Amateur Hour Sports

Why Pittsburgh?

2011-10-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

The sports world has been funny the last couple weeks. The Bills look good, the Lions look great, and we won't talk about baseball. What I may understand least however, is why all of the experts think the Pittsburgh Steelers are a good team.

This article won't be a statistical analysis and this isn't even coming after watching all of their film. This is a reaction to the parts that I have seen, and the parts that I have seen are telling me that the Steelers are a bad football team. I understand that they've been there before and they're always good blah, blah, blah. That doesn't matter for this year. What does matter is that they have one of the league's oldest defenses and their offense struggled against a god awful Colts team last week. Some members of the ESPN community (read Bayless, Skip) see it as a gutty win, I see it as a struggle to beat Curtis Painter. Fucking Curtis Painter, who honestly may be the worst quarterback to strap a helmet on in the last decade. He was throwing balls in the dirt, constantly giving the Steelers second chances. On offense, they struggled against a Colts D that should have been run off the field with the amount of time they played. The week before, they had the luxury of playing against Tavares Jackson. Stellar competition. They may count as wins, but they don't show that the Steelers are anything other than a .500 team. That's what I expect them to be at the end of the year.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe they'll come out and beat a good (not great) Houston team today and destroy this blog after less than an hour. I doubt that though. This is not Pittsburgh's year and, once again, the Super Bowl hangover will hold up.

Rangers Make the Playoffs!

2011-04-10T09:39:00.001-07:00

The Rangers make the playoffs with their win over the Devils and the Hurricanes loss to Tampa Bay. Clutch doesn't even begin to describe Drury's first goal of the year and McDonagh's career first. The Rags could have panicked following Kovy's goal, but Captain Clutch willed the puck into the net, picked up his team, his crowd, and completely changed momentum. He didn't play too many minutes, but he dominated in the faceoff circle and made it clear that the Rangers are a better team with him in the lineup. More on them in a minute.

Choke doesn't even begin to describe Carolina's effort last night. Tampa Bay started Mike Smith in net. Mike. Smith. If any NHL goaltender deserves to be unemployed it's him. He thinks he's a forward and fires the puck end to end whenever he gets the chance (he tried to score on the empty net but failed. Close though.). Carolina made Smitty look like the second coming of Ken Dryden. They couldn't take advantage of his patented "I'm going to lay down in a stack pad while the puck's at the point and hope it gets blocked on the way in" style of play, and let a superb first period effort by Cam Ward slip away. They looked nervous, scared, and fully aware that they were blowing it. After going down 3-0 early, they gave a good effort to try and get back into it but came up short. Good season Canes. I like that group down there and the Caniacs are great, but there was no way the Rangers could possibly get screwed out on game 82 two years in a row.

Now on to the important matter at hand: the playoffs. Rangers-Capitals, round one. Unlike in recent years, this Washington team seems better prepared for the playoffs. They also have played the Rangers in the postseason enough to know that Henrik can't catch and they can beat him up top. Our chances may be slim, but this Ranger squad does nothing but battle. Maybe Washington's young goaltenders will feel the pressure. Maybe Ovechkin tries to do too much again and kills his team in the process. Maybe injuries to their defense corps will slow them down. Maybe I'm grasping at straws, but no matter what, we're heading to the best time of the year and the Rangers are still in the picture.

Number 82

2011-04-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

Hello, old friend. It comes down to this. Rangers-Devils. Madison Square Garden. Game 82. Playoffs on the line. Captain Clutch is back. Fate would not be so cruel as to screw us out on the last game of the season again would it? ....Would it? A win this afternoon, a Carolina loss tonight and we're in. Let's Go Rangers!

The System Needs to Change

2011-04-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I'm writing this between periods of the Ranger-Bruin game that currently stands at 3-2 Bruins. I do not know what will happen but, assuming this game ends as is, a tremendous flaw in the NHL point system may be exposed.

Going into every game, the goal is to win. If you lose, you have failed to reach your goal. The team that meets their goal the most should be considered the better team. This is true in every sport except for NHL hockey.

If the Rangers (2 games remaining post tonight) and the Carolina Hurricanes (3 games remaining) win out in regulation, they will both finish with 93 points. The Rangers will finish with 44 wins, compared to Carolina's 41, but they will miss the playoffs. The Hurricanes will finish with a .500 winning percentage compared to NY's .536, but somehow, the Rags will play golf earlier. Why? Because, after points, the first tiebreaker is regulation wins. Because on 11 occasions the Hurricanes received a point for a loss compared to 5 for the NYR. How does a system that rewards losers exist?

Shootout games are supposed to disappear in that first tiebreaker, but that doesn't mean those points for losses weren't critical. Consider a system where teams receive 2 points for a win, 1 point for a shootout win, and 0 for a loss. For this system to work, one must accept the fact that playing longer doesn't necessarily mean you earn a point. If this system were in place, the Rangers finish 35-37-9 and the Hurricanes 36-41-5. That's 79 points for NY to 77 points for Carolina. That's a playoff birth in NY. In the current system, a shootout win is punished more severely than a loss. Even a system where total losses is the first tiebreaker makes more sense. Teams shouldn't be rewarded just for losing later.

At least last year, the Rangers missed the playoffs because they lost a game. This year, if they miss because of a technicality, it will be worse. Change the system.

God Damn Gers

2011-02-17T23:23:00.000-08:00

Holy shit! Gabby scored?! And it was a close game too?! I'll be damned. I've looked pretty bad several times this year. The Panthers. The Giants. BU. But look at these Rangers. Yea, they suck, but at least they're starting to come on at the right time. Fuck the Devils' hopeless hot. I'll take a shot at the playoffs any day of the week. The Flyers may look like the class of the East but they'll choke like they do every year. It's between the Gers, the B's, and TB. It sucks that Rolly the goalie is that much of a contender but that's the way it goes. The Rags are built for the playoffs in a way that most other squads (including Pitt right now) are not. We'll see how things shape up but after this two game winning nub I've got my hopes up.

Giants Win at Dallas on Monday Night

2010-10-25T23:31:00.000-07:00

NY Giants beat Dallas Cowboys 41 - 35.

It's a good thing that the Rangers are in the World Series or the people of Dallas may have collectively hung themselves tonight. After the Cowboys lead 20 - 7, Eli Manning decided to play like a Manning and pick apart their defense while Tony Romo sat in the locker room with a broken clavicle. Jon Kitna and Dallas made the score close in the fourth quarter but by then it was too late to save their season. While the Cowboys are finished, the Giants established themselves as the class of the NFC. Manning had a tough start but looked like an elite quarterback the rest of the way out. With Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs getting the ground game going again and the defense injuring every quarterback they come up against, Manning and the Giants are poised to make a run. Their only issue may be getting hot at the wrong time like the 2008-2009 version of the team but only time will tell.

Rangers-Giants World Series

2010-10-24T18:48:00.000-07:00

Well... Couldn't have been more wrong about a Yankees Phillies rematch. The Giants seemed done after blowing it at home with Lincecum on the mound in Game 5, but Bochy worked his magic and got his boys through to the World Series. Gutsy effort, but I'm still picking the Rangers to win. San Francisco may have a better pitching staff (Brian Wilson is the man) but their bats can't match up with Texas's lineup. Either way, it should be a great series featuring poor tv ratings and two fan bases who have no idea how to handle this type of situation. Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee go head to head in Game 1 on Wednesday.

Other news of note:

Oklahoma and LSU were eliminated from the National Championship race this weekend (at least I was right about Oklahoma losing) and Auburn looks like the team to beat. An Oregon - Auburn title game would be a spectacle but unfortunately it won't happen. Both teams have too many challenges ahead of them to make it through unscathed and instead we'll probably get Boise State and TCU or some other asinine combination of schools.

Rangers have won three straight without Drury or Gaborik. If their young D matures over the course of the season and their secondary scoring keeps coming through then maybe they'll turn into a contender after all.

This weekend, Charger fans learned that Kris Brown sucks after he booted a potentially game tying 50 yard field goal off of the upright in the last minute against the Patriots. Welcome to the club.

All of the head to head fine talk in the NFL is complete crap. If the league didn't want its players to get hurt they wouldn't be pushing for an 18 game schedule that will exploit its players and its fans. Players will potentially work more often without an immediate increase in pay because they are already tied to their contracts and ticket prices surely won't go down even though each individual game is devalued. Sounds like a league that really cares about the individuals that make it work. Stop being hypocritical, fine only for actual malicious hits, and let the boys play.

Return to Amateur Hour Rant

2010-10-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

Back again. It's been a while. A lot has happened. Let's get into it...

NCAA Football:

Is it 2007 all over again? Once again, we're going to end up with a mediocre national champion and more questions than answers at the end of the year. Going through the undefeated: Oklahoma is Oklahoma (they will lose), Oregon has a tough schedule the rest of the way out, LSU must have Jesus on their sideline to be were they are (blind fake field goal toss), Auburn has Alabama on the road (after LSU this week), Michigan State has to play at Iowa, Boise State has a weak schedule and ditto for TCU (plus you have to throw in the fact that if TCU goes to the national championship I will hang myself. They can't do that to me.). Lot of question marks and certainly no clear number one. I blame Boise for half of this mess. Anybody can be the best for a single game. South Carolina proved that after stunning Alabama before proceeding to crap themselves at Kentucky. I don't mean to hate on the Broncos, but if they want serious national respect then they need to either leave the WAC, find tougher opponents or schedule themselves a difficult stretch playing the slate they already have. If they played Virginia Tech and Oregon State back to back instead of taking a bye week and Wyoming then they could have proven that they deserve to have the easy road to the title game. But now? It's up to the voters.

Speaking of voters: get rid of them. I know I'm paranoid about Terminator being real, but I trust the BCS computers to be unbiased more than I trust voters. Set up an unbiased formula and go with it.

Moving to personal issues: Could Michigan's D be any worse? If they need somebody to get torched every drive I'm confident I could step in, do the job, and save them a scholarship. Watching shoot outs sure is fun but not when you're losing. With teams figuring out that Denard is fragile and can't throw, winning one of the last 5 games isn't as certain as it once was.

Texas going from a spread offense to a pro-style has to be one of the saddest transitions for a spectator. Sure it was necessary and Gilbert can only get better, but I already miss the dual-threat glory days.

NFL:

Well... It's been interesting. The Cowboys and Vikings have been terrible while even a blatant Jets hater can admit that they've been good. Sanchez is coming along faster than expected so maybe they do have what it takes to reverse the trend of building up hope before inevitably destroying everyone who has ever supported Gang Green. Or it's all part of their master plot... Either way, is there any question that a team from the AFC is winning the Super Bowl this year? The Jets, Steelers, Ravens, retooled Pats, Colts, Titans and... Texans... all seem to be better than any NFC team right now, save for the Giants taking Houston to the woodshed (which I blame on Duane Brown's absence no matter how badly every other position was outplayed.). Unless the Giants (by my take the best team in the NFC) go on another playoff run the title is returning to the AFC.

Does anyone like Roger Goodell outside of neo-conservatives? I think he's pulling a Chewbacca defense with the crack down on tackling while simultaneously lengthening the season. It makes no sense.

Even though the conferences are unevenly weighted, the parody is a nice change for a league that has been dominated by the undefeated and the winless.

How did Houston find so many options at back after not having any last year? Arian Foster is filthy, Derrick Ward looks solid, Slaton can give a few carries, and they get Ben Tate next year. If only they could play defense...

I hope the Chiefs win the AFC West. Between Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster and Dwayne Bowe I don't know who's the most exciting to watch, Thomas Jones looks great, and "Don't Hassle the Cassel" is still an amazing slogan. Plus their fans are white trash and it's always fun to see white trash celebrate.

NHL:

Too early to see how anything will really shape up (the Islanders, Leafs, and Lightning make up the top three in the East) but the Bruins look good. Maybe I've spent too much time in Boston, but from what I've seen they look like a team that's built for the playoffs and has a chip on its shoulder.

Other than the Bruins, the only other Eastern conference teams that have enough grit to be considered "playoff built" are the Flyers, Penguins, and possibly the Leafs. Brian Burke is a wizard when it comes to building competitive teams. He built the Ducks, he put together Team USA, and he's making Toronto respectable. Glen Sather for Burke straight up? I'm sure we can toss in James Dolan as some sort of cash incentive.

Seeing Gaborik out for 2-4 weeks and Drury out for 6 should concern me as a Ranger fan but I'm trying to be optimistic this year and there are three positives that can come out of this. 1) They get their injuries out of the way early. How many games could Gaborik really miss? (Don't answer that question.) 2) They have their traditional hot and cold year and start off cold. If that's the case I'll trade a miserable first half for a hot second half every season without hesitation. Coming into the playoffs with heat is the only way this team will make anything happen. 3) Their secondary scoring learns how to finish. Out of the three, this is the only legitimate reason that could impact the entire year. Without Gaborik, people like Callahan, Dubinsky, and Frolov are going to have to carry the scoring load. If they could learn how to do it now they'll reap the benefits in March.

Derek Stepan is a beast. He can create things out of nothing and can add dangerous depth if he keeps it up. Between Stepan, Fedotenko, Biron, and Boogaard, the Rangers are a completely different team than last year in a good way. Is this what hope feels like?

MLB

Yankees Phillies is bound to happen isn't it? It seems unavoidable even with Lee on the mound for game 7. It'll be the most interesting but seeing Brian Wilson exit the playoffs will be a sad day for all. Except Philly fans. They really love to hammer people.

I don't think the World Series can possibly be as good as the NLCS.

NBA

Basketball guy will be on this.

General comments:

Damn the Fall has great TV.

Rangers Salvage A Terrible Football Weekend

2010-09-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

Not sure who Jesus is in this situation but he's there.

After Denard Robinson and Tate Forcier got hurt against Bowling Green, Texas made UCLA look like a national champion, and the Texans were shellacked at home by the Cowboys, this weekend surely seemed like a sporting bust. Instead, the New York Rangers made it one for the scrapbook when they finally waived Wade Redden and sent him down to Hartford. Thank God it's finally over. The writing was on the wall when they signed Frolov and needed to move cap room, but nothing is a sure thing with Glen Sather at the reigns so the end of September has a nice Christmas feel. I don't know how the Blueshirts are going to fill the scoring vacuum Redden's departure has created (players who score 5 goals in 156 games come around maybe once every generation) but their young defensive corps should be up for the task. He was a disappointment in New York who never earned half of his absurd contract. Goodbye Wade. Have fun robbing some KHL team of a couple million rubbles (or whatever else kind of Monopoly money they use over there nowadays).

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia with Michael Vick

2010-09-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5601286

Everyone's favorite dog-fighting-human-highlight show will replace quarterback Kevin Kolb as the starter for the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend. Fantasy leagues, Chris Berman, and ESPN's top ten be prepared.

Penn State gets Hockey

2010-09-17T15:16:00.000-07:00

Soon this guy will be driving a Zamboni at an elite level.

After an $88 million donation, Penn State will have NCAA Division 1 Hockey starting in the 2012-2013 season.

It's about time this happened. There have been rumors for years but it's nice to hear that it actually built up to something. Given, they're going to be terrible for quite some time (Ohio State sucks and they have a ton of money to throw around) and they're going to get smacked around in whichever league they play in (either the CCHA or the WCHA), but good for Penn State. It's a school that had no excuse for not having a program with its large athletic program and built in fan base. College hockey may not be on par with the OHL or QMJHL up in Canada, but it's fun to watch and will be a good experience for their students. Nothing better than a couple cases of Natty and some college puck.

Marc Staal and Bobby Ryan Sign Extensions

2010-09-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

Staal's looking to improve for the third straight season.

Marc Staal had an up and down season last year despite his rise in production. He had to sit out a few games and get his head together, but that being said this is a great move by the Rangers. He's their top defenseman and he'll be needed in their own zone to help out Henrik. While Del Zotto (who was worst on the team with a horrendous -20) and Gilroy may be fun to watch rush the puck, it's Staal who leads the unit and Staal who will be counted to shut down their best guys come playoff time. Now get out there, earn that $3.975 million a year, and knock out Ilya. It'll be fun I promise.

If you don't like Bobby Ryan go back to Afghanistan you terrorist.

Bobby Ryan's a Jersey guy therefore it isn't a coincidence that he's a great player. Good signing by the Ducks after there were talks of him being shipped elsewhere. The West is wide open this year with Chicago imploding their roster, San Jose ditching Nabakov and picking up a cup winner in Neimi, Detroit deciding (thankfully) to go old school and rely on a stud goalie, and the city of Vancouver still partying ever since Dustin Byfuglien left the conference, so keeping a player of Ryan's caliber is something the Ducks needed to do. If they can stop playing the regular season like they've already made the playoffs then they have the talent in net and up front to make noise.

Bush Forfeits Heisman

2010-09-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

Reggie Bush sends award back to Heisman Trust.

Honestly, I think he should have been allowed to keep it. Obviously with all of the scandal he had to do the honorable thing and give it back but are you telling me he was the only Heisman winner ever to accept favors? Are you saying that USC was the only school to do this? I hate Reggie Bush and USC, but he was the best player in the country and he wasn't cheating on the field. I'd be shocked if most big time players don't get some sort of treatment that's a violation of some minor NCAA rule (an institution that makes millions off of kids and doesn't pay them. Hockey, baseball, soccer, and any other organization that doesn't deal with the NCAA know how to handle things.). Besides, vacating his name will only add to his fame because he will forever be known as the only player to ever lose it. 50 years from now Sam Bradford will be an obscure name but Reggie will be up there with Archie Griffen. It may be shameful, but his explosive talent is now immortalized.

