Here's my first installment to my Super Bowl pick!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkpnyKISSQs&context=C3582a91ADOEgsToPDskJhUAUG78H7FpxxCB6O4g2A
Thanks for watching!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
THIS, IS A SHOUT OUT!!!!!!!
Before you read this, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou4kjd_m3VU&context=C38cd33eADOEgsToPDskLqkUz--AW7znWjIhmMtOgk
With that sports fans, I welcome you to my first featured star on the blog. The man you just saw was Chad Mcghee who is known as the internet sensation Divalover159. He has been doing shout outs since last summer and I recently contacted him to make one for the blog. As you saw, he obliged and made a wonderful shout out for the blog. I recently interviewed the man behind the videos on the phone to bring you his story! Without further delay, here’s the story.
There is nothing like the passion of high school sports. The roar of the home town crowd, homemade banners, and the passion of the fans are all included under the Friday night lights. Nothing encapsulates this more than Chad McGee’s shout out to the Knox City Grey hounds. His shout out is know by many across the vast world of Youtube and loved by many sports fans. Before the video got so popular, Chad was just a regular old guy attending church and cheering on his home team. He overheard some of the players talking about the upcoming season and how excited they were. The one problem is that they weren’t too sure how they were going to do that season. Chad knew that the players had it in them to go all the way. He went home one day and created the shout out. A few weeks after the video had been put up on Youtube, it had accumulated about 1,000 views from mostly locals. The one day Chad came home from visiting family, he had over 100 emails. “I wasn’t sure if my spam had messed up or what” said Chad. The video now had over 33,000 hits and had been picked up by Jimmy Kimmel and dead spin. Chad was astounded, “I didn’t know what was going on, but I liked it!” Before he knew it, there were people stopping by his house trying to get pictures with him. He couldn’t even go to a game without people asking for autograph and waving at him. It also opened up a few doors for him. He was able to compete in a pro wrestling fight and has a rematch coming in the future.
After the hit video, Chad has continued to make shout outs and other videos. Many of the videos deal with local sports teams including his trip to Cowboy Stadium to watch some of the Texas High school State Title games. When asked about what’s next, Chad said, “I’m not sure where it will go, but it’s in the good lord’s hands”. Chad expressed some interest in wanting to do more than his online videos. He would love to be on Television doing sitcoms or going to local places and doing motivational speeches. Currently Chad is working on a documentary of his childhood home which is slated to be torn down in the near future.
So that is the story of Chad Mcghee folks, but that isn’t it. I also asked him a few questions dealing with the sports world. Here are his answers:
Favorite Sports/Teams/Players: NFL and Pro Wrestling are his sports. He loves the wrestler Nick Foley as well as former Cowboy Emmitt Smith. When asked about why he like Smith Chad replied, “He was such a great running back and could do such amazing things. He could dominate, annihilate, and assassinate any given team on any given Sunday.
How are the Knox City Grey Hounds looking this year? Chad admitted that he was “a little nervous” about next year. They lost eight key guys on the roster and the team lost to many of the powerhouses on the schedule this past season. Being the super fan he is, Chad still thinks they will do alright in the upcoming season despite their losses.
Super Bowl Prediction: Well it’s a bit late, Chad had the Patriots and the 49ers, but he said the Patriots, no matter who they faced, would look like “a Lion taking on a little kitten.” I’m guessing that could be right.
Well, thanks again for the shout out Chad! I loved every second of it! As for every one of you readers, you should be a cool kid and check out all of Divalover159’s links here:
The fan pages:
Subscribe to his channel:
Then the original shout out:
And of course his website where you can buy T-shirts!
divalover159.com
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Only four teams remain in the hunt for a Super Bowl Championship and after tonight, the stage will be set for the best day of the sports year. On one side stand the Ravens and the Patriots and on the other, the Giants and the 49ers. All four teams have won Super Bowls, but it has been a few years since they have competed.
The first game of the day features the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots. Joe Flacco has done a great job in recent years of leading the Ravens to playoff berths and some decent playoff runs, but this year the Baltimore faithful want him to take it to the next level. This Sunday, he has the chance to do just that. The Patriot’s pass defense is one of the worst in the league. Though Flacco isn’t the best passer, he will be able to do a great job against this defense. With over 3,000 yards this season, Flacco will be able to add at least 300 more to that total. His only downside has been his inability to take care of the football. The 12 interceptions and the 9 fumbles have been killing the Ravens all year and the Patriot’s defense will be able to take advantage. Ray Rice will be the Raven’s X factor. He couldn’t get started against the Texans and the stout Pat’s D has the ability to stop him again. If Rice can get going, it will change the whole attitude of the game.
The Patriot’s offense has the same spark as it did back in ’07. Tom Brady looks better than ever and would have the MVP award in hand if only Drew Brees didn’t play so well this year. Brady’s 5,235 yards through the air this season have been the best part of the offense. They average over 300 yards a game through the air which is second best in the league. The running game isn’t the best, but it gets the job done when it needs to. The X factor will be Rob Gronkowski. His size is a terrible mismatch for the Raven’s defense and quite frankly, Gronk has been on fire all season. He will be able to take advantage of the defense and make huge gains.
Who wins? This will be a close one for a very long time. If the Raven’s defense stops the Pat’s offense, there could be blood in the water. The Patriots are on a roll that doesn’t look like it will ever end. I got the Pats 31-20.
