What has gotten you in such an uproar in the world of sports that you want to SCREAM? Is it a player, coach, team, league, owner, or fans of a particular team or individual? Do you think you don't have an outlet to express your ire? Fear not, fans, this is the outlet for you to express that ire by throwing the object of your ire under the Bus. See the lovely young lady? She'll take your requests, then tell the bus driver to do his thing. I know I have a few!

NFL

Seattle Seahawks: granted, they were playing the N.Y. Giants on the road. Very difficult to win there. But at least they could have made it more competitive. Was that the Seahawks or a group of imposters? Clearly, Seattle left its game at home and sleepwalked through the game. I'd have preferred a competitive game, thank you very much. The Seahawks get thrown under the Bus.

O.J. Simpson: the former Buffalo Bills great was found guilty of kidnapping, armed robbery, and 10 other charges involving sports memorabilia. The ironic twist is that he was found guilty 13 years to the day after he got away with murder was found not guilty of two counts of first degree murder in the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. O.J., just go away. Get thrown under the Bus first, then just go away.

NASCAR

Carl Edwards: pot, meet kettle. He's the one always calling out other drivers for causing wrecks. Today, he effectively gave Jimmie Johnson his third straight Sprint Cup title by causing The Big One, Part 2 that knocked out half of the Chase field and six other non-Chase drivers. I do give him credit for taking full responsibility for the wreck. He still gets thrown under the Bus.

Goodyear: there were a rash of tires exploding at Talladega, starting with Dale Earnhardt Jr's on Friday during a practice session. Today, a tire failure on Brian Vickers' car was responsible for The Big One, Part 1. Time for NASCAR to consider exploring other tire companies to supply tires. In the meantime, Goodyear gets thrown Under The Bus.

MLB

MLB "experts": or more specifically, those that predicted the Cubs to beat the Dodgers in the NLDS, which was just about every one of them. Many of these "experts" had the Cubs in the World Series. According to them, the Dodgers might as well have not even played this series. Only one thing: the Cubs had to play the series. They played, and got rolled. The Dodgers' starting pitching was stellar throughout the series. They got timely hitting. Now they're in the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies. The "experts" get thrown under the Bus for dismissing the Dodgers so blithely.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!  

Around the world of the NFL faster than Ed Hochuli's whistle, Crappafoni Pictures presents this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD

New York Giants: they thoroughly dominated a hapless St. Louis Rams. Good teams are supposed to dominate teams like the Rams, and the Giants did so. DE Justin Tuck's Pick Six Special was particularly impressive.

Tennessee Titans: boy, was I ever wrong about this team! The Titans' defense stuffed the Bengals' offense like a Thanksgiving turkey. To hold Carson Palmer to 134 yards passing is especially impressive. Great job by the Titans' defense.

Buffalo Bills: another team I was wrong about. To go into Jacksonville and beat a Jaguars team many thought could reach the Super Bowl, awesome. Trent Edwards was stellar, completing 20 of 25 for 239 yards and a TD.

Green Bay Packers: they ran and passed on the Lions at will, to the tune of 447 total yards and 48 points. Aaron Rodgers continues to prove that the Packers' brass made the right decision, completing 24 of 38 for 328 yards and 3 TDs.

Carolina Panthers: I put them in this category because of their comeback from a 17-3 deficit to win 20-17. Jonathan Stewart continues to impress, scoring twice, the last one coming with less than 4 minutes left in the game. The Panthers' defense rose to the occasion in the second half, stuffing Aaron McKie on a fourth and short to seal the deal.

Dallas Cowboys: they took advantage of two gigantic plays: a 72-yard TD pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens, and a 98-yard kickoff return from Felix Jones, both in the first half. While the Eagles moved the ball up and down the field, the Cowboys' defense stiffened up when it mattered. DeMarcus Ware showed why he's an All-Pro, not giving up on the play and sacking Donovan McNabb on the Eagles' final possession. They join the Giants, Panthers, Packers, and Cardinals as 2-0 teams in the NFC. 

Washington Redskins: they beat a (battered) New Orleans Saints team many (myself included) predicted to reach the Super Bowl. Jason Campbell picked apart the Saints' defense to the sweet, jazzy tune of 24 of 36 for 321 yards and a late 67-yard bomb to Santana Moss that provided the winning margin.

Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden broke out in a HUGE way. Subbing for the injured Justin Fargas, McFadden rushed for 164 yards on 21 carries and a TD. He also broke off a 50-yard run. They thoroughly dominated the hapless Chiefs in Arrowhead, rushing for 300 yards as a team.

