A little late, and I'm not going to put together the overall records so far right now, but here ya go! :P
Atlanta -4.5 over NEW ORLEANS
Let's just say the Saints performance in Green Bay didn't exactly make them favorites to make the Super Bowl. Duece MacAllister is now done for the season, and Joe Horn has leg issues. That puts it all in the hands of Aaron Brooks. Nuff said. Falcons 27, Saints 16.
I don't know what to make of the Saints. It's the tale of two teams: the tough team that fight you tooth and nail and the absolute garbage that polluted Green Bay last week. What happened to the Saints last week was almost laughable. You don't recover from that, especially against another good defense. Plus Vick and his herpes infested penis have been practicing. Vick's Herpes Infected Penis & Co. 38 Aints 10
Carolina +1.5 over DETROIT
Detroit still has some serious issues on offense. Carolina is still underachieving. Panthers 24, Lions 17.
I like the Cats too, but I think that Mariucci will have Detroit ready to play. Detroit can take control of the NFC North with a win, but I have to say: Carolina is the more desperate team. The rule of the more desperate team always trumps all others. Cats 27 Lions 24
Cinci -3.5 over TENNESSEE
So the Bengals lost a tough game on the road in prime time. Do they bounce back? I think so, but just barely. Bengals 31, Titans 27.
Boomer Esiason called Carson Palmer the best young quarterback in the NFL. I think that Tennessee is over rated, but considering the injury to Ben Rothelisberger I'm starting Steve McNair on my fantasy team. I like St. Ides take, and I'm not going to disagree just for the sake of disagreeing, but I do think that Cinci covers. Cinci wins, 34 -24
Cleveland +5.5 over BALTIMORE
Suddenly, the Baltimore defense doesn't look as intimidating or dominant. And the offense led by Anthony "How Am I Starting In The NFL?" Wright has redefined the word "scary". Meanwhile, the Browns and Trent Dilfer have surprised some people by staying in games. WR phenom (and Michigan grad) Braylon Edwards is out with a weird elbow staph infection, but they should be okay without him. Browns 17, Ravens 13.
This is another one of those games where the spread makes no sense to me. Sort of like that Jets game last week (and I wasn't exactly right about that one), I really don't get the spread. I like Cleveland to win outright but since I have no fucking idea what I'm talking about I'll say Baltimore 17, Cleveland 14
PITTSBURGH - 1.5 over Jacksonville
Jacksonville's offense is still way too erratic. So is their defense for that matter. Although Big Ben is still questionable for this game, it looks like Tommy Maddox has recovered enough to start. He should be good enough to win. Of course, if Maddox can't play either, that puts the game in the hands of Charlie "How Do I Even Have A 3rd String Job In The NFL" Batch. Then all bets are off. Steelers 24, Jaguars 17.
I see a low scoring game with a lot of running, but I do see Pittsburgh winning easily. Again, I don't get the close spread...
Pittsburgh 20 - Jacksonville 15
TAMPA BAY -4.5 over Miami
Embarassing display by the Bucs against the Jets last week. Just awful. I think Gruden gets them pumped up enough for this inter-state rivalry to give Gus Frerotte fits. Bucanneers 20, Dolphins 10.
OK, here's one where we disagree. I'm totally sold on Nick Saban. I don't know when it happened but I've realized something. This years Dolphins remind of the 1992 Packers (Holmgren's first year), and I see an upset looming.
Miami wins 27 - 10 in the Samichlaus Shocker of the week.
Minnesota +3.5 over CHICAGO
Where to start…. I'll save the whole "sex cruise" story for another time, but I think it's safe to say it's been a distraction this week. Which means everybody is picking the Vikings to lose in Chicago. Which is really the only reason I'm picking them. Because everybody is going to take the Bears. If Daunte Culpepper can just hold onto the fricking ball, this could still be a potent offense. I'll take the Bears too, but not to cover. Bears 21, Vikings 20.
The Vikings are reeling and the Bears know how to play defense. The Vikings are falling apart and are ripe for the picking. Plus, oral sex weakens the legs. So does anal. One time I took it up the ass and couldn't walk right for a week.
The Bears still suck, but will score 2 TD's on defense. Bears 27 - Viqueens 13 ...and look for Mike Tice to lose his job on Monday.
Giants +3.5 over DALLAS
Everybody is talking about how the Cowboys beat the crap out of Philly last week. And how this could turn around their whole season. Uhm, news flash: Philly really isn't THAT good. They have NO running game, and their QB is banged up. This should be a shootout though, but I think Dallas still sucks, and it's only a matter of time that Drew Bledsoe crashes back to earth. Would you believe that Bledsoe is the #1 QB as far as Fantasy Football scoring goes? Neither would I. But it's true. Giants 33, Cowboys 27.
This is one of the best matchups of the week. I like both these teams but I'm giving the edge to the Cowboys. Here's why: last week when the Cowboys were up, I thing, 17 - 3 they faced 4th and 2 from the 12. Rather than kick the field goal, Parcells went for it and the Cowboys scored a TD. That SBS fans took balls, and that SBS fans was the turning point for the Cowboys.
Cowboys 31 Giants 20
Washington +5.5 over KANSAS CITY
Last week, I said the Skins would lose in Denver, but keep it close. They did. I'm going to say the same thing this week. I don't know who that is in the Mark Brunell costume, but he's actually playing pretty well. Chiefs 24, Redskins 20.
It's none other than Sonny Jurgenson. The Chiefs are so freaking tough at home, and the Skins really don;t match up well against them. The Skins come back to reality. I'm taking K.C. to cover. Chiefs 35 Redskins 20
New Englad +3.5 over DENVER
Tough, tough schedule for the Pats. They're beat up. Still, I'll take the Pats D confusing the hell out of Jake "Somehow I Haven't Blown A Game Yet This Seaon" Plummer, and Brady willing his team to win. Patriots 26, Broncos 24.
New England's dynasty days are over. They're beat up, the defense is faltering and Denver is tough at home. And yet, I can not pick against them. Call me a fool, but I think they win it outright as well. New England 20 Denver 15
BUFFALO -3.5 over Jets
I like the Kelly Holcomb Era in Buffalo so far. And the Vinny Era probably comes back to reality this week. Bills 20, Jets 13.
I don't know what to say. Do I owe Jets fans an apology? The Jets showed me something last week and 'ol Samichlaus knows when to man up and admit he was wrong. With that said, the Bills at home will win by 10. Bills 25 Jets 15
San Diego -2.5 over OAKLAND
The Chargers hung in there against the Steelers on Monday night, but couldn't get it done. The Raiders are nowhere near the class of the Steelers. And although it's in Oakland, and this is a divisional game, I think the Chargers win easily behind LT. Chargers 31, Raiders 23.
Here's what I see happening... it's a close game. LT has rushed for about 170, but Randy Moss has been his equal. Oakland gets the ball down 5 with 1:30 to go. Collins drives them down field and throws a last minute TD to Moss to pull out a victory.
Oakland 37 San Diego 35
SEATTLE -9.5 over Houston
Here's what I wrote after the Seahawks beat Arizona in Week 3:
"The Seahawks did what they should do if they want to win the division - handily beat a mediocre team at home. With the well-balanced offense clicking, the receivers' dropping woes seemingly a thing of the past, and an improving young defense, it will be interesting to see how they handle the upcoming two big road games at Washington and St. Louis."
Well, they went 1-1 on the road there, and were about 6 inches from 2-0. I like what I see. Although this has the makings of a "trap game", I just don't see it happening as bad as Houston is. Seattle 34, Houston 13.