P.S. I remember one guy screaming at the Texans on the radio for passing up a "guaranteed Hall of Famer" when they took Mario Williams first. I wonder what that guy thought of JaMarcus.

P.P.S. If they offer the trophy to Vince Young he better turn it down. He didn't win it then and he shouldn't be rewarded 5 years later because the other guy slipped up. Keep that National Championship you've got in your closet. It's cooler anyway.

Thanks Clinton

2010-09-14T22:26:00.000-07:00

Clinton Portis says what everybody else is thinking about the alleged harassment Ines Sainz by Jets players and coaches.

"And I mean, you put a woman and you give her a choice of 53 athletes, somebody got to be appealing to her. You know, somebody got to spark her interest, or she's gonna want somebody. I don't know what kind of woman won't, if you get to go and look at 53 men's packages. And you're just sitting here, saying 'Oh, none of this is attractive to me.' I know you're doing a job, but at the same time, the same way I'm gonna cut my eye if I see somebody worth talking to, I'm sure they do the same thing."

There's a turd in the punchbowl and the NFL doesn't like it. This situation is exactly like when that girl sent Tupac to jail for rape. If you don't want sex, then don't perform felatio on the dance floor and if you don't want to get hit on, then stop looking like a model. Why was she there in the first place? Do people in Mexico even watch football? This whole thing is suspicious.

Suddenly, the Jets are Less Scary

2010-09-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not talking about their loss last night. They lost to a good Baltimore team by one point with their offense putting up a historically bad performance. That kind of thing happens, Brian Schottenheimer will adjust (or not. He's terrible so I wouldn't be surprised either way.), and they'll still end up putting up wins. One game isn't a season and the Jets backlash is insane (just like the Texans hype is nuts but then again they're still ranked below the Colts in ESPN's Power Rankings so it isn't out of hand.). Kris Jenkins going out for the season is another matter entirely. With him in the middle, the Jets were nearly impossible to run the ball against, which doesn't bode well for other teams when they have such a solid secondary (despite Cromartie being mediocre and Wilson getting lit up. Once again, one game is not a season.). Without Jenkins the Jets still did well but they aren't the team I was scared of in August. There are holes now. Good times on the Jets bandwagon and good luck with the Pats on Sunday.

USA Basketball Wins FIBA World Championship

2010-09-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

USA wins gold.

I feel bad for this USA basketball team. After being labeled a "B-team" and dismissed because they didn't have LeBron, Kobe, or Wade, they still had all of the pressure that comes with representing the Stars and Stripes in basketball. All they did in return was dominate and bring home the gold. The reaction? Meh, USA basketball is supposed to dominate. It's our sport so we're supposed to win gold but if they came home with silver everybody would throw a hissy fit. Congrats boys and way to rep the States. Kevin Durant was amazing and showed why his name will be tossed around frequently in MVP talks this season even with King James in his prime and Kobe in his conference. I hope his wheels don't fall off from exhaustion because it would be nice to see him challenge the Lakers in the west.

How Bout them Hokies?!

2010-09-11T18:38:00.000-07:00

They could have used Marcus today.

Virginia Tech loses to James Madison University.

So is Boise screwed now? Obviously they're still a good team but the Virginia Tech win was supposed to be something for them to hang their hat on at the end of the season and that's pretty much gone two weeks into the year. Sure there will be hours of debate, but this game will be the death of them if it's between Boise and a one loss SEC team for the National Title. Get out of the WAC Boise. It's your only hope.

Denard Robinson for Heisman?

2010-09-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

It's days like these that make me hate myself for not being in Ann Arbor. 502 yards? 3 TDs? The kid's an absolute stud. If he can keep putting up over 400 yards a game there's no doubt in my mind that he'll be in New York accepting the biggest award in college football at the end of the season. Do I really think he's going to continue this type of production though? Not at all. Other than their dominant offensive line, he's a one man show and pretty much a one trick pony. Any pass over ten yards is all over the place and Michigan's backs haven't given him any sort of support. I love watching him and want him to carry the ball as much as possible but I don't think he'll hold up toting the rock over 25 times a game for an entire season. He's taken a couple of shots and been slow to get up already so don't think those hits won't add up. I want to be excited for Michigan, but we've seen this production before. Starting off 4-0 with a new quarterback only to fall to pieces down the stretch isn't a foreign task for this team and their defense looks downright awful at times (see their secondary). When the Wolverines beat on Sparty in the Big House, then maybe they can start thinking big, but until then there are too many question marks... To hell with it... They're beating Ohio State this year. Screw Pryor and Go Blue!

State of the Union: New York Giants

2010-09-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

Go get 'em Tom.

How did the Giants go from such a dominant run offense in 2008 to a questionable group that puts too much pressure on Eli Manning? I think the biggest difference is that Brandon Jacobs now officially sucks. Ahmad Bradshaw looked great but the Giants won their Super Bowl because they stuck with the run, played tough defense, controlled the clock, and occasionally chucked it up to guys who could even catch a bullet. These aren't the same Giants from two years ago, but there are a couple of similarities that give Giants fans reason for hope.

Once again, the Giants seem to have an over abundance of defensive ends. This conveniently sorted itself out a few years ago when Osi Umenyiora was hurt, but this season he's fighting for a starting job with Mathias Kiwanuka. Those two along with Justin Tuck and rookie Jason Pierre-Paul should be special, especially when they break out their NASCAR package (4 defensive ends on the line. I don't think it'll really work but I like things that have to do with NASCAR.). The competition should improve their pass rush which should translate to better play in their linebackers and secondary. They brought in linebacker Keith Bulluck to give a veteran presence, and Antrel Rolle is an incredible improvement at safety. With Aaron Ross and the corners looking good again, this defense won't be too shabby in 2010.

Victor Cruz! Sure he's near the bottom of the depth chart but it was fun to watch him flourish in the preseason. Unfortunately for the UMass product, he'll have to sit behind everybody except Duke Calhoun. The good news for the Giants however, is that those receivers above him are looking solid. Hakeem Nicks is starting to look like a legitimate number one wide receiver to finally take over the spot formerly occupied by a sweat pant wearing, pistol toting, physical freak of a wideout. Steve Smith had a breakout year, and I'm really pulling for Mario Manningham to get himself together because thus far he's only been great at making Ann Arbor look bad. With the number of wide receivers around him that Eli Manning has, expect him to have another 4,000 yard season even though it may not be the best thing for the team. He's an elite quarterback whether he looks like a clueless little kid out there or not (maybe that head scar helped.). The best thing for the team would be Brandon Jacobs remembering that he needs to run straight on short yardage situations, take a pounding, and deal with his broken down body later in life.

Hardly removed from a Super Bowl, apparently there are already rumors that another .500 season would cost Tom Coughlin his job. Seeing as how he won the Super Bowl in a season that most fans wanted him unemployed, maybe this could be a good thing. The Giants played best when nobody expected them to, and maybe with the heavily favored Cowboys and the revamped Eagles and Redskins getting all of the attention in the NFC East, this will be another year for them to shine.

Miles Austin Inks New Deal

2010-09-09T15:36:00.000-07:00

Miles Austin and Cowboys Agree to Extension

Good call by me on Dallas not being sold on Austin as a consistent receiver. They may be comfortable with him but I'd like to see another season out of him before throwing money at him. Derek Anderson was good for a year too.

Chris Berman Giving Mustache Rides

2010-09-08T22:44:00.001-07:00

Bold move I approve. I don't exactly know how you settle down into mustache culture though. I always feel like a rapist.

State of the Union: Philadelphia Eagles

2010-09-08T22:37:00.000-07:00

Philly fans love to hammer people. And get hammered. Really hammered.

Being an Eagles fan must be like having to fight in the Civil War every day. You're technically part of the same organization but there's always bickering and arguing. Half the Eagle fans out there seem to be in love with Kevin Kolb, but the other half hates him already for not being McNabb. Half of them still appreciate that Andy Reid is a good coach at everything other than challenges and big games, the other half want to use him to feed Guam. The post-McNabb era has dawned in Philadelphia and it'll be an interesting year.

The Philadelphia defense isn't great but isn't bad either. It's a solid unit that can hold it's own against everybody but the top offenses in the league. Seeing as how they have to play the Cowboys twice though (assuming Dallas gets themselves together) this won't be good enough to be better than a wild card team. They brought in Kolb to help win the big game not continue their trend of wild card berths and disappointing finishes, but because he's young it'll be up to the defense to pick up the slack. They brought in former first round pick Ernie Simms to help bring their linebacking corps together and drafted Michigan Man Brandon Graham to give them a better pass rush. The newcomers should be an improvement especially if Simms plays up to his potential, but they'll need to hurry the quarterback if they want to make any marked improvement. Have faith in Graham. Michigan almost always pulls through.

To be clear I think Kevin Kolb has all of the tools to succeed in a normal situation. Philadelphia isn't a normal situation though so I don't know if he's mentally prepared to go from the most loved position in town to the most loathed with his move up the depth chart. He has the weapons and the system to be a playmaker. DeSean Jackson is a self absorbed jerkoff but he's an incredibly talented self absorbed jerkoff who can get separation, stretch the field, and open things up for their version of a run game (swing passes and dump offs to their backs). Smurf receivers who depend on the big play tend to have boom and bust years but Reid is certainly going to get the ball in his hands in open space. Jeremy Maclin is a player and Riley Cooper looks to continue the trend of Florida players who look better away from Tebow so Kolb will have no shortage of receivers to go to. The one positive of parting with Brian Westbrook is that they don't have to wonder which week their number one offensive player will go down with injury. LeSean McCoy already lead the team in carries last season and has proven that he's ready for the starting job on Sundays. Like McNabb though, it will be Kolb who is asked to shoulder the load each weekend and put up numbers while limiting mistakes in their pass heavy offense. If he isn't up to the task prepare for a backlash of epic proportions and possible riots in Philly. They do have tasty riot punch though so if they start flipping cars I'll be down there in a heartbeat.

State of the Union: Washington Redskins

2010-09-08T21:47:00.000-07:00

This guy's psyched to start on Sundays.

The first two words when I think of the Redskins right now are old and incompetent. That can't be good for Dan Snyder's crew. Sure they retooled in the offseason, but they do that every year (See Haynesworth) and it hasn't seemed to work in quite some time. With no nonsense Mike Shannahan at the helm now though, maybe things will change. Or he'll continue to be a mediocre coach away from John Elway. I'm leaning towards the latter.

Donovan McNabb was never appreciated in Philadelphia the way he should have been. Sure he choked. Sure he threw up in big games. Sure he never won it all, but the guy is a potential hall of famer who had to went out to play every week knowing that most of his "fans" would still hate him. He doesn't have the weapons around him that he had as an Eagle last year and he doesn't have the familiarity of a coach that he's played with every year since he's been in the league, but he's a pro who should help the team improve. That is until the fans realize that the team sucks, they have a terrible offensive line, and it wasn't totally Jason Campbell's fault and want to trade back for him. They have Santana Moss and Joey Galloway for him to work with (did they really have to have open try outs at a retirement home?) as well as the dependable Chris Cooley. Chris Cooley pretty much does whatever he wants and even Eagles fans have to kind of like the guy. With Clinton Portis and Larry Johnson in the backfield, the most interesting part of Skins games may be when they have to bail on their walkers to leave the locker room.

For as bad as the team was their defense wasn't terrible. Even if Fat Albert Haynesworth gets traded the second after their game against the Cowboys they still may be decent only because he's such a distraction. He's a great player but with that kind of media attention it's hard for players to focus in the room. Their secondary played well but it'll be up to the front seven to learn how to stop the rush. That was supposed to be Haynseworth's job so it'll be a wonder if they can be all that much better without him, but again he's such a locker room cancer that it'll be worth the move. Shanahan best be right in his ego trip though because if they're worse it'll be on his head.

State of the Union: Dallas Cowboys

2010-09-08T20:16:00.001-07:00

So ends every Cowboy season.

If the Cowboys don't make the Super Bowl in Dallas then heads will roll, namely Wade Phillips'. Since that's the case, he's screwed. You can't judge things based on the preseason but even if you chalk up all of their errors to timing and mental mistakes that are fixable they still aren't as good as the Saints, Vikings, and Packers in the NFC. The Cowboys are always a fun experience though because you never know what you're going to get. You think they've got the Seahawks locked down? Nope. Tony Romo's going to fumble. You think they look great heading into the postseason? They're going to get thrashed by Philadelphia instead. Even when they finally do win a postseason game they put on a clinic in how to get demolished by Minnesota in the second round. These aren't the Cowboys of old but instead a team that's trying to build a tortured fan base with great looking teams that find a way to screw it up. I'm excited to see what they have in store this year...

The funny thing about the Cowboys is that they have the biggest offensive line in the league but they don't want to play power ball. The bear that Will Ferrel fought in Semi-Pro doesn't have anything on these guys but instead of plowing ahead with Marion Barber or cutting with Felix Jones to at least set up the pass they're perfectly content putting the ball in Tony's hands 45 times a game. Brilliant. That's especially bright considering that Michael Irvin came out and said that playing with Roy Williams is like playing "10 vs 11." Thanks for the vote of confidence Mike. Seriously though, the Cowboys better pray that Dez Bryant works out because they need help on the outside. Miles Austin is a question mark in terms of consistency and other than Jason Witten they don't have many people for Romo to get the ball to. Maybe Miles comes back with another stellar year, but the fact that they aren't giving him another contract shows that even the Cowboys aren't completely convinced. They may have had the second best offense in the league last year but a lot of that stemmed from Austin's production, and if he falls off then so does Romo and the rest of the team.

The Cowboys can't fall apart defensively like they did against Minnesota and expect to win many games. They have a great defense that won them a lot of games but they need to be better in the clutch and better than twentieth against the pass if they hope for playoff success. Everybody in the NFC East is going to wind up being pass heavy so in order to make it out of the division their secondary has to capitalize on a front seven that finished seventh in the league in sacks. With that much quarterback pressure they need to be able to hold their wide receivers, and that responsibility falls on Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins. The former first round picks should be up to it and as long as the offense doesn't turn over the ball constantly, this is a good unit that can win today but needs to remember how to win in January.

I wanted to be excited when Houston beat Dallas in the preseason but I couldn't manage it. Dallas beat itself more than anything. There were horrible, especially on offense when they had a real opportunity to score. That type of play cannot and should not continue into the regular season where the Cowboys are favored to win the NFC East. If it does continue and the Cowboys choose to rev their trend of bad Decembers back up then Wade will be looking for a new job earlier than he expects. Just win baby applies to Jerry Jones as much as it does to Al Davis.

State of the Union: Green Bay Packers

2010-09-08T18:36:00.000-07:00

I like the Packers and this dog. Even their animals are dedicated in Wisconsin. My dog would have torn off that cheesehead in a second.

Everybody and their mother seems to be picking the Green Bay Packers to come out of the NFC North and Aaron Rodgers to be in the running for MVP. Looking at this team it's hard to disagree with them. They finished second overall in total defense and sixth overall in total offense, and that was a team that had to deal with all of the Favre to Minnesota drama and deal with the pressure of a loaded Vikings team. It was also a team where Rodgers ended up on his back on almost every play for the first half of the season, because he refused to get rid of the ball and he had a terrible line. The first problem seems to have sorted itself out and the second was addressed in the draft, so the sky is the limit for Green Bay.

I have been firmly entrenched on the Aaron Rodgers bandwagon ever since he came out of Cal with some of the sickest facial hair in the league. Rookies don't come in and put that kind of performance up. Then he turned out to be an elite quarterback and god damn I was sold. It's a shame that he had to end last season on a pick because his performance in Arizona was flat out incredible (hypocritical I know because I hate on Favre for the same thing but Rodgers hasn't turned into a Wrangler wearing ass who disrespects the fans that loved him). In the backfield, Ryan Grant's a good guy but I'm not completely sold on him as an every down back even though everyone else seems to be. I'll reiterate what announcers said a thousand times about Tre Newton during the Texas game against Rice: he seems to do everything well but nothing great. He's still a solid back and either way, with Greg Jennings, a revitalized Donald Driver, and a Jermichael Finley who is ready to be a pro bowl caliber tight end around Rodgers, this offense has enough to play in a shootout with anybody in the league even though they won't need to.

Green Bay's defense is the staple of the team even though their offense is explosive. They finished first in the league in takeaways but even without relying on the interception their total defense can play with anybody. Their pass defense isn't great, but if B.J. Raji can improve in year two as expected then there will be more of a pass rush which will lighten the load on elderly corner Charles Woodson and his companion Tramon Williams. Pass defense cost them against the Cardinals and it will continue to cost them if Favre plays as well as he did last season. They're emphasizing tackling fundamentals in camp and counting on emerging corners in order to counteract this problem, but if it doesn't work out then they won't win a championship. Their secondary is the biggest difference between them being a wild card team and them being an elite Super Bowl contender.

I'm going to go ahead and pick the Packers to come out of the NFC at the end of the year even though their offensive line and secondary are issues. They'll be counting on rookie first round pick Bryan Bulaga to protect Rodgers' left side but he should be up for the task and step in as immediate improvement. The Packers showed a lot in that loss to the Cardinals, and even though they didn't come through they made it clear that they can play a diverse game and perform in adverse conditions. The Packers are coming this year. Favre beware.

