Let's start with our Heisman candidates. They have all been named and the 4 making the trip will be Mizzou's Chase Daniel, Hawaii's Colt Brennan, Florida's Tim Tebow, and Arkansas's Darren McFadden
1st we have Daniel. The kids biggest achivements have been leading the surprising Tigers within one win of the BCS Championship and he has thrown for 4170 yards and 33 TDs.
Why He Could Win: Daniel has resurrected a team through some tough competition in the Big 12. He has shown the poise of a leader and has that added drive and just wants to win more than some guys. You can't argue with his numbers, because he has put them up against good D's and doesn't have quite as many weapons as Florida's Tebow. (Plus he's older than Tebow, though that truly shouldn't play a factor.)
Why He Won't: Daniel's numbers aren't as good as Tebow's and he fell in the Big 12 Championship. If Daniel would have pulled off the W in that game in dramatic fashion, I think he could have had a chance.
Now we are on to Hawaii's Colt Brennan. Brennan has lead the only undefeated team this year and has led the upstart Hawaiian team to a BCS bowl. He has also thrown for 4174 yards and 38 TDs despite missing time with injuries.
Why He Could Win: Brennan could win just by his numbers. He has set the record for most TDs in a career and would have padded that stat so high that it would have been near impossible to touch had he not been injured. He has come back time and time again when Hawaii is down too. He shows great leadership and has the only undefeated team.
Why He Won't: Let's face it, he plays in the WAC. There is very limited exposure there and they don't play very high quality teams. His only chance would have been if the game had been after the BCS game and if he would have played lights out against Georgia, he would have had a chance.
Onward now to our 2 real finalists: Tim Tebow and Darren McFadden. Tebow has emerged as a front-runner in most books because of his amazing year. Tebow has passed for 3132 yards and 29 TDs but his greatest feat is on the ground. He has run for 838 and an SEC record 22 TDs, as a QB. The fact is that he is only a sophmore and people might just not vote for him for that sheer fact. McFadden, who finished second last year, was the preseason pick to be in this position. He has been the only real spark in the Razorback attack, spending time at both QB and RB. He has rushed for 1725 yards and 15 TDs while being in a split back system with Felix Jones and has caught 21 passes for 164 yards and another TD. He also averages 19 yards a return. While playing QB, he has passed for 123 yards and another 4 TDs.
And Who Wins: In my opinion, I think it should be McFadden. He has had to do almost everything himself this year and is coming off the biggest win in his career. I think that sheer fact coupled with the fact that Tebow is a sophmore and will most likely win it the next two years will allow him to strike the pose.
There goes the 2nd of the day. Yet another team that has been in the top 5 is gone in a huge upset fashion. USC has looked like they were poised to be upset the last few weeks and here it came.
John David Booty was terrible tonight. There is no way around it. Fans may say that he threw for 362 yards, but 4 picks against the freaking Cardinal. That's is not what is expected out of the legacy of great QB's that have come out of USC. He did make several good throws, but his bad throws badly outweighed the good ones.
I think Carroll should have stayed with running game even heavier though. They passed 45 times and ran 34 times. It should easily be the other way around. Booty isn't as good as he was hyped to be at the beginning of the season and the running game has been what's carried them this far. Why the change of heart Coach? Did you want to make a statement about Booty's abilities and to try to prove the doubters wrong that say he can't make the big throws? Well, SC certainly did make a statement at the QB position. I don't see why coaches always try to do that. They come up to what they think will be a powder puff team and then they end up letting them hang around while not playing their game and they lose in the end.
It was quite obvious that SC was looking at the rankings here today and hoping that LSU was going to drop one to Florida, which they look like they might. Just another example of the top teams in the nation deciding they don't need to come out and play every game.
On to Wisconsin. I will give this one to the Illini. They have realized that they have the talent to compete in the Big Ten. Right now, they look like the team that nobody wants to play. They are loaded with raw talent and when they play like they did today, they can beat anybody. The Illini exposed Wisconsin's weak run defense and pounded it out for over 250 yards using a combo of Juice and Mendenhall.
