Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesIm still on the positive side with my picks so far this year; week fouraverage of 92.3% pushed my season average to 90.1%, so I can still show my face around the neighborhood. Week four really did not have any seismic implications on the college football scene unless you were a fan of the University of Texas, Notre New York Jets jersey
Dame or South Carolina. Those teams aside, the rest of the college football landscape remained basically the same both for the good and the bad.The Longhorns prepared for this week's Red River Rivalry by playing their worst game in years. Texas was the MVP for UCLA's victory as there was no aspect of the game that Texas did not do poorly. South Carolina shed its new contender image half way through its game with Auburn and the 2010 version of Notre Dame football looked much like last year's version losing its 11th game in a row to a ranked opponent. September did not really sort out anything other than Alabama and Ohio State seem to be the current elite but not really dominant. In fact the entire cast of the top 25 seems to be somewhat suspect. I personally, still ask what have TCU, Boise State or Wisconsin done this year on the field to justify where they are in the polls? Hell, add Michigan, LSU and Miami to that question as well. However the other ranked teams are not helping my argument as none of them are solidly laying claim to their place in the rankings. There are twenty five undefeated teams at this point; six of them are outside the top 25 (four are getting some votes). I am not suggesting that they should be above those in the polls with a loss but this as at times before poses the questions: is there now parity in big time college football or is it a down year or just too early to have an informed opinion?This weekaction should start separating some of the contenders from the pretenders. At a minimum the number of unbeatens will be reduced as there are five matches between undefeated teams this week. Outside those contests there are also two games between ranked opponents that will also shake out the polls a bit (No. 22 Penn State at No. 17 Iowa and No. 21 Texas vs. No. 8 Oklahoma) and begin clarifying the races in two conferences.Last week only the Alabama/Arkansas game lived up to the pre-game hype. Sadly Arkansas continued to be unable to put together four quarters of offense or the result might have been different. The Boise State/Oregon State and West Virginia/LSU games both listed as games of the week failed to excite. Oregon State showed itself as a middle of the pack PAC-10 team and not the measuring stick of a team trying to prove it desires to be in the championship game. LSU moved to 4-0 without looking like a team that should be undefeated, its victory more of testament to the Mountaineers weakness that the Tigers strength.Both called upsets from last week came to fruition as Northern Illinois beat the Gophers and #17 Auburn beat #12 South Carolina. I was not as accurate in predicting routs as Nebraska while winning did not blow out South Dakota State this week past.The games of the week for week five are Florida/Alabama, Stanford/Oregon, and Texas/Oklahoma. The favorites have a good chance to win each of these games but I think Stanford can pull off the upset. Clemson also has a good chance of beating the favorite this week. The routs of the week will be mostly at the hands of Boise State, Auburn Oakland Raiders jersey
and Nevada.Jamie Sabau/Getty ImagesHighlights:Game(s) of the WeekNo. 7 Florida at No. 1 Alabama- Alabama is not a juggernaut this year but the Gators have looked more vulnerable. UF could win but I believe this will be the first of two defeats at the hands of the Tide this year.No. 9 Stanford at No. 4 Oregon- Most the experts and the computers are picking Oregon to win the game. I however think the attitude and the smash you in the mouth attitude of the Cardinal will win a close game if they can win the turnover battle.No. 21 Texas vs. No. 8 Oklahoma- Texas has more to lose in this game but if UCLA can run on the Texas defense the way it did, Oklahoma will win this game.Potential UpsetsNo. 9 Stanford at No. 4 OregonNo. 16 Miami (FL) at Clemson- Miami's offense has not been anything special; their defense and special tam made the victory against Pittsburgh possible. Their QB has shown that his preseason hype was misplaced. Miami will give up at least two picks and lose to the Tigers.Virginia Tech at No. 23 North Carolina State- Va Tech should remember who they are this week and get rid of the last undefeated team in the ACC.Potential RoutsNo. 3 Boise State at New Mexico StateLouisiana-Monroe at No. 10 AuburnNo. 25 Nevada at UNLVResults: Week 1 31-5 [86.1%]Week 2 28-3 [90.3%]Week 3 26-2 [92.9%]Week 4 24-2 [92.3%]Week 5 xx-x [??.?%]Season109-12 [90.1%]Thursday, September 30Texas AM at Oklahoma State- Texas AM might have the better QB but Oklahoma State at home will win in probably a high scoring affair.Saturday, October 2No. 7 Florida at No. 1 Alabama- Ingram and Richardson will control the clock and be the biggest reason the Gators lose this week.No. 2 Ohio State at Illinois- Ron Zook's team may put up a fight for a half but even that is doubtful.No. 3 Boise State at New Mexico State- Boise State will say the right things but will pile on points all game longNo. 9 Stanford at No. 4 Oregon- I think the Cardinal will be the biggest upset of the week. The Ducks have the speed but Stanford plays as a team and has the right attitude to win at Autsen.No. 5 TCU at Colorado State- Colorado State has shown nothing so far to say they have a chance this week.No. 21 Texas vs. No. 8 Oklahoma- Oklahoma will win but will it mean as much as in other years.Louisiana-Monroe at No. 10 Auburn- The tigers will run up the score in the Newton Heisman campaign.No. 11 Wisconsin at No. 24 Michigan State- Two good teams, but Wisconsin should pull out a win in a hard fought game.Tennessee at No. 12 LSU- Tennessee is not going to win but may hang to make it look like a game.No. 16 Miami (FL) at Clemson- Clemson should get an upset win at home.No. 22 Penn State at No. 17 Iowa- Offensive line injuries will prevent Penn State from having a winning run game and injuries may deny Iowa the same but Iowa will still have the pass and a better defense - for the win.Washington at No. 18 USC- Locker will get some stats but still see his team lose.No. 19 Michigan at Indiana- Indiana will score points but Michigan Philadelphia Eagles jersey
