Momo's Musings

Best Dunk Ever? Not to me, but its stil pretty good

2012-01-31T16:26:00.000-08:00

While everyone is focused on the Super Bowl, last night Blake Griffin probably had the best dunk of his career. For me, this dunk moves into my top ten of all-time, with the greatest being Vince Carter jumping over Frederic Weis in the Olympics (when somebody else jumps over a 7-footer then I'll replace Vince's dunk. The reason why this dunk is so significant is because of two reasons: 1. The Oklahoma City Thunder has the league's best record but the one area that they can be exposed is on the defensive end of the floor. 2. Perkins is supposed to be the team's primary defensive stopper and that dunk takes some of his stature down a few pegs. Yes I know not every team has a Griffin, but what most teams saw was the way the Clippers attacked the the Thunder on the wings and in the playoffs those areas can be exploited more. The Clippers sent a strong message to the Thunder and the rest of the West by winning that game and Griffin's dunk put the rest of the league on notice that there is a new and younger team in Los Angeles to be reckoned with. Now, where is Frederic Weis so we can see if Blake can do the same thing Vince did:)

Teaser Ads for Super Bowl Commercials

2012-01-30T08:37:00.000-08:00

Since it was more culture-related, I dropped some thoughts on the weird sprouting of Teaser Ads for Super Bowl Commercials at sister blog Collideoscope.

Peyton's New Place? (Updated)

2012-01-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

The back and forth between Peyton Manning and Jim Irsay is getting kind of annoying. Peyton is trying to position himself as the good guy with the fans if the Colts cut him and Irsay is trying to be the next Cuban or Jerry Jones by having more involvement with the team. Both guys just look bad and need to quit their griping in the press. If Manning is healthy I think the Colts would be dumb not to bring him back. However if he is healthy and they do cut him here are some of the teams I think that would want his services and if they are a good fit:

New York Jets: Mark Sanchez is there and he clearly needs some motivation. The Jets have a so-so running game. The Jets would love to bring Manning in because they are a team that believes they should be in the Super Bowl. Peyton would love to be near Eli and sharing the press with his little brother. Biggest reasons why it wouldn't work is Rex Ryan's mouth and the NY media. Ryan's boasting all the time and making Manning a target is something in the long run that would not work. Manning would have enough trouble learning a new offense, he wouldn't need Ryan's mouth putting more pressure on him. Think about the coaches he is used to playing for. Philip Fulmer, Tony Dungy and Jim Cladwell. Not real high profile, in your face guys. Also as I stated before, the NY media is relentless and a guy that likes to control the media like Peyton does could not handle the NY press.

Washington Redskins: Daniel Snyder would love to make a huge splash with a Manning signing. The Redskins haven't had a good quarterback since Mark Rypien(and if you are under the age of 25 you may have to Google that). Mike Shanahan would then have a quarterback he should trust but this team is not in a position to win now. Their defense is good but their offense is woeful. The Skins have no receivers and I don't even think Manning could make them better.

Miami Dolphins: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross got left at the altar again this year when he tried to hire Jeff Fisher, if Manning is available you can bet he would put a full court press to get him to fill the seats in Miami. The problem here is two-fold with the Dolphins.First the Dolphins have a new coach in former Packers coordinator Joe Philbin and he has hired Mike Sherman former Packers coach and they will probably go after soon to be former Packer Matt Flynn who knows their offense. Plus the Dolphins are not close to winning being in the brutal AFC East.

Seattle Seahawks: It's a small market which fits Manning. The Seahawks could easily contend in the weak NFC West. However, their receivers are nearly as bad as the 49ers. Highly unlikely.

Now for the Wild Cards:

New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees hasn't signed a new deal. Peyton is from New Orleans and that city would embrace him with open arms. They have a strong receiving core and are in a winnable division. The Saints real issues are on the defensive side and that can be fixed through the draft and free agency. Do I think Brees will sign an extension? Yes but the longer it takes, the more of a possibility the Saints are waiting to see if Peyton is healthy or not.

San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers receivers are terrible but they do have a weapon in Vernon Davis that is appealing. Also the Niners stout running game and defense prove that they are in a win now phase. The only negative is that Manning is not as mobile as Alex Smith. Harbaugh likes to run his quarterback on a lot of bootlegs and Manning is a true pocket passer. However, Peyton's talent may be too much to pass up, especially with a team that is so close to going to the Super Bowl.

Houston Texans: Why the Texans you ask? Word is that the team does not believe Matt Schaub can stay healthy. The Texans proved this year that with a healthy quarterback they can truly be contenders. Manning would take this already good team and make them great. The defense has playmakers all over the field. The offense has depth at the skill positions and the offensive line is truly great. Their division is up for grabs because the Colts would be rebuilding, the Jaguars are rebuilding and the Titans are well the Titans.Peyton is pretty calculating and wouldn't it be great to play the team that dumped you two times a year, especially in the stadium you built? This team would stun everyone if they got Manning.

I will restate this again, I think it would be dumb for the Colts to let him walk away if he is healthy. Peyton could be their legacy player and that is a good thing for football and for the city of Indianapolis. Manning also has to realize that he would have to give a little on his contract, especially with the Colts drafting Luck. You can't make all of those demands in the past because you are not in the position you once were. Coming off three neck surgeries in 19 months, definitely gives a team cause for concern. All of this would be mute if Peyton isn't healthy. Although the possibilities are endless if Manning is cleared to play.

A few minutes after my post, the Colts issued this statement from Irsay and Manning. Who knew my little blog was this effective?:)

Thanks for reading and comments are always welcome

Championship Sunday Recap

2012-01-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

1. The Patriots did not win the AFC Championship, Baltimore lost it. The Ravens had plenty opportunities to win it and they failed to cash in. They controlled Brady and held him to zero touchdown passes. Still luck and some shoddy and questionable officiating were on the side of the Patriots.

2. A question was posed to Peter King and the writer wondered if John Harbaugh was a good coach? I'm not sure if I can say he's not a good coach but I think he made some questionable decisions. One was when Ray Rice got hurt in the 4th quarter, Ricky Williams came in and as my cousin Mark put it, "He was running in Beast Mode!!." Williams was stiff-arming defenders in the backfield and dragging defensive backs for 4 and 5 yards, so why would you pull him on the potential game tying drive? The other issue I question is not calling a timeout to have the booth at least some time to review the Lee Evans dropped TD pass. Its those little attention to details that cost the Ravens and it makes fans question the head coaches ability to lead this team.

3. Flacco actually stepped up and made some good throws. He did throw the one interception but that didn't hurt them because the Ravens got the ball back. It amazes me how critical people are of him. He's better than Trent Dilfer (although Dilfer has a ring) but not nearly as good as Big Ben. If you compare him to the rest of the quarterbacks taken in his class he has the most playoff wins. I think the Falcons would prefer him to Matt Ryan.

4. I said the Packers Achilles heel was that they could not run the ball. The Patriots run game is even worse. People barely even know who their running backs are. The lack of a running game actually plays into the Giants hand. Its not like they are going to find it in two weeks.

5. Not sure if people's dislike comes from Belicheck or Brady. In talking to people its split 50/50. I just don't like the smugness and arrogance both guys portray.

6. The 49ers with such a rich history of wide receivers: Jerry Rice, John Taylor, Terrell Owens, and Brent Jones, now have the worse receiving core in the history of the NFL. 1 reception for a receiver is awful. I know they run Stanford offense with two tight-ends but the receivers need to get open. Their performance was AWFUL

7. "The Tip-Toe Burglar" aka Brandon Jacobs, faded away again in a big game again. The Giants need him to play well to win the Super Bowl. He can't be running east and west for as big as he is.

8. Patrick Willis is the Ray Lewis of the NFC. Love watching him hit everything that moves in a different uniform. He doesn't get a lot of coverage because he is on the west coast.

9. Who knew Ted Ginn Jr. was so important on Special Teams? Kyle Williams was trying to make a name for himself when he should have just held onto the ball.

10. Why is Tom Coughlin not mentioned among elite NFL coaches? Maybe taking his Giants to the Super Bowl twice in four years people will start to recognize.

Divisional Recap

2012-01-14T20:09:00.000-08:00

1. The last 4 minutes of the Saints-Niners was incredible.

2. Was I the only one thinking that Alex Smith should have went down at the 1 yard line to run more time off the clock?

3. Gregg Williams is a good defensive coach but the Saints defensive got torched by a mediocre quarterback. Is that enough to make Jeff Fisher rethink hiring Williams for the Rams? Apparently not. Not sure what Fisher is thinking by wanting to hire Brian Schottenheimer. There are more creative play-caller than him. Schottenheimer was one of the problems with the Jets, not sure he is the answer Bradford and the Rams need.

4. The Broncos offensive line looks over matched against the Patriots. However, they are running a high school offense so pros can look over matched.

5. Watch all this week how much Belichick and Brady get for beating a bad Denver Broncos team. The media will look at the score and highlights but not actually pay attention to the real story, which is:Denver backed into the playoffs and got pass an "arrogant" Steelers team. The Broncos were not a real threat to the Pats.

6. Was I the only one who thought the Packers looked flat? They dropped passes, loss fumbles and generally looked confused on defense. They played completely uninspired football.

7. How great is it to watch Ed Reed play defensive back. He is an all-time great.

8. Thought it was ultra cool that Arian Foster and Ray Lewis traded jersey's at the end of the game. Foster recognizes greatness and professionalism on the field and Ray knows his time is almost up.

9. You know if the Ravens ACTUALLY gave Flacco sometime in the pocket to pass, maybe his numbers would be better.

10. Eli Manning gets no credit. He gets constantly compared to his brother and in the end he may have more Super Bowls than Peyton. Eli never gets mentioned with the Rodgers and Brady's of the league but this Sunday he sure stepped up and proved he should be. Eli has stepped out of his brothers shadow and is making a name for himself in a very tough media market. Think Peyton could survive NYC? I don't think so.

11. I have written in the past how there are no more legacy and maybe I was looking on the wrong side of the ball. The Ravens have two guys that are legacy players in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. In my lifetime the only linebacker and safety that have been better at their positions are Lawrence Taylor and Ronnie Lott, and those two guys were rivals. Lewis has been the most dominant linebacker for the last 10 years or so. He may have lost a step speed-wise but makes that up with football intelligence. Reed on the other hand is probably the best ball-hawking safety I have ever seen. Brady will have a lot of trouble fooling Reed and the Ravens because of these two legacy players.

12. My X-factor player in the Ravens-Patriots game is Haloti Ngata. He has to dominate the Pats o-line and make Brady uncomfortable.

13. The X-factor for me in the Giants-49ers game will be Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. If these guys can run for big yards and catch the ball out of the backfield for decent games it will make life on Alex Smith and Vernon Davis a lot better.

End Zone (Divisional Playoff Edition)

2012-01-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Bold Prediction:
Momo: The Giants WILL BEAT the Packers IF Brandon Jacobs rushes for 90 yards or more. The key to beating the Packers is by keeping Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines. If the Giants running game works as well as it did against the Falcons, the Packers will have a tough time stopping the run. The Packers defense is 2nd worse in the league and they are awful at stopping the run. Also, the Giants pass rush has been rolling the last few weeks and they can generate pressure on Rodgers.

Is Joe Flacco the key to the Ravens winning?
Momo: Not really. The Ravens identity is truly Ray Rice. Flacco just needs to make sure that Rice gets all of his touches because in the end, it makes Flacco and the passing game a lot better.If Rice gets around 90-100 yards rushing and receiving then Flacco looks like a superstar. Flacco is not an elite qb, he is more like a stronger arm version of Trent Dilfer.

Game you most want to see: Saints vs. 49ers or Broncos vs. Patriots?
Momo: I want to see if the 49ers are allowed to hit the Saints. Brees has a tendency to throw more picks when he plays outside and the Niners are the best at taking the ball away. Also, the Niners defense is great at stopping the run. This game is way more intriguing. The 49ers have to score touchdowns and not kick field goals. Alex Smith can not settle for three points, and that's a problem because Smith has been horrible in the Red Zone.

Wild Card and BCS Wackiness

2012-01-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

1. For the first time ever I did not watch the complete BCS Title game. Like many fans of the college football, this title and much of the bowl games were a joke. Nick Saban might feel good about winning but he and his Crimson Tide did not belong in that game. The interesting part of all of this is how the BCS announced before the game that changes were coming to the system. College football and all of its cronies who have bilked the system for years are now starting to feel the pressure of a playoff. Why now people may wonder. It's simple: If you look at all the bowl games from this past season, attendance was way down and the popularity has for all the bowls. The bowls have taken a hit financially and now they want some renewed interest. Its about time!!

2. Don't understand Les Miles decided not to play Jarrett Lee. It was obvious to the masses the Jordan Jefferson was not getting it done.

3. Does Baylor have a monopoly on stud players with the third in their last name? Robert Griffin III Heisman trophy winner and Perry Jones III could be the national player of the year in men's college basketball.

4.Moving on to the Wild Card, Mike Smith and the Falcons have some serious issues. It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't make a strong run next year that Arthur Blank could replace him.

5. Who would have thought that Michael Vick would have a better career record in the playoffs as Matt Ryan. I would also say that Michael Vick is a better qb than Ryan as well. The Falcons have surrounded Ryan with more talent than Vick had when he was there and Matty "Ice" can't get it done.

6. Hopefully the NFL let's the 49ers and Ravens play tough defense in their divisional games.

7. This is no disrespect to Tebow but the reason why the Steelers loss was the arrogance of Dick Lebeau. They never changed their coverage and respected Tebow as a passer. If the Steelers make the adjustments on defense they win the game easily.

8. Is anyone surprised at how the Raiders keep changing coaches? A word to the Bay Area rebels: Get stability in the franchise and the staff and the players will develop.

9. The best thing for the St. Louis Rams may be if Jeff Fisher decides to take the Dolphins job. I know Fisher is a great coach but his particular style of conservative offense will not work in the league. The game has changed and now its all about spreading teams out and scoring lots of points. Fisher believes a field goal is a win. That worked 10 years ago but not today. If he does go to St. Louis, they have to hope he opens it up and actually uses Bradford's ability.

10. Check out the End Zone later this week for a Bold Prediction.

End Zone (Wild Card)

2012-01-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

1.More surprising Bill Polian getting the axe or Norv Turner and A.J. Smith staying?
KDC: What do you have to do in San Diego to get fired? You can stay incompetent AND live in San Diego!What a deal! I mean it's not like they’re banished in Buffalo! Someday, someone is going to evaluate all of that wasted talent in San Diego & ask the question no one thought they'd ask, "What if they'd kept Marty?" Surely they'd at least be division winners & in the championship game most years?
It makes me think Spanos is incompetent also, afraid to have to make more choices that would expose his own ignorance. Keeping the focus on the2 upfront morons overshadows any focus on you, who must not understand the football business either. I can't imagine the reups on season tickets will be a happy story....
Momo: Did not see the Polian firing coming. People are saying they could see it because Peyton was giving cryptic messages through the media about his meetings with Polian. I think Jim Irsay took a hard look and realized what we were saying all along, the way the football team was constructed currently could in no way compete year end and year out in the NFL. Polian had an obligation to the franchise to get better depth and players, especially in the backup quarterback area, even he acknowledge that after he was let go. My guess is that Irsay is willing to blowup the team and get more athletic, versatile players and move on without Manning. The Colts have a patient fanbase and what a great time to make this type of move coming off a season like they did. I don't understand why they are keeping Jim Caldwell. It would have been smarter to cut everyone and start over.

2. Scariest team in the playoffs in the NFC:
KDC: The Packers. When you’ve got to go through Lambeau with the reigning MVP & the best team defense at creating turnovers, with most starters rested, it’s the Packers hands down.
Momo: It's the Saints and here is the reason: They run the ball well (so do the 49ers) where the Packers are completely reliant on the pass. If the Saints get up on any team and force them to pass, it makes it a lot easier for their defense to blitz their opponents, which is right in their wheelhouse.

3. Scariest team in the playoffs in the AFC:

KDC: I don’t think there are scary teams in the AFC. You must respect the Ravens and Steelers, but both have significant flaws (Flacco at QB& all the injuries, respectively), so it’s just a matter if they’ll be exposed before the Super Bowl. I don’t see the Patriots home field advantage being an advantage because their secondary is such a joke.
Momo: Its the Ravens and its not because of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. It's all about Ray Rice. If Rice is running the ball and catching it out of the backfield, it takes a lot of pressure off of Flacco. If the Ravens use Rice correctly and get him a lot of touches, then the Ravens, with their good defense could be headed to the Super Bowl.

End Zone (Week 16)

2011-12-24T06:37:00.000-08:00

1. Does Peyton Manning play for the Colts again?
KDC: Yep, because that's how the Colts do things. Even with the Rams determined to play it close in the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes but eventually lose out to the Colts (because they're the Rams), Peyton returns - probably with a renegotiated contract that benefits both sides. I personally see them using the Favre-Rodgers paradigm for a couple years assuming Peyton is healthy.
Momo: No because I think the Colts will move on. The new CBA provides them with an out an actually gives them a more stable future without Manning. Drafting Andrew Luck, if they are "lucky" enough to get the 1st pick is cheaper than having Manning. Luck provides them flexibility in their salary cap to rebuild a team that can be true contenders in a few years. Also think about this, the Colts with Luck for the next 10 years or three years with Peyton. Its sad to me but today's sports provides few legacy players with organizations. Peyton is definitely a legacy guy but I see the Colts choosing money and the known factor over the legacy of Manning.

2. Take your pick Giants or Jets?
KDC: Do I have to? Will either of these teams make any noise in the playoffs? Probably not. I see the Jets winning this only because ... I don't really know actually. Maybe because they've been less consistently bad? I do find it interesting how the media has played up the fact Giants QB Eli Manning is definitely an "elite" &/or "clutch" quarterback now because he beat the Patriots & played the Packers tough, but I still don't see it.
Momo: Neither really impress but I guess I'll take the Giants. My reason is they at least have sort of a running game and a more stable quarterback. I do trust Eli way more than Mark Sanchez. It is true that the media does play up these two teams and this year neither has been consistent or very good. At least all the talking will stop today.

3. The "Too Smart For His Own Good" Award goes to...
KDC: Josh McDaniels, Offensive Coordinator of the St Louis Rams. Although prescient on Tim Tebow, McDaniels alienated an entire football-crazy Denver in 2 years w/his demeanor. Now, given a reprieve with the Rams to strut his stuff, with a very limited cast but a perennial Pro Bowler in RB Stephen Jackson, he keeps calling pass plays with 3rd string QBs. Inside the Red Zone. Hello? If Kansas City is truly believing he is a candidate for their head coaching position, they will be sorely disappointed.
Momo: Mine goes to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The whole organization got too smart for their own good. First let's start with the owner who said Del Rio needed to make playoffs at the beginning of the year and he was not selling the team. Two days after that declaration was made the team cut David Garrard, their second best offensive player. Next, the installed a rookie, Blaine Gabbert, because they drafted him high, and Blaine was not ready to play. He needed a year or two to watch and learn because he is running for his life back in the pocket. After giving Del Rio a vote of confidence two weeks prior, Weaver not only fired Del Rio but also announced he was selling the team on the same day. All of this happened when the AFC South was up for grabs and the Jaguars could have made the playoffs with Garrard and the best running back in the league Maurice Jones-Drew. Just like Stephen Jackson, Jones-Drew talent is being wasted on a bad team. The Jaguars need good leadership from top to bottom.

Merry Christmas from your friends at the End Zone and Momo's Musings Sports!!!!

Momo's Munchies

2011-12-20T19:55:00.000-08:00

1. Albert Pujlos really needs to get his wife to stop talking. Its bad enough that he left St. Louis for the Angels but for her to blame God for making them move is a little nutty.

2. Coaches should be punished for leaving schools high and dry. Example, not only did new Arizona St. coach Todd Graham defy his former bosses when they told him he could not speak to the Sun Devils. Graham texted his resignation into to the AD. No class whatsoever. Here's the story: Todd Graham

3. How fragile is the NFL season? The Bears and Eagles could miss out on the playoffs because of injuries to their starters and they were contenders just weeks ago.

4. Pretty sure the Packers don't think their loss to the Chiefs was a "Good" loss. No losses are good. Also I know having a near perfect season in their grasp has to be eating them up. If McCartney is smart, he will rest his starters once they wrap up homefield.

5. I think Brady took the matchup with Tebow personal. Tom dove in from the one yard line and scored a TD, something he never does.

6. Drew Brees is going to break Marino's passing record. To me it's a little diluted because defenses today are basically muzzled.

7. I understand why Mike Tomlin played Big Ben on Monday night. I just think he could have pulled him when he saw he wasn't as mobile and put in Charlie Batch so that the Steelers could have had more of an opportunity to win.

8. If I'm the Saints, I root hard for the Rams to knock off the Niners next week. San Francisco looks scary, especially at home.

9. I'm not enthused to watch any of these bowl games. And I love sports, especially football but none of the matchups intrigue me.

10. I'd be chocked if Peyton Manning plays for the Colts again. It's lining up that they will cut him and he could play elsewhere if he is healthy.

End Zone (Week 14)

2011-12-18T05:59:00.000-08:00

Bold Prediction:
KDC: Jason Garrett WILL be the coach of the Cowboys next season. I'm not saying he deserves to be coach after the multiple debacles of freezing his own kicker 2 games ago & play-calling too conservatively early in the season, but Jerry Jones said he regretted letting go of Chan Gailey after 2 seasons because it wasn't enough time to develop his program. Garrett has looked horrible, but I think he'll get at least 2 more years. Sorry about that Cowboys fans.

Momo: Jason Garrett WILL NOT be the coach of the Cowboys next season if they don't make the playoffs. I’ve been sitting on this for a while but Garrett is not a good coach. It’s not just the icing your own kicker fiasco of last week, he cannot coach this team. Garrett is part of the problem of from last year and years past. When the Cowboys went 1-7 last year, who was the coach/OC? Jason Garrett. When he took over the team, the offense played better, but the defense just collapsed. Jerry Jones is not going to stand for this type of coaching and team mishaps, especially if they miss the playoffs two years in a row.. I can totally see him going after Jeff Fisher or Jon Gruden to try and revitalize this team and franchise. Some guys are just cutout to be coordinators, and Jason Garrett is proving that point every week.

I was wrong...
Momo: I was wrong about the Texans. They will be a tough out in the playoffs because of their running game and defense. Even with a rookie quarterback, Tyler Yates, the Texans can sustain drives with short passes and pounding the ball against the other teams defense. Also the Texans defense is relentless, even the loss of Mario Williams. Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips deserve a lot of credit for keeping this team playing at a high level even without all their playmakers.

KDC: I was wrong about the Buccaneers. Yeah, I didn't make any rash predictions about their future greatness, but I did feel like they were the overlooked team as everyone got sucked in by the hype about Atlanta & Philadelphia & San Diego. I publicly figured they'd be a wild card instead of losing the tie-breakers in 2010. Oops! Turns out I was the only one who believed they'd play as intensely in 2011 as they did in 2010. Ah well.

I wouldn't be surprised...
KDC: ...if Mike McCarthy didn't win Coach of the Year. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but has any 13-0 team ever gotten so overlooked as this year's Packers? It's been an extremely weird year, but Harbaugh's job in San Francisco deserves notice, & Fox's job with Denver is certainly worth votes, but honestly, every Super Bowl winner comes into every game with a target on their backs and no one has shrugged them off as this year's Packers. Yet, it's the kind of year that he could be runner-up and no one would think twice about it.

Momo: No disrespect to McCarthy but the coach of the year has to be Jim Harbaugh. Sure the Packers have won all their games and are coming off a Super Bowl but Harbaugh has revitalized this entire franchise. The Niners were not expected to contend for a championship. Harbaugh has brought confidence, discipline and leadership to team that sorely need it. Anyone that can make ultra-bust Alex Smith into a more than serviceable NFL quarterback deserves the award of Coach of the Year.

End Zone (Week 13)

2011-12-09T22:01:00.000-08:00

1. More likely to make the playoffs, Lions or Bears?
KDC: Couldn’t I make a million dollars if I could guarantee one or the other? The pitiful Bears, w/out a QB in any direction, are more likely to make it than the imploding Lions. Early success did in the Lions, who thought they were of championship caliber but clearly aren’t. Give the Bears credit – at least they’re playing w/resolve & character as their aspirations are going down in flames. That said, they’re still a safer bet.
Momo: This is a tough one but I'm actually going to go with the Lions. The Lions are only missing a starter at running back. They still have their trigger man in Stafford and Calvin Johnson is a tough cover for anyone in the league. The problem is keeping Suh's head in the game. But with him being out a couple of weeks they survive and get strong for a playoff push. The Bears injuries on the offensive side, I believe have done them in. The advantage they have is they hold the tiebreaker over the Falcons who are nipping at their heels.

2. More likely to make the playoffs, Titans or Jets?
KDC: Jets, though I don’t anticipate them winning in the playoffs. Despite their coach’s brash predictions (that no team should have to live under every year), they still understand the urgency and what the playoffs require, and have greater depth than the Titans.
Momo: Ah, the Jets are in a familiar place. Late in the season back against the wall and needing to win out to make the playoffs. We have seen this script before and this I believe its a different ending. The Titans have finally got Chris Johnson going while the Texans have had injuries take away all their playmakers. With CJ2K running and Matt Hasselbeck throwing I think the Titans slip in past the Jets. The clock is ticking on Mark Sanchez.

3. More memorable season, Brees or Rodgers?
KDC: I’m a Cheesehead so I gotta say Rodgers. Ya gotta remember, even though they returned most of their Super Bowl team (except for DE Cullen Jenkins, who deserves his fate in Purgatory…I mean Philadelphia) no one predicted an unbeaten team with a(largely) unblemished QB. Yeah, people said Rodgers could be in the upper echelon, but many (most?) had him safely behind Manning & Brady & Brees. Nothing against those 3 at all, but Rodgers has exploded into a supernatural season that even his greatest admirers couldn’t imagine (& must make Bret Favre curse the football gods). At least in 2012 (& perhaps into the next 3-4 years),there’s unlikely to be a better QB in the NFL. And I sleep a little better knowing that.
Momo: What the Packers are doing is incredible. Not beaten and Rodgers playing out of his mind. But Drew Brees is going to break Marino's single season passing record and also win his division. Brees's number are off the chart and he does it a less stellar set of receivers and a head coach who is on crutches. Rodgers may win the MVP but people will remember the magical season Drew Brees had as well.

