Last week I dutifully filled out my bracket and just knew that I had the insight that no one else had and that I was well on my way to winning the bracket challenges and office pool. Sound familiar? I think we all did. How is your bracket doing now? Having second thoughts about putting Duke into your final four? Wishing you take back the glowing reviews you were giving Georgetown going into the tournament?
Well here is your chance at a do-over...Time to pick a NEW final four.
Here are the rules: They say confession is good for the soul, so you have to own up to your original picks and either defend them or change them and give the reasons why your new pick is the one to make the trip to San Antonio.
I'll start:
My original pick from the East was North Carolina - in fact I picked them to win it all against Texas. After impressive wins over Mt St Mary and Arkansas, the Tar Heels look as strong as ever - albeit against subpar competition. I don't think Washington State will give them any more of a challenge than their first two opponents. Louisville makes me nervous in this bracket. Even though I am a devout Tennessee fan and love coach Bruce Pearl, I have trouble envisioning them getting past Louisville. In fact, if it weren't for early-season injuries to the Louisville squad, they may be the #1 seed in the tourney right now instead of North Carolina. Pitino's team matches up well against Carolina, are one of the hottest teams in the country and just dismantled Oklahoma by 30, while at the same time holding them to a season-low 48 points. Regardless, I'll stick with my original pick of North Carolina and hold out a faint hope that I am wrong and my Vols do the impossible and make it through this part of the bracket to the final four.
ORIG NOW
My original pick from the Mid-West was Georgetown. In hindsight - not one of my more sterling predictions. After watching the first two rounds, I have to say that I have been surprisingly impressed by Wisconsin and think that they will handle the Curry-led Cinderella squad from Davidson. Even more impressive, though, has been Kansas. As long as they can keep the tempo up and not let Wisconsin slow them down into a low-scoring half-court game, my new pick for this region will have to be Kansas.
ORIG NOW
My original pick for the South was Texas. I picked Mississippi State to knock off Memphis; and they were a late bucket from doing just that. Memphis cannot shoot free throws and sooner or later in the tournament that always comes back to bite a team in the nether-regions. I think that they will make it past Michigan State by simple out-manning them, but will not be able to handle D J Augustine and the Longhorns. It's gonna be a close game and Texas can hit from the charity-stripe late in the game. My pick stays with Texas.
ORIG NOW
My original pick for the West was Duke. Yeah...'nuff said. With who is left in this bracket, I think that UCLA is the odds on favorite, but that Xavier is the best team; and in spite of all of that, West Virginia will win it. Bob Huggins has a score to settle with UCLA dating back to when he was bounced early from the Tourney by them when his Cincy team entered the tournament as an overall #1 seed. He knows how to coach at this time of the year and by the looks of his players and the defense they played in the second half of the Duke game - they are buying what he is selling right now. My new pick from the West is - believe it or not - West Virginia.
ORIG NOW
I still think the final is going to be North Carolina vs Texas with the Tar Heels taking it by 7 points.
Well Ohio State fans, the time has come to enjoy some crow. LSU 38 - OSU 24...sigh.
It has been said that revenge is a dish best served cold. Some have said the same about crow, but I disagree. So...just because I care - I have provided you with some recipes that may help you stand the bitter bird just a bit easier.
Having been a life-long Dallas Cowboy fan, I have had several long stretches in which I have had time to perfect some of these recipes.
In skillet brown the crow breasts, then place them on a 1 1/2" layer of sauerkraut in bottom of a casserole. Cover each piece of meat with a strip of bacon and sprinkle the onion over them. Cover the breast with another layer of sauerkraut and pour sauerkraut juice over it. Bake two hours in oven heated to 350 degrees.
*Tip: Since your tears are naturally salty, crying a bit over the casserole, after removing from the stove, can add just that extra bit of needed seasoning that makes the dish special.
Crow and Mushroom Stew (Button and Buckeye Stew)
3 crows 2 Tbsp cream 1 Tbsp lard/shortening 1/2 cup mushrooms 1 pint stock or gravy salt and pepper cayenne pepper (this should be easy to find in Lousianna - may even be on the table)
Clean and cut crows into small portions and let them cook a short time in the lard/shortening in a saucepan, being careful not to brown them. Next, add to the contents of the pan, the stock or gravy, and salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Simmer 1 hour, or until tender, add mushrooms, simmer 10 minutes more and then stir in cream. Arrange the mushrooms around the crows on a hot platter.
*Note: The pieces are big for a reason - it is supposed to be hard to ####. For some reason it is easier to pallete when eating it with friends and making excuses about the referees costing us the game - so be sure to invite your entire National Championship party entourage over for some.
Potted Crow: (BCS Buckeye Surprise)
6 crows 1 diced onion 3 bacon slices 1 diced carrot stuffing of your choice chopped parsley hot water or stock 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup shortening buttered toast
Clean and dress crows; stuff and place them upright in stew-pan on the slices of bacon. Add the carrot, onion and a little parsley, and cover with boiling water or stock. Cover the pot and let simmer for 2-3 hours, or until tender, adding boiling water or stock when necessary. Make a sauce of the shortening and flour and 2 cups of the stock remaining in the pan. Serve each crow on a thin slice of moistened toast, and pour gravy over all.
*Tip: if you soak buckeyes in water for about a week, you can get this great bitter horse-chestnut sauce, pictured below, to pour over your dish. This reason is that you don't want to actually enjoy this dish - or you could be in danger of being the next Notre Dame.
