Saturday night at the Australian Open will give fans of women's tennis a dream match. Serena Williams and Justine Henin have 18 total major wins combined (Williams with 11, Henin has 7) and can give the women's game its first three set final since the 2006 Wimbeldon final when Henin lost to Amelie Mauresmo 2-6,6-3,6-4. Since then, the last 13 major tournaments have seen dominant performances by the top players in the game against other top ranked players. The women's game has some parody but not enough to compete with the men. With the emergence of Chinese players Li Na and Zheng Jie as well as the return of Kim Clijsters, the women's game has gotten some more players to contend for major titles but until women's tennis has a great three-set match that is entertaining and filled with suspense, and until that happens the women will not compare to the men.
Take last year's Wimbledon final between Andy Roddick and Roger Federer that went to a 16-14 fifth set as an example. That match gave men's tennis fans a match featuring someone other than Nadal playing Federer and showing that the top player is vulnerable and that someone other than the top two players in the world can win each major.
The women on the other hand have seen Serena vs. Venus Williams too many times and those matches have not been as competitive as any Federer-Nadal final. This final needs to have the same excitement and drama around it just like last year's Wimbledon men's final.
To put women's tennis back on the list of exciting international sports, Serena Williams and Justine Henin both need to bring their best to the table and give their audience in Melbourne and around the world a match to remember and if that happens, it could be a very exciting season for women's tennis, especially in the majors.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Z88.9 Sports Top 10 (January 26th)
Top 10 Sporting Venues to Attend a Game
Rankings based on atmosphere, aura, and home field advantage)
10. Rose Bowl (UCLA, Rose Bowl Game)
9. Joe Louis Arena (Detroit Red Wings)
8. Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers)
7. Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks, numerous college basketball events)
6. Autzen Stadium (University of Oregon football)
5. Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs)
4. Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke University basketball)
3. Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)
2. Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)
1. Superdome (New Orleans Saints)
Rankings based on atmosphere, aura, and home field advantage)
10. Rose Bowl (UCLA, Rose Bowl Game)
9. Joe Louis Arena (Detroit Red Wings)
8. Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers)
7. Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks, numerous college basketball events)
6. Autzen Stadium (University of Oregon football)
5. Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs)
4. Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke University basketball)
3. Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)
2. Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)
1. Superdome (New Orleans Saints)
Monday, January 25, 2010
College Hoopla: January 25th
This week in college hoops saw the number team in the nation face two tough road tests and fail miserably both times. If you do not know what team it is, it was Texas. The Longhorns went into Manhattan (Kansas) and Hartford and were embarrased. Enough with the negativity, here is the best of this week in college hoops.
Player of the Week: Da'Sean Butler, G/F West Virginia
Butler got the Mountaineers back into their game against Ohio State at home on Saturday and propelled them to a win. Butler had 16 of his 21 points in the second half and gave his team a much needed out of conference win that will look very good on their resume come tourney time.
Team of the Week: UCONN
The Huskies overcame all types of adversity this week after losing three straight, two of which were against tough Big East opponents, got the news that head coach Jim Calhoun is taking an indefinite leave of absence due to health issues on Tuesday. The Huskies, led by senior guard Jerome Dyson, beat St. John's on Wednesday 75-59 and then upset (1) Texas thanks to an electric second half and gave UCONN the momentum they need to finish the year off strong.
Upset of the Week: Oklahoma State over (9) Kansas State 73-69
After the best performance of the season against Texas on Monday night, Frank Martin's team disappointed fans and lost a chance to move up to the top five in the rankings by losing to the Cowboys. For the Cowboys, they take the win as big step towards March Madness and could be the win that lifts them over the other mid-level Big 12 teams.
Conference with Best Home-Court Advantage: Missouri Valley
The Valley has been one of the best mid-major conferences in the past decade and this year is no different with Northern Iowa cracking the Top 25 last week and traditional mid-major powerhouse Creighton, Wichita State, and Southern Illinois doing well this season. Home teams are 30-18 in conference games this season. And if you discount the five losses by bottom feeders Evansville it makes home teams 30-13. Most of the home losses have come the four teams mentioned above but when those four matchup, the home teams wins. In the past week, Creighton beat Wichita State at home and then the Shockers did the same to Northern Iowa this week. Look for the Valley to produce multiple tournament teams like it has in the past.
What the Top 10 Should Be:
(1) Kentucky
(2) Kansas
(3) Syracuse
(4) Villanova
(5) Michigan State
(6) Duke
(7) Texas
(8) Gonzaga
(9) BYU
(10) West Virginia
Games to Watch This Week:
Monday: Georgetown @ Syracuse (7:00, ESPN)
Tuesday: Kansas State @ Baylor (8:00)
Wednesday: BYU @ New Mexico (10:00)
Thursday: Wisconsin @ Purdue (7:00, ESPN)
Friday: Butler @ Green Bay (9:00, ESPNU)
Weekend 6-Pack to Watch:
Duke @ Georgetown (Sat, 1:00, CBS)
Northern Iowa @ Missouri State (Sat, 3:00)
Vanderbilt @ Kentucky (Sat, 4:00, ESPN)
Kansas @ Kansas State (Sat, 7:00, ESPN)
Minnesota @ Ohio State (Sun, 1:00, CBS)
Maryland @ Clemson (Sun, 5:30)
Check back every week from now until the end of the NCAA Tournament for more College Hoopla.
Player of the Week: Da'Sean Butler, G/F West Virginia
Butler got the Mountaineers back into their game against Ohio State at home on Saturday and propelled them to a win. Butler had 16 of his 21 points in the second half and gave his team a much needed out of conference win that will look very good on their resume come tourney time.
Team of the Week: UCONN
The Huskies overcame all types of adversity this week after losing three straight, two of which were against tough Big East opponents, got the news that head coach Jim Calhoun is taking an indefinite leave of absence due to health issues on Tuesday. The Huskies, led by senior guard Jerome Dyson, beat St. John's on Wednesday 75-59 and then upset (1) Texas thanks to an electric second half and gave UCONN the momentum they need to finish the year off strong.
Upset of the Week: Oklahoma State over (9) Kansas State 73-69
After the best performance of the season against Texas on Monday night, Frank Martin's team disappointed fans and lost a chance to move up to the top five in the rankings by losing to the Cowboys. For the Cowboys, they take the win as big step towards March Madness and could be the win that lifts them over the other mid-level Big 12 teams.
Conference with Best Home-Court Advantage: Missouri Valley
The Valley has been one of the best mid-major conferences in the past decade and this year is no different with Northern Iowa cracking the Top 25 last week and traditional mid-major powerhouse Creighton, Wichita State, and Southern Illinois doing well this season. Home teams are 30-18 in conference games this season. And if you discount the five losses by bottom feeders Evansville it makes home teams 30-13. Most of the home losses have come the four teams mentioned above but when those four matchup, the home teams wins. In the past week, Creighton beat Wichita State at home and then the Shockers did the same to Northern Iowa this week. Look for the Valley to produce multiple tournament teams like it has in the past.
What the Top 10 Should Be:
(1) Kentucky
(2) Kansas
(3) Syracuse
(4) Villanova
(5) Michigan State
(6) Duke
(7) Texas
(8) Gonzaga
(9) BYU
(10) West Virginia
Games to Watch This Week:
Monday: Georgetown @ Syracuse (7:00, ESPN)
Tuesday: Kansas State @ Baylor (8:00)
Wednesday: BYU @ New Mexico (10:00)
Thursday: Wisconsin @ Purdue (7:00, ESPN)
Friday: Butler @ Green Bay (9:00, ESPNU)
Weekend 6-Pack to Watch:
Duke @ Georgetown (Sat, 1:00, CBS)
Northern Iowa @ Missouri State (Sat, 3:00)
Vanderbilt @ Kentucky (Sat, 4:00, ESPN)
Kansas @ Kansas State (Sat, 7:00, ESPN)
Minnesota @ Ohio State (Sun, 1:00, CBS)
Maryland @ Clemson (Sun, 5:30)
Check back every week from now until the end of the NCAA Tournament for more College Hoopla.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
NFC Championship Preview
Minnesota @ New Orleans (6:30, FOX)
The number one and two seeds meet at the Superdome in what is expected to be, like mostly all of the NFC playoff games, a shootout. Two of the most potent offenses in the league will take to the turf of the Superdome tonight and should provide a game to remember. Here is my breakdown, position by position, of tonight's game.
Quarterback: Brett Favre vs. Drew Brees
Both Favre and Brees are two of the best in the league at their craft but there is one main intangible that Brees does not have but Favre does and that is experience. Favre has been to the NFC Championship four times in his career and Brees has not made it past the divisional round in his time in San Diego and New Orleans. Even if the Superdome crowd is behind Brees, Favre is used to crowd noise and should not have a problem dealing with the noise.
Advantage: Vikings
Running Back:
Both teams have at least two backs that can be starters on any team in the league. Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor have not had the success like that in past seasons because of Favre but they should not be overlooked. Peterson is due for big game and Taylor provides a formidable punch up the middle.
The Saints' run game has improved tremendously over the past month. Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas had been the main contributors to the run game until Reggie Bush exploded all over the Cardinals last week. Bush looked like he did back at USC and if he has half the game he had last week, he will cause trouble for the Vikings.
Advantage: Saints
Wide Receivers/Tight End
Both teams boast a breakout receiver this season and a veteran who can be relied on and a former Giants tight end. The Vikings' Sidney Rice has become Favre's favorite target and had a huge game last week against Dallas. Rice's importance in the game will multiply if Percy Harvin can not go due to migraine trouble today because Harvin is Favre's main third down target. Favre can also find Bernard Berrian and Visanthe Shiancoe as reliable targets. Berrian's stats are down mostly due to Rice this season but can still make a big play while Shiancoe has been the go-to man for Favre in the red zone.
The Saints have Robert Meachem, who has broken out this season and has stolen the spotlight from Marques Colston and Devery Henderson. Colston is still targeted by Brees but teams now can not afford to double team him because of the threat Meachem poses. Also, Jeremy Shockey's return last week was a emotional boost to the team. Shockey has always played the game with passion and if he is able to go today, look for that emotion to flow over to the rest of the team.
Advantage: Tie
Offensive Line:
The Vikings' left side alone has more experince in the league than the Saints' line, whose only starter in the league for at least five years is Jon Stinchcomb. The Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie and left guard Steve Hutchinson are two of the most skilled offensive lineman in the league and have helped Favre avoid the blitz all season. The Saints' line has been consistent but the one weak point is on at left tackle with Jermon Bushrod. Teams have been targeting Bushrod for the past month and he has needed support from either left guard Carl Nicks or whoever is beside Brees in the backfield.
Advantage: Vikings
Defensive Line:
The Vikings' defensive line proved how dominant they can be against the Cowboys in the divisional round. With the focus on Jared Allen, Ray Edwards had a career day with three sacks. The ever present inside force provided by Pat and Kevin Williams is one to make any offensive line scared. Look for Allen and Edwards to take advantage of the Saints' weakness on the line in Bushrod and force the Saints to double team them.
The Saints defensive line has been consistent all season with another good season put in by Will Smith and Bobby McCray but they just do not have the star power and dominance that the Vikings possess on the defensive line.
Advantage: Vikings
Linebacker:
Just like their defensive line, the Vikings linebackers have been very impressive all season. When E.J. Henderson went down in December, experts were saying that his replacement, Jasper Brinkley, would not be able to fill the role but they were wrong and he has played good football along Chad Greenway and Ben Leber.
The Saints' linebacking corps has been anchored by veteran Jonathan Vilma. Alongside Vilma, the pair of Scotts, Fujita and Shanle have been consistent all season, like they been for their whole careers. Comparing the two groups of linebackers is too tough and they both at the same level.
Advantage: Tie
Secondary:
Minnesota's secondary has been shaken by injury all season but now that they are all healthy and ready to go at the right time in the season, they will need to shut down either Meachem or Colston or both. Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield are very capable of doing just that.
The Saints' secondary has been highlighted by Darren Sharper. Sharper has had a career year and will look to continue his domination against his former team. At cornerback, Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter have a big task on their hands today, especially if Harvin is healthy. Sidney Rice is on fire and needs to be stopped to give the Saints a chance to win the game defensively.
Advantage: Saints
Special Teams:
If Harvin plays for the Vikings, their return game will contain the same explosiveness that the Saints have with Reggie Bush. Both kickers, Ryan Longwell and New Orleans' Garrett Hartley possess strong legs so there is no real advantage unless Harvin does not play.
Advantage: Tie
Game Prediction:
The game will be decided by a clutch defensive performance. Who will step up to make the play could be a big name like Allen or Sharper or a lesser known player. Favre and Brees will have their typical performances and the key will be defense and the Vikings have the better defense.
Prediction: Vikings 24, Saints 16
The number one and two seeds meet at the Superdome in what is expected to be, like mostly all of the NFC playoff games, a shootout. Two of the most potent offenses in the league will take to the turf of the Superdome tonight and should provide a game to remember. Here is my breakdown, position by position, of tonight's game.
Quarterback: Brett Favre vs. Drew Brees
Both Favre and Brees are two of the best in the league at their craft but there is one main intangible that Brees does not have but Favre does and that is experience. Favre has been to the NFC Championship four times in his career and Brees has not made it past the divisional round in his time in San Diego and New Orleans. Even if the Superdome crowd is behind Brees, Favre is used to crowd noise and should not have a problem dealing with the noise.
Advantage: Vikings
Running Back:
Both teams have at least two backs that can be starters on any team in the league. Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor have not had the success like that in past seasons because of Favre but they should not be overlooked. Peterson is due for big game and Taylor provides a formidable punch up the middle.
The Saints' run game has improved tremendously over the past month. Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas had been the main contributors to the run game until Reggie Bush exploded all over the Cardinals last week. Bush looked like he did back at USC and if he has half the game he had last week, he will cause trouble for the Vikings.