I would so totally do David Carr. Well, not really. Seattle has a big game at home somewhere in their future. I think this is the week.
Seattle wins easily: Seattle 31 Pretty Boy 12.
St. Louis +13.5 over INDY
Mike Martz won't be there due to health issues with an infection in his heart. Which means the Rams probably won't make any bone-headed moves to totally blow this game. Two touchdowns is a hell of a lot to give a team with an offense as explosive as the Rams. We're about to find out just how "for real" the Colts defense is. Colts 31, Rams 28.
St. Ides has it right. I see Indy winning but by a lot less than 13.5. They've been super hot lately and I think this week is their let down.
Indy 27 St.Louis 24
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Sunday, October 9, 2005
Game Day blog 10/9/05
Holy fucknuts! What we witnessed today was nothing short of miraculous. Let me type this once, just so I can savor it… Packers 52 - Saints 3. Christ almighty. I don’t think we could have seen a better performance.
The Packers came out flat, and on the first series fumbled twice. Each time they recovered and effectively were fortunate to go three and out. Meanwhile, the Saints came to play. After converting a third and 16 screen and nearly converting a third and 11 screen, New Orleans kicked a field goal and the Packers were once again playing catch-up. (Stat of the season: prior to this game the Packers have held a lead for exactly 6 minutes).
I wondered if this was going to be a long afternoon. I remembered Karen’s prediction and kept the faith, and then as if struck by a thunderbolt, the Packers came to life. Their next four possessions they scored a touchdown, while the defense caused fits for Aaron Brooks. Suddenly it was the Packers capitalizing on turnovers, with Al Harris returning an interception for a TD. Suddenly it was the Packers running the ball, with Najeh Davenport breaking a 24 yard burst and rumbling home with two touchdowns. Suddenly it was the Packers’ Robert Ferguson pulling down receptions and stealing the ball from defenders, and suddenly it was 35 – 3 at halftime.
When the second half started, there was no doubt that Green Bay would win. The question became just how much they would score. Favre stayed in the game for the third quarter and scored another TD on a pass to recently signed Donald Lee. Ryan Longwell (who drives a gorgeous Cadillac) kicked a field goal, and on the defensive play of the game Nick Barnett returned an interception 95 yards for a TD. Final tally: 52 to 3.
Outstanding.
There was one sad moment, however. Early in the second quarter Najeh Davenport went down with a serious ankle injury. I have found out that Davenport has a broken leg and is done for the season. What’s sad is that as readers of SBS know Najeh Davenport is Karen’s favorite player. When we met, Karen didn’t know much or care about football, but she knew that learning the game would be important to me. So one of the things she did was pick a favorite player. She didn’t want to pick Favre because every body picked Favre so she did a little research and picked rookie Najeh Davenport. With Davenport unsigned for next season and a history of being injury proned that dates back to college it is quite possible that today was Najeh’s last game as a Packer. I guess I’m glad that Karen got to witness it, but I'm really sad for her too. Karen got to meet a lot of players this weekend. Maybe she'll find another favorite...
The Packers came out flat, and on the first series fumbled twice. Each time they recovered and effectively were fortunate to go three and out. Meanwhile, the Saints came to play. After converting a third and 16 screen and nearly converting a third and 11 screen, New Orleans kicked a field goal and the Packers were once again playing catch-up. (Stat of the season: prior to this game the Packers have held a lead for exactly 6 minutes).
I wondered if this was going to be a long afternoon. I remembered Karen’s prediction and kept the faith, and then as if struck by a thunderbolt, the Packers came to life. Their next four possessions they scored a touchdown, while the defense caused fits for Aaron Brooks. Suddenly it was the Packers capitalizing on turnovers, with Al Harris returning an interception for a TD. Suddenly it was the Packers running the ball, with Najeh Davenport breaking a 24 yard burst and rumbling home with two touchdowns. Suddenly it was the Packers’ Robert Ferguson pulling down receptions and stealing the ball from defenders, and suddenly it was 35 – 3 at halftime.
When the second half started, there was no doubt that Green Bay would win. The question became just how much they would score. Favre stayed in the game for the third quarter and scored another TD on a pass to recently signed Donald Lee. Ryan Longwell (who drives a gorgeous Cadillac) kicked a field goal, and on the defensive play of the game Nick Barnett returned an interception 95 yards for a TD. Final tally: 52 to 3.
Outstanding.
There was one sad moment, however. Early in the second quarter Najeh Davenport went down with a serious ankle injury. I have found out that Davenport has a broken leg and is done for the season. What’s sad is that as readers of SBS know Najeh Davenport is Karen’s favorite player. When we met, Karen didn’t know much or care about football, but she knew that learning the game would be important to me. So one of the things she did was pick a favorite player. She didn’t want to pick Favre because every body picked Favre so she did a little research and picked rookie Najeh Davenport. With Davenport unsigned for next season and a history of being injury proned that dates back to college it is quite possible that today was Najeh’s last game as a Packer. I guess I’m glad that Karen got to witness it, but I'm really sad for her too. Karen got to meet a lot of players this weekend. Maybe she'll find another favorite...
Happy Anniversary from Green Bay
Here we are in Green Bay, Sunday morning 7:45 local time and I can’t sleep any more. Game time is 12:00 noon. The tailgate party at Brett Favre’s Steak House begins at 9:00. Do I need to say more?
Of course I do....
Karen and I arrived in Green Bay Friday morning, checked into the hotel and immediately headed over to Lambeau Field. A quick aside to set the perspective: Tuesday October 12th is our third wedding anniversary and this is our anniversary trip. Since tradition dictates couples purchase leather for the third anniversary I bought Karen a warm leather jacket for Green Bay. Karen bought me an official NFL game ball. So off we went to Lambeau field, Karen dressed in her new leather jacket and my game ball tucked in her backpack, in search of Packers to sign the ball.
Green Bay is notorious for cold weather, but our southern acclimated bodies were not prepared for 40 degree temperatures and wind chills in the 30’s so we headed into Lambeau for some Packer history.
The first stop: The Packers Hall of Fame. Picture a room shaped like a football with display cases on either side and a divider down the middle. Each display case marks a decade starting from 1919 when the Indian Packing Company sponsored Curly Lambeaus fledgling football team and ending with today’s Packers. We made it as far as the 1950’s before we had to catch our tour of the stadium.
I’ve done a lot of cool shit in my life, but the stadium tour pretty much topped them all. It’s not just because I learned some cool stuff, or got to sit in the luxury boxes, or got to see the inner workings of the stadium, no. My wife and I got to walk through the tunnel and out to the field. Yes, that tunnel, and we’ve got the pictures to prove it. I swear to Christ it gave me goose bumps. Oh, and we also saw punter B.J. Sander giving an interview to a local news bimbo. Sander was hitting on her pretty hard and my guess would be that they would hook up.
After the tour we had lunch at Curly’s Pub which overlooks the parking lot. Karen noticed some people standing by a fenced off gate and quickly surmised that this was where the Packers would be driving out. In other words, this was the spot for autographs.
We headed over to the fence and within five minutes I was way too cold to stay. However Karen, all 105 lbs of her insisted that she wanted to stay and try to get autographs for my ball. And we stayed, and she did. Her first was V.P. John Jones, followed by fullback Vontay Leach and linebacker Robert Thomas. Karen was thrilled. Later she scored Defensive Tackles coach Robert Nunn and Director of Player Personnel Reggie McKenzie (I was really happy about that one. Reggie is old school)
Karen found out that she could get more autographs on Saturday so we called it a day and went back to our hotel. We had a nice dinner at the Titletown Brewing Company, a brewpub located in an old rail station, and were asleep in bed by 9:00.
