So I was looking at the Expert's picks for Week 11 and I was disappointed because no one picked Buffalo for an upset. I think this is a prime week for New England to lose!

Sure the Bills are ranked 26th against the pass, and 24th in points per game and New England is in the top 5 in almost every statistical category on both sides of the ball... but here are ten reasons of what I think the Bills have going for them.

1) On Any Given Sunday ANY team in the NFL can beat another team. The 2007 Patriots are not immune to this.
2) The pressure on the Patriots to have a perfect season is starting to rise.
3) No team has gone undefeated in over thirty years. Its not a matter of if the Patriots will lose, it is a matter of when the patriots will lose. There is no way they go undefeated with facing every team's best punch down the home stretch.
4) The Bills were a last minute 53 yard field goal from beating the Dallas Cowboys when no one thought they could.
5) They got hammered by New England 38-7 earlier this season and will want some revenge.
6) It's a Bills home game. The Bills like most teams play much better at home. They are 3-2 at home, but both losses were by 1 point! Also it is cold as fuck in Buffalo. Not that New England is not also use to playing in the cold, but 40 degree weather is not the best passing conditions.
7) The Bill's are underrated. They have won Four straight and Five out of their last six, with their only loss being that last second win by Dallas. The Bills other three losses are the Pats, Steelers, and Broncos. Three out of their four losses are to teams that are locks to make the playoffs.
8) The Patriots are coming off their huge win at Indy followed by their bye week. If there was a moment where their focus might wander slightly, it could be this week as they overlook an opponent they have already dominated this season.
9) Beating the Patriots would validate the Bills entire season. I think the Bills still have an outside shot at the playoffs, but this game would be their biggest win in over a decade. They would go down in history as the team that stopped the Patriots' perfect season. You know the Bills will lay everything out on the field, holding nothing back. Hopefully it is enough.
10) Karma. The Patriots have bad karma. It is bad karma to run up the score on other teams, leaving Brady in late in the fourth quarter, bringing Brady back in the game to pass for more touchdowns with 3 touchdown leads, going for it on 4th and 1 when you are winning handedly... this upsets the football gods and results in bad karma.


The only thing I do not like about the Bills this week is that their star player Marshawn Lynch will not play. Tough to pick a team against the Pats without their best player. Who knows though, maybe this will help the Bills. The Pats are even more likely to overlook them, and they know, absolutely NO ONE expects them to win.... except me of course!

You heard it here first!

So I just wanted to get in one of those "I told you so" moments.

On July 9, 2007, when the yankees were below .500, 8 1/2 games back from the wildcard, and every one had written them off, I CORRECTLY predicted the Yankees would make the playoffs. And that is exactly what they did last night. The Yankees have secured a playoff birth, and might actually still win their division for the 13th straight time. I told you, you can't have a $200 million dollar payroll and not make the playoffs. The deficit was too small to write them off with half a year remaining. I knew, and now you know, those predictions where they completely wrote off the Yankees were ridiculous. So "Ben" who called me an "idiot" what do you got to say now? Why don't you go back to sucking on the football field, or crashing your motorcycle again.

2007-08 NFL Season Predictions

Okay I know, I know… my blog sucks… I never write anything anymore… yada, yada, yada... Anyways, I wanted to get my season picks down in writing so I can prove to all of you my vastly superior knowledge of the NFL. Lol j/k. I went through and picked the division champs for every division, as well as predicting every team’s record and the order they will finish in their division. I finished with my Super Bowl pick as well as the typical season awards. I included lots of bold picks including which teams would drop out of the playoffs. I have Seattle going from Division Champs to the Division Cellar! Leave some comments including your own picks.

NFC North
Division Champs: Chicago Bears 11-5
Green Bay packers 8-8
Minnesota Vikings 7-9
Detroit Lions 4-12
NFC South
Division Champs: New Orleans Saints 10-6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-6
Carolina Panthers 7-9
Atlanta Flacons 3-13
NFC West
Division Champs: St. Louis Rams 11-5
San Francisco 49ers 10-6
Arizona Cardinals 8-8
Seattle Seahawks 7-9
NFC East
Division Champs: Dallas Cowboys 12-4
Philadelphia Eagles 9-7
Washington Redskins 6-10
New York Giants 4-12

NFC Wildcard: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC Wildcard: San Francisco 49ers
Last year in playoffs, this year out: Giants, Eagles, Seahawks.

AFC North
Division Champs: Baltimore Ravens 11-5
Cincinnati Bengals 10-6
Pittsburgh Steelers 9-7
Cleveland Browns 3-1
AFC South
Division Champs: Indianapolis Colts 12-4
Jacksonville Jaguars 9-7
Houston Texans 6-10
Tennessee Titans 6-10
AFC West
Division Champs: San Diego Chargers 13-3
Denver Broncos 10-6
Kansas City Chiefs 8-8
Oakland Raiders 7-9
AFC East
Division Champs: New England Patriots 11-5
Buffalo Bills 9-7
New York Jets 8-8
Miami Dolphins 6-10

AFC Wildcard: Denver Broncos
AFC Wildcard: Cincinnati Bengals
Last year in playoffs, this year out: Chiefs, Jets

NFC Champ: Dallas Cowboys
AFC Champ: San Diego Chargers
Superbowl Champ: San Diego Chargers

Offensive MVP: Ladainian Tomlinson
Defensive MVP: Shawn Merriman
(Yes I know they are from the same team. )
Offensive ROY: Marshawn Lynch
Defensive ROY: Gaines Adams
Comeback Player: Daunte Culpepper
Coaches to be fired mid-season: Tom Coughlin, Romeo Cremel
Team with the #1 2008 Draft Pick: Atlanta Falcons

Brad Golden and the Chicago Bears

Hey everyone, so yeah, I am still on vacation and haven't gotten around to writing anything, but Golden has volunteered his Superbowl prediction... be sure to leave comments! So here it is...

...Does anyone else feel that?... sniff… does anyone smell that? It’s coming. Even through 115° heat and an impending monsoon, I can taste the fringe of autumn... Delicious. My every sense is electrically intoxicated with the arrival of the year’s best season, and I have special reason to be extra excited this year. My favorite football team is going back to the Super Bowl. While Denny was wonderfully concise in his 10,000-word sheepish prediction of a mere AFC North Division title, I will be even more so in detailing the reasons why the Chicago Bears will be ten minutes from my house on February 3rd, playing in their second consecutive Super Bowl.

WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS:
They are in the NFC North Division.
If you’re going believe that your team is going to the Super Bowl, you have to believe that your team will be competitive in its own division. Unlike some Steelers fans, I needn’t write a tome on how this will happen. I need only to mention the opposing teams. Packers. Vikings. Lions. You can tell by the release of Ahman Green and the non-pursuit of Randy Moss that the Packers are a team that is not interested in competing right now. They are desperately attempting to rebuild. Now if the aging Desperado wearing #4 would just allow that to happen! The Vikings are a team that is very open about their rebuilding process. The fans know it, and no one is kidding themselves there. They are a team of the future, not the present. The Lions are finally making some moves to compete, but until I actually see them win some games, I will not feel threatened. I like Kitna’s spunk, though. I wish them a nice 2nd place finish in the division.

They have an excellent defense.
Everyone made a big deal about Lance Briggs’ holdout. Everyone made a big deal about Tank Johnson’s legal issues. Briggs signed a 1-year deal and is now performing for a big pay-day at the end of this season. Tank is history in Chicago and all the Bears did about that was bring in stud Darwin Walker and sign him to a big deal (a character guy, I might add), to wedge shoulder pads with a healthy Tommie Harris. On the ends are Ogunleye and Alex Brown with

12-sack rookie phenom Anderson rotating in. Archuleta is coming in to fill the void that will be left by Mike Brown after his obligatory season-ending injury. Oh yeah, and Urlacher is still a Bear. I see no reason to believe that this will not be an elite unit again this year.

Special teams makes a difference.
Not only were they Goulden in the FG department, the Bears also have an excellent coverage unit. In punting situations and kick-offs they did a good job of not putting their defense at a disadvantage. And when it comes to receiving kicks. . . well, they’re not too bad there either.

WHAT I KNOW THAT YOU MAY NOT:
Speaking of that Hester guy. . .
Teams are clearly going to game-plan for the Bears’ deadly return game, but don’t believe that they can neutralize the threat of Hester by kicking the ball away from him. After some cajoling by Lovie, Devin was persuaded to join the offensive unit. . and the rest is going to be history, folks. There was some concern as to how he might struggle with learning the offense, but any doubts have been dashed in camp. He has been a blur of brilliance.

