Look-a-like of the Day 12-31-11

Is it Kentucky basketball player Anthony Davis, or Uncle Leo with painted on eyebrows?

Early look at week 17

The NFL is heading into to its final week of the regular season and that means the final week of pick'em for all of us. Week 17 is always a strange week because of teams resting their starters and this week is no different. Even though teams are resting players it seems like people are still picking the teams with the better record. This gives you a great opportunity if you need to make up a lot of ground.. Also a great week if you are out of it but want a shot to win the week. Very important to do your homework and find out who is in and who is out for this week.

Titans at Texans: 67% of people are picking the Texans in this one even though Vegas has the Titans as a 1.5 point favorite. Not much news has come out yet on who will be sitting for the Texans in this one. The Texans are locked into the 3 seed and have nothing to play for in this one so I would expect them to limit a lot of their stars. Houston has been hit harder than anyone by injuries and should be smart enough here to try to avoid more injuries. I would think the Arian Foster would not see too many carries this week if the Texans are smart. One guy that will play a little is Andre Johnson. Andre has been out for a few weeks with a hamstring injury and they would like to get him some in game reps.

The Titans on the other hand need to win this one to have a shot at the playoffs and should be playing all out. Chris Johnson said that his ankle wasn't feeling very good last week and can be to blame for his poor week. He said he is feeling much better this week and should be able to go all out. TE Jared Cook has also come on as of late and should make the Titans passing game tough to stop. Houston is on a 2 game losing streak and I think this game would be very close even if Houston played all their starters. Titans should be able to roll if the Texans sit guys like expected.

Being Matthew Stafford doesn't look like fun at all.

Lions at Packers: 66% of people are picking the Packers but the Lions are a 3.5 point favorite. People clearly blinded by the Packers 14-1 record here. The Packers are locked into the 1 seed and have no reason to play anyone in this one. Head coach Mike McCarthy has even hinted that Rodgers might not even start in this one saying, "Whether he starts, we’ll talk about that today," said McCarthy. "It’s important for the quarterbacks, we repped all three of ’em this week." Rodgers will most likely only play 1-2 series if he starts and I would expect most of the defensive stars to sit as well.

The Lions have clinched a playoff spot but they still have a lot to play for in this one. If they win the lock up the 5 seed. That means they would play either the Giants or Cowboys in round 1. If they lost and the Falcons won then they would have to go to New Orleans in round 1. That is a much tougher matchup and I am sure the Lions would like to avoid the Saints. Being the 5 seed also gives them the slight chance of dodging the Packers in round 2. Word is that running back Kevin Smith will sit this one out. He has been banged up for a month now and I dont blame them for this one. There was some talk that Calvin might sit because of an achilles injury but he practiced today and should be a go for Sunday. It sounds like the Packers are putting no effort into this one and the Lions should be able to win this one.

Also everyone should take notice of the great year Matthew Stafford is having this year. While Rodgers and Brees have stolen all the headlines Stafford has had a great year. He has 36 TDs on the year which ties him for 3rd in the NFL with Tom Brady. He is also 5th in total yards and 6th in passer rating. This is the 1st year he has been healthy and he is taking full advantage of that. He has been a top 5 fantasy QB this year and should be drafted like it next year. As long as Calvin is there, Stafford will be a stud.

Buccaneers at Falcons: 97% are on the Falcons are they are 11 point favorites. There has not been much attention payed to this game this week but this one might not actually mean anything for the Falcons. If the Lions win on Sunday then the Falcons are locked into the 6 seed. The Lions game is an early game, while the Atlanta game is a late game so the Falcons should already know what they are playing for before the take the field. Falcons head coach Mike Smith has said that he wont rest his starters this week but he might change his mind once he knows he has nothing to play for. With guys like Turner and Julio hurting it would be smart for them to sit some guys down. They cant afford to be without anyone against the Saints in the 1st round.

Tampa is on a 9 game losing streak and I am not sure they can win this one even against the Falcons 2nd team. I am not saying you should pick Tampa but you might want to put this one lower than usual. This could also be a great spot to win the week. No one should be on Tampa and If they were to win it should lead to an easy weekly win.

Bears at Vikings: 70% are on the Bears but the Vikings are a 1 point favorite. This game has nothing to do with resting starters but I wanted to point out the odd number of people on the Bears. This game is on of the 3 games this week that means nothing but both teams should still be going all out. I know the Vikings are 3-12 but they have played better over the past month. Adrian Peterson is out for this one but Toby Gerhart is a capable RB who should have a pretty good day. The Bears have been terrible without Cutler and Forte and I don't expect that to stop. I tend to think Vegas knows more than we do about these things so I am going with them on this one and picking the Vikings.


random tidbits about week 17: There has been some talk about the Saints resting starters but they have said there is no chance of that and expect the Saints to murder the Panthers on Sunday. Tom Brady has a shoulder injury that you might want to keep on eye on but he should be playing this week. Pats need the win and should get it against the Bills. Reggie Bush is rules out for the Dolphins this week. I am not really sure what to do with that game. Miami has played great but they dont have much to play for while the Jets need to win to still have a chance. No matter who you pick this should be on a 1 or 2 in confidence. Romo has been limited in practice with a bruise on his right hand but he is expected to go Sunday Night. Felix Jones, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham are also banged up but should be able to play in that game. this game is a toss up but 75% of people are on the Giants.

If you need to make up ground in confidence this week go big on the Lions and Titans. Also not a bad idea to go big on Minnesota. As I have said before you don't have to go crazy on a big underdog to make up ground. All 3 of those teams are the favorite and picking them should be able to help you out this week.

Kyle's NBA Pick of the Night

Rockets and Grizzlies OVER 196

With the Rockets playing their second game of a back to back, they will seemingly be nice and tired for this one. Add that to the fact that they are already a sub par defensive team, the Grizz should be able to score at will in this one. If we look at some individual matchups, a few seem to favor a high scoring game. The power forward position calls for some serious lack of defense, and in turn, tons of offensive production. Z Bo should dominate Scola on the offensive end, but Scola will also be able to score tons on the lack of defensive effort from Z Bo. Both teams are fairly up pace teams, and can score quickly off turnovers. Look for Houston to step up their putrid shooting of late, and I think both teams should be in the 100's in this one.

Brett's NBA Bet of the Night

Orlando vs. Charlotte OVER 183

Yeah, this guy is going to score...only if he could make some FTs.

