So, the Pens now have 69 points in 56 games, or a 1.23 points per game average. Projection of season average would indicate a finish at 101 points, probably good enough for Top 5 seeding in the Eastern Conference.
But there's been some great and not-so-great runs this season for the Penguins. Let's establish an upper-bound, lower-bound, and streak-free case.
If you're still laughing at 69 and "streak-free", your maturity level is perfect for this site.
Upper-Bound Scenario:
Remember that 5 game losing streak earlier in the season when the Pens mustered an absolutely pitiful amount of goals? Pretend it never happened. The Penguins play average at worst, and keep their amazing 11-2 start as part of their points.
69 points, 51 games. PPG = 1.35. Pens have 26 games left this season, so...
Projected finish: 104 points
Definitely good enough for Top 4, possibly even enough for the division.
Lower-Bound Scenario:
Switch the above scenario. Say the Pens keep that awful stretch and lose their best one. 11-2 means 22 points out of 26, in 13 games.
47 points, 43 games. PPG = 1.09
Projected finish: 97 points
I'd consider that good enough for at least a playoff spot. Typically the cutoff is 95 points or lower.
Streak-free (shut up) Scenario:
Let's eliminate both of the above situations. 11-7 in 18 games.
47 points, 38 games. PPG = 1.24
Projected finish: 101 points
It seems that taking away the streaks makes for a consistent metric of how the season has gone, even with the streaks. So the Penguins' current record is realistic with their overall performance this season.
Random other topic, the best coach in the West. I don't know how voters on nhl.com could pick anyone but Dave Tippett. With the "great" Wayne Gretzky coaching, the Yotes are a last place team. Tippett has made them into a bona fide contender behind solid D and a great team play strategy. People who want to anoint Quenneville for managing an appropriately highly-achieving club are fools.
Joe Sacco getting more votes than Tippett is more understandable, however. I still say Tippett has done most with the least.
- Matt
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Infringe on a Copyright?
Yeah, I'm later than Michael Jackson on this. Bear with me.
An interesting battle has heated up between the New Orleans Saints and some guys over printing and selling t shirts that have the Saints' infamous "Who Dat" slogan on them.
[The Four Letter Network]
Here's my question: how is this any different from "Let's Go X" cheers that nearly every other team uses? Can either party really copyright a phrase that's in the public domain for a certain amount of time? Nope.
The ability to patent something depends on multiple factors, and can be stopped if the item/slogan/etc in question is deemed to be in the "public domain", ie, common knowledge. You couldn't patent, say, the wheel. You could patent a specific TYPE of wheel, as long as whatever you're patenting hadn't already been around or conventional. I think there's a one year period to determine such things.
Point is, neither party can claim exclusive rights on "Who Dat" if the slogan has been proven to be around one year before it was first patented. Which I believe is the case. Will this keep the NFL from throwing money to prevent a small business from making even a cent at their expense? Absolutely not.
Bottom line, if you REALLY want a Who Dat shirt, make your own.
- Matt
An interesting battle has heated up between the New Orleans Saints and some guys over printing and selling t shirts that have the Saints' infamous "Who Dat" slogan on them.
[The Four Letter Network]
Here's my question: how is this any different from "Let's Go X" cheers that nearly every other team uses? Can either party really copyright a phrase that's in the public domain for a certain amount of time? Nope.
The ability to patent something depends on multiple factors, and can be stopped if the item/slogan/etc in question is deemed to be in the "public domain", ie, common knowledge. You couldn't patent, say, the wheel. You could patent a specific TYPE of wheel, as long as whatever you're patenting hadn't already been around or conventional. I think there's a one year period to determine such things.
Point is, neither party can claim exclusive rights on "Who Dat" if the slogan has been proven to be around one year before it was first patented. Which I believe is the case. Will this keep the NFL from throwing money to prevent a small business from making even a cent at their expense? Absolutely not.
Bottom line, if you REALLY want a Who Dat shirt, make your own.
- Matt
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Halftime Acts
I was going to criticize this article for sounding stupid, but then Scoop Jackson picked Outkast as his number one choice for a Super Bowl Halftime show. I'm so in favor of that you have no idea.
But I did get to thinking. What the hell is the deal with all the washed-up musical geniuses of yesteryear playing at the Super Bowl? Has the NFL given up on black audiences like McDonald's gave up on white people? And with the desire to expand into the Latino market, you'd expect music with some more flair to take center stage.
So here's an open question: who (or what kind of music) should play during Halftime? To me, this question is irrelevant, because I switch over to the Puppy Bowl for the duration.
- Matt
But I did get to thinking. What the hell is the deal with all the washed-up musical geniuses of yesteryear playing at the Super Bowl? Has the NFL given up on black audiences like McDonald's gave up on white people? And with the desire to expand into the Latino market, you'd expect music with some more flair to take center stage.
So here's an open question: who (or what kind of music) should play during Halftime? To me, this question is irrelevant, because I switch over to the Puppy Bowl for the duration.
- Matt
Gone Streakin'
Time for the weekly hockey post.
The theme of this week is streaks. Not the kind you found on your college girlfriend's underwear shortly before breaking up with her. Winning and losing streaks. It seems everybody in the league has some sort of streak going right now:
The winners
Washington: 8 games
Ottawa: 7 games
Vancouver: 6 games
Colorado: 6 games
San Jose: 5 games
Los Angeles: 3 games
Tampa Bay: 3 games
The losers (damn you new nhl.com format)
Calgary: 8 games
Boston: 5 games
New York Rangers: 4 games
New York Islanders: 4 games
Toronto: 4 games
Nashville: 4 games
Detroit: 3 games
Philadelphia: always losers in my book
and the Big Kahuna:
Edmonton: 11 game losing streak
So what's up with half the teams in the league having streaks of 3 games or more? Well, the shootout, for one. Call the end of overtime a tie and I think most of these streaks disappear. Second, the NHL is a streaky league. It just seems more pronounced when two teams lose 8 or more games in a row. Edmonton has had problems winning in regulation for years, but now I guess they just can't keep the score close enough to get a win in the skills competition.
That's really all I've got for this week. Tough to tie any deep meaning to late January games, even the playoff picture is still very muddled. Onto the game of the night:
Chicago Blackhawks @ San Jose Sharks
WHY TO WATCH: These are the number 1 and number 2 teams in the league right now, and they have enough talent to make Pierre McGuire forget about Mike Richards (almost). This might be as close to a heavyweight matchup in the regular season as we can get. Or the postseason, considering the Sharks' annual playoff failures and the Capitals' allergy to playing past the second round.
WHY NOT TO WATCH: You live on the East Coast and you have to be in bed before 1:30? Just a guess. Doesn't keep me from recommending this game, though. Center Ice that shit if you're unemployed.
PREDICTION: Sharks 6, Hawks 5 (OT). Dany Heatley gets 2 goals and doesn't kill anyone somehow, Marian Hossa leads Chi-town with 2 goals of his own. I was an empty net goal away from being exactly right last week, so you should listen to me.
Alternative Game: Ottawa @ Pittsburgh. This game has actual implications in the standings too! And Ottawa is a bunch of douches.
- Matt
The theme of this week is streaks. Not the kind you found on your college girlfriend's underwear shortly before breaking up with her. Winning and losing streaks. It seems everybody in the league has some sort of streak going right now:
The winners
Washington: 8 games
Ottawa: 7 games
Vancouver: 6 games
Colorado: 6 games
San Jose: 5 games
Los Angeles: 3 games
Tampa Bay: 3 games
The losers (damn you new nhl.com format)
Calgary: 8 games
Boston: 5 games
New York Rangers: 4 games
New York Islanders: 4 games
Toronto: 4 games
Nashville: 4 games
Detroit: 3 games
Philadelphia: always losers in my book
and the Big Kahuna:
Edmonton: 11 game losing streak
So what's up with half the teams in the league having streaks of 3 games or more? Well, the shootout, for one. Call the end of overtime a tie and I think most of these streaks disappear. Second, the NHL is a streaky league. It just seems more pronounced when two teams lose 8 or more games in a row. Edmonton has had problems winning in regulation for years, but now I guess they just can't keep the score close enough to get a win in the skills competition.
That's really all I've got for this week. Tough to tie any deep meaning to late January games, even the playoff picture is still very muddled. Onto the game of the night:
Chicago Blackhawks @ San Jose Sharks
WHY TO WATCH: These are the number 1 and number 2 teams in the league right now, and they have enough talent to make Pierre McGuire forget about Mike Richards (almost). This might be as close to a heavyweight matchup in the regular season as we can get. Or the postseason, considering the Sharks' annual playoff failures and the Capitals' allergy to playing past the second round.
WHY NOT TO WATCH: You live on the East Coast and you have to be in bed before 1:30? Just a guess. Doesn't keep me from recommending this game, though. Center Ice that shit if you're unemployed.
PREDICTION: Sharks 6, Hawks 5 (OT). Dany Heatley gets 2 goals and doesn't kill anyone somehow, Marian Hossa leads Chi-town with 2 goals of his own. I was an empty net goal away from being exactly right last week, so you should listen to me.
Alternative Game: Ottawa @ Pittsburgh. This game has actual implications in the standings too! And Ottawa is a bunch of douches.
- Matt
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Head Shots
By now most people in the hockey world have heard about or watched the devastating elbow delivered in Juniors. Patrice Cormier (property of the NJ Devils) threw an elbow in an open ice check on Mikael Tam, leaving Tam to start to convulse on the ice. Cormier was then given a 5 minute major and a game misconduct. The league then suspended Cormier indefinitely until a decision about his suspension is reached on Monday.
