NFL Week 11 picks

This NFL season is moving right along. Seems like just yesterday we were watching the first games of the year! Time goes by too fast and seasons can change in an instant, every possession every play becomes more intense as we inch closer and closer to the postseason. Last week produced high drama in the epic Patriots-Colts rivalry, now we as move forward some familiar long time rivals meet up: on to the games we go!

• Washington at Dallas: This is an ancient rivalry that holds much hatred. Fortunately I was able to attend one of these games in Washington a few years back. Let me tell you, you could just feel the unbelieveable emotion in the air. The Skins massacred the Cowboys thats day 35-0. I don't believe we'll see the same outcome or a blowout for that matter. I feel like the Redskins defense is the wild card in this game. If their D plays strong, forces Tony Romo into turnovers it could spell upset for DC. But it seems like a longshot and the Cowboys will use that ugly loss last week at GB to come out victorious. Dallas by 7.


• Steelers in KC: Pitt lost a close game at home last week. Let's rephrase that. The Steelers lost a close game to the Bengals and no longer control their own destiny when it comes to winning the division. Very interesting turn of events in the AFC North. I look for Pitt to come out angry and fired up, beating the Chiefs in an ugly game thats over at halftime. Pitt by 17.
• Browns vs. Lions: I don't care to waste much time on this game. The Browns are an embarrassement to the NFL. The Lions are improving and like them to win by 10.
• Seattle at Minnesota: On paper it looks like a mismatch. Vikings only have 1 loss coming into the game. The Seahawks do have a veteran quarterback and the Minnesota secondary is banged up. Ultimately I see the Vikes winning but it could be closer than many think. Minn by 4.
• 49ers at Green Bay: Both teams are coming off huge, season-saving wins. Niners coaxed Jay Cutler into 5 picks last week and Packers held Tony Romo and Dallas to a dismal day on offense. Both defenses are hot and believe this trend will continue. Expect the intensity and focus of Mike Singletary to be the difference here. SF over GB, 14-10.
• Atlanta visiting NY Giants: The bye week couldn't have come at a better time for the Giants. They are limping after their 5-0 start, having lost four straight games. At 5-4 we are no longer talking about this team being one of the best in the league, rather will they make the playoffs. The Falcons have lost three of their last four games, more importantly lost their beast of a running back Michael Turner to a high ankle sprain in Carolina last week. Both teams 5-4, not quite a must win game however there will definitely be a playoff-like, desperate atmosphere today. This one will come down to the wire, and if Turner was healthy I would definitely go with ATL. But I'm gonna go with my gut on this, Giants 28 Falcons 26.
• Buffalo at Jacksonville: Can the Jags build on last week's huge win at NY over the Jets? How will the Bills react to their head coach being fired this past week? Both teams are a disappointment this year. At the very least, the Jaguars have been trying to put things together over the last few weeks. Buffalo is a mess and I don't see things getting any better anytime soon. Jax by 10.
• Colts at Baltimore: We want to think this will be a close game. We want to believe the Colts will get their first loss of the year. Indy is still basking in the glory of their last second upset of New England (yes you read that correctly, last week's win over the Pats was definitely n upset because NE outplayed them for 98% of the game, don't get me started). The issue for the Ravens is their defense. Their offense has put up big numbers this year, however, their D is starting to show its age. They can't get off the field like they used to and more importantly they aren't coming up with the big turnovers to produce great field position or quick points. I see Indy winning by 13, unfortunately.
• Saints at Bucs: This one's over at halftime. Final score: 45-17.
• Cincy at Oakland: This one has letdown game written all over it. The Bengals are coming off their biggest win of the season, at Pitt. They are in the drivers seat for their division title and a possibe #2 seed in the playoffs. No way they lose to the Raiders right?? Well, the Raiders are changing quarterbacks and have upset teams that have come in unprepared this season (ask the Eagles). I do see Marvin Lewis showing tape of that game to his team to shock the hell outta them and make sure they don't take anything for granted. Bengals by 14.
• Cardinals at St. Louis: Looks like a blowout on paper, but everytime you think you have Arizona figured out they throw a curve ball. They are the most unpredictable team in the league. The most impressive stat about the Cards? They are 4-0 on the road. This game is on the road. The Rams only have Steven Jackson as far as offense is concerned and their D is a few years away. Arizona 35, Rams 21.
• SD at Denver: Wow, the Broncos 6-0 start seems forever ago, as does their rout over the Chargers a few weeks ago on MNF. Now both teams are 6-3 and this game will determine first place in the AFC West. Denver will likely be without starting QB Kyle Orton, forcing them to turn to Chris Simms. Advantage San Diego. The Chargers came out of the gate slow, as always, but now appear to be firing on all cylinders. I like SD to keep rolling and Denver to keep reeling. Chargers by 7.
• NY Jets vs. Patriots: The rivals collide once again Foxboro. For the Patriots, a chance to payback the team that held them without a TD in week 2. And for the Jets, an opportunity to turn the ship in the right direction. NY started off 3-0 and were the talk of the land as the new up and coming team. Not soooo fast my friend. They've lost 5 out of 6 games and are falling apart faster than USC's defense. So many storylines for this game. Last time the week before they played, multiple Jets players said to the media - "We don't want to just beat them, we want to embarrass them." Yep, sounds like a typical NY sports player. However, only problem was, they did just that. Holding the Pats to zero points in the 2nd half and blitzing Brady more than a female in Victoria's Secret on Black Friday. But that game was 9 weeks ago. Much has changed with both teams. The Jets have lost Kris Jenkins for the season. The Patriots have Wes Welker back and active for this game. Brady is starting to look like the Brady of old. After heartbreaking losses for each team last week, each wants to forget about last Sunday and get back on the winning track. I can't see the Jets keeping up with NE in this game. They won't be able to defense the Pats offense with a healthy Welker and Brady throwing with extreme accuracy. Mark Sanchez looks terrible these days and is showing everyone why rookies should spend their first season on the bench and not on the field leading the league in turnovers. Patriots win this one going away in the 2nd half, 38-17.
• Eagles at Chicago: Desperation is setting in for both teams. Cutler gave the game away last week in SF. All of sudden Chicago must be thinking life with Kyle Orton wasn't this bad, was it? The Eagles lost in San Diego and now are tied with the Giants in the standings. Philly will be without Brian Westbrook but I don't see that hurting them. Their rookie running back McCoy is something special. Combine that with the Eagles two young outstanding receivers and a banged up Bears D, I see Philadelphia coming thru with a huge win and leaving Chicago worrying about making the playoffs. Eagles by 13.
• Monday Night Football - Tenn at Houston: The Titans made Vince Young their starter, stopped their six game losing streak and now have won 3 in a row. Some of their players are talking playoffs although that seems a bit far fetched. The Texans at 5-4, desperately need a win to keep up with the very competitive bunch in the AFC. If Houston wants to go to the postseason this is a must win. QB Matt Schaub is quietly having a great year and Andre Johnson is a monster. Although the Titans are playing with a renewed sense of urgency I believe they come up a little bit short. Texans 35, Titans 31.

