* WISCONSIN -4 at INDIANA
The Badgers have been flawless on the year, being dominant at home, as usual, but basically just as dominant on the road as well. Indiana plays tough at home, posing a 9-1 record at Assembly Hall this year. I think that Wisconsin will come in very focused after their five day lay-off, and I just don't think the Hoosiers are very good this year, due to all the key players they lost.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAY
* DUKE -7 vs VIRGINIA
The Duke Blue Devils have been just a different basketball team this year, when playing in Cameron Indoor Stadium. They are also 9-1 after a loss and they are trying to bounce back from a 72-59 road loss to Clemson on Saturday. Virginia has won 3 straight and may be due for some cooling off. The Cavaliers can play good defense, but I think it will be hard to stop Duke from going on the type of runs they do while playing at home.
PREDICTED SCORE : BLUE DEVILS 73 CAVALIERS 61
The Duke Blue Devils have been just a different basketball team this year, when playing in Cameron Indoor Stadium. They are also 9-1 after a loss and they are trying to bounce back from a 72-59 road loss to Clemson on Saturday. Virginia has won 3 straight and may be due for some cooling off. The Cavaliers can play good defense, but I think it will be hard to stop Duke from going on the type of runs they do while playing at home.
PREDICTED SCORE : BLUE DEVILS 73 CAVALIERS 61
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
NFL PLAY-OFFS DIVISIONAL ROUND PLAY
* SAN FRANCISCO Pick em at CAROLINA
I am just not sold on this Panthers team, and it's due to their weak offense, and the fact that Cam Newton is just not that good of a pure quarterback. The last time these two faced off in week 10 of the regular season, 49ers TE, and biggest weapon, Vernon Davis , was knocked out of the game. The 49ers were also playing without WR Michael Crabtree, which gives Colin Kaepernick options. I think this time around will be a different story. It's going to be difficult to beat Jim Harbaugh's team twice in a season, especially with Steve Smith playing at about 60%, if he even makes it on the field. The Panthers barely got by them 10-9, in what could have been a different game had their QB had more weapons at his disposal. This time he does.
PREDICTED SCORE : 49ERS 20 PANTHERS 16
I am just not sold on this Panthers team, and it's due to their weak offense, and the fact that Cam Newton is just not that good of a pure quarterback. The last time these two faced off in week 10 of the regular season, 49ers TE, and biggest weapon, Vernon Davis , was knocked out of the game. The 49ers were also playing without WR Michael Crabtree, which gives Colin Kaepernick options. I think this time around will be a different story. It's going to be difficult to beat Jim Harbaugh's team twice in a season, especially with Steve Smith playing at about 60%, if he even makes it on the field. The Panthers barely got by them 10-9, in what could have been a different game had their QB had more weapons at his disposal. This time he does.
PREDICTED SCORE : 49ERS 20 PANTHERS 16
Thursday, January 2, 2014
COLLEGE FOOTBALL POWER PLAY
BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ROSE BOWL PASADENA, CA
*** AUBURN +9 vs FLORIDA ST
The last two BCS Championship games were really just God awful, and I think just by coincidence it will definitely make up for those this year. I just don't see how this couldn't be a really close game that comes down to the wire, and phenomenal to watch. I love the match up here, which seems to me as one of the best in a while. You got Florida St's high powered, but balanced offense going against an unfamiliar animal of a rushing attack that Auburn brings. No one is forgetting the defense of the Seminoles, which is very athletic, but don't forget the defensive front four of the Tigers, and the fact that new defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson has been around for a while and become one of the top 10 defensive minds in college football. I believe Jimbo Fisher is a good, solid coach, but an even better recruiter. He now has a powerhouse of talent, including red shirt freshman standout Jameis Winston, who I think is a sensational player. I think Fisher has done an excellent job at Florida St, but there is a reason why Gus Malzahn was this year's Coach of the Year. This guy really was the brains behind the championship Auburn won in '10 when he was the offensive coordinator there, and they won with offense, not defense. Most are questioning the defense of the Tigers, because of all the points they have given up this year. The team in 2010 was much like this on defense, but was able to make key stops. This Tiger team also had 6 come from behind victories this season, just like in 2010, and looked like they got lucky a lot, which made a lot of people go against them several times, just like 2010, once again. They also had one great player on offense in '10, Cam Newton, which I believe they have this year in Tre Mason. Now, granted Tre is not as good as Cam was, but if you don't think he's that great, you will after this game, because he's very hard to tackle. He shares carries with a few different people that run the ball for Auburn, and don't forget the Tigers had 545 yards rushing, which Mason had 304 of, against one of the nation's top rushing defenses. It may help the Noles having a month to prepare for it, and an athletic defense, but I don't see anybody shutting this attack down. You can only hope to get some key stops, which will probably be the key to this game, and I think Auburn is capable of doing so as well. I definitely see Winston and the Seminoles being able to score some points, but Auburn can rush the passer a decent bit, so they have a chance. Florida St has looked dominant all year, but I'm not sure they have been challenged all that much in the conference they played in. When they beat Clemson on the road, Clemson had some key injuries, and you're never as good as your best game, and that was theirs this year. The only stout running game they faced all year was Boston College, and they gave up 200 yards rushing and 34 points in that meeting. Now, just think what Auburn could possibly do to them on the ground. The SEC is still one of the best conferences, if not the best, and I think the way Auburn has found ways to win, they just might be a team of destiny. Malzahn is really an offensive wizard, and can prove he is really great by winning this championship. I think this is going to be one for the ages, and I find it very difficult to go against either team here, although I lean towards Auburn, because I find they're the most difficult to pick against.
