NFL: Week 11 Picks

Matchup	Jarboe	Sloth	Matera
Jets (-6.5) vs Broncos	Broncos	Jets	Jets
Bills vs Dolphins (-2)	Bills	Bills	Bills
Bengals vs Ravens (-7)	Bengals	Ravens	Bengals
Jaguars vs Browns (Pick Em)	Jaguars	Jaguars	Jaguars
Raiders (-1) vs Vikings	Raiders	Raiders	Raiders
Panthers vs Lions (-7)	Lions	Lions	Panthers
Bucs vs Packers (-14)	Packers	Packers	Packers
Cowboys (-8) vs Redskins	Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys
Cardinals vs 49ers (-9.5)	Cardinals	Cardinals	49ers
Rams (-1) vs Seahawks	Seahawks	Rams	Rams
Titans vs Falcons (-6)	Titans	Falcons	Titans
Chargers vs Bears (-3.5)	Bears	Bears	Bears
Giants (-6) vs Eagles	Giants	Giants	Giants
Chiefs vs Patriots (-14.5)	Patriots	Patriots	Patriots
Last Week	8-8	12-4	8-8
Season	68-59-6	69-58-6	63-64-6

MLB: Why the Expanded Playoffs will Ruin Baseball

In case you haven’t heard, the MLB will reportedly add an extra wild card team to the playoffs in both the National League and American League. According to Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, the expanded playoffs could begin as early as next season, and it would result in the two wild card teams playing a one game playoff to determine who advances to the Division Series. Selig, and apparently the majority of owners, believe this to be a good idea to make the playoffs more exciting and popular. However, I disagree. 

While the expanded playoffs will no doubt help teams like the Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves, it will also diminish the September postseason runs. Do we all remember the epic collapses by the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves this past fall? With an expanded playoffs, that would never have happened. While fans of those teams may be for the change, I think that fans are being robbed of entertainment. 

I believe that the September playoff races are what make baseball great, especially the collapses. When September and October roll around, many fans shift their attention to the NFL and college football and baseball is turned into an after thought. In fact, the only reason I checked the baseball scores in late September was to see how the last wild card spots were shaking up, and now that could all be lost. 

I understand that the races could be turned to the final wild card spots, but how often are we going to see two teams fighting for both spots, instead of two teams battling it out for the 6th seed in the playoffs. If the expanded playoffs were in effect last season, the races would not have been as entertaining. 

In the American League, the Red Sox would have earned the second wild card seed after falling behind the Tampa Bay Rays by one game. The closest team to the Red Sox  was the Anaheim Angels, who were four games behind Boston. If the rules had been in effect, the race for the second seed would not have even been a race, the Red Sox would have locked up a playoff berth before the last week of play even started. Tell me, where is the fun in that? 

In the National League, the same standings occured. The Atlanta Braves would have earned the second wild card seed by four games over the defending champion San Francisco Giants. Atlanta would have still made the playoffs despite a September collapse, playing a one game playoff against St. Louis. If the Braves had earned the playoff game and beaten the Cardinals, then we may not have seen one of the greatest World Series in history as we did last October. 

There possibility of a one game playoff between two wild card teams is intriguing, but for me and I’m sure many other fans, I would rather see two teams battle it out for only one wild card seed then two teams play a one game playoff. The only thing that we can do is wait and see how the September races shake up, perhaps teams that would usually be out of the playoff race will play harder knowing that there is a second spot open to them. But as for right now, I don’t agree with the expanded playoff system, but enjoy it Toronto, San Francisco, Atlanta and Los Angeles. 

MLB: Free Agency Predictions

I know were all neck deep in the NFL season, but for those of you who have forgotten, the baseball off-season has just started. Each and every year the league sees two or three prize free agents that are fought for and sold to the highest bidder. In 2008 it was C.C. Sabathia signing with the Yankees, and last year it was Carl Crawford going to the Red Sox (how much you love that signing now, Boston?). This year, we see three prize free agents that will yield the most money; Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and Jose Reyes. The three of them may not sign until much later in the winter, but let’s take a moment to try and predict where these three All-Stars will play next season. 