Saturday we woke and headed to the field at 10. Karen positioned herself at the fence (temperatures in the mid 40s and overcast) and I got on line for the book signing.
Oh yeah, I forgot. Karen found out that the Favre family would be signing copies of the book “Favre” written by Brett and Bonita (Brett’s mom) Favre. The signing was to begin at noon so there were only about 5 people ahead of me. The celebrity signers would include Bonita Favre, Scott Favre (Brett’s brother) and Deanna Favre who is Brett’s wife and the plan was you’d get one signature and it was pot luck. I sincerely hoped I didn’t get Scott but what the hell, $5.00 for each book sold went to their charity so who cares? It was all for a good cause. Meanwhile Karen come running in with the football. She had just scored Offensive Line coach Larry Beightol and had several players tell her they’d sign the ball when they were done with their walk through. She bought me a cup of coffee and while I waited inside the warm atrium my little trooper headed back to the front line to face the elements.
I’m running out of time here so let me get right to the good part. Karen filled the ball with signature upon signature, scoring too many Packers to name. Her coup-de-gras was Aaron Rogers who signed our ball and left everyone else standing there empty handed. It pays to have a little adorable wife who I might add would do anything for me. I'm really that lucky. Meanwhile, I got to meet Bonita, Deanna, and Scott. All three signed my book. It was so worth the wait…
Well, it’s now 8:30 local time. Karen’s up and it’s time to get ready to go to the game. She doesn’t know yet, but her man Davenport is starting. So is Roy Manning, the Michigan Wolverine the Packers picked up as an undrafted free agent. And Brett Favre is going to start as well. I’d say the karma is looking good for the Packers.
Of course I do....
Karen and I arrived in Green Bay Friday morning, checked into the hotel and immediately headed over to Lambeau Field. A quick aside to set the perspective: Tuesday October 12th is our third wedding anniversary and this is our anniversary trip. Since tradition dictates couples purchase leather for the third anniversary I bought Karen a warm leather jacket for Green Bay. Karen bought me an official NFL game ball. So off we went to Lambeau field, Karen dressed in her new leather jacket and my game ball tucked in her backpack, in search of Packers to sign the ball.
Green Bay is notorious for cold weather, but our southern acclimated bodies were not prepared for 40 degree temperatures and wind chills in the 30’s so we headed into Lambeau for some Packer history.
The first stop: The Packers Hall of Fame. Picture a room shaped like a football with display cases on either side and a divider down the middle. Each display case marks a decade starting from 1919 when the Indian Packing Company sponsored Curly Lambeaus fledgling football team and ending with today’s Packers. We made it as far as the 1950’s before we had to catch our tour of the stadium.
I’ve done a lot of cool shit in my life, but the stadium tour pretty much topped them all. It’s not just because I learned some cool stuff, or got to sit in the luxury boxes, or got to see the inner workings of the stadium, no. My wife and I got to walk through the tunnel and out to the field. Yes, that tunnel, and we’ve got the pictures to prove it. I swear to Christ it gave me goose bumps. Oh, and we also saw punter B.J. Sander giving an interview to a local news bimbo. Sander was hitting on her pretty hard and my guess would be that they would hook up.
After the tour we had lunch at Curly’s Pub which overlooks the parking lot. Karen noticed some people standing by a fenced off gate and quickly surmised that this was where the Packers would be driving out. In other words, this was the spot for autographs.
We headed over to the fence and within five minutes I was way too cold to stay. However Karen, all 105 lbs of her insisted that she wanted to stay and try to get autographs for my ball. And we stayed, and she did. Her first was V.P. John Jones, followed by fullback Vontay Leach and linebacker Robert Thomas. Karen was thrilled. Later she scored Defensive Tackles coach Robert Nunn and Director of Player Personnel Reggie McKenzie (I was really happy about that one. Reggie is old school)
Karen found out that she could get more autographs on Saturday so we called it a day and went back to our hotel. We had a nice dinner at the Titletown Brewing Company, a brewpub located in an old rail station, and were asleep in bed by 9:00.
Saturday we woke and headed to the field at 10. Karen positioned herself at the fence (temperatures in the mid 40s and overcast) and I got on line for the book signing.
Oh yeah, I forgot. Karen found out that the Favre family would be signing copies of the book “Favre” written by Brett and Bonita (Brett’s mom) Favre. The signing was to begin at noon so there were only about 5 people ahead of me. The celebrity signers would include Bonita Favre, Scott Favre (Brett’s brother) and Deanna Favre who is Brett’s wife and the plan was you’d get one signature and it was pot luck. I sincerely hoped I didn’t get Scott but what the hell, $5.00 for each book sold went to their charity so who cares? It was all for a good cause. Meanwhile Karen come running in with the football. She had just scored Offensive Line coach Larry Beightol and had several players tell her they’d sign the ball when they were done with their walk through. She bought me a cup of coffee and while I waited inside the warm atrium my little trooper headed back to the front line to face the elements.
I’m running out of time here so let me get right to the good part. Karen filled the ball with signature upon signature, scoring too many Packers to name. Her coup-de-gras was Aaron Rogers who signed our ball and left everyone else standing there empty handed. It pays to have a little adorable wife who I might add would do anything for me. I'm really that lucky. Meanwhile, I got to meet Bonita, Deanna, and Scott. All three signed my book. It was so worth the wait…
Well, it’s now 8:30 local time. Karen’s up and it’s time to get ready to go to the game. She doesn’t know yet, but her man Davenport is starting. So is Roy Manning, the Michigan Wolverine the Packers picked up as an undrafted free agent. And Brett Favre is going to start as well. I’d say the karma is looking good for the Packers.
Saturday, October 8, 2005
The Picks you've been clamoring for
Note: Karen and I tried really hard to get these done yesterday. We started this on the flight from Cincinatti to Green Bay and got halfway done. When we got to out hotel last night (9:00 local time) after a Packer day I will never forget, we both promptly fell asleep. So, I will save my partner the trouble and post my picks in a seperate blog.
Greetings SBS fans! Karen and I are currently sitting at about 35,000 feet, above what appears to be farm land. We are in route to Green Bay to watch the Packers play the Saints. This will be the first of several blogs from the road, so let’s get right to the picks.
Last Week -
Samichlaus: 6-7
St. Ides: 4-9
Season -
Samichlaus: 29-30
St. Ides: 22-37
Ravens +1.5 over LIONS
First of all, the Lions aren’t very good. Second of all, they’re still talking about the “bad” call. Third of all, Joey Harrington is still their QB. I like the Ravens in this game. Ravens 17, Lions 7.
Bears +3.5 over BROWNS
Let me be the first to say, or to sing: “the Bears still suck”. Dilfer is a better QB than people give him credit for. In fact, Seattle has still not recovered from losing him. Cleveland wins, 19 to 10.
BILLS -2.5 over Dolphins
I like the Bills as well. The weather is getting colder (it’s 38 in Green Bay as we speak) and Miami is on the road. I think Nick Saban’s luck runs out. Bill 24, Miami 13.
Pats +3.5 over FALCONS
There’s no way that the Patriots lose this week. Last week’s embarrassment is motivation enough for the Patriots to trounce Vick’s herpes infested penis. (Okay sports fans. This is Mrs. Samichlaus here. Since we ARE 35,000 feet in the air and Steve, with his big man-hands, can’t type worth a crap on these tiny this little lap top keys, I’m playing secretary. Can I tell you how odd it is on a plane full of people to have my husband lean over and whisper the words “Vick’s herpes infested penis” into my ear as I’m popping peanuts? I wouldn’t even think to make this stuff up. I now return you to your regular Samichlaus programming…) Patriots 31, Falcons 24.
