Big East Expansion?

The rumor is that the Big East is looking to expand, and that it has its' sights on TCU. Laugh at first... then read this column from the Fort Worth, TX paper, The Star- Telegram which gives good reasons why it could work. I am all for it, especially if Villanova comes up to FBS and this forces Notre Dame to either join or leave the conference in everything. Not only would that bring our numbers to at least 10 schools, but we would get exposure in the Texas market, a perennial national contender that isn't WVU, and TCU would get the automatic bid it needs. I'll take a beatdown from TCU each season, or the chance to upset them, if it means the Big East survives.

NFL Week 3 Predictions

Well, I went 10-6 last week. Let's see how well I can do in Week 3.

- Tennessee got stuffed last week by Pittsburgh, and Vince Young was benched at the end of the game. I don't think they will have to rely on VY this week, since the Colts' questionable running game looked great last week against the GMen. Chris Johnson goes wild and the Titans win, 21-14.

- I am the driver of the Tampa Bay bandwagon, but Pittsburgh's defense is so good. It is going to kill me to say this, especially without a solid QB in the Steel City... so I won't! Bucs take it 10-9, Mike Williams has another TD (the game's only one).

- Carolina is bad, and Jimmy Clausen comes to a team with 1 WR and no commitment to their better-than-average running game. The Bengals make it 2 straight, 24-10.

- Baltimore finally gets its home opener in Week 3. Flacco has killed me in fantasy. The Browns are awful, so I hope this is his bounce-back game. Give me the Ravens 35-7.

- The way they have played, there is no chance that the Texans lose. But I am not always convinced God loves me, and the Cowboys being 0-3 is too good to be true. Dallas finds its offense and wins in a shootout, 31-28.

- If San Francisco loses, they will be in great danger of being left out... wait... everyone in the NFC West has at least one loss? Oh... Well then... KC is at home and has looked good, but I am not completely convinced. Give me the Niners, 17-14.

- Minnesota needs this win. Detroit does too. Minnesota needs it more. 20-17 Vikings.

- Buffalo plays the AFC East tough, but Ryan Fitzpatrick is coming in on the road, and the Patriots have to be mad with how they played against the Jets. 28-13 New England.

- The Saints are fantastic, and playing at home again. Not even voodoo can help the Falcons. 27-17 New Orleans.

- My Skins go on the road for the first time to the Rams. The secondary let up 497 passing yards last week to Matt Schaub. Sam Bradford isn't Schaub yet, and Kareem Moore is coming back from inury to solve the free safety spot. Skins win in a game that is closer than it should be, 28-21.

- Mike Vick is going to play well, and the Eagles will have even more controversy with growing Kolb trade rumors. Eagles beat the Jags 20-10.

- Oakland looks better with Big Bruce at the helm. The Cardinals don't look good at all, outside of Tim Hightower. The calls for rookie Max Hall will be a lot louder after the Black Hole descends upon Phoenix. Raiders 17-7.

- San Diego looked better last week. Ryan Matthews is injured, but Tobert looked damn good. Still don't believe in Seattle. Chargers ride Rivers' arm to a 2 touchdown win, 28-14.

- Denver has no running game, and Champ Bailey is injured. Colts win big, 38-10.

- I am also driving the Dolphins band wagon. I think they can come up with a big win on Sunday night. Braylon is a distraction for the Jets, and Revis isn't playing Brandon Marshall will have his first big game as a Fin, and Miami wins in primetime, 20-14.

- Monday Night Football feature the oldest rivalry in the NFL, Packers at Bears. I simply do not think the Bears can keep this up. Cutler needs to have one of his Mr. Hyde games soon, and I have the Packers winning this division. Let's go with Green Bay in another shootout between the 2 QBs, 31-28.

Best of luck to your teams... unless you like the Rams...

NFL Week 1 Thoughts, Week 2 Predictions

First, we take a look back at the week that was in the NFL:

- Concussions are scary, and the Eagles should be fined a huge amount for letting their players go back onto the field with them. It looks like neither player will be able to go on Sunday, meaning Kevin Kolb loses his starting job to Mike Vick for the time being. Bigger concern for the Eagles, the trouble with the NFL or the trouble with a QB controversy?

- The Colts... lost... to the Texans... by a lot... I mean, Arian Foster ran all over them. Matt Schaub only completed 9 passes (which, for someone who has Andre Johnson in two fantasy leagues, meant an instant loss). The Colts need to bounce back Sunday night against the Giants, especially in the run defense (not that I want them to, since I have Ahmad Bradshaw in all 3 leagues...)

- The 49ers, Raiders, Browns and Bengals came out very very small.

- The Saints, Ravens, Chiefs and Packers came out big.

- Calvin Johnson, just tuck the ball in. There would have been no controversy if you had just brought the ball to your body and kept it there. The refs made the right call going off of the bad rule, but they shouldn't have had the chance to make it. Just bring the ball into your body and hold onto it. Establish control beyond a shadow of a doubt.

- The Jets got beat. And I mean like a government mule. The score didn't reflect it, but the Ravens brought the pain. Jets need to bounce back on offense and in discipline.

- Oh, and the REDSKINS BEAT DALLAS!


PREDICTIONS FOR WEEK 2

Trying out a new thing. I am going to guess the winner and score of each game this week, and see how I do. If I do well, I might continue.

- The Steelers won a close one against Atlanta. Dixon didn't look terrible. But Chris Johnson just finds a way to get to the end zone week after week. It will be another close one. Give me the Titans, 17-13.

