Author Archives: Bobby Roberts

C’mon Colts, Bring Back Mike Vanderjagt!

Adam Vinatieri looks to be out for 4-8 weeks with a knee injury and the Colts signed veteran kicker, Matt Stover to fill in. I think this move isn’t very bold. Stover has only attempted three field goals over 50 yards in the last three years and have only connected on one of them. His leg isn’t what it used to be. Isn’t Vanderjagt out there?

The Colts have had a big-legged kicker since the days of Dean Biasucci. It’s another area that the Colts have excelled in, since back in those days, they were very bad. I think that the signing of Matt Stover is unacceptable in my book. They need the ability to score points once they get near the 35-yard line. Stover will only be accurate from 45-yards or less.

I was being a little facetious by asking if Mike Vanderjagt was available, but really is he? I’m sure he could go out there with a fifth of vodka in his system and kick a football 55 yards…only if the game isn’t on the line.

The Colts had to release trouble DT Ed Johnson in order to fit Stover on the roster. Johnson is the starter on the defense and they struggled last season when they released him after some legal problems. They could have kept him and just had rookie punter, Pat McAfee, handle the kicking duties. He was a superb kicker at the University of West Virginia. He already is in charge of the kickoffs because he has a huge leg. I would feel confident in him taking over kicking field goals more than Matt Stover. I feel that this roster move will hurt the Colts against the run the rest of the season.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

The Real Reason Why Rush Limbaugh Won’t Own An NFL Team

Rush Limbaugh is one of the most polarizing figures in the media today. He wants to become a minority owner of the St. Louis Rams. He has yet to make a formal bid for the team, but the media is buzzing about reasons why he shouldn’t be the owner. They start talking about politics and past racial remarks that he made on national television, but they are forgetting one crucial reason why he’ll never be an owner in any major sport.

It’s been a few years, but Rush Limbaugh has had a drug-riddled past. It started in 2003 when he admitted that he was addicted to oxycontin and hydrocodone. He went to rehab and then in 2005 he was under investigation for “doctor shopping” and it was rumored that he took hundreds of pain killers a day to sustain his habit. The NFL doesn’t anyone that has been linked to drugs in any management position with a team. They had problems with cocaine and steroids in the past and they have went out of their way to clean up the sport. Roger Goodell has taken extra steps in coming down hard on players who get into legal issues or conduct that may bring the NFL into the spotlight in a negative way.

I know his past of making insensitive racial remarks could be a reason why he wouldn’t be voted in as an owner, but I feel that his drug-related not-so-recent past is the biggest reason. You could even make an argument that his prominent role in the Republican party could be an asset in getting voted in by the owners. A recent poll said that team owners are predominantly Republican, even though the players are mostly Democrat. I’m a Democrat and I know that I have worked for Republican business owners in the past, it shouldn’t be a big deal, but when your owner is on the radio daily throwing his venom all across the airwaves, it’s hard to ignore. He would have a hard time getting players to sign, even if they would open up their pocket book.

The St. Louis Rams is a team that is in danger of getting moved to another city. If Rush Limbaugh’s group did end up buying them, it was 100% assure that the team would have to stay in St. Louis. The majority person in his group is the owner of the St. Louis Blues, which rules states that he couldn’t move. If I lived in St. Louis and loved the Rams, I would put politics aside and back this possible bid. Dave Checketts, the Blues owner, has done some great things for the team since he has been owner. I believe Limbaugh wouldn’t be a major voice if he became part-owner and Checketts would build a winning team. It’s a sticky situation, but I would bet that Limbaugh has no chance at becoming an owner. Checketts better find another partner, maybe one that didn’t pop Oxycontin’s like M&Ms.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Why Buffalo Is the Worst Team In The NFL

I’m sorry St. Louis Rams fans, your team is not the worst in the league. The Buffalo Bills took that spot when the Browns beat them 6-3 on Sunday. Derek Anderson went 2-17 for 23 yards and still managed to beat the Bills. Why are the Bills so bad? We look at the signings and the overall management of this team to find out what went wrong.