Did the Jets get Amnesia?

2010-09-08T17:19:00.000-07:00

Alright. I understand having swagger. I get it. I get being confident. Antonio Cromartie and the Jets who claimed, "We're the Miami Heat of football," must be out of their mind though. It's not just Cromartie because Sanchez is talking too saying, "We're building a dream team." I have a few questions for the Jets:

Do they accurately remember last year at all? Do they remember being 7 and 7 going into the final two weeks with both of their final opponents planning to rest starters? (Note: I saw the Bengals massacre but I refuse to believe that they weren't planning on taking Palmer out. I know I even talked crap before that game that the Jets would still lose. Don't care. Other than Ochocinco, who was hurt, none of the Bengals wanted to be there. The attitude carried over into the playoffs after the Jets laid the wood on them.) Do they remember that the week before they played Painter and the Colts they lost to a Falcon team with a Matt Ryan who was questionable right up until game time coming back from an injury? Do they remember that Braylon Edwards still tries to play without hands? Do they remember how effective Thomas Jones and Leon Washington were, and that Greene is no guarantee and Joe McKnight is nowhere close? Do they remember just how bad their offense was even with dependable backs? Do they remember that Ladanian Tomlinson and Jason Taylor are washed up, no matter what they show on Hard Knocks? Do they remember that the Chargers weren't exactly upset to see Cromartie go? Do they remember getting smacked by New England the second time they played? Do they remember losing to Buffalo? Do they remember Sanchez throwing for only 100 yards against San Diego (and that San Diego chokes annually)? Do they remember that the Patriots, not the Jets, that won the division?

I know I sound like a hater and I'll probably get flack but this is getting ridiculous. I'm sick of the Jets and they haven't played a down yet. I remember Houston getting smacked around by the Jets in week one last year and how much that game sucked but I still can't wait for week 11 even though it's a terrible matchup. I want someone, anyone, to shut them up. I remember how good the Jets D was and how good Revis was, but I also remember that two of the top three quarterbacks played in the Super Bowl and the other plays in the AFC East. I like Rex Ryan because he's entertaining and at first I wanted the Jets to do well but at this point I hope they fall on their faces. Win something, and until you do, shut up.

State of the Union: Detroit Lions

2010-09-08T11:36:00.001-07:00

I believe in Matthew Stafford.

Is anybody else actually excited to see the Lions play this year? I sure am. Not since John Kitna guaranteed 10 wins has there been any real excitement around this organization (for anyone who doesn't remember they came out hot, built hope in a starving fan base heading into a deep economic recession, and then crapped on everybody. Classic). This isn't the same Detroit team that went winless, but instead is a team full of youth and hope. They won't turn from 2nd worst in the league to a contender overnight, but this season will be a building year where they establish a foundation for the future.

After focusing on offense last season, the Lions built their defense by selecting Ndamukong Suh second overall. Suh is an absolute truck, and I'm not just saying that because he threw Colt McCoy around like a 16 year old girl at a Roethlisberger family reunion in the Big 12 Championship game. He was great all season long. I don't think he'll have an immediate impact, but after going through growing pains and giving the team time to build the linebackers behind him then he should be a stud. They solidified the line around him by signing defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch and defensive tackle Corey Williams, so this defense should improve even though they're shaky at safety and linebacker.

If the Lions are going to win any games this year it's going to be because of their growing offense. I was never on the Matt Stafford bandwagon until this summer when I heard that he ran everything at UGA in his college days. His ability to take over the bar in the clutch when owners would turn over the keys translates nicely into the pro game, so I have new faith in his ability to perform. How much different is avoiding a pass rush than avoiding drunk huskies trying to make moves? If he can dish out a couple of quick shots to his boys so they can get the job done, I'm pretty confident that he can pitch it out to explosive first round pick Jahvid Best or toss a quick slant to his, now healthy, safety blanket tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Plus, he never had a wingman at Georgia like he has in Calvin Johnson. If he were on a slightly better team he'd be talked about in the same sentence as Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson. There's enough firepower on this offense to win a firefight or two as long as Stafford can stay healthy and build on his rookie year.

Let me be clear, this team isn't about to win 12 games and take the NFC North. In the division they're probably going to go 0-4 against the Vikings and the Packers, and maybe take one against the Bears. That doesn't mean that this team won't be fun to watch and show promise. As long as Megatron is in the mix and they have an explosive back, at the very least they'll celebrate a few Sportscenter top 10s. Hey, it's a step up from that loss counter a couple years ago.

Trevor Hoffman Reaches 600 Saves

2010-09-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

On tuesday night the Milwaukee Brewers' Trevor Hoffman became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball History to record his 600 save. Hoffman is the MLB's all time saves leader and arguably the second best closer of all time only to the New York Yankees' sandman, Mariano Rivera.

Hoffman has spent the majority of his career with the San Diego Padres before becoming a Brewer last season, and is currently undecided if he will return next season or retire.

State of the Union: New Orleans Saints

2010-09-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

There's really no reason why the Saints can't repeat as Super Bowl champions in terms of their personnel or mindset. They're returning everybody on offense, Scott Fugita is the only significant departure from their defense whose replacement is questionable, and Drew Brees is still a top three quarterback in the league. The team still has the swagger that they had when they were talking about going 19-0 through most of last season, so why won't they win in Dallas at the end of this year? With history against them as well as defensive flaws, New Orleans would have to catch a couple of huge breaks to make it to the title again this season.

Nobody questions that the Saints have a prolific offense. What people should question is how often a 25th ranked defense will win the Super Bowl. This unit was opportunistic more than good, and though they took the ball away more than anybody outside of Green Bay, will that type of production hold up if Darren Sharper's knee keeps him out of the lineup? His meaning to the unit goes beyond statistical production as, along with Jon Vilma, he is a leader of the defense. Even if Malcolm Jenkins is a step up at the safety position in terms of talent, I have my doubts as to whether this unit will have another 26 interceptions in 2010 without his voice in the back. The defense came up with timely interceptions in the Super Bowl and NFC Championship, but it wasn't like they held the Viking offense to single digits. Will Smith and the rest of the defensive line will put enough pressure on the passer to keep the picks up and if Jenkins plays he'll certainly have the talent, but it's still a mystery as to whether or not that will be enough to replace Sharper's consistent leadership. Without a dependable defense, the Saints may put on a show again, but it's unlikely they'll get through to another Super Bowl.

The Saint offense is no joke. Drew Brees and Sean Payton were a match made in heaven and with their line and weapons like Marques Colston and Devery Henderson on the outside it's hard to imagine the Saints offense finishing outside of the top 5 in total offense. They have a three pronged attack in the backfield with Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush, and newcomer Lynell Hamilton, and even though I hate Reggie it's still an impressive unit that will put up points. Bush ran like a new back in the postseason and they're hoping that he'll finally turn into the player that they thought he'd be, but it seems as if that's the case every season. Expect him to be the same as last year only with a little less personal hardware in his trophy case. Jeremy Shockey has apparently gotten himself together so maybe the number one offense in the league can still improve.

It's hard to find faults in this team and half the people out there are picking against the Saints purely because they won it last year. It isn't necessarily a mental difference that makes it so hard to repeat, but the fact that so much has to go right for a team to win in the first place makes it almost impossible. Had Favre not played like Brett Favre at the end of regulation then chances are he'd be out of the league or Manning wouldn't be talked about as a choke artist again. That doesn't mean the Saints aren't going to entertain this year, but don't book your playoff tickets just yet. The NFC South is the worst to first division after all and that doesn't bode well when you're already on top.

Raplisberger Loses Captaincy

2010-09-06T23:49:00.000-07:00

Steelers vote Ben Roethlisberger out as offensive captain. Better hide the kids cause he's going on a bender after this one.

I don't know why but I'm kind of surprised by this move. At first I just wanted to post it because it gave me an opportunity to bring out Ben Intruder but shouldn't his guys stick with him and say he's our boy here? Shouldn't the team be focusing on locker room chemistry rather than looking good for the press? Clearly this was going to be a story no matter which way they voted but this is still Ben's team. Taking away his captaincy only shows that he's clearly a dick and even people in the locker room want to get away from him (only in this situation they're tied down by contracts rather than a few big guys waiting outside the bathroom). I like their decision to start Dennis Dixon over Charlie Batch, but this move doesn't bode well for Pittsburgh. I'm excited for the locker room chaos and Ben eventually ending up someplace like Arizona because people can't stand him anymore. Good times.

State of the Union: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2010-09-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

Sweet fro Josh Freeman. Get a fu manchu and some racing stripes and maybe you can compete.

Last season was a circus in Tampa. Raheem Morris didn't pull his pants down or anything, but firing coordinators all over the place and juggling his quarterback of the future didn't work well for him. This season should be different. They have a young corps of players who will use this season as more of a growing experience than anything, but there should be glimpses of good things to come. If there aren't any bright moments in 2010 then Bucs fans can at least brace themselves for at least five more years of crappy football.

The Bucs showed a commitment to rebuilding a championship defense when they took defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price with their first two picks in the draft. It's tough for rookie defensive tackles to make an impact in the league, especially when their ends aren't the greatest in the world, but that's the beautiful thing about playing for a garbage team: they have time to get the rookie jitters out and develop into studs without looking over their shoulders. The linebackers behind them look great with Geno Hayes and Quincy Black so they aren't out there on their own in the front seven. Behind the linebackers lie several question marks. Whatever happened to Aqib Talib? Apparently he isn't dead but you could have fooled me. Coming out of Kansas you'd think his name would be tossed around as a top tier corner but it hasn't happened yet. Word out of camp is that he's cleaned his act up, has demonstrated leadership, and is starting to look like the player they thought he would be. If he can be that guy, this unit has great potential heading into the future. Like the entire team, they aren't there yet this season, but going forward they could eventually mold into a great D.

Everything on offense depends on how well Josh Freeman has progressed in the offseason. Their wide receivers are a young group including Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn (who I really like coming out of Illinois. He'll take a few years but expect him to get there. Benn and Juice raped Michigan enough to get respect. Not ha ha type rape either it was legitimate call the cops and get a rape kit done while the family cries type of deal). They also have the confusing Kellen Winslow in their midst who can give a quarterback a safety blanket if he so chooses. Seriously Kellen, either be good or be bad. Stop being inconsistent and get your act together. Along with running backs Cadillac Williams and the surprising Kareem Huggins, Freeman has enough weapons around him to find a rhythm and show that he's a pro. He has all the physical tools, now get out there and get some reps.

Is this Bucs team going to continue the NFC South trend of worst to first and make the playoffs? No. They're too young and they aren't going to try and hide Johnson with a ground it out game. They do have some talent though and this team will be a contender in the future. Maybe they arrive a year early and show something this year with a "Nobody believes in us" attitude and I'll eat my words, but until they put up a few wins all they have is potential.

Jets Annex Revis Island

2010-09-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

Jets finally sign Darrelle Revis.

The holdout is finally over. Now Jets fans can feel all good about themselves and start talking like they already won the Super Bowl. Honestly though, other than Sanchez, I don't know how you can beat them. Kris Jenkins is back so you can't run on them, plus they have the best corners in the league so you can't really throw either. Week 11 sure will be fun. All I know is that the Jets cannot win. They're a team that sets out every year to punish their fans as much as possible. I don't know how or when, but it will happen. That's the way Fireman Ed's brigade rolls.

Umm... Hey Matt

2010-09-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

Texans ink Matt Leinart.

Well this isn't awkward... Anyway, I like the move. Schaub isn't an ironman so it's nice to have a quarterback behind him who knows not to run out the back of the end zone. He's still terrible, but he's an improvement. On the bright side he brings in more fun media coverage. The Texans never get any love on ESPN but maybe if Leinart starts going after coeds they'll get some coverage. Enjoy the chicks at Rice Matt, but get better immediately.

So Long Matty

2010-09-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

Cardinals cut Matt Leinart. In an unrelated story, the number of date rapes of sorority members at nearby Arizona State University is down 7 percent.

Matty it's been a fun ride. Well, you had fun anyway. Everybody else probably hates you. You seriously can't beat out Derek Anderson? Derek Anderson??!! His stats were worse than JaMarcus Russell's. Good luck catching on with another team and proving your doubters wrong with your whole new school approach. I'm sure if you do enough 12 ounce curls you'll eventually bulk up that cannon of an arm you've got.

State of the Union: Atlanta Falcons

2010-09-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

Here here homie. Here here.

This isn't the same team that won 11 games in 2008 mainly because they wore out Michael Turner in Matt Ryan's rookie year. After 376 carries in 2008, it's no wonder that he dealt with injury troubles in 2009. As a backup in San Diego Turner was never overused before that season, but historically backs don't bounce back well after so much use. He's only 28 so there's a chance that he comes back but it's slim, especially since he's the focal point of the Falcon offense. They have to hand him the ball or their offense will probably look just like last year's: incredibly mediocre. That doesn't sit well when your defense is bad. Jerious Norwood is no guarantee to stay healthy and Matt Ryan is no sure thing to run a pass heavy offense. Speaking of Matt Ryan, I really want to hate him. The guy went to BC so I'm pretty much obligated to but I can't find it in me. That final drive against Virginia Tech was too good and Matty Ice is a sweet nickname. He still isn't there yet as a top tier quarterback yet but I think he gets there this year. Yes, he was hurt last season and there weren't many flashes of greatness in Burner Turner's absence. It would have been nice to see him take the team on his shoulders and like Rapelisberger did in the playoffs when he was young, but it hasn't happened yet. This is the year he turns that corner and starts playing like the top pick he was. He has weapons at wide receiver including Roddy White and a finally healthy Harry Douglas, plus Tony Gonzalez is still hungry for a ring. He also has the luxury of playing against Cleveland, St. Louis, and Seattle this season, so he'll have a few games to boost his stats. If it doesn't happen now then we're looking at another good but not great quarterbacking career. That's alright. Everybody loved lining up for tickets when Chad Pennington was in town. Right?

Screw Dunta Robinson. He's a decent cornerback who thinks he's much better than he is. Now that he's gotten his pay raise I wonder if he'll still even come out to compete or sit on the sidelines polishing his "Pay me" shoes. He's an improvement for them at corner, which they needed playing against Drew Brees twice a year and after ranking 28th against the pass, but don't expect greatness. All the news out of Falcons' camp says that they're a big improvement over last year's team but frankly who doesn't say that during preseason? They caught John Abraham in his last good year in 2008 and other than surprising rookie defensive tackle Corey Peters (who may start due to injury) there haven't been any standouts on the line thus far. Sure they brought in outside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon in the first round to add energy and a playmaker to their front seven, but this is still a group trying to find itself. They say they have swagger now but they'll have to prove it on Sundays because their offense isn't good enough to give them room. And they have Duna Robinson. Who sucks.

Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic but I don't see much coming out of Atlanta this year. They caught lightning in a bottle in 2008 when they fought against the Mike Vick controversy and they have all the signs of a middle of the pack team. Sure, they'll contend for a playoff spot late into the year, but this team's season will be done week 17. Carolina and New Orleans are both better teams unless Turner comes back with a vengeance and solidifies himself as the great back he has the potential to be. So goes Turner go the Falcons. Still better than hearing people say Matt Ryan would never be loved like Mike Vick because he isn't black I guess. Those were the days.

Kovy's a Devil

2010-09-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

After a long hiatus, due to a pretty wild start to the school year, I make my return announcing some huge news. The NHL approved Ilya Kovalchuk's new contract with the New Jersey Devils. The revised deal is for 15 years, 100 million dollars meaning Kovy will be a Devil until he's 42 years old. Time to celebrate Devils fans. With Lou and Kovy in NJ for at least the next decade, the team is definitely poised to make long runs in the postseason, and most likely bring a cup back to NJ. Now they just need to start worrying about who is going to replace Marty between the pipes.

Amateur of the Week: Michel Platini

2010-09-01T22:14:00.000-07:00

Good times eh England? Michel Platini says soccer doesn't need replay.

This is actually last week's amateur but things got delayed. Shoot me. Anyway... I understand the soccer purists who say it'll mess up the flow of the game and that human error makes the sport great. I get that. Not exactly sure if I'd rather feel screwed by a ref for thirty years or lose straight up but I still get it. However, how many times this World Cup were there questionable calls that could have been solved in under thirty seconds? The goal that England scored on Germany that wasn't called? Henry's hand ball in qualifying? Sports today obviously aren't the same as they were 60 years ago and a minute added to extra time could keep an entire generation from being cheated, especially since the games are seen at all angles by millions of viewers. All you need to do is sit a guy up in the stands with an HD overhead cam and have him holler, "Yea that's good bro" or, "Nope. Corner/Goal kick" into the refs earpiece whenever something looks close. Refs already have earpieces. They're halfway there. The signal on the England goal could have come before they even had the chance to punt it out of there so it isn't all that time consuming on some plays. Not all calls will be that clear, but they can realistically add extra time and swing possession via goal kicks/throw ins/corners so it wouldn't be a huge issue to take a second look. Refs can already call fouls and stop the flow of the game for no reason at all (see: US vs. Slovenia) so where's the change? Michel Platini, I know that you're trying to protect your game, but you need to protect it from poor officiating and travesty, and that is why you're this (last) week's amateur of the week.

Atta Boy Baseball. Atta Boy.

2010-09-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

Skip to the 52 second mark for the fight.