Advantage: Saints
Wide Receivers/Tight End
Both teams boast a breakout receiver this season and a veteran who can be relied on and a former Giants tight end. The Vikings' Sidney Rice has become Favre's favorite target and had a huge game last week against Dallas. Rice's importance in the game will multiply if Percy Harvin can not go due to migraine trouble today because Harvin is Favre's main third down target. Favre can also find Bernard Berrian and Visanthe Shiancoe as reliable targets. Berrian's stats are down mostly due to Rice this season but can still make a big play while Shiancoe has been the go-to man for Favre in the red zone.
The Saints have Robert Meachem, who has broken out this season and has stolen the spotlight from Marques Colston and Devery Henderson. Colston is still targeted by Brees but teams now can not afford to double team him because of the threat Meachem poses. Also, Jeremy Shockey's return last week was a emotional boost to the team. Shockey has always played the game with passion and if he is able to go today, look for that emotion to flow over to the rest of the team.
Advantage: Tie
Offensive Line:
The Vikings' left side alone has more experince in the league than the Saints' line, whose only starter in the league for at least five years is Jon Stinchcomb. The Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie and left guard Steve Hutchinson are two of the most skilled offensive lineman in the league and have helped Favre avoid the blitz all season. The Saints' line has been consistent but the one weak point is on at left tackle with Jermon Bushrod. Teams have been targeting Bushrod for the past month and he has needed support from either left guard Carl Nicks or whoever is beside Brees in the backfield.
Advantage: Vikings
Defensive Line:
The Vikings' defensive line proved how dominant they can be against the Cowboys in the divisional round. With the focus on Jared Allen, Ray Edwards had a career day with three sacks. The ever present inside force provided by Pat and Kevin Williams is one to make any offensive line scared. Look for Allen and Edwards to take advantage of the Saints' weakness on the line in Bushrod and force the Saints to double team them.
The Saints defensive line has been consistent all season with another good season put in by Will Smith and Bobby McCray but they just do not have the star power and dominance that the Vikings possess on the defensive line.
Advantage: Vikings
Linebacker:
Just like their defensive line, the Vikings linebackers have been very impressive all season. When E.J. Henderson went down in December, experts were saying that his replacement, Jasper Brinkley, would not be able to fill the role but they were wrong and he has played good football along Chad Greenway and Ben Leber.
The Saints' linebacking corps has been anchored by veteran Jonathan Vilma. Alongside Vilma, the pair of Scotts, Fujita and Shanle have been consistent all season, like they been for their whole careers. Comparing the two groups of linebackers is too tough and they both at the same level.
Advantage: Tie
Secondary:
Minnesota's secondary has been shaken by injury all season but now that they are all healthy and ready to go at the right time in the season, they will need to shut down either Meachem or Colston or both. Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield are very capable of doing just that.
The Saints' secondary has been highlighted by Darren Sharper. Sharper has had a career year and will look to continue his domination against his former team. At cornerback, Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter have a big task on their hands today, especially if Harvin is healthy. Sidney Rice is on fire and needs to be stopped to give the Saints a chance to win the game defensively.
Advantage: Saints
Special Teams:
If Harvin plays for the Vikings, their return game will contain the same explosiveness that the Saints have with Reggie Bush. Both kickers, Ryan Longwell and New Orleans' Garrett Hartley possess strong legs so there is no real advantage unless Harvin does not play.
Advantage: Tie
Game Prediction:
The game will be decided by a clutch defensive performance. Who will step up to make the play could be a big name like Allen or Sharper or a lesser known player. Favre and Brees will have their typical performances and the key will be defense and the Vikings have the better defense.
Prediction: Vikings 24, Saints 16
AFC Championship Preview
New York Jets @ Indianapolis (3:00, CBS)
The Jets and Colts meet for the second time this year, but this time under very different circumstances. This time, the Colts will not bench their starters and the Jets have a greater chance of making the Super Bowl coming in to the rematch than they did in Week 15. Here is the preview broken down into position battles.
Quarterback: Peyton Manning vs. Mark Sanchez
This is a no-brainer on who gets the advantage at this position. Manning is a future hall of famer who looking for his second ring and is succeeding this season with rookie receivers. Sanchez is a rookie who can not win a game with his arm.
Advantage: Colts
Running Back: Joseph Addai & Donald Brown vs. Thomas Jones & Shonn Greene
Greene has been the breakout star of the playoffs on the AFC side and has taken over for Jones as the main running option. Jones did most of his damage in the regular season and with all the focus know on Greene, he is going unnoticed.
Addai and Brown will not run the ball as well as their opponents but pose a threat in the passing game. The Colts' offense is pass happy, as it should be with Manning at the helm, but the running backs are good blockers and have good hands to contribute to the passing game.
Advantage: Jets
Wide Receiver/Tight End
The Colts have so many weapons to run around the field. Reggie Wayne has been overshadowed by the production from tight end Dallas Clark and rookie standouts Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. With Wayne visiting Revis Island this week, Clark will have to be Manning's main target across the middle and Garcon and Collie have to step out wide and as big play threats.
For the Jets, you are lucky if a casual fan can name four of their receivers. Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery are Sanchez's top two targets. Edwards, who came over from Cleveland in an early season trade, as given Sanchez a tall target to reach in red zone situations. Cotchery is reliable to catch passes of any type. Behind them, the talent level drops and the only other name worth mentioning is Brad Smith, who can be lethal if used in the Wildcat formation.
Advantage: Colts
Offensive Line
Both teams possess an experienced center, for the Colts it is Jeff Saturday and Nick Mangold for the Jets. The experience factor can only be attributed to three other players, Jets guard Alan Faneca and Colts guard Ryan Lilja and tackle Ryan Diem. Overall, both lines are set up for each team's offensive specialties. The Colts excel at pass protection and the Jets line supports the power run game.
Advantage: Tie
Defensive Line:
The 3-4 of the Jets has been effective in support of the stronger points of their defense. With the pass rush mostly coming from the outside linebackers, the task for the Jets' D-Line will be to get enough pressure on the Colts' tackles so that the linebackers will be able to blitz.
The Colts possess tons more talent with their front four. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are two of the best pass rushers in the game and they do not have to rely on the rest of their defense. Especially against a young quarterback that has never been on the stage such as a title game, Freeney and Mathis will look to take advantage of the Jets' tackles and get to Sanchez early and often.
Advantage: Colts
Linebackers:
The Colts' starters, Clint Session, Gary Brackett, and Philip Wheeler are overshadowed by the pass rushers in front of them but pose a threat to dominate the game just like Freeney or Mathis. All three are experienced and will be the key to defending the Jets' rushing attack. The Colts should play with at least seven in the box to make Sanchez throw the ball and the linebackers will have to tackle today for success.
The Jets' linebacking corps has improved all season. It all started with the offseason signing of Bart Scott, adding experience and leadership to the rest of the young players at the position. Calvin Pace, David Harris, and Brian Thomas are all experiencing the championship stage for the first time and Scott will use the experience he gained while with the Ravens to help them prepare. If one of them can cover Dallas Clark across the middle or get defelctions off of Manning, the Jets could win.
Advantage: Jets
Secondary:
There is no comparison at this position. Darrelle Revis is the best cornerback in the league and will shut down Reggie Wayne on Revis Island today. With the spotlight on Revis, both safeties, Jim Leonhard and Kerry Rhodes have been mostly unnoticed and have both come up with clutch plays in the last two games. They will both have to have the same success today.
The Colts' secondary has been plagued by injury all season and have held together. Antoine Bethea is leader at safety and luckily for young corner Jacob Lacey and veteran Kelvin Hayden, the Jets' threat at wide receiver is very limited so they can come on the blitz more than they normally would.
Advantage: Jets
Special Teams:
Both teams possess a quality kicker with experience, Matt Stover for the Colts and Jay Feely for New York, and have a solid return game. But, special teams should not have a deciding factor in the game unless it comes down to a field goal.
Advantage: Tie
Game Prediction:
Manning should have a field day picking apart the part of the Jets' secondary not named Darrelle Revis and will use Dallas Clark as his main target, like he has all season. The Jets only stand a chance if they can hold Manning to under 300 yards and completely stop the run game.
Prediction: Colts 34, Jets 20
The Jets and Colts meet for the second time this year, but this time under very different circumstances. This time, the Colts will not bench their starters and the Jets have a greater chance of making the Super Bowl coming in to the rematch than they did in Week 15. Here is the preview broken down into position battles.
Quarterback: Peyton Manning vs. Mark Sanchez
This is a no-brainer on who gets the advantage at this position. Manning is a future hall of famer who looking for his second ring and is succeeding this season with rookie receivers. Sanchez is a rookie who can not win a game with his arm.
Advantage: Colts
Running Back: Joseph Addai & Donald Brown vs. Thomas Jones & Shonn Greene
Greene has been the breakout star of the playoffs on the AFC side and has taken over for Jones as the main running option. Jones did most of his damage in the regular season and with all the focus know on Greene, he is going unnoticed.
Addai and Brown will not run the ball as well as their opponents but pose a threat in the passing game. The Colts' offense is pass happy, as it should be with Manning at the helm, but the running backs are good blockers and have good hands to contribute to the passing game.
Advantage: Jets
Wide Receiver/Tight End
The Colts have so many weapons to run around the field. Reggie Wayne has been overshadowed by the production from tight end Dallas Clark and rookie standouts Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. With Wayne visiting Revis Island this week, Clark will have to be Manning's main target across the middle and Garcon and Collie have to step out wide and as big play threats.
For the Jets, you are lucky if a casual fan can name four of their receivers. Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery are Sanchez's top two targets. Edwards, who came over from Cleveland in an early season trade, as given Sanchez a tall target to reach in red zone situations. Cotchery is reliable to catch passes of any type. Behind them, the talent level drops and the only other name worth mentioning is Brad Smith, who can be lethal if used in the Wildcat formation.
Advantage: Colts
Offensive Line
Both teams possess an experienced center, for the Colts it is Jeff Saturday and Nick Mangold for the Jets. The experience factor can only be attributed to three other players, Jets guard Alan Faneca and Colts guard Ryan Lilja and tackle Ryan Diem. Overall, both lines are set up for each team's offensive specialties. The Colts excel at pass protection and the Jets line supports the power run game.
Advantage: Tie
Defensive Line:
The 3-4 of the Jets has been effective in support of the stronger points of their defense. With the pass rush mostly coming from the outside linebackers, the task for the Jets' D-Line will be to get enough pressure on the Colts' tackles so that the linebackers will be able to blitz.
The Colts possess tons more talent with their front four. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are two of the best pass rushers in the game and they do not have to rely on the rest of their defense. Especially against a young quarterback that has never been on the stage such as a title game, Freeney and Mathis will look to take advantage of the Jets' tackles and get to Sanchez early and often.
Advantage: Colts
Linebackers:
The Colts' starters, Clint Session, Gary Brackett, and Philip Wheeler are overshadowed by the pass rushers in front of them but pose a threat to dominate the game just like Freeney or Mathis. All three are experienced and will be the key to defending the Jets' rushing attack. The Colts should play with at least seven in the box to make Sanchez throw the ball and the linebackers will have to tackle today for success.
The Jets' linebacking corps has improved all season. It all started with the offseason signing of Bart Scott, adding experience and leadership to the rest of the young players at the position. Calvin Pace, David Harris, and Brian Thomas are all experiencing the championship stage for the first time and Scott will use the experience he gained while with the Ravens to help them prepare. If one of them can cover Dallas Clark across the middle or get defelctions off of Manning, the Jets could win.
Advantage: Jets
Secondary:
There is no comparison at this position. Darrelle Revis is the best cornerback in the league and will shut down Reggie Wayne on Revis Island today. With the spotlight on Revis, both safeties, Jim Leonhard and Kerry Rhodes have been mostly unnoticed and have both come up with clutch plays in the last two games. They will both have to have the same success today.
The Colts' secondary has been plagued by injury all season and have held together. Antoine Bethea is leader at safety and luckily for young corner Jacob Lacey and veteran Kelvin Hayden, the Jets' threat at wide receiver is very limited so they can come on the blitz more than they normally would.
Advantage: Jets
Special Teams:
Both teams possess a quality kicker with experience, Matt Stover for the Colts and Jay Feely for New York, and have a solid return game. But, special teams should not have a deciding factor in the game unless it comes down to a field goal.
Advantage: Tie
Game Prediction:
Manning should have a field day picking apart the part of the Jets' secondary not named Darrelle Revis and will use Dallas Clark as his main target, like he has all season. The Jets only stand a chance if they can hold Manning to under 300 yards and completely stop the run game.
Prediction: Colts 34, Jets 20
What Super Bowl Matchup Is the Best?
Championship weekend is upon us and every fan can't not look forward to the potential matchups and storylines that all four potential matchups pose. So here are the four matchups ranked from four to one. The rankings are based on the hype and storylines that would the most intriguing.
4. Jets-Saints
This matchup would not have as much star power and members of each team are almost unknown to the casual fan. This could be the breakout game for many young stars especially Mark Sanchez, but it would not the ratings and the hype that the other matchups could get.
3. Jets-Vikings
The only storyline coming in to this potential matchup will be Brett Favre against his old team and how the Jets, led by a rookie coach and rookie quarterback made it to the Super Bowl without him and by the third day of Super Bowl hype everyone will be sick of talking about Brett Favre.
2. Colts-Saints
This matchup has been anticipated all season because of the undefeated starts both teams had. The star power is there with both Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, and that would be the main storyline but there could be many other side topics like how Peyton's father, Archie, was the Saints' quarterback during the days in which they were affectionately known as the 'Aints.
1. Colts-Vikings
Peyton Manning vs. Brett Favre. That is all you have to say about this matchup. The two greatest quarterbacks of the past decade in a showdown of future hall of famers. There is no way in the world that Roger Goodell and the NFL brass are not rooting for this matchup. The ratings would be through the roof and could provide a shootout that the Super Bowl rarely sees.
4. Jets-Saints
This matchup would not have as much star power and members of each team are almost unknown to the casual fan. This could be the breakout game for many young stars especially Mark Sanchez, but it would not the ratings and the hype that the other matchups could get.
3. Jets-Vikings
The only storyline coming in to this potential matchup will be Brett Favre against his old team and how the Jets, led by a rookie coach and rookie quarterback made it to the Super Bowl without him and by the third day of Super Bowl hype everyone will be sick of talking about Brett Favre.
