Honda Classic Pick 5 Challenge

We're back for another addition of the Pick 5 Challenge. Last week we actually pick the whole bracket at the WG Match Play event, Greg prevailed by two points. We added those to our overall standings and they are listed here:

Overall Standings

Andrew: 377

Greg: 364


It remains a tight race, and of course it is very early in the year. This week's event is the Honda Classic. Last year, Rory held off Tiger's late charge to win this event. For this week's challenge, each pick we make must be from a different country. Play along in the comment section if you'd like. Here are our picks:

Greg's Picks

Rory McIlroy - Northern Ireland
Louis Oosthuizen - South Africa
Dustin Johnson - USA
Justin Rose - England (in this case)
Kevin Na - South Korea (in this case)

Andrew's Picks

Rory McIlroy - Northern Ireland
Louis Oosthuizen - South Africa
Jason Day - Australia
Nicolas Colsaerts - Belgium
Charles Howell III - USA

By: The Sports Guys

Alex Smith Trade

Although the details have yet to be revealed, the 49ers have traded QB Alex Smith to the Chiefs. Let's discuss...

Let's make one thing clear first, this was a good move for the 49ers. Colin Kaepernick is their future (obvious after he led them to the Super Bowl as a rookie). Alex Smith became a trading chip. Anything they acquired would help them since he was simply a full time backup now. So no matter what details are revealed, I liked this for them.

As for the Chiefs, is Smith an upgrade? Yes. Will he help? Maybe.

Andrew - He isn't that much better than Cassel and there are problems with the whole team. Upgrading a little at QB won't do much in the short term. They still have a lot of pieces. If they fill other pieces in the draft or in other free agents, maybe there is some hope. I just feel bad for Smith at this point. Last year he played fantastic in leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game. Now he's being traded to the worst team in football. Ouch.

Greg - The Chiefs could be very good now. They have a lot of young players, a good coach, and now a QB that fits that system to a T. They have a pretty good offensive line and a set of pretty good running backs.

Who do you agree with more? Post your answer in the comment section.

By: The Sports Guys

Postseason Picks

This past Sunday, we conducted a "draft" picking teams we think will be successful in the NCAA Tournament this year. We will obviously be making official picks when the bracket is released next month, but we wanted to make predictions a month in advance to make it more interesting. Greg designed a few categories:

1. We must each pick 5 teams and draft them in alternating order. Andrew can have first pick. For every win one of your team earns in the tourney, you get a point. Highest point total wins.

2. Of the five teams, a maximum of two teams from each conference can be chosen.

3. At least one team has to be a team from outside the "Power 6" conferences.

4. At least one team has to be unranked (as of the AP Poll released on February 18th).

5. One team CAN fulfill multiple categories.

So after those rules were set in stone, I (Andrew) made an obvious first choice:

Andrew - Indiana (Big Ten)

Greg admitted later that IU was one of the two picks I stole from him. That's what happens when he gives me first pick!

Greg - Michigan State

I will admit that I was hoping to take Michigan State as my second Big Ten school. So I had to settle:

Andrew - Michigan (Big Ten)

At this point, Greg and I just went on a tear taking the schools we thought would have the most postseason success:

Greg - Kansas

Andrew - Florida

Greg - Duke (ACC)

Andrew - Louisville

Greg - Gonzaga (Non-Power 6)

Here is where strategy took over. I played it so I got two teams from the best conference in the country (Big Ten), and I loaded up on other potential championship teams. That left my last pick where I had to take a team outside the power conferences and unranked:

Andrew - St. Louis (non-Power 6, Unranked)

Luckily for me, St. Louis was only receiving votes at the time. They did enter the rankings the next day, but that wasn't the poll we were going by. Greg was disappointed because this was the second team I picked that he wanted. Although he still needed a second team from a similar conference:

Greg - NC State (ACC, Unranked)

All categories were fulfilled and the draft was therefore complete. Take a look at the recap below of all the picks, and let us know who you think drafted better:

Andrew - Indiana, Michigan, Florida, Louisville, St. Louis

Greg - Michigan State, Kansas, Duke, Gonzaga, NC State

By: The Sports Guys

NCAA Top 25

March Madness is now right around the corner. Although there is some shuffling up and down the standings, we now have a little stability at the top. Indiana has clearly established themselves as the top team in the country. It will take a collapse of some sort for them to fall out of that spot. As for the rest of the top 25, take a look:

Top 25 – February 25, 2013

NOTE: Previous ranking in parenthesis (from two weeks ago). Current record noted next to each team.

1. (1) Indiana Hoosiers: 24-3

Their win at Michigan State was ultra impressive. It not only gives them the inside track to winning the Big Ten outright, but towards getting the overall one seed in the NCAA Tourney. Oladipo and Zeller are 1-2 in my POY poll.

