: 165-75 (68.8%)

Indianapolis Colts 23, BUFFALO BILLS 13

Jacksonville Jaguars 24, CLEVELAND BROWNS 17

Chicago Bears 27, DETROIT LIONS 14

San Francisco 49ers 27, ST. LOUIS RAMS 10

Pittsburgh Steelers 24, MIAMI DOLPHINS 23

MINNESOTA VIKINGS 30, New York Giants 20

Atlanta Falcons 27, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 20

CAROLINA PANTHERS 23, New Orleans Saints 13 --REVISED from original prediction

HOUSTON TEXANS 27, New England Patriots 24

Philadelphia Eagles 24, DALLAS COWBOYS 21

DENVER BRONCOS 31, Kansas City Chiefs 10

Baltimore Ravens 27, OAKLAND RAIDERS 13

Green Bay Packers 28, ARIZONA CARDINALS 24

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 23, Washington Redskins 14

Tennessee Titans 26, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 18

NEW YORK JETS 22, Cincinnati Bengals 9

Have a Happy New Year everyone...back next Tuesday!

Week 16 NFL Picks

2009-12-23T11:11:00.000-08:00

Second-to-last post of the year...meaning I won't get a chance to further rip Oregon St. for an extremely poor and unprepared performance last night against BYU in the Vegas Bowl.

On that note, here are this week's NFL picks:

Week 16 NFL Picks

HOME TEAMS IN CAPS
Last Week: 11-5
Overall: 154-70 (68.8%)

San Diego Chargers 27, TENNESSEE TITANS 24
-Tennessee's slim playoff hopes die at the hands of the best team in the NFL (since Week 7 that is)...and San Diego clinches the #2 seed in the AFC and a first round bye with this victory.

ATLANTA FALCONS 23, Buffalo Bills 7
-The Bills are down to their 3rd QB, former Packers practice squad member Brian Brohm...the Falcons' defense should have a field day.

CINCINNATI BENGALS 30, Kansas City Chiefs 13
-Cinci will clinch the AFC North with a rousing home win dedicated to the memory of their former teammate Chris Henry.

CLEVELAND BROWNS 16, Oakland Raiders 13
-And in this week's version of the Toilet Bowl, I'll take the home team...that's about all I can say to justify this one outside of the fact that both teams have played surprisingly better of late.

GREEN BAY PACKERS 31, Seattle Seahawks 16
-The Packers win their 2009 home finale and put themselves in a nearly invincible position for an NFC Wild Card spot. Despite his tendency to hold the ball too long, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has become a superstar in this league.

MIAMI DOLPHINS 24, Houston Texans 17
-The Dolphins still have an outside shot at an AFC Wild Card berth...and with the last two games at home, you never know what can happen...

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 14
-The Chargers are one team that does not want to play Tom Brady and company in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 33, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
-The Saints get back on the winning track after a surprising home slip-up against Dallas last Saturday night.

NEW YORK GIANTS 24, Carolina Panthers 20
-These teams put on a classic last December when the #1 seed in the NFC was on the line...the stakes aren't nearly as high this time.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 23, Baltimore Ravens 20
-The Steelers will play with more fire on defense than in previous weeks in order to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

ARIZONA CARDINALS 35, St. Louis Rams 13
-The Cards don't have much to play for here...but Kurt Warner and company should still put on a show against his old team. A loss by the Rams here will likely clinch the 1st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft for St. Louis.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 28, Detroit Lions 10
-The 49ers are playing for pride...the Lions...well...for a lower draft pick?

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 20, New York Jets 14
-How much will the Colts starters play with an undefeated season on the line? I would really be surprised if New York wins here...but it should be a low-scoring game regardless.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 26, Denver Broncos 16
-Philly is playing for the NFC East title and potentially the #2 seed in the playoffs while Denver is aiming for an AFC Wild Card berth. The Broncos will clinch their spot next week with a win over hapless Kansas City.

Dallas Cowboys 27, WASHINGTON REDSKINS 20
-Washington always is up for this game no matter their record...but the disparity in talent between both teams will be clearly evident in this matchup.

Minnesota Vikings 28, CHICAGO BEARS 20
-Minnesota desperately needs a win here...or it will be time to declare that the wheels have fallen off the Vikings Super Bowl bus.

Have a great holiday weekend everyone! Back next Wednesday with Week 17 picks!

Monday Musings - the Cardinals, Saints, Fresno State, Milton Bradley for Carlos Silva, and more!

2009-12-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

Only two blogs this week...today and Wednesday...and a short blog next week as I'll be in San Diego for the Holiday Bowl...

-What is it with the Cardinals playing to the level of their opponents? The Lions are 1-13 and without their starting QB and RB...yet they were very much alive in the 4th quarter yesterday.

-Something still seems off with Kurt Warner...he really looks tentative in the pocket and it seems as though he doesn't trust his offensive line that much.

-I truly believe the Cards will have their hands full in the 1st round of the playoffs - they will either be hosting the Packers, Cowboys, or Giants...and all three teams are more than capable of winning in Arizona.

-Well so much for my prediction that the Saints would finish the regular season undefeated...the looked befuddled to say the least on Saturday night as the Cowboys seemingly manhandled them all over the field.

-Compound New Orleans' poor performance with another Minnesota dud and that Saints-Vikings NFC Championship Game isn't looking quite as probable now.

-I can't believe my Packers choked that badly in Pittsburgh yesterday...mind you they were beaten on the final play by a perfect throw and an amazing catch...but the momentum Green Bay had built in the last month now is out the window. A win over Seattle seems like a near certainty, but then again...

-Denver losing to Oakland at home? Come on Josh McDaniels...I know you're a rookie head coach, but you can't let that happen...

-I'm still sticking with San Diego and New Orleans in the Super Bowl.

-What a pathetic showing by a superior Fresno State team in the New Mexico Bowl this Saturday. They were totally outplayed by a Wyoming team that didn't belong on the same field with them.

-Watching teams like Wyoming and Middle Tennessee win is the reason the College Bowl system is great as is...for the lesser teams to have a chance at a postseason game. I would still make changes at the top though.

-I'm thrilled my Cubbies unloaded the cancer that is Milton Bradley to the Mariners, but for Carlos Silva, arguably the worst pitcher in the Major Leagues?

-Silva can eat innings...but he gets crushed because he rarely strikes anyone out...for his career, batters are hitting well over .300 off him - which is brutally bad.

-If Silva starts more than 5 games for Chicago this year, I think all of my hair might fall out...I won't be able to stand it.

-Bradley could be a great move for the suddenly contending Mariners or he could be an absolute nightmare...call me crazy, but I actually believe he'll be a success.

FINAL THOUGHT - There's been rampant speculation that the NFL wants to expand its regular season by 1 or 2 weeks. Considering at least 20-30% (on the low side) of opening day starters are sidelined due to injury at this point, don't you agree that 16 games is more than enough? Adding more meaningful games will actually cause the competition to decrease by the end of the regular season.

EC's Bowl Picks Confidence Plays

2009-12-18T10:47:00.000-08:00

I'm listing winners from most confident (34) to least confident (1) along with a comment...if you need help picking the bowls...check out below:

34 - USC over Boston College
BC is not good on the road...and USC has vengence on its mind from an underachieving regular season.
33 - Fresno St. over Wyoming
Wyoming is borderline the worst team of the 68 in a bowl game.
32 - Nevada over SMU
SMU would be in the bottom 5 of the 68 bowl teams...they blew a big lead and lost to a Washington St. team who finished the season 1-11.
31 - Texas Tech over Michigan St.
MSU has 8 key players suspended for this one and Tech is playing not too far from home.
30 - Florida over Cincinnati
You think Tim Tebow wants to lose his final two games as a collegian? No chance.
29 - UCLA over Temple
Even an average Pac-10 team should stomp an above average team from the MAC. Defense rules this game.
28 - Virginia Tech over Tennessee
V-Tech will avenge its Game 1 loss to an SEC team in the Georgia Dome with a rousing victory over Tennessee in the same venue.
27 - South Florida over Northern Illinois
MAC teams have traditionally gotten pounded by the much stronger Big East team in the International Bowl. USF romps.
26 - Ohio over Marshall
What an awful bowl game! If you watch this and don't have gambling interests, you must be a football diehard (like me)!
25 - TCU over Boise St.
I think this game will be closer than the the 7 point line...despite the fact that TCU is clearly the better team.
24 - Missouri over Navy
With a win here, Mizzou kicks off its campaign to be a surprise team in the Big 12 next season under QB Blaine Gabbert.
23 - Georgia over Texas A&M
Don't expect much defense to be played in this one...A&M can score in bunches but has absolutely no defense.
22 - Oregon St. over BYU
This should be a very good game with a similar result to last year's Arizona-BYU Las Vegas Bowl...the Pac-10 team (OSU) should win by a TD or so.
21 - Arkansas over East Carolina
Arkansas might be a very dangerous team if QB Ryan Mallet returns to school next season instead of opting for the NFL Draft.
20 - Mississippi over Oklahoma St.
Without suspended receiver Dez Bryant, I'm not sure OSU has the firepower to keep up with a very good, but underachieving Ole Miss offense.
19 - Houston over Air Force
Points galore in this one...a superior passing team (Houston) against a dominant ground attack (Air Force). This is the third time these teams have played in the last two years, including in the same bowl last December.
18 - Miami over Wisconsin
A great matchup here...but Miami is playing in their home state, has faced better competition this season, and has the better athletes. 'Canes win 26-20.
17 - Arizona over Nebraska
Obviously I'll be at this one on December 30th in San Diego. Look for the 'Cats to use quick timing routes to keep the Nebraska defensive line in check. UofA wins 20-17.
16 - Iowa over Georgia Tech
Iowa lost two of their last three, but with QB Ricky Stanzi back from injury and a dominant defense, don't be surprised if they completely stifle Tech's option running attack.
15 - Central Michigan over Troy
I'm a lot more leery of this pick after CMU Coach Butch Jones just left for Cincinnati and won't coach the bowl game.
14 - LSU over Penn St.
Why is Penn St. favored here? They looked poor against ranked teams (Ohio St. and Iowa) in their own weak conference.
13 - Iowa St. over Minnesota
Minnesota was horrible after losing star wideout Eric Decker, while Iowa St. actually has some impressive wins on its resume (at Nebraska being one).
12 - Auburn over Northwestern
The SEC owns the Big 10...except in the Outback Bowl. NW won their last three to close out the season strong...
11 - Bowling Green over Idaho
This is essentially a home game for Idaho - but a late season slump makes me believe Bowling Green is simply the better team. This game should be a shootout.
10 - Utah over California
Without their best player (Jahvid Best), what is Cal really playing for here? Utah is money in bowl games.
9 - Alabama over Texas
The reason I picked this so low is Texas' mastery in the Rose Bowl (2 big wins this decade including in the last national championship game played here).
8 - Connecticut over South Carolina
Since the death of cornerback Jasper Howard, UConn has played with a different level of emotion.
7 - Ohio St. over Oregon
I really don't know why I'm picking this one...great defenses do usually beat great offenses though.
6 - Central Florida over Rutgers
This is essentially a home game for UCF, whose defense should feed on Rutgers Freshman QB Tom Savage.
5 - Middle Tennessee over Southern Mississippi
Middle Tenn has a nice long winning streak coming into this one...but will they be ready for superior competition in USM?
4 - Florida St. over West Virginia
If it weren't Bobby Bowden's last game after a storied coaching career, FSU would have no chance.
3 - North Carolina over Pittsburgh
Does Pitt have any motivation to play here? They missed a BCS bowl game by a bad extra point snap. This game is essentially a home game for UNC.
2 - Kentucky over Clemson
Does Clemson have any motivation to play here? They were that close to the Orange Bowl!
1 - Stanford over Oklahoma
This one might a reach with Stanford QB Andrew Luck out of the lineup...but Oklahoma's record in bowl games of late is surprisingly poor.

