NBA Random Thoughts

With so much of our blog right now focusing on college and pro football, we haven't said much since the season has started about the NBA. But that doesn't mean we haven't paid attention. Here are some random thoughts I have about the state of the game right now.

- David Stern is seriously close to losing what remains of his credibility. If he puts "sanctions" on the Spurs, that's just ridiculous! It's a coach's decision who he plays and who he doesn't. Coach Pop decided to sit some of his stars because of a brutal schedule the league handed them, and that's their right. The Spurs nearly beat the Heat anyways!

- Indiana misses Danny Granger. If you follow this blog you knew I was high on the Pacers before the year. But that was assuming Granger missed slim amounts to no time. Then they news came of his missing a substantial part of the season. Ouch! They often look lost on offense and don't have near the same chemistry I praised them for last year. They need their go to player back!

- Washington has issues. And it goes beyond the injury of John Wall. Bradley Beal should be better, as should the rest of the lineup!

- Rondo is an idiot. Garnett is a flopper. That's how I feel about the realize altercation the Celtics had with the Nets. Garnett wasn't even fouled hard, but you know the old vet likes the flops. Rondo then overreacted massively. You just can't do that. And the league should fine Garnett for flopping like they discussed before the year.

- Memphis is not the best team in the NBA... Miami still is. I know the Grizzlies have the best record in the NBA right now, but that won't last. And even if it does, they still won't win the NBA Championship. Miami though looks the part of defending champs. Ray Allen was a huge pickup for them too as he's already proven to be a clutch player and absurdly good shooter (obvious).

- The Lakers will be okay. There isn't much evidence behind this claim, but they have too much talent their to fail. They will work things out throughout the year, they will get Steve Nash back, and they will still be a legit threat to win it all come playoff time. If you remember, I had them as a 3 or 4 seed in the West but picked them to win it all. There is still a chance for that.

- The New York area is exciting again. I had the Knicks as a pretty high seed in the East before the season. That's proving valid. They are playing great. Amare should hopefully just help that when he returns. I thought the Nets may need some time before gelling but that isn't the case. They are a very good basketball team. Look out for both the whole year.

- The Thunder will miss James Harden. Do I need any more commentary here?

- Lillard and MKG are both great rookies. I said before the draft that MKG is the stud of the class. Lillard might be though. Unibrow has been injury prone so we'll have to wait and see on him. His teammate Eric Gordon must have rubbed off on him...

That's it! Enjoy you weekend!

Andrew

College Football Saturday

As promised, here is our college football preview a day early (due to tonight's game between Louisville and Rutgers). Enjoy!

College Football Picks

Greg:               36 – 22

Andrew:          35 – 23

Last weekend, Notre Dame clinched their spot in the BCS National Championship game by finishing unbeaten in the regular season (Ohio State did too but they are banned from postseason play). That means that the SEC Championship Game, between #2 Alabama and #3 Georgia, will act as a semifinal to the championship. Many of the other teams that will make up the BCS Bowl Games have yet to be determined however. This week the Conference Championship Games will loom large; plus, there are some big games that may determine some of the at large spots. Here is our take on some of the biggest games this weekend:

Louisville at Rutgers

This is a game that has a lot riding on it. The BCS will unfortunately invite one team from the Big East to one of their bowl games. It could end up being the winner of this game. Both have had their highs and lows this year, and I have no clue how these teams will handle this immense pressure. I like Louisville more in the passing game, but Rutgers can really run the ball. The defenses are pretty equal too. So I’ll take a flyer and go with Rutgers. I think the home crowd will better allow them to overcome nerves. – Andrew

Louisville has had a few really bad losses over the last three weeks, and Rutgers' defense has been solid all year.  The Scarlet Knights are also playing at home, and will play as a future member of the Big Ten.  I’ll take them in a pretty competitive game. – Greg

Andrew:          Rutgers 24, Louisville 21

Greg:               Rutgers 20, Louisville 17

MAC Championship: 21 N. Illinois vs. 17 Kent State

This is a legit football game. Both teams are solid and are equally capable of winning this game. There is also an outside chance that one could garner an at large bid to a BCS bowl game. The most likely candidate is Kent State because they are higher in the standings currently. So I’ll pick them by a touchdown. – Andrew

Both teams are having great seasons, especially Kent State who is coming in ranked 17th in the country. However, the Huskies have Jordan Lynch, who is an all-purpose yards machine (averaging about 350/game), and their offense is running on all cylinders right now. I like them in a high scoring, and highly entertaining game. – Greg

