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.

Jim Zorn Should Be Out In Washington

We have been on the anti-Zorn bandwagon since his first game as coach last season. He looked lost and I don’t think he has completely found his niche in any aspect as a head coach in Washington. He was supposed to turn Jason Campbell into, well, Jim Zorn, and turn the offense into a threat. Neither has happened for the Redskins and they did the unthinkable today, they lost to the Lions.

The Detroit Lions lost in 19 straight games, but they came out playing very well, but let the Redskins back into it in the 4th quarter today. Jason Campbell had a shot at a throw in the endzone, but ended up trying the “always works and never miss” short pass and lateral play. Needless to say, the play didn’t work and the Lions won the game.

If you’re Daniel Snyder, there are some huge questions that need to be asked.

Is Jason Campbell your future quarterback? I don’t think so. I don’t think Colt Brennan is your answer either. But good news Redskins fans, you will have a high pick next year and have your pick of Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, or even Tim Tebow.

Is Albert Haynesworth worth all of that money when you can’t even sniff the playoffs? Again, I don’t think so. He will earn you an extra win or two, if your offense can produce, but that isn’t happening either.

Is Santana Moss and Antwan Randle-El a good #1 and #2 receiver tandem? Pick five or six teams in the NFL, now would either of these receivers be a #1 or #2 on those teams? I think they are both good #3 receivers, possible slot-receivers, but they lack size and the Steve-Smith-esque quality to just make unbelievable plays. The teams that they would be #2 receivers won are the teams that won’t be winning many games this season.

Could this be the end of the road for Clinton Portis? I know this was asked last season, but he had a good 2008-09 season, when they realized that they couldn’t pass the ball. Some new blood is needed on the offense on every level. The offensive line is decent, but everything else, except Chris Cooley, needs to be over-hauled. The players that will turn this offense around, aren’t on this roster right now.

Finally, How much longer can you keep Jim Zorn as your head coach? This guy is useless. In my pre-season predictions, I had the Redskins firing him by Week 6. I feel pretty comfortable with my prediction, especially since they just looked bad against the Lions. You play the Buccaneers at home next week, but then you play in Carolina, where you will not win. Do you wait until after next week and see if you can beat a bad Tampa Bay team, but will probably lose? Daniel Snyder pays big money for older players, but hired an inexperienced coach. I don’t get it, it should be the other way around. An experienced coach could get the most out of inexperienced players, but an inexperienced coach will get walked on by veterans. It’s a horrible combo and Zorn needs to go. He will probably be a decent quarterbacks coach somewhere in this league, but he’s over-matched in the NFL.

I don’t it a habit to call out coaches and call for their heads, I have only done this one other time. Dusty Baker is still the coach of the Reds, so I’m currently 0-1, so we’ll see if I can go .500, but I doubt that Zorn will last 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.

NFL Football – Week 3 Betting Picks

There are some nice NFL games out there to bet on this week. I see a few must-bet games out there and even a few upsets in Week 3’s games. Can the Jets keep up their winning ways? Are the Panthers really that bad? Are the Lions ready to win a game? Here are my picks against the spread for the NFL games in Week 3 of the season.

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.

Tennessee Titans (+3) at New York Jets (-3) – My pick is Tennessee

The Titans have lost two close games against potential playoff teams this season and they have a very potent offense. The Jets have beaten two potential playoff teams, but won those games. If the Titans lose this game, their season could seem to be over, so they are desperate for a win. The Jets beat the Patriots and they will not be as pumped up as last week. The Titans will win this game in a close one.

Cleveland Browns (+13) at Baltimore Ravens (-13) – My pick is Baltimore

I know that 13 points are a lot for a game between two NFL teams, but at this point, the Browns barely qualify as an NFL team. Baltimore have looked great and they have an offense this season. Joe Flacco will have a big game and cover the spread.

