NCAA Football – Week 2 Betting Picks

Week 1 was a lot of fun and I hope that you read my picks. I went 8-2 against the spread and I know that I at least helped out one person out. I missed on the Ohio State/Navy and Va Tech/Alabama games. See who I picked this week, I have a few locks and a possible upset brewing. Can I keep the hot streak going? Read who I pick in Week 2 of the College Football season.

A reader named Billy Horan emailed me saturday night with some good news. Apparently my picks helped him out and he sent me this email.

I just wanted to email you and thank you for writing ur college football blog lol I wasnt sure if I should do a certain bet but after reading ur blog, I did and won $150 on a parlay wirh notre dame, oklahoma state and uconn with their respective spreads. I hope it was a good night for you as well. Thanks man BHoran08@yahoo.com
I’m glad that I could help him out and I hope he has another great week coming up. Here are my picks against the spread for Week 2.

Syracuse (+28.5) at Penn State (-28.5) – My pick is Syracuse

I usually stay away from point spreads over 20, but this game just screams at me. Syracuse did a pretty nice job against Minnesota and I don’t think Penn State would run up the score against the Orangemen. Penn State will win this game, but it will only be by just around three touchdowns.

Notre Dame (-3) at Michigan (+3) – My pick is Notre Dame

It looks like little Jimmy Claussen has grown up. He has a great relationship with his receivers and the Irish will win this game by 2 touchdowns at the Big House. This is my sure bet this week. Michigan’s young quarterbacks will be confused and extra nervous. Don’t let Michigan’s performance fool you, they played a directional school and Notre Dame beat a team that played in a bowl game last season. The Irish are a better team and they should win easily.

UCLA (+8) at Tennessee (-8) – My pick is Tennessee

Lane Kiffin wants to put a crooked number on the scoreboard against UCLA. This series have became pretty heated over the last two seasons and I look for the Vols to win and cover the eight points. UCLA is still pretty green at the quarterback position and will have trouble moving the ball.

North Carolina (-4.5) at UConn (+4.5) – My pick is North Carolina

Butch Davis has been recruiting well over the last two seasons and some of those players are starting to mature. They have a higher talent level than UConn and they should prove themselves on the road. They should win by at least 10 points.

Houston (+15) at Oklahoma State (-15) – My pick is Oklahoma State

The Cowboys looked great last week and they should beat Houston pretty easily. OSU is a top 5 team in the country and their line shold be much higher. They will win this game by three or four scores, this team is so loaded on offense and they have one of the better defenses of the good teams in the Big 12.

Colorado (-4) at Toledo (+4) – My pick is Colorado

Toledo is an okay team in the MAC and should do okay against Colorado at home. They looked good against Purdue, but most teams will this season. Last week Colorado lost at home against Colorado State. CSU is a good team and you can’t discount Colorado because of that game. They will beat Toledo by at least a touchdown to cover.

Iowa (-6.5) at Iowa State (+6.5) – My pick is Iowa

Iowa looked horrible against Northern Iowa and they should have lost that game. The Hawkeyes are known to get better as the year goes on, but they definitely miss Shonn Greene. Iowa State has a new coach and doubled up North Dakota State last week. You can’t take much away from either game, since Northern Iowa’s players were more hyped to play Iowa than the other way around and N.D. State is worst than Northern Iowa. Iowa should rebound on the road against their rival.

Ohio (-3) at North Texas (+3) – My pick is Ohio

Ohio lost against a decent UConn team, but they weren’t favored in that game. They should have a pretty good team and do well in the MAC this season. North Texas had a horrible 2008, but beat Ball State last week, but the Cardinals are down this year since they lost their coach and a few starters from last season. Ohio should do well on the road and cover.

USC (-7) at Ohio State (+7) – My pick is USC

I am going to write a complete review of this game later today. I will save you from reading a thousand word essay on why the Trojans are still a much better team until you read my post. Ohio State has a weak offensive line, young receivers, and inexperienced backfield. I don’t see them putting too many points on the Trojans. Looking at USC, they have a strong backfield, a good, not great, offensive line, and a talented corps of receivers. Just looking at the offense alone, knowing that both of these defenses are rebuilding, USC should win this game by at least two touchdowns in Columbus on Saturday.

Utah (-14) at San Jose State (+14) – My pick is Utah

San Jose State looked good against USC in the first quarter, but unfortunately they had to play the other three and they lost big. Utah is a pretty solid team and should beat San Jose State by two touchdowns and cover easily. If they don’t cover, they should be demoted from the NCAA to the Lingerie Football League.

TCU (-11) at Virginia (+11) – My pick is Virginia

UVA lost to William & Mary last week and I’m picking them as my Underdog pick of the week? That is correct, sir. TCU haven’t played in 2009 yet and going on the road will be tough. They didn’t blow teams out last year and Virginia usually plays people pretty close as the season progresses. The loss against William & Mary will light a fire under their asses and they just may win against TCU. I’ll take the points and Virginia will bounce back

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.

Out On A Limb: 2009 NFL Predictions

A lot of surprises will happen this season and it’s only normal that I do this post. My 2008 Prediction post had some that were correct and I was happy how it turned out. I was way off on a few, but these are predictions that The 2009 NFL season starts on Thursday and it’s about that time where I take a shot in the dark and try and predict the future, the future Bobby, Yes, all the way to the year 2009. Sorry about the lame homage to Conan, I love that guy.

– I want to start off with the man in the picture above. I believe Matthew Stafford will throw 20 TDs and over half of them will be to Calvin Johnson.