PREDICTED SCORE : 33-30 EITHER WAY
*** AUBURN +9 vs FLORIDA ST
The last two BCS Championship games were really just God awful, and I think just by coincidence it will definitely make up for those this year. I just don't see how this couldn't be a really close game that comes down to the wire, and phenomenal to watch. I love the match up here, which seems to me as one of the best in a while. You got Florida St's high powered, but balanced offense going against an unfamiliar animal of a rushing attack that Auburn brings. No one is forgetting the defense of the Seminoles, which is very athletic, but don't forget the defensive front four of the Tigers, and the fact that new defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson has been around for a while and become one of the top 10 defensive minds in college football. I believe Jimbo Fisher is a good, solid coach, but an even better recruiter. He now has a powerhouse of talent, including red shirt freshman standout Jameis Winston, who I think is a sensational player. I think Fisher has done an excellent job at Florida St, but there is a reason why Gus Malzahn was this year's Coach of the Year. This guy really was the brains behind the championship Auburn won in '10 when he was the offensive coordinator there, and they won with offense, not defense. Most are questioning the defense of the Tigers, because of all the points they have given up this year. The team in 2010 was much like this on defense, but was able to make key stops. This Tiger team also had 6 come from behind victories this season, just like in 2010, and looked like they got lucky a lot, which made a lot of people go against them several times, just like 2010, once again. They also had one great player on offense in '10, Cam Newton, which I believe they have this year in Tre Mason. Now, granted Tre is not as good as Cam was, but if you don't think he's that great, you will after this game, because he's very hard to tackle. He shares carries with a few different people that run the ball for Auburn, and don't forget the Tigers had 545 yards rushing, which Mason had 304 of, against one of the nation's top rushing defenses. It may help the Noles having a month to prepare for it, and an athletic defense, but I don't see anybody shutting this attack down. You can only hope to get some key stops, which will probably be the key to this game, and I think Auburn is capable of doing so as well. I definitely see Winston and the Seminoles being able to score some points, but Auburn can rush the passer a decent bit, so they have a chance. Florida St has looked dominant all year, but I'm not sure they have been challenged all that much in the conference they played in. When they beat Clemson on the road, Clemson had some key injuries, and you're never as good as your best game, and that was theirs this year. The only stout running game they faced all year was Boston College, and they gave up 200 yards rushing and 34 points in that meeting. Now, just think what Auburn could possibly do to them on the ground. The SEC is still one of the best conferences, if not the best, and I think the way Auburn has found ways to win, they just might be a team of destiny. Malzahn is really an offensive wizard, and can prove he is really great by winning this championship. I think this is going to be one for the ages, and I find it very difficult to go against either team here, although I lean towards Auburn, because I find they're the most difficult to pick against.
