Year End Awards for Sports Dummies

So after a long day of a funeral and hunting I had intended on starting a TSF 2008 countdown but I found this extensive "Year End Awards for Sports Dummies", it starts at 44 and goes all the way to 1. I've read them all and it's a pretty good countdown. You should check it out!

Now here's an idea....

With the celebrity world abuzz over the engagement of Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen I got a great idea. Maybe Bill Belichick would like to be the videographer for the wedding!? Seems fitting doesn't it?

Big Unit Signs with Giants

The Big Unit will give it another go in the NL West next season in his question for 300. The 45-year-old, five time Cy Young Award winner signed a one year, $8 million contract with the San Fransisco Giants Friday night. The contract joins Johnson with an already formidable Giants staff that features former Cy Young winners Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito as well as the highly touted Matt Cain.

FANTASY IMPACT
Johnson has gone to a very good place and this really helps his fantasy value for next season. While the Giants' offense is nothing to write home about (in fact it's nothing to write anywhere about) the Big Unit should see similar success to what he saw in the second half of last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Don't be totally fooled by Johnson's overall numbers, his second half numbers showed flashes of the Unit of old we are used to seeing.

IMPACT ON THE GIANTS

Johnson's numbers picked up in the second half as he got healthier and came to terms with what he now is as a pitcher. Less power, more finesse, pitching more to contact and allowing the defense to do their jobs really allowed Johnson to thrive. Not to mention the fact that he'll be going from a good hitter's park to a good pitcher's park..He isn't the dominant ace he once was in years past, but you can still expect near 15 wins, 175Ks and an ERA in the low 3.00s. I feel like this was a really good move for the Giants and helps their pitching stall out a lot really. The Giants need a lot more help than just the Big Unit if they want to contend though. But Ming should be excited because this was a step in the right direction.

A Bold Prediction: UNC's only loss will be...

I've been hearing talks of the North Carolina Tar Heels finishing undefeated this season. This is certainly not out of the question.

They are definitely the number one team in the country and there is only one other team that comes close to them (UConn) in my mind.

UNC is a dominant team and is one of the best in years. They have the best guards in the nation, the best depth, a high-powered offense, one of the best players in Tyler Hansbrough and also one of the best coaches in Roy Williams.

When you watch this Tar Heel team, they look like an NBA team out there on the court.

They could easily finish the regular season unblemished, but they won't. I predict they will finish the season with one loss. Like Memphis did last year.

UNC's only regular season loss will come to...... wait for it......

WAKE FOREST.

Yes, you heard that right. On January 11th, the Heels' go to the Demon-Deacons (man that's weird to say) house and stumble.

Wake Forest is a very underrated team. They are very versatile and talented, young, but extremely athletic and talented. They play great defense and have a sound offense. Jeff Teague and James Johnson are tremendous players for the Deacons.

But, North Carolina will recuperate after this loss. Wake will give UNC a taste of it's own medicine in January, but UNC will heal its wounds and make them even hungrier, where they will then tear off 14 staight wins going into March.

You heard it here first.

After you make your prediction make sure you go to the game to see what happens! If you don't have the funds for a ticket get a cash advance and never miss a game!

Seasons Postings

Sorry Santa, The Sports Flow hasn't been a good blog lately. We've been bombarded with college stuff and Christmas. Sorry to our fellow posters/readers with the lack of posting. But we wanted to wish everybody a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We will now start out with our 2008 Year in Review. We promise to get out posting back on track.

How would Ed Hochuli Rule this One?

So I don't know if anyone else has seen this but Kyle Orton's neckbeard is not very good at spiking a football. But I must draw the comparison....was his arm moving forward or not? What's the ruling Ed? Compare and contrast...

Watch out Ohio State!

Hot Damn! Ohio State better hope that the Fiesta Bowl doesn't turn into a shootout!

Can anybody stop UNC?

After some impressive wins, including Notre Dame and the pummeling of Michigan St., UNC is easily the favorite to cut down the nets in April.

It's not supposed to be like this; a team this well-coached, talented, and this high-caliber, is not supposed to return 10 of 11 players, 4 of whom could've been drafted in the NBA. Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, and Danny Green all decided to return.

North Carolina looked so good and so much better than everybody else in the country after the 98-63 drubbing of 12th ranked Michigan St.

UNC looked so dominant and just too deep and talented against a Michigan St. team, who is expected to be a Final Four contender this year.

UNC manhandled the Spartans, they had too much speed. Hansbrough and Deon Thompson were too much down low and Lawson and Ellington made Kalin Lucas and Travis Walton look like high-schoolers.

Which comes to the question, can anybody beat this Tar Heel squad? It's almost like they're destined for a Final Four and National Championship run, it's only a matter of time.

It's tough to argue against them. They could easily finish the regular season undefeated. They have tough road games at Wake Forest, Miami and the annual showdown with Duke. But I don't see them losing any of those right now even.

The NCAA Tournament could be different. Really, if you ask me, there are only two teams right now that could give the Heels a run for their money.

That's the UConn Huskies and Gonzaga Bulldogs. Both teams have strong frontcourts and could hold down the Heels' inside.

We all saw what Josh Heytvelt did to Hansbrough two years ago. Then there's 7-3 Hasheem Thabeet. I feel he is the best big in the country and he could cause problems inside for the Tar Heels, were they to meet.

The Huskies could give match-up problems with UNC. Thabeet down low on Hansbrough, Jeff Adrien could be a tough match-up with Thompson and guards AJ Price, Jerome Dyson, and Craig Austrie can play with the Heels' guards. But UNC's depth could off-set that difference.

As for Gonzaga, this may be their best team yet, they finally have the depth and the toughness to go all the way.

But all in all, it will be hard to bet against this North Carolina team right now.

The Williams Wall Needs to be Very Careful

So most of my friends who like football are Vikings fans. Most were heartbroken when they found out about the suspensions to Pat and Kevin Williams. Then they were elated when they heard that their suspensions are being fought in court. Well don't jump to conclusions my silly purple-loving friends.

This appeal is not necessarily good. So if they fight this off long enough odds are is that they will be allowed to play this weekend against the Detroit Lions. The thing is that in the court of law these men are innocent until proven guilty. But what is innocent and what is guilty in this case? Players are claiming that the league knew that this masking agent was present in the starburst or whatever they are called. But the league is very serious about players knowing what they put in their bodies. These players have no defense against that. They can fight and say that they didn't know that that masking agent was present in the pill. But will that matter? They can say that others knew but they weren't told. Will that matter either? It is their responsibility to know what they put into their bodies, and the NFL is very clear about that. Not to mention that there are dozens of better ways to lose weight that a dietetic.

If they fight this they might be able to hold off long enough to play this weekend against the Lions. But is that a good idea? By fighting this off for a week and then if the NFL rules they still have to serve the suspension that will mean that they must sit out the last 3 regular season games AND THEN the wildcard weekend playoff game that we are assuming they'd be able to hold on to. Is it worth it? For all my silly purple friends out there I hope that they put a little bit of thought into this and assess the risks of fighting this in court.