See you back next Monday!

Week 15 NFL Picks

2009-12-16T09:15:00.000-08:00

-One more thought that I forgot to mention in yesterday's blog - what the heck are the Phillies doing in trading away star pitcher Cliff Lee and two top prospects for Roy Halladay? Don't get me wrong...Halladay is better than Lee and will be signed to a three year deal upon completion of this trade...but Lee was 4-0 in five starts in the playoffs for Philly. The thing that gets me the most is trading two of their best prospects and getting only one notable prospect in return. My verdict: thumbs down for Philly, thumbs up for Seattle, and thumb in the middle for Toronto as the jury is still out on the prospects they're receiving for Halladay.

Now on to the picks...I'm getting closer to that 70% mark I had hoped to achieve...basically I'll need to win 36 or 37 of the last 48 games in order to reach that mark...here we go:

Week 15 NFL Picks

HOME TEAMS IN CAPS
Last Week: 12-4
Overall: 143-65 (68.8%)

Indianapolis Colts 27, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 24
-The Colts won't be resting their players just yet...and the Jaguars just don't seem to remember how to win important games. Give me the undefeated team in this one.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 31, Dallas Cowboys 21
-Winning in New Orleans this year has been impossible thus far for opponents...and it will be next to impossible in January. Look for Dallas' December swoon to continue...

New England Patriots 26, BUFFALO BILLS 18
-The Patriots haven't won a true road game all season (the win over Tampa Bay in London doesn't count)...and while the Bills nearly pulled out the win in Foxboro to open the season, look for New England to win more comfortably here.

Arizona Cardinals 34, DETROIT LIONS 14
-Look for Kurt Warner to have a monster game coming off a poor performance on Monday night. The Lions D will have no answer for the (usually) potent Arizona offense.

TENNESSEE TITANS 24, Miami Dolphins 20
-With Titans QB Vince Young's status in doubt, I wouldn't be surprised to see Miami pull off yet another road upset. But Tennessee's Chris Johnson is the best running back in the league this season...and I don't see Miami slowing him down this week.

Cleveland Browns 17, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 13
-This week's version of the Toilet Bowl...it seems to me like the Chiefs have mailed it in for the season...so I'll take the Browns coming off their inspired win at home vs. the Steelers last week.

Houston Texans 35, ST. LOUIS RAMS 13
-Speaking of another team that has mailed it in this season, the St. Louis Rams. Houston wins this one going away with little trouble.

NEW YORK JETS 19, Atlanta Falcons 10
-I love the way the Jets' defense is playing of late...New York cornerback Darrelle Revis might be the best defensive player in the league...if not, he's very close. Atlanta's nightmare of a late season continues.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 26, San Francisco 49ers 14
-Philly's offense is more potent now than I can remember in recent memory...not to mention dynamic RB Brian Westbrook has been out with side effects from a concussion. Look for a comfortable Eagles win here.

BALTIMORE RAVENS 23, Chicago Bears 16
-I have a sneaky feeling the Bears give the Ravens a decent fight...but won't be able to beat Ray Rice and company in the end.

DENVER BRONCOS 23, Oakland Raiders 9
-Without unsung hero, QB Bruce Gradkowski, the Raiders chances of winning on Sunday appear to be slim.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 30, Cincinnati Bengals 17
-San Diego might be the most dominant team in the league as of late...and it's hard to pick against them even against a playoff-bound Bengals team.

Pittsburgh Steelers 27, GREEN BAY PACKERS 20
-I hate to pick against my team here, but look for the Steelers to play inspired football against the likely playoff bound Packers. Ben Roethlisberger throws for two scores and tops 250 yards passing in the win.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 24, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
-The Bucs will be better in due time...while Seattle really needs to think about addressing the QB position this offseason...I'm not sure how much Matt Hasselbeck has left.

Minnesota Vikings 24, CAROLINA PANTHERS 20
-The Vikings don't seem nearly as invincible as they did a few weeks ago before that Cardinals loss. Look for the Panthers to nearly pull off the home upset on Sunday night.

New York Giants 20, WASHINGTON REDSKINS 17
-With a win and a Dallas loss (which is probable), the Giants would move into a tie for 6th place in the NFC...and own the tiebreaker by virtue of beating the Cowboys twice. New York seems like a good bet to win this one.

Back Friday with my 2009-10 Bowl Confidence Picks...

Tuesday Thoughts - the Cardinals' problems in San Fran, 19-0?, the state of UofA basketball...and MORE!

2009-12-15T10:29:00.000-08:00

A special Tuesday edition this week followed by NFL picks tomorrow and College Bowl Picks on Friday.

-Didn't the Cardinals have an extra day to prepare for the 49ers last night? What a hideous performance on offense...Kurt Warner was brutal...the offensive line was bad...and the running backs / receivers couldn't hold onto the ball.

-With that said, the Cards magic number is 2...a combination of two wins and/or 49ers losses over the next three weeks. The NFC West should be clinched this weekend in fact...Arizona should beat Detroit and San Francisco should lose on the road to Philly.

-Sorry folks...I don't see a Cardinals playoff run again this season. Playing the Packers or Cowboys in the 1st round is a death wish...though it's hard to ever rule out a healthy Kurt Warner in a home game.

-But let's be honest here...can anyone beat the Saints in New Orleans? It seems as though their home field advantage right now is greater than any team I can remember in at least the last decade. Am I wrong? Assuming the Eagles maintain the #3 seed and defeat their first round opponent, the Cardinals would have to travel to New Orleans in round 2.

-The Saints will go 16-0 in the regular season...and I predict the Colts will lose once in the final three weeks. As of now, I'll predict a New Orleans-San Diego Super Bowl...Drew Brees against his old team, the Chargers.

-San Diego might be the most impressive team in the last 8 weeks or so...and has always caused problems for Indianapolis in the playoffs.

-My league MVP vote through 14 weeks: 1. Drew Brees, 2. Peyton Manning, 3. Phillip Rivers, 4. Chris Johnson, 5. Brett Favre - surprised?

-Speaking of MVP votes...or something like that...I don't have a big problem with Mark Ingram winning the Heisman - but Tim Tebow finishing 5th? I'm a Tebow supporter, but he DID NOT deserve to be invited as a top 5 candidate to the ceremonies this season.

-I'm also a bit surprised that Toby Gerhart was that close...the closest runner-up in history, despite not playing on Championship Saturday while the other four candidates did.

-What the heck happened to my once proud UofA basketball program? After getting blown out by a decent San Diego St. team, there doesn't seem to be much hope for my alma mater this season.

-Then again the Pac-10 in basketball looks horrendous based on non-conference results this season...could they only be a 1 or 2 bid league in the NCAA Tournament?

Back tomorrow with NFL picks!

Week 14 NFL Picks + Army/Navy

2009-12-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

It's a Wednesday/Friday combo blog...time for the next round of NFL selections:

Week 14 NFL Picks

HOME TEAMS IN CAPS
Last Week: 10-6
Overall: 131-61 (68.2%)

Pittsburgh Steelers 17, CLEVELAND BROWNS 3
-The weather for this one is expected to be nasty...so don't look for much passing here. Pittsburgh wins an ugly game and improves to 7-6. They likely will have to win out in order to make the playoffs after the horrible loss to Oakland last week.

New Orleans Saints 30, ATLANTA FALCONS 14
-If Falcons QB Matt Ryan plays, this one could get interesting...but otherwise look for New Orleans to have an easy time with Atlanta, who has been decimated by injuries of late.

Green Bay Packers 24, CHICAGO BEARS 20
-I wouldn't be surprised if this went the other day, but after how poorly the Bears looked in beating the woeful Rams last Sunday, I just can't pick them here.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 31, Denver Broncos 20
-The Colts have a very good chance at running the table in the regular season and finishing 16-0, yet for some reason I wouldn't be surprised if they lost in the AFC playoffs. Denver never seems to fare well against the Colts.

Buffalo Bills 23, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 13
-The Chiefs have looked borderline brutal in the last two weeks...while the Bills have played better as of late. Look for Terrell Owens to find the end zone in a comfortable Buffalo win.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS 24, Cincinnati Bengals 16
-Did the Cardinals develop a gameplan last week to slow down the Vikings' pass rush and therefore neutralize their defensive success? Let's see if the Bengals follow suit...

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 34, Carolina Panthers 17
-Tom Brady should go crazy in this one after not being able to win on the road in the last couple weeks. I don't see how Carolina stands much of a chance to win this one.

New York Jets 16, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 13
-A low-scoring affair, look for Jets RB Thomas Jones to near 150 rushing yards in a close New York win.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 23, Miami Dolphins 20
-Another game I could see going either way, but Jacksonville has been relatively successful at home this season. Maurice Jones-Drew scores twice as the Jags strengthen their playoff hopes.

BALTIMORE RAVENS 31, Detroit Lions 10
-Baltimore RB Ray Rice has a field day against the well below average Lions defense. Don't look for a slip-up here similar to Pittsburgh-Oakland last week.

HOUSTON TEXANS 34, Seattle Seahawks 20
-Look for the Texans to take out some frustration here...the need to win out and get some major help in order to make the playoffs.

TENNESSEE TITANS 31, St. Louis Rams 7
-Titans RB Chris Johnson should near 200 yards rushing and score at least twice in a big blowout of St. Louis.

Washington Redskins 20, OAKLAND RAIDERS 16
-A rematch of Super Bowl XVIII when the underdog Raiders crushed the high-scoring Redskins 38-9. I like the way Washington's offense has played of late and therefore give them the advantage over the sometimes decent, other times awful Oakland defense.

Dallas Cowboys 27, SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 24
-This should be a classic, but let's be honest here, Dallas needs this win more. The Chargers shouldn't lose much ground in the race for the AFC's #2 seed as Denver and Cincinnati should likely lose as well.

Philadelphia Eagles 26, NEW YORK GIANTS 23
-The Giants looked good in the 2nd half against the Cowboys last week, but I really liked how the Eagles' D came one second from a shutout in Atlanta last Sunday. Philly wins as the clock expires on a David Akers field goal.

Arizona Cardinals 26, SAN FRANCISCO 49ers 20
-The Cards seem to always struggle in keeping 49ers RB Frank Gore in check. Look for Gore to near 100 yards rushing and score once, but the Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald / Anquan Boldin combination should be too much for San Fran to shut down in the end.

BONUS COLLEGE PICK - NAVY 24, ARMY 20 - Army hasn't won this game since 2000 and while they won't get it done here, this game should be the closest matchup in recent years. Make sure to watch the postgame ceremonies...one of the best traditions in college football.

See you all next Monday for a wrapup of the weekend!

Monday Musings - the BCS matchups, the Heisman, UofA in the Holiday Bowl, the Cardinals dominant win, and more!

2009-12-07T08:57:00.000-08:00

What a great football weekend...Saturday and Sunday...there were so many outstanding games all around...let me dive in:

-Texas: worst clock management I've ever seen in a late game situation...I don't think anyone could believe what they were watching. Hunter Lawrence's clutch field goal bailed out Coach Mack Brown and QB Colt McCoy from a disastrous choke job.

