Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Not-So-Great 8

Going into the NHL All Star break, the Caps' "Great 8" is on pace for an 83-point season.

Last spring, deputies found thousands of doses of anabolic steroids in the home of Richard Thomas. He claimed they were for chiropractor Douglas Nagel, who told him he supplied steroids to members of the Washington Capitals. Detectives were not able to prove that players who visited Nagel were taking steroids, but Nagel was charged with seven counts of soliciting to deliver a controlled substance. Last June, Thomas was sentenced to eight months in jail and three years of supervised release after prison.

Ovie hasn't been the same player since. Coincidence?

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Best of Times, Worst of Times

AFC Championship (best ratings in 24 years)
31.3 rating of all TV households
46% share of audience watching TV

NFC Championship
28.1 rating of all TV households
50% share of the audience watching TV

2010 World Series (lowest ratings ever)
8.4 rating of all TV householdsg (average)
14% share of  audience watching TV (average)

When all markets, large and small, have a chance to win a championship, people care about the sport.  It's too late for MLB, which doesn't have significant revenue sharing, nor a salary cap. NFL, please don't screw up your league, too, with your next collective bargaining agreement.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

It's a Hockey Night in Pittsburgh

Unfortunately, it's not a hockey night for #87, and based on his comments to the media yesterday, it doesn't sound like he will be on the ice again anytime soon. Best-case scenario is probably February 6, which could happen if he resumes skating after the all star break (six days from now) and gets in a week of conditioning. That would mean he misses the first three games after the all star break, before that Feb 6 game, which is Super Bowl Sunday. The opponent that day, by the way, Steckel and the Capitals. Payback time?

Until then, this is #29's team, who I predict will be (has to be) the #1 star tonight and every night that the Pens win until at least #71 returns.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Yesterday's Top 5 Thankful Moments

5: Unlike the Ravens game, #22 picking up the pigskin when it was on the ground at the end of the first half
4: #34 looking like the Vikings' #28 of two seasons ago.
3: Coach Tomlin playing to win, instead of not to lose, by calling two pass plays on Steelers last drive.
2: The pass plays on the game's last drive not backfiring on the Steelers.
1: Jay Cutler isn't the Q for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Saturday, January 22, 2011

NFL PICK$


It has been a profitable post-season for me when it comes to picking against the NFL spread. 5 wins, 3 losses with three games to go until one team is hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Here is what to expect AFC, NFC, Championship Sunday:

Green Bay (-3.5) at Chicago:
Too much firepower for the Bears to handle on both sides of the ball. Cutler will be forced into making costly mistakes and Favre's successor will continue to make the Cheeseheads forget #4. Take the Pack and give the points.

NY Jets at Pittsburgh (-3.5)
Give the Jets credit, they knocked out Indy and NE, not sure there is another NFL team that could have accomplished that. But this is a great matchup for the Steelers. The Jets need to run the ball so that Sanchez can just manage the game. Problem for Jets is Steelers stop the run better than anyone else. Jets defense thrives on pressuring the Q, but big Ben is the best (better than Manning and Brady) of extending the play after it breaks down. Steelers win and easily cover the spread.

Bonus Pick:
#29  is #1 star tonight against 'canes as Pens win for the first time without #71 or #87 in the lineup.

Friday, January 21, 2011

87 + 71 + 29 = franchise

Five things I never want to see again:

5) Any Philadelphia sports team win a championship

4) Continued Pirates ownership by Bob Nutting

3) An NFL lockout

2) Glee

1) The Pens lineup without #87, #71, & #29

Here is what we learned last night about the Pens after their 2-0 loss to New Jersey—they aren't Stanley Cup contenders with #87, #71, & #29 scratched. Mind boggling, huh.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Chasing Greatness

"I’ve said since I got here, I was excited to come to the Steelers because it’s a special organization.”
--Big Ben

It really is a special organization borne out by the Steelers' six Super Bowl wins. Remaining three teams have five championships combined. That's not lost on the NFL players or fans in every city.