PACKERS -3.5 over Saints
Since Mrs. Samichlaus is doing such a fine job taking dictation, I’m going to let her do this next prediction. Take it away Mrs. Samichlaus!
Just 3 sentences ago I was repeatedly typing “Vick’s herpes infested penis” and now my husband is asking me to type the word “DICtation” and “preDICtion” expecting me not to laugh at all the damn scrotum connotations.
That said, I have a different way of looking at the games. I chose on how my luck is running or a specific tight end’s tight end that I can’t get out of my head. (Sorry hum, let’s just call that poetic license.) This morning flight took off at 6:30 AM. We had to run to catch the plane and jump it as they were closing the doors. Our connecting flight had us, again, as the last passengers boarding. So my thoughts are: Packers are gonna pull this one through. But only at the last possible moment and only after handing out collective heart attacks from the adrenalin rush.
Packers 24, Saints 21.
RAMS -3.5 over Seahawks
Bubba Franks’ ass. I didn’t need to think about that. I’m taking Seattle to win this game. Although Seattle got out-coached last week, I think that St. Louis’s head coach is even more over-rated than Mike Holmgren. Seattle comes back and wins a big one on the road. Seattle 34, St. Louise 31.
Bucs -3.5 over JETS
I don’t what the odds makers are thinking on this game. Seriously. The Jets may get shut out, but we’re not going to write that here on the odd chance that my cousin still reads this blog/. The Jets don’t have a prayer against the Bucs. Tampa 17, Jets 3.
Titans +3.5 over TEXANS
This one qualifies as the Samichlaus Stinker of the week, but I’m going to buck conventional SBS wisdom. I like Papa St. Ides’s approach: take the home dog. Why? These are two bad teams, period. I think the home dog rule will trump the ineptitude of David Carr and company. Texans win 24 - 17
NINERS +14.5 over Colts
Cool! We were just having a discussion about point spreads and the ubiquitous “half point”! The things married couples talk about as their 3rd anniversary approaches…. Anyway, I’m going with the Colts and the points. The Colts broke out of their offensive funk last week, and their defense is the real thing. The only thing that could trip them up is overconfidence (historians: check out the Packers / Colts game from 1997 that defined overconfidence). I’m predicting the Colts win this one college style.
Colts 41 Niners 17
CARDINALS +3.5 over Panthers
My though is that the Cardinals have had the dribbling shits most of the week. Mexico can do that to you (as opposed to RON Mexico, which gives you the “blistering penis”). I really like the Cats, and I really like John Fox. I also think Denny Green is overrated along with his Cardinals. My apologies to Papa St. Ides, but I’m contradicting everything I said before… Panthers 27 Cardinals 13
Eagles -3.5 over COWBOYS
Well, I don’t know about this one. I think the Eagles are still the cream of the crap that is the NFC. When the hell did that happen anyway? It was just a few years ago that the NFC was the dominant division… oh well, welcome to parity. Do I dare go against another home dog? Crap. I don’t know. OK, yep. Eagles 34 Cowboys 20
Redskins +6.5 over BRONCOS
The Skins are confident and the Broncos aren’t all that good. Still, 6 .5 is a lot to cover. Plus, the Skins aren’t blowing any one out. OK, take the Skins and the points and don’t be too surprised if they squeak by with a win. Broncos 21 Redskins 20
Bengals +2.5 over JAGUARS
Boomer Esiason called Carson Palmer the best young quarterback in the NFL. Palmer has done nothing to contradict that statement. However… the test of a good young team is to win on the road and I don’t think the Bengals are ready yet. I hope they prove me wrong, I’m actually starting to become a fan. Jaguars 27 Bengals 24
CHARGERS -3.5 over Steelers
This is a tough Monday night game. Pittsburgh is the better team. Is Rothlesb… uhh, Big Ben a better QB than Drew Brees? (Note to SBS fans: I have no clue how to spell his last name and I don’t care to look it up. You think the kid could sell a few letters to Ed Ott). I know a Steelers fan here in Richmond, a large African American dude, who is actually starting to make me believe the Steeler hype. Of course, that could be because he could easily rip the doors off my Camry and eat the upholstery if he chose to do so. OK I’m going with the Steelers. Steelers 27 Bolts 21
Greetings SBS fans! Karen and I are currently sitting at about 35,000 feet, above what appears to be farm land. We are in route to Green Bay to watch the Packers play the Saints. This will be the first of several blogs from the road, so let’s get right to the picks.
Last Week -
Samichlaus: 6-7
St. Ides: 4-9
Season -
Samichlaus: 29-30
St. Ides: 22-37
Ravens +1.5 over LIONS
First of all, the Lions aren’t very good. Second of all, they’re still talking about the “bad” call. Third of all, Joey Harrington is still their QB. I like the Ravens in this game. Ravens 17, Lions 7.
Bears +3.5 over BROWNS
Let me be the first to say, or to sing: “the Bears still suck”. Dilfer is a better QB than people give him credit for. In fact, Seattle has still not recovered from losing him. Cleveland wins, 19 to 10.
BILLS -2.5 over Dolphins
I like the Bills as well. The weather is getting colder (it’s 38 in Green Bay as we speak) and Miami is on the road. I think Nick Saban’s luck runs out. Bill 24, Miami 13.
Pats +3.5 over FALCONS
There’s no way that the Patriots lose this week. Last week’s embarrassment is motivation enough for the Patriots to trounce Vick’s herpes infested penis. (Okay sports fans. This is Mrs. Samichlaus here. Since we ARE 35,000 feet in the air and Steve, with his big man-hands, can’t type worth a crap on these tiny this little lap top keys, I’m playing secretary. Can I tell you how odd it is on a plane full of people to have my husband lean over and whisper the words “Vick’s herpes infested penis” into my ear as I’m popping peanuts? I wouldn’t even think to make this stuff up. I now return you to your regular Samichlaus programming…) Patriots 31, Falcons 24.
PACKERS -3.5 over Saints
Since Mrs. Samichlaus is doing such a fine job taking dictation, I’m going to let her do this next prediction. Take it away Mrs. Samichlaus!
Just 3 sentences ago I was repeatedly typing “Vick’s herpes infested penis” and now my husband is asking me to type the word “DICtation” and “preDICtion” expecting me not to laugh at all the damn scrotum connotations.
That said, I have a different way of looking at the games. I chose on how my luck is running or a specific tight end’s tight end that I can’t get out of my head. (Sorry hum, let’s just call that poetic license.) This morning flight took off at 6:30 AM. We had to run to catch the plane and jump it as they were closing the doors. Our connecting flight had us, again, as the last passengers boarding. So my thoughts are: Packers are gonna pull this one through. But only at the last possible moment and only after handing out collective heart attacks from the adrenalin rush.
Packers 24, Saints 21.
RAMS -3.5 over Seahawks
Bubba Franks’ ass. I didn’t need to think about that. I’m taking Seattle to win this game. Although Seattle got out-coached last week, I think that St. Louis’s head coach is even more over-rated than Mike Holmgren. Seattle comes back and wins a big one on the road. Seattle 34, St. Louise 31.
Bucs -3.5 over JETS
I don’t what the odds makers are thinking on this game. Seriously. The Jets may get shut out, but we’re not going to write that here on the odd chance that my cousin still reads this blog/. The Jets don’t have a prayer against the Bucs. Tampa 17, Jets 3.