2. Colts-Saints
This matchup has been anticipated all season because of the undefeated starts both teams had. The star power is there with both Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, and that would be the main storyline but there could be many other side topics like how Peyton's father, Archie, was the Saints' quarterback during the days in which they were affectionately known as the 'Aints.
1. Colts-Vikings
Peyton Manning vs. Brett Favre. That is all you have to say about this matchup. The two greatest quarterbacks of the past decade in a showdown of future hall of famers. There is no way in the world that Roger Goodell and the NFL brass are not rooting for this matchup. The ratings would be through the roof and could provide a shootout that the Super Bowl rarely sees.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Aussie Open Days 3 & 4 Review
Over the past two days in Melbourne, the action has started to become entertaining starting with the Blake-delPotro match on Wednesday and then with Marcos Baghdatis' cheering section electrifying the grounds yesterday. On the women's side, Justine Henin is back after beating Elena Dementieva on Wednesday. In celebrity sighting news, Prince William topped T.O.'s appearance at Andy Roddick's first round match by showing up at Roger Federer's match last night.
Biggest Upset on Men's Side: Baghdatis over (17) David Ferrer
Biggest Upset on Women's Side: Gisela Dulko over (20) Ana Ivanovic
Best Match of the Second Round: (4) Juan Martin del Potro over James Blake in 5 sets.
Best Display of Heart: Marcos Baghdatis
Favorites to Make the Final after 2 rounds: Serena Williams vs. whoever makes it out of Henin/Clijsters/Kuznetsova quarter.
Federer vs. Nadal
Hometown Favorites Left: (22) Lleyton Hewitt and (13) Sam Stosur
Third Round Preview:
On the men's side, Federer and the other top seeds, besides del Potro, have looked dominant and expect no less from them. The next round does provide many intriguing matchups including Hewitt vs. Baghdatis, Cilic vs. Wawrinka, and Isner vs. Monfils. From this point on, the matches will be difficult and look for more exciting tennis to come out of the men,
For the women, the draw of death is starting to take over all the attention. Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Nadia Petrova, and Svetlana Kuznetsova are fighting for a chance to reach the semis and only one will make it, which will make for some emotional matches because of the comebacks of the two Belgians, Henin and Clijsters. The other three quarters lack the excitement and big name talent that above mentioned one has.
Come back over the weekend to read my fourth round preview for the Aussie Open.
Biggest Upset on Men's Side: Baghdatis over (17) David Ferrer
Biggest Upset on Women's Side: Gisela Dulko over (20) Ana Ivanovic
Best Match of the Second Round: (4) Juan Martin del Potro over James Blake in 5 sets.
Best Display of Heart: Marcos Baghdatis
Favorites to Make the Final after 2 rounds: Serena Williams vs. whoever makes it out of Henin/Clijsters/Kuznetsova quarter.
Federer vs. Nadal
Hometown Favorites Left: (22) Lleyton Hewitt and (13) Sam Stosur
Third Round Preview:
On the men's side, Federer and the other top seeds, besides del Potro, have looked dominant and expect no less from them. The next round does provide many intriguing matchups including Hewitt vs. Baghdatis, Cilic vs. Wawrinka, and Isner vs. Monfils. From this point on, the matches will be difficult and look for more exciting tennis to come out of the men,
For the women, the draw of death is starting to take over all the attention. Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Nadia Petrova, and Svetlana Kuznetsova are fighting for a chance to reach the semis and only one will make it, which will make for some emotional matches because of the comebacks of the two Belgians, Henin and Clijsters. The other three quarters lack the excitement and big name talent that above mentioned one has.
Come back over the weekend to read my fourth round preview for the Aussie Open.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Aussie Open Day 2 Review
Tennis fans: Roger Federer is human, he lost a set in the first round yesterday in Melbourne to Igor Andreev. Beyond that headline, no real interesting things or T.O. sightings to write about for the unexciting Day 2 down under. But I will see if T.O. shows up for Andy Roddick's second round match.
Day 2 Review
Easiest Road to Victory: Serena Williams (6-2,6-1)
Almost Upset: Men's #20 Mikhail Youzhny
Actually Upset: Men's #16 Tommy Robredo in straight sets.
Comeback Waiting To Happen: Marcos Baghdatis
Day 3 Preview
The second round begins for both the men and women and hopefully more exciting matches start to be played.
Top Men's Match: James Blake vs.(4) Juan Martin del Potro
Easiest Way to the 3rd Round: (2) Rafa Nadal
Top Women's Match:(5) Elena Dementieva v. Justine Henin
Upset Waiting to Happen on Men's Side: Blake over del Potro
Upset Waiting to Happen on Women's Side: Sorana Cirstea over (27) Alisa Kleybanova
Look back tommorrow for the Day 3 review/Day 4 preview.
Day 2 Review
Easiest Road to Victory: Serena Williams (6-2,6-1)
Almost Upset: Men's #20 Mikhail Youzhny
Actually Upset: Men's #16 Tommy Robredo in straight sets.
Comeback Waiting To Happen: Marcos Baghdatis
Day 3 Preview
The second round begins for both the men and women and hopefully more exciting matches start to be played.
Top Men's Match: James Blake vs.(4) Juan Martin del Potro
Easiest Way to the 3rd Round: (2) Rafa Nadal
Top Women's Match:(5) Elena Dementieva v. Justine Henin
Upset Waiting to Happen on Men's Side: Blake over del Potro
Upset Waiting to Happen on Women's Side: Sorana Cirstea over (27) Alisa Kleybanova
Look back tommorrow for the Day 3 review/Day 4 preview.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Aussie Open Day 1 Review
As usual, the first day of the major season provided little to no excitement on the topic of upsets. But the one upset that did happen took away the interest of males that do not really follow tennis because that one upset player was Maria Sharapova. Here are the rest of the highlights from Day 1 down under.
Easiest Road to Victory: Andy Murray, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2
Biggest Upset: Maria Kirilenko over Sharapova 7-6, 3-6, 6-4
Biggest Celebrity at the Tournament: Terrell Owens
Comeback Players All About Winning: Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin
What to Watch for in Day 2
Serena Williams takes the court.
(14) Marin Cilic looks to hold off Fabrice Santoro
Richard Gasquet's return from cocaine suspension
Roger Federer's continued domination
Young Americans, Isner and Querrey look to dominate.
Check back in the next two weeks for the previews and reviews of each day in Melbourne.
Easiest Road to Victory: Andy Murray, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2
Biggest Upset: Maria Kirilenko over Sharapova 7-6, 3-6, 6-4
Biggest Celebrity at the Tournament: Terrell Owens
Comeback Players All About Winning: Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin
What to Watch for in Day 2
Serena Williams takes the court.
(14) Marin Cilic looks to hold off Fabrice Santoro
Richard Gasquet's return from cocaine suspension
Roger Federer's continued domination
Young Americans, Isner and Querrey look to dominate.
Check back in the next two weeks for the previews and reviews of each day in Melbourne.
College Hoopla: January 18th
This past week of college basketball did not provide as many upsets as last week but the potential was defintely there. (1) Texas almost lost both games this week and Purdue and North Carolina fell apart by losing both games this week. Here is the good, bad, and ugly from the hoopla in men's basketball last week.
Player of the Week
Damion James, G/F, Texas
James singhandedly carried the Longhorns to a win Saturday night at home against Texas A&M. James also did the same on Wednesday in Ames against Iowa State but to a lesser extent. In both games, he put up a double-double with 23 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday, and 26 and 12 versus the Aggies. James already has 10 double-doubles this season and should record 10 more.
Team of the Week
Pittsburgh
Jamie Dixon's Panthers went into Hartford on Wednesday and played another classic game against UCONN and pulled away late winning 67-57. Then, on Saturday, they played a tough Louisville team that sent them to overtime but the Panthers got the job done winning 82-77. Led by guards Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker, Pitt is exceeding preseason predictions, which had them finishing in the bottom half of the Big East.
Game of the Week:
Texas 72, Texas A&M 67 (OT), Saturday
Many people might not have seen this coming or saw the game at all but the Marc Turgeon's Aggies were the dominant team for the whole game. Texas did not lead until the overtime period in which Damion James took over. The real turning point in the game was when Aggies F Bryan Davis fouled out with a couple minutes left in the second half. The Aggies lost their inside presence and were forced to shoot the three and gave James the opening he needed to drive to the hoop.
Upset of the Week
Northwestern 72, (6) Purdue 64
In another game many people did not see because of the more popular sport having playoff action on Saturday night, the Wildcats ignited their home crowd at Welsh-Ryan Arena and upset Purdue in a dominant way. The inside play of Luca Mirkovic gave the Boilermakers trouble and when Mirkovic was covered, clutch threes were made throughout the game to keep the momentum on the home team's side. The loss put Purdue at a three game losing streak and is suceptible to falling out of the Top 25 with another loss.
What the Top 10 Should Be:
(1) Texas
(2) Kentucky
(3) Syracuse
(4) Kansas
(5) Villanova
(6) Tennessee
(7) Duke
(8) Michigan State
(9) Pittsburgh
(10) Kansas State
GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEK:
Monday: Texas @ Kansas State (9:00, ESPN)
Tuesday: Clemson @ Georgia Tech (7:00 ESPN2)
Wednesday: Georgetown @ Pittsburgh (7:00 ESPNU)
Thursday: San Diego @ St. Mary's (11:00 ESPNU)
Friday: Portland St. @ Weber St. (9:05)
WEEKEND 6-PACK:
Ohio State @ West Virginia (2:00 Sat, CBS)
Michigan @ Purdue (4:00 Sat, ESPN)
Texas @ UCONN (4:00 Sat., CBS)
Duke @ Clemson (9:00 Sat., ESPN)
Pittsburgh @ Seton Hall (2:00 Sun.)
Northern Iowa @ Indiana State (2:05, Sun.)
Come back every week until the championship for more college hoopla.
Player of the Week
Damion James, G/F, Texas
James singhandedly carried the Longhorns to a win Saturday night at home against Texas A&M. James also did the same on Wednesday in Ames against Iowa State but to a lesser extent. In both games, he put up a double-double with 23 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday, and 26 and 12 versus the Aggies. James already has 10 double-doubles this season and should record 10 more.
Team of the Week
Pittsburgh
Jamie Dixon's Panthers went into Hartford on Wednesday and played another classic game against UCONN and pulled away late winning 67-57. Then, on Saturday, they played a tough Louisville team that sent them to overtime but the Panthers got the job done winning 82-77. Led by guards Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker, Pitt is exceeding preseason predictions, which had them finishing in the bottom half of the Big East.
Game of the Week:
Texas 72, Texas A&M 67 (OT), Saturday
Many people might not have seen this coming or saw the game at all but the Marc Turgeon's Aggies were the dominant team for the whole game. Texas did not lead until the overtime period in which Damion James took over. The real turning point in the game was when Aggies F Bryan Davis fouled out with a couple minutes left in the second half. The Aggies lost their inside presence and were forced to shoot the three and gave James the opening he needed to drive to the hoop.
Upset of the Week
Northwestern 72, (6) Purdue 64
In another game many people did not see because of the more popular sport having playoff action on Saturday night, the Wildcats ignited their home crowd at Welsh-Ryan Arena and upset Purdue in a dominant way. The inside play of Luca Mirkovic gave the Boilermakers trouble and when Mirkovic was covered, clutch threes were made throughout the game to keep the momentum on the home team's side. The loss put Purdue at a three game losing streak and is suceptible to falling out of the Top 25 with another loss.
What the Top 10 Should Be:
(1) Texas
(2) Kentucky
(3) Syracuse
(4) Kansas
(5) Villanova
(6) Tennessee
(7) Duke
(8) Michigan State
(9) Pittsburgh
(10) Kansas State
GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEK:
Monday: Texas @ Kansas State (9:00, ESPN)
Tuesday: Clemson @ Georgia Tech (7:00 ESPN2)
Wednesday: Georgetown @ Pittsburgh (7:00 ESPNU)
Thursday: San Diego @ St. Mary's (11:00 ESPNU)
Friday: Portland St. @ Weber St. (9:05)
WEEKEND 6-PACK:
Ohio State @ West Virginia (2:00 Sat, CBS)
Michigan @ Purdue (4:00 Sat, ESPN)
Texas @ UCONN (4:00 Sat., CBS)
Duke @ Clemson (9:00 Sat., ESPN)
Pittsburgh @ Seton Hall (2:00 Sun.)
Northern Iowa @ Indiana State (2:05, Sun.)
Come back every week until the championship for more college hoopla.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Divisional Playoff Preview: Jets @ Chargers
New York Jets @ San Diego (Sun. 4:40, CBS)
The Jets proved their critics wrong by convincingly beating Cincinnati in the Wild-Card round. San Diego has been the hottest team in football and will try to continue their three month unbeaten run against the Jets at home.
The Jets need their run game to succeed to have a chance today. Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene had over 160 yards combined in last week's game in Cincinnati and need to keep that same pace against the Chargers. If the run games fails, Mark Sanchez will have to have the game of his life. Sanchez was far from impressive in the regular season and only attempted fifteen passes last week. Much like the Ravens, if the run game stalls, the quarterback will not be able to carry the team to victory.
If the run game does fail, the defense could keep the Jets in the game. The number one shutdown corner in the league is on the Jets' roster in Darrelle Revis. They also boast a group of linebackers that can stop the Chargers' offense. David Harris, Bart Scott, and Bryan Thomas need to step up in every part of the game today to give the Jets a chance.
For San Diego, Philip Rivers has been the most effective quarterback in the league during the Chargers' unbeaten run and should not disappoint today. Like Favre, Rivers has a plethera of options to throw to including Darren Sproles, Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd. Not to mention LaDainian Tomlinson in the backfield and San Diego should have no problem attacking the Jets defense. Tomlinson has looked better in every game this season and with the playoff stage upon him, LT should give the offense balance.
On defense, the front seven need to shut down the Jets' running game. Led by leading tackler, Stephen Cooper the front seven is dominant and should have no problem handling the run game. If Jones and Greene do get past the front seven, the secondary is one of the most aggresive in the league. Eric Weddle is not afraid to hit anyone, while Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie get in on the action as well. To defend the weak pass attack the Jets offer, Jammer and Cromartie need to have average games to shut down the receivers. With the added protection down the field provided by Weddle at safety, there is no way the Chargers can lose this game.