Baseball is finally getting itself together and I like it. Nyjer (lol?) Morgan saw what happened in that preseason game between the Steelers and the Giants and decided that baseball would take a backseat to football no more. Before the first punch was even thrown though, Chris Volstad showed me something with that emphatic glove toss. There's a guy that's seen a few hockey fights and has done his homework. Get these guys some beer because they've earned it. Well done all around but make sure you keep up the good work. You're still being watched.

State of the Union: Carolina Panthers

2010-09-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

Screw Clausen and hop on the Matt Moore bandwagon.

According to the NFC South's history, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should win the division this year. Unfortunately for them they're terrible. Unless Josh Freeman turns into Gandalf with Antonio Cromartie's legs it isn't going to happen. The Panthers, on the other hand, have a shot at keeping up the trend of climbing out of the cellar and Matt Moore may be the guy to lead the way. Screw the fact that ESPN ranked him behind everybody in the league except for Jake Delhomme. The guy went 6-2 as a starter. He may have never taken the job from Delhomme in a training camp, but he gives them consistency at the position that the team sorely needed. You never knew if Delhomme was going to light the world on fire or throw 2 pick sixes. With Moore, they don't have to worry about that. They know he's going to be mediocre and in this case it's a good thing. Worst comes to worst he sucks and they go to Jimmy Clausen who won't be asked to do much (and he's probably the most polished rookie quarterback this year so it could be much worse).

The Panthers are built to run the ball and that's what they should be doing. Smash and Dash (Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams for those keeping score at home) make up the best tandem backfield in the league (even when Ronnie Brown isn't hurt) and relying on them beats relying on Delhomme any day of the week. Their offensive line finally has some experience under its belt and, like the Jets from last year, they only need the pass to occasionally offset the run so expect a return to smash-mouth football. When they do need to go through the air they have Steve Smith. He had a down year last season, but he's a smurf with a fire in his belly. You think he likes being called The Other Steve Smith? No. He'll be back and it's hard to knock him when his quarterbacks were tossing the ball to the guys in the wrong jerseys. Dwayne Jarrett needs to get his act together to give a viable second option, but with Smith and their running game they should be able to control the clock and win games.

Finishing eighth overall in total defense is good, but that was a unit that still had Julius Peppers. He's irreplaceable, but can the rest of the unit should pick up the slack now that they can no longer rely on him? I guess yes. This is no longer a team defense built around superstars and there aren't many household names on the defensive side of the ball, but as long as they have leadership then the burden is on the group. Think of it like the Ewing theory. There are no excuses and everybody becomes accountable. If Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall can provide leadership from their corner spots, this unit is good enough to win now. Remember, they'll be well rested if they can run the ball like they hope to on offense and it's also hard for a team to find rhythm in a passing offense when they don't have the ball in their hands.

Until Jake Delhomme lost it, the Panthers were a competitor. Their 12 win season in 2008 was no joke. With him out of the picture they don't have to answer questions about how they could possibly send him to lead an offense after tossing 4 INTs, or watch ESPN break down Steve Smith's pep talks on the sidelines. There are no expectations, good or horrendously awful, with Matt Moore. They may have the second worst quarterback in the league, but it's an improvement on what they had.

State of the Union: Houston Texans

2010-08-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

I know how these guys feel.

Sadly, there's one offseason acquisition that has me more excited about this season than any other in Texan history and it's a kicker. Neil Rackers. As of right now, he's still technically in a battle with Kris Brown for the starting kicking job, but if they don't cut Brown there are going to be problems. I don't care that Rackers missed that kick against the Packers. A kick wasn't meant to win that game, but Rihanna had a squirt gun fight with Chris Brown in comparison to the problems that the Texans have had with their Kris/Chris combo. At least her Chris didn't get an all expenses paid trip to Paris, get on one knee under the Eiffel Tower, then forget what he was there for and beat her with a tire iron in his confusion. Kris loved to shank clutch kicks and Chris loved to fumble at the one yard line with less than a minute to go in the fourth quarter. That's what they're best at and I'm pretty sure it was what they were born to do. That's fine and dandy but get them out of Houston. Go do that in St. Louis.

Texan running backs needs to stop fumbling the football. The Texans had the number one ranked passing offense last year but could not run the ball to save their lives, and that had a lot to do with the unsure hands of Steve Slaton. Arian Foster is now listed as the starter, but he needs to be better in short yardage situations than the backs of the past have. They get into a third and short and all of a sudden they can't get by a blind paraplegic. Given, the line isn't great at run blocking, but the least they can do is hold onto the football. Fortunately for the backs, the Texans are stacked offensively. They have a top two wide receiver in Andre Johnson (the best depending on how you feel about Larry Fitzgerald), a dominant tight end in Owen Daniels, and two solid secondary receivers in Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones (whose production is primed to take off). The Jets are the only team on their schedule that has the secondary to match up with their passing game, but if they don't have Revis, Johnson would command double coverage which opens things up for Schaub and his other options. Matt Schaub needs to stay healthy (a problem for the majority of his career) but if he stays upright for 16 games then they're a favorite to make the playoffs. So Matt goes, the Texans go. Dan Orlovsky is their backup. He looked good in the preseason but you never know what's going to happen with him. I wouldn't be surprised if he wore diapers on game day after playing against Jared Allen.

Mario Williams is a freak. They need to get the pass rush going on the opposite side of him and Amobi Okoye needs to stop playing like a thirteen year old girl, but Super Mario's presence on the line worries opposing quarterbacks on every play because he can physically hurt them. Losing Bryan Cushing for the first four games hurts because they're thin at linebacker. Their starters are good with Demeco Ryans leading the unit, but behind them there isn't much depth and they already struggle against the run. Antonio Smith needs a big year opposite Mario because their cornerbacks are questionable. They drafted Kareem Jackson out of Alabama in the first round, but he'll have to step in to fill Dunta "Pay Me" Robinson's shoes. A better pass rush allows for an easier learning curve, but playing against Peyton twice this year doesn't allow for many mistakes.

The scariest part of this team is the hope. The Chris/Kris Brown combo cost them 4 potential wins last season, costing them a playoff spot in the process. With Chris gone and Kris hopefully on his way out, this team is better than it's ever been. Even with Cushing sitting out the first four weeks this team needs to make the playoffs. There's a lot of pressure mounting on the Texans and their coaching staff. They're good enough to win, and they should win, but unfortunately that's when they like to pull a stunt like getting beat twice by Jacksonville. I think they're going to the playoffs, but the nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach says 8-8 and a long season of disappointment ahead. Hey, at least they're on Monday Night Football twice. That's pretty cool I guess.

State of the Union: Tennessee Titans

2010-08-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

I miss this version of Vince.

I'm fairly confident that if I didn't have an icon of Vince Young in a Longhorns jersey made out of his old gum like Helga from Hey Arnold! I would hate him. True, mobile quarterbacks are much more fun to watch than prototypical pocket passers (which is partially why I'm on the Dennis Dixon bandwagon and also why I think dog fighting isn't as bad as people with a northern bias think. Different strokes for different folks. I digress...). True, he has a .667 winning percentage in the NFL and the majority of those games he played without Chris Johnson as his feature back. True, he beat up a strip club owner for giving him the Horns down. He possesses many qualities that I admire, but he has a knack for making people support him look like jackasses. Oh you like that I'm rookie of the year and on the cover of Madden? Boom, I'm gonna throw a few picks and go for a joy ride with my .45. You like the fact that I make a previously bad team exciting to watch? Well, I'm going to come into your house and take you out of playoff contention. Roasted. All that aside, Vince looks really good this preseason, and with their young corps of receivers they could do some damage through the air to give Chris Johnson a bit of rest. His receivers always play in single coverage because their running game is so good, but don't be surprised if those catchable balls he lofts everywhere start being caught by the other team.

In reality, the Titans start and end with Chris Johnson (CJ2K. I can't decide whether or not his decision to get that tattooed is cool. I'm leaning towards cool but officially sit on the fence). He makes up almost all of their offense, but they'll need to lighten up his load or he's going to end up like Shaun Alexander in his post MVP years. They've brought in Jevon Ringer, who was a workhorse at Michigan State and averaged 6 yards a carry in his first year with the Titans. He's no Chris Johnson, but nobody else in the league is either, so the kid should be serviceable especially considering that he's replacing Fatty. Giving CJ the ball through the air will be another way that the Titans can get him in the open field and have him avoid the punishment that comes with carrying the ball between the tackles. All in all, there's no shot in hell he's running for another 2,000 yards on the ground. Losing Kevin Mawae hurts (even though there's talk that his replacement Leroy Harris is an improvement) and, even if the line is still good, it'll be hard to pick up yards when you're still playing starters and aren't losing 59-0. If he does pull it off, then don't expect the Titans to be in the playoffs because it'll come at the expense of a complete offense. Last year was special for any athlete but I don't think he's realized that yet.

If the Titans want to get back to form, their defense is going to have to play like it did in 2008 rather it's 28th ranked 2009 counterpart. The big names from the past, like Haynesworth, may be gone, but it's hard to be worse than last year. Playing their starters all the way through 16 games would be an improvement. Linebacker Keith Bulluck is still there to anchor this defense that has a lot of youth coming in. Since Jevon Kearse and Vanden Bosch are out, the Titans drafted defensive end Derrick Morgan out of Georgia Tech as their replacement. If he can get over his calf injury that has hampered him all preseason then he should step in and make an immediate impact on their line. Their secondary isn't great but cornerback Jason McCourtney has some experience under his belt and will be counted on to replace Nick Harper. If their pass rush improves it will make make life easier on their think looking secondary, but if Morgan doesn't get healthy then it's nothing but a continuation of the status quo.

Success for the Titans depends on how well Young handles the pressure of starting week in and week out of the NFL. It's great to come in and be a hero when the team is garbage, but being asked to take a team to the playoffs from week one is a different task entirely. The receivers will help but not if Kenny Britt keeps making dumb decisions like showing up out of shape or kicking the ball out of bounds against the Cardinals. Nate Washington and Justin Gage are good, but Britt has the talent to take this team to another level. Young needs to get them the ball. Until the Titans build a passing offense that can consistently supplement the run like they did at the end of the season, then they may sneak into the playoffs, but they won't win. It showed in 2008. VY can't just be Kerry Collins. He needs to be the explosive player they brought him in to be. He'll always be remembered for the confetti shot at the end of the Rose Bowl, but if he doesn't complete this season then he'll be nothing but a footnote in the NFL.

Get Some Chan!

2010-08-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey (the sheriff looking guy above) tells off hecklers.

Tell them how you feel coach! It's bad enough that he has to reside in Buffalo for the majority of the year but now he has to deal with hecklers at practice? That's too much. Nobody wants to go to Buffalo. It's miserable. Frankly, I'm impressed that nobody has pulled a Phil Wellman during a game or shot himself mid-season to escape it. But no. They keep showing up. They aren't moving to Toronto. Be thankful Buffalo. The Bills may suck and your lives may generally suck but at least you have each other. Show some appreciation and enjoy the memories of Jim Kelly and all those years you almost won the Super Bowl.

State of the Union: Indianapolis Colts

2010-08-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

"No Sally, mommy's dead remember?" -Peyton Manning

I desperately want to write an article boldly claiming that the Colts are going to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2001. I want to talk about how Peyton Manning is going to go back to flaunting the Manning face after his performance in the Super Bowl. I want to say how their terrible run game is going to come back to haunt them or that their defense is mediocre or that Mario Williams is going to tear through their line and tear off Peyton's arm week one in Houston. I can't though. They're too good. Peyton was money in every big game in 2009 (except against the Saints) and with the return of Anthony Gonzalez there's no reason to expect much of a drop-off. The only thing that can stop this team is injury or implosion (on a Manning team the latter is unlikely).

Offensively, where do you start? When Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon can come in and tear it up then who do you cover if you're a defense? Manning has so many weapons around him that even when defenses cover Reggie Wayne like they did in their final six games then he still has options. Dallas Clark is a beast who will provide Manning with a safety blanket even if their backs can't help the offense. Joseph Addai is in the last year of his contract and Donald Brown is improving so it's likely that they'll be more dangerous than last year when they do get the touches. Brown is already a solid pass catching back but he's looking for a breakout field to give defenses another threat to cover.

The only issue with this team is their defense. Obviously it isn't that big of an issue because they started 14-0 and came close to winning a ring (in a game where their best defensive lineman had a bad foot), but compared to their offense it's a bit of a problem. They should be better with Bob Sanders coming back from injury, but that's the same story as every offseason. Pretty much assume that he isn't on the team any more but if he shows up then it's great for Indy. To make a fat kid reference: he's the fries at the bottom of the drive through bag. You're already doing well but they're nice to have. The Colts made a point of shoring up their defensive depth in the draft, but they could have done more to improve their secondary. 14th in the league against the pass is good, but not great. They have Mathis and Freeney on their pass rush so obviously the issues aren't on their defensive line.

Because the Colts aren't as loud, they aren't getting the same attention as the Jets or the Vikings, but they're every bit as good if not better. Manning is still the best in the business and as long as this is a quarterback driven league then Indianapolis will keep winning with him at the helm. That being said the AFC South may be the best division in football this year. Houston has a top 5 offense and the Titans pulled themselves together when Vince Young (who has a .667 winning percentage) came in. The Colts will be good, but the road to 14 wins looks tougher this season. If they do get to the playoffs though, I'm calling a choke job true to their old nature. Can't wait.

NHL Changing Tiebreaker

2010-08-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Report: NHL to make regulation and overtime wins more valuable than shootout wins in case of a tiebreaker.

I know I just talked about how I hated all of the rule changes but I like this one. While shootouts are exciting, they aren't the best way to settle a hockey game. Too many teams play conservatively in overtime to make the most of their goaltender in the shootout (namely the Rangers even though they were burned for it by the Flyers). This is a start, but I don't understand why they don't alter the point system all together. The extra point for an overtime loss was meant to provide incentive for teams who played for ties instead of wins. Now that there are no ties, why does that point exist? One point for a shootout win and two points for any other win is the most realistic situation that would punish teams for losing and stop rewarding them just for keeping it close. Some die-hard fans are calling for continuous OT but it's too Utopian. There's no sense playing six periods in November and players will wear down quicker. Saving it for the playoffs also adds special meaning to games in May. NHL, you're getting warmer but not quite there yet.

P.S. I also like the additional line behind the goal line. I don't know how this took so long to think of but it's brilliant. It won't help every goal but it'll certainly be beneficial.

Baseball didn't listen. Hakeem Nicks and Ike Taylor did.

2010-08-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hakeem Nicks and Ike Taylor tossed for fighting. Get some!

Hell yea! Normally when I go to a preseason football game I expect to leave relatively unsatisfied. This game was different. Meadowlands Stadium is amazing and it didn't take two plays before Nicks and Taylor had fisticuffs. Last week I talked about how the MLB needs to improve their fights. The NBA showed promise this week and the NFL took my suggestions to heart by tossing in great live action to spice up the preseason. Well done. The only problem I have with this is that the crew didn't embrace it and there were no replays on the incredible video screens in the stadium. If I could see a 50 foot tall Taylor left hook I wouldn't mind shelling out $8.50 for three chicken nuggets as much.

P.S. Pittsburgh's starting QB for the first four weeks isn't completely settled yet but Dennis Dixon should be the guy. Byron Leftwich may have had the nice TD pass to Mike Wallace but he is too slow behind their terrible offensive line. Dixon allows them to move the pocket and open up the run game when he rolls out. It's only for four games so they don't have to worry about injury and he was hitting receivers in stride on his throws. Kordell Stewart 2.0 for the win.

State of the Union: Jacksonville Jaguars

2010-08-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else miss Matt Jones? I do.

It's gotta be tough to be a Jacksonville Jaguar. You have no fans and you're stuck in mediocrity. You play for a team that isn't bad enough to get a top 5 pick or require a complete overhaul but you aren't good enough to be a contender. At least you have Maurice Jones-Drew on your side. It's a shame that the majority of people in Jacksonville are too hung over from watching Florida kill Tennessee A&M on Saturdays to get to the stadium on Sundays because the guy plays like a bowling ball. Their offense will rest a heavy load on his shoulders, but if they're going to be successful the Jags will need more playmakers. Mike Sims-Walker had a strong showing in 2009, but injuries and and lack of other receiving threats hampered his production in the second half of the year. Wide receiver shouldn't be as big of a problem in 2010 with the emergence of young guys like Mike Thomas and Tiquan Underwood in camp. They're still unproven, but the fact that they have any potential at wideout after flameouts like Jones is a step in the right direction. With tight ends Mercedes Lewis and Zach Miller (assuming he can get healthy) and an improved offensive line Jacksonville's offense should be better than 18th in the league provided that David Garrard can get them the ball. David Garrard is dominating this preseason. 10 total yards of offense against the Eagles? Too good to be true. Wait, that was in a single quarter? David must be a wizard. I don't know how he hasn't gained the love of Jaguar faithful after performances like that. Mind boggling.

Safeties are an issue for Jacksonville's defense. Reggie Nelson is bad and his backup Anthony Williams is worse. Playing against 4 of the top 6 passing offenses this year (including Indianapolis and Houston who are in the division) won't make matters easier. Instead of addressing the issue directly, the Jags revamped their defensive line and are hoping that a better pass rush will solve the issue. Their first four draft picks were all for defensive tackles and ends, plus they added defensive end Aaron Kampman in free agency. The results haven't been there yet in the preseason, but the younger d-line will make things easier on their secondary in time. At the very least they can't be worse than last year.