New York Giants (-6.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6.5) – My pick is New York Giants

It doesn’t seem like home-field advantage means a lot this season so far, if you take away the Patriots/Jets game last week, I can’t think of a game that it mattered. The Giants are a better team than the Bucs and Leftwich will be on his back most of the game. The Giants will get their running attack going and cover the spread.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+3.5) at Houston Texans (-3.5) – My pick is Houston

Jacksonville aren’t anything near the team that made the playoffs two seasons ago and the Texans looked great against the Titans last week. Jones-Drew may have a good game, but I like the spread in this game and think Houston will win by at least a touchdown.

Sam Francisco (+6.5) at Minnesota Vikings (-6.5) – My pick is Minnesota

The Vikings can stop the run and at this point the 49ers can only run the ball. It sounds like a simple pick, the Vikings will ride Adrian Peterson to a victory and cover the spread.

Atlanta Falcons (+4) at New England Patriots (-4) – My pick is Atlanta

Tom Brady is skittish in the pockets and their defense lacks playmakers, it could be a long season in New England. Matt Ryan went to Boston College and it is a little homecoming for him. I see him have a big game and targeting Tony Gonzalez all game long. I like the Falcons not only to take the points, but to win the game.

Washington Redkins (-6.5) at Detroit Lions (-14) – My pick is Detroit

It has been 19 games since Detroit has won a game and this one could be winnable for the Lions. Washington looks confused out there and their offense is stagnant. If the Lions can get a couple turnovers, they can win the game. If they can’t win the game, the Redskins barely squeak by, but give me the points and the Lions.

Green Bay Packers (-6.5) at St. Louis Rams (+6.5) – My pick is Green Bay

St. Louis looks like they could be this year’s Detroit Lions. I haven’t seen one good thing about that team. The Packers have revamped their defense and Marc Bulger will have a long day. The Packers will win this game easily and cover the spread.

Chicago Bears (-2) at Seattle (+2) – My pick is Chicago

It’s official, I have picked the entire NFC North to win against the spread this week. Frank Gore ran all over Seattle last week and it looks like they will be without Matt Hasselbeck this week. Qwest Field is an extremely tough place to play, but Matt Forte will carry this team and win this game by at least a field goal.

New Orleans Saints (-6) at Buffalo Bills (+6) – My pick is New Orleans

The Saints have put up some ridiculous offensive numbers the past two weeks and the Bills have looked good. This line is pretty close to where I believe the score may be, but I feel that the Saints will be able to win this game by more than 6 points. They will be one-dimensional, with their running backs banged up, but Brees is a special player and it won’t matter.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (+4) – My pick is Pittsburgh

The Steelers own the Ohio teams and it doesn’t matter that this game is being play in Cincinnati. The stadium will be filled with Steeler fans and I see Willie Parker finally have a good game against the Bengals defense. The Steelers win this game easily and cover the spread.

Denver Broncos (-1.5) at Oakland Raiders (+1.5) – My pick is Oakland

Denver is 2-0, but they played the Browns and Bengals, while Oakland is 1-1 and could have beaten the Chargers if they didn’t lose their minds the last 5 minutes of the game. I believe Oakland will win this game and they will keep feeding the ball to Darren McFadden and Michael Bush.

Miami Dolphins (+5.5) at San Diego Chargers (-5.5) – My pick is San Diego

The Chargers will be out for blood this weekend after losing to the Ravens last week and squeaking out a win against Oakland. The Dophins ran the wildcat, but it wasn’t enough to win against Indianapolis. The wildcat will not work against the Chargers defense and they will have a hard time scoring points. The Chargers will win this game big and could embarrass the Dolphins.

Indianapolis Colts (+2.5) at Arizona Cardinals (-2.5) – My pick is Indianapolis

The Colts are 2-0, but the games have been close. Arizona lost to a possibly good 49ers team, but bounced back and embarrassed Jacksonville last week. The Cardinals are good at home, but they have trouble with non-divisional teams. I like the Colts to go to Arizona and win this game, Boldin isn’t 100% and Tim Hightower is not an every-down back.

Carolina Panthers (+8.5) at Dallas Cowboys (-8.5) – My pick is Carolina

Dallas is on Monday Night Football and Tony Romo have had some rough games on Mondays. “The Death Star,” the Dallas Cowboys stadium’s nicknamed by Bill Simmons, could be a bad luck charm, since Carolina will be desperate and show up to play. Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams will have big games and make this game close. Give me Carolina and the points 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.