Parting thoughts: If the Patriots do not beat the Jets by at least 20 points I will be terribly disappointed. We can only pray that Brady and the offense put all the pieces together and score TDs at will, forcing the Jet's coach Rex Ryan into another postgame crying session. GO PATS!

4th and two: You play to win the game!

Alright everyone, I know it's been a while since I've posted something and after the Patriots awful collapse this past Sunday I must address what we saw. First of all, let's talk about the first 57 minutes of the game: awesome! What a fantastic display from the league's top two teams! Arguably the two best-run franchises in the NFL, New England and Indy treated us to one of the better games we will see played this season. Might this be an AFC Champ game preview? perhaps. But let's get down to the controversial moment of the game. Here's the situation, the Colts have just scored with a little under three minutes remaining in the game. Patriots up by six. Brady leads the offense out on the field. First play a run, no gain. Second down a pass good for 8 yards. Third and 2: incomplete pass, nearly picked off might I add. Now it's 4th and 2, the ball is spotted on the Patriots 28yd line. The Colts defense starts to run off the field, fired up that they had stopped the all-powerful NE offense. But wait a minute, Tom Brady is discussing something with Bill Belichick on the sideline. No way the Pats are gonna go for it? Are they? Yes they did go for it, and Brady threw a pass to Kevin Faulk, however, because Faulk bobbled the ball as he caught he did not get forward progress and the ball was less than a yard short. Colts take the ball, Manning goes down the field, and with 13 seconds left throws a TD pass and the hated Colts get a 35-34 win, leaving every Patriots fan shaking their head in disbelief, wondering how a game that was in our hands managed to slip away in the final minutes.
Well, I will tell you how the game slipped away. And guess what? I AGREE with Bill Belichick's decision to go for it on 4th down. Every sportscaster everywhere on every tv, radio, newspaper, website, etc is ripping Bill for his unconventional decision. The Patriots were 7 inches away from the first down. If they get the first down, Brady takes a couple of knees and all everyone is talking about is how Indy is no longer undefeated. However, that is not the case, the Patriots lost the game and I see the offense as the main reason for the loss. In the 2nd half, Maroney fumbles the ball inside the 2 yard line on his way to score, that cost us 7 points. Also, late in the game with NE up 10pts, Peyton Manning threw an INT, the Patriots had the ball on the Indy 35yd line, primetime scoring position. Yet the Pats settled for a field goal to go up 13pts instead of scoring a touchdown, which would have put them up 17. The defense played very well thru the first three and a half quarters. They started to fade a bit at the end but you can't fault them too much, they are playing against Peyton Manning and the guy is playing at an amazing level.
Many people are trying to say Belichick didn't trust his defense against Manning. I disagree. If he didn't trust the defense he would have told them to let the Colts score immediately when they got the ball so that the offense could have the ball back. Bottom line: Belichick tried to give his team the best possible chance to win even if it meant going against the grain and upsetting people all around the sports world. It didn't upset me at all. I love that my team is willing to take a risk to win a big game. This time it didn't work out. I do believe that we might see these two teams meet again, but for much bigger stakes. One thing is for sure, the Patriots players will remember this game and learn from it. That's one thing New England does better than EVERY team in the National Football League - get over a loss! The last time the Patriots lost 2 games in a row was in 2006. Impressive 3 year run, wouldn't you agree?
Enter the New York Jets week 11. The game is in Foxboro, MA. The Jets won the first time in week 2, 16-9. The Patriots didn't look good, Brady was rusty, Welker was out, the Pats defense was without MLB Jerod Mayo, so many things were not going in the right direction for NE. Well things have changed just a little bit... The Patriots are 6-3, the Jets are 4-5. Two teams going in opposite directions. About the only thing in common the two teams have is that they both blew 4th quarter leads last Sunday and had their hearts broken. The Patriots have been waiting for this game. They didn't like going to New York and losing. They didn't like not scoring a single touchdown. They didn't like watching the Jets celebrate after the game. I have a feeling this game will turn out a little differently. I look for Brady to lead the offense to a multitude of points and the Pats D to feast on a out-of-sync NY offense run by inexperienced rookie Mark Sanchez. What amazes me is how Jets fan still like to talk about how "great" their team is and how "awful" the Patriots' loss to the Colts was. Remember NY, your team is 4-5. You have more losses than wins. Mark Sanchez is tied for the league lead in turnovers. That's not a category you want to lead. Your coach is a crying, winy baby that makes excuses after losses rather than take responsibility for them. This NY Jets team is one that I enjoy hating and really enjoy watching implode. Should be a fun finish to the season with the Patriots rising up and the Jets falling down flat on their face. I look for a blowout in New England on Sunday afternoon: Patriots 38 Jets 17.

P.S. - If you really want some good theater, check out the Giants this week, they host Atlanta and are looking to lose their 5th game in a row! Looks like a great weekend for New York fans!

The Evil Empire Strikes Back!