Honorable Mention: Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers.

THE BAD

St. Louis Rams: this team is GOD-AWFUL bad. They will be LUCKY to win 2 games this season. In fact, they will be competing for the first overall selection in the 2009 draft. They have become the Clippers of the NFL.

Kansas City Chiefs: another awful team, though not as bad as the Rams. Losing at home and getting dominated will get you in this category every single time.

Seattle Seahawks: how could you dominate a team like San Francisco, yet let the game get away from you? And at home, no less? Losing to the 49ers at home gets you in this category every single time.

Cincinnati Bengals: this team is HORRID. No wonder they have Halloween colors; watching this team is a horror show in itself. They will be competing with the Rams for the #1 overall selection in the 2009 draft.

THE UGLY

Pittsburgh at Cleveland: this was a Sunday Night Snoozefest. Missed passes. Dropped balls. A lack of execution by both teams. Granted, it was very windy because of the remnants of Hurricane Ike, but you're pros, you should adapt to the conditions. Either both defenses played stellar, or both offenses were sloppy. I'll bank on the latter. Pittsburgh's defense played better, with Troy Polamalu picking off a Derek Anderson pass to stop a Cleveland drive. Aside from Big Ben's 31-yard TD pass to Hines Ward, he was pedestrian.

Oakland at Kansas City: this was a game between two teams that are biding their time until they set up tee times after Week 17. Another yawnfest.

Ed Hochuli: I have to put him in here because he BLEW three calls, ALL of them shafting the Chargers. He was subsequently graded down by the NFL office.

Those are my nominees for Week 2. Feel free to come in with yours!  

Today I continue with the AFC East and South.

AFC EAST

New England Patriots: this team will have a stranglehold on this division for the foreseeable future. As long as Tom Brady is under center, the Patriots will be a Super Bowl contender. While I don't think they'll put up epic numbers like they did last year, they'll still put up huge numbers. There are questions on defense, particularly in the secondary. They did sign Deltha O'Neal, and he gives them a veteran presence in the secondary. I think they'll fall off slightly, but they'll still treat this division as their own fiefdom. Predicted record: 13-3, division champions (#2 seed).

New York Jets: Brett Favre has brought an excitement to this franchise that has not been seen in a long time. He has a solid RB behind him in Thomas Jones, above-average WRs in Jerricho Cotchery and Lavernaues Coles. The O-line is improved. The defense has the proper pieces in place. Kris Jenkins should be more than adequate as NT. OLB Calvin Pace should flourish in the 3-4. They could contend for a wild card spot. Not only could they contend, they will get a wild card spot. Predicted record: 10-6 (wild card #6 seed).

Buffalo Bills: Jason Peters' holdout is turning VERY ugly VERY fast. His replacement, Langston Walker, went down with an arm injury, giving Peters leverage in his holdout. Don't be surprised if he sits out the season. The Bills have picked up where they left off: getting injured. If not for this giant distraction (no pun intended), I would consider the Bills as a playoff contender. Peters' holdout will hurt the Bills both now and in the long run. This came at the worst time, when this young team was starting to gell. No playoffs, at least not this year. Predicted record: 7-9 (no playoffs).

Miami Dolphins: the acquisition of Chad Pennington and the reemergence of the Ricky Williams of 2002 has Phin phans optimistic. Certainly they will be a lot better than last year. Pennington will be a good mentor to Chad Henne. Jake Long will be a franchise LT for the next decade or so. The defense is a good mixture of youngsters and veterans. While a break-even record is asking a bit much, they won't be too far behind that. Predicted record: 6-10 (no playoffs).

AFC SOUTH

Indianapolis Colts: I've gotta go with them until Jacksonville (or another division team) beats them out. We know about Peyton Manning. We know about that defense. We know about Adam Vinatieri. Manning won't let them lose the division. Predicted record: 12-4 (division champion, #3 seed).

Jacksonville Jaguars: too bad they weren't in the NFC South; they'd be the #1 or #2 seed. But alas, they have to contend with Indy. David Garrard is a winner, pure and simple. He's won in the postseason. Can the Jags take the next step? It wouldn't surprise me. The defense is stout as usual. Pencil them in for the playoffs. Predicted record: 11-5 (wild card, #5 seed).