NFL Week 3: Fantasy Football Sit/Start

My Fantasy Football Sit/Start picks from last week was nearly 100% perfect last week. I said to start Fred Jackson and Dallas Clark, and even picked my Deep League sleeper with Pierre Garcon. I told you to sit Matt Forte, Reggie Bush, and the Eagles defense. I hope everyone took my advice and here are this week’s fantasy football sit/starts for Week 3.

I’m sitting 1-1 in every league that I’m in, since I faced a team with Adrian Peterson in nearly every league that week. I bounced back last week and had a nice week, especially since Frank Gore won me a few games. I had an even better week gambling against the NFL odds. Continue reading →

If Cubs Trade Bradley, Could Zambrano Go?

Milton Bradley was suspended for the rest of the season by the Chicago Cubs and he still has two years left on his contract and more then $20 million owed to him. It will be hard to get a team to take his contract and/or eat all of that money. Sure, the Cubs could probably trade him, pay most of it, and get little in return, but they need to formulate a plan to get the most in return. How can they do that? Well, Carlos Zambrano could be packaged with him, but would this work?

Carlos Zambrano and Milton Bradley are both vocal and emotional players. Sometimes that emotion can get the best of them, so they are risky players to obtain through a trade. They are both owed a lot of money and signed for multiple years. What teams would be interested in them and who could afford their contracts? Lastly, if a team meets both of those requirements, what players would the Cubs receive?

I scanned through the teams and it seems like the New York Mets would be the best fit. MLBTradeRumors.com offered a scenario earlier this week that maybe an Oliver Perez for Milton Bradley trade could work out for both teams. Perez had a pretty nice 2nd half in 2008, but looked horrible in 2009. The Mets need an outfielder and maybe Perez just needs his mechanics re-worked. I don’t know if a trade like that, even though it would work just in money terms, but if you add Zambrano, maybe the Mets may let go of a player like Jose Reyes or Luis Castillo. Reyes is a great fantasy player, but they were hoping that he would develop into a superstar, which he has not. He has been out nearly 75% of the season this year and his injury affects his speed, his value to the team would drop. Luis Castillo is a nice 2nd baseman, he’s getting a little older and the Mets could be looking to get rid of him. Zambrano would help them secure a top-tier pitcher for their pitcher-friendly new stadium.

With the ownership finally looking like it could be finalized this off-season, the Cubs may try and get some new blood in the organization. It has yet to be seen if Tom Ricketts will be a free-spending owner, since it has been rumored that most of his net-worth is tied up and may not be the “Mark Cuban-esque” owner that most Cubs fans want.

This upcoming season may be the last season for Lou Pinella as the manager of the team and if you eliminate Zambrano and Bradley from the team, it could be a good move. Pinella hasn’t seemed as fired up as he was the first couple years with the team. I don’t know if that is a great thing for the team, but the remarks and comments by Big Z and Bradley has distracted the team and put the spotlight on them in a negative light. If the Cubs can move both players in one move and get 40 cent on the dollar, I would do it. Zambrano is a good pitcher, but he is so inconsistent and emotional that you never know what you’re going to get. For the long-term success of the team, as a Cubs fan, I would support this move.

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

NFL Storylines: Week 3

Joe Pasquali is back with another post here on America’s White Boy. He had stopped by a few times to rattle off some analysis and critique. He writes some thoughts about week 3 of the NFL season. Who are the pretenders and contenders this season? Which teams have a quarterback controversy brewing?

It’s only Week 3 of the NFL season and it seems like some of the same quarterbacks are getting injured. The fashionable injury these days is the “rib injury.” I think it would be a great time for McDonald’s to add the McRib back on the menu permanently, but that’s me.

