SportsNetUSA Blogs

To be honest I was waiting for some of my fellow friends on SportsNetUSA.net to blog first.  I was hoping that someone would write in and smash Brett Favre and then I could respond.  So far it has not happened.  The week after the NFL championships is usually a slow sports week.  This week has been no exception and already I want to scream.  It has me thinking I want to find a classical music station and stop listening to so much sports talk.  I would like to take a look back and a quick look forward to the Super Bowl.  Somewhere another tradition has bit the dust with the Super Bowl now in February instead of January.  Just think if they go to an eighteen game schedule maybe we can get the Super Bowl pushed to March and keep the draft in April and cut down the months in which there is no NFL.

Did you ever really worry when the Colts fell behind the Jets?  I never once believed in that game that the Jets were going to win.  The Jets are what they are, an up and coming team.  The Colts are already there.  The Colts have become the model organization in football.  It helps when you have guys like Dungy, Manning and Polian.  I am happy they are in and I believe they will beat the Saints.  I just want to see a good game because like last week I have no hatred for either team.  Normally I like to be really for or really against a team but not in this one.

I was very happy for the Saints and the city of New Orleans to beat the Vikings.  It is nice to see long suffering franchises win sometimes.  The Saints defense was something to watch and what a whipping they put on Favre.  Turnovers were the difference.  I do not see them getting to Peyton like they did Brett.  If the Saints win the Super Bowl that would be fine with me too.

I have no interest in the Pro Bowl at all.  Do not care when they play it or where they play it.  It is a useless exhibition and a waste of time.  Of course I believe every professional All Star game in any sport is a waste.  I have some ideas on what would make the game more interesting but don’t want to go into that now.

This brings me to the past week and all of the nonsense about legacy and who is the greatest.  I must learn to change the channel when this kind of talk comes up.  Where does Peyton Manning rank with the all time greatest quarterbacks?  What will Peyton’s legacy be if he wins or if he loses?  Brett Favre has all kinds of records but he is not among the all time quarterbacks because he has only one ring and he always throws an interception in the crucial moment of a game. Give me some Bach or Beethoven right about now.

Remember when the standard was if you won a Super Bowl?  Well now a quarterback or coach has to win more than one or they cannot be called great.  That is garbage.  Where did all of this legacy stuff come from?  The greatest of all time talk is comparable to me to which came first the chicken or the egg?  It is useless and yet I cannot stop listening or getting ticked off.  Peyton Manning will, if he stays healthy, pass most of Favre’s records.  He is and has been a great quarterback for some time now.  He will be a great quarterback if the Colts lose.  Favre is a great quarterback despite the interception and the Vikings loss.  Did I mention the greatest back in the league kept putting the ball on the carpet in that game?  Remember in the NBA playoffs last year and I railed against the “what is Kobe’s legacy if he loses?”  Kobe haters were chomping at the bit to say, see he never won one without Shaq.  I heard a guy say that he was not sure how to rate Montana because Joe had Jerry Rice and great players around him!  What!  Shut off your mike since I can’t seem to change the station.

That is what we have to look forward to now.  Grainy films of Joe in the Super Bowl and HD pictures of the current greatest of all time, Manning.  You know if Peyton wasn’t tall, athletic, blessed with a strong throwing arm, a dad named Archie, football smart, had great coaching, have a great offensive line, have a great game plan, play in today’s pass happy game, never have a major injury, get to run the no-huddle, play in an indoor stadium and have great receivers….if he didn’t have all of that, I am not sure I could call him great.  I know this is not grammatically correct but I hope the point is made.  Chicken or the egg, Manning or Montana, enough, stop it.  Now, how about some music!

This is a great weekend for the NFL.  I really like all four teams that are left with three teams I expected and one surprise.  Last week I admitted I was a lifelong Cowboy fan and I still am.  They stunk and were defeated by a superior Viking team.  Usually as a fan I personally like to cheer against teams as well as for teams.  In these two championship games there is not a team I dislike.  The Washington Redskins are a team that I will usually root against.  I used to root against the Raiders but they have been so bad that I actually feel sorry for the team and their fans.  It is bad when at the end of the season your most hyped player is your punter Shane Lechler!  This year I like all four teams so I am having trouble deciding which match up I would like to see in the Super Bowl.
 