Playoffs?

It seems like everywhere I turn, on the Internet, in the sports world, it's "we need a playoff system"! "The BCS needs a major overhaul!"

Well, I don't buy it.

The BCS has its flaws, yes some teams have gotten screwed over the years and a 16 or 8 team playoff seems to make more sense, but it really doesn't.

The BCS is an okay system for major College Football, it's way better than the Bowl-Alliance that we had all through out the 1990's, where we had 3 co-champs and the Big Ten and Pac 10 weren't even part of it.

But yes, the BCS needs some tweaks. A four team playoff format or plus-one, makes the most sense.

But first, an 8 or 16 team playoff would not work and would only create more problems.

Whether you take the top 8 teams or the 6 power conference champs and 2 at-large bids, it won't work. You will still have arguments for the 9th, 10th, and 11th teams who don't get in. The power conferences will want their champs to be rewarded somehow with the playoff and some years you will have 3 or 4 teams in one conference that would deserve it over another conference (like this year I feel OU, Texas, and even TT would deserve it over the Big East or ACC Champs).

If we had an 8 team playoff this year, Cincy would be in it and say Oklahoma loses to Mizzou. Wouldn't OU deserve to be in over Cincy because they beat them earlier in the season and are better than Cincy? It just makes another big mess...

As for the 16 team playoff, it may sound great, but it will never become reality. College Football has such a rich tradition in bowl games. It's what makes College Football so great.

Not many people would want to take away from that. A 16 team playoff would diminish the regular season and you would have to shorten it somehow.

A 16 team or more playoff is not gonna happen unless you decrease some regular season games and more importantly conference games. All in all, not gonna happen. Most coaches and university presidents already hate teams that play 12-13 games as it is. Plus, it's more than just football, it will interfere with finals.

Which comes down to a 4 team playoff. In my mind, this makes the most sense. Most years, it usually comes down to 3-4 teams anyways and there is a bigger difference between the 4-5th best teams than the 8-9th best teams.

You wouldn't have to cut any regular season games, you can keep the bowl tradition and it's just one extra game for two teams; and I don't think any college coach or president will argue over one extra game, especially when it's the national championship.

But we have to remember, no system is perfect. But I'd rather have the BCS than an 8 team and above playoff.

All in all, the Bowl tradition is what makes College Football so great. A huge playoff format simply would create more havoc and ruin what makes this sport so great.

An Idea To Save the NFL on Thanksgiving

Ok, so I'm sure that most of you sports fans like me love to watch NFL football on Thanksgiving. This is not a far fetched assumption by any means because the Thanksgiving Noon game is the 2nd most watched game of the year (second only to the SuperBowl!). So assuming you all watched like I did I'm sure you were also disgusted by how unentertaining the games really were.

It is truly a tragedy to have the Lions host one of the games each and every Thanksgiving. What a waste of quality entertainment. The Cowboys I can understand because they are America's team really. Now, I know that you can't very easily just take Detroit off of Thanksgiving day and leave Dallas. People wouldn't like that very much because It is breaking the tradition. But what if there was a new tradition?

Here is what I propose, let me know what you think. There are 3 games each Thanksgiving. The teams that win their respective games host that game the next season. For example, Tennessee hosts the noon game next year, Dallas at 3, and Philly's got the night game. It would add a cool feel to it I think and would help add some variety and some added quality to the Thanksgiving day match ups. Wouldn't you agree?

Best TV Sports Commercials

Here's some great sports commercials over the years and whether funny or just bone-chilling, this is what keeps us going between games...

Everybody loves the SportsCenter Commercials...


"Next time have some ID"


Remember Y2K?


Who's up for a game of Ping-Pong?


New Kid


50th best heavyweight, in Georgia


Big Buddy


ESPN NBA


Now for the bone chilling ones...


A Tradition Unlike any Other


Leave Nothing


Let Your Game Speak


United We Rise


Where Amazing Happens


Just do it


The Time is Now (Bare with me, this is still a good commercial)


This was a little lengthy, but I know you'll appreciate it...

A Big Mess is Brewing in the Big 12 South

The Big 12 South champion could be determined by a poll of faceless, strangers who are often bias and live far from the area of concern. And only a sport with such a profound lack of leadership, in this case Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, is capable of deciding a champion like this.

"The Big 12 failed to come up with enough of its own criteria for breaking a three-way tie at the top of the standings, as Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech could produce. Instead it was willing to punt to the computers and voters who determine the BCS rankings. Whatever team is ranked highest wins the division." How positively retarded is that?

Problems I see here: Few of the coaches who vote in the coaches’ poll have seen anything but highlights of play from the Big 12 South. They are no better than the 114 politically connected folks of with little qualifications who make up the Harris Poll. Combined, the two polls count for two-thirds of the rankings. Each voter has personal biases, and self-interests.

Since the BCS has no set standards for ranking teams, just about anything can be taken into consideration. Should Texas get the nod because it beat Oklahoma? Should it be Oklahoma because it put together the most impressive performance of the season in blasting Tech 65-21? Should Tech be considered because they beat Texas in dramatic fashion? How about strength of schedule? Or margin of victory? Coolest mascot? Color scheme? Does it matter who’s played the most recent TV game? What if a voter missed one team’s impressive performance because he went out drinking?

Obviously a voter’s alma mater has been known to come into play. And doesn’t he owe the conference that got him a vote in the first place? What about the coach who’s still bitter about losing a recruit to a certain school?It could be any of the above. No one knows.
Seriously, that’s the system: no one knows.

That is how the champion of the Big 12 South is going to be decided. I don't know about you but I find that to be mind-numbingly retarded. Now, Texas did have the lead previously but with a win like we saw Saturday night I'd say that Oklahoma has to be charging quickly, while for the moment Tech is definitely out of the national championship picture.

I could ramble on with endless speculation but it's fruitless. Basically we need to all tune in next week and see if all 3 teams win their games (Texas vs. Texas A&M, Baylor vs. Texas Tech, and Oklahoma @ OK St.) If all 3 teams win their games, which I am assuming they will. Then it will be a mess. It's the Big 12's fault for not coming up with a better tiebreaker but I consider this just one more reason why the BCS has gotta go.

2008-2009 TSF College Basketball Predictions

Final Four Predictions

Stefan Ming's Picks:
North Carolina
Connecticut
Louisville
Gonzaga

2009 National Champion:
Connecticut Huskies

Grittysquirrels Picks:
North Carolina
Connecticut
Michigan St.