-Alabama: dominant win over Florida. I've seen bigger upsets in championship games...but would be very surprised if they lost to Texas in the BCS National Championship Game.

-Cincinnati/Pittsburgh - Game of the Year. Back and forth...more than enough excitement to go around...it was a shame Pitt had to lose on a bad extra point snap though.

-My top 5 (if I had a vote): 1. Alabama, 2. TCU, 3. Texas, 4. Florida, 5. Cincinnati - I just think TCU would have a better chance to handle Alabama than Texas does, considering how poorly the Longhorns played in their last few games. The reason I rank Cinci so low is they truly were outplayed and should've lost to Pittsburgh on Saturday.

-Initial picks for the BCS matchups...(I reserve the right to change these in three weeks):

BCS Championship - Alabama 27, Texas 17
Fiesta - TCU 31, Boise St. 20
Rose - Oregon 27, Ohio St. 20
Sugar - Florida 38, Cincinnati 23
Orange - Iowa 24, Georgia Tech 20

-Back to the playoff bracket I suggested weeks ago (5 automatic BCS Conference Champions, the highest ranked non-BCS conference champion, and two at-large berths)...let's see how it would shake out based on the final BCS standings:

(1) Alabama-SEC vs. (8) Georgia Tech-ACC
(4) TCU-at large vs. (5) Florida-at large
(3) Cincinnati-non BCS vs. (6) Oregon-Pac 10
(2) Texas-Big 12 vs. (7) Ohio St.-Big 10

In this scenario, Boise St. would be left out by virtue of TCU and Florida finishing higher in the final poll. Maybe my idea of an 8 team playoff wasn't the best suggestion after all...

-My (mock) Heisman Trophy ballot: 1. Toby Gerhart - Stanford, 2. Ndumakong Suh - Nebraska, 3. CJ Spiller - Clemson, 4. Mark Ingram - Alabama, 5. Colt McCoy - Texas

Gerhart simply dominated all competition this season...1,700+ rushing yards and 26 TDs on a team that was clearly better because of him alone. Suh is a close second...he's the best defensive player we've seen in college football this decade...his 4.5 sack performance against Texas was amazing. Spiller is the most dynamic player in the game...and would be a close 3rd. Ingram was very good, especially against Florida, but he's not the game changer compared to the previous three. McCoy was horrendous on Saturday night, therefore plummeting from 1st to 5th in my rankings.

-I'm so proud of my Arizona Wildcats for beating USC in Los Angeles and earning and invitation to a very good bowl game, the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. What a great win for the program...and I can't wait to see it in person later this month.

-Surprisingly I'm not regretting the near Rose Bowl miss as I should be now...even if we had beaten Oregon, I still believe UofA would've found a way to lose at least one of the final two games at ASU and at USC. Hindsight is 20/20 folks.

-Transitioning to the pros, the Cardinals are a very dangerous team when Kurt Warner is healthy. They dominated a very, VERY good Vikings team who I thought was the best in the NFC before yesterday.

-With a win at San Francisco next Monday night, the Cards will seemingly have clinched the NFC West and will have the inside track at the #3 seed in the NFC. Bad news folks...they won't be able to win at New Orleans or at Minnesota in the playoffs...I just don't see it.

-Can the Saints get any luckier? Not much...

-Can the Steelers get any more down in the dumps? Yes...if they lose to the Browns this Thursday!

Back Wednesday with NFL picks...

College Football Pickoff - Week 14

2009-12-04T08:33:00.000-08:00

What a classic that Oregon-Oregon St. game was last night...back and forth...two teams that left it all out on the field...what a fun game to watch! The Bills-Jets game on the other hand...not so much...though I did pick it within one point of the exact score. Enough of my gloating...on to Championship Week college picks:

USC TROJANS 20, Arizona Wildcats 13
-The 'Cats always seem to play these guys tough, but I just don't see a Holiday Bowl bid in store for them this season. Fortunately Arizona will still get to play a ranked opponent in the Poinsettia Bowl (either Utah or BYU) - and the game still is in San Diego. November 13th, 2010 - the Trojans will lose in Tucson to the Wildcats...mark it down early!

WASHINGTON HUSKIES 27, California Golden Bears 24--UPSET SPECIAL
-Let's call this my upset special of the week...remember I'm 2-0 in my last two weeks with these picks. Washington has beaten superior teams USC and Arizona on their home turf this season and gave LSU a good run for their money...look for Huskies QB Jake Locker to have a monster game in what is likely his last collegiate game (before he declares for the NFL Draft).

SEC Championship Game in Atlanta--Florida Gators 24, Alabama Crimson Tide 17
-The game will be close throughout until the Gators score the deciding touchdown with five minutes to go. Tim Tebow will get a chance to play in his 3rd National Championship game. Obviously this is a must-watch for any college football fan...it's the game of the year.

Big XII Championship Game in Dallas - Texas Longhorns 27, Nebraska Cornhuskers 17
-This one will be more of a challenge than the 'Horns expect at the outset...but I have a feeling Nebraska's offense will play surprisingly well. Texas QB Colt McCoy cements his Heisman Trophy candidacy with another 300+ total yardage day.

ACC Championship Game in Tampa - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 30, Clemson Tigers 23
-We already saw this matchup in Week 2 of the college football season with Clemson roaring back from a big early deficit only to lose on a last second field goal to Tech. Neither team has been to a BCS bowl game in recent memory...so look for this one to be quite entertaining throughout. But I don't see how the Tigers can shut down the triple option of Tech.

Cincinnati Bearcats 31, PITTSBURGH PANTHERS 23
-This is the unofficial/official Big East Championship Game...and as good a team as Pitt has been this season, Cincinnati is far superior. Look for the Bearcats to stake their claim as the contender in waiting if Texas slips up on Saturday night. After that, don't be surprised next week if/when Cincinnati Coach Brian Kelly takes the Notre Dame job.

Conference USA Championship Game in Charlotte - Houston Cougars 34, East Carolina Pirates 24
-Cougars QB Case Keenum might have deserved a Heisman ceremony invitation had the Cougars not lost for the second time this season (to Central Florida) a few weeks ago. Instead look for him to ravage the normally solid Pirates defense to the tune of 350+ yards passing, 4 touchdowns, and a Cougars win.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Week 13 NFL Picks + Oregon/Oregon St. on Thursday night

2009-12-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

So it's crunch time for my three fantasy football teams this week...two are in the playoffs...one needs a win this week and I'm in. If I lose, season over. Talk about pressure!

On to the picks...

Week 13 NFL Picks

HOME TEAMS IN CAPS
Last Week: 12-4 Overall: 121-55 (68.8%...my goal is 70% for the season)

New York Jets 20, BUFFALO BILLS 13 (in Toronto)
-The Jets still have an outside chance at making the playoffs, but they likely will have to win out to do it. I'll take the New Yorkers based on the revenge angle from this season's earlier OT loss.

Philadelphia Eagles 26, ATLANTA FALCONS 17
-Atlanta just has too many problems to overcome without starting QB Matt Ryan and star RB Michael Turner.

CHICAGO BEARS 31, St. Louis Rams 14
-Don't be surprised if Jay Cutler and his offensive company have a very solid game for the Bears this Sunday...St. Louis' defense is awful.

CINCINNATI BENGALS 31, Detroit Lions 10
-I'll predict a two touchdown game from Chad Ocho Cinco...and a defensive TD by the Bengals (no, I don't have either of them on any of my fantasy teams).

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 27, Tennessee Titans 23
-I think it's a mandate now that the Colts must be in danger of losing entering the 4th quarter of every game they play in...but somehow Peyton Manning and company have found a way to stay undefeated.

Denver Broncos 20, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 17
-This is a swing game for the Broncos...if they win here, I would expect them to make the playoffs...if they lose, I would venture to say they're in big trouble.

New England Patriots 27, MIAMI DOLPHINS 24
-The Dolphins loss to the Bills last week pretty much eliminated them from playoff contention with a very difficult schedule remaining...I'd be surprised if they were 100% focused for this one. On the other hand, you have to think Tom Brady will be primed for a big effort off his poor performance at New Orleans on Monday night.

New Orleans Saints 30, WASHINGTON REDSKINS 14
-Speaking of those Saints, they look to have a serious shot at an undefeated regular season after easily taking care of the Patriots. Drew Brees = the NFL's MVP in 2009...maybe a split with Peyton Manning at the worst-case.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 33, Oakland Raiders 10
-This one could get ugly...very, very ugly. The Steelers are out for vengeance after losing their last two.

CAROLINA PANTHERS 24, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14
-Carolina actually benefits from QB Jake Delhomme's broken finger...now they have a non-performance-related excuse for not playing him. With the way Delhomme has played this season, things can only get better for Carolina.

Houston Texans 31, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 28
-I see this one being a shootout like their matchup earlier this season. Look for Houston to exact some revenge for losing a close one on their home turf in Week 3.

San Diego Chargers 27, CLEVELAND BROWNS 7
-How does 1st year Browns coach Eric Mangini keep his job after this season? He's done an absolutely horrible job since taking over.

Dallas Cowboys 28, NEW YORK GIANTS 24
-This will be a very good game that will come down to the wire once again...but the Giants' free fall continues with another late-game loss to a good Dallas team.

San Francisco 49ers 23, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 20
-The 49ers simply need this game more than the Seahawks, who are essentially eliminated from postseason contention. Look for another good performance from 49ers QB Alex Smith in the transformed San Francisco offense.

Minnesota Vikings 31, ARIZONA CARDINALS 24
-Will Kurt Warner play? I'm a lot more skeptical at this point than I was the other day. If he doesn't play, AZ has little chance to beat the 10-1 Vikings. If he does play, look for it to be close, but Minnesota's offense is playing just too well right now.

GREEN BAY PACKERS 23, Baltimore Ravens 16
-A night game in December in Green Bay? It should be in the 20s at gametime with possibly snow flurries. That favors the Packers who should win this before a tough stretch to end the season.

BONUS COLLEGE PICK - OREGON DUCKS 34, Oregon St. Beavers 24
-Oregon's offense won't be stopped with the Rose Bowl on the line in "The Civil War." Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli uses this as a statement game in order to spearhead his run at the Heisman Trophy next season. This game should be a must watch for any college football fan on a Thursday night.

Monday Musings - Young/Leinart II, ASU/UofA, the Heisman Trophy, and More!

2009-11-30T07:30:00.000-08:00

Starting off with the NFL for once...

-The Cardinals/Titans game yesterday was epic...Vince Young vs. Matt Leinart Part II, arguably the best RB in the NFL (Chris Johnson) against arguably the best WR in the NFL (Larry Fitzgerald)...and boy did it live up to the billing!

-Leinart looked very sharp in the second half and proved that he can be a solid NFL quarterback. The Cardinals would be making a serious mistake if they gave up on him in the next two years...which I really don't believe they will do.

-As I mentioned above, I believe Chris Johnson has passed Adrian Peterson as the NFL's premier running back. He's much faster than AP...and possesses the game breaking component Peterson has rarely shown this year. How many 80+ yard touchdowns does Johnson have this year? At least 4 or 5 off the top of my head...

-What a gutsy performance by Vince Young to take the Titans 99 yards in the final three minutes for the win...apparently he's the real deal now...5-0 as a starter this season.