Where am I going with this? I think head shots in hockey (at any level) have ZERO place in the game. Recently Zack Kassian (property of the Buffalo Sabres) was suspended by the OHL 20 games for his headshot on Matt Kennedy. Looking at that replay...Kassian seemed to leave his feet as he hit Kennedy. The punishment, was severe but fair. I applaud the OHL for coming down hard on Kassian because respect for other players starts in the developmental leagues. You can even argue it starts in the pee wees. But I'm not going to go that far today. In the past decade we've witnessed brutal acts on ice in both the NHL and Juniors. The only way to fix these vicious crimes is to develop the mentality in college and juniors that it's wrong. Maybe the McSorley two handed chop to Brashear's head doesn't occur, or maybe Bertuzzi doesn't sucker punch Moore ending the later's career. What will make it stop? Someone actually suffering severe brain damage because of a vicious blow to the head? What happened to the respect players had for one another. Not too long ago no one even wore a helmet. I remember, even in my short lifetime, Craig MacTavish not wearing a helmet. I believe he was the last player to do so. It was not that long ago that players were "ok" with not wearing a helmet because there was a sense of respect.
What I find even more sickening is Cormier may be allowed to play in the AHL this year. Even if Cormier gets suspended by the CHL for the remainder of the season, he will still be eligible to play. Granted he would have to pass an AHL board review, but what makes you think they will uphold the suspension? You'd be going from the Juniors to professional hockey...they have no reason to honor the suspension of the CHL. Would they? I sure hope so.
So we've established I'm not a fan of headshots and I am a fan of heavy suspensions. But...I believe the powers that be can go too far. A criminal investigation is being conducted on Cormier on whether or not there should be legal action taken against him. I don't believe this is necessary. Hitting and aggression are part of the game. People get injured and players do stupid things. While I don't condone violent behavior in the game, there is no way to actually determine whether or not Cormier INTENTIONALLY elbowed Tam and meant to send him into a seizure. Let the discipline be handled in-house. If they decide to ban him from hockey, ok that's fine. But he should not face any legal action.
Again I reiterate, respect should be taught in the lower levels. This is the only way for the game to see progress in this area. Weed out the dirty players in Juniors and the college ranks. GMs should take heed on these matters and not reward players who have had multiple incidents in juniors/college by drafting them. It has to start somewhere...and it needs to start at the bottom.
-Brett
Where am I going with this? I think head shots in hockey (at any level) have ZERO place in the game. Recently Zack Kassian (property of the Buffalo Sabres) was suspended by the OHL 20 games for his headshot on Matt Kennedy. Looking at that replay...Kassian seemed to leave his feet as he hit Kennedy. The punishment, was severe but fair. I applaud the OHL for coming down hard on Kassian because respect for other players starts in the developmental leagues. You can even argue it starts in the pee wees. But I'm not going to go that far today. In the past decade we've witnessed brutal acts on ice in both the NHL and Juniors. The only way to fix these vicious crimes is to develop the mentality in college and juniors that it's wrong. Maybe the McSorley two handed chop to Brashear's head doesn't occur, or maybe Bertuzzi doesn't sucker punch Moore ending the later's career. What will make it stop? Someone actually suffering severe brain damage because of a vicious blow to the head? What happened to the respect players had for one another. Not too long ago no one even wore a helmet. I remember, even in my short lifetime, Craig MacTavish not wearing a helmet. I believe he was the last player to do so. It was not that long ago that players were "ok" with not wearing a helmet because there was a sense of respect.
What I find even more sickening is Cormier may be allowed to play in the AHL this year. Even if Cormier gets suspended by the CHL for the remainder of the season, he will still be eligible to play. Granted he would have to pass an AHL board review, but what makes you think they will uphold the suspension? You'd be going from the Juniors to professional hockey...they have no reason to honor the suspension of the CHL. Would they? I sure hope so.
So we've established I'm not a fan of headshots and I am a fan of heavy suspensions. But...I believe the powers that be can go too far. A criminal investigation is being conducted on Cormier on whether or not there should be legal action taken against him. I don't believe this is necessary. Hitting and aggression are part of the game. People get injured and players do stupid things. While I don't condone violent behavior in the game, there is no way to actually determine whether or not Cormier INTENTIONALLY elbowed Tam and meant to send him into a seizure. Let the discipline be handled in-house. If they decide to ban him from hockey, ok that's fine. But he should not face any legal action.
Again I reiterate, respect should be taught in the lower levels. This is the only way for the game to see progress in this area. Weed out the dirty players in Juniors and the college ranks. GMs should take heed on these matters and not reward players who have had multiple incidents in juniors/college by drafting them. It has to start somewhere...and it needs to start at the bottom.
-Brett
Friday, January 22, 2010
Your 22 Minutes of Action
At least, according to the WSJ, that's how much football you're actually getting this weekend.
By contrast, in 22 minutes you could watch this video 5 times because it's so fucking brutal:
[Blood and Thunder, by Mastodon]
But if you're not into metal (jerk), you could watch both games. I sure won't be doing that.
New York @ Indianapolis
Everyone's talking about the stellar Jets D, which features Darrelle Jesus at corner. I give him props solely on being able to withstand the 3 hour blowjob he got from Phil Simms. But Indianapolis goalie Peyton Brodeur has really shut the door on opposing teams, leading the league in shutouts this season. The Clots have done a great job forcing other teams to shoot from uncomfortable spots, keeping average field goal percentage very low. And while their own ERA hasn't been great, their big hitters seem to get the extra base hits when they count.
I'm sorry, I must have been incredibly bored writing about the Colts and Jets for more than a sentence.
Prediction: Colts 20, Jets 17
Minnesota @ New Orleans
I was ready to pick NO and ride the Superdome crowd to victory until I heard about last year's MIN vs NO game, when Brees had 5 turnovers, including multiple fumbles. After watching Minnesota totally dismantle the Cowboys, you have to think their D is running hot these days. And just like I can't bet against a hot goaltender, I can't say the hot offense beats the hot defense right now. As much as it pains me to say so... the Vikings will win this one.
Prediction: Vikings 38, Saints 27
- Matt
By contrast, in 22 minutes you could watch this video 5 times because it's so fucking brutal:
[Blood and Thunder, by Mastodon]
But if you're not into metal (jerk), you could watch both games. I sure won't be doing that.
New York @ Indianapolis
Everyone's talking about the stellar Jets D, which features Darrelle Jesus at corner. I give him props solely on being able to withstand the 3 hour blowjob he got from Phil Simms. But Indianapolis goalie Peyton Brodeur has really shut the door on opposing teams, leading the league in shutouts this season. The Clots have done a great job forcing other teams to shoot from uncomfortable spots, keeping average field goal percentage very low. And while their own ERA hasn't been great, their big hitters seem to get the extra base hits when they count.
I'm sorry, I must have been incredibly bored writing about the Colts and Jets for more than a sentence.
Prediction: Colts 20, Jets 17
Minnesota @ New Orleans
I was ready to pick NO and ride the Superdome crowd to victory until I heard about last year's MIN vs NO game, when Brees had 5 turnovers, including multiple fumbles. After watching Minnesota totally dismantle the Cowboys, you have to think their D is running hot these days. And just like I can't bet against a hot goaltender, I can't say the hot offense beats the hot defense right now. As much as it pains me to say so... the Vikings will win this one.
Prediction: Vikings 38, Saints 27
- Matt
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Divisonal Recap/Conference Predictions
Pretty happy I went 3-1 this week...better than last week's 1-3.
Arizona at New Orleans
I'm sorry, but who actually thought the Cardinals had a chance here? *cough*will*cough* Some will blame it on the hit Warner suffered and he couldn't throw the ball more than 10 yards. The only thing that would've changed though would be the score...higher, but with the same result.
Baltimore at Indianapolis
There's always next year Baltimore. Will Reed and Mason retire after this year? Well the Ravens are going to need to address the WR position, and start getting younger on D. Hopefully they can convince those two to stick around another year longer. Give potential draft picks a year to learn before they're thrown into the fire.
Dallas at Minnesota
For the same reasons people hate Brett Favre, I love him. He's 40 years old and slinging the football around better than most QB's in the league. Don't care who you are, but that's impressive. Is he a prima donna? Definitely. Has he earned the right to do whatever he wants? Definitely. Did the Vikes run up the score? Possibly, but this is why girls and children don't play in the NFL. The only time I get upset when people run up the score is when it screws with my o/u which the Ravens did earlier in the year. Yes Will...I admit it...I only got upset because it screwed me with the o/u.
Oh...Yes I want Brett Favre to win another superbowl. It'll be a great middle finger to everyone out there who hates him.
New York at San Diego
I don't know if my judgement was clouded because I was at a bar in NYC or what, but Jet fans are the most annoying bunch of people in the world. They may actually be worse than Philly fans...wait...no...I take that back. But they're still pretty bad. It was tough to watch. Why do the Chargers seem to always choke in the playoffs? I honestly thought they would've beat the Colts had they won this game.
Onto this week's predictions...
New York at Indianapolis
Alright...so I've picked against the Jets TWICE...and they've won both. It makes me want to pick the Jets, so they lose. But I just can't...I really want to...I just...I can't.
NYJ 13 IND 24
Minnesota at New Orleans
Can't pick against my new favorite team. Do you guys remember when I said I was going to start rooting for the Vikings when the Bills started to go downhill? So that was week 2 I think? It'll be a great game, but Minnesota takes this one. I'm sorry New Orleans...if the Cowboys had won I'd be donning Black and Gold this weekend.