Albert Pujols (31 years old, .299 AVG, 37 HRs, 99 RBIs last season)

Among the free agent class, Albert Pujols is the most accomplished of the bunch. Fresh off his second world series victory, Pujols is looking for a huge payday this winter. It was reported today that the Miami Marlins had offered Pujols a 9-year deal worth $255 million, which should be around the contract that Pujols receives. A month ago I thought Pujols for sure would go back to St. Louis, his home for 10 seasons. However, with the retirement of Tony LaRussa and the fact that the Cardinals roster is not earth shattering, I’m wondering whether or not Pujols will return to St. Louis. Pujols is the best player in baseball, but buyer beware: Pujols is 31 and a 9-year contract will see the beginning of the end of his abilities. Much like Alex Rodriguez and Mark Texiera, whoever sings Pujols will be handcuffed by his contract in its later years. 

Prediction: Pujols will re-sign with the St. Louis Cardinals

Prince Fielder (27 years old, .299 AVG, 38 HRs, 120 RBIs last season)

Prince Fielder, in my eyes, is the best free agent of the bunch. Fielder put together an MVP-type season last year as apart of the Brewers playoff run. Fielder, who is only 27 years old, will give whichever team he signs with the majority of his prime years. Unlike Pujols, Fielder may not start to decline until the end of his new contract. Fielder is also a very good fielder despite his size, and is one of the only 275 pound person I’ve ever seen hit a triple. The market will heat up for Fielder once Pujols sets the standard, and look for teams like Texas, Baltimore, Washington and Miami to be in the mix. 

Prediction: Fielder goes to Texas where the Rangers make him a very expensive man 

Jose Reyes (28 years old, .377 AVG, 7 HRs, 44 RBIs last season)

Whoever signs Jose Reyes will be spending alot of money for an injury prone speedster who rack’s up a whole bunch of hits. Before a hamstring injury sidelined him, Reyes was on his way to a potential MVP season in New York last year. I don’t see Reyes returning to the Mets, where the financial trouble is too much to bear. I think its a forgone conclusion that Reyes goes to Miami to team up with Hanley Ramirez on the left side of the infield. 

Prediction: Reyes takes his talents to South Beach

Reyes, Fielder, and Pujols will not be the only prized free agents this winter. C.J. Wilson of the Rangers will most likely get a huge deal from Boston or the Yankees, while japanese hurler Yu Darvish might be the greatest steal of the frenzy. Mark Buerhle may join Reyes in Miami or Pujols in St. Louis. Be sure to stay tuned, because the MLB offseason is one of the only entertaining transaction periods in sports. 

NFL: Why I Love the NFL

I love sports. No, I love everything about sports. The competitive fire, the passion brought to each and every game. Hearing the crowd get off their seats on a 3-2 count in the bottom of the ninth. The air sucked out of the arena when a big shot goes in the basket (come back, NBA). The speed and shock-power supplied by a slapshot goal in hockey. I love sports. I was thinking the other day though, why do I love football so much more than any other sport? 

I thought it could be the season length, that a teams entire season could be won or lost on a week to week basis. It’s nice to watch a baseball or basketball game every couple of nights, but when Sunday rolls around there’s only one thing I want to do. 

Maybe I love football because it’s the last true team game. In baseball, basketball, and hockey, one player can take control and lead his team to the championship (see James, Lebron in Cleveland). Football is like a fine tuned machine, all the parts need to be working together and in sync for the end product to be successful. An offensive lineman misses a block, the play can be blown. A cornerback doesn’t receive proper safety help, it’s a touchdown. 

Hell, maybe it’s the warm blooded man inside me that loves the hard hits and brutality that football brings. A lights-out hit on a clueless running back, a stiff arm to the face of a 280-pound linebacker. Seeing a quarterback make a block, ever. For all the things that football brings to me, it’s none of the above that makes me love it so much. It’s the parity of the game.

In baseball and basketball, we know at the start of the season that teams like the Yankees or Celtics will be in the hunt come playoff time. In baseball, the more money you spend the more games you’ll win. Basketball has become more about star-power than role players. With football, any team at any time can reel off a victory. 

Look at last week, for example. The mighty Baltimore Ravens traveled to Seattle to play a horrible Seahawks team. The Ravens were coming off a huge divisional victory against the Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Everyone and their mother thought that Baltimore would roll over the Seahawks and move on to the next game. What happened? Joe Flacco and Ray Rice got outplayed by Tarvaris Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. The Seahawks win, and now we question whether or not Baltimore is the best team in the AFC or not. 