For the Badgers, Donovon played almost exactly as Booty did. They both racked up a bunch of yards, but the picks cost them. PJ Hill couldn't run very well because the O-line couldn't block at all. The Illini D was very good as well in this aspect, but come on, Hill is a Heisman candidate and most people around the nation can't name a single player on the Illini D.
Well there's enough ranting from me. It feels good to be back, blogosphere.
I've done some looking in my recent posts about the number of comments that come through. It seems as though that when I, someone who is not well-known on foxsports, try to write well, nobody ever comments and the post goes to the wayside. Then, when I write to provoke certain readers, as I did with my last post, people comment, thus increasing the number of hits I get because I appear at the top of the page more often.
This proposes a question for unestablished bloggers out there, Do I write poorly and attack certain teams to get people reading, or do I write well and hope I am discovered? It seems as though many people are trying to do the 1st mentioned. Should I do this, or should I continue to try to write well and just hope somebody will happen to glance at it and see it for what it truly is?
That's a question for bloggers out there. Should you try to be taken seriously but be under the radar, or go out and be known for being a loud-mouthed fool? For me, I think I'll go with the first.
Conference matchups are starting and heres a week of predictions for my favorite conference.
Illinois @ Indiana
Both of these teams come in looking to prove themselves as dark horse contenders for the Big Ten. Illinois has been great running the football this year but the passing game has been lackluster. They have only managed to throw for 2 TDs this year. Juice will have to be able to get it done through the air some to take some pressure off the running game. Defensively, the Illini will have to be better against the pass. They were absolutely torched by Mizzou and they need to improve on their only 1 Int through 3 games.
Indiana comes into the game led by QB Kellen Lewis. Lewis is a dual threat who already has 12 TDs this year (3 rush) and will look to tear apart this Illini secondary. The Hoosiers are also very capable of running the football and will no doubt mix it up on Saturday. The Hoosier D has been good against the run as shown by the fact that Lewis is averaging running for more than 40 more yards then their opponents. The rush D will be tested by Juice and co. no doubt. But expect the Hoosiers to load the box and make Juice win it with his arm.
Prediction: Hoosiers win 31-21.
Penn State @ Michigan
This game features two teams that were originally picked to be at the top in the race for the NC. Oh what has happened to Mich. That's another story though. Penn State comes in looking to flex its defensive muscles. The rush defense has been phenomenal, allowing only an average of 17 yards a game. They will face a tougher test with Mike Hart being the man running at them though. On offense, Anthony Morelli should be able to shread a very weak Mich secondary while Penn mixes in the run with Kinlaw and Scott.
Michigan will have to try to rely on Mike Hart to carry this team and keep the ball away from Penn's offense. No doubt that the Nittany Lions will gameplan heavily against the run as Chad Henne's status is unclear at this point. If Henne doesn't play, the Wolverines will struggle on offense. Mallett was not very good despite having good stats at the end of the day, and that was against a very weak Irish team. The Wolverine D will have to continue to pressure the passer as they did all last week. They will have to make sure that Morelli doesn't have too much time or Mich will lose big.
Prediction: Penn pulls out a big one 35-17
Michigan State @ Notre Dame
Michigan State comes into the game at 3-0 and are facing a horrible Notre Dame team. On offense it shouldn't even matter what they do. Notre Dame can't stop anyone right now. Defensively, attack Clausen like Mich did all last week and the defense might win the game for them.
Notre Dame is reeling right now and they need a win to avoid the possibility of going 0-8 to start the season. Jimmy Clausen will have to play great football. He will have to make sure he makes the right decisions and doesn't turn it over. If he does that, it will be a step in the right direction. The running game has to rush positively this week or it won't even matter if Clausen tries to be Colt Brennan. He will get planted on every play. Defensively, Notre Dame will have to stop the good ground game and slow down Devin Thomas. If Notre Dame can force Mich State to have to pass in alot of 3rd and longs, they may get the offense in position to score a TD.
Prediction: Spartans don't give Notre Dame the win, pull it out 21-14.
Northwestern @ Ohio State
Northwestern was one of my sleeper picks to make some noise in the Big Ten. They have not looked good this year, but this may be the week they wake up. CJ Bacher will have to be on his A-game because the Wildcat run game has been virtually non-existant and no doubt that playing Ohio State will only make matters worse. The Wildcat D will have to try to make Boeckman win the game for the Buckeyes.