The late game has the Giants taking on the 49ers in Candlestick. The 49ers have not been in this position for years and if you would have told me Alex Smith would lead a team to the NFC Championship a few years ago, I would have called you crazy. Believe it folks, Alex Smith has turned into a clutch QB who has the ability to possibly win it all. The offense lives and dies by him. If he doesn’t have a good game, the Niners could be in trouble. Frank Gore will need to have a big game as well. He is the only 49er that could take the game over if Alex Smith fails. The X factor has to be the 49er offensive line. They have the challenge of stopping the tough Giants front four. A good game from them could be what puts them in the Super Bowl.
The Giants are looking like the Packers did last year. They were on the brink of elimination long before the playoffs started. Eli Manning has had his men rolling and he looks like the man that took down everyone back in 2007. The key to this game will be the Giant’s running game. They need Bradshaw and Jacobs to step up and have a big game. The X factor will be the secondary. If the Giant’s cornerbacks have a bad day, it could be the end of the road for the G-men.
Who wins? I think the key to this game will be the experience. The 49ers have never been in this position. Many Giants players have been to a Super Bowl and won it. I got the New York Football Giants in a 24-10 game.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Rematch For the Ages (Plus Next Year's Top Ten)
I usually don’t post something right after a championship so I’m not caught up in the mastic of the moment, but now that the National Championship is over a week behind us, I would like to take some time to reflect on the rematch for it all.
As I tuned in a few minutes before kickoff, I was greeted by walk outs of the two teams. This, unlike any other walk out I had seen before, gave me chills. Just to see Tyrann Mathieu and the rest of the Tigers clawing at Les Miles trying to get the Tide. I could just see the total passion and anger these teams had for the game they were about to play. Soon after the opening kickoff I realized that this was going to be a replay of the first meeting in Tuscaloosa. Both defenses were in beast mode and it looked like a single field goal may win it all.
I soon learned that this wouldn’t be the case as the Tigers defense seemed to fail. They couldn’t wrap up Richardson as he broke the line for big gains, they couldn’t get the pressure they wanted on A.J. McCarron , even the “Honey Badger” didn’t look the same. It was all set for Alabama to take the Championship. As the night progressed, I was sure this was Alabama’s game to win. It isn’t normal for me to think a championship game is over with at half time, but on this night there was no way in my mind that the Tigers would come back.
The 2012 National Championship Game was indeed one of the most single sided games I had ever witnessed. The 21-0 pounding Alabama handed to LSU may have been a blow to the whole LSU program. It was a total embarrassment. The Tigers’ inability to cross mid-field until the waning minutes of the final quarter is unheard of and will go down in Alabama football folklore forever. There was no doubt that the Alabama Crimson Tide were more prepared and motivated that the Tigers. There is also no doubt that they are the best team in the nation and for that, I congratulate every single one of them for coming out and proving to me that even though they didn’t win their conference, The Tide deserved to play in that game and be the 2012 National Champions.
Now that the 2011-2012 season is in the books, it’s time to make assumptions that are way too early about the next season. By assumptions, I mean the top 10!
1. USC – Matt Barkly and the rest of the Trojans are ready to win it all now that their post season ban has been lifted. Look for them to waltz through the diminished PAC-12 and play for it all in 2012.
2. Alabama- Though the Tide are losing some key players, the momentum will take them places.
3. LSU- The Tigers will be hurting after their embarrassment in the National Championship, but they will have a nice come back season.
4. Oklahoma- Key injuries cost them this season. They will be near the top for most of the season.
5. Oregon- The Ducks are losing a lot of key players, but Chip Kelly has been stocking up on good players for a few years now.
6. West Virginia- Don’t worry, after their 70 point explosion, they’re ready for the Big 12
7. Florida State- I know I’m drinking the Florida State Kool-aid again, but the Noles have so much potential.
8. Georgia- The Bull Dogs had an impressive outing against Michigan State, but I think that’s only the start for this young team.
9. South Carolina- Steve Spurrier will have his men ready to follow up on their 11 win season. He might just win the SEC this season.
10. Kansas Sate- The Wildcats were an interesting team this season, but I do expect them to be a force in the Big 12 next year.
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
NFL Divisional Playoffs (Day 1)
Hello Sports fans! Sorry that these picks are so late. A busy first week of school means I just got around to them and they won't be too in depth. With that out of the way, we get to the first day's games.
The early game will feature the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers. Both teams have been exceptional this year and could easily make it to the Super Bowl. It is well documented that this has been one of the best Saints teams ever. Drew Brees has been the offensive catalyst throwing for huge numbers every game. He broke Dan Marino's single season passing record this season and has been looking for more in the playoffs. His dismantling of the Lions secondary last week was that of an MVP and he'll be in full force against a 49ers defense that averaged 230.9 passing yards allowed this season. An X factor for the Saints will be their secondary. They haven't been to strong this season and are ranked 30th in the league in pass defense. They will need to lock down if they want to stop the 49ers offense. If the running game gets going, they will have to be on their toes for the play action pass or Alex Smith and Ted Ginn Jr. will have a huge day. The bright spot for the Nola defense is that they have been pretty good at stopping the run this season. Frank Gore will be a daunting task, but I expect Jonathnan Vilma and the rest of the line backers to rise to the occasion.
The 49ers on the other hand have won many of their games with their defense. The D is the best in the league in stopping the run and is pretty good at stopping the pass. They will need to play a near perfect game if they want to stop Drew Brees though. The X factor for the Niners is Alex Smith. Smith has so much pressure on him and if he gets flustered early, San Fran will be in trouble. Another factor you have to look at when looking at this 49ers team is the strength of schedule. They play in the NFC West, which looks so bad sometimes I think Alabama could contend if not win the division!