End Zone (Week 12)

2011-12-06T17:50:00.001-08:00

Bold predictions:
Momo: Steve Spagnuolo will bot coach the Rams next season. This team is awful under his time in St. Louis and he looks overmatched and overwhelmed against other head coaches. The interesting part is what will happen with Sam Bradford. What stuns a young quarterbacks growth is the constant switching of offensive coordinators. I don't know if we will see the full potential of Bradford if they keep playing musical chairs at the OC position. But back to Spags, he will most likely become the new defensive coordinator in Philly. He has a connection with Reid, who will have to get rid of Juan Castillo or Andy will be fired himself. Also, another bold prediction is the Packers will cut Ryan Grant after this season. Their future at running backs will be James Starks and Brandon Zaine. Grant has lost his explosiveness and doesn't hit the holes with authority anymore.

KDC: I'm going to go out on a (short) limb & say the Packers will be the first team since the Dolphins to go undefeated & win the Super Bowl. They're not the Patriots, that live in their coach's shadow, & will burn out. This is a mature team that knows what it takes & realizes they can make history. Woodson & Rogers are openly contemplating this, which means they've discussed it behind the scenes. These guys love playing for each other & they're weighing (& wanting) the fight. Barring key injuries, I see these guys lofting the Lombardi trophy in February.

Momo's Munchies

2011-11-29T17:41:00.000-08:00

1. Is it just me or did the college football season end two weeks ago? No real drama left and I'm not looking forward to the bowl games.

2. Urban Meyer to Ohio St. is not a shocker. The shocker is how Urban TRIED to make everyone think he wasn't contacted and he didn't accept the job last week.It was the worse kept secret in all of sports. Meyer has no one to answer to but his family. He was the one who decided to step away because of health and family reasons. Meyer was the one who signed a contract with his children stating he wouldn't coach for five years. Personally, I think Meyer got tired of competing with the other SEC schools for top talent and bolted for Buckeye land. At the very least, the Buckeyes will not slip that in the Big Ten.

3. Can anyone answer how the Crimson Tide can play for a title and they didn't even win their division, let alone conference?!?!?!?!?!?!?

4. Kansas fired coach Turner Gill after two seasons. Have they forgotten they are Kansas and football is not a top priority at the school? The AD stated they wanted their team to contend regularly in the Big 12. Maybe he was talking about basketball because even in Kansas best year two years ago, when they snuck into a BCS bowl, they lost to Mizzou on a neutral field.

5. Ndamukong Suh got suspended for two games for kicking a Packers lineman. If I'm Terrell Pryor, I'm highly upset and am making a call to the commissioner. This isn't the first time Suh has fought an opponent or teammate. There are now stories coming out of Nebraska where the coaches had to sit him out from practice to keep him away from certain players. If Goddell thought it was fair to punish Pryor for circumventing the supplement draft rules and deceiving the NCAA, then Suh's suspensions should have been longer for his collegiate offenses. Goddell opened himself for this type of criticism.

6. Also Jim Schwartz and the Lions team should be fined as well. They have condoned his actions for the last two years. Schwartz wants his team to be the toughest bully on the block but they often lose composure when the teams they pick on fight back. Someone in the Lions organization needs to stand up and be a leader. You can play tough and hard but there needs to be veteran leadership to make sure everyone is playing the RIGHT way.

7. Isn't it funny how everyone gush over Brady and the Patriots when they beat bad teams? No one even realizes that their defense is so bad that it gave up 400 passing yards to Vince Young. Yes that Vince Young who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Young had a career passing day against the Patriot secondary.

8. I was wrong three years ago when I said the Rams should have taken Mark Sanchez instead of Jason Smith. The actual pick should have been Michael Oher who fell to the Ravens. Just not sold on Sanchez and I believe that Rex Ryan isn't either. He just makes too many boneheaded mistakes at critical moments in the game.

9. If the Saints and Packers hook up in the NFC Championship game, its going to be a shootout.

10. A part of me actually feels bad for the Texans. They are 8-3 and now are down to their 3rd string quarterback. For a franchise that has never made the playoffs, this season has been set up nicely for them. Peyton's hurt, Jacksonville got rid of their veteran quarterback and the Titans were actually rebuilding. All the Texans needed was a little luck to win the division and host a playoff game. Being down to a rookie quarterback isn't too bad with the top ranked defense. Still, I have a feeling the Titans mat catch and pass them and that's where I actually feel bad.

End Zone (Week 11)

2011-11-26T17:52:00.000-08:00

This week version of the End Zone features a question about Andrew Luck. We get answers from all the contributors to my page.

1. With all the hype about him is expected to come in and save a franchise, how high should the fanbase that drafts Andrew Luck should be will the expectations be? Also, is it fair to him to be labeled a savior when really he is an unknown quantity?
Droddy: Knowing Luck will go to the worst team in the league this year, he will not win many games. As long as the fan base keeps things in perspective, I do not think the media will play much of a role in his development. The media hypes everything possible and Luck is no exception. The hardest part for him will not be expectations, but landing on a team that is starting from scratch. Cam Newton at least has a great WR to throw to and a decent running game to fall back on - Luck probably won't have that much.
KDC: Outside of how unforgiving his hometown may or may not be (because there's no way to know this), I don't think the national media will be hard on him because of the rookie status. Cam Newton is continually praised for his great numbers even as Carolina continues to lose. Even the lesser ranked QBs are being given time to develop. I don't see it being different next year.
Momo: What is going to hurt Luck next year is how well Andy Dalton has done this year. Dalton has put the Bengals squarely in the playoff hunt with a young team AND he was drafted in the 2nd round. Traditional bad teams take their quarterbacks high in the first round which that will happen to Luck. The team that drafts him will expect him to come in and resurrect their franchise and make them relevant. That is going to be especially difficult considering if he has a really bad surrounding cast. The one thing that could help Luck is that the skill position players he will get in the pros will be better than any he has ever played with. I think whoever drafts him has to be a little reasonable and patient and not fall into love immediately with all the hype.

2. I was wrong about ...
KDC: The Miami Dolphins. Yes, they're still rarely winning, but look how hard they play every down. They barely lost to a good (not great) Cowboy's team on Thanksgiving, and they give everyone fits. Earlier I picked them as the most likely team to go winless (as every team in their division started so much better), but not only was I wrong, I didn't give them credit for their teamwork & professional pride. They embarrass the Colts, who have been uninspired from their first exhibition game forward. (I know. I was there.) Yes, they need more talent, better coaching & GMing, but that doesn't mean they can't look themselves in the mirror & say they played their hardest.
Momo: How bad the Niners would be with Alex Smith at quarterback. I will be the first to say that I have routinely bashed Smith for being the worse quarterback in the league for years. Somehow Jim Harbaugh has enstilled confidence in him and has nearly turned his career from a bust into a near Pro-Bowler this season. Smith has the 49ers sitting atop of the NFC West. It has been easy to compare Smith to Rodgers because they Smith was the top pick while Rodgers tumbled to the Packers. Smith started immediately while Rodgers had to sit behind a legend. The difference is Rodgers has had the same offensive coordinator his entire career while Smith has had 7 different ones in 7 years. Having a consistent voice in his ear and giving him confidence has started to make Smith a better passer. Will he be great, I doubt it but at least the 49ers are starting to reap returns on their investment.

3. We could all learn from ....
KDC: Charles Woodson. Yes, he was the defensive player of the year 2 years ago, & the undisputed defensive captain of the Green Bay Packers, & is on his way to the Hall of Fame, but it's not his talent, it's his hunger to change games (at the age of 35) that continues to make him extraordinary. This man doesn't know how to coast. Look no further than the way he ripped the ball out of Detroit's Brian Pettrigrew's hands to prove he cultivates an amazing hunger few at any age show. Last year many thought he should retire on top after the Super Bowl win. Why do that when you're still on top?
Momo: From the humbleness of Tim Tebow. No other player besides Tony Romo, is scrutinized more harshly than him. Regardless that his coach does not believe in him, his GM John Elway does not want him but Tebow does not bash his detractors. All he does is go out and win. What matters to Tim is that his teammates believe in him and he rewards that confidence by displaying true leadership. He serves his teammates by closing out close games with wins and then Tim praises their play and not his own when they win. This is what you want out of a leader and your quarterback. In this day and age we could use more young leaders in sports.

End Zone (Week 10)

2011-11-19T18:41:00.000-08:00

1. Pundits from all the networks are now calling Rodgers the "Greatest Quarterback Ever". Agree or Disagree?
KDC: Disagree. He might end up having the greatest season ever in 2011, but he got "great" at the end of last season. I figure he'll have to dominate for at least 3-5 more years before he can be discussed with Starr, Unitas, Montana, and the rest. That said, he's obviously the key to an offense no one has been able to stop so far. It's probably in his favor he doesn't have an All World receiver because it means they're all excited to do their job and share the glory around. It's also amusing to see everyone's "NFL Power Rankings" each week & put Green Bay as the undisputed #1 team, then spend the rest of their time talking about other teams. Even the pictures of the Power Rankings rarely feature the Packers. Talk about disappearing into the headlines.
Momo: I'm a big Rodgers fan but these accolades they are heaping on him are a tad bit ridiculous. Yes he is playing at a high level, and yes he looks unbeatable, and yes his team is undefeated but Rodgers is still growing. We are forgetting that the key in the NFL is Super Bowl wins and Rodgers only has one. Once he gets 3 or 4 then he goes into rarefied air. Rodgers game right now has the accuracy of Montana and the athletic ability of young and Cunnigham but he is not among the greatest of all time.

2. The Chicago Bears have several players in dispute against upper management. Can they keep playing this well if it continues?
KDC: It might work in management's favor because these key players are trying to justify new contracts. Plus their teamwork is high. Give Lovie Smith & Mike Martz credit for coaching well through early adversity. This team is on par with last year's National League championship contender, it's just their bad luck that Green Bay has leapt ahead of everyone.
Momo: I think it can. The players all have one thing in common and that is they feel under appreciated by Jerry Angelo, the bears GM. It seems that Lovie Smith is using this as a rallying cry and his guys are responding to it. I also find it interesting that Martz turned down an extension with the team. Maybe he too wants more pay but its probably more than likely he wants a head coaching job.

3. "If we were trying to run a regular offense, he'd be screwed," head coach John Fox said of the quarterback, who's won both starts since the Denver staff implemented an option offense that maximizes Tebow's strengths as a runner. "After the loss to Detroit (Week 8), we decided if Tim is going to be our guy, we can't do that other crap," Fox said of the altered approach. "We had to tweak it." John Fox's take on Tebow Fair or Foul?
KDC: It's both. It's fair in that Tebow (like most young QBs) hasn't got the entire skillset necessary to play NFL QB, so they have to adjust to that skillset. It's foul in how obstinately they stuck to an offensive scheme that didn't fit best with their skills players until they were destroyed by the Lions! Come on guys! The point is to win with who you've got. In 4 weeks Tebow has won more games than Cam Newton (who everyone supposedly wants) in 9! Yes, Tebow still has much to improve on, but at least create the environment for him to win in (& get better!).
Momo: Completely foul. So foul in fact that Fox has now apologized for making the statement. Its obvious to everyone,including the Broncos players,that Fox and John Elway do not want Tim Tebow as their quarterback. The gameplan the Broncos are installing is totally setup to make Tebow the scapegoat and try to make management look better. First they trade away the teams only viable receiver, next they got to a college style offense and the statement made by Fox is that Tebow is not a passer. I'm pretty sure he can throw swing passes and screens. How about having the receivers run slants or shorter routes? Each week, Tebow finds a way to win. This guy is a leader and his teammates believe in him regardless of what the coaches think.

4. What we know, 9 weeks into the season . . .
KDC: These teams are not real contenders no matter how the media gushes - Giants, Jets, Ravens, Bills. These teams are overlooked - Texans, Bengals. This team is interesting in all the right ways - Bears. I wouldn't mind seeing this team crash & burn because of their lavish immaturity - Lions. This team is perennially overhyped by the media - Patriots. These teams are real and you'd better watch out: Packers, Steelers, 49ers.
Momo: The Matt Schaub injury could change the fortune of the Texans franchise. Schaub was having a great year but now is out for the rest of the year. the Texans were cruising along before this even with the loss of Mario Williams earlier this season. I could easily see the Texans losing all 6 of their next game and missing the playoffs. If Matt Leinart has any talent he is going to have to step up and lead this team to a place its never been. The playoffs.

End Zone (Week 9)

2011-11-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

1. Which Peyton needs a bounce back 2012, Manning or Hillis?
KDC: Manning. Brady & Manning are now the Favres of the NFL - the old guns who are burnishing their legends but won't be winning any more championships. The sheer force off Manning's drive to win has been proven by the total collapse of the Colts. If anyone ever doubted his leadership intangibles, they can no longer do that. To see him come back & lead them to the playoffs in 2012 would be a movie. It would also prove that the 3 neck injuries weren't long-lasting. Sadly, I'm afraid it's unlikely we'll ever see Peyton Manning back on the gridiron as anything but a shadow of his former greatness. Neck injuries do that to even the immortals. That's why he needs a bounce back - just to be healthy for the rest of his life.
Momo: Its gotta be Hillis. Peyton Hillis has had a strange season since being on the cover of "Madden Football". He's had leg issues, strep throat, skipped out on a charity event for disadvantaged children, complained about his contract through the press, and had an intervention performed by teammates in the locker room. Peyton Hillis season so far sounds like a scripted TV drama. His problem is this is a lot of the same things that got him ran out of Denver.Hillis needs to line up and play football. Just get back to running downhill and all the other stuff will take care of itself.

2. Which Harbaugh do you see in a championship game, John or Jim?
KDC: The Ravens. I see the 49ers falling to earth when someone makes Alex Smith alone beat them. I'm still unconvinced the Ravens offense is good enough or consistent enough to go to the Super Bowl, but they've had the Patriot's number for a couple years, they seem to have finally hexed Pittsburgh and I'm guessing the Bengals & Texans will eventually wilt due to inexperience with excellence. That leaves the wildly inconsistent (& lucky) Jets. I'm not sure there's anyone in the AFC who can handle the Ravens defense, so if the offense can keep it together . . .
Momo: It's all about Jim and the Niners. Now at the beginning of the season no one would have said that after the Packers, the Niners would be the second best team in the NFC, but that is the case. The Niners are more than likely going to get a bye and homefield at least for their first game. After that, all they need to do is win one game and they are in the NFC Championship game.

3. Did the lockout hurt all the free agent signings this year?
KDC: Maybe that's it. Maybe it's the lockout. But maybe most free agent signings make better headlines than players. The wheels have come off most of Philadelphia's multiple big signings & both of the Patriot's signings (Ochocinco & Haynesworth) are no shows this year. In fact, for every historic signing (think Reggie White to the Packers in 1993) I'm guessing there are 10-12 total busts. It's probably about the same odds as most drafts, except you think you're getting a known quantity (a veteran player) and you're not.
Momo: I believe the lockout has hurt teams who signed free agents get continuity and chemistry. If you look at the teams who are succeeding they are the one's who did not make wholesale changes. The Giants, Jets, Ravens, Packers, Saints and Steelers have been together for a while and that has benefited these teams.

4. This NFL season, just a few good teams or just a lot of bad teams or has the lockout and rules changes made it hard to build excellence?
KDC: I'm afraid there are a lot of bad teams this year. After the Packers, & the 49ers (!), everyone else has been wildly inconsistent. The Ravens can only beat the Steelers, but could lose to anyone else. The Patriots can only put up "Wow!" stats on weak teams. No one trusts the Bengals or Texans or Jets.... I mean, any given week any really bad team can beat a decent team, but is that good football? It's an off year. (& frankly, I love that my Packers are undefeated, but it doesn't make very many games watchable.)
Momo: Its just a lot of bad teams and combined with new rule changes we are now watching some bad football. There is a huge dropoff between the good teams and bad. Just look at the Rams, Dolphins and Colts. If you combine the defenses of Alabama and LSU, those teams might just score 17 points or less. Also the rule changes have virtually made it impossible for defense"s to tackle. Look at the fines this week from the Ravens-Steelers game. The majority of the hits in that game used to be called "good football hits". Now players are getting penalized and their wallets lightened because the league wants higher scoring games. These two things have changed the game we watch.

2 Point Conversion (Week 11)

2011-11-11T17:26:00.000-08:00

1. Your Thoughts on the Penn St. scandal:
Droddy: Trying to sum these crimes at Penn St in a few words does not show respect to how big of a story this will end up being. Simply put, the news coming out this week from Happy Valley changed history. It not only changed the way history will remember Joe Paterno, but it will change the way we look at university and small town life. The amount of cover up needed to keep these horrific crimes quiet can be equated to the Catholic church and is yet another example of how we have to watch people closely, regardless of the title they hold. I learned more about Penn State this week that I had ever hoped I would and still have a million questions. I take no pleasure in watching Paterno fail...we were all led to believe he was the last good guy that not only wins with honor, but did it for 60 years. I think after Bobby Bowden and his dinged legacy, college football fans deserved a hero – for that matter …Americans do as well.
BTW – Penn State students…what in the world are you thinking?? Please tell me this is just another chance for you to riot!
Momo: The majority of what I had to say was in my previous post "Not So Happy Valley" but I have one more thing to say about Mike McQueary. It just sickens me to know that he not only didn't save the child out of a bad situation BUT he golfed with Sandusky and was around him at other charity events. Mike heard all of the moral and act with high character speeches, yet when push came to shove he did not utilize those teachings he was given by Paterno. Its so sad that he did not think about the children.

2. Think Bo Pelini is in trouble at Nebraska?
Droddy: No, Nebraska is not going to fire Pelini any time soon. He has some time, but he will have to step up his recruiting (a lot) to be able to compete for the Big10 title on an annual basis. I will have to see it to believe NE can win on a national level again – I just do not believe they will pull the recruits needed (at all positions) to win all their games. That said, just imagine how much NE has done over the years with virtually zero recruiting base to work from so anything is possible.
Momo: Pelini is in a little trouble but he survives one more season. Nebraska has looked flat all season and they have been out hustled badly. The Cornhuskers have been dominated at both lines of scrimmages, in the past Nebraska dominated these areas. I'm not sure the NE can compete nationally again. Dominating in the Big 10 will become more difficult if Ohio St. and Penn St. get top notch coaches.

3. “Who You Got” With another perfect week under my belt , I am 18-6, while Droddy is 17-7. I don’t expect my run to continue but I’ll take it!! Here’s our picks this week:
Nebraska vs. Penn St.
Momo: This game will have a ton of emotion for both teams. Nebraska got ran out of Lincoln by Northwestern last week and its Senior Day for the Lions who will be playing for their former coach. I’ll take PSU because they will need some good news this week but it will be close.
Droddy: Penn State will be able to run with the emotion for this week. I think the PN St wheels come off after this week, very possible they don’t make it that far though.

Auburn vs. Georgia
Momo: I’ll take them Dawgs. Get their running backs back and they need this more than Auburn.
Droddy: Georgia has a lot on the line and just seem to be playing better right now. Should be a good game.

TCU vs. Boise St.
Momo: Boise St. wins this on the blue field, even though they can’t wear their all blue uniforms. Could this game be Kellen Moore’s Heisman moment?
Droddy: Boise State is just better. TCU is not the same TCU team we have seen recently.

Oregon vs. Stanford
Momo: I really wanted to go with Stanford BUT after seeing that they lost another one of Luck’s weapon, I think Oregon wins. It will be closer than last year but the Quack attack has too much offense.
Droddy: Oregon – similar to last year, just too many athletes coming at them at a fast rate to deal with. I think well know early if Stanford can hang in there, they need long established drives and stuff Oregon runs between the tackles.

Not So Happy Valley

2011-11-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

This is bigger than football. This is more than a game. This is about right and wrong. This is about good and evil.

The feelings that most fans had about Joe Paterno was this; he was the epitome of what was right about college football. The old coach, who has been at the head of one college football's most prestigious programs, was a man of integrity, class, and a man you wanted your children to follow. After this scandal broke about former coach Sandusky, my views have changed about what Joe Paterno and what Penn State football means. The program with the classic, clean uniforms and image is now tarnished not only in my eyes but in the eyes of a nation. Jumping to conclusions is wrong in any case, and this I know but this isn't about covering up for NCAA violations of cash, cars, or tattoos. This is about how we as parents, brothers, sisters and members of society view our children.

How could Joe turn a blind eye to such despicable acts? How could Penn State University continue to provide a safe haven to Jerry Sandusky on campus by providing him an office. How can these so-called leaders of men not say anything about the disgusting acts that were taken place under their noses for over a decade. In a statement Paterno made last night was that he and his wife pray for his 17 grand kids every night and now they will start praying for the victims. Now you want to pray for the victims?!?!?! That's very noble of you now Joe. You had an opportunity to prevent these atrocities from happening but you passed the buck to someone else and never followed up to see about the victim. You allowed more children to be harmed. Paterno had a moral responsibility as a parent, grandparent, and face of a university to do more.

What blows my mind is that no one acknowledge the victims initially. The school president, who will be removed, backed the former athletic director and VP, rather than acknowledge what a horrible and traumatic event these young children went through. Have we as a society become so desensitized to violence that we look the other way when its happening before our eyes?

The other part of this whole scandal that sickens me is how did a graduate student who witnessed a child being harmed and to not step in and protect the child?!?!? You are 24-25 years old and I know that could have been upsetting but your next reaction is to remove the child from harm's way. What has happen to us as a people when we stop protecting children. This was someone's son, brother, nephew, friend who was already in an at-risk situation and went to the community for helped and the right people from a school president, to the football coach or an assistant just turned their back and continue to let the child suffer. Its appalling and just breaks my heart. Can we have real men to stand up and lead and not worry about the university or legacies or their jobs. In the case of the assistant coach, if the school would have fired you for turning in Sandusky then so be it. You would have prevented the hurt that was felt by many other children and there are more coaches that would have hired a guy with upstanding principals and morals than one who just ran away.

Finally the students out in support of Paterno don't really have a clue what the victims are going through. Abuse like this never goes away and some victims can barely deal with it. The hurt becomes a part of you and future relationships can be damaged. Holding a rally in support of a coach is only good if the coach DID THE RIGHT THING!!! Its not about football, its not about wins and losses. It's about adults not acting like adults. Covering up a crime to protect an image. And making victims relive a horrific and painful part of their life that they will never forget. The innocence that once was Happy Valley, Pa, was lost when the school turned its back on the very people it should have been protecting.
The children.

Momo's Munchies

2011-11-08T11:58:00.000-08:00

It's Tuesday so time for some past thoughts from this weekend's games:

1. The Game Of The Century was just a defensive battle. All the hype that surrounded it and you basically saw a defensive scrimmage between LSU and Alabama. Both squads have some super elite defenders that could honestly hold Colts offense to about 10 points. I do not want to see a rematch because I want to see these defense's play against a top-flight quarterback like Andrew Luck or Kellen Moore.

2. Why do fans complain so much about the BCS? When Alabama loses a game and only drops one or two spots, just angers people. No disrespect to the Crimson Tide but prior to LSU their toughest games was against Arkansas. They always talk about scheduling when it goes to the smaller school to schedule tougher opponents. But in this case, by having a weak schedule Alabama is in a position to return to the title game. Stop punishing the smaller schools when its convenient. Boise St. has played and beaten their toughest opponent as well.It's shameful.

3. How bad is the Pac-12 South Divison? Since USC is not eligible for postseason play, by winning on Saturday against Arizona St, a 5-4 UCLA team controls its own destiny. Not good for a so called premier conference.

4. The most entertaining game on Saturday was K-State and Okla St. It was the polar opposite of LSU-Bama. These two teams scored a combined 97 points. Absolutely no defense was played in this game. Everyone was so captivated with the Game of Century in the SEC that they missed a highly entertaining one in the Big 12.

5. Things cannot be good in Nebraska after the Huskers lost to Northwestern on Saturday. They lost to the Wildcats at home and to their backup quarterback. The "Black Shirts" are not intimidating anymore. I remember a day when teams went up to Lincoln and came out battered and bruised. On Saturday, Northwestern was the tougher team and beat the Cornhuskers at their own game.

6. I said that before in previous post about some coaches, they just seem to out think themselves instead of making the right call. One of my favorite sports writer's describes his thoughts about the Rams losing on Sunday to the Cardinals. Here is a snipet from Bernie Miklasz:"On offense, coordinator Josh McDaniels seems to be suffering from the Smartest Guy in the Room Complex. Instead of implementing some simple but highly effective pass plays -- for example more frequent use of the quick slant, which is a terrific counter to blitzing defenses -- we see all of this fancy stuff that takes too long to develop. That makes it easy for defensive coordinators to get to Bradford behind the vulnerable Rams O-line."
McDaniels definitely has this complex and that is what essentially got him fired from Denver Broncos head coaching job. He felt that his system was the best and McDaniels ran Cutler and Brandon Marshall out of town. Now, he is wasting away a good talent like Sam Bradford. Ultimately this will be laid at the feet of Steve Spagnolua. What he should have done is hired a coach that used the similar offense that they used last year. You can read more here at Bernie's Bites.

7. Albert Haynesworth got released by the Patriots today. Who couldn't see that coming. 3 tackles in 6 games is not worth the time. The next to go will be Chad Ochocinco. Its nice to see Belichick's magic dust is starting not to work.

8. Can we officially stick a fork in the Eagles? Because their season is DONE. So much for the Dream Team. At least the Miami Heat made the NBA Finals.

9. I will post about the Joe Paterno situation separately.

Thanks for reading....

End Zone (Week 8)

2011-11-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

1. Most surprising team at the midway point..
KDC: Gotta be the Bengals. As surprising as the Bills are, most people thought the Bengals might win 5 games all season, not 5 out of 7. Yes, it will likely crash & burn as they play division opponents, but still - what a fun ride for them so far!
Momo: For me its the Buffalo Bills. No one figured that a team of castoffs would be contending for the playoffs this year. Sure the Bills showed flashes at the end of last year but to be i the mix for the AFC East is something that even their fans have to be shocked about. Everyone expected this team to be competing for Andrew Luck and they went and gave Ryan Fitzpatrick a long-term deal. What a great year for a city that wants and deserves a winner.