For the Buckeyes, the offensive game will require Wells getting it going on the ground early and often. Boeckman has been horrible this year. He has showed little poise in the pocket and is making some very bad decisions. On defense, Ohio State just has to let James Laurenitis roam and make the big plays he is so capable of making. He is capable of shutting down the running game and baiting the QB into making bad throws. The secondary will have to be ready because the Wildcats like to throw.
Prediction: Northwestern upsets 17-14.
Iowa @ Wisconsin
Iowa is fuming after a loss in the annual rivalry game to Iowa State and Kirk Ferentz should have his team ready to play. Their offense has been dismal so far, struggling after the loss of Drew Tate. Albert Young has to step it up and try to give Jake Christensen some time by getting the ground game going. If they can do this, they should be able to put up some points. Iowas D was good last week and will have to perform yet again. Wisconsin has been able to put up points both on the ground and through the air. The front 7 will have to be ready as PJ Hill will no doubt be used early and often.
Wisconsin's offense has looked very good so far this year. Tyler Donovan has not thrown an interception yet and PJ Hill flexed his muscles last week with a 5 TD performance. Offense should not be a problem at Camp Randall. The Wisconsin D showed its flab last week, giving up 31 to the Citadel. This is definitely not the D that the Big Ten is noted for. They have only managed 3 Ints so far this year and are giving up 110 yards rushing. Wisconsin won't want to get into another shoot out and give Iowa a chance.
Prediction: Wisconsin big 38-17.
Purdue @ Minnesota
Now its time for the game of the week. Purdue comes into town needing to do only one thing on offense, throw the ball as much as possible. Painter is very underrated and should be able to shred a horrible Minnesota pass defense. Defensively, they have to containg Amir Pinnix. If he gets to run, Purdues passing attack won't be able to rack up points and the defense may tire, allowing Minn to hang around and pitch an upset.
My Gophs need to win. The secret to success is Amir Pinnix. He has to keep the ball away from Painter or this one will be over by halftime. Weber will have to make the smart decisions as well because we can't afford to give up good field position to Painter. The defense will have to try to get some heat on Painter and try to mix up their coverage a lot. Otherwise Painter will pass for 500 yards with ease.
Prediction: Gophers make me proud, win 45-42 in overtime. OK maybe not, they will probably give up 42 though.
Here's a shout out to all you blogger's out there. Who's your top 10 right now? Here's mine:
1. USC- After watching their complete dismantling of a very capable Nebraska team, SC looks for real after all. The running game looks like its one of the scariest in football and Booty will improve. The SC defense was all over Nebraska, especailly in the second half. I would definitely not want to be a scrambling QB or a WR going over the middle with those LB's out there.
2. LSU- Many fans wanted LSU to be number one, but I can't put them there unless SC loses. I hate it when a team just plays one more game and passes another team. OK, I got off track there, back to LSU. Ryan Perilloux stepped in and did a fantastic job. The running game is also looking very dangerous. That defensive front looks very strong. Of course being anchored by Dorsey would make any rush defense look formidible. Their passing D has been just as good too. They have already recorded 7 Ints and are 6th in pass D.
3. Florida- The Tim Tebow led offense hasn't missed a beat. Tebow makes this offense look, debatably (sp?) better than last year. Harvin looks like a very capable back as well as reciever and the line looks solid. But can they overtake LSU? The Gator D looks like that typical SEC defense you see. Big strong D lineman that can still rush the passer. Fast, hard-hitting LBs. The secondary looks pretty good as well. They do only have 3 picks, but you know they are capable of more.
4. Oklahoma- I am hesitant of putting them here, but OU has looked as dominant as anyone. They have only played creampuffs, but with an offense as good as theirs, everbody in the nation has to be on the lookout. Bradford looks strong and the backfield isn't missing a beat since losing Adrian Peterson. The OU defense hasn't been tested yet and I'm anxious to see how they perform against the thick of the Big 12.
