10 Reasons Why Rio De Janeiro Is Better Than Chicago

Brazil beat out Chicago to host the 2016 Olympic games. A lot of Americans are bummed out, but I’m here to help out. We think Chicago would be an awesome place to hold the Olympics. We have Micheal Jordan, Blues Brothers, The huge mirrored bean thing, and Jay Cutler, what more could we ask for. I’m here to sway everyone’s opinion on why Rio De Janeiro, Brazil is a better place to hold the 2016 Olympics. Mark your calendars and book your flights, at least we’ll have an Olympiad near our time zone.

10. Estadio do Marcana – It’s a huge soccer stadium that will hold some of the events. It’s not as cool as that weird bird’s nest thing that China built, but it’s pretty sweet. A lot of great soccer players have played there and it has held World Cups. Ronaldo has probably had a few groupies in it too.

9. Samba Music – Okay, I’ll admit that Chicago may have better music, but wouldn’t you get tired of having guys like Fall Out Boy or the band Chicago play the opening ceremonies? I think samba music would add to feel of the Olympics.

8. Copacabana Beach – Okay, I may have a little obsession with Barry Manilow, but c’mon, they named a bikini after Brazil! It’s one of the best beaches in the world and you can bet that it has some nice “talent.” They know it too, I got that picture off of the tourism site.

7. Christ The Redeemer – Doesn’t that statue just beg for a huge gold medal to be placed around his neck? Maybe that could erect a huge Olympic torch that is attached to one of his hands. Am I the only person that thinks that this is an amazing idea?

6. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – This is for all of my MMA fans out there. The UFC would just be a bunch of boxers if it wasn’t for Royce Gracie. He won the first, second, and forth Ultimate Fighting Championship and dominated the sport. Since then, about every major champion has had some sort of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training.

5. Rio Is Farther Away From Gary, Indiana – This may have been a low-blow to the natives of Gary, Indiana, but you know what’s up with your town. I have driven through it many times it smells like a combination of root beer, burning tires, and wet dog. Please don’t shoot me, my sneakers are two years old.

4. Adriana Lima Is From Brazil – She isn’t from Rio De Janeiro, but she is from nearby Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. I think for all that she has given this world, maybe we owe her some happiness by having her home country host the Olympics. We’re even Adriana, now you can go ahead and end that ridiculous relationship with Marko Jaric.

3. Brazilian Wax – This could be one of the best inventions/ideas since the airplane. Can you imagine if Chicago invented something called “the Chicago wax”? I can only imagine that it would involve either armpit or facial hair. I mean no insult to the women of Chicago, because it would probably be a wax for the men.

2. Carnaval – This is on my bucket list of events to attend before I die. It is New Orleans Mardi Gras multiplied by ten. Days of just nonstop parades and parties, sounds like a fantastic time. Employers actually make it like a national holiday where people don’t go to work to celebrate.

1. Duran Duran Never Wrote A Song About Chicago – I was a huge fan of “Hungry As A Wolf” when I was little and “Rio” was a great song as well. I would like to start a campaign for Duran Duran’s “Rio” to be the official theme song of the 2016 Olympiad. Who is with me?

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

NFL Football – Week 4 Betting Picks

We had a good Week 3 with our betting picks against the spread. We went 10-6 and went with the money line in the Detroit game. We are liking a lot of road teams to win ATS this week. It could be a recurring trend this season, since home-field advantage doesn’t seem to be holding up this year. Could the Lions win two in a row? Could the Steelers go 1-3 to start the season? Here are our Week 4 NFL betting picks against the spread.

I don’t think home-field advantage is as important so far this season as it has been in the past. It will change later on in the season when snow and heavy winds may sway the momentum of the game. This early in the season, teams are still tweaking with the offense and many lack an identity. The good teams will win on the road and the bad teams will lose at home.

Oakland Raiders (+9) at Houston Texans (-9) – My pick is Oakland

I might be insane, but the Raiders can still run the ball and Houston is the worst in the league at stopping the run. Oakland may not win this game, but should keep it close, with or without JaMarcus Russell.

Tennessee Titans (-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (+3) – My pick is Tennessee

Jacksonville looked good last week, but the Titans are hungry for their first win. The AFC South games are usually closer than most games, but the Titans will win this game by more than 3 points.