Two seasons ago, the Bills was thought to have a coming out party against the Cowboys on Monday Night Football. They made Tony Romo look like Ryan Leaf and the team looked like a team on the rise. Buffalo went out and signed some free-agents and wasted some draft picks since then. Dick Jauron hasn’t exactly gotten the most out of the talent either. Here are a list of some of the players on the team and why they haven’t lived up to their potential.

Trent Edwards – I don’t know why the weight of the franchise was ever on him. Didn’t anyone watch him at Stanford? He was only 10-20 as a starting quarterback and was injury-prone. He has kept up the injuries, but why draft this guy in the 3rd-round and tag him as the franchise quarterback? It was a horrible draft class for quarterbacks, you should just picked up Jeff Garcia and bought yourself a year and got a QB from the 2008 class.

Marcus Stroud – He was a beast in Jacksonville, but once he arrived in Buffalo, he was a shall of himself. He has done a decent job so far this year (27 tackles), but he is not the game-changer that you thought he was.

Marshawn Lynch – He had a nice year and a half with Buffalo, then some of the off-the-field problems started to happen. He’s still a nice back, but if he keeps it up, you’ll have to deal him. The Bills should probably try to get what they can for him this off-season why they can. If he gets in trouble again, it’s a bigger suspension and you’ll only get 20 cents on the dollar for him. Fred Jackson looks like a nice back, pay him and get rid of Lynch.

Terrell Owens – Really Buffalo? C’mon! You saw what he did to McNabb, Garcia, and Romo, right? He’s only useful when your team is winning. Buffalo couldn’t have expected to win the AFC East this year, so why even bother? I know you need to sell tickets or try to get Canada to all pinch in their maple leafs in and just buy the team, but this was just a publicity stunt. He’s going to have his worst professional year, he’ll latch on to some team next year and completely rip the Bills.

Josh Reed – This guy has the hands of Marvin Harrison, but probably the speed of Harrison Ford. He’s a very good possession receiver, why can’t you use him as a Wes Welker slot option? It seems like he could be a 60-70 catch guy in the right system. Buffalo is not the right system for him.

James Hardy – This guy should be your future at wide receiver. I’m not saying that just because he’s from my old stomping grounds of Fort Wayne. I watched him play at Indiana most weeks and he is a game-changer at that position. He took some of the best Big Ten secondaries to task. He has two touchdown receptions so far this season for Buffalo. The way things look, two might be enough to be the team lead for the season.

Jason Peters – You trade your starting left tackle to Philadelphia for a sixth-round pick? I know he gave up 11 1/2 sacks last year, but he’s better than anything you have. What is your thinking? Trent Edwards doesn’t need that much time to hand off to Marshawn Lynch? You sign T.O. and you leave your quarterback’s blind side vulnerable, a brilliant move there Buffalo.

Donte Whitner – He’s a great safety, but unfortunately he’s on a very bad defense. He has lived up to his potential, but he has to be counting the seasons left on his contract so he can get out of Buffalo.

Turk Schonert – You fired your offensive coordinator, Turk Schonert, right before the season begins. Was this a scape goat move by the higher up management or coach? You know the team is bad and you just need an excuse. “Hey, it’s not my fault we are losing, we had to fire the offensive coordinator right before the season.” That could usually buy you another year if your head coach wasn’t already on the hot seat. Oh yeah, you promote former back-up quarterback, Alex Van Pelt, as your offensive coordinator when you fired Schonert. He has only been out of the league for maybe three seasons, but now looks like a former offensive lineman. He probably gets winded just calling in plays to Edwards.

Dick Jauron – Finally, the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. I go against the common NFL fan laws and I am a fan of the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears. I can usually get away with it, since they are in different conferences, but when they met in the Super Bowl, it was a rough one. Now to my point, I watch Jauron sink potentially great Chicago Bears teams into the ground. Some guys aren’t great coaches, they may look like one when the team’s talent surpasses the coach’s inabilities, but eventually Jauron gets hold of the team and just strangles it to death. I think after the third-straight season of going 7-9, the Bills would understand that they don’t have another Marv Levy as their head coach. I think Jauron needs to resign or the Bills should fire him. I don’t know who on their staff would step in, maybe defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell?

