We all know these two teams by now. There's the Giants who will be coming in hot after they outscored the Cardinals in three straight elimination games 20-1. They have a great pitching staff that does't always perform and they also are 6-0 in elimination games this post season. And there are the Tigers, who have the best pitching staff in the world right now. They have an insanely good offense and are rested.
You've probably watched 20 videos and read just as many articles pertaining to this game just like I have. So with that, I will get out of your way.
I got the Tigers winning it all in Game 7.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Week Eight Quick Picks
College continues to get in the way of Sports According to Neil, but I will not be deterred. I'm working on some posts and they will be here soon. Before any of that, let's take a quick look at college football this week.
Once again, it's a loaded week. We got rivalry games, a top 10 clash, and plenty of intriguing games. I'm really excited for the U of M vs MSU game. It should tell us a lot about who might win the foundering Big 10 and you have to enjoy the rivalry that comes with it. As for the SEC, it's just another week. Big teams square off and hopefully we get a clearer picture of that conference (like we don't know who is going to win it. Wink Wink).
Without any further delay and so I can go get some candy at CMU's Homecoming Parade, here are my picks.
Kansas State 28 - West Virginia 31
Alabama 41 - Tennessee 10
Michigan State 21 - Michigan 31
LSU 10 - Texas A&M 21
Iowa State 17 - Oklahoma State 31
Texas Tech 31 - TCU 42
Florida State 41 - Miami 31
Florida 31 - South Carolina 33
Last, but not least.
Central Michigan 35 - Ball State 28
Thanks for watching!
Once again, it's a loaded week. We got rivalry games, a top 10 clash, and plenty of intriguing games. I'm really excited for the U of M vs MSU game. It should tell us a lot about who might win the foundering Big 10 and you have to enjoy the rivalry that comes with it. As for the SEC, it's just another week. Big teams square off and hopefully we get a clearer picture of that conference (like we don't know who is going to win it. Wink Wink).
Without any further delay and so I can go get some candy at CMU's Homecoming Parade, here are my picks.
Kansas State 28 - West Virginia 31
Alabama 41 - Tennessee 10
Michigan State 21 - Michigan 31
LSU 10 - Texas A&M 21
Iowa State 17 - Oklahoma State 31
Texas Tech 31 - TCU 42
Florida State 41 - Miami 31
Florida 31 - South Carolina 33
Last, but not least.
Central Michigan 35 - Ball State 28
Thanks for watching!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
MLB Championship Series
After four thrilling five game divisional series, it's hard to believe that the MLB playoffs could get any better! The Giants Reds series was an all timer and the Yankees Orioles was a slug fest. I can't leave out what the Tigers and the Cardinals did too. I do have to admit that the four teams we see in front of us are not the ones a lot of people expected.
Besides all the great series I have to focus on the fact that the two top teams in the NL lost in pretty spectacular ways while the AL's Best team for the past two seasons couldn't even get out of the first round. The Rangers were really disappointing. They squandered a huge lead to the A's in the division race and got themselves into the wildcard game with the hot Orioles.
I half expected the Nationals to crumble like they did, but the Reds not being able to get a single win at home was disgraceful.
Before I make my picks, let's imagine for a second. How incredible would it had been for the Nationals and the Orioles to make the World Series?
Both teams are so close to each other and neither have had a lot of success. If that would have happened, I would have watched every game. It would have been such a feel good story! But the world of sports isn't all about feeling good, so back to reality.
Here's my World Series...
Giants vs Tigers
I have the Tigers beating the Yankees in six games. The Tigers have the superior in almost every category in my book. They got some great bats in that line-up and you can't argue with Verlander and the rest of the pitching staff. Closing the game could be an issue for the Tigers, but I think the Bronx Bombers bats are growing tired. The Yankees will be able to grind out a could of games at their park, but the Tigers will dominate the Yanks with their pitching.
I also have the Giants beating the Cardinals in six games for the same reason: pitching. The Giants have Cain, Vogelsong, and Bumgarner. Those guys can win big games and if he has to, I believe Lincecum can win a game for the boys in orange. The Cardinals will put up a good fight though. Lynn has been outstanding and the Redbirds have just found ways to win ball games. I just think the magic of the last postseason will finally run out.
Thanks for reading!
Besides all the great series I have to focus on the fact that the two top teams in the NL lost in pretty spectacular ways while the AL's Best team for the past two seasons couldn't even get out of the first round. The Rangers were really disappointing. They squandered a huge lead to the A's in the division race and got themselves into the wildcard game with the hot Orioles.
I half expected the Nationals to crumble like they did, but the Reds not being able to get a single win at home was disgraceful.
Before I make my picks, let's imagine for a second. How incredible would it had been for the Nationals and the Orioles to make the World Series?
Both teams are so close to each other and neither have had a lot of success. If that would have happened, I would have watched every game. It would have been such a feel good story! But the world of sports isn't all about feeling good, so back to reality.
Here's my World Series...