-Maybe the NFC West isn't over just yet...the Cardinals lead the 49ers by 2 and host the 10-1 Vikings next week while the 49ers face the Seahawks in Seattle. With a San Fran win and AZ loss, the division lead could come down to a Week 14 Monday night meeting between the two teams. So much for being too comfortable, right Cardinals fans?

-Speaking of uncomfortable, that was how I felt during Saturday's UofA-ASU game. The 'Cats dominated the 1st half despite looking poor on offense. But ASU made a heck of a rally in the 4th quarter and frankly should've won the game if it weren't for Kyle Williams' awful mistake on a fair catch punt.

-I hated the Wildcats' play-calling throughout the game...they looked quite intimidated of ASU's very solid defense. The offense was by far the worst I've seen all season...including the Iowa game.

-Good for Danny Sullivan to exact a bit of redemption in his final collegiate game...and as for Kyle Williams, the hero and goat of Saturday's game...that's a shame. What else can I say as a UofA fan?

-I predict the 'Cats will end up in San Diego for their bowl game with either a win or loss at USC this weekend...if they lose, they will face Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl...with a win I believe the Holiday Bowl will select them to likely face Nebraska (assuming they lose to Texas in the Big XII Championship).

-I'm not sure my heart can take many more of these close UofA games...it seems like this is an every week occurrence.

-I define the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football...a player who is not just a "product of the system", but if you put them on a subpar team, they would clearly make that team better. Therefore my Heisman ballot as of now: 1. Colt McCoy, 2. Toby Gerhart, 3. Jimmy Clausen. I reserve the right to change this after this weekend's games however...I would also include Jeremiah Masoli, Mark Ingram, Tim Tebow, and Case Keenum on my (fairly) short list.

-What a great upcoming weekend of college football...Oregon-Oregon St., Florida-Alabama, Cincinnati-Pitt, Clemson-Georgia Tech, Texas-Nebraska...all with highly significant BCS bowl meaning...it doesn't get any better than that (and I didn't even include UofA and USC)!

-I had a friend tell me this weekend that he didn't think the Suns would win more than 50 games...did he not realize that they're currently 14-3? To only win 49 games, Phoenix would have to go 35-30 the rest of the way...and unless Steve Nash or Amare Stoudemire misses a significant amount of time, they will play much better than that. Just guessing now...I'll say 54-28.

Football Picks Galore - NFL Week 12 and College Week 13

2009-11-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

Plenty of picks to be found in this week's blog...here we go:

NFL Week 12

HOME TEAMS IN CAPS Last Week: 12-4 Overall: 109-51 (68%)

Green Bay Packers 31, DETROIT LIONS 14
-Great win for Detroit over Cleveland on Sunday...but the momentum will not carry over. Green Bay likely needs to win 4 of 6 to make the playoffs.

DALLAS COWBOYS 27, Oakland Raiders 10
-The Cowboys offense gets back on track after a horrific two weeks with a combined 14 points.

New York Giants 23, DENVER BRONCOS 16
-Stick a fork in the Broncos playoff hopes...after this one, they're about cooked.

ATLANTA FALCONS 30, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13
-Look for another big day from Falcons backup RB Jason Snelling.

Miami Dolphins 24, BUFFALO BILLS 20
-I don't think the Bills will have any answers for the 'Phins "Wildcat" formation.

CINCINNATI BENGALS 27, Cleveland Browns 7
-The Bengals owe the schedule-maker a favor...they faced the Raiders last week, the Browns this week, and the Lions next week. On paper, does it get much easier than that?...minus the fluke loss last week though.

Seattle Seahawks 27, ST. LOUIS RAMS 14
-Seattle shutout St. Louis earlier in the season...I don't see how the Rams are only 3 point underdogs in this spot.

Carolina Panthers 24, NEW YORK JETS 23
-Upset Special #1 - the Jets are in a free fall...Carolina steals this one late similar to the way Jacksonville beat the Jets two weeks ago.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 27, Washington Redskins 10
-The Redskins have hung tough the last two weeks...but their mojo won't be the same this Sunday against a hungry Eagles team.

HOUSTON TEXANS 27, Indianapolis Colts 24
-Upset Special #2 - The Colts are due to lose at some point...and have played four consecutive super close games. Look for their undefeated dreams to end on Sunday afternoon in Houston.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 24, Kansas City Chiefs 14
-The Chiefs are winners of two in a row and will play the Chargers tougher than expected.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 20, Jacksonville Jaguars 17
-Who knows which Jaguars team will show up this week on the road?

TENNESSEE TITANS 26, Arizona Cardinals 21
-The Titans are a top 10 team in the NFL since Vince Young took over...arguably top 5. Having a top 3 running back in Chris Johnson doesn't hurt the cause either.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS 30, Chicago Bears 20
-Adrian Peterson owns the Bears...much to the chagrin of my fantasy football good fortune (I face him in two of my three leagues this weekend).

BALTIMORE RAVENS 23, Pittsburgh Steelers 20
-The Ravens owe the Steelers one after going 0-3 against them last season.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 34, New England Patriots 30
-This one will be a blast to watch...Quarterbacks Drew Brees and Tom Brady will put on quite the aerial show...I wouldn't be surprised at all if New England wins here. Could be a preview of the Super Bowl.

Week 13 College Football Picks

Arizona Wildcats 24, ARIZONA ST. SUN DEVILS 20
-The Sun Devils season is a wash...and UofA makes their season successful with a win. Look for my alma mater to prevail in a much too close game. I'm still concerned how the Wildcats will respond after last week's heartbreaker though.

WASHINGTON HUSKIES 34, Washington St. Cougars 7
-A revenge game based on last year's surprising Cougars upset.

USC TROJANS 30, UCLA Bruins 17
-The Trojans will likely head to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego if they win out...which is not the Rose Bowl, but not a bad destination either.

STANFORD CARDINAL 38, Notre Dame Fighting Irish 30
-Don't expect Charlie Weis to be coaching in Notre Dame's bowl game...just a hunch.

Alabama Crimson Tide 27, AUBURN TIGERS 20
-The Crimson Tide will be in for a battle here until a late TD saves the day to beat their hated rival.

Pittsburgh Panthers 26, WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS 23
-Like Alabama above, the Panthers score a late TD to beat a good Mountaineers team on the road.

BOISE ST. BRONCOS 41, Nevada Wolfpack 30
-Might be the most entertaining game of the weekend; both teams can score some major points. But Boise St. will remain unbeaten during the regular season for the second straight year.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS 27, Oklahoma St. Cowboys 23
-The Sooners will derail their rivals' BCS bowl hopes at Senior Day in Norman.

FLORIDA GATORS 38, Florida St. Seminoles 24
-Tim Tebow's Senior Day will be quite the site in Gainesville...it doesn't look like he'll get his second Heisman Trophy this year though.

UPSET SPECIAL: SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS 24, Clemson Tigers 19
-Steve Spurrier doesn't let his team lose four in a row to end the season. Hopefully I'll hit this one similar to last week's SEC upset pick...Kentucky as a 9 point underdog at Georgia.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Monday Musings - Oregon/Arizona fallout, Throwing Projectiles, the Cardinals' road dominance, and More!

2009-11-23T13:31:00.000-08:00

The top 5 worst sports losses I've ever personally ever experienced:
1. The Cubs 2003 debacle (Games 6 & 7 against the Marlins)
2. The 2004 Cubs choking away a 2 game division lead in the last week of the season
3. Saturday night's UofA loss to Oregon
4. The 2006 UofA loss to ASU keeping the Wildcats out of a bowl game
5. The Packers loss to the Giants in January 2008's NFC Championship Game

-I'll say this about Saturday night's Oregon-Arizona game...it was the greatest regular season sporting event I have ever witnessed in person, yet the most disappointing.

-I would've gone for two if I were UofA Coach Mike Stoops after the Wildcats scored in the first overtime...to let the game continue after Oregon could not be stopped on offense was disappointing.

-I love the way the Wildcats D played from the mid-1st quarter to the mid-4th. They were aggressive and ruthless...and they made their school proud either way.

-The University of Arizona represented itself very well until about three minutes to go in the game...when the Zona Zoo decided to prematurely rush the sidelines thinking the game was almost in hand. Unfortunately that's the result of a University whose fans don't know what it's like to win in football.

-Those fans throwing projectiles on to the field from the southwest section of Arizona Stadium on Saturday night are despicable. I hope you scum bags never come back to another UofA sporting event. Your actions were beyond reprehensible...and I hope the guy who hit the poor Oregon cheerleader in the head with a water bottle is caught and sees jail time for assault.

-On a happier note, attending College Gameday was quite the experience...the atmosphere was electric and I'm glad I made the trip. Unfortunately at time my vision was impaired due to all of the ridiculous signs people held up to get their :15 seconds of fame.

-I'm very concerned UofA is in the emotional cellar after back-to-back close losses...and I'm not quite sure how they will group this week against a poor, yet hungry ASU team.

-Bye bye Charlie Weis...hope your Notre Dame experience has been memorable...good luck in your next venture as an NFL offensive coordinator.

-The University of Michigan should be saying bye bye to Rich Rodriguez after a 4-0 start turned into a 5-7 disaster. Unfortunately for the Wolverines fan base, the University is reluctant to pay the huge buyout to fix the mistake.

-Unless it gets a matchup of undefeated teams, aka Cincinnati and TCU, I don't see the Fiesta Bowl being all that appealing this year. Boise St. would be interesting, but they'll never be able to top their 2007 experience.

-The Cardinals will once again be a tough out in the playoffs this season - they are solid on both sides of the ball and have become an excellent road team (5-0). I am concerned, however, that Matt Leinart wasn't able to lead the team to any points against a poor Rams defense in a little over two quarters of work.

-I would be surprised if the Broncos win more than 2 of their final 6 games...talk about a team that has gone into a tailspin.

-How's that Jay Cutler deal working out for you now, Chicago?

-Would anyone have bet that a matchup between one win teams, Detroit and Cleveland would be by far the most exciting game of Week 11 in the NFL? What a crazy finish!

-The Suns are 11-3 and tied for the best record in the NBA...another example of the phrase, "That's why they play the games..."

FINAL THOUGHT - No matter how a team loses a game, there is no excuse for the fans to not be graceful and respect both the outcome of the game and the winning team. University of Arizona fans put on a classless performance that will not soon be forgotten. I don't care whether Oregon players were taunting them or not, there is absolutely no justification for throwing anything, much less full water bottles, Jack Daniels bottles, and batteries at the Oregon personnel as they were exiting the field. When Arizona hosts it's first home game of the 2010 season next September, let's hope new security procedures are implemented to curb this ruthless behavior.

Week 12 College Football Pickoff

2009-11-20T08:11:00.000-08:00

Let's not waste any time...you know who I'm picking in this weekend's feature game:

PAC-10 PICKS

ARIZONA WILDCATS 38, Oregon Ducks 34
-History lesson: November 15th, 2007 - Oregon is ranked #2...undefeated coming into Arizona Stadium for a Thursday night ESPN game...Arizona is 4-6. The Ducks are led by Heisman candidate Dennis Dixon, who had injured his knee the week before in a win over Arizona State. Oregon jumps out to an 8-0 lead and is ready to go in again before Dixon throws an interception in the end zone. Later he re-injures his knee and is done for the season. Arizona goes on to win 34-24 in a major upset.
Fast forward to tomorrow...the biggest football game for Arizona in at least a decade: ESPN's College Gameday is in Tucson - the Ducks are ranked 11th, coming off a home win against ASU...and are coming into Arizona Stadium for a nationally televised game by ABC (branded as ESPN on ABC). Look for the "Red Out" at the stadium to affect the Ducks, already a subpar road team. Nick Foles throws for 350+ yards and Nic Grigsby nears 100 on the ground...but the game is decided on a UofA touchdown with just under five minutes to play. The Ducks will drive towards the game winner only to fall short. Arizona's Rose Bowl dreams will live for another week.