5 Players to Watch for the Jets
QB Mark Sanchez
RB Thomas Jones
RB Shonn Greene
LB David Harris
CB Darrelle Revis
5 Players to Watch for the Chargers
TE Antonio Gates
QB Philip Rivers
K Nate Kaeding
S Eric Weddle
DT Luis Castillo
Key Matchup: Vincent Jackson vs. Revis
Prediciton: Chargers
The Jets proved their critics wrong by convincingly beating Cincinnati in the Wild-Card round. San Diego has been the hottest team in football and will try to continue their three month unbeaten run against the Jets at home.
The Jets need their run game to succeed to have a chance today. Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene had over 160 yards combined in last week's game in Cincinnati and need to keep that same pace against the Chargers. If the run games fails, Mark Sanchez will have to have the game of his life. Sanchez was far from impressive in the regular season and only attempted fifteen passes last week. Much like the Ravens, if the run game stalls, the quarterback will not be able to carry the team to victory.
If the run game does fail, the defense could keep the Jets in the game. The number one shutdown corner in the league is on the Jets' roster in Darrelle Revis. They also boast a group of linebackers that can stop the Chargers' offense. David Harris, Bart Scott, and Bryan Thomas need to step up in every part of the game today to give the Jets a chance.
For San Diego, Philip Rivers has been the most effective quarterback in the league during the Chargers' unbeaten run and should not disappoint today. Like Favre, Rivers has a plethera of options to throw to including Darren Sproles, Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd. Not to mention LaDainian Tomlinson in the backfield and San Diego should have no problem attacking the Jets defense. Tomlinson has looked better in every game this season and with the playoff stage upon him, LT should give the offense balance.
On defense, the front seven need to shut down the Jets' running game. Led by leading tackler, Stephen Cooper the front seven is dominant and should have no problem handling the run game. If Jones and Greene do get past the front seven, the secondary is one of the most aggresive in the league. Eric Weddle is not afraid to hit anyone, while Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie get in on the action as well. To defend the weak pass attack the Jets offer, Jammer and Cromartie need to have average games to shut down the receivers. With the added protection down the field provided by Weddle at safety, there is no way the Chargers can lose this game.
5 Players to Watch for the Jets
QB Mark Sanchez
RB Thomas Jones
RB Shonn Greene
LB David Harris
CB Darrelle Revis
5 Players to Watch for the Chargers
TE Antonio Gates
QB Philip Rivers
K Nate Kaeding
S Eric Weddle
DT Luis Castillo
Key Matchup: Vincent Jackson vs. Revis
Prediciton: Chargers
Divisional Playoff Preview: Cowboys @ Vikings
Dallas @ Minnesota (Sun, 1:00, FOX)
The Cowboys looked dominant in a playoff season chock full of blowouts. Brett Favre and the Vikings are looking to continue the playoff trend at home in the Metrodome.
After beating the Eagles convincingly in their last two games, the Cowboys have focused their attention on Brett Favre and the Vikings. Tony Romo has beaten the December jinx and looks unstoppable. The Cowboys as a whole team are on fire. On offense, the running game has moved to the outside with Felix Jones turning in career performances with Marion Barber being stuffed on the inside. The biggest story this season on offense has to be the emergence of Miles Austin. Austin has given Romo a deep threat to complement Jason Witten across the middle. The always reliable Witten has been Romo's main target for the past few years and with the emergence of Austin, the middle has opened up for Witten. Adding to the fact that Witten has always been matchup problem for any defense, he should have a good game against the depleted Minnesota linebacking corps.
On defense, the Cowboys have shown that they could be the best defense in the league. The inside rush from Jay Ratliff and the pass rush off the corner from DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer have wreaked havoc in the past month. The real surprise has been the secondary. Mike Jenkins is proving why is was one of top shutdown corners in college and Terence Newman has been a good complement on the other side.
But the biggest improvement for the Cowboys has been in the kickoff game. David Buehler has been the neutralizer on kick returners all season and look for at least four touchbacks from him today.
For the Vikings, Brett Favre looks like he could play another couple years in the league. Favre has so many weapons to attack opposing defenses, starting with Adrian Peterson. Peterson has had the pressure taken off of him sicne Favre came to Minnesota and has flown under the radar running for almost 1400 yards in the regular season. In the air, Sidney Rice has been Favre's favorite target. With a cast of receivers that includes Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe, and even Peterson out of the backfield, the Cowboys defense will have to keep all of these players covered because Favre can throw a strike to anyone of them in an instant.
The Vikings defense suffered a big blow when linebacker E.J. Henderson suffered a season-ending injury in Week 13 at Arizona. The linebackers have been the best part of the Viking defense all season but when Henderson went down, opposing teams found a weakness they could attack. Another weakness is the health of Antoine Winfield. Winfield will play today but is not at 100%, look for Miles Austin to be matched up against him and for Romo to go after Winfield a lot, that is if Jared Allen doesn't get to Romo first. Allen needs to have a huge game rushing the quarterback to help out the secondary in coverage. Along with Allen, Pat and Kevin Williams will need to get pressure up the middle as well.
5 Players to Watch for the Cowboys
WR Miles Austin
LB DeMarcus Ware
LB Anthony Spencer
KOS David Buehler
TE Jason Witten
5 Players to Watch for the Vikings
DE Jared Allen
QB Brett Favre
LB Jasper Brinkley
RB Adrian Peterson
TE Visanthe Shiancoe
Key Matchup: Cowboys OL Flozell Adams vs. Jared Allen
Prediction: Vikings
The Cowboys looked dominant in a playoff season chock full of blowouts. Brett Favre and the Vikings are looking to continue the playoff trend at home in the Metrodome.
After beating the Eagles convincingly in their last two games, the Cowboys have focused their attention on Brett Favre and the Vikings. Tony Romo has beaten the December jinx and looks unstoppable. The Cowboys as a whole team are on fire. On offense, the running game has moved to the outside with Felix Jones turning in career performances with Marion Barber being stuffed on the inside. The biggest story this season on offense has to be the emergence of Miles Austin. Austin has given Romo a deep threat to complement Jason Witten across the middle. The always reliable Witten has been Romo's main target for the past few years and with the emergence of Austin, the middle has opened up for Witten. Adding to the fact that Witten has always been matchup problem for any defense, he should have a good game against the depleted Minnesota linebacking corps.
On defense, the Cowboys have shown that they could be the best defense in the league. The inside rush from Jay Ratliff and the pass rush off the corner from DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer have wreaked havoc in the past month. The real surprise has been the secondary. Mike Jenkins is proving why is was one of top shutdown corners in college and Terence Newman has been a good complement on the other side.
But the biggest improvement for the Cowboys has been in the kickoff game. David Buehler has been the neutralizer on kick returners all season and look for at least four touchbacks from him today.
For the Vikings, Brett Favre looks like he could play another couple years in the league. Favre has so many weapons to attack opposing defenses, starting with Adrian Peterson. Peterson has had the pressure taken off of him sicne Favre came to Minnesota and has flown under the radar running for almost 1400 yards in the regular season. In the air, Sidney Rice has been Favre's favorite target. With a cast of receivers that includes Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe, and even Peterson out of the backfield, the Cowboys defense will have to keep all of these players covered because Favre can throw a strike to anyone of them in an instant.
The Vikings defense suffered a big blow when linebacker E.J. Henderson suffered a season-ending injury in Week 13 at Arizona. The linebackers have been the best part of the Viking defense all season but when Henderson went down, opposing teams found a weakness they could attack. Another weakness is the health of Antoine Winfield. Winfield will play today but is not at 100%, look for Miles Austin to be matched up against him and for Romo to go after Winfield a lot, that is if Jared Allen doesn't get to Romo first. Allen needs to have a huge game rushing the quarterback to help out the secondary in coverage. Along with Allen, Pat and Kevin Williams will need to get pressure up the middle as well.
5 Players to Watch for the Cowboys
WR Miles Austin
LB DeMarcus Ware
LB Anthony Spencer
KOS David Buehler
TE Jason Witten
5 Players to Watch for the Vikings
DE Jared Allen
QB Brett Favre
LB Jasper Brinkley
RB Adrian Peterson
TE Visanthe Shiancoe
Key Matchup: Cowboys OL Flozell Adams vs. Jared Allen
Prediction: Vikings
Friday, January 15, 2010
Divisional Playoff Preview: Ravens @ Colts
Baltimore @ Indianapolis (Sat. 8:15, CBS)
Peyton Manning and most of the Colts starters have not played a meaningful game in over a month while the Ravens are coming off a very dominant performance against the Patriots last Sunday. Last time these two teams met in the playoffs it was only field goals that were score in a Baltimore win at home.
For the Ravens, the main keys to the game start with Ray Rice. Rice, along with Willis McGahee and La'Ron McClain, ran all over the New England defense and look for Baltimore to try and pound the ball up the middle of the Colts' defense. Joe Flacco did not even attempt twenty passes last week which could prove disasturous if the run game fails because all year long Flacco's arm has played second fiddle to the legs of the running backs. If Flacco has a big day through the air it will be because of Derrick Mason and Todd Heap, who are his most reliable targets.
On defense, the only concern is the secondary, which did a great job last week on Randy Moss. But Tom Brady is not Peyton Manning. Manning knows how to find a hole in the secondary better than any quarterback in the league. The Colts' run game can be easily stopped by Ray Lewis and the front 7 but it will come down to the performance of the Ravens' secondary.
The Colts have the advantage on offense because of Peyton Manning. Manning has put up great numbers yet again this season with an inexperienced group of wideouts. Before the season, Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie were no-names around the nation but thanks to Manning and an injury to Anthony Gonzalez, the two have become the third and fourth option for Manning. His top two targets are Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. Clark has put up career numbers this season and will need to beat the Baltimore linebackers in coverage to open up the run game led by Joseph Addai.
On defense, there is also one main key: stop the run. The defensive line led by Raheem Brock up the middle and the linebacking corps led by Gary Brackett will have a lot on their hands with the triple threat in the Baltimore run game. Look for the linebackers to also play tight coverage on Todd Heap, and even the defensive backs can cover him but they do not matchup as well. The lack of potential in the Ravens' pass game will give the Colts an opportunity to focus on defending the run.
5 Players to Watch for the Ravens
RB Ray Rice
LB Ray Lewis
S Dawan Landry
TE Todd Heap
QB Joe Flacco
5 Players to Watch for the Colts
QB Peyton Manning
TE Dallas Clark
DT Raheem Brock
DE Dwight Freeney
WR Pierre Garcon
Key Matchup: Baltimore O-Line vs. Indy D-Line
Prediction: Colts
Peyton Manning and most of the Colts starters have not played a meaningful game in over a month while the Ravens are coming off a very dominant performance against the Patriots last Sunday. Last time these two teams met in the playoffs it was only field goals that were score in a Baltimore win at home.
For the Ravens, the main keys to the game start with Ray Rice. Rice, along with Willis McGahee and La'Ron McClain, ran all over the New England defense and look for Baltimore to try and pound the ball up the middle of the Colts' defense. Joe Flacco did not even attempt twenty passes last week which could prove disasturous if the run game fails because all year long Flacco's arm has played second fiddle to the legs of the running backs. If Flacco has a big day through the air it will be because of Derrick Mason and Todd Heap, who are his most reliable targets.
On defense, the only concern is the secondary, which did a great job last week on Randy Moss. But Tom Brady is not Peyton Manning. Manning knows how to find a hole in the secondary better than any quarterback in the league. The Colts' run game can be easily stopped by Ray Lewis and the front 7 but it will come down to the performance of the Ravens' secondary.
The Colts have the advantage on offense because of Peyton Manning. Manning has put up great numbers yet again this season with an inexperienced group of wideouts. Before the season, Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie were no-names around the nation but thanks to Manning and an injury to Anthony Gonzalez, the two have become the third and fourth option for Manning. His top two targets are Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. Clark has put up career numbers this season and will need to beat the Baltimore linebackers in coverage to open up the run game led by Joseph Addai.
On defense, there is also one main key: stop the run. The defensive line led by Raheem Brock up the middle and the linebacking corps led by Gary Brackett will have a lot on their hands with the triple threat in the Baltimore run game. Look for the linebackers to also play tight coverage on Todd Heap, and even the defensive backs can cover him but they do not matchup as well. The lack of potential in the Ravens' pass game will give the Colts an opportunity to focus on defending the run.
5 Players to Watch for the Ravens
RB Ray Rice
LB Ray Lewis
S Dawan Landry
TE Todd Heap
QB Joe Flacco
5 Players to Watch for the Colts
QB Peyton Manning
TE Dallas Clark
DT Raheem Brock
DE Dwight Freeney
WR Pierre Garcon
Key Matchup: Baltimore O-Line vs. Indy D-Line
Prediction: Colts
Divisional Playoff Preview: Cardinals @ Saints
Arizona @ New Orleans (Sat. 4:30, FOX)
On the heels of their shootout in the desert on Sunday, the Cardinals will look to improve on their defense and handle the Saints' explosive offense. The Saints defense will have the same problem with the Cardinals offense. All signs point to a shootout.
Kurt Warner added to his Hall of Fame resume with a playoff game in which he had more touchdowns than incompletions. If Warner plays half as good, the Cardinals have a good chance. Warner's success must be attributed to Steve Breaston and Early Doucet, who both stepped up last week both scoring a touchdown each. This gives the New Orleans secondary more receivers to keep their eyes on other than Larry Fitzgerald and could free Fitzgerald to spring some big plays. The run game will need to provide balance with Beanie Wells becoming a power back in front of fans' eyes all season, he needs to step up and gain 80 to 100 yards to keep the Saints' defense honest.
On defense, Karlos Dansby has the game of his life, which was capped off by the game winning fumble return for a touchdown. The secondary will have to do a much better job than they did last week to give the Cards a chance to stop the passing attack of the Saints. New Orleans has the same, if not even better, amount of talent in their receiving corps as Green Bay does.