Well, the Nuggets/Blazers game last night was a comedy of errors. The Blazers turned the ball over 25 times and still won the game. The teams combined to shoot 12 of 40 from the three point line and were both pretty awful from the field, but the game still went over pretty easily. I'm going to stick with my system, to remind you, "Teams that score a bunch won't play any defense in back to backs against teams that can score a little system." This applies to a few teams tonight, my favorite line of which being the Magic. They won pretty easily last night against the Nets and have a multitude of scoring options. I look for the Bobcats to keep up the tempo and try to avoid Dwight Howard in the paint. The Bobcats have some decent outside scorers, Boris Diaw can stretch the floor at the 5, and can score a little (96-95 games in their first 2 to start the year). This may be an ugly one, but look for some points.

Season Total: 1-0-0

Look-a-like of the Day 12-30-11

Is it Steelers' D-lineman Brett Keisel, or Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean?

Two Va Tech Kickers Suspended before Bowl Game

Virginia Tech Kicker, Tyler Weiss, was suspended for the upcoming All State Sugar Bowl after missing a 1 AM team curfew this past Tuesday. The best part about this story is that Weiss isn't even the first kicker suspended on his team in the past month.

Starting placekicker, Cody Journell, was suspended after an arrest for breaking and entering. When asked about the recent kicker problems, coach Frank Beamer said, "My kickers aren't bad guys. They just made some bad decisions."

Weiss and Journell are just a few in the long line of bad-ass kickers in the ACC. This group of thug kickers is obviously headlined by the legendary Sebastian Janikowski from FSU, who has been cited for multiple bar fights, vandalism, and drunken driving charges. And kickers don't get any credit for being tough? Psh.

Look-A-Like of the Day (12/29/11)

Is it ex-Celtic Luke Harangody or The Office's Toby Flenderson?
(Credit goes to Corey Chenevert for the idea)

Brett's NBA Bet of the Night

Does this look like a guy who wants to play defense?

Denver vs. Portland OVER 202

I'm gonna try to put up some ATS or O/U NBA bets. As stated before, I'm not the biggest fan of the NBA. However, with the shortened-season and little time to prepare for the season, I think there will probably be some exploitable lines out there. For tonight's games, I would like the over in the Denver/Portland game. Both teams are coming off of blowout wins here. Denver's bench is extremely deep and allowed the starters to get some serious rest last night in a blowout win against Utah. Nonetheless, they are probably still tired, as this is a back to back. Portland, on the other hand, won big against the Kings on Tuesday night. Portland will have loads of trouble stopping a high-powered Nuggets team, while the Nuggets probably won't spend what little energy they have left on the defensive end (do they ever?). Points are going to come in bunches. This game fits into a little system I'll try to use called: "Teams that score a bunch won't play any defense in back to backs against teams that can score a little system." Yeah, it's a long title, deal with it.

Heat/Celtics and Rondo: What we've Learned

Though it's only two games into the NBA season, I think we've learned quite a bit from what we've seen. The Heatles have looked scary good, dominating both the Mavs and Celtics for the better part of each game.

Lebron and D Wade seem to be playing relaxed and loose basketball, which looks to be bad news for the rest of the NBA. Most importantly, the dudes are playing D. I think they've realized that the more defense they play, the more playground alley oops they can chuck up to each other off of fast breaks. That's kind of what we all imagined the Heat would be when the big 3 first signed together. Couple that with some role players stepping up for the Heat like Cole, Battier, and Anthony, the Heat seem to be ready to rip apart the league. It all seems to be gelling early, which is scary.

On the other hand, the Celtics have looked unsurprisingly mediocre. Though they're 0-2, they have played two really good teams on the road. Those are two games where they are expected to lose, especially without a healthy Paul Pierce. One shining sore spot for the C's has been the play of Jermaine O' Neal. In 22 minutes last night, JO went 0-1 from the field and pulled in only one rebound. Why bother even being out there? They are much more effective with KG at the 5 and Brandon Bass at the 4, who has been a pleasant surprise thus far. Bass is a knock down 15 foot jump shooter who fits in perfectly to the Celtics offense. In the long term, however, the C's are going to have to make a move to get some size in their front court.

So the Heatles are out for a revenge season, and the C's are poised for a rather mediocre regular season. What else did we learn?

The big 3 for the Celts are going to be who they are. Ray Allen is going to be one of the best knock down 3 point shooters in the league. KG is going to bury teams on the pick and roll and be the defensive heart of your team. Pierce is going to be a potent scorer (somehow) when he comes back, and he'll also be your go to guy down the stretch. But what about the wild card, Rajon Rondo?

Rondo is going to put up the stats. He'll get his ~10 assists per game. He even looks like he's going to be a lot more aggressive and try to score more this year. He'll get his rebounds, he'll get his steals. A lot of that has to do with playing with knock down shooters all over the court. But my question is, what happens in crunch time? In the past couple seasons, Rondo has been hiding in the corner at the end of games, leaving the Celtics playing essentially 4 on 5.

And once again, in each of the first two games, Rondo has shown no guts in the 4th quarter. In the Knicks game, where Rondo got much praise for his play (31 pts 13 assists), he shied away during pressure moments, scoring only 2 of his 31 points in the 4th quarter. In the Heat game last night, it was the same old story. Rondo had only 2 of his 22 points in the final quarter, turning the ball over 4 times in the 4th. Not is it just the stats that tell the story, Rondo looks petrified at the end of games, afraid to advantage of opportunities and be aggressive.

If Rondo wants to be considered one of the better point guards in the NBA (he is already is by some), then he has to be able to perform when the game is on the line. He has to give Harry Potter his invisibility cloak back and show up in pressure spots. Or else, the Celtics struggles at the ends of games will leave themselves troubled in the playoffs, watching the Heatles and Lebron hoisting the O'Brien Trophy.

Early Week 17 Thoughts

Good vs. Evil: I know who I'm siding with.

Week 17 is shaping up to be an interesting one. All but 2 playoff spots are already locked up, but seeding could be greatly affected by the games on Sunday. The NFL has done a very good job of moving the schedule around such that teams that could possibly affect each other all play at the same time. For example, the Saints, who are locked into the 3 seed with a 49ers win, play at the same time as the 49ers. This should ensure that not too many teams rest their starters, which should make for an entertaining set of games.

The final spots up for grabs are the AFC West and the second Wild Card team in the AFC. Hilariously enough, there is a chance that two AFC West teams could make the playoffs, neither of which is San Diego or Kansas City. I wonder how much money you could have made if you bet that before the season started. What would those odds have been? 15,000:1? There are too many scenarios to go through, so if you want to check them out go to ESPN... plus I'm sure we'll go further in depth later on in the week.

For now, just root for the Tebows to win at home against the Chiefs. If they win, they're in. Then, all will be right in the world.

Look-a-like of the Day 12-27-11

Is it Niners' QB Alex Smith, or Hollywood star Ryan Goslin?