They have weapons on offense.
Aside from the addition of Hester, there are other reasons to believe that the score-board operator will be busy this season. One of the most impressive players in camp has been Bernard Berrian. Aside from being one of the fastest players on the field, he has been out-jumping and out-muscling defenders for the ball. Expect an even bigger year from him. The early reviews are in for Greg Olsen, and they are good. Very good. The Bears, realizing they had no slouch at TE with Desmond Clark, have been running 2-TE sets in practice and the defense has had a hard time dealing with the duo. In fact, the offense has been outplaying the defense in almost every scrimmage so far. That’s telling when you consider that the defense usually has the upper hand this early in camp and that the defense is pretty damn good to begin with. The Bears veteran offensive line is rock-solid. There is a question as to whether Cedric Benson can take on the work load left by TJ’s departure, and it is a fair question. But he showed some definite flashes last year, and I will give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

You gotta love Lovie.
That calm demeanor. That smile. That goofy clap. It feels almost sacrilege to say that this antithesis of the stiff-necked, gum-chomping, clipboard-throwing, heart attack-having Mike Ditka has won the hearts of us Bears fans. But he has. Not for the caricature that I have presented, but for his great coaching. His in-game decisions are solid, and he is not afraid to use an occasional trick play. A far cry from Jauron’s wide-open, Anything Shane Mathews Can Find Within 5-yards of the Line of Scrimmage offense. Lovie is great with his players. They love to play for him. But Coach Smith is no push-over. Tank was given appropriate support following his off-the-field issues, and was given a chance to redeem himself. Tank failed, and was swiftly let go. This is a far cry from Wanstedt’s overly loyal buddy-pal support of a team of no-talents. Lovie just makes good decisions while maintaining normal blood pressure. And he will make them all the way to this year’s Super Bowl.

No, I’m not avoiding the “Rex” question. Ok. So maybe there’s a small question at quarterback. I know that his 23-TD/20-INT stat line does not tell the crazy story of a roller coaster season for #8. To me, it’s real simple with Rex. There’s no telling how he is going to perform, so it all comes down to what you believe as a fan. You may believe one of three things: 1) He will cease his inconsistencies, revealing himself as great QB and have a stellar season. 2) He will cease his inconsistencies, revealing himself as a crummy QB and have a terrible season. 3) He will remain maddeningly inconsistent and I will be found naked in my closet, neck-dangling from a noose. There is also the rare 4th fan who believes that some weird Super Bowl curse will befall Rex and he will go Evil-Knieveling into traffic and inflaming his vestigial digestive organs, thus providing a year-long excuse for his shitty performances. Of course, that would never happen, right? Too crazy. Anyway, I happen to fall into the first camp. You may not. But you critics are correct in ridiculing me for pinning my hopes on superficial mechanical improvements. Until Rex proves that he can throw a pick and not fall to pieces over it, there is no reason for optimism. It is my hope that his newly-trained muscle memory will exceed his interception memory.

There you have it folks. Count the Bears in. And as I wrote this, I witnessed a pretty good-looking Steeler team tear up the Saints in the HOF Game. The only thing that would be sweeter than the Bears fulfilling my prediction of repeating to the Super Bowl, would be for their opponent to be Bradley Denny’s Steelers. Oooh man. Then you would see a Battle of the Brads. Let it be so.

I'm baaaaaaack!

I know you have all waited patiently (or at least most of you) as I studied for the California Bar exam. Thank God that hell is over. So anyways, I have a crazy month of vacations planned, so my postings will be sporadic. Don't worry, I'll get into a routine before the season starts. So here is my first post-bar posting! Leave comments!

1. I know I’m about to have the best month ever! Not only is the bar over with, and my twelve freaking hour days in the library, but I was able to get a whole month off from work. I’ll be hanging out in San Diego, enjoying boredom; then Ill be heading to Laughlin to gamble away all the money I don’t have, then going on a cruise, followed by a two-week stint in good ol’ Arizona to visit friends, family, and to conduct TWO fantasy football drafts.

2. I know the Atlanta Falcons will be the worst team in football. Face it, its not like they were good last year. They went 7-9 after starting 3-1 in a season where Michael Vick rushed for over 1000 yards. Moreover, the circumstances of Vick’s departure will plague the Falcons all year long. Now they are forced to start Joey Harrington with a 23-43 win-loss record and a career passer rating below 70. Finally to top it all off Warrick Dunn their leading rusher is out. I expect their inexperienced coach to lead them to a 3-13 record.

3. I know Daunte Culpepper will unfortunately be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. I HATE this! I can’t believe Golden was right. It is really unbelievable! However, Chris Simms still hasn’t recovered from his spleen removal. It seems he is subconsciously protecting his torso while playing, and it has screwed up his mechanics. The Bucs need to upgrade their back-up QB situation. If the Bucs sign Daunte, then I think they will likely drop Simms. Gradkowski is not ready to be a back-up yet, but his potential should keep him as the team’s third string QB. (Little known fact about Gradkowski is that in high school he played in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League in Pennsylvania topping records set by Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, and Johnny Unitas… maybe you heard of them.) The Bucs season (and Gruden’s career) will live or die with Garcia’s play. I wish my boy Plummer would save the day and report to camp!

4. I know that Simeon Rice will be a Detroit Lion. Rice has a great relationship with Detroit head coach Rod Marinelli who was formerly the Bucs defensive line coach. If Matt Millen does something smart and ponies up the dough, the Lions could add a defensive play-maker improving their 28^th ranked Defense last year that gave up over 345 yards per game.

5. I know that if I catch Bonds’ record breaking homerun ball, I’m selling it. For those I didn't text, the Giants are playing the Padres this Friday and I got fourth row seats in the section that sticks out of the right-field corner. So hopefully Bonds doesn't break the record during his three L.A. games this week, and the Giants don't end up resting him on Friday. So if I catch that ball there’s no giving it back, and getting an autograph in return. An auction house has already made a MILLION dollar offer for the ball that they were forced to retract for safety precautions. So like my boy Asante Samuels says I’ll need to “Get Paid!” I got bills! So show me the money!

My previous thoughts on Michael Vick

With the Bar exam less than a week away, I do not have the time to say all that I want to on this matter. So I am going to cheat and remind you all of my statements back on June 6th. This will also provide a new thread so we can debate the implications of this recent indictment.

On June 6, 2007, I said....
I know this dog-fighting issue will plague Vick all season. Most recent reports indicate that there is sufficient evidence to indict Vick on his illegal dog-fighting ring. I believe that even if found guilty he would not receive jail time, and any jail time he did receive would not be a substantial amount. Best case scenario for Vick is that the Virginia DA would hurry up and decide if he is going to press charges, and if so, sooner is better than later. The sooner they press charges, the sooner Vick can plead out, accept probation, and move on with his life. The longer they drag this out, the greater the chance it will carry into the NFL season. Then Vick will be forced to defend the case while trying to keep his job as the starting QB of the Falcons. Once charges are filed, Vick is entitled to a speedy trial. Not a right he will welcome if charges are filed in August. So Vick could spend the beginning of the 2007-08 season dealing with his legal troubles. Moreover, unlike with Pacman, Goodell will come out and say he will wait for the legal system to run its course, before he makes a decision on Vick (no rationale to explain the hypocrisy in that decision... but watch, it WILL happen). So in November, when Vick finally wraps up his case, Goodell will suspend him for two games. By that time, it will probably be irrelevant, because with the distraction all season long, and the competitive NFC south, the Falcons will probably be out of playoff contention anyways.

Guest Blogger: Brad Denny

Hey Everyone, the bar is 8 days away! Brad Denny has put together a good article on why his favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers will win their division. In the comments go ahead and tell him why he is sooooo wrong, and then explain why your favorite team will win their own division.

Here are Brad's arguments...

Ben Roethlisberger – It was a tale of three seasons for Ben Roethlisberger. The first began with his horrific motorcycle accident, climaxed with his emergency appendectomy shortly before the season opener, and ended with a Week 5 loss to San Diego. In that first stretch of 3 games, he was picked off 7 times without throwing a TD. However, after that, he clearly found his groove again and played like the Ben of 2005, lighting up the Chiefs and Falcons before a Falcons cheap shot (a blow admitted as such by the NFL) gave him a concussion and knocked him out of in the 3^rd Quarter. His number in a game and a half,,,5 TD, 0 INT. He struggled for 2 more games, throwing 1-7, before again getting comfortable for begin the “third season”. He was brilliant in a 3 TD/0 INT win over the Saints, and led the Steelers to a 6-2 mark in the second half of the season, as he was finally able to be free on injury. Now with a full off-season and perfect health, new OC Bruce Arians (the quarterback coach of, yes…Peyton Manning for 3 years) is giving Ben much more control of the offense, and planning to use 3 and 4 WR formations to exploit the excellent weapons at their disposal. Ben may not throw for 3,513 yards again, but his QB rating will be much more in line with the 98s of his first two seasons. Oh, and the W-L record will be more like those years as well. It’s amazing how after 1 injury riddled, yet ultimately promising year, some superficial fans are ready to right off a QB who in his first two years went 27-4, and won a Super Bowl. Well, people in the league know how good he is, and soon enough, all of the cretins will get a refresher course.

