Match Play

A look at three of the week's best match-ups

Written by: MJK

Dallas Cowboys (8-3) versus New York Giants (6-5)

Both of these teams have been a bit of a façade this season.  The Cowboys come in with an 8-3 record and sit atop the NFC East standings.  They have looked strong in spurts but what once was a high-octane offense has seemed to slow to a crawl for the past month or so. Running back Marion Barber has not been the dominant physical presence that he has been in years past, and while Felix Jones and Tashard Choice bring a little electricity to the air nothing has really panned out on the ground as the team I am sure had hoped.  Wide Receiver miles Austin has shown flashes of the type of talent he can be,  but both he and Roy Williams are far from consistent on a game to game basis as neither of them have yet to produce against some of the leagues top secondary’s.  Even last week when Austin went off against the Oakland Raiders, he was covered by the smaller Chris Johnson rather than all pro Nnamdi Asomugha more times than not.

 The Giants on the other hand started off the season very strong and but now have lost 5 of 6 and are now reeling to hang onto any glimpse of hope for a playoff push.  This is a huge game for them.  Their secondary has been depleted all season long and more recently they have lost linebacker Antonio Pierce for an extended amount of time. Still, good teams find ways to win and the defensive replacements have not done a good job of holding the opposition in check.  Eli Manning continues to be bothered by a sore heel but has played relatively well considering.

If the Giants expect to win this game they will need to find ways to neutralize Dallas’ elite pass rush and pound the rock with Brandon Jacobs and company, something that has not been done with any effectiveness for a number of weeks. For the Cowboys it is simple. Play to their abilities. They are the better team in this game and if all else holds true than they should have no problem sending the Giants further into a tailspin.

Ray Rice, RB, Bal. versus Green Bay Packers run defense

The Packers have been a top 5 defense against the run all season long and will look to slow down one of this seasons breakout players in Ray Rice.  Rice is an all purpose yard machine, much like in the mold of a Maurice Jones-Drew. He has totaled over a 100 yards from scrimmage in all but two games this season and has compiled an astounding 61 receptions.  The complete package.  The Packers have played much better of late, riding on the coattails of an impressive shutout of the Cowboys a few weeks back. Still, they will be without Aaron Kampman and Al Harris in this game and will set back a defense known for its run support fixtures.  The rest of the defense has stepped what relatively well, but if any back can gash a defense it is Rice and his versatility. 

Tennessee Titans (5-6) versus Indianapolis Colts (12-0)

The Colts have staged impressive late game victory after impressive late game victory and one has to think it will catch up with them at some point. The team has needed to come back from fourth quarter deficits in their last five games. Either way they have gotten the job done until this point and will look to continue their win streak in whatever way possible.  The Titans on the other hand have won five straight on the back of quarterback Vince Young.  Along with Young, head coach Jeff Fisher has rallied the defensive troops as the unit has played much more inspired ball the past few weeks. They have still been giving up points, which is worrisome against this Indy team, but they have been playing with much more intensity and that can go a very long way.  I would still look for Peyton Manning to shred this secondary but if Vince Young can keep the game close as the Colts have been known to let teams do, the end result could be a very humbling one for Manning and the Colts.

The Real Mccoy

Why Mccoy should win the Heisman

Written by: D. Wash

This year's Heisman race isn't cut and dry like many of the races in the past. Instead of one clear front runner, we now have a handful of stars that can all make a solid case for the award of the nations best college football player.

Florida quarterback and media darling Tim Tebow is always mentioned in Heisman discussions, but avid college football fans know that he shouldn’t be one of the front runners. No, the frontrunners should consist of Mark Ingram (RB, Alabama) , Toby Gerhart (RB, Stanford) , and Colt Mccoy (QB, Texas).

All three have numbers that impress, but in my mind Colt Mccoy is the only logical choice for the award. Overcoming the pro-QB bias is no small feat and it’s true that Gerhart and Ingram have definitely earned their spots in the Heisman discussion, but they don't deserve the Heisman nearly as much as Colt Mccoy does.

Ingram's team's success hasn't been based on his production, but rather a dominant SEC defense. He has also been rendered ineffective in a few games this year, which is something that shouldn’t happen to a Heisman candidate. Ingram may still be able to earn himself the trophy, but he'll need to single handedly beat Florida in the SEC title game, something that I doubt will happen. Toby Gerhart is the leader of his team and one of the few reasons Stanford has been successful this year, but it is difficult for a player from a team with a few losses to win a Heisman. Unlike Ingram and Mccoy, Gerhart doesn't have another opportunity to impress the Heisman voters, so while the other two stars pad their resume, Gerhart will just be watching and wondering whether he did enough.


Mccoy is leading a team that is undefeated and near the top of the BCS rankings. Mccoy IS the reason that his team has been so successful this season. Just look at his Thanksgiving day performance. He rushed for a career high 175 yards and was responsible for a total of 5 touchdowns in Texas's win over rival Texas A&M. He's done it again and again this year and there is little doubt in anyone's mind that Mccoy is fully responsible for each and every Texas win. Also, though it technically shouldn't be considered for this year’s award, its hard not to look at Mccoy's total body of work over his college football career. He's been a star at Texas since he stepped onto campus and is now the all time QB leader in career wins in college football. He's put up great performances year after year and has shown that he is one of the greatest college quarterbacks to ever grace the gridiron. The fact remains that Colt Mccoy has been consistently the most excellent player in all of college football and deserves the Heisman Trophy.