Grudenisms

This is it folks. The last Monday Night Football game of the season. Soak it in, enjoy it, before we all have to go back to watching meaningless Nuggets and Warriors matchups on monday nights. That also means it's the last time we'll be graced by the entertainment of Mr. Jon Gruden for nine or so months. So, we'll keep track of the awesome things that come out of his mouth, so we have something to laugh at when we're bored watching June baseball.

Grudenisms:

- " Yeah, I call him road rage. He runs with a low center of gravity."

- "Man I'd love to be a statistician and be here in New Orleans, followin' Brees and looking at all these stats he's putting up. This guy is something."

- " They run a fake pitch to little Darren Sproles, then throw back the screen to the other side to #23 Pierre Thomas. Man, I'm dizzy!"

- "Dan Marino...man that guy was something."

Where amazing happens (NBA REFS)

With the NBA season upon us, I wanted to make a tribute to the most important people in the game, the referees. I don't know if you people watched the Celtics/Knicks game on Christmas Day, but the Sheriff Joey Crawford showed everyone who the boss was with a personal opening day best 6 technical fouls given out. NBA referees, where amazing happens.

Look-a-like of the Day 12-26-11

Is it actor Jim Carrey, or Mavs' coach Rick Carlisle??

Exploiting NBA futures lines and FULL NBA Betting Preview

The NBA season is finally here and get your umbrellas ready because it is raining money in Las Vegas . The over/unders are now out and the lines are looking like they are ripe for the taking. Due to the quick start to the season, the books have very different lines. This has created several great opportunities. This also gives us a great lesson in line shopping. It is always important to get the best value you can and these lines are full of value.

With all the free agent moves in such a short period of time, the lines are all over the place and it leaves plenty of room to try to middle these bets. These lines are usually pretty dead on so if you are getting a game or two in the middle you have a pretty good shot of middling it. 18 of the lines are at least 2 games different, 5 are 3 games different and we have 2 that are 4 games apart. Odds say you are going to middle a few of those and pick up a bunch of cash at pretty much no risk. Pretty much free money right now at the sports books.

Let say I am putting 5k on each side of the 4 gap lines, 3k on the 3 gap lines and 1k on the 2 gap lines and see how it pans out at the end of the year. This one should be a big winner.

For each of the over/unders I will bet between 1-4 units. A unit can be $10 or $10,000 depending on the person. Lets just say I am betting $100 a game.

There are only 66 games this year rather than the usual 82 so I will post how many wins each team had last year based on if they had played a 66 game season. The lines look weird this year with only 80% of the games being played so it's good to have a reference point.

You also may notice that I am on more overs than unders but there is a reason for that. When you add up the win totals on one of the sites that number comes to 973 wins. Since there are 990 wins available this year that means that they should be more overs than unders. There is usually a slight difference like this every year but I have never see it like this before.


Atlanta Hawks (35 wins last year) UNDER 34.5 (-105), 2 units- After the All-Star break last year Atlanta was 10-17. They did end up beating the Magic in a playoff series but I am not exactly sure how impressive that is. Atlanta was starting to look like a team that was on their last legs and now they have lost one of their leading scorers in Jamal Crawford. With Crawford in Portland, Atlanta is left with a very weak bench. They brought in Tracy McGrady to help fill the void but they cant really be serious with that move. McGrady is done and so are the Hawks as a contender.

Boston Celtics (45 wins) OVER 38.5 (-133), 2 game middle, 1 unit- This line was 40.5 on one site and gives us a pretty solid middle opportunity. This line feels like it is close but I still don't think the Celtics drop off that much just yet. This isn't a great bet but I said I would bet them all. Boston is old but they have also played together for a long time now and should have a big advantage over teams that were just slapped together a week ago. Going 39-27 doesn't seem like it is too hard for these guys. They didn't add much to their roster but they didn't really lose anyone either. getting 2nd year player Avery Bradley to make the leap this year could be a big help in the backcourt.

BISMACK BIYOMBO!!

Charlotte Bobcats (27 wins) OVER 15.5 (-147), 4 game middle, 5 units- This is one of the biggest gap I saw in the lines. One site has this one 4 wins higher at 19.5. At 19.5 the line still seems good but I will take the free money at 15.5. Last year they traded Gerald Wallace at the deadline but still managed to finish the season 9-16 without him. Stephen Jackson who they lost to trade this offseason only played in 12 of those games and the young guys on this team got some valuable playing time. 9-16 might not be great but to beat this line all they have to do is go 16-50. They have swapped Stephen Jackson with Corey Maggette which is mostly be a wash. They biggest additions came through the draft. College super star Kemba Walker is already wowing in the preseason and you should be seeing plenty of him this season. Kemba could be a future star in this league and should be a huge asset for this season. Charlotte also picked up Bismack Biyombo (don't laugh) in the draft this year. I am not sure what he will be able to bring to the team this year but I would think it would be about as much as Kwame Brown brought to them last year. They dont really have a need for Biyombo at this point and whatever they get from him should be gravy.

Chicago Bulls (49 wins) OVER 47.5 (-125), 2 units- 48 wins might be a lot but this team is young and should be more prepared than anyone for the this many games in a short period of time. Last year Chicago got past this number even with injuries to Noah (missed 34 games) and Boozer (23 games). When both were healthy they were nearly unbeatable and I would think they would only be better now that they have a full year together as a team. They ended the season on a 28-4 run and should pick up from their. They bring back everyone from last year and shouldn't miss a beat.

Cleveland Cavaliers (15 wins) OVER 16.5 (-125), 3 units- I know the Cavs are bad but they suffered tons of injuries last year and still almost got to this number. Varejao missed 51 games and Jamison 26 games. Both are back and fully healthy now and should be a huge help to the team. I didn't like the trade of J.J. Hickson for Omri Casspi but I still think Casspi can help them and should give them some much needed outside shooting. The big additions for the Cavs came at the draft. Cleveland had the 1st and 4th picks and selected Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson. Irving is already tearing up practice and it shouldn't be long before he is the face of the franchise. They might start slow this year but I think this is a team that could have a semi strong 2nd half and should be able to get to 17-49.


Dallas Mavericks (46 wins) UNDER 44.5 (-110), 2 game middle, 4 units- Tyson Chandler is gone, J.J. Barea gone, Caron Butler gone, Peja gone. Lamar Odom in, Delonte West in, Vince Carter in. Not exactly bringing in better talent than they lost. They are also one of the older teams in the league and should have a hard time holding up with some many back to back games. Dallas may have won the title last year but they are not built to win a lot of regular season games. They seem to be about the same as Boston to me so I dont really get with this line is 44.5 and the Boston line is 38.5.

Denver Nuggets (40 wins) OVER 36.5 (-120), 2 game middle, 3 units- Before the Melo trade 32-25, after the Melo trade 18-7. Clearly Denver is fine without him and I think they continue that roll this year. They lose J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler to China but Rudy Fernandez should be able to give them the boost they need off the bench. Also expect Ty Lawson to have a breakout year.

