Match Play-NFL Divisional round

Written by: MJK

Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints

If the Cardinals matchup with the Packers last week was any indication, we should expect a lot of points on the scoreboard when these two teams square off.  The Saints are coming off a season in which they staked their claim as the best team in the NFC record wise, locking up the #1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  This advantage begins against the defending NFC Champions and an equally hungry Cardinals squad. Statistically, the Saints outperformed the Cardinals (and just about everyone else) in total offense this season…but Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has the best quarterback rating in postseason history and is not to be discounted when trying to match these two teams up.

Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin is not likely to play, but surprisingly I do not think this will be enough of an issue to slow down this Cardinals offense as noticed by last weeks 51 point outburst, as well being 2-0 without Boldin the past two postseasons. Steve Breaston and more importantly Early Doucet have stepped up more than enough to keep this offensive train rolling, much to the credit of Warners pocket presence and preparation.  Even though I fully expect a shootout to happen, we cannot sleep on the run game of either of these teams.  For the Cardinals, rookie running back Beanie Wells has impressed as he has learned the nuances of NFL defenses.  He has shown flashes of brilliance and could gash this overrated Saints defense if given the chance.

The Saints on the other hand are coming off a bye week in which they limped into the postseason after three weeks worth of sub par play.  Still, they were they highest scoring offense in the NFL this season but it will be interesting to see how they react to coming off a bye week.  It really was discouraging watching this team play at such a high level for most of the season, only to watch the team play such uninspired ball down the stretch. Who knows how much bearing this will have in the outcome of this game.  We all know what quarterback Drew Brees and company are capable of but much like Beanie Wells for the Cardinals, running back Pierre Thomas (if healthy) is a multi talented back who can catch passes and is elusive enough to gain a good amount of yards against an over aggressive Cardinals defense.

When it is all said and done I truly believe these offenses are extremely evenly matched regardless of what the regular season stats say on paper. The combination of Warner to Fitzgerald has yet to be stopped in postseason play the past two seasons and until that happens I wont be counting out the Cardinals offense in any scenario. Most importantly, the Cardinals defense is extremely underappreciated and is physical and aggressive enough to keep the Saints off balance.  It will be tough for either of these teams to hold one another under 30+ points. That being said I have more faith in the Cardinals speedy and athletic defense than the New Orleans unit who still has problems on the edges and in the front seven.  I think the Cardinals have a bigger chip on their shoulder after falling short last season and walk into NOLA and rip the hearts out of the Louisiana faithful.

Cardinals 38-31

Baltimore Ravens vs. Indianapolis Colts

Much like the Saints, Indy sputtered into the postseason and their bye week after a couple of really bad performances to end the season. However, Indy was rolling right along until they started pulling starters out of games in an effort to preserve key players for the playoffs, making their end of the season slump a little more understandable.

Baltimore is coming off an impressive whooping of the once dominant New England Patriots in the opening round.  Baltimore has been able to run the ball more effectively than any other team in recent weeks and this really has been the bread and butter to their team success. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee have been running fools over in impressive fashion and really have asserted themselves as forces to be reckoned with. Joe Flacco has taken major steps back since coming out of the gates to start the season, but he still resembles enough of a game manager to where he should not hurt the team downfield, and if he gets the right looks he has an upside of a 300 yard day. If outside lineback Terrell Suggs can make a big play early in the game much like he did last week against Tom Brady, the Ravens could use that momentum swing and never look back.

Indy has looked so impressive throughout much of the year its really hard to pinpoint how they matchup in this situation. The team has had a lot of trouble performing well in postseason games after coming off a bye week and this should pose a threat to the fluidity of their offense. Defensive end Dwight Freeney has reasserted himself as one of the most feared defensive ends in the league. If he gets loose today, then Baltimore will have problems.  That being said, the Ravens wont be throwing the ball enough for Freeney to be a factor. But it only takes one play to change game.

I think the Ravens are riding high on some good momentum right now and could very well rush for 200+ yards today, but I think they offer just enough offensive shortcomings for the team to be worried about keeping pace with a Colts offense that probably will come out looking sluggish and rusty, but will click when it needs to in order to move on to the next round.

Colts 24-20

Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings

This game is the most difficult to matchup simply because the Cowboys are playing at such a high level right now while the Vikings are the better team top to bottom.