Santonio Holmes – The Steelers rarely trade up in the first round of the draft, but when they do, the best drafting team (a fact) in the NFL never misses (Troy Polamalu anyone?). They did so again last year for Ohio State wideout Santonio Holmes. Despite being the top rated receiver in the 2006 draft, some questioned this move, as WR was not a huge need for the Steelers. Holmes had a shaky first half, as did the Steelers, posting only 16 catches. However, Holmes emerged as one of the most explosive receivers in the NFL down the stretch, and he finished with 49 grabs for 824 yards. His 16.8 yards per catch was 2^nd in the NFL among players with as many catches. Blessed with a solid frame and lightning speed to get the deep ball, he also is adept at turning a short route into a long gain, as his 10.5 yards per short pass attempt led all NFL WRs by a staggering 2.5 yards. With new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians planning on running more 3 and 4 wide sets, look for Holmes to breakout in a big way.

Dick LeBeau – Despite the coaching change, the Steelers were able to retain Dick LeBeau, one of the top defensive minds of the NFL, master of the 3-4, and inventor of the zone blitz. The defense is still among the NFL’s elite, having ranked in the top 3 in rush defense each of the last three seasons (1^st, 3^rd, 3^rd), and the core of this unit returns. All Pro tackle Casey Hampton anchors the line, and despite the loss of Joey Porter, whose bark was much more than his bite in recent years (only 1 season of 9+ sacks since 2002), the Steelers have great quality, with rookies Lawrence Timmons (16^th overall pick) and LaMarr Woodley (Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year) to compliment veterans James Harrison and Clark Haggans. The key to the defense will be the secondary. Obviously, Polamalu is the best and most versatile safety in the league, and second year safety Anthony Smith is drawing rave reviews as his partner. The CB play, especially that of Ike Taylor, regressed from 2005, and is the top concern. However, with Tomlin’s expertise and Cover 2 schemes, along with the continued development of Bryant McFadden, the early reports around the league are very promising for this young secondary. One thing is for sure, teams won’t be able to run of the Steelers, which is a damn good start.

Dan Rooney – There is no better owner than Dan Rooney. Period. End of debate. Owner of five titles, the best winning percentage of any team since 1992, and the most respected owner in the NFL, Mr. Rooney knows what it takes to run a successful and respected franchise. His right hand man, Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert is among the best in the business. Year after year, the Steelers reload through the draft after losing key verterans, yet they still win. After a horrific 2-6 start, the Men of Steel rebounded to go 6-2 for a .500 finish, and very nearly made the playoffs. After Coach Cowher retired, everyone (myself included) thought either Ken Whisenhunt or Russ Grimm would get the job, yet the team surprised everyone by hiring Minnesota Defensive Coordinator Mike Tomlin. The Rooneys have a proven track record of hiring coaches, having only 3 (Tomlin included) since 1969, resulting in 5 rings. The last time they hired an energetic, no-name DC in his 30s, it turned out pretty well, wouldn’t ya say?

Steve McNair – The primary threat in the division is reigning champion Baltimore, led by the 34 year old McNair. While he started fast, his play tailed off immensely late in the year, only having one game among the final 4 with a passer rating over 70, and couldn’t led the offense to a touchdown in their home playoff loss to Indy. He also showed the typical McNair nagging injuries, and with Kyle Boller as his backup, the Ravens offense is one hit away from hitting a wall. His age and injuries will catch up to him, and his play will fall well short of magic of last year, leaving the door wide open for Pittsburgh.

Bonus Reason
The Cincinnati PD – Thanks to the boys in blue for tirelessly cleaning up the streets of the scum and villainy that is the roster of the Bengals. At the current rate, most of the starters of this young and immature team will be locked up by midseason.

Quickie #2

So I JUST read a story on espn, and some thoughts crossed my mind that I wanted to get down real quick. Oklahoma was just forced to vacate their 2005 football season because their QB and a lineman received payments from a car dealership when they actually never worked there. When I read about this I immediately thought of USC and Reggie Bush. It is pretty obvious that Bush and his family received money while he was playing. My bet is the NCAA will also end up forcing USC to vacate their two seasons he was their running back... taking away a national title and his heisman trophy. I haven't seen anyone make this connection... but if that happens it will be a huuuuuge black eye for USC and Reggie Bush...

What are your predictions??? Leave some comments!

Quickie

Okay, so as you know I am studying for the bar and I definitely should not be wasting time writing blogs, but I just wanted to cover one quick baseball topic and then back to my studies. I wanted to get this in writing, so I can go back and say I told you so come October.

I know the New York Yankees will make the playoffs. Every single season ESPN goes on and on and on about the damn Yankees. Every year they write them off.... and every year they are wrong. Well this season was the first in 12 years that the Yankees were not above .500 at the All-Star break. So of course, every one claims they are done, and they should become "Sellers" before the trade deadline. Well, I am definitely not a damn Yankees fan, but you can't spend $200 million on a team and not make the playoffs! Despite "the world is ending" predictions by the so-called experts... its really not that bad. They are only 8.5 games out of the wildcard. They are behind Seattle, and teams have overcome much bigger defecits than 8.5 games. They only play Boston 6 more times the second half.... they play a million games against Tampa Bay... and even play Seattle 3 times in September. So despite being under .500 the Yankees will still make the Playoffs.... exit in the first round... followed by the firing of both Cashman and Torre. Remember you heard it here first.

Guest Blogger: Corey Bennett 3rd edition

Hey Everyone,

So I am absolutely swamped with the bar exam. Putting in 12-14 hour days at the library. 16 days until the big day... I have been meaning to put up Battle of the Brads Part 2, but the format is a little messed up and too time consuming right now to figure it all out. I'll try to post the parts that are still relevant in about two weeks. Sorry Brads, don't mean to waste your hard work! Anyways, so Corey provided three short topics to keep the discussions ongoing.

Here they are:

1. I know John Kitna’s 63 sacks last season have caused brain damage.
ESPN is reporting Kitna said, "I'll keep to myself what I think we actually will win. But it's more than 10 games.” He apparently thinks his rookie WR Calvin Johnson will help them make the jump from 3-13 to a playoff team. "I don't like putting a lot of pressure on people, but Calvin Johnson, to me, will have about the same impact that Reggie Bush had in New Orleans," Kitna said. I am a big fan of Reggie Bush, but I seem to recall he wasn’t the only difference-maker in New Orleans last season. If each of Detroit’s first-round picks spent on WRs had a similar impact, then by Kitna’s logic we would be talking about one helluva dynasty. I can just see Matt Millen in his office right now leaning back in his chair, arms behind his head with a smile on his face, thinking, “If it ain’t broke…”

2. I know Rex Grossman is going to be the laughing stock of NFL QBs for another season.
He keeps trying to assure the media and fans that he intends to be more consistent in the coming season. How has he worked on his mechanics? “I tried to work to make everything muscle-memory.” Oh thank God! Muscle memory! I suppose it’s unfair to expect an NFL QB to come to the NFL with muscle-memory. Rex “That big man in the helmet scared me” Grossman is also heavily relying on experience to get him over the hump—ahem, mountain—of becoming a consistent QB. Experience. That must be the problem. I might believe it if his three worst performances last season weren’t again Arizona, Minnesota, and Green Bay (the latter two at home, mind you). I might believe it if he had at least one above-average performance in the post-season. I might believe it if his two best games last season hadn’t been against San Francisco and Detroit…oh wait, that’s the Detroit that’s going to be in the playoffs this season. I’d better watch my words.

3. I know something fishy is going on the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Referees don’t make mistakes like that. They don’t in the middle of the season between the two worst teams in any given league. They don’t in regional cup semifinals. I really don’t care for conspiracy theories, but it is outlandish to have a Mexican referee call a game when Mexico is playing in the other semifinal and there is a clear fan and organizer preference for a US v. Mexico final. Usually, both sides can argue about calls. Usually, you can say it evens out. But that was call made ignorant to a basic rule. Basic.

Battle of the Brads: Part 1

Okay, okay, it is FINALLY here. Part 1 of the Battle of the Brads!!! I am going to make this a two part series because the debates got a little heated, and a little long. These guys really did their homework.

For those who do not know “The Brads” here are some quick one-liners.
Brad Denny aka “B-Denny” or “BraDney” is the Team Manager and Captain of the Those Guys Softball team and a self-proclaimed NFL Guru.
Brad Golden aka “Golden Boy” or “Cool Brad” is from Illinois, an avid Bears fan, father of two, and future physical therapist.

Debate Format: The Questions are in bold and underlined, with The Brads taking turns answering first, followed by the other’s rebuttal. Part 2 will be up within a week. I want to leave ample time for our comments to Part 1.

Here we go!

Question 1: Best and worst offseasons?