should score more. This is not an endorsement for league honors but the Wolverines should win the game.Northwestern at Minnesota- How could one pick Minnesota. The gophers may put a game together this year but I do not think it will be this week.Virginia Tech at No. 23 North Carolina State- Va Tech if it has any ball security at all will win this road game.No. 25 Nevada at UNLV- UNLV suffers the wrath of a team trying to get voters to notice it.Duke at Maryland- The Terps win at home over the Blue Devils (it's not basketball)** Underlined teams are currently undefeated.
2011年1月22日星期六
22 Jan 11 Iowa Football: Don't Blame The Defense For Loss To Arizona
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesI am not the kind of person that is always looking for the silver lining in the gray cloud. I'm not a pessimist, but I'm also not somebody that desperately needs to grab onto some random bit of sunshine in order to make myself feel better.With that said, in Saturday's 34-27 loss to the Arizona Wildcats, Iowa did a lot of things wrong in all phases of the game.The receivers dropped a lot of balls. One of those drops led directly to a pick-six. Also, on at least one occasion, a receiver didn't run through his route. The end result of Denver Broncos jersey
that was he missed what would have been a sure touchdown.The Hawkeyes took 60 yards in very sloppy penalties, particularly false start and personal foul penalties. If you think Kirk Ferentz will not remind his players about that over and over this week, then you have not paid attention to Kirk Ferentz over the past 11 years.Ricky Stanzi showed a number of signs that he still has not exorcised his "Mr. Hyde" demons. As I said, the pick-six was not on him. On the other hand, he did force a number of throws for which he was lucky not to get burned.Even more importantly, he still stubbornly refused to give up on plays. This resulted in him taking sacks that he didn't have to take, and that hurt the team terribly.Speaking of sacks, Iowa gave up a whopping six on the night. They gave up three in a row on the last drive. All three of those sacks came on the exact same nickel blitz, which Iowa, for some reason, seemed entirely unable to counter. Some of that was on Stanzi and some of that was on the offensive line.Oh, and the special teams were atrocious.Nevertheless, I have seen a number of message boards that are quick to blame this on the defense, and I think that is a bit absurd.I'm not saying the defense was perfect. They took a number of the aforementioned penalties, there were linebackers out of position on a number of plays, and the cornerbacks got caught looking into the backfield on at least two occasions.Both of those mistakes by the corners turned into plays of over 30 yards, the last one of which all but put the proverbial fork in the Hawks.However, I Detroit Lions
think one has to put the defense's performance into perspective.First of all, Iowa gave up 34 points. Fourteen of those points were entirely on the special teams, and a pick-six given up by the offense. Another seven of those points came on an extremely short field, given up after a blocked punt.That leaves exactly 13 points that were fully on the defense.It is true that all 13 of those points came on series in which the offense drove down the field.Nonetheless, as has been well-documented, Iowa plays a defense that allows its opponents to take underneath stuff all game. Any patient and accurate quarterback can have success against the Hawks.The good news is that there are very few patient and accurate quarterbacks in college football. The bad news is that Arizona quarterback Nick Foles is just such a quarterback.The fact is, Foles is probably the best quarterback Iowa will see all year. Certainly, Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor and Michigan's Denard Robinson are loaded with talent and ability, but neither of them can pass like Foles.In short, Arizona was going to get its yards and pick up points against this defense. The key was that the defense limited those points to field goals, which they did, and limit the number of time the Cats were able to drive the ball, which they did.In 12 drives, the Wildcats scored two touchdowns, two field goals, and turned the ball over twice. Also, one of those touchdowns was after the blocked punt. In effect, the "drive" started at Iowa's eight-yard-line.Finally, Arizona had been averaging over 500 yards total offense per game, previous to the Iowa game.The Hawks held them to 366 total yards.The bottom line is this game was not Iowa's finest moment. This is not a game that anybody will point to, and say that the Hawkeyes were at their absolute best.Iowa will go into this week with a lot ofGreen Bay Packers jersey
work to do. That includes the offense, the special teams, and the defense.Nonetheless, fans pointing to the Iowa D as "beyond overrated," or putting this loss squarely on the defense's shoulders is a bit far-fetched.There is still a lot of football left, and it is a testament to the talent and heart on this team and this defense that they made it a game, despite how sloppily they played.