Marquette

2009 National Champion:
North Carolina Tar Heels

All-American Team:

Stefan Ming:
Darren Collison (UCLA)
Stephen Curry (Davidson)
Blake Griffin (Oklahoma)
Tyler Hansbrough (UNC)
Hasheem Thabeet (UConn)

Player of the Year: Blake Griffin (Oklahoma)
Coach of the Year: Dino Gaudio (Wake Forest)

Grittysquirrels:
Ty Lawson (UNC)
Stephen Curry (Davidson)

Blake Griffin (Oklahoma)
Luke Harangody (Notre Dame)
Tyler Hansbrough (UNC)

Player of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough (UNC)

Coach of the Year: Mark Few (Gonzaga)

2008-2009 College Basketball Conference Preview: Pac 10

Predicted Order of Finish

1. UCLA

UCLA may have lost Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, and Luc Ruchard Mbah a Moute, but they still have one of the best PGs in the nation in Darren Collison and Josh Shipp looked like one of the best players in the early part of last season. Alfred Aboya and James Keefe are both capable post presences and Michael Roll should be healthy. Also, the top recruiting class in the nation should help with the draft losses. Recruit Jrue Holliday should fill in right away at SG.

2. Arizona St.

The Sun Devils are out to prove they truly are a NCAA Tournament team, they want to prove the NCAA that they belong this season. The Sun Devils have all the pieces this season to top UCLA for the Pac 10 Title. James Harden, arguably the best player in the conference is back along with 4 other starters, which includes forward Jeff Pendergraph. With experience and talent returning look for ASU to have a bright season.

3. USC
OJ Mayo is gone, but freshman Demar DeRozan is ready to step in and help USC get back to the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans return some key players that can help compete with UCLA and ASU atop the Pac Ten standings; PG Daniel Hackett, SG Dwight Lewis, and PF Taj Gibson are among those returning. USC could make some noise in March, especially if DeRozan lives up to his billing.

4. Washington St.

Even though they lose some key players, I think the Cougars will surprise some people and put up some fights with the upper echelon of the Pac Ten. Taylor Rochestie, Aron Baynes, and Daven Harmeling are all returnees who provide leadership and experience for this squad. The key will be the other two starters and bench. If some young, inexperienced players can step in and provide some balanced scoring and good depth, Wazzou can make its third straight NCAA Tourney appearance.

5. Washington

The Huskies have the potential to be a serious contender in the Pac 10. They've underachieved quite a bit since they were last in the big dance. All-conference PF Jon Brockman along with other key players return. With Justin Dentmon, Quincy Pondexter, and Artem Wallace all back they can contend. Plus, they finally have a PG in recruit Isiah Thomas, who can step in and get this team back on the right track.

6. Arizona

Zona has gone through a lot of changes in the off season. Head Coach Lute Olson stepped down, prized recruit Brandon Jennings decided to play in Europe, and now other recruits left after Olson left. But the Wildcats are moving on and want to forget the past. Chase Buddinger returns and is one of the best players out there. PG Nic Wise is one of the top PGs in conference, and post Jordan Hill returns as well. There may be some growing pains right away, but they have enough talent to still be a threat.

7. California

There is no doubt that the Bears have a strong frontcourt, but their backcourt is pretty bare. Mike Montgomery is the new coach, but it will take him a few years to get this team back in the upper tier of the Pac 10.

8. Oregon

The Ducks must replace three starters and break in a big freshman class. This team will be inexperienced with few veterans returning. Look for Tajuan Porter to be an all-conference player, but that's all this team will have to look forward to.

9. Stanford
Johnny Dawkins, former assistant under Coach K at Duke, is now the head coach for the Cardinal. Dawkins can get this team on the right track and back to the top of the conference, but it will take a couple of years.

10. Oregon St.
Not much talent for this team, but they can only go up after a winless conference season in 2007-2008.

Player of the Year: James Harden, F- Arizona St.

Freshman of the Year: Jrue Holliday, G- UCLA

Coach of the Year: Herb Sendek- Arizona St.

Three Big Games:
UCLA at Texas- Dec. 4, USC at UCLA- Feb. 4, UCLA at Arizona St.- Feb. 12.

Bigger surprise thus far, Miami Dolphins or Atlanta Falcons?

I've seen and heard this question tossed around the blogosphere a bit so I figured I'd give you my answer.

Now, I realize that the Dolphins were 1-15. Which is really bad, and for the Dolphins to be 5-4 right now with an outside shot at the playoffs right now is truly outstanding. However, I'm going with the 6-3 Atlanta Falcons as my biggest surprise in the NFL this year so far.

Notice that I said "surprise" and not turnaround because the Falcons were actually 4-12 last year so by wins-losses the Dolphins have had a better turnaround. However, given the state that this Falcons team was in last year I don't see how you can't be more surprised by their success. I mean with Parcells coming into Miami you knew he would change the culture and turn them around. I guess people didn't think that it would happen so quickly but it was more expected.

With all the turmoil the Falcons incurred (being ditched by their coach, Vick in prison, star players leaving) I don't think anyone expected Head Coach Mike Smith (wait Mike who?) and rookie QB Matt Ryan to have this team at 6-3 with playoffs even within grasp is almost outlandish to think about.

Both teams are great surprises thus far but I've gotta go with the Falcons as my pick (and not just because of their record is better than the Dolphins). Who do you think has been a bigger surprise so far this season?

2008-2009 College Basketball Conference Preview: Big Ten

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Michigan St.

Michigan St. loses it's top player in Drew Neitzel, but it returns 6 of its top 7 scorers. Raymar Morgan, Chris Allen, Durrell Summers, Kalin Lucas, Travis Walton, Goran Suton, and Marquise Gray are all back. The Spartans are very experienced and deep. They're balanced all over, with bigs down low and some promising guards who have a year under their belts. This will be the best MSU team in the past few seasons and with the Big Ten as wide open as it's ever been, look for MSU to run the table.

2. Purdue

Purdue was an inexperienced team last year and showed some amazing flashes at time, they were close to making the Sweet 16 in the tourney. Robbie Hummel returns and is one of the top players in the conference. Add in E'Twaun Moore, Ja'Juan Johnson, Chris Kramer, Keaton Grant, and you got the makeup of a team that can be a legit threat to make a deep run in March. Purdue should compete with MSU and Wisconsin for Big Ten supremacy.

3. Wisconsin

The Badgers aren't flashy or anything like that, but they get you results. They're old-fashioned with their stellar defense and slow tempo offensively, but they execute so well. Wisconsin loses some key players but return some as well. Marcus Landry returns at forward and should be one of their go-to players, Trevon Hughes is a solid SG, Joe Krabbenhoft is back, and so is Jason Bohannon. Reserve center Greg Stiemsma will have big shoes to fill for Brian Butch, but he is very capable of doing so. Look for the Badgers to be another threat come March.

4. Ohio St.

OSU should be a little improved from last season, but pretty much the same old team. They have holes to fill at PG and PF. David Lighty is back at guard and can step up and lead this team. Center recruit BJ Mullins should be one of the top freshman big men in the country. Thad Matta should have this team ready and competitive with the top teams of the Big Ten.

5. Minnesota

The Gophers are only going to get better with Tubby Smith at helm. The Gophers lose its top three scorers but still return some good talent. Lawrence Westbrook is a capable guard. Ralph Sampson III should step in right away and be an immediate impact, I think he'll help out quite a bit. Look for the Gophers to be a bubble NCAA Tournament team.