The Buffalo Bills has gone the entire decade of the 00’s without a single playoff appearance. The franchise used to be so revered and respected, but hasn’t had any success since Bill Polian left for Indianapolis. I used to like watching the Bills when Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, and Cornelius Bennett made playing in Ralph Wilson stadium one of the toughest places to play. The team needs a complete overhaul in management and at a few main positions if they want to sniff the playoffs anytime soon. Could they possibly coax Jim Kelly out of retirement?

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Gone To Indiana

I’m going to be gone for the next two days visiting family and friends in the land of Peyton Manning and Larry Bird. As I am gone, go to the “Friends Of The White Boy” section and visit some of my friend’s blogs. They do very good work and they will appreciate the business. I want to leave you with a question, who was a better receiver for the Indianapolis Colts, Clarence Verdin or Troy Walters? Please discuss and let me know your answer when I get back.

Stingers On Ice
Pacers Place

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2009-10 NBA Preview: Detroit Pistons

The Pistons got rid of Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace, but added Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva this off-season. The core of this team is still there and an improvement on their 39 win season is in their future. Can Villanueva fill the shoes that Rasheed Wallace left? Can Rodney Stuckey take his game to the next level? How much does Richard Hamilton have left in the tank? Here is the 2009-10 NBA Preview for the Detroit Pistons.

Additions/Subtractions – The Pistons were one of the most active teams in free-agency this past off-season. They signed two of the best free agents available right off the bat. Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva signed the same day for big money and will be slotted into the starting line-up this season. They also went out and signed Chris Wilcox and Ben Wallace, which will fortify their roster depth. I like their draft picks coming in. Austin Daye is a long, athletic player and DaJuan Summers could turn into a useful player for the Pistons. Rasheed Wallace, Walter Herrmann, and Allen Iverson are no longer with the team, but only one of those players they will miss, I’ll let you decide which player that I am referring to.

2009-10 Expectations – After seven straight seasons of winning at least 50 games, they took a step back in 2008-09 and fell to 39-43. Michael Curry was fired as head coach and John Kuester was hired to lead the team. They signed Gordon and Villanueva to be fixtures on this team for years to come, but neither have really lived up to their potential so far in their NBA career. Gordon has proven to be a great sixth-man, but he is being paid “starter money” and Villanueva has only averaged 13.4 points per game since he was a lottery pick. They will miss Rasheed Wallace and his leadership, but Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton, and Rodney Stuckey are still there to become the new leaders on this team. I believe the Pistons are expecting to be a top 5 seed in the East this year and if they don’t make to at least the 2nd round of the playoffs, this season will be a failure.

2009-10 Prediction – The Stuckey/Hamilton/Prince/Villanueva/Kwame Brown starting line-up will lead this team to the playoffs, but they need more PG depth. Prince will end up being an All-Star and Gordon should win the Sixth-Man of the Year award. They will bounce back from the 39-win season and get back near their normal 50 win total.

2009-10 Win Total – 49-33

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2009 NFL 1st Rounders – The First 4 Games

NFL 1st-round picks are either slowly groomed to be a star or instantly thrown into the starting line-up. You have seen successes and failures either both ways. What can the first four games show about a player? If they are already doing well, the team has instant gratification about taking that player in the 1st-round. If the player isn’t doing great, they can just use the excuse “he’s a work in progress.” Here is what the 2009 NFL 1st-round picks have done so far this season.