5. West Virginia- With an offense like they have, they can be the best team in the nation on any given day. With White and Slaton in the backfield running behind a dominant line and Owen Schmidt, opposing LB's better not miss their oppurtunities to tackle these guys. Or else they'll be watching them dust it off to the end zone. Reynaud is a big-play reciever and you always have to look out for him in the passing game. The WV D worries me however. These guys are bad in the secondary. The D would be the only reason that this team will lose. They will face tough tests when Rutgers, Louisville, and USF come to town.
6. Wisconsin- Wisconsin looks poised to take a weak Big Ten this year behind the legs of PJ Hill. He showed his Heisman potential this week with a 5 TD performance. Tyler Donovan has been solid as well, and seems to very able to find any one of his recievers. Luke Swan has developed into his favorite target and should have a good year. The D is scaring me right now. They surrenderred 31 to the Citadel. Yikes! They will pick it up though as the Big Ten shedule rolls around. If they can't, Donovan better be ready for some shoot-outs.
7. Penn State- PSU has looked very good so far this season. Anthony Morelli has done a good job with his decision making and the ground game has been there. The key has been the defense though. The front 7 looks like the best in the Big Ten and could shut down any team. The secondary has been exposed though and no doubt that more teams will begin to look there to beat them.
8. Oregon- The Ducks may be slightly under-ranked by me just because I'm a Big Ten guy. They look like they can play with anyone. They are putting up points left and right and Dennis Dixon has looked great so far this season. The kid can throw and run as well. He's a tough assignment for any defense. Their rushing attack as a whole looks like it could rival that of WV. USC, look out for the Ducks offense. The defense hasn't looked great but they have gotten the job done. They will need to improve their rush defense to play with SC. The secondary will also have to improve so that Dixon isn't having to throw too much.
9. California- The Golden Bears have scared me a couple of times already this year. Their offense has flatlined at times and they have let some weak teams get leads on them. I still think that Nate Longshore is a very good QB and can lead this team to a great season. DeSean Jackson is one of the most versatile threats in the nation and makes for a very tough matchup. The defense has looked shaky, but is appearing to settle down. They have a very tough matchup coming up after Arizona against the Ducks of Oregon. That will be a true test of this teams maturity.
10. Boston College- Coming off a huge win over Georgia Tech, BC looks like the top dog in the ACC. They are anchored by Matt Ryan. He has looked impressive thus far this season spreading the ball out to a number of recievers. The running game looks OK, but not great. They will have to improve so that every game isn't left on Ryan's shoulders. The BC rushing D has looked good so far, as they are 7th in the nation. The passing D has come up big when they need to, making 9 picks already. They do have to stop giving up so many yards though or they won't be able to keep escaping with wins. They have a tough last 5 games of the season where we will see their true colors.
Well the Gophs decided to go and let me down on opening weekend. Brewster did a horrible job getting the guys ready to play and it showed early in the game. They managed to give 362 yards through the air. They were decent against the run, but Bowling Green is more of a passing attack by far. The Gophs laid an egg on offense for the first half as well and got themselves down 21-0 at the half. Weber was horrible and the whole offense looked just bad.
Brewster must have told them something good at halftime however, because the Gophs mounted the comeback. Amir Pinnix got the ground game under way late in the 3rd and the Gophs scored on 4 straight possessions. Adam tied the game up on a TD pass to Pinnix and I was beginning to feel that maybe I had some hope for the season. I thought as Giannini hit a FG to take the lead that maybe we could be bowling at years end. Then Bowling Green hit a FG with 3 seconds left and we headed to OT.
Pinnix got the job done for us on the second play of our possession as he took it 23 yards to the house. Giannini hit the PAT (which is a big thing for him) and we had a 31-24 lead. Then of course, Bowling Green marches down and scores too. Only they are going for two. And I'm thinking, just give me one play of good defense and we can have a week one one. They go to the air and Sheehan laces it through triple coverage and my Gophs lose. How surprising. Well, Meineke Bowl, here we come. (I hope.)
The weekends not even over yet and it has already been one of great excitement. College football has arrived (Pause for everyone's cheering.) and the upsets are already pouring in. We all have already heard of Lloyd Carr's latest debacle in a 34-32 loss to 1AA Appalachian State in the Big House (the Mountaineers did look like they could play with most 1A teams, but still), Kansas State looks very poised to beat Auburn on the road, and in a game alot of people were picking Tennessee, the Bears are on top 38-28.