Baltimore Ravens (+2) at New England Patriots (-2) – My pick is Baltimore

I missed on the Falcons beating the Patriots last week, but the Ravens are a better team than Atlanta. Joe Flacco may not have many weapons, but they have a dual-threat running game that will cause New England’s D-line to struggle. I like the Ravens to out-right win this contest.

New York Giants (-9) at Kansas City Chiefs (+9) – My pick is New York

The Giants faced a large spread last week and they easily covered. I think it will happen again this weekend. They will shutdown Larry Johnson and force the Chiefs to throw on their secondary. The pass rushers for the Giants will have a field day on Matt Cassel.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7.5) at Washington Redskins (-7.5) – My pick is Tampa Bay

The Bucs will be forced to rely on Carnell Williams and Derrick Ward in this game. Albert Haynesworth is hurting, so the Bucs will be able to run all over Washington. I don’t care who Tampa Bay has at quarterback, it won’t matter much in this game.

Seattle Seahawks (+10.5) at Indianapolis Colts (-10.5) – My pick is Seattle

The Colts will win this game, but they don’t normally beat opponents by much. Seattle will be without Matt Hasselbeck, but Seneca Wallace is a good back-up. Julius Jones will have a good game, but the Colts will make defensive stops when it counts.

Cincinnati Bengals (-6) at Cleveland Browns (+6) – My pick is Cincinnati

The Bengals looked great against the Steelers last week and the Browns were their usual horrible Browns. The Bengals defense has improved a lot from last season and I see them winning this game by a lot. The Browns can’t score on any NFL team this year, Derek Anderson won’t change anything for them.

Detroit Lions (+10) at Chicago Bears (-10) – My pick is Chicago

Could the Lions possibly win two weeks in a row? I doubt it, the Bears looks to finally have things starting to mold. Matt Forte must have a big game, the Bears need him to get going this season or their hopes of making the playoffs could end soon. The Bears win this game easily, by two touchdowns.

New York Jets (+7) at New Orleans Saints (-7) – My pick is New York

The Saints always start off looking unbeatable, but when they face a good defense, they don’t seem so powerful. Bart Scott and the rest of the Jets defense will make Drew Brees work for their yards. I’m not sure if the Jets wins this game, but they will keep it within seven points.

Buffalo Bills (-1) at Miami Dolphins (+1) – My pick is Buffalo

Miami will have to rely on Chad Henne and their running game to put points on the board, but the Bills have more weapons on offense than the Dolphins. I look for Terrell Owens to finally get going and Fred Jackson to dominate in this game. The Bills will win this game, in a close one.

St. Louis Rams (+9.5) at San Francisco 49ers (-9.5) – My pick is San Francisco

The Rams could be the worst team in the league. Kyle Boller adds a better passing option than Marc Bulger, but the 49ers came into their own against the Vikings last weekend. Vernon Davis finally has his head screwed on straight and is a physical beast. Shaun Hill will keep targeting him against the Rams and win this game and cover the spread.

Dallas Cowboys (-3) at Denver Broncos (+3) – My pick is Dallas

Denver has not played any team that did not make the playoffs last year and Dallas has played three games against teams that finished over .500 last season. I know what kind of team the Cowboys are after three games, I have no clue if Denver is any good yet. This game will prove it and Denver is a hoax, the Cowboys will run all over them and win this game and cover.

San Diego Chargers (+6.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5) – My pick is San Diego

I am not sure if many people saw the Bengals/Steelers game last week, because this line has moved a lot in the Steelers favor since it has opened. Troy Polamalu isn’t going to play and Antonio Gates will be free to catch everything win sight. The Chargers will go into Pittsburgh and win this game. This is my upset of the week.

Green Pay Packers (+3.5) at Minnesota Vikings (-3.5) – My pick is Minnesota

Brett Favre will be pumped up to play his old team on Monday Night Football. Green Bay’s new 3-4 defense will cause Farve some trouble, so look for Adrian Peterson to run amok. Ryan Grant will have a good game and Aaron Rodgers will have a lot on his shoulders if the Packers plan on keeping this one close. Give me the Vikings ATS in this game.

I hope you enjoy our picks. They are for entertainment purposes and please bet responsibly.

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

Are The Chicago Bulls Better in 2009-10?