6. Illinois

This should be another rebuilding year for the Illini, with stellar classes coming in for 2009 and 2010, Bruce Weber will use this season as a learning curve, to improve and gain experience as this team looks to the future for one more season. Look for Alex Legion to be the top player for Illinois.

7. Michigan

Michigan returns 3 starters. Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims are both fine players who will lead this Wolverine team. They don't have any depth, but look for John Beilein to have this team competing.

8. Penn St.

Penn St. looked like a promising team last season, but it's two stars had their seasons cut short with injuries. Jamalle Cornley is one of those stars returning and should help an up-start Nittany Lions program compete for an NIT berth.

9. Iowa

The Hawkeyes return most of its nucleus and add a very good recruiting class, but they're still the same old struggling squad.

10. Northwestern

The Wildcats have better depth and more quality big men than in the past and some promising newcomers, but don't expect this year to be the year Northwestern moves up in the Big Ten standings.

11. Indiana

New head coach Tom Crean has a long road ahead of him. He has the toughest job of any team in the country right now. This program has gone through a lot of changes in the past year, but Crean is capable of turning it around. The Hoosiers return only two players from last years squad, Brett Finkelmeier and Kyle Taber, none of whom averaged over 2 ppg. IU has a decent recruiting class who desperately need to step up in their first year. This will be a long year for IU faithful.

Player of the Year: Raymar Morgan, F- Michigan St.

Freshman of the Year: B.J. Mullens, C- Ohio St.

Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith- Minnesota

Three Big Games:
North Carolina at Michigan St.- Dec. 3, Purdue at Wisconsin- Jan. 27, Purdue at Michigan St.- March 8.

College Football Power Poll

Here's my top five teams in College Football.

1. Texas Tech Red Raiders

The Red Raiders have been amazing lately. A big win over Texas is very impressive and their offense just keeps on putting up point after point. Who can stop these guys? Big games coming up vs. Oklahoma and rival Texas A&M, plus possibly a Big XII Title match-up, it will be interesting to see how they fare.

2. Florida Gators

The Gators are a different team since their loss to Ole Miss and I think that loss may help them in the end. This is a young Florida team and now they know what it takes to get it done. Tim Tebow is better than he was last season (even after winning the Heisman). Florida has so many weapons and so much speed. Plus, the defense has improved dramatically from last season.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide
The Tide have two big road wins over Georgia and LSU. They haven't been too impressive since their big win over Georgia, but they're still getting the job done. Everybody is coming through for the Crimson. Julio Jones is one of the best young WRs out there. Tough games still coming up against arch-rival Auburn and Florida in the SEC Championship.

4. Texas Longhorns

Texas is still one of the top teams in the country despite their loss to Texas Tech. Tech just happened to have the ball last and scored. Colt McCoy may be the Heisman front runner right now, if not he's up there. The Longhorns need OU to beat Tech.

5. Oklahoma

The Big 12 is so solid this season and I feel OU is still a top team as well. They've been very impressive after their loss to Texas and a win over Texas Tech would be huge to help their cause for a BCS Bowl berth.

Martin Brodeur is the Most Important player to his team in all of Sports

Can you hear that? That sound you hear is Devils fans everywhere screaming in agony. Now, we don't talk a lot of hockey here on TSF but today I really wanted to chime in on the significance of the Martin Brodeur injury for the Devils and for all of hockey.

Let me start off by telling you that the injury to Martin Brodeur putting him out 3-4 months is HUGE. If you know anything about hockey you know this. Let me follow this up by telling you that it is a lot BIGGER than you realize.

Where am I going with this? Well as I was watching ESPN somebody made a comment that they thought Martin Brodeur was the most important player to his team in sports. Yes, not just hockey but all of sports. At first I thought what most of you are probably thinking. That that is a outrageous statement. But is it? The more I thought about it the more I agreed.

What position in all of sports can be more important to its team other than a Goalie to a hockey team? Certainly no position in Basketball. You could almost argue a dominant starting pitcher or closer but they play once every 5 games or one out of every nine innings! The best argument is probably for a dominant QB in football. But I'm going to go out and say that this injury to Brodeur is way worse than the Pats losing Brady. I am telling you the goalie to a hockey team is the most important player to its team in all of sports. And when you're a dominant and historically great goalie like Martin Brodeur (I'm calling him the greatest ever) how can you not be considered the most important player it your team in all of sports.

Still not a believer? Here are some stats:

- He has played in 89.3 percent of the Devils' games (931 out of 1,043) since the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season.

- He currently has 12 consecutive 30-win seasons

- Brodeur has won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender four times, including last season, when he posted a 44-27 record and a 2.17 goals-against average.

- His seven seasons with 40 or more wins are an NHL record, and his 2.20 career GAA is the lowest in the NHL's modern era.

- He set a single-season record for wins (48) in 2006-07, breaking Bernie Parent's mark of 47.

- He needs just seven wins to tie Patrick Roy's record of 551

- In his 15-year tenure, he has led the team to three Stanley Cup championships and has taken them to the playoffs all but once.

- He holds more than thirty Devils franchise records.

- a four-time Jennings Trophy winner, a ten-time NHL All Star, and one of only two NHL goaltenders to have scored goals in the regular season and the playoffs.

- He will retire as sure-fire hall of famer

- Is widely considered to best to ever play Goalie in the NHL.

If anyone has any really strong arguments against this I would love to hear them because the stats and logic have me convinced that Martin Brodeur is the Most Important player TO HIS TEAM in all of sports.

Oden a Bust?

Greg Oden's much anticipated debut was last night on TNT against the Lakers. It didn’t last long. Oden left the game after just under 13 minutes with another injury, this time it was his foot. I’m not gonna get into all his injuries because it would take to long, but he hasn’t been healthy since his junior year of high school. And it isn’t like he has one nagging injury, it’s been his wrist, his knee, and now his foot.

This guy was the number 1 pick overall. He was supposed to be the next Shaq. Now, is it too early to say he is a total bust? YES. Some people are going way too extreme with this. Is this very alarming for Oden, and Portland fans? YES. What we've seen so far is not a good sign.

I'm going to say that Greg Oden winds up kind of like a Grant Hill. I forsee him playing here and there with nagging injuries coming back all the time. Except he won’t pile up all-star years before the injuries. Greg Oden will never be a dominant force. It is a shame, because dominant centers are a rarity nowadays and a lot of fun to watch. He could have really made this young Portland team great. Yet another coulda woulda shoulda.

In his 13 minutes, Oden went 0-4, 5 boards, a block, 2 turnovers and 2 fouls….very subpar

Is this just a phase or is this what Portland fans have to look forward to? Bust or future Allstar? Let me know!

Chargers Take First Step to Turning Their Season Around

After starting this season as a trendy pick to take on the Cowboys in this year's superbowl the Chargers have come out and surprised everybody! They've kind of stunk! They find themselves 3-5 and in 2nd place in the AFC West. This team is WAAAAY too good to be 3-5 (especially with the way that Rivers has been playing lately).