2. (5) Gonzaga Bulldogs: 27-2

Is Gonzaga the second favorite to win it all in March, probably not. But they do deserve this ranking. Where others continue to fall, they prevail and continue winning. Remember, they have only lost to Illinois and Butler this year. Indiana has those same losses…

3. (4) Duke Blue Devils: 24-3

Duke is getting their swagger back and is starting to play very well once again. I fully expect them to win out to end the regular season, including beating Miami in their rematch. Ryan Kelly is set to return for their senior night on March 5. Look out!

4. (3) Michigan Wolverines: 23-4

They got embarrassed at Michigan State, but have looked elite in all other games. Their issue is that they rely too much on Trey Burke. When they are balanced though, they are very dangerous.

5. (11) Kansas Jayhawks: 23-4

Since their losing streak, Kansas has won four in a row including wins over Kansas State and Oklahoma State. They once again look like a team primed for a Final Four.

6. (6) Florida Gators: 22-4

Despite a tight loss at Missouri, Florida is playing consistently well. They have a couple injury concerns that need to heal up over the next couple of weeks though to get ready for a deep March run.

7. (2) Miami Hurricanes: 22-4

After blistering through the ACC for a couple months, Miami finally let the pressure get to them and got waxed by Wake Forest. That really exposed them in my opinion and I believe another waxing is coming soon against Duke.

8. (13) Georgetown Hoyas: 21-4

Otto Porter has turned this team into a darkhorse national title contender. Their recent winning streak continued this week, even on the road against Syracuse. They now are in first place alone (Big East) and I don’t see them slowing down.

9. (8) Michigan State Spartans: 22-6

They annihilated Michigan since our last rankings, but then they lost at home to Indiana and at Ohio State. They are a great team in some regards but are missing a consistent scoring threat.

10. (14) Louisville Cardinals: 22-5

Since losing in 5 OT’s to Notre Dame, Louisville has won three straight. They remain a great defensive squad and that keeps them in the hunt for a national title.

11. (10) Arizona Wildcats: 23-4

They haven’t impressed in conference play like they did in non-conference play, but they are tied for first place in the Pac-12 nonetheless. They had that Colorado loss coming after they mistakenly won against them last time.

12. (12) Kansas State Wildcats: 22-5

Tied atop the Big 12 lead with Kansas, but they did get swept by the Jayhawks. I don’t really know if this is a Final Four contender or a team primed to get upset in the second round.

13. (7) Syracuse Orangemen: 22-5

Just when I thought Syracuse would take off, they have taken a step backwards. A home loss is almost unheard of for them, which is what they got against Georgetown this past week.

14. (24) New Mexico Lobos: 23-4

In their big win at Colorado State, they all but clinched the tough Mountain West. They also proved a believer out of me. They are a dangerous team that can play great defense, and they can also really score it. Kendall Williams proved that when he dropped 46 against the Rams.

15. (17) Ohio State Buckeyes: 20-7

They had a solid last two weeks. Although they lost at Wisconsin (most teams do), they beat Northwestern, Minnesota, and Michigan State. They are out of the Big Ten race, but are still working on a decent seed in the NCAA Tournament.

16. (21) Wisconsin Badgers: 19-8

They are playing their best basketball of the season. How do I know this? They beat down the Buckeyes at home last week. That’s tough to do.

17. (15) Oklahoma State Cowboys: 20-6

A 2-OT loss to Kansas is not something to hang your head about, but they likely blew their Big 12 title chances. They need better inside play to become complete.

18. (NR) St. Louis Billikens: 21-5

Nine wins in a row including a sweep of Butler and a win against VCU. It’s about time they start getting some attention nationally.

19. (NR) Memphis Tigers: 24-3

Still don’t know how great this team is, but they win over and over again. A win against Southern Miss on Saturday did enough for me to include them in my Top 25 this week.

20. (19) Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 22-6

Over the last two weeks they had a puzzling big loss to Providence, but they smashed Cincinnati and won at Pitt. Is it too much to ask for some consistency?

21. (9) Butler Bulldogs: 22-6

They are sliding a little in the A-10, but two of their losses in the conference have come to St. Louis, who is currently beating everybody. They seemingly peeked though in the non-conference.

22. (NR) Virginia Commonwealth Rams: 22-6

When they play well, VCU can give any team in the country fits. They are prone to duds however, which has kept them out of the rankings for some time. They are playing second fiddle to St. Louis right now, but they have a showdown with Butler upcoming that can prove their legitimacy.

23. (NR) St. Mary’s Gaels: 24-5

Apparently they only lose to Gonzaga, and Creighton felt their wrath over the weekend. I think that win sealed their bid to the NCAA Tournament.

24. (NR) North Carolina Tarheels: 19-8

UNC is playing some of their best ball of the year. They have tons of talent that makes them scary over the next month or so of the season.