MIN 35 NO 31
-Brett
Arizona at New Orleans
I'm sorry, but who actually thought the Cardinals had a chance here? *cough*will*cough* Some will blame it on the hit Warner suffered and he couldn't throw the ball more than 10 yards. The only thing that would've changed though would be the score...higher, but with the same result.
Baltimore at Indianapolis
There's always next year Baltimore. Will Reed and Mason retire after this year? Well the Ravens are going to need to address the WR position, and start getting younger on D. Hopefully they can convince those two to stick around another year longer. Give potential draft picks a year to learn before they're thrown into the fire.
Dallas at Minnesota
For the same reasons people hate Brett Favre, I love him. He's 40 years old and slinging the football around better than most QB's in the league. Don't care who you are, but that's impressive. Is he a prima donna? Definitely. Has he earned the right to do whatever he wants? Definitely. Did the Vikes run up the score? Possibly, but this is why girls and children don't play in the NFL. The only time I get upset when people run up the score is when it screws with my o/u which the Ravens did earlier in the year. Yes Will...I admit it...I only got upset because it screwed me with the o/u.
Oh...Yes I want Brett Favre to win another superbowl. It'll be a great middle finger to everyone out there who hates him.
New York at San Diego
I don't know if my judgement was clouded because I was at a bar in NYC or what, but Jet fans are the most annoying bunch of people in the world. They may actually be worse than Philly fans...wait...no...I take that back. But they're still pretty bad. It was tough to watch. Why do the Chargers seem to always choke in the playoffs? I honestly thought they would've beat the Colts had they won this game.
Onto this week's predictions...
New York at Indianapolis
Alright...so I've picked against the Jets TWICE...and they've won both. It makes me want to pick the Jets, so they lose. But I just can't...I really want to...I just...I can't.
NYJ 13 IND 24
Minnesota at New Orleans
Can't pick against my new favorite team. Do you guys remember when I said I was going to start rooting for the Vikings when the Bills started to go downhill? So that was week 2 I think? It'll be a great game, but Minnesota takes this one. I'm sorry New Orleans...if the Cowboys had won I'd be donning Black and Gold this weekend.
MIN 35 NO 31
-Brett
Thursday Morning Hockey, part 1
I promised hockey articles, so here this is.
Normally I don't post about hockey because the Pens are my team, and the Pensblog and Empty Netters do way better jobs covering them than I could ever do, even if I were unemployed and did nothing but use the Internet all day.
Most of the amateurish posts on the Pens are from armchair GMs and other "geniuses" who know, just KNOW, how to solve the Pens' woes during a dreaded 2 game losing streak. These people suck. For future reference, during events of Penguin non-dominance, you may visit the following site:
[Arethepensgoingtobeok.com]
Meanwhile, the rest of the league. In the Eastern Conference, the Caps have basically clinched their division by now and are hoping they can clinch the number one spot in the East. If you're also trying to remember the last time a 1st seed in the East made the Stanley Cup Finals, much less won it all, you're not alone. The highest seeds to make it recently: 4th (Penguins and Senators), 2nd (Penguins, Hurricanes, and Lightning). The "race" for 3rd seed, meanwhile, is more meaningful in my book. The 6th seed in the playoffs is usually the hottest team. Both of the last two years, the 6th seed has lost to the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Coincidence? Yes. But also, there's a lot to be said for finishing your season on a high note. If I were a betting man (OK, if I were a GOOD betting man), I'd put money on the Islanders to be that seed, since their play of late has been very solid. I wouldn't be surprised to see Philly there, either.
In the West, we have an orgy of talent at all levels. The Sharks lead, to no one's surprise, but we can all remember how well they've done each spring. I don't see their playoff push being a particularly long one this year, either. The Hawks are good, but in the same way the Sharks are. I see a lot of people picking them to win it all, but right now I don't see them winning the Cup. The two most bizarre things about the "other" conference right now are:
1. Nashville?!? PHOENIX?!?
2. Calgary plummeting in the standings.
Obviously, Calgary will be fine. They always make the playoffs, and they're also always a tough out. I hope that both the aforementioned unpopular teams make it, and then move to a city that cares. Nashville had great seasons a few years ago, and their attendance still sucked. These teams deserve better.
And can we briefly talk about Gretzky's legacy? The second he stops coaching the Yotes they go from punchline to powerhouse. Coincidence? NO!
Finally, your game of the night. This one should be obvious:
Capitals @ Penguins, 7:30
WHY: If you need to ask, you haven't been paying attention to hockey.
WHY NOT: You don't like either team?
CAPS WIN BECAUSE: Theodore is on a hot streak, and you always take the hot goalie. Revenge factor is in play (the Pens haven't thought too much about the Caps, whereas the Caps are obsessed). Caps on a winning streak against decent teams. Home ice seems to mean nothing to these teams. Ovechkin desperately wants to embarass the Pens at home.
PENS WIN BECAUSE: Brent Johnson may start, and goalie playing against former club is most of the time an extra edge. Crosby shows up huge against rivals, and right now he's the best goal scorer in the league. The Caps are better than last year, and the guys will be motivated to test themselves. Fuck the Caps.
PREDICTION: Capitals 5, Penguins 3. Injuries have given the Penguins unfamiliar line combos, and Washington will jump out to an early lead. Should progress slowly until it gets interesting at 4-3, then the Caps ice it with an empty netter. Ovechkin leads the game with 1 goal, 2 assists, and Crosby leads the Pens with a goal and assist.
If you don't want to watch that one, there's always... Rangers at Flyers or... Predators at the Coyotes? Hey, what do you know? I must be prescient.
- Matt
Normally I don't post about hockey because the Pens are my team, and the Pensblog and Empty Netters do way better jobs covering them than I could ever do, even if I were unemployed and did nothing but use the Internet all day.
Most of the amateurish posts on the Pens are from armchair GMs and other "geniuses" who know, just KNOW, how to solve the Pens' woes during a dreaded 2 game losing streak. These people suck. For future reference, during events of Penguin non-dominance, you may visit the following site:
[Arethepensgoingtobeok.com]
Meanwhile, the rest of the league. In the Eastern Conference, the Caps have basically clinched their division by now and are hoping they can clinch the number one spot in the East. If you're also trying to remember the last time a 1st seed in the East made the Stanley Cup Finals, much less won it all, you're not alone. The highest seeds to make it recently: 4th (Penguins and Senators), 2nd (Penguins, Hurricanes, and Lightning). The "race" for 3rd seed, meanwhile, is more meaningful in my book. The 6th seed in the playoffs is usually the hottest team. Both of the last two years, the 6th seed has lost to the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Coincidence? Yes. But also, there's a lot to be said for finishing your season on a high note. If I were a betting man (OK, if I were a GOOD betting man), I'd put money on the Islanders to be that seed, since their play of late has been very solid. I wouldn't be surprised to see Philly there, either.
In the West, we have an orgy of talent at all levels. The Sharks lead, to no one's surprise, but we can all remember how well they've done each spring. I don't see their playoff push being a particularly long one this year, either. The Hawks are good, but in the same way the Sharks are. I see a lot of people picking them to win it all, but right now I don't see them winning the Cup. The two most bizarre things about the "other" conference right now are:
1. Nashville?!? PHOENIX?!?
2. Calgary plummeting in the standings.
Obviously, Calgary will be fine. They always make the playoffs, and they're also always a tough out. I hope that both the aforementioned unpopular teams make it, and then move to a city that cares. Nashville had great seasons a few years ago, and their attendance still sucked. These teams deserve better.
And can we briefly talk about Gretzky's legacy? The second he stops coaching the Yotes they go from punchline to powerhouse. Coincidence? NO!
Finally, your game of the night. This one should be obvious:
Capitals @ Penguins, 7:30
WHY: If you need to ask, you haven't been paying attention to hockey.
WHY NOT: You don't like either team?
CAPS WIN BECAUSE: Theodore is on a hot streak, and you always take the hot goalie. Revenge factor is in play (the Pens haven't thought too much about the Caps, whereas the Caps are obsessed). Caps on a winning streak against decent teams. Home ice seems to mean nothing to these teams. Ovechkin desperately wants to embarass the Pens at home.
PENS WIN BECAUSE: Brent Johnson may start, and goalie playing against former club is most of the time an extra edge. Crosby shows up huge against rivals, and right now he's the best goal scorer in the league. The Caps are better than last year, and the guys will be motivated to test themselves. Fuck the Caps.
PREDICTION: Capitals 5, Penguins 3. Injuries have given the Penguins unfamiliar line combos, and Washington will jump out to an early lead. Should progress slowly until it gets interesting at 4-3, then the Caps ice it with an empty netter. Ovechkin leads the game with 1 goal, 2 assists, and Crosby leads the Pens with a goal and assist.
If you don't want to watch that one, there's always... Rangers at Flyers or... Predators at the Coyotes? Hey, what do you know? I must be prescient.
- Matt
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Short Bus Is Missing One Passenger
From Indianapolis, the city that reads! (at a second grade level):
- Matt
- Matt
Thoughts on the Weekend
I'll avoid a rant.
ARI @ NO
You can't blame people for picking Arizona. Well, actually, you can. But the Saints showed what I think many knew all along: they're the best team in the league. They didn't even need to try during the second half. I will enjoy their rampage over the Vikings with relish.
BAL @ IND
I really feel bad for Ravens fans. Indy is that incomprehensible thorn in their side. You could do everything right and still lose to these guys, somehow. I think the biggest challenge in the AFC Championship will be for the commentators to suck off both Manning and the Jets, as they did for the entirety of the two AFC games.