Andrew:          Kent State 41, N. Illinois 34

Greg:               N. Illinois 45, Kent State 38

Pac-12 Championship: 16 UCLA vs. 8 Stanford

This game sounds familiar doesn’t it? A week ago Stanford showed UCLA what big boy football was, and that was at their place. This one has more at stake though as it’s for the Rose Bowl. I know it’s hard to beat a team twice in a row, but I think Stanford does it. For the record, I’m so angry Oregon isn’t in this game cause I think they are better than both of these teams… – Andrew

Though I was wrong to pick against UCLA when they played USC, I will not be wrong as the Cardinal will lay it on the Bruins for the second straight week. It is usually hard to beat a team in consecutive weeks, but Stanford is just physically stronger and tougher than UCLA at this point. Stanford wins. – Greg

Andrew:          Stanford 27, UCLA 17

Greg:               Stanford 38, UCLA 24

C-USA Championship: UCF vs. Tulsa

These two teams have identical 9-3 records overall and are both 7-1 in the conference. They have played once this season already with Tulsa pulling out a two-point win at home. Unlike the Pac-12 game, I think the result is reversed this time. UCF will make a few more plays in the second half and win in a tight contest. – Andrew

Tulsa has a great offense, and UCF is average at both offense and defense.... I'm going with the great offense in a shootout. – Greg

Andrew:          UCF 38, Tulsa 35

Greg:               Tulsa 55, UCF 43

11 Oklahoma at TCU

TCU will try to make a statement in this game to show they belong in a big boy conference. Oklahoma is trying to keep a hold on their potential at large birth into a BCS bowl game. I have seemingly picked Oklahoma in nearly every big game on this blog. They have let me down before but they came through a week ago. So I’ll roll with them again. – Andrew

The Sooners pulled out a miraculous win against their in-state rivals last week, and they have another tough test this week on the road. The Horned Frogs (weirdest mascot in all of sports) will have their hands full, but Gary Patterson's defenses are usually tough.  I still think Oklahoma pulls it out, but they will trail in the 4th quarter. – Greg

Andrew:          Oklahoma 38, TCU 24

Greg:               Oklahoma 30, TCU 27

SEC Championship: 2 Alabama vs. 3 Georgia

We all know this is the focus of everyone’s attention this week. Not only will the winner be the SEC Champion, but they will also move on to play Notre Dame in the National Championship game. I think Alabama is a better team and I trust them and their coach a bit more. But I’m going with Georgia. I love their defense, I love how they have been playing, and I love that they will come into this game with nothing to lose. They will play more freely than Alabama. – Andrew

Georgia had better hope that having this game in Atlanta helps them, because it could get as ugly as their game against South Carolina did this year.  Georgia's defense is playing great, but they are a 'light' defense. What I mean by that is they are full of fast skill-position defensive players, and I think they will get out-matched by Alabama's great offensive line and backs. – Greg

Andrew:          Georgia 21, Alabama 17

Greg:               Alabama 24, Georgia 17

ACC Championship: 13 Florida St. vs. Georgia Tech

For the legitimacy of the BCS, let’s hope Florida State wins this game. Nobody wants to see Georgia Tech in one of those games. The good news is that I think Florida State wins this game easy. Despite losing a heartbreaker last week, I say they bounce back in a big way and earn their way into the BCS bowls. Defense is too good and they won’t allow the team to lose. – Andrew

In one of what should be the most non-competitive games of the week, Mark Stoops' announcement that he has taken the Kentucky head-coaching job will throw a wrench into this game. I can't decide whether or not it will motivate FSU's defense or demoralize them. I think for this game I'm going to go with motivate, and they crush the Yellow Jackets. – Greg

Andrew:          Florida State 38, Georgia Tech 14

Greg:               Florida State 38, Georgia Tech 17

18 Texas at 6 Kansas State

Klein and company has a lot to prove now. A lot hangs in the balance including a possible Heisman trophy and a nice spot in a big time bowl game. Texas can present some problems for the Wildcats, but I think K-State will have the answers and playing at home will also help. I am an optimist so I think Klein will make a statement here and they win fairly easily. – Andrew

Some people still think Colin Klein is a Heisman candidate. I am not one of them. Even if he has a great game this week against Texas like I expect him to, he cannot erase the memory of the beat down at Baylor earlier this season. Texas is an overrated team, and Case McCoy is starting at QB… he's not the real McCoy. – Greg

Andrew:          Kansas State 31, Texas 20

Greg:               Kansas State 30, Texas 14

Big Ten Championship: 12 Nebraska vs. Wisconsin

With a Rose Bowl bid on the line, this will be an intense matchup. I think both teams are similar. Montee Ball will be the best player on the field, but I think Nebraska will be the better team. I say it comes down to a late field goal and the newly added Cornhuskers will represent the Big Ten in the battle for the roses. – Andrew

The de facto Big Ten Championship Game was played last week between Michigan and Ohio State. Both teams are better than those playing in this game. Wisconsin won a squeaker a few weeks ago, but I think Nebraska pulls this one out and 'represents' the Big Ten poorly in the Rose Bowl against Stanford. – Greg

Andrew:          Nebraska 24, Wisconsin 21

Greg:               Nebraska 31, Wisconsin 20

Enjoy your weekend!