As for you old-timers who remember the Steelers of the 70's,imagine if you had one game to win and could start one Q who was in his prime.Who would it be? Meredith? Namath? Fouts? Montana? Young? Elway? Marino? Aikmen? Manning? Brady? Give me #12 in the Black & Gold. Like Big Ben, the offensive schemes didn't give him a chance to put up MVP numbers during the regular seasons. But what he did do, more than any of the others, is LEAD his teammates to championships, and that's what sports is all about... and what Sunday's all about as Big Ben moves closer to standing alongside, not slightly behind, Terry Bradshaw.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

5 Reasons Why I Miss Sidney Crosby

1. Humility. After two weeks of suffering through the NY JETS media takeoverfilled with personal attacks against opposing players, coaches, and media correspondents who doubted their football teamit would be nice to see the return of the unmistakably best player in hockey (though he would never say so himself).

2. The Rocket Richard. Tonight was the night it finally happened. After 6 missing games, Sid has lost hold of league's title for most goals. Steven Stamkos had two goals against the Lighteningputting him at 33, one ahead of Crosby.

3. The All-Star Game. Can they even call it that if he doesn't play? Sid said it is very questionable whether he will play in the game. But even if he does, there will be no captain title for him, they were given to Carolina's Staal and Detroit's Lidstrom. It just doesn't seem right for the player who received 635,509 votes (200,000 more than Toews).

4. The Sidney Haters. I am sick and tired of hearing conspiracy theories of why he played in the Tampa Bay game or why he will not be playing in the all-star game. Haven't NHL fans and media personalities learned that Sid is an Honest Abe by now?

5. The Philadelphia Flyers. It seems that it always comes back to the Flyers. We let them have their fun in the Stanley Cup last year and smirked at their division lead throughout the first half of the season. But enough is enough. It is time for Sid to come back and show them who is really the better hockey team in the Atlantic division and the NHL.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

It's a Hockey Night (and trifecta week) in Pittsburgh

Thank you Pitt Panthers for the perfect start of what could be a memorable sports week in the City of  Champions. A 19-0 run to start the game last night against the #3 team in the country. Wow! Big Ben, several other Steelers, and the Cardinal's/Pitt alumnus Larry Fitzgerald were in The Pete to watch the beat down of 'Cuse in which the Panthers never trailed (though they made the game interesting by giving  'Cuse their own 17-0 run). Nicely done boys!


Tonight, it's the Pens turn. Still no #87, but  two players are stepping up in his absence,  #11 and #29.In fact, #29 not being one of the stars against Boston was a joke. Sportswriter who picked the stars must be in the same group that has been yapping about Tom Brady being the best Q ever. How'd he do against the Jets... Or in last year's playoff... HaHa!  Back to the Pens, I don't like some of the whispers about #71's play. It's true, he's not piling up the points, but his play at both ends has been strong, and he is generating scoring chances. Don't be surprised if one of these games he has a 4 or 5 point night. Maybe tonight.

Of course, Sunday is the game we're all waiting for. Look for my pick against the spread for both NFL championship games later this week. (I'm 5-3 against the spread so far this post season.)

Monday, January 17, 2011

Trifecta

Thanks to a clean sweep on Saturday by Pitt, Pens, and Steelers, the City of Champions has quite a week ahead:

Monday: NCAA hoops #4 Pitt hosts #3 Syracuse
Tuesday: Pens host Detroit, back-to-back finals rivals
Sunday: Steelers host Jets in AFC championship

Those with heart conditions may be better off planning a winter excursion this week in Boston, where there will be nothing to get excited about.

For the rest of us, buckle your seat belt, this week is going to be quite a ride in the national spotlight.

Friday, January 14, 2011

A Penguin Goal Song for the 21st Century?!?

Is there any better feeling than watching the puck soar off a penguin's stick into our opponent's net?

Well I am glad you asked. There could be a better feeling with a change in Consol's goal song.

Right now the penguin goal song alternates between two songs. The first is "Song 2" by Blur. The ever popular woo-hoo song was great when it came out in 1997 (more than ten years ago).


If you think the 14-year-old goal song is a bit tired, how about the Penguin's other goal song? "Rock n' Roll 2" by Gary Glitter was originally released in 1972 (5 years before any current penguin was born).