that was he missed what would have been a sure touchdown.The Hawkeyes took 60 yards in very sloppy penalties, particularly false start and personal foul penalties. If you think Kirk Ferentz will not remind his players about that over and over this week, then you have not paid attention to Kirk Ferentz over the past 11 years.Ricky Stanzi showed a number of signs that he still has not exorcised his "Mr. Hyde" demons. As I said, the pick-six was not on him. On the other hand, he did force a number of throws for which he was lucky not to get burned.Even more importantly, he still stubbornly refused to give up on plays. This resulted in him taking sacks that he didn't have to take, and that hurt the team terribly.Speaking of sacks, Iowa gave up a whopping six on the night. They gave up three in a row on the last drive. All three of those sacks came on the exact same nickel blitz, which Iowa, for some reason, seemed entirely unable to counter. Some of that was on Stanzi and some of that was on the offensive line.Oh, and the special teams were atrocious.Nevertheless, I have seen a number of message boards that are quick to blame this on the defense, and I think that is a bit absurd.I'm not saying the defense was perfect. They took a number of the aforementioned penalties, there were linebackers out of position on a number of plays, and the cornerbacks got caught looking into the backfield on at least two occasions.Both of those mistakes by the corners turned into plays of over 30 yards, the last one of which all but put the proverbial fork in the Hawks.However, I Detroit Lions
think one has to put the defense's performance into perspective.First of all, Iowa gave up 34 points. Fourteen of those points were entirely on the special teams, and a pick-six given up by the offense. Another seven of those points came on an extremely short field, given up after a blocked punt.That leaves exactly 13 points that were fully on the defense.It is true that all 13 of those points came on series in which the offense drove down the field.Nonetheless, as has been well-documented, Iowa plays a defense that allows its opponents to take underneath stuff all game. Any patient and accurate quarterback can have success against the Hawks.The good news is that there are very few patient and accurate quarterbacks in college football. The bad news is that Arizona quarterback Nick Foles is just such a quarterback.The fact is, Foles is probably the best quarterback Iowa will see all year. Certainly, Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor and Michigan's Denard Robinson are loaded with talent and ability, but neither of them can pass like Foles.In short, Arizona was going to get its yards and pick up points against this defense. The key was that the defense limited those points to field goals, which they did, and limit the number of time the Cats were able to drive the ball, which they did.In 12 drives, the Wildcats scored two touchdowns, two field goals, and turned the ball over twice. Also, one of those touchdowns was after the blocked punt. In effect, the "drive" started at Iowa's eight-yard-line.Finally, Arizona had been averaging over 500 yards total offense per game, previous to the Iowa game.The Hawks held them to 366 total yards.The bottom line is this game was not Iowa's finest moment. This is not a game that anybody will point to, and say that the Hawkeyes were at their absolute best.Iowa will go into this week with a lot ofGreen Bay Packers jersey
work to do. That includes the offense, the special teams, and the defense.Nonetheless, fans pointing to the Iowa D as "beyond overrated," or putting this loss squarely on the defense's shoulders is a bit far-fetched.There is still a lot of football left, and it is a testament to the talent and heart on this team and this defense that they made it a game, despite how sloppily they played.