By: The Sports Guys

NFL Picks - Week 13

Normally we post our NFL picks on Thursday, but we are moving our college football picks to tomorrow which moved these picks to today. So here is our NFL Picks Blog for the week:

Week 12 was obviously Thanksgiving time. That meant that like always there were some great games. The best game, and the most controversial, was the game that opened the week: Houston at Detroit. Throughout the weekend, the wildcard spots got ever more unclear, and this week is huge for those teams. Here are the updated standings:

Andrew – 975 Points (112-63-1)

Greg – 928 Points (108-67-1) – Winner of Week 12

The 16 games this week opens with a great Thursday night game between the Saints and the Falcons. Other important games include Seattle and Chicago, Indianapolis and Detroit, Minnesota and Green Bay, Buccaneers and Broncos, Steelers and Ravens, and lastly the New York Giants and Washington Redskins on MNF.

Below are our picks and confidence points for all the games. Play along in the comment section if you want:

Greg’s Picks

16       Houston over Tennessee

15       New England over Miami

14       Baltimore over Pittsburgh

13       Dallas over Philadelphia

12       NYJ over Arizona

11       San Francisco over St. Louis

10       Chicago over Seattle

9          Atlanta over New Orleans

8          Buffalo over Jacksonville

7          Carolina over Kansas City

6          Cleveland over Oakland

5          Cincinnati over San Diego

4          Washington over NYG

3          Tampa Bay over Denver

2          Green Bay over Minnesota

1          Detroit over Indianapolis

Andrew’s Picks

16       Green Bay over Minnesota

15       New England over Miami

14       Houston over Tennessee

13       Denver over Tampa Bay

12       Dallas over Philadelphia

11       Chicago over Seattle

10       Baltimore over Pittsburgh

9          San Francisco over St. Louis

8          Atlanta over New Orleans

7          Buffalo over Jacksonville

6          Detroit over Indianapolis

5          Cincinnati over San Diego

4          NYJ over Arizona

3          Carolina over Kansas City

2          Cleveland over Oakland

1          NYG over Washington

Enjoy week 13!

By: The Sports Guys

NFL Power Rankings

It was an enjoyable week of football. Thanksgiving provided some good moments (well, at least the first two games), and the weekend was a nice encore. I loved that my Bears and my Colts both won, and I loved that the Packers lost! Here are the up to date power rankings:

NFL Power Rankings

Through Week 12

Andrew – 975 Points (112-63-1)

Greg – 928 Points (108-67-1) – Winner of Week 12

NOTE: Last week’s rank is noted in the first parenthesis. Current team record noted in the second parenthesis.

1. (1) Houston Texans (10-1) – In the most exciting Thanksgiving game, the Texans won in OT at Detroit. I was very impressed with their balanced offensive attack and the poise they showed in pulling that game out. – Andrew

2. (4) New England Patriots (8-3) – They showed the NFL last week that they are in a different league than most teams on the offensive side of the ball. Their defense is still iffy when they play good teams though. – Andrew

3. (2) Atlanta Falcons (10-1) – They won another close game on Sunday. But as impressive as that is, I feel they play to the level of their competition instead of at an elite level all the time. – Andrew

4. (6) Baltimore Ravens (9-2) – The have essentially clinched their division already but they still play with passion. Their 4^th and 29 conversion on a dump off to Ray Rice is the epitome of the heart they possess as a team. – Andrew

5. (7) Denver Broncos (8-3) – On Sunday they won with defense. Peyton and company had a rare off day but their defense proved they are a great unit. That’s now six wins in a row so look out! – Andrew

6. (3) San Francisco 49ers (8-2-1) – I personally hate the QB questions and controversy that is going on in San Francisco. If the 49ers are legit Super Bowl contenders, they shouldn’t be in this situation. Alex Smith should be the starter if healthy, end of story. What he did last year in the playoffs is something I trust over a running, rookie QB. – Andrew

7. (8) Chicago Bears (8-3) – What a difference a quarterback can make. After losing two straight games essentially without Cutler, he returns and they played like an elite team once again. Injuries to Hester, Forte, Tillman, and some lineman is a concern though moving forward. – Andrew