DAL @ MIN
I love how there's an attempt at making a "running up the score" controversy. NO ONE CARES. If I get paid millions to tackle a guy holding a ball, and I fail, I can't complain about the final score. Maybe in college sportsmanship matters. In the NFL? When was the last time the league had an iota of class? Plus, now Favre may have angered the football gods. And I couldn't be happier.
NYJ @ SD
Playoff choke job aside, Phil Simms needs to be arrested for public pornography after his 3.5 hour blowjob of Darrelle Revis and Mark Sanchez. I had impartial friends tell me how bad he was. When the NY Post says he's doing a good job, you know he's bad. In summation, the Chargers need to get out of their own heads. Kaeding needs support from the fans, not to be shunned. Oh, and draft a goddamn RB.
I can safely say I won't watch either Championship game next week. But I will be rooting for New Orleans for all it's worth. If anyone in the world deserves to be a Super Bowl MVP, it's Drew Brees. Biased as always,
- Matt
ARI @ NO
You can't blame people for picking Arizona. Well, actually, you can. But the Saints showed what I think many knew all along: they're the best team in the league. They didn't even need to try during the second half. I will enjoy their rampage over the Vikings with relish.
BAL @ IND
I really feel bad for Ravens fans. Indy is that incomprehensible thorn in their side. You could do everything right and still lose to these guys, somehow. I think the biggest challenge in the AFC Championship will be for the commentators to suck off both Manning and the Jets, as they did for the entirety of the two AFC games.
DAL @ MIN
I love how there's an attempt at making a "running up the score" controversy. NO ONE CARES. If I get paid millions to tackle a guy holding a ball, and I fail, I can't complain about the final score. Maybe in college sportsmanship matters. In the NFL? When was the last time the league had an iota of class? Plus, now Favre may have angered the football gods. And I couldn't be happier.
NYJ @ SD
Playoff choke job aside, Phil Simms needs to be arrested for public pornography after his 3.5 hour blowjob of Darrelle Revis and Mark Sanchez. I had impartial friends tell me how bad he was. When the NY Post says he's doing a good job, you know he's bad. In summation, the Chargers need to get out of their own heads. Kaeding needs support from the fans, not to be shunned. Oh, and draft a goddamn RB.
I can safely say I won't watch either Championship game next week. But I will be rooting for New Orleans for all it's worth. If anyone in the world deserves to be a Super Bowl MVP, it's Drew Brees. Biased as always,
- Matt
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Random thoughts on a bus...
So I'm on a 4 hour bus ride to NYC and I figured what better way to pass the tim them blog about my random sports thoughts. It'll be like a mailbag but without anyone writing in.
Alex Burrows of the Vancouver Canucks was recently fined for his comments against referee Auger. He blamed Auger for purposefully calling penalties because of a personal grudge. It dates back to a hit Burrows had on a player which caused Auger some heat. I'm not familiar with this hit, so I can't speak to it. However, Burrows claims Auger approached him in the warmup skate and said he was going to be essentially gunning for him. Late in the game there were two penalties called on Burrows. One was a legit diving call and the other was a phantom interference call. I saw the game and believed they were both BS. But I guess there's a case to be made for the first penalty. My question is...what's the actual truth?
I tend to side with Burrows. The NHL has done a terrible job of being forthcoming with the facts. Burrows is not a whiney player who goes off whenever things don't go his way. If this were say Sean Avery...I would not even give it a second thought. But the way the NHL handled this I believe Burrows account. Why would Burrows just make something like this up knowing full well he would be fined and/or suspended? It makes no sense to me. We have still not heard Auger's account of the interaction which has been documented that they spoke during pre-game warm-ups. I don't think Burrows has handled it very well though. He called a ref out to the media which is always a no no. He shouldve mentioned something to the coach before the game if even as a joke. Then if the coach knew this could've been handled via back channels and Auger would be suspended or at least fined.
Honestly the NHL did what it had to do by fining Burrows. Still seems a bit odd to me...
Second thing I'll weigh in on. Lane Kiffin leaving Tennessee and bolting for USC. I've had mixed emotions. On one hand I think its a dick move to the university and its players. All the kids that believed Kiffin when he was recruiting them must feel betrayed. How effective will he be when he recruits for USC? Will anyone even believe him? Plus he left after 1 year...kind of a lot of broken promises he left on the table.
However USC was his dream job. And if Kiffin lost every game this past year who's to say he wouldn't be fired? And if it was his dream job can you blame him for taking it?
I think the bigger question is how far does loyalty go? Teams don't honor contracts so why should players/coaches have to always honor them too? Especially if the coach then owes the school money if he leaves early. After thinking about it I agree with Kiffin's choice if USC was truly his dream job. I can't say any of us wouldn't leave our current job if our dream job came knocking. Its a once in a lifetime opportunity and I support it. With that said...I think Lane Kiffin is an idiot and a terrible coach. But that has nothing to do with me condoning his actions.
I was going to blog on the affairs of the Bills and their head coaching search, but I felt I'll leave that for Monday's bus ride home. Have a safe weekend everyone! Oh and while I'm in NYC I'm going to be at the NYI/Sabres game 2 rows from the glass. I can't wait.
Go Sabres and Go Ravens!
-Brett
Alex Burrows of the Vancouver Canucks was recently fined for his comments against referee Auger. He blamed Auger for purposefully calling penalties because of a personal grudge. It dates back to a hit Burrows had on a player which caused Auger some heat. I'm not familiar with this hit, so I can't speak to it. However, Burrows claims Auger approached him in the warmup skate and said he was going to be essentially gunning for him. Late in the game there were two penalties called on Burrows. One was a legit diving call and the other was a phantom interference call. I saw the game and believed they were both BS. But I guess there's a case to be made for the first penalty. My question is...what's the actual truth?
I tend to side with Burrows. The NHL has done a terrible job of being forthcoming with the facts. Burrows is not a whiney player who goes off whenever things don't go his way. If this were say Sean Avery...I would not even give it a second thought. But the way the NHL handled this I believe Burrows account. Why would Burrows just make something like this up knowing full well he would be fined and/or suspended? It makes no sense to me. We have still not heard Auger's account of the interaction which has been documented that they spoke during pre-game warm-ups. I don't think Burrows has handled it very well though. He called a ref out to the media which is always a no no. He shouldve mentioned something to the coach before the game if even as a joke. Then if the coach knew this could've been handled via back channels and Auger would be suspended or at least fined.
Honestly the NHL did what it had to do by fining Burrows. Still seems a bit odd to me...
Second thing I'll weigh in on. Lane Kiffin leaving Tennessee and bolting for USC. I've had mixed emotions. On one hand I think its a dick move to the university and its players. All the kids that believed Kiffin when he was recruiting them must feel betrayed. How effective will he be when he recruits for USC? Will anyone even believe him? Plus he left after 1 year...kind of a lot of broken promises he left on the table.
However USC was his dream job. And if Kiffin lost every game this past year who's to say he wouldn't be fired? And if it was his dream job can you blame him for taking it?
I think the bigger question is how far does loyalty go? Teams don't honor contracts so why should players/coaches have to always honor them too? Especially if the coach then owes the school money if he leaves early. After thinking about it I agree with Kiffin's choice if USC was truly his dream job. I can't say any of us wouldn't leave our current job if our dream job came knocking. Its a once in a lifetime opportunity and I support it. With that said...I think Lane Kiffin is an idiot and a terrible coach. But that has nothing to do with me condoning his actions.
I was going to blog on the affairs of the Bills and their head coaching search, but I felt I'll leave that for Monday's bus ride home. Have a safe weekend everyone! Oh and while I'm in NYC I'm going to be at the NYI/Sabres game 2 rows from the glass. I can't wait.
Go Sabres and Go Ravens!
-Brett
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Divisional Round Picks
Last week going 1-3 against the spread was pretty sad. Actually my two counterparts went 2-2 and 1-3, so I guess it was a bad week for all of us. I'm predicting I go 4-0 or 3-1 this week. Bold possibly...but doable. It is my feeling that the people you really think are going to win...will win. There won't be a lot of...well maybe there will be an upset...nope. The better teams will prevail this week. This could come back to haunt me, but...it's what I believe.
Arizona at New Orleans
In a dome...it'll be a shootout. Will told me a GREAT point the other day. Kurt Warner usually has 1 game every few where he turns the ball over and is just terrible. I'm going to believe that this game isn't quite that, but he's not throwing for 5 TDs.
Prediction: Arizona 27 New Orleans 38
Baltimore at Indianapolis
2 words...Peyton Manning.
Prediction: Baltimore 20 Indianapolis 27
Dallas at Minnesota
This will be an interesting game and probably the most interesting game this round. But Brett Favre has some sort of black magic on his side. I like it...probably just because he has the best first name in the history of first names.
Prediction: Dallas 17 Minnesota 24
New York at San Diego
Well...I picked against the Jets last weekend and look how that turned out. I'm going to pick against them again. Phillip Rivers = dynamite. One of the top 5 QB's in the game.
Prediction: New York 13 San Diego 20
-Brett
Arizona at New Orleans
In a dome...it'll be a shootout. Will told me a GREAT point the other day. Kurt Warner usually has 1 game every few where he turns the ball over and is just terrible. I'm going to believe that this game isn't quite that, but he's not throwing for 5 TDs.
Prediction: Arizona 27 New Orleans 38
Baltimore at Indianapolis
2 words...Peyton Manning.