2011年1月18日星期二
18 Jan 11 Miami Hurricanes Favored at Pitt
Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesCollege football kicks off this week with a marquee match-up between the No. 19-ranked Miami Hurricanes and the Pitt Panthers on Thursday night. Both teams have had two weeks to prepare for this important non-conference showdown. Miami enters the game with a 1-1 record with their loss Minnesota Vikings
coming at Ohio State 36-24. Pitt lost a heartbreaker at Utah in their opener, but picked up their first win of the young season versus New Hampshire. The college football lines show that Miami is a four-point favorite on the road.Miami has showed signs of returning to national prominence under Randy Shannon, but cannot seem to turn the corner. Too many mistakes were made at Ohio State to pull off the key win on the road. Star quarterback Jacory Harris was intercepted four times in his 39 pass attempts, which ultimately decided the game. The junior is completing 63 percent of his passes for 442 yards and four touchdowns. Cutting down on the turnovers is going to be a must if the Canes want to contend in the wide open ACC. Damien Berry leads the team in rushing with 139 yards on 22 carries. He is averaging over six yards per attempt and is still looking for his first touchdown. Lamar Miller and Mike James have each scored once out of the backfield. Miami features an explosive group of wide receivers that can change the outcome of games. Leonard Hankerson has gotten off to a fast start with 13 receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Harris and Hankerson form one of the better combinations in the nation. Travis Benjamin and Aldarius Johnson have pitched in with eight catches for over 100 yards. Miamidefense allowed over 400 yards of total offense to the Buckeyes and struggled equally against both the run and pass. They will need to focus on slowing down Pitt running back Dion Lewis.Suffering a loss in Week 1 is not ideal for any team, but ground can be made up throughout the season. Pitt will get a chance to do exactly that against a strong Miami team. Sophomore running back Dion Lewis has slumped through the first two games, averaging under 3 New England Patriots jersey
yards per carry. Lewis has 35 attempts for 102 yards and two touchdowns. He is being keyed on by opposing defenses making room to run much tougher to come by. Ray Graham has done a nice job in relief of Lewis, gaining 115 yards on nine carries and scoring twice. A big question mark for the Panthers was at the quarterback position coming into the season. Tino Sunseri won the job and has played ok early on. He has thrown for 459 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. At times in the Utah game Sunseri looked loss, but he almost brought them back in a rowdy environment. Wide receiver Jon Baldwin is an All-American candidate that will likely be a first round draft pick in the NFL. The 6-5 junior has snagged ten passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Mike Shanahan has seven receptions for 89 yards. Pittdefense will be without talented defensive end Greg Romeus.This will be the first meeting between these two schools since Miami left the Big East in 2003. The Hurricanes won six straight prior to theirNew Orleans Saints jersey
departure and have outgained Pitt by an average of 185 yards in five of their past six games. Miamispeed has trumped the physical style of play Pitt relies on. Four points is a good number to get in a game that should be tightly contested. Take the points in this one. Play: Pitt +4Donwait to sign up for premium football picks from Jimmy Boyd and company! No site gives our more winners than Locksmith Sports Picks.
coming at Ohio State 36-24. Pitt lost a heartbreaker at Utah in their opener, but picked up their first win of the young season versus New Hampshire. The college football lines show that Miami is a four-point favorite on the road.Miami has showed signs of returning to national prominence under Randy Shannon, but cannot seem to turn the corner. Too many mistakes were made at Ohio State to pull off the key win on the road. Star quarterback Jacory Harris was intercepted four times in his 39 pass attempts, which ultimately decided the game. The junior is completing 63 percent of his passes for 442 yards and four touchdowns. Cutting down on the turnovers is going to be a must if the Canes want to contend in the wide open ACC. Damien Berry leads the team in rushing with 139 yards on 22 carries. He is averaging over six yards per attempt and is still looking for his first touchdown. Lamar Miller and Mike James have each scored once out of the backfield. Miami features an explosive group of wide receivers that can change the outcome of games. Leonard Hankerson has gotten off to a fast start with 13 receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Harris and Hankerson form one of the better combinations in the nation. Travis Benjamin and Aldarius Johnson have pitched in with eight catches for over 100 yards. Miamidefense allowed over 400 yards of total offense to the Buckeyes and struggled equally against both the run and pass. They will need to focus on slowing down Pitt running back Dion Lewis.Suffering a loss in Week 1 is not ideal for any team, but ground can be made up throughout the season. Pitt will get a chance to do exactly that against a strong Miami team. Sophomore running back Dion Lewis has slumped through the first two games, averaging under 3 New England Patriots jersey
yards per carry. Lewis has 35 attempts for 102 yards and two touchdowns. He is being keyed on by opposing defenses making room to run much tougher to come by. Ray Graham has done a nice job in relief of Lewis, gaining 115 yards on nine carries and scoring twice. A big question mark for the Panthers was at the quarterback position coming into the season. Tino Sunseri won the job and has played ok early on. He has thrown for 459 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. At times in the Utah game Sunseri looked loss, but he almost brought them back in a rowdy environment. Wide receiver Jon Baldwin is an All-American candidate that will likely be a first round draft pick in the NFL. The 6-5 junior has snagged ten passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Mike Shanahan has seven receptions for 89 yards. Pittdefense will be without talented defensive end Greg Romeus.This will be the first meeting between these two schools since Miami left the Big East in 2003. The Hurricanes won six straight prior to theirNew Orleans Saints jersey
departure and have outgained Pitt by an average of 185 yards in five of their past six games. Miamispeed has trumped the physical style of play Pitt relies on. Four points is a good number to get in a game that should be tightly contested. Take the points in this one. Play: Pitt +4Donwait to sign up for premium football picks from Jimmy Boyd and company! No site gives our more winners than Locksmith Sports Picks.