Oregon St. Beavers 45, WASHINGTON ST. COUGARS 10
-Nice scheduling Oregon St...give yourselves a nice tune-up game before the Civil War against Oregon on December 3rd. The Beavers can pretty much name the score here.

STANFORD CARDINAL 34, Cal Golden Bears 20
-Stanford needs a win over Cal, a UofA win over Oregon, a UofA loss to ASU or USC, and an Oregon win over Oregon St. to be in the Rose Bowl...not all that unlikely to be honest. Toby Gerhart is a legitimate Heisman candidate...and will have a chance to make a statement on national TV next Saturday night against Notre Dame.

UCLA BRUINS 24, Arizona State Sun Devils 17
-I think ASU puts up a very good fight against a Bruins team that seems to have turned the corner...but a late Bruins TD seals the Devils postseason fate...a second straight year sitting at home in December/January.

OTHER NOTABLE GAMES

Ohio State Buckeyes 27, MICHIGAN WOLVERINES 17
-The best rivalry in all of sports...but it's unfortunate there is no added significance to the game this year. Ohio State will struggle in the 1st half before their defense makes a couple big plays in the second half to get the win.

OLE MISS REBELS 30, LSU Tigers 20
-The Rebs looked sharp last week while pasting Tennessee...look for them to repeat their Cotton Bowl appearance of a year ago after this win and a victory in the Egg Bowl over Mississippi St.

TEXAS LONGHORNS 41, Kansas Jayhawks 24
-It's sad when I'm picking this game as part of my weekly picks...this is probably the worst college football weekend in years in terms of intriguing matchups. The Longhorns are favored by nearly four touchdowns over a Kansas team who has lost 5 in a row and is in turmoil. Look for the Jayhawks to cover the spread, but not derail Texas' championship hopes.

Kentucky Wildcats 24, GEORGIA BULLDOGS 23
-My upset special of the week...Georgia has looked sluggish all season, while Kentucky might be turning the corner. Let's hope this one doesn't go as badly as my Duke pick last Saturday.

Have a great weekend everyone...and GO CATS!

Week 11 NFL Picks

2009-11-18T15:57:00.000-08:00

A solid 12-3 week last week improved my season record to 97-47 (67.4%)...let's hope I can keep the good times rolling this weekend:

Week 11 NFL Picks (HOME TEAMS IN CAPS)

CAROLINA PANTHERS 27, Miami Dolphins 20
-This one should be much more entertaining than last Thursday's snoozefest between the 49ers and Bears. Look for Panthers QB Jake Delhomme to have lead a solid aerial attack in this Carolina victory.

DALLAS COWBOYS 31, Washington Redskins 16
-Look for Dallas to take out some frustration on their biggest rivals. Tony Romo should have an easy 300+ yard passing day.

DETROIT LIONS 20, Cleveland Browns 9
-If anyone watches this game for reasons other than fantasy football or gambling reasons, I would be shocked.

GREEN BAY PACKERS 24, San Francisco 49ers 13
-The Packers look to be in a winnable stretch right now and are in the thick of the NFC playoff race. The 49ers are likely a year away.

Pittsburgh Steelers 27, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 7
-Rashard Mendenhall should tear apart a weak Chiefs front 7 on the ground.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS 30, Seattle Seahawks 14
-Good luck stopping Adrian Peterson, Seattle!

NEW YORK GIANTS 24, Atlanta Falcons 20
-This is a must win for both teams, but I'll take the Giants considering they're at home and need to break the four game losing streak. I also don't like the fact that Atlanta is going to be without star runner Michael Turner (high ankle sprain).

New Orleans Saints 31, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 20
-The Bucs keep this one interesting similar to the way the Rams did last week vs. New Orleans, but Drew Brees will be too much for the Bucs to stop late.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 27, Buffalo Bills 14
-I don't see how the league's worst rush defense (Buffalo) shuts down the dynamic Maurice Jones-Drew. Not gonna happen.

Indianapolis Colts 27, BALTIMORE RAVENS 24
-Former longtime Ravens kicker Matt Stover wins this one for Indy as time expires...won't that be sweet revenge? Long time Baltimore football supporters (formerly Baltimore Colts fans) will cringe at this result.

Arizona Cardinals 34, ST. LOUIS RAMS 14
-Look for at least one defensive touchdown from AZ in this easy victory.

San Diego Chargers 23, DENVER BRONCOS 17
-And there went the Josh McDaniels for Coach of the Year parade...Denver will lose it's 4th in a row and finally its grasp on the AFC West.

Cincinnati Bengals 23, OAKLAND RAIDERS 9
-Poor Raiders fans...that's all I can say. As for the Bengals, their feel good story continues...and an AFC North title is within reach.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 24, New York Jets 12
-The Jets will keep this surprisingly close, but New England will exact its revenge for a tough Week 2 loss to the Jets.

Philadelphia Eagles 23, CHICAGO BEARS 16
-After this one, the Bears fans will be clamoring for two things: Coach Lovie Smith's job and the Cubs 2010 season to begin.

HOUSTON TEXANS 27, Tennessee Titans 23
-The Titans have been a different team with Vince Young at quarterback, going 3-0 since their bye week. Their magic ends here however...the Texans are bound for the playoffs and this Monday nighter will be great exposure to the entire country.

Be back Friday with the...let's say...surprising...college picks...

Monday Quick Hitters - Bill Belichick, College Gameday in Tucson, TCU, and more!

2009-11-16T11:12:00.000-08:00

I wish I could say it was a happy Monday...but I'm still quite depressed about the UofA loss to Cal on Saturday...moving on:

- I loved Bill Belichick's decision to go for it on 4th and 2 at his own 28 last night with the game on the line...he knew the consequences...but he also knew his offense had dominated the Colts defense all game. It was a tough break...that's all.

- You know that if the Patriots had gotten that 1st down, Belichick would be considered even more of a genius than he is now!

- Obviously the Colts-Patriots classic will go down as the NFL's signature game in 2009.

- I think it's safe to say the Denver Broncos are in a nose dive...just as I predicted would happen before they played the Patriots. Losing to the Redskins is inexcusable.

- As a Packers fan, I was thrilled to see the defense rise to the occasion and shut down a high powered Cowboys offense. Don't look now...but with upcoming games against San Francisco, Detroit, and Baltimore...an 8-4 record certainly looks possible despite Green Bay's horrific offensive line.

- I think it's safe to say that 3 of the 4 divisions in the NFC are decided...the North (Minnesota), South (New Orleans), and West (Arizona).

- On to college...and oh how disappointed I am in my Wildcats. Come on Nick Foles...you've played great all season...but you can't throw two forward passes in the same sequence!

- Not a very good gameplan drawn up by UofA offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes.

- Still, with the lack of decent college games this week, College Gameday is coming to Tucson...I can't tell you how excited I am...and to boot, we'll get to hear Brent Musberger say, "YOU ARE LOOKING LIVE AT ARIZONA STADIUM..." - all I need is a Rose Bowl appearance and my year would be complete.

- UofA will beat Oregon...mark it down. Hopefully that's not in the same line of thinking as my Duke over Georgia Tech pick last week...awful.

- TCU belongs in the National Championship Game...there's no question about it...what more do they need to prove? They've played a tougher schedule than Texas and completely dominated...and while I have no problems with Texas, I really hope they lose to Kansas, A&M, or Nebraska so TCU gets its chance. (For more, see my final thought below...)

- Unless they play Oregon, look for Ohio State to finally beat a ranked team (outside the Big 10) in the Rose Bowl...the Ducks would give them some major problems though.

- Though they are young and mostly unproven, look for Sean Miller's Wildcats to make their 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament.

- The Suns are 9-2 and have the best record in the league...are you kidding me? Alvin Gentry = early favorite for Coach of the Year.

FINAL THOUGHT - I wish a good majority of college football voters would consider teams more on their season resume than their school's reputation. TCU has statistically been much more impressive than Texas...including strength of schedule, yet will never surpass the Longhorns due to reputation alone. I look forward to the day when more objective voters are given the change to decide who plays for the coveted National Championship.

Week 11 College Football Pickoff

2009-11-13T13:15:00.000-08:00

Last week 4-4...here we go:

(HOME TEAMS IN CAPS)

Arizona Wildcats 34, CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS 27
-The strange betting line movement on this game has made me a bit nervous…it started out UofA -2 on the road and now favors the home Golden Bears by 3. Nonetheless without Jahvid Best, Cal’s offense is far less potent…Nick Foles and the Wildcats keep their Rose Bowl dreams alive for another week.

OREGON DUCKS 27, ASU Sun Devils 10
-Will the Ducks get caught looking ahead to UofA or will they come out with a vengeance after a horrible loss at Stanford? I’ll take the latter…

OREGON ST. BEAVERS 30, Washington Huskies 17
-Remember when the Huskies were ranked among the Top 25 after they beat USC in September? Look for Oregon St. to enter the poll this week after a convincing win.

UCLA Bruins 27, Washington St. Cougars 6
-The Bruins are mediocre…the Cougars are beyond bad…easy pick even though UCLA is the road team.

USC TROJANS 24, Stanford Cardinal 20
-A Stanford upset is the trendy pick…but USC will be much more awake than they were last week against ASU. Stanford’s Rose Bowl hopes are out the window after this Saturday.

Notable Games Around the Country

OHIO ST. BUCKEYES 20, Iowa Hawkeyes 7
-Without QB Ricky Stanzi, the Hawkeyes’ offense is a shell of its former self. Look for another dominating defensive effort from OSU.

Florida Gators 27, SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS 17
-The Gators will not cover the 17 point spread as a road favorite against the Ole’ Ball Coach.

TCU HORNED FROGS 28, Utah Utes 13
-Does TCU deserve a shot in the National Title game if Texas slips up?

PITTSBURGH PANTHERS 27, Notre Dame Fighting Irish 24
-Closer than the experts think…but the Panthers hang on as they prepare for their final two huge games of the year…West Virginia and Cincinnati.

ERIC’S UPSET SPECIAL

DUKE BLUE DEVILS 26, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 24
-The Jackets have been playing with fire the last several games…a slip-up is to be expected sooner or later…meaning the ACC race will be wide open once again.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Week 10 NFL Picks

2009-11-11T12:59:00.000-08:00

So much for picking all the favorites last week...what a nightmare...here's the Week 10 version of my picks:

Week 10 NFL Picks

Last Week: 7-6
Season Record: 85-44 (65.9%)
HOME TEAMS IN CAPS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 24, Chicago Bears 20
-How do the Bears and 49ers bounce back on a short week after both losing at home this past weekend. Considering the 49ers don't have to fly halfway across the country...I'll take them this week.

TENNESSEE TITANS 26, Buffalo Bills 13
-Look out AFC...under Vince Young the Titans are 2-0 and making a push. They should overwhelm an underachieving and banged up Bills defense for a comfortable win.

New Orleans Saints 34, ST. LOUIS RAMS 14
-If the Saints score any less than 4 offensive touchdowns, I would be very surprised.