Lets start with the Michigan/App. St. game. First of all, Lloyd Carr needs to go. He's too much of an ultraconservative to play in this league. Secondly, the special teams coach needs to go too. He did a horrible job coaching his field goal team. Everyone knows you block from inside out. Maybe they can hire some of these App. St. coaches who seem to prepare their players better. These kids came in wanting a win and they did what was needed to pull it off.
Now for Kansas State. They are shutting down Auburn with great run defense and awesome pass rush. They are all over Brandon Cox and laying a licking to the kid. Watching the game, I just feel bad for him. Almost every time they drop back to pass, he gets tattooed. It is amazing he's still playing. Maybe they can just manage to come back and eek one out.
Now to the Tenn/Cal game. The rankings are close, but many people (especially SEC fans) thought that Tenn was going to romp all over Cal. Erik Ainge has been very impressive to this point, as he has tallied 3 passing scores. Tennessee has to get that defense that the SEC is so well-known for going though. Nate Longshore has 3 scores and DeSean Jackson has a punt return for a TD. Tennessee will definitely have to turn it on on both sides of the ball to come back.
Finally, we have some baseball. Two very low-key pitchers had no-hit bids. First, Scott Baker of the Minnesota Twins had his perfect game broken up in the 9th on a walk. Then, gave up a 1 out hit to lose his no-hitter. And just tonight Clay Buchholz has tossed a no-hitter for the Boston Red Sox. Wow, what a crazy weekend and hopefully more is to come.
I decided I would go through the biggest sports leagues in the US and pick out all the teams people either love, or love to hate.
MLB- New York Yankees
This was an easy first choice. The Yankees have one of the largest fan bases in all of the world, much less the US. And all they ever seem to do is win. (until the start of this year) But hey, if you don't like the Yankees, you have to hate them. Any team that has Steinbrenner buying the players should be hated, shouldn't they?
NFL- New England Patriots
They have been one of the most dominant forces to come to the football field in the last 10 years. They seemingly are always a favorite to win the Super Bowl and millions have already jumped on the bandwagon. They are lead by America's poster boy, Tom Brady too. But when they come to play your favorite team, you pray that your hometown boys will just beat the #### out of them.
NBA- San Antonio Spurs
This one was a little tougher. There isn't as much of a clear-cut favorite, so I picked the Spurs. The Spurs have been about as good as any fan could hope for. That's why the rest of the league hates them. Every year they make the playoffs and just roll on through to the Finals, with seemingly no effort. It just makes me, as a T-Wolves fan sick, and it should to the rest of you non-Spurs fans as well.
NHL- Detroit Red Wings
This is one of those leagues where its almost impossible to pick one. The Canadiens used to be one of the most hated teams, but their recent unsuccess has lead to them being more of a laughing-stock. I went with the Wings because they are always in the running for the Presidents Cup and they just seem to roll on through to the playoffs, year after year. Man I love how my Wings work.
NCAA Football- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
This was a little tougher, but I decided to go with these guys because of all their tradition. They have some of the most diehard and crazy fans. But hey, what other team is always overrated and everybody wants their shot at them. The Irish are always the ones topping that list. (USC is an up and comer in this one.)
NCAA Basketball- Duke Blue Devils
Alll Duke ever seems to do is win. That's why last year was so sweet for so many non-Duke fans. We all remember the Christian Laettner shot and how it killed so many fans to see him make it. Every year, fans around the world either unite for Duke to win the NCAA or band together to make Duke lose. Your on one side or the other, there is gray area at all with these guys.
Golf- Tiger Woods
Most of the nation absolutely loves Tiger. People stalk him around the course, want to take pics of him, say every shot he takes is going to be drained. But there is still a small group of Phil's and other golfers fans that would love to see Tiger on sel####estruct. They are praying for that one day when Tiger implodes and their guy can dawn that green jacket.
Well, that's the end of my list. Let me know what you think, or if you have any other suggestions.