One interesting stat about this game is that 2 of the Saint's 3 losses came while playing in an open stadium and all 3 losses have come on the road. I don't think they will add to that today as they beat the 49ers 39-35.
The night cap is a rematch between the Denver Fighting Tebows (Broncos) and the New England Patriots. Maybe the biggest story of this NFL season has been Tebow mania which continued last week when the Broncos shocked the world and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was a total shock to me, but then I took a better look at it. The Steelers were playing at high elevation, had a hobbled QB and were without CB Ryan Clark. You might say, "why is it a big deal that Clark wasn't playing?" Well my friends, if you look at the tape Ryan Clark is the one that allows Troy Polamalu to be so dynamic. Without Troy, the Steeler's defense doesn't have the same bite. When I looked at all the factors for the Steelers, I suddenly wasn't that impressed.
Now, if the Broncos are able to win this week I will be shocked. The Bronco's key player is Willis McGahee. He has rushed for over 1,100 yards this season and is the only reason (besides the kicker) that Denver is even in the playoffs. Willis will need to have a better game than he did against the Steelers to get the pressure off of Tebow. Speaking of Tebow, he is obviously the X factor for the Broncos. They have lived and died by Tebow this season and if he plays bad this team looks like they should be 4-12. If he is able to take advantage of one of the worst pass defending defenses in the league, he could put the Broncos over the top. The Denver defense has been average this season and will be put to the test trying to defeat Brady.
The Patriots has looked great this year. I haven't felt so good about a New England team since their 16-0 stretch. The offense looks reminiscent of the one back in the day, but the defense...ehhh. Tom Brady has been the conductor of the Patriot offense. With over 5,000 yards through the air this season, he is easily having one of the best seasons in NFL history. He has plenty of options, but my favorite is Rob Gronkowski. "Gronk" has been the best receiving threat this season with his 17 TDs. He will be a nightmare for the Broncos to defend. The Pats have a sub par running game, but have been able to get it done when they need to. The big issue for New England is their defense. Defense wins championships, except in the 2011 NFL season. The Pats passing defense is second worst in the league (only the Packers are worse) and they could be in the perfect position to be taken advantage of.
When it comes down to it, there is no way Tebow wins this game. The Patriots won big time in the last game and that was at Denver. Now that the game is in Foxboro, the Broncos don't stand a chance. Pats win 41-17.
The early game will feature the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers. Both teams have been exceptional this year and could easily make it to the Super Bowl. It is well documented that this has been one of the best Saints teams ever. Drew Brees has been the offensive catalyst throwing for huge numbers every game. He broke Dan Marino's single season passing record this season and has been looking for more in the playoffs. His dismantling of the Lions secondary last week was that of an MVP and he'll be in full force against a 49ers defense that averaged 230.9 passing yards allowed this season. An X factor for the Saints will be their secondary. They haven't been to strong this season and are ranked 30th in the league in pass defense. They will need to lock down if they want to stop the 49ers offense. If the running game gets going, they will have to be on their toes for the play action pass or Alex Smith and Ted Ginn Jr. will have a huge day. The bright spot for the Nola defense is that they have been pretty good at stopping the run this season. Frank Gore will be a daunting task, but I expect Jonathnan Vilma and the rest of the line backers to rise to the occasion.
The 49ers on the other hand have won many of their games with their defense. The D is the best in the league in stopping the run and is pretty good at stopping the pass. They will need to play a near perfect game if they want to stop Drew Brees though. The X factor for the Niners is Alex Smith. Smith has so much pressure on him and if he gets flustered early, San Fran will be in trouble. Another factor you have to look at when looking at this 49ers team is the strength of schedule. They play in the NFC West, which looks so bad sometimes I think Alabama could contend if not win the division!
One interesting stat about this game is that 2 of the Saint's 3 losses came while playing in an open stadium and all 3 losses have come on the road. I don't think they will add to that today as they beat the 49ers 39-35.
The night cap is a rematch between the Denver Fighting Tebows (Broncos) and the New England Patriots. Maybe the biggest story of this NFL season has been Tebow mania which continued last week when the Broncos shocked the world and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was a total shock to me, but then I took a better look at it. The Steelers were playing at high elevation, had a hobbled QB and were without CB Ryan Clark. You might say, "why is it a big deal that Clark wasn't playing?" Well my friends, if you look at the tape Ryan Clark is the one that allows Troy Polamalu to be so dynamic. Without Troy, the Steeler's defense doesn't have the same bite. When I looked at all the factors for the Steelers, I suddenly wasn't that impressed.
Now, if the Broncos are able to win this week I will be shocked. The Bronco's key player is Willis McGahee. He has rushed for over 1,100 yards this season and is the only reason (besides the kicker) that Denver is even in the playoffs. Willis will need to have a better game than he did against the Steelers to get the pressure off of Tebow. Speaking of Tebow, he is obviously the X factor for the Broncos. They have lived and died by Tebow this season and if he plays bad this team looks like they should be 4-12. If he is able to take advantage of one of the worst pass defending defenses in the league, he could put the Broncos over the top. The Denver defense has been average this season and will be put to the test trying to defeat Brady.
The Patriots has looked great this year. I haven't felt so good about a New England team since their 16-0 stretch. The offense looks reminiscent of the one back in the day, but the defense...ehhh. Tom Brady has been the conductor of the Patriot offense. With over 5,000 yards through the air this season, he is easily having one of the best seasons in NFL history. He has plenty of options, but my favorite is Rob Gronkowski. "Gronk" has been the best receiving threat this season with his 17 TDs. He will be a nightmare for the Broncos to defend. The Pats have a sub par running game, but have been able to get it done when they need to. The big issue for New England is their defense. Defense wins championships, except in the 2011 NFL season. The Pats passing defense is second worst in the league (only the Packers are worse) and they could be in the perfect position to be taken advantage of.