2. Most disappointing team at the midway point...
KDC: Gotta be the Colts. We've talked about them plenty already, but without coaching & locker room leadership, they're helplessly adrift & nearly out of a playoff race they're used to dominating. I like em, but this year has exposed them as a team w/out a heart.
Momo: I'm probably going to surprise you with this but the San Diego Chargers have been very disappointing. Rivers leads NFL quarterbacks in turnovers, Gates, Jackson, Floyd have not been producing and their defense can barely get anybody off the field. As much talent as this team is suppose to have, they can never seem to get out of their own way. This team is poorly coached and cannot execute in the clutch.

3. Bigger game for Tebow or Palmer on Sunday?
KDC: Palmer has to justify 2 No. 1 draft picks, as well as disprove the Bengals treatment of him as a non-factor. He's got a serious challenge ahead of him & I'm guessing it'll be 2-3 more weeks before we know if he's any good. I can't imagine there must be a worse feeling in football than to have (Bengal's owner) Mike Brown declared being right about something.
Momo: As bad as both guys were two weeks ago, and they were bad, I just think Tebow has to show some ability to play the position better. This game is bigger for him because if he wants to be considered a quarterback in this league then he needs to start showing it. Tim is auditioning for other team as a a backup and needs to show more than running ability. Of course the game plan has to be tailored as such to show his strengths and not his weakness's. Its great that Tim's teammates believe in him now he has to reward them by raising his level of play.

4. Who needs a win more on Sunday, the Steelers or Ravens?
KDC: The Ravens, because the Steelers just beat the Patriots, while the Ravens barely beat the Cardinals & lost to Jacksonville. You really have to wonder if Baltimore has the offense to actually win big games anymore.
Momo: The Steelers need this more. What happened to them in Baltimore at the beginning of the year was not Steeler like. The Ravens manhandled and humiliated them in Baltimore. If the Steelers want to get their swagger back then Sunday's game is it.

2 Point conversion (Week 10)

2011-11-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

1. Most surprising team so far this season...
Droddy: I will say the Clemson Tigers have surprised me the most. We've seen Clemson field great athletes every year for more than a decade and do next to nothing with it. I know they lost to Georgia Tech last week, but for them to be 8-0 to that point was stunning. They are still in the driver's seat for an ACC championship crown - a test they have never been able to pass.
Momo: Most surprising team to me so far has been Oklahoma St. They have always been the leftout stepchild in Oklahoma but this years team has so far exceeded my expectations. If you look at the fact that they control their destiny not only in the Big 12 but in the BCS title game, that is way better than most people would have expected. Normally this time of year we hear a lot of "Boomer Sooner" chants but the Cowboys are making believers out of everyone. Honorable mention to Clemson and South Carolina and Vandy for being competitive.

2. Most disappointing team this season...
Droddy: Starting in the top 5, its hard not to say Florida State as the most disappointing team. That said, they were overrated to begin with and they lost their QB for the toughest stretch of their season. Plenty of teams would lose those games without an experienced signal caller. Honorable mentions to the Florida Gators in this category, they not only have lost they have been embarrassed more often than not and we have been told they have the best recruits for the last 5 seasons or so.
Momo: I have to agree with Florida St. as well but I will also throw in Missouri. The Tigers were a top 1 team and I thought that was a little high for a team with a first-year starter at quarterback. Not only has James Franklin had an up and down season as the new trigger man but the Tigers defense has been awful at forcing teams off the field. Everyone figured the defense would keep the offense in the game but that has not been the case. Honorable mention to Notre Dame and Florida. Maybe Muschamp should have stayed in Austin for another year.

3. Better game coach Les Miles or Nick Saban?
Droddy: Being a lifelong LSU fan, I am torn on this question. I have seen every game they have coached since joining the SEC - I've paid special attention to Alabama over the last 5 years for some reason. In fact, I have asked myself this same question more than once of the years. I can honestly say I believe Miles is a better "game coach" than Saban. Reason being is Miles just seems to have that extra feel for when to call his trick plays, to keep pounding the ball at an opponent or when to put the other QB in the game. There's nothing tangible to point to other than Saban saying the following after LSU beat Bama last year "we just weren't ready for what LSU was going to do today" - that speaks volumes. Again speaking from seeing their teams, you know what you're going to get with Saban on a week to week basis...Miles, you just can't pin him down to one play or even a style of play - this allows him to be more versatile in game situations. I will concede Saban is probably a better judge of talent and has the ability to put people in the right situations to succeed - examples from his LSU days were Josh Reed and Devery Henderson started LSU playing running back...both ended up being NFL receivers.
Momo: This is a tough one because I believe both coaches bring different styles to their teams when it comes to "in-game" coaching. I agree with Droddy on Miles in games touch. No one can question he certainly lets his guys play free and easy and I think that's a big factor on why they win. Saban on the other hand doesn't deviate from his gameplan too often and he has a certain swagger that his guys feed on. Its that belief in his attention to detail and planning and the trust it creates with his team that gives his guys an unrelenting edge when they play top notch opponents. His players trust that the scheme is right and the excution is going to follow. So when tough situations arise they do not panic and are able to shine and make big plays.

4. "Who You Got" I had a perfect week last week and we are now tied with record of 14-6. Here's our picks for this week:

South Carolina v. Arkansas
Droddy: SC wins - Arkansas has been begging to lose the last few weeks, I think SC can finally grant that wish. Has there ever been a top 10 matchup ignored like this one?
Momo: I don't even know that mot of the country knows these two teams are playing. What a fantastic weekend in the SEC. I'm going to take the Hogs at home. I think the loss of Lattimore will finally be felt.

Kansas St. v. Okla St.
Droddy: OK St wins - K St was exposed last week and the bleeding wont stop this week.
Momo: Oklahoma St. wins and wins big. This is probably one of the last weeks Kansas St. is in the top 25.

Oregon v. Washington
Droddy: Oregon wins - Washington has an offense, but not enough defense to hang in there.
Momo: A part of you always want to take Washington at home in a night game in Seattle but the Ducks have too much offense. The Huskies will make it tough though.

And the big one
LSU v. Alabama
Droddy: LSU wins - Sure you can take this with a grain of salt after my LSU confession above, but I have called for LSU to lose before...just not this one. In huge games everything imaginable is looked at stats wise - in most categories Bama has the better numbers. What is being lost in the stat comparison is the competition the stats were posted against. Here is a small example, LSU has played 3 teams (Oregon, Auburn, Mississippi St) with a better rushing offense than Bama's BEST opponent (Vanderbilt) - sort of puts the "best defense ever" talk into perspective. With common opponents (Tennessee and Florida) the stats and scores were very similar. I think for the most part the stats are very similar when you keep strength of schedule in the conversation. Once one moves past looking at stats for a definitive edge, you have to look differences in the teams. The most glaring is experience at the QB spot and punting. LSU's punter of the best in the nation while Bama's has been a weakness for the season - these teams rely on field position and LSU should own this piece of the game. Also, in enormous games you want the QB that has been there before - LSU has 2 and Bama has none. When the running game stalls and you need a QB to make a play, I'll go with the team with the QB(s) that has seen numerous SEC defenses over the years.
Momo: LSU wins this one and here's why. In watching Alabama play all season I have noticed that they have struggled to find a rhythm on the offensive side of the ball until the second half of games. Of course, you think its a big game and they will be up for this one but I think at this point of the season you are who you are and these guys are slow starters. All that slow starting will put them behind against LSU because the Tigers are led by upperclassmen on the offensive side of the ball. I believe the Tigers senior quarterbacks give them edge over the Tide. Also, like Droddy said LSU's special teams gives them another edge in field position. Don't be surprised if Miles calls some fake punts or field goals to catch Alabama off guard.

Momo's Munchies

2011-11-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

1. Wisconsin has had a tough couple of weeks. Losing on back to back Hail Mary plays in two weeks. That has to mess with a team's psyche.

2. I am not a fan of Lane kiffin but what happened to USC against Stanford Saturday night was wrong. The Pac-12 should not have fined Kiffin because the player was clearly out of bounds and a timeout could have been granted. That would have given USC a chance at a 50 yard field goal and the win against Stanford.

3. Matt Barkley(pictured above) is going to be a very good pro quarterback. Barkley doesn't get nearly the attention of Andrew Luck but what he's done at USC during these tough years has been phenomenal.

4. What is that loud crash you heard on Saturday night? That was the undefeated seasons of Clemson and Kansas St. coming back down to Earth.

5.Saddest game on Saturday was the Arkansas-Vanderbilt matchup. Vandy was going in to score and be up by 21 points in the 3rd quarter when they fumbled the ball away and the Razorbacks recoverd and returned it for a touchdown. Of course after that, the wheels fell apart and the Coomodores missed a chip shot to tie the game. Vanderbilt football in the words of Denny Green, "You are what we thought you were!" A program that can't win a big game against a ranked opponent.

6.What is wrong with Philip Rivers? Leading the league in interceptions and fumbling the ball away in a critical situation. The Chargers and Rivers just look out of sync.

7. It's so disrespectful of the Lions to mock Tim Tebow and his prayers during a game. You can trash talk, dance and act a fool when making plays in football. But treading on some one's faith who doesn't openly proselytize people is shameful and sends the wrong message to football fans.

8. The Cowboys laid down on Sunday night against the Eagles. Rob Ryan trying to take the blame for the loss when he isn't the head coach. Sure the Eagles scored against Ryan's defense but where is the offense. America's so-called team is truly dysfunctional. Where is the leadership n this team?

9. Will the real Chris Johnson please stand up!?!? 2.9 yards per carry, AFTER you got the money. That's stealing and shame on him for not being prepared for the season. The Titans believe in running the ball and Johnson is being outplayed by backup Javon Ringer. Mike Munchak said he will split time between the two, I would just play the guy who is working hard even if he isn't the star. Wonder has Chris Johnson knows who Wally Pipp is?

10. Did anyone notice how poorly the defense of the Saints and Patriots are playing? The Saints got ran over by the second-string quarterback in A.J. Feely. And the Pats have the worse defense in the league. Neither Drew Brees nor Tom Brady can score enough to cover up for their teams defensive poor play.

Bonus:
Congrats to the World Series Champions St. Louis Cardinals!!! What a wild and fun ride they put us on the last two months. It was great to see my city celebrate another championship.

End Zone (Week 7)

2011-10-29T18:40:00.000-07:00

1. More likely a 16-0 Packers team or an 0-16 Rams, Colts or Dolphins?
KDC: First, I doubt an of these teams will have a "0" on one side of their records, but . . . I think it's most likely the Dolphins will go winless because: 1) they're easily the worst team in a strong division (6 losses right there, while the Rams have a decent shot to beat any team in their division; the Colts have a shot at beating Tennessee on pride alone); 2) no one seems to be in synch w/each other from coaches on down; 3) ownership seems disinclined to move before year's end. Low motivation, disunity, shallow talent pool... yeah, they could hit 0-16 this year. (Also, how come Bill Parcells isn't getting any heat for setting up this debacle several years ago? Then he bailed as it went bad... He's the GM version of Nick Saban. Hissss! )
Momo: This is good because recently we had the Pats go undefeated and Lions winless in the same season. I can see the Pack going undefeated but a lot of teams like to rest their starters instead of chasing history. The Colts have a real chance to be winless but I doubt it happens because Manning will come back and play. For argument sake I think the Rams could go winless and it could be because of their defense. Although they do play in the NFC West and they have games against Seattle and Arizona, they haven't shown any type of consistency on the offense or defensive side of the ball. The Rams lack playmakers o both side of the ball and that could spell danger for the rest of the season.

2. Fair that Jim Caldwell is on the hotseat for the Colts struggle?
KDC: I’m afraid so. Honestly, how could the loss of one player –even one as great as Peyton Manning—turn a Super Bowl team two years ago into 0-7? Caldwell mismanaged that Super Bowl, they struggled last year, & now we see the entire organization in flames. Everyone saw this lackluster play in the preseason but their only major move was to bring Kerry Collins in..? (Really?) I don’t think the Polians have any reason to keep their jobs either, as they don’t seem to have planned for any type of future. And where are the locker room leaders? This is like case study#1 in obliviousness at all levels.
Momo:What a difference two years makes. Think about this if the Colts win the Super Bowl two years ago then Caldwell has some extra time even with the loss of Manning this year to turn it around. Injuries have decimated this team but you can't use that as an excuse. The Colts have made some bad personnel choices that have put Caldwell in this position. I think maybe a change in defensive strategy might be warranted than at the head coaching spot. Although, Caldwell had a losing record as a coach at Wake Forest and that could get him out of Indy by next year if they keep this up.

3. My one big thought for this week:
KDC: Nothing said more to me about the dominance of football in our sports culture than last Saturday night, when Albert Pujols had a legendary night in the World Series. It was literally unequaled by anyone in the history of post-season baseball (& maybe in all of baseball’s 16,000+ game history). Still, most of the Saturday night sports coverage superceded Pujols to highlight the exciting end of a college football game between two programs nowhere close to the all-time greats. Yes, most major media and web sites decided Michigan State beating Wisconsin was more exciting than the best single performance in World Series baseball. The NFL is the reason why football reigns in North America today no matter what other sports achieve.
Momo: How well rookie quarterbacks are fairing so far in the league. Not sure if the lockout has anything to do with it or the college programs are preparing these guys better, but this rookie class of quarterbacks are holding their own so far. Cam Newton has been spectacular for Carolina. Andy Dalton has the Bengals contending for a playoff spot. Blaine Gabbert just knocked off the Ravens on Monday night, while Christian Ponder has shown flashes for the Vikings. The future looks bright for all these guys.

4. I’m struck by . . .
KDC: … how Denver’s Tim Tebow is being treated by the media as if the game is in a Tebow-only vacuum. Yeah his numbers weren’t pretty & he didn’t blossom until the last 3 minutes, but the Broncos traded away their best receiver to the Rams just last week. The Broncos staff created the lame game plan he followed. (& wasn’t John Fox fired for helping run the Carolina franchise into the ground?) The team is a joke. Tebow’s basically a rookie QB learning the position. His teammates obviously stuck with him. He won the game. But he’s still not the answer. What? He may not be the ultimate answer, but they’ve got to stop asking the wrong questions.
Momo: The fact that if the 49ers win two more games they will have clinched the NFC West. This is special because of where this team was last year and the years prior. The once proud franchise has seen some lean years with Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary. Jim Harbaugh has lead aa resurgence and this is with small hands Alex Smith at quarterback. Harbaugh has turned the former first rounder into a efficient passer. The other part of this is how sad the NFC West is. None of the team besdes the Niners are any good.

2 Point Conversion (Week 9)

2011-10-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

1. More surprising the Oklahoma loss or the way Wisconsin loss?
Momo: That Oklahoma beatdown was more surprising to me. OU had a 39 game unbeaten streak at home and got ran off the field by Tech. I don’t think too many people saw the Sooners getting beat like they did at home. Texas Tech just took it to OU and dominated them in every facet of the game. Just a shocking loss by a talented Sooner team. But we have seen many talented teams overlook good opponents before.
Droddy: I do not think anyone can dispute the chokelahoma loss was a much more of a surprise than Wisconsin losing to a good Spartan team. Nearly a 30 point favorite at home and not only lost, but were dominated for a good portion of the game. I am watching the replay and TX Tech owned the line of scrimmage a ton, it is amazing how many big games OK has been favored in only to lose in embarrassing fashion. When you look back over their recent run to an “elite” program, what have they really done other than win games against inferior opponents? After their one national title 10 years ago, they really haven’t accomplished much on the national level except for epic meltdowns.

2. Better chance of making the National title game Boise St. or Stanford?
Momo: Of course Droddy will say I’m siding with the little guy and say they don’t play real football but its Boise St. and it’s simply because of their schedule. The toughest game they have left is San Diego St. The Broncos are in a position to move up if Stanford and Oklahoma St. lose a game down the stretch. Stanford on the other hand has a tough games against USC and Oregon and if they survive that they still have to play a PAC-12 Championship game. That is too tough off a schedule to overcome and make it to the National Title game.
Droddy: Believe it or not, I like Boise St. and what they do and how they get it done. I love how they are able to be physical while spreading people out and how they ALWAYS have a very good defense that starts with aggressive linemen. They are able to take those 1-3 star kids (ones you never hear about) and put them in the right spots to make plays and creates stars. Although their recent QB (Moore) has appeared to bring them to new levels, this isn’t new…they are constantly putting accurate QBs out there that just make plays. That said, the game of college football is NOT a playoff…unfortunately. Meaning we use the BCS and the system it is not going to work for a team like Boise St …probably ever. People often make the mistake that this is a playoff from day one and if you lose, you are done…this is direct contrast to what the BCS actually does. The BCS is setup to look at the ENTIRE season and determine who is the MOST worthy of playing for the national title.The reason LSU is #1 right now in the BCS is not only due to human polls, but because of their schedule to date and how computers rate the body of work. This is also why the computers have crazy rankings for team throughout the year (seen LSU as low as 7) most of the formulas are reliant on an entire season to come out correctly, which the usually do. So at the end of the day, when people and computers look back over the whole season they both have a hard time justifying an undefeated Boise st. deserving it more than a one loss BCS conference team. This is also why I hope Boise St can find a conference to join or just drop down and play at a different level that determines their titles on the field.

With a stellar 3-1 weekend, I am now only one game back in out “Who You Got” game.Droddy is 11-5 and I am 10-6 for the year. Here’s our picks for this weekend matchups:
Mich St. vs. Nebraska
Momo: I'm going to cautiously take Nebraska. Simply because they are at home.
Droddy: Nebraska

Oklahoma vs. Kansas St.
Momo: Oklahoma in a revenge for the loss to Texas Tech
Droddy: Oklahoma

Stanford vs. USC
Momo: Stanford but it will be their toughest test to date. Their NCAA record of wins by 25 or more ends this weekend.
Droddy: Stanford

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
Momo: I'm going to take Georgia Tech in the upset.
Droddy: Clemson

Momo's Munchies

2011-10-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday so it Munchies time:

1. The way Wisconsin loss was heartbreaking for the Badgers, but the game was incredible. The downfall of Wisconsin was not playing a little tougher schedule and therefore I don't think they were preoared to play this game. the toughest team they played until Saturday was Nebraska. Also Russell Wilson Heisman chances faded away on that night.

2. Someone should have told Texas Tech that Oklahoma had a 39 game win streak home. The Red Raiders rolled the Sooners. I actually thought the score was wrong but flipped over and saw the destruction for myself.

3. Alabama will be in big trouble if they sleepwalk in the first half against LSU. The games I've seen of them the Tide have a lot oftrouble starting fast and putting teams away early.

4. LSU looks really dominant. The players better realize that they have a rare opportunity to do something great and the spotlight is on them. Doing drugs, getting in trouble with law is not putting the team first.

5. The losses of Oklahoma and Wisconsin cracks the door open for Boise St. in the title game. Doubt that will happen.

6. I know professional athletes are suppose to be good at their craft but Kyle Boller of the Raiders is not a good quarterback. On Sunday, he threw for 71 yards for his team and 67 yards to the Chiefs. At last he is married to a model because quarterbacking a pro team is not in his long-term future.

7. The Redskins quarterback situation is a mess. By not drafting a quarterback and grooming him to run their offense, Mike Shanahan is losing control over his team. The locker room for some strange reason believes in Rex Grossman while Shanahan loves John Beck. Neither guy is the answer and this once proud franchise with a great history is suffering.

8. Today's NFL feels like I'm being transferred back into the 80's and 90's. Back 20and 30 years ago, only a few teams dominated professional football. Now its the same teams in the conversation for a championship and its been like that for five and ten years. The gulf between good teams and bad teams that parity is not evident.

9. The Broncos brass really love putting Tebow in a now win situation. The funny thing is all this kid does is find a way to win.

End Zone (Week 6)

2011-10-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

1. Thoughts on Carson Palmer possibly starting on Sunday after not playing all season.
KDC: He got what he wanted. Now let's see if he got what he wanted.
Momo: In this crazy world may have gotten the best of the deal. The raiders get a 31year-old quarterback with a bad knee, shoulder and elbow. That sounds like a winner right there. Add to that Palmer hasn't played all season and a semi decent receiving corp and the Raiders got a steal (hope you hear the sarcasm in my writing). Secretly the Bengals want the Raiders to do well because their draft pick improves if the Raiders go to the AFC Championship game. With that said, its no way I would start him on Sunday. Just tells you how bad Kyle Boller is.

2. Thoughts on Harbaugh and Schwartz min-scuffle
KDC: I don't think I've ever seen a coach slap another one so hard on the back as Harbaugh did Schwartz. I'm not sure I've ever seen a coach slap another on the back period. If he also, as Schwartz claimed, included an expletive, then Harbaugh needed to be fined. Schwartz however how much he was emotionally hurt by the broken streak, shouldn't have chased Harbaugh down like a moron. I mean, what was he going to accomplish by doing that? Nothing but trouble. Save it for a revenge game. You're likely to meet in the playoffs. Fine him too! (I know the NFL fined neither, but still.)
Momo: Probably the strangest handshake I have ever seen. Both guys are fiery individuals who's team feed off that fire. Neither guy looks good in the eyes of the public but Schwartz looks worse by running down another coach. These two teams will match again and "Shakegate" will play itself out on the field.

3. Think the Packers are too complacent?
KDC: Against the Rams. yes. But I doubt they'll be this way against real opponents. I doubt they'll go unbeaten (talking about it this early is plain stupid), even with a weak schedule, but they're continuing to make the plays that count and I expect that to continue.
Momo: There is a true danger here, especially after watching the end of the Rams game. The trouble that Green Bay could have is peaking so early and being defending champs that their focus could get loss and play to the level of competition. The top thing about being on top is trying to recreate the same passion when you are on the bottom. The leadership of this team better step up and remind everyone that they just can't turn it on when the lights are the brightest.

4. Better shot at the playoffs, Raiders or the Bengals?
KDC: The Raiders, even w/ the new QB because it's the organization showing the players they are determined to make the playoffs this year. Now what are you going to do. What the players have done is run up a great record against some strong opponents. I don't see that slowing down with their owner's death & their starting QB being injured & out. The Raiders have a mission & the talent to accomplish the mission. I wouldn't be surprised if they won the division, but will only predict a Wild Card spot behind San Diego.
Momo: Just because I said the Raiders got hosed doesn't mean I don't believe in the Bengals. The Bengals have a tough 5 defense and are doing amazing things with a rookie quarterback that everyone overlooked in the draft because he didn't go to a BCS conference. Andy Dalton is solid and has led the team to two comeback wins. With A.J. Green emerging as a real superstar there is something really special happening in the Queen City. Marvin Lewis should get a lot of credit for reinventing this team and having them in this position. Their schedule is a little tough because they have both the Steelers and Ravens twice but the rest of it is winnable.

2 Point Conversion (Week 8)

2011-10-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

Its Friday so its time for another edition of the 2 Point Conversion:

1.Is the top ten of College football that much better than everyone else?
Momo: It seems that way. A quick glance of the top 2 5 and there is no one outside of the top 10 that has a legitimate shot at a championship. With people a little upset with the amount of undefeated teams, when study those teams undefeated in the top 25 only about 5 have a real shot at going undefeated. Teams like Clemson, Houston will lose a game in the next few weeks. There have not been any major upsets either.
Droddy:Excluding Boise St.,I would agree there is a big difference in the top 10 and the rest of the nation. I would even take it a step further and say LSU and Alabama are the 2 great teams this year while the rest of the top 10 are very good teams. There will be upsets and things will sort themselves out, just like most years.

2.Thoughts on Missouri going to the SEC:
Momo: This is a bad move for the football team. The Tigers have made great in-roads from being an also ran to a top tier team in the Big 12. The Tigers are making in- roads in the Texas recruiting base, not huge like 5-star players but enough to start churning first round picks and garnering top ranked recruiting class. The move to the SEC will not vault the Tigers into a top tier SEC team, if anything it will set their program back for years. The SEC competition is the best and Mizzou will have an extremely difficult time competing with the likes of LSU, Alabama and Florida for top recruits. I know the administration is afraid that the Big 12 is too shaky and may not survive but it really is the best fit for them.
Droddy: I think this is a good move by Missouri. They get to leave the unstable B12 and make more money while doing so. Assuming they put the money to good use, like building up the infrastructure their recruiting will get much better. They have natural recruiting bases in Kansas City and St. Louis and places like Chicago will not be a stretch for kids wanting to play in the SEC. Lets face it, Missouri was not a top tier B12 team and they certainly will not be in the SEC, but now they have something to sell in the Midwest that Oklahoma and Texas cant.

3.Is it fair to penalize Kellen Moore in the Heisman race because of the schedule he plays?
Momo: This happens every year to players outside of the major conferences. Their stats are looked upon as inferior because of the competition they play. You can make cases for past players outside of the BCS conferences in the past like Steve McNair, Randy Moss and Marshall Faulk. Moore play speaks for itself and he should be treated as a legitimate contender. Moore does not make the schedule and he does is play the games.
Droddy: Here we go again with the tears for poor ole Boise State! Here is another way to phrase the question, why should we penalize the Andrew Luck, Trent Richardson and Griffen’s of the world for not putting up Playstation like numbers because they actually play a schedule? Kellen Moore has played about 5 real teams over his ENTIRE career versus the other contenders that deal with that annually. Yes, I believe Moore is a GREAT player and should make the trip to New York, but the award is for big boy football which Boise does not know about. For every player that turned out to be great in the NFL from the non BCS conferences there are plenty that were busts and there will be many more – looking at you David Carr, David Klingler, and Andre Ware.

4.Droddy leads in our “Who You Got” competition by going 4-0 last week. Droddy is 9-3 and I’m 7-5. Here’s our picks for this weekends top games:

Okla. St. vs. Mizzou
Momo: This has trap game written all over it for the Cowboys. Mizzou is coming off a lack luster showing against K-State and need a win like this to make their season. I can’t go against the cowboys although it will be close because OK. St. defense is not that good.
Droddy: Im going out on a limb here – MO Tigers take this one. OK St has a suspect defense…again.

Auburn vs. LSU
Momo: LSU, even with a couple of starters out.
Droddy: LSU dominates. Better in every phase and at home. I think Auburn is even worse off now with the suspended Tigers – this just assures LSU will give AU their undivided attention.

Wisconsin vs. Mich St.
Momo: As much as I like Wisconsin, when you take a good look at who they played their toughest opponent has been Nebraska, otherwise the Badgers haven’t played anyone. I gotta go out on a limb and take Mich St. in an upset because of their defense.
Droddy: Stanford, but I think the Cardinal fans have to sweat this one out. Washington is much improved over years past.

Washington vs. Stanford
Momo: Andrew Luck and the Cardinal win another but this time not by 25.
Droddy: Wisconsin wins a close one.