TAKE HEART BUCKEYE FANS
On the upside, you can see that Ohio State will probably be better next year than they were this year. The 2006 recruiting class is starting to come into its own and may be good enough to win it all in spite of idiotic defensive coaching decisions made on their behalf. Only time will tell.
This is the time that I am supposed to say "better luck next year." - But I won't - because I don't mean it.
One last thing. This is for a few special people - YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE - SEC is 7-2 in bowl games this year. The Big Ten? 3-5.
How did your wildcard picks hold up? In a week where Eli Manning became the man in New York and the Redskins went down with nary a whimper, I am 3-1. That has changed the matchups a bit because now the Giants, being the lowest remaining seed in the NFC, will face the Cowboys for the third time this year instead of the Packers.
Let me know how your picks did and register your picks for the next round. Remember, you can't say "I told you so", unless you told us to begin with. Two of my pre-season picks in the NFC are still in it, the Giants and the Cowboys. Three of my pre-season picks for the AFC are still in it. That's my best year ever so far.
The following 3 brackets are my pre-season picks and my picks just before Week 12 and my final picks. My week 12 picks were pretty close to the final match-ups. ;)
Week 1 Results and Week 2 Match-Ups:
Wildcard: My record in this round is 3-1. How did you do?
NFC: N.Y. Giants vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Bucs have been surviving by the sheer will of their defense since Garcia's injury. The Giants played with a new intensity against the Patriots and they have lost only one road game all year. This will be a low scoring game and I think the Giants win a close one
GIANTS 24-14 - I picked this one.
NFC: Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins have a quarterback who has been on fire the last four weeks and the Seahawks have seemingly removed all of the running plays from their playbook. This one won't be a war of attrition, rather an air show. The Redskins win in a high scoring contest.
SEAHAWKS 35-14 - This one went nothing like I envisioned.
**Dwindy, fridayharborgal, DezzNutz, onesouthernlion, harebear, racer256 - It is duly noted that you got this pick right. I am having my crow with some fava beans and a nice chianti.**
AFC: Pittsburg Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars are the best team that has been flying under the radar all year. No one has wanted to meet this Jags team in the Playoffs. The Steelers have key injuries and don't look to get healthy before next week. Big Ben has a good game but succumbs to the Jacksonville defense by at least a touchdown.
JAGUARS 31-29 - Pittsburg put up more of I fight than I expected. Close game, but I got the outcome right.
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans The Titans squeaked into the playoffs against the Colts in a game that Peyton Manning only played one quarter and Marvin Harrison stayed on the bench to heal a little more before coming back. With a healthy Albert Haynesworth they might be able to stuff the running game of the Chargers. With Haynesworth operating as he is now, at about half capacity; they are no match for LaDanian Tomlinson and the Chargers. Chargers, quite literally, run away with this one.
GIANTS 24-14 - I picked this one.
2nd Round:
NFC: New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys Eli is having his coming out party in the last two weeks. He is finally delivering what those in the Giants organization thought he could when they traded the farm to San Diego for him a few years ago. The Giants are playing inspired football in the last two weeks since their close loss to New England. After losing twice to Dallas this year, New York will key on the receivers that have been the source of their demise in the past two against Dallas. This will open up Barber for a huge rushing game. Romo has matured a lot as a football player since last years playoff goof-ups. Where he cracked under pressure last year, this year that is when he is at his best. Dallas by 10.
NFC: Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers Which Seahawk team will show up. In a year where they have been notoriously inconsistent, that will be the determining factor to how close this game gets at the end. Green bay will be be able to key on the passing game, because the Seahawks have no running game to speak of. They do, however, have a decent secondary. Green Bay will run the ball well in this game and that will make the linebackers have to cheat up a bit, opening up the middle for some big pass plays. Brett Favre is his best in the playoffs and I don't see this game as an exception. Packers by 7.
AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots Indianapolis, Philadelphia and New York showed that you can almost beat this Patriot team. Jacksonville will be the one to close the deal. When most teams come after Tom Brady, he has the quick outlets to Faulk and Moss coming back to bail him out. Jacksonville has the speed in their defensive ends and line-backing corp to take away these outlets and make Brady have to move out of the pocket. Jacksonville also has the power running game with Fred Taylor to keep the Patriots secondary honest and allow Garrard to throw the short routes he has been so successful with all year. In a shocker, Jacksonville by 3.
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis' defense that was absent for most of last year until the playoffs is alive and well in 2007. The defensive line of the Colts will stuff the run and force Phillip Rivers to beat a secondary which features one of the best DB's in the league in Sanders. Peyton Manning will have a big game against the Chargers. Indianapolis by 14.
Conference Finals:
NFC: Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys If you saw the game between them earlier in the season, I think this game will be more of the same. The Packers can't rely on the home-field advantage of their frozen wasteland of a field and they have a horrendous record in Dallas; in fact, Favre has never won there. Look for T.O. to burn the Green Bay secondary yet again and Jason Witten to have a big second half when the Packers make adjustments to keep T.O. from beating them during halftime. Favre and his mini-me Romo will both have good games, but I think Dallas' receiving corp will prove to be better. Cowboys by a touchdown.
AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts This is going to be a tough game. The Jaguars will just be coming off of a week in which they ended the Patriot's hope for an undefeated season, but will have no trouble with a let down for this game since it decides who plays Dallas in the Super Bowl. Indianapolis will be trying to earn their second consecutive trip to the SB behind the arm of Peyton Manning. Jacksonville will apply pressure to Manning, but I think Manning will have prepared for it. Jacksonville WILL be able to run on Indianapolis and will methodically work the ball down the field. I think Indy will go up early, but Jacksonville will make it close in the second half as their offense wears down the Indianapolis defense. There won't be many punts in this game. I almost had to flip a coin on this one. Indianapolis wins this one by 7.