1. Matthew Stafford – QB – Detroit Lions – 79 for 139, 894 yards, 3 TDs, 6 INTs, sacked 10 times

2. Jason Smith – OT – St. Louis Rams – currently injured, has played in 2 games.

3. Tyson Jackson – DE – Kansas City Chiefs – 2 tackles, no sacks

4. Aaron Curry – OLB – Seattle Seahawks – 22 tackles, 1 sacks, 1 forced fumble

5. Mark Sanchez – QB – New York Jets – 63 for 110, 744 yards, 4 TDs, 5 INTs, sacked 9 times

6. Andre Smith – OT – Cincinnati Bengals – currently injured, has yet to play this season

7. Darrius Heyward-Bey – WR – Oakland Raiders – 2 catches, 36 yards, 1 rush attempt, 20 yards, 0 TDs

8. Eugene Monroe – OT – Jacksonville Jaguars – Has played in 3 games.

9. B.J. Raji – DT – Green Bay Packers – 4 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 forced fumbles

10. Michael Crabtree – WR – San Francisco 49ers – Has not played this season.

11. Aaron Maybin – DE – Buffalo Bills – 2 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 forced fumbles

12. Knowshon Moreno – RB – Denver Broncos – 60 attempts, 249 yards, 1 rushing TD, 4 catches, 33 yards, 1 receiving TD

13. Brian Orakpo – DE – Washington Redskins – 13 tackles, 2 sacks, 0 forced fumbles

14. Malcolm Jenkins – DB – New Orleans Saints – 6 tackles, 0 INTs, 2 forced fumbles

15. Brian Cushing – OLB – Houston Texans – 33 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 forced fumbles

16. Larry English – DE – San Diego Chargers – 6 tackles, 1 sacks, 1 forced fumbles

17. Josh Freeman – QB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Has yet to play, currently 2nd-string QB

18. Robert Ayers – DE – Denver Broncos – 3 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 forced fumbles

19. Jeremy Maclin – WR – Philadelphia Eagles – 6 catches, 45 yards, 0 TDs

20. Brandon Pettigrew – TE – Detroit Lions – 10 catches, 131 yards, 0 TDs

21. Alex Mack – C – Cleveland Browns – Has played in 4 games

22. Percy Harvin – WR – Minnesota Vikings – 14 catches, 167 yards, 2 receiving TDs

23. Michael Oher – OT – Baltimore Ravens – Has played in 4 games

24. Peria Jerry – DT – Atlanta Falcons – 1 tackle *knee injury – out for year

25. Vontae Davis – DB – Miami Dolphins – 4 tackles, 1 INTs, 0 forced fumble

26. Clay Matthews – OLB – Green Bay Packers – 7 tackles, 1 sacks, 0 forced fumble

27. Donald Brown – RB – Indianapolis Colts – 38 carries, 132 yards, 2 rushing TDs, 5 catches, 125 yards, 0 receiving TDs

28. Eric Wood – C – Buffalo Bills – Has played in 4 games

29. Hakeem Nicks – WR – New York Giants – 3 catches, 72 yards, 1 TDs

30. Kenny Britt – WR – Tennessee Tians – 17 catches, 271 yards, 0 TDs

31. Chris Wells – RB – Arizon Cardinals – 16 rushes, 71 yards, 0 TDs

32. Ziggy Hood – DE – Pittsburgh Steelers – 0 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 forced fumbles

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

NFL Week 5: Fantasy Football Sit/Start

My week 4 fantasy football sit/start post did pretty well. Steve Smith of the New York Giants caught everything, Vernon Davis had another big week, the Ravens running backs helped fantasy owners, and Visanthe Shiancoe caught a touchdown on Monday Night. I predicted a few sits from last week that came through. Willie Parker couldn’t even play and Thomas Jones is a shell of himself. Week 5 has some nice match-ups and see who you need to pick up on the waiver wire. Here is my fantasy football sit/start for Week 5. Continue reading →

2009-10 NBA Preview: New Jersey Nets

The Nets have a lot of young talent and the trade that sent Vince Carter to the Magic loaded them up with even more youth. Can the Nets finish the season over .500? Can Courtney Lee develop into an All-Star? Will the Nets miss Vince Carter? Will Brook Lopez finally get his cookie? Here is the 2009-10 NBA Preview of the New Jersey Nets.

Additions/Subtractions – The Nets made a big trade in the off-season that sent Vince Carter to Orlando for Courtney Lee, Tony Battie, and Rafer Alston. Lee will be in the starting line-up, while Alston will add depth at point-guard by backing up Devin Harris. I like Battie off the bench, he was an asset for the Magic and Celtics. I love the drafting of Terrence Williams, he was a very good player at Louisville and can help this team as a rookie. He’s a big of a goof ball, but this team needs some characters.