Do college football players have no self-control? No discipline? A new story has broken about a Hogs DE that has been charged with a felony drug charge and several misdemeanors. This is just another one of a long laundry-list of incidents involving college football players. We all know about the Bomar incident. Accepting money you didn't earn. Very, very intelligent. We've heard about the stabbing of a backup punter on the starter. Reggie Bush has been at the center of several allegations and the whole school of USC is being looked at. Spurrier is asking for lowered requirements to be accepted into South Carolina. Yeah, that will really help. Let more people in to do drugs. But maybe it will make the team win one more game.
What happened to the days of passion and respect for the game? What about the days of respect for yourself and for your teammates? When did getting high or getting by easy become the goal of college athletes?
The blame doesn't all fall on the players themselves, though most of it should. Coaches should be blamed as well and so should high-ranking school officials. Find something beneficial for these players to do. Set up an event that both boosts your school and the way these kids behave. Get a charity event going to give back to the community. Show these kids what the right way to live is. We all know that the last thing we need is another $100 million dollar athlete who decides that something like dogfighting is more important than their own character.
The two teams come in very evenly matched. Both teams have a solid QB, a good running game, and an above average defense. The game will come down to turnovers. Which ever team hangs onto the ball and wants it more will win. McNabb will want this one bad, but so will Alexander. The two superstars will slug it out, but the game will rest on their teammates. Lofa Tatupu will most likely be used as a spy on McNabb and to slow down the versatile Brian Westbrook. He is the key to the defense. The 'Hawks will most likely use their short passing game coupled with an always stellar running game to wear down the Eagles defense.
Projection: McNabb tries to win by himself, Eagles falter 24-21.
Carolina Panthers @ San Francisco 49ers
The Niners have finally returned to the playoffs. Will the trip be for a one and done? It all will rest on Alex Smith. He has 3 years of experience, but has never been in the big game. The Panthers front 7 will wreak havoc on the young kid and force into throwing before he's ready. Frank Gore will be steady as always, but will have to hang on to the ball. The Panthers will try to involve Steve Smith heavily, so the Niners will rely on newly signed Nate Clements to shut him down. If he can, the Panthers are in big trouble.
Projection: Niners pull one out on the legs of Gore 20-14.
Divisional Round
Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears
The Bears are coming off winning an easy division and the Seahawks are without a doubt, very battle tested to this point. Again the 'Hawks will try to depend on the short passing game and running game. They will, however, have to throw in the big play to have a shot against this tough D. The Bears will try to take all pressure off Grossman, but the Seahawks will, unsurprisingly, try to heap it on. Grossman will have to play one of the best games of his career to make sure the Bears aren't bounced.
Projection: Grossman fumbles away a victory. Hawks win 13-6.
San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints
The Saint have one of the most highpowered offenses in all of football. The can beat you with the backfield combo of McAllister and Bush or with Brees to Colston. The Niners personnel does not match up well with this team. Clements may be able to shut down Colston, but the short passes to Bush and the running game look like they will be tough to stop. The Niners only chance will be with ball control with Frank Gore, or to force some turnovers with pressure or hard hits. If the Niners get down early, things look bleak with Alex Smith being the only man to lead a comeback.
Projection: Saints all over the Niners, 31-17.
Conference Championship
Seattle Seahawks @ New Orleans Saints
This one looks like a toss-up to me. The Seahawks will look to Tatupu yet again to keep Bush in check, and I think the former teammates will give each other a good fight. Tatupu has the speed to keep Bush in check, but this will leave the middle vulnerable if he has to follow Bush around the field. McAllister could be poised for a big day if this happens. On offense, the Seahawks will have to try to use ball control to keep it out of the Saints hands. Shaun Alexander will get his ground game going and Hasslebeck will be able to find the holes. The Saints will have to do a good job of tackling and the linebackers will have to fight though their blocks and make the plays.
Steve McNair appears to have revitalized an offense that was virtually nonexistant in the past. They were number 11 in passing and 17th overall. Not good but for the Ravens, it was phenomenal. Both Mason and Clayton were steady last year and Heap is always a good option for McNair. They picked up a proven RB in McGahee and the offense should definitely be better than last year.