So they flipped the first panic switch by firing D-Coordinated Ted Cottrell and replacing him with Ron Rivera. In my opinion this was the right move. I've always thought Rivera did a great job in Chicago and he has the tools to do great in San Diego now. I've never been a fan of Norv Turner and if it was up to me the second step would be to elevate Rivera to head coach, bumping Norv down to the offensive coordinator position. But let's not hold our breath on that one. Besides, the Chargers offense is certainly not the problem. Philip Rivers has emerged as one of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL, and he's playing without LaDainian Tomlinson at full speed for most of the season.

This was the right move in my opinion giving the way this team's defense has been playing this year. I think this team still has a shot to turn it around and make the playoffs given their talent on both sides of the ball and their lousy division.

What do you think about this move? Will the Chargers still make their predicted Superbowl run?

2008-2009 NBA Preview: Northwest and Pacific Divisions

West

With the season already starting, we're just going to give some quick predictions.

Northwest
1. Utah Jazz
2. Portland Trail Blazers
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Minnesota T-Wolves
5. Oklahoma City Thunder

Pacific
1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Phoenix Suns
3. Golden St. Warriors
4. Los Angeles Clippers
5. Sacramento Kings

2008-2009 NBA Preview: Southwest Division

West

1. San Antonio Spurs

It's not a good time to overlook the Spurs; every time they have been, they've turned heads and won a title. It's that time again, another odd numbered year (2009), and they've won their last four titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007. The Spurs are loaded again with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, Bruce Bowen, and Michael Finley. Ginobli may be injured right now, but once he's back around December, he'll be healthier than ever.

2. New Orleans Hornets
The Hornets will be a very solid team again, especially with as tough of a division the Southwest is. Chris Paul is the best point guard in the league and is becoming a superstar. David West can bang it down low and hold his own vs. anybody else in the league. Tyson Chandler is a solid defender and makes the Hornets frontcourt just scary. Mo Peterson is a solid role player and Peja Stojakovic is their deadly three point shooter.

3. Houston Rockets

The top 3 of this division are so even and it will be a horse-race until the end. The Rockets look like a solid title contender this season, they're loaded with experience and some stars. If Yao Ming can stay healthy this season they'll be stellar. Tracy McGrady is their go-to scorer and add Ron Artest as a tough defensive minded player and someone who can rebound and put up points as well, is a terrific 3rd scoring option. PG Rafer Alston is a leader, but must concentrate on making better decisions. If the bench can step up, the Rockets can go deep.

4. Dallas Mavericks
Oh how the might have fallen... The x-factor will be Jason Kidd. He's lost a step and when he goes up against the better NBA point guards, this team struggles. They have a decent frontcourt with Dirk, Erik Dampier, and DeSagana Diop. Jason Terry must step up in clutch situations. He is a key scorer for them. But the big thing that has set this team back is defense, they just give up way too many points and they don't have enough consistent offensive firepower to go far in the playoffs. They may not even make the playoffs this season...

5. Memphis Grizzlies

Look for the Grizz to be improved from last season. They're a young team and Hakim Warrick, Rudy Gay, and OJ Mayo are solid young talents. I am very high on Rudy Gay, he will put up some good numbers this season. Mike Conley is developing into a pretty good PG, look out for him. This team won't be a playoff contender, but they will continue to get better as the season progresses.

TSF NFL Week 8 Game Picks

WEEK 1 - BYE

WEEK 2 - 12-3

WEEK 3 - 13-3

WEEK 4 - 9-4

WEEK 5 - 6-8
WEEK 6 - 6-8

WEEK 7 - 9-5

TOTAL - 55-31 (.640%)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys

Washington Redskins beat the Detroit Lions

Buffalo Bills beat the Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints beat the San Diego Chargers

New England Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams

Baltimore Ravens beat the Oakland Raiders

New York Jets beat the Kansas City Chiefs

Houston Texans beat the Cincinnatti Bengals

Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Cleveland Browns

Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers beat the Seattle Seahawks

AFC GAME OF THE WEEK: Tennesse Titans beat the Indianapolis Colts

NFC GAME OF THE WEEK: Carolina Panthers beat the Arizona Cardinals

UPSET SPECIAL: Atlanta Falcons beat the Philadelphia Eagles

2008-2009 NBA Preview: Southeast Division

East

1. Orlando Magic

Dwight Howard should only be better, even after a breakout season last year. The Magic have one of the better offensive teams out there with Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jameer Nelson. I really love their starting line-up (add in Michael Pietrus to the other four), especially in the mediocre southeast. The Magic should no doubt dominate this division.

2. Miami Heat

The Heat, yes the Heat will make the playoffs this year. I think this team will turn it around with a healthy Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion, and rookie Michael Beasley. We all saw what Wade did in the Olympics and I don't think it's out of the question that he's back to his old-self; he'll bounce back and regain his stardom Marion's been talked about being dealt, but that's only if they continue their woes from last season, which I don't think they will. Beasley should be able to step in right away and provide this team with a key 3rd scoring option.

3. Atlanta Hawks
I think the Hawks' 37 wins from last year is a sign of things to come. Look for the Hawks to be improved. They did lose Josh Childress, but they still have Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Marvin Williams, and Mike Bibby. This is a dangerous team and they give a lot of match-up problems for opponents with their versatile guards and forwards. Look for this team to be a legit threat this year.

4. Washington Wizards

This will be a down year for the Wizards with Gilbert Arenas and now Antwain Jamison out for sometime with injuries. Their loses will be felt drastically. Caron Butler will be their go to guy and he is battling some injury woes as well. Brendan Haywood is likely done for the season, which will be a big load for big men off the bench and DeShawn Stevenson. I am expecting the Wizards to miss the playoffs with all of their injury woes.

5. Charlotte Bobcats
This Bobcat team has shown flashes over the years and has been improving bit by bit. They have the make up of a potential playoff threat team, but it's just a matter of the coaching and roles players and the bench stepping up. If Emeka Okafor can stay healthy I think they could do some damage and move up the southeast standings. Jason Richardson looks primed for a big year and Gerald Wallace is a solid 3rd scorer for this team. Raymond Felton is also a solid PG; this team is fairly young and if they can get through the bulk of the season, watch out.

2008-2009 NBA Preview: Central Division

East

1. Detroit Pistons

This team still has a shot at winning a title because of their veteran core still intact. Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince can still get it done and keep this team a championship contender. Rodney Stuckey and Jason Maxiell are up and coming studs and can fill the void off the bench. Look for the Pistons to contend with the Celtics again for east supremacy.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Obviously any team with Lebron James is going to be a playoff contender, but this year the Cavs could upend the Pistons for first place in the division. But a lot will depend on Lebron's supporting cast; Mo Williams is an underrated PG who can help lead this team and complement Lebron. This team is very good in the frontcourt with Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Ben Wallace, and Anderson Varejao, but the problem is that's all they have inside. They need more depth up-front. Second round playoff finish isn't out of the question again.