Detroit Pistons (24wins) OVER 20.5 (-152), 2.5 game middle, 2 units- Detroit is pretty much the same team as last year. All they lost was Rip Hamilton but they added rookie Brandon Knight to take his place. Not much to talk about here. Detroit is still not a very good team.

Watch out for Ekpe Udoh this year. 

Golden State Warriors (29 wins) OVER 25.5 (-166), 4 game middle, 3 units- Here is another 4 gap line and since there win total from last year falls right in between that gap this is the best middle there is. I will take the easier end of this and take the over but the middle is really the bet here. If you only had 2 bets to make this if where you want to put that money and go for the middle. The Warriors are about the same team as last year so expect for them to be around the same win total. 2nd year big man Ekpe Udoh could be in line for a breakout year.

Houston Rockets (35 wins) OVER 32.5 (-115), 1 unit- The Rockets might not have any star players on their team but they just keep on winning. They bring back everyone from last year but should expect some of their young players like Patrick Patterson and Chase Budinger to improve over last year. I don’t see how this team gets worse so I have to go over.

Indiana Pacers (30 wins) UNDER 37 (-110), 3 units- Everyone seems to love this team this year but I am not sure I really see it. They added David West but considering he is coming off major knee surgery, he is no sure thing. Paul George is now a starter for them but he really didn’t show much is his rookie season last year. I just don’t see how they get 8 games better and go over 37.

LA Clippers (26 wins) OVER 40.5 (-115), 2 game middle, 3 units- Chris Paul is now a Clipper and the sky is the limit. Paul is an MVP quality player and should make everyone around him better. They also add Caron Butler and Chauncey Billups to the starting lineup. Both of these guys should be huge upgrades for them and be great leaders on a team that might be able take a run at the title. The West is looking weaker this year and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Clips finally steal the spotlight from the Lakers.

LA Lakers (46 wins) Under 42.5 (-145), 2 game middle, 2 units- The Lakers are starting Josh McRoberts until Bynum gets back and expect him to play big minutes for them. That alone would get me to say under. The loss or Odom is going to be massive for them. That trade was idiotic for them and could leave them with a huge mess if/when Bynum gets hurt. Bynum tends to miss about half the season and that is 30 games when the Lakers are going to be extremely thin. They have an absolutely miserable bench and should have trouble keeping it close when Kobe or Pau needs rest. Speaking of Kobe and Pau they are not getting any younger and shouldn’t be able to play the minutes they could in the past. The Lakers look like they are in big trouble this season and better make a move for Dwight Howard while people still think Bynum is a star player.

Memphis Grizzlies (37 wins) OVER 37.5 (-120) 2 game middle, 3 units- Memphis made a great run in playoffs last year and now they are getting Rudy Gay back from injury. I expect them to pick up right where they left off last year.

Miami Heat (47 wins) OVER 47.5 (-120) 3 game middle, 3 units- The Heatles started slow last year but I don’t expect that this year. Lebron and Wade were playing all throughout the lockout and should come right out of the gate hot. Lebron also worked on his low post game in the offseason and should add a new element to the Miami offense.

Milwaukee Bucks (28 wins) UNDER 33 (-110) 2.5 game middle, 1 unit- The Bucks return about the same team they had last year and I don’t really see how they improve this much. They could get close to this one but they are one injury away from being at the bottom of the league.

Minnesota Timberwolves (14 wins) UNDER 24.5 (-105) 2 game middle, 1 unit- At the very least the 2012 T-wolves should be an interesting team to watch. They are finally getting Ricky Rubio who has been stuck in Spain for two years. He might not be the best of shooters but he is a great passer and brings a lot of excitement to the floor. They also add #2 overall pick Derrick Williams. Williams was considered the most ready NBA prospect and should be able to contribute right away. Sadly for the T-wolves I just can’t go over on this one. That is too much of a jump for such a young team. They are a year away from making their big jump.

New Jersey Nets (19 wins) UNDER 25 wins (-110), 4 unit- After the Nets traded for Deron Williams last year they were 7-18. That isn’t very good and I don’t see it getting any better. Center Brook Lopez is already out for 2 months with a foot injury and it doesn’t look like they have the pieces to trade for Dwight Howard. If they somehow get Howard soon they can go over this but it doesn’t sound like the Magic like what they are offering. If they don’t get Howard I don’t see any way they can get over this one.

New Orleans Hornets (37 wins) UNDER 25.5 (-115), 2 units- Sorry Hornets fans but things are going to get worse before they get better. I liked the Paul trade for them and I think it makes them better in the future but for now they are in big trouble. They have pretty much no depth and should get beat up on in the 2nd half of the year when they are on their last legs.

New York Knicks (34 wins) UNDER 41.5 (-115), 1 unit- I think this line is right on the money. Last year the Knicks were only .500 after the Melo deal and getting over this would be a pretty big jump. I do like the addition on Tyson Chadler but I am not sure they have enough depth to win a lot of games in the regular season.

Oklahoma City Thunder (44 wins) OVER 46.5 (-120) 2 game middle, 2 units- The Thunder are everyone’s favorite in the West and I tend to agree with them. They are one of the youngest teams in the league and should have no trouble with the shortened season. They also now have Kendrick Perkins fully healthy. He should make them a much better team on defense and make them nearly unstoppable in the regular season.

Orlando Magic (42 wins) UNDER 37 (-140) 2 game middle, 3 units- I would go even bigger on this if I felt a team was closer to trading for Howard but even still I don’t think they get there. Getting to 38-28 even with Howard could be tough with this team. They don’t have much after Howard and could have a very tough time this year unless Howard plays out of his mind. I assume that Howard won’t be too interested in playing for the Magic this year and it will show on the court. Without him giving it all they really have no shot to get over 37 wins.

Philadelphia 76ers (33 wins) OVER 36 (-110), 1 unit- Philly was actually better than people think last year and if Even Turner can have a breakout season they should be able to go over this one. All reports out of camp are that Turner is looking good. Like many rookies he looked overwhelmed last year and should be able to show off his true talent this year with much less pressure on him.

Phoenix Suns (33 wins) OVER 26.5 (-115) 3 game middle, 3 units- I don’t really get why everyone hates the Suns this year. I know Nash is older but the guy doesn’t miss many games and should be able to lead them to at least 27 wins. I like the addition of Shannon Brown to this team. His fast paced style should fit great with Nash and should lead to some highlight reel fast breaks.

Portland Trailblazers (39 wins) OVER 36.5 (-110) 2 game middle, 2 units- The Brandon Roy retirement came as a big surprise to Blazers fans but I still think they should field a very good basketball team this year. Taking Roy’s place will be Jamal Crawford. Crawford is instant offense and should be a nice addition to a team that doesn’t have a lot of natural scorers. They also go a full year out of Gerald Wallace this year. One of the keys to this short season will be depth and Portland has plenty of that. Expect them to be in the think of it like they always are at the end of the year.