Denny: Ok, this kills me, but yeah….the Patriots. The only measuring stick of an offseaon’s quality should be what level of a contender you are when it’s done, and clearly, the Pats did the best, as they are most everyone’s Super Bowl favorite right now. We all know who they added, so no need to rehash that, and their most notable loss was Corey Dillon, who I think took carries away from Laurence Maroney. With Dillon out of the way, I can see a massive season for Maroney. The other big story is Asante Samuel, who is good, but not THAT good. People are overlooking their first round selection of Brandon Merriweather, who has Sean Taylor talent, and can play both corner and safety.
Worst? So many choices. Giants? Losing Tiki, really doing nothing to replace him (c’mon….Droughns? Ha). They had the weakest LB corps in the NFL, and did nothing to fix that, and the entire team hates the head coach. Atlanta? Vick has little respect of his team, has proven he is not ever going to be a top quarterback, have a new coach, and STILL do not have a legit WR (Horn is 3 seasons past his prime). Detroit? They still have Millen. ‘Nuff said. Chicago? The defense is going to suffer a ton with Rivera’s departure and the ongoing Briggs and Tank situations. Letting TJ go is a very risky move, and they still have a very questionable QB situation. The Bengals? Bringin’ the thuggish. But I will say the Titans. They were a surprise 8-8 team that made a serious playoff run, but this offseason has killed them. Obviously, the Pac-man suspension (as right and just as move that has ever been made) takes the attention, but Drew Bennett’s absence was in no way filled, as their current trio of WRs combined for 37 catches last season. David Givens and Brandon Jones? They have no RB, as LenDale white is eating his way out of the NFL, and if Combine wonder Chris Henry can’t do well at the University of Arizona, how the hell can he do it in the NFL? They signed Nick Harper to replace Pac-Man, but he is no where near the same quality cover man, and the team will seriously miss Pac-Man’s return skills (3 PR TD’s). From a playoff push to a top 5 draft pick.

Golden: I can’t even try to disagree with you that New England made the best moves this off-season. Unlike BraDney, I think it’s worth seeing these names again. Read and cry. The one thing Tom Brady needed was a receiving threat. Did he get one? No. He got three. For a mere 4^th rounder, they got the 4.29-Moss. On the other side of the field? Donte Stallworth, who proved a play-making threat in his own right last year. With all of that field-stretching, who is underneath? Solid possession-receiver Wes Welker, to compliment the excellent receiving TE Ben Watson. Oh… and who did I say was throwing to these guys? Best-quarterback-in-the-league, Tom Brady? Damn. I disagree that Dillon merely stole carries from Maroney, however. Dillon was a nice changeup in the offense, was still productive with his carries, and still had a nose for the endzone. The additions of Adalius Thomas and rookie Merriweather improve the defense, and let’s not forget that they got San Fran’s #1 pick in next year’s draft also. A dream off-season.
So who screwed the pooch? I see that we agree that the Titans will fall from grace this year. Vince Young’s rookie season was exciting and impressive, following the Titan’s “titanic” mistakes of starting Billy Volek and Kerry Collins. But another team had a worse off-season. Brace yourself BraDney, this is gonna sting. The Pittsburgh Steelers had the worst off-season. You know… “BraDney” was a pretty lame idea. I’ll just call you BD.…sounds like a venereal disease. BD. “Ball Disease”.. hey, maybe that’s why you make that high-pitched, squealy sound when someone disagrees with you!….. You’re doing it now, aren’t you? Look at the facts, BD. Bill Cowher led the Steelers to 10 playoff births, 8 division titles, and 2 Super Bowls in his 15 loyal years with Pittsburgh. He is gone. With little fanfare or appreciation, I might add. The creative offensive mind of Whisenhunt is gone. Those aren’t the only blunders the front office has committed. Joey Porter is gone, and Alan Faneca wants out. The chemistry is crumbling already, and they looked pretty poor last season, as it was. I know, I know. You’re gonna tell me all about the rookies they’re bringing in and then spill some numbers all over me, but face it, man… no rookie can replace what they have lost, and no system flourishes in its first season. The Steelers are drowning. It’s beginning to look like when the Bus left town, the Steelers’ desire to win hitched a ride.

Question 2: Daunte Culpepper’s next team?

Golden: You gotta love the irony of this. Just one season removed from a messy break-up with the Vikings, Culpepper has already worn out his much-ballyhooed welcome in Miami, and who has the most glaring need at quarterback? Minnesota. Miami wasted a 2nd rounder for the rights to Daunte; a pick that the Vikings used to select WR Sidney Rice… who now has to chase down balls thrown by Tarvaris Jackson and Brooks Bollinger. I’m not foolish enough to think that either parties would swallow their pride and reconcile their differences, however. Just enjoying the irony.
I see a couple of teams that make sense (other than Minnesota): Atlanta, maybe Detroit; but the question asks where he will be, not what makes sense. I see that the Jags are talking about acquiring Daunte, so that makes them a player. Del Rio has clearly become disenfranchised with Leftwich. The gallantry of his Marshall heroics through injury have worn thin, and now everyone is sick of hearing about his injuries. Garrard is a threat with his legs, but is too inconsistent with his decision-making. Perhaps Del Rio sees the potential of combining Leftwich’s injury-proneness with Garrard’s poor decision-making in obtaining Culpepper. Perhaps Del Rio likes the idea of having three black QB’s on his depth chart. He would be a hero to the black community, and a Trivial Pursuit question for the ages. Whatever his reason for pursuing Culpepper, Jacksonville is a potential new home for Daunte.
But what does my gut say? The surprise team that will land Culpepper will be…. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It will happen like this: The Jags will drop their pursuit when the Dolphins ask too much for Daunte. By the time training camp, preseason, and 3-4 games of the season are done, Gruden will have burned through Chris Simms, Brad Gradkowski, Jake Plummer, Jeff Garcia, Jeff George, Jeff Blake, and anyone else named Jeff who can throw a football. He will go after Culpepper, who will be more attainable, as the Dolphins will be itching to lose him bad by then. Don’t think Gruden won’t do it. We’re talking about a guy who chased Jake Plummer, despite his threats to retire. Gruden goes through QB’s like you go through beer tours at OC’s. Alcoholic bastard. Before season’s end, Daunte is a Buc.

Denny: OK, well time for a legit answer. It’s down to two teams – Jacksonville and Baltimore. Baltimore has Steve McNair, a player who is clearly on his last legs. He had a solid season, but showed serious signs of age as the season progressed. They also have Kyle Boller, who has proven nothing other than that he is not a true starter in this league, and will ikely depart Baltimore following the season. He could land there, sit a year and then take over when McNair breaks down or retires. Possible, but the most likely. I say Jacksonville. Perhaps the biggest reason Culpepper would go to the Jags is one that Golden missed…Mike Tice. Tice is currently an Assistant Head Coach with the Jags, knows Culpeper than just about anyone, and was Culpepper’s coach during his most successful seasons. This is likely Leftwich’s last season in Jacksonville, unless he can lead them to 11+ wins, which I doubt.

Question 3: Which quarterback is on the shortest leash?

Denny: A lot of people will say Charlie Fry, since they drafted hometown hero Brady Quinn. They are wrong. Romeo Crennel is on the hot seat, so he will stick with the veteran as long as they have a playoff chance. The answer is Jake Delhomme. The memories of his Super Bowl heroics are long forgotten, and the shadow of David Carr looms large. The Panthers believe they are contenders, they had a fantastic draft, and can not afford to subject themselves to the Canjun’s maddeningly inconsistent play. The signing of Carr was a great deal, and I think if the Panthers start 1-3 or so (and they have an easy schedule), Carr get’s the nod.

Golden: Brad, you ignorant slut. Granted, Delhomme’s seat has warmed up a bit with the arrival of Carr, but his seat is not the hottest. And I’m not feeling your optimistic appraisal of Carr. Delhomme only threw 17 TD’s to 11 picks in 13 games last year. His “bad” year. That’s horrid. Especially next to Carr’s 11 TD’s and 12 INT’s in 16 games… oh wait. Am I missing something? I guess I just don’t see why all the hoopla over Carr. No… I answered this question earlier. The shortest leash is on Jeff Garcia, (or whoever ends up starting in Tampa). In fact, Gruden is out in the park walking all of his QB’s together, with little, tiny, short leashes, scooping their poo as he goes. The Bucs are only one year removed from the playoffs, and I think Gruden is dumb enough to think that they’re getting back there this year… if only he can get one of his damn quarterbacks to sit, or rollover, or fetch, or… throw touchdowns! That is why Daunte will be a Buc before the season ends. Because Gruden is the Buccaneer coach, their starting QB is on the shortest leash.

Question 4: Excluding LT who will have the greatest Fantasy impact next year?