Dallas just came off back to back victories over a Philadelphia Eagles team that for much of the season looked like the favorite to come out of the NFC East as champions. Dallas has put most of the questions of past late season performances to rest as their offense has really hit their stride, and even more impressively their defense has gelled as a unit.  Quarterback Tony Romo has utilized his weapons to the best of his abilities as we can almost expect a big day out of Jason Witten and Miles Austin.  The most important aspect of this offense will be the three headed rushing attack of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. The Vikings boast the NFLs best run defense, but if Dallas can use its mixture of backs well enough- it could be the difference in the game.  The play of linebacker Demarcus Ware, DT Jay Ratliff and CB Mike Jenkins has vaulted this defenses play into the upper echelon of the NFL, and they will have to bring their A game here.

The Vikings have had a few blips on the radar this season but for the most part they have been as consistent as teams come. Their offensive line play has come under a little scrutiny lately as running back Adrian Peterson has not been able to break off the big games we have all become accustomed to seeing. I think this has much more to do with relying more on the pass than anything, but in any event Peterson simply has not been the game changing force we have all come to know. Brett Favre has reinvented the Vikings offense with an impressive season, making a pro bowler out of once maligned receiver Sidney Rice. The Vikings have as much, if not more weapons on offense than the Cowboys do and will attempt to open up holes in the front seven for Peterson by stretching the field with Rice and rookie Percy Harvin.  I would expect defensive end Jared Allen to have a big game, although this defense has not been nearly as impressive since lineback EJ Henderson went down with a broken leg a few weeks back.  Cornerback Antoine Winfield has also been hobbled.

I have bet against Brett Favre too many times this season (mostly because I am tired of his act), but when the Vikings click on all cylinders they cant be stopped. The Cowboys are trying to piggy back off of the momentum they have gained in beating a one dimensional Eagles team two straight weeks, but I think this task may be a little too tall. I simply do not trust Wade Phillips enough to lead this team to the promised land.

Vikings 31-17

New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers

Jets head coach Rex Ryan has been talking a lot of talk this postseason and if last weeks win was any indication, his team is more than prepared to walk the walk. The truth is the Bengals were a bit of a mirage all season and the Jets were able to exploit some of their inefficiencies with their well planned defensive scheme.

All season long the Jets have used their defense as the cornerstone for the teams success.  This defense is scary top to bottom, highlighted by cornerback Darrell Revis and linebackers David Harris and Bart Scott. Most importantly, Ryan’s scheme has proved to work time and time again.  They just have an attitude that is carried about them that is reflected through the mirror image that is the tenacity of their head coach. On offense, the two headed running back monster of Thomas Jones and Shonne Green have really taken the load off of rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez.  When Sanchez has looked comfortable in the pocket this season, he has been the perfect game manger for this team.  However, when he has been confused or under pressure he has had a deer in headlights look that should trouble any Jets fan. The Jets will have to rush for over 180+ total yards in order to win this game, and Sanchez will have to play mistake free football.

The Chargers have simply been on fire, riding a franchise best 11 game win streak while locking up the #2 seed in the AFC. Philip Rivers has taken the next step into the NFL’s elite group of quarterbacks, and while running back LaDainian Tomlinson is not the runner he once was…he has still provided just enough spark down the stretch to keep defenses honest. The x-factor in this game will be tight end Antonio Gates as he provides a huge mismatch for anyone on the Jets defense. Wide receiver Vincent Jackson is almost guaranteed to be shut down by Revis, making Gates the most important aspect of this teams offense.

It takes a lot of pride swallowing to roll with Norv Turner, but the Chargers are too hot to ignore.  Even though I don’t think the Jets are getting enough credit, once again its difficult investing a lot of faith in a rookie quarterback.  Although, I think Sanchez will play relatively well and this will be a close game…I think the Chargers will have just enough to move on.

Chargers 28-24

Match Play: Wild Card Playoffs

Sunday Game Edition

Written by: MJK

Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots
Ray Rice versus the Pats run D

Its not everyday we encounter a player who is enough of the total package to do the things Ravens running back Ray Rice does.  Not only does he run the ball with a great combination of power and elusiveness, but he has also become of the best receivers out of the backfield in the league today.  If the Patriots have visions of advancing to the next round than stopping Ray Rice will be priority #1.