If Garrard continues to throw interceptions and fumble the ball, it won't matter that the defense will be better. There's too much offense in the AFC south outside of Jacksonville for them to get involved in shootouts. If the Jags can be more consistent though they have the potential to contend the way they did in 2007 when they won a playoff game. They beat the Jets and beat the Texans twice last season, but they also needed overtime to win against St. Louis, lost to Cleveland, and were destroyed by Seattle. Get yourselves together Jaguars and lose to Houston like you're supposed to. If you don't but you continue to suck against everyone else then all you're doing is acting like dicks and making them look bad.

Amateur of the Week: Mike Kryzweski

2010-08-20T16:01:00.000-07:00

Fight starts at the 2:30 mark unless you want to hear a bunch of yelling in Greek.

This week had an extraordinary amount of d-bag activity and until 5 minutes ago I was set to rip Tony Dungy for not keeping his mouth shut about Rex Ryan or Lebron James for saying, "even my family gets spoiled at times watching me doing things that I do, on and off the court." Pretty good stuff but that changed when it was reported that Nenad Krstic was released from prison after a brawl in Greece and Coach K had the nerve to use this as an example of what not to do.

To begin with, this displays a fundamental lack of economic understanding. This video already has over 175 thousand hits and it was posted yesterday. The next biggest video of Krstic has fewer than 2,000 hits and it was posted in 2009. Take a page from the Charlestown Chief's Reggie Dunlop and give the people what they want. You think the casual fan wasn't amped up about Malice at the Palace? Violence sells coach. Get your act together. You're at Duke you think you'd learn a thing or two about selling your product.

Ticket sales aside, you've gotta step back and let the boys play. This is as amateur as it gets for not understanding the pro game. I get that you don't want to spark an international incident but this was a great moment for your best player, Kevin Durant. Krstic knew that the Lakers upped the ante in the west when they signed Ron Artest. Ron ron's already proven to the league that he's a loose cannon on the court and that if you take it too far he'll mess you up. Kobe went out and raped a girl to show some edge. The Thunder look baby faced in comparison. Krstic knew that, in order to beat LA this postseason, OKC needed a new aura to put off Kobe and company. This man should be commended for his courage rather than put down by someone like Kryzweski. If the quiet guy on the team starts choking people and throwing chairs, then what are the others capable of? Does Russell Westbrook bite? Is Durant going to go Captain Insano before putting his balls in Gasol's face on a dunk? The Lakers no longer know the answers to these questions. When their silent Serbian goes postal you can't step in the paint without the fear. Coach K needs to understand that incidents like these may cause trouble in school but win championships in the pros. That's why Mike Kryzweski is our amateur of the week.

I Wouldn't Trust Childress Either

2010-08-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Source says that Favre doesn't trust Brad Childress.

Look at the guy. I dig mustache culture and all, but he isn't exactly Burt Reynolds. He looks more like the guy that would tell you to go on vacation because the kids are taken care of. Then again, Favre isn't asking this guy to watch out for his grandkid. He only needs to work with him. Because Favre has all the leaders of the team in his corner, "Chile" needs to watch his step or else there could be a full blown schism in Minnesota's locker room. At the very least, expect a lot of media coverage on this issue, especially if they underperform. ESPN couldn't make it a day without jonesing for its Favre fix and building stories like this may be its only shot.

Bettman Tinkering with the Rule Book

2010-08-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

Skip to 1:25 for Bettman's utopia. 5:08 for the best quote in cinematic history. Emilio!

NHL discussing rule changes.

I don't think Gary Bettman knows that the Mighty Ducks were a fictional story. He seems to be under the impression that a 7-6 game against Trinidad and Tobago is the only way that hockey will sell in this country, and he's doing everything in his power to make that a reality. I will give him credit: I like the idea of a 3-on-3 overtime after the 4-on-4. Other than that I hate every rule they're talking about. He's selling hockey's soul for an extra 5 goals a season. No line change for the team that goes offside? Three total face-off dots? Face-offs done by whistle instead of a puck drop? Someone give Bettman ritalin. He claims this is an attempt to boost offensive numbers but he's acting like a bored little kid that wants something to screw with. Stop distancing yourself from your dedicated fans for the sake of increasing offense by 0.001 goals per game. The puck drop is one of the most iconic moments in hockey and I'll go down in a hail of gunfire before it's taken away.

State of the Union: Minnesota Vikings

2010-08-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

I may be comfortable in Wrangler but I still hate Brett Favre.

Now that number four is coming back for another year, I'm convinced that Brett Favre will literally have to die on the football field before he goes away. He can't break his legs or something. That wouldn't do it. He would get carted off with his thumbs up to the crowd and after a few press conferences he'd play the next week hopped up on pain killers like the good ol' days. No, they'll have to bring a hearse out onto the field and have a funeral for his decrepit old ass on Monday Night Football or I don't think he'll ever retire. He's practicing with the team again after, once again, announcing his retirement earlier this summer. Of course, he reconsidered the very next day when the Vikings offered him a $3.5 million bump in his base salary along with another $3.5 million in potential incentives (that's a potential extra $7 million for grandpa), but that's neither here nor there according to Brett. For all that cash though, it's unlikely that he comes close to having the same kind of season he had last year. He was statistically better than he was when he won his MVP awards, but does it seem likely that that will happen again? Only 7 interceptions? That's the fewest since his rookie year when he only threw 2 (on 4 attempts) but this is still Brett. The NFC Championship proved that he still has the big pick in him. Combine that with Adrian Peterson's love for fumbling and the Vikings are a couple of turnovers away from shooting themselves in the foot.

Luckily for the Vikings their offense isn't based solely on Brett. Adrian Peterson is the second best back in the league behind Chris Johnson and if their ariel offense falls apart they can lean heavily on their running game. However, losing Chester Taylor will hurt more than the Vikings realize. He was an excellent third down back that could get Peterson rest without giving up much production on the field. Toby Gerhart (cracker thunder) will have to step up big in his first season to solidify the offense and prove that my people can be successful in the league. Most people in the NFL could run behind Steve Hutchinson and their offensive line, but if the backs do falter, the Vikes have a good group of receivers to carry the load. Brett has a year of work under his belt with Bernard Berrian and Sydney Rice so he's comfortable with them and knows their tendencies. Hard to improve on his season last year, but the comfort with them should keep them playing consistently well barring injury. Percy Harvin is a threat on every play, but if his migraine issues keep cropping up and he loses game time it could be worrisome for Minnesota fans. You don't want your home run receiving/return threat sitting out a playoff game because he can't see straight. They need to give him his weed back. If it keeps him in Sportscenter's top ten the guy should have a purple bong in his locker right next to his spikes. Toss a Vikings logo on that and you've got a collector's item. Someone in their sales department needs to get on that.

When your defense is ranked 6th overall in the league it's hard to nitpick. However, 19th in the league against the pass won't cut it when the road to the Super Bowl goes through Drew Brees and New Orleans. To address this, they drafted cornerback Chris Cook out of Virginia with their first pick. He isn't going to be Revis, but this season he'll add depth behind Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield. For this defense it starts and ends with the defensive line. Pat and Kevin Williams won't have the legal issues that surrounded them last season, so is it possible that they could be better? Hard to imagine but they've got help on the ends. Jared Allen is the man. I'm pretty confident that he hunts coyotes with his bare hands. He looks for the sack on every play though so opposing offenses can take him out by pushing him outside when they run, but that doesn't stop him from being an incredible player. He makes life easier for Ray Edwards who plays on the opposite end. Edwards is in a contract year and had 4 sacks in the postseason, so quarterbacks will be leaving Minnesota banged up bad.

This team is too good at every position to underperform this year. While they may take a step back from 12 wins, this is a team built to play and win in the playoffs. That being said, Green Bay is looking good and if Jay Cutler gets himself together this will be a competitive division with three teams with playoff aspirations. In that situation, a few turnovers can be the difference between playoffs and bust. That's where Brett comes in. It seems as if his career is destined to end on a pick. When it happens, drunk Vikings fans will sob in the snow while all the Favre haters smile.

State of the Union: Pittsburgh Steelers

2010-08-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

I want to party with Big Ben and Kyle Orton. Those guys could probably drink Moose the Carpet Bagger under the table. Yet unlike Orton and the Moose, Ben Rapistberger would never be able to pull tail like this consensually. Aside from Tiger Woods and Lebron James, I don't think any other athlete has tarnished his image so bad in the past year. A guy, once loved for his gusty performances on the field, is now hated and ridiculed all over the country (including the 'Burgh) for his repulsive behavior off the field. Not only were the Steelers faced with Big Ben's non-consensual escapades, but they also had to deal with the Santonio Holmes' legal troubles. This led to the historic franchise trading the electric receiver to the Jets for basically nothing in an attempt to salvage their reputation. Now the Steelers are left to play 4-6 games without Ben Roethlisberger as well as without a true no. 1 receiver. The man the Steel City is counting on to carry the offense is running back Rashard Mendenhall, definitely capable of doing so. To help him the Steelers have the versatile Mewelde Moore and drafted Jonathon Dwyer. Unfortunately the 3 headed rushing attack will face major problems considering the state of the offensive line. Even though they drafted Florida center Maurkice Pouncy with the 18th overall pick, the rest of the line seems to be in shambles as the Lions' defensive line had significant penetration (do I even need to make a Big Ben joke here?) in the preseason opener. Although coach Mike Tomlin claims that they team wants to get back to "Steeler Football," they will need to utilize the passing attack to draw pressure away from the run game. Throughout camp it seemed as if Byron Leftwich would be under center until Ben gets back, but after a poor showing against the Lions, Dennis Dixon may get a shot. Dixon led the team (with his arm and feet) to three scoring drives against mostly 2nd stringers. It should be interesting to see if he'll get a chance with the first team Saturday against the Giants. Whoever steps in at QB will have steady tight end Heath Miller as a check down option, and a cast of receivers vying for playing time. The unit includes Antwan Randle El (a familiar face), Mike Wallace, Hines Ward, newcomer Arnez Battle, and rookie speedster Emmanuel Sanders.

While the offense seems to be in rebuilding mode with all the new faces, the defense will start 7 players over the age of 30. There has been much talk of whether the aging defense will be able to handle the AFC North, but if I were a Steelers fan I wouldn't worry about the older players. I would be focused on the play of the corners. Once superstar safety Troy Polamalu went down with an injury, the corners lost their safety blanket and were routinely torched as the Steelers missed the playoffs just a year after winning the Superbowl. Second year corners Kennan Lewis and Joe Burnett will be counted on to help Ike Taylor. Most teams will come out looking to pass this season due to the front 7 being solid as usual. It will be up to linebackers Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. It will be interesting to see if a defense that looks very similiar to last year's unit will be able to improve on a season in which they lost 5 games while leading in the 4th quarter.

Can the Steelers improve on a 9-7 season and make the playoffs? Can Big Ben have enough self control to not go out on Saturday nights raping chicks since he can't play on Sundays for a couple months? I'm going to say no to the former question and no comment to the latter.

K-Rod Out For Season

2010-08-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

Francisco Rodriguez needs season ending surgery after getting hurt in brawl with step father.

The karma police weren't going to sit back and watch the Mets do nothing about K-Rod. It was obvious that something bad needed to happen to this guy, but a self-inflicted wound doing him in? Perfect. Screw you K-Rod. Stop being a dick or the sports gods are going to keep coming down hard on you.

State of the Union: Chicago Bears

2010-08-16T15:37:00.000-07:00

A picture wasn't good enough for these guys. Daaaaa Bears.

If you're a Chicago fan I don't know what's going through your head. Chances are you're delusional, overly obsessive, and like Joakim Noah way more than I ever will, but you're also a little scared of the number 26. Jay Cutler's 26 interceptions crushed the Bears' faithful but gave everybody else in the sports world something to smile about (my personal favorite was against San Francisco. Beautiful). Nobody likes Jay Cutler outside of you Chicago, and if he isn't careful, you're going to hate him as well. Letting down a franchise that banked their future on you isn't a great plan Jay, but I sincerely hope it happens to you. Putting my hate for Jay aside...

The Bears are trying to get back to their roots by re-establishing a premier defense. They didn't have selections in the first two rounds, but when they did have a draft pick they addressed issues in their defense. Major Wright isn't exactly a stud yet at safety, but rookie defensive end Coorey Wootton out of Northwestern has all the tools to succeed. At worst, Wright will add depth and Wootton will help a pass rush that finished 13th in the league in sacks with 35. Having Brian Urlacher won't hurt the team either. Given, he isn't the same player he was a few seasons ago and there may be lingering effects from his wrist injury, but having the defensive leader back on the field will help them improve. Chicago defenses aren't supposed to finish in the bottom half of the league so the front office shook this unit up by adding Julius Peppers. He should be motivated to prove any Carolina wrong for letting him walk, so watch out for a return of the "Monsters of the Midway," even if it's more Diet Monsters than the original.

Since adding Cutler and Mike Martz the Bears' offense is supposed to carry the team. Matt Forte didn't get as many touches but improved slightly as a receiver, upping is average yards per catch by nearly a yard. In Martz's offense he'll be asked to catch the ball frequently, but even if he does poorly they have Chester Taylor. Either back can succeed this year, and having multiple backs should keep them fresh enough to help the club. At wide receiver, the Hester experience has largely been a disappointment. He should probably go back to strictly returning kicks, but they want to make him into a feature wide receiver. Word from camp is that he's been doing well in the offense and running quality routes, but Johnny Knox has been the stud. The wide receivers have played a secondary role all around as Cutler has been focusing on his tight ends, so there will be more pressure on Greg Olson, free agent Brandon Manumaleuna, and Desmond Clark to preform. Compared to Jay Cutler however, other performers mean peanuts. If he can't bring it this team will lose. It's as simple as that. He loves throwing to the guys in the wrong jersey so much that it's hard to imagine much change or another season of Lovie in 2011.

Heat's Haslem Arrested for Blazing

2010-08-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

Another rousing victory for the war on performance reducing drugs as the Miami Heat's veteran forward Udonis Haslem was pulled over in Miami and later arrested Sunday when an officer noticed his car smelled of the stanky green stuff. Haslem and a passenger were reportedly arrested for possession of marijuana. While first and second marijuana violations do not involve NBA suspensions, Haslem, who recently turned down $10-$14 million over five years to in order to remain with the Heat, will most likely be fined.
While blazing that shit up may be illegal in the fine city of Miami, the NBA should cut this guy some slack. For the second time in his career he turned down big money to remain in his hometown Miami so he could be a role-player on a championship caliber team and so he could be near his ailing mother.

State of the Union: Cincinnati Bengals

2010-08-13T16:58:00.000-07:00

A year removed from the basement of the AFC North and a 4-11 record, the Cincinnati Bengals have swagger back in their step and are talking big. After a surprise sweep of their division the Bengals fell apart against the Jets. This year however, they've revamped their team and are coming back with the deepest squad of Marvin Lewis has had. Their number four ranked defense not only returns its starters but is healthier and has added depth. Antwan Odom returns after tearing his ACL in week 6. The veteran defensive end out of Alabama was having a career year and led the league in sacks before his injury (granted he had 5 sacks in one game against Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers isn't exactly known for evading the sack) and his return should improve their occasionally shaky pass rush. To add depth, the Bengals picked up Adam "I don't want to be called Pacman anymore even though it was a sweet nickname" Jones. I like this move even though he hasn't played in a season. It's not like Dallas where he was asked to start because the Bengals have one of the best corner tandems in the game in Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph, and he does add explosiveness in the return game. Plus, it's never a bad thing to add a killer instinct to a defense and he seems like a decent guy if you're on his good side. While Vick's posse rolled on him in a heartbeat, nobody ever snitched on Pacman. That speaks volumes of his character.

Back in the day, when Ochocinco was still Chad Johnson and he was lined up across T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Houshamazode! Put him on the board), Cincinnati's passing offense was the focal point of the team. Last year it held them back. By signing Terrell Owens and Antonio Bryant, they may have gotten older but they've certainly added talent to their wide receiving corps. It will take some time for them to mesh with Carson Palmer, but additions such as these along with rookies Jordan Shipley and Jermain Gresham should give the offense diversity that it did not have last season. Jermain Gresham was out last year due to injury, but in his last healthy season at Oklahoma he lead the team in receiving touchdowns on their way to the National Championship game. Cedric Benson is back and won't be suspended after his off the field issues. Ever since the boating incident I've taken his word on everything. Not his fault racists follow him around. Haters. Bernard Scott is there to help out Benson should he not repeat his comeback performance, but overall last year's number 9 ranked rushing offense is in decent hands. If Andre Smith (43 second mark. Hot damn.), who missed most of last season with an injured foot and contract disputes, can come in and play well at right tackle then it should open up their running game even more.

The uncertainties that surround this Bengals team are scary for Cincy fans. First off, this line's ability to pass block is questionable. Normally, this is a bad thing. When you throw in the fact that Carson Palmer gets hurt frequently yet the Bengals have done nothing to give him a solid backup, this can be disastrous. The end of last regular season should prove that the Bengals need someone to come in behind Carson. If J.T. O'Sullivan walks onto the field in anything but a blowout Bengal fans should start deciding whether to use a noose or a gun. He's that bad to watch and I've never seen anyone mail it in more than he mailed it in against the Jets (LeBron included). Pitiful. People shaving points don't play that badly. Carson himself is even a question. He hasn't exactly lit the world on fire, but he hasn't had the same offensive weapons that he's had in the past either. For his sake he needs to turn it around this year or the front office will start looking for a replacement.