One City…Two Teams (and no I'm not talking about New York)

Written by: MJK

Five weeks ago the Tennessee Titans were coming off of their bye week a team searching for answers and above all else, their first victory.   This years rendition of the team made it so easy to forget that in 2008 they went 10-0 before losing their first game and went into the playoffs with the NFL’s best record at 13-3.   Fast forward to 2009.  Seven weeks go by and suddenly this juggernaut of a team from just one season prior sat at the bottom of the AFC South standings with a record of 0-6.  Head coach Jeff Fisher’s job security was suddenly being called into question. Under normal circumstances Fisher’s job security could be best described as bulletproof, one of the best and most tenured coaches the league has today.  The pieces to the puzzle just didn’t fit.  Lots of  questions were being asked about where the finger pointing should begin. 

Had Fisher lost his coaching edge? Did the loss of mammoth defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to free agency really make it so the team could not win a game? Had the rest of the NFL caught up to the Titans ground and pound offensive philosophy? Why was Kerry Collins unable to control and manage the game as he did in 2008? 

While all of these questions are fair and factual in their implications, one thing was definitely for certain…the team needed a spark.  Running back Chris Johnson has been one of the leagues most feared players since coming onto the scene last season, and he was one horse in the stable the team could rely on during its winless stretch to begin this year. He has been the most exciting player in the league this season and his gaudy stats (1396 rushing yards, 10 total TD’s and two games with 200+ yards from scrimmage) are simply jaw dropping.  With five games remaining, he has a decent shot at eclipsing the magical 2000 yard mark. The problem was, he needed a running mate. He got one in Vince Young. 

It is easy to appreciate all that quarterback Kerry Collins did for this team last season, but lets be honest…we are talking about a 37-year old dink and dunk thrower who’s offensive gameplan is relegated to check downs and 8 yard out patterns.  He was the master of game management.  But when his abilities as a game manager began to flounder, change was needed. When the Titans decided to make the change to Vince Young at quarterback, it seemed like it was long over due. Sure he has had his ups and downs (17 picks in 2007, reports of suicidal tendencies and bouts with depression) but the guy has a winning record in the NFL and all the talent in the world.

Since taking over the helm in Tennessee, Young has jumpstarted a team that was in dire need of a swift kick in the ass.  He has led the team to five straight wins and the team has scored 30+ points in 3 out of 5 of those games.  A far cry from the direction the 0-6 version of the team was headed in.  Most importantly, the team now has an outside chance of making the playoffs as a wild card team. This was almost unfathomable 6 weeks ago. There are a lot of exciting duos in the NFL that come to mind, but none possess the same kind of fireworks that Chris Johnson and Vince Young can while on the field together. 

What does all of this mean for VY? Well, obviously he needs to keep winning.  His talent and athleticism has never been in question.  His mental and emotional strength has however. He is riding the high of highs right now, and the true test will come when he faces adversity.  Will he be able to handle the limelight? It is quite apparent that his decision making and accuracy is markedly improved from seasons past, which makes him as dangerous an NFL player as anyone.  If he can harness the intangible of being able to pick himself up when he gets knocked down, the sky is the limit. If these last 5 games are any indication, he is well on his way.

I will never forget watching VY march down the field against USC in the National Championship game in what was probably one of the greatest individual performances in an athletic event I will ever see. So whether it is in college or driving 99-yards and threading the needle on a game winning touchdown pass against the Arizona Cardinals like he did this past weekend in the NFL…football is a better place when VY is at his best.  So when the Titans take the field for the rest of the season do not expect to find the 0-6 team anywhere. Do however, take notice of the new and improved unbeaten product led by Vince Young.

NFL Week 11 Rundown

Written by: MJK



The Arrogance of Defeat

Hindsight is always 20/20, at least that’s what the adage will tell you. Bill Belichick would have you think otherwise, at least in his perfect world.  But when the Patriots head coach made the decision to go for it on 4^th and 2 with 2:03 left on the clock from his own 28-yard line last weekend against the Colts, I wasn’t thinking about how genius or insane the call was. Nope.  There wasn’t a crevice of thinkspace that was dedicated to thinking that had the Pat’s converted the opportunity the game would have been-for all intents and purposes- over. Get the first down, run out the clock, game over. Or, if they didn’t convert New England would be surrendering the ball to All-World quarterback Peyton Manning, down by 6, at home, with only 28 yards to go for the go ahead touchdown. Nope. That is what hindsight is for.

When Tom Brady got to the line and set the offense, the scene wreaked  of one of those generic scenarios in which an offense will hustle to the line on a 3^rd or 4^th and short only to hard count the defense in an attempt to draw them offsides.  Or in this instance, at least get the Colts to burn their final timeout. And then…almost as quickly as my thoughts could even begin to process the scenarios of what exactly this play meant in terms of the outcome of the game, the ball was snapped.  The pass was completed to Kevin Faulk, he fell short, the rest is as they say history. As the dust settled on what had just happened and before fully comprehending the eventual impact that the play was bound to have on the game (like clockwork, Manning took the field and threw a game winning touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne), I kept repeating three words to myself…”Only Bill Belichick.”The Pats blew a huge opportunity to make a statement in the AFC and the Colts walked off the field still undefeated with an 18 game regular season win streak still in tact. 

In the week since the game, just about every sports columnist has made an attempt to rationalize Belichicks decision as abnormally genius, insightfully stupid or just about everything in between.  For me, its hard to justify it as anything other than arrogant. Look, what happened…happened, and if they did convert everyone would just be hailing at how much smarter Belichick is than every other coach in the NFL, or maybe the call wouldn’t have been this much of a debate in the first place.  He made a decision, he went with it.  If the play had been converted, it would have been the right call.  The Pat’s didn’t and it wasn’t.