When it comes down to it, there is no way Tebow wins this game. The Patriots won big time in the last game and that was at Denver. Now that the game is in Foxboro, the Broncos don't stand a chance. Pats win 41-17.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Tigers. Tide. Ready to Geaux!
The LSU Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide are all set to duke it out on the national stage tonight in New Orleans. Never before has College Football witnessed a BCS Championship featuring two teams from the same conference. The SEC has been the premier college football conference for over half of the past decade and after the confetti falls tonight, they will add another trophy to their already impressive resume. It is well known that my displeasure of this match up was incredibly high when it was first announced, but now that I've had some time to cool down and watch some bowl games, I could not be more excited for tonight's game. In their first match up, LSU and Alabama combined for 15 points on 5 field goals. Many people critizized the game for lacking offense, I was ecstatic for the defensive out put. It wasn't at all what I expected, but overall I'm glad it happened. Looking back, it really showed that these were to two top teams in the nation. I don't think you could find a defense anywhere in college football that could hold these two teams down. Now that the rematch is upon us, I am certain that we will see much more from both teams tonight. Now that both coaches have had weeks to prepare their offenses, they will finally find the minuscule cracks in the opposing offenses. Whatever happens tonight will be amazing to every degree, so let's break this bad boy down.
For the LSU Tigers, they have had a flawless season. Every game has turned their way as they climbed to the top of the SEC. With key wins against Oregon, West Virginia, Alabama and Arkansas, the Tigers have truly been tested. Most of their success has been accredited to Michael Ford, their star running back. He has been able to pound out 755 yards this season against very tough SEC defenses and will be the key player for the Tigers tonight. His 72 yards against 'Bama in November was a big part of their success that night. If he is able to break a couple of 10+ yard runs early in the game, he will be able to gain confidence and put the Alabama defense on their heels. The passing game is lead by the tandem QB attack of Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee. Though LSU air raid has been wary at times, it has been enough to get the job done. Jordan Jefferson was one of the main factors in the first match up between these two teams. Tonight, Jefferson is the LSU X factor. If he can hurt Alabama with he legs, he will have great success through the air. Alabama had trouble with him before and he will continue to be a pest for the Tide.
Alabama has had a great season. The only mark for the Tide this season was their loss to LSU. They have had key wins over Penn State, Arkansas and Auburn. They also boast the top defense in all of college football and allow an average of 8.8 points a game. The key player for the Tide is their running back Trent Richardson. He has had over 1,500 rushing yards this season and has collected 20 TDs. Richardson has been a force in all the games he has played in this season including the LSU game where he came up just short on a few plays. The X factor for the Tide is their kicking game. In the first game against LSU, Cade Foster and Jeremy Shelly both missed crucial kicks that would have given Alabama with win. Even though I believe their will be some better scoring in this game, the Tide kickers will need to be ready because this game will come down to the wire and the National Championship could be resting on one of their feet.
The key to this game is which defense will break first. If ether one of these offenses gets out to an early lead with a touch down it will be incredibly hard for the other to respond. A good running game by either team could really set them up for a great night. Another key aspect will be the special teams. Nothing would be more deflating for either LSU or Alabama than giving up a kick return for a touchdown. The Tide's special teams has looked weaker than LSU's, so don't be surprised if it's the Tide that are hurting in this phase.
So who wins? After much debate, it is come down to this... I see...
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ROLL TIDE 21-14
Thanks for reading!
For the LSU Tigers, they have had a flawless season. Every game has turned their way as they climbed to the top of the SEC. With key wins against Oregon, West Virginia, Alabama and Arkansas, the Tigers have truly been tested. Most of their success has been accredited to Michael Ford, their star running back. He has been able to pound out 755 yards this season against very tough SEC defenses and will be the key player for the Tigers tonight. His 72 yards against 'Bama in November was a big part of their success that night. If he is able to break a couple of 10+ yard runs early in the game, he will be able to gain confidence and put the Alabama defense on their heels. The passing game is lead by the tandem QB attack of Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee. Though LSU air raid has been wary at times, it has been enough to get the job done. Jordan Jefferson was one of the main factors in the first match up between these two teams. Tonight, Jefferson is the LSU X factor. If he can hurt Alabama with he legs, he will have great success through the air. Alabama had trouble with him before and he will continue to be a pest for the Tide.
Alabama has had a great season. The only mark for the Tide this season was their loss to LSU. They have had key wins over Penn State, Arkansas and Auburn. They also boast the top defense in all of college football and allow an average of 8.8 points a game. The key player for the Tide is their running back Trent Richardson. He has had over 1,500 rushing yards this season and has collected 20 TDs. Richardson has been a force in all the games he has played in this season including the LSU game where he came up just short on a few plays. The X factor for the Tide is their kicking game. In the first game against LSU, Cade Foster and Jeremy Shelly both missed crucial kicks that would have given Alabama with win. Even though I believe their will be some better scoring in this game, the Tide kickers will need to be ready because this game will come down to the wire and the National Championship could be resting on one of their feet.
The key to this game is which defense will break first. If ether one of these offenses gets out to an early lead with a touch down it will be incredibly hard for the other to respond. A good running game by either team could really set them up for a great night. Another key aspect will be the special teams. Nothing would be more deflating for either LSU or Alabama than giving up a kick return for a touchdown. The Tide's special teams has looked weaker than LSU's, so don't be surprised if it's the Tide that are hurting in this phase.