We knew it was coming. Sooner or later it was bound to happen. It had been 9 glorious years since the last time we saw Yankee players celebrating in late October into November. The New York Yankees are 2009 World Series Champs. That sentence leaves such a bitter taste in my mouth. So many emotions come to mind. Anger, shock, frustration, rage, resentment, sadness. I could go on forever. Truth of the matter is, we shouldn't be suprised. George Steinbrenner has been trying to buy NY a championship for 9 years now and the result was inevitable. The addition of C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira proved to be exactly what the Yanks needed to return to the top spot. What's worse news? I don't see the Yankees getting any worse next year. I would imagine Andy Pettite is done, but what a way to go. Think about this... Pettite was the winning pitcher for NY in all 3 series-clincher games. Pretty impressive. Mariano Rivera will be a year older, but I think anyone who watched the playoffs would agree he is still better than any other closer in the game. It's amazing that every single person knows exactly what he's going to throw, including the batter, yet there's absolutely nothing they can do about it. The Yanks offense will remain just as deadly with all the heavy hitters returning. Godzilla sure was a monster in the finale. Six RBI!?!?! Matsui drove in more runs than all the Phillies coan mbined! Great series between the Phils and Yanks. In the end, Yankees proved to be too strong on both sides of the ball which unfortunately leads to their 27th championship (Mike dry-heaving).
As you know I am a diehard, ridiculously loyal Red Sox fan. Watching the team I HATE more than any other in any sport celebrate as world champs is not a fun sight. In fact it's downright painful. The worst part is dealing with all the Yankee fans now. From family to friends to coworkers to strangers on facebook, everywhere and anywhere NY fans will be coming out of hibernation to rub it in my face that Boston's sworn enemy has achieved the ultimate prize. It's like watching your favorite character on your reality show of choice (Rock of Love Bus Tour anyone?) get eliminated, only to see the person you disliked from the moment you saw them win the whole damn thing. Annoying, aggravating, irritating, and just a pain in the... well you get the picture. I just want to reiterate I have such a passionate hatred for every team from New York it's kind of a problem I think. The only good thing is baseball is over. It's done. It's finished. Now we can focus on football. We can focus on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots march toward another berth in the Superbowl. We can dissect why the Jets are falling apart and how the Giants are slowly imploding. Ah, now we're talking, NY teams taking steps back. I don't know how or why but all I can offer is that I was wired this way. It's almost as if I had a traumatic experience as a child and the result is an intense, dedicated hatred towards this city. Except there's just one problem, nothing ever happened.
To finish this one off, I leave you with one final note about baseball: Congratulations to all Yankee fans everywhere. Your team finished #1. Enjoy it, relish in it because it won't last (I hope and pray). 2009 may have belonged to your beloved Yankees but in less than 2 months we will begin a new year and Red Sox Nation is ready for a fresh start in 2010. We will reload and be ready for you at Fenway Park to open the season in April. Remember, what goes up, must go down. My hatred for New York and the Yankees is at an all-time high. With that let's focus on football - I truly will enjoy watching the Giants and Jets choke the rest of the year!

World Series thoughts... Go Phillies!

It's pretty simple really. All my thoughts for the 2009 World Series can be summed up in two words: Go Phillies! The thought of the Yankees winning the championship hurts, it pains me, it literally makes me want to throw my head against the wall n knock myself into a deep sleep. You have to understand that as a Massachusetts native (like some people so eloquently put it 'masshole') I hate NY with a passion. As I have said to some people before, I almost enjoy watching them lose more than my teams win! Think I'm sick? probably right. I have an obsession with hating the Yankees. I can admit it. It's quite entertaning really. Especially when you've had a streak going like we've had for the past 8 years. What streak am I referring to? The streak of the NY Yankees NOT winning the World Series! haha God I love it! Back in 2000, the Yanks beat the Mets in the Subway Series, the last time we saw Steinbrenner getting the last laugh. Jeter & Rivera hugging on the field, Torre smiling big, and bandwagon NY Yankee fans all across the country ready to surrender their souls just to don a Yankee tshirt. Disgusting! What a terrible time for our country! However, like all things in life, what goes up... must surely come down, and oh how it came down!
The very next year the Yanks would face the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series. This was the greatest World Series in the last 8yrs without a shadow of a doubt! (Besides the BoSox sweeping the Cards in '04 & the Rockies in '07). The Diamondbacks won the first two in Arizona, then the Yanks, with dramatic fashion, swept the middle 3 games in NY. So heading back to the desert, you got this awful feeling of 'here we go again! The damn Yankees are gonna do it again. Sucks!' But after a blowout win in game 6 we had a make it or break it, winner take all game 7. Little did we know we were about to witness one of the most dramatic, game-changing moments in baseball history. Of course it all came down to the bottom of the 9th, Yanks leaning on their closer, the untouchable Mariano Rivera. The Yankee fans worshipped him (still do as a matter of fact). This guy truly is legendary, but this night would be a night he would never forget. All it would take is Luis Gonzalez to get a bloop base hit right over the head of the drawn in infield (Derek Jeter in particular, God I loved this moment!) and the Arizona Diamonbacks had just knocked off the biggest Goliath known to man! I remember this moment vividly, I was in the Bragaw dorm on the NC State campus and when Gonzalez got the game winning hit I must have hit the ceiling several times! I rejoiced that night like I was born in Arizona and loved the D-backs my entire life! This is what I'm talking about. Loving to hate a team soooo much that when they lose, especially on the grandest of stages, it's such a magnificent moment I can't contain myself.
Since that moment in time, the Yankees haven't even come close to another championship! Now they have had their chances, best one being in 2003. After an emotional, excruciating, heart-throbbing 7 game series in the ALCS they defeated my Boston Red Sox in the 11th inning, getting a homerun from Aaron Boone (Cue Mike to throw the remote at the tv at that very moment). I remember watching the Yankees rejoice like they had won a championship. I thought to myself, hmm I feel like they aren't going to be ready for the Florida Marlins. And sure enough, Thank God!, I was right. Florida beat them in six games, in Yankee Stadium no less, securing another year of no Yankee Championship. The very next year in 2004, they were 1 out away from sweeping Boston in the ALCS. However, destiny took its course, and just like that Boston game back from being down 0-3 to win the series 4 games to 3. This would go down as the most collosal collapse EVER in the history of sports (God I love saying those words!!) The Sox went on to win it all that year, what a party it was!
So its a very simple message to Philly: WIN WIN WIN!!! It's all on you, for every Yankee-hater out there, we are relying on you! Take 'em down! GOOOOOO Phillies!!!

NBA 2009 season tipoff tonight!