3. Indiana Pacers

Look for the Pacers to be improved this season. Look for them to make the playoffs. They don't have a straight up superstar, but Danny Granger is close to it. Granger is an underrated player averaging nearly 20 ppg last season. Mike Dunleavy can shoot and score and complement Granger very well. T.J. Ford is looking for a new beginning after years of injury, I think he's found a new home in Indy. The bench isn't that bad either, Jarrett Jack is a good guard and Roy Hibbert could be a key player down the stretch. This team will turn heads this season.

4. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls were terrible last season with all of the hype and talent they have. But it seems like the chemistry isn't there. Ben Gordon continues to complain about money and playing time; and it seems everybody else has been under performing. Look for Derrick Rose to take over at PG for Kirk Heinrich sometime during the season. We all know Luol Deng, Kirk Heinrich, Ben Gordon, and Andres Nocioni have gotten it done before. The talent is there, it's just a matter of executing, coaching, and egos.

5. Milwaukee Bucks

This should be an interesting season for the Bucks. They finally have a playmaker that compliments Michael Redd well in Richard Jefferson. Luke Ridnour is a great addition at PG. If Andrew Bogut stays healthy he could be a big factor. But the problems lie at the defensive end and up-front. They don't have much depth or scoring for that matter off the bench. They need someone to step up to help out Redd, Jefferson, and Ridnour.

2008-2009 NBA Preview: Atlantic Division

East

1. Boston Celtics

They're the defending champs and still have the playmakers to get it done once again. The "Big 3" are back and should be the favorite to win it all. After what Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen did last season there's no way you can question their age. The Celtics play the best defense in all of the NBA and it truly showed last season. It wasn't just all the "Big 3", PG Rajon Rondo stepped up and made plays. Kendrick Perkins is a capable presence at center but if his shoulder doesn't get any better they can still play Leon Power or Garnett there. Tony Allen and Bill Walker could contribute off the the bench. It should come down to defense and the role players if the Celts wanna win another title.

2. Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers can definitely contend with Boston in the Atlantic. They picked up Elton Brand over the off-season and he is as healthy as he's been since being injured from the beginning. Look for Andre Igoudala to improve even more, he has tremendous upside and is truly becoming a superstar. Andre Miller is the veteran PG that they need to help them get over the top. Thaddeus Young is young but should improve. Philly should also have a solid bench lead by Willie Green, Reggie Evans, and rookie Marreese Speights. Look for the Sixers to be improved this season. 50 wins is not out of the question.

3. Toronto Raptors

The Raptors have the potential to be one of the top teams in the league. They have a dominant front court in Chris Bosh and newly acquired Jermaine O'Neal. Jose Calderon is a solid PG and Anthony Parker can shoot the trey, but the one thing that this team lacks is bench depth.

4. New York Knicks
Isiah Thomas gone... check. New coach that will get this team in the right direction... check. Stephon Marbury gone... no check. Knicks will make the playoffs this year... no check. There's no doubt this team has the talent but they've lacked the coaching and chemistry. Now with Mike D'Antoni at the helm they can definitely turn it around. Zach Randolph, Eddy Curry, and Jamal Crawford can get this team to compete again.

5. New Jersey Nets

This looks as a rebuilding year for the Nets after trading Richard Jefferson over the summer and are now looking to deal Vince Carter. Gone are the veteran superstars of this team, other than Vince Carter (for now). If Carter isn't gone before the season starts, he'll be gone somewhere throughout the season. But this is still a very formidable team with Yi Jianlian, Josh Boone, Bobby Simmons, Devin Harris, and Sean Williams. But all in all, look for this to be another down year as the Nets look to rebuild.

My first shot at Sports Radio

As some of you may know I want to be involved with sports radio as my career. Well, tomorrow I get my first shot at it.

There's a sports show on my college's radio network, KNDS (Thunder Radio), and one of the hosts asked me to fill in for one of the guys.

The show will be on Friday afternoon from 3-4 p.m., the show is called "The Sprengler Sports Show".

So if you want to listen tune in here: KNDS Radio

Just click "Listen Online" and you'll be set. Let me know what you think.

TSF NFL Week 7 Game Picks

Last week was less than stellar once again and I need to turn this around NOW before I completely spoil my hot start.

WEEK 1 - BYE

WEEK 2 - 12-3

WEEK 3 - 13-3

WEEK 4 - 9-4

WEEK 5 - 6-8
WEEK 6 - 6-8

TOTAL - 46-26 (.676%)

Chicago Bears beat the Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnatti Bengals

Tennesse Titans beat the Kansas City Chiefs

Dallas Cowboys beat the St. Louis Rams

Miami Dolphins beat the Baltimore Ravens

New York Giants beat the San Fransisco 49ers

Houston Texans beat the Detroit Lions

New York Jets beat the Oakland Raiders

Green Bay Packers beat the Indianapolis Colts

Washington Redskins beat the Cleveland Browns

Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks

Denver Broncos beat the New England Patriots

AFC GAME OF THE WEEK: Buffalo Bills beat the San Diego Chargers

NFC GAME OF THE WEEK: New Orleans Saints beat the Carolina Panthers

UPSET SPECIAL: Thought about Cleveland over Washington but just couldn't do it...

Dallas Cowboys Committed to Winning, or just Desperate?

So I was pretty disgusted yesterday when I came home from playing racquetball with my roommate and I saw that Roy (E.) Williams was a Dallas Cowboy. I've always hated the Cowboys since their dominance in the 1990s. The deal was so intriguing. The thought of having TO and Roy Williams as a 1-2 receiving corps was flabbergasting. That offense is now so completely loaded it's unreal. (Not to mention I have Roy Williams in fantasy in one of my 2 leagues and this move benefits me a lot there).

But is this move genius or desperate? I want to hear from Cowboy's fans how they see it. Obviously many are going to be excited because they JUST GOT ROY WILLIAMS! On the other hand they gave up A TON to get him. And at this point it looks to me like they have more pressing issues on special teams and defense rather than offense.

Is Jerry Jones being genius or is he being desperate? Obviously I'm sure most fans are excited but you can't deny the fact that they gave up a lot (possibly too much?) to get him at a position where they don't really need a lot of help? It's going to be really interesting to see his impact on the team, my fantasy team as well, whether it's catching passes from Romo or B. Johnson.

Dallas Cowboys fans and football fans in general. Do you like the trade? Was it a little desperate here? Who got the better deal? Lemme know what you think!

College Football Weekend Preview

We have a big weekend of College Football coming up with some huge games on the line.

Oklahoma St. at Missouri

We have a big game here between two pass happy teams. QB Chase Daniel is putting up Heisman-like numbers with 1665 yard and 15 TD. Jeremy Maclin has been one of the top WR out there. Oklahoma St. meanwhile has been putting points at will too. The Cowboys have put up 50+ points in 4 of their 5 games this season. Expect a shootout in this one. We may have a case where the last offense on the field will win this game.

