Now, many of you who are still here may remember the "MrNFL's NFL PREVIEW EXTRAVANGANZA" which created the Flawed System and the Flawed Predictions.
Before the beginning of the NFL Season, I had created what I call the "Flawed System" Basically, I ranked each team by position, and put it against the actual schedules.
Now obviously, getting these type of predictions right are hard to do, but I want to see how wrong I was.
Red = Dead on
NFC
NFC NORTH Bears 13-3 (1 seed) My prediction 11-5 (3 seed)
Well I was somewhat close. I may have undervalued the offense
slightly, and I didn't expect Gould to be good, or Hester's crazy year,
so they likely didn't get all of the ST points they deserved.
Packers 8-8 My prediction 2-14
Ok, I didn't expect anything from the Packers. Whoops.
Vikings 6-10 My prediction 8-8
I thought the D would be solid, and the O decent. The D couldn't stop the pass, and the O was ####.
Lions 3-13 My prediction 3-13
DING DING DING! I CALLED IT!!! WOOOO!! (Not that tough to predict the LIONS)
NFC SOUTH Saints 10-6 (2 seed) My prediction 2-14
Wow, swing and a miss here. I thought the offense could be good,
however I didn't trust their O-Line. Proved me wrong. Plus, I thought they
could have the worst defense in football. But I think they surprised
everyone.
Panthers 8-8 My prediction 8-8
I'm really proud of this one. Everyone had the Panthers in the
Super Bowl, but I had them out of the playoffs. I got that right.
Falcons 7-9 My prediction 9-7
Injuries killed the defense, which I thought would be improved enough to win 9. The offense did what I expected, which was very little.
Buccaneers 4-12 My Prediction 10-6 (4 seed)
Whoops. Well they were in the playoffs last year. The strong D from last year got old very fast. And so much for Cadillac Williams
being great, he was average, they needed big things from him in that offense.
NFC EAST Eagles 10-6 (3 seed) My prediction 11-5 (3 seed)
When it spit out Philly as the division winner, everyone called me
a complete fool. Most didn't give the Eagles 6 wins. People forget that
last years Eagles D had tons of injuries that killed them, and they still had a great team.
Cowboys 9-7 (5 seed) My prediction 10-6 (5 seed)
Only one game off again, and got the seed right again. I figured them out pretty well.
Giants 8-8 (6 seed) My prediction 8-8
I got this one right, except 8-8 wasn't enough to get into the playoffs.
Redskins 5-11 My prediction 9-7 (6 seed)
Well....I suppose I can't get ALL 4 teams that close. This offense majorly underachieved.
Defense should have been better as well.
NFC WEST Seahawks 9-7 (4 seed) My prediction 11-5 (1 seed)
Meh, if Alexander/Hasselbeck weren't hurt early, they probably could have hit that mark, that damaged the offense largely.
Rams 8-8 My prediction 7-9
Pretty close on the Rams
49ers 7-9 My prediction 2-14
I didn't expect Frank Gore to become what he was for me on Madden...a total beast. He alone made this team better offensively.
Cardinals 5-11 My prediction 8-8
Wait, wasn't this offense supposed to be good? If the O-Line didn't
totally blow.
Defense sucked as expected.
AFC
AFC NORTH Ravens 13-3 (2 seed) My prediction 9-7
Well, I expected the D to be a bit weakened this year. Whiff.
What's sad is that if they do win it all, the credit will ALL go to
McNair, when that offense still stinks, and the D is the reason for the
success.
Bengals 8-8 My prediction 9-7
Pretty close. Poor Bengals...their special teams killed them in the end.
Steelers 8-8 My prediction 15-1 (1 seed)
I thought the Steelers D would be great, boy was I wrong. Early
they stopped running the ball, and it killed the offense completely, turnovers were their demise.
Browns 4-12 My prediction 3-13
Browns stunk, pretty easy to get that right..
AFC SOUTH Colts 12-4 (3 seed) My prediction 14-2 (2 seed)
Well, the D was worse than I expected. Maybe if Bob Sanders could ACTUALLY PLAY A GAME SOMETIME THIS YEAR!!!!
Jaguars 8-8 My prediction 8-8
DING DING DING!!!
Titans 8-8 My prediction 3-13
Well, they surprised everyone with that second half of the year. Defense came on very strong late.
Texans 6-10 My prediction 4-12
A bit better than I thought on D.
AFC EAST Patriots 12-4 (4 seed) My prediction 12-4 (4 seed)
Wow, I couldn't have gotten the Pats more correct.
Jets 10-6 (5 seed) My prediction 1-15
Ok...so I had the Jets as football's worst team. My bad...
Bills 7-9 My prediction 5-11
Bills somewhat did better than I thought
Dolphins 6-10 My prediction 12-4 (5 seed)
Stupid Dolphins made me look like a fool. That offense turned out to be a total sham.
I bought the Ronnie Brown and Chris Chambers hype...bad choice on my part.
AFC WEST Chargers 14-2 (1 seed) My prediction 12-4
Well, even though I predicted 12-4, they lost the tiebreaker with the Chiefs and missed. I got the record close though...
Chiefs 9-7 (6 seed) My prediction 12-4 (6 seed)
Got the seeding right, altough they didn't do nearly as good as I thought they could've.
Broncos 9-7 My prediction 13-3 (3 seed)
Perhaps Shanahan is now on the hot seat?
That team underachieved big time.
Raiders 2-14 My prediction 5-11
Wow, I can't believe I was that generous to the Raiders...
In the end, out of 256 games played, The flawed system's record was...
153-103
Actually, considering, that wasn't completely terrible. Altough it
did predict a Super Bowl repeat...(Hey, Seattle could still shock
everyone)
In a group of 44, the Flawed System finished 13th in Pick'Em. Not
terrible. I shall seek ways to improve the system in order to make it
more accurate for next year.
Thanks to ThePhoenix for mentioning Sportingnews.com in his last post, because I have found a new home. I've been looking to leave Foxsports and find a better place to continue my blogs, and I have.
If you would like to continue reading my work, I suggest you go there.
(Plus, SportingNews it says modifys incorrect tags, so NO MORE SPAMMING CATEGORIES!, HONESTLY HOW HARD IS IT TO PUT YOUR DAMNED POLITICS IN THE "OTHER" SECTION INSTEAD OF SCREWING EVERYONE ELSE OVER? THE NFL SECTION IS FOR NFL POSTS!!!)
I will be writing my random rantings from their for now on. I will occasionally comment on blogs around here, but don't expect any posts unless the spamming ends, or the next NGS allows my age to compete.
I am offically announcing that I will be no longer posting blogs for an undetermined amount of time.
Why?
Well there are multiple reasons. One, eventually school will greatly limit the time I have for these blogs.
And two, I'm honestly kind of saddened by what has happened here over the last month. All of these blogger on blogger attacks, spamming categories, politics, and much more have really turned me off of this website.
I will still comment time to time on some sports posts that are written well. But I really have no desire to post any more here for the time being.
I will still be active in the pick'em group, and my fantasy leagues. But for now, I am done posting any blogs.
THAT'S ALL I GOT.
Also, breaking news from ESPN. In the plane crash that hit a NY building earlier today, Cory Lidle was in the plane, and has died. Lidle was a pitcher for the Yankees and Phillies this season. He was 34 years old. Rest in peace Cory...
Yes, that same bloggers Around the Horn will be returning this Friday. But I do need 3 more bloggers, as NeoAC is the only guy I got in for sure. If you are interested, you can either leave your email, or send an email
For those of you who have played the series, you know all of the basics, and I'm not gonna bore you with the all of the stuff that has been in the game for years. Today, we look at what changes there are in Madden 07.