Let’s start with the AFC first.  I am on record as I said when the season began that I like Rex Ryan as a coach.  He has breathed some fresh air into the league and does not always resort to using pat coaching answers.  Coaches usually say how good the opposition is and boy we are lucky to be on the same field with them.  We have a lot of things to work on and, well you know how they talk.  How many coaches have you heard say, I think we should be favored to win the Super Bowl!  Rex said it even though his team was lucky to make the playoffs.  I also like Mark Sanchez and I normally like to root for a California connection.  You had to love the dig he threw at Pete Carroll and Pete’s choice to go back to the NFL.  That was classic and I am happy that it has worked out for him.  I did not expect the Jets to be here.  Did the Chargers really give Norv Turner a contract extension?
 
I like the Colts and love Peyton Manning.  I was for him a few years back when they won the Super Bowl, as he and Tony Dungy both were able to shed the “Can’t win the Big One” label.  There was so much uncertainty coming into this season and then Peyton wins his fourth MVP.  I love Dallas Clark who is from Iowa and amazing.  Dallas may be headed to the Hall of Fame.  I will root for a player like Pierre Garcon from Division III Mount Union College.  Finally there is Austin Collie, a rookie from BYU and Oak Ridge High School in Northern California.  I have to root for this player and he even took two years off to go on a mission!  How many players are there that would take two years off and maybe lose a shot to play in the NFL?  I like both teams but I will be going for the Colts in this one.  The great thing is that if the Jets got in that makes for great story lines as well.
 
Over in the NFC we have the two best teams in the conference meeting up.  I have supported Brett Favre before the season began.  I have been amused this week in the way the talk has changed.  The Favre only came back to stick it to the Packers has given way to he came back to win the Super Bowl.  Do you wish sportscasters would admit when they were wrong?  I know that I do.  No big deal, if you were wrong so what.  Most of these guys now are raving about what a season Brett has had.  I have not heard that he will throw a pick and lose the game.  I have not heard that he cannot make it a full season.  He has had a memorable season and who knows about next year.  The Vikings have never won a Super Bowl and they have great fans that deserve one.
 
What is not to like about the Saints?  This franchise has never even been to the Super Bowl even though they have hosted it numerous times.  The Super Dome has been home to some of the biggest sporting events of all time.  These fans are hungry and they deserve to have their team as in the Super Bowl as well.  I loved Drew Brees at Purdue and with the Chargers.  What he has done in New Orleans is stunning.  Sean Payton was an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys and it was my hope that he would be the head coach there.  The timing was not quite right.  So I guess I do not have to say how much I like Payton.  If Reggie Bush has another game this week like last the Saints will win.  Where has that Reggie Bush been?  I thought that Reggie would be an all time great running back.  Is last week the game that maybe brings him back?  This one is tough but I will be pulling a little bit more for the Saints.  Enjoy this weekend because sometimes one or both of these games are better than the Super Bowl.

I admit it, I am a Dallas Cowboy fan. I am not a late get on the bandwagon Cowboy fan. A few weeks ago a lot of people were banging on the Cowboys big time. Most of those same people are now talking about them going to the Super Bowl. I am not one of those delusional Cowboys fans. I have been a fan most of my life. Started when I was about seven and saw them on television. Yes there were televisions back then but they were black and white with a lot of toying with rabbit ears. I chose the Cowboys because I liked their uniforms and I had family that lived in Texas.  To me, Texas seemed like some far off magical land that had to be better than my home in Iowa. Iowa then nor now has a pro major league team of any kind. Most in Iowa cheered for the Vikings, Bears, Packers and the Chiefs. My team the Cowboys were hated and despised. It seemed to me when it came to my beloved Cowboys it was me against the state of Iowa. I feel lucky looking back now.

The Cowboys had a coach and a man that I admired in Tom Landry and they won most of the time. How many fans can say the first team they rooted for and loved had a coach that they liked as a coach and as a person. I believe Coach Landry is underrated. I also believe that Tony Dorsett and Roger Staubach are under rated also. All three are in the NFL Hall of Fame but not usually mentioned when the all time top five or even top ten are discussed. I do not want to stay in the past for too long but indulge me a little longer. Recently I found out that Doug Cosbie a former tight end for Dallas, is the coach of Sacramento High School. Like a true fan I was excited and my thought was I need to interview this guy. Last thing from the far past is a brief great moment in my life.