The Bulls lost Ben Gordon this off-season via free agency to the Pistons, but the nucleus is there for the team to do well going forward. They traded for John Salmons and Brad Miller at the trading deadline last year, which turned out to be a great move. What Derrick Rose did with this team as a rookie was great and point guards tend to make jump in year two, which could be scary for the other teams in the Eastern Conference. Can the Bulls be better in 2009-10, even though they lost Ben Gordon?

With a rookie head coach, Vinny Del Negro, and a rookie point guard, Rose, the Bulls made the playoffs last year. They had a much better 2nd-half of the season, thanks to the Salmons/Miller trade. Del Negro did some good things, but still has a lot to do to make the next leap and get this team a higher seed and make it to later rounds of the playoffs. The Bulls/Celtics playoff series last year was one of the best in the history of the NBA, unfortunately it was a first-round match-up. Both of the teams deserved to move on in that series, it was amazing. Ben Gordon was a big part of that series, they will miss him, but with Salmons having an off-season to get familiar with the team, he could turn into something more special.

The back-court on the Bulls is the biggest asset to the team. Rose and Salmons will be great and Kirk Hinrich will be backing up Rose and play some two-guard as a 6th man. They could benefit from adding some depth at SG/SF, since the only Jannero Pargo is listed as the back-up an either of those positions. Depth will be an issue and if an injury occurs at either SG/SF, they could be in trouble.

The front-court needed a veteran and by adding Brad Miller, it happened. He can mentor Aaron Gray, Joakim Noah, and Tyrus Thomas and help them develop into great players. Noah and Thomas will be battling for playing time, but Thomas was trade bait this off-season, but nothing happened. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is moved for back-court depth at some point this season. James Johnson and Taj Gibson were drafted and just waiting for an opportunity at PF, which Gibson could see time in the D-League to save a roster spot.

Do I think that the Bulls will be a better team without Ben Gordon? Yes I do, let me explain why. Gordon has never really developed into a consistent starter in the NBA. He could come off the bench and put in 20 points in the 4th quarter, but in many of those games, they were already behind and he didn’t help. Don’t get me wrong, Gordon is a good player, but John Salmons is the starting SG that this team needed. I think Derrick Rose will get the best out of the players on this team and with a few signings next off-season, they could be one of top teams in the league. The team could be a year or two away, but with the decline of the Celtics on the horizon during that time span and the possibility of Lebron James leaving Cleveland, there will be a spot in the Eastern Conference there for them.

My prediction for the Bulls is for them to end up as a 4th seed in the Eastern Conference. Their overall record will be around 53 win team and do well in the playoffs next season. I see great things for them this year and their future is even brighter. If they can build from the solid performance last season, 53 wins is very attainable. Derrick Rose could be an MVP candidate if they surpass 53 wins and he could turn into what Chris Paul has been the last two seasons. Chicago will be better than last year and the games against Detroit will be very fun to watch.

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

Can A Pink Shirt End Breast Cancer?

I had a conversation with my blogger friend Jerod Morris over on Twitter. He asked the question, “The NFL is stepping up to help end breast cancer, why can’t the sports bloggers do their part and step up?” I took him up on that and we decided that I am going to wear a pink shirt all month to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am going to start at 9am October 1st and wear it through November 1st. I put a donation tab on the upper right-hand corner for donations. The donations will be going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Everything that you give me will go directly to them at the end of the month. How much can a single blogger wearing a pink shirt earn for breast cancer research?

I’m 6’2 and weigh around 240 lbs and needlesstosay, pink is not very flattering on me, but it’s an extremely small price to pay to donate even a single penny to this cause. I have thought about this and wearing one single pink shirt is something that I can’t do without smelling up the place at work and my own apartment. I have decided that I am going to rotate two pink shirts and wear them the entire month. I want the world to take notice as this is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we should all take our part.

I am but one single sports blogger with a goal to help end breast cancer. My goal is to raise at least $5,000 dollars, but if I raise more than that, it will be a blessing. I will keep everyone updated on the site on the status of the shirts and the donations that we have received. Every penny counts and 100% of it will be going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Cancer in any form is a horrible disease, it has hit me close to home. My grandfather is fighting cancer and I have had friend lose their parents early and it is a shame. Early detection is the key and routine mammograms are necessary for a women, no matter what age. If you have a history of breast cancer in your family, keep up with your mammograms and physicals, until we get a cure for this horrible disease, that is the best way to catch it early.