Golden: Our format saw these players leading in points at season’s end:
1) LT
2) Steven Jackson
3) Peyton Manning
4) Larry Johnson
5) Brian Westbrook
6) Drew Brees
7) Frank Gore
Other than perhaps an outside shot by Tom Brady, I see no reason to believe that one of these above players will not follow LT as this season’s point leader. Brady has a legitimate chance if Belichick implements a wide-open passing offense which includes Maroney catching balls out of the backfield, like I think he should. Frank Gore has the potential, but the Niners don’t spend enough time on the scoring side of the field for Gore to get the TD’s. I’m not convinced Alex Smith will improve enough this year to change that quite yet. So it comes down to Jackson or Johnson for me. Kansas City has handed the reins over to Damon Huard and have Croyle waiting in the wings. Huard had a nice season last year, but how many one-hit-wonders have we seen at the QB position? It’s possible that it just took Huard ten years to figure it out. Rich Gannon did. But I’m not sold on Huard. With too few receiving threats and Huard at the helm, I think that LJ will take a beating this year. Stephen Jackson has the benefit of a successful offensive system, with Bulger slinging to Holt, Bruce, and the addition of McMichael at TE. Not to mention that Jackson is a featured player in the passing game. Ninety receptions last season with 3 TD’s. Because our league rewards receptions, and Jackson has the supporting cast, he will overtake LJ as the #2 fantasy point-getter.

Denny: It’s a three horse race between Larry Johnson, Frank Gore, and Steven Jackson. Johnson’s rushing numbers will decline, as the Chief’s offensive line is no where near as good as it once was, but Herm “You play to win the game” Edwards does want LJ to be a much bigger part of the passing game. Recently, Herm said he wanted LJ to have about 60 receptions, up 20 from 2006. I doubt LJ gets 1,700 rushing yards again, but I think 1,400 on the ground and another 600 receiving is possible. Steven Jackson has stated that his goal this season is 2,500 total yards, which would break the NFL record. Last season he was reminiscent of another Rams dual threat, Marshall Faulk. Jackson complied 1,528-13 on the ground and added another 806-3 on a staggering 90 receptions. I foresee an increase in the rushing numbers, at least yards, but the wildcard here in rookie Brian Leonard. Technically a fullback, Leonard is a versatile back who proved at Rutgers he can be a featured runner, as well as very skilled receiver. He could dig in to those numbers. As for Gore, he had a monster year with nearly 1,700 on the ground and nearly another 500 on 61 catches. He could very well maintain those rushing numbers, and add to his total of 8 rushing TD, but I see his receptions falling to somewhere between 40-50. Why? Unlike the last few seasons, the Niners actually have someone to throw to. Alex Smith made great strides last season, and the steal of Darrell Jackson from the division rival Seahawks was one of the best under-the-radar moves of the offseason. Ashley Lelie should do well in the #2 role, and I expect a healthy and productive breakout year from TE Vernon Davis. Even #3 WR Arnaz Battle went fro 58-686-3 last season. That should create room for Gore to run, but limit the number of balls he’ll catch. With all that being said, I say, in order, Jackson, Gore, LJ. In fact, I say this…..Jackson has more fantasy points that LT.

Guest Blogger: Corey Bennett is back for more!

In light of the dead-air (and the impending Battle of the Brads), Corey volunteered to fill the void with a few post-NBA finals reflections.

1. I knew the Spurs would sweep the Cavs. In fact, I said it before the series began (see Dave’s previous post). There are two simple reasons for the sweep: San Antonio is championship-caliber and Cleveland is not. That’s right. Keep sobbing all you underdog-loving, LeBron-bandwagoneers. Cleveland is still just one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. But did anyone notice that ESPN.com’s “top performers” scoreboard featured (almost exclusively) everyone but LeBron? He managed to finish each game with respectable numbers…for a second-class superstar. The Cavs looked like the Bulls of the early-90s, but without the dominant superstar or perfect sidekick. Would the Bulls have won anything (even a first-round series) with Bill Wennington, B.J. Armstrong and Horace Grant running the show? Didn’t think so. The truth is LeBron is clearly more of a self-alleged global brand than he is an “all-time great.” Every year, every series, every game I see is an affirmation that no one will ever touch MJ’s greatness.

2. I knew the Spurs would look underwhelming in their sweep of the Cavs. I can’t downplay Tim Duncan’s steady, underappreciated play in recent years. He is a great player. Tony Parker is improving. Ginobli isn’t half-bad either. But how can one ignore so many lackluster performances that resulted in a championship? I’m not saying the Spurs weren’t the best team in the playoffs, but they were boring to watch and their “stars” were disappointing in at least one game each. On a side note, Robert Horry now has seven championship rings. I’ll give you a second to wipe the vomit from your chin. If I had the time and inclination, I’d try to dig up other undeserving, highly-decorated players—just to prove it can happen—but it’s too depressing to spend any more time thinking about.

3. I knew the media would dub the Spurs a dynasty. Some say it’s hard to make a strong argument against it. But seriously, is the threshold four titles in nine years (and three in five) for attaining such a status? Wait a minute! There is an argument against it! The Spurs won in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007. What happened in between? The Lakers had a “dynasty in 2000-2002, the Pistons won in 2004, and the Heat in 2006. So the Spurs dynasty spans 1999-2007 but there was another dynasty within that time? Huh?!?! It really doesn’t matter. It’s mostly semantics—just aimless conversation, the outcome of which doesn’t have much of an impact on anything. The Lakers, Celtics and Bulls dynasties hold a place in basketball history much more revered than that which the Spurs occupy. The Spurs would have to win next year and probably one more to justify inclusion in the same breath…which leads me to my last point…
4. I know the Spurs won’t win the NBA championship next year. Yeah, I’m a little uneasy going out on that limb because I know the volatility of the Suns and the underachieving tendencies of the Mavs. Something tells me both of those teams will be hungrier and the Spurs won’t be so lucky. The Nuggets will have a full season with Melo and AI. The Jazz will mature. Who knows what a Kobe or KG trade would do to the balance of power, not to mention how Durant and Oden could make the Sonics and Blazers playoff contenders. Where is the East in all of this? I have no freakin’ clue. All I can say is “Keep on keepin’ on Baby Bulls!”

Less Rants, More Facts

Hey Everyone,

Sorry about the delay in getting this posted, but studying for the bar is not only taking away my will to live by draining my soul; the time commitment has prevented me from updating this regularly. This week I am opting for a shorter list. Also be prepared, by the end of next week I hope to have the first edition of The Battle of the Brads!!!

Okay I said less rants, not “no rants”… so here we go!

1. I know Tank Johnson deserves more than an eight game suspension, under the NFL's new conduct policy. This furthers Pacman's argument that he was only being made an example of. Again I go back to the fact he was not CONVICTED of anything! Who cares that he went to a strip club the night before? Going to the strip club is not a crime! Do you know what a crime is? Carrying around 6 firearms when you are a felon is a freaking crime!! Tank Johnson was convicted and went to jail, but he only was suspended for 8 games??? I'll take a guy that goes to strip clubs over a felon who carries multiple firearms ANY day! Also I bet you any amount of money his eight games will be reduced to six, and that Pacman's will remain the entire season. It just isn't right. I bet Pacman would go sit in jail right now for sixty days if it meant his suspension would be reduced from 16 to 6. Its like he is being punished for having a good lawyer. Also on a side note, I read that Tank Johnson spent $700 on junk food while in prison for 60 days. Thats just FAT!

2. I know this is not Bill Belichick's last hurrah. There are numerous articles and "insiders" talking about how Belichick is building up for one last hurrah? Why?? I don't get it. He has never indicated this is his last year coaching. Just because his former mentor did that, doesn’t mean he will do the same thing. He is arguably the best coach in the league. Even if New England went 2-14 next season I doubt the Pats would WANT to get rid of him, and numerous teams would dump their current head coaches to sign him. Sure he has made some huge moves lately, but the Patriots are well within the salary cap, and most of the deals he has made are short term. I don't think they are short term, because he has short term goals, I think they are short term because Bill has zero player loyalty, and he wants to dump these players when he is done with them. He has been avoiding "mortgaging" the franchise's future to win now. I argue he has done the opposite, by signing shorter contracts, there are less future cap hits, and he has even added a first rounder to next year's draft. Plus, what does he have after this? Nothing. His three kids are in college, he was recently divorced from his wife, and his mistress is married to another man! There is absolutely nothing to go home to. I doubt he is going to give up coaching the league's perennial powerhouse to go into broadcasting. Belichick is just trying to do what every coach is trying to do. Win a damn Super Bowl.