According to Rick Moranis in Little Giants, "kicking is the key to this game." Shayne Graham did his best to ignore that advice, and his botched attempts in the postseason got him cut. There's a two man competition between journeymen Mike Nugent and Dave Rayner, but whoever comes out of it will need to do better than Graham if the Bengals want to advance. It's sad to rely this much on a kicker, but when you have a great defense and a questionable offense then you'll need him in a clutch, low scoring game. If he's shanking kicks or TO starts yelling at Carson, it could be a long season in Cincinnati but this team has the potential to be tops in the AFC North for a second straight year.

Tiger-Cats Owner Gets Hosed

2010-08-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

Now, I know almost all American football fans could care less about the Canadian Football League, and to be honest if I didn't go to the Toronto Sports Network for hockey stories I wouldn't know much aboot it at all. But currently there is a debate being held in Hamilton about where the Tiger-Cats should build their new stadium. To properly understand the situation, you need to know something about Ti-Cats owner Bob Young. He's a Hamilton native who purchased the team in 2003 in the memory of a late family member who was a devoted fan. While he's a savvy businessman, this wasn't a decision many others would consider smart. He did it because it was important to him to save professional football in his hometown. Throughout the years he has poured millions of his own dollars to turn the team around, which he has done (they finished 2nd in 2009). The Ti-Cats current venue is the 80 year old Ivor Wynne Stadium, and Young is willing to invest 75 million dollars into a new stadium. This is just a feel good story, right? It stops here.

Hamilton City Council and Young have been locked in a debate about where to put the new stadium. The government has selected the West Harbour for the new venue, an area that is apparently in dire need of reconstruction. Young hired a team of international experts to examine all possible locations, and they found (surprise, surprise) that the West Harbour is the worst location for the stadium. Now I don't know the logistics but I know that Bob Young has promised to contribute financially to the area as well as build a city soccer centre if he can build the stadium in a more beneficial spot. Young's reasoning? "We can't continue to lose millions of dollars a year." Reasonable, eh? The City Council has denied his request, and by doing so have basically told him that they do not care if the team stays or goes. Young, who has used money out of his own pocket to help the city for years, is now being shown the door by a government too stubborn to consider other options. It's a grave injustice that will only result in a historic team being forced out of a city desperate for income. I hope Ottawa or Quebec City (most likely the new destinations) enjoy the Ti-Cats more than the Hamilton City Council have.

State of the Union: Baltimore Ravens

2010-08-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ray Lewis is a murderer.

I just like to throw that out there whenever I can. He's the scariest person in the country, because not even the justice system has the balls to punish him. He brings ferocity every snap of every game and is one of the big reasons why the Ravens defense has been elite for all these years. While the front seven are ready to have another great year shutting down the run, there are very legitimate questions about the secondary. I'm going to start off discussing the defense because the secondary could leave the Ravens in a hole to start the season since superstar safety Ed Reed is out for the first four or five weeks. In a competitive AFC North, getting off to a slow start can result in a lost season; just ask the Browns. So while Reed is just missing a portion of the season, the only steady corner going into this season, Domonique Foxworth, had a season-ending injury leaving a major hole in the secondary. Fabian Washington, who is coming off of an injury, will be looked upon to lead a cast of unproven corners including Chris Carr, Ladarius Webb, and Cary Williams (wait... who are they?). Dawan Landry and most likely Tom Zbikowski will man the safety spots in what will most likely be the league's worst secondary (even when Reed returns). Luckily for the Ravens, the front 7 will bring the heat with familiar faces like Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, and Trevor Pryce. Rookie Sergio Kindle, who will look to bounce back from a freak injury, and 2nd year pro Paul Kruger could definitely have an impact as outside rushers.

Now to the offense, which used to be the Ravens' Achilles heel, but will contend for top 5 this season. Young QB Joe Flacco is poised to have a major breakout season with newly acquired receivers Anquan Boldin and Dante Stallworth (actually killed a guy, no joke) and reliable tight end Todd Heap. The offensive line is elite with studs Jared Gaither, Ben Grubbs, and Michael Oher. Running behind them will be the electric Ray Rice, complimented with Willis McGahee and fullback LaRon McClain. To be honest, I don't even need to go into the Ravens' offense too much to get the point across. They are going to be sick to watch this season if Joe Flacco plays like everyone expects him to. I'm hoping they bring Troy Smith in to run a wildcat with Rice. That would be filthy.

If the Ravens do not upgrade their secondary before the season then it will inevitably lead to their downfall. Carson Palmer and Ben Rapistberger are too good to not pick it apart even with a great pass rush coming at them. If the Ravens go for broke and make a deal to acquire an elite corner (I've heard Nnamdi Asomugha's name thrown around) they will have to overpay but it might be worth it. This is a legitimate Superbowl contender.

Amateur of the Week: Darrelle Revis

2010-08-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

In this segment, we will pick out an athlete, coach, owner, commentator, or really anyone involved in the sports world who was the least professional that week. For our first Amateur of the Week post, I've had the pleasure to choose from one of the many screw-ups who graced the headlines. While players like K-Rod and Chris Bosh made valiant efforts to win the title, this week's biggest amateur is New York Jets holdout Darrelle Revis.

All summer, I've gone back and forth over who I should place the blame on for this ugly holdout. For a while I was pretty upset at GM Mike Tannenbaum for not paying arguably the Jets' most valuable player, but in the light of what happened this week, I'm now on the Jets side. First off, this isn't the first time Revis has played hard ball with the Jets. He held out before the 2007 season demanding that the Jets give him the maximum amount of years (6) on his rookie contract. So hold out no. 1 was about long term commitment, and most likely a few million dollars. Flash forward to 2010 where Revis has created an unneeded distraction (and much excitement at the HBO headquarters) demanding that he gets a fat contract making him the highest paid corner in the league (more than Raiders' Nnamdi Asomugha's 15.1 mil a yr deal). After his All-Pro season, I understand why he would want to be paid like that, especially because he is set to earn "only" 1 mil this season. The problem is that while he has leverage because he is a crucial part of the Jets' no. 1 ranked defense, he is still under contract for 3 more years which means sitting out this season will only result in the same problem next year. Now to why he's this week's biggest amateur.

Early in the week, Jets owner Woody Johnson asked Revis if he could be present for the negotiations and then told the press he was "rebuffed" by his agents. Then the Revis camp issued a statement saying that was a "blatant lie," and they would meet anytime. Head Coach Rex Ryan then called that situation a "blatant joke," basically calling out both parties for playing the he said, she said game with the media. Ryan suggested that Johnson, Revis, and the entire organization meet up for an open negotiation to solve the problem (veteran offensive tackle Damian Woody agreed). While at first this sounds ridiculous, I think it's a pretty good idea since it creates the family atmosphere Rex talks so much about. Revis denied this request, and behind a closed door negotiation rejected the Jets' 10 years, 120 million dollar contract. That type of contract for a corner is unheard of, and Revis countered with 10 years, 160 million (plus guaranteed cash of course).

This should be the last straw for Revis supporters. I understand paying him 15+ mil a year for maybe 5 seasons, but once he's in his 30s there is no way he is playing to the same shutdown level that he is now (just look at Champ Bailey). The Jets' proposal most likely will give him that type of cash for the first half then have diminishing salaries for the rest. Completely reasonable. Plus, not only is the total salary not okay with Revis, but he's demanding more guaranteed money, and I've heard rumors that the Jets offered 30 mil. Revis needs to quit this egotistical Lebron James act, and get the deal signed so he can get back to doing what he does best: playing football. After watching Hard Knocks, I don't see how any player would want to get on Rex Ryan's bad side.

Darrelle, you're this week's biggest Amateur, it's time to start acting like a professional.

P.S. Since when did Al Davis set the market price for NFL players? He lost his mind in the 90s.

K-Rod Suspended for Fight with Step Father

2010-08-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

Francisco Rodriguez suspended by the Mets for 2 days.

Only in America can someone get the weekend off for beating their step-father and getting charged with third degree assault and second degree harassment. In third world countries you may be able to beat women, but your elders are off limits. He'd probably lose a hand. None of that will happen here though. Sure the guy may lose over $125 grand, but compared to his $11.5 million salary that isn't too bad, plus he got the thrill of beating the crap out of his step-dad. Sure, he may go to prison for a year, but with the amount of money this guy has it's unlikely he'll get more than a slap on the wrist. How can the Mets be so lenient here? K-Rod hasn't been good enough to deserve the star treatment and he's embarrassed the franchise. 2 days off is a joke.

Pacers Win Big in Four Team Trade

2010-08-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

The Indiana Pacers acquired point guard Darren Collison and Swingman James Posey from the New Orleans Hornets in a four team trade Wednesday that also involved the Houston Rockets and New Jersey Nets. Collison, along with Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert, should form the nucleus of Indiana team that will struggle for playoff contention this upcoming season.

The Pacers shipped C/PF Troy Murphy, who averaged 14.6ppg and 10.2rpg to the Nets, who in turn sent SG Courtney Lee who averaged 12.5ppg and 1.7apg for the Rockets. The Hornets obtained SG/SF Trevor Ariza who averaged 14.9ppg, 5.6rpg, and 2.8apg from the Rockets.

While the Pacers are clear winners in this trade, acquiring a a much needed point guard who averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 assists as a rookie last season, including 18.8 points and 9.1 assists in 37 starts filling in for Chris Paul, as well as a great role player in Posey, the trade was beneficial for all parties included.

The Rockets, who spent a combined $70 million this offseason to keep such "stars" as Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry, and spent another $15 million to acquire Yao's insurance policy, Brad Miller, were way over the salary cap, thus parting with Ariza, arguably the most talented player in the trade, was not a terrible move, although they will still have to pay a luxury tax. Courtney Lee will be a solid role player most, likely backing up Kevin Martin who the Rockets acquired from the Sacramento Kings during last year's trade deadline.

Although the Hornets gave up a very skilled point guard in Collison, they have Chris Paul the best point guard in the NBA. In Ariza they get a proven contributor in all facets of the game. Will this stop Chris Paul from wanting to be traded? Probably not. But they now have a pretty solid starting lineup with Peja Stojakovic, David West, Ariza and Paul. If Paul is not traded mid-season the Hornets could be a middle of the pack playoff team in the weakened Western Conference.

The Nets get big man Troy Murphy, who is essentially on a one year loan as his contract expires next season. When Murphy becomes a free agent next year the Nets will have around $20 million in cap space.

While this shakes up the makeup of the teams involved, none of these teams will actually be able to compete in their respective conferences. The Rockets and Hornets (if they keep Paul) could be able to nag mid-level playoff positions, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they will not be able to compete with the Lakers. The Nets and Pacers will both struggle to make the playoffs and if they do will likely be swept by one of the Eastern powerhouses. While the Rockets should be quite a good team if they can stay healthy, and the Pacers certainly get better with the arrivals of Collison and Posey, it will be very interesting to see if Ariza can turn the Hornets into legit playoff contenders.

State of the Union: Cleveland Browns

2010-08-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

If there is a Sports God, he hates Cleveland. The last several decades have made that obvious. This season shouldn't be any better for Browns fans, as their looking at a thin roster and another year of Eric Mangini. To be fair to the Mangenius, at least this season he isn't playing "mind games" and withholding the name of his starting quarterback until week one. Personally, I can see his logic in that one. Preparing for one crappy quarterback versus preparing for another must have been tricky for defenses to scheme against, and had it worked out he would have been praised all across Cleveland, but because it failed he's the bad guy. This year, he's solidified his offense by sticking with rock star Jake Delhomme. How could a guy that threw 8 tds vs 18 ints last season not be the answer? Unless he breaks down and hangs himself at halftime in week three he should improve. It's hard to consistently put up JaMarcus type numbers. Even if by some chance he does falter, they have studs Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy in the fold to bail him out. McCoy isn't supposed to play this year and is considered the long term solution, but let's see if a bad start changes things. Honestly, I love the kid. He was great at UT and I'll always remember watching him play for the 'Horns but I think he'll bomb in the league. He didn't have to throw anything beyond ten yards and he looks like he still believes in Santa. That probably won't cut it.

One of the few good things coming out of Browns camp is that Wallace (who's lighting it up) and Josh Cribbs look great in their "Flash and Cyclone" package. It's their variation of the wildcat, and having two former college quarterbacks running it should make it effective. It'll probably be the only bright spot of Cleveland's offense, especially with their receiving corps counting on unproven Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie to step up in order to be solid. Most of the offense will have to come from Josh Cribbs, who is unarguably the best player on their roster. They rewarded him with a big contract, but didn't the Browns learn anything from Devin Hester? Return guys have a shorter shelf life than running backs, and one has to wonder how much longer Cribbs will be a factor. "Don't kick the ball to Dante Hall" and constant hi-lights of Hester taking back kicks seem like yesterday, so when does Cribbs slow down after trying to do too much? Maybe he'll do well this year, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him lose a step or two by the end of the season.

By the end of 2009, Jerome Harrison looked like the answer at running back. He won't be able to shoulder the same load he took on in the last few games, so the Browns are hoping for rookie Montario Hardesty to come up big. He's been hurt through camp, but if he can get himself together, the second round pick out of Tennessee should help improve the league's 8th ranked rushing attack. Jamal Lewis is gone so it isn't like they have other options.

The Browns were pitiful on defense (28th against the run and 29th against the pass). They brought in Scott Fugita (is there anything more disappointing than going from a Super Bowl winner in New Orleans to playing for a crappy team in a crappier city?) and Matt Roth to bolster their linebacking corps, and rookie cornerback Joe Haden out of Florida will contend for playing time in a secondary that now includes Sheldon Brown. Almost anything is an improvement for last year's second worst defense, but even if the new additions play as expected it's highly unlikely Cleveland will return to playoff contention. With LeBron gone from the Ohio's sporting scene, fans will be looking at the Browns for some kind of relief, but it looks like another long year for Brownie fans. The team finished last year on a four game winning streak to finish off at 5-11, but hope of anything more than a 6 win season in the tough AFC North is slightly delusional. Dog pound (Yes that was a cheesy ploy to get the Baha Men involved. Go to hell.): as long as Mike Holmgren has a say this team will improve. He won a Super Bowl once. Dude knows how to win.

Contracts Under Investigation

2010-08-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

The Toronto Sports Network has reported that the NHL is investigating the long term contracts of Roberto Luongo (12 years), Marian Hossa (12), Chris Pronger (7), and Marc Savard (7) after the arbitrator for Kovalchuk's 17 year contract ruled in the NHL's favor. All five of these contracts follow the same pattern: the players will play at age 40 or older and the yearly salary drastically drops in the final few seasons. It looks as if the NHL has finally taken a stance against teams circumventing the salary cap rules.

This has been a hot topic for the past couple years, and I find it ridiculous that the NHL is just now officially looking into this. If it wasn't for Kovalchuk's deal, I don't think there would be any investigation at all. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello is looking pretty smart right now. By signing Kovy to an outrageous deal that he knew would be rejected, he forced the NHL to look into past deals, as well as prevent any future deals of this sort. I must say for a guy who mastered the most boring style of hockey there is, he's made this off season pretty damn exciting. I'm very interested to see what happens next.

P.S. As long as the NHL doesn't stick their nose into the long contracts of Johan Franzen (11) and Henrik Zetterberg (12), I'm perfectly happy with them screwing over guys like the Hoss and Pronger.

This is why I Love and Hate Baseball

2010-08-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

"Brawl" between the Reds and Cardinals.

Bad blood makes any sport great. Throw in a few old men cursing each other off, and it's pretty hard to mess something up. That being said, what the hell baseball? Bud Selig has such a monopoly on MLB's media (he doesn't let anything on youtube) that I can't get a decent breakdown of the Reds-Cardinals fight anywhere online. They were hi-lighting guys kicking each other on Sportscenter, but I can't catch another instant replay? Sometimes I like seeing a guy get cleated in the face, and it would have been nice to share that moment, but because of Bud Selig I can not. Bench clearing brawls should be shared with the masses, but baseball needs to take steps to improve their product. First of all, are they seriously kicking here? I didn't see a single punch but the second the guy's on his back he starts flailing like Michael Flatley. You don't kick. Unless it's the World Cup final. Then it's awesome. Secondly, everyone was standing around gawking. Watch a few old hockey fights and start throwing punches. Get your act together baseball. I'm going to the Padres game tomorrow and I'd like to see some action.

State of the Union: Arizona Cardinals

2010-08-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

Arizona's season is in this guys hands.

Good news for Cardinals fans though. You may have lost potential Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. You may have lost the explosive arial attack that came with lining up Anquan Boldin opposite Larry Fitzgerald. You still have Beanie Wells. When he went down with a potentially serious rib injury earlier this camp, the entire franchise held its breath. Despite the fact that Ken Wisenhunt insists that they will play the same system, this will certainly be a different offense than the Cardinals of late. There will be immense pressure on Beanie and Tim Hightower to carry the load but they may be up to the task as they have both been impressive. Officially, the two are supposed to split carries this year, but more likely than not Beanie will get the majority of the work load. Beanie has come into camp looking great after having a fully healthy offseason for the first time. If he can improve on his already solid 4.5 yards per carry, Leinart may not have to be a wizard for this offense to succeed.