The entire scenario spoke of Bill Belichick in a nutshell.  We all know the persona. You love him or you hate him. He’s the best game planner in the league or hes a cheater.  He is well revered by his peers or his lack of injury report details drives you up the wall. Spygate was just a bad coincidence or he was preaching the equivalent of coaching steroids.  I know this was just another play in a long NFL season, but the undertones (at least in my opinion) spoke of something much more. He wasn’t just trying to win the game, we was trying to prove to everyone that he could win it in the most unconventional of ways. He was trying to make a statement …as if beating the Colts on the road wouldn’t be a statement enough. Simple arrogance. Was it really such a lock that if he had just punted the ball, Manning would have gone 70+ yards for the score? I don't think so. I mean, could you imagine if Eric Mangini tried to pull this off? Peace. Out. Get. Out. Of. Town.

Whether you agree with my take or not, certain things can’t be disputed. He has the credentials to attack the play without fear, and for this you must give him credit. The Super Bowl rings and pending playoff run sure ease the pain inside of the locker room and come a few weeks all of this will be quieted down and blown to the wind. When all is said and done, Belichick will go down in history as one of the most strategically enigmatic coaches of all time and only he would attempt to make this kind of proclamation when the season was potentially at its most fragile breaking point… 4^th and 2. On the road. Up by 6. On his own 28-yard line. 2:03 remaining. Colts win streak on the line. Don’t hold your breath.

Match play: This weeks key matchups

Cleveland Browns (1-8) versus Detroit Lions (1-8)

Ok, so I wont be watching. I’ll actually be doing the complete opposite by blatantly ignoring this matchup of two of the leagues worst teams. Its like watching a compound fracture happen in slow motion. You close your eyes and continue to blink rapidly in hopes that you will see everything except the snapping of the bone.  In this case…the entire game will play the part of the bone snapping.  I can only hope Calvin Johnson finally goes off. He’s due.

Oh yea…Cleveland only has 5 offensive touchdown on the entire season.

Verdict: Lions win

Randy Moss, WR, New England versus Darrell Revis, CB, NYJ: Part Deux

Well the first matchup lived up to the hype if you were a Jets fan as Revis held Moss to a measly 4 receptions for an even measlier 24 yards while also hauling in a pick on a pass that was intended for Moss.  But something tells me that this time will be different. Moss and Tom Brady really seem to be on the same page right now as Brady has looked more and more fluid in the pocket lately.  The Jets came into that week 4 matchup with a lot of confidence, as they were undefeated. This time it’s a bit different and their defense hasn’t been nearly as intimidating as it was earlier in the year. Wes Welker, who missed the first matchup of these two teams, is back and will help a great deal in alleviating some of the coverage schemes aimed at slowing down Moss downfield.  While Moss may not have a humongous game, a much more respectable performance should be in store this time around against one of the leagues premier corners.  Remember, with Moss all it takes is one big play to get your moneys worth. 

San Diego Chargers (6-3) versus Denver Broncos (6-3)

AFC West supremacy will be on the line in this matchup of two teams that seem to be playing all too familiar roles.  Every season the Chargers stumble out of the gates only to catch fire in the second half of the season and take down the division crown. This year looks to be much of the same.  However, what is somewhat surprising is how fast the Broncos have fallen back to earth after getting out to a strong 6-0 start.  The defense that had been playing so well to begin the year is now giving up yards and points as teams continue to exploit the deficiencies in stopping the run. Broncos QB Kyle Orton will either be out, or will play on an ankle that has some torn tendon issues. Either way its not a good situation.  I would like to think the Chargers will win this one in a route, but at home Denver is sure to make a game of it and possibly even pull out a win if their defense can rekindle some of its early season flair.

The Nostradamus Effect: Irrational and clearly irresponsible predictions

Bruce Gradkowski INT’s or syllables in his last name: Push

Beanie Wells carries: 22

Number of times you will hear a Black Eyed Peas song as stadium music while watching a game on TV:  9

Aaron Rodgers sacks taken or Cleveland Browns points scored: Rodgers sacks

Miles Austin touchdowns: 2

This weeks 300 yard passers: Kurt Warner, Tony Romo, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Donovan McNabb. On a limb- Matthew Stafford

Rushing yards leader: Thomas Jones

Receiving yards leader: Desean Jackson

Breakout player of the week: Beanie Wells

Pickem:

Cowboys, Lions, Packers, Steelers, Vikings,  Giants, Saints, Jaguars, Ravens, Cardinals, Chargers,  Patriots, Bears, Bengals, Texans

UFC Beatdown

Written by: D. Wash

Effects of Brock Lesnar’s Illness

                Earlier this week, it was revealed that Brock Lesnar won’t be able to defend his title on UFC 106, which will happen November 26^th, due to illness. The heavyweight champ has been sick for over three weeks and it has greatly affected his ability to train. Dana White has allowed the heavyweight title match between Lesnar and Shane Carwin to be delayed until UFC 108 on January 2^nd. Shane Carwin was disappointed about this, and it is understandable as it delays his payday. Unfortunately for Carwin, it would be hard to say that UFC should force Lesnar to fight on UFC 106, so Carwin must be patient for now.

UFC 108 now looks like the card of the century, featuring so many household names that heads will be spinning. Not only will the Lesnar-Carwin fight be on the card, but also Anderson Silva’s middleweight title defense against Vitor Belfort and Rashad Evans’s Light Heavyweight bout against Thiago Silva. That is enough to make any fight fan’s dream card, but with other big names like Gabriel Gonzaga, Tyson Griffin, Junior dos Santos, and Martin Kampmann on the card, the card looks incredible. If you’re tight on cash and only willing to pay to see a few fight cards, then this is one of the ones that you should see, as there will be no shortage of amazing fights.