The Ravens D, as always will be good, but I don't know if they will continue last years numbers. They had the number 2 front 7 in football, but that could decrease. Ray Lewis is starting to age as he's in his twelfth season. Will he be able to continue to make plays sideline to sideline. He maybe will, but probably not to the level he has become so well known for. The secondary has two of the best in the NFL in Ed Reed and Chris McAllister. McAllister is capable of shutting down any reciever and Ed Reed can both make the big hit or the timely interception. Expect the secondary to mimic last year's performance.
Projection: 12-4 division champs Tough stretches in the schedule lead to a slightly worse record.
Cincinnati Bengals: Last Season: 8-8
The Cincinatti offense has one of the best passing attacks in the game. Carson Palmer may be the next Peyton Manning and he has two great targets to throw to. Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh both can beat you at anytime with their play which prevents you from doubling one. Expect the passing attack to be much the same. Rudi Johnson has been effective at times but needs to improve his game. He needs to have a big season to help keep the heat off Palmer.
The Bengals D was just horrible last year. They were getting beat every which way known to man. They did draft Hall at corner which should help, but they have lost Odell Thurman for the year and there is no telling who else may get arrested. Expect the secondary to be slightly improved but still vulnerable.
Prediction: 9-7 Palmer leads a good offense but the defense can't keep up.
Cleveland Browns: Last Season:4-12
Clevelands offense was horrible last year. The QB situation is amok. It will be unclear who will start any game this season with Anderson, Frye, and Quinn all available. I expect Frye to be the starter but they will start poorly and Quinn will take over. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow provide valuable options but the QBs will still have to get it to them. The line looks improved due mainly to the addition of Joe Thomas. He should help a holey line from last year. The loss of Ryan Tucker will hurt, but he will return. They added Jamal Lewis to the backfield but that may not help. I don't know if he will be an effective runner in Cleveland.
The D tried its best to be just as bad and they almost pulled it off. They have lost Willie McGinest for 6 weeks and the run defense was horrible with him. The secondary was just as bad. They did add some corners, but none of the big names they needed. Expect another bad year in the Dawg Pound.
Projection: 3-13 QB controversy plus bad D leads to bad year.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Last Season: 8-8
For the first time, Big Ben will lead a Cowherless offense that he helped to write. Roethlisberger will need to be much better than last year to give the Steelers a shot. He has a deep core of recievers to throw to and Willie Parker is a big threat out of the backfield. I expect the offense to slowly gel together and be a good unit by the end of the year.
The defense will be good. They did lose Joey Porter, but the linebackers still look very good as does the front 7 as a whole. The secondary will have benefitted from an extra year of experience and will be much improved. Troy Polamalu will be as good as ever and this will be a tough D to beat.
Projection: 11-5 wild card Big Ben returns the Steeler nation to the playoffs where they look poised for another run.
There is my rundown of the divisions. Now all we have left is the playoffs.
I was watching the Twins play the Angels today and I saw something that made me smile. Alexi Casilla led off the inning with a single. The second pitch of Jason Tyner's at bat, he stole second. Tyner proceeded to pop out on the infield. Casilla was left on second with one out. Anyone who's been watching the Twins could tell you they were struggling to score runs. Jason Bartlett came to the plate and Casilla stole a base beautifully off of Weaver. Bartlett hit a sac fly and they scored. Its the little things in baseball that make you win and seeing Casilla steal a run just made me still think theirs hope in baseball.
Now that I just threw that in there, here's how to steal a base.
Stealing 2nd
The first step in stealing second is the lead. You have to get that lead where you are off far enough to cut down the distance to second, but not too far to tip off the pitcher that you are stealing. If you lead off too far, you will get picked off or they will pitch out and throw you out. Another step is stealing on the proper pitch. You don't want to go on certain counts, such as 0-0 or 3-1 because most of the time, the pitch will be a fastball. The final and most important step, is the jump. On a righty, you have to go on his first movement. On the lefty, you have to go when his leg kicks slightly back because then it is illegal to throw a pickoff move. If you can do all this, you should be able to steal any base no matter what your speed.
Stealing 3rd
Stealing third is easier in my personal opinion. Yes the throw is shorter but you can cancel the distance of the throw with common sense. You can get a much larger lead at second because the throw is easier to see coming. Then you can get a better jump as well. Most pitchers will get into a rhythm and will check once or twice then deliver. If you can clock his rhythm, you can steal with ease.