– B.J. Raji will win the Defensive Rookie Of The Year

– Bob Sanders will only play 4 games this year

– Tom Brady will throw 40 TDs this year

– The Detroit Lions will be 0-5, until they win a game

– LaDanian Tomlinson will bounce back and rush for 1600 yards

– Byron Leftwich will lose his starting job by Week 6

– Donald Brown will end the year with more rushing hards than Joseph Addai

– Deon Butler will have more than 7 TDs this year

– The Kansas City Chiefs will win 7 games this season

– The Green Bay Packers will hit a wall and win only 5 games in 2009

– The Arizona Cardinals will go 8-8 and Matt Leinart will start at least two games

– Phillip Rivers will win the Offensive NFL MVP

– Willie Parker will end the year with double the amount of rushing yards than Rashard Mendenhall

– Marvin Harrison will sign with a team by Week 4

– Michael Vick will score at least 8 TDs in some form this season

– The Eagles will be the NFC Champions

– Brady Quinn will throw more than 24 TDs this year

– Chad Ochocinco will lead the league in receiving yards

– The Denver Broncos will win only 4 games and Josh McDaniels will be fired

– Jay Cutler will throw 15 interceptions, but will throw 32 TDs

– The San Diego Chargers will win the Super Bowl

– Adrian Peterson will rush for more touchdowns than Brett Favre will throw

– Dwight Freeney will lead the league in sacks

– The Houston Texans will finish 8-8 again, thus not having a winning season

– The New York Jets will throw more passing TDs than the New York Giants

– Terrell Owens will catch less than 7 TDs this season

– Jim Caldwell will win more games than Raheem Morris and Jim Schwartz combined

– Alex Smith will throw at least 5 TDs this season

– Matt Cassel will throw more interceptions than touchdowns

– Larry Johnson will rush for less than 800 yards

– Mark Sanchez will win Offensive Rookie of the Year

– Lance Briggs will win Defensive MVP

– Jim Zorn will be fired by Week 14

– Jason Witten will catch at least 13 TDs

– Drew Brees will break Dan Marino’s single-season passing yards record

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

Top 15 Best Back-Up Quarterbacks

The 53-man roster is set for the upcoming 2009 NFL season and most of the teams, I’m looking at you Cleveland, have named their starting quarterbacks. There are a number of good back-up quarterbacks waiting for their opportunity to play, who are the best back-ups? Check out the list for the top 15 back-up quarterbacks.

This list is compiled on the basis that these back-ups will do the best job this season. So the rookies that are waiting in the background that may be good in the future, wouldn’t fit in on this list. Sadly, Jeff Garcia probably would have came in pretty high on this list, but since he was cut from Oakland, he’s not on the list.

1. Matt Leinart – This list is full of guys that have had a shot at the starting job, Leinart never had much of a chance. He was very inexperienced and the offense that Arizona was running, suited Kurt Warner more than Leinart. If Warner goes down, Leinart can do a very good job and keep the Cardinals in the playoff hunt.

2. Daunte Culpepper – He came into camp looking very good and trimmed down a lot of his extra weight. Unfortunately for him, the city of Detroit wants to move forward and named Matthew Stafford as the starting quarterback. Culpepper looked to have finally rebounded from his injuries and could still end up seeing some time behind center this year.

3. Billy Volek – He hasn’t had a shot at the starting gig since he has been in San Diego, but he definitely has an arm. He put up some staggering numbers when he was with the Titans and could repeat those numbers with Chris Chambers at wide receiver. He is a quality back-up, but Phillip Rivers is a Pro-Bowler and the future of the franchise.

4. Derek Anderson – It looks like Brady Quinn will be the starter in Cleveland, but if Anderson wins the job, add in Quinn at this spot. Anderson had a very productive season a few years back, but has yet to win over the coaching staff in Cleveland. He could end up seeing some time this year, but would probably fair better if he ends up on another team.

5. Vince Young – He was the toast of the town during his rookie season, but one tough loss and a night of questionable behavior has made the city worry about his long-term future. He has played well in the pre-season and he should still end up as the starter if Collins goes down or when he retires. He may not have the best arm, but he can make things happen in the offense.

6. Sage Rosenfels – If you forget about the game against Indianapolis last season, he filled in very well for the Houston Texans. The Vikings signed him to a pricey contract for a back-up, as he did show signs of excellence over the past few years. He can pass the ball well and is a model professional as a back-up. If ends up a starter at some point, he can do a good job.

7. Tyler Thigpen – Kansas City was scrambling for a quarterback last season and Thigpen did an admirable job, considering the circumstances. He helped the Chiefs be able to be competitive and had a few highlight reel passes. If Cassel’s injury nags him this year, they’ll be okay, but not great.

8. Troy Smith – He was the starting quarterback going into the regular season last year, but he fell sick and lost weight. Joe Flacco ended up having a great rookie season and Smith is an after-thought. He was a great college quarterback and he can help a team with his legs and arm. Flacco is a better option, but Smith can play the position.

9. Michael Vick – I am rating him this low because he hasn’t played football in a few seasons. He has a great upside, but at this point, he probably belongs at this spot. He will see some action at quarterback this year, but mostly in the wildcat offense. He is currently the #3 quarterback, since Kevin Kolb is the second-string, so Vick would have to leapfrog him to take over as the starter, in case of an injury.

10. Chris Simms – Denver has a lot of problems and Simms seems lost in all of the drama. He can play in this league and if he gets a shot, he could excel. If Josh McDaniels can get maximum effort out of Matt Cassel, there is a chance that he can make Simms into something special.

11. Tarvaris Jackson – After his play this off-season, if Minnesota didn’t sign Brett Favre, he may have ended up with the starting job. He looked like a starter the last few games, but with the large contract that Rosenfels received, he needs to play to earn that deal. Jackson looked like the odd man out around the 53-man roster cuts, but they cut John David Booty. Jackson is a good player, but may not receive a shot.