Momo's Munchies

2011-10-18T16:08:00.000-07:00

Some thoughts from this past college and pro football weekend:
1. Paging Ochocino, paging Ochocinco. Does anyone know where Chad (Johnson) Ochocino is? With the Patriots he has gone into a witness protection program. You would think he would flourish with Brady as the quarterback but that is not the case. Chad only has nine catches in six games. Not good enough for the former All-Pro.

2. Also, Albert Haynesworth has not made an impact at all with the Pats. If Big Albert is hurt then that's understandable but I don't think that's the case. Wonder if the Patriot potion is not working when it comes to Haynesworth or Chad. They both are underachieving.

3.Really don't understand why teams don't use this formula against Tom Brady. Rush him up the middle and make him leave the pocket. The Pats do a good job of taking care of his blind side and front side but up the middle is where you make Tom uncomfortable. Just ask the Giants, Packers, Ravens, Jets and Steelers. They consistently come up the middle and the Patriots can't handle it.

4.Prior to this year did anyone know that Darren McFadden (Pictured on the left) was still in the NFL? McFadden is now leading the league in rushing and showing all the ability that he showed at Arkansas. Coincidence you say?Nope. Its his contract year. Money is making him find the holes and hit them hard.

5.Carson Palmer to the Raiders is a good move for both. First the Bengals will get pretty good picks from the deal and with Dalton and A.J. Green in their future it will provide stability for a franchise that always has underachieved. From the Raiders standpoint, they get a quarterback that should make the receivers better. Palmer wanted out and wanted to go to the Bay Area and he should be happier there.

6. The NFL trade deadline is the earliest and sometimes the most boring. You know its a slow day when the headline is Rams trade for Brandon Llyod. Brandon who?

7. I know Michigan St. and Michigan are rivals but the Spartans linebacker William Gholston went a little far in his disgust for the Maize and Blue. The Spartans need to suspend him for the to punching incidents. No need for this in the game. Read and see it here: Michigan State Spartans Review Players Conduct

8. Really hope that LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma and Oklahoma St. all stay undefeated until they play each other.

9. Still don't understand why the University of Missouri wants to go to the SEC. They are going to be above Vandy, Kentucky, Miss St. and Ole Miss but have fun on those trips to Baton Rouge, Bama and Florida. They will be routinely slaughtered.

10. In watching the Sunday night game I think we saw the end of Donovan McNabb in Minnesota. Barring injury, its Christian Ponder the rest of the way.

11.Finally here is an excerpt from MMQB by SI's Peter King. We can learn a lot from Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers on how to handle everyday situations in our life. It also shows why I have so much respect for Young and will always say he is underrated in people's eyes:
From Peter King's MMQB column at SI: Peter King
Give Steve Young an assist for how Aaron Rodgers handles the "F" word.

But I'm not sure he needs much help. You haven't heard all that much about the relationship between Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers, and both men probably like it that way. They are not everyday texting or calling friends, and I believe Rodgers would have handled the last six years of his landmine-turned-golden life pretty well without Young's occasional advice, because Rodgers was raised by parents with excellent perspective.

But Rodgers and Young do have one very important thing in common: They took over for all-time great quarterbacks, and the succession in both cases was not smooth. But Young learned enough in the awkward years aside Joe Montana, and then replacing him, to be a good sounding board for Rodgers, particularly in the rough times when a) it seemed like he'd never have a chance to play and b) mayhem swirled around the 2008 Brett Favre retirement/unretirement and distracted Rodgers and the Packers daily.

And when Rodgers would seek Young out, the advice would be the kind of sound stuff that hit a home run with Rodgers. Paraphrasing, this was the kind of counsel Young gave Rodgers over the years: Never, even to your mother, say something that makes you a victim. Human nature being what it is, you'll want people to know your side of the story, and you'll want them to know how hard it all is for you. But if you complain publicly even one time, you'll be a crybaby. That's how people will see you. And they'll remember.

Instead, if you just hold it in, and you just focus on football, it may take a few years, but respect will come back to you a hundred-fold. And when you begin to have success, people will look at you with tremendous respect because you didn't fall into the trap of complaining about your circumstances.

Is that exactly what happened or what? I mean, what tremendous advice. I was reminded of this last week when I had Rodgers on my SI podcast (a 34-minute talk you can hear on iTunes: or SI.com and, in prepping for the conversation, knew how fruitless it would be to talk about Brett Favre.

Rodgers doesn't take questions about his relationship with the man he took over for in 2008, because they basically have no relationship. I figured, why throw ice cubes on the conversation? If it came up in the conversation, so be it. And it did, sort of. I asked him what he thought he'd learned from Favre in his three years as his backup. There was a pause, and I thought he would say some version of no comment, but he said something educational. "I think his eye control,'' Rodgers said. "He was great with his eyes, moving defenders and throwing look-off passes all the time. If you watch film on other quarterbacks, there's not a lot of guys in the league who are consistently using their eyes to move players. I think it's a learned trait. It's something you have to work on. The top guys in the league are doing it just about every play. But that was something I watched, I saw, and I really tried to incorporate into my own game."

Interesting. But back to Young. I gained a lot of respect for him after the Super Bowl 17 seasons ago, when he threw six touchdown passes to crush the Chargers. In his suite a couple of hours after the game, one of his relatives or friends in the back of the room, with some giddiness, called out, "Joe Who?'' And Young, who could have said something to stick a dagger into Montana, instead said, "No, don't do that. Don't worry about that. That's the past. Let's talk about the future.''

Sounds like something his protégé would say.

End Zone (Week 5)

2011-10-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

1.Has the NFL become too stats oriented?
KDC: You know, it's not that it's becoming too stats oriented, it's that the rule changes make comparing stats almost useless. Everyone is agog at Cam Newton's passing stats, but almost every QB's stats have people agog. So how do you compare those stats against previous years when they're almost average today? I mean, everyone focused on Tom Brady's 500+ yards against Miami in Game 1, but what about Chad Henne's 400+ yard stats against the Patriots in the same game? Between rusty defenses (which may be the real under-covered story of this early NFL season) and the rules changes, about the only stats that matter is the final score and a team's record. Worse, if this continues, then comparing stats for the Hall of Fame is going to be a nightmare because so many of the old barriers are demolished. It'd almost be like everyone running a 3 minute mile now. How do you qualify the greatness of Roger Bannister, et al then?
Momo:Its skewing that way a lot. I think the biggest reason is fantasy football. Fantasy leagues have exploded and now fans want to know every stat known to man about their players so they can set their rosters. Another facet is TV and by that I mean ESPN. They are trying to create a new stat by talking about a quarterback's ability to win along with the passer rating. Its all nonsense because in football what matters at the end of the day is wins and losses. Of course you want a guy who can make big plays on third down, but do numbers really play a role in blown coverage? I think not.

2.More surprising the Lions or the 49ers?
KDC: So Matt Stafford made this big deal about spanking the Patriots in the 3rd exhibition game & how they were due & I was like, "Oh that was so stupid. You're on the Lions." My bad. 5-0 is shocking on so many levels it's almost beyond comprehension. I think they've already won more games this year than in the past 3. So give credit to their D-line, their offensive skill players, and the coaching staff for acting like 0-16 didn't happen 3 years ago and sticking it to everyone they've faced. Worse, they look like they could be a power for years to come!
Momo: Its has to be the 49ers. I was so convinced that they were in the "Suck For Luck" sweepstakes, especially with Harbaugh at the helm. But instead of waiting for Andrew Luck, Harbaugh has made Alex Smith serviceable and instilled toughness (which is something I thought Singletary would do)into this bunch. The crazy part is their top 3 receivers are hurt and they are still winning. I didn't question the Harbaugh move to come to San Francisco but I was sure that it would take time for him to mold this team into his image. Captain Comeback is speeding up the process and making believers out of everyone in the NFL.

3.Jay Cutler said his psyche is being hurt by getting sacked so much, who's to blame for that?
KDC: In previous years, I'd say it was Cutler's fault, but let's be honest - he's being protected by paper. Whose psyche wouldn't be hurt by 300+ pound linemen burying you into the turf. You were hired because of a skillset you can't perform unless you're running for your life. I'm not a fan of Cutler's, but ya gotta feel for him this year.
Momo: This falls squarely on the shoulders of the GM of the Bears and Mike Martz. Jerry Angelo spent money on the defensive side of the ball and decided to leave Cutler protected by in-ept lineman and nameless receivers. Angelo has totally made Cutler fearful when he drops back to pass. Also Martz is at fault because of his refusal to run the football. When you have Matt Forte, a poor man's Marshall Faulk, use him like Faulk. The offense has to be catered to protect Cutler with short passes and dumbs off to Forte. Angelo and Martz could turn Jay Cutler into David Carr with the amount of hits he is taking.

4.Have you ever seen a player so polarizing as Tim Tebow?
KDC: I've seen jerks polarize people into love or hate crowds, but never a guy everyone likes/respects as a person who is seriously questioned on every skill level. The poor guy wasn't helped by being chosen with the Bronco's top pick, but the way he energized the Bronco's (again!) in last week's game against the Chargers should say something about his teammates vote (which seems to be unanimous). Shame on John Fox for not creating a "Tebow package" early on so that the Broncos could have more punch & give Tebow some touches just in case this scenario presented itself.
Momo: There have been guys who have led less than moral lifestyles and they are the ones who have been routinely praised by everyone. What makes Tebow so polarizing is that he wears his religion on his sleeves and right now doing that in this country can really divide people, even in sports. Analyst have picked apart his delivery and accuracy but everyone seems to forget that Tim Tebow is a winner and makes great decisions in crunch time. His teammates love him and the majority of fans love him. Tebow is a positive role model for young athletes and shouldn't be subjected to ridicule because of what he believes. Kurt Warner never had to deal with all this scrutiny and he does the same things that Tebow does. Its simply amazing. Just let the guy play football and see what you have.

5.Are defenses now so complex that it takes them longer to get in sync than offenses?
KDC: Yes! One reason every QB & RB is getting record numbers is because the defenses aren't working together. Either they can't tackle (Eagles), can't mesh (Bears) or can't close people down (Packers), not even counting those teams who lose blowout games (Steelers). Evidently the short off-season made it so much harder on defenses to trust each other that there's always someone open. I don't expect that to change for a few more games actually. Then we'll see how good these offenses really are.
Momo:I think defenses are not in a rhythm yet and as soon as the weather gets colder they will get right on track. A lot of the top defenses are older so maybe it taking players longer to get used to each other. A couple of the top defenses in the Bills and Bengals are playing really well because they are staying in their lanes and not doing too much. Maybe it is because they have a lot of new players and the systems are simplified but as each week progresses you can add more wrinkles and the players can get more comfortable.

2 point Conversion (Week 7)

2011-10-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

1.Who is the best CFB team in Florida?
Momo: This is a tough one because the state of Florida used to have perennial top five teams in FSU, Miami and Florida but now they are all falling on hard times. FSU is ranked in the top 25 this year along with Florida but neither school is ready to challenge for a title. I think the most underrated and possibly the best team in Florida is USF. BJ Ryans is a star in the making and they play in the Big East. There only problem is that they lost to Pittsburgh.

Droddy: This probably has to be the toughest question to date…it’s like trying to decide who is the ugliest girl at the dance. The last time Miami, FL, and FSU were not in the top 25 was 1982! Since Momo is forcing me to answer, I have to go with the only team I have seen beat an SEC team – Florida. I know they were some of the worst teams in the SEC, but they won them in convincing fashion and I saw FSU and Miami lose to lower tier ACC teams. South Florida would have been a reasonable choice if an average Pitt team was not on the schedule. Florida still has top talent across the board and I think most teams would fall on their faces with Alabama and LSU back to back, especially with a back up QB.

2.Clemson won again, buying or selling them?
Momo: I will be the first to admit that I have picked Clemson and trusted them in other years and they have found ways to lose games to really bad teams, but maybe this year is different. Maybe Clemson is this year’s version of last year’s Auburn Tigers. They have a solid quarterback in Boyd and a game changer with their wide-out Sammy Watkins. They have a solid defense and Dabo Sweeney (pictured above) is a good coach. The only problem I see is their schedule, their toughest two games left are on the road against Georgia Tech and at South Carolina (actually South Carolina may not be tough if Garcia is the quarterback). I will buy Clemson until the Georgia Tech game.

Droddy: At this point, how could you sell Clemson? They just beat 3 top 25 teams in consecutive weeks - a first in the ACC. These things always seem to turn as soon as Clemson is the favorite and now their QB (Boyd) was hurt last week. They are not a national championship player this year, but when you are a program like Clemson it starts with the conference title. They are very good without question.

3. With the top teams being Oklahoma, Alabama, and LSU, are you taking one of them or the field for the National Championship?
Momo: The field because Bama and LSU will play one another and that will eliminate one of those teams and I still have Oklahoma losing to Oklahoma St. No one is talking about Stanford either and I know it’s because they are on the west coast. Stanford has one tough road game left against USC but they get Oregon at home. So the field is very much in play for me.

Droddy: LSU and Alabama should play twice this year – once in regular season and again in New Orleans for all the marbles. Color me unimpressed with Oklahoma – same team as they usually have…run up the score on the Big 12 then fall on their face when it counts. Let us not forget, Texas had a losing team last year and have less experience at QB this year and a new coaching staff. Texas has beaten: UCLA, Iowa St and BYU – this is Oklahoma’s BIG win so far? LSU and Alabama are the top teams and I would vote for Wisconsin over Oklahoma. If the Cardinal can beat Oregon then things may change.

4. SI just recently stated that the Alabama defense is the best of all time. Agree or disagree?

Momo: Sports Illustrated is way off base with this one. I think lately in sports we are so quick to anoint the NEXT or great players that we see now that we quickly forget about past players or teams. I can name at least 5 teams that had better defenses than this current Alabama team Did they forget about the 2001 Miami Hurricane team with about 6 first rounders? The statement was a little absurd for them to make.

Droddy: Sports Illustrated needs to stick with taking pictures and talking about professional sports. Alabama may not even have the best defense in their conference! Time will tell, but it is an absurd thought with wins over: Kent St, North Texas, Penn St, Vandy, Florida and Arkansas. Florida seemed to move the ball on Bama before Brantley’s injury – 190 yards passing in less than a half! This question can be reviewed once they’ve played some real teams, but SI has a habit of being wrong.

In our" Who You Got" game we are both tied with 5 correct and 3 incorrect:

Baylor vs. Texas A&M
Momo: Baylor wins this even though they are inconsistent. But A&M can’t hold a lead.

Droddy:Texas A&M – hard to pick the Aggies, but I think they will match up well against Baylor. They will have more playmakers on the field (especially defense) even though Baylor will have the best one in the game - Griffin.

Michigan vs. Michigan St.
Momo: This one is actually a tough one because Michigan is playing really well. The Spartans have a tough defense and can contain Denard Robinson but I think the Wolverines stay perfect.
Droddy: Michigan State’s defense will finally corral Robinson. Michigan is good, but they are not an undefeated team which should be proven Saturday.

Oregon vs. Arizona St.
Momo: Oregon even though LaMichael James isn’t playing.

Droddy: Oregon, but I do think this is a somewhat close game. Arizona State has a strong accurate quarterback and one of the best middle linebackers in the game. Oregon should eventually wear this team down in front of their home crowd.

Okla. St. vs. Texas
Momo: My sleeper Cowboys win again. Texas is too young.

Droddy: OK St all the way. Texas is barely an average team and I agree with Momo here – the Cowboys looks like a championship caliber team. The Boys should roll here.

Momo's Munchies

2011-10-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

1.In article with Yahoo!Sports Colts owner Jim Irsay said if the Colts get the number 1 pick in the NFL Draft, he would consider taking Andrew Luck. Irsay says"Even if that means that guy sits for three or four years, you’d certainly think about taking him … you see what Green Bay did with [Brett] Favre and [Aaron] Rodgers and you’d like to be able to do the same thing.” I have one problem with that. Favre never embraced Rodgers and has gone out of his way to take shots at Aaron. Favre saw himself as immortal when it came to football, especially when throw in all the numbers and the "Ironman" streak. There is a difference between Favre and Manning, I think Peyton's neck injury has put a different view on how he sees himself. If Peyton isn't healthy enough to play, I don't think he would think twice about retiring. Peyton knows his future is secure although he did not schieve all that we wanted him or thought he could achieve. Peyton Manning would not treat Luck with the same disdain that Favre treated Rodgers. You can read the story here:Irsay says Colts would consider Luck.

2.South Carolina finally dismissed former starting quarterback Stephen Garcia. The guy almost single handily caused Steve Spurrier to pull his hair out. Spurrier is going to look back and think what if I made this move earlier, we could possibly be still undefeated.

3.Al Davis passed away this weekend and the Raiders got a dramatic win in Houston. I have bashed Davis in the past for his strange antics and revolving door of head coaches. But after reading a little bit about him, I have found he was a pioneer. Davis was the first owner to hire a Hispanic coach (Tom Flores) and African-American coach (Art Shell) into the NFL. Davis actually had the guts to do those things and it paved the way for Tony Dungy, Ray Rhodes, Mike Tomlin, Raheem Morris and Ron Rivera.

4.The Raiders come back win over the Texans really exposed how good the Raiders are and how the Texans are in serious trouble. With the Colts being awful, the stars are aligned for the Texans to win the division and make the playoffs. Instead they find ways to lose games they should win. Matt Schaub not running in the final touchdown but throwing an interception shows his inability to win a game. Now Williams out for the year, Schaub will be under more pressure. Houston you really do have a problem.

5.LeBron James tweeted John Clayton and asked when is the last day for the NFL to sign free agents. LeBron in the slot or on the outside against a safety or cornerback would be unstoppable. With the NBA lockout probably going into Next year, some team should give him a look. I doubt he is being serious but would love to see him play football.

6.Steve Young turned 50 today. He is one of my favorite quarterbacks of all-time. I don't think he gets enough recognition. Young was a game changer. He and Randall Cunnugham were Michael Vick before Vick came along. Plus he was a more accurate passer.

7.Is anyone paying attention to the Niners? They are 4-1 and that is a shock to me. (More on them later this week)

8.Mike Stoops got the ax from Arizona. The school showed him the door after losing to Oregon St. Its gotta be tough for the rest of the Stoops brothers when Bob keeps churning out winners at Oklahoma.

End Zone (Week 5)

2011-10-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

1.Has Donovan McNabb hurt his Hall of Fame chances with his last two years?
KDC: Okay, w/out comparing stats against QBs already in the HOF, I had him on the HOF bubble. To me, the lackluster results in Washington last year and the pitiful periods he’s had at Minnesota already are the kind of performances that burst that bubble and get you into the Hall of Very Good. McNabb, by all accounts, is a wonderful guy, but he’s not a 40-year-old Favre whose final couple years will be dismissed as a guy playing for love and money and hanging onto glory. This is a guy who was supposed to seriously upgrade his teams, yet (at best) didn’t help them, while (at worst), actually hurt bad teams. That image lingers when it’s time to vote.
Momo:Yes he has. I love what Donovan stands for and what he has meant to the league but his last two years have really hurt his status as an elite quarterback. McNabb stature first was damaged by Shanahan by the benching in an early season game and now in Minnesota he can't bu a win. If Donovan had won a title it wouldn't look so bad because every qb has a down year every now and then but his last two years have been brutal. What McNabb's last two seasons have done is helped make a strong case for Kurt Warner entering the Hall of Fame.

2.Do you think Rex Ryan tough guy bravado will keep working if the Jets don’t win a championship in a year or two?
KDC: Those kind of guys usually burn their team and fans out over time. Even when they win. He’s done a wonderful job of revitalizing the organization, but if they continue to perform in such a punchless fashion on both sides of the ball (remember Tony Romo gift-wrapped their first win for them), then he’s made his timeline awfully short.
Momo:Rex's personality is playing well in New york but it is going to wear out pretty quickly,, especially if they don't win soon. I know the players love playing for him because Rex has their back and puts the onus all on him. He has definitely made the Jets relevant but I don't think he will be around long enough to reap all the benefits of his labor.

3.Sunday night Packers vs. Falcons, a bigger game for whom?
KDC: Matt Ryan’s been haunted ever since he got buried under a tidal wave of green & gold in the playoffs last year. They must win this game to prove they’re legit. Unfortunately, they beat the Packers last year in the regular season when the Pack didn’t have a running game, QB Aaron Rodgers fumbled the ball away at the goal line, and Tony Gonzales got a key first down on an incompletion (as replays showed). I see the Pack winning big.
Momo:This is all about Matt Ryan and the Falcons. Ryan is still having nightmares about the postseason game when Woodson and the Pack turned their season into a nightmare. Ryan has not been the same since the Packers ran all over him. He looks real uncomfortable in the pocket. The Falcons needs this more to prove to everyone that they are contenders.

4.Should a contender sign Terrell Owens, if healthy?
KDC: I’ve never been a TO fan. Certainly the ability was always there, but now that he’s on the backside of his career, it appears (assuming health) the antics have finally caught up to him & no one’s interested. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
Momo: Owens can help a team but it would be really dangerous to bring him into a place where the team is young and contending. I'm not sure anyone is really interested in bringing all the drama into their franchise. My opinion is that T.O. does not play this year and could be done for good. Too much of a distraction even though he can contribute.

5.Thoughts on the Eagles slow start:
KDC: No one’s comfortable together yet. Plus, did they address their areas of biggest concern (O-line, linebackers, defensive backfield) in the offseason? Not especially (except for Asomugha as a corner). Now they’re paying for it when Michael Vick isn’t in there (and even when he is, like last week). There’s time to bounce back, but they should certainly be concerned.
Momo: Sometimes it takes a few games for talent to gel. The eagles have two problems:1.A defensive coordinator that used to be the offensive line coach (never a good thing) 2.Really young linebackers that are being taken advantage of and that is putting tons of pressure on the secondary. all the offseason moves have made the Eagles a target and they seem unsure on how to handle all the attention.Also ;m wondering where is Desean Jackson big plays. He has been really quiet for a guy in a contract year.

2 Point Conversion (Picks)

2011-10-08T10:17:00.001-07:00

A shorten version of the Conversion this week. We are just posting the picks for this weekends best games. To recap, I'm up on Droddy by a game by going 3-1 last week, while he is 2-2. He wants revenge and I just want to stay ahead (braggin rights is so much fun:) Here are the picks:

Oklahoma vs. Texas
Momo: Oklahoma wins this game hands down. Texas is too young and not ready yet.
Droddy: OU, the class of the Big 12.

Auburn vs. Arkansas
Momo:I'm going to ride the hot hand of the Razorbacks. Arkansas isn't the greatest team in the SEC but is good enough to beat Auburn.
Droddy:Can't believe Arkansas cost me that game last week. They aren't a good team but they should get past Auburn.

Florida vs. LSU
Momo: Freshman quarterback versus one of the best defenses in cfb at home. Tigers and it won't be close.
Droddy: Tigers, even Brantley wouldn't have made a difference in this game.

Missouri vs. K-State
Momo: The Wildcats gave the Tigers trouble last year on the road but Mizzou came away with the win. This year will still be tough but I also think Tigers overcome the Wildcats. I think James Franklin's ability to run the ball and pass it wins the game. he needs to get Moe and the other receivers involved.
Droddy:K-State is going to beat Missouri because they can control the clock and keep the Tigers offense off the field.

Momo's Munchies

2011-10-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

1.Sunday Night's Jets-Ravens was a classic defensive game even though 51 points were scored. There were three defensive touchdowns, which is almost unheard of. I wonder do officials officiate games differently when there are two top-notch defenses?
2.BTW-who looked worse Joe Flacco, Mark Sanchez or Tony Romo?
3.Who knew sports was starting to get political. ESPN pulled the MNF intro because of comments made by Hank Williams, Jr. ESPN is bordering on censorship in my opinion.Right or wrong Williams is not an employee and can speak his mind. You can read the story here: ESPN pulls intro
4.Why in the world would Rob Ryan say that Calvin Johnson would barely make the Cowboys roster? Did he not have enough tape to see how dominant Johnson can be. It was really dumb not to double team him as well because Johnson destroys single coverage. Unless you have Revis or Deion Sanders, swallow your pride and double the man.
5.Really don't understand why people continue to kick to Devin Hester. He is the greatest return man of all-time. Bar none.
6. Wisconsin put a beatdown on Nebraska. Bo Pelini has to change their offense and find a quarterback who can throw. also Tom O'Brien has to be kicking himself for kicking current Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson to the curb.
7. Are their two better collegiate defenses better than LSU and Alabama? I think not

End Zone (Week 4)

2011-09-29T19:04:00.000-07:00

1.Who’s in more trouble from a coaching perspective: Steve Spagnuolo, Jack Del Rio, Tony Sparano or Todd Haley?
KDC: I'm gonna pick half of the choices. So why does Sparano still have a job? I don’t understand anything Miami’s done for the last 3-4 years. I’m not saying he’s the only problem, but I don’t think he’s part of the solution either. Are the 2011 Chiefs the "Lay-Down-and-Die" Cowboys of 2010? It looks like it. Somehow, Haley has lost his team. Yes, there have been some key injuries, but the way they're losing indicates a coach who is being ignored. Maybe that golf background matters more than we thought it did... Are these men in trouble of losing their jobs? Probably. More importantly, they're in trouble because their teams aren't winning.
Momo: From these cast of characters I will say Sparano is done by the bye week. He is the last holdover from the Parcells regime and his ticket out town will be punched shortly. Sparano has lost 15 of 16 of the Dolphins home games in the last couple of years. Not good with a somewhat new owner. The Chiefs and Jags are going to wait until the end of the season to change coaches. Haley is not vibing with the front office and his players are laying down on the job. Del Rio decided to get rid of David Garrad and hosed his season. The interesting one is Spags in St. Louis. with Bradford at the helm and a winnable division, he really needs to get the ship righted. The Rams would be in real trouble with another coaching change.

2. Has the NFL legislated defense from the game?
KDC: I won't pretend to have much insight into this one, except to say at some point, the NFL's gonna have to decide regular scores in the 30s isn't all that exciting.
Momo: With the rule changes started in the early part of this decade, the NFL has decided that defense has become secondary and I'm not talking about defensive backs. First it started with the Colts telling the league about receivers being jammed at the line of scrimmage. Next it was the hits on the quarterbacks followed by hits on players going across the middle. Now what you get is higher scoring games and defensive players handcuffed. I think the league also looks at how higher scoring is can draw in a different market and that is women.If you you can tap into the female market you are generating more revenue. Just a thought.