Houston Texans: this is the year they climb out of the division cellar. Matt Schaub is healthy, and he's got something to prove. Ahman Green is an old warhorse, but when healthy, is still very productive. Steve Slaton brings an added dimension to the running game. Defensively, they need to develop a better pass rush. That is the one area of the defense that will keep them from making the playoffs. However, they will break even. Predicted record: 8-8 (no playoffs).

Tennessee Titans: this team is an enigma. One moment Vince Young is poised to join the elite, next moment he plays like a raw rookie. I'm not sold on them. While their defense is still solid, questions about on offense. They take a step back this season. Predicted record: 7-9 (no playoffs).

Tomorrow: AFC North and AFC West. 

Looking around the world of sports, there are many sports personalities and teams that have p****d you, the typical Joe Six-Pack Fan, off. I have some teams and personalities that have so ticked me off I could just scream. Here is the forum for you to sound off and call out those dumb@$$E$, idiots, and general all-around malcontents by throwing them Under The Bus. I have some nominees this week. Who do you want to throw under said Bus?

NFL

Marshawn ####, RB, Buffalo Bills: this genius stayed silent rather than cooperate with Buffalo police on a misdemeanor hit and run charge against him. Who the hell does he think he is? If he had come correct right away, all this would be behind him now. Instead, he subjected several Bills players, employees, and management to be subpoenaed. Now he's subject to being thrown Under The Bus.

Jevon Kearse, DE, Tennessee Titans: you're a 10 year veteran, with your second stint with the Titans. You're supposedly looked up to as one of the team's veteran leaders. And you get popped for DUI? What were you THINKING? Apparently you WEREN'T thinking. Mix in a cab or a limo to take you home. For knowing better and still being a dumb@SS, The Freak gets thrown Under The Bus.

NASCAR

Kevin Harvick: Happy, what on God's green earth were you THINKING late in the race? Why did you drive it into the corner WAY TOO HARD? You had a Top 5 LOCKED and LOADED into the standings, and you were poised to move up a couple of spots. You took out THREE good cars (Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, and Ron Fellows) with that boneheaded move. Because of that idiotic move, you ended up finishing 30th. THIRTIETH!!! Now you're out of the Chase by two measly points. You finished 30th on a course where you finish in the top 5 IN YOUR SLEEP. For Happy, this continues a season-long slump. Now because of his bonehead move, Happy gets thrown Under The Bus this week.

MLB

New York Mets: they couldn't have handled Willie Randolph's firing any worse than that. You should have clipped him off during one of your long losing streaks. Instead, you allowed him to travel with the team to Anaheim to face the Angels. THEN you clipped him IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. After the first game of the series. I've got no problem with Randolph being clipped; what should have happened is that he should have got fired BEFORE the Mets went on the road. For their egregious mishandling of the Randolph firing, the Mets get thrown Under The Bus.

NBA

Los Angeles Lakers: losing by 40 to the Boston Celtics was inexcusable. It's okay to lose to the Celtics; they are the better team. But losing by 40 means you QUIT. I am very disappointed and disgusted by the Lakers' lack of effort. I hope the Lakers use this as motivation to win an NBA title next season. But until then, the Lakers get thrown Under The Bus.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!

This particular blog took last week off due to Easter. It returns this week with a vengeance. I'm sure you, Joe Six Pack sports fan, have two weeks' of wrath stored up to throw that player, coach, team, owner/executive, league, fans, and even fellow bloggers that has so pissed you off Under The Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp). I know I have a few. Let's get started!

NASCAR

Matt Kenseth: today was when I yearned for Carl Edwards to teach Kenseth a lesson. Doing the punt and run on David Gilliland was reprehensible and bush league. If NASCAR really wanted to teach Kenseth a lesson, they would have parked him for the remainder of the race for rough driving. David Gilliland will drive the bus that Kenseth is to be thrown under (by Carl Edwards).

Michele Rahal: last week I was sick and couldn't sleep, so I happened to go online to hear Race Day On Fox. His anti-Kevin Harvick rant made me even more sick. Harvick WASN'T EVEN THE SUBJECT OF THE CONVERSATION. Yet Rahal went out of his way to bash Harvick. Rob D'Amico (his co-host) did his best to steer Rahal away, but Rahal would have none of it. For Rahal's anti-Harvick negative rant, I'LL throw Rahal under the Bus that Harvick will drive.

NBA

Shaquille O'Neal: the Big Mediocre lashed out at his former Heat teammates and Heat head coach Pat Riley. What Shaq did was reprehensible. Under The Bus YOU go, Shaq. Your ex-teammates will throw you under that Bus driven by Riley. Shaq, enjoy your one and done in the playoffs.