In the early 80’s I moved from Iowa to Orange County. I trekked up to Thousand Oaks where the Cowboys had their training camp for a scrimmage with the Rams. It was very laid back then as there was no fence around the field and after the game all fans could go down on the field. Fans and players were talking, how different things were then. I cut across the field and headed to my car. After a short ways I glanced behind me and Coach Landry was walking and talking with a man. There was no one else around and I was maybe only five to eight yards ahead of them. My mind was racing and I thought if they keep coming my way and Coach Landry is alone I have to talk to him. Amazingly, after a few steps more, the man left and there was Coach Landry all by himself. He was walking my direction. I decided to introduce myself and expected him to be cold(those were the stories back then that he was cold). The man could not have been any more friendly as he shook my hand. The conversation was short as I told him I was a lifelong Cowboy fan and had finished reading one of his biographies. He asked me which one and he knew of it and liked it. He thanked me for my support and for coming to the scrimmage and wished me well. That was my one and only time ever going up to a famous person. Something I always look back on with joy. I would like to hear any stories that you may have of an experience you may have had like that.

Now to the present state of the Cowboys. I still cheer for the Cowboys but this team has to prove it on the field. All year long I have supported Brett Favre and now I have to go against him. I like the defense and was shocked when I heard that for the first time ever the Cowboys had back to back shutouts. This franchise has had many great defenses and that stat stunned me. I like now that Jason Garrett is calling more running plays than he did in the past. I have always liked Romo as a quarterback. This line has never been that great at pass blocking. Remember when Bledsoe was the quarterback and all of the sacks he had to take. Romo escapes so many sacks and now is taking better care of the ball. I also like his attitude better now that he does not smile on the field and sidelines all of the time. He now looks like he knows he belongs. Before, I always had the feeling he could not believe his luck! He was an undrafted player from Eastern Illinois and then became the quarterback of the Cowboys and dating starlets. Still the Vikings are the better team. The great thing about one and done playoffs is the best team does not always win. There is no doubt the Patriots were a better team than the Giants over that season. However the Giants got hot at the end and was the better team that year in the Super Bowl. It is not about who is the better team nor has the most talent. It is about being the Champions!!!

Last, I must congratulate Wade Phillips and Jerry Jones. I have been critical of Phillips. I like him but did not think he should be coaching the Cowboys. He has really done a great job developing the defense. I have also been critical of Jerry Jones as I felt like he lost his way for awhile. I felt like Jerry became more concerned about being right than about winning. There is no way the Dallas Cowboys should ever go from 1996 to 2010 without winning a playoff game! The tension of a playoff football game with your favorite team in it is unmatched. I will be a Dallas Cowboy fan for life come win or lose. However it is much better to win! Go Cowboys!

I am feeling somewhat blue now that the college football season is over.  No I do not count the various All Star games.  What a let down that Colt McCoy got hurt and missed most of the game.  He deserved better, we all deserved better.  I do not know if Texas would have won the game or not but it would have been fun to see.  Mark Ingram definitely impressed and proved he was a deserving winner of the Heisman Trophy.  It was good to see this Alabama team was motivated to play this year.  Since the BCS likes to play the game on paper I have decided to crown on paper Boise State as Co-National-Champions.  I guess that is what I will have to do for the next four years at least.

Three teams have ever finished the season 14-0.  Two of them were crowned BCS National Champions.  That would be Ohio State when they beat Miami and now this years Alabama team.  One team finished 14-0 and never even had a chance to play for the championship.  Boise State beat the Pac-10 Champs Oregon and then beat TCU.  TCU was favored and ranked higher in the BCS than the Broncos.  Most of the experts thought TCU would win and most thought they could play with the Tide and the Longhorns.  Somehow Boise overcame all of that and finished 14-0.  There was not much outcry because the system wins and most of the public accepts that you can not fight city hall.  So I will have my own individual protest and congradulate the Boise State team on being Co-Champs.  I counted 35 players on their roster from California so that is great representation for the National Champions.