So who wins? After much debate, it is come down to this... I see...
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ROLL TIDE 21-14
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
A Wild, Wild Card Weekend (continued)
Today is the kickoff to the NFL Playoff's Wildcard Weekend. Yesterday I broke down too of the more interesting match ups, but today I have the other two for you. So here we go!
Saturday afternoon will feature the battle between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans. This is Houston's first ever playoff berth and they hope to win with QB T.J. Yates who is the key player. Yates was thrust into the starting job after a series of injuries to Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. Overall, he has been effective for a third string going 2-3 over his tenure at the helm and has thrown for 949 yards with 3 TDs. The X factor is Yates' wide out Andre Johnson. Johnson suffered an injury that sidelined him for plenty of time in the second half of the season. If he is back and healthy, the Bengals better watch out because he will shred them for plenty of yards. Speaking of the Bengals, their key player is running back Cedric Benson. He will need to be effective on the ground and take the pressure off of rookie QB Andy Dalton. The X factor will be the Bengal offensive line. This Texans defense is one of the better defenses in the league and will be able to pressure Dalton with ease. If the Bengals can stop them in their tracks and give Dalton some time, they will allow him shine as he finds A.J. Green for big gains. I see the Texans defense being too good though as they win 24-10.
Sunday afternoon features the Atlanta Falcons traveling to East Rutherford to take on the New York Giants.The Giants key player is QB Eli Manning. He has been known to be hot and cold over the length of his career. If he plays like he did at the beginning of the seasson, the Giants will be in business. The Giant's X Factor is WR Victor Cruz. As of late he has been on fire and making big plays. He could really do some damage against the Falcon's weak pass defense. The Falcons key player has to be TE Tony Gonzales. His ability to get open and be a defensive mismatch will be an asset to the Falcons and a menace to the Giants. The X Factor for the Falcons has to be their defensive secondary. At times they have looked weak and Eli Manning has been heating up. If they can shut down Victor Cruz and the other Giant wide receivers, the Giants become one dimensional and that is never a good thing. I think Eli Manning stays hot and leads the Giants to a 31-25 win.
Thanks for reading!
Friday, January 6, 2012
A Wild, Wild Card Weekend
The NFL's second season starts this weekend and I can't remember a more interesting weekend of match ups. There are so many first timers trying to make the most of the opportunities set in front of them. Then there's teams like the Lions and the Bengals who have fans that can't even remember when their team was on of the best in the league. All I can say about this weekend is that we will learn a lot about up and coming stars like Matthew Stafford and Andy Dalton. The future of the league could be forever changed with wins this week for many teams.
Let's start off this Wild Card Weekend with the scrappy Pittsburgh Steelers traveling to Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos. Never Before have I seen such a bad team in the playoffs. I thought the league hit a new low when the Seahawks mad it in last year (until they BEAT the Saints), but this Bronco team may be the worst. As you all know, Tim Tebow is the much talked about leader of the Broncos and the key player for the offense. His 1,729 through the air and 12 touchdowns have been far from marvelous, but it is his will to win and what he does in the locker room that makes him the player he is. As much as I want this kid to succeed, there is no way I can see him doing so without some major reworking of his form. The Bronco X factor is Willis McGahee. To take the pressure off Tebow, he will need to have a monster day. He has ran for over 1,000 yards this season and if Denver wants to have a chance he will need to get into the endzone at least two times and rush for about 150 yards.
As for the Steelers, they were able to break the curse of being the loser of the Super Bowl and actually have a great season. Most of their success has to be accredited to their key player, Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben has proved himself as one of the elite QBs in the league. This season, he once again threw for over 4,000 yards and was able to complete 21 touchdowns. His one issue coming into this game is his ankle injury. This injury will be crucial because he can no longer extend the play with his legs. It has been well documented that Ben is almost more effective when he is outside the pocket. If you look at his last two regular season games with the injury, he has a passer rating lower than 75 in both and has thrown for 0 TDs with 3 interceptions. The Steeler X factor is a tie between WR Antonio Brown and RB Isaac Redman. Brown has been one of the best Steeler wide receivers all season. He has caught 69 balls this year for over 1,000 yards and 2 TDs. His ability to weave his way through the secondary will be key to giving Big Ben all he needs to have a big game. Redman is filling in for the explosive Rashard Mendenhall. If the Steelers want to win, he will need to take the pressure off the injured Roethlisberger and get the ball in the endzone.
The keys to the game have to be both defenses. The Bronco's defense will have the task of trying to stop one of the better passers they will have seen all year and that is going to be very tough for them to do. As for the Steelers, they are ranked number 1 in the league in defense and they need to just do what they do. If they get caught up in the Tebow mania, it could be curtains for the Steel Curtain.
Who Wins? Are you really in doubt? It will be the Steelers gliding to a 24-10 victory.
The night cap for Saturday will be the Detroit Lions traveling to New Orleans to take on the Saints. If the Lions defense plays anything remotely close to the way like they did in Green Bay, this game won't even be close. The Lions defense is the key player for the cardiac kitties. They haven't played too great all season. They have let in plenty of yards and points and have a lot of careless penalties. The Lions gave up six touchdowns to a back up QB last week and Saints QB Drew Brees isn't even close to a back up. Suh and the rest of the defensive line will need to bring the heat if they want to contend. The X factor is Matthew Stafford. He has had an up and down season, but has really shown his growth in the big games. His 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns are some of the best numbers in the league, but his 16 interceptions have really hurt. Most of the interceptions have come in key moments. In a big game like this you need to rise to the occation in the big moments and his coolness as a passer will really dictate how he does in this game.