Super Bowl:
Dallas Cowboys vs. Indianapolis Colts These two teams are more evenly matched, I think, than people have previously thought. Manning, of course, is the better quarterback. He has all of the same intangibles as Romo, but with a better arm and better mind for the game. Dallas defense is stronger than Indianapolis, with the exception of the secondary. Dallas does have a receiver that can outrun the Colts DB Sanders in the cover two - Terrell Owens. I think this game will go down to the wire and, once again, Indianapolis will be beaten in a big game by a kicker. Dallas by a field goal.
Well, THERE ARE MY PICKS!
***I hate to have to add this, but considering the kind of stuff that has been showing up lately: Please keep your comments above board and intelligent. Remember that the season is not over, so everything at this point is simply yours or someone else's opinion. Respect the opinions of others and yours will also be respected. Incindiery, vulgar or crassly offensive comments have been and will be deleted.***
January 8, 2008: Ohio State loses to LSU 24-21. Now 0-9 vs. SEC teams.
It happened...again! Taking cues from Lloyd Carr's game plan against Florida, Jim Tressel's Buckeyes had this game in hand well into the 4th quarter. Having a lead against an SEC team this late in the game was uncharted waters for the otherwise very successful coach and those waters proved to be treacherous.
Hungry to finally score a win, Tressel didn't want to make a mistake. He decided to go conservative, so he pulled back and started reverting to the style of football Ohio State has played all year against its Big Ten brethren. In a play that will be known in infamy for years to come, he sent his linebackers to the line in their vaunted 6-1 defensive position and put the DB's in a three deep zone. When the ball was snapped, an all out blitz was sent towards the LSU quarterback who quickly threw the ball downfield to a streaking receiver who had easily gotten behind the zone for what turned out to be the game-winning 65-yard touchdown pass with only 23 seconds left on the clock.
When asked why he chose to change his gameplan when he seemingly had the game won, Jim Tressel replied, "I believe in dancing with the one who brought you. I wanted to beat them by playing the same way that got us to this championship game - with some good, hard Big Ten style football. In hindsight, maybe it was the wrong decision."
Somewhere in heaven, the famous, late Ohio State supporter Jimmy Neutron cries once again today.
January 15, 2008: Ohio State Applies for Membership in the SEC.
It's just been a week and already the fallout from Ohio State's 4th quarter collapse against the LSU Tigers has started. In a surprise move, in the spirit of "if you can't beat them - join them", the Athletic Director of Ohio State University has formally applied to become a member of the SEC. The Big Ten had initially filed a protest until the SEC reciprocated by offering a two-for-one deal packaging Mississippi and South Carolina.
Hesitant at first, the Big Ten director accepted because he reasoned that now the Big Ten will now have 12 teams and can earn some much needed respect among its conference peers by adding a conference championship game. The SEC officials were giggling as they left the room saying, "I can't believe they fell for it. We traded two cellar-dwellers for a team that will be average in the SEC. Now we only have 11 teams. [{chuckle-chuckle} - no more curs-ed championship game - now we can back a team into the National Championship game every year. The situation was explained delicately to South Carolina and Mississippi, but neither team minded because now they will both have a shot at winning seasons and bowl games.
Sensing the end of his gravy train, Jim Tressel pleaded his case to the Big Ten admin saying "really, we're gonna beat them this time", but was told "we've trusted you for seven years now, just as we had the coaches before you, and we just can't take your word for it anymore. We hope you can understand."
January 16, 2008: Jeff Foxworthy takes to the airwaves to taunt Buckeye fans.
The young comedian and recognized authority on red-necks, Jeff Foxworthy, caused quite a stir in the Columbus community today when he visited a local radio station to promote his Blue Collar Comedy tour. What was supposed to be a short preview of what you might hear at the concert with his "You might be a red-neck" shtick, morphed into an outright taunting o####roup of people who's psyches still have not mended from the events of the past couple of weeks.
Calls immediately began pouring into the station with enraged and outraged Buckeye fans. The OSU Athletic director issued a statement characterizing the statements as being "in poor taste", to which Mr. Foxworthy responded, "hey, y'all - I just call 'em like I see 'em".
The following is a short excerpt of some of the heinous things Mr. Foxworthy said:
"If your team hasn't beaten a SEC team in a bowl game - EVER...you might be a Buckeye." He then adds, "heck, even Vandy wins one in the SEC every once in a while."
"If your Alma Mater was written in 1902 on the train ride home, after the worst loss your team has ever suffered, to your most bitter rival Michigan 86-0...you might be a Buckeye." {mutters under his breath} "memorializing a butt-whipping - wow, that's pathetic."
"If you consider a 33-14 win against a 4-9 Washington team even remotely comparable to a 48-7 LSU whipping of an 11-2 Virginia Tech team...you might be a Buckeye."
"If you have to resort to rubbing necklaces made of barely-edible chestnuts because you "think it will help"...you might be a Buckeye."
"If you consider flipping off the winning team's bus as they leave the stadium, your state bird...you might be a Buckeye."
"If every time you get a Woody, it makes you briefly reminisce about college football...you might be a Buckeye."
and finally, "If the conference you constantly label as being "overrated" went 7-2 in bowl games and whipped your butt again this year...you just might be a Buckeye."