I am not sure if you saw it or not but there is a new BCS executive director named Bill Hancock.  Bill has worked with the BCS for some time and no surprise here, he sees no reason to change.  They have a new four year contract with ESPN and so the playoffs will have to wait.  Bill says they will not go to a playoff system for some of the same great reasons you have heard before.  Come to think of it they are some of the same reasons I have heard from ESPN guys.  Playoffs lead to more injuries; conflicts with final exams; they would kill the bowl system; and it would diminish the importance of the regular season.  I am not sure but I heard that Mark McGwire had a hand in these reasons.  He and Bill both seem to have trouble with coming clean.

Some more quick notes on the season:  How bout my old guys Bobby and Joe coming through in the bowl games.  Guess the head coaches on the other side must have had the game pass them by.  Bowden finishes 7-6 and they run him out of town.  Lane Kiffin goes 7-6 and gets to be the head coach at USC.  Go figure, I guess Lane must be a bright new mind in the game.  Good choice bringing along his old man, Monte.

Back up quarterback Aaron Corp from USC is transferring to Richmond University.  Good luck to the former Orange Lutheran High School standout.

The Pac 10 went 2-5 in bowl games and the mighty SEC went 6-4.  By the way did you know that the mighty SEC Champs, Alabama played powerhouse teams like Florida International, North Texas and Tennessee-Chattanooga?  Here is another fact you won’t care about.  There have been twelve BCS Championship games and eight were decided by 10 or more points.  What incredible drama that is right?  In my opinion there are only two that really are memorable.  Ohio State over Miami and Texas over USC.  I did enjoy the tradition of having the game played on Thursday night.  Why I remember when I was a boy and all of my relatives would come over to celebrate New Year’s day on Thursday January 7th.  I have a tear in my eye right now thinking about how important tradition is in college football.  Thank you BCS supporters.

Let’s end on a positive note.  I suggest that every high school coach record the interview with Colt after the Championship game was over.  That should be shown to every high school and college team across America.  That was as classy as you can get.  The guy was so disappointed and yet he gave credit to his opponent, his team, his backup and said he had given his all.  I do not know if he and Tim Tebow will be great pros or not.  I want to thank them both for being great athletes and for being two great things about college football.

All right, I have had it. I am sick and tired listening to talk radio sports hosts trying to tell me that “musical coaches” is the way of new business. Please, we all understand that the business world is ugly, underhanded, seedy, and treacherous, 50 percent truthful and 50 percent untruthful. We also understand that business deals are broken all the time, but in back rooms where the lights are dim, the smell is musty and the atmosphere is dank. Okay they are boardrooms, but still the proceedings are usually kept very quiet until they hit the courtroom.

But for some reason coaches, especially football coaches (college and yes pro), do not understand that their contractual agreements are not just a business agreement. They are emotional agreements with a fan base, a university or college, a town, city, community and recruits, their families, and current and future players, co-workers, other coaches on their staff and everyone else committed to that sports program they are leaving. New business?

When a CEO bankrupts a company we get angry, cry, pout and go out kicking and screaming until everyone realizes him or her was a scoundrel. When a company closes down a plant in our region, state, county or city and tens of thousands lose their jobs for the sake of company profits, we have a fit.  When we are fired, let go, relieved, laid off, terminated, shown the door, betrayed, thrown out in the cold, shut down or retructured, we panic, we cry foul, we stare into the distance as if we can go back in time.  But when a coach does any of the above to the community he cherished and loved being a part of when they handed him the multi-layered contract that helped him have financial security for his family, his families’ family and other so called relatives, I am told by sports writers, broadcasters and hosts of talk shows to grow up because it is part of the new business era.