Matt Leinart. I really have no idea where to start with him. Has anyone underwhelmed so much without being bad enough to be deemed a complete bust? The organization still has faith in him, but most of that has to come from the fact that he hasn't had to carry the load. Word from their camp is that he hasn't been great, but he hasn't been bad either. More of the same. This story plays out every summer with Matty and I don't expect the results to be much different (mediocrity sprinkled with failure). Unfortunately for the Cards, QB happens to be the most important position in the NFL, and if he fails the team fails. You can't win in the playoffs with a bad QB at the helm. Fortunately for him, he has an all-world receiver to throw to, and his running game is better than anything Warner ever had. If he can't succeed in this situation then it's time for him to hang up the pads. Or at least never be expected to start again. Either one works.

A defense that ranked 23rd against the pass and 17th against the run needs improvement, especially if they're going from a high flying passing offense to more of a grind it out game. To help out against the pass, the Cardinals have brought in safety, and former Jet, Kerry Rhodes. Some people in these parts don't care much for Kerry, but sometimes a change of scenery can rejuvenate a player. Getting out from the expectations of New York and having someone like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the secondary can help as well. Joey Porter is another familiar face that's found his way into the desert. They're hoping he'll get back to his 2008 form (17.5 sacks) and help put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. If he can do that, and Darnell Dockett can continue to look scary as hell/improve on the field, then this defense has the potential to be good enough to win in the playoffs.

This team finds itself as an underdog in the weak NFC West for the first time in several years. Reports indicate that they're relishing this role and looking to prove doubters wrong. If it weren't for Matt Leinart, I'd say the Cardinals have a shot. Arizona relied heavily on Kurt Warner, and Matt seems to be the only person in camp who hasn't stepped up. This is still the period where almost everything coming out of camp is positive yet there are still uncertainties about him. Maybe this is just adds to the "nobody believed in us factor," but Matty seems too steeped in booze and smoking broads to care. If we were timing keg stands I'd take him in a second, but as the starting quarterback for my team I'd rather look elsewhere.

State of the Union: San Francisco 49ers

2010-08-10T17:58:00.000-07:00

It seems as if the Niners have been poised for two seasons to finally take control of the weak NFC West, but each year they play near .500 football. Once again San Fran is buzzing with hope for another shot at the playoffs. This may be the year they return to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Head Coach Mike Singletary has built a roster of talented, yet disciplined players willing to play tough football. Their first round of the 2010 draft is a perfect example of this. They loaded up on offensive linemen grabbing Rutgers OT Anthony Davis and Idaho OG Mike Iupati, ensuring that Alex Smith will have sufficient time in the pocket this year. This is great news for WR Michael Crabtree and TE Vernon Davis, who are both sure to light up defenses this season. I'm a big Alex Smith fan so I absolutely believe that the Niners will have a great passing attack, but if he falters Frank Gore will carry this offense like he has done in the past. All in all I think the offense is ready to breakout this season, and I won't be surprised if they are top 5 by the end of the season.

The Niners' offense isn't the only thing that has potential to be great this season, as the defense is looking like a Mike Singletary defense should. Linebacker Patrick Willis has taken it upon himself to be a mentor for the young linebackers, especially Navarro Bowman, the dynamic rookie from Penn State. Bowman and 2nd round pick Taylor Mays will have every opportunity to earn playing time which should only inject this defense with youth, speed, and hard hits. Mays, a 6-3 235 lbs. strong safety, has scary potential. if he can be coached into a smarter player. Veterans Justin Smith, Nate Clements, and Takeo Spikes are ready to lead a defense that should be known for their brutal hits by the end of the season.

I'm pretty excited to watch Niners' games this season just because of Mike Singletary. I love a guy that doesn't bullshit and tells the media straight up that they will play football the way its meant to be played. He's kind of like a smaller, black Rex Ryan, except without the trash talk. If Alex Smith can rise to the challenge, maybe we will see the Niners' make a run in the playoffs like the Jets did this past year.

Kovy Back in Free Agency

2010-08-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

The arbitrator finally ruled that the NHL had the right to void Ilya Kovalchuk's contract. Sorry Devil fans. Not really, but you get what I mean. You know Lou isn't going to pony up the cash to give him an offer that doesn't completely work around the CBA. He'll probably give something similar to Hossa's deal, but I'd expect the Islanders or the Kings to match or exceed it. Honestly, if I were Ilya, I'd sign on somewhere else. This isn't because of geography. Unlike most people, I love Jersey, but once Marty's gone the Devils are in for a few rough years. The other two teams in the race are on the up and up. The Islanders have a young group that should be exciting to watch develop over the next couple of seasons and the Penguins have shown that you can go from bankrupt to league gem with the right faces. The Kings play in a potentially big market if they produce a winner, have made the playoffs, and are looking to take the next step. Whatever happens, the free agency circus is open again and, though it seems hypocritical, the NHL has gained some credibility by taking a stand on ridiculous long-term contracts. A line has been drawn. It may be a few 10 year deals too late, but at least it's been drawn.

Welcome to Revis Island

2010-08-09T18:02:00.001-07:00

Basically what Revis and the Jets are doing to their fans.

Jets owner Woody Johnson says that his gut feeling is that Darrelle Revis will not play this year. Remember when I said that the Jets will go 8-8? Scratch that. I'm thinking sub .500. This team now has all of the makings of a monumental collapse. All the hype, all the buildup, and ESPN predicting a division championship only to potentially lose their best player to his own ego. No owner would pay him what Al Davis paid Nnamdi Asomugha, especially after bringing in Cromartie and taking cornerback Kyle Wilson in the first round. I almost forgot why it's fun to hate on the Jets. It's not just busting Drisk's balls or the fact that they always fail, but the way they imagine the most creative ways to crush their fan base. It's like watching a car wreck every season, only everybody in the car knows the crash is coming and yells, "screw it. I'm going anyway." All you can do is laugh. Do I think Sexy Rexy can put this team back together? No. Do I think they'll make the playoffs? Not a chance. If I'm wrong I'll eat my words, but good luck this season Jet fans and remember to stay away from sharp objects.

Tiger!

2010-08-09T10:10:00.000-07:00

Wow. 18 over? Is that a joke? This is what you get for claiming you're a sex addict when you're just a baller. Denying his love for hoes has put him in a mental funk. News flash Tiger: you're single now. Your ex cleaned you out for about half a billion dollars. How many times could you possibly get caught again? Get after it, get your head together, and sink some putts. When you start winning the people will forgive you. That's how America works.

Seriously TO?

2010-08-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

According to Terrell Owens, it wasn't his fault that he parted with Dallas and he should still be on their sideline. I've been a long time TO apologist. I over look the drops and drama because I think the guy was one of the best in the league. San Francisco and Philly both dropped off after he left even though they often held him responsible for chemistry issues and on field failures, so it wasn't like he was making teams worse. That being said, this time he needs to shut his mouth. After a year of football exile in Buffalo, you would have thought that he'd learn to be grateful when a playoff team brings him in. You would have thought that he'd at least try to say the right things and be appreciative that a team would take him and his reality show act. But no, he has to make it seem as though he's already unhappy to be there and that he should be in another camp. I don't know if the Bengals can handle this sort of behavior. They don't put up with selfish players. There are certainly going to be some consequences unless he catches 2 for 18 yards in a preseason game. You can't part ways with that kind of a stud.

State of the Union: Seattle Seahawks

2010-08-08T05:48:00.000-07:00

When's the last time something went right for Seattle? Was it Nirvana getting big and making it a music scene? It had to be. They seem to constantly be getting screwed over. The Supersonics hadn't won anything since 1979 before their fans went through the heartbreak of losing them, and now it's official that the Seahawks were jobbed in Super Bowl XL. It was a fact that was painfully obvious to Seattle faithful, but to bring the point out again while they can only hope for mediocrity only twists the knife further.

Even though this should be a building year, there is hope for the future in Seattle. They drafted Earl Thomas who should help a secondary that was ranked 30th in the league against the pass. Aaron Curry, the stud linebacker out of Wake Forest two years ago, was mostly injured last year (in fact it's hard not to find a player on this defense that wasn't hurt at some point). He has a concussion right now, so he isn't participating in camp, but with 1st string help around him and a revamped scheme he has the chance to bounce back and be the star he should be. He and Lofa Tatupu can make this linebacking unit scary (along with Leroy Hill who's frightening in general. Leroy!).

Pete Carroll looks to surprise in his return to the NFL, but I doubt it. It's one thing to run a pro-style offense when your talent is better than everyone else's, it's quite another to do it when everyone's on even footing. I could have gone to USC, called plays Madden-style, and still probably come away with a 7 win season. He seems to be banking his quarterbacking future on Charlie Whitehurst, but so far he hasn't been anything special in camp. He's making a more mobile offense for a guy who's old and coming off a slew of injuries. Sounds like a great idea. Sign me up for the Seattle Bandwagon.

Offensively it's hard not to weep. When Julius Jones (who I never thought was very good) is your starting back and he was worried that Lendale White would take his spot. That can't be a good sign. That's no slight to White. I love a fat running back. The fact is that if someone is already off the roster, trying to catch on in Denver due to a strange string of injuries, he shouldn't have ever been mentioned as a potential starter. At QB, the report is that Hasslebeck is looking healthy and mobile in the new offense that requires him to run outside the pocket more often. They say Whitehurst isn't challenging him for the starting role and Matt looks great heading into the season. Maybe with Russell Okung coming in to protect his left side he'll have some help and Golden Tate will look good as a rookie, but as a whole I'm not buying this. Doesn't this happen every year? Older QB looks good in offseason after injury, team gets excited, fans start to believe, then week 2 he's rolling around on the turf like the weird kid in the sandbox. Don't get your hopes up 'Hawks fans. You always get screwed. That's your place in the world.

Update: Justin Forsett is set to get the majority of first team carries at running back. Whether he'll fit well in this system is anybody's guess, but together with Leon Washington they should make a decent tandem. Improvement on Julius Jones, but not exactly dominant. Remember again Seahawks fans: low expectations.

State of the Union: St. Louis Rams

2010-08-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

You don't have to be Nostradamus to predict that the Rams are going to be terrible this year. Their number one wide receiver, Keenan Burton apparently, has 425 receiving yards over his first two seasons. I don't know how Sam Bradford couldn't succeed with a weapon like that on his side. Throw in Donnie Avery and Bradford should be in the Pro Bowl. Too many threats to not be good. In all seriousness though, I think Sammy's gonna be awful. First of all, he played QB at Oklahoma. This isn't my Texas bias, this is the fact that their QBs don't do well in the NFL. It's a fact. Had Troy Aikman stayed there instead of transferring to UCLA chances are he would have been bad too. I also don't like it when guys come out after their junior year. The Jets could hide Sanchez with their running game, but that won't be the case here. For QBs I prefer a guy who gets the full four years and as much experience as possible like Matt Ryan had. You can point to Leinart, but overall I think that extra year can show what a guy's really made of, especially after playing for a stacked team. The year they played Florida for the National Championship he could sit back in the shotgun, crack a beer, and wait until one of his stud receivers got open. Last year he finally got hit and was broken. Do you really think he'll have more time in St. Louis? I'll admit the kid throws a pretty ball but I don't think he'll be able to while he's running for his life. They brought in a new center, Jason Brown who played with Baltimore, but other than that the line is the same one that looked pretty bad last year. Even if Sam doesn't get hurt, this year will be a struggle to say the least.

The Rams have some potential on D but not much. They're returning last year's entire unit, and for a team that went 1-15, was ranked 27th against the pass and 25th against the run, that isn't a good thing. I only say they have some hope because James Laurinaitis is a beast and should feel more comfortable in his second year. I also think Chris Long could still be a good defensive end. The guy works hard but he hasn't gotten the results yet. It isn't a JaMarcus situation where he's just lazy. Hopefully for the Rams, Steve Spagnuolo will help him develop like he helped Osi and Justin Tuck in NY.

Steven Jackson is the only saving grace for Rams fans. The guy's a beast (ignore the crappy music), and even though he got cracked in that video he popped up like a monster. In this more open offense it'll be great to see him in the open field getting some room. If they're going to win any games this year (they play the Lions so they have a chance) it'll probably be because he carries them. I pity Rams fans, but at least they can watch him.

Texans Sign Johnson Through 2016

2010-08-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

Texans extend Andre Johnson's contract.

Don't get me wrong. I love Andre Johnson. I write his name on all my boxers just so I can pretend I'm him when I wake up every morning. The guy should be paid. That being said, this whole dispute was a load of crap. He was under contract until 2014 and he had signed it in 2007, so why was there ever an issue? The guy was upset about not being paid enough now, but that's what happens when you sign a deal with a massive bonus. You can't make it rain every night then bitch about not having cash in the morning. Even Pacman was financially savvy enough to recollect his cash. If Andre complains again in two years there will be issues.

Say It Ain't So, Lance

2010-08-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if I should be furious or deeply depressed right now. Stemming from disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis' accusations, federal prosecutors are questioning other cyclists about Lance Armstrong possibly using performance enhancing drugs. The 7 time Tour-de-France winner has denied using performance enhancers, but then again so did Floyd Landis.

What really pisses me off about this is that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is offering "sweetheart deals" to any riders who come forward about Lance using performance enhancers. Pardon my french, but the the USADA can go f themselves. Its one thing if he got caught with a drug test, but those sonofabitches have turned this thing into a god damned witch hunt. I mean the guy has accomplished so much with 1 testicle. Most of us bi-testicle folk won't even come close to what Lance has done, and now its our own government going after him. What happened to being loyal patriots? Sure, he probably used here and there, but he's raised millions of dollars for cancer all while actually being respected as an American athlete by Europeans (no small feat). Lance, I'm praying its all Landis' bs. I really am.

State of the Union: Kansas City Chiefs

2010-08-05T11:23:00.001-07:00

After an embarrassing finish to his run as Notre Dame head coach, Charlie Weis has returned to the NFL, as the Chief's offensive coordinator. With him running an offense rich in talent, the Chiefs could definitely have a big improvement from last year's 4-12 record. Quarterback Matt Cassell will have to prove that his successful season in New England wasn't just a fluke, and Pioli has given him the tools to do so. Dynamic runningback Jamaal Charles and vet Thomas Jones should power a quality run game. Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers are reportedly having outstanding camps, while rookie scatback Dexter McCluster and rookie tightend Tony Moeaki will provide Cassell with additional playmakers. If he stumbles, I wouldn't be surprised if Brodie Croyle (go 'Bama!) is given another shot since the rumor in Kansas City is that he has looked brilliant in camp thus far. Even the offensive line, recently a concern for Chiefs fans, has apparently impressed, with 2nd year pro Branden Albert showing a big improvement from last year. This Chiefs offense could actually do some damage, but unfortunately the defense may have another brutal year.

Pioli seemed to forget about his front 7 this off season adding no players to one of the worst run defenses in the league last year. New defensive coordinator Romeo Crennell should help, but he isn't working with much. Former top 5 picks Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson will have to step up their play in order to provide stability to a defensive line that lacks a starting nose tackle. The linebacking corps isn't much better, as they will rely on Tamba Hali and Mike Vrabel to generate a pass rush. Basically, opposing quarterbacks will have all the time in the world to pick apart a subpar defensive backfield. Corner Brandon Flowers, safety Kendrick Lewis, and rookie safety Eric Berry have apparently looked good in camp so far, but aside from those 3 the Chiefs secondary has looked as if they do not belong in the NFL. Rookie corner Javier Arenas (Alabama) was initially touted as a great pick, but he looks lost in camp. Brandon Carr (most likely the the no. 2 corner) has disappointed the coaching staff as well. If the Chiefs want to have success this season the defense will have to be able to get off the field and as of now it doesn't look like that will happen aside from the opposition waltzing into the endzone.

Second year coach Todd Haley has a lot of talent and a smart coaching staff around him, but I think the Chiefs need another off season (addressing the defense) in order to be a contender. Then again the AFC West looks to be wide open this year so anything could happen.

Shaq to Boston

2010-08-05T04:10:00.000-07:00

Celts sign Shaq.

He's been playing more like Christopher Reeve than Superman, but this is still a good signing by the C's. With Sheed gone, they needed someone to step in and and improve their inside game. He should come off the bench but I doubt that'll happen. He's a surefire Hall of Famer that'll want his minutes. Bringing Kazaam in gives them a shot to beat Miami because they lack a solid big man, but maybe I've been spending too much time around Celtics fans.

(On a side note, how awesome was Kazaam? And Steel? When is he gonna realize that he's too old to ball and needs to get back up on the big screen? I'll be at the midnight showing of his next flick. I promise you that.)

Screw Favre

2010-08-04T05:54:00.001-07:00

I come on here to post that I think he's calling it quits for real this time, but before I know what's going on the Vikings are offering him more money. I don't know why I was so surprised by this. Of course they were going to try and sweeten the deal, and it's very possible that he'll stay away for good, but all of the sudden I have the feeling that he's coming back for fat bills. I couldn't imagine anybody waiting until camp opens to retire and then immediately coming back, but then again, earlier this summer I couldn't imagine anyone calling a press conference to take a massive crap all over their home town team. If this is the start of a new trend I'm done. Please Brett. Stay away. Unless you come back to throw a soul crushing interception in the clutch that makes a fan base wonder why they ever liked you. Then I'm all for it.