JIMMER!!

Sacramento Kings (19 wins) over 17.5 (-125) 3 game middle, 3 units- JIMMER!!! The kings added college star Jimmer Fredette in the draft and added some much needed outside shooting to their team. Jimmer is going to be a starter from day 1 and will need to mature quickly for the Kings to succeed. The Kings also traded Omri Caspi to the Cavs for J.J. Hickson. Hickson averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds for the last 3 months of last season and could be a real steal here. The kings also added Travis Outlaw when the Nets used their amnesty clause on him. He should provide some great depth to a team that is already pretty deep. Don’t be surprised when good teams have some let down games against the Kings this year.

San Antonio Spurs (49 wins) OVER 40.5 wins (-120), 1 unit- I am going over here because the Spurs just win. Last year when everyone thought they were too old they just kept winning and I expect that to continue this year. Everyone is healthy for them for once and they should get off to a quick start. They might have some trouble in back to back games but they should still be able to get to 41 wins.

Toronto Raptors (18 wins) UNDER 17 wins (-110), 2 units- This is one gross basketball team and I don’t see them winning very much this year. They have added nothing to their roster than mostly consists of over teams castoffs. Their only bright spot is DeMar DeRozen who could be a breakout star after averaging 20 points a game for the last 2 months last year. After DeRozen though there isn’t much. This team might be the favorite for the 1st pick in the draft.

Utah Jazz (31wins) UNDER 27 (-110), 3 units- Before they traded Deron Williams last year they were 31-26, but after they were only 8-17. They are in rebuilding mode now and don’t be surprised if they trade of most of their veterans for the future. They have a night front count or Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter to build around and they should continue to position themselves for the future. There is no chance of winning with this team and management needs to realize that.

Washington Wizards (19 wins) OVER 19.5 (-145) 3 units- John Wall should make a huge leap this year and that alone should be worth the 1 win they need to improve to get over this one. Washington is a young up and comer that should be very exciting this year. They might not win a ton of games but John Wall alone should be able to get them over 20 wins.

NBA CHAMPION- Heatles +225- Maybe the Bulls or Thunder can challenge them but after that there really isn’t a team that can hang with them. Miami should be much better than they were last year and considering they were a game away from winning the title that is pretty scary.

Western Conference Champion- Thunder 3/1- Really I get 3/1 on the team that should be the favorite? The West looks like it is slightly down from last year and the only team that is returning all of it starters is the Thunder. They almost won it last year and this year they get over the hump. This is great value at 3/1.

MVP- Lebron James 4/1- This seems like way too much for the guy that is the clear cut favorite. This line might be the best value of them all. I also like Chris Paul at 10/1 as a dark horse. I also like Chris Paul for most assists per game at 3/1. Nash shouldn’t be able to play that many minutes and Rondo might not be able to be helped out as much by his teammates this year.

Rookie of the Year- Kyrie Irving 5/1- He was the 1st pick in the draft for a reason and he is going to show off early and often. Every NBA player that played with him in the offseason was wowed by his talent and that should show through on the court this year. Sure he doesn’t have much to work with around him but he should still be able to put up some great stats. He is really the only guy on his team and should be the go to guy right away. Derrick Williams is the favorite but I don’t like how much he is going to have to fight for the ball to get shots on that team.

Week 16 Picks

After a week long hiatus consisting of final exams and a tough bout against 4 Loko (4 Loko: 1, me: 0), I'm back folks. Let us start this holiday weekend off with some good jolly fortune. Here goes:

Kyle:

1.) Broncos -3 at Buffalo: It's the day before Tebow's best friend and savior's birthday. He has to perform. Even Santa has the Tebows this week.

2.) Seattle +1 vs San Fran: Here's my thinking on this. I'm taking Seattle here. If they win, then Green Bay has nothing to play for. That means, the Bears should be a lock tomorrow night. I need wins in bunches.

3.) Chicago +11 vs Green Bay: see above.

4.) Over 50.5 Philadelphia at Dallas: Dallas has had no answer for Vick and the Eagles' offense in the past couple matchups. Couple that with Romo and the Boys rolling of late, this one has the makings of a classic shootout.

5.) Over 49.5 Miami at New England: The Pats went into a game last week against a defense that had been absolutely rolling. All they did was put up a 40 spot on them. I don't see anyone stopping the Pats right now, especially this overrated Miami secondary. Couple that with the Patriots awful defense, this one will be flying over early in the 4th quarter.

Last week: 0-0

All time: 14-16

Brett:


After another disappointing week last week at 2-2-1, I'm looking for a little bit of Christmas magic. There are some interesting lines this week and I'm going to try to take advantage of them:

1. Oakland (+3) at Kansas City - I really don't think KC is that good of a team. Oakland should be able to put some pressure on Orton and force him into some bad throws. This is a bit of a revenge game for the Raiders and Carson Palmer, as Palmer struggled to the tune of three interceptions in their last meeting. Let's go Silver and Black.

2. Pittsburgh (-10) vs. St. Louis - Kellen Clemens vs. Charlie Batch. Yes, that's seriously a starting quarterback matchup in 2011. I still think the Steelers should be able to move the ball against the Rams, while the Rams will not be able to move it against them. They should be able to cover this, and I'll be pretty disappointed if they let up.

3. Dallas (-1) vs. Philadelphia - This is another one of those life hedges. Romo has been very, very good over the last 8 weeks. The Eagles have come on of late, and I really do believe in them; however, I think the Cowboys are at worse a coin flip here on a neutral field. They're home, so I'll lean towards them.

4. Dallas vs. Philadelphia Over 50.5 - Points, points, points. They could come in bunches here with big plays on either side. Last time these two met, the Eagles put up 34, quickly. Look for both teams to run it up here,.

5. Arizona (+4.5) at Cincinnati - Two good defenses here with two young, pretty inexperienced QBs. I expect a pretty low-scoring game. AJ Green is banged up and will be up against Patrick Peterson, which could stymie the Bengals' offense. Look for this one to be very close all the way through.

Last Week: 2-2-1
Total Season: 21-17-1

Look-a-Like of the Day

Is it former Colts coach Tony Dungy or Gollum from Lord of the Rings?

Week 16 Confidence Picks

Reggie and Marshall celebrate after a game clinching 76 yard TD by Bush.

Just two weeks and things are starting to get very interesting. Seattle and Miami helped me make a big jump last week and I sit just 3 points out of 1st. staying my lane and letting everyone else make mistakes has been working for the past few weeks and I am sticking to that. I have also noticed a team that the leader always picks big so I know when i can make up ground. He loves the Giants and I know exactly where I can get him if I really need to. Many people tend to go big on a team over and over or just go crazy for their favorite team. It is a huge advantage when you can figure these out.