The 2008-09 NBA season seems like oh so long ago... not for some... not for me. Just yesterday it feels like I was wearing my Orlando Magic jersey, cheering on my favorite team of 15yrs as they faced the LA Lakers in their first NBA Finals appearance ever! Game 4 - Amway Arena the site, the Magic had just won game 3 and were looking to tie up the series at 2 games apiece. And then it happened... just like that... they fell apart. One huge Derek Fisher 3pointer and our fate was sealed. Lakers would win that game and the next to win the championship 4-1. Kobe got the last laugh, something I only envisioned in my nightmares. Looking back now, I can realistically look at Orlando's season as a great success. As a team that has seen major superstars come and go - Shaq, Penny, T-Mac, Steve Francis, and the latest Hedo Turkolu. Ever since their first dominating season with Shaq and Penny Hardaway together (a forgettable ending, a 4-0 sweep by the Rockets in the NBA Finals), I have been one of their biggest supporters. They have always faltered in the playoffs, collapsing at the most important moments, giving away huge leads or just not showing up to play. Last year was nothing of the sort, with a young team that brought lots of energy every night, they finished the season with 3rd best record in the East. In the playoffs, after taking out the 76ers, they faced the Boston Celtics. Many felt that even without KG Boston would have no problem pushing Orlando aside. They were slightly mistaken. After 6 intense games, a game 7 in Boston would be the conclusion. The Celtics couldn't lose a game 7 at home, they were too strong right? WRONG! Orlando went in and dominated from the start, eliminating the defending champs. Next up would be a date in the Eastern Conference Finals with the team that had the best record in the NBA and perhaps the best player in the league, the Cleveland Cavaliers. It only took Orlando six games to eliminate the Cavs, outplaying them in almost every game (had it not been for a Lebron miracle 3pointer in game 2, the Magic would have swept them 4-0). Led by the most dominant center in the league, Dwight Howard, Orlando shocked the world by advancing to the NBA Finals. They had the perfect inside-out game; dump the ball down low to Howard, defense double teams, and he kicks it out to his choice of many 3pt shooters. But in the end, the Lakers were the better team, the more experienced team. Now Orlando has tasted success, they've been so close to the championship trophy they could almost touch it. I have a feeling this will be the driving force for this year's team. I certainly hope so. It would be a lot of fun to be wearing my Magic jersey in June again.

Ok, enough with the memories, we have a new season about to start tonight, let's take a look at some storylines for this year:

• Rasheed Wallace joins the 'Boston Three Party': The Boston Celtics are already mad. And you haven't seen anything yet, so says they're newest teammate. They're steaming. They're ready for payback. Last season when they lost Kevin Garnett to a season ending knee injury, they felt they still had enough to go all the way. They were mistaken, and thus went out with a mere peep to the Orlando Magic, in a blowout loss at home in game 7 of the Eastern Conf. Semifinals. Well, everyone's healthy and they've brought in some reinforcements. Sheed has been there, he knows how to play in pressure situations, and most importantly he won't stand down to anyone (especially the refs). The C's also added Marquis Daniels as a reserve off the bench. Let's be honest though - Pierce, Allen, Garnett, Rondo. These four are quite a bunch and are starved for another title. Should be a lot of fun watching them go against the other 2 major contenders in the East. Big question for them: how will their health hold up? Garnett, Allen, and Wallace aren't getting any younger. Their postseason success will truly fall on the shoulders of Rajon Rondo. The Celts energetic point guard will make or break them. Has he improved his shot in the offseason? Will he make better decisions in crunch time? Can he play tough-nosed defense? The answers to theses questions will help us figure out who plays in the Finals in June.


• The Big Diesel comes to Ohio: Lebron James. Shaquille O'Neal. On the same team. Three years ago this would have been MUCH more impressive, now Shaq is older and not anywhere near as durable as he used to be. But Cavs GM Danny Ferry felt it was necessary to go out and get a big man that could guard the most dominant center in the NBA (Dwight Howard, don't worry we'll get to him). So he went out and got the FORMER most dominant center in the league. It's a big move. A bold move. Cleveland had to go out and do something after last season's finish. The Lebrons finished with the best record in all the NBA but it did them absolutely no good. In the Eastern Conf. Finals against Orlando they looked outmatched, outcoached, but most importantly: they got outplayed. They better change that this year if they want a different outcome. Adding Shaq is huge no doubt. But I don't think we'll see a lot of him early on and in the middle of the year. The Cavs cruised to the best record last year and had no problem riding Lebron all the way. But in the playoffs they couldnt match up with the Magic's Superman and cover all their 3point shooters. That is the sole reason for bringing him in. Cleveland thinks they found the missing piece to their puzzle, did they? TBD. (To be determined!)
• LA brings in Artest, aim to repeat: As much as it pains me to say, the Los Angeles Lakers look strong, very strong. All I can pray for is that Ron Artest is as much a cancer as TO is to Bufflao, and he has the same effect on the Lakers. Unfortunately, I wouldn't bet on it. Kobe showed the world last year that Mariano Rivera has some competition for the label of "Best Closer Ever". Bryant can do it all, score at will when necessary, get teammates involved, and most importantly, when it matters most, with the game on the line he makes the right decisions and some of the hardest shots I've seen. Can this team gel like last year's? Trevor Ariza left for Houston, and in return Ron Artest is Bryant's new teammate. Remember Artest? Former Rocket that plays tremendous defense and will now be assisting Kobe rather than blocking him. Should they get along like peas and carrotts look for a return to the NBA Finals. However, if by some slim chance, they aren't like peanut butter n jelly, look for a few teams to take advantage... which leads us to...
• Spurs reload with healthy Duncan, add Jefferson: They may be getting old but their experience and depth might just make them the Lakers only true challenger for the Western Conf. crown. Tim Duncan AND Manu Ginobili are healthy. They've added Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess. Gregg Popavich is still head coach. Tony Parker is still fast. They drafted one of the best rebounders in the history of college basketball, DeJuan Blair. Make no mistake about it, the Spurs are ready to get going... one more time. Again like we said about Boston, San Anotonio's key will be keeping the core healthy over the regular season so that in the playoffs they can push LA. Jefferson should take some of the heat off Duncan, and I'm personally looking forward to seeing them matchup against the Lakers during the regular season.
• Orlando loses Hedo, adds Carter, tries to get back to Finals: After getting by both the Celtics and Cavs last season, the Magic made their way to their first-ever NBA Finals. After losing to LA, they must take the next step -not only get back to there but this time win. It will be a tough feat. Orlando lost Hedo Turkolu to free agency but managed to trade for Allstar Vince Carter. Carter is extremely talented but has never played for a true contender. That changes immediately. Magic GM Otis Smith is hoping to plug Carter in for Hedo and put Orlando right back in the mix for a spot in the Finals. Having Dwight Howard helps... A LOT. PG Jameer Nelson is healthy and ready to return to allstar form. Orlando also added Brandon Bass to come in and get clutch rebounds. The Magic lost young Courtney Lee in the trade for Carter but received bigger, stronger Ryan Andersen, another 3pt threat. I like Orlando's chances to win the East, they are young and hungry. It will be interesting to see if they can live up to the pressure of winning after an amazingly successful season. There will be big-time games with Cleveland and Boston. Their conquering of each in last year's playoffs will undoubtedly give Orlando a confidence boost, just remains to be seen how they will handle the bullzeye on their back.
• We've gone over the top 5 teams in the league, other contenders include: Denver, Dallas, and Portland. Notice no other teams from the East. The West is loaded with middle-tier talent while the East is very top heavy. I think this year's final four will include Boston, LA, San Antonio and Orlando. Cleveland will come up short once again, which will ultimately lead to Lebron's departure. If I had to say right now I would predict a rematch in the Finals: Lakers vs. Magic. It's definitely a possibility. However, I always fall back on what Chris Berman says: "And that's why... they play the games!"