12. Jon Kitna – He has been a starter in this league for years, even if the last few seasons he played in Detroit. He is now the back-up in Dallas and has a relationship with Roy Williams. If Romo goes down, he can play, but would definitely take a step back in the standings.

13. David Carr – It’s amazing that he’s still able to walk after the punishment that he received when he was in Houston. He was sacked nearly every other snap and now he’s the back-up for Eli Manning. He has never showed that he can be a starter in this league and the jury is still out if he can handle the pressure and I believe that he has permanent happy feet.

14. Charlie Batch – Ben Roethlisberger is always banged up and Batch seems to see more random time than most back-ups in this league. He has been with the Steelers for a few years and has always done a decent job when needed. They are a run-first team, which helps when he is in there. He is getting up there in age and I’m not sure if he can still handle it like he has in year’s past.

15. Mark Brunell – Speaking of quarterbacks that are getting up their in age, Brunell is the poster child. He was once a back-up for Brett Favre and turned himself into a great starter for Jacksonville. He went to Washington and had minimal success and now finds himself as the back-up in New Orleans. If you are a Saints fan, please pray that Drew Brees stays healthy or it could be a long season. They rely on the pass so much that Brunell wouldn’t be a great fit in their offense.

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

NFL: 53 Man Roster – Who Got Cut?

I had a pretty busy weekend and I took a much needed two days off and a lot has happened in the world of the National Football League. Every year teams have to cut their roster down after their pre-season games and this year a lot surprise cuts happened. See who your favorite team cut and what players are out there that your team could sign.

You have guys on this list that are holding onto their careers, draft picks that didn’t make the team, and guys that are cut, but will end up on their practice squad and could end up on the 53-man roster this season. These guys are cut, but for many, their careers are a long way from being over. I didn’t make a complete list, because I didn’t want to bore my readers, I listed some of the essential players that could land with another team or surprise cuts that should send shock waves through their fanbase.

Arizona Cardinals – QB Tyler Palko, LB Chase Bullock, TE Leonard Pope, LB Pago Togafau, S Aaron Francisco, C Melvin Fowler, G Oliver Ross, WR Steve Sanders

Atlanta Falcons – WR Troy Bergeon, RB Thomas Brown, LB Robert James, QB D.J. Shockley, WR Chandler Williams, WR Robert Ferguson

Baltimore Ravens – DT Nader Abdullah, LB Tony Fein, WR Yamon Figurs, DT Will Johnson, OT Stefan Rodgers, OT Tre’ Stallings, CB Evan Oglesby

Buffalo Bills – QB Matt Baker, WR C.J. Hawthorne, LB Alvin Bowen, RB Bruce Hall, RB Dominic Rhodes, LB John DiGiorgio, OT Nick Hennessey, C Christian Gaddis

Carolina Panthers – RB Larry Beavers, QB Hunter Cantwell, WR Jason Chery, WR Marcus Monk, OT Jonathan Palmer, RB DeCori Birmingham, LB Casper Brinkley, DE D.J. Clark, LB Marlon Favorite, OT Partick Brown

Chicago Bears – FB Jason Davis, LB Mike Rivera, CB Roderick Hood, LB Darrell McClover, G Johan Asiata, OT Cody Balogh, DE Joe Clermond, LB Marcus Freeman, CB Marcus Hamilton

Cincinnati Bengals – RB James Johnson, WR Freddie Brown, DE Ventrell Jenkins, S Corey Lynch, DT Clinton McDonald, CB Rico Murray, DT Langston Moore

Cleveland Browns – S Tra Battle, RB Noah Herron, CB Corey Ivy, WR David Patten, TE Aaron Walker, DT Santonio Thomas, CB Brandon Anderson, LB Beau Bell, LB Titus Brown, G Pat Murray, S Hamza Abdullah

Dallas Cowboys – S Courtney Brown, RB Keon Lattimore, WR Isaiah Stanback, Jesse Holley, CB Jeremy Haynes, C Ryan Gibbons, LB Tearrius George, DE Marcus Dixon, QB Rudy Carpenter

Denver Broncos – CB Josh Bell, CB Tony Carter, DE Nic Clemons, DB D.J. Johnson, CD Antwain Spann, RB Darius Walker, S Vernon Fox, LB Braxton Kelley

Detroit Lions – WR John Standeford, QB Brooks Bollinger, RB Aveion Cason, WR Keary Colbert, K Billy Cundiff, WR Dane Looker, S Stuart Schweigert, DE Shaun Smith, LB Zack Follett, CB Ramzee Robinson

Green Bay Packers – QB Brian Brohm, WR Ruvell Martin, S Anthony Smith, DT Ronald Talley, RB Tyrell Sutton, CB Trevor Ford, OT Andrew Hartline, LB Cyril Obiozor

Houston Texans – LB Cato June, CB Deltha O’Neal, QB Alex Brink, LB Buster Davis, RB Jonathan Evans, RB Arian Foster, WR Darnell Jenkins, DT Josh Leonard

Indianapolis Colts – DT Terrance Taylor, WR Samuel Giguere, RB Mike Hart, CB Dante Hughes, C Steve Justice, RB Walter Mendenhall, G Jamie Thomas, OT Michael Toudouze, DE Josh Thomas

Jacksonville Jaguars – RB Chauncey Washington, QB Todd Boeckman, WR Tiquan Underwood, S Marlon McCree, CB Brian Williams, CB Pete Ittersagen, G Cameron Stephenson, RB Josh Vaughan

Kansas City Chiefs – WR Ashley Lelie, LB Zach Thomas, S Bernard Pollard, DT Dion Gales, DT Bobby Greenwood, G Darryl Harris, CB Jackie Bates

Miami Dolphins – CB Joey Thomas, S Courtney Bryan, WR Brandon London, WR James Robinson, DT Ryan Baker, CB Will Billingsley