The Pick: Missouri

Penn St. at Wisconsin

This should be the Nittany Lions' first true test this season and Madison is a tough place to play. The Badgers played Ohio St. tough at home, we should have another great game on our hands. PSU QB Daryl Clark is a tough Michael Robinson like QB and their WRs are among the best in the nation. The Nittany Lions' offense can put up some points and move the chains, Wisconsin needs their defense to step up if they want to come away with a tough home win; they're very capable of doing just that.

The Pick: Penn St.

LSU at Florida

This is a must win for the Gators if they want any part of a national title shot. Florida's dynamic offense will take on LSU's stellar defense. Florida must stop the Tigers' dominant front four if they want any part of LSU. LSU meanwhile has had QB troubles thus far, but expect this to be another down to the wire battle as it's been in the past.

The Pick: Florida

Upset of the Week:
Mississippi St. over Vanderbilt

MSU is a different team at home. They've lost some tough games this season. Vanderbilt has been impressive thus far, but only at home. Their only road wins have been at Miami (Oh) and a close one at Mississippi. This should be a close game and look for the Bulldogs to hang tough and upend the Commodores at home.

D-1AA (FCS) Game of the Week
James Madison at Richmond

The #1 team in the FCS, JMU, has a tough road game here against the Richmond Spiders. Both teams are usually among the top in the country. JMU has been impressive thus far with some big wins. They upset then number 1 Appalachian St., plus had an impressive win over UMass. This may be a do or die game for the Spiders if they want a part of the CAA Title.

The Pick: James Madison

Game of the Week

Texas vs. Oklahoma

This is definitely the game of the week. Texas lost last season to OU but has won 2 of the past 3 games vs. the Sooners. Expect this to be a close game both ways. QB Sam Bradford has been one of the best in the country and OU's defensive front is phenomenal. Meanwhile, Texas's QB Colt McCoy has put up some impressive stats as well and is arguably the Heisman front-runner right now. Texas' depleted secondary may hold the Horns back on this one.

The Pick: Oklahoma

TSF NFL Week 6 Game Picks

Week 1 - BYE

Week 2 - 12-3
Week 3 - 12-3

Week 4 - 9-4

Week 5 - 6-8

TOTAL: 39-18 (0.64%)

Last week was BAAAAD. I gotta get back up off the snide this week before I ruin my hot start!

Baltimore Ravens beat the Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings beat the Detroit Lions

New Orleans Saints beat the Oakland Raiders

New York Jets beat the Cincinnati Bengals

Chicago Bears beat the Atlanta Falcons

Washington Redskins beat the St. Louis Rams

Philadelphia Eagles beat the San Francisco 49ers

Green Bay Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks

Dallas Cowboys beat the Arizona Cardinals

New England Patriots beat the San Diego Chargers

New York Giants beat the Cleveland Browns

AFC GAME OF THE WEEK: Denver Broncos beat the Jacksonville Jaguars

NFC GAME OF THE WEEK: Carolina Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

UPSET SPECIAL: Houston Texans beat the Miami Dolphins

Tom Emanski Who?

I don't know if you guys remember but ESPN used to run commercials for "Tom Emanski's Instructional videos". They were endorsed by Fred "Crime Dog" McGriff and they boasted having produced BACK-To-BACK-To-BACK AAU National Champions. The kids were like robots who could throw it into a side-tipped 5-gallon bucket from deep center.

Well this is a absolutely HILARIOUS video spoof on the Tom Emanski videos. If you know what I'm talking about I would strongly recommend watching the whole thing!

TSF Head-To-Head Fantasy Football Showdown Preview!

Sorry for the ridiculously long title but this is epic. Stefan and myself (Joe) will be facing off head-to-head in our yahoo fantasy football league this Sunday pitting two of the greatest sports minds on the blogosphere against one another.

It's going to be intense and a lot of fun so I'm going to break down everything for everyone since you can't physically get into our league to see and then we'll let you know next Tuesday how the weekend shakes down.

Background
This is our league with friends from home (Bismarck, ND) and from our summer softball team(s). Another noteable blogger in the league is twins25 or Jon Reed from http://www.completesports.blogspot.com/. Anyways, our records going in have me (The PurplePussy Eaters) at 2-3 and stefan (Romophobic) at 3-2. That puts me in 9th (but tied for 7th) and stefan in 5th (tied for 2nd). So, as you can see it's a tight league. I'll be looking to even up with stefan and get back to .500 this weekend.

Our Lineups
Joe (The PurplePussy Eaters)
QB- Eli Mannings at Cleveland
WR - Roddy White vs Chicago
WR - Brandon Marshall vs Jacksonville
WR - Steve Smith at Tampa Bay
RB - Marion Barber at Arizona
RB - Ronnie Brown at Houston
TE - Kellen Winslow vs NYG
WR/RB - Tim Hightower at Dallas
K - Josh Scobee at Denver
D - Dallas at Arizona

Stefan (Romophobic)
QB - David Garrard at Denver
WR - Andre Johnson vs Miami
WR - Laveranues Coles vs Cinci
WR - Steve Breaston vs Dallas
RB - Steve Slaton vs Miami
RB - Steven Jackson at Washington
TE - Owen Daniels vs Miami
WR/RB - Jamal Lewis vs NYG
K - Jason Elam vs Chicago
D - NYJ vs. Cinci

Predictions
Yahoo has Stefan predicted to win 135.75 - 132.88. Which is basically a tossup. I think it's going to be really close but I like my chances. Who do you think will win and why?

It's going to be a great weekend in fantasy football (and ND pheasant opener!) we'll be sure to let you know how this one turns out!

On the Ball

After years of being a Division 1-A bottom dweller, Ball St. is now turning heads.

Auburn, Wake Forest, North Carolina, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Ball State.

Which team does not belong?

These teams are the 20-25th ranked teams in this weeks AP Top 25 Poll.

After a surprising 6-0 start and wins over Navy and Indiana, Ball State is ranked in the Top 25 for the first time ever.

Who would've thought? Who would've guessed that Ball St. would be undefeated and ranked 25th at this point in the season? Most people don't know where Ball St. even is located (Indiana so you know).

These Cardinals have thoroughly impressed me. They're doing all this without their best WR, Dante Love, who suffered a career ending spine injury vs. Indiana (My prayers go out to Love and I hope he recovers fast).

RB MiQuale Lewis has been one of the best in the nation, rushing for 802 yards and 12 touchdowns thus far. QB Nate Davis has been impressive as well, showing he's one of the best QB in all of the MAC.

With tough tests coming up at the end of the season vs. Central and Western Michigan, don't be surprised if Ball St. is 10-0 for the first time heading into November 19.

After several long seasons of being an abysmal team, only to be looked at as fresh meat ready to beat down upon, Ball St. is finally the real deal.

Take Your Pick: Big 12 vs. SEC

Just who is the best conference in College Football? Well, I'll tell ya...