Week 7 pigskin picks

Hard to believe we are already in Week Seven! Let's not waste any time pondering though... ON TO THE PICKS!!!

• Green Bay visiting Cleveland: Derek Anderson has completed 11 passes... in his last two games combined! Ouch! Look for the Pack to come out on top in a big way.
• Panthers hosting Bills - intriguing game here. Each team has yet to find an identity. Buffalo plays at home, holds Cleveland's quarterback to only 2 completions, and allows the Browns to get their first win in one of the most disgusting NFL games ever, a 6-3 loss. Last week, Buffalo visited New York and beat the Jets in overtime? weird season, I know. Carolina hasn't given us any reason to believe yet either: they started 0-3 and got 2 wins against Washington and Tampa Bay, nothing to brag about. Buffalo will still be without Trent Edwards, Steve Smith has been crying all week to the media about how he's no longer "valuable" to the team, I see Carolina narrowly defeating Buffalo in the 4th quarter.
• Indy travels to St. Louis: to deliver one of the worst beatings we will see all year. This one's over at halftime, Jim Sorgi better get loose cause I anticipate him playing at least one quarter.
• Chargers playing in Kansas City: I think SD gets back on the winning track here against a dismal KC who finally got their first win last week (oh yeah, that was to the lowly Redskins, I'm not sure if that even counts).
• Texans host 49ers: This should be one of the more competitive games of the week. Andre Johnson is a beast. Mike Singletary has the Niners playing tough and they very well could be 4-1 if not for a Favre miracle in Week 3. I think the San Fran comes out of the bye week running and beats Houston in a very close game.
• New England vs. Tampa Bay (in London): Patriots absolutely slaughtered the winless Titans last week and now Brady & Co. get to feast on another 0-6 team, uh oh. I expect to see another laugher, most likely 42-3 or something along those lines. The Bucs don't have a clue what they are doing against most teams, let alone a Bill Belichick coached team. The Pats are starting to hit their stride and this will be a nice way to coast into a bye week with a tough schedule awaiting them in week 9. NE's next 4 opponents: Miami, Indy, NYJ, and NO. I'd say its a good time for a bye week too.
• Atlanta plays at Dallas: Even with the Cowboys coming off a bye week it's not going to change the fact that this is simply an average team with too few playmakers. Matt Ryan is playing great and the Falcons are absolutely loving their new addition of Tony Gonzalez. ATL wins by 10.
• New York Jets travel west to the Black Hole (Oakland): A battle of low-tier quarterbacks - Sanchez vs. Russell. We all know how awful Jamarcus Russell is, nuff said. However, what we didn't expect (or rather people living in NY didn't want to believe) was the rookie quarterback's implosion so early in the season. Sanchez is tied for most turnovers in the league with 10. Last week he looked beyond pitiful in an OT loss to Buffalo in which he tossed 0 TD and 5 INTs! And that was at home! Now he goes to Cali, back home to play DAHHH RAAAAAHHHDEEERRRSS!!! (God I love when Berman gets on a roll with their highlights and screams this approx 7 times in 40 seconds) Oakland suprised Philly, whom many believe are a Superbowl favorite, and blitzed the hell outta McNabb to get their 2nd win of the year. I have to believe we might just witness DAAAAAHHHHH RAAAHHHDDDEERRRS first 2 game winning streak since my college days (ok I'm really not that old I swear! I'm referring to 2002 for crying out loud!!!!) Oakland upsets the Jets, and for the 2nd straight week I'm laughing while friends of mine are crying, gotta love it!
• Chicago at Cincy: Red zone woes plagued the Bears last week. The Bengals suprised us and lost at home to the streaky Texans a week ago. This game will go back n forth, back n forth, in the end I see Carson Palmer's prowess and game management being the difference. Cutler's not quite there yet when it comes to seeing everything on the field and making the best decisions. Bengals by 3.
• Monday Night Football in the Nation's Capitol: Eagles vs. Redskins - will the Eagles take advantage to rebound against one of the worst teams in the league? Can Wash get a win in primetime and save Zorn's job? Two very interesting questions. 8 days ago I would have laughed at them and said Philly will win by 21 at least. Now I'm not so sure. For whatever reason the Eagles laid an egg last week in Oakland. Blame it on the Raiders blitzing, on having to fly out west, the "Black Hole's intimidating nature", blame it on whatever you want, it's inexcusable to lose to the Raiders when you are considered a Superbowl contender. That being said... (my cousins are cursing me out somewhere) I still think Philly pulls through, gets back on the same page, and beats the Redskins... by 4 in a game that's way closer than it should be.
• Saints at Miami: Drew Brees and Co. put on another show, win by 24. Too easy to call: New Orleans can score in 5 seconds, the Dolphins wildcat is good but takes too long to progress down the field. Just a poor matchup for Miami, don't wory Phins fans, your team will compete very well this year.
• Arizona traveling to the Meadowlands to play the NY Giants: Both teams need a win. Both are favored to win their division. Giants are coming off a humbling disaster in New Orleans where their number #1 ranked defense gave up 48 pts to Drew Brees in an ugly 21 point loss down in the Bayou. Kurt Warner and his boys can put up points too. Larry Fitzgerald does things that many only dream of. This will be a great game, possible NFC playoff preview, I see Kurt Warner getting pressured in a fumble or int late in the game sealing the deal for New York. Giants by 7.
• The main course for the week: Pittsburgh Steelers host the undefeated Minnesota Vikings - this is where Favre gets his first loss. Troy Polomalu is returning to the field for the first time since week one, giving the defense a HUGE lift. Roethlisburger will be throwing all over the place and Favre will try to out duel him leading to costly turnovers. We will all be asking the Vikings: Why didn't Peterson get the ball more? Tough for the NFL's most dangerous player to affect a game when he doesn't get touches. I see the Steelers coming up with a big home win by 13 pts, 37-24.
• Last call... Should be a great week with the Pats getting another win and hopefully the Jets getting another loss. Can't lie - I hope I'm wrong and the I can have the Giants on one tv losing tonight and the Yanks losing on the another one to the Angels. I'll be working tonight and smiling cuz it's my job, but if you see that smirkish grin on my face, you'll know why! Thank God for football!