This reporter is, frankly, appalled.
January 21, 2008: In a surprise move, OSU Chancellor decides Ohio State coaching position to be decided by popular vote.
The Chancellor at Ohio State University announced a controversial decision today that the coaching position at Ohio State University would no longer be a hired position decided upon by school officials, but rather an elected position decided upon by the students, boosters and fans of the University every two years.
When asked why he made this decision, he explained that all of the correspondence he has received from boosters and fans in the last couple of weeks were chocked full of advice about how to better prepare for next year and what kind of players Jim Tressel needs to recruit in order to compete with our friends from the South. He reasoned that since the fans seemed to have all the answers that OSU has been searching for all these years, they should be involved in the decision making process of who should lead their team. Off the record, he also noted that if the fans decided on the coach, then if they lose to the SEC again, he couldn't be blamed.
When contacted, Jim Tressel said, "I am confident that I will be re-elected as coach. I stand by my moves and my record speaks for itself", but then conceded that he has tried to convince newly retired Michigan coach, Lloyd Carr, to be his running mate to boost his chances noting that Lloyd's 5-2 record against SEC teams also speaks for itself.
Remember...I was ASKED to do this by an Ohio State Fan. He said take your best shot...so I did.
Please keep your comments above board and intelligent. If you can't do that...at least keep them clean. Enjoy!
Oh, and Buckeye fans...Don't forget to cast your vote!
A cfd37Buckeye is trying to conjure the "Lou Holtz" curse on LSU. Click HERE to read his Pep Talk to the LSU Tigers:
EXTRA---EXTRA---READ ALL ABOUT IT! EXTRA---EXTRA---READ ALL ABOUT IT!
COLUMBUS DISPATCH HEADLINES:
January 8, 2008: Ohio State loses to LSU 24-21. Now 0-9 vs. SEC teams.
It happened...again. Taking cues from Lloyd Carr's game plan against Florida, Jim Tressel's Buckeyes had this game in hand well into the 4th quarter. Having a lead against an SEC team this late in the game was uncharted waters for the otherwise very successful coach and those waters proved to be treacherous. Hungry to finally score a win, Tressel didn't want to make a mistake. He decided to go conservative, so he pulled back and started reverting to the style of football Ohio State has played all year against its Big Ten brethren. In a play that will be known in infamy for years to come, he sent his linebackers to the line in their vaunted 6-1 defensive position and put the DB's in a three deep zone. When the ball was snapped, an all out blitz was sent towards the LSU quarterback who quickly threw the ball downfield to a streaking receiver who had easily gotten behind the zone for what turned out to be the game-winning 65-yard touchdown pass with only 23 seconds left on the clock. When asked why he chose to change his gameplan when he seemingly had the game won, Jim Tressel replied, "I believe in dancing with the one who brought you. I wanted to beat them by playing the same way that got us to this championship game - with some good, hard Big Ten style football. In hindsight, maybe it was the wrong decision." Somewhere in heaven, the famous, late Ohio State supporter Jimmy Neutron cries once again today.
January 15, 2008: Ohio State Applies for Membership in the SEC It's just been a week and already the fallout from Ohio State's 4th quarter collapse against the LSU Tigers has started. In a surprise move, in the spirit of "if you can't beat them - join them", the Athletic Director of Ohio State University has formally applied to become a member of the SEC. The Big Ten had initially filed a protest until the SEC reciprocated by offering a two-for-one deal packaging Mississippi and South Carolina. Hesitant at first, the Big Ten director accepted because he reasoned that now the Big Ten will now have 12 teams and can earn some much needed respect among its conference peers by adding a conference championship game. The SEC officials were giggling as they left the room saying, "I can't believe they fell for it. We traded two cellar-dwellers for a team that will be average in the SEC. Now we only have 11 teams. [{chuckle-chuckle} - no more curs-ed championship game - now we can back a team into the National Championship game every year. The situation was explained delicately to South Carolina and Mississippi, but neither team minded because now they will both have a shot at winning seasons and bowl games. Sensing the end of his gravy train, Jim Tressel pleaded his case to the Big Ten admin saying "really, we're gonna beat them this time", but was told "we've trusted you for seven years now, just as we had the coaches before you, and we just can't take your word for it anymore. We hope you can understand."
January 16, 2008: Jeff Foxworthy takes to the airwaves to taunt Buckeye fans
The young comedian and recognized authority on red-necks, Jeff Foxworthy, caused quite a stir in the Columbus community today when he visited a local radio station to promote his Blue Collar Comedy tour. What was supposed to be a short preview of what you might hear at the concert with his "You might be a red-neck" shtick, morphed into an outright taunting o####roup of people who's psyches still have not mended from the events of the past couple of weeks. Calls immediately began pouring into the station with enraged and outraged Buckeye fans. The OSU Athletic director issued a statement characterizing the statements as being "in poor taste", to which Mr. Foxworthy responded, "hey, y'all - I just call 'em like I see 'em".
The following is a short excerpt of some of the heinous things Mr. Foxworthy said:
"If your team hasn't beaten a SEC team in a bowl game - EVER...you might be a Buckeye." He then adds, "heck, even Vandy wins one in the SEC every once in a while."
"If your Alma Mater was written in 1902 on the train ride home, after the worst loss your team has ever suffered, to your most bitter rival Michigan 86-0...you might be a Buckeye." {mutters under his breath} "memorializing a butt-whipping - wow, that's pathetic."