Los Angeles Lakers: I am as big a Lakers honk as you'll find. This is why it pains me to do this. Losing to Memphis and Charlotte, two of the NBA's bottom feeders, will get you thrown Under The Bus every single time.

MLB

MLB: they get thrown under the bus for three reasons.

1. For selling out their souls for mo money mo money mo money. They now are offering apparel in GANG colors and styles. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, here comes Mr. Milquetoast aka Bud Selig gives a wink and a nod to gang activity. MAY YOU ROT IN HELL BUD SELIG!!!!!!
2. For opening the season in Japan. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY MLB?? WAS IT TAKEN OVER BY ALIENS FROM OUTER SPACE??? Why doesn't the season open the first Monday in April in Cincinnati at 12 noon EDT?
3. The schedule makers. Why are there not doubleheaders scheduled? Why do the schedule makers in their infinite wisdom ALWAYS schedule home games for Cleveland in the first week of the season, when they KNOW it snows in Cleveland until late April? Remember the Seattle Mariners-Cleveland Indians series last April? The ENTIRE series was SNOWED OUT, forcing both teams to scramble for the remainder of the season. The Cleveland Browns vs. Buffalo Bills was played in better weather than the Indians-Mariners series. For these reasons, MLB gets thrown under the Bus.

NFL

The League: they want to ban players from wearing long hair. Why? Put your emphasis on cracking down on the bad seeds of the league, e.g. Michael Vick, Pacman Jones. This proposed rule serves NO purpose. To put it bluntly, IT SUCKS. This rule and the guy behind it gets thrown under the bus.

This blogger: I throw myself under the bus for picking Georgetown to go to the Final Four. Georgetown was the biggest fraud of the NCAA Tournament.

Those are my nominees for these two weeks. Come on in with your nominees!! All are welcome! 

Around the world of the NFL faster than Andre Davis taking not one, but TWO kickoff returns to The House, Crappafoni Pictures presents, spaghetti western style, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Week 17.

THE GOOD

New England Patriots: what more can be said? Perfection. 16-0. And the way they beat the Giants is the stuff legends are made of. Tom Brady got sharper as the game went on. But the playoffs are a totally different animal. The Pats better be prepared to win when they score in the teens.

Carolina Panthers: as has been a recent tradition under John Fox, the Cats went out and won their last game of the season on the road. Matt Moore was efficient, throwing for 174 yards and 2 TDs. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 121 yards and a TD. Granted, Tampa Bay was resting its starters after the first half of the game, but a win is a win, and the Cats will take it.

Washington Redskins: was that a DOMINATING defensive performance, or WHAT? The Skins defense held the Cowboys to one yard rushing. FOR THE GAME. Watching the game, I could sense the late Sean Taylor encouraging his mates; they played very inspired ball, particularly on defense. I saw the Redskins' D-line pushing the Cowboys' O-line around all game long. Now they're on to Seattle, and I think it's a very winnable game for the Redskins.

Green Bay Packers: they put an ####-kicking on the Detroit LLLLLLLLLLLLLions, plain and simple. They seemed to shake the hangover of the loss to the Bears from their systems.

Tennessee Titans: they got it done, on the road, in a hostile environment, minus Vince Young for the last third of the game. Granted, it was against the Colts' second and third string, but a win is a win in the NFL. Kerry Collins was sharp, keeping the chains moving, and extending drives. Now they're on to San Diego next weekend.

Atlanta Falcons: one of the rare times this season I've put them in the Good category. They did beat a playoff team, and scoreboard is everything in the NFL.

Houston Texans: or more specifically, Andre Davis. He returned two kickoffs to The House in a 42-28 win over Jacksonville. The Texans finished 8-8 for the first time in franchise history. The AFC South is the only division to have all four of its teams finish .500 or better.  

THE BAD

Dallas Cowboys: one of the REALLY rare times (maybe the ONLY time this season) I've put them in the Bad category. They proceeded to set a franchise low for yards rushing in a game: ONE yard. Thirty-six inches. Three feet. That broke the previous low of seven yards set in 1998 against New Orleans. Tony Romo was not sharp. The Redskins' defense had a lot to do with that. The Cowboys' O-line was pushed around by the stout Redskins' D-line all game long.

St. Louis Rams: I know you wanted the season to end, but I didn't realize how desperate you were to finish it. They threw in the towel and were ready for their tee times. Now you're picking second overall.