Umpires, referees, officials, line judges

Do you like your job? I do. It's fun, challenging at times, character building, stressful, and even downright crazy during summer. Everyone can probably associate with these feelings. We all make mistakes but if we learn from them typically we are given 2nd chances. Sounds fair right? Well what if every single time you made a mistake, even the slightest thing, it was broadcasted on national television? Also, you probably enjoy positive feedback from your boss, coworkers, clients, etc right? So imagine for a minute you never got praised for anything you did right but the second you make a wrong decision you're chastised by your coworkers, even to the point of cursing and physical threats?? Welcome to the life of a referee/official/umpire/etc!
This has to be the worst job out there by far! Sure it has it's positive points: ultimate access to the grandest of stages in sports; ex: Superbowl referee is on the field standing next to some of the greatest athletes ever to put on a uniform. Umpires have the opportunity to watch baseball from a whole different point of view. Ok that's about it for pluses. Now let's get the downside: You are never EVER recognized when you do something right. An NFL referee can accurately call a completed pass on the sideline keeping an eye on the players hands securing the ball, all the while making sure he drags both feet before falling to the ground. Umpires can have a consistent strike zone for both teams all game. We could go on and on... The problem lies in how an official affects a game when an INcorrect call has been made. Fans have been known to make death threats to referees, coaches and players get right into an official's face screaming obscenities because they feel they didn't move their feet on a offensive foul call. We've seen it all and we've been reminded most recently in these MLB playoffs that umpires need help... a lot of help.
Exhibit A: Yankees vs. Minnesota ALDS game 2 @ Yankee Stadium. The game when into extra innings. The Twins were batting, the ball was hit deep down the left field line, landing in front of the outfielder bouncing roughly 5 inches inside the line, fair ball. Not soo fast my friend! The umpire was about 10 feet away from the spot the ball landed and immediately held his left arm out to the crowd: "FOUL!!!" he screamed. Are you kidding me?! I was watching this game thinking, damn this guy's on the Yankees payroll too? The Twins were an underdog in the series, ok maybe more like a goldfish against a great white shark, but still the integrity of the game must be upheld.
Exhibit B: Yankees vs. Angels ALCS game 4 @ LA. Where do we begin in this game? The number of blown calls is embarrassing! At one point the Angels 3rd baseman had tagged out both Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano since both had moved off 3rd base in a major baserunning error by Posada, however the umpire claimed he only saw Posada tagged out so Cano would remain at 3rd. This type of call is unacceptable to me (and probably every citizen of LA). Where was the help? Why didnt he request help from the other umpires in his crew? Was he so ashamed of his call that he decided to botch another on in the game? At one point New York had a runner at 3rd and they hit a deep fly ball to left field, the baserunner set his foot on the bag, and once the catch was made sprinted for home, collecting one more run for the Yanks off the sac fly. Hold on... the Angels appealed to the umpire questioning if he left to early, and almost instantly the umpire signaled yes he left early, take a run off the score board and trade it in for an out. WHAT THE ?!?! MLB needs to adjust their replay system in the offseason and allow umpire to get the help they need, especially in critical situations like this in the playoffs where teams live or die by 1 dramatic play. Take a look at the NFL, their system may not be perfect but at least they are constantly reviewing it in the offseason adjusting it, upgrading it, and trying to improve the quality of officiating.
Case in point is, no matter how much you pay me, I would NEVER EVER want to be an official of any kind for any sport. I have such a deep passion for sports and could never possibly live with making the wrong call and changing the course of a game, season, team success or failure. So for now I'll stay on my side of the field, in the stands watching closely, monitoring, commenting, cheering, complaining but most of all thanking... thanking God that I'm not one of the zebras!