Titans +3.5 over TEXANS
This one qualifies as the Samichlaus Stinker of the week, but I’m going to buck conventional SBS wisdom. I like Papa St. Ides’s approach: take the home dog. Why? These are two bad teams, period. I think the home dog rule will trump the ineptitude of David Carr and company. Texans win 24 - 17
NINERS +14.5 over Colts
Cool! We were just having a discussion about point spreads and the ubiquitous “half point”! The things married couples talk about as their 3rd anniversary approaches…. Anyway, I’m going with the Colts and the points. The Colts broke out of their offensive funk last week, and their defense is the real thing. The only thing that could trip them up is overconfidence (historians: check out the Packers / Colts game from 1997 that defined overconfidence). I’m predicting the Colts win this one college style.
Colts 41 Niners 17
CARDINALS +3.5 over Panthers
My though is that the Cardinals have had the dribbling shits most of the week. Mexico can do that to you (as opposed to RON Mexico, which gives you the “blistering penis”). I really like the Cats, and I really like John Fox. I also think Denny Green is overrated along with his Cardinals. My apologies to Papa St. Ides, but I’m contradicting everything I said before… Panthers 27 Cardinals 13
Eagles -3.5 over COWBOYS
Well, I don’t know about this one. I think the Eagles are still the cream of the crap that is the NFC. When the hell did that happen anyway? It was just a few years ago that the NFC was the dominant division… oh well, welcome to parity. Do I dare go against another home dog? Crap. I don’t know. OK, yep. Eagles 34 Cowboys 20
Redskins +6.5 over BRONCOS
The Skins are confident and the Broncos aren’t all that good. Still, 6 .5 is a lot to cover. Plus, the Skins aren’t blowing any one out. OK, take the Skins and the points and don’t be too surprised if they squeak by with a win. Broncos 21 Redskins 20
Bengals +2.5 over JAGUARS
Boomer Esiason called Carson Palmer the best young quarterback in the NFL. Palmer has done nothing to contradict that statement. However… the test of a good young team is to win on the road and I don’t think the Bengals are ready yet. I hope they prove me wrong, I’m actually starting to become a fan. Jaguars 27 Bengals 24
CHARGERS -3.5 over Steelers
This is a tough Monday night game. Pittsburgh is the better team. Is Rothlesb… uhh, Big Ben a better QB than Drew Brees? (Note to SBS fans: I have no clue how to spell his last name and I don’t care to look it up. You think the kid could sell a few letters to Ed Ott). I know a Steelers fan here in Richmond, a large African American dude, who is actually starting to make me believe the Steeler hype. Of course, that could be because he could easily rip the doors off my Camry and eat the upholstery if he chose to do so. OK I’m going with the Steelers. Steelers 27 Bolts 21
Friday, October 7, 2005
Week 5 Picks
Fun sports night on Wednesday night. Rangers won, Red Sox lost. Yankees lost too, but that's okay, I'm not a Yankees fan anyways. :P DirectTV is showing its "Center Ice" NHL package free for the first week, so I got to flip around between a ton of games. I'll hold my initial reactions on the "new" NHL until a few more games, but I like what I see so far.
Note: Samichlaus is currently en route to Green Bay for this weekend's Packers game! So I'll post his picks when he gets them to me.
On to this week's football picks.. After just 4 weeks, I'm 15 games below .500, yikes. That'll be a tough hole to climb out of.
Last Week -
Samichlaus: 6-7
St. Ides: 4-9
Season -
Samichlaus: 29-30
St. Ides: 22-37
Ravens +1.5 over LIONS
Gut-wrenching controversial loss for the Lions last week. There are still tons of people saying that winning touchdown catch should not have been reversed after the replay. There are also reports that the young Lions receivers have pretty much quit on Harrington, and it's on the verge of an open mutiny. Oh, and WR Charles Rogers is suspended for drugs. Maybe he's running those routes sloppily because he's stoned, and not because he's protesting Harrington's poor play? Who knows. Ravens 20, Lions 13.
Bears +3.5 over BROWNS
The Browns have kept it close in their losses, and Trent Dilfer has looked like a solid starting QB. But the Bears defense ought to make things a lot more difficult for him. Bears 19, Browns 17.
BILLS -2.5 over Dolphins
I'm torn on this one. Basically, the Dolphins have been over-achieving and the Bills have been under-achieving. I was going to go with the Dolphins, until I heard that J.P. Losman has been benched in favor of Kelly Holcombe. Holcombe comes from the Browns, where he played well enough to force Tim Couch out. Hell, is Couch even in the league right now? Anyways, I like that Holcombe brings in some veteran experience, and I think the team respondes. Bills 23, Dolphins 17.
Pats +3.5 over FALCONS
Weird season for the Patriots. They're again decimated by injuries, yet they held it together enough to win in Pittsburgh two weeks ago. But the Chargers trounced them at home last week. I think their defense is really hurting right now, and Chad Brown isn't getting any younger. It really comes down to Brady winning games for them now. Although I'm tempted to take the Falcons, Vick will be a little gimpy, and this could be a big letdown game for them at home. Even if they do win, Pats should keep it close enough to cover. Patriots 27, Falcons 24.
PACKERS -3.5 over Saints
Did the Packers wake up in their near comeback last Monday night? Frankly, I'm sick of all the Favre retirement talk. But basically, they need to win some games, and what better time than against the ever-erratic Saints with Mr. and Mrs. Samichlaus in attendance? Packers 26, Saints 20.
RAMS -3.5 over Seahawks
Reverse psychology time! Both starting WRs for Seattle are likely out (Jackson and Engram). The Seattle defense could not get key stops on 3rd down last week. Following that heart-breaking loss, it'll be tough to win on the road with their key receivers missing, against a Rams team that beat them 3 times last season (including that playoff game in Seattle where Engram dropped the tying TD). Really, this game will come down to turnovers and which defense steps up. And as much as I'd like to say Seattle wins this game, really, this is the type of game I've watched them lose time and time again for over 20 years. Rams 37, Seahawks 31.
Bucs -3.5 over JETS
*RING RING* "Hello, Vinny? This is Herm Edwards. We know you were on your couch just two weeks ago sipping whiskey sours and eating potato chips watching the football games, but we need you. Think you can suit up and beat an undefeated Tampa Bay team that's playing excellent ball right now? No? Well, you can't be any worse than this Brooks Bollinger clown I somehow managed to keep on the roster. I'll see you tomorrow." Buccaneers 23, Jets 10.
Titans +3.5 over TEXANS
The Titans beat the Ravens and kept it close against the Rams. Which means that they can hang with bad teams. The Texans are a bad team. Titans 26, Texans 24.
NINERS +14.5 over Colts
Of course, the first week I don't take the Colts giving huge points, they cover. This week they're giving huge points again in San Fran. I'm really very tempted to take them. But that extra little half point putting the spread over 2 TDs is preventing me from doing it. They win by 14, due to a late garbage TD by the Niners. Colts 31, Niners 17.
CARDINALS +3.5 over Panthers
Did the trip to Mexico wake up the Cardinals? I couldn't force myself to watch the second half (and there was no fecal snow* in the forecast.. ), but apparently McNown actually got the offense going. As much as I don't want to see Arizona get on track, I think they do have decent talent on both sides of the ball, and if McNown can get some time to throw, they can win some games. Panthers almost let a pretty bad Packers team steal that win. Taking the home team with points. Cardinals 24, Panthers 23.