25. (NR) UNLV Rebels: 21-7

Wins over SD State and CSU recently force me to include this talented squad in my rankings again. They seem to be coming into form. At their best, I do believe this is the best team in the Mountain West.

Dropped from Rankings: Pittsburgh, Marquette, Kentucky, Minnesota, San Diego State, Colorado State

Other Notables: Oklahoma, Oregon, NC State, UCLA, Missouri, Illinois, UCONN, Iowa State, Wichita State, Louisiana Tech, Akron, California, Colorado

By: The Sports Guys

Saturday Morning Musings

First off, we apologize for not blogging our normal amount this week. Greg landed a new job that started this week, and I have been in Denver visiting my family. We have been watching sports though, so here are some thoughts on all things sports.

- Indiana's victory at Michigan State on Tuesday was impressive. Not only does that potentially deliver the Big Ten Championship, but that all but clinches a one seed in the tournament, and gives them the inside track to the overall number one. This would give them the Midwest Region, which is played in Indianapolis.

- Speaking of regions, whoever gets the top seeds in the West Region will have to travel the farthest, but will have an advantage in lack of talent. In nearly every mock I see, the top seeds are Gonzaga, Arizona, New Mexico, etc. Don't get me wrong, those are solid teams. But if Duke or Michigan State or some other team lands out there, they won't be disappointed at all because the competition will be lighter. The other regions contain teams like Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Syracuse, Louisville, etc. These teams are much more threatening. Of course you never know what will change before Selection Sunday, and the committee could do things drastically different than the mocks.

- St. Louis is really good. After winning at Butler last night, they have won 9 straight, including a sweep of Butler and a blowout win over VCU. Looks like they won't let the newcomers take over the league after all.

- In the NBA, All-Star Weekend was boring, except for Kobe shutting down Lebron late in the actual game. Kyrie Irving is going to be very good for a long time, Harden shouldn't have been traded from OKC, and the dunk contest keeps getting worse. Lebron and Blake need to save us and sign up next year. Oh and Chris Paul is good.

- In the second half of the NBA season, I think the Pacers will be dangerous. Since nothing happened at the trade deadline, they are the team that is acquiring the best midseason talent: Granger coming back from injury. They just took over second in the East, and Granger should return this week. Look out!

- In the West, keep an eye on the Lakers. I loved Kobe's enthusiasm at the end of the All-Star Game, and then his comments this week about guaranteeing the playoffs was great. Nash and Howard backed him up, and I could see this as something that catalyzes them. At least this could get more effort from Howard, which is what they sorely need.

- Baseball started Spring Training. With all the moves in the offseason, I'm actually excited for the year. That is rare because baseball is normally not something I eagerly anticipate. I'm a Braves fan, so I do have a lot to look forward to. Greg is a Cubs fan so not as much for him.

- In hockey, the Blackhawks are rolling. 14-0-3 is the best start in the history of the NHL. I'm not much of a hockey fan, but I've always said Chicago is my favorite team because I live closest to them out of any. But that probably doesn't count does it?

- In tennis, Nadal has returned to the scene and won his first tournament. Congrats to him for battling back. I am interested in how he does against the top players, because he's yet to have played some of the elite guys. He'll get his chance soon.

- In golf, the Match Play Event has started. We made predictions on Tuesday. Go check them out. Mine suck! Rory and Tiger lost in the first round (I had Tiger winning it all), plus my other finalist (Shwartzel) and another semifinalist (Scott) lost in the first round also. Thankfully my last semifinalist (Kuchar) is alive and into the third round.

- The tourney though has been crazy. None of the 1-seeds made it into the third round. That proves the amount of parity that there is in golf right now. Last year's champion, Hunter Mahan, is looking good. Ian Poulter, who won a few years ago also (and is Greg's pick to win), is still alive too. Bubba Watson, a 2-seed, is the highest seeded player remaining. Those three would be the favorites I guess, but who knows really.

- What's on tap this weekend? Bracketbuster Saturday is normally fun, although the only big matchup is Creighton vs. St. Mary's. That's a big game for both. Memphis and Southern Miss is a big game in the C-USA. In the Mountain West, New Mexico at Colorado State is huge. In the major conferences, Georgetown and Syracuse is the biggest matchup of the day, but I also like NC State and North Carolina. Baylor and Oklahoma play in the Big 12 too. On Sunday, there are loads of good matchups: Michigan State at Ohio State, Illinois and Michigan, Pitt at St. John's, and Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati.

- Of course this weekend is also the end of the Match Play Championship. That's always exciting stuff. And that is completely unpredictable.

Enjoy your sports time!