Prediction: Baltimore 20 Indianapolis 27
Dallas at Minnesota
This will be an interesting game and probably the most interesting game this round. But Brett Favre has some sort of black magic on his side. I like it...probably just because he has the best first name in the history of first names.
Prediction: Dallas 17 Minnesota 24
New York at San Diego
Well...I picked against the Jets last weekend and look how that turned out. I'm going to pick against them again. Phillip Rivers = dynamite. One of the top 5 QB's in the game.
Prediction: New York 13 San Diego 20
-Brett
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Divisional Round
I'll be brief, because nothing annoys me about football more than excessive talk in the weeks leading up to later-round games.
Arizona @ New Orleans
As sure as the Sun will rise, people are going to look waaaaay too much into Kurt Warner's epic performance last week. But durrrr, Green Bay had such a good defense durrr. Yeah, against bad teams. They couldn't get it done against solid teams that still gave a shit all season, I can't believe I picked them to advance. Anyway, the Saints are much better than people think (somehow). Sure, they lost 3 in a row, but after Dallas, a good team, beat them, they looked like they lost their regular season drive. Now the times are different, and they will step up.
Prediction: Saints 41, Cardinals 24
Baltimore @ Indianapolis
Today I added cole slaw to the list of food I hate to eat using a spoon. Among the rest: mashed potatoes, vegetables of any kind, applesauce (to be fair, it's been like 10 years since I had it), stew, cake (except ice cream cake), and pineapple. If you can stab it, you can use a fork. Spoons are just stupid. If you use one for every meal, you probably wear a helmet.
I know a lot of people who root for the Ravens, but I just can't get excited about this game. Hell, I was more excited about Jets vs Bengals. Stover will make Baltimore sincerely regret his departure.
Prediction: Colts 26, Ravens 17
Dallas @ Minnesota
I'm banking on the Cowboys to win. I really don't want them to, but they probably will. I'm hoping the burden of expectations after finally winning a playoff game overwhelms them, and they revert back to postseason form. If not, I at least get to see Favre stab yet another city in the chest with his choke-tastic performance.
Cowboys 24, Vikings 20
New York @ San Diego
This is one of those standard "test" games where the favorite looks like they'll win 7 out of 10 times by a blowout, the game will be close in either favor twice out of 10, and 1 out of 10 produces an unbelievable result (like the Pats in the Super Bowl two years ago). Of all the remaining AFC teams, the Jets present the best matchup against the Chargers. Unfortunately for the Jets, they're also worse than the Ravens and Colts. It'll be interesting to see how Revis covers VJ, or if Gates will just have a monster day. I say Malcom Floyd turns out to be the most significant member of the Chargers on Sunday.
And before you try out the tired "Chargers can't stop the run or run the ball snarf snarf" argument, here's a list of top rushing / rush d teams the Chargers have beaten this season:
@ NYG, @ DAL, vs. PHI, vs. WAS (2nd string), vs. MIA, @ TEN.
One of the most misleading things about the Chargers is that despite getting under 1000 yards, LT still had 12 TDs. Turning 1st and goals into TDs is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, something that damns all losing teams. If the Steelers had LT, they'd be in the second round of the playoffs. As in hockey, but maybe to a lesser extent, stats become meaningless in the playoffs. Of course, sports media needs you to believe that analyzing stats and percentages will give you insider insight into games. And by extension of that, you should watch ESPN. The will to win trumps all, and few teams look more determined than the Chargers. The Jets' manic-depressive coach will again lose all hope in his players this week.
Chargers 34, Jets 20
Not brief after all. Whatever.
- Matt
Arizona @ New Orleans
As sure as the Sun will rise, people are going to look waaaaay too much into Kurt Warner's epic performance last week. But durrrr, Green Bay had such a good defense durrr. Yeah, against bad teams. They couldn't get it done against solid teams that still gave a shit all season, I can't believe I picked them to advance. Anyway, the Saints are much better than people think (somehow). Sure, they lost 3 in a row, but after Dallas, a good team, beat them, they looked like they lost their regular season drive. Now the times are different, and they will step up.
Prediction: Saints 41, Cardinals 24
Baltimore @ Indianapolis
Today I added cole slaw to the list of food I hate to eat using a spoon. Among the rest: mashed potatoes, vegetables of any kind, applesauce (to be fair, it's been like 10 years since I had it), stew, cake (except ice cream cake), and pineapple. If you can stab it, you can use a fork. Spoons are just stupid. If you use one for every meal, you probably wear a helmet.
I know a lot of people who root for the Ravens, but I just can't get excited about this game. Hell, I was more excited about Jets vs Bengals. Stover will make Baltimore sincerely regret his departure.
Prediction: Colts 26, Ravens 17
Dallas @ Minnesota
I'm banking on the Cowboys to win. I really don't want them to, but they probably will. I'm hoping the burden of expectations after finally winning a playoff game overwhelms them, and they revert back to postseason form. If not, I at least get to see Favre stab yet another city in the chest with his choke-tastic performance.
Cowboys 24, Vikings 20
New York @ San Diego
This is one of those standard "test" games where the favorite looks like they'll win 7 out of 10 times by a blowout, the game will be close in either favor twice out of 10, and 1 out of 10 produces an unbelievable result (like the Pats in the Super Bowl two years ago). Of all the remaining AFC teams, the Jets present the best matchup against the Chargers. Unfortunately for the Jets, they're also worse than the Ravens and Colts. It'll be interesting to see how Revis covers VJ, or if Gates will just have a monster day. I say Malcom Floyd turns out to be the most significant member of the Chargers on Sunday.
And before you try out the tired "Chargers can't stop the run or run the ball snarf snarf" argument, here's a list of top rushing / rush d teams the Chargers have beaten this season:
@ NYG, @ DAL, vs. PHI, vs. WAS (2nd string), vs. MIA, @ TEN.
One of the most misleading things about the Chargers is that despite getting under 1000 yards, LT still had 12 TDs. Turning 1st and goals into TDs is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, something that damns all losing teams. If the Steelers had LT, they'd be in the second round of the playoffs. As in hockey, but maybe to a lesser extent, stats become meaningless in the playoffs. Of course, sports media needs you to believe that analyzing stats and percentages will give you insider insight into games. And by extension of that, you should watch ESPN. The will to win trumps all, and few teams look more determined than the Chargers. The Jets' manic-depressive coach will again lose all hope in his players this week.
Chargers 34, Jets 20
Not brief after all. Whatever.
- Matt
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Unreal
I'm not sure if this is awesome or terrible:
[Deadspin]
Oh hell, I'll go with awesome. Looking up Max Talbot on youtube gives you two results: goofy commercials starring him, and him scoring a championship-clinching goal. LT's basically a cheerleader when the ball is between the 20s these days, so why not relax the mood of a choke-prone team?
- Matt
[Deadspin]
Oh hell, I'll go with awesome. Looking up Max Talbot on youtube gives you two results: goofy commercials starring him, and him scoring a championship-clinching goal. LT's basically a cheerleader when the ball is between the 20s these days, so why not relax the mood of a choke-prone team?
- Matt
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Mood in Boston
Here are two opinions of friends in Boston:
Haha...what is there to say? the game was over b4 i even made it to the bar! the ravens said 'bend over' and the pat's said 'hell yea we will. is this far enough?' -Kate
The pink hat crowd (fair weather fans) is like devastated the reasonable half like myself knew they were terrible. -Matt
I love hearing Pat fans upset...makes my day better.
-Brett
Haha...what is there to say? the game was over b4 i even made it to the bar! the ravens said 'bend over' and the pat's said 'hell yea we will. is this far enough?' -Kate
The pink hat crowd (fair weather fans) is like devastated the reasonable half like myself knew they were terrible. -Matt
I love hearing Pat fans upset...makes my day better.
-Brett
Wild Card Recap
I went 1-3...what does that mean? Every week that I make these picks if you're a betting man you should bet against me. I was able to watch 3 out of 4 games (missed the Ravens game...the ONE game I picked right). Let's start with my flawed analysis.
Jets at Bengals
Looks like Rex Ryan will have to hold off his "Yay the season is over all you can eat buffet marathon" for at least one more week. Somehow...my counterparts saw this...the Jets beat the Bengals. I blame Chris Henry...too soon? Regardless...here is how I saw the game.
In my Wild Card preview I said that CIN would put 8 men in the box, crowd the line of scrimmage, and make Sanchez win this game. I figured that would be the downfall of the Jets. Well I was right in some aspect of that. The Bengals crowed the line and the Jets ran. However...the Jets ran all over the Bengals. Greene was a beast rushing for 135 yards on 21 carries. With the Jets commitment to the run it allowed Brian Schottenheimer to dial up the play action extremely effectively.
What else Rex Ryan's D made Carson Palmer look like Trent Edwards. Palmer didn't look comfortable at ALL back there. Numerous times overthrowing his receiver. He never looked confident back there either. When you allow the opposing team to run the ball effectively and your QB sucks as badly as Palmer did...it's a recipe for disaster. The Jets played a perfect road game...gotta give it to them.
Game Ball: Brian Schottenheimer. He protected his rookie QB and called a very good game.
Side note: I've heard many members in the media make light of the fact that Rex Ryan only wears a long sleeve t and a sweater vest. They say that it shows how tough he is. Can anyone just be honest...he's FAT! If I had that much body fat keeping me warm I'd probably only be wearing a sweatervest too. And I'd spend my winters in Antarctica. Actually...can we raise money to buy Rex Ryan a one-way ticket there? I'll even throw in a bag of cheetos for the trip there. Anyone with me??