This is also the time when many people need to make a big move to win it all, get into the money or at the very least cash for the week. Most people think they have to pick some crazy underdog to make up ground but that just isn't the case. You can make up plenty of ground by just going big on a toss up game. People also go crazy on a bunch of games when they need to make up ground, this is also not a very smart move. You can hit on 1 or 2 of these but the odds that you hit on 3-5 are not good and you shouldn't go to crazy. All you need to do is keep it simple. If you really want to win the week and make up a ton of ground go crazy on Seattle. If you only need to make up a little bit go big on Philadelphia and/or the Jets.

Mendenhall should have a big day against the #32 run D.

Current Standings:
1343 points
1 weekly win
3rd out of 110

Home teams are in bold, percentage is the percentage of people that are currently picking each team..

16- Steelers (98%) over Rams. No Big Ben, no problem. The Rams are miserable and the Steelers still need wins if they want to get a 1st round bye in the playoffs.

15-  Ravens (98%) over Browns
14- Panthers (93%) over Buccaneers. The Bucs might be the worst team in the NFL and I don't see them having a chance in any game for the rest of the year. It looks like they have completely quit on their coach. Cam Newton should have a field day in this one.

13- Redskins (89%) over Vikings
12- Patriots (96%) over Dolphins. I think this one is much closer than people think and I love the over.  The Pats D still isn't good and Miami has been running on all cylinders as of late. If this game was in Miami I might have been able to take them but in Foxwboro I just cant. Matt Moore should be a fantasy sleeper this week.

11- Titans (91%) over Jaguars. My league locks all picks before the Thursday game so I have this one higher than I would like. Chris Johnson sounds like he is pretty banged up and I am not sure he will last the whole game. I would be under 85.5 rushing yards for CJ and I would move this one down to about 6.

10- Saints (91%) over Falcons
9- Packers (96%) over Bears. This pick coincides with me picking the Seahawks to win. If Seattle can win over the 49ers then the Packers have clinched the #1 seed and might be sitting some starters. I am still picking the Pack but not nearly as high as I normally would. If the Packers rest guys the Bears could pull this one out. Chicago can still get a playoff spot and needs this one desperately.
  
8- Texans (94%) over Colts 
7- Bengals (81%) over Cardinals
6- Broncos (83%) over Bills. Everyone seems to love the Broncos here but I am a little worried. The last time the Broncos were favored they barely beat the Bears. I don't like it when they are not playing the underdog card. They still should win but I have this a little lower than most.

5- Chargers (42%) over Lions. 

The Speedy Eagles on turf
could be a nightmare for Dallas.

4- Eagles (47%) over Cowboys. The Eagles might just be back and I am going to give them one last chance. Philly murdered them last time they played and I think the should be able to score at will once again. Plus somehow the Eagles are still in the playoff hunt and if the Giants can lose the early game the Eagles should be going all out for this one.

3- Jets (47%) over Giants. This should be one great game. The winner is the king of New York and is still in the playoff hunt, the loser is in big trouble. The Jets are -3 so I think it's best to go with the favorite here.

2- Seahawks (16%) over 49ers. Everyone is picking this one like San Francisco is some great team but I just don't see it and neither does Vegas. The line for this game is 49ers -1. Vegas thinks this one is pretty even and so do I. Seattle is 6-1 in there last 7 games and they have the best home field advantage in the NFL. Plus I think the 49ers might suffer a let down after their big Monday night win. They are also on a very short week.

1- Chiefs (52%) over Raiders. Who the hell knows with these two teams. They are both very up and down and you cant trust either. Put this one at the bottom and don't worry about it.

Week 15 Suck For Luck Standings

I have not talked about this for a while because for the past month it looked like the Colts were a lock to get the #1 pick but that all changed in the past 2 weeks. Last week The Colts got their 1st win of the year over the Titans and they kicked off this week with a win at home over the division leading Texans. They are now tied with 2 other teams and it ooks like they might not get the pick after all.

Standings

Colts 2-13 (final game @ Jags)
Rams 2-12 (@ Steelers, 49ers)
Vikings 2-12 (@ redskins, Bears)


With the Colts already beating the best two teams in their division back to back it is not that far fetched that they could beat Jacksonville. The Jaguars should only be about a 3 point favorite in that game. This might change everything for the Colts and could mean that Peyton's job is safe after all. If they don't get Luck, they would most likely not go with a QB and stick with Peyton for the time being. The Colts have plenty of needs elsewhere and should look to move back if they don't get #1.

The Vikings used the 12th overall pick last year to draft their QB of the future Christian Ponder. While Ponder has looked good at times I am sure Minnesota would jump on the chance to take luck with the #1 pick. This would most likely mean that Luck and Ponder would battle for the starting job in camp and would eventually mean that Ponder would be traded elsewhere. This isn't going to be that hard of a decision for the Vikings.

The Rams on the other hand have one hell of a decision on their hands. 2 years ago they used the #1 overall pick on Sam Bradford and gave him a massive contract. While Bradford looked good last year, he hasn't been the same this year. He has been banged up a bit but it doesn't really seem like he has improved much over last season. While I am sure St. Louis would love to draft Luck and trade Bradford, I am not sure that is a real possibility right away. Because of the large amount of guaranteed money that Bradford has in his contract it would be very hard for The Rams to trade him because of the huge cap penalty they would have to pay. I don't think the Rams will trade the pick but of the 3 teams they are the only team that I could actually see doing it. Bradford still has huge upside and they might be better off getting a bunch of nice assets in return for the #1 pick. If they do take Luck then Bradford's days are numbered but I don't think he will be on his way out the door right away. Expect an intense position battle in camp between Luck and Bradford. I would think they would start Bradford for a time to showcase him so they could trade him in the 2013 off season and give Luck the keys to the team.

Sports Christmas Wish List

With this holiday weekend being an exciting and crucial one in the world of sports, here are a couple of things that I'm hoping Santa brings me:

- The NFL blacking out the Texans/Colts Thursday Night Football matchup: Let's be serious NFL, nobody in the world is interested in this matchup, save Arian Foster fantasy owners in the championship. The Holiday Season is supposed to bring about joy and happiness to everyone, creating a jolly atmosphere. Watching Dan Orlovsky zing balls around the yard, down by three touchdowns, is just going to make everyone grumpier.

- A Dallas win over the Eagles: Nothing would make me happier than watching Tony Romo win a big game to shut up all the haters. Tony Romo is quietly having a damn good year, with a QB rating over 100, and 29 TDs with only 9 interceptions. The thing is, I don't get the Tony Romo hate. Sure he's had some struggles and some poor decision making in some big games, but the guy is a borderline top-notch QB who seems to have a fun loving personality. Get off the guy.