By: Andrew

WGC Accenture Match Play

This week, instead of picking just 5 players for our weekly challenge, we're picking the whole bracket. You can visit ESPN or the PGA Tour website for the full bracket, but below are our picks. The first round is worth one point each, but then two in the second round, three in the third, etc. Play along in the comment section if you'd like.

Bobby Jones Bracket:

First Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(16) Lowry
(8)Fowler
(5)McDowell
(4)D.Johnson
(6)Z.Johnson
(14)Henley
(10)Moore
(2)Watson

Andrew's Picks:
(1)McIlroy
(8)Fowler
(4)D. Johnson
(12)Harrington
(11)Day
(3)Schwartzel
(10)Moore
(2)Watson

Second Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(8) Fowler
(5)McDowell
(14)Henley
(10)Moore

Andrew's Picks:
(1)McIlroy
(12)Harrington
(3)Schwartzel
(2)Watson

Third Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(8)Fowler
(14)Henley

Andrew's Picks:
(1)McIlroy
(3)Schwartzel

Bobby Jones Bracket Winner:

Greg's Pick:
(14) Henley

Andrew's Pick:
(3)Schwartzel

I don't believe a 1 seed has ever won this tournament, and I believe that at least 2 #1 seeds have lost in every tournament since it switched to this format.  This is by far the toughest bracket, and it will have the most shocking upsets. I just hope I picked the right ones. - Greg

I can't wait for some of these matchups. McDowell and Harrington is a powerhouse Euro battle, Schwartzel vs. Henley is experience vs. youth, and Zach Johnson taking on Jason Day could be a preview for the President's Cup. In the second round, McIlroy and Fowler is one that I would pay a lot to watch. The winner of the Euro battle taking on Dustin Johnson should be nice also. Any of the top seeds in this region could prevail, which will make the final matches here all awesome. - Andrew

Ben Hogan Bracket:

First Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(1)Oosthuizen
(9)Garrigus
(12)Jacobsen
(4)Bradley
(11)Fujita
(3)Garcia
(10)Colsaerts
(2)Rose

Andrew's Picks:
(1)Oosthuizen
(8)Grace
(12)Jacobsen
(4)Bradley
(6)Kuchar
(3)Garcia
(7)Haas
(2)Rose

Second Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(9) Garrigus
(12)Jacobsen
(3)Garcia
(2)Rose

Andrew's Picks:
(1)Oosthuizen
(12)Jacobsen
(6)Kuchar
(2)Rose

Third Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(9)Garrigus
(2)Rose

Andrew's Picks:
(12)Jacobsen
(6)Kuchar

Ben Hogan Bracket Winner:

Greg's Pick:
(2) Rose

Andrew's Pick:
(6)Kuchar

This should be the most "chalk" bracket of all of them, but if Justin Rose gets by his first matchup(against K.J. Choi), which should be his toughest of his region, I see him easily getting through. - Greg

Overall I feel as if this is the weakest region, which makes it tough to predict. None of the top seeds are playing well right now, outside of Rose who had a nice outing in January. But Rose has the toughest first match taking on steady KJ Choi. Jacobson is a wildcard because he is coming off a great tourney in California. But Kuchar is consistent so I like his chances. - Andrew

Gary Player Bracket:

First Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(1) Woods
(9)Molinari
(12)Bjorn
(4)W.Simpson
(6)H. Mahan
(3) Dufner
(10)Coetzee
(15) Cabrera-Bello

Andrew's Picks:
(1)Woods
(9)Molinari
(12)Bjorn
(4)W.Simpson
(6)H.Mahan
(3)Dufner
(5)Kaymer
(2)Westwood

Second Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(9)Molinari
(4)W.Simpson
(3)Dufner
(15)Cabrera-Bello

Andrew's Picks:
(1)Woods
(4)W.Simpson
(6)H.Mahan
(2)Westwood

Third Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(4)W.Simpson
(3)Dufner

Andrew's Picks:
(1)Woods
(6)H.Mahan

Gary Player Bracket Winner:

Greg's Pick:
(3)Dufner

Andrew's Pick:
(1)Woods

Tiger is playing much better, but I don't think he intimidates players like he used to. Molinari has beaten him before, and I say he beats him again. However, if the bracket plays out like Andrew predicts and Scott and Woods play in the semifinals that would be fun to watch too. - Greg

Woods, Mahan, and Simpson have been great this year. Westwood has been pretty good too. This region also has a number of quality worldwide players like Dufner, Molinari, Hanson, Kaymer, etc. Many of the matchups, particularly in the second round and after, are must see. But I like Tiger because he is getting his mojo back. - Andrew

Sam Snead Bracket:

First Round Winners:

Greg's Pick:
(1)Donald
(8)Lawrie
(12)Toms
(13)Stenson
(11)Senden
(3)Poulter
(10)Oleson
(15)Clark