                UFC 106 on the other hand appears to be a hastily put together card. The main event is now a rematch between Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz, not a bad fight, but not one that many would like to see as a main event. Griffin hasn’t had a fight since his embarrassing loss to Anderson Silva and this fight also marks the return of Tito Ortiz to the octagon. After the main event, the UFC created a last minute co main event fight between Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Josh Koscheck. Johnson just recently fought at UFC 104, which may lead some to believe that this short notice fight may cause him to show signs of fatigue. Koscheck is no weak opponent and should give the top tier welterweight prospect quite a challenge. TUF 7 fighter and fan favorite Amir Sadollah will fight against “the New York Badass” Phil Baroni in Baroni’s return to the UFC and Karo Parisyan will also be featured on the main card. It may be entertaining just because of the nature of the fighters competing, but no one can be sure until that night.

Machida-Shogun 2

                Its no secret that quite a few people found the pro Machida decision at UFC 104 disappointing.  Machida couldn’t be heard post fight due to all of the boos from the crowd. Shogun was praised as a hero. Even UFC president Dana White openly stated that he thought that Shogun won the fight. People were convinced that there was a pro Machida bias among the judges. Some people went so far to say that the fight was fixed. Before any rumors of a fix could gain a head of steam though, Dana White convinced both fighter’s camps to come to an agreement. They all agreed that it would be the quickest way to put this controversy behind them and regain the trust of the fans. The solution? Instant Rematch. 

At the press conference, Dana stated that though the fight was close and entertaining, both fighters made the mistake of letting the fight go to the scorecards. With the rematch, you can almost guarantee that it won’t happen again. Both fighters will almost assuredly be much more aggressive and head into the fight looking not just to outpoint the other, but looking for a knockout. Just because Shogun was the winner by fan consensus in the first fight, don’t expect him to be able to charge against Machida and dominate him in this rematch. Shogun has a history of being an impulsive striker and can sometimes get over aggressive, leaving himself open. Machida isn’t used to pressing the action. He is a counter striker by nature, and so far it has worked well for him. It’ll be interesting to see him step out of his element.

Something else that may change the look of the rematch is the ground game. Both Rua and Machida are BJJ black belts, which probably caused them to try to keep it standing in the first fight. In the second, you can look for Machida to attempt to take it down to the ground try to submit Shogun. Rua has shown some weaknesses in the ground game, as he was submitted by choke twice in his career. It would be very interesting to see them roll and see who can establish ground dominance or whether the black belts will cancel each other out and the two will simply reach a stalemate on the ground.

However the fight changes, it will change. Will the rematch be better than the first? Easily. Both fighters will be looking to impress the crowd and will want to show that the last fight was merely a bad fight for them. They will also be pressured by Dana white to end it so that they can avoid yet another controversial decision. So Shogun fans don’t worry. He’ll get another shot at the belt soon. Shogun-Machida 2 should be everything that the first fight was supposed to be.

World Series Preview

New York Yankees versus the Philadelphia Phillies. 'Nuff said. Sort of. 

Written by: MJK

The Breakdown- These two teams represent almost mirror images of one another.  The similarities between them are pretty remarkable and as such makes it a bit more difficult to define differences between the two to exploit.

The Lineups- If the Divisional and Championship series’ weren’t example enough, maybe now would be the appropriate time to recognize that it is time to let the statistics of the regular season fly right out the window.  The cliché, “make every pitch count” never rings truer than at this point in the season, and both of these teams will look to make that a reality.

Both shortstops play integral roles on their respective teams.  Not only do Jimmy Rollins and Derek Jeter assert themselves as clubhouse leaders, but they also play the role of top of the order table setters for the potent lineups that lurk behind them.  While it would be interesting to harp on the all the little things that make up a complete lineup, there is no ignoring the immense power potential that oozes top to bottom of either of these teams. 

The 3-4 hitters will be sure to provide pitching matchup nightmares, as four of the games best sluggers will be on display in this series. For the Phillies, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are almost the perfect complement to each other.  Utley has a pure stroke with few holes in his swing and can drive the ball to any part of the field with relative ease. He will undoubtedly be the toughest out for the Yankees to get due to his short swing and near perfect mechanics, especially in high-pressure situations with men on base. Now, none of this is to discredit the threat that Ryan Howard poses. Obviously, he is one of the games best power hitters and can hit the ball a mile. While his stroke and his eye at the plate have improved a great deal over the course of this season, he still lacks much of the discipline that makes pitchers truly fear him. The problem with the Dodgers pitchers in the NLCS was that they kept missing their location with pitches on the inside half of the plate. A huge no-no against Howard.  They missed badly on the inner half of the plate with so many important pitches, they basically gift wrapped every battle versus Howard. If the Yankees don’t allow the slugger to extend on pitches and are able to execute properly on the inner half, then they will have a great deal of success against him. Easier said then done of course.

 With the Yankees you get two of the most complete bats in the league in Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Sure, lots of people are looking to A-Rod’s so –called “clutch” at bats this postseason, but I don’t see it.  He’s been locked in more so than at any other point in his postseason career but nothing has been extraordinarily high pressure. The mere fact that he is as locked in at the plate right now as he is, is enough reason for the Yankees to feel confident when he steps in to the box.  This is a far cry from his previous struggles in the postseason.  It will be interesting to see how he reacts to continued success or if certain demons begin to creep up on him once again. One thing is for sure, he is not getting a free pass from me for hitting a few game tying home runs. After all that is essentially what he is paid to do. Its time to take it to the next level.  Big Tex on the other hand has been a near godsend for the Yankees this season, however, much of that production seemed to taper off against the Angels in the ALCS. He did spring to life a bit in the final few games, but he really needs a strong showing in this series for the Yankees to operate as they would like to. I really feel strongly about the outcome of this series being decided by these four batters.