Eagles -3.5 over COWBOYS
McNabb and TO are tearing teams a part. The Eagles aren't even pretending to establish a running game and still throwing at will against opponents. The Cowboys just are not that good, and a tough defense like Philly will give Drew Bledsoe fits. Eagles 31, Cowboys 17.
Redskins +6.5 over BRONCOS
The Redskins should have lost last week, and should have only put up about 10 points. However, Mark Brunell does look comfortable back there and has found a rhythm. And the Redkins defense is pretty good, despite the Seattle offense moving the ball pretty well on them. The Broncos offense is nowhere near as good as Seattle's. Jake Plummer is way overdue for a bad game. No way the Broncos cover almost a touchdown, even if they do squeeze out a win. Wouldn't it be ironic if the Redskins rookie kicker cost them this game after winning it last week? Broncos 17, Redskins 14.
Bengals +2.5 over JAGUARS
I've stuck with the Jaguars too long after watching them beat Seattle in week 1, and keeping it close with Indy in week 2. Two weeks ago, they needed OT to beat the Jets. Last week, they did nothing offensively at home against a Denver defense that isn't exactly scary. This week, the Bengals continue to show the world they're not a fluke. Bengals 31, Jaguars 24.
CHARGERS -3.5 over Steelers
It took a couple weeks, but the Chargers offense is clicking on all cylinders right now. And Big Ben is making my Trent Dilfer comparisons look pretty bad so far this season. Although Trent Dilfer is making himself look better. If that makes sense. Anyways, LT runs wild again. Chargers 30, Steelers 24.
* Fecal snow... I mentioned this in last week's picks, and I guess it deserves some explanation. Back in college, one of my friends was taking some kind of social studies or socialogy or something class. Anyways, they were learning about Mexico, and the teacher explained the fecal snow phenomenon. From what I remember, basically, in the villages, piles of shit pile up, dry out in the sun, and then the flakes of dried poop blow around, creating a sort of "snow". Let's see what Google pulls up... Here we go, several articles talking about problems arising from overpopulation: "In Mexico City, there is a phenomenon known as "fecal snow" which occurs when the wind picks up the dried excrement lying about and rains it upon the city." This wacky weather condition also inspired a BDF song of the same name (which showed up on the first page of the Google Search). Maybe I'll share the lyrics someday...
Note: Samichlaus is currently en route to Green Bay for this weekend's Packers game! So I'll post his picks when he gets them to me.
On to this week's football picks.. After just 4 weeks, I'm 15 games below .500, yikes. That'll be a tough hole to climb out of.
Last Week -
Samichlaus: 6-7
St. Ides: 4-9
Season -
Samichlaus: 29-30
St. Ides: 22-37
Ravens +1.5 over LIONS
Gut-wrenching controversial loss for the Lions last week. There are still tons of people saying that winning touchdown catch should not have been reversed after the replay. There are also reports that the young Lions receivers have pretty much quit on Harrington, and it's on the verge of an open mutiny. Oh, and WR Charles Rogers is suspended for drugs. Maybe he's running those routes sloppily because he's stoned, and not because he's protesting Harrington's poor play? Who knows. Ravens 20, Lions 13.
Bears +3.5 over BROWNS
The Browns have kept it close in their losses, and Trent Dilfer has looked like a solid starting QB. But the Bears defense ought to make things a lot more difficult for him. Bears 19, Browns 17.
BILLS -2.5 over Dolphins
I'm torn on this one. Basically, the Dolphins have been over-achieving and the Bills have been under-achieving. I was going to go with the Dolphins, until I heard that J.P. Losman has been benched in favor of Kelly Holcombe. Holcombe comes from the Browns, where he played well enough to force Tim Couch out. Hell, is Couch even in the league right now? Anyways, I like that Holcombe brings in some veteran experience, and I think the team respondes. Bills 23, Dolphins 17.
Pats +3.5 over FALCONS
Weird season for the Patriots. They're again decimated by injuries, yet they held it together enough to win in Pittsburgh two weeks ago. But the Chargers trounced them at home last week. I think their defense is really hurting right now, and Chad Brown isn't getting any younger. It really comes down to Brady winning games for them now. Although I'm tempted to take the Falcons, Vick will be a little gimpy, and this could be a big letdown game for them at home. Even if they do win, Pats should keep it close enough to cover. Patriots 27, Falcons 24.
PACKERS -3.5 over Saints
Did the Packers wake up in their near comeback last Monday night? Frankly, I'm sick of all the Favre retirement talk. But basically, they need to win some games, and what better time than against the ever-erratic Saints with Mr. and Mrs. Samichlaus in attendance? Packers 26, Saints 20.
RAMS -3.5 over Seahawks
Reverse psychology time! Both starting WRs for Seattle are likely out (Jackson and Engram). The Seattle defense could not get key stops on 3rd down last week. Following that heart-breaking loss, it'll be tough to win on the road with their key receivers missing, against a Rams team that beat them 3 times last season (including that playoff game in Seattle where Engram dropped the tying TD). Really, this game will come down to turnovers and which defense steps up. And as much as I'd like to say Seattle wins this game, really, this is the type of game I've watched them lose time and time again for over 20 years. Rams 37, Seahawks 31.
Bucs -3.5 over JETS
*RING RING* "Hello, Vinny? This is Herm Edwards. We know you were on your couch just two weeks ago sipping whiskey sours and eating potato chips watching the football games, but we need you. Think you can suit up and beat an undefeated Tampa Bay team that's playing excellent ball right now? No? Well, you can't be any worse than this Brooks Bollinger clown I somehow managed to keep on the roster. I'll see you tomorrow." Buccaneers 23, Jets 10.
Titans +3.5 over TEXANS
The Titans beat the Ravens and kept it close against the Rams. Which means that they can hang with bad teams. The Texans are a bad team. Titans 26, Texans 24.
NINERS +14.5 over Colts
Of course, the first week I don't take the Colts giving huge points, they cover. This week they're giving huge points again in San Fran. I'm really very tempted to take them. But that extra little half point putting the spread over 2 TDs is preventing me from doing it. They win by 14, due to a late garbage TD by the Niners. Colts 31, Niners 17.
CARDINALS +3.5 over Panthers
Did the trip to Mexico wake up the Cardinals? I couldn't force myself to watch the second half (and there was no fecal snow* in the forecast.. ), but apparently McNown actually got the offense going. As much as I don't want to see Arizona get on track, I think they do have decent talent on both sides of the ball, and if McNown can get some time to throw, they can win some games. Panthers almost let a pretty bad Packers team steal that win. Taking the home team with points. Cardinals 24, Panthers 23.
Eagles -3.5 over COWBOYS
McNabb and TO are tearing teams a part. The Eagles aren't even pretending to establish a running game and still throwing at will against opponents. The Cowboys just are not that good, and a tough defense like Philly will give Drew Bledsoe fits. Eagles 31, Cowboys 17.
Redskins +6.5 over BRONCOS
The Redskins should have lost last week, and should have only put up about 10 points. However, Mark Brunell does look comfortable back there and has found a rhythm. And the Redkins defense is pretty good, despite the Seattle offense moving the ball pretty well on them. The Broncos offense is nowhere near as good as Seattle's. Jake Plummer is way overdue for a bad game. No way the Broncos cover almost a touchdown, even if they do squeeze out a win. Wouldn't it be ironic if the Redskins rookie kicker cost them this game after winning it last week? Broncos 17, Redskins 14.