Andrew's Picks:
(1)Donald
(9)Piercy
(5)Watney
(4)Stricker
(6)Van Pelt
(3)Poulter
(7)Donaldson
(2)Scott

Second Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(1)Donald
(12)Toms
(3)Poulter
(10)Oleson

Andrew's Picks:
(1)Donald
(5)Watney
(3)Poulter
(2)Scott

Third Round Winners:

Greg's Picks:
(1)Donald
(3)Poulter

Andrew's Picks:
(5)Watney
(2)Scott

Sam Snead Bracket Winner:

Greg's Pick:
(3)Poulter

Andrew's Pick:
(2)Scott

Ian Poulter is unstoppable in Match Play. If he keeps up his Ryder Cup magic he will be impossible to beat here. - Greg

Where the last region had a lot of great Americans, this region has a lot of great foreigners. Donald, Scott, and Poulter headline this region, and with all their match play experience (Ryder and President's Cup), it should be a challenging region. Don't count out Stricker and Watney though, especially Watney who has played well this year. I picked Scott last week as one of my picks, and I'll go with him again to advance here. - Andrew

"Final Four"

Semifinals:

Greg's Picks:
(2)Rose over (14)Henley
(3)Poulter over (3)Dufner

Andrew's Picks:
(3)Schwartzel over (6)Kuchar
(1)Woods over (2)Scott

Final:

Greg's Picks:
(3)Poulter over (2)Rose

Andrew's Picks:
(1)Woods over (3)Schwartzel

If this turns out to be the case, the headlines will be all over Tiger vs. Scott in the semifinals. Not only are they two of the most talented guys on tour, but they don't like each other and part of that stems from Stevie Williams now being on Adam Scott's bag, not Tiger's. But as I often do, Tiger all the way! - Andrew

As always, happy watching and get your picks in!

By: The Sports Guys

NFL Free Agency Preview

Bill Polian posted his Free Agent List last week. I don’t have hours and hours to watch tape on all of these guys so I’m not going to do as extensive a list. I’m going to list my top 10 Free Agents for both offense and defense. As teams really try to determine whether to fill their needs via the draft or through free Agency. You'll notice that on offense I've gone with mostly skill position players and on defense I've gone with younger defensive lineman and specialists. This draft is loaded with lineman and athletes on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.  Most higher picks will be used on them, and then supplemented with veterans.

Offense:

1.Joe Flacco- The best QB available, and will almost certainly re-sign with the Ravens. This is more based upon demand than anything else. The only obstacle to this would be Flacco's demand to be the highest paid QB in the NFL.

2.Jake Long-The best offensive lineman available, and is still somewhat young.  He does have a few injury issues, but would be a great get at left lackle for quite a few teams.

3.Wes Welker- He’s top 3 if he stays with the Patriots, but has less value everywhere else. My guess is he stays with the Pats.

4.Mike Wallace-Take off the top speed, and you can’t put a price on that. Darkhorse in this race is Oakland, because they are just crazy enough to pay for pure speed.

5.Ryan Clady- Looks like the Broncos will franchise him, but he’s very close to Jake Long, and very durable.

6.Martellus Bennett- Developed into a top flight tight end this year. His best fit is to re-sign with the Giants, but with so few top flight TEs he could get a big payday this offseason.

7.Dwayne Bowe- If Bowe was a little more disciplined and focused he’d be higher on this list, but he’s the big possession type receiver that most teams crave.

8.Greg Jennings-Is only this high if he gets in the right system. He’s a west coast receiver, and will only fit in that type of system. That being said, if he can stay healthy he would be a good pickup for a few years for any team.

9.Steven Jackson- Running Backs have lower Value in the current NFL, especially ones that have more than a few miles on them. Several options for S-Jax. Detroit would be a good fit for him at the right price.

10A.Delanie Walker- The “Swiss Army Knife” would be a great pick-up for any team. I would have him higher but I don’t think there’s much of a chance that San Francisco doesn’t re-sign him.

10B.Shonn Greene- Might be a better value than Steven Jackson because he’s got a little bit less wear and tear on him. He’s going to be a good fit in a run heavy offense that is in need of either a big power back to change the pace, or to back up a current power back. Best fits are Washington, Seattle, or Carolina.

Defense:

1.Henry Melton- Really took big strides in improving last season. He’s really only a fit in a 4-3 defense though. Dallas and Chicago will be his best bets to get paid.

2.Paul Kruger-Really made a name for himself in the postseason. Was probably the Ravens’ best defensive player in the playoffs and would be a great addition for any 3-4 team.

3.Brent Grimes-Probably the top cover corner available, but has been plagued by injuries and is limited to mostly zone based schemes because of his size.

4.Anthony Spencer- Will be leaving Dallas, but only because he needs to play in a 3-4 defense.