Contenders and Pretenders

San Francisco (2-0)- Love the rushing attack of Frank Gore, but time has shown NFL backs take a ton of wear and tear, need someone to step up as a second option for a 16 game season. Also, Shaun Hill is NOT going to get the job done if you want to play with the big boys. Like the defense and the physical nature Coach Singletary has brought, but they aren’t there yet. Pretender

Denver (2-0)- Moreno is a great back and has this team rolling, but wins at Cincinnati on a fluke play and blowing out the hapless Browns at Mile High won’t impress anyone. The defense seems much improved, but we won’t really know how good they are till week 4 against Dallas. Kyle Orton isn’t a playoff caliber QB. Pretender

New Orleans (2-0)- Everyone knew the Saints would be good, but THIS GOOD?? Yeah, yeah, they stomped on the terrible Lions, but THEN went to Philly and smoked a pretty good Eagles defense. Drew Brees is firing on all cylinders and the running game doesn’t look to shabby either. The Saints defense is forcing turnovers and coming up with some big plays, something this team wasn’t doing the past few years. Contender

Cincinnati (1-1)- The only 1-1 team I am going to mention, and this is because I think a lot of people have them under the radar. They should be 2-0 right now and got their one victory at Lambeau field. The Bengal’s have shown they can run the ball AND stop the run, two things good football teams do. Add a veteran QB with that and you got the chance to do anything. Only problem is, they still play Baltimore and Pittsburgh twice…. Contender

QB Controversies

Detroit- You gave the team to the rookie, let them sink with him. It can’t get worse than last year and he needs time to grow.

Cleveland- You have scored one offensive touchdown in two games, and Brady Quinn has been sacked nine times. You got three options, try a new QB, buy a new O-Line, or fit Brady for a body cast.

Dallas- Tony Romo can’t win big games? Ok, maybe he can’t. But you think Jon Kitna can? Yeah, shut up.

Things to watch in Week 3

Detroit has a good shot at getting it’s first win in 19 games. Washington has looked bad and it’s in Ford Field.

Green Bay should destroy St. Louis by about 20+ points

Frank Gore may have a tough time running against the Vikings this week, expect a lot to fall on Shaun Hill.

Tennessee must win at the Jets. No team has ever started 0-3 and made the playoffs.

Michael Vick will play against the Chiefs. If the Eagles offense sputters, you’ll start to hear the Vick chants from angry Philly fans.

The Cardinals and Colts may score a combined 5012091 points in the Sunday Night Game.
Can Jay Cutler keep up the winning ways in Chicago? It was a close game against Pittsburgh, but was the game against Green Bay just nerves? We will see this week against Seattle.

Could the San Francisco/Minnesota contest be the game of the week? Frank Gore has been the only offensive weapon for the 49ers and Minnesota stops the run. Can Shaun Hill step-up and get his team to 3-0?

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 4 Betting Picks

I did some research this week and I like a lot of games this week. The games taking place on or around September 26th has some nice bets for you guys out there. Mississippi is barely favored against South Carolina, how can that happen? I know the flu has hit the Rebels, but can that shave a touchdown off the score? See what that line is and what my picks are against the spread for Week 4 of the college football season.

I left Notre Dame off of my picks this week because they are completely unreadable. A different squad appears on the field every week. They lost Malcolm Floyd and Jimmy Clausen has turf toe, they could beat Purdue, but they are favored by 7 points in West Lafayette. I would just stay away from that game, both teams are bound for either a collapse or a big game. That is the riskiest play of the week.

Mississippi (-3) at South Carolina (+3) – My pick is Mississippi

I know that Mississippi said that a lot of the team has flu-like symptoms, but they are a top 5 team. South Carolina have looked a little ugly this season, but I like the Rebels in this game. Out of all of my football picks, I like this one the best. Try to get in early on this game, I think this line will move toward Ole Miss by gameday.

Missouri (-7.5) at Nevada (+7.5) – My pick is Missouri

Nevada looked horrible last week and really haven’t played good this year. Missouri has steam-rolled teams and doesn’t look like they miss Chase Daniel or Jeremy Maclin. I like Mizzou a lot in this game.

Wake Forest (-2) at Boston College (+2) – My pick is Wake Forest

Speaking of teams that have looked horrible, I believe BC is in the group. wake Forest has played okay, but I see them winning this game by a field goal to a touchdown in New England.