It is time for a change. My current favorite replacement song is called "The Whip" by Locksley released in 2010. 


Starting at 1:45 and ending at 2:14 = the new penguin goal song. Don't believe me? Take a listen.

NFL PICK$

1) Baltimore at Pittsburgh (-3)
Ravens can't make Big Ben any uglier so all #7 has to worry about is winning the game. He will be the #1 star. Give the points and take the Steelers

2) Green Bay at Atlanta (-2.5)
The only way I'd take Atlanta is if Brett Favre was still Green Bay's Q. Take the Pack and the points. I look for the Pack to win this one outright.

3) Seattle at Chicago (-10)
'da Bears probably win but no way by 10 unless its 6o degrees and sunny on Chi town's lakefront, and that's not happening, either. Take Seattle with the points

4) New York at New England (-8.5)
Cromartie is right, Tom Brady is an a**hole, but he's also the best Q in the game. Take NE and give the points. I'd take NE and give 14 points.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Karma is a b****

"Crazy. Karma is a b****. Gets you every time. It's not good to wish bad on anybody. God sees everything!" "
--LeBron James tweeted when dissing his old team Tuesday night for getting blown out by the Lakers.

Looks like he was right! Last night, King James sprains his ankle and the Heat's winning streak comes to an end.

Meanwhile, Habs goalie Price, who struck an arms-crossed pose after beating the Pens in a shootout last week, got beat last night for five goals.

#29 had his teammates' backs by striking his own arms-crossed pose at game's victorious end.

HaHa!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

It's a hockey night in Pittsburgh

I'm worried about tonight's game after Monday's meltdown against the Bruins. I don't understand how Pens could give up so many odd man breaks against Bruins during the final 30 minutes. Where was the defense and the backcheck?!

I felt bad for #29. For 50+ minutes he had an outstanding game. Chara's goal wasn't great, but he has a wicked shot. The others #29 had no chance on.

I have real concerns that HCDB is unable to counter the opposition's strategy of clogging up the neutral zone against the Pens. Isles did it successfully against Pens to stop #87's scoring streak and Minnesota, Habs, Bruins have done it since. Pens have enough talent even without #87 to generate sustained offense. I hope HCDB has come up with an approach that has a bit more complexity than his old standby, "keep it in their end." We'll find out tonight because I'm sure the Habs are going to have the same game plan they did last week--boring but effective defensive hockey.

Thank goodness the NFL championship, unlike the BCS, isn't in the hands of sports writers.

For the much hyped Steelers-Ravens matchup, here is my analysis:

* Both defenses are dominant. No edge

* Both teams have good running games; slight edge to the Ravens

* Both teams have decent passing games; slight edge to the Steelers

* Significant advantage for Steelers at Q

With #7 tipping the scales, I like the Steelers in this one, but this a "Yoi! Double Yoi!" game, which means no one should bet it unless they enjoyed the Robert De Niro-Christopher Walken finale in The Deer Hunter.

Nevertheless, look for my picks against the spread later this week as I try to build on my playoff 3-1 record against the spread.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Still working on the next round of my my NFL playoff picks. Here's one factor that will receive no consideration from me: Home field advantage. When it comes to the NFL and NHL, it means nothing. Just check out last week's games. Home teams were 1-3, and two the home teams that lost were favorites.

Monday, January 10, 2011

The real winner of NFL 2011 Wild Card weekend

3-1 against the spread on Wild Card weekend.

Maybe I should quit my day job and move to Vegas?!

Look for my playoff picks later this week after I send hours breaking down film of the remaining teams.

Friday, January 7, 2011

NFL 2011 Wild Card weekend

Here are picks from the winner of The Reigning Champ Fantasy Football League (i.e., me):

Saints (-10) at Seahawks: Take the hawks with the points

Jets at Colts (-3): Take the Colts, give the points

Ravens (-3) at Chiefs: Take the Ravens, give the points

Packers at Eagles (-2.5): Take the Packers with the points. I look for the Pack to win this outright.
Posted by R~ at 1:45 PM 0 comments
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Labels: NFL picks