The Saints has never looked better. Their QB Drew Brees has obviously improved since getting his first Super Bowl ring and looks to be well on his way to getting another. Brees is the key player for the Saints this week because he pretty much is the offense. Drew has thrown for 5,478 yards (an NFL record) with 46 TDs. If he has a bad day it will be very hard for the Saints to overcome. The Saints X Factor is the running game. Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas have both been sufficient rushers, but compared to the rest of the league they are a bit weak. You can't win a game if you're one dimensional and if these guys don't get going, that will be the case for the Saint's offense.
The Lions key to the game has to be containing Jimmy Graham. At 6'6", 260 pounds, he is a real mismatch for any defender. It will be interesting to see who the Lions put on him. A corner will be too small and a line backer might be to slow. They need to find a solution or they could be in for a long day. The Saints need to do the same thing, but with Calvin Johnson. The Saints need to come to grips that they aren't going to stop this guy. He will get catches and he will get yards, but they need to find a way to minimize the impact they will have. Don't let him catch a ball for 10 yards then miss a few tackles and watch him waltz down the field for 10 more. They need to wrap him up as soon as he makes the catch and don't go for the strip or the interception.
Who wins? Sorry Lions fans, but it won't happen this year. Saints will beat the Lions in a close one 45-41.
Thanks for reading! I'll have more up for the other two playoff games either later today or tomorrow. I'll get the BCS pick up on Sunday night. Enjoy the games! ~N
Let's start off this Wild Card Weekend with the scrappy Pittsburgh Steelers traveling to Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos. Never Before have I seen such a bad team in the playoffs. I thought the league hit a new low when the Seahawks mad it in last year (until they BEAT the Saints), but this Bronco team may be the worst. As you all know, Tim Tebow is the much talked about leader of the Broncos and the key player for the offense. His 1,729 through the air and 12 touchdowns have been far from marvelous, but it is his will to win and what he does in the locker room that makes him the player he is. As much as I want this kid to succeed, there is no way I can see him doing so without some major reworking of his form. The Bronco X factor is Willis McGahee. To take the pressure off Tebow, he will need to have a monster day. He has ran for over 1,000 yards this season and if Denver wants to have a chance he will need to get into the endzone at least two times and rush for about 150 yards.
As for the Steelers, they were able to break the curse of being the loser of the Super Bowl and actually have a great season. Most of their success has to be accredited to their key player, Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben has proved himself as one of the elite QBs in the league. This season, he once again threw for over 4,000 yards and was able to complete 21 touchdowns. His one issue coming into this game is his ankle injury. This injury will be crucial because he can no longer extend the play with his legs. It has been well documented that Ben is almost more effective when he is outside the pocket. If you look at his last two regular season games with the injury, he has a passer rating lower than 75 in both and has thrown for 0 TDs with 3 interceptions. The Steeler X factor is a tie between WR Antonio Brown and RB Isaac Redman. Brown has been one of the best Steeler wide receivers all season. He has caught 69 balls this year for over 1,000 yards and 2 TDs. His ability to weave his way through the secondary will be key to giving Big Ben all he needs to have a big game. Redman is filling in for the explosive Rashard Mendenhall. If the Steelers want to win, he will need to take the pressure off the injured Roethlisberger and get the ball in the endzone.
The keys to the game have to be both defenses. The Bronco's defense will have the task of trying to stop one of the better passers they will have seen all year and that is going to be very tough for them to do. As for the Steelers, they are ranked number 1 in the league in defense and they need to just do what they do. If they get caught up in the Tebow mania, it could be curtains for the Steel Curtain.
Who Wins? Are you really in doubt? It will be the Steelers gliding to a 24-10 victory.
The night cap for Saturday will be the Detroit Lions traveling to New Orleans to take on the Saints. If the Lions defense plays anything remotely close to the way like they did in Green Bay, this game won't even be close. The Lions defense is the key player for the cardiac kitties. They haven't played too great all season. They have let in plenty of yards and points and have a lot of careless penalties. The Lions gave up six touchdowns to a back up QB last week and Saints QB Drew Brees isn't even close to a back up. Suh and the rest of the defensive line will need to bring the heat if they want to contend. The X factor is Matthew Stafford. He has had an up and down season, but has really shown his growth in the big games. His 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns are some of the best numbers in the league, but his 16 interceptions have really hurt. Most of the interceptions have come in key moments. In a big game like this you need to rise to the occation in the big moments and his coolness as a passer will really dictate how he does in this game.
The Saints has never looked better. Their QB Drew Brees has obviously improved since getting his first Super Bowl ring and looks to be well on his way to getting another. Brees is the key player for the Saints this week because he pretty much is the offense. Drew has thrown for 5,478 yards (an NFL record) with 46 TDs. If he has a bad day it will be very hard for the Saints to overcome. The Saints X Factor is the running game. Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas have both been sufficient rushers, but compared to the rest of the league they are a bit weak. You can't win a game if you're one dimensional and if these guys don't get going, that will be the case for the Saint's offense.
The Lions key to the game has to be containing Jimmy Graham. At 6'6", 260 pounds, he is a real mismatch for any defender. It will be interesting to see who the Lions put on him. A corner will be too small and a line backer might be to slow. They need to find a solution or they could be in for a long day. The Saints need to do the same thing, but with Calvin Johnson. The Saints need to come to grips that they aren't going to stop this guy. He will get catches and he will get yards, but they need to find a way to minimize the impact they will have. Don't let him catch a ball for 10 yards then miss a few tackles and watch him waltz down the field for 10 more. They need to wrap him up as soon as he makes the catch and don't go for the strip or the interception.