Among them is a new way to kick field goals, with what I call the kick-o-meter. Basically, you pull back on one of the analog sticks, then let go. Pretty simple, I actually kick better than I ever have, and I struggled with this kick--o-meter on NCAA 07.
Also, the new blocking controls. I am terrible at it, my blockers tend to completly whiff, but it is a great idea, e####ally since my lineman tend to go braindead. If you can master the leadblock controls, you could have a crazy good running game.
Franchise Mode: Training Camp remains the same, except the kicking drill is a bit shorter because with the new meter you kick faster. I still am waiting for a legit offensive lineman drill. (Trench Fight sucks, I can't do jack in that drill) And how does getting by other O-lineman help a O-lineman? Seriously!
NFL Network mode, basically a fancyier practice mode, nothing special there.
Superstar mode is a bit different. For one, you don't get to call the plays, which for me has been a bad thing. When your player is on the field, you play him. When he isn't, you can either chose to control the team normally, or let it simulate. The only problem with simulating is that for me my teams are incredibly stupid on offense.
Back to Franchise, the owner's box has changed 0. You'd think they'd update that, but they haven't. One new thing I like is the "Player Roles" that each player can get. These roles effect almost anything from player attributes, to opponant attributes. No guarantee I get them all, but here is a list of all of the roles. (Many players could apply for mulitple roles, but you only get a max of 2 a player)
NFL Starter: Pretty straight foward, a player who starts 12 games a year earns the role, gets a 3% value boost as well. But they lose morale if they don't play.
Injury Prone: If a player's injury rating and toughness rating are low enough, they get this, which lowers their trade value and market value.
1st Round Pick: 1st rounder expects to play every game by their 3 year in the league, value goes up by 7%
Fan Favorite: Player has to be 90 overall or better, and be with one team for 5 or more years. Value goes up by 10%, and increases attendance.
Franchise QB: Player's value goes up by 10%, and his entire offense gets ratings boosts.
Captain Comeback: QB who gets 10 4th quarter comebacks in their career, value goes up by 6%.
QB of the Future: Goes to a QB drafted high and is young. Trade value rises, and they expect to start by year 3. (Sadly, this role doesn't go to newly drafted QB's...)
Game Manager, goes to a QB between 89-81 overall, expects to play 4 games a year.
Underachiever: Any 1st round pick who's overall is really low. Value drops by 8% and other players lose attributes.
Fumble Prone: Low carry rating and lots of fumbles make it happen, value drops by 10%, loses carry rating on 3rd down and in the 4th Q.
Offensive Playmaker: Value goes up by 6%, gets attribute boosts at clutch times.
Feature back: RB who expects 75% of the carries and to start each game. OL ratings get boost.
Future Star: Young player who's really good, trade value up 25%.
Deep Threat: Fast reciever, who needs 3 catches a game. Value up by 4%, QB's rating boosted and DB rating lowered.
Possession Reciever: Expects average of 2 first downs a game. Value up by 3%, and QB and his ratings increase.
Go to Guy: Expects a lot, but QB's ratings go up a ton.
Return Speicalist: Returner gets boosts
Team Mentor: Young players at the mentors position get boosts.
Team Captain: Value goes up 1%
Team Leader: Overall and Morale has to be high. Value up by 5%, younger players get Awareness boost.
Distraction: Player who's morale is low, Value drops by 8%, team loses some awareness.
Pass Rusher: Expects 3 sacks a year, OL's attributes get dropped, DB's go up.
Run Stopper: OL loses ratings, LB's and Safeties get a little better.
Defensive Playmaker: Value up by 7%, get's boosts in the clutch
Defensive Enforcer: Expects 10 big hits a year, tackling goes up.
Shutdown Corner: WR and QB's attributes drop.
Clutch Kicker: Most make 3 game winning kicks to get role, gets boost in 4th Quarter.
That's all I think for the roles. Pretty good.
Free agency during Franchise offseason is a bit better, because teams aren't afraid to get rid of good players. Some great free agents become available through cuts. (I got Peppers, Moss, Levi Jones, and McNair in one offseason)
Draft kinda sucks. The College All Star game is alright, but you only can work out 8 players, you have to do well with them to learn anything about them. And then most players all you get on them are the 40 time and such. Luckily I copied overalls from NCAA 07 to know who's good at what, but it is a bit of a disadvantage.
Punts are still almost impossible to actually return, that will probably never change.
If you liked the past Madden's, you'll like this too. They are good games, I recommend you buy buy buy.
NEXT VIDEO GAME REVIEW: I might review NHL 07 when I get it...stay tuned.
Welcome everyone to the 2nd edition of Bloggers Around the Horn (Presented by Mr.NFL) I am your host, MrNFL, and I will be cheaply scoring the arguement between these 4 bloggers. Note, my comments will be in bold. With that, let's introduce today's contestants!
First, represented by red font (He requested it...) Straight from Canada, we have NeoAC.
Neo: Thank you, Mr. NFL. I know I'm the first foreign guest you've had
on your show, so I will speak slowly and refrain from using big words
so my colleagues don't get confused.
Alrighty then, next up we have Wiseguy6, who we'll give green
Wise: Down here in Tampa, I am leading
the charge for the removal of Mr. Chris Simms as our quarterback. But
other than that, I am doing pretty well.
Yeah, how bout Simms eh? Next up, in blue font, we have Rivjo
Rivjo: I’ve been told I know everything about nothing and I’m here
to prove it. It’s about to get late
early for you other guys. Second place ain’t so bad guys. Show me the way to the winner’s lounge Mr.
NFL.
(MUTE) I think Adande copyrighted the "Lounge." Hee hee. Finally, in Gold we have Burger21
Burger: Good Afternoon Mr. NFL. Thanks for inviting me to be on this
great show with such distinguished panelists (please don’t mute me right away
for sucking up). I am burger21, and I have a temperature of 104 – or is it
100.4 – anyway, I am All Sports - All the time and I am here to drop the Truth
on you!
I hope for your sake you score more than your Steelers did last week. Anyway, let's start it off with the First Word!
THE FIRST WORD
Week 3 of the great NFL season starts this Sunday, and there is some interesting matchups. Among them, two power offense vs power defense games with the Jags and Colts, and the Steelers and Bengals. Not to mention the disapointment Bowl for the Panthers and Bucs. Gentlemen, I ask, which of these games this week is the most important? We will start with Burger.
Burger: Lots of intriguing match-ups this week – Indy
vs. Jax, Bears vs. Vikings, Giants vs. Seahawks – and of course the temptation
is there for me to select my Steelers’ big showdown with Cincy. This is a huge
game for the champs to re-establish themselves after the letdown in
Jacksonville Monday, and as a divisional game it means much more. (+3) However, the
question is which game is the most important and when considering that you have
to look at the big picture, and the clear cut winner in that regard is the
Monday night game between the Falcons and Saints in New Orleans. Yes, certainly
the Saints, and perhaps the Falcons also, will be absent from contending for
the Super Bowl this year, but this game goes beyond the standings and
implications and hits the heart of America dead center. (+3) This will be the first
time the Saints play in their city in a meaningful game since the horrific
events of Hurricane Katrina last year. (+2) The game will be a rebirth for a team, a
city, a stadium, and a region; and will solidify the reputation of good ‘ole
American resolve and fortitude. While emotions and fanfare will be off the
charts, this game also is vital for the Saints to play well in, if not win,
because after all the hoopla fades away, it still comes down to football and
the fans of New Orleans need to know they have a promising future in their
team. (+2) We’ve all empathized with “Aints” fans over the years, with the bags over
their heads and their wacko owner, but over the past year they have become like
an adopted orphan to many, and everyone wants to see this team exemplify the
nation’s resiliency with a rise to glory. They may be 2-0, but everyone knows
those wins came against bottom dwellers Cleveland and Green Bay, so they need a
superlative effort and strong showing against a contender so that their
thoughts can begin to include playoff aspirations down the road (+3) (mocking Jim
Mora – “Playoffs! Playoffs!! You’re talking about Playoffs!!!??) With the debut
of Drew Brees and the dawning of the Reggie Bush era, this is a ‘can’t miss’
event for all football fans. Even Morten Anderson is making a return for old time’s
sake! (+1)
Good stuff Burger, Rivjo, what say you?