3. The Bills are off to a great start and leading the AFC East. Are you buying or selling them?
KDC: I’m buying. But maybe not ready to coronate them as AFC East champs just yet. They seem solid like only underdogs and castoffs can be, but sometimes that takes you a very long way & sometimes that just breeds a solid season. Still, there's no reason not to buy them for the season. I might also take a flyer on the Raiders. They might be the most-overlooked story of this start of the season.
Momo:I'm close to buying the Bills. I love the castoff of players, especially Fred Jackson and Ryan Fitzpatrick. (How many Harvard qb's can you name?). What I need to see is how they fare against the Jest. If the steal one from Gang Green, then the are definitely a playoff team. Its nice to see the resurgence in Buffalo.

4. Are the Packers being overlooked this season even as they are defending their championship?
KDC: Probably a bit. After their Week 1 victory over the Saints (which admittedly was the only game to talk about for 3 days, so maybe it wasn’t love, but necessity), there have been other good storylines to consume the media (Bills, Lions, good teams dissolving), but it does seem odd that a team that keeps finding a way to win or make good plays is just part of the highlights instead of one of the lead story. After all, they're the defending champs from Title Town or small town America (choose one). Yet both angles should be irresistible to the football media. I’m not ready to blame the East Coast Media, but if it keeps up for another couple weeks, then I might.
Momo:Many people are overlooking them so far and its a shame. The funny thing is that the Pack may be better then the were last year. Green Bay didn't even stage one of those made for TV mini camps that other teams did and they are in a rhythm. With a healthy Jermichael Finley in the offense, who is a beast, Rodgers has more weapons. Their defense may take a step back with the loss of the safety Collins but having Matthews and Woodson should keep them solid.

2 Point Conversion (Week 5)

2011-09-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

1.Should have done this last week BUT whose seat is hotter Houston Nutt or Mark Richt?
Droddy:I think whenever you lose to Vandy by 30+ points, you should immediately be removed from the sidelines – they should just right it in the contracts. Within 15 minutes of the final whistle, they should have escorted Nutt out to his car and sent his belongings from his office via Fedex. With that said, they are probably both gone.
Momo:Houston Nutt by far. Living here in the south, close to Mississippi, these fans have an elevated view of themselves. What makes matters worse for Nutt is that Miss St. is garnering national attention and that will not help his situation at all. n top of that The Rebels play in the unrelenting SEC West. At least Mark Richt got all of his tough games out of the way. I do think Richt needs a win over Florida to help his cause.

2.Should the Syracuse win versus Toledo be vacated because the ref missed the call?
Droddy:No. For years we have seen missed calls decide games in every sport, why should this game be any different? Take the SEC for example, they make a habit on botching calls and then boldly support the officiating crew afterwards – “regardless what you saw on TV, the crew got it correct” is all you hear. At least the Big East can admit their mistakes, I give them credit for that.
Momo:This is a tough one, when the call was so blatantly missed. I mean how do you review a play ans STILL MISS IT. You have to feel awful for Toledo but you can't change the outcome based on human error. The only thing you could do is have them replay at the end of the season but with injuries and bowl game interfering that would not be possible.

3.Noticed Nebraska is going back to playing option football. Good idea or bad?
Droddy:The Huskers play in the B10 now, this might be the perfect place to bring the option attack back. The option attack takes advantage of slow D Ends and Outside LBers…exactly what the B10 is flush with.
Momo:This is going to prove disastrous for Nebraska in the long run. Top recruits today want to play in a prostyle offense, not a triple option style because it does not showcase all their skills, especially in quarterback position. It can work a little now with Taylor Martinez but its not a spread offense that is going to put a lot of points on the board. Georgia Tech runs a similar triple option and the only reason why it was so effective was because they had a beast in Demaryius Thomas at wide receiver. The Cornhuskers are going to set their program back.

We will play a game called “Who You Got” Picking winners from the top games of the weekend and why and keep a running total for the rest of the season. Here are our picks for this weekends matchups:Clemson vs. Va. Tech
Droddy:VT – always remember, its Clemson!
Momo: Hokies,because Clemson should have lost to Florida St.
Nebraska vs. Wisconsin
Droddy:WI – hard to tell with that WI schedule, but NE has looked average on both sides of the ball
Momo:Wisconsin because they have a balanced offense and their defense will force Nebraska to pass.
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas
Droddy:Tx A&M – proven QB and playmakers. Also, I would imagine Ark is beat up after their trip to Alabama.
Momo:In A&M's first game in the SEC, I think they get beat. Arkansas in a shootout because the Aggies have trouble stopping people.
Florid vs. Alabama
Droddy:Bama - game being in FL there is a slight shot for the gators, but Bama’s best shot to lose is LSU.
Momo:Alabama but since its in the Swamp, Florida will play them tight. The Tide defense is to stout.

Momo's Munchies

2011-09-26T17:47:00.001-07:00

Here are some random NFL and CFB thoughts I had:

1.Never in my wildest dream would I have thought the university of Missouri would want to be in the SEC for football. The curators and some in the athletic department would love the challenge of being in the SEC but I believe that would be disastrous. Their pipeline into Texas would get cutoff and their chance to compete on a second-tier and possibly get into a BCS bowl game would be greatly diminished. Texas A&M is going to recognize in about three years.
2.Speaking of A&M, that loss to Oklahoma St. shows that they are not ready to compete in the SEC. When you have a 17 point lead at the half, how do you blow it?
3.This has no bearing on national polls but Toledo got ripped off at Syracuse by officials not paying attention to an extra point that did not go through. Read about it here:No Way To Take Away Syracuse Win
4.LSU has an NFL-type defense year in and year out. Its fun to see young guys take so much pride in shutting opponents down.
5.I really love that USC lost to Arizona St. and it has nothing to do with being a Sun Devil fan. It has everything to do with Lane Kiffin. He just grates on me.
6.If you get a chance, watch a "Football Life" about Bill Belichick. Its really good and gives some insight of how he coaches. He even gets emotional talking about Giant Stadium.

7.Glad people are finally realizing how good Fred Jackson is with the Buffalo Bills. No one knew he existed because the team was so bad. Jackson is an every down back out of the Marshall Faulk mold.
8.Darren McFadden of the Raiders is the real deal. It has taken him a few years and a couple of different coaches but he has finally found his stride.
9. Can you name 5 players on the Buffalo Bills? I already gave you one:)

End Zone (Week 3)

2011-09-24T12:19:00.001-07:00

1.Thoughts are the Patriots so far:
KDC: Do the Patriots just win because their opponents are so stupid? Is that why when they run into smart teams in the playoffs, they lose their first game? (Or barely beat Green Bay last year w/Matt Flynn at QB, a man who had never started a game.) I’m saying the Patriots are smart & great with the fundamentals (I root against them every week, but let’s face facts – they’re smart and great with fundamentals), but when you’re driving against San Diego in the closing seconds of the half to get into field goal range & the Charges don’t even bother covering the sideline patterns (ensuring a free field goal), do you really need all those turnovers to help you win? Actually, yes, the Patriots did. They’ve got the smarts, but I don’t think they have the overall talent to do more than put up gaudy stats again this year. Predictably, the media will salivate about the greatness of Tom Brady (actually his stats), then stand amazed & aghast when New England doesn’t go far in the playoffs (again).
Momo:If you are a Patriots fan I would be worried about the defense. As great as a defensive mind that Belicheck is, their defense has been getting shredded, and its not just this year, this has been happening over the last few years. Teams like the Chargers routinely shoot themselves in the foot because they are still playing against the mystique of Patriot teams of the past. But teams like the Ravens and Jets are not intimidated by the "new" Pats. Brady is putting up monster numbers and will continue doing so but the trademark on defense in the end will be the Achilles heel of the Patriots.

2.What team is seriously deluded about their overall quality?
KDC: The Indianapolis Colts—I was visiting Indy last weekend & no one seemed to believe that the Browns could beat them. Considering they did almost nothing over the off-season while other established powers were beefing up their rosters, well…it already looked grim. Is it possible the Colts & fans never appreciated Peyton enough? They’re learning the hard way what a mediocre team they are without him. (And he doesn’t play defense, so Kerry’s Collins 19 points is respectable but not enough for Colt McCoy’s 27, which the Colts D gave up.) Much of this is of their own making. Runner-up: Pete Carroll at Seattle, who is proving (again) that any coach can be a horrible GM.
Momo: Its definitely the Colt. Jim Irsay and Bill Polian, two guys I like very much, did their fans and their team a complete disservice by not having a viable backup behind Peyton Manning. The way this team is constructed on offense, defense and special team is all dictated by having number 18 behind center. Peyton keeps the defense off the field, gives the special teams great areas to work and the front office thought they he would always be there. They thought Manning was just as indestructible as Favre, and this season proves that was not true. The Colts could have talked to Peyton while doing contract negotiations and informed him they were going to draft his replacement last year. Think the Colts wouldn't want to have Andy Dalton, or Ryan Mallet as a back-up, since they clearly don't believe in Curtis Painter. By not taking risks and constructing a balanced football team, the Colts are in a world of hurt. The big question is now if they have the number one pick will they draft Andrew Luck? I think they have to.

2pt Conversion (Week 4)

2011-09-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

1. Who would be the biggest surprise if they stay undefeated this weekend between Arkansas, Vandy, and San Diego St.?
Momo:Without a shadow of a doubt its Vanderbilt. The Commodores are a perennial doormats in the SEC and win Saturday over South Carolina and the alums might erect a statue of new head coach James Franklin. Vandy would be just three wins away from being bowl eligible and that would be huge for a program that has been down on its luck.
Droddy: I have to go with Arkansas and it really is not close. I would be stunned if Arkansas beat Alabama with the biggest reason is the Ark’s 1 dimensional offense. If you cannot run the ball effectively, it allows a great defense to attack the quarter back with all out aggression – exactly where the pigs find themselves. I realize AL struggles on offense, but if they are on the field for most of the day, Arkansas defense will break eventually. Vandy and SDST winning would be surprises, but I can at least imagine the possibility.

2. Your thoughts on all the realignment in cfb:
Momo: First I need to get something off my chest about realignment. The next time some school president or chancellor or coach chimes in about the shadiness of agents and runners, someone should hold up a mirror so they can see their reflection. This action of realignment is deplorable and ridiculous. All these schools care about is reworking contracts so they can get their conferences more money. Fans and alumni will be there for their schools and find new rivals to root against, but some of the passions and traditions will be lost. Passion and tradition is what fuels college football. The only positive thing I can see from realignment is a playoff. This sport needs a playoff and college football would be on par with the NFL for popularity. That I believe is what the conference commissioners see as their way to break away from the NCAA to get a playoff instituted.
Droddy: I am torn on the realignment discussion. I love tradition and the historic rivalries that make college football the most exciting four month of the year, but I also think the game desperately needs a playoff. If conference realignment can do two things, I am for it: #1 create a playoff that is fair to everyone involved #2 add Boise St or any other “contenders” to a real conference. On point #2, I would like to see the teams not in a major conference go ahead and drop down to another division where they can compete or not worry about winning a national championship. In other words, you have to be in a major conference to have a chance to be in the playoff – I am not only talking about Boise States of the world, but a certain Blue and Gold team from Indiana. The playing field needs to be evened out, if they are going to do this…it would be nice if they did it right. That said, we all know this is not about making fan happy or a better Saturday experience – its about how much money can be made from TV contracts. Simple as that.

3. Winner of OK St. v Texas AM in control of Big 12?
Momo:I got OSU as my sleeper so I think this game is huge for them. They need this win as a shot before they have a showdown with OU.
Droddy: Until proven otherwise, Oklahoma is in control of the B12. More often than not, these teams look great, until they play Oklahoma.

4. Should college athletes be paid?
Momo:Athletes should be paid a little something especially since the school gets revenue from a player. Let's use Andrew Luck as an example. Don't you think Stanford jersey's sales of number 12 has increased since last year? Luck deserves a little piece of the pie.
Droddy:I do not see a big problem paying the athletes a little bit of money during the season. They are not allowed to hold jobs and put in countless hours to entertain us weekly. Now this will not stop the cheating that many people think, but it is probably the right thing to do. With States constantly cutting back in money going to the major universities, this may never be feasible…every athlete that plays would need to be paid, not just football.

5. Pick the winners: Alabama v. Ark, LSU v. WVU:
Momo:Arkansas does not have a chance against Bama. I love LSU's defense but am afraid of their offense. WVU can score and will give the Bayou Bengals some trouble BUT LSU probably prevails. I think it will be closer than people think.
Droddy: Easy…Bama and LSU – these 2 are on a collision course for an epic war in November.

The End Zone (Week 2)

2011-09-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

1.How bad was Romo’s collapse on Sunday night?
Momo: This is a classic case of a good guy who crumbles when the lights are the brightest. Romo’s mishaps have always shown in Cowboys biggest games. From the fumble in the playoff game in Seattle, to the multi turnover games that he has, Romo cracks under pressure. Terrell Owens and Dez Bryant have tried and are trying to defend him but the proof is in the pudding: when the chips are down, he wilts under the bright lights. That collapse was bad and that is the biggest reason why the Cowboys will not win with him. In six years, Romo has not made the jump from good to great like Aaron Rodgers has.
KDC: The six years as a starter is what surprised me. I forgot he’d been starting that long. Granted last year was a loss, but . . . QB is the hardest position in any sport to learn - as Mark Sanchez, in Year 3, continues to prove. Except Sanchez is still winning games (or at least not losing them). Same for Flacco in Baltimore and Ryan in Atlanta (though not last week). Romo…I don’t’ know. If the Cowboys were a stock, there’d be no reason to buy them for about the past 8-10 years, yet they’re still considered a blue chip for some reason. Sorry, I still don’t see the character and leadership necessary to be a playoff-caliber team. (Wade Phillps must be chuckling in Houston.)

2.What surprised you in Week 1?
Momo: The way the Bears manhandled the Falcons. For all the preseason hype and offseason moves the Falcons made they did not score an offensive TD. I wonder if Matt Ryan is still feeling the affect of the Packers running through them last season.
KDC: How many good defenses looked so bad. Exhibit A: The Packers had some horrible lapses against New Orleans (8 men in coverage for 3rd & 16 & the Saints still get the first down…?!?) despite playing like heroes when it counted most at the goal line, and the 4th and inches inside the 10. There were plenty of other defenses though. It used to be that the offenses took several weeks to warm up and get in sync, while the defenses just ran around and tackled people. Now I wonder if defenses have gotten so complex, with a dozen different blitz packages, et al, that the defenders are thinking too much out there instead of trusting their teammates and just playing! We’ll see as the next month progresses.

3.Of these teams who should worry the most: Steelers, Chiefs, Colts or Falcons?
Momo: The Colts could be in serious problem if they lose to the Browns, so for one week, I’ll give them a pass for now. The Kansas City Chiefs were the biggest fraud last year and this year will truly expose that. Their record last year was one of the easiest in the league and they had a superstar staff that coached up their talented team. Now with Weis gone and the injuries piling up on the offensive and defensive sides, the Chiefs are going to come back to reality.
KDC: If you check last week, I mentioned the Falcons as a surprise team missing the playoffs. Everyone gave them a pass in the offseason for some reason (perhaps because there’s so little good football news out of Atlanta most years), but they traded too many draft picks for a wide receiver (Julio Jones) & didn’t help their defense out. The offense might start playing lights out again, but I see their opponent’s offense’s doing better than them most weeks.

4.Which of these teams got false hope on Sunday: 49ers, Redskins, Bills or Lions?
Momo: I’m a believer in the Lions if Stafford stays healthy so I will not pick them. The 49ers are ruining their chances of getting Andrew Luck. Every win they get gets them farther away from a ‘true’ franchise quarterback. Alex Smith is not the answer and the franchise needs a real quarterback with all that talent. I know Harbaugh will remake the team in his image but stop winning and get your quarterback.
KDC: Sorry, insight on this one, though I’d have to say the Lions are the team with the most hope in the group (assuming their secondary holds up). They beat the Patriots soundly in Preseason Game 3 (The one that counts). If the secondary holds, then the NFC North might be the toughest division in the land for the first time in decades.

5.Should the Broncos play Tebow?
Momo: Play Tebow because this team is not going anywhere. The Broncos believe they can contend with Orton at quarterback but their offense is a mess. They don’t have a running game and putting Tebow in could jumpstart this team. John Co.(Elway and Fox) should start using special packages for Tebow and start getting him on the field. When he played at the end of last year it inspired the team and energized heir fan base. Get him on the field and see what happens.
KDC: Sometimes a new coach has to prove he’s boss by showing everyone he’ll make a tough choice. Orton, by all accounts, outplayed Tebow & Co, for the starting position in training. I wouldn’t give up on him after one game, but I might after 3. At some point, management is going to have to figure out if he’s their guy or not. So sooner is better than later.

Momo's Munchies

2011-09-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some thoughts to chew on about the NFL and CFB:
1.Mississippi St. is a tough luck team in the SEC. Last week they get hosed by the officials in the Auburn game by not having a touchdown called in their favor and the officials ignoring Mullen as he tried to call a timeout. And this week they had to face a top-ranked LSU on a short week. The Bulldogs have only won 1 game within the SEC West but their coach and fans have made Starkville a tough place to play.
2. Be glad when all this realignment in college football is done. Two conferences that were once on top of the world are now being reactionary (Big 12 and Big East). These conferences are watching other league raid their cabinets and are standing by and looking hopeless.
3. How dumb is the NCAA? Boise St. football program lost scholarships for having freshmen sleep on couches and on the floor of upperclassmen during spring and summer camps. Not accepting money but camping out in each others room. Don't believe me read here:Boise St. violations. Just dumb.
4.These little brothers are following in their brothers footsteps. Derek Carr at Fresno St. and Case McCoy at Texas. Both have big shoes to fill as well as their own legacies to create.
5. If the Seminoles win tonight's big game against Oklahoma, then their program is back.
6. The Steelers got man-handled n Sunday. Their core looks old and a little slow and that window of Super Bowl appearances could be closings.
7. San Diego Chargers will regret letting Sproles go and not getting someone like a Randall Cobb whom the Packers drafted in the 2nd round. Don't know why so many teams passed on him. Cobb was a presaeason offensive player of the year within the SEC while at Kentucky. What a steal by Green Bay.
8.We should have known that Peyton Manning consecutive games streak was going to end this year. The last six sites to host a Super Bowl, that teams starting quarterback has missed the season. Where is the Super Bowl this season? Indianapolis
9.When will Ed Reed and Ray Lewis get old? To be playing at such a high level as these do two do, is ridiculous at their age.

10.There are some athletes who when you see them on TV you stop what you are doing and watch them. In baseball for me its Albert Pujols is a BCW guy (Bathroom Can Wait, that's from the DP Show). Guys that are so electric and mesmerizing that you cannot help but to stare and nothing else matters Here are my top five BCW guys in the NFL:
1.Michael Vick
2.Chris Johnson
3.Desean Jackson
4.Darren Sproels
5. Tom Brady
Agree or disagree you can let me know.

As always thanks for reading....

2 PT Conversion (Week 2)

2011-09-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

1. Boise State won on the road against a good team. Are you buying or selling them?
Momo: I’m buying big time. Here’s the deal, Boise is the only team that doesn’t require a home and home. Most of the big schools are afraid to play these guys and they are good. What is amazing is that the knock on them beating Georgia is most people see the Dawgs as a middle level SEC team. There’s always an excuse made win Boise wins. No one says that they would go undefeated in a major conference. I think they would be an 8 or 9 win team. What matters to me is how they play when they do play the so-called big boys. Boise rises to the challenges and gets the job done most of the time. Do I think they will play for the National Title, I’m not sure. The next big test on the schedule is not TCU but San Diego St. If they beat the Aztecs in November then they have a legitimate shot at a title. Of course, the cartel will keep them out.

Droddy:I’ve been buying Boise St well before I saw them beat a middle of the road Georgia (6-7 last year). They are a well coached team that can show up for the huge game once or twice a year – unless it is at Nevada. Now lets get real here – teams are not “afraid” to play Boise St…it’s a risk/reward thing – you gain NOTHING from beating a team like this. If you lose to Boise St you lose respect and the season is just about over in terms of a national title – if you beat Boise St…you will get, “well yea, you SHOULD beat Boise St” and its forgotten. When you are a team in the SEC for example you play about half the season again ranked opponents – what sense does it make to play a another one…especially when that is their super bowl and its just another tough team you have to play? As far as a national title for BSU…give me a break! As I mentioned, they play 1 or 2 tough games a year – is that what college football is about? Of course, they can “get up” for these games – good teams should win those games. As Momo said himself “No one says that they would go undefeated in a major conference. I think they would be an 8 or 9 win team” – ok, then why in the world are people claiming they should be in the title game? The best thing that can come from this conference expansion concept (besides kicking NCAA to the curb) is to put them in a real conference and we can stop hearing about a team that wins 1 or 2 decent games a year to play for the crystal.

2. Big deal Brian Kelly using profanity on the sidelines when talking to his players?
Momo: It’s not that big of a deal BUT it shows that he is under a lot of pressure at ND. Kelly is no longer at Cincinnati and has to realize that he is on-camera a lot and that all not some of his games are televised. Some kids respond well to profanity where others don’t. If you see a mass exodus from ND then there may be a problem.

Droddy:Brian Kelly was a hot head well before he went to South Bend. Ive seen him turn the color of Cincy’s uniforms during a game, always fun to watch. I suppose that since this is a Catholic school he is at now this has been brought up or the fact they lost – complete non issue if you ask me. During the national title game against West Virginia I saw Lou Holtz nearly break a kid’s neck by yanking on his face mask…not a word said, they did win the game of course.

3. Speaking of Notre Dame, why where they ranked at the beginning this season?
Momo: The delusional media that is older and still reliving the old time clips of Holtz and Davie. This team is not good and although Kelly probably is the right guy for the job, Notre Dame is not attractive as it used to be. The rest of the nation has caught and surpassed the Golden Domers and their base has yet to realize it. Top recruits are not lining up to come South Bend. They haven’t produced top draft picks in the NFL and that is hurting their stock as well. I doubt that they can survive as an Independent much longer in football.

Droddy: Just the way it is - Notre Dame will always be ranked going into the season….it’s not like they can rank them at the end! On another note – my bold prediction is ND will be forced to join a conference relatively soon. The BSC made special conditions for them, I don’t think there will be these arrangements going forward. I do think they beat Michigan this week to get back on track.

4. Upset pick between: Alabama v. Penn St., BYU v. Texas, Auburn v. Miss St., Mizzou v. Ariz St.
Momo: Having to pick between these games I would take BYU over Texas. I think the Cougars have a pretty good defense and might be able to take advantage of the Longhorns. Wouldn’t be surprised if Penn St. beat Bama. The Tide does have issues at quarterback which incidentally, Penn St. had those issues when they played last year.
Auburn is going down to the Bulldogs this year. Last year, Dan Mullen and his squad had Auburn dead to rights. The Tigers win streak ends this weekend.

The way Mizzou struggled with Miami of Ohio tells me this is going to be really bad in the desert. The Sun Devils have a pro prospect at linebacker that should make life difficult for James Franklin and the Tigers.

Droddy:Upsets: Alabama v. Penn St. – close through 3 or so, but bama pulls away late. Bama will have some issues scoring, but will dominate the lines and wear them down as the game goes on. BYU v. Texas – I do want to pick BYU, but seems too obvious. BYU has to be more worn down than the Longhorns after their dog fight in Oxford last week. Auburn v. Miss St – If I had to pick one, I think this will be the upset of the week. MS St is looking forward to LSU on Thursday the following week and who could blame them after the way Auburn looked? The perfect spot for Auburn to pull this off…at home while being severely disrespected all week long. Mizzou v. Ariz St – had to look up to see where the upset would be: Azst is a TD favorite. After seeing a little Mizzou’s QB play, ill go with the Sun Devils at home – love those new uniforms.

End Zone (Week 1)

2011-09-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

With kickoff of the NFL season starting tonight, it’s time to get for us to get reacquainted in the End zone. This is where we talk about some of the burning questions in the National Football League:

1.I feel like we had this question last year but here it is anyway, who’s seat is hotter this season, Norv Turner or Gary Kubiak?
Momo: Both seats are really warm, but I feel like if the Chargers don’t make at least the AFC Championship game then Norv is done. What’s really going to hurt them is the loss of Darren Sproles. That is going to damage their special teams as well as hurt rivers on third down. If the Texans make the playoffs, which they should, Kubiak will be fine.

kdc: Full disclosure: I’ve never been a Turner fan, but the mediocre job he’s done w/the Chargers has only cemented that dislike. These Chargers have been extremely talented with nothing to show for it. Maybe this year will be different, but San Diego’s decision-makers don’t seem eager for change, so he could be around next year even if they just make the playoffs. Kubiak has only continued the Texans losing ways, so . . .does it matter?

2.Troy Aikman recently said that if this group of Cowboys don’t win a championship, then the team should rebuild. Agree?
Momo: I agree completely. The Cowboys are the most over hyped team in the NFL and this year they have to contend with the Eagles stealing all of their press. The key to their season will be Tony Romo. I don’t think he can lead this team to the Super Bowl. Their defense will be better but it won’t be enough

kdc: No heart. No locker room leaders. No playoffs.

3.From last year’s playoff teams, who’s more likely not to reach the playoffs?
Momo: One is real easy and that’s the Seahawks. Signing Tavaris Jackson was an awful move for this year. He wasn’t a good qb for the Vikings and won’t be for the Seahawks. I think Pete Carroll is waiting for the Bengals to dump Carson Palmer. Not sold on the Bears or Chiefs at all. I know the Chiefs will take a huge step back.

kdc: The post-Steel Curtain Steelers have never returned to the playoffs the year after they went to the Super Bowl. They’re the oldest starting team in the NFL. The Packers exposed their weaknesses & I see other teams trying to do likewise. I also don’t think the Falcons helped themselves much in the offseason & maybe not quite making it this year. It’s like no one wants to talk about it, but they needed help on the defensive side & then only helped their offense. I also think the Patriots are probably in more serious decline than most people realize, but they’ll probably make it in as a wild-card.

4.There are at least two teams to make the playoffs who didn’t make it in last year. Who you got?
Momo: The Rams and Lions. Look for Sam Bradford to take the next step. Also my sleeper rookie of the year pick is Rams TE Lance Kendricks. I love hybrid TE and WR and this kid has size and speed. Hopefully Matthew Stafford stays healthy because if he does the Lions with their defense will be really good. Love Suh and when Nick Fairley gets back their front four will be virtually unblockable.

kdc: You took 2 good ones. I’ll go with the young, hungry (& now seasoned) Buccaneers, who should’ve made it last year, & the Chargers will as well, but I don’t know how far.