2009-10 Expectations – The Nets have went 34-48 the last two seasons and have finished above .500 since 2005-06. Brook Lopez, Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, Yi Jianlian, and Terrence Williams could be one of the best sets of young talent in the league. A few years from now, they could be competing in the East, but they are still all pretty green and they need some more experience under their belt. The expectations of this team is to possibly finish around .500 and make the playoffs as one of the last seeds. Lawrence Frank is one of the longest-tenured coach in the NBA and I don’t expect that a rough season would end in getting fired, but if the ownership change happens, anything can happen.

2009-10 Prediction – The young talent on the Nets will start to mature this year and lead this team to a better record and a spot in the playoffs. I do worry about Rafer Alston coming off the bench, if he embraces the back-up role, he can help, but if he doesn’t, he’ll end up in the doghouse or on another team.

2009-10 Win Total – 42-40

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

NCAA Football – Week 6 Betting Picks

Week 5 was a pretty good week for my picks. I went 10-4 against the spread and picked a few money-line winners. There are some good games this week and some games that the lines look a little skewed. Can America’s White Boy’s weekly upset team, Wyoming, keep their winnings ways against the spread? Here are my Week 6 College football betting picks against the spread.

I am throwing out two games that I would advise to avoid this week. Iowa/Michigan will be tricky and both teams have been severely inconsistent. I would also like to add the Connecticut/Pittsburgh into that category as well. Both of those teams haven’t play any top-tier teams and you really don’t know what kind of teams they are. UConn beat North Carolina earlier this year, but UNC has had a few bad games this year already. The line for the LSU/Florida game hasn’t been released yet, but once I find out if Tim Tebow is listed as playing, I will update this post.

Nebraska (-3) at Missouri (+3) – My pick is Missouri

Missouri has won the last two games against Nebraska by a combined total of 93-23. Missouri doesn’t have Daniel or Maclin anymore, but they still match up well against the Cornhuskers. The Tigers are at home, so I expect a good showing. I’ll take the points and Missouri in this game.

West Virginia (-10) at Syracuse (+10) – My pick is West Virginia

Syracuse has had a hard schedule this year and they don’t have any easy opponents. The Mountaineers have looked strong this year and should win this game by a few touchdowns. Syracuse is a decent team, but when you play the best teams, you look horrible.

Michigan State (-4.5) at Illinois (+4.5) – My pick is Michigan State

Illinois is a trainwreck and they’ve benched Juice Williams in favor of Eddie McGee as their starting quarterback. Michigan State looks to have finally righted the ship last week against Michigan and they should win this game by at least a touchdown. I like the Spartans to win this game on the road.

Auburn (-2.5) at Arkansas (+2.5) – My pick is Auburn

Auburn had a bad year in 2008, but so far this year, they have did what they had to do to stay undefeated. Arkansas has relied on the passing game to win, but have fell short in 2 out of the last 3 games. I like Auburn to win this game on the road as the slight favorites and cover ATS.

Georgia (+1.5) at Tennessee (-1.5) – My pick is Georgia

The Vols are a better team under Lane Kiffin, but they still have a lot to prove. They have been competitive in games, but haven’t won any big games. They are favored in this game, but I look for Georgia to go into Knoxville and win this game. The Bulldogs are good and I believe that their defense will finally show up in this game.

New Mexico (+10) at Wyoming (-10) – My pick is New Mexico

I usually don’t pick against Wyoming this year, but they haven’t won their games by much this year and 10 points seems like a little too much. If it was down to maybe 3, I would say Wyoming, but it is. New Mexico has been able to score points in their losses and I think this one stays close. New Mexico has won the last two games against Wyoming, but I think they will lose a close game, I pick New Mexico ATS.

Houston (+1) at Mississippi State (-1) – My pick is Houston

Houston has looked great this year, but lost a shootout against UTEP last week. They can still put points up and Mississippi State has given up a lot. Houston should be able to throw all over the Bulldogs and win this game. I like Houston to win this game, take the money-line.

Wisconsin (+16) at Ohio State (-16) – My pick is Wisconsin

Ohio State’s defense has finally started to click, but the history of the games between Wisconsin and Ohio State have been nail-biters. A 16-point spread is a large number for any Big Ten game and I don’t see Ohio State covering that large of a spread. The game will be closer than that, so give me the points and I’ll pick Wisconsin.