Rivjo: It may be only week 3 but there are tons of HUGE games
already. For example, all 6 AFC playoff teams from last year square off against
each other on Sunday. (+3) Two of the three games are grudge matches featuring
squads that were eliminated by their opponent. In one revenge special,
Cincinnati heads into the Pittsburgh looking to wipe their butts with some
“terrible towels”.(+3) In the other, New England looks to settle their post-season
score as Denver and the much-maligned Jake Plummer journey to Foxboro. (+2) Finally,
Jacksonville looks to get physical with Peyton Manning and the Colts in the
Dome, where only one team can leave undefeated with the division lead.(+2) Heck, the Carolina-Tampa Bay game in the NFC
South may be even more important than any of these since whoever loses here
might already be kissing the playoffs good-bye. (+2)
The most important game in the league though is on
Monday Night Football. Atlanta gets the privilege of being the first team to
visit the New Orleans Superdome as they take on the Saints. All eyes in America
will be on the good folks of Louisiana as they welcome pro football back to the
region ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Sure it’s probably going to be a blowout but
this is by far the most meaningful event of the week. The others are just
games. This is much deeper than that. (+4)
Alright, Wiseguy, go.
Wiseguy: I
got to go with Carolina Panthers vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carolina
came into the season with such high expectations and where everyone’s
Super Bowl pick, but in the last two weeks they have been exposed to
some serious weaknesses. (+4)The biggest, obviously, is the fact that their
offense can’t run without Steve Smith. (+2) They are 30th in total team offense for the past two weeks without Smith, last year they were 8th with him. (+2) Good stat.
And
now to Tampa, where to begin. The offense has been outscored by the
Raiders (that by itself is sad), (+3) Chris Simms is on pace to throw 48
ints, and Cadillac Williams has yet to rush for more than 50 yards in a
game.(+2) That doesn’t sound like a team that won its division a year ago.
This game has to be Simms’s coming out party or he will be holding a
clipboard instead of the pigskin.
Plus, no one wants to start the season 0-3. (+2)
Ok, Neo, you?
Neo: Without a doubt, Carolina against Tampa Bay. Both these clubs were
highly touted coming into the season, and after this game, one of these
clubs will be 0-3, and be facing a major uphill climb to get back into
the playoff picture.
(+3)
The Panthers have been struggling to get out of the gate this
season. Whether its Steve Smith's hamstrings or John Fox's playcalling,
nothing has been up to snuff so far. (+3) The offense has been sputtering,
with only one TD scored in the first two games, (+2) and Jake Delhomme
sporting an anemic 61.5 rating. If Smith does not return soon, all hope
could be lost for the Panthers, no matter how good that defense is. (+2)
And the Buccos offense is even worse. At least the Panthers got a
TD. Chris Simms has just looked lost this year, with no TDs, 6 INTs and
a passer rating of 40. (+4) Where's Brian Greise when you need him, eh
Gruden? (+1) Cadillac Williams has a major case of the sophomore jinx going
on right now, gaining just 59 yards. And that 11:1 turnover ratio can't
be helping much either (+2). So who do you pick?
Go for the team that has managed to score. Panthers win 13-3.
(HORN) Ok, two picks for Panthers/Bucs, two for Falcons/Saints. I'm surprised no one picked the Jags/Colts or Steelers/Bengals matchups, possibly AFC Championship previews...Onward...
The New York Mets season has been pretty good, they were the first to clinch a playoff birth in the MLB, and based on record, are far superior of every other NL team. However, anything can happen in the playoffs. With that, I ask, How far do the Mets go in the playoffs? Wiseguy start us off.
Wiseguy: NLCS.
I don’t see them winning the NL because of one major thing that they
lack- pitching, pitching, and pitching.(+2) Their top two starters, Pedro
Martinez and Tom Glavine, both have injury and performance issues
heading into the playoffs. (+2) In Martinez's case, he's back from the DL
(injured calf), but he was roughed up by the lowly Pirates in his first
start since rejoining the rotation.(+3) Glavine, since the All-Star break,
has an ERA of 5.03 with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of only 1.76 (+4) Great stat. If the
first-half Glavine shows up, the Mets — particularly with their potent
offense — should be just fine, but if the recent Glavine incarnation is
the one on the mound, then the NL's best team could be in trouble. (+2)
And
the back of the rotation is nothing to be proud about either. John
Maine is a rookie and has never pitched in the bright lights of New
York during playoff time (+1). Steve Trachsel (4.96 ERA) was been very
inconsistent all year and I don’t know if El Duque can turn into that
dominant playoff pitcher he is known for being. I got the Dodgers
beating them in 6. (+1)
Dodgers eh? Alright then, NeoAC you're up.
Neo: Let's look at the Mets projected path as of right now.
Mets have the best division record so they would end up playing the
wild card, which will likely be either Los Angeles, San Diego or
Philadelphia. We'll give San Diego the West for now so lets focus on
the other two. The Dodgers fared much better against the Mets than the
Phillies did, with a 3-4 record against compared to Phila's 6-9. The
Dodgers also won the series set 4-3 with the Liberty Boys, so in a
one-game playoff they will likely emerge victorious. (+3) Against the Mets
however, they would be tired from both the wildcard race and the
playoff game, so New York takes round one.
(+2)
In the next round, I project they would face the Padres anyway,
given St. Louis's recent struggles with the injury bug and their
scarcity of starting pitching. (+2) The Mets owned the Padres more than they
did the Dodgers, taking that series 5-2. The Padres don't have the
offense to deal with the power the Mets put behind the ball. So we'll
give the Mets the NL pennant as well. (+2)
However, being the best team in the NL this year is like being the
best hockey team in Malaysia. (+2) Funny stuff It just doesn't matter when you go up
against the big boys. New York, like everyone else except San Francisco
and Florida, had a losing record against the AL, going 6-9 against The
Yankees, Boston, Toronto and Baltimore. (+3) If the Athletics or Tigers win
the AL, they might have a chance, but if the Twins or Yankees show up
to play, it'll be game over for the Amazin' Mets. (+2)
Ok, Rivjo?
Rivjo:
As much as it pains me to admit this, I can’t see any team
truly eliminating the Mets in the National League. Since the season started you’ve
been getting a sense of destiny about this club that GM Omar Minaya has put
together. (+3) If anyone can get to them, they’ll be most vulnerable in the first
round series. After a long period of meaningless games it will be interesting
to see if the Mets can simply turn the intensity on again. (+3) They should probably
root for the Padres to win the NL West and the Phillies the wild card. It’s in
their best interest to have the Dodgers lose out since L.A. has 3 quality
starters in Derek Lowe, Brad Penny and Greg Maddux to go along with a solid
veteran line-up. (+5) The only scenario where I have the Mets not making the World
Series is if they draw the Dodgers first and get stunned in the short 5 game
series.(+2) Even so I don’t see it happening.
I predict another Subway Series and an eventual loss to my love em’ or
hate em’ Yankees. Call it a “homer pick” but it is was it is. (+1)
Ok, and Burger?