"If you consider a 33-14 win against a 4-9 Washington team even remotely comparable to a 48-7 LSU whipping of an 11-2 Virginia Tech team...you might be a Buckeye."
"If you have to resort to rubbing necklaces made of barely-edible chestnuts because you "think it will help"...you might be a Buckeye."
"If you consider flipping off the winning team's bus as they leave the stadium, your state bird...you might be a Buckeye."
"If every time you get a Woody, it makes you briefly reminisce about college football...you might be a Buckeye."
and finally, "If the conference you constantly label as being "overrated" went 7-2 in bowl games and whipped your butt again this year...you just might be a Buckeye."
This reporter is, frankly, appalled.
January 21, 2008: In a surprise move, OSU Chancellor decides Ohio State coaching position to be decided by popular vote
The Chancellor at Ohio State University announced a controversial decision today that the coaching position at Ohio State University would no longer be a hired position decided upon by school officials, but rather an elected position decided upon by the students, boosters and fans of the University every two years. When asked why he made this decision, he explained that all of the correspondence he has received from boosters and fans in the last couple of weeks were chocked full of advice about how to better prepare for next year and what kind of players Jim Tressel needs to recruit in order to compete with our friends from the South. He reasoned that since the fans seemed to have all the answers that OSU has been searching for all these years, they should be involved in the decision making process of who should lead their team. Off the record, he also noted that if the fans decided on the coach, then if they lose to the SEC again, he couldn't be blamed. When contacted, Jim Tressel said, "I am confident that I will be re-elected as coach. I stand by my moves and my record speaks for itself", but then conceded that he has tried to convince newly retired Michigan coach, Lloyd Carr, to be his running mate to boost his chances noting that Lloyd's 5-2 record against SEC teams also speaks for itself.
Remember...I was ASKED to do this by an Ohio State Fan. He said take your best shot...so I did.
Please keep your comments above board and intelligent. If you can't do that...at least keep them clean. Enjoy!
Oh, and Buckeye fans...Don't forget to cast your vote!
What a season so far. How have your picks held up? Who would have forseen the total implosions of Philadelphia and New Orleans in the NFC and the disappearance of the Jets and Ravens in the AFC. The rising of Green Bay into the winners bracket on the NFC side and the late resurgence of the Redskins to make the playoffs have also been quite unexpected. And, who would have guessed that Peyton Manning's touchdown pass and Jerry Rice's touchdown reception records would fall so soon?
The following 3 brackets are my pre-season picks and my picks just before Week 12 and my final picks. My week 12 picks were pretty close to the final match-ups. ;)
If you have your preseason picks, let me know what they were. It's fun to see just how much things change in one season.
2007 Official NFL Playoff Match-ups:
Wildcard:
NFC: N.Y. Giants vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Bucs have been surviving by the sheer will of their defense since Garcia's injury. The Giants played with a new intensity against the Patriots and they have lost only one road game all year. This will be a low scoring game and I think the Giants win a close one
NFC: Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins have a quarterback who has been on fire the last four weeks and the Seahawks have seemingly removed all of the running plays from their playbook. This one won't be a war of attrition, rather an air show. The Redskins win in a high scoring contest.
AFC: Pittsburg Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars are the best team that has been flying under the radar all year. No one has wanted to meet this Jags team in the Playoffs. The Steelers have key injuries and don't look to get healthy before next week. Big Ben has a good game but succumbs to the Jacksonville defense by at least a touchdown.
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans The Titans squeaked into the playoffs against the Colts in a game that Peyton Manning only played one quarter and Marvin Harrison stayed on the bench to heal a little more before coming back. With a healthy Albert Haynesworth they might be able to stuff the running game of the Chargers. With Haynesworth operating as he is now, at about half capacity; they are no match for LaDanian Tomlinson and the Chargers. Chargers, quite literally, run away with this one.
2nd Round:
NFC: Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys The Redskins have been hot lately and are throwing the ball exceptionally well, but they beat a Dallas team on the last day of the regular season that was resting it's players for the playoffs. The story will be much different with a healthy and rested starting lineup in there. Romo has matured a lot as a football player since last years playoff goof-ups. Where he cracked under pressure last year, this year that is when he is at his best. Dallas will be sending everyone but the cheerleaders at the Washington QB and will try to force the Redskins to beat them on the ground. Washington will key on T.O., so Jason Witten will have a monster game. Dallas by 10.
NFC: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers Brett Favre is his best in the playoffs and I don't see this game as an exception. Eli has a great arm and Green Bay has a suspect backfield, so this one promises to be a high scoring contest. Eli, however, seems to make his worst decisions when the pressure is on and costs his team with his mistakes. The Giants as a team also have a tendancy to lose their composure when the game is on the line and get silly, costly penalties. Packers take this one by 14.
AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots Indianapolis, Philadelphia and New York showed that you can almost beat this Patriot team. Jacksonville will be the one to close the deal. When most teams come after Tom Brady, he has the quick outlets to Faulk and Moss coming back to bail him out. Jacksonville has the speed in their defensive ends and line-backing corp to take away these outlets and make Brady have to move out of the pocket. Jacksonville also has the power running game with Fred Taylor to keep the Patriots secondary honest and allow Garrard to throw the short routes he has been so successful with all year. In a shocker, Jacksonville by 3.
AFC: San Diego Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis' defense that was absent for most of last year until the playoffs is alive and well in 2007. The defensive line of the Colts will stuff the run and force Phillip Rivers to beat a secondary which features one of the best DB's in the league in Sanders. Peyton Manning will have a big game against the Chargers. Indianapolis by 14.