5.Michael Johnson-Young and explosive. Makes a lot of plays and is disruptive. Could make a lot of money this offseason in a long term deal.

6.Phillip Wheeler-Durable and has made great strides in his play over the last few seasons. Would be an upgrade for most teams at the ILB position in a 3-4 scheme.

7.Sen’Derrick Marks- Really has developed well as a DT since coming into the league. Is definitely on the upslope of his career and will only get better. A team would be smart to give him a good contract.

8.Ed Reed-Still productive, but there are really only two options for him: Re-sign with the Ravens or sign with the Patriots.

 9.Erik Walden-Always flashes great potential and has incredible athleticism for a 3-4 team. He could get a nice contract from a team willing to bet on his motor staying high.

10A.Dwight Freeney-Still have good value as a speed rusher in certain down and distance situations.

10B. Israel Idonije-Might have slightly higher value than Freeney because he can play more downs, but is not as explosive as a pass rusher. The Bears could sign them both for a good deal and pair them together to form a more than formidable end opposite Julius Peppers while some of their younger players develop.

Feel Free to agree or disagree! Let’s get some comments and discussion going on here!

Northern Trust - Pick 5 Challenge

This week is the Northern Trust Open at Riviera CC in California. Great course and a great field. The only downside is that Rory, Tiger, and Snedeker aren't playing. We'll have to wait until next week to see those guys play (except Sned who is injured).

For the Pick 5 Challenge this week, Greg and I must pick one player in the World Rankings that is ranked 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40, and over 40. If you want an update on the standings, see a blog titled "Golf Update" that was posted a couple days ago on Tuesday. Here though are this week's picks:

Andrew's Picks:

Adam Scott

Graeme McDowell

Matt Kuchar

Bill Haas

Jeff Overton

Greg's Picks:

Lee Westwood

Dustin Johnson

Matt Kuchar

Bill Haas

Brian Harman

Enjoy the weekend!

By: The Sports Guys

Joe Lunardi's Bracketology

If you are a fan of college hoops, you already know about "Joey Brackets." If not, Joe Lunardi is ESPN's expert on college basketball and specifically the NCAA Tournament. Throughout the year he predicts the bracket as if he were the Tournament Committee, and at this time of the year he is doing it quite frequently.

Although this site will be doing the same thing from time to time, today I wanted to analyze his recent prediction and point out some potential matchups. It's always fun to look at another's prediction and compare. Here is the link to his bracket that came out today: http://espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology

First let's analyze the seeds. As far as the one seeds go, I have no issue with them. I do question Duke as the higher 1-seed over Miami, but when you think about the non-conference, I guess it makes sense.

With Arizona's loss this Saturday at home to Cal, I don't think they should be a 2-seed. A team like Michigan State should easily be seeded in front of them. Not only does MSU look like the better team, but they have a much better resume since they play in the Big Ten. I also take into account that Arizona actually should have another loss since the ref's blew it in their game against Colorado. And if not the Spartans, then put Kansas on the two line after their big win last night. Anyone but Arizona!

Another small change I'd make is switch Butler and New Mexico (make Butler a 3 and UNM a 4). I also hate Oregon as a 5 seed given how they have played recently. The only saving grace for the Ducks though is that these losses have happened since losing their great point guard, Dominic Artis, to an injury. So if he's back in March the committee may give them the benefit of the doubt due to this.

In terms of teams seeded too low, an 8 seed for Wichita State seems awfully low considering Creighton got a 6. They are essentially even except the Shockers beat the Bluejays. I feel like the Big 12 is underrated as a whole (Oklahoma, Iowa State, Baylor). Although there really isn't too much evidence why they should be moved up either.

When looking at his bubble teams, I actually don't have one single issue. The only one I'd consider adding is Villanova because of some nice wins, but I don't really believe they are better than St. Mary's (a team without signature wins that was barely in the field). A team he doesn't mention that I believe can make noise is Iowa. They have had it rough early in the Big Ten season, but with an easier slate the rest of the way, they can get to 9-9 in the Big Ten or even 10-8. Along with a non-conference win over Iowa State, they could sneak in for sure. But they have to close well to make that happen.

Now assuming this was the final bracket, there are some amazing matchups...

In the Midwest, I think every game except Indiana's first one should be great. Even Gonzaga has a test as the two seed (Long Beach State). I would love to see VCU and Kentucky play in their first game, and that winner taking on Indiana would be a great test for the Hoosiers. Indiana played them both in last year's tourney in fact. There would be a chance that Louisville and Indiana would meet for a birth in the Final Four on the line. These two were the preseason 1 and 2 teams in the nation and they are ranked number 1 in offense and defense respectively. What a matchup.