Each and every year, and sometimes each and every week, a team that should not be winning does just that. This past summer the 49ers hired Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh to replace the fired Mike Singletary. The lockout prevented Harbaugh to even speak to any of his players before the first week in August. The 49ers were a bad team last year and looked to be even worse this year. Rookie head coach? A “bust” at quarterback? A running back who was looking for a new contract? The 49ers weren’t supposed to be good, and what happens? They’re 8-1 going into week 11 and stand in prime position to land a first round bye in the playoffs. That’s why I love the NFL. 

Last year, the Green Bay Packers were plagued by the injury bug. From tight end Jermichael Finley to pro bowl tackle Mark Tauscher, the Packers lost several key players for the season. They finished 10-6, barely making it into the playoffs. They weren’t supposed to beat the Eagles in Philadelphia. They sure as hell weren’t supposed to beat the 14-2 Atlanta Falcons or the 13-3 Chicago Bears on the road either. But they did. Aaron Rodgers emerged as a super bowl MVP and one of the best quarterback’s in the league. But it wasn’t supposed to happen, they weren’t supposed to be good. 

• 2001, the New England Patriots make it to the Super Bowl to face the mighty St. Louis Rams and the Greatest Show on Turf. New England had a former 6th-round draft pick at quarterback, they weren’t supposed to win. 

• The Arizona Cardinals went 9-7 in 2008, they were supposed to be blown out in the first round of the playoffs. They made it all the way to the Super Bowl and nearly won. 

• The 2010 Seattle Seahawks were never supposed to win a playoff game, especially not against the defending champion New Orleans Saints. They did. 

And who could forget the greatest example of parity in recent memory, the 2007 New York Giants. The Giants made it into the playoffs through the wild card. They beat the Buccaneers in Tampa. They beat the Cowboys in Dallas. They traveled to the Frozen Tundra and defeated Brett Favre in negative degree weather. If that wasn’t enough, they went on to face the 18-0 New England Patriots. The team some had dubbed the greatest of all time. No chance the Giants were going to win that game. Not against Randy Moss, Tom Brady, and Bill Belichick. David Tyree was never supposed to make the helmet catch, and Eli Manning was not supposed to elude four defenders in the backfield. But it all happened, the Giants won and the ’07 Patriots would forever be known as the team that went 18-1. 

Every year, something like this happens. There are no experts when it comes to predicting an NFL season. Often it doesn’t even matter if you were the best team in the regular season. Watching a team come together late in the season, fight to enter the playoffs, and continue to win against teams they’re supposed to lose to. That’s why I love the NFL, a place where anything can happen. 

NFL: NFC Contender/Pretender

By Jared Epstein

As we near the end of the season, 2011 has been a wild rollercoaster ride in the NFC. The Lions and 49ers finally decide to show up this season surprising everyone they can actually have winning records in the 21^st century.  The Giants looking great including a magnificent win against Brady and the Pats and yet losing to the Redskins and Seahawks. Green Bay is turning out to be one of the best teams in history, not losing a game since week 16 of last season. With the “dream team” Eagles choking, it gives teams like Dallas a chance to take advantage of an easy schedule. In the midst of all the controversy in the NFC, it’s time to separate the men from the boys. Lets take a closer look into the NFC and choose who’s a contender and who’s a pretender.

Green Bay Packers (9-0; 1^st place in NFC North):  The defending Super Bowl champs are the best team in the NFL, hands down.  They dominate every game they play whether it’s home or away and have scored a minimum of 24 points in every game.  There are no words to describe them except for perfection, at least so far.  In upcoming weeks, the only games I see them having little trouble with are: the Lions, Bears, and Giants but don’t be surprised if they end up going to the playoffs still unbeaten the way Rodgers is handling the ball.

Verdict: Contender

San Francisco 49ers (8-1; 1^st place in NFC West):  San Fran has come out this year fired up and tired of losing. The last time the Niners have finished a season with a winning record was 2002 going 10-6. With a great running back in Frank Gore, Alex Smith starting to wake up, and a number 1 ranked defense in opponent rushing yards, the question isn’t will they win the division, but how far in the playoffs will they go? With the second place teams in their division, Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks, at 3-6, there’s no doubt they will be in the post-season this year.

Verdict: Contender

New Orleans Saints (7-3; 1^st place in NFC South):  After a huge overtime win against Atlanta last week, the Saints stand alone in first with a two game lead. With six games left in the regular season and a bye week, the Saints play three struggling teams in Tennessee, Minnesota, and Carolina. Plus, the strong teams they play such as the Lions, Giants, and Falcons are all home games so they can have the “who dat” nation loud and right behind them. The Falcons can look real good at times but I see the Drew Brees and the Saints taking 1^st in the division with ease.