Conference Finals:
NFC: Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys If you saw the game between them earlier in the season, I think this game will be more of the same. The Packers can't rely on the home-field advantage of their frozen wasteland of a field and they have a horrendous record in Dallas; in fact, Favre has never won there. Look for T.O. to burn the Green Bay secondary yet again and Jason Witten to have a big second half when the Packers make adjustments to keep T.O. from beating them during halftime. Favre and his mini-me Romo will both have good games, but I think Dallas' receiving corp will prove to be better. Cowboys by a touchdown.
AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts This is going to be a tough game. The Jaguars will just be coming off of a week in which they ended the Patriot's hope for an undefeated season, but will have no trouble with a let down for this game since it decides who plays Dallas in the Super Bowl. Indianapolis will be trying to earn their second consecutive trip to the SB behind the arm of Peyton Manning. Jacksonville will apply pressure to Manning, but I think Manning will have prepared for it. Jacksonville WILL be able to run on Indianapolis and will methodically work the ball down the field. I think Indy will go up early, but Jacksonville will make it close in the second half as their offense wears down the Indianapolis defense. There won't be many punts in this game. I almost had to flip a coin on this one. Indianapolis wins this one by 7.
Super Bowl:
Dallas Cowboys vs. Indianapolis Colts These two teams are more evenly matched, I think, than people have previously thought. Manning, of course, is the better quarterback. He has all of the same intangibles as Romo, but with a better arm and better mind for the game. Dallas defense is stronger than Indianapolis, with the exception of the secondary. Dallas does have a receiver that can outrun the Colts DB Sanders in the cover two - Terrell Owens. I think this game will go down to the wire and, once again, Indianapolis will be beaten in a big game by a kicker. Dallas by a field goal.
Well, THERE ARE MY PICKS!
If you are gonna come on this site and gloat after the playoffs, then you'd better register your opinions now as to who you think will win each game. I don't want to hear from you afterwards if you don't have the onions to put your picks out there now.
***I hate to have to add this, but considering the kind of stuff that has been showing up lately: Please keep your comments above board and intelligent. Remember that the season is not over, so everything at this point is simply yours or someone else's opinion. Respect the opinions of others and yours will also be respected. Incindiery, vulgar or crassly offensive comments have been and will be deleted.***
Here are my prospective NFL Playoff matchups as picked from the beginning of Week 12. I still stand by my picks, only now I have different reasons for believing some of them.
NFC:
Bucs vs. Giants Cowboys vs. Giants I think the Bucs will be upset by the Giants. Now that I have seen the Giants play New England, I believe it even more. One and they're done though as I believe Dallas will throw over the top to Terrell Owens and keep them honest in their coverage with Jason Witten. Seahawks vs. Vikings** Vikings** vs. Packers The Vikings shock the Seahawks with their streaky running game (pronounced Adrian Peterson) and the Packers, normally porous run defense, step and stuff that same running game the following week to meet Dallas in the NFC Final. Packers vs. Cowboys It's off to the races and this proves to be anything but a defensive battle. Dallas beats the Packers in a high scoring game to advance to the Superbowl. AFC:
Jaguars vs. Titans** Patriots vs. Jaguars The Patriots have a perfect record because they played a Marvin Harrison-less Colts team and because they didn't have to play Jacksonville in the regular season. Jacksonville beats them by a touchdown. Steelers vs. Chargers Chargers vs. Colts Big Ben eats up the Chargers secondary only to meet the Colts and have Sanders return the favor. Colts advance to play the Jaguars in the AFC Final.
Colts vs. Jaguars Colts beat Jaguars in a very physical and low-scoring game in which Jacksonville manhandles the Colts receivers at the line forcing Addai to be the man to beat them.
SUPERBOWL:
Cowboys vs. Colts Once again Indianapolis gets beaten by a kicker in a big game with Dallas winning in the final minute with a long field goal.
**CAVEATS: It looks like two of my picks might not make it into the playoffs, so I'll make these adjustments.
If the Redskins beat the Cowboys tomorrow and make it into the playoffs. I believe that Seattle will beat them and lose to the Packers in the next round.
The Browns could make the playoffs instead of the Titans. In that instance, it doesn't change much. Either one of them is going to lose to Jacksonville in that game.
There's my picks. I'm pretty close so far. How are yours holding up?
***I hate to have to add this, but considering the kind of stuff that has been showing up lately: Please keep your comments above board and intelligent. Remember that the season is not over, so everything at this point is simply yours or someone else's opinion. Respect the opinions of others and yours will also be respected. Incindiery, vulgar or crassly offensive comments have been and will be deleted.***
It happens no matter what sport I watch, from NFL football to NCAA Division III Lacrosse. I sit down with a cold drink, snacks and remote control; take off my shoes and prop my feet up on the stool in front of the couch. I switch on the TV and hear some talking head start the pre-game show and talk ‘till they have nothing left to say. Then, they bring out their resident expert to tell what the determining factors are that might give one team an edge over the other. Now, instead of saying something that is even remotely intelligent, this #### will start talking about the “X” Factor. The X-Factor this and the X-factor that. Aaaaarrrgh!
What the hell is an X-Factor? Why do I care? Out of the thousands of things you could choose to say, why X-Factor? It’s gotta be the single most annoying, and overused phrase in recent memory. It’s usually the same guy that describes any team that has won more than 5 games consecutively as “developing a swagger”…another phrase I could do without hearing for the next 40 or 50 years.