8. (11) New York Giants (7-4) – Sunday night was a great bounce back performance after playing some bad football of late. Eli looked like himself again, and the defense looked like it did in the playoffs a year ago. – Andrew

9. (5) Green Bay Packers (7-4) – The Packers looked extremely mediocre this week. The injuries on offense and their terrible offensive line lead me to question the unit’s effectiveness against elite defenses. And thinking about their defense makes me want to vomit. – Andrew

10. (14) Indianapolis Colts (7-4) – For the first time in a long time, I was more impressed with the Colts defense on Sunday than the offense. That’s a scary thought considering how much I like Andrew Luck. – Andrew

11. (17) Cincinnati Bengals (6-5) – Cincinnati continues to pile up wins against inferior competition. That’s not a bad thing though because now they are firmly in the mix for a playoff spot. – Andrew

12. (19) Washington Redskins (5-6) – Thanksgiving showed us one sure thing: RGIII is very, very good. The playoffs are in reach in a crowded AFC, but a huge game against the Giants looms large. – Andrew

13. (9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5) – Losing the Atlanta isn’t a bad thing, except that it was at home, and they have a brutal road schedule coming up. All of a sudden their playoff chances are in serious jeopardy. – Andrew

14. (12) New Orleans Saints (5-6) – I would blame their defense for their loss to San Francisco but their offense only scored 21 points, and gave up 14 points on pick-6’s. That’s not beating anyone. – Andrew

15. (10) Seattle Seahawks (6-5) – With the likely suspensions of their CB’s, I don’t see how this team will be able to survive. I don’t like their chances at all this week at Chicago. – Andrew

16. (13) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) – Bad news: they had eight turnovers on Sunday and are playing some very ugly football. Good news: Big Ben is on track to return which means they can right the ship. – Andrew

17. (15) Minnesota Vikings (6-5) – Without Percy Harvin they truly have a stagnant offense. This week in Green Bay could be as ugly as it was in Chicago. – Andrew

18. (16) Dallas Cowboys (5-6) – Dallas needs to learn to play 60 minutes. They dig themselves too big of holes early in games and it’s why they are under .500. I say quit trying to run and unleash Romo immediately… he is on two of my fantasy teams after all. – Andrew

19. (18) Detroit Lions (4-7) – Now losers of three straight games, this one goes on the coach for his challenge blunder. Although it was also karma since Suh kicked a guy in the nuts. That never goes well. – Andrew

20. (23) Miami Dolphins (5-6) – Just when I finally gave up on this team, they go out there and win. I still can’t grasp how good or bad this team really is. – Andrew

21. (21) San Diego Chargers (4-7) – One play can sum up there season: ahead on Sunday by 3, they gave up a first down on 4^th and 29 first without committing a penalty. It led to a FG as time expired and they lost in OT. Classic. – Andrew

22. (25) St. Louis Rams (4-6-1) – Can’t give them too much credit for winning on Sunday… it was against the Cardinals with somebody Lindley at QB. – Andrew

23. (22) Buffalo Bills (4-7) – Despite have loads of talent, the Bills haven’t done much this season. It’s time to look to the future. – Andrew

24. (20) Tennessee Titans (4-7) – See what I said about Miami at #20, then think the opposite here. – Andrew

25. (29) Carolina Panthers (3-8) – It can’t be that hard to beat the Eagles, but Cam sure was impressive doing it. – Andrew

26. (30) Cleveland Browns (3-8) – After starting 0-5, the young Browns are 3-3 since then. They have some good things going for sure. – Andrew

27. (24) New York Jets (4-7) – I can’t way anything good about this team, their management, and their coaches. – Andrew

28. (26) Arizona Cardinals (4-7) – Opposite of Cleveland, this team started out well (4-0), but have fizzled of late (0-7). – Andrew

29. (27) Oakland Raiders (3-8) – Palmer didn’t have the homecoming he wanted. But it has been hard for this team without a healthy McFadden. – Andrew

30. (31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) – With Chad Henne at QB, Jacksonville suddenly has life. I think they have the potential to play spoiler over the next few weeks. – Andrew

31. (28) Philadelphia Eagles (3-8) – Who would have thought the Eagles would be this bad? They are seriously in the running for the top pick in the upcoming draft. – Andrew

32. (32) Kansas City Chiefs (1-10) – I was actually somewhat impressed with their loss to Denver this past weekend. They kept it close and contained Manning better than most have. But they still lost and are seriously terrible. – Andrew

By: The Sports Guys