Minnesota Vikings – QB John David Booty, RB Ian Johnson, CB Marcus walker, WR Bobby Williams, DE Tremain Johnson, CB De’von Hall, LB David Herron, CB Marcus McCauley, S Colt Anderson

New England Patriots – DT Titus Adams, CB Jamar Love, DT Darryl Richard, OT Wesley Britt, TE Alex Smith, S Raymond Ventrone

New Orleans Saints – WR Adrian Arrington, WR Skyler Green, RB P.J. Hill, LB Anthony Waters, OT Anthony Davis, QB Joey Harrington, DE Paul Spicer, G Nathan Bennett, OT Michael Brown, C Digger Bujnoch

New York Giants – QB Rhett Bomar, QB Andre Woodson, WR David Tyree, DE Maurice Evans, DT Anthony Bryant, DR Jeremy Clark, DE Robert Henderson, CB Travonti Johnson

New York Jets – CB Rashad Barksdale. DT Kareem Brown, S Emanuel Cook, WR Marcus Henry, DT Matt Kroul, DE Zach Potter, DT Ty Steinkuhler

Oakland Raiders – QB Jeff Garcia, S Jerome Boyd, CD Mike Hawkins, RB Gary Russell, DT Darrell Strong, LB Morlon Greenwood, CB Justin Miller, DB Terdell Sands

Philadelphia Eagles – RB Lorenzo Booker, FB Kyle Eckel, DE Josh Gaines, DE Bryan Smith, CB Trae Williams, FB Dan Klecko, TE Matt Schobel, LB Matt Wilhelm, WR Danny Amendola

Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Dallas Baker, OT Jason Capizzi, LB Tom Korte, CB Anthony Madison, LB Andy Schantz, C A.Q. Shipley, RB Isaac Redman, LB Donovan Woods, DE Scott Paxson

San Diego Chargers – DE Andre Coleman, LB James Holt, G Kynan Forney, DT Ian Scott, OT L.J. Shelton, G Ray Feinga, DT Rashaad Jackson, C Ryan McDonald

San Francisco 49ers – OT Alex Boone, CB Eric Green, OT Joe Toledo, C Matt Spanos, LB Justin Roland, TE Bear Pascoe, DT Khalif Mitchell, CB Terrail Lambert

Seattle Seahawks – S Jamar Adams, CB Marquis Floyd, S Courtney Greene, S Brian Russell, WR Courtney Taylor, S Nate Ness, C Cory Withrow, LB D.D. Lewis

St. Louis Rams – QB Brock Berlin, DT Antwon Burton, LB Dominic Douglas, S Todd Johnson, WR Ronald Curry, WR Tim Carter, RB Antonio Pittman, FB Jerome Johnson, DE Ian Campbell

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – WR Cortez Hankton, K Matt Bryant, DE Louis Holmes, DT Rashaad Duncan, DT Chris Bradwell, CB Kyle Arriton, OT Anthony Alabi, DE Jarriett Buie, WR Patrick Carter

Tenneessee Titans – P A.J Trapasso, CB Demarcus Faggins, LB Rocky Boiman, DE LaJuan Ramsey, DT Mitch King, CB Tuff Harris, CB Tanard Davis

Washington Redskins – WR D.J. Hackett, LB Robert Thomas, QB Chase Daniel, DT Antonio Dixon, RB Dominique Dorsey, CB Lendy Holmes, K Dave Rayner, DT J.D. Sholnitsky, LB Darrel Young

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

I Give Up: A Manifesto Of A Pissed Off Cubs Fan

This post may be epic and wordy, but I have a lot to get off of my chest. I have stuck by the Cubs through thick and thin, but I am at a point where I may sell my “fanhood” to another team, just like the Cubs have tried to sell the team for the past 24 months. In the following post, I am going to explain why I’m pissed, what the Cubs can do to win me back, why I’m allowed to question my loyalty as a fan, and what the future holds for the Chicago Cubs.

Listen, I am 28 years old, I’ve been through some thin years as a Chicago Cubs fan. I know some people older than me have had even worse experiences than me, but you got to enjoy Jack Brickhouse and Harry Carey longer, so we’re even. The last six years, as a Cubs fan, have been probably some of the best years an Cubs fan could realistically ask for. A few division championships, a few playoff wins, but not one World Series appearance. I know that if a Cubs fan rarely believes that his team has a chance to win the World Series. There is always hope, but you have visions of Steve Garvey, Ivan Rodriguez, and even Augie Ojeda go through your head and grounds your hopes.

This is why I am pissed off. Jim Hendry started off his career as a GM very well. He got pieces that the fans wanted and made everyone excited about the future of the Cubs. We finally had someone that wanted to go out and win right now. That may be the underlying problem with everything that is wrong with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs haven’t manufactured any great talent out of their farm system in years. Mark Grace was the last great player to come through the farm system. They have lacked the expertise to develop their own players, so they traded their young pieces away for mediocre talent in return. If a team is always in the playoff race, young talent will not have the time to develop at the Major League level. My examples are Rich Hill and Felix Pie, I know neither of them are winning post-season awards right now, but they didn’t have time to develop. Rich Hill bounced around the minors and Chicago the last few seasons. He dominated in the minors and had trouble pitching in Wrigley. Pie also bounced around between Iowa and Chicago and was mostly kept around to make Alfonso Soriano comfortable. They were both traded to the Orioles for scrubs and I hope they flourish in Baltimore.

Which leads me to another reason that I am pissed. Why does Jim Hendry always trade with Andy MacPhail in Baltimore? I know that MacPhail was his boss when he was first with Baltimore, but this personal relationship has severely damaged the Chicago Cubs. If they are such good friends, why was it so difficult to pry Brian Roberts away from him? A rumor floated around for about two seasons that they were in trade talks, but nothing ever happened with that, but somehow we ended up with Ryan Freel and Garrett Olsen? Hendry needs to quit being so chummy with MacPhail and talk with other teams when trying to improve the Chicago Cubs.