Illinois (+14) at Ohio State (-14) – My pick is Ohio State

The Buckeyes played very good against Toledo and finally showed me something this year. Illinois is very bad, plus they are either getting hurt or suspended, so morale is low for Illinois. Ohio State has something to prove and will win this game easily.

Pittsburgh (+1) at NC State (-1) – My pick is Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh has played very good this year and had a nice win against Navy last week. NC State has also showed some signs, but I like Pitt in this game. The Panthers’ offense is up-tempo and will put up points.

Washington State (+45) at USC (-45) – My pick is Washington State

Washington State isn’t washington, so don’t expect an upset here, but 45 points is awfully high for USC’s offense at this point in the year. USC will win this game easily, but I don’t see them covering.

Louisville (+14) at Utah (-14) – My pick is Utah

Lousville had a nice showing against Kentucky and Utah’s offense flowed against Oregon, but fell short. I like Utah in this game, Louisville was a 14-point dog against a bad Kentucky team. Utah is a better team than Kentucky and will cover.

Colorado State (+15) at BYU (-15) – My pick is BYU

BYU had a bad game against Florida State, but they will bounce back against Colorado State. The Cougars were over-matched by the speed of the Seminoles and Colorado State doesn’t have the speed to beat BYU.

Miami (-3) at Virginia Tech (+1) – My pick is Miami

I didn’t know what kind of team the Hurricanes were until last week. I am sold on them and they will go into Blacksburg and beat Va Tech. The Hokies caught a lucky pass to squeak by last week, something that won’t happen against the Hurricanes.

Minnesota (+2.5) at Northwestern (-2.5) – My pick is Minnesota

Northwestern lost to Syracuse and Minnesota lost to Jahvid Best, oh yeah, I guess the entire California team too. Northwestern will be able to run all over Minnesota and win 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.

I Have Jinxed Tottenham Hotspur FC!

Two weeks ago, I decided that I needed to choose a Barclay’s Premiership League team to root for if I am ever going to go all-in as a fan of soccer. I went through a long process in my thought process in which I picked a team. Am I a jinx to the Spurs or was this just bad timing?

The first game in which I was a Tottenham fan, they played Manchester United. The Spurs came out and scored the first goal, I was joyous and running around the room like a liquored European. It didn’t take long for Man U. to take over and they scored three unanswered goals and won the game 3-1. Wayne Rooney probably should have had two more goals, but he must have been too distracted by his WAG in the crowd. I was thinking that maybe it was a bad time to choose Tottenham to support, especially since they have a rough stretch in their schedule.

I found out that they were playing Chelsea this past weekend and I wasn’t excited at all. I have been studying teams and everything that I have read has said that Chelsea could be the best club in the entire league. It didn’t take me long to realize that everything on the internet was correct, since Tottenham barely showed up the play. Chelsea won 3-0 and controlled the entire match, I was embarassed, but I probably shouldn’t have been, they are a great club.

I started to think to myself that maybe I could be a jinx to the team. I have been a fan of the Chicago Cubs, Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts, and Columbus Blue Jackets for years and combined, I have one championship as a fan. If you add in my Notre Dame fanhood, in my lifetime, add one to my total. The Colts won a Super Bowl, but after many, many thin years pre-Manning. Tottenham faces Preston North End on Wednesday, but their next Premier League game is against Burnley. If they lose against Burnley, I’m sorry Spurs fans, I could be a jinx.

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

Review – Doc’s Sports 2009 Football Journal

Doc’s Sports sent over their 2009 Complete Football Journal which has the complete schedule of college and NFL football and much more. I looked through this publication from cover to cover and there are is a ton of information that anyone who is in a fantasy football league, casual or avid sports betters, or even just a casual fan that is in a pool at their workplace can use. Check out this review and see where you can get a copy of your own.

Doc’s Sports, which has been in the sports betting business for 38 years, has issued their 38th annual guide for the hardcore football fan. The information that is compiled in this book is extremely useful. You have the scores from the entire 2008 college football season, 2008 trends from the NFL season, and some tidbits for each week of the season for college and NFL games. Continue reading →

How The Big Ten Can Be Relevant Again

Big Ten Football has been disappointing over the last few seasons. They havn’t won big games against elite teams in the SEC, Pac-10, or ACC. The offenses are boring and even the defenses are falling behind the other teams across the country. There are a lot of things plaguing the conference and we are going to point out a few ways how Big Ten football can be relevant again.