The mystique of the Patriots has taken a hit this season.  Everyone remembers their performance from the 2007 season in which they marched through everyone before losing in the Super Bowl to the Giants. This is not the same team.  Tom Brady is banged up, Wes Welker is out for the remainder of the season, and most importantly the defense is young, inexperienced and at times a sieve versus the run.  Nose Tackle Vince Wilfork and ILB Jerod Mayo are going to have to play their keys to perfection, allowing safeties Brandon Meriweather and Brandon McGowan to roam without worry.

Ray Rice has emerged as one of the most dangerous players in the league this year.  He does lose touches to Willis McGahee in certain spots (around the goalline especially) but this keeps him fresh. Not only has Rice provided quarterback Joe Flacco with a nice security blanket out of the back field, but he has earned the trust and respect of his teammates.  The second year player will be sure to gash this Patriots defense with great tenacity.  IF the Patriots can hold Ray Rice under 100 total yards, they will win this game. However, this is not a likely feat considering their defensive woes throughout the season.

Verdict- Ray Rice- 22 Rush- 130 yards- 2 touchdowns-5 receptions- 50 yards

Outcome- Ravens- 24-20

Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals

Battle of the secondaries

Both of these offenses are very potent and constantly look to use their passing attacks as extensions of the run game, while also taking plenty of shots deep. On paper, the Packers may be the more complete team…but the Cardinals are hungry and looking to prove that last seasons Super Bowl run was no fluke.  It will come down to stopping the intermediate and long passing games to determine the outcome of this game.

Arizona is still wondering if ultra speedy cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will play, all indications are that he will…but if he does not it will be a big hit to a defense that could use all of its best playmakers.  They will have the task of slowing down quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his array of vertical threats in Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. Safety Adrian Wilson is an all-pro player who brings smarts and physicality to a secondary that is active and underrated as a unit. Converted cornerback Antrel Rolle is athletic enough to compete with any route combination over the middle, while he and Wilson bring enough oomph for the Packers to have to worry about passing lanes up the middle. Still, Rodgers and company are a smart bunch who seem to continue to grow together with every game.  Rodgers will be looking to assert himself upon the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks.

Along with the aforementioned DRC, the Cardinals are also waiting until game time to announce if wide receiver Anquan Boldin will play in today’s game after sustaining ankle and knee injuries last week.  If Boldin cannot go it will put a huge damper in Arizonas offensive gameplan.  Steve Breaston’s roll will expand, and he is more than capable of handling the duties, but no receiver in the NFL presents opposing defenses with the physical presence of Boldin. Green Bay will deploy a secondary that has really stepped up this season, as cornerback Charles Woodson just completed arguably his best regular season of his career.  For a 12 year veteran, that is saying something.  This ball hawking unit, with help from a linebacking unit that could be second to none in the league will look to shut down all world receiver Larry Fitzgerald and quarterback Kurt Warner with a variety of blitzes that will look to confuse and stymie the Cardinal attack.  Without Boldin, it will be that much easier.

Verdict: Green Bay’s receivers will provide a more complete package for Aaron Rodgers to utilize, especially if Anquan Boldin does not play.  If he does play, I like the Cardinal receivers to have the advantage. That all being said, I like the Packers to win with or without Arizonas infirmary of injured players.

Outcome: Green Bay- 34-30

Match Play- Wild Card Playoffs

Saturday game edition

Written by: MJK

Jets QB Mark Sanchez vs. the Cincinnati Bengals Defense

New York used a convincing 37-0 victory over these Bengals less than a week ago to catapult them into one of the final two AFC wild card spots. The Bengals, having the #4 seed already locked up, rested running back Cedric Benson and looked horrible while playing most of their starters into the third quarter.  Still, I don’t think too much stock can be put into a game where one team had everything to play for and the other team had nothing.

Sure, it’s a bit cliché to call out the rookie quarterback in his first career playoff game while playing on the road.  But it’s the matchup that will decide this game, and not the Darrelle Revis Chad Ochocinco matchup on the other side. Both of these teams rely on a strong defense and power running attack, but Mark Sanchez is going to have to hope for a very simple and smart game plan from his coaching staff if he wants to be successful against a very underrated and physical Cincinnati defense. 