Verdict: Contender

New York Giants (6-3; 1^st place in NFC East):  Big blue has surprised everyone this season with being in 1^st place in the eastern conference after week 10. With both the defense and offense bombarded with injuries at the beginning of the year and the “dream team” Eagles in the same division, the season wasn’t going to be easy. Luckily, the Eagles are starting to look like the Heat by blowing five 4^th quarter leads and with Dallas playing up and down certain weeks, the Giants have taken advantage of the division.  On another note, the G-men have the toughest schedule in football ahead of them by playing the undefeated Packers, Saints, Cowboys twice, Eagles and the Jets.  If they can pull out five wins, they will be safe for making the playoffs but that will be an extremely difficult task to pull off.

Verdict: Contender

Chicago Bears (6-3; tied for 2^nd place in NFC North):  With the perfect Packers in the NFC North, 1^st place is out of the question so it’s wild card or nothing for these Bears. After losing to Detroit in week 5, Chicago has battled back and joined 2^nd place after defeating the Lions last week. With Jay Cutler not getting sacked as much as earlier in the season, teams still kicking to Devin Hester, and Matt Forte playing without an off button, the Bears are a team to be taken seriously, especially with a rather easy schedule for the remainder of the season.

Verdict: Contender

Dallas Cowboys (5-4; 2^nd place in NFC East):  This season there are two different Cowboy teams. One team that comes up short on big plays and the other is a dominant force to be reckoned with. With a fairly easy schedule playing the Redskins, Dolphins, Cardinals, and Buccaneers, the Cowboys look good for being playoff bound.  Now that Dallas is getting Dez Bryant move involved in the offense while Miles Austin is out, people can really see how dangerous Bryant is. As long as the defense can keep their future opponents from getting into the end zone too much, look for the Cowboys to be in the playoff picture and possibly get in as 1^st place from the NFC East.

Verdict: Contender

Detroit Lions (6-3; tied for 2^nd place in NFC North):  Let me start by saying bravo to the Detroit Lions. The Lions haven’t had a winning season since 2000 and only 3 years ago in 2008 they succeeded by being the worst team going 0-16. After a red hot 5-0 start this season with the help of the monstrous Calvin Johnson, the Lions have seemed to cool off by going 1-3 in their last four games. This Lions team has proved they can give a tough fight but with the Packers taking first place in the division and the Bears on a roll going 4-1 in their last five games, the road to the playoffs will not be easy. Also, Detroit still has to play the invincible Packers twice, the Saints in New Orleans, a score happy Charger team, and what can be an explosive Raider team at times. I take my hat off to these ferocious Lions and the season isn’t over yet but I see the Lions coming up short to the Bears for the wild card spot, leaving them watching football in January instead of playing themselves.

Verdict: Pretender

Atlanta Falcons (5-4; 2^nd place in NFC South):  Atlanta has had a mediocre start compared to last season finishing first in the division with a 13-3 record. Also, the Matt Ryan and Roddy White connection hasn’t been as strong as usual but fortunately for Atlanta, Michael Turner is still contributing big numbers. Despite getting big plays from rookie Julio Jones, look for the Falcons to perform like Turner on the 4^th and short run against the Saints in overtime- just short.  First place isn’t going to happen in the division at this point due to the Saints fairly easy record so the only hope they have is the wildcard.  Having said that, they will have to compete for that spot with a strong looking Cowboy team and possibly a solid 4^th quarter comeback Giants team depending on how the NFC East turns out.  Don’t get me wrong, the Falcons have a good chance with 6 games left in the season but I pick Atlanta to come up one or two games short of a wild card spot.

Verdict: Pretender

Predictions:

NFC North- Green Bay Packers (1 seed)

NFC West- San Francisco 49ers (2 seed)

NFC South- New Orleans Saints (3 seed)

NFC East- New York Giants (4 seed)

Wild Card- Dallas Cowboys (5 seed)

Wild Card- Chicago Bears (6 seed)

Wild Card Round- New Orleans over Chicago; New York over Dallas

Divisional Round- Green Bay over New York; New Orleans over San Francisco

Championship Round- Green Bay over New Orleans