Burger:
You know, a lot of people look at the Mets as a young team,
primarily because of emerging stars like David Wright and Jose Reyes and because
they’ve been off the radar for several seasons, but this really is a veteran
ball club with Carlos Delgado, Pedro, Tom Glavine, Paul LoDuca, Jose Valentin,
and now Shawn Green. (+5) These guys have been in some big games, albeit for
different teams, but they have post season experience and know what it takes to
win. (+2) The big games Willie Randolph has been through as a player and coach with
the Yankees can’t be understated either. (+2)They seem to have all the pieces in
place but there are some questions that linger, foremost of which is the health
and subsequent effectiveness of their pitching. (+2) surrounded Pedro and
Glavine going in to this season and their injury setbacks have done nothing to
alleviate those doubts. (+3) How they fare in the final week of the season should
tell a great deal about their chances. The Cardinals have pitching stability
issues of their own, but I like the make up of their bench much better – the
Mets counter with the ageless Julio Franco – so they will have difficulty
getting past them. (+3) In the end though I think they prevail and make it through
the NL, only to lose another Subway Series to the Yankees. Doubts as to how much was left
in the tank (+1) Extra point for mentioning the ageless wonder Franco. (HORN) So that's end of round 1, and I find it interesting that you guys are certain on the Yankees, interesting. Well right now NeoAC leads with 33, Burger has 32, and Rivjo and Wiseguy both have 30, Wow, I gave everyone too many points, here's a (MUTE) for all of you. Commercial time, coming up, Buy or Sell!
The Greatest game show of the all, the Price is RIght! Every Monday-Friday at 11 AM ET on CBS.
BUY? OR SELL?
Buy or sell time, lets do it!
First up, last week in the NFL, there was 3 overtime games. In one of them, the team that one the coin toss (Broncos) scored before the Chiefs could even touch the ball. It also lead to a fun arguement between Phil Simms and Jim Nantz during the game. My question, Buy or Sell the NFL's current overtime system? Rivjo, you lead off.
Rivjo:
I’m selling the NFL overtime system. Who would buy it? Quite
frankly I think it’s awful. You bust your hump for 60 minutes only to have all
your hard work ruined by losing a coin flip, a good kick return, a couple of
first downs and a field goal. (+3) Okay, so maybe it’s a little harder than that but
each team should at least get the same number of possessions.(+2) On second
thought, if it was a good idea to hijack the 2-pt conversion from college I say
we do the same with its overtime system. Now that’s exciting. (+2)
Wiseguy?
Wiseguy: I would guarantee each team one possession. But it wouldn’t be like college. If the first team to get the ball scores, they would have to kick off
and stop the other team from doing the same, not give them the ball at
the 25 yard line. (+3) It’s a pretty simple solution. This way, each team
has a chance to win the game. (+1)
Gotcha, and for some reason FOX is being screwy with the colors there. Burger what say you?
Burger:
I’m selling this.
I love the fact that the college system gives each team – offense and defense –
the chance to compete and prove their mettle. (+2) Think of the classics we’ve seen:
OSU-Miami for the National Championship; last year’s Orange Bowl between
FSU-Penn State. (+3) Even this year think about the incredible goal line stands by
Iowa against Syracuse that may save their season.(+2) Great games should not come
down to a coin flip. The only change I would make would be starting each team
farther back than the 25 so it’s not just an automatic field goal contest. (+2)
And Neo?
Neo: Sell. It relies too much on chance. Adopt the college system and
just be done with it. The game will be better for it, it will give the
fans more to cheer about. And there will be no more ties! Except in
soccer, but that doesnt count. (+3)
Next, so far this season, Rex Grossman has been great. Altough it was against Detroit and Green Bay, Grossman has put up great passing numbers, but questions still loom about when he will get injured, as he always does. Gentlemen, Buy or Sell Grossman staying healthy the entire year? Burger?
Burger:
I’m buying for
now, but I’m keeping my receipt for a return or exchange later. He is
displaying a greater presence in the pocket and seems calm and less reckless as
his confidence grows, but he hasn’t been tested by a strong defense yet (though
looking at their schedule he won’t face many strong defenses). (+3)
3 points for the answer, but a (MUTE) for "keeping the reciept,", that was weak. Wiseguy?
Wiseguy: The last time Rex was healthy for
a full season was his senior year at Florida. I have a feeling he’ll
get injuryed this year; my prediction is week 9 vs. the Dolphins. (+3)
NeoAC?
Neo: Sell. There's a reason Brian Greise was brought in in the
off-season (Yikes! Two Greise mentions in one show. Eerie). I just
don't think Grossman can manage to stay off the injured list a whole
year. Him being carted off the field is a part of an average NFL
season, much like talk about Drew Bledsoe getting benched. (+4)
Two Griese mentions, I suppose that deserves a (MUTE) Rivjo?
Rivjo:
I’m buying Rex staying healthy. He’s playing behind a
veteran offensive line that is going to keep him on his feet. Center Olin
Kreutz is one of the best in the business. In fact Olin is so tough he broke
fellow Bears lineman Fred Miller’s jaw in a dispute last year. Miller by the
way goes 6 ft 7 in and weighs 320 pounds.
It’s behind them now and keeping Rex safe should be easy compared to
that. I am selling on Grossman having lots more 300-yards/4 touchdowns games
though. (+5)
Ah, dap for the O-Line! I like, you get another point. (+1) Onward...
The Jaguars last week absolutely destroyed the Steelers offense. The week before, they did a good job against the Cowboys. Buy or Sell the Jaguars as the NFL's best D? Neo?
Neo: I think I may Buy this one. But its on a rental basis first. Lets
see how they fare against Indianapolis before I make the full purchase.
If its not them, I'm going to say the best D is back in Baltimore.
(+3)
So you sorta bought it, and sorta didn't, meh (MUTE) Rivjo?
Rivjo:
I’m selling Jacksonville as the best defense in the league.
It’s too early for them to be crowned that yet. They have been impressive for
sure but against whom? Dallas has potential on offense but they have not had
enough time to gel with the pre-season T.O. hamstring escapades. As for
Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger was probably rushed back far too soon from his
appendectomy. Let’s see what the Jags do against the Colts this Sunday before
we jump to any conclusions. (+4) Wiseguy?
Wiseguy: Sell- Sure they looked great on Monday night, but that was against a bad Steelers offense with a still injuryed Ben Roethlisbeger. If they blank the colts, then I’ll change my mind. But until then, the Bears have the best defense. (+3)
Burger? It was your team that got trampled, what say you?
Burger: As much as this pains me to admit, I have to buy this until some one proves other
wise. The Bears’ defense will once again put up gaudy stats against inferior
competition; the Panthers seem in disarray; and the Steelers’ defense is great
but their gambling style lends to giving up a few big plays a game, so the Jags
are it for now. They can really cement their claim as the best defense if they
can shut down the Colts in Indy this week. (+3)
(HORN) I think we all agree that we need to see the Jaguars play the Colts. Ok, first cut time, and as we look at the scores, Wiseguy6, you are the low man, final thoughts?
Wiseguy: Forget
about the last game, Adrian Peterson still needs to get strong
consideration for the Heisman. It’s not his fault the officials
absolutely sucked. He played like warrior and deserves the recognition. (MUTE) Ok, your done for the day, Out of Bounds is next!
Ok, 2 down, here's how they stand. Rivjo leads with 46, Burger right behind him with 45, and NeoAC Bringing up the rear with 40.
OUT OF BOUNDS
This week's college football schedule doesn't look as exciting as last week. Only featuring two games with two ranked teams, and one of those games both teams are in the 20's. My question for you is, of all of the this weekends games, give me one upset. We shall start with Neo.
Neo: Not a lot to pick from, like you said, but I think I feel most
secure taking North Carolina St. over #20 Boston College. The Eagles
have just been skating on thin ice along the entire season so far. They
almost let Central Michigan take them into overtime, they survived
Clemson only thanks to a missed extra point attempt in OT, and somehow
Brigham Young also managed to push them into the extra frame. (+6) I have a
feeling they are about to make like that Pakistani acid girl from
Family Guy. (+3) Love the FG reference. I know North Carolina St. has been horrible so far, losing
to Akron and Southern Miss, but there is hope. Soph. Daniel Evans will
make his first college start against the boys from Chestnut Hill, and
he looked very good in mop-up duty, going 8/11 for 96 yards and a TD.