- Another Tebow win: Mel Kiper said earlier this week that Tim Tebow should be kept on your team because he could be a good teammate and possible receiving threat. Really, Mel Kiper? Kiper, and many others, refuse to give Tebow time to develop and get acclimated to the NFL style of game. Nice hair Mel. You look like an ugly bird. Broncos/Cowboys Superbowl please. Tebow looks to be poised to play well against the woeful Bills D. And, as Cousin Sal said, how can Tebow not play great the day before Jesus' birthday??

- Start of the Heatles Dynasty: Another team that gets outrageous hate from the public. I'm hoping the Heatles and Bron Bron just go absolutely banzai this year. I'm hoping for a Heat trouncing of the Mavs by like 30 on Christmas Day. Not 1, not 2, not 4, not 5.. not 6....

Running Quarterbacks and the Tim Tebow Project

The Tim Tebow debate has been raging on for the last 8 weeks or so with both sides of the argument gaining fuel for their particular fire. On the pro-Tebow side, the "just win baby" point has been backed by Tebow leading a mediocre (at best) team to a 7-2 record. On the other side, Tebow has thrown the ball headscratchingly bad at some points during the year, backing the "he can't be a pocket passer" camp. Though I don't think this debate will be resolved anytime soon, or ever maybe, I think it is important to think outside the box with Tebow.

Okay, maybe Tim Tebow will never mature as a passer to the likes of a Steve Young per se. But this notion that the Quarterback position has to be played in that traditional drop back pocket-passer way is a dense and simple-minded one. Though there aren't many "running quarterbacks" that have been given a true chance in the NFL, when they have been, these quarterbacks generally produce. And most importantly, they win football games. To examine the running quarterback more deeply, we turned to some serious research.

We classified a running quarterback as one who averaged 20 + yards rushing per game during a given season. We only counted seasons where the players qualified for the "running quarterback" criteria. Thus, guys like Steve McNair (RIP) and Donovan McNabb didn't have the seasons later in their career factored into our results. Here is some of the data we came up with for the records of some scrambling qb's:

- Steve Grogan: 40-20

-Mike Vick: 51-37

-Kordell Stewart: 48-34

-Vince Young: 26-13

-Donovan McNabb: 43-21

-Steve Young: 82-30

-Doug Flutie: 21-9

-Steve McNair: 55-34

-Fran Tarkenton: 41-60

-Randall Cunningham: 62-40

Borderline: David Garrard: 39-37

This comes out to an impressive .600 combined win rate, with only one having a losing record (Fran Tarkenton). Also, note that this doesn't include the latter stages of some of these guys' careers where some of them could have drastically improved their winning percentages. I believe this is quite a telling statistic. The fact all of the modern day scrambling QB's (with any significant sample size) have had winning career records speaks volumes to the effect a running QB. Now, we wanted to more deeply examine WHY these types of quarterbacks seem to be successful.

One thing that points to the success of a running QB is the positive effect they have on the running backs they play with. I'm not an X's and O's genius, but I'm assuming that the extra running threat at QB makes it so there is one less defender to collapse on the running back. Basically, one of your defenders has to account for the QB as a spy, causing there to be one less guy trying to tackle your running back. Taking a look at the numbers, the stats seem to once again speak to the "running QB effect":

Chris Johnson (not counting this year): 4.6 YPC without Vince Young < 5.3 YPC with VY

Travis Henry : 4.0 YPC without Vince Young < 4.5 YPC with VY

Warrick Dunn: 3.8 without Mike Vick < 4.5 YPC with Mike Vick

Jerome Bettis: 3.9 career YPC without Kordell Stewart < 4.4 and 4.8 YPC in 2 full years with Kordell

Like I said, I don't know the ins and outs of the football strategy, but the numbers tell the story. Running QB's have an undeniable effect on their teams ability to run the ball. This story has rung true in the short time the Broncos have started Tim Tebow. The Broncos' RBs ran the ball at 3.6 YPC rate in their five games with Kyle Orton behind center. With Tim Tebow, the running backs are running the ball at 4.95 YPC, continuing the trend. It's not as if the Broncos have played easier rushing defenses with Tebow. With Orton, the defenses averaged to be 21st in the league against the rush. With Tebow, opposing the defenses averaged to be 16th in the league against the rush. Actually, Tebow's Broncos have faced stiffer rush defenses than did Orton.

What to make of all this? Even I'm not really sure. All I can say is that there has been a real track record of running quarterbacks being successful winners in the NFL. Tebow may not be completely like these other guys, but what he brings to the table with an ability to scramble and improvise is very similar to them. And thus far, Tebow and the Broncos have won just like the others. Remember, Tim Tebow hasn't even had a full season starting in the NFL. Note that he hasn't been as bad a passer as people are knocking him for (14th in QB rating). Who knows how much he'll be able to develop as a passer. Only time will be able to tell that. But for the moment, and into the future even, his style predisposes him to winning a lot more football games than he loses.

Look-a-like of the Day 12-20-11

Is it Chiefs' coach Romeo Crennel, or the old guy from Tyler Perry's TBS show??

PS: I don't WATCH that show, I just flipped by it and saw the lookalike. Just for the record

Get The Luminator out

A transformer near the stadium has blown near Candlestick Park and knocked out all power for the stadium. This has delayed the start of the 49ers and steelers Monday night game. Better send someone over to Walmart to pick up a Luminator light up football. No need for lights. The Luminator worked just fine for me when I was 9, should work out just fine for these guys.

Chris Paul Needs a History Lesson

Obviously he didn't study History at West Forsyth.

I'm a big Chris Paul fan. I think he's exactly what a superstar point guard should be. The team that he was a part of in New Orleans and Oklahoma City would never have won over 35 games without him. As much as I like him as a player and as a person, I think he's in dire need of a history lesson. Here's a quote from his press conference: "I'm excited to be here in L.A. with this unbelievable franchise with so much history behind it," Paul said. "Every one knows Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan signed his deal and my big brother, Chauncey Billups, who I'm excited to be playing alongside of. This is going to be an unbelievable experience."


Hey Chris, the Clippers have been in L.A for 35 years. In those 35 years, they've been to the playoffs exactly 4 times, getting out of the first round only once (where they were promptly thwarted by the Nuggets in 05-06). That year, they won a franchise-high 47 games. Guess how many teams won 47 games last year? That would be 10 teams that won more than 47, while 2 more won 46.

GG Clips.

I'm fully aware that he may have written this exact statement thinking that he was getting traded to the Lakers, inserting Hall of Famers in there. When that trade got vetoed, maybe you should have rethought your statement; maybe take a few minutes to think about it before talking about the storied franchise that is the Clippers: Michael Olowokandi, Melvin Ely, Darius Miles (of The Perfect Score fame... IMDB it), and Lorenzen Wright to name a few.