2011年1月15日星期六
15 Jan 11 Detroit Lions "Worst Game Never Played" Commentary
In honor of the Detroit Lions' capturing and holding of the no. 32 spot in a perfect 100 percent of NFL power polls worldwide, RealFootball365 hereby kicks off the tournament for Super Bowl minus-I, also known as The Worst Game Never Played.Thanks to the powerful simulation at the second-greatest Web site ever, WhatIfSports.com, a true nightmare tournament can be assembled without all that messy time-travel business. Selected are four teams truly worthy of being called The All-Time Worst, or at least The Worst in Recent History. As the RealFootball365 thesaurus is being worn to the spine searching for ways to define the mess that is the Detroit Lions, a Matt Millen franchise will represent the Honolulu blue-and-silver so that we may learn just how bad things truly are there.The format of Washington Redskins jersey
the tournament is simple: The AFC representatives will face off, as will the NFC's. Winners go home, losers advance to the final showdown in Phoenix, Ariz. for Super Bowl minus-I. Take a look at these squads, and hedge your (completely illegal and in no way encouraged by the National Football League and its licensees) bets:1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - These guys weren't just a bad team, they weren't just an expansion team ... they were a phenomenon. In the first two games of the team history, the Bucs went without a point. The 1976ers, "led" by Steve Spurrier and "coached" by USC legend John McKay, would ultimately run up 26 straight losses while setting records for appearances in the butt of jokes that may never be broken. And lest we forget: For inexplicable reasons, Tampa Bay graced the AFC West with their presence before swapping conferences with the Seattle Seahawks the following season.1999 Cleveland Browns - After being robbed of a franchise whose history went back to the All-America Football Conference, Cleveland was re-expanded into the NFL, just so Clevelanders could experience a bad old-fashioned new team. This squad launched the career of Tim Couch and featured the NBA's all-time leading scorer, Karim Abdul-Jabbar, at halfback.1989 Dallas Cowboys - Not an expansion team, but they might as well have been. "Let me trade Herschel Walker," said Jimmie Johnson to Jerry Jones, "and I'll build you a Super Bowl team." Five players, six conditional draft choices, one first-round pick and three years later, the Lombardi Trophy was in the Lone Star State. Along the way, though, Dallas fans had to finish the loathsome 1-15 season of 1989. Sure, they had Troy Aikman, but he threw 18 picks (and they didn't even call them "picks" back then) against nine TDs. Jack Del Rio was a linebacker. You don't recognize the rest of the roster.2005 Detroit Lions - We'll run another tourney once the WhatIfSports guys post the numbers for the 2006 version, but for now this version will do. Sure, Detroit's favorite QB Joey Harrington is Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
there instead of Jon Kitna, but 2005 was, for Lions fans, just more of the same old garbage. Besides, the 2006 Lions' living players, Kevin Jones and Roy Williams, are on the 2005 team anyway. Plus, Millen was the GM and, boys and girls, these are truly his Lions.Onto the games!AFC Championship: 1976 Buccaneers 24, 1999 Browns 27. The Browns escape the ignominy of having to appear in The Worst Game Ever Played in an edge-of-your-seat game in Cleveland. After jumping out to 14-0 first-quarter lead on a 24-yard run from Couch (!) and a 19-yarder from Jabbar (assist from Magic Johnson), it appeared to be smooth sailing. But the '76 Bucs hadn't seen such easy meat back in their day and began clawing their way back, even knocking Couch out in the process. On came Koy Detmer to lead the Browns on a long drive culminating in an 18-yard pass to Leslie Shepherd - You know him: He was in the "Naked Gun" movies - with just over one minute, 30 seconds to play. Spurrier went 19-of-33 for 227 yards all the while wishing he were in Florida.NFC Championship: 2005 Lions 30, 1989 Cowboys 36. Not only is WhatIfSports a most excellent time-waster, it is also proof that the computer has a sense of humor. Check out the box score by clicking on the score above. Kicker Remy Hamilton, apparently substituted for Jason Hanson in either a completely believable coaching move by Steve Mariucci or Dick Jauron, goes 0-for-5 in extra-point conversions to waste a brilliant 25-of-33, 327-yard, three-TD performance by Harrington. The Cowboys prevail, winning for only the second time with this roster. And you know what? It's all perfectly credible. Except for Harrington's stats, of course.Super Bowl minus-I: 1976 Buccaneers 0, 2005 Lions 14. In a game where both teams' supporters hoped their guys wouldn't be true to form, the 1976 Bucs were. Fueled by Williams' guarantee of victory, Jauron (or maybe Mariucci) fired up his 21st-best 'D' to stop the Creamsicle-colored chumps of yesteryear. Hamilton again started at placekicker Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
