Saturday, October 1, 2011

NFL, week four

I know I wasn't able to post the past couple weeks, but I will try to for the rest of the season.  However, my record through the first three weeks is 29-19.

Dallas 27  Detroit 24
Chicago 24 Carolina 10
Buffalo 33 Cincinnati 17
Cleveland 20 Tennessee 16
Kansas City 24 Minnesota 21
St. Louis 23 Washington 21
New Orleans 30 Jacksonville 13
Pittsburgh 34 Houston 31
Philadelphia 23 San Francisco 19
New York Giants 24 Arizona 21
Atlanta 35 Seattle 14
San Diego 21 Miami 17
New England 37 Oakland 33
Green Bay 28 Denver 6
New York Jets 17 Baltimore 14
Tampa Bay 20 Indianapolis 10

Sunday, September 11, 2011

NFL sunday picks, week one

Falcons 21 Bears 17
Browns 23 Bengals 6
Chiefs 17 Bills 14
Eagles 28 Rams 7
Buccaneers 20 Lions 14
Titans 23 Jaguars 10
Steelers 23 Ravens 20
Texans 24 Colts 17
Giants 26 Redskins 3
49ers 19 Seahawks 9
Chargers 30 Vikings 17
Cardinals 29 Panthers 23
Jets 28 Cowboys 17

Monday, May 2, 2011

Osama

I'm glad Osama bin Laden is dead.  I'm not going to use it as an excuse to act like a moron as many drunken college students did, but I did knock back a shot of Jager to honor this occasion.  Thank you to the Navy SEAL team who handled the attack.  If I could buy a drink or three for the one who took the killshot, I would gladly do it.  I wish President Obama's speech had more emotion in it.  I'm sure George W. Bush would have been a bit more fired up.  But he is what he is.  Once again, THANK YOU to the United States military for a job well done.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Some NFL Draft - Round One - Thoughts

I'm still not convinced about Cam Newton.

Cincinnati taking AJ Green = bye bye Chad Ochocinco Johnson

The Atlanta Falcons gave up too much to trade up to the sixth pick.  This draft was deep enough with wide receivers, if they had waited, Jon Baldwin would have been available.  The Kansas City Chiefs took him with the 26th pick.

Detroit got a great player in NIck Fairley, who at one time was in the top three of every mock draft.  When he lines up next to Ndomukong Suh, it will be fun to watch.

Christian Ponder at 12?  What were you thinking Minnesota?  Trade down.  Take him in the late twenties. 

Tennessee, the Jake Locker pick at 8 was ballsy.  I hope it turns out to be a brilliant move.  But why did you pass on Gabbert?

The Cleveland Browns have many holes to fill.  They can do that now with the picks they have over the next two years.

To my Pittsburgh Steelers: Cameron Heyward is perfect for the team.  Aaron Smith is getting old and injury prone.  Heyward has football pedigree and is a big, intimidating man.  A very good pick at number 31.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

NHL Round 2

Vancouver vs. Nashville
This is an intertesting matchup.  Chicago showed the world the weaknesses of Roberto Luongo.  Nashville is a fast, young team flying high of their first playoff series win.  Vancouver is a high-octane offense and was the NHL's best regular season team.  This one comes down to who gets the best bounces.
Vancouver in six

San Jose vs. Detroit
The time off seems to favor the older Detroit team.  San Jose, however, is coming off a series win over a division rival and their goalie won a Stanly Cup last year with Chicago.  These two are playoff rivals and there will be no love lost.  This should be the best second round series. 
San Jose in seven

Washington vs. Tampa Bay
The Capitals put a butt-whippin on the New York Rangers, winning four games to one.  They have so many weapons on offense, which is something Tampa didn't see in their seven-game series win against Pittsburgh.  Tampa's big four would have to step up even more to pull off this upset, which isn't out of the question, but... the Caps have weapons too.
Washington in six

Philadelphia vs. Boston
Both teams had very tough seven game series wins in the first round.  And Boston is lucky to have made it out of the first round.  Philadelphia is tougher than Boston and when their heads are straight can stomp anyone.  But the Bruins have an edge in goaltending...
Philadelphia in six