Ownership changes have drained this team of any emotion. The players knew that they had to play the entire season with the players already on the team, since they couldn’t add any more payroll because of the sell of the team. Injuries hit the team and Geovany Soto, Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, and Carlos Zambrano were all missed time at the beginning of the year. The team lacked emotion and even a Lou Pinella rant couldn’t bring them out of their funk. They attempted to get Jake Peavy from the Padres, but couldn’t take on his salary, which lead to the White Sox getting him at a discounted rate near the trade deadline. I’m not saying that Peavy would have won the NL Central for Chicago, but it could have showed the players that management wanted to do everything to win. With no major additions to the team at either trade deadline (I’m sorry John Grabow doesn’t count), the Cubs slipped down the standings as the Cardinals added Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday. This ownership change happened at the absolute worst time, since this team was a right-fielder and a dominant closer away from at least a Wild-Card spot.

The Cubs have one of the worst farm systems in all of the Major Leagues. They have been signing Type-A and Type-B free-agents the last few seasons and don’t have many blue-chip prospects. Josh Vitters could be their lone future star, but Wellington Castillo and Tyler Colvin both look promising. The problem there is that Vitters plays 3B and Castillo is a catcher, two positions that the Cubs have a small need for. Colvin could turn into a player that they could use, but they are currently tied up in a few bad contracts in the outfield and there isn’t any room for him. John Grabow, Rich Harden, and Kevin Gregg are all Type-A free agents and if they sign with a team, the Cubs could get that team’s first-round draft picks. Jim Hendry was smart in keeping them, even if they have no interest in re-signing the trio. This could help restock the farm system and build this team from the ground up. If only they had the minor league managers and instructors that could develop any of that talent.

I am allowed to question my loyalty to the Chicago Cubs. They are the only team that I have ever rooted for, but they have let me down in a way that I wasn’t ready for. Selling the team at this point, when their team has elite talent, is such a horrible ending to this team’s arc of improvement. I believe that they need to blow up the team. I said it, I didn’t think that I would get to this point, but just ride out the contracts, trade the pieces away that you can get young talent in return, and give me a product on the field that I can feel good about myself while cheering for you. Milton Bradley’s attitude and racially-filled paranoia added with Zambrano’s lack of focus and his inability to sound like he even cares, has made me dislike this team. Give me players like Kerry Wood, who was willing to take a pay-cut to stay with the Cubs out of loyalty. I don’t know if I am at a point where I can see the greed in the players eyes, but there is something that I don’t like about this team.

I’m not asking for a World Series, I’m not asking for an NL Central crown, just give me a team that looks like they are trying and you will have me as a fan of your team for as long as you’ll have me. If any players read this, go out there, run out ground balls, slide hard into double-plays, dive for foul balls, and have fun out there. The season is officially over at the end of the regular season, you’ll have plenty of time to be lazy this off-season.

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 Preview: NFC South

As I was predicting all the games this season, something stay consistent with 2008, the NFC South will be very close. Last year, nearly every team in the division had the lead at some point in the season. Can Reggie Bush be a showstopper for the Saints? Can the new regime in Tampa Bay keep up with their winning ways? Can Jake Delhomme rebound from a rought post-season and help lead the Panthers to a division crown? Can Matt Ryan survive a sophomore jinx? Check out the NFC South portion of our 2009 NFL Preview.

New Orleans Saints– (Projected Finish 11-5)

Drew Brees had a career year last season, but the Saints fell short of their goals as a team. Reggie Bush missed a good portion of the season due to injury, but they found a potential future star in Pierre Thomas in the process. Deuce McAllister is no longer with the team and they will need Thomas to produce. If he is unable, Mike Bell and P.J. Hill will have to take over. The Saints receiving corps are loaded with guys with great hands. Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, and Robert Meachem are all due to have nice seasons since Brees spreads the ball around. If their offensive line holds up, their offense will be fierce.

The Saints defense has been their weakest part of their game, mostly their secondary. Scott Fujita and Jonathan Vilma are a good duo at linebacker and Charles Grant and Will Smith should get to the quarterback with efficiency. They drafted Malcolm Jenkins in the first round this summer and they will need him to contribute immediately. If he stays at corner, which is still in question since he would be a nice safety, he will be tested often by NFL quarterbacks. If they can stop the run and be able to play in 3rd and long situations in a dime or nickel defense with added help in the secondary, the Saints will go a long way this season.

The NFC South play the NFC East and AFC East this season and they will have a tough schedule. Both of those divisions are good, but they lucked out since they get the New York Giants, New England Patriots, and Dallas Cowboys all at the Superdome. The other non-divisional games are at St. Louis and they get Detroit at home, you couldn’t ask for an easier two opponents. The Saints have a little edge with the schedule and in such a tight race, they should win this division.

Atlanta Falcons– (Projected Finish 10-6)

It’s rare that a team can improve as much as the Atlanta Falcons did in one season. They went from 4-12 in 2007 to 11-5 in 2008, a lot of it had to do with the additions of Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. They both produced better than expected in their first seasons in Atlanta. Roddy White and Michael Jenkins improved with Ryan at quarterback as well. Management started to worry about the receivers, but last season changed their mind. I was looking for Harry Douglas to have a breakout year this season, but an injury will keep him out all year. The addition of Tony Gonzalez at tight end will make this offense better than last season, since they barely targeted the position last year.