In the East, there aren't as many great matchups initially, although Butler vs. Wisconsin would be a fantastic game to get to the Sweet 16. Then, the winner of that taking on Duke would be entertaining. Michigan State and Syracuse would be just as good in the lower half of the region. Any of those teams could then advance to the Final Four.

In the South, Stephen F. Austin and their gaudy record would have a chance for an upset against Georgetown, a team that seems to always struggle in the tourney. But the battle for the Final Four between Michigan, Florida, and Kansas would be epic. No clue what would happen there.

In the West, which is by far the weakest bracket, it was just be a messy battle to see who would advance to Atlanta. I think teams seeded 1-9 would all have a shot to win this region. Miami would be the favorite, but Ohio State as the four seed actually might be the best team here. UNLV as the 8 seed could be the most talented though, and they will be playing closer to home than many of the top seeds. It would be very interesting.

So there is my analysis of Lunardi's latest edition of Bracketology. Now that football is over, college basketball gets our full attention until March Madness ends. I hope you are ready...

By: Andrew Miller

Golf Recap

What is most amazing so far in the golf season is that between Greg and myself, we have picked the winner in all three PGA events (that we've done Pick 5 for). I picked Tiger at Torrey, Phil at Phoenix, and Greg picked Brandt at Pebble.

With Snedeker's win, he moved to fourth in the World Golf Ranking behind Rory, Tiger, and Donald. He holds a nice lead in the early Fedex Cup Standings too due to two runner-up finishes and a win. If you combine this start with how he ended last year (winning the Tour Championship and Fedex Cup) it is safe to say he is the hottest golfer on the planet.

Greg also won the Pick 5 Challenge for the first time all year. Below is a recap of that win along with a look at the 2013 overall standings. Look for our picks this week on Thursday.

Our Picks in Order of Finish:

1st: Brandt Snedeker (Won Tourney) - 20 Points (Greg)
2nd: Jason Day (6) - 18 Points (Greg)
3rd: Hunter Mahan (T16) - 16 Points (Andrew)
4th: Webb Simpson (T26) - 14 Points (Greg)
5th: Lee Westwood (T46) - 12 Points (Andrew)
5th: Brendon De Jonge (T46) - 12 Points (Greg)
7th: Vijay Singh (T50) - 10 Points (Andrew)
8th: Dustin Johnson (MC) - 8 Points (Andrew)


1st: Jim Harbaugh (T13) - 20 Points (Andrew)
2nd: Wayne Gretzky (MC) - 15 Points (Greg)


Standings Points:

Greg:                79
Andrew:          66

Money:

Brandt Snedeker:          1,170,000
Jason Day:                        234,000
Hunter Mahan:              94,250
Webb Simpson:             51,025
Lee Westwood               18,428
Brenden De Jonge        18,428
Vijay Singh                       15,184Dustin Johnson:             MC

Money Points:

Greg: $1,473,453 - 20 Points
Andrew: $127,862 - 15 Points

Overall Standings through 3 Events:

Andrew:        264 Points
Greg:              252 Points

By: The Sports Guys

NCAA Top 25

Quote from the last rankings: “It’s been a brutal week or two stretch for the top teams in America. Conference play brings out the best in teams, which means that all opponents are dangerous, especially if they are playing at home.” The same thing rings true for this two-week stretch. It makes ranking teams very difficult and also useless. All that matters is how teams are improving their tourney resumes. Nonetheless, here are the newest rankings:

Top 25 – February 11, 2013

NOTE: Previous ranking in parenthesis (from two weeks ago). Current record noted next to each team.

1. (3) Indiana Hoosiers: 21-3

I know they lost at Illinois, but they bounced back at won at Ohio State, which is the best win recently among the elite teams. They are tied atop the Big Ten, which is by far the nation’s best conference, and they are beginning to play their best basketball of the season.

2. (11) Miami Hurricanes: 19-3

I nearly ranked Miami number one. They are 10-0 in the ACC and continue to take out the best the conference has to offer. But if I’m thinking about the entire season, I have to take into account their iffy non-conference play. So they will have to settle for number two for now.

3. (1) Michigan Wolverines: 21-3

Michigan is yet another team I considered ranking number one. They surely pass the eye test, and they have had a great season. They have plenty of good wins, and all three losses were respectable. They missed a game tying shot at Ohio State in a loss, were taken out by Indiana at Assembly Hall (duh), and on Saturday they only lost at Wisconsin due to a half-court shot. So yeah, they are that close to being a clear number one.

4. (6) Duke Blue Devils: 21-2

The last team I thought about ranking number one was Duke. After their embarrassing loss to Miami, they have won five straight. They have seemingly figured out how to play without Ryan Kelly, which is what I have been worried about with them. But I couldn’t rank them above Miami, and after getting lucky in winning at Boston College yesterday, they are below IU and UM as well.