3. I know this dog-fighting issue will plague Vick all season. Most recent reports indicate that there is sufficient evidence to indict Vick on his illegal dog-fighting ring. I believe that even if found guilty he would not receive jail time, and any jail time he did receive would not be a substantial amount. Best case scenario for Vick is that the Virginia DA would hurry up and decide if he is going to press charges, and if so, sooner is better than later. The sooner they press charges, the sooner Vick can plead out, accept probation, and move on with his life. The longer they drag this out, the greater the chance it will carry into the NFL season. Then Vick will be forced to defend the case while trying to keep his job as the starting QB of the Falcons. Once charges are filed, Vick is entitled to a speedy trial. Not a right he will welcome if charges are filed in August. So Vick could spend the beginning of the 2007-08 season dealing with his legal troubles. Moreover, unlike with Pacman, Goodell will come out and say he will wait for the legal system to run its course, before he makes a decision on Vick (no rationale to explain the hypocrisy in that decision... but watch, it WILL happen). So in November, when Vick finally wraps up his case, Goodell will suspend him for two games. By that time, it will probably be irrelevant, because with the distraction all season long, and the competitive NFC south, the Falcons will probably be out of playoff contention anyways.

4. I know Asante Samuel has every reason to hold out on the Pats. The Patriots have absolutely zero player loyalty. They ask for the world, but then fail to reward you after the fact. They have let good players such as Willie McGinest, Ty law, Deon Branch, David Givens, and Adam Vinatieri go after they contributed to winning multiple Super Bowls. I’d also like to point out they have won a total of ZERO Super Bowls AFTER they let these players go. Asante Samuel had a break out season (10 interceptions and 65 tackles!!!), and was a big part in the Pat's success last season, but for some reason only known to the Pats, they refuse to give Samuel a new contract. For a team that has been forced to start a wide receiver at cornerback, you think they would put a premium on that position. The Patriots party line is that it is just business and nothing personal. Well then Asante, I say HOLD OUT. It’s just business. Why risk an injury on a one year contract. You've earned your big paycheck, now just sit until you get it. I love this sitting until week 10 deal. Wait til week ten, report to the team, get a years credit toward your pension, and also the pro-rated portion of the average of the top five salaries at your position for those last six games (Which at CB will be 7.79 Million). Business is business and there is too much money on the line to be loyal to a team that isn’t loyal to you.

5. I know the San Antonio Spurs will win the NBA championship. The Spurs are hot. They were 23-6 after the all-star break. They continued their great play in the playoffs only losing one game in the Denver and Utah series, and only two games in the Suns series for a playoff record of 12-4. Lebron was unbelievable in overtime win over Detroit scoring 29 of Cleveland’s last 30 points, including ALL their points on BOTH overtime periods. Also the Cavs are 2-0 verse the Spurs this year. However, I don’t think they can pull off the upset. The Cavs would still be proud of themselves if they lost, which they should be, but that takes away some of your hunger. By contrast, the Spurs would consider the season to be a waste if they failed to win the Championship. The Spurs hunger, multiple “go-to” players, and their experience should be enough to prevail over a one man show. I think it will take 5 games for the Spurs to win their 4^th NBA Championship in eight years.

There are your facts people. Be sure to leave some comments!

Guest Blogger: Corey Bennett

Hey Everyone,

As most of you know my graduation was this weekend. Since I had over twenty family members in town and the logistical nightmares involved with feeding, boarding, driving, and entertaining all of them, I had zero time to update my blog. So to avoid making my readers wait, I invited a good friend of mine Corey Bennett to guest blog for me this week. Be sure to leave some comments! I will try to get my own posting up sometime in the next week. After that be sure to look for Part 1 of the Battle of the Brads, as my friends Brad Denny and Brad Golden go head-to-head and debate some relevant topics for us.

Okay here is Corey's guest blog....

In this inaugural guest blog, I’ve decided to avoid the pretentiousness of a top-ten list and opt for the more attainable “Six I Already Know.” Off we go…

6. I know sports would be better off if leagues (and media networks) actually addressed the issue of pathetic in-game commentary. What amazes me is the amount of money organizations and leagues will spend on public relations, marketing, and branding—all necessary expenditures that seek to connect fans to the sport and build loyalty. Yet when it comes to choosing people to do commentary, we’re often force-fed the idiocy and ignorance of former players and coaches whose ability to provide an intelligent, engaging narrative for 48-90 minutes is as lacking as their ability to choose a matching neck-tie.

Bill Simmons has written extensively about this topic—chiding the NBA for benching Marv Albert in big games in lieu of clowns like Bill Walton. We’re all familiar with Mr. Madden and his uncanny, seemingly inebriated zingers. For those of you who watched the 2006 World Cup, ESPN treated its English-speaking audience to the likes of Shep Messing, JP Dellacamera and others. If you didn’t catch it or went to therapy and had it erased from your memory, JP and Co. reminded us in Saturday night’s MLS game between Chivas USA and FC Dallas. At each goal, JP broke into his chorus of “It’s in the net. It’s in the net.” But after the second goal, JP’s partner offered this gem: “He sees Salas way off his line in nowhereland…cool as a cucumber, great definition.” Enough said.

5. I know that ABC’s season finale of “Lost” marked the return of the show’s greatness. As a zealot from episode one, I grew frustrated with the sudden departure of coherent, clever writing in season three. I was intrigued by the Kate-Sawyer sub-plot, as well as the introduction of Juliet and the Others, but the bar had been set very, very high. I was actually hoping ABC would announce the end of the show next year. I hate to see shows spiral to their death…or in the case of ER and CSI, just spiral. After the stellar, two-hour Lost finale, I have acquiesced to the tentative five-season goal.

While I’m on this subject, can the mainstream media networks get with the program (pun intended)?!? We all know the importance of ratings in terms of generating enough advertising revenue to justify a show’s existence and future. Since programs have been made readily available on the internet and with the rise of TiVo, however, it seems the networks have forgotten that the playing field has changed. Now the networks are dumping quality shows like NBC’s Studio 60 based on outdated metrics. Figure it out people and stop toying with my emotions (okay, I really liked Studio 60).

4. I know Atlanta Falcon Michael Vick should be harshly punished for his involvement with the illegal dog-fighting world. The NFL should suspend him for at least one season, and the Falcons would do well to start building for life after Vick (assuming there will ever be life in that organization again). This isn’t a doping allegation that could be ducked by a simple denial because the prosecution lacks the necessary evidence. It clearly is not a widespread problem. Vick probably won’t get immunity in exchange for naming names. There may be some who have no objection to dog-fighting (I’m guessing Raider fans), but if the evidence keeps pouring in like it has, I see no other choice than to make an example of Vick. While they’re at it, the NFL should suspend Marcus Vick too, just to avoid the media spectacle that will invariably follow his next round of shenanigans.

3. I know the Yankees won’t even make it to the World Series with Roger Clemens. Sorry Dave. As nice as it was to let me write this guest blog, you seem to have slept through the last few years that saw the winning mentality get drained from that organization. The Yankees are not a team that is one guy short of a title. They don’t need any more veteran leadership in the clubhouse. The Yankees have been and still are a team with a lot of talent, but no chemistry; no cause; and no hope for at least a few more years.

2. I know everyone would be happier if the NFL would lengthen the regular season. Hell, I say why stop at 17 games? On the one hand, I recognize there has to be a limit and that requiring each team to play every other team would be unduly burdensome. On the other hand, a 16-game season with required games against a team’s own division exacerbates the parity problem—that the AFC is much stronger than the NFC.

As a start, the NFL should add one non-conference game. Play it in Japan or Mexico or wherever. I’m not as concerned with the home-away issue as I am with fairness. The league and teams would reap higher revenues by adding a game or two. The sport would be well-served if the Bears had to play an extra AFC team before “earning” that first-round bye in the playoffs.

1. I know David Beckham will not be the biggest story in MLS this season. Don’t get me wrong. I think his arrival will be a fantastic event, bettering the league and the state of soccer in the U.S. But Becks isn’t a flashy player. He scores few goals that aren’t from the penalty spot or free-kicks, and even then he scores very little. He is a talent, make no mistake, and a world-class player. His mark, however, will be made off the pitch. His impact will be seen in the seats, front-offices, and media.

The second biggest story will be Maykel Galindo, striker for Chivas USA. The 26 year-old Cuban gained political asylum from Cuba two years ago, spent a successful season with a minor-league club, and has made quite a splash in the first eight games of this season, with five goals and two assists. On Saturday he scored a remarkable goal against FC Dallas. Running at the goal, he was hauled down from behind, but stayed on his feet and struck a wonder-goal from 22-meters. First, let me clarify. That was not a typo—he stayed on his feet. He didn’t roll around on the ground or cry to the referee. Second, he represents that which MLS must not ignore as it continues to grow. He is not like Beckham—a high-paid superstar imported from abroad to play the last year or two of his career. Galindo has four to five years of playing in his prime. He is from this part of the world and is a product of the A-League—a minor league that serves as a pipeline for developing players.