Week 15 NFL Picks

Brett:


Just another 2-3 week for me last week. I'm now a disappointing 6-9 over the last 3 weeks, and this week didn't start off as well as I would have liked. With 46 points scored and over 16 minutes left to go in the game, the Cowboys and Bucs couldn't muster just 1 more point to give me the win, pretty frustrating. At least it wasn't a loss for me. Hopefully we can pick some winners this week.

1. Cowboys vs. Bucs Over 46 - Push. F U Jason Garrett.

2. Patriots vs. Broncos Over 45.5 - Around mid-week, this one that opened at around 46 was bet down to 45.5. The Pats' defense has been putrid this year, but have been relatively stout in the red zone. The Tebows have been pretty good once they get into the red area. I don't see either team really stopping the other. Pray for points, that's Tebow's motto.

3. Cincinnati (-6.5) at St. Louis - I can't believe you can get the Bengals giving less than a full TD against the Rams. The Rams are awful when they have all their starters, just imagine how bad they'll be today when Kellen Clemens (that's correct) is starting. He's thrown 2 passes in the NFL since 2009; I don't like the chances for the Rams putting up too many points in this game. The Bengals and A.J. Green have the potential to put up a bunch, lay the points.

4. Baltimore (-1.5) at San Diego - This is a weird one for me, but I like taking very small road favorites in matchups like this. The Ravens' defense has been menacing of late. Joe Flacco is always a concern when talking about the Ravens, but I'm more concerned with the Chargers' depleted offensive line, injury situation, and the ever-present Norv Factor (inexplicably bad coaching). I think Suggs and Ngata will be tremendously disruptive and force the Chargers into some bad mistakes. The Ravens look to continue to roll towards a first round bye in this one.

Caleb Hanie is not good.

5. Seahawks vs. Bears Under 36 - Both teams have good defenses. Only 1 team has an acceptable offense. Even though the line in this game is very low, remember that the totals in the last 2 games featuring the Bears have been 13 and 23. I think there's going to be more of the same in this game. If neither team has multiple turnovers deep in their own ends, I see few points being scored.

Last Week: 2-3-0
Total Season: 19-16-0

Pick for Saturday Night Football

I'm going with the over 46 tonight as one of my 5 picks for Week 15. Hopefully there are a lot of points scored. Some bad defensive play from both teams lately could mean lots of TDs. On a side note, has anyone ever seen as many black guys with blue eyes as the Cowboys have?

Blow to the Celtics: Jeff Green out for Season

Sources are reporting that Celtics' forward Jeff Green will be out for the season due to heart surgery. Though doctors are telling Green that he should be able to come back to basketball after this season, anything dealing with heart problems is scary for any person, especially an athlete who relies on being in tip top shape for his profession. This could potentially be a huge blow for the Celtics.

Fans of the Celtics spent last year questioning the move of sending big man Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City in return for Jeff Green. Green seemed to be hesitant in his diminished role in Boston, coming off the bench for the first time since the beginning of his rookie season. I think a lot of the "struggles" Green experienced last year with the Celtics had a lot to do with him being uncomfortable in his new role.

Fast forward to this year, and I think Green would've been a lot more comfortable coming off the bench for this Celtics team. And with Ray Allen and Paul Pierce not getting any younger, Green was set to be one of the most important bench players in the entire league. The lockout causing bunches of games in short periods of time is going to absolutely kill the Celtics aging team, and Doc is going to have to proceed with caution during the regular season.

Cutting minutes for the Big 3 is not going to be as easy as it sounds, now that Jeff Green is lost for the year. Green was the versatile guy that could come in to spell any of the three aging veterans. And not only was he going to spell them, he was actually going to do a pretty damn good job while in there. Now, the Celtics are left handcuffed with poor options in the free agent market. They are left with guys like Sasha Pavlovic (girl?) and Marquis Daniels to back up Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. That's a pretty big drop off from a career 14 and 5 guy like Jeff Green.

Celtics fans are hoping for one last hurrah from their Big 3, before they go fading into mediocrity with Rajon Rondo. But the aging talent coupled with the depleted bench leaves me thinking that the C's are going to be surprisingly average this year.

Bowl Mania Game (CONC)

{You can still sign up at any time, even if you have missed a game or 2}

So we're dumb. We forgot that the bowl games started this afternoon. We, just this morning, created an ESPN College Bowl Mania group. If anyone out there wants to join our group and compete against us for funsies, here's the link to our group:

http://games.espn.go.com/college-bowl-mania/en/group?groupID=37691


The password for the group is: tebow15

Even if you don't join before the first bowl game starts, I believe you can still throw your hat into the ring after the games start. Plus, who wants to put big numbers on the Mr. Clean Dog Walkers Sioux City Mashed Potato Bowl anyway? Join in on the fun.

P.S. We're probably going to do something similar for the NFL playoff fantasy league, but we'll have a prize for the winner of that contest coming up. So, stay tuned.

Dammit Donald

Came across this tonight while I was reminiscing about my boy Peyton Manning. Listen closely and you get to hear Peyton go off on Donald Brown. For anyone who ever wondered why Donald Brown doesn't play more, you have you answer. Guy is a dope and I am glad Peyton lays into him even while the play is still going on. After having to watch guys like Blaine Gabbert and Tyler Palko this year, I really miss Peyton. He better come back next year and do work on the NFL.

Look-a-like of the Day 12-16-11

Is it dopey coach Norv Turner, or self proclaimed genius Wile E Coyote? Who's dumber?

Just a goal from the Balcony

This one is pretty insane. I dont care how many takes this took, you could take shots from there all day and never come close.

Who's the Boss? Sam Hurd is the Answer.

It's been a pretty good year for NFL players and drugs. From Fred Davis and Trent Williams and their hundreds of failed drug tests, to Jerome Simpson and his drug dealing Fed-Ex driver, and now the Sam Hurd story. It seems as though Hurd was telling undercover officers that he was looking to increase his operations to distribute 6-8 kilos of cocaine and over 1000 pounds of marijuana per week. I'm not too well-versed on measurements, but I'm guessing that's a lot. He was arrested yesterday and is viewed as one of the drug kingpins in the Chicago area, distributing to many NFL players that he has (supposedly) named. Keep up the good work Sam!

Just call him Sam Hurd Barksdale. Hurd was looking to buy 575k worth of drugs each week. That's about $29 million per year. The man aint no suit wearing NFL player, he is just a gangster I suppose.

BTW if you haven't watched the HBO show The Wire yet, do yourself a favor and go on Amazon and buy the box set. Most people consider it to be the best TV show of all-time and I completely agree with them.