New business?  Let me explain NEW BUSINESS TO YOU, YOU OVERRATED BIG MOUTH (NATIONALLY KNOWN SPORTS COMMENTATOR) KNOW IT ALL WHO COULD NOT HOLD A CANDLE TO ANY OF THE PANELIST, GROUPS, CO-HOSTS, FRIENDS, PARTNERS, AND FOUNDERS on Friday Night Mics; New Business- “Here is my offer, oh you accept the terms, as you can see there is no buyout clause, no early release for the job of your dreams and yes if some reason we do let you go YOU ARE PAID IN FULL until your contract expires. OH yes let me explain a contract to you in a  way you might understand it”  CONTRACT: agreement, compact, stipulation, contractual statement, contractual obligation, understanding, promise, pledge, covenant, obligation, guarantee, gentlemen’s agreement, commitment, bargain, pact, arrangement, deal, accord, common view, concurrence, pact, alliance, affiliation, unity. This is business, new/old, upside down, right side up, backwards and forwards.

But somewhere along the way, you coach, you Mister Sports know it all (as his yes man), you decided to change the rules in favor of only one player in the entire game, you. I have to tell you coach, coaches, general managers, athletic directors, Presidents of all the colleges and universities, NCAA (ESPECIALLY the NCAA), I as a fan am sick and tired of you thinking that the SPORT is all about YOU. And please, if you, or your mouth, piece are going to try and tell me how much money you create for your college or university, the surrounding community, then coach, you better have your schools and organizations print out the numbers and SHOW US.

Don’t just talk about the nebulous good that your program does. Because you need to satisfy your greatness to the community, you need to satisfy your above the norm attitude, you need to give ME a REASON to say GOOD-BYE to you with open arms and a thank you in my heart. But if you can’t, then shut up, sit down and let the bus pull away from the spot you thought you wanted to get off at, because WE (the schools, the fans, the students, the professors, the staff, the co-workers, the players, the families, the friends., the local businesses, the city) we live up to our contractual obligations. So coach, welcome to my campus, it is called the campus of business and if you do not like it here, do not sign on the dotted line ………

Ok…so Wild Card Weekend didn’t quite go a s I thought. Out of four games, yours truly corrected predicted one. How bout them Cowboys? Anyway, let’s give the Divisional Round a try. And remember, what I say, definitely does NOT go…right?

AFC Divisional Playoff #1
Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts
Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN (Saturday January 16, 2010 5:15PM PT)

So the Ravens destroyed the Patriots last week. DESTROYED them. This week, the Ravens go into Indy to face a Colts team who finished the season 14-2. The two came in weeks 16 and 17. Baltimore’s defense and offense rode high in New England, but now they move to Peyton’s place for a Saturday night brawl. If the Baltimore defense can hold Peyton Manning’s offense in check and Ray Rice runs like he did last week, the Ravens will cruise to the AFC Championship Game. If not, the Colts will continue their postseason success. Look for the Colts to wake up after resting their starters for two weeks and put together an almost-complete game. Should be a good one though.

Prediction: Indianapolis 27, Baltimore 24
Key Factor: Any and all Indianapolis Receivers- Last week, the Ravens completely held the Patriots’ receivers in check, taking away a big key to the New England offense. The passing game is what wins for Jim Caldwell’s team, so if Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon, Dallas Clark or any of their running backs can’t get open to catch a pass, Baltimore will run them over.

AFC Divisional Playoff #2
New York Jets at San Diego Chargers
Qualcomm Stadium San Diego, CA (Sunday January 17, 2010 1:40PM PT)

Wow…where did the Jets come from? Two consecutive dominating performances over the Bengals in two weeks (one in the Meadowlands, one in Cincinnati) and they are showing no signs of stopping. Mark Sanchez wasn’t at his absolute best, but the league’s number one ranked defense kept the Bengals tame. Cornerback Derelle Revis of the Jets had the Cincinnati receivers on lockdown and he may just be the second-best corner in football behind Charles Woodson. Revis will be needed to contain the NFL’s best receiving core in San Diego and keep L.T. from “Electric Gliding” into the end zone on Sunday afternoon (SEE: L.T.’s Video on YouTube). The Chargers are the hottest team in football, bringing an 11-game winning streak into this game. With home-field advantage and a rockin’ Southern California crowd, the Chargers should be able to handle the Jets and Mark Sanchez in his homecoming game. NOTE: These two teams have met once in the playoffs. In 2004, the Jets won in San Diego after Nate Kaeding missed a potential game-winning field goal as time expired. The Jets eventually won the game in overtime, courtesy of a Mike Nugent field goal.