The Rotation- It appears as though both teams will move forward with three-man rotations for the balance of this series.  If that is the case then the pitcher to pitcher matchups are nearly identical. Not necessarily when mashed into a game to game basis but more along the lines of available content.

CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee have been lights out this postseason, with Lee arguably being the best pitcher in the playoffs to this point.  Both pitchers will square off in Game 1 and will surely set the pace for the rest of the series.

AJ Burnett and Pedro Martinez look to face off in a Game 2 that should be one of the more intriguing of the season. AJ’s electric stuff is well documented but his inconsistency (as noted by his lackluster 6 inning-6 earned run performance in the ALCS) should not be tolerated in this series. We all know the history between the Yankees and Pedro when he was with the Red Sox. Of course, he is not even close to the pitcher he was when dodging flailing Don Zimmer punches but that’s not to say he wont be getting a ringing chorus of “who’s your daddy” chants from the Bronx faithful as well. Should be a party.

Andy Pettitte will play the roll of Pedro Martinez in Game 3 when he matches up with Cole Hamels. Pettite relies heavily on his ability to control the strike zone much like Martinez as his lack of over powering stuff can be a draw back if pitches aren’t executed well.  Cole Hamels has been an anomaly this season as he seems completely unable to restore the magic he was able to harness during last years championship run. It really is a shame. He has more upside than any pitcher in this series but his inability to locate his curveball with any sort of consistency has been a huge setback as he now finds himself a two-pitch pitcher going forward. His changeup remains one of the best in the game but teams have been able to sit on it without having to worry about the threat of another out pitch. 

Both of these rotations provide a good amount of quality pitchers, two aces and an uphill battle in facing the two best lineups in all of baseball.  The Yankees will have to rely on their ability to get left handed batters out and not allow the bottom of the order beat them as the Angels did.  If the heart of the Phillies order gets to bat with men on base, they will make you pay. The Phillies on the other hand will look to attack, attack, attack.  It would be unrealistic to think that just throwing strikes would be the key to their success but in all reality it will be very important if they want to continue to keep pitch counts down and innings quick.  The starters will need to go deep into the game as manager Charlie Manuel will surely not want to tap too much into his bullpen.

Intangibles- While the Yankees offer a much more balanced lineup top to bottom, the Phillies possess an element of speed, which can quickly change the pace of any game in a short series.  It might go without saying that considering the potency of both of these lineups, the series will fall into the hands of the bullpen.  While the Yankees looked to have a stranglehold on this aspect in the ALCS, both Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain got knocked around quite a bit and now manager Joe Girardi cant be nearly as confident as he was coming into the postseason.  That being said they still have a considerable amount more depth than the Phillies, even with the relegation of former Phillies starters JA Happ and Joe Blanton to the bullpen.  Brad Lidge has shown signs of coming out of his season long funk but I feel like I have told myself this one too many times throughout the season. Only time will tell.  The Yankees will be able to make any game a 7 inning game with Mariano Rivera’s penchant for the two-inning save.

The Verdict- Its tough because the Yankees have been the best team in baseball all season long but the Phillies are riding real high right now and have probably been the most impressive team thus far in the playoffs. Momentum could play a very important role but that being said could also be vastly overrated, especially in a short series versus two quality teams.  This series will not go less than 6 games. Period. But it won’t go more either. The Yankees take home the crown in 6 games and bring the title back to the Bronx.

UFC 104 Recap

Dominant Victories, Top Heavy Weights Square Off, and A Controversial Decision

Written by: D.Wash.


Lyoto Machida vs Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

When this fight was announced, many people were outraged. Shogun getting a title shot already? What had he done recently to earn it? His only UFC wins were against the should-have-retired -years-ago hall of famer Mark Coleman and a quickly aging Chuck Liddell. That’s clearly not worthy of a chance at Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida’s belt right? Regardless of what the fans thought, Shogun got his chance at UFC 104 and provided quite a surprise for most everyone in the Staples Center. Shogun came out not overly aggressive as he usually is, but at the same time not passive like Rashad Evans looked during his fight against Machida. He utilized kicks, especially leg kicks, throughout the fight and by the third round it was clear that the damage had taken its toll on Machida as the quick karate expert lost some of his explosiveness. Though the first two rounds were quite questionable, third round was definitely Machida’s. When it came to the announcement of the final decision, many people expected to hear that it was Shogun who pulled out the victory, tainted “The Dragon’s” unbeaten record, and stolen Machida’s belt. When the decision was announced that it was Machida who won the 48-47 unanimous decision, there was a mixture of shock, outrage, and joy throughout the Arena. After the fight even Dana White went into the ring to exchange words with Shogun (possibly to tell Shogun that Dana thought Shogun won the fight). Machida’s post fight comments were overshadowed by a deafening chorus of boo’s from the crowd, while Shogun post fight interview was met with cheers and applause. Though I am among those who believe that the judges made right call by granting the decision to Machida, I know that there are many more people out there who will now consider Shogun Rua a “dragon slayer”.

Cain Velasquez vs Ben Rothwell

It was clear coming in that this fight would have huge implications in the heavyweight title picture. Velasquez, who came in with all but one win by TKO, has looked very impressive throughout his career. Rothwell has a wealth of experience that could not be overlooked. The winner of this fight would almost definitely be considered next in line for the title after the UFC 106 match between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. So how did it go? Well, let me just say that calling it “one sided” would be an understatement. Velasquez came in firing and repeatedly hit Rothwell with blows all over. Rothwell looked completely unable to stop Cain, and the fight was somewhat reminiscent of a school yard bully beating on a large but unathletic bookworm. After barely escaping the first round, Rothwell came out in the second hoping that perhaps Cain had tired himself out in the first. Unfortunately for Rothwell, Cain looked even more energized in the second round than he did in the first. Less than a minute into the second, Cain had Rothwell pinned up against the cage and was mercilessly beating on his face, causing Herb Dean to stop the fight. Though Rothwell was upset and Velasquez said that the fight could have gone longer, it was clear who the victor would be, as Rothwell didn’t even look to be in the same league as Velasquez. Next for Cain, a title shot against the winner of the Lesnar-Carwin fight. It should be quite entertaining, as regardless who wins between Lesnar and Carwin, it will be against somebody extremely violent and brimming with potential.