So please donate to the cause, spread the word, and help one single sports blogger help end breast cancer. If you do not have Paypal and wish to donate, please email me at cletus_t@hotmail.com

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

Cleveland Had A "Steamer" Of A Day

All three major sports teams from Cleveland, OH made the news today. The Indians made changes in their management, the Browns made changes of leadership, and a certain player on the Cavaliers may need a change of scenery. It’s been a long day in Cleveland, but I have some good news for the people in the area.

Let’s start with the news about the Cleveland Indians. They finally fired, Fort Wayne native, Eric Wedge, after the last two disappointing seasons. It was only two seasons ago that the Indians were one win away from the World Series, but C.C. Sabathia, Fausto Carmona, or Jake Westbrook couldn’t seal the deal and the Red Sox won the ALCS in seven games. Even during that season, the Indians got off to a horrible start, but was unable to sneak into the playoffs because of an incredible second-half. They have been known as a second-half team under Wedge, but the last two seasons they have looked bad. It didn’t help that they traded away Sabathia, Casey Blake, Mark DeRosa, Cliff Lee, and Victor Martinez over the last 15 months. GM Mark Shapiro could be next if the next manager can’t win in a hurry. The Indians just don’t have the personnel to win right now, especially after some of those trades that they made trading away their stars. Usually teams load up on prospects, but the teams are trying to stash away their prospects in order to protect their future, so they got 40 cents on the dollar in return. I could be a rough couple seasons in Cleveland.

The Browns are already having a rough season and they have only played three games. The entire offense has looked horrible under new head coach Eric Mangini. He spent the entire off-season and pre-season trying to decide who was going to be his starting quarterback. Brady Quinn won the job, even if it was because no one really stepped up to take the job. He has not look very good so far this season, he has only one passing touchdown. He was pulled in the middle of the game last weekend for Derek Anderson. Anderson didn’t take his time and his pass was picked off. He ended up throwing another interception later in the game and he looked worse than Quinn. Mangini named Anderson as his starting quarterback this weekend and the immediate future. I don’t think this was the move that needed to be made, but what can a guy do that looks like he could be fired after only three games. This is a move of desperation and I doubt it will pay off. The Browns are bad and this move made them even worse.

Finally, this is the most bizarre story of them all. Earlier this month, Cleveland Cavaliers guard, Delonte West, was pulled over riding a three-wheeled motorcycle. After he was pulled over, he told the police officer that had had a gun on him, after a search, he had more than one gun. He had a gun in his waistband, one in his leg, and some guns in a guitar case. Yes, just like Antonio Banderas, “El Mariachi” style, that is insane! He already has had a history of mental illness and he said that he feared for his safety. Well, to make matters worse, he didn’t show up to training camp. Little is known about the reasoning behind why he has been absent, but Lebron James came out today that he is still welcome on the team. I don’t know man, sounds like this guy could be a mix between J.R. Rider and Ron Artest. The Cavs have a nice team lined up, but West is a nice post-up player, without him, they could be hurting.

Okay, the reason why Cleveland can rejoice is because there is a blogger convention called, Sports Media 360 during the weekend of October 23-25th being held at Progressive Field. I’ll be there and so will many of the best in the Midwest and beyond. Tickets are reasonable and if you’re a blogger, get your ticket and experience an amazing conference and meet your fellow bloggers.

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 4: Fantasy Football Sit/Start

My Fantasy Football Sit/Start picks from last week had some nice picks for you last week. I said to start Willis McGahee, Felix Jones, and Maurice Jones-Drew I told you to sit Chad Pennington, Byron Leftwich, and every Browns player. I hope everyone took my advice and here are this week’s fantasy football sit/starts for Week 4.

I’m sitting pretty nice in every league that I’m in, but I’m hurting in a league where I lost Frank Gore. I plan on picking up a few reserve running backs this week to fill in holes. This is the first wave of teams with bye weeks, so you need to hit up your waiver wire and pick up some bodies to fill in. I’ll try to help you with this with my fantasy football sit/start for this weekend. Continue reading →

NCAA Football – Week 5 Betting Picks

Week 4 was a great week and a lot of upsets happened. I went 9-3 last week with my betting picks against the spread for Week 4. This week I have a lot of teams that cover and a few underdogs that I pick to win the game. Here are my college football picks against the spread for Week 5.