New York's game plan will rely heavily on the run game as it always does, but there have been spots throughout the season where head coach Rex Ryan starts trusting Sanchez a little too much and has allowed him to start taking shots downfield. Not usually a recipe for success. Ryan will again have to hope the run game is able to pound the Bengals defense in an attempt to keep them honest and let Sanchez dink and dunk his way down the field. If the running game is not successful, it could be a very long day for Sanchez.  If he is efficient enough to complete about 65% of his passes then the Jets will be in much better position to win this game. Asking that from a young quarterback who 20 INT’s during the regular season might be a bit too much to ask.

Cincinnati will come at Sanchez with a balanced attack that will be a certain blend of casual pressure with intent of stopping the run.  They do not enforce as much of a blitz heavy scheme as New York does, but they will still come at Sanchez with a good amount of pressure.  Cornerbacks Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph provide enough stability on the outside that the Bengals will be allowed to focus on stopping the run early and often.  I would not be surprised if Braylon Edwards got loose on a long TD pass or two if Hall or Joseph don’t bring their A game.

The Verdict: Sanchez final line- 11-23-179 yards-1 touchdown-2 interceptions. Bengals D will return one Jets turnover to the house.

Outcome: Bengals- 20-13

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles- Passing Attack

This game will be the second rematch of week 17 opponents and should prove much more exciting. Both of these teams have a stable of running backs that play integral roles in keeping drives moving.  They both also love pushing the ball down field while taking out huge chunks of yardage via the deep pass. 

The emergence of Dallas wide receiver Miles Austin has been a saving grace for Tony Romo and the rest of the offense.  Dallas gave up a lot to acquire receiver Roy Williams from Detroit last season and signed him to a huge contract in the hopes that he would be able to supplant the released Terrell Owens as the teams #1 receiver.  While he has shown signs of life in spots this season, Williams has inconsistent hands and whats more, does not have  the 100% trust of Romo in big spots. Austin has given the Cowboys a deep threat down the field that must be respected. More importantly, he has become a much more complete receiver as the season has gone on as his short and intermediate route running is much improved.  If tight end Jason Witten can keep the linebackers honest by staying tight in routes while forcing the front seven to respect the pass over the middle, Austin should be able to get a few looks deep.

Phladelphia has utilized running back Brian Westbrook so well the past few seasons but with Westbrook slowing down with injuries for most of this season, he has become a shadow of the offensive staple he once was. This has led to a much heavier passing attack that has been anchored by the explosive play making abilities of second year receiver Desean Jackson. The Cowboys have been able to keep Jackson in check in two previous meetings this season, but he is a player that is not to be over looked in any situation.  Brent Celek has become Donovan McNabbs favorite target underneath and has provided a safety blanket for McNabb that has seemed to fill a void that was left behind by the catching abilities of Westbrook.  Jeremy Maclin has been a nice surprise in his rookie season and possess’ quick feet and explosive burst that give the Eagles a dangerous combination of speed on the outside.  Still,  Jackson has been the most consistent producer of offense for the Eagles this season and I think it will be tough to keep him from having a big game three times in a row.

The Verdict:  Romo- 21-34 280 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions; Austin-  4 catches- 90 yards- 1 touchdown; Witten- 9 catches- 100 yards- 1 touchdown; McNabb- 24-39 305 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception; Jackson- 5 catches-110 yards; Celek- 6 catches- 85 yards- 2 touchdowns

Outcome: Philly 27-21

Ramblings, Rants and Rage outs

The Meat Parade

Written by: Bernie B.

For anyone that has been following the Heisman for any length of period of time, knows that it should be aptly renamed “The Meat Parade”.  Because that is exactly what it is.  It is extremely difficult for me to write this piece, as I am overflowing with disgust and pure unadulterated rage based on the outcome of this year’s heist, er, Heisman. 