Chuck Amato is also going to be pulling out all the stops for this
games, because if he doesn't start now, he'll be lucky to last until
the end of the season.
(+2)
Burger?
Burger:
This question is an obvious attempt to get me to go on
record in picking my Nittany Lions over OSU, and I have every confidence that
they can and will show up strong in that game. I’m no fair-weather fan so I’ll
go ahead and say it! Penn State wins! But I expect them to win so that is not
my upset pick of the week. (+4)
While I think Michigan may be primed for a let down game
against Wisconsin, another potential letdown game jumped out at me even more:
Louisville at Kansas State. The Cards got past their big test against Miami and
have a relatively easy road until their big showdown with West Virginia. I can
easily see a stumbling block for them in the 3-0 Wildcats. (+3)
Rivjo what do you have?
Rivjo:
I hate to make this prediction, especially since I support
the Golden Domers, but I have to do it. So many intangibles go into this pick.
Currently The Fighting Irish are ranked 12th. Unless you were under
a rock last week everybody knows that they were beat down at home by
Michigan. (+3) This week they must travel to
Michigan State to play the unranked Spartans (3-0) who are fresh off a victory
over Pittsburgh. Last year the Spartans upset Notre Dame in South Bend and will
be very hungry to make it two years in a row. (+2) I think Brady Quinn and company
are still reeling from the disappointment of watching their National
Championship hopes dashed and will lay another egg. (+3) Anyone who called them
over-rated can give himself another pat on the back. I wonder if the team has
begun to believe the critics themselves. (+2)
(HORN) Wow, interesting picks from this one. Well let's look at the scores, Rivjo you're save. And NeoAC, you fall just one short of Burger with 51. Parting shots?
Neo: Well, I guess its back to the Great White North for me. I just want
to say, look for the Weekend Pickoff on Friday night, and if anyone
still cares, the NHL season starts in a month! Go Oilers!
(MUTE) NHL Season shall be great. Ok, Showdown up next, featuring Rivjo and Burger21. Two men enter, only one will survive. And Adam Best has got to love seing two of his guys in the showdown. Showdown after this commercial!
Stephen Colbert, delivering truthiness Monday-Thursday on Comedy Central.
SHOWDOWN
Alright, Showdown between Rivjo and Burger21. Lessss Go!
Earlier this week, Morten Andersen signed a deal with the Falcons. The old kicker is 46 years old, older than any active player by 4 years. The question is, at what age does he finally retire? Rivjo start us off.
Rivjo:
As long as Morton can still kick field goals I say stick
around forever. I think he willfinallyretirein the year
2010, even though it most certainly wouldn’t be as a regular. He will not only
turn 50 years old that year but he will also have played pro football during 4
separate decades. Morton began his career in 1982 and I could see some
former team letting him kick an extra point to accomplish this feat.
Burger:
I think it’s great that Anderson is back with the Falcons,
especially going to New Orleans – the scene of his best years – Monday night, but this is a one year signing and he
will be done for good after this season, or before if he fares poorly.
I like Rivjo's faith in the Great Dane, he gets the point. Next up.
NASCAR's second race in the ridiclous "Chase" is this week at Dover. Who ya got? Burger?
Burger:
Last week was a perfect example of why I dislike this
“Chase” system. Jimmie Johnson was leading most of the season, only to have a
crash and now he’s in the basement of the leader board because they have to
start over? What is that? I think JJ wins in Dover and quiets his “can’t close
the deal” critics. He won this race there last year and has 3 wins, 7 top tens,
4 top fives, and a pole in ten career starts at Dover.
Rivjo:
Nobody in “The Chase” needs a win more than Jimmy Johnson.
After his wreck last week in New Hampshire he dropped all the way down to 9th
in the standings. He can’t afford another poor showing and I look for him to
drive the wheels off of the car. Jimmy has 3 career wins at this track and here
comes number 4. After all, his luck can’t always stay awful during Chase Races,
can it? He’ll be the man to beat in Dover.
I like the Stats from Burger, he gets the point. And finally for the game.
I'm sure all of you know about the insanity that is the Oklahoma-Oregon craziness. The people at Oklahoma want loss not to count against them in the BCS Standings. The Referees have already been suspended, and OU is threating to cancel future games against Pac-10 teams. The question is, is Oklahoma in the right for continuing to push this? Or should they just move on. Rivjo?
Rivjo:
Haven’t we been here before with useless protests? I mean
sure, the replay official butchered the call on the onside kick but what does
Oklahoma expect to happen? Should they line-up the players and reply it again
on a mutual day off? That’s not happening, nor will the ruling be overturned,
so just move on. Letting Oregon get back in the game in the first place, by
allowing their offense to march up and down the field, had just a little bit to
do with the loss too.
Burger:
Sports history is littered with teams that lost games they
think they should have won due to poor officiating. You can go through the tape
of every game to pull out missed or wrong calls. While the complaints and
petitions to the league officials of both conferences were justified, asking
for the game to be erased is over the top. The on-side kick was not the final
play of the game. Even though the call was erroneous the Sooners still had an
opportunity to stop the Ducks from scoring, and had a shot at a game winning
field goal as time expired.
Very close call here, but the point will go to Rivjo, enjoy your face time.
Rivjo:
Welcome to the Winner’s Lounge. Speaking of winners, just
who the heck is going to win the NL wild card? Does it matter? Are the glasses
of the “contenders” half empty or full? They do have to play the Mets right? As
the Mets steam-rolled all season long through the National League, it became a
foregone conclusion that they were the cream of the crop. Well, all teams play
for one reason and one reason alone. As Herm Edwards so vociferously reminded
us a few years back, “You play to win the game!”
There are still a lot of excited fans in San Diego, Los
Angeles, San Francisco and Philadelphia. They die a thousand deaths with each
loss and experiencing a thousand dreams with each win. A berth in the playoffs
is like a lottery ticket. As long as you have one, you have a chance. Good luck
to all you baseball lovers wishing on a star. The best is yet to come. If you
are a fan of the Royals, Pirates or some other struggling team, then by all
means jump on the nearest good-looking bandwagon. It doesn’t make you a bad
person. It makes you a fan looking to identify with something appealing, even
if just on a temporary basis. Otherwise shut your traps if we see another
Subway Series and go watch football instead.
See ya when I see ya!
(MUTE) I think Adande will sue you for using the lounge, Burger anything you want to add?
Burger: Thanks once again, NFL, for letting me play along today.
This has been great.
The 2006 Ryder Cup between the defending cup champion
European Team and the American contingent opens today at the K Club in Ireland.
NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller said recently that this year’s American team is
“the worse team we’ve ever fielded.” The Golf Channel’s Steve Duemig seems to
think that Miller’s comments were made to stir the pot a little bit in order to
rile up the US golfers. I disagree. First off, these are the best golfers in
the world playing for their country after being embarrassed two years ago – they
shouldn’t need any extra motivation than that. And I’m a little confused on how
a team with the 1-2-3 ranked players in the world could be the ‘worse’ at
anything. Exactly how could our team be better? What Americans left off the
squad by the captain (Tom Lehman) could have made this better than the ‘worse’
with the top three in the world already on board? We may have four rookies on
the squad but there are first timers in every cup and the Europeans had that
many last time. No, this is more of the same old – same old from Miller. His on
air arrogance is one of the most disdainful aspects of golf coverage,
especially for this pristine event. He is widely known for being overly cynical
and belittling in his commentary, beyond the norm for unbiased critique, and
the players have little respect for him. When asked about his reaction to
Miller’s comments, Chris DiMarco replied “I never agree with anything Johnny
Miller says or writes.” Miller seems to me to be egotistical and is jealous of
the modern players for their success and recognition. While he was widely
regarded as talented and successful in his own career, he was always in the
shadow of Jack and Watson, and never seems to get over that he isn’t getting
the attention he thinks he’s due. His stinging barbs aimed toward Tiger and
Phil and others are not within the scope of his duties, and as an American in a
day when cheap shots toward Americans are in vogue the world over; I view his
jaded pessimism as unprofessional and unpatriotic. He could have easily stated
his views about the rookies on the team and our poor performances of late
without using terms like ‘worse’ in regard to the squad of his own nation. I
will tune in to cheer on our team and watch the compelling play by the best in
the world from both sides; but I will also exercise my right to do as our good
host Mr. NFL has done in this episode of Around The Horn – and use my MUTE
button.