For the Saints, it is pretty simple on how to succeed: have Drew Brees pick apart the Arizona secondary. Brees should take Aaron Rodgers' performance last week as a way to pick apart the secondary. Brees does have someone Rodgers does not, Reggie Bush. With Pierre Thomas being the main running back, Bush is able to go out of the backfield and catch passes. The extra threat of Bush complements the three main receivers, Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, and Devery Henderson.
On defense, Darren Sharper and Jonathan Vilma are keys to stopping Warner. Sharper has been on fire all season and there should be no reason why it should stop. Vilma has also been a model of consistency at linebacker this season and if he stops Wells up the middle in the run game, Arizona could turn one dimensional, which is still a huge threat. Either way, the New Orleans' secondary needs to eat their Wheaties before Saturday's game.
5 Players to Watch for the Cardinals
QB Kurt Warner
WR Larry Fitzgerald
LB Karlos Dansby
DE Bertrand Berry
WR Early Doucet
5 Players to Watch for the Saints
QB Drew Brees
LB Jonathan Vilma
S Darren Sharper
DE Will Smith
WR Robert Meachem
Key Matchup: Meachem & Colston vs. Bryant McFadden & Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Prediction: Cardinals
On the heels of their shootout in the desert on Sunday, the Cardinals will look to improve on their defense and handle the Saints' explosive offense. The Saints defense will have the same problem with the Cardinals offense. All signs point to a shootout.
Kurt Warner added to his Hall of Fame resume with a playoff game in which he had more touchdowns than incompletions. If Warner plays half as good, the Cardinals have a good chance. Warner's success must be attributed to Steve Breaston and Early Doucet, who both stepped up last week both scoring a touchdown each. This gives the New Orleans secondary more receivers to keep their eyes on other than Larry Fitzgerald and could free Fitzgerald to spring some big plays. The run game will need to provide balance with Beanie Wells becoming a power back in front of fans' eyes all season, he needs to step up and gain 80 to 100 yards to keep the Saints' defense honest.
On defense, Karlos Dansby has the game of his life, which was capped off by the game winning fumble return for a touchdown. The secondary will have to do a much better job than they did last week to give the Cards a chance to stop the passing attack of the Saints. New Orleans has the same, if not even better, amount of talent in their receiving corps as Green Bay does.
For the Saints, it is pretty simple on how to succeed: have Drew Brees pick apart the Arizona secondary. Brees should take Aaron Rodgers' performance last week as a way to pick apart the secondary. Brees does have someone Rodgers does not, Reggie Bush. With Pierre Thomas being the main running back, Bush is able to go out of the backfield and catch passes. The extra threat of Bush complements the three main receivers, Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, and Devery Henderson.
On defense, Darren Sharper and Jonathan Vilma are keys to stopping Warner. Sharper has been on fire all season and there should be no reason why it should stop. Vilma has also been a model of consistency at linebacker this season and if he stops Wells up the middle in the run game, Arizona could turn one dimensional, which is still a huge threat. Either way, the New Orleans' secondary needs to eat their Wheaties before Saturday's game.
5 Players to Watch for the Cardinals
QB Kurt Warner
WR Larry Fitzgerald
LB Karlos Dansby
DE Bertrand Berry
WR Early Doucet
5 Players to Watch for the Saints
QB Drew Brees
LB Jonathan Vilma
S Darren Sharper
DE Will Smith
WR Robert Meachem
Key Matchup: Meachem & Colston vs. Bryant McFadden & Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Prediction: Cardinals
Sporting Events to Watch in 2010: #2 Australian Open
The first of tennis' four majors begins Sunday night in Melbourne, Australia. For many tennis fans, this will be the first time that they will see how their favorite players look going in to 2010 season and will not see much of them until the French Open in May. So here is your preview for the Men's and Women's brackets in the 2010 Aussie Open.
Women's Bracket
Top 8 Seeds
1. Serena Williams
2. Dinara Safina
3. Svetlana Kuznetsova
4. Caroline Wozniacki
5. Elena Dementieva
6. Venus Williams
7. Victoria Azarenka
8. Jelena Jankovic
Main Storyline: Last year was the year for the young stars of women's tennis to show their talent. This year it is time for them to win tournaments and what better way to start off the season with a title in Melbourne. Wozniacki and Azarenka are carrying the torch for the next generation of young stars and both should advance to the fourth round easily. After the first three rounds, both will have to step up their game when they their first hack at the other seeded players.
Player Flying Under the Radar: Maria Sharapova
Worst Draw: Safina
Best Draw: Dementieva
Upset Waiting To Happen: Kim Clijsters over Kuznetsova in the fourth round.
Dream Final: Serena v. Safina
What the Final Will Be: Serena v. Clijsters
Winner: Serena
Men's Bracket
Top 8 Seeds
1. Roger Federer
2. Rafa Nadal
3. Novak Djokovic
4. Juan Martin del Potro
5. Andy Murray
6. Nikolay Davydenko
7. Andy Roddick
8. Robin Soderling
Main Storyline: The parody in men's tennis is unbelievable at this time. All top 8 seeds are capable of winning this tournament plus many other seeded players are also fully capable of having a dream run and making it to the final. The Australian Open is usually where the favorites fall out to upcoming stars. In the past five years players like Marcos Baghdatis, Fernando Gonzalez, and Jo-Wilfied Tsonga have pulled off final runs but losing to Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal. The major season ended last season with a dominating performance from del Potro in New York, proving that anything is possible in a major.
Player to watch: Tommy Haas
Worst Draw: Soderling
Best Draw: Nadal
Upset Waiting to Happen: Sam Querrey over Andy Roddick in 3rd round.
Dream Final: Federer v. Nadal (again)
Actual Final: Nadal v. Djokovic
Winner: Djokovic
Sporting Events to Watch in 2010
1. BCS National Championship
2. Australian Open
Women's Bracket
Top 8 Seeds
1. Serena Williams
2. Dinara Safina
3. Svetlana Kuznetsova
4. Caroline Wozniacki
5. Elena Dementieva
6. Venus Williams
7. Victoria Azarenka
8. Jelena Jankovic
Main Storyline: Last year was the year for the young stars of women's tennis to show their talent. This year it is time for them to win tournaments and what better way to start off the season with a title in Melbourne. Wozniacki and Azarenka are carrying the torch for the next generation of young stars and both should advance to the fourth round easily. After the first three rounds, both will have to step up their game when they their first hack at the other seeded players.
Player Flying Under the Radar: Maria Sharapova
Worst Draw: Safina
Best Draw: Dementieva
Upset Waiting To Happen: Kim Clijsters over Kuznetsova in the fourth round.
Dream Final: Serena v. Safina
What the Final Will Be: Serena v. Clijsters
Winner: Serena
Men's Bracket
Top 8 Seeds
1. Roger Federer
2. Rafa Nadal
3. Novak Djokovic
4. Juan Martin del Potro
5. Andy Murray
6. Nikolay Davydenko
7. Andy Roddick
8. Robin Soderling
Main Storyline: The parody in men's tennis is unbelievable at this time. All top 8 seeds are capable of winning this tournament plus many other seeded players are also fully capable of having a dream run and making it to the final. The Australian Open is usually where the favorites fall out to upcoming stars. In the past five years players like Marcos Baghdatis, Fernando Gonzalez, and Jo-Wilfied Tsonga have pulled off final runs but losing to Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal. The major season ended last season with a dominating performance from del Potro in New York, proving that anything is possible in a major.
Player to watch: Tommy Haas
Worst Draw: Soderling
Best Draw: Nadal
Upset Waiting to Happen: Sam Querrey over Andy Roddick in 3rd round.
Dream Final: Federer v. Nadal (again)
Actual Final: Nadal v. Djokovic
Winner: Djokovic
Sporting Events to Watch in 2010
1. BCS National Championship
2. Australian Open
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Upset Alert: Wednesday College Hoops Preview
Tonight in college basketball, fourteen ranked teams are in action and only four are playing home games, two teams play against ranked opponents. As we saw last night with the Kentucky-Florida game, the away team will always face a rowdy environment and could be upset. Kentucky did not get upset but there were parts of the game in which the momentum swung over to the Gators and Kentucky had to get it back.
Highlighting Wednesday's action are two matchups with ranked opponents. (13) North Carolina visits (19) Clemson and (20) Pitt goes to (15) UCONN. These are obviously the most attention-grabbing games but for the rest of the Top 25 an upset is possible.
Following the listing of the game will be an upset alert rated from 1-10. 1 being the least chance to be upset, 10 being a very high chance of an upset.
(1) Texas @ Iowa State
Upset Alert- 1
There is no way the Longhorns will slip up until their meeting with Kansas in three weeks.
(3) Kansas @ Nebraska
Upset Alert- 1
Coach Bill Self will not let the Jayhawks play as poor as they did in Knoxville on Sunday.
(5) Syracuse @ Rutgers
Upset Alert- 3
Rutgers' arena is loud and always motivates the Scarlet Knights but the Orange should have few difficulties as Rutgers is still a lower-tier Big East team.
Boston College @ (7) Duke
Upset Alert- 1
The Blue Devils should take care of the Eagles, especially at home.
Minnesota @ (8) Michigan State
Upset Alert- 4
Tubby Smith has brought the Golden Gophers back into contention for the NCAA Tournament and could pull a surprise at the Breslin Center tonight.
(9) West Virginia @ South Florida
Upset Alert- 4
A possible slip-up game for the Mountaineers looking forward to their matchup with Syracuse on Saturday.
(16) Wisconsin @ Northwestern
Upset Alert- 2
Wisconsin has been playing excellent basketball in the past month and should dominate all forty minutes.
(17) BYU @ Air Force
Upset Alert- 3
The Cougars are one of the most underrated teams in the nation and should have a big night in Colorado Springs.
(18) Georgia Tech @ Virginia
Upset Alert- 10
This game has all the makings of an upset. Georgia Tech beat Duke on Saturday and play North Carolina this weekend. Virginia is in a perfect spot to catch the Yellow Jackets looking ahead to their matchup with the Tar Heels.
(21) Temple @ Penn
Upset Alert- 6
In any Big 5 game in Philly, an upset is likely. The Quakers have one win this season but with this game being the first of three straight Big 5 games, expect the unexpected.
(23) Ole Miss @ Georgia
Upset Alert- 7
A road game in the SEC is always tough, especially coming off a loss to your rival. That is what the Rebels are facing. Georgia is coming off of a win against Georgia Tech and a close loss to Kentucky in their last two games, which shows that they are ready to play the ranked teams tough and with tonight's game they could go 2 for 3 against ranked teams.
Coming off of the weekend that was chock full of upsets, do not be surprised if another three of four ranked teams go down tonight.
Highlighting Wednesday's action are two matchups with ranked opponents. (13) North Carolina visits (19) Clemson and (20) Pitt goes to (15) UCONN. These are obviously the most attention-grabbing games but for the rest of the Top 25 an upset is possible.
Following the listing of the game will be an upset alert rated from 1-10. 1 being the least chance to be upset, 10 being a very high chance of an upset.
(1) Texas @ Iowa State
Upset Alert- 1
There is no way the Longhorns will slip up until their meeting with Kansas in three weeks.
(3) Kansas @ Nebraska
Upset Alert- 1
Coach Bill Self will not let the Jayhawks play as poor as they did in Knoxville on Sunday.
(5) Syracuse @ Rutgers
Upset Alert- 3
Rutgers' arena is loud and always motivates the Scarlet Knights but the Orange should have few difficulties as Rutgers is still a lower-tier Big East team.
Boston College @ (7) Duke
Upset Alert- 1
The Blue Devils should take care of the Eagles, especially at home.
Minnesota @ (8) Michigan State
Upset Alert- 4
Tubby Smith has brought the Golden Gophers back into contention for the NCAA Tournament and could pull a surprise at the Breslin Center tonight.
(9) West Virginia @ South Florida
Upset Alert- 4
A possible slip-up game for the Mountaineers looking forward to their matchup with Syracuse on Saturday.
(16) Wisconsin @ Northwestern
Upset Alert- 2
Wisconsin has been playing excellent basketball in the past month and should dominate all forty minutes.
(17) BYU @ Air Force
Upset Alert- 3
The Cougars are one of the most underrated teams in the nation and should have a big night in Colorado Springs.
(18) Georgia Tech @ Virginia
Upset Alert- 10
This game has all the makings of an upset. Georgia Tech beat Duke on Saturday and play North Carolina this weekend. Virginia is in a perfect spot to catch the Yellow Jackets looking ahead to their matchup with the Tar Heels.
(21) Temple @ Penn
Upset Alert- 6
In any Big 5 game in Philly, an upset is likely. The Quakers have one win this season but with this game being the first of three straight Big 5 games, expect the unexpected.
(23) Ole Miss @ Georgia
Upset Alert- 7
A road game in the SEC is always tough, especially coming off a loss to your rival. That is what the Rebels are facing. Georgia is coming off of a win against Georgia Tech and a close loss to Kentucky in their last two games, which shows that they are ready to play the ranked teams tough and with tonight's game they could go 2 for 3 against ranked teams.
Coming off of the weekend that was chock full of upsets, do not be surprised if another three of four ranked teams go down tonight.
Z88.9 Sports Top 10 (January 12th)
TOP 10 FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS LEFT IN NFL PLAYOFFS
10. Jeff Saturday
9. Darren Sharper
8. Antonio Gates
7. Drew Brees
6. LaDainian Tomlinson
5. Ed Reed
4. Ray Lewis
3. Kurt Warner
2. Brett Favre
1. Peyton Manning
10. Jeff Saturday
9. Darren Sharper
8. Antonio Gates
7. Drew Brees
6. LaDainian Tomlinson
5. Ed Reed
4. Ray Lewis
3. Kurt Warner
2. Brett Favre
1. Peyton Manning
Sunday, January 10, 2010
College Hoopla: January 10th Edition
Welcome to my new weekly post dedicated to NCAA Men's Basketball titled College Hoopla. And their was a ton of hoopla going on in the Top 25 this weekend. Usually when three of the top five teams in the polls lose in a week it is shocking but that happened in a 24-hour span plus the upsetting of five other ranked teams puts the casualty list to eight this weekend. Here are this week's best in college hoops:
Player of the Week
Austin Freeman, Georgetown
The Hoyas' guard scored 28 of his 33 points in the second half against (13) UCONN at the Verizon Center on Saturday. Freeman also led the Hoyas' in scoring on the road at Marquette on Wednesday with 20 in the Hoyas' loss.