John Abraham and Mike Peterson are the two veterans on this very young defense. Some of the young players like Jamaal Anderson will need to step up if they plan on staying in the playoff race. I think the Falcons take a small step back this season because of their defense

Atlanta have a tough schedule ahead of them. They had tough road games at New England, New York Giants, and Dallas. Their other non-divisional games are at San Francisco, and home against Chicago, which they should split these games. As I look farther into their schedule, 10-6 may be their best case scenario, but it’s definitely plausible.

Carolina Panthers– (Projected Finish 9-7)

The Panthers looked great last season, until Jake Delhomme decided to throw passes to the other team in their playoff game. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart were a great duo and each saw their share of the end zone. Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammed contributed and they received better than expected contributions from the tight ends, Dante Rosario and Jeff King. They will need to rely on their tight ends again, since a third-option at wide receiver has yet to emerge, but Dwayne Jarrett may step up and be that option. If the Panthers can keep running the ball on defenses, they will win, but if they get behind and Delhomme has to pass the ball, it could be a long season.

Julius Peppers had a long off-season and finally settled with the idea of being a franchise-tag player this season. He will want to have a great season to garner a huge contract, so Peppers will be a beast this season. Jon Beason and Dan Connor are a great young linebacking corps and should only get better and better. Their secondary could use another impact player, but Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall will need to hold their own against the pass. If Peppers can stay healthy and if they are able to put points on the board, the Panthers will be alright, but Peppers has been known to miss a few games.

Carolina is in the same boat as Atlanta when it comes to their schedule. They also play at New England, New York Giants, and Dallas, and hav a tough non-divisional schedule with Minnesota and Arizona on their schedule. Carolina will had a tough road ahead if they plan on making the playoffs, so I them about a game out of the last Wild Card spot in the NFC.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers– (Projected Finish 5-11)

Jon Gruden is out as the head coach and Monte Kiffin followed his son to the University of Tennessee. Raheem Morris is the new head coach and he plans to implement a new defense and the “Tampa 2” will no longer be ran. That is the biggest difference that is taking place in Tampa, but their quarterback situation is also clear as mud. Byron Leftwich is the leader out of the clubhouse, but Luke McCown is second-in-line, and Josh Freeman is the quarterback of the future. They added Derrick Ward this off-season and they should have a nice three-headed attack with Cadillac Williams and Ernest Graham seeing carries. Their wide receiver corps lacks depth and experience. Antonio Bryant is the #1, but he’s dealing with an injury. Maurice Stovall is stepping up his game and Sammie Stroughter is said to be a hard worker. Kellen Winslow will be needed a lot if the receivers don’t step up and produce. The offensive line will have their hands full with Leftwich’s slow release. He will be on his back a lot this season, they can’t get discouraged since many of the sacks won’t be the fault of the O-line, but should be blamed on his slow release.

Tampa Bay have cleaned house, Derrick Brooks and Cato June are no longer at the core of the defense. Ronde Barber is the only elite player left from their Super Bowl team. They will have to rely on their young players developing into Pro Bowlers. Gaines Adams and Aqib Talib are the players with the most pressure to produce. It may be a long season for the Tampa Bay defense and may take a year to get the personnel to fully implement the new defensive scheme.

The Bucs have a non-divisional schedule of Green Bay and Seattle, much better than Atlanta and Carolina’s schedule. Their regular games against the AFC East and NFC East are favorable as well, since they play a lot of the better teams at home. The easier schedule may be wasted on them, since Tampa Bay may have a hard time notching wins this season. The changeover on the roster and the new coaching staff may lead to some growing pains in 2009.

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2009 College Football – All-Name Team

Not everyone can have the last name ‘Manning’ or ‘Montana’, some of us have to go through life with a pretty ridiculous name. Most of these names are pretty rough to grow up with, but some are names you wish you may have, especially if you are named something bland like Joe Smith or Bobby Roberts.

H.B. Banjoman – RB – Eastern Kentucky

Taylor Elmo – RB – Idaho

Boogie McCray – RB Louisville

Willy Korn – QB – Clemson

Ras-I Dowling – CB – Virginia

David Wang – G – Virginia Tech

Boo Jackson – QB – Ohio

Nathan Dick – QB – Central Arkansas

Buddy Bardenwerper – RB – Harvard

Terrence Bobo – RB – Central Arkansas

Rashod Bumpers – RB – Bucknell

Major Gray – RB – Souther Utah

SirChauncey Holloway – RB – Harvard

Tyrel Kool – RB – South Dakota State

Kingjack Washington – RB – Missouri State

Chizzy Dimude – RB – Hawaii

Jock Sanders – RB – West Virginia

Mookie Asaad – WR – Southern Miss

Nick Toon – WR – Wisconsin

Hans Broman – WR – Drake

Nick Liquori – WR – Sacred Heart

Thor Brown – TE – North Dakota State

Ben Bologna – K – Princeton

Mister Cobble – LB – Kentucky

Stash McGuiness – OL – Cal-Poly

Dirk Kool – LB – South Dakota State

Heath Cockburn – G – Furman

T-Bob Hebert – C – LSU

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2009 NFL Preview: NFC North

I recently went through every game on the NFL schedule and predicted every game. I will be using those totals to predict who will win the NFC North this season. Will Brett Favre help the Vikings this season? Will Jay Cutler compose himself? Can the Packets defense step up and help their offense? Will the Lions win a game? Check out out NFC North Preview.

Chicago Bears– (Projected Finish 11-5)

The Bears sold the farm and got their prized quarterback. Jay Cutler is going to be a nice addition to the Bears offense. They haven’t had a decent quarterback since Jim McMahon, Erik Kramer almost had that title, but one good season doesn’t count. Matt Forte is going to have a great season and I would watch Earl Bennett to be catching balls left and right from Cutler. The Bears offensive line is sold and with the addition of Orlando Pace and with Chris Williams having a year under his belt, Cutler will stay upright more than he was in Denver.