Am I alone on this one, or can you sum up 80% of everything these guys say into a list of about 10 stupid phrases?
1 The X-Factor 2 Team is playing with a swagger (they make corrective shoes for that) 3 They’ve gotta dig deep if they are gonna have a chance today 4 At the end of the day, all that matters is blah blah blah blah 5 etc...
AAaaaaaargh! Chris Berman shut up! I’m watching Sports Center and Boomer just dropped two X-Factors on me. It’s been nice, but I have to scream now!
Forget all of the wrangling and foolishness that happened with Atlanta in the last few days. Forget all of the bickering between he and Terrell Owens. And, forget about his apparent dislike for the media and his abrupt answering of questions in press conferences. Bill Parcells is the right man in Miami and Dolphins owner, H. Wayne Huizenga, for once in his tenure as the Dolphins owner, got this hire right!
From an article written by Michael Lewis for the New York Times, “Bill Parcells is the only coach in N.F.L. history to take four different teams to the playoffs, but that only begins to set him apart. In 1983, in his first N.F.L. head coaching job, he took over a New York Giants team that had one winning season over the previous decade, turned it around on a dime and led it to Super Bowl titles in the 1986 and 1990 seasons. In 1993, he became head coach of the New England Patriots a year after they finished 2-14. Two seasons later they were 10-6 and in the playoffs for the first time in eight years; another two seasons later, they were in the Super Bowl. From there Parcells went to the Jets, who were coming off a 1-15 season, and coached them to a 9-7 record in his first year and a 12-4 record in his second. The Cowboys had finished 5-11 three seasons in a row before Parcells arrived in 2003. His first year they were 10-6 and reached the playoffs."
"No N.F.L. coach has ever proven himself so clearly to be a device for turning a losing team into a winning one. “
Parcells is a perfect fit for Miami. He is one who tolerates few equals and likes to do things his own way without interference. For all of his hiring and firing during the off-seasons, Huizenga is usually a hands-off guy during the season. That may have played into his hands for taking the hiring of Parcells away from Atlanta; Arthur Blanks, with no athletic background, still likes to meddle in the on-field stuff during the year.
Parcells is one of the best evaluators of NFL talent in the league; a skill that has been sorely missing in Miami. For a team who, since Huizenga took full ownership in 1993, has traded away 6 first round picks and drafted Jason Allen, Ronnie Brown, Ted Ginn, Vernon Carey OL, Jamar Fletcher, John Avery, Yatil Green, Daryl Gardener, Billy Milner and Tim Bowens with the rest (A list in which only Carey and Bowen have even gone on to be consistent starters); Parcells is a “God send.”
Concerning Parcells recent stint in Dallas, many will point out that Dallas is doing much better with Wade Phillips. Don’t forget, though, that Bill Parcells built the ship in which Phillips is sailing. The criticism that his coaching style and draconian manners are outdated in the era of today’s multi-million dollar players may hold merit. But Parcells will not be on the field and in the locker room in Miami, he will be manning a desk and pulling the strings above the stage.
For a person that has shown that he gains very little joy from the everyday rigors of dealing with locker-room personalities and constantly facing the media that being an NFL coach today requires; moving into the upper office may just be the best move to finally make Parcells happy also.
The very mentioning of Bill Parcells name in a group of people seems to spark a controversy with members of the group polarized on one side or the other. Still - love him or hate him, the simple fact is Parcells has always left an organization in much better shape that when he arrived – Miami is lucky to have him!
It all started in 2000, his rookie season. I don’t know if he had a chip on his shoulder because Cleveland passed on him and took Courtney Brown out of Penn State with the first pick in the draft. I don’t know if he liked the history of a town who named their team after Joe Lewis, the Brown Bomber, or he just liked the new-car smell in the freshly-christened Cleveland Browns Stadium. What I do know is the moment that Jamal Lewis stepped onto the field in that stadium rising from the banks of Lake Erie, something clicked.
The young man, drafted fifth overall from the University of Tennessee, who had managed just 215 yards on 44 carries up to that point in the season, torched the Browns for 86 yards rushing and caught a 7-yard pass to setup a score to seal the 12-0 shutout. In the same year, he rushed against them for 170 yards and 2 TDs while helping Baltimore dismantle Cleveland 44-7. Not since the original Browns were moved to Baltimore under the cover of darkness had the City of Cleveland hated Art Modell so much. They had passed on the very player that could have helped their newly re-formed team back into NFL prominence; and worse, Modell got him.
In 2003, Lewis became just of one of 5 backs in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a single season and fell just 39 yards shy of the all time record held by Eric Dickerson with 2,105. This was also the year that he would break Corey Dillon’s single game rushing mark of 279 by running for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns against …you guessed it…the Browns (a record broken this year by Adrian Peterson, 296). In week 16 of 2003, he again showed his dominance against the Browns, rushing for 205 yards and 2 TDs and catching 2 passes for 21 more yards. In his 12 career games against the Browns, Lewis has averaged 23 carries for 127 yards and a TD. He also has his career longest run (82 yds) and longest TD run (72 yds) against them.
Cleveland had once again squandered an immense opportunity, by overlooking a potential star and picking an also-ran. Then, the “Angel of Brown” stepped in and stirred the pot of fate. In 2006, the sound of Coach Brian Billick and Jamal Lewis bickering at each other through the press had to carry the melody of seraphim's singing to the Brown faithful. Might they actually get a chance to hire the player they spurned and who had been returning the favor to them for the last 6 seasons? And - would he be able to play at the same level in Cleveland Brown Stadium FOR the Browns as he had against them all these years?