Eagles at Cowboys
At least I didn't say the score would be Eagles 172 Cowboys 4.
But the Cowboys finally made a statement and won a playoff game! I didn't realize this...but it was their first playoff victory since 1996. Looks like Wade will be keeping his job. And honestly...if I were the Vikings I'd be nervous. They looked solid. Did it surprise anyone else that McNabb barely had any passing yards until the second half? I'm wondering if his time in Philly is done. They have Kolb, an option to re-sign Vick...I'm wondering if they should trade McNabb...say...to the Bills?
Game Ball: Felix Jones...he's a game changer.
Ravens at the Patriots
LOL at Tom Brady and Belichick. Yes...I just said LOL like a schoolgirl...but that's how happy I am that the Patriots lost in the first round. I'll say it again...LOL!
Unfortunately I did not get to witness this raping...I was on a date. If the Pittsburgh police call me for information...unfortunately I cannot give a statement. However I think I heard the collective sobbing from the city of Boston. LOL (I swear it's my last one).
Looking at the stats however Flacco had 34 yards passing, which leads me to one conclusion. Jon Harbaugh reads our blog!!! I mentioned the way to win this game: "If Cam Cameron and Harbaugh realize a basic formula of running the ball will work...they'll win."
So Jon as you're reading this if you ever need someone else on your coaching staff I would be willing to take a leave of absence from M&T and come work with you. That or convince your brother to go coach the Bills. He's my #2 choice behind Russ Grimm. I'm really not on the Leslie Frazier train...I know Will says it's a "smart" hire...but I want an offensive HC. I digress...
Game Ball: Joe Flacco...yes yes yes 34 passing yards. But Will told me he's hurt and can barely walk. Guts...just guts. He's 3-1 in the playoffs...can't argue with that.
Packers at Cardinals
I didn't realize they instituted the shootout in football. It's been pretty successful in hockey. The Sabres and Colorado went to an 11 round shootout the other night. It was the highlight of the game...some say they hate the shootout...others love it. I hate it...but I love it. There's nothing better to watch than a good old fashioned shootout. (Note...the Sabres lost).
I'm glad Will, Matt, and I took the under in this game. People should listen to us...Brandon Lang ain't got NOTHIN on us!
This was my "sure thing" pick of the week. I'm glad I don't have a house that I could've bet on this game because I'd be sleeping in the vestibule at work. Interesting note...my boss told me a homeless person was sleeping there when he came into work on Saturday. I'm going to keep politics out of this and keep my mouth shut on homelessness.
4...that's the number of incompletions Warner had out of 33. If Kurt Warner retires at the end of the season the Cardinals are going to have their work cut out for them. As I tried to make a case for Russ Grimm and his o-line, Will stated...it's all Warner. I could not argue with that. It's hard to root against Kurt Warner. His story...well we've all heard it, so I won't repeat it, but I'm just saying it's hard to root against him.
Brett Favre who? Aaron Rodgers put on his OWN damn pair of Wranglers yesterday. Again...why the hell did I say Trent Edwards was going to have more passing yards than Rodgers? Has my admiration for Buffalo completely seeped into my brain and caused permanent damage? I sure hope not. Regardless...LOL (ok I lied) at San Fran for taking Alex Smith in 2005...that's really worked out well.
Game Ball: Kurt Warner...5 TDs and 4 incomplete passes.
Later on in the week...Division Round Predictions. I swear...pick against me and you'll do great. You can call me Brett the Greek and I won't make any racial comments about the black athlete either!
-Brett
Jets at Bengals
Looks like Rex Ryan will have to hold off his "Yay the season is over all you can eat buffet marathon" for at least one more week. Somehow...my counterparts saw this...the Jets beat the Bengals. I blame Chris Henry...too soon? Regardless...here is how I saw the game.
In my Wild Card preview I said that CIN would put 8 men in the box, crowd the line of scrimmage, and make Sanchez win this game. I figured that would be the downfall of the Jets. Well I was right in some aspect of that. The Bengals crowed the line and the Jets ran. However...the Jets ran all over the Bengals. Greene was a beast rushing for 135 yards on 21 carries. With the Jets commitment to the run it allowed Brian Schottenheimer to dial up the play action extremely effectively.
What else Rex Ryan's D made Carson Palmer look like Trent Edwards. Palmer didn't look comfortable at ALL back there. Numerous times overthrowing his receiver. He never looked confident back there either. When you allow the opposing team to run the ball effectively and your QB sucks as badly as Palmer did...it's a recipe for disaster. The Jets played a perfect road game...gotta give it to them.
Game Ball: Brian Schottenheimer. He protected his rookie QB and called a very good game.
Side note: I've heard many members in the media make light of the fact that Rex Ryan only wears a long sleeve t and a sweater vest. They say that it shows how tough he is. Can anyone just be honest...he's FAT! If I had that much body fat keeping me warm I'd probably only be wearing a sweatervest too. And I'd spend my winters in Antarctica. Actually...can we raise money to buy Rex Ryan a one-way ticket there? I'll even throw in a bag of cheetos for the trip there. Anyone with me??
Eagles at Cowboys
At least I didn't say the score would be Eagles 172 Cowboys 4.
But the Cowboys finally made a statement and won a playoff game! I didn't realize this...but it was their first playoff victory since 1996. Looks like Wade will be keeping his job. And honestly...if I were the Vikings I'd be nervous. They looked solid. Did it surprise anyone else that McNabb barely had any passing yards until the second half? I'm wondering if his time in Philly is done. They have Kolb, an option to re-sign Vick...I'm wondering if they should trade McNabb...say...to the Bills?
Game Ball: Felix Jones...he's a game changer.
Ravens at the Patriots
LOL at Tom Brady and Belichick. Yes...I just said LOL like a schoolgirl...but that's how happy I am that the Patriots lost in the first round. I'll say it again...LOL!
Unfortunately I did not get to witness this raping...I was on a date. If the Pittsburgh police call me for information...unfortunately I cannot give a statement. However I think I heard the collective sobbing from the city of Boston. LOL (I swear it's my last one).
Looking at the stats however Flacco had 34 yards passing, which leads me to one conclusion. Jon Harbaugh reads our blog!!! I mentioned the way to win this game: "If Cam Cameron and Harbaugh realize a basic formula of running the ball will work...they'll win."
So Jon as you're reading this if you ever need someone else on your coaching staff I would be willing to take a leave of absence from M&T and come work with you. That or convince your brother to go coach the Bills. He's my #2 choice behind Russ Grimm. I'm really not on the Leslie Frazier train...I know Will says it's a "smart" hire...but I want an offensive HC. I digress...
Game Ball: Joe Flacco...yes yes yes 34 passing yards. But Will told me he's hurt and can barely walk. Guts...just guts. He's 3-1 in the playoffs...can't argue with that.
Packers at Cardinals
I didn't realize they instituted the shootout in football. It's been pretty successful in hockey. The Sabres and Colorado went to an 11 round shootout the other night. It was the highlight of the game...some say they hate the shootout...others love it. I hate it...but I love it. There's nothing better to watch than a good old fashioned shootout. (Note...the Sabres lost).
I'm glad Will, Matt, and I took the under in this game. People should listen to us...Brandon Lang ain't got NOTHIN on us!
This was my "sure thing" pick of the week. I'm glad I don't have a house that I could've bet on this game because I'd be sleeping in the vestibule at work. Interesting note...my boss told me a homeless person was sleeping there when he came into work on Saturday. I'm going to keep politics out of this and keep my mouth shut on homelessness.
4...that's the number of incompletions Warner had out of 33. If Kurt Warner retires at the end of the season the Cardinals are going to have their work cut out for them. As I tried to make a case for Russ Grimm and his o-line, Will stated...it's all Warner. I could not argue with that. It's hard to root against Kurt Warner. His story...well we've all heard it, so I won't repeat it, but I'm just saying it's hard to root against him.
Brett Favre who? Aaron Rodgers put on his OWN damn pair of Wranglers yesterday. Again...why the hell did I say Trent Edwards was going to have more passing yards than Rodgers? Has my admiration for Buffalo completely seeped into my brain and caused permanent damage? I sure hope not. Regardless...LOL (ok I lied) at San Fran for taking Alex Smith in 2005...that's really worked out well.
Game Ball: Kurt Warner...5 TDs and 4 incomplete passes.
Later on in the week...Division Round Predictions. I swear...pick against me and you'll do great. You can call me Brett the Greek and I won't make any racial comments about the black athlete either!
-Brett
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Patriots = Stunned
The goat is shopping around for a better QB.
I'll let Will/Brett elaborate on the game. First, I'm on the phone with the Pittsburgh police for the rape I witnessed in New England.
- Matt
Friday, January 8, 2010
Thank You
I would like to extend a thank you to Matt and Will for giving me this incredible opportunity to write for such a prestigious blog.
I promise to give a high level of bias to the Bills and Sabres.
Thank you.
-Brett
I promise to give a high level of bias to the Bills and Sabres.
Thank you.
-Brett
Wild Card Preview
It's time. But I don't really care all that much, so in the spirit of the Deadspin Jamboroo, if I don't care about a game, I'll go off on a random tangent.
Jets at Bengals
Is football where all the fat asshole shitstains of the world get jobs? I only ask because Rex Ryan is a fucking douche. And he weighs like 800 pounds. I was raised in a fairly progressive household, and I'd like to consider myself free of racism and other prejudice. But obese people piss me right the fuck off. My brother told me that the history channel (which should be renamed the Bible Channel) showed scientists tying "gluttony" to neurological disorders. You know what? I'll take it a step further. Obese people are not only insane, they're dangerous. If they become the next scapegoat in this country, I'm way on board for that. Consider me on the fat-hater bandwagon.