MIAMI DOLPHINS 24, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
-Bucs rookie QB Josh Freeman was very impressive in his first career start vs. Green Bay. Miami should blitz him all day and make his NFL road debut a nightmare.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS 31, Detroit Lions 13
-Brett Favre throws for 2 scores and Adrian Peterson runs for 2 in an easy Vikings victory.

NEW YORK JETS 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 20
-I know the Jags have been poor on the road, but look for them to put up a decent fight with a hungry Jets team who desperately needs a win coming off their bye week.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 27, Cincinnati Bengals 13
-The Steelers, despite playing on a shortened week due to the Monday nighter they played in Denver, have revenge on their minds for a tough last minute Week 3 loss to the Bengals.

Denver Broncos 20, WASHINGTON REDSKINS 7
-Don't be surprised if Redskins Coach Jim Zorn gets the boot after another miserable performance.

CAROLINA PANTHERS 24, Atlanta Falcons 21
-Carolina's excellent rushing attack against a woeful Falcons rushing defense? I'll take the home Panthers by a field goal as they should rush for well over 200 yards as a unit.

Kansas City Chiefs 21, OAKLAND RAIDERS 10
-Upset Special: Last year Oakland beat Kansas City in KC early in the year and lost at home to the Chiefs later in the season. Look for history to repeat itself this Sunday in the Oakland Coliseum (or whatever they call it now!).

GREEN BAY PACKERS 27, Dallas Cowboys 21
-On the strength of a 2nd half defensive touchdown, Green Bay pulls off the home upset against Wisconsin native Tony Romo and the Cowboys.

ARIZONA CARDINALS 27, Seattle Seahawks 21
-Can the Cardinals actually win a home game comfortably? I'm starting to think the answer is NO.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19
-This could be a letdown game for San Diego...but with the AFC West seemingly back in the play, I don't see the Chargers losing a crucial home game at this juncture.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 34, New England Patriots 28
-Game of the year? If this isn't it...then it should be close. Look for Peyton Manning and Tom Brady to put on an aerial show...but the undefeated Colts simply are clicking better right now.

Baltimore Ravens 23, CLEVELAND BROWNS 13
-I see the Browns scoring a few points to keep this one respectable; the Ravens desperately need a win streak to get their playoff hopes back on track.

Be back Friday with a big weekend of college football picks!

Monday Quick Hitters - Upsets All Around, UofA Rose Bowl Talk, the 6-1 Suns?

2009-11-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

Busy Monday...crazy sports weekend to recap:

Did you know that underdogs in the Big 10 this weekend went 5-0 against the spread and 4-1 straight up (only loss was Indiana 31-28 to Wisconsin)? That means all five road teams won...it doesn't get any crazier than that!
Bye bye Iowa from the BCS Bowls...glad you kept us thinking you were a National Title contender until now...
Speaking of bye-byes - adios Charlie Weis at Notre Dame...two losses to Navy in your tenure...you don't deserve to keep your coaching job next year.
How warm is Dennis Erickson's hot seat right now? ASU completely outplayed USC on Saturday and still found a way to lose 14-9. If Erickson loses to UofA and records another losing season, ASU AD Lisa Love might not have a choice but to relieve him from his duties.
Speaking of UofA, they completely dominated an overmatched Washington St. team from the start...heck, I even left at halftime!
I'm not dreaming Rose Bowl for the 'Cats just yet...but I do think they will beat Cal this weekend after the Bears lost all of their momentum (and their best player Jahvid Best) against Oregon St.
Heck, I'm not even thinking up Pac-10 conference championship scenarios just yet...take each week one at a time. But watch out for the OSU Beavers who are on fire right now and very well could beat Oregon on December 3rd.
Toby Gerhart - Stanford RB = 2009 Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year
Oregon & USC - which team will show up on a weekly basis? Both looked awful this weekend...though the Trojans beat disappointing ASU.
Another great road win for the Cardinals in Chicago...I think that game sealed the fate of Bears Coach Lovie Smith.
The NFC West is over...9-7 should be well enough for the Cards to make the playoffs for a second straight season.
Ditto the Buccaneers' win over the Packers for Green Bay Coach Mike McCarthy.
Green Bay has allowed 37 sacks in 8 games...that has to be a record of futility.
Do the Colts and Saints legitimately have a shot to go undefeated this season? I say no way...but each should be a virtual lock in their conference's championship game?
Who says parity has gone by the wayside in the NFL? The favorites this weekend went 6-6 straight up, pending Pittsburgh over Denver tonight.
The Suns look after 7 games like a legitimate second-tier team in the Western Conference (the Lakers comprise the first tier by themselves)...to beat Boston on the road as they did on Friday night...shocking.
Could the Suns have actually helped themselves by trading away Shaq for nothing?

FINAL THOUGHT - The Yankees bought themselves a 27th championship by signing stars CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira for absurd amounts of money. When will baseball level the playing field by instituting some kind of salary cap? The threat of a luxury tax doesn't scare large market teams any longer.

College Football Pickoff - Week 10

2009-11-05T13:36:00.000-08:00

I can't believe there are only five weeks left in the college football season...it's what makes Fall the best time of the year. While the NFL stares at an impending lockout in 2011, we know one thing for sure...college football will still be alive and well. As much as I love the NFL, would it be as popular today if fantasy football weren't as popular in today's society? The answer is no...would you have watched last week's Rams-Lions game if you didn't have fantasy football implications? I sure wouldn't have.

With that, coming off a 6-3 week (as was Rich)...here are my picks for Week 10:

Pac-10

Arizona 38, Washington St. 14
-I think it’s smart picking just about the same score every game for the Cougs…I was one point off last week when they lost to Notre Dame! UofA won’t cover the big 31 point spread as WSU has been slowly improving as the season has gone along. This is Arizona's last "easy" game before a brutal closing schedule (@CAL, OREGON, @ASU, @USC).

USC 27, ASU 10
-I wouldn’t want to be playing the Trojans this week after they got pounded by Oregon last Saturday…look for blowout city in Tempe.

Oregon 34, Stanford 21
-The Ducks are on a collision course to the Rose Bowl unless Arizona and Oregon St. can do something about it.

UCLA 24, Washington 16
-Huskies QB Jake Locker might miss this one…and if so, it could be a rout. If not, UCLA still gets it’s first conference win in 2009.

Cal 27, Oregon St. 24
-I really want to pick the upset here…but as a UofA fan, do I really want Cal to lose at home the week before they host us? That’s why I’m going with the Golden Bears.

Notable Games:

Penn St. 20, Ohio St. 13
-Can Terrelle Pryor win a big road game in his native state? Maybe when he’s a senior…but not today.

Alabama 27, LSU 17
-The Crimson Tide are on a collision course for a defacto playoff game against Florida in the SEC Championship on December 5^th.

Oklahoma 23, Nebraska 10
-The Huskers offense has been brutal as of late…and I don’t think the defense can hold Oklahoma under 20.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Week 9 NFL Picks

2009-11-04T08:40:00.000-08:00

Am I really going to pick all 13 favorites this week? I know it's boring...but I just don't like the underdogs to win.

Week 9 NFL Picks

Last Week: 9-4
Season Record: 78-38 (67%)
HOME TEAMS IN CAPS

ATLANTA FALCONS 27, Washington Redskins 16
-Look for the Redskins to undergo a complete overhaul after the season...Atlanta needs the win badly and will cruise to an easy victory at home.

CHICAGO BEARS 26, Arizona Cardinals 23
-The toughest pick of the week for me...this game very well could go either way considering how well Arizona has played on the road this season...but I'll take Jay Cutler at the Bears on a last second field goal.

Baltimore Ravens 21, CINCINNATI BENGALS 17
-The Ravens exact revenge for losing at home to Cincinnati a month ago...this should be an entertaining affair.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 30, Houston Texans 17
-The Texans have been playing well of late, but the Colts are bound to go into the New England game next week undefeated...which they will.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 27, Miami Dolphins 20
-Hopefully the Patriots have learned how to stop the Dolphins' "Wildcat" offense...last year's matchup in Foxboro was a complete embarrassment for the Patriots.

Green Bay Packers 23, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 6
-The Packers just love beating up on bad teams...Tampa Bay is the NFL's last hope at a winless team in 2009.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 31, Kansas City Chiefs 17
-It might be a better idea for Jacksonville to get the ball to star running back Maurice Jones-Drew sometime before the 2nd quarter. Last week's gameplan against Tennessee was absolutely brutal...don't expect a repeat against a poor Kansas City defense this week.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 34, Carolina Panthers 24
-It sure is shaping up like Saints-Vikings for the NFC Championship...don't you think? The way the Saints defense is playing so far this season...it's going to be tough for anyone to beat them.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 31, Detroit Lions 13
-Matt Hasselbeck and crew have a field day against a very poor Detroit secondary...unless you're a fan of either team or have fantasy football interests, don't bother watching this one.

NEW YORK GIANTS 27, San Diego Chargers 24
-The Giants have been in a tailspin and need a win here to maintain their playoff aspirations...look for a late Lawrence Tynes field goal to be the difference.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 24, Tennessee Titans 20
-The battle of top 3 overall draft pick bust QBs (thus far), Vince Young and Alex Smith. For now I'll stick with the 49ers who should have a chance to gain a game on the Cardinals in the NFC West race.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 30, Dallas Cowboys 20
-The Eagles seem to have the Cowboys' number in Philly...and specifically Tony Romo's number. Look for a rough Sunday night performance from the Cowboys QB.

Pittsburgh Steelers 24, DENVER BRONCOS 23
-Has the Broncos' magic disappeared? Steelers kicker Jeff Reed breaks Denver's heart as the clock runs out in another great Monday night affair.

BONUS PICK: Give me the Phillies tonight and tomorrow night to stun the Yankees and win their second consecutive World Series!

Back tomorrow with the college picks!

Monday Quick Hitters - The Cardinals, Favre, ASU, the Suns, the World Series...and more!

2009-11-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

Plenty of sports thoughts to go around on a Monday...

I knew that Cardinals-Panthers game yesterday was a trap...emotional letdown from the big win last week for the Cardinals...plus a revenge game from last year's playoffs for Carolina.
For the life of me, I don't understand how the Cardinals don't try to get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald more often.
So much for the #1 ranked run defense in the NFL after Panthers' RBs DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart shredded the Cards for 250+ yards on the ground.
What a surprise! Anquan Boldin is likely to miss time once again...he's a great player who simply can't stay healthy for all 16 games.
What a surreal game at Lambeau Field yesterday...Brett Favre playing AGAINST the Packers.
I thought Green Bay's gameplan was to not let Favre beat them...whoops!
Two games: sacks by Green Bay against Minnesota = 0...sacks by Minnesota against Green Bay = 14.
Favre and Adrian Peterson are a great combo, but the reason the Vikings are much better than the Packers right now is the lines, both offensive and defense...they're just so much better at the point of attack (as evidenced by that stat above).
If you want to see some of the worst professional tackling of all-time, check out the highlights from yesterday's Titans-Jaguars game.
I knew St. Louis wouldn't go 0-16. Now Tampa Bay on the other hand...
Dennis Erickson...welcome to the hot seat. Cal tried to give ASU the game but the Sun Devils seemingly didn't want to take it.
USC...welcome to...the Holiday Bowl! I'm sure the folks in San Diego will be grateful to have you play there for once...unless the UofA can do something about that.
Oregon looked so, so good on Saturday night...but they still don't belong in the National Championship race for now after their opening night implosion in Boise.
College Gameday in Tucson on 11/21 for UofA vs. Oregon?...that would be a dream come true for me!
After the way he played in Stillwater the other night vs. Oklahoma St., Texas QB Colt McCoy would most certainly have my Heisman vote at this point.
Houston QB Case Keenum and the great Tim Tebow of Florida would also be invited to my Heisman ceremony.
How do you like my 41-14 Notre Dame prediction over Washington St. now? Final score: 40-14 Irish. Wish I could say the same about that Central Michigan over Boston College pick...
The Suns look like a sure-fire playoff time through the first three games of the season...let's see what happens now on this upcoming five game Eastern road trip. 2-3 would be a major success.
I'm willing to bet that Brad Lidge will not be a member of the Philadelphia Phillies next season...anyone want to take me up on that?
The Phils will win tonight with ace Cliff Lee on the mound, but I don't see how they can pull out Game 6. If there's a Game 7...I will predict that the Yanks lose.
Mariano Rivera's cut fastball might be the best pitch of all-time...no one still has any idea to hit it after 15 seasons.