The answer to both questions is a resounding yes. In just his second game with the Browns, he turned in one of the best performances of his career; rushing 216 yards against Cincinnati and helping his team win a close game between the inter-state rivals. In home games this season he has averaged 93 yards on 20 carries and a TD. Cleveland has also been able to twice defeat the Ravens this year with him registering 156 yards rushing yards, 30 receiving and 2 TDs against them. While he has not returned to his early career form, he is still on pace this season to rush for over 1,400 yards with 14 TD’s. Suddenly, the world seems alright again in the land of “Brown.”
So, am I surprised Jamal Lewis has done this well in Cleveland? NO. The way this guy delivers in brown, they should make him the poster-boy for UPS. I should file a claim with his agent; if he gets this endorsement, I want a cut.
Just what is a buckeye anyway? Do they have any redeeming qualities at all? Why can't we seem to get rid of them? What causes otherwise sensible people to like them so much?
According to Websters the buckeye is 1. "A tree (Aesculus glabra) that is a relative of the chestnut and horse-chestnut tree. 2. "The nut from said tree is the same rich, mellow warm-brown as a chestnut, but it is less readily edible, due to its high tannic acid content."
So it is a tree and a nut.
The OSU website states the actual nickname for the school, buckeye, is named after the buckeye tree. However, the mascot for the sports teams and the most recognizable symbol of the athletic teams seems to be the nut, also known as a buckeye, that comes from the buckeye tree.
Upon further investigation I also found the following on the Ohio State University website: "In general, the trees and their nuts are of little practical use: the wood does not burn well, the bark has an unpleasant odor, and the bitter nut meat is mildly toxic. Still, the tree has grit. It grows where others cannot, is difficult to kill, and adapts to its circumstances. The nuts, although inedible, are attractive and folk wisdom had it that carrying one in a pocket brings good luck and wards off rheumatism. Maybe that's why they play in a horseshoe - they think it brings them good luck?!?
So for the purpose of our discussion, we'll focus on the nut.
Are the buckeyes valuable? I found I found a bag of 175 of them for sale on eBay for only $4.99 - well that answers that question.
So, to sum it all up: A Buckeye is a worthless, bitter, lucky nut!
They say a picture says a thousand words. So, here are a few thousand words for you:
The Annual OSU Cheerleader "Cop-a-Feel" day. Even the cheer-guy on the right gets some of the action.
Jim Tressel's Christmas wish list.
The Incredible REVERSIBLE Ohio State Buckeye Fan - If this guy with the H had one on his back too; he could turn around and we wouldn't know the difference.
In a classy move...the Buckeye fans wish Lloyd Carr a happy retirement
Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6
Welcome to another episode of "Former OSU Stars - Where are they now?"
Ohio State's Homecoming is steeped with tradition - The Band, the Parade and the selection of the Homecoming King and Queen.
I didn't realize that Count von Count from Sesame Street followed College Football.
A Note to the Ohio State Football Team- YOU $UCK
Ohio State YOU $UCK. The problem is you don't know you $uck. You played in the Big Ten which this year $uck$. All of the non-conference teams you played really $uck. Akron (4-8) is really $ucky even in the really $ucky MAC conference. The only team that really $ucks worse than Akron in the MAC is Kent State (3-9), another juggernaut on your schedule. Youngstown State (7-6) is even really $ucky in one of the $uckiest conferences in 1AA, but you still scheduled them. The only team that you played that just somewhat $ucked was Illinois (9-3), who beat you...thus proving that you Buckeyes do indeed $uck!
Buckeye fans will never forget ... The Official 2006 BCS Championship Game Logo and Crest
And, of course, you all recognize - The Ohio State vs. Any SEC Team in a Bowl Game "Postgame Ritual". ...sigh
**PLEASE NOTE** This is all in fun. A Buckeye fan asked me to "take my best shot" and post it for fun - so I did. Those commenting should keep this in mind. Obscene and/or vulgar comments will be deleted.
It isn’t because Greater Atlanta has close to 1.2 million black inhabitants.
It isn’t because the black community needs a role model to rally around and point their children to after the debacle with Michael Vick.
It isn’t because it would create a new ground-swell of support for the team and fill seats in the Georgia Dome.
It isn’t to try to lessen the disparity between the numbers of black and white head coaches in the NFL.
It isn’t because I think it would be politically correct to do so.
The reason that Atlanta needs a black head coach is because the best man for the job, Mike Singletary, just happens to be black.
I have several reasons to believe that he is the man for the job:
He is a man of integrity and character. After the scene Tuesday with Bobby Petrino running out of town like his hair is on fire, Atlanta needs someone trustworthy. He was considered for a position as the head coach at his alma mater Baylor, but he passed on it because it was November and they wanted him to leave his job as linebackers coach for San Francisco in the middle of the season to take the post – something he refused to do saying “I finish what I start and keep my commitments before moving on to something else.” How refreshing is that in light of what has just happened and what seems to happen in College Football each year?
He is a great teacher and leader. He was a fierce player, vocal team leader, Super Bowl winner and consensus HOF pick. Few people command as much respect by simply walking in the room and he knows how to communicate with professional football players; a skill that Petrino sorely lacked. He was the one who taught Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware and Adalius Thomas the ropes at Baltimore,
NOW 
NOW
NOW 
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