Phils, Yanks inch closer to collision in World Series

Alright as much as I hate to admit it the Boston Red Sox were not the best team this year in baseball, there I said it!!! Are you happy now ny fans?!!? They arent even in the top 3 sadly. Moving forward... The Phillies and Yankees are up 3-1 in their respective League Championship Series and seem primed to meet up for the ultimate prize.
Let's start with Philly: did anyone else feel it during the 9th inning on Monday night? I know I certainly did, that moment, a freeze frame moment in time when everything stopped. Dodgers clinging to a 4-3 lead, bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, Ryan Howard, who's been hotter than a sorority girl in church, had just struck out and with 2 runnners on base and all of Philadelphia watching Jimmy Rollins stepped up to the plate. LA all-star closer Jonathan Broxton on the mound, his pitches were being clocked at 98-101mph WOW! My cousin was curled up in a ball on the couch next to me praying, begging for a miracle. And then there it was... with one pitch and swing of the bat, Rollins rifled the ball to the gap in right center field, both runners would cross home plate giving the Phillies a dramatic 5-4 victory, sending the stadium and city of Philadelphia into pandamonium. As I watched the ball fly into the air and find that nice chunk of real estate deep in the outfield I thought to myself: this is the moment that will stand out to me. This is what we will all look back on if indeed the Phils do repeat as World Champs. Everything changes if that ball doesnt fall, the series is tied 2-2 and now the series continues an extra game which would be played on the west coast in LA. But the bal fell, Rollins was the hero, poor Broxton the goat, and now the Dodgers are in a do-or-die game tonight in the heart of Philadelphia. Cole Hamels vs. Vincente Padilla. Should be a great game, Hamels has struggles this year after being MVP in both last year's LCS and WS. Padilla pitched the game of his life in game 2 and now he'll have to do it again if he's to force the Phillies to fly back to LA with his boys for a game 6. I think the Dodgers season ends here and we see the Philly fired up and ready to party tonight!
Ok, this is not easy for me but I have to try to be unbiased, the New York Yankees look unstoppable. ahhhh that was tough! After they steamrolled the Angels last night 10-1 it appears obvious that they are indeed the best team in the AL and are cruising toward the World Series. CC Sabathia is the main reason. He is 3-0 in the playoffs and pitching at such a high level that I don't know if anyone can catch up to him (maybe Rollins/Utley/Howard? just sayin). Granted the umpires have been absolutely awful in the ALCS (we'll get to that later) you have to give the most hated team in my life credit, gosh this whole unbiased thing sucks! They are getting production from Alex Rodriguez in the postseason I can hardly believe it myself. Known as a perennial choker when it came to the playoffs, A-Rod is showing why he is the best player in the game. Not once but TWICE in the playoffs he has helped the Yanks win games that they should have probably lost. Thursday night the Yanks play the Angels in LA and aim for their first WS appearance since 2003 (ny fans don't even get me started on damn aaron boone & tim wakefield, talk about a match made in hell). NY sends AJ Burnett to the mound and the Angels counter with Jon Lackey. Each pitcher has had their ups and downs but one thing we do know is that Burnett has not been very consistent on the road. However, even if Burnett gives up 6 runs the Yanks are very capable of putting up 8 in a single inning. Key to this game with be how efficient Lackey will be and how long he lasts. Once the Angels call upon the bullpen, you have to think advantage NY. My prediction would be Angels find a way to win tomorrow night to push the series back to new york for a game 6 where they ultimately meet their demise. So yes I said it, the Yankees are going to the World Series. I'm not very happy about it, in all honesty I'm actually kinda pissed but what should we Sox fans expect. When they bought the world (Texeira, Sabathia, Burnett) in the offseason we had to know this was coming. It will be very interesting to see what Boston does next to counter the Yanks success this year, but thats a convo for another day!