NFL picks on Wednesday with college plays on Thursday this week...as I'm in Tucson on Friday for UofA's Homecoming...

Friday College Football Pickoff - Week 9

2009-10-30T15:55:00.000-07:00

A Halloween Saturday means some spooky things are bound to happen in the football world. Watch out for Oregon and Oklahoma State...last year's Holiday Bowl representatives can shake up the BCS picture with wins over USC and Texas respectively.

Last week, I went 10-0 in my college picks while Rich went 8-2...mind you some of our picks weren't that tough...but regardless I hope to do as well again this week. Take a look below for this week’s picks:

Eric: Notre Dame 41, Washington St. 14
-Cougs barely cover the four touchdown spread but Irish QB Jimmy Clausen has a field day on the poor Cougs secondary.
Rich: ND 42, WSU 21
-Last time these teams met, a thriller on OT…..those were the days. Cougs get a little better each week with the rookie QB.

Eric: Oregon St. 34, UCLA 16
-Poor Rick Neuheisel…he’s a good coach with a very young team…in a few years this result will be different…but for now OSU wins in a rout.
Rich: OSU 45, UCLA 20
-Beavers will pour it on…

Eric: California 27, ASU 23
-If ASU loses here, their bowl aspirations will be in serious jeopardy. Which Cal team will show up? I like Cal with the much stronger running game to get it done on the road. Over/Under on ASU Freshman LB Vontaze Burfict's 15-yard penalties committed: 1.5 (he's had 5 in the last two weeks).
Rich: ASU 24, Cal 22
-Cal has looked good of late…maybe ready for let down. ASU needs this home win.

Eric: Oregon 30, USC 28
-Upset special #1…or is it? The home crowd gives Oregon the extra advantage they need to pull the upset. The Trojans’ D has looked vulnerable the past two weeks while allowing 63 combined points to Notre Dame and Oregon St.
Rich: Ore 35, USC 31
-I don’t think this will be an upset. Autzen will be the toughest stadium in the country Saturday for a road team to win.

Eric: Florida 34, Georgia 13
-Not quite as bad a beating as last year’s game…but Tim Tebow plays like the Tebow of old in this blowout.
Rich: I agree...the only question is which cocktail to order? [This game used to be known as the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party"]

Eric: Texas 34, Oklahoma St. 30

-I really want to pick the upset here…but I won’t for two reasons: 1. OSU is without their star WR Dez Bryant due to an NCAA-imposed suspension…2. Texas lost at Texas Tech on this weekend last year…Coach Mack Brown won’t let the same fate happen again. Texas QB Colt McCoy jumps to the top of the Heisman race after this one.
Rich: Yes……the Horns win against an OSU team that maybe a year away from greatness. But it wouldn’t be a shock if greatness arrives for the Cowboys on Saturday night.

Eric: Ole Miss 26, Auburn 20
-Ole Miss has disappointed me this year...I really thought they would win the SEC West...while Auburn has disappointed me of late with their current losing streak. Ole Miss wins a fairly close one.
Rich: Ole Miss 27-21

Eric's Upset Special: Central Michigan 27, Boston College 24
-The Chippewas are for real with their only loss coming at the hands of UofA…look for a BC hangover from last Saturday’s close Notre Dame loss. If CMU goes 11-1, is their QB Dan LeFevour an outside Heisman candidate.
-Rich: I like this pick!

Rich's Upset Special: Minnesota 17, Michigan State 14 -- (FYI I like MSU by 10+)

Have a good weekend everyone!

Eric

Week 8 NFL Picks

2009-10-28T10:46:00.000-07:00

Last week I came up with the not-so-brilliant idea of rating games based on the star system...5 stars for a virtual lock down to 2-stars for the tossup games...it didn't go as I expected:

5-star plays: 3-0
4-star plays: 1-2
3-star plays: 3-0
2-star plays: 3-1

Now I'm not going to argue with the 10-3 record...but to go 1-2 in 4-star plays is unacceptable...therefore this week I'll provide my predicted score as well as a small writeup as to what I think will happen...here we go...

Week 8 NFL Picks

Last Week: 10-3
Season Record: 69-34 (67%)
HOME TEAMS IN CAPS

St. Louis Rams 24, DETROIT LIONS 23
-My upset special this week...both teams are borderline horrendous and if they win, this might be the Rams only conquest in '09. Look for a late Marc Bulger TD pass to break the Lions hopes for win #2.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 27, New York Giants 23
-Neither team wants three losses this early in the game...considering the Eagles defense has been more impressive of late, I'll take the home team here.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 31, San Francisco 49ers 13
-Before the season I predicted the Colts as one of my 2009 disappointments...can I get a re-do? Peyton Manning throws 3 TD passes in this rout over the suddenly fading 49ers.

BALTIMORE RAVENS 23, Denver Broncos 13
-Baltimore lost three in a row going into their bye week, while Denver can't seem to do anything wrong so far this year. Fortunes change this Sunday...the Broncos will be lucky to win 5 of their last 10 games though they should still be a virtual playoff lock.

Houston Texans 24, BUFFALO BILLS 14
-After pulling two impressive upsets on the road the past two weeks under the guidance of Harvard-grad Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback, the Bills run ends thanks to the streaking Texans and their red-hot gunslinger Matt Schaub.

CHICAGO BEARS 30, Cleveland Browns 10
-I agree with what a prominent Cleveland sportswriter said this week...the Browns should fire their entire coaching staff and start over. Hey...I hear LeBron James is a free agent in 2010!

DALLAS COWBOYS 27, Seattle Seahawks 20
-Matt Hasselbeck will lead his Seahawks on a furious 2nd half comeback that will come up a touchdown short.

NEW YORK JETS 26, Miami Dolphins 17
-After getting run over by the Dolphins "Wildcat" offense in Week 5, look for the Jets to make serious adjustments. After blowing a three touchdown lead last week, I don't see how the Dolphins can rebound this Sunday. The Jets win comfortably.

Jacksonville Jaguars 26, TENNESSEE TITANS 21
-The Jaguars are the NFL's latest bi-polar squad...one week they'll look great...the next week they'll get shutout. Tennessee's miserable 2009 continues...

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 30, Oakland Raiders 9
-Am I giving the Raiders offense too much credit but predicting three field goals?

ARIZONA CARDINALS 27, Carolina Panthers 20
-This one has Cardinals letdown and Panthers revenge written all over it...but I just can't predict the upset. The Cardinals win on a late score from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald.

GREEN BAY PACKERS 27, Minnesota Vikings 24
-As a lifelong Packers fan, I can't tell you how disappointed I'll be to watch Brett Favre comeback to Lambeau Field in a Vikings uniform. My favorite player of all-time is nothing more than a traitor. Years from now I'll forget about it, but for now I'm hoping the Packers exact some revenge. In a classic, Green Bay wins on a last second Mason Crosby field goal.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 30, Atlanta Falcons 24
-After their stunning comeback from three touchdowns down late in the 2nd quarter last week, is it wrong to call the Saints the best team in the NFC? Look for Drew Brees and Matt Ryan to put up some monster passing yardage totals in an entertaining Saints win.

Back Friday with the college picks...

PS - World Series Prediction: Phillies over the Yankees in 6...MVP: Cliff Lee

Monday Thoughts - Cardinals, UofA, ASU, and the BCS

2009-10-26T10:33:00.000-07:00

Four burning questions on this Monday...

-Did the Arizona Cardinals just win in New York?
-Is the University of Arizona's #20 BCS ranking justified?
-Are the Arizona State Sun Devils on the way to a second consecutive bowl-less season?
-How would I fix the BCS?

Keep reading below for the answers to all of these questions...and MORE!

Yes, the Cardinals just shocked the football world by dominating...yes...dominating the New York Giants on Sunday night. The final score was 24-17 Arizona but in actuality the game wasn't nearly as close. The Cardinals probably should have scored 40+ against a Giants defense that was on its toes from start to finish. New York quarterback Eli Manning looked flustered and shaken against an aggressive and opportunistic Cardinals D. This is a signature win for Arizona...a win that should clearly separate them from San Francisco and Seattle in the NFC West race. With Carolina coming to town next week, the Cardinals should be careful...letdowns happen often in football...with that said, I'll put AZ's division title chances at somewhere between 90-95%. Also, can you believe the Cards are 3-0 on the road this season and currently have a road winning streak of four? Quite impressive.

Yes, the Wildcats do belong at #20 despite two road losses thus far in 2009. They opened the season with a dominant defensive performance against a strong Central Michigan offense than has not been tested since (the Chippewas' only loss was to UA) before cruising past Northern Arizona. Iowa handed the 'Cats a 10-point defeat in Iowa City, but considering the Hawkeyes are still unbeaten, that loss doesn't look too bad at this point. Nick Foles replaced Matt Scott as the starting QB at Oregon St., where Arizona came up with a signature 37-32 victory. The loss at Washington on a fluky play was tough, but the win the following week against Stanford in a game they really didn't deserve makes up for it. Foles looked shaky against UCLA this past Saturday, but Arizona's defense played as well as they have since Central Michigan en route to a 27-13 win. From here, the 'Cats have a week off before facing a porous Washington St. team...and then the schedule gets tricky...at California, the home finale against Oregon, at Arizona St., and at USC...tough, tough road ahead. I'll say 8-4 and a Sun Bowl appearance with wins against WSU, Oregon, and ASU, though I wouldn't rule Cal as a guaranteed loss. Still, the Wildcats are quite a ways up from the program I saw while going to school there (2001-2005).

This one is a toss-up. If ASU loses at home against Cal this weekend, I'll say no bowl for the Sun Devils...if they can pull off the upset, I think they go 6-6 and head to the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego. On Saturday night ASU's offense reared its ugly head again...while its defense for once didn't play much better. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cal game is very close...the Bears are constant underachievers and the Devils simply need this game more. If I were Dennis Erickson, I wouldn't make a permanent change at quarterback this season...we all know Danny Sullivan is below adequate...but throwing a true freshman, Brock Osweiler, into the wolves (Cal, USC, @ Oregon, @ UCLA, UofA) isn't necessarily the right move either.