- The Vikings head home after a mini-bye week, and the Dolphins are the victim of some Norse anger. Favre will look less like and old man and more like a QB. 21-14 Vikings.

- Arizona goes to Atlanta. West teams traveling to the East always seems to be a problem. That, and Derek Anderson didn't look great, even if he did get the job done. Matty Ice looked worse, but is due for a bounceback performance. Not a pretty game, but 16-10 Falcons.

- I think the Ravens are winning the AFC North, and probably going to the Super Bowl. So they can't lose the the Bengals. The Ravens' offense looks a little better and the Bengals defense doesn't. 24-14 B-More.

- Cleveland is terrible. Kansas City 28-6.

- The Cowboys need to win. The Bears stole one. Dallas 20-17

- Mike Vick gets his first win as a starter since he was a Falcon. Eagles beat a game Detroit team, 17-16.

- If Buffalo wins, someone in Green Bay will get fired. Packers 31-7.

- Matt Moore looks like he is going to play, but we don't know how effective he will be. Tampa won last week against Cleveland. I will pick my boy Mike Williams to have his first multi-touchdown game. 21-13 Bucs.

- Seattle won big at home. Denver got embarrassed on the road. I still don't buy the Seahawks, but the Broncos look lost. 10-7 Seattle.

- I picked Oakland to contend for the playoffs. They have to beat the Rams. 24-14 Raiders.

- I would love to see the Redskins finish off the Texas 2-Step 2-0, but the Texans looked too good last week. Another big day for Foster, and hopefully Andre Johnson as well. 28-17 Houston.

- The Jets have no offense. The Patriots do. 20-9 New England.

- San Diego was embarrassed by the Chiefs in the opener. This game won't be played in the rain. Chargers take the Jags, 24-13.

- I think the Manning Bowl will be a shootout. Actually, I really hope it is. Give me the Colts 35-28.

- When I made my win/loss predictions before the season, I had the Saints losing to San Fran. After last week, there is no way that can still happen unless the Saints beat themselves. Brees and the boys continue their party, 28-14.

Enjoy the games.

NHL Art

Just a quick post, stealing something from Yahoo! Sports. A fun look at some of the best goalie masks in the NHL (the season is starting in a month! GO CAPS!) Enjoy them all here.

Redskins: 1-0

After my 17th heart attack of the game, the Redskins pulled one out, 13-7, over the hated Cowboys. True, it was really the Cowboys beating themselves, but we have the win in the record books. I am very happy, even if we didn't play our best. Helps me overlook Syracuse's piss-poor performance and the Nats' 5 game losing streak. HAIL!

More later on my NFL and NCAA thoughts of the weekend.

NFL Labor Talks

I do not understand the CBA in the NFL, but Yahoo! Sports does. Here is an excellent article explaining it all. Enjoy!

NCAA Part II

-It is appropriate that my blog's colors are Blue, Orange and White. I chose those because of my Alma Mater, Syracuse University (1-0, by the way). However, tonight they are dedicated to the Boise State Broncos, who traveled across the country, to a "neutral site" with 80,000 opposing fans and beat the Virginia Tech Hokies 33-30. It was a great game. Boise took a 17-0 lead, only to watch that evaporate. However, trailing 30-26 with 2 minutes left, Kellen Moore (HEISMAN!) led his team downfield and tore out the Hokies' heart. It was beautiful football. Not just because I hate the ACC, but because no East Coast team has the stones to go to Boise and play the Broncs on the smurf turf. Count me in as a guy that wants to see Boise in the BCS Championship game.

- The Tulsa-ECU game was an instant classic. Love Hail Mary finishes.

- Forgot to mention this before, but Jacksonville State OLE'd Ole Miss. It was pretty fantastic.

Looking ahead to Week 2-

- Notre Dame/Michigan. It could be the tale of two coaches. RichRod fighting for his job, Brian Kelly perhaps starting a new dynasty. You know I will be watching.

- Penn State/Alabama. The Lions need to prove to me they are worthy. Taking out the #1 team in the country would do that. I say Saban gets it done, though, and JoePa won't have a National Title this year.

- Miami/Ohio State. It's a game where I will be rooting for some kind of natural disaster. Props to Miami for leaving the South for it, unlike the rest of the ACC/SEC. However, Ohio State just doesn't lose at home.

- USF/Florida. I think this is the game where it all comes crashing down. Florida looked very off against Miami (OH). Any time the USF players get to play against the schools that didn't offer them a scholarship, like UF, FSU and Miami, they seem to play harder. I think the Bulls pull a big upset.

- FSU/Oklahoma. Tons of big games this weekend, huh? Jimbo Fisher takes on Bob Stoops in Norman. It will be interesting to see if the new man at FSU can think up a defense for the OU spread. Not sure who I like in this one, but it should be entertaining.

- Syracuse/Washington. I am hoping that we win this game, cause it should lead to a 4-0 start. However, Jake Locker is really good, and we have to go across the country. So, really, I expect to lose, and pray I am surprised.


Might make some more picks during the week.

Some NCAA Football Thoughts

Just some thoughts on the NCAA opening weekend so far:

- Notre Dame won ugly, but beat Purdue. They showed flashes of brilliance, but need to learn how to close teams out.

- Ohio State looked solid, and will be at the top for most of the season.

- Michigan looked very impressive, dismantling UCONN.

- Pitt disappointed big time in their loss to Utah. I won't call it an upset, but they were gutless down the stretch with their play calling. They went for OT instead of the win, and ended up losing.

- USC was very impressive... but since they are ineligible for the post-season, it doesn't matter what they do.

- Arizona cold steal the Pac-10

More later.