And I shall use my (MUTE) button after that book you just wrote. Neo, Wiseguy anything you want to add?
Wiseguy and Neo: (MUTE) Forget about it! That ends the second edition of Bloggers Around the Horn. If you interested in being a part of it, send me an email, it's over in the About me section.
Welcome everyone to the first edition of the Bloggers Around the Horn. I'm your host, MrNFL, and I be scoring the banter tonight. A note that my comments will be in bold, everyone elses will not be. With that, lets get to the contestants. First we've got Bmoynahan, who's text will be Red,
Bmoynahan: Hey MrNFL, I hope my
backup doesn't stab me in the leg to try to take my place on the
show. I hope not for your sake either. Next up we've got Bengals9, who's text will be Bengal Orange.
Bengals9: I'm just looking for a few good men.... to agree
with about meaningless ####. Well done, you get an extra point (+1) 3rd, we've got Chorizo245, who will get green.
Pig: I'm FlyingPig and I'm a 44 year old IT Manager and retired sailor. I
live just outside Detroit with my wife of 21 years and two
daughters...although one of them is away at Western Michigan
University. I am a sports addict but I have never worn a wig, painted
my face or bought a jersey with another mans name on the back. My
favorite athletes of all time are Steve Yzerman, Muhammad Ali, Tiger
Woods, Walter Payton and Joe Dumars. Love dogs, hate cats. (MUTE) I didn't ask for your life story FP, Ok, let's start it up!
THE FIRST WORD!
The National League is heating up, many teams in the wild card race, and the NL West is still up for grabs. Gentlemen, give me your National League Playoff teams. We'll start with Bengals.
Bengals: For the national league East i'm picking the Mets.
Shocker huh? The best team in the national league and will probably represent
the NL in the WS.
As for the West i'm picking the Padres. They're
Peaking at just the right time and the Dodgers are slumping just a little bit.
Jake Peavy is back to his dominate self and will carry them into the
playoffs (+2)
For the Centeral im going with the Cardinals. They
have been terrible as of late but thankfully for them so have the
reds. With pujols on a tear as of late they will limp into the
playoffs. (+1)
As for the Wild Card im picking the Phillies. Why?
Simple really with Ryan Howard and Chase Utley having monster seasons the
phillies have caught fire and as of right now are two back of the WC lead. Also
take a look at the schedule. All of the rest of their games are teams that are
under 500. (+3)
Lookin at the schedule I see, okay, Chorizo, your take?
Chorizo: Ok. Right off the bat, I'm going to say the Padres DON'T make it. No Division, No, WC, Nothing. Also, the NL West, for that matter, will not have the LA Dodgers win the Division OR The Wild Card. I will recieve some NASTY hate mail for that. (+1) Schedule-wise, The Absolute EASIEST Schedule remaining is for the Cincinatti Reds. Their only remaining games against winning teams is against the Florida Marlins. And it's only three games. Yup. Three games. I'll say it once more, Three games. Out of 16, that is. The Toughest goes to the Marlins. No more games against winning teams. That's kinda sucky. (+3)
So, right now, the Marlins, Padres, and Dodgers are out of the race.
Next, we'll take a look at the Phillies. They probably have the second easiest schedule, with their only remaining games against winning teams is 6 against the Marlins. Yup. Everyone LOVES the Marlins!! (+1)
Now, We'll look at the Astros. They've been in it for a better part of a month, if that. I don't see them getting a WC 3-Peat.
So, we'll eliminate the Phillies and the Astros. Surprised? You should be.
That leaves 2 teams.
The NL West winner.....THE GIANTS!!!!!! Yes, they're six RGAWT are against the Cardinals and the Dodgers. Ow. But, the other 10 are against the Rockies, 4 on the Brewers, (Sorry, no love there), and the D-Backs.
The NL WC winner........THE REDS!!!!!!! Yup. Easiest schedule. Makeable ground. I see the Playoffs in the future. (+1)
Going out on a limb, ok. Flying Pig, what say you?
FP: National League East is obviously the Mets who have already clinched. The Central is St. Louis at 5 games up right now. The West will be the Dodgers based on their pitching and bull pen. It was a huge move getting Maddox with his playoff experience and ability to rub off on the younger pitchers. The wild card will be the San Diego Padres. Once again because of pitching and experience. Mike Piazza has lost a little bat speed, but he is able to make the pitching staff better and is still a good defensive catcher. (+5)
Short and sweet, I like that, Bmoynahan you?
Bmoynahan:
You know, I remember
Bob Costas wrote a book a few years ago, called Fair Ball, in which he said that
the creation of the wild card would take the excitement and suspense out of
pennant races. That's true
sometimes, such as last season's tie in the American League East when the Red
Sox and Yankees finished with the same record and both made the playoffs, but no
so in this case. (+2)
First, the NL West
champion is going to be, for the second season in a row, the San Diego Padres, theylre hanging tough, lurking 1 &½ games behind the Dodgers after winning 8 of
their last 11, and their pitching is solid. Best setup man in the league in Cla
Meredith, best closer in Trevor Hoffman, and Jake Peavy has finally returned to
his role as staff ace over the past two months. The key might actually be not how they
fare in this weekend's four game set against the Dodgers, but how they do in
seven September games against the Diamondbacks, against whom they are 4-8 so far
this season. (+3)
Team number two? Could've been the Philadelphia Phillies
- who have been absolutely carried by Ryan Howard over the past month, but
they're only 7-5 in September, or the Florida Marlins, who might have the best
starting rotation in the game next season, but I'm going with the Dodgers. They'll lose out on the division to the
Padres, but a pitching staff that includes Brad Penny, Derek Lowe and future
Hall of Famer Greg Maddux will get them into the postseason. (+2)
Ok, good stuff, onward.
Some great games this upcoming week in the NFL season, among them the Monday Nighter between the Steelers and Jags, the Cowboys and Redskins, and the Panthers vs Vikings among others. My question, of all of the Week 2 games, which will be the most interesting? We'll start with Flying Pig.
FP: I would like to say that the Bears-Lions game will be the most
interesting bacause of Roy Williams imitation of Rasheed Wallace with
his guarentee. We now call him RoySHEED Williams. I think that the
most interesting matchup will be Pittsburgh and Jacksonville. The Jags
have flown under the radar for the last few seasons while sporting one
of the best defenses in the game. Byron Leftwich reminds me of Dante
Culpepper, only smarter. Leftwich is dangerous in the red zone because
of his speed and size. Fred Taylor is healthy and Ernest Wilford is
turning into a fine receiver. Pittsburgh brings their solid
"all-around" team and they are the defending champs. This is the most
intriguing game of the week. (+7)
Good stuff FP, next, Chorizo?