Miami Dolphins: you were watching the back of Chad Johnson all game long as he was blowing by you. Ocho Cinco took a short pass and took it to The House from 70 yards away. You couldn't WAIT for the season to end; it couldn't end soon enough. Now comes the inevitable purging by The Big Tuna, Bill Parcells.

Detroit LLLLLLLLLLLLions: you, too, couldn't wait for the season to end. Ford Field will be a ghost town come tomorrow as the players can't leave fast enough. Many of them will be attending their alma maters' bowl games. Others will be taking a much-needed vacation. Still several others have played their last game in a LLLLLLLLLions' uniform, as they will either be released or leave via free agency.

THE UGLY

Kansas City at N.Y. Jets: this epic battle of bad teams was compounded by this game going into overtime. What, did neither team WANT to win?

Buffalo at Philadelphia: a 17-9 yawnfest played in rainy, chilly weather. It would be one thing if both teams were in the playoffs. But neither team is in the playoffs.

Around the world of the NFL faster than two Will Blackmon returns for TDs, Crappafoni Pictures presents for you the fan, in living color, the NFL version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD

Green Bay Packers: they dismantled the Oakland Raiders in every aspect of the game. Will Blackmon was the special teams stud, returning a punt and a fumble for a touchdown. Blackmon became the first player since 1974 and only the fourth in NFL history to return a punt and fumble for a touchdown in the same game. The Pack amassed 445 total yards for the game and dominated the game from start to finish.

Jacksonville Jaguars: they were dominant in beating a Panthers team that basically gave up from the second quarter on. More on that later.

Dallas Cowboys' final drive: the 'Boys were lucky when Paris Lenon kicked the ball to Andre Gurode. If Lenon just falls on the ball, Detroit wins and gets put in the Good category. Lenon's colossal mistake gave Tony Romo new life, and he took advantage of it.

New England Patriots: way to shut up Anthony Smith! Tom Brady is now within a few TD passes of breaking Peyton Manning's single season record of 49. They went so far ahead of Pittsburgh that the Steelers became a one-dimensional team.

Seattle Seahawks: they looked sharp in dismantling Arizona. With five picks, the defense made several big plays, nothing bigger than in the third quarter after Arizona recovered an onside kick. They will be formidable in the postseason, regardless of where they play.

Indianapolis Colts: they are making this game look too easy. The first quarter isn't even over and they're winning 21-0 against the Ravens.

Houston Texans: simply put, they administered a beatdown to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For some inexplicable reason, they do well against NFC teams.

Denver Broncos: I couldn't forget the Broncos' thrashing of Kansas City. They outgained the Chiefs 453 to 129. The Broncos rushed for 215 yards. They led in time of possession by nearly 10 minutes. They forced three turnovers and didn't commit a turnover. A complete game like that will get you in the Good category every single time.

THE BAD

Carolina Panthers: this may have been one of the worst games the franchise has ever played. They were outgained in total yards 457 to 149. The Jags had the ball nearly twice as long as the Kittens. They were so ineffective that Vinny Testaverde was pulled for Matt Moore. This is a team that gave up in the second quarter. I'd have granted that they would probably lose, but I expected a better effort than this!!

San Francisco 49ers: granted, they did lose to the Vikings, a playoff-caliber team. But they were THRASHED. And on their home turf, no less. FIVE turnovers?? Trent Dilfer was knocked woozy by a Vikings' defense that forced those five turnovers.

Miami Dolphins: 0-13 and counting. Three more and you make history in reverse!! Buffalo just did you again. And with games against New England, Baltimore, and Cincinnati, you just might do it.

THE UGLY 

Kansas City Chiefs: this is one of those bad games that you just forget about and go on. Every team has one of those, except New England. I can imagine that the Kansas City Film Festival will supply the filmgoers with PLENTY of Maalox and Pepto-Bismol.

Pittsburgh Steelers: it started with Mr. Motormouth, Anthony Smith, guaranteeing a Steelers victory. Son, don't write checks with your mouth that your #### can't cash. There were several breakdowns in the secondary in this game.

Cleveland at N.Y. Jets: it seemed like the Browns wanted to let the Jets win this game. The Jets hung in this game FAR TOO LONG. The Browns should have won by AT LEAST TWO TDs. Cleveland was fortunate to escape with a win.

Carolina Panthers: see Bad category.

Those are my nominations for Week 14. Your nominations are appreciated. Thanks for reading and responding.   