This may be one of those rare years that another conference is better than the SEC.

Every once and awhile there's another major conference that comes about one season, to flex its muscles and show they're just as good or even better than that defensive-minded, top-heavy coaching, and talent rich conference in the southeast.

The Big XII may just be that conference this year. Currently, they have 4 teams in the AP Top 10 and 6 teams in the Top 25. The SEC meanwhile, has 3 teams in the top 10 and 6 overall as well.

The SEC usually has the best matchups year in and year out. We've already witnessed Florida-Tennessee, LSU-Auburn, and Alabama-Georgia, yet we still have Florida-LSU, Florida-Georgia, Alabama-LSU, and more to enjoy.

But the Big XII has great matchups as well, Texas-Oklahoma is this weekend, plus we get to look forward to Texas Tech-Texas, Texas Tech-Oklahoma, Missouri-Kansas, and Kansas-Texas.

Not to mention the Big 12 has all those stellar QBs; "The top five passers in the Big 12 have completed 73 percent of their passes for 306 yards a game, with a 6-to-1 TD-to-interception ratio (77 TDs, 13 interceptions) and a ridiculous 10.5 yards per pass attempt." According to Foxsports.com.

The SEC although has actually started it's conference games. I believe their conference showdowns have been in full-fledged for 3 weeks now and that is why the Big 12 has more in the top 10 and more higher ranked teams than the SEC.

Georgia's had to play South Carolina and Alabama, Florida's played Tennessee and Mississippi already, Tennessee took on Auburn, Vandy has topped South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Auburn. Auburn's played Mississippi St., LSU, and the others I've mentioned, LSU took on Mississippi St., and Alabama rolled Georgia. You get the point...

Need I say more. I must say every year, this conference completely beats each other up and yet you still see them have the most teams ranked out there.

The SEC has been beating each other up for 3 weeks now. This past Saturday was the first weekend of Big 12 conference matchups and yet they still don't have more ranked teams than the SEC.

It's the dominant defenses, best of the best coaches, top-heavy contenders, and the overall teams from top to bottom that wins it for the SEC. You can make it an argument that the top teams in the Big XII are just as good as the SEC, but the SECs bottom feeders easily take it over their counterparts.

Once we get more into the season you will see the SEC separate themselves from the Big XII.

And once again, you will see another SEC in the BCS National Championship game.

The Big XII this year has a lot to boast about, but sorry Big XII, the SEC still takes the cake.

TSF NFL Week 5 Game Picks

Week 1 - BYE

Week 2 - 12-3
Week 3 - 12-3

Week 4 - 9-4

TOTAL - 33-10 (0.77%)

New York Giants beat the Seattle Seahawk

Carolina Panthers beat the Kansas City Chiefs

San Diego Chargers beat the Miami Dolphins

Indianapolis Colts beat the Houston Texans

Chicago Bears beat the Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers beat the Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dallas Cowboys beat the Cincinatti Bengals

Buffalo Bills beat the Arizona Cardinals

San Francisco 49ers beat the New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints beat the Minnesota Vikings

AFC GAME OF THE WEEK: Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC GAME OF THE WEEK: Philadelphia Eagles beat the Washington Redskins

UPSET SPECIAL: Baltimore Ravens beat the Tennessee Titans

2008 World Series Prediction

Phildelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Angels

This would be a great matchup if it were to happen. Both teams have the pitching to get here and both have very potent offensive line ups. The heart of the order of both teams are arguably the best in both leagues.

Breaking it down:

Bull Pen: Advantage Angels
With K-Rod as your closer you should always get the edge. He's arguably the best closer in the MLB. Add Jose Arrendono and Scott Shields and they're virtually unstoppable. They have the arms to win it all.

Starting Rotation: Advantage Angels
Once again I have to give the edge to the Angels. The Phillies rotation may not be the best but they still have some capable arms. Cole Hamels is one of the best aces out there when he's on his game. He never gives up a lot of runs and he'll keep you in every game. The Angels may not have a dominant starter, but they are deep. John Lackey, Ervin Santana, and Joe Saunders is an outstanding trio to have.

Offense: Advantage Phillies
Both teams can put up runs, but the Phillies make up on offense is unbelievable. Jimmy Rollins is one of the best lead off hitters out there, plus he is the most efficient base runner in the league (47 SB out of 50 attempts). Shane Victorino can come up with the big hit and move Rollins over. Chase Utley is a dangerous three hitter and Ryan Howard has that raw power. Pat Burrell is a scary 5 hitter too. The bottom of the order can produce with Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz.

Defense: Advantage Angels
The infield is solid with SS Erick Aybar and 2B Howie Kendrick up the middle. They may be one of the best up the middle defensive teams out there. Chone Figgens is also a solid 3B and utility player. The outfield is the best in all of baseball with Torii Hunter patrolling center field and Vlad Guerrero's arm out in RF.

The Pick: Los Angeles Angels in 7

This is a pretty even matchup but the Angels will get it done. They have a big pitching advantage over the Phillies and that's what will get it done in the end.

2008 MLB Playoff Predictions

AMERICAN LEAGUE

ALDS

Boston Redsox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem

Well we all watched the Red Sox run all over a weak Angels team last year; this year, the Red Sox are facing off against the team that’s not only the best in the AL but enjoyed a 17-9 September. It shouldn’t be close. Especially with Beckett coming in a little dinged up. Obviously it's hard to bet against the Red Sox Nation but I think this is one of the only circumstances that it should be done. The Angels are waaaay too complete of a ballclub. The Angels pretty much owned the Red Sox throughout the Regular season this year and I expect more of the same. Especially if the Angels can put themselves in save situations I fully expect K-Rod to be dealin his meanest. But don't completely write off the Red Sox. They're THE RED SOX. This is the PLAYOFFS. This will be a damn good series.

The Pick: Angels in 5

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox

Okay, let’s be honest. I love the concept of what the Rays have done this year. I mean this franchise was pure crap for their entire existence. Now finally they are playing good all season. What a beautiful story. Here is the problem with all of this: it has to end somewhere. I think it ends here. That’s right, the fun is over. I hate to say it because I loathe the White Sox, I really do. Tampa will be good for several more years but I think they are tired. It has shown a little down the stretch. The lack of experience against a veteran team like the White Sox will be their undoing. With all the veteran leadership on the White Sox side and the momentum they're riding off the win against the Twins I just don't see the Rays taking this one. I think you can look for veterans like Pierznsky and Griffey Jr. to have big series'.

The Pick: Chicago in 4

ALCS

Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem vs. Chicago White Sox

This matchup is just laden with veteran leadership and good starting pitching. However if this is indeed the ALCS matchup I think you can look for the Angels to have an easier time with the White Sox than the Red Sox. The White Sox are a good team and I think Ozzie Guillen is a good enough manager to make this as close as possible but I think the Angels are in a class above the White Sox. Their pitching is all around better and I also think their lineup is a little more potent.

The Pick: Angels in 4