Who wins? Sorry Lions fans, but it won't happen this year. Saints will beat the Lions in a close one 45-41.
Thanks for reading! I'll have more up for the other two playoff games either later today or tomorrow. I'll get the BCS pick up on Sunday night. Enjoy the games! ~N
Thursday, January 5, 2012
New Tout Station!
For all you cool kids (and Adults) out there, I made a Tout station! Tout is the social networking experience of the future! You can upload 15 second video statuses that let the world see what your seeing. In my case, it will be whatever sports related thing is going on in my life or just crazy ramblings of life that you may stumble upon! I got a huge endorsement from one of my biggest fans, John, on there and some other crazy stuff on there already! Tonight though, it gets the sports treatment. NBA picks tonight my friends!
http://www.tout.com/m/hup0km
I'm going to use this for any quick picks I want to make for basketball or baseball. You can find the links on Facebook, Twitter, Tout, or right here on the blog!
Cheers!
http://www.tout.com/m/hup0km
I'm going to use this for any quick picks I want to make for basketball or baseball. You can find the links on Facebook, Twitter, Tout, or right here on the blog!
Cheers!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Orange Crush
Once again, I find myself looking at a BCS game that I'm not sure if I will enjoy. Last night only proved my theory that two teams can be so bad that they make the game look good. I don't know what to think of tonight's show down for the Orange Bowl between the Clemson Tigers (10-3) and the West Virginia Mountaineers (9-3). I want to believe that the ACC and the Big East are two very competitive conferences and that the meeting between their two champions will bring us one heck of a game, but I could easily see it being more of a flop than another Spy Kids movie. Once again I got to block all of this out of my head and just get on with it. I present to you, my Orange Bowl guide.
For the defending ACC Champion Clemson Tigers, this is more than a bowl game. The ACC has failed in the sport light that is the BCS almost every time they have been given a chance. The Tigers Key player is their QB Tajh Boyd. Boyd has racked up over 3,500 passing yards and 31 TDs this season. He has limited the turnovers with only 10 interceptions this season and has the ability to pick up a few yards if he decides to tuck it and run. He will have a lot of help from the rest of his offense tonight as well. Running back Andre Ellington and Wide receiver Sammy Wakins have both had 1,000 yard seasons at their respective positions. The X factor tonight for the Tigers has to be their offensive line. They have allowed 9 sacks when the Tigers have played against top 25 teams. If they want to have a shot in this one, they will need to keep Boyd upright and pressure free.
The West Virginia Mountaineers battled their way through the competitive Big East to claim a part of the Conference title and a berth in the BCS. They really earned my respect when the decided to play LSU in Morgantown this year. Though they got blown out, they stepped up for the Big East and played a meaningful non-conference game. The story for West Virginia this year has to be their prolific passing attack. Ranked 7th in the nation, the passing game averages over 340 yards a game and is lead by the junior QB Geno Smith. Geno has over 3,900 yards through the air with 25 TDs and 7 interceptions this season. His coolness in the pocket allows for him to find his pair of 1,000 yard wide receivers plenty of times throughout the game. Speaking of those receivers, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin have recorded half of the Mountaineer's receiving yards. The Mountaineer X factor has to be Dustin Garrison and the rest of the rushing attack. He hasn't been able to put up a lot of impressive stats, but the freshman running back will need to try to pound away at the tough Tiger defense to open up chances for the play action pass game.
The keys to the game for both teams are very simple. Clemson needs to get the ball in the hands of their tight end Dwayne Allen. At 6'4" and 255 pounds, he is a match up nightmare for the West Virginia defense. Clemson also needs a huge game from their defensive line to disrupt Geno Smith. West Virginia also needs to attack the opposing QB and establish a running game if they want to win tonight.
Who wins? I think Clemson has the better defense and gets one or two stops tonight and wins 31-24.
Other Picks:
With the BSC National Championship Game and NFL playoffs bearing down on us, I have some early and brief picks of the later bowl games this season.
Jan. 6th Cotton Bowl: Kansas State v. Arkansas. Outcome: Arkansas 41-31
Jan. 7th BBVA Compass Bowl: Pittsburgh v. SMU. Outcome: SMU 25-19
Jan. 8th GoDaddy.com Bowl: Northern Illinois v. Arkansas State. Outcome: NIU 42-30
Thanks for reading!
For the defending ACC Champion Clemson Tigers, this is more than a bowl game. The ACC has failed in the sport light that is the BCS almost every time they have been given a chance. The Tigers Key player is their QB Tajh Boyd. Boyd has racked up over 3,500 passing yards and 31 TDs this season. He has limited the turnovers with only 10 interceptions this season and has the ability to pick up a few yards if he decides to tuck it and run. He will have a lot of help from the rest of his offense tonight as well. Running back Andre Ellington and Wide receiver Sammy Wakins have both had 1,000 yard seasons at their respective positions. The X factor tonight for the Tigers has to be their offensive line. They have allowed 9 sacks when the Tigers have played against top 25 teams. If they want to have a shot in this one, they will need to keep Boyd upright and pressure free.