The Bears still have a strong defense, but their Achilles heel would be their secondary, especially safety. The linebackers have to hold this defense together and makes sure that they control the running game, so the safeties can cheat a little to make up for the lack of athleticism at the position. They aren’t the same defense that made the Super Bowl a few seasons ago, but they are still very good.

The NFC North play the NFC West and AFC Central this season and they lucked out. Both of those divisions are a bit down, minus the Steelers, but Chicago gets them at home. The other non-divisional games are at Atlanta and they get Philadelphia at home, both should be very tough. The Bears should bounce back and make the playoffs this season and will at least garner a share of the division title this season.

Minnesota Vikings– (Projected Finish 11-5)

Brett Favre made the Minnesota Vikings as popular as the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers this off-season. There were more stories about them than both of those teams combined. Favre isn’t the quarterback that lead the Packers to a comeback season two years ago, but if he can stray away from the turnovers, he can help this team. All they need to do is give the ball to Adrian Peterson, throw some underneath passes to Percy Harvin and let him run, and go over the secondary and throw deep to Bernard Berrian. It’s a pretty simple plan and it will work.

The Vikings defense has been statistically one of the best defenses over last three seasons. The addition of Jared Allen added the extra pass-rushing presence that they needed to be elite. Pat Williams and Kevin Williams cog up the defensive line and make it near impossible for any running game to be established. The way to beat the Vikings would be to pass on them and allow the running back to help pass block. Antoine Winfield will pick off passes and make quarterbacks pay, but he is the lone star in the secondary.

The Vikings early season schedule is very favorable. It can allow Favre to get seasoned and get into better shape as the season goes by. The five out of the last six games of the year, they play possible playoff teams. They play Arizona, Carolina, NY Giants, and Chicago twice. If Favre can stay healthy all year, they will make the playoffs.

Green Bay Packers– (Projected Finish 6-10)

Packers’ fans have only two games circled on their calendar, at Minnesota, and home against Minnesota. I believe they realize that they won’t be a playoff team, but their season would be considered a success if they can beat Favre. Aaron Rodgers had a decent season last year and should have another decent year, if he can stay upright. Ryan Grant had an off-year last season and needs to produce or Green Bay could be looking for a new running back next season. James Jones and Jordy Nelson should establish themselves and up-and-coming receivers this season.

The Packers have put in a 3-4 defense and Aaron Kampman is going to play linebacker. It’s a change from a defense that looked like swiss cheese last year. The addition of B.J. Raji should help their run defense and look for decent seasons from A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett. Their secondary is old and they need to get younger. Al Harris and Charles Woodson have been in the league 12 years and are showing signs of age. Teams will be able to pass on them all day. They will need to score a lot of points to win games this season.

Green Bay is a tough place to play towards the end of the season. They get Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Arizona at home the last month of the season. They will need that extra Lambeau-edge to compete with those teams. The Packers are facing another tough season this year and need to re-build their secondary to be a contender.

Detroit Lions– (Projected Finish 2-14)

Good news for the Lions, they will win a game this season. Bad news for the Lions, they will lose a lot of games. It doesn’t matter who plays quarterback for the Lions, they aren’t going to win many games. Matthew Stafford will be starting by mid-season, but Daunte Culpepper might be a decent option to start the year. Calvin Johnson and Bryant Johnson are both nice receivers, but they need a QB to throw them the ball. They should rely heavily on Kevin Smith this year, but their offensive line still needs work.

Head Coach, Jim Schwartz, should help get this defense up to par, but they are still a long way from being good. They have some nice pieces there, but they will need to gel as a unit. Julian Peterson, Ernie Sims, Phillip Buchanon, Anthony Henry, and Stuart Schweigert should all help out. They have at least one good player at every area, but the depth is not there. If the injury bug hits the defense, it will be even worse.

The Lions will be searching for their first win in over a season. The third game against the Redskins could potentially be their first win, but that would be the earliest potential win and it is still a long shot. The sixth game agains the Packers or the seventh game againt the Rams could be when the winless streak ends. One game that I have to watch is the game on October 11th against the Steelers. I don’t think the game will be competitive, but it will be a good litmus test of how this team will react when they are faced with elite talent.

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

Is Tony Romo Dating Candice Crawford?

I have to give it up to Tony Romo, he is racking up an impressive resume off the field. He hasn’t hit Derek Jeter level, but he’s shooting up the charts. The latest rumor is that Tony Romo is dating Candice Crawford, currently a reporter for KDAF in Dallas, TX. I can see a trend, Romo loves pretty blondes, well I guess he’s normal. More pictures of Candice Crawford after the jump…

Tony Romo has dated Carrie Underwood, Jessica Simpson, and now rumored to be with Miss Crawford. He loves Southern blondes and he looks to have picked a smart one. She won Miss Missouri in the USA Pageant and competed for Miss USA, but came up short. She went to the Univerisiry of Missouri and also writes with our pal J-Rod over at MidwestSportsFans.com. She seems to be pretty impressive and it’s nice to see that she knows her stuff when it comes to sports.

Here are a few pictures of Candice Crawford.

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

MLB: Potential September Call-Ups

Every fan, even if their team is out of the playoff race, gets excited around September 1st. In 2009, there are a huge list of potential future stars that could be called up. I compiled a list of players that fans would like to see play in the Major Leagues in September this year. A few of the names on the list may not be called up, but they all have a legitimate shot.