Prediction: San Diego 31, New York Jets 21
Key Factor: San Diego Defense- Take the ball away from New York, win the game. No other words are needed here.

NFC Divisional Playoff #1
Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints
Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA (Saturday January 16, 2010 1:30PM PT)

I bet the Cardinals wish they had saved 51 points for a game in the Dome with the Saints. After winning the highest-scoring playoff game in NFL history and almost becoming victim to the third-biggest playoff comeback in NFL history, Arizona should be counting their lucky stars they’re still alive. They couldn’t stop Green Bay on Sunday, but they had better stop the Saints’ offense on Saturday if they have any plans of back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. New Orleans won’t need to play defense if the Cardinals can’t stop them from scoring. Regardless of the Saints’ performance over the final couple of weeks of the season, Drew Brees and the boys should be ready to go.

Prediction: New Orleans 35, Arizona 17
Key Factor: Devery Henderson (WR-NO)- It seems as though every time the Saints need a big play to break a game wide open, Devery is there. If he scores a touchdown from 50 yards or more, New Orleans will win easy in the Big Easy.

NFC Divisional Playoff #2
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings
Mall of America Field at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN (Sunday January 17, 2010 1PM PT)

The Chargers may be the hottest team in the league, but the Cowboys are the hottest team in the NFC. They, like the Jets, picked apart their Week 17 opponent in Wild Card Weekend. The difference was the Cowboys got both games at home. They won’t be home this time as they travel to the frigid temperatures of Minneapolis…to play in a dome. Brett Favre is back in the playoffs and wants another shot at glory. Whether or not they beat the Cowboys this week, I don’t see it in his cards. He’ll play well and possibly lead a comeback in the end just like Brett Favre always does. But the front four for Dallas will get to him, and the ‘Boys will continue to ride high. They were my only win last week, why give up on them now?

Prediction: Dallas 26, Minnesota 21
Key Factor: Jay Ratliff (DL-DAL)- Big Jay has been a monter the last few weeks. He had two big games against the Eagles and is finding more of a knack to get to opposing QB’s. If he pressures Brett to throw more than he wants and makes some key stops on Adrian Peterson, Dallas wins.

So there you go. Divisional Round predictions. Hopefully, we’ll do better this week. By the way, three of the four games this week will be indoors. The only one outside? The one in sunny Southern California. Go figure. And now for a revised “Quick Pick” version of the rest of the playoffs:

AFC Championship Game
Chargers over Colts

NFC Championship Game
Cowboys over Saints

Super Bowl XLIV
Chargers over Cowboys

Champion remains the same, opponent had to change. Thanks Green Bay. Thanks a lot.

Until next time…

Mark McGwire came out on Monday and admitted to using steroids. No real news there, we all knew that he had, but he still felt the need to admit it to the public. I believe that he made that statement for selfish reasons. Despite what you are thinking, I am not writing this to bash him. I am not upset about the how he tried to make himself out to be a victim of the steroid era. I am not upset with the timing of the statement. I am not even upset at his outrages claim that now, as the hitting coach for the Cardinals, he has the “chance” to do something that he wishes he had done five years ago, and that is admit to using steroids. Bull, he could have made that statement at any time. He chose not to speak on the issue. It was choice, not chance Mark, grow up and admit it. Okay, so maybe I am a little upset about that last one, but let’s move on.

The obvious reason for the statement is that he hopes to have weathered out this storm by the time that pre-season starts. He figures that he makes this statement now and come February, it’s right back to business. But I will go deeper than that and say that there is an even bigger reason that he is making this statement now: Hall of Fame. Four years running now and he has not even collected 25% of the votes needed. That’s not a good sign. He is doing damage control and trying to rebuild his image. He is hoping that by admitting he lied now, he can be elected further down the line. I believe he has learned a valuable lesson from the all time hits leader Pete Rose.

I truly believe that had Pete Rose apologized and accepted responsibility for his actions much earlier, they would have reinstated him and he would have been elected into the hall of fame. That is what Mark McGwire is hoping for. However, they both continued to lie about what they did and refused to admit to everyone their wrongdoing, until it was convenient for them. It was too late for Rose back then, and it is too late for McGwire now. Even if you believe he is truly sorry and a changed man looking to move forward, he is still not getting into the hall of fame. Unfortunately, for Mark McGwire, that is where the comparison to Pete Rose ends.