Scanning the world of the NFL, there are no shortage of players, teams, coaches, fans, owners, and officials to throw Under The Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp). Football fans everywhere, you are welcome to chime in with your nominations! I have a few nominations myself.

NFL

• The officiating crew in the Denver-Kansas City game: for giving Brandon Marshall a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after Marshall's rendition of "Let It Snow, Let It Snow." Marshall had just caught a TD pass from Jay Cutler and was throwing snow high in the air in celebration of a TD. He wasn't showing ANYONE up!! If he's taunting a KC defender, THEN you throw the flag! Officials, Under The Bus you all go! I'll add the NFL Rules Committee to be thrown Under The Bus as well.
• Anthony Smith: this genius guaranteed a Steelers' victory over the Patriots earlier in the week. So what does he do for an encore? He gives up THREE TD passes!! Not ONE, not TWO, but THREE. As I write, 54fulltiltfulltime is having a whole pot of chilled crow delivered to one Anthony Smith. For this foolish guarantee, Anthony Smith gets thrown where? Under The Bus!!!
• Carolina Panthers: embarassing. While J-ville is a good, but not great, team, I expected a MUCH better effort from the Kittens. ONE HUNDRED FORTY-NINE TOTAL YARDS?? WORSE THAN PATHETIC!!! Not only that, but J-ville amassed 427 yards in total offense. Time for Fox to go and be replaced by Bill Cowher. Give Cowher total control of the football operations. For this God-awful "effort", the Kittens get thrown Under The Bus.
• Detroit Lions defense: it is inexcusable blowing a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter! The Lions' offense played well enough to put an ####-kicking on the Cowboys' defense. If the defense played half as well as the offense, the Cowboys would be tied with the Packers at 11-2. Paris Lenon had a chance to put the game away with a fumble recovery, but he tried to scoop it up and deflected the ball to Andre Gurode of the Cowboys. ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS FALL ON THE F-ING BALL AND THE LIONS WIN!!! IS THAT SO HARD TO DO?? Instead, Tony Romo completes a clutch fourth down pass on the next play to keep the drive alive. The Lions' defense gets thrown Under The Bus.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: I've been propping you guys for most of the year, and you reward me with THIS?? A beatdown administered by the Houston Texans' second-string QB? I can see this if it were the Cowboys or Packers putting the beatdown on the Bucs. But the TEXANS??? The Bucs get thrown Under The Bus. 
• ESPN: for single-handedly making Monday Night Football irrelevant. You have matchups like New Orleans-Atlanta?? Which Head #### decided that this would be a compelling matchup? The Four-Letter gets thrown Under The Bus.
• NFL schedule makers: for putting another couple of overexposed NFC East teams on NBC next Sunday night: Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants. The Redskins' playoff hopes are BARELY on life support. A MUCH better matchup would be Buffalo at Cleveland. Admit it NBC, you have a bias towards Eastern teams from the Eastern Seaboard no matter how BAD THEY SUCK (NY Giants, Washington, Philly, New England). Just get it done and sign an exclusive contract with the NFC East. So Under The Bus you go!

NBA

• New York Knicks: too much drama. Between Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury, it would be too much for even the most hard-core Knicks fans to handle. There WAS a time when the Knicks were a well-run franchise among the NBA's elite. It's going to take Thomas' departure, either by firing or resignation, plus some very good personnel moves, to make this franchise good again.

That's all I have for now. I have expanded this to include all sports. Feel free to come in with your nominations!!!  

We have come to the conclusion of a crazy college football season, the NFL is winding down, and both college and pro basketball are approaching mid-season. However, even though it's early December, there are ALWAYS players, teams, coaches, managers, owners, AD's, executives, and fans to throw under the Bus. (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 800 hp) Here is your forum to vent! This week's nominees:

NCAA

BCS Honks: apparently they are the only ones that think the BCS works. While I'm at it, I'll also throw the university presidents, the conference commissioners, and other assorted NCAA executives, including Miles Brand, under the Bus. Putting in a 16-team playoff while incorporating the current bowl system is the only reasonable and fair solution. Divisions 1-AA, 2, 3, and the NAIA have playoffs; why shouldn't Division 1?