I once again leave off the Notre Dame game from my picks. I don’t think that they could be in trouble against Washington, but they only play well at home. South Bend could have a decent game going on, but I’m staying away from it.

I want to add another game that I am staying away from and it’s taking place in Bloomington, Indiana. Ohio State is going to play Indiana, which was supposed to be bad. They have impressed me a few times this season and I just don’t know which way to go in that game. If you would have asked me two months ago about this game, Ohio State would win easily and the line would open up at around -20, but it’s a different now and I’m staying away.

Pittsburgh (-6.5) at Louisville (+6.5) – My pick is Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is a good team and Louisville didn’t even win with the points last week against Utah. Pittsburgh is going to win this game by a few touchdowns, but the over/under could be nice, since this game will have a lot of points.

South Florida (-6.5) at Syracuse (+6.5) – My pick is South Florida

I like this line, since it’s under a touchdown. Syracuse have only looked great in flashes and has barely put an entire game together. South Florida and that new quarterback should take care of business in Syracuse.

Northwestern (+7) at Purdue (-7) – My pick is Purdue

Neither of these teams have really impressed me, but Purdue is fairing better than expected. This line open at Purdue -6.5, but has moved. I would get in on this before it moves to -7.5, and a touchdown win would leave you in the loss column.

Toledo (-4.5) at Ball State (+4.5) – My pick is Toledo

I hate to pick against my alma mater, but Ball State is bad. They won against the spread in the Auburn game, but they the Cardinals scored some points in garbage time. Toledo played Purdue well, but laid up a goose egg against Ohio State. Toledo will score points against the bad Ball State defense..

Michigan (+1.5) at Michigan State (-1.5) – My pick is Michigan

I love the Wolverines in this game. This game opened at a pick’em, but moved towards the Spartans. Michigan will bounce back from a rough outing against Indiana.

Central Michigan (-8) at Buffalo (+8) – My pick is Central Michigan

Central Michigan has a star quarterback and should shred the Buffalo defense up. Buffalo has not looked very good at all this season and are much worse than their team from last season. Turner Gill can’t work miracles, Central Michigan wins this game easily.

Penn State (-7) at Illinois (+7) – My pick is Penn State

I have had success picking against Illinois all season and I’m not going to stop this week. Penn State is still a good team, they lost to a good Iowa team and Illinois is very, very bad. I still feel that Penn State is a better team than Ohio State and they killed the Illini last weekend.

UNLV (+3.5) at Nevada (-3.5) – My pick is UNLV

Nevada’s betting lines are still being swayed by last season’s team. They are bad this year and I’m not buying them at home or on the road. UNLV may not be impressive either, but Nevada can’t do anything right this year.

Wyoming (+3.5) at Florida Atlantic (-3.5) – My pick is Wyoming

No matter if it is FIU or FAU, both of them stink. Wyoming have looked good so far this season and I think that they travel to Florida Atlantic and take care of business.

Mississippi (-8) at Vanderbilt (+8) – My pick is Mississippi

I was hosed last week when Mississippi played South Carolina. I wasn’t sold on the Gamecocks defense, but I’m officially sold, they’re good. Mississippi will bounce back against the Commodores and Snead will light them on fire.

Oklahoma (-7.5) at Miami (+7.5) – My pick is Oklahoma

Miami has beaten some over-rated teams and somehow they shot up the rankings. Oklahoma lost a game when their quarterback was injured and the entire was in shock. The Sooners have looked great since and they will smoke the Hurricanes.

USC (-4.5) at California (+4.5) – My pick is USC

It’s a shame that Stafon Johnson was injured in a weight room accident, but USC has depth at running back. Joe Mcknight will run all over and Cal could be over-rated after getting smoked by Oregon last week. Give me USC by at least a touchdown.

LSU (+3) at Georgia (-3) – My pick is LSU

Georgia can put up plenty of points, but LSU can stop them a few times this game. Georgia’s defense is bad and it will be a shootout. Give me LSU in this high-scoring game.

I hope you enjoy our picks. They are for entertainment purposes and please bet responsibly.