Mark Ingram?  Really?  For those of you who may not be aware, I am going to reset Ingram’s meat parade award.  He rushed for 1,542 yards over a 13 game span.  That’s 118 yards per game.  Is that impressive?  In the NFL, yes.  In college?  No.  I’m not saying that Ingram isn’t good, I’m just saying that 1,500 yards in college is about as shocking and surprising as the big 10 losing by 30+ points in a meaningful bowl game.  Oh.  He played in the SEC this year?  Thanks for the heads up, ESPN.  You made that painfully clear throughout the decade as you chose not to cover any other conference.  Thank you.  However, he also played against non-SEC teams as well.  Not only non-SEC, but also non D I-A teams as well.  Yes.  That 118-ypg average includes games against Florida International, North Texas, and Chattanooga.  I’ll give you a few minutes to guess which of those teams are technically Div I-A and which are Div I-AA.  When you are surrounded by the talent that a school like Alabama has, are you telling me that you couldn’t insert 20 other running backs from other schools and get equal if not better production?  Could you imagine CJ Spiller in that offense?  To me, Ingram is a product of his system; Alabama is not a product of Ingram.  Furthermore, the kid is a sophomore.  When Larry Fitzgerald got hosed on the Heisman with Pitt, that set the bar for sophomores not being allowed to win the Heisman. 
Until the great white hype, mediocre bible humper Tim Teblow won it for Florida.  That opened up the floodgates as Bradford won it last season, and Ingram this year.  Three sophomores in a row.  If the award is given to “sophomore with most media hype on the #1 team in the country”, then Ingram, congratulations. 

However, last time I checked, the Heisman is theoretically given to the best college football player in the nation.  If Nebraska could sneak in on ESPN once every season in between Lou Holtz’s dentures slurping on Charlie Weis and Jimmy Clausen and College Football Live:  The SEC Mini Series, perhaps voters would have known who Ndamukong Suh was before Wrestlemania, er, the Big 12 championship game (this will be explored at a later date, with much more venom and rage involved).  Before we get into Suh, lets just brush over the other “candidates”. 

Toby Gerhart had a much more impressive season.  He however, has two fatal qualities.  One, he plays in the pac-10.  If I had to play against Stanford, I could take a shit on the 50-yard line, and that would be a better defensive unit than anything Gerhart saw in conference this season.  Second, he’s a white running back.  Moving along. 

Tim Tebow.  You were invited to the ceremony because A. you already stole a trophy and B. this will be the last time you are relevant as a football player, and wont be in a NFL locker room in three seasons unless you are picked up by some team to lead prayers during half time.  That is if you are available and not circumcising polar bears in Antarctica. 

Colt McCoy.  If the Heisman was a lifetime achievement award, by all means, give it to McCoy.  Really.  I’d be ok with that.  Kind of like when you give an actor/director/producer/musical artist an award, even though their latest album or movie sucked, but you are afraid they might die before they make something award-worthy again, so you throw them the pity grammy/oscar.  However, it is not, so he does not deserve it.  So there is one logical choice. 

The defensive tackle out of Nebraska who was by far the single most dominating player in college football.  NOBODY wreaked as much havoc on defense as he did.  More importantly, NOBODY changed more game plans, strategies, and outcomes of games than he did.  No matter who stepped on the field with or against him, he was the BEST player out there. 

Now, to focus on the Survivor Series, er, Big 12 championship game for a second, lets look at some of the game’s performers.  Texas RB Tre’ Newton, who had scored touchdowns 3 games in a row, and had posted yards per carry averages in his last three games of 11.4, 5.5, and 6.4 respectively, was held to 36 yards on 19 carries, for zero touchdowns.  The 1.9 ypc was the lowest output of the season.  Well if Newton couldn’t get it done, then surely Mr. McCoy and his career 1,500 rushing yards and 20 td rushes would, right?  Wrong.  Colt got blown up for -20 yards on 17 carries for a -1.2 ypc.  The “-“ sign you are seeing before those numbers is a negative sign.  As in, every time Colt rushed, he was moving backwards from the line of scrimmage, and getting tackled there.  No biggie.  Because while Colt is known as a dual threat QB, it’s REALLY his passing game that’s taken him places.  Entering the game he already threw for over 3,300 yards and had a td:int ratio of 27:9.  Further, he had a 72% completion percentage entering the game.  Sounds like I’m promoting him for a Heisman campaign, huh?  Well, had he never crossed paths with Mr. Suh, I may have been.  Unfortunately for him, that wasn’t the case.  In the Royal Rumble, er, big 12 championship game, McCoy successfully posted 0 passing td, 184 yards, a 55.6% completion %, and three INT.  Just a quick reminder, this game was to keep Texas undefeated, and for a chance to play in the cage match, er, bowl game with Alabama.  In the biggest game of McCoy’s career, he had his first 0-touchdown game of the season and threw MORE interceptions than he had in the last EIGHT games COMBINED.  Even better still, he was sacked NINE times.  NINE times.  If I told you that player A threw for less than 200 yards, 0 td’s, racked up 3 picks, and was sacked nine times, would you say- “that guy gets my Heisman vote!”?  Then I would say, oh by the way, that was the performance of a 4-year starter surrounded by the best offensive talent in the country in the most important game of his career that decided an undefeated season and bid for the title fight, er, game.  What would you say?