Note: Birdmen does not endorse the harming or killing of morbidly obese people. Let them kill themselves.
Prediction: Jets 27, Bengals 17
Eagles at Cowboys
This is the most interesting game this weekend. This means two things: one, football is pretty unexciting. Two, I have no idea what to expect from this game. I say interesting, not good, for a reason. With the kind of unpredictable game I'm expecting, one team usually embarasses the other and makes it unwatchable by the second quarter. I can't think of any recent offenders, but I know the difference between "good" and "interesting" enough to say this game is going to be unwatchable by the second half. I'm picking a blowout, and I assume Will is too, since he picked DAL DAL U.
Prediction: Eagles 172, Cowboys 4
Ravens at Patriots
This game could go either way. The Ravens just haven't looked very good this year. Neither have the Patriots. If this were college football, it would be called the Earning the Privelege to Get Raped in Round Two Bowl. The Chargers could feasibly triple the Patriots' score. The Colts are just way too strong for anything the Ravens can muster. And they have Stover. Does it really matter who wins this game?
Now watch the winner get to the Super Bowl.
Prediction: Ravens 23, Patriots 21
Packers at Cardinals
While watching King of the Hill on Adult Swim last night, there were a few promos for the next Family Guy episode to premiere on the station. As an avid fan of the series' beginning, I feel like I have to ask, "what the hell happened to this show?" Part of me feels success has spoiled it, making everyone who works on it lazy because they've found a working formula. But I have a better idea: Seth Macfarlane is the most egotistical man in the TV business. Every episode, other characters are constantly telling Brian (who's essentially Seth) how good his voice is. This seems to be a matter of insecurity for him, even though he does have a good voice.
He also seems to revel in putting down his coworkers' other projects, as if to assert some sort of alpha-dog dominance on the cast. The last straw for me was the live singing performance with Alex Borstein that came out a few months ago. Hey, guys. The reason you're on an ANIMATED show is because you have faces/bodies for radio. If I want to see ugly, fat people showboating for inexplicably slavish fans, I'll watch football.
Speaking of which, Green Bay is almost too chic a pick right now. Bed-shitting remains a strong possibility this weekend, but I doubt it.
Prediction: Green Bay 34, Arizona 23
Bonus Prediction: Tom Brady is knocked out of the game against Baltimore at some point.
- Matt
Jets at Bengals
Is football where all the fat asshole shitstains of the world get jobs? I only ask because Rex Ryan is a fucking douche. And he weighs like 800 pounds. I was raised in a fairly progressive household, and I'd like to consider myself free of racism and other prejudice. But obese people piss me right the fuck off. My brother told me that the history channel (which should be renamed the Bible Channel) showed scientists tying "gluttony" to neurological disorders. You know what? I'll take it a step further. Obese people are not only insane, they're dangerous. If they become the next scapegoat in this country, I'm way on board for that. Consider me on the fat-hater bandwagon.
Note: Birdmen does not endorse the harming or killing of morbidly obese people. Let them kill themselves.
Prediction: Jets 27, Bengals 17
Eagles at Cowboys
This is the most interesting game this weekend. This means two things: one, football is pretty unexciting. Two, I have no idea what to expect from this game. I say interesting, not good, for a reason. With the kind of unpredictable game I'm expecting, one team usually embarasses the other and makes it unwatchable by the second quarter. I can't think of any recent offenders, but I know the difference between "good" and "interesting" enough to say this game is going to be unwatchable by the second half. I'm picking a blowout, and I assume Will is too, since he picked DAL DAL U.
Prediction: Eagles 172, Cowboys 4
Ravens at Patriots
This game could go either way. The Ravens just haven't looked very good this year. Neither have the Patriots. If this were college football, it would be called the Earning the Privelege to Get Raped in Round Two Bowl. The Chargers could feasibly triple the Patriots' score. The Colts are just way too strong for anything the Ravens can muster. And they have Stover. Does it really matter who wins this game?
Now watch the winner get to the Super Bowl.
Prediction: Ravens 23, Patriots 21
Packers at Cardinals
While watching King of the Hill on Adult Swim last night, there were a few promos for the next Family Guy episode to premiere on the station. As an avid fan of the series' beginning, I feel like I have to ask, "what the hell happened to this show?" Part of me feels success has spoiled it, making everyone who works on it lazy because they've found a working formula. But I have a better idea: Seth Macfarlane is the most egotistical man in the TV business. Every episode, other characters are constantly telling Brian (who's essentially Seth) how good his voice is. This seems to be a matter of insecurity for him, even though he does have a good voice.
He also seems to revel in putting down his coworkers' other projects, as if to assert some sort of alpha-dog dominance on the cast. The last straw for me was the live singing performance with Alex Borstein that came out a few months ago. Hey, guys. The reason you're on an ANIMATED show is because you have faces/bodies for radio. If I want to see ugly, fat people showboating for inexplicably slavish fans, I'll watch football.
Speaking of which, Green Bay is almost too chic a pick right now. Bed-shitting remains a strong possibility this weekend, but I doubt it.
Prediction: Green Bay 34, Arizona 23
Bonus Prediction: Tom Brady is knocked out of the game against Baltimore at some point.
- Matt
Thursday, January 7, 2010
5 Sports Questions I Answer Myself, Because I'm A Douche
1. Does the USA Olympic team have the momentum going into Vancouver after its two other teams (U-17 and Junior) beat Canada for the gold medal?
A: Well, it depends on the matchup. If a semifinal or finals matchup between Canada or the US occurs, the home crowd could be very unforgiving of the red and white indeed. Of course, they might just be yet more rabid and give their team the boost it needs. One underrated fact going into these Olympics is that the Canadian and US teams are 100% NHL players, and the rink is NHL-sized ice. This is putting Russia and the other Euro teams at disadvantage. But overall, the USA might have some more swagger going into the tourney, yes, but it ultimately has no effect on the adults playing.
2. What's with all the injuries in the NHL this year?
A: No idea. Perhaps the compressed schedule, maybe hitters are learning where the line is in dirty/clean hits, or maybe a rule change needs to be enacted so goalies can play the puck again. All I know is, they aren't coming from fights, so bitches claiming fighting is worse for the sport than open ice hits need to shut the hell up already.
3. How will Ovechkin perform as captain?
A: Really, it depends on how he matures. Not as a player, but as a human being. We've seen how negatively he acts under adversity, especially in regards to the media. If he acts more like Sidney Crosby than Mike Richards, he should do fine. The bigger issue here is the rumors of the divide between European and North American players in the Caps' lockerroom. Ovechkin seems hardly the type to try and bridge the gap off the ice, unlike, say, Sergei Fedorov. If Federov had stayed, I wouldn't have been surprised to see him wearing the C for now. Finally, if the coach himself can't rein in Ovechkin, who else as Captain could have? So I think that Ovie was the best choice for Captain, simply because I can't see anyone else who could have sufficed.
4. Should teams be chasing the President's Trophy?
A: No. The only PT winner I can remember winning the Stanley Cup is the Red Wings in 2008. The Sharks and 06 Wings lost to 8th seeds in the first round of the playoffs, The 07 Sabres lost in the ECF to the Sens. And the most dominant Penguins team of all time, the 93 team, lost in 7 games to the Islanders in the semifinal round. So while being the number 1 seed is nice, it hasn't done people (especially in the East) any favors in the recent past.
5. Who wins Super Bowl XLIV?
A: Ehhhh, really hard to say. I'm biased, so I tell everyone the Chargers. But technically, I'm asking myself here, so I'll tell myself the Colts. I think the Chargers are the only team that CAN beat the Colts, but WILL they? It's under a 50-50 shot for San Diego. I will say this: the AFC Champion has a far better shot at winning the whole thing than anyone from the NFC. I don't think an NFC team has been favored since the Rams lost to the Pats. Colts over, oh, I don't know, the Packers.
EDIT: Totally not a hockey question. Title of post changed.
4 posts in 4 days, bitches!
- Matt
A: Well, it depends on the matchup. If a semifinal or finals matchup between Canada or the US occurs, the home crowd could be very unforgiving of the red and white indeed. Of course, they might just be yet more rabid and give their team the boost it needs. One underrated fact going into these Olympics is that the Canadian and US teams are 100% NHL players, and the rink is NHL-sized ice. This is putting Russia and the other Euro teams at disadvantage. But overall, the USA might have some more swagger going into the tourney, yes, but it ultimately has no effect on the adults playing.
2. What's with all the injuries in the NHL this year?
A: No idea. Perhaps the compressed schedule, maybe hitters are learning where the line is in dirty/clean hits, or maybe a rule change needs to be enacted so goalies can play the puck again. All I know is, they aren't coming from fights, so bitches claiming fighting is worse for the sport than open ice hits need to shut the hell up already.
3. How will Ovechkin perform as captain?
A: Really, it depends on how he matures. Not as a player, but as a human being. We've seen how negatively he acts under adversity, especially in regards to the media. If he acts more like Sidney Crosby than Mike Richards, he should do fine. The bigger issue here is the rumors of the divide between European and North American players in the Caps' lockerroom. Ovechkin seems hardly the type to try and bridge the gap off the ice, unlike, say, Sergei Fedorov. If Federov had stayed, I wouldn't have been surprised to see him wearing the C for now. Finally, if the coach himself can't rein in Ovechkin, who else as Captain could have? So I think that Ovie was the best choice for Captain, simply because I can't see anyone else who could have sufficed.