Utah (-7.5) at Colorado State (+7.5) – My pick is Utah

The spread offense can do damage to any defense and Utah runs it as good as any team. Colorado State has a couple nice wins under their belt this season, but Utah is a much better team

Stanford (-1) at Oregon State (+1) – My pick is Stanford

Jim Harbaugh has the Stanford Cardinal playing very well this year and Oregon State has also shown up for some big games this season. I like both of these teams going forward this season, but I like Stanford to win a close game on the road.

East Carolina (-6.5) at SMU (+6.5) – My pick is East Carolina

SMU, thanks to June Jones, has a high-powered passing attack, but they have not had any big wins so far this season. East Carolina has played a couple marquee games and faired well, but did not win either of those contests. East Carolina is good at forcing turnovers and expect them to get some points off of them against SMU. Give me East Carolina to cover the spread in this game.

Georgia Tech (+2.5) at Florida State (-2.5) – My pick is Georgia Tech

Bobby Bowden is under a lot of pressure in Tallahassee and this is a must win game for them. Georgia Tech has looked impressive this season and should give the Seminoles a good game. I look for the Yellow Jackets to go into Florida State and win against a distracted team. If you pick Georgia Tech, pick the money line, I think they have a chance.

Arizona (-3) at Washington (+3) – My pick is Washington

Why is this line not favoring the Huskies? Have we not learned anything the last few weeks? Washington is a pretty good team and they will be dangerous at home. Arizona has a better record and a win at Oregon State, but Washington are clutch. I will take Washington and the points in this game.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2009-10 NBA Preview: Boston Celtics

The Celtics went 62-20 last year and somehow it seemed like a disappointing year. The Celtics lost to the Orlando Magic in seven games in the 2nd round last season. The Magic just matched up very well against Boston last year, but the Celtics signed Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels. Are the veterans on the Celtics a year wiser or just another year older? They are getting up there in age, can they win another title before the window closes? Here is the 2009-10 NBA Preview for the Boston Celtics.

Additions/Subtractions – Can I add Kevin Garnett in this section, because without him, the Celtics were just a good team, not great. If he isn’t 100% from the knee injury, they have insurance in the form of Rasheed Wallace. He didn’t have a good season last year, but with Sheed, he needs to be motivated and on a contending team for a team to get 100% effort. He will help this team immensely with or without a healthy Garnett. Another nice acquistion was the addition of Marquis Daniels. He had a very good season for the Pacers last year and he can score points when needed. Stephon Marbury and Leon Powe are the two main subtractions from last year’s team, but only Powe will be missed, but Wallace is an upgrade at that position.

2009-10 Expectations – It’s a championship or bust for Boston this year. This team doesn’t have many more seasons with this current squad and really has to go all-in or this season. Kevin Garnett is hungry again and he has a chip on his shoulder. He has to prove that he is still dominant and he is 100% healthy, so expect maximum effort from KG this year. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen fell apart toward the end of last season. Age could be creeping up on them, but Rajon Rondo picked up the slack and had the best stretch of his career during the playoffs last season. This team is loaded with veterans wanting to win a ring, if they can keep Wallace in check and keep the technicals down, Boston could be the team to beat in the East or the entire NBA.

2009-10 Prediction – Kevin Garnett may not have a great 1st half this season, but by the 2nd half, he should be 100% and putting up ridiculous numbers. I worry about Pierce and Allen, but with the addition of Wallace and Daniels, they can spell them so the minutes don’t creep up on them by the end of the year. This team is going to go far this year, they have more length at the SF and SG positions to compete with Orlando and they seem to have Cleveland’s number.

2009-10 Win Total – 64-18

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

What’s Next For Juice Williams?

I guess the blame for Ron Zook’s disappointing last two seasons have finally fell upon Juice Williams. He said today that he is going to bench Williams in favor of junior quarterback, Eddie McGee. Williams was the taste of the town two seasons ago when he upset Ohio State in the Shoe and lead his team to a Rose Bowl bid. It has been a rocky road since then and now the senior has found himself on the bench. What is next for Juice Williams? Could the NFL be in his future?