But the biggest story in the MLS will be Juan Pablo Angel, striker for the New York Red Bull and recent import from Aston Villa in the English Premier League. Like Beckham, Angel is near the end of his career. Unlike Beckham, Angel is a creative forward and has produced three goals and two assists in his first three games. While he was brought in under the Beckham rule (newly created by MLS and allows teams to bring in one or two stars that would otherwise be unaffordable for teams to pay), Angel’s salary is $1.6 million, compared to Beckham’s $6.5 million (consider that 93 players make less than $17,700 per year). In its current state, MLS cannot afford more than one David Beckham, but the influx of players like Angel will help grow the game. If MLS makes a few major changes—most importantly to restructure and lengthen the season—we may soon begin to see world-class players imported before they reach the age of 30.

Round 2: The Pats, Moss, Yau Man, and Much Much More!

Hey People,

Here is this week’s edition. First I want to thank you for all the support. I was surprised on how many people read last week’s post. Some of the comments were great, so I’ll try to deliver another good posting. To prevent this from getting too long, this week let’s just jump right into my list of The Ten Things You Should Know, That I Already Know.

1. I know that the New England Patriots are overrated! Come on people… all this hype?!?! Ok, ok… I will admit they probably deserve to be the favorites to win it all this year, but some of you just want to hand them the damn trophy already. They have made some major additions. I think the biggest is the slightly overrated Adalius Thomas (overrated because he is the product of an excellent system), but he is a significant upgrade to NE’s linebacking corp. They also revamped their receiving corp by adding Wes Welker, Donte Stallworth, and Randy Moss. My opinion is that New England should have just paid their OWN players, keeping the guys that won them three Superbowls in four years. It will probably take time for the chemistry to come together with this new group, and watch out for the inevitable Randy Moss drama. However if any team can handle a prima donna it is the Pats. I remember laughing as the Patriots went on to win the Superbowl as their number one receiver Terry Glenn was sitting at home suspended. However, when is the last time the preseason favorites won the Superbowl anyways? Remember Carolina last year? Moreover, the Pats are one injury away from not even making the playoffs… let’s play out the season before we hand them the trophy.
2. I know Randy Moss NEVER deserves to be put in the Hall of Fame. I’ll try to keep this one short. All I hear is how Moss is going to resurrect his career in New England and solidify his spot in Canton. I agree with Sports Illustrated’s Dr. Z …. Moss is a dog. Too many guys gave it their all on every snap of every game of every season of their entire careers and never came close to the Hall. Even during his prime years Moss admitted to taking plays off, and then he took two years off as he contributed to dragging the Raiders down into the cellar. I do not care if he catches 30 touchdown passes next year. He is a dog, and doesn’t deserve that honor.
3. I know Yau Man deserved the million dollars on Survivor. Since I am 1/8 Filipino I am always partial to my fellow Asians, but Yau was undeniably awesome all season long. Remember when he was the only one that could open the wooden box, or how he dominated the challenges, or found the immunity idols and played it at the perfect moment, and then he came up with that awesome deal to swap Dreamz a truck for the immunity idol. Unfortunately Dreamz couldn’t keep his word costing Yau a million bucks.
4. I know the Arizona Cardinals will have a winning season this year…. or next. If the over/under on the Cards is 6 wins, I’ll take the over. I expect them to win 7 games this year, and 9 the next. I like the strides that ownership is making. It all started with paying for a coach (even though Denny Green didn’t work out), but adding Edge, and drafting Leinart to pass to their solid set of receivers were very good moves. They are an offensive line away from being a winning team. Levi Brown was a reach, but met a major need. And since the Steelers are refusing to offer their all-pro guard (Alan Faneca) top-ten money, my guess is that he will be a Cardinal before the first week of free agency ends next year.
5. I know that the general manager of the Chargers A.J. Smith gets a free pass. Being here in San Diego, I hear a lot of people are upset with the Chargers draft. I know they passed on a few highly rated receivers and surprised a lot of people by taking Craig Davis and then they traded away the rest of their draft for the safety Eric Weddle, but come on… if you trust any G.M. it has to be Smith. A.J. was in the Bills front office during their glory years, and in the Chargers front office when they traded the right to draft Vick for LT and Brees. A.J. also engineered the Eli for Rivers, Luis Castillo, and Shawne Merriman trade. One of the best draft trades EVER. He also discovered all pro tight end Antonio Gates. This guy rocks, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Davis and Weddle became perennial pro-bowlers.
6. I know the Jamaican Red Stripe guy is freaking HILARIOUS! Boo large headed friend. Hooray Beer!
7. I know Ricky Williams loves smoking weed. Ricky, Ricky, Ricky… what the hell are you doing?!?! I am not going to bag on him too much, because I believe his social-anxiety disorder is severely debilitating and has already ruined his career. This guy has sooooooo much talent, but can’t put down the bong-pipe. I think if he ever makes it back to the NFL he needs to have one press conference where he tells the media he can’t overcome this disorder that has forced him to self-medicate, and until he can find a legal alternative he isn’t going to talk to the press EVER. Let his play on the field speak for him. And if he does this, I think the media should respect this and leave him alone.
8. I know that Roger Clemens will save the Yankees’ season. I hate the evil empire as much as the next guy, and maybe I am biased because the computer drafted Clemens for me in both my fantasy baseball leagues, but Clemens will be good. Last year he had the lowest ERA in the league the second half of the season. All those years of using HGH are really paying off now. I read somewhere it breaks down to him making $100 a minute. Seriously?! Seriously?!?! $100 a minute?!!!? David Junior is going to have a baseball in his hand as soon as he pops out. Anyways, with the lineup NY puts on the field, the wins should just roll on in. I DO hate the Yankees… so hopefully I am wrong (not likely though). Also did anyone notice how his training is suddenly going better than expected so he will be back at the end of May against Toronto, instead of the beginning of June against the BoSox? That would have been a circus. A debut against Dice-K would have been a must-watch.
9. I know that JaMarcus Russell will be the last first-round draft pick to sign. There is a very good possibility that playing in Oakland will ruin any shot he had at having a successful NFL career, so he needs to get as much money as he can up-front. I also expect a long hold out from Gaines Adams, Adrian Peterson, and Brady Quinn. For some reason I experienced a small sense of joy every time a team passed on Quinn. He was extremely overrated and I am going to get pissed when he tries to demand more money than he and his draft spot deserves.
10. I know that both Boris Diaw and Amare Stoudemire deserved to be suspended. I saved this one for last to make sure all my AZ friends read the entire blog. A rule is a rule. It really sucks, and it ended up costing the Suns game 5, but the NBA really had no choice. What was Amare thinking?!?! He had to force his way around an assistant coach and made his way 20 feet down the court! If the fracas had lasted five seconds longer he would have been in the middle of it all escalating any confrontations. I like Amare but at times he can be really immature as evidenced by this incident AND for the reason he was on the bench… he should have never picked up that fifth foul and maybe he would have been allowed to play defense when it was all on the line. Also don’t give me the bull about Tim Duncan being on the court. He took two steps onto the court when there was hardly anything going on. He wasn’t going to try to run in and get in the middle of things like Amare was trying to do.

Ok folks, that’s all for now. I will post again early next week. I am already working on some things. I am considering making a list of the top ten QB’s in the NFL, the ten QB’s on the hot seat, and maybe in the next couple of posts a Q&A session. Keep the comments and questions rolling in, and make sure you subscribe to my blog so you can get the new editions hot off the press!

-David-

Beginning of an Era, first up Keyshawn and Favre

Hello Everyone!

I have wanted to start a blog for a while now, but I wasn’t sure what I would talk about, nor have I had the time. Then some recent events have inspired me to give it a shot. The first being I GRADUATED LAW SCHOOL, and the second is I’ve made some really good points regarding the NFL lately. I wanted any blogs I write to have some theme or purpose behind them. Being a poli sci major in undergrad, a few years ago any blog would have been related to politics. However after 8 years of Bush, and the democrats failing miserably to stop him from being elected, and then failing to stop him from being re-elected, I have become very apathetic to all things remotely related to politics. Although seeing the early front-runners (Obama and Hillary for the Dems and McCain for the Republicans) for this upcoming election has stirred some of my interest, but its still not to the level that I would blog about it. However, I have found something I am passionate about and have been for years now. I live and breathe football, specifically the NFL. Every single day I scour all the news sites trying to find some article I haven’t read yet. I follow several teams very closely (to the point that I read their local meatball newspaper’s articles about the team). My favorite show is NFL live on ESPN, my favorite channel is the NFL network, and every morning I listen to Colin Cowherd on ESPN radio on my way to work or school. I even make sure to tivo PTI everyday. I have my opinions, predictions, theories, and I think it is time to put it in print, so when I claim credit for it, everyone will know they could have heard it here first! Now I am still busy (I’m studying for the California Bar Exam) so I am not sure how steady these will be, nor am I going to go back and edit them and slave over my grammar and word choices. This is all off the cuff in the beginning, but hopefully they do not sound too much like a rant! Anyways, here we go….