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

2009 Un-All-Star Team – Revisited

Back in the middle of June, I made a list of players who should have better numbers, but off to a bad start. My 2009 Un-All-Star Team had all of the usual suspects, Ortiz, A-Rod, Lidge, etc. Check to see who made the team and see how they fared since I posted this in June.

Some of these players helped their team make the playoffs, while others are the reasons their teams didn’t live up to their potential. I vote the few Chicago Cubs that made the list as my person Least Valuable Players on my Un-All-Star team.

The Batting Average next to the players names were as of June 21st, 2009.

Catchers
Kelly Shoppach .194 – currently at .223 – He never got it together this season
Dioner Navarro .218 – currently at .219 – Seems like he’s been consistently bad
Geovany Soto .222 – currently at .219 – He’s been on the DL on and off all season

First Base
Conor Jackson .182 – currently at .182 – He been on the DL all 2nd-half of the season
Carlos Guillen .200 – currently at .258 – He’s the definition of a 2nd-half player
Chris Davis .200 – currently at .229 – He’s a strikeout machine
Jason Giambi .212 – currently at .206 – Giambi is now on the Rockies, but eating some bench
Lance Berkman .241 – currently at .269 – He turned his season around, a bit

Second Base
Alexi Casilla .180 – currently at .196 – Not good, not at all
Dan Uggla .216 – currently at .238 – He has power, but swings at anything
Howie Kendrick .231 – currently at .298 – Has had a great August, finally found his swing
Kelly Johnson .227 – currently at .220 – He lost his starting job

Third Base
Garrett Atkins .205 – currently at .222 – Lost his starting job and barely plays
Alex Rodriguez .212 – currently at .285 – His hip has healed up nicely

Shortstop
Mike Aviles .183 – currently at .183 – Has been on the DL since June
Khalil Greene .213 – currently .204 – Seldomly used on the St. Louis bench
Jimmy Rollins .223 – currently at .247 – His power came back with his swing
Orlando Cabrera .235 – currently at .276 – Has had a fantastic 2nd half with Minnesota

Outfield
Ken Griffey Jr. .220 – currently at .214 – It might be time to hang it up, Junior
Grady Sizemore .223 – currently at .248 – The Indians have already shut him down
Alfonso Soriano .229 – currently at .241 – Back on the DL again for Fonzie
B.J. Upton .229 – currently at .238 – Has started off bad and never got it
Ryan Ludwick .234 – currently at .270 – Once Holliday arrived, he started to hit
Pat Burrell .236 – currently at .225 – Overpaid and Underwhelming

Designated Hitter
David Ortiz .207 – currently at .235 – At least his power came back

Starting Pitchers
Chien-Ming Wang 12.30 – currently at 9.64 – He came down with a “mysterious injury”
Oliver Perez 9.97 – currently at 6.82 – He was really, really bad this season
Scott Kazmir 7.69 – currently at 5.06 – Pitched much better since trade to Angels
Fausto Carmona 7.42 – currently at 6.62 – He’s better, but still bad
Ricky Nolasco 7.15 – currently at 5.28 – Nolasco has been good at random times
Andy Sonnanstine 6.60 – currently at 6.94 – He amazingly got worse
John Lackey 6.10 – currently at 3.77 – He returned to his regular form
Francisco Lirano 5.91 – currently at 5.88 – Pretty consistently bad

Bullpen
Brad Lidge 7.27 – currently at 7.51 – Bad, plus factor in 11 blown saves
Troy Percival 6.35 – currently at 6.35 – He has been on the DL
B.J. Ryan 5.71 – currently unemployed – His career could be over
Manny Corpas 5.40 – currently at 5.88 – Bounced between minors and Colorado
J.J. Putz 5.22 – currently at 5.22 – Injury hit him as well

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

Can Carolina Pull Off An Upset In Dallas?

Carolina were 12-4 last season and it would be unfathomable for the team to start out the year at 0-3. They relied on the running game and defense to win games, but this season nothing has been working. Jake Delhomme’s play has not helped them at all, he’s been a turnover machine. Carolina are huge underdogs in tonight’s Monday Night Football showdown against Dallas, but could they pull off the upset and send Jerry Jones 0-2 in his new stadium? Here are some reasons why Carolina is going to win tonight’s game.