Gleison Tibau vs Josh Neer

Honestly, this fight didn’t deserve to be on the main card. Both of these fighters are young guys with some potential, but have yet to really step their game up to the point where they are pay per view material. Throughout the fight, Gleison took down (often via slam) Josh Neer, but wasn’t able to keep Neer on the ground or advance his position any further than the up down. Neer was able to get a few punches in, but the pure volume of takedowns from Gleison was enough to get the judges to give him the decision. Gleison will still have to prove himself to be considered a good lightweight in my eyes, so he’ll have to fight someone who has shown more than just potential before anyone will take him seriously.

Joe Stevenson vs Spencer Fischer

Both of these lightweight are guys that like to stand on the feet and put on a show for the fans and for the majority of the first round they did just that. The fight began very even and, though the general consensus was that Stevenson won the first round, it seemed as if it could go either way. Once the second round began, Stevenson began to pull away. After again starting with some good striking from the stand up, the two 155 pounders sprawled, with Joe Stevenson landing on top. Not looking to waste any time, Stevenson slowly progressed from the half guard to the side control and eventually the crucifix position. From there, Joe repeatedly dropped elbows on Fischer’s face, eventually causing Fischer to tap out due to the strikes. While it may be a while for Stevenson to get a title shot in this competitive lightweight division, expect him to fight one of the top lightweights around such as Clay Guida or Frankie Edgar .

Anthony Johnson vs Yoshiyuki Yoshida

Anthony Johnson always looks big when compared to other welterweights (he cuts to 170lbs from 220 lbs), but against Yoshida (who, as many Japanese fighters, walks around near his fighting weight) he looked like a giant. Add in the fact that Johnson came in outrageous 6 pounds overweight and this fight seemed very unfair. Johnson came out extremely aggressive and less than a minute into the fight, he caught Yoshida with a powerful right hand that sent him into la la land. During the post fight interview, Johnson apologized profusely about not being able to cut weight, stating that a knee injury factored in to his inability to cut down to 170. He said that, while he does eventually plan to move up to middle weight, he will remain at welterweight for know. As a top prospect in the welterweight division, expect Johnson to get a much better opponent next time out, such as a Martin Kampmann.

Ryan Bader vs Eric Schafer

“Darth Bader” is a fan favorite. The winner of TUF 8, he was undefeated coming into the fight and looked like quite a force to be reckoned with. A knee injury sidelined him for a while, but he came back against Eric Schafer on Saturday night. Showing no hesitation, he charged Schafer repeatedly throughout the fight, throwing the wild punches and using the aggressive style that has made him so beloved by the fans. Though he seemed to slow down about halfway through the second round, bringing some questions about his conditioning, Bader was dominant throughout the fight and won every round. Look for him to make his way onto main cards soon, but if he can’t condition better later on, he won’t be able to last very long in this very deep light heavyweight division.

Yushin Okami vs Chael Sonnen

Okami was at once considered one of the best middle weights in the world. He’s one of only four men to have a win against Anderson Silva (Okami’s was controversial, but a win is a win), and was at one point contending for a middle weight title shot in the UFC. Now, it looks like he may be on his way out. Never an exciting fighter, Okami had only one thing going for him, he could win. On Saturday night however, he wasn’t able to win a single round against Sonnen and lost the fight 30-27. It’s hard to say that a 28 year old is over the hill, but if Okami wants to continue to be competitive, he may have to drop down to welterweight.

Jorge Rivera vs. Robert Kimmons

This fight was short, sweet, and to the point. Rivera hit Kimmons early, causing a cut to open on Kimmons’s head. Seconds later, Kimmons was bathed in blood and Jorge was using dominant ground and pound, forcing the referee to stop the fight. A former TUF member, Rivera is much beloved by the fans, and wins like this will help to move him onto the main card for future fights.

*All photos courtesy of Sherdog.com*

NFL Week 7 Quick Hits

Brett Favre took a knee on the thought of an undefeated season in Week 7

Written by: MJK

Defeated in Steeltown- Its about time something slowed down that Brett Favre love train.  I mean seriously, I don’t think anyone has expected him to play as well as he has this year, but do we really want to keep feeding that beast? We all know what this offseason is going to entail so why contribute to the inevitable, ya know? If this Vikings squad was going to make any more of a march towards an undefeated regular season, than my Sunday morning ritual (which is really no different than my 3-S routine on any other day of the week) would have included a fourth S. Self induced vomiting.  The Steelers came to play with their usual “step yo game up” versus a legit opponent attitude and locked down the Vikings on pretty much all fronts.  Sure, the Ole Gunslinger had a comfortable 334 yards passing on 33 completions but the Steelers were able to keep him out of the endzone. Most importantly, they were able to limit running back Adrian Peterson to just 69 yards on the ground while taking advantage of two very opportunistic turnovers that were taken to the house.  All in all it was a recipe that worked as Pittsburgh looks to reassert itself atop the AFC North after a slow start to the year.