I don’t care if Suh wasn’t even invited to the Heisman ceremony.  I don’t care that if they voted on every player on every college team in the country, and he was ranked as the 2^nd least deserving player in the country for the Heisman, AS LONG AS the LEAST deserving player was Colt Mccoy.  He made Colt Mccoy his bitch.  He made Mccoy call him daddy.  And he made Mccoy beg for more and say please.  And he finished BEHIND mccoy in the Heisman vote?  Are you fucking kidding me!??!  If that game was in-fact the national championship, and not the fucking local dog and pony show, this performance would be as highly regarded as what Vince young did to USC in the rose bowl a few years back.  It was one of, if not, THE most impressive defensive performance we have ever seen in college football, and he finished BEHIND the kid with a 0 td, 3 pick, 9 sack game?  I can only assume that the Bush administration was involved in the voting process, because I can’t remember if I’ve seen an election so rigged, biased, corrupt, and incorrect since 2000.  I wish I was a better writer, because I truly cannot put into words (do they even exist?) how much of a sham the vote is when after a game like that, the disgraced gets more votes than the guy that delivered the most entertaining and dominating performance of the season.

Ok.  Well, I’ve now written for an hour and a half and explored everything except for the main purpose of this article- translating my man crush on Suh into an argument for him being the Heisman winner.  Suh had been terrorizing, disrupting, and destroying offenses all season long.  He was doing this from quite possibly the least publicized defensive position in the game- the defensive tackle spot.  Because of this, he won’t have the Terrell Suggs twenty-something sacks to back up his argument.  In the Texas game alone, he had twelve tackles.  If I were telling you the stats for a 49er game, you would probably think I’m talking about MLB Patrick Willis.  I’m not.  I’m talking about DT Ndamukong Suh.  He had SEVEN tackles for loss.  That’s a good SEASON for most players.  He had two quarterback hurries.  He had 4.5 sacks.  4.5 sacks.  In one game.  Not impressed yet?  He had more sacks in this GAME by HIMSELF than McCoy was sacked by any TEAM in a single game in his entire CAREER.  Just to add a dash of perspective.  Texas, which arguably has the nation’s most explosive and talented offense, up until this game was averaging 43 points per game.  Look at their final scores.  You would think Texas was an ivy league basketball team as opposed to a college football team just by looking at their game log.  A Suh-led Nebraska comes into Texas, to play in front of 80,000 texas fans at a neutral (try to keep a straight face) site in Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, and holds Texas to their lowest point total of the season- 10 points.  I’m not going to count the three points that were scored after the clock expired.  Why would you?  That would be like counting the points in a shoot around before the start of a NBA game.  You wouldn’t do it.  The game isn’t in progress at either point.  But I digress.  They hold Texas to a quarter of their average point total.  This isn’t a rare occasion either.  Nebraska allowed final scores of 3, 9, 16, 0, 12, 31, 9, 10, 3, 17, 3, 20 and 10 points.  If they had a functional offense that resembled anything better than the mighty ducks pre-The Flying V, you would expect those scores to result in a 12-1, 11-2 team at worst. 

Suh single handedly shot down a Heisman candidate that looked like a lock in just a short three-hour period. Ndamukong Suh is the ONLY logical choice for Heisman.  In fact, he was SUCH a worthy winner, that he was the first defensive player EVER to win the AP player of the year award.  Jay Mariotti is a member of the AP.  When JAY MARIOTTI is making more sense than your entire voting roll call, its time to revisit the purpose of the award.  Here is his final pre-bowl stat line:  1 Interception, 82 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 10 passes broken up, 19 quarter back hurries, 1 forced fumble, and for good measure, a measly 3 kicks blocked.  From the DT position, that’s the equivalent to like 47 sacks as a DE, and 213 pass deflections from a DB.  Ladies and gentleman, your 2009 Heisman trophy winner!  Now, if only we could find Mark Ingram in the middle of that meat parade thrown in his honor…

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*