In 2005, Isiah “Juice” Williams, was one of the top quarterback recruits in the nation. He played for Chicago Vocational Career Academy and chose to stay close to home and play in-state at Illinois. A lot of the successful college quarterbacks at that time were Vince Young, Troy Smith, and you could even add Marcus Vick in that discussion. They all fell in the same category as a duel-threat quarterback that can use his legs to move to the ball. Since that time, Vince Young has fluttered in the NFL, Troy Smith has barely sniffed the ball for the Baltimore Ravens, and Vick (either one) has fell into legal problems off-the-field. It could be the paradigm-shift that has caused teams and colleges to stray away from those types of colleges, but Williams can’t blame anything except for his own ability.

A strong running game with Rashard Mendenhall helped Williams beat Ohio State and head into the Rose Bowl in 2007. When Mendenhall left for the NFL, Illinois became one-dimensional and had to rely on the passing game and Williams’ feet to move the ball. A series of injuries and suspensions have lead to a disappointing season in 2008 and at the beginning of this year. Arrelious Benn hasn’t been 100% this season and when you take away a target like that, the quarterback will suffer. Eddie McGee has shown that he is a better passer than Williams and also has some speed that could be useful, but Williams’ intangibles are still better. He has clearly been rattled by his lack of production and maybe sitting him down is the best for the team. I wouldn’t back a plan that would permanently bench Williams, he’s a weapon, try to get him into the game in a Wildcat type of play-set and you could benefit.

If you are looking toward the 2010 season, getting McGee into the game for some regular reps is a smart decision, but Zook can’t bet that he’ll be around for it. Zook has taken a lot of heat for putting together great recruiting classes, but not getting much out of them. If he does get fired after this season and I ran a major program, I would hire him as an assistant coach and only let him recruit. He has shown that he can recruit with the best of them, but his coaching ability is suspect to this point.

Do I think that Juice Williams can play in the NFL? Not right now, but if the Wildcat system catches on even more, he could be a nice undrafted free-agent signing. I could see him going up to Canada and trying his ability out up there. If he is a success, maybe he can catch on with a team has a 3rd string or practice squad player. This benching is bad news for Williams and his professional career, but he must remember this moment and keep working. You never know what can happen, Matt Cassel never even started a game in college and he’s a starter in the NFL.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2009-10 NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors

The Raptors went out and made a splash this off-season by signing Hedo Turkoglu. They paid him a lot of money, but are they expecting to win now? Will they move Chris Bosh before the trading deadline or reach an agreement on a new deal? Can the new Raptors lead this team to the post-season? Here is the 2009-10 NBA Preview for the Toronto Raptors.

Additions/Subtractions – The Raptors were able to sign the best free-agent in this year’s weak class, Hedo Turkoglu. He left Orlando for Toronto because of money and the international feel of Toronto. I don’t know if that is why someone who sign with a team, but Turkoglu’s wife made the decision. Jarrett Jack was another off-season addition to this team, he adds depth at point guard and has played at a high level in the NBA for a few years. DeMar DeRozen was their lottery pick and he should help this offense out, but he could be a year or two away from being any help on the defensive end of the floor. He could become the star of the team after Chris Bosh leaves after this season.

2009-10 Expectations – Jay Triano took over after the first month of the season last year and went 25-40 as the head coach last year. The Raptors are expecting big things from this team, since they went out and signed Turkoglu and this could be their last year with Chris Bosh on the team. He’s a free-agent after this season and he has dropped hints that he is bolting after this season. If the Raptors somehow end up out of the playoff race before the trading deadline, you could see Bosh being sent to a contender for something in return. If you are Toronto, you can’t afford to let him walk without getting something back. Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon are expected to live up to their potential this year. Bargnani had a good year in 2008-09, but he has yet to live up to the #1 overall pick status. He needs to prove that he can be the star this franchise needs and become a legitimate big man in the NBA. If the Raptors have a rough year, expect Triano to get fired and for them to go after a big name.

2009-10 Prediction – The Chris Bosh distraction may end up being too much for the Raptors to handle. The addition of Turkoglu and Jack should add wins to this team, but I expect Toronto to move Bosh at some point this season for young talent or draft picks. This team will regress this season and miss the playoffs again.

2009-10 Win Total – 30-52

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