Cedric the Entertainer- Cincinnati running back Cedric Benson’s playing career was left for dead after three seasons in Chicago that probably had the same production equivalencies as a two year old trying to walk before it could crawl. Through his stint in the Windy City, he never eclipsed the 700 yard rushing mark, never garnered more than 4.1 yards per carry, never played all 16 games, and most importantly, was never able to win over his teammates and coaches (most of which probably was his own doing).  Compound that with two alcohol related arrests in a 5-week period and suddenly the former 4th overall draft pick found himself on the scrap heap after the Bears released him before the 2008 season began.  The Bengals swooped and since signing with Cincinnati during the early parts of last season, Benson has been both resurrected and vindicated.  Two weeks after breaking the Ravens 40 game streak of not having allowed a 100-yard rusher (he rushed for 120 yards in a week 5 victory), Benson and the Bengals squared off against his former team.  Not only did the team make Jay Cutler and company look like a pack of girl scouts pretending to know how to play football, but Benson laid out his Windy City demons with a stout 37-carry, 189 yard, 1 TD showcase that easily became his career best performance.  Through the first seven weeks Benson is the NFL’s leading rusher and a huge reason for much of the Bengals offensive success. 

Desert Storm- I find it almost laughable at how many people were writing off the Arizona Cardinals before they even played a down of football this season.  Everyone was pointing to a Super Bowl loser slump, or an aging Kurt Warner or a team that simply caught fire in the playoffs last season as excuses in not believe they could repeat in a NFC West division that is far from over powering.  Hopefully after a 
very impressive showing against the Giants on national television, those doubters will turn into believers once more. They still offer one of the most explosive offenses in the league and an exciting and incredibly athletic defense that remains vastly underrated.  All that being said, I find myself wondering if they really were able to learn certain intangibles from last season’s run…as most good teams do. They have had one of the better home field advantages in the league over the past couple of seasons, but their inability to have consistent success on the road has held them back from making the step to the NFL’s next tier of teams to be reckoned with. Well on the contrary, this season has seen the team get off to a slow start at home with a 1-2 record (a trend that I assure you will reverse as the season carries on, already as many losses at home as all of last year) while also forcing the issue with an undefeated road record of 3-0 after gaining only 3 wins away from home all of last year. The latter I feel will not be a reversing trend. Sure, the team still has a long way to go before laying claim to continued postseason success but the lack of run they were getting before the season began was almost completely unwarranted. If they can keep showing this much poise on the road than...in the words of Kurt Warner…”Thank You Jeeeeeeeebus!.”

Speed round: 70 words or less

The good, the bad and the badder- The Jets, Packers, Chargers, Colts and Patriots all won their games by a combined score of 183-23 versus their opposition this weekend.  All five played teams with 2 wins or less.

Grandmama, oh no you di’int- Surprise, surprise, Larry Johnson is running his mouth more than his feet these days.  The has-been running back apparently felt the need to not only mutter discriminatory words but also felt compelled to defend himself with his riches via Twitter. Stay classy, LJ. He was told to stay away from the team today. Hey look at the bright side, at least hes not spittin on and pushing ladies around anymore…I guess. Will the real Grandmama please stand up?

The Saints doubled down…and hit paint- New Orleans climbed out of a 21 point hole and made yet another statement with a 46-34 victory down in Miami. With 80 combined points, there was more scoring going on here then a Fred Smoot run Minnesota Viking lake party cruise. Heyooooooooooooooo…bada bing.  

The strangest variation of a dude with two first names is…- Miles Austin? Oh yea. Not much to say here. Dallas is 2-0 since he took over as starter and he has accumulated 16 catches, 421 yards and 4 touchdowns the past two weeks. Pretty impressive.

Jake Del-Go-Homme- The Panthers have undoubtedly been one of the most disappointing teams of the season. Jake Delhomme is 99.9% of the reason why. Delhomme has thrown for as many or more picks then touchdowns in every single game this year.  Season totals? 4 TD’s and 13 INT’s. The Panthers just gave him a contract extension because? Awkward silence.

Plays of the Week- This weeks version features Desean Jackson, who may have now over taken Titans running back Chris Johnson as the most exciting player to watch in the NFL and a beautiful catch by Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, in what was probably the teams lone highlight versus the Chargers. 

BCS Analysis

Whether you like it or not...the road to the National Championship goes through the BCS

Written by: D. Wash.

For those not familiar with the system, here's a quick overview. The BCS ranking system is how college football decides who will go to it's national championship game. It is a combination of two human polls (the Harris Poll and USA Today Poll) and one computer analysis of the team. These numbers are then combined and turned into a team’s raw BCS average. The teams are then ranked in order of BCS averages. Though it's not a perfect system, it’s the current one that we have so fans have to get over their problems with the system and just yearn to understand it. Without further ado, here is my analysis of the rankings.

1a and 1b (That’s how close they are). Florida and Alabama

Florida: Harris poll- #1, USA Today poll-#1, Computer- #1= BCS AVG-.988
Alabama: Harris-#2, USA Today- #2, Computer- #2= BCS AVG-.952

In the first official BCS rankings, the computers and the people have reached an agreement and placed Florida at #1. The Gators are a very good team and deserve to be ranked #1, but the same can be said about Alabama. Both teams offer solid offenses and stingy defenses. The biggest thing that keeps Florida ahead of Alabama is their darling star QB, Tim Tebow. He is a national fan favorite and one of the best players in college football this year. The closest thing that Alabama has on the Heisman front runner in Gainesville is their star running back Mark Ingram. He has some impressive numbers, and seems to have taken the nations #1 running back spot that Jhavid Best seemingly has vacated. The other thing that Bama lacks is a signature win over a top team. They did beat Virginia Tech and Ole Miss, but both of those teams have disappointed this year by losing to barely above average teams (Georgia Tech and South Carolina). Neither of those wins can even compare to Florida's win over LSU on primetime TV. In the end though, none of those little things will matter. These teams are set for a collision course in the SEC title game and a spot in the national championship. Whoever takes the SEC crown will clearly be the best team in the country, and no other team will be close.