A Lost Art
Since the retirement of Ricky Henderson, the art of stealing has all but gone. Coaches now play conservatively because of the DH and the extra power of most hitters. I would love to see the game return to its roots of stealing and bunting and small ball much as the Twins play. (Hey they're not called piranhas for nothing.) Players like Jose Reyes and Casilla give me hope that maybe at least a handful of players will keep this art of thievery alive in our game today.
The Buffalo offense lost its biggest playmaker in Willis McGahee. Now they turn to Marshawn #### to carry the load. He is a very good player but he won't be the next Reggie Bush. He will take a little bit to get used to the league. JP Losman will have improved over last year but not much. He showed he is capable at times but at other times he looks as though his confidence has failed him. He does have one of the best recievers in the game in Lee Evans but he is playing in a stiff conference and the Bills offense will be average at best.
The Bills D was very vulnerable against the run last year and they will be again this year. They did add Posluszny. He will be a great player for the defense but he needs help. The secondary took a major hit with the loss of Nate Clements to SF. They look much weaker with the loss of him and now teams will have more places to attack this already weak defense.
Projection: 5-11 Bills D catches up to the lack of power of the offense.
Miami Dolphins: Last Season: 6-10
The Dolphins shipped out both of their QBs in the offseason, both Daunte and Harrington are gone but they have upgraded greatly in picking up Trent Green. Green is one of the most consistent QBs in football. He won't make many mistakes and knows what it takes to lead a football team. His skill will only make Ronnie Brown more of a threat. He will have a breakout year. The Fins are suspect in the recieving corps. They are lead by an aged Marty Booker and Chris Chambers. They did add Ted Ginn Jr. but his skill at the pro level was not worthy of the 7th overall pick. The line has been bad to say the least but they should be a little more consistent this year.
The Dolphins D returns aging defensive MVP Jason Taylor and they have added Joey Porter. Though most of what Porter does is with his mouth, his level of play will be an upgrade. The front 7 should be very good this year. The secondary looks weaker than in the past and will have almost no shot to put up the numbers they did last year. Teams will just need to look there to beat the Dolphins.
Projection: 8-8 Improved, but not quite there.
New England Patriots: Last Season: 12-4
The offense has improved because of the loss of Corey Dillon. This will give their true number one, Moroney, more carries and more chances for him to make the big play. Tom Brady will be as good as ever and he has some solid targets in Randy Moss and Donte Stallworth. This will be one of the top units at years end provided there are no substantial injuries.
The defense will be strong yet again if they return Samuel. They are anchored by an experienced front 7 who know how to get the job done. They added Adalius Thomas and he will only make them stronger. The only problem with the D is that they are old and may get run down by the grueling schedule of the NFL. The secondary is in trouble right now. They lost their only shutdown corner with Samuel holding out. They will be decent without him, but if they resign him, they may be unbeatable.
Projection: 11-5 division champs Patriots know how to win and do just that.
New York Jets: Last Season: 10-6
The Jets offense will have improved over last year because of the addition of Thomas Jones. He is a good runner who will help their offense get moving. Injury prone Chad Pennington will be the QB, and if he stays healthy, he should have a nice year throwing to Coles. The line should be fairly good. They will definitely have to protect Pennington. Losing him would mean losing any shot at upsetting the Pats.
The Jets D will be weak again. The rush defense was their Achilles heel last year and it will be again this year. Jonathon Vilma is a stud player but he still can't do it alone. They did add some depth at the D-line but no big names that they need. In the secondary Dyson and Poteat were both weak last year and it will coninue. The secondary will finish in the middle to bottom of the league.
Projection: 8-8 Mangenius can't lead the Jets to the playoffs with this D.
This is a post for the readers of my blog. Pick your college team and tell me what you think they need to do to win. I'll come back at you with my opinion on them and we'll see what happens. Maybe a coach will read and realize what strategy they need to use. (Or if you want to, you can say how to stop a certain team. But this is more of a discussion post.)
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I'm a 17-year-old sports fan that lives in the northwest corner of Minnesota about 20 miles from Canada, who would love to be a sports writer. I have played organized sports all my life including football, baseball, golf, hockey, and, though I'm not too proud of it, basketball for a weekend.
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