In his 16-year career he had a .263 batting average, and averaged 101 hits and 88 RBI’s per season (1626 hits and 1414 RBI’s career totals). Not to mention he averaged 100 strikeouts per season (1596 total). That is almost a 1-1 hits to strikeout ratio. His 583 home runs are great but he hit 135 of those from 1998-1999, two years included in his admitted steroid filled century. Those numbers just don’t scream Hall of Fame to me. Mark McGwire is the benefactor of the most praised play in baseball, the homerun. On top of that he did it while being chased by Sammy Sosa. Both these guys played their card right and came out looking like heroes for saving baseball. Aside from those two years, Mark McGwire has little to show career wise.

So even without all the steroid drama, the lies and deception, Mark McGwire is a questionable candidate for the hall of fame. But steroids, lies and deception do play a part in the election process and Mark McGwire is finally coming to realize that. That is why he chose now to admit his steroid use. Sorry Mark, this is a pity party for 1, and your table is ready.

Happy New Year to everyone!  It is early January, I made my resolutions, believed 2010 would be a better year and I am already having second thoughts.  This has always been a challenge for me in my life.  I am a very critical second thought person or second-guessing.  This made be wonder if top professional athletes have second thoughts or second-guess themselves.  It seems that the top pros do not think like we do.  Kobe Bryant goes 0 for 10 and his mind says the next one of course is going in.  I doubt that LeBron James has second thoughts about who the most physically gifted player on the court is anytime he is there.  Which brings up the question if Gilbert Arenas now has any second thoughts?

I will not call Gilbert an idiot but his actions and reactions were idiotic.  I guess he did not hear the Plaxico Burress gun story.  Maybe he was napping when league officials meet with players and talk about rules like not bringing guns to the work place.  One would think that a twenty-eight year old would not have to be told not to bring guns into a basketball arena.  Do you think Mr. Arenas has second thoughts about saying commissioner David Stern is “mean”?  Does he look back and say maybe it was not a good time to point my finger like a gun at my teammates?  I have seen Stern interviewed in the past and a real cut up and loosey-goosey guy is not how I would describe him.  Mr. Stern is dead serious about His NBA.  This is the guy that hated his players even dressing like thugs much less carrying guns into his arenas.  If Gilbert has a second thought he may now understand he should have shown remorse and seriousness.  Is his agent Carrot Top? 

How about the Washington Wizards management and their brilliance?  Any second thoughts about giving this guy over $100 million?  Remember when their nickname was the Bullets?  I guess it was okay because Gilbert’s guns did not have any bullets in them or so we have been told.  This is a serious story but it does make me laugh because of how unbelievable it is.  Gilbert Arenas has incredible basketball skills that have allowed him to average almost 23 points in his career.  When he is hot he cannot be stopped from scoring.  If his career is over I would suggest he have a second thought about stand up comedy.  Gilbert Arenas proves once again that athletes are not role models no matter how much people want them to be.

It has been a while my friends, but I have returned just in time for the NFL’s Second Season. I have to right? As always, four Wild Card Weekend games on the docket and three of them were actually played last week…well…kind of. Let us now take a look into the not-so-distant future and see what we have in store for Saturday and Sunday. And don’t worry, my full playoff prediction will come at the end, but let’s get to round one…..

AFC Wild Card Game #1

New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati, OH (Saturday January 9)

So we saw this game take place last week. At least we saw one team show up. You can say all you want about the Bengals actually trying to win the game at the Meadowlands on Sunday night, but c’mon…really guys? Carson Palmer went 1-11 with an interception. Plus, I scored as many points as the Bengals did and I watched the whole game from the comfort of my own workplace. Simply put, the Jets HAD to win to get in, the Bengals phoned it in to not get hurt. So for both teams, mission: accomplished. This Saturday, the whole environment will change. The game is in Cincinnati and the Bengals offense (especially Carson Palmer) will be ready to go. Palmer hasn’t played a playoff game since the Steelers took him out on the first play from scrimmage in the postseason a few years back, his only playoff appearance. He’ll be sharp and the Jets defense will run around trying to catch Bengal ball-carriers all day.