Bengals +2.5 over JAGUARS
I've stuck with the Jaguars too long after watching them beat Seattle in week 1, and keeping it close with Indy in week 2. Two weeks ago, they needed OT to beat the Jets. Last week, they did nothing offensively at home against a Denver defense that isn't exactly scary. This week, the Bengals continue to show the world they're not a fluke. Bengals 31, Jaguars 24.
CHARGERS -3.5 over Steelers
It took a couple weeks, but the Chargers offense is clicking on all cylinders right now. And Big Ben is making my Trent Dilfer comparisons look pretty bad so far this season. Although Trent Dilfer is making himself look better. If that makes sense. Anyways, LT runs wild again. Chargers 30, Steelers 24.
* Fecal snow... I mentioned this in last week's picks, and I guess it deserves some explanation. Back in college, one of my friends was taking some kind of social studies or socialogy or something class. Anyways, they were learning about Mexico, and the teacher explained the fecal snow phenomenon. From what I remember, basically, in the villages, piles of shit pile up, dry out in the sun, and then the flakes of dried poop blow around, creating a sort of "snow". Let's see what Google pulls up... Here we go, several articles talking about problems arising from overpopulation: "In Mexico City, there is a phenomenon known as "fecal snow" which occurs when the wind picks up the dried excrement lying about and rains it upon the city." This wacky weather condition also inspired a BDF song of the same name (which showed up on the first page of the Google Search). Maybe I'll share the lyrics someday...
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
The Return of Hockey!
So far, my baseball predictions look good. :P And in a 5-game series, winning game 1 is huge. The losers in game 1 will have to take 3 of 4 to win the series. It's a bit ridiculous tonight's Yankees-Angels game doesn't start until 10:15pm EST. I don't think I can bring myself to stay up til 1:30am on a work night, even for playoff baseball...
But before that game, we get the return of hockey! Here's a few things to keep an eye on. And yes, I am excited about it…
New Rules!
They added some new rules to try and increase the offense, and make the game more exciting for fans to watch. Here's a few key ones:
* The offensive zone is bigger. Should result in more effective power plays and less offsides penalties.
* Goalies cannot go behind the net to play the puck. So the dump in from the blue line should be a more effective way of getting into the offensive zone.
* No two-line passes. Get ready for some serious goal hanging and a ton of breakaways.
* Stricter enforcement of holding, grabbing, and stick penalties. If they want more wide open play, they'll need to stop players from grabbing one another without the puck.
* And last, but not least.. Shootouts! I've been hoping for this for years, and they've finally done it. No more ties. At the end of regulation, they'll play the usual overtime period. If the game is still tied, it's shootout time! One on one. Skater versus the goalie. Should be fun to watch.
New Network(??)
Apparently ESPN and FOX didn't want to touch hockey with a 50-foot pole for a television contract. So the NHL went elsewhere. The winner? OLN. "What the flying fuck is OLN?" you might ask? Outdoors Living Network, or some shit like that. The "O" is for Outdoors. Even though professional hockey is not played outdoors. Apparently this network's claim to fame is televising the Tour De France. Yikes. Still, it looks like they got veteran announcers hockey fans will be familiar with, so the broadcasts should be just fine. As long as you can figure out what channel it is on your cable or satellite provider…
New Superstar
Sidney Crosby, an 18-year old kid drafted #1 overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, is expected to be the next big NHL superstar. With Mario Lemeiux at his side and a decent supporting cast in Pittsburgh, he ought to have a good chance to put up nice numbers in his rookie campaign. Here's hoping he does better than previous "next Gretzky", Eric Lindros (who is back playing in his hometown Toronto, by the way).
Same Old Rangers
Well, the Rangers have Jaromir Jagr… and uhhhhh…. Prospects? Seems the Rangers are finally admitting they are rebuilding, but probably couldn't have picked a worse time, when fan interest is already hurting due to the long layoff. Gone are Messier, Leetch, and Richter. The Cup winning 1994 team is a faded memory. Hell, this team hasn't even made the playoffs in like 5 years. Basically, all Ranger fans can hope for is that some of their young players show some growth and promise, and that the team drafts well the next few seasons. And maybe we can sell off Jagr for decent return value if he puts up big numbers and a playoff contender shows interest.
With the baseball playoffs in full swing now, and the NFL just starting to heat up, there probably won't be a lot of interest in the NHL. But wait until February.. When baseball is long gone and football is over. That's when the Winter Olympics step in, and the NHL has agreed to take a few weeks off from the season to allow the pros to play for their countries. If we get a good competitive display from Olympic hockey (and we almost always do), when the NHL picks back up, it could renew fan interest. Hell, there will be nothing else to watch anyways.
I just hope the Rangers aren't mathematically eliminated from the playoffs by February.
I'm still a little pissed they allowed last season to be totally cancelled. But I am happy it is back.
But before that game, we get the return of hockey! Here's a few things to keep an eye on. And yes, I am excited about it…
New Rules!
They added some new rules to try and increase the offense, and make the game more exciting for fans to watch. Here's a few key ones:
* The offensive zone is bigger. Should result in more effective power plays and less offsides penalties.
* Goalies cannot go behind the net to play the puck. So the dump in from the blue line should be a more effective way of getting into the offensive zone.
* No two-line passes. Get ready for some serious goal hanging and a ton of breakaways.
* Stricter enforcement of holding, grabbing, and stick penalties. If they want more wide open play, they'll need to stop players from grabbing one another without the puck.
* And last, but not least.. Shootouts! I've been hoping for this for years, and they've finally done it. No more ties. At the end of regulation, they'll play the usual overtime period. If the game is still tied, it's shootout time! One on one. Skater versus the goalie. Should be fun to watch.
New Network(??)
Apparently ESPN and FOX didn't want to touch hockey with a 50-foot pole for a television contract. So the NHL went elsewhere. The winner? OLN. "What the flying fuck is OLN?" you might ask? Outdoors Living Network, or some shit like that. The "O" is for Outdoors. Even though professional hockey is not played outdoors. Apparently this network's claim to fame is televising the Tour De France. Yikes. Still, it looks like they got veteran announcers hockey fans will be familiar with, so the broadcasts should be just fine. As long as you can figure out what channel it is on your cable or satellite provider…
New Superstar
Sidney Crosby, an 18-year old kid drafted #1 overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, is expected to be the next big NHL superstar. With Mario Lemeiux at his side and a decent supporting cast in Pittsburgh, he ought to have a good chance to put up nice numbers in his rookie campaign. Here's hoping he does better than previous "next Gretzky", Eric Lindros (who is back playing in his hometown Toronto, by the way).
Same Old Rangers
Well, the Rangers have Jaromir Jagr… and uhhhhh…. Prospects? Seems the Rangers are finally admitting they are rebuilding, but probably couldn't have picked a worse time, when fan interest is already hurting due to the long layoff. Gone are Messier, Leetch, and Richter. The Cup winning 1994 team is a faded memory. Hell, this team hasn't even made the playoffs in like 5 years. Basically, all Ranger fans can hope for is that some of their young players show some growth and promise, and that the team drafts well the next few seasons. And maybe we can sell off Jagr for decent return value if he puts up big numbers and a playoff contender shows interest.
With the baseball playoffs in full swing now, and the NFL just starting to heat up, there probably won't be a lot of interest in the NHL. But wait until February.. When baseball is long gone and football is over. That's when the Winter Olympics step in, and the NHL has agreed to take a few weeks off from the season to allow the pros to play for their countries. If we get a good competitive display from Olympic hockey (and we almost always do), when the NHL picks back up, it could renew fan interest. Hell, there will be nothing else to watch anyways.