The West Virginia Mountaineers battled their way through the competitive Big East to claim a part of the Conference title and a berth in the BCS. They really earned my respect when the decided to play LSU in Morgantown this year. Though they got blown out, they stepped up for the Big East and played a meaningful non-conference game. The story for West Virginia this year has to be their prolific passing attack. Ranked 7th in the nation, the passing game averages over 340 yards a game and is lead by the junior QB Geno Smith. Geno has over 3,900 yards through the air with 25 TDs and 7 interceptions this season. His coolness in the pocket allows for him to find his pair of 1,000 yard wide receivers plenty of times throughout the game. Speaking of those receivers, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin have recorded half of the Mountaineer's receiving yards. The Mountaineer X factor has to be Dustin Garrison and the rest of the rushing attack. He hasn't been able to put up a lot of impressive stats, but the freshman running back will need to try to pound away at the tough Tiger defense to open up chances for the play action pass game.
The keys to the game for both teams are very simple. Clemson needs to get the ball in the hands of their tight end Dwayne Allen. At 6'4" and 255 pounds, he is a match up nightmare for the West Virginia defense. Clemson also needs a huge game from their defensive line to disrupt Geno Smith. West Virginia also needs to attack the opposing QB and establish a running game if they want to win tonight.
Who wins? I think Clemson has the better defense and gets one or two stops tonight and wins 31-24.
Other Picks:
With the BSC National Championship Game and NFL playoffs bearing down on us, I have some early and brief picks of the later bowl games this season.
Jan. 6th Cotton Bowl: Kansas State v. Arkansas. Outcome: Arkansas 41-31
Jan. 7th BBVA Compass Bowl: Pittsburgh v. SMU. Outcome: SMU 25-19
Jan. 8th GoDaddy.com Bowl: Northern Illinois v. Arkansas State. Outcome: NIU 42-30
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Sweet As Sugar
After an amazing day of bowls (and some pretty good picking [4-2]!), the Sugar Bowl is upon us. As many of you know, it pits the Michigan Wolverines (10-2) and the Virginia Tech Hokies (10-2). There is no doubt in my mind that there will be plenty of offense in this one as Denard Robinson and Logan Thomas try to out duel each other. As many of you know, I am not very fond of this match up, but now that the time has come I have to put both of their unimpressive schedules behind me and dig for the facts.
The key player for Michigan is obviously Denard Robinson. His 2056 yards in the air and 18 touchdowns are the heartbeat of this offense. Robinson has really impressed me with his development from last season. He is now willing to pass before the run and has been able to stay healthy all season. Shoelace still lacks the discipline of a big time QB though. He has thrown 14 interceptions this year and has had some key fumbles. If he's able to keep those to a minimum, I expect him to flourish in this one. The Michigan X factor has to be their defense. They are 7th in points allowed averaging 17.2 a game. Previously the Wolverines were ranked 102nd in the nation, but with some coaching from Greg Mattison it is a totally diffrent story.
On the Hokies side, the key player is Logan Thomas. Thomas is 6 feet 6 inches and 254 pound in size and has been punishing defenses since day one. His 2799 yards and 19 TDs have been some of the best in the ACC and the 10 rushing touchdowns are most by a QB in the 25 year tenure of Frank Beamer. Why is that impressive? That includes Micheal Vick. Yeah, this Thomas guy is good. He will be able to abuse the Michigan D and create a lot of scoring chances. The X factor for Tech is the running back David Wilson. Wilson has the 5th most rushing yards in the nation with 1,627 on 266 carries. The scary stat for Wilson is that he has failed to reach 100 yards in only three games this season. If this guy gets started early, Michigan better watch out.
The key to this game for both teams will be the defense. They will need to stop the run and if they don't, both teams could score a whole lot. Michigan's D has really improved, but was exposed in their meeting with Ohio State. As for Va Tech's D, they are very young and if they can't keep their composure they will have a long night.
So who wins? It is hard for me to gauge both teams because I feel like neither has faced a team like they will tonight. Michigan has played in more key games than Virginia Tech and I believe that give them the edge. Meeeeeechigan wins a very competitive game 24-20. Go crazy guys!
Thanks for reading !
The key player for Michigan is obviously Denard Robinson. His 2056 yards in the air and 18 touchdowns are the heartbeat of this offense. Robinson has really impressed me with his development from last season. He is now willing to pass before the run and has been able to stay healthy all season. Shoelace still lacks the discipline of a big time QB though. He has thrown 14 interceptions this year and has had some key fumbles. If he's able to keep those to a minimum, I expect him to flourish in this one. The Michigan X factor has to be their defense. They are 7th in points allowed averaging 17.2 a game. Previously the Wolverines were ranked 102nd in the nation, but with some coaching from Greg Mattison it is a totally diffrent story.
On the Hokies side, the key player is Logan Thomas. Thomas is 6 feet 6 inches and 254 pound in size and has been punishing defenses since day one. His 2799 yards and 19 TDs have been some of the best in the ACC and the 10 rushing touchdowns are most by a QB in the 25 year tenure of Frank Beamer. Why is that impressive? That includes Micheal Vick. Yeah, this Thomas guy is good. He will be able to abuse the Michigan D and create a lot of scoring chances. The X factor for Tech is the running back David Wilson. Wilson has the 5th most rushing yards in the nation with 1,627 on 266 carries. The scary stat for Wilson is that he has failed to reach 100 yards in only three games this season. If this guy gets started early, Michigan better watch out.
The key to this game for both teams will be the defense. They will need to stop the run and if they don't, both teams could score a whole lot. Michigan's D has really improved, but was exposed in their meeting with Ohio State. As for Va Tech's D, they are very young and if they can't keep their composure they will have a long night.
So who wins? It is hard for me to gauge both teams because I feel like neither has faced a team like they will tonight. Michigan has played in more key games than Virginia Tech and I believe that give them the edge. Meeeeeechigan wins a very competitive game 24-20. Go crazy guys!
Thanks for reading !
Monday, January 2, 2012
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