The last big game the conference won on a national stage was when Ohio State played Michigan as the #1 and #2 teams in the country back in 2006, so a Big Ten had to come out victorious. Since that game, USC has beaten Illinois, Michigan, and Penn State in consecutive Rose Bowls and have also beaten Ohio State twice. USC has owned the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl has turned into a sacrificial ritual of a “good” Big Ten team. It is only one of the things that has turned the public’s opinion of the conference upside-down.

They Must Successfully Recruit In The South – The SEC and Big-12 conference has a stranglehold on the most fertile area of high school talent in the nation. Texas and Florida produce elite talent on a yearly basis and schools in the region are at an advantage. It’s a lot to ask for the Big Ten to go down there and spend their recruiting dollars on the South when they believe that Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are also a region with great talent. I can’t argue against that, the Midwest does produce some fine talent, but they need to expand their search. I know they do attempt to recruit down there, but it appears that a team like Ohio State is settling on the 4th best wide receiver in the state of Ohio, instead of the 7th best wide receiver in Texas, which would probably be better.

A Big Ten Championship Game Is Needed – I know that it is a tradition that Big Ten Football is finished by Thanksgiving, but college football has changed. You played a ten game season back then and now teams are playing twelves game seasons, other conferences are playing games two weeks after the Big Ten has finished. You can have a true winner of the conference and get one more elite game to help your conference winner’s BCS chances. It hurts them in the final polls and almost makes the conference forgettable.

Must Schedule More Elite Non-Conference Games – It may save teams money, but playing a handful of games against MAC teams isn’t going to get people paying attention to your conference. Ohio State have had a couple home-and-home series the last few years with USC and Texas, it was a step in the right direction. Even though Ohio State went 1-3 in those series, they were marquee games that made the nation take notice of the Big Ten. The Ohio State/Notre Dame series must be re-established. There was some great games between those teams and they are locally a rival. Wisconsin has done a decent job at scheduling tough opponents this season, Fresno State and California, other teams should take notice.

Persuade Notre Dame To Join The Big Ten – Now that Notre Dame looks to have re-gained a little big of their swagger, the Big Ten may have missed their chance to snatch Notre Dame up. The NBC television contract is probably the major obstacle in this, because the Big Ten has their own network now. The NBC deal would have to expire for the Big Ten to have a shot. It would add one more elite program to the mix. Ohio State has been the only constantly good team over the last six seasons. Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State, and even Purdue have all had their ups and downs. There needs to be at least three great teams in the conference for a number of years to earn the respectability the SEC and Big-12 have earned this decade.

More Imagination In Their Offenses – I remember when Joe Tiller took over as head coach at Purdue, you would have thought that he re-invented the wheel. He started throwing the ball all over the place with Drew Brees and they knocked the entire conference for a loop. The conference has prided itself on the power running game, but that offense is stale. They can take a few notes from nearby MAC teams and if the offenses that are taking place in that conference happened in the Big Ten with better players, there is no telling what kind of damage they could do in the BCS.

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

Louis C.K. Is A Funny Dude

I was listening to Bill Simmon’s podcast last week, “The B.S. Report,” and he had Patton Oswalt on and he was talking about funny comedians. He said that the funniest guy out there was Louis C.K. and I kind of agree. I ran a few posts concerning the best comedians out there and I have mentioned Brian Posehn and Mitch Fatel and I don’t know why I haven’t posted videos of Louis C.K. Here are some videos and why Louis C.K. is a funny dude.

Mr. C.K. was on the Tonight Show tonight with Megan Fox (wowzers!). He killed it and he is also in the upcoming movie, “The Invention Of Lying,” which stars Ricky Gervais. I see big things happening for him in the upcoming year and if you want to hear more of Louis C.K.’s stand-up, go out rent his stand-up special, “Chewed Up.” He is working on a new stand-up special, “Hilarious,” which may be out sometime this year. Here are some videos of some of Louis C.K.’s best work.

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