Giants vs Tigers
I have the Tigers beating the Yankees in six games. The Tigers have the superior in almost every category in my book. They got some great bats in that line-up and you can't argue with Verlander and the rest of the pitching staff. Closing the game could be an issue for the Tigers, but I think the Bronx Bombers bats are growing tired. The Yankees will be able to grind out a could of games at their park, but the Tigers will dominate the Yanks with their pitching.
I also have the Giants beating the Cardinals in six games for the same reason: pitching. The Giants have Cain, Vogelsong, and Bumgarner. Those guys can win big games and if he has to, I believe Lincecum can win a game for the boys in orange. The Cardinals will put up a good fight though. Lynn has been outstanding and the Redbirds have just found ways to win ball games. I just think the magic of the last postseason will finally run out.
Thanks for reading!
Friday, October 12, 2012
College Football Week 7
College football continues to roll on as we head into week seven and plenty of great teams are heading on the road this week. The top 10 has suffered some changes in the pass weeks and it is going to happen again when South Carolina and LSU knock heads.
Speaking of LSU-SC, they are the first pick for this week!
LSU- 31 South Carolina- 20 - As much as I hated on LSU last week, they are a hard team to beat at home. Though Zach Mettenberger and the rest of the Tiger's offense has been weak, the defense makes up for it. They have allowed 12.8 points per game and have a great knack of pressuring the QB. The Gamecocks won't be an easy opponent. They too have a stellar defense and they have a pretty good offense. Last week's result for SC does make me think of this game a bit more, but they played an extremely overrated team.
Texas- 17 Oklahoma- 10 - This will be an old fashioned Red River Rivalry. Both teams have proved a lot this season. I like Texas because of David Ash. The kid takes care of the football and has a really good arm. It helps when you have a great rushing attack to help you out. Joe Bergeron and Malcom Brown are a nice dual threat and should keep the Sooner defense on their heels. The Sooners will need a great game from Landry Jones if they want to win. He has been decent this season, but when he struggled against K-State, Oklahoma suffered. I see the same thing happening in this game.
Texas A&M- 48 Louisiana Tech- 30 - No one expected Louisiana Tech to be in the Top 25, so when they fall this week it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. I praised LT at the beginning of the season, but this match-up will be too much for them. Surprisingly, TAMU is near the top of the nation in all team stats and their only loss is against Florida. Johnny Manziel has surprised me this season. He has done a great job as a freshman and has been very actuate. I think last week's win for the Aggies really showed the mental strength of this team. They will show a toughness again this week and see through the win.
Stanford- 10 Notre Dame- 19 - The Irish have really shown me up this year. I wasn't sure if they were back yet, but Manti Te'o and the rest of the defense have proven something to me. They will be the main reason that the Irish win. Everett Golson will be pivotal in this game. If he has a bad day, they Irish could be in trouble. I really don't trust Stanford after their huge loss to Washington and their near loss to Arizona. The rushing game will need to come to play if the Cardinal want a chance to win.
Quick Picks
Tennessee- 14 Mississippi State- 20
Miami- 30 North Carolina- 29
Alabama- 50 Missouri- 10
West Virginia- 70 Texas Tech- 50
Illinois- 10 Michigan- 30
Speaking of LSU-SC, they are the first pick for this week!
LSU- 31 South Carolina- 20 - As much as I hated on LSU last week, they are a hard team to beat at home. Though Zach Mettenberger and the rest of the Tiger's offense has been weak, the defense makes up for it. They have allowed 12.8 points per game and have a great knack of pressuring the QB. The Gamecocks won't be an easy opponent. They too have a stellar defense and they have a pretty good offense. Last week's result for SC does make me think of this game a bit more, but they played an extremely overrated team.
Texas- 17 Oklahoma- 10 - This will be an old fashioned Red River Rivalry. Both teams have proved a lot this season. I like Texas because of David Ash. The kid takes care of the football and has a really good arm. It helps when you have a great rushing attack to help you out. Joe Bergeron and Malcom Brown are a nice dual threat and should keep the Sooner defense on their heels. The Sooners will need a great game from Landry Jones if they want to win. He has been decent this season, but when he struggled against K-State, Oklahoma suffered. I see the same thing happening in this game.
Texas A&M- 48 Louisiana Tech- 30 - No one expected Louisiana Tech to be in the Top 25, so when they fall this week it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. I praised LT at the beginning of the season, but this match-up will be too much for them. Surprisingly, TAMU is near the top of the nation in all team stats and their only loss is against Florida. Johnny Manziel has surprised me this season. He has done a great job as a freshman and has been very actuate. I think last week's win for the Aggies really showed the mental strength of this team. They will show a toughness again this week and see through the win.
Stanford- 10 Notre Dame- 19 - The Irish have really shown me up this year. I wasn't sure if they were back yet, but Manti Te'o and the rest of the defense have proven something to me. They will be the main reason that the Irish win. Everett Golson will be pivotal in this game. If he has a bad day, they Irish could be in trouble. I really don't trust Stanford after their huge loss to Washington and their near loss to Arizona. The rushing game will need to come to play if the Cardinal want a chance to win.