The Cowboys Have Yet To Score A Turnover So Far This Year – I know that Dallas won’t go an entire season without getting an interception or fumble recovery, but if Carolina refrain from doing so, they can win this game. Dallas hasn’t even notched a sack either. Their defense hasn’t been very good, since they allowed Tampa Bay to score 23 points in Week 1, and the Giants scored 33 last week on Sunday Night Football. Dallas needs a few turnovers if they plan on winning this game.

Carolina’s offensive line will push Dallas’ defensive line back every play – DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart will be seeing the ball all night. Tampa Bay ran the ball all over Dallas and the Giants had a decent game last week. They will give up yards on the ground and Carolina can build with some play action and give Delhomme some time to hit Steve Smith on a few occassions.

Tony Romo has been known to give up some games on Monday and Sunday Nights – Romo had three interceptions last week and he tries to thread the needle, just like Delhomme. They are the same kind of quarterback, but people forget that because Romo can date Jessica Simpson and Delhomme looks like he was an extra in “The Waterboy.” Delhomme and Romo will both throw around 50% tonight, but with Marion Barber hurt, the Cowboys will have to rely on him more than Carolina will rely on their QB.

The Cowboys will feel the pressure, Carolina has nothing to lose – I know this seems kind of off, because if the Panthers hit 0-3, John Fox could be feeling the heat, but this is a road game. If this same game was in Carolina, it would switch, but the Panthers want to go in to the “Death Star,” which is more commonly known as Cowboys Stadium, and upset the party in Dallas. They don’t want the Cowboys to get their first win at home, and the stadium could prove to be the anti-home field advantage. Fans are stuck watching the game on the giant screen and not paying attention to the game. I think this is an advantage for Carolina.

Carolina are 8.5 point underdogs and if you bet the moneyline, you can get 3:1 odds in your favor. I’m not guaranteeing a win for Carolina, but this game is going to be a lot closer than people expect. You will see more of the 2008-09 Carolina team than what you have witnessed so far this season. Are we forgetting that Dallas cracks under pressure and they will until they get a win at home. Wade Phillips is a lame duck coach and Jason Garrett can’t feel too great about his standings as the “coach-in-waiting” at this point either. Their offense has been inconsistent and the defense have regressed every season since Phillips has been head coach. This Dallas team isn’t the one that was favored to win the NFC a few years ago, this team will probably go 10-6 or 9-7 this year. Can Carolina win tonight? Absolutely. Will they win? We’ll see, but don’t count them out just yet.

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

Is Matt Forte In A Sophomore Slump?

Matt Forte was 2/3rds of the Bears offense last season and he has been a ghost of himself this year. He was non-existent in the first two games against Green Bay and Pittsburgh. He was expected to have a great game against Seattle, but he barely averaged three yards per carry. Frank Gore ran all over the Seahawks last week and this could be a huge red flag for the Bears. Forte wasn’t expected to be a huge part of the passing game, but they need him to be a force in the running game. Is Forte in a sophomore slump or is this just a case of him facing good teams?

It doesn’t matter what team you play for in the NFL, if you only have 150 yards and averaging 2.5 yards per carry in the first three games of the season, people will start talking. Forte averaged 3.9 last season, but he also had 63 receptions, which may have been due to Kyle Orton dumping the ball off in a hurry. He does have 11 receptions so far this season, so he is near his usual pace. He didn’t catch any balls the first came, so you have to give props to Ron Turner for recognizing that he needs the ball in his hands.

I know Forte’s performance hasn’t been what the Bears have wanted, but they still need to keep feeding him the ball. He is their playmaker on offense and they can’t give up on the running game. When the Bears offense becomes one-dimensional, Jay Cutler will become predictable. He already tries to force passes in where he has no right to throw them. If you take away the running game, safeties will be spying the quarterback and the defense can play nickel and deep dime all game long.

Much have been made of Michael Turner’s large number of carries and the affect on the running back the next season. If you add Forte’s carries and receptions last season, it equals the amount of work that Turner received last year. I guess if you have the mindset that Turner will have a down year, you’re not surprised that Forte’s numbers have taken a hit. The Bears rode him last year and it has took its toll on him. He may turn it around and for the Bears sake, I hope he does.