Prediction: Bengals 24, Jets 17
Key Factor: Cedric Benson (RB-CIN): With a lot to prove in the national spotlight, Ced helps out the Bengal passing attack by forcing the Jets to respect the run.

AFC Wild Card Game #2
Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium Foxborough, MA (Sunday January 10)

This game will be closer than most will expect. The Ravens half-backed in to the playoffs (like the Jets) and it took an 8-point victory over the Raiders to get them there. Foxboro is a tough place to go in Winter and the Patriots finished the season 8-0 at Gillette. the Ravens’ defense is still good and their offense has gotten much better in the passing game and with Offensive Rookie of the Year Ray Rice. The difference here is that no matter how bad the odds are stacked against New England, the Patriots always seem to win early-round games. Look for this week to be no different in a semi-low scoring affair.

Prediction: New England 20, Baltimore 16
Key Factor: Julian Edelman (WR-NE): With Wes Welker out for the Pats, Edelman will have to fill the role of “Go-to Receiver” when the Patriots are faced with 3rd and medium distances to go. Keeping drives alive are key to New England’s success.

NFC Wild Card Game #1
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys Stadium Irving, TX (Saturday January 9)

Talk about a let down. One game to clinch a home date with the ‘Boys and the NFC East title and “BAM”- it all goes away in the blink of an eye. If the Eagles were content on letting Dallas beat them up like that with a lot on the line (and trust me, a home playoff game and a division title is a lot) then what might happen come Saturday night in “Big D?” I picked the Cowboys to be my sleeper team of the playoffs and with the way the defense has been clicking, I have no reason to believe otherwise in this game. Jay Ratliff was named to the Pro Bowl for a reason. He will get to Donovan McNabb in this game…maybe more than once. As for Philly, they better bring their “A” game and they need big plays from their wide receivers on offense. Donovan can’t carry a team the way he used to. This one could be a shootout if both teams are at their best.

Prediction: Dallas 31, Philadelphia 21
Key Factor: David Beuhler (K-DAL): Strange pick you say? Not quite my friends. The Eagles kick returners were amongst the best in the league in getting their team short fields. This pick could have easily been the entire special teams unit for Dallas, but Jerry Jones drafted the former USC kicker to drive the ball deep. The longer the field for the Eagles, the more chances the Cowboys defense will have to stop them.

NFC Wild Card Game #2

Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals
University of Phoenix Stadium

This is the most difficult game to predict this weekend. Green Bay destroyed Arizona in the final game of the regular season, but the Cardinals seemed to back off because this game was going to happen on Sunday no matter what happened. They knew it’d be two weeks in a row against one another and the Cardinals didn’t want to showcase all of their weapons. Bad news for Arizona: looks like Anquan Boldin won’t play. Good news for Arizona: He missed their entire playoff run to the Super Bowl and only played in the Super Bowl. More bad news for Arizona: That was the only game they lost last postseason. Maybe they should keep him out…I’m just sayin’. Aaron Rodgers passed for over 4,000 yards. The Packers’ offense is good. The Cardinals’ defense is slipping a bit down the stretch. It should be a good one in the desert. Stay tuned.

Prediction: Green Bay 30, Arizona 24
Key Factor: Charles Woodson (CB-GB): Surprised by this pick? I didn’t think so. If Chuck can catch one or two of Kurt Warner’s pass attempts, he’ll probably run at least one back. If that happens, game over.

So there you go…a little analysis to get you ready for the first round of the playoffs. It’s gonna be fun, you can count on that. And real quick…here’s a lottery style ‘Quick Pick” for the rest of the playoffs before I have to analyze match-ups that I did NOT predict would happen.

Divisional Round Predictions:

AFC
San Diego over New England
Indianapolis over Cincinnati

NFC
Green Bay over New Orleans
Minnesota over Dallas

AFC Championship
San Diego over Indianapolis

NFC Championship
Green Bay over Minnesota

Super Bowl XLIV
San Diego over Green Bay

Yup…I actually said it.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Complaints? You know what to do.

Until next time…..