for the Lions and went 0-for-3 in field goals, but Williams and Jones scored a TD apiece, more than enough to overwhelm truly the All-Time Worst.And so Detroit's fans rested peacefully for the first night since Matt Millen was applying punishment on the field as opposed to in the office; finally, a team the Lions can beat. Now, if only the Ford Motor Co. can get that prototype time machine up and running...P.S.Fire Millen in ours and all alternate universes.Insights into time travel and sometimes the Detroit Lions, too, (4)
the tournament is simple: The AFC representatives will face off, as will the NFC's. Winners go home, losers advance to the final showdown in Phoenix, Ariz. for Super Bowl minus-I. Take a look at these squads, and hedge your (completely illegal and in no way encouraged by the National Football League and its licensees) bets:1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - These guys weren't just a bad team, they weren't just an expansion team ... they were a phenomenon. In the first two games of the team history, the Bucs went without a point. The 1976ers, "led" by Steve Spurrier and "coached" by USC legend John McKay, would ultimately run up 26 straight losses while setting records for appearances in the butt of jokes that may never be broken. And lest we forget: For inexplicable reasons, Tampa Bay graced the AFC West with their presence before swapping conferences with the Seattle Seahawks the following season.1999 Cleveland Browns - After being robbed of a franchise whose history went back to the All-America Football Conference, Cleveland was re-expanded into the NFL, just so Clevelanders could experience a bad old-fashioned new team. This squad launched the career of Tim Couch and featured the NBA's all-time leading scorer, Karim Abdul-Jabbar, at halfback.1989 Dallas Cowboys - Not an expansion team, but they might as well have been. "Let me trade Herschel Walker," said Jimmie Johnson to Jerry Jones, "and I'll build you a Super Bowl team." Five players, six conditional draft choices, one first-round pick and three years later, the Lombardi Trophy was in the Lone Star State. Along the way, though, Dallas fans had to finish the loathsome 1-15 season of 1989. Sure, they had Troy Aikman, but he threw 18 picks (and they didn't even call them "picks" back then) against nine TDs. Jack Del Rio was a linebacker. You don't recognize the rest of the roster.2005 Detroit Lions - We'll run another tourney once the WhatIfSports guys post the numbers for the 2006 version, but for now this version will do. Sure, Detroit's favorite QB Joey Harrington is Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
there instead of Jon Kitna, but 2005 was, for Lions fans, just more of the same old garbage. Besides, the 2006 Lions' living players, Kevin Jones and Roy Williams, are on the 2005 team anyway. Plus, Millen was the GM and, boys and girls, these are truly his Lions.Onto the games!AFC Championship: 1976 Buccaneers 24, 1999 Browns 27. The Browns escape the ignominy of having to appear in The Worst Game Ever Played in an edge-of-your-seat game in Cleveland. After jumping out to 14-0 first-quarter lead on a 24-yard run from Couch (!) and a 19-yarder from Jabbar (assist from Magic Johnson), it appeared to be smooth sailing. But the '76 Bucs hadn't seen such easy meat back in their day and began clawing their way back, even knocking Couch out in the process. On came Koy Detmer to lead the Browns on a long drive culminating in an 18-yard pass to Leslie Shepherd - You know him: He was in the "Naked Gun" movies - with just over one minute, 30 seconds to play. Spurrier went 19-of-33 for 227 yards all the while wishing he were in Florida.NFC Championship: 2005 Lions 30, 1989 Cowboys 36. Not only is WhatIfSports a most excellent time-waster, it is also proof that the computer has a sense of humor. Check out the box score by clicking on the score above. Kicker Remy Hamilton, apparently substituted for Jason Hanson in either a completely believable coaching move by Steve Mariucci or Dick Jauron, goes 0-for-5 in extra-point conversions to waste a brilliant 25-of-33, 327-yard, three-TD performance by Harrington. The Cowboys prevail, winning for only the second time with this roster. And you know what? It's all perfectly credible. Except for Harrington's stats, of course.Super Bowl minus-I: 1976 Buccaneers 0, 2005 Lions 14. In a game where both teams' supporters hoped their guys wouldn't be true to form, the 1976 Bucs were. Fueled by Williams' guarantee of victory, Jauron (or maybe Mariucci) fired up his 21st-best 'D' to stop the Creamsicle-colored chumps of yesteryear. Hamilton again started at placekicker Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
for the Lions and went 0-for-3 in field goals, but Williams and Jones scored a TD apiece, more than enough to overwhelm truly the All-Time Worst.And so Detroit's fans rested peacefully for the first night since Matt Millen was applying punishment on the field as opposed to in the office; finally, a team the Lions can beat. Now, if only the Ford Motor Co. can get that prototype time machine up and running...P.S.Fire Millen in ours and all alternate universes.Insights into time travel and sometimes the Detroit Lions, too, (4)