Team of the Week
Tennessee
Bruce Pearl's team has been through alot in the past month with three players being suspended and senior Tyler Smith being kicked of the team due to legal issues. After a crippling loss to USC last month, the Vols have won four straight including beating (1) Kansas on Sunday at Thompson-Boiling Arena 76-68.
Upset of the Week
Missouri over (10) Kansas State 74-68
With all ten Tigers who played in this game making some type of contibution to their win over K-State in Columbia on Saturday, the Tigers started off their Big 12 campaign with a statement win and showing the conference that they are a force to be reckoned with.
What the Top 10 Should Be:
(1) Texas
(2) Kentucky
(3) Syracuse
(4) Villanova
(5) Kansas
(6) North Carolina
(7) Purdue
(8) Georgetown
(9) Tennessee
(10) Duke
Monday to Friday Games to Watch:
Monday 1/11: Villanova @ Louisville (7:00 ESPN)
Tuesday 1/12:Kentucky @ Florida (9:00 ESPN)
Wednesday 1/13: Temple @ Penn (7:00)
Thursday 1/14: Gonzaga @ St. Mary's (11:00 ESPN2)
Friday 1/15: South Dakota St. @ North Dakota St. (8:00)
Weekend 6-Pack:
Syracuse @ West Virginia (Sat. 12:00 ESPN)
Georgia Tech @ North Carolina (Sat. 2:00 ESPN)
Notre Dame @ Cincinnati (Sat. 4:00 ESPNU)
Ole Miss @ Tennessee (Sat. 1:30)
Georgetown @ Villanova (Sun. 12:00)
UCONN @ Michigan (Sun. 1:30 CBS)
Come back next week and every week until the championship for more College Hoopla.
Player of the Week
Austin Freeman, Georgetown
The Hoyas' guard scored 28 of his 33 points in the second half against (13) UCONN at the Verizon Center on Saturday. Freeman also led the Hoyas' in scoring on the road at Marquette on Wednesday with 20 in the Hoyas' loss.
Team of the Week
Tennessee
Bruce Pearl's team has been through alot in the past month with three players being suspended and senior Tyler Smith being kicked of the team due to legal issues. After a crippling loss to USC last month, the Vols have won four straight including beating (1) Kansas on Sunday at Thompson-Boiling Arena 76-68.
Upset of the Week
Missouri over (10) Kansas State 74-68
With all ten Tigers who played in this game making some type of contibution to their win over K-State in Columbia on Saturday, the Tigers started off their Big 12 campaign with a statement win and showing the conference that they are a force to be reckoned with.
What the Top 10 Should Be:
(1) Texas
(2) Kentucky
(3) Syracuse
(4) Villanova
(5) Kansas
(6) North Carolina
(7) Purdue
(8) Georgetown
(9) Tennessee
(10) Duke
Monday to Friday Games to Watch:
Monday 1/11: Villanova @ Louisville (7:00 ESPN)
Tuesday 1/12:Kentucky @ Florida (9:00 ESPN)
Wednesday 1/13: Temple @ Penn (7:00)
Thursday 1/14: Gonzaga @ St. Mary's (11:00 ESPN2)
Friday 1/15: South Dakota St. @ North Dakota St. (8:00)
Weekend 6-Pack:
Syracuse @ West Virginia (Sat. 12:00 ESPN)
Georgia Tech @ North Carolina (Sat. 2:00 ESPN)
Notre Dame @ Cincinnati (Sat. 4:00 ESPNU)
Ole Miss @ Tennessee (Sat. 1:30)
Georgetown @ Villanova (Sun. 12:00)
UCONN @ Michigan (Sun. 1:30 CBS)
Come back next week and every week until the championship for more College Hoopla.
Wild-Card Weekend Not Too Wild Until The End
Wild-Card weekend has come and gone for another year and has provided us with few memories, if some fans even have a few from this weekend. The only moment worth being remembered is Karlos Dansby's touchdown in overtime. Unless you are a fan of one the four winning teams, this weekend was one to forget and that is why I am here to help you remember with my recap of Wild-Card Weekend
AFC
Jets 24, Bengals 14
Ravens 33, Patriots 14
The Jets came one step closer to back up Rex Ryan's guarantee of being the favorites to win the Super Bowl. The Ravens proved that last year was not a fluke by winning a third road playoff game in the past two years in Foxboro. Disappointment must be flowing through the veins of Bengal and Patriot fans right now. Both the Jets and Ravens relied on the run game to succeed and it worked. Both teams had two running backs carry the ball over 15 times and score at least one touchdown. Both teams' defenses also came to play while the losing teams' D did not show all game. By giving up only 14 points each, both the Jets and Ravens will challenge the Colts and Chargers next weekend on the road.
Next Week's Games:
Baltimore @ Indianapolis (Saturday, 8:15, CBS)
NY Jets @ San Diego (Sunday, 4:40, CBS)
NFC
Cowboys 34, Eagles 14
Cardinals 51, Packers 45 (OT)
These two games do not even belong in the same category. The Cowboys proved early in their game that they were going to advance. Meanwhile, in Arizona, the Packers and Cardinals provided fans with a much needed competitive game. The Cowboys domianted Philly for the second straight week and are on high on confidence going to Minnesota next week, while the loss triggered many questions about the future of the Eagles.
The Cardinals-Packers game set a few records that I did not think would be broken in this game. 96 points and over 1,000 total yards made this game an instant classic. After halftime both defenses decided to go into hiding after a first half filled with turnovers. Green Bay got back into the game with a Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings touchdown and then tried a successful onside kick with led to a Rodgers touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson and got the Packers' momentum going in the right direction. Fast forward to the fourth quarter, where the Packers down 45-38 came back yet again with a drive filled with wide open receivers and culminated in another touchdown pass by Rodgers, this time to linebacker/tight end Spencer Havner. After leaving the Cardinals with way too much time, they drove down the field and Neil Rackers missed the game-winning field goal. In overtime, it was fitting that a defensive touchdown by Dansby would end the shootout that had no end in sight.
Next Week's Games:
Arizona @ New Orleans (Saturday, 4:30, FOX)
Dallas @ Minnesota (Sunday, 1:00, FOX)
Check back on Friday for the first two of my four divisional playoff previews.
AFC
Jets 24, Bengals 14
Ravens 33, Patriots 14
The Jets came one step closer to back up Rex Ryan's guarantee of being the favorites to win the Super Bowl. The Ravens proved that last year was not a fluke by winning a third road playoff game in the past two years in Foxboro. Disappointment must be flowing through the veins of Bengal and Patriot fans right now. Both the Jets and Ravens relied on the run game to succeed and it worked. Both teams had two running backs carry the ball over 15 times and score at least one touchdown. Both teams' defenses also came to play while the losing teams' D did not show all game. By giving up only 14 points each, both the Jets and Ravens will challenge the Colts and Chargers next weekend on the road.
Next Week's Games:
Baltimore @ Indianapolis (Saturday, 8:15, CBS)
NY Jets @ San Diego (Sunday, 4:40, CBS)
NFC
Cowboys 34, Eagles 14
Cardinals 51, Packers 45 (OT)
These two games do not even belong in the same category. The Cowboys proved early in their game that they were going to advance. Meanwhile, in Arizona, the Packers and Cardinals provided fans with a much needed competitive game. The Cowboys domianted Philly for the second straight week and are on high on confidence going to Minnesota next week, while the loss triggered many questions about the future of the Eagles.
The Cardinals-Packers game set a few records that I did not think would be broken in this game. 96 points and over 1,000 total yards made this game an instant classic. After halftime both defenses decided to go into hiding after a first half filled with turnovers. Green Bay got back into the game with a Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings touchdown and then tried a successful onside kick with led to a Rodgers touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson and got the Packers' momentum going in the right direction. Fast forward to the fourth quarter, where the Packers down 45-38 came back yet again with a drive filled with wide open receivers and culminated in another touchdown pass by Rodgers, this time to linebacker/tight end Spencer Havner. After leaving the Cardinals with way too much time, they drove down the field and Neil Rackers missed the game-winning field goal. In overtime, it was fitting that a defensive touchdown by Dansby would end the shootout that had no end in sight.
Next Week's Games:
Arizona @ New Orleans (Saturday, 4:30, FOX)
Dallas @ Minnesota (Sunday, 1:00, FOX)
Check back on Friday for the first two of my four divisional playoff previews.
Playoff Preview (Packers @ Cardinals)
Green Bay @ Arizona (Sun, 4:40, FOX)
In the third rematch of Week 17 in the Wild-Card round, the Packers go back to the desert and will face the Cardinals' starters this week. Last week's game meant nothing to both teams, they were both in the playoffs and knew they were facing each other. The Cardinals started Matt Leinart last week and played most of their backups. This week is completely different because Kurt Warner leads Arizona into battle.
The Green Bay Packers are one of the hottest, if not the hottest team in the league and will look to continue they run with a win over Arizona for the second straight week. Aaron Rodgers is making Packer fans forget about the Favre era with good reason. Throwing for almost 4500 yards and having two 1,000 yard receivers, Rodgers is quickly becoming the next great quarterback for the Packers. But, it has not just been Rodgers, Ryan Grant is having an amazing year as well at running back. Grant's performance is flying way underneath the radar with the way Rodgers has performed. With the emergence of tight end Jermichael Finley, Rodgers has found a safety valve in the passing game to complement Donald Driver and Greg Jennings.
On defense, the Packers have been as good as the offense. Three of their top six tacklers are linebackers and they have been the heart of their defense this season. Nick Barnett's veteran leadership has helped with the development of A.J. Hawk and Clay Matthews. Matthews has been the standout on the defense with 10 sacks and has provided defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac with a weapon of the end to rush the quarterback. But the real star on the defensive side of the ball this season has been Charles Woodson. The former Heisman winner 9 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, and 3 defensive touchdowns. Woodson will be called upon to shut down Larry Fitzgerald today.
Speaking of Fitzgerald, he needs to have a huge game for the Cardinals to succeed. Anquan Boldin is out and Steve Breaston has to help Fitzgerald in the receving corps to help Kurt Warner spread the ball out to everyone. Warner is one of the most successful postseason quarterbacks in the history of the league and with word coming out this weekend that it is likely he will retire after the playoffs should give him extra motivation to win in what could be his final season. Unlike past seasons, Warner now has a reliable run game led by Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower to go to to provide balance.
On defense, the Cardinals' strong point is their secondary. Led by Antrel Rolle and Adrian Wilson, the secondary has gotten contributions from Bryant McFadden and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Facing the Packers' receivers will not be that big of a task for them but if the Packers do break free expect a long day.
5 Players to watch for the Cardinals
QB Kurt Warner
RB Beanie Wells
S Adrian Wilson
CB Bryant McFadden
WR Larry Fitzgerald
5 Players to watch for the Packers
QB Aaron Rodgers
CB Charles Woodson
LB Clay Matthews
RB Ryan Grant
TE Jermichael Finley
Matchup to watch: Fitzgerald v. Woodson
Prediction: Packers
In the third rematch of Week 17 in the Wild-Card round, the Packers go back to the desert and will face the Cardinals' starters this week. Last week's game meant nothing to both teams, they were both in the playoffs and knew they were facing each other. The Cardinals started Matt Leinart last week and played most of their backups. This week is completely different because Kurt Warner leads Arizona into battle.
The Green Bay Packers are one of the hottest, if not the hottest team in the league and will look to continue they run with a win over Arizona for the second straight week. Aaron Rodgers is making Packer fans forget about the Favre era with good reason. Throwing for almost 4500 yards and having two 1,000 yard receivers, Rodgers is quickly becoming the next great quarterback for the Packers. But, it has not just been Rodgers, Ryan Grant is having an amazing year as well at running back. Grant's performance is flying way underneath the radar with the way Rodgers has performed. With the emergence of tight end Jermichael Finley, Rodgers has found a safety valve in the passing game to complement Donald Driver and Greg Jennings.
On defense, the Packers have been as good as the offense. Three of their top six tacklers are linebackers and they have been the heart of their defense this season. Nick Barnett's veteran leadership has helped with the development of A.J. Hawk and Clay Matthews. Matthews has been the standout on the defense with 10 sacks and has provided defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac with a weapon of the end to rush the quarterback. But the real star on the defensive side of the ball this season has been Charles Woodson. The former Heisman winner 9 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, and 3 defensive touchdowns. Woodson will be called upon to shut down Larry Fitzgerald today.
Speaking of Fitzgerald, he needs to have a huge game for the Cardinals to succeed. Anquan Boldin is out and Steve Breaston has to help Fitzgerald in the receving corps to help Kurt Warner spread the ball out to everyone. Warner is one of the most successful postseason quarterbacks in the history of the league and with word coming out this weekend that it is likely he will retire after the playoffs should give him extra motivation to win in what could be his final season. Unlike past seasons, Warner now has a reliable run game led by Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower to go to to provide balance.
On defense, the Cardinals' strong point is their secondary. Led by Antrel Rolle and Adrian Wilson, the secondary has gotten contributions from Bryant McFadden and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Facing the Packers' receivers will not be that big of a task for them but if the Packers do break free expect a long day.
5 Players to watch for the Cardinals
QB Kurt Warner
RB Beanie Wells
S Adrian Wilson
CB Bryant McFadden
WR Larry Fitzgerald
5 Players to watch for the Packers
QB Aaron Rodgers
CB Charles Woodson
LB Clay Matthews
RB Ryan Grant
TE Jermichael Finley
Matchup to watch: Fitzgerald v. Woodson
Prediction: Packers
Playoff Preview (Ravens @ Patriots)
Baltimore @ New England (Sunday, 1:00, CBS)
The Ravens and Patriots are only two wild-card opponents that did not face each other last week but they did play back in Week 4 in Foxboro with the Pats winning 27-21. That game is completely different from the last because of the weapon that the Pats know lack in Wes Welker.