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

The Season Is Not Lost In Pittsburgh

The Steelers are sitting at 1-2 after three weeks of football and the Steeler Nation is on edge. Troy Polamalu has been out and may not play for another couple weeks, but all is not lost in Pittsburgh. They have some tough games ahead, but if they tighten things up and get the running game established, Pittsburgh will be okay. What does Pittsburgh need to do to resurrect the season? I’ll explain.

The Steelers may have a little Super Bowl hangover right now and they were a coin flip away from possibly being 0-3. They miss Polamalu, but this team reminds me of the Colts Super Bowl season when Bob Sanders went down early that year. They were below .500 after five games, but once Sanders came back, they got their swagger back. Here are some things that the Steelers need to do.

The Steelers need to stay with the running game and work the swing passes to Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall. The first two games of the year, their running back corps was shutdown and the Steelers didn’t stick with them. The Titans and Bears both have great run defense, but they didn’t rely on the swing pass to make their outside linebackers cheat to the outside and establish the run in-between the tackles. They did use Parker well against the Bengals, but they still couldn’t win the game. I think Cincinnati has a better defense, thanks to the last two draft classes and focusing their picks on linebacker.

They must protect Roethlisberger better. The Steelers offensive line is in a state of flux, trying to get young players to mix their veterans. You will not change Big Ben’s tendency to hold the ball too long and I’m not sure that you will want. He has made some big plays when he has held the ball too long, but he needs time to get the ball to his receivers. Hines Ward isn’t what he used to be and Santonio Holmes isn’t as good as Ward in his prime. Nate Washington was nice to have when he was on the team, but the team still haven’t found a consistent #3 receiver.

San Diego comes to town this week and Norv Turner is easy to out-coach. I believe Coach Tomlin is a better coach, but Steelers have playmakers on both sides of the ball. It is still unknown if Polamalu will be ready to play, I’m guess that he will not, so that will hurt. LaDanian Tomlinson is banged up and Darren Sproles is not LT, but Phillip Rivers could be able to throw against the Steelers secondary. It will be a tough game, but Steelers fans needs to relax. If they lose against San Diego, the season is still not over. They have games against Detroit and Cleveland, they will end up 3-3 when they face Minnesota before their bye week. I say that Pittsburgh will be in great position to win a wild-card spot or you never know, Baltimore could implode.

This post means a lot because I really don’t like the Steelers, but I like when they are good. The Colts have lost some big playoffs games against Pittsburgh in the past and I do hold grudges. I live in Columbus, OH now and it’s bad enough that I get every Browns and Bengals games on television on Sundays. If the Steelers were bad, I couldn’t stomach one more bad AFC North game. I still have to watch two Browns/Bengals games a year, I need to move out of this state.

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

Must Read: DC Comics "Blackest Night"

I used to be into comics about ten years ago, but I recently found myself face first back into the world of mystery and super-powers. I have started reading the “Blackest Night” saga from DC Comics and I am hooked. The saga draws in The Flash, Green Lantern, Superman, Batman, and of all people, Hawkman. It’s an interesting storyline that is suited to bring me back. I’m all in people, I’m a comic book nerd once again. Lock up your Magic: the Gathering cards and Risk, I’m officially off the wagon!

I don’t want to spread a lot of spoilers in this post, since I’m sure what they call “fanboys” would probably burn me at the stake. I just wanted to fill you in why you should be reading this series.

I guess it all started with Green Lantern, yes the title is good again. Writer Geoff Johns has breathed life back into DC and made Green Lantern one of the best titles. He has also took over The Flash and made it easy for me to read. Ethan Van Sciver and Ivan Reis are the artists for those titles and they look really nice.

Basically, here is the back story for all of this. Everyone who has died from the DC Universe is coming back from the dead as “Black Lanterns.” Their powers get energized by any emotion at all, which is quite the laundry list. I like this, since a lot of the characters that I knew back when I was reading, is coming back in some weird zombie-like form. A lot of characters that I didn’t even know that died, is coming back. Am I the only person that didn’t know that Bruce Wayne died? I’m just saying.

Anyways, it’s a cool series and even if you were a casual comic book fan at some point, you should pick up the titles. There is the Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps, Blackest Night: Superman, Blackest Night: Batman, and Blackest Night short-run series. I believe Blackest Night: Flash will be out soon and that title is pretty interesting since Barry Allen is back.

Anyway, I didn’t want to show that I am a complete nerd now, but I think everyone will like this. Check it out.

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