5.Go out on a limb and make your Super Bowl Picks.
Momo: Normally I don’t do this but to have this on record I will say the Ravens and the Packers. I think for the first time since the Patriots have repeated as champions, the Packers will do the same. I think the lockout helped the Packers a lot. They didn’t have coaches leaving, get a lot of their injured players back and they didn’t have a lot of the distractions this offseason. Teams who didn’t make a lot of changes will benefit and the Packers are one of them.

kdc: I’ve been a Packer-backer my entire life, so there’s no way I can go against a team that took on unsustainable injuries all the way through the Super Bowl game (Woodson & Driver, their vets & leaders) & still won. On the AFC side I’m gonna go against good taste & my own proclivities & pick the Jets to lose to the Packers in the Super Bowl.

2 Point Conversion

2011-09-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

With the college football season already upon I am offering up a new weekly posting called the "2 Point Conversion". This segment will feature me going head to head with a former college football player and roommate of mine. I hope you will enjoy it!!

1.The SEC has won the last 5 BCS championships, what other conference will you watch this year?

Droddy: I think we all can agree you are watching a different football world when you tune into a top SEC showdown – I'm not sure how anyone can really debate this at the moment. With that said, I think there is intrigue in every conference out there on any given Saturday – here are some items I will keep an eye on and my bold prediction:

B10-Droddy: How will NE look this year with a new schedule in front of them? I think the winner of NE and WI takes the conference this year. Is Ohio St going to finish as a top 2 team? Nope.

Momo: I think this is Wisconsin's year to compete for a National Title. We can both agree that Ohio St. is in a lot of trouble this year. I don't even think their starting quarterback will stay the same.

ACC-Droddy: Is FSU really “back”? I think they will play for the conference championship this year again, but they will not at the top of the college football world…just yet.

Momo: Another topic we are agreeing on. Florida St. is probably a yer away from being a true national power again. The sleeper to watch is Va Tech.

PAC10/12 – Droddy:Is Oregon really going to run through the PAC12 again? After Saturday (men vs boys) I have some doubts. How is Utah going to do in the conference? I think they hold their own (3 to 5 losses), but days of winning them all and only showing up to compete at a high level about twice a year are OVER.

Momo: Oregon dismal performance on Saturday notwithstanding, I think the conference is in good position to send another representative to play for the title and that is Stanford. This is the year that Stanford was shooting for, a Heisman contender at quarterback, and a deep roster. This is the year of the Cardinal.

Big East –Droddy: Ill never have too many questions or interest for this league, but will be interested to see a new coach at West Virginia. They have a good experienced QB who could make them great ….at times.
Momo: I still can't believe this league gets an automatic BCS game. This is a basketball league. Football in this conference is not that great. West Virginia will be all right. There qb Geno Smith is a dark horse for the Heisman.

Big12 – Droddy:Most of the interest there is off the field, obviously – love to see someone challenge Oklahoma…they will have a couple of close games, but I’m not sure who just yet – Baylor could match them in scoring. Can TX be that bad again..surely not, right?

Momo: The wonderful conference that is crumbling right before our eyes. OU is the class and the pundits have Mizzou as the sleeper. The Tigers are befuddling, now they have a solid team at all positions except a quarterback who can't throw. Oklahoma St could be the team that stuns everyone and wins the conference..

2. Which university recovers faster from the scandal, USC, Ohio St, or Miami?
Droddy:Recovery is inevitable at all these schools so I’m going to go with the one that knows their penalties and have already started the punishment – USC.

Momo:I think the "U" is in some serious trouble. Ohio St. recovery will be a lot faster than USC because I don't believe the NCAA will come down that hard on them. Plus OSU only has to contend with Michigan in the recruiting battle in the conference.
3. Good idea for Texas A&M to move to the SEC?

Droddy:Great idea for TX A&M. Obviously this assumes they are fine with being the 4th to 6th best program in the conference for any given year. This is very similar to where they are now, but will make more money and will not be annually behind their most bitter rival – TX. You don’t get better by jumping up in competition in the short term – in the long term, I will assume they will improve their: recruiting, facilities and coaching to be able to compete in the SEC year in and out.

Momo: This is a terrible move for A&M. First of all, they have forgotten that it was Texas that stood up for them when the Southwestern Conference folded to get them into the Big 12. I understand that you are upset that the conference has catered to Texas but to move to the SEC, where you will not be able to compete on a national level will be disastrous. A&M will regret running to the SEC and not going to the Pac-12 first.
4. Your surprise team this year is…

Droddy:I know this may not strike anyone as a surprise team, but I think Stanford will be right there for the conference championship. They have Luck obviously, but I think more importantly…everyone playing this year was coached by Harbaugh.
Momo: I hinted at this earlier but I think Oklahoma St. will surprise people and sneak into a BCS bowl. I love their quarterback and wide receiver Justin Blackmon, who may be the second best player in college football.
5. Your Heisman favorite…

Droddy:First of all…I have come to hate the Heisman. Its probably ESPN’s fault for handing it to someone new every week of the season, but I will play along – Andew Luck

Momo: I agree with the ESPN statement. Its like they just don't want to be wrong. But I think Luck is the clubhouse leader and my dark horse is Baylor's Robert Griffith III. If he gets Baylor i the top 10 its his award to lose.

Football Is Back

2011-08-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

Mini Munchies
Its great to have the preseason of the NFL up and going. And now we are a little over a week away from the college football season kicking off. Its nice to actually have something to blog and talk about again. Just to update everyone, I will be bringing back the "End Zone" with kdc as well as adding two new features. One will be called "Momo's Munchies" which will be a mixture of cfb and pro talk on Tuesdays. Also, I will be bringing a similar version of the "End Zone" for college with a former college football player and roommate of mine. I hope everyone enjoys it.

With that said here is a smaller version of my Munchies:

1.In my Football Frenzy post, I stated that i don't understand what all the fuss is about Kevin Kolb and the Arizona Cardinals. Apparently Kurt Warner feels the same way. Here's an interview that Warner did with Dan Patrick yesterday. Kurt knows he is the best quarterback in the state.

2.Is anyone really surprised that the University of Miami players got money from a booster? How can a guy be a booster and not even attend the school. Nevin Shapiro is serving time for his Ponzi scheme and decided to take a whole university's athletic program down with him. I find it kind of funny that the school claims they don't know who the guy is but there are tons of photos and video with him on the sidelines and handing checks to coaches and the president. Tough to say you don't know a person BUT you took his money.

3. I'd be surprised if the Hurricanes get the "Death Penalty". I know the allegations are harsh, and the evidence is substantially stacked against them, but to kill that program would do damage not only to the university but also to a top TV market. The NCAA will not want to destroy a program like they did to SMU in the 1980's. The one thing that could hurt the Canes is that they have a history of violations. I think the penalties will be harsher than what USC got but I would be shocked if they destroyed their athletic program.

As always thanks for reading....

Free Agent Frenzy

2011-07-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some thoughts about what I think has transpired since the NFL and the Players Union have reached an agreement on collective bargaining for 10 years:

1.The Patriots went all in with the trades for Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco. These are great moves in the short term. The problem is in the long term Haynesworth and Chad will revert to their old ways. Think about this, when the Patriots signed Corey Dillon and Randy Moss, both of these guys drank the Belichick Kool-aid for two seasons then reverted back to their selfish ways. Also I doubt Haynesworth will be in shape which is sure to irk Coach Bill.

2. The Eagles have also put all their chips in the pot. Getting Nnamdi Asomugha away from the Jets and from the rival Cowboys is a huge coup. The Eagles now have superior corners with Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuels. Will they keep Samuels is the question still lingering but with Vick and the offense looking explosive and their defense shored up on paper, the city of Brotherly Love has a lot to look forward to. Asomugha is the best corner in football. He can cover his guy as well as tackle really well. The Eagles will be dangerous for years to come.

3. I really don't know what all the fuss is about Kevin Kolb going to the Cardinals. Has anyone looked at the fact he has only played in 11 career games? He has the same amount of playoff wins as Carson Palmer, zero!! I don't know if he will be a savior for the Cardinals but let's not get carried away with all the hype around him.

4. Speaking of Carson Palmer, the Browns are doing him a disservice by not trading him. Palmer has been a good solider and not complained about the circus that has been around him for the last six years. However, last year he did ask the team to bring in T.O. and they did and the team was really bad. If the Bengals are smart they will wait until next offseason to deal Palmer for a higher draft pick. It is the Bengals and Mike brown did say they will not deal him. And that's why the Bengals are perennial losers.

5. The Colts philosophy of staying the course and not being aggressive in free agency is going to hurt them in the long run. Asomugha would have fit great in their scheme or making a run at another or big time linebacker. With Peyton Manning stating that he will take less money for them to go after players is a big statement. Manning just wants to win and I don't blame him. He sees his window of opportunity closing to win a championship and his competitors are getting better. The Colts need a more physical offensive line and a big time running back to give Manning some help. Otherwise they will just win 10 or so games and will continue to have early exits from the playoffs.

6. Reggie Bush to the Dolphins will make the Saints weaker. Brees will miss Bush's versatility.

7. I've mentioned before how three of the top ten players drafted in the 06 draft have had star-crossed careers. Vince Young and Matt Leinhart are now back ups and Bush has been traded. At least everyone will remember that National Championship game.

8. The Broncos and Dolphins have really made life on themselves difficult. Just complete the trade for Orton so that the Dolphins will have a quarterback and the Broncos can find out if Tebow is the answer. (Of course the trade could send the Broncos into an even longer and darker hole by losing Orton)

9. Can you name the only three rookie quarterbacks to throw for 3,000 yards in their first season? Answer below

10. The Packers and Steelers have been real quiet at the beginning of the off-season. Maybe their philosophy will be to wait until they have some injuries. With the glut of free agents on the market, maybe the smart play is to wait until you have a need a fill it at that time.

Answer to #9 is Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan and Sam Bradford. If Ryan and Bradford have half the career of Manning then these two franchises are in terrific shape for the future.

Thanks for reading....

Random Sports Thoughts

2011-06-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

1. Ron Artest has changed his name to Metta World Peace. Watch this video from PTI to find out why. See if you are more confused as I was. PTI Video
2. Ron or Metta actually made sense when he disucussed how the Mavericks were a team and not a collection of individuals. It must be late if Ron is starting to make sense.
3. I know this is old but I wonder will Drew Brees regret his comments he made about the owners in the labor dispute? Brees comments could comeback to haunt him with owners as well as fans.
4. I wonder why it took so long for DeMaurice Smith and Roger Gooddell to realize that they should try and be friends rather than enemies.
5.Terrell Pryor got two coaches fired in less than 8 months. Jim Tressel and Rich Rodriguez. People tend to forget Pryor choices when he was a higly touted recruit was Michigan and Ohio St. Wonder was the risk worth the talent?
6. The NBA has some real money issues where the NFL doesn't. The NBA owners actually have a real beef and I expect them to dig in with their heels. 15 t0 22 teams are losing money is huge.
7. Why are we so quick to find the next best thing and not appreciate our current stars? Rory McIlror is not the next Tiger Woods. Tiger is a special talent and Rory has won just 1 major. Its funny how the media forgets just how dominant Woods was.
8. DeShawn Stevenson makes my life so easy by not acting like a champion. Read here.

Thank you for reading as always and I do appreciate the feedback. Taking a summer break until the NFL and College football kickoffs. Have a great summer.

Why The Heat Lost And The Mavs Won

2011-06-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

I stated over a week ago that I believed the Dallas Mavericks would win the NBA title and they did. Here are some of my observations of what took place and how the Miami Heat could have won but ultimately they didn't make some adjustments and went down in flames. It all started with the Game 2 comeback and went downhill from there:

1. Rick Carlisle's adjustments made Erik Spoelstra look bad. Carlisle switch to starting Barea and Kidd is paying huge dividends. Its forced the Heat to stay at home more on Dirk and not double team him. Also having two guards that are playmakers, put a lot on pressure on the Heat's defense.

2. Carlisle is also used the zone defense and Heat looked like the defense was something foreign. Its a simple play to force James into a jump shooter and it worked to perfection.

3. As great as a player as LeBron is, his post game is awful. He has no clue on how to use his size and quickness in that area on the floor. When Carlisle inserted Barea into the lineup, he dared James to rake him or Kidd into the post because everyone in the league knows that LeBron is awkward and unsure of himself when his back is to the basket. That's definitely area he needs to work on.

4. I've said it before and I'll say it again, James lacks a killer instinct. The kind of instinct that dare I say Michael, Kobe and Dirk has. James does not have the eye of the tiger and in the long run that will hurt his image and his brand. The legend of Michael, Kobe, Magic and Larry starts and ends with how they finished off opponents. The reason why D-Wade is apart of the Jordan brand is he is a great closer. James, not so much. He is 2-8 in the Finals and that is not being a closer.

5. DeShawn Stevenson you won a title now stop talking!! Stevenson has a strong dislike for LeBron and that is OK but for an average role player, he sure does talk a lot. Saying James checked out in Game 4 and calling the Heat players classless because of the on the court talking is really stupid. Stevenson is lucky to be a Maverick and should thank the Wizards for overpaying for him and be content he happened to be on a team that won. DeShawn should take a lesson from his teammates and celebrate silently.

6. How immature is the national media for overscruntizing James and the Heat. Sure the decision was stupid but the national media had a vendetta for this team since last July. I have never seen so many members openly root against a team before in my life. Some media members left LeBron off their MVP ballots because he went to South Beach. How about just cover the story objectively and describe the actions on the floor. Stop with the teasing columns and pure venom for a player and or team. The only people that have the right to celebrate is the city of Dallas and Cleveland. Everyone else should turn down their mics and put away their pens.

7. Dirk is clutch and I knew they would win because he was playing at a high level. Its cool to see a world class athlete make the game look so easy.

8.Spoelstra better fix the Heat offense. They never ran any set plays and looked confused after timeouts. If Spoelstra doesn't fix it and doesn't win next year he is out.

9. If the Suns deal Steve Nash to the Timberwolves, don't be surprised to see him ask for a buyout and his next destination could be South Beach. A point guard who can shoot with his caliber could be just what the Heat needs to get over the top.

10. If I'm Chris Bosh, I'm worried that I might get dealt if the new CBA has a hard salary cap. I think everyone knows he is the one who becomes expendable.

11. Surprised Cuban kept quiet this postseason. At least he has all summer to brag.

12. I wonder does LeBron have second thoughts about becoming a Mav? Cuban asked him last summer to come to the Mavs and join Dirk. That would have been an interesting combo.....

13. Congrats to Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and Shawn Marion. All three are a couple of good guys in the league who finally got their coveted prize. This was and is a complete team and in the end a unit will always beat individuals. The Larry O'Brien Trophy will reside in Dallas for a good while because who knows when the NBA will start again.

So Long Shaq

2011-06-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

Shaq-Diesel Retires

Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement today after 19 years in the NBA. I for one will miss the big guy. Shaq retires with 4 NBA titles, 3 Finals MVP's, and was a 15 time All-Star. In the time after Michael Jordan retired, Shaq was the face of the NBA. He is a gentle giant who's place in NBA history is secure. Now O'Neal has his detractors. People talked about how he didn't have a shot, a go to move, and all he could do was dunk. A lot of that was true early on but none of that bothered me. What I marvelled at was Shaq pure athleticism at his size, 7'1 and 320 (in his early years. I had never seen a guy with that size and pure brute strength, be so agile on the court. Shaq could block a shot or grab a rebound and start the fastbreak like a guard. He loved to run the floor as if he was a small forward or shooting guard. And yes the finish at the rim was a dunk and it always would leave the whole backboard shaking. I remember taping his first national game on NBC and he caught a lob from Penny Hardaway and dunked so hard that the entire backboard and rim came down. The game was delayed because Shaq broke it on the first play of the game. Shaq was the closest thing to Samson in sports to me and my friends.

When Shaq put his mind to it and worked hard he improved his game and became one of the most dominant to play the game. But that was thing with Shaq that bothered most people, he didn't always show that desire and hustle. There was the issues with him being a horrible free throw shooter and his coaches not having him on the floor. The constant weight gains in the offseason, the distractions off the floor with movies and rap albums, and the bickering with Kobe. I think one of his defining moments in his career will be his time in Miami, where he set out to help elevate Dwyane Wade status as a champion and started his descent as a role player. Shaq knew his time was ending when he left Miami and tried in Phoenix and in Cleveland to duplicate the Laker and Miami magic, but in the end father time is undefeated. Samson finally met his Delilah.

Shaq, thank you for the memorable dunks, nicknames and classic press conferences. Most of all thank you for being a gentle giant who cared about from coast to coast You have touched the lives of many young people and provided joy to those watching you on the court. History will remember you as an all-time great, who kept the NBA relevant post Jordan. You are definitely on the Mt. Rushmore of centers because I don;t believe we will ever see a guy with the size, speed and strength of the NBA's Superman.

NBA Finals Observations

2011-05-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

1. The match-up of coaching will put the experience of Rick Carlisle versus the new gut Eric Spolestra. What you will see with the Mavs is that 95% of the time they will score when coming out of a timeout. This gives them a decided advantage because Carlisle is a fantastic X and O guy. Spoelstra has kept the heat together but has had trouble drawing up plays. The Heat's favorite play is an isolation with either Wade or James. It won't work all the time.
2. Pippen saying LeBron will be greater than Jordan is crazy. Pippen's logic comes from seeing how well LeBron is playing on the defensive end. I guess he forgot that Jordan won Defensive player of the year and was runner-up twice. Scottie forgot who got him six rings and got him in the top 50 players of all-time. Never bite the hand that feeds you.

3. Can we stop with Dirk and Larry Bird comparisons!!! Dirk is not a top ten player in NBA history. He is not the rebounder nor the passer that Larry legend was. Dirk is a great shooter and having a terrific playoff run but he does not compare to Larry.
4. Watch in the Finals the amount of former teammates that are playing each other. Starting with Mike Bibby and Peja. They had a terrific run together in Sacramento.
5. D-Wade and Shawn Marion played on the Heat together. They actually traded Marion to help clear cap space to get James and Bosh.
6. Here is another dynamic to watch as LeBron James will be guarded sometimes by DeShawn Stevenson and these two do not like each other. When Stevenson payed with the Wizards he would routinely call LeBron a fraud and actually started a feud with Jay-Z and LeBron. Bron will want to torch him and Stevenson can easily get persuaded into shooting his team out of a game.
7. Where have you gone Mike Bibby? Bibby used to hit big shots and was a play maker on the Kings and Hawks. He looks really lost with the Heat and his shot is way off. For the Heat to win, Mike needs to find his stroke. Its like he is lacking confidence. I know not having the ball in his hands takes a little bit away from his game but his is missing wide open three's which he used to never miss.
8. My cousin Sterling pointed out something to me about good players conserve their energy until the 4th quarter and then make a run. Just notice how the Heat like to keep the game close, for instance to within 5-7 points and wait for the 4th when the other team is tired and then close the game with fresh players. They did it to the Bulls twice in the Eastern Conf. Finals. The Mavs also took advantage of the Thunder in the same fashion. Cagey vets understand how to conserve their energy.
9. Bench play will decide this series ultimately. I believe the Mavs will win if they get big games from Barea and Stojokavic and Terry. The heat have to minimize the damage these three players in the series. The one problem facing the Mavs is they like to play up tempo and if the Big 3 get in the open court they are tough to stop, especially with the way the have been defending. The Heat will need big points from Miller and Haslem to offset the points the Dallas bench gets.
10. I believe everyone had this thought when watching the heat roll through the East" "Dwight Howard is not staying In Orlando and Chris Paul is leaving New Orleans." The Heat are and will only get better. Yes the Bulls are young but they are missing some parts. Howard and Paul will team up together and try to win a championship. New Jersey or Los Angeles will be possible destinations. Also, the Bulls will try to trade some parts to get Rose some help. Eric Gordon, one of Rose's best friends, who is on the Clippers is a possibility. There are going to be more super teams which will bring in viewers but hurt the rest of the league.

NBA Final Four Observations

2011-05-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

1. I doubt Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant will be teammates in OKC long term. Westbrook sees himself as a superstar and seems to have a problem sharing the ball. It reminds me of Stephon Marbury and Kevin Garnett. Starburry couldn't handle seeing all the success of Garnett and thus that team was broken up.

2. The Dallas Mavericks are my pick to win the title. Dirk is playing at a different level.

3. If Udonis Haslem gives the Heat at least 10 points and 8 boards off the bench, then they will advance as well. With Haslem contributing it makes the Heat more dangerous. He is the heart and soul of the Miami Heat.

4. Luol Deng is very underrated and under appreciated. He is truly D-

Rose's "Scottie Pippen".

5. Magic Johnson is a Hall of Fame basketball player player but he is nearly unbearable to listen to at halftime of basketball games. Magic does not have a smooth delivery when speaking. Its awful to listen.

6. We used to call Jason Kidd, Ason Kidd because he had no "J". Now he's found a jumper and is schooling the younger Westbrook.

7. Besides Ray Allen, Peja has a beautiful jump shot.

8. Speaking of Peja, its good to see he is back contributing at a high level. When he is on, he is a deadly shooter. The guy once made 48 straight 3 point shots.

9. Rick Carlisle has changed the Dallas Mavericks to a tougher, more defensive -minded team. He deserves a lot of credit. Carlisle got the short end in Detroit and Indiana, especially after the brawl. He is an excellent coach and a fantastic hire by Mark Cuban.

10. Tyson Chandler is the anchor in the middle that the Mavs needs and the Heat wish they had. All he does is play solid defense and rebound and add toughness which the Mavs desperately needed. The Heat will have to address that in the future. They need a young athletic big man.

11. Carlos Boozer faded away in Game 2. I know part of him is still fuming that Wade and James did not want him in South Beach.

12. Will the real Chris Bosh please stand up? I think playing with the Heat has exposed Bosh's play. He was a star in Toronto but couldn't lead them to the playoffs consistently. I'm starting to see how he fades away as the games get bigger and the competition gets stiffer. Bosh needs to relax and demand the ball a little more. No one is asking him to be a 20-10 guy anymore. How about just being a 15-10 guy, and play big like you are.

Thanks for reading and comments are appreciated...

Bernard Hopkins Has A Lot To Learn

2011-05-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

Bernard Hopkins shots at Donovan McNabb were unwarranted and uncalled for and in the end he shows how much he needs to learn, even though he is in his mid 40's.

Hopkins said that McNabb isn't "black enough" or tough enough. For years black people have said that about other blacks when they are educated and have money. If Hopkins had any sense at all instead of denigrating McNabb, he would actually praise him for his professionalism and the way he carries himself.

In the "cool" black culture, its okay for you to use slang, wear your pants down to your ankles and smoke weed and drink all night. Its not okay to go to college, use correct grammar and try to break a cycle that has plagued a race for many years. That perception that having a rap sheet is better than having a college degree is mind-boggling to me.

Hopkins really doesn't understand what it means to say that about another professional. Hopkins goes on to say that McNabb lacks toughness because of his so-called privileged childhood. I guess Grant Hill and Kobe Bryant aren't tough either because their families were well off too. Yes life on the streets can make you tough, but also what your parents instill in your can make you tough. Life in general is hard and if you learn at an early age (whether you have money or not) that you have to work to be the best and nothing is handed to you, then you will become a better person.

Bernard needs to look into Donovan's past and see that when his family moved into their first house in Chicago, someone from the neighborhood broke into the house and spray painted the "N-word" in the living room. But that's not tough enough to Mr. Hopkins. I guess you can only be tough and black enough by going to jail for felonies. Going to school three to four years and playing two-sports, is not tough to Bernard. (BTW-McNabb played both basketball and football in college.)

This conversation is usually had by other black people and is normally kept hidden from other races. I have dealt with this my entire life. I still have family members that associate me and my sister as the "ones who talk white." I don't really get why "keeping it real" requires one not being able to assimilate with all cultures. In Hopkins world, if you side with management and wear a suit, then you are a sellout. Great message to all the young people you supposedly help.

As a father, there are not many athletes that you want your children to be like these days. Guys being in the news for shootings, DUI, drugs and other outrageous things, you crave guys that stand out for good morals and principles; someone that your child can hang up their poster and you can say to him or her, this guy or girl did things the right way. Donovan is one those guys that I would allow a poster of his to be in my home.

McNabb is the ultimate professional and carries himself with a lot of dignity and class. He doesn't have to run the streets to be considered down; he's become what the majority of black people want to be and want their children to be--that is both successful in his career and personally. Not like Hopkins, who feels it is better to tear down than and destroy than to uplift. Once he learns that, then maybe Bernard can open his mouth again.

NBA Observations

2011-05-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

Some Observations From The NBA:

1. The Lakers implosion has been well chronicled...but would about celebrating the Mavericks instead?
2. A year and a half ago I had a blurb in this post NBA Is Fantastic talking about how Dirk was the most ungauardable guy in the league. I was ridiculed, mocked and laughed at by friends and other readers. Who's laughing now!!!??:) I'm not crazy but its impossible to guard a 7-footer who shoots like a guard and can post like a forward or center. I only get credit now because Charles Barkley has now said the same thing.

3. Mainstream media has no clue on how to cover the Memphis Grizzlies because they didn't take the time to pay attention to them. I heard a national guy say that Grizzlies barely made the playoffs. Memphis record 46-36 and they were 3 games clear of 9th place team.
4. Does Russell Westbrook realize the Grizzlies and the rest of the league want him to shoot jumpers and not give the ball to Kevin Durant?
5.Have you ever seen a team sellout so hard on the defensive as the Grizzlies? They play so hard and make the offense team work so hard that when the 4th quarter the Thunder are so exhausted that they can't make shots. Talk about buying into what their coach is saying.
6. Glad to see Kobe's classlessness has rubbed off on his teammates. Two ejections, one by Bynum by knocking down the smallest player on the court.
7. I told my cousin Sterling and his friend Mookie two months ago, the most dangerous team in the league was the Memphis Grizzlies. I know they thought I was crazy but if you saw the Grizz in person then you would understand why I made that statement.
8. The Bulls won't win because they need Derrick Rose to score and facilitate all the points for his teams to win. Reminds me of the Bulls with Jordan, before Pippen came.
9. Speaking of the Bulls, is there a more overrated and overpaid player in the league than Carlos Boozer? Step up and earn your money Carlos! Quit being afraid in the post and start helping out.
10. When will Kevin Durant step up and take over the Thunder? Russell Westbrook has read his press clippings and is dominating the ball. Westbrook has a case of dribble flu. Where he dribbles and dribbles and dribbles and then shoots. Not smart basketball, especially in the playoffs. 11. Miami is playing the way that I thought they would at the right time of year. Most of the credit for their postseason success has to go to Joel Anthony. He is making all the hustle plays.
12. How frustrating it must be to a Hawks fan. To know your team will always be a middle level never to be a real contender.