3. Texas: Harris- #3, USA- #3, CPU- #6 = BCS AVG- .891

After a moderate gap in BCS averages, Texas takes their spot at #3. As of now they still deserve being ranked here, but Boise State, Cincinnati, Iowa, and USC are gaining fast on them. If they want to maintain their top 3 ranking they need to begin winning games convincingly, something that they have failed to do for most of the year.  If they do turn things around, then they are guaranteed a spot in the national championship game. One loss though, and they'll fall behind all of the aforementioned teams and possibly even TCU, LSU and The U.

4. Boise State: Harris-#5, USA-#5, CPU-#5= BCS AVG-.808

The perennial BCS buster lies at number 4, praying for a Texas loss. It's unlikely that Boise St. will lose before the season is over, but it'll be hard for them to leapfrog an unbeaten longhorn team. But if Texas does in fact end up losing a game, they are poised for a spot in the national title game (assuming that they don't get leapfrogged by Cincinatti, Iowa, or USC). Interesting note: This year the computers aren't the only ones that like Boise State. Both the Harris Poll and USA Today have Boise as their number 5 team in the nation (USC owns the #4 spot in the human polls).

5. Cincinnati: Harris-#6, USA-#6, CPU-#4, BCS AVG= .787

Despite the weak conference, Cincinnati is definitely deserving of their top 5 rankings. Their quarterback, Tony Pike, is mentioned in every Heisman discussion that includes more than Tim Tebow and Colt Mccoy. Pike is playing just as well as any quarterback in college football, he just hasn't had the opportunity to prove himself against a highly ranked team. He and his star receiver Marshawn Guillard are ready to run the Bearcat's offense to perfection and attempt to surpass Boise State in the polls. Their opportunistic defense is also a force to be reckoned and they will be playing for the respect of the voters for the rest of the year.

6. Iowa: Harris-#7, USA-#8, CPU-#3, BCS AVG= .786

After almost losing to Northern Iowa during week 1, Iowa fell off a lot of people's radars. The past couple of weeks they have worked their way back into the polls and up into the top 10. As expected, their defense has played extremely well and their running game has also made its’ presence felt. Interesting note: Iowa is actually ranked number 3 in the computer rankings. The computers have them as only slightly behind Alabama and easily ahead of Texas. It is the Harris and USA Today polls that are keeping them out of the top 5.

7. USC: Harris-#4, USA-#4, CPU-#11, BCS AVG= .769

USC is everyone's favorite one loss team. The story of true freshman quarterback Matt Barkley leading the Trojans only got better as Barkley played a key roll in beating the Fighting Irish last week. Joe McKnight is starting to look like the Reggie Bush V 2.0 that he was advertised as and safety Taylor Mays is one of the top defensive players in the nation. All that adds up to a huge following in the human polls. If the computers had their way though, USC wouldn't even be in the top 10. That makes me question this USC team and whether they deserve the spot in the national title game if Texas loses.

8. TCU: Harris-#8, USA- #7, CPU-#8, BCS AVG= .713

Despite showing some weakness two weeks ago against Air Force, TCU has continued to maintain their top 10 ranking. Quite impressive for a school from a smaller conference. Their easy schedule sets them up for an undefeated season, but I'm convinced that a lot of teams ahead of them would have to lose to secure them a spot in the national title game. Sorry Horned Frogs...

9. LSU: Harris-#9, USA- #10, CPU-#7, BCS AVG=.708

LSU lost to Florida, but there are some good things that may have come out of that loss. They lost their top 5 ranking, but they did play on national TV and show the voters their potential to be a top team. People will acknowledge that they do play in the tough SEC when they vote for them so look for them to overtake TCU in the rankings soon. Other than that, they'll have to pray for losses amongst the better teams to get into a top bowl game.

10. Miami: Harris-#10, USA-#9, CPU-#13, BCS AVG= .627

As far as losses go, you shouldn't expect anymore from The U for the rest of the season. They just began the easy part of their schedule (the ACC conference games), so as long as they can contain CJ Spiller (do-it-all running back from Clemson) and don't let Freshman QB BJ Daniels gut the defense (The true freshman has skill, don't doubt him), then they should go undefeated. When rankings are concerned, they are in the same boat as LSU. They can overtake TCU potentially, but other than that they need a loss to be relevant for the big bowl picture

Bradford Reinjures Shoulder, Getting Surgery

When you come back early from injury, this is exactly what you're praying doesn't happen. Bradford reinjured his shoulder early in the Texas game and looked like he was in unbelievable pain. It's speculated that Bradford will opt for season ending shoulder surgery soon but this re-aggravation of his previous shoulder injury still creates a number of problems for the 2008 Heisman winner. First, his chances of returning to play this season are near zero. Getting injured once is bad, getting injured twice is worse, getting injured three times may be impossible to recover from (as far as the draft is concerned). Secondly, it raises durability questions. The doctor stated that it was unlikely for him to reinjure his shoulder and yet he managed to reinjure it. That could lead some scouts to believe that he's made of glass and will frequent the injured list. Finally, it dramatically increases the importance of Bradford's NFL combine. For a quarterback who should be the top QB pick this year, not playing for the rest of the year could seriously damage his draft status. Without another chance to prove that he's "still got it" and won't be "gun shy", Bradford is going to need to have a PERFECT combine. Everything from his physical attributes, to his throwing drills, to his interviews must go off without a hitch. The scouts are gonna expect him to be rusty. He can't be rusty. He has to look in sync with the receivers that he'll be playing with for the first time. His timing must be near perfect. And of course, his shoulder must appear to be painless. Hopefully Bradford can put together a perfect combine and not lose to many draft positions because of this. I'm hoping he does.