Quick Picks
Tennessee- 14 Mississippi State- 20
Miami- 30 North Carolina- 29
Alabama- 50 Missouri- 10
West Virginia- 70 Texas Tech- 50
Illinois- 10 Michigan- 30
Saturday, October 6, 2012
College Football Week Six
Sorry for the hiatus sports fans! School has been very busy, but I should have some more time now to stand on my soap box. Today is the sixth week of college football and as always I have my picks, but be sure to keep an eye on the blog for my MLB and MLS playoff predictions, NFL panic meter, and English Premier League Power rankings. Now for college football!
LSU 31 Florida 38 - I think Florida can win this one. Its a game at home to a lack-luster Tigers team that doesn't seem to have the same bite they had last year. The Gators are a strong 4-0 and have only had one cupcake match-up so far. They looked comfortable going all four quarters with a great Texas A&M team and played a solid game against Tennessee. The Gator passing attack will continue to be dull, but the defense will show their grit in this game. They are ranked 10th in defense and should be able to stop the very run oriented Tigers offense. This game will be close the whole way through, but I believe the Gators will pull it out.
Georgia 21 South Carolina 24 - This is going to be a a telling game for both sides due to the fact neither team has faced a great opponent yet. The Gamecocks are a lot softer than people think. The numbers say that they are a great defense, but the teams they played tell more. The near loss they had to Vanderbilt in the first week was not a good sign. The Bulldogs are even more overrated. The defense for this team doesn't look like it can hang with the best in the SEC and will probably be torn up on Saturday. All in all it should be a very interesting game. The Gamecocks will win it, but I think both teams will be hurt by the match-up.
West Virginia 38 Texas 30 - Geno Smith was incredible last week. His numbers looked like a good game on NCAA 13. The real story of that game was the Mountaineer defense. They gave up a lot of points to a decent Baylor team. You have to wonder what they will give up when they play a good one? This game will supply the answer. Texas should be strong. They are a team that can put up some big numbers too. and they have a defense to back it up. David Ash can't put up Smith's numbers, but he can cut through the secondary. But after last week I can't pick against this Mountaineer offense. Smith won't do it in the fashion he did last week, but he will lead WV to the win.
Ohio State 17 Nebraska 10 - This will be the battle of developing QBs. Martinez and Miller are both pretty solid QBs who can run the ball, but have the arm too. They are both overcoming seasons where they both had issues, plus both teams have great defenses. As much as I want to say both QBs are going to be able to make huge plays, I can't get over the fact that the defenses have essentially already played these offenses in practice all year. In the end, I think Braxton Miller will be able to make or two more plays than Martinez and win the game for the Bucks.
Quick Picks!
Oregon 51 Washington 21
CMU 10 Toledo 41
Miami 10 Notre Dame 19
UCLA 41 Cal 20
Oregon State 30 Washington State 13
Thanks for reading!
LSU 31 Florida 38 - I think Florida can win this one. Its a game at home to a lack-luster Tigers team that doesn't seem to have the same bite they had last year. The Gators are a strong 4-0 and have only had one cupcake match-up so far. They looked comfortable going all four quarters with a great Texas A&M team and played a solid game against Tennessee. The Gator passing attack will continue to be dull, but the defense will show their grit in this game. They are ranked 10th in defense and should be able to stop the very run oriented Tigers offense. This game will be close the whole way through, but I believe the Gators will pull it out.
Georgia 21 South Carolina 24 - This is going to be a a telling game for both sides due to the fact neither team has faced a great opponent yet. The Gamecocks are a lot softer than people think. The numbers say that they are a great defense, but the teams they played tell more. The near loss they had to Vanderbilt in the first week was not a good sign. The Bulldogs are even more overrated. The defense for this team doesn't look like it can hang with the best in the SEC and will probably be torn up on Saturday. All in all it should be a very interesting game. The Gamecocks will win it, but I think both teams will be hurt by the match-up.
West Virginia 38 Texas 30 - Geno Smith was incredible last week. His numbers looked like a good game on NCAA 13. The real story of that game was the Mountaineer defense. They gave up a lot of points to a decent Baylor team. You have to wonder what they will give up when they play a good one? This game will supply the answer. Texas should be strong. They are a team that can put up some big numbers too. and they have a defense to back it up. David Ash can't put up Smith's numbers, but he can cut through the secondary. But after last week I can't pick against this Mountaineer offense. Smith won't do it in the fashion he did last week, but he will lead WV to the win.
Ohio State 17 Nebraska 10 - This will be the battle of developing QBs. Martinez and Miller are both pretty solid QBs who can run the ball, but have the arm too. They are both overcoming seasons where they both had issues, plus both teams have great defenses. As much as I want to say both QBs are going to be able to make huge plays, I can't get over the fact that the defenses have essentially already played these offenses in practice all year. In the end, I think Braxton Miller will be able to make or two more plays than Martinez and win the game for the Bucks.
Quick Picks!
Oregon 51 Washington 21
CMU 10 Toledo 41
Miami 10 Notre Dame 19
UCLA 41 Cal 20
Oregon State 30 Washington State 13
Thanks for reading!
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