Today’s topics include Keyshawn Johnson and Brett Favre.

First let’s talk about Meshawn, I mean Keyshawn. I was very surprised that Keyshawn was actually cut by the Panthers last week. It also made Keyshawn look like an idiot because when the Panthers drafted Dwayne Jarrett (his replacement), Keyshawn went on and on during the draft coverage how he was going to take Jarrett under his wing and be his mentor. Looks like Jarrett didn’t need long for the pupil already to surpass the master. I was also extremely confused that it happened when the first reports said he was already paid a roster bonus of 3 million dollars, but this proved to be incorrect.

The thing that got me steaming about this topic was John Clayton’s report that Keyshawn was likely going to be forced into retirement, because no one wanted a 34 year old possession receiver. I found myself yelling at the TV.

Keyshawn is a SOLID 2^nd receiver. Last season he had 70 receptions for 815 yards making him 34^th overall for yards and tied for 25^th overall in receptions. A slew of teams are in dire need of a number 2 go-to-guy. I immediately formed a list of the receiving corps that Keyshawn would upgrade, and these would include, Bills, Jets, Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Ravens, Browns, Steelers, Bears, Packers, Vikings, Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Bucs, Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers. However the Bucs, Steelers, Vikings, Raiders and Chargers are all sold on their current roster and probably wouldn’t make room for him. The team I was screaming about was Green Bay. Favre is pissed that the Packers passed on Moss. All the pundits are talking about how the Packers passed on Moss and didn’t draft Favre any weapons, and how he needs some offensive help. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Well my boy Keyshawn IS that offensive help and the missing piece Favre needs to take over that weak division of the NFC North (don’t get me started on the Bears right now).

Therefore I think Green Bay should make a move for Keyshawn. Johnson keeps saying he wants to go to a playoff team. Green Bay has a legitimate shot to make the playoffs, and once you are in, anything can happen. However, will Keyshawn really want to spend a year in Wisconsin? We’ll have to wait and see, but this is a match I’d love to watch.

Brett Favre and his trade request

Okay even though this next topic concerns one of the same players in the above topic, it is completely independent of my first topic, and even assumes that Keyshawn doesn’t go to Green Bay. Brett Favre talked earlier this week about being traded from Green Bay. Now we all know this would never happen, but here is a win-win situation if these two teams would pull the trigger. Vick is on the outs with Atlanta. From going through several head coaches, to flipping off the fans, to hidden compartments in water bottles, to dog fighting, even his coddling owner is getting fed up. Vick needs a change of scenery, but no one sells tickets like “the most electrifying man in sports.” Well no one except Brett Favre. Favre lives in Mississippi, and also played his first year in Atlanta. A trade would put him on a team that is a legitimate contender, instead of in the rebuilding phase that refuses to give him any weapons. However, you can’t trade Favre for Vick straight up. So here it is, Green Bay should trade Favre and a couple of draft picks (including at least one first rounder), to Atlanta for Michael Vick. Then Atlanta can use Favre at the end of his career, to try to win now, and they have draft picks where they could draft their QB of the future. Green Bay has a QB that will win now, but also has one they could build around for their future.

Again this trade would NEVER happen, but it would be an interesting solution to two teams, and two QB’s problems.

Ok those are my topics for today… but I am going to end my first blog by ripping off a great writer Peter King and his “Ten Things I think I think” from his Monday Morning QB column.

Mine will be called, “Ten Things You Should Know, That I Already Know”

1. I know Pacman Jones doesn’t deserve to be suspended for an entire season. Our American legal system was founded upon the concept “innocent until proven guilty.” Pacman hasn’t been CONVICTED of ANYTHING and judge, jury, and executioner (Roger Goodell) is going to take away his livelihood for an entire year! Don’t give me he has had a total of ten “incidents” with the police. WHO CARES! I’ve had ten “incidents” with the police and they are about to make me a freaking lawyer, which should be a lot more exclusive than running around with a ball.
2. I know Tank Johnson’s suspension will be shorter than Pacman’s. If this happens this will be the most ridiculous thing Goodell has done yet. Tank was on probation for another offense and was found with 6 firearms! He was CONVICTED and SENTENCED to SIXTY days in jail. After all that he is going to receive a lighter punishment than Pacman? That’s just not right. However, on a side note, I LOVE the name Tank. I want to name my second boy Tank. Tank McGlothlin… that’s a name for an offensive lineman all right. Unfortunately Melissa is laying down the veto, so it looks like I’ll have to name my next dog Tank, or find another girlfriend.
3. I know the NFL will eventually add a 17^th game to be played at an international venue. It is going to be pretty difficult to get the players association to approve this, but the players HATE preseason games. So if the NFL cancels TWO, not one, preseason games, and shows the players the extra cash they would make… I think it will happen. The NFL is exploding right now. It has probably reached a plateau of popularity in the U.S. so the only way to keep up this growth rate is to go international. Finally the real “football” can get the world wide fame it deserves.
4. I know T.O. will lead the league in touchdown receptions AGAIN this year. T.O. surprised everyone by coming out and actually participating in mini-camp last weekend. Bill Parcels was probably pissed as hell about that. T.O. had 13 touchdown receptions last year with a jacked up finger. The only thing people remember is his stat of “10 dropped passes” and no one gives him credit for his league leading touchdown receptions. Is dropped passes a real stat anyways? If so, how do I figure out how many dropped passes Art Monk had in 1987? That’s right, I can’t, because that stat doesn’t exist. The first time I heard about it was from the T.O. haters.
5. I know Junior Seau will have another semi productive season this year. I think Seau is about to turn fifty, yet he just re-signed with the Patriots this week. I wish he would have held off on his graduation speech last year, until he at least tested the market, then he could get a farewell celebration when he did actually “graduate”. However, Junior was somewhat productive when he got there last year (11 games, 39 solo tackles with another 30 assisted tackles, plus 1 sack), and if he hadn’t broken his arm it would have been a great storyline when he and his Patriots came into San Diego. Although N.E. had the big free agent signing of Adalius Thomas to play LB for them, I think Seau can still be as productive as a back-up and mentor.
6. I know I’m tired of Shaun Alexander, and I definitely do not want to hear anymore about his damn “broken” foot. He is done. He will never be an elite running back again and the reason is sad. HE GOT PAID. He cashed in his big paycheck, and there went all his effort. I was always on his side. He was so underrated (until the entire world talks about how you are underrated you are, thus making you OVERRATED [the same thing is happening to the Suns’ Shawn Marion]) and I thought the Seahawks were jerking him around by putting the franchise tag on him twice instead of signing him to his deserved contract extension. But it looks like Seattle was right. After last season, maybe they should have franchise tagged him again… he might of put in at least a little bit of effort.
7. I know Trent Green will be the starter for the Dolphins come opening day. He is due to make like 7 million dollars. The Chiefs just resigned their back-up Damon Huard and paid 7.5 million over three years. They also have their QB of the future Brodie Croyle. There is no way they can afford to pay 3 QB’s good money. Trent will end up getting cut in early July, and that same day he will be on a plane to Miami (if he isn’t already living there).
8. I know that although it is a good show, the NBC hit Heroes is a complete rip off of X-Men. Claire is like Wolverine, Peter is like Rogue, and now this new character the little girl can locate people like Professor X. X-men use to be my favorite Saturday morning cartoon, now it is a primetime drama, that still has me watching every episode. I think if I had a superpower it would probably related to my cat-like reflexes.
9. I know the Warriors and Suns are playing some really exciting basketball. Although I’m sure it has happened many times it was fun watching Golden State score SEVENTY in the first half, and ONE HUNDRED by then end of the third quarter in Game three. Hopefully they can overcome this 3-1 deficit they are in to set up an awesome match-up in the western conference finals.
10. I know I like multiple teams. I love the NFL and I’ve started to like several different organizations for different reasons. Moreover, in my mind I establish a clear cut order, so I won’t have any trouble on who I should cheer for when they play each other. Still, I’ve received a ton of crap for my list getting too long… so I am trimming it to just three, and here they are. Number One is my Tampa Bay Buccaneers- in high school (1997) I got even more into football, and I saw the strides Tony Dungy was making with the Bucs by adding players I loved including Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber, and ever since then I’ve been a huge fan. Number Two is America’s Team the Dallas Cowboys- this has always been my Dad’s favorite team. He grew up loving Roger Staubach… and some of my first football memories was us getting crap every week as Dallas was going 2-14, but redemption was sweet when the Cowboys went on to win three superbowls in four years. And last, Number three, the Arizona Cardinals- I plan on returning to my home state within the next few months, and finally the ownership there has shown an interest in winning a few games. So if they finally care, I can allow myself to finally care. Hopefully they suck a season or two more, so I can get my hands on some season tickets in their awesome new stadium!

Alright folks, that wraps up my first blog EVER. Be sure to leave some comments, and to mention some topics you might be interested in for my next posting.