The Patriots are coming off a loss in Houston last week and they suffered an even bigger loss with Wes Welker tearing his ACL and MCL. In the absence of Welker, Randy Moss will still have a target on his back and should play well. But after Moss, the receiving corps is facing tons of questions. The ever-dependable Kevin Faulk out of the backfield will play a bigger role and rookie Julian Edelman will have to step into Welker's slot position. Along with Faulk and Edelman, tight end Benjamin Watson will have to not only help block the Ravens' linebackers but go across the middle for short yardage gains. As for the Pats' defense, they are not as dominant as they were in years past. Vince Wilfork still mans the nose tackle position and the veteran presence of Ty Warren and Tully Banta-Cain are there but the defense is made up of mostly young guys that have begun to step up to make plays like leading tackler, Jerod Mayo and safety Brandon Meriweather. The pressure up the middle by Wilfork could be the difference in the game forcing the Ravens to run to the outside and let the other eight defenders make open-field tackles.
The Ravens' offense has been headlined by Ray Rice. Not only did Rice rush for 1339 yards he caught 78 passes for 702 yards. Rice has proved to be a reliable target out of the backfield for quarterback Joe Flacco. The Ravens' depth at running back also helps Rice flank to the outside. Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain combined for over 700 yards rushing and are most dependable for short-yardage situations. McClain has moved back to his blocking role after his breakout season last year and has made a huge impact in the running game with his blocking. Flacco's receiving corps has had contributions from three main receivers, Derrick Mason, Kelley Washington, and Mark Clayton. But, the most reliable receiving outside of Rice is tight end Todd Heap who needs to get into the New England secondary on pass plays for his best chance at success today.
On defense, Baltimore faces the same problem as New England in the fact that they are not as dominant as they used to be but possess the talent to get back to that status. Ray Lewis is once again the leading tackler this season. Like the Patriots, young guys in the secondary have stepped up. For the Ravens, Domonique Foxworth and Dawan Landry have stepped up in Ed Reed's absence and with Reed likely to play today it give the Ravens' defense even more experience going into the postseason and going up against a depleted Patriot receiving corps, they stand a chance of helping the Ravens pull the upset.
5 Players to Watch for the Ravens
QB Joe Flacco
S Ed Reed
RB Ray Rice
TE Todd Heap
CB Domonique Foxworth
5 Players to Watch for the Patriots
WR Julian Edelman
WR Randy Moss
S Brandon Meriweather
QB Tom Brady
RB Kevin Faulk
Matchup to watch: Moss v. Foxworth
Prediction: Patriots
The Ravens and Patriots are only two wild-card opponents that did not face each other last week but they did play back in Week 4 in Foxboro with the Pats winning 27-21. That game is completely different from the last because of the weapon that the Pats know lack in Wes Welker.
The Patriots are coming off a loss in Houston last week and they suffered an even bigger loss with Wes Welker tearing his ACL and MCL. In the absence of Welker, Randy Moss will still have a target on his back and should play well. But after Moss, the receiving corps is facing tons of questions. The ever-dependable Kevin Faulk out of the backfield will play a bigger role and rookie Julian Edelman will have to step into Welker's slot position. Along with Faulk and Edelman, tight end Benjamin Watson will have to not only help block the Ravens' linebackers but go across the middle for short yardage gains. As for the Pats' defense, they are not as dominant as they were in years past. Vince Wilfork still mans the nose tackle position and the veteran presence of Ty Warren and Tully Banta-Cain are there but the defense is made up of mostly young guys that have begun to step up to make plays like leading tackler, Jerod Mayo and safety Brandon Meriweather. The pressure up the middle by Wilfork could be the difference in the game forcing the Ravens to run to the outside and let the other eight defenders make open-field tackles.
The Ravens' offense has been headlined by Ray Rice. Not only did Rice rush for 1339 yards he caught 78 passes for 702 yards. Rice has proved to be a reliable target out of the backfield for quarterback Joe Flacco. The Ravens' depth at running back also helps Rice flank to the outside. Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain combined for over 700 yards rushing and are most dependable for short-yardage situations. McClain has moved back to his blocking role after his breakout season last year and has made a huge impact in the running game with his blocking. Flacco's receiving corps has had contributions from three main receivers, Derrick Mason, Kelley Washington, and Mark Clayton. But, the most reliable receiving outside of Rice is tight end Todd Heap who needs to get into the New England secondary on pass plays for his best chance at success today.
On defense, Baltimore faces the same problem as New England in the fact that they are not as dominant as they used to be but possess the talent to get back to that status. Ray Lewis is once again the leading tackler this season. Like the Patriots, young guys in the secondary have stepped up. For the Ravens, Domonique Foxworth and Dawan Landry have stepped up in Ed Reed's absence and with Reed likely to play today it give the Ravens' defense even more experience going into the postseason and going up against a depleted Patriot receiving corps, they stand a chance of helping the Ravens pull the upset.
5 Players to Watch for the Ravens
QB Joe Flacco
S Ed Reed
RB Ray Rice
TE Todd Heap
CB Domonique Foxworth
5 Players to Watch for the Patriots
WR Julian Edelman
WR Randy Moss
S Brandon Meriweather
QB Tom Brady
RB Kevin Faulk
Matchup to watch: Moss v. Foxworth
Prediction: Patriots
Friday, January 8, 2010
Playoff Preview (Eagles @ Cowboys)
Philadelphia @ Dallas (Sat. 8:00, NBC)
In the most anticipated matchup of the Wild Card round, these two bitter NFC East rivals meet for the third time this season and the second time in two weeks. Dallas embarrased the Eagles in both regular season games and looking to win their first playoff game since 1996. The Eagles have one at least one playoff game every time they made the playoffs under Andy Reid.
The keys for the Eagles to win this matchup are to make sure their offense does not stall like last week in Dallas. Donovan McNabb and his arsenal of young weapons need to have a big game to ensure a date with the Saints next weekend. The running game must get going against the aggressive Dallas defense to give the Eagles' offense balance. With Brian Westbrook just getting back to full strength from his two concussions, look for him to get the ball more often than he has in the past two weeks. The Eagles' defense look better in the second half of last week's game and gave Philly fans some hope that their defense could put a stop to the Cowboy offense. The revolving door of starting linebackers has hurt the Eagles since training camp opened and is the biggest concern on a defense whose secondary and line are strong.
For the Cowboys, since their win in New Orleans to break the Saints undefeated run, they have been on fire in December. Tony Romo has been able to find Jason Witten, who seems like he can not be stopped right now, and Miles Austin for big gains. The running game got going last week against the Eagles with Felix Jones running along the outside of the field, which created a good change of direction with Marion Barber being stonewalled up the middle. On defense, the Cowboys just need to play half as good of a game that they played on Sunday and they should be good. Jai Ratliff's rush up the middle cause trouble for Eagles center Nick Cole and opened up the middle for DeMarcus Ware and company to plow right through the line. The Cowboys must not be over aggresive since the Eagles are one of the best screen teams in the league and will take advantage of the front seven looking for sacks.
5 Players to Watch for the Eagles
C Nick Cole
QB Donovan McNabb
CB Asante Samuel
WR DeSean Jackson
TE Brent Celek
5 Players to Watch for the Cowboys
DT Jai Ratliff
QB Tony Romo
CB Mike Jenkins
WR Miles Austin
TE Jason Witten
Key Matchup: Cole vs. Ratliff
Prediction: Eagles
In the most anticipated matchup of the Wild Card round, these two bitter NFC East rivals meet for the third time this season and the second time in two weeks. Dallas embarrased the Eagles in both regular season games and looking to win their first playoff game since 1996. The Eagles have one at least one playoff game every time they made the playoffs under Andy Reid.
The keys for the Eagles to win this matchup are to make sure their offense does not stall like last week in Dallas. Donovan McNabb and his arsenal of young weapons need to have a big game to ensure a date with the Saints next weekend. The running game must get going against the aggressive Dallas defense to give the Eagles' offense balance. With Brian Westbrook just getting back to full strength from his two concussions, look for him to get the ball more often than he has in the past two weeks. The Eagles' defense look better in the second half of last week's game and gave Philly fans some hope that their defense could put a stop to the Cowboy offense. The revolving door of starting linebackers has hurt the Eagles since training camp opened and is the biggest concern on a defense whose secondary and line are strong.
For the Cowboys, since their win in New Orleans to break the Saints undefeated run, they have been on fire in December. Tony Romo has been able to find Jason Witten, who seems like he can not be stopped right now, and Miles Austin for big gains. The running game got going last week against the Eagles with Felix Jones running along the outside of the field, which created a good change of direction with Marion Barber being stonewalled up the middle. On defense, the Cowboys just need to play half as good of a game that they played on Sunday and they should be good. Jai Ratliff's rush up the middle cause trouble for Eagles center Nick Cole and opened up the middle for DeMarcus Ware and company to plow right through the line. The Cowboys must not be over aggresive since the Eagles are one of the best screen teams in the league and will take advantage of the front seven looking for sacks.
5 Players to Watch for the Eagles
C Nick Cole
QB Donovan McNabb
CB Asante Samuel
WR DeSean Jackson
TE Brent Celek
5 Players to Watch for the Cowboys
DT Jai Ratliff
QB Tony Romo
CB Mike Jenkins
WR Miles Austin
TE Jason Witten
Key Matchup: Cole vs. Ratliff
Prediction: Eagles
Playoff Preview (Jets @ Bengals)
NY Jets @ Cincinnati (Sat. 4:30, NBC)
In the first of three rematches from Week 17, the venue changes to Paul Brown Stadium. In the biggest fight of words under 140 characters between Chad Ochocinco and Darrelle Revis on Twitter before last week's game, Ochocinco said he would change his last name back to Johnson if Revis shut him down. Revis did but Ochocinco claimed it was not enough because he did not play as much as he thought. But Ochocinco might have to be forced to live up to his bet with Revis because Revis is the best shutdown corner in the NFL. Carson Palmer will need to hit Laveranues Coles and Andre Caldwell to open up the passing game to succeed.
For the Jets, the run game must work for them to win and follow through on coach Rex Ryan's guarantee of making the Super Bowl, which is completely ridiculous. Mark Sanchez has shown all season that he has the inability to win games when the run has been shut down, even with the addition of Braylon Edwards. On the defensive side of the ball, David Harris and Bart Scott need to wreak havoc on the Bengals' O-Line in the pass rush and will also have to be able to cover Cedric Benson and Brian Leonard out of the backfield. Although they will not have the game handed to them this time, the Jets can pose a serious threat in the playoffs if everything goes well.
5 Players To Watch for the Jets
RB Thomas Jones
LB David Harris
LB Bart Scott
CB Darrelle Revis
WR Braylon Edwards
5 Players To Watch for the Bengals
RB Brian Leonard
LB Rey Maualuga
RB Cedric Benson
WR Laveranues Coles
K Shayne Graham
Key Matchup: Ochocinco vs. Revis
Prediction: J-E-T-S JETS JETS
In the first of three rematches from Week 17, the venue changes to Paul Brown Stadium. In the biggest fight of words under 140 characters between Chad Ochocinco and Darrelle Revis on Twitter before last week's game, Ochocinco said he would change his last name back to Johnson if Revis shut him down. Revis did but Ochocinco claimed it was not enough because he did not play as much as he thought. But Ochocinco might have to be forced to live up to his bet with Revis because Revis is the best shutdown corner in the NFL. Carson Palmer will need to hit Laveranues Coles and Andre Caldwell to open up the passing game to succeed.
For the Jets, the run game must work for them to win and follow through on coach Rex Ryan's guarantee of making the Super Bowl, which is completely ridiculous. Mark Sanchez has shown all season that he has the inability to win games when the run has been shut down, even with the addition of Braylon Edwards. On the defensive side of the ball, David Harris and Bart Scott need to wreak havoc on the Bengals' O-Line in the pass rush and will also have to be able to cover Cedric Benson and Brian Leonard out of the backfield. Although they will not have the game handed to them this time, the Jets can pose a serious threat in the playoffs if everything goes well.
5 Players To Watch for the Jets
RB Thomas Jones
LB David Harris
LB Bart Scott
CB Darrelle Revis
WR Braylon Edwards
5 Players To Watch for the Bengals
RB Brian Leonard
LB Rey Maualuga
RB Cedric Benson
WR Laveranues Coles
K Shayne Graham
Key Matchup: Ochocinco vs. Revis
Prediction: J-E-T-S JETS JETS
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Best and Worst- BCS Bowl Edition
Bowl season is finally over with the Alabama Crimson Tide the #1 team in the nation at 14-0 and National Champions. So, here is edition 2.0 of the best and worst of bowl season. This edition focuses just on the five BCS games.
Best End to Career: Tim Tebow
Best Breakout Performance: Terrelle Pryor
Best Defense of Option: Iowa
Best Fake Punt: Boise State
Best Surprise Play: Texas onside kick
Best Player Whose Name We Should Remember for the next 3 years: Garrett Gilbert
Best Breaking of Heisman Curse: Mark Ingram
Best Defending Champ That Will #1 in Preseason: Alabama
Best Ending of Conference Rose Bowl Drought: Ohio State
Best Coach that Silenced Critics: Jim Tressel
Best Coach We Wish the Best in Recovery: Urban Meyer
Best BCS Conference in BCS Games: Big Ten
Worst Usage of Over 1,000 Uniform Combos: Oregon
Worst Thing To Happen to a Star Player: Colt McCoy's injury
Worst Team Effort: Cincinnati
Worst Effect of Coaching Changes: Cincinnati
Worst End to a Career: Colt McCoy
Worst Game That Failed to Live up to Hype: Fiesta Bowl
Worst Play that almost became a safety: Johnathan Dwyer's run ten yards behind the line of scrimmage into endzone.
Worst Trick Play: Alabama's Fake Punt
Worst Adaptation to Opponent's Strategy: Alabama on Texas' kickoffs.
Worst Miss of a Meaningless Extra Point: Leigh Tiffin
The BCS games defintely showed college football fans a glimpse of what we will see next year and also sent out some seniors with big wins and a certain senior quarterback injury that will always have Longhorn fans asking "What If?"