5. (9) Gonzaga Bulldogs: 23-2

They are as consistent as they come. After their heartbreak against Butler, they have cruised through conference play. They could easily win out until the tourney.

6. (4) Florida Gators: 19-3

Kenpom’s top team didn’t look like it this week when they lost to Arkansas. But they have been dominant for most of SEC play. The issue I have with that is that the SEC sucks so I’m not all that impressed.

7. (5) Syracuse Orangemen: 20-3

The Orangemen are tied atop the Big East standings but there is a long way to go. The good news is that James Southerland is back so they should be hitting their stride now.

8. (12) Michigan State Spartans: 20-4

The Spartans are tied atop the Big Ten Standings and have Indiana (who they are tied with) at home in a couple weeks. The bad news is that they have Michigan twice, Wisconsin once (home), and Ohio State once (on road).

9. (10) Butler Bulldogs: 20-4

Butler keeps humming along and is still atop the A-10 standings. With all these top teams losing recently, they are positioning themselves to get a pretty high seed next month.

10. (8) Arizona Wildcats: 20-3

Losing to Oregon and UCLA have been understandable losses, but I’m confused with their home loss to California yesterday. Is this an elite team or are they just masquerading as one?

11. (2) Kansas Jayhawks: 19-4

It’s tough to rank Kansas. They were nearly on top of the nation two weeks ago, but now they have lost 3 straight. One of those games was a home game (weird), and another was at TCU (bizarre).

12. (21) Kansas State Wildcats: 19-4

Winners of four straight games and are now on top of the Big 12 by themselves. They play at Kansas tonight, which is huge to say the least.

13. (NR) Georgetown Hoyas: 17-4

While other teams across the country are struggling, the Hoyas are striving, even with the loss of Greg Whittington (suspension). Five wins in a row include a road win at Notre Dame and a win against Louisville.

14. (13) Louisville Cardinals: 19-5

Lost a five-OT thriller on Saturday, but they have won three of four since their three-game losing streak. Kenpom says they have the best defense in the country, so that makes up for their up and down offense style.

15. (NR) Oklahoma State Cowboys: 17-5

The Cowboys are back to playing great basketball and proved it by beating Kansas on the road. They are now firmly in the Big 12 mix and have their toughest remaining games at home.

16. (25) Pittsburgh Panthers: 20-5

This is another team Kenpom loves, ranking them fifth. The big wins they’ve gotten recently only help their cause. They do remain two losses back of the Big East leader however.

17. (15) Ohio State Buckeyes: 17-6

A tough schedule has given them problems recently. They lost an overtime game at Michigan and then a home game against Indiana this week. I do like how they are getting more contributions now besides Thomas.

18. (19) Marquette Golden Eagles: 17-5

It is Marquette who is on top of the Big East with an 8-2 record (tied with Syracuse). The schedule gets tougher though this week, as they play Georgetown and Pittsburgh.

19. (NR) Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 19-5

Winning against Louisville in five overtimes was the longest game in their history, and the longest regular season game in Big East history. It was also sorely needed after losing at Syracuse earlier in the week.

20. (NR) Kentucky Wildcats: 17-6

Guess who’s back? A couple of weeks ago people began writing them off and talking about them missing the tourney. Now they are reeling off wins, getting healthier, and are eyeing a SEC Championship. A game at Florida this week will go a long way.

21. (NR) Wisconsin Badgers: 17-7

After defeating Michigan on Saturday, Wisconsin is once again in the Big Ten mix. They have a way of grinding out wins and seem to always improve throughout the year. Bo Ryan is one of a kind.

22. (20) Minnesota Golden Gophers: 17-7

Minnesota dropped below .500 in the Big Ten by losing at home to Illinois yesterday. They have been so up and down in conference play, but who wouldn’t in the Big Ten. They host Wisconsin and travel to Iowa this week, and those would be huge for their confidence.

23. (22) San Diego State Aztecs: 18-5

Many people still believe they are the team to beat in their conference. They play at Colorado State and UNLV in their next two games so that will tell us the truth.

24. (23) New Mexico Lobos: 20-4

They dropped a game to UNLV on Saturday, but they continue to pace the dangerous Mountain West race. They have a fairly favorable schedule the rest of the way too, so I like their chances to hold on.

25. (NR) Colorado State Rams: 19-4

Right behind New Mexico in these rankings and the conference standings is Colorado State. They haven’t been ranked yet on this site, but they have some decent wins this year and have avoided bad losses.

Dropped from Rankings: Oregon, North Carolina State, Creighton, Wichita State, Ole Miss, Cincinnati

Other Notables: UCLA, Missouri, Illinois, VCU, St. Louis, UNLV, Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Virginia, Memphis, St. Mary’s, North Carolina, Arizona State, Bucknell, Belmont, Stephen F. Austin, Louisiana Tech, Akron

By: The Sports Guys