BCS Selection Committee: for putting Illinois, a THREE loss team, into the Rose Bowl, because they're the Big 10 runners up. The Biting, er, Fighting Illini got a gift-wrapped invitation to a beatdown at the hands of the USC Trojans. Why not invite Arizona State to the Sugar Bowl against Georgia, and put Hawai'i into the Rose Bowl? Arizona State lost to both Oregon and USC when both teams were at or near the top of the rankings. NO FREAKING WAY should the Big 10 get two BCS representatives.

ESPN: for putting out an erroneous report that LSU head coach Les Miles was going to be the next Michigan head coach RIGHT BEFORE the SEC Championship Game against Tennessee. Are ESPN secret Vols honks? 

NFL

The officiating crew in the Browns-Cardinals game: on the last play of the game, Derek Anderson threw a desperation pass to Kellen Winslow, who miraculously came up with the catch as he was being shoved out of bounds. The officiating crew called Winslow out of bounds. It was CLEARLY a bad call, as he was FORCED out of bounds. The Browns were ROBBED of a W. For this reason, the officials get thrown Under The Bus.

Detroit Lions: granted, Minnesota is a much better team with Adrian Peterson in the lineup, but to suffer a BEATDOWN like that? What kind of effort was THAT? I think they remembered they were the Detroit Lions. For this reason, the Lions get thrown Under The Bus.

Joe Gibbs: as much as I like the Hall of Fame coach and NASCAR team owner, he gets thrown Under The Bus for calling consecutive timeouts. YOU CANNOT DO THAT!! Instead of a very difficult 51-yard game-winning FG in the rain, Rian Lindell of the Buffalo Bills made a much easier 36 yarder.

Those are my nominees. Come on in with your nominees!!

Crappafoni Pictures takes you around the world of the NFL faster than the participants in The World's Greatest Race. Here we go!!

THE GOOD

New England Patriots: granted, they did play the Miami Dolphins. But throwing for 6 TD passes like Tom Brady did today was freaking incredible! It was like playing Madden 08. At this pace, Brady will obliterate the single season record currently held by Peyton Manning. Brady is on pace for 60 TD passes.

New York Giants: while Eli Manning was efficient and is getting better each week, the G-men's defense was swarming. They forced the 49ers into four turnovers. Michael Strahan was a beast with 2.5 sacks, Osi Umenyiora scored on a fumble return and had a sack, and Brandon Jacobs rushed for a career-high 107 yards and a TD.

Tennessee Titans: or more specifically, Rob Bironas. Bironas kicked 8 FGs, setting an NFL single-game record. The record setter came as time expired, lifting the Titans to a thrilling win over the host Houston Texans. Lost in all that was that Kerry Collins was nails on that final drive to set up Bironas' record breaker.

Dallas Cowboys: they dominated the Vikings in every single aspect of the game but needed a TD return of a blocked FG to put away the pesky Vikings. Tony Romo was superb, going 31 for 39 for 277 yards and a TD. Marion Barber rushed for 96 yards and a TD in the 24-14 win.

Cincinnati Bengals: if not for Kenny Watson's strong effort (31 carries, 130 yards, 3 TDs), the Bengals would have been put in either the Bad or Ugly category. Watson was the stud of the game. They should have beaten a putrid Jets team by at least 2 TDs. More on the Jets later.

Chicago Bears: the win today over Philadelphia may have salvaged their season. In the event a tiebreaker comes into play with the Eagles, the Bears have the advantage. Brian Griese coolly engineered the clinching drive, throwing a TD pass to Muhsin Muhammad with 9 seconds left in the game. The TD pass capped a 97-yard drive. While the Bears still need help in the ground game, Griese gives them a better chance to win.

New Orleans Saints: it looks like they are breaking out of their season-long funk. They won a close game they had to win. While Reggie Bush wasn't spectacular, his TD late in the game was one of pure determination. He caught a short swing pass and bulled over three Atlanta Falcons defenders for the winning TD with less than 5 minutes remaining in the game.

Denver Broncos: they played inspired football in beating a tough Pittsburgh Steelers team. The Steelers' comeback fell short, as Jason Elam kicked a 49-yard FG as time expired. Jay Cutler made the big passes when he needed to. He was 22 of 29 for 248 yards and 3 TDs and 2 INTs.

Kansas City Chiefs: this team has surprised me. I had picked them to be one of the worst teams in the league in the preseason. They are now 4-3. Another good: Priest Holmes returned to the lineup after missing nearly two seasons with head and neck injuries. Combine Holmes and L.J. and this team could possibly make the playoffs.  

THE BAD

St. Louis Rams: 0-7. Enough said.

Miami Dolphins: see above.