NFL Roundup after Week 6

• the Broncos are much better than anyone thought. If you would have told me that Denver would be 6-0 to start the year I would have laughed hysterically and asked you to lay off whatever meds you were on. But here we are on October 20th and the Broncos are undefeated. Sure they took a big risk in the offseason by firing head coach Mike Shanahan and hiring the young Josh McDaniels, former offensive coordinator for my beloved Patriots. And we have seen former Belichick disciples leave the house and go out to start their own family only to fall flat on their face (cue Romeo Crennel with the Browns and Eric "doesnt have a brain" Mangini formerly with the Jets, shockingly now with the Browns). But Denver's offseason also included trading heralded quarterback Jay Cutler and temporarily suspending prima donna wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Week 1 they needed a miraculous catch to beat Cincy, then they faced Browns n Raiders - gimme a break, Brendan n I could play QB for either of those teams. Then they beat Dallas, NE in overtime and picked up a huge win on MNF in San Diego. After their bye week, they have a brutal 5 game schedule: @Balt, vs. Pitt, @Wash (i know this is a joke game), vs. SD, and vs. NYG. Realisticly I believe they go 2-3 and and 8-3 would still sit in prime position for a #1 or #2 seed in the playoffs. One thing is for certain: Josh McDaniels is the leading man for coach of the year right now.
• 59-0!?!? Let me say that again... 59 to NOTHING! The New England Patriots, my Pats beat up the Tenn Titans by 59 points! Are you kiddin!? Unbelieveable. How many people out there turned on their tv and thought for a split second that it was December? Snow in October! This is the crazy world we have to come to live in. Well, what we learned from this game is that the Titans are bad, so bad that they don't appear to be putting in 100% for 60mins. They might not have even done it for 5. Tom Brady threw 6 TD passes for the 2nd time in his career. Fun fact: Brady is one of 5 quarterbacks to throw 6 TDs in a game twice in the history of the NFL. He threw FIVE in the 2nd quarter alone, setting an NFL record! Realisticaly speaking - NE looked great, much better than last week. I have to believe that with each week Brady gets a lil better, offense flows a little smoother, the rust keeps dwindling away. Give 'em 3 more weeks and I believe they'll go on a run! (hey I can dream right?!)
• The Saints are for real. Did they really put up 48pts on the #1 ranked defense in th NFL?? It's quite clear that they will be a major force for all teams to deal with this year.
• The New York football Giants have to be scratching their heads thinkin how do we rebound from this disaster? Things will not get any easier for NY as Arizona travels to the Meadowlands on Sunday night, followed by a trip to Philly, and then back home to face San Diego. (cue Mike laughin somewhere off in the distance with a sick, devilish grin on his face)
• Favre is back and damn good at it! No one thought Favre would be playing this well but if it keeps up gotta believe Minnesota is the clear cut favorite to represent the NFC in the SuperBowl.
• Valiant comeback effort by Baltimore, but after starting 3-0, they are now 3-3. Shows you how quick things can change in the NFL. Personally, I have a really hard time forgiving kickers when they miss game tying or winning field goals in the closing minutes. Your only job is to put the ball thru the uprights. Flacco fought so hard to put his team in position to win after being down all day long and their kicker blew it, tough loss.
• Have you ever seen a year in the NFL when so many teams are just plain awful? I can't remember such a season. Rams, Buccaneers, Titans all 0-6. Will any of them win 1 game? Doesn't look to promising.
• The Eagles put out a real stinker in Oakland, basically gift wrapping a win for the Raiders. Philly was my preseason pick for the SuperBowl but after this game I feel I need to reconsider my choice. How do you go to Oakland and lose when you have McNabb, Desean Jackson, and Brian Westbrook? Hopefully a lot of soul searching was down on the flight back to the East coast.
• Who are the Arizona Cardinals this year? Are they the team that went to the Superbowl last year, the same one we saw dismantle the Seahawks in Seattle this past week? Or are they the team that lost at home to the 49ers? Guess this week on Sun night we'll find out when they visit the Giants.
• The Washington Redskins = disaster. They have given the Lions their first win in over a year and most recently surrended a win to previously winless KC. They need to fire Jim Zorn on the fly and bring in someone who knows how to coach. If I were the owner I would be pushing hard for Mike Shanahan or even Jon Gruden. This season is lost, they need to tear everything down and start buidling from ground zero.
• Can anyone figure out the Houston Texans? At 3-3 they have beat Tenn, Oak, and now Cincy. Their 3 losses are to the Jets, Cardinals and Jags. They are very inconsistent and its hard to see them doing anything big this season. One thing I do know is that I'm super proud of my selection of Texans QB Matt Schaub. With the exception of a subpar performance week 1, he has been an absolute gem and let me to a 5-1 record thus far. We'll get to fantasy football in another post.
• The only team thats more of a mystery is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Besides the fact that no one ever goes to their home games, I am completely confused by this team. Their quarterback is David Garrard. They picked up wide receiver Torry Hold in the offseason and they have one of the best all around playmakers in the league in RB MoJo (Maurice Jones-Drew). After starting the season 0-2, they've gone 3-1 in the last 4 games. They look pretty good in beating the Texans yet looked like a high school team in losing at Seattle 41-0. After their bye week they go to Tenn, host KC, and travel to NY for a big matchup with the Jets.
• The Jets: ah lets talk about them for a minute. No lie that I take pleasure in their 3 game losing streak. Alright lets be honest they looked great coming out of the gate - winning on the road at Houston, came back home to humble the Patriots keeping Brady out of the endzone in the 2nd half, then beat the Titans, which at the time was a huge win (now we know its not nearly as big as we thought since Tenn couldnt fight its way out of a paper bag). Thus brings us to week 4: A crushing defeat by the Saints, followed up by a 4point loss in Miami in which Rex Ryan showed his rookie coaching status (Ryan proceeded to cry about the loss in a press conference after the game and give Miami zero credit for the win. Nice way to start things Rex, dont' acknowledge the team that beat you rather make excuses. We'll have to keep an eye on this as the season progresses). Now we arrive at week 6. On paper it appeared to be quite a mismatch: Buffalo visiting the Jets. I mean this was gonna be a blowout it had to be, I mean, the Bills had just lost AT HOME to the Cleveland Browns 6-3! I still havent forgiven Buffalo for this by the way. I think it's one of the worst losses by a football team this season. So after going up 13-3, the Jets choke away the lead and Buffalo wins in overtime 16-13. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez looked absolutely AWFUL! In his last 3 games (all NY losses), Sanchez has thrown 1 TD pass and 8 INTS. Ouch! Guess all those Jets fans ready to annoint him the next big thing need to settle down a little bit. Don't worry though, the Jets head coach gave him a vote of confidence this week saying Mark is still their starting quarterback. Road doesn't get any easier though as we look ahead: @ Oakland, who has shown if you don't bring your A game they can beat you (just ask Philly), home against Miami and their wildcat offense, a bye week, host the Jags, and then a rematch with the Patriots (this time in New England and I have a feeling they will see a much different looking Pats offense, I have Nov 22 circled on my calendar, can't wait to see this game! Redemption will be ours!!!).
• San Diego is a letdown once again. Hard to believe they can make a 2nd half run like they did last year to finish at .500 and have all the pieces fall in the right place to win their division, remember Denver is 6-0. Philip Rivers has looked great at times but I think its clear that Tomlinson is not what he used to be and the offensive line has a lot of room for improvement.
• Indy had their bye week and at 5-0 are considered best in the league. They won't face a real challenge until week 10 when Tom Brady & Co. come to town for a highly-anticipated Sun night matchup.
• Looking ahead to Week 7:
• Vikings at Steelers: SuperBowl preview? maybe yet the Steelers are not nearly as strong as last season however Troy Polumalu is returning this week and should provide a huge lift to the Pitt D.
• Chicago @ Cincy: Bengals looking for answers after a pathetic performace in a loss to Houston. Cutler and the Bears trying to rebound from their red zone woes last week in Atlanta.
• Falcons @ Dallas: The Cowboys need to come out strong after their bye week and make a statement.
• Arizona at NY Giants: When the schedule came out many picked this to be a NFC Champ game preview. My how things change... now this game is ever so important to each team for morale purposes. The Giants can't lose this game after getting spanked by the Saints, especially if they want to be the best team in the NFC. Well, after last week, seems like everyone's fighting to be #2.
• That's all I got for now. The NFL is better than ever this season and has it all: excitement, craziness, last-minute heroics and letdowns, can't wait to see what's in store for us next!

Welcome to day one of Laurino's Sports World!

Ladies and gentlemen thank you for taking the time to check out my latest creation, Laurino's Sports World. Over the past few days I made some comments on facebook concerning sports that have garnered numerous types of reactions: anger, frustration, laughter, humiliation, joy, fear and my personal favorite - enlightment. I have a lot of sports knowledge, a lot of opinions, and I feel the need to share them. So... moving right along, I felt that it would be much more beneficial to have a website strictly dedicated to all these brilliant, unique thoughts. We will discuss many different topics including but not limited to: football, basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, collegiate atheletics, very rarely hockey, and every once in a blue moon a topic other than sports. Please feel free to comment and add any points that "the walking ESPN" might have missed or in your opinion "got completely wrong". Above all else I hope that after reading my blogs you will be filled with emotion, now whether your smiling, crying, grinning or crying as long as you feel something I have succeeded. Take care and enjoy!