The BCS is always going to be under constant debate...but the fact is, football isn't like basketball...you can't play two games a weekend and the recovery time between games (i.e. injury risk) is much greater...therefore a large postseason tournament doesn't make sense. Even 16 teams is far too many...that's potentially four extra games on the schedule for those two teams who play in the championship game. So let's make it simple here folks...an 8 team tournament including:
-The conference champions of the SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10, and ACC (5)
-The highest rated champion of the Big East/Mountain West/WAC/Conference USA (1)
-The two highest ranked at-large teams who do not meet that criteria (2)

So based on the current BCS Standings, here is how the current 8-team playoff would look:
1-Florida (SEC) vs. 8-Georgia Tech (ACC)
2-Alabama (at-large) vs. 7-Oregon (Pac-10)
3-Texas (Big 12) vs. 6-TCU (non-BCS conference champ)
4-Iowa (Big 10) vs. 5-USC (at-large)

Oregon and USC face each other this weekend...and the loser will fall out of this bracket, therefore Boise St. or Cincinnati would move up. The only problem with my proposal is when three or more non-BCS conference teams go undefeated (and I'm not including the Big East as a BCS conference as you can tell...I just don't believe the competition level in football is that great), at least one will likely miss the tournament.

Base the seeding on BCS rankings (among the eligible teams) and for locations use the Chick-Fil-A, Cotton, Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, and Rose Bowls for the first six games...and keep the BCS Championship Game in place for the final matchup.

Someone please tell me why it can't be that easy?

Eric

Friday College Football Pickoff - Week 8

2009-10-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

Every Friday to this point, our Station Manager in Prescott, Rich Howe and I have traded our Pac-10 college football and select national game predictions. Here is how we break things down this week:

Pac-10 Picks

UCLA at Arizona
Eric: UA 34, UCLA 26 - Bruins put another scare into the 'Cats...but in the end, they don't have quite enough offense to beat 'em.

Rich: UA 38, UCLA 17 - Cat offense looks too good, especially in Tucson...this is a big win for Stoops and bowl aspirations.

Oregon at Washington
Eric: Oregon 27, Washington 26 - The Huskies roller-coaster season continues with another close, crushing defeat.

Rich: Oregon 42, Washington 37 - Heart says take the 'Dogs at home, but Ducks continue on their mission...no looking ahead to USC next week...they hate the Huskies.

Washington State at California
Eric: Cal 44, WSU 10 - Did you see what (Cal running back) Jahvid Best did to the Cougs in the 1st half of last season's game? Expect a repeat.

Rich (a WSU alum): Cal 35, WSU 16 - How could I forget? First play from scrimmage...Best off tackle for 80...nightmare on Stadium Way. Coug defense is improving and had a bye week to heal. Jeff Tuel is only the second true freshman QB to start for the Cougars...the other: Drew Bledsoe in 1990. Cougs beat the 35-point spread.

Oregon State at USC
Eric: USC 30, OSU 17 - "Closer than the experts think"...the Beavers don't win but they keep it interesting until a late Trojans TD seals the win.

Rich: USC 35, OSU 21 - The Beavers aren't in Corvallis anymore...too much Trojans firepower.

Arizona State at Stanford
Eric: Stanford 24, ASU 20 - This game will be close throughout...but Stanford finds a way to win as they need this win to further their bowl aspirations more than ASU does.

Rich: I like your pick...the Cardinal will win as ASU struggles away from Tempe.

Notable National Game Picks

Florida at Mississippi State
Eric: Florida 27, MSU 16 - Like the USC-OSU game, this one will be closer than it should be...MSU's coach (Dan Mullen) is a former Gators assistant and might have a trick or two up his sleeve.

Rich: I thought maybe this could be a USC-UW type of game...I like the improvements MSU is making but no upset in Starkville this year.

Iowa at Michigan State
Eric: Iowa 20, MSU 17 - A lot of people are picking Sparty and the upset here...not me. Iowa hangs on to yet another close win. I think they will remain undefeated until they head to Columbus, OH in mid-November.

Rich: MSU is favored...they've beaten the Hawkeyes the past 4-5 years...I'm going with Sparty 23-20.

TCU at BYU
Eric: TCU 27, BYU 20 - A very good defense usually beats a very good offense...that's the case here.

Rich: This could be the most entertaining game of the day...BYU is up for the game...ESPN's College Gameday is there, loud stadium, high altitude...I like the "Y" to knock the 'Frogs out of the BCS chase...BYU 36-31.

Penn State at Michigan
Eric: Penn St. 27, Michigan 24 - No heartbreak for the Nittany Lions in Ann Arbor this time...Michigan loses another heartbreaker.

Rich: ...in overtime!

Oklahoma at Kansas
Eric: OU 31, KU 27 - I know what you're thinking...but it's not going to happen. Kansas is good...just not good enough for an OU team that badly needs this win.

Rich: My upset pick of the week - 21-18 KU.

Back Monday with a recap of all the exciting football action in Week 2 of The AZ-TV Sports Blog. Have a good football weekend everyone!

Week 7 NFL Picks

2009-10-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday everyone! As I write this post, we're more than halfway through the work week, meaning we're that much closer to the NFL this Sunday. Here are my Week 7 picks...

Last week: 7-7 (50%)
Season record: 59-31 (74%)

HOME TEAMS IN CAPS

WEEK 7 NFL PICKS:

5-STAR LOCKS
(99.9% Winners)

Indianapolis Colts 35, ST. LOUIS RAMS 13
New England Patriots 30, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 9 (game being played in London)
Green Bay Packers 27, CLEVELAND BROWNS 10

4-STAR SAFE PLAYS

(If these lose, I'll be donating to my weekly pool)

NEW YORK GIANTS 34, Arizona Cardinals 20
CAROLINA PANTHERS 27, Buffalo Bills 14
San Diego Chargers 27, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 13

3-STAR SOLID PLAYS
(No more than one upset in the bunch)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 23, Minnesota Vikings 16
CINCINNATI BENGALS 30, Chicago Bears 20
Philadelphia Eagles 23, WASHINGTON REDSKINS 10

2-STAR PICKS
(Be on upset alert...these games could go either way)

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 28, Miami Dolphins 24
HOUSTON TEXANS 27, San Francisco 49ers 23
New York Jets 17, OAKLAND RAIDERS 13
Atlanta Falcons 24, DALLAS COWBOYS 20

Other random thoughts:

I hope you don't have a long term mortgage on your Washington D.C. home, Jim Zorn. You've clearly been a failure as Redskins coach and with another embarrassing loss, it might be time for you to save face and tend your resignation before team owner Dan Snyder gives you the ole' heave-ho.

As much as I choose to root against them, why can't I shake this feeling that ASU will give Stanford a good game this Saturday night? The Cardinal have lost two in a row and need this one badly...but so do the Sun Devils who face a rigorous schedule in the last half of their season.

Run to the pros (Oklahoma QB) Sam Bradford! You won a Heisman Trophy and played in the National Championship Game last year, yet decided to come back for a 3rd season which has not gone well at all. Now that you're likely done for the season with a second shoulder injury, my advice to you is to take the money and run...but make sure to go back and get your degree before your playing career is over...just in case.

I love, LOVE the hire my beloved Chicago Cubs made today of former Texas Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. Let's hope he can show these guys how to hit, which in turn will take the pressure off the Cubs pitching staff who probably felt like they needed to pitch a shutout in order to win every day.

Do you think the Suns have a chance to finish above 7th in the Western Conference this year? Will they make the playoffs? I'm honestly torn here...I'm hoping they surprise me, but I still don't see how they make noise now that a quality third wheel (besides Nash and Amare) is no longer around. I wish Golden State had held up to their end of the proposed deal which would've sent Amare to the Bay Area on draft night...

Be back Friday with the college selections...

EC

Welcome to the AZ-TV Sports Blog!

2009-10-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone...EC here...your resident AZ-TV sports "expert"...I'm one of those guys who can tell you the teams, score, and MVP of every Super Bowl off the top of my head. Everybody has a passion...for me, it's sports. In this column, you'll find picks, predictions, opinions, fantasy sports advice...keep checking multiple times a week for updates...and please post your feedback below.

I'll just say this off the top...my views do not necessarily reflect those of the station so please keep that in mind as you read along.

For my first column, here are 7 thoughts (in honor of our channel number of course) from this past weekend...

EC's 7 Thoughts

1. I think... the UofA-Stanford game was quite possibly the most entertaining football game I've ever seen live. (Full disclosure: I'm a UofA alum and football season ticket holder.) Neither team could stop the other...it was back and forth all day...until finally the Wildcats stopped the Cardinal on 4th down inside the UA 15 yard line to preserve the win.

I havemany opinions on this game...from how well both quarterbacks, Nick Foles and Andrew Luck played to the lack of defense shown on both sides. The way I look at it though, this game was Stanford's for the taking and they flat-out blew it. Jim Harbaugh has proven to be a good college coach in his young career, but he did not have his best game this past Saturday. From his decision to go for it on 4th and 1 at the UofA 9 while up by two points late in the game...and NOT run the ball...to his thought process in not taking an errant kickoff at the 35 yard line (but instead re-kick)...he's owes a sincere apology to his players for those mistakes. 43-38 final score, 1100+ total yards...they don't get much more exciting than that.

2. I think... the University of Washington's Head Coach Steve Sarkisian and Defensive Coordinator Nick Holt owe a bunch of apologies this week (to the players, administration, fan base) for their abysmal coaching performance in the last two minutes the other night against ASU. Let's break this one down...1st and 10 at their own 20...three timeouts left and two minutes on the clock. Two runs net nine yards and run off about 50 seconds...why in the heck would Sarkisian call for a 50 yard pass play that had little chance of being caught? A short punt put ASU at midfield with 15 seconds left...and for some reason Holt didn't instruct his defense to cover anyone nor rush the passer. ASU QB Danny Sullivan had loads of time to see two WIDE OPEN receivers streak right down the middle of the field...24-17 ASU...

3. I think... sports has a way of evening itself out...don't you think? UofA loses to Washington on a lucky bounce / blown call last week...yet beats Stanford when they're totally outplayed. Washington wins on that same lucky bounce / blown call....yet loses to ASU the following week in a game they absolutely should've won. I'm just saying...

4. I think... the Arizona Cardinals will win the NFC West again this year...which I definitely would not have said two weeks ago. After their dominant win at Seattle yesterday I started looking at the road ahead for the Cards - currently 3-2...here is their schedule with my projected result: @ New York Giants (L), Carolina (W), @ Chicago (L), Seattle (W), @ St. Louis (W), @ Tennessee (W), Minnesota (L), @ San Francisco (L), @ Detroit (W), St. Louis (W), Green Bay (L)...looks like another 9-7 playoff season to me...considering I also predicted the Cards to lose in a few home games they very well might win.

5. I think... the Patriots have some bad karma coming their way. Tom Brady threw six touchdown passes in a little over two quarters yesterday in the snow at Foxboro...but the fact is, does he really need to be in the game when it's 45-0 at halftime...and throwingf for more? That's ridiculous Bill Belichick...and embarassing to a class act in (Titans Coach) Jeff Fisher.

6. I think... the Phillies are still better than the Yankees and will beat them in this year's Fall Classic. Usually when my beloved Cubs are out of the playoffs, I don't watch a lot of baseball in October...but this year I can't wait to see former Indians teammates Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia go head-to-head in the World Series. Assuming the Phils and Yanks take care of business in their League Championship Series', I say Philly wins in 6 with Lee being the MVP.

7. I think... the Coyotes success is the best thing the NHL has going for it right now. We're talking about a team of mostly unknowns leading their division with a 5-2 record and 10 points...what an unbelievable story! Likely the good run will come to an end at some point...but in the meantime, let's all support the 'Yotes like we do the Cardinals, Suns, etc...

On that note everyone, thanks for reading...check back this week for more good stuff!

EC