New York Jets: this is an absolutely putrid team. If not for the Rams and Dolphins, they would be the worst team in the league. They had opportunities to beat the Bengals and let them slip away. Let the Kellen Clemens era begin. How could a team that was a playoff team last season sink to such depths of ineptitude?

Baltimore Ravens: how could a team that says its a playoff team lose to a one-win team going into the day? Simple: you don't make the plays you need to and the now two-win team makes those same plays.

THE UGLY

Arizona at Washington: the Redskins had a two TD lead and very nearly gave it all back. Credit Arizona for making a furious comeback that fell wide left. The Redskins very nearly sel####estructed. Jason Campbell played like a rookie starting his first NFL game. After playing well much of the season, he played very poorly today.

San Francisco 49ers: Yikes! FOUR turnovers leading to 24 NY Giants points? You're not going to win playing like that! Four turnovers will give any hard-core football fan indigestion. Definitely not a game for the ages.

Oakland Raiders: while their defense kept them in this game, the offense sputtered yet again. Aside from their only TD, the offense didn't show up. What happened to the Raiders' ground game? Fifty-five yards for the game will not win you many games.

These are my nominees! Come with your nominees!!

This is the fifth installment of my predictions/prognostications for the 2007 NFL season. I begin the AFC side with the AFC East.

AFC EAST

New England: like San Francisco, they made a huge splash in the off-season. The Patriots acquired Randy Moss in a draft-day trade with the Raiders. They acquired via free agency super-stud DE/LB Adalius Thomas. They considerably strengthened their receiving corps. Tom Brady is itching to get back to the Super Bowl. As good as the Patriots are (on paper, at least) there ARE questions, particularly at RB. Corey Dillon was released. Laurence Maroney played hurt last season. Is he healthy enough to carry the load? If not, who will? RB is not my only question about the Patriots. Their LB corps isn’t getting any younger, and they lost an emerging star in Tully Banta-Cain to San Francisco. Still, I think they have at least one more year of playing at an elite level together. They have to be healthy at the right time for a return to the Super Bowl. Can it happen? Certainly it can happen. Will it happen? It remains to be seen. Predicted record: 11-5 (division champion).

New York Jets: they are looking to build upon their playoff appearance last season. The Jets acquired Thomas Jones in a trade from the Bears. He improves their running game and is a good character guy off the field. Their young WR corps is stepping up in mini-camps and the OTA’s. They should be even better on offense than last season. One of their most interesting acquisitions is DE Andre Wadsworth. Wadsworth hasn’t played a down in the NFL since the 2000 season, when he played for the Arizona Cardinals. Does he have some gas left in the tank, or is the tank dry? Time will tell. While their LB corps is one of the better ones in the league, I do have some questions about their overall defense. IF they were in the NFC East, they would be a lock for the division title. Too bad for Jets fans their team is in the AFC East. As long as the Killer B’s (Brady and Belichick) are residing in New England, Jets fans better get used to second-place finishes. Predicted record: 9-7 (no playoffs).

Buffalo Bills: J.P. Losman emerged in the second half of last season as a more confident, polished quarterback. Bills fan, you have your QB for the next decade. The Bills did lose Willis McGahee, and how do you replace his production? Simple—draft BOTH Marshawn #### (Lightning) AND Dwayne Wright (Thunder). Wright is a beast inside and has the ability to wear down the defense late in games. At Fresno State, Wright broke a 53 year old school single game rushing record by 45 yards. #### has the ability to make big plays from anywhere on the field. Throw in Derek Schouman and the Bills could go big, with Schouman at FB and Wright at TB. Jason Peters’ resigning was HUGE. Peters is emerging as one of the game’s premier tackles. On defense, drafting LB Paul Posluszny could be a steal. He’s tough, smart, and could be the face of that defense in the future. This could potentially be a sleeper team. But not this year. Predicted record: 7-9 (no playoffs).

Miami Dolphins: new coach, new offensive scheme, same old team. The Fins cut both QBs Daunte Culpepper and Joey Harrington. They traded for QB Trent Green and drafted his likely successor in John Beck. They did lose Randy McMichael to the Rams and that will hurt the passing game. Will Ronnie Brown be able to stay healthy? Defensively, they have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Jason Taylor. He’ll be a beast again this year. They added Joey Porter, who I think still has some gas in the tank and a LOT to prove. While I think the Fins will improve defensively, this division is too tough, and there are too many questions on offense. Predicted record: 6-10 (no playoffs).