Modano to Finish Career in Hockeytown, USA

2010-08-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

Newest Red Wing

Michigan-born Mike Modano has signed a one year, 1.25 mil deal with the Detroit Red Wings. He will wear no. 90 as his usual no. 9 belongs to Gordie Howe. As a Wings fan I couldn't be more excited about this. He's the most prolific American scorer in NHL history and just a stand up guy. You're not an American if you don't like Mike Modano. Whenever Modano gets a point, I'm slugging a bud heavy. Hopefully that will be at least 50 throughout the season and another 10 in the playoffs on the way to lifting his second cup.

Head Coach Mike Babcock has said that Modano will center Jiri Hudler and Danny Cleary on the third line and be on the second powerplay. That third line should be good for at least 60 goals, giving the Wings the offensive depth that they did not have last year. He fits in perfectly with the puck-possession style the Wings run and should provide valuable leadership come playoff time. The Wings have had great success bringing in veterans for one last season (Igor Larionov in '03 & Dallas Drake in '08) so it wouldn't surprise me to see Lidstrom pass Modano the cup next June. Welcome to Hockeytown, Mike.

State of the Union: San Diego Chargers

2010-08-03T11:31:00.001-07:00

After starting the offseason strong, Chargers' general manager A.J. Smith lost his way and now looks like he has no idea what he's doing. Superstar receiver Vincent Jackson, pro bowl offensive tackle Marcus McNeill, and rush linebacker Shawn Merriman (expected to return soon) have not reported to camp and are threatening to hold out for 2010 season. What has Smith done about this? Absolutely nothing. The guy has some balls. Head Coach Norv Turner is blissfully ignorant to how much of an impact Jackson and McNeill make to the offense claiming that this team is the best one he's had since arriving in San Diego. I wonder if he'll still feel that way when Brandyn Dombroski, a practice squad player last year, takes McNeill's job protecting quarterback Philip Rivers' blindside. Rivers, the notorious whiner, has actually been taking the holdouts quite well despite the fact that the unproven Legedu Naanee will replace Jackson, his favorite target. While the Chargers' passing game seems to be in trouble, the run game should be able to carry the offense. Following LT's departure to the Jets, the Bolts drafted Fresno State running back Ryan Matthews 12th overall to pair with the 5-6 Darren Sproles. It may turn out to be one of the best picks in the draft.

The defense will also see some new faces, but word around camp is that the players' actually have faith in the d this season. Hog Jamal Williams has jumped ship to the rival Broncos leaving Cam Thomas, the 6'3'' 335 lbs 5th rounder, to take his spot at nose tackle. Another pick that could end up being a steal of the draft. And that's not the only rookie they're trusting with a starting job. Darrell Stuckey, 4th rounder out of Kansas, has all but secured himself the starting strong safety spot adding to the youth movement the Bolts' secondary has going. Antoine Cason will most likely take Cromartie's no. 2 corner spot even though he was benched last season as the nickle back. I wonder how that's going to work out.

The big story for the Chargers this season will be the holdouts of Jackson and McNeill. I'm just curious to see if Smith will get smart and offer them more than the 600k they would earn this year if they signed now. Personally I think it'll be funny to see Rivers on his ass every game.

State of the Union: Oakland Raiders

2010-08-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Al Davis is dead. There hasn't been a major press release claiming it, but he is most certainly dead. Everything the Raiders have been doing recently has made far too much sense for him to have anything to do with the organization anymore. I don't know if they're going with the Weekend at Bernie's approach or some type of Prestige-esque body double, but they're definitely trying to boost this generation's opinion of the man so when he is gone they can sell his memory for more profit. If he wasn't gone, why would they draft Rolando McClain and have him signed before camp? He didn't run the fastest 40 at the combine but he'll help improve their terrible run defense (29th in the league last year). Overall, this unit was ranked 26th in the league in total defense, but their pass D was surprisingly good. I'm unsure as to whether it was because teams often did not have to pass because they were so terrible, or that their secondary is that talented. Nobody can throw the ball on Nnamdi Asomugha, and if second year starters DT Desmond Bryant (Harvard boy = low expectations for me) and DE Matt Shaughenessy can improve, this team will be solid. Then again, everybody is saying they'll surprise and Tom Cable is still their coach so they'll probably wind up 6-10 (still an improvement on 5-11. Baby steps).

The biggest difference is the lack of JaWalrus Russell. I'm struggling to think of a single player who screwed over his team so badly but coming up blank. Maybe Jim Jones. To hijack Parker from Seattle's statistical analysis, JaMarcus was sacked at twice the rate that the Polish Cannon and Charlie Frye were sacked at, and running backs averaged a full yard per carry less. He lead an offense that, on the season, scored fewer touchdowns than Adrian Peterson and half as many as Drew Brees. They could have had a promotional "buy a beer get a snap" day and gotten better results. At least those guys wouldn't figure out how to overthrow Darrius Heyward-Bey (Who you can't really blame for being terrible last year. The guy is an unpolished receiver with bad hands forced into the one slot. Of course he's gonna suck). Just by taking the Walrus out, the team becomes instantly better on offense, which should help their defense get some rest, which then translates to a better record. As far as their backfield goes, I hope Michael Bush gets more carries than Darren McFadden. I've liked the guy since his days in Louisville and I think he's the better every down back. They should both be better than last year with Campbell running the show (you know you're terrible when Jason Campbell looks like a stud. If Gradkowski could look like a Pro Bowler to Oakland fans then he should be fine).

Sebastian Janikowski is the man. If I were a Raider fan I'd have his jersey.

Brashear was still a Ranger?

2010-08-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

Brashear traded.

I didn't even know that Brashear was still on the team let alone that there were 3 other black guys in the show. Is this some kind of marketing plan to sell tickets in Atlanta? I don't get it. I love the Buff but why would they pick up Brashear? His career basically ended before last season began. I think it had to add to the Evander Kane, Dustin Byfuglien, Johnny Oduya, and Akim Aliu (who's in the minors) racial force that's building in Atlanta. Getting rid of Todd White was blatantly an attempt to get rid of the image of honkey only hockey, and the Thrashers are definitely pioneering the future of the NHL. They aren't fooling anyone. This is the only real sport we have left but it looks like our days are numbered. Pray for NASCAR.

Chicago's Goalie Shuffle

2010-08-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

Out with the new, in with the old dude? Less than 2 months after 26 year old Finnish goaltender Antti Niemi helped Chicago win the Stanley Cup, the Blackhawks have announced that they will not sign Niemi to the 1 year, 2.75 mil contract he was awarded in arbitration. Instead, they signed 35 year old, ex-Dallas Star Marty Turco to 1 year, 1.3 mil deal.

In your face Chicago. Successful teams (i.e. the Detriot Red Wings) don't mortage their future for a one year push at the Cup. Ridiculous signings (Campbell, Hossa, Huet) are going to prevent the Hawks from acquiring the talent to fill out their roster, which will undoubtly hurt them when it comes playoff time (if they make it), where team depth is crucial. Sure, you've got a great captain in Jonathan Toews and an electric scorer in Patrick Kane, but hockey is a team sport. I wonder if the fickle Chicago fans will enjoy watching their beloved Hawks roll out there with a roster half full of minor leaguers.

My prediction is that Niemi signs in Florida with General Manager Dave Tallon, the former Hawks GM (one of the culprits behind the Hawks' salary cap hell) who found him in the Finnish league.

P.S. Who else is down to get a baby blue Antti Niemi Pelicans jersey with me?

State of the Union: Denver Broncos

2010-08-02T04:20:00.000-07:00

The Broncos are flirting with disaster and I don't even think they realize it. You don't mess with Kyle Orton. The guy's an animal who's given back to the respective neck beard and alcohol dependant communities a thousand times over. After passing for 3,808 yards and outshining Jay Cutler last year, the Broncos do him the disservice of bringing in the hairless Brady Quinn and drafting Tim Tebow. Tebow is the anti-Orton, and seeing as how Orton was born to win regular season games in the NFL against inferior competition, Tebow is destined to fail. The guy hasn't even climbed to 2nd on the depth chart but he's already got a goofy looking shoe line and he'll certainly throw off the good vibrations vibe that Orton definitely has going in that locker room. The only reason Orton ever went to church was to get his hands on the communion wine. Throw in the fact that nobody can sit a first round pick at the end of the bench and expect not to get slammed when the team underperforms (which is very possible because after opening with Jacksonville and Seattle they've got 4 straight against playoff teams before playing a much improved Oakland. A 2-5 start isn't out of the question) and this only increases the pressure of Brandon Marshall leaving. With Marshall out of the picture, here's to Eddie Royal bouncing back. He showed explosiveness and promise in his first year, and with Jabar Gaffney being the leading receiver from last year's corps, he should get more balls his way unless Gaffney and McDaniels have lingering feelings from New England. Then all bets are off. Stay tuned. Jersey boy Knowshon Moreno should get more touches this year (assuming that he can bounce back from the first day, possibly serious, hamstring injury) with Marshall gone, but how well will he handle it? Backs aren't asked too much in McDaniels' system, but he'll have to play a bigger part for them to succeed and run for more than 3.8 yards per carry in comparison to Buckhalter's 5.4. If he falters, an aging Buckhalter is still a serviceable back but only problem is he's 32. At that age for a halfback he's basically riding a scooter and babbling about hard candy.

Putting their disgraceful treatment of Kyle (who may have become my favorite QB since google image searching him) aside, the Broncos have several other red flags going forward. Will this defense have another top 10 season or revert back to their performance from the year before? Teams have seen Don Martindale's schemes now so there aren't any more surprises and, while there are only 3 remaining starters from their 2008 starting D, their reliance on older veterans may come back to burn them. They're only Band-Aids for a year before they have to find someone new and that doesn't allow for continuity. That's pretty much how the Patriots roll, so you shouldn't be surprised to see it here, but no one is terrified of the Patriots D. They're good and all, but if I was about to take a handoff I wouldn't be worried about getting shanked Ray Lewis style. I don't see many shankers in Denver's lineup. Maybe I'm missing something. Their revamped D-line should be ok and Jamal Williams seems like a good fit at nose tackle to stop up their 26th ranked run defense, but it's unclear whether he'll bounce back or not after being hurt all last year. Part of their improvement can also be attributed to bringing in a new secondary before training camp last year, but they've all been in the league for quite some time now. Dawkins coming in and churning out 95 solo tackles was big, but he's on the back 9 of his career and it'll be a surprise if he can do something like that again. Philly tends to release guys a year or two before they're complete garbage rather than a year or two after. The only question with him is does he break down this year or next? I'm also surprised that Champ Bailey is, in fact, still alive. Good for him.

The most troubling thing for Denver fans might be the track record of the Belichek coaching tree. Jets fans loved Mangini until he became a loudmouthed Belichick wannabe who had to rely on a soft schedule to win games. At least the Mangenius got a whole season under his belt before the love started to fade. McDaniels was hot off the bat but his team proved, once and for all, that it is hard to play football when you've got your hands around your neck. For me, it all depends on the Tebow deal. If he benches Orton for Tebow I will never forgive him. Ever.

NFL State of the Union Previews

2010-08-02T04:02:00.000-07:00

It's finally here. Since I haven't been in the U.S, I haven't felt the impact of every Sportscenter dragging out every possible connection to LeBron for information. I haven't heard what John Deere's CEO had to say about whether Favre is coming back or not, but believe you me, I know the strain. Finally, the NFL kicks into action and real sports can take center stage again. That's not a slight to baseball (I'm certainly pro-anything that gets you into a bar for three hours at noon on a Tuesday), or the World Cup (the English are overrated boozers but the games were great), but it's nice to get back to good ol' American football and the fall routine of NCAA Saturdays and NFL Sundays. To celebrate, we'll be posting a new team daily with a general summary of how they're looking heading into the 2010 season. At the end of it all we'll give a few predictions (playoff picks, Super Bowl, the number of reported suicides among Jets fans when people realize they're gonna end up 8-8 after all this hype, etc.) and then settle in to another year of sports. We hope you enjoy it, but if you don't, you can go to hell and choose not to read. Cheers.

New Jersey native named Kovalchuk arbitrator

2010-08-01T19:08:00.001-07:00

Report: Richard Bloch named Kovalchuk arbitrator

So let me get this straight. Ilya Kovalchuk's fate is in the hands of an old lawyer from Jersey. I'm not a Devils fan, but this guy better not deny me the chance to see Kovy in person until I'm at least 30. Who cares if he'll probably go to Russia after 11, let the guy have his the 17 year, 102 million dollar contract. He actually pretended to be excited about playing in Newark even though he could be living in LA, playing on a line with Anze Kopitar. I guess those commie bastards just love wearing red.

Bettman Playing Favorites... Again

2010-08-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

For my debut post on the eve of Amateur Hour Sports' first annual NFL preview, I decided to go in a different direction, with a subject that hockey fans are quite familiar with. That is the pure, unadulterated hatred for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. For those of you who are unaware of Mr. Bettman's resume, he is the gentleman famous for stealing the Jets from Winnipeg just so they could fail in Phoenix and proclaiming the Penguins as the NHL's "model franchise," a few years after they declared bankruptcy and almost moved out of Pittsburgh. The list of his blunders could go on for pages, but his most recent gaffe involves him showing a clear favoritism towards "golden boy" Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins... again.

Aside from the Stanley Cup finals, the Winter Classic is the NHL's most important event, drawing in a large national audience, eager to watch teams compete at legendary outdoor venues (Wrigley in '09 and Fenway in '10). Four years after the Penguins and Buffalo Sabres played at Ralph Wilson Stadium in the first Winter Classic, Alexander Ovechkin's Washington Capitals will travel to Pittsburgh's Heinz Field to face Crosby and Russian superstar Evgeni Malkin on January 1st, 2011. While there are 24 other NHL teams yearning to take part in this historic event, Gary Bettman chose his beloved Penguins to host, essentially shoving them down the throats of hockey fans. I'm not going to sit here and deny the fact that the Pens are an exciting team to watch, but I would think that the NHL would want to spread some love to other teams that could use national exposure. The Pens and Caps already have dedicated fan bases, yet almost half the league is in dire need of more support. For example, casual fans already familiar with these two teams could be introduced to the Phoenix Coyotes' electrifying star Wojtek Wolski, thus potentially creating more support for the 'Yotes. Bettman's obsession with the Penguins will inevitably turn the public against them, much like most NFL fans resent the Cowboys after they called themselves "America's Team."

So far two of the three Winter Classics have been East Conference teams so I think its time to let the West have their turn. What hockey fan wouldn't want to see the Battle of Alberta (Edmonton vs. Calgary) or watch the Dallas Stars travel back to Minnesota to face the Wild? The NHL has been in a tough position ever since the lockout, and one of the ways to spread its popularity is by creating dedicated fan bases for all 30 teams. By doing so, every game will draw an excited audience, not just the games between the so-called powerhouse teams. The NHL cannot succeed with 10 popular teams and 20 others struggling. Mr. Bettman, it's time to get off the Pens' bandwagon and start working for the good of the league.

Take Care Ozzy

2010-07-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

A little music to set the mood:

It's official: Roy Oswalt is no longer a Houston Astro. The guy has earned a chance at a championship and, let's face it, that isn't gonna happen in Houston. I hope he gets the chance to pitch for a ring but I'm gonna miss him. The guy always brought it, he pitched the first game I ever saw at Minute Maid Park and, on top of that, his neck is as red as they come. If you dislike Roy you're basically saying you wanna piss on the American flag and let the terrorists run the country. Pennsylvania, he may be from Mississippi, but he's a man after your hearts and you can take it to the bank that he'll be at the front lines when hunting season opens up. Cheers Roy, good luck, and I hope you know that when I get back to the States I'll toss on a John Deere hat, shotgun a Bud heavy, and grab a tin of Grizzly in your honor.

Frolov to the Rangers

2010-07-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

Now, for the grand opening of Amateur Hour, we were gonna kick this off right and have it coincide with the start of NFL training camp. Alexander Frolov signing for one year, $3 million, changed my plans. Since I'm stoked, and this is supposed to be a hockey blog anyway, I decided a little NHL in July never hurt anyone.

I love this signing. Frolov takes the spot that Jokinen left and gives the Rangers a 20 goal scorer they desperately needed because there's almost no way Gaborik is going to play 76 games again this year. The honeymoon was great and all, but at some point he'll be gliding to the bench grimacing and our entire offense will go with him for 25 games. Frolov will take some pressure off Gaby by playing on the opposite side, and a power play with him, Gaborik and Prospal will be nothing to shake a stick at. With Biron coming in to give Henrik a few days off, suddenly this team looks decent even though I dismissed them as hopelessly crappy a few weeks ago when they signed Boogaard. In all the hoopla over his ridiculous contract everyone, myself included, forgot that the dude can flat out fight. The Anaheim guy that seemed to crumple to the ground for no apparent reason? Broken cheek bone. That's a heavy paw. Boogaard, as much as I hate his contract, provides toughness that Brashear was supposed to bring until he became a vegan and forgot how to tie his skates. The first time he gives someone a concussion or puts a guy through the glass the Garden's gonna go nuts and fans will love him. Frolov, however, fits this entire team together. He gives them offense that isn't developing up in Hartford, opens things up for Dubinsky and Callahan, and keeps fans from increasing the pressure on Drury to be the goal scorer that he is not. He has the chance to be a clutch scorer that Jokinen never was. If nothing else, he makes them interesting and if Wade Redden gets caught selling blow to Canadian high schoolers I'll be able book my playoff tickets early.