4. Should teams be chasing the President's Trophy?
A: No. The only PT winner I can remember winning the Stanley Cup is the Red Wings in 2008. The Sharks and 06 Wings lost to 8th seeds in the first round of the playoffs, The 07 Sabres lost in the ECF to the Sens. And the most dominant Penguins team of all time, the 93 team, lost in 7 games to the Islanders in the semifinal round. So while being the number 1 seed is nice, it hasn't done people (especially in the East) any favors in the recent past.
5. Who wins Super Bowl XLIV?
A: Ehhhh, really hard to say. I'm biased, so I tell everyone the Chargers. But technically, I'm asking myself here, so I'll tell myself the Colts. I think the Chargers are the only team that CAN beat the Colts, but WILL they? It's under a 50-50 shot for San Diego. I will say this: the AFC Champion has a far better shot at winning the whole thing than anyone from the NFC. I don't think an NFC team has been favored since the Rams lost to the Pats. Colts over, oh, I don't know, the Packers.
EDIT: Totally not a hockey question. Title of post changed.
4 posts in 4 days, bitches!
- Matt
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Norv Turner
Rick Reilly took his head out of his ass for long enough to write this article about Norv Turner.
I have to say, I really feel for the guy after reading this. I've noticed the past year I've been saying "say what you will about Norv, but his record is pretty damn good". Could it be possible I'm starting to like him? He's not an asshole like almost all other football coaches (cough, Rex Ryan), and he has a good rapport with his players. If you're San Diego's GM, would you ever fire someone with 3 division titles and a 3-3 playoff record? His replacement would not do better, at least immediately.
So kudos, Norv. Now you're acceptable at the very least.
- Matt
I have to say, I really feel for the guy after reading this. I've noticed the past year I've been saying "say what you will about Norv, but his record is pretty damn good". Could it be possible I'm starting to like him? He's not an asshole like almost all other football coaches (cough, Rex Ryan), and he has a good rapport with his players. If you're San Diego's GM, would you ever fire someone with 3 division titles and a 3-3 playoff record? His replacement would not do better, at least immediately.
So kudos, Norv. Now you're acceptable at the very least.
- Matt
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Worst Fans of 2009
I hate lists. This is a reason I have little to no respect for Rolling Stone. Don't get me wrong, I like to see which shitty group they're touching themselves over annually. Gratuitous Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys are highly overrated comment. But I do like hyperbole, and Best/Worst lists often accomplish it.
I'll do a blurb on the Best Fans too, but I'm a pessimist so let's focus on the negative.
NBA
Worst Fans: ESPN. Seriously, the NBA is a terrible product.
Best Fans: The ones who died in 2009.
MLB
Worst Fans: New York Yankees. There will never be a year they don't win this. And if you think they were bad when their team was semi-likeable, think about how bad they'll be this year.
Best Fans: Orioles. Duh.
Best Fan: Greg Slovin, the only Marlins fan in existence.
NFL
Worst Fans: Pittsburgh Steelers. You've won 2 of the last 4 Super Bowls, amassed a 65-31 record in 6 years, had only three head coaches since the 70s, and won the most Super Bowls of any team EVER... but "what have you done for me lately" is still the prevailing motto of Steeler Nation. Even when the team went 12-4 and won a Super Bowl, fans complained it wasn't as good as the Cowher teams (somehow). Combine that with the most annoying blame game ever played, and you have a team whose fans edge out the Patriots in annoyance.
Best Fans: No such thing as a "best" NFL fan.
MLS
Worst Fans: I have no idea. Let's say New England Revolution. Yeah, why not.
Best Fans: Seattle. Nuff said.
NHL
Worst Fans: Washington Capitals. It takes pure skill to beat out the Flyers any year. But if you look past the extreme fairweather nature, the lack of any semblance of hockey knowledge, the knuckle-dragging mindset, the hero worship of douchebags, the sense of entitlement without ever accomplishing anything of value, and the ADD nature of their arena that appeals to brain-dead children, you still have much to hate. For example: the pacifiers incident, the popularity of the "Crosby Sucks" song (seriously, the Flyers do the Crosby Sucks thing so much better), the organization-wide penis envy of the Penguins (check Ted's blog weekly), the fact the owner talks down to his fans like they're retarded, how the top levels of the organization sells fake tickets to fans of opposing teams, the steroids scandal that's somehow stayed quiet, and my most hated, the COWBELLS. Oh, and how their mongoloid fans slam their hairy palms against the class whenever an opposing player is in remote proximity. In short (too late), this is the worst bunch of mouth-breathing turds in a sport that doesn't need any more reason to be shunned by the national media.
Best Fans: Calgary Flames. Never met one I didn't like. And the C of Red (which predates Rock the Red by decades) is beast.
- Matt
I'll do a blurb on the Best Fans too, but I'm a pessimist so let's focus on the negative.
NBA
Worst Fans: ESPN. Seriously, the NBA is a terrible product.
Best Fans: The ones who died in 2009.
MLB
Worst Fans: New York Yankees. There will never be a year they don't win this. And if you think they were bad when their team was semi-likeable, think about how bad they'll be this year.
Best Fans: Orioles. Duh.
Best Fan: Greg Slovin, the only Marlins fan in existence.
NFL
Worst Fans: Pittsburgh Steelers. You've won 2 of the last 4 Super Bowls, amassed a 65-31 record in 6 years, had only three head coaches since the 70s, and won the most Super Bowls of any team EVER... but "what have you done for me lately" is still the prevailing motto of Steeler Nation. Even when the team went 12-4 and won a Super Bowl, fans complained it wasn't as good as the Cowher teams (somehow). Combine that with the most annoying blame game ever played, and you have a team whose fans edge out the Patriots in annoyance.
Best Fans: No such thing as a "best" NFL fan.
MLS
Worst Fans: I have no idea. Let's say New England Revolution. Yeah, why not.
Best Fans: Seattle. Nuff said.
NHL
Worst Fans: Washington Capitals. It takes pure skill to beat out the Flyers any year. But if you look past the extreme fairweather nature, the lack of any semblance of hockey knowledge, the knuckle-dragging mindset, the hero worship of douchebags, the sense of entitlement without ever accomplishing anything of value, and the ADD nature of their arena that appeals to brain-dead children, you still have much to hate. For example: the pacifiers incident, the popularity of the "Crosby Sucks" song (seriously, the Flyers do the Crosby Sucks thing so much better), the organization-wide penis envy of the Penguins (check Ted's blog weekly), the fact the owner talks down to his fans like they're retarded, how the top levels of the organization sells fake tickets to fans of opposing teams, the steroids scandal that's somehow stayed quiet, and my most hated, the COWBELLS. Oh, and how their mongoloid fans slam their hairy palms against the class whenever an opposing player is in remote proximity. In short (too late), this is the worst bunch of mouth-breathing turds in a sport that doesn't need any more reason to be shunned by the national media.
Best Fans: Calgary Flames. Never met one I didn't like. And the C of Red (which predates Rock the Red by decades) is beast.
- Matt
Monday, January 4, 2010
Oh the Hilarity
Now's a good time to look back on our playoff predictions and realize why we suck. Though to be fair, who saw Cincinnati coming?
Will said:
AFC - 1. NE 2. PIT 3. SD 4. TEN 5. IND 6. BAL
NFC - 1. NO 2. GB 3. SEA 4. NYG 5. ATL 6. SF
Super Bowl - Steelers over Packers
2 correct division winners, 1 correct seed in the AFC. 2 correct playoff teams, 1 correct seed in the NFC. And I doubt Pittsburgh can win the Super Bowl.
Matt said:
AFC - 1. NE 2. PIT 3. SD 4. IND 5. BAL 6. TEN
NFC - 1. SEA 2. ATL 3. MIN 4. NYG 5. PHI 6. GB
Super Bowl - Chargers over whoever
When I said "Playoff predictions at this point would be just stupid", I proved prophetic. I got 4/6 correct in the AFC, but none of the seeding. In the NFC, the two teams with first round byes at least won't be playing this weekend, so I guess I knew that in advance. Only one division winner, but I correctly guessed the two wild cards somehow. Oh, and no correct seeds there either. Surprisingly, my arbitrary Super Bowl pick is looking to be in better shape than anyone thought in Week 1.
In short, never bet on Seattle.
- Matt
Will said:
AFC - 1. NE 2. PIT 3. SD 4. TEN 5. IND 6. BAL
NFC - 1. NO 2. GB 3. SEA 4. NYG 5. ATL 6. SF
Super Bowl - Steelers over Packers
2 correct division winners, 1 correct seed in the AFC. 2 correct playoff teams, 1 correct seed in the NFC. And I doubt Pittsburgh can win the Super Bowl.
Matt said:
AFC - 1. NE 2. PIT 3. SD 4. IND 5. BAL 6. TEN
NFC - 1. SEA 2. ATL 3. MIN 4. NYG 5. PHI 6. GB
Super Bowl - Chargers over whoever
When I said "Playoff predictions at this point would be just stupid", I proved prophetic. I got 4/6 correct in the AFC, but none of the seeding. In the NFC, the two teams with first round byes at least won't be playing this weekend, so I guess I knew that in advance. Only one division winner, but I correctly guessed the two wild cards somehow. Oh, and no correct seeds there either. Surprisingly, my arbitrary Super Bowl pick is looking to be in better shape than anyone thought in Week 1.
In short, never bet on Seattle.
- Matt
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