Thanks for reading....

Double Standards In Sports

2011-05-02T17:43:00.000-07:00

So I'm listening to sports talk radio (which I try not to because there is too much yelling)and a host of ESPN was just trashing the people of Memphis for cheering for Zach Randolph and the Grizzlies. Full disclosure: I was born and raised in St. Louis but now I reside in Memphis and have been a Grizzlies season ticket holder for the last 4 years. One of the interesting things about these playoffs is that now from the national media has any clue about this team, how they play and who their players are but they are quick to judge the character of people when its convenient because a happy story is just too much to handle. I'm not here to defend Zach Randolph, or any players that do knuckle headed things. However, if you have not followed this team or Zach closely since he has been in Memphis has no clue about how much he has matured and tried to make himself a better person beside player. I was talking to a friend who was shocked to hear how much Randolph has done in the Memphis community. He has given of his time and money to make a downtrodden city a better place. Sure the road hasn't been smooth for Randolph but he knew Memphis was his last chance to stick in the league and he has turned his life around so far. I just find it interesting that a media would praise and laugh at Charlie Seen self-destruction but try to find ways to tear down a guy who paid for 12 families electricity and heat during the winter. I was always taught if you don;t have anything nice to say don;t say anything at all. Some of the talking heads out there need to take that advice. The Grizzlies story is one that is great for sports. No one expects this team to win the championship. I barely had them making the second round. One thing I will say is this story is something that should be celebrated because Memphis is a fantastic basketball town and deserves to see good basketball being played. So to the Grizzlies and Zach Randolph keep making believers out of everyone that doubts you and know that there is one more fan out there that "Believes!!"

Butler Missed Its Lottery Pick

2011-04-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

"We knew our team was young so we decided to concentrate on the defensive end, in order to hide our youth."-Jim Calhoun UConn is the national champs and won an ugly national championship game. I've always heard stories about Danny Manning and the Miracles and their run in 1988 and this year watching the Huskies play is probably the closest reincarnation of that year. Walker took a very young team and with Jim Calhoun's guidance won UConn third national championship in thirteen years. What Calhoun did with this team was had his very young squad completely sell-out at the defensive end, while Kemba made his teammates better on the offensive end. Butler coach Brad Stevens said that in the past two years, this UConn team was the best defensive team that Butler had played. Think about that, considering Butler played Duke, Pittsburgh, and Florida just to name a few great teams.

Watching the horrendous shooting performance by the Bulldogs on Monday night, I immediately thought of one thing while they were in their drought. For the first time all season Butler missed their lone lottery pick, Gordon Heyward, who was drafted by the Jazz. When they struggled to score in previous years, Heyward could always bail them out and the majority of the time that could and would jump start their offense. Monday night they were missing that one guy who could create shots not only for himself but for his teammates as well. When UConn needed a bucket they turned to Kemba, a guy who will be playing in the NBA next season (if there is a season). Butler had survived the tournament by ball movement and and each game they had a different guy step up and lead them. The Butler way is described beautifully by Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports.You just feel bad for Butler because that was the worse game I have seen them play in the last three years.

Final Four

2011-03-31T19:02:00.000-07:00

This years tournament has been better than advertised. Double digits seeds upset the major conferences teams and the best was yet to come. For the first time in the history of the tournament there are no No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the Final Four. What we have is two mid-majors in VCU and Butler and two national powers in UConn and Kentucky. The amazing part is VCU was literally the last team to be entered into the tournament and they have beaten every team from the BCS conferences with only the SEC left, is the most amazing story. VCU got slammed for getting into the tournament, and rightfully so, but their run and toppling of the Big Boy schools is nothing short of remarkable. Consider this, the Rams have won their five games by an average of 12 points a game, with their closet being against Florida St. in the Sweet Sixteen. If VCU goes on and wins, I could totally see Hollywood coming in and making a movie about this.

Butler on the other hand has changed from a Cinderella into a national power. Think about this, Butler was 6-5 in the Horizon League in mid February and hasn't lost since. They have won all their games by a margin of 3 points a game. Gordon Heyward, widely considered the Bulldogs best player, was drafted 9Th overall in the NBA, and everyone figured the Bulldogs could win a game or two but not go back to the Final Four. Butler has not only proved that it can beat the BCS schools but now they are the Kings of the mid-majors but they have also dropped the Cinderella label because they are consistent. For all the talk about how strong the Gonzaga program is, the Zags have never made a Final Four. Butler on the other hand has made two. You may not like their style of play, which is gritty, tough and hard on the defensive end with ball movement on the offensive end, They truly do play like the team from the movie "Hoosiers",fundamentally sound which makes them tough to beat.

UConn has been on a mission since the beginning of the month. All this team has done is win 9 games in 19 days. Kemba Walker has led a young team to the Final Four. Not too many people thought the UConn would have the legs left to make it to the Final Four, but this team has proved all the naysayers wrong. Overlooked in the run has been the play of Jeremy Lamb. Lamb is a name people should remember because outside of Walker, he is the best pro prospect on the UConn team. Jim Calhoun has said that for his team to be successful they need Lamb to score along with Kemba. UConn beat Kentucky in Maui earlier this year but this is a different Wildcat team.
This Kentucky squad is not as talented as last year's team which had five first rounders. The biggest difference between this years version of super freshmen and last years is this, these guys listen to their coach. Calipari says last years team with Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe just relied on their talents and not on their coaches instructions. These Baby Cats not only are talented but they are coachable. And being open to coaching and committing to the defensive end has helped this young team reach the Final Four.

Mizzou Thoughts: I wouldn't be surprised if Mizzou AD Mike Alden was replaced. This year Mizzou was thought to be moving to the Big Ten and got shafted by Nebraska. Then Mike Anderson told everyone he wanted to be a Tiger for life only to leave 72 hours later for Arkansas. Next Matt Painter, Purdue coach, flirted with the job only to get more money from his Alma mater. All this was just this year under Alden. You have to take into consideration the Quin Snyder debacle. Alden has upgraded the facilities but has allowed his coaches to flirt with other schools and has not fostered good relationships with them. There is no reason that the Tigers program, which is nestled between two major cities should be treated as a second rate job. Eventually Alden will have to answer for his missteps, sooner rather than later.

Good Guy Of The Week

2011-03-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

Its March and nothing says March more than an interview with one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Larry Bird recently did an interview with Dan Patrick and it was classic. In my mind there has never been a greater shooter than Larry Legend and you will see he is not lacking confidence. One of the greatest tournament runs in NCAA history was when Larry led Indiana St. to the Finals against Magic Johnson and and the Michigan St. Spartans. I highly recommend reading Seth Davis's book "When March Went Mad", if you love college basketball and hearing about Larry and Magic's views on each other. Hope you enjoy the in interview as much as I did.

Larry Bird Interview

Pittsburgh Basketball Is Like Ohio St. Football

2011-03-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

Pitt Not Sweet Enough

When you ask most die-hard Ohio St. fans they will complain about how Tressel and his staff only recruit players just to win the Big Ten and not compete nationally. I have stated that many times as well when it talking about Buckeye football. The comparison can easily be made when it comes to Pittsburgh basketball. Pitt basketball is strictly built to win the Big East and not to win the NCAA tournament. Each year Pitt is ranked in the top ten and the last few years they have gotten a 1,2 or 3 seed only to be upset by a lower seed who is more balanced than them. Every Pitt team is built the same way. Stifling defense, rugged play and a few shooters. That style works in the rough and tumble Big East but it doesn't translate nationally where in a weekly two day tournament, they are easily exposed. I should have prefaced all this by saying that Butler played a spectacular game and their win should not be slighted. But in the end Pitt's lack of talent on a national level hurt them. All Butler did was have one of their guards have a career day and the rest of the guys hit their regular numbers. Pitt's lack of scoring punch as well as tight refereeing, always seems to doom the Panthers in the end. All that said, that last 9 seconds was unbelievable. Never seen an ending like that in all my many years of watching college basketball. If you are Pitt fan all I can say is the same thing I tell my Buckeye friends, Enjoy your confrence titles because natinal championships are not in your future.

March Madness Teams and Tips

2011-03-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

Here is the conference breakdown of teams to watch and to stay away from as you make your pick:

Big East
Teams to watch: UConn (Kemba Walker could be player of the year. They played well early, slumped in the middle and now are coming on strong.) Louisville (might Pitino's best coaching job in a while) Syracuse (a closer in the making in Scoop Jardine) Pitt (can score a little better but I'm not fully sold on them) St. Johns (10 seniors and Lavin can coach them up)
Team to stay away from: Notre Dame (although they have a lot of seniors, they were atrocious on the road. They will get to sweet 16 but I doubt any farther) Villanova (they collapsed at the end of the season) Georgetown, (lost their starting point guard) Cincy, Marquette and West Virginia.

Big Ten
Teams to watch: Ohio State (the most complete team in the country) Wisconsin (love the senior leadership and they have a closer in PG Jordan Taylor) Purdue (two studs in E'twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, sleeper Final Four pick) Michigan St. (looked dead in the water but Izzo has got them righted and they always perform well in March)
Teams to stay away from: Michigan, Illinois, and Penn St.

Big 12
Teams to watch: Texas (playing awful the last couple of weeks) Texas A&M(senior leadership) Kansas (although they are here, just know the Jayhawks play when they want to and in the end will get beat by a team that they would normally crush. Plus they have issues at the PG position) Kansas St. (got hot at the right time and has a superior player in Jacob Pullen
Teams to stay away from: Mizzou (horrible on the road, do not play with any urgency)

ACC
Teams to watch: North Carolina (started slowly and now they are coming on like gangbusters) Duke (will get to the Sweet 16 but not any farther. Very perimeter oriented)
Teams to stay away from: Clemson, Florida St.

SEC
Teams to watch: Vanderbilt (great shooters and good inside game) Florida ( a stud in Chandler Parsons, who is a matchup nightmare and Donovan can coach) Kentucky (although they are young very talented plus Calipari knows how to get the best out of his players)
Teams to stay away from: Georgia

Pac-10
Teams to watch: Arizona (honestly only reason I'm picking them is there staring guard has the same name as me. Derrick Williams is good but this team is young and the conference is bad). Washington (They can flat out score and they play up tempo. Have a star and closer in Isiah Thomas, no relation to the other Thomas)
Teams to stay away from: UCLA, USC

Best Of The Rest (Teams that can win a game or two)

Belmont(they play 11 guys and can score and score and score), Oakland(senior-laden and not afraid to play anyone, beat Tennessee in Knoxville), ODU (seniors), George Mason, Utah State(great inside-outside combination, experienced players and coach)

Mid-Majors Who Could Make The Final Four (This years Butler Bulldogs)

BYU(If you haven't seen Jimmer play, trust me he is as good as advertised), San Diego St.(Kawhi Leonard is a terrific basketball player and the Aztecs are really solid)

This year college basketball has a lot of parity. If the NCAA tournament is 3/4 as exciting as the conference tourney's have been then we are in store for another wild and memorable March.

March Madness Changes And Bracket Challenge

2011-03-12T13:04:00.000-08:00

If you know me then you know that I think the greatest postseason we have is the NCAA Men's basketball tournament. Upsets, Cinderella's, great stories and pure excitement. The best postseason in all of sports. This year I am going to give a conference breakdown of teams to watch and teams to stay away from as you make your picks. Also, I'll provide insight on teams that are lesser known that could make a sweet 16 or Elite 8 run (the key word is could:). First up is a slight change that I don't know if a lot of people are aware of. The tournament actually starts on Tuesday and there is no play-in game. The field is now 68, no longer 64. The Tuesday and Wednesday games will feature the four teams who are the last four to get in. For instance, Michigan St could be matched against Boston College and Alabama could face UTEP. All the games will not be on CBS. If you have satellite of cable, you will be able to go to a game you want to watch, not just stick with the game in your region. TruTV, TNT, TBS and CBS will each have their games as well as studio shows. You have NBA guys calling the game like Reggie Miller, Steve Kerr, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley. This is a format I am looking forward to because I hated waiting until the station switched to the exciting game or upset in the making. This new format gives the viewer the control on where to watch. You can also watch the tourney online for free at March Madness On Demand (very good if you have to work).

As I stated this is the second year of my bracket challenge that is serviced through USA Today. The league name is Momo's Tourney Mania and password is tourney. I welcome everyone to sign up.

My conference breakdown will be tomorrow after the brackets are released.

Thanks for reading....

There Is No Crying In Basketball

2011-03-08T18:08:00.000-08:00

Heat Melting

The Miami Heat have lost 5 in a row and the NBA world is loving it. Opposing players are calling the Heat soft for crying after their loss on Sunday to the Bulls. Wade and James looked dejected at the post game press conferences. What happening with this team is simple. The best closer on the team is not getting the ball. LeBron James is taking the final shots and its hurting the team. I have always said the second best closer in the league behind Kobe Bryant. D-Wade is not being used correctly and is the one making the biggest sacrifice as noted by Yahoo Sports. The unquestioned leader of the Miami Heat should be and is Dwyane Wade. Wade is deferring to LeBron in late game situations. Erik Spoelstra is designing plays to get LeBron looks and not Wade. Everyone is forgetting who has the championship, the Finals MVP, and the pedigree at the end of games. All signs point to D-Wade taking charge and righting the ship. We will see if the right guy closes the game in the future.

Later this week I'll post the link to my March Madness page as well as who to pick and who to stay away from.

Who's The Villian Now? Carmelo or LeBron

2011-02-22T14:19:00.000-08:00

"I Tip My Hat Off To Myself For Not Getting Distracted With All The Trade Talk"-Carmelo Anthony

A little history about the trade that went down before I get to my take on it. Almost three years ago, when the Olympic team was in Beijing, Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony all were up to sign long term extensions. Three of them decided to sign together and do short term deals with their current teams so that could be possible. They asked Carmelo to do the same but he decided not to because he wanted to bring a championship to Denver. Melo built a lot of good will in the Mile High City.

Fast forward to last summer to Carmelo's wedding, after everyone watched LeBron and company team up in Miami, Chris Paul made a toast at Carmelo and Lala's wedding stating that he, Carmelo and Amare' should go to the Knicks. And thus that was the beginning of the end of Carmelo in Denver.

I don't understand why the Nuggets gave Carmelo to the Knicks. It doesn't make any sense and here is why. The new collective bargaining agreement would have given the Nuggets better option than dealing him for parts and pieces that you may or may not keep. The new CBA would have either given the Nuggets the franchise tag or made it so difficult for Carmelo to leave as a free agent. I would have called his bluff and see if he wanted to leave millions of dollars on the table. Carmelo would have lost money if he really wanted to go to the Knicks and the Nuggets did him a favor. Denver will never be able to replace Carmelo and his talents. It is tough to find such a scorer, who demands double teams. Those guys are once in a lifetime talents. Just ask Cleveland.

So the Knicks got him, now what? They will be ok but as far as championships, I just don't see it. Carmelo is a great scorer, no doubt about that and paired with Amare' they will be tough to beat in the regular season. With D'Antonio offensive genius, the Knicks will fill it up on the offensive end but defense is where they will struggle and that has been the knock on all of D'Antoni's team. If you look at the top teams that win championships in the NBA that had dynamic duos and trio's all of them were in the top five of defense. Magic and Kareem, Larry,Mchale, and Parish, Michael and Scottie, Kobe and Shaq, Tim and all the parts around him, all those mentions were in at the top or near the top in all the major defensive categories. No one has ever accused Carmelo and Amare' of being great defenders and that is the problem with this deal. Now with that said Carmelo and Billups did get the Nuggets to the Western Conference finals two years ago but when they needed to get a defensive rebound or multiple stops on a possession, they couldn't get it done.

As far as the super teams being formed, I think those days are over. The new CBA will try really hard to clamp down on players dictating where they can go. This dictating and holding teams hostage is not good for fans pr the league. Major cities cannot continue to monopolize the best talents because the smaller owners will either dump their franchise or collapse under the weight of a tough economy. By the way, I highly doubt that either Chris Paul or Deron Williams will find their way to New York. I'm not saying they stay with their current teams but the Knicks will not be able to afford either guy when the new CBA comes.

Lebron did not hold the Cavs hostage or demand a trade from Cleveland. LeBron waited until he was a free agent. Like it or not what Camelo did was worse. He did not fulfill his contract and made it so that he was becoming a distraction to his team. The fans in Denver were booing him and rightfully so because he gave them his word and now its worthless. You may have not liked LeBron's decision but he did not lie to the fanbase. Now the NBA has another villain to boo. Carmelo, the one who tips his hat to himself.

NFL CBA and a Possible Fix

2011-02-17T18:14:00.000-08:00

Some Goodell Insight

Roger Goodell is facing a potential lockout for the first time as commissioner of the NFL. The last time there was a work stoppage was in 1987. Goodell has had some experience in this situation before. Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback gives you a little insight on the commish and how potentially the negotiations with the players union will go.

Also here is a possible fix to the labor strife that could hurt the season going forward by Dan Patrick. The league wants 18 games, and the players don't want that. I agree with the players on that because you can't trumpet player safety and then add more games. So Dan's suggestion is this: 1. Add two more playoff teams which I am for. In this scenario the Chargers and Raiders would have made it in the AFC, while the Bucs and Giants in the NFC. Also he would add a second bye week that way players can get healthier and the season is stretched to 23 weeks. The TV execs win because of the programming and advertising. The owners win because of extra revenue generated by the playoffs and the players win because they do not get the extra wear and tear. Also, Dan would cut the preseason down to two games instead of four.

Now the only problem I have with Dan's proposal is that with the 16 game playoff, everyone plays the first weekend. I still say that getting the best record deserves a bye so I would still leave the top team with a bye and the rest and make everyone else duke it out. Also, I think the preseason game prices should be cut in half and instead of two games, it should be three. Other than that Dan's proposal makes sense. Even former Colts coach Tony Dungy said it does, and he said since it does make sense then it won't be considered.

Thanks for reading...

What's All The Fuss About Being No.1?

2011-02-16T17:35:00.000-08:00

No.1 in College Basketball Doesn't Matter

This past weekend the Ohio St. Buckeyes lost to the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, ending their undefeated season. All the talk on Saturday and Sunday was who would be the new number 1. Would it be Kansas or Texas or maybe even Pitt. I'm here to say that in college basketball being ranked no.1 really doesn't matter. March Madness sorts out who is the best team and that is totally fine by me.

Just to give you some perspective on how the number one ranking in the polls you can look at last years Final Four teams. Duke, West Virginia, Michigan St. and Butler were ranked from 6th to 13th and they were the last four standing. For most of the year, these teams were playing the best. That's why the rankings and polls really does not matter. The only benefit the rankings provide is seeding.

The rankings give people something to talk about and bragging rights from week to week. They also give a good gauge on who is improving throughout the year. What you really want to look at to determine who is hot going into March Madness is by who played the best in their conference tournament and their last 5 regular season games.

The month of Febraury will seperate the contenders from the pretenders. The rankings don't reflect a teams determination, discipline and defense. These are the areas that reflect how good a team really is. Not a ranking in a paper.

Good Guys Of The Week

2011-02-11T17:05:00.000-08:00

A Great Coach Says Goodbye and a Great Shooter Breaks a Record

Jerry Sloan

I was actually really sad to hear that Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan resigned suddenly late yesterday afternoon. Sloan has been the Utah coach since 1988, the longest tenured coach in all professional sports. Sloan was revered by his peers and the players he coached as well as multiple players around the league. The word that kept coming up from all the former players was sadness and that the NBA was losing an icon. This is the coach that brought us Stockton and Malone and made the Utah Jazz into an institution. There were some reports that current Jazz guard Deron Williams had a disagreement with Sloan and that made him resign abruptly in the middle of the season. Hopefully none of those things are true because Williams is one of the better point guards in the league and that would tarnish his career. But more on Sloan, in his time in Salt Lake there have been more than 150 coaching changes in the NBA. Basically every team in the NBA changed coaches on average about three times and he still was coaching. He ran the same offense UCLA cutting style offense and bruising defense for over 23 years. He coached Utah to back to back NBA Final appearances, unfortunately the Jazz ran into Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Sadly, Sloan never won coach of the year. The Jazz were consistently in the playoffs and perennial contenders for a while but Sloan never got the respect from the writers. Sloan was never the type to blow his own horn but he deserved more. The NBA loss more than a Hall of Famer on Thursday afternoon. They lost an icon the likes that will never be seen again.

Ray Allen

Ray Allen broke the all-time 3-point shots made record that was held by Reggie Miller. Allen has made 2,561 three pointers which broke the record that Miller held for 13 years. That record will never be broken again. The reason why is guys have to have three things: health, longevity, and a beautiful jumper. Ray has been blessed with all three of those things. I mean, this guy had a movie based off of how well he shoots the ball (He Got Game, for those who didn't know). Ray is not the scorer Kobe or Michael or even Larry Bird was but what he has brought to the game is the art of shooting. Watching Ray shoot is a thing of beauty. Ray holds numerous three point records for single season, most in a half, playoff games and etc. Allen has always played the game the right way and with class, which is appreciated in today's society. You will never see another shooter as graceful and as pure as Allen because shooting has become a lost art.

5th Quarter (Super Bowl Edition)

2011-02-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

Some thoughts from the Super Bowl:

1. When Mike McCarthy took over the Packers six years ago he had to address the fact that when he was the offensive cooridinator of the 49ers he chose Alex Smith over Rodgers. this is how the conversation went in his first meeting with Rodgers: "I didn't pick, now get over it!" I'm pretty sure Rodgers did.

2. Did anyone else notcie Christina Aguleria brutalized the National Anthem?

3. Aaron Rodgers was on FIRE for the playoffs!! Steve Young believes when all the stats are counted it was the greatest postseason run ever. That's saying something.

4. Neither defenses were not all that great. The packers defense were more opportunistic than the Steelers.
5. He will never let on but Troy Polamula had to be hurt. He did not look like himself. He was a step or two slower than normal.
6. Before Rashard Mendenhall fumbled the ball, he was on his way to being named the Super Bowl MVP. The Packers had no answer for him.

7. That was a great play by Clay Matthews on stripping the ball and finishing the play.

8. Why in the world are people blasting the Black Eyes Peas performnce? That was inovative, energetic with tons of surprises. it showed the versatility as artist, as well. Well done and I hope the NFL continues to use younger mor relevant performers (besides Justin Bieber).

9.I feel bad for Mike Tomlin. I would love to play for him. Tomlin is a classy guy who offered up no excuses on why his team loss.
10. Before we call the Packers a "Dynasty", can they at least win two championships?

11. Thought most of the commercials were pretty lame. My best were the Doritos licking the finger and the VW Darth Vader kid.

Congrats to the Green Bay Packers and all their fans on a tremendous and magical season. Let's just hope there is football in September.

Basketball post start later this week. Thanks for reading.

5 Who Should Be In The Pro Football Hall of Fame

2011-02-05T12:19:00.000-08:00

My Top 5 Who Should Get In Today

My apologies about the hiatus but I am back and ready to roll. Tonight the Pro Football Hall of Fame will announce their newest inductees. Of course, most of the players will get in at some point, but I have my 5 who should be locks today:

1. Deion Sanders: He is and was the definition of a lockdown corner. Quarterbacks would not even throw to his side of the field. And if they did most of the time he would pick it and return it for a touchdown. Also was there a more dangerous punt returner of kickoff guy? Today's players still pay homage to Neon Deion by high stepping with their hands on the heads on their way to the end zone. Primetime should get in this summer because he redefined the defensive backfield.

2. Marshall Faulk: He changed the game from a standpoint of he never left the field on 3rd down. Most runningbacks only ran the ball, catching it was for the change pf pace guy. Faulk was deadly running the ball as well as passing it. His teammates and coaches all say he was the smartest player they have ever played with. Marshall Faulk changed the game and how coaches looked at running backs. He redefined the position.

3. Cris Carter: "All he does is catch touchdowns", is saying that was used to describe Cris Carter. Jerry Rice said of Carter" He had the second best set of hands in the league." Carter put up big numbers on mediocre Viking teams. When he got Randy Moss as a teammate, he became even more explosive. Carter had great body control and always knew where the end zone was. Cris is 8th in touchdowns and 3rd in receptions. Truly one of the greats of his generation.

4. Ed Sabol: Sabol changed how we view football. One of the things I looked forward to as a kid in the summer was watching the recap of the season that was on NFL Films. What Sabol did was bring us closer to the games by letting hear what was being said in the huddle or on the sideline. The Football Follies made us laugh and by using home movies of players we were able to see a different side. The whole reason why the NFL Network and Directv Sunday Ticket existence is because of the Sabol family. He deserves the call to the hall.

5. Charles Haley and Shannon Sharpe: I know its two different people but they both should be in. Haley because over an 8 year stretch there not a more dominating defensive end in the league. Teams would game plan on way to shut him down. He won 5 Super Bowls and that is enough for me. I loved him when he was a Niner and despised him when he was a Cowboy, but I respected him because he was a winner.

Shannon Sharpe is the greatest tight end ever to play the game. Sharpe has 3 Super Bowl rings and for right now holds most of the receiving records for tight ends. Sharpe never got a lot of credit for his blocking but Terrell Davis, former Bronco running back, loved running behind his blocks. Sharpe has waited long enough.

The End Zone (Championship Edition)

2011-01-21T17:55:00.000-08:00

Here's the Conference Championship Edition of the End Zone!!

1. Did the Ravens lose the game or did the Steelers win it?
KDC: I can’t imagine any playoff team will have a longer off-season than Baltimore, not even New England. Not to take anything away from the Steelers who came out in the second half as if they hadn’t done everything in their power to give this game away, because they played like champs, but . . . How many different ways did Baltimore lose this thing? Two big receivers drop balls to their chests, Flacco threw an awful rookie interception, the play-calling on the last drive was atrocious (a bomb on 2nd-and-10? Really? Why not make 6-8 yards on 2nd down and keep the initiative? Instead, they blew the bomb and the Steelers went into super blitzes for the last 2 downs.), the list goes on.