2011年1月13日星期四
14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks Jerramy Stevens Commentary
If every starter's return mirrors that of Jerramy Stevens, Seattle fans will be very happy.It's not that Stevens has been such a consistent performer since returning from knee surgery. Quite the contrary, in fact. Stevens has been up (a touchdown in two games) and down (no catches against Oakland and a fumble Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
last week against San Francisco) in the games since he rejoined the starting lineup.But, as 'Hawks fans know, that's Stevens in a nutshell. He can be a potent part of the offense, or he can melt down at the most inopportune time--like the Super Bowl. You don't always know what he's going to deliver, and fans still can't be sure what he'll contribute each week. So Stevens is just picking up where he left off.If Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck and Bobby Engram can do the same, fans will be cheering the team back to the playoffs. Because for those guys, "picking up where they left off" means solid play and helping the team win. Sure, they've had their struggles in 2006 but a healthy offense will be able to compete with the remaining teams on the schedule.Stevens still has an important role to play in the lineup, and Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
the tight end position is naturally an inconsistent one. And it's not like Stevens will be needed to catch 10 passes or reach 100 yards every game. The passing attack has Darrell Jackson, Deion Branch, Nate Burleson and (soon) Engram. The team simply needs Stevens to either block or become another option in a talented corps of receivers, and that's exactly what he's cut out to be.What Stevens has done is show that a player can return from an injury and fit back into Mike Holmgren's system. He can fill the role he needs to fill immediately. When the team has holes in its starting lineup, it doesn't look like much of a contribution. But Stevens has also shown the ability to make his playing time count late in the year. Not counting a meaningless game against the Packers to close out the 2005 season, Stevens scored in theReebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
Seahawks' last three regular-season contests.Stevens had no less than three receptions in every game last December, and that would be welcome production this year. At 6-4, the Seahawks have a tough road ahead. If they don't win the division, even a wild-card spot isn't a guarantee. The team will need production from its healthy starters--including Stevens--to defend its conference championship successfully.
last week against San Francisco) in the games since he rejoined the starting lineup.But, as 'Hawks fans know, that's Stevens in a nutshell. He can be a potent part of the offense, or he can melt down at the most inopportune time--like the Super Bowl. You don't always know what he's going to deliver, and fans still can't be sure what he'll contribute each week. So Stevens is just picking up where he left off.If Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck and Bobby Engram can do the same, fans will be cheering the team back to the playoffs. Because for those guys, "picking up where they left off" means solid play and helping the team win. Sure, they've had their struggles in 2006 but a healthy offense will be able to compete with the remaining teams on the schedule.Stevens still has an important role to play in the lineup, and Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
the tight end position is naturally an inconsistent one. And it's not like Stevens will be needed to catch 10 passes or reach 100 yards every game. The passing attack has Darrell Jackson, Deion Branch, Nate Burleson and (soon) Engram. The team simply needs Stevens to either block or become another option in a talented corps of receivers, and that's exactly what he's cut out to be.What Stevens has done is show that a player can return from an injury and fit back into Mike Holmgren's system. He can fill the role he needs to fill immediately. When the team has holes in its starting lineup, it doesn't look like much of a contribution. But Stevens has also shown the ability to make his playing time count late in the year. Not counting a meaningless game against the Packers to close out the 2005 season, Stevens scored in theReebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
Seahawks' last three regular-season contests.Stevens had no less than three receptions in every game last December, and that would be welcome production this year. At 6-4, the Seahawks have a tough road ahead. If they don't win the division, even a wild-card spot isn't a guarantee. The team will need production from its healthy starters--including Stevens--to defend its conference championship successfully.