Chorizo:
The best NFL Game this weekend will be The Giants at The Eagles. First. The Giants never saw McNabb last year. The Eagles have the advantage there. Also, the Giants do NOT want to start out the season 0-2. That would be extremely unfortunate, seeing as how they are stuck with the beasts from the East. (+3)
On The Eagles side of the ball, McNabb had a great time last week, throwing for 314 yards and 3 TDs. However, the Eagles OL won't have such a great time with the pass rush. With Giants stars like Micheal Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, McNabb will get sacked more than once. (+3)
I'm sorry for this not being long, but I have my typing deadlines. Ok, so I don't, but Nike really wanted a photo shoot today. I couldn't. They got mad. (-1)
The winner is....The Giants...24-16.
I'll have to Mute you for the shilling to Nike again. No schilling to sponsors allowed. Bmoyhanan, you?
Bmonyhan:
I was tempted to go
with Chicago-Detroit after a
Detroit player guaranteed a win this week, but
it'll probably end up being a 21-3 yawner.
Then, of course, there's
Denver-Kansas
City, usually a pretty good rivalry, but
both teams suffered disappointing losses in Week 1 and the early season meeting
removes some of the luster. Talk to
me Week 12, when they play the late game on Thanksgiving
Day. (+3)
There is one game with
too many side stories to ignore: the New England Patriots heading into the
Meadowlands to take on the New York Jets.
Yeah, these teams play twice a year and Pats have taken eight of the last
ten, but that was before Bill Belichick disciple Eric Mangini left
New England to become Jets head coach. And before New England filed tampering
charges against New
York following the Deion Branch saga. And before New England was pushed to the
limit last week by a
Buffalo team that was widely regarded as
inferior. Playground rules here:
lots of issues and we're gonna settle 'em on the field. (+4)
Going out on a limb, interesting. Finally, Bengals?
Bengals: The most interesting game of the week will be the
Cowboys and Redskins. Both are coming off tough week one losses and will be
looking to make a statement against each other. And let's not forget that it's
probably the greatest rivalry in all of the NFL and the two teams absolutely
hate each other. (+4)
I'll give you 3 for a good answer, but a MUTE for writing almost nothing.
There's the first horn, Buy or Sell next. As of now, FP has 12, Bengals has 9, Chorizo has 11, and Bmoynahan has 14. Commercial time!
.....
Ok, welcome back, it's time for Buy, or Sell.
First up, The Minnesota Twins are hot in a race with the White Sox and Tigers for 2 playoff spots. Unfortunatly for them, young ace Liriano is now out for the year. Bloggers, Buy or Sell the Twins still making the playoffs. Bengals?
Bengals: I'm buying this. When Liriano went down on july
28th many said that would be the end of the Twins amazing run. But since
then they have gone 24-17. And while Liriano was a major part of the Twins
rotation Johan Santana has more than picked up the slack and is arguably the
frontrunner for the AL Cy young. (+4)
Good stuff, Bmoynahan?
Bmoynahan: I'm buying
this, MrNFL, for two reasons: the Twins still have a great lineup with Morneau,
Mauer, Cuddyer and Hunter mashing the ball, and they still have a guy named
Johan Santana taking the ball every fifth day. And if you want a third reason, they
were 20-14 after Liriano was hurt the first time, they didn't fall apart
without him then, they won't fall apart without him now, especially with the
Tigers still sliding. (+5)
Nice, FP?
FP: BUY - the Twins are on fire and they still have Santana who shuts down
everyone. They have Joe Nathan to close. Add in their formidable line
up from top to bottom. Mauer and Morneau are monsters in the 3-4 hole
and Torii Hunter is a perennial all star. Nick Punto is playing beyond
anyones expectatins at third and the supporting cast is solid. (+4)
Ah, a Joe Nathan mention, Chorizo?
Chorizo: The Twins with Liriano had a great shot at the playoffs. Without...not so much. No matter what Joe Mauer and Johan Santana and Justin Morneau can give to this team, they will falll short in the race they call the AL Wild Card. Sell. (+1)
Ok, next!
One of the biggest rivalries in College Football takes place Saturday, pitting #11 Michigan against #2 Notre Dame. Buy or Sell the Irish beating Michigan? FP?
FP: BUY - This is tough. I'm from Michigan and you ask two in a row that
affect my teams. Notre Dame is too strong on both sides of the ball
and they play tough in South Bend. Michigan will play them tough and
score some points, but Charlie Weiss motivates much better than Lloyd
Carr. Look for Brady Quinn to light up the Michigan secondary. (+4)
Going agianst your team, tough thing to do, Chorizo?
Chorizo: I really don't like the Fighting Irish much, but I they do have my respect. It's at home, and Brady Quinn is still Brady Quinn, so I give them a Thumbs up over #11 Michigan. (+2)
Ok, Bengals?
Bengals: I'm buying this as well. Norte Dame is overated in
the polls as usual, but for that matter so
is Michigan. Michigan Is a good team but nobody jumps out at
you when you look at them. Also let's not forget that Norte Dame
has beaten them twice in a row, and with their huge win against Penn State
they will be riding high when Michigan comes into
town. (+3) Ok, and Bmoynahan?
Bmoynahan: Sell, sell, sell. Notre Dame has proven the past two
Saturdays that they are a very good football team. But
Michigan is also 2-0, with a defense that is
allowing just 29 rushing yards per game.
If they can limit Notre Dame's ground game and prevent Heisman Trophy
candidate Brady Quinn from making an appearance, they'll have a good shot at
avenging last season's 17-10 loss. (+4)
Going against the favorites, gutsy. Onward...
The biggest game this Saturday may in fact not be ND and Michigan, as two SEC Giants, #6 LSU and #3 Auburn face off. Buy or Sell Auburn winning this game? Bmoynahan?
Bmoynahan: I'm buying, listening
to some of the Auburn players during the
build-up to this game, they're hungry, not only to beat a rival team but also to
show that they belong among the upper echelon of college programs. To them, two first place votes in the AP
poll and one in the coaches poll is not enough. And the road to adding to those totals
begins with LSU, a team that dealt them a tough, tough loss last season. It'll be a good one, but
Auburn's gonna take
it. (+3)
Ok, Chorizo?
Chorizo: Auburn is not as good as they were last year. LSU is still in the SEC. Auburn may be too, but I don't see them winning. And I actually answered this one without Nike telling me!!!! Yay me!
(MUTE) Ok....FP?
FP: BUY - Auburn at home against LSU. College game of the week. Number 3
going against #6. I would take the home team in this game and not bet
money. This game will be decided in the fourth quarter. Both teams are
strong and focused. Add in the revenge factor for Auburn who lost at
LSU last year where Auburn lost by a field goal. The last two meetings
have been decided by four points and both teams are feeling the
National Championship ramifications. Look for Auburn to win by 4. THis
is the biggest game of the weekend. (+5)
And Bengals?
Bengals: I'm selling this. This is a classic
match between two SEC heavyweights, and will argueably be better
than the OSU Texas game a week before. Both teams are pretty
evenly matched on offense and defense so you look for a difference maker on
either squad. Kenny Irons one of the best RB in the country but i
think LSU's defense can contain him. So it'll all come down to Jamarcus
Russell and he has always responded well under pressure (see 2005 capital one
bowl) (+4)
Ok, there's the horn, first cut time. Flying Pig has 25, Bengals has 20, Bmoynahan has 23, and Chorizo has 14...Sorry Chorizo, you're the low man, see ya later. Out of Bounds up next...
....
Welcome Back, two down here's how they stand. The Flying Porker leads with 25, Bmoynahan has 23, Bengals is Bringing Up the Rear with 20, and Chorizo had a meeting with the folks at Nike, He Gone!
OUT OF BOUNDS.
We've already mentioned two of the big college football games this week, however there are 5 other matchups also featuring 2 ranked teams. Which game is the biggest and why? Bengals, you start.
Bengals:
The biggest game of the week will be LSU and
Auburn. The SEC is the best conference in the
country and whenever two
of the teams meet it is always a tightly contested game. Auburn has not
forgotten the 2005 heartbreaker that they lost and will be looking for revenge.