Best End to Career: Tim Tebow
Best Breakout Performance: Terrelle Pryor
Best Defense of Option: Iowa
Best Fake Punt: Boise State
Best Surprise Play: Texas onside kick
Best Player Whose Name We Should Remember for the next 3 years: Garrett Gilbert
Best Breaking of Heisman Curse: Mark Ingram
Best Defending Champ That Will #1 in Preseason: Alabama
Best Ending of Conference Rose Bowl Drought: Ohio State
Best Coach that Silenced Critics: Jim Tressel
Best Coach We Wish the Best in Recovery: Urban Meyer
Best BCS Conference in BCS Games: Big Ten
Worst Usage of Over 1,000 Uniform Combos: Oregon
Worst Thing To Happen to a Star Player: Colt McCoy's injury
Worst Team Effort: Cincinnati
Worst Effect of Coaching Changes: Cincinnati
Worst End to a Career: Colt McCoy
Worst Game That Failed to Live up to Hype: Fiesta Bowl
Worst Play that almost became a safety: Johnathan Dwyer's run ten yards behind the line of scrimmage into endzone.
Worst Trick Play: Alabama's Fake Punt
Worst Adaptation to Opponent's Strategy: Alabama on Texas' kickoffs.
Worst Miss of a Meaningless Extra Point: Leigh Tiffin
The BCS games defintely showed college football fans a glimpse of what we will see next year and also sent out some seniors with big wins and a certain senior quarterback injury that will always have Longhorn fans asking "What If?"
Players to Watch in the BCS National Championship Game
The day college football fans, especially fans of the Longhorns and Crimson Tide,have waited for all year is upon us tonight at the Rose Bowl. Tonight a national champion will be crowned, Mark Ingram will try to break the Heisman curse and Colt McCoy's amazing college career will come to an end.
TEXAS PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB, Colt McCoy
McCoy's final game will have to include a stellar performance through the air. The Alabama defense is designed to stop the run and with the lack of a real running game for the Longhorns, McCoy will have to find his arsenal of receivers across the field tonight to win.
WR, Jordan Shipley
McCoy's roomate and favorite target will have to end his college career with a great performance as well. Shipley's speed will be put to the test with Javier Arenas covering him. Shipley's impact in the return game will help decide field possession and if he gets a big return to switch momentum, watch out for the Longhorns to take advantage of that.
DE, Sergio Kindle
When the Crimson Tide do go to the air, the Texas pass rush must get pressure on Greg McElroy. Kindle is just the player to do that. Kindle will also be counted on to cause pressure in the backfield and stop Mark Ingram for losses.
WR, James Kirkendoll
If Shipley is shut down by Arenas, Kirkendoll is one of the emerging talents in the Longhorn offense and will need to step up to make a few catches, even if Shipley has a career night, to help spread the field for McCoy's air attack.
S, Earl Thomas
Thomas is the heart and soul of the secondary and will need to come up with at least one big play against the Tide's receiving corps. Thomas has eight interceptions on the season and will be on the prowl for number nine but do not look for him to be over aggressive.
ALABAMA PLAYERS TO WATCH
RB, Mark Ingram
Ingram will try to break the Heisman curse and win a national championship tonight. When Ingram gets going, the Tide are able to open up the playbook and use playaction to catch the Texas secondary off guard, which will be hard to do. Ingram needs a performance like the one he had against Florida to secure the title for the Tide
WR, Julio Jones
The big 6'4" target will be McElroy's go-to man tonight. But, if Jones is covered he could end up being the game's biggest decoy. McElroy has shown that Jones is not his only target but if Jones catches a lot of passes tonight he could outshine the other number eight, Jordan Shipley, on the other sideline.
K, Leigh Tiffin
Alabama's all-time leading scorer could make the game-winning kick tonight and for coach Nick Saban there is no better choice in the nation to make a pressure kick than Tiffin. Tiffin has only missed four field goals this season and is one of the most reliable kickers in the nation.
DT, Terrence Cody
Cody could single-handedly be the reason why the Texas run game fails tonight. Cody has overshadowed by other top defensive tackles in the nation this season (Suh, Gerald McCoy) but SEC fans know the havoc Cody has wreaked on opponents, especially with his ability to get a good rush on kicks and has provided two blocks this season.
LB, Rolando McClain
In the second line of defense, McClain has been spectacular this season against some of the best running backs in the nation. If the Longhorn run games gets through Cody and the defensive line, McClain will be right there to stop any gains.
CB, Javier Arenas
Arenas is more than a dynamic, game-changing return man. He can also be a shutdown corner and he will have to be tonight against Jordan Shipley. Like Shipley, Arenas can provide a momentum turning return any time in the game.
PREDICTION
Both teams have dynamic return men, great secondaries and high-profile offensive stars. Alabama's ability to run the ball and Texas' strong passing game will be the main focuses of each defense. Look for a big play from McElroy to one of his receivers and for Texas RB Tre Newton to have a big play to provide a balance for each offense.
In the end, if it is a close game, Alabama has a better chance to win on a game-winning kick but it will not come down to that. McCoy wants to prove that his performance against a tough defense in Nebraska was a fluke. Look for McCoy to be the most motivated player on the field and that will have an influence on the rest of his team.
Texas 26, Alabama 17
TEXAS PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB, Colt McCoy
McCoy's final game will have to include a stellar performance through the air. The Alabama defense is designed to stop the run and with the lack of a real running game for the Longhorns, McCoy will have to find his arsenal of receivers across the field tonight to win.
WR, Jordan Shipley
McCoy's roomate and favorite target will have to end his college career with a great performance as well. Shipley's speed will be put to the test with Javier Arenas covering him. Shipley's impact in the return game will help decide field possession and if he gets a big return to switch momentum, watch out for the Longhorns to take advantage of that.
DE, Sergio Kindle
When the Crimson Tide do go to the air, the Texas pass rush must get pressure on Greg McElroy. Kindle is just the player to do that. Kindle will also be counted on to cause pressure in the backfield and stop Mark Ingram for losses.
WR, James Kirkendoll
If Shipley is shut down by Arenas, Kirkendoll is one of the emerging talents in the Longhorn offense and will need to step up to make a few catches, even if Shipley has a career night, to help spread the field for McCoy's air attack.
S, Earl Thomas
Thomas is the heart and soul of the secondary and will need to come up with at least one big play against the Tide's receiving corps. Thomas has eight interceptions on the season and will be on the prowl for number nine but do not look for him to be over aggressive.
ALABAMA PLAYERS TO WATCH
RB, Mark Ingram
Ingram will try to break the Heisman curse and win a national championship tonight. When Ingram gets going, the Tide are able to open up the playbook and use playaction to catch the Texas secondary off guard, which will be hard to do. Ingram needs a performance like the one he had against Florida to secure the title for the Tide
WR, Julio Jones
The big 6'4" target will be McElroy's go-to man tonight. But, if Jones is covered he could end up being the game's biggest decoy. McElroy has shown that Jones is not his only target but if Jones catches a lot of passes tonight he could outshine the other number eight, Jordan Shipley, on the other sideline.
K, Leigh Tiffin
Alabama's all-time leading scorer could make the game-winning kick tonight and for coach Nick Saban there is no better choice in the nation to make a pressure kick than Tiffin. Tiffin has only missed four field goals this season and is one of the most reliable kickers in the nation.
DT, Terrence Cody
Cody could single-handedly be the reason why the Texas run game fails tonight. Cody has overshadowed by other top defensive tackles in the nation this season (Suh, Gerald McCoy) but SEC fans know the havoc Cody has wreaked on opponents, especially with his ability to get a good rush on kicks and has provided two blocks this season.
LB, Rolando McClain
In the second line of defense, McClain has been spectacular this season against some of the best running backs in the nation. If the Longhorn run games gets through Cody and the defensive line, McClain will be right there to stop any gains.
CB, Javier Arenas
Arenas is more than a dynamic, game-changing return man. He can also be a shutdown corner and he will have to be tonight against Jordan Shipley. Like Shipley, Arenas can provide a momentum turning return any time in the game.
PREDICTION
Both teams have dynamic return men, great secondaries and high-profile offensive stars. Alabama's ability to run the ball and Texas' strong passing game will be the main focuses of each defense. Look for a big play from McElroy to one of his receivers and for Texas RB Tre Newton to have a big play to provide a balance for each offense.
In the end, if it is a close game, Alabama has a better chance to win on a game-winning kick but it will not come down to that. McCoy wants to prove that his performance against a tough defense in Nebraska was a fluke. Look for McCoy to be the most motivated player on the field and that will have an influence on the rest of his team.
Texas 26, Alabama 17
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Z88.9 Sports Top 10 (January 5th)
TOP 10 IMPACT PLAYERS FOR THE NFL PLAYOFFS
10. Julian Edelman, WR, New England
9. Jai Ratliff, DT, Dallas
8. Dallas Clark, TE, Indianapolis
7. Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego
6. Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets
5. DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia
4. Tom Brady, QB, New England
3. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay
2. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis
1. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans
10. Julian Edelman, WR, New England
9. Jai Ratliff, DT, Dallas
8. Dallas Clark, TE, Indianapolis
7. Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego
6. Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets
5. DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia
4. Tom Brady, QB, New England
3. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay
2. Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis
1. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans
Monday, January 4, 2010
Best of Bowl Season Non-BCS Edition
After the exciting two week thrill ride college football fans have experienced through all of the bowls not associated with the BCS here are the moments that made it great.
Best Game: Humanitarian Bowl, Idaho 43, Bowling Green 42
Best Coaching Decision: Idaho's game winning 2-point conversion.
Best Offensive Performance: Kyle Padron, QB, SMU 32/41 460 yds. 2 TD in Hawai'i Bowl
Best Defensive Performance: Nebraska, allowed 109 total yards in 33-0 Holiday Bowl win over Arizona
Best Upset: Air Force over Houston 47-20 in Armed Forces Bowl
Best Home-Field Advantage: USC in San Francisco for Emerald Bowl
Best Backup: Steven Sheffield, Texas Tech 9/11 88 yds. TD in 4th quarter.
Best Senior Send-off: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. The Huskers' defense dominated Arizona and solidified Suh's claim to be the #1 pick in April.
Best Homecoming: June Jones, SMU head coach coming back to Hawai'i for first time and upsetting Nevada.
Best New Venue for Bowl Game: Cotton Bowl (Cowboys Stadium)
Best Underrated Game: Capital One Bowl: Auburn 38, Northwestern 35
Best Kicker That Decided Not to Come Ready to Play:
Stefan Demos, Northwestern 0/2 FG, 3/4 PAT and he added insult to injury when he got hurt on a field goal attempt in overtime.
Best Unknown Player who Made a Name for Himself:'
Austyn Carta-Samuels, QB, Wyoming
Best Game to Fall Asleep During: Cotton Bowl
Best Performance by a Player Named after a Former Coaching Legend: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma 30/51 418 yds. 3 TD
Best Representative of Burlington County:
Kashif Moore, WR, UCONN(Burlington Twp.) 40 yards receving, TD
Now for some awards that were the worst:
Worst Game: Cotton Bowl, Ole Miss 21, Oklahoma State 7
This game had no rhythm until the fourth quarter when the Rebels scored two touchdowns.
Worst Showing by a Ranked Team: Oregon State
Worst Field Conditions: Capital One Bowl
Worst Usage of Home-Field Advantage: Temple
Worst Special Teams Play: Texas A&M
Worst Way to Lose: Northwestern's Fake FG in overtime.
Worst Defense of the Triple Option: Houston and Missouri
Worst Offensive Performance: Arizona
Worst Defensive Performance: Tennessee
Worst Place to Have a Bowl Game: Toronto
Now that you have read my best and worst for the non-BCS bowls, come back Friday for the best and worst recap of the 5 BCS games.
Best Game: Humanitarian Bowl, Idaho 43, Bowling Green 42
Best Coaching Decision: Idaho's game winning 2-point conversion.
Best Offensive Performance: Kyle Padron, QB, SMU 32/41 460 yds. 2 TD in Hawai'i Bowl
Best Defensive Performance: Nebraska, allowed 109 total yards in 33-0 Holiday Bowl win over Arizona
Best Upset: Air Force over Houston 47-20 in Armed Forces Bowl
Best Home-Field Advantage: USC in San Francisco for Emerald Bowl
Best Backup: Steven Sheffield, Texas Tech 9/11 88 yds. TD in 4th quarter.
Best Senior Send-off: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. The Huskers' defense dominated Arizona and solidified Suh's claim to be the #1 pick in April.
Best Homecoming: June Jones, SMU head coach coming back to Hawai'i for first time and upsetting Nevada.
Best New Venue for Bowl Game: Cotton Bowl (Cowboys Stadium)
Best Underrated Game: Capital One Bowl: Auburn 38, Northwestern 35
Best Kicker That Decided Not to Come Ready to Play:
Stefan Demos, Northwestern 0/2 FG, 3/4 PAT and he added insult to injury when he got hurt on a field goal attempt in overtime.
Best Unknown Player who Made a Name for Himself:'
Austyn Carta-Samuels, QB, Wyoming
Best Game to Fall Asleep During: Cotton Bowl
Best Performance by a Player Named after a Former Coaching Legend: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma 30/51 418 yds. 3 TD
Best Representative of Burlington County:
Kashif Moore, WR, UCONN(Burlington Twp.) 40 yards receving, TD
Now for some awards that were the worst:
Worst Game: Cotton Bowl, Ole Miss 21, Oklahoma State 7
This game had no rhythm until the fourth quarter when the Rebels scored two touchdowns.
Worst Showing by a Ranked Team: Oregon State
Worst Field Conditions: Capital One Bowl
Worst Usage of Home-Field Advantage: Temple
Worst Special Teams Play: Texas A&M
Worst Way to Lose: Northwestern's Fake FG in overtime.
Worst Defense of the Triple Option: Houston and Missouri
Worst Offensive Performance: Arizona
Worst Defensive Performance: Tennessee
Worst Place to Have a Bowl Game: Toronto
Now that you have read my best and worst for the non-BCS bowls, come back Friday for the best and worst recap of the 5 BCS games.
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