New England was outplayed. Baltimore wasn’t—they just played like a wild card team and everyone thought they were better than that.

Momo: The Ravens lost that game. So many dropped balls and missed opportunities b the Ravens. I found it interesting that Ravens gave the Rams Mark Clayton, who did get injured, for T.J Housmanzadeh, who dropped a ton of passes, including the critical on the failed final drive. The Ravens cannot blame Flacco for this year’s failure.

2. Jets backed up their talk with a huge win against the Pats. Surprised?
KDC: Shocked actually. New England had won 8 in a row (granted some weren’t all that impressive, but they were still wins), it was at home and usually the guys who mouth off the most don’t live through the game. Not this time. Rex Ryan is a force to be reckoned with.

Plus, Tom Brady was exposed as not quite the instant HOFer he’s been made out to be. Turns out if you can create a 4-man rush on him, he just can’t produce (again). The Giants did it to him in the Super Bowl and the Jets proved it true again. Champions create plays. He didn’t.

Momo: I’m surprised on how the Pats have manhandled the Pats in Foxborough, not surprised that they won. The Pats had receivers that were 5’8 and shorter. That past formula is not going to work today. The Jets were tougher and played harder than the Pats. Belicheck has a problem because his teams last three playoff losses have shown how vulnerable his team really is. Small and soft.

3. Your picks for the Super Bowl are and why:
Green Bay vs. Chicago—
KDC: So the Packers are my team, so I’ve got to pick them. Aaron Rodgers got all the press, but the Packer D is becoming something special. They do everything right, not because they’re all Pro Bowlers, but because they trust each other and rarely blow assignments. Seriously, who’s their defensive MVP—Clay Matthews? Charles Woodson? A. J. Hawk? Tramon Williams? All I’ll say is Chicago is good enough to beat them, but probably won’t. Starks needs to be more impressive than he was against Atlanta to keep Bears defense honest.

Momo: I want to go with the Packers because of how well they are playing on both sides of the ball. The Packers have found somewhat of a running game with Starks in the backfield, and Aaron Rodgers is on fire in the passing game. The one X-factor is Devin Hester. If the Pack kick to him, they will be in trouble. Hester has burned them numerous times. Robbie Gould is a solid kicker in Soldier field. My gut says to go with the Pack because in the end Jay Cutler will probably throw an untimely interception. Packers by 6

New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh—
KDC: As unlikely as it sounds, I’m going to pick the Jets. Frankly, my logic believes it’ll be the Steelers, but the Jets have a wily toughness that can’t be underestimated. The comparisons to the 76 Raiders is apt and accurate. Not sure how they’ll do it, but I think they will.

Momo: This game is a pure pick’em. All the love these two teams are showing each other is ridiculous. I know there is mutual respect but at least pick some of the trash talking up. The Jets barely escaped the Steelers a few weeks ago. I don’t think they can go into Pittsburgh and beat them twice. Polamula is back as well as Heath Miller. I think the Jets used up all their emotion the past two weeks. Plus I don’t trust the Jets kicker, Nick Folk in the swirling winds of Heinz field. Special teams will play a big role in both of these games. Steelers by 3.

No One Is Perfect

2011-01-18T12:38:00.000-08:00

Aaron Rodgers has been catching a lot of heat for his apparent snub of a cancer patient over the weekend. The video that was posted on Sunday shows Rodgers walking past a woman, in pink who is a cancer survivor, and not signing her hat that she is holding. Mike Florio of Profootballtalk.com has been hammering Rodgers, and basically assassinating his character over this mishap. Florio is entitled to his opinion but I think that saying Rodgers is not appreciative of the fans is just wrong without knowing the whole story. By all accounts, Rodgers has done a lot of work with cancer patients in the past in Wisconsin and has received numerous praise for the work he has done with children in this area. The video is damaging but Rodgers offers his explanation of what transpired with Dan Patrick this morning. To his credit he owned up to it and I believe it was an honest mistake. How many times are we walking, sitting, or talking to someone else and not notice everything in our surroundings? To unfairly judge Rodgers and jump to conclusions before knowing the whole story is shoddy reporting. Aaron Rodgers has done nothing to bring a black eye to the league unlike Roethlisberger or Vick. Rodgers was trying to catch a plane and who has not been in a hurry to catch a plane and is rushing to get to the gate? I have done that and Lord knows I don't have to sign any autographs. The cancer survivor has stated that Aaron has signed things for her before and she does not want people to keep coming after him after the Saturday incident. Its true some guys can be jerks to fans and not sign, this is a case where more information was needed before people started rushing to judgement on one of the few good guys in sports.

The End Zone (Divisional Playoff Edition)

2011-01-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

1. Your picks for the weekend are and why.

Seattle v. Bears
KDC:The Bears are vulnerable, but underrated. If they lose to Seattle, at home, they’re a punchline for another year of jokes. I just don’t see the defense and special teams allowing that to happen. I see this as an ugly, low-scoring affair, even if Seattle QB Hasselback is red hot again.
Momo: I’m taking the Bears because Pete Carroll said he is going to kick to Devin Hester. Hester is going to flip the field and provide the Bears with great field position. The Seahawks magic ends this weekend.

Baltimore v. Pittsburgh

KDC: Do either of these teams deserve to lose? What a great rivalry! Pittsburgh at home is impossible to bet against though. Which is a shame, because the Ravens match up really well against the Patriots. That said, I think the difference is the QB, and Flacco just hasn’t been consistent enough to gain my confidence. Pittsburgh by a TD.
Momo: In a perfect world these two teams would be playing in the Super Bowl. Talk about a compelling game. For some reason Big Ben has owned the Ravens the last 6 games. To me, the x-factor will be Steelers receiver Mike Wallace. If he gets free he can stretch the field and make life difficult for the Ravens. However, that Pittsburgh line is banged up and Suggs and Lewis will get after Ben. I’m going with the Ravens by a field goal. It kills me to say it because I love Polamula

Green Bay v. Atlanta

KDC: In the justly lauded hubbub about the Falcon’s home record, many forget Green Bay lost their last encounter in Atlanta due to a turnover at the goal line & a wrong call on a 4th down catch to Tony Gonzales that led to a TD. And that was the difference. The Packers couldn’t run then (26 yards), and I’m not sure last week’s triumph over the Eagles proves they can now. But if they can, it’ll be the Packers in a squeaker.
Momo: I’m taking the Packers in an upset. Reason being, Atlanta had a hard time with them a few weeks ago. The Packers are running the ball better and their defense is going to make life difficult for Matt Ryan. The most underrated player in the playoffs is Aaron Rodgers.

New York Jets v. New England

KDC: I hate picking the Patriots, but they’ve played the best football in the second half of the season. That said, they’re vulnerable. Green Bay nearly beat them with a back-up QB, but probably because the coaches didn’t know how to game plan him. They know what to do against the Jets and I expect they’ll drop the hammer, though it won’t be as bad as the last game. It’ll be obvious though.

Momo: If the Jets would just shut up and play ball, I would love to pick them. But the constant talking totally takes away from their play. These two teams do not like each other. The Pats can be stopped and if the Jets blitz enough and trust their corners to cover then they will win. However, special teams will be the decider in this one and the Pats have the edge. Pats by a field goal.

2. Player that surprised you most this season was...
KDC: I’m not sure I have one. Of course you must include Michael Vick. After that, there were a bunch of good stories by hard-working unknowns – Texas RB Arian Foster winning the rushing title after being on the practice squad last year. Dwayne Bowe coming out of nowhere for KC. Brian Urlacher returning to form. This was a season of great stories.
Momo: Mike Williams of the Seattle Seahawks. He is another guy who was out of football because he was overweight. At one point, Williams weighed more than his former teammate Warren Sapp, and as a receiver, you should never weigh as much as a defensive tackle. Williams led the Seahawks in receptions and is almost living up to potential. Being with Pete Carroll, a coach that believes in him, has truly helped Williams.

3. What happens when you are in charge of the Cleveland Browns? Why on Earth would Holmgren hire Rams O-coordinator Pat Shurmur?

KDC: Obviously Holmgren is seeking a conservative “I don’t want to lose” man (instead of a “Lets go for the win” guy) who has never been a head coach before. Shurmur almost lost the Rams a couple games (vs the Broncos especially), because he went into the safest playcalling ever and forced so many consecutive 3-and-outs that Josh McDaniel almost kept his job. So I’m not sure how much credit he deserves for Bradford’s maturation.

The weird thing is, Holmgren has to be right or he’s not much of a football czar. It’s a shame, because Cleveland’s fans are among the best in the NFL, but something must be in the water that rots the brains of Browns’ GMs. It’s a mystery.

Momo: I know some no name guys like John Harbaugh and Mike Smith came out of nowhere to coach but Pat Shurmur?!?! You have to be kidding me. The Rams offense under him was stagnant. Shurmur hasn’t been a head coach anywhere. I know he is related to Fritz Shurmur who ran Mike's defense but this is so out of the blue. While leading the Rams offensive, the team ranked at the bottom or near the bottom in every offensive category. Just a mind boggling pick by Holmgren. So I’m thinking one of two things will happen, 1. Holmgren will realize the error of his ways and come down to coach or 2. He will leave the Browns in worse shape than he inherited it and coach somewhere else.

Auburn Tigers Are Your BCS Champs

2011-01-11T17:16:00.000-08:00

Congrats...?

So the Auburn Tigers defeated the Oregon Ducks in the BCS Title game last night in Glendale, AZ. The Tigers went undefeated and won the school second ever national title in football. A part of me is happy that Newton and the Tigers got the last laugh over their critics with all of the controversy surrounding the team (most of the controversy was brought on by Newton himself BUT who's counting). Does anyone else get the feeling that the championship should have been split with TCU? No, I'm not saying this because of the playoff system I want. But I'm saying this because it would be a lot easier to give the title if and when the hypocrites at the NCAA investigate the Newton's five years from now and Auburn has to vacate wins. The problem the BCS is having with the 2005 Trojans is that if USC loses their appeal to the NCAA, then and only then will the BCS have to vote on if they are going to strip the title from them. I'm not saying its going to happen but when you have the FBI involved there's more than likely a chance someone will find something damaging against Cecil Newton and Cam. Only time will tell if I am proven wrong.

Some quick thoughts:

Wouldn't you love to see the TCU vs. Auburn match up just to know who's better?

Gene Chizik will be the coach of Auburn for another 3 years or so. My thought is that if Texas comes calling, it will be hard for him to turn it down.

Nick Fairley, Auburn defensive tackle, is being touted as the next Nmdamujong Suh, I am hesitant to go that far. Fairley was good but Suh was great. Using a top pick of Fairley, a guy that has battled weight issues in the past could harm a franchise. But maybe the championship play he has motivates him to be dominant in the NFL.

Everyone is talking about the play at the end of the where Michael Dyer looked like he was down before the game winning field goal, but what about the play in the first half where Newton clearly fumbled the ball but the play was whistled dead? Oregon recovered the fumble and was in the red zone.

Also, when the officials took the pick away from the Ducks and Oregon scored on the next play? Friends of mine sometimes feel the SEC gets special treatment.

That is all for today....

The End Zone: Playoff Picks, Overhyped Players

2011-01-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

1. How awful was that Rams-Seahawks game?

KDC: As bad as everyone thought it would be. Sadly, a class act like Stephen Jackson must wait at least one more year before getting into the playoffs.

Momo: That was the worse game to show nationally. The Rams decided not to showcase Jackson, which was the key to winning the game. The Rams coaching staff looked overmatched and confused.

2. Which Wild Card game you looking forward to?

KDC: Colts-Jets wherein I think the Colts will assert themselves against the Jets as they did last year & suddenly everyone will wonder if they'll make it to (at least) the championship game. I'm actually not a huge Colts fan, but they've got Peyton & the running game has reappeared, so I'll be surprised if they don't make a run. That said, the Jets are not 2009's version & are to be feared. They split with the Patriots, so anything's possible.

Momo: I'm looking forward to the Packers-Eagles. Love to the cat-mouse game between Michael Vick and Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson. Plus Aaron Rodgers will have his hands full with Asante Samuels.

3. Who's more vulnerable as a 1 seed, the Pats or the Falcons?

KDC: Falcons because they've never done it before while the Patriots (sadly) have done it before, so they have absolute confidence in their system and the home-field advantage. However, they're certainly beatable.

Momo: Its the Falcons. They have always been the hunter and not the hunted. Their advantage is they are playing at home.

4. Who do you think will win the Wild Card games?

KDC:

* Colts over Jets, as stated.

* Saints over Seahawks. (Gasp! Who saw that coming?) - All this bunk about the short week and long travel will probably cost the Saints a field goal at best. The Seahawks couldn't put the Rams away convincingly.

* Ravens over Chiefs - The Ravens seem to have problems getting their offense in high gear early on, but the Chiefs are still at least a year away from being a serious contender (though they certainly deserve to be where they're at). Because it's at Arrowhead, it will be closer than many expect, but the Ravens will prevail by about 10.

* Packers over Eagles - Green Bay's not got a running game, so they're not going to go far, but the Eagles have been troubled by strange inconsistencies that Michael Vick can't always save them from. I see the Packers relentless defense keeping him under ceaseless pressure, so that his magic will run out for the exciting Eagles this year. In the meantime, Aaron Rodgers will be able to put a couple scores up despite the one-dimensional offense.

Momo:

* Colts-Jets, I am taking the Colts to squeak by. I think Sanchez being hurt is significant.
* Ravens-Chiefs, Taking the Ravens in a stunner. Is there a better leader than Ray Lewis?
* Saints-Seahawks, the Hawks upset the defending champs!! Someone has to get upset this weekend.
* Packers-Eagles, this is a tough one but I think the Packers defense will limit the big plays and just eek out a win. This is almost a pick'em game.

5. What player was over-hyped this year?

KDC: Where did Darrelle Revis go? He held out after whining that he deserved the Defensive Player of the Year award, with his East Coast media sycophants agreeing, but he's not been a major presence for the Jets this year. Yes, he was injured, but he's not been a major presence. Sniff. So he goes the way of all whiners with only 1 great year to their name.

Momo: Matt Schaub underachieved. The Texans started out great by beating the Colts, but then Schaub and their season went all downhill after that. Sure, he had good numbers but Matt did not lead his team to a winning record. Also he made critical mistakes at crucial times. For all the preseason hype that this was the Texans year, Matt Schaub and this entire team let everyone down.

13-and Oh No!!

2011-01-03T13:08:00.000-08:00

TCU Horned Frogs Co-National Champs?

The unthinkable happened on New Years Day. The Horned Frogs from Texas Christian University beat the Wisconsin Badger in the Rose Bowl. TCU finished the season 13-0 and I believe should be considered Co-National champs with the winner of the BCS National Championship game between Auburn and Oregon. No one will vote for the Horned Frogs in the coaches poll because the consensus is they can't hang with the competition of the "big schools". However TCU proved that on any given Saturday, a team can rise up a beat another team. Wisconsin should have dominated that game. Their offensive line was bigger and made highways for their running backs. But instead of standing there and letting the offensive overpower them, Gary Patterson told his team to go around them and use their speed, which Wisconsin had no answer for. Patterson has built TCU into a power program but mainstream fans don't want them to get recognition. I find it interesting how everyone loves March Madness and the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl but don't want a playoff in college football. I have friends who are upset that TCU won and Boise St. was ranked in the top 10 most of the year. They can't stand the small school in football but root for them in basketball. The problem is the small school has won five of the last seven games against BCS conferences in bowl games. And for that reason alone the smaller school should be embraced by everyone, and playoff should be enacted to get to a "True and Pure" national champ. Sadly, now TCU will move on to the Big East in 2012 and they will no longer be the little guy on the block. But it was fun while it lasted and hopefully everyone took notice that football is football and it doesn't matter what conference you are in.

The End Zone

2010-12-24T08:06:00.000-08:00

1. Devin Hester or any Special Team player a Hall of Famer?

KDC: This is a tough one! There have been some major game changers like Hester every couple years, however, they never seem to dominate more than 2-3 years of their special teams play before mysteriously disappearing as quickly as they came. While the HOF obviously didn’t foresee these types of huge impact players, I still don’t see how they can bump someone out who plays every down at a level of excellence few can match.

Momo: Adam Vinateri will be in the Hall of Fame, so many clutch kicks has cemented his legacy. Hester on the other hand is a tough one. The only way I see Hester making the Hall of Fame is by returning an unforseen number like 25 of 30 kicks. What hurts him was a mediocore cornerback and reciever, if he became avergae at reciever, then maybe his chance increases. The game has never seen anything like him on kick and punt returns.

2. The Eagles-Giants game, the best game of the year!! Boy, were we wrong about this one.

KDC: Mea culpa. Besides the total confidence the Eagles players have in Vick (& Desean Jackson will never get a punt kicked toward him for the rest of his life), it says much more about a Giants defense that was gassed by the 4th quarter and a Giants offense that kept going 3-and-out. Simply, the Giants aren’t ready for prime time playoffs. The punter is the obvious goat, but no one played up to the necessary level in the 4th quarter. They should all be fired. I can only hope my Packers can put them out of everyone’s misery this Sunday.

Momo: That game was probably the best of the year! Andy Reid's young team is playing loose and confident late in the season which can make others teams a little nervous. The Giants are a tough team to figure. Like the Chargers, you never know what team is going to show up. That is the kind of loss where Coughlin could be on his way out.

3. More valuable to his team: Troy Polamula or Ed Reed?
KDC: Not going there. Both team MVPs nearly every game. That said, isn’t it amazing that we’re even discussing how safeties can consistently be the key to their team’s success? Not a MLB and not a QB (both necessary), but a small, speedy man who is fearless? That would be an impossible conversation even 10 years ago.

Momo: I'm not afraid of this one, unlike you! I would say Polamula simply because he is an all-round safety. Unlike Reed, Troy will come up and punish running backs. Ed Reed does not like to tackle. The amazing thing that both guys do in the passing game is take away 3/4 of the field. They both are primetime Hall of Famers, but Troy gets the edge because of his hitting.

4. Is an 18 game schedule a forgone conclusion?
KDC: Sadly, I think it is & it will be a tragic mistake. This is where capitalism becomes outright greed. NFL owners nominate themselves as the poster children of greed for all those interested in spreading the wealth. In the meantime, more players will get injured, more coaches will burn out & more fans will feel gouged. Almost no one wins but the guys at the top.

Momo: It is coming and I think it will hurt the game some too. Of coure they will have to expand rosters, (which will actually help kill off any competition like the UFL) but think about how many good quarterbacks you will have to have just to make it through the season. The fans will like it because it’s more meaniful games plus the preseason is shorter. Maybe a better option would be to expand the playoff by adding two more wild card team. At least owners would get more revenue that way and fans still get the game love.

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas from Momo's Musings Sports!!

The End Zone

2010-12-17T09:01:00.000-08:00

1. The Jets strength coach got suspended for tripping a Dolphins player and more is being made about this than the Jets overall play over the last two weeks. Is everyone missing the real story?

KDC: It appears something has been going on all year. I'm guessing Rex Ryan knew something about them lining up at the sideline during punt returns, but didn't ever foresee that idiot purposely tripping a player. Expect another rule from the NFL on this.

Momo: This tripping story is overshadowing the Jets overall play. Sanchez has been nearly benched, they haven’t scored a touchdown in the last 10 or 12 quarters. Their defense got shredded by the Patriots and everyone is talking about the tripping of an opposing player. Rex Ryan and his team actually is benefitting from the coverage that Alosi is receiving. I’m not even sure with the Jets remaining schedule that they make the playoffs.

2. Can anyone beat the Patriots?

KDC: Besides the Cleveland Browns? Colt McCoy is back. Ya gotta believe! :)
I think the Saints can. But probably not many others. Pittsburgh never matches up well w/New England, I think the Ravens aren't quite there any more, the Falcons are too young (probably) & unless the Giants or some other team suddenly solidifies, the Patriots have a great shot at Championship #4 under Belicheck. Please God, no!

Momo: The problem I see, and this going to get really technical is defenses don’t play the Patriots right. The Steelers should match up well with them but they don’t play man to man against the Pats. You have to knock those small receivers down and not let them get their little five yard passing plays. Also, you have to blitz the living daylights out of Brady. You cannot give him time to pick you apart.

Its interesting that the two teams who are not afraid of the Pats offense and a play them tough are the Colts and the Ravens. Two defenses that are polar opposites of each other BUT they play their game and don’t let the Pats dictate their offense on them.

3. What showdown this weekend are you looking forward to- Jax-Indy, Eagles-Giants, or Saints-Ravens?

KDC: Jacksonville-Indy could be a great dogfight, but Jax has the momentum. I think the Saints-Ravens will prove to us where both teams stand for long-term playoff aspirations. At present, I'd say the Saints will win by a touchdown or more.
For some reason, I don't give 2 figs about the Eagles-Giants game.

Momo: I agree on the Jax-Indy should be a good one. This is it for the Colts and I think since they are playing at home they will come out blazing. However, the Jags will probably upset them because of their running game.
The Saints –Ravens is interesting because the Ravens defense is not what it used to be. The intriguing part will be if the Ravens offense can keep pace and maybe steal a win. It’s kind of odd that the Ravens are transitioning to a offense team with a good but not great defense.

Florida Takes Another Bite Out Of Cam Newton

2010-12-12T06:16:00.000-08:00

A little over a year ago a great friend of mine and reader of this blog predicted that Urban Meyer would leave Florida. Bill T. was right because Meyer resigned from coaching on Tuesday citing family reasons. Good for Urban,to be able to put his life into perspective and do what's right for him and his family is honorable. Now we can only hope that the University of Florida could learn to do the honorable thing and stop trying to steal Cam Newton's moments by upstaging him on one the biggest nights in college football. By announcing that they found Meyer's replacement, Will Muschamp, the Gators completely overshadowed the Heisman Trophy and Cam Newton. Hasn't this school done enough to Newton and his family by leaking the cheating scandal and the near expulsion for theft? Apparently not. I don't have an issue with the Gators hiring Muschamp. By all accounts he is a great guy and a really good defensive coordinator. The hiring is decent, not as flashy as some alums want but it is a good hire. The problem I have is the timing of the announcement. This was Cam's moment, just like it has been all year for him and Auburn and to let the press know you hired Urban's replacement on the same day as the awards ceremony is classless by the school. You cannot blame the 24 hour news cycle for letting the story get out, it is all by design. Florida football had a down year and with Urban leaving there was a definite uncertainty hanging around the program. Want a better way to keep recruits and get some buzz, announce you got a new coach during the Heisman trophy ceremony. That will keep people talking and give some momentum back to the program. All of this just shows how each of this school's do not care about what is good for the conference, they only care about what's good for their school. That's why the Newton information about his tenure at Florida and his recruitment at Miss St. got out. Both schools wanted to take him and Auburn out.

The University of Florida should apologize to Cam and his family and to the Downtown Athletic club for upstaging them on their big night. I doubt they will because in their mind "Its great to be a Florida Gator!!"But if Auburn would have announced they hired Bo Jackson during the Heisman ceremony when Tim Tebow won the award, the University of Florida would have demanded an investigation and apology.

Cecil Newton did the right thing by not robbing Cam of his moment. It didn't matter because the Gators took it from him, again.

The End Zone

2010-12-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

Here's another round of the End Zone!!

1.It seems that every two years Lovie Smith is on the hot seat and the Bears turn in a magical run. Are you buying or selling the Bears?

KDC: Reluctantly, I’m buying. When you asked earlier about the most overlooked team, I mistakenly said the Falcons. It was the Bears & they’ve only gotten stronger since then. Assuming they stay healthy, I see them tying or winning the NFC North (w/my beloved Packers, who I think will beat them in the rematch). Give Mike Martz some love for getting Jay Cutler (more) consistent.

Momo: I’m selling, although I reserve the right to change my mind. The Bears O-line block some weeks, look atrocious the next. The one constant has been their defense. I think they will lose to the Packers and the division, that is mainly because of the inconsistency of Cutler. Martz and he don’t have the receivers nor the run game that frighten people. They will still make the playoffs despite their offensive issues.

2. Although they lost this past Sunday (Indy did win Thursday night), still got the Chargers and Colts making the playoffs?

KDC: The Chargers are probably doomed this year. When a team starts out so slow every year, ya gotta look at the coach. You can’t plan on December being perfect every year. This is the year it catches up with them. (Honestly? I’m rooting for the Raiders making the playoffs just because they’re fun & feisty.

A few weeks back, I confidently stated the Colts would make it again. And they probably will, but I don’t think anyone realized how beat up they were until the last 2 weeks. They’ll probably do it because Jacksonville will play like Jacksonville again, not because they’re playoff caliber.

Momo: If I am a Charger fan I ask for a refund for their first 8 home games!! This team starts slow every year and then decides that they will play the right way and make a run. With that said, I think they will still make the playoffs and surprisingly will probably win their division. Their schedule is so weak their last four, if they beat the Chiefs on Sunday, they will only be a game back. Never heard the Raiders described as fun and feisty. Dysfunctional yes, but not fun.
The Colts will run the table as well with their beat up team and will just squeak into the playoffs. Shouldn’t Jim Caldwell be nominated for coach of the year with all the injuries this team has faced, he and Peyton have kept this team steady and in the hunt.

3. It’s been almost three weeks since we spoke about Favre, now we have to bring it back up, do you think the league will suspend him for the Sterger controversy?

KDC: Honestly, I think they’ll let the year end & then announce whatever penalties they deem necessary.

Momo: What we know is that Favre only wants to get to 300 starts and then he will sit. Sterger’s camp want to take that away from him and I don’t believe the league will comply. We both believe that the league wants this to go away after the season but a lawsuit pending could change everything.

4. Any racial significance to Peyton Hillis being the first white running back to get to a 1000 yards since Craig James in 1985?

Momo: I think it is because a lot of white kids are told not to play running back. Hillis is proving that the color of your skin should not be a factor on where you play. The great part is that he is probably was always told that he could only play fullback and is proving all the naysayers wrong. This is 20 years in the making and it should be celebrated. Hillis is a good running back whether white or black.

KDC: I don't think the average (non-Browns) fan even realized that. Hopefully, like the stupid black QB stigma, coaches will simply assess a player by his talents & not his skin color & line up his talents with their playbook. I still don't get how so many coaches are so inflexible that they impose their system on a new team w/out assessing the teams talents first. It's the same mindset. White = FB, Black = anything but QB, etc.