14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks Jerramy Stevens Commentary
If every starter's return mirrors that of Jerramy Stevens, Seattle fans will be very happy.It's not that Stevens has been such a consistent performer since returning from knee surgery. Quite the contrary, in fact. Stevens has been up (a touchdown in two games) and down (no catches against Oakland and a fumble Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
last week against San Francisco) in the games since he rejoined the starting lineup.But, as 'Hawks fans know, that's Stevens in a nutshell. He can be a potent part of the offense, or he can melt down at the most inopportune time--like the Super Bowl. You don't always know what he's going to deliver, and fans still can't be sure what he'll contribute each week. So Stevens is just picking up where he left off.If Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck and Bobby Engram can do the same, fans will be cheering the team back to the playoffs. Because for those guys, "picking up where they left off" means solid play and helping the team win. Sure, they've had their struggles in 2006 but a healthy offense will be able to compete with the remaining teams on the schedule.Stevens still has an important role to play in the lineup, and Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
the tight end position is naturally an inconsistent one. And it's not like Stevens will be needed to catch 10 passes or reach 100 yards every game. The passing attack has Darrell Jackson, Deion Branch, Nate Burleson and (soon) Engram. The team simply needs Stevens to either block or become another option in a talented corps of receivers, and that's exactly what he's cut out to be.What Stevens has done is show that a player can return from an injury and fit back into Mike Holmgren's system. He can fill the role he needs to fill immediately. When the team has holes in its starting lineup, it doesn't look like much of a contribution. But Stevens has also shown the ability to make his playing time count late in the year. Not counting a meaningless game against the Packers to close out the 2005 season, Stevens scored in theReebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
Seahawks' last three regular-season contests.Stevens had no less than three receptions in every game last December, and that would be welcome production this year. At 6-4, the Seahawks have a tough road ahead. If they don't win the division, even a wild-card spot isn't a guarantee. The team will need production from its healthy starters--including Stevens--to defend its conference championship successfully.
last week against San Francisco) in the games since he rejoined the starting lineup.But, as 'Hawks fans know, that's Stevens in a nutshell. He can be a potent part of the offense, or he can melt down at the most inopportune time--like the Super Bowl. You don't always know what he's going to deliver, and fans still can't be sure what he'll contribute each week. So Stevens is just picking up where he left off.If Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck and Bobby Engram can do the same, fans will be cheering the team back to the playoffs. Because for those guys, "picking up where they left off" means solid play and helping the team win. Sure, they've had their struggles in 2006 but a healthy offense will be able to compete with the remaining teams on the schedule.Stevens still has an important role to play in the lineup, and Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
the tight end position is naturally an inconsistent one. And it's not like Stevens will be needed to catch 10 passes or reach 100 yards every game. The passing attack has Darrell Jackson, Deion Branch, Nate Burleson and (soon) Engram. The team simply needs Stevens to either block or become another option in a talented corps of receivers, and that's exactly what he's cut out to be.What Stevens has done is show that a player can return from an injury and fit back into Mike Holmgren's system. He can fill the role he needs to fill immediately. When the team has holes in its starting lineup, it doesn't look like much of a contribution. But Stevens has also shown the ability to make his playing time count late in the year. Not counting a meaningless game against the Packers to close out the 2005 season, Stevens scored in theReebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
Seahawks' last three regular-season contests.Stevens had no less than three receptions in every game last December, and that would be welcome production this year. At 6-4, the Seahawks have a tough road ahead. If they don't win the division, even a wild-card spot isn't a guarantee. The team will need production from its healthy starters--including Stevens--to defend its conference championship successfully.
2011年1月12日星期三
13 Jan 11 The Key To The Cavs Winning a Title Is ...........
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesJJ Hickson.That's right. Not LeBron, Shaq, or Mo Williams. Obviously, those other guys are key to the Cavs title run, but that goes without saying. JJ is the Cavs 1st round pick from a year ago out of NC State who has grown leaps and bounds in just his second year in the league.Anyone who has watched the Cavs this year can see that Hickson is an energy guy with great athleticism and a penchant for finishing strong at the rim. He reminds me sort of Anderson Varejo with his hustle and effort, only with a slightly more Carolina Panthers jersey
polished offensive game. And Hickson has also picked up one other thing from Varejo: moving without the ball. JJ has made a niche this year of backcuts and following missed balls while playing with three of the leagues best passers in Mo, Shaq, and LeBron.The really great thing about JJ's emergence this year is that even if the Cavs decide to move on and include him in a deal, his improvement has been significant enough for other teams (Washington maybe?) to include him in a deal that could give the Cavs that possible missing piece like a Caron Butler or Antawn Jamison. With the expected return of Leon Powe around the All-Star break, it makes JJ that much more expendable. Can anyone say dynamite?
polished offensive game. And Hickson has also picked up one other thing from Varejo: moving without the ball. JJ has made a niche this year of backcuts and following missed balls while playing with three of the leagues best passers in Mo, Shaq, and LeBron.The really great thing about JJ's emergence this year is that even if the Cavs decide to move on and include him in a deal, his improvement has been significant enough for other teams (Washington maybe?) to include him in a deal that could give the Cavs that possible missing piece like a Caron Butler or Antawn Jamison. With the expected return of Leon Powe around the All-Star break, it makes JJ that much more expendable. Can anyone say dynamite?
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