There is also the fact that Auburn and LSU are both in the top ten so that gives
the game a little extra meaning. Kenny irons will be looking for a huge
game to make him one of the frontrunners for the heisman. I see LSU winning
a tight one (+4)
Ok, Flying Pig,
Well FP didn't write this seperately, he did answer it in buy or sell with this.
Auburn at home against LSU. College game of the week. Number 3 going
against #6. I would take the home team in this game and not bet money.
This game will be decided in the fourth quarter. Both teams are strong
and focused. Add in the revenge factor for Auburn who lost at LSU last
year where Auburn lost by a field goal. The last two meetings have been
decided by four points and both teams are feeling the National
Championship ramifications. Look for Auburn to win by 4. THis is the
biggest game of the weekend.
At least Bengals re-wrote it, you get a MUTE, Bmoynahan?
Bmoynahan:
We've mentioned a couple of potentially great games so far, but
the biggest game of the weekend might just be #19
Nebraska at #4 USC. Both of these teams are unbelievably
dangerous on the offensive side of the ball,
Nebraska is third in yards per game, USC
eleventh, and neither defense is in the top twenty nationally, which means we
could see a good old-fashioned shootout. (+2)
The Huskers use a
nice, balanced offense, three backs with over 100 rushing yards through two
games for a total of 256 per. The
heart of the offense, however, is Zac Taylor, the senior quarterback who is
currently completing 73 percent of his passes and has thrown seven touchdowns
with one interception so far this season.
His 184.2 passer rating is fourth highest for any 1-A quarterback with
more than fifty passing attempts this season. (+2)
They've only played
one game, but the Trojans also spread the ball around, gaining 192 yards on the
ground and proving that they don't miss Reggie Bush and LenDale White as much as
we all thought they might. Like
Nebraska , the key could be their quarterback:
John David Booty, a junior who completed 68 percent of his passes and looked
very good in the opener against
Arkansas . (+3)
This game is huge for
both teams:
Nebraska gets the opportunity to prove that
they have returned to national prominence, while USC needs to show that they can
beat a quality program after losing Bush, White and Matt
Leinart. (+2)
Great job going out on a limb.
Well that's the horn, and it looks like Flying Pig is the low man. Whether he meant to or not, not answering the question seperately ends his day. Showdown up next, Bengals9 vs Bmoynahan. Two enter, and one wins some unimportant bragging rights.
...
It's showdown time now, Bengals and Bmoynahan. Let's go.
The NFL ruled that Robert Geathers hit on Trent Green was not illegal. Do you agree?
Bengals: I agree. Geathers was pushed into Green by a kc
lineman. also we have to remember that the games are not played in slo mo
they're played at real speed and its hard to control what you're doing when
you're going at full speed.
Bmoynahan: I disagree, though
Geathers was simply making a football play, he hit Green after the quarterback
was off his feet, which the rule book says you cannot do. I'll also say this: to Geathers credit,
he was clearly not trying to cause harm to Green: the replay shows that he
turned his head and caught Green
with the shoulder pads, which snapped Green's head into the turf. Still, ill intent is not required for it
to be an illegal play.
I don't think it was illegal, point goes to Bengals. Onward.
The NASCAR Chase for the Cup starts this weekend, who ya got to win it all?
Bmoynahan: I'm going with the guy
who fought his way into this thing, Kasey Kahne. He tied for the second in
poles won, his five race wins were the most of anybody this racing season and he
finished tied for fifth with nine top five finishes. Throw in the fact that he had to battle
just to get into the Chase and he's my favorite.
Bengals: I'm going to go out on a limb and say whoever has
the most points at the end of the season.As for who i think that will be it's
Dale Jr. Every since he's been in the league he's been looking to live
up to his father and i think this is the year he does it.
Bmoynahan brought the stats, he gets the point. And finally...
You've probably heard that the New York Islanders signed goalie Rick DiPietro to a 15 year deal. My question, How many of those years does he actually play?
Bengals: I'll say around 6 or 7 of those years. If he
becomes a bust after the mamoth contract there going to wait a little while
before trading or realeasing him because that is a huge contract and be hard to
get rid of. And if he becomes a success he's not going to want to stay with the
ISLANDERS!
Bmoynahan: Considering DiPietro
won't turn 25 years old until next Tuesday, his chances of playing out the life
of the contract don't look too bad.
But if he does play all fifteen seasons, the end will almost certainly
come with a team other than the Islanders.
Don't believe me? I'll just
say this: Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Alex Rodriguez.
Tough call, but I'll going to give the win to Bmoynahan. Face Time, give your victory speech...
Bmoynahan: The
University of
New Hampshire walked onto the Northwestern
campus last weekend and left with a convincing 34-17 win and the number one
ranking in Division 1-AA. But the
most important thing to come from this game was the continued solid performance
of UNH wide receiver David Ball.
Who's David Ball? Just a kid
from Vermont
who caught his 46th and 47th career touchdown passes on
Saturday to move within three of tying Jerry Rice's all-time Division 1-AA
record of fifty. Unrecruited out of high school to college great in three
short years? Amazing.
Good stuff, Bengals anything you want to add?
Bengals: I know we all probaly chuckled when we heard about
the Backup Punter situation at Nothern colorado but it carries a message with
it. We all tend to take sports a little to seriously some times and it's things
like this that remind us that its only a game and things like this should never
happen.
Well said. Well that's all for the Bloggers Around the Horn. It re-airs by clicking the Refresh button. I'm MrNFL, and I'm off to play Madden...
Koren Robinson most likely flushed what was left of his career right down the ####. After driving drunk and running from cops, the Vikings have decided to release this guy. And that is a good idea, Robinson apprently fell of the wagon, and didn't remain sober. The Vikings were kind enough to give the guy a second chance, and he failed. Will he get another shot in the NFL? Maybe, he's likely suspended for this whole season, but someone is always looking for players. Robinson has talent, and if he ever gets his life together, maybe he will get a third chance. That's what drinking does, ruins lives.
Well the pre-season has claimed more vicitms, this time two of them are Jaguars. Linebacker Mike Peterson and fullback/guy who will run when Taylor gets hurt again Greg Jones are both likely going to miss some regular season time. Which reminds me, WHY DO WE PLAY 4 OF THESE POINTLESS GAMES????
Time for WWE! (As many people click on the "back" button) Kurt Angle, who has been a huge part of the WWE the last couple years has been released. Apprently, Angle is incredibly beat up physically, to the point that he gained an addiction to pain killers. For now, the wrestling world is without Angle, which is a shame, because he was intense, and always gave his all. It might not be the last we see him, but for now, he's done.
On to NASCAR, Matt Kenseth won last nights Bristol race for the second straight year. Right now, Jimmie Johnson leads the standings, Kenseth is only 7 back. And the nearest guy is 321 points away from Johnson. If anyone else other than Johnson or Kenseth wins this title, it will be a robbery. All the great finishes they had through 26 races could be meaningless if they have 1 engine failure, or one stupid guy wrecking them. Well, that's today's NASCAR.
Well we have about a month left in the MLB season, and anything can still happen. That's why I think the media is stupid by already handing divisions to certain teams. The only team I think you can do that legitimatly is the Mets, because they lead by 14.5 games, but if they bomb it, they can still lose it. People are already handing certain teams divisions when all it takes is one losing streak, and all of a sudden you are on the outside.
Finally, the media is stupid for already handing people the Heisman Trophy. How many games have we played in the college football season? SQADOOSH! Now you can always guess, but saying "Oh yeah, Player A will win the Heisman for sure" is just stupid. They are about as dumb as the preseason polls, since about half of those teams will end up stinking. Wait until we've played a few games before handing people trophies.