1B Brandon Allen – Arizona Diamondbacks

C Robby Hammock – Baltimore Orioles

2B Justin Turner – Baltimore Orioles

C Jeff Fiorentino – Baltimore Orioles

OF Chris Duncan – Boston Red Sox

1B Yonder Alonso – Cincinnati Reds

3B Josh Vitters – Chicago Cubs

P Jeff Samardzija – Chicago Cubs

P John Gaub – Chicago Cubs

C Tyler Flowers – Chicago White Sox

C Carlos Santana – Cleveland Indians

SS Jason Donald – Cleveland Indians

OF Matt Murton – Colorado Rockies

OF Wikin Ramirez – Detroit Tigers

P Zach Simons – Detroit Tigers

1B Gaby Sanchez – Florida Marlins

1B Logan Morrison – Florida Marlins

OF Mike Stanton – Florida Marlins

OF Drew Locke – Houston Astros

SS Mike Moustakas – Kansas City Royals

1B/DH Kila ka’aihue – Kansas City Royals

OF Chris Petit – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

3B Blake DeWitt – Los Angeles Dodgers

3B Mat Gamel – Milwaukee Brewers

OF Shelley Duncan – New York Yankees

3B Brett Wallace – Oakland Athletics

3B Pedro Alvarez – Pittsburgh Pirates

P Aaron Poreda – San Diego Padres

C Buster Posey – San Francisco Giants

1B Mike Carp – Seattle Mariners

OF Matt Joyce – Tampa Bay Rays

P Luis Mendoza – Texas Rangers

C J.P. Arencibia – Toronto Blue Jays

P Drew Storen – Washington Nationals

P Clint Everts – Washington Nationals

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 1 Betting Picks

I have been known to throw down some money on NCAA football games. I have had some great success and if you do your homework, the first two weeks of the season could be very good for you. I have listed some of my picks against the spread for the Week 1 college football schedule. Good luck and please bet responsibly.

Oregon (+4) at Boise State (-4) – My pick is Boise State

I predict big things for Boise State this season. Oregon did have a decent year last season, but the Broncos are playing on their blue turf and expect a high scoring game. I would say that Boise State has them beat by at least 6.5.

Navy (+21.5) at Ohio State (-21.5) – My pick is Ohio State

Ohio State is out to get respect again, after getting rocked in their last few BCS games. Chris Spielman may be trying to warn the Buckeyes to “not sleep on Navy,” and he’s right, but I have the Buckeyes by 4 touchdowns against the Midshipmen.

Akron (+27.5) at Penn State (-27.5) – My pick is Penn State

This game could get ugly. Penn State should score and score early. They should have the spread covered by halftime. This will be a blowout.

Western Michigan (+7) at Michigan (-7) – My pick is Michigan

It kills to me bet with Michigan, but I would say that the line is near perfect. They will probably keep it close and keep it around 10 points. Michigan is going through a scandal with Rich Rodriguez by having his players workout too much. It depends if this lights a fire under their asses or play with their tail between their legs.

Nevada (+14.5) at Notre Dame (-14.5) – My pick is Notre Dame

Jimmy Clausen looked great against Hawaii and he’ll have all of his deep threats back once again. This is my lock of the week (I need a better word than that). Charlie Weis lessened his schedule and should have a double-digit win total. Notre Dame will win by at least 17 points.

Georgia (+5.5) at Oklahoma State (-5.5) – My pick is Oklahoma State

Georgia won’t look like a dominant team early this season. You can’t lose Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno and look good. Oklahoma State will be a nice sleeper team in the Big 12 and should win by 7.

UConn (-3.5) at Ohio (+3.5) – My pick is Connecticut

I know that I have been picking the home teams to cover so far this week, but I like UConn to win in Athens, OH. They have a nice program there, it took a few years, but UConn should win some games this season. They should win by a touchdown.

Virginia Tech (+6.5) at Alabama (-6.5) – My pick is Alabama

The Hokies sure look like a nice upset pick here, but I can’t do it. I have bet on the Hokies at the beginning of the season the last two seasons and they haven’t looked great the first game. Alabama did lose some line pieces on both sides of the ball, but Julio Jones will rock Va Tech’s secondary and Mark Ingram should have a nice game on the ground. I would love if this spread swayed about a point more towards Va Tech, but I like Alabama by 7, if it gets higher than 7, bet the under. Keep an eye on the status of both Jones and Ingram, they could end up ineligible, so please keep an eye on this. If they end up being suspended for this game, Va Tech becomes the strong favorite.

Buffalo (+8) at UTEP (-8) – My pick is Buffalo

This is my upset pick of the week. I think that Buffalo has turned things around and this spread is because of their past reputation. Turner Gill has the program playing great and I wouldn’t be surprised if they won this game outright, but for right now, I will take Buffalo with the points.

Mississippi (-16) at Memphis (+16) – My pick is Mississippi

If Jevon Snead wants to out-play Tim Tebow for the SEC Player of the Year and/or Heisman, he will need to start the season with a blow-out at Memphis. I would think that they could win by at least 24 points and this spread is quite low. I would parlay this game with two more to improve your payout.

Cincinnati (+6) at Rutgers (-6) – My pick is Cincinnati

Rutgers lost two keys to their offensive success over the last few seasons. Mike Teel and Kenny Britt are both gone, but Rutgers have recruited well. Tony Pike and the Cincinnati Bearcats came off an appearance in a BCS game, so they have a lot of momentum. I am taking the under and think Cincinnati will make this an extremely close again in Piscataway, NJ.

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.

New Obsession: FootyTube

My new obssession is Footytube.com, where you can see highlights and football analysis from just about any football club. Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham, Hull City, and just about any other club that you want to know more about. I don’t know why I didn’t know about this before, but I can’t stop watching this now. Here are some nice clips that I found on Footy Tube.

I am bit of a rookie soccer fan. I really started to get into it about 3 years ago when Zidane headbutted Materazzi in the chest in the World Cup Final. I caught a few matches in the World Cup before that, but that game really turned me into a fan. I’ll admit that I haven’t kept up my enthusiasm much, but it peaks as big tournaments approach.

Here are the clips.

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