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Steroids in Baseball: Only the Sports Writers Give a Damn

Remember the summer when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire had that thrilling home run chase?  I do.  I also remember who everyone knew they were juicing on something, fans and writers alike.  But all of us were hooked.  So now when it is time for Hall of Fame voting, the writers who were cheering right along sid of us, suddenly become holier-than-thou and refuse to vote for McGwire or Sosa.  (And I assume the same will be true of Rafael Palmero, Barry Bonds, Manny Rameriez and Roger Clemens and maybe even A-Rod.)  Let me make this clear:  the Baseball Hall of Fame without those men is incomplete. 

I haven't yet spoken to one baseball fans who cares about steroids.  Yes, juicing will make you stronger butit will not make you more talented.  So yes, Barry Bonds on roids makes a difference.  But Ronnie Cedeno could take all the steroids in the world and it wouldn't do a damn bit of good.  We were all watching when Bonds set the single season and career home run records.  The writers were there for every at bat when Barry was sitting on 755.  Now their sanctimonious attitudes will keep him from his rightful and deserved place in the HOF.  (Keep in mind some of the writers refuse to vote for any player during his first year of eligibility, which is why no player has ever been a unanimous selection.  So you see what we are up against.)

The same will happen to Roger Clemens who, like Barry, has nothing but allegations of steroid use following him.  Roger Clemens is one of baseball's all-time greatest pitchers.  I defy any of you to make a list of longer than five pitchers better than Roger.  But the arrogance of people like Buster Olney and Peter Gammons will keep him out of the Hall.

When it comes to Rafael Palmero and Manny Rameriez, both of whom tested positive for steroids, again I ask: does anyone other than some aging, fat sports writers give a crap?  No.  The Hall of Fame is for the fans.  We want to see ManRam and Palmero enshrined.  We want busts of Clemens and Barry and McGwire and Sammy on display. 

The writers are not the baseball police.  They have no right to deny the game's greatest exclusion from the Hall of Fame.  We as baseball fans must let our voices be heard and encourage the enshrimenet of all these players who are now eligible and the others when their time comes.  Put an end to the hypocrisy and sanctimony and give the fans what they want: a Hall of Fame with all the right players.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Fake and scripted are not the same thing

On April 11, one of WWE's most decorated stars, Edge, was abruptly forced to retire.  It's not a "work" or part of a script, this is reality.  Edge is suffering from symtpoms of neuropraxia, most notably numbness and uncontrollable shaking in his arms and hands.  These symptoms are likely a result of stenosis of the spine after Edge returned to WWE after a two-level spinal fusion in 2003.  The procedure centered on his C5, C6 and C7 vertebrae.  Dr. Joseph Maroon, a top neurosurgeon and professor of neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh, studied Edge's MRI taken on April 4 and informed WWE Edge would never again gain medical clearance to perform in the ring and if Edge were to ignore doctors and perform anyway, he could be paralyzed or die as a result.

Haters of WWE continue to call this form of Sports Entertainment "fake".  Edge's sudden and surprising retirement is all the proof anyone needs to know it isn't. If Bret Favre (football's ultimate ironman) had suffered in 2003 the same injury as Edge, we never would have seen him in a uniform other than Green Bay because his career would have eneded then.  NFL tough guys Ray Lewis and Hines Wards wouldn't make it in WWE.  They don't want to play 18 NFL games a year, how could they possibly do 200 live dates a year with WWE?

Thank you Edge for the many years of entertainment and laughs and shocking moments.  Your contributions to WWE will never be forgotten.  And to all the WWE haters, it's time you begin showing these men and women some respect.  What they do isn't easy and it's dangerous.  The NFL doesn't have a disclaimer telling kids not to play backyard football.  WWE does have a disclaimer stating "Don't try this at home".  Injuries like Edge's are the reason why.  Even with years of practice and training, broken necks, ruptured achilles and torn quadracepts happen in WWE.  It's their dedication and the support of the fans that keep bringing them back.  They deserve the same respect as Charles Woodson or LaDanian Tomlinson.  Start giving to them!