I just hope the Rangers aren't mathematically eliminated from the playoffs by February.
I'm still a little pissed they allowed last season to be totally cancelled. But I am happy it is back.
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
Playoff Baseball
Okay, with playoff baseball starting today (including games at 1pm and 4pm! Get your Alt-Tab fingers ready!), let's take a quick break from football talk and see what's up. So let's answer some top questions…
Can the Red Sox and Yankees actually advance past the first round? As exciting as it might be to see another Boston vs. New York ALCS, I don't see it happening. The pitching for both teams is just too shaky for a 5-game series. I'll address this a bit more further down.
Will Atlanta continue their decade long pattern of making the playoffs, but going out with a fizzle?
What the hell is wrong with the Braves? They ALWAYS win their division. And ALWAYS lose. Okay, so they've won one World Series over this current one, so not really _always_, but close enough. Says here the pattern continues. And unless someone else besides Andruw Jones decides to get hot with the bat, they might not even put up much of a fight in the first round.
Can the Cardinals live up to their expectations, especially after being swept in the World Series last yeat?
I doubt it. Although the rest of the NL isn't exactly scary. They're arguably worse than last year, with no Scott Rolen, Larry Walker needing cortizone shots into his frickin spine to be able to play, and their starting pitching besides Cy Young candidate Chris Carpenter not exactly intimidating.
Okay, so who's going to win what?
It's been said time and time and time again that pitching wins championships. Can you think of a recent an example where the offense won the World Series for a team in a high scoring series? Me neither. Good pitching wins. Based upon that logic (and it's hard to argue with it), a lot of "experts" are picking the Astros to win it all. The Astros?!? You mean the team that barely won the wild card?!? Yes, those Astros. And here's three reasons why: Clemens, Pettite, and Oswalt. I don't think you'll find a better top 3 starters in the playoffs. The Astros probably would have challenged for the division had Oswalt and Pettitte both been on the DL for a decent amount of time. And Clemens got like NO run support for many of his starts.
We all know how much I hate the "experts". So I'm going to say while the Astros pitching is impressive, their offense is not. It's tough to see them putting up even the 3-4 runs needed to win playoff games against other teams' top pitchers.
As for the AL… we all know about the woes of the Red Sox and Yankees pitching. But here's the key difference - Randy Johnson has pitched well in September (including a HUGE win against the Sox last weekend, when the home plate umpire was giving him a real tough time on close pitches). Curt Schilling has not pitched well, and is still of questionable health. Hell, it looks like he's not even going to pitch until Game 4 (if it gets that far). What does that tell you about the team's faith in him?
Despite their pitching woes, they're not exactly going up against amazing pitching staffs with the Angels and White Sox. Basically, it'll be the Yankees and Red Sox high-powered offenses against pretty good pitching of the Angels and White Sox. Versus the pretty good offenses of the Angels and White Sox against the not-quite-as-good pitching of New York and Boston. Confused yet? Me too.
I'll just shut up now and pull some actual predictions out of my ass:
ALDS:
White Sox over Red Sox in 4. (With Schilling getting destroyed at home to lose the series).
Yankees over Angels in 5. (Dude! A-Rod! Time to him to earn some of that salary in the post-season.)
NLDS:
Astros over Braves in 4. (Could Pettitte win both games 1 and 4? Why not.)
Cardinals over Padres in 5. (Just because the Cardinals like to give themselves a scare.)
And what the hell, I'll go all the way. Though I deserve the right to revise the rest of these predictions after round 1 is over:
ALCS:
Yankees over White Sox in 6. (Ozzie Guillen just is not a championship caliber coach, and it catches up with him.)
NLCS:
Cardinals over Astros in 7. (The makings of a classic series. Houston offense doesn't get it done.)
World Series:
Cardinals over Yankees in 6. (Cardinals put it all together for the win. Series MVP: Albert Pujols. The kid is dope.)
We'll revisit this later, no doubt. ;) And Samichlaus has promised a piece, including some good ol' fashioned Yankee bashing, so stay tuned!
Can the Red Sox and Yankees actually advance past the first round? As exciting as it might be to see another Boston vs. New York ALCS, I don't see it happening. The pitching for both teams is just too shaky for a 5-game series. I'll address this a bit more further down.
Will Atlanta continue their decade long pattern of making the playoffs, but going out with a fizzle?
What the hell is wrong with the Braves? They ALWAYS win their division. And ALWAYS lose. Okay, so they've won one World Series over this current one, so not really _always_, but close enough. Says here the pattern continues. And unless someone else besides Andruw Jones decides to get hot with the bat, they might not even put up much of a fight in the first round.
Can the Cardinals live up to their expectations, especially after being swept in the World Series last yeat?
I doubt it. Although the rest of the NL isn't exactly scary. They're arguably worse than last year, with no Scott Rolen, Larry Walker needing cortizone shots into his frickin spine to be able to play, and their starting pitching besides Cy Young candidate Chris Carpenter not exactly intimidating.
Okay, so who's going to win what?
It's been said time and time and time again that pitching wins championships. Can you think of a recent an example where the offense won the World Series for a team in a high scoring series? Me neither. Good pitching wins. Based upon that logic (and it's hard to argue with it), a lot of "experts" are picking the Astros to win it all. The Astros?!? You mean the team that barely won the wild card?!? Yes, those Astros. And here's three reasons why: Clemens, Pettite, and Oswalt. I don't think you'll find a better top 3 starters in the playoffs. The Astros probably would have challenged for the division had Oswalt and Pettitte both been on the DL for a decent amount of time. And Clemens got like NO run support for many of his starts.
We all know how much I hate the "experts". So I'm going to say while the Astros pitching is impressive, their offense is not. It's tough to see them putting up even the 3-4 runs needed to win playoff games against other teams' top pitchers.
As for the AL… we all know about the woes of the Red Sox and Yankees pitching. But here's the key difference - Randy Johnson has pitched well in September (including a HUGE win against the Sox last weekend, when the home plate umpire was giving him a real tough time on close pitches). Curt Schilling has not pitched well, and is still of questionable health. Hell, it looks like he's not even going to pitch until Game 4 (if it gets that far). What does that tell you about the team's faith in him?
Despite their pitching woes, they're not exactly going up against amazing pitching staffs with the Angels and White Sox. Basically, it'll be the Yankees and Red Sox high-powered offenses against pretty good pitching of the Angels and White Sox. Versus the pretty good offenses of the Angels and White Sox against the not-quite-as-good pitching of New York and Boston. Confused yet? Me too.
I'll just shut up now and pull some actual predictions out of my ass:
ALDS:
White Sox over Red Sox in 4. (With Schilling getting destroyed at home to lose the series).
Yankees over Angels in 5. (Dude! A-Rod! Time to him to earn some of that salary in the post-season.)
NLDS:
Astros over Braves in 4. (Could Pettitte win both games 1 and 4? Why not.)
Cardinals over Padres in 5. (Just because the Cardinals like to give themselves a scare.)
And what the hell, I'll go all the way. Though I deserve the right to revise the rest of these predictions after round 1 is over:
ALCS:
Yankees over White Sox in 6. (Ozzie Guillen just is not a championship caliber coach, and it catches up with him.)
NLCS:
Cardinals over Astros in 7. (The makings of a classic series. Houston offense doesn't get it done.)
World Series:
Cardinals over Yankees in 6. (Cardinals put it all together for the win. Series MVP: Albert Pujols. The kid is dope.)
We'll revisit this later, no doubt. ;) And Samichlaus has promised a piece, including some good ol' fashioned Yankee bashing, so stay tuned!
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