PREDICTED SCORE : 33-30 EITHER WAY
KEN WISENHUNT: THE NEXT GREAT HIRE
Does anyone remember this guy? If you follow the NFL, I would think you can't forget how this guy took the Arizona Cardinals to a Superbowl. That right there is downright impressive. We are talking about a team that went to the play-offs a total of 2 times in like over 20 years. He was also the offensive coordinator for the Steelers from '04-'06, under Bill Cowher, and helped win one Superbowl there. This guy is a really good offensive mind, and is proven in the league, due to the tough job he had with Arizona, and him being able to accomplish what he did there. Yeah, he had losing seasons in 3 of his last seasons there, but so did Andy Reid when he was in Philly. This is because there was a bad QB situation with Philly, just like in Arizona in Wisenhunt's last 3 years. Good coaches get fired all the time because of things like this, that are not in their total control. If you don't get to the play-offs once every two or three years in this league, you get fired, and that's just the way it is. Some teams know you can't be good every year, and hold on to guys for longer, but the average tenure for coaches isn't that long. Now, I'm not saying I could be an NFL GM or anything, but these teams getting new coaches are really sleeping on this guy. Tampa Bay just hired Lovie Smith, who also made a Superbowl with the Bears, and is solid, but I think Wisenhunt took on the bigger challenge, and can probably do more in a situation. Houston hired Bill O'Brien, who has no NFL head coaching experience. I just don't get how these teams continue to hire people that don't have any prior experience in the position that they are getting. Wouldn't you want someone that had a proven track record of some sort? It's stupid if you ask me. So that leaves Minnesota and Detroit as the last two teams on the coaching search. If you are Detroit, and you pass on this guy, you will probably regret it more than anything. The Lions would be perfect, with all the talent they already have on offense for Wisenhunt to play with. I think he would step in and immediately have that team turned around. I don't understand why they have't hired him already, because I'd get this guy in a heartbeat. Pick him up. You will be more than glad that you did.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
NFL WILD CARD PLAY-OFF GAME PLAY
** NEW ORLEANS +2.5 at PHILADELPHIA
The Saints have never won a road play-off game in their history of a franchise and Drew Brees has never won one in his career as an NFL Quarterback. Well, there is a first time for everything, and it's not like this team and QB are not capable of doing so. The last road play-off game, at the 49ers two years ago, the Saints started off slow and had one of their top RB's, Pierre Thomas, knocked out of the game early. Drew Brees and the Saints got it going in the second half, and were up very late in the fourth quarter, but just couldn't make a key stop in the end. Three years ago they went to Seattle, one of the toughest places to play, hobbling and playing with their sixth RB, and playing their third game in 11 days. They were in that game till the very end as well, and we all know what happened late to end that one. The earliest one was Payon's first year, in the NFC Championship game in '06, when they got blown out by the Bears, but they had no business even being in that game. I think they really are due to win just one. This year they are playing a team that probably shouldn't even be in the play-offs, because if they didn't play in their terrible division, they would probably be 8-8, or maybe even worse. They only beat one good team this year, and that was the Cardinals at home, who missed the play-offs. So, they have beaten no play-off teams, and were just average at home, finishing with a 4-4 record. Let's not forget that the Saints have struggled on the road against teams that had stout D lines, such as the Jets, Rams, Seahawks, and Panthers, because their offensive line couldn't hold up. They allowed 6 sacks at Carolina and could have and should have still won. The Eagles do not have a stout defensive line and I do see the Saints being able to get pressure on Nick Foles, as well. Plus, Philly has holes in their defense, especially the secondary, and I think Sean Payton will have no trouble at all finding ways to exploit them.
PREDICTED SCORE : SAINTS 31 EAGLES 23
The Saints have never won a road play-off game in their history of a franchise and Drew Brees has never won one in his career as an NFL Quarterback. Well, there is a first time for everything, and it's not like this team and QB are not capable of doing so. The last road play-off game, at the 49ers two years ago, the Saints started off slow and had one of their top RB's, Pierre Thomas, knocked out of the game early. Drew Brees and the Saints got it going in the second half, and were up very late in the fourth quarter, but just couldn't make a key stop in the end. Three years ago they went to Seattle, one of the toughest places to play, hobbling and playing with their sixth RB, and playing their third game in 11 days. They were in that game till the very end as well, and we all know what happened late to end that one. The earliest one was Payon's first year, in the NFC Championship game in '06, when they got blown out by the Bears, but they had no business even being in that game. I think they really are due to win just one. This year they are playing a team that probably shouldn't even be in the play-offs, because if they didn't play in their terrible division, they would probably be 8-8, or maybe even worse. They only beat one good team this year, and that was the Cardinals at home, who missed the play-offs. So, they have beaten no play-off teams, and were just average at home, finishing with a 4-4 record. Let's not forget that the Saints have struggled on the road against teams that had stout D lines, such as the Jets, Rams, Seahawks, and Panthers, because their offensive line couldn't hold up. They allowed 6 sacks at Carolina and could have and should have still won. The Eagles do not have a stout defensive line and I do see the Saints being able to get pressure on Nick Foles, as well. Plus, Philly has holes in their defense, especially the secondary, and I think Sean Payton will have no trouble at all finding ways to exploit them.
PREDICTED SCORE : SAINTS 31 EAGLES 23
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